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Lucy Burns, 10, plays with her friend Katherine Smith at a playground in Toronto. Lucy's mother has cut down the number of organized activities her daughter participates in, allowing Lucy to enjoy more downtime.

The free-range child

A growing number of parents espouse a radical philosophy: It's time children got life skills by actually living


Mental health

Let them come home, just don't let them stay

University grads who leave home too soon or stay too long are at greater risk for depression, research shows


Mariner's tale

One wave too many

Harrowing events cut short regular Joe's trip around the world


Hortons fiasco

The case for free

Giving away a bite-sized doughnut costs next to nothing, builds customer loyalty and empowers employees. So why are companies like Tim Hortons so afraid of the freebie?

Dining out

How can we afford to eat out so much?

Judith Timson

As food costs skyrocket, the restaurant generation pays a hefty tab


Parenting

Avoiding the step-parent trap

Anthony Wolf

When a new spouse joins the family, everyday arguments can lead to major blow-ups. Steer clear of conflicts with a united front


Blog

Anthony Wolf

The Office

Craig Silverman on the way we work


Damage Control

My ogling makes my girlfriend furious

Anthony Wolf

Can I get it under control and reassure her that I'm committed without becoming a navel-gazing freak show?

 

Earlier discussion

Claudia Dey

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Diversions 

More Life stories 

Swan song: Clinton's defiant Mother's Day

A 60-year-old woman comes close – but not, it seems, close enough – to being the bold and exhilarating female leader of her generation

1,000 songs, 1,000 dancers, no sound

Silent discos, popular in Europe for the past few years, are catching on across Canada

Jenna Bush to get hitched, Texas style

President George W. Bush's daughter to marry at family's 1,600-acre ranch Saturday night

Dee Dee Myers: Pretty complicated in pink

She's got cred as the first female press secretary to a U.S. president. But why is she preaching empowerment in a pink room?


Health 

Does cold really help recovery after a hard workout?

It's best to chill after a heavy session

Teen sex: From 14 to 16: What does raising the age of consent accomplish?

The children in desperate need of protection from sexual exploitation will no more be protected

Gut feelings do drive you to eat

Hormone called ghrelin makes our brains' pleasure centres light up when we see food

Food for thought: Manage childhood hyperactivity with food

Strict diets that eliminate certain ingredients can be effective at reducing the symptoms of ADHD in youngsters


Family & Relationships 

Group Therapy: I want more kids, my wife doesn't

I'm tired of discussing it and would like to leave the relationship

DIY DNA: Who's your daddy?

When your son is so positive, so even-tempered, so handsome – so unlike you – there is only one thing to do, David Eddie writes: Grab a home paternity kit

Get what you want this Mother's Day. Twist the ex's arm

On what is perhaps the Hallmark holiday of all Hallmark holidays, what's a single mother to do for some recognition?


Food & Wine 

Salt doesn't dissolve in oil, silly

The guru of molecular gastronomy debunks culinary myths - not to dehumanize cooking but to make eating more pleasurable

Save the world: Eat less

Chef Vikram Vij encourages diners at his restaurant to order less so that nothing goes to waste

This wine doctor makes house calls

Pascal Marchand won't soon foget one of his first jobs as a 'flying winemaker'

Tiger Blue cheese: Powerful with a sweet and mellow side

The Okanagan Valley's Tiger lives up to its name - piquant, salty and powerful, and then a lingering savoury-sweetness


Work 

Suitable: Work Couture: Business before pleasure on casual Friday

How to dress down without abandoning your professional polish

The dark side of mentoring

When the protégé backstabs or the mentor steals ideas, you know the feel-good process has gone awry

Always on?: BlackBerry: the new hot-button labour issue

Some lawyers and work-life experts say employers should be taking note if they want to ward off potential lawsuits or massive overtime bills

Open door, closed mind: The boss isn't listening

Managers' unwillingness to listen to tough issues leaves many underlings fearful of speaking frankly


Style 

Splash flash

One-piece or two, this summer's suits make bold statements in strong, solid colours. There's nary a polka dot to be seen

The politics of fashion: Haute Harper

He gets points for trimming down. Now it's time for the Prime Minister to stop being so conservative –when it comes to his wardrobe

Shirts, shorts, shoes

This summer, the rule of threes works for the office, the bar and the picnic blanket. For a truly sunny look, top it off with a bright bag

Violent by design

Carnage has overtaken sex as the style world's preoccupation du jour. What's behind the blood lust? Karen von Hahn takes a razor-sharp look at the creative set's obsession with dark themes


Travel 

Israel at 60: Dancing in The Bubble

Tel Aviv's nightlife puts many larger cities to shame. Now, Israelis and visitors looking to let loose are flocking to a new kind of dance club – smaller, exclusive, and ruled by the almighty List

A piedi

Call it healthy. Call it green. Call it spiritual. Or maybe a walking trip is just plain fun. John Allemang reflects on a stroll through Sicily – and the allure of using your own two feet to explore the world

Get a room

A couple's first trip used to be to ‘meet the parents.' But no more: A growing number of sweethearts are putting their relationship to the travel test just a few weeks in – and hotels are catering to new romances. Welcome to the ‘holidate'

The star treatment

Rockers used to tear up the rooms. Models made headlines berating the maids. But these days celebrities have a new appreciationfor hotel etiquette – and management. Ellen Himelfarb reports on the rise of hoteliers like John Malkovich, Bono, Richard Gere and Elizabeth Hurley, and what fans can expect from checking in with the A-list

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