From the editor

Summer 2020

Parenting Times editor Tracey Tong and her daughter, Ellie. Photo Courtesy Tracey Tong

Let’s take a short trip (likely the only one I’ll be making in 2020 – thanks, COVID-19) behind the scenes at Parenting Times. In the magazine world, the themes and content of each edition are decided months in advance. When we settled on this edition’s theme of “summer lovin’,” I envisioned a roster of stories, both lighthearted and heartfelt; a curated collection of activities to the most of warm-weather family time; and a spotlight on the local faces and places that truly make our city special. We could touch on the issues close to families’ hearts, and share ideas that could make our lives even better.

Then the pandemic shut down life as we knew it, and brought with it a new reality. Suddenly, expressing our love took on a new look. It meant staying home and doing our part to keep not only our friends and families, but our neighbours and strangers, safe; finding ways to stay in touch with loved ones and checking in on acquaintances we knew would be distancing alone; and believing that as different as our lives are, people around the world were in this together.

What does love mean to you? It starts with yourself, Samantha Ball writes. She speaks to parents who have turned their lives into ones that they’re in love with. The details start on page XX. How else can you show yourself some love? It’s easy, with the help of award-winning dietitian and recipe developer Toby Amidor’s heart-healthy recipes from her new book on page XX. On page XX, we feature some of the kids and parents we know who share a hobby, and got local expert Amanda Telford to weigh in on the benefits of doing something you love together.

Happiness Formula columnist Kita Szpak treats us to an ode to one of her first loves – her father – on page XX. Speaking of columnists, we’re delighted to welcome our new Dad’s Dispatch columnist, local journalist Jon Willing, who introduces us to the loves of his life – his wife, Nicole, and their son, Miles, on page XX. We’re looking forward to following this young family’s adventures in coming editions.

What happens when love doesn’t work out as expected? In his first piece for Parenting Times, Ontario lawyer Russell Alexander shares his advice on how a parenting coordinator can help in the case of a marital split. Read this story on page XX.

We still have a long way to go before a return to what the world was. In the meantime, let’s make the most of this time. We can emerge from this global event stronger, happier, more enlightened, better communicators, and more bonded than before. Keep calm and love on, Ottawa.