The Tong family on vacation in the ’90s. Photo Courtesy Murray Tong
My brother and I enjoyed wonderful summer holidays while growing up in southern Ontario. Toronto’s museums and galleries were our backyard. We attended art camps. Dad often took long weekends, and we’d rent cottages with friends and take our boat out. Every summer would feature an eye-opening international trip, or our favourite, a road trip where we’d pack up the car and play oldies all the way to Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, New York State, Washington, D.C., Massachusetts or Walt Disney World.
Twenty-some years later, family life looks different. As Turnbull School director Gareth Reid notes, today’s two-parent families usually have both parents working, a fact upon which kids’ summer schedules are strategically built. This may limit opportunities for the mid-week getaways and spontaneous excursions of yore. Here in Ottawa, summers seem even shorter, thanks to the stretches of cooler weather we enjoy here. Yet our need for time off and self-care haven’t changed. How do we make the most of summer when our calendars are packed to the proverbial gills?
In this issue of Parenting Times Magazine, we’re hoping to inspire to you to intentionally fill your summer—and your life—with the things that you love.
It may be summer, but Focus on Education doesn’t take a vacation. If you’re exploring enrichment options or tutoring services for your child during the holidays, local educators share their views on how to use time off. Is your child looking for a new activity? If they love to sing, the Ottawa Children’s Choir may give an option for a hobby that just might grow into a passion. And speaking of passion, read about Ottawa entrepreneur Duncan Taylor, a.k.a. Yardgameguy, who turned a childhood interest into a game rental business.
Don’t miss the latest from our columnists—Jon Willing of Dad’s Dispatch, Chris Hunt (Memoirs of a New Dad) and Kita Szpak (The Happiness Formula) who offer glimpses into how they make the most of the season.
Area residents share how they opened their hearts and homes to furry family members. Lastly, in today’s hot real estate and rental market, your family may also be looking to make the most of your housing dollars. Sheryl Bennett-Wilson has written a feature on multigenerational housing and how developers and real families alike are stickhandling the shortage, while building bonds with loved ones.
Likely, we’ve given you a lot to consider, so we’ll sign off with this important reminder: time is our most precious commodity, which is why we must not undervalue our work, sell ourselves short, or squander it on things that don’t matter. Choose wisely.
Best wishes,
Tracey