Happy fall!
Jennifer Archer, left, and Parenting Times editor Tracey Tong. Photo Courtesy T. Tong
This is me, your friendly neighbourhood Parenting Times editor, on the right. Hi!
In the photo with me is my beautiful lifelong best friend Jennifer, who also says hi. Jenn and I grew up in the 80s and were teens in the 90s, which puts us in the border camp between Generation X and Millennial.
Despite living 500 kilometres apart, we’ve maintained a strong friendship for more than three decades, bonding over the various stages of our lives – school, work (shameless plug: she’s the author, award-winning screenwriter and producer behind Into the Deep Blue, coming to theatres in early 2027), finding love and raising families.
Lately, in addition to talking about our kids (she has a cool teenaged son, I have a newly minted eight and 12-year-old), we’ve been sharing news updates about our respective parents – my dad, a widower living alone in Toronto, and her dad, for whom she is a regular caregiver.
Parents never used to be such a regular topic of conversation. Slowly but noticeably, chats about our dads have become tinged with concern – around falls, eating habits, doctors’ visits and general health. While I am full of admiration of Jenn’s dedication to caring for her father (she has a very full life of her own), she is not by any means the only one. There are many of us of similar age, plus or minus 15 years, juggling the demands of early mid-life, families, careers and now, aging parents. We are the sandwich generation.
That brings us to the theme of our 17th anniversary issue: An ode to the people who care for both kids and aging parents. ‘Sandwich generation, you’ve got this!’ is a collection of evergreen stories that you may have missed the first time around, or that may be handy to read again as your family’s circumstances evolve. In any case, these stories were chosen from past issues with care for both older adults and those who love them in mind.
We’ve included a story about aging. ‘You oughta know,’ is about things readers, well, ought to know and ask experts about getting older.
There’s also a story on loneliness and isolation – both common to the human experience regardless of age. Sheryl Bennett-Wilson spoke to experts about things to consider when grappling with the idea of making the move to a retirement facility.
The great news about aging in Ottawa is that experts have found that the nation’s capital receives high marks for its services and amenities for older adults. As if we needed another reason to love where we live! One of those great offerings must be art. In this issue, readers can find numerous art class offerings for older adults who want to either keep their hands and minds active or to realize a lifelong dream.
Our readers are responsible for their aging parents and for their kids, but those same people will let their own health fall by the wayside. ‘Just breathe’ incorporates the self-care advice of area experts and encourages busy adults to look after themselves.
Thank you for caring for your loved ones. Your hard work does not go unappreciated or unseen.
Best wishes,
Tracey