Editor’s Note: This story is a part of our series, The Gift, which appeared in the March 2026 issue. Many organizations across the Ottawa region offer invaluable volunteer opportunities to eager trainees I remember standing at the hatch […]
Dad
Side splitter
Before journalism, before becoming a dad — this humour columnist was already making people laugh Stand-up comedy is probably not the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks about diversions in Ottawa. That’s a shame, because the capital […]
After the bell
A robust school extracurricular program has much to offer children and their families If kids are gloomy about being back in the classroom this fall, hopefully they find joy in the school’s extracurricular activities. We should urge our children […]
Winter of discontent
Batten the hatches! You don’t need weather to experience a cold front—just a child in his pre-preteen years Winter is coming. In fact, it’s been festering within my walls since the summer. One of the subtle truths I’ve learned about […]
Winter chic
Outdoor family fun has Jon Willing rethinking his cold-weather wardrobe I might get a second pair of snow pants this winter. Oh, I’m sorry. Are snow pants uncool? Somewhere around middle school, snow pants became a fashion faux […]
A ‘wheelie’ good time
His son now at bike-riding age, our columnist considers the pros and cons of outsourcing this rite of passage I was walking with my wife and our son through the Glebe one morning when a small kid zipped past us […]
Conservation authority
Whether it’s via lessons from school or his beachy adventures, columnist Chris Hunt’s son Riley continues to teach him the importance of caring for our planet There was a period not long ago where my nine-year-old son was obsessed with […]
Unscripted opportunities
Adding a dash of fun to a daily routine is the key to a stable, happy life during the pandemic It’s so dark I can barely see my son. The faint flickering from the streetlamps below barely find their way […]
A work in progress
For a toddler, work must seem like an evil, mysterious chore that eats up the fun time with the parents When I hear the garage door open, the countdown begins. I know I have maybe five minutes to wrap […]
Back in the day
Columnist Jon Willing notes major differences between current school protocols and the ones he experienced as a student With the arrival of a new school year, it has struck me that it’s been almost 25 years since I graduated […]