Saturday, 10 December 2011
Wednesday, 23 November 2011
My Child's First Phone!
What has been your experience with your child and their first phone? Email submissions@cityline.ca and include "Modern Dad" in the subject line.
Let's have a chat!
Let's have a chat!
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
Monday, 19 September 2011
Thursday, 25 August 2011
Saturday, 20 August 2011
Thursday, 11 August 2011
Thursday, 14 July 2011
Wednesday, 6 July 2011
Sunday, 22 May 2011
The Friday Rush
Over the last few years working on Friday has always been a challenge for me and not just because the anticipation of a work break for two days can be very distracting. Every Friday one thought creeps into my mind that takes priority over everything else. Get ready for it. Prepare for the long two hour, 145 km drive from Toronto to Collingwood to have my kids for the weekend. I was fortunate this past Friday when our home day producer Fiona Clark booked me to shoot with Mary Dobson up in Collingwood. As a result, not only was I able to shoot a great “before” story with Mary and a real estate agent, I was able to pick up my little ladies at their mom’s house right after school.
Sure there was some last minute juggling with schedules but in the end it worked out. Successful planning for the pick-up and drop-off day is not easy to coordinate. Add to this, the stress filled drives to and from ski country during rush our wondering if the blowing snow, non-stop bumper to bumper traffic and back seat bickering will ever let up.
Fridays are very challenging and never relaxing for this modern dad.
Sunday, 8 May 2011
Wonderful Day
It was a perfect Saturday.
It was family media day at Canada’s Wonderland and I felt the need to express my gratitude to the staff at the park for saving my stomach from a very rough ride because my kids were allowed to take a friend this year. It was a nice for Michele and I to trail behind them while they sprinted from ride to ride and it was a pleasure to hear their screams in the distance rather than my own as a result of some “behemoth” ride. The day ended with custom necklaces and pictures. All the kids left with great stories of their favourite and least favourite rides and keepsakes to help their memories stick around until next year when they beg for another park adventure. After a good meal the kids were tired and quiet on the ride home.
A perfect Saturday.
Sunday, 3 April 2011
Chilling at Chiggy's ?
So here I am, a grown man, working hard during the week so you'd figure Saturday is my time to chill. Ahh yes, a sleep in, coffee, newspaper…maybe a workout.
But here is the reality, being the dad of two girls…..
My butt has been firmly planted in a chair at Chiggy's Touch hair salon waiting area for the last 50 minutes. Meanwhile the ladies of my life are getting their hair pulled, combed, washed, cut….and with the help of this totally bizarre goopy mixture, "relaxed" or "texturized". The application of the toothpaste-like substance that is carefully combed through Maya and Zuri's hair takes forever! Maya is a particularly difficult case because she apparently has just the right combination of curly hair from me and straight hair from her mother to create a very difficult transition into the long, smooth locks she so desperately wants. Go figure!
I'm sure reading People, Essence, Style at Home and US under one of those "head heaters" is an enjoyable way for some people to pass four hours of their day. But for me, not so much. I was the bone head who forgot to bring the appropriate reading material. Instead, I check out how my teams are doing on my blackberry.
So as afternoon turns to evening, after hours of hearing the chatter about how "I need this much off”… what this shampoo and conditioner product will do for you…“leave this in after you shower " and how “this cut really brings out your eyes" the ladies are finally ready to put on their coats and head home. I pull up to the cash register, stretching, yawning and trying to get some feeling back in my legs. I’ve been lost in thought, day-dreaming about how great it would be if the Leafs could somehow squeeze into the playoffs. I am suddenly jolted back to reality when I am told what the price of beauty is, and the additonal products needed to keep the hair looking healthy. As I'm reminded that, "we will see you back here in a couple of months!" I wonder if I could talk the girls into just shaving it like I do. It's so easy!
At least the staff finishes with some recognition for my accomplishments. "You deserve a medal for this dad. You are a real trouper for hanging in there!" That’s four hours of quality bonding time with my girls…time my butt will never get back. It’s killing me!
Tuesday, 29 March 2011
Pdaddy Intro
Hello there,
For those of you who know me as a videograpgher for Cityline you know that I am always focusing on other peoples stories. Here I am going to try a new angle putting the focus on myself. This spotlight is all new to me but when Tracy suggested that I write a blog about being a single dad I thought what the heck let’s give this a shot!
First I should clarify that after being a single dad for a few years I am now a parent in a step family. I have two drama filled, Justin Beiber loving, constantly bickering, iPod and Nintendo DS-obsessed ‘tweens! Maya is 12 and Zuri is 10. These girls are indeed a handful. My girlfriend Michele has her own kids. Her oldest daughter Alex is away at University and her son Riley at high school here in Toronto . All of these young people have their own schedules and extracurricular activities that must be factored into the equation. This modern day family unit with all its complexities is where a lot of my perspectives are centred.
And this perspective is becoming more common. I read somewhere that in 80’s 55 percent of all Canadian families were legally married couples with children but as of the mid 2000’s that percentage had dropped to 34 percent.
So needless to say we are your typically stressed out crazy busy family and there is plenty of silliness to relay to you here. It is going to be a fun filled ride that will hopefully be entertaining and relatable.
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