Father’s Day Musings on Stepping Up, Sleep and Savings!

When you start a family of your own, Father’s Day takes on so much more meaning. It of course provides fresh perspective and makes you appreciate the sacrifices your own father figures made to raise you and give you the life you’ve had, but it also forces you to step back and value your own spouse or companion for the job they do every day to raise your kids.

Being a twin mom means you usually appreciate the idea of partnership in parenthood a bit earlier on. One person just doesn’t have enough limbs to simultaneously tackle bedtime, bathing, feeding and diapering two babies. You quickly learn to rely on your significant other to carry a heavy, if not equal load, and as your kids get older, even more crucial is the learned skill of balancing your own schedules so that each parent has time to focus on themselves as well.

I’m lucky to have a husband who values my work and understands that when I need to be up and “on” filming a live TV segment that morning, that he will take care of the boys’ morning routine. He knows I often have to stay up late into the night working on client projects so I can be with the boys at programs during the day, so he lets me sleep in later than him when I’ve been burning the midnight oil so I can try and get a little more shut eye.

It goes both ways of course: when he has a hockey game that cuts into the boys’ bedtime routine, I don’t guilt him for leaving and when he has to travel for work or on a quick boys’ trip, I simply round up family members to help fill in when I need the extra hand. We respect each other’s commitments and passions, and while we may not always be so cheerful about it in the moment, we understand that stepping up is a necessary and important part of co-parenting.

I attended a great event at Colette last week where Pampers Ambassador and Olympic athlete Mark Oldershaw chatted with his wife, Annamay Pierse, a fellow Olympian, about their experience in balancing their roles as new parents with the role as world-class athletes. They truly exemplified the idea of stepping up to the plate when needed when they discussed how Annamay was taking on the bulk of the late night duties for their newborn so Mark can get the rest his body so desperately needs during intense physical training for the Rio games.

Over a delightful lunch of classic French bistro fare (like beef tartare), we enjoyed a talk focusing on the importance of sleep, which as any parent knows, is vital to functioning and attempting to be a normal human being during the day. Olympian or not, both parents and kids need enough sleep in order to have proper cognitive function, stave off illness and generally not be cranky witches.

Sleep Expert and Founder of Good Night Sleep Site, Alanna McGinn, provided fellow pampers baby panel members tips about creating healthy sleep habits and methods to encourage a successful sleep schedule for your kids. I am a firm believer in routine and totally was on the same page with her advice so it was nice to have some of our parenting practices validated by an expert. I’m sure we’ll be needing a refresher course from her once the boys move into beds and all hell breaks loose- eek!

The restaurant itself is beautiful and I have been enjoying it from afar as people post about their visits on social media, so it was great to finally see it in person too.

Also, if you’re a busy mom like me and enjoy the convenience of products you like showing up to your door, you can sign up for a P&G brand pack and try products from your fave brands such as Pampers, Tide and Swiffer for less than $5. All you have to do is register at pgeveryday.ca, select a bundle and you’ll get new goodies to try at home!  While you’re on the site, you can also check out print-at-home coupons for up to $55 in savings on even more great brands. (while quantities last so go sign up if you’re interested)

Happy Fathers Day!