The Hospital Night

Many of you might have ‘experienced’ our latest Health Care adventure on Saturday through Twitter. What a nightmare… Long story short, our 1 year old tripped and banged his forehead on the corner of the cupboards. When you hear “his head is busted open”, the thing you wish for is what happened; the need for a couple stitches, ice, and watch the bruiser develop a nasty black eye (still waiting for that part). What we didn’t expect takes place over the next 9 hours.

We got the little guy ready and took him down to the Gatineau Hospital as they had done a great job with our 4 year old last year with a similar injury. Once we saw the intake nurse she warned us it may take a bit before we see the doctor. Being the rational people we are we expected a hour or so wait but figured since stitches don’t take a lot of time and since he’s just a baby we’d be seen soon. She told us it would be 20 (yes that zero is there on purpose) hours but if we were lucky the doctor might see us at the end of his shift. Yes, so basically if the doctor was in a good mood after dealing with ‘emergency’ patients all day he’d see us. If not tomorrow at noon is apparently good enough. To our understanding, most cuts heal in about 10-12 hours… Stunned we sat down with the other patient patients. We heard that a 20ish male with Kidney Stones had been there 26 hours with only Tylenol for pain. Quick decision to bust out and head over to CHEO!

It’s now 4:30 as we arrive to CHEO, just in time for parents with sick kids to seek treatment after a long day and the daily skiing/sliding/snowboarding accidents to arrive. Great, the sympathy vote just went down the toilet… Of course the service is fantastic and all the staff super supportive! We never have any problem with that here, and with three boys we may as well buy a private parking spot. But now the time is starting to creep ny and there are children now skipping a head of us… Couldn’t help but hear Dr. Evil telling Mini Me to “move dooooown the bench”.

Sitting in the waiting room a total of 6 hours I had a couple of thoughts:

- Why do we put the sick (flu, colds, and assorted viruses) with the injured? Won’t this unnecessarily spread illness faster?
- Why not have a doctor assigned to pump out ‘quick patients’? Yes, I agree that the senior doctors should see true emergency patients ASAP, but why not an Intern or that kind of thing?
- It may be time to look at partial privatization… Are people going to the “Emergency” room because they don’t have a doctor or are not going to local clinics? Emergency to me means emergency…

A total of 8 hours spent in two hospitals and he didn’t even end up with stitches. It took about 10 minutes for the doctor to clean and glue the wound shut. Almost an hour wait for a minute treatment. Best part… bandage came off overnight and the glue didn’t hold. Looks like its gonna be a great scar.

I praise the work done by our doctors, nurses, facility workers, paramedics, and all the volunteers in our hospital system… But something has to change. There is too much stress on the system and just not enough resources to support that demand. We need solutions or one of the greatest parts of being Canadian, public health care, is going to dye. Post your thoughts, comments and proposals as conversation is the only way to finding the basis for a solution!

Relief: The Next Step

It’s amazing what we can become over a short period of time. It doesn’t seem that long ago that things were running pretty smoothly. I had a great balance between my work, family and digital lives. Then I switched jobs… then I was consumed with my job… well now I’ve been let go by my job. ahhhhhhh It’s nice to breath again.

It was the classic scenario of small business “leader” who doesn’t lead at all other than calling people out in front of their co-workers, and then provides fabricated reasons for your dismissal. Don’t get me wrong, I loved working with my team over there and had a great time learning the ins & outs of the Staffing Agency business. I even appreciate some of the things my old boss tought me… some.

But what I’m most excited about is change. Getting a chance to look at my priorities. I’m a family man, always have been always will be. I know that my expectations of what I should be able to do with my family and the amount of time I want to spend with them MAY limit some of my opportunities, but it has also opened my eyes to some of the other opportunities that are right in front of me.

• I have a strong social media presence (your reading this aren’t you?) that can be leveraged
• I have a connection to a great market; fathers with children who still “know” they’re cool
• I have experience with both traditional and non-traditional marketing and can bring synergy to the ideas/concepts that seem lost alone
• Being a “people person”, many of my previous clients are supporting me and allowing me the opportunity to engage as an independent contractor

So what am I looking for? I’m looking to bring my extensive knowledge of fatherhood (3 boys who are 6, 4 & 1) and the quirks that being a father entails together with my marketing background. I want to target and work with brands that focus in on that market OR are looking to penetrate it. I’m focused on working with people and finding out what they want or expect from the brands they love!

Transitions can be good… as long as there is an actual conclusion. Time to reach out and introduce myself.

Local Tourist Ottawa

As a parent, I am almost always on the look out for things to do with the boys. You hear it a lot in Ottawa… “There’s nothing to do around here” Sure, it can be boring at times, it comes with being a Government driven city. That being said, there are lots of things to do. If you take a different perspective, and did the things that visitors do, you would find there are loads of crazy and interesting things to do in the National Capital Region.

So this brings me to Local Tourist Ottawa. This blog is a fantastic resource for finding those hidden gems across the region. The site offers readers an incite into what makes Ottawa a world-class city. There are posts about food, attractions, people, and on every possible topic to bring awareness to the joys that can be found in your own back yard.

I was recently asked to write a post about Winterlude as one of the main contributors saw my Twitter feed become loaded with posts about my experiences. I was happy to share the adventure with them, and I hope you’ll take a look too! There is a quick sample below, but I hope you’ll read all of it! The link is above, just click on the word Winterlude!

Our next Winterlude stop was to Snowflake Kingdom at Jacques-Cartier Parc on the Gatineau side. If you have never taken your children, or even gone for a fun date, GO… NOW! This place is beautiful. With downtown Ottawa as the backdrop, the organizing team has put together a setting that is screaming Canadian fun. From giant snow sculptures, to horse drawn sleigh rides, to the giant snow mountain that is home to countless ice slides… there is plenty to keep you and your loved ones laughing and smiling for an entire afternoon or evening.

Thanks again for coming back! It means a lot to me that you all care about what I’m saying. Follow me on Twitter, come say hi! Leave a comment, let me know about your Winterlude experiences!

Why Egypt is Important to my Children

Crazy times all around the world. Mainly in Northern Africa and the Middle East, people are standing up for themselves and for the greater good of their fellow countrymen. Governments are being held responsible for years of poor performance and corruption. Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen and who knows which will be next, there is a regional movement to spread democracy and make politicians accountable for their actions. While there is always a need of caution when welcoming in new governments in lower economic based countries, and its never a good thing when an entire region sparks up at the same time, overall this is a good step towards equality and responsible government in the region.

So what does all of this mean for our children?

Today’s western governments are seemingly forced into decisions based on ‘best interest’ and public perception. Tough decisions seem extinct and most are now based on votes. Unfortunately, most Middle Eastern countries are still dominated by a single head of state that controls the majority (if not all) of the power. With the transfer of control going back to the people and ultimately turning more of these countries into democratic states, populations are gaining control of the policies that their governments enact. They are getting a voice and a choice.

So what does all of this mean for our children?

The world is changing. The differences in lifestyle between eastern and western societies as well as the divide between rich and poor families is ever-expanding. Religion, family size, language, and social expectations are changing on a rapid scale. Canada is becoming a global leader in multicultural society, with an immigration policy that welcomes all who want to live a positive life and contribute to our community. I am proud to live in a country so diverse and thriving with character. But today’s Canada is nothing like what tomorrow’s Canada will look like. The population is changing. Of people under 25, there are more Muslims than any other religion. The Asian influence is growing on both the west coast and in Ontario. Mixed families are becoming the norm. Communities are evolving… for the better.

So what does all of this mean for our children?

The world is learning that ‘The People’ deserve a voice and a right to speak out against tyranny and oppression. If the world is to change towards a global society, we need this to continue. There is a real possibility that our children will live in a society where they no longer are the majority. There is a chance our children will live in a society where our cultures clash with others. What we need is to provide our children with the ability to thrive, no matter what color their skin is, what their religious views are, what language they speak or what country they were born in.

The actions being taken around the globe are creating this opportunity. When democracy is the preferred way to determine government and policy, all people will have a voice. Our children, no matter what background they have, will have a voice. Our children will not stand for a government who has self-interest ahead of the population it serves. I want my children to know what kind of life they and everyone else deserves to have.

This is why I watch what is happening around the world.

This is why I teach my children that all people are equal.

This is why Egypt is important to my children.

Questions Lead to Discovery

Who? What? When? Where? How? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

If there is one thing that children are REALLY good at, it’s asking questions. Lots of questions. And I freaking LOVE it! Sometimes I have the answers, sometimes I pretend to have the answers and make up fun responses, and sometimes I don’t have them and then we get to figure things out! That is one of my favorite things about raising boys, exploring and discovering the world around them. And my goodness there are lots of opportunities. My boys are curious about everything! Summer is by far the best time for learning, but there are lots of opportunities, especially in Ottawa for active learning year round. Here are a couple examples of things going on in our lives right now…

We decided to purchase family passes to the Science & Technology Museum at Christmas time. It is a great place to go and spend an afternoon. The boys love to explore all the different exhibits the museum has to offer. Of course the Train exhibit, the Crazy Kitchen, and The Space areas are the favorites. Pretending to be the conductor of those massive locomotives or falling over themselves as they navigate the most famous kitchen in Ottawa… There is a lot to see and do in this hands on museum.

I have aquariums in both of the boys rooms. The main tank is in my 5 & 3 year olds room. This tank is a fully planted ecosystem complete with two types of fish and a couple of snails. Included in this is a pair of breeding Kribensis (a breed of Cichlid) which have had two batches of fry. This is a great opportunity to teach the boys about caring for the “family” by cleaning the tank, feeding them properly, and ultimately watching the fish grow from specks swimming across the substrate to inch long “kid” fish.

Space is a popular topic in the house right now. From watching videos of space ships taking off, to explaining why the sun & the moon come and go like they do, to explaining what planets, universes, and galaxies are. Talking about what stars are and how they are actually very similar to the sun and how like Earth and the sun, there are other planets that are close to the stars. Explaining and showing video that at one time it was important for ‘man’ to go and walk on the Moon… and also explaining why nobody goes there anymore.

These are just three situations or places where discovery takes place in my children’s lives. There are hundreds of thousands of other opportunities. Like other parents I think one of the hardest things to do is stay patient enough to actually answer these questions and not brush them off. As long as our days sometimes become and as whinny as that voice can sound at times, it is important to answer. Our children are learning about the wonders of our world. Spend time to cultivate this sense of wonder and discovery. It will not only make your children look up to you in amazement, but it will put them on a path of growth and independence as they go out in search of their own answers.

Minor Hockey Tournaments

I love minor hockey. It is responsible for a lot of my greatest childhood memories and played a fairly big role in me ‘growing up’ in one of my life’s low points. It created friendships and bonds, memories and moments that will never be forgotten. And now it is time for my eldest to enter this world… and I’m PUMPED.

Being 5 years old (with one year of skating lessons), my son Liam entered the world that is HOCKEY. He lives it now… it consumes him. From his hockey games on the weekend, to ball hockey out front, to mini-sticks in the basement, to pond hockey out back and playing on the Wii… oh and cheering for the Habs… barf It is everything for him right now and boy are we having fun.

Over the Christmas holidays, he was entered into a 2 day tournament, his first time participating. The way our local association does tournaments for kids this age is instead of putting teams into specific events, you sign your child up for a tourny based on your own availability! It was great as we got to play over the break and he had the opportunity to play with other children that he typically only sees at the rink. The first game was a tight one as everyone got used to playing (up to this point it had only been practices and ‘everyone on’ games, not 5-on-5) the game the right way. Luckily they pulled out the victory.

After celebrating with slushies, it was off to the mandatory hockey tournament post game meal… McDonald’s. After a completely healthy meal, it was back to the rink. The kids, full of their new-found energy, were pumped to get on the ice and had now found the time to get to know each other and were interacting much more. Another strong game left the team 2-0 and more slushies consumed.

Of course after two games all Liam wanted to do was go home and rest for the final game… OR head outside to the pond behind the house. Needless to say it was an early night for everyone. Woke up the next morning and back to the rink. Big smiles and awaiting friends, the kids were lively once again in the dressing room. By this time all shyness had vanished and yells/screams and chants could be heard coming from the group. The last game had our team facing the weakest team, providing them with a final 3-0 record! They lined up and received their medals, with smiles ear to ear! Liam came off the ice ‘We won the Stanley Cup!’ Back to the dressing room for pictures and more slushies!

While it was a short tournament, it was just the tip of the iceberg. There will be many more great memories down the road. Especially with two more boys coming into their own. Loghan will play hockey next winter… Lukas is a couple more years down the road.

What are your fond minor hockey moments? Do you have children in minor sports? Let me know in the comment section!

Video Games – Today’s Board Games?

With our eldest son (5 years old) has fully entered into the video game circle and thus dominating his “I want to play with…” requests, it has become a bit of a hot topic between my wife and I. It began in July when he received a Nintendo DSi and has been extended with some games the house received at Christmas time. While all the games are age appropriate, you still have to wonder about the amount of time being spent playing on these don’t you?

We have had all the typical discussions and questions for each other:

• How often and for how long should he play?
• What times of day do we allow him to play?
• Is there certain things he will need to do before he can play?
• Does he have to play with one of us?

It’s that last question that has brought up this post… are video games turning into this generations version of board games? With the amount of interaction, physical movement and idea of social gaming, video games are no longer just about mashing buttons with a controller while sitting on the couch. It’s about physical movement and social interaction!

In our house we have a Nintendo Wii. The games of choice in the house with the boys are Mario Kart (always played as a multiplayer and typically in team mode), NHL Slapshot (standing up, using the ‘stick’ as the remote. Most of the time played together, but not always), Wii Fit Kids (100% exercise with the Balance board or standing with wiimote) and Super Mario Brothers Wii (played together). As you can see these games if not social in their nature are pretty physical. So are they ‘just’ video games still? We are pretty okay with the video game playing, but we usually insist on either both boys playing together or all of us as a family. Mornings are the typical time of day while avoiding night-time. Overall we don’t have a problem with the boys playing, so long as its appropriate play (like everything else).

I can only imagine what an Xbox Kinect would mean to this conversation! I have not had a chance to play with one, but from all that I have seen/read it is another game changer which will bring gamers out of their seats and increase the social and physical levels that gaming is today.

Let me know if you play video games with your family! Do you still play board games too? Is there a fusion between the two? Leave a comment, let me know!

Real Hockey

While not much beats the amazing smell inside a hockey arena, real hockey is played outside. Some of my fondest childhood memories are outside on one of my friends rinks that his father made for us. We would spend hours, basically days, almost daily on that rink. To me spending time outside with your friends, building athletic skills, confidence and social skills is something to be encouraged. Luckily it is very easy to pass this kind of experience onto my children.

As I had mentioned in an earlier post I had made a rink in our backyard when my eldest was 3. While he could barely stand (see right), we would spend time together skating in circles around the backyard. Although I did not build one in our yard this year, my neighbor and I decided to take care of the pond in behind our houses and use it as a community rink for his children, my boys, and another neighbor. Between the three houses we have 5 boys between 6 & 3.

My neighbor cut a gate into the back fence, put up flood lights, and now its a fully functioning outdoor rink! My eldest (5 years) loves being out there and spent a tonne of time over the Christmas holidays, and my middle child (3) is warming up to the idea. Although we had a bit of a thaw on New Years Eve, the quick drop in temperature will allow us to get out there again and get some water onto it!

I’m looking forward to spending time out there with the boys. Having my eldest score countless (although he will try) goals against me, helping the two improve their skating, pulling the baby around in a sled… basically spending time with them. That’s what family activities do, they allow you to build memories that will last a life time.

This winter I’m sure we will spend hours together out there. I’m sure over the years that time will increase and I’ll be building the rink in the yard again so we can spend even more time together playing. And I know I will cherish every minute together.

Do you have any backyard/pond hockey stories? I would love to hear about them in the comment section!

And Relax

ahhhhh…

It’s nice to take a deep breath now that the hustle and craziness of the Christmas Holiday season is behind us. I had an amazing break from work and got a chance to spend a tonne of time with the boys! I removed myself from the online world (as much as possible) and spent as much time with them as possible. Was it ever busy. We had a hockey tournament, Christmas parties, visitors, get togethers, pond hockey, and general family time. It was perfect!

Also had a tonne of new blog topics come up. Here is a preview of what you can expect in the coming days!

• Pond Hockey: Providing the boys an opportunity to freeze their toes off outside and enjoy the origins of hockey!
• Video Games: If played together are they really that different from board games?
• Minor Hockey: The wonders of tournaments and what it means to a 5-year-old.
• The Accident: How to handle your children when they have one.
• Discovery: How to encourage curiosity, creativity, and imagination!

Looking forward to writing these in the coming days. Feel free to subscribe to the blog and get updates when I post. You can also follow me on Twitter (@thomaslynn) for my daily ramblings.

Christmas Movies

I love movies. Always have. I think part of it comes from mom who collected VHS tapes and has a pretty stellar collection of movies. I love what movies are, a glimpse into someone else’s imagination. I love what movies can do, bring a family together on a couch and spend a couple of hours laughing together. With all of this in mind I’m going to count down my Top 5 Holiday movies! While some are definitely orientated around the boys, some are all me.

Number 5: Shrek The Halls

This is a great family watch. I know its more of a special then a movie but because it came from a movie and because I write this, its making the list. The big green guy, no not the Grinch, Shrek has to learn what Christmas is all about. During his misadventures there is plenty to keep the whole family laughing.

Number 4: A Muppet Family Christmas

This is more of a classic to me. I haven’t watched it in a long time, but by making this list I’m remembering how great of a  movie it is and definitely going to have to watch this with the boys. The Muppets definitely bring up childhood memories and nothing is more funny than ‘The Old Guys’, ‘The Chef’ and ‘Fonzy’!

Nmber 3: Home Alone

A must watch at Christmas time, and it’s quickly turning into one of Liam’s favorite movies. Hard to believe this movie is 20 years old. Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern are hilarious as the ‘Wet Bandits’ and the Oscar worthy performance by Macaulay Culkin is timeless (did I just use Culkin and timeless in the same sentence? wow). We watch this one over and over.

Number 2: The Santa Clause

New this year to the boys, Tim Allen saves Christmas by assuming the role of Santa. With loads of magic and some comedic gold, The Santa Clause is a great family movie. The sequels actually live up and continue the story very well, if this was a top 10 I bet a couple more may have been on the list.

Number 1: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

THE Christmas movie. It isn’t Christmas until I’ve seen this movie. Clark Griswold is everything I would want to be at Christmas time. There are so many scenes in this movie that have me rolling in stitches that I usually have to watch it alone. From the squirrel, to the interactions with the neighbors, sledding, the lights, ‘the curse scene’, the pool day-dream, the shopping… I could go on. A CLASSIC that is a MUST every single year (I’ve watched it 3 times this year already).

I hope you take the time this Christmas holiday and spend time watching some of our favorites, but I’d also like to know what are some of your favorite Christmas movies? Are there any specifically that you watch with your family that are ‘must see’ every year? Merry Christmas everyone, and happy holidays!