Norma Walton, Timbits

Hockey...coffee and donuts...Kraft Dinner...bagged milk...maple syrup...Swiss Chalet...all Canadian items, eh.

Our four year old daughter is enrolled in the North York Knights Learn to Play program.  Being a certain type of Canadian, she could skate by the time she was three - forwards, some backwards, and some stopping - so she was ready to enroll in hockey.

Every Saturday morning - no matter the weather; no matter her feelings on the subject; no matter whether we have colds; no matter that we might prefer to sleep in - we take her to the rink for an hour with a bunch of other four and five year olds so she can learn our national game.  She puts on full hockey gear.  She sits for a team photo.  She listens to the numerous paid and volunteer coaches on the ice dedicated to teaching the game to beginners. 

This happens throughout the country, in every community, in every town, no matter how large or small.  We exhort and cheer and encourage.  Sometimes we even yell.  My little one feels special because she has her own water bottle and sometimes we fill it with Gatorade just like her siblings.

Being the absolute best at something requires passion, commitment, discipline, and a decent amount of insanity.  When it comes to hockey, we Canadians have all that and more.  Go to any minor hockey rink in town and it will be full of people...the players, the coaches, the parents, the grandparents, the siblings, the managers, the owners, the Zamboni drivers, the snack bar operators, the maintenance folks, the one ice trainers, the off ice trainers, a smattering of retired NHL players.  All of them are at the rink in support of our national game.

My youngest child has joined the obsession.  She will tell anyone who listens that she is a North York Knight.  She loves to cheer "GO KNIGHTS GO" while banging her stick on the ice.  Next in her hockey progression is finding her a team for next year...when she is the ripe old age of five.

Norma Walton, The Teen Years Have Begun

I have been playing around with a website called Reddit to see what it's about. Have you heard of it?

Well, I decided this week to try the "r/CasualConversation" function and did a post about 2 of my 4 children being teenagers. Click here if you'd like to check it out.

In my post, I also mentioned a book I'm reading called "Yes, Your Teen's Crazy! Loving Your Kid Without Losing Your Mind" by Michael J. Bradley. Have you heard of it? Have you read it? If so what were your thoughts on it?

Norma Walton, Interviewed on "Sports drinks and energy drinks unhealthy for kids and teens"

Norma Walton, Baking for Breakfast

Baking for breakfast...

My youngest son decided this weekend that he was making cake...at 7:45 am...before having any breakfast.  My oldest daughter immediately joined in the fun and decided she was going to make something as well...something different from him.  Soon all four kids were baking in the morning. By 9 am we had brownies and lemon cake in the oven and butter cream frosting awaiting their completion.

The kitchen is a fabulous creative space for interested kids.  It was a pleasure to watch them do everything themselves and then enjoy the result for a few days thereafter.

They did eat their breakfast before digging into the sweets, but digging into the sweets was definitely an incentive for eating their breakfast.

Now if only I could get them to clean their rooms with the same enthusiasm...

Norma Walton, Rare One on One Time

Spending time one on one with any of my children is a rare pleasure.  Usually all five of us are doing something together and it is loud, chaotic and eventful.

But on Sunday night, Conor and I were out doing some work together and I had a marvelous time just soaking in his personality.  He is a great storyteller and has a sharp sense of humour.  I thoroughly enjoyed his company.

We were in Bradford and we came upon a gaggle of geese - about 200 of them - nesting in a pond. When we stopped to take photos, a few of them flew up in the sky but most of them just hung out in the pond.  Their migration pattern is no doubt confused given the winter thaws followed by winter freezes we've been experiencing.  The environment was harsh but they seemed content.

It was very interesting to see them all there together, and to experience it with my youngest son.

Norma Walton, Cross Country Kudos

With delusions of cardiac health in my head, I ran the cross country course with my four children, the baby being in the stroller that I was pushing.  How hard can a 1500 metre run be?  That is only a mile...

Huffing and puffing at the end having watched all three of my older children beat me handily to the finish line, I remembered why I prefer walking to running.  Despite my struggles, the practice helped my 8 year old daughter come within the top 20 runners in the first round of the inter school cross country meet.  She progressed to the next round where she finished in the top 80.  I was very proud of her.

She had an enjoyable day despite the damp weather because a few of her classmates and friends joined her in this endeavour.  All of them had fun and felt good after the race was over.

I shout out to the teachers and parents who facilitate school athletics.  My children and I really really appreciate it!  You are doing great work.  Keep it up.

Norma Walton, Thank You for School Hockey

My children find that school athletics are such a positive place for them to spend time.

For the first time ever, Rippleton Public School and Denlow Public School joined forces to field a hockey team to compete against four other schools.  The parents settled on "Go DR" as the school cheer, and the colours of the uniforms were an amalgam of the various school colours.

The first game was a fast paced event that ended in a tie followed by overtime followed by a shootout.  After the fifth shooter scored, our boys lost by a goal.  The second game they lost 3-1 with the last goal against being an empty netter.  The last two they won handily.

Most interesting was that none of the boys seemed to care whether they had won or lost about five minutes after each of the games.  The focus became who was driving back to school with whom and what sport they were playing together at recess.

Kudos to any parent or teacher who agrees to coach a school team.  I know I speak for countless parents when I express my sincere appreciation for providing the kids with the opportunity in such a positive environment.  Thanks!

Norma Walton, School Teams Build Character

I LOVE school teams.  I love the values they promote.

My boys are playing on the school basketball team and the school hockey team.  It is amazing to me how much fun they have playing with their school chums.  It builds character to have to play with varying abilities and personalities with a common goal in mind.  Winning at all costs is not the objective.  Having fun with your team mates and cutting class without getting in trouble is.

My boys have thoroughly enjoyed the experience to date.

There is no I in team...

Norma Walton, Love Tones

My four children have many talents.  Playing guitar and singing may not be among them.

Every proud parent thinks their child is brilliant in some capacity.  Some parents think everything about their child is perfect.  Those parents often have social challenges.

As a mom, you tend to only hear the good in a child.  As a proud mom, of course I find most of my children's antics funny or cute or entertaining.  In this music video, my three year old insisted on being the lead singer.  When your three year old is the loudest, this is how your music video will sound.

Of course I find it both funny and adorable.