Summer looks and feels different this year, and everyone is staying close to home and doing their best. We are checking in with some local Macaroni moms who offer their take on summer in the Capital, their best tips, tricks, and hacks and their favourite COVID moments.
Annette Goerner is seen every morning as one of the hosts of CTV Morning Live. The busy mom to Addison, (almost 6) and Isla, 4, offers her advice for Summer 2020.
What I love about being a mom: Watching my girls discover something new about themselves or the world around them. Addison is always so excited to show me her latest LEGO creation. Isla has this sassy side about her that I can’t get enough of... and I often question where it comes from! My girls are also the reason for my growth. Just their existence alone, challenges me to think about things differently and what I want for their futures.
How are we keeping the kids busy this summer: We are fortunate to have a pool in our backyard, so my kids have been swimming around the clock. I find it's such a great activity to keep them busy, burn off energy, learn a life skill and best of all… it makes them sleep soundly at night!
My best tip/hack for family fun: Don't overthink it! There have been many days where a simple trip to get ice cream at Dairy Queen, followed by a family walk with our dog, is declared "The Best Day Ever" by my girls. I've come to realize during this pandemic, that all my kids really want is my attention. When I get home from work, I’m exhausted, but I try to carve out special one on one time with each child to do whatever they want. For Addi, it’s usually working on her growing train tracks in her room. With Isla, it’s letting her “do my makeup”. I feel it “fills their cup” when they each get my uninterrupted attention for even a short period of time.
Best Ottawa location for kids for summer fun: I believe in outdoor play as much as possible. One little gem in the west-end that I love is Walter Baker Park. Kids love to run in open space and there’s plenty of it there. There’s also a giant hill that my kids love to run up. We do it together so it’s a workout for everyone. It’s a great spot for sharing a picnic, or playing a game of Frisbee. There’s also a splash pad and play structures. What more could you want?
Best at home tip for keeping kids busy: Look in your pantry! Early on in the pandemic, I was cleaning out my pantry and realized I had some old food that I was going to throw out. I decided to bring the old food (rice, pasta and some outdated canned food) outside with a few pans, and let the kids make "a magic potion". They were thrilled because it was something totally out of the norm. I was essentially letting them "play with their food!" This silly activity kept them busy for an hour. They used a little paint to add some colour. It challenged their creativity!
My favourite thing to do to relax: Since my days start very early, I go to bed very early too. So I don't get any time to myself in the evenings, during the week. So by Friday, I'm craving some “me time”. I usually plop myself down on the couch with a glass of wine, a bowl of popcorn and whatever I can find to keep me entertained on Netflix until I drift off... which sadly is around 8:30pm! Ah mom life.
Best Memory about this COVID experience: I turned 40 back in April and because of the pandemic, my husband and I had to cancel a trip to NY. I also had to cancel a celebration weekend at Mont Tremblant with my girlfriends. I was sad that these special getaways wouldn't happen, but what happened instead became far more meaningful. My husband planned a special day of surprises of all the things I love. It started with breakfast in bed (my daughters heated up one of the muffins I made the day before in the microwave) and brought it to me along with a coffee. Their excitement to treat me made it that much sweeter. After being given some thoughtful presents, we took a drive to my favourite breakfast spot (Red Gables Creperie & Eatery) for some take-out scones. My friends did a “drive-by parade” later and we enjoyed some driveway drinks while physically distancing.
The night was capped up with a Zoom chat with all my closest friends. It was far from the events I had planned to mark the milestone birthday, but it reinforced how the little things are what really matter in life.
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