Family Day

February 16, 2015 is Family Day in Ontario. A day legislated to spend with your family. For many years my son has taken part in a tournament in Rochester or Pittsburgh on this weekend. It is usually great fun spending the weekend with our hockey family. The boys and their siblings have great fun playing mini sticks (yes even at minor bantam), swimming if the coach and time permits, and basically just hanging out with each other. Parents usually find themselves in someone's room participating in a beverage or two, talking about the day's games or about the shopping success at the local outlet mall. All in all a good time is had by all. However, aside from the car rides to and from the arena and the drive to and from home there is not a lot of immediate family time. In other years, even if there is not a tournament there has usually been a game or a practice scheduled.


For the first time in years, we have no hockey scheduled AT ALL today! YAY!

"What?" you say, "You are happy at having no hockey today?" Why yes I am - even a hockey mom likes to have some time off from the arena to do something else. We actually have outside interests and/or responsibilities to take care of.


Prior to my children getting heavily into rep hockey I did community theatre. I loved it. It got me out of the house (I was working from home providing daycare), and I got to be me - not a mother, not a wife but me. The people I acted with were amazing and we became our own team. As the hockey participation level increased I only tried out for the fall show or the spring show. That way there wasn't a lot of overlap between rehearsals and practices. Well my son got on a very successful team that went all the way in the OMHAs and actually won. I was in a spring show (so rehearsals ran Feb-April) and I found my mind was unable to concentrate at rehearsal if a game was going on. I mean it was playoffs. If a deciding game conflicted with a rehearsal - I missed the rehearsal. That was the last spring show I did. It's not fair to cast members if I am not committed to the role.


For a few years I did some shows in the fall. But with 2 kids in rep hockey and a husband who travelled a lot for his job it became too stressful trying to coordinate rides, concentrate on learning lines and feeling like I was letting my kids down but not watching their game. So I have stopped doing theatre - especially since I have gone back to school full time and I have a lot of homework. Between the two, who has time for learning lines. In a year or so I will get back to it when the kids are no longer so in to hockey but for now I am putting my creative energy to improv. It is great - all the thrill of acting without any memorizing or committing to rehearsals 3 nights a week and then more close to opening night. It is a great night of fun and laughter. I have met some wonderful and talented people and hope to one day get as good as them. I have performed with both GLIC in Georgetown and Oakville Improv. They are amazing people. If you ever have the opportunity to watch improv - do it you will enjoy yourself. Better yet, if you have the chance to try improv DO IT!


But today is family day. My day to spend with my family - because I want to, not because the government says I have to.  I have worked hard all weekend to get my homework done, there is no hockey so I can spend it with the family playing board games, having a hot tub, maybe some xbox connects. It will be great - except I am stuck in Markham waiting for a tow truck to take my car home. Estimated time of arrival anywhere between 10 and 4pm. Ahhh good times.

Happy Family Day everyone - may you be spending it with whoever you consider family!