Stories About My Kids

Last year, right before Father's Day, I used this space to tell stories about my Dad and the tremendous influence that he has had over my life and my career. This year, I'm going to tell some stories about my own kids because... hey, that's what dads are supposed to do; right?

Being a Dad is the thing I'm most proud of, and over the past couple of decades, they have probably taught me just as much as I've taught them. But please don't let them know that, because I already have enough trouble winning arguments, without them holding this over me, too!

Noah

If you've heard of the name "Noah Pasternak" before, there's a decent chance it's because of this very column. An aspiring cartoonist, he has been drawing the illustrations for Storytelling by Sean since its inception.

My favorite son was born in September 2000, and since the very moment he arrived, I just knew he was destined for something great. Call it paternal instinct if you like; call it parental bias; or call it "Sean creatively altering history 23 years later," but it's actually true.

Noah and I have always had a very similar sense of humor, whether it's watching "so bad they're good" movies together, posing for goofy pictures, listening to the timeless music of Weird Al Yankovic, or riffing on a funny thing we've seen come up in current events.

As Noah finishes up his Bachelor of Animation degree, he's taught me about how important it is for everyone to find their own path. As a parent, I constantly worry about how he will figure out "the real world" or how he might adapt to a certain situation. And in the process of doing that, I tend to point out how I might have tackled something differently.

But here's the thing: Noah always finds a way to handle the situation and come out shining. In spite of my (helpful?) advice, he managed to thrive in arts programs in both elementary and secondary school. And then he went on to qualify for the most-acclaimed animation post-secondary program in the province. The lesson here? As much as I think I know, everyone needs to try things their own way.

Marlie

My favorite daughter was born in January 2009 and two and a half years later, I became Marlie's Dad. I've been in love with her and her incredible personality ever since.

Marlie has always been fiercely independent, and will tell you exactly what's on her mind. And not just to parents, either; she is just as comfortable telling a complete stranger how she feels about something, clearly and candidly.

One such example happened just last night: We were crossing the street to go to a restaurant, and it was raining heavily. Instead of suffering through the weather, Marlie simply went up to a pair of pedestrians, struck up a conversation and asked to stay under their umbrella. No way I would ever have the stones to do something like that!

I don't have as much in common with Marlie as I do, say, with Noah, but every once in a while, I see some of my traits in her. She is able to quickly read a room and come up with analysis. She likes a good debate and demands people justify their arguments. She's said to me the phrase "No offense, Pops..." so many times that I can't hear the term "No offense" without automatically adding the word "Pops" in my head.

These sound like complaints but they're honestly not. While Marlie has similar struggles to other teenagers her age, I'm absolutely confident that her ability to advocate for herself, clearly articulate what's important to her, and fight for what she believes in puts her in a class all her own. She will succeed because she is stronger than most people in many respects.

I'm so incredibly grateful for my kids (and my incredible wife, Jodi - the only one of the three who stands a chance of actually reading this column). While this coming Sunday should be dedicated to the hard-working dads everywhere, I'm just as dedicated to being a Dad to two great kids.

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