Relationships

Anniversary Ideas for a Family-Friendly Celebration

February 25, 2020 by Kathryn 4 Comments

Celebrating an anniversary is always special. And in the early years of a marriage, it’s often also a romantic event that couples can enjoy together doing all kinds of things. But once kids enter the picture…well, everything changes!

Of course, some people choose to continue ensuring their anniversary is a time for a one-on-one celebration with their partner. And if that’s you, great! But other couples might want to include the kids in the celebration as well, either to save on childcare costs or to simply let their little ones enjoy some extra fun.

If you’re considering planning an anniversary celebration that the whole family can join in, consider these fun and easy anniversary ideas that will let you enjoy your partner and also include your kids! [Read more…]

Lawyer Jeremy Diamond Talks Balance, Work and Family with His Wife, Sandra Zisckind

November 29, 2018 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

It was a mere 6 years ago when Jeremy Diamond and his wife, Sandra Zisckind, started an ambitious mission to change the world of personal injury law. Since then, Diamond and Diamond has transformed into Canada’s fastest growing personal injury firm, including partnerships with The Toronto Maple Leafs, Raptors, and Calgary Flames.

Just last year, Diamond and Diamond made the transition to a full service firm, extending offerings to wills, real estate, employment, immigration and more.

As a busy parent that believes in the importance of work life balance, I interviewed Jeremy Diamond and Sandra Zisckind, to get a better understanding of how they juggle the demands of marriage and children.

jeremy-diamond-sandra-zisckind

Q: What are the challenges you face as a working parent in today’s busy culture?

Sandra Zisckind: The biggest challenge we face is time management. There are only so many hours in a day. We want to be able to grow our business, while also attending to the needs of our injured clients. Work takes up a lot of my time, but if I wasn’t there for my children as much as I could be it would really start to affect me. So I decided the jobs that don’t require all my attention can be outsourced in some way. You have to relinquish some control.

Jeremy Diamond: I try to prioritize and schedule things around my kids’ schedules, whether that is hobbies like sports or other social commitments. The kids need to feel like they’re #1 and that they’re not being passed over for work. We try to have at least one parent there for all major events, and Sandra and I do our best to split that evenly.

Q: How do you instill the importance of hard work in your kids, while also stressing the importance of a work/life balance?

Jeremy Diamond: Our kids are smart. They know that the lifestyle we have created did not materialize out of nowhere. I think it is important to allow your kids to see you stressed sometimes. It shows the importance of sacrifice. From that, they learn that success comes from long hours and fortitude, while also understanding the importance of work life balance.

Sandra Zisckind: My little one often gets sad when we have to go away on business trips. Sometimes in the morning she asks me if I’m going to work on a plane or a car. We work hard to make sure our kids know we’re there for them. The other day there was a moment of validation when my little one said, “Mommy, when I grow up I want to go to work and be a lawyer just like you.”

Q: What was it like going from being a married couple to working together day to day?

Sandra Zisckind: Actually, that part was easy because we are able to separate the two. We’ve always been quite good at compartmentalizing things that way. We know we have each other’s backs no matter what. The hard part is turning it off. I’ve learned that when you find yourself in an argument with your spouse, it’s best to turn around, compose yourself with a deep breath and then come back to the topic at hand. You never want to say things you regret, especially if children are around.

Jeremy Diamond: We make rules around turning off. We used to say that when we were home we wouldn’t talk business but that’s simply not feasible. Being an entrepreneur is a 24-hour endeavour. But even with all the ups and downs, we are closer than ever. A lot of marriages can weaken with time and we haven’t experienced that, which is nice to know.

business desk

While living together, working together and raising their children can be a challenge at times, having clear boundaries and set priorities clearly helps the couple maintain their relationship and balance the joys and stresses of their busy lifestyle.

Spice Up Your Relationship with 3 Easy Tips this Valentine’s Day-Giveaway

February 13, 2017 by Kathryn 93 Comments

It’s a known fact that almost every relationship starts to lose some of its initial passion and romance as time goes on and years go by. While the comfort and security that takes the place of that passion is a great thing, it’s always nice to spice things up and bring some heat back to a relationship once again…especially around Valentine’s Day! That’s why Trojan has three tips for heating up things in the bedroom during your next rendezvous, along with a sizzling giveaway you won’t want to miss!

Dirty talk, clean space. There’s nothing like hotel or vacation sex. Having sex in a new environment can help us feel more spontaneous or adventuresome. But time and money for a holiday aren’t always available. Recreate vacation sex by making your bedroom your sexual sanctuary. Remove clutter, invest in good sheets and set the mood. Research suggests women, in particular, have a hard time getting aroused in a dirty and messy place. If you want to make the night extra memorable, introduce a vibrator for her like the Trojan™ Power Wand Vibrations Massager. Let the talk be dirty, and the room be clean – your sex life will thank you.

[Read more…]

Valentine’s Day Celebration Tips for Busy Parents and a Jamaican Rum Brownie Bombs Recipe

February 9, 2014 by Kathryn 93 Comments

One of the biggest challenges for making Valentine’s Day romantic when you’re a parent is time. Let’s face it, the average parent just doesn’t have a lot of it to spare! But with just a few quick preparations, sitting down to a delicious and romantic dinner on Valentine’s Day is a moment that any couple can enjoy, even if the kids are enjoying it too!

Make Dinner Easy

A meal doesn’t have to be complicated to be romantic, and that’s why I love Olivieri fresh pasta and sauces for special occasions. I just cook the pasta for a few minutes in boiling water, toss it with my favourite sauce and serve!

I especially love Olivieri Fettuccine with Basil and Cheese Pesto Sauce. Or for something a little fancier, try my Italian Sausage Borsetti with Bacon and Arugula! [Read more…]

The Lesson of the Tortoise and the Hare: Aesop Got It Wrong

February 11, 2012 by Kathryn 2 Comments

Everyone knows the basic story of The Tortoise and the Hare, right? Tortoise and Hare set out to race each other, which is laughable given how fast Hare can run and how slow Tortoise is. The race begins and Hare is out-of-sight, but running alone during the race, he loses focus, stops to relax a bit and falls asleep. Meanwhile Tortoise plods on steadily towards the finish line. When Hare awakens, he dashes back onto the race course full-speed, but alas he is too late and Tortoise crosses the finish line a moment before Hare arrives on the scene. “Slow and steady wins the race.”

tortoise and the hare I used to joke that in my marriage, it is easy to see who is the Tortoise and who is the Hare. Jon is a natural procrastinator, a handyman who often abandons home improvement projects for months, if not years, at a time. My soulmate knows which post offices stay open till midnight on April 15, because he is able to pull an all-nighter to complete his tax return and still function well at work the next day. He is talented and capable of amazing bursts of productivity, yet he is maddeningly inconsistent.

I, on the other hand, pace myself.

“Shouldn’t we get started painting, if we are going to get to bed by midnight?” I ask. If going on a long vacation, I know I need to start running loads of laundry a couple days in advance, so they’ll be ready to pack. When I take a break, I like to set a timer to remind myself when I need to get back to work. By staying on task better than the Hares of the world, I generally get good results – a high GPA in school, an excellent performance rating at work – slow and steady really DOES win the race.

I’ve always been a bit too proud of being the Tortoise of our relationship. Tortoise is the winner, overcoming obstacles, namely lack of speed, to triumph. Tortoise is the character we are taught to admire.

But recently, it hit me.

The real lesson in the Tortoise and the Hare story: despite dramatically different racing styles, over the long haul, Tortoise and Hare end up at the same point at almost exactly the same time. Yes, yes, Tortoise gets there first and “wins”. But Hare is just a second behind. They are basically in the same place, in synch with each other at the end. And so too have my husband and I often found each other. He does, after all, still do very well at his job and though the progress around our house comes in fits and starts, overall, we do continue to improve the place.

The real moral of the story should be something more along the lines of, “Different strokes for different folks.” Accepting our differences is key in having successful relationships. And I don’t just mean a romantic relationship either. Most people have collaborated on a joint project with someone who has a tremendously different work style. It’s easy to feel that the other person is approaching it from the WRONG perspective, that their strategy is doomed. My advice is to give them space to go at their own pace. Keep your own focus on the finish line and how best to get there and stop judging others.

You’ll notice that Tortoise did not stop and poke Hare, as she passed him by, and deride him for being lazy, scoff that he must be ADHD or nag him to move it. If she had, I believe that neither one of them would have been winners, regardless of who crossed the finish line first. And that is the real moral of the story of The Tortoise and The Hare.

This post was contributed by Dannica Daniels, author of Make Love to Your Food, Wicked New Ways for Women to Lose Weight. Check out her Facebook page to learn more about this title and other pieces by Dannica.