11 Questions with… Carla Dawson. @cvegnad #bdk11Qs
26 Oct 2020
Welcome to “11 Questions with…”. This edition’s guest is Carla Dawson.
Enjoy!
11 Questions with… Carla Dawson
1. Elevator pitch… tell us about yourself.
I work full time in the Education Department of Family Medicine at McMaster. I love that my job combines my passion for health care with helping others reach their educational goals and dreams. I would love to take my blog and social media work from part time to full time but in the mean time I am enjoying every moment balancing the two. My educational background is in Kinesiology and Marketing but I am looking at expanding my knowledge with a diploma in Human Resources.
2. Your spouse/life partner… tell us about him/her.
I met my husband when I was seventeen and in my last year of high school. I fell in love with him at first sight. We went out on our first date two weeks later and have been together ever since. He is a hardworking, kind and thoughtful man who always puts the children and me first. He values his family and their well-being above all else and I love this part about him. He is the one person in the world who knows exactly what I am thinking and can make me laugh no matter what kind of day I am having. He is the one solid part in my life that I know I can count on.
3. Your kids… tell us about them.
I have two young boys who are active in sports, especially soccer! They keep us busy and on the go with school and practices. They have taught me so many important lessons in life – to never give up, to show your love every day and to always keep laughing. Every time I look at them, my heart is full of love and pride, I feel blessed to call them my children.
4. Do you have any pets? Tell us about them.
We have two dogs – Toopy and Kay Kay. Toopy (a bichon) has been in our family for twelve years and Kay (a yorkie) just joined our family in August. My kids tease me that I love the dogs more than them but how can you resist those adorable eyes that light up when you get home? It took a few weeks for them to get a long but now they are inseparable – they love to play fight, steal food and toys.
5. What have been your biggest challenges as a parent?
As a parent I am constantly worried if I am doing enough and the best I can with my children. Did I show them enough love today, did I listen enough, and did I spend enough time letting them know that they mean the world to me? I want them to know that they can come to me with anything and everything and I hope I am doing my best to build up that trust between us.
6. If you could pick any career in the world for yourself, what would it be, and why?
This is a tough one! I would love to work in Pediatrics as this specialty has always been close to my heart and I volunteered a lot in the hospitals as a teen.
7. Growing up, who inspired you the most?
My parents – they worked hard every day and gave so much to us. I only now can fully appreciate everything they did and sacrificed to make sure we had everything we needed and were happy. I hope they know every day how grateful I am to call them my parents.
8. How do you balance work life and family life?
I work on the go a lot! My phone is usually attached to me and I try to make use of every quiet moment I get. I work while relaxing in the tub, while my husband is driving us to practices, before the kids wake up and after they go to bed. I love everything organized and I keep three calendars and an agenda, all of which are colour coded depending on who the appointment is for, what is due and so on. I would say this is probably my husband’s biggest pet peeve when it comes to me!
9. What advice would your “current self” give to your “just about to have my first child” self?
Live in each and every moment. Don’t stress about the mess and when things don’t go the right way. Take the extra time to nap with your child, rock them longer, sing more and give all the cuddles you want. You will never get those moments back so enjoy them while you can.
10. Has there been a piece of advice you were given about parenting that really stuck with you?
When you feel as though it is becoming too much, smile and laugh. When you feel like giving up, smile and laugh. When things go wrong, smile and laugh. Parenting doesn’t ever get easier but if you approach it with positivity and a smile, it will make it easier.
11. What advice would you give to new parents?
Do what is best for you, your beliefs and your family. Don’t let others sway your opinions or make you feel bad about your decisions.
Get social with Carla Dawson!
Be sure to visit Carla’s blog, and follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
Stay tuned for our next “11 Questions with…” feature.
Thanks for reading!
Cheers,
Big Daddy
“11 Questions with…” is an on-going feature. I will be interviewing parents with the same 11 questions, who like me, live in the digital world. The goal is to examine different perspectives, advice, challenges, and experiences from how people parent their children, and live a successful work / life / online balance.
There will be no specific frequency for this feature. It will be on-going, and filed under the “Lifestyle” tab, then “11 Questions with…” subtab, so it is easy to find.
With all the challenges of parenting these days, we could all use stories from fellow parents, who may have already gone through a similar experience, or were offered advice that you could use.
If you would like to be interviewed for an upcoming edition, please contact me at craig@bigdaddykreativ.ca.
Craig Silva
Craig is a husband, a father, team leader, travel and food writer, senior youth group coordinator, designer, brander, community builder, volunteer, and social media strategist. Craig likes to travel, go camping, go on road trips, watch movies, build stuff, operate the grill, and sing with his band. Craig is a member of the Travel Media Association of Canada. In June 2017, PR firm Cision identified Craig as one of Canada’s top 10 most popular male bloggers in the parents and family space.
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