When God, in his infinite wisdom, filled my house with five active boys, He thankfully looked after a few extra details that have come in handy. From the time I was young, I knew I’d live on a farm. I’m not sure how I knew, but I knew it. My mom was a teacher and [...]
Another school year is under way. And while only a few weeks ago I was resisting the idea of my low-key summer days coming to an end and ushering in the season of routine, there is comfort and stability in predictability. As much as I miss my guys when they are gone, I was looking [...]
12 000 kms in 30 days. Seeing pandas and penguins at the Calgary Zoo (the penguins were much more interesting), stopping at the geographical center of North America (unplanned) and the longitudinal center of Canada (planned), kayaking and tubing down lazy rivers in North Michigan, getting much closer to the foot of Niagara Falls than [...]
BY MEGHAN FRANKLIN, CLASS OF 2015 My younger brother (and only sibling) Evan will be graduating on Tuesday. As I’ve been watching him and his friend’s prepare for prom, exams, and the excitement of commencement over the past months, I can’t help but reflect on when I was going through those same experiences myself three [...]
The email was followed up by a text; the kind that starts off with polite pleasantries about the weather and courteous queries about how I’ve been, only to make the awkward shift into, “So…while I’ve got your attention, I was wondering….” It’s the ever-popular approach of requesting a favour of someone or reminding them of [...]
I was finally about to sink my teeth into some delicious leftovers right at the end of lunch recess when the intercom blared, “Mr. Bakker, please call the office!” So much for sinking teeth into food, as a sinking feeling fell on me. I knew what was coming. Mr. Van Eerden was away at a [...]
A few weeks ago, three important guests visited our school whose sole purpose was to evaluate our school for the BC Ministry of Education. Every six years, a team shows up at every independent school in BC to check everything. And, I mean everything. The water quality and swing set bolts Among other things, they [...]
Every year for the past five, I have set myself a goal on my birthday; I try to run as many laps around the track at Robert Bateman Secondary School as I am years old. (I have to give credit to Vince Van Dyk for this idea.) Since passing the “half-century” mark, this is becoming [...]
Expectations. We've all got them. In fact, we often have high expectations; especially of ourselves and the ones we love most. Expectations can be great. They have the power to motivate and kick us in the butt. They push us to do our best. Like when my boys look to the bench and see the [...]
