Frankly Fatherhood – How Does Your Garden Grow?
I have very fond memories of my dad planting his garden every spring. He’d take his time to till the soil, line up seedlings, tie each bean stalk with care, and eventually harvest fresh tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers and beans. Gardening was a passion of his and you could see the pride in his eyes every summer when most of what was served on the table came from the fruits of his labour. And as a grandpa, there was no greater joy than picking veggies off the plant and snacking together with his grandkids.
It’s fond memories like these that kick-start me into action since I want to share similar memories with my own kids. So this year, we are planning and starting our own garden! A family project like this will really help us to bond over something that we can create and watch grow all spring and summer. The teacher in me gets all giddy as I see the potential for fun learning experiences. Conversations about our environment, life cycles, and healthy eating become much more meaningful with context. Tending to a garden will also build on important values such as responsibility, caretaking, and mindfulness. Gardening can help us tap into our creative side too. Perhaps we’ll keep a photo journal documenting the various stages of our plants or a sketch book to draw our favourite blooms, leaves, or vegetables.
When choosing what plants to grow, we started with some family staples such as cucumbers, tomatoes, and green beans. Everyone got to add their own choice to the project: Luca chose zucchini and Nico had his heart set on carrots. And finally, I’m throwing in some “secret seeds” – sunflowers, pumpkins, and peas make for good mysteries because they grow quickly and are easily recognizable.
Because our springs are so short (and I’ve had terrible luck growing from seeds) we’re going to use seedlings. A trip to the local garden centre or nursery is always fun and one of our favourites is Heeman’s. I can’t think of a better way to end an afternoon at the nursery than with a delicious, fresh strawberry dessert.
While gardening is quite the commitment, it’s definitely worth the effort. Studies show that kids who are involved in gardening score higher in science tests, improve their social and emotional well-being, and are more likely to eat fresh fruit and vegetables. So this spring, I can’t wait to dig into the earth and get started on a new and growing tradition with our family.
Frank Emanuele is a proud father of two boys, a special education teacher, and a director of Dad Club London.
