You know her as that cheery, bright-eyed children’s television host Patty on CBC. She’s a mom of two beautiful girls and wife to actor Michael Kinney. We had the wonderful opportunity to chat with Patty about what it’s like to be a mom, TV celebrity to kids, and about the upcoming Kids’ CBC Days!
If you could go back in time to when you first started with on-air hosting to the audience of preschoolers…what advice would you give yourself?
Don’t be afraid to be silly! It’s not that I’m never silly, but there’s always room for more. Humour is a great tool for getting a message across. The more we can make our viewers laugh, the more they’ll remember the message we’re giving them.
Becoming a parent makes many of us more aware of what our kids are being exposed to on television, social media and in even at the playground. How do you teach your own daughters about understanding what they see & hear?
We always try to remind them that what they see on television is just pretend, and that everyone is playing a part. We tell them that it’s like when we play pretend.
As for the playground and the schoolyard? That’s always a bit tougher. But we emphasize the importance of always telling us what she’s seen or heard, so we can talk about it. Keeping the lines of communication open is the most important thing.
You must get kids and families saying “Look! There’s Patty!” all the time…how do your kids react to that? Mom must be pretty cool, right?
LOL! You’d think so! But for them, it’s really no big deal. That’s just “Mommy”. In fact, my husband is a part-time actor too, and when they see him on television it gets a much bigger response because it’s not an everyday thing. Me being on t.v. everyday is just normal…. so much so, that they sometimes forget why other kids are excited to meet me.
You’re always seen smiling and happy…what’s the key to happiness for you?
It’s easy to smile and be happy at my job…. I mean, it’s a great job, don’t you think?
I don’t know if I have a “key to happiness”, but I do try to make a concerted effort to enjoy the little moments that happen every day. It’s soooo easy to get caught up in the day-to-day stresses and hectic pace of life — it happens to me too! But I guarantee you, if you stop and take notice, there are a lot of great little moments that will make you smile.
About #zombiemoms …what advice would you give those who are feeling this way?
What’s that mantra… “this too shall pass”? Sounds cliché, but it’s so true. It always helped me to repeat that to myself when I felt overwhelmed (and exhausted — always exhausted!). The other thing that was helpful was to just talk to other parents in the same situation. It makes it easier to get through those tough days/nights. That’s why #zombiemoms became so popular in the first place… parents sharing their stories and supporting each other.
What do you love about Kids’ CBC Days?
My favourite thing about the event is getting to meet the kids and parents. It’s so great to connect with our audience and find out what they like (and don’t like) about what we’re doing. It’s a great reminder of why we do what we do and helps us to better plan what we’ll do in the future on the show.
Hey, guess who’s with the TV characters at last year’s Kids’ CBC Days?
HERE’S YOUR CHANCE TO GET INTO SOME FUN!
On Wednesday, July 17, and Thursday July 18th, Kids CBC Days is the place to be!
Parents and children of all ages are invited to come out and enjoy two fun-filled days of activities, crafts and live performances by the stars of Kids’ CBC.
The event is FREE, registration is not required, and it runs from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm each day at the CBC in downtown Toronto (250 Front Street West). This year’s event is going to be better than ever with appearances and performances by Patty, Sid and Mamma Yamma, with lots of Kids’ CBC characters and The Doodlebops!
New to Kids’ CBC Days this year: The Grand Prize Winner of The Great Kids’ CBC View Voted Song Search will get to perform on July 17. They will be shooting their Music Video so be sure to get a good spot – because you may have a chance to be in the video, which will air on Kids’ CBC!
If your kids are fans of the popular webisodes Ruby Skye PI, they won’t want to miss a special opportunity to meet their favourite stars and event get an autograph on July 18th!
Check out the official event page and schedule of events at cbc.ca
Thanks to Patty Sullivan for taking the time to share a mommy moment with us!
Here’s the party song filmed at last year ‘s Kids’ CBC Days that will give you a taste of all the fun starring Patty and Mamma Yamma!! (I love her!)
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