Last Day Q&A: Tom Taylor

Just as family and community engagement manager Tom Taylor‘s work at CCA covers a diverse group of audiences and experiences, his other “job” as dad also has a lot of variety. As dad to a newborn, an eight-year-old, and a teenager, he’s got all his bases covered!

What did you like most about your kids’ child care experiences?

Our oldest son always loved going to his child care program. We appreciated the thorough communication/feedback from his teachers, the cleanliness of the facility, and their wide variety of engaging activities. It was evident that he enjoyed himself thoroughly at this program because he was always eager to go. As a high energy child, we also appreciated that they gave him lots of opportunities to run around outside.

Talk about an educator you admired and what you learned most from them. 

I admired my high school math teacher. He taught me specifically that learning is a journey – it’s okay to be wrong, to try, and to fail. It was evident that he cared about the process and about each of us as individuals.

If you could go back in time, what is one thing you would tell yourself before you became a parent?

I’ve learned to say yes, or at least try to say yes, every time our children ask me to do something with them. Whether that be to play a game, listen to their story, read to them, watch a show, or to tag along with me when I run an errand. I know those opportunities will be gone one day.

What has been your favorite age to parent? 

I’ve truly loved every age as they’re unique and newly challenging. Picking one, however, I’d say years two to four were exceptionally fun with our son. It was truly beautiful to watch him discover, learn, and laugh.

What is your favorite thing about your children at their ages now?

Our 14-year-old son has been blossoming into himself. The day he surpassed his mom in height was particularly surreal. He is constantly learning and exploring new skills, and it’s so exciting to see him have immense passion for art, design, and story telling.

Our eight-year-old is constantly curious – asking tons of questions every day and always telling stories. He’s exceptionally sweet with his new baby sister and always wants to hug and kiss her.

Our youngest was just born, and every day something new about her emerges. Recently she’s begun to smile and that’s been melting my heart. I cannot wait to hear her laughter.

What is the best advice you ever got about parenting?

Parenting is a learning process. It’s okay to make mistakes – just own them, learn from them, and attempt to not make the same mistake again.

What is/were your favorite activities to do with your child?

We love playing frisbee in our backyard, playing games (xbox games, chess, Klask, etc.), going for walks and getting treats at the corner store.

Want to learn more about Tom? Check out his previous Last Day Q&A feature.