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On their toes: Kurt Browning and Sonia Rodriguez
| Source: |
Parents Canada |
| Date: |
August 2011 |
| Author: |
Connie Jensen |
He skates, she dances, but nothing keeps Kurt Browning and Sonia
Rodriguez on point more than their two sons. To celebrate our fifth
year of publishing, ParentsCanada revisits Canada's first couple of
stage and ice, who appeared in our debut issue.
In spring 2007, for the first issue of ParentsCanada, we met up with
figure skater Kurt Browning and prima ballerina Sonia Rodriguez to
talk about parenting their three-year-old son Gabriel. As our magazine
has grown, so too has the Rodriguez/Browning family. Gabriel, now
eight, is big brother to Dillon, age three.
Kurt, 44, is now heading into his third season as host of the CBC's
runaway hit Battle of the Blades, and Sonia, 38, continues to perform
as a principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada. Both parents
tour with their respective careers.
But how is their home life different? "It's louder," Kurt says, of
having two kids in the house. "We just got to the stage where we're
used to Gabriel running up and down the stairs by himself and then
along came another one, and so you had to apply a whole new set of
rules to a littler one." When we talked to Kurt five years ago, he
told us that he wanted to have an open relationship with Gabriel. This
goal hasn't changed, but he says he has adopted some new life lesson
techniques. "I actually use nature as a guideline – if there's a lot
of ducks in a row and one duck does its own thing, that little duck
doesn't make it to dinner that night because it gets picked
off. Mother Nature is a rough lady and sometimes it's easier to
explain things that way."
The Browning/Rodriguez household has a lot of fun. When they were
parents of one, Kurt and Sonia characterized themselves as goofy. Not
much has changed, according to Gabriel. As his mom gets her hair and
make-up done for our photo shoot, Gabriel interjects, "They're very
goofy because every time they let me do something, such as playing on
my Dad's iPhone, in the middle of the game it's time to stop."
"How is that being goofy?" asks Kurt.
"It's so unfair," says Gabriel.
"I'm unfair? Welcome to parenthood," says Kurt.
Gabriel goes on to say that his Dad is goofy when he throws him into
the pool and double-bounces him on the trampoline.
The talented Browning/ Rodriguez family has no time for rest these
days with Kurt and Sonia deep into their careers. "Ten years ago I
probably wouldn't have thought I would still be dancing now," says
Sonia, fresh from her role in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. "I
feel so good on stage that I almost feel that I'm on top of my career
in a way." Besides hosting Battle of the Blades, Kurt is still skating
and touring with Stars on Ice, and doesn't plan on stopping any time
soon. "I made a tentative plan to quit skating when [Sonia] quit
dancing, and I incredibly underestimated how long she was going to
dance, so I'm just still skating. It's kind of like playing chicken
with each other's careers, but I think that neither one of us is
really, really thinking about quitting yet. My knees on the other
hand? They think about it every day!"
Kurt is excited for season three of Battle of the Blades. "It's been
fun for me because my background was way more hockey than figure
skating as a kid, and it's fun to get to feel that side of you
again. I'm taking these big bulls by the ring and taking them on their
journey about the ice, and so there are major breakthroughs that you
really feel a part of."
Despite the fact that their careers are in the spotlight, Kurt and
Sonia say that their celebrity status really doesn't affect their
kids. "I think it's just part of their everyday lives," says
Sonia. "They don't really comprehend very much that it's something
extraordinary in a way. If they see a picture of us in the paper or
something, that's just something we do. I think Gabriel gets more
proud when he sees pictures of himself in the paper or magazines. He
likes that a lot."
Their hectic schedules would lead anyone to believe that Kurt and
Sonia don't have time for each other. So when we ask them how they
make it work, Kurt says they have to understand that it's okay to talk
about the kids, and problems at work over some nice food
together. "And when we have time, we really try to take a breath and
breathe," he says. Gabriel interjects – "Does that mean you're not
breathing right now?"
Kurt and Sonia have some help getting through their busy days. Sonia's
mom, Luci, is a second Mom to her grandchildren. They also rely on a
good nanny. "You don't have to worry about ‘Are my kids ok?' ‘How are
they doing?' so you can focus on your task at hand when you're away
from home and can give full attention to your job," says Sonia. And
despite all of their hard work on the ice and stage Sonia says, "the
kids are still our priority no matter what."
On the same page
We asked Kurt and Sonia five questions to see how well they know
each other!
Who takes longer to get ready in the morning?
SONIA: "Neither of us takes a long time."
KURT: "Me, I think."
What's your favourite thing to do on date night?
BOTH: Dinner and a movie.
Who is the disciplinarian?
SONIA: "Me."
KURT: "One would assume she's the disciplinarian but I'd say it's
50/50. I'd be surprised if she says otherwise."
What's one chore around the house that Sonia hates to do?
SONIA: "Well I never take out the garbage, but I don't hate doing
it. It's just that I don't do it, period. I don't do much laundry, he
does that sometimes."
KURT: "She hates the recycling and garbage. I mean, I just usually try
to get to it first but she's not the take-out-the-garbage kind of
girl."
Who is more likely to give in to the children?
SONIA: "Kurt."
KURT: "I guess me, but it's not by a huge margin."
One-on-one with Gabriel
Age 8, Grade 2
FAVOURITE SPORT: Swimming
FAVOURITE CLASS IN SCHOOL: Gym
FAVOURITE SHOW: Pokemon
DANCE STYLE? Tap
SKATING? "It's alright."
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