Catherine Bent is always the first on the dance floor. This summer, as the busy mom of 3 celebrated her 50th birthday, she threw herself a celebration complete with a band, outdoor dance floor and decorations to rival any Pinterest board out there!
Her children, Kelly (22), Kyla (15) and Cole (9), celebrated into the wee hours, this remarkable mom who has supported, encouraged, loved, and had their back every step of the way.
I first met Catherine 10 years before at Maskwa Aquatic Club…the local go-to club for all of us parents where a patch of grass and a bit of sand is part of our summer sanity. Catherine was enjoying a summer “off” while on maternity leave with a brand new babe, and we’d often sit together as our children spent the day in the sun. Ten years later, her friendship is one I cherish. She’s not only the first to hit the dance floor but she’s the first to offer advice, pitch in to help, and show up with a casserole and a hug when times are tough.
Besides being caring, generous, compassionate, adventurous, sincere, non-judgemental and reliable…her boundless energy sets her apart.
Born in Halifax and raised in Springhill, Catherine is a fixture at every single hockey rink in Atlantic Canada as all three children play competitively. Spending five years with the QMJHL League, finishing his Q-career with the Halifax Mooseheads, Kelly is now attending Dalhousie University and playing with the Dal Tigers.
Not to be outdone by her older brother, fifteen year old, Kyla, is making a name for herself in women’s hockey. Currently attending prep school, Kyla has recently been added to the roster for the U18 Team Atlantic Women’s Hockey as a double under-ager!
And Cole, at 9, when not cheering on his older siblings, he’s skating up a storm and also playing baseball and paddling in the summer months.
So…how does this busy mom manage to split her time between hockey games, full-time work, various social engagements and hockey fundraisers and still run a household? NO ONE REALLY KNOWS! There’s magic…trickery of some kind…as Catherine seems to take it all in and still have room for more.
Catherine works permanent nights as a nurse with the QEII in their medical surgical ICU. “My work is fast paced, interesting and ever-changing,” says Bent. “I feel privileged to have a job that impacts people’s lives every day. I’ve worked multiple facets of nursing through the years but once I got the into ICU, the fit was right for me.”
Arriving home at 7:30am, Catherine has just enough time to pack a lunch for Cole and see him off to the bus. With a new puppy in the household, she’s walking the pup and grabbing a few hours sleep before throwing on a wash, unpacking the dishwasher, planning supper and gathering Cole at the bus-stop where it’s typically a quick after-school snack and off to the rink…home again…family fed, then back to work to start another night shift! Days off are a little less busy, but throw in some gym time (a passion of Catherine’s), daily routines and housework and it’s never a dull moment in the Bent household!
Luckily, Catherine’s not doing it alone as this busy mom depends on her mother and in-laws to get the job done and through the years, they’ve been pretty amazing. (Lately her rockstar mom has even been pitching in with the new pup when she has to head out-of-town for hockey weekends!) Besides family, Catherine has a wonderful group of friends and neighbours she can call on, and of course, her husband Steve is part of the mix. “Without my husband, my children wouldn’t have been as successful in hockey as he is the driving force due to his passion and commitment to them and coaching.”
What’s lacking…TIME! There’s never enough. While Catherine fits in time with friends and family…she still wants more and feels she’s often saying “she can’t” rather than “sure.” With shift work, she’s often missing out on holidays, hockey games, family celebrations and get-togethers as she simply can’t get to everything…but her goal in life is to “do what you can, you can sleep when you’re dead!”
Downtime? There’s really not much…but Catherine’s a fan of a little Desperate Housewives or The Bachelor from time-to-time, always looks forward to a family vacation each year when they can all be together, and nothing beats a girl’s weekend away!
To sum this busy mom in her own words, “I wouldn’t change this chaotic dysfunctional life for anything.” Her motto “Life is short. Buy the shoes. Drink the wine.”
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