Sarah Blackwood, mom of two and member of Juno Award-winning band Walk Off the Earth has a hectic life. Besides concerts, recording, and raising two boys under three, she’s also teamed up with President’s Choice to introduce Babylicious, a mom and baby dining event across Toronto that encourages moms to bring their babies to restaurants. Mom gets a night out in a great restaurant (without judgment of fellow diners) and Baby gets a complimentary, 100 percent certified organic meal, courtesy of PC Organics baby food.

ParentsCanada: How important is it to you to maintain a balance between being a mom and enjoying your pre-mom life?

Sarah Blackwood: So important! I have, so many times since becoming a mom said things like, “Oh, I’m not going to go out.” Because, I don’t want to drag my kids out and lug all their stuff with me, and who knows how they’ll behave. Having something like PC Babylicious is amazing. It gives us the opportunity to go out without any reservations (wait, you DO need to make reservations!). I mean, without judgment and you won’t disrupt anything and you can go and have that restaurant experience that you miss when you become a parent. And you’re with your kids and there are other kids there. It’s like bringing your kid to the playground only you get to eat some really great food. And they get a complimentary meal from PC Organic baby food.

PC: How was your kids’ transition to solid foods?

SB: My youngest, Luigi, is on his way. We’ve started him on a few things.  And it’s better this time around than last time. I nursed both my babies for a long time and it took them a little bit to get onto solid foods. And my oldest is an eating machine. He eats anything.

PC: And that’s a great thing about taking them to restaurants. It’s new food and new experiences.

SB: Yes, restaurants are experiences! And they are with new people and that’s something they will deal with for the rest of their lives. We should bring our kids out into the world. And that’s why Babylicious is so cool. It allows us to bring our kids into the world and share experiences.

PC: So what was music like for you as a child?

SB: I sang since I was born, basically. I loved singing. I took piano lessons when I was eight and I didn’t like it very much because there were recitals involved and there was a lot of pressure. So I quit. And I actually didn’t pick up another instrument until I was in my teens and that was the guitar. And when I began to learn guitar, I felt more connected with the instrument. And, obviously now, I wish I had stayed in piano! My parents were very musical and artsy and creative, so I think it was passed down.

PC: Do you hope that happens with your own kids? Do they have any instruments yet?

SB: Our whole house is full of instruments, so they are always playing something.  My youngest loves standing up at his tiny, little piano and playing that all the time. My oldest son is actually an amazing drummer! I feel like he has something in his blood and he is just naturally gifted with music, I think. So, we’re just going to go with the flow. I don’t want to put any pressure on them. If you want to pick up some drumsticks, go ahead! Or pick up a guitar!

Every kid is pretty great at showcasing what they’re interested in. So, for right now, it’s pretty obvious with the stuff my kids love to do, so that’s what we accommodate. We want him to get creative and use his brain in whatever way he likes. Some kids like to count, some kids like numbers, some kids like drawing. It’s all just a process. 

Check out Babylicious across Toronto, from May 5 to 15. Visit http://www.presidentschoice.ca/en_CA/babylicious.html for details.