Her voice comes across the radio to thousands of Torontonians driving to work each morning. But for the Juno-nominated singer-songwriter Kim Stockwood, who joined the 97.3 EZ Rock team a year ago, co-hosting the 5:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. show, driving has entered a new era: Chauffeuring her children around.
The onetime member of Canadian band Shaye, recently traded in her sporty red golf for something she never thought she’d drive — a van. “My husband thought we should get a minivan,” says the 43-year-old mother of two boys, aged six and four. “I wasn’t sure I wanted to do that.” But last year, the St. John’s-native gave in. “When your husband’s 6’4” and you have two boys who are becoming as tall as he is, my hot little Golf had to go,” she explains.
It was replaced with a 2008 silver Toyota Sienna, which Stockwood admits is far more conducive to family life. “This car is so awesome. There are sliding doors. I press a button and the kids just jump in and out,” she enthuses. Another feature she’s come to love is the DVD player. “We try to limit the use of it, but I’ve got to say, when we have long drives, and we have kids in the car, that is a life saver!”
Instead of hearing the constant refrain “are we there yet?,” Stockwood pops in a DVD, the kids plug in headphones and the couple can enjoy uninterrupted conversation as the kids are transfixed by a movie.
Despite having adjusted to life behind the wheel of a family van, Stockwood still holds onto the dream of one day owning a sporty car again, preferably a convertible Mini.
“It’s not going to happen for the next few years,” she concedes. “There’s just no way that I could fit me plus the three men in my life in it.”
– Heather Buchan is a Toronto-based journalist whohas at several magazines, includingHello! Canada, where she cut her teeth in the world of celebrities.
