ML Interest Tag: spend-time

Wade Into Atlanta’s Local Lake Scene

by Allison Sutcliffe

Although there’s really no bad time to head to the lake, summer is prime swim season. And with a half-dozen or more lakes near Atlanta within an easy morning’s drive, you can live your best beach life without too much trouble. Trade your next trip to the splash park for an afternoon of boating, tubing, fishing and all around good times at one of our favorite swimming holes. Who says you need to have a friend with a cabin to enjoy the amenities of Atlanta’s best lakes. Here’s where to spend your next unplanned summer day.

Lake Lanier

via instagram

As one of the closest (and largest) lakes to Atlanta, Lake Lanier is a popular favorite with Atlanta families. It is also one of the busiest. But busy isn’t always bad, as the powers-that-be saw the potential in all those visitors and created Lake Lanier Islands Resorts. Head there to have an epic time at the water park, amusement park and restaurants (just expect crowds and an added price tag), or skip the party and find a quiet cove to claim as your own for the day. Boats are available to rent, or you and the kids could get your toes wet along the shore at Don Carter State Park, where you'll find everything you need to hike, swim and play the day away.

Drive time: About 1 hour

Lake Rabun

via instagram

Cradled in the hills of the North Georgia Mountains, Lake Rabun is an 835-acre stocked lake and a great place to spend time fishing, camping and hiking (hint: don't miss a trip to Angel Falls when you're there). For water activities, lake homes often have two-story boat houses, perfect for passing the time if you're able to VRBO one or are lucky enough to have a friend with one. If not, no problem. There are 80 tent and trailer campsites and a developed recreation area that's perfect for a picnic and a splash.

Drive time: Just under 2 hours

Lake Oconee

via instagram

If you’re looking for a lake getaway with panache, Lake Oconee is your best bet. The Ritz-Carlton at Lake Oconee delivers the dream of an American lake vacation with precision. It's as simple as checking in, then checking out in one of the lakeside hammocks, swings, infinity pool or the spa. Don’t miss the nightly s’mores, curated by a s’more-fessional. Families can also enjoy all that Lake Oconee has to offer through any of these parks and marinas.

Drive time: Just over 1 hour

Lake Sinclair

via instagram

Downstream from Oconee is the laid back Lake Sinclair. The perfect destination for a big city break, this low-key lake is known for Dukes Lounge, offering curbside and lakeside service. Rent a boat at one of the local marinas and head to Dukes for waterside service. Move over, Chick-fil-A. There’s a new king in town.

Drive time: About 90 minutes

Lake Allatoona

All it takes is thirty minutes on the interstate to get to Lake Allatoona, one of Atlanta’s main water reservoirs and recreational lakes. With much of its shoreline managed by the Army Corps of Engineers, Allatoona is a popular lake that still retains its natural beauty. Close to Atlanta and with multiple marinas, campsites and recreational areas, families can easily make this lake destination a day trip or turn it into a full weekend of freshwater fun.

Drive time: About 45 minutes

Lake Chatuge

via instagram

With its shoreline part of the Nantahala National Forest, Lake Chatuge is a far cry from busy Lake Lanier. Located in North Georgia in the Blue Ridge Mountains, you won’t find any water parks or laser shows, but you will find quiet coves and uninhabited islands perfect for exploring. While it’s a doable drive from Atlanta (clocking in around two hours), you may want to pack a bag and stay at the Ridges Resort and Marina. With a salt water pool, fire pits with s’mores at night and a nearby marina where you can rent a boat for the duration of your stay, you’ll wonder why you ever went to the trouble of driving six hours to the beach.

Drive time: Just over 2 hours

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Unpacking Back-to-School Feelings

By Elanna Yalow

Photo: KinderCare Learning Centers

The back-to-school season is on the horizon for families around the country. With that comes a backpack full of emotions for children and parents. Some of these feelings may be expected, while others may be unexpected or surprising in their intensity.

While adults may know how to identify their emotions and express them appropriately, children are still learning these skills. Often, children’s emotions come out in their behaviors. A child who is excited may have trouble sitting still or focusing on the task at hand, while a child who is anxious may throw things or yell at their siblings.

No matter how you and your children feel about the start of a new school year, remember that all feelings are valid, both yours and your children’s. It’s completely understandable (and normal) to experience conflicting emotions about the same aspect of returning to school. You can be both nervous and excited at the thought of your child walking through those school doors and settling down into a classroom with their peers, and so can your child.

As we head into a new school year, here are tips for how you and your children can navigate some of the big emotions you both might feel.

Encourage Excitement

Talk with your child about the things that they are looking forward to when the school year starts, while also encouraging them to share the things that make them sad or concerned. Once you understand how they are feeling, look for or create an opportunity for your child to do more of what they’re enthusiastic about. For example, if your child is eager to be around other children, you could arrange extra opportunities for them to be around friends or look into school clubs or activities your child could join so they have even more opportunities to spend time with their friends or to make new friends. While focusing on the positive, remember to dismiss or minimize concerns or simply tell your child that it will all just be okay.

Address Anxiety & Fear

It’s perfectly normal to be anxious about new experiences and new people. No matter what your child is anxious or fearful about, talk about it with them. The first step to addressing an emotion, especially the tough ones, is to identify and validate it. Then you and your child can work together to find appropriate ways to address those fears. If your child is worried about reconnecting with or making new friends, you might try role playing to help your child practice or use puppets (socks on the hands might do) to act out meeting someone for the first time.

Be sure to address your own concerns too. If you’re worried about keeping your child and family safe and healthy, learn about the school’s health and safety plan and talk through the safety protocols with your child so that they are comfortable with them, including practicing some “what if” scenarios. Be sure to seek support from your child’s school too. School counselors often have access to a variety of child-focused support tools and community networks.

Embrace Relief

Returning to any semblance of normalcy may have you and your children jumping for joy. Going back to school is a sign of the world opening up again, of being able to do more of the things you like to do. Embrace that sense of relief and don’t second guess yourself or make a list of caveats.

Acknowledge Grief

In change there is often loss. Many families had to deal with challenging experiences during over the past 18 months. Despite how difficult this time may have been, there were probably also some bright spots for your family such as spending more time together and the opportunity to be more engaged in your child’s life. The thought of going back to “the way things were” may leave you or your child feeling sad about what might be left behind. Take a moment to acknowledge that loss. You can also brainstorm, together, how you might keep some of the things you liked about this past year in your lives, whether that’s a nightly family walk, a weekly game night or a special weekend meal you prepare together.

No matter how you and your child feel, embrace it. The back to school season is a time of new beginnings and your family is in it together. Try to appreciate all of the emotional ups and downs together and celebrate their emotional growth as well as your own. Establishing a habit of checking in on your child’s emotional wellbeing now reassures your child that you’ll be there to support them no matter what this new school year brings.

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Dr. Elanna Yalow is Chief Academic Officer of KinderCare, the nation’s leading provider of high-quality early childhood education, supporting the development of KinderCare’s educational programs, educator professional development, quality and accreditation initiatives, research and evaluation, inclusion services, and public policy. She is married and the mother of two sons.

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7 Reasons Volunteering with Your Child Is a Great Idea

By Kara Reynolds

One of the most valuable things you can give is your time. Those who volunteer not just benefit those who receive the help, they’re benefiting themselves as well. 

As a parent, you want to instill values into your children. An excellent way to do this is by volunteering with them. There are so many ways to get involved, whether it be in your local community or beyond. 

Below, are all the reasons you should volunteer with your child, no matter what their age.

1. It builds relationships. Volunteering allows you to bond in a new way with your kids. Most volunteer opportunities are surrounded by teamwork, meaning you and your children can work together on a project.

Additionally, volunteering gets everyone out and into a new environment. You and your children get to explore that together. Plus, volunteering might be a new activity for you both to enjoy. Your children will value the time they get to spend with you just as much as you will love spending time with them.

2. It teaches social skills. Another reason to volunteer with your children is that you can help them build their social skills. Volunteers come from all walks of life. There may be some older adults there or even kids around your child’s age. When they’re able to meet new friends, they can engage with them over this similar activity.

They can learn how to better interact with others, boosting their confidence and helping them interact even outside of the volunteering group. Social skills are necessary for success, so by volunteering with your kids, you can offer that to them.

3. It expands friendships. Once you and your child work on social skills through volunteering, you can expand your friendships, too. Your child will no doubt make new friends through volunteering. This might be other volunteers or even people within your community that you’re helping.

Your child will make friends, and you can go and meet their parents to create friendships as well. This will help expand their friend group. They may make new friends of different ages, races and backgrounds. Every time you go back to volunteer again, you and your children will be able to spend time with your friends!

4. It offers a sense of community. Volunteering with your children also offers a sense of community. When children are exposed to the news through various media outlets, it can be difficult for them to distinguish what it might mean to be part of a community. They see things from throughout the world but may not have an idea of their own community, especially if there aren’t any children’s programs available to them.

When you take them to volunteer, they have the opportunity to ground themselves in the community. They can feel as though they’re making a difference in their corner of the world. When you go alongside them to volunteer, they’ll see that you also care about your community. Your children can learn about the people and places that have helped shape them. It’s easy to get caught up in your daily lives, but volunteering helps ground you both.

5. It inspires gratitude & empathy. It can be challenging to teach your young children about gratitude and empathy. However, volunteering can ease that challenge. Some volunteer projects may have you and your children working with those less fortunate than you. Your children will learn to be grateful for what they have. After a day of volunteering, have a conversation with your child about what they noticed about the people you helped.

Gratitude is something that is cultivated, and your children will experience that firsthand. Empathy is also something your children can learn through volunteering. Children often have a sense of wanting to help others. Once they see the impact they’re making on others in their community, it will further inspire them to continue volunteering throughout their lives.

6. It provides meaningful family time. With the busy lives that you and your children have, volunteering offers a chance to slow down. When you’re volunteering, you’re not on any sort of schedule. You go to offer your help, whether that be physical labor or just talking with others. Volunteering as a family allows you to spend meaningful time with one another.

After a day of volunteering, you can go home and discuss everything you did. This allows you to have meaningful conversations that go beyond your day-to-day lives. This world is full of distractions, but volunteering enables you to go without distractions and be in the moment. 

7. It provides great health benefits. Finally, volunteering provides excellent health benefits for both you and your children. Screens are a huge part of most children’s lives. A child tends to be in front of a screen for 7.5 hours every day, which can be detrimental to their health. This means their days are spent either sitting or staying in one place for an extended period.

Volunteering offers an opportunity to get children—and parents—away from the screen and outside. Volunteer opportunities often take place outdoors where you’re on your feet or at least moving around.

The next time you have a free day or weekend, use it to volunteer. Find a local project you and your child can participate in to better the community. You’ll enjoy getting to spend time with your child, and you’ll love seeing the impact you’ve made. 

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Kara Reynolds is the Editor-in-Chief and founder of Momish Magazine.  A mom of four and matriarch to her big blended family, Kara wants nothing more than to normalize differences in family structures.  She enjoys peeing alone, pancakes, and pinot noir - but not at the same time. 

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Live Stream Baby Beluga, Big Belugas & More From the Comfort of Your Couch

by Sarah Shebek

Beluga cam is back! If you’ve ever wanted to watch a live stream of migrating beluga whales, we’ve got the scoop for you. Explore.org and Polar Bears International will launch the Beluga Whale Live Cam on July 15, which broadcasts from Churchill River where it meets the Hudson Bay.

It’s quite the show, with approximately 57,000 whales migrating into Canada. Your family can participate in “Beluga Bits,” examining underwater photos of the whales to ID age, size and regular migrators.

As the ice breaks up during the summer months, about two-thirds of the world’s beluga population spend time in more southern Canadian waters. The whales rely on sea ice and shallow waters for protection from predators, like Orcas. However, global warming is causing a decline in sea ice, so belugas have to dive deeper and longer to find food.

July 15 is Arctic Ice Sea Day, a day hosted by Polar Bears International to draw attention to the rapidly melting Arctic ecosystem. You can join live scientists Q&As, donate to the cause and learn more about why sea ice is so important. Kids can learn how to draw a polar bear or a narwhal, too!

—Sarah Shebek

Featured image courtesy of explore.org

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Here’s How to Stay Cool While Kayaking with Your Kids

by Annette Benedetti

The end of June brought on a record-breaking heatwave that won’t soon be forgotten. If it has inspired you to find new ways to cool off, then you might want to consider taking up kayaking with kids. How does an afternoon paddling across a local lake with your family sound? If you’ve never seen the inside of a kayak, don’t worry we’ve put together the essentials for you. Here’s how to get started kayaking with your family in and around Portland.

Kids kayaking
via Portland Kayak

The Basics

The beautiful thing about living in Portland (one of them, at least) is that you don’t need to buy a lot of gear to try out kayaking. There are plenty of outfitters in and around town who rent out kayaks, paddles and any additional gear you might need for your day of exploration.

Kayaks can be rented for a per hour or per-day rate. If you are just starting out, this is most affordable rout to go. Depending on on the size and type of kayak, hourly rates range from $30/hr to $80/hr. Daily rates range from $60 and up.

If you choose to buy, youth ride-on-top kayaks and inflatable kayaks can be found for $100 and up, and adult and 2-seat kayaks cost $600 or more. For a few quick paddles on your favorite lake, an inflatable kayak might work for a much lower price point. Ask the experts at your outdoor store for tips on what works for you and your family. If you spend time on the water, doesn’t hurt to buy your own flotation devices. Make sure they’re Coast Guard certified and appropriate for your planned activity.

You can rend or buy new and used kayaks at the following locations.

Next Adventure
426 SE. Grand Ave. Portland
Online: nextadventure.net

Portland Kayak Company
6600 SW Macadam Ave. Portland
Online: portlandkayak.com

Your Little Duffers

Junior can come along on kayaking trip as a paddler or a “duffer.” Duffers are just along for the ride in the center compartment and don’t help propel the boat. This is a role most children play until age eight. Experienced paddlers can start using their own single kayaks around age ten or so.

Christian Bowen via Unsplashed

Where You Can Play & Learn

You’ll want to get started on your kayaking adventure in calm, protected waters first — that means lakes and protected bays without much current or wind. Lakes without motorized boat traffic make for easier paddles, as you won’t need to avoid wakes.

Scappoose Bay is a gentle start for beginners, with the friendly outfitters Next Adventure’s Scappoose Bay Paddling Center providing rentals and lessons or tours. You might even spy some river otters playing.

Trillium Lake has no motorized boat traffic as well as camping and beautiful views near Government Camp on Mt. Hood.

Alder Creek’s classes allow kids 10 and up to attend their Learn to Kayak tours with parents. Check to see which class would be best for your family. (Note: rentals are currently offered, however tours and classes are on hold due to COVID restrictions.

Portland Kayak’s classes are suspended for 2021 due to COVID, however your family can schedule small group private instruction. What a great way to bond! . (Currently open by appointment only.)

The Lower Columbia Slough in North Portland can be a lovely place to set in, but you’ll want to check the tide schedule to keep your trip focused on bald eagles and herons, not hard paddling against the current.

What You Need to Know

Of course, safety is the first priority when it comes to water sports. That means you too, parents! Modeling safety goes a long way. Those personal flotation devices should fit and be properly secured. Wear closed-toe sandals or water shoes, plus plenty of sun block (Bring extra on the kayak with you. You’ll probably be out long enough to need to re-apply.) Don’t take your kids paddling unless you have a lot of experience with advanced moves under your belt—like rolling your kayak, for starters—or you have a very experienced person in your party. Plan snack times and bathroom breaks ahead of time and be sure to bring lots of water for everyone. Then have fun!

—Annette Benedetti

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Here’s Why Springfield, Missouri Is on Our Summer Travel List

by Kenzie Kramer
Partner Content

After a long year of sticking close to home, families are starting to dust off their travel clothes, pack up their cars and hit the open road in search of family fun somewhere other than their backyard. If you’re on the hunt for a little bit of adventure and are excited to explore somewhere new with your family, Springfield, Missouri might just be the ideal destination for your next family trip!

Springfield, known as the gateway to the great outdoors by both travelers and locals alike, is a well-loved destination for those seeking easy access to both indoor and outdoor recreation and a wide variety of family-friendly attractions and experiences. 

Right now, families can save big on a trip to Springfield! From April 1- June 27, visitors who spend at least two nights in a hotel, spend time at three attractions in Springfield and enjoy a meal or a drink at three different Springfield establishments are eligible for a free night of accommodations in Springfield!  

One of the city’s most popular destinations is the Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium. As you walk through the aquarium, you’ll enjoy exploring unique habitats filled with an expansive variety of animals and learning all about the creatures that call the aquarium home. You’ll also have the chance to learn about the role that conservation plays in improving marine habitats across the world and, if you’re lucky, get up close and personal with penguins or sharks during an encounter that your little ones will never forget!

If your family is interested in outdoor recreation, you’ll also be excited to visit the world’s first and largest Bass Pro Shop, Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World—with over 500,000 square feet immersive shopping space. Your family can learn about Missouri’s native fish at one of the store’s seven intricate aquariums or visit with the turtles and alligators who live in the in-store swamp. Adults and big kids will enjoy the archery and shooting ranges while even the littlest visitors will get excited about the full-service on-site restaurant known for its delicious fudge. 

Once you’ve hit up Bass Pro Shop Outdoor World for gear, you’ll have to decide between hiking, biking, paddling or floating your way through the Ozarks. With more than 90 parks in the Springfield-Greene County Parks system that feature playgrounds, pools, tennis courts, a farm, an ice arena and more, it won’t be hard to find a park with something for everyone in the family to enjoy. 

Opportunities to get on the water and float through the Ozarks abound and, if you book a float trip through one of the many float companies in Springfield, your guide will be able to point you in the direction of the best post-floating dinner and drink options in town! 

While there’s lots of fun to be had on land and on water, nothing says adventure quite like going underground: Missouri has over 7,000 caves. Explore a former underground speakeasy or a cavernous venue for country music, and discover 200-year-old cave drawings, fossils and stunning geological formations!

No matter how you choose to spend your time in Springfield, you’ll head home already looking forward to coming back to experience more of the Ozarks!

Don’t wait to book your next trip: From April 1- June 27, visitors who spend at least two nights in a hotel, spend time at three attractions in Springfield and enjoy a meal or a drink at three different Springfield establishments are eligible for a free night of accommodations in Springfield!  

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Want to Connect With Your Child? Try Technology

By Jamie Edelbrock

Xbox. Nintendo Switch. PlayStation. Netflix. YouTube. TikTok. Snapchat…Those are all words (and sometimes used as verbs in the case of Snapchat) we are used to hearing in my house because we have teenage and pre-teen children. Those words used to fill me with anxiousness because most of the time, it meant my kids had their eyes glued to a screen, and I worried they were turning into zombies while connecting to a world that I knew very little about. Not to mention connecting in a world that is technologically and socially a much different landscape than when my husband and I grew up in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Naturally, as a parent, I became concerned about too much screen time, online safety, cyberbullies, stalkers, inappropriate interactions, terrible images, and more. In my mind, technology quickly became the enemy.

To ease my anxiousness and squash my concerns, I gave my children a long list of rules, screen time restrictions and monitored everything they did online. I thought my restrictions would help our family connect more because of their time limits. Let me be clear, my intentions were pure, and it is crucial to protect your children online, but my plan was causing nothing but resentment and disconnection.

I’ve always known that connecting with my children is a critical part of their social and emotional development. One of my favorite quotes is from a Kids In The House video. In the video, ADHD specialist and Author Edward Hallowell, MD, EdD, says, “By far, the most powerful force in life for development, joy, confidence, health; is the force of connection. At its most distilled, we call it love. I think that the bond between parent and child is the single strongest emotion in all of human existence. Then it spreads out into what I call a connected childhood. It is the greatest gift you can give your child.”

With connection on my heart, I continued trying to connect with my children in various ways. We would bake cookies, create crafts, go on walks, but often they would get bored, and often as soon as we would finish spending a moment together, they would head right back to technology. I was left wondering why we didn’t feel more connected, so I started researching.

An article I found on Child Development Info says, “Try not to seem judgmental about their hobbies. If your kids aren’t hurting anyone, you shouldn’t be concerned. If they start to feel that you don’t appreciate what they love, they’ll start to push you further away.”

Wait, were my best intentions causing my children to push me away? That was the last thing I wanted. Was my own experience growing up with little to no technology creating an unconscious bias in my mind about how they should grow up? That’s when it hit me; technology may not be the enemy after all. In fact, I could use technology to our benefit and connect with my children.

Instead of just implementing more rules and red tape, I pushed my technology judgments aside and picked up a device. Please understand that I didn’t throw all rules out the window, especially ones about being safe online; I did back off a bit and started playing their video games, watching their favorite Netflix shows, and making silly faces on Snapchat. It was like magic. Suddenly, we were engaging, interacting, laughing at the same memes, and sharing inside jokes. We’ve even had entire conversations using nothing but funny gifs on iMessage. If you don’t think this is possible, try it. I assure you it is. Now, I’m still not good at any of their video games. In fact, I don’t think I’ve won a single Mario Kart race, ever. Whenever I build on Minecraft, I get confused, and I’ve never mastered a TikTok dance. But the reality is that none of that matters. What matters is that we are connecting, and we are having fun.

With technology, the sky is the limit, and you can positively expose your children to a variety of interesting things that might otherwise not be possible were it not for technology. Other ways to connect with your children through technology include:

1. Listen to a podcast of their choice

2. Follow a blog of their choice together

3. Zoom/Facetime extended family and friends together

4. Take virtual field trips

5. Movie marathons (especially Marvel!)

6. Learn TikTok dances

7. Create YouTube videos together on topics of their choosing

8.  Create digital art

9. Make digital music

10. Create memes together

11. Build an Instagram page together to highlight an important topic

12. Learn to DJ with your child

Out of curiosity, I asked my children two things. The first question was: Do they enjoyed it when we joined them online for games and connected with them via social media? All three immediately said yes. The second question I asked: Was their favorite way to connect with my husband and me through technology? While their answers were different, their message was loud and clear. My 5th grader said she likes playing Minecraft and Stardew Valley Xbox games with my husband because they spend time together. My 6th grader said she looks forward to watching our favorite Netflix or Disney Plus shows every night because she gets to spend time together as a family. My 9th grader said she likes communicating with the family via Instagram because we all send funny memes and posts. The message? They like being together.

My takeaway through all of this was that I needed to meet my kids where they were, not where I wanted them to be. They are living in a world filled to the brim with TikToks, memes, vines, YouTube clips, and more, so if you don’t speak that “language,” you face the risk of being less connected as a parent. Trust me, engage on their level, and you’ll quickly learn to speak the language. You’ll also quickly find new ways to connect, and connection is the greatest gift you can give to your child.

RELATED:
Check In with Your Children
Morning Coffee with a Side of Mom Guilt
The Surprising Thing a Pixar Movie Taught Me about Raising a Teenager

This post originally appeared on Parentology.com.

Jamie is married to her high school sweetheart and has three beautiful daughters. Through years of experience working with children, and raising her own, she knows how difficult parenting can be. She is an advocate for children's mental health and is best known for her creativity, optimism, and kind heart.

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This Sugary Dream Is Your New Summer Go-To Treat from Sam’s Club

by Erica Loop

Summer is almost here—and Sam’s Club has the perfect sweet treat for the season! If you’re a fan of the fab foodie fare you’d find at a summer-time carnival, the Fun Sweets Summer Cotton Candy Assortment is a must-have.

Forget about the typical cotton candy flavors you’ve enjoyed for decades. The Fun Sweets Summer Cotton Candy Assortment has all-new tastes you won’t expect from the spun sugary goodie.

photo courtesy of Sam’s Club

With flavors such as watermelon, orange cream and pink lemonade, this cotton candy 12-pack pairs perfectly with your summer picnic or BBQ meal. Not only does this wispy treat come in creative mix of tastes, it’s also free of gluten, GMOs, fat, peanuts and tree nuts.

Between family get-togethers, summer-time outdoor playdates and everything else you’ll do in the warm weather season, you need sweet snacks to quickly divvy up between the kiddos. The 12 individual tubs of cotton candy won’t keep you in the kitchen splitting treats into tiny pieces or force you to spend time making individual goody bags. Instead, give each child their fave flavor in their own tub.

Find this 12-pack assortment in Sam’s Club stores nationwide or online for $9.98.

—Erica Loop

 

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These Amazing Moms Are Sharing Just How Tough Moms Are

by Kenzie Kramer
Partner Content

We’ve always known parents were tough, but the last year has shown everyone just how resilient they truly are! To celebrate the remarkable power of moms, we’ve teamed up with Once Upon a Farm, an organic children’s nutrition company co-founded by Jennifer Garner, for our A Better Story Starts Here Contest. We’ve already heard about some amazing moms—meet a few of them below!

Meet the remarkable moms who are the winners of our A Better Story Starts Here contest!

Jacqui Saldaña is an LA-based mom of two. Along with raising tiny humans, Jacqui is a blogger and recipe developer who writes about everything from Lemon Pancakes to teaching kids about bias.

 

Meet the remarkable moms who are the winners of our A Better Story Starts Here contest!

 

Malika Pham is a mom of three who uses her platform to speak candidly about her experiences as a Black Muslim woman and as a mother. “Motherhood is messy, challenging, exhausting, and a flat out trip,” says Yasmin.

 

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A post shared by Heather Brooker (@theheatherbrooker)

Heather Brooker is an actress/journalist/comedian/mom in Los Angeles. Like most moms, the pandemic has taken its toll on Brooker, but she’s chosen to see the silver linings: “While this past year has been beyond challenging, I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” she says.

Meet the remarkable moms who are the winners of our A Better Story Starts Here contest!

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Leteshia (@mamaonawhim)

Atlanta-based mom of two Leteshia Weaver knows what it means to be tough as a mother. After facing milk protein allergies, eczema and the lack of sleep, she’s kept a can-do attitude. “Through all of that, I have only become stronger and I’m always ready for whatever life may throw my way!” she says.

 

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A post shared by Tara Rosa (@livingrosa)

Tara Rosa is a mom of four who has spent the last year navigating motherhood, distance learning and having her newborn spend time in the NICU. “Motherhood is both beautiful and really hard,” says Rosa.

Meet the remarkable moms who are the winners of our A Better Story Starts Here contest!

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