share

From the Publisher – February 2025

by
From-the-Publisher--ESP.-GPP

One evening during the holiday break, we ran a slideshow of old photos on the TV, which gave us a brief look at the last several years. As the pictures scrolled through, we reminisced over family vacations; the girls made fun of each others’ creative outfit choices and laughed until we cried over homemade videos.  As I sat there, looking at my family, younger on the screen and now almost grown in my living room,  my heart was truly full thinking about how much joy being a mother had brought me. 

As all parents know, it is not an easy path, especially in the beginning.  With my first, I had a tough time adjusting when it came time to go back to work. I had a full-time job, my maternity leave was ending, and I had to find the strength to leave my sweet girl with who I felt were strangers for the whole day. Fortunately, I had some amazing ladies at our childcare center who helped make the transition much easier.  They shared their years of experience and nurturing and grew to be our extended family. As a bonus, we also developed lifelong friendships with the other parents and their children.

It does not matter if you are going back to work full-time or looking at part-time care, or preschool, the transition can be a big adjustment, but once everyone is settled into the new routine, having your child in some type of childcare program or preschool can be a very positive experience for both the child and the parents. For some encouraging news on the benefits of childcare, check out Why Day Care Is Great For Your Kids by Tanni Haas, Ph.D.

Finding the right childcare is so important.  If you find the right fit, it is truly a blessing.  The key is to find the right fit for YOUR family.  Childcare is not a “one size fits all” option.  What works for your neighbor or best friend may not work for you.  Whether you are looking at full-time childcare for an infant, a part-time program, or a preschool program, you can find a list of local programs in our annual Childcare Directory.  One very important piece of advice: do not wait until six weeks before you need the childcare to start looking.  Many centers are full and have waiting lists. If you begin the search the day you realize you will need childcare, the more options you will have and the more time you will have to research the center’s policies, procedures, curriculum, registration process, and more. While you are visiting centers, make sure you listen to your gut too.

Whether you have children in school or childcare, most families struggle with fitting everything into their schedule, and we tend to put exercise on the back burner. Fortunately, Pam Molnar shares some great ideas for combining two very important activities in this month’s feature, Fitness and Family Time: Fun Ways to Encourage a Healthy Lifestyle. Spoiler alert: She mentions participating in local 5K/fun runs together. You will find several options for runs/walks in this month’s Family Calendar, along with several other family-friendly activities and, of course, Mardi Gras Parades!

As we step into February, I wish you all a warm and cozy month filled with sweet family time, self-care, peace, and laughter.

Lynn Knighton
Author: Lynn Knighton

Lynn has called the Mobile Bay area home since 2006 with her husband Brad and their 3 daughters. Following the sale of her Abrakadoodle franchise, Lynn still wanted to serve families and help them thrive. Becoming the Publisher of Mobile Bay Parents was the perfect opportunity. Now she invests into family's lives each month by providing the with the area's #1 go-to resource for moms and dads.

Categories:

Lynn has called the Mobile Bay area home since 2006 with her husband Brad and their 3 daughters. Following the sale of her Abrakadoodle franchise, Lynn still wanted to serve families and help them thrive. Becoming the Publisher of Mobile Bay Parents was the perfect opportunity. Now she invests into family's lives each month by providing the with the area's #1 go-to resource for moms and dads.
Mobile Bay Parents
Close Cookmode