Hello to nearly 1,000 Palmetto Parents! 😱

The village is growing, and we’re as excited as ever for what this community is turning into.

Why paid? Our kids are the most precious thing to us, and the internet can be a weird place. If we start having IRL events, meetups, and group message boards, we want to ensure it consists of the right people and not random internet strangers. Having a paid-only community makes the group something safe and enjoyable that local Palmetto Parents know they can trust.

We have an incredible mixture of parents and kids of all ages in this community.

Plus, in the welcome survey we ask “What is one need you have as a parent?” and we’ve received over 460 responses ‼

We’re thinking through creative ways to start meeting the many needs of the Palmetto Parents, and start bringing people together in the most productive way possible.

Stay tuned.

This park is unique and accessible with so many “experiential” things to do, like huge bongo drums, zip lines, and more.

Also there’s this life size banana man for some reason? 🤷🏼‍♂️

Our 2-year-old loves this park, and there are always older kids having a blast as well. It’s completely fenced in, so you can let your kids roam without a worry, and there are plenty of benches scattered throughout to sit on.

One thing to keep in mind: there is no parking lot. You’ll have to park on S Laurel St. which is what everyone does, so nothing to worry about.

On May 25 at 10am - 1pm there will be a Dog Adoption Event at the Dorchester County Library.

Details for the event are here.

This would be a phenomenal opportunity to love up on some puppies looking for a new home, and to get your library cards if you haven’t already!

We recently went to get library cards and we’re glad we did. Libraries are awesome, and this one has a really cool kids section full of books just for kids. The library also has regular events, and you can even check out day passes for the Charleston Aquarium!

If you’re looking for your next fur baby, or want to check out a couple books or three, go check out the Dorchester County Library on Saturday for their event.

Parents, this one’s for you.

Get a babysitter, dress up, and go to Bexley in the heart of downtown Summerville.

We’ve passed this place a million times and hadn’t eaten there until recently, and my oh my. Absolutely exquisite food.

It’s obvious the chef is the real deal. We got the Bexley Surfboard appetizer, then the Half North Carolina Rabbit and Hanger Steak for our meals, and every bite was total perfection.

Ambience was supreme.

And after dinner it’s easy to enjoy an evening stroll through Hutchinson Square, sit by the fountain, and bask in the beauty of Summerville.

We will definitely be going back to Bexley soon.

I recently heard a story that resonated with me about how we react to our kids. We have a toddler and a newborn, but I think this sentiment applies parents with kids of all ages.

The story goes like this:

You’re sitting at breakfast as a family, plates are served, everyone’s ready to eat, drinks are poured, life is good. All of a sudden your child spills a glass of milk all over the floor.

You’re frantic. “AH!” You rush for the paper towels, are holding your tongue trying to be calm and not make a scene, race to wipe up the puddle of milk, maybe even angry at your kid (“Why do they keep spilling milk?!”)

Meanwhile, the person who actually spilled the milk couldn’t care less. They’re just singing in their seat and stuffing their face with another bite of food. Not a care in the world.

Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk

Being a patient parent requires looking inwardly and asking ourselves… “Why did I just react that way?” Sometimes the littlest things can set us off, or cause us to totally shut down. But, like with spilled milk, other accidents will happen, and how we choose to respond and react to those accidents is what shapes our character as parents, and ultimately what teaches our children how to behave in the midst of “chaos.”

When we take a deep breath and calmly react to accidents like spilled milk, we’re teaching our kids that hiccups in life are nothing to fret about. Accidents happen — they don’t need to define our day or grip our emotions.

Next time there is “spilled milk” in your house (whatever that might be), take a deep breath, give yourself a quick inner pep talk, and calmly move forward.

Spilled milk is just spilled milk.

Until next time!

Love,

The Berks 👨‍👩‍👦

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