Good morning, Palmetto Parents!

We hope you’ve had a great week! As another school year starts to come to a close, I can’t help but feel a little sentimental. It’s such a clear reminder of how quickly time is moving and how fast our kids are growing. I’m also starting to think ahead to summer— plans, routines, and all the hopes that come with a new season just around the corner.

We hope you’re soaking in these final weeks of school, along with all the fun (and chaos!) that comes with end-of-year events.

You may notice we’re missing a restaurant section this week as our dining out consisted of grabbing food at the concession stand during my son’s T-ball game. But keep reading for some great opportunities around town to get outside and make the most of these late spring days as we head into summer!

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Ashley River Park | Fridays, 9:30–11:30am | Ages 5–12 | $20 Dorchester County residents, $30 non-residents | Register at dcprd.recdesk.com/Community/Program

Dorchester County Parks and Rec is bringing a summer drop-off program to Ashley River Park this year, and the lineup is worth putting on the calendar now before spots fill up.

Fun Fridays is a two-hour morning program for kids ages 5–12, running four times over the summer with a completely different theme each session.

Each session is self-contained, so you can sign up for one or all four depending on your summer schedule. At $20 for Dorchester County residents, it's a solid value for two hours of structured, outdoor, hands-on programming — and it frees up a Friday morning if that's useful. Registration is limited and already open, so if any of these catch your eye, don't sit on it. Head to dcprd.recdesk.com/Community/Program and search "Fun Friday" to grab your spots.

One of the Summerville parents doing something truly special is Mary DeCicco, the talent behind KayCie Cakes. A professionally trained pastry chef, Mary began her career in New York City at the prestigious Bouchon Bakery by Thomas Keller before launching a successful custom cake business in Miami and eventually bringing it to the Charleston area.

While she primarily teaches kids’ classes, a group of friends and I recently joined her for a girls’ night out—and it was such a fun experience. We learned how to decorate floral cupcakes, and Mary was a wonderful instructor: patient, thorough, and encouraging. We left with beautiful treats and plenty to take home.

Her classes throughout the year have included everything from spiderweb cake pops and jack-o-lantern mini cakes to hot cocoa cakes, Valentine’s treats, and more—all made with clean, quality ingredients like natural dyes, lavender, and fresh mint. Her June 1–4 summer workshop is already full, but more classes are coming soon so make sure you follow her website and Instagram.

Mary also creates custom cakes, cookies, pies, sourdough loaves, and more. Learn more at KayCie Cakes.

Saturday, May 16 | 10am–2pm | Free | Ashley River Park

Because of B.R.A.Y.D.E.N. is a Summerville nonprofit founded by local mom Michelle Zieg after her son Brayden drowned in their backyard pool in 2008. She turned that loss into a mission to build an organization dedicated to child safety education and injury prevention so that other families might be spared the same grief.

This Saturday, Because of B.R.A.Y.D.E.N. has partnered with MUSC Safe Kids to host the first-ever Family Fun Safety Fair at Ashley River Park, and it is exactly what it sounds like — a free, full morning of family activities built around the idea that safety education doesn't have to feel like a lecture. It can feel like a Saturday at the park. Families can expect:

The timing is intentional as summer is right around the corner, and this is a great chance to soak up some safety knowledge before the season really gets going, in a setting that's genuinely fun for the whole family. Ashley River Park is easy to navigate with little kids in tow. Come any time between 10am and 2pm. Admission is free and open to all Lowcountry families.

Recently, I came across a simple phrase about raising boys: engage and exhaust. At the time, I didn’t think much of it, but it’s been sticking with me, especially as I prepare for a summer with the boys home every day… and now, as we get ready to welcome a third boy into our family!

It’s made me more intentional about how we spend our days.

The engage part has looked like inviting my boys into everyday life. Helping make breakfast, setting and clearing the table, watering plants (things that honestly feel slower and sometimes more inconvenient). But I’ve been surprised by how much they love it. They light up when they’re included. It gives them ownership, and even my picky eater has started trying new foods just by being part of the process.

The exhaust part is a little trickier. There’s a fine line between active and overtired. But I’ve found that intentional time outside, space to run and play, and friendships that keep them moving and thinking all make a difference.

So as we head into summer, I’m holding onto both: engaging them in the everyday, exhausting them in the best ways, and leaving room for slow mornings and a little flexibility in between.

Love,

Courtney, Daniel, and the Berk Boys

If you’d like to partner with Palmetto Parents to put your business in front of a highly-engaged audience of thousands of local parents, click here.

We know this might sound cliché, but truly—every time someone signs up as a Palmetto Parents supporter, it makes Daniel and me so grateful. Just $5/month or $40/year shows us that you value what we’re building and that it’s helping your family connect with each other and with the Summerville community. That kind of support is exactly what keeps us going.