Good morning, Palmetto Parent!

The final days of the school year are here—let the summer fun begin! 🎉 If you're looking for a fun way to celebrate everything you and your child have accomplished, swing by Luxe Bar & Bistro today from 2–6pm for a Last Day of School Celebration featuring $5 wines and kid-friendly mocktails. Cheers to making it through another school year!

If you’re a new or expecting parent, there’s two things to know:

1) Tomorrow is the last day to get 50% off of parenting classes or lactation consultations from Lactation Station & More. Check out their offerings here and mention Palmetto Parents to get the discount.

2) There’s a community baby shower from 10am-12pm tomorrow at New Covenant Church of God where you can get diapers, food, clothes, toys, and more—all for free.

Summer is officially here, and our local businesses are offering some incredible camps for kids of all ages! We’ve rounded up five standout options—be sure to register soon to snag a spot before they fill up!

This summer, kids can choose their own adventure with Horse Camp or Zoo Camp with All Thing Acre—two hands-on experiences perfect for animal lovers! At Horse Camp, campers build confidence and connection as they groom, lead, and bond with gentle horses, learning horsemanship and care in a relaxed, non-competitive environment. Zoo Camp empowers kids to become Animal Ambassadors through interactive animal encounters that foster empathy, bravery, and curiosity. Both camps offer meaningful ways for kids to grow, connect, and create lasting memories with animals—and each other.

D-BAT Summerville’s Summer Camp keeps kids active and learning with a fun, fast-paced schedule that builds both skills and friendships. Campers start with warm-ups, stretches, and relay races before jumping into obstacle courses that challenge strength, speed, and agility. Throughout the day, kids rotate through hitting, fielding, and throwing stations, break for lunch, and enjoy friendly challenges and games—like dodgeball—to wrap things up. It’s the perfect mix of structured baseball/softball training and high-energy fun!

Get ready to dance, sing, and play with the “Jammin’ at the Core” summer camps at Carolina CORE Development Center. Camp includes activities like storytime and sing-a-longs, karaoke, dress up, creative activities and all sorts of music fun. Theme days include Music Madness Monday, Talent Tuesday, Glow Party, and Superstar Day. This camp is perfect for your littles who love to rock!

The Little Gym of Summerville’s camps offer the perfect mix of movement, learning, and laughter! You can expect weekly themes like Maui’s Mystical Adventures, Sports of All Sorts, and Pajama Party. All the activities promote skill building to boost strength, balance, and coordination while also promoting social and emotional growth. Parents love that camp is safe and age appropriate with small group sizes and nurturing instructors!

Kids Garden Summerville offers summer camps for littles filled with creativity, learning, and outdoor fun. Each week features a new theme—like dinos, STEAM, and space—paired with arts and crafts, sensory play, and water activities. Campers build social and motor skills through hands-on exploration and imaginative play. Snacks are included, and lunch is provided for morning sessions!

Lumber Jill’s Axe Throwing in Summerville is hosting a one-of-a-kind summer camp for kids 10+, designed to build confidence, focus, and coordination in a fun, safe environment. Campers will learn proper axe-throwing technique, play team games, and participate in friendly competitions—all under the guidance of trained instructors. No experience needed—just bring your energy and get ready to throw! Price includes camper’s own axe and accessories, axe-related art, a t-shirt, daily snacks, and an end of the week pizza party.

If you've been a reader for a while, you’ve probably heard us rave about Abstract Adventures’ Parent & Me Art Classes! These classes have been such a special bonding time for me and my son. They've helped him grow in fine motor skills, creativity, decision-making, and social development, and they've given me fun, doable ways to be more creative with my boys at home. Plus, there's no prep or cleanup on my end (a dream!).

Jaguar, a fellow Summerville mom and the heart behind Abstract Adventures, has poured so much love into this business—and it shows. And now, she’s expanded into her very own studio space at 1319 College Park Rd. in Summerville, which means more class offerings for more ages! Class options now include:

To celebrate her grand opening, all classes are discounted $5 through the end of the month. The grand opening is this Sunday, June 1st, from 12-4pm. Stop by for some free craft time, snacks, and to check out the studio space while you meet the instructor!

🔗 Register your child for classes here.

In the heat of the Lowcountry, you never can have too many splash pads! We’re so excited that another splash pad is opening this weekend at the beautiful Cypress Gardens. Join the Grand Opening this Saturday at 10am. With water cannons, a tipping bucket, restrooms, a picnic shelter, and more, a morning at the splash pad is the perfect way to kick off summer break with family and friends. Light refreshments will be provided. Following the Grand Opening, the Splash Pad’s hours will be 9am-4:45pm and will be included with admission to Cypress Gardens.

If you’d like to read more about all that Cypress Gardens has to offer for families, read our previous article here. A free entry day for Berkeley County residents is coming up on Saturday, June 14th!

This week we decided to venture out and try a new spot for breakfast and coffee—and Magnolia Cafe in Goose Creek completely won us over. We’d heard they served breakfast, but we weren’t expecting it to be this good.

Our boys dove into a plate of chocolate chip pancakes that had me drooling and seriously testing my gluten-free resolve (they looked so good). My husband and I ordered omelettes with fresh fruit and fried plantains, paired with creamy oat milk lattes—and every bite was delicious. The atmosphere was cozy and welcoming, but what truly made the experience stand out was the service. Our waitress doted on the kids, even drawing a happy face on our toddler’s cup and surprising him with a bowl of whipped cream topped with sprinkles, just because she saw how happy it made him to see a small amount on top of his pancake when she delivered the food.

At the end of the meal, our son declared, “That was a GREAT meal”—which, coming from a toddler, is about the highest praise a place can get.

If you're looking for a spot that feels like home, serves top-notch but affordable brunch, and makes your kids feel like VIPs, Magnolia Coffee should be next on your list. You can see their full menu here.

📍Location: 700 College Park Rd. Unit F7 Goose Creek, SC
🕢 Hours: 6:30am-7pm daily

It’s not always easy to communicate—especially in close relationships. But if you’ve ever shared real life with someone—whether that’s a spouse, a best friend, or even a family member—you know that at some point, conflict is bound to come up. As you grow closer and spend more time together (or do things like travel, share space, or raise kids), it’s natural to see the ways you differ. And when something rubs you the wrong way or causes a rift, the easiest thing to do is to pull back. But the healthiest thing? Talk about it.

You don’t have to argue. You don’t have to agree on everything. But letting things fester doesn’t serve the relationship—or your peace.

This has been especially true in our marriage lately. At the end of a long day of parenting, having a hard conversation feels like the last thing you want to do. But honestly, our marriage depends on it. We have different communication styles, different ways of seeing the world—and while that can be beautiful, it also means we can easily hurt each other without meaning to. Lately, we’ve had to choose to talk it out, even when it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable. And every single time, we’ve ended up feeling closer and stronger because of it.

A phrase my mom always shares is, “humility breeds humility.” It’s stuck with me. When we choose humility—when we go into a conversation willing to really listen and consider how we’ve impacted someone else—it changes the tone entirely. It softens hearts. And it often makes room for another powerful tool: gratitude. When something makes you feel seen or loved, say thank you. Out loud. Right then.

Humility and gratitude won’t fix everything, but they make the hard conversations a little bit easier. And they remind us that even when it’s tough, we’re on the same team.

Love,

The Berks 👨‍👩‍👦‍👦