It’s official: no shadow casted on Groundhog Day this year, which means an early Spring, right? Well, if you live in Memphis, you already know that such predictions cannot be trusted around here. Not when the forecast calls for slightly above freezing temps during morning school drop off, with a sunny side of beach weather during pickup. How some of us avoid flu symptoms on a recurring basis is a mystery to me.
But I will certainly take the bright golden sun any day, even if it means breaking through the clouds for a little wink of shine. Besides, we definitely don’t want to rush into the humid summer days just yet. Springtime is just one of those seasons where we feel like hugging the fresh, warm air — fingers crossed that the pollen doesn’t take our breath away — smelling the crisp tulips and daffodils, whisking to get a patio seat for evening dessert, and even longer walks in the park (plus, a quick stop for ice cream).
Spring also seems to improve our moods. It just makes us want to do better. Especially with the days feeling longer. We start naturally gravitating to the thoughts of: Farmer’s Markets, Easter celebrations, Spring Break, baseball, birds carrying tunes, gardening, outdoor movies, and more. Should I throw spring cleaning in there? Okay, nevermind…next! (It does give you a fresh start, though.) Also, the rows of colors blossoming from flowers and trees give the wintery canvas a pop of warmth and artistic displays. I can’t say enough great things about spring. It is absolutely in the top running with fall — at least when it comes to good weather.
In this issue, we share one of parents’ favorite things — summer camp listings! It’s a guide that we hope will lead you down a path of adventurous offerings that will keep the kiddos exploring endless opportunities. Check out ways camp can benefit you (the parent) as well in our cover feature, and also discover how to effectively be still, and do absolutely nothing, which can be a healthy habit for your lifestyle. Also, April is Autism Awareness Month, and we share a story from a mother’s perspective of how she chose to reset her journey to intentionally love and serve her unique purpose of raising a child with autism — plus tips that parents can apply to everyday living and caregiving.
We hope you enjoy this issue of Memphis Parent, and all of the resources we’ve packed especially for you. Now, go have some fun in the sun — responsibly, of course!
Later, my friends!
— Erika Cain, Editor