Editor’s Note

With all of us spending so much time at home recently, puzzles are really having a moment. We’ve loved playing with the BIG Picture Puzzle from Plus-Plus. The simple one-shape pieces can be used to create colorful flat mosaics, or to build more intricate 3-D designs. The perfect “next step” puzzle for my toddler.

I think this new kid-safe sunscreen from Puttisu is the cutest thing! The mineral formula comes in an adorable compact that includes a mirror and an applicator pad, making it easy and fun to apply.

They say of parenthood that the days are long but the years are short.

I say of parenting in quarantine that the days are endless, and the years... well let’s not even go there.

As the days turned into weeks and the weeks became months cooped up at home with my 2-year-old, it felt like we were living in the movie Groundhog Day. Sure, there have been some wonderful moments I’d likely not have had the chance to spend with my son -- late morning snuggles and picnic lunches on the lawn -- but for the most part, quarantine has felt like a tense loop of the same day over and over again.

The promise of summer is what kept me going. Family vacation, trips to the beach and my son’s third birthday party offered some variety to look forward to.

But as summer inches closer, things don’t look much differ ent. The season of fun is now the season of uncertainty, and I’m grappling with the real possibility of this summer being one big letdown.

Luckily, my son is too young to really feel the sting of disap pointment, but so many children aren’t. Graduations, birthday parties, high school proms, family vacations -- coronavirus has robbed our kids of long-awaited events, once-in-a-lifetime mile stones and so many rites of passage. Since March, it’s felt like a marathon of disappointment.

So how can we help our children cope with these losses? Ex perts say the best thing is to do is to acknowledge them as such. Children’s Health recommends giving kids (and ourselves) room to grieve. Allow your child to have their natural emotional experi ence. As parents, there are some things we just can’t fix. The best we can do is to let them know their disappointment is valid. You can find more tips on helping them cope on page 23.

In this issue, you’ll find ways to bring some fun into this uncer tain summer. No family vacation? How about a road trip to one of our state’s meandering hiking trails. You can find tips on hiking with children (and some off-the-beaten-path destinations) on page 16.

Staying home? Maybe this is the year to plant that big garden. See how to get your children involved on page 10.

This season, we may not get to relish all moments and mile stones we’ve anticipated, but I’m sure that if we look, we’ll still find things to look forward to. Happy summer!

Just in time for Pride Month, this new board book features a diverse and cast of characters. Pride 1 2 3, by Michael Joosten, celebrates families of all sorts in a fun and colorful way -- all while counting to ten.

June is National Iced Tea Month. As a kid, my mom would always set a pitcher of sun tea outside to steep the summer. It’s an easy way to make a big batch of iced tea without turning on your stove. To make sun tea, fill a large glass dispenser with water and add about 8 tea bags per gallon. Cover and set it out in the sun.