from trusted Board Certified Dermatologists
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is an effective and natural skin rejuvenation therapy which harnesses the power of your own blood plasma to stimulate growth factors within the skin responsible for healing and collagen and elastin production.
PRP can be used to help restore volume loss, minimize fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin tone and for the treatment of hair loss.
I hope this letter finds you absolutely fabulous, bursting with energy, and radiating an aura of awesomeness! Seriously, you're a superhero, spreading positive vibes wherever you go. And speaking of superheroes, let's dive into a topic that never fails to fill our hearts with immense joy and wonder: children and pets!
Can we just take a moment to appreciate the sheer magic that children bring into our lives? They're like tiny bundles of pure happiness, capable of turning even the gloomiest of days into a sunshine-filled adventure. From their infectious laughter to their insatiable curiosity, children possess a boundless potential that can truly change the world. They're the ones who lay the foundation for our society, reminding us that kindness, imagination, and hope are the secret ingredients for a brighter tomorrow.
Let's not forget about our furry, feathery, and scaly friends—the pets that light up our lives like a thousand fireworks. These creatures of pure love and companionship have a magical way of transforming our existence. They teach us valuable life lessons, help us grow, and provide us with the most precious gift of all: unconditional love. And when kids and pets come together, it's a bond that can only be described as extraordinary. The friendships formed between them nurture qualities like empathy, responsibility, and companionship, creating memories that will last a lifetime.
Now, here's the deal: children and pets need us. They rely on our care, attention, and intention to guide them on their amazing journeys. So, my friend, I implore you to take this opportunity to pour a little extra love and affection into the children and pets in your life this month. Let your imagination run wild, embrace your inner child, and create moments that will be etched in their hearts forever. Together, we can make a difference and shape a future filled with joy, compassion, and endless smiles.
So, let's raise our glasses and toast to the incredible power of children and pets! Here's to the laughter, the love, and the life lessons they bring into our lives. May they forever remind us of the beauty and wonder that exist in this world.
PUBLISHER
Laura Sabia | laura.sabia@citylifestyle.com
EDITORIAL COORDINATOR
Kristin Burnell | kristin.burnell@citylifestyle.com
MARKET SUPPORT MANAGER
Lydia Turner | darien@citylifestyle.com
PUBLISHER ASSISTANT
Emma Parente | emma.parente@citylifestyle.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Ashley Alt, Ashley Cannon, Cece Reeder
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Abby Cole
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Matthew Perry
VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES Tiffany Slowinski
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HR Janeane Thompson
DIRECTOR OF FIRST IMPRESSIONS Jennifer Robinson
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Josh Klein
CONTROLLER Gary Johnson
AD DESIGNER Mary Albers
LAYOUT DESIGNER Eva Tucker
LAURA SABIA, PUBLISHER @DARIENLIFESTYLEMAG
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1-7: On Friday, April 25th St. Jude hosted the third annual Give to Live Gala in Greenwich, Connecticut. The event featured patient family speakers, Leah and Kate Duggan, whose story inspired guests to raise $535,512 so that no patient family ever receives a bill for treatment, housing, transportation, or food while at St. Jude. Support like this allows St. Jude to lead the way the world understands, treats, and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Photography by Schilling Lifeshots Photography
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8-14: On Friday, April 25th St. Jude hosted the third annual Give to Live Gala in Greenwich, Connecticut. The event featured patient family speakers, Leah and Kate Duggan, whose story inspired guests to raise $535,512 so that no patient family ever receives a bill for treatment, housing, transportation, or food while at St. Jude. Support like this allows St. Jude to lead the way the world understands, treats, and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Photography by Schilling Lifeshots Photography
Want to be seen in the magazine? Tag your Instagram photos with @darienlifestylemag
National Higher Education Day on June 6th, held special significance for Margaret G. Benedict, Ph.D., the founder, and executive director of The Matthew Gaffney Foundation. For the past 15 years Dr. Benedict has assisted 200 high achieving, economically disadvantaged students with securing scholarships and educational tools toward attending the most prestigious colleges and universities. The Gaffney Foundation has successfully impacted society and the world at large, supporting underserved brilliant minds.
MOLI restaurant and bar opened last month featuring contemporary Chinese cuisine and speakeasy-style cocktails. This is the 3rd Greenwich Avenue restaurant by Chef Steven Chen and K Dong. The team also owns Miku Sushi, Hinoki, KUMO Sushi Lounge, Blu Sushi at Blu on the Hudson, and partnerships with Tony's at the J House, Rowaton Seafood, and Mike's Organic. moligreenwich.com
Greenwich Medical Spa raised $5000 for Girls With Impact at their Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting party. Over 200 people attended the grand reopening event to celebrate the new location in Riverside, CT. Proceeds from ticket sales, entrance fees, and event sales were directly donated to GWI, a Greenwich based nonprofit that focuses on empowering young women with entrepreneurial skills that help provide them with the confidence and knowledge they need to become successful leaders.
Get in touch by heading over to our landing page to connect: CityLifestyle.com/DarienCT
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Grab the kids, pack your bags and hit the town for some end of summer fun. Use our list for some family-friendly adventures that will do everything from raising your heart rate, excite the little ones, and create lasting memories together.
WEED BEACH: Spend a day at Weed Beach! This beach offers a wide range of activities, including swimming, sunbathing, picnicking, and more. 155 Nearwater Ln, Darien, CT
DARIEN NATURE CENTER: Visit the Darien Nature Center! Offering a variety of educational programs and workshops for kids, the center is home to a variety of animals. 120 Brookside Rd, Darien, CT
NORWALK ISLANDS: Take a boat tour or rent a kayak and explore the Norwalk Islands, a group of 25 islands and rocky outcroppings off the coast of Darien!
Calf Pasture Beach Rd, Norwalk, CT
THE BRIDGEPORT BLUEFISH: Go to a minor league baseball game with the family! The Bridgeport Bluefish play at the Ballpark at Harbor Yard in nearby Bridgeport. 500 Main Street, Bridgeport, CT
LYMAN ORCHARDS’ SUNFLOWER MAZE: Visit Lyman Orchards’ Sunflower Maze, Connecticut’s only Sunflower Maze! More than 350,000 yellow, orange, and red sunflowers make up this year’s maze. South St, Middlefield, CT
Mom of 3! Adventures for families, motherhood humor, fashion, style, life in CT.
The best places and things to do in our area.
Darien Lifestyle Magazine’s August Issue highlights kids, so in their honor, I have rounded up some selects for the kiddos in your life, as well as some goodies for us women…
In addition to being a style columnist, Ashley Cannon is a fashion/ lifestyle influencer (@styleelyst/ styleelyst.com), mother and marketing specialist. She resides in Fairfield County, CT with her husband, daughter and yellow lab.
NORALEE | FROM CELEBRATING A SPECIAL DAY TO HAVING A TEA PARTY IN THE LIVING ROOM
Featuring the Lucy Dress in Ivory Eyelet, $125 Mama, $88 Mini. These breathable, cotton dresses feature flutter sleeves, a full single-tiered skirt, smocking at the back bodice, and functional buttons at the chest. They are part of NORALEE’s “mama + mini” capsule, a Rylee + Cru collective variation of a mommy + me collection uniquely made to match you and your little. This is how Lila and I styled ours this past Mother’s Day. shopnoralee.com | @shop_noralee
M.GEMI | HANDMADE LUXURIES FROM ITALY, WITH LOVE
Featuring the Danza Ballet Flats in Black , $248 . These classic flats have a modern spin with a hidden wedge and square toe. They are the perfect transition shoes to take you from summer to fall. mgemi.com | @mgemi
RODELA | EARTH INSPIRED | HAND-CRAFTED
Featuring the Norah Necklace, $138. This gorgeously vibrant necklace features rose and strawberry quartz beads that radiate pure energy. 18K gold-filled brass clasp and extender. 14.5” with 3.5” extender. I love wearing this necklace solo or stacking it with daintier gold necklaces. Can be worn dressed up or down.
shoprodela.com | @shoprodela
DANRIE | AN EXPERTLY EDITED CHILDREN’S BOUTIQUE | GROW UP STYLISHLY
Featuring the Luli & Me Breezy Blue Float Dress, $99 and the Tartine et Chocolate Liberty Floral Romper, $148 .
This darling dress is crafted with stunning perfection in a hydrangea blue floral pattern. Everything from the cap sleeve embroidered detailing to the smocked chest make it a win for me. Lila loved wearing it, and it is a great ensemble for many occasions over the spring and summer seasons.
As for the romper, this sweet little number is cut from an iconic Liberty of London fabric and finished with ruffle detailing and adorned with contrast embroidery on the bib.
shopdanrie.com | @shopdanrie
AQUAZZURA | DESIGNED BY EDGARDO OSORIO
Featuring the 75mm Bubble Sandals, $1,125. Since the spring I have been whole-heartedly embracing silver, and these gorgeous heels are no exception. I will be wearing these on repeat to all special events for the foreseeable future.
aquazzura.com | @aquazzura
Featuring the Charlotte Baby Blue Romper, $146. This chic soft linen romper with faux pearl and clear hand beading on the bodice, shoulder bow and large bow in back scream coastal Connecticut. Style this romper up or down, it will be perfect for all your child’s warm weather occasions.
petitemaisonkids.com | @petitemaisonkids
Featuring the Gea Knots Laminated Clutch Bag, $495 . I feel like now more than ever we all have the same bag(s), or a variation of the same bags that we rotate. I love that this little clutch is a breath of fresh air. Its stunning design and architecture are not only intriguing, but pair well with any ensemble. This bag can be worn as a clutch at an evening event or as a crossbody running to the market.
the-moire.com | @themoire
Featuring Girls Smocked Flutter Sleeve Dress in Coral Multi, $98. Whether on the boat or by the sand, this dress is lightweight and effortless, making it an easy, go-to option all summer long. This breezy beach dress is made with 100% cotton and natural dyes.
shopmarea.com | @mareathebrand
Featuring the Kids Signature Classic Engravable ID Bracelet in 14K Yellow Gold, $275. This is a great baptism, birthday or first Christmas present from godparents or grandparents. It is something that they can grow into and cherish for a lifetime. babygold.com | @shopbabygold
Featuring the Ice Cream Pajama Set in Pink , $54 . This set is part of Sammy + Nat’s Pima Collection; made from 100% Peruvian Pima Cotton. It is ultra soft and cozy on your little one’s skin. To boot, it is non-toxic and made with no chemicals. You also have the option to personalize this set with a monogram – making this a great gift to give.
sammyandnat.com | @sammyandnat
To see my fashion, beauty and lifestyle selects on the daily, be sure to head to styleelyst.com and follow me on social @styleelyst | Psst. keep your eyes peeled for The Style List in the 2023 issues of both Greenwich and Darien Lifestyle Magazines.
A godsend to parents, children, and caretakers in one fell swoop
ARTICLE BY ASHLEY ALT | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ABBY COLENannies have been called the glorified third parent. As a parent, you want to feel safe and secure that your kids are in good hands so you can focus on your work and other responsibilities. This peace of mind is only possible when you have the right nanny.
Keren Lai makes finding the perfect nanny a hassle-free, enjoyable experience through her nanny matchmaking service, Carnation Home Care . Taking the time to understand a family’s unique needs and preferences, Keren makes the process of finding the right childcare as seamless as possible, all while providing well-educated and highly qualified nannies stable employment.
Falling ill a few short years ago from a combination of health issues and spinal surgeries that resulted in a rare
"catch all" combination of symptoms similar to Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis, and autoimmune disease, Keren has since made it her mission to fill the need for quality home care and childcare.
After waking up from her second spinal surgery unable to move from the neck down, Keren could no longer take care of her son and family the way she used to, she couldn't go grocery shopping, couldn't drive, couldn’t be “mom.” "I woke up paralyzed, and I needed help," Keren said. "I never had a nanny before and my husband worked full-time in the city — what were my options?"
The only option she felt like she had was to pay an extreme amount of money to a Nanny agency, as searching for help through Facebook and other childcare sites simply
“I truly believe if the nanny is happy, the family will be happy. It’s a relationship.”
wasn't working. "I didn't feel heard or supported when searching for childcare options," Keren said. "And there is no service that helps out temporarily. Nothing was the right fit."
After realizing the need in this area, she decided to help people the way she would have wanted help, by pairing the right nanny with the right family, matching each of their needs respectively. Now, in just one year, Keren has successfully matched over 130 families and nannies. "It's a testament to the need that is out there," Keren explains. "Childcare is needed at every stage of a child's life, from the newborn and toddler stage, to middle school where priorities shift to driving kids to and from activities. Finding someone who can grow with the family is wonderful. When you find the right fit, the nanny becomes an extension of the family, it changes your life."
When searching for nannies, Keren takes into account that every family's needs are unique, as all kids are unique. "I have families that don't allow television, families that want the nanny to teach their child Spanish, families that are very active with sports and want a nanny to throw a ball in the yard," Keren states. "It's not a 'cookie cutter,' let-methrow-you-a-nanny type of deal," she emphasizes. "I don't want to waste anybody's time. I interview and vet each nanny extensively and will not refer them to a client unless I would hire them myself."
At Carnation Home Care, every client begins with a thorough discovery call. Once both sides decide to move forward, a small deposit is collected and Keren writes up a personalized agreement to ensure expectations are clear. Each agreement is completely custom to the family and nanny, clearly defining needs, hours, vacations, and any other terms the family has. On the nanny's first day of employment, a second and final deposit is collected.
"We all need help sometimes. Some people have a demanding career, and some people have health issues like me," Keren said. "It takes a village to raise a family, and oftentimes people are just left to their own devices. I’m here to help, and I love doing
CONTINUED >
it. Our kids are our number one priority and nothing is more important than feeling comfortable and confident with the person taking care of our kids."
She mentions a lot of nannies come from places like Brazil where they were teachers or nurses, but their certificates are not valid in the states. They come here for a better life, they love to work with kids, and she is able to give them that position and fulfillment.
"It can be easy to get down and think, 'Why did this happen to me?' as she reflects on her health issues. "But this is what keeps me going," Keren said of starting the nanny matchmaking service. "I feel very lucky," she continued. "I have good days and I have bad days, but I put my energy into helping people, and it is so rewarding to know I am making a positive impact."
Her goal is to expand into post-surgical care, matching families with temporary in-home caretakers to help with kids, cooking, and other duties that come with managing a household. "Even if you go through a minor surgery like a shoulder surgery, you are out of commission for at least six weeks, and you're going to need help. Especially if the other spouse is working and you don't have family nearby to count on."
“Our kids are our number one priority and nothing is more important than feeling comfortable and confident with the person taking care of our kids.”
FOR ALL THAT SUMMER TRAVEL!
Vacation season is in full swing in August, but that doesn’t mean that our nutrition goals have to stay behind at home!
We want to find a balance of finding enjoyment in what we eat, while also consuming foods that nourish and fuel our bodies to complete our desired activities.
While away from home, we are away from a kitchen; therefore, many, if not all, meals are eaten out at restaurants. Given this reality, my tips featured in April’s issue for eating out at restaurants are certainly applicable.
1. Don’t “save up” for a night out
2. Make your meal balanced
3. Eat seasonally
4. Take advantage of leftovers
5. Practice mindfulness at your meal
ARTICLEBY
1. Make reservations ahead of time – Set a concrete plan of when you will eat at least one of your meals. This will help to plan the remainder of your meals, while mitigating the amounts of times that you reach a point of starvation. This will help with maintaining mindful eating practices.
2. Check out the menu ahead of time – Since you are booking your reservation ahead of time, you can take that moment to look at the menu and plan how to make a complete, balanced meal based on the menu offerings!
3. Pack your snacks – Traveling with snacks is always a great idea. You never know if there will be a transportation related delay or if your planned excursion exhausted you out and you are hungrier than anticipated! Packing items like mixed nuts,
DR. CECE REEDERbeef jerky, peanut butter and crackers, a protein bar, or even fruit that doesn’t require refrigeration can help tide you over for your next meal – and keep the happy vacation mood lifted!
4. Stay hydrated – The act of traveling; whether by train, plane, or automobile, is taxing and often leaves individuals dehydrated. Packing your favorite reusable water bottle is a great way to ensure you have water readily available and it also serves as a method of measuring the amount of water consumed. If you are unsure about the water quality in your destination, I recommend traveling with a water bottle that has a filter!
5. Plan for your return – What’s the worst part of vacation? Coming back to reality, but by planning ahead and making these super easy egg bites, you have a high protein first meal covered! In addition to prepping your return meal, I also recommend prepping your grocery list. An easy way is, as you are cleaning out your refrigerator, write out your list.
1. Preheat oven at 400º
2. Place chopped seasonal vegetables in a large muffin pan . August vegetables: bell peppers, chopped broccoli, leeks, mushrooms, summer squash, and tomatoes
3. For meat lovers, you can also add sliced ham, bacon, or your favorite breakfast meat
4. Add desired shredded cheese, like mozzarella or feta cheese, into the muffin pan
5. In a separate bowl, combine one whole egg or the whites of 2 eggs, a splash of milk & stir
This is done per egg bite!
6. Combine egg white mixture into the muffin pan
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden
8. Let egg bites cool and place in freezer safe container to have ready for when you return home!
Dr. Julie Sweeney is a pediatric integrative specialist who has been studying allergies and other inflammatory issues for 15 years — from asthma and eczema to ADHD and migraines. Wanting to spend more time with her kids while working in her private practice, Dr. Julie started an Instagram account titled "Allergy Mom MD" to provide information for other moms dealing with the same issues that she was with her own children.
"And that is where all of this came from," Dr. Julie said. While ages four and five tend to be the bulk of her business, she treats patients from prenatal all the way up to age 18, thoughtfully blending the best of conventional medicine with the best of evidence-based complementary therapies to expand pediatric care. "It's important for parents to realize the intake for integrative medicine is really comprehensive," she states. "It is a combination of traditional and holistic medicine, with lifestyle history and family history all part of the care."
Allergies and other inflammatory issues can stem from a combination of multiple things, like our environment, our diet, and much more — and it can be frustrating for parents when they don't know what the cause is or how to treat them. "I think we're going to realize our microbiome has a big impact on our allergies," Dr. Julie said. "The gut floor of a child
growing up in Africa versus a child growing up in Europe, for example, is vastly different. It's fascinating what different types of bacteria we hold and how our bodies reacts to certain foods," she stated.
SproutWell, a Pediatric Integrative Medicine specialty office, is her latest development. Working still with infants, children and teens, also offering prenatal visits for families, this integrative medicine approach takes into account the whole child, including elements of lifestyle while supporting their innate healing response.
Complementary therapies of SproutWell include nutritional approaches (like the anti-inflammatory diet), dietary supplements, mind-body therapies (progressive muscle relaxation, for example), acupressure, therapeutic massage and movement therapies.
"In pediatric integrative medicine there is a strong focus on safety and efficacy," Dr. Julie confirms.
The initial intake includes information about nutrition including strengths, obstacles, and family dynamics around food, as well as dietary supplements, exercise and play, sleep, happiness and enjoyment, stress, and social support. This is then followed by an exam, initial recommendations, and a customized follow-up plan.
Dr. Julie explains that families are often turning to complementary therapies without discussing it with their pediatricians, often because they are worried about what they may think. Some therapies can interfere with medications patients have been prescribed, and some therapies, if not well studied in pediatrics, can be dangerous. "This is where I can help families with a thoughtful evaluation process, and by offering more evidence-based therapies," she remarked.
Integrative pediatrics is also a special way of teaching children prevention and ways to promote wellness. "It gives them a sense of empowerment as they learn that what they eat, how they move their body, and time practicing relaxation techniques helps improve their health," Dr. Julie states." It can also improve connection between the child and parents, especially through time cooking together or using therapeutic massage, for example."
Her goal with SproutWell, and everything she does, is to make parents feel supported — like they're not alone or parenting in isolation and that they have resources and a doctor they can turn to for expanded care for their child.
"I am so excited to introduce this to the community," Dr. Julie said of SproutWell. "I'm here to help and happy to do it."
Website: allergymom-md.com
Instagram: @allergymom.md
Effective Educational and Therapeutic Services is a private practice that specializes in treating children, adolescents, and young adults. Working specifically with clients struggling with executive functioning challenges due to ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Learning Differences, partners Allison Tables (clinical director) and Sue Chandler (academic director) understand these EF challenges often come with emotional struggles such as anxiety, depression, and difficulty with social skills.
This counseling service was developed due to the overwhelming need for executive functioning support and therapeutic services. As a therapist and former school counselor, Allison saw many clients that not only needed therapeutic support, but academic intervention as well.
"When thinking about the 'world' of a child or adolescent, so much of their life takes place
at school," the partners explain. "If school is where one struggles, oftentimes this results in negative feelings of self-worth, depression and anxiety."
Many individuals with ADHD struggle with executive functioning which includes working memory, task initiation, self-control, organization, planning, time management, and flexibility. "When we work with a client, we help them understand their learning style, how their brain processes information, and what strategies they can use to support these deficits," the partners state.
This, in turn, empowers the student in their development of strategies to enhance their functioning and learning. Once students apply these strategies, academic performance is achieved and confidence is gained.
EVERY 2ND SUNDAY Cars and Coffee!
25 OLD KINGS HIGHWAY
NORTH, GOODWIVES
SHOPPING CENTER | 7:00 AM
Attention car enthusiasts! Come on down and enjoy a diverse display of classic, sports, and exotic cars, bikes, and trucks! This family-friendly event also offers coffee and delicious breakfast treats for sale from Aux Delices!
WEDNESDAYS
Wilton Farmers' Market
101 OLD RIDGEFIELD ROAD
WILTON, CT | 12:00 PM
The Wilton Farmer's Market features local Connecticut farmers offering seasonal and organic produce, baked goods, food vendors with a selection of lunch items, seafood, local artists and crafters featuring their original and one of a kind art and jewelry pieces, a variety of all natural and organic skincare, eco-friendly home-goods, healthcare products, gourmet food items, and native plants and flowers.
AUGUST 12TH
Summer Pup Party at The SoNo Collection
100 N. WATER STREET, NORWALK, CT | 11:00 AM
Let your pups run and play at The SoNo Collection Pup Parties on the SoNo Garden Roof Terrace. Discover fun eats and treats, games, giveaways, and more fun surprises. Come for brunch/lunch/dinner at any of The SoNo Collection’s delicious restaurants and market eateries. Bring your pup for a true family day experience
We have emerged from the winter of COVID. Spring thawed our spirits and now summer is here, and we want to live out loud! Children who were busy with summer camps are home for the most part and families are looking to have fun and relax. Some of us will take vacations, others will do road trips and still others will just want to chill and hang out.
It is not just the children looking forward to summer, parents get to take time off from work and enjoy the weather and be with family. Even those who work from home are looking forward to doing nothing! For every family, summer means taking it slow and that is very important to our rest and recovery.
It seems the most natural thing in the world to say, “I am on vacation and I want to do nothing.” However, as every parent knows, even doing nothing needs planning otherwise you will have bored little kids clamoring for something to do, or teenagers who want to disappear with their devices and friends. What a wasted family opportunity it would be if we did absolutely nothing!
There are so many activities to choose from, beaches and parks, games and movies, day trips and evenings out, that there can almost be a paralysis of choice. What about food? There is a bounty of fruits and vegetables, which opens a vista of great salads and meals for the family to enjoy. We are ready to have fun, but it can feel like hard work, especially if it is just, you as mom or dad carrying the load.
You would like to savor each day before September arrives, and school is back, and things get hectic again.
So, this year, try to delegate and “do nothing”. Ask each family member to give three suggestions of what they want to do.
I am sure your family will find something interesting from the choices each family member suggests.
Let each person be responsible for a week. Let them pick an activity, a day trip, a physical activity, and a family project. For the family project, think of getting help with something that you need to get done this summer.
Once you have a list of activities generated by your family, which is broadly acceptable, the fun can begin. Put the activities in your calendar of events. Let each person own their activity and day trip.
They can plan what they want to see, what time they should wake up and what time the family should leave. Let them plan their breakfast and the picnic if you plan to carry food. You can limit the options to sandwiches, fruit, and water.
Let them decide what food, tablecloth, silverware, paper plates, they want to carry, down to the last detail. Teenagers and children will love planning and you will be happy to make it happen rather than putting out suggestions that are ignored, or losing your cool because you are doing everything.
Plan a day trip to the city, a museum or go for a hike.
Let them find out if you need tickets and you can buy it for them. Again, let them plan the outing and whether you pack any food. Keep the meal simple and make it healthy. Keep the snacks minimal. You can throw in a surprise, like a small scoop of their favorite ice cream after they have been walking.
ARTICLE BY MADHU MATHURAdditionally, a family project each summer is a great way to keep children busy and feel a sense of family accomplishment. I think working with photos and albums is fun. You could make a family photo wall. Let the children pick their project, you can always offer suggestions. It will get them interested and away from their devices. Plan something that maybe one day they can look back on fondly, something they created this summer.
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