Charlotte Parent Blogs

Tie Dye = Happy Kid

Surfer Kid in the tie dye masterpiece from our visit to the Dilworth neighborhood tie-dye party.

Summer Tie Dye Fun with Grady

I love Charlotte!

Sometimes you' must be an insider to figure out what's really going on, but being an insider, does not mean you must be rich, elite, powerful or political. Often times, it just means knowing a parent, or a teacher, or a friend who knows a friend who is amazing... that is the case tonight.

My friend Tachi from church, a teacher at Trinity Episcopal School. told me last week about an amazing man named Grady and his annual BYOTS (bring your own t-shirt) summer tie-dye experience. I was intrigued.

But, as life would have it, choir rehearsal ran late, as did my talk with our nanny once I arrived home, so at 9:10pm, we were just heading out and I was unsure. As a practical mom, I had a million excuses why we shouldn't go...

Excuse#1: It's late and SurferKid needs to go to bed.
Excuse #2: We have to get up early tomorrow.
Excuse #3: What if we can't find it. (only had a general area and "You can't miss it!")
Excuse #4: We won't know anyone there. It will be awkward. ---and so on and so forth,

I ignored those lame excuses and what happened was magical. Tie dye host extraordinaire, Grady, and daughter Clay, and son Will, were there waiting in a front yard filled with tables of dye, water and tie-dye shirts and banners hanging around. With a few neighbors saying their goodbyes, SurferKid and I marched right in there and I stuck out my hand... Hi! I'm Eve from Charlotte Parent. And Tachi sent me! (Hint... I find it usually helps in an awkward social situation to tell them I'm an editor and reference a friend who isn't.)

Well, that was all it too!. Friendly as the Summer Solstice is long, Grady set to work showing us how to tie-dye. Tthough the night was waning, he took us through the steps and it was so much fun. SurferKid was thrilled. We dyed our shirts int the dark, aided by flashlights held by Gray and Will. and chatted with the kids. What fun! Apparently, Grady has shared a tie-dye neighborhood experience for 9 years. A Charlotte neighborhood tradition. What a treat! I am glad we were allowed to be part of it. Now we have 2 shirts and a tank top to show for it.

Thanks Grady! We'll be showing our shirts on this blog later!

Happy Belated (again) Father's Day

It's a funny thing about Father's Day. Each year, I'm way ahead of the game..planning, thinking, reminding myself to get my dad something special. Now, he's difficult to buy for because he has everything he wants. But still, there is the photo of his grandson, bottle of wine, or imported salami.

Then, suddenly I start thinking about SurferDad. What will I do to make the day special for him? What can SurferKid buy for him that is genuine and not too expensive?

As I'm all caught up in the task of helping my child sign a card, get a gift and make a plan for his own Dad, I forget about my well-laid plans to celebrate my own father. And he is an amazingly awesome man. Seems like each year, the routine is pretty much the same. Three days before Father's Day I wake up in a cold sweat realizing I forgot to execute my plan. Since my dad lives in Texas, the window to make it there on time has closed - or at least become very very expensive. I've spent $75 to FedEx (Saturday Delivery) a card or gift that was worth less than half that, more times that I care to admit.

Of course, I always remember to call and eventually the gifts get there, though sometimes I have to beg and plead my sister or brother to pull together something for me if I want to be represented on the big day. Since my siblings both live in town with my parents, they are always there with him on his day.

Several moms I know admitted the same fault last week. (Though with dads living nearby, it's easier and cheaper to recover from your distraction.) As we stood there talking about what we were doing for the fathers of our children, we admitted neglecting our own dads in the process -- not because we don't care -- just because we were focused on helping out children get it right.

Some of the moms at the pool yesterday jokingly said to their husbands "You're not my Daddy!", but when I heard the stories of breakfast in bed, brunch, golf gifts, etc., I knew they had pulled out all the stops for their hubbies. I mean, pleeeeze! As if their kids actually cooked, shopped and coordinated something like that themselves. You know it was the mom!

So I say it a little late, but still with meaning... Dads of the world -- both our own and our children's -- you are deserving of much more praise than you get. Thanks for all you do! Happy Belated Father's Day.

June Issue is Out & School is In

We finally got the June issue out last night and I am really pleased. There are some amazing design layouts thanks to our art director, Wade Baker, and a wealth of information, too. The greatest thing about the June issue is it focuses on Summer Fun!

We have 101+ ideas for summer fun!

5 Scavenger Hunt destinations where you kids can hunt for the clues and answers to our questions. Find them all and be entered to win a 7-day End-of-Summer Blowout package consisting of free passes to area locations!
6 NC Camping locations for a fun weekend camping excursion with the kids.
60+ days of Free Movies in Charlotte - complete listing of local theaters who offer this summer treat
5 NC Beaches and coastal areas, with descriptions of each area to help families decide where to go
40+ Outdoor Concerts from Charlotte to Matthews to Cornelius or Gastonia featuring talented musicians and groups playing symphony to jazz to blues. A great outing for the whole family.
Calendar events and ideas to get you through June 30..

And so so much more.....for your family.

But in the meantime, school is still in session and my son was in the office with me as we hit deadline yesterday. He is working on a deadline of his own... a school project that is consuming our days and nights. So much for complaining that teachers quit teaching after EOGs. Not at our school! Hopefully, it will be finished soon and we can get on with our summer state of mind!

Talking to Stacey Simms..

Today, I spoke with WBT's Stacey Simms about our new Exceptional Child publication, an annual resource guide for parents of children with special needs. In addition to being the morning show host for WBT Radio 1110AM, Stacey hosts a weekend radio show called Health Headlines, covering topics from hydration to healthy bones. Stacey has been a health reporter for more than a decade and it was great fun sharing a little about our new publication with her. I'm excited to get the news out to parents everywhere.

Check out the podcast or catch it live on May 23, 11am.

Want to find a copy of Exceptional Child? Download a list of locations

Late Night Date with Horses

Cavalia was a dream-life experience. SuferKid and I were blown away by the magic of this performance under the big top near Panther stadium. Of course, it helps that I love horses, but even so -- who wouldn't love this cross between Cirque du Soleil, the Hunter-Jumper Classic and and a wild west rodeo?! Well, maybe those who aren't horse lovers.

The scenes were choreographed so beautifully. It was a real treat for the senses. Just like in Cirque, acrobats balance on balls and dive from trapezes, tethered by bungee cords. The music, served up by behind-the-screens musicians, slips from lively to laborious to lively again.

As far as human stunts go, I love the lasso-spinning cowgirl, Renny Spencer. And the trick-riding, whooping and hollering team kept us on the edge of our seat as the ponies ripped by us at lightning speed.

Moms with little ones were left cradling them in their arms as the show completed its 2 1/2 hour length. Definitely designed for older kids, because the show runs long and late. Parents seem the most likely audience. It's a spectacle worth viewing, but if you don't like the world of Cirque, you probably won't appreciate Latourelle's Cavalia. As one of the founders of Cirque from 30 years ago, he definitely has put a trademark stamp on this production. Add some magnificent breeds of horses: Spanish Pure Breeds; Appaloosa: Quarter Horse; Belgian and Criollo, and you've got quite a show.

I truly loved it. SurferKid? Well, I think he enjoyed it, but he wasn't quite as enthusiastic as me. But then again, I'm a horse-girl from way back!