The Parent Connection

For about five years I was on the Board of Directors of a local organization in San Diego called The Parent Connection (formerly Las Madres). The focus of the organization was arranging playgroups for local moms and their kids. Playgroups were organized by your area of town and your kid's age, so you were automatically paired with parents in your neighborhood with kids the same age as yours...it was awesome! I joined a playgroup, after hearing about the organization from a friend, when Veronica was about 14 months. I was a bit desperate to find something to do with my baby that also got me out of the house. I made friends I still have to this day through that playgroup (Veronica, too). And for the first time in my life I volunteered to help at one of their functions. They must have seen me coming a mile away, because I was immediately invited to a Board meeting. I was the Volunteer Coordinator for two years, the Assistant Chairperson for one and Co-Chairperson for two years. After Justine was born (1999), I decided that "super mom" was taking it's toll on me and my family and resigned from the organization. This ornament was a craft we did at one of the Board Christmas parties. It's one of those paint your own ceramic things. It's a wonderful reminder to me of all those years of going to playgroup once a week at the park, watching Veronica and then Joey, run and play.

That's one thing I miss, going to the park with the kids. They're older now with other interests, but every once in a while I can talk them into going to the park. They still climb on the equipment and have a great time, but they're usually the first to say "let's go" instead of me saying it, like when they were little. There are so many beautiful parks in Jacksonville! There's one on San Juan that's on the water I just love. I find that's one of the hardest things for me as a parent; the kids grow out of some activities, but I still want to do them. Sitting and reading together is another one. I can still get Justine to sit and read with me, once in a while. I'm happy for that.