If you ever wonder what wins in this world — good or evil — read on. Every year our April issue overflows with people who fill our hearts with love, care and compassion. We call them Superheroes.
Each graces our community with an extraordinary level of what we at ParentMap call kindfulness. This portmanteau of “kind” and “mindfulness” highlights our year’s mission-driven content in the series Raising Kind.
Our 2017 Superheroes embody kindfulness. You’ll find 10 interviews, each beautifully enhanced by the artful photography of our dear, talented friend Will Austin. Cuddle up with your special sweetheart and marvel at these “cape-worthy” characters whose stories you’ll want to share again and again (believe me, teaching your children about the character traits of these crusaders will be one great act of parenting). Personally, we can’t think of a better way to mark ParentMap’s 14th birthday.
Also in this issue, join writer and photographer JiaYing Grygiel as she explores our area’s one-of-a-kind public libraries. Some are shaped like boats, others are nestled over rivers, still more feature fireplaces and rooftop gardens. Clearly, it’s time to “Book It to These Destination Libraries” with your family in tow.
ParentMap goes beyond the page, too. Our upcoming lecture “Kids, Chemicals and Creating a Safe Home: What’s Lurking Behind the Labels?” blends research and advice to arm your family in this continually chemical-soaked world. On Tuesday, April 4, join us at Village Theatre in Issaquah to welcome Dr. Sheela Sathyanarayana, an attending physician at Seattle Children’s and principal investigator at the Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development.
Finally, we need your opinion! Voting for our annual Golden Teddy Awards kicks off this month. You’re the expert on where your family dollar is best spent; we want your recommendations.
With that, a quick thank you to our amazing team for their endless brilliance and dedication as they’ve brought you ParentMap for 14 years. And a special shout-out to our celebrated hedgehog, Emily Johnson, who has artfully produced every print issue of ParentMap since we launched in April 2003.
With gratitude,
Alayne
