This is the time of year during which I start to solidify my plans for family visits. Who is going to spend Thanksgiving at our house? Will we be making an 18-hour road trip to see my parents for Christmas? Last year threw all of those joyous anticipations into a flat feeling of disconnect. Holiday traditions went by the wayside as we all just tried to stay safe and make it through without engaging in super-spreader events. For me, it was a lot of watching bad Christmas rom-coms on Netflix and missing my family get-togethers.
This year is all about reclaiming that connectivity for our family, and it’s probably the same for many of you out there. We’ve included stories about maintaining family ties in this issue, like our Digital Age article about Dishtory, an app that promotes togetherness through cooking and sharing family recipes. In addition to our annual Holiday Happenings and Gift Guide, we tried to fill our pages with hopeful stories, like the feature on Fia, an organization that builds community among mothers.
You’ll also find resources to help you navigate tough decisions that moms tend to feel intense conflict about, including the very touchy “breast is best” topic. The story includes local experts with different points of view, plus resources to get you through what is often a tricky postpartum adjustment.
Whether you are looking for tools to help you in your parenting journey or tips for holiday fun, we know you’ll find inspiration in our November/December issue.
Happy Holidays!
XOXO.
Erin Holden
Assignment Editor
Toledo Area Parent
