by Betsy Stern | Apr 1, 2021 | uncategorized
As we march forward towards spring, summer and hopefully a bit of normalcy, it’s time to think about kids and the dreaded words parents hate to hear…”I’m bored!” Yep. Kids hate being bored, and it’s exhausting for parents to constantly play cruise director and... 
by Betsy Stern | Apr 1, 2021 | uncategorized
We’re weeks away from Earth Day 2021 and it’s a great opportunity to get outside and show your kids how to give our planet some extra attention! For the past several years, our family “celebrated” Earth Day by throwing on some gloves and picking up trash we found in... 
by Betsy Stern | Apr 1, 2021 | uncategorized
Did you know April 28th is National Superhero Day?! Neither did I! I just learned that Marvel Comics (surprise, surprise) started this “holiday” in the 90s to celebrate real and fictional superheroes…Sort of like Mother’s Day, but for honoring heroes of all... 
by Betsy Stern | Mar 12, 2021 | uncategorized
Spring is around the corner (thank goodness!) and if you’re anything like me, you’re probably itching to get out of town. It’s been a long, long year – and with a glimmer of hope in front of us, the dream of a family trip feels close enough to touch. With two... 
by Betsy Stern | Mar 12, 2021 | uncategorized
For the past year, packing lunches has been a LOT less common in my household. In fact, I haven’t packed a school lunch for my kids since March 13, 2020. But, as things inch closer to normal and the warm weather brings hope of picnics and day trips, there’s hope that... 
by Betsy Stern | Mar 12, 2021 | uncategorized
We are one year into the pandemic. ONE YEAR. In some ways, it feels like the past year was a blink – I can barely remember some of the things we did last spring, summer or fall. But in most ways, the past year felt never-ending, and incredibly hard. Local... 
by Betsy Stern | Mar 12, 2021 | uncategorized
The snow is melting, birds are chirping and temps are inching up slowly but surely…spring is on its way! After a long, Covid winter, there’s nothing better than feeling like there are warm (and better) days ahead. With Spring Break only a few weeks away, many... 
by Betsy Stern | Feb 26, 2021 | uncategorized
Swimming is a lot of things – excellent exercise, fun and relaxing, a way to cool down on a hot day and an activity to tire out your kids! Ha! Many people think of swim lessons as a summer activity – hitting the local pool on one of our sweltering... 
by Betsy Stern | Feb 26, 2021 | uncategorized
I can still remember my son’s first swim teacher at SwimWest. Her name was Allison and she was incredible – both as a teacher, and as a person. My son was not always easy in those early toddler years, but she handled his personality with ease and got him to both... 
by Betsy Stern | Feb 2, 2021 | Holidays, Parenting Ideas, The SwimWest Culture, uncategorized
Each February the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) celebrates American Heart Month, an opportunity to encourage Americans to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in our country, and with Covid causing more...