9 minute read
Life with Father
Florida is a popular vacation spot for Atlanta families. Start planning your getaway with these exciting destinations. Destination FLORIDA
An uncrowded paradise is just around the corner
Craving an uncrowded escape? We don’t blame you. Tucked away along the Atlantic Coast of South Florida, Martin County is a true hidden haven for families to relax and recharge. Boasting over 22 miles of secluded beaches and 100,000 acres of pristine parks and conservation lands, there’s plenty of space to sprawl out and unwind. Embrace a slower pace of life, surrounded by natural landscapes, vibrant downtown districts, and countless activities for everyone in the family to enjoy. With a picturesque combination of Old Florida character and coastal charm, Martin County is the perfect road trip destination for a quintessential summer getaway. Start planning your next escape today! discovermartin.com
Stuart, the county seat of Martin County, is known as the sailfish capital of the world.
Unplug in Clay County
“It was so much fun hearing him talk about the adventures of treehouse camping, the spring-fed swimming pool and discovering wildlife on the hikes we took.” Clay County offers something for everyone and is a haven for those who love nature and the outdoors whether you hike, ride, row, sail or swing a golf club! Explore numerous parks, walking and bicycling trails, waterways, historic sites, two military museums, golf courses and more. Unplug from life’s hectic pace in Clay County, Florida. Small Towns. Big Passions. Clay County is a short commute from the City of Jacksonville and the nation’s oldest city of St. Augustine. For visitor information, visit exploreclay.com
This year, take time to create memories.
You remember it, don't you? The family beach vacation: miles of blue water, sand castles at your feet, a sea breeze blowing your hair back, and not a cell phone or a skyscraper in sight. This summer, plan a family trip to a place where memories come naturally, and time isn't the only thing that's preserved.
Plan your trip at discovermartin.com
DAD LIFE
by Emily Webb
This month is Father’s Day, which means it’s time to celebrate dads and all they do. Recent events have given a new meaning to the term stay-at-home dad. Atlanta Parent talked to these local Atlanta fathers about how they’re juggling work, home and staying safe.
n Al Stilo
Chief Investment Strategist at Capital Investment Advisors and host of “Money Matters” on WSB; Father to Ben, 13, Luke, 10, Jake, 8, and Sam, 4
I work 24/7 between my investment and WSB jobs, and I fell prey to the 24/7 work cycle. Now, I get to see the kids throughout the day; I see them at breakfast, lunch and dinner. We have a basketball court area in the backyard, and I bought a portable pickleball net on Amazon, and we put it on the court. It’s a fast growing sport, as you can play it almost immediately, whether you’re 7 or 75 years old.
Being cooped up together, while we love each other, we also know how to push each other’s buttons. There’s going to be conflict. I think the big thing is you just have to own up to those moments and ask for forgiveness.
n Wes Moss
Aurora Theatre Director of Sales & Marketing; Father to Dominic, 16
I wouldn’t say that I was really good at balancing before the pandemic. Working for a nonprofit, I wear a lot of hats, working on nights and weekends. Being teacher and principal with his mom is tough. We’ve been really flexible with him on not having to keep school hours.
It’s a marathon as a parent and a dad, trying to figure out what each one of these kids like –they’re all amazingly different. We have to figure out how they are as individuals in order to cultivate these kids over time and get to know them. It’s the best time ever to be a parent.
n Kenneth Braswell
CEO of Fathers Incorporated; Father to Monica and Tiarrah, 39, Amber, 27, Nzinga, 21, and Kenneth Jr., 11
My wife and son have decided to take a virtual class together to learn to speak Spanish. Because we are working from home, my son and I spend more time in the driveway playing basketball. It has helped me personally in not gaining too much weight. It also keeps him active and competitive. I have gotten really good at grilling steaks. So much so that my family often requests that I fire up the grill and cook some nice, juicy rib eyes. I’ve been watching a lot of how-to on YouTube to perfect my new skill.
The funniest thing happening in my house right now is that my wife and I together can barely beat my 11 year old in basketball. The fact that we are out of breath 15 minutes into the game is not so funny to us, but it sure is funny to our son!
n Jeramy Ragsdale
Thrive Senior Living Founder and CEO; Father to Ruth Ann, 11, Rachel, 9, and Caroline and Cate, 6
With four daughters, we have seen a huge uptick in nail painting, glitter usage, sidewalk chalk, bike riding, skinned knees and duck feeding. We are now our kids’ personal assistants. Lining up meetings and calls, keeping their schedule and even being tech support.
On her 9th birthday, my oldest told me, ‘You know you’re halfway done with me, right?’ My heart stopped. As awful as the pandemic is in many ways, this extra time is a gift. It’s an extension of our very precious days with them.
n Jim Newton
Entrepreneur and Owner of Great Beginnings of Sugar Hill; Father to Caroline, 11, and Kate, 9
It’s been a time of getting to know your kids even better and enjoying them. We’ve played badminton in the backyard or kickball. We had dinner together, and the kids don’t have electronics on them. We carved out quality time to play different games to make them think.
Cont’d on next page The most important thing to do is take care of your family. Make sure your household is safe when you go out. Put one step forward and move in the right direction.
n Ira Dawson
Head of Middle School at The Walker School; Father of Ariyana, 12, Ira, 2, and Cameron, 10 months
We were really busy and this situation has compelled us to slow down. There’s a lot of time for us to do activities together. I’m grateful for what the quarantine has done in terms of spending time with my younger children and my daughter, and where she is in school, and learning what her dreams, goals and aspirations are.
We’ve been cooking together. We’re a pancake family. We all like them different ways, someone’ll make the batter, someone’ll have the fruit, someone’ll have the chocolate chips.
n Scott Deviney
Chicken Salad Chick President and CEO; Father to Conner, 14, Coleman, 12, and Abbey, 10
Like everyone else, we are making it work as best we can and stretching the limits of our internet bandwidth. I no longer wonder what my wife does all day and am baffled at how much food my kids can consume daily. I am also quite excellent at placing the family Chicken Salad Chick takeout order.
My wife made a comment this week that although we are all in the same storm right now, we aren’t all in the same boat. Every father has his own story, and each of us are working hard to take care of our loved ones and others that depend on us.
n Justin Spizman
Trial Lawyer and Author of “Don’t Give Up…Don’t Ever Give Up: The Inspiration of Jimmy V;” Father to Dani, 7, and Bella, 5
I’m not the most handy guy in the world, but I got wood from Home Depot and built a box garden. We got seedlings for tomatoes, zucchinis and herbs. It’s been a fun project to work on together, doing it with Dani, so she knows it can grow into something wonderful with time, attention and love.
My wife is a former kindergarten teacher. She’s kept these kids running strong and learning and busy with activities. I’m more of the P.E. teacher, and I’ll take them outside to play.
n John Smiles
Senior Director of Marketing for Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta; Father to Audrey, 15, and Griffin, 12
There’s been a lot of binge-watching shows on Netflix or Disney+. Pre shelter-in-place, we were always running kids from one activity to the next. This has been a time to slow down and get some things done around the house, spend more time together as a family, sitting down at the kitchen table and having meals together. My first job in high school I was a Shoney’s cook, so I do a pretty mean breakfast, and nobody else tinkers with that. I’ve been learning chess from my son. My daughter and I have been out doing driving lessons to get her ready.
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All this cleaning that we’re doing, the kids are asking, ‘How did we acquire all this stuff?’ That’s what 20 years in a house will do for you, which shows you the value of purging and getting rid of things.
