Editor’s Note

WHAT IS YOUR FAMILY’S FAVORITE WAY TO GIVE BACK?

“I grow and chop my hair for wigs given to cancer patients or people with permanent hair loss. I like Locks of Love and Hair We Share.” locksoflove.org; hairweshare.org JULIA EDELSTEIN Editor-in-Chief

Executive Creative Director AGNETHE GLATVED Executive Editor MIRANDA VAN GELDER Managing Editor PATRICK MOFFITT Deputy Editor DIANE DEBROVNER

Food and Lifestyle Director YOLANDA WIKIEL Beauty Director KATE SANDOVAL BOX Senior Editor, Features KATIE ARNOLD-RATLIFF Senior Editor, Books and Travel KAREN CICERO Entertainment Editor JESSICA HARTSHORN Staff Health Editor EMILY ELVERU Staff Beauty Editor SHANNON M. BAUER Assistant Lifestyle Editor CASSIE HURWITZ Editorial Assistant REBECCA RAKOWITZ

“This year we’ll donate to World Central Kitchen. Chef José Andrés’s organization goes directly where there is immediate need.” wck.org

A R T & P R O D U C T I O N

Art Director EMILY FURLANI Associate Art Director JAMIE LEE Senior Designer MARIA FERNANDEZ-DAVILA Production Director VINCENT M. SPINA

P H O T O

Photo Director MARY CLARE CAHILL Photo Editor JOANNA MUENZ Photo Coordinator MAGGIE BLATTEL Associate Photo Editor ERIKA THOMPSON

“We give to United War Veterans Council. My daughter puts toys in a pile and says, ‘These are for the little kids who don’t have anything to play with.’ ” uwvc.org

R E S E A R C H & C O P Y

Research Director BARBARA BRANDON-CROFT Copy Chief JEAN RODIE Copy Editor SHELLEY WOLSON Test Kitchen Project Manager LINDA BREWER, R.D.N.

Deputy Managing Editor TARA LUSTBERG Executive Operations Coordinator, Office of Editor-in-Chief ADRIENNE FARR

Contributing Editors DAPHNE de MARNEFFE, Ph.D., CATHERINE HONG, JOY HOWARD, TAMEKIA REECE, ERIN ZAMMETT RUDDY, VIRGINIA SOLE-SMITH

D I G I TA L

Digital Content Director JULIA DENNISON Deputy Editor MELISSA BYKOFSKY Executive Editor, Black Parenting KELLY GLASS Features Editor ANNA HALKIDIS SEO Editor NICOLE HARRIS Visual Editor JILLIAN SELLERS Associate Producer FRANCESCA SPATOLA

A D V I S O R Y B O A R D

PEDIATRICS Ari Brown, M.D., Antwon Chavis, M.D., David L. Hill, M.D., Yvonne Maldonado, M.D., Terri McFadden, M.D., Kimberly Montez, M.D., M.P.H., Natalie D. Muth, M.D., M.P.H., R.D.N., Cara Natterson, M.D., Irwin Redlener, M.D., Michael Rich, M.D., M.P.H., Darshak Sanghavi, M.D., Jennifer Shu, M.D. NUTRITION Jill Castle, R.D.N., Maya Feller, R.D., Sally Kuzemchak, R.D., Dalina Soto, R.D. MENTAL HEALTH AND BEHAVIOR Lisa Damour, Ph.D., Wayne Fleisig, Ph.D., Becky Kennedy, Ph.D., Eileen Kennedy-Moore, Ph.D., Harold S. Koplewicz, M.D., Laura S. Olivos, Psy.D., Silvia Pereira-Smith, M.D., Adiaha Spinks-Franklin, M.D., Timothy L. Verduin, Ph.D. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH Aaron Bernstein, M.D., M.P.H., Philip Landrigan, M.D. DENTISTRY Lezli Levene Harvell, D.M.D., Maria Velasco, D.M.D. WOMEN’S HEALTH Tamika Auguste, M.D., “We assemble Yamel Belen, R.N., C.L.C., Marjorie Greenfield, M.D., ‘blessing bags’ Marta Perez, M.D., Laura Riley, M.D., Alexandra Sacks, M.D. with shelf-stable food, toothpaste, and EDUCATION AND LITERACY Patricia Edwards, Ph.D., Jennifer Serravallo, Colby Sharp socks to ALLERGY Michael Pistiner, M.D., Hemant Sharma, M.D. keep in the car EMERGENCY MEDICINE AND SAFETY Khama Ennis, M.D., M.P.H., for when we Mark Anthony Griffiths, M.D., Wendy L. Hunter, M.D. see someone SLEEP Maida Chen, M.D., Jodi Mindell, Ph.D., Judith Owens, M.D. in need.” DERMATOLOGY Anna Bruckner, M.D., Jody Alpert Levine, M.D., Kim Nichols, M.D. SOCIAL JUSTICE Traci Baxley, Ed.D., Nayeli Y. Chavez-Dueñas, Ph.D., Ibram X. Kendi, Ph.D., Julie Lythcott-Haims MARK JOSEPHSON Senior Vice President, Group Publisher

Sales Manager, Meredith Parents Network DONNA LINDSKOG

A D V E R T I S I N G S A L E S

West Coast Director JULIE BANFIELD Advertising Sales Staff ALYSSA CRAMER COHEN, CATHERINE DAUN, ANNE GILHOOL, MOLLY THOMPSON, MARIA TOCCO TORRES, NADINE WAXENBERG Assistant BRITTON FORKER Business Development Manager BREANA TOLLA National Travel Manager KATY HILDMAN Senior Research Manager ALISON JAYE

“Promoting self-confidence in young girls, the Hance Family Foundation’s Self-Esteem Rising program is our choice.” hancefamily foundation.org

M A R K E T I N G

Group Marketing Director KRISTEN STUCCHIO-SUAREZ Senior Marketing Manager JUDY SCHIFFMAN Marketing Manager MARNIE DOWLER Marketing Coordinator DIANA ZULUAGA Group Creative Director JEANETTE CHOW Art Director TRACY D’AGOSTINO

A D M I N I S T R AT I O N

Executive Business Director JANICE CROAT Business Manager MEGAN WOOD Advertising Business Manager BOB PARLAPIANO Consumer Marketing Manager RACHEL BLACK Production Director MELANIE STOLTENBERG Production Manager COURTNEY PETERSON Director of Quality JOSEPH KOHLER Quality Analyst BEN ANDERSON Prepress Desktop Specialist GREG FAIRHOLM

“The Hear the Cheers Program helps kids who are deaf with hearing technology and support services.” chicagohearing society.org

MEREDITH NATIONAL MEDIA GROUP President CATHERINE LEVENE President, Meredith Magazines DOUG OLSON President, Consumer Products TOM WITSCHI President, Meredith Digital ALYSIA BORSA EVP, Strategic and Business Development DAPHNE KWON

Executive Vice Presidents Chief Revenue Officer MICHAEL BROWNSTEIN Digital Sales MARLA NEWMAN Finance MICHAEL RIGGS Marketing and Integrated Communications NANCY WEBER

Senior Vice Presidents Consumer Marketing STEVE CROWE Consumer Revenue ANDY WILSON Corporate Sales BRIAN KIGHTLINGER Foundry 360 MATT PETERSEN Product and Technology JUSTIN LAW Research Solutions BRITTA CLEVELAND Strategic Planning AMY THIND Strategic Sourcing, Newsstand, Production CHUCK HOWELL

“We give to a local children’s theater program called Rehearsal for Life. Community theater does so much with so little, so donations go a long way there.” rehearsal forlife.org

Vice Presidents Brand Licensing TOYE CODY, SONDRA NEWKIRK Business Planning and Analysis ROB SILVERSTONE Finance CHRIS SUSIL Strategic Development KELSEY ANDERSEN Strategic Partnerships ALICIA CERVINI

Vice President, Group Editorial Director LIZ VACCARIELLO Chief Digital Content Officer AMANDA DAMERON Director, Editorial Operations and Finance ALEXANDRA BREZ

MEREDITH CORPORATION Chairman and Chief Executive Officer TOM HARTY Chief Financial Officer JASON FRIEROTT Chief Development Officer JOHN ZIESER President, Meredith Local Media Group PATRICK McCREERY Senior Vice President, Human Resources DINA NATHANSON Senior Vice President, Chief Communications Officer ERICA JENSEN

“In lieu of favors at family events like baby showers, we make contributions to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.” stjude.org

Vice Chairman MELL MEREDITH FRAZIER

The K ind Acts That Keep Us Going

M Y L I S T I S L O N G : moms who waited with my 4-year-old when his babysitter was late for school pickup. Volunteer soccer coaches who taught my older son to score a goal (and brought back his smile after the hardest winter in memory). A class parent who answered my many texts without once showing annoyance. The friend who dropped off craft supplies when my family came down with COVID-19. My sister, who supervised remote kindergarten when I couldn’t take one minute more. Fellow staffers at Parents and physicians at my husband’s hospital who have picked up balls we’ve had to drop from time to time at work.

These are just a few of the busy moms and dads who have helped my family reach this point in the pandemic without falling apart.

As a parent, it’s easy to feel as if you’re carrying the full weight of your children’s well- being. But this Thanksgiving, I encourage you to remember the times you were overloaded and people quietly showed up to ease the burden. You may feel overwhelmed—this time with gratitude. And I hope your faith will be restored that whatever comes next, you’ll get through it, because helpers are all around.

Consider this month’s cover, which features the winners of our inaugural search for America’s Kindest Families. More than 500 readers nominated incredibly caring parents and kids in their communities. It wasn’t easy for our judging panel to narrow down the finalists; many stories moved us to tears. The ultimate winners, Holly and Luke Barrón, of Oklahoma, and their sons Reid, Holden, and Conley (page 144), stood out for their commitment to volunteering, fund-raising, and simply being there for others—all while living with the grief of losing their eldest son, Keaton, who started the kindness club they now lead. Their prize: this cover, $10,000 from Parents, and a food donation worth $15,000 from our presenting sponsor, Tyson, to Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, a local charity of the Barróns’ choosing.

I hope their story inspires you not only to spread generosity in your own neighborhood and beyond but also to accept help anytime you need it. Parenting well—and raising the next generation to be kind—is possible only with support. Soon we’ll be kicking off our search for the next winning family, so I’m asking you to be on the lookout for unsung heroes—including you and yours. Maybe in 2022, your family will be on the cover of Parents, keeping the chain of inspiration going.

Inside Our Cover Shoot

It was an honor and a joy to meet Holly, Luke, and their kids at our cover shoot. For a peek behind the scenes (and to see video from the day we surprised them with their win), hover your phone’s camera over the smart code or follow us on Instagram @parents.

Ta ke C a r e ( Ye s, Yo u )

“You can’t pour from an empty cup.” It’s a saying that comes up a lot at Parents, and it’s the reason that in a magazine about raising kids, there’s an entire section called “You,” focused on the well-being of adults. This month I’m particularly excited about “Self-Care for Real Life,” kicking off the section on page 131, which includes more than 45 ideas, all sourced from real moms. A few months ago, I was lucky enough to have one of the experiences the article identifies as worth it: a weekend away with friends. For the first time ever (!), I left my kids with their dad for two nights and reunited with two of my best girlfriends. At The Lodge at Woodloch, a serene resort in Pennsylvania, we got in touch with our chakras (I think?), stretched our sore backs, talked late into the night, and slept soundly. The trip was so restorative, I came home able to parent with more intention and calm. This issue of Parents is all about being kind, and sustaining yourself is a great way to start.

We’re here to help. Email JuliaE@parents.com to tell me about the topics you’d like to see in future issues of Parents.