Mom In C-Town

MAUREEN KYLE FROM WKYC 3 TALKS ABOUT RAISING HER FAMILY WHERE HER ROOTS RUN DEEP ON THE WEST SIDE OF CLEVELAND

On the Cover and TOC:

Maureen Kyle, morning anchor at WKYC 3, her husband Mark McDougall, and their daughters Scarlett, 9, Millie, 7, Etta, 4 at the Rockefeller Park Greenhouse, owned by the City of Cleveland (750 E. 88th Street, Cleveland). The Greenhouse and grounds has a botanical garden with specialty plant collections, seasonal floral displays, outdoor classrooms, and theme gardens. Parking and admission is free. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (rockefellerparkgreenhouse.org)

Photos by Moments by Mauric

Features

34 FOSTER CARE AWARENESS

18

MOM IN C-TOWN

Maureen Kyle from WKYC talks about balancing her work life and family where her roots run deep on the West Side of Cleveland. Also, check out our Mother’s Day events on pg. 53

6 Editor’s Note May blooms and things to do

8 Worth Noting

Bereavement bears give comfort to women after pregnancy loss. Plus, Recipe of the Month, Reading Room and more.

12 Education Teachers play an important role in your child’s life. We recognize a few in the region.

48 Calendar

Family-friendly events around the region including Memorial Day and Mom’s Day events.

56 Your Aging Parents

38 LAST CHANCE FOR CAMP AND SUMMER PROGRAMS

Our final list to help families still deciding on where to send their kids this camp season.

20

COMMUNITY FOCUS: EXPLORING THE HEIGHTS tLocal boy helps create doll to spread positivity among brown and black children see page 9.

We highlight families and places to have fun in Cleveland Heights, Shaker Heights and University Heights.

Helping your parents downsize can be an emotional process, We provide tips to help your family with decisions.

57 #CLEMAMA Planning a family trip? Here are six tips for a fun and stress-free experience.

May Blooms and Things to Do

No one has ever told me I had a “green thumb” and in fact, at one point, as a mom of two toddlers with little time for cleaning, let alone weeding the garden, I put off the chore for years. My mulchfilled perennial plants became more of a wildflower garden. While we mowed the lawn and kept the yard tidy, I didn’t have the desire to work outside.

Instead, we let the boys dig for worms and use the backyard as the baseball field where they played wiffle ball with the neighbors. They played games like “red light, green light” and pulled out all the water toys for the little pool or Slip and Slide.

And you know what, when they stopped playing in the backyard because they became too big and strong to play wiffle ball (they started hitting the balls over the house) and they walked down to the local park to swim or go on the basketball courts, I decided to do a professional yard clean-up. We took out most of the wildflower garden, leaving a few flowering plants, and got rid of the dead bushes. I mulched — bought some cool lawn decorations — it’s now plain and clean.

But, there is not an absence of more things we have to do, actually there’s a lot this year, but there will always be seasonal goals to accomplish — from vacations, home renovations — or our big adventure, a move to a new house in a local neighborhood.

So, as I create my goals for the summer, my plan is to just to keep it as simple as I can. I think other parents might be feeling the same way.

In fact, when I interviewed our cover mom Maureen Kyle, morning anchor from WKYC 3, a busy working mom with three girls, it was nice to chat with another parent who has a similar daily routine — from parenting around work, kids activities, appointments, cleaning, making dinner, and still finding time for family fun, learning and watching the kids grow up.

It got me thinking, for Mother’s Day, take some time to send encouraging messages to your other mom friends, especially the ones who might need it the most.

Also, look for ways this month to celebrate you, too, with your family.

Honestly, we have an action-packed issue that will get you through the month, from last call for summer camp season, a check-in with the local Heights communities, we thank some teachers in the region and more.

If you are looking for something to do this summer, make sure to check out our summer event series in which Northeast Ohio Parent host three monthly events — Crocker Kids, Fun at First & Main and Pinecrest Play Days, where families can spend a few hours with themed activities and find local resources.

So, as the weather warms, the old flowers start to bloom — and our last summer to “play” in our backyard, I just want to slow things down, but alas, it’s the crazy May season.

p.s. I just want to say congratulations to all the 2023 seniors graduating, especially two, Christian and Kylie, who I watched grow up and it went way too fast! So proud of you both!

May 2023

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