Driving on formerly forested Sweeten Creek Road these days provides a pretty lousy view! Tract after tract of beautiful wood lots has been erased. Soon comes the relentless paving process. Usually, more trees are cut than are necessary to fit the structures. Why do we, as a civilization, insist on this same old crappy style … Read more
Here’s a brief list of local parenting resources. Check the Xpress Community Calendar for a complete rundown, including information on babysitting co-ops, baby-yoga classes, playgroups, Mom’s Morning Out programs, and weekly toddler events sponsored by Asheville Parks & Recreation (www.ashevilleparks.org). Got twins? Asheville Area Mothers of Multiples: For mothers of twins, triplets and more! Info: … Read more
Buncombe County is one of the largest school districts in the state, and newly relocated parents can understandably get confused about all the scholastic options out there. Below, Xpress offers a comprehensive list of area elementary schools, including public, charter, magnet and private. All institutions are K-5 and located in Asheville, unless otherwise noted. (A … Read more
Kids used to return home from summer camp with little more than bug spray and lanyard keychains in their duffel bags. But the experience has grown more refined with the years. Most camps now boast themes: drama, dinosaurs, printmaking, robotics. In fact, those who attend the vastly eclectic array of Asheville-area camps will be curating … Read more
Last year alone, celebrities Patrick Dempsey, Sean Combs, Marcia Cross, Dennis Quaid and Nancy Grace announced the birth of twins. And, if Yahoo news alerts are any indication, JLo was apparently naming her own posh pair as I wrote this. Twins aren’t novel and eerie anymore—no longer Shining spooky but rather as ubiquitous as the … Read more
Mention kids and electronics and most parents will assure you they have stringent rules regarding “screen time.” Choosing the chalkboard over the keyboard: Two-year-old Marlise, left, of Asheville, makes art with her cousins Sasha (middle) and Lilly during a visit to Australia. Photo By Bobbi Holland However, according to Nielsen Media Research, today’s kids are … Read more
What I remember about food, as a kid, is that I preferred the things reserved for treats (cheesecake, white-flour pasta, Hershey’s miniatures)—and given the choice, I’d sit at the table all night rather than finish anything resembling a root vegetable. Hidden agenda: 18-month-old Beau Bianchi devours beets and apricots presented in cute mini-muffin form (right). … Read more
A massive recall of toys contaminated with lead paint sent parents running to check their toy boxes last fall. That seemingly most innocuous of spots, the foyer of the local Toys R’ Us, is currently wallpapered with bright-yellow consumer warnings. There’s more than butter on that toast: Adrianne Weir of UNCA’s Lead Poisoning Prevention Center … Read more
The Women’s Wellbeing and Development Foundation empowers women and girls to utilize their economic, social, intellectual and spiritual potential to achieve personal growth and the integrated development of their communities. The foundation develops and supports programs that promote economic self-sufficiency, social equality and sustainable development, by providing effective technical assistance and targeted funding, and by … Read more
When Tara McDonald-Tiner was pregnant with her daughter, Olivia, she and her husband were so preoccupied about the impending birth that the couple didn’t focus on what parenting style they’d use once the baby arrived in the world. Group hug: Local parents Jubal Tiner and Tara McDonald-Tiner snuggle with their daughter, Olivia. Photos By Jonathan … Read more
