It was April of 1998 when I discovered Heights Parent Center (HPC). My daughter, Erin, was eight months old and we attended the Baby & Me group. By November of that year, I was asked to join HPC’s Toy Lending Library (TLL) as a volunteer.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. TLL is a program run only by volunteers; dedicated parents who count, clean and care for hundreds of toys. Instead of finding chaos, I found a well oiled machine. Each toy being checked in or out gets counted, every toy gets washed upon return, and volunteers keep tedious track of the broken and missing pieces. Amazing!

Whether you have a dentist appointment in the middle of the day, a meeting at your kid’s school in the evening or are trying to plan “date night” with your spouse, the task of finding a sitter can be a challenge. Where to begin, what to ask and what to expect are just a few of the dilemmas you might face. Here are a few tips to guide you through this journey.

Longer daylight hours and no homework signal the perfect time for families to enjoy some leisure time together. Whether your child is already in early elementary school, entering Kindergarten this fall or is still in preschool, summer is the perfect time to brush up on school readiness skills.

Tucked away in Taylor School is a great resource for families with young children ages 0 - 5! Heights Parent Center is an education, resource and support center for parents, caregivers and young children. In our comfortable and welcoming playroom children and parents can play and talk together, share experiences and resources, and find new friends.