FIRST WORD
School’s in Session
PJ Feinstein
Editor pfeinstein@midatlanticmedia.com
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info@thefamilymagazine.com One year ago, parents were still trying to imagine what
the school year would look like for our kids. Would they
be back in the classroom or still logging into Zoom?
Some had already decided to homeschool, while others
were coordinating learning pods with families who were
being similarly cautious during the pandemic. It was a
stressful time, to put it mildly.

Thankfully, back-to-school season feels a lot less
worrisome this year. Our kids may still have to wear
masks in the building per new recommendations from
the American Academy of Pediatrics, but at least schools
are planning to be open full time.

Most after-school activities are also planning to
offer in-person programming again. That means
parents are faced with the pre-pandemic dilemma of
determining how many extracurriculars our kids should
be participating in. In this issue, staff writer Eleanor
Linafelt looks at how kids can get the most out of after-
school activities, and how to make scheduling them less
stressful for parents.

Are your kids at or approaching the age where they
can participate in instrumental music class at school?
If so, check out Laura Farmer’s story about what to
consider when choosing your child’s first instrument.

Hint: Your small-for-their-age kid might want to hold off
on the trombone for another couple of years.

With kids back in school and many parents finally
returning to the office after a year and a half, our
homes are going to be a lot quieter soon. What does
that mean for our pets, especially the ones we adopted
during the pandemic? Contributor Jennifer Marino
Walters shares expert advice on minimizing our pets’
separation anxiety.

Also in this issue: our favorite local orchards for apple
picking, books to ease your child’s back-to-school jitters
and an interview with Andrea Creel, the mompreneur
behind Shining Kids Yoga.

Here’s to an A+ school year! Happy reading! n
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