PARENT YOU SHOULD KNOW
The Renauld family, left to right: Nathan, Laura, Henry and Andy
at Altitude Trampoline Park in Leesburg, Virginia
Laura Renauld
B efore she authored children’s books
“Porcupine’s Pie,” “Bear’s Bicycle”
and “Squirrel’s Sweater,” among
others, Laura Renauld, 44, was a third grade
teacher at Wampus Elementary School in
Armonk, New York and and field trip educator
at the Strong National Museum of Play in
Rochester, New York.

The Leesburg, Virginia resident believes
that books are “soul food” and incorporates
her love of literature and years as a teacher
into the parenting of her two children, Henry,
13, and Nathan, 12.

“I tried to bring these teaching practices
to my parenting with lots of read-alouds, trips
to the library and free play time, especially
outside,” she says. “I made a conscious
decision not to over-schedule my kids, while
also encouraging them to try new things and
exposing them to varied experiences.”
When she’s not instilling the values of reading
to her kids, she’s working on her Woodland
Friends Series, published by Beaming Books,
26 Washington FAMILY JANUARY 2023
which uses woodland creatures to tell stories more rejections than I can count! In that
of perseverance, adapting to change and the time, I wrote many stories, honed my craft,
meaning of friendship.

found a supportive critique group and learned
about the business of publishing. And I’m
not done yet! Nos still pile up a lot quicker
What do you love about
than the yeses. I hope my kids pursue their
parenting? One of the great joys of being a parent is passions, tune out the naysayers and never
watching your children work toward a goal, stop learning!
then seeing the pride of accomplishment on
their faces when they succeed. This was true What’s been your biggest
as my boys took their first steps, and it is true parenting fail?
today when they perform in a band concert or This is probably not the biggest, but the
make it onto [the] base for the first time in a one that comes to mind right away involves
little league game. As a parent, I try my best to trick-or-treating. When my youngest was 3
nurture, encourage, comfort and cheer as my or 4, he had a plush horse and rider costume
kids go through the whole process of learning, where his legs were two of the horse legs. The
growing, failing and achieving.

hooves covered his feet, so I forgot to put his
shoes on once he was in costume. The poor
kid went trick-or-treating on a drizzly night
What’s one thing you hope
with just socks on his feet! We laugh about
your kids learn from you and
it now, but that Halloween could have had
your career?
Perseverance. I was writing for almost 10 a very different ending if he had stepped on
years before I got my first book deal. That’s something sharp.

HEATHER M. ROSS
BY SASHA ROGELBERG



How has being a teacher informed
your parenting style? What are
some skills from teaching that can
be transferred to parenting, and
what are some skills that can’t be
transferred? The importance of reading to your child cannot
be understated. Studies have shown that children
have better educational outcomes if they are read
to every day. Hands-on and play-based learning are
also critical for a child’s development as they build an
understanding of the world and how to interact with
the people in it.

How have your children been
influenced by storytelling? What
stories have they come up with on
their own?
I’ve been reading to my kids since they were babies.

It’s like they were steeped in story elements.

Combine that with a child’s natural propensity to
engage in imaginary play, and their own stories were
born. Whether it was telling tales while building
elaborate train layouts, officiating stuffed animal
weddings or collaborating with friends to build an
elaborate imaginary world, I’ve been so pleased to
have a front-row seat to my boys’ stories. As I like
to tell students during author visits, if you use your
imagination, you are already a storyteller. 2
Family Favorites
Family meal:
visiting family. We also like
Disney World and a quiet farm
Spaghetti and meatballs, plus getaway at the base of the Blue
garlic bread, is a family favor- Ridge Mountains.

ite. Apple slices can be found
on the dinner table most Favorite books:
days of the week.

When I asked the boys what
their favorite family read-aloud
Family activities:
was, “The Penderwicks” five-
We are a musical family. Mom book series by Jeanne Birdsall
and Dad sing and the boys each got the most enthusiastic shout-
play more than one instru- out. But there are so many great
ment. Henry plays trombone in books! Other series we have
band, took guitar and tenor sax loved: “Endling” by Katherine
lessons and is currently teach- Applegate, “Mice of the Round
ing himself alto sax. Nathan Table” by Julie Leung and “Land
takes private violin lessons, of Stories” by Chris Colfer. A
plays French horn in school couple of picture books that we
and sings for his part in the read again and again when they
school musical.

were little are “10 Minutes Till
Bedtime” by Peggy Rathmann
Vacation spots:
and “If I Built a House” by
We spend a lot of time in Chris Van Dusen.

Vermont and Connecticut
Parenting isn’t easy, but there
are strategies that can help.

Find support and resources
at familytreemd.org/flip
or our 24-hour Parenting
HelpLine at 800-243-7337.

WashingtonFAMILY.com 27