Author: TownNews Staff - Danielle Ellis

ROOM WE LOVE: Paws and Effect

Vicky Little’s clients hired her to reconfigure their second floor to accommodate a laundry room and two bathrooms—with one big ask: keep the charm of their two-story Myers Park home intact. The 3,600-square-foot house had the typical trappings of a…

No Tricks, Just Tips

When my children were little, discussions about what costumes to wear for Halloween began in September. They loved dressing up, attending Halloween parties at school, trick-or-treating with friends, and then sorting (and eating) the candy they collected. While my children…

Where to Find Halloween Costumes Around Charlotte

Getting kids to decide on their Halloween costume is half the battle. Not changing their minds in late October is the other. Finding the costume should be easy with these local shops: Morris Costumes  800-522-2956 4300 Monroe Road Spirit Halloween …

Baby’s First Flight

Traveling with a baby for the first time can feel like stepping into the great unknown, even for seasoned parents. How many diapers should you pack? What about entertainment, nap schedules, TSA rules? Should you gate-check your stroller? We sat…

Should You Let Your Kid Quit?

When my son was in a tween, he asked if he could take golf lessons. I signed him up for introductory lessons with a golf pro. He enjoyed it so much I sent to a summer golf camp for a…

Picture Perfect Porches

Lori Shaw and Jennifer Dolan met eight years ago, when their kids were in preschool. Both had lived and worked in New York; now, they lived five minutes apart in south Charlotte. “We came from the northeast, where fall is,…

Signs of a Happy Child

In Partnership with By Taren Coley, MD, Psychiatrist & Director of Child & Adolescent Services at HopeWay A global survey found that 73% of Americans believe raising a happy child is the most important goal of parenting, a view shared in…

Carolina Ascent: New Season, New Energy

All eyes are on this weekend's home opener. Here's what to know: It’s a new force in women’s sports. Carolina Ascent FC kicked off its inaugural season in August 2024, and their home opener marked the return of women's professional…

Best Pediatricians in Charlotte

Each year, our sister publication, Charlotte magazine, releases a list of the Castle Connolly Top Doctors in Charlotte, based on a peer survey conducted by Castle Connolly. Doctors are selected through a peer nomination process, and then evaluated by a physician-led research…

GO. PLAY. SEE.: 4 Fun Things to Experience in Charlotte This Month

CHECK OUT THE YIASOU THE GREEK FESTIVAL The Yiasou Greek Festival returns to the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral September 5-7. Enjoy cultural exhibits, folk dancing, live music, and authentic Greek cuisine. The Kids Playland has rides, children’s activities, and…

THRIVE: 6 Ways to Prepare Your Child to Go Back to School

It's back-to-school season, and for some families, it involves more than just buying new backpacks, folders, and pencils. For neurodivergent families, this is a time to focus on developing executive function skills. If you want your morning routine to be…

A Guide to After School Activities in Charlotte

With a new school year on the horizon, you might be on the hunt for additional activities to fill the hours between 3 and 6 p.m. A good after school program or extra-curricular activity can turn those aimless afternoons into…

GO. PLAY. SEE.: 4 Fun Things to Experience in Charlotte This Month

CELEBRATE YOUR LITTLE READERS The Little Learners Literacy Fest, co-hosted by Arnie the Armadillo and Moving Little Minds, returns for its second year at Northeastern University Charlotte on Saturday, August 16. Enjoy free hearing screenings, interactive story times, expert-led workshops…

WEEKENDER: Hilton Head

For Charlotte families wanting a beach weekend that doesn’t involve airport security or hours of “are we there yet?,” Hilton Head is an ideal summer getaway. The 12-mile-long island is about 20 miles northeast of Savannah and inhabited by an…

Finding the Funny in Family

I discovered Trey Kennedy several years ago while scrolling TikTok. One of his videos popped up on my feed—it was a skit about the difference between Mom waking a kid up for school and when Dad does it. I laughed…

THRIVE: Celebrating Neurodiversity and Individuality Through Travel

July is Disability Pride Month, which celebrates the achievements and contributions of people with disabilities. It’s also a time to reframe the negative ways children with different abilities are often portrayed. While they do require extra support and assistance, the…

KID TO KNOW: Harper Weiss

Since 2021, Harper & Skyler’s Toys & Sweets has been Charlotte’s go-to for treats, candy boards, toys, and personalized accessories. If you’re a frequent customer, you might recognize 11-year-old Harper Weiss, who often helps out behind the counter. Her dad,…

ROOM WE LOVE: A Pretty Playhouse

Anna Stallmann is a public relations ace and owner of Anna Stallmann Communications, a women-led firm that serves a diverse group of local and national businesses and nonprofits. She’s also a mom of two daughters, Savannah, 6, and Madeleine, 4.…

José Rolón Talks Single Fatherhood

José Rolón, a New York-based wedding planner, content creator, and activist, has more than half a million followers on TikTok. Under the handle, @nycgaydad, Rolón posts about family life as a single father of three. "I began posting on Instagram…

PARENT TO KNOW: Dr. Seti Byrd

Dr. Seti Byrd is the founder of the uptown luxury dental practice, Skyview Dentistry. Here, the mom of three talks to us about emotional regulation in parenting, the importance of couple trips, and how to get kids excited about brushing…