PARENT TO KNOW: Caitlin Thielen
Here, she talks to us about adjusting to a new city for the first time, giving kids individual attention, and her favorite Charlotte spots.
Parents to Know
PARENT TO KNOW: Corie Dulken
Corie Dulken is a massage therapist, skin care specialist, and owner of Nature's Spa in South Charlotte. The mom of three, who has always prioritized her physical and emotional health, found a lump in her breast in 2020 that was…
ASK A MOM: Swifties, six-packs, and spoiled kids
Q: My daughters (6 and 9) are big time Swifties and want to dress up with friends for the Super Bowl. What are some easy, inexpensive outfits or accessories I can get them? A: Have I ever been more excited…
PARENT TO KNOW: Autumn Stone
If you happened to see Autumn Stone alone, which is rare, you'd never guess that the petite, smiling, seemingly relaxed woman was the familial engine of a household of six children. Here, the Ballantyne wife and mom talks family organization…
Best Parenting Advice We Received in 2023
A roundup of advice from our 2023 Parents to Know.
PARENT TO KNOW: Liz Monterrey
Liz Monterrey's name likely looks familiar. You might have seen it plastered on signage all over Charlotte, or in the voting booth this past November where she made history as the first Latina elected to Charlotte Mecklenburg School Board. Here,…
ASK A MOM: Special Edition
It’s been a big month for Charlotte Parent contributor Molly Grantham. The release of her third book, Practice Makes…Progress, is the last installment in her series of memoirs that span 100 months in the life of the longtime news anchor…
PARENT TO KNOW: Justin Perry
Justin Perry is a therapist and founder of Perry Counseling Healing and Recovery PLLC. He has over 15 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and adults who have experienced trauma, and/or are managing mental health and substance use disorders.…
PARENT TO KNOW: Indre Buechler
It's rare to see Indre Buechler in front of the camera. Most often she is behind it at Nest Photo Studio in South Charlotte. Here, the business owner and mom of five talks the importance of capturing photos of children,…
ASK A MOM: pronouns, plane etiquette, and learning to tie shoelaces
Q: Hi Molly! I need some advice on how to discuss gender identity and pronouns with my kids. My fourth grader was over my shoulder when I was filling out the new Student Information Form from CMS and didn’t understand…
ASK A MOM: Restrictive eating, talking to your teens, and improving sleep quality
Q: If we have any dessert type item in our house, my 9-year-old daughter goes straight for it first thing in the morning when no one is looking. She always shamefully fesses up to it because we’ve said that sweets…
PARENT TO KNOW: Katherine Hutchens
Katherine Hutchens is the mother of two, and the beloved art teacher at Endhaven Elementary in South Charlotte. In February of this year, she began to lose her vision when doctors diagnosed her with a benign pituitary adenoma. She had…
ROOM WE LOVE: A Well-Traveled Nursery
For her son Romer’s nursery, Kelley Lentini wanted to incorporate whimsical, modern design elements to create a space that could grow alongside her little boy. She didn’t have to look far for the all-important crib and rocker—her husband, Brad, is…
PARENT TO KNOW: Heather Obleada
Heather Obleada is the owner of Iron Butterfly Pilates in Southend. She grew up performing with The Charleston Ballet, and after graduating from Radford University, went on to The Alvin Ailey Dance Theater and Martha Graham School in New York.…
ASK A MOM: Ear piercing, embarrassing moments, and a toddler's place on maternity leave
Q: Where are the best (read: cleanest) places in Charlotte to get my daughter's ears pierced? A: I took your question to Tiny Gods Jewelry where Mary Margaret Beaver, who founded the fine jewelry shop in south Charlotte in November…
ROOM WE LOVE: A Designer Nursery
Alexis Warren, owner of Alexis Warren Designs, was 7-and-a-half months pregnant with her first baby when she and her husband moved into their new house in Myers Park. “The first thing I wanted to do was get the nursery done,”…
Meet the Women Behind Piccadilly
When Katherine Pugh, Courtney Hall Pugh, and Sadie Pugh Wilson completed their first collection of small-batch dresses in October 2020, it didn’t take them long to land on a name. Piccadilly sounded fun and playful, but it was also a…
ASK A MOM: The Mother's Day Edition
Q: Hi Molly. Need you to settle this once and for all. Should my husband spend Mother’s Day with me and our children instead of his own mother? He makes the same argument every year, that I’m not his mother, so he…
PARENT TO KNOW: Christina Murphy
Yes, you’re seeing double, double. Christina Murphy is mom to two sets of twins! And now Christina is preparing to double her workload. She’s taking her COVID side hustle, The Pearl Pagoda, from pop-up to permanent. Next month, The Pearl…
PARENT TO KNOW: Jen Kraus Rosen
Jen Kraus Rosen is the Chief Advancement Officer of Moishe House, a global organization that facilitates engaging communities for Jewish young adults. When she’s not traveling the globe for work, the Indiana University grad devotes her time to family and…
PARENT TO KNOW: Esezele Payne
Esezele Payne has a refreshingly direct style, which might be out of necessity. Like most moms, she is very busy. Esezele is the Vice President of Operational and Environmental Services at Atrium Health and is active in several charitable organizations…
Best Parenting Advice of 2022
A roundup of advice from our Parents to Know.
PARENT TO KNOW: Molly Carroll
Molly Carroll's family has made a festive splash on their Plaza Midwood street during the holiday season for the last several years. And each year their yard on Wilhelmina Avenue draws a bigger crowd. When she’s not spreading inflatable holiday…
ASK A MOM: Holiday stress and how to give back this season
Q: Hi, Molly. I have four kids under age 10, and I feel like I have nothing fun to offer them. All I do is yell at them to pick up their toys or hurry up and get ready for…
