Archive for the ‘Parenting’ Category
To beat the heat this summer try heading out to Heart’s Desire Beach at Tomales Bay State Park, just North of Inverness. It’s about 40 minutes from San Anselmo and well worth the drive, which in itself is quite relaxing and beautiful. Since it’s located on Tomales Bay and sheltered from the ocean the water is usually calm, making it one of the best beaches in Marin for families with small children. We also found that the shallow water in the summer is fairly warm, so swimming is much more pleasant than most beaches in the Bay Area. Bring your buckets and build a sand castle or bring your favorite book and just relax.
We went on a weekend and found a great place to set up our blanket and umbrella and stayed for more than three hours. It’s a good idea to bring a picnic and just make a day of it, with BBQ areas and a nice bathroom facility with showers, perfect to wash off the sand before you leave. The lower parking lot is really close to the beach so you don’t have to trek too far, but if it gets full there’s another overflow lot which is a bit more of a trek.
To get there just head out Sir Francis Drake past the town of Inverness and hang a right on Pierce Point Road until you see the sign for Tomales Bay State Park. Turn right into the park, pay the $6 fee and head down the hill to the parking lot. This is a great place to bring friends or have a playdate for the kids. We brought an extra layer of clothes just in case the fogged rolled in, which turned out to be a good idea.
Well this is good news… According to the Marin IJ, Marin County has the lowest high school drop out rate in the State of California. The state average is 24.2 percent compared to Marin’s 6.9 percent. I firmly believe the strong school systems in Marin are a key factor for the relative stability in the Marin County housing market.
We often hear a lot about the quality of education in Marin elementary schools and Marin middle schools, but it is nice to know it continues on through high school!
Marin County makes the list of “America’s Best Places to Raise A Family” according to a June 30, 2008 article on www.forbes.com. Marin ranked #15 on the list of 20 best places.
Forbes used 10 data points for their ranking. Among the areas under consideration were education, housing, cost of living, crime, air quality and commute time.
As indicated in the article, the “rankings are skewed toward counties with good school districts.” This move certainly worked in Marin’s favor given the strong performance of our school system. The consideration of low crime, air quality (this summer excluded) and commute times were also likely favorable considerations for Marin.
Not in Marin’s favor was the cost of housing / living. The article cited a median home price of $901,900 as the most expensive on the list.
In case you needed it, the Forbes article is further confirmation of why people continue to move here. Despite the high cost of housing, people find value in the school system and quality of life. It is for these reasons that Marin’s home prices have held up so well in these difficult times for our nation’s housing market.
If you have children, you have probably heard about St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. For the second year, I am honored to sit on the event committee for Miracles on the Bay, a benefit for St. Jude. When I tell people I am involved with St. Jude, I often get looks of confusion.
“The hospital is in Tennessee, right?”
Yes, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is located in Memphis Tennessee, but many Bay Area children are treated by the hospital, and all families benefit from the incredible research developed at this hospital.
St. Jude is the world’s leading research center for pediatric cancer and catastrophic disease. The hospital treats children from the Bay Area, across the U.S. and from more than 70 countries around the world at no cost to their families. All patients accepted for treatment at St. Jude are treated without regard for the families ability to pay. Research developed at St. Jude is shared freely worldwide with anyone who can benefit from it and since 1962, that research has been a driving force behind raising childhood cancer survival rates from less than twenty percent to more than seventy percent overall.
Miracles on the Bay will feature tastings from more than fifteen top San Francisco Bay Area restaurants and chefs including Dry Creek Kitchen, Il Fornaio, Lark Creek Inn, Masa’s, Orson, Fish & Farm, and more.
- What: Second Annual Miracles on the Bay benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
- When: Thursday, May 1, 2008 , 6 p.m.
- Where: Galleria at the San Francisco Design Center
- Tickets: $125 in advance. Purchase Tickets
This event was phenomenal last year, and is set to be even better this year. Join me for a fun and fabulous event, but more importantly- join me in saving the lives of children in the Bay Area, in California, and throughout the world.
The much anticipated Marin IJ Marin summer camps guide has been released! Check it out for updated details on summer camps for Marin kids.
Related Posts:
Is it that time already? I got an email from Steve & Kate’s Camp about their pricing for the upcoming summer schedule. Wow! I can’t believe I have to start thinking about it already. Last summer, I waited too long and couldn’t get the kids in to some of the summer camps programs.
So, start planning soon to secure those summer camps spots! Here are a few Marin County summer camps to check in to.
I took the family to see Jack and the Beanstalk in San Francisco on Saturday. The play is put on by the Children’s Theatre Association of San Francisco (CTA).
The classic fairytale is delightful for young children, who are encouraged to clap, and express their delight in the performance. Even my youngest stayed in his seat, enthralled in the performance. The CTA is a non-profit that was founded in 1934. The CTA charges for weekend performances, but offers the performance for free to local elementary school children during the week.
Performances are held in the Florence Gould Theater at the Palace of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco. The small theater is perfect for this type of play. It is a beautiful and intimate setting and every seat is a good one. Tickets are only $12.00 ( a bargain in San Francisco) and parking is plentiful and free.
The play is very simple…,don’t expect to hear Pavorotti, but it is a very special treat for children all the same. Both my husband and father-in-law complained about the lack of men in the all-women cast. Both the Giant and the role of Jack were played by women. This didn’t bother me, but I knew going it what to expect.
I will definitely be on the lookout for future CTA productions. If you are looking for a fun, family friendly event- this is well worth the trip across the bridge!
I saw something today that was so disturbing that I had to post about it. When I picked up my child from a Marin County school today, I saw a young child (approx 4-5 years old), honking the horn of the family vehicle. I looked in to see a very hot, sweaty child left alone in the car with the windows up.
The parent was no where in sight. I notified another parent and someone in the school office immediately. When prompted, the girl was able to open the car door. Still no parent in sight. The child was extremely sweaty and warm.
First of all- never, ever leave a child alone in a vehicle, particularly with the windows up. Especially on a 90+ degree day. According to Careful Parents, a car left in the sun with the windows closed on a summer day can easily reach 120 to 130 degrees in less than 10 minutes.
The child was left alone for far more than 10 minutes. Please, please don’t leave your kids alone, for even a few minutes. You never know what might delay you…and it only takes a few minutes to create temperatures that could be fatal to a child.
I just stumbled across a blog that I find very interesting and informative. It is a great resource for Marin moms & dads looking for parenting tips, places to go and sort of everything mom. It features areas for both moms and dads. Check it out- MarinMommies.com!
A Forbes magazine study has rated Marin County, California the best education value in the United States. The Forbes “Best and Worst School Districts for the Buck,” measured per-pupil spending, college entrance exam scores, entrance exam participation rate and graduation rate to determine which counties provide the best value for the money. Marin County was ranked #1.
So while our schools aren’t spending much the education are kids are getting is excellent. 96.8 graduate and more than 60%. Why?