Life isn’t easy, and as parents, one of our biggest priorities is to raise kids that can bounce back from disappointments big and small. From toddlers to teenagers, how can we build resilience in our kids—so they can pick themselves up when we aren’t there to do it? To answer this question, we spoke to developmental psychologist Aliza Pressman, host of the Raising Good Humans podcast, which has recently featured women like Jessica Alba, Eve Rodsky, Dr. Samantha Boardman and others. “If you can’t bounce back in the face of a challenge, your life becomes so much less meaningful and harde ..read more

This week’s Meet a Mom Monday is Katie Brogan. A new mom of a beautiful little girl who is also loving being a working mom at Advanced EyeCare of Connecticut taking good care of patients eye care and glasses/contact lens fittings. She loves living here in Fairfield with her cute little family! Learn more today! Where are you originally from and how long have you been in Fairfield? I grew up in South Salem, NY and I’ve been in Fairfield since 2019.   Tell us about your Family! My husband and I just had our first child- a baby girl born in March. We also have two cats, who are less than thr ..read more

Today we are featuring some fun summer cocktails from Andrea Viscuso, a local realator for the Compass Group running her own team; Forte! Enjoy! Paloma Cocktail Recipe 1.5 oz of tequila (or Jalapeno infused if making a spicy version) 2 oz fresh grapefruit juice  ½ oz of lime juice  ½ oz simple  Stir together in highball with ice. Top with seltzer and garnish with a grapefruit slice.   Rich’s Grapefruit Cocktail 1.5 oz vodka of choice 1 oz Lillet Rose French aperitif  1.5 oz Fresh Grapefruit Juice ¾ oz simple syrup  2 dashes angostura aromatic bitters Combine in a ..read more

Meet Andrea, a local Fairfield mom, wife, and real estate team leader of a modern real estate team, Forte Team at Compass under the broker Compass CT.  Andrea has been featured in multiple publications including Connecticut Magazine, At Home, The Wall Street Journal, as well as a Featured Agent in Top Agent Magazine and Top Agents on Social Media by Property Spark!  We’ve known Andrea for years (our husbands met at CrossFit Shoreline in Branford) and we love that we both ended up here in Fairfield together.  Andrea is an incredible mom, friend, and realtor…as well as an amazing ..read more

Every parent wants their child to love reading. Developing strong reading skills builds the foundation for academic success and offers access to endless new worlds and experiences. But how do we encourage children to read when many of them would prefer doing just about anything else (especially over summer vacation)? Below, St. Luke’s Head of Middle School Amber Berry describes how St. Luke’s builds a love of reading into the school’s curriculum. By Amber Berry, St. Luke’s Head of Middle School  As educators, parents, and professionals, we understand that there is a critical need fo ..read more

We just returned from Disney (for our 1st time), it was also our first time traveling with 3 kids…and it was such a blast!  Yes, it was HOT and EXHAUSTING (what vacation isn’t?!?), but worth it (especially for the kids!!).  All of my insights below are from my own experience and I’m sure there is WAY more info out there, but this is what helped me plan and enjoy our trip!  Read more below!     We have family who live right outside of Orlando, so we were fortunate to work with an awesome Disney planner from the start – Smart Moms Travel.  We worked directly with J ..read more

If you’re involved in fundraising at your child’s school (shoutout to fellow PTA or PTO Moms!), sports team, or other local organization, coming up with creative ways to raise money can be a challenge. Seriously – how many bake sales or car washes can you do before people start to lose interest? Shoott, a female-run photography business, is offering a fabulous, fun solution – a photography fundraiser! Shoott makes professional photography accessible through 30-minute outdoor photo sessions held across the country at popular parks and other local spots; photos are $30 each ($150 for 10) and ..read more

S’mores make the perfect summer treat for both kids and adults! While it’s as fun to sit around the fire laughing and chatting, as it is to eat the gooey goodness… we do have a few new takes on the popular summer dessert! Sheet Pan S’mores from Maria Provanzano of From Scratch with Maria can be enjoyed at any time of the year! Ingredients: graham crackers chocolate bars marshmallows 2 sheet pans Directions: Place the top rack in the oven near the broiler, being careful it’s not too close that the s’mores won’t fit under it. Turn the oven to broil. Break the graham crackers in ha ..read more

Introducing Merkaz Westport!  Merkaz Community High School for Judaic Studies is coming to Westport this Fall! Give your teen the gift of Jewish community with fun classes and time to see old friends and make new ones. Merkaz is a weekly educational program open to all Jewish Teens grades 8-12. Merkaz is truly the place to be for Jewish teens throughout Fairfield County. Each week, students from numerous high schools and local congregations join together as one community to learn, socialize, explore and strengthen their Jewish identity. For the past 42 years, Merkaz has thrived in t ..read more

  Our girls just graduated Pre-K, so in celebration, we took a trip last weekend up to the new Surfside Hotel right on the beach in the Lordship area of Stratford.   The Surfside Hotel is so DREAMY!!  The hotel is situated right on the corner of Washington Parkway and has the most beautiful views of the ocean!  You can literally step right onto the beach from the hotel!  When you drive up, you also can’t help but see the colorful California beach cruisers that are for use when you stay there as a guest!  The area is a great place to walk or take a bike ride ..read more