Issue link: http://hvparent.uberflip.com/i/283958
6 Hudson Valley Parent n April 2014 Publisher TERRIE GOLDSTEIN tgoldstein@excitingread.com Editor KATY WEBER kweber@excitingread.com Media Advisors FELICE FEINBERG ffeinberg@excitingread.com KIMBERLY MAYER kmayer@excitingread.com ROANNE PATTERSON rpatterson@excitingread.com Executive Assistant to the Publisher MERLYN AKHTAR makhtar@excitingread.com Administrative Assistant ALLYSON KIRSTEIN akirstein@excitingread.com Social Media Coordinators ERIN JOHNSON GLORIA DARMANIN Web Ad Designer LESLIE CORTES Layout & Design ENGLE PRINTING also publishers of MY TripPlanner.com family MY TripPlanner.com family baby The HUDSON VALLEY G U I D E Hudson Valley Parent is published monthly by: The Professional Image Marketing & Public Relations Inc. 174 South Street • Newburgh, NY 12550 Phone: 845-562-3606 • Fax: 845-562-3681 hvparent.com This publication is copyrighted by the publisher. Reproduction without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Hudson Valley Parent welcomes submissions, although we cannot accept responsibility for work submitted nor guarantee publication. A MEMBER OF W hen my daughter was younger, I was an obsessive clean freak. I avoided pud- dles, I banned Play-doh, I covered every surface in newspaper whenever we'd paint, and I fol- lowed her around relent- lessly with wet wipes and Purell. Then I had a boy. I'm not sure if it was the chaos of having two children or if my son's iron will simply broke my own will, but I reluctantly gave up the fight for cleanliness and learned to embrace this newfound life of endless clutter, grass stained knees and dirty foot- prints through my kitchen. And you know what? I realized I love it. I love watching my kids get messy! When they jump in puddles, I love seeing the joy on their faces (accompanied by the nervous glance my way to see if mommy's gonna howl). It reminds me that they're young and life is short, and someday soon they'll be too old and jaded to enjoy these simple pleasures. So, it was with great gladness that I first heard about the Muddy Puddles Project. The Muddy Puddles Project was inspired by 5-year-old Ty Campbell, a magnetic little boy who battled cancer for more than half his life. His one wish was to someday be healthy enough to jump in mud puddles. But that day never came. The Muddy Puddles Project was started to remind parents to stop sweating the small stuff and let kids be kids in honor of those who can't. Gloria Darmanin writes in this month's issue about how to embrace the mess for a great cause and throw your own messy party in honor of Ty. There's still that voice in the back of my head that snipes, "Their pants are soaked! My car will be filthy! They'll catch a cold! Oy, the laundry!" But now I smile and try my best to ignore that voice, and I remember Ty and all of those children who aren't able to run around outside and get messy. For more great party ideas, make sure to check out Hudson Valley Parent's online party resource at hvparent.com/parties. Letting our kids be kids KATY WEBER Editor's Journal My 2.5-year-old son has yet to meet a puddle he hasn't jumped in. (Yes, his coat's on back- ward. That's another battle for another day.)