KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
When my husband and I started planning a family, we talked a lot about the kind of parents we hoped to be. Naturally, we looked back on our own childhoods. David had story after story about his parents—their quirks, what they cared about, who they were. But when I tried to do the same, I came up oddly blank. I could tell you what I loved as a kid, but not much about what made my own
parents’ hearts sing. I remembered that my dad had a garden when I was little, but I couldn’t say whether he enjoyed digging in the dirt, liked making things grow, or was just trying to save money on vegetables. That realization stuck with me. I didn’t want my kids to grow up seeing me as a blur in the background of their story; I wanted them to see me clearly: as someone who had favorite things, real interests, and a sense of enjoyment they could understand. I wanted them to
grow up expecting that adulthood could be full of that, too... all of the vivid experiences that make up the inner life of a regular person, especially the joys. I started using the phrase "live what you love" as a kind of parenting guidepost. Our kids are always watching, taking cues about what adulthood looks like. If all they ever see is grownups stressed, rushing, and tired, they’ll assume that’s the default. But if they also see us delighted by a song, energized by a
game, inspired by something we've learned, genuinely laughing with people we love... that’s powerful. It shows them that joy isn’t something you age out of, it’s something you grow into. The holidays are packed with tasks and to-do lists, but they’re also full of opportunities for joy. So tune your radar to what YOU love, and if you catch yourself smiling at paper snowflakes or belting out a corny carol, don’t downplay it. Let yourself have that moment. When your kids see the
joy you've just pushed into the room; it's a gift to their present and to their future.
—Debra Ross, publisher
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KidsOutAndAbout.com: Discover more. Do more. Connect more. If you like my publisher's column, you can easily scroll through past columns in the "Notes from Deb" section of our site. |
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Urban Craft Uprising is Seattle’s largest indie craft show! At UCU, fans can choose from a wide variety of hand-crafted goods, including clothing of all types, jewelry, gifts, bags, wallets, buttons, accessories, aprons, children’s goods, toys, housewares, furniture, paper goods, candles, kits, geekery, art, food, and much, much more.
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Don’t miss the holiday-giving event of the season! At the Discovery Center’s annual Giving Marketplace, you can support a good cause while shopping for everyone on your list.
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Please join us in downtown Edmonds for the Edmonds Driftwood Players upcoming musical production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella (Broadway Version)! Running November 21-December 14, 2025 at the Wade James Theatre.
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Kick off the holiday season at Renton’s Clam Lights Opening Night Celebration - sponsored by Ivar's! Join us as Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park comes alive with twinkling lights, festive music, and holiday cheer for the whole family. Enjoy a tree lighting ceremony, holiday music atmosphere, and the arrival of Santa Claus as the park transforms into a glowing winter wonderland along Lake Washington. Bundle up, bring your loved ones, and share in this cherished Renton tradition that marks the start of the holiday season! Clam Lights will be lit nightly from 5 to 9 p.m. beginning December 6 through January 4
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- Holiday Kickoff Sing-Along Dueling Piano Show - Westfield Southcenter - Southcenter Mall, Seattle, WA, Friday, December 5, 2025, 6:00PM-8:00PM
- Santa Claus is Coming To Town - Downtown Issaquah Association - 232 Front Street North, Issaquah, WA 98027, Friday, December 5, 2025, All different times - refer to website for specific details
- Free mini photo session with Shoott! Seattle-Tacoma area - Shoott - Broadway, New York, NY, Friday, December 5, 2025 (See link for times)
- Holiday Candlelight Concerts at Pacific Place - Downtown Seattle Association - 1809 7th Ave Ste 900,
Seattle, WA 98101, Friday, December 5, 2025, 6pm-7pm
- Farm Fresh - Downtown Issaquah Association - 232 Front Street North, Issaquah, WA 98027, Saturday, December 6, 2025, 9am-2pm
- Holiday Makers Market at the Mercer Island Community Center - Mercer Island Community & Event Center, Southeast 24th Street, Mercer Island, WA, Saturday, December 6, 2025, 10 am - 3 pm
- Frosty's Friends Scavenger Hunt + Kids' Crafts - Westfield Southcenter - Southcenter Mall, Seattle, WA, Saturday, December 6, 2025, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
- Open House Partnership with The Polytech and Huma Education Services - Huma Education Services, 12822 SE 32nd
St., 2nd Floor, Bellevue, WA 98005, Saturday, December 6, 2025, 12:00pm-2:00pm
- Free Santa Pics at Ounces! - Ounces Taproom & Beer
Garden, Saturday, December 6, 2025, 1-4pm
- Holiday Blast at the Center at Norpoint - Center at
Norpoint, Nassau Avenue Northeast, Tacoma, WA, Saturday, December 6, 2025, 1pm - 4pm
- Holiday Barn Lighting - Kelsey Creek Farm, 410 130th Pl SE, Bellevue, WA 98005, Saturday, December 6, 2025, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
- Battle of the Badges: Holiday Lights 2025 - Renton Technical College, Northeast 4th Street, Renton, WA, Saturday, December 6, 2025, 5:30 pm - 8 pm
- Free mini photo session with
Shoott! Seattle-Tacoma area - Shoott - Broadway, New York, NY, Saturday, December 6, 2025 (See link for times)
- Free mini photo session with Shoott! Seattle-Tacoma area - Shoott - Broadway, New York, NY, Sunday, December 7, 2025 (See link for times)
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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the Seattle area. From Arcades to Ziplines our Big List will help you think outside the box and plan the party of your kids' dreams! KidsOutAndAbout has dozens of ideas! In addition to Seattle there are
locations in Mercer Island, Bellevue, Kirkland, Newcastle, Shoreline, Renton, Lake Forest Park, Redmond, Kingsgate, Kenmore, and SeaTac.
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2025's best places to take kids in the Seattle area. Each May-June, thousands of parents vote in the KidsOutAndAbout survey of the Top 20 Places to Take Kids. Our Top 20 results page is an annotated list of the winners, both of the top 20 slots and of the
three category winners: Who won for Top Arts Educator, Top Sports Educator, and Top STEM Educator?
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Here's to seizing opportunities to learn wherever they appear!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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