On a 93 degree day, we headed to Pronzini Farms on Adobe Rd. Four grandparents, mom and dad all soldiered on in the heat. I could tell that Rorie was feeling it too because she wanted uppies the whole morning.
Rorie had her heart set on the bouncy houses as soon as we arrived, but she was soon discouraged when she saw how crowded they were. As a two year old, she gets a little nervous when there are bigger children bouncing around, so we moved on to the corn pit and that was a big hit. Under the awning, it was the coolest place to hang out. The ponies across from the pit caught Rorie’s eye so we moved along for her first ride. The little mechanical rides were definitely the highlight for her and she went on four quarters’ worth of rides. We noticed a lull in the bouncy house so ran over for a few bounces and runs down the slide. At this point all the grown ups were ready for a break from the sun and took the opportunity to enjoy some churros and iced tea while Rorie rolled around the corn pit some more.
Our last hurrah was a run up the hay stack pyramid and then a quick walk through the pumpkin patch because it was already nap time and we were all melting.
A week later, we returned with Rorie’s older cousin. This time we went in the early evening and it happened to be a very welcome cloudy day. I could see the difference in Rorie’s energy on a cool evening and perhaps it was just more fun having the company of another child.
While Rorie had fun, I’d say that Pronzini’s is probably more appropriate for older children. I felt bad explaining to her she wasn’t old enough or tall enough to go on some of the rides or bigger bounce houses.
So far, the only other pumpkin patch we have been to is the Petaluma Pumpkin Patch off of Stony Point, and I think that one is a much better pick for toddlers. We went on a weekday afternoon for a playdate with a friend a few weeks ago, and the place was practically empty. Rorie and her friend had the bounce houses and slides all to themselves and they had such a blast. The best part for me that afternoon was watching Rorie run around the actual pumpkin patch with her play date. They had so much fun just doing their own thing, running in the dirt and giggling.
I get that the bounce houses and rides are fun for children, but I think that there’s a place and time for them. The purest in me would like to see a pumpkin patch that just had the patch, the corn pit, and the animals; just the farm and fall related fun. I always think, particularly for young children, the simpler the better. If anybody knows of any such pumpkin patch, please email me!
If you haven’t already, check out the pumpkin patch guide on the PMC website!
Happy Fall everyone!
My name is Annie and I am mom to two year old Rorie. I have only joined the PMC recently, but attended a board member meeting soon after and found the role as blogger available. I love to write so I volunteered for the position and here I am.
For my first post as the PMC blogger this year, I thought I would simply introduce myself and let you know what topics I’m personally most interested in and also ask you, members, what topics you’re interested in. So, if you have any suggestions, please send them over.
I’m originally from Queens, NY, but grew up in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Beijing. I went to a small liberal arts college in Maine and decided to become a Montessori teacher. After teaching at Montessori schools for ten years , I decided to work for myself so I started an in-home day care out of my apartment when I was still living in Berkeley. Then, wishing for more green space, in 2019, my husband and I moved to Petaluma where I now continue to run a day care.
So here I am. As a teacher, a mom and a fairly new resident of Petaluma, here are the things that preoccupy my mind… How will I raise my daughter to speak Mandarin? Why isn’t there more shade in the playgrounds?! Why aren’t there better playgrounds for infants and toddlers?! Is there a community for moms who became moms later in life? Are there good home school communities in Petaluma? Is Waldorf something I want to explore?
In a nutshell, those are a few thoughts I would like to delve into. Please let me know what you as caregivers in Petaluma want to read about. If anyone would like to guest blog at any point, that is also welcome! If anyone would like to contact me with questions, suggestions or to collaborate, please email me at anniedewi@mac.com
Looking forward to becoming more involved and getting to know PMC members better this year!
Kindly,
Annie
It feels like just yesterday my 2018 baby was born and kindergarten was many years in the future - how is it possible that he will be starting elementary school next fall?! But here I am, starting the process of researching schools in hopes of making the right decision for my son and my family. When it comes to public schools in Petaluma, the consensus I hear from parents is that all the schools are great. But the decision-making process can feel overwhelming for many of us. So this is my attempt at summarizing and simplifying that process for you, based on what I’ve learned from parents and school staff here in town. Please note: this post will focus on public elementary schools in Petaluma and the immediate surrounding areas.
Before I get into the details related to researching, applying, and making a decision about schools, I want to point out that there is definitely a case to be made for sending your child to their assigned neighborhood school. If all the schools are generally considered “great,” why not keep the process simple and go to a school that is conveniently located, allowing for neighborhood friends and a local feeling of community? If that works for you and your family, it will save you a lot of time and energy! The school or district website will have information on info nights, tours, and application processes/deadlines.
But for many parents, there may be a number of reasons why you decide to “shop around.” Petaluma allows for school choice, so depending on the available spots at a school, anyone can enroll. Some schools fill up with their neighborhood students and don’t have room for “intradistrict” (same district but transferring to a different neighborhood school) or “interdistrict” (outside of your assigned district) transfers. But many schools accept students from other districts, and even students living outside of Petaluma.
Overview
There are 21 public elementary schools in Petaluma (including surrounding feeder districts). Some of these schools are in a school district that contains multiple schools, while many are single-school school districts, especially in the rural parts of Petaluma. There are also many charter schools which may use the same application as the rest of the district, or they may have their own application/lottery system. You need to fill out one application for each district to which you are applying (with the exceptions of Live Oak and River, which each have their own applications/lottery deadlines). Please check with each school/district to verify the application process. Here is a list of school districts and schools in and around Petaluma:
Petaluma City Schools (PCS): Grant, Mary Collins at Cherry Valley (MCCV), McDowell, McKinley, McNear, Penngrove, Valley Vista (note: this is also the school district that contains Petaluma Junior High, Petaluma High School, Petaluma Accelerated Charter School, Kenilworth Junior High, and Casa Grande High School).
Old Adobe Union School District (OAUSD): La Tercera, Loma Vista, Miwok, Old Adobe, Sonoma Mountain
Waugh School District: Corona Creek, Meadow
Cinnabar Charter (Cinnabar Elementary School District)
Dunham Elementary Charter (Dunham School District)
Liberty Elementary (Liberty Elementary School District)
Live Oak Charter: chartered through PCS, but has a separate application/lottery process
River Montessori: chartered through OAUSD, but has a separate application/lottery process
Two Rock Elementary (Two Rock Union School District)
Wilson Elementary (Wilmar Union School District)
TK/Kindergarten Eligibility
For the 2022-23 school year, kids turning five before September 2nd were eligible to start kindergarten in the “fall” (aka July/August) of 2022. Those who turned five after that deadline may have qualified for transitional kindergarten (TK) depending on their birthday and the number of openings at a particular school. The bill SB 130 passed in California last summer, stating that by the 2025-26 school year, all 4-year-olds in the state will be eligible for universal TK. This program is slowly being rolled out, which is why every public school in Petaluma now offers a TK program, and the age cutoff dates are gradually getting later (i.e. kids are getting accepted at a younger age). For the 2022-23 school year we saw TK age cutoff dates ranging from turning five by early December all the way up to June of 2023 (most cutoffs fell in early February-April). If your child misses the TK cutoff but you have your heart set on them attending TK, I recommend contacting the school to see if they have a waitlist for younger kids that may be accepted based on availability (many did for 2022-23).
Be sure to check with each individual school/school district for exact TK eligibility cutoff dates. Using last year as a guide, a child would likely qualify for starting kindergarten in fall 2023 if they were born before September 2, 2018. If they were born after that, they may qualify to enroll in TK in fall 2023 (and then kindergarten in fall 2024) if they were born some time between September 2, 2018 and spring of 2019, depending on the school. If your child does qualify for TK, you may still determine that preschool or a different childcare option is the right fit for them - again, it depends on the needs of your child and family!
Factors to Consider When Choosing a School
Choosing a school is an incredibly personal decision and will vary greatly based on the needs of your child and family. Regardless of where you live in Petaluma, you do not have to go to your neighborhood school if you would prefer to attend a different one. Here are some common considerations I have heard from local parents:
Location: do you want your child to walk or bike to school? Is it important to meet neighborhood friends and develop community in your neighborhood? Or do you have more flexibility and time to drive across town? If you choose a school further away, you may want to map out your route and drive it during peak pickup and dropoff hours to get a feel for traffic. Consider investigating the length of car dropoff lines and/or parking limitations.
Aftercare: if you will be relying on before-care and/or aftercare, you may want to factor this into your decision-making process as well. Most schools will list the aftercare hours and costs on their website. Costs of aftercare vary widely. Some schools have grants that dramatically reduce the cost of aftercare (McDowell, McKinley, Miwok, and La Tercera all have reduced rates). Some aftercare programs are very impacted and have waitlists for new students. Ask the school and reach out to current parents to learn more about aftercare and have a backup plan if they tend to fill up. It's also good practice to always fill out whatever forms the school gives you at the time of enrollment, as you may be eligible for programs and not know it! Some of the school districts also offer extended care and programming over school holiday breaks or extra care days for an added fee.
Traditional vs Year-Round Calendar: while most of the schools in Petaluma follow a Traditional calendar, three operate Year-Round (shorter summer break, more frequent/longer breaks at other times of the year). The following schools have Year-Round school calendars:
MCCV
Penngrove
River Montessori
Curriculum/Focus/Teaching Philosophy: several of the elementary schools in Petaluma have a specific curriculum focus or teaching philosophy that sets them apart from other schools. Some examples are listed below (please note: this information was obtained from the school websites; this is not an exhaustive list):
MCCV: project-based learning, multi-age classes, performing arts
Cinnabar: STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics)
La Tercera: STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics)
Live Oak Charter: Waldorf-inspired
Loma Vista Immersion Academy: Spanish language immersion
McDowell: Spanish dual language immersion (the 2023-24 school year will be K-3, with plans to continue to grow the program through grade 12 within the District).
McKinley: project-based learning, Spanish language, STEAM focus, accelerated learning (grades 4-6)
Old Adobe Elementary: arts & ecology focus, school-wide edible garden
Penngrove: STEM
River Montessori: Montessori philosophy, multi-age classes
Sonoma Mountain Elementary: fine arts focus (visual/performing arts)
Valley Vista: International Baccalaureate Candidate Program, Spanish language
TK-6 vs TK-8: some of the elementary schools include a middle school or junior high on campus, while others max out at sixth grade. There are pros and cons to having a middle school on campus. On the one hand, it allows kids to have fewer school/campus transitions, they are in a smaller school environment, and it might make drop-offs easier for families with multiple kids. On the other hand, the larger junior high schools in Petaluma (Petaluma and Kenilworth Junior High) may offer more extracurricular activities, a more diverse student body, and a smoother social transition to high school. It’s also an option to attend one of the TK-8 schools for elementary school, but transfer to one of the larger junior highs in 7th grade. Petaluma Accelerated Charter School (PACS) is a small junior high located on the McKinley Elementary school campus; attendance of McKinley for elementary grants some priority for acceptance to PACS (though not guaranteed). Elementary schools with a junior high on campus are:
Cinnabar
Live Oak
*McKinley is TK-6, but students have priority enrollment at PACS
Resources for Children with Disabilities: if your child has a disability or needs an Individualized Education Program (IEP), reach out to schools directly to determine whether a particular school can meet the needs of your child in a manner that works best for your family. Talk to other parents if possible, as these discussions can be personal and private and may be shared less in public forums like Facebook groups. Remember that you do have the option of posting anonymously in your PMC Playgroup Facebook group to ask personal questions like this.
Parent Involvement/Community: parent involvement can make a big difference in your child's school experience. A school/district's parent teacher organization (PTO) helps to enrich and support what the school can offer as far as education and extracurricular activities. It's also a great way to meet and connect with other parents. Or perhaps you're not looking to take on an official role, but you'd like to make new parent friends and find community through your child's school. Talking to parents of current students is likely the best way to get a feel for parent involvement and the overall "vibe" of the parent community at a particular school.
Info Nights & Tours
Some of the elementary schools hold TK/K info nights for prospective parents (typically scheduled in December). In recent years these have been offered virtually, but it appears most have returned to in-person this year. Most schools offer school tours, either scheduled or by request. Check out the individual schools’ websites and Facebook pages for more info.
Timeline
Here is a general timeline for the fall/winter prior to the start of the school year:
October/November: make a list of the schools you want to tour/learn more about. Check out the PMC Elementary School Guide, talk to other parents, post questions in your PMC playgroup or other local Facebook groups (Petaluma Hive Sourcing on Schools is a good one). Think about what’s important to you: location/commute, school focus/philosophy, teaching style, school calendar (Traditional vs. Year-Round), ages/grades offered (TK-6 vs TK-8), the school’s ability to address students with disabilities or an IEP, aftercare program/cost, etc.
December-February: book school tours and/or information nights. **On December 19, 2022 from 7:30-8:30pm, PMC has partnered with Petaluma City Schools to host a special virtual information night on the TK/K enrollment process. Event info, Zoom link, and ability to add to your calendar can be found here: Petaluma City Schools TK/K Virtual Information Night.
January-March: apply to schools (check school websites for application deadlines - typically late February/early March).
Late March: this is usually when people start getting notified which school(s) their child has been accepted to for the “fall” school year start (which starts in July or August). **Once you make a decision regarding which school your child will attend and notify that school, it is recommended that you promptly tell any other schools to which your child was accepted that they will not be attending, as a courtesy to other parents eagerly waiting for a spot to open up for their child.
Lastly, I think it's important to remember that one can't truly know whether a school is the right fit for one's child until they attend. You may discover things about the school that don't work for you or your family, or maybe a new need arises for your child that can't be met by the school you chose. It's okay to transfer to a new school in the future if you find that there may be a better fit somewhere else.
Happy school researching!
Laura Disharoon,
PMC Board President, 2022-2023
We are excited to announce a very special upcoming event in April: All About Naps with Sarah Healy. To get us all prepared for the event, Sarah is addressing three of the most common issues parents face with sleeping through guest blog posts February through April.
Over the years, I have hosted numerous classes and private consultations and I often get questions about the sudden change in baby's behavior. The questions come in many forms, such as:
Sometimes an increase in wakefulness at night can be due to sickness or teething, but often this change in sleep pattern is due to a developmental leap—or what Dr. Hetty van de Rijt and Dr. Frans X. Plooij have called the Wonder Weeks. Authors van de Rijt and Plooij have studied babies for over 35 years and they have discovered that babies go through eight developmental milestones in the first year of life (10 in the first 20 months!) right around the same week of life.
In this time, there is an increase in brain activity—think of it as your baby’s brain firing and wiring new neural pathways—which can cause a change in behavior.
What does it look like?
When do these occur?
Unless your baby was born premature, most babies go through these developmental leaps at the following times:
5-6 weeks
8-9 weeks
12 weeks
19-20 weeks
25-26 weeks (6 months)
33-37 weeks
43-47 weeks
55 weeks (just after first birthday)
At the early developmental leaps, your baby is noticing patterns, images, sensations and forming crucial relationships. As they get older (19 weeks and older) their developmental leaps coincide with a movement milestone such as rolling, crawling, pulling to standing and walking. As they integrate patterns and relationships, or as they learn a new movement there is a marked increase in brain activity which can present to parents as clingy, fussy and unpredictable.
While this can be frustrating and lead to less sleep for everyone, I assure you, your baby is doing exactly what she or he needs to be doing and it is a really good sign of important development.
During these periods, researchers and experts alike suggest various activities that can help with this stage in your child’s learning. The book Wonder Weeks or the app can offer some of these suggestions.
During the periods when a developmental leap is occurring, it is generally not a great time to start sleep changes as your little one will need extra support and connection and will likely resist sleep changes.
Do your best to offer more comfort, be patient and take deep breaths.
Maintain as much consistency with bedtime as possible and comfort at night when your baby wakes.
During this time your baby will be taking on so many new motor skills, increasing their perception, and integrating important information about the world around them…and it is a lot of work!
These periods during the Wonder Weeks can be frustrating and unpredictable therefore as parents it is crucial that we prioritize self care and practice patience so we can support our babies as they learn and navigate through their first year of life. If you’re struggling, please consider signing up for my All About Naps class on April 16th, from 10-11am at McNear Park through the Petaluma Mothers Club.
About Sarah:
Sarah Healy, MA is a mother of two, Certified Infant Sleep Consultant, and parent coach specializing in the transitions that occur in the first year after the birth of a child. She holds a masters in psychology and has devoted 20 years of her career to infant and child development, and family support. Sarah uses an evidence based approach to her sleep classes and draws from a multidimensional approach in understanding the various situations that occur with sleep and families.
For more information about Sarah or additional sleep tips, check out her website or follow her on social media.
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/sarahhealysleep/
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/SarahHealySleep
The Petaluma Mothers Club is an entirely volunteer-run organization. And we are actively recruiting members to join the 2022-23 Board Term!
So this month's Member Social will be both a way to connect with other families AND an opportunity to learn about how you can get involved.
On Sunday, March 27 we're hosting 2 separate Member Socials – one in the morning on the East Side of Petaluma, and one in the afternoon on the West Side. And we are also hosting a similar event on Monday, April 11.
All three events will take place at a park, so feel free to bring your little ones.
Each event will kick off with some ice breakers as a way to get to know the other mamas. Then 2 of our current board members will share a bit about what being on the PMC board is like.
Some of the questions we'll address are:
Being on the PMC Board is a wonderful way to form deeper relationships with other moms, provide valuable resources to the members in the organization, and cultivate a close-knit community for your own families in Petaluma.
We hope you're inspired to learn more about being part of this amazing group!
I am getting a lot of calls and emails these days about early morning wakings. I know it is hard, but there is hope!
Here are a few pointers about how to best respond so you can get a bit more shut eye.
First of all, get a sense of how much sleep your baby needs. After 3 months of age, babies need approximately 10-12 hours of sleep at night. So that means if your baby goes to sleep at 7pm, their wake up call will fall between 5-7am. If they are a 10 hour a night sleeper, they may be bright eyed and bushy tailed at 5am.
If you go in and they are happy to see you and appear rested, that 10 hours was all they needed. If they seem tired, snuggly, or otherwise sleepy, it may indicate that they need more sleep than 10 hours. If this is the case here are your options:
Go in and offer a feed and lay baby back in their crib (asleep is fine). That might buy you an extra 30-60 min
Pull baby into bed with you and do a side lie feed or snuggle. This way at least you stay horizontal and (relatively) resting. Many babies sleep a little bit more if cuddled up next to a warm body. If you do this, just be sure that you put a limit on when you pull baby into bed (ie: no earlier than 5am) so that you don't begin to co-sleep earlier and earlier each day.
If your baby is older than 5 months of age and you have used a Cry It Out Method to help them learn to resettle, you can give them up to 30 min of crying to see if they can resettle. It may take 7 days to see if this approach works. If your baby is tired, she/he will resettle and sleep more. If she/he is not tired, then no amount of crying it out will help baby to go back to sleep.
Lastly and importantly... it is essential that you as parents go to bed early as well. This period of time where you are going to bed early is finite and really important so give your body the rest it needs. If you’re struggling, please consider signing up for my All About Naps class on April 16th, from 10-11am at McNear Park through the Petaluma Mothers Club.
FOMO—The Fear Of Missing Out.
It’s real.
Some of us with really social and alert babies find that if given the chance, they will literally push through their sleepiness just to continue playing with you—their favorite people on earth. While flattering, this is not the outcome we want, it not only creates an overtired baby, it also limits the amount and quality of sleep they are actually getting in the day (To achieve restorative REM sleep, babies need to nap for at least 45 minutes. For babies over 3 months, 2.5-4 hours of day time sleep is ideal.)
I was talking with a parent the other day who was telling me about how nap times are such a struggle. “She fusses, struggles and will not sleep when I bring her into her room for a nap!” mom explained. After exploring her situation more, we identified the root cause—moving baby too quickly from playtime to naptime was jarring her little system. This baby needed more time to wind down in order to successfully transition peacefully to her nap.
The transition from playtime (in the living room) to sleep time for naps or bedtime can sometimes take babies by surprise. Babies who are social have a particularly hard time making this transition. It would be similar to someone plucking you out of a party just as things were getting fun! Parents—you ARE the party and being at home with you is FUN! So naturally your baby may protest when you suggest that it's time to nap. Helping babies with this transition can really support them in establishing habits to wind themselves down for a nap or for bedtime. The following are some suggestions for noting their sleepy cues and also helping them to transition into sleep with more ease. These can be used for both pre-bedtime as well as pre-nap time routines.
Baby's Sleep Cues:
Be sure to watch for signs that your baby is giving you that he/she is getting tired. If you time it right, you will put them down in the right window when their body is physiologically primed to fall asleep, making it much easier to go down. If you push them too far, they will often struggle to go down or pop up soon after falling asleep.
Early signs of tiredness include:
Rubbing eyes or nose
red eye brows
stiffness or arching body fussing
whining
crying
seeking comfort
sucking or feeding
gaze avert
Later signs of tiredness include:
lots of yawning
Awake Periods:
Be sure to track how long your little one has been awake and be ready to put them down for a nap or bedtime when they have had enough awake time.
Establishing an Effective Sleep Routine for Baby:
Begin a consistent and regular sleep routine that involves low lights, quiet voices and simple play. Prior to bedtime, this can be a bath, a massage, or simply reading quietly in his or her room. Prior to the nap, you can skip the bath but do something else to wind them down like a book, a song, or quiet time in their room. Some babies habituate to a certain song or lullaby, or the sound of the white noise machine coming on. While you are doing this, please be sure to take some slow deep breaths yourself as your ability to calm and get present will send signals to your little one that will help him or her to calm their central nervous system.
If you have a little one who is at the age where he or she understands your words well, you can also begin to talk to them about the things that are coming up for the sleep routine ie: "First we are going to take a bath, and then we are going to read some books and then it is night-night time."
Be sure to re-establish the sleep routine in a way that has your child going into his/her crib drowsy but awake so that they learn to put themselves to sleep using their own self soothing mechanisms. Remember that bedtime is determined from when they wake from their last nap and this usually falls between 6:30-8:30pm.
Be consistent. More than anything this will be important. If your baby fusses as you begin the walk down the hall for naptime, don’t see this as a chance to turn back around and keep playing. The fancy word for this is “anticipatory behavior” and it is simply your baby letting you know that she is sad that the party is ending and she has to nap. Stay consistent, keep the nap and tell them that the party will pick back up once the nap is over.
There are few things more frustrating to parents than when your baby won't nap. Whether it's FOMO and she fights it and doesn’t sleep at all... or it’s just 5-10 minutes of sleep and then she pops back up, it's one of the most common reasons that parents reach out to me for help. If you’re struggling, please consider signing up for my All About Naps class on April 16th, from 10-11am at McNear Park through the Petaluma Mothers Club.
Did you know that I also offer a complimentary 10-minute discovery call to discuss what’s going on with your baby and offer suggestions for a solution? I provide research-based, proven solutions tailored for YOUR unique situation. There is no one size fits all when it comes to baby’s sleep. I am here for you. Let's talk!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahhealysleep/
Guest post by PMC member Amy McIntosh:
An aquaerobics class on a chilly morning in the fall sounds like a tough sell. I nearly let the foggy morning air that hovered around 55 degrees stop me from joining 10 other PMC members in the Cavanagh Pool on November 13th. But I'm glad that I poured myself a thermos of coffee and hopped in the pool for the morning's Aqua Boogie class!
As members milled around the pool deck, Kristina the instructor encouraged us to enter the heated water, buckle on a floatation belt, and find a depth in the pool that felt comfortable. After the brief initial shivers, the water turned warm and pleasant. The company was, too! Everyone in the class was quickly smiling with the funny (and yet still very athletic) experience of doing jumping jacks, lunges, and sprints while bobbing up and down in the pool.
There's another class coming up on Saturday, December 4th. Are you considering signing up? Here's a quick pep talk from Aqua Boogie regular and evangelist Brianna Wolf: "The pool is heated. Bouncing around in warm water feels so yummy. Experiencing the morning fog clearing to blue skies while steams pours off the water is dazzling. Your fellow swimmings are excellent company. You will have a huge smile on your face afterwards." She's right! Come on in... the water's fine at Aqua Boogie.
Sign-up to Aqua Boogie with us: www.petalumamothersclub.org/event-4556652
Crisp leaves cover the ground, wind blows, a chill in the air- it finally feels like fall. It is the first time in about half a decade that it truly feels like fall in this part of Northern California in October. It was nice to not be socked in with smoke, still too hot for the season, and stuck inside. Yet even more exciting is the sound of the MonsterMash that floats on the breeze, Halloween decorations all around, and the sight of children enjoying this time of year. After several somewhat disappointing Halloweens, we finally had one that is definitely worth writing about! The PMC was so incredibly proud to be a part of two great Halloween events.
On Saturday, October 30, 2021 on a misty, gray afternoon, we took part in the Hallo-luma City of Petaluma drive through Halloween event. This event was started last year in response to the COVID 19 pandemic. The City still wanted to feel the Halloween spirit and many local businesses and organizations stepped up to help, including the Petaluma Mothers’ Club. This year when we were asked to take part again, we brought our A game! It was wonderful to see many PMC families, both current and “aged-out,” drive through and enjoy the fog, bubbles, and witch themed decor of our PMC booth, with cheering mama (and some baby) faces smiling out. We even gave information about the club to some young families, who would be fantastic additions to our club community. In addition to our booth, families got to check out cute pups representing Canine Companions, huge puppet dinosaurs coming to their car windows, classic cars parked along the fairgrounds, Clo the mascot for the local company Clover, Petaluma High Football players and cheerleaders, and much more. The car trip ended with a real, sweet baby cow at the exit and a treat bag give away. It was the perfect kick off to the Halloween weekend. It felt as though the chill and mist in the air couldn’t keep the joy down.
The show piece of the weekend for the club was our own event, the Halloween Costume Parade and Fall Fun Family Social, held on Sunday, October 31, 2021 at Leghorns Park. We had a fantastic turn out with over a hundred families and their adorable little ones dressed up and looking amazing.There were witches, insects, unicorns, superheroes, princesses, dragons, animals of all varieties… and the list of cuteness goes on and one. Some highlights of the event, other than all the festive decorations all around, included a pumpkin decorating craft station, multiple monster themed sensory tables, a photo station, silly story time, and the parade itself, where families walked a balloon-clad concourse to get candy, toys, and treats handed out by our very own PMC “mama-teers”. Two local food vendors, Crepes du Jour and` Scone Rollin’, provided delicious food to fill our bellies as we partook in the revelry. More than anything it was a great day to be together. Everyone seemed happy and filled with appreciation to be out and enjoying the season as it ought to be. While we are not completely out of the woods of this pandemic, it was nice to have a small taste of normalcy, surrounded by adorable little monsters with grins a mile wide!
It is still early in the fire season and our hearts go out to those who have already been impacted by the Dixie and Caldor fires. Unfortunately, fire season brings unpredictability and uncertainty, and now more than ever, being prepared for emergencies is important for the health and wellbeing of our families and community. We have complied three ways to learn more and ensure your family is prepared:
1) Visit the City of Petaluma emergency preparedness website to find clear and actionable resources, including:
2) Attend the 9th Annual Petaluma Emergency Preparedness Fair + Blood Drive on Sunday, September 26, 2021 from 11:00 am - 3:00 pm at Walnut Park. Get Free information and resources from our community partners: Petaluma Fire & Police, FEMA, DHS, Red Cross, US Coast Guard, Sonoma County Sheriff's Office, CHP, VFW, American Legion, Local Girl & Boy Scouts.
3) Sign up for emergency alerts:
The following is a flyer from a PMC and City of Petaluma event last year on emergency preparedness with more go-bap packing tips!
P.O. Box 521 Petaluma, CA 94953-0521
