From the Publisher
Last month, I got a call from the school nurse that Alexis had gotten a splinter in her hand and was having a hard time dealing with it. I didn’t think much of it, at first, and agreed with the nurse to put a bandage over it and send her back to class, but then I actually spoke to Alexis on the phone.
She was inconsolable. So much so that I couldn’t understand a word she said. I looked at her dad, who was sitting right next to me at the time, and decided right then that the school day was over.
The entire drive to the school I questioned whether I was overreacting to the situation, even though I knew in my gut that she was too upset for a simple splinter. When we got her home and were able to examine her hand more closely, we discovered not one but five deeply-embedded splinters. Apparently, she had put her hand in a sticker patch. It was puffy and red, and I know it had to hurt.
In the end, we were able to get them all out with minimal tears, and then we treated her to lunch at her favorite restaurant.
It’s moments like those, when I know I’ve made the right decision, that make me feel like I’m succeeding at this motherhood thing. Alexis’s mental health in that moment mattered more than an afternoon spent in a classroom.
I wish I could say being a parent comes that easily to me all the time, but the truth is that it doesn’t. It’s something I have to work at every single day. Like it or not, motherhood is messy and difficult and stressful and exhausting. Don’t get me wrong. It’s also rewarding and fulfilling and amazing. But it’s definitely a journey, full of ups and downs, curves and detours, and so many bumps.
One thing I am grateful for is the community that surrounds me. The Wiregrass is a wonderful place to call home, and this month we’re shining the spotlight on all the things that make our area such a great place to raise a family. In our annual Newcomer’s Guide, you’ll find our top picks of Where to Eat, Grow, Learn, and Play.
Before I started publishing this magazine, I heard from so many parents about the lack of things to do here. While that’s not really true, it is difficult to find those things, and that was the main goal behind starting Wiregrass Parents. I wanted to give local moms and dads like you an easy-to-use resource that you can hold in your hands to help you connect with family activities, products and services, and expert advice like this month’s features: The Importance of Finding Your Tribe and 10 Things Kids Should Know Before Heading to College This Fall.
For all you newcomers out there, welcome to the Wiregrass! I think you’ll find there’s no place else quite like it, and I hope you’ll quickly grow to think of it as home sweet home.
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Author: Ashton Wright
Ashton is the publisher of Wiregrass Parents magazine. A lifelong resident of the Wiregrass, she grew up in Blakely, Ga. Her love of journalism began on her high school newspaper and continued at Troy University where she received her print journalism degree. After graduating, she worked with WTVY-TV for nearly a decade. She and her husband, Chris, have been married since 2012. They have one daughter, Alexis, as well as a dog, Jackson, and a cat, Cooper.
