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| Ray Martin and Emma Lougheed share breakfast with some friends in the PVP Newton kitchen. |
I remember one of the first things my doctor told me when I
had Lucy thirteen years ago: that
whole birth plan thing? It’s a nice idea, but
when the baby is ready to come out, she will. Her time, her way, regardless of
any plans you might have. And that pretty much sums up parenthood in a
nutshell.
Sure, you can make up all the plans you want, but the key
point is being able to go with the flow. That was a sentiment that came up a
few weeks ago when I was talking to James’ teacher at the parent/teacher
conference back in October. Karina was showing us a picture of the kids doing
an activity that was supposed to be one thing, but the kids took it in a whole
other direction – and it was that much better for it.
And that pretty
much sums up yesterday morning in a nutshell.
As some of you may remember from my emails, yesterday
morning was the kick off to our Town Hall Meeting series. We’d envisioned a
series of conversations between parents and the founders, families and Pine
Village administrative staff. It would be a way for us to get to know each other
on a more individual level, a give and take of sorts. The series was planned to
start off with a breakfast morning during which we’d introduce the staff, say a
little bit about ourselves and then do a Q&A to talk about whatever parents
wanted. It didn’t quite happen that way.
The building was locked when we got there, so Pine Village
co-founder Emma Lougheed and I (Jen Doyle, yours truly) ended up chatting outside
for a few minutes with mom Annabella as we waited for the cavalry to arrive
with the key. Not quite how we’d planned to greet our first Town Hall Meeting
taker. With her boys playing outside in the yard, however, and our respective
bags sitting on the ground, we stood there and got to know each other a little
bit better.
So, um, no. Not at all what we’d planned. That conversation
was definitely supposed to take place in a much warmer location (sorry,
Annabella)! But in a way it was exactly the way it should have been in the
first place. Not quite so planned and with no script to follow. Just a few moms
talking in the schoolyard while the kids played.
Given that it’s actually beginning to feel like winter,
however, I can’t say I’m sorry that we got into the building a few minutes
later. And there, as co-founder Brid Martin and her husband/PVP Facilities
Manager Ray arrived – as well as Education Director Jacie Feinberg and PVP
Newton Director Kelly Cisneros – we set out the coffee and bagels, took off our
coats and settled in.
Which brings me back to the plan. We were supposed to move
into the meeting room off the kitchen, a lovely sitting room with couches and
paneling and a gorgeous, richly woven rug. That was where the intros and the
Q&A were supposed to take place.
But instead what happened was that, as with any good gathering, we ended up
staying in the kitchen. And rather than a structured Q&A, it ended up being
more of a drop-in coffee hour, with parents coming in and out – some able to
stay and chat over a cup of coffee, others just able to say a quick hello. To
be honest? It was a hundred times better than what we’d planned.
We chatted about the possibility of opening up another
location in the outer burbs (Acton – here we come! Um, some day, maybe…) We
chatted about Saturday Spanish classes and after school programs. We chatted
about school choice, preparation for kindergarten, Scholastic book orders, and
how to get the word out about Pine Village. (Yelp reviews, everyone! We are
very thankful for whatever kind words you are willing to share with the
world-at-large!) And, I am happy to say, we ended up connecting. (Annabella, Larisa, Emily, Quyen, and Natalie – I will
most certainly be in touch again soon!)
On the one hand, the conversations we had did reinforce our
commitment to the Town Hall Meetings in the spring. And, yes, those will be a
bit more structured than this one as they will be topic-based. But, on the
other hand, we also ended up loving this morning’s gathering so much that we’re
going to do it at all the schools. So stay tuned – drop-off, drop-in coffee
hours are coming soon to a location near you!
And, yeah. About that birth plan. Our launching of the Town
Hall Meetings series wasn’t quite exactly what we’d planned, but the end result
was so much better. We can’t wait to connect with more of you soon.
