Grant Backus and his son Grady on Hilton Head Island. The head superintendent for First Tee-The Lowcountry exemplifies the transformative spirit of the organization. The beauty of something like...
Grant Backus’ Story of Growth
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Children
Dadpreneurs
Pete Savarese, The Ice Cream Cone, Located in Coligny Plaza, 1 N Forest Beach Dr, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 (843) 785-4440 colignyicecreamcone.com Fatherhood is a calling, one that can sometimes...
Saving Daws
Scott and Stephanie Skager with their children Lennon (5) and Daws (3), and Amanda and Nate Skager with their children Amelia (11) and Nathan (8). As Father’s Day approaches and we honor fathers and...
A Dad Grows Up
It’s a question I get asked all the time. What does it take to be a dad? The people asking me this question are all hypothetical, and in fact may be figments of my imagination, but it does give me...
The Good Enough Mom
The heart-wrenching sobbing was becoming more constant—a far cry from the intermittent waves of emotion I first noticed. As I rounded the aisle in the grocery store, there she was—an adorable curly...
What Is Your Superpower?
What is your superpower? In his inspiring song Jevon Daly sings, “Your power could be your muscles. Your power could be your brains. Outside we all look different. Inside we’re all the same.” He...
Serious Fun: At Alliance Dance Academy, it’s about exploring the joy of dance. It’s about laying the foundations for success. And, oh yeah, it’s about having a blast doing it.
It’s hard to put into words the sheer hypersonic explosion of sound and spirit that a couple of dozen little kids can create. Their bottomless reserves of energy that can only be tapped through...
School’s Out ~ Time for Summer Camp!
Hoop-Ship Skills Camp https://www.hoopship.org/services-3-2 Hilton Head Island Rec Center Boys/Girls Price: $175 Scholarships/Financial Assistance Available June 19-21, 2023 Ages: 7-10 : 9:00 AM -...
Start Strong, Finish Stronger: Hilton Head Prep making waves with new junior kindergarten program
“Row, row, row your boat, Gently down the stream. Merrily merrily, merrily, merrily, Life is but a dream.” —Eliphalet Oram Lyte A dreamy early childhood song that has been caroled since the 1850s...
The Commissioning Journey
Six years ago, I sat with my husband, our eleventh-grade son, and a Marine Colonel at Truffles, having lunch to discuss taking the road less traveled. As the parents of a child interested in the...
Coastal Carolina NICU: Delivering extra special care to premature babies and their families
A little over a year ago, Lowcountry expectant parents gained a valuable resource at Coastal Carolina Hospital, where there is now a three-bassinet Level 2 Special Care Nursery to complement...
Editor’s Note: May 2023
The CH2 crew spent a few days in late March producing a music video about inclusion with some of the students in the Jasper County School District. Read all about it on page 50 in Becca Edwards’...
Heroes on Horseback: Empowering lives one stride at a time
For thousands of years, the bond between man and animal has proven to be effective in creating an emotional, healing effect. Horses are used by physical, speech, and occupational therapists to reach...
Pulling a Few Strings: Bob Abdou
Step inside the surreal world of puppeteer and ventriloquist Bob Abdou and meet a few of his best dummies.
A Better Normal for Children
Article by Paul Horgan (Head of School at Hilton Head Prep) Friday March 13, 2020 was the day normal ended. May I suggest… “Good riddance?” One could argue that the normal of the past wasn’t so...
The Sandbox: More to Dig Into
Special events and theme nights give families even more reasons to visit the Lowcountry’s favorite family fun spot.
Candy Bounce Back: Pediatric dentist hosts post-Halloween party in the park
Dr. Shane Harpham, owner of Sea Smiles Pediatric Dentistry is a board-certified pediatric dentist, diplomate for the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and recent president of the South Carolina...
Instant Fun: Just Add Water
When it comes to family fun, the Lowcountry’s indoor attractions make every rainy day the best day ever.
The Dad Life: Jevon Daly’s “You Kiss My Daughter” gets a re-release, with a video that’s every bit as goofy as you’re expecting.
There are certain expectations that come with fatherhood. There are the mundane ones: when a drain needs snaked, you’re going to be the one to do it; when the grass gets too long, you’re going to...
Life Lessons from Dad
Everyone likes to pick on Dad for his jokes, funny taste in sneakers, and his obsessive control over the family thermostat. But at the end of the day, Dad is the rock of the family unit—the...
C2 Fashion: Daddy. Daughter. Date
All fashions can be found in local boutiques on Hilton Head Island and in Bluffton. Prices change and human error occurs – Please confirm all pricing with boutiques listed. Don’t forget to shop for Dad – Father’s Day is June 19!
Styled by Kaila Jeffcoat
Special thanks to Chris, Ketina and Inés Gomez, and Scott and Palmer Pritchard.
School’s Out! Time for Summer Camp: 2022
The Arts Center of Coastal Carolina June 13- July 29 ARTSHHI.COM/CAMPS Art Around the World June 13-17 Ages 6–8: 9:30am–12pm Ages 9–14: 12:30–3pm Price: $145 Join us for a fun-filled week of art as...
Childcare Options for Vacationing Families: When you need a vacation from your vacation
There’s an old saying: “The family that plays together stays together.” But let’s face it. Sometimes all that togetherness can be downright exhausting. Vacations are a perfect opportunity to create...
Love Never Divides…It Only Multiplies
Life Lessons from a mother who’s figured out love’s perfect equation
Erin Erenberg: Super entrepreneur, super women’s advocate, super mom
It’s not often you hear the word “matrescence” dropped in casual conversation. But Erin Erenberg, an attorney, mom of three, and former tech and entertainment executive, is so committed to improving...
A Sky Full of Stars: Alliance Dance Academy’s celestial dance has created whole constellations that burn brighter than ever.
It’s not easy to make a star. In the cosmic sense, it’s a process of time and pressure, a cosmic ballet of swirling dust and gasses that coalesce into something dazzling. This can take millions of...
Public or Private? Choosing the best school for your child
If you are the parent of a school age or soon-to-be school age child, you have your homework cut out for you. The assignment: selecting a school. Both public and private schools offer excellent...
A+ Local Educators
If you ask anyone to name the person who had the biggest impact on their life, nine times out of 10, you’re going to hear about a teacher. And that’s because changing lives is the single most...
Beyond the Classroom: Lowcountry Tutoring & Test Prep
For students who need that extra helping hand to reach their academic goals, Lowcountry Tutoring & Test Prep is head of the class.
Let’s talk to our children about sex
If you’re a parent, you’ve been there. You know … those moments when it’s time to address a topic with your child that is more “birds and bees” than you want it to be. Eek. Awkward. Maybe your child...
‘Ain’t Misbehavin’: Local educational consultant offers advice for shaping behaviors that lead to learning
Whether it’s your child, your puppy, or your spouse, behavior is always a verb, according to Dr. Sheryl Kaufman, aka “Dr. K,” retired principal and founder of Educational Journeys, LLC. “Behavior is...
A Parent’s Guide to Bullying
How’s this for irony? The word “bully” was first recorded in around 1530 from the Middle Dutch word “boele” or “lover,” and it was not until the 1700s that bully came to mean a “swaggering coward.”...
Why Jiu-Jitsu is for You (and your daughter)
When you read national statistics about violence and sexual crimes against women, it is like a punch to the gut. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, in a 2018 report, studies found that one in five women in the United States experienced completed or attempted rape during their lifetime; 81 percent of women (43 percent of men) reported experiencing some form of sexual harassment and/or assault in their lifetime; and one in three female victims of completed or attempted rape experienced it for the first time between the ages of 11 and 17.
Merry & Bright: These local events and people are spreading Christmas cheer in the Lowcountry
There isn’t a more festive time in the Lowcountry than right now. Immediately after Halloween, Hilton Head Island and Bluffton explode with festivals, parades and holiday happenings that are sure to melt even the coldest Grinch heart. On the following pages, we share a few of our favorite things to do this time of year and tip our hats to the people behind the festivities.
Driven to Give: Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton taking Santa’s Workshop to the next level
Generally speaking, there is no shortage of miracles this time of year. Call it the Christmas spirit, call it the generosity of the season, whatever it is, it seems to ease open our hearts just a little. We give more freely. We share more openly. We take care of those around us, inspired by a renewed sense of fellowship and love.
Christmas Traditions
If your thoughts fast-forward to Christmas right about the time the last trick or treater retreats, you are not alone. November 1 seems to be the universal go button for all things ho-ho-holiday. But it isn’t the 55 days of Christmas carols that make our spirits bright; it is the traditions passed down, from generation to generation, that warm our hearts like chestnuts roasting on an … well, you get it.
The Next Step for Prep: New programs add to 56-year legacy of preparing students for the future at Hilton Head Prep
Ever since it first opened its doors in 1965, Hilton Head Preparatory has operated under one guiding principle: always look to the future. Preparation is right there in the name, and it’s a...
The Sandbox: Children’s museum fosters discovery, encourages play, and offers community
The Sandbox Children’s Museum opened its doors on Hilton Head Island in 2005 with a mission to provide inclusive and safe environments for children to learn and explore with their peers and caregivers through hands-on discovery and imaginative play. The driving force behind the mission is to cultivate the physical, social, and cognitive development of the island’s children as well as the thousands of children from around the world who visit here each year.
The True Spirit of the Community
Let it never be said that the Lowcountry doesn’t know how to give back. Ours is a community built on a spirit of volunteerism, where any need that needs filled will soon find itself with a small army of helpers at their disposal. When we set out to spotlight a few of the legion of selfless locals who call our area home, we knew the hardest job would be in limiting our search. While the volunteers you see here are to be lauded for their generosity and spirit, know that for every face you see here, there are hundreds more ready to make life a little better in our community.
On Inspiration and Art with Katie Moore Howson
Article by Courtney Hampson
Information Key to Minimize the Mess of Divorce: Kennedy & Blackshire help lay out the legal road
Pam Blackshire and her family law partner, Bree Kennedy, meet clients for the first time at what can be the most vulnerable and emotionally challenging point in their lives. Blackshire said that’s...
Teach Them Well and Let Them Lead the Way: For the last 54 years, the Children’s Center has been quietly leading a revolution in early childhood development.
Ask any business owner you know, particularly anyone who owns a restaurant, and they’ll tell you in no uncertain terms: We are in the midst of a labor crisis on this island. Companies can’t find workers, because workers can’t find the support they need to work here. There are no easy answers, either, making this crisis one that may take years to solve. And while the debate rages over things like affordable housing and fair wages, one aspect of this crisis has been overlooked: the children.
Musicians in Bathrooms featuring The Nicest Guys in the World
Musicians: Gary Pratt & Jevon Daly
SEALKIDS Lowcountry Boil: Fundraising event supports everyday kids living in extraordinary circumstances
SEALKIDS, the only nonprofit organization devoted solely to the educational support and success of children in the Navy SEAL community, and Jim and Connie Sewell, honorary event chairs, invite the public to join them on August 5 for a Lowcountry Boil at Coast Oceanfront Dining, 87 North Sea Pines Drive, on Hilton Head Island. A reception opening the fundraising event begins at 6:30 and dinner is served at 7:30.
Harbourfest 2021: The Return was Legendary
It is a three-decade-long-and-running tradition, the most popular multi-week summer event on Hilton Head Island. Named a “Top 20 Event” by the Southeastern Tourism Society and a “Best of Southern Fests” by South Magazine, generations of families continue to plan vacations around it.
Editor’s Note: July 2021
Hunter and I ran into Lori Smith, a former CH2 Bachelorette nominee, at Target last week. After some quick chit-chat, our conversation turned to how liberated we all felt walking into Target without masks. I commented that perhaps tough things needed to happen every now and again to make everyone appreciate how fortunate we really are.
8 Faces of Summer Fun
Of course, you came to Hilton Head Island for the beach and maybe golf, tennis or pickleball. But what else is there to do? Plenty! Whether it’s tooling around town on a bike, flying through the trees on a zipline, racing a go-kart, reeling in your supper, dolphin watching, kayaking, paddle boarding, playing putt-putt golf, or riding a horse … beyond the beach, a colossal outdoor playground awaits.
Passing Along Financial Literacy Could be Your Most Valuable Legacy
I’ve had the pleasure of working with a number of young investors, and it’s been exciting to see them learn the investing basics, and importantly, become successful savers and investors.
The Journey I Could Never Have Scripted
I didn’t fit in much as a kid. I was as comfortable playing point guard as I was playing Dungeons and Dragons, and thusly, neither the jocks nor the nerds knew what to make of me. So, they both picked on me, and I was an easy mark because I let them see they got to me.
Two-Wheelin’ Fun: Ride your bicycle on Hilton Head Island without taking an unscheduled tour of the ER.
Summer has arrived! Grab the sunscreen, hit the beach, light up the BBQ grill, fill the cooler, or hop on your bike—all things we do to celebrate the days of summer without even thinking. Actually, though, we do need to put some thought into biking safely, sharing the space and showing courtesy to others on our leisure paths and roads.