Fall is my favorite time of the year! As a child in Alabama, I remember fall as a time filled with great meals and family get togethers, and football. Now, football is being played to empty or reduced capacity crowds, and get togethers are much smaller, often over a screen. None of that diminishes the excitement I feel as we approach the holidays and decorations turn to oranges and reds.

We recognize that October brings a settling in to the school year. The excitement has settled into a routine, and with it, areas that need improvement come to the surface. We have included many articles on how to interact with your children, including positive reinforcement, how to give them instruction and parenting during a pandemic. We have also included some creative ideas in “All the World’s a Stage”, and we have some ideas on how you can still celebrate Halloween in a socially distant manner. Whether you want to organize something for your neighborhood or just do something as a family, we have a list of ideas.

Take a look at our Book Nook for some great reading ideas, and the beautiful faces in our Gallery will make you smile! We love that our readers are submitting pictures of their families for our cover and gallery contests. Vote for your favorite cover for November here, or submit your entry for December here!

As always, we are grateful for our readers and want to hear from you. What content do you want to see? What is on your mind? What can we do better? Please let us know.

We also thank our sponsors, whose support brings you this publication. Next time you visit or talk to them, please thank them for their participation.

Have a fun and magical October!