In this Issue
Written by Allison Tong
I can't believe the summer is nearly over and we're already getting the kid's backpack ready with fresh notebooks and sharpened #2 pencils to head back to school.
It seems like yesterday we were talking about summer travel and fun family activities to do in the spur of the moment on a hot summer day.
With school inevitably comes routine‚ for you and the kids. It isn't such a bad thing though as routine gives us a sense of direction, responsibility and structure. (It is good, of course, to always bring a little spontaneity to the table every now and then!) But as humans we are creatures of routine, and with that, we tend to stay true to what we know we like and places we're familiar with.
In this issue, we present our eighth annual Readers' Choice Awards, and what do you know? More than half of the 56 categories are repeat winners (and some of them multiple repeat winners!). It just goes to show our readers are nothing if not loyal to their family favorites. What can I say, I'm devoted to my favorites just as much as the next person. A die-hard Starbucks fan who can say tall-skinny-latte-with-sugar-free-hazelnut-please faster than you can blink an eye.
Some of our winners for this year's Readers' Choice were no-brainers—Disneyland for Best Theme Park and Discovery Science Center for Best Kids Museum, for instance. Some things just never change. But this year, you switched a few on us. While A Pea in the Pod won Best Maternity Store three years in a row, this year Motherhood Maternity made the cut. And while Barnes and Noble won for Best Storytelling time in 2009, Huntington Beach Central Library was the pick this year.
We've also given you several of our picks that didn't necessarily make the number one spot, but we thought you may want to check out if you haven't already. Even though back to school brings the ho-hum of dropping the kids off (7:25 a.m. on the dot) and then keeping tabs on homework assignments and the next PTA meeting, make sure you dedicate a portion of your week to doing something exciting too. Our Calendar in the back of the magazine is a great resource when planning something fun on the weekends or after school.
If you're looking to get after-school or weekend activity ideas, or even share your favorite places to patronize, a great way to socialize with other OC moms is through our Woman 2 Woman network on ParentingOC.com. Our social network allows you to connect with other moms, join in on discussion groups, as well as enter in our  monthly contests such as In the Moment.
Enjoy our Readers' Choice issue, as it only comes once a year. If you didn't get a chance to voice your opinion this year, feel free to let us know your picks. Happy September!
Yours truly,
Allison Tong, Content Manager
allison.tong@parentingoc.com