Washington FAMILY

6 days ago | washingtonfamily.com | Braden Hamelin

Parenting is a huge time commitment, with dinner, soccer practice, dentist appointments and everything in between making it a balancing act between work, social engagements and at-home responsibilities. The same is true for those involved with pro sports teams and their families, who are dealing with long hours of training, games across the country and the possibility of moving to a new team with every season.

6 days ago | washingtonfamily.com | Braden Hamelin

Summer means tons of free time for kids and families with school out of session, and regional summer sports can offer a respite for restless kids and parents looking for family-friendly outings. Here are some of the top not-to-miss family games in June and beyond!• Washington Nationals vs. Texas Rangers, 6:45 p.m.• June 6 (Stay late for a Natasha Bedingfield concert 30 minutes after the final pitch.)• Washington Nationals vs.

1 week ago | washingtonfamily.com | Jillian Diamond

Having a baby is always an exciting occasion, and it’s usually celebrated with a baby shower. But maybe you’ve had a baby shower already for your first child, or you just want something different. Alternative celebrations have been gaining popularity in recent years, spurred by social media trends. Here are some of the most popular baby shower alternatives, and what you’ll need to plan one. Nesting parties are a more hands-on experience than baby showers.

1 week ago | washingtonfamily.com | Jillian Diamond

When a group of parents founded Pathfinders for Autism in early 2000 as a place to share resources related to autism spectrum disorder, things were very different. “We had a modest website,” says Rebecca Rienzi, Pathfinders’ longtime executive director. “A lot of stuff was sent through snail mail.”Now, Pathfinders is “serving 20,000 people across the state [of Maryland] every year,” Rienzi says. Information about autism is increasingly available.

1 week ago | washingtonfamily.com | Zoe Bell

The Japanese docuseries “Old Enough!” follows children ages 2 to 5 as they navigate the city on their own. The kids toddle to the grocery store and do other errands, demonstrating an independence that is far above what we’re used to in the United States. Some can recall the days of playing outside until a parent hollered at us to come home for dinner. But instances of kids being allowed to play freely, sans adults, nowadays seem to be few and far between.