About Laura Frenkel 

Almost five years ago, our first daughter was born, and, like every parent, I felt my world shift overnight. In so many ways, life changed for the better. But if I’m honest, there were also moments where I felt like I was losing myself. Before kids, I was a person who lived for adventure: Roller coasters and thrill rides, snowboarding, hiking, and backpacking through foreign counties. Saying “yes” to just about anything fun or spontaneous. And like many parents, those parts of me got pushed to the back burner when I had kids.

 

Over the past year I’ve been slowly figuring out how to be me again. This summer, it started with something simple: running. I began waking up at 5 a.m., lacing up my shoes, and heading out while the world was still asleep. Those sunrise miles gave me more than exercise, they gave me space. Space to think, to breathe, and to reconnect with what really matters to me.

 

During that time, I kept noticing friends, you know who you are, taking these incredible adventures with their kids. Months in Europe. Backpacking trips. Camping with newborns. rafting, hiking, exploring… all with little ones in tow. They were not waking up early to do things without their kids, they were embracing time together. 

And I found myself inspired. Curious. And honestly, full of questions.

 

How are they pulling it off?

What does it look like behind the scenes?

And… could I do it too?

 

So I decided to ask them. 

Which is why I created Beyond the Playground.

This blog and podcast is all about parents who found ways to keep doing the things they love, with kids. I’ll be interviewing friends, travelers, adventurers, creatives, and anyone who has figured out how to live fully while raising tiny humans.

 

We’ve done a fair bit of family travel ourselves (our kids have been on more plane rides than many adults). So I’m not completely stuck on the park bench. I will be sharing my own experiences and tips. I want to learn from others how to be better at being me, with kids along for the ride. I want to learn from the people who are living it boldly. And I’m guessing some of you do too.

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My hope is simple:

• To normalize adventure with kids

• To show that kids don’t hold us back—they bring the magic

• To document real stories of families saying “yes” to exploration

• And to inspire my own family to take bigger leaps (I’m eyeing skiing this winter & a Moab camping trip this spring as our first steps)

   

So stay tuned for more posts, guest announcements, and plenty of stories about the messy, magical, unpredictable adventure that is parenting.

I hope you’ll come with me, beyond the playground.

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Because we may be parents, but we're still cool!

 

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