Guest Essay: Jen Houghton - A Place to Plant Roots
Recently South Berwick resident Jennifer Houghton, owner of Little Hat Company and parent of three, mentioned to me how great it is to be raising children in South Berwick. She agreed to share her thoughts here at the 236 Diner.
In a world that seems to be spinning faster, it’s a wonderful opportunity to bring up a family in a town that allows you to walk not run. I remember coming home from a business trip to N.Y.C. and literally thanking God that we don’t have even one single stop light in our town. I had spent two days in a cab trying to get to three scheduled appointments in an absolute scramble for time. Traffic, crowds, impatience, and smog seemed to be the daily theme and it was hard to catch your breath walking down the streets filled with people, vendors, and construction barriers. Don’t get me wrong. The city can be an explosive energy and catalyst for getting major things accomplished. When the sun goes down and the lights turn on there is something so magical that you feel like a child right before opening a present.
When I would come home to South Berwick I would always let out a sigh of relief knowing that I could just slow down and enjoy each and every moment without someone behind me needing to get somewhere. One of the main reasons coming home would be so satisfying was knowing that I was raising my children in a small town community surrounded by endless opportunities.
South Berwick, Maine is the quintessential place to place to plant your roots. I have three children ages 14, 7, and 2. My oldest will be starting high school next year. He has been playing on a sports team since he started school here which he loves. He is an honor roll student and will be able to take advantage of the many great classes offered to him that let him stretch out of his comfort zone. He loves South Berwick and especially Main Street. He was sad when Flynn’s closed but loves to be able to hop on his bike with his friends and ride to the fields or grab ice cream at Aggies. My 7 year old loves walking to school. She loves to wave to the crossing guards, and picking up chestnuts that have fallen from the trees. Her favorite activities are soccer, piano, and cheering on at team that is known for bringing home national championships. Most of all she loves playing with her friends. My 2 year old’s most favorite thing to do is walking around the block through Main Street with her Dad and then going to the playground near the fire station.
We live in a town where the Principal of our elementary school quietly and with dedication works to make sure all of our children’s needs are met. One of her first acts was to put up a fence around the school yard. We live in a town where countless parents and residents volunteer endless hours, money, and sweat to make sure that each child has a team to play on if they choose. We live in a town where retired people give endless hours to volunteer in school to help children outside of the classroom and we live in a town where parents are more than willing to offer a hand with car pooling and making time for neighbors when they need help.
One of the reasons Strawberry Festival is so successful is that people visiting our town on that very special day get a glimpse of the character, altruism, and good will that our community seems to have in abundance. South Berwick is a great town and seems to bring out the very best in people and I’m very proud to be living here with my family.
–Jen Houghton
Tags: family, south berwick