Nicole Noar has spent years with new moms as a nurse in maternal and infant care. As a SoCal mom herself, she’s well-versed in the overwhelming number of things new moms worry about. She wanted to ease some of that worry, especially when traveling. As the founder of Snuggle Shield, a patented infant cover with built-in air-filtering system, she’s committed to providing a sense of wellness and peace to parents.

I met Nicole at the All Baby & Child ABC Kids Expo in Las Vegas this year and had the pleasure to chat with her recently about motherhood and starting a business. 

Tell us a little about your career before launching Snuggle Shield.

I spent more than 16 years as a registered nurse, including 13 years in Labor & Delivery at UC San Diego Health. During that time, I became a Certified Inpatient Obstetric Nurse (RNC-OB) and an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), caring for thousands of mothers and babies during some of the most important moments of their lives. Today, I work as a fertility nurse in Reproductive Endocrinology at UC San Diego, helping individuals and families navigate their journey to parenthood. My nursing career gave me a firsthand understanding of the concerns new parents face, and becoming a mom inspired me to create the product I wished I had for my own family. My clinical background continues to guide every decision we make at Snuggle Shield.

What was the inspiration for Snuggle Shield?

My inspiration came from my first son, Deklan. When he was just six weeks old, I took him with me to a nail salon. As soon as I walked in, I was hit with the strong chemical fumes and noticed everyone around us was wearing masks. I immediately felt mom guilt because I realized the cover over his infant car seat wasn’t actually protecting him—it was giving me a false sense of security. When I got home, I searched everywhere for a product that could help filter the air around babies in public places, but nothing like it existed. As a nurse, my first thought was to use medical mask material because we know it works and we know it breathes well. That simple idea became the foundation for Snuggle Shield.

How would you describe the mission of your company?

Our mission is to give parents the confidence to safely explore the world with their babies from day one. We want families to feel comfortable getting out of the house, traveling and making memories together instead of feeling anxious about every outing. Our products provide added peace of mind while also serving multiple everyday purposes—from breastfeeding to infant car seat, stroller, shopping cart and highchair coverage. We believe parents deserve products that make everyday life easier while helping them enjoy these precious years with their little ones.

You are also a mom. Tell us how you balance family life with work and launching a business.

Balancing family life, nursing and building a business has definitely been one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced. I still work three days a week as a fertility nurse at UC San Diego Health, so I build Snuggle Shield around my family’s schedule—before work, after bedtime, and whenever I can find extra time. When I first started the company, my boys were babies, so I often worked during nap time. Now that they’re older, I try to be intentional about being present with them. They are the reason I started Snuggle Shield, and while balance isn’t always perfect, family will always come first.

What does a typical day look like for you?

There really isn’t a typical day—every day is a little bit crazy! Most mornings start with my husband, our two boys, our four chickens and our two rescue dogs before everyone heads off to school and work. On clinic days, I work from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. After work it’s dinner, homework, bedtime stories and family time. Once the kids are asleep, I usually switch over to Snuggle Shield for a few more hours of emails, meetings, product development or retailer projects. On my days off, I try to balance growing the business with making memories with my family, giving my husband some attention, and, if I’m lucky, squeezing in a Pilates class.

Do you have a mentor?

I don’t have one specific mentor, but I really admire Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx. I love her authenticity, her sense of humor and the fact that she built her company from the ground up while staying true to herself. As a nurse, mom and entrepreneur, her journey reminds me that believing in your idea and persevering through setbacks can truly make a difference.

What’s the best life advice you’ve ever received?

‘What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’ has always stayed with me. I lost my dad when I was nine years old and my mom when I was twenty. Those experiences were incredibly difficult, but they taught me resilience, perseverance and determination. I’ve never wanted my circumstances to define me or become an excuse. Instead, they’ve helped shape me into the strong, independent woman I am today and inspire me to help others through both nursing and Snuggle Shield.

What’s the best parenting advice you’ve ever received?

‘The days are long, but the years are short.’ As a mom of two boys, now five and seven, that saying resonates with me more every year. Some days can feel never-ending, but then you look back and realize just how quickly childhood goes by. It reminds me to slow down, be present, give myself grace, and cherish every stage because these years pass so much faster than we ever expect.

When you’re not working, where can we find you?

In a perfect world, you’ll find me traveling with my family—especially in Hawaii, where my husband and I got married. At home, we love beach days, bike rides, lounging by the pool while the boys swim and play, and spending as much time outdoors as possible. We also make it a priority to sneak away for date nights and little getaways whenever we can because those moments together are just as important.

What are some of your favorite places in San Diego and Los Angeles?

Our family loves making memories together. In San Diego, you’ll usually find us at LEGOLAND, Ponto Beach, or relaxing by the pool while the boys swim. When we head to Los Angeles, Crossroads Kitchen is my favorite restaurant for brunch or dinner since I’m vegetarian. My husband is a chef, so we never miss a stop at Gjelina in Venice. We also love taking our boys to Disneyland and Universal Studios. Whether we’re traveling, trying a new restaurant, or simply spending the day together, those are the moments I treasure most.

The post Meet Nicole Noar, RN, IBCLC, Founder and CEO of Snuggle Shield appeared first on L.A. Parent.

The Los Angeles Unified Board of Education has appointed longtime educator Andrés E. Chait as superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, making permanent the leadership role he has held on an interim basis since February. The former superintendent, Alberto Carvalho, resigned June 21 amid federal investigations.

The new appointment comes as the district works to maintain academic progress, address financial challenges and provide stability for nearly 400,000 students.

Chait, who began his career with LAUSD as a kindergarten teacher nearly three decades ago, was unanimously selected by the school board after serving as acting superintendent through labor negotiations, budget planning and the completion of the 2025-26 school year. Board members cited his institutional knowledge, collaborative leadership style and commitment to students as key reasons for the appointment.

“At this moment, our students, families, employees and communities deserve stability, focus and confidence in the future of Los Angeles Unified,” Board President Scott Schmerelson said.

Throughout his career with LAUSD, Chait has served as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, Local District superintendent, superintendent of Local District Northeast, chief of school operations and acting superintendent, giving him experience in both classroom instruction and districtwide leadership.

“It is the honor of a lifetime to serve as superintendent of Los Angeles Unified,” Chait said. “This district has shaped my life and career.”

He said his priorities include strengthening academic outcomes, supporting educators and staff, maintaining safe school environments and ensuring every student has access to a high-quality education.

Board members said appointing Chait provides continuity at a critical time as the district advances key academic, financial and operational priorities.

The post Andrés E. Chait Named LAUSD Superintendent appeared first on L.A. Parent.

The other day, I sat with a new mom while she fed her baby and cried at the same time. She wasn’t crying because something terrible had happened — she was just exhausted. Overstimulated. Trying so hard to do everything “right.”

At one point she looked at me and said, “I don’t even know what I’m supposed to listen to anymore.”

And honestly, I understood exactly what she meant.

As a birth worker serving families throughout Los Angeles and Ventura counties, I see this all the time. Parents today have access to more information than ever before, but many feel more anxious, isolated and unsure of themselves than ever.

Everywhere you look, someone is offering advice. One video says your baby should be sleeping independently by a certain age. Another says the opposite. One expert says to follow a strict routine. Another says routines are stressful for children.

Even during pregnancy and postpartum, moms are constantly being told what they should be eating, buying, tracking or preparing for.

It’s a lot.

Too much information; not enough support

I think social media has created this feeling that there’s a “correct” way to parent and that if you just research enough, buy the right products or follow the right routines, you can somehow avoid mistakes.

But parenting doesn’t really work like that.

Babies are different. Families are different. Parents are different. And sometimes, all the information online just leaves people feeling more disconnected from themselves.

I’ve worked with mothers who spend hours reading parenting advice at 2 a.m. while questioning every decision they make. I’ve also seen parents feel guilty for not enjoying every second of early motherhood because online it can seem like everyone else is handling things perfectly.

Meanwhile, many new parents are deeply overwhelmed and barely getting enough sleep.

Parenting was never meant to be this lonely

One thing I hear from families over and over again is how alone they feel.

A lot of parents are raising babies far away from family or without the kind of community support people used to have naturally. Many are trying to balance work, household responsibilities, recovery and childcare all at once. And even though we’re more digitally connected than ever, many parents still feel like they have nobody to really lean on.

Sometimes what helps most isn’t another parenting podcast or a new routine chart. Sometimes, it’s simply having someone sit with you and remind you that you’re doing OK.

That support matters more than people realize.

Learning to trust yourself again

One of the most important things I try to remind parents is that they do not need to perform parenthood perfectly. Children don’t need parents who have all the answers every moment of the day. They need parents who are present, loving and supported themselves.

Some of the moments children remember most are usually the simple ones anyway. Eating popsicles outside. Being rocked to sleep. Listening to stories before bed. Sitting together after a hard day. Those moments don’t usually make it onto social media, but they matter.

I think many parents are craving permission to slow down a little and stop feeling like every decision carries enormous weight. At the end of the day, parenting is not about perfection. It’s about connection.

And most parents are doing far better than they think.

Rachael Jerahian is the founder of Nature & Nourish Birthing Co., where she supports women through pregnancy, birth, postpartum and motherhood with holistic care from bump through baby. Find her on social media @natureandnourishbirthingco and at natureandnourishbirthingco.com.

The post Parental Burnout: Why Parents Feel Overwhelmed and What Helps appeared first on L.A. Parent.

More than 80 young people took to the field recently  for “Goals for Good,” a community youth soccer event hosted by Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Los Angeles (BGCMLA) in partnership with Herbalife at the organization’s Challengers Club in South Los Angeles. 

The afternoon brought together local youth ages 7 to 14 for soccer drills, skill-building activities and mentorship, capping the club’s spring soccer programming as it heads into a new summer season. 

During the event, the Herbalife Family Foundation presented BGCMLA with a $45,000 grant to support youth nutrition and wellness programming and expand access to safe, structured summer activities for young people and families across the community. 

The grant reflects the broader mission of the Herbalife Family Foundation, which works to improve the lives of children and families through better nutrition and wellness. Each year, the Foundation reaches approximately 200,000 children across 62 countries. 

Participants ran drills and games led by USC student athletes and community volunteers. LA Galaxy midfielder Troy Elgersma made a special appearance alongside team mascot Cozmo and members of the LA Galaxy Star Squad, joining the youth for activities and photos. 

“At Herbalife and the Herbalife Family Foundation, we believe that helping young people build healthy habits today can create stronger communities tomorrow,” said Ibi Montesino, managing director of Herbalife’s North America region. “We’re proud to support the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Los Angeles and invest in programs that help young people thrive.”

The event was part of Herbalife’s Fuel Like Ronaldo campaign, which is rooted in the company’s longtime partnership with soccer icon Cristiano Ronaldo and encourages young people and families to build everyday habits around nutrition, hydration and movement, inspired by the routines of elite athletes. 

The post Youth Soccer Event Supports Kids in South Los Angeles appeared first on L.A. Parent.

Some cravings are tied to the seasons. The whir of the smoothie machine in my kitchen is always an indicator that summer is here. And when my family is out and about in the heat, drink spots catch our eyes before restaurants do — especially on those days of 80-plus degrees and climbing. It can be hard to feel hunger until you’ve satisfied your parched throat. 

If you’re hanging out in Ventura Harbor Village this summer, Boba by the Sea is a thirst-quenching respite.  For owner Quan Breault, the shop — which serves up handcrafted bubble teas, real fruit slushes and boba milk teas — represents something even sweeter: the realization of a dream he carried with him from Vietnam to California.

Breault shares his journey, the influence of Vietnamese tea culture and a simple strawberry-banana slushie recipe inspired by one of the shop’s family favorites.

Can you tell me a little about your background and what led you to open Boba by the Sea? 

I was born and raised in Vietnam. I came to America by myself when I was 20 years old. After doing nails for many years, I decided that I needed a new story, and having a boba shop was always one of my dreams. 

How does your Vietnamese heritage shape the drinks you serve?

We offer Vietnamese coffee, well-known for being one of the strongest coffees in the world. Drinking traditional French-pressed coffee is actually the culture of Vietnamese, so we also offer it in our shop. For milk tea, I discovered it more than two decades ago, when it became popular in my hometown. And since that one delicious first sip to now owning a boba milk tea shop, somehow, I’m still so hooked. I actually drink milk tea every day. 

Which is your favorite: coffee or tea?

Tea, especially jasmine green tea. I was all about coffee when I was in my 20s, but as I grow older, I find myself leaning towards tea. I love the floral smell of jasmine green tea. I feel like every time I drink it, my soul gets a cleanse. I feel more pure. 

Why do you think boba tea shops continue to obsess whole families? 

It fits multigenerational outings. Grandparents, parents, kids — all can enjoy it. It’s not loud like arcades or restrictive like fine dining. It sits right in the middle. There is something for everyone at a boba shop.

Why did you choose Ventura Harbor Village for your shop? 

For Boba by the Sea, I was walking around Ventura Harbor Village, and I really thought this place needed a shop for drinks where people can get cool tasty drinks while going on their walk at the beach. I just thought it was such a good location where we have a lot of tourists, locals who go on walks every day and, of course, the fresh sea breeze and the view of the Ventura Harbor.

Families can definitely use Ventura Harbor Village and my shop as a little getaway with ocean vibes, harbor views and cool drinks in hand where everyone can make more sweet memories together.

What is your favorite drink topping at Boba by the Sea?

The Labubu topping, of course! So cute, so trendy, so delicious. 

(Editor’s note: The Labubu topping is an adorable, edible jelly shaped like the viral Pop Mart character.)

Any tips for parents who want to recreate a boba or tea experience at home with their kids?

Most kids love slushy drinks, and I would recommend strawberry-banana slushy. It’s easy to make, and it provides a lot of [nutrients] for children.

Banana-Strawberry Slushie (Inspired by Boba by the Sea)

“This easy banana-strawberry slushie is a fun treat to make at home with the kids, inspired by a favorite flavor from Boba by the Sea at Ventura Harbor Village,” Breault says. “While the shop’s version includes secret ingredients and waterfront views that make it extra special, this recipe is a sweet way to hold you over until your next visit.” 

Ingredients

4 ripe bananas

4-5 strawberries, fresh or frozen

1/2 cup milk of choice

1/2 cup ice

1-2 tablespoons honey or sweetener of choice

1/3 cup cooked tapioca pearls, optional

Instructions

1. Blend banana, strawberries, milk, ice and sweetener until smooth and slushy.

2. Add boba pearls to the bottom of a clear cup.

3. Pour slushie over the top and serve with a wide straw.

Want some extra fun? Try these on for size:

*Line the inside of the cup with strawberry drizzle.

*Use coconut milk for a tropical twist.

*Top with whipped cream for a sweeter treat.

*Visit Boba by the Sea to try the original version with quality ingredients and a variety of toppings that take it to the next level.

The post Boba by the Sea: Family-Friendly Bubble Tea in Ventura Harbor Village appeared first on L.A. Parent.

P.S. ARTS was founded more than three decades ago with the mission to provide arts education in public schools in California. Today, it serves more than 30,000 students in 90 schools across Los Angeles County and California’s Central Valley. I recently chatted with one of their teaching artists, Jason Shepherd, about the importance of music and art in our kids’ daily lives. 

Tell us a little about yourself and how you became involved with P.S. ARTS.

I’m a professional songwriter, musician, producer and music educator with more than 20 years of experience. I was born and raised in Chicago, and my foundation in music started in the church.

My mother was a choir director, and I grew up with gospel music as my foundational musical inspiration. That environment shaped everything for me.

Over time, that passion turned into both a career in music as a songwriter, recording artist and producer. Subsequently, this led to a deeper calling in education. In 2024, I joined P.S. ARTS as a teaching artist in the Lawndale School District. What drew me in was the mission. Giving students access to arts education is something I believe in deeply. Music has the power to shape identity, and I’ve seen what happens when kids are given that opportunity.

How have you personally seen art education touch children’s lives?

I’ve seen it unlock something in kids that nothing else could reach. There are students who don’t connect with traditional academics or sports, but when you introduce music, everything changes. You see confidence start to build. You see them become more engaged. You see them realize that they have something to offer.

There’s a moment when a child understands that they can create something from nothing. That moment matters. It shifts how they see themselves, and that confidence carries into other areas of their life.

What effect does art education have on our kids’ social and emotional skills, self-confidence and relationship with the world around them?

Arts education plays a major role in social and emotional development. It gives students a way to express themselves, especially when they don’t have the words for what they’re feeling. It also builds confidence because they begin to see that their ideas and creativity have value.

In the classroom, it builds community. Students learn how to listen to each other, collaborate and respect different perspectives. They start to understand that everyone has a voice.

With music, they also begin to see that it’s a universal language. It connects people across cultures and backgrounds. That awareness helps shape how they relate to others and the world around them.

As parents, how can we bring the arts into their daily lives?

As a father of two teenagers, I’ve always focused on what I call the three A’s: academics, athletics and the arts. All three matter, and the arts should be treated with the same level of importance. The goal isn’t for every child to become a professional artist. The goal is expression and discovery.

There are simple ways to bring the arts into daily life. Let your kids sing. Encourage them to try instruments like piano, guitar or percussion. Give them space to create, whether that’s writing songs, making beats or just exploring sound.

Tools like Suno have made it easier than ever for kids to create music. They can take an idea and turn it into a full song quickly, and that can spark a lot of excitement.

I believe everyone should create something at least once. Writing a song or making something original connects you to who you are.

What are some of your favorite art projects with the kids you work with?

One of my favorite things right now is songwriting with students using AI tools like Suno. It works on multiple levels. They are learning about new technology that is shaping the future of music. They have full ownership of their ideas and creativity and they get to hear results quickly, which keeps them engaged.

What stands out most is the moment when they hear their idea come to life as a real song. That moment builds confidence in a real way. It shows them that their voice matters and that they can create something meaningful.

The post How Music and Arts Education Helps Kids Build Confidence appeared first on L.A. Parent.

Samantha Leeds is a 15-year-old student from Crossroads High School in West L.A., with a passion for acting, writing and filmmaking and a love for Shakespeare. Two years ago, Samantha created The Riot Stage, a theater and film company. She brought in her beloved drama teacher and mentor, Zoey Zimmerman, who had recently retired from Crossroads, to help with creative direction on the plays. You can see The Riot Stage’s original play, which Samantha describes as “in vein of School of Rock meets Shakespeare,” on May 20 and 21 at The Odyssey Theater.

We recently chatted with Samantha about her love of theatre and how she started The Riot Stage.

When did your love of theatre and storytelling begin and what sparked it?

Ever since I was really little, honestly as young as four or five years old, I’ve been drawn to storytelling, acting, writing and performing. I’ve done theater for as long as I can remember, and I still have journals from kindergarten where I was constantly writing stories and ideas. I always knew I wanted to be an actor and a writer because performing and storytelling genuinely makes me feel the most like myself.

A huge turning point for me was middle school, when I started doing Shakespeare through my school’s DTASC (Drama Teachers Association of Southern California) competitions with my teacher Zoey Zimmerman. I completely fell in love with Shakespeare, the emotion, the language, the drama, the humor, the psychology of the characters. I played roles like Juliet and Lady Macbeth, and our team won first place at the DTASC Shakespeare festival two years in a row.

Around that same time, I started wanting to combine my love of acting and writing with filmmaking. I grew up obsessed with movies and storytelling, and eventually I realized that if I was acting in projects and writing them, too, I also wanted to direct them and shape the entire vision. That’s when I started making short films and experimenting with being a writer, director and actor all at once. I recently made a short film called “The Upright Hustle” for which I won the New Talent Award at The National Film Festival for Talented Youth (NFFTY) in Seattle which is widely considered the largest and most prestigious film festival for emerging filmmakers under 25. I also was awarded the Best Young Filmmaker at the Independent Shorts Awards. 

How did you create The Riot Stage and get the shows produced?

The Riot Stage started because after seventh grade, when our Shakespeare team had won two consecutive years at DTASC, Zoey retired from her full-time teaching position at Crossroads and the school discontinued participating in that event. I really wanted to continue doing Shakespeare, but when I looked around Los Angeles, I couldn’t find any youth Shakespeare programs. So I had the idea to start my own company.

I approached Zoey about becoming the creative director, and together we started building The Riot Stage when I was 14 years old and in ninth grade. Last year was our inaugural season, and at first it was mostly students I recruited from my own school. Since then, the company has grown quite a bit. We brought in ten new students this year from schools all across L.A., and there’s been a growing excitement and momentum surrounding the company.

This year, I wrote an original play for the company to produce, with Zoey directing. The show is called “The Riot Stage: The Play. The Movie.” It’s an original production that blends live performance and film sequences into a cinematic coming-of-age underdog story. The play also incorporates Shakespeare text throughout, as it’s set around a high school Shakespeare competition (like DTASC), very much in the vein of “School of Rock” meets Shakespeare.

Building the company has been a huge learning experience because I’ve really had to create it from the ground up. Beyond writing and acting, I’ve learned leadership, collaboration, organization, fundraising, producing, budgeting, marketing, scheduling and how to bring together a group of people around a shared creative vision. This season is much more ambitious and on a much bigger scale than last year, so it’s pushed me creatively and personally in a lot of ways.

One thing that’s especially important to me is accessibility and community. This year The Riot Stage gave multiple scholarships to students who otherwise would not have been able to participate. My larger vision is to create a company where young people from different schools and backgrounds can come together through storytelling and Shakespeare and truly have their lives transformed by it.

Are you planning to pursue theatre arts beyond high school?

Definitely. I love theater, filmmaking, writing, acting, and directing, and my dream is to continue doing all of those things professionally. I want to direct movies, act in them, write them, and still stay connected to theater, too. Right now, I’m especially interested in projects that combine live performance and film in new ways. I think younger audiences are really hungry for theater that feels cinematic, emotionally immediate and modern while still being rooted in classic storytelling.

Long term, one of my biggest goals is to adapt this Riot Stage production into a feature film. I’d also love to study Theater, English Literature or Film Studies in college, and some of my dream schools are Yale and UCLA because both have incredible programs in the areas I’m most passionate about. I also really love the creative, academic and social environments at both schools, along with their strong artistic cultures. Yale is especially meaningful to me because my amazing teacher and director Zoey Zimmerman went there, and UCLA is also a personal favorite since my dad went there.

What are some of the challenges you faced as a young artist trying to produce this play/movie?

One challenge is that people sometimes underestimate young artists before they actually see the work. There can be this assumption that because you’re young, the project won’t be serious or professional. But producing something ambitious involves very real responsibilities, organizing rehearsals, raising money, booking theater space, managing schedules, solving technical problems, leading a group and constantly adapting when things go wrong. It’s also required me to really put myself out there, which has definitely helped me grow as a person.

Another huge challenge is balancing school, life, friendships and everything else while trying to create something at a professional level. This is now my second year running The Riot Stage, and as the company gets bigger, my academic responsibilities and personal life also get bigger. Sometimes it can definitely feel overwhelming because at the end of the day, I’m still a teenager balancing a lot at once.

But I’ve learned that producing is really about problem-solving and persistence. I’ve also learned how important organization is. I live by planners, calendars, digital to-do lists, physical notebooks, everything. Having a strong support system has also been incredibly important throughout the process.

What have you learned in this process?

I’ve learned how much I truly love the process itself. While the outcomes are important, it’s the process itself that gives the work meaning for me. I’ve learned that creativity is only one part of bringing a vision to life. Leadership, communication, resilience and collaboration matter just as much. And I’ve learned how important it is to trust other people creatively and to stay open to new ideas that evolve during the process.

I’ve also learned that young people are capable of much more than adults sometimes expect. If teenagers are trusted with real responsibility and given the chance to lead creatively, they can do incredible things.

Most importantly, I’ve learned that creating art can genuinely bring people together. Watching students from different schools and backgrounds become close through Shakespeare and storytelling has been one of the most meaningful parts of this experience for me.

What advice do you have for other young artists in L.A.?

Don’t wait for permission to start creating. A lot of people spend years waiting until they feel experienced enough or qualified enough, but you really learn by making things. Start now, even if it’s small at first.

Also, don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, share your work, and let people see your creativity. That can feel vulnerable, but it’s worth it. Los Angeles is full of incredibly creative people, and collaboration is such a huge part of growing as an artist. Find people who inspire you and who genuinely want to build things together.

And don’t be afraid to make projects that feel personal or different. Usually the work that connects most deeply with people is the work that feels the most honest.

What are some of your other passions?

Besides theater and filmmaking, I love baking, interior design, antiquing and thrifting. I think a lot of creative people naturally become interested in many different forms of creativity and expression, and I always encourage people to try creative things even if they’re outside their comfort zone.

I’m also very involved at school and in leadership. I’m the elected secretary of student council, an awarded Model UN delegate, and co-president of Women in Film at my school. I’m also the co-founder of the very first high school pickleball league in California, which began with starting a varsity pickleball team at my school. That experience has taught me a lot about leadership, collaboration and building community around something you care about.

Another thing that’s really important to me is tutoring elementary school students from underserved communities in reading and writing each week. Education and storytelling have had such a huge impact on my life, so being able to help younger students build confidence in themselves is really meaningful to me.

What do you enjoy doing in L.A. with your family and friends?

I love how creative and eclectic Los Angeles is. With my family and friends, I love watching movies at historic theaters around the city, exploring different neighborhoods, trying new restaurants, visiting flea markets and farmers markets, and going to live theater performances whenever I can. I also love going to the beach and spending time outdoors around L.A.

I’m also a huge fan of fun L.A. experiences like Universal Studios and other theme parks. My friends and I spend a lot of time working on creative projects together, too, whether that’s making short films, rehearsing scenes, taking photos or brainstorming ideas.

One thing I love most about L.A. is that there’s inspiration everywhere. It’s such a huge and diverse city that you can constantly discover new places, new people and new creative energy.

The post Meet the Los Angeles Teen Behind a Growing Theater and Film Company appeared first on L.A. Parent.

Becoming a dad changes everything, especially your social life. As father of two sons, I absolutely love being a dad, yet having a kid or two flips your life upside down. Your friendships change, plans fall through, conversation topics shift and your community diminishes. But here’s the good news: It doesn’t have to.

When my older son was born in 2023, my wife joined a mommy-and-me group and loved the opportunity to chat with other moms going through the trenches just like she was. It made a huge difference for her. Naturally, I looked for something similar; however, there was nothing like it out there for dads.

This is crazy in a time where new dads are more involved than ever before. Something needed to be done, so I launched Dad’s Little Sidekick — a relaxed monthly hangout where dads and their kids under 4 can just show up, spend time together and meet other dads in the same stage of life. 

There is no pressure and no over-planning. Kids run around and play, snacks are shared and dads get a chance to actually talk about parenting, life, music — or whatever comes up.

I originally modeled the program after weekly meetings with an agenda, but soon realized that while dads want to meet other dads, a little less structure is OK. Bonding for dads is showing up, being silly, playing around and just making sure that they get some quality time with their kid. This generation of men wants to partake in the day-to-day activity of our kids growing up and want to be present to build strong relationships with our mini-me’s. 

As a full-time working dad who wants to divide the housework and parental responsibilities, taking time to spend with friends can be difficult and produces a constant underlying dad guilt.  Dad life is constantly busy, but making friends shouldn’t be hard. That’s what makes having a built-in community so valuable. 

When my friends had kids before me, they stopped reaching out and seemed too busy with their lives to maintain friendships. When it was my turn to have a little one, I made every effort to not let this happen. Kids come with different schedules and varied routines, but when you’re surrounded by dads with kids in similar stages, there’s an instant understanding. No need to explain why you’re late, distracted or tired — it’s just part of the deal. This group is priceless and offers the opportunity to make new friends feel possible!

Between work, naps, meals and potty training, hanging out shouldn’t feel like another chore.  We meet in a safe enclosed space, because when you get together in the park, kids are running around all over the place and connection never happens. What is better than having a fun, easy environment for the kids to play and a laid-back atmosphere for the guys to talk and swap stories?  

Dad’s Little Sidekick is something to look forward to, and while we meet monthly, the conversations continue in between. We are all willing to help each other, offer different services or just ask a quick question to the group. Real friendships are forming between the kids and the dads. 

This is also dedicated time for a dad to hang with their kid and for their spouse to have some self-care time. When dads have strong community support, everyone benefits. Your kids see you prioritizing relationships, your partner sees you as more fulfilled and less stressed and you become a better version of yourself in every role you play.

It is time for dads to also be taken care of. It takes a village to raise a kid and to raise a happy, competent dad. Being a dad is one of the best jobs in the world, and it can be even greater with Dad’s Little Sidekick. 

We’re all about feeling less isolated and more connected. Dads show up for their kids every day, and it’s time we show up for each other, too. Follow us @dadslittlesidekick for more info and to join our next hangout! 

Jared Podos is a father and founder of Dad’s Little Sidekick. 

Editor’s note: For great family-friendly events you can share with fellow dads, visit our events roundup. If your kids are a bit older, you’ll enjoy this father-daugther story on how they explore L.A. like tourists.

The post How Dad’s Little Sidekick Is Building Community for Los Angeles Fathers appeared first on L.A. Parent.

I’m a third-generation Japanese American, or sansei, born and raised in Los Angeles. I don’t speak Japanese, but through art and cooking, I stay connected to my culture and my ancestors. Whenever we cook at home, my 9-year-old daughter Aiko always reminds us that the special ingredient in every meal is love.

Beyond our individual homes, food is also vital for community building. This was the idea at the heart of a community cookbook I helped create, “Belly Like Drum,” with Nikkei Progressives, a grassroots intergenerational activism organization. “Belly Like Drum” was a labor of love, filled with recipes, interviews, poetry, illustrations and even food-related jokes written by my daughter. Many of us in the Japanese American community grew up with community cookbooks, and this one — with contributors ranging in age from 7 to 97 — is our way of paying homage to our families while acting as a bridge to future generations.

Little Tokyo is central to that story. One of the last remaining Japantowns in the country, it recently celebrated 140 years. Little Tokyo is dear to my heart, as five generations of my family have walked its streets. It’s where my great-grandfather owned a barbershop, where my grandparents met, where my parents were married, where I played basketball as a child and now where my daughter participates in Kizuna Summer Camp.

My husband Sheheryar and I took our daughter to Japan in 2024, and when we returned, she kept asking to go to Little Tokyo because that is the closest we can get to Japan in the U.S.  From its specialty markets and restaurants to the Little Tokyo Public Library, this neighborhood provides us with a tangible connection to Japanese and Japanese American life right here in L.A.

Every year, we take my daughter to the Oshogatsu (New Year’s) celebration at the Japanese American National Museum, Nisei Week and Delicious Little Tokyo, hosted by the Little Tokyo Community Council. There is also a weekly farmers market in Noguchi Plaza at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center on Saturdays.

We love supporting legacy businesses that hold traditions from past generations and have sustained Little Tokyo all these years. My go-to place is Azay, a family-run intergenerational Japanese-French restaurant. My favorite dishes: the Japanese breakfast, barbecue eel bowl and matcha crème brûlée … I have never seen my daughter eat anything faster!

I used to go to the Far East Cafe as a kid after every wedding and funeral, and I love to see the community continue to frequent the space now as Far Bar. Rafu Bussan for cookware and Anzen for knives from Japan are also a must.

Speaking of cooking, the recipe I’m sharing here is from “Belly Like Drum.” My dear cousin (she prefers we call her “Aunt Grace”) prepared “Mama Izuhara’s Salmon Steaks” at every family gathering, and we never tire of it.

She inherited the recipe from her mother-in-law, who lived to be 100. For me, this dish (which is quick and easy to make) is comfort food, familial warmth and a hug all rolled into one.

Mama Izuhara’s Salmon Steaks

Salmon steaks or filets

Mayonnaise

Dried chopped parsley (or furikake)

Shoyu (soy sauce) 

Place salmon steaks skin-down on a baking pan. Spread generously with mayonnaise and sprinkle with parsley.

Drizzle shoyu generously over salmon.

Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the fish flakes and can separate easily, it is cooked through.  

Alyson Iwamoto is an arts educator, ceramicist, mother and member of Nikkei Progressives, with whom she created a community cookbook titled “Belly Like Drum.” She has taught ceramics to children for more than a decade and currently teaches at Sooki Studio, a community studio in Frogtown. Learn more at alysoniwamoto.com and on Instagram @alysoniwamoto.

The post A Taste of Little Tokyo: A Family Recipe and Japanese American Traditions appeared first on L.A. Parent.

The Comfort Cub started from a mother’s loss and grieving and has grown into a company focused on therapeutic healing and hope. Each weighted therapeutic teddy bear comes with a personal handwritten letter from Encinitas resident Marcella Johnson, whose baby boy George died peacefully in her arms the day he was born.

Each teddy bear is designed to provide healing both for the heart and body. The company, which was recently honored with a NAPPA Award, now extends beyond navigating grief, to supporting mental wellness for those experiencing anxiety, trauma, illness and other challenging life events.

We recently chatted with Marcella, who is the mother of five and grandmother of three.

While I have read your bio on your website, tell us more about the time of your grieving, the potted plant your father handed you and what happened at that moment and the days that followed?

Along with the obvious emotional pain of losing a child, I also experienced unusual physical pain that I had never felt before. My heart hurt, and my arms ached. Nothing would make it go away. I even went to the doctor, and he couldn’t determine what was wrong.

Shortly after my son’s passing, my dad and I went to visit his gravesite. When we arrived, we saw a beautiful terra-cotta pot filled with flowers that someone had left there. My dad suggested I take it home, but I was in such a deep state of depression that I wasn’t interested in anything. He gently insisted it might lift my spirits, and just to appease him, I reluctantly picked it up.

That’s when something incredible happened. The moment I held that cold, heavy pot in my arms, the aching in my heart and arms immediately went away. It was so surprising—and honestly, a little strange—that I didn’t even mention it to my dad. But I quickly realized that every time I put the pot down, the pain returned. So I found myself carrying it everywhere, thinking I must have lost my mind.

Later, I learned that this is actually quite common. When women lose a child, they often instinctively seek out weighted objects—sometimes carrying things like a sack of flour, a lamp, or even a pineapple—because the weight mimics the feeling of holding their baby.

When I realized this, I felt strongly that there needed to be something more dignified and intentional to support grieving mothers. That’s when I was inspired to create a weighted teddy bear designed to mimic the weight and shape of a newborn baby. At the time, nothing like it existed.

I made the first prototype by hand and brought it to the social workers who had supported me at San Diego Hospice and Mary Birch Hospital. They immediately saw its value and asked me to make more for their patients. In the beginning, I made each one by hand with the help of friends, and I personally wrote every letter that accompanied each Comfort Cub.

At first, it was difficult to get the medical community to fully understand its importance. But the mothers and families who received them did. Their response made it clear this was something meaningful.

Years later, I learned that the pain I had experienced is called Takotsubo syndrome, or “broken heart syndrome,” a condition brought on by acute grief. The aching in my arms is often referred to as “empty arm syndrome”—a very real sensation of longing to hold your child.

Holding a Comfort Cub helps alleviate both.

Tell us a little about the people and families you have met since starting Comfort Cub?

I’ve met so many incredible families along the way. In the beginning, my focus was on mothers and families who had lost a child. But very quickly and organically, The Comfort Cub expanded into many other areas.

Early on, I spoke at a hospital to a group of social workers from various organizations. One woman shared that she worked with mothers placing their babies for adoption. That moment was eye-opening—while their children had not died, they were still experiencing a profound loss. They no longer had their child to hold.

From there, we began working with families whose babies were in the NICU. Parents often have to leave the hospital without their newborns, which can be incredibly traumatic. The Comfort Cub helps fill that physical and emotional space while they wait to bring their babies home.

We’ve also seen it help mothers struggling with breastfeeding. Holding the Comfort Cub has helped some women relax enough to allow milk letdown.

Over time, requests expanded beyond child loss to include anyone grieving a loved one—a parent, sibling, or friend—and really any situation involving trauma or loss.

I understand you work with various hospitals and organizations throughout Southern California. Please tell us more about these collaborations.

We’re honored to work with hospitals and organizations throughout Southern California. In San Diego, we partner with virtually every hospital. In Los Angeles, we work with major institutions including UCLA, Cedars-Sinai, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Loma Linda and CHOC.

We also collaborate with organizations like The Dream Center, the Los Angeles Department of Education, and the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services. Through these partnerships, we’ve been able to support children and families impacted by traumatic events, including the recent devastating Los Angeles wildfires.

These collaborations allow us to place Comfort Cubs directly into the hands of people when they need them most.

How has the mission of Comfort Cub evolved since you began?

We originally created The Comfort Cub for women and families who had lost a child. Over time, we realized that holding our weighted, therapeutic teddy bear is a form of deep touch therapy.

Once we understood that it could help calm the body, we saw that it could support people in many different types of trauma. We began working with the San Diego Police Department through their trauma intervention programs, where Comfort Cubs were used on emergency calls and found to be very effective in bringing calm to highly stressful situations.

From there, we began receiving requests from across the country in response to large-scale tragedies—mass shootings, natural disasters like floods, and devastating wildfires.

While our reach has expanded, our mission remains the same: to provide comfort in moments of deep need.

What makes you most proud about your company?

I’m most proud that we’re still here after 27 years. We started with no roadmap—I simply wanted to make the path a little easier for the next mother walking through the kind of loss I experienced.

To now know we’ve impacted more than 150,000 people is truly humbling.

I’m also incredibly proud of our small but mighty team. Everyone involved has their own personal story of loss or trauma. This isn’t just work for us—it’s deeply personal. We care about this mission because we’ve lived it.

What are some projects you’re currently working on and looking forward to?

We are really looking forward to helping to support the families of those who perished during 9/11. We have recently been asked to join Voices Center for Resilience (formerly Voices of September 11th) for its 25th anniversary this year in New York City. We will be distributing Comfort Cubs to those families who are still dealing with the trauma of losing their loved ones. It will be our honor to participate in this important event, which has deeply affected our nation. We also look forward to finding new people and organizations to help.  So if your readers think their group could benefit from having Comfort Cubs we’d love to hear from them. They can reach us at our website by clicking on the “For Organizations” tab.

How have you personally changed/evolved since starting this company?
When I started, my focus was solely on the loss of a child. Over time, I’ve learned that grief comes in many forms, and there is no comparison in loss. What matters is what that loss means to the person experiencing it.

A broken heart can come from losing a loved one, a pet, a marriage, a sense of identity, or even a dream.

This work has made me much more compassionate. I’ve come to understand that life is hard, and we all carry things others cannot see. Because of that, I believe deeply in the importance of kindness. You never know what someone else is going through, and even the smallest act of compassion can make a difference.

The post Meet Marcella Johnson: The Mom Behind The Comfort Cub and a Mission to Heal appeared first on L.A. Parent.