My name is Jessica. I’m a freelance writing mother of two who lives in Silver Spring. This website is for parents everywhere, especially those that live in the Washington DC area.
What’s a parent to do?
Literally. What is there to do with our children? Whether you are home all day every day every minute with the little rascals, working part time or full time, a mother or father, married or single, this is a question that you are bound to ask.
In speaking with other parents since I became a mom, I have heard this question thousands of times. Especially from new mothers that have just left their jobs for a maternity leave of anywhere from two months to twenty years. If I had a nickel for every time I have heard “How I do I meet other moms with kids the same age?” or “How can I find a playgroup?” I would probably live in Bethesda.
Just kidding.
I think there are oodles of resources for parents nationwide, and events and opportunities to meet other families in the Washington, DC area. My goal for is to provide a fun, free and accessible resource for families. I’d love to assist that new mom in her yoga pants that does not know a soul with a child and is jonesing for company other than her newborn. Or that stay at home dad that feels lost in a sea of nursing bras. The family that just moved to the Washington, D.C. area from another state. The parent that works outside the home and is looking for events to share with his/her kid when they have time together.
And who am I?
My full name is Jessica McFadden. I used to be Jessica Slovak, until I surprised myself and embraced tradition. Now I’m a minivan driving, bass-booming Washington, D.C. area housewife and mom to two energetic children: six year old son Charlie and four year old daughter Eve. My husband Chris is hot and kind and an IT genius and an incredible dad. No, you can’t have him.
In addition to momming it up and writing this website, I work as a writer of informative and humorous parenting articles (the kind you don’t have to be an MD to get away with.) I’d love to write a feature for your publication or help you promote your business or cause in this weird online world. I also make special guest star appearances in Washington DC and the blogosphere.
I’m a California native that moved to DC to work on Capitol Hill for a U.S. Senator, and then for corporate and public affairs clients at a big PR firm. I worked until late each night and then shook the pins out of my bleached hair and hit the town. Then I fell in love and got married and moved to Silver Spring and had babies and my priorities changed. Now working from home as a writer on this blog, on a freelance basis for other publications and as an Editor for Nickelodeon’s ParentsConnect, means every day is take my kids to work day. It rocks.
I love libraries, live music, early American lit, period dramas, loud dinner parties, Alfred Hitchcock, Smithsonian Institutions, wooded trails, beach and Italian vacations, antique shops, overpriced jeans and handbags, flea markets, Real Simple, board games and boxed wine green tea.
I’m extroverted to a fault, so if I run into to you at the store and start jabbering away to you or your kids, just tell me to shut up. I won’t be offended. Email me with your suggestions for the site any old time. Don’t worry, I have no idea how to spam you.
I hope you enjoy this humble website. Cruise around and explore all that the area has to offer, and email me with anything that you’d like to see. I’d love to hear from you.
A note to marketing professionals & companies: I am a professional freelance journalist. All reviews of events, places, people and products are written with journalistic integrity and in accordance with the FTC guidelines for online writers. All opinions expressed on this website are 100% my own. I love receiving new information about resources for parents, however, I do not do paid posts. Events and products that I genuinely recommend appear in featured articles, on the events calendar or on A Parent in Silver Spring Reviews.
