How to Raise a Cool Kid in Portland — And Stay Cool Yourself

Portland has long been known as a playground for overgrown children, and that doesn’t have to change just because you’ve got a child of your own now.

Parenting is hard. But it doesn't have to suck.

Surely, that sentence just made someone who's going on about five minutes of sleep in three days shoot warm milk through their nose with laughter.

Of course it sucks! All your friends abandon you. You don't sleep, ever. You're forced to eat SpaghettiOs and mushed-up hot dogs because you're not even allowed to shop for yourself anymore. Sure, it ends up being the most rewarding thing you could ever do. (At least, that's what I've been led to believe—my only children right now are cats.) But in the moment, if it doesn't feel like the worst decision of your life, how can you be sure you're doing it right?

Perhaps that's true in other cities. But Portland has long been known as a playground for overgrown children, and that doesn't have to change just because you've got a child of your own now. In fact, you can share it with them.

In this issue, we'll tell you how.

The first step is imparting your left-of-center values onto your child, and making sure they don't turn into a Basic B—that's "Basic Baby." A Portland punk dad explains how he did it, and it's more involved than just stuffing your infant into a Ramones onesie.

Social isolation is one of the toughest aspects of parenting, so we've provided a guide to navigating awkward new-parent friendships. We also looked at a popular new networking app designed specifically for moms, and infiltrated a workout class meant for new and expectant mothers, armed with a stroller and a sock monkey.

Because engaging with your child's interests will help keep you "with it," we've got a rundown of the hottest trends on the playground right now, from Fortnite to DIY slime. And when the rainy months hit, turning the local park to mud, we know you'll get desperate just to get out of the house and throw the kid into a ball pit so you can stare off into space for a while. So we've rounded up 10 great local options for you, including play centers with beer, movie theaters with couches and, of course, IKEA.

Like we said, parenting is hard. That much is undeniable. And hey, maybe we're naive. (Again, all I've got are cats.) Maybe it's not possible to raise a kid while keeping your cool. But if you can do it without losing your mind, that's victory enough.

An Adult's Guide to What's Hot in Children's Entertainment 

How to Navigate the Awkward World of New Parent Relationships

 A New App For Connecting Lonely Moms Has Found a Huge Audience in Portland 

Infiltrating Stroller Strides, the Workout Class for New Moms 

How to Parent As a Punk 

Every Parent Needs a Break. Here Are 10 Indoor Places in Portland to Bring Your Kid When You're Desperate For a Breather.

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