Happy Monday South Shore! I’m thrilled to introduce to Duxbury mom, Kristina McGeary. Kristina’s business, Coastal Kids, is relatively new to our area and designed for pre-school kids. She is a former teacher, mom of two and now South Shore resident. Let’s get to know Kristina!
Where are you from originally?
I was born and raised in New York. After graduating from Providence College in
2007, I started teaching in the Boston area. I met my husband, Ryan, through
friends from Providence College and we’ve lived in and around Boston for the
past 17 years. We started our family in South Boston and just moved to the
South Shore in the spring of 2024.
Tell us about your kiddos!
We have two busy, little ones! My daughter, Ellie, is 5 years old and just started
Kindergarten. My son, Chase, is 3 years old and spends a few days a week in
Preschool and his days off with me at home.
What is your favorite thing about living in our area?
Living near the beach has always been high on our priority list and having access
to the Duxbury drive-on beach all year round is definitely my favorite thing about
living here. I love it in the summer and nothing beats a cozy sweatshirt on the
beach in the fall.
Tell us about what you do with Coastal Kids. What is your favorite part about
the work you do?
My business, Coastal Kids, is a combination of my experience as both a teacher
and as a mom. I knew I wanted to work with kids who were still at home, in
school part-time or just looking for a class that provided an
educational/classroom-like experience. Given my background as a certified
teacher for the past 17 years, I knew I could provide that.
After settling into Duxbury, I used the summer to start planning the launch of
Coastal Kids. I kicked off classes at the Duxbury Free Library at the end of
September and have been teaching different lessons each week. I plan lessons
with ages 2-5 in mind and focus on age appropriate academics, social and
emotional learning strategies and confidence building skills. Classes typically
include calendar time, reading, project-based skills and lots of opportunities to
learn and socialize with peers.
Classes are 40 minutes and caregivers stay with their learner throughout the
session. Families can purchase drop-in classes or a class package.
My favorite part is without a doubt getting to know the kids I work with. I truly
feel like I have my own students again. We might not be in a school building but
more and more families are consistently coming to classes and I’m getting to
know the little ones and their parents, nannies, grandparents, etc! It’s been so
much fun and I have received great feedback and support from the families that I
am working with.
What do you find to be the toughest part about being a working mom and balancing it all?
It’s all tough! For me personally, I function best when all aspects of life are
organized – the house, the school work, the kid’s clothes, the activities, my
business…I could go on! I think it’s so hard to consistently keep all pieces of the
puzzle organized. That can be an exhausting, impossible task and sometimes I
have to remind myself that it won’t all get done in a day. It’s ok to slow down
sometimes and finish something tomorrow. But that is easier said than done! I
will keep working on it 🙂
Kristina with her husband and two children
What is your favorite activity to do with your children?
Spending the day at the beach and then jumping in the pool is at the top of our
list!
What is the best advice you have received as a mom?
When I first became a mom, I remember reading countless books and
over-preparing for all that was to come. But, a specific piece of advice that has
always stuck with me was to think about who would be my “top 5.” These would
be the people I call when I need help or advice in the early days of parenthood
when things can be challenging to say the least! In an attempt to feel less
overwhelmed, the “top 5” always provided a sense of comfort.
Now, as my kids get older, a piece of advice I try to remember is that we are
always going to make mistakes as parents, but that doesn’t mean we can’t
celebrate all the wins and great things we do each day. (That’s great advice!)
Now that you’ve been living here for a few months, tell us some of your favorite local spots!
Coffee shop: Seabird Coffee in Duxbury – they have yummy donuts on Fridays!
Place for a playdate: So many! I love finding spots that are fun for adults and the kids. We’ve had the best playdates at Salty Days and Split Rock movie nights in Cohasset, the park at the Duxbury Free Library and Island Creek Oysters in Duxbury.
Bakery: French Memories in Duxbury – a family favorite.
Shop or boutique: Merier Children’s Boutique in Duxbury is adorable. They have a few, cute things for mom too!
Thank you Kristina for letting us get to know you, we’re happy to have you and Coastal Kids part of our community!