My name is Bri Smocks and my husband’s name is Arthur. We had our first child Levi, in November 2017 and as a young, married African-American couple, there is so much we have not experienced when it comes to parenting. We love our parents and are grateful for our upbringing, but there are activities and developmental studies to which they were not aware when we were children.
As millennial parents, we knew we wanted to challenge our son and provide opportunities for him that are not normally heard of in our community. That’s why Gymboree Play & Music is about more for us than having a space to play. It’s about giving Levi a chance to build his cognitive and motor skills at an early stage, factors which will serve him well as he grows older. My son showed signs that he was advanced and active before Gymboree Play & Music, but it was there that he crawled for an extended period of time and where his curiosity was stimulated. It also provides him with a chance to explore and improve his social skills which will prepare him for his first day of preschool next month.
Furthermore, as a first-generation college student, two-time graduate of Southern Methodist University, and currently a 10th grade English teacher, I know all too well the importance of early exposure on a child’s future. It is paramount that they have spaces like Gymboree Play & Music to fuel their interests and promote family time. For instance, his Gia, my mother, even attends classes with him and is the stand-in Grandmother for all of his friends! These are only a few of the benefits.
I am thankful to my college friend Craishia, a young, married mother like myself, for telling me about Gymboree Play & Music and now I am eager to do the same. There’s nothing better than sharing places like this with other moms so we can all give our children the best!
Follow Bri on Instagram right here: https://www.instagram.com/momtolevi/
