Local Mom Highlight- Stephanie Scianna Pitts
Where did you grow up: I grew up in South Orange, NJ
Town you live in now: Delray Beach, FL
Why you love living there: I love living in Delray Beach because we can be outside all year round! I love living in a community with lots of other families so we feel like we have a village. It makes me so happy to see my kids playing on the street with their friends from the neighborhood. We love the beach, we love going to Miami, we love all of the opportunities that are offered.
Tell me about your kids: We have 2 boys ages 8 and 9. Our 9 year old loves Basketball, pickleball, skateboarding, biking, basically anything active plus he is enchanted by history, Greek mythology and Math. Our 8 year old loves Art, music, riding his scooter, swimming, soccer and has an incredibly creative mind so he’s always making something. He also loves reading and creating comic books!
Favorite things to do with the kids locally: We love bike riding, going to the many parks in the area and participating in all of the sports leagues that the city has to offer. If we aren’t traveling for a basketball tournament then we are enjoying pool time at home. They also love to come to work with me!…
What’s your ‘day job’? How did you get started with it? I own 2 Art Studios for kids called artNEST®. One is in East Delray and the other is in West Boca. We provide the community with epic Art Experiences for kids ages 1-13. We have camps, workshops, birthday parties, classes and more. The focus is on the process and experience rather than the final product because we want to provide a stress free environment where kids can be free to express their ideas and be the most creative versions of themselves. We definitely love to make a mess as we have a splash room where they can throw paint against the walls, paint the floor, and themselves! This is why my kids love coming to work with me:) I started this business with my Dad. I wanted to spend more time with my own kids (I was traveling a lot for work) and my Dad is a brilliant artist and human, so I knew this would be a great venture for us. I used to be an Art Teacher and was missing so many aspects of that but wanted to create a place where I made the rules and can be a business own AND still volunteer at my kid’s school, pick them up and be with them when I want. It’s also been incredible to bond with my own parents through this journey!
What is your best parenting advice. Lay it on us. Listen to yourself, only YOU know what’s truly right for your kids. Don’t deny your gut instincts no matter what anyone says. You’re doing great!
What do you do for self care? I schedule acupuncture weekly, workout when I can, meditate when I can but try not to put pressure on myself to do “self care” because that’s the antithesis of self care. I find moments to treat myself and give myself grace…we all do the best that we know how!
Karaoke – what are you singing? Piece of My Heart – Janis Joplin!
Anything else you want to share? Thank you for taking time to allow me to tell a piece of my story. It’s wonderful to highlight moms and all of their hard work and ideas. I’m truly grateful to this community.
