MaryAnne K

Mama Smiles - Joyful Parenting features experiences, products, and activities that encourage parent-child bonding, create fun learning opportunities, inspire positive sibling relationships, and build happy, healthy, connected families. I started this site as a creative outlet five years ago. It has grown into a wonderful place to share ideas of ways to get the most out of parenting, and I gain valuable insights and inspiration from my readers.

I live in Silicon Valley (near San Francisco) and enjoy life as the mother of four young, playful, curious, craft-loving children, aged 8, 6, 4, and 1. My passions include parenting, hands-on learning, sewing, crochet, and anything that encourages learning and creativity throughout life.

I have an undergraduate degree from Stanford University, where I studied organ and vocal performance. I also hold a master’s degree in education, also from Stanford University, with a foreign language teacher’s credential. I taught high school French before returning to graduate school for a PhD in medicine (from the University of Edinburgh), where I looked at programs that use music as therapy for children and to rebuild communities in post-war regions. I now use all three degrees on a daily basis (albeit in somewhat unusual ways) as the stay-at-home mother of four young children! Walk into my home on a random day and you will likely find me reading pictures books with my kids, crafting, playing with kids on the floor, or taking pictures.

As a survivor of pediatric cancer (30 years in May 2012!), I cherish each and every day of life.