The coming of spring ushers in California's all too brief wildflower season. One of the best places to see wildflowers in the Bay Area is the Point Reyes National Seashore in West Marin. Repeat visitors to this site know that Point Reyes is probably our favorite place for a family outdoor outing, and in March and April you can also see some pretty spectacular wildflower displays, especially since we've had a wet winter.

Just because you're a stay-at-home mom doesn't mean you can't take charge of you and your family's financial security. In this guest article, Mill Valley mom and Certified Financial Planner™ Katy Song offers some financial tips to help stay-at-home moms take action and make a difference.

Women have different reasons for choosing to stay at home to take care of their children. Some mothers have always envisioned staying at home with the kids, while others might not make enough to cover the cost of childcare. No matter the reason, there are five important steps that every stay-at-home mom (SAHM) can take to protect her and her family’s financial security.

1. Value Yourself—Most moms would argue that staying home to raise the kids is the toughest job in the world. According to Salary.com, the average SAHM works 96 hours per week; if you valued this work as a care provider, teacher, driver, housekeeper and psychologist, it would add up to over $145,000 per year in Marin. So do not underestimate your value just because you’re not bringing in a paycheck each week. Valuing your role in the family should translate into having an equal say in financial matters.

Tickets are still available for this week's special events with world-renowned developmental psychologist Dr. Gordon Neufeld at the Four Points by Sheraton in San Rafael, CA. Dr. Neufeld is an international authority on child development and author of the bestselling book Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers.

This Thursday, March 11 from 7 to 9pm, Dr. Neufeld gives a public talk "The Truth About Consequences and the Trouble with Time-Outs: 12 Guidelines for Natural Discipline".

On Friday, March 12, from 9 am to 4 pm there will be a full-day training "Relationship Matters: Harnessing the Power of Attachment". This training session is intended for professionals, but is open to the public.

The Ark Row Center for Enrichment is now open in Tiburon! Owner Robin Briskin has been an educator since 1974 and has opened the center with the whole community in mind, offering a wide variety of classes and programs for children, adults, and seniors.

Programs for children include Two’s Together, a preschool prep class; messy fun with Mush & Gush for ages 2 to 4; yoga for kids of all ages; and Princess Ballet for ages 3 to 5. Classes for parents include pre- and post-natal yoga; Mommies Meeting Mommies, a great get-together for moms and children; and Mama Sings, where pregnant mommies can learn to sing to their unborn children. The center will offer a series of sample classes during its March open houses on Saturday, March 13, 20, and 27 from 10 am to 2 pm. Sample classes include Family Yoga, Dance Jam for Kids, Recycled Art for the Family, and Family Theater.

Ever wonder if homeschooling is right for you and your children? Marin mom and homeschooling parent Barbara McVeigh writes about her experiences, as well as local resources for homeschoolers, in this guest article.

Last August my daughter’s assigned first grade desk sat empty, and I felt a lump in my throat. Because instead of driving her to our local school, one noted for its academic achievements and containing her kindergarten friends from last year, we decided to take an alternative route. We went fishing that day where we got hooked… with a creative group of homeschoolers, a community growing in Marin. Our homeschooling journey began as we dived into a world filled with boundless schooling choices.

Making an educational decision for a child is such a personal one, and it can be a very sensitive topic. Reasons might be based on pedagogy, religion, health issues, logistics, or finances. We personally chose homeschooling for balance we could not find in private or public schools. And, living in Marin we’ve discovered extraordinary resources that make this journey for our child and family immensely memorable, rich and, of course, educational.

Mill Valley’s Waldorf-inspired Greenwood School is presenting “Movement in Childhood: The Role of Sport and Free Play in Healthy Childhood Development” tonight, Thursday, March 4, from 7 to 9 pm. Remember the days when sports were not everything and children’s time wasn’t so overbooked? When you went over to your friend’s house, just to play? We sensed something important was going on back then—and we were right. Play rises above other activities.

Masque Unit Junior Theatre presents Cinderella, its 48th live musical production for children. Written and adapted by Jim Eiler from Charles Perrault’s beloved classic, the story is presented through the eyes of a wise, comical Fairy Godmother. She and her fairy helpers create potions like the Sneeze Polka to aid an honest and unpretentious Cinderella in overcoming her domineering stepmother and zany stepsisters. Prince Charming, his near-sighted father, an enchanted coach, a glass slipper, and catchy original music add to this tale where love and forgiveness triumph over jealousy and ambition. Audiences will leave smiling and humming the whimsical melodies for days to come.

Public performances take place at the Marin Center's Showcase Theater on Saturday, March 6 and Sunday, March 7 at 1 and 3 pm. Tickets are $8, and you can order them by calling Marin Center Box Office at (415) 499-6800

Masque Unit Junior Theater of Marin was established in 1961 by a group of women who saw a need to provide live theater experiences at a reasonable cost for the youth of Marin County. Masque Unit is a non-profit organization of volunteers who combine their talents in costuming, writing, choreography, set design, producing and on-stage performing. Learn more about Masque Unit at www.masqueunit.org.

Marin mom Tina Fredericks, a culinary baker and certified pastry chef, has created a career for herself with Little Piggy Cupcakes, a business that supplies the tasty treats for birthday parties, baby showers, weddings and other events. You can purchase cupcakes, try a free sample, and meet Chef Tina at the Little Piggy Cupcakes booth at the Marin County Farmer's Market at the Civic Center in San Rafael (Sundays, 8 am to 1 pm). For more information, visit www.littlepiggycupcakes.com or call (415) 572-3483.

Got a question about children's health? Ask the pediatrician in our new feature here on Marin Mommies! Submit your medical questions to us via email and we'll choose some every month to be answered by our frequent guest contributors, pediatricians Dr. Steven Martel and Dr. Oded Herbsman.

Drs. Martel and Herbsman are the founders of Child’s Light Pediatrics, Inc., an innovative, house-call based pediatric practice that serves Marin County and San Francisco. For more information, please visit them at www.childslightpediatrics.com.

Anyone who loves stickers, knows about Mrs. Grossman’s Sticker Factory. Located just north of Marin in Petaluma, I’ve been wanting to take my kids on their famous factory tour so we can see how their stickers are made.

This family-owned company is a must-visit place for families in the Bay Area. For $3 per person, you get a guided tour, a goody bag of stickers, and more. Tours are held Monday through Thursday by reservation only. You can give them a call at (800) 429-4549 to schedule a tour. Tours last about an hour.