Meet Debbie Calabro | Kindergarten Teacher and the Family Fun Finder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Debbie Calabro and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Debbie, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My son had just turned one month old and I met a new mom friend. I asked her  Gymboree class and had lunch after? She said sure but what are we going to do with the boys at lunch? I told her just have them sit there with us. It was her first time out with her son and we had a great time. Growing up, my parents exposed my brother and I to everything they could. I wanted to do the same for my son. We began to take him even at a young age to explore places even if it was just to Lowes to look at ceiling fans and stare at all of them, he loved fans. My friends would start to notice our adventures on my personal Facebook page and then text me what tips do I need to know to go there? What do I need to bring? I got so many texts I started to save my tips and copy and paste. It grew and grew and I decided to make a Facebook page to help other friends learn about fun places to take their kids and what to bring with them. I think it helps parents to see others do it and my tips, like bring snacks, or no snacks allowed, help them feel at ease and prepared. I also try to save them money along the way if I can with some of my tips, such as go during these hours for a cheaper ticket or find it on Groupon. .I really just love to help people and turned my passion into helping others! I get such joy when I get messages that someone would not have gone somewhere if it were not for my post. It amazes me how social media can reach people.  I had post seen by 1.7 million people in two weeks!  I also now feature local businesses that my family goes to to help spread the word about great local places. The world has so many amazing places that many do not know about, why not share it with others. I love the memories families make along the way. As a kindergarten teacher, I love seeing the joy in a child’s face when they learn and hope my page is doing the same for parents when they need a fun place to take their child.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My friends always joke, Debbie went to the zoo today.  On the way she stopped here, here, here and her before she got there. What makes Atlanta so amazing is I feel it has it all! Whomever comes to visit can really see whatever they want here. If a friend come to visit,  I always try to figure out what they like and take them to those kinds of places, but if I did not know, them I would start downtown. We could tour the popular spots such as CNN, World of Coke, GA Aquarium, and Civil Rights Museum. We would then go to Mary Macs for a great southern lunch. After that, a drive to Jackson Street Bridge to see an amazing view of the city. We would go around the corner to the MLK center and see where he grew up and Ebenezer Baptist Church. We would then go to the Varsity to get a Frosty Orange to cool down. We then might have a nice dinner at Marcels. The next morning we might get up and take a nice stroll at the Blue Heron Nature preserve so they can see nature is in the city. We might grab some chicken salad from the Swan house and desert from Henri’s bakery to take with us for a picnic. After that, we might drive south of the city to Chick Fil a headquarters and take a tour. His work ethic is amazing and such an inspiration. Of course if it’s sports time we could go to a Hawks, Atlanta United, Falcon game or UGA/GA Tech game if they were in town. We could then take a stroll on the beltline and grab a bite to eat at Krog City Market after. Another fun day would be to Stone Mountain and watch a sunset there. We would eat at the Sweet Potato Cafe for some more southern food. After that we could hit up Creekwater Alpaca Farm to learn about Alpacas. If it was fall time we would have to drive north to Amicalola Falls for a nice hike and have lunch at the lodge there. We would have breakfast before we left town at none other than the Waffle House of course. We would stop at Burt’s Pumpkin Farm and grab a pumpkin and then head north to Blue Ridge to Mercier Orchards to grab pick some yummy apples and have dinner at Harvest on Main in Downtown Blue Ridge. For some fun entertainment we could hit up the Punchline at Landmark Diner or the Whole World Improv Theater. Of course, we would see a play at the Fox Theater and on the way to the airport, we would tour the Delta Museum and have lunch at the Chick Fila Dwarf house. Hopefully, when they left they would realize Atlanta really does have it all!!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My family and friends were my inspiration for starting a facebook page. My dad was always helping others in the small town we grew up in in Ohio. He and my mom were always taking my brother and I places at a young age.   They met in Europe and loved to travel and carried on to us. My brother loves to travel and take pictures and make itineraries for us when we would go to Europe. My friends would even joke: It is 8:07 am  Debbie you are traveling over the Alps Mountain and on the left is …… When I got married I had such a detailed itinerary for all my guests on fun things in Atlanta, even the minister joked about it during the services. I think planning, traveling and helping others is just something I was born with from my family and I have to thank them for it. My dad passed away from cancer 10 years ago and I have to hope that he is proud of me for helping others with ideas. His mind and mine are a lot the same and I think daily how he would love to hear the adventures my son and I have each day.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/miltonmomsfamilyfunaroundtheatl
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Miltonmomsfamilyfunaroundatl

Image Credits
Debbie Calabro

Volunteering at Meals by Grace, Creekwater Alpaca Farm, Cumming Fair, Jackson Street Bridge, Stone Mountain 4th of July,  Blue Heron Preserve