Meet Kevin Kerr, a young and active dad who proudly calls Aspinwall home. Alongside his wife, Jenna, and two daughters, Nellie (3 ½) and Emmeline (1 ½), the Kerrs make it a priority as a family to spend as much time together as possible, explore new things, embrace different cultural foods and enjoy all that Pittsburgh has to offer.
You’ve worked in fast-moving industries like tech and public policy. What lessons from that world do you think parents can apply when raising kids in today’s ever-changing environment?
The workplace has changed a ton in the past decade. I would argue that one of the best changes, particularly in the emerging sectors that I’ve worked in, is that people are much more willing to come as they are and present as their authentic selves. My wife and I both work intense jobs but also are extremely fortunate to have flexibility, which is not always the case for many families across the region. My clients and coworkers are very used to the occasional video call with a kid on my lap if day care is closed, or a last-minute pivot on timing because a pediatrician visit has gotten in the way. We don’t always need to scramble or panic when parenthood forces us to pivot, which is a luxury that hopefully will grow more common over time.
Growing up in Northwestern PA and working to shape policy here, what do you hope the future looks like for families in our region?
Our family has called Aspinwall home for the past six years, and we genuinely believe our little town carries so many lessons for a brighter future for kids and families in Western PA. Hundreds of kids visit our front porch every Halloween, we walk and ride bikes on streets with low speed limits and we play in beautiful parks that are well-loved and keep us connected to our environment. My wish for all families around Pittsburgh is that they can live in a place where they know their neighbors, travel on safe and thoughtfully designed streets and have good incentives to leave home to eat, exercise and play in safe and vibrant communities.
How do you balance ambition and career growth with staying grounded in what matters most at home?
We do this better on some days than others, but we have been firm in prioritizing our family time on weeknights between 5:30 [p.m.] to 8 p.m. and then going all-out on the weekends. That usually looks like phones and computers put away, dance parties in the kitchen while we cook and eat dinner together, bath time, then all-hands-on-deck for bedtime routines. Our kids are so young, and time with them is fleeting. It takes a very conscious effort to savor those hours when we have them.
For parents raising kids in the Pittsburgh region today, what advice would you give about helping their children become engaged contributors to their communities?
Leave home as a family and try to unplug from technology. Pittsburgh is home to such amazing cultural institutions. Depending on the weather, you’ll find us most Saturdays either at the zoo, the Natural History Museum, PNC Park or on a trail somewhere with kids in a hiking backpack. Our girls have grown to love things like hiking, and gardening and Szechuan food because we’ve been really conscious to expose them to activities that we love as their parents. Don’t let fear of a little public meltdown scare you from experiencing all the joys this city has to offer.
As a parent, what are the most important values you hope your children carry with them as they grow up?
Above all else, we want our girls to be kind and to love themselves and their neighbors. The world seems to grow more complicated and overwhelming every day, and I want my daughters to lead confident, independent and deeply fulfilled lives. As a Pittsburgh family, we basically just want to make Mr. Rogers proud.
When your kids look back one day, what do you hope they remember most about how you showed up for them as a parent?
We want them to remember us as fun, in love and uncomplicated. As a man, I want my girls to remember singing the “Encanto” soundtrack at the top of their lungs in the car with their dad. I want them to remember me telling them I’m sorry — and meaning it — if I ever raise my voice in a moment of frustration. The way that they see their dad treats both them and their mother will have real implications as they grow, and that’s a responsibility I don’t take lightly. I want them to remember that their parents will always love them so deeply without needing anything in return.
Family Favorites
Weekend Activity: Family walk on a sunny day to Allegheny RiverTrail Park, eating Pizza Lupo and playing on the playground as neighborhood friends and family come and go, hopefully with a Trace Brewing popup for Mom and Dad.
Sports Team: The Buffalo Bills and the Pittsburgh Pirates, despite constant heartbreak from both
Family Movie: Disney’s “Tangled”
Date Night Plans: Mom and Dad walk to Foxhole Tavern in Aspinwall while someone at home watches a baby monitor that stays quiet the whole time we’re gone.
Family Restaurant: Taiwanese Bistro Cafe 33
Carrie Woodard is a National Certified Counselor, National Certified School Counselor and a Pittsburgh mama of two.
