mom next door Meet Valerie Hamlin
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It’s really important to let them fail, let them struggle so that they can learn.
BY AMELIA ROESSLER
V alerie Hamlin has spent her Marketing and Public Relations at Denver Academy, she’s spent the past decade con- necting families with a school community she describes as feeling like family. At home, she’s raising three sons, rediscovering her love of music through piano lessons, and preparing for the next chapter as an empty nester. Hailing from Texas to Colorado 24 years ago, Hamlin and her husband have made a life in Colorado for their three sons. She used to be in the entertainment industry, performing as an opera singer and teaching music, while also working in marketing. Now, Hamlin has been at Denver Academy (DA) for 10 years and says the community feels like family. career championing the arts and education. As the Director of
“As a mom, I want to have a career and keep that going, but also make sure that my kids are okay,” Hamlin says. One of the biggest things Hamlin has learned in her parenting journey is that you have to let your kids fail. She explains that as a parent, you want to fix everything, you want to pick them up and keep them from strug- gling. “But it’s really important to let them fail, let them struggle so that they can learn,” says Hamlin. But she also has seen the joys of parenthood. To watch her three kids grow and become young adults, find their own way, and figure out life has been a bright part of her parenting journey. The best piece of parenting advice Hamlin says she ever received was to not sweat the small stuff. Don’t worry about all the little things along the way, especially when you
only now in a different way as she takes piano lessons and continues to be involved in music through her kids’ lives. “I’ve recently started taking piano lessons myself, which is super fun,” she explains. “Now that my kids are getting older, my husband and I have realized we’re going to have to find some more hobbies because we’re going to be empty nesters next year.” As a family, they also enjoy being outdoors and active, through skiing, hiking, biking, and even yoga. Hamlin says parenting is the hardest and best thing she has ever done. She explains that working through the entirety of her kids’ lives has been one of the biggest chal- lenges, and balancing home and work life is not easy.
Because of her background in music, Hamlin says she still finds passion in the subject,
12 COLORADO PARENT SEPTEMBER 2026
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