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Tara Mandy, the founder of cool parenting Web site StrollerTraffic (www.strollertraffic.com) wrote about a fabled Caribbean resort that went from coupes-only hideaway to family-friendly enclave.

“The first time I visited Parrot Cay in 2003, there was not a child in sight. I couldn’t have imagined kids splashing around in the tranquil pool any more than I couldn’t have imagined a yellow cab honking its way down the resort’s sandy golf cart paths. It was clearly an off-the-grid bliss-out spot for couples who appreciate nice things and healthy living. And I liked it that way.

“The second time I visited, with my husband in the spring of 2008, there were two families: one with an infant and one with a toddler. I remember them vividly because they had reminded my husband and me, quite acutely, of how much we missed our own one-year-old daughter, whom we had left at home for the first time. I thought it strange at first—and to be perfectly honest, quite ballsy—that those couples had brought their potentially disruptive kids to such a romantic and exclusive resort. But then I started to notice little things, like the highchairs stacked in the corner of the restaurant and the children’s movie titles on the DVD rental list, and it occurred to me that perhaps Parrot Cay wasn’t as kid-intolerant as I had thought.

“On my most recent visit this past summer, for what my husband and I have vowed to be our annual “let’s reconnect” getaway, it’s fair to say that Parrot Cay felt down-right family friendly. There were babies in the pool, big kids in the game room, and teens at the fitness center. And you know what? It makes sense. When you think about it, Parrot Cay is brilliant for families: the roomy villas, the safe beach, the three-hour nonstop flight from New York. In fact, there’s even a new a “Family Activities” link on the website, which mentions, among other things, that kids under 12 eat free off the “children’s menu” during the summer. They also offer such activities as shell painting, kite making, and pirate scavenger hunts. So clearly management gets it, too.

“For those of you who prefer the original Parrot Cay fantasy—the one that did not include Marco Polo in the pool and tantrums in the restaurant—it still exists. Just choose your travel dates wisely. As in, don’t even think about going during spring break, summer vacation or Christmas.”

Read a Q&A with Mandy about the launch of StrollerTraffic

Read another member postcard about a stay at Parrot Cay

Read our report about the Turks & Caicos