WNCParent January 2011 by Stacey

contents This month’s features

2 Girls and science

Area programs aim to keep young women engaged in the sciences.

5 Character education

Beyond the three R’s, schools actively teach students how to be good people.

8 Charter schools

We look at the learning alternatives that charter schools provide.

12 Preschool learning

politician and parent.

29 Winter eats

Stay cozy with hearty soups and stews.

BrainChild is the latest area school to focus on kindergarten readiness.

32 The High Country

Guest columnist Kim Borden shows how easy it is to teach tots math with basic toys.

54 High-tech tots

16 Teaching math

20 Parent 2 Parent

Meet Holly Jones, executive,

Explore Boone and Blowing Rock this winter with your family. Toddlers are increasingly drawn to iPods and iPads.

Learning starts early

One of the most fascinating things about being a parent is watching your child learn, seeing the lightbulb go off. When my daughter was in preschool, we were driving up the street one day and she bellowed from the backseat, “Mom! It’s a 4!” She’d seen the number “4” on a county route sign near our house. For the rest of our trip, she yelled every number she saw on a street sign or house. It was like we were living a “Sesame Street” episode. I thought of this when I was editing the guest column from Kim Borden of Asheville Catholic School, found on Page 16. She talks about how easy it is to teach your child numbers and math concepts by using the toys you already have in the toybox. Beyond teaching math to the littlest ones, this issue is about learning at all ages. As girls grow up, they often lose interest in math and science. In WNC, there are several programs designed to buck that trend. Read more about these on Page 2. Looking for something beyond the traditional classroom for your child? Asheville and Hendersonville are home to four charter schools. We explore each of them in a story on Page 8. And if you’re thinking of home-schooling — or you already do but need some fresh ideas—check out this month’s Homeschool Happenings column on Page 48. Nicole McKeon runs down the myriad options for home-schooled children in WNC. Happy New Year! Katie Wadington, editor

Coming in February: Kids and animals Learn about volunteer opportunties for kids that involve animals. Also, we’ll offer tips on how to cope with a child who is afraid of pets. New this February: The Camp Guide, Part One, which includes listings for overnight camps

In every issue

Artful Parent .....................14 Recall Roundup .................18 Parent 2 Parent .................20 Kids’ Voices ......................24 Divorced Families...............38 Librarian’s Pick..................42 Story Times ......................43 Home-school Happenings ....48 Growing Together ...............52 Video Games.....................58 Puzzles........................59-60 Dad’s View........................64 Calendar ..........................66

P.O. Box 2090, Asheville, NC 28802 828-232-5845 | www.wncparent.com PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER Randy Hammer

On the cover

Simon McClain, by Sheridan Cupp Photography, sheridancupp.com

.com Are you a member? Join the conversation, post photos and connect with other parents at WNCParent.com. Look for WNC Parent on Facebook and Twitter.

WNC PARENT EDITOR Katie Wadington - 232-5829 kwadington@citizen-times.com CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Nancy Sluder nsluder@citizen-times.com

FEATURES EDITOR Bruce Steele bsteele@citizen-times.com STAFF WRITER Barbara Blake bblake@citizen-times.com

ADVERTISING/CIRCULATION Miranda Weerheim - 232-5980, mweerheim@gannett.com CALENDAR CONTENT Due by Jan. 10. E-mail calendar@wncparent.com ADVERTISING DEADLINE Advertising deadline for the February issue is Jan. 18.

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SPECIAL TO WNC PARENT

PARI’s SciGirls participate in this fall’s Underwater Eco Adventure program. The Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute offers SciGirls monthly.

GIRLS SCIENCE

Programs encourage girls and aim to keep them interested By Mike McWilliams WNC Parent contributor On the last Tuesday of each month, the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute in Brevard plays host to a group of youngsters interested in science. What makes these monthly gatherings special, however, is that it’s all girls. That means no boys allowed, but dads — and moms — are encouraged to stick around

to learn more about science, too. “SciGirls is an attempt to interest girls in science with fun, hands-on activities,” said Christi Whitworth, PARI education director. “We try to pick out something that girls in the area can do and we try to present it in a way where the girls can continue their research after that session and perhaps do a project on their own because they’re interested.” SciGirls, which incorporates experi-

ments and projects from a PBS television show of the same name, is one of several clubs and organizations in Western North Carolina that seeks to spark girls’ curiosity in science, technology, engineering and math. Studies show that boys are more interested than girls in science and math classes in school, especially in the secondary grade levels. Although that gap has started to close, the discrepancy has

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KEEPING GIRLS INTERESTED

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Girls participate in one of the science programs offered at The Health Adventure. Concern about the gap between boys and girls in math and science helped start Girls Quest Summer Camp at the museum in downtown Asheville. Girl Scout programs with a focus on science are also offered. stymied educators and researchers for years, with reasons ranging from cognitive differences between boys and girls, to confidence issues and gender stereotypes. “We have hopes for women to go into (science and math) careers and get experience,” Whitworth said. “But there are some of those social and cultural norms that prevent that a little bit. It’s not to say it’s a good or bad thing, it’s just a fact of living in the U.S. right now, and hopefully, some of the things like SciGirls can help change those trends.” Encouragement in science is a must during elementary school, said Patricia Bricker, an assistant professor of elementary and middle school education at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. Parents and teachers must be careful not to perpetuate the idea that boys are more suited for certain fields

over girls. “And there’s a confidence issue,” Bricker said. “One of the biggest things to overcome a confidence issue is to be positive and offer encouragement, the idea that it does take work, effort and practice and that you can be good at this.” If a child isn’t encouraged in math and science by middle school, it’s unlikely they will be interested in those subjects once they reach high school, Bricker said. High school girls are bored, disengaged and stressed in science classes when compared to boys, according to findings from a study Northern Illinois University released earlier this year. More boys than girls told the researchers that science is challenging, boys reported more confidence in their skills and a higher level of concentration in class.

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Tips for encouraging an interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) in girls ◆ Encourage questions: Encourage girls’ natural curiosity about the world. Scientists are professional question askers. Let her know that it’s perfectly acceptable to not have all the answers, and encourage her to explore and discover. ◆ Offer a STEM-friendly home: Science happens everywhere. Gardening, auto mechanics, construction, cooking and plumbing all use STEM skills. Encourage safe experimentation and discovery in the kitchen and backyard, where she can practice predicting, measuring, observing and analyzing. Offer basic supplies, Internet access, a library card and a space where she can get a little messy. ◆ Provide school smarts: With the growing importance of science and technological literacy, it is important to strengthen girls’ engagement, interest and confidence in middle school. Once in high school, girls will make choices that will either open or close doors to continued STEM studies and eventual careers in the field. Help them make educational choices and see the connections between science and math classes and future career options. Start early. ◆ Help girls access opportunities: Great science learning happens outside the classroom as well. Learning opportunities for kids can be found at science museums, zoos, scouting organizations and STEM clubs during afterschool hours, weekends and summer breaks. These programs often provide girls with introductions to working female mentors, who can help girls navigate the course of becoming a scientist. ◆ Talk the talk: Talk to girls in your life about math and science. Ask them about what they are learning in school. Encourage them to share their struggles and their successes. Source: PBS SciGirls website

Parents should encourage their child’s natural curiosity by trying to connect Continues on Page 4

Girls & science

LOCAL PROGRAMS

Continued from Page 3

science to everyday life. This could be experiments in the kitchen, a walk in the woods or a visit to a science museum. “A huge thing a lot of people say is ‘I never was good at science or math,’ but be careful because it makes it seem like that’s OK,” Bricker said. “Try to put a positive spin on things to let kids see the great potential that is there.” Concern about the gap between boys and girls in math and science helped start Girls Quest Summer Camp at The Health Adventure in downtown Asheville. The camp has been offered for about 15 years, said Myra Lynch, the museum’s education director. In addition to hands-on activities, the girls meet local women working in science and math fields, Lynch said. “For example, we have been to an engineering firm, and talked to a woman who was an engineer. We also went to a vet’s office and talked with a veterinar-

◆ SciGirls: For girls ages 9-14. Meets the last Tuesday of the month during the school year. $10 per session. Next meetings are Jan. 6 (a makeup date), with the topic “Science Cooks: The Chemistry of What We Eat,” and Jan. 25, on “Robots to the Rescue.” For details and to register, visit pari.edu. ◆ Science Sisters: For girls in third to fifth grades at Colburn Earth Science Museum. Visit colburnmuseum.org or call Jessica Varney at 254-7162 for details and to register. ◆ The Health Adventure’s programs: For details on Girl Scout programs and summer camp, visit thehealthadventure.org or call 254-6373. ian,” Lynch said. “That’s a key part of that program.” The Health Adventure also has programs for Brownies and Girl Scouts. The Colburn Earth Science Museum in downtown Asheville offers an after-

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A participant in the Colburn museum’s Science Sisters program shows off a rock found at the Grove Stone Quarry in Swannanoa. school science club for girls called Science Sisters. The focus is to recruit girls who are excited about science and keep them excited by showing them careers that are available, said Jessica Varney, director of programs and lead educator at Colburn. “These girls might have a light bulb go off in their head and say, ‘Hey, I might want to do this sort of job,’” Varney said. “Basically, they come once a month and we have a good time together.”

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PHOTO BY JOHN FLETCHER

Counselor Annie Gustely talks with fifth-grade students about “hope” in Shannon Fields’ classroom at Dickson Elementary School in Asheville.

Building strong character School programs focus on teaching children to be good people By Barbara Blake WNC Parent writer Everyone understands that learning academic basics like reading, writing, math and science is the foundation for a solid education. But educational professionals also understand the importance of teaching virtues such as honesty, respect, empathy, loyalty, justice and personal responsibility as they help shape children

into kind and caring people. While parents are the primary source of their children’s personal development, educators seize the moments they can to help foster universal traits that benefit individual children, the overall school community and, ultimately, the community at large. That might mean implementing a nationwide program to teach children how to stand up against bullies, or something as simple as recognizing a child for

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a spontaneous act of kindness. “Character education is not something new that has been added to our educational plate,” said Debbie Bryant, health and physical education coordinator for Buncombe County Schools. “We as educators teach it all the time by the way we influence the lives of our students during the time they spend with us,” she said. “It is really up to us as Continues on Page 6

Schools educate students on positive character traits Continued from Page 5

teachers to ensure that we take every available opportunity to effectively foster character development.” It’s working at Dickson Elementary School, in the Asheville City system, where counselor Annie Gustely regularly visits classrooms to build a school community of respectful, considerate students. “We learned that you can’t tell lies — you always have to be honest,” said Devin Boston, a student in Shannon Fields’ fifth-grade class at Dickson. “And if you see somebody being bullied, you have to learn how to say something like, ‘You’re just being a jerk,’ and you try to help the person (being bullied) or go ask a teacher or a parent to help.” Becker Reep, another fifth-grader in the class, said they’ve also learned about loyalty, and how some kids might take advantage of a friendship. “Somebody might say, ‘If you don’t do this or that thing, I won’t be your friend,’” Becker said. “And with bullies, it’s more about their reputation than being afraid of them — they’re just trying to be cool. Sometimes, you just have to walk away from them and let them get over themselves.” Devin and Becker both said they believe the character lessons have a positive impact. And the good news is that even “bad” kids can change. “I’ve seen people turn from being one of the baddest kids to being a nice kid, after they see how what they do makes other people feel,” Devin said. “Some of the guys most kids thought were bullies in kindergarten are some of my best friends now,” Becker said. “People can change when they see how much ‘fun’ it is when everyone clears away when they walk by, and how it feels when they’re just feared.”

Different models Asheville City and Buncombe County school systems use a variety of character development tools, and each school has

“It is really up to us as teachers to ensure that we take every available opportunity to effectively foster character development.” DEBBIE BRYANT, BUNCOME COUNTY SCHOOLS

some autonomy to be creative and innovative. In Buncombe County, the Positive Behavior Intervention Support program encourages social competence and academic achievement for all students, while the Second Step curriculum is used by elementary school counselors. All schools participate in the Bully Prevention Initiative. Asheville City Schools’ preschool, elementary and middle schools use the national Heartwood Ethics program, using a literature-based curriculum based on the universal attributes of courage, loyalty, justice, respect, hope, honesty and love. “Whether working one-on-one, in small groups or with whole classes, teachers can guide students in establishing connections between a story character’s experiences and their own,” said Michele Lemell, healthful living/PE & Safe Schools coordinator for the city system. The Heartwood program helps strengthen adult and child partnerships in solving problems, allows discussions to enhance listening, mentoring and coaching, and teaches a variety of coping mechanisms and strategies, Lemell said. At Asheville Middle School, students in sixth to eighth grades are taught using the T.R.U.E. Choices program, which helps them grapple with tough decisions and apply ethical discussion skills, all integrated into language arts, social studies, health, guidance and other settings, she said. Here’s a look at some of the other innovative programs going on at individual schools in the city and county systems. Sand Hill-Venable Elementary One of its initiatives is a recognition program in which teachers commend

students who demonstrate positive character traits, according to school counselor Jody Montrie. Each grade level has one classroom per week from which one student will receive the recognition. Each Friday, those six students receive a medal and a certificate stating why the teacher thought they deserved the award. The school continually runs community involvement programs such as a change collection to donate to Eblen’s Heating Assistance Program, food drives for Hearts With Hands and clothing collections, Montrie said. A group of fifth-graders volunteers in the soup kitchen at WNC Rescue Ministries once a month, and staff and students have collected money to help the people of Haiti, aluminum to raise money for rainforests and items to help refugees in several countries. Glen Arden Elementary The school sometimes uses the “Jump Start” program, which recognizes children when someone “catches them” demonstrating a positive character trait; most of the lessons center around respect, responsibility, citizenship, caring, honesty, courage, fairness and self discipline. In the younger grades, the school uses a program through Sunburst Videos called “Bullying Stops Here!,” which looks at the different ways someone could be showing bullying behavior. “We talk about what the bully might ‘look’ like and how to avoid being picked on, and we also address the ‘bystander,’” said school counselor Lyn Bush. The “Second Step” violence prevention program teaches children empathy, problem-solving and anger management. Bush also is sharing a PowerPoint presentation with all interest parents that will help them be proactive in stopping bully behavior in their children and help them teach their children how not to be a target or bystander of a bully situation. Dickson Elementary School Counselor Annie Gustely takes a discussion into school classrooms using

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one character trait each month — love, justice, honesty, hope, respect, loyalty, responsibility and courage. “We try to dig deeply into what something like hope or respect looks like, how it feels, how you show it, its importance and impact on not only ourselves but those around us,” Gustely said. “I strive to help students develop the language that goes along with these important concepts by using age-appropriate books and life examples to discuss how we can be known for having the type of character that tells others we are loving, honest, respectful, etc.” Oakley Elementary “At Oakley Elementary, we do our Mighty Oak Award Assembly once a month,” said Principal Brian Chandler. “We recognize students for meeting the three R’s: respectful, responsible and resourceful. Each time, we have a guest speaker. Last time (Buncombe County Schools Superintendent Tony Baldwin) brought the house down with words of encouragement.” Erwin Middle School The yearlong staff development pro-

gram is “teaching character through reading + writing,” integrating literacy skill-building with character education using Positive Behavior System methodologies and a series of texts aimed at middle-school students, according to Principal Joel Hathaway. “To reinforce, we also have gradelevel student meetings with genders split in two groups,” he said. “We discuss issues that relate specifically to boys or girls, and we also have instituted mentoring groups to help build character, using teachers and community members.” North Buncombe High North Buncombe has a program called Hawk Quest, a weekly meeting in which groups of 15-20 students meet with their adviser for about 20 minutes and remain with that teacher/faculty member for all four years. During the weekly lessons, students focus on topics such as peer pressure, bullying, drug/alcohol abuse, texting while driving, community involvement, careers and job interviews, said school counselor Betsy Boggs.

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“Hawk Quest is a fantastic way for students to work with a teacher and develop a lasting relationship to assist them in class selection, personal issues and career choice,” Boggs said. Buncombe County Early College BCEC uses a program called Habits of Mind, focusing on respect, personal responsibility, integrity, teamwork and best effort, according to school counselor Karen Morgan. The “habits” are integrated into course work, projects, class discussion and HOUSE groups, with five Year 1 students and five Year 2 students in each group. The Year 1 focus is on personal responsibility, as students build skills in organization, study habits and time management. The Year 2 focus is on developing empathy and understanding, thinking independently and working interdependently. Year 3 students focus on taking responsible risks, thinking critically and practicing persistence; Year 4 students focus on thinking flexibly, interest and enthusiasm; Year 5 students focus on being open to continuous learning.

SPECIAL TO WNC PARENT

Students from The Mountain Community School in Hendersonville take in the view at John’s Rock in the Pisgah National Forest on a four-day hiking/camping field trip. From left, Amelia Ward, Celeste Daniels, Kira Wooten and Hannah Hill.

A different sort of school Charter schools offer students experiences they may not find in traditional public settings By Pam J. Hecht WNC Parent contributor When it came time to choose a school for her son Cole, now 8, Asheville mom Allison Blake spent lots of time shopping around. Francine Delany New School for Children, a charter school in West Asheville, turned out to be the best fit. “The school’s small size was a big attraction,” she says, along with the focus on individualized instruction and

hands-on, self-directed learning. For parents looking for something different than their neighborhood school, charter schools are an option. They’re part of the free public school system and also accountable to the state Board of Education (including mandatory participation in state exams like the end-of-grade tests with even stricter standards than traditional schools). But they operate independently and have more flexibility over curriculum, among

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SPECIAL TO WNC PARENT

Fourth-grade students at Evergreen Community Charter School collect data on migrating bird populations.

other things. Each charter school goes through a rigorous, two-year review process to get its charter approved and is run by an independent board of directors made up of parents, teachers and community members. Any student can attend a charter school, but spaces often fill up fast; many schools have a waiting list and choose students by lottery. Fundraising takes on an increased role as charter schools receive less money from the state than traditional public schools.

Points to consider Charter schools accept students from all over, not just surrounding neighborhoods, and typically don’t provide bus transportation or daily lunch. Classes may have smaller teacher-student ratios and/or special programs, such as weekly field trips, daily arts activities or regular outdoor field work. For some families, these schools provide a smaller, more intimate setting than those found in their neighborhood schools.

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Parent involvement is not only encouraged in many charter schools, it’s required, with a minimum of parent volunteer hours per month or year. Charter schools require “a commitment and willingness to be an active part of the school community,” says Lori Cozzi, executive director of ArtSpace Charter School in Swannanoa, which offers an integrated, visual and performing arts-based curriculum. “Teachers — the ones in the classContinues on Page 10

Charter schools offer a unique education alternative Continued from Page 9

room — are able to make decisions about instruction and what’s best for kids,” says Ted Duncan, outreach coordinator at Francine Delany New School for Children. “We’re not tied to any certain program or textbook, but on the flip side, we have to figure out creative ways to raise funds with grants and fundraising.”

Visiting a school Does a charter school appeal to you? Contact each school directly, take a tour and talk to administration, says Dottie Heath, regional consultant in the Office of Charter Schools, N.C. Department of Public Instruction. Find out how many kids pull out and how many are on the waiting list — if it’s long, it means the school is in high demand, she adds. Bedford Lally’s family toured a variety of schools in the area before relocating to Asheville from Los Angeles. “We weren’t specifically looking for a charter school, but it was the right one for us,” says Lally, whose sons, ages 10 and 13, go to Evergreen Community Charter School in East Asheville. What most appealed to Lally and her family was the school’s “holistic approach.” “Our children are receiving a wellrounded education, with attention to academics, extracurricular opportunities, community involvement, volunteerism and outdoor/nature expeditions,” she says. “The buy-in of the parents and teachers to do what’s different, and a sense of community, is what makes Evergreen flourish,” says Susan Gottfried, executive director of the school, which specializes in environmental education and handson, expeditionary learning. Heath suggests parents scrutinize a school’s focus to make sure the school offers what their family needs. “Take a look at the school’s mission statement — they must follow that — and ask about the curriculum and focus,” says Heath. “Find out which school is right — if a parent wants mainly direct instruction and textbooks, they may be disappointed by a school (that uses other

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Second-grader Iris Richards creates a paper mache character during study of “Charlotte’s Web” at ArtSpace Charter School. teaching methods.)” Heath and local charter school staff have this additional advice to offer parents: ◆ “Spend time at a school and talk to other parents,” says Gottfried. “Get to know the character of the school and not just what it is on paper.”

◆ “Knowing the strengths and limitations of each school helps to make the best decision,” adds Duncan. ◆ “Know the environment your child learns best in,” says Blake. “Some kids thrive in a smaller setting while others may benefit from a larger peer group.” ◆ “Ask for performance stats on state

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tests and if they don’t know them, it means they’re not paying attention,” says Heath, who adds that “most charter schools (in North Carolina) are performing as well or better than the local (public) schools” in their neighborhoods. When her third-grade daughter’s school began cutting back on the arts and focusing more on test-taking strategies, Robin Allred decided to try ArtSpace Charter School. “Jane’s excitement and love of learning returned,” she says of her daughter, who is now in eighth grade at the school. “Instead of reading textbooks and answering questions, she was learning through doing.” “Parents should make informed decisions and do what’s best for their kids,” Heath adds. “That’s the beauty of charter schools — parents can choose.”

DETAILS

SPECIAL TO WNC PARENT

Seventh-grade and third-grade “buddies” at Francine Delany New School for Children in Asheville work together on a pottery project for the school’s Indigenous People Day in October.

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For more information about charter schools and facts on individual schools, visit ncpublicschools.org. Area charter schools (all are K-8) include the following. Call for information and application deadlines: ◆ Evergreen Community Charter School, 50 Bell Road, East Asheville, 298-2173, evergreenccs.org ◆ ArtSpace Charter School, 2030 US Highway 70, Swannanoa, 2982787, artspacecharter.org ◆ Francine Delany New School for Children, 119 Brevard Road, West Asheville, 236-9441, fdnsc.net ◆ The Mountain Community School, 613 Glover Street, Hendersonville, 696-8480, tmcschool.org ◆ Brevard Academy, 299 Andante Lane, Brevard, 885-2665, brevardacademy.org

Ready for kindergarten? New preschool is latest to focus on preparing kids for elementary years By Mike McWilliams WNC Parent contributor Mica Waters-Carter, a former K-2 classroom teacher and reading specialist, has a new project that will take her passion for teaching a step further. You could say it’s her brainchild. When her school, BrainChild Pre-K, opens in August, it will be the latest Asheville preschool to implement kindergarten readiness into its curriculum. Although some say the philosophy has been around for years, several area preschools have put that tenet front and center. Waters-Carter describes BrainChild as a unique school readiness program that will focus on developing pre-academic and pre-literacy skills in a lowstress, play-rich environment. The school will be based in St. Mary’s Episcopal Church on Charlotte Street, though the school is secular and is not affiliated with the church. The program will feature enrichment programs such as a children’s gardening program, music, creative movement and cooking. Waters-Carter has plans to create additional neighborhood-based preschools in Asheville after getting BrainChild up and running. “The goal is not to have kids at the end of preschool who can read at a particular level, though that will probably happen with a certain number of the children,” she said, “but rather to build a foundation, a real phonological awareness, so that when they get into that

formal educational setting, it’s not so overwhelming.” BrainChild is influenced by WatersCarter’s tenure at The New Classical Academy, a progressive private school in Weaverville that focuses on the whole child in a learning rich environment. Another key component of the BrainChild curriculum is based on Tools of the Mind, a research based educational plan which fosters the child’s executive function through imaginative play. Her approach has also been shaped by measures, like the federal government’s No Child Left Behind, that have put increased presMica Waters-Carter sures on students and teachers to ensure academic success at an earlier age, Waters-Carter said. “Kindergarten used to be for playtime, with a focus on social, emotional transitions, but increasing emphasis on meeting standardized test benchmarks in the third grade has really trickled down and impacted academic expectations of these brand-new students,” Waters-Carter said. “This is in no way a critique of public schools, and especially not of all those amazing teachers out there; it’s just an effort to prepare for the reality of the conventional educational experience.”

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More learning Despite increases in academic rigor, North Carolina students appear to be achieving. A recent study showed that students in a state-funded pre-K program did significantly better on math and reading tests than students who were not in the program, said John Pruette, director of the N.C Office of Early Learning, which focuses on the state’s pre-K programs through third grade and serves at-risk students. The National Institute for Early Education Research has ranked North Carolina among the nation’s top 10 for state preschool education, according to the state’s Department of Public Instruction. More pressure on students is one of the unintended consequences of high stakes accountability in the early grades, Pruette said. “But that’s not to say the kindergarten classroom should not be academic, it’s just how you deliver that content to the child that is developmentally appropriate,” he said. “The quality of instruction,

MORE INFORMATION For details on BrainChild Pre-K, visit brainchildasheville.org or e-mail director@brainchildasheville.org. what’s happening between a teacher and child and that level of interaction will lead children to the next level of understanding.”

Ready for K? Besides academic understanding, parents need to consider a child’s physical, social, emotional, language and cognitive development before entering kindergarten. Do they have gross motor skills, meaning can they button their own clothes or tie their shoes? Can they get along well in a group and follow instructions? These are but a few lessons taught at North Asheville Preschool at Asbury Methodist Church, teacher Leigh Fridell said. Preschool, as Fridell puts it, is the

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new kindergarten. Writing their own name, numbers and developing language skills also are expected from students entering kindergarten now. Student expectations have changed from when she started teaching 16 years ago. “As a parent, you want your child at the same level as the other children, and they tend not to enjoy themselves if they’re not ready,” she said. “They like it when we’re going to do science or learn how to cook or make a book. If you make it creative and interesting to them, they’re going to learn. That’s been my finding.” Elizabeth Dougherty, director of Children and Friends Enrichment Center in Black Mountain, said she thinks there are pros and cons to more stringent academic requirements for children. The pro, she said, is that there is a focus on education. “In terms of cons, I think kindergarten should allow a child to adjust to school and in some ways, still be a kid,” Dougherty said.

the artful parent

Artful books for preschool children By Jean Van’t Hul WNC Parent columnist

Share art with the little ones in your life, not just with crayons and paint, but also through reading. Books can encourage a love of line and color and are a great supplement for drawing and painting time. So take a trip to your nearest library, bookstore, or rediscover the books on your own bookshelf. Here are a few of my favorite picture books that encourage creativity and an exploration of art ideas and techniques. Besides being a fun way to introduce art concepts to preschoolers, I find that many of them provide a good reminder for myself to encourage my children’s creativity.

‘The Dot’ “The Dot,” by Peter H. Reynolds (Candlewick, 2003), is a delightful picture book about gaining confidence as an artist. Vashti claims she can’t draw but is asked by her art teacher to “Just make a mark and see where it takes you.” She jabs a dot, and later sees it framed above her teacher’s desk. Motivated by this, she gets out her paints and begins painting dot after dot, all sizes and colors, and finally sees herself as an artist.

‘Ish’

‘Mouse Paint’

“Ish” is also by Peter H. Reynolds (Candlewick, 2004). Ramon is a boy who loves to draw but loses confidence in his drawing ability when his older brother makes fun of one of his drawings. He crumples up his artwork and throws them away. Little does he know his little sister is rescuing each of them and hanging them in her room. In the end, with her help, he comes to see that while what he draws may not look exactly like the vase in front of him, it looks vase-ish and that that is just fine.

“Mouse Paint,” by Ellen Stoll Walsh (Sandpiper, 1995), is a simple and fun picture book about color mixing. Three mice find some paint and learn about mixing colors. “The red mouse stepped into a yellow puddle and did a little dance. His red feet stirred the yellow puddle until... ‘Look,’ he cried. ’Red feet in a yellow puddle make orange!’”

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‘Follow the Line’ drawing For ages 3 and older

Supplies: Marker or other drawing tool, paper First read “Follow the Line” by Laura Ljungkvist together, tracing the line on the pages with your finger and inviting your child to do so as well. Talk about the drawings you see on the page and how they were created with one long line rather than a series of smaller lines. Next, get out your drawing materials. Have your child put the marker to the paper and suggest she draw while keeping the tip on the paper.

‘Dancing with Degas’

The idea is to draw without lifting the marker — to make one continuous line, scribble, or design. Older children may draw recognizable figures such as faces, cars, and shapes, while younger children will likely make abstract designs and scribbles. Variation: Follow the line through the house. Let your child create a line through the house using masking tape or string. He can keep the line on the floor (to follow with his feet) or he can make the line go up walls and across the sofa.

‘Follow the Line’

“Dancing with Degas” is by Julie Merberg and Suzanne Bober (Chronicle Books, 2003). This, and the other Mini Masters books by the authors, combine reproductions of artwork by famous artists with lyrical text. They provide an easy and fun way to introduce young children to our artistic heritage.

“Follow the Line” is by Laura Ljungkvist (Viking Juvenile, 2006). ning As the title suggests, on there is one line that the you can follow throughout the book, begincover and continuing across each page forming scenes of the city, cars, animals, and sky as it travels. Kids can follow the line with their fingers or just their eyes. In addition, “Follow the Line” is a finding and counting book. The text on each page asks readers to find and count things pictured such as seashells, smokestacks, windows, freckles, people with curly hair, and dragonflies. Jean Van’t Hul blogs about children’s art and creativity at The Artful Parent (artfulparent.typepad.com).

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Get a head start on math by playing with your preschooler By Kim Borden Special to WNC Parent As a preschool teacher, at Asheville Catholic School, I am constantly asked by parents, “Is there anything I should be doing at home to help my children succeed in math?” I always advise parents that the best thing they can do to help their preschoolers succeed at school is to play with them at home. Children with parents who play with them continue to be curious about their world, naturally interact with their environment and become creative lifelong learners. Joyful, curious, confident children are far more impressive than children who can rote count to 100 and read

short vowel words before the age of 5. Let’s examine the North Carolina Standard Course of Study and see how at-home play can have a positive effect on learning math at school. There are five mathematical strands listed in the NCSCOS: Number and Operations, Measurement, Geometry, Data Analysis and Probability, and Algebra. What do these seemingly advanced mathematical concepts have to do with preschool play? Many traditional childhood games build a solid foundation for future mathematical think-

ing and learning in all five of these areas. Let’s take each strand one at a time and look at practical activities — things you may already be doing — which build a young child’s mathematical mind. ◆ Numbers and Operations: Counting objects with your children and singing number songs helps them to understand numeration and sequence. When you play a game of Candy Land or Hi Ho Cherry-O with your children, they learn number sequence and one-to-one correspondence. Reading number books is another great tool. Make sure to point to each

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object on the page as you are counting, as this will instill one-to-one correspondence. For that matter, count everything! Toy cars, plastic action figures, Cheerios, and of course fingers and toes. It is no accident that our number system is based on 10. ◆ Measurement: Children love to measure things. Which is bigger, the elephant or the puppy? Any toy can become a unit of measure. “How many Batman cars will fit across the room? Let’s find out.” The car becomes a unit of measure. These kinds of games help develop measurement skills in young children. They prepare them for the world of feet and inches, cups and gallons, meters and kilometers, etc. ◆ Geometry: Do not underestimate the power of blocks. Spatial intelligence is vital in many careers; engineering and architecture are the two that readily come to mind. Spatial intelligence is built when children play with blocks and puzzles. Get down on the floor and build with them. Ask them questions such as, “How can we make this tower stronger and taller?” “Hmm ... I wonder which piece fits here.” ◆ Data Analysis and Probability: A pretty heady concept for a 4-year-old. However, any kind of data collection fits. “What do you think? Do most people like dogs or cats? Let’s start by asking the people in our family.” Or “Look, there are more red jellybeans in the bag than any other color. Which color do you think I will pick next?” ◆ Algebra: Children love to sort and classify all things. It is how they begin to make sense of their world, and it is the beginning of algebraic thinking. You can sort buttons by size or color. You can sort dinosaurs into categories of meat eater-plant eater. The possibilities are endless. I am sure you’re catching on by now; play, play, play with your children. You do not need fancy equipment or programs developed by the experts. You can rely on the tried and true games and toys to assist in your child’s mathematical brain development. I know it sounds cliché, but time interacting with your children is the best educationally based gift you can give. Kim Borden is a preschool teacher at Asheville Catholic School.

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recall roundup

Safety agency bans drop-side cribs USA TODAY Cribs that have movable drop-down sides were banned by federal regulators last month after reports of more than 30 infant deaths in 10 years. Drop-side cribs make it easier to get babies in and out, but can also trap children, especially when the cribs have broken pieces or missing hardware. In addition to at least 32 deaths in drop-side cribs, there were 14 deaths because of entrapment that could have been caused by a drop-side, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which issued the new crib standards. More than 9 million drop-side cribs have been recalled since 2007, CPSC says. “These new standards will markedly reduce crib-related hazards and help to ensure that young children sleep more safely in their cribs,” said CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. The rules are “a better approach than announcing recall after recall.” The rules, which ban the manufacture, sale or resale of drop-side cribs and require safer crib designs, take effect in June. Hotels, motels and child care centers have 18 months more to replace about 935,000 drop-side cribs. CPSC urges consumers to check at cpsc.gov to see if their drop-side crib has been recalled. If it hasn’t, CPSC says to stop using the drop side and check for broken or missing parts. Under federal safety rules, it’s considered a defect if products repeatedly break or otherwise malfunction during

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normal use — or even misuse. USA TODAY reported in August that its analysis of CPSC data found that before they recalled the cribs, 14 crib companies amassed more than 900 incident reports about drop-side cribs that were falling apart, injuring and killing infants.

Other recalls The following product recalls were issued recently by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. For details, visit cpsc.gov. Circo Children’s Camping Combo Pack About 1,500 Circo Children’s Space Camp Combo Packs have been recalled by Target Corp. because the floor of the tent failed a flammability test and poses a fire hazard. The model involved includes a children’s tent, sleeping bag, backpack and a headlamp. The tent is green and dark blue with planets, stars and figures printed on it. The packing box has the UPC number: 490911500926, DPCI: 091-15-0092. They were sold exclusively at Target stores nationwide and online at target.com from SeptemberOctober for approximately $25. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled tents and return them to any Target store for a full refund or store credit. Call Target at 800-440-0680. American Red Cross Cabinet Swing Locks About 41,300 The First Years American Red Cross Cabinet Swing Locks have been recalled because installed latches can break and children could gain access to contents of a cabinet, posing the risk of exposure to hazardous items. This recall involves cabinet swing locks with item number Y7181. An America Red Cross logo and “cabinet swing lock” is printed on the package. “American Red Cross” is molded onto the front of the lock. They were sold at Toys R Us, Babies R Us and other retail stores nationwide and on the Internet from September 2008-September 2010 for about $4. Call The First Years at 866-725-4407 or visit recalls.thefirstyears.com

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Executive, politician, mom Holly Jones leads the YWCA, holds a county office and finds time for family life By Barbara Blake WNC Parent writer Holly Jones , 48, has been executive director of the YWCA since 1996, was a member of Asheville City Council from 2001-08 and is now on the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners. She and her husband, Bob Falls, founder and owner of Poetry Alive!, are the parents of 8-year-old Gabriela, a thirdgrader at Dickson Elementary School. Jones holds a bachelor’s degree in public policy analysis from UNC Chapel Hill, a master’s of divinity from Duke University and a master’s of public health in health behavior and health education from UNC Chapel Hill. Q. What does your busiest day look like? A. I need to have things scheduled. I wing it when I have to (recent weather challenges, for example), but my schedule and my family’s schedule are pretty laid out. Tuesdays are definitely the busiest. A typical Tuesday looks like….up at 5:40 to run, ramped up morning routine to get everyone moving and Gabriela delivered to school by 7:55, morning of YW work, lunch meeting, over to commissioner office for constituent meetings, interviews or desk work, then off to commissioner meeting, off to Gabriela’s basketball game, home for overseeing homework, bath and nighttime story, checking e-mail, reviewing correspondence and lights off. Q. What about when your daughter was younger? Was it more difficult in the preschool years? A. For me, parenting in the preschool years was more challenging but not scheduling per se. I brought Gabriela to

PHOTO BY BILL SANDERS

Holly Jones, the executive director of the YWCA of Asheville, is also a Buncombe County commissioner. Before holding that post, she was a member of the Asheville City Council. the YW for child care and of course there weren’t extra-curricular activities to attend and homework to complete. Q. Would you like to tell how you came

to have your beautiful daughter? A. At the age of 40, I decided I needed Continues on Page 22

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Parent 2 Parent Continued from Page 20

to pursue my lifelong dream of becoming a mother and began the route of international adoption. I launched on this journey with the prospect of being a single mom. Fate intervened, as she will from time to time, and in the adoption process, I met my future husband and dad to Gabriela, Bob. My adoption story is a very sweet one, highlighted by incredible support by my faith community Jubilee!, my amazing circle of friends and co-workers, and of course my generous family. Bob accompanied me to Guatemala to bring Gabriela home and we have been a family ever since. Q. How has leading the YWCA helped you be a better mother? A. The spirit, atmosphere and community that exist at the YWCA has indeed helped me be a better mom. First of all, I am surrounded by dozens of women who are also mothers and they are wonderful models and mentors. These moms come from all backgrounds and walks of life but each have support to offer. It might be holding the door for me when I carried a bundled toddler or listening to a funny story in the break room or offering to watch Gabriela in their office while I had a conference call. Frankly, watching and learning from moms who deal with far greater challenges than I do, inspires me to keep going on the tough days. Q. What do you enjoy most about leading the YW? A. Leading an organization with the mission of empowering women and eliminating racism is the privilege of a lifetime. I am fortunate to work with the most dedicated group of staff and volunteers I could imagine. The part I enjoy most is working in a place that reflects the true diversity of women in this community and seeing, every day, the positive, life-changing impact that our programs have on people and the greater community. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s amazing being in the transformation business and that is the business of the YWCA. Q. Likewise, what do you enjoy most about being a commissioner? Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s challenging in so many ways, but what

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are some of the rewards? A. Rewards are many and varied. I enjoy hearing from constituents, their concerns and their vision of community. While most issues are not easily resolvable, I try to be supportive where I can and listen closely. I also enjoy seeing concrete policy progress being made. For example, throughout my political career I have been a nonstop advocate for the development of safe, quality, affordable housing for our work force. Consequently, I had a great deal of satisfaction last month when Mountain Housing Opportunity dedicated The Glen Rock, a gorgeous multifamily rental development. Knowing 60 working families’ lives would be significantly changed was rewarding because Buncombe County played a large role in that community accomplishment. Q. What do you do for yourself to keep fit and sane? A. Thanks to the supportive atmosphere of the YW, exercise has become central to my physical and mental wellness routine. Like other YW members, I take advantage of the range of opportunities, from cycle class and yoga, to weights and swimming laps. It is definitely “my” time and, consequently, I feel better and actually saner. The YWCA is a fitness place that facilitates success for the average woman. In the last few months, I have lost 20 pounds because I committed to regular exercise and watching what I eat. Q. I imagine a lot of moms of young children would hesitate to take on such a demanding role as county commissioner, on top of a full-time job and other responsibilities. What would you say to them to encourage them — or warn them against it? A. It’s all about being true to yourself, which for some means a life of public service. I believe that central to being a good parent includes demonstrating how to follow your vocational call. I believe it is critical for children see their parents working and serving in authentic ways. So, my advice for those who feel called to serve in elected office is to “go for it” and hold on because it’s a ride. Q. Following up on that, what are some tips you might offer to moms (or dads) who might want to enter public service, as in how to make it all work?

PHOTO BY BILL SANDERS

Holly Jones adopted Gabriela from Guatemala shortly after meeting and marrying her husband, Bob Falls. A. Have a strong support system in place and identify your boundaries early on. Most constituents are very understanding of a family schedule and affirm decisions that need to be made to “make it all work.” Q. What do you as a family enjoy doing together? A. We like sharing meals together as a family, particularly in the summer when we can be outside on the deck and listen to music. Friday night is pizza night and we go out to a different Asheville restaurant each week. We also attend a lot of performances as a family and eat downtown. I guess as a family we really like to

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eat! Q. What do you love most about being a mom? What are the kinds of moments that just “get” you and make you wonder how you ever knew true joy before you had a child? A. It’s primarily the simple stuff. Like when she instinctively grabs my hand to cross a street or when we play Hangman and the answer is “My mom and dad are wonderful” or when she is jumping out of the car to go to school and says “Love you, mom.” There are also the wow moments, like seeing her perform in “The Nutcracker” and realizing how tall she has gotten.

kids’ voices

Remembering MLK

As the holiday celebrating the birthday of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. approaches on Jan. 17, we asked students in Tommy Tepper’s social studies class at Randolph Learning Center to name what they believe were King’s greatest contributions to our country. Here’s what they told staff writer Barbara Blake. “Martin Luther King Jr. was a very talented man. He has done so much for the world today. He has shown the white folks that color doesn’t matter, and we are all ordinary people, no matter what. Martin Luther King Jr. fought for equal civil rights for African Americans. He had so much bravery… He put himself and his family in danger. But he had trust in himself that he could make the world a better place. His ‘I Have A Dream’ speech, I think, was the most important contribution Dr. King made to our country.” Lizzie Salcedo, eighth grade “The most important thing Martin Luther King Jr. did was he stood up for all African Americans and not just himself and his family. He stood up for all blacks and whites to have equal rights and be treated the same. He led civil rights movements, boycotts and marches. He made very famous speeches like his ‘I Have A Dream’ speech. Everyone listened to what he had to say because he inspired people to stand up for themselves and rise above all the hate and segregation.” Tijaris Williams, eighth grade

“Dr. King was the starting point of a new century. His greatest contribution was that he had no fear and was not scared to stand up and make his point. He made a difference. He made people believe that they can change the world. He changed people’s lives not by force but by the truth. And he taught them how to fight not with their fists but with their hearts.” Carlos Pope, eighth grade

“I think the most important contribution was when Martin Luther King Jr. fought for equal rights. He did this because the blacks were beaten by the whites and whites had more privileges. The whites could go anywhere, but the blacks could only stay in certain places. (He) didn’t like the way whites got more privileges than the blacks. He did several things like lead speeches and marches so the blacks and the whites could have equal rights.” Kani Grant, seventh grade

“Martin Luther King Jr. fought for civil rights and nothing could stop him from doing it. Dr. King gave hundreds of speeches just about making change for the world. Even though Dr. King’s house was bombed, he still fought for the world. He believed that black and white people should be able to eat at the same place and go to the same school. He died in 1968 because he was shot by a person who didn’t want anything to change. (King’s) impact still carries on because we remember him even until this day.” Danielle Gary, seventh grade “I think that Martin Luther King Jr. was meant to be a civil rights leader ever since the day he was born. I believe his biggest contribution was breaking the color barrier. If it wasn’t for him, we minorities wouldn’t have the same rights as whites. He was a brilliant man with the ability to do something about people being racist. He made a speech of a lifetime, and he was a hero in the history of America. Both colors are now allowed to be treated the same, because of this man. I think that Dr. King will be a big part in history for thousands of years.” Dieonta Byrd, eighth grade

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Warm up cold nights with soups and stews By Carol Motsinger WNC Parent writer There is arguably nothing better to warm you up than a sip of something that’s simmering on the stove. And lucky for us busy bees, soups, stew and chili also happen to be some of the easiest recipes in any cookbook. So much so that you can get your baby bees busy helping out in the kitchen. For Joe Scully, chef and co-owner of Corner Kitchen in Biltmore Village, soups and chilies are two of his go-to meals for his family that includes six kids, age 13-22. “The one soup that’s really easy that a young kid can help with is tomato basil bisque,” he said. “It’s so easy and it’s a real good one … I’m a rock star at the house when I say I’m making tomato soup and grilled cheese.” His vegan lentil soup is also one of the community’s — and his family’s — favorites. “There is not much time or prep for the vegan lentil,” he said. “You can go to the grocery store now and get pre-diced onions, celery and carrots. It’s very easy to get started.” Carole Miller, who makes fresh soups and stews at True Confections in the Grove Arcade, recommends always having certain staples on hand, such as carrots, onions, celery, dry beans and vegetable or chicken stock. “Winter is a good time for hearty soups,” Miller said. With the right combination of herbs, salt and pepper, “you can use whatever is in your fridge” to Continues on Page 26

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Warm up winter with hearty soups and stews Vegan lentil soup

1 red pepper 1 green pepper 1 large carrot (peeled) 1 stalk celery, chopped 1 yellow onion 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 6-oz. can tomato paste 3 cups lentils 2 bay leaves 6 cups water To taste: various herbs, salt and pepper, balsamic vinegar Finely dice vegetables, sauté in olive oil. Add tomato paste. Add lentils. Simmer until lentils are cooked. Remove bay leaves before serving. Source: Joe Scully, Corner Kitchen

Apple squash stew

PHOTO BY JOHN FLETCHER

Joe Scully of the Corner Kitchen serves vegan lentil soup at an Empty Bowls event to benefit MANNA FoodBank. His lentil soup is one of his family’s favorites. Continued from Page 25

make a good stew or soup, she noted. Stews are “pretty much the same as soups, just cut pieces bigger so they keep their integrity,” Miller said. And one of the best parts of stew, soup and chili is that it freezes nicely and can be reheated on nights when you don’t have time to make a brand new meal. Make a big batch and then freeze in family-sized containers. That way, you won’t have to convince your kids to eat potato soup four nights in a row to finish up all the leftovers. “My mother always said she cooked for the freezer,” Miller said. “And I do that, too.” Here are more tips for making chili to warm up these cold nights: ◆ Choose the right pepper. How

much heat can you handle? If you want spice, go for jalapeno and habanero. Cherry and ancho peppers are much milder. ◆ For more flavor, use broths instead of water to dilute a too-thick chili. If it’s too watery, add tomato paste. ◆ Cook your meat first. This will keep the flavors of the meat intact and reduce the cooking time of your dish. ◆ Cook your chili the day before you plan on eating it. This lets the flavors blend well. ◆ If you forgot to soak beans overnight, bring to a boil for about 10 minutes in an inch of water. Cover for two hours and they will be ready for cooking. Here are some more tips to make a piping-hot pot of good soup for a cold night: ◆ Soups are a great way to use leftov-

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Local Apple Wedge apples and cider and C.L. Henderson apples can be found at Ingles. 1 winter squash, whole (butternut, buttercup, delicata) 3 or 4 apples (a mix of different types is best) 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped Maple syrup to taste (a good glug) 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 cup apple cider Cranberries, a handful Cut the winter squash in half and remove the seeds. Peel the winter squash. Note: Peeling the winter squash can be difficult, especially for children. If children are peeling the squash, it is best to bake the winter squash until it’s softer, making peeling easier. After the winter squash is peeled, cube it into 1/2-inch or so pieces. Place squash in baking dish with a good glug of maple syrup, cinnamon, walnuts, a sprinkling of cranberries and apple cider. While this is baking, peel and cube the apples. Bake until squash is almost fork tender, and then add apples. Bake until apples are tender. Makes 4 servings. Source: Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project

ers. Look at what scraps you have in the fridge and play around with flavors. Soups also offer a great opportunity to experiment with different flavor combinations. ◆ Do not use premium cuts of meat. Those cuts will get too tough if cooked for a long time. ◆ Start by sweating onions to add to the soup. Cook the onion in oil or butter fat without browning the vegetable. This adds a savory background flavor. ◆ Season soups with vinegar and/or freshly ground pepper. ◆ To store leftover soup, let it cool off and put in a brand-new freezer bag. Let it freeze on its side on a tray in the freezer. This makes it easy to store. ◆ To reheat soup, bring it up to a simmer at 165 degrees for five minutes. ◆ To make your soup more of a meal, consider additions, like croutons. This also adds a textural element. ◆ Don’t add milk or half-and-half and boil it. It will curdle. ◆ To make chicken stock, save chicken carcasses as well as the carrot tops, celery ends and onion peels from mak-

TIPS FOR COOKING WITH YOUNG CHILDREN Sure, cooking with children can be messy, and it may take much longer than doing it yourself, but the potential for fun and learning is limitless. Shopping for the ingredients (at your local farmers market or grocery) with your child is a wonderful way to begin this process. Here are tips to get you started: ■ Gather sturdy, low stools or chairs that will allow your child to stand or sit comfortably and safely while working. ■ Wash hands before you get started and again before you actually start touching the food ingredients. ■ Read the recipe with your child or explain what you will be doing first, second, and so on to prepare the food. You may have to repeat the directions several times. ■ Assemble the equipment and supplies ing a salad, for instance. Just keep a stock bag in the fridge, and when you are ready, add the contents, peppercorns and

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that you will need, such as a mixer, blender, bowls, pans, measuring cups, knives, and spoons. Talk about each piece and its use. ■ Gather the ingredients that you will be using. Have your child smell or taste each ingredient, if possible. Talk about where the different ingredients come from (milk from a cow, potatoes grown underground, etc.). If you knew who grew the ingredients or if you grew them yourself, make sure to celebrate this. ■ Remind yourself to let your child participate as much as possible (e.g., washing fruits and vegetables, adding ingredients, mixing ingredients, and kneading dough). ■ Clean up with your child (even if you can do it more efficiently alone). ■ Congratulate your child for a job well done and enjoy eating what you have prepared together. Source: Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project bay leaves in a stock pot and let it simmer. Strain the stock and freeze it until you are ready to make soup.

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Wing it!

With football playoffs and basketball in full swing, look to chicken wings for a crowd-pleasing snack By Ron Mikulak Gannett

Chicken wings vie with chili as perhaps the most popular dish to serve while watching the final gridiron confrontations of the season. Like chili, chicken wings can be made at different levels of spiciness to appeal to both the macho and the milquetoast, and can be made plain or fancy, to appeal to gourmands and gourmets. Large packs of chicken wings are economical, and for true food fanatics, the wing tips clipped off are perfect for

making chicken stock, a virtually free bonus (add to the stock the base of the celery you cut off for the inevitable celery stick and blue cheese accompaniment to the wings, and a couple of the carrots you cut up for carrot sticks, more almost-free ingredient bonuses). The most common chicken wing preparation, Buffalo wings, derives from the fried chicken wings smothered in Frankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hot sauce and butter popularized decades ago by various bar and grills in Buffalo, N.Y. Continues on Page 30

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But frying the wings is both more troublesome and less healthful than baking them, a process that allows one to make several variations of this dish at one time. I offer several variations for chicken wing aficionados, some breaded, some not, all baked. Some general comments about preparing chicken (or turkey) wings: ◆ Place the wings in a large colander and rinse well, then blot dry with paper towels. Wings have two joints, separating three sections. With kitchen shears or a heavy knife, cut off the wing tips and reserve them for cooking into a stock. They can be frozen until time to use them as such. ◆ Chicken and turkey wings can be treated the same way throughout, with the proviso that the larger turkey wings will need a bit more time to cook through. Plan to bake turkey wings up to twice as long as chicken wings. Test one to make sure no pink is left in the thickest part of the wing. ◆ Cut the wings into two sections at the remaining joint, resulting in a “peg-leg” — a one-bone top section, which is a bit meatier — and a two-bone section.

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Put a Thai twist on chicken wings and pair with a peanut sauce.

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◆ All the recipes here are for a dozen wings, or 24 pieces when separated. I figured on three wings, or six pieces, per person, to feed four. Judge quantities by your understanding of the appetites of the people you will be feeding. ◆ To make cleanup easier, line baking pans or sheets with aluminum foil. If you think basting the wings with additional marinade would improve them, keep some marinade separate from any you soak the wings in to use in basting. Turn wings with tongs halfway through cooking.

Crispy Italian wings

1/2 cup flour 1/2 cup cornmeal 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 teaspoons dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 cup olive oil 12 chicken wings, separated Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil, and place a baking rack over it. In a shallow bowl, mix together the flour, cornmeal, cheese, herbs and seasonings. Brush wings lightly with olive oil. Dredge the chicken wings in the coating, turning and tossing until each piece is well covered. Place on rack on the baking sheet, and bake 15 minutes. Turn over, and continue baking until coating is crisped and browned and wings are cooked through, 15 minutes or more. Serve with warm marinara sauce.

Blue cheese dip

1 cup blue cheese, crumbled 1 cup mayonnaise 1 cup sour cream 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon salt Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, and stir together well, mashing with the back of a spoon the larger cheese lumps. If you want a creamier dip, place ingredients in the hopper of a blender and puree until smooth. Let sit covered in refrigerator overnight to blend flavors. Makes about 2 cups.

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Blue cheese dip and celery are traditional complements to chicken wings.

Asian wings

1/2 cup soy sauce 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup sherry 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder 1/2 teaspoon (or more) Szechuan peppers, crushed (optional) 12 chicken wings, separated In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, ginger, brown sugar, sherry, five-spice powder and Szechuan hot peppers if using. Pour marinade into a large zip-close plastic bag, add chicken wing pieces and marinate, refrigerated, for 2 hours or up to overnight, turning once or twice. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Drain and place wings in single layer on foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Turn pieces over with tongs, and continue to bake another 15 minutes or more, until nicely browned and cooked through.

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Tangy Thai wings

1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup fresh lime juice 3 tablespoons Thai chili-garlic sauce 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger 1 tablespoon minced garlic 2 tablespoons honey 12 chicken wings, separated In a bowl, combine the oil, lime juice, chiligarlic sauce, soy sauce, grated ginger, garlic and honey, and whisk until honey is dissolved. Pour marinade into a large zip-close plastic bag, add chicken wing pieces and marinate, refrigerated, for 2 hours or up to overnight, turning once or twice. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Drain wings, and discard marinade. Place wings on foil-lined baking sheet, and bake 15 minutes. Turn with tongs, and continue to bake until cooked through, another 15 minutes or more. Source: “Wings: More than 50 High-flying Recipes for America’s Favorite Snack” by Debbie Moose (John Wiley and Sons, $16.95).

SPECIAL TO WNC PARENT/HAWKSNEST

Located between Boone and Banner Elk, Hawksnest offers both snow tubing and winter zip lining.

Head north for the winter

Boone and Blowing Rock offer cold-weather family fun By Lockie Hunter WNC Parent contributor

The towns of Blowing Rock and Boone are marvels in winter. There truly is a “blowing rock” and this rock face has wind gusts so mighty that it is the only place on earth where it is rumored to snow upside down. This wonder and many more await your family a short drive from the Asheville area. “It’s winter. Don’t hibernate. Celebrate!” says Billie Rogers, events director

for the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce. Blowing Rock hosts Winterfest, a fourday festival complete with a frigid Polar Plunge and a steaming Chili Challenge. The event kicks off Jan.27 with WinterFeast, showcasing the area’s restaurants. On Jan. 28, shop the area and enjoy a concert. And on Jan. 29, experience the Winterfest Polar Plunge, Chili Cook Off, Wine Tasting and Auction and more. “We have something for all ages from the kids activities to game shows to the

ice carvers,” Rogers says. She adds that there will be free hayrides and free hot chocolate (as well as free snow). Billed us North Carolina’s oldest travel attraction, the actual “Blowing Rock” is not just a pretty cliff face. Featuring a walk with a garden waterfall and observation tower, the site is open on weekends in January and February (weather permitting). Winter transforms the garden, cliff and falls, painting a white expression on the landscape. Get some relief from the cold with an

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indoor diversion at the Mystery Hill, which has been around since 1948. Inside the “crooked house,” watch balls roll uphill and experiment with other uncanny phenomena in this place where gravity seems to have taken a holiday. The Hall of Mystery lets children experiment with physics and math. Kids can study bubbles, holograms and mirrors, and learn while having fun. Also on site is the Appalachian Heritage Museum and a Native Artifacts Collection, including 50,000 arrowheads from 23 states. Mystery Hill is open all year. Children age 4 and younger are free.

Snow sports The Blowing Rock and Boone area is flush with ski resorts, and most of them have special children’s programs and lessons. Most lesson packages include equipment and helmet rental and slope tickets. Appalachian Ski Mountain’s Skiwee and Cruiser Camp programs are intended to teach beginning snowboarders (ages

7-12) and skiers (ages 4-10). Sugar Mountain Resort bills itself as North Carolina’s largest ski/snowboard area with 20 slopes, eight lifts and a tubing park. Ski Beech is the highest ski area on the East Coast at a 5,506 feet in elevation. A ski school and youth learning center are on site, as is an ice skating rink. For parents with much younger children, The Beech Mountain Resort Nursery provides care for infants and toddlers ages 6 months-3 years. Reservations are required and must be made one day in advance. For those who prefer horizontal winter fun, Hawksnest Snow Tubing offers the longest snow tubing runs in North Carolina. It is also one of the few places to go zip lining in the winter months. Children must be 3 years old to snow tube.

Fun family dining For more than 40 years, Dan’l Boone Inn has been serving Boone and the High

BOONE/BLOWING ROCK DETAILS Winterfest: In downtown Blowing Rock. Tickets and information available at Blowing Rock Visitors Center, 7738 Valley Blvd., Blowing Rock; 828-295-7851. The Blowing Rock: 432 Rock Road, P.O. Box 145, Blowing Rock; 828-295-7111 Mystery Hill: 129 Mystery Hill Lane; Blowing Rock; 828-264-2792 Appalachian Ski Mountain: 940 Ski Mountain Road, Blowing Rock; 828-295-7828 Sugar Mountain Resort: 1009 Sugar Mountain Drive, P.O. Box 369, Banner Elk; 828-898-4521 Ski Beech: 1007 Beech Mountain Parkway, P.O. Box 1118, Banner Elk; 828-387-2011 Hawksnest Snow Tubing: 2058 Skyland Drive, Seven Devils; 828-963-6561 Dan’l Boone Inn: 130 Hardin St., Boone; 828-264-8657 The Village Inns of Blowing Rock: 315 Sunset Drive, Blowing Rock; 828-414-9154

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Travel: Explore Boone and Blowing Rock this winter Continued from Page 33

Country area delicious homecooked “family style” meals. Breakfast includes scrambled eggs, bacon, country ham, sausage, grits, fresh stewed apples, biscuits and gravy, cinnamon bread and black cherry preserves. Dinner includes three meats (staples such as fried chicken and country style steak), five veggies and dessert. Winner of awards including first place among readers of Our State Magazine for Family Dining/Country Cooking, the Dan’l Boone Inn will leave you full and warm.

Wrap it all up Consider an inclusive package at a local inn. “We offer several fun, family packages, including our Tweetsie Railroad, Choose Cut and Plant Package, and skiing packages,” notes Jessica B.

SPECIAL TO WNC PARENT/NC DIVISION OF TOURISM, FILM AND SPORTS DEVELOPMENT

Trees covered in a blanket of snow are postcard-perfect in Boone.

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SPECIAL TO WNC PARENT

SPECIAL TO WNC PARENT/NC DIVISION OF TOURISM, FILM AND SPORTS DEVELOPMENT

The natural wonders of the High Country transform into sparkling scenes in the winter months.

Smith, general manager of the Village Inns of Blowing Rock, which include the Village Inn, Hillwinds Inn and Ridgeway Inn. “All three are located in the heart of beautiful downtown Blowing Rock, very close to upscale shops, restaurants, and

area attractions.” Rates include a continental breakfast each morning, an afternoon snack with complimentary wine tasting and free wi-fi. A selection of the rooms even allow pets.

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The Polar Plunge in Chetola Lake is one of the highlights at Winterfest.

Lockie Hunter is a local freelance writer. Contact her at lockie@ lockiehunter.com.

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divorced families

LPC? LMFT? LCSW? Making sense of some family therapy options By Trip Woodard WNC Parent columnist Therapy. How do you decide that you, your family or a family member needs it? This is not an easy question to answer as many people tend to take it as an insult if they are told by a “well-meaning” friend or partner, “You need therapy.” Nor does it feel any better if a teacher asks during a school conference, “Have you ever considered getting

therapy for your child?” As a therapist, I feel very sensitive to these issues and don’t believe that in my years of practice anyone would ever accuse me of talking someone into therapy. I prefer natural systems, such as families, friends and or religious groups to be the backbone of giving general support and guidance to people going through many of life’s struggles. For the record, I equally despise certain quickfix TV programs that pander to people’s problems for entertainment and then respond with shallow solutions that have no follow-up. Yet, there are times that a therapist

can be quite useful in your life when you feel like the magnitude of the problem you are dealing with extends beyond the scope of your experience or that of your personal community. If you feel like your life or that of a loved one is impaired by thoughts, feelings or behavior such that it impacts relationships (such as chronic fighting), performance (including poor work or grades at school) or biological functions (significant changes in eating or sleeping), then an outside professional opinion might be useful. Now for the harder part … finding the right therapist. The first question: Do

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you want an individual or a relational therapist (which could be parent-child, partner to partner or family therapy)? This will help narrow down your search when you initially contact potential therapists and explain to them what you need. The next question is, unfortunately, how do you intend to pay? Does the potential therapist take your particular insurance? If you don’t have insurance, do they offer a sliding fee scale that is reasonable for you? And now the fun part — understanding all those acronyms and titles that people have after their names. After perusing the Yellow Pages pretending I was a client (I refuse to use the word “consumer” — it sounds like something off an Animal Planet episode), here is a list of some of the more common ones and what they may mean for you: ◆ LPC stands for Licensed Professional Counselor. Like many therapist groups, each individual may or may not have specialized training suited to your interests. You’ll have to ask at the initial

contact. An example question for some could be, “Do you work with small children?” They are able to take Medicaid, Tricare, Blue Cross/Blue Shield and many other private insurances, but not Medicare. ◆ LMFT stands for Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. They have specialized training specific to relationships as the title implies. They are able to take all insurances previously mentioned except Medicare. ◆ LCSW stands for Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Again, you will need to inquire as to their specific training matches your needs. They are able to accept all insurances, including Medicare. ◆ Psychologists. Some practices are limited to testing and evaluation. They are able to take all insurances. ◆ Psychiatrists. These are mostly medical doctors. Few do “talk therapy” and most do medication management. They are able to accept all insurance. By the way, being “able” to take all insurances doesn’t mean the therapist

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has decided to do so. It is another thing you will have to inquire about before setting an initial appointment. Your insurance company may even require pre-authorization before the first session or have their own list of “elgible therapists.” Now, my final suggestions about getting a therapist that is right for you: ◆ Have a list of you questions to ask at first contact with your potential therapist. If a therapist bristles at a short and reasonable interview before setting an appointment, then that is not a good sign. ◆ If you feel you are not a good fit with your therapist after first contact, or that you are not making progress with him or her, get another therapist. After all, we work for you and a good therapist should collaborate with you in finding a better fit for your needs. Trip Woodard is a licensed family and marriage therapist and a clinical member of the N.C. Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. Contact him at 6068607.

Study links nighttime media use, problems USA TODAY More than half of children who use electronic media before bedtime may have mood or learning problems during the day, a preliminary study of 40 young people suggests. The kids in the study, average age 14 1/2, were all treated at the JFK Medical Center Sleep Laboratory in Edison, N.J. About 77 percent had trouble falling asleep; others had daytime sleepiness. And it’s no wonder: Turns out they sent an average 34 text messages or emails a night, according to the study, which was released in November at the meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians in Vancouver, British Columbia. Texts were sent between 10 minutes and four hours after bedtime. “Across the board, all of the children admitted to using electronic media — texting, computers, video gaming — after lights out,” says co-author Peter Polos, a physician at the JFK clinic. Kids texted an average of four people a night. Electronic media woke them up once a night, when they were texted or called by a friend. Young people who used the most bedtime media - from cell phones to video games — were more likely to have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, depression and learning problems during the day. Polos notes that the study has limitations: It can’t prove that late-night media use caused problems such as attentiondeficit hyperactivity disorders. He adds that results may not represent all kids; everyone in the study came to the clinic with a problem.

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Keep kit on hand for emergencies Gannett

With winter upon us, its time to have an emergency kit handy. So next time you’re out at the store, make sure the items on this list end up in your cart, in case of emergencies. The American Red Cross suggests these items: ◆ Water: one gallon per person, per day (three-day supply for evacuation, two-week supply for home). ◆ Food: nonperishable, easy-to-prepare items (three-day supply for evacuation, two-week supply for home). ◆ Flashlight. ◆ Battery-powered or hand-crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible). ◆ Extra batteries. ◆ First aid kit. ◆ Medications (seven-day supply) and medical items. ◆ Multipurpose tool. ◆ Sanitation, personal hygiene items. ◆ Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/ lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies). ◆ Cell phone with chargers. ◆ Family and emergency contact information. ◆ Extra cash. ◆ Warm blanket. ◆ Map(s) of the area. ◆ Keep supplies in an easy-to-carry container that can be used at home or taken in case you must evacuate. Every family should create and practice an evacuation and communications plan. Each person should know how to reach other family members and where to meet if they can’t return home. You should also designate an out-of-area relative or friend as an emergency contact and make sure all household members know how to contact this person.

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librarian’s pick

Comic book showcases peppier princess stories

Jennifer Prince Buncombe County Public Libraries Husband and wife author and illustrator team R.W. and Zoe B. Alley regaled readers with their fractured fairy tales in 2008 with “There’s a Wolf at the Door.” In that picture book, every big bad wolf from every fairy tale is morphed into one nasty but ultimately luckless villain as he bumbles from “The Three Little Pigs” to “Little Red Riding Hood” to “The Boy Who Cried Wolf.” The Alleys continue with their fairy tale hijinks in their new book “There’s a Princess in the Palace.” More precisely, there are several princesses. The most wellknown princesses of fairy tales, long accustomed to their individual storybook environs, are corralled into one terrifically amusing, topsy-turvy tale. Because the stories of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and others are familiar to the intended readers, the Alleys do not have to provide a lot of background. Instead, they give the old stories new pep with puns, inside jokes, and other bits of cheeky humor. When Cinderella is left at home to wash dishes while her stepsisters go the ball, she cries, “Why are they always so mean to me? I wish chocolate cupcakes were invented — they would make me feel better!” Later, Sleeping Beauty (who, as it turns out, is spoiled and willful as a teen-

ager) whines, “Do you really expect me to wear this gown? It’s so last season! And what’s up with this room décor? Can’t we at least try to be modern? Come on, people, get with the program!” Like its predecessor, “There’s a Princess in the Palace” is designed like a comic book. The illustrations are done in a succession of small panels. Speech bubbles and narrative accompany each illustration. This format gives the Alleys opportunity to add a dimension of humor that would not be possible in a straight narrative. For instance, two wisecracking mice appear throughout the story. One mouse says to the other, “Why aren’t we asleep?” The other mouse replies, “Well, someone has to move the story along!” Rendered in ink and watercolors, the illustrations not only help tell the story, but they are packed to the brim with details. The windows are mullioned, the floors are tiled, and the clothes drip with ruffles, spangles, and ribbons. Other details add to the humor quietly. When Sleeping Beauty goes off for adventure in the woods, she sees two paths. One path is marked “Experts.” That is the path she takes. The other path is marked “Beginners.” The effect is subtle, so only attentive readers will note that the beginners’ path is paved with yellow bricks and is lined with apple trees. Overall, the text is lengthy for a picture book, but strong readers won’t mind. Look for these titles in the Buncombe County Public Libraries. Visit buncombecounty.org for more information.

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area story times

Buncombe County Public Libraries

Visit buncombecounty.org Black Mountain, 250-4756 Preschool: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday Mother Goose Time: 11:30 a.m. Tuesday Toddler Time: 10:30 a.m. Thursday East Asheville, 250-4738 Preschool: 11 a.m. Wednesday and Saturday Enka-Candler, 250-4758 Mother Goose Time: 11:30 a.m. Thursday Preschool: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday Toddler Time: 10:30 a.m. Thursday Fairview, 250-6484 Mother Goose Time: 10:30 a.m. Tuesday Preschool: 10:30 a.m. Thursday Toddler Time: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday Leicester, 250-6480 Mother Goose Time: 11:30 a.m. Tuesday Preschool: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday North Asheville, 250-4752 School Age Storytime: 3:15 p.m. Thursday Preschool: 11 a.m. Wednesday Toddler Time: 10 a.m. Wednesday Oakley/South Asheville, 250-4754 Mother Goose Time: 11 a.m. Thursday Toddler Time: 11 a.m. Wednesday Preschool: 10 a.m. Wednesday Pack Memorial Library, 250-4700 Mother Goose Time: 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays Toddler Time: 10:30 a.m. Thursdays Family Story Time: 10:30 a.m. Saturdays Skyland/South Buncombe, 250-6488 Preschool: 10:30 a.m. Thursday Toddler Time: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday Swannanoa, 250-6486 Preschool: 11 a.m. Thursday

Mother Goose Time: 11 a.m. Wednesday Toddler Time: 10 a.m. Thursday Weaverville, 250-6482 Mother Goose Time: 11 a.m. Wednesday Toddler Time: 11 a.m. Thursday Preschool: 11:15 a.m. Tuesday West Asheville, 250-4750 Mother Goose Time: 11 a.m. Monday Toddler Time: 11 a.m. Wednesday Preschool: 11 a.m. Thursday

Haywood County Public Library

Spellbound Children’s Bookshop

19 Wall St., Asheville, 232-2228, spellboundchildrensbookshop.com Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m. (ages 3-5) and 3:30 p.m. (ages 5-7).

Blue Ridge Books

152 S. Main St., Waynesville, 4566000 10 a.m. Tuesdays (age 3 and under)

Visit haywoodlibrary.org. Waynesville, 452-5169 Baby Rhyme Time: 11 a.m. Mondays Movers and Shakers: 11 a.m. Thursdays Family story time: 11 a.m. Wednesdays Ready 4 Learning: 2 p.m. Wednesdays Canton, 648-2924 Family story time: 11:15 a.m. Tuesdays Mondays with Ms. Lisa: 3:30 p.m. Mondays

Henderson County Public Library

Visit henderson.lib.nc.us. no storytime in Dec, May, Aug Main, 697-4725 Bouncing Babies: 11 a.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays Toddler Time: 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays Preschool story time: 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays Stories Alive (ages 5-8): 4 p.m. Thursdays 4 o’clock Craft Club (kindergarten-fifth grades): 4 p.m. Thursdays (September, November only) Edneyville, 685-0110 Family story time: 10 a.m. Mondays Etowah, 891-6577 Toddler Time: 10 a.m. Tuesdays Preschool story time: 11 a.m. Tuesdays Fletcher, 687-1218 Bouncing Babies: 11:15 a.m. Wednesdays Toddler Time: 10 a.m. Wednesdays Preschool story time: 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays Green River, 697-4969 Family story time: 10 a.m. Thursdays Mills River, 890-1850 Family story time: 11 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays

Barnes & Noble

Asheville Mall, 296-7335 11 a.m. Mondays and 2 p.m. Saturdays

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home-school happenings

Parents innovating education at home By Nicole McKeon WNC Parent columnist Never, ever underestimate the power of parents determined to provide their child with the best life possible. To do that, many parents choose to home-school their children. Here in Western North Carolina, we have a community of home-schoolers: eclectic, creative, determined and active. I would like to introduce you to the

place I call home, from the point of view of a home-schooling parent. When we decided to take our child out of public school and home-school, we felt like a small boat, in the middle of a large and scary sea. The first place I went was online, and I found two groups that have been home-school central for our family, and for many families. WNC Homeschoolers is a Yahoo e-mail group that hosts more than 860 families in the area. It is an inclusive, Christian-based e-mail loop that provides information and support . Got a question? Someone here will always help. And, I don’t say “always” lightly —

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these folks have never let me down. HOME Asheville is another homeschooling Yahoo group that has been a staple at my house for years. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a secular home-school group that provides information about all types of activities and support for all home-schoolers in a friendly and inclusive manner. This is another place to go for answers. Someone is always willing to take time to hold your hand through a rough patch, or help you find the right connection. Home-schoolers vary in color, religion, spirituality, learning style, temperament, needs, desires and goals. In WNC, home-schoolers run the gamut, from unschoolers (those who use child-lead learning) to school at homers (those who do things similar to in a traditional school, with desks, textbooks, etc.). We are a wide and varied group. And the educational choices that are available to us are as wide and varied as the community.

Larger groups and co-ops There are many church-based homeschooling ministries available to fit familiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs. Two of the largest are Biltmore Baptist Homeschool Ministry and North Point Baptist Homeschool Ministry. Both of these groups offer support groups as well as weekly group activities and classes. These groups serve many families, and are known for their academic standards and ability to inject fun into the mix of the classes. These groups can be contacted by going to the church website and clicking homeschool ministry. They are not the only games in town, though, as there are many home-school supportive churches with strong ministries. It is something you should consider when choosing a place of worship. Another option for Christian homeschooling families in WNC is Classical Conversations. It has established community classes in a variety of areas in and around the Asheville area. This group educates children at various age levels in the classical style, and offers a highly academic curriculum, taught by trained parents in grammar, dialectic and rhetoric. For information, contact ashevillemartins@yahoo.com, or visit classicalconversations.com. Hendersonville County Homeschool Associa-

SPECIAL TO WNC PARENT/JENN MESK PHOTOGRAPHY

Students in the WNC Middlehomeschoolers program participate in a bowling outing. The group is one of few locally that focuses on the middle school years. tion is a Christian cooperative support group that provides academic, social and mentoring opportunities for homeschooling families within the greater Hendersonville area. Academic activities includes fall and spring enrichment classes, geography and spelling bee, history and science fair, international night, yearbook, newsletter, used book sale and group standardized testing. The group also hosts many social activities throughout the year. For information, visit homeschool-life.com/nc/hcha. Asheville Homeschool Co-op is an option for those of you who are not just interested in the academic end of things, but also want lots of social opportunities for your kids. The Co-op has about 90+

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families. There are frequent opportunities during the year to come and meet the group, and find a sponsor to join. This group meets once a week near Asheville, where it offers a huge variety of classes, from science to knitting, cats to newspapers. It sponsors group activities and social events, as well as fun and active opportunities for the whole family. To find out more about Asheville Homeschool Co-op, e-mail AHCo-op@yahoogroups.com. Odyssey of the Mind is a program that many families are familiar with from experiences at school. However, many of you may not know that we have a terrific Continues on Page 50

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OM program for home-school students. The program is an international competition that fosters creativity and teamwork in children. OM has one big rule: No adult brains allowed. It really is a perfect fit for home-schoolers, and Asheville area OM’ers work in teams of five to seven from September to February to solve a long-term problem using creativity. Home-school kids have built giant porcupines and turned themselves into life-size marshmallows, among other interesting and fun projects. Last year, three local teams earned trips to the state competition. To get involved, contact cassandra-love@charter.net or ccdsmith@gmail.com.

Smaller groups There are many smaller groups and classes available, as well. Here’s just a sampling of what’s out there: Kim Kirstein: Home-schooling mom and former teacher Kirstein has a philosophy that is attractive to many home-schooling families. She believes that learning should be both fun and natural, and that many things can be learned by living life, out in the real world. She offers a variety of classes including monthly field trips, monthly nature study days at their farm in Fairview, weekly math classes (Kim is a former math/science teacher) formatted for 9- and 10-year-olds, with plans to add a 7- and 8-year-old class early in 2011. She also offers a weekly school group that runs for 30 weeks for 6- to 10-yearolds, and a weekly farm class for 8- to 12-year-olds that will begin in the the spring. There is also the weeklong summer camp option. Contact Kim at kkirstein@bellsouth.net. Cassandra Love: Another home-schooling mom, she offers Geology Exploration, in which kids learn about rocks, minerals and soil through hands on labs and field work. The class focuses on identifying rocks and minerals, done while exploring mica mines and venturing underground into an old copper mine. The class visits various area locations to test soil and learn how different soil can be depending on where it forms.

SPECIAL TO WNC PARENT

Asheville Homeschool Co-op is one of dozens of programs that provide learning opportunities for the Asheville area’s home-schooling families.

This is hands on learning at its best. Contact Cassandra at cassandralove@charter.net. Montford Park Community Center: The center is host to several different opportunities for home-schoolers. The Montford High School and Middle School classes are groups of students who meet weekly to explore a lineup of classes formulated by a cooperative of parents. Instructors are hired by the parent guide group and parents assist with teaching, supervision and organizational duties. These classes require a modest fee for the facility and incidental expenses. For more information about either of these groups, contact Danise Hauser at treschicos@gmail.com. Homeschool Adventures: This group started with the desire to provide a fun and academically challenging science curriculum for kindergarten to second grade students. This past semester 11 children studied ecology and had fun creating crafts and experiments to go along with the curriculum. Homeschool Adventures is at Homeschool Station in

Fairview and can be reached at homeschoolstation@hotmail.com. (Editor’s note: The author owns this business.) Fairview Cottage Classes: This is a homeschool community whose purpose is to assist families in educating their middle school students using classical methods. They offer classes taught by qualified teachers in logic, Latin, science and writing. The community fosters friendships for parents and students, while providing a learning environment that is enriched by classroom interactions within a small group setting with knowledgeable instructors. This group meets once a week for 32 weeks. Contact Kelly Smith at lockedscot@yahoo.com. Music teachers abound in Western North Carolina, but I would like to focus on a couple of groups that are entirely focused on home-school students. First, Cathy LaFrombois created and is the director of Mountain Troubadours Homeschool Music Program in Black Mountain. This group is the musical home to about 50 home-schoolers who have the opportunity to learn an instrument or

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join a choral group. Students can have a “band” experience with home-school friends. Both group and private lessons are available and are reasonably priced. Visit mountaintroubadours.com. Timothy Wilds, home-schooling dad and owner of Soundings Studio, also provides group musical opportunities, for both high school and middle school students. Soundings High School Choir and Soundings Middle School Ensemble prepare and perform eclectic programs of music representing a wide variety of periods, styles and nationalities. Both groups are welcoming new members for the spring 2011 semester, and can be reached at soundingsstudio.com. Nell Fine is a home-schooling mom who, once again, saw a need and created a group. Fine found that there were no groups in WNC that served homeschoolers educating students who were differently-abled. She and a small group of home-schooling families created a group that meets once a month to support one another and provide academic opportunities for their kids. This group uses Five In a Row and other curriculum

related to literature-based study to create a comfortable and challenging learning environment. She can be reached at finelaub@rocketmail.com WNC Middlehomeschoolers: Several area moms realized that there was no group in our area designed specifically to meet the social needs of home-schooling middle schoolers, and so WNC Middlehomeschoolers was born. This group meets once a week at a variety of locations and can be contacted by requesting to join the group at Yahoo groups, group name WNC Middlehomeschoolers. This is but a small sample of classes and opportunities available to homeschoolers created by the ingenuity and determination of area home-schooling families. There are many, many, many home-school friendly classes available at various locations throughout our area, as well as many small and active cooperatives and study groups. If you are looking for a group and haven’t been able to find one, I suggest you start by contacting any of the Yahoo groups mentioned above, or using Google. And, if you can’t find what you need,

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get busy creating it. Home-schoolers are nothing if not industrious and creative, and if you have identified a need in our community, I can almost guarantee that there is someone else out there who needs you. I have experienced this phenomenon on multiple occasions and have always been pleased with the results of reaching out to our community. I look forward to the list growing and changing as home-schoolers here in WNC do. Please know that it is in no way, shape or form complete. It is an exciting time to be a home-schooler, and this is a great community in which to home-school. I hope you will contact me with other groups you know that need to be shared with our home-schooling friends. It is only through open lines of communication and support that we can continue to grow strong at home. Nicole McKeon is a home-schooling mom and owner of Homeschool Station, a new/used home-school curriculum store in Fairview. She can be reached at homeschoolstation@hotmail.com.

growing together

Home-schooling means being adaptable By Chris Worthy WNC Parent columnist

We are now cruising toward the end of our fourth year of home schooling. That’s two years more than I intended to do when we started this adventure and four years more than I ever thought I would be a part of in my entire life. Ever. In other words, this was not my plan. As my eldest is finishing high school — in a magnet program in a public high school — my youngest is on a different route. I would no sooner assume they have the same educational needs than I would buy them the same clothes. And I am really OK with this now. It’s been a process to keep the plates spinning, but admittedly it is getting easier as the boy grows more independent.

I understand algebra much better this time around, by the way. Some days, I barely stop short of loading him in the car and driving straight to the public middle school that’s less than 10 minutes from home, but those days don’t come as often as they once did and I hardly ever consider running away from home. (If you don’t admit to considering running away from home at least once, well, sure you haven’t.) Most days, the joys far outweigh the challenges, even when I have to scrape the science experiment off the counter with a steak knife. I’ve enjoyed the unique and sincere pleasure of watching my child learn, in ways I missed when my daughter came home excited about something she learned at school. One way isn’t inherently better, but they are different for everyone involved.

My son gets to learn with the world’s smallest teacher-to-student ratio. He explores his gifts and talents in ways he could not do in any other setting and we move ahead at his pace, even if that means my days are sometimes a blur. (Dear Naysayers, he is fully socialized, communicates beautifully and hardly ever does anything weird.) Will this last forever? In the name of all that is good and holy, I hope not. (I kid, mostly.) We are preparing the boy for new and different challenges down the road. He will head off to high school in the not too distant future. And I will face perhaps the most difficult hurdle in a series of bumps in the road toward growing his mind and heart: someone else will be his teacher. I think I still have a lot to learn. E-mail Chris Worthy at chris@worthyplace.com.

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We welcome photos of your children. Send high-resolution images, along with names, ages and hometowns of everyone pictured. Include your name, address and phone number. Send to Katie Wadington by e-mail at kwadington@citizen-times.com or to WNC Parent Photos, P.O. Box 2090, Asheville, NC 28802.

The Smith brothers â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Michael, 4, and Max and Preston, 5 1/2 months â&#x20AC;&#x201D; hang out for a photo. They live in Rutherford County. Submitted by Beth Smith. Annabelle Violet Kleiberg, 9 months when this photo was taken, appears pretty happy to be at the Smoky Mountain Music Fest at Lake Junaluska last fall. She lives in Clyde with her parents Tara and Chris.

Aria Justice Cronin, then 10 months, relaxes in a red rocker. She lives in Black Mountain. Submitted by dad Derek Cronin.

Zoey, 3; Jarron, 7; and Skyla Marshall, 5, pose on a trip to Fiji Islands. The live in Hendersonville. Submitted by Nisheel Marshall.

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Tiny fingers itch for iPhones By Craig Wilson USA TODAY

Charlotte Stapleton peels off her bright blue gloves — a “fashion statement,” according to her mom — and gets down to work. Her tiny hand sweeps over the screen of the iPhone 4, Apple’s latest smartphone. Up pop photos of her as a dinosaur at Halloween. She points and taps. Up pops a video of her with her younger sister, Peyton, rolling on the floor. She giggles, then taps again. Up pops Nickelodeon’s popular “Victorious” series starring Victoria Justice. Charlotte hops around the living room in apparent ecstasy. Her dad, Stephen, 33, smiles from the kitchen. He has seen this all before. Charlotte, 3, began mastering her mother’s iPhone two years ago. “She’s always been drawn to it,” says Ainsley Stapleton, 33, a CPA. “She would sit

GANNETT

Kids move animals around to learn how to count, add and subtract in “Park Math,” an app for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad from developer Duck Duck Moose.

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there, unlock it, then there was no stopping her.” She’s still going full speed ahead, finally landing on one of her favorite apps, an animated video of “The Wheels on the Bus.” As the famous children’s song plays on and on, she opens and shuts the bus doors, makes the bus driver’s arm rise and fall, moves the windshield wipers back and forth. All with the flick of her finger. Ainsley Stapleton says her daughter constantly begs for her high-tech playmate, but Mom has her limits. “I don’t let her talk on it,” she says with a smile. Not a problem, really. Charlotte is a girl of few words, rarely looking up from her iPhone. Call them iTots. Wunderkind of the 21st century. One-, 2- and 3- year-olds who know their way around an iPhone or an iPad better than you do. Some start waving their pudgy little hands over those glowing screens before their first birthday. Think 6 months. Kids weren’t dreaming of a white Christmas this year. Sleds? Trains? Front teeth? Surely you jest. All they wanted

for Christmas were two new apps. They also wanted their own iPad.

Apps for kids This is not news to Mike Elgan, who dubbed the iPad the children’s toy of the year for 2010. Apple’s computer tablet was introduced in April and sold more than 3 million units in the first 80 days. “If the iPhone was natural for children, the iPad will be even more natural, simply because it’s larger,” the columnist for Computerworld magazine wrote. “I think the iPad will spark a revolution in children’s culture. I’m convinced that starting this year, and especially next year, iPads will be the No. 1 most requested holiday and birthday gift by everyone under the age of 18, and especially under the age of 12.” How about under 3? Take Riley, a 2-year-old in Chapel Hill, N.C. “Just the other night Riley had a dream,” says his mother, Sarah Casey, who heard her son yelling out, “I want it! I need it! I need my iPad!” “It was the saddest cry you ever

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heard,” says Casey. “He does that when we take it away from him.” She bought the iPad for herself, but when Riley saw her using it, he reached out. His mother handed it over. It’s called the “pass-back” effect, when an adult hands over an electronic device to a child, a phenomenon being studied by researchers at the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop. The explosion of apps geared to kids —double those targeting adults — is one reason children are so engaged. Ellie Bieler and her brother, Liam, of Norman, Okla., are pros, too. She’s 4, he’s 5, and they’re better at navigating their dad’s iPad than he is. “We’re trying to not be bad parents and let their brains get sucked out by computers,” says their father, Mike. “But I don’t want them to be ostracized by their peers, either.”

Strike a balance Could today’s tiny tots be following their Baby Boomer elders — tuning in, Continues on Page 56

iTots Continued from Page 55

turning on, dropping out? Casey and Bieler both concede they’re worried about their children becoming antisocial with their high-tech obsessions, sitting alone for hours with their electronic babysitters. “We monitor it, though,” Casey says of Riley. “During the day, he’s active. He doesn’t get the iPad until early evening. But when it’s time to go to bed, a meltdown could happen.” It’s hardly a surprise that today’s toddlers are so tech-savvy. The high-tech equipment is all around them. According to studies done at Adzookie.com, which places ads on smartphones, almost 5 million households with kids younger than 6 have smartphones. And 50 percent of iPhone moms let their kids use their phones; 29 percent of those moms have kids under 4. Not that they need their moms’ phones. Five percent of kids ages 6-9

own their own, and the number is growing every month. It’s just part of childhood now. For better or worse. “Ever since our 3-year-old, Erik, found our iPod Touch (Apple’s most advanced iPod with high-definition videos and game center), he couldn’t stop playing with it,” says Andrey Kalita, of Woodstock, Ga. “Every morning he would get up even before we do, go to the office, unplug the iPod and play games on it.” His favorite: Angry Birds. “Then throughout the day, he’d constantly be nagging about it and wouldn’t stop until it was given back to him.” It was then Kalita and his wife became concerned. “We may pull it out on our next trip, but until then, we’re not taking it out,” he says. Most educators and techies say a good balance is the answer. “It’s all about setting limits,” says Cat Schwartz, eBay’s gadget and toy director on HiTechMommy.com, a website that mixes technology with parenting. “My son, Jack, is 4 and has been using an iPhone for three years. I love it be-

cause it helps keep him occupied,” says Schwartz. “But it’s up to me to take it away from him.” When asked about what effect these devices have on children’s attention spans, reading ability and social behaviors, Liz Perle, editor in chief at Common Sense Media, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that helps parents manage the media and technology in their kids’ lives, is brutally honest: “We. Just. Don’t. Know.” Perle says what’s happening today is “the biggest experiment ever conducted on our children, in real time, and with no information. We don’t know the longterm implications. The research is all anecdotal at this point.” Robin Raskin, founder of Living in Digital Times, a series of conferences and exhibits including Kids@Play and MommyTech, says she’s “pretty gungho” about the high-tech explosion in babyland. She is taken aback by one thing, though: the price. “Spending 400-plus bucks (for an iPad) on a ‘toy’ for your kid is a bit over the top.”

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Get an iPad? Here are 9 great apps for kids By Jinny Gudmundsen Gannett Kids are hot to get their hands on an iPad. While this gadget is way more expensive than most toys, starting at $499, it can provide an incredible range of activities for children of all ages. If you received one over the holidays — or if your child or grandchild did — here’s a list of great kid apps to download.

iBooks “A Present for Milo” (From Ruckus Media, best for ages 2-6, $1.99) This adorable story about a cat chasing a mouse has more than 80 objects within its illustrations that kids can tap to trigger over 125 animations. Mike Austin wrote and illustrated this book specifically for the iPad so it is much more interactive than many books found in the iTunes Store.

GANNETT/ELECTRONIC ARTS

Kids scour crazy cartoons to find objects in Electronic Arts’ "Pictureka! for iPad." “Bartleby’s Book of Buttons Vol. 1: The Far Away Island” (From Octopus Kite, ages 5-10, $2.99) Kids move the story along by solving interactive puzzles on each page of the book. To help Barnaby, a collector of buttons, on his journey, kids will need to

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press buttons, rotate the iPad, pull sliders (as you would find in a pop-up book), flip switches and more. “PopOut! The Night Before Christmas” (From Loud Crow Interactive Inc., ages 4 and up, $4.99) This is a magical interactive version of the 1902 classic by William Denslow, the original illustrator of the “Wizard of Oz.” Throughout the 50 pages, kids will delight in touching the illustrations which respond in different ways — they move, pop out of position and sway when the iPad is tilted.

Games “Cut the Rope HD” (From Chillingo Ltd, ages 7 and up, $1.99) This puzzle game has been in the top 10 of all paid iPad apps in the iTunes Store since it was launched in October Continues on Page 58

iPad apps Continued from Page 57

— and for good reason. It has a simple premise (cut ropes anchoring a piece of candy to send it flying), an adorable main character (Om Nom, a candy junkie, to whom you direct the candy) and its solutions require out-of-the-box thinking. “Pictureka! for iPad” (Electronic Arts, ages 7 and up, $4.99) Based on the board game of the same name, this game is crammed full of objects hidden in crazy cartoons. It can be played alone or with up to four others. The object is to quickly find requested objects or ones that fit a category. “Angry Birds HD” (Chillingo Ltd, ages 8 and up, $4.99) Another very popular puzzle game, this one involves shooting angry birds out of a sling-shot at castles that are hiding the pigs who have stolen the birds’ eggs. It is a silly premise, but the flinging-to-knock-down-structures part is amazingly well done. “Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4” (Warner Bros., ages 8 and up, $4.99) You become a Lego version of Harry Potter and relive the highlights found in the first four books by J.K. Rowling, with a little cheeky Lego humor thrown in. This app is a delight to behold with crisp graphics, haunting music, great touchcontrol and 40 levels of adventuring.

Educational apps “Fish School HD” (From Duck Duck Moose, ages 2-4, $1.99) Kids learn letters, numbers, shapes and colors with schools of fish as their teachers. Little children will be mesmerized by how their every touch makes a new school of colored fish appear. “Magic Piano” (Smule, ages 7 and up, $1.99) By simply dragging your finger over the surface of the iPad, you can “play” the piano. The app provides three different configurations of playable piano keyboards, including one that looks like a spiral. Contact Jinny Gudmundsen at C1Tech@gannett.com.

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puzzles for parents

Across

1. Beat, as in the Joneses 6. Airline purchased by American 9. Whirlpool 13. Better then good 14. Harry Potter’s pet 15. Hindu woman’s dress 16. Respond 17. Subject of 1970s embargo 18. ___-__-la 19. Vanished aviatrix 21. Red plus yellow 23. Feeling of veneration 24. Short for “and elsewhere” or “and others” 25. The widest net ever cast? 28. A son of Adam and Eve 30. Some claim it is

everything 35. Sailor’s call 37. Looked at 39. Opposite the pinnacle 40. Actress Campbell 41. Humpy ungulate 43. Hokkaido language 44. “The American _____” 46. Rig 47. Landing spot 48. Metal detector, e.g. 50. Not any 52. Used in German artillery shells in WWI 53. Cashier’s call 55. African migrator 57. Deprive of food 60. Conflict without active fire 64. Unusual collectible 65. Dolly’s cry

67. Love intensely 68. Lion group 69. Chicken’s successor or predecessor 70. The smallest dwarf planet 71. Fusses 72. “To His ___ Mistress,” poem 73. German surrealist Max

Down

1. Made popular by “Shrek” 2. Carbamide 3. Salty drop 4. Medvedev’s country house, e.g. 5. Capital of Canada 6. Thomas the Engine’s warning 7. *1914-1918 event 8. Administer 9. Bring home the bacon

10. *Transvestite clothing 11. Mark for omission 12. Uh-huh 15. *Advocate of Great Purge 20. Three-stringed violin 22. *Sinatra’s pack 24. Just one on Mendeleev’s table 25. Harry’s and Hermione’s magic tools 26. One of journalism’s Ws 27. Like a basket 29. Unfledged hawk

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31. “Yes, ____!” 32. Dostoevsky’s “The _____” 33. ____ de l’Enclos, French poet and courtesan 34. Straining sound 36. #12 Down, pl. 38. Visual presentation 42. Jargon 45. Candle in the wind? 49. One time around 51. Twist together 54. Three-masted merchant vessel

56. Dairy gland 57. Voiceless consonant 58. The Three Tenors 59. Blood disease 60. Cautious and wary, alt. spelling 61. Damaged by long use 62. Greek god of war 63. R in RIP 64. Tax helper 66. Gone by

Solution on Page 71

Kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; page

Coloring

Word search

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri

Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Maze

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Mothers under fire

Moms find tension among peers unavoidable By Liz Szabo USA Today Sometimes it seems as if it takes a village to tell you how to raise your child. Andrea Moleski was at a coffee shop with her baby when they were approached by a woman. The conversation began innocently enough as the woman admired Moleskiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s baby and asked her age. Then, the interrogation began. The woman wanted to know if the baby, then 9 months old, was sleeping through the night. USA TODAY PHOTO

Continues on Page 62

Andrea Moleski and her daughter Hannah.

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Moms under fire Continued from Page 61

“When I told her no, she was horrified,” says Moleski, 34, who writes for a March of Dimes blog, newsmomsneed.marchofdimes.com. “It was almost as if ‘bad sleeper’ equals ‘bad mommy.’ I quickly and nervously had to defend what was going on in my home to this perfect stranger.” Although mothers can give each other invaluable advice and understanding, they can be quick to cut one another down and make devoted mothers feel inadequate, says Wendy Sue Swanson, a pediatrician and mother of two. “I call it ‘competitive parenting,’” says Swanson, who writes the blog Seattle Mama Doc (seattlechildrens.org/ seattle-mama-doc). “Other parents can be so helpful. They tell you about a product and it changes your life. But they can also make you feel like junk.” Though women might shrug off criticism about other aspects of their lives, many say they feel crushed when someone picks apart their parenting — the job they care about most. “We’re all so desperately in love with our babies,” Swanson says. And it’s tough to have a thick skin when they’re exhausted, sleep-deprived and under the influence of wild hormonal fluctuations, says psychotherapist Jenn Berman, author of “The A to Z Guide to Raising Happy, Confident Kids.” “Being a mom can be scary and isolating, and we’re all insecure about the job we’re doing,” Moleski says. “It’s rare that someone tells you you’re a good mom. That’s why we get so defensive. It confirms our worst fears.” Many mothers struggle to recover from such criticism and try to figure out how to avoid inflicting it on others, even if unintentionally, Berman says. A decade ago, parents considered themselves progressive if they gave their kids apple juice instead of soda or Kool-Aid, she says. Today, pediatricians, concerned about empty calories, tell parents to give their children only water

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or milk. “My sister asked me when I was going to give my daughter juice,” says Moleski, whose daughter is 15 months old. “I told her I’m not, and she rolled her eyes. I can tell by her reaction that I’ve made her feel badly, and I didn’t want to.” Monika Phenix says most mothers don’t mean to hurt, and they honestly want to help. “I think moms love kids and they want all kids to be safe,” says Phenix, 31, a stay-at-home mom in Austin, Texas. “As a mother of three, I feel like I’ve seen a few things. I’ll see a friend who has a child, and I wish I could tell her how to help.” Psychologist Mona Spiegel, a life coach in Rockland County, N.Y., says Phenix is right to hold her tongue. Often, the best thing that a friend can offer another mom, Spiegel says, is to listen. “It’s always easier to solve someone else’s problem than one’s own,” she says. “But we don’t always need to fix things

“Being a mom can be scary and isolating, and we’re all insecure about the job we’re doing. It’s rare that someone tells you you’re a good mom. That’s why we get so defensive. It confirms our worst fears.” ANDREA MOLESKI, MOM AND BLOGGER

for people. We need to have more patience and compassion, for other people and ourselves.” Mothers don’t need to take criticism to heart, Spiegel says. And many slights are unintentional,

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says pediatrician Tanya Remer Altmann of Westlake Village, Calif., author of “Mommy Calls.” People could be offering unsolicited advice, she says, because they really wish someone had told them what to do.

dad’s view

Parents weigh in on preschool By William Scott Tiernan WNC Parent columnist Editor’s note: In exchange for completely honest answers, last names are not being published. The other day my 3-year-old daughter charged out of preschool waving a piece of red construction paper covered with leaf tracings. Then she offered a lecture on evergreen trees — why they keep their leaves and the different species, like holly and fir and “yemlock.” “Isn’t that wonderful?” she finished. I asked how she knew all this.

ten teachers. Stu“Miss Cathy taught “We can really dive into different us. On our nature activities, whereas that might not be dents who attend early childhood walk.” the case at most preschools.” programs tend to be Of course. more emotionally At first glance send- ABIGAIL, MOM AND FORMER TEACHER prepared for kining a child to preschool dergarten and beyond because they’re seems like a no-brainer: exposure to accustomed to being away from home age-appropriate experiences such as and they’ve learned to respect the social movement and dance, arts and crafts, structure of school. and dramatic play; the opportunity to Says Asheville kindergarten teacher socialize, develop problem-solving skills Leena: “When kids have had experience and internalize school routines; and the raising hands and sharing and taking countless research studies that suggest turns and even using the bathroom, I children who attend preschool programs have more time to focus on academic have bigger vocabularies and increased skills with them.” math skills, know more letters and more Still, not everyone has hopped on the letter-sound associations, and are more preschool bandwagon. One popular familiar with words and book concepts. argument against: Children in preApproximately 60 percent of this schools are exposed to illnesses on a country’s children attend some form of regular basis. They play with sick chilpreschool — a great boon for kindergardren, sit next to them in class and share toys with them. As a result, they tend to become ill more often than kids who stay at home or are cared for by friends and relatives. Perhaps a more compelling argument: too much, too soon — that preschool “overinstitutionalizes” kids when they’d be better served developing freely at home. “Kids already get shuffled around enough in elementary school,” says Hendersonville parent Jessica, mom of three. “They need all the creative space and time they can get when they’re little.” Adds Asheville dad Michael: “There’s such a focus now on testing at a young age, that they’re pushing that in preschool. Heavy academics, computer skills, and things like this. When kids are little they need to learn more about playing and getting along. They can get this without preschool.” Parents who skip preschool are happy leaning on the community for socialization opportunities for their children. Play dates, group meet-ups at the park, gymnastics classes and trips to Fun Depot are good enough for Fletcher mom Sherri, who has a 4-year-old daughter at

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home. “Plus, she’s got two older brothers,” she adds. “If that doesn’t socialize a child, I don’t know what does.” A counter-argument is that playing with siblings or the same peer group over and over isn’t the same as having unique interactions on a daily basis with a variety of kids. Further, more parents are electing to have just one child. And as hard as they try, Mom and Dad simply can’t replicate the behavior of, say, a 2-year-old. As to the educational value of preschool, diligent parents can provide the

same kinds of learning experiences at home. In fact, children at home can surpass preschool kids because they receive so much individual instruction. Abigail, a former kindergarten teacher turned stay-at-home mom, reads dozens of books to her son each day and uses flashes cards and a variety of Montessori tools for letters and numbers and vocabulary and creativity. “The one-on-one time is invaluable,” she says. “We can really dive into different activities, whereas that might not be the case at most preschools. And I don’t buy into the whole idea of self-centeredness. There are plenty of opportunities (in Asheville) to get kids out and around.”

Of course, many families with two working parents and no nearby relatives require preschool. “The preschool our daughter goes to has been a blessing for us,” says Asheville dad Edwin. “When my daughter comes home each day it’s like she’s learned ten new words. And our time apart from her makes us value our time with her at night and on the weekends.” It’s tough to mine a right or wrong answer on the preschool debate. So I’ll let my friend Amanda have the last word: “Know your child,” she says. “If you think she’ll do best at home, engage her. If you go the preschool route, do your homework. One preschool may be perfect for your best friend’s child. But you need to find the one that’s perfect for your child.”

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William Scott Tiernan is an author, freelance writer and communications consultant in Asheville. E-mail him at wstiernan72@yahoo.com.

calendar of events

2011 CAMP GUIDE

Things to do Jan. 3

Food allergy group COCOA — Caring for Children with food Allergies — is a free group for parents of food allergic children that meets at 6:45 p.m. the first Monday of the month at Earth Fare on Hendersonville Road in South Asheville. E-mail cocoa_in_asheville@yahoo.com.

Jan. 5

Swannanoa Library Knitters Group for all skill levels meets 5-7 p.m. at Swannanoa Library, 101 W. Charleston St. Call 250-6486.

Jan. 6

Starts Jan. 3

YWCA swim lessons YWCA of Asheville offers swim lessons year-round for all ages and levels. Next session starts Jan. 3. Call 254-7206, ext. 110, to register. At 185 S. French Broad Ave. Visit ywcaofasheville.org.

Jan. 4

250-6488.

Pack Memorial Library story time Story time returns to Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St. For details on story times, see the listing on Page 43. Skyland Library Knit-n-Chain Casual knitting and needlework group for all levels, 6 p.m. at South Buncombe/Skyland Library. Call

Black Mountain Library Knitters Knitting group for all levels, 7 p.m. at Black Mountain Yarn Shop, 203 W. State St. Celebration Singers Celebration Singers of Asheville, children’s community chorus, will hold auditions for the spring session at 6 p.m. at First Congregational Church, 20 Oak St. downtown Asheville. Please come prepared with a song (sheet music preferred.) Visit singasheville.com or call 230-5778.

Jan. 6 and 13

Pardee Hospital childbirth class A two-session class for expectant parents covering the labor and delivery process, relaxation, breathing

The camp listings for this year’s Camp Guide will be spread over two issues. Overnight camps will appear in February. Day camps will be listed in the March issue. patterns, birth options, positioning and comfort measures. Also includes tour of the Pardee Women and Children’s Center. 6:30-9 p.m. Jan. 6 and 13. Free. Registration required. At Pardee Hospital Orientation Classroom, 800 N. Justice St., Hendersonville. Call 866-790-WELL.

Jan. 7

Music and Movement Hands On! A Child’s Gallery offers Music and Movement with Jenny Arch at 10:30 a.m. Free with admission. At 318 N. Main St., Hendersonville. Visit handsonwnc.org.

Jan. 8

Asheville Playback Theatre Experience improvisational theater based on audience members’ stories in this show for kids. At 2 p.m. at NC Stage Company, 15 Stage Lane, Asheville. $5 for kids, $10 for adults. Visit ashevilleplayback.org.

Jan. 8-14

Wilderness Wildlife Week Wilderness Wildlife Week is a weeklong event in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., with programs and activities focused on Great Smoky Mountains National Park. More than 200 volunteer experts conduct 235 programs about nature photography, animals, camping skills, outdoor safety and more. There are also 48 hikes and excursions into the park. All programs are free. Visit mypigeonforge.com/wildlife.

Jan. 9 and 16

Love and Logic workshop Park Ridge Hospital’s The Baby Place offers a workshop using hands-on-learning to help parents gain practical skills in the Love and Logic method. Love and Logic uses humor, hope, and empathy to build healthy adult-child relationships. Learn to show love in a healthy way and establish effective control. Kids will learn responsibility and develop coping skills for the real world through solving their own problems. Love and Logic emphasizes respect and dignity for both child and adult. These techniques allow parents to establish a rewarding relationship with their children built on love and trust. 1-4:30 p.m. $60 per person or $100 per couple. Call 681-2229 to register or visit parkridgebabies.com.

Jan. 10

Childbirth class Park Ridge Hospital’s The Baby Place offers its childbirth class in a one-day session, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

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Course covers nutrition and fitness for the expectant mom, labor, delivery options ranging from lowintervention to natural to traditional childbirth, and newborn care. A tour of the Baby Place is included. Call 681-BABY to register. $90. The hospital is at 100 Hospital Drive, Hendersonville.

Starts Jan. 10

Art sessions Roots + Wings School of Art offers four-week art sessions for ages 6-12. Sessions are 3:45-4:45 p.m. Mondays, Jan. 10-Feb. 7, and focus on perspective drawing and printmaking. $50 per child per session. Classes at The Cathedral of All Souls, 3 Angle St., Biltmore Village. Visit rootsandwingsarts.com or call 545-4827.

Jan. 11

Brownie Girl Scouts program The Health Adventure offers a Try-It program for Brownie Girl Scouts called “My Body,” 3:30-4:45 p.m. $4 per girl. Call 254-6373 to register. Visit thehealthadventure.org. Odyssey Community School open house Meet the teachers, tour the campus and find out what integral education is about at an open house at Odyssey Community School, 90 Zillicoa St., Asheville. From 5:30-7 p.m. Visit odysseycommunity.org. Send the News Soaring Black Mountain Library offers a program on making paper airplanes from recycled newspaper, for children ages 5-12. From 4-6 p.m. Learn about the history and mechanics of flight. Free. Call 250-4756 or e-mail blackmountain.librar@buncombecounty.org.

Jan. 12

Azalea Mountain Puppeteers The Azalea Mountain Puppeteers presents “The Princess and the Dragon,” a Waldorf-style puppet show for ages 3-7, at 3:30 p.m. at Barnes and Nobles in Biltmore Park. Free. Visit azaleamountain.org or call 216-3226. Holistic Parenting Forum The Holistic Parenting Forum is a free group that meets monthly to provide support, education and resources for a diverse community of parents committed to natural living. All meetings take place on the second Wednesday of every month at Earth Fare in West Asheville from 6-8 p.m. Children are welcome. For more information, call 230-4850 or e-mail shantisunshine@gmail.com. Science Wonders Wednesday The Health Adventure educators present highlights from favorite science programs, with demonstrations and silliness. The second Wednesday of the month, 3:30-4 p.m. Call 254-6373 or visit thehealthadventure.org.

Starts Jan. 12

Home-school program The Health Adventure now offers six-week homeschool classes for 8- to 10-year-olds. Sessions address different topics and feature fun, educational programming. Classes are 1:30-3 p.m. Wednesdays. Registration required. The next session , with a focus on biology, runs Jan. 12-Feb. 16. Visit thehealthadventure.org or call 254-6373.

PHOTO BY STEVE DIXON

Story time returns to the Pack Memorial Library on Jan. 4. For a complete list of area story times, see Page 43.

Starts Jan. 12-14

Preschool art sessions Roots + Wings School of Art offers four-week art sessions for ages 3-6. Sessions are 3:30-4:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Jan. 12-Feb. 2 (focus on 3-D paper mache sculpture); 3:30-4:30 p.m. Thursdays, Jan. 13-Feb. 3 (focus on mixed media masks); or 10-11 a.m. Fridays, Jan. 14-Feb. 4 (focus on collage and painting animals). $50 per child per session. Classes at The Cathedral of All Souls, 3 Angle St., Biltmore Village. Visit rootsandwingsarts.com or call 5454827.

Jan. 13

Celebration Singers Celebration Singers of Asheville, children’s community chorus, will hold auditions for the spring session at 6 p.m. at First Congregational Church, 20 Oak St. downtown Asheville. Please come prepared with a song (sheet music preferred.) Visit singasheville.com or call 230-5778 Origami Folding Frenzy Learn new folds, share favorites, and meet fellow origami enthusiasts. All levels welcome. Paper is available at the museum store or bring your own. Cost is museum admission. From 4-5 p.m. the second Thursday of the month at The Health Adventure, 2 S. Pack Place. Call 254-6373 or visit thehealthadventure.org.

Jan. 14

Sing-along at Hands On! Sing-along with Tania from Flat Rock Playhouse at 10:30 a.m. at Hands On! A Child’s Gallery, 318 N. Main St., Hendersonville. Free with admission. Visit handsonwnc.org.

Jan. 14-16

Friends and Fiberworks winter retreat Join Friends and Fiberworks for a winter retreat at Biltmore Square Mall. See spinning, knitting, weaving, felting and more. Workshop classes available.

Jan. 15

Celebrate Pregnancy The Baby Place at Park Ridge Hospital offers a course with a twist on normal childbirth class covering important labor techniques and labor support. 8 a.m.-noon. $99, which includes massage voucher ($65 value). Call 681-BABY to register. At 100 Hospital Drive, Hendersonville. Contra Dance Party The Smith-McDowell House will host a Contra Dance Party for ages 12-18 from 2-4 pm. $5 per person. There will be chaperones and refreshments provided. Reservations required; call 253-9231 or e-mail education@wnchistory.org. No special costume is

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Continued from Page 67 required for this dance, but participants are encouraged to wear period costumes if they wish. Contra dance is done in rows of boys and girls and dance partners change as the dance progresses. Generally, a leader, known as a caller, will teach each individual dance just before the music for that dance begins. Fletcher Chili Cookoff Fletcher Parks and Recreation hosts its annual Chili Cookoff at Veritas Christian Academy gymnasium. Cooking and set-up starts at 11:30 a.m. with judging and public tasting at 12:15 p.m. Register by Jan. 12. Call 687-0751 or visit fletcherparks.org.

Registration starts Jan. 15

Swannanoa Valley Montessori School Student applications for 2011-12 school year are being accepted for children ages 18 months to sixth grade. SVMS is in Black Mountain, with an additional satellite location in Asheville opening in 2013. Application forms are online. Call 669-8571 or visit swanmont.org.

ABYSA spring soccer The player registration deadline for the spring season of recreational soccer is Jan. 16. Cost is $48 for U5-U6 and $58 for U7 and older, with $10 discount for third and additional player(s) from the same family. Does not include uniform fee. Visit abysa.org. ∝TOPSoccer is an ABYSA program for special needs children who are unable to participate in regular recreation program. $20.

Jan. 17

Experience The Baby Place Take a tour of Park Ridge Heath’s Baby Place. 6 p.m. at 100 Hospital Drive, Hendersonville. Free. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Federal holiday celebrating the January birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Starts week of Jan. 17

Pottery classes Odyssey Center for Ceramic Arts offers several sixweek classes for children ages 3-16. Classes are $95, with discounts available. Call 285-0210, e-mail odyssey@highwaterclays.com or visit highwaterclays.com. At 236 Clingman Ave., Asheville. ◆ Moms & Tots: Ages 3-5 will explore the squishy fun of clay by making animals, birds, funny faces and more. 10-11:30 a.m. Mondays. ◆ Making Toys and Games: Ages 4-7. Create dishes for dolls, forts for Lego people, puzzles and more. 4-6 p.m. Tuesdays. ◆ Teen Clay: Ages 13-16. Throw on the wheel and handbuild, making sculptures, masks, mugs and bowls. 4-6 p.m. Wednesdays. ◆ Young Potters Wheel Class: Ages 6-12. Learn the potter’s wheel with Gabe. 4-6 p.m. Thursdays. ◆ Where The Wild Things Are: Ages 6-12. Make animal and human forms. 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturdays.

A sampling of support groups for moms in WNC. Arden Moms Meetup Group: A group for stay-at-home moms of preschoolers or babies in the Arden/South Asheville/Fletcher area. Visit meetup.com/arden-moms or contact Susan Toole at ArdenMoms@gmail.com. Asheville Moms with Multiples: Group for moms with multiples meets 7 p.m. the first Thursday of each month at the Women’s Resource Center on Doctors Drive, behind Mission Hospital. Meetings are an opportunity to share experiences and offer support in a social setting. Call 444-AMOM or visit ashevillemom.com. Biltmore Baptist MOPS: Group for all mothers of children from infancy through kindergarten. Morning group meets 9:30-11:30 and evening group meets 6:15-7:45 on the first and third Wednesday of each month at Biltmore Baptist Church, 35 Clayton Road, Arden. Call 687-1111, e-mail mopsofbbc@yahoo.com or visit mopsofbbc.com. La Leche League of Asheville mornings: Pregnant moms, babies and toddlers welcome at all meetings. Meets at 10 a.m. the second Monday of the month at First Congregational Church on Oak Street. Contact a leader: Susan, 628-4438; Jessica, 242-6531; or Falan, 683-1999. La Leche League of Asheville evenings: Pregnant moms, babies and toddlers welcome at all meetings. Meets at 7 p.m. the third Monday of the month at Awakening Heart on Merrimon Avenue. Contact a leader: Yvette, 254-5591; or Molly, 713-7089. La Leche League of Hendersonville: Offers information and support for pregnant or breastfeeding women. Meets at 10 a.m. the second Wednesday of the month at Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Hendersonville, 2021 Kanuga Road. Babies and toddlers are welcome. For more information, Contact a leader: Andrea 676-6047, Katie 808-1490, or MC 693-9899. Mom2mom: Christian moms group meets at St. Paul’s Church, 32 Rosscraggon Road, Rosscraggon Business Park Building B, Asheville. Moms with any age children are welcome. Call 3883598. Mommy and Me: Park Ridge Hospital offers a support group for moms at 10 a.m. the fourth Monday of the month. Contact Amy Mast at 216-7244. The hospital offers a luncheon for moms and babies, noon-1 p.m. the third Monday of the month, at the hospital’s private dining room. Call 681-2229. MOMS Club of Hendersonville: A support group open to mothers of all ages in the Henderson County area, including mothers who have home-based businesses and those who work part-time but are home with their children during the day. The group meets for speeches and topics for discussion, park days, playgroups, nights out, holiday activities and service projects benefiting needy children in the community. Meets 9:30 a.m. the first Thursday of the month at Hendersonville Church of Christ, 1975 Haywood Road, Hendersonville. Children welcome. Call Kerry at 692-7724 or visit hendersonvillemomsclub.wordpress.com MOPS at Mud Creek: Mothers of Preschoolers (infancy through kindergarten) provides an open, faith-based atmosphere. Meets second and fourth Wednesdays, 9:15-11:15 a.m., SeptemberMay, at Mud Creek Baptist Church, 403 Rutledge Drive, Hendersonville. E-mail MOPS.MudCreek@gmail.com or visit http://mopsatmudcreek.webs.com/links.htm. North Asheville MOPS: Meets 9:30-11:30 a.m. the first Monday of each month at Maranatha Baptist Church, 1040 Lower Flat Creek Road, Weaverville. Contact Jennifer Warner at 423-6180 or Liban Morris at lmorris_cid@hotmail.com. WNC Mountain Mamas: Moms and kids can meet up and play at 11 a.m. Wednesdays the Hop Ice Cream Shop, 640 Merrimon Ave. Enjoy half-priced coffees and ice cream. Encompassing, supporting and uniting WNC families. Visit wncmountainmamas.proboards.com

Jan. 19

African drum workshop Hands On! A Child’s Gallery offers a drum workshop for ages 4-10. Learn basic drum rhythms and make a musical instrument craft. $15. At 318 N. Main St., Hendersonville. Call 697-8333 to register.

Swannanoa Library Knitters Group for all skill levels meets 5-7 p.m. at Swannanoa Library, 101 W. Charleston St. Call 250-6486.

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Jan. 20

Asheville Christian Academy open houses ACA offers open houses for all grades, including kindergarten from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Meet teachers, tour the campus, and learn about the school’s liberal arts approach to a college prep education with a biblical world view. Serves grades K4 through 12th. Call 581-2200 or visit ACAcademy.org. Black Mountain Library Knitters Knitting group for all levels, 7 p.m. at Black Mountain Yarn Shop, 203 W. State St. Pardee Hospital parenting classes For information and registration, call 866-790-WELL. At Pardee Hospital, 800 N. Justice St., Hendersonville. ◆ Breast-feeding class: Learn the art of breastfeeding. 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Registration required. ◆ Daddy Duty class: Learn helpful ideas and tips for dads during the labor and birth process. 6:30-8 p.m. at Pardee Hospital Video Conference Room. Free. Registration required.

Jan. 21

Teen Awesome Group Start the new year off right with the Teen Awesome Group at the Weaverville Library, from 4-5:30 p.m. Call 250-6482 or e-mail weaverville.library@buncombecounty.org. YMCA parents’ night out Downtown Asheville YMCA offers a parents’ night out for children ages 2-12. Activities include swimming, arts and crafts, inflatable obstacle course, snacks and a movie. Register online or in person (at least 24 hours before scheduled program). From 6:30-9:30 p.m. the third Friday of each month. $12 for members ($24 nonmembers), with $2 sibling discounts for everyone. Call 210-5622 or visit ymcawnc.org.

Jan. 21-22

Junior Girl Scout Museum Camp-Ins Experience a real night at the museum as The Health Adventure hosts a camp-in for Junior Girl Scouts focused on aerospace and science. Learn all about space, launch a rocket, and make ice cream with liquid nitrogen. $25/girl Starts at 7 p.m. Friday and ends at 9 a.m. Saturday. Visit thehealthadventure.org or call ,5ex4-6373, ext. 327.

Jan. 21-23

Dog Agility Trial American Kennel Club hosts a dog agility trial at WNC Agricultural Center’s McGough Arena, 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. each day. Free. Spectators should leave dogs at home.

Jan. 22

Fletcher baseball/softball registration Registration for Fletcher baseball and softball players is Jan. 22 and 29, and Feb. 12 at Fletcher First Baptist Church. Cost is $70 per player (maximum $140 per family). Visit fletcheryouthsports.com or e-mail fletcherrecpark@gmail.com for details.

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Sports Day, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. This community event is designed to expose women and girls to a variety of activities that will inspire them to lead active, healthy lives. Open to women and girls (ages 6 and older) as a chance to try a new sport or fitness class, or build skills in a sport of interest. Registration ends Jan. 29 at $12 per person. Late registration is $15. This includes four clinics, T-shirt and goody bag, healthy lunch, door prizes and a ticket to the Women’s Big South Conference Game at UNCA that day. Contact Allison at 350-2058 or e-mail adains@ashevillenc.gov.

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Jan. 24

Veritas Christian Academy Declamation Finals Veritas Christian Academy high school students will be presenting speeches in the final round of competition of this year’s Declamation Competition. Declamation is concerned with taking an idea of great value and presenting it to others after memorizing another writer’s words. The presentations will take place at 7 p.m. at Fletcher First Baptist Church, Hendersonville and Cane Creek roads, Fletcher. Call 681-0546.

Ongoing

Jan. 25

Birth Network of WNC Meets 7-8 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of each month, Pardee Health Education Center, Blue Ridge Mall, Hendersonville. E-mail birthnetworkofwnc@gmail.com. Leicester Knit and Crochet group For all skill levels, at 6:30 p.m. at Leicester Library. Call 250-6480.

Starts Jan. 26

Childbirth class Park Ridge Hospital’s The Baby Place offers a sixweek childbirth class on Wednesday evenings. Course covers nutrition and fitness for the expectant mom, labor, delivery options ranging from low-intervention to natural to traditional childbirth, and newborn care. A tour of the Baby Place is included. Call 681-BABY to register. $90. The hospital is at 100 Hospital Drive, Hendersonville.

Jan. 27

Infant care class Pardee Hospital offers a class on the basics of infant care, 6:30-8 p.m. in the education classroom. Free. Registration required. Call 866-790-WELL. Labor and Birth Forum Free forum based on the Six Lamaze Healthy Birth Practices. All pregnant women and their partners are invited, as well as those who provide pregnancy and labor support. Meets 7-8:30 p.m. the last Thursday of the month on Mission Hospital campus at the Wellness Resource Center, 50 Doctor’s Drive. Visit peacefulbeginning.org or call 258-3327.

Jan. 29

Azalea Mountain Puppeteers The Azalea Mountain Puppeteers presents “The Princess and the Dragon,” a Waldorf-style puppet show for ages 3-7, at 11 a.m. at Mighty Mites on Coxe Avenue. Free. Visit azaleamountain.org or call 216-3226.

Feb. 6

Veritas Christian School open house Veritas Christian Academy, a classical Christian school educating students PreK through 12th grade, will host a community open house from 2-4 p.m. The public is invited to tour the school, see the curriculum, and talk with the faculty. At 17 Cane Creek Road, Fletcher. Call Jenny Turnipseed, admissions director, at 681-0546 for information.

Feb. 12

Henderson County soccer The early registration deadline for Henderson County Recreation Department’s soccer program is Jan. 30. Open to boys and girls U6-U18 (must be 5 or younger than 18 by Aug. 1). Season starts April 2. Visit hendersoncountysoccer.org.

WNC PARENT PHOTO

National Girls and Women in Sports Day gives girls and women a chance to try something new. It’s at UNC Asheville on Feb. 12. Registration closes Jan. 29.

Fletcher Father/Daughter Dance Fletcher Parks and Recreation hosts its annual Father/Daughter Dance, with two dances at 3:305:30 p.m. and 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tickets go on sale the week of Jan. 10. Contact Greg Walker at g.walker@fletchernc.org for information. National Girls and Women in Sports Day UNC Asheville hosts National Girls and Women in

Big Brothers Big Sisters Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC provides caring mentors to children ages 6-14 who would benefit from the additional support of a mentor. The community-based program pairs mentors with youth who live with a single parent or with a grandparent or other relative. The program is open to families of all socioeconomic levels. There is no fee for “Littles” to participate. If you are a single parent and would like for your child to have a Big Brother or Big Sister, call 253-1470 in Buncombe County, 693-8153 in Henderson County, or visit bbbswnc.org for more information. Kindermusik Kindermusik is enrolling for spring semester. Classes start in January or February, depending on teacher. Four unique curricula promote creativity, listening skills, self-esteem, problem solving, vision and focus, language and literacy, hand-eye coordination, emotional and social skills, balance and coordination. Classes for newborns through 7-year-olds. Call: Kelly Waller, 687-1575, rkwaller2@charter.net (South Asheville – Arden Presbyterian Church); Lora Scott, 649-2320, allsoulscathedral.org/music-choirs/ kindermusik (Biltmore Village); Yvette Odell 2421548, kindermusikwithyvette.com (Asheville, Weaverville); Debra Huff, 206-3145 or 689-1128, dhuff@mhc.edu (Madison County); Maria Wood, 669-0930, maria@davidgrover.com (Black Mountain). Music lessons Learn to play a variety of instruments, including guitar, bass, drums, keyboard and trumpet; learn to sing, write songs and record your music. Lessons start in January. Learn more at DanielsLearning Adventure.net or call 254-0843. Joyful Noise classes Joyful Noise Community Music and Arts Center offers classes and private lessons for children and adults in music, dance, songwriting and more. . Joyful Noise is based at the First Presbyterian Church in Weaverville with satellite locations in Marshall and South Asheville. Visit joyfulnoisecenter.org or call 649-2828. Health Adventure exhibits and programs Call 254-6373 or visit thehealthadventure.org. At 2 S. Pack Square, Asheville. ◆ Blue Man Group-Making Waves: Closes Jan. 9. ◆ Alice’s Wonderland: Follow Alice down the rabbit hole and discover a world of adventure. Opens Jan. 28. ◆ Preschool Play Date: interactive fun just for preschoolers at 10:30 a.m. Thursdays. ◆ Super Science Saturdays: Experiment with science with hands-on activities. Noon-2 p.m. each Saturday. ◆ ‘My Mom Is Having a Baby’: A free program to help children understand, accept and anticipate the

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changes that will happen as the family prepares for the birth of the new baby. Children will learn what to expect when mom goes into labor, how to hold the baby and will make a gift for the baby. The second and fourth Mondays, based on enrollment. Grow With Me Cooperative Preschool Grow With Me Cooperative Preschool has openings for 3- and 4-year-olds. The Waldorf-inspired community offers a half-day program Tuesdays through Thursdays with affordable tuition in exchange for parental involvement and leadership. Call Jessica at 242-6531. Dance classes Studio Zahiya offers classes for moms and teens on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Classes include bellydance, hip-hop, Bollywood and Bhangra. Drop-in classes are $12, four classes for $40. At 41 Carolina Lane, Asheville. Visit lisazahiya.com/instructor.html or call Lisa Zahiya at 242-2595. Flute lessons Individual and small ensemble lessons for flutists beginning to advanced, children and parents, in the South Asheville/South Buncombe area with Lea Kibler, teacher and performer. E-mail info@ashevilleflute.com or call 650-6666.

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Zeugner Center family swim Buncombe Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Zeugner Center indoor pool is now open 1:30-5 p.m. Sundays for family swim time. $3 per person. Passes available, $20 for 10 visits and $40 for 25 visits. The Zeugner Center at 90 Springside Drive, Arden, behind Roberson High School. For more information, contact Teri Gentile at 684-5072 or teri.gentile@buncombecounty.org. T-Boneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Radio Active Kids Kid-friendly radio, hosted by Asheville-area kids from 8-10 a.m. Saturdays on ashevillefm.org. Merrimon Avenue Baptist Preschool Merrimon Avenue Baptist Church Preschool is accepting enrollment for classes for ages 1 to prekindergarten. Classes run 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday. $15/day with $50 registration fee. The structured pre-kindergarten class focuses on kindergarten readiness and is taught by a licensed birth-kindergarten teacher. Call Sara Calloway at 252-2768, ext. 315, or e-mail scalloway@mabaptist.org. Dance lessons Asheville Clogging Company in South Asheville offers ongoing classes for children and teens of all skill levels clogging, Irish step dancing, hip-hop, jazz, ballet, lyrical and tap at a new state-of-the-art dance studio. Ongoing classes for ages 3 and older. Visit ashevillecloggingcompany.com, call 329-3856 or e-mail ashley@ashevillecloggingcompany.com. Parents morning out program St. Eugene Catholic Church is enrolling children for its parents morning out program. Two teachers for each 10 children. For ages 6 months to 4 years. Program is 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday-Friday. Church is at 72 Culvern St., Asheville. Call Cynthia Francis at 254-5193, ext. 25, or e-mail mamabear123123@yahoo.com Tennis lessons Asheville Racquet Club offers tennis lessons in two locations, ARC South on Hendersonville Road and ARC Downtown, at 1 Resort Drive, Asheville. Classes starting at age 4-14, as well as a tournament program for ages 9-18. For ARC South, contact Mindy Sheppard at 274-3361, ext. 310, or msheppard@ashevilleracquetclub.com. For ARC Downtown, contact Bo Webb at 545-4939 or bothepro5@yahoo.com. Mommy and Me for Babies This is a free group that meets weekly in two locations to provide an opportunity for new parents to gather. On Mondays, meet at the new Woodfin YMCA. Mommy/baby yoga for pre-crawlers is 11-11:45 a.m.; forum is noon-1 p.m. On Tuesdays, meetings are at Reuter Family YMCA in the Mission Wellness Resource Center Room. Mommy/baby yoga for precrawlers is at 10:30 a.m.; guest speaker/open discussion is at 11:30; walk and talk starts at 12:45 p.m. Please call 213-8098 or e-mail shantisunshine@gmail.com to register. Toddler Fun Toddler Fun is a free group that provides an opportunity for parents to have some structured fun with their children ages 1-3 including 45 minutes of songs, stories, finger-plays, parachute play and more. At 10 a.m. Mondays at the new Woodfin YMCA and 9:30 a.m. Tuesdays at the Reuter Family YMCA. To register, call 213-8098 or e-mail shantisunshine@gmail.com.

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