March & April, 2009
17-22
2009 FamilyWorks Camp Guide
3
Parenting in the Current
Your Kids Pick Up On the Stress By Jaleh Donaldson, MS, MFT
4
10 Divorce, Separation and
Financial Storm
Tips and Ideas for Throwing a St. Patrick’s Day Party
11 APPLE FamilyWorks
By Nick Tasler
5
Is Today a Good Day to Fly A Kite?
6
By Jennifer Cowan
Fun Ideas for Your Kids
Estate Planning
Teach Your Kids About the Weather By Frances Nankin
News & Programs
17 Digital Media Academy
Summer Camp Offers Computer and Film Training
Relationship Gardening
Nurture Your Relationship
By Mary Jane DeWolf-Smith, RN, MFT
8
Treating Teens Who Abuse Drugs and Alcohol
Where to Start By Gary Direnfeld, LCSW
FamilyWorks Magazine is published by FamilyWorks® Executive Director: Mary Jane DeWolf-Smith Editor:
Lew Tremaine
Marketing:
Doug Silberstein
Art Director/Website: Christine M. Astin Web Publisher:
Art Severe
Printed by:
Marin Sun Printing
FamilyWorks® Board of Directors: Amy Whitelaw, President Maria Villani, Treasurer Mark Clark, Secretary Anjana Berde, Board member Paul Ricken, Board member
FamilyWorks Magazine - March
& April, 2009
FamilyWorks® 4 Joseph Court, San Rafael, CA 94903 email: familynews@familyworks.org Read FamilyWorks Magazine on-line at www.familyworks.org
Advertising Information: Doug Silberstein Phone: (415) 492-1022 FAX: (415) 492-1099 email: advertising@familyworks.org
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Editorial Information: Lew Tremaine Phone: (415) 492-0720 x231 FAX: (415) 492-1099 email: familynews@familyworks.org Circulation: This major family magazine is published bi-monthly and widely distributed FREE throughout Marin and Sonoma Counties: through home deliveries, distribution to over 200 community locations - stores, public and private schools, medical offices, hospitals, and family-related businesses – and direct mail to thousands of active participants and sponsors of FamilyWorks®. © 2009 FamilyWorks®, All rights reserved. FamilyWorks is a nonprofit agency serving families in the Bay Area. No portion of FamilyWorks Magazine may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. Appearance of articles, editorials, author’s point of view, advertisements or announcements for products and services in FamilyWorks Magazine does not necessarily constitute an endorsement by FamilyWorks® and FamilyWorks® is not responsible for its content or the reactions of readers to its content. FamilyWorks Magazine reserves the right to refuse advertising for any reason. Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs are welcome and should e-mailed to: familynews@familyworks.org www.familyworks.org
Parenting in the Current Financial Storm
Children are sensitive to their parents’ feelings and can pick up nuances that parents assume are unnoticed, thus causing secondhand stress in their children. Dealing with family stress or conflict? See page 13 for Information on FamilyWorks counseling services.
Stress is something everyone experiences on a regular basis, but with the economic downturn, increase in unemployment, reduced value in assets, along with other changes in our society, the pressures on parents increase, especially on busy mothers who strive to successfully parent during the current financial storm. Children are sensitive to their parents’ feelings and can pick up nuances that parents assume are unnoticed, thus causing second-hand stress in their children. Avoiding stress may be impossible, but the good news there are things parents can do to help their children remain resilient even in the face of the severe storms of life. Allow for open communication. Address any questions or concerns your child may have. Be honest and express the current economic situation in simple terms. Then provide possible solutions. This will ease your child’s mind and calm their body. www.familyworks.org
Be a positive role model. Actions speak louder than words and you are your child’s most powerful role model. They will follow what you do, but not always what you say. So, instead of telling your child not to stress out, demonstrate stress reduction techniques like deep breathing and exercise. Involve your children in a community service project. To get their minds off the family’s financial situation, focus your child’s attention on learning about their community and making continued on page 16
Jaleh Donaldson M.S., MFT is the author of Life’s Little How To Book, a self-help book with easyto-understand tips on dating, marriage, children, career, personal growth, and a whole lot more! It’s now available online at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and Borders. FamilyWorks Magazine - March & April, 2009
Tips and Ideas for Throwing a St. Patricks Day Party By Penny Warner with Balloon Time Helium Balloon Kits
Watch out for the wee folk—little leprechauns, that is! It’s time for “the wearing o’ the green” as we celebrate everything Irish. Host a St. Patty’s Day party with festive four-leafed invitations, Emerald Isle food and Lucky Leprechaun games. It’s easy being green on St. Patrick’s Day! Invitations
Invite the guests with lucky fourleaf clover cards. Cut large clovers from green construction paper and write, “This is your Lucky Day— You’re invited to a St. Patrick’s Day Party!” Insert invitations in green envelopes and add a few chocolate gold coins for extra good luck before you mail them to guests.
Costumes
Have the guests take “wearin’ o’ the green” literally and ask them to dress in as many green articles
of clothing as possible. Award a green prize to the one who wears the most green. For added fun, greet the guests dressed as a leprechaun, in a green top hat, green shorts and green striped socks! Decorations
Go green! Use a Balloon Time Helium Balloon Kit to inflate a bunch of green balloons with helium, tie them off with green ribbon and gather them in bunches of three to form floating “shamrocks.” Include one “lucky” four-balloon cluster and award a prize to any guest who “finds” it. Cut out a bunch of giant shamrocks from green construction paper and tape them to the walls or use them as place mats. Create a giant rainbow using sheets of colored construction paper taped to a wall in the shape of an arch. Set a “pot of gold” - a gold foil-covered bowl filled with chocolate gold coins - at both ends of the rainbow. Sprinkle clovers and gold coins on the table. Play Irish music in the background.
Games & Activities
Hot Potato – This fast-moving game is hot - but won’t really burn
FamilyWorks Magazine - March
& April, 2009
www.familyworks.org
anybody’s fingers. Have players stand in a circle about an arm’s length from each other. Give the “hot” potato to one player and have him or her toss it to any other player as quickly as possible. Keep the potato moving until a player drops the potato or holds it longer than three seconds - then that player is out. Continue until there’s only one player left. For added fun, have players take a step back each time the potato hits the ground. Pot o’ Gold – Set out a large, green leprechaun hat upside down, (or use a bowl). Give the players equal handfuls of chocolate gold coins and have them take turns tossing them into the pot from a short distance. Let the players keep the coins that land in the pot. Penny Warner has more than 25 years of experience as an author and party planner. She has published more than 50 books, including 16 specific to parties. Additionally, Warner writes a weekly newspaper column on family life, penned a column for Sesame Street Parents magazine and has appeared on several regional and national TV morning programs. Her latest book, LADIES’ NIGHT, was released in November 2008 from Adams-Media.
Is Today a Good Day to Fly a Kite? Helping your child understand the weather through observation, measurement, and predictions By Frances Nankin
These days, it seems everyone is talking a lot about the weather, but what can you actually do about it? Use these quick tips from Cyberchase to take measurements, make observations, and engage your child in some fun and educational, math-based weather-watching!
What’s the Temperature Outside? Read the thermometer!
Reading a thermometer is a great habit to get into with your child before venturing outside and gives kids practice reading a temperature scale. As you read the thermometer with your child, you’ll quickly see that it’s not difficult to measure the temperature when the top of the bar is exactly opposite a number, but what does it mean when it is between two numbers? How many degrees do those little hash marks represent? If your child is having difficulty reading the temperature, try enlarging a section of the thermometer scale to make it easier to talk about how to figure it out. For example, on a piece of paper you might draw the section between 60 and 70 degrees. When you divide the scale into 5 equal parts (using 4 hash marks), help your child see the hash marks represent more than 60, less than 70, and since there are 5 equal parts, each mark www.familyworks.org
must stand for 2 degrees. (You can have your child count by twos from 60 to 70 to confirm this. Ask, “What if the scale between 60 and 70 were divided in two equal sections with one hash mark? (The mark must represent 5 degrees.) Do the same for 10 equal sections (9 hash marks). With practice like this your child will be able to read the temperature using any thermometer and at the same time gain valuable practice reasoning about numbers, number patterns, and estimation. Look for Patterns in Your Weather
Tracking the weather in your area day-to-day, week-to-week, or even month-to-month is an excellent way to give your child experience collecting and analyzing data, using math in a way that is vital to understanding the world around us. One simple activity is continued on page 15 FamilyWorks Magazine - March & April, 2009
Relationship Gardening By Mary Jane DeWolf-Smith, RN, MA, MFT
Is your relationship withering? How long has it been since you have cultivated it? Is it watered and fed regularly? Have resentments grown like weeds? Has the sun faded and brought on a permanent chill?
FamilyWorks Magazine - March
& April, 2009
Shawna and Steve broke up last year. They had both been divorced and were eager to find a new partner. They dated for awhile, going to clubs, movies, and dinner. They thought things were going well when they decided it was okay to introduce one another to their children. They went on a camping trip. It all went downhill from there. Their basic values, parenting styles were too different. Their “dating” had been on the surface. Real world was different. The Real World, After Falling in Love – is Different.
Shawna decided that with the next relationship she’d spend more down to earth time with her date. When she met Rick (and wow was he good looking and charming!) she suggested that they go hiking. Not interested. But dinner and a movie was okay. That was fine. A few weeks later she suggested, when the kids were at their fathers, that she cook Rick dinner. Rick sat in the living room while Shawna cooked. No offers www.familyworks.org
to help out, but he did take interest in the kids’ pictures. With that, she introduced him to the kids. He and the kids were great together, even though he ignored Shawna when the kids were around. When Shawna was alone with Rick, they didn’t talk much. Despite the red flags, Shawna stayed in the relationship for a year until she realized that Steve was moe into being a Dad than a companion to Shawna. Shawna was Discouraged. What Could Shawna Do?
Did she know herself well enough to know what she needed to make a relationship blossom? She knew her partner had to be into rearing children. But she wasn’t sure what else. The last two relationships she’d been draw into because of the chemistry between her and the man. She married her first husband shortly after she fell in “lust” with him. He was handsome, and successful. She became pregnant right away, and then another child followed quickly. They focus exclusively on their children. But they failed to tend to their couple relationship. Each expected the other to make them happy, but they couldn’t describe to themselves, let alone each other, what was missing. They were focused on being parents. They never
learned to be loving partners. Shawna was just beginning her check list. She wanted gentle words and conversation. She wanted outdoor time with “her guy”.
Relationship Gardening Tips: It’s Time to Fertilize Your Own Soil/Soul.
While you’re figuring out what is the best match for you, or how to grow the relationship you are currently in - take time to be someone you would want to spend time with. Spend less time thinking about what is wrong with your partner. Child rearing, work and home is incredibly draining. But having one thing you love to do - to look forward each week - can make all the difference. This does not have to cost money OR a huge amount of time. Perhaps you take an art class, join a community chorus, take up a hobby and yes, turn off the TV. Your partner is not powerful enough to keep you from growing. Take the time. Period. Your relationship/your health depends on it.
Dream a Dream Beyond Your Front Door.
Stopped having fun? No adventure? Has it been awhile since you became involved in paying it forward? It is amazing how invigorating it is to help those less fortunate. It puts all our woes into perspective. It gives couples something positive to plan for and talk about. Or perhaps you want to learn to speak another language, learn about another culture, learn to play pool, dance – something outside the everyday routine that helps you grow.
self let alone to our partner. In fact, early on in a relationship we try to be charming and not force our personal wants and needs on our date or partner. We pretend to enjoy certain things just to “fit-in”. We may not even know what pleases us. Over time we certainly know what does not please us. And that may become the focus of the relationship. It is vital to take time to get to know who you and your partner really are. At FamilyWorks we work with couples to complete each person’s Temperament Profile. We review the results and help the couple find a healthy language to describe and understand the unique traits each has. This creates greater acceptance of self and other and better explains why one partner may wished to be shown love differently. We also like to refer to the questionnaires in The Five Love Languages, by Gary Chapman. You can read this short book, complete the questionnaires and learn the behaviors that make each of you feel loved. It is a real eye-opener. You will know yourself and your partner better. In the Five Love Languages you will discover whether you feel loved MOST through receiving: Affirmations, Acts of Service, Gifts, Physical Touch, or Quality Time. Next issue I will talk more about the Five Love Languages. Have fun growing your Relationship Garden this spring.
Learn What Makes You and YourPartner Feel Loved.
by Mary Jane DeWolf-Smith, RN, PHN, MA, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist
You wouldn’t plant a cactus in the rainforest, or an orange tree in the dessert. Each needs a different environment to be nourished. This is also true for each one of us. What makes us feel loved? We may have difficulty explaining it to our-
Mary Jane DeWolf-Smith is a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist specializing in couples, parenting and coparenting concerns. She is a renowned family educator. Learn more great parenting skills in her Positive & Peaceful Parenting class. Call (415) 492-0720 to sign up or make an appointment for counseling services. www.familyworks.org
FamilyWorks Magazine - March & April, 2009
Treating Teens Who Abuse Drugs and Alcohol By Gary Direnfeld
FamilyWorks Magazine - March
& April, 2009
Like schools of fish, teens who abuse drugs and alcohol tend to hang in the same crowd. They garner a kind of moral support or legitimacy from like-minded and behaving peers for their drug and alcohol consumption. Further, when drug and alcohol consumption reaches the abuse stage, they are seen to have conflict with persons in authority, be they their parents, teachers or police. Academic performance is compromised and the teen is at risk of school failure. Vocational and recreational participation may be non-existent. Energy and activity is drawn towards the maintenance of the peer group and escaping detection by adult figures of responsibility. The teen is often a good talker, appearing mature beyond their years whilst really not demonstrating responsible behavior. There is a discrepancy between what they say and how they perform by objective measure. Parents may be oblivious. The teen may have hidden their academic decline. Not until their world starts to cave in on them by way of falling grades, school suspension or conflict with the law, are many parents finally alerted to the seriousness of their child’s problems. Even in view of detection, the child will seek to avoid the gravity of the situation and deflect responsibility. Due to the upsetting nature of the discovery, parents are at risk of seeking to think the best of their teen and hence may be easily inducted into the child’s web of deceit, being manipulated to www.familyworks.org
matters are either not as serious as first thought or alternately, the outcome of other influences upon their child, rather than the direct and knowledgeable action of their child by choice. Further, the child, in order to minimize or escape the situation and/or consequences, will outright deny, lie and blame others. Parents are cautioned – the more strenuous the defense, the more likely the offense. Nary a teen when confronted stands up and admits their drug abuse. The teen more often stands strong in initial denial. When held accountable and when the parent is not inducted into dismissing the problem, the teen next embarks on a campaign of minimization. As the parent next tries to hold the teen accountable, the teen then goes on to bargain and manipulate their parents so as to avoid the full weight of responsibility and necessity of change. Treatment must include random drug testing. While the teen will take offense and claim they can be trusted, the simple fact of drug abuse is that the teen’s judgment is poor and the teen cannot be relied upon for honesty. Random drug testing is the only objective measure of abstinence. In addition to random drug testing, the teen will have to be encouraged to swim in other ponds. To this end, it is useless telling a teen not to hang out with prior or current friends. Rather, parents must require their teen to obtain a parttime job, maintain grades appropriate to academic ability and to be involved in recreational and/or volunteer activity. The objective is to help the teen become engaged in healthy, pro-social and skill developing activities that are incompatible with drug and alcohol use. The strategy is to swap the time that was available for drugs and alcohol with these other activities. Collectively, these are regarded as structural interventions. In terms of counseling, this is aimed first at parents who will likely require support to implement the structural interventions. Next to that, some degree of family therapy will be required to
help parents and teen restructure their relationship. Whereas initially parents were likely unaware of their child’s drug abuse, upon detention and intervention, the pendulum may swing in the opposite direction. Thus, parents who may need to be intrusive to start, may then require support to recalibrate rules, roles and expectations when the teen adjusts and responds to treatment. Counseling for the teen on an individual basis may also be helpful to sort out relationship issues, self-esteem issues and to address academic and vocational direction.
The measures of success include: no trace amounts of drugs or alcohol on random testing; improved and sustained grades; a regular paycheck; and recreational and/or volunteer involvement. Gary Direnfeld is a social worker in private practice. Courts in Ontario, Canada, consider Gary an expert on child development, parent-child relations, marital and family therapy, custody and access recommendations and social work.
The objective is to help the teen become engaged in healthy, pro-social and skill developing activities that are incompatible with drug and alcohol use.
www.familyworks.org
FamilyWorks Magazine - March & April, 2009
Divorce, Separation and Estate Planning Death and Divorce: two topics no one wants to think about, let alone plan for. Yet the former is inevitable, and the latter, unfortunately, very common. Whether you are thinking about divorce, in the midst of a divorce, or have come out the other side and are now single, it is time to address estate planning issues, which have been thrown into flux as a result of the divorce. In general, estate planning involves: an inventory of your assets, consideration of who you want to receive those assets, and general precautions such as naming an individual to act on your behalf if you should become incapacitated, or naming a guardian for your minor children if you should die prematurely. Any documents you had drawn up while you were married almost certainly do not reflect your wishes now that you have decided to divorce. However, until a final judgment or a “bifurcated statusonly judgment” (an order granting the divorce but deferring other issues) is entered by the family court, your existing estate planning documents and non-probate transfers (such as property held in joint tenancy, or assets that pass by beneficiary designation, such as retirement accounts and life insurance policies) remain in full force and effect. Unless you take affirmative action to revoke your will, revocable trust, and any powers of attorney, your future exspouse will still be your beneficiary (or legal heir if you have no will). At this point there are several steps you may take to ensure your assets do not inadvertently pass to your future ex-spouse, but instead to beneficiaries of your choosing. During a divorce proceeding both parties are obligated to preserve the financial status quo. However, certain actions are permissible, and what modifications may be made depends on the nature of the asset and how title is held.
10 FamilyWorks Magazine - March
& April, 2009
by Jennifer Cowan Estate Planning Attorney
Let’s see how this looks with a hypo- while the divorce is pending? If Peggy dies unexpectedly, or is thetical couple: Peggy and Charles are divorcing after injured and temporarily incapacitated, 12 years of marriage. They have 2 mi- Charles would still inherit under the nor children, a house in Marin, a small terms of their trust. If she is incapacivacation home, retirement accounts, life tated, he would be the individual responinsurance and brokerage accounts. Let’s sible for making health care decisions assume they already have a will, naming continued on page 16 guardians for their children, a revocable living trust to avoid probate on the house (naming the survivor as the primary beneficiary, remainder to their children), and Want to study your genetic advanced health care predisposition for a certain directives, naming type of heart disease OR each other as their “attorney-in-fact” if your response to certain B the other were to bevitamins and antioxidants? come incapacitated. For simplicity, assume the house and Find out more using brokerage accounts Gensona™ Genetic Testing!!! are held in the trust, and the vacation home is held in joint tenancy Call Sue ...Your outside the trust. Health Consultant What if Charles files for divorce and moves out, but neither party email sue@NuBeginning.com makes any changes to their existing estate planning documents
LEARN HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH
866-654-2445
www.NuBeginning.com
Family & Cosmetic
Dental Services John T. Smith, DDS
915 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., San Anselmo (across from Red Hill Shopping Center)
453-1666 www.familyworks.org
Providing Many Opportunities to Strengthen You and Your Family
Family or Couples’ Therapy
Individual Therapy
Parenting and Co-parenting Classes
Support Groups
Child Therapy www.familyworks.org
FamilyWorks Magazine - March & April, 2009
11
Parenting Programs The Most Effective Parenting Programs Ever Parenting is complicated and challenging. Work and family pressures are huge. FamilyWorks’ parenting series helps the whole family thrive. Parents have fun as they learn the most effective tools to guide their children, of all ages to be cooperative, responsible and caring.
Child-Centered Co-Parenting Positive & Peaceful
Parenting Learn Keys to Increasing: • Cooperation • Self-esteem • Responsibilty
• Communication • Respect • Discipline
Viewing Life Today • Being a Proactive Parent • Identifying Your Universal Principles
Growing Great Kids • Understanding How Kids Work • Ensuring Goodness of Fit • Making Work Fun
Listening and Talking • Listening Effectively • Decreasing Impulsive Behavior
Problem Solving that Gets Results • Using the Magical “When...Then” • Designing Charts that Get Results • Revamping “Time Out”
Parents who are living apart learn how to raise their children harmoniously, keep children “out of the middle” and safely in each of their lives. Parents attend in separate classes and learn to: • Deal with each other respectfully • Increase cooperation • Make co-parenting decisions calmly
• Stop tantrums and dawdling • Design consequences that work • End rudeness & backtalk
Earn a certificate of completion at graduation.
• Being Positive and Persistent • Sharing Successes • Setting Positive Consequences
& April, 2009
Spanish speaking group 10 a.m. to noon at Marin Community Clinic in Novato • • • • •
Share experiences, ideas, and support Learn about pregnancy and new parenthood Learn how to increase infant health & happiness Learn ways to manage change and decrease stress Reduce anxiety and depression
Strengthening Relationships... For a Lifetime
415-492-0720
Earn a certificate of completion at graduation. 12 FamilyWorks Magazine - March
English speaking group Tuesdays. 6:30-8:00 PM at FamilyWorks
• Manage constantly shifting schedules
Feeling More Confident
Four Tuesday evenings: March 31 - April 21, 2009 Sliding Scale
For Expectant & New Mothers (and infants birth to 9 months)
• Divide child-rearing tasks equitably
Seven Tuesday evenings: March 10 - April 21, 2009 Sliding Scale
Exploring Free! Motherhood
www.familyworks.org
Strengtheni Relationship
Therapy and Life Skills Center Strengthening Relationships... For a Lifetime
Strengthening Assessment and Relationships... For a Lifetime Consultation
Couples Counseling and Family Therapy Counseling, concerns, hopes and dreams, as well as practical and effective relationship tools are explored. The result is increased understanding and empathy, more cooperation and more fun in family life through: • Child Behavior Management • Resolving Hurts and Conflicts • Dealing with Anxiety, Depression and Addictions • The Art of Listening • Sharing Child Rearing • Planning for Play • Managing Anger • Child Development
Sliding Scale
Using temperament profiles and developmental assessments, parents and children will learn positive skills and design behavior plans that maximize each child’s potential. Therapists consult with teachers and parents, developing behavioral interventions that work at home, play and school. Therapists are available to make homevisits, school observations and attend IEP meetings. Mental health screenings for anxiety, depression, AD/HD, etc. are available.
Therapy with Teens FamilyWorks’ skilled therapists work with adolescents to support their journey to adulthood. Using various forms of expressive arts therapy, interactive play/exercises and outdoor activities, teens find new ways to resolve problems, build greater self-esteem and enhance their social skills in ways that support their healthy growth and development.
Visit our website for more program information
Individual Therapy Utilizing a variety of theoretical approaches, FamilyWorks’ therapists help individuals to develop healthy life skills and increase their social-emotional well being. We are skilled in helping with a broad range of relationship and psychological issues, including: • Life Stage Transitions
• Conflict Resolution
• Anxiety Disorders
• Anger Management
• Occupational Problems
• Improved Self-Esteem
• Mood Disorders
• Bereavement and Grief
• Individuation • Postpartum Depression
• Stress Reduction • Substance Abuse
Therapy with Children In FamilyWorks’ childcentered “playrooms,” skilled therapists create a safe and accepting environment for children to share their experiences and express their feelings through a guided, self-healing process. Using a wide variety of expressive arts, including FamilyWorks’ specialized sand-tray materials, children “play” in ways that allow them to bring their thoughts and emotions to the surface. As children’s experiences and knowledge are more and more freely communicated through play, the therapist works with those themes as a vehicle for self- acceptance.
www.familyworks.org www.familyworks.org
FamilyWorks Magazine - March & April, 2009
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Support for Individuals with Disabilities Who Do We Serve? We serve adults and children with developmental disabilities. OUR STAFF
Our mission
Program Director, Mary Jane DeWolf-Smith, RN, PHN, MFT insures service excellence with her experience as a public health nurse, life-skills coach, parenting educator and marriage and family therapist. Program Coordinator, Katherine Arnsbarger, brings her education and experience as an educator and anthropologist to provide culturally sensitive and individualized services. Support Staff Include: Patricia Saunders, MA, MFT, Lew Tremaine, Candace Fraser and Diana Wilkins.
To enhance each individual’s health and development, including interaction with friends, family, work and community. Services take place in the consumer’s residence, community facilities and other environments in the area served by the Regional Centers: SARC - RCEB – GGRC – NBRC.
Our Process The all-inclusive, wrap-around program, is cost-effective and eliminates duplication of services. An assessment and individual service plan will be written by APPLE FamilyWorks for approval by Regional Center case managers.
Parenting Support Services • Parenting and Co-Parenting • Childbirth Education • Child Development and Family Planning • Behavior Management, Stress Reduction • Early Intervention in Postpartum Depression • Positive and Peaceful Discipline • Family Health Promotion and Hygiene • Injury Prevention, Nutrition, Exercise • Household Management, Transportation • Financial Management and Budgeting • Development of Social Support Systems • Linkage with Others Services
Independent Living Skills • Academic Growth • Behavior Management • Stress Reduction Skills • Injury Prevention • Nutrition • Health Promotion and Exercise • Hygiene and Self-care • Housekeeping • Transportation Skills • Community Access • Employment Readiness • Financial Management and Budgeting • Development of Social Support Systems
Call Katherine Arnsbarger (415) 492-0720 ext. 226 or visit www.familyworks.org 14 FamilyWorks Magazine - March
& April, 2009
www.familyworks.org
Is Today a Good Day to Fly A Kite ? continued from page 5
to measure and record the temperature at the same time each morning and night. Make a table with columns labeled with the hours you take your measurements (8:30 am and 8:30 pm, for example) and rows labeled with the days of the week. Record the temperatures in each “time/date” cell. At the end of a week, invite your child to talk about what the data reveals. You might ask, “Do you see a pattern in how the temperature changes from morning to night?” And the following week, you might ask your child to predict how the temperature will change on any given day from morning to night. Or you might track wind direction at regular intervals over several weeks and record the weather that follows. To track wind direction, help your child make a simple wind sock and use a compass to mark north, south, east and west relative to where you hang the sock. Note that a north wind comes from or blows out of the north, a south wind comes from the south, etc. You can use the data you collect to note the prevailing winds for your area (the direction from which winds in your area typically come), as well as the weather these winds tend to bring. You can even use this information to predict the type of weather you are likely to have. Measure How Much Rain Fell After a Storm
Your child will enjoy measuring how much rain fell after a storm, and doing so provides valuable experience working with fractions and mixed numbers. To measure rainfall in a 24-hour period, place a flat-bottomed, straight-sided, see-through container (a plastic quart-size storage container works well) in an area free of overhangs or tree branches. After a
rainstorm, help your child hold a ruler upright in the container and measure to where the surface of the water comes. To help your child understand the hash marks representing fractions of an inch, use permanent markers to color each fraction hash mark differently. Color the ½ inch mark red, for example, the ¼ inch marks blue, and the 1/8th inch marks green. For fun, once you’ve measured how much rain fell; figure out how much snow would have fallen had the conditions been right to turn the rain into snow. To do this, multiply the amount of rain that fell by ten. (For example, 1 inch of rain would have been about 10 inches of snow!)
Is today a good day to fly a kite, or sail a boat, or play outside with a pinwheel? You don’t need fancy equipment to find the answer. Your child can make a simple wind gauge, practice reading numbers to compare wind strengths, and find the windiest place to fly that kite!
Measure the Strength of the Wind
Is today a good day to fly a kite, or sail a boat, or play outside with a pinwheel? It’s easy enough to look outside to see if the wind is pushing hard on things like tree branches or people’s hats, but just how hard is the wind blowing? And does it blow harder in one place than another? You don’t need fancy equipment to find the answer: Your child can make a simple wind gauge, practice reading numbers to compare wind strengths, and find the windiest place to fly that kite! To measure the wind’s strength, you need a length of string with a paper clip attached to one end and a number scale to see how far the wind pushes the string when it blows. To make the scale, anchor the string to one corner of the continued on page 16 www.familyworks.org
FamilyWorks Magazine - March & April, 2009
15
Financial Storm continued from page 2
positive changes in someone else’s life. Have your child help pick a community service that they would enjoy. Examples include: collecting children’s books for the needy, painting over graffiti, and quilting a blanket for newborns. Make this time a teachable moment. You can teach them something valuable during these hard economic times. Use these changes to educate your children on the importance of working, budgeting, and prioritizing. Give your child a piggy
bank or open up a high interest bearing savings account. Decide together what type of chores they will do to earn money. Then talk with them about dividing their allowance into saving, spending and donating categories. Maintain a consistent daily routine. Children today may feel insecure about the direction their family is headed. A predictable routine involving school, chores, meals, and leisure activities instill feelings of security. Provide fun activities for your children. Don’t allow hardships to ruin their fun and happiness. Spend time everyday doing something together like a park picnic, board games, a cookie bake, or even a walk.
Good Day to Fly a Kite? continued from page 15
to draw an arc (because the string will arc upwards when the wind blows). Add equally spaced hash marks along the arc and number them, starting at 0 where the string hangs down straight (Or you can print and make a simple Cyberchase Weather Watchers gauge when you go to pbskidsgo.org/cyberchase). Together with your child, point this simple gauge into the wind and read off where on the scale the string has been pushed. Weather Lore
“A sunshiny shower won’t last half an hour.” “Evening red and morning gray are sure signs of a fine day.” We all
Estate Planning continued from page 14
on her behalf. The vacation home, held in joint tenancy, would automatically go entirely to Charles if Peggy were to die. Insurance and retirement accounts would be payable to the primary beneficiary, most commonly the surviving spouse (Charles). What could either Peggy or Charles have done to change this result? • Both Peggy and Charles could revoke their current will and execute a new will, naming new beneficiaries. • Either spouse could revoke their revocable trust, after notice to the other party. Of course this means any property that was held by the trust will now be subject to probate (until the divorce is final and it is possible to fund a new
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have our favorite weather sayings, but are they true or just folklore? Invite your child to pick a favorite saying to test over time. To do this, begin by asking what you will need to find out if the saying is true. Make a journal and keep it handy so you and your child can make notes each time the weather conditions match the saying. You need to test more than once or twice so you can see if there is a pattern of truth to the saying – or not. If the saying is true more often than not, have fun using it as a fun weather predictor. Frances Nankin is the Executive Producer and Editorial Director of CYBERCHASE, the only math series for children on American TV. CYBERCHASE airs daily on PBS KIDS GO! across the country Check local listings or visit pbskidsgo.org/cyberchase.
trust) but at least the property will pass to the desired beneficiaries. • Peggy and Charles should execute new powers of attorney regarding health care, naming friends or family members to make medical decisions on their behalf in place of their future ex-spouse. • Finally, both parties should strongly consider severing the joint tenancy so that one party will not “take all” if the other should unexpectedly die. A property held as tenants in common will pass by will, rather than automatically at death to the other joint tenant. If Peggy and Charles had made all those changes while the divorce was pending, their respective shares of the trust assets (and the vacation home) would have passed to the newly named beneficiaries. The exceptions here are the life insurance and retirement accounts, as parties to a divorce may not modify beneficiary designations without www.familyworks.org
a court order, or consent of the other party. What if you’ve done nothing about your estate plan, and now you are divorced? Some of these issues, but certainly not all, are resolved automatically when the divorce is final. California law protects spouses who divorce but don’t get around to changing their wills, in some circumstances. In conclusion, it is important to review your estate planning goals if you are considering, or are in the process of divorce. If you have come through a divorce it is important to review all your assets, both probate and non-probate, to make sure the assets will pass to beneficiaries of your choosing and that you have named new individuals to act as your executor, trustee, and attorney-in-fact.
Day and Residential Summer Camps Offer Digital Media Training Digital Media Academy Offers Courses For Everyone in the Family Digital Media Academy (DMA) is recognized as the premier summer camp for kids, teens and adults. The whole family, from grade school kids to professional parents, can enjoy learning the latest digital art and media techniques from top instructors in an encouraging, project-based environment using state-of-the-art equipment.
At DMA, your child will be taught how to design and create games, movies and websites, while developing lifelong passion and skills that translate directly to careers in design, engineering, computer science, and more. You and your teens can upgrade your knowledge and lay the foundation for numerous careers. DMA uniquely offers courses for every age and learning level. Digital Media Adventures caters to ages 7-13, with courses in robotics, web design, filmmaking and game design, taught by professionals and teachers with a passion and talent for inspiring young minds. Teens can pursue their passions by taking courses in beginning to advanced levels in fields ranging from game design to filmmaking to 3D animation and many more. Teen programs are taught by accomplished artists and educators. New for 2009, DMA has partnered with the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus (www.lennonbus.org) to offer COMING TOGETHER: Music and Video Production, a course sure to attract students from around the world. This is of particular appeal to aspiring rock stars, producers, engineers and filmmakers alike. Lennon Bus music and videos will continued on page 18
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In the Bay Area, campuses where DMA courses are offered include University of California at Berkeley and Stanford University. continued from page 17
foundation for special 5-day courses that let surfers and skateboarders combine their passion of the sport with their love for filmmaking, while spending time enjoying their selected sport. There are courses in every aspect of digital creativity, including Apple Logic and digital film production and photography, Flash and Photoshop, web design, Adobe After Effects, Final Cut Pro, 3D modeling and animation, documentary filmmaking, motion actionscript and more. DMA offers adults twenty-five proseries courses taught by renowned industry experts, authors and accomplished university professors. Pro-series 18 FamilyWorks Magazine - March
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courses can be taken at DMA university locations, on cruise ships (DMA on the Sea) or at your location (DMA on the Road). These intensive, informational and fun-packed 5-day courses are an amaz-
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ing value. Certification programs in web design, video production and 3D animation with Maya are also available. In the Bay Area, campuses where DMA courses are offered include Unicontinued on page 20
As seen in the New York Times & Nick News For 35 years, children have run away to join our circus in beautiful Mendocino county! Kids learn respect for themselves, others and the environment through our multicultural curriculum of circus and performing arts. Directed by Wavy Gravy & Jahanara Romney
707/984-6507
email: arainbow@mcn.org
www.campwinnarainbow.org
Now Enrolling!
Gymnastics Summer Camp A fun and exciting experience for boys and girls ages 5 and up!
Register early!
Enrollment is limited!
Call for information
(415) 257-MEGA
72 Woodland Ave., San Rafael www.megagymnastics.com www.familyworks.org
FamilyWorks Magazine - March & April, 2009
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continued from page 18
versity of California at Berkeley and Stanford University. DMA is the only national organization with teen and adult courses accredited by Stanford
20 FamilyWorks Magazine - March
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University Continuing Studies, one of the world’s top universities. For those who desire a residential experience in another area, campuses include The University of Texas at Austin, Brown University, Harvard University, University of California at Los Angeles
www.familyworks.org
(UCLA), The University of Chicago and many more. For a complete list of campuses, courses, course descriptions and more information, call 866.656.3342 or visit www.digitalmediaacademy.org.
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Dave Johnson and
Present
Golf Camps Creative, fun, safe!!
Ages 6-16 Half-Day & Full-Day Options
Camp Dates: June 15-19; June 29-July 3; July 13-17; July 27-31; August 10-14 Dave is a PGA Class A member with 25 years experience who has taught over 4000 juniors!
707-778-8125 x28
davejohnson@roosterrun.com www.familyworks.org
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Bar 717 Ranch Founded in 1930, the Bar 717 Ranch offers children ages 8-16 the opportunity to spend the summer on a beautiful mountain ranch. Campers choose freely from activities including horsemanship, backpacking, gardening, animal care, river swimming, arts and crafts, photography, music, drama, archery, blacksmithing and ceramics. 530628-5992, www.bar717.com Bay Area Discovery Museum Join the Bay Area Discovery Museum this summer for non-stop fun and adventure for 4 – 8 year olds. Your little explorer, artist, performer, and scientist can sign up for a different Discovery Camp each week and celebrate the joy of guided exploration and open-ended creative play. (415) 339-3900. Camp Winnarainbow Ages 7-14. Classes in the circus and performing arts include trapeze, clowning, tightrope, juggling, unicycling, stiltwalking, gymnastics, theater, hip hop, martial arts, magic, music, art, basketball
court, nature walks, environmental and multi-cultural awareness. Beautiful lake with 350’ waterslide, year-round stream and lodging in canvas tipis. 707-9846507. CYO CAMP Near Occidental, California, CYO Camp provides a residential camp experience where youth have fun the old fashioned way. Bay Area campers of all faiths have an adventure amongst the Sonoma redwoods, while developing self-worth, teambuilding skills, and an appreciation for nature. Eight sessions, June 27 - August 3. www.cyocamp.org <http://www.cyocamp. org/> 707-874-0200 Dave Johnson PGA & Rooster Run GC present GOLF CAMPS for juniors. Fun, educational, creative, safe, friendly. Half-Day Camps ($265) include instruction on putting, short game, full swing, etiquette. Snacks, games & prizes. Full-Day Camps ($395) also include lunch & 9 holes. Student-teacher ratio is 8:1. All levels, ages 6-16. Contact Dave 707-778-8125 x28; email davejohnson@roosterrun.com
Love2Dance
22 FamilyWorks Magazine - March
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Devil’s Gulch Ranch We offer boys and girls opportunities to connect with and explore agriculture, the redwoods, grasslands, and creeks of West Marin. Campers help with farm chores, feed and care for our animals, learn traditional skills, and discover the outdoors. We emphasize free play, nature awareness, agriculture, and outdoor recreation. 415662-1099. The Digital Media Academy is “The Summer Computer Camp for Kids and Teens” DMA is ideal for kids and teens wanting exposure to the most relevant software used in the entertainment industry and professional world. Choose from dozens of great courses in 2008. DMA is simply the best! 888-656-3342. Love2Dance Summer Camps We offer excitement while providing an opportunity to express creativity and increase self-esteem. Students will learn hip-hop, jazz, & novelty styles of dance, and participate in arts & crafts all set to themes. Several camps will also include educational enrichment. Evening seminars are available for teens & adults. 415-898-3933. KIDS ON CAMERA TV/FILM ACTING DAY CAMP Age 4-14. Lights, camera, action! 28th yr. Award winning. Weeklong camps. New themes weekly. Comedy, voiceover, film acting, improv, photo modeling. Improve communication & audition skills, build confidence. June/July/Aug. 9:30AM3:00PM. Extended care 8AM-6PM. Marin, Mill Valley @ Marin Horizon. SF: 9th Ave near Geary. Judy Berlin 415.440-4400 www. kids-on-camera.com $275-375
MARIN HORIZON SUMMER CAMP Fun for children 3-8 yrs. Age 3: Gymnastics lessons by Spinners Gymnastics. Ages 4-5: Swim lessons at Homestead Pool! Ages 6-8: Swim and Capoeira lessons, Field Trips. Marin Horizon teachers; 8:1 student-teacher ratio. Activities include: soccer, arts & crafts, music, hikes, drama, cookouts. 9AM-3PM, ext. care till 5:30PM. 1/2-day option for 3-yr olds. 4 or 5 days/ week. June 29th - Aug 7th. Marin Horizon School, Mill Valley. 415-388-8408 x224. summercamp@marinhorizon.org; www. marinhorizon.org.
Summer Piano Camp Enrolling Beginners Ages 5 to 10
(415) 721-1929 www.novatopianoschool.com
Marin Shakespeare Company We make Shakespeare fun! Marin Shakespeare Company offers summer camps for ages 5 - 7, 8 - 12, and teenagers. Locations in San Rafael, Ross, and Novato. Also check out our popular Tennis/Drama camp. Details at www. marinShakespeare.org, or phone 415/499-4487. Marin Treks Summer Science Camp Marin Treks invites you to join our exciting science camp to study and handle our unique collection of live animals. Meet insects, reptiles, amphibians; experience an archaeological expedition; explore the amazing world of bats and raptors. Nature crafts round out this dynamic program. 1st – 5th grade. Brian 415250-0988 or brian@ marintreks.com. Offered through the Novato Parks & Rec. Dept.
MEGA GYMNASTICS SUMMER CAMP Fun for boys & girls, ages 5 & up! 9 weekly sessions beginning June 15th. Camps take place in our large, fully equipped facility including tumble trak & trampoline. Campers, grouped according to age & ability, are introduced to all apparatus. Group games & activities, nutritious snacks, Olympic Fridays! Mon - Fri 12-3:30 p.m. $255/session for non-members. www. megagymnastics.com. 415.257.MEGA. Summer Piano Camp “Blast Off with Piano” in our fun-filled Summer Music Camp! Activities include a BEGINNERS’ piano class, music games, movement, rhythm circle, an educational video, and snack. Low pressure, lots of fun! Camp held at The OptimaLearning Center in Novato (near Downtown). Mornings and Afternoons offered. See website for pricing and complete schedule. www. novatopianoschool.com 721-1929 STRAWBERRY RECREATION DISTRICT Mill Valley (415) 383-6494. 9 weeks of summer programs. Sign-up for one week or all summer! Campers divided by age & ability level. CAMP STRAWBERRY - New! Lessons: Swim, Tennis, Camp Activities ~ Ages: 4-7, 9am-4pm, (1-4-weeks); TENNIS CAMP - Ages: 6-15, 11am-2:30pm (1-9 weeks); SWIM LESSONS - Ages 3-15, 10am12pm (2-8 weeks)
M a r i n W a l d o r f School Preschool & Kindergarten camp (3.7 years-5.6 years), & entering First & Second grade camp. Three twoweek sessions: June 22-July 3, July 6-17, July 20-31. 8:30am12:45pm or 3:15pm. $475 per two-week. 755 Idylberry Road, San Rafael, CA 94903. www. m a r i n w a l d o r f . o r g . 479.8190 ext. 102
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