austinfamily FREE
JULY 2016
smart parenting • healthy homes
Serving Austin’s Families Since 1992
Oh, My!
Your Guide to Austin’s Lions, Tigers and Bears Mary Poppins’ Jill Blackwood Give Campers a Happy Homecoming austinfamily readers’ poll favorites 2016
winners
ARTÍCULOS EN ESPAÑOL
INSIDE THIS ISSUE! FAMILY FUN GUIDE • CALENDAR
®
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JULY 2016
smart parenting • healthy homes
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34
Mary Poppins
Animal Encounters to
Happy Homecoming for
Comes to Life
Enliven Your Summer
the Returning Camper
columns
calendar
en español
18 Family Matters
40 Museum Exhibits 40 Family Events 40 4th of July Events 45 Parenting Events 46 Story Times
20 Asuntos Familiares
Publicly Intervening in Other People’s Parenting
22 Lifelines
How Safe Is Your Sunscreen?
24 Ten Things…
For Free Family Fun!
32 Learning Curve
Simple Summer Brain Boosters
in every issue
36 Family Connections
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38 Remembering My Roots
8 Around Austin 51 Kidzone
Yard Tech Slip ‘N Slides into the Future Vacations!
52 Just for Grins
Play It Safe Product recalls
Make a Fairy/Gnome House
Family’s First Zoo Day
extras follow us
26 Readers’ Poll Favorites 30 Family Fun Guide 50 Focus on Doctors
tune in Catch Austin Family live on “Good Day Austin” every Friday morning and “Despierta Austin” the first Friday morning of each month.
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New items each week. Visit our website to register.
Interveniendo en la Crianza de los Hijos Otros
39 Recordando Mis Raíces ¡Vacaciones!
49 Piensa Positivo
¿Cómo Comunican?
austinfamily readers’ poll favorites 2016 p. 26-27
Where’s Jack?
Our films column has moved online! Find Jack Kyser’s take on films at austinfamily.com/category/films
Cover Shot
Mariah hugs a furry friend at Terra Toys. Cover photographed by Jack Sorokin
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austinfamily BY SHERIDA MOCK
July 2016
O ur July issue is always a special treat to publish, because we bring you our annual Awesome Austin feature, showcasing some of the best family-friendly
activities our area has to offer. This year, we feature animal encounters. Who knew there were so many opportunities to bring your family face-to-face with a finned, feathered or furry creature? This month, our Q&A subject is the delightful Jill Blackwood, who plays Mary Poppins in Zach Theatre’s production of the show by the same name. In person, Jill is warm, friendly and clearly dedicated to her craft. If you haven’t seen her in a show, I hope you’ll take this opportunity to enjoy her talents firsthand. If you are already a fan, I don’t have to tell you that every performance is amazing. We also explore a number of mid-summer topics. Laura Reagan-Porras has advice for welcoming home your summer camper. Jennifer VanBuren offers tips on brain-building activities. And Brenda Schoolfield takes a closer look at sunscreen. To round out our animal encounter theme, Carrie Taylor brings a personal tale of her family’s first trip to the zoo. The summer is half over already—I hope you make the best of it!
Volume 24, No. 4
PUBLISHER
Kaye K. Lowak
EDITOR
Sherida Mock: editor2003@austinfamily.com
COPY EDITOR Paula Halloum
ADVISING EDITORS
Dr. Betty Kehl Richardson, Barb Matijevich
CALENDAR EDITOR
Betty Kemper: calendar2003@austinfamily.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Sherida Mock, Dr. Betty Richardson, Jack Kyser, Richard Singleton, Jennifer VanBuren, Carrie Taylor, Brenda Schoolfield, Rocio Barbosa, Laura Reagan-Porras
TRANSLATION TEAM
Maribel Ruvalcaba, Margo Vogelpohl
ART DIRECTORS
Layout Designer: Scott J Doughty Ad Designer: Jason Suarez nr2003@austinfamily.com
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Jack Sorokin
ADVERTISING SALES
Kaye K. Lowak: kaye2003@austinfamily.com
Greg Lowak: greg@austinfamily.com
BUSINESS & DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Greg Lowak: greg@austinfamily.com
We are dedicated to serving the Greater Austin area by providing up-to-date information and ideas that promote smart parenting and healthy homes. We promote our clients’ businesses by increasing their customer bases and enhancing their public images. Austin Family is published monthly by KKKemper Inc. Mail Address:
P.O. Box 7559 Round Rock, Texas 78683-7559
Phone Number:
Tel:512-733-0038
On the web at:
www.austinfamily.com
Advertising rates are available upon request. While we use great care in creating our display ads, mistakes can happen. Austin Family and the publisher are not liable for any damages arising from any typographical or mechanical errors beyond the cost of the ad. Austin Family does not necessarily endorse any of the advertisers, products or services listed in this publication. We do not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. Subscriptions are available for $30 per year. Copyright 2016. All rights reserved. No portion of Austin Family may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.
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Play it product recalls
safe
Government Recalls Spill-Proof Cups, Rattles and Jewelry Kits Mayborn USA is recalling about 3.1 million spill-proof cups because mold can develop on the removable, one-piece, white valve inside the cup when it remains wet and/or moist and is infrequently cleaned. The recall involves five types of spill-proof Tommee Tippee Sippee cups: First Sips Transition cup, Trainer Sippee cup, Sippee cup (including Cute Quips), Sportee bottle and Insulated Swiggle/Sippee tumblers. Affected units were sold at buybuyBaby, CVS, Giant, Kohl’s, Marco Baby, Marshalls, Meijer, Sam’s Club, Ross Stores, Target, Bealls Outlet, Walgreens, Wal-Mart and other mass merchandise stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com, Babyhaven.com and Diapers.com between December 2014 and May 2016 for between $4 and $7. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled cups and contact Mayborn USA to receive a free replacement cup. Hobby Lobby is recalling about 14,400 infant rattles because the rattle seams can separate, exposing the fiber stuffing and bell rattle, posing a choking hazard. The recall involves Little Wishes Chenille Stuffed Rattles, including the Pink & Green Fish rattles, item number 5141577 and the Blue & Yellow Fish rattles, item number 5127642. Affected units were sold at Hobby Lobby stores nationwide between January 2016 and April 2016 for about $7. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled rattles and return them to the nearest Hobby Lobby store for a full refund or store credit. LaRose Industries is recalling about 175,000 jewelry making kits because the “slider bracelet” in the kit contains high levels of lead. The recall involves two models of LaRose’s Jewelz Gem Creations jewelry making kit and one refill product. Affected units were sold at Kmart, Target, Toys R Us, Wal-Mart and other retailers between August 2015 and April 2016 for between $10 and $30. Consumers should immediately take the recalled products away from children and contact LaRose for instructions to receive a full refund. af The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission works to protect the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products.
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GO TO WWW.AUSTINFAMILY.COM FOR WEEKLY UPDATES OF AROUND AUSTIN NEWS
Free Admission to Museums
Children at Risk recently announced its top schools in the Austin area.
Top Schools Recently, Children at Risk researched and ranked 60 public high schools, 99 middle schools and 265 elementary schools from seven area counties. At the top of the list for their respective categories were LASA High School in Austin ISD and Canyon Creek Elementary School and Canyon Vista Middle School in Round Rock ISD.
In late May, the Bullock Texas State History Museum announced the launch of Blue Star Museums, a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense and museums across America, to offer free admission to the nation’s active duty military personnel including National Guard and Reserve and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day 2016.
Must -Do This Month Cool off! It’s national ice cream month. Relax on July 22, Hammock Day. Post those photos with your bestie on July 30, the International Day of Friendship.
The Bullock Museum is one of more than 2,000 museums in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and American Samoa taking part in the initiative.
“Congratulations to the faculty and “The Bullock Museum offers military student body at all the campuses,” says discounts for all of its exhibitions and Dr. Bob Sanborn, president and CEO of films in an effort to provide educational Children at Risk. “Sure, there are schools and entertainment opportunities all that excel academically every year, year long,” says Director Dr. Victoria but it’s an honor to report the progress Ramirez. “We are excited to expand and strides many other schools have this offer to include free exhibition achieved.” admission all summer to active military members and their families. It makes the High schools were measured for Bullock Museum a great summer travel achievement, performance, growth destination.” and college readiness. Middle and elementary schools were analyzed for STAAR performance and average reading and math gains and losses, and adjusted for the percentage of economically disadvantaged students For a complete list of participating at each campus. museums, visit arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.
The survey found that 45 percent of the women were not aware that heart disease is the number one killer of U.S. women, yet 76 percent reported having one or more risk factors for heart disease.
Children at Risk is a non-profit organization that seeks to educate the “For a long time, heart disease was community and public officials based considered a man’s disease,” says on its research tracking children’s health, A recent study says many women may Dr. Caitlin Giesler, director of Seton’s safety, education and economic have heart disease symptoms without Women’s Heart Center. “If you’re only conditions. being aware of or connecting their thinking about women’s health in a symptoms to the condition. Published in certain context, you’re not going to For more information about Children the Journal of the American College of necessarily focus on heart issues for your at Risk and the full list of top-ranked Cardiology, the Women’s Heart Alliance next doctor’s appointment. This has to schools, visit childrenatrisk.org. study surveyed 1,011 U.S. women ages change. Women need to know if they 25-60 to see how much they knew are at risk for heart disease.” about heart disease.
Heart Health
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Umlauf Free All Summer
Texas Literacy Initiative
Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum has announced that admission is free all summer, thanks to generous donations during Amplify Austin. The museum is accepting donations, but waiving admission fees through Aug. 31.
and next summer on research-based best practices that can be implemented to enhance Texas students’ reading skills.
The Texas Education Agency has awarded $4 million to the College The UT College of Education has a of Education at UT Austin to design history of taking the lead on statewide and launch the state’s new literacy education initiatives for past governors. and reading-to-learn academies. The “We are honored to once again be seen goal of the academies is to provide as the trusted leader and go-to partner In celebration of its 25th anniversary, the professional development for Texas K-5 on Gov. Greg Abbott’s reading acadmuseum is offering a special exhibition elementary school teachers this summer emies,” says Dean Manuel J. Justiz. to spotlight Charles Umlauf’s studio, just as it was at the time of the sculptor’s death at the age of 84 in 1994. On display until Oct. 16, the exhibition offers visitors a glimpse inside the working mind of the artist.
Admission to the Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum is free all summer. Photo by Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum.
By the Numbers
2
Number of Grammys won by the Mary Poppins soundtrack. Source: grammy.com
1934
Year the first Mary Poppins book was published. Source: biography.com
$102
million
Lifetime gross revenue of the Disney film Mary Poppins. Source: Box Office Mojo Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market
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The college’s content development teams are charged with creating engaging, hands-on professional development sessions. Beginning June 20, the college will implement intensive sessions in Austin and San Antonio with kindergarten and first-grade teacher literacy academies. During the summer of 2017, the college will implement the second- and third-grade teacher literacy academies, and the fourth- and fifth-grade reading-to-learn academies.
Winners in Education On May 13, H-E-B announced the statewide winners of the 15th annual H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards during an awards ceremony in San Antonio. At the ceremony, H-E-B Chairman and CEO Charles Butt personally handed out $430,000 in cash awards and grants, and congratulated eight educators, two school districts, one early childhood agency and a public school board for being among the best in Texas. Mark Misage, a teacher at Westlake High School in the Eanes school district, was honored with a Lifetime Achievement
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Teacher Mark Misage of Westlake High School accepts a Lifetime Achievement Award.
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Award in secondary education, which included a $25,000 cash prize for Misage and a $25,000 grant for the school. Leander ISD was honored with the large school district prize, which included a $100,000 cash prize. Neil deGrasse Tyson, a renowned astrophysicist, delivered the keynote address. The program has given away more than $8 million in cash and grants since 2002. For the full list of winners, visit bit.ly/1s7IEDR.
Free Summer Meals Through the USDA Summer Food Service Program, local school districts will continue to serve free breakfast and lunch to local children and teens 18 and younger, regardless of economic status and whether or not the child attends the school. Participants enjoy meals without any registration or identification requirements. Kids simply show up at a participating site to receive a healthy meal. Participating sites, program dates and meal service times vary by school. To view participating Summer Food Service Program sites, visit www.summerfood.org, call Texas 2-1-1 or text FOODTX to 877-877. af
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Mary Poppins Comes to Life
in the Most Delightful Way by Sherida Mock
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The talented Jill Blackwood has made a career of gracing Austin stages in plays and musicals. Now, this mother to two boys (Thomas is 13, and Joseph is 8) stars in Zach Theatre’s production of “Mary Poppins” starting July 20. In the title role, she brings to life the nanny famous for magic and common sense. She spoke with us recently about her family, her career and the allure of theater. AFM: Do you come from a musical family? Jill: Not particularly. My parents loved music, and we always had music playing, but I don’t come from a family of performers. My mom didn’t get a lot of opportunities when she was young. She wanted us to try anything we wanted to do. AFM: What did you try? Jill: She put me in dance, and I cried. I played the saxophone for years. That was my first dream: to be the first woman to play saxophone on The Late Show. I auditioned for the cheerleading squad, and I did not get it—which is good, in the long run. I have friends who ruined their voices doing that. I think like a lot of teenagers, I was trying to find my place. So on a whim, I auditioned for my high school’s production of “Bye, Bye, Birdie.” I started to discover that maybe I could sing. I’d never sung before. I didn’t really know how to use my “instrument,” so to speak. Then in college [at Southwestern University in Georgetown] I had more formal training, and I was surprised at how much that can really do. A lot of people think either you’re born with it or you’re not. But if you’re exposed to music when you’re young and then you have that formal training later, it’s amazing.
AFM: That’s a very Mary Poppins thing to say. Do you find that elements of your character creep into your role as a mom? Jill: I joke with my kids at home. I’m like, “Spit spot [claps hands]!” But I wish I were more like Mary Poppins. She would probably keep a cleaner house [laughs]. AFM: Tell us about the people you’re working with. Jill: Bert is played by Matthew Redden. He is a sweetheart, and he’s definitely got fans among the Zach theater crowd. The Banks family is played by Tyler Jones—he was recently in A Christmas Carol—and Jennifer Young—she directs the kids’ program here. The kids who play Jane and Michael Banks are just wonderful and adorable. I think everybody will fall in love with them. The play is actually based on the books by P. L. Travers. Some of the scenes that are in the books, but not in the movie, are in the stage play. So there are some characters who aren’t in the movie, like Mrs. Corry, who runs the sweet shop. And Mrs. Andrews! She’s George Banks’s former nanny, and she comes back when Mary Poppins leaves. She’s this larger than life, sort of evil, funny villain. AFM: Have you got a favorite song? Jill: There are all those big numbers: Supercalifragilistic, Spoonful of Sugar and Feed the Birds. There’s a huge tap number with Step in Time. Matt Shields can tap! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better live performance in tap. He’s really amazing.
Left to Right: Thomas, Joseph, Tim and Jill Blackwood
AFM: And you made a career of it here in Austin? Jill: When I was younger, I wanted to go to New York. But my husband, Tim, owned a company with a couple of people here. And as a business owner, he said, “I can’t get up and go, but I’ll support you in any opportunity you want to pursue here.” He certainly made good on that. We’ve been married 17 years. I was doing shows while I was nursing babies. It’s not every spouse who would be okay with you being gone all these evenings and weekends, but he knows how important it is to me. And I feel like you’re a better parent when you’re doing something for yourself. When your cup is full, you have more to give your family. As any parent knows, it’s always hard. Your life changes, and you just have to drink more coffee and find a way to work it out. Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market
There’s going to be a lot of fun theater magic. People ask me, “How are they going to do all those animated cartoon penguins?” Well, they’re not. We do theater magic, not film magic. So, instead of all of those animated characters, they pull a scene where all the marble statues in the park come to life and dance with us. AFM: Do your kids have any interest in theater? Jill: My oldest has such an appreciation for theater. I remember taking him to Shakespeare in the Park when he was 3 years old. He was just mesmerized. He reads a lot to his little brother, and he’s got a wonderful singing voice and he can do all the characters. But when it comes to performing, he doesn’t want to be up in front of people. He’s very outgoing, but I don’t think he’ll be following in my footsteps. It makes my heart swell that he’s my biggest fan. The jury is still out on my youngest, but he’s got a very musical ear, and he’s done some of the camps here at Zach. I would never push them, but if they did choose it, I would be their biggest supporter. af July 2016 l austinfamily.com
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Awesome Austin
Animal Encounters to Your Summer by Sherida Mock
Tank the hippo at Capital of Texas Zoo. Photo by Sherida Mock.
The carp feeding tank at the Austin Aquarium. Photo by Sherida Mock.
Let your kids get up close and personal with an array of creatures from the lowly to the exotic at these special places!
Austin Aquarium
13530 US-183 #101, Austin austinaquarium.com 512-284-9239 Open Sun. – Thu., 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Fri. – Sat., 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. $14.95 adults; $6.95 children 2 to 11
The 2½-year-old aquarium offers a substantial number of interactive exhibits. You can feed and touch many of the animals on display. Even the smallest visitors can reach over the short walls of touch tanks to gently interact with sharks, rays, octopus, starfish and other aquatic life. You might even get splashed by a frisky fish.
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Zebra at Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch. Photo courtesy of Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch.
Some equally fascinating creatures that can’t be touched include caimans (a type of small crocodilian), eels and jellyfish. Other animals you might not expect to find at an aquarium, but are also available for touching and feeding, include iguanas, pythons, macaws and parakeets. Visit in February, March and April to see shark eggs—harvested from the touch tank—develop in a separate nursery tank. If you go: Expect a lively atmosphere from opening until about 3 p.m., as the aquarium hosts field trips from local schools. From about 3 p.m. until closing, the place offers a quieter experience.
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Rays at the Austin Aquarium. Photo by Sherida Mock.
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Austin Nature
and Science Center
2389 Stratford Dr., Austin austintexas.gov 512-974-3888 Open Mon. – Sat., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sun., 12 to 5 p.m. Free admission
You’ll see large mammals such as lions, tigers, cougars, wolves and bears. You’ll also see smaller mammals such as lemurs, foxes, monkeys, raccoons, prairie dogs and hedgehogs. The zoo houses alligators and tortoises, as well. Visitors can feed deer, llamas, goats and sheep in the feeding area. An optional 15-minute train ride covers 2.5 miles of hill country views. Outside food and drink are welcome, and a snack trailer offers options, as well. There is a large, shady picnic area. If you go: Expect an intimate setting. Chickens and peacocks roam the grounds. Parking is free and plentiful. Free strollers are available for use while visiting.
Tortoise feeding time at the Austin Zoo. Photo by Patti Clark.
Wonders houses reptiles, amphibians, fish, birds and insects. The shady Birds of Prey area provides a home to vultures, hawks, owls, road runners and more. In addition to the wildlife displays, the center includes a visitor pavilion full of touchables, such as snakeskins, taxidermy, shells and more. At the entrance to the pavilion, visitors can watch an active bee hive under construction and safely enclosed in plexiglass. Visitors are welcome to hike through the adjacent 60-acre Zilker Nature Preserve between dawn and dusk. If you go: Expect parking challenges on the weekends, because the center shares lot space with Zilker Park visitors. Parking is free.
Capital of
Texas Zoo
376 Jenkins Rd., Cedar Creek capitaloftexaszoo.org 512-303-6675 Open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. $9.99 adults; $7.49 children ages 2 to 11
Founder Michael Hicks proudly calls this “the smallest zoo in Texas.” Started in 2002, it may be small, but it provides a home to 500 animals, many of them endangered species. Highlights include a 4-year-old hippo and a white tiger, both of which arrived at the zoo as babies. Other animals you’ll see are a camel, a lion, zebras, monkeys, kangaroos and parrots. You’ll also see plenty of snakes, lizards, owls, peacocks and other birds. Goats and sheep live in the petting zoo area.
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Lions at the Austin Zoo. Photo by John Gramieri.
iv
h e-T rou
Animal Safaris
h
You’ll see a fox, a bobcat, prairie dogs and more at the mammal enclosure. An indoor exhibit called Small
The Austin Zoo celebrates 26 years in operation this year. It provides a permanent home to over 300 animals on 15 acres. The zoo takes in animals that have retired from other zoos, orphaned animals, those seized for illegal possession or cruelty and former pets surrendered because their owners could no longer care for them.
g
This City of Austin venue has been educating visitors about the natural world since 1960. You’ll find lots to explore, including live animal enclosures, a lily pond and a sand pit with artificial fossils called the Dino Dig. Animals live at the center because they could not be released into the wild. Some have vision problems or challenges in mobility.
Austin Zoo
10808 Rawhide Tr., Austin austinzoo.org 512-288-1490 Open daily, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Winter hours, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Nov. 1 - Jan. 31) $11 adults; $8 children 2 to 12
Dr
Parking is adequate; the aquarium is situated in a shopping center.
Exotic Resort Zoo 235 Zoo Tr., Johnson City zooexotics.com 830-868-4357 $14.95 adults; $12.95 children ages 2 to 12
Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch 26515 Natural Bridge Caverns Rd., San Antonio wildliferanchtexas.com 830-438-7400 $22 adults; $13.50 children ages 3 to 11
Topsey Exotic Ranch and Drive Thru (no email) 945 County Rd. 118, Copperas Cove topseyexoticranch.com 254-547-3700 $11 adults; $9 children ages 3 to 12
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In addition to being open daily for visitors, the zoo takes its show on the road with 300 outreach programs each year. Scout troops, schools, retirement homes and libraries are among the groups that request the traveling show. If you go: Expect a farm-like setting. The zoo sits on an unpaved road well off Highway 71 near Bastrop. GPS will help you get there.
Meadows Center for Water and the Environment
211 San Marcos Springs Dr., San Marcos meadowscenter.txstate.edu 512-245-9200 Open daily, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free access to the discovery hall and wetlands trail Glass bottom boat rides are $9.75 adults, $6 children ages 3 to 12 $3 parking
Long-time Austinites may remember that this venue was formerly known as Aquarena Springs, opened in 1951 and operated as an aquatic amusement park. But since being taken over by Texas State University in 1994, this spot has shed its commercial trappings in favor of educational experiences. The discovery hall houses numerous fish, salamanders, turtles and more. The glass bottom boat tours provide Goats at the petting area at Capital of Texas Zoo. Photo by Sherida Mock.
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an up-close view of the animals that call Spring Lake home. The wetlands trail offers a chance to see nutria and aquatic birds. (A portion of the boardwalk that extends over the lake was damaged in recent flooding and is currently closed.) Across the street lies 25 miles of hiking trails. If you go: Expect road construction near the entrance. In fact, a visit to the center’s website before you hop in the car will save you the frustration of GPS instructions that take you in circles. af
San Marcos salamander at the Meadows Center. Photo courtesy of the Meadows Center.
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BY BETTY RICHARDSON
Publicly Intervening In Other People’s Parenting
Q
I don’t believe in physical discipline of children. It bothers me when I see an out of control parent angrily spanking a child in public. I’ve spoken up a couple of times and been cussed out. My husband says, “You’re not the parenting police.” When should a person speak up? What are some safe ways to intervene?
A
Parents and parenting fall on a continuum from excellent to bad, depending on factors that can change from day to day. Most of us are “good enough” parents striving to be better. Because some parents seriously struggle to care for their children, many of us will at some point witness a situation in which we’ll wonder if we should intervene.
Situations that are life threatening are the ones in which we clearly need to take action. When you see a child left alone in a locked car with the windows rolled up, you can save the child’s life by calling 911 and asking people to call out for the parents in nearby stores. When you see a parent shaking a baby,
you need to shout, “Stop!” and tell them they can kill a baby by shaking it. Recently, the Austin news media reported about small children found tied up in a yard and left alone. A concerned neighbor reported the incident to the state Child Protective Services division, which removed the children from this abusive situation and perhaps saved their lives.
in danger from the heat. Someone responded and cussed her out. She says, “Next time, I will call the police.”
Another mother states that she has intervened publicly using empathy to soften the situation but still get the point across. This mother saw a parent twisting a small child’s ear, which bothered her a great deal. She walked up to the parent and said, “It’s difficult raising children today isn’t it?” The parent We must act in life threatening situations. stopped twisting the child’s ear and Then there are situations like you’ve engaged in conversation. Suggestions described, in which there is no eminent, from other parents who remember life threatening danger, but the adult’s publicly intervening include saying, behavior appears emotionally abusive, “Has this been a bad day for you?” humiliating and/or physically painful to or “Could I help you in some way?” a child. These situations cause caring observers like you to react strongly One teacher I know recalls hearing a but question what is the best action. mother in the school bathroom, yelling at her child and being verbally abusive. I asked some of the best parents I A female assistant principal was sent in know if they’d ever intervened publicly to “defuse the situation.” Other teachers into someone else’s parenting. One also told me about “defusing” parents mother says she witnessed a man with empathy before talking about the towering over a small child, shouting, importance of changing behavior. raising his arm and appearing ready to strike the child. She assumed a It takes a lot of people working together prayer pose and started praying out to help a child grow up in a healthy, loud about the situation. She says the non-abusive environment. Why not man “made eye contact, and his eyes be one of those people doing what got really big.” He stopped shouting you can to make it happen? af and acted more lovingly to his child. Betty Richardson, Ph.D., R.N.C., This same mother recalls seeing a child L.P.C., L.M.F.T., is an Austin-based in a locked car starting to go to sleep. psychotherapist who specializes in She ran into the store and yelled for dealing with the problems of chilthe person with the child in the locked dren, adolescents and parents. van to recognize that the child was
Title Image: © .shock / Fotolia
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BY BETTY
P
No creo en la disciplina física en RICHARDSON los niños. Me molesta cuando veo a un padre enojado y fuera de control dándole nalgadas a un niño en público. He intervenido un par de veces y me han insultado. Mi marido me dice, “no eres la autoridad encargada de supervisar la manera en que la gente cría a sus hijos.” ¿Cuándo debería una persona hacer algo? ¿Cuáles son algunas maneras seguras de intervenir?
A
Intervenir Públicamente en la Manera en Que Otras Personas Crían a Sus Hijos
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Ser padres y criar a los hijos caen continuamente de excelente a malo, dependiendo de factores que pueden cambiar día a día. La mayoría de nosotros somos padres “lo suficientemente buenos” que nos esforzamos por ser mejores. Debido a que algunos padres seriamente luchamos por cuidar de nuestros hijos, muchos de nosotros en algún momento presenciaremos
una situación en la cual nos preguntaremos si deberíamos intervenir. Las situaciones donde se amenaza en contra de una vida son aquellas en las que claramente necesita tomar alguna acción. Cuando vea a un niño solo en un coche con las puertas y ventanas cerradas, puede intervenir para salvar la vida del niño llamando al 911 y pidiéndole a la gente que busquen a los padres en las tiendas cercanas. Cuando vea a un padre sacudir a un bebé, tiene que
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gritar, “¡Alto!” y decirle que puede matar a un bebé sacudiéndolo.
hijos. Una madre me comentó que fue la conversación. Las sugerencias de testigo de cómo un hombre le gritaba a otros padres que recuerdan haber interun niño pequeño, levantando la mano, venido públicamente incluyen decir, Recientemente, los medios de comunial parecer listo para golpear al niño. “¿Este ha sido un día malo para usted?” cación de Austin informaron sobre unos Ella se puso en una posición de oración o “¿Puedo ayudarle de algún modo?” niños pequeños que encontraron amar- y comenzó a rezar en voz alta sobre rados en un patio y solos. Un vecino la situación. Ella dice que el hombre Un maestro que conozco recuerda preocupado denunció el incidente a “la vio, y sus ojos se engrandecieron.” haber escuchado a una madre en la división de Servicios de Protección El hombre dejó de gritar y actuó el baño de la escuela, gritándole a Infantil del estado, quienes sacaron más cariñosamente hacia su niño. su hijo y ser verbalmente abusiva. a los niños de esta situación abusiva Una subdirectora femenina fue y quizás hasta les salvaron la vida. Esta misma madre recuerda haber visto enviada a “calmar la situación”. a un niño en un coche cerrado a punto Otros maestros también me contaron Debemos actuar en situaciones de quedarse dormido. Ella corrió a la sobre como “calmaban” a los en donde existe alguna amenaza tienda y llamó a gritos a la persona que padres con empatía antes de hablar en contra de una vida. Luego, hay dejo el niño en la camioneta cerrada, con ellos sobre la importancia de situaciones como las que usted ha reclamándole que el niño estaba en cambiar su comportamiento. descrito, en las cuales no es eminente peligro por el calor. Alguien respondió y el peligro de muerte, pero la conducta le dijo de groserías. Ella le contestó, “La Se necesitan muchas personas del adulto aparece emocionalmente próxima vez, voy a llamar a la policía.” trabajando juntas para ayudar a un abusiva, humillante y/o físicamente niño a crecer en un ambiente sano, doloroso para un niño. Estas situaciones Otra madre me comentó que ella no abusivo. ¿Por qué no ser una de dan lugar a que los observadores ha intervenido públicamente usando esas personas que hacen todo lo compasivos como usted, reaccionen empatía para suavizar la situación, pero posible para que esto ocurra? af fuertemente pero se cuestionen, cuál todavía hacerse entender. Esta madre sería la mejor forma de intervenir. vio a un padre retorciendo la oreja de Betty Richardson, Ph.D., R.N.C., L.P.C., un niño pequeño, lo cual le molestó L.M.F.T., es una psicoterapeuta con Les pregunté a unos padres compasivos mucho. Ella se acerco al padre y le dijo: sede en Austin que se especializa en que conozco, si alguna vez habían “Es difícil criar a los hijos hoy en día, ¿no el tratamiento de los problemas de intervenido públicamente en la manera es así?” El padre dejó de retorcerle la los niños, adolescentes y padres. en que otras personas disciplinan a sus oreja al niño y comenzó a participar en
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BY BRENDA SCHOOLFIELD
How Safe Is Your Sunscreen? You may not be doing the right things to protect your children Protection from UVA Rays from sun damage. As many as 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. UVA rays are damaging. “Many sunscreens don’t provide adequate protection from UVA rays,” the EWG warns. They “Skin cancer risk is related to cumulative lifetime sun exposure,” recently released a comprehensive evaluation of sunscreens. says Dr. Ted Lain, a board-certified dermatologist in the Austin Their research revealed: area. “Protecting children from a young age is very important • Many sunscreens in the U.S. don’t protect against UVA to reduce the risk of skin cancer as an adult. Teens are a damage. special group, because they are often outdoors several hours each day for sports activities or band practice.” • Some that claimed “broad spectrum” protection against both UVA and UVB rays failed the testing.
Sun Protection Factor Many parents think that the higher the sun protection factor (SPF), the better. But there’s more to it. SPF measures how long a sunscreen will protect skin from UVB rays—the kind that cause sunburn. If your child gets a sunburn after about 10 minutes in the sun without sunscreen, then using a product with SPF 15 increases the time by a factor of 15 (10 minutes x 15 = 150 minutes). Theoretically, that gives your child 2 ½ hours of protection. Does this mean that using an SPF of 100, your child can stay in the sun for 1,000 minutes? No. Here’s why: • Sunscreens are only effective for 2 hours or less and must be reapplied. • Products with high SPFs (greater than 50) are more likely to contain chemicals that can cause damage or an allergic skin reaction. • Your child’s skin may not turn red, but that doesn’t mean she didn’t get UVA damage. The SPF rating is based on UVB protection only. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) cautions, “High-SPF products tend to lull users into staying in the sun longer and overexposing themselves to both UVA and UVB rays.”
• Products must contain zinc oxide or avobenzone to have good UVA protection. • Sunscreens with SPF values higher than 50 were poor at both UVA and UVB protection. • Applied too thinly, even sunscreens that do offer UVA protection are not as effective.
You Need to Know
UV
Ultraviolet (UV) rays are light rays from the sun. UV rays also can come from artificial sources, such as tanning beds.
UVA
Ultraviolet A (UVA) is a lower-energy light ray. It’s more damaging because it penetrates deeply into the skin. UVA rays generate free radicals, which cause skin damage, skin aging and skin cancer.
UVB
Ultraviolet B (UVB) is a higher-energy ray that is the primary cause of sunburn. UVB rays can increase your risk of skin cancer.
Title Image: © travnikovstudio / Fotolia
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9 Tips for Sun Safety Dr. Lain advises parents to follow these tips:
a thick layer of sun1 Apply screen 30 minutes before
going outside or swimming, so that ingredients fully bind to the skin. One ounce of sunscreen (enough to fill a shot glass) is considered enough by the American Academy of Dermatology.
Select a Good Sunscreen
The Skin Cancer Foundation (SCF) offers these tips for selecting a sunscreen: • Look for a broad spectrum product with UVA protection that includes zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, avobenzone or ecamsule (Mexoryl). • Look for the SCF’s Seal of Recom mendation, which guarantees the product is safe and effective. • Choose a high-quality product with an SPF of 15 to 50.
• Choose a cream; it’s hard to apply sprays heavily enough for adequate protection. • Choose water resistant products for hot days or while playing sports, but not for everyday wear. Visit bit.ly/1dAXGcJ for more information. af Brenda Schoolfield is a freelance medical writer in Austin.
sunscreen at least 2 Reapply every 2 hours or as directed
on the package. Also reapply after swimming or sweating.
wide-brimmed hats (not 3 Wear ball caps) and lip balm with SPF 30 protection.
sunglasses that block 4 Wear both UVA and UVB rays. Wraparound sunglasses are best.
sunscreen even when it’s 5 Use cloudy. Clouds don’t block UV rays.
washing clothes with 6 Consider a laundry aid like Sun Guard
to add UV protection that lasts for 20 washings. This is great for camp.
is not indicated for 7 Sunscreen infants younger than 6 months old. Shade and sun avoidance is the best protection for them.
the sun when UV rays 8 Avoid are strongest. If you can’t stay indoors, seek shade.
tanning just as much as 9 Avoid sunburn. A tan is a response by the skin cells to DNA damage.
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10 THINGS
…for Free Family Fun! 1. Mount Bonnell 2. Bats at the Congress Ave. bridge 3. The Capitol Building 4. Grafitti Park 5. Pease Park Splash Pad 6. Concerts in the Park 7. Umlauf Sculpture Garden (summer only) 8. Cows at the Arboretum 9. Zilker Hillside Theater 10. Texas Military Forces Museum
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Readers Po Winn
Camps
Education Camp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Summer Wonders Fine Arts Camp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Laguna Gloria Overall Fun Camp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kidventure Overnight Camp. . . . . . . . Pine Cove Christian Camp Specialty Camp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TexArts Special Needs Camp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Camp for All Music Camp . . . . . . The Orpheus Academy of Music Day Camp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Camp Doublecreek Nature Camp . . . Austin Nature and Science Center
Congratulations to our 2016 Readers’ Poll Favorites! EDUCATION
Charter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N.Y.O.S. Child Care Center . . . . . . . . . Stepping Stone School Montessori . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Children's School Private School. . . . . . . . . St. Gabriel's Catholic School Public School. . . . . . . . . . . . Tobias Elementary School Special Needs. . . . . . . . . Williams Community School Tutoring Services. . . . . . . . . . . Austin Learning Center
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016
oll Favorite ners
Places to Learn
Thank you to everyone who participated in the voting to select our readers' top picks. Voting took place March 1 through May 15, 2016 online at www.austinfamily.com.
Favorites
Place to have a Birthday Party. . . . . . . . . Main Event Place to Bowl. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EVO Entertainment Drop-In Child Care. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . KidSpa Austin Family Museum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Thinkery Indoor Play. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mt. Playmore Kid's Consignment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kid-to-Kid Lakeline Kid's Store (locally owned). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terra Toys Pediatrician. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bee Caves Pediatrics Sitting Service. . . . . . . . . . College Nannies and Tutors Emergency Center for Kids . . . . . . . . . . Dell Children’s Medical Center
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Acting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . KidsActing Art. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Smudge Studio Baseball. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . YMCA Hays County Basketball. . . . . . YMCA Greater Williamson County Round Rock Ceramics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cafe Monet Cheerleading . . . . . . . Zero Gravity Gym. and Cheer Computers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bits, Bytes and Bots Creative Writing. . . . . . . . Badgerdog Creative Writing Dance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dance Discovery Equestrian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Switch Willo Stables Fitness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Town Lake Austin YMCA Foreign Language . . . . . . . . . . . Chinese with Meggie Golf. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . First Tee Gymnastics . . . . . . . . . . . . . ChampionsTX Lake Travis Martial Arts. . . . Master Gohring's Kung Fu and Tai Chi Math and Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mad Science Music (instrument). . . . . . . . . . Armstrong Community Music School Music (vocal). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Austin Girls' Choir STEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GirlStart Swim. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nitro Swimming Volleyball. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Austin Junior Volleyball
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Family Fun Guide NOTE: Schedules can change; please call ahead.
Austin Duck Adventures
Tour Austin by land and by lake! 602 E. 4th St. www.austinducks.com 512-4SPLASH Hours: Mon - Fri 10 a.m., 12 p.m. 2 p.m. Sat - hourly 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sun - 11 a.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m. Admission: Kids 3-12 $17.95; Students & Seniors $25.95; Adults $27.95+tax
Bob Bullock History Museum Discover Texas history and more. 1800 Congress Ave. www.thestoryoftexas.com 512-936-4629 Hours: Mon-Sat 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sun - 12 to 5 p.m. Admission: Youth $8; Students, Seniors, Military $10; Adults $12
Cafe Monet
Bring the family for paint-yourown pottery, fused glass and wooden plaque painting. Westgate - 4477 S. Lamar Blvd. Triangle - 2700 W. Guadalupe St. San Marcos - 145 E. Hopkins St. www.cafemonet.org 512-892-3200, 512-906-2200, 512-8052800 Hours: Sun - Mon 12 to 6 p.m. Tues - Thurs 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fri - Sat 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. San Marcos: Sun 12 to 6 p.m. Closed Monday Tues - Thurs 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fri - Sat 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Admission: Price of product
Ceramics Bayou
Pottery painting, glass fusing, mosaics and clay exploration - create art while making memories. All ages welcome. 3620 Bee Cave Rd. www.ceramicsbayou.com 512-328-1168 Hours: Mon - Wed 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thurs - Sat 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sun - 1 to 6 p.m. Admission: $10+ - all inclusive pricing
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Chaparral Ice Center
Everything is cooler on ice! 2525 W. Anderson Ln. www.chaparralice.com 512-252-8500 Hours: 12 to 5 p.m. for public skating Admission: $6 and skate rental $4. Kids 5 and under pay $5 including skate rental on Saturday and Sunday
EVO Entertainment
Films, Games, Lanes 3200 Kyle Crossing, Kyle www.evo-entertainment.com 512-523-9009 Hours: Daily 11 a.m. to Midnight Admission: Varies depending on activity; bowling, movies or games
iFly Indoor Skydiving
Where the dream of flight becomes a reality. 13265 US Hwy 183 www.iflyworld.com/austin 512-774-4359 Hours: Mon - Thurs 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fri and Sat 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sun - 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Admission: From $54.95
Jump Gymnastics
Austin’s most fun way to learn gymnastics and more! 2117 W. Anderson Ln., and 2919 Manchaca Rd. #205 www.jump-austin.com 512-593-6226 Hours: Call Admission: Unlimited classes for $99/month summer special
Main Event Entertainment Eat. Bowl. Play. 13301 N. US Hwy 183 www.mainevent.com 512-401-0000 Hours: Mon 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Tues - Thurs 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. Fri - 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sat - 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sun - 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. Admission: Check for promotions starting at $20
Mt. Playmore
Largest indoor playground in central Texas. 13609 North IH 35. www.mtplaymore.com 512-989-8866 Hours: Sun, Mon, Wed, Thurs 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Closed Tuesday Friday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Admission: $4.95 for ages 2 to 3, $10.95 for 4 through 18, $1.95 for 19 and up
Playland Skate
Bring the entire family out to Austin’s largest skating facility. 8822 McCann Dr. www.playlandskatecenter.net 512-452-1901 Hours: Tues 3 to 6 p.m. Fri - 3 to 6 p.m. & 7 to 11 p.m. Sat - 1 to 11 p.m. Sun - 12 to 5 p.m. Closed Mon, Wed, & Thurs for Private Parties Admission: $6 and $8. Price includes roller skates. Roller blades additional $3; outside skates welcome
Round Rock Express
Take me out to the ball game! Great family fun, baseball and more. Dell Diamond 3400 East Palm Valley Blvd. www.roundrockexpress.com 512-255-BALL Check website for schedule Admission: $7 for Berm; from $12 for reserved seats
Schlitterbahn
Hottest, coolest time in Texas! Free parking, free inner tubes. New Braunfels, Galveston, South Padre, Corpus Christi www.schlitterbahn.com Hours:10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission: $55.99 adults; $43.99 kids. Check out promotions for New Braunfels location. Prices vary for other locations
Summerfest @ Gaylord Texan
Texas-sized fun, all in one glorious place! 1501 Gaylord Trl., Grapevine www.gaylordtexan.com 817-778-1000 Rate: Starting at $199
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Free Fun: Street Art You’ve seen them plenty of times: photos of your friends and family snapped in front of Austin’s favorite murals. Now it’s your turn! Make a day of it and find them all…
JEREMIAH AUSTINTATIOUS
23rd St. and Guadalupe St.
21st St. and Guadalupe St.
GRAFFITI PARK
1008 Baylor St.
ALL ABOUT AUSTIN
S. Congress Ave. and Riverside Dr. Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market
GREETINGS FROM AUSTIN
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BY JENNIFER VANBUREN
CRACK A BOOK or CRACK AN EGG: SIMPLE SUMMER BRAIN BOOSTERS
Summertime is the perfect time to keep your child’s mind sharp, increase his or her confidence and delve into subjects and skills that capture your child’s interest. Plenty of local camps provide learning opportunities, from learning to code and building robots to creative writing and dramatic arts. However, there are many ways you can inspire your child’s love for learning right at home. According to the National Center for Summer Learning at Johns Hopkins University, on average, students who don’t engage in summer learning lose the equivalent of two months’ worth of grade-level math and reading skills. You can prevent this summer brain drain with some simple and fun activities.
Get Cooking The kitchen becomes a science laboratory and reinforces math skills of all levels. Measuring out the ingredients teaches cups and teaspoons
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and reinforces what students have learned about fractions. Want to give an extra boost? Find your favorite cookie recipe and mix things up by doubling the recipe. This will give your older child some practice in adding and multiplying fractions. How do you double ¾ cups of brown sugar? Following a recipe teaches sequencing.
Plan a Weekly Meal Children around age 10 or 11 can start planning, preparing and serving a weekly meal. The planning, from researching recipes to writing a shopping list, will get them ready for the long-term projects they will encounter at school. As a bonus, activities like this
spark creativity and boost confidence while delivering a healthy meal for the whole family. Meal planning involves math, organizational skills and, perhaps most importantly, life skills.
Score Big This August, Brazil will host the Summer Olympics. Help your child make predictions and forecast winners. Get out the graph paper and compare winning times and scores to world and Olympic records. Try graphing the medal totals for all the countries. Draw and color the flags of the countries competing. Research a favorite athlete. Find the athlete’s home country on a map. Does he or she have any inspirational words of wisdom to share?
Catch Olympic Fever Don’t let the Olympic athletes have all the fun—host your own summer games. Invite friends and neighbors. Hold a
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competition in pool noodle javelin, long jump and water balloon toss. Create an obstacle course with sprinklers, your playscape, cardboard boxes and exercise stations. Hang a hula-hoop or swim ring from a tree branch and practice throwing a ball through the hoop. Hold a jump rope contest for speed, endurance and creativity. Hold individual and relay races in the pool or in the yard. Kids can practice record keeping skills when they track each other’s results. They can make their own medals for the winners. The possibilities are endless!
web when your school has already gathered sites they deem worthy? While you’re there, take a look at the web pages of the teachers your child may have next year. Build anticipation for the new school year
by making guesses as to whose class he or she will be in. Do some sleuthing to find out the topics to be covered in the upcoming year and learn about grade level expectations. What a great way to get a jump ahead! af Jennifer VanBuren is a Georgetown educator and mother of three.
Title Image: © DragonImages / Fotolia
Keep a Routine Children thrive on routine. While the long lazy days of summer may be time to unwind after a long year of formal education, your child will benefit from keeping a schedule for at least part of the day. Perhaps in the morning, before screen time, you can set aside an hour for reading. After a break, take a crack at learning cursive, completing educational computer games (check your local school’s website; teachers often provide links to reputable educational sites) and then provide time to research a topic of their interest. Look for Summer Bridge workbooks that reinforce what your child has learned in the previous year and introduce new topics for the upcoming year.
Go Online You’d be hard-pressed to find a school that doesn’t utilize online learning programs. Some of these are high quality, educational sites that the school district pays to use. Your child probably knows his or her login information and how to find the sites. (The links are usually located on your school’s website.) Your child can show you what he or she has done in school over the past year, review the activities completed and even work ahead. Most schools also have links to free, academicallybased sites, as well. Why scour the Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market
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Y P P HA
HOMECOMING:
Tips for Returning the Su
mmer Camper to the Fa
mily Routine
by Laura Reagan-Porras
Whenever my children came back from a visit to their grandparents’ house (usually for a week in the summer), they came back with stories of new experiences and fun. I have witnessed developmental leaps as a result.
These are a few things you might hear as your kids return home from camp.
They came back more independent and with larger vocabularies. They were certainly closer to their grandparents. They also came home almost a little too bold for my taste.
“We cleaned our cabin only every other day.”
They had been free of their usual chores. Returning to our normal nuclear family order was sometimes a struggle, because the kids would test the boundaries. They seemed to have similar issues when they came home from summer camp. They had wonderful stories about their new experiences, but we had a bit of friction as we reconnected and our schedules returned to our family’s homeostasis. They were used to greater independence, and I was used to more control.
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“My bedtime was later at camp.”
“We had popcorn for a snack every afternoon and evening. I want popcorn!” I learned to expect the transition period and not judge it negatively. My children had positive new experiences to share, like canoeing and making new friends. Being around kids from diverse backgrounds, they had picked up new habits, mannerisms and words. Camp stretched them. It seemed as if they came home knowing more and being bolder.
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Here are a few things I tried to ease Example: I need the laundry the transition from camp to home. Not folded, the dog fed (he really every tip works for every child. Children missed you) and the trash taken are different and have their own personout. You have all morning before alities. Some children may come home we meet your dad for lunch. tired and be a little grumpier. Some kids Whatever order you do it in is fine. may come home with an agenda of all the things they missed or things that they 5. Return to usual chores, schedules want to change about their routines. and responsibilities with patience, but without indulgence. 1. Have a homecoming celebration. Make a “Welcome Home” sign and cook your child’s favorite foods or take them out to their favorite restaurant.
6. Be sure to talk a little bit about what you and the younger siblings did while your camper was away. It’s important your child learn that everyone has a life away from the rest of the family. af Laura Reagan-Porras is a freelance journalist and parenting coach. Background Image: Vera Holera/Shutterstock Title Image: © denisfilm / Fotolia
2. Plan some listening time. Use openended questions to prompt sharing. • What was your favorite camp activity? • What was your least favorite thing to do? • Tell me about your best camp friend. • Who was your favorite counselor? • What did you like about your favorite counselor? • What new things did you try? • Do you want to go back next year or do you want to try something else? Be careful not to interrogate. Don’t be probing. Remember to respect their boundaries. What they answer is sufficient. If they want to share more, kids will usually do so. Space the open-ended questions throughout several conversations. 3. Affirm new skills, including new communication skills, while being clear about boundaries. Returning Camper: Shanda calls her dad by his first name. Think Dad would go for that? Mom: Well, I call my stepdad by his first name, but I didn’t grow up with him like you did with your dad. I think Dad likes being called Dad. Talk to him about it. 4. Encourage your child’s new-found independence by allowing them to make more independent choices about how to use their time.
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BY RICHARD SINGLETON
Water Hose Redux:
Yard Tech Slip ‘N Slides into the Future I’m not very good at it, but I try to avoid ecological tomfoolery. I like the environment. I like fresh air. I love the planet. In my bones, I’m a conservationist. I’d love a “John Muir is my homeboy” sticker on my (imaginary) Tesla. I do have to admit, however, that my younger brother and I might have contributed to the planetary water crisis. Back in the early 80s, we didn’t have a pool—not even a Slip ‘N Slide. We were people of little means, but immense creativity. So, like a lot of kids, we had a water hose and a blank canvas of creativity. Seems like our canvas always got the Jackson Pollock treatment—mud pies layered onto every freestanding object and sprayed off with propulsive water canons, aimed with punitive accuracy. As a kid, our yard was a wonderland of exploration and fun. Not for a moment back then could I have imagined the type of adventure that would be waiting in our yards 25 years later! We might as well have been doing cave drawings, back then. Times have
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changed. Tech has moved outside. And, guess what? It’s so cool! So, you’ve got your home filled to the brim with tech zestiness, but the great outdoors is calling your name. Nice. Boot up and strap in, because we’re about to blow your mind (remember, I had no Slip ‘N Slide…I basically lived in medieval times…this stuff is cool to me…and I hope to you). First up. A weather station in your pocket. Yep! I feel a bit like Ron Popiel, but for the low, low price of about $150 (insert 3 easy payments joke here) you can have your own PWS (personal weather station). That’s right: you weather geeks will love this. And, “introverts unite, separately, in your own homes,” because what’s even cooler is that you can go to sites like Weather Underground and share your weather data with the planet from your couch! How spicy is that! Think about it—a weather station at your house and on your phone! Just one problem: any rain-soaked, verbal assaults hurled at the weatherperson might make your co-workers a bit worried for your mental health.
Okay, next. And, this might be the coolest thing ever…or a sign that the human race is truly inviting the apocalypse of first-world laziness; I’m not sure. Suppose your flowers are thirsty and your PWS app is glitchy. You’ve been thinking the rain is coming, but really, it’s just another day in the Texas Sahara. Never fear. Your precious plants will be living in an oasis of plenty because you have a solar-powered wi-fi garden sensor in your flowerbeds. From detecting the moisture level in the ground to unleashing the H2O nectar of that good old-fashioned water hose, there’s a sensor for it all. Google that stuff! I mean, really? Yep, we’ve arrived at the future, and your plants have just as much wi-fi angst as your 15-year-old Snapchatter! All this Captain Kirk stuff got you wanting to use the transporter to beam down to the real world and put your feet on terra firma? Okay, how about this: someone has to take one for the team when the bees and spiders attack…or do they? Hmmm. High-tech and low-tech collide, and it’s ahh-mazing. First, you’ll need your My Critter Catcher to safely remove the creepy crawlies, and then you’ll
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need your Infragram from Public Lab. You guessed it. This DIY project that you and your kiddos can do together allows you to build your very own infrared camera to analyze your garden. What!?! And, it’s super cheap. There’s so much more, but my injudicious use of coffee and my inveterate geekological cheering have chewed up all my space. So do this: fire up your computer. Grab your own cup of Google-inspiring goodness, and go check out all the cool outdoor gadgetry that you can find.
One last word of semi-hypocritical advice. Make sure that no matter how much cool tech gets crammed into your yard, that you don’t forget the one most important thing that should be front and center: you. Truly take time to get outside this summer, to stop and smell the proverbial roses. But please do be careful; it is Texas after all, and as far as I know, we don’t have any wi-fi rattlesnake detectors on the market…yet! af Richard Singleton, MACE, MAMFC, LPC, is the executive director at STARRY in Round Rock.
Background Image: © phonlamaiphoto / Fotolia Inset Image: © Monkey Business / Fotolia
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BY ROCIO BARBOSA
Vacations! Vacations for many Mexicans are different from what you might imagine. When I was a child, we never planned our vacations in advance. Like most Mexicans, we went to the beach. I remember my dad took us to the water’s edge, where our game was to not let the waves reach you. We ate in a palapa, which is a restaurant where chairs and tables are on the sand. It is an open-air place, and the roof is made of dried palm fronds. In a palapa, you can eat seafood and coconuts that are so rich and refreshing. In some palapas, there are hammocks where you can relax, read and sleep. At other times, we would drive to visit an aunt who lived in another city so we could spend a couple of weeks away from home. I would play with my cousins until we ran out of daylight. Even though we never planned a big vacation, we all enjoyed our time away from home. af Rocio Barbosa, mother of two, lives in Round Rock.
Š cirodelia / Fotolia
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BY ROCIO BARBOSA
¡Vacaciones! Las vacaciones para muchos de los mexicanos es diferente a lo que se puede imaginar. Cuando era un niña, nunca planeamos nuestras vacaciones con antelación. Como la mayoría de los mexicanos, fuimos a la playa. Yo recuerdo que mi papa nos llevaba al borde del aguamar, en donde nuestro juego era no dejar que las olas te alcanzaran. Comíamos en alguna palapa, que es un restaurante en donde las sillas y las mesas están sobre la arena. Es un lugar abierto, y el techo es de palmas secas. En una palapa, puedes comer mariscos y que tal esos cocos tan ricos y tan refrescantes. En algunas palapas, hay hamacas en donde puedes descansar, leer y dormir. En otras ocasiones, nos llevaban a casa de una tía que vivía en otra ciudad para que pasáramos un par de semanas fuera de casa. Me gustaría jugar con mis primos hasta que se nos acababa la luz del día A pesar de que nunca se planificó un gran vacaciones, todos disfrutamos de nuestro tiempo fuera de casa. af Rocio Barbosa, madre de dos hijas, vive en Round Rock.
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July
calendar
Co mp iled b y BETTY KEMP ER
2016
++ Denotes event occurs on multiple dates
Museum Exhibits pg 40 • Family Events pg 40 • Parenting Events pg 45 • Story Times pg 46
Independence Day MONDAY 4 PARADE AND CELEBRATION 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Downtown Lakeway. FREE. lakeway-tx.gov. FREE ADMISSION 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. LBJ Library and Museum, 2313 Red River St. FREE. lbjlibrary.org. PARADE AND PROGRAM 9:15 to 11 a.m. Peter and Paul Church, Bridge and Castell streets, New Braunfels. FREE. newbraunfels.com. PUSH-PEDAL-PULL PEOPLE'S PATRIOTIC PARADE 9:30 a.m. Veterans Memorial Park, 109 Depot St., Elgin. FREE. elgintx.com or 512‑285‑6190. PARADE AND CELEBRATION 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Elizabeth Milburn Park, 1901 Sun Chase Blvd., Cedar Park. FREE. cedarparktexas.gov. FRONTIER DAYS CELEBRATION AND SERTOMA PARADE 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. 221 E. Main St., Round Rock. FREE. roundrocktexas.gov. PFLUGERVILLE PFIRECRACKER PFESTIVAL 6 to 11 p.m. South Shore of Lake Pflugerville, 18216 Weiss Ln., Pflugerville. FREE. cityofpflugerville.com. SUMMERFEST 6 to 10 p.m. San Marcos Plaza Park, 206 N. CM Allen Pkwy., San Marcos. FREE. summerfestsmtx.com.
Museum Exhibits OUR GLOBAL KITCHEN Through July 24. Bullock Museum, 1800 N. Congress Ave. $8 youth; $12 adult. thestoryoftexas.com or 512‑936‑8746. JOURNEY INTO BIG BEND Through Sept. 18. Bullock Museum, 1800 N. Congress Ave. $8 youth; $12 adult. thestoryoftexas.com or 512‑936‑8746. ORLY GENGER: HURLYBURLY Through Feb. 2017. 74 Trinity St. FREE. thecontemporaryaustin.org.
INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION 6 to 10 p.m. Plum Creek Golf Course, 4301 Benner, Kyle. FREE. cityofkyle.com or 512‑262‑5555. INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Hill Country Galleria, 12700 Hill Country Blvd., Bee Cave. FREE. hillcountrygalleria.com. VOLENTE BEACH FIREWORKS Dusk. Volente Beach Water Park, Lake Travis. ROOFTOP FIREWORKS VIEWING Dusk. The Meadows Center, 201 San Marcos Springs Dr. FREE. meadowscenter.txstate.edu. AUSTIN SYMPHONY CONCERT AND FIREWORKS 8:30 to 10 p.m. The Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Dr. FREE. thelongcenter.org. FIREWORKS IN THE PARK 8:30 to 10 p.m. Taylor Murphy Park, 1600 Veterans Dr., Taylor. FREE. taylortx.gov. FIREWORKS SHOW 9:15 p.m. Lady Bird Municipal Park, 432 Lady Bird Dr., Fredericksburg. FREE. fbgtx.org or 830‑997‑7521.
Family Events FRIDAY 1 Canada Day
FIRST FRIDAYS ON THE SQUARE All day. Downtown Square, Georgetown. FREE. thegeorgetownsquare.com. DEEPER DIVES ++ 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Blanton Museum of Art, 200 E. MLK Blvd., Austin. Free with admission. blantonmuseum.org or 512‑471‑7324.
Austin Family is now making it easier for you to submit your calendar event. Go to www.austinfamily.com, click on “Submit your event” and send in your entry. The deadline is the 5th of each month preceding the month of the event. Events less than $15 usually are listed. For events more than $15, send details to kaye2003@austinfamily.com
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MR. PUPPET PERFORMANCE 11 a.m. Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd. FREE. westbanklibrary.com or 512‑327‑3045. FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Historic Main St., Downtown Bastrop. FREE. bastropdowntown.com. FIRST FRIDAY 6 to 8 p.m. Williamson Museum, 716 S. Austin Ave., Georgetown. FREE. williamsonmuseum.org or 512‑943‑1670. MUSIC ON THE SQUARE ++ 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Downtown square, Georgetown. FREE. thegeorgetownsquare.com. ROUND ROCK EXPRESS VS IOWA ++ 7 p.m. Dell Diamond, 3400 E. Palm Valley Blvd., Round Rock. $10 and up. roundrockexpress.com or 512‑255‑2255. STAR PARTY ++ 9 to 10 p.m. Texas Museum of Science and Technology, 1220 Toro Grande Dr., Cedar Park. FREE. cedarparktx.us or 512‑600‑500.
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SATURDAY 2 MADRONE CANYON HIKE 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd. FREE. westbanklibrary.com or 512‑327‑3045. BASTROP PET AND PAL PARADE 10 a.m. Main and Pine streets, Bastrop. FREE. bastropchamber.com. FANTASTIC FOURTH CELEBRATION ++ 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pioneer Farms, 10621 Pioneer Farms Dr. $6 to $8. pioneerfarms.org or 512‑837‑1215. THE JOURNEY OF TAM ++ 11 a.m. The City Theatre, 3823 Airport Blvd. $11. citytheatreaustin.org or 512‑524‑2870. FREE LUNCH TO THE COMMUNITY ++ 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Faith Culture Church, 1901 N. AW Grimes Blvd., Round Rock. FREE. destinedchurch.com. SATURDAY NIGHT CONCERT SERIES ++ 7 to 9 p.m. Hill Country Galleria, 12700 Hill Country Blvd., Bee Cave. FREE. hillcountrygalleria.com. CONTINUING: Round Rock Express vs Iowa see Friday 1.
SUNDAY 3
CAR SHOW ++ 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Centennial Plaza, 301 W. Bagdad St., Round Rock. FREE. roundrocktexas.gov. FREE FIRST SUNDAYS 12 to 5 p.m. Bullock Museum, 1800 N. Congress Ave. FREE. thestoryoftexas.com or 512‑936‑8746.
SUMMER ANIMATION MATINEE 2:15 p.m. Yarborough Branch Library, 2200 Hancock Dr. FREE. library.austintexas.com or 512‑974‑8820. CHALK IT UP 6 to 7:30 p.m. Veterans Park, 320 N. Main St., Elgin. FREE. elgintx.com or 512‑285‑6190. CONCERTS IN THE PARK ++ 7:30 p.m. The Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Dr. FREE. austinsymphony.org. CONTINUING: Fantastic Fourth Celebration see Saturday 2; Round Rock Express vs Iowa see Friday 1.
TUESDAY 5
FAMILY FILM FESTIVAL ++ 10 a.m. Lost Pines 8, 1600 Chestnut St., Bastrop. 50 cents. bastrop. schulmantheatres.com.
WEDNESDAY 6
WORKLAB ++ 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Blanton Museum of Art, 200 E. MLK Blvd., Austin. Free with admission. blantonmuseum.org or 512‑471‑7324. CHILDREN’S DAY ART PARK ++ 11:30 a.m. Symphony Square Amphitheatre, 1101 Red River St. 50 cents. austinsymphony.org. PRESCHOOL SCIENCE FUN 2 to 3:30 p.m. Bridges to Growth, 805 W. University Ave., Georgetown. FREE. georgetownproject.org or 512‑864‑3008. SPACE 8: A MAKER LAB ++ 2 to 8 p.m. The Thinkery, 1830 Simond Ave. Free with admission. thinkeryaustin.org.
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COMMUNITY NIGHT ++ 4 to 8 p.m. The Thinkery, 1830 Simond Ave. By donation. thinkeryaustin.org. SOUND AND CINEMA ++ 7 to 9 p.m. The Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Dr. FREE. thelongcenter.org or 512‑457‑5129.
SHREK: THE MUSICAL ++ 8:15 p.m. Zilker Hillside Theater, 2201 Barton Springs Rd. FREE. zilker.org or 512‑479‑9491.
THURSDAY 7
PINE STREET MARKET DAYS All day. Main and Pine Streets, Bastrop. FREE. bastroptexas.net. BRIGHT LEAF GUIDED HIKES ++ 9 to 11:30 a.m. Bright Leaf Preserve, 2222 and Creek Mountain Rd. FREE. brightleaf.org or 512‑459‑7269. GAULT ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE TOURS 9 a.m. Williamson Museum, 716 S. Austin Ave., Georgetown. $10. williamsonmuseum.org or 512‑943‑1670. KYLE MARKET DAYS 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Historic City Square, 101 S. Burleson Rd., Kyle. FREE. cityofkyle.com. HANDS ON HISTORY 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Williamson Museum, 716 S. Austin Ave., Georgetown. FREE. williamsonmuseum.org or 512‑943‑1670. SECOND SATURDAYS ARE FOR FAMILIES 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Laguna Gloria, 3809 W. 35th Street. FREE. thecontemporaryaustin.org or 512‑458‑8191.
LIVING HISTORY DAYS 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bullock Museum, 1800 N. Congress Ave. $8 to $12. thestoryoftexas.com or 512‑936‑8746. FIRST THURSDAY 5 to 10 p.m. S. Congress Ave., Barton Springs Rd. to Elizabeth St. FREE. firstthursday.info. UNPLUGGED AT THE GROVE ++ 8 p.m. Shady Grove, 1624 Barton Springs Rd. FREE. kgsr.com.
FRIDAY 8
MUSIC IN THE PARK ++ 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Pfluger Park, 515 City Park Rd., Pflugerville. FREE. pflugervilletx.gov. MOVIES AT THE LAKE: HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2 8 p.m. Lake Kyle Park, 700 Lehman Rd., Kyle. FREE. cityofkyle.com.
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CONTINUING: Star Party see Friday 1; Deeper Dives see Friday 1; Music on the Square see Friday 1.
SATURDAY 9
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GAY PURR-EE 2 to 3:30 p.m. Bullock Museum, 1800 N. Congress Ave. FREE. thestoryoftexas.com or 512‑936‑8746. BASTILLE DAY CELEBRATION 7 to 10 p.m. French Legation Museum, 802 San Marcos St. FREE. frenchlegationmuseum.org or 512‑451‑1704. SPLASH PARTY MOVIE NIGHT 8 p.m. Deep Eddy Pool, 401 Deep Eddy Ave. $1 to $8. deepeddy.org or 512‑472‑8546. CONTINUING: Free Lunch to the Community see Saturday 2; Saturday Night Concert Series see Saturday 2; Shrek: the Musical see Friday 8; The Journey of Tam see Saturday 2.
SUNDAY 10
SUMMER CINEMA SERIES ++ Dusk. Central Market, 4001 N. Lamar Blvd. FREE. CONTINUING: Music on the Square see Friday 1; Shrek: the Musical see Friday 8; Star Party see Friday 1; Deeper Dives see Friday 1; Round Rock Express vs Sacramento see Thursday 14.
SATURDAY 16
BUBBLEPALOOZA! 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Dr. FREE. thelongcenter.org. ELGIN BEACH PARTY 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Elgin Memorial Park, 1127 N. Main St., Elgin. FREE. elgintx.com or 512‑285‑6190.
FAMILY DAY 12 to 4 p.m. Umlauf Sculpture Garden, 605 Robert E. Lee Rd. FREE. umlaufsculpture.org or 512‑445‑5582.
Bubblepalooza! Saturday 16
CONTINUING: Car Show see Sunday 3; Shrek: the Musical see Friday 8; Concerts in the Park see Sunday 3; Bright Leaf Guided Hikes see Saturday 9.
TUESDAY 12 CONTINUING: Family Film Festival see Tuesday 5.
WEDNESDAY 13 CONTINUING: Children’s Day Art Park see Wednesday 6; Community Night see Wednesday 6; Space 8: A Maker Lab see Wednesday 6; WorkLab see Wednesday 6.
THURSDAY 14 Bastille Day
ROUND ROCK EXPRESS VS SACRAMENTO ++ 7 p.m. Dell Diamond, 3400 E. Palm Valley Blvd., Round Rock. $10 and up. roundrockexpress.com or 512‑255‑2255. CONTINUING: Unplugged at the Grove see Thursday 7; Shrek: the Musical see Friday 8.
FRIDAY 15
JOE MCDERMOTT 2 to 3 p.m. Lake Travis Library, 1938 Lohmans Crossing Rd. FREE. laketravislibrary.org or 512‑263‑2885.
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UMLAUF KIDS KRAFT ++ 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Umlauf Sculpture Garden, 605 Robert E. Lee Rd. $10 members. umlaufsculpture.org. HANDS ON HISTORY 6 to 9 p.m. Camp Mabry, 2200 W. 35th St. $5 (children under 6, FREE). texasmilitaryforcesmuseum.org or 512‑782‑5394. ROUND ROCK EXPRESS VS SACRAMENTO 6 p.m. Dell Diamond, 3400 E. Palm Valley Blvd., Round Rock. $10 and up. roundrockexpress.com or 512‑255‑2255. CONTINUING: Free Lunch to the Community see Saturday 2; Saturday Night Concert Series see Saturday 2; The Journey of Tam see Saturday 2; Shrek: the Musical see Friday 8.
Lady Bird Day, Sunday 24
SUNDAY 17
WEDNESDAY 20
CONTINUING: Concerts in the Park see Sunday 3; Car Show see Sunday 3; Shrek: the Musical see Friday 8; Round Rock Express vs Sacramento see Thursday 14.
STRIKE OUT HUNGER WITH THE ROUND ROCK EXPRESS 7 p.m. Dell Diamond, 3400 E. Palm Valley Blvd., Round Rock. roundrockexpress.com or 512‑255‑2255.
MONDAY 18
ROUND ROCK EXPRESS VS FRESNO ++ 7 p.m. Dell Diamond, 3400 E. Palm Valley Blvd., Round Rock. $10 and up. roundrockexpress.com or 512‑255‑2255.
TUESDAY 19
TRAILER FOOD TUESDAYS 5 to 9 p.m. The Long Center, 701 Riverside Dr. FREE. thelongcenter.org. CONTINUING: Family Film Festival see Tuesday 5; Round Rock Express vs Fresno see Monday 18.
CONTINUING: Austin Barn Dancers see Wednesday 6; Children’s Day Art Park see Wednesday 6; Community Night see Wednesday 6; Sound and Cinema see Wednesday 6; Space 8: A Maker Lab see Wednesday 6; WorkLab see Wednesday 6.
THURSDAY 21
SCIENCE THURSDAY 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bullock Museum, 1800 N. Congress Ave. Free for pre-registered groups. thestoryoftexas.com or 512‑936‑8746. CONTINUING: Unplugged at the Grove see Thursday 7; Shrek: the Musical see Friday 8; Round Rock Express vs Fresno see Monday 18.
FRIDAY 22
FRIDAY MOVIE MATINEE: IN THE HEART OF THE SEA 2 to 4 p.m. Old Quarry Branch Library, 7051 Village Center Dr. FREE. library. austintexas.org or 512‑974‑8860. CONTINUING: Music on the Square see Friday 1; Music in the Park see Friday 8; Deeper Dives see Friday 1; Star Party see Friday 1; Shrek: the Musical see Friday 8.
SATURDAY 23
BIG MEGA WORKOUT 9:30 a.m. The Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Dr. FREE. thelongcenter.org or 512‑457‑5115. ERNEST & CELESTINE 2 to 3:30 p.m. Bullock Museum, 1800 N. Congress Ave. FREE. thestoryoftexas.com or 512‑936‑8746. CONTINUING: Free Lunch to the Community see Saturday 2; Saturday Night Concert Series see Saturday 2; The Journey of Tam see Saturday 2; Shrek: the Musical see Friday 8; Splash Party Movie Night see Saturday 9.
SUNDAY 24
LADY BIRD DAY 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wildflower Center, 4801 La Crosse Ave. FREE. wildflower.org or 512‑232‑0100.
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CONTINUING: Concerts in the Park see Sunday 3; Car Show see Sunday 3; Shrek: the Musical see Friday 8.
TUESDAY 26
ROUND ROCK EXPRESS VS OMAHA ++ 7 p.m. Dell Diamond, 3400 E. Palm Valley Blvd., Round Rock. $10 and up. roundrockexpress.com or 512‑255‑2255. CONTINUING: Family Film Festival see Tuesday 5.
WEDNESDAY 27
CULTURE NIGHTS 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. AGE Cafeteria, 3710 Cedar St. FREE. austinpowwow.net. CONTINUING: Space 8: A Maker Lab see Wednesday 6; Austin Barn Dancers see Wednesday 6; Children’s Day Art Park see Wednesday 6; Community Night see Wednesday 6; WorkLab see Wednesday 6; Round Rock Express vs Omaha see Tuesday 26.
THURSDAY 28
RHYTHM ON STAGE 7 to 9 p.m. The Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Dr. FREE. thelongcenter.org. CONTINUING: Unplugged at the Grove see Thursday 7; Shrek: the Musical see Friday 8; Round Rock Express vs Omaha see Tuesday 26.
FRIDAY 29
DRIVE-IN MOVIE AT THE POOL: HAPPY FEET 8 p.m. Lake Kyle Park, 700 Lehman Rd., Kyle. FREE. cityofkyle.com.
CONTINUING: Music on the Square see Friday 1; Shrek: the Musical see Friday 8; Summer Cinema Series see Friday 15; Round Rock Express vs Omaha see Tuesday 26.
SATURDAY 30
SEWING BASICS FOR KIDS: EMBROIDERY 2 to 3:30 p.m. Bridges to Growth, 805 W. University Ave., Georgetown. FREE. georgetownproject.org or 512‑864‑3008. ROUND ROCK EXPRESS VS MEMPHIS ++ 7 p.m. Dell Diamond, 3400 E. Palm Valley Blvd., Round Rock. $10 and up. roundrockexpress.com or 512‑255‑2255. CONTINUING: Saturday Night Concert Series see Saturday 2; Free Lunch to the Community see Saturday 2; The Journey of Tam see Saturday 2; Shrek: the Musical see Friday 8; Umlauf Kids Kraft see Saturday 16.
YMCA offers a free Childhood Obesity Intervention Program on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout the month. Various locations. AustinYmca.org or 512‑236‑9622. BRIDGES TO GROWTH offers a free Love and Logic early childhood parenting class on Wednesdays throughout the month. 7 to 8:30 p.m. 805 W. University Ave., Georgetown. GeorgetownProject.org or 512‑864‑3008. LA LECHE LEAGUE of Central Texas hosts nine regular meetings in addition to play dates and gatherings in Austin, Round Rock, Killeen/Temple, Bryan-College Station and Waco. All breastfeeding mothers, babies and mothers-to-be are welcome to attend. Texaslll.org.
SUNDAY 31 CONTINUING: Car Show see Sunday 3; Shrek: the Musical see Friday 8; Concerts in the Park see Sunday 3; Round Rock Express vs Memphis see Saturday 30.
Parenting Events ANY BABY CAN offers free parenting classes in English and Spanish on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Postpartum support group meets on Thursdays. 6207 Sheridan Ave. FREE. Anybabycan.org or 512‑454‑3743.
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MONDAY 4
SPECIAL NEEDS SUPPORT GROUP 11 a.m. Plaza Level Park, 111 Congress Ave. FREE. Internationalautismministry.com or 737‑247‑8142.
THURSDAY 14
NAMI BASICS CLASS FOR PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS 6:30 to 9 p.m. Burnet Middle School, 8401 Hathaway. FREE. namiaustin.org or 512‑420‑9810.
Story Times Austin area libraries offer story times for infants, toddlers, preschoolers and families with children of all ages. In addition, there are story times in Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, American Sign Language and other languages. Contact your local library for more information about times and appropriate ages. AUSTIN LIBRARY Branches throughout Austin library.austintexas.gov 512-974-7400 BARNES AND NOBLE ARBORETUM 10000 Research Blvd. barnesandnoble.com 512-418-8985
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BARNES AND NOBLE BEE CAVE 12701 Hill Country Blvd. barnesandnoble.com 512-263-7402 BARNES AND NOBLE BRODIE 5601 Brodie Ln. barnesandnoble.com 512-892-3493 BARNES AND NOBLE LAKELINE 14010 U.S. Hwy. 183 barnesandnoble.com 512-249-5644 BARNES AND NOBLE ROUND ROCK 2701 Parker Rd. barnesandnoble.com 512-600-0088 BOOKPEOPLE 603 N. Lamar Blvd. bookpeople.com 512-472-5050 CEDAR PARK LIBRARY 550 Discovery Blvd. cedarparktx.us 512-401-5600 GEORGETOWN LIBRARY 402 W. 8th St. library.georgetown.org 512-930-3551 KYLE LIBRARY 550 Scott St. cityofkyle.com 512-268-7411 LAKE TRAVIS LIBRARY 2300 Lohman’s Spur laketravislibrary.org 512-263-2885
LAURA’S LIBRARY 9411 Bee Cave Rd. westbanklibrary.com 512-381-1400 LEANDER LIBRARY 1011 S. Bagdad Rd. leandertx.gov/library 512-259-5259 PFLUGERVILLE LIBRARY 1008 W. Pfluger St. tx-pflugerville3.civicplus.com 512-990-6275 ROUND ROCK LIBRARY 216 E. Main St. roundrocktexas.gov 512-218-7001 SAN MARCOS LIBRARY 625 E. Hopkins St. ci.san-marcos.tx.us 512-393-8200 TAYLOR LIBRARY 801 Vance St. ci.taylor.tx.us 512-352-3434 WELLS BRANCH LIBRARY 15001 Wells Port Dr. wblibrary.org 512-989-3188 WESTBANK LIBRARY 1309 Westbank Dr. westbanklibrary.com 512-327-3045
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MARKET PLACE
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PIENSA POSITIVO by Leslie Montoya, host of Despierta Austin
¿Cómo Comunican? En mi experiencia, he aprendido que es la forma en que usted se expresa más que el mensaje en sí. Un estudio realizado por el Dr. Albert Mehrabian, un experto en el arte de la comunicación, lo confirma con un hallazgo de que nuestras palabras sólo tienen un 7 por ciento de la potencia en un mensaje, mientras que nuestro tono de voz transmite el 38 por ciento y nuestro lenguaje corporal transmite el 55 por ciento. Así que la próxima vez que alguien no escucha su mensaje, obsérva su tono de voz y lenguaje corporal. Recuerde que estos dos elementos de comunicación pueden tener un impacto positivo o negativo. ¡Piensa Positivo!
How Are You Communicating? In my experience, I’ve learned that it’s the way you express yourself more than the message itself. A study by Dr. Albert Mehrabian, an expert in the art of communication, confirms this with a finding that our words only hold 7 percent of the power in a message, while our tone of voice conveys 38 percent and our body language conveys 55 percent. So the next time someone doesn’t hear your message, check your tone of voice and body language. Remember that these two communication elements can make a positive or negative impact. Think positive!
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focus on advertisement
doctors
Dr. Julio De la Fuente Smileworks Orthodontics Dr. De la Fuente received his bachelor’s degree in biology from UTSA as part of the 3+4 program (3 years of college plus 4 years of dental school). He completed this exclusive and challenging program at the top of his class. Dr. De la Fuente is also a graduate of the orthodontic residency program at UTHSCSA. See ad on page 11
Dr. Marty Montgomery Lonestar Pediatric Dental Dr. Marty Montgomery comes from a family where all the children were drawn to dental careers early in life. A graduate of Baylor University in Waco, Marty attended Tufts Dental School in Boston. He completed his residency at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, specializing in pediatrics. See ad on page 23
Dr. Jaclyn Marroquin ADC Cedar Bend As a pediatrician, I enjoy watching my patients grow and develop into young adults. I have the privilege of educating families and helping them to anticipate and enjoy each stage of their child’s development. Together, we can help children be successful and establish healthy and happy lifestyles. See ad on page 52
Dr. Betty Richardson Dr. Richardson earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in nursing, and a PhD in psych/mental health nursing. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist and a licensed professional counselor. She has over 30 years of experience working with individuals, couples, families, children and adolescents. See ad on page 41
Dr. Rachel Montgomery Lonestar Pediatric Dental Dr. Montgomery graduated from Baylor University in Waco, and followed up by attending the University of Texas Dental School in Houston. Her residency was completed at the Boston University School of Dental Medicine, with a specialty in pediatrics. Rachel can most likely be found spending time with her husband Marty and their precious boys. See ad on page 23
Dr. Theresa Willis ADC Steiner Ranch Dr. Willis is a graduate of the University of Texas, received her medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and completed her residency at Texas Children’s Hospital. Dr. Willis’ professional interests include developmental pediatrics, fitness and healthy weight in children and teens. She is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. See ad on page 52
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Make a Fairy/ Gnome House Enjoying nature can be simple and fun! Imagining that little creatures live in the trees and leaves deepens our connections to outdoor life. Finding small objects that could create a habitat for imaginary creatures is not only easy and free, but makes wonderful memories and enhances our sensitivity to nature.
What You Need Pebbles, stones, grass, leaves, flowers and maybe even some items from your house, like a cotton ball for a fairy pillow.
What You Do 1. Look around your
backyard or neighborhood for a building site. A nice rock or tree is good. You can make paths and rooms either inside or around this special place.
2. Let your creativity
take over as you build! Allow yourself to think of many purposes for one little piece of nature. A simple leaf could be a food basket, a bathtub or a roof. A flat rock could serve as a table to set some tiny seeds on.
3. Don’t forget to take photos. Moments and creations like making a fairy house should be documented.
Terra Toys has been providing Austin with classic, fun and beautiful toys, gifts, books and treats for over 35 years.
Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market
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just for by Carrie Taylor
grins
well, and we couldn’t wait for the toddler version of our son to make his zoo debut.
The big day arrived on his second birthday. It was a typical Texas summer day—sweaty and sunny— which meant My son is in a stuffed animal phase. that 30 He carries them around the house minutes as he completes his daily activities: into our knocking the books off shelves and trip, my splashing in the dogs’ water bowl. He melatoninhoards them in bed at night, sings to challenged them and gives them sweet kisses. child looked one shade away from a So, you can forgive my husband and I tomato. But we had hats for when we envisioned the parenting coup that, and extra water, except he wailed we would achieve in transporting him every time he even laid eyes on the into the presence of the real-life versions hat. And when his lips touched the of his furry friends. We quickly made lukewarm water? Howls of lamentation. plans for our first family trip to the zoo. He cried when we got too close to the I had taken him once when he was an birds. He cried when we got too close infant, during the blissful days of early to the elephants. He cried when a parenthood, when all I had to do was giraffe sneezed while we were taking alternate between bottles and pacifiers a family picture. (Seriously, kid? I get to keep the peace. That trip went so
Family’s First Zoo Day
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your snot on me every day and you don’t see me shedding any tears.) There’s nothing like a public outing—where you are surrounded by hundreds of normal, happy families with normal, happy children—to test your fortitude as a parent. af Carrie Taylor is a native Texan and mother of one.
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