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NOVEMBER 2016
smart parenting • healthy homes
Serving Austin’s Families Since 1992
9 Tips for Surviving Bed Rest Get Your Sleep Back on Track!
Does Birth Order Affect Personality? The Andrews Family Finds Hometown Hope and Help
CONTEST 2017
ARTÍCULOS EN ESPAÑOL
INSIDE!
HOLIDAY CAMP GUIDE & FAMILY FUN GUIDE • CALENDAR
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Peace Begins Here 24 hour christmas music starting november 25
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Nyle Maxwell
of Dealerships
SATURDAY, DECEMBER10 10am–4pm
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“Real Snow” Activities • Giant Slides Train Rides • Interactive Holiday Booths Blue Santa Donation Station • Live Music Inflatables & Rides • Concessions & APPEARANCES BY SANTA CLAUS!
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NOVEMBER 2016
smart parenting • healthy homes
12
It’s All About Birth Order, Baby!
18
Treating the Most Vulnerable
20
9 Tips for Surviving Bed Rest
columns
calendar
en español
14 Family Connections
34 Museum Exhibits 34 Family Events 39 Parenting Events 40 Story Times
33 Asuntos Familiares
Counting Electric Sheep
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The Learning Curve Discussing Politics With Your Child
26 Ten Things…
Spring Forward, Fall Back: Make Sure Your Child Gets Enough Sleep
30 Family Matters
Holiday Guests Cook Up Drama in the Kitchen
44 Remembering My Roots Day of the Dead
48 Just for Grins
The Actual Stages of Pregnancy
follow us tune in
45 Piensa Positivo
El Verdadero Significado del Enojo
45 Recordando Mis Raíces
For Tongue Twister Day!
28 Lifelines
Las Comidas en Familia Traen Drama en la Cocina
in every issue 7
El Día de los Muertos
FILM REVIEWS
Play It Safe Product recalls
by Jack Kyser
8 Around Austin 47 Kidzone
Express Your Gratitude
Get the scoop from our resident film critic, Jack Kyser! Read Jack’s reviews at austinfamily.com/category/films. This month’s review:
“Loving”
extras 24 Holiday Camps and Family Fun Guide
36 Cover Kids Contest 43 Focus on Doctors
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.
On the Cover Andre is 4 years old and a Cover Kids Contest winner from our 2016 contest. Cover photographed by Renee Creations
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austinfamily November 2016
BY SHERIDA MOCK
Volume 24, No. 8
PUBLISHER
Kaye K. Lowak
O
ne of the best parts of my job as editor is getting to meet the many varied people who make Austin their home. Every month, I am honored to bring you local stories that reflect the vibrant tapestry of our city, from barbecuing grill masters to entertaining performers to spelling bee champs. Often, there are stories of challenge and adversity, including those of families facing tremendous obstacles.
This is one of those months. Pam and Chris Andrews have one of those families. As you’ll read in our Q&A this month, the Andrews family is wrestling an exceedingly rare genetic disease called Niemann-Pick Type C1. It’s an insidious condition, and no parent should have to watch their child fight it. Pam and Chris are finding the strength to move mountains. And the people of Austin are saying what they say so well: “You’re moving a mountain? Pass me a shovel.” It’s inspiring, humbling and ultimately beautiful to behold, especially in this season of Thanksgiving. So here’s to helping each other, hugging our kids and giving thanks.
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, Carrie Taylor, Brenda Schoolfield, Rocio Barbosa, Margaret Nicklas, Laura Lyles Reagan, Sarah Lyons
TRANSLATION TEAM
Maribel Ruvalcaba, Margo Vogelpohl
ART DIRECTOR
Designer: Mary Lingle nr2003@austinfamily.com
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Renee Creations
ADVERTISING SALES
Kaye K. Lowak: kaye2003@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:
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 Pacifier Clips, Infant Carriers and Clothes Washers Toys “R” Us is recalling about 53,000 pacifier clips because the clip’s spring mechanism can break and release small parts, posing a choking hazard. The recall involves Babies “R” Us brand pacifier clips sold in an assortment of six colors and character designs, including a red monster, blue monster, monkey, giraffe, owl with one eye closed and an owl with both eyes open. Affected units were sold at Babies “R” Us and Toys “R” Us stores nationwide between March 2015 and April 2016 for about $4. Consumers should immediately take the recalled pacifier clips from babies and return the product to Babies “R” Us or Toys “R” Us for a refund. Lenny Lamb is recalling about 900 infant carriers because the internal stitching on the carrier is missing, posing a fall hazard to children. The recall involves Buckle Onbu infant carriers designed to strap the baby against the caregiver’s body at the hip. It is intended for children who can already sit unassisted. It is most commonly used for back carry. Affected units were sold at 5 Minute Recess, Ashley Hesch Bibetts, Lenny Lamb, Savanna Brown and other online retailers between May 2016 and June 2016 for about $90. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled carrier and contact Lenny Lamb to receive a full refund or a free replacement carrier.
e h t n i e B s a x e T f heart o ns Exhibitio s Program
ilms IMAX & F Store
GE Appliances is recalling about 222,000 top-loading clothes washers because an electrical component in the washers can overheat, posing a fire hazard. The recall involves three models of GE Profile high-efficiency top-loading clothes washers with model numbers WPGT9350, WPGT9360 and WPGT9150. Affected units were sold at Best Buy, Lowe’s, Sears, The Home Depot and other stores nationwide between June 2003 and October 2011 for between $900 and $1,400. Consumers should immediately unplug and stop using the recalled washers and contact GE Appliances for a free repair.
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
Support for the Bullock Museum’s exhibitions and education programs provided by the Texas State History Museum Foundation.
of consumer products.
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GO TO WWW.AUSTINFAMILY.COM FOR WEEKLY UPDATES OF AROUND AUSTIN NEWS and 100 exhibitors in and around the State Capitol. For more information, visit texasbookfestival.org.
A Christmas Affair The Junior League of Austin presents its annual A Christmas Affair event at Palmer Events Center, Nov. 16-20. This year’s event features more than 200 merchants from across the country. The four-day holiday market opens to the public Thursday, Nov. 17 and runs until Sunday, Nov. 20. The Junior League of Austin expects more than 20,000 people to attend A Christmas Affair this year, an event that is supported by over 1,000 League volunteers. Every ticket purchased The Texas Book Festival takes place helps the organization provide essential Nov. 5 and 6 on the grounds of the funding and volunteer hours to proTexas State Capitol and along Congress Avenue Award-winning authors in grams such as Coats for Kids, FIT- Food in the lineup include Don DeLillo, Diana Tummies and more than 30 other local Kennedy, Thomas Dolby, Padma Lakshmi community non-profits. and R.L. Stine. More than 280 writers— including chefs, actors, YouTube-stars In addition to holiday shopping during and more—are part of the lineup. market days, A Christmas Affair events include a brunch, girls’ night out, “We are hosting some big marquee lunch events, breakfast with Santa names this year, and it’s exciting to see and date night. Tickets are required for the trend of prominent artists—actors, each event. comedians, performance artists—writing books,” says Lois Kim, the Festival’s Tickets for market days are $15 per executive director. “But one of the best person, which includes free parking and things about our deep and diverse shuttle service to and from additional lineup is the opportunity for discovery. There is so much talent in this list, and we can’t wait for people to dive in and find their next favorite author.”
Texas Book Festival
One of the nation’s premier literary events and longest-running book festivals in the country, the Texas Book Festival is free and open to the public. The Festival brings more than 40,000 attendees, live music, kids’ activities, food trucks, book signings and sales,
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Shoppers snap a selfie during market days at The Junior League’s A Christmas Affair.
Must -Do This Month Vote! Election Day is Nov. 8.
Honor a veteran on Nov. 11, Veterans Day.
Get some rest. It’s National Sleep Comfort Month.
parking at Barton Creek Mall. Tickets for all events and market day shopping passes are available at jlaustin.org.
College Admissions Guide Fair Opportunity Project, comprised of college students from Harvard, Stanford and Yale have created a college admissions and financial aid guide being sent to every public high school in America. Attempting to level the college application playing field, Fair Opportunity Project’s mission is to get every student the best college admittance information available, regardless of background. The guide is free. Fair Opportunity Project received input from college students, high school
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guidance counselors and top college admissions offices across the nation. “Fair Opportunity Project gets to the heart of one of the most pervasive inequities in our education system: college access,” says Katherine K. Merseth, senior lecturer at Harvard University and founder of Harvard Teacher Fellows. The 60+ page guide covers the nuances of what matters in a college application, how to prepare for standardized testing, how to apply to financial aid, how to prepare for interviews and more.
The guide is in PDF format and can be accessed at fairopportunityproject.com.
Green School Awards Eastside Memorial High School in Austin ISD was named the 2016 Zero-Waste Champions by Keep Austin Beautiful, in partnership with the Bleed Orange Live Green initiative and Austin Resource Recovery. Each year, the award recognizes a local Austin school for outstanding efforts to reduce waste. The school is also being recognized as the first high school in Texas to be awarded the Eco-Schools USA Green Flag from
By the Numbers
243
million
Number of turkeys raised in the US this year Source: USDA
$49.41
Cost of the average Thanksgiving dinner for 10 people Source: American Farm Bureau Federation
Start Early. Start Right. Challenger School offers uniquely fun and academic classes for preschool to eighth grade students. Our students learn to think for themselves and to value independence. The results are unmatched at any price! Come see for yourself. Observe our classrooms any time—no appointment needed. Round Rock 1521 Joyce Lane (512) 255-8844 Avery Ranch 15101 Avery Ranch Boulevard (512) 341-8000 Pond Springs 13015 Pond Springs Road (512) 258-1299
91%
Percentage of Thanksgiving trips made by car Source: Nationwide
Inspiring Children to Achieve Since 1963
An independent private school offering preschool through eighth grade © 2015, Challenger Schools private • Challenger School admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin. An independent school offering preschool through eighth grade © 2016, Challenger Schools • Challenger School admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin.
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the National Wildlife Federation and is a Bright Green Futures grant recipient. “Schools like Eastside Memorial are paving the road to zero waste and fostering the next generation of environmental leaders,” says Keep Austin Beautiful Executive Director Rodney Ahart. During the 2015-16 school year, Keep Austin Beautiful delivered the Generation Zero program, in which environmental
Students at Eastside Memorial High School celebrate the school’s recent honors and awards in recycling. Photo courtesy of Keep Austin Beautiful.
systems students learned about the economic aspects of resource management and the benefits of becoming zero waste. The school’s staff and students conducted a school-wide, bilingual recycling education campaign. Construction technology students built 3D display boards about what is considered recyclable. Occupational prep students maintained recycling bins in classrooms. Teachers worked with AISD and Austin Resource Recovery to provide more bins and introduce compost pickup at the school. Thanks to the Bleed Orange Live Green partnership, the school received a $500 cash prize and 22 tickets for students and their chaperones to attend the UT vs. Iowa State football game on Oct. 15. The guests enjoyed pre-game festivities and were recognized on the field during the game. For more information, visit keepaustinbeautiful.org.
Corporal Punishment Study In parts of the US, corporal punishment in schools is used as much as 50 percent more frequently on children who are African American or who have disabilities, a new analysis has found. Corporal punishment—typically striking a child with a wooden paddle—continues to be a widespread practice in disciplining children from pre-K through high school, according to a new study by Elizabeth Gershoff of UT Austin and Sarah Font of Penn State University. The new report analyzes data gathered by the Office of Civil Rights of the US Department of Education from all 36,942 public schools in the 19 states where school corporal punishment is legal. The study found that there are widespread disparities in the administration of corporal punishment by race, gender and disability status. Some of the study’s findings include:
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In Alabama and Mississippi, African American children are at least 51 percent more likely to be corporally punished than white children in over half of school districts. In eight states, boys are five times as likely to receive corporal punishment as girls are in at least 20 percent of school districts. Children with disabilities are more than 50 percent more likely to be corporally punished than their nondisabled peers in many southeastern states. The Supreme Court ruled in 1977 that school corporal punishment was constitutional. At that time, only a few states had banned corporal punishment in public schools. Today, 31 states ban it from public schools. “Dozens of research studies have confirmed that corporal punishment does not promote better behavior in children,” says Gershoff. “A recent international study found that children subjected to school corporal punishment had lower gains in academic achievement over time.” The paper was published in October by the Society for Research in Child Development.
Robotics Team The robotics team at St. Gabriel’s Catholic School recently visited ARM, Inc., to present the team’s work. “The team learned that it takes passion and vision to make these programs available for their enjoyment and that, without many area volunteers, there wouldn’t be so many great events for them to attend,” says Mike Scallon, the team sponsor. The robotics team consists of nine students: three 8th graders and six 7th graders. It is one of the few middle school teams in the Austin Metro area.
The robotics team at St. Gabriel’s Catholic School visits ARM, Inc.
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IT’S ALL ABOUT BIRTH ORDER, BABY! A great deal has been written about birth order theory over the years. How should the data affect our parenting? by Laura Lyles Reagan
THE ACHIEVER, THE PEACEMAKER AND THE LIFE OF THE PARTY Parenting expert Dr. Gail Gross summarizes the existing roles and research on birth order by naming the first born as the Achiever, the middle child as the Peacemaker and the youngest child as the Life of the Party. While the eldest child is programmed for excellence and achievement, the middle child is raised to be understanding and conciliatory and the baby seeks attention. Only children relate to the personality traits of the Achiever and the Life of the Party. Personality traits may be clustered in the following ways as a result of birth order. Firstborns: Achievers • Reliable • Conscientious • Structured • Cautious • Controlling Middle Children: Peacemakers • People-pleasers
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• Somewhat rebellious • Thrive on friendships • Have large social circle Last Child: The Life of the Party • Fun-loving • Uncomplicated • Manipulative • Outgoing • Attention-seeker Some researchers state that birth order can be as powerful a variable in personality development as gender. It returns us to the old nurture vs. nature argument. Ultimately, we are different parents to different children, in part due to their birth order. BIRTH ORDER + PARENTING = BEHAVIOR Meri Wallace, author of Birth Order Blues (Owl Books), states that “birth order has to do with the way the parent relates to the child in his spot, and some of it actually happens because of the spot itself. Each spot has unique challenges.”
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Inexperienced, new parents might take a parenting approach with their firstborn that utilizes instinct and trialand-error. Perhaps this will cause the parents to consult parenting books, be extremely attentive and be rigid about how they enforce “the rules.” This approach might cause the child to develop perfectionist tendencies. In contrast, that same couple might raise their second-born with less rigidity, due their experiences raising their firstborn. They might also be less attentive to the second-born, because there’s another child competing for attention. This might cause the second-born to be less of a perfectionist and more relaxed, but more likely to compete negatively for attention. It is not so much that the child came out of his mother’s womb first that caused him to be a leader. Rather, it’s the fact that his parents treated him as their firstborn child that shaped his attitude and behavior. BLENDED FAMILIES In the case of divorce, remarriage and the melding of stepchildren, Dr. Kevin
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Leman, a psychologist who has studied birth order since 1967 and author of The Birth Order Book: Why You Are the Way You Are (Revell), says blended families don’t summarily fit the traditional structure. Firstborn children who used to be the leader of the pack may find themselves unceremoniously thrown off the top of the hill by an older stepsibling, and the youngest of the family may suddenly have to deal with all the attention on the new baby. Despite a child’s new position in a blended family hierarchy, he will not tailor his existing personality to his new position unless he is still in infancy. Many psychologists agree that personality develops tremendously during the first few years of life during the bonding stages.
Give Them An EDUCATION They’ll Carry FOREVER.
THE SOCIOLOGY OF BIRTH ORDER While we might be tempted to think similarities or differences among siblings are the result of inborn personality traits or birth order, Dalton Conley’s book The Pecking Order (Random House) reminds us that families are affected by social forces. These forces in turn shape children’s identities and opportunities. In other words, even though we grow up in the same families, events like economic changes, illness and death affect us differently based on our age and gender. Conley used census data, the Panel Study of Income Dynamics and the General Social Survey as well as in-depth interviews with siblings to arrive at his findings on birth order. He found that generally, the wealthier a family, the better able they are to protect children during difficult times. All children struggle when a parent dies, becomes ill or loses a job, but those with larger financial savings have more resources to cope. Children might attend therapy, or those that develop behavioral problems can be sent to special schools. Lower income families might need children to pitch in with household chores or jobs instead of pursuing extracurricular interests or higher education. A child in pain who acts out might find herself in trouble with the law instead of in therapy. Remarriage after a death or divorce might benefit children, in some circumstances. This might not be surprising, but some other findings are. Social psychology research and popular wisdom tell us that middle children are long suffering, but Conley’s research findings teach us that this is usually only the case in large families with fewer resources to go around. Birth order theories are more complicated than assumed at first glance, because they are affected by forces outside the family as well as within the family. The real issue is: how do these forces affect how we parent? Being conscious of our own behavior as parents and how it affects our parenting will help us honor the individual journeys, personalities and choices of each of our children. Isn’t that the very purpose of parenting? af Laura Lyles Reagan, M.S., is a parenting journalist, parenting coach and family sociologist.
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Consider Catholic Education at a School in Your Area: Elementary/Middle Schools
Cathedral School of Saint Mary • Holy Family Catholic School St. Austin Catholic School • St. Gabriel’s Catholic School St. Helen Catholic School, Georgetown St. Ignatius Martyr Catholic School St. Louis Catholic School St. Theresa’s Catholic School Santa Cruz Catholic School, Buda St. Mary’s Catholic School, Taylor High Schools
St. Dominic Savio Catholic High School St. Michael’s Catholic Academy San Juan Diego Catholic High School
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BY RICHARD SINGLETON
We Find Technology That Tracks Your Sleep
According to the National Sleep Foundation and the associated Sleep.org, the science of sleep is a relatively new arena of research. Groggy no more, the emerging research is now wide-awake with provocative, insightful and informative data. I don’t sleep well. Anything over 5 hours is rare for me. Most mornings I’m up by 4:00 a.m. That’s great for quiet time and getting a head start on the day’s work, but bad for my brain and body. Until recently, I didn’t know just how bad. Imagine my shock when I saw this headline: “Lack of Sleep as Bad as Smoking.” Yikes! Nancy H. Rothstein fancies herself The Sleep Ambassador. Her website tagline says it all: Sleep Well. Live Well. Rothstein provides consultation, training, courses and more on sleep. The fact that we have a cottage industry emerging on something as basic as
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sleep is so interesting—maybe even a little depressing. Of course, we all have different sleep needs, but suffice it to say that we likely aren’t getting enough shut-eye. The scholars say so too. The Harvard Medical School notes that 1 in 4 workers has insomnia. So if your work friends seem to be slurping more and more caffeine, it’s likely because they’re having less and less circadian success. Like so many of our modern challenges, there seems to be a technology that promises hope. One has to be a bit skeptical. Too much screen time is part of the problem, after all. Heather Hatfield, writing for WebMD.com, says it plainly: “The No. 1 way to get better sleep: Turn off the technology...” But, maybe there are some tech tools that we can power on for learning to power down.
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Into the sleepy-eyed maelstrom of sleep deprivation comes the calming promise of sleep tracking resources. From the relatively subtle to the ridiculously sublime, there’s an array of options. Let’s browse a few of them together (assuming we can stay awake). We’ve all grown accustomed to seeing the ubiquitous wrist-adorning fitness trackers. Fitbit, Jawbone, Apple Watch and their competitors all want to wrap their charms around you. They promise so much. Do they deliver? NoSleeplessNights.com ranked the top 10 sleep trackers of 2016. Number one of that list was the Fitbit Blaze (which is ironic when you think of the smoking analogy that we’ve heard from the medical community, but I digress). What gets you a #1 rating among snooze tracking? Build quality was important to the reviewers, as was accuracy and ease of use. The ability to track various stages of sleep was
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“Fitbit, Jawbone, Apple Watch and their competitors all want to wrap their charms around you. They promise so much. Do they deliver?”
vital, as well as also being a fully-functioning smart watch and fitness tracker. Just a couple of negatives were listed for the Blaze: no GPS and lack of waterproofing. The Jawbone UP3 was
neck-and-neck in the ratings, providing great battery life, a trendy bracelet design and tremendous accuracy. But what if you want to take your sleep game to a whole new level, moving it off your wrist and into a permanent place your bedroom? For those wanting more than subtle sleep tech, there are the more imposing options, some looking more like sublime art than smart tech. Among these are Sense, Beddit and the nocturnal name king: Withings Aura Smart Sleep System. You might just go to sleep counting the number of words in the name. Sorry, sheep! You’ll have to explore the details of each of these, but the gist is this: like your car, your phone and your watch, your bed is about to get a high-tech makeover. There are monitoring systems built into some beds, and there are add-ons that can transform your mattress into a space-age sleep tracking magic carpet ride. The Withings device, for example, looks like
something from the future. And, some reviewers argue it needs a time traveler to explain how to use it. Others swear by the Beddit device, it’s ease of use and robust app. As with so much other tech, it will depend on just how invested you are in the details. Some will want easy; others will want extravagant. You’ll need to explore what level of tech you’re willing to digest. From caves to savannas, from piles of straw to palatial suites, humans have been finding ways to sleep easy for eons. The promise of modern technology was that there would be less work and more freedom for rest and relaxation. That promise has largely gone unfulfilled. Perhaps this new wave of technology will help us get back to a better rhythm of rest. And, yes, of course, I do know that’s what they said about waterbeds too! af Richard Singleton, MACE, MAMFC, LPC, is the executive director at STARRY in Round Rock.
IT’S NIGHT AND DAY AFTER BRAIN BALANCE
As we went through our first month, huge things started to happen. Focus and grades have improved. The results gave us light at the end of the tunnel.” - ANGIE and DAVID S., Brain Balance Parents BRAIN BALANCE ADDRESSES: • Academic, Social or Behavioral Issues • Processing Disorders • Lack of Focus • Trouble Making Friends • Tantrums
Learn more at
BrainBalance.com
512-328-7771
Call for a free consultation.
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• Impulsiveness • Learning Disabilities • Sensory Integration • Family/Social Relationships • ADHD
Brain Balance is a non-medical approach combining physical and sensory exercises with academic skill training and healthy nutrition. We identify the issues, then create a plan that addresses your child’s specific needs. Individual results may vary. Our advertising features actual parent testimonials.
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BY MARGARET NICKLAS
DISCUSSING
POLITICS
WITH YOUR
CHILD
Begin With What It Means to You
On November 8, voters will cast their ballots to decide who will be our next president. It’s a big moment for the nation and a great opportunity to share a bit of history with your child, as we all witness our democracy in action. Even so, with the intensity that has characterized this presidential race, you may find it challenging to answer questions or provide context for ideas your child has gathered from friends, news sources or social media. Or you may be wondering how to explain difficult issues or extreme rhetoric. While much depends on the specifics of your child’s age, curiosity level and sensitivity, here are some ways to approach the subject of politics with your child that can help him or her build a positive and productive outlook on this important aspect of modern life.
Connect Politics to Everyday Life The word “politics” has roots in ancient Greek ideas of governance and refers to cities or communities and decisions affecting those who live in them. You can help your child appreciate
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why politics matter by pointing out decisions made through political processes that have an impact on him or her. Does your family see construction occurring on roads, at parks or in schools in your neighborhood? Chances are, elected officials have helped create and approve these projects, funded directly by tax dollars or through bond elections, which makes them great examples of what politics means to you. School district requirements, tax policies, traffic laws and regulations over prescription drugs and healthcare services are just a few more examples of ways in which politics can hit home.
care about and consider appropriate for your child. Discuss selected current events at the dinner table. Read articles together and listen to news coverage you trust when you drive. News sources like Time for Kids, HTE Kids News and
Actions taken by elected representatives and other government officials generally have supporters and opponents. As you discuss examples of how political decisions have affected or could affect your family, take the opportunity to explore their costs and benefits as well as their associated “winners and losers.”
Cultivate Curiosity and Facilitate Learning Sharing your thoughts on political matters at home can de-mystify them and allow for your child’s gradual engagement over time. It also allows you to steer discussions towards topics you
November 2016 l austinfamily.com
Scholastic News Kids Press Corps provide kid-friendly options. When you vote, share your thinking on the choices you make. Ask your child how he or she would have voted and why.
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When discussion leads to questions you can’t answer, researching facts and concepts with your child sets a great example for life-long learning. The Internet has endless resources that can help you there, but two great sites— kids.usa.gov and gws.ala.org (Great Websites for Kids)—are places to start. An interactive site—icivics.org—lets kids try on different roles in civic life. Votesmart. org provides information on elections. Online sources and news programs aside, there are dozens of books your child can enjoy about famous political figures, events and processes. Here are just a few my local youth librarian shared with me:
Civic Life, has worked with thousands of middle and high school students since 2005, in the hopes that this type of early civic engagement will fuel greater democratic participation later in life. “Our democracy depends on citizens to be informed and engaged participants,” says Susan Nold, the institute’s director. “Without it, the system is not sustainable.” af Margaret Nicklas is an Austin-based freelance journalist, writer and mom who covers public affairs, public health and the well-being of children.
• One Vote, Two Votes, I Vote, You Vote by Bonnie Worth • Lillian’s Right to Vote by Jonah Winter • John, Paul, George & Ben by Lane Smith
• Madam President by Catherine Thimmesh • Americapedia by Jodi Lynn Anderson • Kid President’s Guide to Being Awesome by Brad Montague
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Treating the Most Vulnerable: Local Hospital Aids Family in a Big Way
by Sherida Mock
Clockwise from top left: Chris, Pam, Belle and Abby Andrews. Photo by Lyndsay Stradtner at Life in Motion Photography.
A
few years ago, Pam and Chris Andrews had a lively 3-year-old girl, another on the way and little knowledge of the intricacies of rare, genetic diseases. All that was about to change.
At first, Pam noticed Belle’s tendency to trip and fall, so she enrolled Belle in occupational therapy. The therapist detected a slight speech problem, so Pam added speech therapy to the schedule. Belle’s preschool suggested she might have hip dysplasia, so Pam consulted a pediatric orthopedist, who ruled out that condition, but recommended a neurologist. The chain of specialists continued: nephrologist, endocrinologist, oncologist. For a time, all this activity seemed unnecessary to Chris. “Belle’s problems were very subtle and gradual,” he says. “A lot of parents would not have even been concerned. But Pam really stayed on this.” After years of doctor visits, therapy, tests and blind alleys, a genetic test changed everything. The diagnosis: Belle has Niemann-Pick Disease Type C1 (NPC1), a genetic mutation that means her body can’t metabolize cholesterol
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properly. It’s rare—affecting only about 500 people in the world—and fatal. With determination, Pam and Chris promptly sought information and treatment, including Belle’s participation in a clinical trial of a drug called VTS-270 by Vtesse. It means that every two weeks, the whole family flies to Chicago. Enter Dell Children’s Medical Center. At the urging of Pam and a group of friends, the organization is working with Vtesse to set up a clinical trial site in Austin, which may begin as soon as the week of Thanksgiving. This will mean less travel for Belle and other children in this part of the country—including Belle’s little sister Abby, who was also recently diagnosed with NPC1. Pam and Chris recently took time to tell us about their complicated, exhausting and emotional journey. AF: Tell us about your daughters. Pam: Belle is 6 years old, and Abby is 2. Belle is a real softy. She loves social activity. She loves to paint and draw and do art projects.
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Chris: She’s that kid that, if you give her a big cookie and a small one, she’s going to give the big one to her friend. Pam: Abby is … the opposite [laughs]. She’s mischievous, climbing on furniture, taking Belle’s clothes and hiding them. Chris: She’s spirited. AF: When did you first notice symptoms in Belle? Pam: In gymnastics class, between age 2 and 3, she kept up with her peers. Between 3 and 4, she started to trip and fall a lot. AF: How hard was it to get a diagnosis? Chris: There were multiple visits. This is a very common story with NPC. It’s what Dr. Denny Porter at the National Institutes of Health [NIH] calls “the diagnostic odyssey” because it’s so hard to diagnose. Pam: Both girls went in for their well child visits in March 2015, when Belle was turning 5 and Abby was almost 1. Our original pediatrician was not in the office that day, so we had his backup. When she felt Belle’s spleen, she looked
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Pam: The other families said, “You need to be on some version of cyclodextrin.” So we started looking, and we made the very methodical decision to go into the Vtesse trial. Chris: Essentially, VTS-270 binds with cholesterol and removes it from the body. It’s not a cure, and it’s experimental. It has to be injected into the spinal fluid at the base of the spine. AF: So you travel to Chicago every 2 weeks? Chris: It’s very stressful; it’s very fast-paced. The travel actually has an effect on the progression of the disease.
Belle Andrews “perseveres and pushes forward,” says Pam.
at me and said, “Has it always been like this?” And I said, “Yeah, ever since she was born. You know, we have a physical therapist, and she suggested we get genetic testing.” She said, “I absolutely think you need to do that.”
Pam: The way Belle perseveres and pushes forward and walks through the O’Hare airport, it would break your heart. She has an awkward gait. She tires easily. I don’t want any more added stress on her body that’s going to make her decline any faster.
It took about 6 months to get an appointment. Dr. James Gibson [a geneticist] did a whole exome sequence (WES) the day before Thanksgiving, and they told me they would call in 5 to 6 months. On March 9, 2016, his assistant called and said, “Mrs. Andrews, the test is back and the doctor has cleared his calendar for tomorrow morning.” So we didn’t sleep that night. Chris: Essentially, Dr. Gibson explained to us, cholesterol accumulates around the major organs. The first real sign of it is accumulation in the brain. This accumulation causes neurological decline, which looks a lot like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and ALS. Eventually, patients lose the ability to eat, walk, talk, hear. Pam: He said she would live to between the ages of 12 and 20. And he said, “Your other daughter has a 25 percent chance of having this. We need to get her tested immediately.” Chris: Pretty much the most hopeless I’ve ever felt in my entire life was that 30-minute drive home from Dell Children’s. But within 24 hours of our diagnosis, we received phone calls from families in the NPC community.
“We are so incredibly grateful.” –Chris Andrews
Chris: We are so incredibly grateful. Dr. Gibson, who had no obligation to be in this trial, has really stepped up to the plate. And just as easily as Dell could have said, “We’re not interested in a clinical trial,” Vtesse could have said, “We’re not interested in putting anything in Austin.” Pam: There are two people for sure that I’m grateful for: Dr. Amy White, the girls’ pediatrician, and Dr. Mary Elizabeth Parker, our physical therapist. They were pushing us to get genetic testing. I’m most grateful to Seton Healthcare Family and Dell Children’s. They have the vision of treating the most vulnerable in Central Texas, and they are proving that with everything they’re doing. We will find a cure. Some days are better than others, but I have a very strong conviction and belief—especially in my 2 year old—that she’s going to be just fine. I believe that my 6 year old is going to live. I don’t know what her normal is going to be, because her disease is a little bit more progressed. But I know that she’s going to be a happy person and that she’s going to live a good life. af
“Abby Andrews is spirited,” says Chris.
AF: And you asked Dell Children’s to help you get treatment closer to home. How did that happen? Pam: My mom and friends were helping out immediately. They created a GoFundMe page and a Facebook page called Saving Belle and Abby. My mom made a call to somebody she knew at Dell Children’s, and they called me and said, “You don’t have to worry. We’re going to do the trial for you.” I just burst into tears on the phone.
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Abby (left) and Belle Andrews. Photo by Lyndsay Stradtner at Life in Motion Photography.
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9
Tips for Surviving Bed Rest by Sarah Lyons
For a busy mom, lying in bed and relaxing may sound appealing, but a mom who has experienced bed rest will tell you it is not all she had dreamed it would be. I spent five weeks on bed rest prior to the birth of our triplets and it was an emotionally exhausting and humbling experience. If you happen to find yourself in the same situation, here are some tips for surviving bed rest.
1
Keep Your Focus
that day. Take pictures to document the pregnancy. After the birth, you will have a record to look back on.
3
Keep Entertained
Many hospitals are equipped with free wi-fi for patients to use. This comes in extra handy while on bed rest. Catch up on your TV shows, read books or magazines, watch movies, do some Internet shopping, play games on your phone or tablet, scroll through Facebook or Pinterest, and research the best car seat for your baby. Utilize any form of entertainment to pass the time.
There are many reasons a mom will be put on bed rest, but most often it is 4 Keep Resting because of the risk of preterm labor. Focus on the goal, which is allowing Inevitably, some well-wisher will say it: your baby to grow as long as possible. Reminding yourself of this will help keep “Enjoy sleeping now, because when the baby comes you will wish you you going each day. could sleep more.” That’s very hard for most moms to hear when they 2 Keep a Record are forced into bed rest. However, it’s a common saying because it’s Many moms find that writing in a journal or starting a blog is therapeutic. Re- true. Rest is best for the baby and the cord your thoughts and feelings about mom. Try to make the most of it while pregnancy, as well as what is going on you can.
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5
Keep Comfortable
Create a comfortable space wherever you are resting. At home, keep snacks, water, books and other items close at hand so you don’t have to be up and about during the day. Bring the comforts from home to the hospital. Items like blankets and pillows, pictures of family and any favorites that make you feel more comfortable will ease the time you spend at the hospital.
6
Keep Busy
This is the time to catch up on the things you never have time to do. Try beauty maintenance, such as painting your fingernails or plucking your eyebrows. Teach yourself a new skill like learning to knit or crochet using free tutorial videos online. Finish the thank you cards from your baby shower. Do anything to pass the time.
7
Keep a Routine
Wake up at approximately the same time daily, shower, get dressed, eat
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“Inevitably, some well-wisher will say it: ‘Enjoy sleeping now, because when the baby comes you will wish you could sleep more.’”
meals at the same times and do basically the same activities each day. Keeping a simple daily routine will help time pass and help create a sense of normalcy. If you are working, get a laptop and keep up with your work from your home or the hospital bed.
8
Keep a Positive Perspective
It is hard not to get down when you see the same four walls day in and day out, sometimes for weeks on end. Keep telling yourself, “You can do it!” Take each day as it comes, and keep pushing yourself forward until your goal. Remind yourself this is temporary and will be worth it when you hold your baby in your arms. Someday this will all be a distant memory.
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Keep a Support System
A strong support system is key to surviving bed rest. Encourage friends and family to visit as much as possible. Having people around to talk to does wonders to raise spirits for a mom on bed rest. If family and friends offer to help by bringing meals, caring for older children or doing housework, accept the help. The main thing to remember while on bed rest is that it will end. Take one day at a time, and try to remain positive. Soon enough, you will be holding your baby in your arms. af Sarah Lyons survived five weeks on bed rest prior to the birth of her triplets in 2014.
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ANNIE
Fa m i l y Fu n G u i d e
Nov. 25-26 Leapin’ lizards! The world’s best-loved musical returns in time-honored form. The Long Center 701 W. Riverside Dr. thelongcenter.org 512-474-5644
BULLOCK STATE HISTORY MUSEUM
Visit the museum for exhibits to include Texas History, Flags, Butterfly Project and more. Or see the film, The Star of Destiny. Downtown Austin www.thestoryoftexas.com 512-936-8746
CINDERELLA
Christmas Music Service Dec. 2, 6:30 p.m. Candlelight, a light meal and music provided by gifted church instrumentalists and vocalists. Christmas Eve Candlelight Service Dec. 24 6 p.m. Downtown Austin www.fbcaustin.org
THE JUNIOR LEAGUE CHRISTMAS AFFAIR MERRY AND BRIGHT
HARRY POTTERY PARTY
LONE STAR CHRISTMAS @ THE GAYLORD
Nov. 11 Pizza and magical projects. Make the perfect holiday gift. Westgate, Triangle, San Marcos 512-892-3200, 512-906-2200, 512-805-2800 www.cafemonet.org
Dec. 6 - 11 Broadway in Austin presents Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Tony-award winning musical. Bass Concert Hall 2350 Robert Dedman Dr. www.texasperformingarts.org 512-471-1444
HOLIDAY BAZAAR ARTS & CRAFTS SHOW
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH CHRISTMAS EVENTS
HOLIDAY BY THE TRACKS
Christmas Fair Dec. 4, 4 p.m Children and their families are invited to share in crafts, treats, music and to hear the Christmas story. Fair Trade Market Dec. 4, 12-1:30 p.m. Select gifts from a variety of fair trade vendors. Cantamos Dec. 14, 6 p.m. Free women’s ensemble concert. Dinner beginning at 5:30 p.m. ($6 adults, $3 children).
Nov. 12, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. A variety of vendors will be present for you to start shopping for unique and handcrafted items. Clay Madsen Rec Center, Round Rock www.roundrocktexas.gov Dec. 3 Arts and crafts, parade, farmers market, Christmas tree farm and Santa. Downtown Elgin www.elgintx.com
HOLIDAY DROP AND SHOP BY TINKER TEACHERS
Dec. 17, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Need to go holiday shopping? Bring the kids for holiday maker craft, tinker take apart, wellness workshop, pizza and more. 5701 Cameron Rd., Austin www.tinkerteachers.com
ICE SKATING AT CHAPARRAL ICE CENTER
Ice skate and experience real Christmas magic. Check website for public session hours. $10 for skate rental and admission. Northcross Mall www.chaparralice.com
Nov. 16 - 20 Frozen Winter Wonderland, Sleigh Bell Breakfast, Candyland Christmas, Santa’s Enchanted Forest and shopping with fantastic vendors from all over. Palmer Events Center www.jlaustin.org
Nov. 10 – Jan. 1 2 million twinkle lights, 2 million pounds of hand-carved ice, gingerbread decorating corner, ice skating and more. www.christmasatgaylordtexan.com Grapevine 817-778-1000
PLAYLAND SKATE
Check website for hours and lessons. An impressive light show, fog machine and state of the art sound system. North Austin www.playlandskatecenter.net 512-452-1901
REINDEER RUN 5K AND FUN RUN
Nov. 27, 4 p.m. Run or walk through the incredible Rock’N Lights Holiday Light Tour, a 2 million light, 1 1/2 mile must-see event of the season. Old Settlers Park Roundrock www.5r5k.org
the kids for a FREE photo with Santa overlooking the best view in Austin! The Long Center www.thelongcenter.org 512-474-5664
SANTA’S COMING TO TOWN AT MT. PLAYMORE Dec. 15, 4 – 8 p.m. Dec. 16, 2 – 6 p.m. Dec. 17, 2 – 8 p.m. Open until 5 p.m. Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Closed Christmas and Thanksgiving days. Party rooms, private parties, fund raisers and group rates. North Austin www.mtplaymore.com 512-989-8886
TEX-ARTS PRODUCTION OF THE NUTCRACKER Dec. 10 - 11, 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. $15 Bring the whole family and be swept off your feet as 44 young dancers bring this glorious holiday favorite to life. Join Clara at a festive party and watch in delight as the Sugar Plum Fairy hosts a dazzling array of dances in the enchanting Land of Sweets. Gloria Delgado Theatre @ St. Michael’s Academy www.tex-arts.org 512-861-0069
ROCK’N LIGHTS HOLIDAY LIGHT TOUR & CHRISTMAS TOWNE
Nov. 28 - Dec. 15: Sunday-Thursday 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Dec. 16 - 24: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m Dec. 25 - 26: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Holiday light tour featuring all new displays and a bigger and brighter Christmas Towne at the Old Settlers Association and Dell Diamond parking lot. Rock’N Lights is a drive-through light show that features thousands of sparkling lights through Old Settlers Park. www.roundrocktexas.gov/rocknlights
SANTA ON THE TERRACE
Nov. 25, 10 a.m. Join us on the City Terrace and take some time out of the busiest holiday of the year to celebrate the season. Bring
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Holiday Camps
BIG CHILL WINTER CAMP @ KIDVENTURE
Dec 19 - 23 We’ve crafted five individual, unique days of winter-themed activities for maximum fun and a memorable experience. You can attend any day you want or all five. Winter Camp is designed to give kids the opportunity to have fun, make friends and make the most out of their holiday break! Camp Westlake Camp Rough Life www.kidventure.com | 512-263-8992
CAMP DOUBLECREEK WINTER BREAK CAMP
Dec. 27-30 Since 1971, our exceptional, friendly and caring staff have fulfilled Doublecreek’s mission that “every camper leaves at the end of the day knowing someone believes in them.” Ages: 4 - 14 Round Rock www.campdoublecreek.com 512-255-3661
CAPITAL GYMNASTICS
Turkey Gobble (Thanksgiving Retreat) Nov. 21, 22 Winter Break Fun* Dec. 16, 19 - 22, 27 - 30, Jan. 2 * Activities, dates, times vary among locations Gymnastics, holiday crafts, snacks, field trips, games, movies, inflatables, obstacle courses. Training sessions during winter break at Cedar Park. Sign up by the day: full or partial day. Age-appropriate grouping. Ages: 3 & up Pflugerville, N. Austin, Cedar Park www.capgym.com 512-251-2439, 512-219-9930, 512-259-9995
CHAMPIONSTX WINTER CAMP
Dec. 19 - 12, 30 Gymnastics, tumbling, trampoline, art, cooking, science, games, outdoor time, party rock and more. This non-stop action camp is a world of fun for boys and girls of all ages. Ages: 3 - 10 + 6th - 12th grade Leaderin-Training Program Upstairs of WAYA Lakeway www.championstx.com | 512-628-1787
COUNTRY HOME LEARNING CENTERS
Open during public school holidays except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Throughout the holiday season, we provide planned field trips for our school-age children. Ages: 5 - 13 6900 Escarpment Blvd., Austin 13120 US Hwy 183 N, Austin www.countryhomelearningcenter.com 512-288-8220, 512-331-1441
DANCE DISCOVERY
Nov. 21, 10 a.m.- 1:30 p.m. (Avery Ranch) Dec. 21, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. (Central) *All attendees have the option to perform onstage in our December Nutcracker Suite performance. Ages: 4-6 (Avery Ranch) Ages: 3-6 (Central) Dancediscovery.com 512-419-7611
ESOTERIC FARM
Children who attend our week-long camps get the true feeling of horse ownership. Ages: 6 - 15 Manor www.esotericfarm.com 512-272-4301
FANTASTIC MAGIC CAMP
Dec. 26 – 30 Add-on days Jan. 2 and Jan. 3* *You must register for Winter Break Camp in order to register for add-on days. Kids discover their unique inner magic through learning magic tricks, juggling and puppetry. Every day is filled with fun, laughter and lots of surprises. Ages: 5 - 12 www.magiccamp.com
NEWK’S ADVENTURES
Dec. 17 - 23 (Ski Colorado) Dec. 18 - 23 & 26-31 (Tennis Camp) Mar. 11 - 18, 2017 (Disney Adventure) Join us on our Christmas Ski Camp to Crested Butte, Colorado, and enjoy an unforgettable week of fun, food and friends! In March, you can be hanging out with Mickey and Pluto. New Braunfels www.texasadventurecamp.net 800-444-6204
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RIO VISTA WINTER BREAK CAMP Dec. 21 - 23 and Dec. 26 - 30 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. English riding lessons, horse care and more. 10 miles from downtown Austin www.riovistafarm.net 512-247-2303
ROUND ROCK PARKS AND RECREATION HOLIDAY CAMP
During Round Rock ISD scheduled winter break 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. Join us this winter for some exciting holiday fun! From swimming, baking, sports activities, arts and crafts, field trips and much more. Each day has a special theme, so gear up and get ready. You won’t want to miss out on all of the surprises! Please bring a sack lunch and water bottle daily. Morning and afternoon snack is provided. Register online now. Kinningham Park www.roundrockrecreation.com
STEPPING STONE SCHOOLS
Set Sail on the Seven Seas! Come enjoy the fun. Open until noon Dec. 24 Closed Christmas and New Year’s Day 19 locations in Central Texas www.steppingstoneschool.com 512-459-0258
SWITCH WILLO HOLIDAY CAMP
Daily riding instruction, horse care lessons, proper barn safety and etiquette, horse shows, arts and crafts. North Austin www.switchwillo.com 512-920-0554
WINTER BREAK CAMP
Space, the Final Frontier @ YMCA Austin Explore the galaxy and what makes up our solar system. Create extraterrestrial characters, train for a zero gravity world by swimming in the Y pool, field trips to Texas Museum of Science and Technology and more. Have a blast! Ages 5 to 12 years Northwest, South, Manor and Buda www.austinymca.org/programs/ holiday-camps 512-236-9622
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10 THINGS
…for Tongue-Twister Day! 1. She sells seashells by the seashore 2. Red leather, yellow leather
7. A quick-witted cricket critic
3. A proper copper coffee pot
8. Toy boat, toy boat, toy boat
4. Purple paper people 5. When does the wristwatch strap shop shut? Fun Fact: Tongue-Twister Day is November 13
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6. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers
9. The sixth sick sheikh’s sick sheep’s sick 10. Comical economists, comical economists
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BY BRENDA SCHOOLFIELD
Spring Forward, Fall Back
Make Sure Your Child Gets Enough Sleep Daylight Savings Time ends Nov. 6, and we’ll all set our clocks back one hour. As any parent knows, that little hour makes a significant difference when it comes to bedtime for our children. Dr. Bradley Berg, a pediatrician in Round Rock, explains, “Children are more tuned in to circadian rhythms. They notice the cycle of light and dark more acutely than adults do. When a child’s bedtime shifts rapidly from going to bed when it’s daylight to go-
ing to bed in the dark, the sleep cycle can be disrupted.” Children do need more sleep than adults. Dr. Berg says, “Not only are children growing both physically and mentally, they have a higher metabolism. All of this requires a huge amount of energy.” When children don’t get enough sleep, their health and behavior suffer. “Inadequate sleep can present itself
CHILD’S AGE
SLEEP NEEDED IN A 24-HOUR PERIOD
4 to 12 months
12 to 16 hours (including naps)
1 to 2 years
11 to 14 hours (including naps)
3 to 5 years
10 to 13 hours (including naps)
6 to 12 years
9 to 12 hours
13 to 18 years
8 to 10 hours
Source: The Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine
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in a variety of ways,” says Dr. Berg. He adds that some common problem areas are: • Health—When a child is sleep deprived, her body is not as well equipped to fight off illnesses when exposed to them. • Behavior—Children who do not get enough sleep tend to act out more, be more oppositional and throw more temper tantrums when they’re tired. Younger children can have more daytime wetting accidents when sleep deprived. • School—Some problems include focusing and paying attention, sloppy work and forgetting to turn in homework and assignments. Children may even fall asleep in class. Dr. Berg points out that sleep is one of the first things pediatricians ask about when trying to find out why a child is having school problems and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is suspected. How Much is Enough? How do you know how much sleep is
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enough for your child? The hours of sleep a child needs is usually stated as a range—for example, 9 to 12 hours. For a 7 a.m. wake-up time, the child who needs 9 hours doesn’t have to be asleep until 10 p.m.; the child who needs 12 hours must go to bed before 7 p.m. That’s a huge difference in bedtimes. Dr. Berg offers, “A good rule of thumb is that if your child wakes up on her own in the morning without the alarm and feels refreshed, she is likely getting enough sleep. If she doesn’t wake up to the alarm, needs to be woke up or dragged out of bed to get to school in time, she likely needs more sleep.” Make the Adjustment “Parents can do a few things to help their child adjust to the time change,” counsels Dr. Berg. “Change the child’s bedtime by 15 minutes each night for the 4 nights leading up to the time change. This will allow the child’s body to slowly get used to going to bed at the new time. It is also important to wake the child up the next morning at the normal awake time. Don’t let your child sleep in for an extra hour because she went to bed an hour later.” If Bedtime is a Problem But what if you can’t seem to get your child to settle down in the evening and go to sleep at the targeted bedtime? “The most important thing for young children is not to
blame the bedtime refusal on not being tired,” Dr. Berg says. “Often with younger children, the more tired they are, the more oppositional they become around bedtime and the more they fight going to sleep.” Dr. Berg stresses the importance of good sleep hygiene: • No electronics or TV within 2 hours of bedtime. The light waves from TV and electronic devices are the same frequency that the body uses to reset the internal clock. This light basically tells the child that it is time to wake up. • Same routine every night. This may include dinner, homework, a bath or shower, some reading and going to bed. A routine primes the subconscious that sleep is imminent. • Same bedtime every night, even on weekends. When children—especially teens—stay up late on the weekend, it’s like they have jet lag by Sunday night. It might take three or four nights to readjust, and by that time the cycle starts all over again. When to Talk to Your Pediatrician Dr. Berg says, “If a child is having trouble falling asleep (length awake more than an hour) for more than a week, despite good sleep hygiene, parents should talk to the child’s medical provider.” af Brenda Schoolfield is a freelance medical writer in Austin.
SKILLS CHARACTER TEAMWORK At the YMCA of Austin, kids develop all of their skills, from catching and dribbling to teamwork and sportsmanship. Just as important, they learn firsthand the benefits of being healthy & active and that virtual games just can’t compare to the real thing.
WINTER REGISTRATION OPEN NOW! COED BASKETBALL AND VOLLEYBALL
Sign up today at AustinYMCA.org
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BY BETTY RICHARDSON
Holiday Guests
Cook Up Drama in the Kitchen
Q A
We have several extended family members staying with us over Thanksgiving, and they all follow special diets. Some of them are vegetarian of different types (some eat eggs, some eat fish and some are vegan). Some of them are glutenfree. Some just don’t like certain foods, such as onions or mayonnaise. Some have religious restrictions. How can we serve meals that satisfy all our guests and not overwork my husband and I or lose the spirit of the holiday for ourselves and our children?
Here are a few suggestions:
1. Plan ahead. Correspond with
your guests in advance of their visit, and ask them to share their likes and dislikes and special needs. Advise them that not everything you prepare will be something they all want to eat, but some of what you prepare will be. If you can, plan the menus ahead of time and let your guests know what you will be serving.
2. Get your children involved. Help them prepare a favorite dish a few days before the guests arrive and freeze it. (One idea would be to make cookies.)
and one tomato-based vegetarian sauce. You could put out a large bowl of salad greens along with smaller bowls containing the other ingredients, such as tomatoes, sunflower seeds and chicken. Another idea would be to have a grill out and ask everyone to buy something for the grill that they will eat. This could include vegetarian patties made from beans or grains, as well as hamburger patties or other meats and vegetables. Dessert could include a bowl of mixed fruit to which guests can add optional whipped topping.
3. Recruit your guests to help. Ask
each guest to expect to bring or prepare at your home at least one dish that they especially like to eat, and let them know that they will be sharing it with others. For those who don’t bring a dish, plan a grocery store outing as a group, or send them off with directions to the nearest store.
4. Make some of the meals “build your own” affairs. For example, have a spaghetti night in which you cook both traditional and gluten-free pastas and serve at least two different sauces: one meat sauce
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5. Keep your holiday traditions. You
might be one of those people who has to have a slice of pumpkin pie, or it doesn’t feel like Thanksgiving. Go ahead and enjoy those dishes that mean the most to you. If only a few people will be eating something that you really want to prepare
(such as dressing or turkey), consider making a half recipe (or just a turkey breast or a very small turkey).
6. Go easy on yourself. Pick up some
store-bought entrees, such as a variety of lasagnas (one vegan, one regular and one gluten-free). All you have to do is heat and serve. Take care of yourself as well as you would take care of your guests.
7. Keep the holiday spirit alive. Help
your children decorate the house for the holiday. Ask the children to read aloud about the first Thanksgiving before or during the Thanksgiving meal. Ask each guest to talk about what they are thankful for.
With careful planning and simpler dishes—as well as having each guest bring something—you will experience fewer “I can’t eat that” comments, and your guests with special dietary needs will be happier. By involving your children in the preparations and meal, you can ensure that the spirit of Thanksgiving is alive for them. af Betty Richardson, Ph.D., R.N.C., L.P.C., L.M.F.T., is an Austin-based psychotherapist who specializes in dealing with the problems of children, adolescents and parents.
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31
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November 2016 l austinfamily.com
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BY BETTY RICHARDSON
Las Comidas en Familia Traen Drama en la Cocina
P
R
Tenemos varios miembros de la familia quedándose con nosotros durante los días de Acción de Gracias, y todos ellos siguen dietas especiales. Algunos de ellos son vegetarianos de diferentes tipos (algunos comen huevos, otros comen pescado y otros son veganos). Unos de ellos comen productos libres de gluten. A otros simplemente no les gustan ciertos alimentos, tales como cebolla o mayonesa. Y también hay unos que tienen restricciones religiosas. ¿Cómo podemos servir comidas que satisfagan a todos nuestros invitados y que mi marido y yo no tengamos que trabajar en exceso o perdamos, tanto nosotros como nuestros hijos, el espíritu de los días festivos? Aquí están algunas sugerencias: 1. Planee con anticipación. Comuníquese con sus invitados antes de su visita y pídales que compartan con usted sus gustos y preferencias y necesidades especiales. Infórmeles que no todo lo que usted prepare será algo que todos quieran comer, pero algo de lo que preparará si lo será. Si puede, planee los menús con anticipación y déjeles saber a sus invitados lo que va a servir. 2. Involucre a sus hijos. Ayude a sus hijos preparar un plato favorito unos días antes de que lleguen los invitados y congélelo. (Una idea sería hacer galletas.) 3. Reclute a sus invitados a ayudar. Pídale a cada invitado traer o preparar en su casa por lo menos un platillo que a ellos les guste comer, y déjeles saber que lo estarán compartiéndolo con los demás. Para aquellos que no traigan un platillo, planee una salida a una tienda de abarrotes en grupo, o envíelos con direcciones a la tienda más cercana. 4. Hacer algunas de las reuniones de comidas con “platillos que pueden combinar ellos mismos.” Por ejemplo, tener una noche de espagueti en la que se cocine tanto pasta tradicional como sin gluten y servir por lo menos dos salsas diferentes: una salsa de carne y una salsa vegetariana a
base de tomate. Puede colocar un plato grande de ensalada de hojas verdes junto con pequeños recipientes que contengan otros ingredientes, tales como tomates, semillas de girasol y pollo. Otra idea sería tener una parrillada y pedirle a todos comprar algo para cocinar en la parrilla que a ellos les guste comer. Esto podría incluir tortitas vegetarianas echas de frijoles y granos, así como también tortitas de hamburguesas o otras carnes y verduras. El postre podría incluir un plato de fruta mixta a la que los invitados pueden agregar crema batida si lo desean.
5. Mantenga sus tradiciones festivas. Usted puede ser una de esas personas que tiene que tener una rebanada de pastel de calabaza, o no se siente como que es día de Acción de Gracias. Siga adelante y disfrute de aquellos platillos que significan mucho para usted. Aunque sólo unas pocas personas vayan a comer algo que usted realmente desea preparar (tal como aderezo o pavo), considere hacer una mitad de receta
Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market.
(o simplemente una pechuga de pavo o un pavo pequeño). 6. Hágalo fácil para usted misma. Compre algunos platillos ya preparados en la tienda, como una variedad de lasaña (tal como una vegetariana, una normal y otra que no tenga gluten). Todo los que tiene que hacer es calentar y servir. Cuídese así misma, así como cuidaría de sus invitados. 7. Mantenga vivo el espíritu del día festivo. Ayude a sus hijos a decorar la casa para el día festivo. Pídales a los niños que lean en voz alta sobre la primera Acción de Gracias antes o durante la comida de Acción de Gracias. Pídales a cada invitado que hable sobre lo que están agradecidos. Con planear cuidadosamente y platillos más sencillos—así como tener a cada invitado traer algo— experimentará menos comentarios como “No puedo comer eso,” y sus invitados con necesidades dietéticos especiales serán más felices. Al involucrar a sus hijos en los preparativos y la comida, puede asegurarse de que el espíritu de Acción de Gracias estará vivo para ellos. af Betty Richardson, Ph.D., R.N.C., L.P.C., L.M.F.T., es una psicoterapeuta con sede en Austin que se especializa en el tratamiento de los problemas de los niños, adolescentes y padres.
November 2016 l austinfamily.com
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November Museum Exhibits pg 34
•
Family Events pg 34
•
Parenting Events pg 39
TEXAS CARTOONISTS EXHIBIT
Through Nov. 30. Hampton Branch Library, 5125 Convict Hill Rd. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑9900.
DETECTING THE PAST
Through Dec. 31. Capitol Visitors Center, 112 E. 11th St. FREE. tspb.texas.gov or 512‑305‑8400.
HOLIDAY MODEL TRAIN SHOW
Nov. 25 through Jan. 6. ArtSpace, 231 E. Main St., Round Rock. FREE. roundrockarts.org or 512‑218‑7099.
ELLIOTT ERWITT: HOME AROUND THE WORLD
Through Jan. 1. Harry Ransom Center, 300 W. 21st St. FREE. hrc.utexas.edu or 512‑471‑8944.
STATE OF DECEPTION AND THE BUTTERFLY PROJECT
Through Jan. 8. Bullock Museum, 1800 N. Congress Ave. $8 youth; $12 adult. thestoryoftexas.com or 512‑936‑8746.
WARHOL BY THE BOOK
Through Jan. 29. Blanton Museum, 200 E. MLK Blvd. $5 youth; $9 adult. blantonmuseum.org or 512‑471‑5482.
ORLY GENGER: HURLYBURLY
COMMUNITY NIGHT ++
CHARITY GARAGE AND ESTATE SALE ++
8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Downtown San Marcos. FREE. sanmarcostx.gov.
CABELA’S TOUR PROGRAM
AUSTIN POWWOW
10 a.m. Cabela’s, 15570 IH 35, Buda. FREE. cabelas.com.
9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Travis County Expo Center, 7311 Decker Lane. $5 adults.
FIRST THURSDAY
5 to 10 p.m. South Congress Ave., Barton Springs Rd. to Elizabeth St. FREE. firstthursday.info.
STARRY NIGHTS AT GIRLSTART
6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Taylor Library, 801 Vance St., Taylor. FREE. taylortx.gov.
MOVIES IN THE PARK-JURASSIC PARK 8 p.m. Palm Park, 601 E. 3rd St. FREE.
FRIDAY 4
FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK ++
WURSTFEST ++
11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. 800 Congress Ave. FREE. austintexas.gov.
Texas Book Festival, Nov. 5 & 6
5 p.m. Landa Park, 120 Landa St., New Braunfels. Children 12 and under FREE.
FIRST FRIDAY
6 to 8 p.m. Williamson Museum, 716 S. Austin Ave., Georgetown. FREE. williamsonmuseum.org or 512‑ 943‑1670.
FIRST FRIDAYS ON THE SQUARE
6 to 8 p.m. Downtown Square, Georgetown. FREE. thegeorgetownsquare.com.
SPROUTS ++
10 to 11 a.m. Johnson Wildflower Center, 4801 La Crosse Ave. FREE with Garden admission. wildflower.org or 512‑232‑0100.
SPACE 8: A MAKER LAB ++
2 to 8 p.m. The Thinkery, 1830 Simond Ave. FREE with admission. thinkeryaustin.org.
9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Austin Nature and Science Center, 2389 Strat‑ ford Dr. FREE. austintexas.gov or 512-974-3888.
LEGO NIGHT
TUESDAY 1
WEDNESDAY 2
FALL FESTIVAL
5:30 to 7 p.m. Girlstart, 1400 W. Anderson Ln. FREE. girlstart.org or 512‑916‑4775.
DOWNTOWN STREET MARKET ++
5:30 p.m. Faulk Central Library, 800 Guadalupe St. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑7400.
VETERANS BREAKFAST AND PARADE
All day. Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Rd. settlementhome.org or 512‑448‑5302.
Family Events
FAMILY BOARD GAME NIGHT
8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd. FREE. westbanklibrary.com or 512‑327‑3045.
THURSDAY 3
All day. Downtown Bastrop. FREE. bastropdowntown.com.
12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Harry Ransom Center, 300 W. 21st St. FREE. hrc.utexas.edu.
Story Times pg 40
MADRONE CANYON HIKE
4 to 8 p.m. The Thinkery, 1830 Simond Ave. By donation.
Through Feb. 74 Trinity St. FREE. thecontemporaryaustin.org.
SHERLOCKIANA
•
Compiled by BETTY KEMPER
++ Denotes event occurs on multiple dates
Museum Exhibits
2016 calendar
CONTINUING: Charity Garage and Estate Sale see Thursday 3; Sprouts see Wednesday 2.
SATURDAY 5
FLEA MARKET DAYS
7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Elgin Memorial Park, 1127 N. Main St., Elgin. FREE. elgintx.com.
Photo courtesy of Texas Book Festival
TEXAS BOOK FESTIVAL 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Texas Capitol Grounds, 1100 Congress Ave. FREE. texasbookfestival.org.
VETERANS PARADE AND CEREMONY 9:30 to 11 a.m. Veterans Memorial Park , 2525 W. New Hope Dr., Cedar Park. FREE. cedarparktexas.gov or 512‑401‑5500.
NATURE PLAY HOUR ++ 10 to 11 a.m. Johnson Wildflower Center, 4801 La Crosse Ave. FREE with admission. wildflower.org or 512‑232‑0100.
FALL FESTIVAL AND SILENT AUCTION 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pond Springs Elementary, 7825 Elkhorn Moun‑ tain Tr. FREE. greatschools.org or 512‑280‑2769.
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
34
November 2016 l austinfamily.com
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WHAT’S THE STORY STEVE? ++
10 to 11 a.m. ColdTowne Theater, 4803 Airport Blvd. $5. moveyourtale.com.
FREE BABY GYM
1 to 1:30 p.m. Champions Westlake Gymnastics & Cheer, 2805 Bee Caves Rd. FREE. championswestlake.com. CONTINUING: Community Night see Wednesday 2; Space 8: A Maker Lab see Wednesday 2; Sprouts see Wednesday 2; Wurstfest see Friday 4.
THURSDAY 10
THE TRAVELING WALL ++
Open 24 hours. Pfennig Park, 1301 W. Pfennig Lane, Pflugerville. FREE. pflugervilletx.gov or 512‑990‑6113.
A WOODLAND CHRISTMAS ++
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. First Baptist Church, 1333 University Ave, Georgetown. FREE.
LITTLE TEXANS
Charlotte’s Web, through Dec. 3 Photo courtesy of Zach Theatre
CHARLOTTE’S WEB ++
11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Zach Theatre, 1421 W. Riverside Dr. From $16. zachtheatre.org or 512‑476‑0541.
SATURDAY ACADEMY ++
1 to 3 p.m. Great Hall Games, 2521 Rutland Dr. FREE. greathallgames.org or 512‑505‑0055.
FIRST SATURDAY SIDEWALK SALE
5 to 8 p.m. Downtown Elgin. FREE. elgintx.com.
FOUNTAINWOOD OBSERVATORY PUBLIC NIGHT
8 to 10:30 p.m. Southwestern University, 1001 E. University Ave., Georgetown. FREE. southwestern.edu or 512‑836‑1242. CONTINUING: Charity Garage and Estate Sale see Thursday 3; Wurstfest see Friday 4.
SUNDAY 6
TEXAS BOOK FESTIVAL
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Texas Capitol Grounds, 1100 Congress Ave. FREE. texasbookfestival.org.
FREE FIRST SUNDAYS
12 to 5 p.m. Bullock Museum, 1800 N. Congress Ave. FREE. thestoryoftexas.com or 512‑936‑8746.
FREE FIRST SUNDAYS
1 to 4 p.m. Neill-Cochran House Museum, 2310 San Gabriel St. FREE. nchmuseum.org or 512‑478‑2335. CONTINUING: Charity Garage and Estate Sale see Thursday 3; Charlotte’s Web see Saturday 5; Wurstfest see Friday 4.
MONDAY 7
STORY TIME IN THE GARDEN ++
10 a.m. Bullock Museum, 1800 N. Congress Ave. FREE with admission. thestoryoftexas.com or 512‑936‑8746.
COMMUNITY THANKSGIVING DINNER
5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Metz Rec Center, 2704 Canterbury St. FREE. austintexas.gov or 512‑478‑8716.
THE GOONIES
8 p.m. Pease Park, 1100 Kingsbury St. FREE. CONTINUING: Wurstfest see Friday 4; Whether the Weather see Wednesday 9.
FRIDAY 11
9:30 and 11 a.m. The Long Center, 701 Riverside Dr. $6.50. pollyannatheatrecompany.org or 512‑743‑7966.
PINE STREET MARKET DAYS
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Downtown Bastrop. FREE. bastroptexas.net.
DAM CHILI COOK OFF
10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Hoffman Homestead, 2812 SE River Rd., Martindale. $5 donation, kids FREE. 512-396-5437.
HANDS ON HISTORY
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Williamson Museum, 716 S. Austin Ave., Georgetown. FREE. williamsonmuseum.org or 512‑943‑1670.
SABADOS EN FAMILIA
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mexican American Culture Center, 600 River St. FREE. maccaustin.org or 512‑974‑3772.
SECOND SATURDAYS
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Laguna Gloria, 3809 W. 35th St. FREE. thecontemporaryaustin.org or 512‑458‑8191.
EAST AUSTIN STUDIO TOUR ++
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Various venues, Austin. FREE. east.bigmedium.org or 512‑939‑6665.
CARNIVAL O’ PIZZA
POETRY WORKSHOP AND POETRY SLAM
9 to 10:30 a.m. Ages 0-3. Easter Seals Central Texas, 1611 Headway Circle, Bldg. 2. FREE. easterseals.com or 512‑478‑2581.
2 to 4 p.m. Dougherty Arts Center, 1110 Barton Springs Rd. FREE. speakpiece.org or 512‑974‑4000.
VETERANS DAY CEREMONY
DIWALI FESTIVAL
10:30 a.m. Lake Travis ISD Performing Arts Center, 3324 RR 620 S. FREE. lakeway-tx.gov or 512‑608‑9533.
3 to 10 p.m. Centennial Plaza, 301 W. Bagdad St., Round Rock. FREE. rrdiwalifest.com or 512‑200‑8820.
VETERANS DAY CEREMONY
TEEN NIGHT LIVE
11 a.m. Texas Capitol South Steps, 1100 Congress Ave. FREE. tspb.texas.gov or 512‑463‑4630.
7 to 10 p.m. CHASCO Family YMCA, 1812 N. Mays St., Round Rock. $5. ymcagwc.org or 512‑246‑9622.
AMERICAN FLAGS
CONTINUING: Wurstfest see Friday 4; Charlotte’s Web see Saturday 5; Saturday Academy see Saturday 5; What’s the Story Steve? see Saturday 5; Nature Play Hour see Saturday 5; Whether the Weather see Wednesday 9; The Traveling Wall see Thursday 10; A Woodland Christmas see Thursday 10.
2 to 3 p.m. Bullock Museum, 1800 N. Congress Ave. FREE. thestoryoftexas.com or 512‑936‑8746.
MAD SCIENCE
6 to 6:45 p.m. Wells Branch Library, 15001 Wells Port Dr. FREE. wblibrary.org or 512‑989‑3188. CONTINUING: A Woodland Christmas see Thursday 10; Downtown Street Market see Friday 4; Sprouts see Wednesday 2; The Traveling Wall see Thursday 10; Wurstfest see Friday 4; Whether the Weather see Wednesday 9.
9 to 11:30 a.m. Bright Leaf Preserve, 2222 and Creek Mountain Rd. FREE. brightleaf.org or 512‑459‑7269.
WHETHER THE WEATHER
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Downtown Square, Georgetown. FREE. georgetown.org.
PLAY GROUP FOR ALL ABILITIES
CONTINUING: Wurstfest see Friday 4.
WEDNESDAY 9
MARKET DAYS ON THE SQUARE
12 to 7 p.m. Home Slice Pizza, 1415 S. Congress Ave. FREE. homeslicepizza.com or 512‑444‑7437.
SATURDAY 12
CONTINUING: Wurstfest see Friday 4.
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Clay Madsen Rec Center, 1600 Gattis School Rd., Round Rock. FREE. roundrocktexas.gov or 512‑218‑3220.
VETERANS DAY
10:30 a.m. Zilker Botanical Garden, 2220 Barton Springs Rd. $1 for children (ages 3-12).
TUESDAY 8
ROCKIN’ AROUND THE HOLIDAY BAZAAR
BRIGHT LEAF GUIDED HIKES ++
GAULT ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE TOURS
9 a.m. Williamson Museum, 716 S. Austin Ave., Georgetown. $10.
MARKET OF HOPE
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Main St. Plaza, 221 E. Main St., Round Rock. FREE. roundrocktexas.gov.
Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market.
November 2016 l austinfamily.com
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SUNDAY 13 FAMILY DAY
12 to 4 p.m. Umlauf Sculpture Garden, 605 Robert E. Lee Rd. FREE. umlaufsculpture.org or 512‑445‑5582. CONTINUING: Wurstfest see Friday 4; Charlotte’s Web see Saturday 5; The Traveling Wall see Thursday 10; Bright Leaf Guided Hikes see Saturday 12; East Austin Studio Tour see Saturday 12.
MONDAY 14 CONTINUING: Story Time in the Garden see Monday 7.
TUESDAY 15
HOMESCHOOL DAY 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bullock Museum, 1800 N. Congress Ave. FREE. thestoryoftexas.com or 512‑936‑8746.
WEDNESDAY 16
SPEAK PIECE POETRY PROJECT WORKSHOP 6 to 9 p.m. Dougherty Arts Center, 1110 Barton Springs Rd. FREE. speakpiece.org or 512‑974‑4000. CONTINUING: Community Night see Wednesday 2; Space 8: A Maker Lab see Wednesday 2; Sprouts see Wednesday 2; Whether the Weather see Wednesday 9.
THURSDAY 17
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.
CONTEST 2017
DO YOU HAVE A
Cover Kid?
Attention parents: You can now get your family and friends to vote! • Finalists will be posted starting November 1 through December 15, at which time family and friends can go back and vote
• One vote per person at www.austinfamily.com. Duplicates will be eliminated • Six winners will be selected and announced in the January 2017 issue
smart parenting • healthy homes
It’s a chance to see your child on the cover of 35,000 magazines, on our website, and on our FOX “Good Day Austin” Friday morning segment.
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November 2016 l austinfamily.com
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A CHRISTMAS AFFAIR MARKET DAYS ++
10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Rd. $15 per day. jlaustin.org.
THIRD THURSDAYS
the Story Steve? see Saturday 5; Whether the Weather see Wednesday 9; East Austin Studio Tour see Saturday 12; A Christmas Affair Market Days see Thursday 17; Lost Pines Christmas see Friday 18.
10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Blanton Museum, Congress Ave. & MLK. FREE. blantonmuseum.org or 512‑471‑5482.
SUNDAY 20
MOVIES IN THE PARK - FROZEN
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Central Texas Food Bank, 6500 Metropolis Dr. austinemptybowl.org.
CONTINUING: Whether the Weather see Wednesday 9.
CONTINUING: Charlotte’s Web see Saturday 5; East Austin Studio Tour see Saturday 12; A Christmas Affair Market Days see Thursday 17.
8 to 10 p.m. Dick Nichols District Park, 8011 Beckett Rd. FREE.
FRIDAY 18
LOST PINES CHRISTMAS ++
All day. Downtown Bastrop. FREE. lostpineschristmas.com. CONTINUING: Downtown Street Market see Friday 4; Sprouts see Wednesday 2; Whether the Weather see Wednesday 9; A Christmas Affair Market Days see Thursday 17.
SATURDAY 19 LEGO DERBY
8 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 5201 Convict Hill Rd. FREE. legoderby.com or 801‑471‑7636.
PFALL PFEST CRAFT SHOW
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pflugerville Rec Center, 400 Immanuel Rd., Pflugerville. FREE. pflugervilletx.gov.
FOSSIL FEST
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Old Settler’s Heritage Association, 3300 E. Palm Valley Blvd., Round Rock. $3 adult. austinpaleo.org. CONTINUING: Charlotte’s Web see Saturday 5; Saturday Academy see Saturday 5; Nature Play Hour see Saturday 5; What’s
EMPTY BOWL PROJECT
MONDAY 21
CONTINUING: Story Time in the Garden see Monday 7.
WEDNESDAY 23
A CHRISTMAS CAROL ++
7:30 p.m. ZACH Theatre, 1510 Toomey Rd. zachtheatre.org or 512‑476‑0541. CONTINUING: Community Night see Wednesday 2; Space 8: A Maker Lab see Wednesday 2; Sprouts see Wednesday 2.
THURSDAY 24
THANKSGIVING DAY
ThunderCloud Subs Turkey Trot, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. The Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Dr. thundercloud.com.
FAMILY NIGHT
6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Taylor Public Library, 801 Vance St., Taylor. FREE. taylortx.gov or 512‑352‑3434. CONTINUING: A Christmas Carol see Wednesday 23.
Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market.
November 2016 l austinfamily.com
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FRIDAY 25 ANNIE
8 p.m.The Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Dr. thelongcenter.org or 512‑457‑5115. CONTINUING: A Christmas Carol see Wednesday 23; Charlotte’s Web see Saturday 5; Lost Pines Christmas see Friday 18; Sprouts see Wednesday 2.
SATURDAY 26
CHRISTMAS ARTS AND CRAFTS SHOW 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thump Pavilion, 421 E. Davis St., Luling. FREE. lulingcc.org or 830‑875‑3214.
Zilker Tree Lighting, Nov. 27 Photo by Licarione Photography
CHILDREN GIVING TO CHILDREN PARADE 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. State Capitol, 11th St. and Congress Ave. FREE. chuysparade.com.
ZILKER HOLIDAY TREE LIGHTING
ANNIE
5 to 7:30 p.m. Zilker Park, 2100 Barton Springs Rd. FREE. austintexas.gov.
2 and 8 p.m. The Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Dr. thelongcenter.org or 512‑457‑5115.
MONDAY 28 CONTINUING: Story Time in the Garden see Monday 7.
CONTINUING: Charlotte’s Web see Saturday 5; Saturday Academy see Saturday 5; Nature Play Hour see Saturday 5; What’s the Story Steve? see Saturday 5; Lost Pines Christmas see Friday 18; A Christmas Carol see Wednesday 23.
TUESDAY 29 FILM SCREENING AND LUNCH
SUNDAY 27
9:30 a.m. Mexican American Culture Center, 600 River St. FREE. maccaustin.org or 512‑974‑3789.
2:30 and 7:30 p.m. ZACH Theatre, 1510 Toomey Rd. zachtheatre.org or 512‑476‑0541.
WEDNESDAY 30
A CHRISTMAS CAROL ++
CONTINUING: Community Night see Wednesday 2; Space 8: A Maker Lab see Wednesday 2; Sprouts see Wednesday 2; A Christmas Carol see Wednesday 23.
• TEX AS
PE • CA YS
D INDOOR PL ZE A SI
• FU N
A R CA
Happy Holidays
•
ES
DE
TI
DE
RI
@ MT PLAYMORE
R PA S•F OOD •
December 3, 2016 Historic Downtown Elgin
8 Party Rooms • Group Rates Private Parties • Fundraisers
• Pictures with Santa • Arts & Crafts • Lighted Parade • Music • Downtown Shopping & Dining • Elgin Farmers Market • Christmas Tree Farms
Holiday Hours Open until 5pm Christmas Eve & New Years Eve Closed Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day
512.281.5721 www.elgintx.com
Follow us on facebook
38
Santa Is Coming! December 16th • 4-8pm December 17th • 2-6pm December 18th • 2-8pm
13609 North IH-35 • 512-989-8886
Austin,Tx • MtPlaymore.com •
/MtPlaymore
VisitElginTX
November 2016 l austinfamily.com
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Parenting Events Any Baby Can offers free parenting classes in English and Spanish on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Postpartum support group meets on Thursdays. 6207 Sheridan Ave. FREE. Anybabycan.org or 512‑454‑3743. 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 breastfeed‑ ing mothers, babies and mothers-to-be are welcome to attend. Texaslll.org.
TUESDAY 1
THE GIRLS’ SCHOOL OF AUSTIN OPEN HOUSE TOUR ++
10 to 11 a.m. The Girls’ School of Austin, 2007 McCall Rd. FREE. thegirlsschool.org or 512‑478‑7827.
THURSDAY 3
TOILET TRAINING WORKSHOP
6:30 to 8 p.m. Easter Seals of Central Texas, 8505 Cross Park Dr. Suite 120. FREE. 8505 Cross Park Dr. Ste. 120.
TUESDAY 8
CONTINUING: The Girls’ School of Austin Open House Tour see Tuesday 1.
SATURDAY 12
BILINGUAL STEAM EVENT
12 to 4 p.m. Sanchez Elementary School, 73 San Marcos St. FREE. austin.thinkbilingual.org.
MONDAY 14 OPEN HOUSE
5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Cathedral School of Saint Mary, 910 San Jacinto Blvd. smcschoolaustin.org or 512‑476‑1480.
TUESDAY 15
CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP
6 to 7 p.m. Easter Seals of Central Texas, 8505 Cross Park Dr. Suite 120. FREE. easterseals.com or 512‑478‑2581. CONTINUING: The Girls’ School of Austin Open House Tour see Tuesday 1.
TUESDAY 22
CONTINUING: The Girls’ School of Austin Open House Tour see Tuesday 1.
THURSDAY 24
THANKSGIVING: Nov 21, 22
Ages 3 & up Full or Partial day… 2 locations* Gymnastics Holiday crafts Field trips Gym Sport
Games Movies Obstacle courses Inflatable
*Activities, dates, times & ages
BREAST CANCER WELLNESS GROUP
12 to 1:30 p.m. Scott and White Clinic, 425 University Blvd, Round Rock. FREE. RSVP Required. 512‑509‑4557.
TUESDAY 29
WINTER: Dec 16,19,20,21,22,27,28,29,30,Jan 2
vary among locations
Pflugerville
512-251-2439
McNeil
512-219-9930
capgym.com
CONTINUING: The Girls’ School of Austin Open House Tour see Tuesday 1.
10/12/16...Austin Family Magazine, Nov camp issue, 1/6 vertical page (2.25w x 4.6 733-0038 x 11...address: P.O. Box 7559, Round Rock, Texas 78683-7559 paddle ball
A noteable musical selection
retro toys juggling supplies
Art Gallery & Espresso Bar
Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market.
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Story Times Austin area libraries offer story times for infants, toddlers, preschoolers and fami‑ lies 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 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 1938 Lohman’s Crossing 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
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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 af
Give the gift of
Dance Discovery this holiday season!
Gift Certificates on sale only $35 for 4 class meetings in the month of January (new reg. only)
512.658.2996 Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market.
DanceDiscovery.com
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English Horseback Riding Lessons Winter Break Camp! Session I: Wed-Fri, Dec 21-23, 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Session II: Mon-Fri, Dec 26-30, 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. •Daily Mounted Riding Lessons •Daily Horse Care Lessons •Van Service Available from Westlake Hills •Located 10 miles from Downtown Austin Year-Round English Riding Lessons for All Levels & Boarding
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St. Francis School “Excellence Without Exclusivity”
OPEN HOUSE
January 19 • 9am in the Barnes Gymnasium
• Project-based instruction • No religious affiliation • Small class sizes • Dynamic and engaging teachers • 62% of students test at one full grade level ahead in core subjects • 50% of 2016 graduates attend private high schools with competitive admissions or were accepted into accelerated programs at public schools
Barbara A. Porter, Head of School • www.stfrancis-school.org (512) 454-0848 • 300 E. Huntland Dr. 2 blocks from the ACC Highland Campus
Family Shows at TexArts! Quality Drop-In, Full-Time and Custom-Schedule Childcare Ages 18 months -- 12 years old
Dec. 10 & 11 Gloria Delgado Theatre at St. Michael’s Academy
DROPIN CHILDCARE Childcare on YOUR schedule! No minimum stays and you only pay for the time you use. HOURS OF OPERATION M-Th 7:30am - 10:00pm Fri 7:30am - 12:30am Sat 9:00am - 12:30am LOCATIONS Avery Ranch in NW Austin Circle C Ranch in SW Austin
Register TODAY at:
www.KidSpaAustin.com
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TICKETS: $15 tex-arts.org 512-852-9079 x101 View the magazine online at austinfamily.com
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doctors
Dr. Barakah Day ADC Circle C Dr. Day is a board-certified pediatrician. She received her medical degree from the University of Texas Medical School at San Antonio and completed her internship and residency at the University of Texas Southwestern – Austin, Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas. Now accepting appointments at 512-901-1111. See ad on page 48 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 19 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 19
The First Baptist Church of Austin invites you to the installation
of Griff Martin as our senior pastor Jenny Hartgrove Photography
focus on
It is with great pleasure that we announce the official installation of Rev. Dr. Griff Martin as the 24th senior pastor of First Austin, a Baptist community of faith, sharing compassion and hope in the heart of downtown Austin and beyond for almost 170 years. Griff is a native Austinite and graduate of Baylor University and Truett Seminary. Come meet Griff and his family — wife Abby, daughter Blake and son Jude — and celebrate this joyful occasion with us! Installation Service at 11 a.m. on Nov. 6 Reception at 10 a.m. in the Great Hall www.fbcaustin.org | 512.476.2625 901 Trinity St. | Austin, TX 78701
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 42 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 48
AUSTIN FAMILY MAGAZINE’S 19TH ANNUAL CAMP FAIR, SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2017 Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market.
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BY ROCIO BARBOSA
The Day of the Dead
eak: Dec 26 r B
an 3 -J
In the morning, we visit the cemetery to pray and to put flowers on the grave of our loved ones. It is very typical to make an altar for our dead. On this altar, we put out candles, a photo of the person, sugar skulls, marigold flowers and offerings. It is said that the smell of the marigold flower guides the spirit to the altar.
MARKET PLACE
Winte r
November is a very special month, because it is when we celebrate loved ones who have died: November 1 to celebrate the Holy Innocents (the children who have died), and November 2 to celebrate the adults who have gone on, as well.
The offerings we put out are the person’s favorite food and drink and—if he liked it—maybe a little tequila. Some people play the music he liked. We also put out favorite personal items. On the altar that I offer to my father, who died 15 years ago, I put his favorite picture of himself. In his youth he was a cyclist, and this picture shows him receiving a trophy in a race he won. I also put out one of his favorite shirts, the food he liked (which was a soup named Caldo de Res), his beer, water, bread, sweets and all that I mentioned above. On the night of November 2, I have the feeling that my dad is coming, and I leave him a letter on his altar telling him how much I miss him. For us Mexicans, the Day of the Dead is a very nice and respected tradition. It is the day we know with certainty that our deceased loved ones are close to us. af Rocio Barbosa, mother of two daughters, lives in Round Rock.
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PIENSA POSITIVO
by Leslie Montoya, Life Coach and Host of Despierta Austin
El Verdadero Significado del Enojo
BY ROCIO BARBOSA
Recordando Mis Raíces
El enojo es uno de los sentimientos que el ser humano normalmente quiere evadir por obvias razones. Pero cuando me di cuenta del verdadero motivo porqué nos enojamos mi miedo a sentirlo disminuyó. Ya que el enojo no es otra cosa que dolor. Ya sea dolor al ego, dolor en el amor propio, dolor en el amor… Solo analiza la última vez que sentiste esta emoción y preguntarte; ¿qué parte de mi hirió la persona o situación? Así que, la próxima vez que te enojes recuerda, es dolor y solo depende de ti como lo externes ya sea creando más dolor o convirtiéndolo en algo más productivo. ¡Piensa positivo!
Noviembre es un mes muy especial, porque es cuando celebramos a los seres queridos que ya han muerto: el 1 de noviembre, celebramos a los Santos Inocentes (a los niños que han muerto), y el 2 de noviembre a los adultos ya muertos, también.
The True Meaning of Anger
Por la mañana, visitamos el panteón para poner flores en la tumba de tu ser querido y rezarle. Es muy típico hacer un altar para nuestros muertos. En dicho altar debemos poner veladoras, la foto de la persona a quien le estas ofreciendo el altar, calaveritas de azúcar, las flores de cempasúchil y las ofrendas. Se dice que con el olor de dicha flor el anima se guía para llegar hacia el altar que le estamos ofreciendo.
Anger is a feeling most human beings want to avoid, for obvious reasons. But when I realized the true reason we get angry, my fear of feeling it decreased. Because anger is nothing but pain: pain to the ego, pain to your self-esteem, pain in love…Think about the last time you felt this emotion and ask yourself, in what way did this person or situation hurt me? Next time you get angry, remember that it is really pain, and it’s up to you how to react. You can either produce more pain or turn it into something more productive. Think positive!
En el altar, ponemos las ofrendas que son la comida y bebida que mas le gustaba y—si le gustaba— tal vez un poco tequila. Algunas personas ponen la música que le gustaba. También ponemos artículos personales. En el altar que yo le ofrezco a mi papá, que murió hace 15 años, le pongo la foto que a el mas le gustaba. En su juventud el fue ciclista, y esa foto cuando esta recibiendo un trofeo de una carrera de que el gano. También le pongo una de sus camisas preferidas, la comida que mas le gustaba (que era caldo de res), su cerveza, agua, pan, dulces y todo lo que ya he mencionado anteriormente. En la noche del 2 de noviembre, tengo la sensación de que mi papá viene, y le dejo una carta en su altar diciéndole cuanto lo extraño y cuanta falta me hace. Para nosotros los mexicanos, el día de los muertos es una tradición muy bonita y muy respetada. Es el día que con certeza sabemos que los seres queridos que ya han muerto vienen del mas allá. af Rocio Barbosa, madre de dos hijas, vive en Round Rock. af Rocio Barbosa, mother of two daughters, lives in Round Rock.
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Express Your Gratitude The holidays are a wonderful time to express gratitude and appreciation for each other and the things we love. This month, you can make a “gratitude calendar” to count down the days until Thanksgiving (or any special day, for that matter). On each day, take turns writing down things you are grateful for. Or even better, each person can make his or her own calendar and share the entire list while enjoying family time or having dinner together. Or make a “gratitude chart” for guests on the actual day of your special event, and have each guest fill out one slot so that the whole page is a shared collaboration of gratitude.
decoration. For any 2-year-old, this activity is as fun and new as it was decades ago! Terra Toys has been providing Austin with classic, fun and beautiful toys, gifts, books and treats for over 35 years.
For the classic loyalists, we suggest the Classic Turkey Hand Art. Simply trace your hand and make a silly turkey
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just for by Carrie Taylor
grins
The Actual Stages of Pregnancy
A
s I near the end of my second pregnancyt, I have been reflecting on the journey that is childbearing. Yes, there are technically three trimesters, but I think pregnancy is better described in more than three stages. 1. The “I’m Pregnant! This Room Smells Like Cheese” Phase You are overwhelmed both with joy and with the newfound power of your senses, particularly taste and smell. You can identify people before seeing them by their scent. Basically, you’re Ben Affleck in “Daredevil,” but you throw up more.
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2. The “Hard Candy and Public Restroom” Phase
comfort of those tropical Tums on your nightstand. (Or is it just me…)
You can’t leave the house without a bag of those preggo-pops—or any candy that doesn’t taste like the stomach acid constantly making its way into your throat. You also spend lots of time in public restrooms upchucking your latest meal, which was probably a saltine and a Jolly Rancher. 3. The “Is It Fast Food or A Baby?” Phase You’re just starting to show, so you could either be gaining weight in awkward places or you’re pregnant. People stare at you for a few moments too long and (most) are afraid of asking, so they just assume you’re going through a life crisis. 4. The “Tums are Life” Phase This phase actually spans the entire length of pregnancy, but it can be defined by those questionnaires your pregnant friends post on Facebook. “What foods are you craving right now?” one survey asks, and all you can think of is the powdery, calcium-rich
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5. The “It’s Alive!” Phase Your growing child starts looking at its fleshy prison and decides it wants out. So your ribs are kicked, your bladder squeezed and your stomach contorted into truly horrifying shapes that make your coworkers cringe during quiet staff meetings (or your toddler says, “Mommy’s tummy is ugly!”) af Carrie Taylor is a native Texan and mother of one.
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austinfamily readers’ poll favorites 2016
Thank you, Austin! Voted best Child Care for the 18th year!
Now Accepting Fall Enrollments! $100 WAIVED ENROLLMENT FEE
for new families who enroll in November and mention Austin Family Magazine. S T E AM
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