Afm oct 2015 magazine by Austin Family Magazine

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OCTOBER 2015

smart parenting • healthy homes

Serving Austin’s Families Since 1992

Reasons to Love Fall

Is Bedtime a Nightmare? Q&A with John Paul DeJoria

ARTÍCULOS EN ESPAÑOL

INSIDE!

EDUCATION GUIDE • CALENDAR • YOUNG WRITERS CONTEST

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October 2015 l austinfamily.com

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OCTOBER 2015

smart parenting • healthy homes

Bedtime Magic: Five Science-Based Tricks to Make Bedtime a Breeze

26 Sharing His Success: The Face of Paul Mitchell Has a Lot to Say

Fall in Love With Austin’s Autumn Charms

columns

calendar

32 Museum Exhibits 32 Family Events 39 Parenting Events 40 Storytimes

Ten Things…for Pampering New Moms! Family Matters

A Mother-in-Law Becomes a Grandma

20 The Learning Curve

The Right Way to Observe Your Child’s Classroom

Lifelines

The Facts About Antibiotics

30 Family Connections

Look Into Your Roots With Family Tree Software

48 Just for Grins

Fool-Proof Methods For Getting Your Baby to Sleep!

tune in

Catch Austin Family live on “Good Day Austin” every Friday morning and “Despierta Austin” the first Friday morning of the month.

in every issue 7

Play It Safe

Product recalls

8 Around Austin 47 Kidzone Milk-O-Rama

extras

artículos en español 16 Asuntos Familiares

Una Madre-en-Ley Se Convierte en Abuela

22 Curva de Aprendizaje

La Manera Correcta de Observar el Salón de Clase de Sus Hijos

45 Piensa Positivo Abundancia

Cover Shot

Tessa cheers on her favorite team.

Cover photographed by Nichole Renee

24 Education Guide 42 Cover Kids Contest 44 Focus on Doctors 46 Young Writers Contest follow us

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New items each week. Visit our website to register.

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® BY SHERIDA MOCK

October 2015

h, October: There’s a new crispness in the air—okay, maybe not every day, but some days, this being Central Texas, after all. And that break in the summer heat has me giddy with notions of all things caramel-flavored, cinnamon-scented and copper-colored. I’m ready to explore the Hill Country while slurping down a spiced latte on my way to a pumpkin patch, wearing layers, no less! If you’re looking for ways to celebrate autumn with your family, turn to our feature on falling in love with Austin’s autumn charms. We’ve got the goods on fall festivals, favorite camping spots and autumn leaf displays. Daylight Savings Time ends on November 1. For some little ones—and some not-so-little ones—the transition in bedtime can make for a string of fitful evening hours. Turn to Malia Jacobson’s article for five bedtime tricks you can make work for you. And to lighten the mood while you wait for the new bedtime to take hold, give Carrie Taylor’s humor column a read. Our columnists round out this month’s offerings with Betty Richardson’s advice for a mother-in-law expecting her first grand baby, Richard Singleton’s take on family history software, Jennifer VanBuren’s tips for classroom observations and Brenda Schoolfield’s pointers for antibiotic use. Happy fall, y’all!!

Volume 23, No. 7

PUBLISHER

Kaye K. Lowak

EDITOR

Sherida Mock: editor2003@austinfamily.com

COPY EDITOR

Paula Halloum Assistant Copy Editor: Alexa Alley

ADVISING EDITORS

Dr. Betty Kehl Richardson, Barb Cooper

CALENDAR EDITOR

Betty Kemper: calendar2003@austinfamily.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Sherida Mock, Dr. Betty Richardson, Jack Kyser, Richard Singleton, Jennifer VanBuren, Carrie Taylor, Brenda Schoolfield and Malia Jacobson

TRANSLATION TEAM

Maribel Ruvalcaba, Margo Vogelpohl and Pilar Korgel

ART DIRECTORS

Layout Designer: Dena Steiner Ad Designer: Jason Suarez nr2003@austinfamily.com

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Nichole Renee

ADVERTISING SALES

Kaye K. Lowak: kaye2003@austinfamily.com Greg Lowak: greg@austinfamily.com

BUSINESS & DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Greg Lowak: greg@austinfamily.com

We are dedicated to serving the Greater Austin area by providing up-to-date information and ideas that promote smart parenting and healthy homes. We promote our clients’ businesses by increasing their customer bases and enhancing their public images. Austin Family is published monthly by KKKemper Inc. Mail Address: P.O. Box 7559 Round Rock, Texas 78683-7559 Phone Number:

Tel: (512) 733-0038

On the web at:

www.austinfamily.com

Advertising rates are available upon request. While we use great care in creating our display ads, mistakes can happen. Austin Family and the publisher are not liable for any damages arising from any typographical or mechanical errors beyond the cost of the ad. Austin Family does not necessarily endorse any of the advertisers, products or services listed in this publication. We do not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. Subscriptions are available for $25 per year. Copyright 2015. 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 Night Lights, Boys’ Jackets and Bikes Ikea is recalling about 359,000 night lights because the night light’s plastic covering can detach and expose electrical components, posing an electrical shock hazard. The recall involves all PATRULL night lights, which come in white, orange and pink. The night lights automatically turn on in the dark and off in the light. Affected units were sold at Ikea stores nationwide and ikea-usa.com from August 2013 through July 2015 for about $4. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled night lights, unplug them and contact Ikea for a full refund. The Children’s Place is recalling about 13,700 boys’ varsity jackets because the metal snaps on the jackets could detach, posing a choking hazard to young children. The recall involves boys’ knitted fleece varsity jackets in sizes 6 months through 5T. A white sewn-in label at the side seam has product numbers 158805, 158806, 158807 and vendor number 1408. Affected units were sold at The Children’s Place stores nationwide and at childrensplace.com from December 2014 through July 2015 for about $30. Consumers should immediately take the recalled jackets away from children and contact The Children’s Place to receive a postage-paid envelope to return the jacket for a full refund. Breezer is recalling about 1,700 bicycles because the bicycle pedal can separate from the spindle (axle) during use and cause the rider to lose control, posing a crash hazard. The recall involves Breezer Bicycles models Downtown 3, Downtown 3-ST, Downtown 8, Downtown 8-ST, Downtown EX and Downtown EX-ST. Affected units were sold at authorized Breezer Bicycles dealers nationwide from July 2014 through May 2015 for about $450 to $650. Consumers should immediately stop using the bicycles and return them to a Breezer dealer for a free pedal replacement. af The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission works to protect the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products.

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G O T O W W W. A U S T I N FA M I LY. C O M F O R W E E K LY U P D AT E S O F A R O U N D A U S T I N N E W S

Hush Hush Music Bash for Kids On October 3, the Domain joins forces with LiveMom.com and Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child to host the Hush Hush Music Bash, a free music festival for kids.

Highlights of the festival include a costume parade, live music and exhibitions of elaborately decorated Día de los Muertos altars from local students and patrons. Pre-sale general admission tickets are $15 per person, and children under 12 are free with a paid adult. For more information, visit austindiadelosmuertos.com.

Must -Do This Month Check your smoke alarms and go over fire safety with the whole family on October 9, Fire Prevention Day. Mark Breast Cancer Awareness month by wearing pink, getting a breast exam and maybe even supporting the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

The Easter Seals third annual Día de los Muertos Festival happens October 17 at Fiesta Gardens. Photo by John Gutierrez Photography

eBooks Available The festival takes place at the Amy Donovan Plaza in Domain II from 4 to 7 p.m. The live acts include Elizabeth McQueen, Mario the Magician, Tim Kubart and Mother Falcon. Kids can also enjoy dance competitions, a gaming zone, cupcake decorating, a music station and more. For more information, visit on.fb. me/1VXGi3P.

Día de los Muertos Festival On October 17, Easter Seals Central Texas hosts its annual Día de los Muertos Festival at Fiesta Gardens from noon to 10 p.m. The familyfriendly event includes entertainment and activities for kids of all ages.

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Bookshare, the world’s largest online library of accessible ebooks for people with print disabilities, is once again making its 350,000-ebook library available for K-12 students through its Accessible Books for Texas initiative. Through the statewide initiative, funded by the Texas Education Agency, K-12 educators, parents and students throughout the state can get free face-to-face and live online training and support on how to use Bookshare. Students with print disabilities—a learning disability, visual impairment and/or physical limitation that affects one’s ability to read printed text—are eligible to subscribe to Bookshare for free.

Ease the kids into a change in bedtime cues as Daylight Savings Time ends November 1.

A variety of apps and programs for computers, tablets, smart phones and other electronic devices allow Bookshare subscribers to read with the aid of highlighted text synchronized with a synthetic speech generator that “reads” the text out loud. The initiative has also launched three testimonial videos highlighting students who have used Bookshare to help them read, one of which is a Spanish-language video to help reach Spanish-speaking and bilingual students. For more information, visit bookshare. org/cms/state/Texas.

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Homework Survey Results Our August issue included an article on homework loads. We asked our readers to take a short survey on their opinions. Here are those results.

Hours Per Week Spent on Homework

18% 53%

29%

n n n

0-5 Hours 10-15 Hours 20+ Hours

Readersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Opinions of Homework Loads

12% 66%

22%

n n n

Too LIttle Too Much

Right Amount

Goodwill Excel Center Opens New Facility

Goodwill Excel Center student Matilda Zamarripa talks about the importance of flexibility in education for adults.

The first public charter high school in Texas for people over age 17 held tours for community leaders in late August. The school, which graduated its first students in June, opened its new facility at 1015 Norwood Park Blvd.

The 31,000 square foot facility provides licensed teachers, online support, drop-in childcare, science labs and state-ofthe-art equipment, such as smart boards and laptops. For more information, visit bit.ly/TRrXvv.

continued on next page

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by the Dance Recital Entertains Ronald McDonald House

Music Fest Supports Kids With Brain Injury On October 17, the Battle of the Youth Bands and Family Fun Fest will raise funds for Hope4Minds, an organization that helps children with an acquired brain injury. Activities will include live music, a silent auction, food trucks, carnival games and more. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at The Rusty Mule, 9201 Hwy. 290. Admission is $5; children 2 and under are free.

Dance students performed for residents of the Ronald McDonald House

Madeleine Nagle, a senior at Westwood High School, organized a classical Indian dance recital performed for the children and families staying at the Ronald McDonald House in late August. The dancers, aged 4 to 13, were participants of a summer dance camp Nagle hosted. Nagle also donated the proceeds from the summer camp to the Ronald McDonald House.

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For tickets, visit Hope4Minds.org.

numbers 85%

Amount of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pumpkins that are canned in Morton, Ill., home to Libbyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. Source: Agricultural Marketing Resource Center

200,000

Number of people who visit Lost Maples State Natural Area every year, many of them in the fall for the bigtooth maple foliage. Source: Texas Parks and Wildlife

$148.9 million

Value of the U.S. pumpkin crop in 2012. Source: Agricultural Marketing Resource Center

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10 THINGS

For Pampering New Moms! Give the new mom in your life a little well-deserved pampering with these fresh ideasâ&#x20AC;Ś

2 3 6 7

Gift certificates for takeout

Voucher for a night of babysitting Herbal tea gift basket

4 5

Toys to keep older siblings occupied Cozy loungewear

Basket of nutritious snacks Personalized water bottle

8 9

Rides for older siblings E-book or Netflix gift card

Basket of spa products

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Bedtime Magic: 5

Science-Based Tricks to Make Bedtime a Breeze by Malia Jacobson

Is bedtime a bad word at your house? Do your kids fight sleep like trained ninjas? Does the tuck-in process leave you tuckered out? If bedtime is a battle, night after night, sleep cues may be your ticket to success. Just what is a sleep cue? Called “sleep onset associations” by medical professionals, sleep cues are the building blocks of an effective bedtime routine. When used consistently, sleep cues tell the brain that it’s time to slow down and rest. With a few tweaks to your evening rituals, you can create powerful sleep cues that will help everyone wind down and relax—even older kids who shun lullabies and bedtime stories. From the age of 6 months, children can develop associations between certain events or objects and falling sleep. “We see this in animals and humans,” says sleep expert Susan Rausch, M.D. “Babies and young kids learn that certain things in a certain sequence lead to sleep. Basically, A plus B plus C plus D equals sleep.” If this sounds like your kind of math, read on. These scientifically proven cues will help your brood wind down, feel sleepy and actually want to go to bed.

Cue 1: Made in the Shade

According to sleep specialist Roslinde Collins, M.D., a dark bedroom is important to healthy rest. But darkness also plays a major role in sleep preparation; it cues the brain’s production

October 2015 l austinfamily.com

of melatonin, known for regulating biological rhythms and helping us feel sleepy.

Make it work for you:

Create a peaceful, sleep-inducing atmosphere by dimming the lights after dinner. Stumbling around in the dark isn’t necessary; just draw the shades and turn off unnecessary lights about an hour before bedtime. Collins recommends turning off or covering all light sources in the bedroom, including lighted clocks, electronic toys and screens.

Cue 2: Sound of Music

For an easier bedtime, make some noise. Consistently using sound or music near bedtime creates a positive sleep association that cues relaxation. Whether you choose classical music, rainforest sounds, ocean waves or plain old white noise, the type of sound is less important than using it repeatedly. Over time, the sound will signal to your child’s brain that sleepytime is near.

Make it work for you:

To incorporate noise into your bedtime routine, simply choose any type of sound you and your family find soothing. Sound should be used early in the bedtime routine, says Rausch. Play

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soft music or white noise 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime for a subtle yet effective cue that it’s time for sleep.

Cue 3: Nighttime Nosh

A bedtime bite to eat banishes hunger and provides an important sleep cue that kids learn to associate with bedtime. Depending on what kids eat, snacks may help them fall asleep faster, too. When paired with complex carbohydrates, tryptophan-rich foods like meat, dairy, soy or nuts can help kids feel sleepy—the insulin spike that follows carbohydrate consumption helps tryptophan enter the brain.

Make it work for you:

Serve a healthy snack about an hour before bed. Consider tryptophan-carbohydrate combos like whole-grain cereal and milk, oatmeal cookies and cocoa, whole-wheat crackers and cheese or sesame seeds sprinkled on half a peanut-butter sandwich.

Cue 4: Smells like Bedtime

Ancient folklore and modern science are in agreement about the calming effects of scents. Lavender aromas have been proven to slow the nervous system and promote deep sleep. German researchers recently proved that the scent of Gardenia jasminoides has a powerful sedative effect. When used near bedtime, a soothing scent signals to your family that the day is over (and it makes your house smell great, too!).

Make it work for you:

Incorporate scent into your ritual by simmering water infused with essential oils or vanilla extract, plugging in a child-safe scent diffuser or (carefully) lighting a scented candle.

Cue 5: Sleep Security

Security objects like special blankets or stuffed animals are powerful sleep cues, says Rausch. Sleep specialists call these items “transitional objects” because they ease the transition to slumber. They’re often the last element of a bedtime routine and remain with the child as she drifts off to sleep.

Make it work for you:

According to Rausch, the ideal transitional object is one the child controls himself. Snuggling a stuffed toy is good, she notes, because a child can do this throughout the night as needed without getting up or waking others. Pacifiers, books, music and well-loved toys all work well, as long as a parent isn’t called on to locate it, wind it up or turn it on in the middle of the night. Keeping sleep cues simple is the key to their success, says Rausch. “Parents need to think about what they can realistically do, every night.” Try a few cues on your kids and see what magic unfolds. When bedtime is a breeze, you’ll actually enjoy it. And, once the kids are asleep, you’ll have energy left over for that pile of laundry. af Malia Jacobson is an award-winning health and parenting journalist, sleep coach and mom of three. Her latest book is Sleep Tight, Every Night: Helping Toddlers and Preschoolers Sleep Well Without Tears, Tricks, or Tirades.

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BY BETTY RICHARDSON

My daughter-in-law and son are expecting their first child. I’ve raised five children so I try to help them with advice, but they don’t seem to want to listen. For example, I looked at the ingredients in the pre-natal vitamins my daughter-in-law chose, and they didn’t have enough folic acid and iron. I found some better vitamins and asked her to switch. Instead, she consulted her obstetrician, who said the vitamins she selected were good enough. How do I get them to listen to me and follow my advice?

Undoubtedly, you have plenty of experience with pregnancy and babies and can offer valuable advice. But adult children having children don’t usually want Mom to tell them what to do. As adults they can do their own research and make their own decisions. Proceed gently in your attempts to help them. Asking a question is usually better than telling them what to do. Some questions you can ask them are: you thought about how much folic acid and iron a • Have pregnant woman needs and why? foods do you think an expectant mother could eat • What to provide good nutrition for the growing fetus? you think what the mother eats and drinks affects • Do the fetus? Questions don’t feel as “bossy” as advice. Questions can nudge your son and his wife to do some research and adjust what they are doing. In addition to avoiding straight-out advice with the expectation they take it, you could provide your son and his wife with articles, pamphlets and/or a book or two on what to do and expect during the pregnancy. When these expectant parents make a good decision around pregnancy and later around childcare, it will help your relationship with them and build their self-confidence if you let them know that you believe they have done well.

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At this point, you may want to ask yourself a couple of questions. First, “Can I ever give my grown kids and their spouses advice and if so, when?” The answer is, “When they ask for advice.” And even then, offering multiple good options may be better than advice on the one thing you think they should do. The second question is, “Why can’t I just tell them what I think they should do?” The answer is that when you tell them what you think they should do, it’s highly possible they will perceive you are interfering with their way of doing things or just getting too bossy. If they feel you are getting too involved in their lives, they may either suddenly or gradually, consciously or subconsciously, decrease the amount of time they let you into their lives. I expect that when the baby arrives, your son and his wife will want to apply their own style of parenting. If you question or challenge them too much, they could decrease or shut off some degree of access to themselves and your new grandchild. It is far more important that you develop a good relationship with them than that you are right about pre-natal vitamins or get them to follow your advice. A good relationship with your adult children—who are soon to be parents themselves—will more likely get you closer to all the access to your grandchild that you need or want. 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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BY BETTY RICHARDSON

Mi nuera e hijo están esperando su primer bebé. He criado a cinco hijos, por lo que trato de ayudarles consejos, pero parece que no quieren escuchar. Por ejemplo, miré los ingredientes en las vitaminas prenatales que mi nuera eligió, y no tienen suficiente ácido fólico y hierro. Encontré unas vitaminas mejores y le pedí a ella que las cambiara. Ella en lugar de eso, consultó a su obstétrico, quien le dijo que las vitaminas que ella seleccionó estaban bastante bien. ¿Cómo consigo que estos niños me escuchen y sigan mi consejo?

Indudablemente, tiene mucha experiencia con embarazos y bebés y puede ofrecer consejos valiosos. Pero los hijos adultos que tienen hijos no quieren por lo general que la mamá les diga que hacer. Como adultos pueden investigar por sí mismos y tomar sus propias decisiones. Proceda con cuidado en su intento por ayudarlos. Hacer una pregunta es por lo general mejor que decirles que hacer. Algunas preguntas que puede hacerle a ellos son: pensado en la cantidad de ácido fólico y hierro • ¿Han que necesita una mujer embarazada y por qué? alimentos creen que una mujer embarazada • ¿Qué puede comer para ofrecer una buena nutrición al feto en crecimiento? • ¿Creen que lo que come y toma la madre afecta al feto? Las preguntas no se sienten como “que está mandando” sino como consejos. Las preguntas pueden orientar a su hijo y a su esposa a hacer algunas investigaciones y modificar lo que están haciendo. Además de evitar consejos directos con la expectativa de que lo van a tomar, podría proveer a su hijo y su esposa con artículos, folletos y/o un libro o dos sobre lo que debe hacer y esperar durante el embarazo. Cuando estos futuros padres tomen una buena decisión en el embarazo y después en el cuidado del bebé, le ayudará en su relación con ellos y aumentará su confianza en sí mismo si les deja saber que usted cree que han hecho bien.

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En este momento, es posible que usted desee hacerse un par de preguntas. En primer lugar, “¿Podre alguna vez darles a mis hijos mayores y sus cónyuges algún consejo? y si es así, ¿cuándo? La respuesta es, “Cuando me pidan un consejo.” Y aun así, el ofrecerles varias buenas opciones puede ser mejor que un consejo de lo único que usted piensa que deben hacer. La segunda pregunta es: “¿Por qué no puedo simplemente decirles lo que pienso que deben hacer?” La respuesta es que cuando les dice lo que piensa que deberían hacer, es muy posible que lo perciban como que está interfiriendo con su forma de hacer las cosas o simplemente que está siendo demasiado mandona. Si sienten que se está involucrando demasiado en sus vidas, pueden de repente o gradualmente, consciente o inconscientemente, disminuir la cantidad de tiempo que le permiten entrar en sus vidas. Se espera que cuando llegue el bebé, su hijo y su esposa querrán aplicar su propio estilo de crianza para con su hijo. Si usted los cuestiona o desafiar demasiado, ellos podrían disminuir o cerrar algún grado de acceso a ellos mismos y a su nuevo nieto. Es mucho más importante que desarrolle una buena relación con ellos, a que usted tenga la razón sobre las vitaminas prenatales o conseguir que sigan sus consejos. Una buena relación con sus hijos adultos—quienes pronto serán padres ellos mismos—es más probable que pueda acercarla más a tener todo el acceso a su nieto que necesita o desea. af Betty Richardson, Ph.D., R.N.C., L.P.C., L.M.F.T., es una psicoterapeuta situada en Austin que se especializa en el tratamiento de los problemas de los niños, adolescentes y padres.

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Autumn in Austin is brief. In fact, it’s often said that if you blink,

FALL

you’ll miss it. But what a great

with Austin’s Autumn Charms

activities fun for everyone. Here

season it is while it’s around—

IN LOVE

the crisp, cool air makes outdoor are our favorite things about fall in Central Texas.

Local farms are celebrating the cooler days with pumpkin patches, corn mazes, hayrides and other fall festivities. They’re worth the trip for a great time and some heart-warming family photos.

FARMS

Barton Hill Farms

Evergreen Farms Christmas Trees

Weekends through Nov. 8 1115 FM 969 Bastrop Bartonhillfarms.com

Weekends in October 242 Monkey Rd. Elgin Evergreen-farms.com

Elgin Christmas Tree Farm

Sweet Berry Farm

Select weekends in October, see website for details 120 Nature’s Way Elgin Elginchristmastreefarm.com

Weekends in October 1801 FM 1980 Marble Falls Sweetberryfarm.com

Photo b

Texas Big Worm Pumpkin Patch

y Sherid

a Mock

Thursdays through Sundays, October 8 through November 15 4625 E. SH 29 Bertram 512-468-9997

Summer camping in Texas? Too hot! But fall—that’s another story altogether. Enjoy a hike that isn’t in 100-degree heat. Build a campfire (if we’re not under a burn ban). Knock back a hot chocolate or two. All state parks can be found at tpwd.texas.gov. Our favorites:

CAMPING

Enchanted Rock State Natural Area

Lockhart State Park

Inks Lake State Park

Pedernales Falls State Park

16710 RR 965 Fredericksburg

3630 Park Rd. 4 West Burnet

2012 State Park Rd. Lockhart 2585 Park Rd. 6026 Johnson City

McKinney Falls State Park ,

McCorkle Photo by Rob lls State Park. ent rtm pa Pedernales Fa De e lif s and Wild © Texas Park

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5808 McKinney Falls Parkway Austin

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October means outdoor events, and here are some of our family-friendly favorites.

EVENTS ACL Fest

Visit the Austin Kiddie Limits stage October 2 – 4 and 9 – 11 Zilker Park Aclfestival.com

Sacred Springs Pow-wow

Enjoy native dancers, music and storytelling October 10 Meadows Center, San Marcos Indigenouscultures.org

Oktoberfest

Take in German food and music, plus face painting and magicians October 17 507 E. 10th St. Germantexans.org

Texas Book Festival

Meet your favorite authors and discover new ones October 17 – 18 Downtown Austin Texasbookfestival.org

Formula One Race

See this worldly and glamorous ACL Fest Kidd motorsport ie Limits stag e. Photo by Ki mberly Broo up close ke October 23 – 25 Circuit of the Americas Circuitoftheamericas.com

Okay, our landscape can’t compare to the spectacular displays in the northeastern U.S., but our trees do put on a nice show, thank you very much. West of town and throughout the Hill Country, take a drive and enjoy the fall colors of oaks (other than live oaks), big-tooth maple, cedar elm, cottonwood, flame-leaf sumac and sycamore. af

LEAVES

Lost Maples State Natural Area

37221 FM 187 Vanderpool (Check the weekly foliage report at bit.ly/1EjD85G0)

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ea. ate Natural Ar Texas Lost Maples St Fountain, © A. e as Ch by t Photo life Departmen Parks and Wild

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B Y J E N N I F E R VA N B U R E N

fly Wall on the

The Right Way to Observe Your Child’s Classroom

ow many times have you thought, “I wish I could be a little mouse in the corner of the classroom?”

Most parents wish they could sneak a peek into their little one’s classroom during the day. But beyond simple

There are several reasons why you may want to observe the classroom:

• •

Your child may demonstrate skills or behaviors at school that you don’t see at home, or you see things at home that don’t happen at school. Observing your child in both environments can be helpful to both you and the school. You may have questions about the class routine that are not satisfied by conferences. You may suspect your child is not in the most appropriate placement, and you want to visit the classroom to determine if his needs are being met.

October 2015 l austinfamily.com

Your child may have communication issues due to a disability. (In these cases, parent-teacher communication is vital. As a partner with the educational system, you may need to gather information to be used in your child’s annual review meeting.)

Setting Up the Visit Most teachers are happy to accommodate parent visits, but your school may have a specific policy for observations. Plan ahead. It is very rare that a parent can do a “drop-in” visitation. Let the teacher know if there are specific skills or activities you are most interested in viewing. Some schools will arrange for you to be accompanied by a principal or counselor. They also need to be in the loop when you schedule your visit.

curiosity, is such a visit necessary?

•

Making an Entrance…or Not You might imagine walking into your daughter’s classroom with arms wide open and sporting a big smile. Your daughter is the first to hug you, but the rest of the children follow, squealing and tackling you to the ground. It’s a sweet scene, but unfortunately it completely disrupts the academic routine of the day. So, how should you behave during an observation?

Don’t draw attention to yourself. The goal of most observations is to see your child in his typical day, which doesn’t include a parent in the classroom. Try to be as unnoticed as possible.

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Observations are usually scheduled when the children are settled into their routine. Don’t sit with your child; stay in the seat provided. When your observation time is over, slip out quietly and without fanfare.

Limit interactions with the teacher and students. You are there to observe, not participate. The teacher is working and shouldn’t be interrupted with questions, commentary or chitchat. Take notes and record questions so you can bring them up later.

your child’s daily routine, you can get a good feel for the classroom environment, how your child socializes with other children and how your child interacts with his teacher. Even better than showing up is volunteering to come early for setup or stay late for cleanup. You have a right to know what is going on in your child’s class room. Parent

observations are just one path to this knowledge. Consider starting with the least intrusive paths, and if you do choose to sit in on the classroom, be sure to be quiet as a little mouse. af Jennifer VanBuren is a Georgetown mother of three, educator and childbirth doula.

If a child greets you, feel free to say “Hello.” If they ask what you are doing, answer that you are observing your child. Then gently remind them to return to their work.

3. Maintain privacy. Focus your

attention on your own child. Don’t ask questions about other children and their services, disabilities, behaviors and achievement. The teacher can’t address such questions due to privacy laws. Imagine how you’d feel if another parent were observing your child, and act accordingly.

Options and Alternatives There are plenty of other ways to find out what is going on in the classroom. Take advantage of these, and you may not need to schedule a formal observation.

Open houses, parent nights and conferences. Here, teachers set aside time to answer your questions and get acquainted. Show up to all of them. You’ll get to see your child’s learning environment, get to know the teacher and learn the classroom routines.

Volunteering. From stuffing takehome folders to hanging up student work, most teachers are happy to have all the help they can get. Volunteering lets you build a trusting relationship with your child’s teacher. You can also help out in the library or office. These are great ways to learn more about the day-to-day workings of the school. Class parties. While classroom parties are by no means a view of

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B Y J E N N I F E R VA N B U R E N

mosca pared

una

en la

La Manera Correcta de Observar el Salón de Clase de Sus Hijos

Cuántas veces ha pensado: “Me gustaría poder ser un pequeño ratón en la esquina del salón de clase?”

La mayoría de los padres quisieran poder echar un vistazo en el salón de clase de su pequeño durante el día. Pero más allá de la simple curiosidad, ¿es necesaria tal visita?

Hay varias razones por las que usted puede desear observar el salón de clases:

•

• • •

Su hijo/a puede demostrar habilidades o conductas en la escuela que usted no ve en su casa, o ver cosas en casa que no ocurren en la escuela. Al observar a su hijo/a en ambos ambientes puede ser útil para usted y la escuela. Es posible que tenga preguntas sobre la rutina de la clase que no se tratan en las conferencias. Es posible que sospeche que su hijo/a no está en la colocación más apropiada, y desea visitar el salón de clase para determinar si sus necesidades son atendidas. Su hijo/a puede tener problemas de comunicación debido a una discapacidad. (En estos casos, la comunicación entre padres y maestros es vital. Como un socio en el sistema educativo, deberá recopilar información que se utilizará en la reunión de revisión anual de su hijo/a.) October 2015 l austinfamily.com

Establecer la Visita

La mayoría de los maestros están dispuestos a atender las visitas de los padres, pero su escuela puede tener una política específica para observaciones. Planee con anticipación. Es muy raro que un padre pueda hacer una visita “imprevista”. Hágale saber al maestro/a si existen actividades o habilidades específicas que a usted le interesa más ver. Algunas escuelas arreglan para que la acompañe un director o consejero. También necesitan estar al tanto cuando usted programe su visita.

Hacer una Entrada…o No

Usted puede imaginarse entrar en el salón de clase de su hija con los brazos abiertos y luciendo una gran sonrisa. Su hija es la primera en abrazarla, después el resto de los niños siguen, gritando suavemente la tumban al suelo al abrazarla todos juntos. Es una escena dulce, pero lamentablemente interrumpe totalmente la rutina académica del día. Así que, ¿cómo debe comportarse durante una observación?

No llame la atención. El objetivo principal de las observaciones es ver a su hijo/a en un día típico, el cual no incluye a un padre en el salón de clase. Trate de ser lo más desapercibido posible. Las observaciones se programan durante el tiempo en que los niños se encuentran en su rutina. No se siente con su hijo/a; quédese en el asiento proporcionado. Cuando termine su tiempo de observación, sálgase silenciosamente y sin fanfarria. Limitar las interacciones con el maestro/a y los estudi-

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antes. Usted está allí para observar, no participar. El maestro/a está trabajando y no debe ser interrumpido con preguntas, comentarios o charlas. Tome notas y escriba las preguntas para que pueda hacerlas más tarde.

Si un niño la saluda, no dude en decir “Hola”. Si le preguntan lo que está haciendo, conteste que está observando a su hijo/a. Entonces suavemente recordarles que vuelvan a su trabajo.

su hijo/a socializa con otros niños y cómo su hijo/a interactúa con el maestro/a. Incluso algo mejor que estar presente, es el ofrecerse como voluntario y llegar temprano para ayudar a organizar el evento o quedarse tarde para ayudar en la limpieza. Usted tiene derecho a saber lo que está pasando en el salón de clase de su

hijo/a. Observaciones de los padres son sólo un camino a este conocimiento. Considere empezando por los caminos menos intrusivos, y si opta por sentarse en el salón de clase, asegúrese de estar en silencio como un pequeño ratón. af Jennifer VanBuren es una educadora, doula, y madre de tres hijos que vive en Georgetown.

Mantener privacidad. Enfoque su atención en su propio hijo/a. No haga preguntas sobre otros niños y sus servicios, discapacidades, comportamientos y logros. El maestro/a no puede responder a este tipo de preguntas, debido a las leyes de privacidad. Imagínese cómo se sentiría si otro padre observara a su hijo/a, y actúe consecuentemente.

Opciones y Alternativas

Hay muchas otras maneras de averiguar lo que está pasando en el salón de clase. Aproveche las ventajas de estos, y es posible que no necesite programar una observación formal.

Casa abierta, noche de padres y conferencias. Aquí, los maestros reservan tiempo para responder a sus preguntas y conocerse. Asista a todos ellos. Tendrá la oportunidad de ver el ambiente de aprendizaje de su hijo/a, conocer al maestro/a y aprender las rutinas de la clase.

Voluntariado. Desde poner hojas en las carpetas que se llevan a casa hasta colgar trabajos de los estudiantes, la mayoría de los maestros están felices de tener toda la ayuda que puedan obtener. El ser voluntario le permite construir una relación de confianza con el maestro/a de su hijo/a. También puede ayudar en la biblioteca o en la oficina. Éstas son buenas maneras para aprender más acerca del funcionamiento cotidiano de la escuela. Fiestas en el salón de clase. Mientras que las fiestas en el salón de clase no es la mejor manera para ver la rutina diaria de su hijo/a, puede darse una idea del ambiente en el salón de clase, cómo

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2015 2015Education 2016 16

Guide

Private Schools Ace Academy Cathedral School of Saint Mary’s Challenger School Fine Arts Academy Holy Family Catholic School Hyde Park Schools International School of Texas Jardin De Ninos Interlingua Magellan School Magnolia School San Juan Diego Catholic School St. Austin Catholic School St. Dominic Savio Catholic High School St. Francis School St. Gabriel’s Catholic School St. Helens Catholic School St. Ignatius, Martyr Catholic School St. Louis Catholic School St. Mary’s Catholic School St. Theresa’s Catholic School Santa Cruz Catholic High William’s Community School

3901 Shoal Creek Blvd., Austin www.austingifted.org 910 San Jacinto, Austin www.smcschoolaustin.org 15101 Avery Ranch Rd., Austin www.challengerschool.com 1521 Joyce Ln., Round Rock 13015 Pond Springs Rd., Austin 2110 White Horse Tr., Austin www.dancediscovery.com 10526 Parmer Ln., Austin 9400 Neenah Ave., Austin www.holyfamilycs.org 3901 Speedway, Austin www.hp-schools.org 11400 N. MoPac Expwy., Austin 4402 Hudson Bend, Austin www.istexas.org 8707 Mountain Crest Dr., Austin www.austinbilingualschool.com 2700 W. Anderson Ln., Austin 107 R.R. 620, Ste. 300, Lakeway 7938 Great Northern Blvd., Austin www.magellanschoolatx.org 2903 RR 620 N., Austin www.themagnoliaschoolatx.com 800 Herndon Ln., Austin www.sjdchs.org 1911 San Antonio St., Austin www.staustinschool.org 9300 Neenah Ave., Austin www.saviochs.org 300 E. Huntland Dr., Austin www.stfrancis-school.org 2500 Wimberly Ln., Austin www.sgs-austin.org 2700 E. University Ave., Georgetown www.shclions.org 120 W. Oltorf, Austin www.st-ignatius.org/school 2114 St. Joseph, Austin www.slcsaustin.org 520 Washburn St., Taylor www.stmarystaylor.org 4311 Small Dr., Austin www.st-theresa.org 1110 Main St., Buda www.sccstx.org 13584 Pond Springs Rd., Austin www.williamscommunityschool.org

512-206-4070 512-476-1480 512-341-8000 512-255-8844 512-258-1299 512-419-7611 512-658-2996 512-246-4455 512-465-8344 512-465-8333 512-351-3403 512-432-5317 512-299-5732 512-466-2409 512-260-9620 512-266-9620 512-804-1935 512-477-3751 512-388-8846 512-454-0848 512-327-7755 512-869-3244 512-442-8547 512-614-6622 x245 512-352-2313 512-451-7105 512-312-2137 512-250-5700

3yrs-12th PreK, 4-8th PreK-8th 3rd-5th PreK, 4-8th K4-8th 9th-12th 2-14 yrs Inf-3rd 3 yrs-7th 3-13 yrs. Indi. Instr. 9th-12th PreK-8th 9th-12th PreK-8th JrK-8th PreK-8th PreK, 3-8th PreK, 4-8th PreK-8th PreK, 4-8th PreK, 4-8th PreK-8th special needs

Montessori/Preschools/Kindergarten All Saints Episcopal Day School Children’s Center of Austin Child’s Haven MDO Country Home Learning Center Extend-A-Care For Kids Froggin Learning Center Kiddie Academy of Cedar Park Kiddie Academy of Pflugerville Rainbow Station Spicewood Country School Stepping Stone Schools

209 W. 27th St., Austin www.allsaintseds.org 512-472-8866 6507 Jester Rd. Bldg. 2, Austin www.childrenscenterofaustin.com 512-795-8300 8100 Bee Caves Rd., Austin 512-329-6633 4308 N. Quinlan Park Rd., Austin 512-266-6130 600 W. Park St., Cedar Park www.childshaven.net 512-335-9540 1310 US Hwy 183 North, Austin www.countryhomelearningcenter.com 512-331-1442 6900 Escarpment Blvd., Austin 512-288-8220 77 area campuses www.eackids.org 512-472-9402 Corner of 360 and 2222, Austin www.frogginlearning.com 512-345-3764 1602 Medical Pkwy., Cedar Park www.kiddieacademy.com/austin 512-920-3028 2617 Kelly Ln., Pflugerville www.kiddieacademy.com/pflugerville 512-270-9988 11651 W. Parmer Ln., Cedar Park www.rainbowstationaustin.org 512-260-9700 6102 Spicewood Springs Rd., Austin www.spicewoodcountry.com 512-346-2992 19 Locations throughout Austin Metro www.steppingstoneschool.com 512-459-0258

3 yrs-K Inf-PreK 1 yr-PreK Inf-13yrs Inf- PreK AfterSch 1-10yrs 6 wks-12 yrs 6wks-12yrs Inf-12yrs Inf-K Inf-K

Resources

Aces Jiu Jitsu 10435 Burnet Rd. #106, Austin www.acesjiujitsuclub.com 512-730-1161 Bully prevention, confidence Building Austin Learning Center 3355 Bee Cave Rd., #203, Austin www.austinlearningcenter.com 512-330-9007 Tutoring, SAT/ACT, coaching, mentoring Brain Balance 3267 Bee Caves Rd., Suite 118, Austin www.brainbalancecenters.com 512-328-7771 Behavioral issues EduCenter by Nets 1900 Cypress Creek, Ste. 101, Cedar Park www.educenter4me.com 512-996-9260 SpeTutoring, entrepreneurship, specialized therapy Extra Credit 8820 Business Park #300, Austin www.extracreditaustin.com 512-689-0236 Medical and educational occupation therapy Grade Power Learning 4301 W. William Cannon, Bldg. B #220, Austin www.gradepowerlearning.com 512-892-7323 Tutoring 1780 Round Rock Ave. #200, Round Rock 512-265-2448 Positive Behavior Supports Austin Area www.teampbs.com 855.832.6727x3004 In-home ABA Therapy-Autism Sylvan Learning Centers Six Austin metro locations (see ad page 1) www.sylvan.com 800-EDUCATE Tutoring, robotics, STEM, confidence building

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SHARING HIS

SUCCESS BY SHERIDA MOCK

The Face of Paul Mitchell Has a Lot to Say BORN IN CALIFORNIA, John Paul DeJoria sold newspapers as a youth. After a stint in the Navy, he bounced from job to job, including pumping gas and selling encyclopedias. But while working as a hair care sales manager, he met hairstylist Paul Mitchell and they launched a line of hair care products. Things took off, to say the least. Since then, DeJoria has entered the tequila business (Patr贸n) and wireless service (ROK Mobile). He also keeps a high profile in the nonprofit world. He has lent a hand in causes as diverse as ending homelessness, protecting natural resources, providing tsunami relief and eliminating landmines in Africa. DeJoria makes his home in Austin, and he took time recently to answer our questions.

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ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS LIKING WHAT YOU DO, WHO YOU DO IT WITH AND WHO YOU DO IT FOR

AF:

Tell us about your family.

My son, John Paul Jr., is 49. He has his own Paul Mitchell School. My 37 year old, Alexis, is a Top Fuel funny car driver. Her best time at 321 miles an hour is 3.94 seconds. My other daughter, Michaeline, is 33 and is the vice chairman at John Paul Mitchell Systems. John Anthony is 18, and he’s an exceptional college student and adventurer. Together, on his 18th birthday we successfully climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro.

AF:

What part does philanthropy play in your life?

It’s a big part of my life. It’s part of my lifestyle. It’s part of who I am and who I’ve always been, since I was a little boy. My mother taught my brother and I at an early age to give back and help people who are more in need. There’s always someone who has it a little more difficult than you. I learned this at age 6, when my mother took us downtown for Christmas. She handed over a dime each to my brother

and me and told us to place them into the Salvation Army bin. At the time, it was a lot for our family. A dime would have covered a lot and here we were told to give it away. It’s a moment I will never forget, and I’m still talking about it today. It’s with me for a lifetime.

AF:

Growing up, you took jobs to help support your family. Did that early experience create the entrepreneurial drive in you, or did it already exist?

It definitely helped! I was used to working; it was a fun thing to do, not a necessity.

AF:

How did your rags-to-riches business experience shape your parenting?

In the early days, it was not as great as I would have liked. I was on the road all the time, working hard to support my family. That’s not the best parenting. However, in the last 25 years, I was off the road more and was able to watch the kids more and attend school events.

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Why did you decide to live in Austin?

It was definitely family values. Austin is a city with great family values and schools.

AF:

Do you have any business advice for other parents—whether they are billionaires or not?

My advice is to spend as much time with your children as you can and realize that their thinking could be much different than yours. We as parents have to understand where our children are coming from in order to properly communicate with them. I’ve learned that times have changed, and it’s very different these days.

AF:

Do you have anything you’d like to say that we didn’t cover?

Success unshared is failure. It doesn’t have to be money that you lend out or give away to help someone; it could simply be your time that will make a difference in someone else’s life. af

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BY BRENDA SCHOOLFIELD

s parents and caregivers, we want to do everything in our power to protect and take care of our children, particularly when they are sick. When our child has a cough, a fever or an earache, we often dash to the pediatrician and expect to leave with a prescription for antibiotics. But is that always the answer?

Antibiotics Attack Bacteria…

Antibiotics are powerful medicines that attack bacteria and kill it or keep it from growing. Antibiotics only work on infections caused by bacteria. Some infections caused by bacteria are whooping cough, strep throat and urinary tract infections. Antibiotics do not work on infections caused by viruses. Yet, many parents often demand an antibiotic prescription for an illness caused by a virus. “Well-meaning parents want their children to feel better quickly and think that an antibiotic is an easy solution,” says Dr. Theresa Willis, a board certified pediatrician in Austin. “Unfortunately, an antibiotic like Amoxicillin works by attacking bacterial cell walls. Because viruses don’t have cell walls, the antibiotic cannot kill the virus.”

… But Not Viruses

When deciding if an antibiotic is needed, your pediatrician evaluates whether the illness is caused by a virus or a bacteria. Common illnesses caused by viruses include:

Colds

If your child has a runny nose, cough and congestion, an antibiotic will not help. Colds are caused by viruses. To help your child be more comfortable, Dr. Willis suggests the following: • Saline nasal spray to help keep the nasal passages moist and clear • Extra fluids to drink • Tylenol or ibuprofen for fever and aches • Using a humidifier at night

Flu

Antibiotics are not effective against the flu because it is a viral infection. Antiviral medicines, such as Tamiflu, are available. These medicines help make flu symptoms milder and shorten the length of the illness. However, antiviral medicines must be started within the first two days of the flu to be effective.

THE FACTS ABOUT ANTIBIOTICS:

They Don’t Help In Many Cases

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Most sore throats

About 80 percent of sore throats are caused by viruses, not bacteria. If the pediatrician suspects a certain bacteria, she may order a test for “strep throat.” If the test comes back positive, antibiotics will be prescribed.

there may not be antibiotics available to fight routine infections.

•

How to Use Antibiotics Wisely

•

• •

Coughs

The same viruses that cause colds and flu can lead to a cough. Even though some coughs can last up to three weeks, antibiotics won’t help if the cause is a virus. Dr. Willis recommends contacting your pediatrician if your child is having trouble breathing or has fever over 102° along with the cough. Also get medical care for a child who is coughing so severely that he is vomiting or if the child is unable to eat or drink because of the cough.

•

Don’t give your child antibiotics for viral infections. Never pressure your pediatrician to prescribe an antibiotic. When your child is prescribed an antibiotic, give it exactly as direct-

ed and until the medicine is gone. Never save leftover antibiotics or give antibiotics prescribed for someone else to your child. Safely discard leftover antibiotics. See “How to Dispose of Unused Medicines” on the FDA website at 1.usa.gov/1lyFzYi. af

Brenda Schoolfield is a freelance medical writer in Austin.

Many Sinus Infections

When your child has a cold, he may have yellow or green mucus from his nose. This may last for as long as 10 days without cause for concern. In most cases, sinus infections are caused by allergies or viruses. If your child has a fever higher than 102 degrees for three or four days in addition to the mucus, or if the mucus lasts for more than 10 days, the child may need an antibiotic.

Many Ear Infections

Over 50 percent of all ear infections get well without antibiotics. If your child does not have a high fever or severe pain, your pediatrician may recommend waiting to see if the child gets better. Overthe-counter pain medicines or ear drops may be recommended to help ease the pain. If your child’s fever or pain get worse, he may need an antibiotic.

Why It’s Important

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over half of antibiotics prescribed in the U.S. are inappropriate. Most of these unneeded prescriptions are for patients who have respiratory infections caused by viruses. Overuse of antibiotics is a serious public health problem. Many types of bacteria are becoming resistant to commonly used antibiotics. Each year these antibiotic-resistant “superbugs” cause over two million illnesses and 23,000 deaths. As antibiotic resistance gets worse, Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market

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BY RICHARD SINGLETON

Look Into Your Roots

With Family Tree Software

love libraries. Sadly, I rarely go in one these days because of the ubiquity and ease of the internet, but some of my best memories of books, research and a love for language are rooted in the ineffable experience of the sights, sounds (shhh!) and smells of large university libraries, tiny local libraries and everything in between. Though it’s been two decades now, I have a faint memory of being in Central Library in Fort Worth for college research and being mesmerized by an aging

woman who was doing genealogical laps around the place. She flitted to and fro, had stacks of this and that and seemed transfixed with her task. Somehow, she found it important to offer me some sage advice: “If you’re going to study genealogy, it’s going to take a lot of time and effort.” I’m not sure why she thought I was interested in genealogy. It might have been because I’m a sucker for looking up family history. And maybe I had swum out of the kiddie pool a little too close to the deep end of her research, and she had seen just how unhelpful my genealogical

floaties were going to be when the big waves moved in. She was quite right. I’m still in the shallow waters today. I’ll Google my surname and meander around various low hanging fruit of family trees here and there. If I allow my imagination to run wild, I find myself the distant relative of King Eadwulf of Northumbria (c. 700AD), the great, great something-or-another of Huck de Singleton of Lancanshire, head of a well ensconced family tree that was planted long before the arrival of William the Conqueror to Britannia’s soil in 1066. You see how dangerous Google can be for a fertile mind. My stooped-over friend from Fort Worth had it right: genealogical study is hard work. Genealogical enthusiasts are on the rise, however, and the hard work of the past is certainly being made easier by the use of a growing array of cloud-based and software solutions. In March of this year, Molly K. McLaughlin posted an article on pcmag. com that provides an in depth review of The Best Genealogy Software and Services for 2015. I’ll summarize some of her research and perhaps set you off on the scent of what may be just what you were looking for…and if not, you can stick with me in the hazy, lazy, fictional, but fun, world of hunt and peck genealogy. It’s the fastest way to royalty that I’ve found. At the basic level, there are two issues that you come to with genealogical research—the ease of cloud-based,

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Genealogical enthusiasts are on the rise, however, and the hard work of the past is certainly being made easier by the use of a growing array of cloud-based and software solutions.

online applications or the dated, but somewhat more sophisticated software-based solutions. For most of us, the ease, modern feel and ongoing updates of an online approach would serve us best. The heavy hitter here of course is Ancestry.com. You’ll have known by now that they have nice commercials, a far-reaching web advertising presence and a great track record for many users. There are other online options, however. McLaughlin reviews Archives, Mocavo and OneGreatFamily.com, each with their own intricacies, nooks and crannies. Then, there are the heftier, if sometimes more clunky and dated, software-based options: programs with names that, for the uninitiated, sound almost as robotic as their interfaces can sometimes feel: Brother’s Keeper, Family Tree Heritage Platinum 9, Heredis, Legacy Family Tree 8, Ancestral Quest and Family Historian 6. With names like these, I feel like they need a bit of their own family tree to see who’s who and what’s what. But, I digress.

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Importantly, Mac users have more limited options with software, as most are PC based. So, if you want to go with a software solution, it might be a good time to dust off your aging PC, dive in with Windows 10 or decide that you and your Mac will move steady on with a software sidestep. One last thing, for the super nerdy out there (I can say that, because I’m one of you): there’s the intriguing and growing use of relatively inexpensive DNA tests that can help place you in the grand scheme of the human experience—one of the frontpage concepts that Ancestry.com advertises. A bit much for most of us, but hey, most of us don’t roam the libraries chasing away bright-eyed college students who’ve wandered a little too close to the genealogical danger zone. I swear she didn’t waggle her cane at me, but it was a close call, nonetheless. af Richard Singleton, MACE, MAMFC, LPC, is the executive director at STARRY in Round Rock.

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October

2015 calendar

C O M P I L ED BY BETTY KEMP ER

++ Denotes event occurs on multiple dates

Museum Exhibits

Museum Exhibits page 32 Family Events page 32 Parenting Events page 39 Storytimes page 40

FRANK REAUGH: LANDSCAPES OF TEXAS AND THE AMERICAN WEST Through Nov. 29. Harry Ransom Center, 300 W. 21st St. FREE. hrc.utexas.edu.

FIRST FRIDAY 6 to 8 p.m. Williamson Museum, 716 S. Austin Ave., Georgetown. FREE. williamsonmuseum.org or 512-943-1670.

GRIDIRON GLORY Through Jan. 3. Bullock Museum, 1800 Congress Ave. thestoryoftexas.com.

CONCERT IN THE PARK 7 to 10 p.m. Elizabeth Milburn Park, 1901 Sun Chase Blvd., Cedar Park. FREE. cedarparktexas.gov or 512-401-5528.

Family Events

FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK 10 p.m. Downtown Bastrop. FREE. visitbastroptx.com.

GIANT CHESS ++ 12:30 to 3 p.m. Wooldridge Square Park, 900 Guadalupe. FREE. giantchess.org. HUSH HUSH MUSIC BASH FOR KIDS 4 to 7 p.m. The Domain, 11410 Century Oaks Terrace. FREE. livemom.com. CONTINUING: The Comedy of Errors see Thursday 1.

CONTINUING: The Comedy of Errors see Thursday 1.

Thursday 1 FIRST THURSDAY: CONGRESS AVE. All Day. South Congress Ave. FREE. firstthursday.info. STARRY NIGHTS AT GIRLSTART 5:30 to 7 p.m. Girlstart, 1400 Anderson Square. FREE. girlstart.org. VOLUNTEER OPEN HOUSE 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Redbud Center, 3601 Lake Austin Blvd. FREE. coloradoriver.org or 512-498-1587. UPCYCLE THIS! 6 to 8 p.m. Recycled Reads Bookstore, 5335 Burnet Rd. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512-974-7460. FARM STREET OPRY 7 p.m. Convention Center, Downtown Bastrop. $5. THE COMEDY OF ERRORS ++ 8 p.m. Scottish Rite Theater, 207 W 18th St. $15 ages 12 and under. FALL FESTIVAL 5 to 8 p.m. Elgin Library, 404 N. Main St., Elgin. FREE. elgintx.com or 512-281-5678.

Saturday 3 MADRONE CANYON HIKE 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd. FREE. westbanklibrary.com or 512-327-3045. PFAMILY PFESTIVAL & EXPO 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hawaiian Falls, 130 E. Pfluger St., Pflugerville. FREE. pflugervilletx. gov or 512-990-6113. IMAGINATION PLAYGROUND ++ 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Farmer’s Market Square, 422 Guadalupe St. FREE. austinparks.org/ childrens-programs or 512-477-1566. NATIONAL NIGHT OUT 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Mueller Airport Lake, 4550 Mueller Blvd. FREE. nnoaustin.org. WHAT’S THE STORY STEVE? ++ 10 to 11 a.m. Cold Towne Theater, 4803 Airport Blvd. Pay what you wish. moveyourtale.com/shows. WILD BY NATURE GUIDED HIKE ++ 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. McKinney Roughs Nature Park, 1884 SH 71 West, Cedar Creek. FREE. lcra.org or 512-303-5073.

National Night Out Tuesday, October 6 Sunday 4 FAMILY FUN DAY 12 to 4 p.m. Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum, 605 Robert E. Lee Rd. FREE. umlaufsculpture.org or 512-445-5582. FREE FIRST SUNDAYS 12 to 3 p.m. Bullock Museum, 1800 N. Congress Ave. FREE. thestoryoftexas.com or 512-936-8746. SUNDAY FUNDAYS: CHRISTMAS ORANGES 1 to 4 p.m. Neill-Cochran House Museum, 2310 San Gabriel St. FREE. nchmuseum.org.

Friday 2 FIRST FRIDAYS ON THE SQUARE ++ All day. Downtown Georgetown. FREE. thegeorgetownsquare.com. DEEPER DIVES ++ 1 to 2:30 p.m. Blanton Museum, 200 E. MLK Blvd. FREE. blantonmuseum.org or 512-471-5482.

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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 10th of each month preceding the month of the event. Events less than $15 usually are listed. For events more than $15, send details to kaye2003@austinfamily.com

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Tuesday 6

Child Health Day NATIONAL NIGHT OUT BLOCK PARTIES 7 to 9 p.m. Your neighborhood. FREE. nnoaustin.org.

Wednesday 7 STAND UP FOR SAFE FAMILIES PADDLE PARADE 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Texas Rowing Center, 1514 W. Cesar Chavez . FREE. tcsheriff.org or 512-854-6615. ARTS AND CRAFTS ++ 6 to 7 p.m. Wells Branch Library, 15001 Wells Port Dr. FREE. wblibrary.org or 512-989-3188. WEDNESDAY NIGHT CONTRA DANCING ++ 7:30 to 9:45 p.m. Hancock Recreation Center, 811 E. 41st St. FREE. austinbarndancers.org or 512-453-4225. CONTINUING: Deeper Dives see Friday 2.

Ghostly Fairy Tales, Pioneer Farms, Starting October 9 Friday 9

CONTINUING: The Comedy of Errors see Thursday 1; Deeper Dives see Friday 2.

WHITESTONE’S ANNUAL FALL FEST 4:30 to 8 p.m. Whitestone Elementary, 200 Crystal Fall Pkwy., Leander. FREE. whitestone.my-pta.org.

Saturday 10

Leif Erikson Day

Thursday 8

GHOSTLY FAIRY TALES ++ 7 to 10 p.m. Pioneer Farms, 10621 Pioneer Farms Dr. $12. pioneerfarms.org or 512-837-1215.

AUSTIN SCALE MODELER’S SOCIETY CAPITAL CLASSIC 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Norris Conference Center, 2525 W. Anderson Ln. $5 per person. Children 12 and under FREE. austinsms.org.

NATIONAL CHILDREN’S DAY An Artist’s Journey by Sonja A. Kever 7 to 8:30 p.m. Dell Jewish Community Center, 7300 Hart Ln. FREE. streetstories.info.

MOVIES IN THE PARK: PADDINGTON 7 to 10 p.m. Elizabeth Milburn Park, 1901 Sun Chase Blvd., Cedar Park. FREE. cedarparktexas.gov or 512-401-5528.

BRIGHT LEAF HIKES 9 to 11:30 a.m. Bright Leaf Preserve, Creek Mountain Rd. FREE. brightleaf.org or 512-459-7269.

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PUMPKIN FESTIVAL ++ 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Elgin Christmas Tree Farm, 120 Nature’s Way, Elgin. $6 kids 2 to 12 years. PET FEST 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. San Marcos Plaza Pavilion Park, 401 E. Hopkins St., San Marcos. FREE with pet food donation. preventalitter.com. SECOND SATURDAYS ARE FOR FAMILIES 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Laguna Gloria, 3809 W. 35th. $10 per family. thecontemporaryaustin.org or 512-458-8191.

Dig In Archeology Day, French Legation Museum, October 10 FORT CROGHAN DAY 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fort Croghan, 703 Buchanan Dr., Burnet. FREE. fortcroghan.org. MARKET DAYS ON THE SQUARE 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Downtown Georgetown. FREE. thegeorgetownsquare.com. HANDS ON HISTORY 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Williamson Museum, 716 S. Austin Ave., Georgetown. FREE. williamsonmuseum.org or 512-943-1670. PINE STREET MARKET DAYS 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Downtown Bastrop. FREE. visitbastroptx.com.

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FLY GUY & OTHER STORIES 12 p.m., One World Theatre, 7701 Bee Caves Rd., $12, $15 oneworldtheatre.com DIG IN! ARCHEOLOGY DAY 1 to 5 p.m. French Legation Museum, 802 San Marcos St. FREE. frenchlegationmuseum.org or 512-471-8180. KIDS NIGHT OUT 5 to 10 p.m. Twin Lakes YMCA , 204 E. Little Elm Tr., Cedar Park. ymcagwc.org or 512-250-9622. TEEN NIGHT LIVE 7 to 10 p.m. CHASCO YMCA, 1812 N. Mays St., Round Rock. $5. ymcagwc.org or 512-246-9622. CONTINUING: The Comedy of Errors see Thursday 1; Giant Chess see Saturday 3; Imagination Playground see Saturday 3; What’s the Story Steve? see Saturday 3; Ghostly Fairy Tales see Friday 9.

Sunday 11 CONTINUING: Pumpkin Festival see Saturday 10.

Monday 12

Columbus Day Observed Canadian Thanksgiving

Tuesday 13 FAMILY ACTIVITY NIGHT: PUZZLES AND GAMES 6:30 p.m. Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd. FREE. westbanklibrary.com or 512-327-3045.

Wednesday 14 EVERYTHING ART! 5 p.m. Ruiz Branch, 1600 Grove Blvd. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512-974-7500. CONTINUING: Deeper Dives see Friday 2; Arts and Crafts see Wednesday 7; Wednesday Night Contra Dancing see Wednesday 7.

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Thursday 15 BLANTON’S THIRD THURSDAY 12 to 9 p.m. Blanton Museum, 200 E. MLK Blvd. FREE. blantonmuseum.org or 512-471-5482. HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL & HAUNTED HOUSE 5:30 to 8 p.m. Metz Recreation Center, 2407 Canterbury St. FREE. austintexas.gov. FOUNDERS’ PARADE 10 a.m. Center Street, Downtown Kyle. FREE. cityofkyle.com.

Friday 16

National Boss Day MED FEST 6 to 11 p.m. St. Elias Mediterranean Festival, 408 E. 11th St. Admission cost is a $5 donation. mediterraneanfestival.org. CONTINUING: Deeper Dives see Friday 2; Ghostly Fairy Tales see Friday 9.

Saturday 17

National Sweetest Day CHISHOLM TRAIL DAYS ++ 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Williamson Museum, 716 S. Austin Ave., Georgetown. FREE. upthechisholmtrail.org or 512-943-1670.

Pumpkin Festival at Elgin Christmas Tree Farm, 2nd and 3rd weekends in October TEXAS BOOK FESTIVAL 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Capitol Grounds, 1100 S. Congress Ave. FREE. texasbookfestival.org. OKTOBERFEST 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Historic German Free School, 507 E. 10th St. germantexans.org or 512-467-4569. PFALL CHILI PFEST 12 to 5 p.m. Downtown Pflugerville. FREE. cityofpflugerville.com or 512-990-6113.

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DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS FESTIVAL 12 to 10 p.m. Fiesta Gardens, 2101 Jesse E. Segovia St. $15 pre-sale adult. austindiadelosmuertos.com. LOCAL AND LIVE AT AUSTIN VISITOR CENTER 1 to 3 p.m. Austin Visitor Center, 602 E. 4th St. FREE. austintexasvisitorcenter.org. THE HOWL AFTER DARK 6 to 9 p.m. St. Francis School, 300 E. Huntland Dr. stfrancis-school.org or 512-527-4646 or 512-638-7535.

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Thursday 22 MOVIES IN THE PARK - CASPER 7:30 p.m. Dick Nichols District Park, 8011 Beckett Rd. FREE. austintexas.gov/parks.

Friday 23 GEM CAPERS 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Rd. Ages 12 and under free; adults $8. gemcapers.com or 512-458-9546. CONTINUING: Deeper Dives see Friday 2; Ghostly Fairy Tales see Friday 9.

Halloween Children’s Concert at the Long Center, October 25 CONTINUING: Giant Chess see Saturday 3; Imagination Playground see Saturday 3; What’s the Story Steve? see Saturday 3; Ghostly Fairy Tales see Friday 9; Pumpkin Festival see Saturday 10.

CONTINUING: Pumpkin Festival see Saturday 10; Texas Book Festival see Saturday 17.

Sunday 18

CONTINUING: Deeper Dives see Friday 2; Arts and Crafts see Wednesday 7; Wednesday Night Contra Dancing see Wednesday 7.

BUDDY WALK All day. Reunion Ranch, 850 CR 255, Georgetown. dsact.org or 512-323-0808.

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Wednesday 21

Saturday 24

United Nations Day HOGEYE FESTIVAL 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Downtown Elgin. FREE. elgintx.com or 512-281-5724. BARKTOBERFEST 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Old Settlers Park, 3300 Palm Valley Blvd., Round Rock. FREE. centraltexasspca.org.

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HAIRY MAN SPOOKYFEST 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cat Hollow Park, 8600 O’Connor Dr., Round Rock. FREE. Suggested donation: two nonperishable food items or $2 per person. brushycreekmud.com. YOGA IN THE PARK 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Stacy Park, 1400 Alameda Dr. FREE. austinparks.org or 512-477-1566. BOO-DA HALLOWEEN 5 to 7 p.m. Downtown Buda. FREE. ci.buda.tx.us or 512-295-7170. TOUCH A TRUCK 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Old Settlers Park, 3300 Palm Valley Rd., Round Rock. FREE. roundrocktexas.gov or 512-341-3361. TRUNK OR TREAT 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Seton Medical Center Williamson, 201 Seton Pkwy., Round Rock. FREE. roundrocktexas.gov or 512-341-3361. DITTMAR’S HAUNTED HOUSE 6:30 p.m. Dittmar Rec Center, 1009 W. Dittmar Rd. FREE. austintexas.gov or 512-974-6090. CONTINUING: Giant Chess see Saturday 3; Imagination Playground see Saturday 3; What’s the Story Steve? see Saturday 3; Ghostly Fairy Tales see Friday 9; Gem Capers see Friday 23.

Boo-Da Halloween, Buda, October 24 Sunday 25

Mother-in-Law Day AUSTIN FASHION DOLL CLUB All day. Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd. westbanklibrary.com or 512-3273045. TEXAS CENTENNIAL EXPOSITION AND FAIR 2:30 p.m. Neil-Cochran House Museum, 2310 San Gabriel St. $10. nchmuseum.org or 512-478-2335.

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HALLOWEEN CHILDREN’S CONCERT 3 p.m. The Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Dr. $8 and $12. thelongcenter.org or 512-474-5664. CONTINUING: Gem Capers see Friday 23.

FALL FUN FEST – MONSTERS AND MAYHEM 9 to 11:30 a.m. Old Settlers Park, 3300 Palm Valley Blvd., Round Rock. FREE. roundrocktexas.gov or 512-341-3361.

Wednesday 28

SPOOKTACULAR 5 to 8 p.m. Bullock Museum, 1800 N. Congress Ave. thestoryoftexas.com or 512-936-8746.

CULTURE NIGHTS 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. AGE Cafeteria, 3710 Cedar St. FREE. austinpowwow.net. CONTINUING: Deeper Dives see Friday 2; Arts and Crafts see Wednesday 7; Wednesday Night Contra Dancing see Wednesday 7.

Thursday 29

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Friday 30

SINISTER CIRCUS HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL 6:30 p.m. Northwest Rec Center, 2913 Northland Dr. FREE. austintexas.gov or 512-974-6972. CONTINUING: Deeper Dives see Friday 2.

Saturday 31 Halloween

HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL AND HAYRIDE 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. San Gabriel Park, Georgetown. FREE. events.georgetown.org.

FABLE FEST 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cedar Park Library, 550 Discovery Blvd., Cedar Park. FREE. fablefest.com.

MOVIES IN THE PARK - BEETLEJUICE 7:30 p.m. Republic Square, 422 Guadalupe. FREE. austintexas.gov/parks.

DOG LOVES BOOKS 12 p.m., One World Theatre, 7701 Bee Caves Rd., $12, $15 oneworldtheatre.com

DIA DE LOS MUERTOS CELEBRATION 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. San Marcos Rec Hall, 170 Charles Austin Dr., San Marcos. FREE. 512-393-8400.

HALLOWEEN TRICK-OR-TREAT 4 to 9 p.m. Hill Country Galleria, 12700 Hill Country Blvd., Bee Cave. FREE. hillcountrygalleria.com or 512-263-0001.

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HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR 6 to 9 p.m. Heritage Square on Main St., Taylor. FREE. ci.taylor.tx.us. SAFE TRICK OR TREAT TRAIL 6 to 8 p.m. Veterans’ Memorial Park, 109 Depot St., Elgin. FREE. elgintx.com or 512-281-5724. HOMETOWN HALLOWEEN 2 to 5 p.m. Prete Plaza, 221 E. Main St., Round Rock. FREE. roundrocktexas.gov or 512-218-5447. CONTINUING: Giant Chess see Saturday 3; Imagination Playground see Saturday 3; What’s the Story Steve? see Saturday 3.

Parenting Events ANY BABY CAN offers free parenting classes in English and Spanish on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Postpartum support group meets on Thursdays. 6207 Sheridan Ave. FREE. anybabycan.org or 512-454-3743. AUSTIN YMCA offers a free Childhood Obesity Intervention Program on Tuesdays and Saturdays throughout the month. 6 to 8 p.m. 3208 Red River. 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.

LEARN. GROW. THRIVE. REGISTER TODAY FOR Y AFTERSCHOOL

Fun, safe, and convenient locations throughout Williamson County — Y Afterschool runs weekdays from school dismissal until 6:30pm for children in Kindergarten thru 5th Grade. Round Rock • Leander • Hutto Liberty Hill • Georgetown Financial Assistance Available

Log on to YMCAGWC.org or call 512.615.5563 for more information and registration details. YMCA OF GREATER WILLIAMSON COUNTY

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Thursday 1

Wednesday 14

LA LECHE LEAGUE MEETING 7 p.m. North Austin Medical Center, Room 2B, 12221 N. Mopac Expy. FREE. texaslll.org.

LA LECHE LEAGUE MEETING 10:15 a.m. Will Hampton Branch Library, 5125 Convict Hill Rd. FREE. texaslll.org.

Monday 5

Wednesday 21

SPECIAL NEEDS SUPPORT GROUP 11 a.m. Plaza Level Park, 111 Congress Ave. FREE. Internationalautismministry.com or 737-247-8142.

TODDLER ENRICHMENT MEETING 10 a.m. Brentwood Park, 6710 Arroyo Seco. FREE. texaslll.org.

Tuesday 6 LA LECHE LEAGUE MEETING 10 a.m. Christ’s Workshop, 212 E. Monroe. FREE. texaslll.org. LITTLE TEXAS HOMESCHOOLERS 10:30 a.m. Wells Branch Community Library, 15001 Wells Port Dr. FREE. wblibrary.org.

Wednesday 7 LA LECHE LEAGUE MEETING 10 a.m. North Village Branch Library, 2505 Steck Ave. FREE. texaslll.org.

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Storytimes Austin area libraries offer story times for infants, toddlers, preschoolers and families with children of all ages. In addition, there are story times in Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, American Sign Language and other languages. Contact your local library for more information about times and appropriate ages. AUSTIN LIBRARY Branches throughout Austin library.austintexas.gov 512-974-7400

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CEDAR PARK LIBRARY 550 Discovery Blvd. cedarparktx.us 512-401-5600 GEORGETOWN LIBRARY 402 W. 8th St. library.georgetown.org 512-930-3551 KYLE LIBRARY 550 Scott St. cityofkyle.com 512-268-7411 LAKE TRAVIS LIBRARY 2300 Lohmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Spur laketravislibrary.org 512-263-2885 LEANDER LIBRARY 1011 S. Bagdad Rd. leandertx.gov/library 512-259-5259 PFLUGERVILLE LIBRARY 1008 W. Pfluger St. tx-pflugerville3.civicplus.com 512-990-6275 ROUND ROCK LIBRARY 216 E. Main St. roundrocktexas.gov 512-218-7001

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SAN MARCOS LIBRARY 625 E. Hopkins St. ci.san-marcos.tx.us 512-393-8200 WELLS BRANCH LIBRARY 15001 Wells Port Dr. wblibrary.org 512-989-3188 WESTBANK LIBRARY 1309 Westbank Dr. westbanklibrary.com 512-327-3045 af

To see an expanded listing or to submit your event visit www.austinfamily.com

VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.AUSTINFAMILY.COM FOR WEEKLY PRIZES

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focus on advertisement

doctors

Dr. Julio De la Fuente

Smileworks Orthodontics Dr. De la Fuente received his bachelor’s degree in biology from UTSA as part of the 3+4 program (3 years of college plus 4 years of dental school). He completed this exclusive and challenging program at the top of his class. Dr. De la Fuente is also a graduate of the orthodontic residency program at UTHSCSA. See ad on page 10

Dr. Linda Lopez

ADC Circle C Dr. Lopez is from the Rio Grande Valley. She received her medical degree from University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston. She completed her internship and residency at University of Texas Southwestern in Austin. Dr. Lopez speaks conversational Spanish and enjoys preventative, developmental and general pediatrics. See ad on page 31

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 spent 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 29

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 29

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 31

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PIENSA POSITIVO Abundancia

En los Estados Unidos, los inmigrantes tienen cuatro veces más la probabilidad de convertirse en millonarios que la población nacida en este país. Las razones, según encuestas, varían; sin embargo la número uno es porque se llega con la determinación de salir adelante. Si la rutina, el cansancio o la decepción te han robado el valor de la determinación, tómate un momento y vete al principio de como te sentías cuando llegaste a este país. ¿Cuáles eran tus metas al llegar? ¿Cómo eran tus ganas de avanzar? ¿Cuál era tu disponibilidad para trabajar? El recordar tu actitud al principio reactiva el verdadero propósito de tu esfuerzo diario. ¡No te rindas! Piensa Positivo.

Abundance

In the US, immigrants are four times as likely to become millionaires as compared to born Americans. The reasons, according to polls, vary; however, the number one is because immigrants arrive determined to move forward. If you feel trapped in your routine, tired or disappointed, take a moment and go back to how you felt when you arrived to this country. What were your goals? What drove you to move forward? How willing were you to work? Remembering your attitude at the beginning helps reignite the real purpose of your daily effort. Don’t give up! Think Positive.

by Leslie Montoya, host of Despierta Austin

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KID ONE Milk-O-Rama! What You Need

• • • •

250mL (1 cup) milk (whole milk, if possible) 3-4 different bottles of food coloring Pie plate Liquid soap

What You Do Step 1:

Fill a pie plate with room temperature milk.

Step 2:

Add a few drops of food coloring to the milk. Make sure to use different colors!

Step 3:

Put a single drop of liquid soap in the middle of your plate, and watch your milk colors explode!

What’s Going On

Milk contains fats and proteins in solution. Any change in the solution (for example, adding soap) affects these fats and proteins. By adding food coloring, we can observe the effect the soap is having on the molecules, which are twisting, bending and swirling into all kinds of different shapes. The soap has weakened the surface tension, which is the watery skin that holds the liquid’s molecules together. This creates the explosion of different colors!

Now Try This

Try using cold milk…does the temperature of the milk have any effect? What happens when you use different kinds of milk, like skim or 2 percent? Be daring and try half-and-half or even cream! af Mad Science is a unique way to entertain an audience at a party, corporate event or school function! Check out the website at austin.madscience.org or call 512-892-1143 for details or more information. Mad Science is putting the fun back into learning! Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market

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just for by Carrie Taylor

grins

Before my son settled into a (relatively) predictable sleep schedule, trying to get him to sleep often felt like trying to trick my husband into eating vegetables. There were a lot of screaming, late-night beverages to sweeten the deal and tears. So many tears. But then I stumbled on an invaluable resource: the Internet and its 6,000,000 parenting blogs, filled with useful information. If your sweet angel becomes a devil when the words “bed time” have just formed on your tongue, I have saved you time and frustration with my handy list of tips gleaned from months days of reading:

Fool-proof Methods For Getting Your Baby to Sleep

October 2015 l austinfamily.com

1. Keep the baby in bed with you. It’s what mothers do around the world, and it’s the obvious and natural choice, you dummy. 2. Actually, put your baby in her own room as soon as you can walk five steps without ripping your c-section stitches or peeing a little. The separation is healthy. 3. So your baby knows how to soothe herself and doesn’t become a

dependent, clingy adult who can’t keep a boyfriend, let her cry it out. Just go in every few minutes. It’ll be fine. 4. Honestly, you’re a horrible parent, and I can’t believe you would even consider that. Letting your baby cry it out creates lifelong emotional scars, and she’ll never be able to trust. And she’ll probably have a lot of cats. 5. Keep the room dark. But not too dark. Good Lord, you don’t want to give the baby nightmares, do you? Just keep a night light on, for Pete’s sake. 6. Create a peaceful ambiance with a small fan set on low, a couple of white noise machines with the settings “Ocean Breeze” and “Grandmother’s Kisses” and an essential oil diffuser filled with lavender. And when your baby sleeps more than two hours in a row, resist the urge to put your face on her chest to see if she is breathing. Because then she’ll wake up. And you may have to add another white noise machine. af Carrie Taylor is a native Texan and mother of one.

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