Austin family magazine july 2015 by Austin Family Magazine

Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market

austinfamily.com | July 2015 | 1

2 | July 2015 | austinfamily.com

View the magazine online at austinfamily.com

Visit our advertisers.

Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market

austinfamily.com | July 2015 | 3

4 | July 2015 | austinfamily.com

View the magazine online at austinfamily.com

Visit our advertisers.

inside

7/15

columns 16 The Learning Curve Get [Home] Schooled! 5 Questions to Ask Before You Jump In 20 Family Matters Do We Have to Choose Between Tiger Parenting and Free Range Parenting? 29 Family Connections Smart Cars Still Need Smart Drivers 38 Lifelines Have You Heard of Fifth Disease? 47 Ten Things…to Play in Your Backyard!

12 Awesome Austin’s Cool Caves

52 Humor Kids Still Make Me Nervous

calendar 40 45 46 48

Family Events Independence Day Events Parenting Events Story Times

in every issue

35 Build a Bond 30 Striking a Chord

extras Summer Fun Checklist Summer Concerts .... and More Family Fun Focus on Doctors

23 24 51

Winners, page 26

tune in

Where’s Jack? Our Films column has moved online! Find Jack Kyser’s take on films at austinfamily.com/category/films

7 8 50

Play It Safe Product Recalls Around Austin Kidzone by YMCA Games for Gatherings

artículos en español 18

Curva de Aprendizaje Obtenga la Educación en Casa! 5 Preguntas Que Debe Hacer Antes de Llevarlo a Cabo

Asuntos Familiares ¿Tenemos Que Elegir Entre Criar a los Hijos Siendo Padres Muy Estrictos o Demasiado Indulgentes?

48 Piensa Positivo Originalida

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

Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market

Scarlet is not too young to enjoy the caves. New items each week. Visit our website to register.

Photography by: Nicole Renee

austinfamily.com | July 2015 | 5

austinfamily®

editor’s note by Sherida Mock

July 2015

When I was about 5, my grandmother brought me postcards from Carlsbad Caverns. She and my grandfather had been on a trip through New Mexico and Colorado, and they’d stopped to tour the caverns. I was a beach kid from Corpus Christi, so I had no context to put those pictures in. I couldn’t fathom that those slick, organic shapes were made of rock, located in a giant room underground. I puzzled over the images through the next 10 years, until I stepped into my first cave at Inner Space Cavern. My grandparents had relocated to Georgetown, and during one of our visits, my dad steered our station wagon off the interstate, lured by the blinking, space-age orb that marked the cavern entrance. I remember everything about that first cave tour. I finally got it. The formations were wet because water flowed over the surface, slowly depositing new layers of rock over thousands of years. And I also soaked in the atmosphere that the postcards couldn’t convey—the drip of “cave kisses” coming off the ceiling, the cool and humid air, the otherworldly stillness and immense spaces. It’s an experience I hope every Austinite takes the time to enjoy at least once, and summer is a great time to do it. So I’m pleased to bring you our annual Awesome Austin feature. What happens when water meets rock? The caves of Central Texas have an amazing answer for you.

Volume 23, No. 4

PUBLISHER Kaye K. Lowak EDITOR Sherida Mock editor2003@austinfamily.com COPY EDITOR Paula Halloum Alexa Alley, Assistant Copy Editor ADVISING EDITORS Dr. Betty Kehl Richardson, Barb Cooper CALENDAR EDITOR Betty Kemper calendar2003@austinfamily.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Sherida Mock, Jack Kyser, Dr. Betty Richardson, Richard Singleton, Carrie Taylor, Jennifer VanBuren, Summer Allen and Dr. Bradley Berg TRANSLATION TEAM Maribel Ruvalcaba, Margo Vogelpohl, Rocio Barbosa AD DESIGN and PRODUCTION TEAM John Franzetti jfranzetti@att.net Jason Suarez nr2003@austinfamily.com STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Studio213.net 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: (512) 733-0038 Web: 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.

6 | July 2015 | austinfamily.com

View the magazine online at austinfamily.com

Visit our advertisers.

play it safe: product recalls

Government Recalls Booster Seats, Safety Gates and Police Car Toys OXO is recalling about 25,000 booster seats because the stitching on the restraint straps can loosen, which allows the straps to separate from the seat, posing a fall hazard to children. The recall involves the Nest Booster Seat sold in green, pink, taupe or orange with a white base. A sticker affixed to the underside of the seat reads “Nest Booster Seat.” Affected units were sold at Buybuy Baby, Toys “R"Us, Babies“R”Us and independent specialty stores nationwide and online at amazon.com from September 2014 through April 2015 for about $55. Consumers should immediately stop using the booster seats and contact OXO for a free repair kit with redesigned safety straps and installation instructions. Ikea is recalling about 58,000 safety gates because friction between the wall and the pressure-mounted safety gate is insufficient to hold the gate in its intended position, posing a fall hazard. The recall involves Patrull Klämma and Patrull Smidig safety gates, which are white, made of steel and plastic and measure about 29 inches high with an adjustable width from about 29 inches to 34 inches. The gate has a spring mechanism that fits between the two sides of a door frame to hold the gate in place. Affected units were sold at Ikea stores nationwide and online at ikea-usa.com from August 1995 through February 2015 for about $35. Consumers should stop using the safety gate and return it to any Ikea store for a full refund. Any Patrull Klämma or Smidig safety gate extensions may also be returned for a full refund. Consumers who want to keep their safety gate for limited use in a doorway between rooms or at the bottom of a staircase can contact Ikea to receive free updated user instructions and new adhesive warning labels to put on the safety gate. Schylling is recalling about 13,200 police press and go toy vehicles because the hat can detach from the policeman’s head and pose a choking hazard to young children. The recall involves the Police Press & Go toy vehicles. The white plastic toy cars have a painted dark blue hood and trunk, light blue windshield with black eyes and mouth painted on the front of the car. There is a police head coming out of the roof of the car wearing a blue police hat with a green star on the center of the hat. Affected units were sold at specialty toy and gift stores nationwide from April 2010 through April 2015 for about $5. Consumers should immediately stop using them and return the toys to Schylling for a refund. 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.

Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market

austinfamily.com | July 2015 | 7

around austin Go to www.austinfamily.com for weekly updates of Around Austin news

150

BY THE NUMBERS

million

Classroom Air, Noise, Lighting UT Austin and the U.S. EPA announced a new study of indoor environments for 120 high school classrooms across central Texas. The EPA awarded UT’s Cockrell School of Engineering over $989,000 to research environmental factors and student health. “This project will discover innovative and practical solutions to improve our schools,” said EPA Regional Administrator Ron Curry. “We want to make sure our schools are healthy places for our children to learn, play and grow.” The four-year project, Healthy High School PRIDE (Partnership in Research on Indoor Environments), will investigate parameters such as noise, lighting and indoor air quality. The researchers will also test innovative, low-cost engineering approaches for improving high school interiors. The project will also provide hands-on learning for students. High school students will complete workshops and team-based projects. Teachers will use the study as a basis for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) lessons.

Number of American flags sold in the U.S. each year. Source: pewtrusts.org

Must-Do This Month Forget cooking—it’s too hot to fire up the stove. Instead, make it a salad or sandwich night. Cool off with a visit to a local pool, lake or cave. Eat up. It’s national ice cream month.

8 | July 2015 | austinfamily.com

Steaming into Town! Austin Steam Train Association, a nonprofit organization based in Burnet, announced it will host “A Day Out with Thomas” September 18 - 20. Visitors can take a ride with Thomas, meet Sir Topham Hat and see authentic vintage steam engines. The event takes place at the Burnet Community Center, 401 E. Jackson St. in Burnet, Texas. Tickets start at $14 per person. For more information, visit austinsteamtrain.org.

Joseph D. of Houston got to visit with Thomas the Tank Engine during a family trip to Grapevine in April.

View the magazine online at austinfamily.com

Visit our advertisers.

Miracle Treat Day Ishan Shah, a student at LASA, will participate in NASA’s High School Aerospace Scholars project this summer.

On Thursday, July 30, Dairy Queen celebrates its 10th annual Miracle Treat Day benefiting Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN). On that day, $1 or more from each Blizzard purchase goes to help children in need.

From LASA to NASA

This year’s Miracle Treat Day comes during a special year for the Dairy Queen system, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary. To date, Dairy Queen’s Miracle Treat Day has raised more than $100 million in support of CMN.

Ishan Shah of AISD’s Liberal Arts and Science Academy (LASA) has been selected to travel to NASA’s Johnson Space Center this summer to participate in the High School Aerospace Scholars project.

CMN raise funds and awareness for 170 member hospitals that provide 32 million treatments each year to kids across the U.S. and Canada. Donations stay local to fund critical treatments and healthcare services, pediatric medical equipment and charitable care.

Shah is one of 270 high school juniors nominated by their state legislators from across Texas to participate. Selected students completed eight web-based assignments during the school year and will apply their newfound knowledge to work as a team to design a mission to Mars.

Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market

For more information, visit miracletreatday.com.

austinfamily.com | July 2015 | 9

Texas Expands Newborn Screening In late May, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) formally began screening all babies born in Texas for 24 additional health conditions that can cause serious problems like developmental delays, major illness or even death. In all, Texas babies are now screened for 53 rare disorders through a blood test analyzed at the state’s public health laboratory in Austin. Newborns are also screened for hearing loss and critical congenital heart defects. “Newborn screening in Texas started in 1963 as a small pilot program for just one disorder, PKU,” says Susan Tanksley, DSHS laboratory operations manager. “Expanding the program means many babies will lead normal lives with early treatment.”

10 | July 2015 | austinfamily.com

Since 1963, Texas has detected about 13,000 cases of genetic and congenital disorders in babies.

The change was prompted by House Bill 1795 of the 81st Legislature. DSHS has determined that it can conduct the additional screenings within its current budget. Texas operates the largest newborn screening program in the nation, testing nearly 400,000 babies annually. The newborn tests are done on a blood sample drawn by a simple heel stick within 48 hours of birth and again at one to two weeks of age. The screenings added with the secondary panel will not require any more blood to be drawn.

View the magazine online at austinfamily.com

Visit our advertisers.

Top Area High Schools Ranked The U.S. News & World Report ranked Central Texas high schools in its annual “Best High Schools” ranking. Twelve area high schools made the top 100 in Texas list, with Austin ISD’s Liberal Arts and Science Academy placing 6th in Texas and 36th in the nation. KIPP Austin Collegiate also ranked in the top 100 nationally, coming in at 88th. “AISD schools provide students with a high-quality education and a world of rich opportunities to help them prepare for college, career and life,” Superintendent Paul Cruz says. “To compete in a global

economy and contribute to a community’s prosperity, students must have options to study a range of programs, including the arts, business, civics, medicine and STEM. AISD offers these choices.” The Best High Schools project identifies the country’s top-performing public high schools to provide a clear, unbiased picture of how well public schools serve all of their students in preparing them to demonstrate proficiency in basic skills as well as readiness for college-level work, according to the U.S. News & World Report.

Central Texas High Schools Ranked by US News & World Report School

District Ranking

Liberal Arts and Science Academy

Austin ISD

6th in Texas 36th in U.S.

KIPP Austin Collegiate

KIPP Schools

15th in Texas 88th in U.S.

Richards School for Young Women

Austin ISD

24th in Texas

Westwood High School

Round Rock ISD

36th in Texas

Westlake High School

Eanes ISD

40th in Texas

Harmony Science

Harmony Schools

45th in Texas

NYOS Charter School

NYOS Schools

51st in Texas

Vandegrift High School

Leander ISD

52nd in Texas

Cedar Park High School

Leander ISD

68th in Texas

Dripping Springs High School

Dripping Springs ISD

82nd in Texas

Lake Travis High School

Lake Travis ISD

88th in Texas

Vista Ridge High School

Leander ISD

96th in Texas

Military History Comes Alive The Texas Military Forces Museum at Camp Mabry opens up its gun vault for one night: a special “Hands on History” event July 25, from 6 to 9 p.m. Visitors can see and handle some of the most famous weapons in military history. Climb inside an M4A3 Sherman tank, a German Hetzer, WWII and post war era jeeps, a Kiowa and Raven helicopter, U.S. and German halftracks and M113 and more.

The Texas Military Forces Museum hosts its “Hands on History” event July 25.

Weapons from the Civil War through the War on Terror will be available to touch, including infantry weapons and anti tank weapons— items like the M1863 Springfield, Krag-Jorgenson, Japanese type 99, BAR, German MP 40, Russian AK-47, M1-D sniper rifle and more. Uniformed re-enactors will also be available to discuss the history of each weapon. Tickets are $5 at the door (children under 6 are free). All proceeds benefit the Texas Military Forces Museum and its programs. For more information, visit texasmilitaryforcesmuseum.org. Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market

austinfamily.com | July 2015 | 11

Awesome Austinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Tour for visitors over age 13 provides a demanding, off-trail experience.

Natural Bridge Caverns

Cool Caves Take the Family and Out-of-Towners to the Coolest Places in Central Texas by Sherida Mock

eed to beat the Central Texas heat? Try going underground, to the glorious subterranean world just beneath our feet. Caverns have everything youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for in a summer activity. Educational for the kids? Check. Engaging for the grownups? Check. A constant 68 to 72 degrees? Oh my, yes.

Inner Space Cavern

Inner Space Cavern was discovered in 1963, when state highway personnel began drilling test holes in advance of constructing IH-35. The cavern opened for public viewing in 1966. Details: Basic tours are an hour and 15 minutes long and start with a tram 12 | July 2015 | austinfamily.com

ride into the cavern. Tours start every 20 to 30 minutes, with no reservation required. No tripods, strollers, wheelchairs or food or drink allowed inside the cavern. Web: innerspacecavern.com Phone: 512-931-2283 Location: 4200 S. I-35 Frontage Rd., Georgetown Admission: $11.95 for children 4 to 12; $19.95 for adults. Children 3 and under are FREE. Hours: Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Extras: A Hidden Passages tour is available for visitors over age 7 looking for a more rugged experience. An even more challenging Wild Cave

In 1960, four college students asked to examine the area around a natural rock bridge on private property. The students had been told that the area contained at best a couple of small caves, but they discovered over two miles of passages. Details: The Discovery Tour covers 3/4 mile in an hour and 15 minutes. Tours depart about every 40 minutes. The tour includes stairs. Strollers are allowed but not recommended. Web: naturalbridgecaverns.com Phone: 210-651-6101 Location: 26495 Natural Bridge Caverns Rd., San Antonio Admission: $12.99 for children ages 3 to 11; $20.99 for adults. Children under 3 are FREE. Hours: During the summer, tours are available beginning at 9 a.m., and the final tour leaves at 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. depending on the date. Check the website for exact hours. Extras: The Hidden Passages Tour provides access to a second cave. The Lantern Tour is offered only at 9 a.m. each day and allows you to explore by hand-held lantern. The Adventure Tour leads visitors on a physically demanding exploration involving climbing, crawling and rappelling. Also available on the cavern grounds: a zip line canopy challenge, a maze, and gem and fossil mining.

Longhorn Cavern

Longhorn Cavern, on the grounds of Longhorn Cavern State Park, has a

View the magazine online at austinfamily.com

Visit our advertisers.

long history of visitors, going back at least as far as the Comanche Indians. More recently, the cavern has been used as a gunpowder cache during the Civil War, as a hideout for local outlaws and as an events venue. Details: The basic daily tour covers 1.25 miles and takes about an hour and 20 minutes. The tour includes stairs. Plain bottled water and regular flash photography are allowed. Strollers are allowed, but not recommended. No food, flavored drinks, flashlights, video cameras, tripods, monopods or tobacco products are allowed. Web: longhorncaverns.com Phone: 830-598-2283 Location: 6211 Park Rd. 4 South, Burnet Admission: $12 for children 2 to 12; $15 for teens 13 to 19; $16 for adults. Children under 2 are FREE. Hours: During the summer, hourly tours are offered Monday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend). During the rest of the year, tours are offered at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and hourly on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Tuesday after Labor Day through Friday before Memorial Day). Extras: The state park includes a picnic area, a historic building built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and nature trails. Special tours available by reservation only include a Wild Cave Tour, Geology Tour, Photographic Tour and Paranormal Tour.

Wonder Cave

Unlike other caves in Central Texas, which were formed by water eroding limestone, an earthquake along the Balcones Fault Line created the Wonder Cave. It has been open for tours since 1903, when tours were conducted by candlelight. Details: The basic daily cave tour takes about an hour and a half. Tours depart every 15 minutes. Wheelchairs and strollers are not allowed. Web: wonderworldpark.com Phone: 512-392-3760 Location: 1000 Prospect Street, San Marcos Admission: $8.50 for children 3 to 5; $15.95 for children 6 to 12; $22.95 for adults. Children under 3 are FREE. Hours: Weekdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; weekends 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Extras: Your admission includes access to a 110-foot observation tower, anti-gravity house, train ride, wildlife petting park, mystery mountain and waterfall.

Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market

Cascade Caverns

Based on artifacts found in the cave, cave operators surmise that the Lipan Apache discovered it in the early 1700s. It was opened for public tours in 1932. Cascade Caverns stays a little cooler than most, at 64 degrees, but the high humidity keeps it comfortable, so you won’t need a jacket. Details: The basic daily tour takes about 45 minutes to an hour. The tour includes stairs. Photography is allowed. No smoking,

Spelunking Adventure Whirlpool Cave

Whirlpool cave is owned by the Texas Cave Management Association (TCMA). Contact the association to schedule your visit. You’ll have to provide your own spelunking equipment: kneepads, elbow pads, a helmet and headlamp. The cave is an occasional floodwater route, so avoid it during rainy periods. Details: The cave is roughly Y-shaped, with over 400 yards of total passage. The most heavily visited of TCMA’s caves, it is especially suited for beginning cavers and children. Web: tcmacaves.org Location: The cave entrance sits just off Mo-Pac, south of William Cannon Dr. austinfamily.com | July 2015 | 13

14 | July 2015 | austinfamily.com

View the magazine online at austinfamily.com

Visit our advertisers.

eating or drinking is allowed. Bottled water is okay. Strollers are not allowed. Web: cascadecaverns.com Phone: 830-755-8080 Location: 226 Cascade Caverns Rd., Boerne Admission: $9.50 for children 4 to 11; $14.95 for adults. Children under 4 are FREE. Hours: Hourly tours 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June through August; hourly tours Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. September through May. Extras: Adventure Tours are available for visitors over age 16. The cavern sits under 103 acres of campground, with facilities for tents and RVs.

Cave Without a Name

This cave got its name from a contest for local school children.

The winning entry asserted that the cave was â&#x20AC;&#x153;too pretty to have a name.â&#x20AC;? Details: The basic daily tour takes about an hour. Photography is allowed. The tour includes stairs. Web: cavewithoutaname.com Phone: 830-537-4212 Location: 325 Kreutzberg Rd., Boerne Admission: $9 for children 6 to 12; $18 for adults. Children under 6 are FREE. Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. summer (Memorial Day through Labor Day); 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Labor Day through Memorial Day. Extras: The campground on site has facilities for tents and RVs.

Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market

austinfamily.com | July 2015 | 15

the learning curve by Jennifer VanBuren

Get [Home] Schooled! 5 Questions to Ask Before You Jump In That doesn’t mean home schools are a free-for-all. Officials from your local school district can make a “reasonable inquiry” to determine the following: • The instruction must be “bona fide.” • The curriculum must be in visual form, such as books, workbooks or video. • The curriculum must include five basic subjects: reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics and good citizenship.

What About Curriculum? As a parent, you are responsible for choosing the curriculum you will use to instruct your children, and you can choose one that accommodates your child’s individual learning profile and your family’s needs. There are many programs out there, some with materials you can view online. Most parents order curriculum directly from the publisher or online provider after consulting with other home school parents and doing their own research. There are also online correspondence courses, in which teachers give assignments and grade work.

As an Austin home school parent, you will not be alone; our area has plenty of support systems.

While there are curriculum kits that cover a full range of subjects, you can choose to mix and match materials and delivery methods. For example, you might hire a tutor to teach mathematics, order workbooks for spelling help and use an online program for good citizenship.

If you are considering home schooling, you are living in the right state to start! With an estimated 300,000 children being home schooled, Texas leads the nation in the number of families teaching their children at home. Texas legally classifies home schools as private schools, and therefore doesn’t require teacher certification, curriculum approval or compulsory attendance.

You might notice a lack of mandatory coursework in science, music, the arts, health and physical education. It will be up to you to fill those gaps. If you take on the responsibility of educating your child at home, you are also responsible for providing instruction beyond the basics.

2 16 | July 2015 | austinfamily.com

Is Socializing Difficult? According to many home school

View the magazine online at austinfamily.com

Visit our advertisers.

parents, the problem is not in finding social opportunities, but in deciding which to choose. The Austin Area Homeschooler’s website (main.org/aah) contains a wealth of possibilities, from chess club to soccer. There are picnics, parties and “park days.” For older home schoolers, a social club hosts two or three social activities a month. Besides ice skating, movies, swimming and dances, the social club even produces a yearbook.

One benefit of home schooling is that it allows your child to follow her interests. That said, an in-depth knowledge of Greek myths won’t immediately help a child dropped into a public school’s Texas History class. To avoid this situation, align your child’s home school studies with the state curriculum—Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, or TEKS— so that your child can jump back in without missing a beat.

Here’s a final bit of advice: if you have a high school home schooler, keep impeccable records. They will come in handy for either re-entry into public school or for college admissions. Jennifer VanBuren is a Georgetown mother of three school-aged children, an educator and a childbirth doula.

Will I Feel Isolated? As an Austin home school parent, you will not be alone; our area has plenty of support systems in place. Social events may appear to be childcentered, but parents use these times to network, get feedback and share resources. Some parents join together in a more formal way through co-ops. A home school co-op is a group of families that pools their collective resources to provide subject matter expertise. For example, one parent may speak a foreign language, while another parent may be a talented vocalist and another can teach web design.

What Is the Texas Virtual School Network? If you want to home school but would rather provide support than act as the primary instructor, the TxVSN Online Schools (OLS) might be for you. This program provides a virtual school administered by a select number of Texas public school systems. The biggest difference between home schooling and OLS is that children in OLS programs are considered to be Texas public school students, with all the state regulations that apply, such as a minimum of four hours of instruction per day and participation in standardized testing. If you think the OLS program may be right for you, visit txvsn.org to learn more. Consider this option carefully. While you will receive free support, you also lose some of the freedom that many home school parents deeply value.

What If I Change My Mind? You can always re-enroll your child in your local public school. At the elementary level, the transition should be smooth. But a middle or high school may not accept all the credits on your child’s secondary school transcript. Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market

austinfamily.com | July 2015 | 17

the learning curve by Jennifer VanBuren

Obtenga la Educación en Casa! 5 Preguntas Que Debe Hacer Antes de Llevarlo a Cabo

de aprendizaje de su hijo(a) y las necesidades de su familia. Hay muchos programas, algunos con materiales que se pueden ver en línea. La mayoría de los padres ordenan el plan de estudios directamente del editor o de proveedores en línea después de consultar con otros padres que están educando en casa y después de hacer su propia investigación. También hay cursos en línea por correspondencia, en la que los maestros dan tareas y trabajos a nivel de grado escolar. Mientras hay materiales del plan de estudios que cubren una amplia gama de temas, usted puede optar por mezclar y combinar los materiales y métodos de entrega. Por ejemplo, usted podría contratar a un tutor de matemáticas, ordenar libros que ayuden con la ortografía y usar un programa en línea para civismo.

Como padre educador en casa aquí en Austin, used no estará solo.

de maestro, la aprobación del plan de estudios o la asistencia obligatoria. Eso no significa que las escuelas en casa son para todos. Los funcionarios de su distrito escolar local pueden hace una “investigación razonable” para determinar lo siguiente: • La instrucción debe ser “auténtica”.

Si está considerando la educación en casa, usted está viviendo en el estado adecuado para empezar! Con aproximadamente 300,000 niños que son educados en casa, Texas es el líder en la nación por el número de familias que enseñan a sus niños en casa. Texas clasifica legalmente las escuelas de casa como escuelas privadas, y por lo tanto no requiere la certificación 18 | July 2015 | austinfamily.com

• El plan de estudios debe ser en forma visual, tales como libros, cuadernos o videos. • El plan de estudios debe incluir cinco temas básicos: lectura, ortografía, gramática, matemáticas y civismo.

¿Qué acerca del plan de estudios? Como padres, ustedes son responsables de elegir el plan de estudios que van a utilizar para instruir a sus hijos, y ustedes pueden elegir uno que se adapte al perfil individual

Probablemente note una falta de cursos obligatorios en ciencias, música, arte, salud y educación física. Usted tendrá que llenar esos espacios. Si está tomando la responsabilidad de educar a su hijo(a) en casa, también es responsable de proporcionar instrucción mas allá de lo básico.

¿Socializar es difícil? De acuerdo a muchos padres que educan a sus hijos en casa, el problema no está en encontrar oportunidades para socializar, sino en decidir cual elegir. La página web de Austin Area Homeschoolers (main.org/aah), contiene una gran cantidad de posibilidades, desde el club de ajedrez hasta el fútbol. Hay días de campo, fiestas y “días de parque”. Para los estudiantes de más edad que son educados en casa, un club social lleva a cabo de dos a tres actividades sociales al mes. Además de patinaje sobre hielo, películas, natación y bailes, el club social incluso produce un anuario.

¿Me sentiré aislado? Como padre educador en casa aquí

View the magazine online at austinfamily.com

Visit our advertisers.

en Austin, usted no estará solo; nuestra área tiene muchos sistemas de apoyo implementados. Los eventos sociales pueden parecer estar enfocados en los hijos, pero los padres usan este tiempo para formar parte de la red, obtener información retroactiva y compartir recursos. Algunos padres se juntan de una manera más formal a través de cooperativas. Una cooperativa de educación en casa, es un grupo de familias que reúnen sus recursos colectivos para brindar conocimientos en la materia. Por ejemplo, uno de los padres puede hablar un idioma extranjero, mientras que el otro padre puede ser un talentoso vocalista y otro puede enseñar diseño web.

griegos no ayudaría inmediatamente a un niño que entro a una clase de Historia de Texas en una escuela pública. Para evitar esta situación, alinee los estudios escolares en casa de su hijo(a) con el plan de estudio estatal— Conocimiento y Aptitudes Esenciales del Estado de Texas, o TEKS por sus siglas en inglés—para que su hijo(a) pueda entrar de nuevo a una escuela pública sin ningún problema.

He aquí un último consejo: si usted está educando en casa a un estudiante de preparatoria, mantenga registros impecables. Le serán muy útiles, ya sea para el reingreso a la escuela pública o en la admisión a la universidad. Jennifer VanBuren es una educadora de Georgetown y madre de tres niños.

¿Cuál es la Red Escolar Virtual de Texas? Si usted quiere la educación en casa, pero prefiere proporcionar apoyo en lugar de actuar como el instructor principal, las escuelas en línea TxVSN (Online Schools, o OLS) podría ser para usted. Este programa ofrece una escuela virtual administrada por un número selecto de sistemas de escuelas públicas de Texas. La mayor diferencia entre la educación en casa y OLS es que los niños en programas de OLS son considerados como estudiantes de una escuela pública de Texas, con todas las regulaciones estatales que se aplican, tales como un mínimo de cuatro horas de instrucción por día y la participación en las pruebas estandarizadas. Si usted piensa que el programa OLS puede ser adecuado para usted, visite txvsn.org para aprender más. Considere esta opción con cuidado. Ya que, aunque usted recibiría apoyo gratuito, también pierde algo de la libertad que muchos padres educadores en casa valoran profundamente.

¿Qué ocurrirá si cambio de idea? Siempre puede volver a inscribir a su hijo(a) en su escuela pública local. A nivel primario, la transición seria sin problemas. Pero en la secundaria o preparatoria, podrían no aceptar todos los créditos en el expediente académico secundario de su hijo(a). Uno de los beneficios de la educación en casa es que permite a su hijo(a) a seguir sus intereses. Dicho esto, el conocimiento profundo de los mitos Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market

austinfamily.com | July 2015 | 19

family matters by Dr. Betty Richardson

Do We Have to Choose Between Tiger Parenting and Free Range Parenting?

My wife and I differ on how our children—ages 9, 11 and 14—will spend their summer. I am all for plenty of free time playing, but my wife wants to schedule their days with activities like learning a new language, music lessons, team sports, theater lessons and tutoring. She tells me they need all this to get into a good university, and there are no advantages to lots of playing. My instinct tells me otherwise. What are the advantages of free time playing? Are there disadvantages to being in structured activities almost all the time?

A. Some of us—and perhaps you,

Chua, a Yale professor, based her parenting style on her experience growing up in China, where children were not allowed to watch TV, have play dates, earn any grade less than an A or do anything less than excel at music studies or other activities. Tiger parents focus on the preparation for success in competitive universities and future professions. One advantage of tiger parenting is that the children of these parents do excel in their studies and often get into esteemed colleges and universities.

too—remember childhood days in which we ran free and played with friends. When not in school, we were like my grandmother’s chickens: left to roam the range instead of being cooped up. Free range parenting is one extreme of two opposite styles of parenting. The other is called tiger parenting. I suspect your ideas about parenting aren’t to the extreme of either. The term free range parenting came from a book by Lisa Zamosky, titled “Free Range Kids: Giving Our Kids the Freedom We Had Without Going Nuts with Worry” (2009). Zamosky seems to endorse the parenting style popular in the '50s through the '80s, in which parents sent kids out of the house to play on their own and told the kids to “be home by dinner.” When Zamosky let her 9-year-old son ride the New York subway system alone and wrote about it in the New York Sun, it generated quite a negative response. You surely don’t want your children to do anything that isn’t safe, but you want them to have free time playing. You asked about the benefits of free play. In his book “Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More SelfReliant and Better Students for Life” (2013), Peter Gray, a Boston College 20 | July 2015 | austinfamily.com

psychology professor, says that “in free play, children learn to make their own decisions, solve their own problems, create and abide by rules and get along with others as equals…” A recent study by University of Colorado psychologists looked at the schedules and play habits of seventy 6 year olds. This study concluded that kids who had more free play had a more highly directed executive function. Executive function includes the ability to generate personal goals and figure out how to achieve them on a practical level. It involves self-direction skills. While you may be closer in thinking to free range parenting, your wife seems to have moved closer to tiger parenting. This term didn’t exist until Amy Chua wrote “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom” (2011).

There are disadvantages, though, too. In the Developmental Psychologist (July 2013), Su Yeong Kim reported that based on a longitudinal study, children with two tiger parents had a lower IQ than kids with supportive parents. Some recent studies have found that tiger parents contribute to their children’s depression and low self-esteem. Why don’t you and your wife compromise and allow both free time and scheduled activities? In my mind, it is good for children to have a balance. Instead of moving toward free range parenting or tiger parenting, I suggest you find a middle ground. 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.

View the magazine online at austinfamily.com

Visit our advertisers.

Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market

austinfamily.com | July 2015 | 21

family matters by Dr. Betty Richardson

¿Tenemos Que Elegir Entre Criar a los Hijos Siendo Padres Muy Estrictos o Demasiado Indulgentes?

Mi esposa y yo pensamos muy diferente en cómo nuestros hijos—de edades 9, 11 y 14— deberían pasar su verano. Yo estoy totalmente a favor de que tengan suficiente tiempo libre para jugar, pero mi esposa quiere programar sus días con actividades como aprender un nuevo idioma, clases de música, deportes, clases de teatro y tutoría. Ella me dice que necesitan todo esto para entrar a una buena universidad, y no obtienen nada bueno el tener mucho tiempo para jugar. Mi instinto me dice lo contrario. ¿Cuáles son las ventajas de tener tiempo libre para jugar? ¿Hay algunas desventajas el estar en actividades estructuradas casi todo el tiempo?

R. Algunos de nosotros—y quizás usted, también—recordamos nuestros días de la infancia en los cuales corríamos libres y jugábamos con amigos. Cuando no estábamos en la escuela, éramos como los pollos de mi abuela; nos dejaban recorrer por el campo en lugar de estar encerrados.

propia experiencia de crecer en China, donde a los niños no les permitían ver la televisión, tener amigos para jugar, obtener una calificación académica menos de “A” o una evaluación menos de “Sobresaliente” en música u otras actividades. Los padres muy estrictos como tigres, se enfocaban en la preparación para el éxito en las universidades competitivas y profesiones futuras. Una ventaja de criar a los hijos siendo muy estrictos como tigres es que los hijos de estos padres si sobresalen en sus estudios y, por lo general ingresan a preciados colegios y universidades.

“Free range parenting," este es un extremo de dos formas opuestos de criar a los hijos. El otro se llama “tiger parenting." Sospecho que su idea sobre la crianza de los hijos no está en cualquiera de estos dos extremos. El término “Free range parenting” viene del libro escrito por Lisa Zamosky, titulado “Free Range Kids: Darles a nuestros niños la libertad que nosotros tuvimos, sin volvernos locos preocupándonos” (2009). Zamosky parece avalar el estilo de crianza popular durante los años 50 a los años 80, en los que los padres enviaban a los niños fuera de casa para jugar por su cuenta y les decían que “estuvieran en casa para la cena”. Cuando Zamosky dejó a su hijo de 9 años de edad viajar en el metro de Nueva York solo y escribió sobre él en el New York Sun, generó una respuesta bastante negativa. Con seguridad, usted no desea que sus hijos hagan algo que no sea seguro, pero desea que tengan tiempo libre para jugar. Usted preguntó sobre las ventajas de tener tiempo libre para jugar. En el libro “Free to Learn: El soltar las riendas al instinto para jugar hará a nuestros hijos más felices, más independientes y mejores estudiantes de la vida” (2013), Peter Gray, un profesor de psicología de la Universidad de Boston, dice que “con más libertad para jugar, los niños

22 | July 2015 | austinfamily.com

Sin embargo, también hay desventajas. aprenden a tomar sus propias decisiones, resolver sus propios problemas, crear y cumplir con las reglas y llevarse bien con los demás como iguales…” Un estudio reciente realizado por psicólogos de la Universidad de Colorado, observaron los horarios y hábitos de juego en setenta niños de 6 años de edad. Este estudio concluye que niños que tenían más libertad para jugar tenían una función ejecutiva más altamente dirigida. La función ejecutiva incluye la capacidad para generar metas personales y entender cómo lograrlas a un nivel práctico. Esto implica habilidades de la autodirección. Mientras que usted puede estar pensando más en criar a sus hijos con más libertad, su esposa parece haberse inclinado aun más en criar a sus hijos siendo estricta como una tigresa. Este término no existía hasta que Amy Chua escribió “Himno de batalla de la mamá tigresa” (2011). Chua, profesora de la Universidad de Yale, basó su estilo de crianza en su

En el Desarrollo de Psicólogos (julio del 2013), Su Yeong Kim reportó que en base a un estudio longitudinal, los niños con ambos padres muy estrictos tuvieron un coeficiente intelectual más bajo que los niños que tenían apoyo de los padres. Algunos estudios recientes han encontrado que los padres muy estrictos contribuyen a la depresión y baja autoestima de sus hijos. ¿Por qué usted y su esposa no llegan a un acuerdo y permiten que se lleven a cabo los dos, tanto darles tiempo libre para jugar como actividades programadas? En mi opinión, es bueno que los niños tengan un equilibrio. En lugar de optar por criar a los hijos con mucha libertad o criar a los hijos siendo muy estrictos como tigres, yo sugiero que encuentren un término medio.

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.

View the magazine online at austinfamily.com

Visit our advertisers.

Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market

austinfamily.com | July 2015 | 23

Blues on the Green FREE July 22, August 5 8 p.m. Zilker Park 2100 Barton Springs Rd., Austin kgsr.com Food Trailer Tuesdays FREE July 7, August 4 5 to 9 p.m. Long Center Terrace 701 W. Riverside Dr., Austin thelongcenter.org Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day Art Park 50 cents per child July 8, 15, 22 and 29 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Symphony Square Ampitheatre 1101 Red River St., Austin austinsymphony.org

24 | July 2015 | austinfamily.com

Concerts in the Park FREE 7:30 p.m. July 12, 19 and 26, August 2, 9, 16 and 23 The Long Center Front Lawn 701 W. Riverside Dr., Austin austinsymphony.org Music on the Lawn FREE Through July 31 Fridays 6 to 9 p.m. Saturdays 2 to 5 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. Sundays 2 to 5 p.m. The Domain 11410 Century Oaks Terrace, Austin simon.com/mall/the-domain Music Under the Star FREE July 10, 17 and 24 6 to 9 p.m. Bullock Museum 1800 Congress Ave., Austin thestoryoftexas.com

Big Band Bash FREE July 13, August 10 8 to 10 p.m. Lakeway Activity Center 105 Cross Creek Rd., Lakeway lakeway-tx.gov Music in the Park FREE July 3, 10 and 24, August 7 and 21 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Pfluger Park 515 City Park Rd., Pflugerville pflugervilletx.gov Summer in the Park FREE Thursdays June 4 to August 13 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. San Marcos Plaza Park 202 N. C M Allen Parkway, San Marcos sanmarcossummer.com

View the magazine online at austinfamily.com

Visit our advertisers.

Austin Aquarium 13530 N. Highway 183, #101 512-222-5586 austinaquarium.com HOURS: 10 to 7, Sunday through Thursday; 10 to 8, Friday and Saturday Family activities include hand feeding sharks, stingrays, birds and tropical animals. Fun childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities include feeding and touching crocodiles, holding slithering snakes and even taking a selfie with one of our exotic large breed birds. Bob Bullock History Museum 1800 Congress Avenue 512-936-8746 thestoryoftexas.com HOURS: Monday through Saturday 9 to 5 Sunday 12 to 5 Great for theentire family. You will find A Hundred Days of Stories, featuring a different story each week through summer. Exhibits that include La Belle: The Ship That Changed History and more special exhibits. Visit the IMax Theatre showing Dark Universe, and tap your toes Music under the Star July 10, 17 and 24. Cafe Monet Westgate, at South Lamar and Hwy 290/71 512-892-3200 The Triangle, at 4700 West Guadalupe #11 512-906-2200 San Marcos, at 145 E. Hopkins St. 512-805-2800 cafemonet.com HOURS: 12 to 6, Sunday and Monday; 11 to 8, Tuesday through Thursday; 11 to 9, Friday and Saturday. (San Marcos location closed Sundays) Bring the entire family out of the hot sun or rain to create your own art. No studio fee and walk-ins are always welcome. Weekly specials include Mosaic Monday: 20% off all mosaics; Two Buck Tuesday: $2 off all pottery; Wacky Wednesday: $3 off boxes, banks and figurines; Thirsty Thursday: 10% off all mugs and pitchers; Fused Friday: 10% off all fused glass. La Michoacan'a Ice Cream Shop 9425 Parkfield Dr. 512-740-2990 HOURS: 11 to 10 Monday through Thursday, 10 to 10 Friday and Saturday Cool off with one of many natural frozen treats, something for everyone in the family.

Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market

Playland Skateland 8822 McCann Dr. 512-452-1901 playlandskatecenter.net HOURS: 12 to 6, Monday through Thursday; 12 to 11, Friday; 1 to 11, Saturday; 12 to 5, Sunday $8 Family Night, Thursday 7 to 10:30, $5 per person. Make family memories at Austinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest skating facility with 27,500 "rolling" square feet. We have birthday party packages to fit any size party, as well as an indoor playspace. Bring your own skates or use ours. Admission includes roller skate rental. Schlitterbahn 400 N Liberty Ave, New Braunfels 830-625-2351 schlitterbahn.com HOURS: 10 to 8 through August 16; 10 to 7 August 17-22 reduced hours through September 20. Take the family to Schlitterbahn for a day or for a vacation to remember. Come for the day and bring your own picnic or rent a cabana. Stay at the resort and enjoy one of several resort packages to fit a family or group. Check out events and other fun things to do at Schlitterbahn.com. Summer Fun Checklist Find us on page 23 of Austin Family magazine or print us out from austinsummerfun.com. Try something new! This summer activity list brings you plenty of things to do in Austin. Once you have the list and have completed at least four activities in July, take your checklist to any of the Summer Fun Checklist sponsors to claim your prize! Take pictures of your summer adventure and upload them to thinga.com/summerfun to win prizes. The whole family can enjoy the activities, and kids win prizes! Sugar & Spice Ranch 884 Rikki Dr., Bandera 830-460-8487 texashorsecamps.com Families and friends form a lifetime bond through horses. Whether you are looking for a great way to experience the Texas Hill Country or just want to retreat with your friends for the weekend, Sugar & Spice Ranch is the perfect place to relax and reconnect with the important people in your life. Enjoy horseback riding, trail rides and more. Terra Toys 2438 W. Anderson Ln. 512-445-4489 terratoys.com HOURS: 9 to 8, Monday through Saturday; 12 to 6, Sunday This is more than your typical toy store. Mom and Dad can take a seat at the Espresso Bar and enjoy a cup or tea (or other organic beverage) while the kids try out the toys or read a book in the book nook. From spelunker kits to science projects, to make-your own PB & J, it's all here for the finding ! Added bonus: check-out the display from local artists. austinfamily.com | July 2015 | 25

Heads Up!

Austin Family Readers Congratulations to our 2015 Readers Poll Favorites! These businesses and services are our readers' top picks for the best places in Austin. Voting took place online at www.austinfamily.com March 1 through May 15, 2015.

Camps

Family Favorites

Camp Doublecreek, Day Camp Summer Wonders, Education Camp KidsActing, Fine Arts Camp Jump! Gymnastics, Overall Fun Camp Camp Champions, Overnight Camp TexArts, Specialty Camp Camp for All, Special Needs Camp YMCA Austin, Sports Camp Austin Girls Choir, Music Camp Austin Nature and Science, Nature Camp

Pump It Up, Place to Have Birthday Party Mel’s, Place to Bowl KidSpa, Drop-In Child Care Dell Children’s Hospital, Emergency Center for Kids Bob Bullock History Museum, Family Museum Mt. Playmore, Indoor Play Once Upon a Child, Kid’s Consignment The Biscuit Brothers, Kid’s Entertainer Terra Toys, Kid’s Store (Locally owned) Casey Chapman Ross, Kid’s Photographer Dr. Ari Brown-411 Pediatrics, Pediatrician Mom’s Best Friend (MBF Agency), Sitting Service

2015

26 | July 2015 | austinfamily.com

View View the the magazine magazine online online at at austinfamily.com austinfamily.com

Visit Visit our our advertisers. advertisers.

Poll Favorites

s r e n n i W

Education

Places to Learn

Harmony School of Political Science & Communication, Charter Stepping Stone School, Child Care Center Austin Children’s Academy, Montessori St. Gabriel’s Catholic School, Private School Brushy Creek Elementary, Public School Williams Community School, Special Needs Austin Learning Center, Tutoring Services

Zach Theatre, Acting Smudge Studio, Art YMCA Austin, Baseball YMCA Austin, Basketball Cafe Monet, Ceramics Dance Discovery, Dance Switch Willo Stables, Equestrian Top Golf, Golf Acrotex, Gymnastics Master Gohring’s, Kung Fu & Tai Chi, Martial Arts Mad Science, Math and Science Orpheus Academy of Music, Music (Instrument) GirlStart, STEM Nitro, Swim Spike Frog, Volleyball

Pick Pick us us up up at at HEB, HEB, Whole Whole Foods Foods and and Central Central Market Market

austinfamily.com austinfamily.com || July July 2015 2015 || 27 27

28 | July 2015 | austinfamily.com

View the magazine online at austinfamily.com

Visit our advertisers.

family connections by Richard Singleton

Smart Cars Still Need Smart Drivers have been locked up and my truck impounded for all the ridiculous shenanigans that I pursued. I lived to tell about it, which means that she’ll get an earful. She likely won’t, but she could easily say, “Dad, you’re so old. Our cars are so much safer. They have tons of safety features…way more than the old jalopies you drove.”

technologies—and, yes, snazzy is a technical automobile term, just ask your local used car salesperson. These life-saving innovations include adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation, night vision assist, blind-spot detection, lane departure warning, rollover prevention and rearview cameras. And as breakout companies like Tesla make a growing name for tech in the auto industry, more and better safety features are just around the corner (see what I did there). Finally, the most important technology of any modern machine is the one that’s been available since the inception of the wheel: our brains. Cars may be safer than ever, but these cars are also more powerful and faster than ever.

Since she’s too “over it” to read anything I write, it’s safe for me to go public with the reality that if she pressed me hard enough to buy her a new car with tons of safety features, I’d probably fold like a 21st century crumple zone.

My daughter is learning to drive and I find myself quizzically wondering how my parents ever let me drive anything beyond a single gear bicycle.

Which brings me to the latest and greatest hi-tech features for your car, especially ones that your family will be riding in or that your teen drivers will be aiming down the freeway.

Who would have ever imagined that you could buy a family sedan off the show room floor with 500+ horsepower, able to suck your breath away as it rockets from 0 to 60 in about 3 seconds? And that’s not to mention the brutish g-forces and blinding speed being pumped out by sports cars that give an almost super-car level speed and acceleration experience for pennies on the dollar.

My first vehicle didn’t have a single air bag, let alone virtual wall-to-wall bubble wrap. Today’s vehicles are equipped with a growing assortment of airbag technologies, including added locations and occupant-sensitive technologies. The more, the better and the smarter, the better.

Now more than ever, we need to be safe, engaged drivers. My teenage self is mocking me…but he’s an idiot. Don’t let all the technology turn your thinker into mush. Appreciate and use your technology to your advantage, but don’t let it lull you into thinking that you’re invincible.

Cars.com has this sobering reminder: “By the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s own estimates, airbags have saved nearly 28,000 lives since 1998, that’s more than 2,300 people a year.” Adrian Lund with The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says that they’ve seen a 45% reduction in fatal accidents in vehicles that have side airbags. Second only to seatbelts, airbags are a vital technology for your family.

Your car is made out of safer, better materials than ever before. Unfortunately, however, you’re still made out of the same bones and tissue that humans have always been made out of. So enjoy the space-age world of smart technology jammed into your car, but more important than ever…just be smart in your car!

heer, unadulterated fear. White knuckles. Phantom stomping of nonexistent passenger-side brakes. Quaking knees, muttering missives and muted prayers.

Readers across Central Texas with teen drivers just piped in with a robust, throaty amen. It might have even registered on the Richter scale. Am I right, or am I right? Having kids learning to drive can be scary business. Oh, you need to know that those white knuckles, knotted stomach and that mumbling mouth belong to me. I’m the designated driving instructor. My prayer life has never been stronger, nor has my heart ever been weaker. I guess my fears for my daughter are mostly based on seeing her driving through the hazy lens of my own first driving experiences. Assuming there is a statute of limitations on my daily dose of Dukes of Hazard stunt driver auditioning, I’ll admit that I broke a lot of driving rules and regulations back in the day. Frankly, I probably should

A snazzier assortment of car tech is the growing array of driver assist

Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market

Richard Singleton, MACE, MAMFC, LPC, is the executive director at STARRY in Round Rock. austinfamily.com | July 2015 | 29

Striking a Chord

Guitar Program Reaches Students in Austin and Beyond by Sherida Mock

ineteen years ago, Matt Hinsley was new to Austin and looking to build a community by and for classical guitarists. He had no idea that nearly two decades later, he would sit at the helm of an organization known throughout the classical guitar world as a shining example of music education and community service.

Meet the people behind Austin Classical Guitar; Matt Hinsley, Travis Marcum and Jeremy Osborne. These dedicated professionals have grown a small outreach initiative into a major force for good, both in Austin and well beyond its city limits. AF: How did your outreach program begin? Hinsley: We started in McCallum High School in 2001. We had one guitar class of about 15 kids. Almost immediately, we started having conversations about the larger curriculum. What is the proper sequence for teaching guitar? How do we engage multiple kids at the same time? Travis and I worked together on GuitarCurriculum.com, which is a system for teaching guitar in the classroom. We launched that online in October 2008. By 2009, Austin ISD started to see that guitar is a powerful tool to engage more and different and new kids in fine arts. AF: Where is the program now?

tt Ma

yd am .

Marcum: We are at 51 programs, and we see about 3,500 students every day. That’s from a partnership with AISD, private schools and charter schools in Central Texas. We have a core education team that goes out to schools from elementary through high school. Hi ns

30 | July 2015 | austinfamily.com

ley ,

exe cutiv e director. Photo

nN rle A y b

We’re providing assistance statewide with [the Texas Education Agency’s guitar curriculum]. There are national

View the magazine online at austinfamily.com

Visit our advertisers.

groups that want to replicate what we’ve done here in Austin, and we’re going to provide as much help as we can.

Travis is doing the Lullaby Project at the Annunciation Maternity Home in Georgetown. We meet young mothers in challenging economic and social circumstances and work with them to write lullabies for their babies.

Hinsley: We can meet people where they are and resonate in their individual lives. We can say, “This is your music.”

yA rlen Nydam.

i ss

of education an

Ph h. c a tre d ou

ins trum ents.

irec tor

th e ir

dl eS ch

Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market

ssic al

guitar up a class warms

n tu

ire ce ction ere of Jeni B

cla

th ed

id gM in the Kealin

Marcum: A big part of my job is hyperanalyzing the learning environment, understanding from the student’s standpoint and from the teacher’s standpoint. Right now, I’m finishing up a Ph.D. in music education, so I’m fascinated with the craft of teaching and the effect that has on a student. I’m out in the schools, helping teachers understand that connection they can make with every student.

St ud ent s

Osborne: I’ve been the boots on the ground for a while. During all this growth, there was a period of time when I was doing a 70- to 80-mile loop around Austin every day. I was either team teaching or teaching the class or doing an after-school rehearsal.

Hinsley: My role is changing all the time. Every day, the challenges are different. The services we provide have impact in many directions. Individuals who make what we do possible find great satisfaction and artistic connection and civic connection to the work that they know they’re making possible. Part of my job is to make that clear.

st an td

le idd Kealing M

AF: Tell us about your role in Austin Classical Guitar.

Marcum: Our overall goal all the time is quality and providing something meaningful for the student. It’s a profound, transformative moment with any student, when you realize that you’ve done something really well. We’re really looking to provide that moment, anywhere we can. That’s growth to us.

AF: What have you seen in individual students’ growth?

,a r ne

We recently held a concert and sightreading event. It’s important not just for the kids, but for the teachers, and it speaks to standards setting at the district or state level. We’re happy to say that next year is an official pilot for UIL.

oto . Ph h c a educa tion and outre

Jeremy Osbo

We have a program at the Texas School for the Blind and the Visually Impaired. There’s a Braille adaptation of our curriculum for the kids there, so they have an opportunity for life-long learning as literate music readers.

ire cto r of

rle nN

y d am

rc Ma Travis

Hinsley: We started ACG Youth Orchestra three years ago. It’s an auditioned classical guitar orchestra for kids under age 19. That was in response to parents with kids who weren’t in the school programs we have in place.

AF: What are your goals for the program?

er nd ool u ce clas acti sical gu itar class pr

Osborne: I could sum that up with some of the Gardner Betts [Juvenile Justice Center] kids I’ve been working with. You provide a window of 45 minutes to an hour where they can completely forget what their situation is and be completely engaged in something they’re very proud of. That’s a huge change in some of these kids. We’ve had kids that stay in school because of the guitar class. They come because they enjoy the community of the class. They love getting together and playing music, and I still hear from kids that I had four years ago. We’re striking gold for some of the kids that we’re reaching. It’s been extraordinarily rewarding. AF: What does it mean to be in Austin? Hinsley: We love Austin. There aren’t too many arts organizations that take the trajectory that we’ve taken. We’ve grown organically, and it’s a tribute to this community. Classical guitar is a tiny piece of classical music, which is a tiny piece of the arts and entertainment and cultural world. In that sense, it would be easy to dismiss Austin Classical Guitar as something insignificant. But our focus is every individual in our community. When you look at it that way, the opportunity for service is limitless. If we tried to teach every instrument in the world, it would be a very hard thing to do. Our focus has been our ally. Osborne: Austin is a city that values the arts. People here value innovation. Our educational approach is a new thing, and we’re the shining star of what we do in the schools. austinfamily.com | July 2015 | 31

Marcum: I feel tremendous support and respect from the Austin community. I don’t have to explain why we put so much attention into young people and schools. That conversation may take longer in other places, but here, from parents, teachers, school administration, from our board and from our concert-goers, there’s unambiguous support of everything we’re doing. AF: How did you come to play classical guitar? Hinsley: I started playing violin when I was 4 years old, and I was pretty active in a string quartet. One day I asked my teacher what was his favorite instrument, out of all the instruments he taught. And he said, classical guitar. And I said, “I want to do that.” Osborne: I went to college to study music production, and you had to list an instrument. Since I already played electric guitar, I listed classical guitar. Then I went to a classical guitar festival at Columbus State University in Georgia. I was blown away. I came back and began practicing four to six hours a day. I ended up going on to grad school for it. Marcum: Mine’s a pretty typical story, I think. I was selftaught, starting at age 12, playing acoustic and electric guitar. There’s that moment when you hear a classical guitarist for the first time, and you realize that everything you’ve done prior to that is so limited. You can make so much music as one person. The love of it has just grown throughout the years, and turned into a love of teaching.

32 | July 2015 | austinfamily.com

View the magazine online at austinfamily.com

Visit our advertisers.

Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market

austinfamily.com | July 2015 | 33

34 | July 2015 | austinfamily.com

View the magazine online at austinfamily.com

Visit our advertisers.

Build a Bond Babyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s First Relationship Launches Important Emotional Development by Summer Allen

Games and Activities: Hide and Seek. This game reinforces the notion that caregivers go away, but they always return. What Do You See? Use a mirror to sing a song to your child, asking him what he sees while identifying feeling words and the facial features of your child.

trip to the park. A sweet lullaby. Counting goldfish. These familiar, everyday activities might seem like just pleasant time-fillers, but did you know that they are essential to the healthy development of your young child?

The various daily activities that parents do with their children actually aid in healthy attachment, emotional development, intellectual development and social skill-building.

Secure Attachment

The foundation of healthy development in children is a secure attachment to one or more caregivers during infancy. A secure attachment forms when an infant feels safe, secure and comforted through nurturing parenting routines. How important is this? Very. A secure attachment is essential for healthy emotional development in toddlers, and that carries over into adulthood.

Based on the quality of the attachment, we can predict into the future a childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to trust others, enter into positive relationships with others and develop a positive self-worth, compassion and empathy.

Emotional Development

According to the Nurturing Parenting curriculum we teach at LifeSteps, the critical window for emotional development is birth to 18 months. (A critical window is a period of time where the child has the greatest opportunity to develop a particular skill in life.)

Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market

Reach and Touch. Wearing a brightly colored scarf, lean in and out, allowing your child to reach the scarf, and then providing praise for her accomplishment. Puppet Show. Create sock puppets that have a conversation about basic feelings and what they are.

Attachment Activities: Gentle infant massage Cradling and rocking Singing and smiling Tracking activities like peek-a-boo, face to face contact or mobiles Responding to a childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cries promotes trust and security Establishing a nurturing feeding and diapering routine austinfamily.com | July 2015 | 35

Healthy emotional development gives children the foundation to regulate their emotions throughout life, productively manage stress and effectively communicate their feelings to others.

Any time spent with your child is an opportunity for bonding. The toddler period is often called the Terrible Twosâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;but really, it could be called the Terrific Twos. Toddlerhood is a magical time in a childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life, when they are becoming little explorers, learning and experiencing the world around them. This developmental period is a golden opportunity for parents to allow their children to explore, learn and experience their surroundings with safety and security.

Bonding in Action

There are plenty of fun, nurturing activities you can do with your little one to create a healthy attachment and work toward positive emotional development. Toys, games, and songs are the doorway to understanding your child and taking an active role in ensuring healthy development. The language of a child is play, and since we desire to connect with our children, we must speak their language. And remember: any time spent with your child is an opportunity for bonding through activities that promote development. Summer Allen is a parent educator for the WeeCare and PADRE programs offered by LifeSteps.

36 | July 2015 | austinfamily.com

View the magazine online at austinfamily.com

Visit our advertisers.

Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market

austinfamily.com | July 2015 | 37

lifelines by Dr. Bradley Berg

Have You Heard of

Fifth Disease?

Symptoms can include a rash on the face, often called a “slapped cheek” rash.

38 | July 2015 | austinfamily.com

Here in Central Texas, many families are dealing with their fair share of coughs, colds and fevers. Many viruses cycle their way through communities, and one of these common viruses is Human Parvovirus (not to be confused with the parvovirus that infects pets).

symptoms or only mild symptoms that last a week or so.

Parvovirus is an infection that causes a rash, fever and other symptoms, known as Erythema infectiosum. Another name for this is “fifth disease.”

When symptoms do occur, they can include: fever, headache, sore throat, itching, cough, upset stomach— with diarrhea, nausea, vomiting— conjunctivitis (also called pink eye) and muscle aches. It can often be mistaken for the flu, because it shares many of the same symptoms. These first symptoms usually last about 2 to 5 days.

Fifth disease is quite common in children. Adults can also get it. Often, people with fifth disease have no

After that, symptoms can include a rash on the face (often called a “slapped cheek” rash, because it makes the child’s

View the magazine online at austinfamily.com

Visit our advertisers.

cheeks look bright red). After the rash on the face appears, a rash can also appear on the chest, back, arms and legs. This rash makes a pattern that looks like lace and is often referred to as a “lacy-reticular rash.” The good news is that children often feel better by the time they get the rash.

If you suspect your child has fifth disease, you can treat him at home with lots of rest, fever medications (if needed) and plenty of fluids. Seek medical care if your child has an immune or blood disorder and has symptoms of fifth disease. Also, see your health care provider if you or your child have symptoms lasting more than a month.

Sometimes, the rash will disappear but come back after several days. Sunlight, temperature changes (like warm baths), exercise or stress can all make the rash return or look more prominent.

Fifth disease is an illness caused by common contact with others. The best way to prevent infection is frequent hand-washing with soap and water. However, if you or your child contract fifth disease, don’t despair. Most people successfully fight the infection with a little tender love, care and adequate rest. Dr. Bradley Berg, M.D., Ph.D., serves as medical director of pediatrics at Baylor Scott & White – Round Rock.

People with certain medical conditions can get sicker with fifth disease than other people. They include: • People who have problems with the body’s infection-fighting system, also known as the immune system. • People who have certain conditions that affect red blood cells, such as sickle cell disease or thalassemia. Parents often wonder if there is a specific test for fifth disease. Your health care provider can usually tell if someone has fifth disease by learning about the symptoms and doing a physical exam.

Erythema infectosum, or human parvovirus, causes the childhood ailment known commonly as fifth disease.

If there is doubt, your provider can order a blood test for the virus that causes fifth disease. Most times no testing is done because there is no “cure” for fifth disease; it is an infection that requires no medication and will resolve on its own. Fifth disease is a concern for pregnant women; it can potentially be dangerous for the unborn child. If you are pregnant and have symptoms of fifth disease, or are around someone who has it, tell your health care provider right away. Your provider can order a blood test to see if you have the infection. He or she can also order tests to see if your unborn baby has the infection. Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market

austinfamily.com | July 2015 | 39

calendar 7/15

COMPILED BY BETTY KEMPER

++ Denotes the event occurs on multiple dates.

family events Wednesday 1

Fireworks and Concert, July 4

Hairspray, July 10 – August 15

Canada Day Reflections ++ 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 N. Congress. $12 Adults, $10 Seniors/ Military/Students, $8 Youth. thestoryoftexas.com or 512‑936‑8746. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland ++ 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ransom Center Galleries, 300 W. 21st St. FREE. hrc.utexas.edu. Kung Fu Panda ++ 10 a.m. Southwest Theaters, 13729 Research Blvd. $1. southwesttheaters.com. High Noon Talks 12 to 1 p.m. Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 N. Congress Ave. thestoryoftexas.com or 512‑936‑8746. Mindfulness for Kids ++ 1 p.m. Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd. FREE. westbanklibrary.com or 512‑327‑3045. Austin Reptile Show 2 p.m. Will Hampton Branch Library at Oak Hill, 5125 Convict Hill Rd. FREE. library. austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑9900. Arts and Crafts ++ 6 to 7 p.m. Wells Branch Library, 15001 Wells Port Dr. FREE. wblibrary.org or 512‑989‑3188. Night Crafters 6 to 8:30 p.m. Manchaca Road Branch, 5500 Manchaca Road. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑8700. Movies and Popcorn ++ 7 p.m. Covenant United Methodist Church, 4410 Duval Rd. FREE. covenantaustin.org/movie-nightsummer-2015/. Sound and Cinema: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off 7 p.m. The Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Dr. FREE. soundandcinemado512.com. 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.

Thursday 2

Teddy Bear Surgery, July 18

family events page 40 independence day events 45 parenting events page 46 story times page 48

First Thursdays All Day. South Congress Ave. FREE. firstthursday.info. ATX Music 2 p.m. University Hills Branch, 4721 Loyola Ln. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑9940. Spy Academy ++ 2 p.m. Manchaca Rd. Branch, 5500 Manchaca Rd. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑8700. Super Smash Bros. Tournament 2 p.m. North Village Branch, 2505 Steck Ave. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑9960. The Monkey and the Crocodile 2 p.m. Carver Branch, 1161 Angelina St. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑1010.

Upcycle This! ++ 6 to 7:30 p.m. Recycled Reads, 5335 Burnet Rd. Free and open to the public. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑7460. Unplugged at the Grove ++ 8 p.m. Shady Grove, 1624 Barton Springs Rd. FREE. kgsr.com/promotions/unplugged-2015 or 512‑474‑9991. CONTINUING: Reflections see Wednesday 1; Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Wednesday 1; Summer Movie Series: Kung Fu Panda see Wednesday 1; Wednesday Movie Nights see Wednesday 1.

Friday 3

Family Movie: Strange Magic 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Round Rock Library, 216 E. Main St., Round Rock. FREE. roundrocktexas.gov/library or 512‑218‑3275. Friday Movies ++ 2 p.m. Leander Library, 1011 Bagdad Rd., Leander. FREE. leander.lib.tx.us or 512‑259‑5259. First Fridays 5 to 10 p.m. Downtown Georgetown. FREE. thegeorgetownsquare.com or 512‑868‑8675. Live Music at the Domain ++ 6 to 9 p.m. The Domain, 11410 Century Oaks Terrace. FREE. m.simon.com. Village International Folk Dancers ++ 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Hancock Rec Center, 811 East 41st St. Adults $5. Friday Night Films at South Shore District 8 p.m. South Shore District, 1333 Shore District Dr. FREE. Metz Movies Under the Stars ++ 8 p.m. Metz Rec Center, 2704 Canterbury St. FREE. austintexas.gov or 512‑478‑8716. CONTINUING: Reflections see Wednesday 1; Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Wednesday 1; Wednesday Movie Nights see Wednesday 1.

Saturday 4

Independence Day Westcave Preserve Public Tour ++ 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Westcave Preserve, 24814 Hamilton Pool Rd., Round Mountain. $10 adult, $5 child. westcave.org or 512-276-2257. Giant Chess ++ 12:30 to 3 p.m. Wooldridge Square Park, 900 Guadalupe. FREE. giantchess.org. Live Music at the Domain ++ 2 to 9 p.m. The Domain, 11410 Century Oaks Terace. FREE. m.simon.com. Round Rock Express vs Nashville ++ 7 p.m. Dell Diamond, 3400 E. Palm Valley Blvd., Round Rock. $12 and up. roundrockexpress.com or 512‑255‑2255. CONTINUING: Reflections see Wednesday 1; Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Wednesday 1; Wednesday Movie Nights see Wednesday 1; The

Sunday 5

FREE 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 Sunday 12 to 3 p.m. Bob Bullock State History Museum, 1800 N. Congress Ave. FREE. thestoryoftexas.com or 512‑936‑8746.

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.

40 | July 2015 | austinfamily.com

View the magazine online at austinfamily.com

Visit our advertisers.

FREE First Sunday 1 to 4 p.m. Neill-Cochran House Museum, 2310 San Gabriel St. FREE. nchmuseum.org or 512‑478‑2335. CONTINUING: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Wednesday 1; Reflections see Wednesday 1; Round Rock Express vs Nashville see Saturday 4; Westcave Preserve Public Tour see Saturday 4; Live Music at the Domain see Saturday 4.

Monday 6

Monday Performers ++ 10 to 11 a.m. Leander Library, 1011 S. Bagdad Rd. FREE. leandertx.gov or 512‑259‑5259. Summer Movies: Night at the Museum ++ 10 a.m. South West Theater, 13729 Research Blvd. #1500. $1. southwesttheaters.com. Summer Crafts ++ 12:30 p.m. Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd. FREE. westbanklibrary.com or 512‑327‑3045. Super Smash Bros. Tournament 2 p.m. Hampton Branch at Oak Hill, 5125 Convict Hill Rd. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑9900. CONTINUING: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Wednesday 1; Reflections see Thursday 2; Round Rock Express vs Nashville see Saturday 4.

Tuesday 7

ATX Music 2 p.m. Cepeda Branch Austin Library, 651 N. Pleasant Valley Rd. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑7372. Movies with a Message - Sleeping Beauty 2:30 p.m. Manchaca United Methodist Church, 1011 FM 1626. FREE. manchacaumc.org or 512‑282‑7274. Magik Theatre Presents: Jack and the Beanstalk 4 p.m. Twin Oaks Branch, 1800 S. Fifth St. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑9980. Pizza and a Movie 6 to 8:30 p.m. Round Rock Library, 216 E. Main St. FREE. roundrocktexas.gov/library or 512‑218‑3275. CONTINUING: Reflections see Wednesday 1; Round Rock Express vs Nashville see Saturday 4; Summer Movie Series: Night at the Museum see Monday 6.

Wednesday 8

Children’s Day Art Park ++ 9 to 11:30 a.m. Symphony Square, 1101 Red River St. (corner of 11th St. and Red River). 50 cents per child. austinsymphony.org. The Monkey and the Crocodile 2 p.m. Hampton Branch at Oak Hill, 5125 Convict Hill Rd. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑9900. Music for Kids 4 p.m. Manchaca Road Branch, 5500 Manchaca Rd. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑8700. Arts and Crafts ++ 6 p.m. Wells Branch Library, 15001 Wells Port Dr. FREE. wblibrary.org or 512‑989‑3188. Round Rock Express vs New Orleans ++ 7 p.m. Dell Diamond, 3400 E. Palm Valley Blvd., Round Rock. $12 and up. roundrockexpress.com or 512‑255‑2255. CONTINUING: Mindfulness for Kids see Wednesday 1; Movies and Popcorn see Wednesday 1; Reflections see Wednesday 1; Summer Movie Series: Night at the Museum see Monday 6; Wednesday Movie Nights see Wednesday 1; Wednesday Night Contra Dancing see Wednesday 1.

Thursday 9

Sunny Blossom’s Silly Magic Show 10 to 11 a.m. Leander Library, 1011 Bagdad Rd., Leander. FREE. leandertx.gov. Super Smash Bros. Tournament 2 p.m. Willie Mae Kirk Branch, 3101 Oak Springs Dr. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑9920. Fish Gallery Kids ++ 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Fish Gallery Austin, 6500 N. Lamar Blvd. FREE. thefishgallerykids.com.. Nature Nights ++ 6 to 9 p.m. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, 4801 La Crosse Ave. FREE. wildflower.org or 512‑232‑0100. CONTINUING: Unplugged at the Grove see Thursday 2; Reflections see Wednesday 1; Upcycle This! see

Thursday 2; Round Rock Express vs New Orleans see Wednesday 8; Spy Academy see Thursday 2; Summer Movie Series: Night at the Museum see Monday 6.

Friday 10

Joe McDermott ++ 10:30 a.m. Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd. FREE. westbanklibrary.com or 512‑327‑3045. Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure 2 p.m. Southeast Branch, 5803 Nuckols Crossing. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑8840. Super Smash Bros. Tournament 2 p.m. Little Walnut Creek Branch, 835 W. Rundberg Ln. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑9860. Music in the Park 6:30 p.m. Pfluger Park, 515 City Park Rd., Pflugerville. FREE. pflugervilletex.gov. SummerFest 6:30 to 9 p.m. Hill Country Bible Church, 12124 Ranch Rd. 620 N. FREE. hcbc.com. Planet Music: Son Jarocho 7 to 9 p.m. Dougherty Arts Center, 1110 Barton Springs Rd. FREE. austintexas.gov/planetmusic. Music in the Park ++ 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Pfluger Park, 515 City Park Rd., Pflugerville. FREE. tx-pflugerville2.civicplus.com. Hairspray ++ 7:30 p.m. Zilker Hillside Theater, 2206 William Barton Dr. FREE. zilker.org or 512‑974‑4002. Movies at the Lake - The Neverending Story 8 p.m. Lake Kyle Park Amphitheater, Lake Kyle, Kyle. FREE. cityofkyle.com. CONTINUING: Bow Wow Reading Dogs see Friday 3; Friday Movies see Friday 3; Live Music at the Domain see Friday 3; Metz Movies Under the Stars see Friday 3; Reflections see Wednesday 1; Round Rock Express vs New Orleans see Wednesday 8; Village International Folk Dancers see Friday 3; Wednesday Movie Nights see Wednesday 1.

Saturday 11

McDade Watermelon Festival 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Watermelon Festival Grounds, 143 Bastrop Street, McDade. FREE. mcdadetexas.com or 512‑736‑4302. Bright Leaf Hikes 9 to 11:30 a.m. Bright Leaf Preserve, Creek Mountain Rd. FREE. brightleaf.org or 512‑459‑7269. Gault Archaeological Site Tours 9 a.m. Williamson Museum, 716 S. Austin Ave., Georgetown. Tour $10. Market Days on the Square 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Downtown Square, Georgetown. FREE. thegeorgetownsquare.com. Pine Street Market Days 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pine Street, Bastrop. FREE. bastroptexas.net or 512‑303‑6233. Grape Up! Full Inclusion Events ++ 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Pease Elementary School Playground, 1106 Rio Grande St. FREE. johnson-center.org. Hands-On-History 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Williamson Museum, 716 S. Austin, Georgetown. FREE. williamsonmuseum.org or 512‑943‑1670. Mr. Johnny’s Kids Club Summer Music Series ++ 10 to 11 a.m. Scottish Rite Theatre, 207 W. 18th St. $3. mrjohnny.com. Second Saturdays Are for Families 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Laguna Gloria, 3809 W. 35th St. General $10. thecontemporaryaustin.org. Summer Saturdays 1 to 5 p.m. French Legation Museum, 802 San Marcos St. $5. frenchlegationmuseum.org or 512‑471‑8180. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day 2 p.m. University Hills Branch, 4721 Loyola Ln. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑9940. Sarah The Dinosaur ++ 2 and 4 p.m. The Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Dr. $10. thelongcenter.org or 512‑457‑5115. Super Smash Bros. Tournament 2 p.m. Terrazas Branch, 1105 E. Cesar Chavez St. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑3625.

Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market

austinfamily.com | July 2015 | 41

Bastille Day Party 6 to 10 p.m. French Legation Museum, 802 San Marcos St., Austin. Advance $15. Movies in the Park: Paddington 8 p.m. Katherine Fleischer Park, 2106 Klattenhoff Dr. FREE. wellsbranchmud.com. CONTINUING: Giant Chess see Saturday 4; Live Music at the Domain see Saturday 4; Reflections see Wednesday 1; Round Rock Express vs New Orleans see Wednesday 8; Westcave Preserve Public Tour see Saturday 4; Hairspray see Friday 10.

Sunday 12

Sunday Funday with Staci Gray 3 to 4:30 p.m. Baby Earth, 106 E Old Settlers Blvd., Round Rock. FREE. babyearth.com. Concerts in the Park ++ 7:30 p.m. The Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Dr. FREE. austinsymphony.org or 522‑474‑5664. CONTINUING: FREE First Sundays see Sunday 5; Live Music at the Domain see Saturday 4; Reflections

see Wednesday 2; Round Rock Express vs New Orleans see Wednesday 8; Sarah The Dinosaur see Saturday 11; Westcave Preserve Public Tour see Saturday 4; Hairspray see Friday 10.

Monday 13

Summer Movie Series: Book of Life ++ 10 a.m. Southwest Theater, 13729 Research Blvd. #1500. $1. southwesttheaters.com. Lego Lab ++ 1 p.m. Faulk Central Library, 800 Guadalupe St. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑7400. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Gaming Tournament 1 p.m. Ruiz Branch, 1600 Grove Blvd. FREE. library. austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑7500. CONTINUING: Monday Performers see Monday 6; Reflections see Wednesday 1; Summer Crafts see Monday 6; Wednesday Movie Nights see Wednesday 1.

Tuesday 14

Bastille Day Family Film Festival 9 a.m. Lost Pines 8, 1600 Chestnut St., Bastrop. 50 cents per person, per film. schulmantheatres.com. Summer Kids Series: Taking Care of a Pet 2 to 3 p.m. Austin Humane Society, 124 W. Anderson Ln. FREE. austinhumanesociety.org. Movies with a Message - Robin Hood 2:30 p.m. Manchaca United Methodist Church, 1011 Farm to Market Rd. 1626. FREE. manchacaumc.org or 512‑282‑7274. Family Activity Night ++ 6:30 p.m. Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd. FREE. westbanklibrary.com or 512‑327‑3045. Hillside Summer Concert Series ++ 7 to 9 p.m. Pan American Recreation Center, 2100 E. 3rd St. FREE. Rhythm on Stage ++ 7 p.m. The Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Dr. FREE. thelongcenter.org.

42 | July 2015 | austinfamily.com

CONTINUING: Reflections see Wednesday 1; Summer Movie Series: Book of Life see Monday 13; Wednesday Movie Nights see Wednesday 1.

Wednesday 15

Toddler Enrichment Meeting 10 a.m. Brentwood Park, 6710 Arroyo Seco. FREE. texaslll.org. Keep Austin Playing 3 to 7 p.m. Palmer Event Center, 900 Barton Springs Rd. FREE. austintexas.gov. Movie Night ++ 7 p.m. Covenant United Methodist Church, 4410 Duval Rd. FREE. covenantaustin.org. Sound and Cinema: Ghostbusters 7 p.m. The Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Dr. FREE. soundandcinema.do512.com. CONTINUING: Arts and Crafts see Wednesday 8; Children’s Day Art Park see Wednesday 8; Mindfulness for Kids see Wednesday 1; Movies and Popcorn see Wednesday 1; Reflections see Wednesday 1; Summer Movie Series: Book of Life see Monday 13; Wednesday Movie Nights see Wednesday 1; Wednesday Night Contra Dancing see Wednesday 1.

Thursday 16

Blanton’s Third Thursday 12 to 9 p.m. Blanton Museum, 200 E. MLK Blvd. FREE. blantonmuseum.org or 512‑471‑5482. Super Smash Bros. Tournament 2 p.m. Cepeda Branch, 651 N. Pleasant Valley Rd. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑7372. CONTINUING: Unplugged at the Grove see Thursday 2; Fish Gallery Kids see Thursday 9; Reflections see Wednesday 1; Spy Academy see Thursday 2; Summer Movie Series: Book of Life see Monday 13; Upcycle This! see Thursday 2; Wednesday Movie Nights see Wednesday 1; Hairspray see Friday 10; Nature Nights see Thursday 9.

View the magazine online at austinfamily.com

Visit our advertisers.

Friday 17

Special Performers: The Flying Machine 10:30 a.m. Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd. FREE. westbanklibrary.com or 512‑327‑3045. Family Movie 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Round Rock Library, 216 E. Main St., Round Rock. FREE. roundrocktexas.gov or 512‑218‑3275. Friday Family Films 4 p.m. Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd. FREE. westbanklibrary.com or 512‑327‑3045. Metz Movies Under the Stars 8 p.m. Metz Rec Center, 2704 Canterbury St. FREE. austintexas.gov or 512‑478‑8716. CONTINUING: Friday Movies see Friday 3; Joe McDermott see Friday 10; Live Music at the Domain see Friday 3; Reflections see Wednesday 1; Village International Folk Dancers see Friday 3; Wednesday Movie Nights see Wednesday 1; Hairspray see Friday 10.

Saturday 18

Summer Kids Series: Teddy Bear Surgery 1 to 4 p.m. Austin Humane Society, 124 W. Anderson Ln. FREE. austinhumanesociety.org. Super Smash Bros. Tournament 1 p.m. Carver Branch, 1161 Angelina St. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑1010. Pericles 2 p.m. Winedale Theater Barn, 3738 FM 2714, Round Top. General $10. Sarah The Dinosaur 2 p.m. The Long Center, 401 W. Riverside Dr. $10. thelongcenter.org or 512‑457‑5115. CONTINUING: Giant Chess see Saturday 4; Grape Up! Full Inclusion Events see Saturday 11; Live Music at the Domain see Saturday 4; Mr. Johnny’s Kids Club Summer Music Series see Saturday 4; Reflections see Wednesday 1; Sarah The Dinosaur see Saturday 11; Wednesday Movie Nights see Wednesday 1; Westcave Preserve Public Tour see Saturday 4; Hairspray see Friday 10.

Sunday 19

Family Yoga in the Park 11 a.m. Wooldridge Square Park, 900 Guadalupe St. FREE. austinparks.org or 512‑477‑1566. Sarah The Dinosaur 2 p.m. The Long Center, 701W. Riverside Dr. $10. thelongcenter.org or 512‑457‑5115. Super Smash Bros. Tournament 2 p.m. Faulk Central Library, 800 Guadalupe St. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑7400. CONTINUING: Concerts in the Park see Sunday 12; FREE First Sundays see Sunday 5; Live Music at the Domain see Sunday 5; Reflections see Wednesday 1; Wednesday Movie Nights see Wednesday 1; Westcave Preserve Public Tour see Saturday 4; Hairspray see Friday 10.

Monday 20

Lego Lab All Day. Faulk Central Library, 800 Guadalupe St. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑7400. Summer Movie Series: Rio ++ 10 a.m. Southwest Theater, 13729 Research Blvd. #1500. $1. southwesttheaters.com. Crafternoon 2 p.m. Manchaca Road Branch, 5500 Manchaca Rd. FREE. library.austintexas.com or 512‑974‑8700. The Nutty Scientists at the Library 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Round Rock Library, 216 E. Main St., Round Rock. FREE. roundrocktexas.gov/library or 512‑218‑3275. CONTINUING: Monday Performers see Monday 6; Reflections see Wednesday 1; Summer Crafts see Monday 6.

Tuesday 21

Summer Kids Camp ++ 10 a.m. Moviehouse and Eatery, 8300 North FM 620 Building B. FREE. themoviehouse.com. Movies with a Message - Cinderella 2:30 p.m. Manchaca United Methodist Church, 1011 FM 1626. FREE. manchacaumc.org or 512‑282‑7274.

Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market

austinfamily.com | July 2015 | 43

Rhythm on Stage: Videodance 7 p.m. Long Center, 701 W. Riverside. FREE. thelongcenter.org or 512‑457‑5115. CONTINUING: Family Activity Night see Tuesday 14; Hillside Summer Concert Series see Tuesday 14; Reflections see Wednesday 1; Summer Movie Series: Rio see Monday 20; Wednesday Movie Nights see Wednesday 1.

Wednesday 22

American Memories Film: Jaws 6 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Yarborough Branch, 2200 Hancock Dr. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑8820. Culture Nights 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. AGE Cafeteria, 3710 Cedar St. FREE. austinpowwow.net. CONTINUING: Arts and Crafts see Wednesday 1; Children’s Day Art Park see Wednesday 8; Mindfulness for Kids see Wednesday 1; Movies and Popcorn see Wednesday 1; Reflections see Wednesday 1; Summer Movie Series: Rio see Monday 20; Wednesday Night Contra Dancing see Wednesday 1.

Thursday 23

Pajama Storytime 6:30 p.m. Manchaca Road Branch, 5500 Manchaca Rd. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑8700. CONTINUING: Unplugged at the Grove see Thursday 2; Fish Gallery Kids see Thursday 9; Reflections see Wednesday 1; Summer Movie Series: Rio see Monday 20; Upcycle This! see Thursday 2; Wednesday Movie Nights see Wednesday 1; Hairspray see Friday 10; Nature Nights see Thursday 9.

Friday 24

The Sugar Free Allstars 10:30 a.m. Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd. FREE. westbanklibrary.com or 512‑327‑3045. Super Smash Bros. Tournament 2 p.m. Windsor Park Branch, 5833 Westminster Dr. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑9840.

44 | July 2015 | austinfamily.com

Ventriloquist Show 2 to 3 p.m. Round Rock Library, 216 E. Main St., Round Rock. FREE. roundrocktexas.gov/library or 512‑218‑3275. Music in the Park 6:30 p.m. Pflugerville Park, 515 City Park Rd., Pflugerville. FREE. cityofpflugerville.com. Round Rock Express vs Oklahoma City ++ 7 p.m. Dell Diamond, 3400 E. Palm Valley Blvd., Round Rock. $12 and up. roundrockexpress.com or 512‑255‑2255. Movies at the Lake: The Pirates-Band of Misfits 9 p.m. Lake Kyle Park, 700 Lehman Rd., Kyle. FREE. cityofkyle.com. CONTINUING: Bow Wow Reading Dogs see Friday 3; Friday Movies see Friday 3; Joe McDermott see Friday 10; Live Music at the Domain see Friday 3; Metz Movies Under the Stars see Friday 3; Music in the Park see Friday 10; Reflections see Wednesday 1; Village International Folk Dancers see Friday 3; Wednesday Movie Nights see Wednesday 1; Hairspray see Friday 10.

Saturday 25

Classic Game Fest ++ 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Rd. classicgamefest.com. Yoga in the Park 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Stacy Park, 1400 Alameda Dr. FREE. austinparks.org or 512‑477‑1566. Summer Kids Series: Teddy Bear Surgery 1 to 4 p.m. Austin Humane Society, 124 W. Anderson Ln. FREE. austinhumanesociety.org. Respite for Parents of Children with Special Needs 1 to 4 p.m. Easter Seals Central Texas, 1611 Headway Circle, Bldg. 2. FREE. easterseals.com/centraltx. Twin Lakes Kids Night Out 5 to 10 p.m. Twin Lakes Family YMCA, 204 E. Little Elm Tr., Cedar Park. ymcagwc.org or 512‑250‑9622. Chasco Kids Night Out 6 to 11 p.m. Chasco Family YMCA, 1812 N. Mays St., Round Rock. ymcagwc.org or 512‑246‑9622.

CONTINUING: Giant Chess see Saturday 4; Grape Up! Full Inclusion Events see Saturday 11; Live Music at the Domain see Saturday 4; Reflections see Wednesday 1; Round Rock Express vs Oklahoma City see Friday 24; Wednesday Movie Nights see Wednesday 1; Westcave Preserve Public Tour see Saturday 4; Hairspray see Friday 10.

Sunday 26

Parents’ Day Annual Tribute Day 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, 4801 La Crosse Ave. FREE. wildflower.org or 512‑232‑0100. Twelfth Night 2 p.m. Winedale Theater Barn, 3738 FM 2714, Round Top. General $10. CONTINUING: Concerts in the Park see Sunday 12; Game Fest see Saturday 25; FREE First Sundays see Sunday 5; Live Music at the Domain see Sunday 5; Reflections see Wednesday 1; Round Rock Express vs Oklahoma City see Friday 24; Wednesday Movie Nights see Wednesday 1; Westcave Preserve Public Tour see Saturday 4; Hairspray see Friday 10.

Monday 27

Summer Movie Series: Diary of a Wimpy Kid ++ 10 a.m. Southwest Theater, 13729 Research Blvd. #1500. $1. southwesttheaters.com. Wild Things Zoofari 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Leander Library, 1011 S. Bagdad Rd. FREE. leandertx.gov or 512‑259‑5259. Bonzo Crunch the Clown 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Leander Library, 1011 S. Bagdad Rd. FREE. leandertx.gov or 512‑259‑5259. Crafternoon 2 p.m. Manchaca Road Branch, 5500 Manchaca Rd. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑8700. Night Crafters 6 to 7:30 p.m. Faulk Central Library, 800 Guadalupe St. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑7400. CONTINUING: Monday Performers see Monday 6; Reflections see Wednesday 1; Round Rock Express

View the magazine online at austinfamily.com

Visit our advertisers.

vs Oklahoma City see Friday 24; Summer Crafts see Monday 6; Summer Movies see Monday 20; Wednesday Movie Nights see Wednesday 1.

Tuesday 28

Summer Kids Series: Dog and Cat Adoptions 2 to 4 p.m. Austin Humane Society, 124 W. Anderson Ln. FREE. austinhumanesociety.org. Round Rock Express vs Omaha ++ 7 p.m. Dell Diamond, 3400 E. Palm Valley Blvd., Round Rock. $12 and up. roundrockexpress.com or 512‑255‑2255. CONTINUING: Family Activity Night see Tuesday 14; Hillside Summer Concert Series see Tuesday 14; Reflections see Wednesday 1; Rhythm on Stage see Tuesday 14; Summer Kids Camp see Tuesday 21; Summer Movie Series: Diary of a Wimpy Kid see Monday 27; Wednesday Movie Nights see Wednesday 1.

Wednesday 29

CONTINUING: Arts and Crafts see Wednesday 8; Children’s Day Art Park see Wednesday 8; Mindfulness for Kids see Wednesday 1; Movies and Popcorn see Wednesday 1; Reflections see Wednesday 1; Round Rock Express vs Omaha see Tuesday 28; Summer Movie Series: Diary of a Wimpy Kid see Monday 27; Wednesday Movie Nights see Wednesday 1; Wednesday Night Contra Dancing see Wednesday 1.

Thursday 30

CONTINUING: Unplugged at the Grove see Thursday 2; Reflections see Wednesday 1; Round Rock Express vs Omaha see Tuesday 28; Summer Movie Series: Diary of a Wimpy Kid see Monday 27; Upcycle This! see Thursday 2; Wednesday Movie Nights see Wednesday 1; Hairspray see Thursday 9.

Friday 31

Mr. Johnny and Friends 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Round Rock Library, 216 E. Main

independence day events Friday 3

Pfirecracker Pfestival 3 to 11 p.m. Lake Pflugerville, 18216 Weiss Ln., Pflugerville. FREE. pflugervilletexas.gov. Bastrop Patriotic Festival 8 p.m. Fisherman’s Park, 1200 Willow St., Bastrop. FREE. austinsymphonicband.org or 512‑345‑7420.

Saturday 4

Parade and Festival 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cat Hollow Park, 8600 O’Connor Dr., Round Rock. FREE. bcmud.org. Celebration 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Bar K Recreational Park, Dawn Dr., Lago Vista. FREE. lagovista.org or 512‑267‑7952. Parade 10 a.m. Main Street, Chappell Hill. FREE. chappellhilltx.com. Parade 10 a.m. Cedar Park Center, 2100 Ave. of the Stars, Cedar Park. FREE. cedarparktexas.gov. Sertoma Parade 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Main St., Round Rock. FREE. roundrocktexas.gov.

Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market

Frontier Days Celebration 12 to 11 p.m. Old Settlers Park, 3300 Palm Valley Blvd., Round Rock. FREE. roundrocktexas.gov. Celebration 4 to 10:30 p.m. Elizabeth Milburn Park, 1901 Sun Chase Blvd., Cedar Park. FREE. cedarparktexas.gov. H-E-B Family Fun Fest 4 to 10:30 p.m. Miller Park, 1919 N. First St., Temple. FREE. ci.temple.tx.us. Festival 4 to 10 p.m. Hill Country Galleria, 12700 Hill Country Blvd. FREE. hillcountryfest.com. Liberty Fest 5 to 10 p.m. Liberty Fest Park, US183 A, Leander. FREE. leandertx.gov or 512‑528‑9909. Celebration 6 to 10 p.m. Plum Creek Golf Course, Kohler’s and Kyle Parkway, Kyle. FREE. cityofkyle.com. Fireworks and Concert 7 to 10 p.m. Auditorium Shores, 800 Riverside Dr. FREE. austintexas.org. Fireworks 8:30 to 9 p.m. Murphy Park, Lake Dr. at Veterans Dr., Taylor. FREE. ci.taylor.tx.us.

austinfamily.com | July 2015 | 45

St., Round Rock. FREE. roundrocktexas.gov/library or 512‑218‑7001. CONTINUING: Bow Wow Reading Dogs see Friday 3; Friday Movies see Friday 3; Live Music at the Domain see Friday 3; Reflections see Wednesday 1; Round Rock Express vs Omaha see Tuesday 28; Twelth Night see Saturday 18; Village International Folk Dancers see Friday 3; Wednesday Movie Nights see Wednesday 1; Hairspray see Friday 10.

parenting events Wednesday 1

La Leche League Meeting 10 a.m. Austin Library North Village Branch, 2505 Steck Ave. FREE. texaslll.org.

Thursday 2

Crianza con Cariño – Clases de Padres ++ 9 to 11 a.m. Any Baby Can, 1121 E. 7th St. FREE. anybabycan.org. Nurturing Parenting ++ 9 to 11 a.m. Any Baby Can, 1121 East Seventh St. FREE. anybabycan.org or 512‑454‑3743. Postpartum Support Group ++ 10 to 11:30 a.m. Any Baby Can, 1121 E. 7th St. FREE. anybabycan.org. Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español ++ 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Any Baby Can, 1121 E. 7th St. FREE. anybabycan.org. Parenting Class ++ 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Any Baby Can, 1121 E. 7th St. FREE. anybabycan.org. La Leche League Meeting 7 p.m. North Austin Medical Center, Room 2B, 12221 N. Mopac Expy. FREE. texaslll.org.

Saturday 4

Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español ++ 3 to 5 p.m. Any Baby Can, 1121 E. 7th St. FREE. anybabycan.org.

46 | July 2015 | austinfamily.com

Parenting Class ++ 3 to 5 p.m. Any Baby Can, 1121 E. 7th St. FREE. anybabycan.org.

Monday 6

CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español see Thursday 2.

Tuesday 7

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. Nurturing Parenting ++ 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Any Baby Can, 1121 East Seventh St. FREE. anybabycan.org or 512‑454‑3743. CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español see Thursday 2; Parenting Class see Thursday 2.

Wednesday 8

La Leche League Meeting 10:15 a.m. Will Hampton Branch Library, 5125 Convict Hill Rd. FREE. texaslll.org.

Thursday 9

CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español see Thursday 2; Crianza con Cariño – Clases de padres see Thursday 2; Nurturing Parenting see Thursday 2; Parenting Class see Thursday 2; Postpartum Support Group see Thursday 2.

Saturday 11

CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español see Saturday 4; Parenting Class see Saturday 4.

Monday 13

CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español see Thursday 2.

View the magazine online at austinfamily.com

Visit our advertisers.

Tuesday 14

Tuesday 21

CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español see Thursday 2; Nurturing Parenting see Tuesday 7; Parenting Class see Thursday 2.

Ten Things...

Thursday 16

Wednesday 22

to Play in Your Backyard!

CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español see Thursday 2; Nurturing Parenting see Tuesday 7; Parenting Class see Thursday 2. CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español see Thursday 2; Crianza con Cariño – Clases de padres see Thursday 2; Nurturing Parenting see Thursday 2; Parenting Class see Thursday 2; Postpartum Support Group see Thursday 2.

Saturday 18

CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español see Saturday 4; Parenting Class see Saturday 4.

Monday 20

CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español see Thursday 2.

Infant Safety Class-RSVP 6 to 8 p.m. Any Baby Can, 6207 Sheridan Ave. FREE. anybabycan.org or 512‑454‑3743.

Thursday 23

Saturday 25

Have you heard of these fun backyard pastimes?

CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español see Saturday 4; Parenting Class see Saturday 4.

Iceblock Treasures

Cornhole (or Beanbag)

Giant Kerplunk

Ice Chalk

Ladder Ball

Washer Toss

Water Balloon Pinatas

Lawn Matching Game

Giant Jenga

10. Glowstick Ringtoss

Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market

austinfamily.com | July 2015 | 47

PIENSAPOSITIVO Originalidad Hace poco escuche que el ser humano nace original pero muchas veces terminan siendo una copia. En la actualidad el bombardeo constante de la presion social orilla a que muchos, la mayoria jovenes terminen copiando la vida de otros, olvidando asi sus verdaderos talentos y sufriendo porque no son igual que los demas. No quieras cambiar la escencia de quien eres porque de otra manera perderas tu originalidad. Encuentra tus talentos y sacale provecho. El psiquiatra Viktor Frankl decia que una de las areas en las que los seres humanos somos originales es en la manera de relacionarnos con los demas, ya sea que sea buena o mala. Asi que si te cuesta encontrar algo original de tu persona ya sabes por donde empezar. Piensa Positivo. Uniqueness Not long ago, I heard that human beings are born original but as time goes by, they become a copy. Nowadays, our society, especially our young, is overwhelmed with a lot of social pressure, to the point that we forget about our uniqueness and talents, suffering because we lack others’ talents. Don’t try to change your natural essence; otherwise, you will lose your originality. Look for your talents and use them. The German psychiatrist Viktor Frankl said that one of the most original parts of a human being is the way they interact with each other, either good or bad. If you find it difficult to look for something unique about yourself, now you know where to start looking. Think Positive.

Monday 27

CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español see Thursday 2.

Evening Storytime 6:30 to 7 p.m. Round Rock Library, 216 E. Main St., Round Rock. roundrocktexas.gov.

Tuesday 28

TUESDAYS

CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español see Thursday 2; Nurturing Parenting see Tuesday 7; Parenting Class see Thursday 2.

Thursday 30

story times Library story time events listed here are free unless otherwise noted. Programs are subject to change. Please contact before attending. Austin Public Library story times are too numerous for our calendar, but include story times for infants, toddlers, preschoolers and all ages. In addition, there are dual language and Spanish language story times. Visit the Austin Library website for dates, locations, age groups and times. library.austintexas.gov or 512-974-7400.

MONDAYS

Baby Bookworms 10:30 a.m. Wells Branch Library, 15001 Wells Port Dr. wblibrary.org or 512‑989‑3188. Family Storytime (July 27 only) 11 to 11:30 a.m. Bullock Museum, 1800 N. Congress Ave. FREE. thestoryoftexas.com or 512‑936‑8746. Baby Bookworms 11:15 a.m. Wells Branch Library, 15001 Wells Port Dr. wblibrary.org or 512‑989‑3188.

Baby and Me 9:30 a.m. Georgetown Library, 402 W. 8th St., Georgetown. library.georgetown.org. Baby and Me 9:30 a.m. Leander Library, 1011 S. Bagdad Rd., Leander. leander.lib.tx.us. Baby Storytime 10 a.m. Pflugerville Library, 1008 W. Pfluger St., Pflugerville. tx-pflugerville2.civicplus.com. Children’s Storytime 10 to 10:30 a.m. French Legation Museum, 802 San Marcos St. frenchlegationmuseum.org or 512‑472‑8180. Bilingual Storytime 10:30 to 11 a.m. Round Rock Library, 216 E. Main St., Round Rock. roundrocktexas.gov/library or 512‑218‑7012. Storytime 10:30 a.m. Barnes and Noble, 12701 Hill Country Blvd., Bee Cave. barnesandnoble.com or 512‑263‑7402. Toddler Storytime 10:30 a.m. Lake Travis Library, 2300 Lohman’s Spur, Suite 100, Lakeway. laketravislibrary.org. Bilingual Storytime (July 28 only) 10:30 to 11 a.m. Round Rock Library, 216 E. Main St., Round Rock. roundrocktexas.gov or 512‑218‑7012. Bilingual Storytime 11 a.m. Pflugerville Library, 1008 W. Pfluger St., Pflugerville. tx-pflugerville2.civicplus.com. Reading Dog Program 11 a.m. Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd. westbanklibrary.com. Storytime 11 a.m. Barnes and Noble, 2701 Parker Rd., Round Rock. barnesandnoble.com or 512‑600‑0088.

by Leslie Montoya Host of Despierta Austin

48 | July 2015 | austinfamily.com

View the magazine online at austinfamily.com

Visit our advertisers.

Sensory Storytime 11:15 a.m. Carver Branch, 1161 Angelina St. library. austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑1010. Storytime and Craft 6 to 6:30 p.m. Wells Branch Library, 15001 Wells Port Dr. wblibrary.org. Pajama Storytime (July 28 only) 6:30 p.m. Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave. FREE. westbanklibrary.com or 512‑327‑3045. Pajama Storytime (July 14 and 28 only) 6:30 p.m. Willie Mae Kirk Branch, 3101 Oak Springs Dr. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑9920.

Toddlertime 10:30 a.m. Round Rock Library, 216 E. Main St., Round Rock. roundrocktexas.gov. Tot Time Storytime 10:30 a.m. Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd. westbanklibrary.com. Storytime 11 a.m. Barnes and Noble, 14010 Hwy. 183. barnesandnoble.com. Storytime 11 a.m. Barnes and Noble, 5601 Brodie Ln. barnesandnoble.com or 512‑892‑3493.

WEDNESDAYS

THURSDAYS

Babytime 9:30 a.m. Round Rock Library, 216 E. Main St., Round Rock. roundrocktexas.gov. Toddlertime 9:30 a.m. Round Rock Library, 216 E. Main St., Round Rock. roundrocktexas.gov. Wobbles Storytime 9:30 a.m. Georgetown Library, 420 W. 8th St., Georgetown. library.georgetown.org. Pre-K Storytime 10 a.m. Leander Library, 1011 S. Bagdad Rd., Leander. leander.librarycatalog.info. Baby Storytime 10:30 a.m. Lake Travis Library, 2300 Lohman’s Spur, Suite 100, Lakeway. laketravislibrary.org. Preschool Storytime 10:30 a.m. Round Rock Library, 216 E. Main St., Round Rock. roundrocktexas.gov. Story Pals Storytime 10:30 a.m. Georgetown Library, 420 W. 8th St., Georgetown. library.georgetown.org. Storytime 10:30 a.m. Barnes and Noble, 12701 Hill Country Blvd., Bee Cave. barnesandnoble.com or 512‑263‑7402. Storytime Tours at the Blanton 10:30 to 11 a.m. Blanton Museum, 200 East MLK, Jr Blvd. blantonmuseum.org or 512‑471‑5482.

Babytime 9:30 a.m. Round Rock Library, 216 E. Main St., Round Rock. roundrocktexas.gov. Preschool Storytime 9:30 a.m. Round Rock Library, 216 E. Main St., Round Rock. roundrocktexas.gov. Hola, Hola! Spanish Storytime 10:30 a.m. Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd. westbanklibrary.com. Infant Storytime 10:30 a.m. Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd. westbanklibrary.com. Preschool Storytime 10:30 a.m. Round Rock Library, 216 E. Main St., Round Rock. roundrocktexas.gov. Toddlertime 10:30 a.m. Round Rock Library, 216 E. Main St., Round Rock. roundrocktexas.gov. Kids Club 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. Pflugerville Library, 1008 W. Pfluger St., Pflugerville. tx-pflugerville2.civicplus.com.

FRIDAYS

Baby and Me 10 a.m. Leander Library, 1011 S. Bagdad Rd., Leander. leander.lib.tx.us. Storytime 10 a.m. Briarcliff Community Center, 22801 Briarcliff Dr. laketravislibrary.org.

Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market

Children’s Storytime 10:30 a.m. Georgetown Library, 420 W. 8th St., Georgetown. library.georgetown.org. Toddler Storytime 10:30 a.m. Wells Branch Library, 15001 Wells Port Dr. wblibrary.org. Preschool Storytime 11:15 a.m. Wells Branch Library, 15001 Wells Port Dr. wblibrary.org. Bow Wow Reading Dogs 12 to 1 p.m. Wells Branch Library, 15001 Wells Port Dr. wblibrary.org. All Ages Storytime 12:30 p.m. Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd. westbanklibrary.com. Storytime 7 p.m. Barnes and Noble, 2701 Parker Rd., Round Rock. barnesandnoble.com or 512‑600‑0088.

SATURDAYS (Libraries Closed on July 4)

Baby Bloomers 9 a.m. The Thinkery, 1830 Simond Ave. Included in museum admission. thinkeryaustin.org. Bow Wow Read to Dog (July 18 only) 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Round Rock Library, 216 E. Main St., Round Rock. FREE. roundtexas.gov/library or 512‑218‑3275. Family Storytime 11 a.m. Round Rock Library, 216 E. Main St., Round Rock. roundrocktexas.gov/departments/library. Saturday Storytime 11 a.m. Barnes and Noble, 5601 Brodie Ln. barnesandnoble.com or 512‑892‑3493. Austin Summer Musical for Children Storytime (July 25 only) 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Book People, 603 N. Lamar. bookpeople.com. R.E.A.D. Dogs 12 to 2 p.m. Georgetown Library, 420 W. 8th St., Georgetown. library.georgetown.org.

austinfamily.com | July 2015 | 49

Ki d e n o Z Games for Gatherings Whether it’s a backyard barbecue, block party, camping adventure or family reunion, these crafts and activities will help keep Independence Day top of mind – and a lot of fun! IT’S ALL ABOUT THE FLAG: This relay game requires two sand pails, some mini American flags and clean play sand. Put sand in each bucket, then stick in an equal number of flags. Divide kids into two equal teams. A kid from each team runs to grab a flag, then walks back to tag the next person. This continues until one team gathers all the flags. ART ON DISPLAY: Give kids buckets of sidewalk chalk and plenty of space to make murals. Sidewalks, driveways and wooden fencing make good media. Ask kids to draw an American flag or fireworks. Get their creative juices flowing for the summer ahead. GIVE IT A TOSS: This game is ideal for even small yards. You’ll need plastic cones or wooden dowels and several small, plastic hoops. Arrange the cones or dowels so kids can toss rings over them. To make your game more patriotic, spray paint cones or dowels bright red or blue. GUESSING GAME: This is a great game for a crowd, such as a block party or family reunion. Fill a large mason jar with red, white and blue candies, and have the kids write down guesses as to how many are in the jar. The winner gets the jar as a prize. GO GREEN: July 16 is Fresh Spinach Day! Besides being high in iron and low in calories, spinach is a great source of fiber, protein, calcium and vitamins C and A. Spinach not only helps build muscle, but also helps reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and osteoporosis. And some believe eating spinach on a regular basis can help reduce brain damage due to natural aging! So, whip up a delicious spinach dish!

YMCA of Austin Summer Camp Registration is now open! YMCA CAMPS are a great way to keep your kids safe and active during the summer. The YMCA of Austin offers 22 Camp locations throughout Travis, Hays and Bastrop Counties for kids ages 4-14. Kinder Camp, Theme Camp, Sports Camp and Adventure Camp. Space still available! Visit AustinYMCA.org for details or call 512-236-9622 to find the locations nearest you.

50 | July 2015 | austinfamily.com

View the magazine online at austinfamily.com

Visit our advertisers.

Focus On 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 28

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 preventive, developmental and general pediatrics. See ad on page 14

Come to the movies at

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 17

Go to austinfamily.com for weekly prizes.

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 17

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 46

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’s 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 14 Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market

austinfamily.com | July 2015 | 51

humor

by Carrie Taylor

Kids Still Make Me Nervous I’m not a “kid person.” I spent most of my life thinking kids were little aliens who could attack at any moment, and my best defense was to avoid eye contact. Any interaction I did have resulted in palm-moistening awkwardness. What can we talk about? Do you even talk? Why are you staring at me? I was a babysitter a grand total of three times. I tell people it’s because I didn’t live around kids, which is a complete lie. Any potential employer took one look in my panicky eyes and moved on. The day my nephew was born, I was one month into my marriage and eager to follow through on my deliberate plan to spend the next three to five years luxuriating in childless freedom. I stood next to my sister in the delivery room, watching with horror and awe (mostly horror) as my nephew screamed his way out of her—and into my arms. See, the labor and delivery nurse took my lack of…sound… words…tears…any-emotion-whatsoever-

52 | July 2015 | austinfamily.com

because-I-was-frozen-with-fear…as a sign I was keen to hold that pink, gooey creature. Later, I told my husband our plan should be extended beyond five years. We laughed and promptly frittered away several hours aimlessly wandering the aisles of Target. Little did we know we would be calling ourselves parents less than a year later. My own experience taught me that birth is not only a physical miracle, but works some kind of voodoo brain magic I can’t explain. Don’t get me wrong—kids still scare me a little bit, especially my own when his snacks run out. But since my son came along, I feel more confident than ever that I can almost hold up my end of a conversation with a 5-year-old, calm a screaming infant or talk about trendy social media with a teenager. Emphasis on the “almost.” Carrie Taylor is a native Texan, freelance writer and mother of one precious baby boy.

View the magazine online at austinfamily.com

Visit our advertisers.