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inside
6/15
columns
12 Beautiful Minds: Research Lab at UT Austin Studies Children’s Development
22
Family Matters A Loner or Lonely? How to Tell the Difference, and Why It’s Important
26
The Learning Curve An Ode to Code Newest Programming Languages Put Kids in Charge
30
Family Connections Power Up for Summer Keep Your Battery Charged While On the Go
32
Lifelines Cyberbully Alert Is Your Teen at Risk, and What Can You Do About It?
53 Ten Things…to Do for Father’s Day! 56 Humor Memories of Vacation Mom
calendar 46 Family Events 51 Parenting Events 52 Story Times
in every issue 14 Avoid These 7 Summer Safety Slip-ups
18 5 Tips for Easing Children Through Divorce
Where’s Jack? Our Films column has moved online! Find Jack Kyser’s take on films at austinfamily.com/category/films
Play It Safe Product Recalls Around Austin Kidzone by Thinkery Create a Density Rainbow
artículos en español
extras 20 34 54 55
7 8 54
Summer Fun Checklist Summer Camp Guide Summer Fun Concerts and More Focus on Doctors
24 ¿Una Persona Solitaria o Sola? Como Saber la Diferencia y Porque Es Importante 28 Una Oda al Código Los Lenguajes de Programación Más Nuevos Ponen a los Niños a Cargo 49 Piensa Positivo La Felicidad
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Julian, a cover kid winner, enjoys the splash park in downtown Round Rock. Photography by: Nicole Renee
austinfamily.com | June 2015 | 5
austinfamily®
editor’s note by Sherida Mock
June 2015
Let’s all congratulate ourselves for making it to June, because if you’re a parent, May is one heck of a challenging month packed full of activity. Now, we can turn our attention to summer—that lazy, lengthy stretch of weeks that ends much too soon. Of course, safety always comes first, so give Sandra Gordon’s roundup of summer slip-ups a thorough read. And after enjoying our interview with Dr. Becky Bigler of the Children’s Research Lab at UT, you might want to sign up your family for one of the fascinating studies going on while school’s out. We’ve got some ideas for how to make memories this Father’s Day in our 10 Things article. Also for summer, Richard Singleton reminds you how important it is to keep that smart phone charged, and Carrie Taylor recalls her many adventures with Vacation Mom. We are also pleased to bring you tips from Syd Sharples on how to make divorce easier for your children, advice from Dr. Betty Richardson on children who are loners, suggestions from Dr. Theresa Willis on cyberbullying and a closer look at coding for kids, by Jane Estes. I wish you all a joyful summer. Relax. You’ve got this.
Volume 23, No. 3
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, Jane Estes, Syd Sharples, Sandra Gordon and Dr. Theresa Willis 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 | June 2015 | austinfamily.com
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play it safe: product recalls
Government Recalls Kaleidoscopes, Blankets and Bikes Branded LLC is recalling about 35,000 kaleidoscope toys because the end caps of the toy can be removed and expose small parts that can come loose and pose a choking hazard to small children and internal components that pose a risk of laceration. The kaleidoscopes are made of red plastic, about 5 inches long and 2 inches in diameter and have “H-E-Buddy” on the barrel. Affected units were provided at H-E-B and H-E-B Plus stores in Texas from April 1, 2015 to April 3, 2015 as a prize for accumulated purchase points. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled kaleidoscopes, take them from children and return the toys to an H-E-B store for a refund of purchase points that can be used for another item. Goochie Goo Garbs is recalling about 125 Sensory Grab Garb Blankets because the wire-edged ribbon used in the blanket’s ribbon tags can become exposed, posing a laceration hazard to children. The recall involves the Sensory Grab Garb Blanket, which is a 6-inch square of soft fabric with crinkle paper inside and ribbon tags in the middle of each of the four sides. One side of the blanket contains a white satin ribbon tag with the words “Goochie Goo Garbs” on it. Affected units were sold at various children’s specialty stores in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Pennsylvania from July 2014 through March 2015 for about $10. Consumers should immediately stop using these Sensory Grab Garb blankets and return them to the store where purchased for a full refund or a replacement blanket. J. Crew is recalling about 20,000 baby coveralls because the snaps on the coveralls can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children. The recall involves J. Crew baby coveralls in sizes newborn to 2T. The coveralls were sold in various colors and designs, including prints and stripes. A care label sewn into the inside left seam of the garment lists the PO number, style number and “SU ’14.” Affected units were sold at J. Crew stores in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Texas and Washington, D.C., online at jcrew.com and the J. Crew catalog from April 2014 to March 2015 for between $30 and $33. Consumers should immediately stop using the coveralls and contact J. Crew for a full refund. Consumers who purchased the garments online will receive instructions for returning the coveralls, including a postage-paid shipping label. The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission works to protect the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products.
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austinfamily.com | June 2015 | 7
around austin Go to www.austinfamily.com for weekly updates of Around Austin news
BY THE NUMBERS
45,191
Shiver Me Timbers! Baylor University’s Mayborn Museum has unveiled a new exhibition titled “Shipwreck! Pirates and Treasure.” The exhibition gives visitors a look at more than 2,000 years of nautical history, including one of America’s most famous shipwrecks — the Civil Warera SS Republic. Guests can experience what it is like to excavate treasure from the ocean floor with an operable model of Odyssey’s Remotely Operated Vehicle ZEUS’s robotic arm. They can experience 75-mph winds in the Hurricane Simulator, learn how to identify pirate vessels using spyglasses and create a “pirate” in an interactive game.
The Mayborn Museum in Waco sits on the Baylor University campus at 1300 S. University Parks. Photo by Baylor University.
The exhibition runs through September 16.
Estimated number of open jobs in computing in Texas.
Texas A&M Nature Challenge
Source: code.org
Must-Do This Month Retire all those out-grown school clothes, shoes, dancewear and sports equipment. Make a note to replace essentials once school starts up in August. Dip into a scoop of deliciousness on June 7, National Chocolate Ice Cream Day. Throw out last year’s expired sunscreen remnants and replenish your supply with fresh bottles.
8 | June 2015 | austinfamily.com
It’s time to round up the family, get outside and connect with nature. The Texas Nature Challenge is under way and lasts through July 31. Participants visit a list of sites—parks and nature areas from San Marcos to Waco— and complete family-fun challenges designed for nature exploration. For Lisa Parker, this was one of the appeals of the challenge. “This is our fifth year participating in Texas Nature Challenge. We loved it so much
we kept coming back,” Parker said. “The challenges were fun and educational; we’ve learned about identifying volcanic rocks, created art at Umlauf Sculpture Garden and participated in letter boxing—a type of geocaching for smaller children.” The Texas Nature Challenge is made possible through the partnership of Texas A&M Forest Service, Austin Nature and Science Center, and participating sites from San Marcos to Waco. For more information, visit bit.ly/1F63to2.
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Summer Reading Challenge Scholastic, a publisher and distributor of children’s books, announced the ninth year of its Summer Reading Challenge. The free online/mobile reading program is dedicated to stopping the “Summer Slide” by encouraging kids to read throughout the summer months. Starting May 4, kids can unlock 12 original short stories from bestselling children’s authors, including Blue Balliett, Patrik Henry Bass, Varian Johnson, Gordon Korman, Michael Northtrop, Maggie Stiefvater and Jackson Pierce, Roland Smith, R. L. Stine, Tui T. Sutherland, Lauren Tarshis, Wendy Wan-Long Shang and Jude Watson. Students can read and log minutes, earn digital badges
and rewards, and help set a new world record for summer reading. Students can also play a new “Innovation Machine” story starter game. Parents can find articles, tips and resources, including a summer book list for every age and theme. The Summer Reading Challenge ends on September 4. For more information, visit bit.ly/1OYuNUs.
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The Seton Medical Center Austin Ronald McDonald Family Room will primarily serve parents of newborn children in the NICU, but will be available to all families with children being cared for at the facility.
Seton Unveils New Family Room Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Texas and Seton Medical Center Austin celebrated the opening of the new Ronald McDonald Family Room on May 7. Typically located near the neonatal intensive care units, Ronald McDonald Family Rooms offer families a nurturing place to rest and regroup while staying close to their hospitalized children. The Seton Medical Center Austin Ronald McDonald Family Room is the fourth Family Room to open in the past six years. As the largest Family Room, the space is 1800 square feet with a living room, kitchen/dining area, four bedrooms, two full baths, laundry facilities and a tranquility room. Families also have access to computers, the Internet and a children’s play area.
austinfamily.com | June 2015 | 9
Austin Police Raid Fake ID Maker
CoderDojo Comes to Round Rock
Austin police announced in early May that during the past few months, a special team has been working to reduce underage drinking in the downtown Austin entertainment district. As part of the operations, the team has targeted the use and manufacturing of fake identification cards (IDs).
CoderDojo, a worldwide movement of free programming clubs, has a new chapter in Round Rock. The club meets every Sunday from 4 to 6 p.m. at the TechShop AustinRound Rock at 120 Sundance Parkway.
During the first two operations, the team cited over 120 minors trying to use fake IDs to enter bars or clubs with the intention to consume alcohol. A few weeks ago, the unit received confidential information about a subject who was manufacturing counterfeit ID cards from different states and selling them for $60 to $200. The Texas Department of Public Safety assisted during this operation.
CoderDojo Round CoderDojo Round Rock founder and mentor Garima Rock hosts up to Singh advises students during a session at TechShop 30 students, aged Austin-Round Rock. 7 to 17, per session. At each session, mentors guide the students. The sessions foster informal and collaborative learning through project work, exploration and peer mentoring.
Austin police say this investigation will have a direct impact on the use of fake IDs not only in Austin, but other cities and states, and will also have an impact on under-age drinking and identity theft.
Although sessions are free, students must register for each session in order to attend. Students 12 and younger must have a parent accompany them.
Additionally, the Austin Police Department is currently analyzing evidence seized during the search warrant to identify those individuals who have purchased fictitious identification cards from the suspects.
10 | June 2015 | austinfamily.com
Garima Singh, a junior at Westwood High School, founded the Round Rock chapter. TechShop Austin-Round Rock is one of eight locations in the U.S. to host cutting-edge tools, equipment and computers to foster collaborative innovation.
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Bass Pro Shops Places First Fish
Asa Ewing, store manager, announces the June 10 opening date for the Bass Pro Shops Round Rock Outdoor World.
In advance of its opening on June 10, Bass Pro Shops in Round Rock held a small ceremony to introduce the first large fish to its in-store, 12,000 gallon aquarium. The largemouth bass, weighing over 10 pounds, slipped into the water from the hands of Round Rock mayor Alan McGraw. The bass was acquired through the Bass Pro Shops Wanted Alive program, which allows anglers to donate trophy catches for display in store aquariums. In addition to the aquarium, the store includes a restaurant and 16-lane bowling alley. Walls in the store are adorned with hand-painted murals of Texas scenery and examples of native Texas wildlife.
Enjoy trailer food from a rotating selection of vendors on the terrace of the Long Center on the last Tuesday of each month through October.
Trailer Food Tuesdays From May through October, the Long Center will be hosting a Trailer Food Tuesday on the last Tuesday of the month, on the terrace from 5 to 9 p.m. Families and friends can listen to live music while relaxing with a blanket and chairs on the lawn or sitting at the provided tables on the terrace. Producers Eric Silverstein (The Peached Tortilla), Tony Yamanka (Food Trailers Austin) and Tiffany Harelik (Trailer Food Diaries) will curate a delicious lineup of some of Austin’s favorite mobile food. Find menu details, including vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options, online at trailerfoodtuesdays.com. At 6:30 p.m., Camp Gladiator hosts a free hour-long workout, open to the public. Dogs are also allowed on the Long Center grass, where guests can enjoy the sunset over the Austin skyline. Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market
austinfamily.com | June 2015 | 11
Beautiful Minds
Research Lab at UT Austin Studies Children’s Development by Sherida Mock mothers adopt a color-blind philosophy with their children, in the hope of conveying to their children that they’re not prejudiced. However, it turns out that their children actually end up fairly racially biased. And they think their mothers are, too. The kids assumed their mothers shared the kids’ own biases, which we think come from the wider culture. Children get exposed to billboards and media and peers, this wider culture that contains racial biases. And without a parent talking to them about those messages and about the parent’s own beliefs, children seem to adopt the wider cultural messages.
The waiting room at the Children’s Research Lab provides ample space for families to get comfortable.
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A study currently underway asks young participants to observe a robot and comment on its behavior.
Dr. Becky Bigler runs the Children’s Research Lab.
world-class developmental research facility operates right in our own backyard, but how many of us know about it? Maybe you’ve heard of the Children’s Research Lab at UT Austin (CRL). If you haven’t, you and your kids are missing out on a chance to participate in ground-breaking discoveries.
Dr. Becky Bigler, professor of Psychology and Women’s and Gender Studies, runs the CRL. She took the time to show us around and tell us what you can expect if you choose to participate in one of their many fascinating studies. AF: What sort of research do you do here? We have faculty who do very diverse things, such as Judy Langlois, who is one of the world’s experts on attractiveness biases in children. Her work was just astounding when it first came out. People thought you learned to be biased, that you learned the standards for beauty in your culture. And that turns out not to be true. While people might find different kinds of jewelry or clothing attractive, faces are universally seen as more or less attractive. Even by 6 months of age, babies know what’s attractive, and they strongly prefer to look at attractive faces.
In 2012, we hired David Yeager, who studies adolescents and the beliefs they have about the social world, their peer relations, aggressiveness, academic achievement and goals.
AF: How does this lab compare to others around the country? Our facilities are some of the finest in the U.S. We are so blessed to have this space, with plenty of facilities and childsized furniture and one-way mirrors and lab space that allow us to do tasks like play with robots and read books and record EEG readings. We need specialized space, and we have been so lucky that we have both a university administration and department that support the work we do.
We also have people who study language development, imagination and learning. We’ve had people study parenting and discipline practices, for example, whether spanking is a good or bad idea.
AF: How do you identify the children you invite for your research? We have a database of parents who have come in, and we go to community events, for example, Longhorn Halloween on campus. We set up a table, hand out flyers and talk to parents who come by.
I study gender and racial attitudes and social stereotyping and prejudice in children. We were on the cover of Newsweek in 2009 for work showing that most white
We’ve always found that parents are happy to come and are interested in the
12 | June 2015 | austinfamily.com
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work. They usually get to watch what their kid is doing, and it’s as fascinating to them as it is to us. But getting our message out there—letting people know we’re here—can be difficult. Our ability to do our jobs totally depends on people helping us by participating. It’s important that developmental psychology represents the world of all children. It’s important that we reach out to parents across ethnicity and religious backgrounds, as well as class, income and education levels. We really don’t want there to be obstacles for you to come here, and if there are, we want to help you overcome the obstacles. AF: Can a parent volunteer without an invitation? Sure! We never mind being contacted. The first question we’ll ask is, “How old is your child?” And we’ll see if there’s any study going on in that age range. AF: What can a child and parent expect, if they agree to participate in a study? You would get an email, something like, “We have a study for 5 year olds concerning their understanding of imagination. Can we contact you about setting up a time to participate?” If you reply, we set up a time that works for you. We test pretty much any time. We really want to be available, because we know that you’re the one who is being so gracious as to come in. We’ll provide you a parking pass and you can come right in. You will meet the person who’s going to do the interviews with your child. You’ll be given an informed consent paper. A major part of the procedure is for the parent to understand what will happen and the purpose of the study, so they can consent. The tester will greet your child and chat with them a little bit. We want to make the child as comfortable as possible.
About the Children’s Research Lab at UT Austin The CRL opened in January 1982. About 600 children participate in studies each year. Fifteen to 20 studies are going on at any given time. About 10 to 12 studies are actively recruiting participants at any given time. If you would like to participate in a CRL study, contact Nadia Sanchez at sanchez@austin. utexas.edu or fill out the online form at bit.ly/1DFHsFr.
understand the impulse. Sadly, we’re just sometimes not in a position to know what the normative response is. Then depending on the study, there may be a small gift for coming in. Labs vary in how much funding they have, for example, from federal funding or private funding or in some cases no funding at all. But some can give a little prize, from UT pencils to water bottles. At the very least, we hope that you are profoundly thanked. That’s one of the biggest messages I would like to get across, is how grateful we are for the parents and kids who come and spend their time answering our questions.
Then you’ll be taken to whatever space— the studies happen in different kinds of spaces. We have some with one-way mirrors, like in my case, where mothers read to their children in the way that they would read at home, and we’re filming through a one-way mirror.
You should at some point get a followup that describes the study findings. Research is a much slower process than people think. The average time from starting a study to having the study come out in a journal is about seven years. It means your 7 year old is now practically off to high school by the time the study you participated in came out in the public domain.
We hope that every parent has a chance to get any questions answered. Often, the researcher doesn’t know the findings of the study yet. We know parents want to know, “Is my kid normal?” I totally
It is a shockingly slow process, and you have to have a lot of patience for the reward at the end. A lot of our reward, frankly, is just the experience of running the subjects and meeting parents.
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austinfamily.com | June 2015 | 13
by Sandra Gordon
“Charcoal can get up to 1,000 degrees farenheit,” says John Drengenberg, the consumer safety director at Underwriters Laboratories, in Northbrook, Illinois. Even if the coals don’t look hot, they can retain their heat for hours. And it only takes a moment’s contact with a scorching coal to seriously burn a child’s delicate foot. Play it safe: Whether you’re at home, at the beach or camping, cool down hot coals before disposing of them. Douse them with a garden hose or a bucket of water after cleaning out the grill. Slip-up: Leaving your child in the car. Each year, 38 children die from heat stroke after being left unattended in motor vehicles, according to Kidsandcars.org. The inside of a car can heat up quickly—to as high as 122 degrees farenheit in less than 20 minutes on an especially hot day. Moreover, young children overheat faster than adults because they’re less able to regulate their body temperature.
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Play it safe: Never leave your child in the car, even with the windows “cracked,” or even just for a few minutes. And keep in mind that a change in routine or a bad night’s sleep can easily lead to the unthinkable— driving to work with your sleeping baby in the car and forgetting that it’s your day to drop her off at daycare.
t’s no surprise that accidents happen, even when we’re trying to be careful. But because we’re outside more and the days are longer, summer can be an especially dangerous time. According to SafeKids Worldwide, there’s an 89 percent increase in children drowning in the summer months and a 45 percent surge in bike-riding deaths. Fortunately, turning your child’s summer into a safety zone is a matter of making a few precautionary tweaks. Here are some small risks you might be taking that can lead to big problems, and our top tips for avoiding them. Slip-up: Tossing charcoal after a BBQ. Cleaning out the grill and disposing of coals in a remote section of your yard or campground or at the beach may seem like a good idea because it’s far away from everyone. Trouble is, kids run all over the place in the summer and they’re often barefoot.
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To help you remember that your baby is in the car, put a soft toy in the front seat, or secure something you need, such as a purse or backpack, in the backseat near your baby. Also, get in the habit of checking to make sure that everyone has exited the car when you get to your destination and lock car doors when you leave so a curious toddler can’t climb in your car when you’re not looking. Keep your car keys out of your child’s reach too. Slip-up: Keeping tiki oil within your child’s reach. Toddlers and older kids are drawn to anything that looks like juice. Tiki oil, which is used more in the summer to light tiki torches, comes in different colors, such as purple, blue and red, and can easily be upturned and ingested. Another common mistake parents of young children make: “They’ll pour gasoline for the lawn mower into a smaller container, like a measuring cup, and leave that sitting around,” says Rose Ann Soloway, R.N., a clinical toxicologist at the National Capital Poison Center in Washington, D.C. In addition to being
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poisonous, “Kids can swallow it or breathe it into their lungs, causing aspiration pneumonitis, which can be fatal,” Soloway says. Play it safe: Store tiki oil in its original container out of your child’s sight and reach, in a locked cabinet just like you do medicine and vitamins. The same goes for gasoline, charcoal lighter fluid, antifreeze and windshield wiper fluid. These containers don’t have child-resistant caps, which a determined toddler may be able to override anyway. If you believe your child has ingested something potentially poisonous, call the Poison Control Center at 1‑800‑222‑1222. You’ll be connected with a nurse, physician or pharmacist at a local center who is specially trained in recognizing and treating poisoning. Do this instead of heading directly to a hospital emergency room or calling 911—you’ll get the fastest advice on how to handle the situation. Slip-up: Assuming someone else is watching the kids. “At pool parties, many parents assume somebody else is watching. Mom assumes Dad’s watching; Dad assumes Mom’s watching, and it’s easy to get distracted,” says Phyllis F. Agran, M.D., M.P.H., professor emeritus of pediatrics at the UCI School of Medicine, in Irvine, California. Even a few unsupervised minutes in the water can be deadly for a young child.
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Play it safe: Assign a supervisor. One of you needs to be officially on duty and concentrating on your child. At pool parties with children present, designate a supervisor and make it clear by saying to your spouse, for example, “Okay, you’re on duty while I’m chatting with our friends.” Don’t think it’s enough to make your older kids, who are having fun too, keep an eye on your younger ones. Make that supervisor your spouse or another adult. Slip-up: Letting your older child ride his bike without a helmet. Studies show that kids ages 11 to 15 tend to wear helmets less often than younger ones.
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Play it safe: Be on helmet patrol. A bike helmet can reduce the risk of bicycle-related traumatic brain injury by up to 88 percent. So, of course, you’ll want to make sure everyone—you included—is protected with a properly fitted helmet whenever you ride. Keep on your older child to always wear one.
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Slip-up: Keeping the wading pool filled. “Young kids can drown in an inch of water or less,” says Drengenberg, so don’t think the water in your child’s baby pool is harmless.
austinfamily.com | June 2015 | 15
Play it safe: “Dump the wading pool when you’re done with it,” Drengenberg says. “And turn it upside down so it doesn’t catch rain water.” In fact, empty all outdoor containers of water after use, including five-gallon buckets and insulated coolers; they’re a formidable drowning hazard. Slip-up: Leaving your medication on the hotel night stand. “When we’re traveling, it’s often much easier for youngsters to get into things that might be safely stored at home,” says Soloway. We stow medication and vitamins in suitcases, on night stands— places that are accessible to children, she says.
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Play it safe: If you don’t have access to a locked cabinet, store your medication and vitamins out of your child’s reach, just like you would at home. Lock your medication in your suitcase or store it on a high shelf. Do the same at Grandpa and Grandma’s house, too, and do a safety check. Make sure any medication or vitamins they take aren’t accessible to your child. Sandra Gordon is an award-winning freelance writer who delivers expert advice and the latest developments in health, nutrition, parenting and consumer issues.
16 | June 2015 | austinfamily.com
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austinfamily.com | June 2015 | 17
Patience and trust tend to drop to new lows during the divorce process, and there is frequently little co-parenting taking place. Nonetheless, the single best predictor of your child’s healthy divorce recovery is how well you and your soon-to-be-ex-spouse get along. To the best of your ability, minimize the conflict the children witness between their parents. Never speak disparagingly of the other parent; to your child, a slight against either of you feels—at some level of consciousness—as a slight against the child.
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Tips
for Easing Children Through Divorce
by Syd Sharples
These are things you can do as a couple (albeit a divorcing couple), but both of you have to be committed to this course of action, and that isn’t always the case during this challenging time. Fortunately, there are also things you can do as a parent on your own, beyond doing your part to maintain a reasonable coparenting environment.
Read Up
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ccording to the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), 60 percent of divorces involve children. I’ve not yet met an about-to-bedivorced parent who doesn’t express concern for their children and fear that the divorce will cause their children irreparable damage.
It doesn’t have to be that way. According to the NASP, 80 percent of children whose parents divorce go on to lead happy, well-adjusted lives. A key predictor for the success of children post-divorce involves the safeguards parents put in place and the resources they mobilize after making the difficult decision to divorce. The two single best resources a child has are her parents. However, when a couple has decided to divorce, they are not typically functioning at the top of their game. There may be hurt and anger associated with the news of divorce, and in any case, they are preparing to negotiate their assets and liabilities, and how the family will function going forward.
18 | June 2015 | austinfamily.com
Familiarize yourself with the risk factors and what to expect at each stage of your child’s development. If your child is struggling to absorb and accept the news of your divorce, her behavior and patterns will probably be the first indication of her pain. In their worries about the divorce’s effect on the kids, divorcing parents are often hyper-aware of changes in their children’s behavior, and understanding what’s reasonable to expect of a child at a certain age and developmental stage will enable you to better evaluate whether what you’re seeing might be a result of the divorce, or normal behavior for a child of that age.
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Establish Boundaries
Resist the temptation to seek emotional support from your children. It’s important to validate their sadness and acknowledge your own, but they shouldn’t be exposed to the emotional struggle that nearly every divorcing person experiences.
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Stay grounded in your role as the adult in the equation, continue to maintain the established structure and communicate appropriate rules and expectations. This will give your child a sense of security at a time when her world has been mightily disrupted.
a Network 3 Build Now is the time to create an extra-protective and supportive environment for your children. Speak with teachers and coaches about the changes in your child’s home environment. The point is not to share with these professionals the details of the divorce, but to let them know that your child is experiencing some extraordinary circumstances at this time, and to encourage them to let you know of any significant changes they might see in your child’s behavior or demeanor.
A key predictor for the success of children post-divorce involves the safeguards parents put in place. If your children’s school has a counselor on staff, check in with him or her as well. If there are other adults— friends or family members—with whom your child has a special relationship, encourage those adults to stay open and available to your child, and to remain as neutral as possible when speaking with her.
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Keep Your Child Busy
Consider what activities your child typically enjoys, and be supportive of those. When parenting time gets drastically reduced, a parent’s impulse is often to batten down the hatches and try to spend as much of the time you do have with your children in their company. However, it’s important for your children to maintain their friendships and to engage in the activities that bring them pleasure, even if those activities don’t include you. If your family has been involved in a faithbased organization that your children have enjoyed, that can be a source of comfort and support as well.
Therapy 5 Consider Parents frequently want to explore therapy for their children, and this is an excellent resource if your child appears to be having difficulty with the changes in the family. You and your spouse are presumably sources of comfort and understanding for your children, but this particular topic is frequently best left to a third party. Your child may have strong feelings about these family developments—and about his parents—and having a safe, neutral place to explore those feelings is extremely helpful. Syd Sharples, LCSW, is an Austin-based psychotherapist and collaborative divorce facilitator.
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20 | June 2015 | austinfamily.com
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austinfamily.com | June 2015 | 21
family matters by Dr. Betty Richardson
A Loner or Lonely? How to Tell the Difference, and Why It’s Important
Q
My wife and I are both extroverts. We love to socialize. We have two girls who are much like us—and then there is our 8 year old, Jacob. He’s a real “loner,” spending as much time alone as he can get away with. When we send him to camp or a week with his grandparents, he never e-mails, texts or calls us. When he gets home, he doesn’t share his adventures, whereas his sisters can’t wait to tell everything. Jacob makes good grades and can socialize properly if forced to. He seems to prefer not to socialize. He doesn’t make friends, seemingly preferring to be alone. Where did this “loner” behavior come from? Is there anything we need to do about it?
A.
It’s not uncommon for parents to find some of their children to be quite opposite in temperament and behavior. As you suspect, Jacob may really prefer to be alone. Some kids—as well as adults—prefer to be alone and gather their strength by being alone. For these people, being alone feels good, so they seek solitude. On the other hand, there are kids—and adults—who gather strength and feel better around others. That being said, there are kids who are lonely and spend time alone, but not by choice. These kids have been excluded by peers, perhaps many times and in cruel ways. If you are not sure whether your child is a loner or a lonely child, gently ask the following questions. These questions work for any age child. • Do children at school tease or say bad things about some kids? If the answer is “yes,” you can follow up with: • Did this ever happen to you? • How have you tried to deal with it? • What do you think would help? • Do you ever feel lonely or sad? If the answer is “yes,” you can say, “Tell me a little bit about that feeling.” If your child is lonely, it’s good to help him understand the importance of believing in himself. You can also help him understand that having one good friend or mentor is more enjoyable than being accepted into a hurtful, teasing group. You can work with school personnel to decrease the amount of taunting and increase feelings of 22 | June 2015 | austinfamily.com
inclusion in the classroom and school activities. The child who is lonely could possibly benefit from individual therapy and/or a group for children of similar age and problems. Being excluded and taunted at school can lead to serious problems, such as depression and even thoughts of self-harm. Let’s go back to the child who likes to be alone. Here are some suggestions for you: 1. Discover and encourage your child’s talents. Find out what he is interested in, such as art, music, math, nature or helping the less fortunate, and help him find ways to explore and develop his talents in these areas. 2. Help him find volunteer activities around his talents. 3. Find a mentor with similar interests and talents. A child who is happy being alone often benefits more from a mentor than a therapist. 4. Have interactions with your child in a parallel sense, rather than sitting him down for a face-to-face talk. Just as little children play alongside each other, you can arrange times when your son interacts beside you.
Examples include: folding clothes with you, putting away dishes or riding in the car. These are times when he is actually socializing with you and more receptive to your inquiries about his interests. 5. Don’t overwhelm your child with too many questions at once. You may need several chats over time to understand your child’s interests. 6. Don’t shame, lecture or criticize your child. No one responds well to these behaviors on the part of parents, no matter how old they are. Children who are “loners” are especially sensitive to what they perceive as parental criticism and disappointment. 7. In some cases, a child who tends to be alone a lot and is old enough may improve his socialization skills with a part-time job. While this is an answer to a specific parent’s concern, if you think about it, these suggestions apply to children of all ages—and often to adults. Being able to entertain one’s self while alone and being able to socialize to a necessary degree are both important life skills. In addition to the suggestions above, you will surely benefit from thinking about how the unique qualities of our children provide a challenge to our imagination on how to work best with each of them. We need to adjust our parenting skills to fit each child’s needs in order to end up with the best adult child possible. Betty Richardson, Ph.D., R.N.C., L.P.C., L.M.F.T., is an Austin-based psychotherapist who specializes in dealing with the problems of children, adolescents and parents.
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austinfamily.com | June 2015 | 23
family matters by Dr. Betty Richardson
¿Una Persona Solitaria o Sola?
P
Como Saber la Diferencia y Porque Es Importante Mi esposa y yo somos extrovertidos. Nos encanta socializar. Tenemos dos hijas que se parecen mucho a nosotros—y luego esta nuestro hijo de 8 años de edad, Jacob. Él es un niño verdaderamente “solitario,” pasa cuánto tiempo puede a solas. Cuando lo enviamos a campar o una semana con sus abuelos, nunca nos envía un correo electrónico, ni un texto, ni nos llama. Cuando llega a casa, no comparte con nosotros sus aventuras, mientras que sus hermanas, se les hace larga la espera para platicarnos todos. Jacob saca buenas calificaciones y puede socializar adecuadamente, si se le obliga. Parece que prefiere no socializar. No hace amigos, aparentemente prefiere estar solo. ¿De dónde viene este comportamiento “solitario?” ¿Hay algo que podamos hacer al respecto?
R.No es raro que los padres encuentren algo en sus hijos que sea bastante opuestos en temperamento y conducta. Como usted sospecha, Jacob realmente puede preferir estar solo.
Algunos niños—así como adultos— prefieren estar solos y se fortalecen al estar solos. Para estas personas, el estar solo los hace sentir bien, por lo que buscan la soledad. Por otra parte, hay niños—y adultos—que se fortalecen y se sienten mejor alrededor de otros. Dicho esto, hay niños que están solos y pasan mucho tiempo solos, pero no por elección. Estos niños han sido excluidos por sus compañeros, tal vez en muchas ocasiones y de una forma cruel. Si no está seguro si su hijo es un niño solitario o un niño solo, con cautela hágale las siguientes preguntas. Estas preguntas funcionan para cualquier niño en edad de entender.
• ¿Los niños en la escuela se burlan
El niño que se siente solo, posiblemente, podría beneficiarse de la terapia individual y/o en un grupo con niños de la edad y con problemas similares. El ser excluido y burlado en la escuela puede conducir a problemas graves, como la depresión e incluso pensamientos de dañarse a sí mismo. Volvamos al niño que le gusta estar solo. Aquí están algunas sugerencias para usted:
o dicen cosas malas acerca de algunos niños? Si la respuesta es 1. Descubra y fomente los talentos de “sí,” puede seguir con: su niño. Descubra lo que le interesa, • ¿Te ha ocurrido esto alguna vez? como arte, música, matemáticas, la • ¿Cómo has intentado tratar con naturaleza o ayudar a los menos afor ello? tunado, y ayúdele a encontrar formas • ¿Qué piensas que ayudaría? para explorar y desarrollar sus talentos en estas áreas. • ¿Alguna vez te has sentido solo 2. Ayúdelo a encontrar actividades de o triste? Si la respuesta es “sí,” voluntario alrededor de sus talentos. puede decir, “Cuéntame un poco 3. Encuentre a un mentor con talentos acerca de ese sentimiento.” e intereses similares. Un niño que es feliz estando solo, a menudo se benSi su hijo se siente solo, es bueno ayudareficia más de un mentor, que de un le a entender la importancia de creer en terapeuta. sí mismo. También puede ayudarle a en4. Tenga interacciones con su niño en tender, que tener un buen amigo o mensentido paralelo, en lugar de sentarse tor, es más agradable que ser aceptado de frente para tener una converen un grupo burlesco e hiriente. Puede sación cara a cara. Al igual que los hablar con el personal escolar para disniños pequeños juegan uno junto al minuir la cantidad de burlas y aumentar otro, puede planear tiempo en el que la sensación de ser incluido en las activisu hijo interactúa a su lado. Unos dades del salón de clase y de la escuela. ejemplos incluyen, doblar la ropa con 24 | June 2015 | austinfamily.com
usted, guardar los platos o cuando van en el coche. Estos son momentos en los que puede socializar realmente con usted y es más receptivo a sus preguntas acerca de sus intereses. 5. No abrume a su niño con demasiadas preguntas a la vez. Puede que necesite varias charlas con el tiempo para entender los intereses de su niño. 6. No avergüence, sermonee o critique a su niño. Nadie responde bien a estos comportamientos por parte de los padres, no importa la edad que tenga. Los niños que son “solitarios,” son especialmente sensibles a lo que perciben como decepción o crítica de los padres. 7. En algunos casos, un niño que tiende mucho a estar solo y tiene la edad apropiada para trabajar, puede mejorar sus habilidades de socialización con un trabajo de medio tiempo. Mientras que ésta es una respuesta a la preocupación de un padre específico, si lo piensa bien, estas recomendaciones se aplican a niños de todas las edades—y con frecuencia, a los adultos. El poder entretenerse a sí mismo mientras está solo y el poder socializar hasta un punto necesario, son ambas habilidades importantes de la vida. Además de las sugerencias anteriores, seguramente se beneficiará de pensar cómo las cualidades únicas de nuestros niños le proporcionan un reto a nuestra imaginación sobre cómo trabajar mejor con cada uno de ellos. Necesitamos hacer cambios en nuestras habilidades de crianza para satisfacer las necesidades de cada uno de nuestros niños, para al final, terminar con el mejor niño adulto posible. Betty Richardson, Ph.D., R.N.C., L.P.C., L.M.F.T., es una psicoterapeuta situada en Austin que se especializa en el tratamiento de los problemas de los niños, adolescentes y padres.
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austinfamily.com | June 2015 | 25
the learning curve by Jane Estes
An Ode to Code
Newest Programming Languages Put Kids in Charge “Instead of just playing games on the computer, these students are learning to create games on the computer,” says Jones. “We need to expose students at an elementary level to computer programming to spark their interest. Too few students are selecting computer programming classes in high school and college, yet this is where the jobs are. There will not be enough computer science majors to fill these jobs, and companies are paying big bucks to lure these grads to work for them.” Williams Elementary recently hosted an Hour of Code sponsored by Code. org. Jacey Lloyd, a fifth grade participant said, “It was fun like a game and challenging.”
Girlstart provides year-round STEM sessions for girls in grades Kindergarten through 12.
R
eading, writing, arithmetic… and coding? Yes, that’s right: computer coding for kids is becoming part of the foundation of learning for children as young as grade school.
Students across the nation are building robots, programming drones to dance, designing video games and much more.
In a recent Wall Street Journal online article, educators and parents called for coding to become a cornerstone of education. Code.org, a nonprofit dedicated to making computer science available in schools, reports that 67 percent of software jobs are in tech industries, making it even more important that students are proficient in computer science, especially programming. Jeanna Jones, a teacher in the gifted and talented program at Williams Elementary in Georgetown, agrees. In her classes, kids are learning computer programming using a visual language called Blockly. Several of her fifth grade students have advanced to Javascript.
26 | June 2015 | austinfamily.com
Why should kids learn to code, even if they do not plan to become gamers or programmers? According to Gonzalo Bañuelos, senior software developer at Cars.com and a graduate of the Stanford University computer science program, coding is an important tool in learning how to problem-solve, how to think and how to increase creativity. “Programming is as much creative as it is an engineering discipline,” says Bañuelos. “It’s easy for kids to pick up. It’s easy to teach. The language itself is no longer a barrier.” “The fourth generation programming language has made it possible for coding to be accessible to people. The intricacies of the older languages had a dependence on hardware. It’s simplified. It’s easier to pick up and easier to teach,” says Bañuelos. “Now kids can focus on the entrepreneurial aspect of coding—do something with it. Make it better.” With innovations in the field that have made coding much more accessible, students across the nation are building robots, programming drones to dance, designing video games and much more. Coding clubs and mentoring groups are
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sprouting up around Austin through organizations like CoderDojo. Tamara Hudgins is the executive director of Girlstart, a nonprofit dedicated to keeping girls interested in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). She reports that coding has long been part of the Girlstart curriculum in afterschool programs and summer camps. It levels the playing field and introduces diversity in a field that currently has little.
Keaton Denham, also a fifth grader, says, “Coding gives you a feeling that you’re creating something that’s special and makes a difference. And when you code, you know more about a video game and what’s behind it.” “Whenever I look around, I know that if I work hard enough I can create anything on a computer. It’s an awesome feeling,” says Eliot Adair, also in fifth grade.
Indeed, the students report that coding helps them learn how to approach a problem in manageable pieces, even art. “In art, I can break down a picture into pieces like I do in code and make it look a lot better,” says Keaton. Jane Estes, a writer and mom of three smart girls, lives in Georgetown.
For coding opportunities for your kids, visit: code.org girlstart.org coderdojo.com fun2learncode.com austintx.bitsbytesbots.com techshop.ws “The world’s greatest challenges need new STEM ideas and insights. We believe that more girls with more ideas will create more solutions to benefit us all,” says Hudgins. Girls who participate in Girlstart learn coding on devices such as Raspberry Pi, as well as authoring games, apps and programming robots. Children are growing up using smart devices in the “App Generation.” “The ‘App Generation’ is characterized by technology that is discrete and simple, and defined by tools that ‘magically’ appear from a cloud environment. As a result, this generation of users is risk-averse and has rarely had the experience of ‘getting lost.’ This seems to hinder creative and critical thinking. At Girlstart, we cultivate a culture where risk is rewarded, curiosity is encouraged and creativity is expected,” says Hudgins. Creativity, critical thinking and risktaking are rampant in the coding classes, camps and afterschool programs. Last year, Girlstart participants designed and programmed their own video games, mobile apps, working robots, object-to-computer interfaces (such as a floor piano), designed and programmed computer animation and printed creations in 3D, to name a few of the ongoing projects. Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market
austinfamily.com | June 2015 | 27
the learning curve by Jane Estes
Una Oda al Código Los Lenguajes de Programación Mas Nuevos Ponen a los Niños a Cargo suficientes carreras de informática para cubrir estos puestos de trabajo, y las empresas están pagando mucho dinero para atraer a estos graduados a trabajar para ellos.” La Primaria Williams recientemente presentó una Hora de Código patrocinado por Code.org. Jacey Lloyd, un participante de quinto grado dijo: “Fue como un juego divertido y desafiante.” ¿Por qué deberían los niños aprender a codificar, aún cuando no planean ser jugadores o programadores? Según Gonzalo Bañuelos, Desarrollador Mayor del Software en Cars.com y un graduado del programa de informática de la Universidad de Stanford, la codificación es una herramienta importante para aprender cómo resolver problemas, cómo pensar y cómo aumentar la creatividad. Girlstart ofrece sesiones de STEM durante todo el año para las niñas en los grados K a 12.
Los estudiantes a través de la nación están construyendo robots, programando drones para bailar, diseñando videojuegos y mucho más.
¿Lectura, escritura, aritmética…y codificación? Sí, así es: la codificación informática para niños se está convirtiendo en parte de la base del aprendizaje para niños tan jóvenes como de la escuela primaria. En un reciente artículo en línea de Wall Street Journal, educadores y padres hicieron un llamado para convertir la codificación en una piedra angular de la educación. Code.org, una organización no lucrativa, dedicada a hacer disponible 28 | June 2015 | austinfamily.com
la ciencia de la computación en las escuelas, reporta que el 67 por ciento de los trabajo de software están en industrias de alta tecnología, por lo que es aun más importante que los estudiantes sean competentes en ciencias de la computación, especialmente en programación. Jeanna Jones, una maestra del programa de dotados y talentosos en la Primaria Williams en Georgetown, está de acuerdo. En sus clases, los niños están aprendiendo programación de computadoras utilizando un lenguaje visual llamada Blockly. Varios de sus estudiantes en quinto grado han avanzado a Javascript. “En lugar de simplemente jugar juegos en la computadora, estos estudiantes están aprendiendo a crear juegos en la computadora,” dice Jones. “Necesitamos exponer a los estudiantes de nivel elemental a la programación de computadoras para despertar su interés. Muy pocos estudiantes están seleccionando clases de programación de computadoras en la preparatoria y la universidad, sin embargo, este es el lugar donde están los trabajos. No habrá
“La programación es tan creativa como lo es una disciplina de ingeniería,” dice Bañuelos. “Es fácil de entender para los niños. Es fácil de enseñar. El lenguaje en sí ya no es una barrera.” “El lenguaje de programación de la cuarta generación ha hecho posible que la codificación sea accesible a las personas. Las complejidades de los lenguajes más viejos tenían una dependencia en el hardware. Se simplifica. Es más fácil de aprender y fácil de enseñar,” dice Bañuelos. “Ahora los niños pueden enfocarse en el aspecto empresarial de codificación—hacer algo con él. Hacerlo mejor.” Con innovaciones en el campo que ha hecho la codificación mucho más accesible, los estudiantes a través de la nación están construyendo robots, programando drones para bailar, diseñando videojuegos y mucho más. Clubs de codificación y grupos de mentores están surgiendo alrededor de Austin a través de organizaciones como CoderDojo. Tamara Hudgins es la directora ejecutiva de Girlstart, una organización no lucrativa, dedicada a mantener las niñas interesadas en la ciencia, tecnología,
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ingeniería y matemáticas (STEM, por sus siglas en inglés). Ella informa que la codificación ha sido durante mucho tiempo parte del plan de estudios de Girlstart en el programa después de clases y en los campamentos de verano. Nivela el campo de juego e introduce diversidad en un campo que actualmente tiene poco. “Los desafíos más grandes del mundo necesitan nuevas ideas y puntos de vista en STEM. Creemos que más niñas con más ideas crearán más soluciones que nos beneficiarán a todos,” dice Hudgins.
la sensación de que estas creando algo que es especial y hace la diferencia. Y cuando codifica, aprendes más acerca de un videojuego y lo que hay detrás de él.”
De hecho, los estudiantes reportan que la codificación les ayuda a aprender cómo abordar un problema en partes manejables, incluso en arte.
“Cada vez que miro a mi alrededor, yo se que si trabajo lo suficientemente duro, puedo crear cualquier cosa en una computadora. Es una sensación increíble,” dice Eliot Adair, también en quinto grado.
“En arte, puedo separar una imagen en pedazos como lo hago en código y hacer que se vea mucho mejor,” dice Keaton. Jane Estes, escritora y madre de tres niñas inteligentes, vive en Georgetown.
Para oportunidades de codificación para sus hijos, visite: code.org girlstart.org coderdojo.com fun2learncode.com austintx.bitsbytesbots.com techshop.ws Las niñas que participan en Girlstart aprenden la codificación en aparatos tales como Raspberry Pi, así como también ser autoras de juegos, aplicaciones y programar robots. Los niños están creciendo usando los aparatos inteligentes en la “Generación de las Aplicaciones.” “La ‘Generación de las Aplicaciones’ se caracteriza por la tecnología que es discreta y sencilla, y definido por herramientas que ‘mágicamente’ aparecen de un entorno nublado. Como resultado, esta generación de usuarios es de aversión al riesgo y rara vez ha tenido la experiencia de ‘perderse’. Esto parece obstaculizar el pensamiento creativo y crítico. En Girlstart, cultivamos una cultura donde el riesgo se premia, la curiosidad se anima y la creatividad es de esperarse,” dice Hudgins. La creatividad, el pensamiento crítico y el riesgo están a la orden en las clases de codificación, campamentos y programas después de clases. El año pasado, las participantes en Girlstart diseñaron y programaron sus propios videojuegos, aplicaciones móviles, robots funcionales, interfaces de objetos a computadora (tales como un piano de piso), diseñaron y programaron animación computarizada e imprimieron creaciones en tercera dimensión, para nombrar algunos de los proyectos en curso. Keaton Denham, también un estudiante de quinto grado, dice, “Codificación te da Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market
austinfamily.com | June 2015 | 29
family connections by Richard Singleton
Power Up for Summer
Keep Your Battery Charged While On the Go For some, it’s a tranquil beach house with crashing waves just moments away, for others it’s a mountainside cabin with the scent of pines wafting through the clean, crisp air and still for others it’s the noisy city, with skyscrapers jutting into the sky, neon lights dancing down the streets and a world of frenetic excitement begging for exploration. We all have our energizing destination.
SUVs bursting at the
seams with camping gear, roadways bumper to bumper with daredevil drivers and cramped airplanes filled with bodies and baggage—all aimed in the direction of their idyllic summer getaways.
Just one hitch. Well, one technology hitch that is. I’ll leave you to yourself to figure out how to navigate the deodorant-aversive seatmate in aisle 3, the finger-wagging maniac on I-35 and the “little” brown bear who decided that your leftover fried chicken was a Rocky Mountain delicacy just too good to pass up. Just one technology hitch: batteries. More specifically, drained batteries. Arrgh! I have a story. A few years ago my son and I were at a Rangers game for Father’s Day. The temps were brutal. It was a sweaty, delightful, lava flow of an evening. The plan was for us to ride the free trolley back to our hotel. As the game neared the final out, I freely allowed myself to imagine the blissful air-conditioned joy ride back to the hotel. The island oasis was clearly a mirage. Before I go on, you need to know that I’m a raging introvert with a huge need for personal space. Let’s continue.
30 | June 2015 | austinfamily.com
Melting away in line, I saw the trolley filling, filling, filling. Pretty soon it was evident that I couldn’t possibly have my personal space cake and eat it, too. I reached for my cell phone to make the rescue call. Surely my wife would be willing to come and save me from the utter inhumanity. I was horrified to find that, like the crown of my sun-soaked head, the battery icon had turned eerily red. I dialed. It connected…and promptly died. I did what any sane introvert with personal space issues would do. I abandoned the trolley line with my son in tow and headed for the hotel on foot. A few miles of hiking seemed like a better option than sharing a 20-passenger bus with 1,000 other people. (Maybe the sweat in my eyes blurred the numbers a little, but you see my logic, right?) After being baptized by sputtering sprinkler systems, trekking through jungles of toe-slicing weeds and engaging in felony level amounts of jay walking, we found ourselves in familiar territory, directly under the clicketyclack of the Judge Roy Scream. We promptly drowned out the nearby Six Flags shouts with our own shrieks of joy when, out of nowhere, my wife’s rescue taxi rounded the corner. She mercifully refused to condemn our wayward solution to a crowded bus. The blisters on my feet, the shame on my face and the relieved smile on my lips likely said all she needed to hear about our late-night stroll. And all that, because a battery died on me…well, that and because I didn’t want to be tummyto-tummy with anyone else as sweaty and malodorous as myself. Okay, where were we? Oh, yes. Batteries. Before you hit the road this summer, these tips will be important for you to enjoy your journey…or have the juice in your device to call for someone to help you escape it.
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• Tune your device to sip, not slurp. Many devices may be using up needless battery supplies. Turn off power hungry apps and settings. Bluetooth and GPS settings, for instance, might be devouring your battery. Do a Google search for your particular device and battery saving tips.
Just one technology hitch: batteries. More specifically, drained batteries. • Invest in a good on-the-go battery supply. Increasingly, there’s a huge array of portable battery charging options: cell phone cases with built-in batteries, small battery backups that fit in your pocket or purse and larger backup batteries that could provide hours more battery life. Look for portable batteries with the highest capacity milliampere-hour (mAh). • Finally, don’t forget to charge the most important battery of all…your own! Summer, for all its fun, can be very draining. Take time to truly recharge. Slow down. Breathe. Eat well. Sleep well. Be well. Richard Singleton, MACE, MAMFC, LPC, is the executive director at STARRY in Round Rock.
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austinfamily.com | June 2015 | 31
lifelines by Dr. Theresa Willis
Most of us are now familiar with the term “cyberbullying,” or bullying through electronic technology. This includes social media sites, gaming sites, text messaging and email. This form of bullying can include publishing rumors or gossip and embarrassing or humiliating photos. It can also include creating false posts or profiles on social media. It’s Not Just About Hurt Feelings In 2013, a cyberbullying case hit the headlines. Twelve-year-old Rebecca Sedwick of Florida jumped to her death after being harassed and bullied online by two teenage schoolmates. There are many similar cases in which a suicide has been linked to online bullying. What makes this a particularly concerning issue for our teens? Developmentally, the adolescent years are a time when children are identifying themselves more strongly with their peer groups. Friendships and relationships outside the home become more important than they were in the early school years. A blow to that identity or bond can therefore have devastating effects. Imagine the anguish caused by a humiliating photo on Facebook—or worse, an attack that turns peers and friends against a teen.
The National Crime Prevention Council reported in 2011 that cyberbullying is a problem that affects almost half of all American teens. 32 | June 2015 | austinfamily.com
Why Is It So Common? Unfortunately, the disconnection between typed or texted words and their emotional impact makes it easier for people to say awful things they might never say to a person’s face. Social constraints might make someone think twice before saying “I wish you would
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drink bleach and die” face-to-face with the victim and in front of witnesses. Posting it online removes some of the social barrier. It also removes the immediate consequences to the bully.
Developmentally, the adolescent years are a time when children are identifying themselves more strongly with their peer groups. How Can You Prevent It? Protect your privacy. Teach your kids to maintain their privacy online and to protect their passwords. It may seem natural for your teen to share the password to a Twitter account with a best friend. However, that same person may take advantage of that information in the event of a fight or falling-out. Log out. Make sure your kids know to log out of accounts when they step away from a computer. It’s far too
easy to impersonate someone on an electronic device if the bully is already logged in. Be aware. Monitor your child’s online activity and be honest with them about it. “Friend” your teen on Facebook and follow their other accounts. Discuss this ahead of time. Make sure they know you are doing it to help protect them, not to interfere. Think before you send. Just as we adults sometimes have to think before we send that angry email in the office place, we need to teach our children to think before they hit “send.” Ask your child to imagine saying the words face-to-face to someone, or having those words spoken to them, before writing them down. Teach empathy. Children who learn from a young age to think about how others feel and to identify their own feelings accurately are much less likely to become bullies. The Golden Rule still applies! What Do You Do When It’s Happening to Your Teen? Ask your teens to talk to you immediately if they or someone they
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know is being harassed or bullied, whether in person or online. Teach your child not to respond to harassing or bullying comments, but do keep track of them. As a parent, it may be wise to keep copies of emails or take screen shots of offending material so that it can’t be lost if needed later. Help your child to block people who post, text or email this kind of material. Don’t give the bully a voice. Report the offense to the cell provider, internet provider or social media site. They all have terms of service (TOS), which may allow the offender to be permanently blocked from access to the site. Certain types of cyberbullying are criminal and should be reported to law enforcement. Examples of this include threats of violence, sexually suggestive material and certain types of photos. Check out the useful government website stopbullying.gov. Dr. Theresa Willis is a board certified pediatric physician practicing in Austin.
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YMCA of Austin austinymca.org
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DAY CAMPS Pages 34-44 OVERNIGHT CAMPS Page 45
Allstar-Sports Camp Round Rock 3918 Gattis School Rd, Round Rock www.austinsportsarena.com 512-251-7500 Your child will have a blast and develop their athletic skills by playing soccer, basketball, ultimate frisbee, dodgeball, floor hockey, capture the flag, roller skating and more! American Robotics Leander, Pflugerville, Cedar Park, Central, East and South Austin www.roboticsacademy.com 512-844-2724 Ages 6 - 11 Learn, play, battle, grow and have fun with friends. Basic engineering and hands on fun.
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Armstrong Community Music School 404 Camp Craft Rd. 78746 www.ACMSAustin.org 512-474-2331 Ages 5 and up, 9 and up Campers learn basic drum beats and fills,
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exploration of instruments, sing, dance and explore Afro-Cuban and Brazilian percussion; all offered in one of the five camps: Introduction to Drumset (2), Little Summer Drummers, Music on My Own! Or MoMO! Afro-Cuban and Brazilian Percussion. ATA Martial Arts 13343 Research Blvd., Austin 1335 E. Whitestone Blvd., Cedar Park www.barrettsata.com 512-796-0953 512-786-2837 Age 8 mos and up Get fit, be strong. We offer fun-filled camps almost every week in summer. Austin Aquarium Stingray Camp and Shark Camp 13530 N. Hwy 183 www.austinaquarium.com 512-222-5586 Ages 8 - 12 and 13 - 18 Prepare animal food, learn about animals, hands on learning. An awesome aquatic experience. Campers will learn about the necessity of providing enrichment for the animals in our care and have the chance to design and participate
in an enrichment activity for the giant pacific octopus! Austin Community College STEM Camps www.acc.edu Ages 8 - 18 Check website for information. Austin Table Tennis 2015 Summer Camp 8956 Research Blvd., Austin www.austintabletennis.net 202-251-1799 Age 7 years and up This is a great time to try a table tennis camp! it is fun, safe, and offers an opportunity to make new friends. scientific research shows table tennis is one of the most mentally engaging sports around. Schedule a sample lesson now. Austin Yacht Club 5906 Beacon Dr., Lake Travis www.austinyachtclub.net 512-266-1336 Ages 4 - 16 PB&J Summer Sailing for ages 4 to 10, a perfect intro for beginners. Junior Sailing Day Camp for ages 8 to 18, fun sun and sailing.
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Bits, Bytes & Bots Computer Adventures Locations throughout Austin www.austintx.bitsbytesbots.com 512-415-4120 Ages 6 - 14 Fun-filled technology education programs in LEGO® NXT® Robotics, LEGO® WeDo® Robotics, computer game creation, stop-motion animation movie making and Minecraft® programming.
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Brandy Perryman Shooting Camp Locations throughout Austin www.bperrymanshootingcamp.com 512-799-8891 Ages 7 - 16 BPSC is a 4-day shooting intense basketball camp mirrored after all the camps Perryman attended and enjoyed the most as a kid.
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Bricks 4 Kidz ATX Greater Austin locations including Round Rock, Dripping Springs, Lake Travis www.bricks4kidz.com/atx 512-270-9003 Ages 5 - 13 Build LEGO® models that move! Our themed enrichment camps feature motorized building, crafts, games and creative building time. Campers take home LEGO® minifigures or accessory packs.
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Bright Horizons X-treme Camp Bee Cave, Round Rock, Braker Ln., Oak Hill, Capital Metro, Future Stars
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www.brighthorizons.com/Austin_Summer_ Camp Ages 5 - 12 Our camp teachers develop a fun curriculum that welcomes special guest visitors from places such as the Austin Zoo & Animal Sanctuary, The Thinkery and more! Children can explore nature, experiment with science and engage in the creative arts, all while learning about the world around them.
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CafĂŠ Monet Summer Art Westgate Shopping Center and The Triangle, Austin, San Marcos www.cafemonet.org 512-892-3200, 512-906-2200, 512-805-2800 Ages 6 and up Art Camp @ CafĂŠ Monet is a hands-on lesson in creativity! Pottery painting, mosaics, clay building, green projects and more! We offer four curricula.
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Camp De Champs, Camp Avalanche 2525 W. Anderson Ln. www.chaparralice.com 512-252-8500 x160 Camp Avalanche for ages 7 - 14 Camp De Champs for ages 6 - 14 Multiple lessons a day, goal setting, off-ice training, arts and crafts. Two awesome skating adventure camps. Camp De Champs is a skating training class and Camp Avalanche is a general adventure day camp with field trips and swimming with an emphasis on skating.
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NEED
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Camp Doublecreek 800 Doublecreek Drive, Round Rock www.campdoublecreek.com 512- 255-3661 Ages 4 - 14 Camp Doublecreek is Austin/Round Rock’s Best Day Camp for 9 years running. Let your campers be challenged, encouraged and inspired as they engage in a variety of activities. Doublecreek’s mission is that all campers leave at the end of the day knowing someone believes in them.
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Camp Quarries 1400 N. Mopac www.hpbc.org/quarries 512-241-0233 Ages K - 6th grade An amazing camp experience at a great location near Mopac and Braker. Full-day camps. Tons of fun!
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Capital City Guitar Camp 9905 Anderson Mill Rd. www.capitalcityguitarcamp.com 417-300-4078 Ages 8 and up A camp for all ages, beginners through advanced. Beginners receive a free guitar! Classes in age-appropriate technique, improv, theory, recording, performance and much fun. Great teachers.
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Challenger School Summer Camps 1521 Joyce Lane, Round Rock www.challengerschools.com 512-255-8844, 512-341-8000 Ages Preschool - 8th grade Summer fun at Challenger.
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Country Home Learning Center South Austin 6900 Escarpment Blvd. 512-288-8220 North Austin 13120 US Hwy 183 North www.countryhomelearningcenter.com 512-331-1441 Ages 5 - 13 Join us for an incredible summer camp experience! Child approved special events, exciting weekly field trips, kids’ choice special interest clubs.
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Creative Action 2015 Camps Trinity United Methodist Church, UT, Center for Creative Action, West Lake Hills www.creativeaction.org 512-442-8773 Ages 5 - 13 We offer theatre, dance, music, puppetry, film, visual arts and more.
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Creative Brick Builders 220 Sundance Pkwy, STE 300, Round Rock and at additional locations in greater Austin www.creativebrickbuilders.com 512-388-9003 Ages 5 - 13 Create, tinker, build and explore! Creative Brick Builders offers classes, camps and workshops featuring engineering, electronic circuits, digital media, art, computers, handcrafts and more.
Esoteric Farm 15 minutes north of downtown Austin www.esotericfarm.com 512-272-4301 Ages 5 - 16 Eleven weekly sessions, daily horse-related games and activities, indoor horse arena; fun, active, affordable. French Summer Camp 11607 N. Lamar Blvd. www.austinfrenchforkids.org 512-964-7733 Ages 2½ - 13 Where French immersion meets academic excellence. Heartsong Music 2700 West Anderson Lane, Ste. 320 www.HeartsongMusic.net 512-371-9506 heartsong@heartsongmusic.net Ages Birth - 9 Did you know that Music Learning Supports All Learning®? Join us this spring and summer for
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Dance Discovery Central - 2110 White Horse Trail
Avery Ranch - 10526 W. Parmer Ln. www.dancediscovery.com www.averyranchdance.com 512-419-7611, 512-658-2996 Ages 3 - 6 Ages 3 - 14 Various themed camps include storytime ballet, jazz, hip hop, gymnastics, yoga, arts and crafts, and musical theatre. Each camp week ends with a great show!
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Magellan International Summer Camp 7938 Great Northern Blvd. www.magellanschool.org 512-782-2327 Ages 3rd - 7th grade Enjoy adventure and discovery. Experience a new country and culture.
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Kids with Pens Various around Austin www.girlswithpens.org 323.807.3672
Mad Science Locations throughout Austin www.austin.madscience.org 512-892-1143 Ages 4 - 12 Mad Science camps are filled with exciting, fun, hands-on science activities. Children become junior scientists for the week and experience a variety of science adventures.
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kidsActing Summer Camp 15 Locations throughout Austin www.kidsActingStudio.com 512-836-5437 Ages 3 - 18 Act, sing, dance, play fun theatre games, do face painting and theatre arts and crafts! Each camp will have a performance for family and friends on the last day! Themes include: Cinderella, Star Wars, Tangled and Frozen!
Layla y la Ballena Spanish Immersion 8707 Mountain Crest Dr. 2700 West Anderson Ln. 107 Ranch Rd. 620, S #300, Lakeway www.austinbilingualschool.com 512-299-5731, 512-299-5732, 512-466-2409 Ages 2 - 11 Children join together to make the story “Layla y la Ballena” come to life. Every week is dedicated to a theme which is taught in an enthusiastic, fun-filled environment.
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Kiddie Academy Summer Camp 2617 Kelly Ln., Pflugerville www.kiddieacademy.com/pflugerville 512-270-9988 A summer bursting with all the fun and learning of life essentials.
Ages 9 - 17 Kids With Pens has summer camps for students 9-17. Students get to use creative writing as self-expression and leave camp a published author. Visit: www.kidswithpens.org
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Hyde Park Schools - Summer Camps www.hp-schools.org/camps 512-465-8333 Ages Kinder - 12th grade. Please see camp descriptions online for details. Hyde Park Summer Camps are open to the Austin Community. Camps include volleyball, basketball, strength/conditioning, robotics and Panther Camp. Visit hp-schools.org/camps to sign up today!
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our Music Together® classes for children from birth to 5 and their parents/caregivers.
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The Magnolia School Summer Camp Between Steiner Ranch and Lakeway www.themagnoliaschoolatx.com 512-266-9620 Ages  3 - 10 Mornings: academic booster (math, reading, writing, language arts, spelling); Afternoons: themed camp activities and special guests (animals, art, music, around the world, treasure hunters, book fair, water days).
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McKinney Roughs Nature Camp 1884 SH 71 West, Cedar Creek www.lcra.org/naturecamp 512-303-5073 Ages 6 - 15 Explore the outdoors on 1,100 acres of woodland prairies and pine forest; nature study and exploration, wilderness skills, swimming, challenge course, raft trips, hikes. Austin shuttle available.
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MoolahU Throughout Austin www.moolahu.com 512-443-8851 Ages 7 - 18 Kids learn how to make and appreciate money by starting their own business.
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Mu Sool Won of South Austin Martial Arts 1901 W. William Cannon Dr. #121 www.mswsouthaustin.com 512-299-1873 Ages 5 - 15 All inclusive half day summer camp.
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Nitro Swim Center Cedar Park/Round Rock, Bee Cave on Hwy. 71 www.nitroswim.com 512-259-7999 Ages 6 months - adult The indoor Nitro Swim Center offers the highest quality swim lessons, non-competitive and competitive swimming around.
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Rainbow Station’s The Village Summer Program 11651 W. Parmer Ln. www.rainbowstationaustin.org 512-260-9700 Ages infant - 12 An entire facility dedicated to school-age children. Full-day camp offers weekly mini courses, swim lessons, sports, weekly field trips and an end-of-summer picnic. Freedom of choice is the hallmark of our summer program.
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Rio Vista Farm 13013 Fallwell Ln. www.riovistafarm.net 512-247-2302 Ages 7 - 16 Austin’s originator of English Riding camp. Daily lessons taught by professional trainers, lots of horse time/care, arts and crafts, swimming for hotter afternoons. Friday horse shows for parents to attend.
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Round Rock Express Baseball Camps Dell Diamond, Round Rock www.roundrockexpress.com 512-255-BALL
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Ages 6 and up Camp 1 June 15-18 Half Day, Camp 2 June 29-July 2 Half Day, Camp 3 July 13-16 Full Day/Overnight, Camp 4 July 27-30 Half Day Youngsters from all over central Texas will have the opportunity to hone their baseball skills. Full-day and overnight camps for ages 8 and up. Call for details.
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Salvage Vanguard Theatre Summer Camp 2803 Manor Rd., Austin www.salvagevanguard.org 512-474-7886 Ages 9 - 14 You’re The Boss is an educational program that nurtures the student’s creative voice while building teamwork, confidence, and communication skills.
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Spicewood Country Camp 6102 Spicewood Springs www.spicewoodcountry.com 512-346-2992 scschool@flash.net Ages 3½ - 10 Nine shady acres in Northwest Austin with animals, music, swimming, crafts, sports and horseback riding.
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St. Dominic Savio Catholic High School Summer Camps 9300 Neenah Ave., Austin www.saviochs.org/parents/summer_camps.cfm 512-388-8846 Ages 1st - 12th grade St. Dominic Savio Catholic High School is offering numerous camps this summer such as: art, music, robotics, soccer, volleyball and Lone Star Hoops basketball.
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Stepping Stone School 12 locations around Austin Metro area www.steppingstoneschool.com 512-459-0258 Ages 5 - 13 This year’s summer camp will feature biweekly themes on the various biomes of the earth, including the ocean, frozen lands and deserts. Don’t let your child miss out on this captivating summer camp with its exciting field journeys, one-of-a-kind entrepreneur and philanthropy program, chess tournaments, swim lessons (at many campuses) and more!
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Summer Entrepreneurship Club 1900 Cypress Creek Rd, #101, Cedar Park www.educenter4me.com/services/entrepreneurial-learning 512-996-9260 Ages 5th - 9th grade Students will explore how to turn their passion into a business possibility. By participating in project based learning, they’ll get inspired and discover their passions for the future.
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Summer Wonders 3901 Shoal Creek Blvd. www.summerwonders.org 512-203-4540 Ages 4 - 13 A non-profit program for gifted students to explore diverse subjects through an integrated, hands-on approach, presented in a fun, creative manner.
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Sylvan Robotics and Coding Camps Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Hays County and Georgetown www.sylvanlearning.com 800-EDUCATE Ages 1st - 6th grade Have fun and stay sharp this summer with brand new robotics and coding camps at Sylvan Learning. Students will build and program their very own robots while learning how to collaborate and work as a team.
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Synergy Dance Studio 3425 Bee Cave Rd. Suite C1 www.synergydancestudio.com 512-327-4130 Ages 2 and up, beginning to advanced dancers Dance camps and classes for ages 3-11, full and half-day camps available. Camps include ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, tumbling, theatre, crafts and a performance on Friday. Dance intensives for beginner to advanced dancers ages 7 and up. All camp placement is by age and skill level.
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TexARTS Summer Camps 2300 Lohman’s Spur, Suite 160 www.tex-arts.org 512-852-9079 Ages 5 - 18 TexARTS offers weekly camps in musical theatre, acting and visual arts. You can star in our summer musical “Beauty and the Beast” beginning June 8!
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YMCA of Austin 21 Locations in Travis and Hays Counties www.AustinYMCA.org 512-236-9622 Ages 4 - 14 Weekly sessions run June through August. Kinder, theme, sports and adventure camps offer swimming, field trips, games, crafts, characterbuilding activities and more. Financial assistance available.
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ZACH Theatre Performing Arts Camps 1510 Toomey Rd. www.zachtheatre.org 512-476-0594 x236 Ages 3 - 18 ACT at ZACH! Explore acting, improvisation, singing and dancing. Put on a fun show for family and friends!
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OVERNIGHT CAMPS
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Camp Lantern Creek 4045 N. FM 1486, Montgomery, TX www.camplanterncreek.com 936-597-8225 Girls ages 7 - 17 Our camps are the perfect vehicle for fostering confidence, self esteem and leadership.
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Round Rock Express Baseball Camps Dell Diamond, Round Rock www.roundrockexpress.com 512-255-BALL Ages 6 and up Camp 1 June 15-18 Half Day, Camp 2 June 29-July 2 Half Day, Camp 3 July 13-16 Full Day/Overnight, Camp 4 July 27-30 Half Day. Youngsters from all over central Texas will have the opportunity to hone their baseball skills. Full-day and overnight camps for ages 8 and up. Call for details.
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Sugar & Spice Ranch Camp Bandera,TX www.texashorsecamps.com 830-460-8487 Ages 5 and up Bonding mothers and daughters through horses. You and your daughter will own horses for a week and do everything together as a team. Allinclusive week-long session and a great way to reconnect with each other.
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calendar 6/15
COMPILED BY BETTY KEMPER
++ Denotes the event occurs on multiple dates.
family events Monday 1
That ‘80s Concert! Stars and Stripes Forever, June 5
Atlantic Hurricane Season Begins Spirit Theatre: Shipwrecked ++ All Day. Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 Congress. $7 adults. 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/visit/. Chess Club ++ 6 to 7 p.m. Cepeda Branch, 651 N. Pleasant Valley Rd. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑7372.
Friday 5
Tuesday 2
CONTINUING: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Monday 1; Spirit Theatre: Shipwrecked see Monday 1.
Wednesday 3
KidFish, June 6
High Noon Talk 12 p.m. Texas State History Museum, 1800 N. Congress. FREE. thestoryoftexas.com or 512‑936‑8746. Arts and Crafts ++ 6 to 7 p.m. Wells Branch Library, 15001 Wells Port Dr. FREE. wblibrary.org or 512‑989‑3188. Music on Main Street 6 to 8 p.m. Prete Main Street Plaza, 221 East Main St., Round Rock. FREE. roundrocktexas.gov. Night Crafters 6 to 8:30 p.m. Manchaca Road Branch, 5500 Manchaca Road. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑8700. Wednesday Night Contra Dancing ++ 7:30 to 9:45 p.m. Hancock Recreation Center, 811 E. 41st St. FREE. austinbarndancers.org or 512‑453‑4225. CONTINUING: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Monday 1; Spirit Theatre: Shipwrecked see Monday 1.
Thursday 4
First Thursdays 5 to 8 p.m. Congress Avenue, Barton Chuggington LIVE! The Great Rescue Adventure, June 14 Springs Rd. to Elizabeth St. FREE. firstthursday.info. Upcycle This! ++ 6 to 8 p.m. Recycled Reads, 5335 Burnet Rd. FREE. library.austintexas.gov/event/upcycle or family events page 46 512‑974‑7460.
parenting events page 51 story times page 52
Penfold in the Park-The Hound of the Baskervilles ++ 7:30 p.m. Round Rock Amphitheater, 301 W. Baghdad Ave., Round Rock. FREE. penfoldtheatre.org. 22nd Anniversary of Unplugged at the Grove ++ 8 p.m. Shady Grove, Barton Springs Rd. FREE. kgsr.com/promotions/unplugged or 512‑474‑9991. Movies in the Park: Jurassic Park 8:30 p.m. Dick Nichols District Park, 8011 Beckett Rd. FREE. austinparks.org. CONTINUING: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Monday 1; Spirit Theatre: Shipwrecked see Monday 1.
World Environment Day First Fridays 5 to 10 p.m. Historic Square, Georgetown. FREE. thegeorgetownsquare.com or 512‑868‑8675. 2015 Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Man & Woman of the Year Grand Finale Celebration 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. AT&T Conference Center, 1900 University Ave. mwoy.org/sctx or 512-676-5686. Village International Folk Dancers ++ 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Hancock Rec Center, 811 East 41st St. Adults $5. That ‘80s Concert! Stars and Stripes Forever ++ 8 p.m. Zilker Hillside Theater, 2201 Barton Springs Rd. FREE. austincivicorchestra.org or 512‑200‑2261. CONTINUING: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Monday 1; Penfold in the Park-The Hound of the Baskervilles see Thursday 4; Spirit Theatre: Shipwrecked see Monday 1.
Saturday 6
Bubblepalooza! 8 a.m. The Long Center, 701 W. Riverside. FREE. thelongcenter.org or 512‑457‑5115. Madrone Canyon Hike 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Laura Bush Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd. FREE. westbanklibrary.com or 512‑327‑3045. Kidfish 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Lake Pflugerville-South shore, 18216 Weiss Ln., Pflugerville. FREE. pflugervilletx.gov or 512‑990‑6113. School’s Out for Summer 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Texas Memorial Museum, 2400 Trinity St. FREE. utexas.edu/tmm/events/ schools_out/ or 512‑232‑5511. Westcave Preserve Public Tour ++ 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 24814 Hamilton Pool Rd., Round Mountain. $10 adults.
Austin Family is now making it easier for you to submit your calendar event. Go to www.austinfamily.com, click on “Submit your event” and send in your entry. The deadline is the 10th of each month preceding the month of the event. Events less than $15 usually are listed. For events more than $15, send details to kaye2003@austinfamily.com.
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Children’s Day Art Park, Wednesdays beginning June 10 Gustafer Yellowgold Show 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Austin Tinkering School, 1122 Airport Blvd. Adults $7; children $5; family 4-pack $20. austintinkeringschool.com or 512‑579‑6169. Giant Chess ++ 12:30 to 3 p.m. Wooldridge Square Park, 900 Guadalupe. FREE. giantchess.org. Family Movie 2 p.m. Windsor Park Branch, 5833 Westminster Dr. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑9840. Round Rock Express vs Oklahoma City ++ 7 p.m. Dell Diamond, 3400 Palm Valley, Round Rock. $12 and up. roundrockexpress.com or 512‑255‑2255. Saturday Night Concert Series featuring Amanda Pearcey 7 to 9 p.m. Hill Country Galleria, 12700 Hill Country Blvd. FREE. facebook.com/ events/938497012836010/. CONTINUING: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Monday 1; Penfold in the Park-The Hound of the Baskervilles see Thursday 4; Spirit Theatre: Shipwrecked see Monday 1; That ‘80s Concert! Stars and Stripes Forever see Friday 5.
Sunday 7
Free First Sundays 12 to 5 p.m. Bob Bullock State History Museum, 1800 N. Congress Ave. FREE. thestoryoftexas.com or 512‑936‑8746. First Sunday Free 1 to 4 p.m. Neill-Cochran House Museum, 2310 San Gabriel St. FREE. nchmuseum.org or 512‑478‑2335. The Importance of Being Earnest ++ 5:30 p.m. The City Theatre, 3823 Airport Blvd. Ste. D. Adults $20. citytheatreaustin.org or 512‑524‑2870. CONTINUING: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Saturday 6; Round Rock Express vs Oklahoma City see Saturday 6; Spirit Theatre: Shipwrecked see Monday 1; Westcave Preserve Public Tour see Saturday 6.
Monday 8
CONTINUING: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Monday 1; Chess Club see Monday 1; Round Rock Express vs Oklahoma City see Saturday 6; Spirit Theatre: Shipwrecked see Monday 1.
Tuesday 9
Trailer Food Tuesdays 5 to 9 p.m. Long Center City Terrace, 701 W. Riverside Dr. FREE. trailerfoodtuesdays.com or 512‑779‑4965. Family Activity Night: Puzzles and Games 6:30 p.m. Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd. FREE. westbanklibrary.com or 512‑327‑3045. CONTINUING: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Monday 1; Round Rock Express vs Oklahoma City see Saturday 6; Spirit Theatre: Shipwrecked see Monday 1.
Wednesday 10
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. Toddler Time 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Bridges to Growth, 805 W. University Avenue, Georgetown. georgetownproject.org or 512‑864‑3008. CONTINUING: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Monday 1; Arts and Crafts see Wednesday 3; Spirit Theatre: Shipwrecked see Monday 1; Wednesday Night Contra Dancing see Wednesday 3.
Thursday 11
Sip, Shop and Stroll 5 to 8 p.m. Downtown Elgin. FREE. elgintx.com. Henry the Fourth ++ 8 to 10 p.m. Ramsey Park, 4301 Rosedale Ave. FREE. facebook.com/ SomethingForNothingTheater. CONTINUING: 22nd Anniversary of Unplugged at the Grove see Thursday 4; Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Thursday 4; Penfold in the Park-The Hound of the Baskervilles see Thursday 4; Spirit Theatre: Shipwrecked see Monday 1; Upcycle This! see Thursday 4.
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150th Anniversary Juneteenth Celebration, June 13
The Royal Princess Ball 7 to 9 p.m. Community Center, San Gabriel Park, 445 E. Morrow St., Georgetown. $10 per person. gtparkpals.org or 512‑869‑1786 and ask for Jean. CONTINUING: Henry the Fourth see Thursday 11; Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Monday 1; Penfold in the Park-The Hound of the Baskervilles see Thursday 4; Spirit Theatre: Shipwrecked see Monday 1; Village International Folk Dancers see Friday 5.
Saturday 13 Friday 12
11th Annual Lavender Fest ++ 12 to 6 p.m. Old Blanco County Courthouse Square, Blanco. blancolavenderfest.com.
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150th Anniversary Juneteenth Celebration All Day. Rosewood Park, 2300 Rosewood Ave. juneteenthcentraltexas.com. Bright Leaf Hikes 9 to 11:30 a.m. Bright Leaf Preserve, Creek Mountain Rd. FREE. brightleaf.org or 512‑459‑7269. Cabela’s Annual Kids Day 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cabela’s, 15570 S. IH-35, Buda. FREE. cabelas.com/buda. 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. “Ladies and Gentlemen…The Beatles!” 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. LBJ Library, 2313 Red River St. FREE. lbjlibrary.org or 512‑721‑0200. Parents’ Morning Out 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Bridges to Growth, 805 W. University Avenue, Georgetown. FREE. georgetownproject.org or 512‑864‑3008.
Hands-On-History 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Williamson Museum, 716 S. Austin, Georgetown. FREE. williamsonmuseum. org or 512‑943‑1670. Second Saturdays Are for Families 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Laguna Gloria, 3809 W. 35th. $10 per family or $5 for members. thecontemporaryaustin.org or 512‑458‑8191. Voyager Music Festival 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. The Rusty Mule, 9201 Hwy 290. Early bird adult: $10 (ages 18+); early bird child: $5 (ages 6-17); 5 and under: FREE. voyagerfest.com or 512‑797‑9059. A Visit From Mother Goose 2 to 3:30 p.m. Bridges to Growth, 805 W. University Avenue, Georgetown. FREE. georgetownproject.org or 512‑864‑3008. Saturday Afternoon Movies: Guardians of the Galaxy 2 p.m. University Hills Branch, 4721 Loyola Branch. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑9940. Young Adventurers Film Series: James and the Giant Peach 3 to 4:30 p.m. Harry Ransom Center, 300 W 21st St. FREE. hrc.utexas.edu/events. CONTINUING: Henry the Fourth see Thursday 11; 11th Annual Lavender Fest see Friday 12; Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Saturday 6; Giant Chess see Saturday 6; Penfold in the Park-The Hound of the Baskervilles see Thursday 4; Spirit Theatre: Shipwrecked see Monday 1; Westcave Preserve Public Tour see Saturday 6.
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Sunday 14
Flag Day Chuggington LIVE! The Great Rescue Adventure 2 to 5 p.m. The Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Dr. $19. thelongcenter.org or 512‑474‑5664. Sunday Funday with Staci Gray 3 to 4:30 p.m. Baby Earth, 106 E. Old Settlers Blvd., Round Rock. FREE. babyearth.com/grow/events. CONTINUING: 11th Annual Lavender Fest see Friday 12; Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Saturday 6; Spirit Theatre: Shipwrecked see Monday 1; The Importance of Being Earnest see Sunday 7; Westcave Preserve Public Tour see Saturday 6.
Monday 15
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: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Monday 1; Chess Club see Monday 1; Spirit Theatre: Shipwrecked see Monday 1.
Tuesday 16
Mr. Johnny Kids Music Show 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Cedar Park Library, 550 Discovery Blvd., Cedar Park. FREE. mrjohnny.com or 512‑494‑1411. CONTINUING: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Monday 1; Round Rock Express vs New Orleans see Monday 15.
Wednesday 17
Safety Day! 10 to 11:30 a.m. Bridges to Growth, 805 W. University Avenue, Georgetown. FREE. georgetownproject.org or 512‑864‑3008. Toddler Enrichment Meeting 10 a.m. Brentwood Park, 6710 Arroyo Seco. FREE. texaslll.org. Family Movie Night: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day 5 p.m. Carver Branch, 1161 Angelina St. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑1010. CONTINUING: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Monday 1; Arts and Crafts see Wednesday 3; Children’s Day Art Park see Wednesday 10; Round Rock Express vs New Orleans see Monday 15; Wednesday Night Contra Dancing see Wednesday 3.
Thursday 18
Art and Activities at the Blanton 12 to 7:30 p.m. Blanton Museum, Congress Ave. and MLK Blvd. FREE. blantonmuseum.org or 512‑471‑5482. Round Rock Express vs Iowa Cubs ++ 7 p.m. Dell Diamond, 3400 E. Palm Valley Blvd., Round Rock. $12 and up. roundrockexpress.com or 512‑255‑2255. The Importance of Being Earnest ++ 8 p.m. The City Theatre, 3823 Airport Blvd. Ste. D. Adult $20. citytheateraustin.org or 512‑524‑2870. CONTINUING: Henry the Fourth Part see Thursday 11; 22nd Anniversary of Unplugged at the Grove see Thursday 4; Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Thursday 4; Penfold in
PIENSAPOSITIVO La Felicidad Cuando se trata de buscar la verdadera definición de felicidad las respuestas varían; así que no existe una sola definición. Lo que realmente importa es preguntarte a ti mismo, ¿que es lo que te hace feliz? Toma tiempo y analizalo. Mientras que para unos la felicidad es tener una cierta posicion, una cantidad de dinero en el banco, o crear una familia. Para otros es solo el hecho de levantarse todos los días y respirar. Recuerda esto: dependiendo de tus requerimientos para sentir felicidad dependerá la calidad de vida que vivas día a día. Si tus reglas para sentir felicidad son complicadas es posible que la vida no sea tan agradable, pero si para sentirte feliz tus requerimientos son sencillos tendrás la dicha de vivir tranquilo y con la mente pacífica para lidiar con los problemas de la vida. Piensa Positivo. Happiness When you search for the real meaning of happiness the answers vary; there is no single definition. What really matters is to ask yourself, what makes me happy? Take a few moments and think about this question. While for some people, happiness is all about having a certain position, saving money or having a family, for others, happiness is just about waking up every day and being able to breathe. Remember this: the quality of your daily happiness will depend on how difficult or challenging your rules are for feeling this emotion. If your rules are complicated, it is possible that your life will not be as pleasant as you would like it to be; however, if the rules are easy to follow, you will have the gift of living peacefully with a clear mind to deal with the daily challenges and difficult situations of life. Think Positive. by Leslie Montoya Host of Despierta Austin
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austinfamily.com | June 2015 | 49
Sunday 21
Father’s Day First Day of Summer Family Yoga in the Park 11 a.m. Wooldridge Square Park, 900 Guadalupe St. FREE. austinparks.org or 512‑477‑1566. Father’s Day Concert 7:30 to 9 p.m. Zilker Hillside Theater, 2100 Barton Springs Rd. FREE. austinsymphonicband.org or 512‑345‑7420. CONTINUING: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Saturday 6; Reflections see Friday 19; Round Rock Express vs Iowa Cubs see Thursday 18; The Importance of Being Earnest see Sunday 7; Westcave Preserve Public Tour see Saturday 6.
Father’s Day Concert, June 21 (photo by Tom Griffy) the Park-The Hound of the Baskervilles see Thursday 4; Upcycle This! see Thursday 4.
Friday 19
Juneteenth 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. 7th Annual Daddy-Daughter Dance 7 to 9 p.m. San Marcos Activity Center, 501 E. Hopkins St., San Marcos. $5 and up. ci.san-marcos.tx.us or 512‑393‑8400. Music in the Park: Juneteenth Celebration 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Pfluger Park, 515 City Park Rd., Pflugerille. FREE. txpflugerville2.civicplus.com.
CONTINUING: Henry the Fourth see Thursday 11; Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Monday 1; Penfold in the Park-The Hound of the Baskervilles see Thursday 4; Round Rock Express vs Iowa see Thursday 18; The Importance of Being Earnest see Thursday 18; Village International Folk Dancers see Friday 5.
Saturday 20
CONTINUING: Henry the Fourth see Thursday 11; Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Saturday 6; Giant Chess see Saturday 6; Penfold in the Park-The Hound of the Baskervilles see Thursday 4; Reflections see Friday 19; Round Rock Express vs Iowa Cubs see Thursday 18; The Importance of Being Earnest see Thursday 18; Westcave Preserve Public Tour see Saturday 6.
Monday 22
Bubbles Play Day! for Babies and Toddlers 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Bridges to Growth, 805 W. University Avenue, Georgetown. FREE. georgetownproject.org or 512‑864‑3008. Special Olympics Comes to Austin 1 to 10 p.m. Capitol Building, 1100 Congress Avenue. FREE. www.unifiedrelay.org. CONTINUING: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Monday 1; Chess Club see Monday 1; Reflections see Friday 19.
Tuesday 23
Pajama Storytime 6:30 p.m. Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave. FREE. westbanklibrary.com or 512‑327‑3045. CONTINUING: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Monday 1; Reflections see Friday 19.
Wednesday 24
St. Baptiste Day Family Movie Matinee: Despicable Me 2 2 p.m. Southeast Branch, 5803 Nuckols Crossing Rd. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑8840. Magik Theatre Presents Rumplestiltskin 4 p.m. Manchaca Road Branch, 5500 Manchaca Rd. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑8700. Teen Event: Minute to Win It 4 p.m. Carver Branch, 1161 Angelina St. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑1010. Culture Nights 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. AGE Cafeteria, 3710 Cedar St. austinpowwow.net. CONTINUING: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Monday 1; Arts and Crafts see Wednesday 3; Children’s Day Art Park see Wednesday 10; Reflections see Friday 19; Wednesday Night Contra Dancing see Wednesday 3.
Thursday 25
Mr. Johnny Kids’ Music Show 10 to 11 a.m. Leander Public Library, 1011 S. Bagdad Rd., Leander. FREE. mrjohnny.com. Music for Kids: Joe McDermott 11 a.m. Howson Branch, 2500 Exposition Blvd. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑8800. Magik Theatre Presents: Rumplestiltskin 2 p.m. University Hills Branch, 4721 Loyola Ln. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑9940. Music for Kids: Will Dupuy 2 p.m. Carver Branch, 1161 Angelina St. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑1010.
50 | June 2015 | austinfamily.com
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Rumplestiltskin the King 2 p.m. University Hills Branch, 4721 Loyola Ln. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑9940. Family Movie Matinee: Paddington 4 p.m. Cepeda Branch, 651 Pleasant Valley Rd. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑7372. CONTINUING: Henry the Fourth see Thursday 11; 22nd Anniversary of Unplugged at the Grove see Thursday 4; Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Thursday 4; Penfold in the Park-The Hound of the Baskervilles see Thursday 4; Reflections see Friday 19; The Importance of Being Earnest see Thursday 18; Upcycle This! see Thursday 4.
Friday 26
CONTINUING: Henry the Fourth see Thursday 11; Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Monday 1; Penfold in the Park-The Hound of the Baskervilles see Thursday 4; Reflections see Friday 19; The Importance of Being Earnest see Thursday 18; Village International Folk Dancers see Friday 5.
Saturday 27
9th Annual African American Book Festival 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. George Washington Carver Museum & Library, 1165 Angelina. FREE. aabookfest.com. Yoga in the Park 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Stacy Park, 1400 Alameda Dr. FREE. www.austinparks.org or 512‑477‑1566. 13th Annual Keep Austin Weird Fest & 5K 2 to 10 p.m. Long Center for the Performing Arts, 701 W. Riverside Dr. keepaustinweirdfest.com or 512‑524‑2953. Saturday Afternoon Movies: Captain America: the Winter Soldier 2 p.m. University Hills Branch, 4721 Loyola Ln. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑9940. SRP Event: Music for Kids-Ruby Dee and the Snakehandlers 2 p.m. Yarborough Branch, 2200 Hancock Dr. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑8820. CONTINUING: Henry the Fourth see Thursday 11; Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Saturday 6; Giant Chess see Saturday 6; Penfold in the Park-The Hound of the Baskervilles see Thursday 4; Reflections see Friday 19; The Importance of Being Earnest see Thursday 18; Westcave Preserve Public Tour see Saturday 6.
Monday 29
CONTINUING: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Monday 1; Chess Club see Monday 1; Reflections see Friday 19.
Tuesday 30
SRP Event: Music for Kids-Will Dupuy 2 p.m. Southeast Branch, 5803 Nuckols Crossing Rd. FREE. library.austintexas.gov or 512‑974‑8840. CONTINUING: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Monday 1; Reflections see Friday 19.
parenting events Monday 1
Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español ++ 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Any Baby Can, 1121 E. 7th St. FREE. anybabycan.org.
Tuesday 2
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 E. 7th St. FREE. anybabycan.org or 512‑454‑3743. Parenting Class ++ 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Any Baby Can, 1121 E. 7th St. FREE. anybabycan.org. Asperger/Autism: Understanding From the Inside Out
7 to 9 p.m. Bridges to Growth, 805 W. University Avenue, Georgetown. $15. georgetownproject.org or 512‑864‑3008. CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español see Monday 1.
Wednesday 3
La Leche League Meeting 10 a.m. North Village Branch, 2505 Steck Ave. FREE. texaslll.org.
Thursday 4
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 7th 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. La Leche League Meeting 7 p.m. North Austin Medical Center, Room 2B, 12221 N. Mopac Expy. FREE. texaslll.org. CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español see Monday 1; Parenting Class see Tuesday 2.
Saturday 6
Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español ++ 3 to 5 p.m. Any Baby Can, 1121 E. 7th St. FREE. anybabycan.org. Parenting Class ++ 3 to 5 p.m. Any Baby Can, 1121 E. 7th St. FREE. anybabycan.org.
Sunday 28
Austin Fashion Doll Club All Day. Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd. westbanklibrary.com or 512‑327‑3045. “Mr. Will” Dupuy Kids’ Show 10 to 11:30 a.m. Cherrywood Coffeehouse, 1400 East 38 1/2 St. FREE. mrwillmusic.com. Fifth Annual Family Water Festival 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fiesta Gardens, 2101 Jesse E. Segovia St. FREE. coloradoriver.org. Really Really Free Market 1 to 3 p.m. Chestnut Community Park, 2207 E. 16th St. FREE. treasurecitythrift.org. CONTINUING: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland see Saturday 6; Reflections see Friday 19; The Importance of Being Earnest see Sunday 7; Westcave Preserve Public Tour see Saturday 6.
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Monday 8
CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español see Monday 1.
Español see Saturday 6; Parenting Class see Saturday 6.
Monday 29 Tuesday 9
CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español see Monday 1; Nurturing Parenting see Tuesday 2; Parenting Class see Tuesday 2.
Wednesday 10
La Leche League Meeting 10:15 a.m. Will Hampton Branch Library, 5125 Convict Hill Rd. FREE. texaslll.org.
Thursday 11
CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español see Monday 1; Crianza con Cariño – Clases de padres see Thursday 4; Nurturing Parenting see Thursday 4; Parenting Class see Tuesday 2; Postpartum Support Group see Thursday 4.
Saturday 13
CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español see Saturday 6; Parenting Class see Saturday 6.
Monday 15
CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español see Monday 1.
Tuesday 16
CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español see Monday 1; Nurturing Parenting see Tuesday 2; Parenting Class see Tuesday 2.
Thursday 18
CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español see Monday 1; Crianza con Cariño – Clases de Padres see Thursday 4; Nurturing Parenting see Thursday 4; Parenting Class see Tuesday 2; Postpartum Support Group see Thursday 4.
Saturday 20
CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español see Saturday 6; Parenting Class see Saturday 6.
Monday 22
CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español see Monday 1.
Tuesday 23
CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español see Monday 1; Nurturing Parenting see Tuesday 2; Parenting Class see Tuesday 2.
Thursday 25
CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español see Monday 1; Crianza con Cariño – Clases de padres see Thursday 4; Nurturing Parenting see Thursday 4; Parenting Class see Tuesday 2; Postpartum Support Group see Thursday 4.
Saturday 27
CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en
52 | June 2015 | austinfamily.com
CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español see Monday 1.
Tuesday 30
Squibbling Rivalry 7 to 9 p.m. Bridges to Growth, 805 W. University Avenue, Georgetown. $15. georgetownproject.org or 512‑864‑3008. CONTINUING: Clases de Crianza con Cariño en Español see Monday 1; Nurturing Parenting see Tuesday 2; Parenting Class see Tuesday 2.
story times Public library story time events listed here are FREE unless otherwise noted. Programs 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 Public 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 11 to 11:30 a.m. Bob Bullock State History Museum, 1800 N. Congress. thestoryooftexas.com or 512‑936‑8746. Baby Bookworms 11:15 a.m. Wells Branch Library, 15001 Wells Port Dr. wblibrary.org or 512‑989‑3188. All Ages Storytime 12:30 p.m. Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd. westbanklibrary.com. Evening Storytime 6:30 to 7 p.m. Round Rock Library, 216 E. Main St., Round Rock. roundrocktexas.gov.
TUESDAYS
Baby and Me Storytime 9:30 a.m. Georgetown Library, 402 W. 8th St., Georgetown. library.georgetown.org. Baby and Me Storytime 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 (June 2 only) 10 a.m. French Legation Museum, 802 San Marcos St. frenchlegationmuseum.org. Bilingual Storytime (June 2 only) 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. #O-140, Bee Cave. barnesandnoble.com or 512‑263‑7402.
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Toddler Storytime 10:30 a.m. Lake Travis Library, 2300 Lohman’s Spur, Suite 100, Lakeway. laketravislibrary.org. 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. #A700, Round Rock. barnesandnoble.com or 512‑600‑0088. Storytime and Craft 6 to 6:30 p.m. Wells Branch Community Library, 15001 Wells Port Dr. wblibrary.org.
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. roundrock.gov/library. Toddlertime 10:30 a.m. Round Rock Library, 216 E. Main St., Round Rock. roundrock.gov/library. Story Pals Storytime 10:30 a.m. Georgetown Library, 420 W. 8th St., Georgetown. library.georgetown.org. Kids Club 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. Pflugerville Library, 1008 W. Pfluger St., Pflugerville. tx-pflugerville2.civicplus.com.
WEDNESDAYS
FRIDAYS
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 Public Library, 1011 S. Bagdad Rd., Leander. leander.lib.tx.us. 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. #O-140, Bee Cave. barnesandnoble.com or 512‑263‑7402. 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. #300. barnesandnoble.com or 512‑892‑3493.
THURSDAYS
Babytime 9:30 a.m. Round Rock Library, 216 E. Main St., Round Rock. roundrock.gov/library. Preschool Storytime 9:30 a.m. Round Rock Library, 216 E. Main St., Round Rock. roundrock.gov/library. Wobbles Storytime 9:30 a.m. Georgetown Library, 420 W. 8th St., Georgetown. library.georgetown.org. Hola, Hola! Spanish Storytime 10:30 a.m. Laura’s Library, 9411 Bee Cave Rd. westbanklibrary.com.
Babytime 9:30 a.m. Round Rock Library, 216 E. Main St., Round Rock. roundrocktexas.gov. Baby and Me 10 a.m. Leander Public Library, 1011 S. Bagdad Rd., Leander. leander.lib.tx.us. Storytime 10 a.m. Briarcliff Community Center, 22801 Briarcliff Dr., Briarcliff. laketravislibrary.org. Children’s Storytime 10:30 a.m. Georgetown Public Library, 420 W. 8th St., Georgetown. library.georgetown.org. Toddler Storytime 10:30 a.m. Wells Branch Community Library, 15001 Wells Port Dr. wblibrary.org. Toddlertime 10:30 a.m. Round Rock Library, 216 E. Main St., Round Rock. roundrocktexas.gov. Preschool Storytime 11:15 a.m. Wells Branch Community 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. #A700, Round Rock. barnesandnoble.com or 512‑600‑0088.
Ten Things... to Do for Father’s Day! 1.
Have a family tournament at the go-cart racetrack.
2.
Take in a baseball game.
3.
Go fishing at his favorite spot.
4.
Get paddling in kayaks.
5. 6.
7. 8.
Go for a family hike. Make homemade ice cream or go out for a treat. Have a family movie night. Go camping together.
SATURDAYS
Baby Bloomers 9 a.m. The Thinkery, 1830 Simond Ave. Included in museum admission. thinkeryaustin.org. Family Storytime 11 a.m. Round Rock Public Library, 216 E. Main St., Round Rock. roundrock.gov/library. Saturday Storytime 11 a.m. Barnes and Noble, 5601 Brodie Ln. #300. barnesandnoble.com or 512‑892‑3493. Storytime 11 a.m. Barnes and Noble, 14010 Hwy. 183. barnesandnoble.com. R.E.A.D. Dogs 12 to 2 p.m. Georgetown Public Library, 420 W. 8th St., Georgetown. library.georgetown.org. Cuentacuentos: Storytime en Español (June 27 only) 2 p.m. Barnes and Noble, 5601 Brodie Ln. #300. barnesandnoble.com or 512‑892‑3493.
Pick us up at HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market
9.
Build something as a family. (Bird house, anyone?)
10. Give Dad a pass on the yard work.
austinfamily.com | June 2015 | 53
Ki d e n o Z
e r o m and Blues on the Green FREE May 27, June 24, July 22, August 5 8 p.m. Zilker Park 2100 Barton Springs Rd. kgsr.com
Big Band Bash FREE June 8, July 13, August 10 8 to 10 p.m. Lakeway Activity Center 105 Cross Creek Rd., Lakeway lakeway-tx.gov
Food Trailer Tuesdays FREE June 9, July 7, August 4 5 to 9 p.m. Long Center Terrace 701 W. Riverside Dr. thelongcenter.org
Music on the Lawn FREE May 22 to 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 simon.com/mall/the-domain
Children’s Day Art Park 50 cents per child June 10, 17 and 24 and July 8, 15, 22 and 29 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Symphony Square Ampitheatre 1101 Red River St. austinsymphony.org Concerts in the Park FREE 7:30 p.m. June 7, 14, 21 and 28, July 12, 19 and 26, August 2, 9, 16 and 23 The Long Center Front Lawn 701 W. Riverside Dr. austinsymphony.org
Create a Density Rainbow
Beat the heat and stay inside for this fun, colorful experiment about density. Density is a measure of how much matter is in a certain volume. Mass is how many atoms are in an object, and volume is how much space an object takes up. Supplies • Sugar • Warm water • Five clear plastic cups • Food coloring
1 2
Saturday Night Concert Series FREE June 6 7 to 9 p.m. Hill Country Galleria 12700 Hill Country Blvd., Bee Cave hillcountrygalleria.com
3
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 sanmarcossummer.com
4
Music in the Park FREE June 19, 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
Steps Line up the five cups and add one tablespoon of sugar to Cup 1, two tablespoons of sugar to Cup 2, three tablespoons of sugar to Cup 3, and four tablespoons of sugar to Cup 4. Leave Cup 5 empty. Add three tablespoons of water to each of Cups 1 through 4 and stir each solution. (Leave Cup 5 empty.) If the sugar does not dissolve, add one more tablespoon of water to the solution. Add two to three drops of red food coloring to Cup 1, yellow food coloring to Cup 2, green food coloring to Cup 3 and blue food coloring to Cup 4. Then stir each solution. To make the density column, pour the Cup 4 (blue) solution into Cup 5. Then carefully layer some Cup 3 (green) solution over the blue liquid. You can do this by putting a spoon over the cup, just above the blue layer, and pouring the green solution slowly over the back of the spoon. Next, pour the Cup 2 (yellow) solution over the green layer. Finally, pour the Cup 1 (red) solution over the yellow layer. How Does It Work? As you add sugar to the water, more and more sugar molecules take over the space, making the water denser. The blue layer is the densest, so it is on the bottom. The red layer is the least dense, so it floats on the top. Play around with it! What happens if you pour the least dense solution on the bottom? What happens if you shake up your sugar density column? This is an example of some of the experiments happening in the Kitchen Lab this summer at the Thinkery. Learn more at thinkeryaustin.org.
Visit the Thinkery’s blog at www. thinkeryaustin.org/blog for more fun and easy activities you can do at home. 54 | June 2015 | austinfamily.com
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Dr. Julio De la Fuente
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Dr. Linda Lopez
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Dr. Rachel Montgomery
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Dr. Marty Montgomery
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Dr. Betty Richardson
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austinfamily.com | June 2015 | 55
humor
by Carrie Taylor
Memories of Vacation Mom It was a hot, sweaty morning in Houston, Texas, during the summer of ’99, and my sister and I were preparing ourselves for a guest. See, this guest never lived with us in our home, but she always showed up around vacation time – usually the morning of or the night before our departure. Her name? Vacation Mom. She would appear clutching a clipboard that contained a multi-page packing list, a nylon fanny pack saddled around her waist filled with bottles of Dramamine, a visor pushed up on her forehead and glasses roped around her neck with one of those floating straps. I have many fond memories of her. Like that one time she threatened to throw our Nintendo 64 out of the car window (we had it connected to what we thought was the coolest TV ever: a 15-inch block that took up half of our Ford Excursion) if my sister and I kept fighting over who got to play Peach in Mario Kart. And that other time when she told us it was either eat ham sandwiches and
56 | June 2015 | austinfamily.com
potato chips or starve as we passed the fifth McDonald’s on our way to Disney World. Vacation Mom made sure we all arrived on time to shows, applied sunscreen, wore sensible shoes, ate real food, didn’t get lost, and had fun, darn it, because we paid all this money to go to the Happiest Place on Earth, so we had better put a smile on our faces or we would all turn around and go home. I know Vacation Mom was a necessary substitution on our family trips. I also know that in time I, too, will become my own version of Vacation Mom (and she will probably be similar to Vacation Wife, because Vacation Husband can’t seem get to airports on time) to make sure family vacations run smoothly and everyone has the appropriate amount of fun.
Carrie Taylor, far right, in younger years with her sister and Vacation Mom at Disney World.
Carrie Taylor is a native Texan, freelance writer and mother of one precious baby boy.
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