0315bspwest

baystateparent FREE

MARCH 2015

Massachusetts’ Premier Magazine For Families Since 1996

WESTERN MA

MEET OUR COVER MODEL FINALISTS

OUR FIRST ANNIVERSARY!

STAGGERING STATISTICS BEHIND LYME IN MASSACHUSETTS HOW YOUR TODDLER IS SAVING THE INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE

PEACE OUT AT SUMMER CAMP! PACK IT UP: YOUR CAMP GIFT GUIDE

Buon Appetito Miei Amici

T

he desire to please people with food is an authentic Italian tradition. The team at Rovezzi's has been fulfilling that tradition with a comfortable setting, accommodating service and lusty, satisfying food steeped in a history of respect for ingredients and passionate attention to presentation and flavor. Whether you are looking for a nice romantic dinner or hosting a special gathering, Rovezzi's has the right room for you.

"Other restaurants have customers, we have friends" Chef and Owner Chris Rovezzi, 2012 Worcester's Best Chef "Overall Champion"

2 School Street, Fiskdale, MA (On the corner of Rt. 20 & Rt. 148) 508-347-0100 Dinner Hours: Closed Mondays, Tuesday — Thursday 5:00pm – 9:00pm Friday & Saturday 5:00pm – 10:00pm, Sunday 4:00pm – 8:00pm

2 MARCH2015 3

are you ready for summer? summer fun The Arbors Camp offers children ages 5–12 a diverse camp experience including the opportunity to try new activities, be creative, learn skills and have fun. Staffed by the area’s best camp counselors dedicated to creating a great camp experience for each camper. We also offer a Counselor In Training program for teens ages13–15.

traditional camp

Our traditional summer camp offers FUN activities that keep campers engaged in a variety of activities: • Swimming • Waterslide • Sports • Arts and Crafts • Camp Songs • Specialty Days • Cooperative Games • Team Building • Scheduled Entertainment • Field Trips

register today!

Registration information, forms and rules can be found online:

arborscamp.com

The Arbors Camp at Chicopee 999 Memorial Drive Chicopee, MA 01020 (413) 593-6311

The Arbors Camp at East Longmeadow 126 Industrial Drive East Longmeadow, MA 01028 (413) 224-1770

arborscamp.com

we are! summer camp is enrolling now BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 2 3

Prepare Your Child for Elementary School Prepare Your Child for Life French LITERACY Geography MUSIC Art SCIENCE

MATH Character Education

Preschool, Pre-K, Kindergarten (2.9 yrs - 6 yrs) Before and After School Programs Low student to teacher ratios Affordable

We create caring children who have a lifelong love of learning.

Be Gentle.

Be Kind.

Be Safe.

Musical Moments A Cultural Exploration of Song, Dance & Instruments for Children from Birth to Age 6 Call to register

LMI’s music and creative arts program is one of the most diverse in the area, introducing students to music and musical instruments from around the world.

To learn more or enroll, please contact Longmeadow Montessori as info@longmeadowmontessori.org or call 413-567-1820

Sing • Dance • Move Explore • Play

Longmeadow Montessori Internationale

1 FREE MUSICAL MOMENTS CLASS

413-567-1820 • Longmeadowmontessori.org 777 Longmeadow Street Longmeadow, MA 01106 Contact: info@longmeadowmontessori.org

Not valid with any other promotion or discount.

Limit one coupon per customer per visit.

Participants must register for first class.

4 MARCH2015 5

New Students Only!

Preschool Building

For kids of all ages!

Vacation Week Matinee Performance Wednesday April 22nd @ 2pm Springfield Symphony Hall Tickets start at just $20!

The Interactive Beatles Experience March 6 & 7 Where the audience creates the playlist for the night.. every night!

An intimate collection of stories from Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron April 9th-11th

Celebrate Women’s History month with the fun Lunch Time event March 13th Tickets include a boxed lunch!

Matt Lewis: Long Live the King Voted “The best Elvis in Vegas” by USA Today comes to CityStage for 3 performances April 23rd - 25th

For BIG KIDS ONLY!

citystage.symphonyhall.com Box office 413-788-7033 Free & Convenient Parking BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 4 5

table of contents MARCH 2015 VOLUME 2

3 1.

NUMBER 1

things we learned

while making the march issue

Massachusetts and neighboring states lead the nation in confirmed cases of Lyme disease. Lyme disease is most prevalent among children ages 5 to 9, both nationally and in our state. Get the latest prevention tips and knowhow on page 32.

Families of all constellations are encouraged to host a child through the Fresh Air Fund: empty nesters, families of all sizes, single parents, same-sex couples, grandparents and more. Discover the effects the experience has on families and their host children on page 28.

2.

3.

Long before accommodations were required by law, the city of Springfield began offering programs to serve children with developmental delays or physical limitations. See how this grassroots movement, which began in 1956, is still paying off today on page 36.

features 19 21 22

10

Meet Our Cover Model Search Finalists

RIPE: CSA 101: How to Eat Fresh, Support Local Farms This Summer

16

Raising a Transgender Child: The First Steps

DISHIN’ WITH THE DIETITIAN: Taking a Bite Out of Healthy Living

40

How Your Toddler is Saving the Independent Bookstore

RIPE BITES: Impress Spring Guests With Surprise Sweets

42

MOMS Club: An Old-Fashioned Solution For a Timeless Problem

6 MARCH2015 7

in every issue 7 7 8 9 12 14 14

WELCOME: A Letter from Our Editor MEET OUR SPECIAL GUEST: Cover Model Juan MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS bsp ONLINE FINALLY FOREVER: The Faces of Foster Care: Massachusetts’ Heart Gallery Turns 10 MARCH’S CHILD: Meet Kim CIRCLE OF FRIENDS: Area Adoption Events

18

PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD: Chef Jeff Comeau of Ludlow

44

OUR MARCH FAVORITES: Facts, Finds and Freebies

47

OUT & ABOUT: March Calendar of Family Events

53

TAKE 8: Girl Scout Camp Director Lizz Gordon

Our Countdown to

Summer Camp

24

All The Summer’s A Stage At Shakespeare Camp

26

Pack It Up! Your Child’s Camp Gear Gift Guide

28

Fresh Air Fund Provides New Outlook For Kids, Families

32 36

The Staggering Statistics About Ticks and Lyme Disease in Massachusetts Springfield Camp Lands $1.3 Million Grant To Ensure Universal Access for All

advertising directories

54 54

ADVERTISER’S DIRECTORY PRESCHOOL & CHILD CARE

meet team

welcome to

baystateparent

baystateparent

publisher KIRK DAVIS

creative

Given this winter’s 56 snow days, even the most patient and loving of parents must be grabbing a calculator and a calendar with one word on their mind: CAMP. February gave us a cold, snowy preview of what a long (well, maybe not so much given the whole snowday thing), hot summer will be like filled with school-less kids looking for fun stuff to do.

And while Massachusetts families have seemingly endless camp choices, regardless of where their children go, camp is a great experience for all ages for a litany of reasons beyond any program’s stated purpose. Soccer camp, for example, may well improve your daughter’s prowess on the pitch and theatre camp may teach your son how to act. But beyond any central theme, camps build important life skills that are applicable far beyond a summer: how to meet new people, work as a team, try new things, assert oneself, settle conflict, and much more.

Or, for a new twist, what if you became “camp,” not only for your children but also for a boy or girl

from New York City? If you’re a Fresh Air Fund host family, your home is the destination for an inner-city child, an experience that changes the child and host family alike, writes Sara Pokorny on page 28.

For many of us, when we think “camp,” we also think “woods.”

And for parents, the woods leads to concerns about the danger of tick bites and the possibility of Lyme disease — as well it should, writes Michelle Perras-Charron on page 32. Michelle examines the staggering statistics behind ticks and Lyme in Massachusetts. Think you know everything there is to know about tick facts, at-risk age groups, and prevention? Think again.

While we’re very excited about our annual Camp Issue, there is one other event that’s equally thrilling this month — the 1st birthday of baystateparent West!

The past year has been an amazing experience, giving us the opportunity to highlight the fantastic stories, organizations, businesses and families of Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin and Berkshire counties.

To celebrate the event, we launched a Cover Model Search Contest, asking readers to send

in their children’s pictures for a chance to be on our March cover.

We were floored by the response and, difficult as it was, narrowed the submissions down to 10 finalists. All 10 came to our offices last month for a professional photo shoot, and we had a fantastic time meeting the children and their families.

As hard as it was to pick 10 finalists, it was even more difficult to choose the winner! Congratulations to 5-year-old Juan of East Longmeadow, who won the contest and came back one more time for a fun cover shoot. Thank you to everyone who entered and all our finalist families. And a big thank you to every one who voted in our Fan Favorite online poll: Juan won that, as well! Head to page 10 to see pictures of all our finalists from their shoot at our office.

Read on, enjoy, and, as always, I would love to hear your thoughts.

Reach me at editor@baystateparent.com.

M e li ss a Melissa Shaw, editor

Juan

If you could go to any summer camp, what type of camp would it be? Cub Scout camp.

What is your favorite thing to do in the summer? Swimming in the pool with my big brother and friends.

When you’re not in school, what do you like to do? Play with my big brother

creative director PAULA MONETTE ETHIER 508-865-7070 ext. 221 pethier@holdenlandmark.com senior graphic designer STEPHANIE MALLARD 508-865-7070 design@baystateparent.com

advertising director of sales REGINA STILLINGS 508-865-7070 ext. 210 regina@baystateparent.com western mass sales manager JESSICA O’MALLEY 413-437-4673 jessica@baystateparent.com multi-media account executive DONNA TYBURSKI 413-530-7187 donna@baystateparent.com

In Association With advertising director BETH BAKER 413-283-8393 ext. 245 bbaker@turley.com presidents KIRK and LAURIE DAVIS

MEET OUR SPECIAL GUEST

This month our cover model is pretty special, 5-year-old Juan of East Longmeadow. The kindergartener was chosen from a flood of entries — and nine other finalists — to be the cover model on this, our 1st anniversary issue.

We loved meeting this energetic, fun boy on his visits to our office for his photo shoots, and got a chance to ask him a few questions.

editor in chief MELISSA SHAW 508-865-7070 ext. 201 editor@baystateparent.com

copy editor BRYAN ETHIER

photographers STEVEN KING JUSTIN SHATWELL SHAWNA SHENETTE

• Over 50,000 readers • 25,000 copies distributed monthly • Find us in ALL Big Y stores PLUS 400 other locations

What’s the best part about being 5? The best part about being 5 is going to school on the bus.

• distribution manager TOM SIGNA 508-865-7070 ext. 112 tsigna@holdenlandmark.com

When your Mom told you that you won our Cover Model Contest, what did you say? I said YES!

baystateparent cover photo

BY

Shawna Shenette

photography

is published monthly with a main office at 22 West Street, Millbury, MA 01527

www.baystateparent.com BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 6 7

March West Contributors Michelle Perras-Charron is a freelance writer and mom to four boys in Belchertown. Michelle examines the staggering statistics on ticks and Lyme disease in Massachusetts and how parents can promote prevention. Read her story on page 32.

Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur is a freelance writer, blogger and homeschooling mother of three who grew up in Chicopee and has called Springfield home for many years.

She updates us on the exciting developments surrounding the city’s Camp Star Angelina on page 36.

Christina Cooper lives with her husband and 7-year-old twins in East Longmeadow. This month she shares how joining the local MOMS Club benefitted her family — and many others — on page 42.

Sara Pokorny is a freelance writer who lives in Amherst and is a proud puppy mommy to Link and Piper. She’s interviewed everyone from Mike Tyson to the late Joan Rivers, but still names the time she talked with the mall Santa Claus as her favorite story yet. On page 28, Sara takes a look at the 138-year-old Fresh Air Fund and the effects the summer experience has on inner-city New York children and their Massachusetts host families.

Jessica Day is a lifelong resident of Western Massachusetts who lives in Greenfield with her husband and two daughters. This month she takes a look at a unique Shakespeare summer camp for youth, on page 24.

Michele Bennett Decoteau is a writer, mother of two and CSA veteran, which makes her the perfect person to explain how Community Supported Agriculture programs work, as well as how they benefit Massachusetts families and farms.

Read her story on page 19.

Justin Shatwell is a writer, photographer, and father of one living in the hill towns of Western Mass. He’s travelled everywhere in New England searching for stories — from the potato fields of Aroostook to the boutiques of Stamford — but it’s only since the birth of his son that he’s come to appreciate the blessing of a good rest stop diaper changing station. On page 40 he details children are saving the independent bookstore.

Stay on top of what's happening with Massachusetts families via our online community!

Like us on Facebook facebook.com/ baystateparentwestmagazine Follow us on Twitter @bspwestmagazine Subscribe to our e-newsletter baystateparent.com/ newsletter/

Financial Literacy.

For the future.

We are dedicated to teaching students the importance of saving today for a brighter tomorrow.

countrybank.com 800.322.8233 MEMBER FDIC MEMBER DIF

8 MARCH2015 9

bsp ONLINE Happy Birthday to Us and Congratulations to Juan of East Longmeadow!

Our Cover Model Search was a ton of fun, thank you to everyone who entered! Congratulations to 5-yearold Juan of East Longmeadow, whom you’ve seen on this month’s cover, and to our 10 gorgeous finalists. Check them out on page 10.

Another fun twist was our Fan Favorite online poll.

With 10 beautiful faces to choose from, we know it had to be hard Keegan for you to pick one of the finalists as your Fan Favorite. But you voted and Juan earned that honor, too! Right behind Juan was Keegan, 2, of Bondsville.

Both received a package of goodies for having such cute smiles and charming personalities!

We lost it, but made it We heard the collective gasp of parents waking up to yet another snowy February day trapped indoors.

In homes across the state, children were climbing walls, building indoor forts and staging wrestling matches with under-matched little sisters.

The Chipmans of Leicester submitted this brilliant photo — we loved that they were planning a get-away in a makeshift boat — and won a package of Gamewright games.

Submissions are welcome at any time, but those received by March 20, 2015 will be entered to win their choice of tickets to The Harlem Globetrotters Disney on Ice: Passport to Adventure or The Basketball Hall of Fame.

Expecting? Take a shower now & other friendly advice Our Facebook friends were eager to share words of encouragement with Stephanie, our senior graphic designer, expecting her first child any day! (As of press time, the baby had yet to make his debut!)

• Go on as many dates with your husband as you can right now.... because you won’t be able to leave the house for awhile.

• When someone offers help such as doing the dishes, bringing you food or letting you take a shower, take it!

I didn’t learn to do this until my second and it made life easier.

• Take a million pictures and don’t skimp on having excellent professional photos taken every 3 months the first year and then every 6-12 months. They will be treasures to you as your child ages!

You could win and get inspired

We need your opinion!

We love reader thoughts, opinions and feedback! Please come check out our survey at baystateparent.com/ springsurvey2015.

sentiments the bsp community posted:

For all you expectant moms out there, check out just a few of the

Visit baystateparent.com every day and enter to win spot giveaways (like the goodies you see on our Camp Gear Gift Guide on page 26!), learn about red-hot, trending parenting news and become part of a community of families looking to learn, laugh and lament…together.

Let us add some COLOR to your business, your child’s school and/or fundraiser this spring, while creating lasting impressions!

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Congratulations

TO THE COVER MODEL SEARCH FINALISTS!

Juan, 5, East Longmeadow

Maya, 9, South Hadley

Keegan, 2, Bondsville

Elliot, 9 months, Ludlow

To celebrate our 1st birthday, we wanted a very special cover and asked you to send in pictures of your children, one of whom we’d pick as the cover model for our 1st Anniversary Issue.

Boy, did you respond!

We were flooded with entries and narrowed them down to 10 finalists, who came to our office for a professional photo shoot. Here are the results of that afternoon. While Juan was chosen as our winner, don’t be surprised if you see any of these adorable children in future issues of baystateparent!

Cailyn, 14, South Hadley

Caroline, 7, Longmeadow

Savannah, 4, Hampden 10 MARCH2015 11

Luke, 5, Ludlow

Kiernan, 10, Belchertown

Josephine, 18 months, Chicopee

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SARAH FINEBERG

JAY GROCCIA

TERRY LOUISON ED EICH

The Faces of Foster Care

Massachusetts’ Heart Gallery Turns 10

DAVID TUCKER

BY MELISSA SHAW

12 MARCH2015 13

Ten years ago this month, one of the most powerful messages in adoption came to Massachusetts not through words, but pictures.

CARA PARKER

FINALLY FOREVER

going on.”

She aims for a light, breezy, and fun atmosphere, and imparts a specific message: “I make a point of telling them, ‘You look great!’ ‘Look at you, you’re beautiful!’ I show them the back of my camera, so that they have, even in that short experience, a fun time with it. I photograph a lot of high school seniors, too, and they love to be told how great they look. And when they leave they are walking a little taller. Hopefully the little time I spend with them is fun for them.”

And while the experience is rewarding, Louison notes, it leaves an impact.

“It’s hard,” she confesses. “A lot of times I feel for the kids so much, especially the older kids. Usually I get a kid who is 14, 15, and that is really heartbreaking to me. I just feel

Funaro says. “That’s the most fun.

The point of the Heart Gallery is much like any recruitment effort. It has to be constant, up to date; it has to be eye catching.”

Early on, the gallery was so eyecatching, the children so striking and wonderfully photographed, it created an unexpected problem.

“We realized very early on the photographs looked like they were advertising for photo studios, so we started putting a banner on them all saying ‘Waiting For Adoption’ with our logo,” Funaro noted.

The traveling Heart Gallery exhibits are installed at high foot traffic locations across the state: malls, banks, medical centers, libraries, universities, train stations, museums and more. The groups of 20x24 portraits were moved every two to three months in the

for them so much.”

She makes a point of ensuring that the children who want copies of the photos get them, noting: “Some of the kids have no pictures of themselves.”

“I want to be able to adopt every single one of them,” adds fellow Heart Gallery volunteer photographer Sarah Feinberg of Brookline. “It’s a great privilege to take their picture and help them feel special about themselves and hopefully help get them adopted.”

Adds MARE’s Funaro: “I don’t know of any photographers who did one [shoot] and didn’t want to do any more.”

Photographers send three to five of their favorite shots to MARE officials. “We all get together and hover over a computer and pick,”

early years, but Funaro says they now switch locations every six weeks. Permanent Heart Galleries have taken up residence at all four locations of MARE partner Jordan’s Furniture.

Ask any adoption official or foster parent and they’ll agree: the biggest obstacle to finding more forever homes for children is awareness, a problem the Heart Gallery tackles head-on.

“It gets the message out there that these children look just like your children, look like your neighbor’s children and the kids down the street. All that makes them different is that they don’t have a home, and maybe you are that home,” Funaro notes.

But the display of children waiting for adoption is not without the

MIKE RITTER

JAY GROCCIA

SARAH FINEBERG

CARA PARKER

In March 2005, the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) debuted the Bay State’s version of the Heart Gallery, a traveling exhibition of professional portraits of children in foster care waiting for forever homes. The first Heart Gallery was started in New Mexico in 2001, and since has expanded across the country.

Regardless of the state in which you find a Heart Gallery, the ultimate goal is always the same: to find families for children who need them.

MARE is a 57-year-old private nonprofit that serves as the central link between families interested in adoption, the state Department of Children and Families, and its contracted adoption agencies. One of MARE’s many public awareness efforts is coordinating, running and moving the Heart Gallery, and matching volunteer professional photographers with foster children.

More than 400 children have been featured in Heart Gallery exhibits since 2005, averaging 30 to 40 new portraits a year.

Two to three times a year, adoption workers are asked to review their caseloads and find potential candidates to be photographed. The child must be legally free for adoption, willing to be photographed, and understand that this photograph is more visible than other means of potential parent recruitment.

If willing, the child is matched with a nearby volunteer photographer, and they meet for a half-day session.

The photographer is given one instruction, says MARE Executive Director Lisa Funaro: “Make this kid come alive in one photograph. The goal is to capture the essence of this child in a photograph.”

“Heart Gallery photographs are generally of kids who have been waiting a little longer,” she notes.

“Which is fine because it means this is a recruitment for the hardest–toplace kids. And isn’t that what MARE is all about? Trying to do the best with the hardest kids.”

When photographer Terry Louison of Norfolk found out about the Heart Gallery, “it just hit me right between the eyeballs: This is such a smart idea. I had just started my own studio, and I want to give back as much as I can, and that just felt to me a perfect fit.”

Louison has been shooting for the Heart Gallery for years and says whenever she’s taking any child’s picture, it’s the same.

“It doesn’t matter who you’re doing, everybody’s scared the second you point a camera at somebody, myself included!” she says. “It’s just intimidating and these kids are selfconscious and they want to look good. They realize what they’re doing, they understand what’s

occasional critic, one who thinks public efforts like Wednesday’s Child (which has run every Wednesday on WBZ-TV since 1981), The Boston Globe’s Sunday’s Child (weekly since 1976) and the Heart Gallery may be too public.

It’s an argument MARE has heard before, Funaro says, citing its homegrown accomplishment, The Photolisting Book. MARE was the first organization to put photographs of children waiting for adoption alongside their pertinent information, all of which is viewed by potential foster or adoptive parents. This effort began 40 years ago and continues to this day.

“At the time it was revolutionary because we were actually putting kids’ pictures in a book,” Funaro says, noting listing books are available in 300 locations throughout the state, many of which are public libraries.

“It was the first of its kind in the country. It was the first time we put a picture of a child on a page, and at the time people were horrified. They said, ‘You’re advertising for families.’

‘You’re advertising children.’ ‘You’re putting them on display. How can you do this?’

“Our philosophy was, ‘If you don’t let the public know that we need them, how are we ever going to find families for them?” she continues.

“You have to take some risks, that public perception, putting it right out there that these are the children who need families. These things plant the seed. If we don’t show folks the children who need families, how are they ever going to know?”

And it is a strategy that has paid off, she adds, but it’s hard to make a direct correlation to the ultimate goal. A person may walk by a Heart Gallery exhibit and that seed is planted. He or she may catch a Wednesday’s Child segment later and the seed grows. It may not pay off for months or years, Funaro says, noting it’s not uncommon for the organization to receive calls years later from prospective parents wanting more information on the fostering or adoption process after seeing a Heart Gallery exhibit, Wednesday’s Child or another public awareness campaign.

“Like many of MARE’s recruitment activities, it’s very, very hard to track its impact,” she notes.

“Counting how many calls we got from Wednesday's Child or the Heart Gallery doesn’t come close to measuring the impact. People have said, ‘Oh, I went through South Station and I saw these incredible portraits. I didn’t realize you had brothers and sisters who needed to be placed together. I didn’t know you could be single [and adopt]. I didn’t know you could be gay.' We try to take stabs at those myths.”

BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 12 13

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS MARCH'S

Tuesday, March 3 — Western Region Adoption Info Meeting, Mass. Department of Children and Families, 140 High St, Fifth Floor, Springfield. 4 p.m.-5:30 p.m.

413-452-3369

KIMBERLY

Tuesday, March 3 — Adoption Support Berkshire, Busy Bee Preschool, 13 Academy St., Lee. 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. RSVP 413-320-4680.

CHILD

Fifteen-year-old Kim is a pretty girl of Hispanic descent who has a big smile and a big heart. Kim enjoys lacrosse and field hockey. She uses her friendly personality to engage you in conversation and relates well to both adults and her peers.

Kim achieved much success in her last school setting and is working at grade level. History is her favorite subject. Kim behaves well both in school and in her foster home where she enjoys her friends and being around the adults in her life.

Kim would do great in any type of family. She needs to know that adults in her life will be fair, support her and talk things out with her. Kim

14 MARCH2015 15

wants a family that will allow her to maintain connections to previous caretakers and a home where she will not have to compete for the attention of adults in the home. Kim is legally free for adoption.

For more information regarding Kim, please contact Department of Children and Families (DCF) Adoption Supervisor Eileen Griffin at 978-353-3629. The Worcester DCF Office hosts monthly informational meetings for those wishing to learn more about the adoption process in general. Please call 508-929-2143 for specific information about the next meeting.

Tuesday, March 10 — Supporting Trauma, a Kid’s Net seminar, Worker’s Credit Union, Community Room, 32 New Athol Road, Orange. 6:30 p.m.- 8 p.m.

413-734-4978.

Thursday, March 12 — Working With DCF, a Kid’s Net seminar, Treehouse, 1 Treehouse Cir., Easthampton. 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m.

413-734-4978.

foster care currently awaiting their forever families. springfieldlibrary.org Ongoing — Child & Family Services, 28 North Maple Street #4, Florence. Support services for adoptive families. 413-320-4680.

1-800-972-2734. child-familyservices.org/ florence/ Ongoing — Massachusetts Approach to Partnerships in Parenting (MAPP) Trainings. Western Regional DCF Office, 140 Main Street, 4th Floor, Springfield.

Tuesdays, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Support for foster and adoptive parents. No fee. Registration required. 413-452-3350. mass.gov

Wednesday, March 18 — Cutting, a Kid’s Net seminar, Zion Lutheran Church, 74 First Street, Pittsfield. 6 p.m.-8 p.m.

413-734-4978.

Ongoing — The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children offers an after-hours telephone hotline that provides emergency assistance to foster kinship and pre-adoptive families when the DCF offices are closed. The helpline is available 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. on weekdays and 24 hours on weekends and holidays. The number is (800) 486-3730.

Ongoing — The MARE Heart Gallery is on display Springfield City Library, 220 State Street, Springfield, and Greenfield Savings Bank, 6 University Drive, Amherst, featuring striking portraits of Massachusetts children in

If your group or organization is holding an adoption information or support group and would like to have information posted for readers of baystateparent, please email editor@baystateparent.com.

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BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 14 15

Raising a Transgender Child:

The First Steps

BY ALEXANDRA TOWNSEND

“Transgender” is a word that today’s world is learning more about every day. There are regular headlines about actress Laverne Cox and musician Chaz Bono, and their work for transgender activism. The femaleborn child of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt has renamed themself John Jolie-Pitt and visibly taken on a masculine identity. Although it is not yet clear if John is transgender, the world has been discussing the possibility extensively. Transgenderism is no longer an issue that’s being ignored. As a result, parents now have resources available to understand what is happening when their own child comes out as transgender.

I

t’s the sort of revelation that can confuse and worry many parents. How can a child know what their gender identity is?

Will this make my child less safe in life? What exactly does it mean to be transgender, anyway?

The first thing to realize is it’s alright to have questions. To answer the most basic ones, here’s a quick list of terms.

Transgender: describes a person whose gender identity does not align with their biological sex. For example, a man born with a female body.

Gender Identity: a person’s internal sense of gender, basically if a person feels they are a girl, a boy, neither, both, or somewhere in-between.

Cisgender: describes a person whose gender identity does align with their biological sex, the opposite of transgender.

Gender Expression: this is made up of the ways that a person “performs” their gender. It includes the clothes a person wears, mannerisms, hairstyles, and so forth. There is no inherent relationship between gender expression and gender identity. That’s why women can be masculine and men can be feminine without it changing their gender.

Sexual Orientation: describes what gender or genders a person feels sexually attracted to. There is also no inherent relationship between sexual orientation and gender identity.

A transgender person can still be straight, gay, bisexual, pansexual, or asexual.

Unfortunately, for many parents, 16 MARCH2015 17

learning that a child is or may be transgender comes with a sense of grief. They can feel that they’re losing the daughter or son they thought they had. Rachel Kahn, a therapist for Sidney Borum Jr Health Center at Fenway Health in Boston, is familiar with this feeling as expressed by her patients: “It can be scary to gain a new vision of a child’s future.” But Kahn emphasized that having a transgender child is not about losing a son or daughter, it’s about recognizing the daughter or son that the parents always had.

“Many parents feel complicated emotions [when their child comes out as trans],” Kahn said. “They want to process these feelings with their child, but what they don’t realize is how much that child or teen is going through already.”

Indeed, while a parent might struggle with seeing their child wearing new kinds of clothes or going by a new name and pronouns, it’s important to remember that the transgender child is likely struggling far more. It isn’t easy to come to terms with being trans; it means questioning something that everyone has assured you all your life is inherent to your identity. By the time the child or teen comes out as trans they have often spent months, even years, considering the issue. They know they’ll have to deal with issues such as wondering what public restrooms they’ll be allowed to use; whether their identity will be dismissed or mocked by the people they love; and, of course, there is the constant worry of becoming the victim of a transphobic hate crime. Assaults, rapes, and murders are all too often committed against members of the transgender population.

But one of the largest problems facing transgender youth is depression. “Transgender kids often develop depression and anxiety…

It’s very hard to live with an identity others don’t accept. People need to have an empathetic eye,” explained New York-based therapist Darby Fox. Unfortunately, rates for depression and suicide are very high for transgender people. According to a 2010 survey from the National Center for Transgender Equality, 41% of transgender people will attempt or commit suicide in their lifetimes.

One recent prominent case was the well-publicized death of 17-yearold Leelah Alcorn of Lebanon, Ohio. Alcorn was a transgender girl who committed suicide this past December after what she described in her suicide note as months of isolation and discrimination by her parents. Alcorn’s parents reportedly objected to their daughter’s identity on religious grounds and only provided her with therapists who would try to convert her into the son they thought she should be.

Both Fox and Kahn voiced strong opinions against the idea of conversion therapy. “In my opinion, conversion therapy does not work,” Fox said. “It just makes things more complicated for kids. All it does is suit a parent’s agenda.”

According to Kahn: “Conversion therapy has been proven to be harmful and is emotionally abusive.”

The most important thing any parent can do to support a transgender child, experts say, is to show constant, unconditional love.

Transitioning is always a difficult process, but it is infinitely harder without the love and support of family. If you are a parent who is

having trouble understanding and accepting what your child is going through, it is a good idea to look into online research materials, local support groups, and even private therapy sessions. There is no shame in having questions, but often one’s own child is not the best person to ask.

Kahn offered advice for some of the most basic elements of support.

“It’s absolutely important to use your child’s preferred name and pronouns,” she said. “If you use the wrong ones, apologize and emphasize that you are trying to improve.”

Also remember that many transgender people want to transition their bodies from one form to another. This is a discussion that can come up at a young age, as physical transition tends to be easiest if started at or before puberty. Your child or teen may want to take hormone pills or shots, acquire a garment called a binder that ties down breasts, or look into changing their listed gender on official documents. These are all normal parts of transitioning and your child will need your support to get through it.

For many, “transgender” is a word that can be strange and intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Underneath all the terminology and scientific discussion, trans people are still normal human beings who need the same things as everyone else: love, acceptance, and a safe place to call home. If you have or think you have a child who is transgender, remember that while you may have a lot of new things to learn, you already have the tools to give your child all the love they need.

Sunday, April 12 2:00pm - 3:30pm 18 months - 6th grade Summer Programs Also Available for Ages 18 months - 5 years

ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES K - 8 Join us this summer at Wilbraham & Monson Academy!

SUMMER PROGRAM WORKSHOPS

July 5 - July 31 (two-week sessions) Grades 7 - 11 Reading & Writing, Math, Science, Fine Arts, Stock Market

FORUM CLASSES

June 22 - July 31 (one-week sessions) Grades 5 - 7 Creative Writing, Technology, Studio Art, Investing, Spanish/French

BEECH TREE DAY CAMP

June 29 - August 7 Grades K - 8 Team-Building Activities, Nature & Outdoor Skills, Creative Projects, Wellness Activities Scan to view the top 5 reasons to spend your summer with us!

To learn more or apply: www.wma.us/Summer 路 413.596.6811 路 Summer@WMA.us BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 16 17

Mom always said No, but we say it’s OK to…

play with your

food!

The Chef’s Corner Waffle Dragon

Created by Chef Jeffrey Comeau, In The Box, Ludlow

Ingredients • Waffles • Apple slices • Black olives • Cream cheese • Strawberry • Mini-marshmallows

Chef Jeffrey Comeau says he dreamed up this adorable Waffle Dragon thanks to his love of martial and culinary arts, and notes his creation is easy to make! Once you cut and position the waffles to form the body, add triangleshaped apple slices to form the dragon’s scales. Secure the black-

olive eyes with a little cream cheese. Halve a strawberry for the feet and use mini-marshmallows to form fearsome smoke puffs. While a departure from the homestyle, ready-to-eat entrees he makes at In The Box, Comeau says the Waffle Dragon is simple, fast and fun for moms, dads, and kids.

Mom’s Turn Kate Brine, Kingston

Get Creative In the Kitchen and Win!

Kingston mom Kate Brine devised her Rainbow Pancakes thanks to daughter Abby, 8.

“One day, when Abby was 4, I asked her what kind of pancakes she wanted and she said, ‘rainbow pancakes.’ So, we mixed up the batter and divided them into small bowls and added a

different color of food coloring to each bowl. We have continued this tradition, which has developed into not only rainbows, but also flowers, hearts and so on. Abby likes to mix up the colors and we simply hand pour our designs on the pan to cook them.

Then we decorate with fruit, and make a colorful breakfast treat!”

We’re looking for Moms, Dads, Grandparents or anyone who likes to spice up kids’ breakfasts, lunches, snack time or any time. Send a picture of your food art creation and a

description, and each month the best will be featured in print and win a family four-pack of tickets to Disney on Ice: Passport to Adventure at Worcester’s DCU Center in April.

Atkins Annual Easter Egg & Candy Hunt Saturday, March 28th Noon-3pm

$4 per child. Hunts are held approx. every 10 minutes.

Visit www.atkinsfarms.com for details

1150 West St. (Rte. 116 & Bay Road), South Amherst (413) 253-9528 www.atkinsfarms.com 18 MARCH2015 19

Atkins has long been committed to the community and Buy Local campaign.

We welcome the opportunity to serve you!

Farm Fresh Produce Country Bakery Deli & Take-Out Meat & Seafood

Specialty Foods Full Service Florist Specialty Cheeses Homemade Fudge

Savory Suppers Fresh Sushi Bar Beer & Wine Gifts & Gift Baskets

Send a picture of your entry to editor@baystateparent.com for your chance to win!

Where LOCAL is just the beginning!

CSA 101:

How to Eat Fresh, Support Local Farms This Summer

BY MICHELE BENNETT DECOTEAU

If you want your produce fresh — and locally grown — this summer, now is the time to consider joining a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm in your area. CSAs are collaborations between farmers and people who eat. And like all great collaborations, they benefit everyone. Your food doesn’t travel far, you eat in season, and you get to meet the farmers who grew your food. Farms benefit from getting paid up front during the time of year they need it most — planting.

How do CSAs work?

CSAs allow area residents to buy a season’s worth of produce

directly from a farmer, eliminating the grocery store and supporting local growers. When you join a CSA farm, you pay a set fee in the spring for an entire season’s worth of produce. This buys you a “share” of the farm’s production over a future time period, usually June through October. As a CSA member, you become a shareholder of that farm. Shareholders go to the farm weekly to pick up their portion of produce, which consists of whatever is in season and is being harvested at that particular time.

Some CSAs have a work requirement in addition to the cost, requiring shareholders to each spend time working on the farm

over the season. This may mean washing vegetables, weighing produce, weeding, or helping plant.

Most CSAs offer a newsletter or recipes with each pickup so you have some clue about what to do with three pounds of carrots, or a bag of greens, or kohlrabi.

Kinds of CSAs The most common type of CSA is a vegetable CSA which guarantees shareholders a variety of vegetables throughout the season. Your weekly share may start out small and offer lettuce, herbs, and peas in the late spring. Shares get bigger in the middle of the summer, probably with tomatoes, cucumbers,

and carrots, and often end with onions and winter squash.

“There are all kinds of CSAs, including fruit, cut flower, chicken, meat, grain, and even fish,” notes Mindy Harris, who coordinates Farm Share Fair in Boston, where consumers can meet farmers in a trade-show atmosphere. “We even have a wine and a chocolate CSA.” All CSA farms run on the same general model: Customers pay upfront for a portion of the farmer’s future production over a specific time period.

While summer is the primary season for most CSA farms, some are expanding. The number of farms offering winter and fall CSAs is growing. Deliveries of produce

BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 18 19

throughout those seasons often include kale, onions, potatoes, and winter squash. Other vegetable CSAs are expanding by offering add-on items from other farms, like honey or fruit such as strawberries, blueberries, and apples.

Some farms include the ability to purchase an egg or raw milk share, as well.

“Usually people think of CSAs just as vegetables,” says Margaret Christie, Special Projects Director with South Deerfield-based Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA). “But now there are meat, dairy, plant, fiber, fall, and winter CSAs. There are fewer of these, but the numbers are growing.” CISA is a support organization for farmers, helps with marketing, and founded the Local Hero program to encourage people to buy local produce and eat at restaurants with locally-sourced food.

While other types of CSAs are similar to the vegetable model, before you sign up be sure you understand the nuances. Meat and grain CSAs traditionally have lessfrequent pickups, some with only a single annual pickup. Grain CSAs usually provide information on where to get the grain milled into flour at community grain mills or ways to purchase a personal grain mill.

One fun new CSA is the Kid’s Share from Siena Farms in Sudbury. Each week during the season kids get a box with a star vegetable, kitchen gadget, and kidfriendly recipes featuring the star vegetable. Also included are activities and fun facts just for kids.

Which farms offer CSAs? Now is the time to enroll in most CSAs farms. Generally they take returning members first and then have an open-enrollment period for new members. If you are interested in joining, first payments are

often due in spring.

A number of locations have information about where to find CSA farms. Farm Share Fair (farmsharefair.com ) will be held 5:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 19 at First Church in Cambridge and provides an opportunity to meet farmers and compare programs.

any choice in the produce offered in your weekly share. Other factors can include whether the farm accepts SNAP benefits, supports local food banks/soup kitchens, offers a work portion of the share, and if it is looking to build community through pot lucks or workdays.

“A new way some CSAs are work-

How big is a share?

“CISA has a listing of CSAs and a guide to choosing the right one for your family on our Website, buylocalfood.org. It is being updated almost daily with enrollments opening for CSAs,” Christie says.

Other sites to check include localharvest.org and mass.gov/agr/ massgrown/csa_farms.htm.

How do I find the right one for me?

With the variety of CSA farms available, it is easy to find the right one for you and your family. One consideration is whether there is

BUSY? Need to grab some food fast

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Try In The Box! Homestyle Meals Ready to Heat and Eat!

ing are Market Cards. A member can buy points at the beginning of the season and use the credit or points at any location,” Christie says. This is an excellent option for families with very picky eaters or who travel a lot during the summer.

Originally CSAs provided a box of produce to members. Basically, you get what you get. This option is for the most adventurous eaters and cooks. You have little-to-no control over what you take home and are truly eating with the season. Most, often smaller, farms and single-farmer CSAs employ this option.

Entrees, soups, salads, lunch, dinner, to-go catering and more!

Paleo, gluten-free, and other options available.

Download our weekly menu and learn more at www.intheboxludlow.com We are also on Facebook and Twitter @Intheboxludlow

135 East Street, Ludlow • 413-610-1261 • Open Mon.-Fri. 11am-7pm, Sat. 10am-1pm 20 MARCH2015 21

Other CSAs offer some choice during the season. For instance, you may arrive to pick up your weekly share and find piles of carrots, onions and turnips. Your share allows you to choose two pounds of any of those and then select a bag of spinach or lettuce.

This type of CSA gives you options so you can avoid an item you know your family won’t eat, but still fully embrace eating seasonally.

Pick-up location is key for most families. If you are going to make an adventure of it with your kids, look for a CSA where pickup is at the farm. Most farms will have chickens or goats, maybe a tractor to see. This will give you an opportunity to visit with the farmer as well. This is also your best bet for a CSA with choices.

Many CSAs are offering drop-off locations in cities. For example, New Land Farms in Sutton has a drop-off location in Springfield and Red Fire Farm in Granby delivers to Boston. When you have a very busy schedule, this is an excellent option. Often there is an additional fee or less choice, so it is important to understand the fine print.

Share size is a big consideration and will vary from farm to farm.

The best way to calculate the size you need is to look at how much you spend, or would like to spend, on produce each week during the summer. That should be about the amount you spend per week on a share. If the amount is modest, consider a half share or splitting a share with a friend. Splitting a share with someone else is an excellent option for families who travel frequently during the summer.

If you unsure whether you need a half or full share, ask to talk to other members with kids. They can usually give you guidance.

Dishin’ with the Dietitian

Take a Bite Out of HEALTHY LIVING

BY CARRIE TAYLOR, RDN, LDN

Happy National Nutrition Month!

March is the month for nutrition professionals and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. In the weeks ahead, efforts will be focused on promoting the same sound, evidence-based nutrition advice to you and others across the nation This year, our mantra is “Bite into a Healthy Lifestyle.” What does this mean? It’s time to get back to the basics and make informed nutrition and exercise decisions built on sound advice. Focus on improving your overall well-being, while maintaining a healthy weight and reducing the risk for disease. Here’s how to get started: 1. Consume Fewer Calories.

Although certain nutrients, such as carbohydrates, protein and fat, may function differently in your body, the puzzle of weight management comes down to calories. If you eat less energy than your body burns, you will lose weight. Do I recommend counting calories? Not necessarily. Rather, pay attention to what your meals and snacks look like.

How many Food Groups do you see?

Are you eating carbohydrates, protein and a little bit of fat? Or is your snack all carbohydrates and your lunch all protein?

I’ve found the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate (choosemyplate.gov) to be the most helpful guide to keeping calories in check.

MyPlate reminds us that half our plates should be rich in colors from vegetables and fruit. What happens when you load up half your meal with low-calorie, nutrient-rich vegetables and fruits? You displace more calorie-rich items like meat and grains while also filling up.

Are you eating enough colors throughout the day? It is recommended the average adult consume 2 ½ to 3 cups vegetables and 1 ½ to 2 cups fruit. To learn what counts toward a ½-cup serving of vegetables or fruit, visit ChooseMyPlate. gov for visual examples.

2. Make Informed Food Choices.

All too often, individuals are ready to “go on” a diet and follow a listing of good and bad foods just to find

this new way of eating fails them and they return to their old eating behaviors. The kicker to this scenario is that most people don’t look at diets as failing them. Instead, they erroneously believe they failed, yet again, at trying to eat healthy. Not true.

Any eating pattern touting itself as the secret to weight loss is simply a diet bypassing sound nutrition recommendations. For example,

why not just give up carbs? Your brain would not be very happy with you nor would it be able to function effectively. By drastically reducing the amount of carbohydrates in your meals, your brain will start screaming for help by way of headaches, body shakes, anger, fuzzy vision, cravings and lack of concentration.

Rather than swearing off carbohydrates, the better choice is to be mindful of serving sizes while spreading your carbohydrate consumption over the course of the day. For example, consume a tuna sandwich on whole wheat bread, with a side of baby carrots dipped in hummus and an apple for lunch vs skipping lunch altogether and eating half a box of pasta for dinner because you are ravenous.

Here are a few more tips for getting the most out of your food:

• Eat breakfast. Even if you don’t have much of an appetite, eat something. Whether it’s a bowl of oatmeal with raisins and pecans or an apple with a handful of almonds, eat!

• If you find you’re hungry in between meals, grab a snack (not a treat). Look at which Food Groups you may have missed at a previous meal and work toward those. Forget a vegetable at breakfast? Snack on

celery dipped in peanut butter. Forget a fruit at lunch? Grab a bunch of grapes with a slice of lowfat cheddar cheese for an afternoon snack.

• Make half your grains whole.

Simply put, choose the whole grain options of grain foods often. Cooking rice? Opt for brown rice. Reaching for a box of cereal? Pick a whole grain variety. Making a wrap? Go with a whole grain option.

• Go lean with protein foods. If you traditionally choose meat as your source of protein, begin varying your selections. Enjoy “Meatless Mondays” by cooking meals with legumes (beans and lentils) or whipping up a breakfast smoothie with silken tofu instead of yogurt.

• Make your fats liquid. Let nuts, cooking oils, avocados, olives and fatty fish serve as your primary

source of fat. These foods offer liquid fats like omega-3s and monounsaturated fats shown to promote health.

3. Get Exercising. Probably the very best thing you can do for managing weight and reducing your risk for chronic diseases like heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer is to get moving. Exercise also maintains mental acuity and health, builds confidence and lets off steam from a stressful day.

Researcher after researcher keeps coming to the same conclusion — one’s quality of life is greatly improved and maintained if we exercise on a daily basis. Every day?

Yes, this is the goal. If you can only carve out three days to exercise this week, great! The goal is to start the momentum so daily exercise becomes part of your normal routine.

Whether you have a history of trying to follow a healthy lifestyle, or you’ve finally come to terms with the fact that it is time, every day (and every meal) is an opportunity to start anew. Leave the guilt, food rules and excuses behind and remember what motivational speaker Jim Rohn said: “Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.”

Carrie Taylor is the lead registered dietitian nutritionist for the Living Well Eating Smart program at Big Y Foods. Have a nutrition question?

E-mail livingwell@bigy.com or write Living Well at 2145 Roosevelt Ave, PO Box 7840, Springfield, MA 01102.

Would you like to be featured in a future issue of baystateparent?

Send your question to editor@baystateparent.com and you might soon be Dishin’ with the Dietitian!

BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 20 21

Bites

Impress Spring Guests with Surprise Sweets Transform an ordinary cupcake into something extraordinary with peek-a-boo filling. These simple cupcakes are an easy addition to any spring celebration.

You’ll want to serve every variety of these turned-up treats for Easter and beyond.

The best part about this party trick? It’s easy. You’ll be digging this one out of your recipe repertoire for every spring soiree.

Hop to Easter

Add Fresh Flavor

Who said Easter baskets are just for kids? Treat your holiday guests to take-home cupcakes served in individual cupcake boxes. They’ll be delighted to find a surprise inside these icing-filled cupcakes.

Shake things up with a refreshing new twist. Try supercharging your cupcakes with refreshing lemon meringue, raspberry mousse or peanut butter and jelly fillings.

No matter how you slice it, fill it or serve it, these cupcakes are a party pleaser that’s guaranteed to impress.

Carrot Garden Easter Cupcakes Servings: 1 dozen cupcakes Favorite chocolate cake mix or recipe Creamy Decorator Icing Chocolate Decorator Icing Leaf Green Icing Color Orange Icing Color Crushed chocolate sandwich cookies • Preheat oven to 350°F. • Place baking cups in standard muffin pan.

22 MARCH2015 23

• Prepare cake mix following package instructions. Bake in prepared muffin pan 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on cooling grid.

• To decorate, tint small amount of creamy decorator icing green; tint remaining orange. Use spatula and chocolate icing to ice tops of cupcakes smooth. Sprinkle with cookie crumbs. Chill until set, about 15 minutes.

• Use knife to cut out center of cupcakes almost to bottom of cupcake. Use tip 2A and orange icing to fill in center of cupcake and pipe about 1/4 inch above cupcake; pat smooth. Use tip 352 and green icing to pipe pull-out leaf carrot tops.

COUNTDOWN TO SUMMER CAMP 24 26 28 32 36

All The Summer’s A Stage At Shakespeare Camp Pack It Up! Your Child’s Camp Gear Gift Guide Fresh Air Fund Provides New Outlook For Kids, Families The Staggering Statistics About Ticks and Lyme Disease in Massachusetts Springfield Camp Lands $1.3 Million Grant To Ensure Universal Access for All

SHAWNA SHENETTE PHOTOGRAPHY BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 22 23

COUNTDOWN TO SUMMER CAMP

All the Summer’s a Stage at Shakespeare Camp

BY JESSICA DAY

Ask 13-year-old Claudia Maurino what was most fun about the camp she attended last summer, and her reply is quick: “We learned how to use swords!” Not your average response to that question but, then again, Claudia wasn’t at your average summer camp, either.

"All the world’s a stage…" the Bard wrote, but during the summer that stage has a specific location in Lenox at Shakespeare & Company.

For children ages 7 to 9, 10 to 12, and 13 to 15, there’s Riotous

24 MARCH2015 25

Youth — a day camp that features Shakespeare, of course, but perhaps even more importantly, fun.

“Riotous Youth gives young people a place to be unashamedly bold, creative, and silly through some of the most exciting stories,” says Ally Allen, one of the camp’s “education artists,” and a former member of the Riotous Youth Company. Allen now directs Shakespeare & Company’s fall festival, works with middle school students, and most recently played Ophelia in Shakespeare &

Company’s production of Hamlet.

“As a teacher, I sincerely hope that my students have fun in Riotous Youth,” Allen explains. “I hope that after a two-week session, they embrace Shakespeare as something they can understand and enjoy; these plays give students a safe place to take risks and make personal discoveries in the process.”

According to Claudia, her younger brother, Theo, and their dad, Marc, Allen and her fellow education

artists fulfill the Riotous Youth mission and then some. “It’s a program that teaches kids to love language and performing, and to be confident,” Marc Maurino says. “Shakespeare is anything but a boring, dead poet to these children.”

The brainchild of John Beale and Tor Bjornsen, former Shakespeare & Company actors, Riotous Youth launched in 1999. The first year, one two-week, half-day session was offered. Since then, the program has

Co-Ed • Grades K-8 • July 13 - August 14 Ca mp

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COUNTDOWN TO SUMMER CAMP grown to four two-week, full-day we failed gloriously, eventually sessions, with kids coming from as using surrounding objects — most far away as Boston to attend. notably, a trashcan — to make our “There’s nothing typical about way across. Activities like these a ‘typical’ day with Riotous really encourage group bonding.

Youth,” says Associate Director I’m still in contact with many of the of Education Jenna Ware. In other students from that group.” words, while some kids might be In addition to being bonded by familiar with Shakespeare’s works, the joy of silliness, Allen credits that’s certainly not a prerequisite, the long-lasting closeness she feels and sometimes…well, sometimes with her fellow students to the fact the plays don’t wind up looking the that they were asked to collaborate way one might expect. “It’s a nonand support each other during competitive atmosphere,” Ware and outside of rehearsal. “I also explains, “and we listen to our remember the amount of agency students’ requests; we’re giving and responsibility we were trusted kids language that fits the size of with,” she says. “It was up to the their ideas.” group to solve the problems we To that end, every camper gets his came across!” or her moment in the spotlight — “Sometimes you’re in a session Riotous Youth-style — in the form with a friend,” says Theo Maurino, of a monologue. “One year we had who is looking forward to his 18 Juliets in Romeo and Juliet,” fifth season with Riotous Youth, Ware laughs, “but it worked!” “and sometimes you get to know Perhaps there are no typical days someone new, and that’s fun, too.” at Riotous Youth because there are Claudia Maurino agrees: “Every day no typical Riotous Youth campers, is a new adventure.” either. “We have all kinds of kids Campers tend to return to Riotous with all kinds of interests in the Youth year after year, and Marc program,” Ware says. That includes Maurino speculates that this may “theater kids” who practice their be because students get the chance craft year-round, as well as kids to advance and grow with every who only “do” Shakespeare in the session they attend. “The sessions summer. “We don’t have one type are conducted by professionals of student,” she adds, “just as we who take education seriously; don’t believe there’s only one way it’s not just a summer job for the to perform Shakespeare.” teachers — it’s a guided journey for The first couple days of a session the kids.” are spent getting to know one Of course it’s the performances at another and one of Shakespeare’s the end of a session that are eagerly plays. After that, mornings are for awaited by students, their families, rehearsing and afternoons are filled and teachers alike. All Riotous with group activities that may be Youth performances are staged in unrelated to the performance but Shakespeare & Company’s Rose are still connected to theater, such Playhouse — the world’s only as learning the art of swordplay. historically accurate recreation of Other afternoon activities might the original Rose, which was built include learning how to clown or in 1587 on the south bank of the stage a duel, voice or movement Thames River in London. classes, and more.

This summer’s Riotous Youth “I remember partaking in one sessions begin on in late June, and particular activity called ‘Crossing campers in all three age groups will the River,’” Allen recalls. “The goal tackle As You Like It. Other sessions was to get all members of the group throughout the summer will center from one side of the stage to the around Henry V, Macbeth, Twelfth Night. other without touching the floor.

I remember immense silliness as

Be a part of this year’s camps and discover the true meaning of summer... having fun and making friends!!!

Space is limited so don’t wait!

Camp MacDuffie offers five weeks of exciting camp experiences: Week 1: July 13 - July 17 Week 2: July 20 - July 24 Week 3: July 27 - July 31 Week 4: August 3 - August 7 Week 5: August 10 - August 14 Camp programs include: Arts • Athletics • Creative Writing Dance • Theater • Science • And More!

Monday - Friday • 9am - 3pm Area field trips and lunch included Additional morning and afternoon hours available

Register now for summertime fun at macduffie.org

The MacDuffie School

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SwaggerTag Easily identify which equipment belongs to which camper with this tag that can be customized with a child’s photo, image, message or logo.

Personal details can be added inside, revealing the information only if the tag is opened. swaggertag.com • $3.99

PaddlePak These colorful, water-resistant backpacks from Trunki prevent damp items from leaking through and keep contents dry. Made from lightweight and durable material, PaddlePak has a roll-top seal that uses the same innovation as adult outdoor bags, a breakaway safety buckle, reflective trim, and a tail fin that doubles as a pocket for small valuables.

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trunki.com • $25 and up

Campfire Guitar Nothing makes a campfire like a guitar.

Campfire Guitar knows aspiring musicians want to play popular songs as soon as possible, which is why its online lessons have been designed to get children and adults playing quickly and easily by providing the essentials beginners need to play thousands of popular songs. Those who already own a guitar can pay a one-time fee for unlimited access to the online lessons. Those who need an instrument can purchase the company’s studio-quality, full-size guitar, which features a built-in tuner, pickup jack, free shipping, and unlimited access to lessons.

campfireguitarlessons.com $249 (guitar and unlimited

R a

IT UP!

Your Child’s Camp Gear Gift Guide Whether it’s day camp or sleep-away, here is a list of fun, new, inspired takes on summer camp essentials

access to online lessons)

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Pack'Ems

$49 (unlimited access to online lessons)

These reusable snack pouches open and close with a Velcro seal and feature an expanding bottom, allowing them to stand on their own and accommodate more food. BPA-, PVC- & phthalate-free, they are top-rack dishwasher safe and come with two sizes in each package.

booginhead.com • $9.99

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SunLovePeace Sun-Protective Clothing Created by a melanoma survivor and mother of two girls, SunLovePeace says its mission is to provide fashionable, “worry-free” clothing with built-in sunprotective qualities. The garments have a UPF rating of 50+, block more than 99.5% of UV rays, and come in styles for boys and girls with sizes ranging from XXS-XL. Kids can choose a design or build their own customized shirt.

sunlovepeace.com • $42 and up 26 MARCH2015 27

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Ring Ching Ching Laundry Bags and Pillow Cases

Swiggies These wrist water bottles are made of foodgrade, BPA-free plastic and offer easy, hands-free hydration. Each Swiggie holds 8 fluid ounces and can be frozen, which when worn on a wrist, can also cool down overheated campers.

Campers can choose from bright, fun prints, allowing them to express their personality and ensure their pillow or bag doesn’t get lost among a sea of plain white gear.

ringchingching.com $20 (pillow cases) $22 (laundry bags)

swiggies.com • $12.95 (set of 2)

qlipter

Wallaroo Packable Hats Made from canvas, microfiber, cotton twill or poly-straw, Wallaroo’s line of Packable Hats for kids are crushable and versatile for everyday wear. Plus, with a UPF rating of 50+, the lightweight hats, in an array of age-appropriate styles, block out 97.5% of harmful UV rays.

wallaroohats.com • $20 & up

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Mom-invented qlipter is a large clip with a rotating, folding hook, which can hang over virtually any surface or bar and hold up to 50 lbs. Campers can hang backpacks, wet shoes or suits, lanterns, food or anything else from tree branches, outdoor tables, tents or cabins. No more muddy packs and belongings!

qlipter.com • $19.95

Hobo Roll Compression Bag This Kickstarter-funded organizational stuff sack features 5 internal compartments, making packing easy for day or overnight campers. Kids can designate one compartment for stuffed animals, one for socks and undies, one for shorts and shirts, accessories, etc.

Once packed, campers simply cinch the end to close and carry it via the shoulder strap or handle.

Block Island Organic Sunscreen This line of natural, organic sunscreen products are non-comedogenic (won't clog your pours), vegan formulated, paraben free, phthalate free, nano particle free, artificial fragrance free, non-eye irritating, not tested on animals and made in the U.S. Also, unlike most sunscreens, Block Island sunscreen uses minerals (zinc and titanium) instead of chemicals for their UV blocking ingredients.

gobigear.com • $39.99

blockislandorganics.com $24.99 (6 fl oz, SPF 30)

,

Meal Kit 2.0 & Light My Fire Pack-Up Bottle This mess kit is ideal for any camper, sporting everything your child needs to prepare and eat a meal in all outdoor environments: two plates, a foldable Pack-up-Cup with lid, a combined strainer and cutting board, a Spork, two waterproof SnapBoxes in different shapes and sizes, and a harness to keep everything neatly packed. The PackUp Bottle (not pictured) holds 23 oz. and is collapsible for easy transport, sports a loop for comfortable carrying or strapping to a backpack, and is dishwasher and microwave safe.

industrialrev.com $27.99 (MealKit 2.0) $19.99 (Pack-Up Bottle)

Go Caddy Don’t need a large backpack? This compact tote is just the right size to hold a camper’s water bottle and small gear, leaving their hands free. Plus, Mom or Dad can snag it for themselves when camp is over.

gocaddy.com • $19.99 BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 26 27

COUNTDOWN TO SUMMER CAMP

Fresh Air Fund provides new outlook on life for kids, families alike

BY SARA POKORNY

For most parents, sending children on a walk up the street to their friend’s house or allowing them to play in the yard are blips on the parental radar; nary a thought may be given to such actions. Yet, for some kids, a stroll up the street or a frolic mere feet from home is simply not an option — which is one of the reasons the Fresh Air Fund was formed and has been going strong for over a century.

Every summer since 1877, the Fresh Air Fund, an

Offering Beginner horse programs in a friendly environment.

Student will learn basic horse care, tacking, grooming, and a riding lesson everday.

Not only will they learn about horses but we offer a great arts and crafts program, and hands on experience around the horses.

Training Center

This is an all day program from 8:30 am until 3:30 pm.

The cost for this program is $300. per week.

Weekly slots available, call or email for details slots fill up quickly.

June 29-July 5th • July 27-July 31st • Aug. 3-7 Located at 203 Taylor Street Granby, MA 01033 Visit us on Fb at www.facebook.com/mountainviewtc or www.mountainviewtrainingcenter.com 28 MARCH2015 29

Multi-Child Discount

Please contact Dan Dali’Haber at 413-467-RIDE (7433)

COUNTDOWN TO SUMMER CAMP independent, not-for-profit agency, shuttles buses of New York City children to stay with a host family for a week, giving them the chance to experience a different way of living. Kids from 6 to 18 years old can sign up through the more than 90 participating social service and community organizations in the five boroughs of the Big Apple. To date, Fresh Air has benefited more than 1.8 million children.

Sue Morello of Amherst has been involved with the Fresh Air Fund for the past 12 years, though she became familiar with the cause at a young age when she saw children come to Rutland, Vermont, where she grew up. With three children of her own, she hosted during her first year, and the next she was asked to be a chairperson for her area. She now oversees and supports the chairs from the Pioneer Valley, and she’s still hosting inner city kids.

“At first we hosted a little boy for six years,” Morello said of her initial experience with the program, hosting a 9-year-old named Mike.

“He was wonderful. He was polite and smart and willing to try anything new. He got along with my kids and was just eyes wide open for everything.”

Morello’s daughter was quick to point out that adding another boy

to the two-son family was unfair, so for two years after that they also hosted a girl. She was followed by another girl, whom the family has been hosting for six years, this year being her last.

A lengthy partnership with the

more than 65% of all children are re-invited to stay with their host families year after year.

“For the city kids, it plants a little seed of, ‘Oh, there’s a different way to live,’” Morello said. “Suddenly, they’re in your house and with your

program is not unusual, nor is having the same child stay with a family year after year. Strong bonds are formed when those from such different walks of life come together, particularly for the child from the city. According to the organization,

family and they’re seeing a different way of living, of interacting, of being able to be outside more, of a little more freedom from some of the worries of the city a lot of these kids come from. Sometimes parents keep them inside because they

Thompsons

don’t want them hanging out on the street. They don’t realize, when they’re here, that they can open the door and step out into the backyard when they want — something our kids take for granted.”

The impact Fresh Air has on city children was immediately known for Geri Fogg of Northbridge.

When she started six years ago she volunteered to escort a Fresh Air bus leaving from the city. She recognized the newbies, the kids who have been doing this a while and knew each other, and the older set that seemed as though they couldn’t be bothered with the younger. Her experience with the latter is what struck her most.

“I was a little intimidated. These kids are coming from some of the toughest streets in our country,” she says. “Yet, every single one of them I introduced myself to softened and started to tell me wonderful stories about what they called their Fresh Air moms and dads, about these Fresh Air siblings they’ve grown up knowing. That was the moment that changed it for me, that I could see this was really making a difference in these kids’ lives. It truly is a support system for them.”

The new outlook on life can also be applied to the host family.

“We think it’s all for the kids, but

Quality Instruction Since 1981

Summer Gymnastics Fun Summer Programs For 3 to 5 Year Olds and Up

www.FunWithUs.com Call or Go On-Line

413-532-0374 • www.FunWithUs.com

200 Old Lyman Rd., South Hadley BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 28 29

COUNTDOWN TO SUMMER CAMP

Adventures Await You This Summer at Bement!

A Traditional Day Camp Experience for Boys and Girls ages 4 to 15 years From Bement’s beautiful campus in Historic Deerfield, campers enjoy a wide variety of fun activities, including: • arts and crafts • swimming • sports • hiking

• hands-on history • computer programming • Chinese • model rocketry

• magic tricks • nature programs • baking • candy making

• partner programs with Adventure In Adventure Out and Historic Deerfield Bement Adventure Camp Session 1: June 29 - July 10 Session 2: July 13 - July 24 Session 3: July 27 - August 7 Outdoor Leadership Program with Adventure In Adventure Out

Week 1: June 22 - 26 Week 2: August 10 - 14 Week 3: August 17-21

the Fresh Air Fund secret is that we get just as much — if not more — out of it than the kids do,” said Stenie Gullans of Natick, a five-year participant and chairperson for Metro West. “As a host family, it’s important for us to see that not everybody is lucky like us, to have yards to play in, trees to climb.”

It also spawns fond and lasting memories. To this day, Morello gets choked up talking about Mike’s reaction to a camping trip to Vermont.

“Mike was up there chopping wood and swimming in a swimming hole and jumping off a rock and sleeping in a tent, cooking marshmallows.

The weekend was over, we packed up all our things and we were in the car…we weren’t even down off that hilltop yet…” Morello trailed off, pausing to take a breath. Her next words were tinged with tears. “We weren’t even off that hilltop and he said, ‘Can we come back next year?’”

Nine-year-old Ariel had always cooked for her family, so when she spent the summer with the Foggs she did the same, introducing them to collard greens. Last year, the Foggs hosted a 6-year-old boy, Joshua, who came from a Spanishspeaking family but spoke fluent English.

“I’ll never forget that he didn’t know

the English word for cucumbers, just the Spanish one, so all my kids that week were calling cucumbers by their Spanish name,” Fogg said.

Though Fresh Air has certainly helped its fair share of kids, there are still many who don’t get the opportunity.

“Every year about 200 kids cannot be placed,” Gullans said. One of her main tasks is to recruit new families to be matched. Matches are usually made based on the kind of activities and life the host family has and the family receives the match in advance so they can reach out to the child before he or she comes.

Gullans said there is no perfect host family, nor should there be any strain on anyone who decides to participate.

“I have people who are empty nesters, families of all kinds and sizes with and without children.

Single parents, two mothers, two fathers, grandparents. There is no financial obligation,” she said. “You do what you would normally do with your children for that week, and there’s just one more little mouth to feed.”

Go to baystateparent.com for information on how to learn more about hosting a child through Fresh Air Fund.

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PLUS: Counselor-in-Training Program (ages 13 to 15 years) Junior Camp (ages 4 to 6 years) Please visit our web site for more information, and to register.

Questions? 413.774.7061 www.bement.org/summer 30 MARCH2015 31

Learning differently demands teaching differently.

Eagle Hill School

www.ehs1.org

413-477-6000

ION

BayStateHalfPage2:Layout 1 2/16/15 2:14 PM Page 1

SPECIAL EXHIBITS INCLUDED FEATURING...

PRESCHOOL THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL WALDORF EDUCATION

SUMMER COURSES FOR KIDS & TEENS Inspiring a lifelong love of learning www.hartsbrook.org

JULY 13-31

Unlock their inner artist, writer, scientist, or designer! Courses for ages 5-15 in art, robotics, science exploration and more.

For more information or to register call 413.263.6800, ext. 377, or visit springfieldmuseums.org/learning_and_travel

FARM CAMP at The Hartsbrook School runs April vacation week and 4 summer sessions BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 30 31

me is st nt ng en es 9, th ly in te.

COUNTDOWN TO SUMMER CAMP

THE LOWDOWN ON

ticks

and Lyme disease: Inside the Staggering Statistics

BY MICHELLE PERRAS-CHARRON

With the changing season and the warm days of spring ahead, many parents (myself included) are itching for spring sports to begin, finally putting an end to the bitter cold and snow of winter storms past.

Spring break looms and we will pass another checkpoint on the school calendar with our eyes on the prize — summer vacation! Thinking ahead to these glorious days of no more packed lunches, folder checks, and lost hats that will never make it home, we will optimistically begin researching summer camps for our kiddos and planning family camping trips around New England. While making those plans, parents need to keep in mind that Massachusetts and neighboring states lead the nation in confirmed cases of Lyme disease, which is caused by the bite of an infected deer tick.

The ugly truth To put things in perspective, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) the 2013 national incidence rate for Lyme disease (the number of new cases per 100,000 people) was 8.6. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) states that Lyme disease is considered endemic throughout the Commonwealth and reports the 2013 incidence rate for Lyme disease in our state is a whopping 65.09, which is a 12% increase from 2012. Areas of high incidence for Lyme disease include most of the eastern half of the state, however, MDPH also notes that isolated areas of high incidence occurred in Franklin, Hampshire, and Worcester counties.

In case you were thinking of taking off to a neighboring state for the summer, know that according to the CDC, Connecticut follows close 32 MARCH2015 33

behind with an incidence rate of 58.7, whereas New Hampshire and Vermont top the charts at 100 and 107.6, respectively. Maine’s incidence rate is 84.8. In fact, the CDC reports that 95% of new cases of Lyme disease came from just 14 states, as it is heavily concentrated in the northeast and upper Midwest.

Maybe you’re thinking Lyme disease is only a problem for older people who like to hunt. I mean, they’re out in the woods, handling deer and other wild game that carry deer ticks.

Only older people get Lyme disease, right? Well, surprisingly, you may be floored to learn that Lyme disease is most prevalent among children ages 5 to 9, both nationally and in our state.

Now you’re thinking, I’ll just keep the kids away from the woods. Again, you may also be surprised to learn that you do not need to be walking in the woods to get bitten by a tick — your own backyard can play host to these parasites.

Belchertown resident Beth Knodler knows this all too well. Only 31 at the time, Knodler was bitten in her own backyard by a tick in July 2009.

Her family was building a treehouse for her two young children and she believes she was bit while walking back and forth from her house to the edge of the woods on her property.

“I did not know I was bitten for a few days,” she recalls. “I first noticed a rash on the back of my thigh. But it was not a bulls-eye rash! It was oblong, raised, red, and hot to the touch with a large bruise. I cannot stress enough that it was not a circle with a bulls-eye. We could not even find the ‘bite’ location with a magnifying glass!”

Though well known for the classic “bulls-eye” rash, known as erythema migrans, not all tick bites will cause

this trademark rash. The MDPH notes that 72% of confirmed cases of Lyme disease reported an erythema migrans, meaning 28% did not, as in Knodler’s case.

This can make it difficult for healthcare providers to quickly diagnosis patients suffering from early Lyme disease. The MDPH notes that symptoms of early Lyme disease usually begin within 3 to 30 days after being bitten by an infected tick and can include: erythema migrans and flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, stiff neck, sore and aching muscles and joints; fatigue; and possibly swollen glands. If left untreated, Lyme disease can cause lingering long-term health issues.

After being bitten, Knodler was unwell for several days, and her rash continued to grow larger. Over time, Knodler, a young, active, healthy mother of two, began to experience aches, pains, joint swelling, fever, confusion, and short-term memory loss.

“It was heartbreaking,” she says. “I was not eating and it even hurt for my kids to touch me. I would lay on the couch and cry in pain.”

When a Lyme test was finally done, Knodler was told she had the highest Lyme count one doctor had ever seen. She was immediately put on antibiotics, which alleviated many of her symptoms. However, Knodler now suffers from symptoms of late-stage Lyme disease, such as joint pain, swelling, and short-term memory loss.

Untrue: Common misconceptions Knodler encourages parents to be vigilant.

“Do tick checks as a regular part

of your bedtime routine — all year long,” she says. “It is a myth that they die in the winter. You don’t see them as much in the winter, but they are still around, especially a winter without a lot of snow.”

Dr. Jennifer Roche of Amherst Pediatrics confirms that daily tick checks are necessary in all months of the year for families to protect children from the dangers of Lyme disease.

“Calls regarding ticks and tick bites are a frequent occurrence,” Roche says. “Most tick bites do occur between May and October, but with milder winters we have had tick bites in all months.”

According to the CDC, this is because though young ticks, known as nymphs, are most active during the warm weather months, but between May and July, adult ticks can be out searching for a host any time winter temperatures are above freezing. Know that nymphs can be the size of a poppy seed, pencil point, or freckle, making them hard to detect, while adult ticks are the size of a sesame seed.

“Daily checks for ticks are essential in this area,” Roche notes. “They appear to be the most effective strategy to help prevent Lyme disease.”

A person is unlikely to get Lyme disease if the tick is not attached for at least 48 hours, she says. Therefore, all tick bites do not lead to Lyme disease — another misconception.

In fact, according to the CDC, the chances of transmission of Lyme disease from an infected tick increases with the amount of time it is attached to a person; from 0% at 24 hours, 12% at 48 hours, 79% at 72 hours, and 94% at 96 hours.

When checking your child for ticks, remember that ticks like warm places

COUNTDOWN TO SUMMER CAMP where they can hide out of sight.

Common places to check include the back of the knees, armpits, groin area, scalp, hairline, back of the neck, and behind the ears.

If you find a tick attached to yourself or your child, there is no need to panic. Remember that chances of infection increase over time. Remove the tick as soon as possible using tweezers. Grasp the tick close to the skin and pull straight out, then monitor your child for signs and symptoms of early-stage Lyme disease.

If you don’t think you quite got all of the tick out, again, don’t panic.

Roche says it is a misconception that the entire tick has to be removed.

“Actually, tick parts often remain after attempted removal,” she adds.

“Retained mouthparts are usually expelled by the body and do not increase the likelihood of Lyme transmission.”

Another tick misconception is that any attached ticks should be saved and tested for Lyme disease.

According to Roche, this is an unnecessary step because most ticks in our area are positive for the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.

Instead Roche emphasizes the importance of closely monitoring your child for symptoms after a tick bite.

“Again, it’s unlikely [that Lyme disease is transmitted] if attached for less than 48 hours and the importance is monitoring for symptoms which typically include a classic rash (ECM), fatigue, malaise, headache, muscle aches, and joint pains,” she says.

What parents can do Aside from daily tick checks, which should take place year round if your child plays in areas that may be inhabited by ticks (including your backyard), there are many precautions parents can take to reduce the risk of Lyme disease.

Know that ticks find a host by clinging to vegetation and waiting for humans or animals to brush up against them. Ticks cannot fly or jump — you must come in contact with them. Ticks are fond of brushy, wooded, and grassy habitats such as those found along hiking trails, in the woods, the edge of your yard, or within your yard if leaf litter exists.

This is because they are also fond of damp, shady, leafy areas, which are often found around homes in the fall.

To keep ticks out of your yard, MDPH recommends the following yard-care tips: • Keep grass cut short. Ticks are likely to be found in taller, unmown

grasses and shrubs.

• Remove leaf litter and brush from around your home.

• Prune low-lying bushes to let in more sunlight (this keeps the yard from being damp and shady).

Summer Discovery at AMS!

• Keep wood piles and bird feeders off the ground and away from your home. Mice and small rodents can carry ticks into your yard.

• Rid your yard of plants that attract deer, or use deer fencing on larger properties, as deer can also carry ticks into your yard.

• Use a three-foot-wide woodchip, mulch, or gravel barrier where your lawn meets the woods. Ticks are less likely to cross the barrier as they are prone to drying out.

• Pesticides can be used to reduce ticks on your property, but use of a licensed applicator experienced in tick control is recommended.

To protect yourself and your children when in areas prone to ticks: • Use an insect repellent that contains 20% to 30% DEET. DEET products should not be used on infants under 2 months of age and should not be used in concentrations higher than 30% on older children.

• Wear long, light-colored pants tucked into socks or boots, and a long-sleeved shirt. This keeps ticks off the skin and easier to identify if on clothing.

• Stay on cleared trails and avoid the edges of habitats where ticks are likely to be.

• And finally, check children for ticks as soon as possible after coming indoors. Then have your child shower or bathe, which serves a dual purpose. Bathing washes off any applied chemicals such as DEET, as well as any ticks that may be searching for a warm place to settle.

Ticks can wander for hours on the skin undetected before finding a place to attach on the body. Also, put clothes in the dryer on high heat for 60 minutes to kill any ticks that may be on clothing your child has worn outside.

Before you start cancelling camping trips and put your kids under lock and key this summer, remember our kiddos need their outdoor time and we, as parents, have the ability to prevent tick bites and, therefore, Lyme disease. Yes, it takes some extra effort on our part, but I think we’ll all agree it's well worth it.

June 15 through August 7 Ages 18 months - 12 years Special units on Art, Illustrating and Bookmaking, LEGO, Nature Building, and more!

Registration opens in March!

Visit www.amherstmontessori.org for more information.

Amherst Montessori School 27 Pomeroy Lane Amherst, MA 01002 (413) 253-3101 BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 32 33

COUNTDOWN TO SUMMER CAMP

2015 SUMMER PROGRAMS

Girls! Star in Your Own Movie This Summer!

LEARN TO SUCCEED.

Curtis Blake Learning Services has helped language learning disabled students for more than 40 years, addressing their unique learning needs with research-based interventions. Our Summer Instructional Clinic is held on the campus of American International College, with daily sessions, Monday through Thursday, during the month of July.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: PHONE: (413) 205-3420 EMAIL: info@curtisblakelearning.com www.CurtisBlakeLearning.com

For Girls 10-14  Build confidence & character  Nurture lasting friendships  Discover talents & passion  Develop teamwork & leadership  Exercise imagination

ACT NOW! Em powerment th rough im provised m ovie-making

34 MARCH2015 35

July 20-24

Amherst

July 27-31

Northampton

Aug 3-7

Amherst

Aug 24-28

Northampton

In one fun, magical week you’ll play improvisation games, create a story, & star in your own original movie!

More information & registration

www.actnowmovies.org

*For a complete list of sweepstakes rules please visit www.oasischildren.com/sweepstakes or call 800-317-1392.

in

Northampton at

Smith College

• Traditional Day Camp for kids ages 5-11 • Early Start Imagination Camp for pre-K kids ages 3-5 • Teen Travel for emerging teens ages 12-15 • 8:30am-4:30pm with extended hours available • Beautiful outdoor facilities & ample air-conditioned indoor space • Sports, Visual & Performing Arts, Outdoor Adventure & Red Cross Swim Instruction • Hot Lunch & Transportation available • Low Ratios with Mature Staff • Flexible enrollment for 2-7 weeks

Come meet us & find out more at an info session!

March 4th / April 8th / May 6th • 5:30pm Smith College • Seeley Hall Room 110 To RSVP call or visit us online today!

oasischildren.com • 800.317.1392 BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 34 35

COUNTDOWN TO SUMMER CAMP

In honor of our 15 year anniversary we’re giving away 2 WEEKS of FREE CAMP & other awesome prizes!* Go to www.oasischildren.com/sweepstakes to enter! GOOD LUCK!

COUNTDOWN TO SUMMER CAMP

Springfield Camp Lands $1.3 Million Grant To Ensure Universal Access for All

BY PATRICE FAGNANT-MACARTHUR

I

magine you are a girl with a physical disability that requires the use of a wheelchair, or a boy with ADHD, or a child with learning disabilities or visual and hearing impairments. Where can you go for summer camp where you can be included and accepted for being yourself — and not as a person with a disability?

Camp STAR Angelina, located in

Springfield’s Forest Park and run by the city Parks Department, is designed to meet that need. It is an inclusive camp for youth of all abilities, ages 3-22, in the greater Springfield area. Last December, the camp received a $1.3 million grant that will fund upgrades to ensure universal access to the grounds and facilities for all campers.

Running six weeks every summer, the program serves approximately 70 to 80 campers each year. Activities include swimming, sports, games, crafts, field trips, and an end-of-camp variety show. T. J. Donahue, Camp STAR Angelina Seasonal Director, says it provides a place where young people “get to be themselves, laugh and play, and not worry about homework, school bullies and being teased by others….They can just relax and enjoy life.”

Camp STAR Angelina has a long history of serving the special needs community. Long before

accommodations were required by law, a grassroots movement began in Springfield to serve children with developmental delays or physical limitations. In 1956, the city began offering therapeutic recreation programs, and in the 1960s, two summer camps were formed: Camp STAR, which met at Kennedy Middle School, for those with physical limitations, and Camp Angelina, meeting at Angelina Park on South Branch Parkway, for those with developmental limitations.

In the 1990s, the two programs merged to form Camp STAR Angelina and met at Angelina Park. About 10 years ago, the camp relocated to the Camp Seco grounds, later renamed Camp STAR Angelina, in Forest Park. According to Patrick Sullivan, Executive Director of the Springfield Parks, Building and Recreation Department, this camp is a hidden jewel in the city, ensuring that all young people have access

to a summer camp experience and providing a positive outlet for all those who attend.

The Aubin family can testify to the value of Camp STAR Angelina. Jim and Carol Aubin originally became involved with the camp around 1980 when their son, the late Keith Aubin, was about 10 years old. Carol shares that the camp gave their son, who was developmentally delayed, an opportunity to be outside, go on trips and be with friends. Even after Kevin’s death in 1988, the Aubins continued to be involved with the camp. Carol would become president of the parents’ association, working to have functions and raise funds for the camp.

Keith’s sister, Jennifer Aubin Cloglazier, began working as a Camp STAR Angelina counselor as a teenager. She has served as camp director for the past 16 years.

“I'm speechless when it comes to camp, I usually get goose bumps and

ck o R s K id e ll! w k c @R o

nrm.org 413.298.4100 open year-round 9 Route 183 Stockbridge, MA

Join us for drop-in, hands on art classes for all ages throughout the summer.

More details at nrm.org Images ©Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

36 MARCH2015 37

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COUNTDOWN TO SUMMER CAMP break down and cry,” she says. “I love camp. I love my staff and I love to watch the children laugh, play and build friendships. We are very close.

We are one big family.” Her children, Kylie and Korey, are continuing the family tradition working at the camp.

The Camp STAR Angelina location in Forest Park is picturesque, featuring a tree-lined winding road leading into an oasis of nature. The setting itself provides a calming effect on the campers, inviting them to relax and enjoy all that Forest Park has to offer. However, the camp is in need of upgrades so that it may provide full universal access. Currently the indoor space available does not meet the needs of the camp on rainy days, requiring the staff and campers to relocate to a local high school during inclement weather. This is less than ideal for the camp programs. In addition, some trails are inaccessible to many of the campers. Lack of access prevents these campers from taking advantage of all that the setting has to offer.

In 2010, a master plan was developed and fundraising efforts began to make the dream of universal access a reality. Goals included building a heated pool with a sloped universal entry, an upgraded bathhouse, and constructing a new

administration lodge, activity center and amphitheater, where each of the 250 seats would be accessible to all. The administration lodge and activity center will be used yearround as conference and program space.

A grant from the State Department of Energy and Environmental Affairs provided more than $1.325 million in capital funding for these efforts. In addition, there have been contributions from organizations such as Mass Mutual, the Davis Foundation, the Rousseau Brothers, Universal Electric, Brouder Campbell Fence, GZAGeoenvironmental, the Springfield Municipal Tradesman Association and other private donations. Camp STAR Angelina also has an active parents’ organization that is involved in fundraising.

According to Springfield Parks Executive Director Sullivan, Phases One and Two of the project, including the pool, bathhouse, and administration lodge, are expected to be ready for use this summer.

Mayor Dominic Sarno of Springfield announced in December that the pool and bathhouse would be named after former Gov. Deval Patrick due to his commitment to providing universal access to outdoor recreation. About $1 million is still needed to fully complete the project.

AWARD WINNING PROGRAM

Summer 2015

JULY 6–31 Ages 5–16

westfield.ma.edu/cfk

SummerFun at The Common School!

521 S. Pleasant St, Amherst 413-256-8989

Mini Camp June 22-26 SummerFun June 29-July 24 (half and full day options) See our complete program descriptions and registration form at www.commonschool.org/summerfun BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 36 37

COUNTDOWN TO SUMMER CAMP

SUMMER FUN FOR KIDS AND TEENS! • Video Game Design

• Minecraft Construction

• Cooking with Chef Dino

• Soccer, Basketball, and Baseball

• American Sign Language • Into the Wild!

Wilderness Survival • Cops, Crime Scenes, and Careers

...and many more!

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• Web Design • Composing and Performing Music • Lego Robotics

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LET’S GO

How Your Toddler is Saving the Independent Bookstore Children

(and the Parents Who Buy for Them)

are the Indie Bookseller’s New Best Friend STORY AND PHOTOS By Justin Shatwell

E

ach holding one of her hands, the boy and girl drag the young mother through Thornes Marketplace in Northampton like a pair of excitable sled dogs.

“Go play,” she says as they finally reach their destination, and the kids bound over to an elaborate wooden train set and go about orchestrating epic collisions on a miniature scale.

The scene is one you might see in any shopping center in America, except this isn’t a toy store — it’s Booklink Booksellers, a small independent bookstore.

“I’ve become a destination, if you will,” says Gabriel Moushabeck, the

40 MARCH2015 41

store’s owner. “Now I find that the kids bring their parents here.”

Seven years ago, Moushabeck took a big gamble on children’s books. Noticing a rise in picture book sales and an influx of young families moving to Northampton, he decided to radically expand his children’s section.

He brought in his own kids and asked them what they would want to see in his store. The train set was a must, and Moushabeck invested more than $1,000 on that alone. He also brought in a designer from Brooklyn to produce large wooden trees to add a sense of whimsy. What started as a few bookshelves has grown to encompass almost the entirety of his

second floor. Moushabeck estimates that 50% to 60% of his floor space is now dedicated to catering to the under-five-foot crowd, and it’s paid off. Over the past five years he’s seen that section of his business grow 7% to 8% percent a year.

Moushabeck’s experience is far from unique. Joy Dallenegra-Sanger, senior program officer for the American Booksellers Association (ABA), a trade group for independent bookstores, says that across the country children’s sections are growing. Authors like Grisham and Hemingway are losing shelf space to the likes of Seuss and Sendak, and with good reason. In an era in which the physi-

cal book market is continuously being disrupted by the emergence of e-readers, the world of children’s publishing has emerged as a rare island of stability.

While e-books are making inroads in young adult (YA) fiction, the spread has been much slower in the area of picture books. Dallenegra-Sanger says this is because parents are hesitant to put tablets in the hands of young children and because the product simply does not stand up in digital form.

“For picture books, for books with visuals; you can’t replicate it,” she says. “There’s something about the physicality of it that matters.”

d

Market research suggests this might be true. A 2012 survey conducted by Bowker, a publishing research firm, found that even as parents were becoming more likely to read e-books themselves, they remained overwhelmingly against buying them for their children aged 12 and under.

But physical children’s books aren’t just surviving in the digital era; they’re thriving. In fact, the whole children’s/ YA market (both traditional and digital) is exploding. According to the Association of American Publishers, the sale of children’s and YA books was up 25% through the first three quarters of 2014 as compared to the same span the previous year, with growth in every category. Results were especially strong for books targeting the youngest readers. Sales of physical children’s board books saw an astonishing 47.1% jump, accounting for $53.4 million is sales.

“There are many stores that used to carry primarily adult books that have expanded into children’s books in the past few years, because it is such a strong growing category,” Dallenegra-Sanger says. “We’ve even seen new children’s-only bookstores opening in different areas of the country.”

This surge in children’s publishing is especially good for independent bookstores. While no longer on the endangered species list (the ABA reports that the number of indie bookstores has grown a whopping 20% in the past five years, from 1,651 in 2009 to 2,094 in 2014), they still face stiff competition from Amazon and Barnes & Noble. But DallenegraSanger says that in selling to children, the indies may enjoy some advantages over their behemoth rivals, and the ABA is scrambling to educate its members on the best ways to cash in.

Sometimes, this just means tweaking old strategies. Many independent bookstores found success by redefining themselves as gathering places.

They added a few couches, set up wireless routers, and started selling coffee.

Moushabeck says he applied this same logic to the children’s section at Booklink. Like his café, he wanted it to be something that would draw people in, “a place where families can meet,” as he puts it. The approach has been successful. His store is one of the few places in downtown Northampton where parents can take a break and let their children entertain themselves for 15 minutes. They don’t always buy something while they’re there, but Moushabeck says that doesn’t matter.

“It might not translate immediately to the sale of books, but I have the feeling that in the long run it will,” he says.

But what about smaller bookstores?

Jessica Mullins, owner of the World Eye Bookshop in Greenfield, says that while her children’s section en-

compasses about half her store, she doesn’t have the space to do anything elaborate. That hasn’t slowed her down, though. Like Moushabeck, she says she’s seen her children’s books sales steadily growing, both through sales in the store and through book fairs at area schools.

She says that selling children’s

doctor’s office. Spurred by a growing body of research that suggests a child’s brain development is greatly affected by the number of words they hear spoken while growing up, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a new policy in the summer of 2014 directing doctors to promote reading to children daily from birth

books gives her a greater opportunity to interact with her customers. When shopping for themselves, adults tend to come in knowing exactly what they want and are less likely to ask for a recommendation, she explains.

Not so when they’re shopping for little ones.

Dallenegra-Sanger says that this is where independent bookstores can really outperform their competitors.

“Parents often don’t know what to buy, and they really want somebody to help guide their purchase, and that’s hard to do online” she says.

She argues that Internet algorithms just can’t beat a flesh-and-blood bookseller when it comes to recommendations. She encourages bookstore owners to talk to parents about what their kids’ interests are and then guide them to the perfect book.

And, according to Mullin, that perfect book is probably somewhere on her shelves.

“If there’s an idea, there’s a book for it,” she says. “If you’re into owls, great! There’s a great kid’s owl book.

If you’re into racecars, great! There’s a great kid’s racecar book.”

While being more family friendly is a great start, Dallenegra-Sanger is encouraging bookstore owners to think outside the box and be more aggressive in courting young readers by finding ways to be a bigger part of their lives. She’s not just talking about reading groups or reward programs. She’s telling storeowners to consider things like hosting birthday parties or even staging summer camps.

Another avenue she recommends is reaching out to kids through their

during visits. Many doctors are even going so far as to hand out free books at check-ups.

Dallenegra-Sanger says this trend could lead to profitable partnerships for independent bookstores, and she

knows of at least one bookseller who is going into hospitals to teach pregnant women about the importance of reading. Neither of the booksellers interviewed for this story reported going to quite that length, though Mullins said she has had some success partnering with a non-profit organization in Greenfield that reads to children in their homes.

More important to her bottom line, however, is a new trend in baby showers that seems to have sprung from the medical research. She says that mothers are now telling their friends to forgo the typical Hallmark greeting cards and bring a book to the shower instead. She says she has shoppers in her store every weekend looking for baby gifts and has gotten a lot of practice in guiding them to the best books. Her biggest piece of advice? Avoid the classics.

“I work at a bookstore, and when I had my daughter, I got, like, eight copies of Goodnight Moon. I was like, ‘Really?’” she says.

There’s no way to know how much longer the boom in children’s publishing will last, but it’s a fair guess that the smallest readers will remain a very big part of the clientele at independent bookstores for a long time to come. For the time being, booksellers are content to make the most of it and just be thankful for the sales.

“We would be out of business if we were strictly adult,” Mullins says. “I can definitely say that.”

BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 40 41

MOM MATTERS

MOMS Club:

An Old-Fashioned Solution For a Timeless Problem

BY CHRISTINA COOPER

“You know what you need?” my mother asked me as she fed Susannah Cream of Wheat. Pop the spoon in, slide it out, scrape off the face, pop the spoon back in.

“A year of uninterrupted sleep?” I replied, feeding Jack his own gooey cereal. Pop the spoon in, slide it out, scrape off the face, pop the spoon back in. Twins at lunchtime: definitely a two-person job — maybe even three.

“You should join a moms’ group.

You need to spend time with other women your own age who have babies.” Spoon in.

I groaned. “No, no, no.” Scrape off the face. “There’s no way I’d fit in with a moms’ group.” I struggled to explain. “They will have scrapbooks. They will have had recent

haircuts. They will be….happy.”

My mother sighed at my stubbornness. “I’m just saying, I think it would help, being around other moms.”

“It would make me feel worse to be around other moms,” I insisted.

“I’m the only one who finds all of this so unbelievably hard.”

What a pleasure to be so wrong.

MOMS Club International has chapters in every state with more than 30,000 members. Started in 1983, the “Moms Offering Moms Support” club was designed to provide stay-at-home moms with an organization that met during the day and allowed children of all ages to participate in activities.

Morgan Brinker, current Northeast Regional Coordinator, points

out that MOMS Club chapters are busy and lively, regularly holding playgroups, monthly social/business meetings, activities, outings, service projects, and more. She sums up the club’s purpose by noting, “These events provide enriching activities for children, and for adults to meet and form friendships. MOMS Club chapters benefit the members, their family and local community by providing healthy social outlets.”

My kids were almost 2 when I finally bit the bullet and went to my first local MOMS Club meeting. When I arrived at the church auditorium, there were sleeping babies, squealing toddlers, scribbling preschoolers, and 10 moms sitting in a circle.

A table held drinks and snacks.

(Yay, snacks! Maybe these ARE my kind of women.) No scrapbooks in sight.

The president of the club immediately came over and introduced herself. The first thing she asked wasn’t, “When did you last get a haircut?” but “How are you doing?”

And she meant it. She introduced me to the other mothers, and I found out another mother had four kids, including a set of twins.

“But how do you do it? You look so…good!” I blurted out.

All the moms laughed. Suzy, the president, said, “It’s really hard. My girls are very close in age, and it is just hard.”

Other moms chimed in: “I can’t imagine twins, just having one baby is kicking my butt,” “I remember

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when mine were that age, as soon as my husband came home I’d throw our kid at him and run out into the driveway just to have some peace.”

Wait, what? Other moms didn’t always have the most wonderful time with their babies? They weren’t continuously singing and making organic baby food by hand and creating educational games out of toilet paper rolls? It was such a nice surprise that Moms Offering Moms Support meant telling the truth about parenthood and laughing together. Finding strength in numbers.

I have been a loyal member for five years, and I am not the only one who draws genuine support from my club. New to town, Melinda Basgen joined our chapter last summer.

"Being new to this area, the MOMS Club has been a vital anchor for me,” she says. “As a stay-at-home mom with two young children, the club has helped me learn about local activities for the kids and has helped them make friends. This is a wonderful group of supportive moms who have also become my friends.”

Longmeadow club member Nicole Woltschlaeger agrees.

“After having a career for nearly a decade in engineering, my decision to stay home with my daughter in 2005 plunged me into unknown and lonely territory,” she says. “I found

meed ed a ?” ed I ur

that I didn't know anyone outside of work, and suddenly I had no adults to interact with other than my husband. Through word-of-mouth I found the MOMS Club. That was in New Jersey; three years ago my husband's job transferred him to New England. The first thing I did when we were looking for a home was see if the town had a MOMS Club chapter. The MOMS Club had saved me during my last transition from career woman to stay-athome-mom, so I knew that it would be a great way to find support when we moved. Even though my kids have outgrown the club in the past three years that we've lived here, I haven't!”

With 40 active chapters in Massachusetts alone, MOMS Clubs every-

where are doing something right.

“I almost didn’t come to playgroup today,” I admitted in a friend’s backyard. “My kids were in tempertantrum mode. I didn’t want them to do something that would make all of you stop wanting to hang out with me.”

“That’s exactly when you need to come to playgroup,” she advised.

“Playgroup isn’t for them as much as it is for us. To see that everything that’s happening at your house is happening at our houses, too.”

All Joy and No Fun author Jennifer Senior writes about the social isolation of modern mothers: “In 2009, a specialty consulting firm surveyed over 1,300 mothers and found the 80% of them believed they didn’t have enough friends and 58% of

them felt lonely (with mothers of children under 5 reporting the most loneliness of all.)”

Children were never meant to be raised single-handedly. MOMS Club is an old-fashioned solution for a timeless problem: How do we take care of our kids without getting overwhelmed? We do it together.

If you’re looking for daytime support, check out the MOMS Club International website at momsclub. org. You can fill out a request for information and also search for websites of existing clubs near you. If families in Western Massachusetts are interested in forming a chapter within their local community, volunteers will walk them through the process and mentor them.

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our march favorites fa sunday

monday

1 88 {Fact}

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Keep kids’ lunches cold for up to 10 hours with PackIt’s freezable lunch bags. Fold the bag and keep it in your freezer overnight. The next morning send it to school; the product’s freezable gel liner keeps food cool without an ice pack. Enter to win a PackIt today at baystateparent.com.

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Worry Woo stuffed monsters were created to help children understand and express emotions, such as frustration, loneliness, insecurity and more. Get your chance to bring home Wince, the Monster of Worry, and his accompanying storybook by visiting baystateparent.com today.

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8 {Fact} 17 17

In traditional Irish folk tales, there are no female leprechauns, only smartly attired males.

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The Camelio 7” Tablet from Vivitar offers an advanced user experience in a kid-friendly device. More than 25 pre-installed productivity, utility, educational and game apps make the Android-powered tablet as much fun and useful for parents as it is for children. Today’s winner will also receive a Batmanthemed shock-proof case!

Visit baystateparent.com today for your chance to win this great device!

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It’s maple sugaring season! Approximately 40 gallons of sap must be boiled down to make 1 gallon of syrup.

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Kids can cuddle up anywhere with the mom-invented GoPillow, a portable, washable pillow with a retractable blanket.

Parents can use it as a nursing pillow with a built-in privacy cover-up, changing surface, infant pillow with attached swaddle blanket, toddler travel pillow, and much more.

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The VERVE 2 next-generation tech toy requires no programming or electronics knowledge and gives users the ability to control a computer or the Internet with everyday objects. Get started in just 5 minutes and create fun projects, like turning bananas, apples or any other fruit into a musical instrument or make a burglar alarm that texts the user when their parents enter their room. Head to baystateparent.com today for details on how to enter to win this fun kit, which retails for $119.

28 28{Fact} The first washing machine was patented on this date in 1930. And parents everywhere have rejoiced since.

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OUT& ABOUT

Hist

Phot

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Photo courtesy Old Sturbridge Village

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The Springfield Library celebrates favorite son Dr. Seuss’s birthday on March 7.

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art celebrates The Very Hungry Caterpillar Day on March 22.

Photo courtesy Berkshire Museum

Photo courtesy Springfield Library.

Photo courtesy Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art

Historians will demonstrate maple sugar making during Old Sturbridge Village’s Maple Days celebrations each weekend in March.

Children perform wacky, interactive, and fun science experiments at Berkshire Museum’s Kitchen Ka-Boom program on March 28.

BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 47

Phot

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OUT&ABOUT MELTDOWN WARNING: Before you pack up the mini-van, please confirm your destination. Although we’ve done our best to ensure accuracy at press time, things can and do change…

Machine Age and Modernism. The Clark, 225 South Street, Williamstown.

3 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Join the Curator of Prints, Drawing, and Photographs, Jay Clarke, for the opening lecture for this latest exhibition.

Recommended for ages 15 and up. $20. clarkart.edu.

Farmers’ Market Winter Fare. Greenfield Middle School, 195 Federal Street, Greenfield.

10 a.m.-1 p.m. Shop, attend a workshop, and enjoy a cup of soup, amongst various community events during this special event at the Greenfield Winter Fare’s Farmers’ Market.

Free. greenfieldfarmersmarket.com.

2 Monday Drop-in Playgroup. Northampton Parents Center, 297 Main Street, Northampton. 9:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Free. northamptonparentscenter.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. Easthampton Family Center, 43 Main Street, Easthampton.

10 a.m.-12 p.m. For children birth to age 5 with caregiver. Free. (413) 527-5496.

3 Tuesday Drop-in Playgroup. Northampton Parents Center, 297 Main Street, Northampton. 9:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Free. northamptonparentscenter.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. Otis Town Hall, 1 North Main Road, Otis. 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

Come play and chat at this parent-child playgroup where all caregivers are welcome.

For children up to age 5. Weekly on Tuesday.

Free. southberkshirekids.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. Easthampton Family Center, 43 Main Street, Easthampton.

10 a.m.-12 p.m. For children up to age 5 with caregiver. Free. (413) 527-5496.

Drop-in Playgroup. United Church of Ware, 49 Church Street, Ware. 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

The Ware Family Center provides play space and snacks. For children up to age 5. Free. warefamilycenter.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. Cummington Community House, 33 Main Street, Cummington. 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Children can participate in art activities, stories, songs, and play together. For children up to age 5. cummingtonfamilycenter.org.

4 Wednesday MotherWoman Postpartum Group.

Midwifery Care of Holyoke, 230 Maple Street, Holyoke. 1 p.m.-3 p.m. Join mothers for a 48 MARCH2015 49

free, safe, confidential drop-in support group for expectant and mothers of infants and babies up to 1 year old. Weekly on Wednesdays. Free. motherwoman.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. Lenox Community Center, 65 Walker Street, Lenox. 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.

Join us for this playgroup with table-top activities and snack time. Weekly on Wednesday. Free. southberkshirekids.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. Northampton Parents Center, 297 Main Street, Northampton. 9:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Free. northamptonparentscenter.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. United Church of Ware, 49 Church Street, Ware. 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

The Ware Family Center provides play space and snacks. For children up to age 5. Free. warefamilycenter.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. Cummington Community House, 33 Main Street, Cummington.

9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Children can participate in art activities, stories, songs, and play together. For children up to age 5. cummingtonfamilycenter.org.

5 Thursday Drop-in Playgroup. Northampton Parents Center, 297 Main Street, Northampton. 9:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Free. northamptonparentscenter.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. United Church of Ware, 49 Church Street, Ware. 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

The Ware Family Center provides play space and snacks. For children up to age 5. Free. warefamilycenter.org. @Mason Kid’s Chess. Mason Library, 231 Main Street, Great Barrington.

3:30 p.m.-5 p.m. Open chess time to meet others who enjoy playing chess, in a relaxed and supportive atmosphere. Chess boards and light snacks provided. Recommended for ages 7 to 12. Free. gblibraries.org.

Wildlife, Pollutants, and Watersheds.

Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, 472 West Mountain Road, Lenox. 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

Using watershed and pollution models, this family program will explore how contaminants get into rivers and strategies to restore rivers for people and wildlife. Come prepared to get a little wet and sandy. Recommended for ages 5 to 12. Register ahead. Free. massaudubon.org.

Tuck-Me-In Storytime. Hubbard Memorial Library, Ludlow. 7 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Join us for a bedtime-themed story time, where children are encouraged to come in their pajamas.

Photo courtesy The Clark

1 Sunday

The Clark welcomes new parents and their infants on March 6 for its New Parents Gallery Talk, designed to give parents a cognitive break from thinking about “all things baby.”

Recommended for ages 3 to 7. Register ahead.

Free. hubbardlibrary.org.

6 Friday Meet Rockwell’s Models. Norman Rockwell Museum, 9 Route 183, Stockbridge.

2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Find out what it was like to pose for America’s favorite illustrator from Rockwell’s own models, eager to share their personal experiences. Free with admission.

Members free, adults $17.50, children ages 6 to 18 $5, children under 6 free. nrm.org.

Moonlight Snowshoe Hikes. Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, 472 West Mountain Road, Lenox. 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Discover the sanctuary by moonlight as we meet up and separate into groups with beverage and snacks available after the hike. For families with children ages 7 to 12. Registration encouraged. Members $20, nonmembers $25. massaudubon.org.

Getting Real About Motherhood. UMass Family Center, 1200 North Pleasant Street, Amherst. 9:45 a.m.-11:15 a.m. Come join a diverse, community-oriented group where you can share laughs and tears, for mothers of infants through preschoolers. Snacks and childcare up to age 5 provided. Weekly on Friday. Free. motherwoman.org.

New Parents Gallery Talk. The Clark, 225 South Street, Williamstown.

10:15 a.m.-11:15 a.m. The Clark welcomes new parents and their infants into the galleries for an informal guided gallery talk, designed to give parents a cognitive break from thinking about “all things baby.” Recommended for parents with pre-toddlers. $20. clarkart.edu.

Warhol & the Stuff of Books. Williams College Museum of Art, 15 Lawrence Hall Drive, Suite 2, Williamstown. 6 p.m. Come enjoy experts and explore Warhol’s lifelong collecting obsession with books; drinks, food, and mingling to follow. Recommended for ages 16 and up. Free. wcma.williams.edu.

Drop-in Playgroup. Easthampton Family Center, 43 Main Street, Easthampton.

10 a.m.-12 p.m. For children up to age 5 with caregiver. Free. (413) 527-5496.

Drop-in Playgroup. Cummington Community House, 33 Main Street, Cummington.

9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Children can participate in art activities, stories, songs, and play together. For children up to age 5. cummingtonfamilycenter.org.

7 Saturday Maple Days. Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge.

9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. See the entire sugar-making process, from tapping the trees to “sugaring off,” and learn why maple sugar was more commonly used than maple syrup in early New England. Weekends through March. Free with

snowshoe hikes, and catching up with friends and neighbors over hot chocolate. Free with admission. Members free; nonmembers: adults $5, children 6 to 12, $1. thetrustees.org.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Memorial Hall Theater, 51 Bridge Street, Shelburne Falls. 7:30 p.m.-10 p.m. Come enjoy this superb, intelligent UFO mystery

by Stephen Spielberg that has stood the test of time. Recommended for ages 9 and up. Adults $6, children under 12 $4. shelburnefallsmemorialhall.org.

Courtesy of Berkshire Museum.

Photo courtesy The Clark

OUT&ABOUT

Kids can experience the Berkshire Museum’s WeeMuse Program on March 7.

admission. Adults $24, children ages 3 to 17 $8, ages 2 and under free. osv.org.

Members free, Adults $13, children under 18 $6. berkshiremuseum.org.

Dr. Seuss’s Birthday. Springfield City Library: Central Branch, 220 State Street, Springfield. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday by making a special Seuss-themed craft. For ages 3 to 12. Free. springfieldlibrary.org.

Free Family Day. Smith College Museum of Art, 20 Elm Street, Northampton. 12:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.

Enjoy this free admission day at the museum with hands-on activities for all ages. Free. smith.edu.

Kids Cooking Class. Chandler’s Restaurant, 25 Greenfield Road, South Deerfield.

10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Join Chandler’s Restaurant for this fun cooking class, complete with complimentary lunch for each child and one adult. Register ahead. $25 per child.

(413) 665-1277.

Family Day! Bringing Civil War History to Life. Norman Rockwell Museum, 9 Route 183, Stockbridge. 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Step back in time to explore the art of Mort Künstler, with activities and exhibition tours specially designed to bring out the history buffs in visitors of all ages. Free with admission. Members free, adults $17.50, children ages 6 to 18 $5, children under 6 free. nrm.org.

WeeMuse: Art Lab. Berkshire Museum, 39 South Street, Pittsfield. 10:30 a.m.-11 a.m.

Using the Museum as our inspiration, we will explore different art forms and mediums, via a project you can take home. For ages 2 to 5 with an adult. Register ahead. Free with admission.

Parker String Quartet. Jones Library, 43 Amity Street, Amherst. 2 p.m.-4 p.m. This Grammy Award-winning group, currently in residence at Harvard, will present a familyfriendly concert. Free. joneslibrary.org.

Winter Farmers’ Market. Greenfield Middle School, 195 Federal Street, Greenfield.

10 a.m.-1 p.m. Come enjoy both the foods and the people that make this region so fantastically one-of-a-kind, all while shopping for great finds to take home. Free admission. greenfieldfarmersmarket.com.

Winter Wildlife Guided Trek. Bullitt Reservation, Bullitt Road, Ashfield.

10 a.m.-12 p.m. Join an experienced nature educator for a winter exploration of the fields and forests at Bullitt. Snowshoe rental available in limited quantity. Register ahead. Members $5, nonmembers $10, children 12 and under free. thetrustees.org.

Hot Chocolate Saturday. Bartholomew’s Cobble, 105 Weatogue Road, Sheffield.

9 a.m.-4 p.m. Join us for winter programs,

Lego Club. Sunderland Public Library, 20 School Street, Sunderland. 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Come join us at the library for this program allowing children to come and explore the wonderful world of Legos with likeminded children. Recommended for ages 6-12. Free. sunderlandpubliclibrary.org.

Chess Club. Jones Library, 43 Amity Street, Amherst. 3:30 p.m.-5 p.m. Come enjoy an afternoon program with other like-minded chess enthusiasts. Free. joneslibrary.org.

8 Sunday Marvelous Multiples. Baystate Medical Center, Wesson Building, 759 Chestnut Street, Springfield. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. This all-day class talks about the special challenges faced by parents of twins and triplets during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period.

Recommended for women in their second trimester expecting twins or triplets. Register ahead. $75. (413) 794-2229.

9 Monday 2001: A Space Odyssey. Images Cinema, 50 Spring Street, Williamstown. 7 p.m. Come enjoy this classic Stanley Kubrick film as an imposing black structure provides a connection between the past and the future in this enigmatic adaption of a short story by Arthur C. Clark. Recommended for ages 9 and up.

Members $5, general admission $10, children 12 and under $5. imagescinema.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. Northampton Parents Center, 297 Main Street, Northampton. 9:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Free. northamptonparentscenter.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. East Hampton Family Center, 43 Main Street, Easthampton. 10 a.m.-12 p.m. For children up to age 5 with caregiver. Free. (413) 527-5496.

10 Tuesday Drop-in Playgroup. Northampton Parents Center, 297 Main Street,

Northampton. 9:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Free. northamptonparentscenter.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. Easthampton Family Center, 43 Main Street, Easthampton.

10 a.m.-12 p.m. For children birth to age 5 with caregiver. Free. (413) 527-5496.

Drop-in Playgroup. United Church of Ware, 49 Church Street, Ware. 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

The Ware Family Center provides play space and snacks. For children birth to age 5. Free. warefamilycenter.org.

11 Wednesday Parent & Child STEM Session. Berkshire Museum, 39 South Street, Pittsfield.

10:30 a.m.-11 a.m. Come explore the world of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math with your child through books, hands-on activities, and play. For children ages 2 to 4. Register ahead. Free. berkshiremuseum.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. Northampton Parents Center, 297 Main Street, Northampton. 9:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Free. northamptonparentscenter.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. United Church of Ware, 49 Church Street, Ware. 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

The Ware Family Center provides play space and snacks. For children birth to age 5. Free. warefamilycenter.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. Cummington Community House, 33 Main Street, Cummington.

9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Children can participate in art activities, stories, songs, and play together. For children up to age 5. cummingtonfamilycenter.org.

12 Thursday Teen Tech Week. Jones Library, 43 Amity Street, Amherst. 1 p.m.-3:30 p.m. The Jones Library invites teens to this weeklong event on technology. Free. joneslibrary.org.

The Notorious Mr. Bout. Mass MoCA, 1040 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams.

7:30 p.m. Part of Mass MoCA’s film series Deception, this documentary on a Russian entrepreneur, aviation magnate, arms smuggler, and strangest of all, amateur filmmaker, is sure to keep all in attendance captivated. Stay for a Q&A with the filmmakers after the screening.

Recommended for ages 15 and up. Students $5, general admission $9. massmoca.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. Northampton Parents Center, 297 Main Street, Northampton. 9:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Free. northamptonparentscenter.org.

For more events, visit baystateparent.com BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 48 49

OUT&ABOUT Drop-in Playgroup. United Church of Ware, 49 Church Street, Ware. 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

The Ware Family Center provides play space and snacks. For children birth to age 5. Free. warefamilycenter.org.

13 Friday Children’s Crafts. Forbes Library, 20 West Street, Northampton. 3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Join us in the Children’s Department for a fantastic crafting event. Free. forbeslibrary.org.

Free Second Friday. Smith College Museum of Art, 20 Elm Street, Northampton. 4 p.m.-8 p.m. Come to the museum to enjoy hands-on activities until 6 p.m., as well as an informal guided conversation about a piece of art. Free. smith.edu.

Norman Rockwell in Detail. Norman Rockwell Museum, 9 Route 183, Stockbridge.

2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Hear the stories behind some of Norman Rockwell’s most memorable works, with the Curator of Education. Free with admission. Members free, adults $17.50, children ages 6 to 18 $5, children under 6 free. nrm.org.

A Circle of Moms. MotherWoman Office, 220 Russell Street, Hadley. 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Join mothers experiencing a challenging postpartum time for a free, safe, confidential drop-in group for mothers of infants and babies up to 1 year old. Free snacks and childcare up to age 5 provided. Weekly on Friday. Free. motherwoman.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. Easthampton Family Center, 43 Main Street, Easthampton. 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

For children birth to age 5 with caregiver. Free.

(413) 527-5496.

Drop-in Playgroup. Cummington Community House, 33 Main Street, Cummington. 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

Children can participate in art activities, stories, songs, and play together. For children up to age 5. cummingtonfamilycenter.org.

14 Saturday Fancy Nancy Luncheon. Chandler’s Restaurant, 25 Greenfield Road, South Deerfield. 11 a.m. Bring your child in their fanciest attire for the fanciest luncheon around, complete with a special Fancy Nancy reading.

Price varies depending on menu item.

(413) 665-1277.

Fashion Figure Drawing. Berkshire South Regional Community Center, 15 Crissey Road, Great Barrington. 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Explore fashion illustration as you draw from imagination and other imagery while learning the proportions of the figure. For ages 10 to 14. Register ahead. Members $20, guests $24. berkshiresouth.org.

50 MARCH2015 51

Happier Valley Comedy Show. Arts Block Café, 289 Main Street, Greenfield. 8 p.m.

Join the improv comedy group the Ha-Ha’s in this delightful show with a special guest at each performance. For ages 13 and up. Advanced tickets $10, day-of $13, theartsblock.com. @Mason Dad and Me: Child Playground.

Mason Library, 231 Main Street, Great Barrington. 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Dads are invited to bring their kids for a story time and playgroup, complete with coffee, donuts, and juice. Free. gblibraries.org.

Dads and Kids Book Club. Springfield City Library: Mason Square Branch, 765 State Street, Springfield. 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Help your child develop a love of reading, through storytime, an arts & craft activity, snack, and time for dads to mingle. For preschool children and accompanying fathers. Free. springfieldlibrary.org.

Upcycled Art. Springfield City Library: Indian Orchard Branch, 44 Oak Street, Springfield.

12 p.m.- 2 p.m. Make beautiful decoupage boxes using found objects. For youth ages 11 and up. Preregistration recommended. Free. springfieldlibrary.org.

The Boxtrolls. Springfield City Library: Forest Park Branch, 380 Belmont Avenue, Springfield. 12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. Join us for the showing of this quirky family favorite while enjoying provided popcorn. Free. springfieldlibrary.org.

Start with Art: Flowers and Plants. The Clark, 225 South Street, Williamstown.

10 a.m.-12 p.m. Get your preschoolers off to a good start with themed talks, gallery guides, and art-making activities specially designed for this age group. Recommended for ages 3 to 6 with adult. Free. clarkart.edu.

La Donna del Lago in HD. The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington. 1 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Come enjoy this Metropolitan Opera production of Rossini’s classic opera set in the medieval Scottish highlands about a “lady of the lake” pursued by a king, broadcast live. General admission $25, children under 13 $18. mahaiwe.org.

Lego Club. Jones Library, 43 Amity Street, Amherst. 3 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Come enjoy an afternoon program with other children playing with Legos. For ages 6 to 10. Free. joneslibrary.org.

Spanish Story Hour. Jones Library, 43 Amity Street, Amherst. 10:30 a.m. You are invited to enjoy a favorite children’s book tale in Spanish. For ages 3 to 6. Free. joneslibrary.org.

Tink-a-Thon Finale. Hubbard Memorial Library, 24 Central Street, Ludlow. 10 a.m.

Come to this showing of the new, just released Tinkerbell and the Legend of Neverbeast.

Costumes are always encouraged and the popcorn is always free. Free. hubbardlibrary.org.

10 a.m.-12 p.m. For children up to age 5 with caregiver. Free. (413) 527-5496.

Hot Chocolate Saturday. Bartholomew’s Cobble, 105 Weatogue Road, Sheffield.

9 a.m.-4 p.m. Join us for winter programs and snowshoe hikes, then catch-up over hot chocolate. Free with admission. Members free; nonmembers: adults $5, children 6 to 12 $1. thetrustees.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. United Church of Ware, 49 Church Street, Ware. 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

The Ware Family Center provides play space and snacks. For children up to age 5. Free. warefamilycenter.org.

15 Sunday Cirque Ziva. The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington.

7 p.m. Come experience a new awe-inspiring cirque extravaganza from the internationally renowned troupe, The Golden Dragon Acrobats, as they perform a show of spell-binding beauty.

General admission $37 to $47, children ages 12 and under $25. mahaiwe.org.

Boot Camp for Dads. Bay State Health, Wesson Building, 759 Chestnut Street, Springfield. 1 p.m.-4 p.m. This class for expectant fathers covers such topics as forming a new family, the changing role of fathers, and how to meet the needs of the new mom.

Register ahead, $20. (413) 794-2229.

16 Monday The Birth Circle Support Group. Treehouse, 305 North Street, Pittsfield. 6 p.m.-8 p.m.

This drop-in support group provides a safe space for mothers and their support system to explore the different aspects of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Partners, those interested in learning about the process of birth, and infants in arms welcome. Free. motherwoman.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. Northampton Parents Center, 297 Main Street, Northampton. 9:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Free. northamptonparentscenter.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. Easthampton Family Center, 43 Main Street, Easthampton.

10 a.m.-12 p.m. For children up to age 5 with caregiver. Free. (413) 527-5496.

17 Tuesday Lucky Bingo. Hubbard Memorial Library, 24 Central Street, Ludlow. 6 p.m. Come join us on St. Patrick’s Day for a fun night of Lucky Bingo, where there will be prizes, snacks, and plenty of fun. Recommended for ages 6 and up. Register ahead. Free. hubbardlibrary.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. Northampton Parents Center, 297 Main Street, Northampton. 9:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Free. northamptonparentscenter.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. Easthampton Family Center, 43 Main Street, Easthampton.

18 Wednesday Keeping Baby Safe. Baystate Heath, 361 Whitney Avenue, Holyoke. 6 p.m.-9 p.m.

This class teaches basic life support, infant CPR, first aid for choking, poison prevention, babyproofing your home, and car seat safety. Register ahead. $35 per couple. (413) 794-2229.

Drop-in Playgroup. Northampton Parents Center, 297 Main Street, Northampton. 9:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Free. northamptonparentscenter.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. United Church of Ware, 49 Church Street, Ware. 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

The Ware Family Center provides play space and snacks. For children up to age 5. Free. warefamilycenter.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. Cummington Community House, 33 Main Street, Cummington. 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

Children can participate in art activities, stories, songs, and play together. For children up to age 5. cummingtonfamilycenter.org.

19 Thursday @Mason Kid’s Chess. Mason Library, 231 Main Street, Great Barrington. 3:30 p.m.-5 p.m.

Open chess time to meet others who enjoy playing chess, in a relaxed and supportive atmosphere. Chess boards and light snacks provided. Recommended for ages 7 to 12. Free. gblibraries.org.

Pathways for Mom. Wilbraham United Church, 500 Main Street, Wilbraham.

10 a.m.-12 p.m. Face the challenges of being a parent with a safe, confidential support group for mothers with an infant up to 12 months.

Free. (413) 583-3527.

Drop-in Playgroup. Northampton Parents Center, 297 Main Street, Northampton. 9:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Free. northamptonparentscenter.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. United Church of Ware, 49 Church Street, Ware. 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

The Ware Family Center provides play space and snacks. For children up to age 5. Free. warefamilycenter.org.

20 Friday We Are All in This Together. Community Action Family Center, 90 Federal Street, Greenfield. 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Join mothers of

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Drop-in Playgroup. Easthampton Family Center, 43 Main Street, Easthampton.

10 a.m.-12 p.m. For children up to age 5 with caregiver. Free. (413) 527-5496.

Drop-in Playgroup. Cummington Community House, 33 Main Street, Cummington.

9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Children can participate in art activities, stories, songs, and play together. For children up to age 5. cummingtonfamilycenter.org.

21 Saturday Spring at Laughing Brook. Laughing Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Main Street, Hampden.

10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Join us as we greet Spring and look for skunk cabbage poking its leaves from beneath the snow, insects, early frogs, blackbirds and turkey vultures. Register ahead.

Members $5, nonmembers $7. massaudubon.org.

First Child in the Woods. Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary, 127 Combs Road, Easthampton.

10 a.m.-11 a.m. Here is your opportunity to explore the beauty of nature with your youngster and other caregivers. For children ages 5 and under with caregiver. Register ahead. Members $5, nonmembers $7. massaudubon.org.

All Day Game Day. 2 Flights Up, 399 Main Street, Dalton. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Come for an all-day event of card and board games.

Free. 2flightsup.com.

Playgroup. Sunderland Public Library, 20 School Street, Sunderland. 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Come drop-in to this fun playgroup. For children ages 5 and under. Free. sunderlandpubliclibrary.org.

Lego Club. Sunderland Public Library, 20 School Street, Sunderland. 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Come join us at the library for this program allowing children to come and explore the wonderful world of Lego. Recommended for ages 6-12. Free. sunderlandpubliclibrary.org.

playtime session. For children ages 8 and under with caregiver. Free. (978) 544-5157.

23 Monday Fun with Junie B. Jones. Springfield City Library: Central Branch, 220 State Street, Springfield. 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Spend some time with this beloved book character as we read about her ups and downs navigating the school bus, friends, teachers, and much more, topped off with a game or craft. For children in grades kindergarten through fourth. Free. springfieldlibrary.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. Northampton Parents Center, 297 Main Street, Northampton. 9:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Free. northamptonparentscenter.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. Easthampton Family Center, 43 Main Street, Easthampton. 10 a.m.-12 p.m. For children up to age 5 with caregiver. Free. (413) 527-5496.

24 Tuesday Kids in the Kitchen: Indian. Hitchcock Free Academy, 2 Brookfield Road, Brimfield.

4 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Free. hitchcockacademy.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. Northampton Parents Center, 297 Main Street, Northampton. 9:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Free. northamptonparentscenter.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. Easthampton Family Center, 43 Main Street, Easthampton.

10 a.m.-12 p.m. For children up to age 5 with caregiver. Free. (413) 527-5496.

Drop-in Playgroup. United Church of Ware, 49 Church Street, Ware. 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

The Ware Family Center provides play space and snacks. For ages 0 to 5. Free. warefamilycenter.org.

25 Wednesday Parent & Child STEM Session. Berkshire Museum, 39 South Street, Pittsfield. 10:30 a.m.-11 a.m.

Come explore the world of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math with your child, through books, hands-on activities, and play. For children ages 2 to 4. Register ahead. Free. berkshiremuseum.org.

Breastfeeding for Multiples. Baystate Medical Center, Wesson Building, 759 Chestnut Street, Springfield. 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. This breastfeeding class addresses the needs of women who are planning on breastfeeding twins or more. Register ahead. $25. (413) 794-2229.

Drop-in Playgroup. Northampton Parents Center, 297 Main Street, Northampton. 9:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Free. northamptonparentscenter.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. United Church of Ware, 49 Church Street, Ware. 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

The Ware Family Center provides play space and snacks. For ages 0 to 5. Free. warefamilycenter.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. Cummington Community House, 33 Main Street, Cummington.

9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Children can participate in art activities, stories, songs, and play together. For children up to age 5. cummingtonfamilycenter.org.

26 Thursday STEM Story Time. The Lenox Library, 18 Main Street, Lenox. 11 a.m.-11:45 a.m. In collaboration with South Berkshire Kids, join the Lenox Library in this STEM-themed story-time filled with demonstrations, songs, and activities for little scientists. Free. lenoxlib.org.

Busy Bees Pre-School is a private EEC certified preschool.

Age groups We serve families with children between the ages of 2 years 9 months to 5 years 9 months.

Traditional programs

We offer two traditional programs.

Tuesdays/Thursdays and Monday/Wednesday/Friday.

Both programs go from 8:45 to 11:45.

Optional extended lunch offered from 11:45-12:45.

Marna Shields, M.Ed marnashields@charter.net 413-525-2566 181 Elm Street East Longmeadow, MA 01028 www.busybeespreschool.net

Bluebird Nest Box Building Workshop.

Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, 472 West Mountain Road, Lenox. 1:30 p.m.-3p.m.

Provide much-needed nest sites for cavity nesting birds in this family-friendly workshop assembling pre-cut bluebird nesting box kits.

Recommended for children ages 5 to 12.

Register ahead. Members $20, nonmembers $25. massaudubon.org.

Divergent. Springfield City Library: Mason Square Branch, 765 State Street, Springfield.

6 p.m.-8 p.m. Join us with as we watch this recent book adaptation following the journey of

22 Sunday

Providers:

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Day. The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, 125 West Bay Road, Amherst. 12 p.m.-4 p.m. Come celebrate one of Eric Carle’s most well-known and beloved books.

Free with admission. Adults $9, youth 18 and under $6. carlemuseum.org.

294 North Main Street East Longmeadow, MA 01028

Weekend Family Playtime. Erving Elementary School Gymnasium, 28 Northfield Road, Erving.

10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Join the Community Network for Children in this child/caregiver

www.pediatricservices.org www.pediatricservicesinwilbraham.com

35 Post Office Park Wilbraham, MA 01095

413-525-1870

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infants and babies up to 1 year old experiencing a challenging postpartum time in a safe, confidential drop-in group. Expectant mothers welcome. Free snacks and childcare up to age 4 old provided. Weekly on Friday. Free. motherwoman.org.

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OUT&ABOUT

Dr. Leif Nordstrom Dr. George Hepner Dr. Mark Belemjian Dr. Michelle Adams Susan Kearney, NP Meagan Hudak, FNP Rachel Tartaglia, NP Neil Nordstrom, DNP

Providing Quality Healthcare to the Community Since 1953

We offer:

1on1 Personal Training Group Training Fitness Classes: Bootcamp TRX Suspension Yoga and much more

28 Southwick St., Feeding Hills, MA 413-896-0891 Lindsey Petrangelo President * BSN-RN, ACSM-CPT www.finaldestinationfitness.com BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 50 51

OUT&ABOUT a heroine trying to save her kind. For ages 11 and up. Free. springfieldlibrary.org.

27 Friday Baby Magic. Baystate Health Medical Center, Wesson Building, 759 Chestnut Street, Springfield. 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. This class will cover realistic expectations of your new life together with a new baby for the first three months after birth, including engaging with your baby’s various cues for feeding, crying, and sleeping. $35 per couple. Register ahead.

(413) 794-2229.

Drop-in Playgroup. Easthampton Family Center, 43 Main Street, Easthampton.

10 a.m.-12 p.m. For children up to age 5 with caregiver. Free. (413) 527-5496.

Drop-in Playgroup. Cummington Community House, 33 Main Street, Cummington.

9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Children can participate in art activities, stories, songs, and play together. For children up to age 5. cummingtonfamilycenter.org.

28 Saturday Kitchen Ka-Boom. Berkshire Museum,

39 South Street, Pittsfield. 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Kids perform wacky, interactive, and fun science experiments in the Sabic Innovation Lab. Register ahead. Free with admission. Adults $13, children under 18 $6. berkshiremuseum.org.

Spring Tonic: Celebrating All Thing Grown Locally. The Lenox Library, 18 Main Street, Lenox. 12 p.m.-4 p.m. Join us for our 4th Annual Spring Tonic, as we enjoy samples of the bounty from local farms and purchase some to take home. Register to win a gift basket full of treats from the vendors. Free. lenoxlib.org.

Family Concert Series: Randy Kaplan. The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, 125 West Bay Road, Amherst. 11 a.m.

Balladeer Randy Kaplan blends American roots, country blues, and comedic storytelling into award-winning music suitable for the whole family. Tickets for cash or check only.

Adults $8, youth $6. carlemuseum.org.

Fancy Nancy Luncheon. Chandler’s Restaurant, 25 Greenfield Road, South Deerfield. 11 a.m. Bring your child in their fanciest attire for the fanciest luncheon around, complete with a special Fancy Nancy reading.

Price varies depending on menu item.

(413) 665-1277.

Hockey ’N Heels. MassMutual Center, 1277 Main Street, Springfield. 4:30 p.m.

This exclusive event will teach women Hockey 101 in a fun and interactive setting, including a vendor showcase, trivia, games, complimentary hors d’oeuvre and a cash bar. Women are encouraged to wear red, white, and blue heels.

Free with admission to the game. $15-$35. falconsahl.com.

763 Longmeadow Street, Longmeadow.

2 p.m. First opened off-Broadway in 1971, this classic musical is structured as a series of parables interspersed with a variety of modern music by Stephen Schwartz. Reserved admission $20, general $15. 1stchurchlongmeadow.org.

29 Sunday

Fun with Junie B. Jones. Springfield City Library: Central Branch, 220 State Street, Springfield. 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Spend some time with this beloved book character as we read about her ups and downs navigating the school bus, friends, teachers, and much more, topped off with a game or craft. For children in grades kindergarten through fourth. Free. springfieldlibrary.org.

30 Monday

Easter Bunny Breakfast. Holyoke Children’s Museum, 444 Dwight Street, Holyoke. 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Come join the Easter Bunny for this fun and festive breakfast.

Free with admission. $7, children under 1 free. childrensmuseumholyoke.org.

Drop-in Playgroup. Easthampton Family Center, 43 Main Street, Easthampton.

10 a.m.-12 p.m. For children up to age 5 with caregiver. Free. (413) 527-5496.

Maple Days. Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge.

9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. See the entire sugar-making process, from tapping the trees to “sugaring off,” and learn why maple sugar was more commonly used than maple syrup in early New England. Free with admission. Adults $24, children ages 3 to 17 $8, ages 2 and under free. osv.org.

31 Tuesday Drop-in Playgroup. Easthampton Family Center, 43 Main Street, Easthampton.

10 a.m.-12 p.m. For children up to age 5 with caregiver. Free. (413) 527-5496.

Godspell. First Church of Christ,

For more events, visit www.baystateparent.com

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with Lizz Gordon

take eight

As director of the Girl Scouts’ 52-acre Camp Green Eyrie in Harvard, Lizz Gordon knows a thing or two about summer camp.

It will be a while before the tents go up, but Gordon took some time to talk summer camp with us, envisioning warm summer days and cool camping nights.

1

What are the 5 essentials every camper must pack?

1. Double the amount of socks and underwear they planned to bring.

2. Layers, as the temperature can be quite varied from day to night. 3. Pre-addressed stamps and envelopes. 4. Flashlight (and don’t forget those spare batteries!).

5. Sturdy shoes may sound simple, but the children will be more than appreciative they have them after a week of running, playing, hiking, and exploring.

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How do you see camp change a child?

One of the biggest changes I see in children is how they express themselves throughout their time at camp. They are given the opportunity to have a “clean slate,” allowing different sides of their personality to shine through and be comfortable amongst new friends. I see shy kids become extroverts, and natural leaders take the chance to step back and allow themselves to relax. I see children at camp gain independence, confidence, and self-appreciation as they express themselves in a way that only camp allows.

2

What is your favorite camp activity?

This is another hard question, but I would have to say boating. I love being out on the water, and before I was the Camp Director, I worked on the waterfront for several years. There’s nothing better than taking a group of girls out to explore the pond, whether it is kayaks, canoes, sail boats or row boats – I love them all!

7

How have you seen the camp experience change over the years?

I have definitely seen the importance of the camp experience change for children, as it draws them away from technology, social media, and the pressure of staying connected. Screen time has become more integrated in children’s lives, and the chance to become “unplugged” at camp allows them to connect with nature, peers, and themselves on a deeper level.

What’s your favorite camp song?

That is a tough question for any camp staff person! I honestly have several, but to name one of these, it would be “Boom Chika Boom.”

It’s a repeat-after-me song that energizes and excites both campers and counselors. It gives them the chance to be silly and creative in the verses, and when we sing it at our Opening campfire, it definitely represents what the upcoming week will be like!

What’s the No. 1 thing everyone forgets to bring to camp?

It’s not always on a summer camp’s packing list, but an often-forgottenabout item is a fitted sheet. A fitted sheet not only provides a little comfort of home (especially for those kids who are unfamiliar with sleeping in a camp setting), but also offers more comfort during those nights when the sleeping bags slips a little and you wind up laying against the mattress.

4 Shawna Shenette Photography

6

What would parents be surprised to learn about camp?

I would have to say how much their child can grow and become independent in one week. Camp teaches children so many different lessons and life experiences, such as working together with people they’ve just met, keeping track of their own belongings, and taking control of how they choose to experience camp.

If you could camp anywhere in the U.S., where would you go?

I would love to go to some of the National Parks out west, such as Yosemite, Yellowstone, and the Grand Canyon. I have yet to travel out West, and I would love to experience these beautiful places first hand.

8

BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 53

INDEX A Dream Come True Learning Center....41 Act Now..........................................34 American International College...........34 Amherst Montessori School................33 Amherst Pediatrics............................38 Atkins Farm.....................................18 Basketball Hall of Fame....................39 Beacon Assessment Center.................11 Bement School................................30 Berkshire Museum...........................39 Big Y Foods, Inc..............................56 Busy Bees Preschool.........................51 Camp Half Moon..............................34 Chapin Baby....................................39 CityStage & Symphony Hall................5 Common School .............................37 Country Bank....................................8 DCU Center...............................15, 46

Eagle Hill School.............................30 Falcetti Music..................................11 Final Destination Fitness...................51 FMC Ice Sports ..............................52 Hartsbrook School...........................31 Holyoke Community College.............38 In The Box.....................................20 Institue for the Musical Arts .............25 Interskate91...................................45 Little Friends...................................54 Longmeadow Montessori School.........4 MacDuffie School............................25 Mountain View Training Center..........28 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame ...............................39 New England Promotional Marketing....9 Norman Rockwell Museum...............36 Nursing Bra Express.........................43

Oak Meadow.......................................46 Oasis..................................................35 Old Sturbridge Village............................24 Pediatric Care Associates........................11 Pediatric Services..................................51 Pioneer Valley Ballet.............................55 Pioneer Valley Financial Group ...............14 Pioneer Valley Montessori......................17 Rovezzi’s Ristorante................................2 Springfield Museums.............................31 Springfield Parent Academy....................55 The Arbor Kids........................................3 Thompsons Gymnastic...........................29 Tower Theaters.....................................15 Valley Dentists of Belchertown................42 Westfield State University......................37 Wilbraham Monson Academy.................17

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The Springfield Parent Academy Presents…

It’s Your Community and It All Starts With You A Family Event Focusing on Civic Responsibility

Wednesday, April 1st, 2015 – 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Springfield Jewish Community Center ( JCC), 1160 Dickinson Street, Springfield

All are welcome!

Health: The Greatest Wealth

A Family Event Focusing on Health and Wellness

Wednesday, June 24th, 2015 – ALL DAY EVENT

Parent and Community Engagement Center, 91 School Street, Springfield

FREE COURSES • CHILDCARE RAFFLES • COMMUNITY RESOURCES FOOD AND MORE!

For more information please visit SpringfieldParentAcademy.com or call 413-787-6764 Pioneer Valley Ballet presents an original ballet

At the Northampton, MA

March 28 - 29 1:00pm & 4:30pm

Thomas Vacanti & Maryanne Kodzis Artistic Directors

TICKETS www.PioneerValleyBallet.org PVB is a 501(c)3 non-profit that brings quality

PVB is a mission-driven 501(c)3 non-profit. ballet productions to the community and provides pre-professional training and performance experiences BAYSTATEPARENTWEST 54 55 to dedicated young dancers.

56 MARCH2015