May 2013 baystateparent Magazine

MAY 2013

baystateparent Massachusetts’ Premier Magazine For Families Since 1996

FREE

LET’S ROLL TO BRIMFIELD

JUMPING FOR JOY WITH bsp!

HOW TO FIND A NANNY ON THE INTERNET IMAGINATION TRUMPS LIMITATIONS At Camp Jabberwocky

Celebrate!

BOSTON CHILDREN’S MUSEUM CELEBRATES 100 Years Of The Power Of Play TIPS & TRICKS FOR MAKING PARTIES STRESS FREE Voted Best Parenting Publication in North America 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012

2 MAY2013

Cornerstone Academy Educating all learners in grades K-6

An elementary preparatory school that celebrates the individual.

Tours May 7th and 21st at 9:00 a.m.

Visit our website to schedule a tour

The educational journey begins in

KINDERGARTEN.

Let it begin with Cornerstone.

Reading • Writing • Nature • Math

Reading • Writing • Nature • Math

Reading • Writing • Nature • Math • Science • Yoga

Reading • Writing • Nature • Math • Science • Yoga

Reading • Writing • Nature • Math

Reading • Writing • Nature • Math

Reading • Writing • Nature • Math • Science • Yoga

Reading • Writing • Nature • Math • Science • Yoga

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XPSW\ 'XPSW\ VDW RQ D ZDOO Humpty Dumpty’s enrolling next fall. .LGV JURZ XS IDVW +HOS \RXU FROOHJH VDYLQJV NHHS XS With tuition rates continuing to rise, it’s never too early to start ÂŽ ÂŽ saving for college. When you open a MEFA U.Fund College Investing Plan account, you can take advantage of all the beneďŹ ts the ofďŹ cial Massachusetts college savings plan has to offer.

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tax advantaged. You won’t pay taxes when you withdraw the money for qualiďŹ ed higher education expenses.

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Please carefully consider the Plan’s investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses before investing. For this and other information on any 529 college savings plan managed by Fidelity, contact Fidelity for a free Fact Kit, or view one online.

Read it carefully before you invest or send money.

MEFA is a not-for-proďŹ t self-ďŹ nancing state authority that works to make higher education more accessible and affordable for students and families in Massachusetts through community education programs, college savings plans, and low-cost ďŹ nancing options.

The U.FundÂŽ College Investing Plan is offered by MEFA and managed by Fidelity Investments. If you or the designated beneďŹ ciary is not a Massachusetts resident, you may want to consider, before investing, whether your state or the beneďŹ ciary’s home state offers its residents a plan with alternate state tax advantages or other beneďŹ ts.

Units of the portfolios are municipal securities and may be subject to market volatility and uctuation.

MEFA, MEFA UFund Massachusetts 529 Plan, and U.Fund are registered service marks of the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority.

The Fidelity Investments and pyramid design logo and the navigational line and directional design are service marks of FMR LLC. Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC, Member NYSE, SIPC, 900 Salem Street, SmithďŹ eld, RI 02917 Š 2013 FMR LLC. All rights reserved.

4 MAY2013

643024.1.0

Coming This Summer! to Wachusett Mountain, Princeton, MA Saturday, July 13, 1:00 pm & 6:00 pm Sunday, July 14, 11:00 am & 4:00 pm Tickets: Adults $22.00, Child (2 - 12) $18.00, under 2 free Presented by the Worcester JCC *URXS 6DOHV ZRUFHVWHUMFF RUJ

BAYSTATEPARENT 5

our special guest Callie Whittemore, age 5, Boylston

9

Captured by steven king

table M AY

2013

•

8 10 12 13 13 14 15 34 42

WELCOME JUNKDRAWERS FINALLY FOREVER MAY’S CHILD CIRCLE OF FRIENDS DIRTY LAUNDRY OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO CAPTURED: Celebrations LET’S ROLL: To Brimfield, A World of Stories

A local mom writes about what she saw after the Boston Marathon tragedy near the finish line.

48 CAMP JABBERWOCKY: Where Imagination Trumps Limitation

28

48

THE POWER OF PLAY

Children learn and grow at the Boston Children’s Museum during the last 100 years.

IMAGINATION TRUMPS LIMITATION

Campers at Camp Jabberwocky on Martha’s Vineyard experience a wonderful summer.

the of the home

VOLUME

in every issue

A CITY HEALS

18

•

NUMBER

1

celebrations 27

28 32 34 35 36 38

advertising directories

JUMPING FOR JOY WITH bsp

BOSTON CHILDREN’S MUSEUM: The Power of Play PERFECT PARTIES FROM START TO FINISH CAPTURED: Celebrations HONORING LOCAL MOTHERS MAKE YOUR CELEBRATIONS STRESS FREE TIME FOR ME: Why self-indulgence is okay

40 PARTY PLANNER 56 bspADvantage 58 ADVERTISING INDEX

sneak peek JUNE JULY AUGUST

something special 9 THE BOSTON MARATHON TRAGEDY 44 46

FINDING A NANNY ON THE INTERNET…YEA OR NAY? FOOD FIGHT IN THE SCHOOL CAFETERIA: Should aspartame be added to milk?

Massachusetts’ Premier Magazine For Families Since 1996

SUMMER DESTINATIONS & FATHERHOOD SPECIAL NEEDS & CHOOSING A PET BACK TO SCHOOL & NUTRITION AND FITNESS voted

H VW %PARENTING PUBLICATION

in North America

Local Media Association

Are you looking for the right preschool for your child?

TLC Christian Preschool $ 0LQLVWU\ RI 7ULQLW\ /XWKHUDQ &KXUFK

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73 Lancaster Street, Worcester 508-753-2989 www.trinityworc.org Conveniently located across from the Worcester Art Museum 6 MAY2013

July 8th - July 26th 2 -12 including recent high school graduates • 5 days! Mon.-Fri. • 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Camp show performances on July 27th & 28th <RXU FKLOG ZLOO HQMR\ D VXPPHU RI PXVLF DUW GUDPD DQG GDQFH DW RXU ZHHN VWDWH FHUWLÃ&#x20AC;HG WKHDWUH FDPS KHOG LQ :RUFHVWHU &DPSHUV ZLOO DOVR SURGXFH D IXOO VKRZ IRU IDPLO\ DQG IULHQGV DW WKH FRQFOXVLRQ RI FDPS 6WXGHQWV ZLOO OHDUQ DOO WKH DVSHFWV RI SURGXFLQJ D VKRZ IURP DFWLQJ VLQJLQJ GDQFLQJ WR VHW EXLOGLQJ FRVWXPHV DQG PRUH

Announcing 2013 camp shows soon!

Check website for updates.

Past shows unclude:

For all information, call 978-602-6288 or register online at

wachusetttheatre.com

BAYSTATEPARENT 7

Welcome For the past few months, we have been celebrating our publication’s accomplishments here at baystateparent. Not only did we win awards from the Parenting Media Association, the New England Newspaper & Press Association and the Local Media Association, but we also designed a new, full color, though smaller format for the magazine. We are introducing it this month, so please let us know what you think.

We jumped for joy – literally – when more than 150 readers took the time to come meet us last month at our March Jump for Joy cover contest.

Throughout the May issue, we’ve focused on celebrations – from our Mother’s Day giveaway to the Jump Contest, which landed a 5-year-old jumper on our cover. We believe it is crucial to take the time to celebrate the good things in life.

I’m not going to lie, planning celebrations stresses me out. As a mom of two boys, we celebrate a lot of birthdays, milestones and achievements. Getting family and friends together overwhelms me at times, though once the party starts; I am always joyfully rewarded seeing

the people I care about having fun together.

This month, we offer tips on how to celebrate without stress. Imagine it! We help moms and dads, grandparents and all the other partymakers celebrate the everyday. We even share baystateparent readers’ photos of their favorite festivities.

In addition to our special section on celebrations, one of our writers takes you through the tri-annual Brimfield Fair. Kayla DeWees, of Shrewsbury, has frequented the fair for the last 15 years and always finds intriguing revelations behind her treasures.

With the summer simmering just weeks away, we help our readers find child care, including the boom of parents finding help from babysitters on the Internet.

We give you tips and tried-and-true suggestions from area moms and dads. baystateparent is also pleased to team up with Boston Children’s Museum, which is celebrating 100 years of play this year. Each month, we’ll highlight a special program or happening at the museum, which focuses on helping our children learn and grow. The Boston Children’s Museum is one of my kids’ favorite stomping grounds, and I’m so happy to be working with them.

While we were putting this issue to bed on Patriot’s Day, the unthinkable happened during the Boston Marathon. We share a blog from a local mother and writer who was near the finish line when the bombs exploded. She and others helped runners and onlookers contact family and friends, and they gave jackets and clothing to the runners to help keep them warm.

There are no words to make sense of this tragedy. I know I have a hard time talking to my children about

what happened. People were simply cheering on family and friends and their lives changed forever. I kept my kids away from the horrific images of the two blasts and the aftermath and spoke to them briefly about what happened. I tried to keep it simple and not go into too many details since little was known the first few days.

Here are some tips from Boston Children’s Hospital on talking to your children about the tragedy: •Tell your children what happened– it’s important that they hear it from you. Do it in a broad-strokes way (“There were explosions at the marathon and some people were hurt”).

• Answer their questions simply and honestly (again, in a broad-strokes way–details aren’t necessary).

•Limit their exposure to media.

It’s hard not to end up glued to the television, especially as events are unfolding, but it may be very upsetting to children. Use your laptop or smart phone instead.

•If your child is very sad or anxious and nothing you are doing is helping, call your doctor.

•Give lots of extra hugs. They will help you, too.

I’d like to also highlight one way you can help. Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Tom Menino have started a fund (onefundboston.com) where people can donate to help the victims of the tragedy. My prayers are with the victims and their family and friends of this tragedy.

Jennifer Lucarelli, editor

8 MAY2013

interim associate publisher KATHY REAL 508-868-9293

creative director PAULA MONETTE ETHIER 508-749-3166 x 351 baystateparent@holdenlandmark.com

editor JENNIFER LUCARELLI 508-749-3166 x 251 editor@baystateparent.com

graphic designer STEPHANIE MALLARD 508-749-3166 x 351 srenaud@holdenlandmark.com senior account executive EMILY LAVOIE 774-364-4178 emily@baystateparent.com account executive NELLIE LIMA 774-229-6272 nellie@baystateparent.com account executive SHELLEY CAVOLI 508-641-5702 shelley@baystateparent.com bspADvantage account executive HEATHER JUHASCIK 508-450-9718 heather@baystateparent.com

contributing writers BRETT ADAM TRACEY PROHASKA CARROLL KAYLA DEWEES CARRIE JONES MARYJO KURTZ DONNA MORIN TRISH RESKE STEPHEN RICH LAURA RICHARDS

copy editor BRYAN ETHIER photographers MICHELLE CARR STEVEN KING COREY OLIVER presidents KIRK and LAURIE DAVIS

508-749-3166

www.baystateparent.com campguide.baystateparent.com www.massfieldtrips.com baystateparent Inc. is published monthly with a main office at 101 Water Street, Worcester, MA 01604 508-749-3166 Fax 508-749-3165 It is distributed free of charge throughout Massachusetts. www.baystateparent.com • info@baystateparent.com

AGE 5, BOYLSTON

Who is the first person you will show the May cover of baystateparent to?

Grammy Elaine and Grammy Barbara

publisher KIRK DAVIS

baystateparent

Callie Whitemore

What was the Jump for Joy Contest like? I got a button and I was excited!

After I jumped, I saw my cousin Drew, went to sit with the Easter Bunny and then went on the Easter train!

baystateparent

101 Water St., Worcester, MA 01604

MEET THE COVER MODEL

What was the photo shoot like: I loved it! Because it felt like I was dancing on the trampoline!

Massachusetts’ Premier Magazine For Families

because I love em’!

What is your favorite part of school?

Going outside to play because there is a climber and going to the gym because they have hippity-hops.

We are focusing on celebrations this month. What is your favorite celebration? Why? My birthday because I invite my friends over, we makes crafts, we eat cake and that’s it!

steven king

18 Parenting Media Awards 16 New England Newspaper Press Association Awards Voted Best Parenting Publication in North America 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012

The Boston Marathon

T R AG E DY by carrie jones

Editor’s Note: Carrie Jones posted this blog after the Boston Marathon tragedy.

So, I was at the Boston Marathon to take pictures of my friend, Lori, running and then crossing the finish line. Before the marathon I had lunch with my daughter Em. She was nervous.

“I have a bad feeling,” she said. “You need to be careful.”

“You have no faith in me. I am a perfectly capable person.”

“I just am worried.”

“I will be fine,” I told her.

But I did several things that I don’t normally do. I didn’t take the T. I chose to walk from Cambridge to mile 25.5 of the race route. I figured out the T route and everything, but I just didn’t want to go on it. Walking was healthier, I figured. I was going to watch a marathon.

So, I walked and set up for taking pictures. I didn’t expect to see Lori for an hour, so I hung out with some people from New Jersey, talked to some cops. I took some pictures and kept wondering if I should walk the rest of the route to get ready for when Lori crossed the finish line. Logically, I knew I should, but my gut kept me back. One of my friends called, and as we talked the first explosion went off.

“What was that?” he said.

“That was bad,” I answered. “It was an explosion. It was absolutely an explosion.”

Then the second explosion happened. And I hung up. And I looked at the cops. And the cops both lifted up their portable radios to their ears. That was not a good sign. Then they began to run towards the finish line along a parallel road. That was a worse sign, especially since one of the cops looked like he never ran. Ever. I followed them. It smelled of smoke. It smelled of fear and confusion. Cops and medics and volunteers swarmed the area. Blood pooled on clothing and the ground. Debris was everywhere.

People were crying and hysterical.

The police turned me around. So, I turned around. I regret that now. I don’t know how I could have helped.

I am not a trained emergency medical technician. I regret that, too. There

were cops and medics everywhere.

Their shiny, reflective yellow vests were like pieces of good and brave in a smoky land of pain. I wanted to tell each of them how heroic they were.

There was no time for that. They were busy saving people.

So, I went back to where I had been taking pictures. Runners were wandering around still, confused, cold. They had a combination of runner’s fatigue and shock. Shivering and stunned, they were desperately trying to contact family members.

Some walked in circles because they didn’t know how not to keep moving, but they also didn’t know where to go. They had spent 25 miles moving forward, towards this one destination called the finish line and now they were stuck, aimless. Their ultimate goal was suddenly gone, devastated by two bombs. Those of us, who were there to watch, gave them our cell phones so they could call family members who were waiting for them.

They were waiting for them right by the bombs. We gave the runners money so they could get on the T when it worked again. We gave them our coats.

“How will I give it back to you?” one runner asked as she shrugged on a dark green fleece.

“You don’t need to. You never need to,” a man next to me told her.

“I have to,” she murmured. “I have to.”

I gave away my coat. I passed around my phone.

One woman said, “Please tell me it wasn’t the subway. My kids are on the subway.”

“It wasn’t the subway,” I tell her. “It was the finish line.”

She cocked her head. “What? No? How?” That was the question: How? We knew by then that it was probably a bomb, and the hows of making a bomb are easy, but the ‘how could you” is a harder question. How could someone kill runners and spectators?

How could humans ever think it’s okay to hurt each other? How could anyone commit violence in big acts with bombs or small acts with fists.

How could we?

How could humanity?

“How?” she kept saying. “How?” And then the police moved the runners out, detouring them down another street. And then they told us, the watchers, to go. So, we left, a massive exodus towards the bridge and Massachusetts Avenue. People were still sobbing. A man on a corner was reading from Boston.com on his iPhone trying to find out exactly what happened. People stood around him, strangers listening to him say the words, “explosions… injuries…”

Three girls were crying, young and scared and broken inside.

“They are so hurt. They hurt them.

They are so hurt,” one girl kept repeating. We kept walking.

As I walked across the bridge, a woman on the phone sobbed to her friend, “It was so big. The explosion was so big. I dropped everything in my hands. I dropped my lens cap. I dropped my purse. I dropped it all. I called my sister. I called my friend. I called everyone. I just need to talk to someone. I feel so alone. It was awful.

People were missing their legs. It was awful.”

And then she saw me, this talking woman, and I nodded at her and I grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

She squeezed back. We kept walking.

A guy in a leather jacket next to me was telling another guy in plaid that he had no way home. I gave him my cell. We kept walking.

I made sure that Lori’s husband and daughter were okay even though they’d been waiting right across the

street from where the bomb exploded.

They were. I knew Lori was okay already because I had been tracking her route. I’d never been so happy that she was running hurt and that was making her slower than normal.

As I was feeling thankful, a man in front of me went down on his knees on the sidewalk. It looked like he was praying, but he was really sobbing. We all stopped walking. People pat his back. People murmured things. He stood up and we kept walking again.

We walked and walked and gradually the crowd thinned, and gradually the sobs lessoned. But the sirens?

The sirens grew louder and more continuous. They were forever sirens.

They did not stop.

And so many people will not be able to walk ever again. And at least three people are dead. And so many people have had their hearts and bodies broken at this marathon that should be a celebration of human endurance and spirit and will.

And so many people helped others, making tourniquets out of yarn, carrying the injured, soothing the shocked, giving away their clothes to keep runners warm. And so many people have hearts of goodness. We can’t forget that. Not ever. Not today.

Not in Boston. Not ever. Because that is exactly what the Boston Marathon is about: It’s about not giving up, not giving in to pain. It’s about that celebration of surviving and enduring against all odds, against everything.

It’s about humanity. No bomber can take that away. Not ever.

Carrie Jones is an author, mother and photographer who was near the finish line at the Boston Marathon when two bombs exploded. She blogs at carriejones. livejournal.com.

BAYSTATEPARENT 9

JUNK DRAWERS A LITTLE LIT OF THIS, A LITTLE OF THAT

SUGAR PIE JEWELRY for other new moms, grandmothers, or anyone who wants to wear a loved one close to their heart.

These necklaces are guaranteed 100% pure sterling silver, including the chain. They are a fairly thick 18-gauge silver and excellent quality. Each and every necklace is handmade and stamped and each piece is made specifically for the buyer…no two pieces are alike. If you’re looking for something specific that she

CUSTOM MAGNETS Kelly Cappucci and is the proud owner, creator and designer of Magnets & More by Kelly which creates magnets and wine charms by hand out of her home in Holden.

In September 2011, her son started preschool, he began to bring home all these amazing pictures he made so proudly. With pictures in hand, she stood staring at her refrigerator in disbelief because she had no functioning magnets – they were both chipped and broken or wouldn’t hold a feather, let alone construction paper.

At that moment, she knew it was time to put her crafting skills and graphic design background to good use.

In November 2012, she opened her etsy.com shop, magnetsandmorebykell.etsy. com. Since then she has expanded her magnet line to include wine charms, party, shower and wedding favors, which are all personalized and customizable.

PERFECT FOR MOM A decade ago, M. Sebastian Araujo, of Provincetown, gave up the BIG life in NYC, cashed in his Gucci loafers for a simpler one. Making his home in a quiet 300-yearold Cape Cod town made him turn his eye towards the past. He became a vintage-aholic. Buying a house with about 200 years worth of life still intact, made him begin the process of recycling.

Antiques found in his home, some treasures too good to just discard...so he discovered etsy.com. Gentlemanly Pursuits has an online presence that will enable you to find interesting and unique items for your home.

Traveling to France each winter has added a French twist to his finds. Curating the shop is always an act of love...while trying to keep the prices fair and the quality above par. It is always his pleasure to assist you in any way possible. They ship worldwide and are more than willing to go the distance to help you make the right choices. For more information, visit etsy.com/shop/ GentlemanlyPursuits.

Q&A

If you’re looking for a unique and personalized gift for Mother’s Day, a sterling silver “mom” necklace is the perfect gift. Jennifer Swanson, of Seekonk, started making “mom” jewelry over four years ago when she wanted a beautiful sterling silver necklace with her children’s names, but couldn’t find one that she liked or could afford. She now strives to make beautiful, simple, affordable, and high quality pieces

doesn’t, just ask. For more information, visit sugarpiejewelry.com or etsy.com/shop/sugarpiejewelry13.

What is the best way to protect against ticks?

Just like any other area of the U.S., warmer and longer days are ahead and outdoor sports and recreational activities are starting. Along with the many joys of spring comes the dread in knowing tick season is right around the corner. Here are some tips to prevent for tick proofing your yard: Reduce tick exposure by clearing out areas where lawn and tree debris gathers. Ticks thrive in moist, shady area. Locate compost piles away from play areas or high traffic.

Eliminate leaf litter and brush by cleaning it up around the house and lawn edges, mow tall grasses and keep the lawn short.

Select plants and shrubs that are not attractive to deer and/ or install physical barriers to keep deer out of your yard.

Fences, along creek beds, ponds, brick walls, rocky areas and patio retaining walls are popular hiding places for ticks.

Family pets can suffer from tick-borne disease and also carry infected ticks into the home. Talk to your veterinarian about using tick collars, topical and sprays.

— Anthony Pascetta of Mosquito Squad of the North Shore

PERSONALIZED FOR MOM Michelle Yuen, of Boston, has always loved paper crafting and seeing the joy of friends receiving a handmade card or present. After she discovered the art of paper quilling, she was making more cards than she knew what to do with! She decided to start michelleun.etsy.com, where she sells unique, handmade cards.

There are a few standard cards she makes that are great for various occasions, but she has also had the great opportunity of making custom cards for customers. She also keep her prices low, because she doesn’t want it to be a hindrance for anyone – she gets the greatest joy from being able to share what she loves to do and trying to make the world a bit more beautiful!

Junkdrawers strives to highlight the products, people and places of Massachusetts. Have an idea? Email editor@baystateparent.com.

10 MAY2013

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BAYSTATEPARENT 11

FINALLYFOREVER

Finally Finding a Home by brett adam

Editor’s Note: This is a personal essay from Brett Adam, who was adopted from the foster care system in Massachusetts and is currently a junior at Boston College.

I

grew up in Fall River, an old milling town in southern Massachusetts, near the border of Rhode Island.

It is a historically poverty-stricken town; my biological family didn’t deviate from this stereotype. My father wasn’t in the picture, at least for very long. Neither were my brother and sister’s father, and my mother was continuously out of the house, leaving us alone.

We were forced, for the most part, to survive on our own and to look after one another, forcing us to become relatively independent at a young age.

When she was home, we were subject to neglect and frequent physical abuse by boyfriends that she brought home, who were frequently under the influence of either drugs or alcohol.

A neighbor, the mother of a childhood friend of ours, found out that this was going on and called DCF (Department of Children and Families), then known as DSS (Department of Social Services), to report what she’d discovered. A little while before my 9th birthday, workers from DSS came, and told us that we were being taken into the custody of the state and would be going into foster care.

12 MAY2013

I, of course, being so young, didn’t really know what that meant, but all I knew was that my siblings and I would be moving once more. That much I understood, and that much I had gotten used to, since we moved quite a bit. However, when I realized that my mother wasn’t coming with us, and that I was going into a stranger’s car with trash bags full of clothes and toys, that something was wrong. I was naturally very upset about this, but of course I wasn’t listened to.

I thought that what I had experienced as a child was normal for most, and therefore never really talked about it with others. I thought that all children were beaten and left alone, and I thought that my mother could do no wrong. In our first home, my siblings and I lived together. The foster mother wasn’t nice and she was very cruel in her methods of punishment and was the ultimate reason for our separation after that home. We all agreed that we didn’t like her, and though we finally got out of her home, she told the workers that we didn’t get along and that it would be better if we were separated. Because it’s relatively normal and typical for children to not live together, at least from what I’ve seen, we were separated.

All the while, my family met at DCF every week, visiting my mother and my grandparents. However, after a certain amount of time elapsed it

was revealed to us that our mother wasn’t making progress and that we were going to be put up for adoption.

This really upset me and incited a rebellious nature that caused a lot of trouble for my adoption and finding a home for me to live in. I was, as is normal for a young child, told I would only see my mother about once a year, and would never be able to live with her again. I was very upset with these circumstances, and acted out, sometimes violently. My brother was taken in, and adopted within a year’s time, and my sister was also adopted rather quickly. I ended up going between 11 different foster and preadoptive homes before I ended up trying to live with my sister. However, due to my violent and angry behavior, my sister’s adoptive mother sent me to go to a group home for anger management.

At this point, having already gone through 12 foster homes, I had given up any hope I had that anyone was going to love me, take me in or understand me. I had thought, in that moment of going to the group home that I was being sent to a jail of sorts, where I would eventually age out of and end up becoming another statistic – with no one to love or care about me.

I had given up all hope and settled

me if I would be interested in going to private school, but beyond that mentioned nothing. I was content with where I was, but I was told that I could live at school five days out of the week. This really excited me, as it gave me an opportunity to really escape into a world I loved! I said I would love that.

Soon after, I met Brad Braufman, my father, an intellectual, like myself, who became my mentor. During all this time, he excited my curiosity even more. With his support, along with that of a very close high school teacher of mine, Siobhan Dooling, I took the Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE) and ended up passing with the second highest marks in the state. Lavette Pitts, the program director, congratulated me first on performing so well, and then told me that I would be going to a prestigious New England private school called Noble and Greenough School.

There, I had all the education I could possibly want, all kinds of resources at my finger tips, people who loved and cared about me and a place to escape for five days a week.

After the near completion of my sophomore year, Brad asked me if I would like to live with him, a prospect that elated me, and I told him that I would be honored, so, in November,

I thought that all children were beaten and left alone, and I thought that my mother could do no wrong. into great depression. As a result of my anger, seeming inattentiveness, largely due to my distractions, along with this newfound depression, I was sent to a therapist, where I was quickly put on more medications than what I was already taking.

However, I slowly found out that perhaps there was hope. I found solace in the halls of my middle and high schools, where I could get away from everything. I studied hard, and kept my head buried in books to escape the madness around me during my stay in the group home I was in. The program director noticed this and that I was excelling in school. She pulled me into her office one day and asked

on National Adoption Day, I was adopted into the best family I could possibly ask for.

After completing my education at Noble and Greenough, I was accepted into Boston University, which I currently attend. I will be graduating in January of 2014 with a degree in Linguistics, with the goal of teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) abroad, and afterwards, in Canada or America.

Brett Adam is a freelance writer and junior at Boston College. He was adopted after being in foster care for many years in Massachusetts.

MAYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHILD Samantha, or Sam to her friends, is a kind and friendly 15-year-old girl of Caucasian descent. Sam enjoys spending her days hanging out with her friends and collecting Hello Kitty memorabilia. Her favorite sports include basketball and soccer.

Samantha enjoys making necklaces with beads and doing arts and crafts.

With a bright smile and an infectious laugh, Samâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love for animals shines through when she has the opportunity to be around them. Her favorites are pigs, dogs and horses. She hopes to work with animals or in a daycare center when she gets older. Samantha loves ice cream, her favorite flavor is mint.

Samantha currently lives in a residential program for children with developmental disabilities and benefits from the supports that she receives at school and in her program. She is making positive strides in both her peer relations and her academics.

Science and math are her favorite subjects. Sam gets along great with the adults in her life.

Legally free for adoption, Samantha would do well in a two-parent or a single female family with or without other children. A family that is open

CIRCLE of FRIENDS Adoption Events May 2013: Informational Open House for Families of Color. Saturday, May 4, 9 a.m. to noon.

Jonathan Belcher House, 360 North Main St., Randolph. Join in for a unique opportunity to learn about children of color who are waiting for adoption in your community. Come speak with families who have adopted from foster care, and social workers from local agencies. Light breakfast will be served. Walk-ins are welcome.

Visit mareinc.org for more information and to RSVP. Walk-in Adoption Information Meeting.

Tuesday, May 7, 4:30 to 6 p.m. Massachusetts Department of Children and Families, Springfield. For more information call, 413-452-3369.

Boston Adoption Informational Meeting.

Wednesday, May 22, 4 to 6 p.m. Department of Children and Families, 451 Blue Hill Ave., Dorchester. Learn how you can change the future of a child in need by becoming a foster or adoptive parent with the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families. For more information, call Marsha Donovan, LCSW, 617989-9209. No registration is required.

Foster Care Information Session. Saturday, May 4, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Home of Little

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Samanth to birth family contact would be ideal.

Samantha has a lot to bring to a family that would enjoy her for who she is and that would shower her with the love and support she needs to continue to thrive.

For more information about Samantha, please contact Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) Recruiter Deirdre Madden at 617-54-ADOPT. The Department of Children and Families (DCF) Adoption Office in Worcester holds monthly meetings for people wishing to learn more about the adoption process in general. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 14 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Please call 508929-2143 for more information about the meeting.

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Please submit Juneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s adoption-related events by Monday, May 6 at baystateparent.com (Click Calendar/Submit an event).

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Wanderers, 780 American Legion Highway, Roslindale. The session will explore why children are placed in Intensive Foster Care, the process of becoming a professional foster parent, the support The Home will provide foster parents and what providing a safe haven for children in foster care involves. A question and answer period will be offered. The Home welcomes GLBT couples and individuals, regardless of marital status, to be considered as foster and adoptive parents. To register and learn about the criteria to become a foster parent, visit www.thehome.org/fostercare or contact Lucy Collins by phone at 857-2173769 or by email at lcollins@thehome.org.

MAREâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S 4th Annual Walk for Adoption.

Sunday, May 19, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jordanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Furniture, 450 Revolutionary Drive, Taunton.

This indoor/outdoor event is a celebration of adoption with refreshments, entertainment, games, and a family-friendly 5K (or shorter) walk and party. Proceeds support MAREâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission to find â&#x20AC;&#x153;a permanent place to call HOMEâ&#x20AC;? for the hundreds of children in foster care. Online Registration is now open at firstgiving.com/MARE. Recruit a team, sponsor the walk, volunteer or support adoption as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;virtual walker.â&#x20AC;? For more info, contact MARE at 617-54-ADOPT (617-5423678) or visit www.MAREinc.org.

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michelle carr

DIRTYLAUNDRY

OVERSCHEDULING

our kids by stephen rich

Now I can’t even explain to you how bad our schedule is anymore. Both parents (I’m smirking as I use that word, ‘parent’) work over 50 hours each and each kid is in several activities.

It’s so bad that when I found out my kids made an All-Star team, I kept it a secret from them, because my stomach turns every time I hear about another game or a change or new practice since on any given week we have 8-10 games or practices. (I am seriously thinking about just hooking up a Paystation 3 and letting them play sports that way).

Long story short, my wife and I once in a while have date night, which used to involve hooking up, but really that is

what landed us in this mess, so now it’s more like a small support group where we drain two bottles of MacMurry Pinot Noir and talk smack about our kids. Anyway at support group this week, my wife, who usually announces a new diet plan for herself, fooled me by skipping the diet plan and declared that I need to have more bonding time with our 11-year-old “know it all attorney” son. Translation: I’m the designated driver to the orthodontist this coming Monday.

It’s Monday at 8:30 a.m., and we are bonding. Translation: I’m telling jokes and laughing out loud, and he’s staring at his iTouch not making a sound. And

all I’m looking for is some conversation with the boy, but I’m getting nothing.

So I switch my approach, I start asking him about who likes who in school and do any girls like him (trying to also lay the ground work here for the big awkward sex talk I still need to have).

Still no reaction, he’s just staring at the iTouch. Now we’re in the parking lot and I’m mad because we didn’t talk so I don’t know why but I say “you know your teeth are fine you don’t even need braces.”

And look out, you’d have thought I just announced that summer school vacations are canceled, that dude put that iTouch down faster than Adam Sandler makes another movie. And he started with this five minute rant about his teeth, their alignment, the shifting, the overcrowding, the bite, the headaches and I sat there sort of drifting in thought. I did not say anything about him encroaching up in my personal ‘console’ space, and I did not say anything about his bad breath. I just sat there and thought about James Sokolove (the attorney on TV commercials. ‘If you or any one you know has been affected by overcrowded teeth), and my kid just morphed into him.

Then I thought about parachute pants and how I really thought the band Wham was straight and how cool those times were and how kids back then actually did not want braces and when they had soccer practice they actually wanted to go, but not James Sokolove in the back seat of my smelly Toyota Tundra sitting on granola bar wrappers and Gatorade bottle lids wearing his oversized winter jacket which was clearly bought because it was on sale. Not this guy, he wants braces and hates soccer practice!

So fast forward through me sitting in the waiting room trying to listen in on some women’s cell phone call by leaning awkwardly and stretching to hear more details as I’m convinced she’s cheating on her husband.

Unfortunately, the story ended for me at Mr. Rich...Hello...(I’m totally in to the lady’s cheating phone call) MR. RICH, HELLO, your son is done.”

So we’re checking out, and I hand over the insurance card and of course that gets rejected because I have the same dental insurance as the guy making Dave’s hot and juicy burgers at Wendy’s. So there’s some silence because I really was not ready for this.

Then the receptionist whispers to me (not sure why), “You can do a payment plan, but you need to give a substantial deposit.”

And now my head is spinning. Do I have enough in the bank to cover this?

Is it bad if I ask them to take the braces off? Do they have recycled braces that are cheaper? Am I a bad dad because I’d rather have a new 55” LCD TV then buy braces? And then the fake tanned receptionist tried to make the silence go away and says to my newly braced son “Oh, you have the same birthday as my daughter!”

And do you know what my son says?

NOTHING. Who in freaking America says nothing to that? So I look at him to see if he’s going to somehow acknowledge this comment and still nothing, not even a gesture. He just stared straight at her like she was a laptop screen.

And then I turned back to her with a look that said, “And why I would spend $5,500 for braces for a kid who doesn’t even open his mouth?”

Dirty Laundry columnist Stephen Rich is a Plymouth father of four. This monthly humor column is about day-to-day life raising kids. Basically it’s about not being afraid to air out the “dirty laundry” and say it like it is, making the rest of us not feel so alone.

To book comedian Stephen Rich, contact Dawn Christensen at Loretta LaRoche Productions: Dawn@ lorettalarocheproductions.com or 508-746-3998, x15.

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PLACES YOU’LL

GO

Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away!

- dr. seuss

photo courtesy of the hanover theatre

OH, THE

photos courtesy of higgins armory

photo courtesy of spirit of boston

GO TRAVEL: Take mom on the Spirit of Boston for their special Mother’s Day Brunch Cruise on Sunday, May 12.

photo courtesy of island spirit kayaks

GO STOMP: Come to the Hanover Theatre, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester on Sunday, May 5.

GO SIEGE: Visit the Trebuchet Building Contest at the Higgins Armory Museum, 100 Barber Ave., Worcester on Saturday, May 4.

GO PADDLE: Come to Island Spirit Kayak in Oak Bluffs for their Kayak to the Fireworks event on Thursday, May 30.

BAYSTATEPARENT 15

popular story is enlivened with a colorful Mexican setting, a humorous communication gap and a surprise ending! This presentation also includes “The Three Wishes,” a spring valley favorite! Hand Puppets. Recommended for ages 3 and up. $12 A, C; $8 M. Ongoing through May 5. web.ovationtix.com.

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

16 MAY2013

photos courtesy of higgins armory

Adult Child Youth Member Non-Member Per Person

oh, the places you’ ll go

A C Y M NM PP

Enjoy the CastleKids Story Hour at Higgins Armory, 100 Barber Ave., Worcester, on Wednesday, May 1.

1wednesday Big Apple Circus, Legendarium. City Hall Plaza, 1 City Hall Plaza, Boston. See the hijinks of hilarious clowns, magnificent horses and playful pooches, soaring aerialists, flawless jugglers, astounding acrobats and a contortionist with a backbone flexible as an archer’s bow! With an affable Ringmaster as your guide, watch as an amazing inventor spins in a giant steel hoop and a fearless funambulist astonishes the onlooker! The performance runs two hours, including one intermission. Tickets start at $25. bigapplecircus.org.

FREE A Child’s Garden of Verses & Needle Arts. Lexington Arts and Crafts Society, 130 Waltham St., Lexington. Featuring the poems of Robert Louis Stevenson’s and, in a timely manner, as April is National Poetry Month the Needle Arts artists have created items of every kind including knitting, quilting, sewing, needlework, rug hooking inspired by the poems to be found in A Child’s Garden of Verses usually considered to be the first real poems written for children. The poems will be sprinkled throughout the exhibit. lacsma.org.

CastleKids Story Hour. Higgins Armory, 100 Barber Ave., Worcester. From damsels in distress to mighty dragons, join us on the first Wednesday of every month as we share tales of adventure, from well-known fairy tales to modern picture books in the setting of our medieval Great Hall. Great for ages 3 to 5. $12 for adult with one child ($8 for museum members). Includes admission, program with craft related to the story, and a snack. higgins.org.

Infancy to Independence. St. Matthew’s Church, 435 Central St., West Acton. I to I is a nonprofit, cooperative play program for toddlers and preschoolers. A typical day consists of unstructured play time, a craft, circle time, snack time and a parent discussion. Meetings are held Tuesdays or Wednesdays and run from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Tuition is $135 per child, with additional siblings only an additional $35. itoi-ma.org.

FREE Children Across America Read and Sing.

39 Exchange St., Milford. Come join in for a funfilled hour of stories, songs and crafts at Children Across America. They will be meeting on Mondays at 10:30 a.m. This is a free program for children between the ages of 2-5 years old and their parents. childrenacrossamerica.org.

The Art of Eric Carle: Feathers, Fins, and Fur. The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, 125 West Bay Road, Amherst. Eric Carle’s love of nature is legendary. To recognize this passion, the Carle is organizing a selective survey of works exploring his interest in animals. On view will be a host of animals who have populated his books. In addition to finished collages, there will be preliminary works including pencil studies that underscore Carle’s meticulous study of his subject. carlemuseum.org.

2 thursday ONGOING A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing. Puppet Showplace Theatre, 32 Station St., Brookline. A hungry wolf tries to outwit a savvy shepherd and make a meal of the helpless, little lamb. Helpless?

Maybe not! Adapted from the Aesop fable, this

ONGOING Play Factory: Sideways Stories from Wayside School. Watertown Children’s Theatre, The Arsenal Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal St.,Watertown. Wayside School was accidentally built sideways. It was supposed to be only one story high, with thirty classrooms all in a row. Instead, it is thirty stories high, with one classroom on each story!

Maybe that’s why all kinds of funny things happened at Wayside - especially on the thirteenth floor! Tuition is $195. watertownchildrenstheatre.org.

3friday Stars, Moons and the Rings of Saturn. Mass Audubon Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary, 280 Eliot St. (Route 16), Natick. View Saturn’s rings through a telescope as it makes its closest pass to Earth during the year. Why does Saturn have rings? Learn about Saturn’s moon Titan and our early spring constellations. We should also have great views of Mars and Venus. Come join us for a great night of planet and star watching! Pre-registration required.

Online registration available. A $12m/$15nm, C $6m/$8nm. massaudubon.org.

ONGOING Pippi Longstocking. 200 The Riverway, Boston. The rollicking adventures of Astrid Lindgren’s red-haired rascal will delight audiences of all ages. Determined to live life as she sees fit, Pippi Longstocking teases, surprises, and exasperates the pompous and condescending adults who wish to rein her in. Best known as “the strongest girl in the world,” Pippi has become an icon to many generations of young women who aspire to be independent. Tickets start at $15. Ongoing through May 12. wheelockfamilytheatre.org.

Derby Day at the Paragon Carousel. 205 Nantasket Ave., Hull. Join in for a night at the races! Derby Day is the most popular adult event of the season. Being held the night before the 139th running of the Kentucky Derby, the event will feature six races of carousel horses at the Paragon Carousel, with prizes awarded to the race winners.

Authentic Mint Juleps, a full bar and delicious food will be featured. Carousel horses are available for sponsorship for an entry fee of $100. Sponsors are encouraged to decorate and dress their horses.Both ladies and men are encouraged to wear an original Derby Hat--the more creative, the better-as there will be a prize awarded to the best hat of the night. paragoncarousel.com.

4 saturday Sheep Day & Earth Day Celebration. Soule Homestead Education Center, 46 Soule St.,

Wake Up the Earth Festival & Parade.

StonyBrook T-stop Park, Jamaica Plain. Wake up the Earth Festival celebrates the rich cultural diversity, community arts, a commitment to social change and the parks and gardens that are the result of tireless community organizing.

Walk in the Parade! Starts in the locations: at the JP Monument on South Street AND the corner of Washington & School Streets in Egleston Square. spontaneouscelebrations.org.

FREE The Lexington Fife & Drum Muster.

Minute Man National Historical Park’s Minute Man Visitor Center, 250 North Great Road, Lincoln. Come to the Lexington Fife & Drum Muster and experience history through music!

Hosted by the William Diamond Junior Fife & Drum Corps of Lexington and held in the majestic Minute Man National Historical Park, this event features 25 fife and drum corps from around the country. The Muster is free and open to the public. It starts with a parade of all 25 groups and also includes colonial vendors and reenactors. williamdiamondjrs.org.

Kids’ Shows: The Alphabet Rockers.

Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St., Brookline. Alphabet Rockers is family hip-hop music, matching nostalgic beats with kid-friendly lyrics. It’s a soundtrack for the modern family!

Founded in 2007 in San Francisco by Harvard Graduate Kaitlin McGaw, Alphabet Rockers mix hip hop, beatboxing, soul music, imagination and dance for an interactive and fun dance party for children (age 2-7) and families. A $10, C $8.

10:30 to 11:30 a.m. coolidge.org.

Frogs, Pollywogs & Fairies...Exploring the Vernal Pool. Mass Audubon Broadmoor

Wildlife Sanctuary, 280 Eliot St. (Route 16), Natick. Discover some of the fantastic creatures that inhabit Broadmoor’s vernal pool. From frogs and tadpoles to fairy shrimp, explore what hides under the water and lives around this seasonal pool. Preregistration required. Online registration available. A $11m/$13nm, C $6m/$8nm. massaudubon.org.

Schoolhouse Rock! Boston Children’s Theatre, Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA, 527 Tremont St., Boston. SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK! is an entertaining and educational journey into the worlds of multiplication, science, government and grammar. Plus, it’s fun! Featuring such memorable songs as “I’m Just A Bill,” “Conjunction Junction,” and “My Hero, Zero,” SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK! teaches kids how interesting learning can be. Tickets start at $20. Bostonchidlrenstheatre.org.

Star Wars Day. The Children’s Museum in Easton, 9 Sullivan Ave., North Easton. In a galaxy not so far away...the Jedi Knights are calling upon their many brave Padawans to learn the Jedi lessons and fulfill their destiny. Come you must, dressed in your best Star Wars attire, and train alongside Jedi Master Awesome Robb to learn his (mind) tricks. Use the power of the Force to defeat the Sith with light sabers, meet Anakin Skywalker, make your own R2-D2 droid, and then refuel with galactic snacks. We hope you will accept this challenge and May the Force Be With You! *There will be an additional cost of $2.50 for this event. childrensmuseumineaston.org.

Family Movie Night – the Fox and the Hound. The Silverbrook Farm, 934 Main St., Acushnet. Come see a great farm family movie outside under the stars of Silverbrook Farm with our Summer Movie Series. This year our line-up includes: May 4 - The Fox and the Hound, June 1 – The Wizard of Oz, July 6 – Babe 2: The Pig in the City, August 3 – Charlotte’s Web, Sept. 7 – Home on the Range.

Check out the website for showtimes and grab a blanket and the family and come see a show! thesilverbrookfarm.com.

photo courtesy of boston children’s theatre

Middleboro. Watch Andy Rice give the sheep their annual haircuts and Rich Seaman’s border collies follow commands to herd the sheep.

Ongoing demonstrations will include spinning, weaving and beekeeping. There will be lots of fun activities for the children using wool and recycled materials. A variety of handmade crafts will be for sale and hot dogs and refreshments will be available. A $5, C $2, children under 3 free. soulehomestead.org.

Come enjoy Schoolhouse Rock! At the Boston Children’s Theatre, Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA, 527 Tremont St., Boston, on Saturday, May 4.

Comedian Caroline Rhea. 1 Columbus Center, Springfield. Caroline Rhea Played Hilda on the sitcom “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” and performed on “The Drew Carey Show” and NBC’s “The Biggest Loser.” Her overwhelmingly funny demeanor makes her one of the most loved comedians on today’s comedy scene. Tickets cost $33. symphonyhall.com/pages/CarolineRhea. html.

Siege the Day! Trebuchet Building Contest.

Higgins Armory Museum, 100 Barber Ave., Worcester. Trebuchets are a type of medieval siege machine used to destroy castle walls. Using the principles of gravity and levers, they were capable of hurling large stones a great distance.

Put together your own team, build a four foot Trebuchet, and come to the museum to prove your handiwork. Prizes awarded for accuracy and coolness. higgins.org.

5 sunday Ballet in Cinema: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St., Brookline. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is a brilliantly imagined show and, with a magical score, ingeniously inventive designs and a wealth of theatrical effects, has something for everyone to treasure. Tickets start at $17. coolidge.org.

Stomp. The Hanover Theatre, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester. Stomp is explosive, provocative, sophisticated, sexy, utterly unique and appeals to audiences of all ages. The return of the percussive hit also brings some new surprises, with some sections of the show now updated and restructured and the addition of two new full-scale routines, utilizing props like tractor tire inner tubes and

May is National Foster Care Month To all the foster parents who make every day about the children - this month is for you!

Heartfelt thanks to all our foster families!

Foster Parents Wanted Seeking families throughout central Mass who are interested in improving a child's life

Call now to learn about our $500 sign-on bonus!

688 Main St. Holden, MA Toll Free...

877-446-3305

www.devereuxma.org (click on Intensive Foster Care)

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Find us on Facebook

BAYSTATEPARENT 17

oh, the places youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ll go paint cans. See what all the noise is about. Tickets start at $22. thehanovertheatre.org.

Close Cousins: Chimpanzee Program for Kids with Zarin Machanda. Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge. Discover our closest living relative, the chimpanzee, with primatologist Zarin Machanda, who studies great apes in Africa. In this hands-on and interactive presentation, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll handle chimpanzee â&#x20AC;&#x153;toysâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;toolsâ&#x20AC;?, look at real chimp skulls and teeth, watch short videos of chimps in the wild, and learn how similar chimps and humans really are. Cost is $8 to 12 with regular admission. hmnh.harvard.edu.

Wild About Birds. Mass Audubon Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary, 280 Eliot St. (Route 16), Natick. Broadmoor is full of many different kinds of birds. Do males look different from females? Which ones are most likely to visit the feeders, fields, woods or the marsh? Wonder who is singing in your yard? Come with the whole family as you watch up close with a spotting scope and learn about common bird songs as you enjoy a guided adventure around Broadmoor. See how many birds you can discover! Pre-registration required. Online registration available. A $11m/$13nm, C $6m/$8nm. massaudubon.org.

First Sunday Drop Into Art. Danforth Museum, 123 Union St., Framingham. The First Sunday Drop Into Art is the Danforth Museumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s monthly free family event. Families can enjoy a tour of the Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gallery, along with some other exhibits, led by our adult and teen docents.

At the end of the tour, visitors are invited to create their own works of art that reflects the style on display at the museum. Have fun, learn something new, create your own masterpiece to take home, and experience beautiful art! All for free; registration upon entrance to the event. danforthmuseum.org.

6 monday MappariumŽ. The Mary Baker Eddy Library, 200 Massachusetts Ave., Boston. Visit the Mapparium and venture to the This popular Boston landmark is a world-famous, three-story, stained-glass globe that has been visited by over 10 million people since it was constructed in 1935. Step inside this three-dimensional globe for a 20 minute tour. A $6, C $4. Children under 6 are free. marybakereddylibrary.org.

ONGOING Discovering Nature as a Preschooler. Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, 414 Massasoit Road, Worcester. This six-week series of nature classes is designed for young children ages 4 to 5 unaccompanied by a

parent. Each week brings a new focus, but weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll always begin indoors with games, activities, or crafts, and then explore the great outdoors on Broad Meadow Brookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clearly marked trails. This is a wonderful opportunity for young children to learn about nature and meet other children, in a safe, caring environment.C $100m/$125nm.

Registration is required. massaudubon.org.

7 tuesday Home School Day. Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge. Home School Days are a great opportunity for you and your children to gain exposure to the life and work of an early 19th-century rural New England community. osv.org.

Homeschool: Warmth of the Sun/Senses Galore! Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, 293 Moose Hill St., Sharon. Children will explore the many changes that take place as the seasons transition from winter to spring. Use your senses to explore amphibian activity during the warmer days of March, investigate Moose Hillâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vernal pools in May for signs of life, and even conduct science experiments that help explain why the sun is as strong as it is this time of year.

The possibilities are always endless at Moose Hill! C $20m/$25nm. Registration is required. massaudubon.org.

Spring Walk. Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, P.O. Box 494, Vineyard Haven. Join in for a guided walk on the sanctuary to witness all of springâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s offerings. With more transformation happening in May on the island than any other month, come discover how the natural world is intensifying with sound, scent, color and energy!

A $0m/$5nm, C $0m/$5nm. Registration is not required. massaudubon.org.

Afterschool Explorations - Fast Fliers!

Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, 293 Moose Hill St., Sharon. Whether an animal creeps along beneath a fallen log, leaps through tall grass, dashes up a tree, or quickly flies through the air, how animals get around allows them to survive.

Investigate the amazing world of birds, frogs, salamanders, insects, and other creatures that live in our forests, meadows, and wetlands.

Use binoculars, sweep nets, bug boxes, and magiscopes to get a closer look. Dress for the weather as outdoor exploration is included each program. C $9m/$12nm. Registration is required. massaudubon.org.

Animal Happenings. The Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Museum in Easton, 9 Sullivan Ave., North Easton.

Feathers and fur, scales and shells, what will it be this week? Get up close and learn about a different animal each visit. Animal Happenings is sponsored by Lloyd Animal Medical Center. It does not require registration and is free with admission to the Museum. childrensmuseumineaston.org.

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ONGOING Puppet Playtime. Puppet Showplace Theatre, 32 Station St., Brookline.

Puppet Playtime is a fun, interactive performance experience designed for very young children (0-3). In each hour-long session, two friendly performers guide children (and their grownups) through free play, sing-a-longs, stories, and imagination games. Puppet characters appear throughout to introduce the theme of the day and to join in the fun, and each session ends with a short puppetry performance. Cost I $100nm/$75m. web.ovationtix.com.

ONGOING Annie. Neverland Theatre, Temple Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nai Abraham, 200 E. Lothrop St., Beverly. Neverland Theatre is proud to present everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite red-haired orphan in the most delightful family musical, Annie! Join Annie and her dog, Sandy, in their musical adventures!

Tickets start at $15. Ongoing through May 12. neverlandtheatre.com.

Some Bunny Loves You. Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln. Hop, Hop, Hop! Have an up close visit with a Drumlin Farm rabbit. Why does she have such big feet? Does her nose ever stop wiggling?

Have a snack that a rabbit would love to eat. Go exploring for favorite rabbit hiding places around the sanctuary, and visit the garden to plant a

rabbit treat. Which will eat it from the garden when it grows - the wild rabbits or our domestic rabbits? A $11m/$13nm, C $11m/$13nm.

Registration is required. massaudubon.org.

Montachusett Mothers of Multiples Group Monthly Social. Our Lady of the Lake Church, 1400 Main St., Leominster. The Montachusett Mothers of Multiples (MMOM) club provides educational, social and emotional support to mothers and expectant mothers of multiples in our local area. Please send an email to info@ montymoms.org if planning to attend for the first in case there is a change in time or location. montymoms.org.

9 thursday Musical Theater Workshop: Introduction to Analysis, Craft & Creation. Arlington High School 869 Massachusetts Ave., Arlington.

Allen Feinstein, a composer/lyricist and Music Supervisor of Harvardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hasty Pudding Theatricals, will lead this fun evening of creative exploration and a close look at musical theater masterworks. You will begin to explore these questions, focusing on how effective lyrics are crafted, how songs function in musicals, and how book writers, lyricists, and composers adapt works from other media to the musical theater stage. Tickets are $20. 781-316-3568.

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ONGOING Disneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fantastia: Live in Concert. Boston Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Hall, 301 Massachusetts Ave., Boston. Disney shares one of its crown jewels of feature animation in this concert showcasing selections from the original Fantasia and Fantasia 2000. Enjoy Disneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s groundbreaking marriage of symphonic music and animation. These screenings, accompanied by the live performance of some of the most memorable classical music ever composed, are brought to life by the Boston Pops conducted by Keith Lockhart. Ideal for the whole family, this is an unforgettable experience!

Tickets start at $22. bso.org.

ONGOING A Woodland Cinderella. Puppet Showplace Theatre, Puppet Showplace Theatre, 32 Station St., Brookline. In this original UNIMA award-winning version of Cinderella, the King of all Woodland Fairies wants his son to marry a fairy princess, but he knows that they are very hard to find. So the King hosts a great ball and commands all the young fairy maidens to attend.

He hopes that the missing fern fairy princess will come. Will he find her? Tickets start at $8.

Ongoing through May 12 web.ovationtix.com. artKitchen CafĂŠ Performance Series Stories of Our Mothers. Fuller Craft Museum, 455 Oak St., Brockton. Looking to celebrate your mother in a special way this Motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day? Bring her to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Stories of Our Mothersâ&#x20AC;? for a night

oh, the places youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ll go of funny, bittersweet, and poignant stories about mothers told by artists, poets, and special guests. $8m/$12nm. 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. fullercraft.org.

The Secret Garden. Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport. The Secret Garden, produced and directed by Anna Smulowitz, is a Tony Award winning musical based on the 1911 novel of the same name by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Mary Lennox, a young English girl born and raised in the British Raj, is orphaned by a cholera outbreak when she is eleven years old. She is sent away from India to Yorkshire, England, to live with relatives she has never met. Her own personality blossoms as she and a young gardener bring new life to a neglected garden, as well as to her sickly cousin and uncle. Tickets start at $15. firehouse.org.

Early Morning Bird Walk with Jack Lash.

Oak Knoll Wildlife Sanctuary, 1417 Park St., Attleboro. Join Jack Lash for an early morning bird stroll. We will find as many different species of birds as possible, learn some of the calls they make and chat about WHY species are in the habitat we find them. Species tallies will be provided both on a day list basis and with a cumulative total for all mornings summarized and either emailed or sent in hard copy to all

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photo courtesy of the COOLIDGE CORNER theatre

troublesome children. Maria teaches them to sing and Captain Von Trapp to love. When the Nazis invade Austria, their happiness is threatened and the whole family is forced to flee over the mountains to Switzerland. Ongoing through May 12. Tickets are $30. woodlandtheatre.com.

Don’t miss the Alpha Rocks Kids’ Shows at the Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St., Brookline, on Saturday, May 4.booe $39.

interested attendees. Suitable for children 8-16 years. A $4m/$6nm, C $2m/$3nm. Registration is required. massaudubon.org.

Early Explorers. Boston Nature Center, 500 Walk Hill St., Mattapan. Explore, discover, and learn every Thursday at the BNC. Each program introduces young children to the natural world through movement, games, stories, and art. You will spend time indoors and outdoors, discovering the fascinating beauty of spring and investigating seasonal changes. Each program offers a new nature theme and hands-on, mindson experiences. Suitable for children 3-6 years.

A $0, C $5m/$7nm. Pregistration is encouraged, registration is required. massaudubon.org.

ONGOING Nature Adventures for 5-7 Year Olds. Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, 414 Massasoit Road, Worcester.

Join in for a hands-on nature program designed especially for 5, 6 and 7 year olds. Each month we’ll focus on a new nature topic. We’ll explore our nature topic indoors using investigations, crafts, and activities and outdoors in Broad Meadow Brook’s beautiful 400-acre wildlife sanctuary. These classes will provide in-depth learning in a supportive social environment. 1 to 3 p.m. C $8m/$12nm. Registration is required. massaudubon.org.

10 friday ONGOING The Sound of Music. Woodland Theatre Company, The Lowell Mason Auditorium 88 South St., Medfield. Maria, a postulant who is causing the Abbey trouble, is sent off to be governess to a widowed naval Captain’s seven

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The Bacon Brothers. The Wilbur Theatre, 246 Tremont St., Boston. Long before Kevin Bacon launched his prolific stage and screen career, and before Michael Bacon became known as a go-to composer for film and television, they were just two brothers, born nine years apart, coming of age in Center City Philadelphia. With 2009 marking 14 years of the Bacon Brothers band’s existence, any cynical preconceptions about well-known actors “dabbling” in music now can safely be discarded. Tickets start at $25. thewilburtheatre.com.

FREE Pathways to Nature Preschool Family Play Date. Boston Nature Center, 500 Walk Hill St., Mattapan. Families are welcome to visit Pathways to Nature with their children to engage them in meeting other students and become familiar with the site, staff, and activities.

Registration is not required. massaudubon.org.

11saturday Jane Austen Tea. Hedge House Museum, 126 Water St., Plymouth. Enjoy a scrumptious English tea and immerse yourself in Jane Austen’s world during a special tour of the 1809 Hedge House. Experience the customs and social milieu of Regency England as described in Austen’s novels; elegantly costumed guides provide insights on the experiences of provincial Americans in the era. 2 to 4 p.m.

Tickets start at $12. Reservations are required. plymouthantiquariansociety.org.

Bats: Out of the Cave and into the Night.

Berkshire Museum, 39 South St., Pittsfield.

Winged and hairy, the only flying mammal might seem a little odd and even scary but the world would be a very different place without them. Bats protect you from insects, pollinate plants, and are fascinating inspiration

for 21st-century navigation. Get acquainted with these misunderstood animals, try your hand at echolocation, and attempt to survive a mock extinction. Free with museum admission. berkshiremuseum.org.

Pre-Mother’s Day Pink Tea and Ballet.

Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum, 104 Walker St., Lenox. Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum is inviting mothers, grandmothers, children and grandchildren to a Victorian Pink Tea and Ballet celebration. 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. The event turns the weekend into a two-day holiday for mothers and a perfect outing for grandmothers, combined with the official Mothers Day on Sunday, May 12. gildedage.org.

Pond Discoveries. Blue Hills Trailside Museum, 1904 Canton Ave., Milton. Join in on a Saturday afternoon to discover the wild creatures who live in the pond just a few steps away from Trailside Museum. Will we see turtles basking in the sun or ducks splashing in the water? Let’s dip our nets in the pond and see if we can discover tadpoles wiggling, crayfish flipping, or dragonfly nymphs crawling. We’ll also meet one of our resident pond animals up close, such as an owl or a turtle.

2:30 p.m. C $12m/$16nm. Registration required. massaudubon.org.

12 sunday WSO Mother’s Day Concert Featuring Mother and Daughter Soloists Cherie and Gréta Ásgeirsson. The Wellesley Symphony Orchestra, Mass Bay Community College, 50 Oakland St., Wellesley. The WSO Mother’s Day Concert Dedicated to Nancy Burdine. Featuring Featuring Mother and Daughter Soloists Cherie (flute) and Gréta Ásgeirsson (harp). Tickets are A $25, Seniors/Students $20, Children under 12 free. wellesleysymphony.org.

FREE 5th Annual “Step Into Spring” Flower & Garden Show! The Mall at Chestnut Hill, 199 Boylston St., Chestnut Hill. Spring will bloom early at the Mall at Chestnut Hill this year with its annual Step Into Spring garden &

BOSTON STRONG Ba Ba Bling Baby has custom-designed these Boston Strong t-shirts and all proceeds will be donated to The One Fund Boston (theonefundboston.org) the fund to support the victims and their families of the Boston Marathon tragedy.

The t-shirt is 100 percent cotton and reads, “I may be small, but I am BOSTON STRONG,” and has a Boston Strong blue and yellow ribbon. The t-shirt is $20 and is available in sizes 6-12 months to 8 Youth.

For more information, visit babablingbaby.com/category_46/BOSTONSTRONG.htm.

36th Annual Birds and Breakfast. Mass Audubon’s Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary, 280 Eliot St. (Route 16), Natick. Come for guided walks followed by a homemade breakfast at the Nature Center. Guided Bird Walks (90 min) starting at 7, 8, 9 or 10 a.m. Homemade pancakes and REAL maple syrup from Natick Community Organic Farm. Pre-registration is required. Adults $15.00m/ $17.00nm, Children $8.00m/ $9.00nm. massaudubon.org.

Mother’s Day Dinner Cruise on the Spirit of Boston. Spirit of Boston, 200 Seaport Blvd., Suite 75, Boston. Give Mom the day off and treat her to a special day full festivities and fun aboard the Spirit of Boston! With a bountiful buffet, interactive DJ entertainment, dancing and spectacular views, this will surely be a Mother’s Day she will always remember! 4:30 to 8 p.m. spiritofboston.com.

Mother’s Day Breakfast with Moo Moo. Davis Farmland, 145 Redstone Hill Rd., Sterling. An extra special morning with Moo Moo. Enjoy an all you can eat Mother’s Day breakfast. Make mom a macaroni necklace be a part of this special mother’s day encounter with Moo Moo. Advanced reservations are required and spaces fill up quickly, so call (978)422MOOO(6666) to be sure you don’t miss out on all the fun. davisfarmland.com.

13 monday Cape Cod Restaurant Week 2013. Many towns in Cape Cod. The best restaurants from up and down the Cape will be offering three- or fourcourse fixed-price exhibition menu at a special rate of $25, $30 or $35 per person. Shake off the winter chill and head out to dinner at your favorite

spot or take the opportunity to try someplace new. See event website for list of participating restaurants. restaurantweekcapecod.com.

Insect Safari. Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln.

Explore the fields and forests of Drumlin Farm looking for spring azure butterflies, spittle bugs and other creatures with six legs.

Will the honeybees be flying? Try a taste of their sweet honey - how do they make this wonderful food? Check under logs for ground beetles and other multi-legged cousins Suitable for children 6 to 9 years.

C $12m/$14nm. massaudubon.org.

photo courtesy of the puppet showplace theatre

flower show. Award winning landscape artists, horticulturists, master gardeners and floral designers will share exquisite examples of richly planted gardens, stone sculptures, unique garden settings and beautiful floral arrangements in common areas throughout the mall. facebook. com/MallAtChestnutHill.

Little Naturalists-Baby Song Birds.

North River Wildlife Sanctuary, 2000 Main St., Marshfield. Nature is right in our backyard. Through nature walks, stories, songs, and crafts, discover New England animals and how they live. Each month will focus on a different season theme.

Suitable for 3-5 years. 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. C $5m/$7nm. massaudubon.org.

14 tuesday Alice’s Wonderland: a most curious adventure. Ecotarium, 222 Harrington Way, Worcester. Journey down the rabbit hole to explore Alice’s Wonderland. This award-winning traveling exhibition is based on Lewis Carroll’s classic, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

The exhibition inspires curiosity, encourages exploration, and helps make the unknown more familiar, maybe even logical, and certainly fun.

Alice’s Wonderland was created by the Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose. A $14, C $8, $10 students and seniors, free for members. ecotarium.org.

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme.

Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln. Explore the scents and textures of our herb garden. Which plant feels like a lamb’s ear? Which is the pizza flavor plant?

Make a bouquet of your favorites - a “tussymussy - to block out bad smells. Make a treat

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Enjoy the Yankee Peddler: Songs and Stories of Old New England at the Puppet Showplace Theatre, 32 Station St., Brookline on Thursday, May 23.booe $39.

using different herbs for flavor. 1 to 2:30 p.m.

A $11m/$13nm, C $11m/ $13nm. Registration is required. massaudubon.org.

Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) Princeton Meeting. 182 Brooks Station Rd., Princeton. Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) begins our new evening meeting format the second Tuesday of each month from 6:30-8:30.

If you are interested in fun and friendship, join us as we celebrate motherhood with others who are balancing the joys and challenges of raising young children. For more information, email aharvey1977@yahoo.com.

15 wednesday Jump, Frog, Jump! Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, 414 Massasoit Road,

Worcester. If you are between the ages of 3 and 5, bring your favorite adult for a thematic hour of a story, an activity, and a naturalist-led walk. 10 to 11 a.m. A $5m/$7nm, C $2m/$3nm.

Registration is required. massaudubon.org.

Jack’s Beanstalk. Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln. You’ll act out Jack’s adventures after reading the story together. Then you’ll dig and plant in the garden and learn how beans grow so tall and so fast. Are the bean seeds Magic? You’ll visit the barns to meet our milking cow, and the poultry house in search of a hen who lays “golden” eggs. Make your own golden egg to bring home using a natural dye. 3:30 to 5 p.m. Registration is required. A $11m/$13nm, C $11m/$13nm. massaudubon.org.

Early Morning Bird Walk with Jack Lash.

Oak Knoll Wildlife Sanctuary, 1417 Park St.,

FREE! 3 $ $

Souvenir Cup of Animal Feed.

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oh, the places you’ ll go Attleboro. Join Jack Lash for an early morning bird stroll. We will find as many different species of birds as possible, learn some of the calls they make and chat about WHY species are in the habitat we find them. Species tallies will be provided both on a day list basis and with a cumulative total for all mornings summarized and sent to all interested attendees. Suitable for children 8-16 years. A $4m/$6nm, C $2m/$3nm.

Registration is required. massaudubon.org.

16 thursday ONGOING Sleeping Beauty. Puppet Showplace Theatre, 32 Station St., Brookline.

The princess Aurora has been asleep for almost one hundred years when our hero, Prince Steffon learns of her story. He resolves to find the sleeping princess and rescue her from the evil fairy Belladonna. Told from the prince’s point of view, this breath-taking production combines beautifully crafted marionettes with the timeless music of Tchaikovsky’s “Sleeping Beauty” ballet.

Marionettes. Recommended for ages 4 and up.

Tickets start at $8. Ongoing through May 19. web.ovationtix.com.

Afternoon Chores and Ice Cream! Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, 208 South Great

Road, Lincoln. You’ll feed hay and grain to our animals, collect eggs, and participate in other farm chores as you help the farmer close up for the night. Help out with making a cool sweet snack of ice cream to enjoy after the hard work is done. 3:30 to 5 p.m. A $11m/$13nm, C $11m/$13nm. Pre-registration is required. massaudubon.org.

17 friday Catch the Wind. Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln.

Spring has arrived and windy days are here!

Why do we sometimes feel a gentle breeze, and sometimes a blustery wind? How does the wind happen, anyway? We’ll hear the story of the Wind Eagle and meet a native flyer who likes to float on the spring breezes. Make a small kite of your own and head up the drumlin to fly it. 3:30 to 5 p.m. A $11m/$13nm, C $11m/$13nm.

Registration is required. massaudubon.org.

Friday Evening Hayride and Campfire.

Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln. Join in as spring moves into summer, as the days lengthen and then start to get shorter. Watch for birds flying at dusk and evening fireflies as you ride the hay wagon through the meadows. Stop at the campfire for stories, s’mores, and a special night-time visitor. Watch for the glorious colors of the sky

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as the sun begins to set. 4 to 5:30 p.m. Adults $15m/$19nm, C $15m/$19nm. Registration is required. massaudubon.org.

18 saturday Wild About Amphibians. Mass Audubon’s Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary, 280 Eliot St. (Route 16), Natick. Visit “up close and personal” with some of the species of amphibians found around Broadmoor. Learn about our frog and salamander friends and take a short walk to the marsh and vernal pool to see more animals in the wild. Pre-registration required. A $11m/$13nm, C $6m/$8nm. 1 to 2:30 p.m. massaudubon.org.

Garden Thyme. Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Way, Sturbridge. Garden Thyme is a monthly program open to all OSV members. This program looks at a variety of topics for the experienced and novice gardener. osv.org.

Great Tomato Plant Giveaway & Heirloom Plant Sale. Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Way, Sturbridge. On this day, families who visit will be given a free heirloom tomato plant (one per family, while supplies last), and related programs are planned. osv.org.

A Night at the Museum. Ecotarium, 222 Harrington Way, Worcester. The Ecotarium and its exhibits come to life at night during this special

evening for adults. In a spin on the popular movie, encounter historical characters and exciting surprises around every corner. Journey down the rabbit hole to preview the museum’s new summer exhibit, Alice’s Wonderland, meeting characters from the classic by Lewis Carroll; take a moonlight train ride around the grounds; and much more! $100 per person. ecotarium.org.

Touch-A-Truck. Dover-Sherborn High School, 9 Junction St., Dover. Your child will be able to sit in the driver’s seat and play on the following trucks: two fire trucks, a police car, a dump truck, a concrete mixer, a concrete pumper truck, a backhoe, a bulldozer, a mini-excavator, a Cherry-picker bucket truck, a street-sweeper, a garbage truck, and an antique Lamborghini.

Tickets are $10 per child. 9 a.m. to noon. dsgridironclub.com.

19 sunday

South End self-guided walking tour.

Boston’s South End beginning at Dartmouth St., Southwest Corridor Park at Dartmouth St., Boston. This self-guided walking tour takes the visitor to a series of parks, gardens and green spaces in Boston’s South End, a neighborhood of historic residential and institutional properties. neldha.org/walking-tours.

Alice’s Wonderland: a most curious adventure. Ecotarium, 222 Harrington Way,

Worcester. Journey down the rabbit hole to explore Alice’s Wonderland. This award-winning traveling exhibition is based on Lewis Carroll’s classic, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

The exhibition inspires curiosity, encourages exploration, and helps make the unknown more familiar, maybe even logical, and certainly fun.

Alice’s Wonderland was created by the Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose. A $14, C $8, $10 students and seniors, free for members. ecotarium.org.

20 monday Hull Walking Tours. 33 Western Ave., Hull.

Walking tours of Hull are 30 minutes long for $10 and can run up to six hours (price varies).

Hull is a 7-mile-long peninsula southeast of Boston. Historical, architectural, coastal beauty.

Share what you’re interested in and they’ll accommodate your needs. Great fun for families and groups. Ok for singles, too. Wear good shoes and bring your camera! Tourhull.com.

Energetic Experiments. Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln. Test the power of the sun and wind. Make your own wind toys to check out the strength of the spring breezes. Does it matter which direction the wind is blowing? Cook a sweet treat using only the sun.

4 to 5:30 p.m. C $12m/$14nm. Registration is required. massaudubon.org.

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21 tuesday Homeschool: Warmth of the Sun/Senses Galore! Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, 293 Moose Hill St., Sharon. Children will explore the many changes that take place as the seasons transition from winter to spring. Use your senses to explore amphibian activity during the warmer days of March, investigate Moose Hill’s vernal pools in May for signs of life, and even conduct science experiments that help explain why the sun is as strong as it is this time of year.

The possibilities are always endless at Moose Hill! C $20m/$25nm. Registration is required. massaudubon.org.

Let’s Look at Insects! Habitat Education Center and Wildlife Sanctuary, 10 Juniper Road, Belmont. Insects are fascinating and even more so when you can really observe them before they scurry away. Come and learn how easy it is to look at insects. We will use sweep nets, pit fall traps and lures to catch and watch our insects with bug boxes and magnifying glasses before releasing them back to their homes at Habitat.

10 to 11:30 a.m. Suitable for children 3 to 5.

A $6m/$8nm, C $6m/$8nm. Registration is required. massaudubon.org.

Afterschool Explorations - Daring Dashers!

Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, 293 Moose Hill

St., Sharon. Whether an animal creeps along beneath a fallen log, leaps through tall grass, dashes up a tree, or quickly flies through the air, how animals get around allows them to survive.

Investigate the amazing world of birds, frogs, salamanders, insects, and other creatures that live in our forests, meadows, and wetlands.

Use binoculars, sweep nets, bug boxes, and magiscopes to get a closer look. 3:30 to 5 p.m.

Suitable for children 6 to 10. C $9m/$12nm.

Registration is required. massaudubon.org.

Rabbit’s Silly Salad. Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln. Join in and harvest fresh greens from the garden, including early lettuce, spinach, and pea tendrils.

You’ll also add some edible flowers and whatever else you can find for a tasty treat. Meet their own resident rabbit and find out what she likes to eat, and plant your own mini-salad garden to bring home. 3:30 to 5 p.m. Suitable for children 0-7 years. A $11m/$13nm, C $11m/$13nm. massaudubon.org.

22 wednesday ONGOING Nursery School Naturalists - 3 years. Habitat Education Center and Wildlife Sanctuary, 10 Juniper Road, Belmont. The Nursery School Naturalist program is a weekly drop-off enrich-ment program for 3 to 4 year olds. The program begins indoors,

oh, the places you’ ll go but we go outside every week for about half the session, whatever the weather. C $720m/$0nm.

Registration is required. massaudubon.org.

Evening of Dance 2013: Peter Pan. The Hanover Theatre, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester.

This dance version of Peter Pan allows you to visit the magical place where childhood prevails, “lovely thoughts” allow us to fly and fairies truly exist. The adventures of the evening allow us to be captured by pirates, surrounded by Indians and captivated by the boy who “Won’t Grow Up.” Tickets start at $12. thehanovertheatre.org.

23 thursday ONGOING The Yankee Peddler. Puppet Showplace Theatre, 32 Station St., Brookline.

Ever wanted to sing along with a sea shanty?

Or dive deep into a fox’s den? Then join in for the premier of PST’s newest production!

In a whirlwind tour of New England’s lesserknown folklore you’ll discover a giant sailor, a fashionable bear, and the world’s largest wheel of cheese. Drawing from three hundred years of stories, songs, and local history, this show is a delight for audiences of all ages. Ongoing through May 26. Tickets start at $8. web. ovationtix.com.

Emily is doing more than coloring shaving cream.

She is also learning to experiment, exploring color, and expressing her creativity.

From the moment they’re born, children can’t wait to start exploring, discovering and learning. In fact, children do their most important learning before age five. Everything Next Generation does is designed to help your child grow physically, socially, emotionally and intellectually – and have fun while doing it! Choose a leader in early childhood education. Choose Next Generation Children’s Centers.

Next Generation Children’s Centers A Leader In Early Childhood Education 866-711-NGCC • NGCCenters.com Andover • Beverly • Franklin • Hopkinton • Marlborough • Natick • Sudbury • Walpole • Westborough • Westford BAYSTATEPARENT 23

photo courtesy of old sturbridge village

and winter returnees. Be ready for surprises.

Binoculars and spotting scope available. Meet in the parking lot. Registration is not required. 8:30 to 10 a.m. massaudubon.org.

Don’t miss Wool Days at the Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge on Saturday, May 25.

Megan Hilty from “Smash” with the Boston Pops. Symphony Hall, 301 Massachusetts Ave., Boston. Broadway and television star Megan Hilty joins the Pops for an unforgettable evening. After stints on Broadway in “Wicked,” “9 to 5: The Musical,” and “Gentleman Prefer Blondes,” she is now one of TV’s newest stars of the hit series, Smash. In addition to Megan Hilty, the Pops will perform some of Hollywood’s greatest love songs. Tickets start at $22. bit.ly/12rMAQ0.

military observance at noon with the raising of the American flag from half-staff and a 21-gun salute. Open to the public. battleshipcove.org.

24 friday

Wool Days. Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge. During Wool Days the Old Sturbridge Village get their annual “haircuts” and historians demonstrate how wool is processed - from shearing, scouring, and carding to dyeing, spinning, and weaving (in other words, from sheep to shirt). Try your hand. Memorial Day is also our official kick-off to summer activities like period games, 1830s “baseball” and “French & English” tug-of-war contests. 9:30 to 5 p.m. osv.org.

ABCs of Science. The Children’s Museum in Easton, 9 Sullivan Ave., North Easton.

From Aeronautics to Zoetropes, this class will introduce the fascinating world of science to curious toddlers. They will be able to explore different words each week and learn more about science with each visit! ABCs of Science does not require registration and is free with paid admission to the museum. 10 to 10:45 a.m. childrensmuseumineaston.org.

Construction Expo. Davis Farmland, 145 Redstone Hill Rd., Sterling. The construction site is ready and hard hats are required for this three-day action packed adventure at Farmland.

Kids can help Digger Doug and Stillman Landscaping operate real excavator, move sand, climb on a bulldozer, and other construction equipment! The construction site operates Saturday, Sunday, and Monday 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. davisfarmland.com.

25 saturday 26 sunday Memorial Day Weekend at Battleship Cove. Battleship Cove, 5 Water St., Fall River.

All active duty, retired and reserve military personnel who show proof of service will be honored with free admission to Battleship Cove. On Memorial Day, May 27 honor and commemorate the men and women who gave their lives for freedom. Experience a traditional 24 MAY2013

FREE HIP Morning Birding Walks May. Habitat Education Center and Wildlife Sanctuary, 10 Juniper Road, Belmont. Birders and non-birders of all ages and skill levels are invited to join Habitat’s HIP group (Habitat Intergenerational program) for five walks around Habitat. Look for signs of migrators, nest builders

Get Out & Go Birding. Boston Nature Center, 500 Walk Hill St., Mattapan. Birding can be a relaxing and fun pastime. Explore the bird world at the BNC at your own pace with one of our birding kits. Each kit includes two pairs of binoculars, tips for using binoculars, two bird guide books, and a list of common birds found at the BNC. Kits can be borrowed for 1.5 hours at a time. To ensure available kits please call ahead. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Suitable for children up to 18 years old. A $2m/$2nm, Children free.

Registration is not required. massaudubon.org.

Kayak Family Paddle on the Plum Island River. Joppa Flats Education Center and Plum Island Kayak, 92 Merrimac St., Newburyport.

Late spring is a great time to experience on-thewater ecology, and kayaking is the perfect way to capture every moment. From wading birds to waterfowl, the salt marshes provide the backdrop to observations that are uniquely available from the water. Kayaking quietly on the calm waters of the Plum Island Sound, we’ll visit secluded areas where we can witness wildlife without disturbing their activities. Birds to watch for include common terns, willets, diurnal raptors, great blue herons, and egrets. 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Suitable for children 7 to 12 years old. A $50m/$60nm, C $50m/$60nm. Registration is required. massaudubon.org.

27 monday FREE Beach Ramble. Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary, 1280 Horseneck Road, Westport.

This family-friendly program explores many different habitats and their inhabitants as you depart the field station and meander through grassland meadow before walking by the salt pond onto a sandy beach. After enjoying a short climb onto a bedrock outcrop, you’ll be able to enjoy the beautiful vista before descending to the rocky coastline en route to the grasslands and field station. 10 a.m. to noon. Suitable for children 5 to 17. Registration is required. massaudubon.org.

28 tuesday A Cow in the Herb Garden. Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln. Let’s hope she is in the barn and not the garden - what a mess she would make!

Visit the garden to make sure she is not there.

Which are your favorite herbs to smell? Make a small herb bouquet - a “tussy-mussy” - of your favorite herbs! Try your hand at milking in the barn. Make some butter and flavor it with herbs.

Which combination is your favorite? 3:30 to 5

p.m. Suitable for children up to 7 years old. A $11m/$13nm, C $11m/$13nm. Registration is required. massaudubon.org.

Microscope Magic: The World Beneath Your Feet. Habitat Education Center and Wildlife Sanctuary, 10 Juniper Road, Belmont.

Calling all Nature Detectives! Come and explore the world beneath your feet. It’s a rotten and seedy place. Discover the skeletons of seasons past. Look for buried treasure. What could live in this world? Using microscopes you will see, first hand, the never ending, always moving web of decomposers. You never know what we’ll find! 3:30 to 5 p.m. Suitable for children 6 to 10. C $14m/$17nm. Registration is required. massaudubon.org.

Weather Wise. Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln.

Test the power of the sun as we get closer to the longest day of the year. Use a solar oven to make a fun sun-cooked treat. Make a pocket sun dial and a wind sock to help you keep track of the weather. Then meet someone who is a natural solar collector. 4 to 5:30 p.m. Suitable for children 6 to 9 years old. C $12m/$14nm.

Registration is required. massaudubon.org.

MotherWoman Postpartum Group: This is Harder Than I Thought.

MothersWoman Office, 220 Russell St. (Route 9), Hadley. Join mothers for a free, safe, confidential drop-in group. For mothers of infants and babies up to one year old who are experiencing a challenging postpartum time. Expectant mothers welcome. Feel heard, valued, understood, nurtured and energized.

Free childcare up to 5 years old. 10 a.m. to noon. motherwoman.org.

29 wednesday ONGOING Coyote Club Wednesday Howlers. Habitat Education Center and Wildlife Sanctuary, 10 Juniper Road, Belmont. Come outside and play! Recent studies suggest that today’s children suffer from “nature deficit disorder” a term coined by Richard Louv (Last Child in the Woods) caused from lack of interaction with the natural world. This afterschool program will counteract this tendency by helping children expend pent up energy, become familiar with the sanctuary and notice seasonal changes.

Suitable for children 5 to 6 years old. 3:30 to 5 p.m. C $14m/$17nm. Registration is required. massaudubon.org.

MotherWoman Postpartum Support Group. Midwifery Care of Holyoke, 230 Maple St., Holyoke. Join mothers for a free, safe, confidential drop-in support group for mothers of infants and babies up to one year old.

Expectant mothers welcome. Runs year-round. 1 to 2:30 p.m. motherwoman.org.

Kayak to the Fireworks. Island Spirit Kayak, State Beach, Little Bridge, Oak Bluffs. Sit back and enjoy the thrill and beauty of the Fireworks Show from your kayak! Nothing is more exciting than a front row seat for this spectacular.

Popcorn, cookies & glowsticks included! 6:30 p.m.

A $75, C $55 (5 to 12). Islandspiritkayak.com.

Fledglings. Blue Hills Trailside Museum, 1904 Canton Ave., Milton. Explore nature with your child. Fledglings encourages your child’s love for nature through interactive stories, short nature lessons, crafts, songs, nature walks, and live animal encounters. A light snack will be provided. 10:30 a.m. to noon. A $5m/$8nm, C $9m/$12nm. Suitable for children 3 to 5.

Registration is required. massaudubon.org.

31 friday FREE Cultural Survival Bazaar. Amherst Common, Boltwood Avenue, Amherst. A Festival of Native Arts and Cultures from Around the World. Featuring guest Artisans from Africa, Asia, and the Americas, live “world” music, presentations, educational displays, and Tibetan cuisine. Shop handmade art, jewelry, clothing, crafts, decor, tribal rugs, and much more. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. bazaar.culturalsurvival.org.

ONGOING Masters of Flight: Birds of Prey Show. Stone Zoo, 149 Pond St., Stoneham. Featuring bird species from around the world, including a bald eagle, a red-legged seriema, a king vulture, a Eurasian eagle owl and a black vulture.

These birds will fly in from overhead and demonstrate natural behaviors including unique survival techniques and food foraging, as well as specialized physical adaptations. Ongoing starting on May 4 through Labor Day. General admissions apply. A $14, C $10. stonezoo.org.

Aladdin Jr. Watertown Children’s Theatre, The Arsenal Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal St., Watertown. Agrabah, city of Enchantment, where every beggar has a story and every camel has a tail! Filled with magic, mayhem, flying carpet rides, and award-winning songs including “A Whole New World” and “Friend Like Me!” Tuition is $295. Performances in June.

photo courtesy of davis farmland

30 thursday

The Legend of the Lady Slipper. Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln. Beautiful pink slippers dot the forest. Explore the red pine forest looking for these special flowers. Listen to the legend of the Lady Slipper, and make your own special flower to take home. 3:30 to 5 p.m. A $11m/$13nm, C $11m/$13nm. Registration is required. massaudubon.org.

Enjoy the Construction Expo at Davis Farmland, 145 Redstone Hill Road, Sterling from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. the weekend of Saturday, May 25.

Submit an Event Fill out our form at baystateparent.com by May 5.

Come spend time with your kids in our exciting family classes— a rich musical environment that encourages your child to explore the joy of music.

Find out what beautiful music you and your family can make together.

MAKE BEAUTIFUL MUSIC TOGETHER. (800) 728-2692

U

MUSICTOGETHER.COM

FOR CLASSES IN EASTERN/CENTRAL MA: WWW.MUSICTOGETHER.COM/BSP BAYSTATEPARENT 25

Ŷ /ŶŶŽǀĂƟǀĞ DŽŶƚĞƐƐŽƌŝ ĚƵĐĂƟŽŶ

limited openings for fall 2013 15 months-grade 8

www.theriverbendschool.org | 508.655.7333 26 MAY2013

CELEBRATE E

baystateparent kids celebrate at

bspâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s jump for joy

Held Sat., March 23 at Solomon Pond Mall and Sun., March 24 at Auburn Mall. Photos by Steven King and Corey Olivier.

More than 150 jumpers came to our Jump for Joy Contest in March.

From the top left, Micaela Curtin, Jean Tatis Ely, Brienne Belliveau, Abby Mackintosh and Novian Wright were among the jumpers.

BAYSTATEPARENT 27

Alina Shkurikhina, from left to right, Addison Daly, Jadon Etheart and Malia Krassoploulos, all loved coming to our Jump for Joy contest in March.

Some jumped highâ&#x20AC;Ś. â&#x20AC;Ś.and others needed a little helping hand.

Some of our top vote getters were Shriram Shenoy (runner up) and Jayson Kafel (runner up) with his dad (bottom left and middle).

Even dads like Jose Guinea loved helping his son Nicolas jump for joy (bottom right).

28 MAY2013

baystateparent magazine is commemorating the Boston Children’s Museum on its 100 year anniversary with this special section

play THE

POWER OF

COMES A LONG WAY!

baystateparent is collaborating with the Boston Children’s Museum to create a new, exciting supplement to our publication, which we’re entitling “The Power of Play.” Each month, we will include special features, content, fun ideas (and even some special offers) from this venerable institution which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

What turns a Pre-K Kid into a Happy Adult?

World Professionals Gather in Boston with Answers by maryjo kurtz

P

rotecting and encouraging the arena of play for our very young children is the recipe for a future generation of productive, happy people. This simple concept was one of the building blocks at the Early Childhood Summit 2013, which took place on April 5 in Boston.

“It’s vital to see that brains are wired right from the beginning and don’t need repair later in life,” pediatrician Michael Yogman, one of the event organizers, told a sell-out crowd of about 500. “It’s easier and less costly to get it right from the start.”

The summit was presented by the Boston Children’s

Museum as part of its 100th anniversary celebration.

Museum organizers worked in collaboration with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Center for the Developing Child at Harvard University, and Strategies for Children. Taking place at the Federal Reserve Bank, the event attracted neuroscientists, pediatricians, ed--ucators, business and museum professionals and policymakers from around the world.

The topics varied notably, but each focused on the best ways to improve the outcomes for children aged 5 and under. The day-long event included speakers addressing issues such as early brain development, approaches for reducing toxic stress and examining public policies.

Play Is Serious Business Early childhood play was stressed at several of the programs. Yogman, Board Chair of Boston Children’s Museum and Executive Board Member of the Massachusetts Chapter of AAP, told the

gathering that fun, unstructured play is fundamental to child development. It promotes creative thinking, negotiation skills, conflict resolution, decisionmaking skills and self-advocacy, he said. “Play is the serious business of childhood,” he added.

Building off of Yogman’s presentation, Boston Children’s Museum President and CEO Carole Charnow stressed that those skills are fundamental to tomorrow’s leaders. She outlined a 2012 IBM study showing creativity, innovation and collaboration as the three most necessary leadership traits cited by today’s CEOs. Developing these traits in children begins at birth, she said.

“We have to ask our ourselves, ‘Are we helping to develop these innovators? How can creativity be nurtured?’” Charnow added.

It Takes a Village In an effort to nurture safe and productive play for young children, one Massachusetts neighborhood created a community plan focused on its youngest children, and its director explained his program to BAYSTATEPARENT 29

baystateparent magazine is commemorating the Boston Children’s Museum on its 100 year anniversary with this special section

opportunity.

“We need to support families in a way that is empowering,” he added. “I ask that we look at ourselves…and ask ‘What more can we do?’”

It’s All Child’s Play

the crowd.

John F. Barros, Executive Director of the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative (DSNI), explained that DSNI is based on an ecology that is child-centered, surrounded by layers of family, organizations, businesses and community institutions.

DSNI is a nonprofit program rooted in Roxbury and North Dorchester. It includes about 446 families, Barros said. In efforts to address the core needs of its young children, community members work to address family needs such as job training.

“In order to have children develop as we need and should, we need strong families and communities,” Barros stressed.

He went on to explain that he feels society must adjust its thinking and make a cultural shift in order to protect and develop future generations in neighborhoods such as DSNI. The shift would reflect that people who need help are not a burden, he said, they are an

As the day continued, the summit participants broke into groups to discuss ways to turn ideas into action. Leaders gathered to discuss things like how digital media influences child development, public health initiatives aimed at young children, the strong role of the caregiver and more.

Despite the complexities of the many issues, Yogman noted that one of the most important factors for healthy pre-K development is not expensive or intricate at all. It is child’s play literally. He cited the importance of one-on-one parent play and reading. He said there is a need to find ways to emphasize the importance of play at accessible places like libraries, museums and playgrounds.

In the end, hundreds of community leaders from around the world came away from the summit with a mosaic of innovative ideas and inspiration that all begin with protection of something that is quite simple: the importance of child’s play.

MaryJo Kurtz is a multimedia journalist with work appearing on nearly 100 media outlets.

She can be reached at kurtz.maryjo@gmail.com, maryjokurtz.com, or on Twitter @MaryJoKurtz.

“Play is the highest form of research.”

- Albert Einstein

-

30 MAY2013

ATTENTION

KIDS

100 Ways for Children to Play

In 100 years of creating, educating and innovating, Boston Children's Museum has encouraged children and families to play together at the museum, at home and out in the world in more ways than we can count. Every day, there is a wealth of opportunities for adults and their children to play and grow together. The museum has chosen 100 of our favorites, in honor of our 100th anniversary and we will be sharing many of them here over the next several months. See how many of these 100 Ways to Play you can try together this year!

Here are the top 10:

1.

After it rains, take off your shoes and stomp and splash together in the puddles that the storm left behind.

2.

Cook together…but don’t follow a recipe! See if you can create a delicious cake or cookie or veggie dip from scratch without any help from a cookbook. How did it turn out? What would you change? Compare your recipe to one you find in a cookbook or online. Check out these activities for some ideas (beyondthechalkboard.com/activities/cupcake-science/ or beyondthechalkboard.com/activities/food-power-design-a-dip/).

3. Paint a moustache on your face and negotiate a business deal with your parents.

4. While waiting for your food to arrive at a restaurant, make an accordion with your straw wrapper.

5. Make snow angels.

6. Put on a play based on your favorite story.

7ext 7. clo wh (ar you sho Eve on exp

8to 8.

Or and Che (be scr

9to 9. or

10 10. ab env tria or obs

baystateparent magazine is commemorating the Boston Children’s Museum on its 100 year anniversary with this special section

“Confidence doesn’t just appear in children. It has to be encouraged.

One way to help your child develop confidence is though creativity.”

– Jean Van’t Hul

Playy 7.

Find an ordinary (or extraordinary) object and look at it closely: examine every detail, describe what it smells like, what it feels like (are there different textures to it?); if you have a magnifying glass see if that shows new details you hadn’t noticed.

Even familiar objects start to take on new characteristics when they are explored close-up.

8.

Draw a crazy scribble and give it to someone to make a picture out of.

Or make a bunch of doodles together and then make up stories about them.

Check out this activity for some ideas (beyondthechalkboard.com/activities/ scribble-stories/).

9.

In the car, look for the letters A to Z, in order, on signs, license plates or billboards.

10.

While you are waiting for a bus, try to find shapes in the environment around you (squares, triangles, circles); or anything red, blue or green…practice those powers of observation!

Instilling Creative Confidence by alice vogler First, what exactly is creativity? It is a little hard to define. Doctor and author, John G. Young MD reminds us that, “The word “creativity” derives from the Latin creare: to make and the Greek Krainein: to fulfill. We can approach creativity from one of these two senses.”

Author Mary Lou Cook thinks, “creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes and having fun.”

How about we combine the two – creativity is fulfilling a need to make something inventive, risky, and/or experimental and having fun while doing it!

Now for confidence. According to author and founder of Growing Happy Kids, Maureen Healy – “Confidence actually can be derived from its Latin roots to be explained as “with trust” or “with faith” or “with belief” which appears correct. A confident child displays a belief in his or her own abilities. Such a belief is developed over time but hinges upon the ability to experience self-trust.”

Having creative confidence is trusting and valuing each and every one of your ideas and taking creative risks.

In the art studio at Boston Children’s Museum, this is goal #1 – to instill creative

confidence in every visitor that walks through the door – no matter what the project is, what medium we are exploring or what collaborative project we are constructing.

Each month there will be a new idea posted about how to instill creative confidence in children at home and in the classroom posted by myself and other museum educators.

Really look, ask questions, and listen to what they are saying.

Regularly talk to your child about their artwork.

Ask them questions like how did you make that? What was your inspiration/ idea? What colors did you use?

Praise the process. Instead of telling your child a painting is beautiful, tell him/ her what you liked about their process of making it. For example, “Wow! You really paid attention to details on that one!” or “You have so many different shades of blue in this one!”

Making Room to Create Having creative confidence means trusting and valuing each and every one of your ideas and taking creative risks.

In the art studio at the Boston Children’s Museum, goal #1 is: to instill creative confidence in every visitor that walks through the door no matter what the project is, what medium we are exploring or what collaborative piece we are constructing.

Each month there will be a new idea posted about how to instill creative confidence in children at home and in the classroom.

Make a space in your home for your child to create in.

Mariah Bruelhl, author, educator and owner of Playful Learning, a retail space and education center in Sag Harbor, New York writes: “…there is nothing that fosters independence and inspires creativity within children more than a thoughtfully prepared environment.”

Mariah has some great tips on things to think about when setting up a creative work space for children: • Can your child access the materials in the play space independently? Are they well organized in baskets or bins that are clearly labeled so your child knows how and where to put things away when finished using them?

• Do the materials, toys and games represent a balance between your child’s and your own preferences? Do they represent what you value and thus encourage your child to engage in activities that you feel good about?

• Are you seeing things from your child’s perspective? Put yourself in your child’s shoes to determine the right height for displaying and storing materials and hanging art.

Alice Vogler is the arts program manager at Boston Children’s Museum. She is an educator, artist and curator.

Boston Children's Museum is proud to partner with Target to present Target $1 Friday Nights, every Friday evening from 5-9 p.m., when families can enjoy the entire museum for $1.

BAYSTATEPARENT 31

Perfect Parties

CELEBRATIONS

from S

Before the Party: Start by determining what the timeline is for the party and what the vision a client has for the party is.

Determine if you need to rent chairs, tables and linens.

Decide if you want fresh flowers.

It is important to start thinking about the color scheme, the structure of the event and whether you’ll be having cocktails or drink.

Some event planners visit the location of the party, especially if it’s going to be at a private home.

If you’re having it at a home, what is the weather plan – what will happen if it rains? “Renting a tent can range from inexpensive to expensive,” says Laura Cere, director of operations for Season to Taste Caterer of Boston.

Also, it is important to determine your budget up front. “You have to keep in mind a reasonable budget and stick to it,” she says.

Theme: For one graduation party in Hyannis, a family decided to have a sailing theme. “They hosted it at a yacht club and it featured sailboats,” says Karen Hyde, of Great Beginnings in Faneuil Hall and Falmouth.

“A lot of families are also chipping in and doing after prom parties to keep the kids off the road and safe,” she says.

Hyde also says there was an 80th birthday party she helped with that featured a jazz trio. Another 80th birthday party focused on Las Vegas and had a Frank Sinatra singer. “It was so great to see everyone get up and dance even with their walkers and oxygen tanks,” she says. “It was really fun.”

Some kids party themes are getting active. “One family hired a hula hoop troop and taught the 7 year olds how to hula hoop and they each got a personalized hula hoop,” she says.

Families are also hosting their own backyard themed parties for holidays like Cinco de Mayo with piñatas, potato sack races and water balloon tosses. “It has a family reunion feel and a theme,” she says.

32 MAY2013

es

m Start to Finish Invitations/Decorations: “Many people are using Evites these days,” says Karen Hyde, of Great Beginnings in Faneuil Hall and Falmouth. “Though one mother made bullfrog-themed birthday invitations for their child’s fourth birthday.”

For outdoor parties, decorations center around rustic themes. “People are using rustic, vintage and natural containers,” she says. “People are being very creative and doing it themselves. With shows like Mad Men and movies like The Great Gatsby being popular, many people are doing retro-themed parties.”

“Glamour is back and many bar mitzvahs are having Hollywood themes with guests walking the red carpet,” she says. “They are also doing quite elaborate parties like rock bands with full stages.”

Food/Cake: Will it be catered or will you be cooking? “A lot of people are going less formal and are doing less expensive options like finger sandwiches, fresh fruit, etc.” says Karen Hyde, of Great Beginnings in Faneuil Hall and Falmouth. “Some people are even doing make your own Bloody Mary stations.”

Determine if you’re having food stations, nibbles and drinks or just cake. “For graduation parties, some families are doing taco or sushi stations for kids, since that is the food they like,” says Laura Cere, director of operations for Season to Taste Caterer of Boston.

They may also do spring rolls, crab cakes, raw oysters and mini tacos for appetizers.

More people are doing mini cupcakes or a dessert bar for desserts.

“It is important to find established vendors and always ask for references,” Cere says.

One new trend is having takeout boxes with cake. “There’s a company called Cake Out (cakeout.net) from Mashpee that does individual cakes, which are bigger than a cupcake, and come in a variety of flavors,” Hyde says. “They’re really unique and they taste so good.”

Favors and Thank You Notes: Instead of doing goodie bags, some people are doing candy buffets. “Guests get bags and have penny candy for guests to take as a favor,” says Karen Hyde, of Great Beginnings in Faneuil Hall and Falmouth.

A lot of kids parties are also doing photo booths. “It’s very trendy and people get to take home pictures instantly,” she says.

Thank you notes are a must, she says. “No email thank you notes should be done,” she says. “Personal, hand-written notes are a must and a lot of people are making photo cards from Snapfish or other online photo sites.”

BAYSTATEPARENT 33

CAPTURED

Celebrate!

CANCER FREE: Colin Spinney, 4, celebrates the end of his cancer treatment with tons of family and friends who supported him along the way.

andrea spence photography

BIRTHDAY FUN: Emily Blehar, 4, of Sterling, loves celebrating her birthday.

FIRST BIRTHDAY: McKenna Faith Lussier, 1, of Northbridge celebrates her first birthday.

TWIN FUN: Ashley and Claire Johnson, 5 months, of Millbury, love doing laundry.

LOVING CAKE: Camden Horniak, 1, of Leicester loves eating cake on his first birthday

NEW BABY: Madilyn France, 2 ½, of Westminster, celebrates the arrival of her baby brother.

WEDDING VOWS: Tyler and Mackenzie Archambaukt cut a cake at their parents renewal ceremony on the Disney Dream.

CELEBRATING A FIRST: Kelly and Kevin Briggs, of Rutland, celebrate Lilyanna’s first birthday with her brother Dillon Harper.

34 MAY2013

Mother’s Day giveaway:

We asked our readers to nominate their favorite moms for a giveaway and here is the winner and runner-up.

Winner: BIRTHDAY QUEEN: Zya, 5, celebrates her fifth birthday.

One of my favorite moms is Jen Strafer from Whitinsville, MA. I have known her for about seven years. Her son Nick and my son Dante dance at the same studio. Jen has three boys, the twins Nick and Nate and her oldest son Alex. Jen is a single mom, and she is employed at Hanover Insurance. Everything she does is for her children. Of course, each child is into different things! Nick is a competitive dancer, Nate competes in gymnastics, and Alex travels with soccer as far back as I can remember. Not only that, but these boys are wonderful, humble and kind. This past year Jen would drive to Gillette stadium and work 10-hour shifts to help pay for Nicks dance classes. Not once have I ever heard or seen her do anything at all for herself. I truly believe that Jen is worthy of a makeover and some super mom time. I don’t know how she does it. But I am always impressed at how she juggles those busy schedules and works full time!

SWEET KISS: Destiny Terrero-Abreu, 20 months, loves her little brother Freddy Johanns, of Roxbury.

Submitted by Natasha Colonero

Runner-up:

11. EASTER LOVE: Katie, 5, of Millbury, loves celebrating Easter with her cousin Ivy, 2, of Sutton.

I would like to nominate Cindy Ryan for the Mother’s Day giveaway. Originally from England, my parents live overseas and I call Cindy my ‘American mum’. She looks on my three young boys like they are her own grandchildren and is always there for me, no matter what I need - last year when I was pregnant with my third child, my husband was away traveling and I got stomach flu. I called Cindy, and she didn’t hesitate to come over and look after me and the boys.

BIRTHDAY TREAT: Owen Halko, 5, celebrates his birthday by eating a chocolate covered marshmallow.

Cindy has four grown-up children of her own who all dote on her too. She also volunteers at the hospital to help families with terminally ill children and will go to their homes and give them cuddles and love and provide a break for their parents. Cindy is a loving and kind mother who is always willing to help others, she would be so deserving of the makeover prize to show her just how much she means to my family and hers.

sarah ashley photography

Submitted by Jennifer Buskell

YUMMY BIRTHDAY: Gianna, 4, of Rutland, enjoys a treat for her birthday.

BIRTHDAY CAKE: Kayla Tiernan, 1, of Leominster, celebrates her first birthday with cake.

The winner will receive a makeover from Salon Bei Capello in Millbury (salonbeicapello. intuitwebsites.com), which will include a haircut, style, color and makeup (a $200 value). Salon Bei Capello is located at the Felter’s Mill, 22 West St., Millbury.

The runner-up will receive two customdesigned wine glasses from Cre8 in Millbury (cre8diystudio.com). Cre8 is also located at the Felter’s Mill in Millbury, but it will be moving May 14 to 76 Otis St., Westborough.

BAYSTATEPARENT 35

Make Your Celebration

CELEBRATIONS

STRESS FREE by tracey prohaska carroll

he allure of summer is right around the corner and with that comes celebrations of spring. There’s Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, and for many of us, a variety of other family functions.

Whether it’s a small, at home birthday party or a larger function like a shower or graduation, the key is enjoyment for all - and that includes you. As the whirlwind of party planning and prep work encircles you, here are some great tips to keep stress at bay and ensure a fun time for everyone.

The biggest challenge when planning a get together for Candice Nutter, mom of three including a newborn, is coordinating everyone’s schedules.

“Between work events, family, holidays and school, it’s tough to find a perfect time for everyone to be able to attend,” she says.

Nutter is planning to have her daughter Ashlee’s 6th birthday celebration over Memorial Day weekend.

“It’s a great excuse for us to get the family together and celebrate, plus our new little guy Landon will be 2 months old that weekend as well,” Nutter says.

So, how does a mom with two young girls and a newborn tackle event planning for a crowd at her own home?

“I start planning early. I sit down with the girls and ask questions about themes, crafts and games that they’d like. For example, I’ve known for a while that this year’s theme would be My Little Pony. So, I already have some great ideas to incorporate,” she says. “No matter what your theme is, think ahead. Pick up candy, paper goods, kid’s crafts etc., at the end of a holiday when they’re on clearance.

You can stock up on different colors at great savings. I took advantage of pink plates from Valentine’s Day

T

36 MAY2013

that ended up working out great for Kaylee’s Pinkalicious party on her 3rd birthday. Don’t forget to think of items you already have in the house as well.

Stacking different plates can make a great presentation for a food station and all you’re doing is taking them right out of your cabinet. Also, I’ve found the dollar store to be a resource. Spray paint and glue can be your friends for all sorts of creative displays.”

Nutter goes on to say that writing a list and understanding that not everything needs to be done perfectly

different personalities of your guests so well. It can be challenging trying to plan the perfect event for each one of them,” says Birolini about taking on and executing your special occasion.

“Keep in mind that a family birthday or small event offers a wider range of options for guest personalization,” she says. “A wedding or larger scale event lends itself to more generic choices. The trick is finding a way to incorporate a personal touch on that bigger scale.”

Examples include favor bags tailored

“Above all, you have to have a good time,” she says.

“You won’t get that moment back, so it’s not worth being stressed.” can go a long way towards getting into the right frame of mind.

“Above all, you have to have a good time,” she says. “You won’t get that moment back, so it’s not worth being stressed.”

Sometimes though, it’s hard not to be overwhelmed when taking on a big event in or outside of your home.

Enlisting the help of an event planner is one option you have. However, if budget doesn’t allow or you want to make it happen personally, here are some ideas from Lead Coordinator Michelle Birolini of Trends and Traditions Events (trendsandtraditionsevents. com) in Boston.

“Planning for other people is easier.

When planning your own event it’s harder because you know all of the

to individual guests at an intimate engagement. That would however be difficult for a gathering of over 50 attendees. In that instance, photos with the guest of honor may be the right personal touch. You can choose to do an instant shot that can be taken home that day or to do pictures that will be made into thank you cards afterwards.

Online tools like the website Pinterest have endless ideas to search through.

Knowing your guest list and theme of your party will enable you to pick something just right for your affair.

“I recommend preparing a timeline for your gathering. It’s the most useful thing you can imagine,” says Birolini who uses one for every event she coordinates.

Once you have your timeline prepared

you can refer to it often and make sure you’re on track with preparations. It’s also great to use on the day of, as a guide to safeguard things run smoothly.

As the saying goes, ‘you can’t please everyone.’ What do you do when faced with displeased invitees?

“In my experience people just need to feel heard. If you can see a situation coming and make the person feel special before any complaints begin, usually it can be avoided,” Birolini says.

Kathy Swain is a mother of one and a 31 consultant from Holden. She has planned many events for herself as well as her business and has dealt with her fair share of difficult individuals, family members and non-family members.

“Where do we not run into challenging personalities? One way to deal with a guest in this category is to keep them busy,” she says. She confides with her strategy to keep the flow of an event peaceful.

Along with Birolini’s concept of people wanting to be heard, it’s possible that making them feel useful would work as well. Asking a teenage cousin to help run a craft for the kids just may keep him or her from tormenting the family pet. Politely asking Uncle Bill if he could make sure everyone’s drinks are topped off could save your guests from a 20-minute political dissertation.

Simply requesting a neighbor have the next dance could circumvent an uncomfortable conversation about who’s mowing their lawn too early Saturday morning.

“After all,” Nutter says, “it’s only fair for us to enable everyone to enjoy themselves. People are taking time out of their day to attend.”

Enlisting help is also a major factor in successful event planning. Birolini has an assistant with her the day of the event to help her stay a step ahead on

have a relaxing, fun time. Keep things in perspective. Know yourself and your audience when planning your event.

Good food and good entertainment takes you a long way,â&#x20AC;? Birolini encourages.

If you were on the fence about taking on planning a spring celebration, not matter the size, go ahead. You can do it.

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no time like the present to start gathering friends and family to enjoy one anotherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s company. Remember the importance of knowing what you want, having a set timeline/outline, asking for help and most importantly not forgetting to enjoy yourself along with your guests. Take into account a few other hints from the ladies above, mix them in with your own thoughts and ideas and together you have a formula for a fabulous party. Headaches and stress are not invited.

Tracey Prohaska Carroll is a freelance writer, wife and mother of one from Athol.

She enjoys spending time with her family at the lake home their fixing up. When sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not writing, filling the roles of wife or mother, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find her listening to music, reading or boxing for fitness. You can reach her by email traceywrites@mass.rr.com.

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CELEBRATIONS

large scale events. With family parties and at home festivities, relatives are perfect for a little assistance. Nutter uses her brother for pictures, siblings for handling presents at gift opening time and her mom as her number one clean-up associate.

Food is the perfect area for recruiting assistance. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I first married into my husbandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family we were all assigned a dish to bring for the holiday,â&#x20AC;? Swain remembers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It made things so much simpler because we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to worry about deciding what to bring, duplicating or not having enough of something. At the time, I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how to do sweet potatoes, but of course they were my assignment. I learned.

Now the family loves my recipe so much Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m asked to bring it every time. â&#x20AC;&#x153; In the end, victory is seen in the smiles on everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s face. It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter if a tiny detail slipped through the cracks.

Remember your vision when you started the adventure and if you can sit back at some point throughout the gettogether and see everyone having fun, you know youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve accomplished what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve set out to do. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Really, people make the event. The planning just allows good people to

CELEBRATIONS

TIME FOR ME: Why Self-Indulgence Is Okay by donna morin

It is a typical school morning in the Dowling home. Best intentions were laid out the night before with the next day’s outfits and packed lunches.

One little voice starts the day by asking where her favorite shirt is, and another joins in to dictate what she wants in her lunch- nothing close to what’s already packed. Another asks for milk in his cereal, while the fourth sits staring into space, ignoring his mother’s pleas to eat.

In the afternoon, there will be homework to struggle through, papers to sign, forms to complete and reminders to post. While Norfolk mom Ruthann Dowling adores her two sets of twins and her role in what has become somewhat managed chaos, she recognizes that most days she is on sensory overload.

“It definitely takes its toll on me,” Ruthann says, “so sometimes I need to step back and get quiet.”

These days, Ruthann makes stepping back a regular part of her routine. But it wasn’t always like that. Ask almost 38 MAY2013

any mother today how they spend time nurturing themselves, and you’re likely to get a blank stare or perhaps a nervous laugh.

Why? Because self-nurturing is not something we are culturally or individually taught to include.

Motherhood is about caring for family, and we strive for a five-star rating. Caring for ourselves, on the other hand, is considered by many to be self-indulgent.

Lisa Mair, a yoga instructor and wellness coach in Berlin, is made to feel that her training weekends are selfish getaways.

“My husband treats these trainings as if they are indulgent spa weekends,” she says. “He had a problem juggling the schedules that I did every day.”

That made it difficult for Lisa to pursue her dreams.

“It made me feel unappreciated and a little sad,” she says. Coming home to the tension afterward negated most of the benefits of the weekend.

In a culture where an overscheduled life is almost a badge of honor and a full social calendar reflects popularity, self down-time seems like a total downer. But time away is essential to our mental well-being.

In an article published by Psychology Today in 2012, a little consistent solitude was found to improve concentration. It also provided time to think deeply and work through problems more effectively. For a mother, time alone can mean the chance to enhance the quality of her relationships with her children, partner and others in her life. In a study led by Adam Waytz, of the Harvard Psychology Department, people who took time away to be alone tended to be more open and empathetic toward others.

Why the taboo on self-nurturing? It’s not something we’re taught is okay.

It’s not the part of motherhood most of us remember. Mothers were everpresent to provide for our needs. They did not go away. If they did, it was to

care for another family member or to bring in extra wages.

“Most women know how to give.

Learning how to receive takes practice,” says Amanda Owen, author of The Power of Receiving: A Revolutionary Approach to Giving Yourself the Life You Want and Deserve. Being okay with the receiving end of nurture is as important to motherhood as knowing when to change a diaper. But for most women, learning to receive and to practice self-nurture requires baby steps.

“The more you practice, the easier it is to honor your feelings, your boundaries, and your limits,” Amanda says. “When you ask for what you need and receive what people and the world have to give, you open up pathways you couldn’t see before, stimulate your imagination in ways that could not happen before, and have energy that was not previously available to you.”

Medway mom of one Liz True has been practicing self-nurture for the

past 12 years. For one weekend in February, Liz and five of her gal pals head for the hills somewhere in New England. They pick a theme, dress in costume and choose a celebrant to honor.

“We have been known to celebrate a milestone birthday, wedding, divorce, whatever,” Liz says. No matter the occasion, there is no talk of children or husbands. It’s a weekend to celebrate being a woman.

But self-nurturing doesn’t require long weekends away. Kelli Fallon, Sharon mom to four, fits nurture time into her weekly schedule with walks in her local parks.

“I sit on the bench and soak up the sun or bundle up in a scarf, depending on the weather,” Kelli says. “Some days I’ll steal away for 30 minutes, but usually 15 is enough to recharge.”

As for sensual self-nurture, Kelli makes room for that, too. She and her husband have weekly walking dates.

“It reminds us that we are a couple, and that helps me to feel like a woman again, not only a mom,” she says.

With four kids and a limited budget, dates for the Fallons are often low-key, but even an errand can be fun.

“We laugh at the ugly bathrobes. The look he gives me as I giggle makes me feel like we are teenagers again, when

we first started dating,” she says.

Our children also benefit when mothers take time for themselves.

As long as mothers are essentially available, carving out quality selfnurture time enhances relationships with little ones, too.

Alice Domar, author of Self-Nurture: Learning to Care for Yourself as Effectively as You Care for Everyone Else, argues that self-nurturing will make us stronger and more present when we are with our children.

“Selfless, self-denying mothers are exhausted and resentful,” Domar says.

“Self-nurturing mothers are energetic, aware and open-hearted.”

Kat Moulton, Stow mom of four and founder of Nourished Diva, advises her clients to carve a few minutes out of their days to be alone.

“Meditate, write, dance or just sit in the sun,” she says. “Honoring that space for ourselves is sacred and can have a huge impact on how we function and show up in the world.”

This is what Ruthann Dowling has learned to do these days. In addition to a few minutes of downtime every day, Ruthann is carving time to be “pre-mom” again. Always an adventurer, Ruthann swung on a trapeze for the first time a few years ago. She signed up and completed her

first half marathon. Last summer she took up paddle-boarding. Inspired by her daughters’ love for Irish step dancing, Ruthann plans to sign up for classes.

“Of course I laugh and have fun with the kids often, but it is important that they see my needs are being met, too, and that it is okay to be doing what makes me feel happy.”

Donna Morin is mom to one amazing son, wellness coach, and freelance writer in North Attleboro. She works on making time for herself every day, even if it’s a few minutes to breathe.

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A World of Stories by kayla dewees

Spring in New England means the Brimfield Antique Show in Brimfield, Massachusetts.

According to the Brimfield Antique Show website, Gordon Reid started his outdoor auction in 1959. His neighbors saw what a success his “Gordon Reid’s Famous Antique Show” was and began opening up their fields to sell goods. Mr. Reid died in 1974 and his show was renamed J&J Promotions.

Today, J&J is one of the most popular venues at the Brimfield Antique Show. Brimfield is the country’s largest outdoor antique fair and boasts 20 fields, spread out over a mile, chocked full of vendors. The vendors sell their wares three times a year: in May, July, and September. But there is something special about the spring show.

After a long winter, this week-long event sparks one’s creativity and fires up the imagination. This year’s dates are May 13 to May 18.

Do you need a chair made out of saws?

How about beautiful quilts, antique lace, or a myriad of glass beads?

Brimfield attracts collectors, artists, and buyers just looking for a great way to spend an afternoon. Embrace the whimsical and hug

42 MAY2013

a 10-foot plastic brontosaurus. One can find high-end collector’s items for a bargain or a $5 toy that you played with in the 1960s. Clothes, art, and of course specialty items like religious icons draw visitors from all over the world.

Brimfield has it all.

Almost as important as the fields of eyecatching collections are the colorful vendors who have a passion for the items they are selling. Most of my furniture is from Brimfield and all of it carries a story. My china cabinet used to live in an old church, keeping the offertory trays safe. My art deco table, emboldened with salmon colored teapots, was originally slated to go to a dealer but the woman “liked the look” of me.

I have an oil painting of an old couple walking up a path together and a woodcut of a dancing village. I remember the conversations I had with the artists, and the joy in speaking directly with the person who created such arresting visual stories.

Although 30,000 people can attend a weeklong show, most of the vendors treat you like their first customer of the day. I have been amazed over the years at the friendliness and true passion for collecting that vendors

exhibit. Although they need to make money, one gets the feeling that the energy at the show draws them back year after year. Imagine my surprise at finding a dealer from the same small Texas town where I grew up. I walked away with a carved wooden bowl and a great recipe for peach cobbler.

Brimf ield is a show that becomes a habit.

I have attended almost every spring show for the past 15 years with dear friends.

Always buy an item when you see it, it will be gone when you go back for it. One year after searching fruitlessly for an old typewriter we should have snatched up immediately, we had t-shirts made up that say “not this

time.” We wear them to find each other in a crowd and to remember to seize the moment.

One of us is really good at bargaining, a skill you will need at Brimfield. One of us is really good with directions, another skill that comes in handy as there are hundreds of booths. We keep an eye out for the items we need in our own collections and the must have item our antiquing buddy needs. My chuck wagon cookie jar was nabbed by my astute partner.

There are a few things to keep in mind to maintain equanimity during a 12-hour day of antiquing at Brimfield. Park close to the center of town so you can run to the car and deposit the first finds of the day. Bring a wagon or small metal shopping cart, as the treasures get heavier as the day progresses. You can bring your own lunch or take advantage of the food vendors located at the center of the show.

My favorite is the Pilgrim Sandwich, a tasty combination of turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. Bring lots of water and sunscreen. I always get my first sunburn of the season at Brimfield. There is a cash machine located on the grounds but the service charge is a bit steep. Grab a

map and mark the booth number if you ignore my previous advice and decide to mull over a purchase. With over 500 booths, it can be difficult to find your way back.

Finally, give yourself plenty of time to listen, for that is truly the beauty of Brimfield. Ask about the history of the pieces that catch your eye. Last spring, I heard a fascinating vignette on cloth deck chairs found on large ocean liners. Brimfield is a place filled with history and one-of-a-kind items. It represents the antithesis of the big chain stores. Each piece should speak to you. I will pass on many of my Brimfield finds to my children someday.

Susan Cheever writes in Louisa May Alcott, a Biography that Bronson Alcott “understood how history could be written through objects.”

A visit to Brimfield takes one back in time and allows the visitor to pick up items that were used by our grandparents and great-grandparent’s generations. Their stories are worth remembering.

Kayla DeWees is a freelance writer and mother of two from Shrewsbury.

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Finding a Nanny on the Internet…

Yea or Nay? by laura richards

Nothing is more coveted by parents than a responsible and reliable babysitter or nanny, but finding such a person can be a challenge, especially for the summer.

It used to be that word of mouth was the only way to find a sitter. Today there’s an onslaught of online sites matching families with nannies but what’s the real deal? Can you really score a great babysitter or nanny via the Internet?

Yes, you actually can but it takes time, research and persistence.

Enter nanny expert Michelle LaRowe.

As a West Yarmouth mother of two preschoolers, Michelle is the executive director of both Morningside Nannies and the International Nanny Association.

She’s also Editor-in-Chief of eNannySource.com and is a huge proponent of quality, in-home childcare.

When starting the process of search-

44 MAY2013

ing for a caregiver online, Michelle cautions, “Don't take shortcuts. Consider what your childcare needs are, create a detailed job description, prescreen candidates using an employment application or email interview and hold your first in-person interview in a public place like a coffee shop. Have a second in-person interview at home, run a full background check, contact references and always use a written work agreement.”

Michelle’s site eNannySource.com encourages all parents to purchase background checks. She says it’s important for parents to understand that though some checks offer instant results they are only preliminary and should be used in conjunction with county court record checks which can take a few days to complete.

This still leaves parents wondering

What Parents Are Saying which site to use and questioning what the process is really like. Hearing from other parents’ experience can help.

Natick Mom Jennifer Clancy, 30, has two children under age 3 and has used both craigslist.com and care.com to search for sitters.

“It was easy enough to screen candidates on Care.com though having to pay for the service to contact the sitters was a deterrent for us as we were uncertain of our needs during our early search,” she says. “Craigslist enabled us to freely contact though we felt we had more ‘work’ to do to screen. Care.com was better for its ease of use and full spectrum offerings.”

Jennifer has also used Facebook for local recommendations she but ultimately found word of mouth to be the most effective. She also recommends being open-minded to the sitters interested in interviewing as you can never get a feel for someone until you meet them in person. A headshot isn’t the whole story.

Jenine Lawton, 44, of Framingham, has one elementary school age son and has had great success with sittercity. com. “We had to weed through a lot of responses, but were very lucky to find three great sitters,” she says. “In total, we probably interviewed six but used only three.” Jenine posted an open job and only selected those who had completed background checks and reviews.

“Word of mouth is great, but Sittercity gives you more opportunities for sitters based on the sheer volume of applicants,” she says. “The background checks and reviews offered on the site are a good feature. We joined for the year as it was more cost effective than joining for the month, so we are still active. I think we have been very lucky with the people that we found, but it is an ongoing process.”

Jenine says parents need to be patient, interview the candidates in person and be specific with requirements such as location, pay range and availability.

She also suggests having your child attend at least part of the interview.

“We always had our son interview the sitters with us,” she says. “I felt it was a good way for us to judge how the sitter interacted with our son, and in return how he responded to the sitter.”

Making sure kids connect with a sitter is crucial, especially for Ed Feather, a 40-year-old widower from Framingham with two young sons aged 9 and 11.

“We used Sittercity.com to find sitters when our kids were much younger and my wife was going through chemo,” he says. “It was a reasonably good process, but the hard thing was that a lot of the sitters were always looking for something better. Many seemed unreliable. The best really came from referrals from friends.”

Ed has also used Facebook to find sitters which he found helpful for shortterm situations but not for a long-term position. He’s currently looking for a sitter again and will probably do a background search and will definitely ask for references along with an extensive interview.

Another aspect many parents may overlook and must consider is if your child has any special needs. Many sites allow you to search for caregivers who have expertise in certain areas such as children with autism or certain disabilities. This is helpful and timesaving for families whose needs are more extensive in this area and can set their minds at ease knowing this isn’t the first time a caregiver has encountered special circumstances. It’s also important for families to be very clear if their child has any issues. Communication is key.

“Regardless of how parents find a nanny, they must understand that screening and hiring a caregiver is ultimately their responsibility,” Michelle LaRowe says. “Parents should view all recruitment methods as tools that can lead them to the right provider. All candidates, regardless of how they are found, should be properly vetted. The more information you can find out about a potential caregiver the more educated and informed hiring decision you can make.”

“Above all spend time with the candidate, ask questions, check references and listen to your gut,” she says. Her words ring true as no one knows your children and their needs better than you do, so following your gut when you meet people who have been prescreened is important. After all your kids are relying on you to choose for them. So choose wisely.

Laura Richards is the mother of two cats and four boys, 11 year-old identical twins, a 7 year-old and an 8-month old. She resides in Framingham with her husband and blogs from her website www.modernmothering.com. Her motto is: “That which doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.”

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BAYSTATEPARENT 45

Food Fight in the School Cafeteria: Should

e m a t r a Asp

Be Added to Milk? by maryjo kurtz

T

here is a fight stirring over milk. The dairy industry has petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to add aspartame and other artificial sweeteners to milk products marketed to children. Milk producers say the move may lure children away from sugary drinks while also providing a new weapon in the war against childhood obesity. The petitioners are also asking to be exempt from a requirement to post “artificially sweetened” identifiers on the front label of the new milk products.

Opponents are angry. In protest, over 100,000 have signed a petition with SumOfUs.org, a consumer advocacy group. Many say that aspartame has no place in a school cafeteria because it is a potentially dangerous chemical. Others are concerned about the lack of clearly labeled products.

“This feels incredibly scary to me,” said Kathy Martin, a Wellesley mother of three school-aged boys.

“It is appalling that the dairy industry may have the power to change the composition of a product well known to children as healthy.”

The petition was filed with the FDA in March 2009 by the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF). The FDA acknowledged the petition in February 2013. Because the artificially sweetened milk will no longer fit into the FDA definition of milk, the dairy industry must request permission to identify the product as milk.

If approved, permission would be granted for aspartame to be added to flavored milks, ice cream, sour cream and other dairy products. IDFA and NMPF officials stress that there are no current plans to add zero-calorie sweeteners to white milk. In addition, the additives would be listed in the ingredients label commonly found on the back of the product.

“I don’t think artificially sweetened milk will bring down childhood obesity,” said Kimberly Ryan, MS, RD, LDN, Pediatric Nutritionist at UMass Memorial Children’s Medical Center. “It is still sweet. It will still create an affinity for sweet food. This leads children to say, ‘I want all my drinks to be sweet.’

46 MAY2013

Water then leads to juice…the kids then crave other sweet drinks and sweet foods. It’s a snowball effect.”

A spokesperson for the SumOfUs.org fight against the additive said it may end up contributing to childhood obesity.

“Hyper-sweet additives like aspartame rewire children’s brains so that they always want sugary foods, turning the kids into tiny consumption machines.

This constant craving fattens up the food companies’ bottom lines as it fattens up their customers, leading to our current obesity epidemic,” said Kaytee Riek, campaign manager. “For decades, food companies have poured millions into research into creating foods that trick our brain into over-consuming. As obesity has surged and the country has become more health-conscious, the industry has moved into formerly healthy foods, pumping them up with sugar, salt and fat until they, too, become part of the problem.”

Ilyse Levine-Kanji, Westborough mother of two school-aged boys and a member of the School Committee in town, acknowledged that controversial food products can get into school cafeterias. “[The School Committee does] research to choose a quality, cost-effective food vendor service for our school lunches. Then we rely on the food vendor service to make decisions about the food that is served to our students,” she said in an email. For example, “as a parent and School Committee member, I was very concerned to learn that we had been serving meat products with ‘lean finely textured beef’ or socalled ‘pink slime’ to our students in 2012…I contacted our food service vendor. I was glad that the vendor responded promptly by ceasing to sell any meat products that contained the ‘pink slime.’”

The concern for School Committee members like Levine-Kanji is that, as with pink slime, aspartamesweetened milk could end up in school cafeterias before parents and school officials make a decision about the controversial product.

Martin said she would be “very angry” to find that under-labeled aspartame-sweetened milk products were served in schools. “I believe we need truth in labeling, especially for children who should not have

to read the fine print on food labels to find out if their choices are healthy or not.”

“The products should be clearly labeled,” Ryan agreed. “This [petition] seems very deceitful…food labeling is already very confusing.”

While the dairy industry acknowledges the public outcry, it is fighting back, saying that the move to add artificial sweeteners to milk products comes in response to calls for lower-calorie milk and food options to combat childhood obesity.

Statistics confirm that children, as well as adults, are turning with decreasing frequency to milk as the beverage of choice. According to the US Department of Agriculture, milk consumption by Americans has dropped nearly 30% since 1975.

The dairy industry petition states that “use of the phrase ‘reduced calorie’ is not attractive to children.”

With permission from the FDA to exempt that labeling, the IDFA and NMPF hope to lure children away from sugary sports drinks and back toward the more nutritious milk products.

“I can see their argument. There are no nutrients in soda, juices, energy drinks… milk offers protein, calcium and vitamin D,” said Ryan.

“If you have 1% milk with aspartame, it is giving children the benefit of these nutrients, so it is a healthier choice than juices with high calories from sugar. Many of those likely have no vitamins,” she continued. “So, yes, it is a healthier choice…but if obesity is the issue, I recommend water.”

As for the concern over a man-made sweetener such as aspartame, Ryan said, “the research does suggest that it’s safe and doesn’t cause cancer… but it is a manmade chemical. Our body doesn’t know how to digest it.”

The FDA is accepting public comment through May 21. Visit 1.usa.gov/VXb960 for more information.

MaryJo Kurtz is a multimedia journalist with work appearing in nearly 100 media outlets.

She can be reached at maryjokurtz.com, kurtz.maryjo@gmail.com and at Twitter @MaryJoKurtz.

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SUMMERCAMPDIRECTORY

Summer 2013

SUMMERCAMPDIRECTORY

Camp Jabberwocky: Where imagination trumps limitation

by trish reske magine a summer camp situated on a beautiful island, where campers board a bright red whimsically painted bus to explore island activities like parasailing, boating, horseback riding, chocolate making and lighthouse climbing.

Imagine a camp where campers ages 10 to 60+ come together, year after year, bonded by lifelong friendships.

Imagine a camp where counselors and the community unselfishly volunteer their time and resources to enable campers to attend.

Imagine a camp where â&#x20AC;&#x201D; for two magical summer monthsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;campers step out of preconceived limitations and into world where anything seems possible.

This is Camp Jabberwocky, the longest running sleepover camp in the United States for special needs campers, located on Marthaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vineyard and founded in 1953 by the late Helen Lamb, a speech therapist

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from England who had a vision to take children with cerebral palsy to the beach. That first summer, Helen (known fondly as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hellcatâ&#x20AC;? for her relentless can-do spirit) brought six children from Fall River over on the ferry to Marthaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vineyard. Thus began the summer camp which continues her vision to give special needs campers a chance to have fun while reaching their fullest potential, regardless of their disability.

Sixty Years Serving Special Needs Campers This summer, Camp Jabberwocky will celebrate its 60-year Jubilee in July. Today the camp serves campers with a variety of mental and physical disabilities and relies on the volunteerism of camp counselors and generosity of the Marthaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vineyard community to provide a unique camp experience for campers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s this amazing mysterious

magic that happens when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re at camp,â&#x20AC;? says Jabberwocky CoCamp Director Johanna Romero de Slavy (known as â&#x20AC;&#x153;JoJoâ&#x20AC;?). â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a family, a community feeling, where the disability is not separated out.

Disabled or not weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all together, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re here to have fun together.â&#x20AC;?

JoJo is returning this summer as co-director after being part of Camp Jabberwocky for 22 years. She first became a counselor in 1990, as a senior in high school. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Once youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a part of camp and you discover this amazing family and group of people, you are at camp forever on. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in my blood,â&#x20AC;? she says.

Campers, once accepted, are invited back year after year. Currently the oldest camper at Jabberwocky is Manny, who has been going to Camp Jabberwocky for 50 years. The policy at Camp Jabberwocky is â&#x20AC;&#x153;once a camper, always a camper.â&#x20AC;? This creates a camp environment which includes an eclectic mix of both

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SUMMERCAMPDIRECTORY children and adult campers with a wide range of disabilities.

A Camp Where He Can Be Himself Christopher Bryant, 30, lives in a group home in Hopkinton and has been a “Jabberwokian” for 15 years.

When Christopher was a teenager,

there were few camp options for kids with Down’s syndrome like Christopher. At the time, a doctor who was on the Board of Directors at Jabberwocky suggested the camp to Christopher’s parents.

“He’d always seen his friends at school doing things,” says his father Ralph Bryant. “They went to camp, and now Christopher could go to

camp. It put him more on a par with his peers. It was one more thing that made life more normal.”

The Bryants visited Camp Jabberwocky and put Christopher on the waiting list, since the camp was at full capacity. The next year, an opening came up. It was the perfect fit for Christopher.

“Christopher just fell in love with

it from the beginning,” Bryant says.

“He just flowed right into it. It’s a camp where he can just be himself.”

Today, Christopher continues to attend Camp Jabberwocky and enjoys all the camp activities, including performing in the camp’s annual play, a summer highlight for campers and the community.

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SUMMERCAMPDIRECTORY

The Virtue of Volunteerism In its effort to provide campers with loads of fun without paying loads of money, Camp Jabberwocky relies heavily on volunteerism and donations from the staff, camper families and the community. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Everyone is a volunteer,â&#x20AC;? JoJo says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the spirit of volunteerism that keeps this camp going.â&#x20AC;?

All counselor positions are unpaid.

The camp states upfront that while they provide food, housing and free access to all activities, counselors accepted to Camp Jabberwocky must have a sincere desire to serve the campers. In addition, the camp encourages counselors to share their unique talents with campers by teaching an art, craft or other skill.

The result is an environment where, according to JoJo, â&#x20AC;&#x153;everybody is learning and doing new things â&#x20AC;&#x201C; not just the campers, but the counselors, too.â&#x20AC;?

The unique spirit of volunteerism extends to the Marthaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vineyard community. Each year, Camp Jabberwocky publishes a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wish List,â&#x20AC;? requesting Island residents to share their unique resources or talents.

Islanders respond generously,

donating use of private beaches, facilities or recreational activities, as well as contributing talents in acting, cooking, dance, pottery and more.

volunteerism, we wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be able to run this place,â&#x20AC;? JoJo says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jabberwocky is something that you have to experience for yourself. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a magical, wonderful place.â&#x20AC;?

Trish Reske is an award-winning freelance writer, business owner, and mom of four from Westborough. You can find more of Trishâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s writing at www. trishreske.com.

Upcoming Events at Camp Jabberwocky Jabberwockyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 60th Jubilee Celebration Tuesday, July 16,, 2013, 7:00-9:30 pm, Tabernacle, Oak Bluffs, MA. Hosted by Dr. Timothy Johnson Celebration includes live music, Jabberwocky play, and silent auction For more information go to www.campjabberwocky.org â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s truly amazing and inspiring to see how the community of Marthaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vineyard embraces them,â&#x20AC;? Bryant says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to imagine a more generous community.â&#x20AC;?

That generosity and volunteerism

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is what founder Helen Lamb envisioned from the beginning. Her belief was that those with the means to give should help Jabberwocky

campers, in whatever way they can.

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Camp Jabberwocky 5K Run Saturday, August 17, 2013, 9:00 am, The Farm Institute, Edgartown, MA. For more information go to runforjabberwocky.com

SUMMERCAMPDIRECTORY

BERLITZ KIDS & TEENSÂŽ SUMMER CAMP 2013 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Creating Global Citizens

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