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JULY 2015

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table of contents JULY 2015

3

VOLUME 20

1.

NUMBER 3

things we learned

while making the july issue

You can take the train to a beautiful Cape Ann beach. The commuter rail runs from Boston to Manchester-by-the-Sea; just get off downtown and take the walking path to Singing Beach. Head to page 30 to discover other family must-sees on Cape Ann, as well as four other New England day trip hot spots.

There is a specific way to administer nasal spray.

According to a pediatric allergist, sprays should be taken while leaning forward in a seated position with your chin over your toes, pointing the nozzle towards the ear. On page 56, discover more top tips for helping your child manage seasonal allergies.

3.

2.

When author Lesléa Newman wrote the groundbreaking Heather Has Two Mommies children’s book 25 years ago, a male editor requested a scene she has since removed in the updated anniversary re-release. What did the editor request? Turn to page 58 and find out.

Our Let’s Go, Baby! Articles 22

Expect the Unexpected: 10 Tiny Diaper Bag Lifesavers

30

Cape Ann: Massachusetts’s Best-Kept Secret

23

How Unused, Leftover Diapers Can Help Moms In Need

32

Providence: Coming Into Its Own

24

Let Your Baby Put A Book In Her Mouth: Practical Tips For Building Life-long Readers

34

Hampton Beach: Perfect Mix of Sweet & Salty

35

Mystic: Much More Than The Aquarium

36

Burlington, Vermont: Arts, Food, and Outdoor Fun

26 28

Moms Combine Personal, Professional Lives in Worker Cooperative Social Media Revolutionizes Baby/Kid Gear Reselling

16 6 JULY2015

RIPE: Event Celebrates Healthy Families, Food, and Environment

in every issue 7

WELCOME: A Letter from Our Editor

8 9 11

MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS

12

FINALLY FOREVER: Mass Families Give Back to Chinese Orphanages

14 14

bsp ONLINE SHOW & TELL: Invite Bandz & Knocked Up Nails

JULY’S CHILD: Meet David CIRCLE OF FRIENDS: Area Adoption Events

38

VERY SPECIAL PEOPLE: Free Air Travel Prep Program Helps Children With Special Needs

42

OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO: July Calendar of Family Events

50

WOMEN’S HEALTH: Genetic Testing and Cancer: One Mother’s Story

54

DIVORCE & SINGLE PARENTING: Healthy Ways To Co-Parent Babies, Toddlers, and Young Children

61

REEL LIFE WITH JANE: Family Movies Coming to Theatres, DVD in July

62

OUR JULY FAVORITES: Facts, Finds and Freebies

66

TAKE 8: Delivering Dad Rob MacMurray

features 53

Free, Fun Ways To Fight Summer Brain Drain Online

56

5 Tips For Helping Your Child Through Seasonal Allergies

58

Author: Children’s Books Need More Diversity

WITH THE DIETITIAN: 18 DISHIN’ 4 Top Tips For Road Trip Snacking 19

BITES: Free, Online Family Cooking Classes, Experts Urge More Youth Physical Activity, and More

welcome to

meet team publisher KIRK DAVIS

As I sit on the couch writing this month’s Welcome letter, the baby of our family is on my left, reading a book. But please don’t call her a baby, she is almost-6, thank you very much, which is pretty much an official age and practically AARP card-mailing time. She is reading a Pinkalicious story out loud, pausing here and there to bemoan the fact she can’t do a one-handed cartwheel.

“But Kat can do it!”

“Well, some people can do things naturally and others have to work at it,” I offer, channeling my best Carol Brady. “You just have to work hard.”

“BUT I DON’T WANT TO WORK HARD. I WANT TO DO IT IN AN HOUR.” Well, it’s official, she sounds like a grown-up to me. She’s definitely not a baby because they are all about effort. Trying and failing repeatedly, from head-lifting to walking, until they get it right. When exactly do we lose that baby-like work ethic?

If someone calls you a baby, don’t take offense; it actually might be a compliment.

My youngest doesn’t know this, too busy sounding out words like “through” and “giggling,” but this is one of those reflective, Weren’t-YouJust-Born? moments that squeeze your heart in that uniquely bittersweet way you don’t realize is possible until you are a parent. It’s so cliché, but it truly does seem like just yesterday that she was sleeping next to me on a Boppy, on this very couch, conked out, milk-drunk.

Her lower lip would jut out just so, her lips parted slightly, quiet, even breaths rolling in and out like a gentle wave. I can picture that infant as easily as I can look at my hand.

I can hear her, I can practically feel the soft terrycloth of her sleeper slide under my fingertips as I rub her back. And, poof, it’s gone.

A friend once gave me what I now realize as tremendous advice when my three children were all under 4 (No, I don’t know what we were thinking. It seemed like a good idea at the time). In essence: Don’t mourn your child passing out of a stage or age too hard, there are wonderful aspects to every age.

And, boy, she was right.

Yes, there is nothing like a baby who burrows into you, sleepy and snuggly. Or a face bearing a giant, gummy smile that lights up when you enter a room. But, on the other hand, there is a lot to be said for

kids who can dress themselves, read you a book, or write you a note, bearing hysterically indecipherable phonetic spelling, telling you how much they love you. There are joys at every age, if we just think to look for them.

I hope you enjoy this month’s Let’s Go, Baby! issue, where we’ve merged two very popular topics — babies and day trips — into one issue. You’ll discover the five mustsee places families shouldn’t miss at several popular New England day trip hotspots, along with several baby-themed stories. Remember the scene in 3 Men And A Baby (I’m really dating myself here, I hope you’re happy) when Tom Selleck’s character is holding the baby, quietly and calmly reading her a story about a brutal boxing match? It turns out that scene was way ahead of its time. How so? Turn to page 24 and find out.

And, a quick plug here, make sure you download our Summer of Fun 2015 guide at baystateparent.com.

On your tablet, smartphone, or desktop, it’s free and at your fingertips, loaded with 800 places to go and things to do this summer.

M e li ss a

Melissa Shaw, Editor

Meet Our 2015 Cover Contest Winner!

creative editor in chief MELISSA SHAW 508-865-7070 ext. 201 editor@baystateparent.com creative director PAULA MONETTE ETHIER 508-865-7070 ext. 221 pethier@holdenlandmark.com senior graphic designer STEPHANIE MALLARD 508-865-7070 design@baystateparent.com multimedia editor HEATHER KEMPSKIE heather@baystateparent.com

advertising director of sales REGINA STILLINGS 508-865-7070 ext. 210 regina@baystateparent.com account executive MARIE COREY 508-735-0503 marie@baystateparent.com account executive KATHY PUFFER 508-865-7070 ext. 211 kathy@baystateparent.com

presidents KIRK and LAURIE DAVIS photographers

It was hard choosing our 12 finalists and even tougher to pick a winner, but we are very happy to announce and congratulate 15-year-old Evan of Marlborough as our 2015 Cover Model Contest winner. Evan will appear on a future baystateparent Magazine cover — keep an eye out for it!

Thanks again to our contest hosts: The Mall at

Whitney Field, Solomon Pond Mall and Burlington Mall; our supporting sponsors and our presenting sponsor, Rob Roy Hair Salons; and photographers Shawna Shenette, Karen Moriarty, and Steven King.

And a final big thanks to everyone who entered and shared this fun experience with us.

STEVEN KING SHAWNA SHENETTE

is published monthly with a main office at 22 West Street, Millbury, MA 01527 www.baystateparent.com It is distributed free of charge throughout Massachusetts. photo

BY

Karen Moriarty

PHOTOGRAPHY

baystateparent.com Find us on:

This month’s cover model is 10-month-old Kaylyn of Fitchburg.

Cover photo by Shawna Shenette Photography, clothing provided by Little V Designs, Westborough.

BAYSTATEPARENT 7

July Contributors

DOWNLOAD OUR

Su mmer of Fun 2015

ba ys tat e

su m of f m e r 201 u n 5

pa ren t

On page 38, writer and Andover mother of three Wendy Bulawa Agudelo takes a look at the groundbreaking, Massachusetts-based Wings for Autism program, which helps children with special needs or those diagnosed with autism prepare for a plane ride.

GUIDE AT

baystateparent.com TODAY!

OVER 800 PLACES TO GO AND THINGS TO DO! Illustration by Abigail McCoy, 2015

East Longmeadow writer, editor, and mom Jen Bouchard talks with one Massachusetts mother about her journey with genetic testing and the decisions she faced on page 50.

BAYSTATEPARENT 1

On your tablet, smartphone, or desktop, it’s free and at your fingertips, loaded with more than 800 places to go and things to do this summer, including: • Beaches, splash, water, and spray parks • Free Fun Fridays • July 4 parades, fireworks, and festivities

• Fairs and festivals • Arts and entertainment • Sports, parks, recreation, and more!

baystateparent.com

paint your own pottery & creative art studio

OH BABY! Have Fun CREATING Lasting MEMORIES!

Jane Boursaw is the film critic and editor-in-chief of Reel Life With Jane, whose reviews and work have been published in Family Circle, Parade, New York Times, Variety, People Magazine and more. On page 61 she gets you up to date on what’s coming to theatres and DVD this month.

Writer Amanda Collins is the editor of baystateparent’s sister publication, The Millbury-Sutton Chronicle.

On page 26, she introduces you to a trio of mothers who have combined their personal and professional lives in a unique way.

Michele Bennett Decoteau is a Millbury-based writer and mother of two who this month outlines the myriad benefits the simple act of reading to a baby can yield. On page 24, Michele looks at an upcoming healthy food and living event that offers a multitude of fun for families.

Writer and father Gary L. Kelley of Marlborough examines the funky family fun that can be found in Burlington, Vermont on page 36.

Karen Lock Kolp is a homeschooling mother of two from Bellingham who on page 32 shares five familyfriendly places to visit in Providence.

On page 23, she talks with an early childhood professional who started an organization to help low-income families get the diapers they need.

Karen also produces a podcast at WeTurnedOutOK.com.

Sara Pokorny is a freelance writer who lives in Amherst and is a proud puppy mommy to Link and Piper. This month, Sara outlines on page 53 how your children can enjoy fun, free, online tutorials this summer to fight brain drain, be creative, and stay active. On page 12, she talks to two adoptive families who traveled to China with their daughters to give back to the orphanages who cared for the girls in their infancy.

Attorney Irwin M. Pollack is founder and lead attorney of Pollack Law Group, P.C. (PollackLawGroup.com) and a divorced father himself. He shares insights and information about co-parenting on his weekly radio talk show, Talking About Divorce, which is broadcast live each Sunday at noon on NewsRadio 580/94.9, WTAG, in Worcester, and on Co-Parenting After Divorce, an informational broadcast that airs weekly on WBZ NewsRadio 1030 in Boston.

On page 54, Irwin offers practical advice on how parents of young children can develop a healthy co-parenting relationship.

Dr. Scott Schroeder is director of the Pediatric Pulmonary and Allergy Center at Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center. On page 56, he shares five tips for helping your children manage allergy season.

On page 30, Rutland-based writer and mother of three Kathy Sloan turns your attention north of Boston to what’s been described as Massachusetts’s best-kept secret: Cape Ann. On page 28, Kathy examines how social media is changing how families buy and sell baby and kids’ gear.

On page 58, Berkshire County resident and writer Alexandra Townsend talks to Heather Has Two Mommies author Lesléa Newman about her book’s 25th anniversary rerelease and revision, as well as a major need in the children’s book market.

JOIN US ONLINE! Visit Claytime for pottery painting, glass fusing, beading, mosaics, holiday gift ideas and more.

Route 9, Shrewsbury (Next to White City East) • (508)798-9950 Visit WWW.CLAYTIMESTUDIO.COM

8 JULY2015

Facebook.com/baystateparent twitter @baystateparent

bsp ONLINE Cover Model Fan Favorite Announced Votes poured in when we asked you to help us select a Fan Favorite from our 12 Cover Model Finalists. Check out some of the love: “Vote for Renari — she’s an exceptional beauty inside and out!”

“Kayla looks like she has it all together and ready to take on the world!”

“Dilan is super cute, adorable and photogenic. He totally deserves it!”

In the end, Miss Gabrielle of Granby topped the voting. We’ll be sending her a package of goodies to get her summer off to a superb start.

Congratulations to all of our finalists. With your beaming smiles and the glowing comments on our site, you are all beautiful inside and out.

Download Our Free Mobile Family Fun Guide: ‘Summer of Fun’

ba ys tat e

su o f mf m e r 201 u n 5

with our first-ever e-zine loaded with more than 800 things to do and places to go. Downloadable to your computer, tablet, or smartphone, our guide is at your fingertips whenever you want and outlines events and attractions across nine categories including arts & entertainment, beaches, sports, Free Fridays, festivals, and more. Find it at baystateparent.com. And get out there and have some fun!

pa re nt

Dads Captured

OVER 800 PLACES TO GO AND THINGS TO DO! Illustration by Abigail McCoy, 2015

BAYSTATEPARENT 1

Summer is meant for fun. Day trips.

Road trips. Family time. We did all the prepping and planning for you

We love our dads. Last month, we offered tickets Quentin and Dad Alan from Ludlow to the Paw Sox, special Dad & Me books and other goodies, and all we asked for in

return as a form of entry was a pic of dad and the kids. Boy, did you deliver! Check out these smiling faces!

Hitting the Road I’m outta here and I want you to come. In a way. In my blog “RV Outtakes,” on baystateparent.com, I’ll be chronicling life on the road with my adorable family as we try out a new mode of family fun inside a 23-foot RV. Will we survive such tight quarters? Will the kids melt away with so much time under that big thing in the sky called a sun?

You’ll have to come for the ride to find out.

— Heather Kempskie Multimedia Editor heather@baystateparent.com

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SHOW & TELL

A Fun Way To Pamper Pregnant Women

There are two things I love about this product. First: The name.

Knocked Up Nails? C’mon. Also falling under the name category is the line of colors affectionately titled “Preggers in Pink,” “She’s Got that Glow,” “O-Blue-GYN,” and more. Second: The products were created by a fellow Massachusetts mom, Ashley Judge. The line shows a little extra lovin’ to the preggos, but is also safe for allergy sufferers, cancer patients, and children. The hip, modern hues are long-lasting and chip-resistant; the polishes are cruelty-free, vegan,

and made in the USA. If you’re pregnant and want to feel extra pretty, I recommend getting yourself a few bottles at knockedupnails.com ($10 a bottle). I bet they’d also be a hit as a baby shower favor!

Heather (heather@baystateparent.com)

The Hot New Birthday Party Invite My son turned 8 last month, and just when I was getting ready to send out invitations to his party, a box of Invite Bandz showed up at the office. Intrigued, I gave them a try.

In the box were silicone bands and invitations, the latter of which bear a unique party code. The host (with help from Mom or Dad, if necessary) heads to markedprivate.com and using the code creates an online invitation page featuring all the party details. Hosts can add photos, design the look of their private, invite-only party page, add a short video, a poll, a wish list, and more. It took my son and me about 15 minutes to set up the page, add the party info, design it to his specifications, and shoot and upload a short video (via my smartphone), where he welcomed his friends and talked about the big event. Then he assembled the invitations, which directed guests to markedprivate.com and gave them the unique code to gain access to his

code-protected party page and RSVP. Wrapped around the invitations was a colorful silicone band, which lucky invitees could then wear for fun and prestige, part of a secret “club.”

My son couldn’t wait to get to school the next day and hand out the invitations, which he says were a big hit. Even better, his guests used the page to RSVP. After the party, we used the page to post and share pictures from the event with attendees.

Invite Bandz come in packs for parties with anywhere from 8 ($14.99) to 40 ($59.99) guests and would be a huge hit for anything from a slumber party to a birthday party, Sweet 16, and more.

— Melissa (melissa@baystateparent.com)

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FINALLY FOREVER

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE DUGAN FAMILY

Mass Families Give Back to Chinese Orphanages

BY SARA POKORNY

The Dugans stop for a picture before hiking up the Great Wall of China.

C

All six girls in the travel group pose outside Jingshan Park outside the Forbidden City.

12 JULY2015

hildbirth is usually an intimate event, shared among few in the delivery room. For four Massachusetts families — the Montagues of Wayland, the Dugans of Waltham, the Hudsons of South Easton, and the Awtrys of Hingham — the “delivery room” was filled with hundreds of people, and their children “arrived” at more than a year old. Yet the non-traditional conditions in no way lessened the miracle of becoming a parent. A family. In fact, in gaining a child these four families formed a whole new one in each other’s company.

The four couples all went through the process of adopting children through the Brookline-based China Adoption with Love agency and traveled overseas together to meet their children for the first time and bring them home. The families were so bonded by the experience that in April — eight years after their initial trip — they returned to their daughters’ native country to relive the experience.

“We always say we couldn’t have picked better friends,” Karen Montague says. “Part

of it was that it was as if we were all in the delivery room together. There’s an intimacy and a bond we share through this adoption process and emotional time.”

“I think at the time we all had this idea that this was a lifelong experience,” Anne Dugan adds.

“It wasn’t just going to be an adoption trip and we’d be all set; it was more than that.”

The road to China — and a portion thereafter — was filled with challenges and rewards for the families, from adjustments to a new life to triumphs in celebrating a new culture.

Each family brought with them a unique situation; the Montagues and Dugans shared their stories with baystateparent.

The tale of AiLi Karen, 48, and her husband Ira, 50, married later in life, deciding 10 years after marriage that they wanted to start a family via adoption.

After exhaustive research, the couple found that China was the country with which they were most comfortable. Though initially the wait seemed short, they completed their approval process at the same time a

slowdown began in Chinese adoptions, and ended up waiting more than two years for their child. The wait, of course, was worth it.

AiLi (pronounced “Eye Lee”), whose name loosely translates from the Chinese words for “loving” and “beautiful,” was adopted from the Huainan Social Welfare Institute at 17 months old. The Montagues actually picked her up at the Civil Affairs office in Hefei, a three-hour ride from the orphanage, as the city surrounding Huainan was lessthan-desirable.

In preparation for the trip, the couple learned a lot about what to expect, and in their particular situation, they found most of it turned out to be untrue.

“They say oftentimes it’s hard for the girls to bond with their fathers because they’re not used to seeing men,” Montague says. “They say they hate water because they never had a bath.

They say to blow bubbles at the child when you see them to play with them.”

However, AiLi took to Ira right away, falling asleep in his arms not long after Karen was holding the wailing child. She also loved the first bath the couple gave her, and as for blowing

FINALLY FOREVER bubbles? She laughs over the fact that she thought it might help.

“It’s an overwhelming situation for everyone. The nanny comes into this room with these children that have never been in any kind of mode of transportation and just rode three hours on a route that’s deplorable,” Montague says. “We drove through the city the day before and it was a third-world country at the time in terms of transportation and structure. Then they walk into this room with all these Caucasians, who must look like aliens, and they’re so frightened. And I’m standing there blowing bubbles, and it’s just scaring her more.”

The Montagues got lucky, however, because in an acclimation process they were told takes days, AiLi settled in nicely within 24 hours.

A tale of two babies Anne Dugan and her husband had no success in conceiving a child but wanted a family and knew adoption was the way to go. Like the Montagues, the couple ran into the China adoption slowdown and waited 16 months to adopt their first daughter, Lea, who was then 14 months old. Wanting another child, the Dugans switched to special needs adoption (the wait time for which is much less), and later brought home Laila, then 23 months old and born with a cleft lip and palette.

For the Dugans, everything the Montagues had been told proved to be true. Lea, adopted from an orphanage in Chaohu, was late, the last child to enter the room after being delayed in traffic. Dugan recalls constantly scanning a crowded, family-filled room for her, having only three little pictures to use for recognition. After 20 minutes, Lea arrived.

“I always say that those 20 minutes were longer than the 16 months,” she says. “I started crying, and then she started crying because here she is seeing all these foreigners. When I see the video now of the moment I met her and the way she cries, it breaks my heart. She just lost everything she knew, and though we hoped we were providing her with a better life so she can live to the fullest, she doesn’t know that. She was only 14 months old and just handed over to these strangers.”

The acclimation period was a long one for Lea, who would shut down and display what her parents called “stone face” — one devoid of emotion. Though she eventually became well-adjusted, it was this rocky start the Dugans had in mind when arriving to meet Laila at an orphanage in Nanning City. Knowing she was

older than Lea and also a child with special needs, they were prepared for hardship — and were completely taken aback.

“She came to us with big, open arms, lots of smiles, giving us high fives right away,” Dugan remembers with a laugh. “It was the last thing we expected.”

The girls have displayed pretty much the same personalities over the years; Lea a bit more reserved, Laila throwing herself full-tilt at life, a perfect balance for the family.

A new journey Knowing the bond that had formed among them, the families immediately decided after the initial China trip that they would return when the girls were older. This April, with the children all aged around 10 years old, the families found their way back. Not only did the girls see their birth culture, but their families also had a chance to help the orphanages that cared for them in their first year of life.

The Montagues and Dugans raised money for the orphanages through Dreamfund, an online crowd-funding platform. The Montagues set her goal at $350 and ended up raising $500 in less than a week; The Dugans shot for $300 for each child and exceeded that at $400 apiece.

Upon their visit, the Montagues brought toys, treats, and school supplies. When they discovered the orphanage truly needed a washing machine, they bought that, as well. With money still left over, they donated to Love Without Boundaries, a nonprofit that provides preschool services for the orphans.

The Dugans found themselves in a similar situation, also purchasing a washing machine for the Chaohu Social Welfare Institute, in addition to treats and supplies for the children.

Though the visits to the orphanages elicited strong emotions, it was the trip through China that was truly an experience to behold. The families had an ambitious itinerary planned for the two-week journey, which included Beijing, Xi-an, Chengdu, Hefei, Yellow Mountain, and Shanghai, among other stops.

It was at the Great Wall when Dugan recalled a moment reflective not only of Laila’s personality, but also perhaps of the families’ lifelong journey – one filled with joy and relief at having arrived at a moment in life so great.

“She, some of the other girls, and one of the fathers climbed up very high on the wall,” Dugan recalls.

“She told me when she got up to the top she threw her arms in the air and yelled, ‘Yes!’”

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• A parent of a 4-yr-old? • English-speaking?

If so, help us understand why family mealtimes are beneficial for your child’s development!

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JUNE’S CHILD: DAVID Y CORRIGAN’S H T A K

Thirteen-year-old David is a sweet and easy-going Caucasian boy who has been diagnosed with Autism.

His favorite activities include swinging on swings and riding a bike with training wheels. David also enjoys exploring his environment in many ways, his favorite being through his sense of touch. He benefits from tactile experiences that include knocking over objects to hear how they sound and banging toys together to examine how it feels. David likes the feel of the wind on his face.

David is doing very well in a group care setting where he is well-liked by all. He interacts very well with the adults in his life. The staff feels David has enormous potential and he is learning new skills all the time.

It should be noted that David does

not do well in large or loud settings.

Legally free for adoption, David would do well in any type of family that can provide constant supervision. A family, therefore, would need the flexibility to fulfill this requirement as well as be strong advocates for his needs throughout his life.

For more information regarding David, please contact Department of Children and Families (DCF) Adoption Supervisor Eileen Griffin at 978-353-3629. The Worcester DCF Adoption Development and Licensing Unit, located at 13 Sudbury Street, hosts monthly informational meetings for those wishing to learn more about the adoption process in general. Please call 508929-2150 for specific information about the next meeting.

www.kathycorrigans.com

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS Thursday, July 9 — Northern Region Adoption Info Meetings, Jordan’s Furniture Reading: IMAX Conference Room - 50 Walker’s Brook Dr., Reading.

6 p.m. RSVP: 978-557-2734.

Wednesday, July 15 — Boston Region Adoption Info Meeting, DCF Boston, 451 Blue Hill Avenue, Dorchester. 4 p.m.-5:30 p.m. 617-989-9209.

Thursday, July 16 — Southern Region Adoption Info Meetings, Morton Hospital, 88 Washington Street, Taunton, Margaret Stone Conference Room, first floor.

6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. RSVP: 508-894-3830.

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Thursday, July 16 — We are Family: A Post-adoption Support Group. First Connections, on the Emerson Hospital Campus, Route 2, Concord. A monthly support and education group for parents who are caring for foster children, have adopted a child at age 3 or older, or whose adopted child is now over age 5. 7 p.m.-9 p.m.

For more information contact facilitator Mary Rowlinson at 978-287-0221 x218.

Monday, July 20 — Southern Region Adoption Info Meetings, Mass. Department of Children and Families, Canton Police Station, 1492 Washington Street, Canton.

6 p.m.-8 p.m. RSVP to 508-894-3830.

Ongoing — Group for Adoptive Parents. Adoption Associates, 34 Lincoln Street, Newton. For parents of children in elementary or middle school, this monthly group focuses on understanding the impact of loss and trauma; learning to manage difficult and challenging behaviors; strengthening the family bond while preserv-

ing identity; and more. For more information, contact 617-965-9369 or info@adoptionassociates.org.

Ongoing — Group for Adopted Teens. Adoption Associates, 34 Lincoln Street, Newton. For adopted children ages 14-19, this group focuses on identity development, self-esteem improvement, confidence building and communication skills. Participants will use conversation to reflect upon the experience of adoption and belonging.

For more information, contact 617-965-9369 or info@adoptionassociates.org.

Ongoing — Group for Adoptive Parents of Teens.

Adoption Associates, 34 Lincoln Street, Newton. This monthly group focuses on understanding the impact of loss and trauma on children ages 14-19; learning to manage difficult and challenging behaviors; strengthening the family bond while preserving identity; and more.

For more information, contact 617-965-9369 or info@adoptionassociates.org.

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

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

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Event Celebrates Healthy Families, Food, and Environment

BY MICHELE BENNETT DECOTEAU, PHOTOS BY ERIC CRAWFORD

H

ealthy eating and a healthy environment are a family affair for the Northeast Organic Farmer’s Association (NOFA).

The non-profit organization’s Summer Conference will be held at UMass Amherst Aug. 14-16 and offers families — not just farmers — an opportunity to learn about healthy food, organic growing practices, and a cleaner environment via 150 different workshops and a dedicated Children’s Conference for ages 2-12.

This year marks the 41st NOFA Summer Conference and a children’s track has been part of the summer offering for many of them. “My goal for the conference is to give the kids a really good time and teach a bit too,” says Valerie Walton, children’s conference coordinator.

“I’m very excited to go this year,” says 10-year-old Carissima Heinis of Harvard. “Last year was my first time going and I liked the games we played with water, the parade, and the tiny bunnies.”

“We will have animals to pat and learn about including angora bunnies, 16 JULY2015

chickens, and ducks. We also have a number of workshops called Of The Earth. We will learn about floral creations where we make succulent gardens, and Strawberry Blast-off. This is an exciting workshop where we will do a DNA extraction on strawberries and make homemade bottle rockets,” Walton says. “Another track is About Food, where we will make butter and kale chips. One of the workshops on wind power is being led by a former children’s conference participant and his mom. They will be making pinwheels and sails.

One popular workshop called Making Fairy Houses will be held, too. [It] is a favorite workshop not just with the kids, this is very popular with the adults, too.”

Not all the kids’ workshops will be learning-focused. Some are designed just for fun, such as making window stars from tissue paper, music and movement stories, scrapbooking, envisioning the ecological neighborhood of tomorrow, and playing Victorian outdoor games.

One favorite event for both adults and kids is the parade on Saturday.

“Last year we made our own little

costumes, mine was Egyptian, and we carried a banner,” Heinis says. “We made maracas, too, and got to keep them.”

After the parade is an old-fashioned, family-friendly country fair with live entertainment. This fair is for “anybody who likes to eat,” says Julie Rawson, executive director of NOFA, which encompasses more than 5,000 farmers, gardeners, landscape professionals and consumers.

“There will be sheep dogs that herd ducks, a water festival, a pie eating contest, peanuts in the haystack for kids to find, cow flop bingo, and music,” Walton adds.

Sound a bit overwhelming? “There are many different on-ramps and it seems like a fire hose of information that you can sip from,” says Ben Grosscup, NOFA Summer Conference coordinator and musician. “For someone new to the conference, they need to think about what their goal is for transforming their lives for the better.

At the conference, people will learn practical take-home skills for their every day and [how to] create a better food system.”

Adds Rawson: “The conference is

just a wonderful way to learn from each other.”

Adults who are not farmers will find plenty to learn and do. For home gardeners, there are workshops on improving vegetable gardening, growing herbs, and extending garden growing into the fall. For those interested in preserving garden bounty, there are many workshops on various ways to keep the summer garden bounty available year-round.

Saturday night after the fair will be an exciting time at the conference with a drumming circle. This is a family-friendly event where you will learn about drumming from various cultures across the globe and have the whole family making music. After drumming will be a dance party.

The Summer Conference is not the only way that NOFA helps people eat and live better. The group offers an Organic Food Guide and a Nutrition Guide, which help families find local clean organic food. For more information on NOFA, visit nofamass. org. For information on the Summer Conference, visit nofasummerconference.org.

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jerky, canned fruit, and portable produce like bananas, apples and oranges or carrots, celery sticks, and sliced bell peppers.

Dishin’

Andrea Luttrell is a registered dietitian nutritionist for the Living Well Eating Smart program at Big Y Foods. She can be reached at livingwell@bigy.com or write Living Well, 2145 Roosevelt Ave, PO Box 7840, Springfield 01102.

with the Dietitian

4 Top Tips For Road Trip Snacking

BY ANDREA LUTTRELL, RDN, LDN

One of my favorite things about summer is taking road trips with the kiddos. Whether we’re driving to a state park, beach or a yet-to-bedetermined destination, it’s always a fun adventure — as long as we’ve planned ahead by packing snacks and drinks for the ride. If you’ve ever traveled with little ones, you’re probably familiar with the “I’m hungry!” or “I’m thirsty!” complaints coming from the back seat. And if unprepared, a quick drive thru or convenience store stop is inevitable if you’re hoping for a semi-peaceful drive.

To be sure you’re ready for the ride ahead, here are essential planning tips to keep in mind.

Limit sugary items. This is especially important on very long drives, because no one wants to be stuck in the car with a child who’s on a sugar rush. Keep things like candy, pastries, cookies, and sugary beverages like sports drinks, sweetened iced tea and fruit punch at home.

Stock the glove compartment. The key to on-the-go snacking is keeping items such as napkins, wipes

by land...

Do you have a question on nutrition or healthy eating or want more information or ideas on a related topic?

Email editor@baystateparent.com and your suggestion could be featured in an upcoming edition of Dishin’ With the Dietitian.

DIY Trail Mix Before going on any trip, plan a fun, functional food activity with kids: Have them create their own trail mix in little baggies or small mason jars. Use these ingredients or get creative with what you have in your pantry and let your children make their own yummy combinations.

Ingredient Mix-Ins

and silverware on hand so you’re ready in an instant. When you find yourself with extra pre-packed silverware and napkin packages from ordering take-out, keep them for your car instead of tossing them in the trash.

Bring a cooler. If planning a road trip for the day, pack a small cooler with ice so everything stays nice and cold. It’s also a great way to add to what you’re able to bring along. For example, aseptic milk boxes, yogurt smoothies, string cheese, ham & cheese wraps, and cut melon and berries would be safe, delicious, and portable options. Freezing juice boxes, yogurt tubes, water bottles, and milk boxes before heading out the by land... door is another great idea to keep food and drinks cold.

Pack nutritious offerings. Some of our favorite items to take along for car rides include lower-sugar, higher-fiber granola bars, whole grain crackers, dried fruit, applesauce pouches, nuts, seeds, and individual-sized popcorn and pretzelbysnack air... bags. Some other great choices are peanut butter crackers, granola,

Toasted oats cereal

Pumpkin seeds

Peanuts

Banana chips

Sunflower seeds

Dried pineapple chunks

Raisins

Puffed rice cereal, popcorn

Dried cranberries

Mini marshmallows

Soy nuts, pretzels

Dried cherries

Mini chocolate chips Almonds

Peanut butter chips Walnuts

Pistachios

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Want to ensure the kids keep key math skills like division, multiplication, or fractions fresh over the summer? Send them to the kitchen! Kids can keep their minds moving and improve their cooking prowess at the same time. The colorful 17-Piece Measure & Prep Kit from Curious Chef offers real kitchen tools to help achieve that goal: measuring cups, spoons, bowls, and more — everything chefs of all ages need to gather, scoop, count, and pour. $24.99. curiouschef.com.

Keep an eye on the baystateparent Facebook wall this month for a chance to win this cool set!

Youth Physical Activity Cited As Key To Healthy Future

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These Cute Cookie Cutters!

The Healthy People/Healthy Economy report issued by the Boston Foundation last month finds that Massachusetts remains “considerably behind” when it comes to promoting and improving youth physical activity, which has been identified as one of five keys for ensuring a healthier future for residents.

“The Commonwealth has taken no action to require public school districts to provide more opportunities for their students to be more physically active during the school day, despite the mounting evidence that physical activity improves both health and learning,” the report states.

The report recommends statewide policy requiring physical activity in schools as “a necessary first step.” “[The state] should embrace the Institute of Medicine’s recommendations and take a whole-school approach to physical activity, encouraging districts around the state to provide in-school opportunities for at least 30 minutes of vigorous or moderate intensity physical activity during the school day and an additional 30 minutes before or after.”

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Cooking Classes This summer, ChopChop Kids, publisher of ChopChop: The Fun Cooking Magazine for Families is leading a

Merge the best of summer sun and sweet baking with cookie cutters from Cookie Cutter Kingdom. (cookiecutterkdom. com) The company offers dozens of cutters across a variety of themes. Using 3D printing technology, the company can also create customizable cutters for special events, complete with names and dates. Want to win these fun baking accessories? Watch our Facebook wall for details!

Raspberry Milk Pops Prep time: 5 minutes Freeze time: 4 hours Servings: 8 1 1/2 cups DairyPure Whole milk or 2% Reduced Fat milk 1 (12-ounce) package frozen raspberries 1/4 cup honey In blender or food processor, combine milk, frozen raspberries and honey; blend until smooth.

Pour mixture into eight 4-ounce ice pop molds or plastic drinking cups. Add ice pop sticks. Freeze at least 4 hours or overnight.

— Family Features

national healthy cooking campaign with its first online cooking club.

ChopChop is challenging families to master six essential recipes — one at a time — by joining the online cooking club free at chopchopcookingclub.org.

Each month, club members will receive a recipe challenge comprised of step-by-step instructions supplemented with basic cooking skills, food facts, family discussion

prompts, and shopping tips. Families are invited to post a picture of their finished dish to chopchopcookingclub.org to earn a virtual badge for completing the challenge. Badges will celebrate different cooking skills learned in each recipe, such as

whisking, measuring, roasting and grating. Club members are encouraged to complete all six challenges for a chance to win prizes from KitchenAid, OXO, and Le Creuset.

“We’re seeing a new generation of kids who lack fundamental cooking skills,” says Sally Sampson, ChopChop founder. “If you teach kids to cook real food, they’ll lead healthier lifestyles.”

BAYSTATEPARENT 19

Because it takes expert care to deliver a miracle

Bringing miracles to life is our passion at the LaChance Maternity Center at Heywood Hospital. Our expert team of physicians, nurses and doulas, provide personalized attention in a state-of-the-art environment that promotes a tranquil and natural birthing experience, resulting in the lowest caesarean birth rate in the state. And our specialty services – from our post-birth celebration dinner to our rejuvenating spa treatments including relaxing whirlpool hydrotherapy, post-partum massage therapy, music therapy and aromatherapy – will leave you feeling just heavenly.

To find out more about the services offered at the LaChance Maternity Center visit www.heywood.org.

To register for a Childbirth Class or schedule a tour of the LaChance Maternity Center call (978) 630-6216.

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LETS GO, BABY!

Expect the Unexpected: 10 Tiny Diaper Bag Lifesavers

There are the two obvious items you carry — psst, diapers and wipes — and then pretty much anything else goes. Yet you don’t want to pack the kitchen sink; the goal is maximum utility for minimum weight.

Here are our 10 picks for lightweight, lifesaving gear you’ll be glad you packed. All together, these 10 items added only 4 ounces to our diaper bag below.

BY MELISSA SHAW

Extra Clothes There will be random runs through sprinklers and puddles, falls in the mud, a variety of spilled food and drink, and diaper blowouts. You’ll never regret carrying an extra set of clothes from the time your child is born to the time you stop carrying a diaper bag.

First Aid Kit When you need a Band Aid, you really need a Band Aid. Portable kits are lightweight, very small (less than 4” wide), and inexpensive.

Love DIY and want something even smaller?

You can make your own using an Altoids tin.

Receiving Blanket The MacGyver of baby gear, this humble cloth has a myriad of uses beyond the first few months of life. Folded flat, it fits neatly at the bottom of your diaper bag and serves as a base that can suck up random spills.

Take it out and it’s a towel, spitup rag, bib, emergency cloth diaper, changing mat, rain hat, mini picnic blanket, you name it.

Aquaphor Yes, it’s a wonder on tiny bums, but a portable tube will also handle chapped lips, cuts, scrapes, and mystery rashes.

If you want to save some money, don’t buy the travel size, simply fill an empty travel bottle from your stash at home and label it.

Bribes Plastic Bags You’ve got approximately 1,293 of these stuffed around your home, toss a few in your bag. They crumple up small, fit in any space, and will contain the grossest of diapers and wettest of clothes (those two often related) — or anything else you need.

22 JULY2015

Carabiner

Do we like resorting to them? No. Will we? You bet. The only caveat: Make sure they’re age-appropriate.

Multitool A small multitool provides one of the most important pieces of equipment a parent needs — scissors — in addition to a host of other helpful implements (tweezers, a knife blade, screwdrivers) in a very tiny footprint.

Normally found dangling off climbing gear, the carabiner is an easy add to the top handle of any diaper bag, allowing you to hook anything onto the bag (pacifier, toy) or the bag onto anything (fence, bathroom stall door, shopping cart).

Pocket Sanitizer Stash a small bottle in your bag or use a hanging dispenser, which is even handier.

Hair Elastics Your child’s hair may not be long enough for a hair elastic, but still carry a few. They can hold up loose pants, close an open snack bag, or secure something to anything else. Plus, feel free to use it on your own hair, too.

LETS GO, BABY!

How

Unused, Leftover Diapers Can Help Moms In Need

BY KAREN LOCK KOLP PHOTO BY NAPHTALI VISSER

Imagine for a moment that you are the single parent of a 2-year-old and a baby, both still in diapers.

Their laughter and smiles light up your life, and it hurts your heart that your family is in its current situation, where work is scarce and money is tight. You struggle to keep these two beautiful, growing children in clothes that fit, you struggle to give them healthy food.

And there's an additional burden — keeping them in clean diapers.

According to babycenter.com, a year’s supply of will costs nearly $900. Neither WIC nor state assistance programs cover diapers, forcing some parents to change their children out of dirty diapers less frequently.

Michelle Sharpe (above), a mental health clinician and therapist working at Cambridge-Somerville Early Intervention, says recent research has even linked the lack of an adequate supply of disposable diapers

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with maternal depression.

"Working with many low-income families, I quickly realized the huge burden of diapers,” she says.

“Some parents end up leaving their children in diapers longer than is sanitary or even attempt to reuse disposable diapers. This quickly leads to diaper rash and other health concerns.”

A conversation with a friend and an e-mail plea led to the creation of Diaper Circle (diapercircle.org), where generous individuals donate clean, leftover, unused disposables.

It’s “the handful of diapers [people] have left in a pack when their child outgrows a size,” Sharpe says.

“Charities cannot accept open containers of unused diapers, yet nearly all parents wind up with these at some point or other as their babies grow.”

Since Diaper Circle began last fall, more than 20,600 diapers have been donated. “Some people who don't even have children have donated entire cases,” she adds. “Every time I see a full donation bin I get tears in my eyes. It never gets old seeing the generosity of others."

She is, perhaps, even more overjoyed at her ability to really help people: “I learned this week [about] a family who was given diapers, that they recently had to decide between buying food and buying diapers. No parent should ever have to make that choice. It's stories like that that remind me how crucial this need is. Every parent that I have handed diapers to tells me how incredibly grateful they are for the help."

Right now, Sharpe does most of the work by herself, spending two to three hours counting, sorting, and bundling diapers. She is grateful for friends who occasionally pick up diapers, and her boyfriend who recently launched Diaper Circle’s Website (diapercircle.org).

More help would be welcomed.

"When diapers are collected they

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“Working with many low-income families, I quickly realized the huge burden of diapers. Some parents end up leaving their children in diapers longer than is sanitary or even attempt to reuse disposable diapers.” need to be sorted and bundled by size as well as counted and added to the tally page. We would love a few volunteers that are willing to collect from drop-off locations and/or count and bundle collected diapers,” she says. “We are especially looking for more drop-off sites. The ideal spots have parent/kid traffic (toy stores, children's clothing stores, indoor play spaces, places of worship, etc.). The only responsibility is to have a plastic bin where people can see it."

It’s easy to surmise that this service is needed as Diaper Circle is growing quickly.

“We are hoping to reach more people since the need for free diapers is so huge," she continues.

"We have grown quickly, which is exciting but also means that there are a lot of logistics. If you have any clean, leftover disposable diapers to donate, visit diapercircle.org for drop-off locations or to arrange to have them picked up from your home.” Anyone interested in volunteering should contact Sharpe at info@diapercircle.org or facebook. com/diapercircle.

ba ys tat e

su m of f m e r 201 u n 5

pa ren t

OVER 800 PLACES TO GO AND THINGS TO DO! Illustration by Abigail McCoy, 2015

BAYSTATEPARENT 1

BAYSTATEPARENT 23

Let Your Baby Put A

Book In Her Mouth And other practical tips for building lifelong readers

BY MICHELE

BENNETT DECOTEAU

A daily dose of Moo, Baa, La La La is good for baby. While this may seem like a strange prescription from your pediatrician, researchers studying premature infants found that parents who read to their babies in the NICU felt just as close a bond as parents who were able to take their babies home with them right away.

Last year, the American Academy of Pediatrics began recommending that parents read to babies and young children daily, not only for the benefit of their later reading skills, but also as a way to forge bonds to improve cognitive, 24 JULY2015

social and emotional well-being. At well-baby visits, doctors are now urged to suggest that parents read to their infants.

“You can read anything to baby at first,” says Melissa Beyer of children’s book publisher Usborne Books. “It is really about comfort, the sounds of your voice, and showing that reading is a pleasurable part of their life. This is an important first step in building a life-long reader.”

While you are holding your baby and a book, you demonstrate the importance of reading, an

activity experts say should start early.

“Reading board books helps a baby’s cognitive and motor skills,” says Sarah Ketchersid, senior executive editor of Candlewick Press, a publisher of board and children’s books. “Let a baby put books in their mouths and turn the pages. A mangled, torn book is well loved.

It is a good sign they are interested in the book and love it.”

“Look for books that jump-start a baby’s attention,” says Tressy Collier, assistant director and children’s librarian at the Blackstone Public Library. “Any book that is touchy feely with texture, movement, flaps to flip, that makes crinkly noises, will help to introduce a baby to what to expect in a book.”

“Books with rhyming are pleasurable and can help early readers figure out words based on the sounds,” Beyer adds.

Reading helps to build vocabulary, and experts say the size of a child’s vocabulary when she enters school is a strong measure of her school success, intelligence, and social skills. We don’t speak with a very large vocabulary in our daily lives, and books introduce a delicious cornucopia of fresh vocabulary. If you think about how children learn in the first few years of life, through spoken words, the bigger their vocabulary, the more they can learn and understand about the world around them.

Children who start kindergarten with larger vocabularies generally learn to read at higher levels compared to students with smaller vocabularies upon entering school.

“Reading aloud right from birth helps cognitive development and language development,” Ketchersid notes.

“They need to hear as many words as possible. You want to read books that are fun for the parents to read, too, so they feel your joy.”

Don’t be surprised if a baby puts a book in his mouth or grabs at the pages. At early stages, babies need sturdy board books to explore. This is part of the learning process. From listening to their parents read to them, babies will learn that books have specifics parts, such as beginnings, pages that turn, surprises, and ends.

Look for books with great “munchy words and brightly colored pictures,” suggests Jane Yolen, a Massachusetts resident and author of hundreds of books for babies and children as well as science fiction and fantasy novels.

“What do I mean by ‘munchy’ words? Ones that babies can try out in their mouths, as salty as a pretzel, as crisp as a piece of apple, as sweet as mashed plums.

Words they already know — ball, Mama, Daddy, bottle — but onomatopoeic words like bees buzz, dogs howl, cats meow. Words that rhyme or that sing. Funny words like eensy and weensy. And words they get to learn by munching on them over and over: mush and pepper and watermelon and salamander.”

In a 2004 study by the National Endowment for the Arts, To Read or Not To Read, the organization found that children who read for pleasure were better students. “Kids who achieve the most, read the best and stay in school. And the single most important factor in a child’s reading success in school is being read to aloud by their parents,” Beyer says.

No one expects a baby to read, but reading to your baby plants the seeds of literacy. As you read with a child, you turn pages, which happens in the same direction every time. You read left to right and the pictures in a book relate to the words. These pre-literacy skills get children ready to read on their own and help them when they start.

“Reading to babies regularly teaches them that reading is a magical time. They pick up on your excitement when you are looking forward to a book,” Collier says.

“We as adults enjoy sitting with a book and babies will learn that same pleasure even from a young age.”

Generally when babies start to pay attention to their surroundings they are ready for a baby-specific story time such as that offered at a local library or bookstore.

“We usually read two board books, sing, do a finger play, and have fun with a texture toy like egg shakers or scarves,” Collier says. “Engaging babies with music can also help them build literacy skills.”

Possibly the most important literacy skill a baby learns from reading with a parent is a passion for reading.

“There are three simple ways to teach babies and young children to love books: books, baskets, and bedside lamps. Put books in baskets in every room and give them a reading lamp,” Beyer suggests.

“The best picture books for babies are like Zen poems that address the mysteries of the world in very simple and engaging terms,” says Jeff Mack, author of picture and chapter books like Look! and Duck in the Fridge. “[Good books] entertain the youngest readers, and make older readers think twice by offering them fresh points of view. They use language inventively. They have pictures that capture emotions too deep for words.

And the two work in perfect tandem to tell the complete story.”

“Look for books with bright colors and clear illustrations,” Beyer adds.

“Many touchy-feely books just have soft texture. Look for books with a wide range of textures and rich vocabulary words. They’re more fun for you and your baby.”

So pull out a book, put your baby on your lap, and enjoy a story together.

Head to baystateparent.com for links to the American Academy of Pediatrics Book Building Connection toolkit, which offers tips and advice on building early literacy skills, and more family reading resources. Also find out

how you can win great baby and children’s books from Candlewick Press.

Expert Read-To-Baby Recommendations Jeff Mack, author • I Can Help! by David Costello is a very clever and charming book about both a duckling’s search for home and an entire ecosystem busy cooperating.

My own books, Good News Bad News, Ah Ha!, and Look! are comedies with deep emotions and carefully chosen sets of words (or letters) to help extra-young readers find greater meaning in stories told mostly with pictures. One is about friendship, another is about freedom, and the third is about paying attention.

Jane Yolen, author • Look! by Jeff Mack • Little Elliot, Big City by Mike Curato • Wee Rhymes by Jane Yolen • Baby Love by Angela Di Terlizzi • You Nest Here with Me by Jane Yolen and Heidi Stemple • Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle Tressy Collier, children’s librarian • Yummy Yucky by Leslie Patricelli • Binky by Leslie Patricelli There are several board books by Leslie Patricelli that are very, very funny and are a huge hit with the lit-

tle ones (and parents). The two titles above are my favorites.

• Dinosaur Vs. the Potty by Bob Shea • Dinosaur Vs. Bedtime by Bob Shea

• This is My Hair by Todd Parr • The Mommy Book by Todd Parr The Todd Parr books are very diverse and colorful, and come in both board book and picture book format.

• What Will Fat Cat Sit On? by Jan Thomas • Let’s Sing a Lullaby With the Brave Cowboy by Jan Thomas The Jan Thomas books are only available in picture book format as far as I know, but they are super silly and have just a few words on each page.

Sarah Ketchersid, senior executive editor, children’s publisher • Hurray for Fish by Lucy Cousins: This has just really bright and bold illustrations and it is a joyous story to read out loud.

• I Kissed a Baby by Mary Murphy: This is a celebration of a new baby by animals. The bold style is really fun to read.

• Barnyard Dance! by Sandra Boynton: This book is fun to read in funny voices for all the animals.

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Moms LETS GO, BABY!

Combine Personal, Professional Lives in Worker Cooperative

BY AMANDA COLLINS JOSIE AND SAILOR PHOTOGRAPHY

J

essica Montagna's son is 5, but the Holyoke mom still has a stack of used diapers — that once covered his infant bottom — lying around her house.

“I use them as rags now,” she said of the cloth diapers she's recycled.

“Five years later, I can have 40 of them still sitting there, getting used, as opposed to one disposable one that was shipped from China, used once and thrown away.”

For Montagna, the decision to use cloth diapers was cut and dry — she said they're safer than many disposable varieties that might be laden with chemicals and much easier on the environment. Disposables represent 96% of the North American diaper market, which has led to about 20 billion diapers dumped in landfills each year, accounting for more than 3.5 million tons of waste, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

While the decision was easy for her, getting started was a bit more challenging.

“If you just Google ‘cloth diapers’, 26 JULY2015

it can be overwhelming and hard for an expectant parent to figure out.

Cloth diapers aren't popular culture right now, so there’s a lot of parents who need support and education,” she said.

Enter Angie Gregory After the birth of her second child in 2009, Angie Gregory founded Mother Herb Diaper Service and was running the business out of the basement of her Northampton home, providing parents with more than laundering and delivery, but also education and guidance.

As a Mother Herb client, Montagna learned from the mom of two, but she found other questions that came with being a new mom weren't so easy to solve.

“I had just left grad school, and I was working very part-time and just sort of floundering on what to do with my life. I didn't want to be stuck at a 40-hour-week job,” she said. “Angie and I were just talking about life and

I told her how I didn't want to go back to a 9-to-5 job, and she just said, 'Come work with me.'”

Three years later, Gregory's business has shifted from sole-proprietorship into cooperative ownership, and the moms are both worker-owners of Simple Diaper & Linen, based in Holyoke. Their client base has tripled, they've moved into their own commercial space, and have expanded to offer compostable diapers and provide linen service.

Going Co-Op “Angie was using residential machines and was small-scale, servicing a few communities and limited to between 16 and 25 clients at a time.

She was lugging bins of dirty diapers down basement stairs and delivering them in her own car. She had grown to full capacity in her own space, and taking it to the next level meant not doing it alone,” Montagna said.

Gregory invited Montagna to work “with” her, not “for” her, as she decided to move her business to the coop-

erative business model, which means that everyone has shared responsibility and shared ownership as workers.

“There were a lot of reasons that made that decision really easy for me.

Mostly, I felt like it was a revolutionary business model with values that were already aligned to our business, like being socially responsible,” Gregory said. “Before, when I had worked as an employee previously, I always took on managerial roles and I wanted to attract other people who had a real interest in this rather than just showing up to work.”

Forming a cooperative is different from forming any other business entity. To start up, a group of potential members must agree on a common need and a strategy on how to meet that need, and every member must agree with a business plan, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Gregory and Montagna took the extra step of incorporating their cooperative, which includes additional steps like filing Articles of Incorporation, creating bylaws and membership applications.

“Angie and I were just talking about life and I told her how I didn’t want to go back to a 9-to-5 job, and she just said, ‘Come work with me.’”

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For the women, the employee-owned model means they share risk and reward, which ensures they're all fully invested. “It motivates everyone to give 110%,” Montagna said.

And it's an idea that seems to be taking root in the area. Simple Diaper & Linen is a member of the Valley Alliance of Worker Cooperatives (VAWC), a group they said helped usher them through the process of becoming worker-owned. The system provides resources and support to advance cooperatives, empower members and benefit the community.

The VAWC reports that its membership has grown over the past three years, and it has converted five local traditionally-owned businesses into worker cooperatives. As a system, VAWC has eight member cooperatives in industries that range from solar power installation to printing to body care products. Together, those local cooperatives represent more than $7 million in annual revenue and have more than 60 workers/members.

“It's not perfect, there are certainly flaws in the system, but we're learning as we go,” Montagna said of the model. “We believe it's fair and democratic, and we're proud of it.”

The women draw on the collaborative spirit of the worker-owned business community as they learn. One of seven principles co-op businesses adhere to is “cooperation among cooperatives,” which Gregory said has helped them navigate through the unknown.

“Being a part of the Alliance, getting to hear stories of other co-ops,

is really helping as we go along,” she said. The book Building Co-operative Power, published by Levellers Press — which is part of another local co-op, Collective Copies — has also aided in the learning process, she added. The book explores strategies of other worker-owned businesses in the Connecticut River Valley as a guide and inspiration for developing co-ops in the region.

Simple Diaper & Linen welcomed another mom as a paid apprentice, who after six months should become their third employee/owner. Gregory said she sees them expanding even more as their client base grows.

“The idea is to not have some people who are workers and some people who are owners, because that creates an imbalance in the workplace,” she noted. “If we grow and add more people, they will be on track to be owners, too.”

That model also ensures that everyone working for the business is connected to its mission.

“A big piece is positive customer service — when you call you're going to talk to one of the owners and a mother who's had a baby,” Montagna said. “If someone calls and says, ‘Cloth diapering isn't working for me,' we'll say, ‘Come down, bring your baby, and we'll help you put a diaper on your baby.’ We have six kids between the three of us, so there's that experience of knowing that if you call, we're compassionate to why we're running this business. We're all completely invested.”

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LETS GO, BABY!

Social Media

Revolutionizes Baby Gear Reselling

BY KATHY SLOAN

28 JULY2015

Whether you’re trying to make money, save money, or simply create space in your home, buying and selling used children’s items is something many parents will do at some point.

“Kids outgrow things so fast. If something still has some life in it, why buy new?” says Victoria Bumpus of Holden, who buys and sells used items for her children.

There are many ways to buy and sell used children’s items, including consignment shops, Craigslist, eBay, or a good old-fashioned yard sale. However, online yard sale groups are popping up on Facebook like dandelions these days and revolutionizing the used-goods marketplace.

You can post an item for sale and within seconds have an interested buyer. Bumpus says she prefers to buy and sell on social media because it’s easier than setting up a garage sale or driving to the consignment shop.

A Facebook spokesperson says that while the company doesn’t break down the numbers on the volume of buying and selling on the site, there are “tens of millions of Facebook Groups today, and For Sale groups are one of the most common types.” Because many groups are dedicated to selling items, Facebook responded to that trend by adding a “Sell” feature to groups, making it easier than ever to conduct transactions on the site.

Compared to a site such as Craigslist, which attracts buyers and sellers from a large geographical area, Facebook groups tend to be more localized. Also, Facebook doesn’t allow for anonymity, which can be a concern on other sites. When you are a part of a Facebook “For Sale” group, you get to know the buyers and sellers on a more personal level. Elizabeth Walsh of Holden, one of the moderators for Mountaineer Mamas, a private Facebook group dedicated to buying and selling baby gear in the Wachusett area, says that other than minor communication issues between buyers and sellers, there haven’t been any safety concerns.

An added bonus to joining a group like Mountaineer Mamas is the sense of community; an almost neighborly feel can be found on the site. The group allows members to meet people within the community and make connections with those they might never know.

“Someone is always there,” Walsh notes, which provides an ear and instant support for parenting questions, doctor referrals, or birthday party ideas.

In order to join the group you must be referred by another member and live in one of the five Wachusett-area towns (Holden, Paxton,

Princeton, Rutland and Sterling). Those restrictions were put in place to help give buyers and sellers not only a sense of community, but also safety, she says. People feel at ease buying and selling via the group because, “someone knows who this person is so there is a comfort level,” Walsh adds. This offers sellers an added level of comfort as buyers often come to a seller’s house to pick up the item.

Used clothes and toys are some of the most popular items bought and sold online, generally safe purchases even from a stranger. However, when you’re in the market for or are selling a car seat, crib, or stroller, you may want to do some homework first. Make sure the items are in good condition and are not included on any recall list. Always consult the Consumer Product Safety Commission (cpsc.gov) for recalls and safety concerns when purchasing or selling used children’s items.

6 tips for buying and selling on social media 1. Aim to join smaller, more localized groups.

2. Take a clear picture of the item you’re selling and give a detailed description. If the item is clean, well taken care of, and accurately labeled and sized, the item will sell faster. If the item is stained or broken, mention it and price accordingly.

3. Price the item for half of what you spent retail — including price after using coupons.

4. Communicate with the seller if you can’t pick up the item at the agreed time.

5. Bargaining is OK, but realize that the item you’re buying is probably priced well.

6. Follow the rules of the social media site on which you’re selling.

A spokesperson for Facebook says that the company does not monitor groups behind the scenes for user safety, nor is Facebook responsible for the sale of a recalled item. The site does have a team that reviews, reports, and removes content that violates their Community Standards. Facebook Groups users agree to the site’s Community Standards (facebook.com/ communitystandards). These same guidelines apply to groups that help people buy and sell products.

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BAYSTATEPARENT 29

PHOTO BY ARLENE TALIADOROS

LETS GO, BABY!

Cape Ann:

The Bay State’s Best-Kept Secret

BY KATHY SLOAN

A

ffectionately known as “The Other Cape,” Cape Ann can be found on the North Shore, 30 miles northeast of Boston. It consists of three towns and one city — Essex, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Rockport, and Gloucester — and got its name from the Pilgrims who migrated up to the area after landing at Plymouth Rock, naming it after England’s Queen Anne. Picturesque and rich in history, according to many, Cape Ann is Massachusetts’s best-kept secret.

The area offers everything you need and want in a New England summer destination: great seafood, beaches, and boats. In addition, each community has its own charm and things to offer: Manchester-by-the-Sea is the quiet — and often forgotten — Cape Ann community because it doesn’t house any major attractions. However, the area is unique because it is accessible by commuter rail. Bostonians can take the train to Manchester-by-the-Sea, get off downtown, and take the walking path to Singing Beach, a beautiful and often-uncrowded beach.

Essex, once the shipbuilding capi30 JULY2015

tal of America, is home to the Essex Shipbuilding Museum and the famous Woodman’s restaurant. Woodman’s (woodmans.com) has award-winning chowder, fried clams, and more, and claims to be the inventor of the fried clam!

Rockport, once a fishing village, offers great shopping, restaurants, and art galleries in addition to beautiful beaches. Peter Webber, senior vice president of the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce (capeannchamber. com), says the town’s Bearskin Neck is one of the most popular spots on Cape Ann. Home to quaint shops, galleries, and restaurants, Bearskin Neck is a great spot to spend the afternoon with the family.

Gloucester, America’s oldest seaport, is famous for its beaches and key role in the fishing industry.

For those interested in getting out on the water, Webber says there are many ways to do so, from taking a harbor tour, kayaking on the Essex River basin, or going on a whale watch. If it’s raining, there is still plenty to do in the area, including many museums to visit, such as the Maritime Heritage Center, The Paper

House Museum, and the Essex Shipbuilding museum. The Paper House (paperhouserockport.com) — made entirely (inside and out) of paper — is located off the beaten path in Rockport but is worth the trip.

There are also great parks, such as Stage Fort Park, perfect for families who want to spend the day. It offers two smaller beaches, a picnic area, and walking trails. Webber also suggests that families check out the farmers markets that each community offers throughout the week. There are plenty of area restaurants and many can be found along the waterfront where families can enjoy watching the boats while eating.

Here are five must-sees: The Beaches of Cape Ann seecapeann.com There are nine public beaches on Cape Ann. The two most popular and family friendly beaches are Wingaersheek and Good Harbor (see above).

Both are located in Gloucester and offer parking, concessions, bath-

rooms, and showers.

Singing Beach in Manchester is accessible by the commuter rail from Boston. Parking along the beach is limited to residents but there are some free parking spots that you can snag if you get there early. Bathroom facilities are clean and there is a concession stand.

Maritime Heritage Center 23 Harbor Loop, Gloucester maritimegloucester.org Admission: Adults $8, Seniors/ Military $6, Youth $4, Children (under 4) free.

Maritime Gloucester is an indoor/ outdoor museum on the waterfront with interactive exhibits related to maritime heritage of Cape Ann. They offer camps in the summer (including drop-in camps) for kids in elementary school through high school. College internships are also available.

Thacher Island thacherisland.org Located a mile offshore Rockport, Thatcher Island is rich in history. The

LETS GO, BABY! island is home to the only operating twin lighthouses in America (see above) and is currently a wildlife refuge. The island is open to the public from mid-June through September and children over the age of 6 can climb the towers (with an adult).

Stage Fort Park 24 Hough Ave., Gloucester gloucester-ma.gov You can bring the family and spend the entire day at this historic park, home to two lifeguarded beaches, playgrounds, and picnic areas. The park also offers walking trails, public bathrooms, blueberry picking, outdoor concerts, and more. Dogs are welcome but must be leashed.

Hammond Castle Museum 80 Hesperus Ave., Gloucester hammondcastle.org Admission: Adults $10, Seniors (65+) $9, Children (ages 6-12) $8 The medieval-style castle was built in the 1920s by inventor John Hays Hammond Jr. as a wedding gift for his wife. One of America’s premier inventors, Hammond produced over 400 patents (second only to Thomas Edison in number of patents) and the

ideas for more than 800 inventions.

The castle grounds are located along the shoreline and visitors can take a self-guided walking tour of the grounds and castle. There is also a museum on site. During July and August, guests can take candlelight tours on Thursday nights. July 18-19 is a two-day Annual Ren Faire that includes crafts, food, storytellers, knights, musicians and more.

Purported to be haunted, Hammond Castle was the focus of an episode of the Syfy series Ghost Hunters and has long drawn the attention of paranormal buffs.

Note: Hammond Castle could be difficult for those with physical challenges or restrictions. According to its Website: “As much as we would like to be otherwise, Hammond Castle Museum, being a very old historic structure, is not handicapped accessible. There are stairs entering the property from our parking lot and numerous stairs once you are inside.

Please bear this in mind before planning a visit.”

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PROVIDENCE:

Coming Into Its Own

BY KAREN LOCK KOLP

P

rovidence is having a moment. Exciting festivals and thriving neighborhoods — like its famous Federal Hill — rival Boston’s best entertainment and cuisine for a much more reasonable price. Visiting Providence today, especially as a family, means fun, education, “ohwow” moments, and history, all rolled into one.

Last year, Travel + Leisure ranked it the overall #1 City in America.

Providence also took home top honors as the Best City for Bakeries and Best City for Diners. It received second-place recognition as one of the country’s top cities for Notable Restaurants, Gay-Friendly Vacations, Hip/Cool Culture, Arts, Food Trucks, Pizza, and Sandwiches. Last month, GQ named it “the coolest city you haven’t been to.”

The city has had its share of stops and starts. It burned to the ground during one of the very first altercations with Native Americans during King Philip’s War in 1676.

Tides turned post Revolutionary War when the city’s industry shifted from fishing and other maritime trades to manufacturing. It saw sub32 JULY2015

stantial growth as people all over the world began to call it home.

After taking a terrible hit during the Great Depression, the city spent decades foundering in poverty and despair. Things began to look up in the 1970s, when a shift in focus towards tourism and the arts began to invigorate and revitalize the area.

Because of its eclectic past, visitors can indulge in culture and feast on cuisine. Federal Hill offers plenty of choices and kids will most definitely love dining outdoors by the fountain while watching some performers. Theatre-loving families will enjoy the Providence Performing Arts Center (ppacri.org), and shoppers will find plenty to keep them busy at the upscale, bustling Providence Place Mall (providenceplace.com). The city is also a major education hub, home to eight colleges and universities, and thousands of staff and students.

Here are five must-sees: WaterFire Providence Downtown Providence waterfire.org Free

It’s quite a sight: Eighty bonfires lit along the surface of the Woonasquatucket, Moshassuck, and Providence rivers that wind their way through the heart of downtown. It takes the manpower of hundreds of volunteers and fulltime staff at the independent, nonprofit arts organization WaterFire Providence to make it happen. In addition to the flickering flames, accompanying music, and performances, visitors can also enjoy the WaterFire Arts Festival Plaza on Washington Street, which features photography and sculpture, paintings, hand-crafted ceramics, jewelry and more. In 2014, TripAdvisor named WaterFire Providence one of the “Top 50 Family Attractions Worth Traveling For.” The Providence Children’s Museum 100 South St. childrenmuseum.org Adults & Children $9; Under 12 months free Free admission 5 p.m.-8 p.m. every Friday in July & August What began as a volunteer orga-

nization in 1977 quickly grew into a professionally staffed organization serving 50,000 visitors every year.

Kids love the thrill of spotting the dragon hanging out on the exterior of the building. A large water room gives kids full permission to get wet and have fun exploring the physics of running water and building with PVC pipes. Downstairs boasts a fantasy play area and rotating exhibits, and upstairs hosts a huge and amazing partial replica of a ship from the 1800s, in which kids can scramble around.

Other museums to check out: Rhode Island School of Design Museum (risdmuseum.org): Offers programs for kids ages 3+ Johnson and Wales Culinary Museum (culinary.org): A teaching museum that preserves and interprets culinary and hospitality heritage PawSox McCoy Stadium, 1 Columbus Ave., Pawtucket pawsox.com Admission: Box seats $13; Adults $9, Children under 12 $6

LETS GO, BABY!

Fenway too expensive? Try this awesome alternative just a short ride away, offering family fun and America’s pastime at a reasonable cost. While their major league affiliate Red Sox had a rough 2014 season, the PawSox won the International League championship. Games, promotion nights, and special events are held all through the summer, and after every Sunday afternoon home game, fans are welcome to come down on the McCoy Stadium field and run the bases.

Parking is free in the PawSox lot and on several nearby streets. If those are filled, another local lot offers parking for $2.

State House Tour 82 Smith Street ri.gov Free If you’d like to learn a little bit of history in a family-friendly way, consider a tour of the Rhode Island State House, which includes checking out Providence’s own replica of the Liberty Bell and standing under one of the world’s largest selfsupported marble domes. Tours run weekdays year-round, except holidays, and last about 50 minutes.

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Roger Williams Park and Zoo 1000 Elmwood Ave. rwpzoo.org Admission: Adult $14.95; Youth (3-12) $9.95; Children 2 and under free Roger Williams Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in the country, offering 40 acres of outdoor fun and indoor exhibits. This summer, be sure to check out the two new female Matschie’s tree kangaroos, LaRoo and her daughter Holly, in their brand-new enclosure in the Australasia building. Reasonably priced and great for all ages, the zoo aims to help people understand the impact humans have had all across the world. Take a camel ride or visit the butterfly exhibit, too.

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For more information about Providence and its many family-friendly events, visit goprovidence.com.

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HAMPTON BEACH:

Perfect Mix of Sweet & Salty

BY HEATHER KEMPSKIE

W

ith four miles of white sandy beaches and a boardwalk bursting with entertainment and shopping that stretches just as long, Hampton Beach has been a summer destination for generations. It’s a magical place along the New Hampshire Seacoast where the air smells like fried dough, soft sand lingers between toes, and the taste of saltwater taffy is on everyone’s lips.

Historians say that vacationers most likely began flocking to the area in the 1840s, when hotels opened along the shore, but in 1907 the Hampton Beach Village District was established, setting the groundwork for decades to come. And right out of the gate New Hampshire wanted to dazzle visitors with cutting-edge technology; its electric lights were a big attraction.

Today, Hampton Beach is a mix of tradition (did we mention fried dough?) and the best in dining and family entertainment. More than 80 concerts will be held this summer at the newly-renovated Hampton Beach Seashell, which was part of a $14.5 million renovation project started in 2010.

The Seashell abuts the area’s most popular beach, Center Beach, located between Epping Avenue and Hampton Harbor. Every day, mem-

34 JULY2015

bers of the New Hampshire Parks Department meticulously groom the grounds for the day’s visitors, easily earning accolades as one of only four “Superstar Beaches” in the country by the Natural Resources Defense Council four years in a row.

Here are five must-sees: Monday Night Movies on the Beach Hampton Beach playground (south side of the Seashell stage) July 6 – Aug. 31, starting at dusk facebook.com/HamptonNHBeach Free Spend an evening under the stars on a 5-star beach watching a familyfriendly movie. Weather permitting, of course. Kids can play, watch, eat and enjoy it all for free. Hampton Beach’s official Facebook page (HamptonNHBeach) will announce movie showings throughout the summer.

Spectacular Fireworks & Concerts Concerts, nightly 7 p.m. & 8:30 p.m.

Fireworks, Wednesdays, 9:30 p.m.

Free There are more than 80 concerts planned this summer, including Hampton Beach’s own sensation The Continentals on July 15 & 22 and

Wrentham’s American Idol contestant Ayla Brown on July 29. Weather permitting, the sky will light up every Wednesday night. But don’t worry, they have rain dates.

Hampton Beach Children’s Festival Hampton Beach Aug. 17-21 hamptonbeach.org Free Each day promises to be a blockbuster filled with non-stop activities and entertainment including minigolf, a Ronald McDonald show, free ice cream, dancing, storytelling, balloons and more. Organizers are also adding a kids’ bumper sticker contest. The weeklong event concludes with its popular Giant Costume Parade on Friday. Imagine hundreds of kids marching the length of the beach in costume. It sounds like quite a show!

Hampton Beach Talent Competition Seashell Stage Aug. 28-30, 7 p.m. hamptonbeach.org Free You can watch talented entertainers compete for cash prizes or you can compete (vocalists only) by mailing

in an audition tape, photograph, and bio by Aug. 7. Winners will be selected based on vocal ability, stage presence, and entertainment value.

For more information, contact Glen French at glen@glenfrench.com.

Blue Ocean Discovery Center 170 Ocean Blvd.

Monday – Friday: Noon to 7 p.m.

Saturday & Sunday: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

603-431-0260 Free, but donations accepted More than 20,000 people visit Blue Ocean Discovery Center each year to experience marine life up close via the touch tank and find out more about the wild side of the seacoast.

The brand-new discovery center can be found in the North Building next to the Seashell Stage.

Want more Hampton? Head to the Chamber of Commerce’s events calendar at hamptonchamber.com or hamptonbeach.org, which also provides a daily beach report with a live Web cam.

Plan your trip From Boston: 59 minutes (52 miles) From Worcester: 1 hour 21 minutes (78 miles)

PHOTO COURTESY MYSTIC ARTS CENTER PHOTO BY ELISSA BASS, DPNC

PHOTO COURTESY MYSTIC ARTS CENTER

PHOTO COURTESY MYSTIC SEAPORT

LETS GO, BABY!

MYSTIC:

Much More Than The Aquarium

BY MELISSA SHAW

M

ention the word “Mystic” to New England parents and the next nearly guaranteed to follow is “Aquar-

ium.”

The 42-year-old attraction (mysticaquarium.org) is famously home to Beluga whales, African penguins, sea lions, sharks, a Titanic exhibit and more, easily offering a day’s worth of indoor and outdoor exploration and education over its 27 acres.

The aquarium is synonymous with Mystic for good reason: It’s a fantastic place to take the family and encounter up-close some incredible sea life.

In 2014, it received two major accolades. It was the only aquarium or zoo honored with the National Medal for Museum and Library Service at a White House ceremony led by First Lady Michelle Obama, and it was named “Best Aquarium Experience in New England” by Yankee Magazine.

So while the aquarium is definitely having a moment and is well worth a visit, there is a lot more family fun to be had in the area beyond the wellknown marine life attraction. The small town (population 4,200) gained fame and made history as a major shipbuilding center, with more than 600 vessels built along the Mystic River from 1784-1919. Mystic is now a mecca for maritime history and offers up a plethora of summertime events, museums, art, entertainment, shopping, dining, and more for families with children of all ages.

Here are five must-sees: Mystic Seaport The Museum of America and The Sea 75 Greenmanville Ave. mysticseaport.org Admission: Adult (18-64) $25; Youth (6-17) $16; Children (5 and younger) free.

This 11-acre indoor and outdoor attraction is the largest maritime museum in the world and famously home to the Charles W. Morgan, the last remaining wooden whaling ship in the world.

First launched in 1841, the Morgan recently underwent a five-year restoration. Visitors can now board the ship and see for themselves what life at sea was like in the 19th century in a highlyinteractive experience. There is also a dedicated Children’s Museum on site, as well as a Discovery Barn geared for kids ages 8 and up. A rundown of family activity offerings can be found here: mysticseaport.org/locations/kids/ Mystic Outdoor Art Festival Historic Downtown Mystic Aug. 8-9 mysticchamber.org/events/ mystic-outdoor-art-festival Free The town’s art celebration is the oldest of its kind in the Northeast, celebrating its 58th year in August. For two days, the downtown is home to two miles of white tents offering fine

arts and crafts from 270 artists and artisans. Families won’t want to miss the Children’s Art Park event held in Mystic River Park 11 a.m.-3 p.m. both days.

Kids can take a break from browsing the festival and enjoy interactive art projects, creating their own masterpiece to take home.

Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center 109 Pequotsepos Rd. dpnc.org Admission: Adults, $8; Children, $5 Offering 10 miles of hiking trails on 300 acres, the DPNC is a place where families can enjoy woodland, wetland, and meadow habitats and meet their residents. Visitors can get up close and observe several species of hawks and owls via outdoor flight enclosures or spy turtles, frogs, and more in the Duck Pond. Inside, there is a variety of exhibits featuring live fish, turtles, and snakes; a classroom exhibit featuring more than 200 mounted bird specimens; shows; and story times. If you visit on a Sunday, don’t miss the Farmers Market.

Historic Downtown Mystic mysticdowntown.org Free The picturesque New England Main Street features dozens of places to eat, shop, stay, and more. Kids won’t let you pass by the popular Mystical Toys (4 E Main St.) and you almost have to stop for a bite at the famous Mystic

Pizza (mysticpizza.com), the focus of the 1988 movie. (Yes, some of the movie was filmed in town. In 1997, Steven Spielberg shot part of Amistad at Mystic Seaport.) If you’re at the aquarium and want to shop, walk across the street to Olde Mistick Village (oldemistickvillage.com), a 60-store outdoor shopping center built to look like a seaport village.

Art After Dark Mystic Arts Center 9 Water St. mysticarts.org July 21, Aug. 18, Sept. 15, Oct. 20 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m.

Admission: Adults $15; Children 4-12 $3; Children (under 3) free The nonprofit Mystic Arts Center hosts programs and educational opportunities for families and children, and in the summer is known for its Tuesday night concert series Art After Dark. Set on the riverfront patio, the family-friendly Tuesday evenings offer food, live music, live art, and more as the sun sets.

Want more Mystic? Head to the Chamber of Commerce’s events calendar, which is updated daily: mysticchamber.org/events/ Plan your trip From Boston: 1 hour 45 minutes (99 miles) From Worcester: 1 hour 20 minutes (68 miles) BAYSTATEPARENT 35

LETS GO, BABY!

Burlington,

Vermont:

Arts, Food, and Outdoor Fun

BY GARY KELLEY

P

erched on the shores of Lake Champlain — the largest freshwater lake in the U.S. after the five Great Lakes — Burlington, Vermont, is just 45 miles south of the Canadian border and offers a host of fun for families with children of all ages.

The largest city in the state, Burlington boasts a long history of being a great place to live, offering an exceptional work/life balance for its 45,000 residents and many diverse activities.

Originally a trading hub, today it’s home to the University of Vermont and much more.

“The city has a vibrant food, arts and family scene,” says Miro Weinberger, mayor of Burlington, and the father of a 20-month-old and a 9-year old. “It’s a dynamic city with great food, arts, and culture in a uniquely beautiful natural setting and a great commitment to local companies and artists. Sustain36 JULY2015

ability of the environment is key; the entire city is provided power sourced from renewable resources. “

Here are five must-sees, straight from the mayor: Burlington Farmers Market City Hall Park, 149 Church Street Saturdays, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. burlingtonfarmersmarket.org Free “On Saturdays, we put our 20-monthold in a bike trailer,” Weinberger says.

“We ride down to the Farmer’s Market held in City Hall Park. There are dozens of vendors, with food, arts and crafts, music, and the kids play in the park. It is a great family scene.”

Island Line Rail Trail Start point: Oakledge Park, 0 Flynn Dr. traillink.com/trail-maps/ island-line-rail-trail.aspx Bike Ferry Day Pass: Adults: $8; Youth (7-17): $5; 6 and under: free.

Trail is free Head to the Burlington waterfront with your bikes or rent wheels from Local Motion (localmotion. org). The 14-mile Island Line trail includes a unique “bike ferry,” which transports cyclists and pedestrians across "the Cut" of Lake Champlain, a 200-foot gap on the Colchester Causeway. “You are riding with water on both sides and the Adirondacks to the west,” says the mayor, a frequent cyclist on the path.

And while you have the bikes out, don’t miss: Lake Champlain Transportation Ferryboat King Street Dock ferries.com Admission (each way): Driver & Vehicle under 19 feet: $30; Adult Passenger: $8; Child (6-12: $3.10; Child (under 6): free; Motorcycle & Driver: $10; Bicyclist: $9.

Lake Champlain Bikeways champlainbikeways.org/directions/ The 70-minute Burlington to Port Kent, NY, ferry crossing gets you on the water with beautiful views of the mountains and Lake Champlain.

“The Lake Champlain Transportation Ferry Boat takes you for a nice hour ride to Port Kent, New York,” Weinberger notes. “You can then return, or if you took your car or bike,

LETS GO, BABY! continue to make a big loop. It’s a great way to see Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks.”

South End Truck Stop 400 Pine St. Fridays, 5 p.m.-10 p.m. artsriot.com/truck-stop/ Free Enjoy a variety of food trucks, local artisans, and music. “This is a really funky, eclectic arts scene,” Weinberger adds. “There are a bunch of food trucks in parking lots surrounded by art stores and galleries. It is unique and fun.”

ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center 1 College St. echovermont.org Admission: Adults (18-59): $13.50; Seniors (age 60+) & College Students (with ID): $11.50; Children (3-17): $10.50; 2 and younger: Free With a focus on sustainability, the center features more than 100 interactive exhibits and science education programs, including over 70 species of fish, amphibians, invertebrates, and reptiles. ”A great scene

for families,” Weinberger says.

The Intervale Center 180 Intervale Rd. intervale.org Thursdays, 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m.

Free The Intervale Center’s mission is to strengthen community food systems, offering local food, live music, and children’s activities on Thursdays via its Summervale events.

“The Intervale Center is one of those hidden jewels in the area,” the mayor notes. “It is like an urban oasis. Food, beverages, music, and educational sessions are all wrapped into one fun evening.”

Plan your trip: From Boston: 3 hours, 20 minutes (216 miles) From Worcester: 3 hours, 42 minutes (238 miles) Want more to see and do in Burlington? Head to baystateparent.com/burlington for 10 more fantastic family adventures in the city.

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VERY SPECIAL PEOPLE

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ARC / WINGS FOR AUTISM

Free Air Travel Prep Program

Helps Children With Special Needs

BY WENDY BULAWA AGUDELO

F

or families of children with special needs, the very definition of “travel” can easily morph into an effort riddled with worry and concern.

Traveling as a matter of course is exhausting for anyone, let alone a child. Busy airports are often abuzz with more than a million sensory inputs — from noises and smells to sounds and movement. It can be overwhelming for the average person, but insert a child with anxiety, sensory concerns, or a developmental delay, and air travel can become an active nightmare. These extra challenges can be devastating and puzzling for parents who have

spent hard-earned dollars on plane tickets, hotel stays, and photoworthy activities — all of which can be inadvertently lost should their family be unable to travel.

The Littlejohn family of Massachusetts represents one such family, whose much-anticipated trip to Walt Disney World never made it farther than Logan Airport because one of the family’s two sons, 6-year-old Henry, was spooked by the airport noise, beeps, and loudspeakers.

Although the family made it onto the plane, the child with autism could not be settled nor buckled for takeoff. As the family had already invested a large amount of non-

refundable money, dad and big brother Jack flew to Orlando, while mom Susan and Henry remained behind. This disappointing result and failed travel attempt, in fact, became the inspiration for a now nationallyexpanded travel test drive program called Wings for Autism.

When Susan Littlejohn recounted her story to Jennifer Robtoy Ryan, former director of autism services for the Charles River Center (CRC), Ryan immediately recognized an opportunity: create a program that would help Henry and potentially thousands of other families experience components of airline travel without ever having to leave the

ground. “I just thought, Wouldn’t it be great if families could actually experience what air travel would be like before they spend money on tickets and make extensive travel plans?” Ryan says. With determination in hand, she reached out to the Massachusetts Port Authority, which operates Logan Airport, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and various major airlines to pitch her idea. To her immense satisfaction, her idea gained immediate traction, and in 2011, the very first Wings for Autism program was held in Boston.

At its core, Wings for Autism is a real-time travel dress rehearsal

A Commitment That Lasts a Lifetime The Special Needs Practice Group at Fletcher Tilton PC offers years of experience providing comprehensive legal services in a caring and concerned environment. We help individuals and families with: • Special Needs Planning • Guardianship & Considering Alternatives • Transition Planning & Adult Services • Advocacy For more information call our Special Needs Practice Group leader, Frederick m. misilo, Jr., at 508.459.8059 or email him at fmisilo@fletchertilton.com. We’re here to help!

Worcester | Framingham | ca p e co d | www.fletchertilton.com 38 BayStateParent-new JULY2015 size.indd

1

5/28/2015 9:04:04 AM

for children with special needs (Autism, Down syndrome, ADHD, etc.), and children who suffer from severe anxiety, or a developmental or intellectual disability. The program pre-orchestrates all steps from airport entry and ticketing, to security checks and boarding an aircraft, with the overarching goal of alleviating some of the stress experienced when traveling by plane. Each participant is guided by volunteers through the airport as they obtain boarding passes, move through security and gate check, and ultimately, board a plane. In addition, the practice gives parents a practical opportunity through which to establish a travel routine or social story, key for many children with special needs who require structure and repetition and, occasionally, visual reinforcement.

Families are not the sole beneficiaries of Wings for Autism. Volunteer staff from airlines, airports, and the TSA gain an opportunity to observe, interact, and deliver services in a structured, learning environment to determine how to improve the flight travel experience for all. The experience opens the door to useful, hands-on training alongside an underserved community of travelers, many of which are very unique.

Families, too, gain immediate and personal access to airline personnel, TSA agents, and others with whom they can ask questions and share knowledge.

Since its inception in Boston, Wings for Autism has become a nationally-recognized and executed initiative of The Arc of the United States, with support from major airlines, airports, the TSA, and sponsorship from The Doug Flutie Foundation. This evolution includes an alternate moniker, Wings for All, given that the program is fully inclusive and supportive of individuals with all diagnoses and intellectual and developmental disabilities, not strictly those on the autism spectrum. Numerous events have been held since 2011 in major airports across the country including Anchorage, Baton Rouge, Jacksonville, Kansas City, New York, Phoenix, Providence, Seattle and Tulsa to name a few. And although event components — terminals, planes, snacks, goodie bags, T-shirts, buttons and the like — cost money, Wings for Autism/Wings for All events are free for all participants.

“Families pay for so much already, that every partner in the Wings for Autism program committed to ensuring that the event is always free for families,” Ryan says.

are diagnosed on the autism spectrum, insinuating that all businesses, should they wish to be successful, will require greater awareness of the needs of families who contain members with the diagnosis. A man who understands this well is Alan Day, owner of ASD Vacations, which specializes in travel arrangements for families of children with special needs. Day is a travel agent and the parent of a son with autism, and has found a unique way to marry his experience for the benefit of others.

With support from Ryan and Massachusetts-based Wings for Autism programs, Day last year introduced a travel expansion called Magic for Autism. The pre-planned and painstakingly coordinated trip from Boston to Walt Disney World made its maiden voyage last October.

Twenty-one families participated in the initial flight coordinated, facilitated, and organized by ASD Vacations from start to finish. “Wings for Autism has become more successful than I ever could have imagined,” Ryan says. “An autism-friendly flight to Disney was always my end goal.

I couldn’t be more proud of all that has been accomplished as these families will finally get a trip of a lifetime.”

Day founded ASD Vacations upon realizing how many families desperately need travel-planning assistance and support from someone who understands the challenges they face. “Support is the magic word,” he says. “By providing support — at the airport, on the plane and on the ground — we can ensure that each traveling family experiences the unexplainable ‘magic’ that comes with any trip to Walt Disney World, which is why we dubbed our first flight, ‘Magic for Autism.’”

To date, several Magic for Autism flights have taken off from Boston and Worcester (October and May) courtesy of JetBlue Airlines, which is currently the only airline offering Magic for Autism flights.

“I am thrilled beyond belief that my children will finally be able to experience Disney World,” says Rebecca Daugherty, mom of three children, including 10-year-old Riley, who has autism. “In addition to this being inclusive for individuals with ASD, this trip will be tremendously fun for our neuro-typical children who can’t always attend events due to their brother’s needs. The rest of the world often cannot understand what daily life can be like for us, but we’re confident that ASD vacations and the staff at Disney will ensure our trip is a success and filled with cherished memories."

“Magic for Autism” Takes Flight

Head online to baystateparent.com/wingsfor autism to read Agudelo’s thoughts on the recent removal of a 15-year-old with autism and her family from a flight.

Recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that 1 in 68 children

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BAYSTATEPARENT 39

Tips Preparing Children With Special Needs For Airline Travel

their child/children) and children alike. Finally, be certain to have all necessary prescriptions filled and the contact information of your child’s physician should you require medical advice or a back-up prescription during your travels.

Plan ahead and remain flexible: Knowing your child’s idiosyncrasies and factoring each of them into travel planning is incredibly important. You know your child’s limits best. Parents of children with special needs are often thinking two and three steps ahead, and typically have backup, contingency, or Plan B in place for those occasions when a meltdown occurs leading to the abandonment of Plan A. Having a few ideas for mitigating potential challenges before you start your trip can yield amazing benefits. For example, should your child be unable to manage the second leg of a flight or even a return trip, consider renting a car. Call ahead to rental car companies at your first/final destination and consider reaching out to travel supply businesses such as JetSetBabies (jetsetbabies.com) should car seats or other supplies be needed. Or consider scheduling travel around mealtimes, as eating takes time and is a pleasant distraction for both parents (who get a break from having to occupy/distract

Practice equals prepared: As most parents of children with special needs will say, the best way to prepare is to over-prepare. Prior to traveling, many families practice at home. They involve their children in all steps from packing/unpacking, leaving the house, and pretend travel at home (lining up kitchen chairs as if on a plane and even enjoying a snack while seated in that position). Similar to adults, advising and reminding children about activities planned each day also helps them to digest and gain comfort with what lays ahead. Therefore, a week prior to departure, take time each day to remind your child what you are planning to do as far as taking a trip (going to the airport, taking a plane to X destination) and highlight planned activities (swimming, amusement parks, museums, sailing, etc.). Many families of children with special needs use visual “social stories” or modeling stories/videos to introduce and prepare their children for new activities/ experiences. Should your child use social stories or visual cues, have those drafted in advance and present them regularly during the week prior

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to travel. As indicated in the related article, leveraging a practice runthrough (from home to airplane) will also provide comfort and a routine.

Pack favored/familiar items: Have your child pack a backpack themselves, including their favorite items: toys, stuffed animals, books, snacks (keep airline limits/guidelines in mind), iPad, etc. For MP3 player/ headphones, do not get those with volume-control as once the plane is in the air, you can’t turn the volume up high enough to avoid the noise from the jet. Having familiar items gives comfort that is not only obvious, but super practical. Should your child get upset, suggest they pull out their comfort item to help ease tension or increasing stress. Simply allowing your child to participate in travel preparation can help ease anxiety, while familiarizing them with the process of traveling (packing, deciding what to bring, what to wear, etc.).

Parents may want to shop for special travel luggage/suitcases/backpacks so the experience becomes a positive recollection and one in which the child has control.

Start small: Before taking that lengthy 12-hour trip overseas, try one night in a nearby hotel or plan an overnight at a friend’s or grandma’s house. This type of “practice run” may need to be done several times so that your children adjust to a change in venue,

schedule, routine, etc. Some parents reserve adjoining hotel rooms, or rooms located at the end of a floor to ease concerns about noise. Other families prefer to rent a house/condo/ cottage/suite where they can prepare their own food when a special diet is a concern.

Advise, as needed. Wings for Autism staffers suggest that traveling families may want to contact their scheduled airline a week in advance to advise them of travel plans so that any special considerations or needs, such as advanced boarding, near or further seating from bathrooms (if flushing noise is too upsetting), bulkhead seating, dietary needs, etc., could be noted. In addition, should your family be seated close to other passengers, it may be worthwhile to advise them that your children are traveling for the first time and that it may be a bit frightening for them, and simply respectfully ask for their patience.

There is no need to detail your child’s diagnosis, for example, merely advise nearby passengers that you are a parent with an anxious first-time flyer.

People are generally supportive of others, especially when you make the first move to show you are being thoughtful of others as well as being as prepared as possible.

— Wendy Bulawa Agudelo

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OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO

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

- dr. seuss

GO LISTEN America the Beautiful Concert.

Fruitlands Museum, Harvard. July 2, 7:15 p.m.

42 JULY2015

GO MARCH Independence Day Celebration. Old Sturbridge Village. July 3-5.

Photo by Lee Moss

Photo courtesy of Fruitlands Museum

Photo courtesy of Old Sturbridge Village

GO CLIMB JCC Day at Grossman Camp. JCC Grossman Camp, Dover. July 12, 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Free.

GO CREATE Salem CultureFest. Salem Common. July 18, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Free.

OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO! MELTDOWN WARNING: Before you pack up the mini-van, please confirm your destination.

Although we’ve done our best to ensure accuracy at press time, things can and do change…

1 Wednesday

4th of July Celebration. Main Street, Shrewsbury. Noon – 4 p.m. Food, live music and DJs, inflatable amusements, clowns, and face painting. A decorated bike and doll carriage parade begins at 12:30 p.m. Free. shrewsburyma.gov.

Free First Wednesday. deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, 51 Sandy Pond Rd., Lincoln.

10 a.m.-5 p.m. Explore the museum and the sculpture park grounds. Free. decordova.org.

Photo courtesy of The Discovery Museums

Shrewsbury Farmers Market. Ski Ward, 1000 Main St., Shrewsbury. 2 p.m.-6:30 p.m.

Featuring local, grass-fed, free-range meats, eggs, and cheeses, handmade baked-goods, fudge, and live baby alpacas. Wednesdays. Free. shrewsburyfarmersmarket.com.

2 Thursday Liberty Fleet Kids’ Harbor Sail. Liberty Fleet of Tall Ships, 67 Long Wharf, Boston. 10 a.m.11:30 a.m. Board the 125-foot tall ship schooner Liberty Clipper for a sail around Boston Harbor.

Help hoist the sails and ask the captain for a turn at the helm on board a real tall ship. Adults $40, children $10.

Brockton Fair. 433 Forest Ave., Brockton.

Through July 12. Rides, fireworks, demolition derby, truck pulling, wrestling, bands and more. brocktonfair.com.

Salem Farmers Market. Derby Square, Front St., Salem. 3 p.m.-7 p.m. Enjoy the best of locally grown and prepared every week at this early evening farmers market. Thursdays. Free. salemfarmersmarket.org.

America the Beautiful Concert. Fruitlands Museum, 102 Prospect Hill Rd., Harvard.

7:15 p.m. Celebrate the music of America during this outdoor lawn concert. Guests are welcome to bring their own food or purchase from several vendors. Member cars $10, nonmember cars $15. fruitlands.org.

3 Friday Independence Day Celebration.

Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Rd., Sturbridge. 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Join in the fun as the martial band leads the citizen procession through the streets, make your own tri-cornered hat, play a game of 19th-century “baseball” and more. Through Sunday. Adults $24, youth 3 to 17 $10, children age 2 and under free. osv.org.

Children’s Day at Boston Harborfest.

City Hall Plaza, Boston. 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Jugglers, face painting, and the Music Fun Band. bostonusa.com/harborfest/.

Free Friday Fun. The Old Manse, 269 Monument St., Concord. 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

Enjoy this fun day filled with kid-friendly tours,

GO BUILD Fort Night. The Discovery Museums, 177 Main St., Acton.

July 10, 4:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

music on the lawn, and much more on a beautiful six acres where you are welcome to bring your own picnic, chairs, or blankets for the lawn.

Free. thetrustees.org.

Anniversary of the Automobile. The Discovery Museums, 177 Main St., Acton.

11 a.m.-2 p.m. Celebrate Karl Benz’s trip in the first automobile on this day in 1886 by crafting a car propelled by air. Free with admission.

Members free; nonmembers $12, children under 1 free. discoverymuseums.org.

Norwell Farmers Market. South Shore Natural Science Center, 48 Jacobs Ln., Norwell.

2 p.m.-6 p.m. Come for the best in local organic vegetables, bread, meats, fish, and cheese, with live music and kids’ activities. Free. southshorenaturalsciencecenter.org.

Astronomy After Hours. Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston. 8:30 p.m.-10 p.m.

Visit the Gilliland Observatory on the roof of the Museum’s parking garage to view stars, planets, the Moon, and other astronomical phenomenon.

Fridays. Free. mos.org.

Boston Pops Preview Concert. Hatch Shell, 47 David G Mugar Way, Boston.

8:30 p.m.-10 p.m. Free. july4th.org.

4 Saturday 60th Annual 4th of July Parade. Natick.

9 a.m. Parade starts at the Route 9/27 Plaza and will travel down Route 27 to the Natick

Common where it will make a left on Route 135.

The parade route concludes just after St. Patrick’s Church. natick4th.org.

Fourth of July Kids’ Morning. Newton Centre Playground, Tyler Terrace, Newton.

10 a.m.-12 p.m. Spend a morning filled with foot races, a teddy bear parade, free ice cream, and more. Free. newtoncommunitypride.org.

Reading of the Declaration of Independence. Old State House, 206 Washington St., Boston. 10 a.m. Hear the famous speech read from the balcony as it was on July 18, 1776. Free.

Hingham Celebrates The Fourth Parade.

10 a.m. Starts at Hingham High School on Pleasant Street, finishes at Station Street at approximately 11:15 a.m. hingham-ma.gov.

Independence Day Crafts. Concord Museum, 53 Cambridge Turnpike, Concord. 11 a.m.3 p.m. Celebrate Independence Day with Revolutionary War era crafts, spinning demonstrations, and historic games. Free with museum admission. Members free; nonmember adults $10, children 5 to 18 $5, children under 5 free. concordmuseum.org.

Picnic in the Park. Emerson Field, Stow St., Concord. 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Children’s bicycle and tricycle parade, 11:15 a.m. K9 demo, balloon artist, henna tattoos, puppet show, Concord Band, and more. 978-369-1890. concordma.gov.

Fourth of July Celebration. Albemarle Field, Watertown Street, Route 16, Newton. 1 p.m.

– 9 p.m. Open air market, amusement rides, crafts, food, kids’ activities, music, and more. newtoncommunitypride.org.

Let’s Celebrate the Fourth. Museum of Science: Boston, 1 Science Park, Boston.

5:30 p.m.-11:30 p.m. Enjoy an evening of fun science activities, family entertainment, the Boston Pops live broadcast, and much more during this evening situated at the perfect vantage point for the nation’s best Independence Day celebration. Reserve ahead. Adults $28, children 3 to 17 $17, children under 3 free. mos.org.

Independence Day Celebration. Robbins Farm Park, 51 Eastern Ave., Arlington.

6 p.m. Music, refreshments, and the Boston Pops Orchestra and fireworks on the giant screen (fireworks start at 10:30 p.m.). Free. robbinsfarmpark.org.

Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular. H atch Shell, 47 David G Mugar Way, Boston.

8:30 p.m. Seating begins at 9 a.m. Concert with the Beach Boys, the Boston Pops, and other guests, followed by fireworks starting at 10:30 p.m. Free. july4th.org.

5 Sunday Idea Hub. MIT Museum, 265 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Explore topics in design and engineering with artistic circuits, 3D programs, and other hands-on topics.

Recommended for ages 12 and up. Sundays.

Free with admission. Adults $10, youth ages 5 to 18 $5, children under 5 free. mit.edu/museum.

Creating Faces. Boston Children’s Museum, 308 Congress St., Boston. 1:30 p.m. Artist Antonio Mendez will demonstrate drawing a portrait and then lead a hands-on workshop on how to create faces, draw, and compose them with cut outs. Free with admission. Members free; nonmembers $14, children under 1 free. bostonchildrensmuseum.org.

Ramadan Customs. Boston Children’s Museum, 308 Congress St., Boston. 2 p.m.3 p.m. Join us to learn about Ramadan, make a plate to add to our table, and learn about learn about Ramadan customs around the world. Free with admission. Members free; nonmembers $14, children under 1 free. bostonchildrensmuseum.org.

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OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO! favorite character or make your own hero from scratch. Free. worcpublib.org.

Super Cold Science. Newton Free Library, 330 Homer St., Newton. 3 p.m.-3:30 p.m.

Experience the remarkable changes in size, form, and behavior that occur when a variety of objects and substances are super-cooled. For grades K and up. Free. newtonfreelibrary.net.

Photo courtesy of Purina Pro Plan

7 Tuesday

GO CHEER Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge. Joe Moakley Park, 1005 Columbia Rd., Boston. July 11, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Free.

Drop Into Art. Danforth Art Museum, 123 Union Ave., Framingham. 2 p.m.-4 p.m.

Learn and play together at special programs during this day of exploration of art through hands-on activities, special tours, and crafts using a variety of mediums. Free. danforthart.org.

Parkland Games. John W. Weeks Bridge, Cambridge. 3:30 p.m.-6 p.m. The Charles River Conservancy invites you to enjoy an afternoon of fun outdoor games and activities within the parklands. Sundays. Free. thecharles.org.

6 Monday Malik the Magic Guy. Learn tricks so you can impress your friends. 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 12 p.m.

The Lounge at Faneuil Hall, South Market, Faneuil Hall, Boston. Every Monday. faneuilhallmarketplace.com.

MFA Playdates. Museum of Fine Arts: Boston, 465 Huntington Ave., Boston. 10:15 a.m.11 a.m. Bring your toddler to enjoy story-time and looking activities in the galleries, followed by art making around the theme of “Shiny Sculptures.” Recommended for ages 4 and under.

Free with admission. Members free, adults $25, youths ages 7 to 17 $10, children 6 and under free. mfa.org.

Plushie Heroes. Worcester Public Library: Main Branch, 3 Salem Sq., Worcester. 1 p.m.-3 p.m.

Learn how to make a stuffed version of your

Nature Collages. The Discovery Museums, 177 Main St., Acton. 10 a.m. & 3 p.m. Make colorful rubbings of tree bark, leaves, and rocks, and turn them into nature collages. Free with admission. Members free; nonmembers $12, children under 1 free. discoverymuseums.org.

Storytelling. Enjoy interactive tales spun by talented performers. 10 a.m. The Lounge at Faneuil Hall, South Market, Faneuil Hall, Boston. Every Tuesday. faneuilhallmarketplace.com.

Matt Heaton and the Outside Toys. Newton Centre Green, 1242 Centre St., Newton.

2 p.m.-3 p.m. Enjoy this concert featuring this family-favorite rockabilly singer featuring a folkand surf-inspired set of music especially designed for kids. Free. newtoncommunitypride.org.

8 Wednesday Kids’ Art. Create a different guided project each Wednesday across a variety of art types.

10 a.m.-12 p.m. The Lounge at Faneuil Hall, South Market, Faneuil Hall, Boston. Every Wednesday. faneuilhallmarketplace.com.

Baseball Day. Boston Children’s Museum, 308 Congress St., Boston. 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Come and play baseball-related activities, during this day of running the bases, designing your own team, and more, where you are invited to

dress-up like a ballplayer. Free with admission.

Members free; nonmembers $14, children under 1 free. bostonchildrensmuseum.org.

Hero Relay Game. Newton Free Library, 330 Homer St., Newton. 4 p.m.-5 p.m. Get in shape for leaping over tall building, practice your super powers, and work on skills used by community heroes during an afternoon of fun relay games.

For ages 5 to 8. Free. newtonfreelibrary.net.

X-Men: First Class. Worcester Public Library: Main Branch, 3 Salem Sq., Worcester.

5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Join us for a popcorn-filled viewing of this prequel to the popular Marvelbased movie series. Free. worcpublib.org.

3D Printing Workshop. Newton Free Library, 330 Homer St., Newton. 7 p.m.-8:15 p.m.

Learn how 3D printing works by using Tinkercard to design your own three-dimensional creation.

For grades 6 to 12. Register ahead. Free. newtonfreelibrary.net.

9 Thursday Intro to 3D Printing. Morse Institute Library, 14 East Central St., Natick. 1 p.m.-3 p.m. Learn how 3D printing works by designing simple objects using computer software. For ages 11 to 18. Register ahead. Free. morseinstitute.org.

Let’s Make a Field Guide. Crane Beach on the Crane Estate, 290 Argilla Rd., Ipswich. 1 p.m.-3 p.m. Assemble one-of-a-kind booklets in which you can write, draw, glue sand, and make pencil rubbings. Then take your Field Guide home with you after exploring the beach.

Recommended for ages 6 to 10 with an adult.

Register ahead. Members $5, nonmembers $10. thetrustees.org.

Mini Comic Book Workshop. Newton Free Library, 330 Homer St., Newton. 7 p.m.-

For more events, visit baystateparent.com

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OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO! 8:30 p.m. Join comic artist Dan Moynihan as you learn some tricks of visual storytelling through collaborative drawing games. For ages 10 to 18.

Register ahead. Free. newtonfreelibrary.net.

Broadway to Hollywood. Fruitlands Museum, 102 Prospect Hill Rd., Harvard.

7:15 p.m. Celebrate the music of the entertainment world during this outdoor concert, where the museum’s annual picnic basket contest will also be held. Member cars $10, nonmember cars $15. fruitlands.org.

10 Friday Music and Movement with Miss Bernadette. The Children’s Discovery Museum, 177 Main St., Acton. 9:30 a.m.-10 a.m. Explore sound throughout singing and playing with this multi-sensory workout with professional musician Miss Bernadette. Free with admission. Members free; nonmembers $12, children under 1 free. discoverymuseums.org.

Kids’ Fitness. A fun fitness series especially for kids, but parents can join in, too: yoga, Zumba, and other great classes. 10 a.m. The Lounge at Faneuil Hall, South Market, Faneuil Hall, Boston.

Every Friday. faneuilhallmarketplace.com.

Guided History Tour. A new tour that highlights the history of Quincy Market and its iconic architecture. Daily 10 a.m.; Fridays and Saturdays 10 a.m. & 2 p.m. The Lounge at Faneuil Hall, South Market, Faneuil Hall, Boston. faneuilhallmarketplace.com.

Salem Willows Seafood Festival. Salem Willows, 187 Fort Ave., Salem. 12 p.m.10 p.m. Bring your family to this day of nonstop entertainment, filled with lobsters, fried clams, favorite New England dishes, local crafts, kids activities, and fireworks. Through Monday. Adults $5, children under 10 free. festeventsne.com.

The Thousand Paper Cranes Project.

Worcester Public Library: Main Branch, 3 Salem Sq., Worcester. 2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Turn an ordinary piece of paper into something extraordinary and contribute in the library’s attempt to create 1,000 paper cranes to be displayed throughout the library. Free. worcpublib.org.

Jeopardy! Superheroes. Worcester Public Library: Main Branch, 3 Salem Sq., Worcester.

3 p.m.-4 p.m. Test your knowledge of all things superhero during this fast-paced quiz filled with prizes and snacks. Free. worcpublib.org.

Fort Night. The Discovery Museums, 177 Main St., Acton. 4:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Design, build, explore and fill the outdoors with one-of-a-kind structures including castles, rockets, and more. Free with admission. Members free; nonmembers $12, children under 1 free. discoverymuseums.org.

Summer Picnic Concert. Doyle Community Center Park and Center, 454 Abbott Ave., Leominster. 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m. Bring along a picnic and enjoy this evening family music concert filled with kid-oriented activities, nature bingo, and exploring bugs in the pond. Members free, nonmembers $10, children free. thetrustees.org.

your visit extra special. Register ahead. Free. discoverymuseums.org.

The Boxtrolls. South Garden, The Shops at the Prudential Center, 800 Boylston St., Boston.

6 p.m. This fun evening of children’s entertainment, activities, and giveaways, leads to the sundown showing of this family-favorite movie under the stars. Free. prudentialcenter.com.

A Friday for Fireflies. Castle Hill on the Crane Estate, 310 Argilla Rd., Ipswich. 8 p.m.9:30 p.m. Start this evening adventure on a hike down to the Pine Grove looking for fireflies along the woods that line the trail, and end the night with s’mores around a campfire. Register ahead.

Member adults $10, children 5; nonmember adults $15, children $10. thetrustees.org.

12 Sunday

11 Saturday Rosalita’s Puppets. 10 a.m. The Lounge at Faneuil Hall, South Market, Faneuil Hall, Boston.

Every Saturday. faneuilhallmarketplace.com.

BUGS Hunt. Norris Reservation, 26 Dover St., Norwell. 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Join us for a BUGS hunt and discover all of the amazing little creatures hiding in Norris’ backyard, during this summer fun search for creepy, crawly creatures.

Members $15, nonmembers $30. thetrustees.org.

Zumba Kids. Boston Children’s Museum, 308 Congress St., Boston. 10:30 a.m. & 11 a.m. Kids and adults join in a short, familyfriendly Zumba class incorporating dance, exercise, and fitness via salsa, merengue, tango, and other dance styles. Free with admission. Members free; nonmembers $14, children under 1 free. bostonchildrensmuseum.org.

Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge.

Joe Moakley Park, 1005 Columbia Rd., Boston.

11 a.m.-4 p.m. This premier canine sporting event makes its Boston debut, featuring an array of breeds competing in several Olympic-style events, including high-flying disc routines, headto-head weave pole racing, and dog diving. Free. proplan.com.

Kids in the Garden. City Natives, 30 Edgewater Dr., Mattapan. 1:30 p.m.-3 p.m. Learn about common garden pests and beneficial insects, and go on a scavenger hunt in our Learning Garden to find them. Free. thetrustees.org.

Superman II. Newton Free Library, 330 Homer St., Newton. 1 p.m.-3:15 p.m. Join us as we continue our hero-themed summer during this special showing of a family classic. Free. newtonfreelibrary.net.

Especially for Me Autism Spectrum Evening. The Discovery Museums, 177 Main St., Acton. 5 pm.-8:30 p.m. Come join in all the fun and explore both museums during this special evening with Kodak the therapy dog and friends dropping in from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to make

JCC Day at Grossman. JCC Grossman Camp, 294 Powissett St., Dover. 1 p.m.-4 p.m.

Experience the magic of camp with your family, enjoying camp activities including the waterfront, arts and crafts, a rock-climbing wall with zip-lines and rope courses, and sports. Recommended for ages 3 to 15 with adult. Free. bostonjcc.org.

Nightingale St. Garden Open Day. Nightingale St. Garden, 512 Park St., Dorchester. 1 p.m. Join in the family-fun evening filled with music, dancing, gardening tips, and a community barbeque. Free. thetrustees.org.

New Black Eagle Jazz Band. Newton Centre Green, 1242 Centre St., Newton. 6:30 p.m.8 p.m. Experience the uplifting and soulful music of New Orleans during this special jazz concert.

Free. newtoncommunitypride.org.

13 Monday Make Your Own Mosaic. Morse Institute Library, 14 East Central St., Natick. 2 p.m.-4 p.m. Personalize a mirror with glass tiles and charms, where you can bring your own objects to use or use ours. For ages 11 to 18. Register ahead. Free. morseinstitute.org.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Newton Free Library, 330 Homer St., Newton. 6:30 p.m.8:15 p.m. Join us during our heroic summer for the showing of this family-friendly fun movie.

Free. newtonfreelibrary.net.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St., Brookline.

7 p.m. Enjoy a 40th anniversary screening of Monty Python’s beloved farcical take on King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table’s collective quest to find the Holy Grail. Adults $12, children $10. coolidge.org.

14 Tuesday Explore ArtScience. The Science Discovery Museum, 177 Main St., Acton. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Meet visiting artist Kim Bernard and see dynamic artwork that is inspired and created by things that move, while exploring pendulums, springs, and moving phenomena. Free with admission.

Members free; nonmembers $12, children under 1 free. discoverymuseums.org.

Summer Dance THREE SUMMER PROGRAM OPTIONS

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OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO! Ben Rudnick and Friends. Newton Centre Green, 1242 Centre St., Newton. 2 p.m.-3 p.m.

Come enjoy this concert featuring witty lyrics that delight the entire family during this set of music that is jammin’ for the next generation. Free. newtoncommunitypride.org.

Cosplay Contest. Worcester Public Library: Main Branch, 3 Salem Sq., Worcester. 2 p.m.4 p.m. Come show off your costuming prowess where we’ll have a panel of judges, as well as cosplay demos and tips. Free. worcpublib.org.

Grooversity Bucket Drumming. Boston Children’s Museum, 308 Congress St., Boston.

2 p.m. Join us for a drum circle workshop with an Afro-Brazilian twist courtesy of renowned percussionist and teacher Marcus Santos. Free with admission. Members free; nonmembers $14, children under 1 free. bostonchildrensmuseum.org.

Clam-O-Rama. Castle Hill on the Crane Estate, 310 Argilla Rd., Ipswich. 5 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Find out firsthand where our food comes from as we dig for clams before hiking back to cook what we’ve gathered. Register ahead. Members $15, nonmembers $30. thetrustees.org.

15 Wednesday Independence: July 4th | July 3 - 5 RedcoatS and RebelS | aug. 1 & 2 cRaft: beeRS + tRadeS | Sept. 19 & 20 dIg In: a fIeld-to-table feSt | oct. 17 & 18 bounty: a neW england thankSgIvIng nov. 7 & 8, 14 & 15, 21 & 22 and 26 WInteR MaRket | nov. 27 – 29 chRIStMaS by candlelIght | dec. 4 – 6, dec. 11 – 13 and 18 – 20

Old Sturbridge Village Sturbridge, Massachusetts

MAKE HISTORY! WWW.OSV.ORG 46 JULY2015

Toddler Time on the Farm. Gore Place, 52 Gore St., Waltham. 10 a.m. Learn about chickens, pigs, and sheep, including what they eat, how they live, and why they are important to the farm, while helping out by picking vegetables during this morning of activities and stories. For children age 2 with an adult. Register ahead.

Members free, $10 per child. goreplace.org.

Rays Awareness. The Science Discovery Museum, 177 Main St., Acton. 1 p.m.-4 p.m.

Learn about ultraviolet light and conduct experiments to see how sunscreen protects you, before making your own simple UV detector bracelet to take home. Free with admission. Members free; nonmembers $12, children under 1 free. discoverymuseums.org.

Journey on the Underground Railroad.

Newton Free Library, 330 Homer St., Newton.

4 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Discover the stories of brave men and women who dared to free themselves from slavery, studying historic images and documents to learn about those who traveled on the Underground Railroad to freedom, as well as those who helped. For grades 2 to 5. Register ahead. Free. newtonfreelibrary.net.

16 Thursday Mythology Superhero Story-time.

Worcester Public Library: Main Branch, 3 Salem

Sq., Worcester. 2 p.m.-3 p.m. Come for this special story-time that examines what mythology is. Share thoughts on heroes and create a craft based on the story. For ages 6 to 11. Free. worcpublib.org.

Harvard Alumni Jazz Band. Robbins Farm Park, 51 Eastern Ave., Arlington. 6 p.m.

Join us for a concert by the 15-piece jazz big band with members from Arlington and surrounding communities. Families are welcome to bring their own picnic dinner. Free. robbinsfarmpark.org.

17 Friday Free Friday Fun. Museum of Fine Arts: Boston, 465 Huntington Ave., Boston. 10 a.m.9:45 p.m. Enjoy the best the museum has to offer during this day of free fun, with art making, drawing in the galleries, and a special Art Toolbox Cart. Free. mfa.org.

Minecraft Gaming. Morse Institute Library, 14 East Central St., Natick. 2 p.m.-4 p.m.

Play Minecraft with your friends and try out the library’s new server. Use your own laptop or one of ours. For ages 11 to 18. Register ahead. Free. morseinstitute.org.

Anime Appetizers. Worcester Public Library: Main Branch, 3 Salem Sq., Worcester. 3 p.m.5 p.m. Come for a trivia contest with awesome prizes and a sampler platter of the best Japanese cartoons out there, during this evening of snacks, prizes, and relaxation. For ages 13 to 17. Free. worcpublib.org.

Pajama Party. Boston Children’s Museum, 308 Congress St., Boston. 7:30 p.m. Toddlers and siblings are invited to wear pajamas to the Museum for games, songs, and picture-stores. $1. bostonchildrensmuseum.org.

March of the Penguins. deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, 51 Sandy Pond Rd., Lincoln.

8:15 p.m. Pack some snacks, blankets, and chairs, and bring the entire family to enjoy this outdoor showing of the family-favorite documentary following a group of emperor penguins as they walk through the tundra to their ancestral breeding ground. Members free, nonmembers $5. decordova.org.

18 Saturday Open Barnyard. Weir River Farm, 227 East St., Hingham. 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Get an up-close look at the animals that call Weir River Farm home. Members free; nonmember families $10, individuals $5. thetrustees.org.

For more events, visit baystateparent.com

OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO! Salem CultureFest. Salem Common, 20 Washington Square West, Salem. 10 a.m.8 p.m. Experience this family-friendly event filled with live bands and entertainers, as well as unique arts, crafts, and merchants. Through Sunday. Free. salemculturefest.com.

Folk Music Festival. Worcester Art Museum, 55 Salisbury St., Worcester. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Enjoy a full day of folk music, dance, and family activities, while connecting with artisans, farmers, musicians, and more. Free with admission.

Members free; nonmember adults $14, children 4 to 17 $6, children 3 and under free. worcesterart.org.

Exploring Science Together. Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge.

10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Hands-on activities show you how to classify and identify the numerous and diverse world of bugs. For ages 5 to 11 with an adult. Register ahead. Members $10, nonmembers $20. hmnh.harvard.edu.

Pastimes and Pursuits. Ropes Mansion, 318 Essex St., Salem. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Explore the family members who lived in the Ropes Mansion, during this afternoon of fun presented by the Peabody Essex museum, with drop-in watercolor painting, cold lemonade, and artmaking after noon. Members $12, nonmembers $15. pem.org.

Play Day. The Lawn on D, 420 D St., Boston.

12 p.m.-6 p.m. Experience the importance of play in your life during this innovative combination of play structures, games, and activities for kids and adults presented by the Boston Children’s Museum. Free. lawnond.com.

Perseus and Medusa. Worcester Public Library: Main Branch, 3 Salem Sq., Worcester.

2 p.m.-5 p.m. The renowned Tanglewood Marionettes present a family-favorite performance of this classic tale from Greek mythology.

Free. worcpublib.org.

Frozen. South Garden, The Shops at the Prudential Center, 800 Boylston St., Boston.

6 p.m. Come for this fun evening of children’s entertainment, activities, and giveaways, leading to the sundown showing of this family-favorite movie under the stars. Free. prudentialcenter.com.

19 Sunday Summer Work and Play. Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Rd., Sturbridge. 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Come visit the farm and participate in the ways farmers kept busy during the summer before trying some 19thcentury activities, including playing ball, fishing,

special schoolyard games, and more. Adults $24, youths 3 to 17 $10, children 2 and under free. osv.org.

Greek Culture Celebration. Boston Children’s Museum, 308 Congress St., Boston. 11 a.m.3 p.m. Celebrate Greek Culture with crafts, dance, and music performed by Peter A. Kostopoulos and his band. Free with admission.

Members free; nonmembers $14, children under 1 free. bostonchildrensmuseum.org.

Stormgears Middlesex County Robotics Club. Science Discovery Museum, 177 Main St., Acton. 12 p.m.-2 p.m. Come join Stormgears Middlesex County Robotics Club to learn about them, meet a few NXT robots, and try out an exciting hands-on science and engineering challenge. Free with admission. Members free; nonmembers $12, children under 1 free. discoverymuseums.org.

Insect Investigation. Garden in the Woods, 180 Hemenway Rd., Framingham. 1 p.m.3 p.m. Explore the Garden looking for creepycrawlies such as ants, bugs, beetles, dragonflies, and butterflies with hands-on activities. Register ahead. Members $12, nonmembers 14. newenglandwild.org.

INDEPENDENCE: 4TH OF JUly

3-day extravaganza at Old Sturbridge village Celebrate the Anniversary of American Independence with 19th-Century Flare

Chantey and Maritime Sing. USS Constitution Museum, Building 22, Charlestown Navy Yard, Charlestown. 2 p.m.-5 p.m. Listen, learn, and lift your voices as you participate in your maritime heritage by joining a rousing chorus of sea chanteys at the USS Constitution Museum. Free. ussconstituionmuseum.org.

Cannon firing p i e e at i n g C o n t e s t s musiCal performanCes fa m i lY g a m e s summer barbeCue f l ag r a i s i n g C e r e m o n Y fife & drum Corps CitiZens pro Cession

Shakespeare in the Park. Robbins Farm Park, 51 Eastern Ave., Arlington. 5 p.m. A Midsummer Night’s Dream will be performed by the Classic Repertory Company of New Repertory Theater. Free. robbinsfarmpark.org.

Daily Reading of the Declaration of Independence

American Chinese Art Society. Newton Centre Green, 1242 Centre St., Newton.

6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. Enjoy an evening performance outside by a group of talented young artists preserving and exhibiting the dance and movement of China. Free. newtoncommunitypride.org.

JUly 3 – 5 p r e s e n t e d by

20 Monday Speed. Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St., Brookline. 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Enjoy this screening of the 1994 classic starring Keanu Reeves as a young police officer attempting to prevent a bomb exploding aboard a city bus, and Sandra Bullock as a spunky bus passenger. $9-$12. coolidge.org.

For more events, visit baystateparent.com

People taking care of people.

Old Sturbridge Village Sturbridge, Massachusetts

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OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO!

21 Tuesday

FREE

Fun Fridays July 2015

Take advantage of free admission to statewide museums and attractions this month!

For more info, visit highlandstreet.org.

July 3 Boston Children’s Museum Heritage Museum & Gardens, Sandwich Falmouth Museums on the Green Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield Amelia Park Children’s Museum, Westfield Naumkeag, Trustees of Reservations, Stockbridge Old Manse, Trustees of Reservations, Concord July 10 Edward M. Kennedy Institute, Boston Cape Cod Maritime Museum, Hyannis New Bedford Whaling Museum Children’s Museum at Holyoke Volleyball Hall of Fame, Holyoke Danforth Art, Framingham New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston July 17 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Larz Anderson Auto Museum, Brookline The Sports Museum, Boston Cape Ann Museum, Gloucester Children’s Museum in Easton Fitchburg Art Museum Tower Hill Botanic Garden, Boylston July 24 Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, Babson Park Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, Boston Battleship Cove, Fall River Edward Gorey House, Yarmouth Port Pilgrim Hall Museum, Plymouth Fruitlands Museum, Harvard Museum of Russian Icons, Clinton July 31 The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston Sandwich Glass Museum Cape Cod Museum of Art, Dennis Garden in the Woods, Framingham Wenham Museum American Textile History Museum, Lowell The Eric Carle Museum, Amherst 48 JULY2015

Fairyborough. The Discovery Museums, 177 Main St., Acton. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Design, build, and explore a mysterious forest environment of fairy houses, gnome homes, and sprite skyscrapers, constructed completely out of natural materials and creativity. Through Friday. Free with admission. Members free; nonmembers $12, children under 1 free. discoverymuseums.org.

Davey the Clown. Newton Centre Green, 1242 Centre St., Newton. 2 p.m.-3 p.m. Enjoy this special comedic performance including juggling, unicycle riding, accordion playing, and more. Free. newtoncommunitypride.org.

Russian Nesting Dolls. Newton Free Library, 330 Homer St., Newton. 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m.

Come learn about the history and traditions of matryoshka dolls through stories, logic games, and a craft project. For children 6 and up with an adult. Register ahead. Free. newtonfreelibrary.net.

22 Wednesday Play in the Park. deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, 51 Sandy Pond Rd., Lincoln.

10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Play, experiment, and engineer together in the Sculpture Park through collaborative large-scale structure building, and other activities. Free with admission. Members free, nonmember adults $14, children 12 and under free. decordova.org.

Henna Workshop. Morse Institute Library, 14 East Central St., Natick. 2 p.m.-4 p.m. Join us for an afternoon henna workshop where participants will be beautifully adorned with a natural temporary henna tattoo of historical and cultural significance. For ages 11 to 18. Register ahead. Free. morseinstitute.org.

Captain America: Winter Soldier. Worcester Public Library: Main Branch, 3 Salem Sq., Worcester. 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Join us for a popcorn-filled movie screening of this Avengercanonical movie starring Massachusetts-native Chris Evans. Free. worcpublib.org.

23 Thursday Superhero School. Newton Free Library, 330 Homer St., Newton. 4 p.m.-5 p.m. Learn the skills necessary to be a superhero, create your superhero name, practice X-ray vision, and more during this afternoon of fun. For grades K to 2.

Free. newtonfreelibrary.net.

Sense of Place. deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, 51 Sandy Pond Rd., Lincoln. 6:30 p.m.

Experience the Sculpture Park with all of your senses during this fun interactive tour connecting visitors with the lights, temperatures, sounds, and Park’s wild inhabitants. Free. decordova.org.

24 Friday Meet the Lowell Spinners. Concord Museum, 53 Cambridge Turnpike, Concord. 10 a.m.12 p.m. Join the Lowell Spinners-and their mascot, the Canaligator. Listen to baseball stories, play old-fashioned ball games, and make a piece of your own baseball art to take home. Free with admission. Members free; nonmember adults $10, children 5 to 18 $5, children under 5 free. concordmuseum.org.

The Incredibles. Newton Free Library, 330 Homer St., Newton. 3 p.m.-5 p.m. Enjoy this Academy Award-winning family-favorite Pixar movie following a family of superheroes as they combat themselves and evildoers. Free. newtonfreelibrary.net.

Native Butterfly House Celebration. Project Native, 342 North Plain Rd., Housatonic.

5 p.m.-7 p.m. Tour the native butterfly house and learn about the magnificent creatures in our backyard, before nibbling on hors d‘oeuvres.

Free. projectnative.org.

Rock Off Main Street. TCAN Center for Arts, 14 Summer St., Natick. 7:30 p.m. Experience this all-ages show that provides a venue for bands in the region a chance to take their eclectic mix of music out of their basements and on stage where it belongs. $8. natickarts.org.

25 Saturday The Caterpillar Lab. Project Native, 342 North Plain Rd., Housatonic. 9:30 a.m.5 p.m. Explore hundreds of caterpillars up close as they eat, camouflage, or defend themselves with clever adaptations including coloration and inflatable horns. Free. projectnative.org.

Mattapan on Wheels. George H. Walker Playground, 5 Mildred Ave., Mattapan. 10 a.m.

Come and celebrate the fifth incarnation of this annual event, with bikes to borrow, family activities, and guided rides of Mattapan’s greenspaces.

Free. thetrustees.org.

Little House Family Day. Storrowton Village Museum, The Big E, 875 Memorial Ave., West Springfield. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Families are invited to celebrate beloved author Laura Ingalls Wilder and learn about her New England heritage. The day will include participation in hands-on activities to relive the day-to-day lives of 19th century

pioneers. $10 (children must be accompanied by an adult). 413-205-5051.

Sun Safety Day. Boston Children’s Museum, 308 Congress St., Boston. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Play and learn about how the sun helps and huts our bodies and ways you can be safe in the sun. Free with admission. Members free; nonmembers $14, children under 1 free. bostonchildrensmuseum.org.

Card Corner. Newton Free Library, 330 Homer St., Newton. 2 p.m.-3 p.m. & 3 p.m.-4 p.m.

Come and play your favorite trading card games including Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and Magic: The Gathering with your own deck or one of ours during this two sessions for ages 8 and up, and 11 and up respectively. Free. newtonfreelibrary.net.

Especially for Me Hard of Hearing and Deaf Evening. The Discovery Museums, 177 Main St., Acton. 5 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Join us in a fun evening for families with deaf or hard of hearing children, with ASL interpreters available, and Kodiak the therapy dog and friends from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Register ahead. Free. discoverymuseums.org.

Big Hero 6. South Garden, the Shops at the Prudential Center, 800 Boylston St., Boston. 6 p.m. Come for this fun evening of children’s entertainment, activities, and giveaways, leading to the sundown showing of this family-favorite movie under the stars. Free. prudentialcenter.com.

26 Sunday Mummy Day. Boston Children’s Museum, 308 Congress St., Boston. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Build a pyramid out of boxes, explore our collection of Egyptian artifacts, and get wrapped up in ancient Egyptian culture during this day of Egyptian fun.

Free with admission. Members free; nonmembers $14, children under 1 free. bostonchildrensmuseum.org.

North American Birds of Prey. Project Native, 342 North Plain Rd., Housatonic.

11 a.m. & 1 p.m. Experience six live birds of prey from the Great Horned Owl to the Peregrine Falcon during these presentations by Wingmasters. Free. projectnative.org.

MAKEmobile. deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, 51 Sandy Pond Rd., Lincoln. 1 p.m.-3 p.m. Take your imagination for a spin with activities that explore artistic and material processes through amusing prompts and challenges. Free with admission. Members free, nonmember adults $14, children 12 and under free. decordova.org.

The Amazing ACRO-CATS with the ROCK CATS. Regent Theatre, 7 Medford St., Arlington. 1 p.m. & 5 p.m. Witness fantastic

For more events, visit baystateparent.com

OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO! felines as they amuse and amaze you riding skateboards, ringing bells, rolling barrels, walking the high wire, climbing ropes, and even running a cat-sized agility course. $25-$30. regenttheatre.com.

27 Monday Revolutionary War Hero Henry Knox.

Newton Free Library, 330 Homer St., Newton.

5 p.m. Learn about Henry Knox through the book Henry and the Cannons, while participating in a fun discussion and related craft. For ages 5 to 10.

Register ahead. Free. newtonfreelibrary.net.

28 Tuesday Caterpillar Lab. The Discovery Museums, 177 Main St., Acton. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Come see dozens of native caterpillars, and learn about the largest, spiniest, wacky, weird, and deceptive species hiding in your backyard. Free with admission. Members free; nonmembers $12, children under 1 free. discoverymuseums.org.

Karen K & the Jitterbugs. Newton Centre Green, 1242 Centre St., Newton. 2 p.m.-3 p.m.

Come bug out with Karen K in her imaginary backyard fort where she makes music with her friends, the Jitterbugs, during this fun family concert. Free. newtoncommunitypride.org.

29 Wednesday Happy Birthday NASA. The Discovery Museums, 177 Main St., Acton. 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

We’ll honor the founding of NASA on this day in 1958 by President Eisenhower by making our very own stomp rockets and straw powered rockets. Free with admission. Members free; nonmembers $12, children under 1 free. discoverymuseums.org.

30 Thursday The Love Dogs. Fruitlands Museum, 102 Prospect Hill Rd., Harvard. 7 p.m. Come and dance to this energetic mix of jazz and jive, during this annual favorite’s performance outside. Member cars $10, nonmember cars $15. fruitlands.org.

31 Friday Boston Comic Con. 200 Seaport Blvd., Boston. Through Aug. 2. Meet the hottest comic book and sci-fi artists and celebrities, and much more. Admission: $30 & up. bostoncomiccon.com.

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Brand new galleries & exhibitions, interactive learning lounges,

classes, tours, workshops, studios, and family fun for all ages.

Blue Moon Festival. Governor Hutchinson’s Field, 196 Adams St., Milton. 7 p.m. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets as we enjoy the Blue Moon overlooking the Boston skyline, roast marshmallows over a campfire and swap lunar stories. $5. thetrustees.org.

One Moon, Two Moon — It’s a Blue Moon. Crane Beach on the Crane Estate, 290 Argilla Rd., Ipswich. 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.

Join us as we celebrate the second full moon in July, as we watch the moonrise, listen to music, toast marshmallows over a bonfire, and dance.

Register ahead. Members $15, nonmembers $20. thetrustees.org.

Bittersweet. Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA, 527 Tremont St., Boston. 8 p.m. Enjoy this collaboration between choreographer Carey McKinley, and sculptor Carolyn Lewenburg as they create and ultimately destroy an environment using bittersweet vines, bodies, and moving images. Members $12; nonmembers $15. bostontheatrescene.com.

Heroic Scavenger Hunt. Newton Free Library, 330 Homer St., Newton. 4 p.m.-5 p.m. Prove your worth as a superhero during this interactive timed scavenger hunt incorporating math and measurement. For grades 3 to 5. Free. newtonfreelibrary.net.

Vine Video Contest. Worcester Public Library: Main Branch, 3 Salem Sq., Worcester. 6 p.m.8 p.m. With Vines having evolved into a showcase of storytelling and jokes, send us your best Vines and or come to the library vote on the best. Free. worcpublib.org.

w-f 12 - 4 pm; sat-sun 11 - 5 pm 185 Elm Street Fitchburg, MA 01420 978.345.4207 fitchburgartmuseum.org

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WOMEN’S HEALTH

Genetic Testing and Cancer: One Woman’s Story

BY JENNIFER BOUCHARD

Bethany Haller is a youthful 37-yearold mother of three. She is a successful photographer and a deacon at her church. She exercises and does yoga. She looks healthy. She feels healthy. So you can imagine her surprise when she learned that she has the BRCA1 genetic marker and an estimated 87% chance of getting breast cancer.

She knew she had a fierce family history of cancer on her paternal side. Her father died two years ago from pancreatic cancer at age 61. Her grandmother died of ovarian cancer at age 43. An uncle passed away in his 40s, again from cancer. Her aunt is a two-time breast cancer survivor, diagnosed at age 38 and again at 42.

“I just thought we just had a lot of bad luck,” she says of her family’s history. But when one of her sisters decided to get tested after experiencing ovarian cysts, she started thinking about her genetic history.

50 JULY2015

Inherited gene mutations are changes in the genetic code that affect a gene’s function. Some inherited gene mutations increase breast cancer risk. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are the most common genes linked to breast cancer, but p53, CHEK2, ATM, PALB2 also present some risk.

Haller’s sister tested negative (no genetic markers), so she figured she didn’t need to bother. She suspected that the prevalence of cancer in her family stemmed from environmental factors related to where they grew up.

But a few months later, Haller’s husband, a doctor, attended a conference on genetic testing and the BRCA mutations. After learning more about BRCA, he asked her to get tested.

Her first step was to meet with a genetic counselor, a medical professional, usually a nurse or physician’s assistant, who serves as an advisor for someone considering genetic

testing. Haller’s genetic counselor reviewed her family history and explained the different genetic markers. After meeting with the counselor and reviewing all of the information, Haller made the decision to get tested.

Having a genetic mutation is not common. Only 5% of all breast cancers and 10% to 15% of ovarian cancers are tied to an inherited gene mutation. But because the risk of getting cancer is so high for someone who has a mutation, a person should consider genetic testing if he or she meets one or more of the following criteria: • A personal history of breast cancer at age 50 or younger • A personal history of triple negative breast cancer (not positive to receptors for the hormones estrogen, progesterone, and HER2)

• A personal or family history of male breast cancer • A personal or family history of bilateral breast cancer (cancer in both breasts) • A personal history of ovarian cancer • A parent, sibling, child, grandparent, grandchild, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece or first cousin diagnosed with breast cancer at age 45 or younger • A mother, sister, daughter, grandmother, granddaughter, aunt, niece or first cousin diagnosed with ovarian cancer • A family history of both breast and ovarian cancers on the same side of the family • Ashkenazi Jewish heritage (those

with Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry have a 1 in 40 chance of carrying a genetic mutation) Haller was clearly a candidate for testing. Still, on the way to the test, she almost turned around. “It just felt surreal to me and I panicked. I didn’t want to do it,” she says. “But then I pictured my dad looking down at me from heaven, and I knew I had to.”

She took a simple blood test, which was then sent to a lab for analysis.

A few weeks later, she met with the genetic counselor again to get her results and learned she was positive for BRCA1. “Of course, I was shocked. All I kept thinking was, ‘But I feel fine!’ It was overwhelming.”

The genetic counselor went over the results, gave her a list of family members to inform, and recommended next steps. The average woman has an estimated 8% risk of developing breast cancer before age 70 and less than a 2% chance of developing ovarian cancer. For someone with the BRCA1 marker, the risk increases to 55% to 65% for breast cancer and 30% to 70% for ovarian cancer. The BRCA1 genetic mutation also prevents the body from stopping cancer growth, which makes it harder to treat and more likely to recur.

Using a special computer program that evaluates family history in conjunction with the test results, the counselor told Haller she had an 87% lifetime risk of getting breast cancer and a 40% chance of getting ovarian cancer. And because of her family history, she was at risk for developing cancer early (before age 45) and dying from it.

“Knowledge is power for sure, but once I had the knowledge, I had to decide what to do with it,” Haller said. “The genetic counselor spent a lot of time reviewing my options.

It’s important to meet with medical professionals who give you all of the information, but let you make your own decision.”

Some of the options presented included: • Frequent screenings (bi-annual mammograms and ultrasounds), so that if cancer does present itself, it can be treated at its earliest stages • Preventive medications to inhibit cancer growth • Surgical removal of breasts and/or ovaries Haller consulted a variety of doctors and specialists (10 total) to get more information and second opinions. Earlier this year, she had a double prophylactic mastectomy.

The surgery went well and, with the support of her family and friends, her recovery is going smoothly.

Although it was a very difficult experience, Haller says she has no regrets; she plans to have a preventive salpingo-oophorectomy (removal of ovaries and fallopian tubes) this fall. She hopes sharing her story will increase awareness of the BRCA gene

mutation, and possibly prevent others from receiving a cancer diagnosis. The procedure reduced her risk of developing breast cancer to less than that of the general population.

“Everyone has to do what’s right for them, but for me, it was a no brainer,” she says. “I’m a mother, and I just can’t wait around in the hopes that I fall into that small percentage of BRCA positive women that don’t get cancer.”

She also shared her medical history with Baystate Health Foundation’s Rays of Hope group, and plans to donate her breast tissue so it can

be used for research and study on breast health.

While the experience has been difficult for Haller, she remains positive.

She hopes that by sharing her story, she can increase awareness of genetic markers like BRCA, so that the women, and men, too, who might be carriers can understand their risk.

The Office of the Surgeon General and the National Institute of Health, in collaboration with the Human Genome Project, created an online tool called “My Family Health Portrait” that allows users to create a chart of their family’s health history. This

Community day

chart may be useful in discussions with your doctors about your family history of breast cancer and other health conditions.

For anyone who tests positive for a genetic mutation, it’s important to get support, medical and emotional.

There are support groups, such as F.O.R.C.E. (Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered), Bright Pink, and My Support 360, that provide telephone helplines, online forums and information on local support groups in your area so that no one has to face this alone.

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5 FUN, FREE SKILLS

KIDS CAN LEARN ONLINE How children can fight brain drain and discover a cool new hobby.

BY SARA POKORNY

Let’s think about screen time differently this summer. An overabundance of screen time is a concern for many parents, but what if this summer kids use the Internet to find a fun way to fight brain drain and learn a new skill?

Internet cornerstone YouTube is home to a host of tutorials that can challenge children of all ages to think, create, and move — for free.

Here are five fun places to start: 1. Origami

know the joy of manipulating a piece of paper into something impressive to pass along to friends – unless they learn the ancient art of origami.

It’s amazing what can be done with a square of paper, and Jo Nakashima’s YouTube channel (youtube. com/user/jonakashima) focuses on just that, be it a simple box or something as complex as a unicorn.

Origami is best for a child who not only likes to learn through doing and using his or her hands, but also

for one who knows the value of patience. Nakashima’s videos (the number of which seems endless) are very easy to follow. They focus on a close-up of hands folding while also offering a small diagram in the top right corner to show the folds being made. There’s generally no speaking and only music plays when the folding happens, but users can turn on closed captioning to see text instructions at the bottom of the screen.

2. Hula-hoop

4. Yo-yo

5. Rubik’s Cube

A circle is a simple thing, really – but when it comes in the form of a plastic tube whipped around various body parts it becomes a lot more complicated and fun.

A hula-hoop is a toy that can be enjoyed by all ages and is something that has seen a resurgence recently thanks to the popularity of circus arts.

When looking to learn how to do more than just stand in one spot with a hoop affixed at the waist, the foremost online authority appears to be Hoopsmiles.

The YouTube channel for Hoopsmiles (youtube.com/user/hoopsmiles) has 20,528 subscribers and over 100 videos. There are playlists for beginner, intermediate and advanced hula-hoop tricks and even holiday-themed hooping videos.

Hoopsmiles began as a business founded by Jon Coyne in 2010 to sell hoops and teach people how to hula hoop. It turned into something entirely different in 2011 after “The How to Hula Hoop Rap Song” was released on YouTube, and the channel exploded.

Hoopsmiles, as Coyne came to be called, is a guy with a gentle voice and demeanor, his wacky side making the channel such an eye-catching success. He’s a calm instructor who’s fun to watch, with a touch of eccentricity to keep the kids entertained while learning.

And, hey, if you really want to challenge your child, just remind them that the longest verified hooping record is for 74 hours and 54 minutes, set in 2009 – it’ll probably take them all summer to beat that.

Hop the fence, split the atom, walk the dog — and do it all using just your hands. Around since the 1920s, yo-yos are a toy that has changed in structure and stature over time to include wicked tricks that involve far more than the traditional up-anddown motion.

YoYoTricks.com’s YouTube channel (youtube.com/user/yotricks/) tackles pretty much everything a kid needs to know about how to manipulate the spool and string. “Learn the first 50 Yoyo Tricks” is a good intro video to yo-yoing, and the skill set just expands from there. There are instructions on how to clean a yo-yo bearing, reviews on the latest yo-yos on the market, and a tiered system for tricks, making the journey from beginner to pro easy to follow.

As of late, the channel is also focusing on Kendama, a traditional Japanese toy that mirrors the classic cup-and-ball game. The apparatus has three cups and a spike, the latter of which fits perfectly into a ball attached by a string.

The only requirement for this skill? Lots of room. You might want to send the kids outside for this one, or at least put all the valuables away while they’re practicing.

Everyone should have a unique party trick in their back pocket – enter the Rubik’s cube. A threedimensional puzzle, this square looks deceivingly simple. Six faces are covered with nine colored stickers and the person attempting to solve the puzzle must manipulate the square so that each face is made up of only one color. It can be a daunting task.

The official YouTube channel for the Rubik’s Cube (youtube.com/user/RubiksTV) shows viewers how to solve the puzzle in stages and also offers fun videos of kids cubing all over the world while doing a variety of things.

(Have you ever seen someone solve it while skateboarding? Well, now you can.)

It also shows you how to take the cube apart to make the cube move faster for your fingers. Not a bad idea, since if your child is looking to hold the Rubik’s Cube solving record they’ll have to beat the current time of 5.25 seconds, set earlier this year.

There once was a time when kids passing notes was the cool thing to do, and if the note could be folded into something fun (like, say, an envelope or a heart), the act of doing it was even better. In a world in which text messaging is now the main form of communication and pencils have been almost totally replaced by keyboards, kids today don’t really

3. Balloon animals Older kids may balk at this next one, thinking it only appropriate for clowns at kiddie parties. But, have said clowns ever churned out a miniature Rocket Raccoon from The Avengers, or a battle-axe — all from a balloon?

Michael Floyd’s YouTube channel (youtube.com/user/balloonanimals) takes viewers on a journey that involves learning not only the basics of making balloon animals, but also Floyd taking on challenges, such as making the Eleventh Doctor from Doctor Who or Finn from Adventure Time. Floyd also has a presence on pretty much every social media site, so his resources are endless.

He’s also a pretty funny guy who plays to pop culture, a surefire way to keep kids of all ages coming back for more.

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Healthy Ways to Co-Parent Babies, Toddlers, and Young Children

H

ostile separations and bitter divorces are clearly harmful to families, and thankfully these nasty splits are becoming a thing of the past. With the new awareness of conciliation and mediation, and the emphasis on healing, more parents are attempting to pull it together — even as they break apart — for the benefit and best interest of their children.

Children of all ages deserve firstrate parenting, which can be tough.

But when mothers and fathers can put aside their own wants and needs and focus on what’s best for their children, it helps shape a family culture of doing the right thing.

It’s important for you and your child’s other parent to be on the same page with regards to doing what’s best for your child, especially when the child is very young. Here are three issues to consider when it comes to successful co-parenting of infants, toddlers and preschoolers: Parenting schedules and parenting plans. When children are very young, their interactions with both parents need to be predictable, regular, and routine. The issue of “how much time” a child should spend at each parent’s home is often based on three factors: 1) a parent’s availability and his or her track record of consistency with parenting time; 2) your child’s readiness; and 3) whether they will be with an older brother or sister.

Ideally, young children shouldn’t go more than two or three days without seeing either parent, even if it’s only for a short period of time. While infants may not be ready for overnights with the other parent, by the time they’re toddlers or preschoolers, overnights, weekends, and

extended time with the other parent should be considered the norm.

Younger children tend to cope better with extended visits when they have an older sibling to keep them company.

All children, even the youngest, need to be protected from exposure to parental conflict and potential alienation. It starts with each parent conveying an attitude of respect toward the other parent. As a divorced father myself, I can remember when I would sometimes refer to my ex as “your mother” when talking to my son. But thinking back on it, calling her “your mother” sounds cold and distant. She should have been referred to strictly as “Mommy,” an affectionate and relatable phrase for a young child.

It’s also important not to argue or fight, criticize or disparage the other parent in front of your children, regardless of their age.

Balancing consistency at different homes. Children of all ages can cope with different routines in their different homes, but it often makes more sense — and you’ll do better by your children — if certain basic principles and routines remain the same in both homes: What baby products can you both agree on using? Diapers and formulas? When (and how) will you potty train? As the children get older, what are the guidelines for bedtimes? Are children going to be encouraged to sleep in their own bed, or will sleeping with mommy and daddy be a family ritual?

These are just a few examples of ways you and your ex can work together to put the best interests of your children first and promote a positive family culture moving forward.

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56 JULY2015

5 TIPS FOR

Helping Your Child

Through Seasonal

Allergies

BY SCOTT SCHROEDER, M.D.

The long and harsh winter of 2015 has set us up for one of the worst allergy seasons in years.

If your child has been suffering from a runny nose, watery eyes, or even lost sleep, there’s a good chance allergies are the cause.

Fortunately, there are plenty of solutions. In my 30 years as a pediatric allergist, I have seen the below tips make a big difference in beating back the pollen, so that your child — and you — can enjoy the summer.

1

Know how to spot allergies. Most people associate allergies with a runny nose and itchy eyes, and those symptoms are common.

However, allergies can manifest themselves in other ways, such as greater-than-usual exhaustion or puffy, red circles under your child’s eyes. Keep an eye out for these signs, as there may be an easy fix right around the corner.

2

Check the pollen count. If your child suffers from seasonal allergies, checking the pollen count should be as routine as checking the weather. Depending on the intensity of your child’s symptoms, a pollen count of moderate or above should give you pause about spending the day outdoors, as being inside with air conditioning is best. Websites such as accuweather.com and pollen.com can help, and many will predict pollen counts for the week ahead, allowing you to plan family outings accordingly. It’s also wise to pay attention to wind levels, as high winds will send more pollen your way.

3

Try to keep the pollen outdoors.

Symptoms are prolonged when your children bring pollen into the home. Have them take off their shoes after being outside and shower before bedtime. Be

sure to keep the windows closed when seasonal allergies are in full force.

4

Get the proper diagnosis. There are numerous over-the-counter allergy medications on the market.

Although these medications do not require a prescription, it’s still important to consult an allergist before choosing one. Different medications are best for different symptoms, from nasal congestion to watery eyes to coughing, and you can maximize medicines’ effectiveness by simply choosing the right one. A visit to the doctor is also important in the event that your child might suffer from asthma, which often goes hand-inhand with allergies but requires different treatment.

5

Consider using a nasal spray – correctly. Many people can benefit from over-the-counter nasal sprays, but few know how to use them properly. These sprays should be taken while leaning forward in a seated positon with your chin over your toes, pointing the nozzle towards the ear closest to your nostril. Ask an allergist whether a nasal spray would address your child’s symptoms, and be sure to have the allergist demonstrate proper usage.

Children with allergies can and should continue to be children, taking part in the outdoor sports and activities they love. Medications can often reduce and even eliminate allergy symptoms, but their effectiveness depends on choosing the right medicine and using it properly. Day-to-day changes can also reduce pollen exposure outdoors and in your home. Summer is the favorite season of many children, and a bad allergy season should not stop them from enjoying it to its fullest.

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Author: Children’s Books Need More Diversity Heather Has Two Mommies Turns 25

BY ALEXANDRA TOWNSEND

ies. dows in stor eroes, in w d n a s r o ed mirr as the h “Children ne ble to see themselves ople’s lives.” be a er pe They need to need windows into oth wman - Lesléa Ne o ls a y e th t bu

Twenty-five years ago, author and Berkshire resident Lesléa Newman co-published the now-famous children’s book Heather Has Two Mommies, a book that radically challenged the norms of children’s publishing. Two-and-a-half decades later, Heather is still making waves.

“I wrote Heather Has Two Mommies at the request of a friend,” Newman says. “She and her partner wanted a book they could read to their child with a family like theirs. I never expected the book to be so huge and

controversial.”

First published in 1990, the book was widely protested, frequently challenged, and banned from schools and libraries. Yet Newman points out that there were many readers who were grateful for the book: “One parent told me their child loved it so much, he crossed out ‘Heather’ and wrote ‘Nick’ through the whole book!”

Since publishing Heather, Newman has written numerous other children’s books about families

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58 JULY2015

with same-sex parents, including Mommy, Mama, and Me; Daddy, Papa, and Me; and Donovan’s Big Day. She feels that these books have helped to fulfill a need in the children’s literary market, both to show children of same-sex couples that there’s nothing wrong with their families and to teach other children about different kinds of people.

Today, while the book still has its opponents, it is much more widely accepted. Newman feels this is a reflection of the increasing acceptance of homosexuality in America, a phenomenon that she says is reflected in much of modern literature.

“We’ve made huge leaps. Young adult books have just exploded with LGBT characters in the last few years,” she adds. “I feel like we’re moving in the right direction.”

However, Newman also points out that it’s still very difficult for most authors to publish books for young children that deal with homosexuality in any way.

“Publishers feel like it’s a niche market,” she says. “They think that not enough people would want to read that sort of book and they don’t want to take that chance.

Picture books are expensive to produce. I hope that Heather will help change those perceptions.”

Newman also says there is a much broader need to increase the diversity of children’s books in general. “Right now, the charts are embarrassing. More than 90% of kids’ books have white main characters,” she notes. “We definitely need more characters of color.”

She also expresses her support for more stories with protagonists who are gay, bisexual, transgender, of various religions, and from different backgrounds.

“They need to not just be ‘issue’ books,” she adds. “Children need mirrors and windows in stories.

They need to be able to see themselves as the heroes, but they also need windows into other people’s lives. It lets kids see more possibilities. I think we should aim to accept, respect, and celebrate diversity.”

This transition away from the notion of issue-oriented stories and toward non-novelty diversity can be

seen in Newman’s own work. Heather Has Two Mommies has been rereleased

by Candlewick Press with new art and more streamlined text in honor of its 25th anniversary. Now Heather’s classmates include more children of color, more of the students have working mothers, and different family structures are visible. Most notably, one entire scene from the original book has been omitted from the new edition.

“When I was first trying to publish [Heather], a male editor told me that children would know that two women couldn’t have a child. I had to explain the situation somehow,” she says. As a result, Newman included a brief scene explaining in-vitro fertilization in kid-friendly language. “Some readers liked that I included it, but a lot of others felt uncomfortable. Some people told me it was a scene that made them hesitate to show the book to their children.”

In the new edition, Newman no longer felt the scene was necessary.

Today Heather’s two mothers don’t need an explanation. As the book emphasizes, there are many different kinds of families in the world, what really matters is that Heather has a home with a family that loves her.

Newman hopes diversity in children’s books will continue to grow. Changing the stories society tells might be able to help change the world for the better. “Matthew Shepard was a young man who was killed for being gay, by people who didn’t understand homosexuality,” she says. “Maybe if they had grown up reading books like [Heather] they wouldn’t have had so much hate for gay people. Maybe Matthew would still be alive.”

Newman has also written a number of children’s books about Judaism and Jewish holidays: Matzo Ball Moon, Runaway Dreidel, A Sweet Passover, and Here is the World. She was motivated to write these books for the same reason she chose to write Heather Has Two Mommies.

“When I was a kid there were no books about Jewish children and families,” she notes. “I felt alienated, but it wasn’t something I could express as a kid. I wanted to change that for kids today.”

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Minions

Coming to theatres, DVD & Blu-Ray releases this month

• PG for action and rude humor • In Theaters July 10 • OK for kids 6+ • Reel Preview: 4.5 of 5 Reels

By Jane Louise Boursaw

Ant-Man • Not yet rated, likely PG-13 • In theaters July 17 • OK for kids 12+ • Reel Preview: 4 of 5 Reels

At the dawn of time, Minions began as single-celled organisms and evolved through the ages, serving the most despicable of masters, from T. Rex to Napoleon. But the yellow creatures fall into a deep depression when they find themselves without someone to serve. So one Minion named Kevin, alongside teenage rebel Stuart and lovable little Bob, embark on a thrilling journey to find their next potential master, Scarlet Overkill (Sandra Bullock), the world’s first-ever female super-villain.

Vacation

The next evolution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe brings a founding member of The Avengers to the big screen for the first time. Armed with the ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, master thief Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats.

• Not yet rated; likely PG-13 • In theaters July 29 • OK for kids 12+ • Reel Preview: 3 of 5 Reels

Following in his father’s footsteps and hoping for some much-needed family bonding, a grown-up Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms) surprises his wife and their two sons with a cross-country trip back to America’s “favorite family fun park,” Walley World!

The movie also stars original Vacation veterans Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo.

On DVD/Blu-ray

The Black Stallion • Rated G • On Blu-ray July 14 • OK for kids 6+ • Reel Review: 5 of 5 Reels

This 1979 family classic was hailed by some critics as the greatest children’s movie ever made. A visual feast from start to finish, the story centers on a young boy who survives a shipwreck and is stranded on a deserted island with a graceful black stallion, with whom the boy develops an almost empathic friendship. After being rescued and returned home, the two make a winning team as jockey and lightning-fast racehorse. Beautiful cinematography, breathtaking race scenes, and a delightful story make this a timeless family movie.

Pixels • Rated PG-13 • In theaters July 24 • OK for kids 6+ • Reel Preview: 3.5 of 5 Reels

Directed by Chris Columbus, this action-comedy is based on a short film of the same name. The story centers on intergalactic aliens who misinterpret video-feeds of classic arcade games as a declaration of war. They attack Earth, using the games as models for their various assaults. President Will Cooper (Kevin James) calls on his childhood best friend, ‘80s video game champion Sam Brenner (Adam Sandler), to lead a team of old-school arcaders (Game of Thrones’ Peter Dinklage and Frozen’s Josh Gad) to defeat the aliens and save the planet.

Good fun for both kids and grownups.

Jane’s Reel Rating System • One Reel – Even The Force can’t save it.

• Two Reels – Coulda been a contender.

• Three Reels – Something to talk about.

• Four Reels – You want the truth? Great flick!

• Five Reels – Wow! The stuff dreams are made of.

Head to baystateparent.com/ July Flicks for a full list of movies heading to theatres and DVD this month.

BAYSTATEPARENT 61

our july favorites monday

sunday

tuesday

1

Starting on the date the prize appears, log on to baystateparent.com to enter for your chance to win.

5 5 {Tip} 6 Continue to slather on sunscreen on cloudy days, damaging UV light can pass through clouds.

12

19

{Fact}

The most recent U.S. flag design was the result of a school project, when 17-year-old Robert Heft created it in 1958. He originally got a B-, but when his pattern won the national competition to become the next flag, his teacher raised the grade to an A.

62 JULY2015

wednesday

77

{WIN}

8

The ultimate hands-free diaper bag, the Forma Backpack from Skip Hop is super lightweight yet offers a ton of space to carry everything you need. An extra-wide opening makes it easy to find essentials in a pinch and the front compartment includes two multi-purpose packing cubes and allows for extra storage. Enter to win this $70 bag today at baystateparent.com.

13 14 {WIN} 13

15

20

22

The rockaRoo from 4moms provides the front-to-back gliding motion babies love at one-third the size of a traditional swing.

Those who visit baystateparent.com today will get their chance to enter to win this fantastic product, a $159.99 value.

2121

{WIN}

These adorable bibs from Make My Day Products had everyone in our office oohing and ahhing about how darn cute they are. Even better, they’re super soft, stain resistant, dishwasher safe and have a built-in crumb catcher. Learn how you can win these cute bibs at baystateparent.com today.

28

29

facts, finds and freebies thursday

friday

{Fact} 4 4

22 {WIN}

The Original BedBug plush makes bedtime easier on children, holding up to three personalized messages (two 20-second recordings and a 3-minute recording) that parents can record and change as often as they like. Visit baystateparent.com today for your chance to win this cute bedroom accessory, valued at $29.99.

9

16 16

{WIN}

saturday

The 1998 Boston Pops July Fourth concert holds Guinness Book of World Record honors for the largest audience (500,000) in the history of orchestral concerts.

10 10

{WIN}

Start your newborn off with a timeless look, this Newborn Rose Garden Smock Dress from Feltman Brothers. To learn how you can win this gorgeous, hand-embroidered classic, valued at $52, visit baystateparent.com today!

17

For very hungry little ones, Creative Baby has developed this Very Hungry Caterpillarthemed booster seat. The colorful design will make it popular with children while the easy-to-clean cushy seat pad, dishwashersafe removable tray, and multiple positions will make it a hit with parents. Visit baystateparent.com today for your chance to win this Eric Carle Happy & Hungry Booster Seat!

23 30 30{Fact} There are 670 exits along I-95, which runs almost the same route that revolutionaries used during the 1775-1783 war.

24

{WIN}

25

“Keep calm and swaddle on” advise the folks at Ollie Swaddle, whose product they say helps babies sleep longer and better.

Head to baystateparent.com today for details on how to enter to win this award-winning swaddle, worth $48!

BAYSTATEPARENT 63

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INDEX B.A.W. Inc.......................................................45 Bancroft School...............................................67 Battleship Cove................................................29 Beacon ABA Services........................................39 Big Y Foods, Inc...............................................10 Boston Children’s Theatre.................................25 Breezy Picnic Grounds.....................................49 ChicMed Laser & Esthetic Center.......................60 Children’s Development Network, Inc...............54 Children’s Friend Inc..........................................3 Claytime............................................................8 Cornerstone Academy.......................................11 Davis Farmland............................................2,44 Discovery Museums..........................................31 Ecotarium...................................................29,65 F3...................................................................40 Fitchburg Art Museum......................................49 Fletcher Tilton PC.............................................38 FMC Ice Sports.................................................57 Great Wolf New England..................................41 Greater Quincy Child Care................................37 Harrington Oil.................................................13 Harvard Grad School of Education....................13 Heywood Hospital............................................20 Johnny Appleseed Trail Association...................55 Kathy Corrigan’s Full Day Care Center..............14 Legoland Discovery Center Boston....................63 Lowell Summer Music......................................18 Mall At Whitney Field.........................................4 Marini Farm....................................................17

Metrowest Jewish Day School...........................25 Millbury Federal Credit Union............................9 Music Together Corporation...............................21 Next Generation Children’s Ctr...........................5 Nichols College................................................60 Old Sturbridge Village.................................46,47 Outside the Box Festival..................................15 Parenting Solutions..........................................25 Pixie Children’s Boutique.................................27 Reliant Medical Group.....................................52 Reliant Ready Med..........................................17 Rob Roy Coiffures............................................59 Roger Williams Park Zoo.................................33 Sesame Place..................................................58 Shawna Shenette Photography.........................40 Shrewsbury Children’s Center...........................54 Signarama Worcester.......................................65 Skribbles Learning Center................................33 Smuggler’s Notch Resort..................................37 Spa Tech Institute............................................56 Springfield Museums.......................................31 The Bolton Fair................................................17 The Learning Zone...........................................21 Turn 4 Hobbies................................................18 UMass Memorial Medical Center.............39,44,68 Veterans Inc....................................................14 Wee Care for Little People, Inc.........................27 Worcester Art Museum.....................................51 Worcester JCC..................................................56 YMCA Central Branch.......................................60

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TAKE EIGHT

take eight

1

with Rob MacMurray

He did not run screaming from the house. Instead, the moment 37-year-old Rob MacMurray realized he wasn’t going to be able to get his pregnant wife, Mary, to the hospital in time, he did what he says “anyone else would have.”

He delivered his daughter Grace at 1 a.m. in their Franklin home late last year. Grace — named in honor of her incredible arrival — is happy, healthy, and well-loved by her big brother, 3-year-old Peter.

Did you and your wife take a refresher class for your daughter? We didn’t take a refresher for our daughter. We wouldn’t have needed half the stuff anyway!

When did it hit you that you and Mary were probably not going to make it to the hospital? There was a precise moment when it hit me. We called the hospital and got an on-call nurse on the phone and she started asking questions.

I was filling her in. I’m thinking something is really wrong. I hear [the nurse] talking to someone else in the office saying, “You need to call 911 right now. This woman is having a baby.” In my head, I’m, like, “Is she talking about my wife? This woman?” I really had no idea until she said that. It was shocking. That’s when I was thinking, No, no, you’re wrong!

3

2

When Grace was delivered, your work wasn’t done. What did you have to do?

The nurse had me hand the baby and the phone to Mary. Mary is, like, “She wants you to go get a shoelace.” I’m thinking, Did I hear that right?

I remembered my basketball sneakers were in the closet, so I grabbed one. Mary talked me through [tying off the umbilical cord]. The EMTs show up and one looks down and asks me, “Is that shoe still attached to the shoelace?” He thought that was awesome. I wear a size 12. So there is this rather large basketball shoe hanging off my poor daughter.

In your wildest dreams, did you ever think it was going to come down to this?

No. It’s funny, a few weeks before, I remember Mary and I saying, “How could that [emergency at-home/in a car delivery] ever happen nowadays? That seems impossible!”

The thing that made it easier for me is that it all happened so quickly.

Is there anything you remember the nurse saying that maybe calmed you down a bit?

She was incredibly calm and very direct: “Do this. Now do this.” It was exactly what I needed. And then she said, “And now…” and then I was holding the baby. I give this woman tons of credit.

7

4 Karen Moriarty Photography

6

What did you learn about yourself as a result of this experience? A lot of women have said to me, “My husband would not have been able to do that.” And I say, “Yes, he would.” I feel like anyone in that situation, where it’s your own child [and wife], can get it together and focus and do what they need to do. I think that’s what anyone would do. I think people try to give me a lot of credit. I was just there and I just did what I was told. That was definitely the most dramatic event I’ve been through. It is good to know about myself. I handled myself well and I didn’t run out of the house screaming.

What do you think Grace will think about her birth story? We imagine it’ll be a story she wants to hear over and over again. She’ll feel special. I’ve thought about Peter and wondered if he’d feel like his birth story was boring, but I think every birth is so special. Peter’s story, to us, is very special. Your own child being born, no matter the story around it, that’s what is special.

To read the rest of our interview with Rob, head to baystateparent.com/robmacmurray 66 JULY2015

5

You had a hard job, for sure, but your wife may have been in the much scarier, painful situation, comparatively speaking. How did she handle all that in the moment? She is a champ. She has an incredibly high tolerance for pain. She is about to give birth to a baby and didn’t realize it. She told me later, “Once that baby came out and the pain stopped I was good to go.”

8

BAYSTATEPARENT 67

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