baystateparent magazine February 2021

PRICELESS

Massachusetts’ Premier Magazine For Families Since 1996

FEBRUARY 2021

LASAGNA MAMAS Spreading love through comfort food Helping Hungry Families in the Bay State

Make Your Own Hot Chocolate Bombs!

Money Saving Grocery Tips

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2 FEBRUARY 2021

contents table of

February 2021 volume 25

in every issue 4 6 7 8 9 14

Editor’s Note Good to Know Finally Forever Herding Goofballs Cyber Savvy Mom Very Special People

bites 16 Nutrition: New

Guidelines Urge No Added Sugar for Kids Under 2

17 Goose’s Goodies: Hot Chocolate Bombs

14 Is your teen suffering from a neurological condition that causes an aversion to specific sounds?

number 10

Make your own hot chocolate bomb!

on the agenda 18 The List:

8 Cooking Kits for Little Chefs

20 February

Adventures: 10 Family Fun Events This Month

features

17

10

13

11

22

How to Save Money When Your Teen is Eating Everything

Lasagna Love: Moms Feeding Families, Spreading Hope with Comfort Food

Pandemic Driving Hunger: How to Help, Resources if You’re in Need

14 Picture Books to Celebrate Black History Month

BAYSTATEPARENT 3

In the last year, our young children have had to transition not only to wearing masks but also seeing strangers wear masks, distance learning, and staying away from friends and family. But a new picture book out this month, “Sharing a Smile,” by Nicki Kramar, is offering a brighter perspective on these difficult times. It’s a timely and charming tale about mask-wearing and the power of small acts of kindness.

My Favorite Th ings

editor’s note Last February, baystateparent published its first-ever “Food Issue.”

We highlighted a local restaurant that offered babysitting while parents dined, a proposed food allergy law at Bay State eateries, and tips for taking your kids out to eat.

This year, things are pretty different. While food will always be a central part of our lives — not just for sustenance, but for its ties to our traditions, culture and family — the events of the past year made us look at this topic from a different angle.

Research has shown that 30%-35% of families often eat fewer than three meals a week together, but coronavirus pandemic has perhaps changed that for the better. Since last spring, families have reported eating more meals together, and the benefits of that are proven. Studies have found that eating together as a family helps children with selfesteem, success in school, and lowers the risk for depression. According to the Family Meals Movement, lower rates of childhood obesity are associated with kids eating meals with their families.

While that’s a silver lining, we know the pandemic has also uprooted food systems. It has led to grocery store shortages and devastated the restaurant industry. And perhaps most troubling, it’s left more families facing food insecurity than ever before.

According to Feeding America, a national nonprofit and network of over 200 food banks, the hunger rate is up 59% in Massachusetts since 2018, and one in five children in the state are food insecure. Since the start of the pandemic, the Bay State has seen the highest increase in the food insecurity rate in the country.

On page 13, you can find information about how local organizations are working to meet this demand; along with how you can help or what you can do if your family is in need.

It’s more than just food banks and pantries that are stepping up, as a nationwide grassroots effort to feed families — and give exhausted parents a break — is spreading throughout the state. On page 11, you can meet two “Lasagna Mamas” — women who are working with a California-based nonprofit to share love and yumminess with their neighbors through trays of homemade lasagna.

In this issue you’ll also find ideas for keeping your teens from eating you out of house and home, our favorite kids’ cooking subscription boxes, and, as always, your monthly go-to lists and reads.

Dig in!

Amanda 4 FEBRUARY 2021

Over the course of the pandemic, my family found a new penchant for birdwatching and my son and I have enjoyed making various feeders for our feathered friends. This Cheerio Bird Feeder couldn’t be easier — all you need is some cereal and a pipe cleaner. Thread the Cheerios onto the pipe cleaner, bend it into a shape you like, and dangle from a tree.

Looking for some screen-free indoor fun? I’m loving these handson books full of unfinished stories for children of all ages. “Once Upon Pancake” contains 20 stories with writing prompts that kids and parents can write and draw together.

Young kids can write about superheroes, princesses and trucks, while older kids can write about saving the galaxy, sports and more. There are three books to choose from, for ages 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12.

Three moms have created mask play sets for children called Kadoodle Kids. There are four different box sets with masks, markers, glitter pens and stamps so kids can design their own wares during the pandemic. Find them at kadoodlekids.com.

baystateparent executive editor DAVE NORDMAN

CREATIVE editor in chief AMANDA COLLINS BERNIER 508-767-9526 acollinsbernier@gannett.com

creative director CHRISTINA LEVERE christina.levere @gmail.com

A hands-on museum for families that blends science, nature, and play. ! d

Sale

de n e t ex

ADVERTISING sales manager BRITTANY PRENDIVILLE 774-420-4095 bprendiville@localiq.com account executive KATHY PUFFER 508-767-9544 kpuffer@localiq.com

account executive REGINA STILLINGS 508-767-9546 rstillings@localiq.com

baystateparent is published monthly and is distributed free of charge throughout Massachusetts.

100 Front Street, 5th Floor Worcester, MA 01608 Do you have a story idea?

We want to hear from you!

Email your suggestion to acollins@gatehousemedia.com

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177 Main Street, Acton MA 978-264-4200 • discoveryacton.org

2020

National Heritage Corridor

MEDICAL ADVICE WHEN YOU ARE ON THE GO. DOWNLOAD OUR FREE SYMPTOM CHECKER APP TODAY! Our Health eCheck app helps you make decisions on what type of medical care is needed when your child falls off their bike or has a persistant cough.

Search from a list of symptoms or by body area.

We’re Wide Op Open Green by day, dark by night!

Come explore our wide open spaces and historic New England downtowns & villages Visit TheLastGreenValley.org or call 860-774-3300 BAYSTATEPARENT 5

Good to

Know Grandparents of children on the spectrum will be interested in a free upcoming virtual seminar presented by the Discovery Museum of Acton.

“Grandparenting a Child with Autism,” part of the museum’s recently launched speaker series, will feature Charlie Washburn, retired Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Very Special Arts (now called Open Door Arts) and grandparent of a child with autism, and Donna Danielewski, Senior Director of the Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family National Center for Accessible Media at WGBH and grandmother of a child with autism. The seminar is Thursday, March 18. Sign up at discoveryacton.org. The seminar is open to the public and will be presented on Zoom.

Children of mothers who drink relatively more cow’s milk during breastfeeding are at reduced risk of developing food allergies. That’s according to a new study published in the scientific journal Nutrients, in which researchers found the milk in a mother’s diet contains substances that stimulate the maturity of the immune system. Though the association is clear, researchers do not claim that drinking cow’s milk would be a general cure for food allergies. But, they noted, “in a child’s early development, there is a time window where stimulation of the immune system is necessary for the child to develop tolerance to different foods.”

An increased number of children without enough food to eat, combined with a spike in the amount of unhealthy food consumed and a rapid decline in physical exercise due to COVID-19 has pediatricians concerned. For the American Academy of Pediatrics, the pandemic has focused attention on the epidemic of childhood obesity because there is an increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease in children and adolescents with obesity. In response, they say assessing and counseling on the maintenance of healthy nutrition, sufficient sleep, physical activity, and minimizing sedentary time are all key components of caring for children during the pandemic.

6 FEBRUARY 2021

SOLO PARENTING

The heart risks of being a single mom or dad

BY MICHAEL MERSCHEL AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION NEWS

N

obody needs a study to tell them being a single parent is tough.

“This is a group of people who are kind of carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders, right?” said Dr. Natalie Stokes, a cardiology fellow at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. “You’re taking care of kids. You’re trying to provide for your family.”

Hoping to shed new light on the toll single parenthood takes on heart health, Stokes and her colleagues recently analyzed a federal health survey of 2,180 parents, which included 462 single parents, a quarter of whom were single men.

Researchers looked at seven heart health indicators – such as blood pressure, obesity, diet and whether the person smoked – and rated the parents on a 14-point scale. The single-parent group scored about half a point lower than the partnered parents. And single

mothers scored almost a full point lower than mothers with partners.

The research, which is considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal, was presented last month at the American Heart Association’s virtual Scientific Sessions conference.

Even after adjusting for age, race, existing medical conditions, poverty and more, the single-parent group was 1.31 times more likely to be rated as having below-ideal cardiovascular health.

While her study didn’t pry into the reasons behind the discrepancy, Stokes hopes to explore that in future work.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the U.S. had 10.4 million single-parent households in 2019. Those numbers, and previous research, make single

parenthood a potentially significant public health concern.

An international study in 2016 found that being a lone working mother predicted a higher risk of heart disease and stroke among women in the United States. In the early 2000s, researchers who tracked Swedish women

[Single parents] tend to do more for their kids and neglect themselves.

10.4 MILLION

The number of single-parent households in 2019 in the U.S., according to the U.S. Census Bureau for up to 20 years found that single mothers had greater odds of dying during the study period than women who had partners. And a Canadian study in 2016 found single fathers were three times more likely to die during the study’s decade-long follow-up than single mothers or partnered fathers.

But Stokes emphasized her work should not be viewed as pointing to a problem caused by single parents. She’d rather focus on using it to make society more responsive to their needs.

Dr. Gina Lundberg, clinical director of the Emory Women’s Heart Center in Atlanta, agreed.

“It takes a village to raise a kid, right?

Well, your village is already really small if you’re a single parent,” Lundberg said. She was not involved in the new research but offered firsthand knowledge of life in a single-parent household.

“I think the study supports what we suspected all along: It’s very stressful to be a single parent. Single parents have less time for their own health because there’s no one to offload the sharing of responsibilities to. So, they tend to do more for their kids and neglect themselves.

“That’s certainly what I witnessed,” she said. “My father died when I was 14.”

Her mother raised her and her sister.

Before her father died, Lundberg remembers her mother making regular medical appointments. After his death, “I can’t remember her going to the doctor at all.

And I think there just wasn’t time.”

Lundberg, who also is an associate professor of medicine at Emory University School of Medicine, had several ideas for how health care providers could be more accommodating.

“I think we’ve got to have some options to make things more flexible for these parents,” she said.

Family care providers, for example, might offer

appointments where parents and children could get their checkups at the same time. “Maybe on Saturday morning, when the kids aren’t in school.”

And OB-GYNs could offer appointments for women to have bloodwork, blood pressure, breast and general physical exams done during a single visit.

Stokes said although her study’s findings were just a starting point for understanding what single parents need, physicians could use the information as

a prompt to consider their patients’ life situation in deciding their care.

Doctors need to be allies with their patients in overcoming barriers to care, she said.

“The onus shouldn’t be on the individuals,” Stokes said. But patients can help by being open about their struggles, and by speaking up when necessary. “Maybe more aggressively early on saying ... ‘I was made aware that this might put me at increased risk. What types of things should I be doing?’”

February’s Child: Meet Bailey

Lundberg also said society needs to stop stigmatizing single parents.

They come from all kinds of income levels, education levels and ethnic backgrounds. It’s mothers as well as fathers. And whether they started out as single parents or became one because of the death of a spouse, they deserve support, she said.

“I think we need to be doing more to realize they’re stressed, it’s affecting their health, and they need our help.”

finally

forever

Hi! My name is Bailey and I enjoy spending time with animals!

Bailey, age 13, is a kind and creative girl of Caucasian descent. Bailey has many interests and hobbies such as playing outside, swimming, cooking and baking. She also enjoys playing imaginative games with her stuffed animals and dolls. She will often ask others to compete in a game of Uno, Candyland, or Connect Four with her. She is a competitive, playful child who is always willing to try new games and activities. Animals are also very important to Bailey and she enjoys going to farms to visit and interact with different types of animals.

Bailey is very eager to have good relationships with adults and peers in her life. She puts in a lot of effort and energy into forming positive relationships.

In the school setting, Bailey has been able to create and maintain friendships with several peers in her classroom.

Bailey has identified that she wants to be an only child in a family that will love her and keep her safe. She would also like to be in a family that has pets and shares her love for ravioli! Bailey’s team would love to see her placed in an active two-parent family that has a strong support system and is very involved in their community. Bailey’s future family should be willing to engage in services and maintain contact and visits with her birth parents and siblings.

Can you provide the guidance, love and stability that a child needs? If you’re at least 18 years old, have a stable source of income, and room in your heart, you may be a perfect match to adopt a waiting child. Adoptive parents can be single, married, or partnered; experienced or not; renters or homeowners; LGBTQ singles and couples.

The process to adopt a child from foster care requires training, interviews, and home visits to determine if adoption is right for you, and if so, to help connect you with a child or sibling group that your family will be a good match for. To learn more about adoption from foster care, call the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) at 617-6273 or visit www.mareinc.org. The sooner you call, the sooner a waiting child will have a permanent place to call home.

BAYSTATEPARENT 7

#1 I am incomplete, yet I am right on track.

Herding

Goofballs

Enough of it all

BY JOSH FARNSWORTH

The passenger side door of my new car slammed against the oncoming vehicle promptly bursting into flames.

The car that rammed my own wheeled around - tires screeching - accelerated back towards the smoldering heap of rubber and metal that remained of my car.

It was pulverized into ashes by the other driver, who happened to be my cackling oldest son, Cooper.

Game over for me.

It was at this moment, it hit me (not unlike that video game car that pummeled mine). I realized I need to teach my kids how to ride a bike properly. This video game landscape we played on only reinforced my need to instill road driving skills.

And fast.

One problem: my bike skills and knowledge are almost non-existent.

As a kid, my parents repeatedly attempted to teach me how to ride a bike. I had zero interest, and after humoring them with a couple of lessons on the street near my house, I resisted the hobby completely. They 8 FEBRUARY 2021

finally waved the while flag on Project Pedaling Josh.

There are some experiences in life that don’t get much attention. (I did, for the record, finally break down and learn to ride a bike in college.) However, with Cooper’s interest in pretty much any sort of vehicle — motor or not — I was put on my heels in a slight panic.

I was asking questions of myself.

Was my disinterest in biking setting him back? Will he miss out on friendships built churning those spokes from house to house? Am I denying the planet the next BMX great?

This feeling of swift unease happens from time to time for me. One might call it parent imposter syndrome, which is essentially the nagging belief you don’t have any business being a functioning mom or dad.

Don’t get me wrong, it is not about being a “bad parent” as much as it is a feeling that I am incomplete. It makes me ask: “Am I doing enough?”

This pandemic, which continues to limit many things, only seems to act as an extra bear trap to dance around when it comes to getting my kids valuable

experiences.

So, what have I been up to lately to pass down crucial knowledge and practical know-how? We have lots of fun, but even the things we do together make me question if I am making the “practical decision” to help him grow.

For example...

We play video games, as the aforementioned vehicular carnage suggests. Thought in my head: “Should I be teaching him how to properly put up a tent instead?”

We enjoy taking long drives to go pick up donuts and then run around the beach in the middle of an icy cold winter.

Thought in my head: “Instead of donuts and beaches, wouldn’t a great parent be researching the best ways to teach him how to widdle wood to build his own birdhouse?”

Even when fun days are present, I can’t help but always wonder if it is enough.

Or if every choice is the right one.

I struggle with it still, but do finally now have a plan to help me out of these mental blocks. Whenever this feeling washes over me, Josh, (yes, I am talking to myself — he's a decent listener) remember these three things…

The perfect, Renaissance dad does not exist. Quite frankly, anyone walking around believing he has it all figured out is probably not too fun at parties and would have to be too obsessed with perfection that enjoying fatherhood is left impossible.

Keep trying. You will never master it all. Just be really decent at a few things and share it willingly.

It’s perfectly fine to feel some incompleteness, but it doesn’t define you.

In fact, I would argue it only exists as doubt in your head in the first place because you care so much.

And when faced with teaching Cooper how to bike, dust off your own and start up Project Pedaling Josh Part 2. It’s bound to be better than the original.

#2

Cooper lives here. Talk to him.

That’s it. That’s the second tip for myself.

One would say I have unparalleled access to him since Cooper lives here and while school and work happen under my roof, see him roughly 23 hours per day.

I need to be better about asking Cooper what he enjoys - and if it is doable (He recently mentioned wanting to drive a flying rocket around the planet. Hard pass for me.) - put in the

effort to learn about it.

Come on, Josh. If you can find DIY videos on how to best convert your unfinished basement into an opulent palace, you can find some on bicycle training.

#3

You are a donut parent. Relax, Josh...dad...me...you know who you are.

I will encounter plenty of topics that I have subpar knowledge of, talent for or money to grow better at. But no matter what faults may seem to popup, you bring so much to the table.

You day-drive for donuts. You run around on beaches in the winter.

That’s something.

In fact, it makes Cooper happy, so that makes it everything.

For my readers who may feel some form or sense of foreboding about feeling incomplete sometimes, do not fret.

You are not alone. I Implore you to find your inner donut parent.

You are not every parent. You are this one.

So, chin up. When that next video game car of his comes to pummel you one more time into the wall, remember how much success this moment brings. Not every moment is a make-or-break exam on if you are aceing some non-existent quiz in parenthood.

Those moments are enough. Sometimes just grabbing that controller is doing more than enough.

And heads up when you do grab that controller.

That car of his comes fast.

Josh Farnsworth is a husband, father of goofballs Cooper and Milo, goofball himself, and awardwinning writer and columnist living in Worcester. He can be reached for column ideas at josh.farnsworth@ yahoo.com.

cyber savvy mom

TURNING SCREEN TIME INTO LEARNING TIME New PBS Kids app encourages engineering, open-ended play

BY JOAN GOODCHILD, CYBERSAVVY MOM

A

heightened demand for interactive and engaging learning tools as kids continue to learn from home is reflected in some new program and content offerings from PBS Kids and Bostonbased broadcaster GBH Kids. Interactive series that integrate storytelling with curriculum-driven games have become an important asset to keep kids engaged in learning, say the children’s content producers.

The two recently teamed to launch a new interactive digital series called Team Hamster!, which introduces engineering and design curriculum to kids ages 4-8. GBH and PBS are also touting the premiere of the second season of their interactive digital series titled Scribbles and Ink. The producers note Scribbles and Ink received 8.4 million plays this past year, putting it in the top three most played games on their PBS Kids Games App. Terry Fitzpatrick, GBH vice president for Children’s Media and Education, spoke to CyberSavvy Mom about the demand for more interactive and educational kids content, and how these offerings answer that call.

You note that these offerings are being launched to due heightened demand for interactive and engaging learning tools for kids. What is behind the demand? What factors and trends are you observing?

Historically, concerns have been raised that viewing media may be detrimental for children’s learning. As media tools for children have become available, however, the evidence is mounting that children’s media can be intentionally designed to support high-quality interactions. Through years of research, PBS Kids has found that the combination of games and videos leads to better learning outcomes.

Tablets have become a popular media device for kids 2-8 years old. Kids use these devices to stream, watch television content and play games. Given tablet’s touch interactivity, there is an opportunity to create innovative interactive viewing experiences. Deeper educational impact can be achieved when kids actively

engage with the content, and cycle through multiple unique “plays” based on the same learning goals.

Scribbles usage data shows how engaging or “sticky” truly interactive video can be with kids, and our hope is that this will drive deeper educational impact.

You note GBH and PBS are expanding children’s programming options to “meet kids where they are,” particularly amidst athome learning. Can you explain?

Scribbles and Ink fulfills the desire of kids to learn and play alongside animated characters as they embark on adventures.

Overall, our goal is for children to feel that they are full participants in the experience. Each story is self-contained and is designed to let children determine their own pace: play and replay, draw and draw again, as they like. The open-ended nature of the art creation process ensures repeatable play.

Team Hamster! was designed to encourage all

kinds of kids to see themselves as engineers. We designed the hamsters to act as stand-ins for our audience; the hamsters, like kids, are small in a big world, but that doesn’t mean they can’t think big and solve problems with their friends.

In developing the series, we worked with an advisor to apply Universal Design for Learning principles to help make our characters, videos and games more accessible and inclusive. This work included developing characters with different learning styles and backgrounds; offering both structured-play and freeplay options in our games, to support different learner needs and motivations; and providing both audio and visual options when presenting information.

We also developed the games to work across a wide range of digital devices, including older models, to help us reach a wide and diverse audience.

Can you give me an overview of each of the programs and how they address the goal of interactive learning?

Based on the popular books and characters by author and illustrator Ethan Long, Scribbles and Ink is a PBS Kids Emmy award-nominated digital interactive experience that invites kids ages 4-8 to draw and paint their way through fantastical, animated adventures, where their creativity becomes center stage and their art becomes part of the story. In developing the project, we took on the challenge of creating an innovative project that would seamlessly combine animated and interactive segments. Up until then, most interactive stories followed a format of “watch stop do, watch stop do,” which prevented kids from feeling like they were playing alongside the characters.

Or, they followed “a choose your own adventure” format, which was constraining since the outcomes needed to be predetermined, rather than as a

result of the choices kids made, and therefore the story played out in a limited number of ways.

Through an iterative codesign process, informed by many playtesting sessions with our target audience, we were able to understand which stories elicited the most enthusiastic drawings and enjoyment for kids and which interaction patterns supported the widest range of openended experiences. We were also able to push the technical boundaries by using a costeffective, core game mechanic, enabling us to create animation that is broadcast-quality and that interacts with what the player is drawing in the game.

Team Hamster! is a digital series that invites kids ages 4-8 to build, test, and redesign to solve problems and save the day. Hamsters Sadie, Mateo, and Tasha are classroom pets by day, secret engineers by night - and they need your help!

Kids step into the hamsters’ world through animated stories integrated with games. The stories set up problems that kids help solve by playing games using simple machines, tools, and creative thinking.

Just like the hamsters, kids learn that even though you’re small, you can solve it all! We designed the series using a unique “game-first” production model, with characters inspired by a game in The Ruff

Families can find out more about Team Hamster! and Scribbles and Ink on PBSKids.org.

Ruffman Show, story ideas originating from game concepts, and a production pipeline tailored for gaming.

Testing with kids along the way, we developed three games that support creative thinking, multiple solutions, and ways to personalize your experience, including free play modes and being able to play as the different characters. Videos creatively integrate with gameplay, with video acting as a narrative driver for the games, setting up compelling, character-driven problems that kids can solve in the games. By featuring kidsized problems, everyday materials, and a whimsical style, the series encourages all kinds of kids to see themselves as engineers.

Do you have a question or a story suggestion for Cyber Savvy Mom? Contact me at joangoodchild@ cybersavvymedia. com.

BAYSTATEPARENT 9

MORE BAY STATE

FAMILIES THAN EVER ARE

GOING HUNGRY

Here’s how to help, or find resources if you’re in need

BY JOAN GOODCHILD

A

s COVID-19 spread around the country last spring, millions of Americans lost jobs, and many took a massive hit to income. Thousands of families found themselves without the means to buy food, and hunger has become an urgent issue amid the pandemic.

The virus emergency has pushed food insecurity – a term used to describe a household's inability to provide enough food for every person to live an active, healthy life – to critical levels. In fact, food insecurity rates have doubled in Massachusetts during the pandemic, and hunger experts say it tends to be higher among households with children. In the Bay State, there is a five percentage point gap between households with children (19 percent of which are food insecure) and households without children (14 percent of which are food insecure).

Officials with The Greater Boston Food Bank said one in 8 residents of Eastern Massachusetts was predicted to experience food insecurity in the last year as a result of the impact of the COVID-19.

“The coronavirus pandemic has created a hunger crisis,” said Erin McAleer, CEO of Project Bread, a non-profit with a mission to prevent hunger by making it easier for everyone in Massachusetts to access and afford food. “Closed businesses and social distancing measures have depleted work

10 FEBRUARY 2021

and incomes, leaving one in six Massachusetts residents and one in five households with children facing food insecurity, that is, they don’t know where their next meal is coming from – a stark number that will continue to rise as the number of new COVID-19 cases surge.”

Data also reveals that Black and Hispanic households with children are much more likely to be impacted by food insecurity.

“The numbers, as they were prepandemic, are worse for households of color: one out of every three Black families with children faced hunger last month. This is twice the rate of white households facing the same grim situation.”

Project Bread works in partnership food pantries and other organizations to connect people and communities to reliable sources of food while also advocating for policies that make food more accessible.

The organization is an active member of the Emergency Task Force on Coronavirus and Equity, advocating for state legislative and administrative policies aimed at reducing the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 crisis on vulnerable populations, such as low-wage workers, immigrants, non-English speakers, people who are housing insecure or experiencing homelessness, people with disabilities, people who are food insecure, and people who are incarcerated, said McAleer.

1 3

out of every

Black families with children faced hunger last month

GETTING TO THE ROOT OF FOOD INSECURITY

Daniel’s Table, a Framingham-based organization with programming dedicated to nutrition and education has several programs to assist local families with access to food. CEO David Blais says Daniel’s Table has seen a five-fold increase in its food distribution in recent months.

“Many of the residents in the area are in the service professions,” he said. “Waiters, cooks, counter help, etc. This is the hardest hit population, so job loss or loss of hours has a huge impact.”

Daniel’s Table offers several different kinds of services to area residents to address food insecurity, including a freezer program. Local freezers are installed in schools, YMCAs and community centers and packed with high quality, nutritional

proteins and vegetables. Clients show an ID and that allows freezer managers to distribute restaurant quality food to families. But Blais said another mission of Daniel’s Table is not just about helping with hunger but addressing the core reasons for food insecurity.

“We are failing to address the real issue of hunger,” he said. “The fact is there is more than enough food. It is the lack of collaboration between service providers and poor distribution channels that limit the success of food programs and keeps people hungry.”

For those families struggling and who need assistance with food access, there are a number of options. Start local and contact community officials, centers or town halls and ask for a list of area food providers.

Project Bread runs Massachusetts’ only statewide food access hotline that can help connect families in need with local resources. Their toll-free FoodSource Hotline (1-800-6458333), provides wide-ranging food assistance from screening and signing people up for the USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), to connecting callers to resources Project Bread supports, such as free meals for kids. Counselors can help locate and refer clients to emergency food programs, such as community meals and food pantries.

Blais said it is important not to be afraid or ashamed to advocate for yourself and your family and reach out for information and support.

“Ask friends or neighbors if they are aware of any available programs. Be willing to share information and, if you are here without a visa, reach out to a trusted service provider for help.

Don't refuse help because you are afraid, there is help available that is discreet and effective.”

8006458333

Project Bread toll-free FoodSource Hotline

What the world needs now, is

LASAGNA

LOVE

LOCAL MOMS FEEDING FAMILIES, SPREADING HOPE WITH COMFORT FOOD

BY AMANDA COLLINS BERNIER

I

t all started with a post in a Facebook mom’s group.

It was late last March, and the coronavirus pandemic was just beginning to upend life as we knew it. Rhiannon Menn, a mom of two living in San Diego, was feeling helpless.

"There were so many moms that I knew who had lost childcare, who had lost jobs. They were just feeling stressed out. And so literally one day, I was just like, I'm gonna make extra meals,” she told TODAY. Then, she typed out a message on social media: "If there are any mamas here that have lost income due to coronavirus, or who can't get to the grocery store because they/their babies are immunocompromised and you need food, my toddler and I are making some extra lasagnas this weekend to drop off to anyone who needs them."

Menn had no idea how much of an impact those few trays of cheesy comfort food would have. But the idea of helping people cope with crisis through a simple homemade meal resonated with people, and soon, people on social media began reaching out not just to receive a meal, but offering to make them,, too.

Quickly, the endeavor snowballed, catching on in kitchens across the country.

By May, Lasagna Love was born.

Ten months and 15,000 lasagnas later, Lasagna Love is now a registered nonprofit powered by 6,000 “lasagna mamas and papas” (volunteer chefs) in 47 states. They make and deliver around 1,000 meals a week; an effort that feeds more than hungry bellies. At a time when so many are missing — and craving — connection, the homemade meals are

providing sustenance in many forms.

“Lasagna Love’s umbrella mission tenets are to feed families, spread kindness and strengthen community,” said volunteer Lasagna Mama Wendy Agudelo.

“Connecting neighbors with neighbors through meal delivery not only puts a dent in food insecurity, it allows volunteers to know to whom their efforts are being invested, and recipients, who is sharing kindness.”

Whether they are struggling due to lost income or childcare, or just need a night off, anyone can go online to lasagnalove.org and request a free, homemade meal. There’s also an option to nominate a friend in need.

The group has local leaders, who are also volunteers, that match

Above: Lasagna Love founder Rhiannon Menn and her toddler daughter. Below: Margie White, of Shrewsbury, is a regional leader for Lasagna Love, supporting West Boylston, Boylston, Berlin, Clinton, Sterling, Bolton and Lancaster families, among other communities.

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volunteer chefs up with local requests for meals.

When a lasagna mama or papa in an area is matched with a request, they text the recipient to coordinate a delivery.

Regional leader Johanna Georgilas, a mom of two from Holliston who first got involved as a volunteer chef over the summer, said she is currently making

about 10 matches per week in the towns of Holliston, Hopkinton, Westborough, Southborough, Northborough, Ashland, Upton, Grafton, North Grafton, Whitinsville, Northbridge, Sutton, and Douglas. She reads each family’s story when a request comes in, and said it’s been eye opening to find that “need” comes in

many forms.

“I knew before this the challenges family face, but it’s just opened my eyes to the different challenges,” she said. “Sometimes it’s an overwhelmed parent that needs a break, a death or severe illness in the family, lack of food resources, a new parent, a job lost.”

For many lasagna mamas and papas, it’s been sur-

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12 FEBRUARY 2021

prising at times to see how close those needs are to home. Georgilas said in one case, a lasagna mama prepared a meal for a family who happened to live in the same apartment complex she did.

“The need is right in every community,” said Georgilas.

“It quite literally can be your neighbor.”

Lasagna Love also aims to normalize asking for help, which is something that doesn’t always come easily. Every day there more families signing up who need help, and also more lasagna mamas and papas volunteering to cook.

For both recipients and chefs, it’s become a movement beyond food. In San Diego, when a struggling family with both parents out of work requested a lasagna as a nice meal to celebrate their 4-year-old’s birthday, they were surprised with not just dinner, but also fresh vegetables, canned foods, and birthday gifts for the little girl. In Central Florida, the free meal was the catalyst that brought a local family together with an isolated, elderly neighbor.

“I like to think I’m spreading kindness one lasagna at a time,” said Margie White, a regional leader who lives in Shrewsbury. “During this pandemic I’m sure it is

providing a break to some, a lifeline to others. But always kindness.”

Volunteering for Lasagna Love can be as big or as little a commitment as one would like. Volunteers choose how often they want to cook, from a one-time thing to a weekly or monthly pledge. Volunteers also choose their delivery area in miles.

The group is also working on outreach to get homemade meals to deserving people in the community.

Recently, Georgilas was coordinating a drop off of lasagnas, salad and bread to a local police department.

“The list of those who could benefit from what we do goes on and on. Someone impacted financially by the pandemic, a front-line worker, first responders, teachers, parents working from home along with their kids doing remote learning and needing a break from getting dinner on the table,” said White.

“The important thing is to let them know someone cares.”

How to save money when your teen is eating

BY CHERYL MAGUIRE

M

y teenage son stood in front of the opened refrigerator, gazing into the abyss. I envisioned dollar bills floating by his head as the cold air escaped, no doubt causing our electric bill to skyrocket.

“Could you please close the refrigerator door?” I asked, trying to remain calm.

“There is nothing to eat and I’m starving!” he groaned as he dramatically held his stomach.

“The refrigerator is empty because you ate everything from my grocery shopping trip three days ago.”

My son began his growth spurt over the summer. He sprouted up a full three inches, rendering him unrecognizable to our friends and family. At the same time, something else was unrecognizable and growing exponentially—my grocery receipt.

As an avid coupon clipper and money-saving guru, I knew I needed to do a “deep dive” of this situation to figure out how to reduce the spending. Otherwise, his college education fund will dwindle down to nothing because all the money will be spent on feeding his endless appetite.

I’m sure there are other people like me out there.

So I’m sharing with you what I learned from my comprehensive money saving research so your money will go towards that college fund instead of your grocery bill.

SAVE MONEY ON PROTEIN

A research study found that a group of infants who ate one egg per day had a 47 percent lower rate of stunting (being too short) than the control group. Protein is essential for teens to eat since is it is responsible for tissue growth. Most teens need ½ gram of protein per pound of body weight. Eating protein will also help your teen to feel full.

Protein can be found in eggs, Greek yogurt, cheese, milk, fish, chicken, meat, turkey, tofu, broccoli, beans, and nuts. One way to save on these items is to check your weekly local grocery sales flyer and then purchase protein foods on-sale. You can cook meals for the week based on the weekly sales flyer. So if chicken is on-sale you can look up chicken recipes.

Also, ask the meat department what day they offer marked down meat.

Sometimes the meet can be as much as 50% off the regular price because the expiration date is near.

CLIP COUPONS

Coupons are no longer only found in the newspaper.

You can print coupons online by going to the manufactures website or coupon sites like Coupons.com, RedPlum. com, SmartSource.com or Lozo.com. There are also electronic coupons which you clip online and it is added to your store card.

Similar to a paper coupon, when you purchase the item

the money is deducted on your receipt. These electronic coupons can be found at grocery store websites or SavingStar. com.

If you don't get the newspaper coupons, some libraries offer a coupon box containing the newspaper coupons which are available for anyone to take.

USE MONEY SAVING APPS

There are a variety of cash back grocery store apps. After you purchase select items you can earn money back by submitting your receipt. Some

grocery store cash back apps are Ibotta and Checkout51.

BUY FROZEN

A Norwegian research firm found that frozen fish is the same quality as fresh and is often significantly less expensive. Sometimes frozen fish is marked down as much as 50% off the regular price.

Similar to fish, fruit is frozen when it is ripe and maintains its nutrients. When fresh fruit isn’t in season, it can be pricey but the price of frozen fruit remains the same all year (with the exception of sale prices).

The price also does not fluctuate between the types of frozen fruit. A 16 oz. bag of

Ready to save money on groceries?

Saving money is an investment of your time, but it is worth it. Once you figure out how to cut spending even in one area such as on buying protein, you will see your grocery bill start to shrink.

On my most recent excursion to the supermarket, the teen cashier proclaimed, “Wow, you saved over $100. I’ve never seen anyone do that before.”

When you can impress a teenager, you know you’re doing something right. Now if only I could figure out a way to make my grocery shopping trip last longer than three days.

raspberries is the same prices as a 16 oz. bag of blueberries. But the price difference between fresh raspberries and blueberries is usually significant.

STOCK UP ON SALE ITEMS AND FREEZE

When items go on sale, stock up and freeze it.

Instead of buying one pound of meat buy two; use one and freeze the other. This will hold you over until the next sale.

Most grocery items have a sale cycle. For example, ground beef may go on sale every three weeks.

This article was originally published on Your Teen.

Cheryl Maguire holds a Master of Counseling Psychology degree. She is married and is the mother of twins and a daughter. Her writing has been published in The New York Times, Parents Magazine, AARP, Healthline, Your Teen Magazine, and many other publications. She is a professional member of ASJA. You can find her at Twitter @ CherylMaguire05.

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very

special people

How sounds can cause anger in teens and tweens

BY CHERYL MAGUIRE

Y

our chewing is hurting me.”

My 12-year-old daughter covered her ears with her hands and closed her eyes as if in pain. I sat at the kitchen table, nibbling on a ham and cheese sandwich, feeling confused.

I know that we have been spending a lot of time together thanks to the pandemic, but her reaction seemed a little extreme.

Did the sounds of me munching on a sandwich really cause her physical pain?

It turns out my daughter has a recently identified disorder known as misophonia—a neurological condition that causes an aversion to specific sounds. The onset of the disorder often

begins in childhood or adolescence and can cause feelings of annoyance or anger.

It isn’t known yet how many people have misophonia, but a 2017 study published in Current Biology found identifiable differences in the brains of misophonic individuals.

People who have this disorder are often sensitive to the sounds of chewing, crunching, or other similar human noises. Typically, they react to the sounds of people they are closest to, like family members.

My daughter’s aversion to sound is mostly related to the noises of her family members chewing during meals—and the pandemic is causing her misophonic symptoms to worsen.

“Previously people with misophonia could escape their triggers by leaving the house,” says Dr. Eric Storch, a clinical psychologist and professor at the

site rs web ebina r u to gw Visi comin p u for

Baylor College of Medicine.

“But now they are side by side with family members or roommates who are triggering them.”

Storch thinks that tweens and teens living with the condition are more likely to be triggered by family than friends. “You can be honest with your family, maybe more honest than you should be,” he says.

“I also think the frequency and proximity to your family members impact the reaction.”

The cause of misophonia is

unknown, but Dr. Storch explains that there is a high co-occurrence with other psychological disorders, such as anxiety, obsessivecompulsive disorder, and

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Tourette syndrome.

“Clinically I have seen high rates of people with misophonia and conditions that are associated with emotional dysregulation like depression,” Storch says.

Storch explains that people who have this disorder are always anticipating the next trigger, living their life waiting for the next sound that will make them uncomfortable.

There are several strategies that are proving to be helpful in treating misophonia, including cognitive-behavioral therapy and visual imagery. The focus of CBT treatment is on teaching the misophonic person ways they can regulate the effects of their misophonia and how to relax rather than anticipate triggers.

“Therapy that focuses on thinking things through objectively can be helpful, as can learning how to deal with things in a more

direct fashion since you can’t leave your family,” says Storch.

Visual imagery, which involves visualizing a different association with a distressing sound, can also be effective. “When you hear a chewing sound you can imagine a different visual and unpair the sound from where it is coming from,” explains Storch.

Other forms of treatment may include tinnitus

retraining therapy (TRT), music therapy, and occupational therapy. “This is still something we are trying to investigate and understand,” Storch says.

While researchers work on developing a better understanding of this condition, my daughter has found a new strategy that is not only effective, it’s simple: she wears noise cancelling headphones when the sounds are bothering her.

Misophonia is a neurological condition that causes an aversion to specific sounds.

The pandemic can cause misophonic symptoms to worsen

The cause of misophonia is unknown.

Researchers are working on understanding this condition. In the meantime, noise cancelling headphones is one effective strategy.

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nutrition

New dietary guidelines urge no added sugar for babies, toddlers under age 2

P

arents now have an extra reason to say no to sweets for young children, ac cording to recently released federal dietary guidelines.

The U.S. government updates the dietary guidelines every five years to use as standards for school lunches and other programs. The new “Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025,” put out by U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS), are the first to ever include guidelines for infants and toddlers.

The biggest sources of added sugars in the typical U.S. diet are soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages, desserts, snacks, candy and sweetened coffee and tea.

16 FEBRUARY 2021

They offer guidance by all stages of the lifespan, marking the first edition to take this approach. They break down the specific needs of infants and toddlers, children ages 2 to 18, and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Babies should have only breast milk at least until they reach six months, according to the guidelines, continuing through at least the first year of life, and longer if desired.

If breast milk isn’t available, they should get iron-fortified infant formula during the first year. Babies should get supplemental vitamin D beginning soon after birth.

Babies can start eating other food at about 6 months and should be introduced to potential allergenic foods along with other foods, according to the guidelines.

There’s an app to help people follow the guidelines available through the government’s My Plate website, myplate.gov.

“Introducing peanut-containing foods in the first year reduces the risk that an infant will develop a food allergy to peanuts,” the guidelines say.

There’s more advice than in prior guidelines for pregnant and breastfeeding women. To promote healthy brain development in their babies, these women should eat 8 to 12 ounces of seafood per week. They should be sure to choose fish — such as cod, salmon, sardines and tilapia — with lower levels of mercury, which can harm children’s nervous systems.

Pregnant women should not drink alcohol, according to the guidelines, and breastfeeding women should be cautious. Caffeine in modest amounts appears safe and women can discuss that with their doctors.

Most Americans fall short of following the best advice on nutrition, contributing to

My Plate

obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Much of the new advice sounds familiar: Load your plate with fruits and vegetables, and cut back on sweets, saturated fats and sodium.

The guidelines suggest making small changes that add up: Substitute plain shredded wheat for frosted cereal, choose lowsodium canned items, or drink sparkling water instead of soda.

The biggest sources of added sugars in the typical U.S. diet are soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages, desserts, snacks, candy and sweetened coffee and tea. These food contribute very little nutrition, so the guidelines advise limits.

Not sure what to look out for? There’s information on added sugar on the “Nutrition Facts” label on packaged foods.

Information on saturated fats and sodium is on the label too.

Bites

goose’s

goodies

Homemade Hot Chocolate Bombs

This new food trend is the bomb! Put these hot chocolate bombs in a mug and pour steaming hot milk over them. Then watch them burst open, spilling hot cocoa mix, marshmallows and melted chocolate to make a decadent drink. Kids will love making, and devouring, this chocolatey cold weather treat. You’ll need a silicone sphere mold, which you can find at most craft stores or online.

Ingredients 1 cup chocolate chips, or other melting chocolate 6 TBSP. instant hot cocoa mix (more or less depending on the size of your molds) 1/2 cup mini marshmallows Decorations of your choice (sprinkles, melted white chocolate, crushed candies, etc.)

Directions Place a pot on the stove with a couple inches of water. Over the pot, place a glass bowl with the chocolate.

Heat over medium low heat and stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from the stove, but leave the bowl in place to keep the chocolate melted as you work.

Place the chocolate molds on a baking sheet.

Add about 2 teaspoons of chocolate to each cavity of the mold (you may need more or less, depending on their size) and use a pastry brush to cover the inside of the mold with melted chocolate, making sure to get right up to the top edge of the cavity.

Place the tray in the freezer for about 5 minutes to allow the chocolate to set.

Remove the tray from the freezer and repeat the process of filling the molds and brushing another 2 teaspoons of chocolate over the inside of each mold cavity. Freeze for another 5-10 minutes until fully set.

Working one at a time, remove the empty halves from the mold. Place an empty shell face down on the warm plate to heat the edge. When you see the edge beginning to melt, remove from the plate and press to a filled half. Hold in place for a few seconds to help seal.

Remove the chocolate bowl from the pot and place a clean plate on top of the pot to warm.

Repeat with remaining shells.

Add about 1 tablespoon of cocoa mix to 6 of the halves and add 3-6 marshmallows (you may need to add more or less cocoa mix and marshmallows depending on size of your molds).

Place each sphere back in the mold, and freeze for a few minutes more to make sure the chocolate seal has set. Remove from the freezer and carefully pop the bombs out of the mold.

Decorate with a drizzle of melted chocolate, sprinkles, crushed candies, etc.

Laurie Silva Collins, known affectionately as Goose by her grandkids, is a nurse, mother and grandmother who is happiest when she’s in the kitchen, cooking and baking for those she loves. She learned to cook from her parents, and has perfected her recipes over the years while raising three daughters… and spoiling seven grandchildren.

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on the

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the list

Cook up some fun

8 kits and subscription boxes for little chefs

W

hether you have a budding master chef on your hands or you’re just trying to get your little one to be a bit more adventurous at the dinner table, there’s a box for that. Children’s cooking subscription boxes can help kids develop their culinary skills, get a lesson in math and science, try new foods, or get to know new cultures. Here are our favorite kid-friendly cooking kits that will be delivered right to your door.

Kidstir

Ages: 4 to 14 Cost: $19.99/month+ A new kit is delivered every month, featuring three tasty recipes, two cooking tools and a comprehensive grocery list for parents. Recipes involve a variety of ingredients and skill levels and are part of a specially designed theme; past themes include Beach Days, Mexican Fiesta, '80s Night, and Winter Wonderland Cookies. Each kit also includes games, puzzles and activities to help expand their knowledge and palates. kidstir.com

Raddish Kids

Ages: 4 to 14 Cost: $20/month+ Kits include three illustrated recipe guides, three culinary skill cards, a creative kitchen project and kidfriendly tools, collectibles, and a surprise theme that generally falls into one of four categories: Seasonal Spotlights, Global Cuisine, Creative Cookery (scienceor imagination-based), and Holiday Celebrations. “Bonus Bites” with extra recipes, activities, and lesson plans for homeschool parents are available digitally. raddishkids.com

18 FEBRUARY 2021

Ages: 5 and up Cost: $19.99/month+ A themed box filled with kid-tested recipes, hands-on activities and experiments, and other creative items.

Themes range from specific ingredients (such as cheese or bread) to cooking techniques (cake decorating, etc.), scientific subjects (food texture or molecular gastronomy), and cuisines or types of food (tacos, etc.). Breaking down the fundamentals of science and cooking, projects range from 15 minutes to a few hours. americastestkitchen. com/kids

Baketivity

Eat2Explore

Ages: 5 and up Cost: $24.95/month+ Try different foods from around the world like arroz con pollo or beef shawarma with your aspiring chef. This subscription brings the food of 18 different countries and regions straight to your kitchen table. Once kids are done exploring the country, they can track their "travels" with a sticker on their eat2explore passport and collect country flag pins. The boxes can be purchased one box at a time, or through a monthly subscription. Each box provides three recipes and a shopping list to purchase proteins and vegetables of your choice, and includes hard-to-find spices and sauces. eat2explore.com

America’s Test Kitchen Young Chef’s Club

I’m The Chef Too

Ages: 4 to 14 Cost: $35+ Choose from an array of one-time purchase adventure kits. Each box infuses STEAM based concepts into recipes (think Edible Dinosaur Terrariums and Erupting Volcano Cakes). Kids get the chance to create and engineer through the world of cooking. Each kit has a recipe, dry ingredients, specialty supplies, an activity guide, recipe card, a short shopping list, collectible apron patch, and two or three STEAM based projects. imthecheftoo.com

Ages: 4 to 10 Cost: $25.95/month+ Indulge your little ones sweet tooth with this subscription.

You’ll get pre-measured, individually packaged ingredients and step-bystep illustrated instructions delivered to your door; just add things like eggs and oil.

Each box contains a colorful, kid-friendly booklet on topics they’re sure to love—from the history of chocolate to all about bugs—with activities or games to bring each lesson to life. baketivity. com

Little Sous Chef Academy

Ages: 5 and up Cost: $19.99/month+ A themed creative cooking box with a stepby-step cooking lesson, kid-friendly recipes, and activity cards that immerse kids in food science or art. They’ll also get a ready-tocolor poster filled with games, puzzles and food culture, cool stickers, and a safe, high-quality kitchen tool or nonperishable ingredient. The boxes are meant to help children develop an open relationship to food, their developing palates and the broader world around them. littlesous.com

Harlow’s Harvest

Ages: 4 to 15 Cost: $19/ month+ Each cooking or baking kit contains a unique kitchen gadget and themed pin to add to your Harlow’s Harvest Apron, along with easyto-follow recipes. Each recipe has a custom nutrition facts panel to help your child learn to navigate reading food labels with confidence and every kit is STEM focused to take kids on a cultural journey, teaching them geography and history as well. harlowsharvest. com

LET'S PLAY! Why you should roughhouse with your kids, how to finally purge that toybox, and the funny business of parenting. Our first ever Play Issue is coming next month!

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Application deadline: March 3, 2021. Lottery will be held on March 5, 2021. Location: Learning First Charter Public School, 51 Gage Street Worcester MA

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Premium Checking Account Disclosure - Eligibility: Maintain credit union membership. Primary account owner must be age 18 or older and must establish and maintain a minimum $1,500.00 monthly direct deposit of regular pay, pension, social security or other recurring, monthly income. You must provide a valid email address and sign up for e-statements. Failure to comply with the eligibility requirements of the Premium Checking account for two consecutive months may result in your Premium Checking account being converted to a Regular Checking account without notice. Central One reserves the right to discontinue or modify any benefits under this program and/or convert your account to Regular Checking at any time for any reason without notice. Although you may receive some ACH deposits up to two days early, if these are reversed for any reason, you will be responsible for bringing your account current, and for any fees or service charges resulting from a negative or low balance. Cashback rewards will not be paid on fraudulent or unauthorized transactions. Irregular transactions that appear to be conducted with the sole purpose of earning the cashback rewards will not qualify for rewards, and you may be required to reimburse us if rewards are paid on that activity. The rate discount on consumer loans that applies when payments are deducted from this account excludes mortgages, credit cards and all lines of credit. Refer to Central One Federal Credit Union’s Member Service Agreement and Schedule of Service Charges. Other terms and conditions apply. See website for details or call 800-527-1017.

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agenda

FEBRUARY ADVENTURES

10

Fire Pit Picnics & Adventures

family fun events this month

Hike & Seek

20 FEBRUARY 2021

Weekends through February Various Trustees sites Member family $30-$60, nonmember $50-$75 A warm fire makes for a cozy and adventure on a wintry evening or afternoon. You can reserve a private fire pit for up to six people at various Trustees locations this month. Make it a picnic and bring your own food or buy something from the farm store Appleton Farm in Ipswich, or wander the StoryWalk or Reindeer Quest at Chestnut Hill Farm in Southborough or Powisset Farm in Dover.

At Castle Hill Crane Estate in Ipswich, a reservation includes two hours for a self-guided hike on the grounds.

At Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, a booking includes use of the grounds and admission to the galleries. Fire pit reservations include seating and s’mores kits. Find information on specific dates, times and pricing for each location online. thetrustees.org

Winter Weekends at the Farm

Hike & Seek: Winter Wonderland

Daily The Stevens Coolidge Place, North Andover Member family $4; nonmember $8 Get a little closer to the fantastical elements of the forest. Curious children and their caregivers are invited to discover their own magic in the woods with this outdoor, self-guided program.

Participants will be emailed an activity bundle to help them look for clues along the trails and work as a team to discover the tiny world beneath their feet and under their nose. Pre-registration required to receive the downloadable bundle of activities, including maps, scavenger hunt, crafts, additional reading list and recipes.The special trail runs to March, and you can use your bundle on any day of your choosing. thetrustees.org

Festival of Lights

Winter Walks at the Village

Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, plus vacation week (Feb. 15-20) Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge Adults $28, children $14, kids 3 and under free (admission half off through Feb. 7) Enjoy a peaceful walk around the early 19th-century village.

Stop by households and see what kind of winter activities kept a family busy. Tradeshops will be active as well, from needlework to working at the potter’s wheel. See the farmers hard at work getting ready for the next season, and of course, the farm animals. Daily horse-drawn wagon rides offered throughout the museum. osv.org

Saturdays and Sundays, 12-4 p.m.

Appleton Farm, Hamilton & Ipswich Every weekend, the farm will be filled with activities to explore the property, socialize in a safe, socially-distant manner, and enjoy amazing food. Join in a hike exploring the “ruins” of Appleton Farms, journeying through the idyllic Great Pasture, or crossing the property to see the monuments to Appleton family members. When the weekends get snow-covered, spend a day cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, then come by the Old House for a cozy fire pit and some fantastic food. Tickets for hikes, walks, guided tours and fire pits must be purchased separately. thetrustees.org

Frozen Fruitlands

Fruitlands Museum, Harvard Saturdays and Sundays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Members free, nonmember carload $15 Bring your winter boots, sleds, snowshoes, or cross-country skis to get outside and explore our hills and woodland trails. Frozen Fruitlands admission includes access to the grounds, Wayside Gallery, and Art Gallery. Warm up after your hike with a private fire pit booking, which can be reserved by the hour and include wood and seating. Book in advance to secure your spot. thetrustees.org

Family Owl Prowl & Night Hike

Family Animal Tracking Adventure

Blue Hills Trailside Museum, Milton Saturdays, Feb. 6 and 13, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Adults free, child $25 Nature detectives will learn about “stories in the snow” and many other signs that wildlife leave behind as clues to how and where they find food and shelter in the winter. This semi-private outdoor family exploration is suitable for kids 6 and up, takes place atop Chickatawbut Hill, and includes an up-close animal encounter with one of the resident animals. Preregistration required. massaudubon.com

Blue Hills Trailside Museum, Milton Friday, Feb. 12 and Saturday, Feb. 27, 6-8 p.m.

Adult member $25, child member $25; nonmembers $30 Before heading out on a guided, semi-private night hike to search for owls and other nocturnal life, you’ll meet up with a naturalist to discover some of the unique adaptations of owls, practice owl calls, and meet some of the museum's resident owls.

Pre-registration required. massaudubon.com

Maple Happenings

Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 27-28, 12-4 p.m.

Appleton Farms, Hamilton & Ipswich Weekend maple-flavored fun at Appleton Farm kicks off in late February and goes through the end of March.

Try sugar on ice, see demonstrations of maple sugaring in the Sugar Shack, sample food trucks and local craft beer vendors on site, from 12 to 4 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday. Take home homemade maple-filled food items, right from the farmstead kitchen. Fire Pit Picnics will also continue through maple season. Tickets for hikes, walks, guided tours and fire pits must be purchased separately.

Parking fee at Appleton Farms is $10 on weekends for nonmembers. thetrustees.org

Snow Fun Day

Monday, Feb. 15, 2-4 p.m.

Francis William Bird Park, Walpole Free Celebrate President’s Day with some outdoor fun in the snow! Bring your sleds to Francis William Bird Park and enjoy the ride down the popular (and gentle) slope.

The Friends of Bird Park will be there with free hot chocolate to keep you warm as you make the most of your time off and the snow on the ground. This event only takes place if there is enough snow for sledding. Wearing a mask and social distancing between groups are required to participate.

GET YOUR SMILE BACK! DON’T SUFFER FROM BROKEN-DOWN OR MISSING TEETH! DENTAL IMPLANT* SPECIAL

INCLUDES CT SCAN, TITANIUM IMPLANT, CUSTOM ABUTMENT AND PORCELAIN CROWN

2,99999

$

* Exclusions Apply

FREE DENTAL IMPLANT CONSULT

($200 VALUE)

Owl Prowl

Chestnut Hill Farm, Southborough Saturday, Feb. 20, 6-8 p.m.

Member adult $15, member child $12; nonmembers $25/$20, kids under 4 free Hike to see whoooo might be out and about in the dark winter woods with this owl prowl, guided by award-winning ranger and naturalist Tim Puopolo.

Before setting out on a hike through the farm’s beautiful trails, you’ll learn about winter-time nocturnal animals and how to call in the owls. Stay for popcorn, hot cocoa, and s’mores by the campfire.

Space is limited for this event and pre-registration is required. thetrustees.org

Dr. Salman Khanani 1084 Main St., Holden | khananidental.com |

@khananidental

*Some exclusions may apply: patient must be a candidate for dental implants and some patients may require comprehensive treatment plans to meet their individual needs. Special does not include the fee for extractions, bone grafts, sinus augmentation or the need for a surgical guide

Call 508-829-4575 to book your appointment today!

Implant, Cosmetic and Family Dentistry BAYSTATEPARENT 21

14

Recommended ages: 4 to 8

picture books to celebrate

BLACK HISTORY MONTH There is a growing range of children’s books to educate, inspire, and foster important discussions on race with our children.

Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story From the Underground Railroad

By Ellen Levine, Illustrator Kadir Nelson

Counting the Stars

The incredible story of Henry “Box” Brown escaping slavery by shipping himself to the north in a wooden crate.

As a boy, dreaming of freedom, Henry doesn't know his age because nobody keeps records of slaves' birthdays.

He grows up and marries, but he is devastated when his family is sold at the slave market. As an adult working in a warehouse, he decides to take a major risk and mail himself in a box to the North. After an arduous journey in the crate, Henry finally has a birthday — his first day of freedom.

Before John Glenn orbited the Earth or astronauts walked on the moon, a group of dedicated female mathematicians known as “human computers” used their knowledge, pencils, adding machines and writing paper to calculate the orbital mechanics needed to launch spacecraft. Katherine Johnson was one of these women. This inspiring picture book biography with dreamy illustrations follows her from a 6-yearold schoolgirl in the segregated South all the way to NASA.

By Lesa Cline-Ransom; Illustrator Raul Colon

Recommended ages: 4 to 8

A Ride to Remember A Civil Rights Story

I am Rosa Parks

By Brad Meltzer; Illustrator Christopher Eliopoulos Part of the “Ordinary People Who Changed the World” series, which features a friendly approach to biographies and focuses on a particular character trait that made that role model heroic. This is a kid-friendly version of Rosa Parks’ story, recounting when she dared to stand up for herself and other African Americans by staying seated, and helped end public bus segregation and launch the country’s Civil Rights Movement.

By Sharon Langley and Amy Nathan

Recommended ages: 4 to 8

Follow the Drinking Gourd

By Jeanetter Winter

22 FEBRUARY 2021

Recommended ages: 6 to 9

This is the personal story about how something as simple as a carousel ride can make a powerful statement on equality. This moving tale of a Civil Rights landmark event is told for children through the eyes of a young girl, and shows that anyone can help change the world. It includes a timeline of key Civil Rights events at the end of the book.

If You Were a Kid During the Civil Rights Movement

By Gwendolyn Hooks

A white sailor named “Peg Leg Joe” teaches a group of slaves a song to "follow the drinking gourd" (the Big Dipper) to the North to escape slavery. The rhythmic folktale and colorful paintings help show children the importance of the Underground Railroad.

Follow along with two young girls as they find themselves in the middle of a civil rights demonstration. To help your little one's understand new concepts, like segregation and justice, the book highlights key words and defines them in the back of the book.

Recommended ages: 5 to 8

Recommended ages: 7 to 10

Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

By Doreen Rappaport/Illustrator Bryan Collier Recommended ages: 6 to 8 This picture book biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. brings his life and the profound nature of his message to young children through his own words. Quotes from some of his most beloved speeches to tell the story of his life and his work in a simple, direct way.

Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race

The Undefeated

By Kwame Alexander/ Illustrator Kadir Nelson

By Margot Lee Shetterly/Illustrator Laura Feeman

Recommended ages: 4 to 8

Based on the New York Times bestselling book and the Academy Award–nominated movie, this is the inspiring true story of four black women who helped NASA launch men into space. In a time when Black women in STEM fields were largely unheard of, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden broke barriers.

Here’s the story of how these women played major roles in America’s first venture into outer space.

Recommended ages: 7 to 12

This poem is an ode to black American triumph and tribulation. It highlights the trauma of slavery, the civil rights movement, and celebrates Black heroes and everyday people. Each page is dedicated to a different group from “the unflappable” to “the righteous marching ones who sang we shall not be moved because black lives matter.” There are extensive notes at the end of the book describing who each person in the illustrations are for children who want to learn more.

Young, Gifted and Black

By Jamia Wilson/Illustrator Andrea Pippins

Have You Thanked an Inventor Today?

By Patrice McLaurin/Illustrator Dian Wang Did you know that the streetlight, hairbrush, peanut butter, and the ironing board were invented by Black people? This story chronicles the school day of a little boy, highlighting different inventions that he uses throughout the day, all of which were invented by African Americans. The book comes complete with brief biographies about each inventor as well as fun activities to promote and encourage reading comprehension.

Recommended ages: 5 to 12

Recommended ages: 7 to 10

Meet 52 icons of color from the past and present in this celebration of inspirational achievement—a collection of stories about changemakers to encourage, inspire, and empower the next generation of changemakers. This vibrant book provides an introduction to both historic and present-day icons and heroes.including Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Rosa Parks, as well as cultural trailblazers and athletes like Stevie Wonder, Oprah Winfrey, and Serena Williams.

The Other Side

Juneteenth for Mazie

The fence behind Clover's house marks the town line that separates black people from white people. Clover's mother warns her that it isn't safe to cross the fence, but Clover is curious to meet Anna, the white girl who lives on the other side. But the two girls strike up a friendship, and get around the grown-ups' rules by sitting on top of the fence together.

Mazie is ready to celebrate liberty, freedom and a great day in American history: the day her ancestors were no longer slaves. Mazie remembers the struggles and the triumph, as she gets ready to celebrate Juneteenth.

By Jacqueline Woodson/Illustrator E.B. Lewis

Recommended ages: 5 to 8

By Floyd Cooper

Recommended ages: 6 to 9

BAYSTATEPARENT 23

LET’S ALL GET

MOVING

AGAIN. AG

Massachusetts is getting moving again, and UMass Memorial Health Care is here to do our part. We’re the region’s leader in orthopedics, with more doctors, more expertise and more locations than anyone else. And now, you can feel more confident than ever, knowing we have special COVID-19 safety measures and precautions in place.

APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE NOW—

855-UMASS-MD OR VISIT UMASSMEMORIALORTHO.ORG

CALL

CLINTON • LEOMINSTER • MARLBOROUGH • MILFORD • NORTHBOROUGH • WESTBOROUGH • WORCESTER

THE REGION’S LEADER IN ORTHOPEDICS 24 FEBRUARY 2021