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Fall into Fun • • • •
Fairs & Festivals Corn Mazes Apple Picking and More!
Find the area’s best family fun in our Autumn Guide issue, coming to newsstands in September.
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August 12 – 29 Experience your favorite fairy tale characters as you’ve never seen them before!
Experience an enchanted farm where your favorite characters live as neighbors — from “real-boy” Pinocchio who is adulting for the first time, to a recently awakened princess-turned-Instagram celebrity, to a third little pig with a lot of opinions. Hilarity is bound to ensue as the characters you’ve known since childhood finally decide to get real.
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2 | AUGUST 2021 | BayStateParent
contents Table of
August 2021
volume 25
number 16
in every issue 5 5 6 8 9
Editor’s note
10
Very Special People: An Extra Year for Kids with Special Needs?
23
Finally Forever Good to Know Herding Goofballs DIY: Chalkboard Notebook
Take Five: Astronaut Abby
Have fun in nature at Mass Audubon Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary!
bites 15
Goose’s Goodies: Chocolate Zucchini Bread
16
Nutrition: Tips for Making School Lunches They’ll Actually Eat
18
Nutrition: Rice Cereal Recall
on the agenda 19
The List: 10 Cool Nature Play Spaces
20
August Adventures: 12 Things to do With The Kids This Month
feature
12
Cover Story: What Educators Are Preparing for This School Year
on the cover GETTY IMAGES
BayStateParent | AUGUST 2021 | 3
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2020
editor’s note
August’s Child: Meet Serenity
FINALLY
forever
Hi, my name is Serenity and I love working with animals and want to be a veterinarian!
GETTY IMAGES
I was perusing sand dollar-shaped earrings and seashell necklaces at a beachside gift shop on the Cape this summer, when suddenly my son Max wrapped himself around my legs with such force that my knees almost buckled. Startled, I looked around to see what could cause such an intense reaction. But there was nothing scary at all. Just an older gentleman with kind eyes, waving from behind the jewelry counter and holding up a lollipop off ering. “Sorry,” I told the man, trying to maintain my balance as Max tightened his hold. “He’s a bit shy.” “No problem,” he replied. “He’s a COVID kid.” That was a label I’d never associated with Max, my precocious 4-year-old. Instead, it was Owen, my 6-monthold, born in pandemic times, that we’d dubbed our “quarantine baby.” But this man was right. Max has undoubtedly been aff ected by the pandemic and everything that came along with it. This COVID kid was not yet 3 when his life suddenly changed -- his schedule, his interactions, our circle. He spent some of the most formative time of young childhood isolated from family, friends and peers his age.
When he would have been learning social cues and making emotional strides, he was getting used to masked faces and social distancing. Max is shy by nature, and over the last 18 months, he’s had little opportunity to make gains in his social skills. I worry about what that means for him as he begins preschool this fall. The pandemic has caused a social-emotional fallout for children of all ages, not just the youngest. It’s something that school offi cials have in mind with the reopening of full, in-person learning this school year. According to the executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, educators are working to strike “a balance between academic and the social-emotional support for the kids
who are readjusting to full inperson learning and relationship building with their peers.” You can read more about the state’s plan to bring kids back up to speed this fall -both socially and academically -- on page 12. But fi rst, there’s still some precious summer to soak up. Our August Adventures has plenty of ideas for day trips and family fun, starting on page 19. Enjoy these dog days of summer as you get ready for back to school… and fi nally, back to normal. — Amanda
Serenity, 13, is a curious and friendly girl of Caucasian descent. Serenity can be shy upon fi rst meeting her, but once you start talking to her about her interests, she becomes much more talkative. Some of Serenity’s favorite activities include being outside, at the beach, walking, going to the park, or staying inside and watching TV. She wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up because she loves working with animals. Serenity is legally freed for adoption and would thrive in a home with a female caregiver and is ideally seeking a single female or two female household but is open to exploring a mother/father household. She should also be the only or the youngest child in the home. Serenity has an Open Adoption Agreement with her birth mother consisting of two visits per year. Interested families should be open to maintaining these visits. 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) 964-6273 or visit www.mareinc.org.
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BayStateParent | AUGUST 2021 | 5
GOOD TO
know
x Dedicated hours and free museum admission for families with disabilities are part of the Discovery Museum’s upcoming “Especially for Me” events.
x The American Academy of Pediatrics is calling for all children to be screened for heart-related conditions that could lead to cardiac arrest or death. The group’s new policy, issued this summer, updates previous recommendations which called for screenings for athletes. Now, the group says all children should be screened, regardless of their athletic status, and particularly as they enter middle school or junior high school. About 2,000 individuals younger than age 25 die each year of sudden cardiac death in the United States, excluding sudden infant deaths. While autopsy studies show that most patients had structural heart anomalies, the causes for 6%-40% of deaths remain unexplained. “We tended to focus on athletes in the past when parents brought their children and teens in for a sports physical, or preparticipation exam,” said Christopher C. Erickson, MD, FAAP, lead author of the statement. “We know today that all children and teens benefit from a simple screening to help identify any potential problem that warrants follow-up with a cardiac specialist.” The AAP’s new guidance should help pediatricians identify children at risk for heart-related problems. The screening itself consists of four questions that ask if a child or teen has ever fainted, had an unexplained seizure, experienced chest pain or shortness of breath, as well as if family members have a history of cardiac conditions or death before age 50. The screening should be incorporated into a child’s regular exam at least every two to three years, the group says. If there is a concern, an electrocardiogram should be the first test administered, and it should be interpreted by a physician trained to recognize electrical heart disease. The doctor should factor in a patient’s clinical history and consider referral to a specialist. The AAP also says pediatricians should advocate for emergency action plans and CPR training within the community. The use of automated external defibrillators is effective, as well, in cases of sudden cardiac arrest. “No single screening strategy will detect every possible heart issue, and so it’s important that we raise awareness and education not only in pediatric offices but within the community,” Dr. Erickson said. “We encourage parents and pediatricians to be alert for any concerning signs or family history.”
6 | AUGUST 2021 | BayStateParent
An All Access Afternoon, an event for any family with a developmental disability, will be offered this month on Aug. 15. Play and explore in the museum’s ADA-compliant, and universally designed exhibits during this time dedicated to families with similar experiences. Autism Friendly Afternoons and Afternoons for Families with D/HH and KODA Children are also planned throughout the rest of the year. For all of these programs, the museum is closed to the general public. Advance registration is required. Find out more at discoveryacton.org.
x Got a fourth grader? This year they can explore national parks and public lands – for free! Every year, beginning September 1, all kids in the fourth grade have access to their own Every Kid Outdoors pass, which provides free access to national parks across the country throughout the school year. These federal lands and public waters include millions of acres of national parks, historic structures, cultural artifacts, ancient forests, snowcapped mountains, and clear blue lakes. You can take a big trip or stay close to home -- no matter where you live, you’re within two hours of an included site. Go to everykidoutdoors.gov to sign up for the pass.
w Spanking does not improve a child’s positive behavior – in fact, it can make it worse – according to a review of 69 studies from countries around the globe. The review, published last month in the journal Lancet, found physical punishment is “harmful to children’s development and well-being,” according to its author. The published review showed that children were more likely to act out after being punished. They also tend to develop external problem behaviors with time. “Parents hit their children because they think doing so will improve their behavior,” the report said. “Unfortunately for parents who hit, our research found clear and compelling evidence that physical punishment does not improve children’s behavior and instead makes it worse.”
BayStateParent | AUGUST 2021 | 7
HERDING
goofballs
END OF AN ERA As restrictions wane, reflections on a year of closeness Josh Farnsworth
Knees pointed skyward. Head back. Body contorted with jellyfi sh-like fl uidity. There Cooper, 7, is in his familiar spot at the end of the couch – wrapping himself into a human pretzel. At the center of all his physical twisting sits another book. On this night, he was polishing off his third book of the day. He consumes books like you and I sit down to a meal. And his very spine-busting pose is one of the familiar and welcome sights in the last year that I have come to love seeing as I work from home. For one full school year, my wife and I made the decision to homeschool our two sons. It’s
a decision not everyone has the capacity to make. My wife has fl exibility in her schedule and I have been working from home, allowing me to help at times. It also doesn’t hurt that we have roughly half a million family members who are either current or retired teachers with enough extra workbooks to make a book publisher blush. The pandemic forced us into tight quarters. Luckily, tight is exactly what our fourperson household has grown to become. And now, as the specter of back-to-school season draws close, it has shined a light on a place and time I may romanticize forever. There was plenty of learn-
8 | AUGUST 2021 | BayStateParent
ing at this two-bedroom schoolhouse for sure. Cooper’s favorite subject from his time in his home classroom is his foray into history books. He is already a bigger history buff than me. Among his favorite topics are the U.S. presidents and the history of the Titanic. I do wonder if I dropped the ball here parenting-wise – letting Cooper become intimately enamored with an old ship destined for doom. Maybe, at least, he will grow to have a healthy fear of icebergs if he ever becomes a captain of a ship. Still, there we stood outside at 10 a.m. on a Thursday about 92.5 feet across from each other on the sidewalk - the width of the actual Titanic. I remem-
ber his giddy excitement learning this and understanding part of its size and thinking how in normal times, we would be standing much farther apart. The offi ce was close, but measured in more than boat widths for sure. When I started working at home back in March 2020, I had my reservations how everything would work out. Most of them were put to rest early. That said, with school and work all in the same place, we did have our fair share of challenges. For starters, we converted a small closet upstairs into my offi ce to get work done. During much of the day, I close the door for privacy. And as you can probably guess, privacy was more of a suggestion. Because nothing is more interesting to a kid than a forbidden room you are not allowed to visit. At least the people on the video call meeting all tended to have similar interruptions from children and pets alike. Distractions at home were aplenty as well. Sure my report might be due by the end of the day, but that basket of shirts isn’t going to fold itself, amiright? I am also very much guilty of converting the water cooler conversations that naturally popup at the offi ce into several “refrigerator conversations” with my wife and the kids. Did I need to walk downstairs to get a third glass of juice to tell them my 11 a.m. meeting got postponed (a meeting they had no idea existed until that very moment)? Probably not. But I am sure the rush of being part of my offi ce life is exhilarating enough for them to be talking about it the rest of the day. Or, for them to forget immediately and inquire about watching a show on Netfl ix. I think being around my kids more often also made me crave interactions with adults more. When I would have video chats with colleagues or other friends, I felt out of practice - which is probably why many devolved into me raving about an episode of Bluey or
waxing poetic about reconnecting with fi rst grade math that Cooper was working on. The pandemic was brutal. It was (and in some parts of the world and this country, still is) a dark time in society that suffered so much loss and animosity and heartbreak. With that disclaimer in mind, the extra year I got to work at home feels like bonus moments I got to steal from history. Don’t get me wrong. This isn’t goodbye to my kids. The four of us still live together and nothing is changing, except our schedule. In the coming years, I will try to remember this past year for the tragedy it was, but also for all the moments I won… Having lunch with my boys Hearing them run around with wild inhibition Noticing the infl ection in their voices when they fi nally understood the school work that was giving them problems Coming downstairs to see my oldest son wrapping himself around a third book One thing does make the transition easier. The kids are not the only ones returning to their Monday to Friday place of responsibility. As the kids cross over into the classrooms for the 2021-2022 academic year, so do I begin a new workweek ritual. I am heading back into the offi ce twice a week. As an extrovert, part of me is celebrating the chance to reconnect with other adults. As someone who had an ideal school and work situation last year, it won’t be the same. But we have the picture. We have the memories. We have the bond that a global emergency only made stronger somehow. To all those returning to similar setups for work-life normalcy, stay strong and best of luck. Know this: It will just make those meetings at 92.5 feet apart that much sweeter. Josh Farnsworth is a husband, father of goofballs Cooper and Milo, goofball himself, and award-winning writer and columnist living in Worcester. He can be reached for column ideas at josh.farnsworth@yahoo.com.
DIY
Get ready for the new school year with this fun chalkboard notebook. AMANDA COLLINS BERNIER
Chalkboard notebook Transform the cover of a notebook into a chalkboard! Use it to jot down notes, homework assignments, or just to doodle. This fun craft couldn’t be easier to make, and is sure to help get kids excited for the new school year.
What you’ll need Notebook Chalkboard paint Foam brush
How to make it Wipe down your notebook cover to make sure its clean before getting started. Using the foam brush, paint the cover with chalkboard paint in a thin, even layer. Let dry at least one hour in between coats. Our notebook took three coats of paint. Once the notebook is completely covered and the paint is dry, season the chalkboard by rubbing it with the side of a piece of chalk. Wipe off with a dry cloth or paper towel.
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The JCC is a great mix of friends from all backgrounds, cultures and ages! 633 Salisbury St., Worcester, MA • worcesterjcc.org • 508.756.7109 Contact: Monica Maher, Membership Director x 236, mmaher@worcesterjcc.org BayStateParent | AUGUST 2021 | 9
VERY SPECIAL
people
Support R schools
Nicole Shih
FOR
Legislation seeks to assist students with disabilities
emote learning brought on by the pandemic disrupted the school experience for students throughout the region, especially those with developmental disabilities, like Dan and Andy Wiener. Twins Dan and Andy Wiener, 21, of Boston, are autistic and blind. Both boys attend Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown. They are set to graduate next year, because Massachusetts law only provides public school services to age 22, despite the fact that they’ve missed over a year of school due to COVID-19.
GETTY IMAGES
e bsit ars r we semin u o t g Visi comin p u r fo
We’re Here to Help Whether your loved one with special needs is an adult or a child, we can help with:
• Special Needs Planning • Advocacy
• Transition Planning & Adult Services • Guardianship & Alternatives
Contact Meredith H. Greene, Esq. at mgreene@fletchertilton.com
Photography by Sam Montanez, an artist living with autism and Asperger syndrome
10 | AUGUST 2021 | BayStateParent
WORCESTER | FRAMINGHAM | BOSTON | CAPE COD | PROVIDENCE 508.459.8000 | FletcherTilton.com
Includes reimbursement to districts The bill also includes a provision for the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to reimburse municipalities for eligible costs associated with providing additional educa-
tional services to students whose education was negatively impacted by the pandemic. “I understand why that bill is put in so that people would have that opportunity to maybe accelerate their learning at the areas that may have not been good in growth this year because of the pandemic,” said Maureen Binienda, superintendent of Worcester Public Schools. “I think students from every district might benefi t from it if (it has) funding associated with it because it can’t have a large number of kids added back into the system unless (there is) funding to educate them.” The Joint Committee on Education is reviewing the bill and is required to submit a report on it by Feb. 2, 2022. It is going through the committee’s vetting process that may include estimating how many students would likely “opt-in” and what the costs associated with it would be. The committee will likely discuss the issue with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Coppinger said. “The impact for students and their families that choose to “opt-in” for another year will be all positive,” he added.
Students attend school in Monique Dowling’s class in Burncoat High School March 15. RICK CINCLAIR/ T&G FILE PHOTO
able to help students who have experienced learning loss during COVID-19.
Seven Hills Foundation of Worcester The Seven Hills Foundation of Worcester provides information, referrals and training in terms of educational and community-based supports to children and adults with disabilities and signifi cant life
‘No question’ student learning impacted There is “no question” that student learning was impacted during the pandemic, said Joe Sawyer, superintendent of Shrewsbury Public Schools — but it will take time to determine the extent of it. The school adopted some screening tools that provided initial data regarding which students were performing below benchmarks. This summer, they are also off ering a new learning academy to students who were identifi ed for targeted support in English language arts and math, in addition to usual summer programs that support students with disabilities and English language learners. “During the coming school year, we will continue to closely monitor student academic progress and provide additional supports where warranted,” Sawyer said. Local children and family support organizations are also
challenges. The foundation off ers an Individualized Education Program (IEP) training to help with educational plans and transitional support including where to get health screening, where to get help with social security benefi ts and how to look for the right colleges. “A lot of these kids that were 21 are going into adulthood. They’re not ready yet because they didn’t get that
social aspect which a lot of folks with disabilities are already lacking,” said Gina Bernard, assistant vice president of family services at Seven Hills Foundation. “We have a lot of folks with mental health needs that are going to take a while to get back into a routine of thing. This fear and the anxiety of being out into a group is heightened at this point.”
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Legislation sponsored by Rep. Edward Coppinger, DWest Roxbury, might give the Wiener brothers — as well as other students whose education has been impacted negatively by COVID, including those in Worcester County — relief and help with some of the learning lost in the past year. “I presented this bill for local constituents Dan and Andy and their father, Barry,” Coppinger said. “They need to recoup this valuable year back and be able to postpone their graduation one year as a result.” According to a State House News Service report, bill H.3865 fi led by Coppinger would allow any Massachusetts student who graduated in 2021 or is scheduled to graduate in 2022, whose parents or guardians “opt-in,” to another year of education before they move on to the next chapter of their lives. The bill would also allow students receiving special education who will reach age 22 during the 2020-2021 or 2021-2022 academic year — the age students no longer qualify for enrollment in the public school system — to stay in school until they turn 23. “Due to COVID, many students with disabilities were not in the classroom for 14 to 16 months,” Coppinger told the state Joint Committee on Education. “The students who are now due to graduate in 2022 have missed out tremendously on these all-important lessons which would prepare them to exit school and, in some cases, go on to the independent living. There is tremendous stress and trepidation currently upon the families of these students.” Many families are asking for an extra year of schooling for their soon to be 22-yearolds who will be required to graduate if the bill does not pass, Coppinger said.
Highly Competitive Compensation & Excellent Benefits Locations throughout Worcester County
Call 508-755-2238 • www.guildofstagnes.org BayStateParent | AUGUST 2021 | 11
cover story
COVID-SLIDE,
SOCIAL FALLOUT What educators are preparing for this school year
GETTY IMAGES
Debbie Laplaca
L
earning loss, or the COVID-slide, is a concern for all involved in education. The unprecedented disruption in schooling has proven diffi cult for most students, and even more troublesome for students whose home learning conditions were less than adequate. h Early studies suggest that students fully remotely schooled or who rotated through partial days of hybrid learning during the pandemic, on average, could be fi ve to nine months behind on learning today.
12 | AUGUST 2021 | BayStateParent
Further, the most vulnerable students are expected to be disproportionately aff ected. Students of color were projected to be six to 12 months behind, compared with four to eight months for white students, according to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). In addition to combating learning loss, educators are also prepping this upcoming school year for the socialemotional fallout students may be experiencing from the pandemic. “All students were aff ected by the pandemic to varying degrees and in diff erent ways, including possible isolation, anxiety, and depression,” DESE spokesperson Jacqueline Reis said. “At the start of the school year in particular, schools will need to see what social and emotional supports students need. Students who chose to stay remote through the end of the ‘20-21 school year might need extra help returning to the building.” So, what can parents and guardians expect when summer closes and schools reopen with full in-person schedules of classroom instruction? Tom Scott, the executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents (MASS), said the goal of educators is to make the reopening as normal for students as possible, while watching for signs from children who have suff ered trauma or unfi nished learning during the pandemic. “The focus is going to be a balance between academic and the social-emotional support for the kids who are readjusting to full in-person learning and relationship building with their peers,” Scott said. Regarding the social-emotional support, Scott said, “We will be looking out for children who have been in environments where there has been neglect and abuse situations.” School staff , he said, will be sensitive to providing as much social interaction as possible for student support. As for the so-called COVIDslide, Scott said, “In the begin-
Early studies suggest that students fully remotely schooled or who rotated through partial days of hybrid learning during the pandemic, on average, could be fi ve to nine months behind on learning today.
ning of the year there will be a lot of diagnostic assessment of kids to determine the degree of learning loss.” One gage of possible learning gaps will be the results from the spring administration of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment system of testing, known as MCAS, Reis said. Education leaders and teachers have received guidance for achieving “equitable recovery” in a DESE May publication titled, “Acceleration Roadmap.” In it, a letter from DESE Commissioner Jeff rey C. Riley says in part, “Despite the herculean eff orts of educators and families, we must acknowledge that many of our students are facing unfi nished learning heading into the summer and next school year. To eff ectively meet the needs of our students – particularly those most impacted by the pandemic – we need to focus on making sure all of our kids receive the culturally respon-
sive support they need to be successful in their grade level.” The roadmap focuses on acceleration rather than remediation of possible learning losses. Remediation is based on the misconception that for students to learn new information, they must go back and master everything they missed, the roadmap says. The primary focus of remediation is mastering concepts of the past. Acceleration, on the other hand, strategically prepares students for success in the present. Rather than concentrating on a litany of items that students have failed to master, acceleration readies students for new learning. Past concepts and skills are addressed, but in the purposeful context of future learning. “Learning acceleration doesn’t mean racing through the curriculum, but instead ensuring that students can spend as much time as possi-
ble engaging meaningfully with grade-appropriate work,” Riley wrote. “If a student hasn’t mastered the earlier skills that are required to complete a grade-appropriate assignment, the student receives ‘just-in-time support’ — giving the student just the right amount of help to move forward, right when they need that help.” The summer months have brought greater concerns about students’ readiness to advance to the next grade, particularly for families without the resources to enroll their children in summer camps or enrichment programs. So, while educators
prep for the soon-to-be full classrooms, specialized summer programs have been getting a jump on post-pandemic student needs. For this, the Baker-Polito Administration allocated more than $70 million in funding and resources to school districts and community organizations for summer learning and recreational programs. This bump in summer funding was designed to help students who were negatively impacted by remote and hybrid learning to catch up academically and grow socially. With that, DESE began administering a wide range of grant-funded programs this summer, which are expected to impact more than 50,000 students statewide each year. One such off ering, Acceleration Academies, is a late August program that gives students up to 25 hours of learning in one week on one subject. Early literacy learning is the focus for children up to second grade, and math acceleration is for middle and high schoolers. Other off erings include early literacy tutoring for grades K-2, a math challenge for elementary school-aged children, and bolstered enrichment at summer camps and programs. For more information on summer programs available in your area, visit https:// www.doe.mass.edu/asost/ summer-learning.html
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.
BayStateParent | AUGUST 2021 | 13
Introducing our new IVF Center. No matter how your path to pregnancy turns, we’re prepared for every step and every stage.
The path to pregnancy can be an overwhelming maze of emotions. You need the right team with the right capabilities. That’s why we’re pleased to announce the addition of our on-site IVF Center to round out our robust fertility services — ensuring convenient, state-of-the-art care, close to home. Reach out today to schedule your appointment.
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14 | AUGUST 2021 | BayStateParent
GOOSE’S
goodies
CHOCOLATE
zucchini BREAD
Who knew you could turn a summer veggie into this ultimate chocolate goodie? Zucchini has never been so yummy.
Ingredients 3 cups flour ⁄ 4 cup cocoa powder
1
1 tbsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. baking soda ⁄ 2 tsp. baking powder
1
1 tsp. salt 2 cups sugar 3 eggs 1 cup oil 2 tsp. vanilla 2 cups shredded zucchini 1 cup chocolate chips 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9x5 loaf pans, set aside. In large bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Mix well with whisk. In another bowl, beat together the sugar and eggs. Add oil and vanilla, and beat till combined. Stir in shredded zucchini and mix well (it will be thick). Add the flour to the zucchini mixture and mix well, then fold in chocolate chips and nuts, if desired. Divide batter between two greased loaf pans. Bake for 50-55 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 5-10 minutes, then remove from pan. As all ovens can vary temperature wise, baking time could take a little longer. You can also use four small greased loaf pans, and check after 35 minutes. This bread freezes well.
Chocolate zucchini bread AMANDA COLLINS BERNIER
BayStateParent | AUGUST 2021 | 15
BITES
nutrition Tips for making meals your kids will actually want to eat
SCHOOL LUNCHES Janelle Randazza
S
chool lunches get no respect. They are thrown together in the morning hustle, typically arriving at the lunch table soggy, smelly, and uninspiring to the harried eater who is expected to wolf it down in 15 to 20 minutes. With such little time to eat, what parents send to school for lunch has to pack a big impact—both in nutrition and in appeal. If most days your little one is coming home with a lunch bag full of untouched food, Catherine McCord, the mastermind behind the blog Weelicious and the food delivery service One Potato, shared her tried-andtrue tips for how to revamp your kid’s lunches and make them more exciting—while saving you time in the process. She has built an empire on making school lunches more appealing to kids and her book “Weelicious Lunches: Think Outside the Lunch Box with More Than 160 Happier Meals” focuses on just that. McCord talked to us about her best hacks to get kids excited about eating lunch, and shared her favorite products to help tired parents make school lunches more exciting with minimal eff ort.
1. Start with a template
McCord says she’s the fi rst to admit that sometimes even she feels like she has to jumpstart her lunch-packing autopilot, so she starts with a template and goes from there. Every lunch should have a fruit, a vegetable, a carb, and a protein. She says after you get those main components out of the way, you can free yourself to have fun.
2. Repurpose, repurpose, repurpose
McCord is a huge fan of batch cooking. She’s also a proponent of repurposing last night’s dinner. A few strips from your chicken dinner, and the remaining tomatoes from your salad is a great way to get lunch started. McCord says to add a few new components like a fun fruit and some cheesy crackers and you’re done!
3. There are no bad eaters
This is a big one and, McCord says, central to how she feeds her family. It’s so easy for us to look at our kids and focus on all they won’t eat; she suggests putting a positive spin on pickiness, “Don’t say, ‘Sally only will eat x,y, and z. Instead, praise them for fi nding foods they love.” Each school year, McCord sits down with her kids and asks them to make a list of at least 10 things they love to eat. “If they start nibbling on one thing, they may start to graze towards something else—and sometimes it’s something that you put a new twist on.”
4. Find a gateway food and go with it
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If you bemoan the fact that your child will only eat PB&J, you’re not alone. In fact, the ubiquitous lunch time favorite is pretty popular in McCord’s house too. It’s so popular, she devoted an entire chapter in her book to deconstructing and revamping the old favorite. “If you think your kid will only eat PB&J, that’s a start!” she says. Take a food that’s in their culinary wheelhouse and give it new life. You can turn PB&J into sushi rolls, wedge it between apple slices, or press it between two slices of whole wheat bread in a waffl e maker to give it a new texture.That
favorite food can give them the safety to try new foods in a new ways. Once they try one new thing and realize they like it, McCord says you’re on your way to have a more adventurous eater.
5. The freezer is your friend The ice pack is obviously a great way to keep things cold, but McCord recommends freezing anything you can to help keep things fresh and to have a chilly lunchbox treat. She freezes everything from fruit to big batches of carrot snack sticks in silicone baggies; by the time lunchtime rolls around those healthy treats have a nice chill and pop to them. Frozen yogurt sticks, organic push pops, and apple sauce pouches can do double duty by keeping things cold in the morning and then transforming into a refreshing, slushy treat by lunchtime. 6. Prepare the night before It’s a fact: Kids create less stress when they are fast asleep. Catherine is a huge fan of cutting through the chaos and prepping lunches the night before. “Allow yourself the brain space to be creative,” she says. If you have a quiet house, you are more likely to come up with new and fresh ideas for what to pack. 7. Texture is everything No one likes soggy sandwiches, limp crackers, or mealy melon. Make sure you’re paying attention to texture before you pack. Picking out fi rm fruit and veggies goes without saying, but McCord says you need to pay just as much attention to the texture of your protein and carbs. Since she likes to pack food the night before, she’s come up with some great hacks for keeping bread from getting soggy. She freezes bread slices to make fi nger sandwiches the night before, or she rolls and fl attens the dough to make “sushi” out of everything under the sun. Both are fun to eat and stop bread from getting soggy if they’ve been in lunchboxes overnight. 8. Think small When kids are rushed or distracted, bite-sized and
smaller portions will help them enjoy their lunches without feeling overwhelmed. “Smaller portions are easier to tackle and bite-sized is more fun,” says McCord. You might be tempted to throw in a slice of watermelon, but the bigger the piece the more apt it is to get bruised and the more likely it is to only get partially eaten. When in doubt, make it small.
9. Small batches for big variety A bulk run at Costco is so tempting, but McCord recommends that you buy your produce in small batches. “A bag of apples is great, but no one wants to eat an apple every day for fi ve days straight,” she says. Instead, buy a smaller amount of diff erent fruits and vegetables so there is always variety. 10. Give it new shape You’ll see McCord’s copious use of cookie cutters all across her blog and her Instagram feed. She likes to bring new life to everything from cheese letters, wishing her children a good day, to favorite pop culture cookies, to dinosaurs in sandwich bites, to fl owerpowered fruit bites. New shapes keep things fun and interesting and get kids excited about lunch.
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11. Mix up the textures You’ve got the crunchy carrot sticks down – now McCord says to move onto smooth, sticky, juicy. Throw in a little bit of hummus, a new fruit, or even some gummy bears just to get all of your child’s senses engaged an on board with eating their lunch before the bell rings. 12. Pick a theme You’re out of inspiration, but you have a drawer full of skewers? Make a kabobthemed lunch! Two days into lunches and you’re already bored? Time for Taco Tuesday. Totally stumped? Try breakfast for lunch. Feeling like your kid needs a midweek pickme-up? Put some smiles on those cheese wheels. Don’t be afraid to get silly! McCord says, “If you want your kid to have fun at lunch, allow yourself a little bit of fun, too.” BayStateParent | AUGUST 2021 | 17
BITES
Brand nixes rice cereal due to arsenic levels
nutrition
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Beech-Nut Nutrition, a popular brand of baby food, has voluntarily recalled its rice cereal because it contained levels of arsenic above federal guidelines. In the recall notice posted on the Food & Drug Administration website, Beech-Nut also announced it will no longer sell the rice cereal and GETTY IMAGES says it has “decided to exit the market for Beech-Nut branded Single Grain Rice Cereal.” “Beech-Nut is concerned about the ability to consistently obtain rice fl our well-below the FDA guidance level and Beech-Nut specifi cations for naturally occurring inorganic arsenic,” the company said in its notice on the FDA site. Beech-Nut’s move comes months after a House Oversight subcommittee investigation found levels of arsenic, lead and other toxic metals that can harm brain development in many popular baby foods. “The safety of infants and children is Beech-Nut’s top priority,” Jason Jacobs, Beech-Nut vice president food safety and quality, said in a statement. He added the company issued the recall after learning of the levels through routine sampling by the state of Alaska. Last August, the FDA fi nalized guidance for infant rice cereal, recommending it contain no more than 100 parts per billion of arsenic. The subcommittee’s report in February said Beech-Nut used some ingredients that tested as high as 913 parts per billion for arsenic.
Baby Food Safety Act of 2021 Consumer Reports and the U.S. PIRG Education Fund are calling on Congress to pass the Baby Food Safety Act of 2021, which would require the FDA to adopt strict limits. “We’ve known for years that toxic heavy metals are found in popular baby foods and can lead to serious health problems in children over time,” Brian Ronholm, Consumer Reports director of food policy, said in a statement. “This recall underscores why we need strict limits to keep dangerous heavy metals out of the food that so many parents serve their young children every day.” U.S. PIRG Education Fund Consumer Watchdog Teresa Murray said baby food manufacturers aren’t required to test their fi nal products or disclose results to regulators or to parents. Murray said the Baby Food Safety Act, which was proposed by lawmakers in March, would address these issues. Beech-Nut rice cereal recall According to the recall notice, the lot of Beech-Nut Single Grain Rice that is being recalled has an expiration date of May 1, 2022, and is UPC code 52200034705. The specifi c product codes are 103470XXXX and 093470XXXX. Both the expiration date and product numbers can be found at the bottom of the cereal canister. These specifi c product codes were distributed nationally through retail and online. “No illnesses related to these product codes have been reported to date, and no other production dates or Beech-Nut products are aff ected by this recall,” the company said. The recalled products should be discarded. Consumers can fi ll out a form on Beechnut.com/ricecereal to get recalled products replaced or call 1-866-272-9417, for more information on getting a refund or exchange.
THE
list PRINCETON Wachusett Meadow
Mass Audubon Ispwich River Wildlife Sanctuary.
Explore, build, create, and climb where boulders and logs and sticks and stones have become jungle gyms, teepees, and balance beams. A cool shady spot to play in summer, shallow pools to investigate on rainy days, and wildlife tracks and more to discover in winter. Benches await parents and weary kids ready for a snack.
MASS AUDUBON
SOMERVILLE Hoyt-Sullivan Park Featuring several multi-level play elements, including an accessible tower and a complex log jam, this playground maximizes topographical changes to challenge and inspire children. A playground tower encourages children to view the site from above and track the trains as they pass by.
COOL SPACES
STONEHAM Stone Zoo
E
xperts agree that children need access to nature the same way that they need good nutrition and adequate sleep. According to the National Wildlife Federation, when kids play in nature, “they do so with more vigor, engagement, imagination, and cooperation than in wholly artificial environments.” Enter the Nature Play Space. These are parks and play areas that have been designed to include natural elements, ranging from trees, stumps, logs, boulders, water, plants, sand, and so on. Instead of the standard metal and plastic structures that make up the bulk of today’s playgrounds, these areas incorporate surrounding landscapes and vegetation. Here’s some great local places to check out nature’s playground.
MATTAPAN Boston Nature Center
BOSTON Franklin Park Zoo
NATICK Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary
Between the Hyena and Baird’s Tapir exhibits, you’ll find this area for log play and fort building. Designed to connect children to the natural world, the play space has a rain barrel for little ones to enjoy water play.
CANTON Museum of American Bird Art Children can express their creativity and connect with nature at the same time at this play area near the large rock outcrop along the path to the museum. Use rocks as a medium for masterful chalk works of art and build mini cities from twigs, tree bark, and stones.
LINCOLN Drumlin Farm Discover a spiral stepping activity, a circle was made from downed trees on-site, that’s perfect for imaginative play. Kids will also enjoy the Forest Discovery Trail to find raccoon and coyote tracks embedded in the ground, an over-sized bird nest, woodchuck tunnels, a rhododendron maze, and a stump jump. Check out the treasure boxes along the trail to see what other visitors have found.
The 14,000-square-foot Nature Nook offers gardening, building, climbing, and a shaded gathering area with benches for relaxing. Highlights include a giant xylophone, a jungle-like tall grass maze (complete with secret passageways), and a stone stream-bed where children can experiment with running water, sand, and sticks.
This play space features three play circles: one with sand, one with small rocks, and one with logs. Build, stack and create patterns and mini structures with rocks. Look for butterflies, dragonflies and bees, and listen for sounds of birds.
Curious kids can climb into an oversized bird’s nest at this play area, just across from the zoo’s Snow Leopard exhibit. Built following guidelines from the National Wildlife Federation and Natural Learning Initiative, it also features discovery tables, log play and fort building.
TOPSFIELD Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary Children can build a log cabin, explore a woodland trail, scale a mini observation tower or challenge themselves on a stump jump and fallen log balance beam. Materials used in the construction of this area were recycled from the sanctuary property.
WORCESTER Broad Meadow Brook It’s all about building at Broad Meadow Brook, where kids can create mini cities with found bricks or design gnome homes with moss, leaves, acorns, and anything else found on the ground. There’s also a wooden two-seater swing.
BayStateParent | AUGUST 2021 | 19
ON THE
agenda
AUGUST ADVENTURES:
12
awesome things to do with the kids this month
w 14th Annual Butterfly Festival
Saturday, Aug. 14 Broad Meadow Brook - Worcester A day of educational fun where butterfl ies fl y free in their natural habitats. This kid-friendly annual festival features naturalist-led walks and workshops, up-close encounters with live caterpillars, butterfl y art, children’s activities, butterfl y garden tours, pollinator-friendly plant sales and more. Mass Audubon members $5, nonmembers $6, kids 2 and under free. More at massaudubon.org.
w Summer Food Truck Fest
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v World’s Largest Pancake Breakfast
v Fairy Tale Farm at the Village
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20 | AUGUST 2021 | BayStateParent
Various dates, Aug. 12-29 Various locations The Brown Box Theatre Project presents “Much Ado About Nothing” in free, outdoor performances throughout the state, open to all audiences. The Shakespearean comedy will be fully staged in each location, and will feature professional artists, designers, and actors. Performances will take place at Wilmington Memorial Library (Aug. 12), Chelmsford Town Common (Aug. 13), Blackstone Heritage State Park (Aug. 14), Hyde Community Center (Aug. 18), Atlantic Wharf Waterfront Plaza (Aug. 19 & 29), French River Park (Aug. 20), Heritage State Park (Aug. 21), Pilgrim Memorial State Park (Aug. 22), Borderland State Park (Aug. 26), Christian Herter Park (Aug. 27), and Sargent Memorial Library (Aug. 28). More info at www.brownboxtheatre.org.
S
w Watch Shakespeare in the park
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OLD STURBRIDGE VILLAGE
Saturday, Aug. 21 Downtown Springfi eld Each year, Springfi eld, Mass., and Battle Creek, Michigan, (the self-proclaimed “Cereal Capital”) battle it out for the “World’s Largest Breakfast” title. The menu includes hot, hearty pancakes, coffee, juice and milk, and lots of local talent. After breakfast, enjoy a giant tag sale, mini train rides, K9 demonstrations, and fi re trucks. Adults are $3, kids are free. More at spiritofspringfi eld.org.
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Wednesdays through Sundays, Aug. 12-29 Old Sturbridge Village - Sturbridge Experience “Fairy Tale Farm,” an enchanted farm where your favorite characters from several beloved fairy tales live side by side. Each step out of their home for the fi rst time in a while; from “real-boy” Pinocchio who is adulting for the fi rst time, to a recently awakened (formerly Sleeping) Beauty who is a princess-turned-Instagram celebrity, to Little Red’s once-devoured grandmother, to Goldilocks (who is newly engaged to Baby Bear), and an opinionated third little pig named Vincent. The experience will feature music by Gracie Day, and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, sandwiches, ice cream, and snacks will be available for purchase. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for youth ages 4-12 and available at osv.org.
Saturday, Aug. 14 Wachusett Mountain Princeton Forget about the calories and enjoy the festivities! Enjoy an array of food specialties from assorted food trucks, sample great craft beers and listen to live music. Between bites take a ride on the SkyRide to the mountain summit. Come early for a classic car show, DJ and breakfast specials. Ticket prices TBA. Find out more at wachusett.com.
w Sunflower experience
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Saturdays & Sundays, Aug. 21-22, 28-29 Lanni Orchards Lunenburg Wander through three acres of stunning sunfl owers, take pictures, and pick your own fl owers. You’ll see a rainbow of diff erent colors as you meander through the fi eld. Note: there is always the chance that the crop could be early or late, so be fl exible and check ahead. Tickets: adults $14, children $9. More info and tickets at lanniorchard.com.
y Boston Lights: A Lantern Experience Daily through Oct. 11 Franklin Park Zoo - Boston Boston Lights will once again illuminate Franklin Park Zoo with all new lanterns and lights. Experience the wonder of over 60 magnifi cent displays featuring hundreds of beautifully crafted lanterns spanning the zoo’s 72 acres. Walk through glowing corridors of lotus and sunfl owers, cranes and cherry blossoms, and a towering 87-foot-long Tyrannosaurus Rex tunnel. Luminous animal and ocean scenes, traditional Asian lantern displays, a stunning 164-foot-long phoenix, and more will light up the night sky. Tickets are $21.95 for members, $19.95 non-members, or family four-packs for $62.95/$72.95. Kids under 2 free. More details at zoonewengland.org. ZOO NEW ENGLAND
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x Food Truck Fridays Fridays through Sept. 24 Roger Williams Park Zoo & Carousel Village - Providence Experience the array of foods and delicious sweets from a variety of vendors at this weekly event. Take a ride on the historic Carousel, or hop aboard the Carousel Express train. Bring a chair or blanket, and sit on the lawn. The fun kicks off at 5 p.m. Admission is free; Food Trucks accept cash, credit, and debit. More at rwpzoo.org. MLB
x Out of the Park Saturday, Aug. 28 Boston This free, family-friendly program transforms a busy corner of the Boston Common into Fenway Park. Watch the Sox take on the Cleveland Indians on a big screen with the excitement of Yawkey Way and Fenway recreated with free food and activities. Meet Red Sox mascot Wally, savor Fenway Franks and other ballpark treats, hear from the Hot Tamales Brass Band, and enjoy activities like face painting, caricatures, balloon art, and baseball-themed games. More details at highlandstreet.org.
y T. Rex Adventure Daily through Sept. 6 Stone Zoo - Stoneham Take a prehistoric journey through time and walk among the giants that once ruled the planet. Come face-to-face with colossal creatures from the past, from a towering 42foot-long Tyrannosaurus Rex to the 20-foot long plant-eating Plateosaurus. Nestled within the trees, bushes and undergrowth awaits an array of moving and roaring animatronic dinosaurs, as well as realistic dinosaur skeletons. T. Rex Adventure runs through Sept. 6., and is included with general Zoo admission. Advance online ticket purchase is required; adults $19.95, kids $12.95, children under 2 free. More at stonezoo.org.
STONE ZOO
BayStateParent | AUGUST 2021 | 21
y Highland Street Foundation’s Free August Adventures Aug. 1-31 Various locations Enjoy one free activity every day this month thanks to a partnership between the Highland Street Foundation and a variety of Massachusetts cultural institutions. Most participating venues have limited capacity and require advance registration. Sign up at highlandstreet.org to take advantage of free admission at the following institutions:
ASHLEY GREEN/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE
x Tour Polar Park Daily Polar Park - Worcester Tours of Polar Park, the new Triple-A baseball park, are available to the public. Tours are held hourly from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week, except when there is a Sunday home game. On Saturdays, the last tour begins two hours before the game. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children 15 and under. Children under 2 are free. Tickets are available at the Polar Park ticket offi ce at 100 Madison St., and at woosox.com.
We’re Wide Open
Aug. 1: Commonwealth Shakespeare Company Boston Aug. 2: Cape Cod Children’s Museum - Mashpee Aug. 3: Capron Park Zoo Attleboro Aug. 4: Children’s Museum of Greater Fall River - Fall River Aug. 5: Fitchburg Art Museum - Fitchburg Aug. 6: Fruitlands Museum Harvard Aug. 7: Falmouth Museums on the Green - Falmouth Aug. 8: Berkshire Museum Pittsfi eld Aug. 9: New Bedford Whaling Museum - New Bedford Aug. 10: The Greenway Carousel - Boston Aug. 11: Springfi eld Museums - Springfi eld Aug. 12: Museum of African American History - Boston Aug. 13: Worcester Art Museum - Worcester Aug. 14: Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary - Lincoln Aug. 15: Atlantic White Shark Center - Chatham
Green by day, dark by night! Come explore our rivers, trails farms and iconic New England downtowns & villages Visit TheLastGreenValley.org or call 860-774-3300
National Heritage Corridor 22 | AUGUST 2021 | BayStateParent
Visit TheLastGreenValley.org or call 860-774-3300
SETH KAYE PHOTOGRAPHY
Aug. 16: Children’s Museum at Holyoke - Holyoke Aug. 17: Institute of Contemporary Art - Boston Aug. 18: Boston Children’s Museum - Boston Aug. 19: Eric Carle Museum Amherst Aug. 20: Wenham Museum Wenham Aug. 21: Larz Anderson Auto Museum - Brookline Aug. 22: Peabody Essex Museum - Salem Aug. 23: Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary - Lenox Aug. 24: Decordova Sculpture Park - Lincoln Aug. 25: Paragon Carousel Hull Aug. 26: Fuller Craft Museum - Brockton Aug. 27: Cape Cod Museum of Art - Dennis Aug. 28: Out of the Park Boston Aug. 29: Wachusett Meadow - Princeton Aug. 30: Castle Hill - Ipswich Aug. 31: Norman Rockwell Museum - Stockbridge
Take Five with
A
Astronaut Abby
bigail Harrison, popularly known as “Astronaut Abby,” is an aspiring astronaut who dreams of becoming the fi rst to step foot on Mars. At 18, she cofounded The Mars Generation, an international
nonprofi t working to excite kids about STEM education and to educate people everywhere of the importance space exploration. A rising star in her fi eld who has been featured in TIME,
Forbes, Seventeen, Marie Claire, Glamour, Teen Vogue, and more, she has interned at a NASA-funded astrobiology lab and is currently working as a research scientist in the Jackson Lab at Harvard Medical School. Abby recently released her fi rst book, “Dream Big! How to Reach for Your Stars,” an inter-
COURTESY PHOTO
active guide for grades 5 and up that teaches strategies for young readers to achieve their dreams. What sparked your interest in space as a kid? How was it kindled over the years? One of my earliest memories is from when I was probably 3 or 4 years old - I remember standing at my family’s back door, looking up at the night sky and being fi lled with a sense of awe and wonder for space. I had all these questions about space going through my head; that’s when I decided that I wanted to become an astronaut and be part of fi nding the answers. Additionally, as I grew up I was exposed to science fi ction books and movies that defi nitely helped foster my curiosity and continued interest in space exploration. Later on, during my early teen years, I had a couple of incredible opportunities in space exploration (such as receiving a scholarship to go to Space Camp, meeting an astronaut, and seeing a Shuttle launch) that really solidifi ed my dreams and helped me to believe that I could actually achieve my “out of this world” dream.
What’s the Mars Generation and why is it called that? What ages does this Mars Generation include? The Mars generation is another term for Gen Z, basically young people around my age (under 25). We named our nonprofi t (The Mars Generation) after this group of young people who are growing up in the midst of the new space age and an era of increased Mars exploration. They really are the future of STEM and space travel, and with the right support will accomplish many great things, both on Earth and off . With our rapid advances in technology, it’s very possible that future astronauts of this generation will be the fi rst to go to Mars and eventually even live on Mars. Our nonprofi t, named after this generation, has even recognized young people from the age group in our 24 Under 24 Leaders and Innovators in STEAM & Space Awards. This recognizes young people under the age of 24 that are making a large impact in the industry for the future.
You’ve jumped out of airplanes, earned a pilot’s license and advanced scuba diving certifi cation, conducted scientifi c fi eld work in Siberia, and more in pursuit of your dream. What’s the most memorable or exciting experience? It’s probably a three-way tie between getting my pilot’s license, driving a prototype Mars buggy when visiting NASA’s Johnson Space Center, and speaking at conferences and classrooms around the world! What personal item would you bring with you on a spaceflight to Mars? I love music, so if I could, I would bring my violin with me. Being so
far from home, having a violin with me would give me a chance to create my own music and entertainment. I think it would give me a feeling of home and familiarity while still pursuing my dream. Also, since it’s such a long journey, I’d have plenty of time to practice! Although I’m not so sure how my crew would feel about it!
In “Dream Big! How to Reach for Your Stars”, you offer tips for helping kids achieve their goals. What does it boil down to? The book is full of helpful advice, personal anecdotes, and fun activities, all of which are intended to lead the reader down the path of discovering their dream and developing the skills needed to reach it. One of the largest takeaways is to not be discouraged by failure because it happens to all of us, and it’s especially likely to happen at some point along the way to such a large dream. With the right skills and tools anyone can chase after their dreams! BayStateParent | AUGUST 2021 | 23
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