Broward Family Life June 2020 by Broward Family Life

COMPLIMENTARY

JUNE 2020

VIRTUAL roadTRIPS PUT YOUR MOUSE IN DRIVE AND GO

summer

SAFETY KEEPING KIDS OUT OF HARM'S WAY

Grads& Dads

Safe. Strong. Trusted. Your child’s safety comes first at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. Our commitment to providing safe children’s healthcare came long before the COVID-19 pandemic. To protect our patients, families, staff and physicians, we have put extra safety precautions in place throughout our locations and all of our specialists now offer telehealth visits, in addition to in-office visits, so patients can see their doctor without physically going to their office. As our services reopen, we remain committed to safely healing children with trusted specialty care. Find a specialist and schedule online at JDCH.com.

contents

JUNE 2020

LESSONS FROM QUARANTINE Forced time at home reveals surprising truths.

HEAD OF THE CLASS A look at some of the brightest young minds in this year’s graduating class.

DOTING ON DAD Good ways to spend time together this Father’s Day.

SUMMER SAFETY Tips for keeping kids safe as outdoor fun takes center stage.

departments

BROWARD & BEYOND

FAMILY FUN

SPECIAL NEEDS

WORDS OF WISDOM

Hurricane prep goes virtual; summer reading program launches.

Put the mouse in drive and take your family on a virtual road trip.

When schools closed their doors, parents stepped up to teach.

Passing the buck could come back to bite.

B R O W A R D F A M I LY L I F E

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Summer Programs

Our mission is to enrich family life in Broward County by offering the highest quality publication and an unparalleled commitment to our readers and our community. PUBLISHER Lisa Goodlin

- Reading - Study Skills - Writing - Advanced Study Skills - Math - Spanish

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Stacey Jacques EXECUTIVE EDITOR Michelle Liem MANAGING EDITOR Jennifer Jhon ASSOCIATE EDITOR Shannon Pease-Severance STAFF WRITER Greg Carannante SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGERS Suzy Miguelez • Sheila Ranson Rick Charnack CREATIVE DIRECTOR Carrie B. Weeks

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Broward Family Life is published twelve times per year by Family Life Media Group. It is distributed free of charge throughout Broward County. Broward Family Life is not responsible for statements made by advertisers or writers. We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of information we print, but cannot be held responsible for any consequences arising from omissions or errors. All photography and letters sent to Broward Family Life will be treated unconditionally, assigned for publication and copyright purposes and are subject to unrestricted right to edit and comment editorially. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is forbidden.

June 20-Sept. 13, 2020 13 LEGO brick sculptures by Sean Kenney throughout the gardens www.flamingogardens.org

$21.95 ages 12+, $15.95 ages 3-11, ages 2 and under free

3750 S Flamingo Rd, Davie, 954-473-2955

Funding for this organization is provided in part by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council.

Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.

June 2020 | B R O W A R D F A M I LY L I F E

&beyond

BROWARD

The perfect storm PANDEMIC PUSHES HURRICANE PREP ONLINE

ith the start of hurricane season this month, South Florida families are turning their attention to the tropics. The Eye of the Storm, a family event usually held in May at the Museum of Discovery and Science (MODS) in Fort Lauderdale, is taking its hurricane education online this year to help South Florida prepare. Meteorologist Erik Salna, an associate director at FIU’s Extreme Events Institute and International Hurricane Research Center in Miami, is the force behind Eye of the Storm. He started the event five years ago. “We live in the hurricane capital of the United States, so who needs to be most prepared?” Salna said. “It has to be a way of life, it has to be a culture of preparedness that kids are brought up with and understand.” He worked with the Florida Division of Emergency Management to move hurricane preparation information into a family-friendly setting. “At the science museum, we wanted to bring in this new flair of interactivity and fun. ... It was just a different way to present the content.” With the pandemic closing museums, Salna now plays host to the Eye of the Storm virtual series. “All the content that you would see and hear at the event here at MODS, now we’re just translating all that content to the series of videos.” The Eye of the Storm launched June 2. New videos will be posted every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday throughout June on MODS’ YouTube channel (youtube.com/discoveryandscience) and social media outlets (@modsftl). “Each episode goes through one of the different aspects of hurricane science and hurricane preparedness,” said Joseph P. Cox, president and CEO at MODS. The 12 videos are designed to be educating and entertaining. “In each episode, we meet a partner (such as a NOAA Hurricane Hunter or FIU Wall of Wind researcher), and they talk about what they do. ... There’s a segment in each one called Brainstorm, where the museum education team creates a cool thing that you can do that aligns with what you just learned,” he said, such as making paper airplanes.

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Not everything can be done at home. “One of the highlights of the physical event was launching planks of wood at windows,” Cox said. “With the Brainstorm piece, we actually built an air cannon of our own and put it out in the science park and destroyed a watermelon.” Cox credits Salna and the museum education team with keeping the message family-friendly. “It’s important, but let’s make it fun so it’s really engaging,” he said. Salna said each episode introduces an expert who talks about science. “But then we purposefully switch gears on the questions. How did you get interested in meteorology? What’s your most memorable experience?” That aspect is something the physical event couldn’t deliver, Cox said. “You can definitely get a lot more insight into the hurricane process,” as well as different STEM careers, he said. “It’s really well done.”

READY… SET…READ! Library launches summer program

The Broward County Library System has launched its annual summer reading program, rewarding patrons with prizes for reading, learning and trying new things. The “Imagine Your Story” Online Summer Program runs through Aug. 15, allowing readers to track the books they’ve read in the Beanstack program. Users get chances to win prizes by reading, writing book reviews and completing online activities, such as downloading books and movies, attending virtual library events and exploring library resources. Students can also link their library Beanstack account to their school’s account so their reading gets logged for both. Readers in four different age groups — Early Learner, Child, Teen and Adult — can earn a “completion” digital badge and prize pack for meeting reading goals, and they can complete digital activities to earn an entry into the grand prize drawing. Throughout the summer, Broward County Library has scheduled online activity challenges and virtual events for kids, including an Anime Club, Game Design, Making Your First Comic, storytelling and more. Additional fun activity ideas for families are included in the clickable calendar in the library’s online 2020 summer magazine. The Alvin Sherman Library at Nova Southeastern University in Davie also has a summer program. It offers STEM For Kids Zoom workshops, a Writing Studio + Book Club for ages 10-15, weekly Teen Yoga, Wags & Tails Mini-Storytimes and more. Learn more about the summer reading program and sign up at www.broward.org/library/summer or www.lib.nova.edu/summer.

June 2020 | B R O W A R D F A M I LY L I F E

LESSONS from

QUARANTINE BY JENNIFER JHON

With the reopening of South Florida, I find I’m going to miss some aspects of the shutdown. The open road, while it led to nowhere, isn’t mine anymore, and I can no longer ignore all the mirrors in my house on the premise that “No one is going to see what I look like anyway.” As we consider venturing outside the home, here are 10 lessons I’ve learned while trapped inside it.

I have far too many clothes. Really. Even when I WAS leaving the house, I didn’t need all these clothes. Now that I’m NOT leaving, my wardrobe has shrunk to: • 4 pairs of comfy pajamas • 2 sundresses • 1 pair of capris • 3 pairs of shorts • 5 T-shirts • 1 bra (for very special occasions only) I’ve put on jeans only once since schools shuttered. I used to live in jeans. I have 12 pairs in my closet. It’s a good thing I don’t need them anymore, because none of them fit anyway.

I loathe exercise.

I’m way more antisocial than I thought I was.

Yes, I’m going crazy being stuck in the house, but it’s not because I miss people. I miss places. I want to go to the beach, go camping, ride a roller coaster. But I am going to miss being in an empty store, driving on an empty interstate and being the only person in line at the Costco gas station.

The only thing that made exercise fun before was doing it with friends. My kids hate exercise as much as I do. I can talk them into going on a bike ride with me, but after about 10 minutes, I inevitably regret it, because they WANT TO GO HOME. And forget about walking.

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Makeup is overrated. I wasn’t too much into makeup before this whole thing started, but I did love my Lipsense lipsticks. Now that I’ll be covering my mouth in public for the rest of 2020 and beyond, the only thing I’ll need to worry about replacing is my mascara. Even my sunscreen use is down, because with a hat over my un-cut hair and a mask on my face, only my neck is exposed to the sun’s rays.

Adults need adult time.

DIY haircuts aren’t worth it.

I actually learned this lesson before the quarantine, thanks to a sound scolding by my son’s barber and a pinky promise to “never try this at home again.” The promise of a repeat humiliation has kept me from reaching for the scissors. I keep telling myself he looks good with long hair anyway.

Some people aren’t made for cooking. Even with all this time at home, I have not embraced the chef life. I would love to eat all the delicious meals I see posted on my friends’ Facebook feeds, but I have no interest in learning how to make them myself. The only food picture I posted during the quarantine was a steak meal, because I do like to grill. But the rest of the time, I simply salivated over Instagram-worthy meals and whined to my sister (who is an excellent cook) about how I need her to be stuck at my house instead of hers.

Sunshine really is nature’s vitamin.

I don’t mind the rain nearly as much as some of my friends do, especially when it is watering my mango tree. But spending time outside in the sun, even for just a few minutes, can bring me zen unlike any other. My inflatable wading pool has been probably the best $20 I’ve ever spent, because it allows me to stretch out in the sun, close my eyes and imagine myself on a tropical beach instead of stuck in the same yard I’ve been confined to for the past three months.

This was another lesson I learned before, but had forgotten. Nowadays, I find myself flashing back to the times I spent home with my newborn babies, and how isolated I felt when I didn’t spend time with other people my age, or at least over the age of 18. I literally just had my daughter ask me the same question (“What time is lunch?”) four times, and get angry when my answer didn’t change. She finally asked me, “What time on a digital clock?” (12, colon, 00) THIS is why I need adults in my life.

Nothing matches meeting IRL.

While video calls are great for seeing family and friends who live far away, I find video chats make me miss my friends more when I’m used to seeing them every day or every week. I got to do a socially-distanced meet-up with two close friends last week, and it was incredible how much better I felt after spending time with them in person, even though we sat 8-10 feet away from each other. We couldn’t hug or even elbow bump, but having a live conversation made all the difference.

My family is more flexible than I thought.

Home schooling was tough, and being away from friends is discouraging, but if you had told me four months ago that the kids and I could survive being stuck at home together for longer than 48 hours -- and that we could even be happy about it -- I would have called you crazy. We have had our moments. All three of us have completely lost it a time or two. But it isn’t anything some deep breathing and some time out can’t fix. Two months ago, when there seemed no end in sight, I didn’t feel this way. I felt like a complete failure, because when other families posted about loving to spend time together, all I could think about was how much I wanted time apart. But we’ve finally found a balance. And I’m not going to let that lesson go.

June 2020 | B R O W A R D F A M I LY L I F E

251 seniors

1,029 college acceptances

$11,000,000

78,448 community service hours

s s a l c d a he SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

of the

020 2 S R O I TOP SEN

Our special section takes a look at some of the best and the brightest in Broward Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s graduating class of 2020

head of the class

ARCHBISHOP EDWARD A. MCCARTHY HIGH SCHOOL 5451 South Flamingo Rd., Southwest Ranches • 954-434-8820 • www.mccarthyhigh.org

Bruce Demos

Gabriella Twombly

Daniel Acevedo

SAT/ACT: 1510/34 WEIGHTED GPA: 5.56 ACCOMPLISHMENTS: National Hispanic Recognition,

SAT: 1530 WEIGHTED GPA: 5.55 ACCOMPLISHMENTS: National Merit Commended Scholar,

SAT: 1550 WEIGHTED GPA: 5.33 ACCOMPLISHMENTS: AP Scholar with Distinction,

Excelsior Scholar, Neubauer Scholar, NHS, Social Studies and Quill & Scroll Honor Societies, STEM President, Best Buddies Officer ACCEPTED TO: Tufts University, University of Michigan, UCF WILL ATTEND: Tufts University Neubauer Scholar Program

National Hispanic Recognition, AP Scholar with Distinction, Excelsior Scholar, NHS, Mu Alpha Theta, Robotics, Social Studies, Science and English Honor Societies ACCEPTED TO: Columbia, U Chicago, Caltech, Carnegie Mellon, Georgia Tech WILL ATTEND: California Institute of Technology

Excelsior Scholar, NHS, Mu Alpha Theta, Science, and Robotics Honor Societies ACCEPTED TO: Columbia, Northwestern, Johns Hopkins, Notre Dame, Carnegie Mellon WILL ATTEND: Carnegie Mellon University

Miguel Taveras

Korinna Pena

Ethan Gutierrez

SAT/ACT: 1550/35 WEIGHTED GPA: 5.30 ACCOMPLISHMENTS: National Merit Commended Scholar,

SAT: 1530 WEIGHTED GPA: 5.29 ACCOMPLISHMENTS: National Merit Commended Scholar,

SAT: 1540 WEIGHTED GPA: 5.32 ACCOMPLISHMENTS: National Hispanic Recognition,

National Hispanic Recognition, AP Scholar with Distinction, Excelsior Scholar, NHS, Mu Alpha Theta, English, Social Studies, Science, and Spanish Honor Societies ACCEPTED TO: Columbia University WILL ATTEND: Columbia University

National Hispanic Recognition, AP Scholar with Distinction, Excelsior Scholar, NHS, Mu Alpha Theta, and Science Honor Societies, Student Ambassador ACCEPTED TO: Northwestern, Georgia Tech, UF Honors, Ohio State Honors WILL ATTEND: The University of Florida Honors College

Excelsior Scholar, NHS, Mu Alpha Theta, Science and English Honor Societies, Senior Class President, Junior/Senior Peer Ministry, HSSP ROTC Scholarship ACCEPTED TO: Duke, Notre Dame, Cornell, Michigan, Georgia Tech, UNC WILL ATTEND: Duke University

classof 2020

ARCHBISHOP EDWARD A. MCCARTHY HIGH SCHOOL 5451 South Flamingo Rd., Southwest Ranches • 954-434-8820 • www.mccarthyhigh.org

Emily Juriga

Matias Capurro

Ashley Linares

SAT/ACT: 1500/34 WEIGHTED GPA: 5.39 ACCOMPLISHMENTS: National Merit Finalist,

SAT/ACT: 1440/32 WEIGHTED GPA: 5.42 ACCOMPLISHMENTS: National Merit Commended Scholar,

SAT/ACT: 1530/33 WEIGHTED GPA: 5.41 ACCOMPLISHMENTS: National Merit Finalist, National

National Hispanic Recognition, AP Scholar with Distinction, Excelsior Scholar, NHS, Mu Alpha Theta, Science and Social Studies Honor Societies, Mav News ACCEPTED TO: Johns Hopkins, UF, Case Western, UM, FSU, UCF WILL ATTEND: The University of Florida

National Hispanic Recognition, AP Scholar with Distinction, Excelsior Scholar, NHS, Mu Alpha Theta, Science and Social Studies Honor Societies, Student Ambassador ACCEPTED TO: Johns Hopkins, UF, UM, UCF WILL ATTEND: The University of Florida

Hispanic Recognition, AP Scholar with Distinction, Excelsior Scholar, NHS, Mu Alpha Theta, Science, Social Studies, English and Spanish Honor Societies ACCEPTED TO: Johns Hopkins, UF, University of Washington, FSU, UCF WILL ATTEND: The University of Florida

Christopher Chiocca

Kayla Torres

Gianna Fernandez

ACT: 34 WEIGHTED GPA: 5.13 ACCOMPLISHMENTS: National Hispanic Recognition,

ACT: 32 WEIGHTED GPA: 5.09 ACCOMPLISHMENTS: National Merit Commended Scholar,

SAT: 1480 WEIGHTED GPA: 5.36 ACCOMPLISHMENTS: AP Scholar with Distinction,

AP Scholar with Distinction, Excelsior Scholar, NHS, Mu Alpha Theta, English, Social Studies and Science Honor Societies, Varsity Lacrosse ACCEPTED TO: Vanderbilt, Emory, University of Florida, University of Miami WILL ATTEND: Vanderbilt University

National Hispanic Recognition, AP Scholar with Distinction, Excelsior Scholar, NHS, Science and Social Studies Honor Societies, Silver Knight Winner-Journalism ACCEPTED TO: Cornell University, NYU, UF, Boston University, Tulane, UM WILL ATTEND: Cornell University

Excelsior Scholar, NHS, Mu Alpha Theta, English, Social Studies, and Science Honor Societies, Student Ambassador, Senior Peer Ministry, Our House Treasurer ACCEPTED TO: Cornell University, UF, UM, Fordham University, UCF WILL ATTEND: The University of Florida

head of the class

ARCHBISHOP EDWARD A. MCCARTHY HIGH SCHOOL 5451 South Flamingo Rd., Southwest Ranches • 954-434-8820 • www.mccarthyhigh.org

Myla Smith

Ana Nunez

Natalia Perez

SAT: 1430 WEIGHTED GPA: 5.24 ACCOMPLISHMENTS: AP Scholar with Distinction,

SAT/ACT: 1500/33 WEIGHTED GPA: 5.38 ACCOMPLISHMENTS: AP Scholar with Distinction,

SAT/ACT: 1500/32 WEIGHTED GPA: 5.26 ACCOMPLISHMENTS: National Merit Commended Scholar,

Excelsior Scholar, NHS, Mu Alpha Theta, English, Science, Social Studies-President, and Speech and Debate Honor Societies, Silver Knight Nominee, Student Ambassador ACCEPTED TO: Rice, Emory, UF, Tulane, UT Austin, UM, SMU WILL ATTEND: The University of Florida

Excelsior Scholar, NHS, Mu Alpha Theta, Spanish Honor Society Secretary, English and Science Honor Societies, Silver Knight Nominee, Secretary/Treasurer Mav News ACCEPTED TO: Wash U, UF, Middlebury, Colgate, Fordham, FSU WILL ATTEND: Washington University in St. Louis

National Hispanic Recognition, Excelsior Scholar, NHS President, Mu Alpha Theta, Spanish Honor Society, Varsity Dance Team Vice President, Peer Ministry Leader ACCEPTED TO: Washington University in St. Louis, UF, FSU, Indiana WILL ATTEND: The University of Florida

Kaylee Mendoza

Gabriel Zaragoza

Sarothi Ghosh

SAT/ACT: 1520/35 WEIGHTED GPA: 5.25 ACCOMPLISHMENTS: National Hispanic Recognition,

SAT/ACT: 1550/36 WEIGHTED GPA: 5.46 ACCOMPLISHMENTS: National Merit Finalist,

SAT/ACT: 1570/36

AP Scholar with Distinction, Excelsior Scholar, NHS, Science and Social Studies Honor Societies, Silver Knight Nominee, Fight Cancer Club Treasurer ACCEPTED TO: UCLA, University of Florida, University of Miami WILL ATTEND: The University of Miami

National Hispanic Recognition, AP Scholar with Distinction, Excelsior Scholar, NHS, Mu Alpha Theta, Robotics Honor Society, VEX Worlds Qualifier, VEX Excellence Award ACCEPTED TO: Carnegie Mellon University WILL ATTEND: Carnegie Mellon University

Weighted GPA: 5.43

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: National Merit Finalist, AP Scholar with Distinction, Excelsior Scholar, NHS, Mu Alpha Theta, Speech & Debate, Social Studies and Science Honor Societies ACCEPTED TO: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical, UF, FSU, Florida Institute of Technology WILL ATTEND: The University of Florida

classof 2020

AMERICAN HERITAGE SCHOOL

Plantation: 12200 W. Broward Blvd., Plantation • 954-472-0022 - Boca/Delray: 6200 Linton Blvd., Delray Beach • 561-495-7272 www.ahschool.com

P L A N TAT I O N C A M P U S

Arnav Kumar

Carol Jiang

WEIGHTED GPA: 6.10 OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS: U.S. Presidential Scholar

WEIGHTED GPA: 6.05 OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS: U.S. Presidential Scholar

Semifinalist, National Merit Finalist, National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Physics Bowl, Special Olympics Volunteer, Bassoonist – Florida Youth Orchestra ACCEPTED TO: Princeton, Vanderbilt, Carnegie Mellon WILL ATTEND: Princeton University

Semifinalist, National Merit Finalist AIME qualifier, Mu Alpha Theta, Cleveland Clinic Arts and Medicine Award, Pianist/ Violinist-FFMC, Principal Associate Concert Master-FYO ACCEPTED TO: Massachusetts Institute of Technology WILL ATTEND: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

B O C A / D E L R AY C A M P U S

Anish Ravichandran

Smit Viroja

Sophia Zheng

WEIGHTED GPA: 5.9 OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS: National Merit Finalist,

WEIGHTED GPA: 5.87 OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS: National Merit Finalist,

U.S. Presidential Scholar Semifinalist, Founder-American Mathematics Competition Preparatory Class, Mu Alpha Theta, 1st Place-Sigma Xi National Science Research, Violinist-FFMC State Convention Nominee ACCEPTED TO: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Michigan WILL ATTEND: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

U.S. Presidential Scholar Semifinalist, National AP Scholar, Founder-OrangeMath Tutoring, President-Mu Alpha Theta, President-Chess Team (U.S. Top 5) Neuroscience & World Quest Teams ACCEPTED TO: Rice University, University of Southern California WILL ATTEND: Rice University

National Awards-Mu Alpha Theta, State Winner-Scientific Research, 3rd Place Pianist-American Protégé Romantic Music Competition at Carnegie Hall, Co-Organizer– TEDxYouth@AHSDelray ACCEPTED TO: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Vanderbilt University WILL ATTEND: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

head of the class

DAVID POSNACK JEWISH DAY SCHOOL 5810 South Pine Island Rd., Davie • 954-583-6100 • www.posnackschool.org

Ellie Naider WEIGHTED GPA: 4.6 OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS: National Merit Finalist, Silver Knight Nominee, All State Band Flute and Piccolo soloist, AP Scholar with Distinction, first ever high school intern with Alaskan Research Reserve, President of Tri-M Honors Society ACCEPTED TO: Princeton University, Johns Hopkins University WILL ATTEND: Princeton University CAREER GOAL: Environmental Scientist and Advocate FAVORITE HIGH SCHOOL MEMORY: Nearly burning down the lab in AP Chem

Jordan Eichenholz WEIGHTED GPA: 4.76 OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS: CIJE Hack-a-thon

ELLIE NAIDER

Champion, Future Engineers Name that Molecule Contest Champion, Silver Knight Honorable Mention in Mathematics, Mock Trial President, Robotics and Engineering Club President, Founder/Teacher of STEM class partnered with Hollywood Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Arts ACCEPTED TO: University of Michigan, University of Florida, University of Miami, University of Maryland WILL ATTEND: Ross School of Business at University of Michigan CAREER GOAL: Quantitative Finance

FAVORITE HIGH SCHOOL MEMORY:

JORDAN EICHENHOLZ

Sophomore year Israel trip

Jake Rosenberg WEIGHTED GPA: 4.55 OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS: Class President 9th-10th, Student Government Vice President 11th, Student Government President 12th, Varsity Cross Country Captain 12th, Business Club Treasurer, National Honor Society, Yearbook Editor and Chief 12th ACCEPTED TO: University of Michigan, University of Florida, University of Maryland, Penn State, University of Indiana, Boulder, Florida State University, University Central Florida, Tulane WILL ATTEND: Ross School of Business at University of Michigan CAREER GOAL: Astronaut FAVORITE HIGH SCHOOL MEMORY: Camp Kulaqua

Shaun Rousso JAKE ROSENBERG

SHAUN ROUSSO

WEIGHTED GPA: 4.54 OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS: President and Founder of Esports Club, President of Thespians Club, Lead Critic for Cappies ACCEPTED TO: UF, UM, UCF, Tulane, Northwestern, Wash U WILL ATTEND: Washington University in St. Louis CAREER GOAL: Unsure FAVORITE HIGH SCHOOL MEMORY: Dr. Ramos's Health Class

classof 2020

NSU UNIVERSITY SCHOOL 3375 SW 75th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale • 954-262-4506 • www.uschool.nova.edu

Sivan Ben-David

Melanie Stone

Ronnie Shashoua

WEIGHTED GPA: 5.02 OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS: NSDA Academic

WEIGHTED GPA: 5.02 OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS: Harvard Book

WEIGHTED GPA: 5.00 OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS: Founded Gadget

All-American, Miami Herald Silver Knight Nominee, three-time D13 Thespians Critic’s Choice recipient, top 5 in U.S. for Dramatic Interpretation, Researcher and Presenter at International Writing Center Association Conference, National AP Scholar, AP Scholar with Distinction, Co-Valedictorian Class of 2020 ACCEPTED TO: Yale-NUS, American University Honors, UNC Chapel Hill WILL ATTEND: University of Virginia Echols Program CAREER GOAL: Museum Curator FAVORITE TEACHERS: Mx. Rubino, Mr. Walsh, Ms. Carbonara, Mr. Boulos, Dr. Arechabaleta FAVORITE HIGH SCHOOL MEMORY: Winning Best Musical at Cappies Gala for Fiddler on the Roof FAVORITE QUOTE: “Veni, vidi, vici.” -Julius Caesar

Prize Award, National Hispanic Scholar, Commended National Merit Scholar, Co-Valedictorian Class of 2020 ACCEPTED TO: Cornell University, Clemson University WILL ATTEND: Cornell University, compete for Cornell gymnastics team CAREER GOAL: physician FAVORITE TEACHERS: Ms. Carbonara, Dr. Barrow, Dr. Arechabaleta, Mr. Dibert FAVORITE HIGH SCHOOL MEMORY: winning Dynamic Duo with my best friend, Sarah Bell, for senior superlatives FAVORITE QUOTE: “What the heart loves, the will chooses, and the mind justifies” –Archbishop Thomas Cranmer

Girls, a non-profit robotics outreach that would allow girls to learn about robotics and computer science, Named a National Merit Recipient and USchool’s Student of the Year for the graduating class, Silver Knight Winner in Mathematics ACCEPTED TO: University of Chicago, WashU St. Louis, Northeastern Honors WILL ATTEND: Brown University CAREER GOAL: Software developer FAVORITE TEACHERS: Ms. Carbonara, Dr. Arechabaleta, Profe Ruiz, Dr. Barrow FAVORITE HIGH SCHOOL MEMORY: Travel conferences with Model UN team - MUNUC at UChicago and Nationals in NYC FAVORITE QUOTE: “You must expect great things of yourself before you can do them.” –Michael Jordan

Dad

Doting on From making homemade cards to gifting tacky ties, there are plenty of things you can do to express your love for Dad.

Spending time together tops our list. Here are some ways to celebrate with your patriarch this year.

Explore the Outdoors

BUTTERFLIES WITH POP Take time to relax and experience the beauty of butterflies with Dad on his special day. Butterfly World is home to thousands of live butterflies and hundreds of birds. The attraction is at 3600 W. Sample Road, Coconut Creek. Call 954-977-4400 or visit www.butterflyworld.com. DINOSAURS LIVE! AT ZOO MIAMI Bring Dad for a zoo-wide Jurassic adventure with more than 20 life-sized animatronic dinosaurs on the grounds. Space is limited. Zoo Miami, 12400 SW 152nd St., Miami. Call 305-251-0400 or visit www.zoomiami.org. DAD’S DAY OUT AT BONNET HOUSE Celebrate the day as you take a self-guided tour through the gardens and historical residence using your mobile device. Tickets can be purchased online for $20/self-guided house and grounds tour, or $10/self-guided grounds-only tour. Bonnet House is at 900 N. Birch Road, Fort Lauderdale. Call 954-563-5393 or visit www.bonnethouse.org.

B R O W A R D F A M I LY L I F E

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FUN AT FLAMINGO GARDENS Spend some together time venturing through the beautiful botanical gardens and viewing native wildlife, including alligators, bear, bobcats, eagles, otters, panthers, peacocks, and of course, flamingos. Visitors are required to purchase an online ticket for a specific time slot in advance. Flamingo Gardens is at 3750 S. Flamingo Road, Davie. Call 954-473-2955 or visit www.flamingogardens.org.

Fishing Fun

FATHER’S DAY FISHING Bring Dad for a fun-filled night of casting lines and learning more about how to grow your own fish bait. The outdoor event, hosted by the Youth Environmental Alliance, takes place from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, June 20, at Tradewinds Park, 3600 W. Sample Road, Coconut Creek. To register, visit www.facebook.com/events/s/fathers-day-family-fishing-for/ 699419260597453/. For information, visit www.yeafrog.org. FATHER’S DAY FISHING TOURNAMENT Participate in a fun and educational “catch and release” tournament from 7 to 10 a.m. Saturday, June 20, at Royal Palm Park, 1701 NW 38th St., Oakland Park. In addition to recreational fishing, there will also be a casting skill contest with prizes awarded. Free. For information, call 954-630-4500 or visit www.oaklandparkfl.gov.

Get Crafty

ORIGAMI PAPER CRANE Paper cranes are said to bring good fortune. You can either learn to fold them up with Dad, or surprise him by making a bunch and then hanging them around the house. The Miami-Dade Library System has a video tutorial posted at https://youtu.be/pVgsQKWrX0o. SPA-TASTIC SCIENCE Have an at-home spa day with Dad by making your own products, including a face scrub, beard balm, hair conditioner and toothpaste. This virtual program is for all ages and takes place from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 20. The cost is $5 per person. Participants will receive a Ring Central Virtual Classroom invitation upon registration at www.yeafrog.org/virtual-interactive-programs.

JUNE SUN

MON

Weekly Schedule Weekly Schedule Weekly Schedule Weekly Schedule

MCC LIVE 2 U YouTube Channel: Miramar Cultural

11am RHYTHM & RHYMES

11am SFCE Issun Boshi

11am RHYTHM & RHYMES

TUE

2 11am- Kids Cooking DemoKIDS KITCHEN

Broadway Sing Alongs

11am- Pet Treats

11am- Caricature time

16 11am- Kids

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summer

SAFETY Keeping kids out of harm’s way BY JENNIFER JHON

ummer in South Florida means long days of freedom for students without any school assignments to keep them sitting at their computers. And as pools and parks reopen across South Florida, the chance for fun in the sun lures many outdoors. But parents need to recognize the hazards particular to summer and take steps to keep their kids safe. With so much water in South Florida in backyard and community swimming pools, canals, lakes and beaches, water safety is paramount. “Drowning prevention is one of our top initiatives,” said Tongelia Milton, the executive director of communications for the YMCA of South Florida. “We do a lot of work around that.” According to the YMCA’s Water Safety Month website, Florida leads the nation with the most child drownings of all ages under 18 by more than double the next closest state. About 80 percent of those drownings involved children under the age of 5 who were out of sight or missing for less than five minutes. The www.Floridahealth.gov website states that annually in Florida, enough children to fill three to four preschool classrooms drown before their fifth birthday.

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The problem has only gotten worse with the shutdown that closed schools and forced many parents to work from home. “So far in 2020 [as of May 15], there have been 22 fatal drownings, all under age 6, in the state,” Milton said. In that time, there were 8 drownings and near-drownings in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, she said. “In any given year, we will have anywhere from 8 to 15. Given that there were that many in the first five months of the year, that’s significant.” May was National Water Safety Month, and the YMCA used that month to highlight the Water Watcher program. The program promotes constant, active adult supervision to prevent drownings. “There needs to be a designated person, especially when there are gatherings,” Milton said. “If everyone is watching the kids, no one is watching the kids.” Especially in larger groups, she said, “make sure there is a designated person responsible for watching the kids, and they’re not distracted on their cell phone.” Above all, the Water Watcher needs to be diligent about paying attention to the kids and what’s happening with them. Adult supervision is only one of three layers of drowning prevention, Milton said. The second is making sure you have proper barriers in place around pools, and alarms on windows and doors in homes. “A lot of times, you turn your back, and you don’t know where [the kids] are. They’ve gone out a door or something like that.”

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The third layer is swim lessons, Milton said, “making sure your kids know how to swim, or at least know how to turn over and float until they can get to the side of a pool or someone can get to them.” Parents can learn more about water safety and the YMCA’s free swim lessons for children at https://ymcasouthflorida. org/water-safety-month/. Bicycle Safety With Florida’s daily dose of sunshine, bicycling is another popular pastime. And those bike helmets you see cyclists wearing aren’t just for looks — Florida law requires that all cyclists age 16 or younger wear a bike helmet while riding. The helmet must be properly fitted, must meet the federal safety standard for bicycle helmets, and must be fastened securely on the rider’s head. Danielle Quinones, a Broward Sheriff’s deputy with the crime prevention unit for the city of Weston, stressed the importance of wearing a properly fitted helmet for protection. “I know I see all the time the kids without the helmets.” She said she also sees parents riding far behind their children, which puts the kids at risk when they get to intersections in front of their parents. “When they go riding, make sure they have a clear view of their child in front of them,” she said.

Fitting your bike helmet

Parents should also coach their children always to stop at the crosswalk. “Make sure it is clear before entering or making turns,” Quinones said. Cyclists should follow the same rules as vehicles, she said. “Technically, they have to stop at a red light before making their turn.” Also like vehicle drivers, bicyclists both young and old need to keep their attention on the road, “not on their cell phones,” Quinones said. She encouraged families to stick to the sidewalk, however, and not ride in car lanes. Although the sun sets later in the summer, families still sometimes ride their bikes in the evenings, which involves taking special care. “If you’re riding at night in the dark, you have to have a light. You need to have bicycle lights front and rear,” she said. Cyclists riding at night should also wear reflective clothing, she cautioned. Lights on the wheel spokes, as well as other types of decorations, are fine if it doesn’t impact the bicycle. More important than bike bling,

however, is bike safety, and the helmets are an important part of that. “That’s a big thing, the proper-fitting helmet,” Quinones said. Coronavirus Care Besides summer’s usual concerns, such as sunburn and heat stroke, the pandemic presents another issue: How to have fun while social distancing. Milton encouraged parents to look at modifying activities so their kids can participate safely. Instead of playing basketball games where they would have contact, for instance, kids can challenge each other to drills they do with their own balls. If families are considering summer camps, Milton said, “parents should consider looking at the ratios that whatever location they choose has for the kids. They should be looking at what their processes and procedures are for activities.” At the YMCA, “they’ll still be doing activities and having fun, but there will be no contact with other kids. ... The YMCA will also have temperature checks at drop-off and practice social distancing.”

Follow these tips from the Florida Department of Transportation and www.alerttodayflorida.com for your best helmet fit: • Buy/Fit the Helmet For Now. Buy a helmet that fits your head now, not a helmet to “grow into.” • Ensure Helmet Comfort. If you buy a helmet that you find comfortable and attractive, you are more likely to wear it. Readjust as necessary to ensure the helmet fits properly each ride. • Cover Your Forehead. Adjust the helmet fitting based on your helmet first being in the correct position: level on the head and low on your forehead, one or two finger-widths above your eyebrow. • Adjust Straps Until Snug. Both the side and chin straps need to be snug. Adjust the slider on both side straps to form a “V” shape under, and slightly in front of, the ears. Lock the slider if possible and then buckle your chin strap. Tighten the strap until it is snug, so that no more than one or two fingers fit under the strap. • Avoid Helmet Rocking. Your helmet should not rock forward or backward, or side to side on your head. If your helmet rocks more than an inch, go back and readjust the straps. • Be a “Roll” Model for Safe Behavior. Everyone — adult and child — should wear a bicycle helmet each time they ride. Wearing a helmet on every ride can encourage the same smart behavior in others. • Helmet Certification. Bicycle helmets sold in the U.S. must meet the standards issued by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Look for the certification label inside the helmet. • Replace a Helmet. Replace your helmet when it has been in a crash; damage is not always visible. • Helmet Laws. More children ages 5-14 go to emergency rooms for bicycle-related injuries than with any other sport; many are head injuries. Like car crashes, bicycle crashes can happen at any time, involving not only children, but adults, many of whom are skilled riders. Helmets are the single most effective piece of safety equipment for riders of all ages. For more information on bicycle safety, visit www.AlertTodayFlorida.com.

FAMILY fun

Put your mouse in drive TAKE YOUR FAMILY ON A VIRTUAL SUMMER VACATION BY SHANNON PEASE-SEVERANCE

ou don’t have to fill up the gas tank or pack a bag for this excursion, AND you won’t have to hear “Are we there yet?” even once. Just sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. DESTINATION 1: THE FLORIDA KEYS Dive into an online adventure that starts at the southernmost tip of the Sunshine State – the Florida Keys. We begin with a trip to the Dry Tortugas. Located on a cluster of islands at the far tip of the Florida Keys, this National Park

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is home to historic Fort Jefferson, a 19thcentury fort made of more than 16 million bricks, surrounded by crystal clear water with a diverse ecosystem. The park is slowly increasing recreational access, but you can go to artsandculture.withgoogle. com/dry-tortugas any time to visually explore the fort or dive down deep to a shipwreck. DESTINATION 2: MIAMI Dry off and buckle up: We’re heading to Miami! Known for its beautiful beaches,

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art deco style and rich culture, Miami has a lot to offer. You can now venture out as beaches and businesses begin to bustle once again, or stay home and take a virtual tour of one of the area’s top spots. Vizcaya Museum & Gardens is a vision that never grows old. The 1916 waterfront estate on Biscayne Bay is a stunning National Historic Landmark with 32 ornately decorated rooms and 10 acres of sprawling gardens. Take the family on a virtual tour of the

home — which includes a “walk” around the rarely seen swimming pool grotto — while learning more about local history at www.vizcaya.org. The website also includes Zoom backdrops, behind-thescenes videos, zenscapes and more. Although the Main House portion of the estate remains closed temporarily, the outdoor gardens are now open to the public from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday through Monday. Those who are looking for more outside time and less screen time can opt to stroll around the lush gardens for a discounted fee. Detour – A dozen miles south of Vizcaya on U.S. 1 is the Deering Estate, a 444-acre preserve and historic site. Select portions of the main house and the outdoor gardens are now open to the public, but its normally scheduled tours have moved online, giving virtual visitors access to a wealth of information. Through the Virtual Field Trips link, viewers can learn how to wade out into the seagrass beds of Biscayne Bay to explore the aquatic life, observe a dissection to learn about the unique characteristics of various marine animals,

and explore Deering’s natural areas to find plants that have been used by past civilizations. Visit www.deeringestate.org for more information. DESTINATION 3: THE EVERGLADES Now we follow the River of Grass to Broward County. The Everglades is truly an ecological gem of South Florida. It’s a place to get in touch with nature, see alligators or speed across the wetlands in an airboat. Everglades Holiday Park, a West Broward locale and home to the television series Gator Boys, recently reopened for real-life adventure, but you can also take the family on a virtual airboat ride from the comfort of the couch at www.youtube.com/ watch?v=1T9wcGO-Pc8. Visit www.evergladesholidaypark.com or Facebook @EvergladesHolidayPark to learn more. DESTINATION 4: DISNEY WORLD For our final day of virtual vacay, we head to the happiest place on Earth! Disney World’s theme parks have not reopened just yet, but the family can still have a magical time online. Beat the heat and avoid the lines with a virtual

tour of Walt Disney World Resort. Go to www.visitorlando.com/en/thingsto-do/virtual-tours/walt-disney-worldresort and use your mouse-power (your actual computer mouse, that is) to guide yourself down Magic Kingdom’s bustling Main Street toward Cinderella’s castle for a 360-degree tour or take a wild ride on Big Thunder Mountain at https:// disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2020/04/ disneymagicmoments-take-a-wild-virtualride-on-big-thunder-mountain-railroadat-walt-disney-world-resort/. Travel Tip: Our summer plans may not have turned out exactly how we envisioned them, but there is always something new to explore. As Walt Disney once said: “We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” Shannon Pease-Severance is a writer and Broward Family Life’s associate editor. Already this summer, she and her family have traveled to Japan, Bora Bora and Spain – virtually, that is.

NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY ALVIN SHERMAN LIBRARY

SUMMER READING PROGRAM

Track your reading on the Beanstack app

Learn more at lib.nova.edu/summer

June 2020 | B R O W A R D F A M I LY L I F E

Virtual STEM Summer Camp & Online STEM Classes A FUN enrichment program that teaches kids basic engineering skills thru MEMORABLE, MEANINGFUL, AND MOTIVATING hands-on STEM activities

Presented by

Engineering Skills for Kids! Learn to Build & Code Robots Exciting new themes for camp! Visit website to choose your favorite camp(s)!

Summer Camp in Fort Lauderdale 954-816-3346 • www.BrightAndSmart.com

2020 SUMMER CAMP

CONNECT and SHARE with other SOUTH FLORIDA PARENTS • Family Fun • School News • Parenting Advice • Kid Cooking Tips • Online Resources and more!

Join our Facebook Group

@ SFLFamilyLife to stay informed

Green Children’s House Montessori a High Quality, Eco-Friendly School NOW OPEN AND ACCEPTING NEW ENROLLMENTS

• COVID-19 CDC Guidelines Followed • Social Distancing, Face Masks, Staff PPE • Enhanced Cleaning & Disinfecting • 9:1 Student teacher ratio GCH SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM

Ages 2 - 10 yrs • 8:30 am-3 pm Before Care & After Care available 8-5pm

954-946-7215 SCHEDULE A TOUR:

To reserve your camper’s spot, please visit mods.org/summerrsvp, email booking@mods.net or call 954.713.0930. For additional information, please visit mods.org/camp. 401 SW Second Street Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312 954.713.0930

www.greenchildrenshouse.com/schedule-a-tour/ EMAIL:

admissions@greenchildrenshouse.com 307 NE 1st St. Pompano Beach, FL 33060 June 2020 | B R O W A R D F A M I LY L I F E

SPECIAL needs

A lesson in learning PARENTS STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE WHEN SCHOOLS CLOSED THEIR DOORS BY JENNIFER JHON

he recent shift in South Florida to schooling at home was a struggle for many families, but it posed a particular challenge for students with special needs. Students with an IEP (Individual Education Plan) receive allowances in school to accommodate their learning challenges. Some receive academic instruction or specialized therapy in a small group, others have teacher’s aides in the classroom. Many have altered assignments, accommodations for movement and more. The sudden switch to a home environment may have removed some of those supports, but it allowed parents to take a much greater role in their children’s education. Mandy Crespo, a mother of two in Miramar, had a son with special needs in fourth grade when distance learning went into effect. “Before the pandemic, he was always behind in class, there was never enough time in the school day for him,” Crespo said. “He was actually begging for something to help him to focus.” Her son is in a mainstream fourth-grade class, which means

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he switched between two teachers for his classes. “He had trouble transitioning and keeping up. ... He would constantly forget his books, his binders, his agenda book with what he was supposed to do at home, and it was super frustrating for both him and my husband and I.” An IEP added accommodations for his classwork and homework, Crespo said, but he still was having trouble. Then distance learning began, which gave him flexible time to finish work throughout the day. His teachers made it clear what to turn in on Friday, and he finished it on time with very little, if any, parental help, she said. Not only are her son’s grades better, she said, but he is more confident and is not anxious anymore. He would wake up and cook breakfast without worrying if he would be at school on time, she said. “He is calmer now.” Despite their success, Crespo said they plan to send their son back to school for fifth grade, if possible, because he plans to have a role on his school’s morning announcements, and he wants to experience the many fifth-grade milestones.

For middle school and high school, however, she thinks virtual schooling might be best. “The one good thing this pandemic showed me is that he is capable of and does better in this type of environment. Although he could do middle school with six different teachers, I don’t think that will be the best for him.” Fabiola Pepe, the mother of a seventh-grader in Coral Springs, liked seeing first-hand during the shutdown what her daughter struggles with and how much help she needs, but she said the negatives of schooling at home outweighed the positives. Her daughter has an IEP for a learning disability, and before the schools closed, she was really starting to do well. “She had opportunities to get help. They offered once-a-week instruction for smaller groups,” Pepe said. “Now due to the quarantine, I feel my daughter lost every opportunity to excel in the seventh grade.” After two weeks of schooling at home, her daughter’s IEP teacher reached out to Pepe. “She, of course, was helpful and let us know their services were open when we needed it.” But it wasn’t enough, she said. “The first couple of assignments were difficult, as there were no clear instructions. ... Her reading teacher was the most helpful. (But) her math teacher would only send links to Khan Academy for help, and that’s it! For a typical learner, this was probably OK. However, for someone like my daughter, it was super confusing.” Pepe said she feels her daughter was one of many struggling to adjust. In her classes, she received only an assignment and a day and time to complete it, with no real teaching. “You’re not learning anything by doing this. Children with learning disabilities will most certainly struggle further.

I feel, at least for this group, some sort of video instruction would’ve helped.” Pepe said if schools resume distance learning in the fall, she hopes the system will work differently. “I hope that at least the government would provide some assistance with getting the kind of virtual education that these kids deserve.” Johanna Ward, an ESE teacher at Silver Ridge Elementary, said one of the challenges of schooling from home, especially for students with special needs, is that everyone is different. “We all learn differently, and if someone has a disability, then it is something else [to deal with] as well,” she said. “It adds up.” Teaching such students means being flexible, Ward said. “It is taking the time to observe, and trying different strategies, and seeing what works best with the child.” Closing school campuses, for her, meant learning all the programs available online. “It took a little bit for me to learn and navigate that,” she said. Although she was encouraged not to do live video with students, she said, “I still ended up doing it because if I have them do it on their own, I don’t know what they’re doing and how.” Because she teaches in a smaller, special-needs classroom, she did one-on-one video. “It just took some time,” she said. During the summer, Ward said, she’s going to continue researching distance-learning options. “I’m trying different things to prepare for August, other ways to be able to do it. It’s not that easy for our students.” Jennifer Jhon is Broward Family Life’s managing editor who still has a lot to learn as a home-school teacher.

Beth Black Photography (954) 806-5041 BethBlackPhotography@gmail.com BethBlackPhotography.com June 2020 | B R O W A R D F A M I LY L I F E

WORDS of wisdom

‘Ask your mother’ PASSING THE BUCK COULD COME BACK TO BITE YOU BY RICK EPSTEIN Here’s my Father’s Day gift to new dads: A warning about the phrase “Ask your mother.” It starts rolling out of the paternal mouth once kids are about 3 years old, and it can be habit-forming. It’s 4:30 p.m. on a Friday, and I’m in the office bravely crawling toward the finish line. My 20-something staffers are planning their Friday-night festivities, and for that, they need no input from me. But there is one person whose plans for a wild weekend involve me, and it’s not my wife. I feel a vibration, and for a moment I wonder if I’m wetting my pants. No, it’s my phone. My 14-year-old daughter, Wendy, says, “Hi Dad, can Kourtney, Bree, Heather and Morgan sleep over tonight?” This is the time to say, “yes ... on one condition,” and then name something that will advance the cause of righteousness. But nothing comes to mind. Like I said, it’s been a long week. So on the off-chance my lovely wife, Betsy, will do better, I say, “Ask your mother.” Besides, it would be unfair to approve the mayhem that will cause Betsy to spring angrily out of bed every couple hours to tell the revelers to quit shrieking, or come back inside the house, or put the furniture back where it was. My wife is also at work. She is about to hear that half the cheerleaders in town are coming over for an all-night pep rally and that “It’s OK with Dad if it’s OK with you.” If I were on my game, I would speed-dial Betsy and give her a heads-up so she can be ready. “Unity of command” is a basic military principle, and it’s even more crucial in parenting. When Betsy and I are both at home, we confer privately and present our rulings with a united front. But at work, we are not only divided, but tired or sometimes distracted by actual work. Then Wendy can knock us off one at a time.

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Obviously, I’m willing to pass the buck, but I’d like to pass it with nuanced precision. How about this: As Betsy leaves for work, I hand her a sealed envelope containing the secret codes for the day. She hides it in her purse. At 4:59 p.m., Wendy calls her and says, “Mom, can I have a sleep-over?” “Did you ask Dad?” asks Betsy, ripping open the envelope. “Yes,” says Wendy. “He said to tell you: ‘The poodle is blue.’” Betsy scans the code sheet. Down the left side are spy-type phrases, such as “Does this train go to Munich?” paired with precise messages, such as “I’ve just said no 100 times; it’s your turn.” Other messages include, “It really IS alright with me,” and “I WANT to say no, but can’t think of a good reason; can you?” Ah, here it is: “The poodle is blue.” Today it means: “I might not come home tonight.” But this is whimsy. I have nowhere else to go. I don’t hear anything more until I’ve staggered up the front steps and fallen onto the couch, barely missing Betsy, who is already basking in the glow of the TV. She says, “The girls will be arriving any minute, so you and Wendy better go out and pick up pizzas for dinner and some ice cream. You can’t expect your party to throw itself.” Apparently Wendy has exaggerated my lack of opposition into eager co-sponsorship. “OK,” I say. Wendy chimes in: “Dad, can we get M&Ms, too? They’re good on ice cream, plus we like to throw them at each other.” “No!” I said. Sometimes a man has to take a stand. Rick Epstein is a freelance writer and author of Rookie Dad and The Right Number of Kids. His code phrase for the day is “I’d like sardines on that pizza.”