Broward Family Life September 2018 by Broward Family Life

COMPLIMENTARY

SEPTEMBER 2018

Home

SCHOOLING

A MOMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TRUE CONFESSIONS

after-school

ACTIVITIES

GUIDE Silence is

GOLDEN WHY KIDS NEED QUIET TIME

n tio c e l S IDE a ci S pe IN

Children with Special Needs Family Resource Fair

FRENET! EVE

Join us for a fun and informative day the whole family will enjoy! Parents can learn more about resources available through special needs organizations in Broward County, while kids can participate in a variety of exciting activities. For more information or to arrange for an American Sign Language interpreter, call Tonya Fox Shaw at 954-276-5293.

• Giveaways • Activities • Refreshments • Special Needs Booths

Saturday, September 29, 2018 10am – 2pm

• Entertainment

Signature Grand, 6900 State Road 84, Davie

• And More!

• Quiet Area

8/18

1495 NORTH PARK DRIVE WESTON, FL 33326 INFO@THERAPIES4KIDS.COM PHONE: 954-633-5507

HERA

ECH T Y • SPE

E C A L P A S I E R THE IDS WITH EEDS K N R L O A F N O I T P E C EX

APY • L THER

CA PHYSI

RAPY

A THE B A • Y P

RAP

THE ONAL I T A P U

OCC

is the s d i K s4 erapie h n with T e , r a d l i d i r h c lo py for outh-F a S r e n i uch as h t s s , e c s i v r i n i e s l d n c l disor ric inte With 5 a t t a n i s e d e lopm in p injurie e r v g e e n d i r d a e e d l ff , or su ical an g m o s l i t o r u neu , sport y or A t s l n e a P d i l c ra car ac Cereb a m o ng fr & fall. p resulti i l s a ce, or practi

L CORA GS SPRIN N WESTO E OK R B M E P PINES BOCA RATON I MIAM

7 0 5 5 3 3 6 4 95

Most CALL nces a r u s In s.com d d i e k t 4 p s pie Acce en thera @ o f n i Op ays Saturd

WWW

.THER

KID APIES4

S.COM

Through hands-on experimentation our students are encouraged to be intellectually curious.

Call to Schedule a Tour: 954-247-0179 | www.nbps.org

The Wait is Over, We Have Delivered! Broward Health Coral Springs has expanded its “family” to better care for you and your family! Our new patient tower includes 56 private patient suites featuring: • A dedicated private entrance to labor and delivery for expectant moms • 12 Spacious labor/delivery suites • Beautifully appointed private mother/baby rooms • 10 Private NICU rooms located steps away from mom’s suite • 3 Cesarean section operating room suites • A surgical center for gynecological, robotic and general surgical patients

To schedule a tour contact our Childbirth Concierge at

954.344.BABY (2229) BrowardHealth.org/MaternityPlace

3000 Coral Hills Drive, Coral Springs

The ABCs O F SPO RTS SA F E T Y

Always use the right protective gear for your activity, such as helmets, wrist guards, knee or elbow pads.

Be alert for signs and symptoms of heat stroke sure that players are hydrated and appropriately dressed.

Concussions can occur from a fall or blow to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. Even what seems to be a mild bump to the head can be serious.

source: CDC.gov

For whatever life throws at you, count on the HCA East Florida Hospitals of Broward County. Let our award-winning team of physicians provide you care that will keep your child off the bench and in the game.

Your Go-To ER To speak to a registered nurse or if you need a FREE physician referral, call Consult-A-NurseÂŽ at 954-724-6349. Visit HCAEastFlorida.com for more information and average ER wait times.

contents

SEPTEMBER 2018

CONFESSIONS OF A RECOVERING HOME-SCHOOLER From teaching in pajamas to behavior battles, a mom’s secrets are revealed.

AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITY & ENRICHMENT GUIDE Searching for the best options for your kids after the bell rings? Here’s help.

10 STEPS TO HEALTHY COMPETITION How to make your child’s experience positive and fun.

TODAY’S GRANDPARENTS Our special section devoted to informing and entertaining South Florida grandparents. ON THE COVER: Anthony Dara, 11, of Pembroke Pines A Cover Angels winner Photographer: Lisa Nalven

departments 12

BROWARD & BEYOND

FAMILY MAN

FAMILY HEALTH

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

WORDS OF WISDOM

News about the people, places and events in our community.

It’s always showtime for a stage-struck son.

For boosting your child’s well-being, make time for quiet time.

Entertaining and noteworthy things to see and do in every corner of Broward County.

An anti-soccer mom hands down her sports aversion.

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

| browardfamilylife.com

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 ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Stacey Jacques EXECUTIVE EDITOR Michelle Liem ASSISTANT EDITOR Greg Carannante ASSOCIATE EDITOR Shannon Pease-Severance SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGERS Suzy Miguelez • Anina Venuti ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Millie Jones CREATIVE DIRECTOR Carrie B. Weeks PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS Toni Kirkland • Linda Seavey DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Tom Gonzales CONTACT US: 4611 S. University Drive, #224 Davie, FL 33328 Phone (954) 424-7405 info@browardfamilylife.com

For information on where to find Broward Family Life, or to become a distributor, call 954-424-7405 or e-mail info@browardfamilylife.com Comments and suggestions are welcome.

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.

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

| browardfamilylife.com

WE BUILD FUTURES PRESCHOOL WE BUILD FUTURES

At Temple Beth El Preschool, children ages 12 months to 5 years come to our school happy and excited to share in new experiences. From reading, writing, and math, to art, science, and Jewish studies, our nationally accredited preschool introduces a world of possibilities. So no matter what your children want to be when they grow up, you can be sure they will be prepared for a lifetime of learning and discovery.

Visit us at templebethelhollywood.org/earlylearning to get your coupon for

$100 off

our 2018-2019 registration fee.

(Limited-time offer open to new families only. One coupon per family.)

Call 954-921-7096 or visit templebethelhollywood.org/earlylearning

1351 S. 14th Avenue · Hollywood, FL 33020 · Check us out at facebook.com/templebethelhollywood TBE Preschool Ad August Broward Family.indd 1

7/16/18 1:09 PM

Free Events Hollywood Blvd. & US 1

in the Park

954.921.3500 | hollywoodfl.org

SOLAR BLAST CONCERT SERIES

8pm

9/8 chain reacTion (styx & Journey) 9/22 leT iT be (beatles) Visitors to the ArtsPark at Young Circle in downtown Hollywood may have noticed the new solar trees recently installed by Florida Power and Light. The trees are, in part, powering the amphitheater stage equipment, as well as other ArtsPark fixtures. In celebration of this green partnership, the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts will be hosting a series of “Solar Concerts” featuring local, live tribute bands. Lawn seating. Bring a blanket or beach chair. FREE admission.

sept. 16

Global MediTaTion For World Peace 6-7:30pm

sept. 25

Full Moon druM circle 7-9pm

By directing our thoughts in specific, positive ways, we have the potential to guide the world towards becoming a more loving place. 954-962-7447

Bring a drum or percussion instrument to this guided drum circle. Info: 954-926-0204

learninG To Make suPer video GaMes

Free Weekly kids Friendly activity for aug - sept. saturday 5 - 10pm Learn about Video Game making and make your own video games as artworks! This activity is sponsored by the Broward Cultural Division and the Knight Foundation.

MONDAY 5:30 – 9:30pm

Food Trucks aT arTsPark Bring your chairs, blankets and appetite. Over 20 different food trucks. For more info: burgerbeast.com/arts-park WPlG local 10 Top Places to Take the kids

FRIDAY

FunTasTic Friday 5-8pm Free family fun featuring, face painter and bounce houses.

Movie niGhT 8pm See a free family-friendly flick each week at the Amphitheater. Lawn seating. Bring a beach chair or blanket. 9/7 Goodbye Christopher Robin (PG), 9/14 Sing (PG), 9/21 D2 The Mighty Ducks (PG), 9/28 Ghostbusters - 1984 (PG)

arT FroM our earTh, The sea and The sky Contemporary Art Projects USA presents the Pre-Art Basel Miami Week Exhibition curated by Mariavelia Savino. An Opening Reception to the public will take place on September 6th at 7 to 9pm. Gallery is open to the public Mon – Thurs 11am–8pm exhibit runs aug. 6 - oct. 3. admission Free.

September 2018 | B R O W A R D F A M I LY L I F E

&beyond

BROWARD

Flamingo Chick is a Rare Bird W

ith a cracked shell, endearing squeaks and tentative steps (and a stumble or two), the first baby flamingo to be born at the sanctuary that bears its name has begun its exceptional journey to fully grown tropical regalia. At 88 grams, the white-down American flamingo hatchling emerged fully from its egg at Flamingo Gardens on Aug. 1, the only

checks, growth monitoring and regular exercise such as daily walks to strengthen its delicate legs. It spends about an hour every day at the Flamingo Pond, where it can be viewed by the public until it’s large enough to thrive on its own and join the flock. This month would be an opportune time to check out the chick in person. Each Saturday in September beginning Sept. 8, admission to the attraction is reduced to $7 for adults and children 3 and older. Younger children and members are admitted free. “Raising a flamingo is a tedious process,” says Laura Wyatt, wildlife curator. “They are hearty yet fragile birds when

one of three eggs to have hatched after being collected from the flock and artificially incubated. “We were astonished when we came into work and went to rotate the eggs and we could hear one calling out and could see that it had pipped a hole through the egg,” says Michael Ruggieri, director of animal care. This is only the second time in 15 years that the flamingos have laid eggs at the botanical garden and everglades wildlife sanctuary in Davie. Flamingo chicks hatch with white down that in adulthood turns into salmon pink feathering, the coloring coming from pigments in the aquatic organisms they eat. At Flamingo Gardens, the chick was pampered with around-the-clock care, including feedings every two hours, health

young so they must be handled very gently.” As well as five other flamingos, Flamingo Gardens is home to 14 adult American flamingos, also known as Caribbean flamingos, which are the brightest-colored and one of the largest of six species of the iconic birds. Flamingos rarely breed if their flock is not larger than 20 or more birds, or if sex ratios are skewed. To have a chick with only 14 birds in the flock is exceptional. Legend has it that the attraction got its name when founders Floyd and Jane Wray saw a flock of wild flamingos roosting nearby when they purchased the property in 1927. Mrs. Wray introduced flamingos to the gardens in the 1940s, and they’ve been a main attraction with visitors since. Follow the flamingo chick’s progress at facebook.com/flamingogardensorg. Flamingo Gardens is at 3750 S. Flamingo Rd. For more information call 954-473-2955 or visit www.flamingogardens.org

AN ENCORE FOR SENSORY-FRIENDLY SHOWS As the new arts season heats up next month, going to the theater will be an unusually welcoming experience for children and adults with sensory processing and autism spectrum disorders. The Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale will present three sensory-friendly performances, a program that drew applause from the community in its debut last season. The adaptive productions include special seating arrangements, pre-curtain preparatory activities, modifications to stage and auditorium lighting, lower sound volumes and the use of noisecanceling devices. For those who may nevertheless experience sensory overload, a quiet room is also provided. This season, the center is expanding the series with its first sensory-friendly dance event, The Nutcracker, in a special performance by Arts Ballet Theatre at Parker Playhouse in Fort Lauderdale,

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

which is affiliated with the center. Presented at 1pm Saturday, Dec. 15, the holiday favorite features dancers of all ages and colorful costumes in a wonderful introduction to the ballet. The series kicks off in upbeat style with Madagascar – A Musical Adventure, based on the animated movie. In collaboration with the acclaimed Slow Burn Theatre Company, the musical is at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, in the center’s Amaturo Theater. The collaboration also presents You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, based on the Peanuts comic strip, at 2pm Saturday, March 2, in the center’s Abdo New River Room. Tickets to each sensory-friendly performance are $15 and can be purchased at the box offices; by calling 954-462-0222; or online at www.browardcenter.org, www.parkerplayhouse.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

| browardfamilylife.com

WHERE LEARNING COMES TO LIFE ON STAGE! WE THE PEOPLE

Presented by

Where the Stories are the Stars! 2018-2019 Four-Show Series Broward Center for the Performing Arts

Madagascar— A Musical Adventure Saturday, October 6

Rosie Revere, Engineer & Friends

Single tickets Starting at $7.20

Saturday, January 19

Madeline and the Bad Hat Sunday, March 17

Group tickets Starting at $5.00

Pete the Cat

Integrating the arts into learning for students in grades Pre K-12, these school day matinee performances reinforce classroom lessons and spark creativity to help students advance.

Saturday, April 27 Aventura Arts and Cultural Center

Giggle, Giggle, Quack Saturday, October 20

Your Alien

Sunday, January 27

The Very Hungry Caterpillar & Other Eric Carle Favorites Sunday, February 24

Stuart Little

Sunday, April 14 Performances underwritten in part by Miami Salon Group, Inc.

For information, visit BrowardCenter.org/smartstage or call 954.414.6904.

All performances are at 11am and 1pm Guaranteed seats at all four performances when you subscribe!

Subscription Renewal Hotline: 954.468.3280 Tickets include complimentary pre-show activities and a sweet treat provided by Hoffman’s Chocolates!

BrowardCenter.org • Ticketmaster | 954.462.0222 Broward Center’s AutoNation Box Office • Group Sales | 954.660.6307

AventuraCenter.org • Group Sales: 954.660.6307

&beyond

BROWARD

Savoring Broward’s Latin Flavors

Tickets Start at $16! Restrictions, exclusions and additional charges may apply. Subject to availability.

BB&T Center SEPT 13 – 16 AmericanAirlines Arena SEPT 27 – 30

From fiestas with song and dance to storytimes and crafts like making piñatas, there are many family-friendly ways to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month throughout the county: HISPANIC HERITAGE CELEBRATION — Music, dance and food, Sept. 8, 1-2pm, all ages, West Regional Library, 8601 W. Broward Blvd., Plantation, 954-765-1560. READY, SET, GO STORYTIME SPECIAL — Stories from Latin America and crafts to take home, Sept. 11, 11-11:30am, ages 3-5, Southwest Regional Library, 16835 Sheridan St., Pembroke Pines, 954-357-6580. PIÑATA CRAFT — Sept. 13, 4-5pm, ages 7-11, Northwest Regional Library, 3151 University Dr., Coral Springs, 954-357-7990. BAILANDO @ BIBLIOTECA — Music and dance, Sept. 14, 10-10:45am, ages 3-6, North Regional/Broward College Library, 1100 Coconut Creek Blvd., Coconut Creek, 954-201-2600. CUENTAME UN CUENTO/TELL ME A STORY — Sept. 15, 11am-noon, Weston Library, 4205 Bonaventure Blvd., Weston, 954-357-5420. CELEBRATE HISPANIC HERITAGE — With Señorita Marci, Sept. 15, 2-3pm, all ages, South Regional/Broward College Library, 7300 Pines Blvd., Pembroke Pines, 954-201-8825. MOVIE “COCO” — Sept. 15, 2-4pm, North Lauderdale Saraniero Library, 6901 Kimberly Blvd., 954-357-6660; Sept. 19, 1-3pm, African-American Research Library and Cultural Center, 2650 Sistrunk Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, 954-357-6282; Sept. 24, 2-4:30pm, North Regional/Broward College Library, 1100 Coconut Creek Blvd., Coconut Creek, 954-201-2600. MEXICAN FIESTA & FRIDA KAHLO POSTERS EXHIBIT — Mexican folk art projects for kids, traditional music and Mexican appetizers, Sept. 17, 4-5pm, all ages, Lauderhill Central Park Library, 3810 NW 11 Place, Lauderhill, 954-357-7833. STORYTELLER TIME AND CRAFT — Flutes of the Andes, Sept. 19, 4:30-5:30pm, Riverland Library, 2710 W. Davie Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, 954-357-7455. MEXICAN FLOWER CRAFT — Sept. 20, 3:30-4:30pm, Jan Moran Collier City Learning Library, 2800 NW Ninth Ct., Pompano Beach, 954-357-7670.

DisneyOnIce.com 14

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

| browardfamilylife.com

YAA FIESTA — Explore Hispanic cultures from around the world by creating artwork inspired by Hispanic artists and traditions, Sept. 22, 10am-5pm, included with admission of $12/Broward resident, Young At Art Museum, 751 SW 121 Ave., Davie, 954-424-0085 youngatartmuseum.org HISPANIC HERITAGE FESTIVAL — Sept. 22, 6-11pm, free, Miramar Amphitheater, 16801 Miramar Parkway, 954-602-3178. HISPANIC HERITAGE STORYTIME — Stories, songs and activities, Sept. 25, 10:30-11:15am, ages 2-5 with parent/caregiver, Century Plaza/Leon Slatin Library, 1856 A W. Hillsboro Blvd., Deerfield Beach, 954-357-7740. CREATIVE & CRAFTY FUN — Sept. 26, 4-5pm, Sunrise Dan Pearl Library, 10500 W. Oakland Park Blvd., 954-357-7440. TODDLER STORYTIME — Happy Hispanic Heritage Month stories, songs and rhymes, Sept. 27, 10:30-11am, ages 12-35 months, Southwest Regional Library, 16835 Sheridan St., Pembroke Pines, 954-357-6580. MEXICAN FOLK ART SUN — Use crayons and oil pastels to decorate your own colorful sun inspired by Mexican Folk Art, Sept. 28-29, 10am-2pm, included with admission of $12/Broward resident, Young At Art Museum, 751 SW 121 Ave., Davie, 954-424-0085, www.youngatartmuseum.org BILINGUAL MAKE N’ TAKE CRAFTS — Sept. 29, 11-11:45am, ages 9 and up, Miramar Branch Library and Education Center, 2050 Civic Center Place, 954-357-8090. ESTORIAS CON LILI! — Stories in Spanish followed by a craft, Sept. 29, 2-3pm, North Regional/Broward College Library, 1100 Coconut Creek Blvd., Coconut Creek,, 954-201-2600. FAMILY-FRIENDLY HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH MOVIE — Light refreshments, Oct. 6, 1-3:30pm, Pompano Beach Library, 50 W. Atlantic Blvd., 954-357-7595. HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH — With Senorita Marci, Oct. 10, 10-11am, Deerfield Beach Percy White Library, 837 E. Hillsboro Blvd., 954-357-7680. GUESS THE LATIN BEAT — Oct. 11, 3:30-4:30pm, Jan Moran Collier City Learning Library, 2800 NW 9 Ct., Pompano Beach, 954-357-7670.

Making Kids Happy & Healthy Health care and fun don’t usually go together, but they have for 15 years at Nova Southeastern University’s A Day for Children and they will again this month. From 11am-5pm Sept. 23, the free event combines entertainment and activities with a spectrum of health-care services and resources for children from infants to age 17, from free health screenings for hearing, balance, vision and dental health to nutritional info, social services and more. Representatives from NSU’s Health Care Centers and others will provide the assessments. “I think parents are lacking in knowing what’s available out there for their children and for themselves,” says organizer Ronnie Oller, explaining why she founded the event in 2002. “I wanted to make sure these children had everything they needed to grow up not lacking anything. And if they were ill in any way, I wanted to make sure they would know better people that they could afford to go to who could take care of them in a special way.” “We had almost 1,000 people the first time. Now, we get from 9,000 to 11,000. Last year was the first time we had to postpone it for the hurricane, and we still had 9,000.” This year Baptist Health and HCA hospitals join the roster of health-care providers, organizations and companies on hand to provide information and services, including Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, Florida KidCare, Florida Blue, Young at Art Museum, Broward 211 and Broward Health. Also the Broward Sheriff’s Office and Crimestoppers offer free fingerprinting and ID cards, and NSU’s Alvin Sherman Library hands out library cards. Kids can even get a free haircut. “We have a lot of people that come back year after year,” Oller says, “like Feeding South Florida food bank, so everyone goes home with a bag of fresh vegetables.” Among the returning entertainment offerings are alligator shows by TV’s Gator Boys. “They’re the ones who taught me how to pet an alligator and hold a snake,” Oller remembers. “I can’t believe I did that, but I did.” A Day for Children is located at NSU Alvin Sherman Library, 3100 Ray Ferrero, Jr. Blvd., Davie. All services and food are free and no registration is necessary. For more information, please call 954-678-2273 or 954-288-2268.

TOWN OF DAVIE

Fall Harvest Festival Septemb er 29, 2018 P 4:00-8:00pm

OLive performances P Petting Farm OHayride Kids Activities P Music by

The New Shadow Creek Band

Bergeron Rodeo Grounds R 4271 Davie Rd www.davie-fl.gov R (954) 797-1181

September 2018 | B R O W A R D F A M I LY L I F E

CONFESSIONS of a RECOVERING

HOME SCHOOLER BY LISA A. BEACH

FROM TEACHING IN PAJAMAS TO BEHAVIOR BATTLES, A MOM’S SECRETS ARE REVEALED

• We filled many days with beyond-the-worksheet fun — field trips, co-op classes, library visits, hands-on activities, science experiments, concerts, plays, recipes, homeschool support group activities, music, games, and art projects. • We custom-tailored our curriculum to what the boys enjoyed learning about while still covering the basics. For example, instead of just making them memorize the parts of speech, we let our artist son write and illustrate a grammar booklet based on Mario, his favorite video game character. • We adapted the environment to our boys’ special needs. The oldest, on the autism spectrum, liked a structured, quiet environment with lots of reading and art projects. The youngest, with ADHD, liked noise, movement and hands-on activities. • We “skipped school” whenever we felt like it. If we wanted to go to the beach for the day or head to the Orlando theme parks when they were less crowded, we did. • We read thousands of books, which helped instill a love of reading in my boys.

any people think of homeschoolers as a generic lot of religious Luddites who nix technology, lack social skills, grow their own food, live off the grid and want to be around their kids 24/7. That describes maybe five percent of homeschoolers. And the Amish. I am not in the five percent (or Amish). “Hi, my name is Lisa and I’m a recovering homeschool mom,” I say to my imaginary 12-step support group of parents who survived homeschooling their own kids. I say “survived” because it was not all fun and games (although a lot of the times, it was exactly that). Homeschooling, with both its pros and cons, was one tough gig. People often asked how I ended up on this alternative life path. I certainly didn’t plan THE CONS it. In fact, when my friend Livie said she • We fought. A lot. Three years wanted to homeschool her twins, I said: apart and polar opposites, my boys “Are you kidding? I would never want were masters at sibling rivalry. to homeschool my kids!” And my younger son and I battled The thought of an entire day around constantly over snacks and pencils Over the years, people asked me my son, still going through the terrible and petting the cat and making twos even though he was three, sent chills too much noise and... everything. what homeschooling was really like, down my spine. Plus, I had an infant. I was Just because we homeschooled as if we were escaping from exhausted from just being a mom. How didn’t mean we all got along could I be a mom and a homeschooler? all the time. Stereotype shattered. North Korea and they wanted Yet, just a couple years later, I made the • We questioned the decision the insider’s secrets of life beyond leap into home education. Why? After a to homeschool our boys at the very bored two-year stint in public school, beginning and end of every The Demilitarized Zone. my son clearly needed more of a challenge. school year — and sometimes even (We had to sneak Magic Tree House books in the middle if we were going into his classroom because they weren’t through a particularly rough on the “approved” first-grade reading behavioral patch. list.) Plus, when his teacher spelled I’m not the kind of person who “Santa Clause” on the chalkboard, my faith thrives being around other people in public school took a bit of a nosedive. all the time, especially when those So, we pulled him after first grade and homeschooled people are my own demanding little kids who often him (and his younger brother) for almost 10 years. exhaust my patience. I regularly needed some “me time” Over the years, people asked me what homeschooling was and sometimes felt guilty about taking it. really like, as if we were escaping from North Korea and they As the boys got older and busier, homeschooling wasn’t wanted the insider’s secrets of life beyond The Demilitarized nearly as fun. In high school, everything counts on a Zone. But I get it. They were curious. We were educational transcript. We had much less free time to go on field trips deviants, and they wanted to understand what we did… and pack in all those “beyond-the-worksheet” fun activities and if we ever left the house. like when the boys were younger. Let me pull back the curtain to show what homeschooling While we homeschooled our older son through 12th grade, we was really like, at least for our family. realized that our younger son needed to answer to someone else THE PROS • We started school later, sometimes in our pajamas, because I’m not a morning person. (We often made morning runs for bagels and coffee for the same reason.) • We “did school” everywhere: kitchen table, couch, pool, back porch, car, park, science center and wherever the day’s activity took us.

in high school. Plus, he thrived around more people, noise and activity, so our quiet little homeschool drove him a bit stir-crazy. The veil has now been lifted off the shroud of homeschooling mystery — at least from our family’s perspective, since no two homeschoolers “do school” the exact same way. But if we all fessed up, we’d agree on one thing: homeschooling is one tough gig.

September 2018 | B R O W A R D F A M I LY L I F E

FREE FIRST THURSDAYS

STARRY NIGHTS PRESENTED BY

FREE ART MUSEUM ADMISSION THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 4 – 8 PM Children 12 and under always FREE. 2-for-1 specials in the Museum Caf , and hands-on art projects for all ages.

Tour the museum and create artworks inspired by exhibitions on view Also join us October 4. Micro and Mini Muse Supported by Fab! 954-525-5500 | nsuartmuseum.org One East Las Olas Boulevard Fort Lauderdale

60th Anniversary presented by

Educational programming and initiatives at NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale are supported by major funding from the David and Francie Horvitz Family Foundation, The Joseph & Winifred Amaturo Education Foundation, Inc., Lillian S. Wells Foundation Inc., Jerry Taylor & Nancy Bryant Foundation, Hudson Family Foundation, The Related Group, Beaux Arts, Community Foundation of Broward, Wells Fargo, the Wege Foundation, Charles F. and Esther M. Frye Foundation, PNC Foundation, MAI Foundation, BBX Capital Foundation and Friends of NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale. Exhibitions and programs at NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale are made possible in part by a challenge grant from the David and Francie Horvitz Family Foundation. Funding is also provided by Nova Southeastern University, Hudson Family Foundation, Conni Gordon, Wege Foundation, Community Foundation of Broward, Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council and Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. NSU Art Museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.

Broward_Sep_02.indd 1

8/10/18 3:48 PM

ENROLL NOW in our 2018-2019 Preschool Programs A Private School that provides an enriching, educational experience for preschool children. • Hands-On, Brains-On Academic Curriculum • Handwriting Without Tears Program • Phonics Program for Threes and Pre-K • Active Learning for 18 Months and 2’s • Experiments and Discovery Learning for 3’s and 4’s • Pre-K Reading Program • Excellent Staff-to-Child Ratio • VPK Provider • In-House Enrichment Children’s Programs • Shaded Playgrounds • Secured Entrances Pembroke Pines • 954-430-3388 Weston • 954-217-8566 Coral Springs • 954-796-1177 Wellington • 561-791-0013

www.cambridgepreschools.com 18

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

| browardfamilylife.com

SENSORY-FRIENDLY PERFORMANCES 2018-2019

These performances are intended to create a welcoming and supportive environment for children and adults on the autism spectrum as well as individuals with other sensitivity issues or developmental disabilities.

MADAGASCAR

Slow Burn Theatre Company

Sunday, October 7 at 11:00AM Tickets $15 | Broward Center

ARTS BALLET THEATRE’S THE NUTCRACKER

Saturday, December 15 at 1:00PM Tickets $15 | Parker Playhouse

YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN Slow Burn Theatre Company

Saturday, March 2 at 2:00PM Tickets $15 | Broward Center Wednesday, March 6 at 10:30AM Tickets $10.50 | Broward Center

To create a sensory-friendly setting, slight adjustments have been made to the productions including reduced sound levels, no flashing or strobe lights and minimal special effects.

Tickets at BrowardCenter.org

Ticketmaster 954.462.0222 | Group Sales 954.660.6307 The Broward Center’s sensory-friendly programming is made possible through the generous support of The Taft Foundation. Special thanks to Theatre Development Fund’s Autism Theatre Initiative for serving as an advisor, www.tdf.org/autism.

2018 Not So Scary EVENT CHAIRS VIRGINIA & STEVEN WEBER PRESENTED BY

HONORARY CHAIR ROXANNE VARGAS

OCTOBER 14 | 1-5 PM MUSEUM MEMBER | $35 NON-MEMBER | $45 Prices will increase to $50 Tickets are limited!

980 macarthur causeway miami, fl 33132 • notsoscary.michimu.net September 2018 | B R O W A R D F A M I LY L I F E

FAMILY man

Home Theater Experience IT’S ALWAYS SHOWTIME FOR A STAGE-STRUCK SON BY GREGORY KEER

ot too long ago, my 11-year-old tracked me down in my fortress of solitude, the bathroom, and launched into “Suddenly Seymour,” his audition tune for the performing arts magnet school he desperately wanted to attend. By the time he hit his final note, I had long forgotten where I was or what I had intended to do there. I just applauded. “That was the best I’ve ever heard you sing,” I told Jacob. Whether he’s standing on bathroom tile or on auditorium floorboards, my son loves the stage. It started early, when we took a 3-year-old Jacob to see his older brother in a theater-camp production of The Sound of Music. We had to hold back the nascent thespian from leaping to join “Do-Re-Mi.” Although his big brother grew more self-conscious about performing, Jacob’s theatrical bug hasn’t stopped buzzing.

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

| browardfamilylife.com

Sometimes, all that buzzing gets on our nerves. We frequently have been torn between encouraging his creative, outgoing nature and protecting our senses from his often disastrous practicing. There were countless nights when he belted a medley of Top 40 hits all day long, from every room in the house — and mostly off-key. He didn’t know he was out of tune, nor did he care. He also had the habit of trying to force his vibrato to sound like Ed Sheeran — only he isn’t Ed Sheeran. There were the mornings we awakened thinking clowns were ransacking our home when it was just Jacob leaping around his room, rehearsing hip-hop moves he learned in his after-school program. On countless occasions, we sat with frozen smiles while we watched him do modern-dance versions of movies like Iron Man 2. There were all the elementary-school plays, the ones Jacob made us practice with him for weeks, even when he only had one line. Worse yet, given Jacob’s perfectionist streak, we had to endure his criticism of how we delivered our parts: “Daddy, I really think Zeus would sound much bolder than you’re saying it.” You know there’s something wrong when your

kid makes you feel like youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never work in show business again. As anxious as Jacobâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s relentless practicing has made us, nothing compares to how we felt every time he tried out for a part he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get, or when he was teased by peers who found his theatricality not macho enough. Each time this happened, Jacob would come home angry or in tears, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d boost his ego for being brave enough to take risks. Yet it was mostly his own sense of resolve that motivated him to try all over again. In his last year of elementary school, all of Jacobâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s practice seemed to pay off. After three years in the back of the chorus, he improved his vocal pitch and moved to the front. After years of musical instrument obscurity, he learned the ukulele and became a soloist at his graduation. And after endless sessions rehearsing dance moves, song stylings and acting chops, Jacob auditioned last year for a performing arts school with so few available spots and so many dreamers vying for them. Weeks later, the answer arrived with the word â&#x20AC;&#x153;Congratulationsâ&#x20AC;? on it. With the new school program well under way, we are still figuring out how to support our developing performer. Who knows if this opportunity to learn in an arts program will lead to Jacobâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success on Broadway or in Hollywood? What I do know is that, as much as my son has learned to follow a passion, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more to life than any stage. More important than a lead part is what Jacob has learned about working hard, facing his fears, enjoying triumphs and weathering failure. He also has learned to balance his theatrical pursuits with friends, family and soccer, a game he still loves. These lessons will serve him as he makes the transition from the smaller elementary school stakes to the bigger ones in middle school and beyond. Whether or not he continues in the theater, I hope Jacob always has something in his life that inspires the kind of passion, dedication and drive he has developed through his involvement in the arts. I am very proud of my boy. So proud, in fact, that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll even let him interrupt my privacy any time he wants to break out into song.

Â&#x2014; Â&#x152; Â? Â&#x17D; Â? Â&#x2022;Â&#x201C;Â&#x201D; Â&#x201A; Â? Â&#x2C6; Â Â&#x201D; Â&#x201D; Â&#x2DC; Â&#x201D; Â?

A joint-use facility between Nova Southeastern University and the Broward County Board of County Commissioners

READING IS MAGIC!

Â&#x160; â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ( ) Â Â&#x2039; Â&#x20AC; Â&#x160; Â&#x2C6; Â&#x160; Â&#x2021;Â&#x2020; Â&#x152; Â&#x2C6; Â&#x2021;Â&#x2020;

Â&#x17D; Â&#x2018; Â&#x2019; Â&#x201C;Â?Â&#x201D; Â&#x17D; Â&#x201C;Â&#x201D;Â&#x2022; Â&#x2019; Â? Â&#x2019; Â&#x201C;Â? Â&#x2018;Â&#x201D; Â? Â&#x201C; Â&#x2013; Â Â&#x201D; Â? Â?Â? Â Â Â&#x20AC;Â // Â&#x20AC; Â&#x201A;ÂÂ Â&#x192; Â&#x201A; / Â&#x20AC;Â&#x201E; Â Â&#x201E; Â&#x2026;Â&#x2020;Â&#x2021;Â&#x2C6; Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2020;Â&#x2021;Â&#x2030;Â&#x2030;

HARRY POTTER 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION!

â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ( )

Â Â?Â? Â?Â? Â Â Â&#x20AC;Â // Â&#x20AC; Â&#x201A;ÂÂ Â&#x192; Â&#x201A; / Â Â&#x201E; Â&#x2026;Â&#x2020;Â&#x2021;Â&#x2C6; Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2020;Â&#x2021;Â&#x2030;Â&#x2030; Â? Â&#x2022; Â&#x201D; Â&#x201C;Â&#x201D;Â&#x2022; Â&#x2019; Â? Â&#x201D;Â Â? Â&#x17D;Â?

@ /

Imagine Your Angel on the Cover of our Magazine

sponsored by

START GATHERING YOUR FAVORITE PHOTOS Our new contest kicks off October 1st! Visit BrowardFamilyLife.com for details

Gregory Keer is an award-winning syndicated columnist, teacher and guest expert in national media. He is also a patron of the arts â&#x20AC;&#x201D; his sonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, that is. September 2018 | B R O W A R D F A M I LY L I F E

FAMILY health

Silence Is Golden

TO BOOST YOUR CHILD’S WELL-BEING, MAKE TIME FOR QUIET TIME BY SANDI SCHWARTZ A visit to a silent retreat is on my bucket list. It seems like the ultimate way to reach a mindful, relaxed and introspective state. Science indicates that silence can be beneficial to us in so many ways, as it impacts our physical, mental and emotional health. Given our increasingly loud lives with technology constantly buzzing in our ears, how can we give our children the gift of silence to make them happier and healthier? Noise pollution is considered a serious concern throughout the world. The World Health Organization ranks it as the secondmost critical environmental challenge after air pollution because excessive noise can seriously harm human health and interfere with people’s daily activities. It can disturb sleep, cause cardiovascular and other physiological effects, reduce performance and lead to changes in social

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

behavior. As the world gets louder, we may be able to cope a little bit; however, our evolutionary biology has not kept up with rapid technological innovations. Noise affects our bodies in the following ways: Physiological: Sudden jarring noises cause the body to produce cortisol, the fight-or-flight hormone that causes us to feel stressed and anxious. Some studies show how chronic exposure to levels of sound greater than 50 to 55 decibels can boost these stress hormones and increase blood pressure, hypertension and heart rate. Psychological: Sounds can change our mood. Constant or loud noises can shift our mood from happy and calm to stressed and irritated. When we are surrounded by these intrusive noises all the time, the impact can add up and crush our spirits. Cognitive: The brain has a huge storage space, but the amount of noise that it

| browardfamilylife.com

can process is relatively limited. Being bombarded by noise can impact our ability to focus and think clearly. Research shows that children studying in schools under flight paths have reading skills several months behind their peers in quieter places, simply because they are unable to hear well. Behavior: Loud noises can lead to changes in how we act. We tend to move away from sounds that we don’t like or that feel uncomfortable to us. In a recent experiment at a shopping center, speakers playing loud pop music were set up at one end of a store while calm, ambient music was played at the other end. The results showed that many shoppers physically moved away from the pop music speakers. Sound, therefore, can impact decisions that we make in our lives. What is most alarming is that researchers have noticed that children have become so continued on page 24

THANK YOU!

Sponsors of the Back to School Community Extravaganza

The Nurtury Montessori at Riverland • Montessori Certified Infant/Toddler and Primary Teachers • Infant program (6 wks old – 18 mos. old) • Toddler program (18 mos old – 3 yrs old) • Primary Program (3 yrs to 6 yrs old) • Spanish Lessons & Music Movement • Infant Massage & Baby Sign Language

For oPEN ENroLLMENT CALL

954-587-2285

www.thenurtury-montessori.com info@thenurtury-montessori.com

Many thanks to all the community partners and the hundreds of volunteers who made the 2018 Broward Back to School Extravaganza a tremendous success. Through this effort, by the time school begins, more than 7000 children and youth will have received new uniforms, shoes and backpacks filled with supplies. Children’s Services Council of Broward County, 6600 W. Commercial Blvd, Lauderhill, FL 33319 954-377-1000 ; web: www.cscbroward.org ; e-mail: info@cscbroward.org

September 2018 | B R O W A R D F A M I LY L I F E

COMING FALL 2018 TO PEMBROKE PINES! REGISTER TODAY!

Make a SPLASH at Goldfish! Small Class Sizes Flexible Class Times 90-degree Pool Year-round Lessons

FAMILY health

continued from page 22

used to constant noise that they are actually uncomfortable without it. Noise, essentially, has become a crutch for our children. This has led to habits like coming home and immediately turning on the television or iPad. The best remedy for all of this noise is very simple: silence. Being silent may sound like an odd concept, but more research continues to come out highlighting the importance of quiet time for us and our children. Silence has a calming effect. It settles the many emotions that are activated by talking and listening. As our mental and emotional lives calm down in this quiet space, our bodies can relax. In a group of studies on silence for the magazine Nautilus, it was noted how participants were most relaxed during the moments of silence between pieces of relaxing music as opposed to during the music itself. We need silence to bring us back to the present moment, helping us to calm down and not worry about what happened in the past or what may happen in the future. Silence is a wonderful way for us to take a step back, find peace and recharge.

Silence also helps us more effectively connect to the world around us. Essentially, all of our senses are heightened when we are silent. We may notice sounds that we never did before, and view our surroundings with a fresh perspective. For example, we may notice how loud the traffic is from our backyard or how beautiful the birds are singing as we wake up in the morning. Being able to hear more easily allows us to have greater clarity and helps us make better decisions, especially ones that we’ve been struggling with. Silence reduces the mental chatter that distracts us from being able to think clearly and to truly be in touch with our own thoughts and feelings. Silence may also be good for our brain. In 2013, biologist Imke Kirst conducted an experiment in which she exposed four groups of adult mice to either various sounds or to silence to find out if it affected them. She discovered that the mice kept in silence were the only group that developed new brain cells. These cells were in the part of the brain connected to memory, emotion and learning. Although these results have not yet been duplicated in humans, this study offers some insight into how our brain may change due to silence.

10 WAYS TO Shhh The best way to combat the excessive noise that our children are exposed to daily is to teach them how to create a quieter environment around them. Here are 10 ways that you can bring more silence into your children’s lives. 1. Be a positive role model to your children. This means keeping your home free of excessive noise and showing your kids that you take time out of your busy day for quiet moments, such as meditation. 2. Turn the television off when nobody is watching it. Do not use it as a background noise, especially when you are eating as a family or when your children are doing homework.

Enroll TODAY and we will waive your Annual Membership fee! Expires September 30, 2018

3. Work on positive behavior shifts, which include limiting your child’s time on television, computers and devices. 4. Offer ear plugs or noise-reducing headphones to your children if they’re bothered by noise or just need to tune-out sounds when they’re having quiet time. 5. Set aside quiet meditation time for your children, such as right after school, to provide a break from their busy day before they jump into homework or extracurricular activities. 6. Make an effort to drive your children to and from school without the radio blaring. This allows everyone to have a moment with their thoughts before and after a hectic day. 7. Go for a family nature walk to quietly enjoy the beauty around you. Challenge your children to listen to the natural sounds around them, such as the rustling of leaves and birds chirping. 8. When you go for a long drive in the car, spend some of that time in complete silence. This will prompt your children to look out the window and soak in the world passing by.

PEMBROKE PINES 954.633.9702

goldfishswimschool.com 24

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

9. Create a quiet zone in your home where your children can go to when they need some silence. This can be a floor pillow in the corner of their playroom or bedroom where there are some books and stuffed animals to comfort them as they recharge. 10. Teach your children stillness techniques like yoga, tai chi, chi gong and breathing exercises.

| browardfamilylife.com

After-School

ACTIVITIES & ENRICHMENT

GUIDE

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

STEPS

HEALTHY

}

COMPETITION

BY DENISE YEARIAN

Competition can sharpen kids’ skills and drive them to achieve their personal best. But when undue emphasis is placed on winning and excelling, it can be detrimental to a child and his relationship with others. As a result the child may become reluctant to attend lessons, programs or games and may develop an unhealthy view of competition. As a parent, you can help your child’s experience to be positive and fun, as well as teach valuable life skills. Here are 10 ways to make it happen.

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

| browardfamilylife.com

WATCH FOR SIGNS While it is normal to show disappointment in a bad play or lost game, if a child’s view of competition is unhealthy, parents may need to intervene and communicate what is and is not acceptable behavior. Signs may include intense anger or crying, an abundance of negative self-talk, anxiety about competing, cheating, withdrawal from friends and other activities, unsportsmanlike conduct, and/or using performance-enhancing drugs. TALK THROUGH FRUSTRATIONS If your child is upset about losing a competition, give him time to cool down before talking things over. Then find out why he was so upset. Reframe the situation: “What were the good things that happened on the field today?” “You didn’t win, but you did do good things — can you name a few?” Let him talk it out. Highlight his strengths and share how losing is an important part of playing too, and that we learn things when we lose just like when we win. Remind him that competitions are meant to be fun, and failure isn’t fatal. EMPHASIZE FUN When fun is the main emphasis, it is better for children’s self-image and feelings of self-worth. It is better for their performance, too. Studies show kids actually persist in activities much longer if they participate because they enjoy it, rather than trying to obtain a trophy or medal. CONSIDER THE COACH Attend and observe your child’s programs to make sure the coach or instructor is being fair and promoting fun, participation and cooperation over competition and winning. If he isn’t, talk with him. Remind him of the children’s ages and diplomatically tell him you think he is focusing too much on competition. Sometimes people just need to have it pointed out to them. If things don’t change, talk with other parents and see if there is a supervising organization you can speak with. Go up in the ranks if you need to. AVOID COMPARISONS Encourage your child to always do his best and compete against his own best performance, not against others. Be careful with personal comparisons, too. Negative comparisons make a child feel inferior. Positive ones build one child up while putting others down.

6 7

8 9

COMPLIMENT PUBLICLY; CRITICIZE PRIVATELY Give fair and accurate feedback. If, during a competition, your child performs poorly, be honest but offer feedback in a positive way. Rather than say, “You did terribly today,” say, “You can do better next time.” SET GOALS Encourage your child to set attainable goals by breaking down larger goals into smaller ones so he can feel a sense of accomplishment along the way. Have him monitor and chart progress then celebrate little successes along the way. Just make sure these goals are child-driven, not adult-driven. PRAISE EFFORTS Emphasize fun, cooperation and teamwork over competition and final outcome. If his team loses, focus on the positive and remind him he needs to be a good loser as well as a good winner. Encourage him to congratulate the winning team.

COME JOIN OUR FAMILY! Celebrating Our 39th Year!

PEMBROKE LAKES SHOPPING PLAZA

LOOK AT YOURSELF Analyze your own feelings about your child’s participation in the activity. Children take cues from their parents in how they view competition. If it is a sports program, be sure you don’t emphasize winning over sportsmanship, physical development, skill and fun. Also watch your expressions and body language, as these can send powerful messages. Be realistic. Keep in mind the child’s age and developmental level.

10444 Taft Street • Pembroke Pines

954-431-2334

www.DancingPlus.com

ASK ABOUT OUR COMPETITION TEAM!

Beginner-Advanced Ballet • Tap • Jazz • Hip Hop Ages 2½ to Adult

BE A CHEERLEADER Provide support and encouragement and let your children know you love them no matter how they perform.

Lyrical • Acrobatics

NOW TAKING REGISTRATION FOR OUR FALL CLASSES September 2018 | B R O W A R D F A M I LY L I F E

NEW CLASSES BEGIN AUGUST 20TH

FALL INTO DANCE! Check out our new class added for kids, teens and adults!

2495 East Commercial Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33308 p. 954.491.1591 yellofl.com

Tired of traditional, cookie-cutter Our individualized approaches? approach to

education may be the answer.

You can enroll in our Learning Center, attend Inclusive Summer Camp or B.R.I.D.G.E. Leadership Program, and receive a range of Clinical Services. We would love to talk to you about educational options and how 954 we can help!

440-2483

evolve learning community education is growing in a new direction www.evolvelearningcommunity.com

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

After Care

BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS Administrative Headquarters, Fort Lauderdale 954-537-1010 www.bgcbc.org Centers: • Carver Ranches, 954-967-8787 • Davie (DeGeorge Club), 954-236-2790 • Davie (Rick and Rita Case Club), 954-433-9000 • Deerfield Beach (Jim and Jam Moran Club), 954-725-5545 • Fort Lauderdale (NFL YET Center/Lester White Unit), 954-585-6351 • Fort Lauderdale (Nan Knox Club), 954-463-6392 • Fort Lauderdale (Reitman Club), 954-797-7097 • Hollywood (Marti Huizenga Club), 954-983-0626 • Lauderhill, 954-731-3552 • North Lauderdale (Levine/Slaughter Club), 954-726-3927 • North Lauderdale Leo Goodwin Teen Center, 954-722-5580 • Pompano Beach (Stephanis Club), 954-941-2697 CREATIVE CHILD LEARNING CENTER • Coral Springs-Parkland, 954-796-0081 • Davie-Plantation, 954-452-3346 • Weston-Sunrise, 954-389-8245 www.creativechildlearningcenter.com The Camp Explorer after-school program for kindergarten and elementary school children offers a safe, stimulating environment with ontime transportation from school. Activities include homework time, computer fun, physical fitness, game time, spending time with friends and more. YMCA OF SOUTH FLORIDA Association Office 900 SE Third Ave., Fort Lauderdale 954-334-9622 www.ymcasouthflorida.org Y Membership Family Centers: • Greater Hollywood YMCA, 3161 Taft St., 954-989-9622 • L.A. Lee YMCA, 408 NW 14 Terr., Fort Lauderdale, 954-467-2444 • Pembroke Pines YMCA, 501 SW 172 Ave., 954-727-9622 • Weston YMCA Family Center, 20201 Saddle Club Rd., 954-424-9622

Art Classes

NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY Art Museum Fort Lauderdale One E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale 954-525-5500 www.nsuartmuseum.org Meeting the needs of each creative spirit, classes are offered to children grades 1-12 year-round. Courses, taught by locally and nationally known professional artists, can accommodate all levels of expertise and offer a range of artistic instruction.

| browardfamilylife.com

THE YOUNG AT ART INSTITUTE 751 SW 121 Ave., Davie 954-424-0085 www.youngatartmuseum.org The Young At Art Institute is a 7,500-square-foot wing of Young At Art Museum featuring the finest studios for ceramics, cartooning, digital art, darkroom photography, drawing and painting, mixed media, print making and more. Adult studio classes include pottery, among others. Age-appropriate art-making experiences for children, teens and adults are interwoven with art appreciation, history, culture and critique.

Dance & Performing Arts ARTISTRY DANCE ACADEMY 9410 Griffin Rd., Cooper City 954-434-8401 www.artistrydanceacademyfl.com Classes are offered in jazz, tap, ballet, pointe, hip hop, musical theatre, lyrical, contemporary, acrobatics, vocal lessons, nonperformance technique (leaps and turns/strength and conditioning), and competition. Combination ballet and tap classes are available for preschoolers and beginning students.

BROADWAY KIDS STUDIO 9042 W. State Rd. 84, Davie 954-693-7500 www.broadwaykidsstudio.com An award-winning, full service, performing arts studio that offers group classes and private lessons in singing, acting, dancing and musical instruments (piano, drums and guitar). After-school program includes up to 15 group classes a week and pick-up from over 30 local area schools. BROWARD CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS 201 SW Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale 954-414-6904 www.browardcenter.org/programs Kids can tap into their creative side with singing, dancing and acting classes in a state-of-the-art facility taught by a team of arts instructors. Classes are centered around performing arts and are open to any age or level. DANCING PLUS 10444 Taft St., Pembroke Pines 954-431-2334 www.dancepembrokepines.com Since 1980 Dancing Plus has continued to provide dance education for boys, girls and adults of all ages. Classes include ballet, tap, hip-hop, acrobatics, lyrical and jazz for all levels, beginner to advanced. FLORIDA CHILDREN’S THEATRE 2542B E. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale 954-763-6882 www.flct.org FLCT provides theatre classes, shows, and community outreach programs for ages 4-18. HIP HOP KIDZ 954-499-7729 www.hiphopkidz.com

OPEN AUDITIONS No previous musical experience is necessary. Open to boys from Grades 3-12. Saturday, September 15, 2018 Wednesday, September 26, 2018 10:00 AM-12:00 PM 4:00 PM-5:00 PM Saturday, September 22, 2018 Saturday, September 29, 2018 10:00 AM-12:00 PM 10:00 AM-12:00 PM Location 2300 E Oakland Park Blvd. 3rd Floor Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306

Sign-up to Audition www.singingsons.org 954-563-2697 September 2018 | B R O W A R D F A M I LY L I F E

With cool moves and the best beats, this program for boys and girls ages 5-19 fosters the skills of hip hop dancing, self-expression, confidence and teamwork. Classes available in 13 locations throughout the tri-county area. YELLO! 2495 E. Commerical Blvd., Fort Lauderdale 954-491-1591 www.yellofl.com Experience the joy of dance with classes for toddlers, kids, teens and adults that include ballet, jazz funk, hip-hop, belly dance, ballroom, Middle Eastern dance and dance fit. Yello’s 6,500 square feet of space features modern dance studios, an education lounge with iPads, and an organic plant based café.

Fitness & Sports

BARB KOSTER’S RIDING ACADEMY 5261 Hancock Rd., Southwest Ranches 754-234-5981 www.barbkostersridingacademy.com Offers group lessons after school throughout the week, a school day off program and a Saturday riding program. Kids learn grooming, tacking and riding. BROWARD COUNTY PARKS & RECREATION 954-357-8100 www.broward.org/parks Broward County Parks’ countywide network of regional parks, nature centers, neighborhood parks, and natural areas offers recreational opportunities for all ages. Facilities include water parks, campgrounds, skate parks, a target range, a variety of sports facilities, Brian Piccolo Park velodrome, and an educational farm with stables. Programming includes classes, nature activities, athletic leagues, and one-time special events. Hours and fees vary by location. YMCA OF SOUTH FLORIDA See After Care for locations

Jewish Community Centers

ADOLPH & ROSE LEVIS JCC 9801 Donna Klein Blvd., Boca Raton 561-852-3200 www.levisjcc.org DAVID POSNACK JCC 5850 S. Pine Island Rd., Davie 954-434-0499 www.dpjcc.org Variety of programs, services, and amenities aimed to enhance a sense of community, culture, education, enrichment, fitness and more. SOREF JCC 954-792-6700 www.sorefjcc.org • Perlman Family Campus, 6501 W. Sunrise Blvd., Plantation • Alvin S. Gross Family Center, 748 Riverside Dr., Coral Springs • Heron Lakes Family Center, 5601 Coral Ridge Dr., Coral Springs

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

| browardfamilylife.com

Language Classes

GERMAN-AMERICAN SCHOOL OF FORT LAUDERDALE 4200 N. 65 Ave., Davie 954-288-7599 www.germanschoolfl.com Daily full-immersion preschool program for children 2-5 years/VPK. German language arts classes for native speakers and German as a Foreign Language classes for all ages.

Music

FLORIDA SINGING SONS BOYCHOIR 1229 NE 37 St., Fort Lauderdale 954-563-2697 www.singingsons.org Award-winning boychoir whose mission is to foster the musical knowledge, education and vocal training of its members through performances and community events. Ages 8 and older. FLORIDA YOUTH ORCHESTRA 1708 N. 40 Ave., Hollywood 954-962-5666 www.floridayouthorchestra.org Classical music education for ages 6-19, with orchestras and ensembles that perform for thousands each year. THE GIRL CHOIR OF SOUTH FLORIDA 3347 NW 55 St., Fort Lauderdale 954-533-9227 www.girlchoir.org Choral music education and performance opportunities for girls and young women, ages 6-18. Members learn to read music, perform with confidence, sing in top venues, participate in overnight camps and tours, and more. YOUTH ORCHESTRA OF PALM BEACH COUNTY 2285 Potomac Rd., Boca Raton 561-281-8600 www.yopbc.org More than 175 musicians, ages 6-22, participate in YOPBC’s four orchestras: Training, String, Symphony, and Philharmonic – and numerous chamber ensembles. Rehearsals are held on Sunday afternoons at Palm Beach Atlantic University from August to May each season. Musicians perform throughout Palm Beach County.

Parks & Recreation

BOCA RATON 561-393-7810 www.ci.boca-raton.fl.us COCONUT CREEK 954-545-6670 www.coconutcreek.net COOPER CITY 954-434-4300 www.coopercityfl.org CORAL SPRINGS 954-345-2200 www.coralsprings.org DANIA BEACH 954-924-6800 www.ci.dania-beach.fl.us DAVIE 954-797-1146 www.davie-fl.gov

get your game on

at the David Ponsack JCC's Award-winning*

Grades K-8

Mon-Fri 2:00-6:00 pm

AFTER-SCHOOL ADVENTURE PROGRAM Transportation available from area schools Arts & Crafts • Computer Lab • Supervised Homework Room Sports • Snacks • Playground

Register at dpjcc.org/afterschool *by the readers of Sun Sentinel’s Trailblazer On the Nina & Louis Silverman Campus 5850 S. Pine Island Rd., Davie, FL 33328 dpjcc.org | 954-434-0499

954.693.7500

Most Awarded Studio

The Best Kept Secret The Best Performing Arts Studio The Best Dance Studio The Best After School Program The Best Kids Theater Program

September 2018 | B R O W A R D F A M I LY L I F E

AFTER SCHOOL LESSON PROGRAM LOTS OF RIDING & FUN!

DEERFIELD BEACH 954-480-4433 www.deerfield-beach.com FORT LAUDERDALE 954-828-PARK www.fortlauderdale.gov HALLANDALE BEACH 954-457-1452 www.hallandalebeachfl.gov HOLLYWOOD 954-921-3404 www.hollywoodfl.org LAUDERDALE LAKES 954-535-2785 www.lauderdalelakes.org LAUDERHILL 954-730-3080 www.lauderhill-fl.gov LIGHTHOUSE POINT 954-784-3439 www.lighthousepoint.com

Tue-Fri 2:30, 3:30 4:30 or 5:30pm Sat 9am-3pm

MARGATE 954-972-6458 www.margatefl.com MIRAMAR 954-602-3167 www.miramarfl.gov NORTH LAUDERDALE 954-724-7061 www.nlauderdale.org OAKLAND PARK 954-630-4500 www.oaklandparkfl.gov PARKLAND 954-757-4105 www.cityofparkland.org PEMBROKE PINES 954-392-2130 www.ppines.com

IN SW RANCHES

PLANTATION 954-452-2500 www.plantation.org

754-234-5981 www.barbkostersridingacademy.com

POMPANO BEACH 954-786-4111 www.pompanobeachfl.gov SUNRISE 954-747-4600 www.sunrisefl.gov TAMARAC 954-597-3634 www.tamarac.org WESTON 954-389-4321 www.westonfl.org WILTON MANORS 954-390-2130 www.wiltonmanors.com

Preschool Activities

NSU’S MAILMAN SEGAL CENTER FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT 7600 SW 36 St., Davie 954-262-6918 msc.nova.edu NSU offers a number of programs for families and children to learn, play and grow together. Kids can dig in with Ooey Gooey Messy Fun, whip up a healthy dish with Master Chefs, or run, jump and play with Sports for Tots.

Scouting

BOY SCOUTS 954-584-4200 www.sfcbsa.org Boy Scouts has different age groups, starting with Cub Scouts for ages 7-10. Students may participate through high school and earn the coveted Eagle Award. Participants learn practical skills and get outdoor experiences as they are guided to make ethical choices.

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

| browardfamilylife.com

GIRL SCOUTS 561-427-0177 www.gssef.org Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida serves girls ages 5-17 in six counties, including Broward. The organization’s goal is to build strong, smart and self-reliant young women who are confident of their place in the world.

Special Needs

BEST BUDDIES 954-449-6522 www.bestbuddies.org/florida Pairs people with intellectual disabilities in one-to-one friendships with middle and high school students. BROWARD COUNTY PARKS & RECREATION Special Populations Section 954-357-8170 or 954-537-2844 (TTY) www.broward.org EQUINE-ASSISTED THERAPIES 954-974-2007 www.equineatsf.org Therapeutic horseback riding and other equine-assisted activities. EVOLVE LEARNING COMMUNITY 4758 W. Commerical Blvd., Tamarac 954-440-2483 www.evolvelearningcommunity.com Evolve offers individualized enrichment classes such as philosophy, chess, yoga, physical education, nature, foreign language, math and more. Additional events for the Evolve community include book clubs and discussion groups. LIGHTHOUSE OF BROWARD COUNTY 954-463-4217 www.lhob.org Programs for the visually impaired. SPECIAL OLYMPICS 954-262-2150 www.specialolympicsflorida.org/broward Oversees training and competition for developmentally disabled children 8 years and up.

Tutoring

FULL POTENTIAL LEARNING ACADEMY 7950 NW 155 St., Miami Lakes 305-826-1896 www.fullpotentialtutor.com Tutoring center offers reading, math, science and test preparation programs. Students are empowered to aspire to a bright future by building academic and life skills.

Volunteering

HANDSON BROWARD 954-233-1300 www.handsonbroward.org Volunteer opportunities for families, teens and adults.

SPECIAL SECTION

GRAND events

Grandparents Day with a Twist The holiday may not enjoy the cache of Mother’s and Father’s days, but that makes it even more meaningful when grandkids make a point to celebrate it — with their parents’ help, perhaps. Here are few out-of-the-ordinary ways to honor grandparents this Sept. 9: At a time when immigration has become one of our country’s most divisive issues, Generations United is trying to bring immigrants together across the generations in honor of Grandparents Day. On its website’s Together blog, the organization will be featuring intergenerational immigration stories as a lead-up to the grandparents holiday. Do you have stories of how an immigrant grandparent or elder influenced your life? Do you work with older or younger immigrants or immigrant families in an intergenerational program or setting? Are you an immigrant grandparent or older adult who works with young people? If so, the national advocacy network for children, youth and older adults wants to possibly share your stories on its Together blog. If you miss the Sept. 3 deadline, you still have time to check out the stories of other grandparents at www.gu.org, where you’ll also find submission guidelines. The First Annual Grandparents Day 1 Mile, 5K & 10K stretches out the occasion for the entire month. It’s a virtual event, so if entrants can’t run or walk the race on the special day, they still have all of September to do it. They can go at their own pace from any location they choose — on a trail, track, treadmill or even at another race — and they get to time themselves. Entrants who complete the race will receive a medal that quotes author Alex Haley: “Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children.” The fee is $18 and at least 15% of every registration will go to ZERO – The End of Prostate Cancer, a leading national nonprofit with the mission to end the disease (September is also Prostate Cancer

Awareness Month). For more info and to register, please visit www.virtualrunevents.com/grandparents-day-1-mile-5k-10k Here’s a gift idea that might be just the ticket for certain grandparents who’d love to catch one of their generation’s musical legends in concert for the last time. Paul Simon’s Homeward Bound Farewell Tour arrives Sept. 8 — Grandparent’s Day eve — at the BB&T Center in Sunrise. With a 60-year-career as a solo artist and, of course, as one half of Simon and Garfunkel, the 76-year-old singer-songwriter’s roster of iconic hits includes “The Sound of Silence,” “Mrs. Robinson” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” For tickets, please visit www.thebbtcenter.com

SENIOR CENTER HIGHLIGHTS Show Tunes Seniors: Hello, Dolly, and any other seniors who enjoy making music. Singers, guitarists, keyboardists, horn and other wind instrument players of all skill levels — and dancers, too — are invited from 1-5pm Sept. 7 to practice show tunes and perform for spectators at Fred Lippman Multi-Purpose Center, 2030 Polk St., Hollywood. Some instruments will be provided or you can bring your own. For more information call Joe DeShano at 919-283-3379 or email him at ucb4ujoedeshano@gmail.com, or call the community center at 954-921-3408. Health & Wellness Expo: Sponsored by the Center for Active Aging, the event provides free health screenings, door prizes, entertainment and refreshments from 9am-12:30pm Oct. 20 at

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

| browardfamilylife.com

NE Focal Point Senior Center, 227 NW Second St., Deerfield Beach. For more info call 954-480-4449 or visit www.nefocalpoint.org or www.deerfield-beach.com The 30th Annual Swing for Seniors Golf Tournament: Play 18 holes at Jacaranda Golf Club in Plantation on Oct. 26 and lend a hand to needy seniors at the same time. Presented by the nonprofit Aging & Disability Resource Center of Broward County, which provides critically needed senior services, the tournament will be followed by a luncheon, trophy presentations, a raffle and silent auction drawings. Costs are $150 per player or $600 per foursome and include green fee, cart, golf shirt, goody bag and luncheon. For more information please contact Denise Jones at 954-745-9567.

KEEP GOING. Your Go-To For Orthopedic Surgery.

You’re always on the go, so University Hospital & Medical Center’s Orthopedic & Spine Institute is here to keep you going with: • Dedicated Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeons • Healthgrades 5-Star Rated in Hip Fracture Treatment • Dedicated Patient Navigator at your side every step of the way • Orthopedic Certified Nurses & rehab staff that treat you like family • Spacious rooms designed to feel like home for a speedier more comfortable recovery TO SPEAK TO A NURSE 24/7 AND FOR A FREE PHYSICIAN REFERRAL, CALL CONSULT-A-NURSE® AT 954.724.6342.

7201 N. University Drive | Tamarac, FL 33321 | UHMChealth.com

AT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL & MEDICAL CENTER

theGRANDPARENT

CONNE A Florida Granddad’s Quest to Bridge the Generations

obert Martin is a grandparent on a mission. Having experienced a full arc of grandfatherhood — from the rare pleasure of co-writing books with one young granddaughter to the tragic loss to terminal brain cancer of another — Martin’s mission is fueled by his connection to those grandchildren. The plight of Clara, the 5-year-old who passed late last year after a year-and-a-half battle, inspired Martin to create the nonprofit Bridge to a Cure Foundation to foster the development of pediatric cancer treatments. Clara’s story also inspired the recently published book that Martin, 70, wrote with Clara’s 11-year-old sister, Keira. SuperClara — A Young Girl’s Story of Cancer, Bravery and Courage follows their first book, The Case of the Missing Crown Jewels, the first in The Keira and Papa Detective Agency Series. The book is intended to help grandparents connect with their grandchildren as they try to solve the mystery together. Strengthening that grandparent-grandkid connection is a major focus of Martin’s mission. The Fort Myers resident is a widely traveled, former Fortune 500 executive turned children’s advocate, whose website (www.RobertMartinAuthor.com) is not only a vehicle for his books and foundation but also a forum for his advice on the dynamics of engaged grandparenthood. That was the starting point for our recent conversation. What is the most important thing a grandparent can give to his grandchildren? I think just saying “love and affection” is too simple. My children, their parents, still have flaws. And when they become adults they don’t really want us to critique what their flaws are. And there are flaws that I think could not be helpful to my grandchild. So what I try to do is identify where those gaps are and to fill the gap.

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

| browardfamilylife.com

When the parents are both working, and that’s often the case, it’s a very stressful time. They are not always able to identify opportunities or a challenge that a child is facing. It will be quite evident to a grandparent. And in a very sensitive and delicate way, grandparents can jump in and be very helpful. A grandparent can play an important role in staying connected, having that open relationship and being able to identify challenges or opportunities and share them with the parents. In this digital age, the lives of today’s grandchildren are in many ways so different from those of even the children that grandparents raised as parents. How can grandparents bridge such a wide gap to connect with their grandkids? I suspect you are talking about communications and, yes, it is different from when we were raising our own children. But in some ways it makes it a bit easier. Having FaceTime and Skype allows us at distances to connect with them, and if you plan it correctly, you can have a great time with that. Seeing your grandkids put on a skit for you, for example. They love to do that. And they consider that they are on TV

CTION BY GREG CARANNANTE

because we can watch them and I can record them and play it back.

So in many ways technology is facilitating the ability of grandparents to connect more often with their grandchildren. But you’ve got to be on top of technology. You can’t sit back and just work with a pencil and paper if you want to connect with your grandkids. To stay on top of it there are a number of resources available. Your cell phone carrier is willing to provide coaching. The Apple Store is tremendous for doing that. Another great way is just to sit down with your grandchild. Let them coach you. They’ll feel terrific if they can help you come to terms with the new technology. It’s a good way to connect with them.

In your research on cultures, what have you learned about how grandparents can make a difference in our culture? I’ve lived and worked on four continents: North America, South America, Africa and Asia, and traveled extensively in Europe and the Middle East — all very different cultures. And for each one of those cultures I saw something that I thought I would like to incorporate into the essence of who I am, that would make me a better person. To give a couple of examples, in Asia you would never see an adult, a senior, a grandparent, yell or raise their voice. Their common influence is they are viewed as the center of wisdom. And you want to try to establish that important role with your grandkids in the right occasions. In America, it’s just the opposite. It’s having fun, expressing love openly, hugging your children all the time. In that regard, you say that grandparents can be an emotional rock for their grandkids. Why is that so important and what are some ways they can accomplish that? That’s a good question. Children are faced with the challenges of dealing with their peers in a school environment or on a playground, and kids can sometimes be pretty brutal. The last thing in the world a child wants to do is to go to their parents and tell their parent that their best friend has been mean. They don’t want their parents to look down on their buddies.

Martin’s late granddaugter, Clara, with the book he and her sister, Keira, wrote about her.

But it is different with a grandparent. They can be quite open and express these kinds of issues — as long as we are not judgmental about the issues and the people they are dealing with, but are understanding of how that child is reacting and help them better understand why a child is being mean to them or excluding them. We all had experiences when we were growing up that might be different, but where they touched us emotionally isn’t any different. So sharing those stories with your grandchild when they are in a similar situation immediately provides credibility that you do understand what they are going through. continued on page 38

September Month 2018 2018| | B BR ROOWWAAR RDDF AF AMMI LY I LYL ILFI EF E

XX 37

CONNECTION

continued from page 37

Robert Martin, center, in an older family portrait including Keira, top right, and Clara, bottom right.

What part of being a grandparent moves or affects you the most? Encouraging the creativeness of my grandchildren gives me the best joy. I have sketchbooks everywhere for them to draw, and to create and put on plays. My one granddaughter is now writing, playing and singing music. This is a gap in many schools, so this is a role for me as a grandparent. Creativity can be many things. It’s not only the arts. For other families it might be working on a car. Focusing on their creativity helps them be creative problem-solvers in life. Do you ever make it across the state to our area? Many years ago my brother lived in Fort Lauderdale. They have one daughter who I have always been very close to, so I would always make an effort to swing by Fort Lauderdale to spend time with my niece, and I have fond memories of that. One time we were out sailing and her dog falls overboard. I dive into the water, thinking I am saving the dog. I was the hero for my niece that day. My brother thought I was insane — he thought the water was filled with barracuda.

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

| browardfamilylife.com

What is the No. 1 thing being a grandparent has taught you about what it means to be a grandparent? Dedicating my time and efforts to my granddaughter who had a terminal illness made me view being a grandparent differently than I had before. Previously I considered my role to be a good friend and a lot of fun to be with — someone they could speak with. And I still maintain that. But then it shifts dramatically when a child has a disorder, in this case a terminal disease, where the entire love and affection, dedication, is to find a solution for that child. We have always been there for our kids, and we’ve always considered our role to be to make the bad things go away. That happened big time with our granddaughter. We certainly made that effort, and not being able to achieve that in her case made me also realize that you don’t always have to find a solution. It’s the love behind the effort. And I can sit back very proudly knowing that I made every effort and it was driven by love, and I was so happy to be able to do that.

REMEMBER when

Google Home Improvement BREAKING THE ICE WITH MY NEW SMART SPEAKER BY GREG CARANNANTE

emember when you wanted to do something and you actually had to do it yourself or ask someone to do it for you? Well, these days you can ask some thing to do it for you — and maybe never have to do it yourself ever again. For instance, changing the channel on the TV. Some of us who still watch television go back to the days when that involved the now-unimaginable drudgery of dragging yourself up from your seat, walking over to the black-and-white set, turning the knob, adjusting the antenna and collapsing back onto your sofa (unless, of course, one of your kids sprawled on the floor was closer). Now, you want to change a channel on your TV? Just press a button on your remote and say, “Watch Paw Patrol.” Want to go for a

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

walk? “Hey, Siri, what’s the weather today?” Want to boil an egg? “OK, Google, set a timer for 10 minutes.” Of course, this says nothing of the fact that every generation of kids that preceded us since the beginning of time never even had a TV, and let’s not even get into the tectonic shift wrought by the Internet. But still, the recent advances in voicerecognition technology are truly awesome — not in the diluted way the kids use the word but in the astonished sense that, for those of us who possess the perspective of decades, the future really is happening now. It’s an advent equivalent to the flying cars we’ve heard would be coming down the road all of our lives. (They’ve already started driving themselves, so flying’s probably not far behind, right?) In our cars, or anywhere else, we’ve grown accustomed to using the iPhone’s Siri and her Android cousins as an extra pair of hands, or more importantly to answer the eternal questions: “What was the name of that actor in that movie?” and “What was the name of that movie?” (For us more mature

| browardfamilylife.com

smart-phoners, they’re also indispensable as a menu flashlight.) But with the increasing popularity of Google Home and Amazon Echo, voiceactivation technology has really started making itself at home. These smart speakers are becoming our disembodied digital servants, the microprocessing predecessors of the prophesied Age of Robots. Echo had dominated the market up until the first quarter of this year, when Google outsold Amazon’s line for the first time, buoyed by the previous quarter’s reports that more than one Google Home device was sold every second — an estimated 7.5 million. One even made its way into my home recently, and I’d like to tell you that the future has arrived fully assembled and that it was love at first command. Actually, it’s more like a tenuous courtship. The jitters began during the device’s initial setup when the Google app I’d downloaded onto my iPhone asked me if I wanted “the full Google Assistant experience.” As alluring as that sounded, it required permitting access to and recording

of my web and app activity and information about how I use my devices. I’d heard reports about these smart speakers eavesdropping on and recording conversations — and in one case even sending one inadvertently to a contact (“Open the hatch door, Hal”) — so I was a bit hesitant to plunge headlong into the world of Big Brother. It was like being on a first date and being unsure of how much of the real you to divulge. After Google told me that without my consent my Assistant experience would be limited to things like web results and jokes, I relented. I mean, I have a teen-age boy in the house, so I surely don’t need a Google Assistant if I want to hear a joke. Things got more flirty with the next step: teaching my Assistant to recognize my voice. Now this sounds like it would go without saying, so to speak, until I came to this caveat: “A similar voice or recording might be able to access your personal results, too.” Uh-oh. Throwing caution to the web, I consented and was asked to say “OK, Google” and “Hey, Google” twice. I did, and my Assistant recorded how I said it. Unfortunately, as I’d soon discover, I didn’t. Now it was Google’s turn. “Hi, I’m your Google Assistant here to help you throughout your day,” said each of the eight

voice options — the subtle AI-giveaway being the emphasis on “your.” I was asked to choose one of the four female or four male voices — each with the accent of a Caucasian American. You’d think if they were giving you that many choices you’d at least get some diversity, but no Siri-like international selections were available. I picked option No. 1, tapped “Continue” and heard my own personal Assistant speak to me for the first time. In a perky, pleasant female voice, she introduced herself and invited me to ask her to do something, starting with either “Hey, Google” or “OK, Google.” (Despite her perky, pleasant female voice, she apparently prefers to go by the gender-neutral name of Google.) I started with, “Hey, Google, play some music.” Instantly a cool rock song I’d never heard before started playing. This was promising indeed — especially considering that when I first started listening to music, I had go to the turntable, pick up the record, put it back in its sleeve, search through my stacks of records for the one I wanted to listen to (always a dilemma), take it out of its sleeve, place it on the turntable, clean it with a dust cloth and finally let the needle down. Encouraged by her selection, I asked, “Hey, Google, who’s that you’re playing?”

“I’m not sure,” she answered. Hmmm. Not an auspicious beginning to our relationship. Trying to get to know Google better, I asked her to play a different song. Nothing — it was as if she hadn’t heard me. After several “Hey, Googles” followed by several more “OK, Googles” shouted over the music, I realized it wasn’t the volume but the inflection of my voice that turned her on (or off). If there was going to be any voice recognition going on, I was going to have to get her attention precisely the way I’d done it the first time. Only problem was that I’d forgotten if that was “HEY, Google.” Or “Hey, GOOgle.” Or, “Hey, GOOGLE!” I realized then that just like with a human woman, a successful relationship with Google would only be possible if we developed a rapport. So over and over I repeated “Hey, Google” in every variation until I struck on the one that set her little multicolored lights fluttering. The one that got her was the casually charming, “Hey, GOOgle.” Finally, my Google Assistant had heard me. She understood me. She spoke to me. I couldn’t help wondering, though, what she must think of me. “I’m not sure,” she said.

Find Fun, Friends and Fitness at Town of Davie’s Adult & Senior Programs

Family Lifestyle Expo 2018 Saturday, September 29 8am-2pm

SENIOR PROGRAMS OFFERED • Field Trips • Yoga • Chair Exercise • Beading • Quilting

• Crocheting • Mahjong • Lunch & Bingo • Card & Board Games

Davie Pine Island Multipurpose Center 3801 S Pine Island Road 954-327-3941 • davie-fl.gov

Join us for a line up of the latest resources, products and services including massage therapy, medical screenings, pediatrics, flu shots, pet adoptions and much more.

free

September 2018 | B R O W A R D F A M I LY L I F E

GRAND spotlight

Meet Today’s Grandparent

BY GREG CARANNANTE

Anne Goldberg “If we all took 10 minutes twice a day to connect to the beauty of LIFE, there would be less anger towards one another.”

t was one of life’s uncanny occurrences that turned Anne Goldberg into The Savvy Senior. One day in 2013, struggling to re-establish a career in Florida after 23 years as an executive recruiter in New York and later as a full-time mom of two sons, she just let it go. “I was out of ideas, so I surrendered,” says Goldberg, 66. “It was a powerful moment in which I let go of the idea that I knew what was best for me. That information lived somewhere else. I paid attention to the signs. It took just under two weeks. Six seniors I know called and said: “I heard you teach computer. Can you please help me?” I had not advertised that. And so Savvy Senior Services was born.” Those computer classes have grown into a multidimensional outreach dedicated to improving and extending the lives of seniors. And Goldberg has evolved into a motivational speaker espousing The Art of Living Longer™, her “Curriculum for a Happier, Healthier Life.” “After I learned about the Blue Zones [regions of the world where people live much longer than average], my mission took on the idea of teaching seniors about nutrition, the importance of always growing and learning and how critical it is to live a life of meaning and purpose,” says the Boca Raton resident who is a member of the Nova Southeastern University Lifelong Learning Institute. Through www.savvyseniorservices.com, Goldberg also offers such services as Chaos to Calm Organizing, Kitchen/Lifestyle Coach and Tell Your Story Videos. In her responses to the questions we ask each of the grandparents for this feature, she focuses her motivational speaking skills on life as a grandparent and golden-ager.

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

Anne Goldberg with granddaughters, Amelia and baby Ava.

Q. How many children and grandchildren do you have? A. I have two granddaughters, ages 4 years and 6 months. Q. How often do you get to see them? A. A few times a month, or more. Q. What do your grandkids call you? A. Bubbie. I want the kids to have a connection to their Jewish heritage and this is one of the ways I do that.

Q. How do you best like to spend time with your grandchildren? A. I love to take the kids outside to play at the park or the pool, to be in the sun and the grass. The 4-year-old loves playdough, so there’s a lot of that!

Q. What is your favorite saying? A. Holding a grudge is like taking poison and hoping the other guy dies. Q. What is your idea of perfect happiness? A. Hiking in the mountains or high desert (in a group) and then getting a great massage followed by a delicious, organic dinner. Heaven! AND, being at the airport, ready to board an international flight. Oh, the promise of adventure pulsates.

| browardfamilylife.com

Q. What was your most memorable

experience with your grandchildren?

A. I’m new to the grandma thing as my

son married a woman with a child and their natural daughter was born in March. So far, her birth is my most memorable experience with both girls.

Q. What is your most treasured possession?

A. A gold necklace my parents hid inside the cake at my Sweet 16 party!

Q. What’s the most important thing grandparents can bring to their relationship with their grandkids?

A. Love, wisdom, experience and a sense of fun, with a healthy dose of culture and tradition.

Q. If you could change one thing

about the world, what would it be?

A. I would make quiet time, with a focus

on gratitude, mandatory in all schools and workplaces. If we all took 10 minutes twice a day to connect to the beauty of LIFE — to relax, refresh and recharge — there would be less anger towards one another.

Q. What’s the biggest difference

between you as a grandparent and you as a parent?

A. Patience! I am much more relaxed now

than when I was a parent. That reflects in how I interact with my family and especially my granddaughters.

Q. What is the most important thing life has taught you?

A. It’s so important to be present, to be in

the moment and not lost in thoughts of the past or some fantasy about the future, but right here, right now. That’s where the action is. That’s where the connection to others is.

Dance | Art | Outings | Fitness

Savvy Senior Club Meetings PLANTATION Third Tuesday monthly, 11:30am, and third Thursday monthly, 6:30pm. Garden Bistro (inside Contour Day Spa), 455 SW 78 Ave., $10 includes a glass of wine or unlimited coffee/tea.

DAVIE Third Monday monthly, 1pm. Presentation/discussion on “The Art of Living Longer — A User Manual for theHuman Body. Elite Health, 5480 Griffin Rd., $5 includes a light snack.

DELRAY BEACH Second Thursday monthly, 7:30pm. Also, classes for smartphones and tablets on the third Tuesday monthly, 1pm. The Phoenix, 5624 Linton Blvd. Free.

Enjoy endless opportunities at 11 City parks for one affordable low fee! Annual Membership $55 Senior Discount Fee $5.50 (for qualifying applicants)

For more inFormation (954) 828-7275 (ParK) www.fortlauderdale.gov/club55 September 2018 | B R O W A R D F A M I LY L I F E

SeptemberEvents HOW TO SUBMIT CALENDAR LISTINGS

Please e-mail listing information to events@browardfamilylife.com by the 5th of the month prior to the event date. Include the name of the event, location, address, date, time, brief description, price and telephone number for the public.

IT’S SHOWTIME! Amazonas

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7

Award-winning vocal group Brazilian Voices presents a musical tribute to the rain forest. $18/ adult, $10/child. 8pm, SUNRISE CIVIC CENTER THEATRE, 10610 W. Oakland Park Blvd., Sunrise, 954-747-4646 www.sunrisefl.gov

Up, Up and Away

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9

Learn how planes fly and make your own slime during this highenergy, engaging show presented by Mad Science. $7. 2pm, SUNRISE CIVIC CENTER THEATRE, 10610 W. Oakland Park Blvd., Sunrise, 954-747-4646 www.sunrisefl.gov

Disney On Ice

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES Trail Stroll

Music Under the Stars

Put on your walking shoes and take a guided boardwalk stroll through the mangrove swamp. All ages. Free. 10-10:45am, ANNE KOLB NATURE CENTER, 751 Sheridan St., Hollywood, 954-357-5161

Enjoy the ocean breezes during this evening of music under the stars offered monthly on the second Friday of the month. 7-9pm, THE “GREAT LAWN,” Atlantic Boulevard & Pompano Beach Boulevard, Pompano Beach, 954-786-4111 www.pompanobeachfl.gov

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

Nature Tots

TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS, SEPTEMBER 4-27

Explore nature through stories, songs, arts and crafts and more. Ages 2-4. $5. Parental participation and pre-registration required. 10-11am. Sept. 4, MIRAMAR PINELAND, 3600 S. University Dr., Miramar, 954-357-8776; Sept. 13, FERN FOREST NATURE CENTER, 201 Lyons Road S., Coconut Creek, 954-357-5198; Sept. 18, WEST LAKE PARK, 1200 Sheridan St., Hollywood, 954-357-5161; Sept. 27, SECRET WOODS NATURE CENTER, 2701 W. State Rd. 84, Dania Beach, 954-357-8884

Butterfly Gardening Workshop SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8

Learn to identify and attract local butterflies to your own backyard. Workshops are held indoors, in the Grand Plaza. Free with admission of $29.95/adult, $21.95/child. 1pm, BUTTERFLY WORLD, 3600 W. Sample Rd., Coconut Creek, 954-977-4434 www.butterflyworld.com

Mangrove Adventure Hike SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9

Hike along one of the mangrove trails, encounter wildlife, and learn about the delicate mangrove ecosystem. 10-11am, ANNE KOLB NATURE CENTER AT WEST LAKE PARK, 751 Sheridan St., Hollywood, 954-357-5161

Solar/Lunar Viewing Gaze through a high-powered telescope and see the universe a little closer with the assistance of the South Florida Amateur Astronomers Association. 6-8pm, MIRAMAR LIBRARY, 2050 Civic Center Place, Miramar, 954-357-8090 www.broward.org/library B R O W A R D F A M I LY L I F E

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

Join a park naturalist on a geocaching adventure while exploring the habitat. Pre-registration required. 9:30-11:30am, WEST CREEK PINELAND NATURAL AREA, 4900 W. Hillsboro Blvd., Coconut Creek, 954-357-5100

Shutterbug Photo Hunt SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

Participate as a family in a Nature Photography 101 class followed by a photo hunt. Bring home a hand-crafted nature frame to display your best shot. $10/team. Pre-register one week prior to the event. 2:30-4:30pm, FERN FOREST NATURE CENTER, 201 Lyons Road S., Coconut Creek, 954-357-5198

Kids’ Fishing Derby SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22

Children ages 5 to 15 are invited to bring a fishing pole and bait and drop a line at the City’s annual Fishing Derby. Prizes will be awarded for best catch in each age category. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Free. 8:30-10:30am, WELLEBY PARK, 11100 NW 44 St., Sunrise, 954-747-4600 www.sunrisefl.gov

Be Kind To Animals SUNDAYS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11

Geocaching Adventure Series

| browardfamilylife.com

Children get up close and personal to native and exotic animals while learning about pet responsibility and kindness to animals. Included with admission of $5/adult, $3/child. 11am, SAWGRASS NATURE CENTER & WILDLIFE HOSPITAL, 3000 Sportsplex Dr., Coral Springs, 954-752-9453 www.sawgrassnaturecenter.org

THURSDAYS-SUNDAYS SEPTEMBER 13-16 & 27-30

Join Mickey Mouse, Captain Hook, Tinker Bell, Moana and other Disney friends in this world-class skating and high-flying acrobatic adventure. • Sept. 13-16, BB&T CENTER, One Panther Parkway, Sunrise, www.thebbtcenter.com • Sept. 27-30, AMERICANAIRLINES ARENA, 601 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, www.aaarena.com

Teen Open Mic Night FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21

Poets, musicians and other talented teens are encouraged to take to the stage. Admission is free and light refreshments will be served. 7-9pm, SUNRISE CIVIC CENTER ART GALLERY, 10610 W. Oakland Park Blvd., Sunrise, 954-747-4662 www.sunrisefl.gov

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

Performers from Bright Star Theatre bring this literary classic to life. Admission price includes a carousel token and refreshments for kids after the show. $8/adult, $6/child. 11am & 2pm, WILLOW THEATRE AT SUGAR SAND PARK, 300 S. Military Trail, Boca Raton, 561-347-3948 www.willowtheatre.org

Africa Umoja

OPENS SEPTEMBER 28

A jubilant celebration of South African history and culture through costume, music and dance. $62 and up. Showtimes vary. MIRAMAR CULTURAL CENTER THEATER,

2400 Civic Center Place, Miramar, www.miramarfl.gov

FAIRS, FESTIVALS & SPECIAL EVENTS Borowski Extravaganza

Riverwalk Fall Festival

Family Lifestyle Expo

Catch the final weekend to view the Borowski exhibit during a three-day extravaganza that includes animal train rides, bounce houses, entertainment, games, crafts, and more. 9:30am-4pm, FLAMINGO GARDENS, 3750 S. Flamingo Rd., Davie, 954-473-2955

Fall-themed family festival with food, fun and activities for all ages. Free admission. Noon-4pm, ESPLANADE PARK, 400 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale, 954-468-1541 www.goriverwalk.com

An event for all generations featuring medical screenings, massage therapy, mammo vans, pediatrics, flu shots, yoga and more. 8am-2pm, PINE ISLAND PARK, 3801 S. Pine Island Rd., Davie, www.davie-fl.gov

A Day for Children

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29

SATURDAY-MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1-3

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29

ArtsFest

A family fun day with fine art, entertainment, food trucks, art displays, arts and crafts, live entertainment and more. Free. 11am-4pm, COCONUT CREEK COMMUNITY CENTER, 1100 Lyons Rd., Coconut Creek, 954-545-6698 www.coconutcreek.net

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

Kids Love & Family Expo SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8

Family extravaganza with exhibitors, interactive activities, celebrities, storybook characters and more. $16/adult, $13/ages 2-12, $15/grandparents. 10am-5pm, MUSEUM OF DISCOVERY AND SCIENCE, 401 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale, www.kidslovefamilyexpo.com

We Love Our Kids Health & Safety Expo

This fun-filled day focuses on children’s needs, from free health screenings for hearing, balance, vision and dental health to social services and other resources. Kids can enjoy activities, games, characters and more. Free. 10am-5pm, NSU ALVIN SHERMAN LIBRARY, 3100 RayFerrero, Jr. Blvd., Davie, 954-678-2273

Junior Caribbean Carnival SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29

Cultural celebration with music, costumes, activities, a parade and more. All ages. Noon-9pm, CENTRAL BROWARD REGIONAL PARK & STADIUM, 3700 NW 11 Place, Lauderhill, 954-357-5400 www.miamibrowardcarnival.com

Children with Special Needs Family Resource Fair SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

Family fun day presented by the Arielle Anacker Cancer Foundation with children’s activities, freeze dance contest, live entertainment, free screenings, exhibits, giveaways and more. Free. 10am-2pm, SIGNATURE GRAND, 6900 State Road 84, Davie, www.arielleanackercancerfoundation.org

Have some fun with the family while learning about a variety of special needs resources offered in the community. The event, presented by Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, includes activities, entertainment, giveaways, refreshments, special needs resources and more. Free. 10am-2pm, SIGNATURE GRAND, 6900 State Road 84, Davie, 954-276-5293

Fall Harvest Festival SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29

Celebrate the season with live performances, a petting farm, hayrides, children’s activities and live music. 4-8pm, BERGERON RODEO GROUNDS, 4271 Davie Rd., Davie, 954-797-1181 www.davie-fl.gov

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES Funtastic Fridays FRIDAYS

Bring the kids for some wholesome outdoor fun featuring a bounce house, face painters and more followed by an outdoor movie. Sept. 7, Goodbye Christopher Robin; Sept. 14, Sing; Sept. 21, D2 The Mighty Ducks; Sept. 28, Ghostbusters. 5-8pm, ARTSPARK AT YOUNG CIRCLE,

Hollywood Boulevard and Federal Highway, Hollywood, 954-921-3500 www.hollywoodfl.org

FPL Day

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

Kick off Labor Day weekend with cool activities and demonstrations including a larger-than-life ice cube cooling station and freeze-motion video station. $16/adult, $13/child. MUSEUM OF DISCOVERY AND SCIENCE,

401 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale, 954-467-6637 www.mods.org

Cool Saturdays

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

Visitors can tour the historic house for half the price the first Saturday of the month through October. Special admission price is $10/adult, free/children 12 and under. 9am-4pm, BONNET HOUSE, 900 N. Birch Rd., Fort Lauderdale, 954-563-5393 www.bonnethouse.org

Sunday Jazz Brunch SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

Community gathering along Riverwalk with musical entertainment on three

different stages, food, and a great family ambiance. Pets welcome. Held regularly on the first Sunday of each month. Free. 11am-2pm, ESPLANADE PARK, 400 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale, www.fortlauderdale.gov

American Sign Language Class BEGINS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6

Rock N’ Ride

Harry Potter Celebration

Free family event featuring music by a Journey tribute band, a display of classic and new vehicles, food trucks, bounce houses and more. 4-7pm, TAMARAC SPORTS COMPLEX, 9901 NW 77 St., Tamarac, www.tamarac.org

Come in costume to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter. Event includes crafts and activities for wizards and muggles. All ages. 6:30-8pm, NSU ALVIN SHERMAN LIBRARY, 3100 Ray Ferrero, Jr. Blvd., Davie, 954-262-5477

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8

Reading is Magic

Teens and adults can learn the basics of Sign Language every Thursday through October. Pre-registration required. 1-2:30pm, WESTON BRANCH LIBRARY, 4205 Bonaventure Blvd., Weston, 954-357-5420 www.broward.org/library

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8

Movies on the Lawn

Kids can discover the world of theater and take on the roles of director, choreographer, vocal instructor, stagehand and lead actors through this fun-filled workshop presented by Art and Culture Center/Hollywood. Grades K-3. Free. 5:30-6:30pm,

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7

Bring lawn chairs and a picnic and settle in for a movie under the stars. Event takes place the first Friday of every month. September features: Matilda. 8pm, THE “GREAT LAWN,” Corner of Atlantic & Pompano Beach boulevards, Pompano Beach, 954-786-4111 www.pompanobeachfl.gov

Grandma Moses Landscape

FRIDAY-SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7-8

Create your own landscape illustration inspired by Grandma Moses using oil pastels, paper, and coloring pencils. Included with paid admission of $12/Broward resident. 10am-2pm, YOUNG AT ART MUSEUM, 751 SW 121 Ave., Davie, 954-424-0085 www.youngatartmuseum.org

Enjoy a comedic magic show and a DIY magical craft. 1-3pm, NSU ALVIN SHERMAN LIBRARY, 3100 Ray Ferrero, Jr. Blvd., Davie, 954-262-5477

Dooby Dooby, Moo! THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

STIRLING ROAD LIBRARY,

3151 Stirling Rd., Hollywood, www.artandculturecenter.org

Carousel Carnival FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

Kids can help celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Carousel at Pompano Citi Centre at this free, family-friendly event, featuring traditional midway games, free carousel rides, face painting, music and more. Free. 6-8pm, POMPANO CITI CENTRE, 1955 N. Federal Highway, Pompano Beach, 954-943-4683 www.pompanociticentre.com

Every effort has been made to provide accurate information. Changes and cancellations do occur. Please double check the details before setting out on your adventure.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

Parents Night Out FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21

Kids can explore the museum, create art, play games, watch movies and participate in lots of after-hours fun. Ages 5-12. $40/non-member, $35/member. 6-11pm, YOUNG AT ART MUSEUM, 751 SW 121 Ave., Davie, 954-424-0085 www.youngatartmuseum.org

Hollywood Food Trucks MONDAYS

Bring the family for music, food and fun. Twenty different food trucks each offering something different to satisfy any hunger. 5:30-9:30pm, ARTSPARK AT YOUNG CIRCLE, Hollywood Boulevard and Federal Highway, www.hollywoodfl.org

WANT MORE FUN? For additional local events, check our online calendar at www.browardfamilylife.com

September 2018 | B R O W A R D F A M I LY L I F E

WORDS of wisdom

Like Mother, Like Son THE ANTI-SOCCER MOM HANDS DOWN HER AVERSION TO SPORTS BY KARA MARTINEZ BACHMAN

don’t care for sports. I never have. During childhood, I spent my time roller-skating and riding bikes with kids from the neighborhood. I was active, but it wasn’t the competitive, organized kind of active. One summer my mother signed me up for soccer. I spent the TWO practices that I actually showed up for prior to dropping out watching the other kids have fun. I jogged along lethargically, hoping I’d never actually contact the ball. I vowed my own children would be more active. My husband and I were sure the piney woods and coastal landscapes where we lived would inspire our kids to hike, run, swim, play sports and take in all that the outdoors had to offer. Nope. Our son “played” basketball at his elementary school. He spent most games meekly planted on the bench. He watched the others, waiting for his two or three moments with the ball, which would always be fraught with disappointment. After the basketball fiasco, we thought baseball was the way to go. Yeah, he’d play along, for sure. He’d say he liked it, no doubt to make his father proud. But the watery sadness in his eyes and his lack of pre-game enthusiasm spoke the words he never could. When younger, my husband had been the opposite. He was a star of the basketball team. He had his picture in the papers often. So it wasn’t my husband’s genes or attitude that shaped my son’s distaste for sport — it was mine. It took some time to come to grips with this, and I’ve finally forgiven myself. I have. Although exercise is important to well-being, there’s probably no “blame” to be placed for a child not wanting to hit balls, kick goals or wrestle people to the ground. Sometimes it just is. Every child has their talents, their proclivities.

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

| browardfamilylife.com

On the other hand, it’s still my duty to make sure what my kids inherited from me — the genes, the attitude, the whatever — is balanced by other healthy activities to help keep their bodies at least somewhat moving. Over the years, we’ve found alternative ways to fill the exercise void. My daughter is getting to the age where she likes to dance. My son now takes long bike rides, sometimes trekking with his dad 20 miles at a time. He swims with friends. But he’d rather read a book or watch an old movie than join any sort of team. Now as a teen, my son is a beautiful writer. I swell with pride when he shares his stories and songs that can be so touching, you’d swear they were written by an adult. He plays some on his guitar, and it is much more joyful for me — and more entertaining — than watching him sit on a bench, staring at a gymnasium floor. He also makes short films. He writes scripts, finds actors (his sister is a great one), creates costumes and puts together complete short movies, including cool special effects and carefully selected soundtracks. His father, the former athlete, beams with pride that his son has found his calling. When the final credits roll, the cheers are just as good as those delivered on a ball field. And the look of pride in his eyes — now that he’s not just “pretending” to have fun — is 100% real. Kara Martinez Bachman is author of the humorous essay collection for women, Kissing the Crisis: Field Notes on Foul-Mouthed Babies, Disenchanted Women, and Careening into Middle Age. Don’t look for her in the bleachers.