Parent 2 PAR E NT Parent Valley
This is an exciting issue! There’s so much to celebrate, learn and look forward to. The contents of the pages are all about family traditions, culture, inspiration and activities indoors and outdoors.
Valentine’s Day brings all the love and is a great opportunity to make it a family affair. Check out the article on creating fun, family traditions—candy is not the only way to the heart. Family activities bring out all the feels.
Reinforcing the importance of family time is Dr. Britney Farmer’s article on family culture—definitely food for thought on what works for your family dynamics. The first half of this year is a great time to assess whether to foster or flip the cultures and traditions in your own home.
February is Black History Month, and we’re highlighting the inventors and scientists who have changed the game in their chosen fields. Learn all about them starting on page 6, and try out the STEM activities that relate to each of these icons.
Many schools will be scheduling parent-teacher conferences heading into the second half of the school year. Our article helps you be prepared, advocate for your child and to ask all the right questions when you are one-on-one with your child’s teacher.
To celebrate their giving tradition, St Anne-Pacelli will host the 20th Deimel Legacy Ball with the focus on faith-based education in a private school setting being an opportunity for all. Read the article with information on purchasing tickets on page 11.
We had a great time at the photoshoot with our Readers’ Choice winner, Braxton Lane. He is looking handsome and dapper on our front cover. The entry application is open for our next Fresh Faces competition. Who will grace an upcoming cover of Valley Parent? All the details to enter can be found on page 3. We’re looking forward to seeing all the entries!
The Chattahoochee Hot Air Balloon Festival will be a great event to attend in the spring. We have two VIP family packages available to win in our Great Day Giveaway! Learn how to enter below. I’m really looking forward to this family event, and we hope to see you there. Many more events that are happening in the Valley can be found on our calendar page. There’s so much fun to be had!
Jodi Saunders Editor & Publisher
Editor/Publisher
JODI SAUNDERS
jodi@columbusandthevalley.com
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SIXTY TWO GRAPHIC STUDIO
Contributing Writers
DR. BRITNEY FARMER
REBECCA HASTINGS
SARAH LYONS
JAN PIERCE
JENNIFER SILLITO
Photography
RITCHIE WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY
P. O. Box 229 Columbus, GA 31902
706-324-6214 • fax 706-324-6216
www.valleyparent.com
VALLEY PARENT MAGAZINE is owned by Jodi and Gerald Saunders and is published monthly by Valley Life Ventures, LLC, dba COLUMBUS AND THE VALLEY MAGAZINE, P. O. Box 229, Columbus, GA 31902. The cover and contents are fully protected and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of COLUMBUS AND THE VALLEY MAGAZINE. We are not responsible for loss of unsolicited inquiries, manuscripts, photographs or other materials. They will not be returned unless accompanied by return postage. Editorial contributions and letters should be addressed to VALLEY PARENT MAGAZINE, Post Office Box 229, Columbus, GA 31902. Copyright ©2025 by Valley Life Ventures, LLC trading as COLUMBUS AND THE VALLEY MAGAZINE. Subscriptions for VALLEY PARENT MAGAZINE are available by mail for $25 per year. Call 706-324-6214 to subscribe. Postmaster: Please send address corrections to: Post Office Box 229, Columbus, GA 31902.
FAMILY CULTURE
FOSTER It or FLIP It?
Black History Month is here, and it is an exciting time to reflect on the contributions of past and present African-Americans to our modern society. One fun fact is about a recent addition to black history, Amanda Gorman. According to her website, on January 20, 2021, Amanda Gorman became the sixth and youngest poet, at 22, to deliver a poetry reading at a presidential inauguration. Her inaugural poem was entitled The Hill We Climb. These contributions are so important and paramount to our modern society lest we forget from where we came.
During the months of February, March and April when we think of Black History, Women’s History and Arab American History months, I am reminded of the rich culture that lies between these groups. These groups are expansive, heterogenous and at times outweigh our ability to grasp the intricacies of their culture. I have learned and am proud to share that even our own families have a culture! Familial culture is a much more manageable concept.
When starting an assessment with a new patient, I assess concerns that the patient or parent may bring to me, and I simultaneously assess how these concerns are overlain by their family culture. For example, if a patient has trouble with social interactions and lives in a family of extroverts, that treatment may be different than the same child living in a family of introverts. The presentation of symptoms would not be the same and therefore the treatment must be different. This is why familial culture is so important.
Do you take inventory of your family culture? How do you know if your family has culture? Have you paused your day to think about the cultural norms that you as a parent are consciously or unconsciously passing to your child? Have you thought about those that were passed down to you? I challenge you to think about these questions during the months of February and March. When thinking of family culture, think beyond traditional food, clothing and music—think patterns of behavior, thoughts and world views. In
addition to thinking about what your family culture is, think about which of these traditions should be FOSTERED and which should be FLIPPED.
Speaking with a thoughtful friend in the preparation of this article, she shared with me that familial cultures are very entrenched and often filled with sentiment. For some families, even if there is a familial culture that is unhealthy, it can be very difficult to just forget it. She countered that these more unhealthy, cultural vestiges can be FLIPPED. I loved this mindset and immediately jumped on board. I too believe good can be salvaged from an unhealthy cultural perspective. Family culture can be FLIPPED due to being unhealthy or due to not serving your family’s current purpose. Your family’s purpose may change as your children get older, and the dynamic shifts. It will be up to you as parents to FLIP that behavior, so the cultural core remains strong and intact.
For example, if your family had a culture of corporal punishment for your misbehavior as a child and you do not want to continue this—FLIP it. You are not forgetting your families’ cultural ideal of discipline but are FLIPPING this value of discipline into something that fits your current family system.
Another example may be families that gather around the piano for family singa-longs. Forgetting this precious bonding time and shared love of music would be objectionable. For our modern era where many homes no longer have a piano, can you FLIP it and gather in the family room around the TV for a karaoke night? The tenants of your family sharing a love of music with each other continues to remain intact.
In my clinic, I hear so many great examples of family cultures that should be FOSTERED such as bedtime traditions, love of sports, support for youth activities, celebrations of accomplishments, cooking together, family vacations, elf on the shelf, family dance parties and dining out. These are the things that your children are going to merge into their own household.
by Dr. Britney Farmer
These cherished memories and future opportunities are precious and will be the things your children remember about being raised in your household.
I would like to end with one of the cultural traditions in my own family that I am proud to FOSTER is gathering. Our reunion of over 100 people moves from state to state depending on the host. We really enjoy this time to catch up with extended family that we haven’t seen, and form new memories. My family culture that I would like to FLIP is reading for pleasure. My grandparents and parents were adamant in reading the Bible. I will maintain that thirst for knowledge while FLIPPING to extend and include classical and modern literature. Isn’t familial culture a worthwhile investment of your time and thoughtful planning? Knowing you can FOSTER it or FLIP it gives you the freedom to be fearless! vp
Dr. Britney Farmer is a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist originally from California currently living in Columbus, Georgia. Practicing for St. Francis Hospital Partners at the Bradley Center Campus. Dr. Farmer has a passion for children with mental health disorders, learning disabilities and autism.
photos by Ritchie White Photography
FRESH FACES
Here are some helpful hints to get the judges attention:
• Be sure your child’s face is clearly visible in the photo you choose, i.e. no icing covered faces, no hats or masks that obscure the face, no silly faces, no side profile shots, etc.
OFFICIAL RULES
• Send only ONE recent photo per child, age 13 and under. Additional photos will not be considered.
• Only one child per photo unless multiples. Twins, triplets, etc. should appear together.
• Photos and completed web form must be completed.
• Entries must be received by April 30th.
• Photos sent in are used for judging purposes only. The photos themselves will not be used on the cover, so do NOT choose a photo based on the interesting background, funny pose or artsy flair. The judges look for a winning child, not a winning photo.
• Send a high res photo file large enough for print. File should be over 1 MB (300 dpi for you techy types out there). Small photos are hard for the judges to see and hard to print.
• Children chosen will need to do a photoshoot, so avoid shots that make your child seem brooding or shy.
• Professional photographs are accepted, but not preferred.
MAKE THE MOST OF PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES
and when to ask for another one...
Whether it’s your first parentteacher conference or the twentieth, you probably get sweaty palms upon entering the classroom at your assigned time slot. After all, you’re on the teacher’s turf and you’re about to hear news about your own flesh and blood’s progress or lack thereof. The language used routinely in school settings might not “compute” and you may have real concerns about any number of issues related to your child’s placement and daily life at school.
If it helps at all, most teachers also get a bit stressed at conference time. From their perspective, they have a ton of data from each subject area to put into a format that can be conveyed and discussed in about 18 minutes’ time. It’s a tall order and has to be done in back-to-back sessions. Teachers have been known to call the child by the wrong name after nine or 10 conferences when they’re exhausted and just longing to go home and put their feet up.
But back to you, the parent. You need information. You want to know how your child is doing in relation to the rest of the class. You want to know if there are problems on the horizon and whether or not your child is working up to his or her ability—and you deserve that information.
It’s important that you understand the purpose of parent conferences. In general, the fall conference, held several weeks after the beginning of the school year, is a broad overview of the child’s standing. In this initial conference you’ll hear about progress in each subject area and maybe a few of the highlights of your child’s performance. You’ll probably be given work samples that give evidence of success levels or areas of need. You may get some test scores that serve to set goals for the rest of the year. If all systems are “go,” you may not need further time with the teacher. You’ll just await the next report card. But, there may be significant problem areas. Your child may be unhappy in school
by Jan Pierce M.Ed.
or frustrated by one of the subject areas. The teacher may indicate that they are behind in reading or struggling with math. There isn’t time in that 15 or 20 minutes to design a plan to address the problem, and your child’s success is worth the time it takes to make a workable plan and then follow through toward a clear goal. So go ahead and schedule another conference in the near future. Set a time when the teacher can meet only with you to begin a separate goal-setting, problem-solving session. Scheduling another conference gives the teacher time to gather further information and ensures that you’ll be given an openended time slot rather than having to rush through information to make way for the next set of nervous parents.
It’s vital that you understand the best way to approach these conference times is as members of the same team. Nothing is gained by confrontational conversations. It’s tempting to want to place blame for poor behavior or poor performance on other people or circumstances, but the best result for your child will happen when everyone works together to make a solid plan. While you await the next conference session, write down your questions and concerns. Document what you see at home in relation to homework assignments,
grades on specific assignments, your child’s attitudes and complaints—anything that will help clarify the issues at that next meeting.
Your second conference, set up to address specific problems or issues, might include some of the support staff at your school. There may be specialists in reading or math, school social workers, speech therapists or specialist teachers in music or art. These support persons may have additional information and perspective that will bring new light to your child’s needs.
You are your child’s best advocate. It’s important you get the best information available to help your child succeed in school. Come to parent-teacher conferences ready to gather information, take a few notes, ask questions and then determine whether or not another conference would be beneficial. Good things happen when parents and teachers work together to benefit your child’s success in school. vp
SCIENCE STARS
10 Black Innovators W ho Inspire Creativity in Kids
by Rebecca Hastings
Throughout history, Black inventors and scientists have made groundbreaking contributions that shaped our modern world. From lifesaving inventions to advancements in space exploration, these pioneers inspire curiosity and innovation in young learners. Here are the stories of 10 remarkable individuals with fun STEM activities to bring their achievements to life.
George Washington Carver
Known as the “Peanut Man,” Carver was a scientist and inventor who developed over 300 products from peanuts, including peanut oil and paper. He also worked tirelessly to promote sustainable farming practices.
Benjamin Banneker
4 5 2 3 1
Jemison is a trailblazing astronaut, physician and engineer who became the first Black woman to travel to space in 1992 aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour. She also advocates for STEM education for young people.
A self-taught mathematician and astronomer, Banneker built the first clock made entirely in America. He also published almanacs that included information on astronomy and weather patterns.
Marie Maynard Daly
Daly was the first Black woman to earn a PhD in chemistry in the United States. Her groundbreaking research explored the effects of hypertension on arteries and how diet impacts heart health.
Garrett Morgan
Morgan invented the three-position traffic signal, making roads safer for everyone. He also created a breathing device that became the prototype for modern gas masks.
Mae Jemison
Activity Idea: Create a rocket using a plastic bottle, baking soda and vinegar. Watch as the reaction powers your mini rocket into the sky—just like Mae Jemison’s historic journey.
Activity Idea: Make a simple sundial with a paper plate and a pencil. Place it outside and track the shadows to tell time, just as Banneker did with his astronomical observations.
Activity Idea: Try extracting peanut oil! Crush roasted peanuts, wrap them in a paper towel and press down with a heavy object. Observe how the oil seeps out.
Activity Idea: Conduct a fun kitchen chemistry experiment by testing the acidity of different foods like lemon juice, vinegar and baking soda with pH strips.
Activity Idea: Design a traffic light model using colored paper, cardboard and a flashlight to understand how his invention manages traffic flow.
Lewis Latimer Katherine Johnson Dr. Patricia Bath
Lewis Latimer worked with Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell to improve the design of the light bulb and the telephone. His carbon filament innovation made light bulbs last longer and be more practical for everyday use.
Activity Idea: Create a simple circuit with a battery, wires and a small bulb to understand how electricity powers light, inspired by Latimer’s work.
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Dr. Patricia Bath was an ophthalmologist and inventor who developed a laser technique for removing cataracts, restoring sight to countless patients.
Activity Idea: Explore the science of optics by creating a basic pinhole camera using a shoebox, wax paper and aluminum foil. Learn how light travels and creates images.
Katherine Johnson was a mathematician whose calculations were critical to NASA’s space missions, including the Apollo 11 moon landing. Her work inspired the movie Hidden Figures
Activity Idea: Practice plotting a spacecraft’s trajectory by creating a simple math problem involving angles and distances. Use paper and pencils to calculate the path, just like Johnson did.
Elijah McCoy
Elijah McCoy invented an automatic lubricator for steam engines, ensuring trains ran more efficiently. His work was so exceptional that people asked for “the real McCoy,” coining the famous phrase.
Activity Idea: Build a model train or car and discuss how lubrication reduces friction and helps machines run smoothly. Try adding small drops of oil to gears in a toy to see how it works.
Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson
Dr. Jackson is a physicist whose research led to advances in telecommunications technology, including innovations like touchtone phones and fiber optics.
Activity Idea: Experiment with sound by creating a string telephone. Use two paper cups connected by a string to learn how vibrations travel, just like Dr. Jackson’s discoveries improved communication.
Inspiring the Next Generation
These inventors and scientists paved the way for future generations by breaking barriers and pushing the boundaries of innovation. By exploring their contributions through hands-on STEM activities, kids can see how creativity, perseverance and curiosity can change the world. Encourage young learners to ask questions, experiment and dream big—because the next groundbreaking discovery could come from them! vp
The Perfect P A R T Y
G U I D E
7 Valentine Traditions to Start with Your Kids
by Sarah Lyons
Valentine’s Day is traditionally a time for couples to express their love for one another, but it is also a great chance to show your children how much you love them too. While children typically exchange cards and small gifts on Valentines Day, this year try starting some fun new traditions for your family.
HIDE THE HEARTS
Hide paper hearts around the house and have the kids go on a search for them. Whoever finds the most wins a prize such as a small toy or a book. You might want to have a prize on hand so that everyone gets a turn being the winner. You can enlist the winners to be their siblings assistant as a way of demonstrating their love for each other too.
MAKE IT HEART-SHAPED
After your dessert first dinner, serve up some fun Valentine’s Day themed meals. Heart-shaped pancakes or heart-shaped pizza are both fun and easy. Get the kids involved in the kitchen and you will have more time to make special memories of
GO ON A “DATE”
Many people go on a date with their significant other to celebrate Valentine’s Day, but consider taking your child on a “date” to a place of their choice. If you have more than one child, each parent can pair off or take turns so all kids get to participate. Spending quality time together is a great way to show your kids you care and get the conversation flowing.
DESSERT FIRST
Just once a year it can’t hurt to have your sweets before your meal. Offer cake or ice cream first and let the kids enjoy their dessert without having to eat their veggies
CUDDLE UP
If going out isn’t for your family, set aside time to cuddle up on the couch with those you love. Make popcorn, put on some comfortable pajamas, rent some movies and spend some time together
relaxing and cuddling in the comfort of your living room. To make it extra special for Valentine’s Day, add red sprinkles to the popcorn and choose movies that have a love theme.
BAKE & SHARE
Bake some Valentine’s Day themed cookies to share with someone you love. While you are at it, double the batch and share them with someone who may be spending Valentine’s Day alone this year. Cookies are a great way to show others you care and bring some cheer.
DECLARE YOUR LOVE
The simplest way to show others you care is to tell them. Have each family member state one reason why they love the others. You can also write these on scraps of paper and read them as a group. Tuck them away in a special envelope and pull them out year after year to reread them. vp
So Funny!
What did the cow say to their calf? It’s pasture bedtime!
What is a scarecrow’s favorite fruit? Straw-berries!
What is the potato’s least favorite day of the week? Fry-day!
Crops
Find these words:
Chickens evolved from dinosaurs and are the closest living relative to the T. Rex!
Find the 5 differences!
Can you unscramble these words?
by Jennifer Sillito
Private schools offer a range of benefits including a college preparatory education, smaller class sizes and unique extracurricular opportunities. However, the cost of tuition can be a significant barrier for many families. St. Anne-Pacelli Catholic School makes every effort to keep tuition affordable and provide financial assistance to families desiring a faith-based education. One of the ways the age one through 12th grade school, located in Columbus, does this is through its signature event, a fundraising gala called the Deimel Legacy Ball.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Deimel Legacy Ball. The founding members of the Deimel Legacy Ball selected Catholic education as the event’s beneficiary. Twenty years and over $1.5 million raised has allowed St. Anne-Pacelli
Catholic School to educate minds, shape hearts and build a foundation of faith for its students.
“We believe that financial circumstances should never stand in the way of a student receiving a faith-based education rooted in academic excellence,” said Katie Earnest, St. Anne-Pacelli High School Assistant Principal and Deimel Legacy Ball Chairperson. “We are incredibly thankful for the tradition set by the first Deimel Legacy Ball and again this year’s gala proceeds will benefit the Tuition Assistance Fund at St. Anne-Pacelli, which directly supports families in need.”
Third-grader Jillian Bolin is one of 131 students currently receiving tuition assistance funds raised through the Deimel Legacy Ball. “Because of the tuition assistance our family received, I was able
to send my daughter to St. Anne-Pacelli,” said Heather Bolin, Jillian’s mom. “The education that Jillian is receiving is top notch. She amazes me every year with what she has been taught and how she grows.”
The Deimel Legacy Ball promises to be a night of inspiration, entertainment and philanthropy in support of the students at St. Anne-Pacelli. The evening will feature dinner, dancing and live and silent auctions. ADV.
2025 DEIMEL LEGACY BALL
Saturday, February 22 • 6:30 p.m.
Christ the King Catholic Church Pine Mountain, Georgia
Tickets and info: BeAViking.com
Academy Dance Center
Acute Care Express
All About Kids Learning Center
Devica Alappan, MD
Angel Academy
Aranas & Stitt, OBGYN
Bareware Pottery
Basilio Pediatrics
Behavioral Health Partners
Bluebelle Artist Market
The Blushing Brunette Boutique
Carver Heights Presbyterian
Child Development Ctr.
Central Pharmacy
Central Christian Church
Central OBGYN
Chambers OBGYN
Ritu Chandra, MD
Childcare Network (Hamilton Rd)
Clement Arts
Columbus Children’s Dentistry
Columbus Clinic
Columbus Museum
Columbus Pediatrics
Columbus Public Library
Columbus Regional Midtown
Columbus Roberts Center
CSU Elizabeth Bradley Turner Ctr.
Dinglewood Pharmacy
Divine Childcare Learning Ctr.
Columbus Specialty Hospital
James Dorchak, MD
Easter Seals
Miranda Y. Edwards, MD
Fairview Baptist Preschool
The Family Center
Family Physicians of Columbus
First Baptist Church Child Dev./PC
Foot & Ankle of West Ga.
Fort Moore
Housing Services
Fountain City Coffee
Generations Knowledge & Care Ctr.
Great Beginnings Child Care
Greystone Falls
Greystone of Columbus Park
8 Paranormal Cirque at Peachtree Mall ParanormalCirque.com
8 & 11 Mini Makers at COMU ColumbusMuseum.com
15 February Family Festival at COMU ColumbusMuseum.com
15 Great Backyard
Bird Count with Oxbow Meadows Oxbow.ColumbusState.edu/ calendar-of-events
21 & 22 Bob Marley’s
Three Little Birds at the Springer SpringerOperaHouse.org
22 Blippi Join the Band Tour at Columbus Civic Center CivicCenter.ColumbusGa.gov
22 Columbus Symphony Orchestra
Young People’s Concert CSOGA.org
MARCH
8 Read Across America Celebration at North Columbus Public Library cvl.libnet.info/event/12047407
8 6th Annual Mardi Gras Parade Noon down Broadway
15 Columbus Princess Day at Columbus Trade Center
Eventbrite.com/e/columbusprincess-day-tickets-849375955347
15 Penny Pinchers
Party at Parks Memorial Public Library cvl.libnet.info/event/12381382
Greystone Inverness
Growing Room
Growing Room Too
Hollywood Connection
Imagination Station
Imagination Station Too
International Friendship Ministries
Joyful Journeys Childcare
Just for Kids
Kool Smiles
Mark Lawrence, DDS
Little Angels Child Development Ctr.
Little Paws Preschool
Thomas Malone, MD
Mathnasium
Mickayla’s Place
Midtown OBGYN
Mildred L. Terry Library
My Gym
Necco Foster Care
North Columbus Library
Northside Recreation Center
OBGYN Associates
Lirio E. Palmos, MD
Panvelkar & Panvelkar, MD
Pastoral Institute
Pediatrics at Brookstone Ctr.
Phenix City-Russell County Library
Pierce Chapel Methodist Preschool
Polka-Dots Early Childhood Development. Ctr.
Preppy Pets
Puddle Jumpers
Child Enrichment Ctr.
Rivertown Pediatrics
Russell County DHR
Second Avenue Animal Hospital
Jeffrey Serff, DMD
Smile Doctors
Smith Station Baptist Church
Smith Station Pharmacy
St. John AME Church
St. Luke Early Learning Ctr.
St. Mark UMC Child Dev. Ctr.
Lisa Alexander Strickland, DMD
Summerville Baptist Church
Sylvan Learning Center
Nora Tan-Ngo, MD
Toni’s Dancing Studio
TSYS Childcare Center
Uptown Pediatrics
Richard A. Valentine, MD
Wynnton Methodist Preschool
ZÖe Pediatrics
