A Kids-Eye View of the Palouse
magazine
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The growing season
Tag! columnist Judy Sobeloff unearths the dirty secrets to gardening with children
Newbill safety fair continues its mission Advertising Supplement |
ALSO INSIDE
May 29, 2013
| Moscow-Pullman Daily News
Kids calendar | Coloring contest | Summer reading
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MOSCOWPULLMAN DAILY NEWS
A Kid’s-Eye View of the Palouse
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Tag | A Kid’s-Eye View of the Palouse
MOSCOWPULLMAN DAILY NEWS
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A Kids-Eye View of the Palouse
magazine
TAG ADVERTISERS KIDS ARE THEIR BUSINESS
Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Moscow Food Co-op . . . . . . . . . 4 Hansel and Gretel . . . . . . . . . . .5 Palouse Empire Gymnastics . . 6 Palouse Discovery Science Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 GTR Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Dissmores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Bonkerz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Zeppoz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Moscow Day School . . . . . . . . .10 Eastside Marketplace . . . . . . .12
ABOUT TAG Tag is published three times a year in the Moscow-Pullman Daily News. The full magazine is available for viewing online by visiting dnews.com and clicking on the Special Sections link. For more information on how to advertise, contact the Daily News at (208) 882-5561.
ON THE COVER Organic gardener Ellis Jaeckel, 8, carries one of the chickens his family raises at its home in Moscow. Photo by Dean Hare
Organic gardener Kate Jaeckel, right, pulls weeds from the strawberry patch while talking with her son, Ellis, 8, center. Kate’s daughter, Avery, 12, also pulls weeds May at their home in Moscow. Dean Hare Daily News
The growing season
I
needed to write an article about gardening with kids, interview experts about gardening, start our garden, and get our kids to garden, all at the same time! What to do? I summoned my children, ages 9 and 11, for a little light weeding with Mother. They came running, like storybook children. “Reducto!” I shouted at the menacing thicket. Nothing happened. “My arm’s tired from baseball,” the younger one said, edging toward the hammock. I could see his point. So, I was surprised the next day to come home and find the kids out back with the
shovel and the garden claw, filling a humongous green garbage can with the weeds of their labors. They were gardening, in what they’d now officially claimed as BY JUDY SOBELOFF the Kids’ Garden. Ah. All I needed to do, I soon realized, was fund the enterprise and get out of the way. The kids would take care of the rest. They were happy to help with the “family garden,” too, it turned out. They would do exactly the jobs they wanted to do, and not the other jobs, which turned out to be incredibly
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helpful and exactly right. Three other things surprised me. One: My kids wanted to plant flowers and herbs in their garden, not vegetables, and to relegate vegetables to the family garden. Two: They were so intent on weeding that the younger one turned down the opportunity to go see a moose. Three: Our neighbor, Jay, and her daughter, Anna, happened to come by while we were weeding the family garden, and were happy to help us make short work of the biggest problems. Back to the big picture. Here’s a bit of what the organic farmers and gardeners I talked to had to say.
GARDENING WITH KIDS Organic farmer Kate Jaeckel of Moscow, mother of Avery, 12, and Ellis, 8, says, “It’s See Growing Page 4
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MOSCOWPULLMAN DAILY NEWS
Growing from Page 3 great to plant a garden because you can get any kid to eat food from the garden that they would never eat at the table.” Even the pickiest eaters will happily chomp on raw kale, chard, and carrots, Kate says; my own kids would eat peas and beans out there all day. Kate adds, “It’s great for kids to be part of it from start to finish so they can see, ‘Look at these seeds, we helped them grow.’” When my kids were younger they mostly wanted to hold worms. Longtime organic gardener Nancy Hampel, who is running a gardening camp in June at an inviting spot along Paradise Creek, explains: “Most kids tend to be fascinated with dirt and worms and roots. They just naturally love getting their hands in there.”
STARTING SMALL Lahde Forbes of Moscow, a self-described “old organic farmer,” advises starting small. She recommends the book Square Foot Gardening and suggests starting with one or two five-by-five foot beds. “You can get a lot of food out of a little space. One zucchini plant will keep you going all summer. Chard and kale keep producing all summer. Just
A Kid’s-Eye View of the Palouse
| Tag
pick the leaves off, rather than picking the whole plant.” Also, Lahde says, “You can often harvest one thing and then put something else right there after you’ve loosened the soil a little bit.” Moscow’s Rachel Caudill, who has been gradually transforming her front and back yard into a farmyard, concurs. “The key is not to get overwhelmed,” she says. “I just do one thing at a time, taking these teensy little steps.”
WHAT TO PLANT Most things are easy to grow on the Palouse, Lahde says. She first plants crops that will do well in cool weather such as lettuce, spinach, and radishes and waits to plant crops outside that need warmer weather such as tomatoes. Those who don’t want to wait can build a cold frame or “make a cloche with PVC pipe and rebar and put plastic over it.” “I’ve run out at night and put blankets right on my zucchini plants,” she adds. While what you can plant when depends on how wet and cold the spring is and how warm the summer is, Lahde suggests the following as a rough guide: In April, peas and slow-bolt spinach. May: greens, carrots, parsnips, chard, cabbage, broccoli. “If there’s a sunny spell, get out there and plant
market a new program for kids at the Pick up your Market Sprouts Activity Book at the market, or at the Customer Service Desk in the store. Fill out each section and earn Market Bucks, which you can use to buy fresh veggies, eggs, pizza, ice cream and more from our local producers! Moscow Food Co-op 121 East 5th Street in Moscow 208.882.8537 | www.moscowfood.coop
Geoff Crimmins/Daily News
Rachel Caudill plants tomatoes in raised garden beds outside her home in Moscow last week. something!”
GETTING THE GROUND READY FOR PLANTING As far as clearing the soil of grass or whatever was already growing there, “after spring rains, it’s really easy to pull sod up,” Rachel says. If the ground is already dry, she suggests soaking the area with a hose beforehand, though not enough to turn the soil to clay. Alternatively, Nancy Hampel suggests putting down a blanket or straw over newspaper on top of the place where you’re going to want to plant as early as possible, ideally before the new grass starts growing. Longtime organic gardener Joe Pallen does things “all year round” to help build nutrients in the soil. He puts straw and grass clippings on his garden in the summer after the plants are tall enough, for weed reduction and water conservation. At the end of the growing season in the fall he piles leaves on top of the garden, then lets them sit on the garden all winter before tilling them in. He also adds compost from a worm bin and sometimes adds steer manure, which he notes is not organic. He says, “The soil in parts of my garden is getting really good after several years.” He tills everything in with an electric tiller as part of his campaign to Liberate Yourself from the Evil Two-Stroke Combustion Machine. “You have to wait to till if the ground is too wet, otherwise it will just turn to muck.” Ideally Joe likes to let the soil sit a week or two with the manure tilled in before planting, the more time the better. This lets the worms crawl through it, and the water soak in, he says, and decreases the chance of hav-
ing your plants get “burned” by nutrients in the manure or compost. Topsoil, manure, sphagnum peat moss, and compost are all available by the bag locally. Those with larger gardens can get topsoil by the truckload from Wasankari Construction and W.S.U. Compost by the truckload from Moscow Building Supply.
WATERING Joe observes that many people over-water. “I think you need to go out and check the soil. You don’t water on a schedule. Look at your plants: do they look stressed, do they look happy?” If his family will be going out of town, he waters the garden well before leaving and tries to find someone, preferably someone who gardens, to water once during the time they’re gone. Speaking of which, the need for continued maintenance raises a dilemma perhaps central to gardening—that it lends itself to rootedness, both of plants and people. Rachel Caudill notes that “there’s this very deep intrinsic reward that starts happening with these little things, and that’s when I started getting the ideas for the bigger things. Once it gets started, it gets harder to stop.” Because of this, she says, she’s had to make significant choices. “It’s not like we’re going to pick up and travel all summer.” She adds, “I can’t stop myself from looking out the front window three to four times a day and seeing the garden. And then eating out of the garden is just divine. “If you just start with one bed, you can see how it feels.” See Growing Page 6
Tag | A Kid’s-Eye View of the Palouse
MOSCOWPULLMAN DAILY NEWS
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Annual fair makes children happy to be safe Newbill event set for Saturday at Moscow’s Eastside Marketplace By Erik Fink | for Tag
T
Daily News file
Morgan Cummings, left, Jasmine Eng, center, and Jade Eng, pet Payton, a Dalmatian serving as a volunteer fire dog with the Moscow Volunteer Fire Department, during the Officer Newbill Kids Safety Fair on June 2, 2012, at Eastside Marketplace in Moscow.
he Officer Newbill Kids Safety Fair returns to the Eastside Marketplace in Moscow on Saturday. The fair started in 2005 and has continued to grow in popularity. “The number of people that attend annually has probably tripled,” said Jon Kimberling, former president and current secretary for the nonprofit organization that organizes the event. “The first year we estimated having between 300 and 400 children go through the fair, and I believe each and every year it has continued to grow. Last year we gave away over 800 bike helmets.” Sharon Plemmons, president of the fair’s organization, said there were only six or seven tables of
sponsors in 2005. There will be more than 20 this year. Kimberling said the fair committee saw early on that the fair was sustainable in the community. “This has to be one of the greatest examples of community cooperation you can point to in Moscow,” Kimberling said. Kimberling said the yearly budget for the fair is usually between $8,000 and $9,000. He said one major contributor to the budget comes from the annual Jay Owenhouse Magic Show, which donates 10 percent of its proceeds. “The single largest source of money for us is the cut, if you will, of his revenues that (Owenhouse) gives back to the safety fair,” KimberSee Safety Page 6
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Growing from Page 4
Other things sprouting Children’s Gardening Camp: June 17-28 (Monday through Friday, 8:30-11:30 a.m.) on a halfacre in Moscow next to Paradise Creek. Led by organic gardener Nancy Hampel, (208) 596-1404, nancmh@yahoo.com . Co-op Kids, Herb’In Garden: Join the Co-op Kids group in planting herbs in planter boxes outside the Co-op on June 4, 9-10 a.m. When the herbs reach maturity, the kids (and the general community) will be encouraged to snip off some of the herbs to take home and use in a meal. For more information, contact outreach@ moscowfood.coop . Free worm bin workshop: taught by Laura Zak, June 19, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Moscow Food Co-op patio. Bring wide shallow bin (e.g. 8-10 gallon plastic storage
bin) and two plastic lids. For more information, contact outreach@ moscowfood.coop . GROW-Op garden: meets at the Hamilton Community Garden, 1724 East F Street , on the first and third Sundays of each month from 1-4 p.m. Come learn about gardening and help produce food for local food banks. Local community gardens: Pullman Community Garden at Koppel Farm — Still has two or three 20 X 20 foot plots available. $50 for the year, which includes water and the use of tools. Email koppelgardens@gmail.com; Hamilton Community Garden — 20 X 20 foot plots available just east of the Hamilton Indoor Recreation Center , 1724 East F Street . $78.25, which includes a $25 refundable clean-up deposit, 883-7084; Moscow Community Garden — across from the Emmanuel Lutheran Church on West C Street , 882-3915.
Judy Sobeloff is a teaching artist and freelance writer who lives with her family
A Kid’s-Eye View of the Palouse
Safety from Page 5 ling said. “That’s probably $3,000 to $4,000 of our $9,000 we raise each year.” Kimberling said last year the committee spent between $4,000 and $5,000 on bike helmets. He said another expense are the Shield and W.H.A.L.E. stickers which go in car seats and bike helmets. “The W.H.A.L.E. stickers go inside the bike helmets and the acronym stands for ‘We Have A Little Emergency,’” Kimberling said. Kimberling said the stickers have personal and medical information on them so emergency response personnel know who to contact and what the child is allergic to. Plemmons said the children who attend the event are always excited to be there. “You see the kids and their allowed to go inside the fire truck or police car or sit on the motorcycle and there’s nothing but huge smiles on their faces,” Plemmons said. “Last year for the first time
we had this little station set up for the kids to decorate their helmets and they just had a blast with that.” Plemmons said the fair is run completely by volunteers. “One of the stipulations at the safety fair is that everything at the fair has to be free,” Plemmons said. “Businesses aren’t allowed to sell anything, it all has to be given away.” In 2007 the fair was renamed in honor of Moscow Police officer Lee Newbill who was shot and killed on duty. “He was such a huge part of helping with the car seat safety checks and that’s why we went in that direction,” Plemmons said. “This is just a way to honor him.” Kimberling said Newbill worked with the safety fair from the beginning. He said the fact that the fair was so important to Newbill has drawn attention to it. “There are a lot of people, especially those who served with him in the Moscow Police Department, who work at this every year that I think that strengthens their connection to this event and its
importance,” Kimberling said. The fair is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the Eastside Marketplace parking lot. Helmets will be given away to children 16 and under. Other activities will include child IDs, fingerprint kits and DNA kits, a bike rodeo and tours of an ambulance, fire truck and helicopter. This year’s sponsors for the Officer Newbill Kids Safety Fair are Moscow School District, Moscow Chamber of Commerce, City of Moscow, Eastside Marketplace, Gritman Medical Center, Paradise Creek Bicycles, Old Navy, NRS, University of Idaho, Moscow Volunteer Fire Department, Moscow Police Department, Latah County Sheriffs Department, Gilbert Auto, Idaho Child Safety Lab, Northwest Medstar, Wells Fargo, Kimberling Insurance Agency, Farmers Insurance Group, Avista, Safe Route 2 School, Staples, Z Fun 106, Applebees, Rotary International and Palouse Empire Gymnastics.
Erik Fink is a summer intern with the Daily News. He can be reached at (208) 883-4686, or by e-mail to fink7635@vandals.uidaho.edu.
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Tag | A Kid’s-Eye View of the Palouse
MOSCOWPULLMAN DAILY NEWS
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KID AND FAMILY EVENT GUIDE These are selected items from the INland360 event calendar at inland360.com. To submit your event to the largest local event calendar on the Palouse and in the Valley, go to inland360.com/your-voice/submit-an-event/
JUNE 1
JUNE 5
Moscow Farmers Market, Friendship Square, Main and Fourth streets, Moscow. Highlights include fresh produce, meat, homemade baked goods, nursery plants, flowers and handmade crafts. Local musicians perform 9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. No animals, except for ADA service dogs, are allowed. Info: www.ci.moscow.id.us/art Officer Newbill Kids Safety Fair, Eastside Marketplace, 1420 S. Blaine St. , Moscow. Info: www.newbillkidssafetyfair.com
Time for Twos Storytime, 10:30 -11 a.m., Neill Public Library, 210 N. Grand Ave., Pullman. Children 2-3 years and their parent/caregiver are invited to attend. Great fun with books, songs, rhymes and movement activities. For info: (509) 338-3258 Motherhood Connections, 510 W. Palouse River Dr., Moscow. Held at the Martin Wellness Center, this is a free discussion group open to all new moms and their babies. Kinder!Science, 1:30 p.m., 950 NE Nelson Court, Pullman. Palouse Discovery Science Center: Free. For info: (509) 3326869
JUNE 2 Mighty Squirrel concert, 7 p.m., 1912 Center, 412 E. Third St., Moscow, ID. The four musicians of Mighty Squirrel offer a mixture of songs and musical influences from all over the globe -- Appalachian, Yiddish, Celtic, French-Canadian, folk and gypsy jazz -- creating a unique sound they call “old time music from around the world.”
Log Cabin & Farmhouse Tours for Genesee Days, 1 -6 p.m., Genesee, White Spring Ranch, 1004 Lorang Road, Genesee. Visit a historic farmhouse built on an 1884 homestead, with 1904 additions. Step into a time capsule on the Palouse. Free, but $5 donations welcome.
JUNE 3
JUNE 10
Storytime, 10:30 a.m., 706 Broadway, Colton. Colton Library. Storytime is for children ages 1-6. For info: (509) 229-3887
Summer ArtCamps with Jeanne Leffingwell, Studio 835, 835 N. Mountain View Road, Moscow. Registration is now open for ArtCamps with Moscow artist Jeanne Leffingwell at Studio 835 in Moscow for ages 8-15. Info: (208) 882-7211, www. jeanneleffingwell.com
JUNE 4 Co-op Kids, 9 -10 a.m., Moscow Food Co-op, 121 E. Fifth St., Moscow. Cafe: Activities for children and their caregivers. All events are all free, with snacks and materials donated by the Co-op. Free. Info: amamaswork@yahoo.com. Wonder!Science, 1:30 p.m., 950 NE Nelson Court, Pullman, WA. Palouse Discovery Science Center. Free. For info: (509) 3326869 Afterschool Science, 4 p.m., Palouse Discovery Science Center, 950 NE Nelson Court, Pullman. Info: (509)332-6869 Moscow Food Co-op’s Tuesday Night Music Series, 5 -6:30 p.m., Moscow Food Co-op, 121 E. Fifth St., Moscow. Moscow Food Co-op. Free concert in the deli. Information: music@moscowfood.coop. Round Dance Lessons, 7 -9 p.m., Lena Whitmore Elementary School, 110 S. Blaine, Moscow. The Palouse Promenaders will provide round dancing lessons every Tuesday evening in Moscow.
JUNE 8
JUNE 13 Magic show at Colfax library, 10:30 11:30 a.m., Whitman County Library – Colfax, 102 S. Main St., Colfax. Kenneth K performs magic. Free. Info: Sheri at (509) 397-4366. Sponsored by the Friends of Whitman County Library.
JUNE 14 Moscow Artwalk 2013 opens, 3 -10 p.m., Downtown, Moscow. Participants are provided with a colorful brochure that directs them on a self-guided tour of participating Moscow businesses displaying the works of local and regional artists. Info: www. ci.moscow.id.us/arts/Pages/artwalk
At the
Palouse P a ouse alouse se Discovery Science S cience ce Center Featuring:
Sat Saturday a June June ne e 22 22 10am 1 0am to 3pm
• Fun Science Presentations • Interactive nteractive Community Booths • Food, Entertainment & Giveaways!
Join us for Science Camps this Summer! Grades Sessions 4-6 July 22 - 26 1-3 July 29 - August 2 4-6 August 5 - 9 Explore the world of robotics using LEGO Mindstorms and WeDo’s! Robo Camp
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1-3
July 15 - 19
Space Camp 2-4 June 24 - 28 Join the PDSC for a week in space! Kitchen Chaos 1-3 July 8 - 12 Science takes center stage as you discover what cooking and chemistry have in common! To register for summer camps please call Pullman Parks & Rec at 509-338-3227.
OPEN: Tuesday 10am To 5pm Wednesday 10am To 3pm Thursday 10am To 3pm Friday 10am To 3pm Saturday 10am To 3pm
950 NE Nelson Court, Pullman | (509) 332-6869 Visit us at www.palousescience.org
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A Kid’s-Eye View of the Palouse
| Tag
Fun ways to keep kids learning this summer By Michelle Ward | for Tag
of the countless examples I could cite. Many classical and kids’ songs have been turned into rock tunes and visa versa. Even the theme for Angry Birds has been arranged for orchestra. Music really is timeless.
S
ummer is just around the corner but that doesn’t have to mean school is out. Here’s one activity your child can do that is fun that will keep them learning and can help reinforce all of the information they’ve learned all year long. The answer is … music lessons! Here’s why
It’s science Making music is about sound and sound is science. By changing a note that is lower in sound to one that is higher in sound on an instrument, kids learn first hand how vibrations affect the sound of notes. Every instrument, from piano, to voice, guitar, flute, drums, and bass have a special way of making low, high, loud and soft sounds and when you learn how to use them, it makes the songs you play fun and a lot more interesting.
It’s math Don’t worry, you won’t have to solve for “X” and you won’t have to worry about a train leaving a station. Instead, your child will have fun learning how eight little notes can be used to create favorite www.GTRStudio.com songs, melodies and chords. Timing, as they say, is everything and It’s history your child will learn how simple and easy rhythm and counting is and how Quick, what Halloween song has been it helps organize music much like the letters a pop song favorite in almost every decade of the alphabet are used to make words, since 1962? Answer: “The Monster Mash.” sentences, paragraphs and eventually, whole It was a hit when my mom was in colstories. lege, when I was in grade school and high Taking music lessons also helps them school, and it’s a hit again for today’s kids. develop and improve problem solving and The melody to Elvis Presley’s “It’s Now or critical thinking skills. One of the unique Never” was adapted from a popular Italian benefits of music is learning how to work song “O Sole Mio.” Those are just a few
through a playing error and keeping your focus instead of stopping and starting over again from the beginning. Those are just some of the many examples of how learning a musical instrument can enhance a child’s academic experience over the summer as well as being just plain fun. As a matter of fact, when we share those ideas with our students, it’s fun to see them get excited and say, “Really? That’s pretty cool!” Just because it’s summer vacation doesn’t mean you have to stop learning and that learning can’t be fun. To find out more about our programs, scheduling and starting lessons we invite you to visit us online at www.GTRStudio.com or call (208) 8826733.
Michelle Ward is director and an instructor at GTR Music Studio in Moscow and has a Masters in Music from UI’s Hampton School of Music. She performs regularly with her band The ColdRail Blues Band. Advertisers in Tag! were invited to submit articles for publication. This is one of those submissions.
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Tag | A Kid’s-Eye View of the Palouse
PALOUSE SUMMER READING RESOURCES This year’s summer reading programs are bigger and better than ever at your local libraries. The Tag! staff had hoped to print a grand calendar of all the events, but it did not take long to realize how many events there were and just how much is going on across the Palouse. We’re instead providing these valuable phone numbers and web links to our great libraries. You’ll be sure to find something fun to fill your time and keep your children’s minds sharp during the summer. Enjoy. > Whitman County Libraries: Phone: (509) 397-4366; Website: www.whitco.lib.wa.us/ > Latah County Libraries: Phone: (208) 882-3925, ext. 15; Website: lcldyouth.wordpress.com/ or www.latahlibrary.org/ > Neil Public Library: Phone: (509) 338-3258; Website: www.pullman-wa.gov/departments/ neill-public-library/
MOSCOWPULLMAN DAILY NEWS
| Wednesday, May 29, 2013 | 9
Go ahead, ‘let’s pretend that … ’ By Deb Allen | for Tag
P
lay in a child’s life often determines their success as adults. Child behavior experts believe that play is a child’s work. Parents can participate in their children’s success by interacting playfully with them; they can give their children the power to determine roles, model relationships and stimulate creativity and spontaneity. Play is the opportunity for children to practice real life in a nonthreatening and safe manner. Not only will a child practice life but they will also develop gross and fine motor skills, learn to solve problems, and develop language and social skills. “Let’s pretend that … ” is our favorite phrase we hear spoken by children at Bonkerz Indoor Playcenter recently opened in Moscow. The meaning of this phrase far surpasses the three simple words it contains. Translated, this is what it means.
Let’s The hyphenation of “let us.” Socially this is the evidence of group cooperation. Children are developing the skills of corporate activity.
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That
activities, the “thats,” to help children heal from emotional traumas and hurtful situations that may have occurred within the home and family. Play is powerful; it is an activity that when allowed as a child and practiced as an adult, can change the direction of our society. For us adults, “let’s pretend that” we’re children playing peacefully and joyfully together, modeling happy relationships to our children and regarding others with kindness. And, let’s not pretend that playing an extra hour with our children or reading them another book at bedtime or coming home an hour early from work really doesn’t matter to them, because for real, you matter, and our future society depends upon you playing with your children. Take your kids out to play and, “Let’s pretend that … .”
A word that introduces an idea. Creativity and spontaneity occur, a child’s brain is stimulated and their cognitive thinking is triggered. Their imaginations can explore scenarios that might otherwise be intimidating or frightening to them. Child therapists use pretension
Deb Allen is the mother of Bonkerz owner Anna McGarrah. Advertisers in Tag! were invited to submit articles for publication. This is one of those submissions.
They are recognizing that “I” am not alone. A child has matured from the “me” stage to the “we” stage. They recognize they are a part of a whole, society has emerged for them.
Pretend For children this word opens their world. Pretend to a child means imagine, create, role-play, solve problems, become relational, exchange ideas, and much, much more. They have entered the realm of their parent’s, teacher’s or guardian’s roles, problems, conversations, and work. Pretend is their opportunity to safely adventure into someone else’s life all the while determining the rules that guide their outcome. It becomes their opportunity to practice power.
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MOSCOWPULLMAN DAILY NEWS
A Kid’s-Eye View of the Palouse
| Tag
Glitter and snot: The joy of being a preschool teacher By Elizabeth Sutherland | for Tag
I
can tell you how your child’s day went. I helped her do a puzzle, worked on a poem with her, held her hand when we walked downtown for Story Hour. While we worked on an art project together, she told me all the reasons that she loves you. I know when he’s struggling with social boundaries, I’m there when he needs a hug, and I’ve thought for hours about how to
give him the self-confidence to keep trying to write his name. It’s my privilege. In today’s world, many parents work, and choosing a preschool or childcare center isn’t a decision made lightly. You considered class sizes, academic activities, opportunities for play, field trip options, preparation for kindergarten, and teacher interactions. I know you didn’t have to pick my classroom to leave your little one in every morning, but I’m thrilled that you did. Spending my days with your children
Summer registration now open to the public! Moscow Day School cares for children between the ages of 2 and 8. Registration forms can be found on our website www.moscowdayschool.org
(208) 882-8426 • moscowdayschool@frontier.com
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2. 3.
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makes me better. I come home exhausted, covered in paint, snot, or — worse — glitter, worn out from creating an environment that meets the needs of so many personalities. I wouldn’t say that my job is easy. Nothing that lasts is. I’m up late at night researching different play-dough or puffy paint recipes, looking for new ways to help a struggling child develop a skill, or cutting out one hundred and sixty-three pieces for a craft that complements this week’s library book. The copy of my favorite childhood book that I brought to share, A Child’s Book of Poems, has pen marks on the cover and the occasional torn page. Do I mind? Not really. After talking about treating books like friends we picked a new poem to learn, because what really matters is that they absorb and enjoy words and use them to describe the world around them in new ways. When we venture out on field trips I become a mama-tigress, counting and triplecounting heads as I tread backwards down the hill, shouting songs all the way. Strangers get a three-second “smile-atcute-kids window” before I teacher-glare them. Why?
It’s my job to protect the edges of the world, making it secure so that my kids — your kids — can explore it safely. I do call them my kids sometimes. Not to imply that they’re any less yours when they’re with me, but because I give each one of them part of my heart, and I don’t get it back when they move on. In the end, that’s the hardest part of being a preschool teacher; saying goodbye after a year or two and knowing that by the time they reach adulthood, I’ll be at best a vague memory to these precious tiny people that I spend so much time with. So thank you for trusting me with the time I have. I’m doing my best to stuff it with things that are true, good, and beautiful; and I promise to keep telling you about the little details of their day.
Elizabeth Sutherland is a preschool teacher at Moscow Day School, a nonprofit, parent-run organization that has been part of the community for 34 years. Advertiser in Tag! were invited to submit articles for publication. This is one of those submissions.
LOAD UP YOUR ARCADE GAME CARD AND LET THE GAMES BEGIN!
Instead of the hassle with bills, coins, and tickets just see our bowling counter to load your Arcade Game Card! Redemption Games: Arcade Games: es: • • • • • • • •
Fruit Ninja Fire Ball Fury (Skee Ball) Hoop Fever 2 Minute Drill (Football Toss) Jumpin’ Jackpot Big Bass Wheel Batman Wheel of Fortune • Monster Drop • Blue Blast • Cyclone
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Tag | A Kid’s-Eye View of the Palouse magazine
MOSCOWPULLMAN DAILY NEWS
| Wednesday, May 29, 2013 | 11
Coloring Contest!
Ready, set, color! Enter to win a free day pass at Bonkerz Indoor Playcenter 2305 S. Main, Moscow 208-596-4320 Hours: Mon-Fri, 9-5; Saturday, 9-3
Schedule your Birthday Party at the Palouse’s new Play Place!
Indoor
Playcenter
2305 S. Main, Moscow ID 83843
Name: City: Age: Phone:
Three winners will receive a free day pass at Bonkerz in Moscow. Entries will be displayed at Bonkerz during the contest. Winners will be chosen at random from all entries. There is no age limit for entrants. Entries should colored, then sent or hand-delivered to the Daily News, 220 East 5th. Street, Ste. 218, or Bonkers at 2305 S. Main St., south of Moscow. Deadline for entries is June 21.
12 | Wednesday, May 29, 2013 |
MOSCOWPULLMAN DAILY NEWS
A Kid’s-Eye View of the Palouse
| Tag