nola family Parent Fearlessly
May/June 2019
POWER UP THOSE
Girl -Boy Fr iendship s P. 19
WHAT’S INSIDE
COUNTS
NURTURING A POSITIVE BODY IMAGE P. 28
SPOTLIGHT: RESTORE THE COAST P. 33
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nola family CONTENTS
Brad Duplechain conducts an experiment with some of his physics students.
ACHER E T
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BRAD DUPLECHAIN Brother Martin High School
Nominated for his old-school, yet engaging style of teaching, Brad Duplechain is as passionate about his job as he is about the subject. His field, physics, demands both conceptual understanding as well as complex math skills, and there are no easy or gimmicky ways to approach this subject and its embedded skills for his 11th and 12th grade students.
A FEW WORDS 7 From the editor
FEATURES 5 Teacher of the Year Brad Duplechain
9 Family Favorites Survey
www.nolafamily.com
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12 Seven Perfect Camps Space is still available in these summer camps
14 Steve Gleason A Father’s Day special
19 Best Friends Boy-girl friendships
30 From Our Bookshelf
16 Parenting Corner
Restore the Coast
Raising Resilient Children
37 Gear to Get
34 Wiggle Room
New moms and dads
Too sensitive, or something else?
39 Out & About
38 In the Know Talking about touchy topics
46 Geaux Girls!
Summer reading
Strange things we believed as kids
24 Pull-out calendar Festivals galore!
28 Body Positivity
26 Mom About Town
Raising kids with a positive body image
Caroline Parrone
Brad directs one of his players as the head track and field coach.
33 Spotlight
Where, when, and what to do
Teen rejection and violence
IN EACH ISSUE 22 Momversations
Brad’s classroom demeanor is stoic, for the most part. He expects his students to be prepared for class and “to get down to business,” and in this way, he protects the sanctity of instructional time for the betterment of his students’ learning.
ON THE COVER Steve Gleason is a Saint, a philanthropist, a role model, and a regular dad. Photo by Twirl Photography.
In his 20 years as a full-time faculty member, Brad has embraced the concept of holistic education. He never passes up an opportunity to teach his students — he models the idea that everything we do teaches something. Walk into his classroom on any given day, and often you will leave thinking, “That’s one of the most interesting classes I have ever been a part of.” “Brad has a knack and a passion for making learning relevant in the lives of his students,” says Thomas Mavor, English instructor at Brother Martin. “Sit in his class, and you’ll enter a world of real-life, practical problem solving. What more effective way of motivating a student towards engineering than design a curriculum that prints prosthetic hands through the use of a 3D printer? Brad is also a cross country and track and field coach. Mavor adds, “Visit a track practice, and you might see Brad engage in a conversation with a student about gravity in relation to a helicopter that happens to be hovering overhead.” For Brad, everything matters down to the smallest details. It’s not about getting the right answer. It’s about how you
He demonstrates excellence in his preparation for his classes and expects that his students do the same. However, Brad has been very open and eager to use many of the tools the physics department has at its disposal. He was one of the first members of the science department to use the Vernier probes. Former student Michael Lagasse (class of 2004) always speaks highly of “Coach Dup” and the things that he learned from him. Michael is now an engineer and is putting those lessons to work in real life. “Over the years when I served as the academic assistant principal, I had many conversations with Brad in which he initiated his concerns for students’ tenacity and responsibility (or lack thereof), Mavor says. “He instinctively knows that physics and cross country/track are merely the content for the actual life-long learning: the importance of goal setting, of responsibility, of practice, of doing what is important, not what’s popular or easy. Long after Brad has taught/coached young men, they continue to embody the lessons that he taught them about how to ‘make a life.’”
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Tell us who’s who in New Orleans
EDUCATION & GUIDANCE
An old-school type of educator, Brad believes that every moment is an opportunity to learn something.
get the right answer. It’s about how you prove that answer. And it’s about the pride you put into each of those aspects that matters most.
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Kimberly Bradley is a licensed pediatric occupational therapist who writes the Wiggle Room column.
nola family publisher/editor ann bower herren ann@nolafamily.com managing editor tim meyer tim@nolafamily.com
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From the Editor
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Contr ibutors
office manager jenny ziglin jenny@nolafamily.com Scott Campbell is publisher and founder of River Road Press, a local boutique publisher of local and regional authors.
Ava Nicol, a Geaux Girl! contributor, is a journalist-in-training and a freshman at Riverdale High School. She loves to write about what’s important to today’s teens.
advertising sales durban zaunbrecher durban@nolababy.com designer cat landrum 2nd story creative cat@2ndstorycreative.com edit interns erin cohn chapelle johnson marketing/communications intern lara mekus
Sarah Herndon is a freelance writer, mom, and frequent contributor to Nola Family.
ad production sara youngblood contributing photography twirl photography
info@nolafamily.com or 504.866.0555 Pamela Marquis has lived in New Orleans for more than 40 years. She is a freelance writer, specializing in business and garden writing, and holds a master’s in social work from the University of Missouri.
The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and/or contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher, editor, or advertisers.
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In 2011, Gleason announced that he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis after being retired from the NFL since 2008. Fresh from his diagnosis, he and his wife, Michel, decided to have kids. A choice that I assume didn’t come easy. Or maybe it did. Wanting to have kids is the easy part; the hard part is balancing it all: feedings, diapers, school, bathtimes, playing catch, appointments, lessons, friends, carpools, dinner… The Gleasons just had to forge their own way of dealing, and living, and parenting — like we all did (doing) in our own ways. But I did learn something that makes my own hard days a little easier. The Gleason’s oldest is the same age as my son, and after spending an ordinary afternoon in their home, It’s nice to see that it doesn’t matter who you are — that you have to use a motorized wheelchair or played in the NFL — your kids are still going to ignore you. Gleason mentioned to his son that, because a photoshoot was planned, he didn’t have to do his homework till later. His son was in earshot, but seemingly didn’t hear his dad’s computerized voice. Gleason repeated himself.
may/june 2019 volume 13, issue 4
We’re also excited because May/June is our Father’s Day issue. And Gleason seemed like the perfect fit. He’s accomplished, lives in New Orleans, a role model, and a dad. Honestly, this time of year seems to speed up. Summer vacation is coming, Memorial Day, Mother’s Day, Fourth of July, and I’m sure I’m missing some other day, too. So much to plan for, so much to rest from. Then school begins again and I don’t even know where the time went. Did we even to go the beach, at least? Just like other holidays, Father’s Day always seems to sneak up on me. Usually, I let Facebook remind of these dates when I have “Memories” to look back on, then I’m like, “Oh crap, today is so-and-so’s birthday.” My son is still too young to date-track anyway, or even care. He just wants to know if it’s a no-school holiday. It’s still up to me to keep up with all the various celebrations throughout the year. I’m obviously killing it. But it got me thinking. When do I get the surprise bed-in-breakfast treat, which I then have to clean the food-tornado-ravaged kitchen that somehow has egg on the ceiling? Sounds like good times.
Here’s to being ignored for the rest of your life by the very people you’d murder for,
Tim Meyer
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Business office: 8131 Oak St., Ste. 500, New Orleans, La., 70118 504.866.0555
A publication of
Erin Cohn and Chapelle Johnson are our amazing edit interns at Nola Family magazine.
We got Steve Gleason, man! The Saints player known for his blocked punt in a 2006 game that became a symbol of recovery in New Orleans during the team’s first home game after Hurricane Katrina is on Nola Family’s cover, and we are excited.
“I know,” his son yelled, annoyed that he wasted the two seconds that it took to stop and reply before he skipped out the backdoor.
For reprint information, contact ann@nolafamily.com Lisa Phillips is a parent educator at the Parenting Center at Children’s Hospital who writes our award-winning “Parenting Corner” column.
YOUR KIDS ARE STILL GOING TO IGNORE YOU
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We want to hear from you !
Are choices hard for you ?
As parents, we turn to other parents for trusted advice on everything family — from choosing a dentist to picking a party place. Share your knowledge of the best of the best in New Orleans by filling out our annual reader’s survey. Get started by clicking on the survey link at nolafamily.com or fill out this ballot and mail it to Nola Family magazine, 8131 Oak St., Suite 500, New Orleans, LA 70118.
Party Time
Events
Indoor party venue_________________________________
Free holiday event__________________________________
Outdoor party venue________________________________
Holiday tea or brunch_______________________________
Party rentals_______________________________________
Kid-friendly Mardi Gras parade_______________________
Birthday party entertainer__________________________
Ou r readers can help.
Eating
Family-friendly festival______________________________
Camps, Lessons & Activities Summer day camp__________________________________
Snoball stand______________________________________ Summer specialty camp_____________________________ Ice cream/yogurt shop______________________________ Summer sleepaway camp____________________________ Doughnut shop_____________________________________ Swim school/lessons________________________________ Candy/sweet shop__________________________________ Martial arts studio__________________________________ Bakery____________________________________________ Bakery/food store for special dietary needs_______________________________ Restaurant for kid-friendly dining__________________________________
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Place for prepared meals ____________________________
Look for New Orleans’ Family Favorite reader survey results in our next issue!
Music school/lessons_______________________________ Art school/lessons__________________________________ Sports leagues for kids (soccer/baseball/basketball etc.)_____________________ Sports club ________________________________________ Kid’s yoga class_____________________________________
Smoothies/juices __________________________________
Place for mom to work out___________________________
Breakfast joint _____________________________________
Gymnastics/cheerleading studio_____________________
Organic produce____________________________________
Parenting class/support group_______________________
Farmers market____________________________________
Toddler enrichment class____________________________
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Special occasion restaurant (birthdays, graduations)_____________________________
Dance studio_______________________________________
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Playtime
Special Needs
Indoor play place ___________________________________
Education/School__________________________________
Playground/park ___________________________________
Occupational therapist______________________________
Kid-friendly museum________________________________
Physical therapist__________________________________
Place for an animal encounter________________________
Speech therapist___________________________________
Day-trip destination ________________________________
Services/Support group_____________________________
Beach destination __________________________________ Movie theater______________________________________ Bowling alley______________________________________ Place for a playdate_________________________________ Hiking/biking trail__________________________________ Place for water play_________________________________ Storytime_________________________________________ Mommy & Me class_________________________________
Shopp ing & Services
Family Health OB/GYN (& their practice group, if applicable)__________________ High-risk OB doctor (& their practice group, if applicable)__________________ Fertility doctor (& their practice group, if applicable)__________________ Pediatrician (& their practice group, if applicable)__________________ Pediatric group_____________________________________ Orthodontist_______________________________________ Pediatric dentist (& their practice group, if applicable)__________________
Children’s bookstore/selection_______________________ Locally-owned toy store_____________________________
Family dentist (& their practice group, if applicable)__________________
Maternity boutique_________________________________
Family dental group________________________________
Place to shop for mom______________________________
Otolaryngologist (ear, nose & throat)_________________
Place to shop for dad________________________________
Dermatologist_____________________________________
Place to buy birthday gifts___________________________
Pediatric allergist__________________________________
Baby/children’s clothing_____________________________
Orthopedist_______________________________________
Children’s shoe store________________________________
Gastroenterologist_________________________________
Children’s consignment boutique_____________________
Urgent care facility_________________________________
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Nanny/babysitting service___________________________ Place for (kids’) manicures & pedicures________________
Hospital for having a baby___________________________ Hospital for children’s emergency care____________________________________ Midwife___________________________________________
Family photographer________________________________
Doula_____________________________________________
Children’s haircut___________________________________
Childbirth class____________________________________
Baby gear__________________________________________
Family/child psychologist/therapist (& their practice group, if applicable)__________________ Lice removal_______________________________________
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Bicycle shop_______________________________________
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7 Summer Camps
Painting with a Twist – Mandeville 2121 N Causeway Blvd Mandeville, LA 70471 985.626.6272 paintingwithatwist.com/studio/mandeville Painting with a Twist Camp is not your typical art camp. Along with painting on canvas every day, campers will play games, win prizes, listen to upbeat music and learn some art history! At the end of the week, we will have a professional art show to showcase to friends and family the work we have done. If your child loves art, karaoke, and crafting, this is the camp for them!
it would be a mistake to miss! It’s May, and you still haven’t signed your precious offspring up for the summer of their lives. Things have just been too crazy, we know. But that’s ok, these seven amazing camps still have a few spots left and by signing up now, you can still guarantee your kids have an amazing summer– and you pull off a parenting win!
Arden Cahill Academy’s Camp Corral 3101 WALL BLVD. GRETNA, LA 70056 504-392-0902 ARDENCAHILLACADEMY.COM There is still time to have a “whale” of a summer on the 12-acre campus of Camp Corral. Camp runs for 10 weeks from May 28 through August 2, and registrations are accepted all summer long. Join them for horseback riding, swimming, art, theater, sports, game room, petting farm, laptop lounge, academic enrichment, dances, fishing, water slide, camp “in”, archery, riflery, STEAM lab, and more!
Academy of the Sacred Heart 4301 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, LA, 70115 ashrosary.org/summer 504.269.1230 Make it a shiny summer at Sacred Heart. For girls and boys, there’s something for everyone…arts, sports, swimming, water fun, cheer, dance, theater, coaching clinics and lots more. Variety is their specialty with sessions from June 10 – July 26 and ages 1-13.
Kidcam Camps
UMS
www.KidcamCamps.com 877-4KIDCAM
7508 Burthe St., New Orleans, LA, 70118 504.865.1659 Umsnola.org/summer-camp Travel the world this summer at UMS! Explore the cultures of Mexico, China, and France through hands-on creation of art, music and food. Play outdoors with water, block-building, bike-riding and more. At UMS, they nurture the child’s sense of curiosity and independence within a community of friendship, learning, and fun!
With over 45 years running summer camps and 27 locations to attend, including New Orleans City Park, Manhattan Athletic Club, Bissonet Country Club, Baby Cakes Field & 10 more just in south Louisiana, Kidcam knows how to make summers rock! Parents can build their summer in a way that works for them! Choose only the weeks you need summer camp, attend multiple locations that work for you, and pay in advance to save or pay weekly throughout the summer. It’s that easy!
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Lolo’s Mind + Body Boot Camp for Girls + Boys. 6107 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70118 LolosStudio.com 415.786.3317 This summer let your kids celebrate their personal star power at Lolo’s, New Orleans’ youth-centered studio for fun fitness, yoga and art. Discover how they combine to build a strong body, a focused mind, and a calm flexible outlook. Kids will have a blast while increasing physical strength and flexibility, building their mind-body connection and creating fun art.
¡Vamonos Nola! 5818 Perrier St., New Orleans, LA, 70115 504.495.2345 Vamonosnola.com Parents know the benefits of bilingualism: academic advantage, cultural and social Awareness. Educators know the benefits of play-based learning: collaboration, creativity, and problem solving. Campers just want to have FUN! THIS IS THEIR JAM! Bilingual or ZERO Spanish, all campers leave proudly displaying their language skills and begging to come back!
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Kidcam’s engaging weekly themes are action-packed with activities that promote fun, fitness, friendship, and creativity.
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Since it’s not totally realistic for me to explain or teach in the moment, I try to take advantage of times like carpool, dinner time, just before bed to revisit parts of the day. Because I’m at a disadvantage physically, I have to really think about and plan for the times to teach and share with Rivers. I’m a parent who isn’t afraid to say no. I believe parenting takes repeatedly training and teaching kids things like there are responsibilities before playing. I believe delayed gratification (responsibilities first, play after) is one of the most important things our kids need to learn. What’s your parenting philosophy?
Steve Gleason opens up about fatherhood and ALS, what it’s like raising kids in New Orleans, and his legacy. Many may know Steve Gleason as the former safety Saints player who galvanized his fellow teammates, and the rest of New Orleans, when in 2006 his blocked punt play became a symbol of recovery during the team’s first home game after Hurricane Katrina. The Saints won their first Super Bowl just a few seasons later. Or many may know him as the former Saints player who was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a terminal neuro-muscular disease, in 201l; or from the 2016 documentary film “Gleason;” or as the founder of Team Gleason and other humanitarian programs. He has always been open about his struggles and motivations since retiring from the NFL in 2008, but no matter what we know about Gleason as a public figure, he’s also a dad — a dad who happens to have a progressively debilitating and eventually terminal disease. Despite his prognosis, Gleason is reflective but direct about his role as a father to his 7-month-old daughter, Gray, and 7-year-old son, Rivers, about the relationship to his parenting partner and wife, Michel, about how they want to raise their kids, and how he’s preparing to parent after he’s gone.
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My number one philosophy is: Behavior (good or bad) increases with reinforcement or attention. This is the overarching theme of my parenting philosophy. Obviously, this requires regular involvement by the parent, but implementing rules and consequences can save a lot of energy.
What’s it been like raising kids in New Orleans? Spokane, Washington, is a place that is different from New Orleans in seemingly every way. There’s such a strong sense of family in this city, and hardly anyone leaves, so it’s commonplace to find three or four generations living in the same neighborhood. I mean, that is awesome!
With the help of innovative technology, an understanding wife, and a fantastic care crew, I am as active as any father in Rivers’ life. Gray, not as much at this point, but we do make sure she spends time with me every day.
I believe Mardi Gras, contrary to its reputation, is the greatest family event in North America. That’s right, I just said that. The festival season, crawfish boils, Who Dat Nation. These are phenomena that you just can’t find in many other parts of the country.
Family dinner at least three to four days a week is another philosophy. I think there is a sacredness in eating together. It’s a great time to listen to your kids and share your perspective.
At the same time, I think this city has elements that are so foreign to me. Racism and violence are things that I had almost zero exposure to in my youth. Growing up, we spent weekends snowboarding and skiing in the winter and going to the lake in summers.
Yeah, that question gets asked pretty regularly. Michel and I had been trying to get pregnant for a couple years before my diagnosis. We were unsuccessful for a while, and we were pretty far along in the process of in vitro fertilization. Then, right as we were about to try IVF, I began feeling symptoms and started the diagnosis process. That process took months. One pretty amazing note, Rivers and Gray were conceived at the same time a little over eight years apart. We chose to freeze Gray as a blastocyst for seven years. So technically, they are twins. Even without his own voice or mobility, Steve Gleason is still a guiding presence in his children’s lives and future.
Fortunately, Michel is transparent and resilient, and we worked through those difficult times. One principle that we kept as our primary objective with Rivers (Gray wasn’t in the picture yet): We were committed to raising him together. We have come to a place where we understand each other’s pain, and we’re a strong and powerful parenting team at this point.
It also leaves space for kids to become independent and resilient. I work hard to return good behavior with congratulations and rewards, and deter poor behavior by ignoring or punishment. That can mean different things at different ages. But certainly, we’re the biggest influence on our kids lives, so stay involved.
You and Michel decided to have kids after you were diagnosed. How did y’all come to this decision? What were some of the things that scared you about having kids at this point?
I think the first thing to point out is that, despite the fact that I can’t move or talk, with the help of some totally innovative technology, great caregivers, a great family, and a strong daily routine, I’m able to be as involved and influential as any father.
Right after our diagnosis, we sat down to talk about what whether we should start a family. We were naive about what ALS can do to a marriage and a family, especially while raising kids. We went through some terrible suffering together, especially during the time I was losing the ability to breathe and speak — elements like shame and guilt.
ALS and the progression of the disease was such an unknown to Michel and I in 2011. We really didn’t have any clue what we were getting into. We had been together for seven years at the time. We had traveled around the world together living out of backpacks, tents, and vans. We had a strong and powerful relationship.
As teenagers, we definitely did some hair-brained stuff, but it was semi-contained, and no one was going to get shot, or be at bars or strip clubs on Bourbon Street. That is definitely a concern for me, but we have some time before we get to that point. What advice do you have for your kids? After I was diagnosed, I started recording video journals. That was the basis for the documentary film that was distributed by Amazon a few years ago. I have hundreds of hours of video journals where I tried to share as much of myself as possible. I talk about everything from academics and how to live a meaningful life to how much I love them. My fears and shortcomings. Advice on music, sex, alcohol and drugs, God and religion, discipline, character and virtues. When I started to lose my voice, and could no longer record video journals, I started a private blog and have close to 500 journal entries for Gray and Rivers. They have all my advice in those journals. Forget the rest of the world, what kind of legacy do you hope to leave for your kids? Our kids are our legacy. Hopefully, the above philosophies, strategies, and techniques will help them to be thoughtful, resilient, disciplined, and well-socialized adults.
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It’s a tough question to answer simply because I’m probably not a great source to speak objectively about my parenting. Bottom line, I believe parenting is my most important job, and I put a ton of effort, and pride, into being a solid father.
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I also am a little hesitant to discuss our family’s philosophy for fear of sounding self indulgent. Additionally, I also know that, just because these strategies and techniques have been working for us, there are other approaches to successful parenting.
Also, I’m a perfect example of the philosophy that corporal punishment, like spanking, is completely unnecessary. I’m as strict and disciplined as any reasonable parent, but I’m a good example of showing that a parent can instill discipline by creatively setting boundaries and using rewards and punishment without spanking or other corporal punishments.
What is Steve Gleason like as a father?
As far as some shortcomings of mine, I’d say that I set too high of expectations for our kids. Similarly, since it takes me awhile to type, I explain things to Rivers, and my goal is for him to understand, absorb, and follow through the next time. Of course, he’s a 7-year-old boy, so that doesn’t always happen.
Something that is cool about my situation with ALS is that I have a handful of caregivers. In many ways they are my arms and legs, so the cool part is that I have to consciously express my philosophies of parenting.
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PARENTING CORNER
Raising Resilient Children By Lisa Phillips
A child’s resilience to disappointments isn’t always a personality trait. Sometimes, it needs to be nurtured and encouraged. This past spring, tales of a college-entrance cheating scandal exploded in the media. Famous and wealthy families spent large amounts of money on schemes to change test scores, falsify athletic accomplishments, and bribe college coaches. The saga is so fascinating, not only because of what it reveals about college admissions, but because it’s not hard to imagine a parent’s motivation behind wanting to give their children whatever advantages they can in the world. Apparently, some of these college-bound teenagers were unaware of what their parents were up to. What must it feel like to find out that your mom or dad had such little faith in both your ability to navigate the admission process and to cope with disappointment? While most of us would not condone the actions of the parents in this particular scenario, it’s sometimes difficult to know where to draw the line in terms of how much help parents should give their children. Certainly, parents want to support their child’s growth and development, but too much assistance can actually hinder it. Resilience, the ability to “bounce back” and to cope with life’s setbacks and challenges is perhaps the greatest gift we can teach our children. But it’s one that money, privilege, and overindulgence may actually inhibit.
Below are some ideas for fostering resiliency in your children: Promote age-appropriate independence Sometimes, parents get in the habit of doing things for our children because it’s simply faster and easier to do it themselves. But even preschoolers can often do a bit more than we think they can (just ask their teachers). Try and resist the urge to take care of what he can take care of himself, like re-doing an imperfectly-done chore. Chores are important ways for young children to feel competent and confident, and for older children to see themselves as contributors to the family, not just consumers of their parents’ services.
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Children aren’t born with the ability to manage strong emotions and focus attention. Brain development, temperament, and certain neurological conditions can have an effect on these skills. But from an early age, parents can make sure that basic needs are met (sleep, nutrition, predictable routines) so self-regulation skills can take root. Help children wait for the things they want. Encourage persistence when they face obstacles by giving support without taking over. Finally, help them learn simple self-calming strategies such as deep breathing and positive self-talk that they can use throughout the rest of their life.
Recognize that mistakes are experiences from which to learn This step is one we can’t teach our children if we aren’t working on it ourselves. How do you model the handling of your own missteps? How do you respond to the mistakes of others? Do mistakes always seem like
Do you allow your child to experience the natural consequences of her mistakes, or do you constantly run interference? This last one is often the hardest one for parents, but arguably the most effective teacher. Another piece of the raising-resilient-children puzzle is holding a child accountable for his actions by insisting that he make amends when he has wronged someone. Such a step, if done in a kind but firm manner, encourages empathy for others and teaches that relationships can be repaired.
Love the child you have, not the one you thought you’d have All parents have hopes and dreams for their children, but sometimes these aren’t the ones that are right for a particular child. Have high expectations, but don’t lose sight of your child’s unique strengths and qualities that may be very different from your own.
Be a positive role model Children learn more from what their parents do than what they say. Parents just simply can’t expect their children to be better people than themselves if they don’t put in the work. Taking responsibility for our own feelings and actions, showing compassion and empathy, and living the values we hope our children will emulate everyday will show them what a positive role model looks like.
The Parenting Center at Children’s Hospital 504.896.9591 chnola.org/ParentingCenter
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Encourage the development of self-control
catastrophes or opportunities for learning, and which of these point-of-views are you communicating to your child?
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Best Fr iends By Pamela Marquis
Girl-boy friendships can be an important part of learning how the world works. Jack White and Georgia Peyton have been friends for years. In a Mid City duplex, Georgia’s mother lived downstairs and Jack’s above. They gave birth to their
ways. The message they take away from diversity in their friendship group is simply that this is the world: diverse. Some friends are boys, some friends are girls, some friends don’t know just yet.”
children just a few months apart — seven years ago.
Newman says there can be a shift among many students during the second half of grade school into developing same-sex chums, choosing one or two best friends who are of the same gender. But there is no single path for all children.
The two children have cried and giggled together, shared their treats, camped out at the Audubon Zoo, and survived the usuals scraps, bruises, and winter colds. To this day they remain the “bestest” of friends.
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Jack and Georgia’s intergender friendship will go through changes and evolve, but it’s already a very important part of their healthy development into adulthood.
Referring to adolescence, Newman says another thing that happens around this time is group dating, which is another way for children to test the water. Three or four girls and three or four boys will just “hang out” together.
Never too Early
“It's like a transition phase between same-sex friendships and dating," she says.
According to clinical and developmental psychologist Denise L. Newman, preschool friendships are helpful in developing social and emotional skills, and they can increase a child’s sense of belonging.
Benefits of Intergender Friends
“These friendships help children learn to be sensitive to another’s viewpoints,” she says.
Kathleen Whalen, LCSW and executive director of Strategies for Youth Development, also believes that there are a number of benefits to children having opposite-sex friendships.
Early on, parents have a lot to do with whom their children play with because they are the ones who put the children together. However, as children get older, they begin to choose their own friends. “Having friends of the opposite gender is very normal at this age (preschool through the early primary grades) and generally, a very positive thing,” Newman says. “The more variety children have in their friends, the more they can see the world in different and positive
“The first is that a child will get a lot of practice learning to talk and interact with the opposite sex without having all the things that come with a romantic relationship,” she says. “Intergender relationships are critical at each stage of development. However, it gets harder as they get older to maintain these friendships because the genderization in the world sets in.”
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“I like having friends who are girls,” says Jack. “I don’t only have boyfriends, I also have girlfriends. Well, not ‘girlfriends’ but, you know, girls for friends, like Georgia.”
By the fourth or fifth grade, when boys and girls discover new possibilities about the opposite sex, intergender friends give children a way to explore the differences between genders and serve as practice to nascent flirting and intimacy.
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Whalen believes our culture often promotes gender stereotypes. Such things as thinking ballet is “girly” or boys should never wear pink, or bodybuilding will make a girl too muscular, and it’s important for a girl to be polite. Girl-boy friendships also give children a chance to explore themselves outside of prescribed gender stereotypes. A girl playing with a boy might feel free to be more aggressive, a trait usually associated with boys, or a boy playing with a girl might feel free to be emotional, a trait usually associated with girls. “Also, as parents, we need to make sure our children can continue their early intergender friendships into middle and high school,” Whalen says. “We need to help remove the barriers that hamstring them with the expectation that those friendships should somehow become romantic. And we need to be careful and deliberate in our language so that we make no allusion to the children being more than friends, even in a joking manner.”
Lead by Example Both Newman and Whalen agree that, like so many best parenting practices, it’s important to lead by example and share your own healthy intergender friendships with your children so they can see how they work.
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Childhood friendships are precious and children will find friends in their neighborhood, at soccer practice, Sunday school, or summer camp. Almost all parents are happy when their children find friendships that are meaningful, reciprocal, fun, and trusting. And most importantly, when they find a friendship that offers their child a safe harbor in this crazy and complicated world. So if that friend is the same sex or the opposite sex, it doesn’t really matter as long as he or she offers a healthy, caring and “bestest”-ever friendship.
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Parents with no ill intent often lovingly tease their children about their differentgender friend, saying such things as, “Aww, sweetheart, is Johnnie your little boyfriend? Isn’t that cute?”
“Parents should monitor their reactions to the friends their children choose,” Whalen says. “They should continue to listen to their children and be careful not to let personal bias influence their responses. As children grow and develop lives separate from their parents, it is important that the adults help them develop the skills to create and maintain healthy friendships. Then trust that your children will use these skills wisely regardless of the gender of the friend.”
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MOM VERSATIONS
Was it just me? Parents share the weird things they believed as kids.
Despite their imaginations, kids think logically. If something makes sense based on their limited life experiences, then it must be so — example: clouds are white and fluffy and the smoke coming from smokestacks are white and fluffy, therefore, this must be how clouds are made. Below are some of the strange, but true things parents believed when they were kids.
“My uncle told me that the black stuff in fried oysters was poop so he could always eat mine, too. I was an adult before I realized I had been fooled . Till this day, I chuckle every time I eat a fried oyster.” Lisa Janoe
“I believed a car pool meant you drove a car into a swimming pool.”
“My mommy said that if I stretched every morning I would still grow. I believed that and she had me stretching all the way to freshman year in college.” Qi Wiggins
Leigh Van Doren
“I thought certain childhood names automatically morphed into an “adult” name when you became an adult. Lindseys grew up to be Lindas, Jennifers grew up to Joans, Stephanies grew up to become Susans, etc.”
“My parents got engaged after going to see “The Big Chill,” and for way longer than I care to admit, I believed that it was a normal “thing” to take someone to go see “The Big Chill” before proposing marriage.”
Elizabeth Janke
Sarah Murphy
“As a preschooler I believed that tiny humans lived in traffic lights and switched the color when traffic accumulated.”
“I believed the Jersey shore waves were created by a wave machine. Like, for way too long. My dad would never fail to call the “mayor” and request they turn them on before we left to go.” Amanda Stathes
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“I thought that every time there was a commercial the actors were somewhere filming it. My friend was in a Mr. Gattis Pizza commercial and I never understood how she was able to go film it so many times the exact same way.” Cris Bregman
“One day when I was a little kid, I asked my mother how old she was. She told me 13. I dutifully added a year to her age on every birthday. As a 15 year old, I probably went around telling everyone that my mother was 17.” Ariane Rung
Beverly Boulet
“For years I thought I was born at the American Can Company. Whenever we drove down Orleans my parents would point to Mercy Hospital and say ‘That is where you were born,’ but I thought they were pointing at The American Can Company. I thought it was super weird that I wasn’t born at a hospital, but rather an old factory.” Gionne Celebi
Editor’s Note: submissions have been edited for clarity and length.
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Addie Imseis
“My sister told her sons that if they lied, their tongues would turn purple. Only their mother could see it. If she didn’t believe something they said, she’d say, ‘stick out your tongue.’ If they refused, then, well...They’re in their fifties now, and I suspect they still believe it.”
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MAY/JUNE
MAY 11
Spons ored b y: PARE NTING CENT E CHILD R AT R HOSP EN’S ITAL
Cajun Zydeco Festival Armstrong Park, 701 Rampart St., New Orleans. The only festival that features exclusively Cajun and zydeco music will have great seafood, large arts market, activities for kids, and lots of misting fans to keep everyone cool. Free admission. 11 am-7:30 pm.
NOLA Caribbean Festival Central City BBQ, 1201 South Rampart St. Family-friendly festival with kids zone containing inflatables, drum tent, arts & crafts tent, face painting, and baby-friendly area. Plus, delicious Caribbean food, drinks, and music. $10/person. 5-10 pm.
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City of Mandeville, 3101 E Causeway Approach, Mandeville. Enjoy a picnic beginning at 10 am. Keep Mandeville Beautiful Kid’s Tent will be located near the stage offering fun activities for kids of all ages. Entertainment on stage begins at 6 pm. The night will end with a fireworks display.
Light Up the Lake
JUNE 29
French Market District, 1235 N. Peters St. The 33rd annual festival will feature two live music stages, a cooking demo stage, and kids activities. Frenchmarket.org. Free admission. Times vary by day.
Creole Tomato Festival
Entertainment, refreshments and drawings for prizes
938 Calhoun Street, New Orleans 504-896-9591
10 am – Noon
Saturday, May 25
Open House
Join us for our annual
Wonder what all of the buzz is about?
Have you heard about The Parenting Center?
JUNE 22-23
Bogue Falaya Park, 213 Park Drive, Covington. Enjoy a day filled with Abita Blueberry Beer, signature dishes from the Food Truck Roundup, and the interactive children’s village. $25/adult at the gate, kids 10 and under are free. 10 am-7 pm.
New Orleans City Park Big Lake. Face painting, kids activities, food, and music. Thousands of rubber ducks will be racing for the grand prize of $5,000. $5/duck donation. 4 pm.
JUNE 22-23
Bluesberry Festival
Rubber Duck Derby
814 N. Robertson St., New Orleans. Long known as bedrocks of indigenous art, culture, and history, the Tremé and 7th Ward neighborhoods will be celebrated for their immeasurable contributions. Free and open to the public. Noon-7 pm.Register at fidofamily5k.events. $45/person. 8:30 am-12:30 pm.
Treme/7th Ward Arts & Culture Festival
JUNE 8-9
The Parenting Center at Children’s Hospital. Summer Kick-Off Open House. 10 am-noon.
JUNE 8
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 1200 Robert E. Lee Blvd. Enjoy homemade traditional Greek food, wine, pastries, and other great desserts! Traditional Greek dancing and live music plays near the Bayou. Admission $8/ person, kids under 12 free. Times vary by day.
City Park Festival Grounds, 4 Friederichs Ave., New Orleans. Enjoy this inaugural road race, by running, walking, or strutting with your mutt. Register at fidofamily5k.events. $45/ person. 8:30 am-12:30 pm.
Summer Kick-Off
JUNE 1
New Orleans Greek Festival
500 N. Jefferson Davis Pkwy., New Orleans. Three days of food, music, art, and community along the beautiful and historic Bayou St. John. Free admission.
Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo Music Festival
MAY 17-19
MAY 25-26
Brennan’s Restaurant, 417 Royal St. The “Slowest Second Line on Earth” - A 10-float wagon parade in honor of Brennan’s 10 Turtles, led by bagpipers and police escort, will roll for the fifth time through the streets of the French Quarter. 11 am-1 pm.
Annual Krewe of Turtles Parade
MAY 25
Children’s Museum of St. Tammany, 21404 Koop Drive, Mandeville. This festival is free to the public and will consist of art, entertainment, food, fun, and a chalk art contest. 10 am-4 pm.
New Orleans Fido Family 5K
Audubon Zoo. Featuring live entertainment, local and international cuisine from over 70 New Orleans restaurants, a luxury car raffle, premium cocktails, and a silent auction. $175/person. 8 pmmidnight.
Lafreniere Park, Metairie. Bring your lawn chairs, food, and refreshments and enjoy music by the LPO. Free and open to the public. Bring canned food donations for Second Harvest Food Bank. Music begins at 6 pm.
Chalk Fest Arts Festival
MAY 23-26
Hancock Whitney Zoo-To-Do
Swing in the Park
MAY 4
MAY 18
MAY 3
, r e t t o h g n i t t e g e b y a m t ! I n o s a e s l a v i t s e f s t i , y b a but b
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MAY 2
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5 Caroline Parrone
MOM ABOUT TOWN
THINGS
TREAT “I am obsessed with Hansen’s SnoBliz. They have the most creative and delicious specials. When I was working at home, I remember seeing a special pop-up on their Instagram on a random Tuesday; it was a cream of lemon, Nilla wafers, lemon curd, and roasted marshmallow masterpiece.” Hansen’s Sno-Bliz, 4801 Tchoupitoulas St.
BIRTHDAY
City Park, 1 Palm Drive
COCKTAIL “Living in Brooklyn for nearly 10 years gave me a fond appreciation for what I call the pretentious cocktail. Give me an essence of lavender, hint of hibiscus, and lemon twist all day long. I love Cavan, especially with their Marie Antoinette bust upstairs. We’ve also found ourselves at Superior Seafood for the happy hour because they are very family friendly. Cavan, 3607 Magazine St.
GIFT
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Creole Creamery Uptown, 4924 Prytania Street Lakeview, 6260 Vicksburg Street
“Because Charlie is so young, everything feels like a “new” hangout. We’re having so much fun exploring the kid-friendly side of New Orleans. Just the other weekend we spent an afternoon on the swan boats in City Park, and another day in Storyland. We’ve been hitting up The Backyard (Lakeview) a fair bit because of the amazing outdoor seating with a playground and incredible brisket sandwich.”
“Charlie is obsessed with bubbles, so my current go-to gift is a bubble machine with a big container of bubble juice. Charlie’s Gram Gram has a bubble machine at her house, and it is so fun to run around outside in the bubble-filled air. Plus, it eliminates the argument about who holds the wand and the bottle of bubble juice. (An argument that seems to end in tears every time.)”
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“I actually threw my 30th birthday there and my friends and family had an amazing time. They let me set up a sweet vintage champagne glass and mimosa display and we drank and ate ice cream at 10 a.m. I’ll absolutely be back to host one of Charlie’s birthday parties there. They were so sweet, easy to work with, and my guests were raving about the party for long after.”
HANGOUT
I’M LOVING RIGHT NOW
Caroline Parrone is a transplant from the Midwest via New York. Her husband, Ben, was born and raised in the area and Caroline was the one who pushed to move here. A crafty, costume-loving, wedding and event professional, she participates in three Mardi Gras krewes (The Sirens of New Orleans, The Merry Antoinettes, and the Dames De Perlage) between working full-time as a public relations, sales, and operations manager at Luminous Events of New Orleans. Caroline has an 18-month-old, Charlie.
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t s i t o i P vity y d Bo arts with : t yo s u it By Sarah Herndon
Raising kids with a healthy body image means that parents also need to take a look in the mirror.
send a message to their child that to be happy, your body needs to look a certain way.
about the qualities of an individual, such as kindness, is one way for parents to combat these outside influences.
“This
Additionally, avoiding stereotypes in the TV shows and movies that their child watches and speaking to them about how bodies come in different shapes and sizes can also be constructive. As adolescents enter middle school, they tend to shift away from their parents and towards the opinions of their peers. Physical signs of puberty are beginning to show as well as the emotions that go with these strange and unknown changes to their bodies.
might send a message to their child that to be happy, your
“There is a softening of the body that is necessary in order for the child to fully develop and grow and so there can be an opportunity for teasing,” Thompson says.
body needs to look a certain way.”
She stresses how important it is to talk with your child about how normal puberty is and how everyone is going through this, perhaps at different times. There is an overarching mentality at this stage with adolescents that they will be liked if they change their body, and being liked is very important at this time, she says.
Lead by Example Most eating disorders, 90 percent in fact, begin between 12 and 25 years old, with the onset beginning during those younger years. Marian McGavran is a therapist and the Director at The Eating Disorders Treatment Center housed in River Oaks Hospital in New Orleans.
Typically, body image awareness is thought to be associated with adolescents who are entering puberty or navigating a sometimes rocky transition into high school.
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Therapists who work with older children exhibiting negative body issues are finding that this groundwork was never laid. Yet, there are many things that parents can do at different stages to cultivate their child’s acceptance of their body. “An awareness of body and body image begins at the very beginning with babies,” says Rachele Judd Thompson, a licensed social worker and therapist in New Orleans who specializes in eating and anxiety disorders. “Parents can help support a healthy body image from the beginning by holding, nurturing, calming, soothing, and being there.” While this is probably what most parents are already doing, Thompson explains that it is still important to make children feel safe in their bodies early on as it plants the seed that “your body is ok just as it is.”
She remembers when her daughter, now six, became upset about a worm that had been accidentally severed in half by a shovel. Thompson explained to her that the worm was able to re-grow itself. A few days later, her daughter had a cut on her finger and Thompson saw an opportunity to teach her about how her body can also repair itself, much like the worm. “The curiosities and the wonderings about what is going on in their bodies and having a space to start to talk about those things is a sense of empowerment,” she says. Parents can still foster a positive body image within their child even once they leave the nest and start attending school. “Parents create a foundation that can support their children when the bad things happen that they can’t control,” Thompson says. Kids are regularly made fun of on the playground for how they look, how they dress, and even for having the wrong backpack. Steering them away from this appearance-centered rhetoric and talking more
She has treated children as young as 11 for eating disorders. However, she finds that the dissatisfaction with their bodies started long before that as she only starts to see them once negative behaviors are being exhibited. Forming either a positive or negative body image in adolescents has a lot to do with modeling after their parents. “A lot of young kids are seeing themselves in the light of or reflection of their parents,” McGavran says.
“It’s important to increase our awareness because I think that so much of this is mindless, meaning that we are not aware of the message that’s being received. We may not even be aware of the message that we are giving,” McGavran says.
Social media is another factor that influences body image, rapidly becoming a haven for kids with low body confidence. McGavran says that Instagram seems to be the most popular as individuals post photos of themselves half clothed to further motivate their desire to change their bodies.
Red Flags There are many red flags that parents can be aware of when their child is exhibiting a negative body image. These can be subtle like constant body checking in the mirror or verbal complaints regarding parts of their body (or other’s bodies). More extreme behaviors would be eating only one meal a day or frequent visits to the bathroom after eating. When it is evident that something more severe is going on, McGavran urges parents to bring them to their pediatrician or a therapist for a professional assessment. However, coming together as a family and having open conversations with them is also a good start. Promoting body gratitude and monitoring words about their bodies is a positive way for parents to help. “There’s no way as a parent that we can’t influence our children,” McGavran says. “And as parents, we need to listen. That is where the cues are.”
For instance, a parent could be struggling with their weight, obsessing over exercise, or bouncing between diets. This might may/june 2019 | www.nolafamily.com
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Research now finds that children as young as 2 are starting to develop notions about their body and it seems even more critical for parents to support a positive body awareness during this time of exploration.
As children transition into toddlerhood, their brains are rapidly growing as well as their curiosity with their environment. Parents can start to give their child ageappropriate knowledge and be present with them in their experiences with the world, Thompson says.
A study done by Common Sense Media found that adolescents who feel that their moms are not happy with their bodies are more likely to not like their own bodies. Additionally, girls whose dads are dissatisfied with their weight tend to view themselves as weaker than dads that don’t.
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FROM THE nola family BOOKSHELF By Scott Campbell
SUMMER READING! “It’s fun to be smart,” even during the summer. As summer approaches, thoughts turn to vacation, camp, and summer reading. Fortunately, I have recommendations that will keep your kids both entertained and educated. Academics are becoming more and more competitive. Local children are vying for the few coveted spots at the limited number of highly rated public/charter schools or hoping for acceptance into one of the best catholic or private schools. In this competitive environment you want to make sure that your kids do not forget too much over the summer. That is where Brain Quest comes in.
Contributor’s note: In my house, we have a four-year old and an eight year-old. We started them on Brain Quest when they were in pre-K and have consistently given them workbooks and decks that are one grade ahead of where they currently are. Not only do they love the books and the challenge, but it gives them a little added advantage in school. Our little one is always excited when she finishes a workbook and gets her own personalized certificate of completion, which is included at the end. This series is fantastic for summer reading and for road trips with the family. We also really like the Brain Quest motto, “It’s fun to be smart!”
BRAIN QUEST (Workman Publishing) Brain Quest is an educational bestseller with more than 45 million copies in print. Curriculum-based, but infused with a spirit of fun, it’s loved by kids and parents, and used and recommended by teachers because it works — and entertains, too. Brain Quest is available for just about every age and grade and kids love it because it’s set up in a game format. There are workbooks, decks, carride versions, and even a Summer Brain Quest. The series covers reading, writing, math, history, people, culture, presidents, geography, civics, science, and more — and is full of questions to challenge little minds. Brain Quest workbooks are jam-packed with curriculum-based activities, exercises, games, and challenges, all in full color — plus a pull-out poster and stickers in each book. Essentially, these are collections of worksheets for each grade level. However, they are much more attractively presented than typical worksheets.
Announcing New Orleans' newest magazine!
Full-color illustrations and graphics are always placed against a colored-backdrop page. The books have color-coded pages for each topic; for example, in the Grade 5 book, reading comprehension pages are purple, writing pages are blue, math pages are orange. There are 12 color-coded sections in all.
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Each Brain Quest question deck is a fast-paced question-and-answer game that challenges kids on the stuff they need to know, when they need to know it. Decks are sets of tall, colorful cards that are connected with a riveted brad. Cards can be fanned out or moved to the side as needed, but they stay together. There are two decks in each box for each grade. Flip the deck over, and entirely new sets of questions and answers are on the side now facing you. The number and type of questions vary from deck to deck. There are age or grade level decks for toddlers up through seventh grade. Many of the questions reflect content aligned with what students are learning at each grade level, so they are intended to reinforce the core curriculum. All Brain Quest content aligns with national and state standards and is overseen by the Brain Quest Advisory Board, a panel of award-winning educators. Locally, you can find Brain Quest at Le Jouet specialty toy store in Metairie (we love this classic toy shop) and also at Barnes & Noble stores in the region. Scott Campbell is founder and publisher of River Road Press, which focuses on a mission to publish local and regional authors, with a focus on history, children’s books, and Southern culture. riverroadpress.com.
Nola Boomers offers readers the best locallywritten articles on health, fitness, travel, family, finance and more.
info@nolaboomers.com 504.296.9290
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Brain Box sidebars on the bottom of many pages offer instructional information if a student has forgotten or is unfamiliar with a concept. These workbooks are designed to reinforce classroom instruction.
If you're looking to reach grandparents, or just New Orleans adults that are living their best life, call us!
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SPOT LIGHT
Restore the Mississippi River Delta Louisiana’s coastline, including the Mississippi River Delta, is vanishing at an alarming rate. Since the 1930s, Louisiana has lost over 2,000 square miles of land, an area roughly the size of Delaware. In fact, every 100 minutes a football field of land disappears into the Gulf of Mexico. The causes of loss of land are complex and varied, including the leveeing of the Mississippi River, construction of shipping channels and canals, oil and gas infrastructure, sea-level rise, and more. While natural deltas exist in a state of constant change, the Mississippi River Delta’s natural cycles of change and rebirth have been greatly constricted by human activities, laying the groundwork for today’s ecological collapse and land loss.
So what can we do? Restore the Mississippi River Delta has taken the helm and launched multiple initiatives to reconnect the Mississippi River to its delta to protect its people, wildlife, and jobs in the region, as well as across the United States. Restore the Mississippi River Delta is a coalition that includes the Environmental Defense Fund, National Audubon Society, the National Wildlife Foundation, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, and Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation.
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The MLODS involves reconnecting the river to its delta through landbuilding sediment diversions, strategic use of dredged sediments to build and sustain wetlands and barrier islands, improved management of the Mississippi River, and adopting community resilience measures. These are just a few of the many efforts Restore the Mississippi River Delta is involved in, and the list goes on. One initiative is called sediment diversions, which mimics nature’s historic land-building processes by using the power of the river to move sediment and fresh water from the river into nearby basins. This process builds new land and provides a sustainable source of sand and mud, vital components for long-term wetland health. Another project involves improving freshwater flows to reduce harmful saltwater intrusion, preventing the die-off of freshwater plants and trees!
The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation developed a Multiple Lines of Defense Strategy to combat coastal erosion. Below are the various ways Restore the Mississippi River Delta is completing its mission. Sediment diversions builds new land and provides a sustainable source of sand and mud (necessary to sustain and increase wetland health over time).
Hydrologic restoration improves freshwater flows to reduce or prevent harmful saltwater intrusion.
Marsh creation, sometimes called dredging, uses sediment from the Mississippi River, nearby water bottoms, or offshore shoals to build land in shallow, open water areas, typically where land has been lost.
Freshwater diversions channels fresh water from the river into nearby basins to help maintain and increase the health of existing wetlands over the long term by reducing salter intrusion.
Ridge restoration, naturally elevated above the marsh surface and typically populated with tees, can protect important habitats, protect against storm surges, and help prevent saltwater intrusion.
Barrier island and headland restoration uses sand to rebuild and restore beaches and dunes and is an essential first line of defense against storms.
Oyster reef restoration uses natural and man-made materials to encourage the establishment of oysters to create living shorelines.
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Because there is no one cause to this issue, there is no one solution. The coalition adopted a Multiple Lines of Defense Strategy, developed by the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation post-Katrina as a way to build resilience for communities and industries along the coast.
Restore the Mississippi River Delta has encouraged local youth to reclaim the future that coastal erosion threatens.
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WIGGLE ROOM
Why are you so sensitive? Is your kid just clumsy and unaware of personal space, or is it something else? It’s parent teacher conference time, and your child’s teacher mentions that he may have some sensory issues. What? What do you mean, sensory issues? The teacher goes on to describe some behaviors that he is exhibiting — trouble sitting still even for a brief lesson, constantly fidgeting with pencils and rubber bands, chewing on erasers, bumping into other children in line, being too rough during play, meltdowns when sounds are too noisy, and having difficulty with transitions, especially unplanned ones.
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They have trouble taking in sensory information, therefore displaying inappropriate behaviors. For example, with sounds, a child may be overly sensitive to certain types of noises that typically would not bother a child or be distracted and unable to focus in a noisy environment. Another child that may be under sensitive to movement and requires extra movement opportunities throughout the day. This may look like them constantly moving, wiggling in the chair, and difficulty keeping their place in line. Often these behaviors can be perceived as negative behaviors
These professionals will then use questionnaires, interviews, and observations for an evaluation or screening to determine what these behaviors indicate. A study by Ben-Sasson, Carter, and Briggs-Gowan (2009) looked at sensory oversensitivity of kindergartners in school, and found that 1 in 6 children had sensory processing difficulties that were negatively impacting functional performance in the school environment. SPD can present alone, but is also found in children with ADHD, autism, and other developmental disabilities. This is the reason why these behaviors must be investigated by trained professionals.
Below are some red flags to look out for
Occupational therapists are the primary professionals who are trained to provide intervention at home, school, and clinic to address sensory processing deficits. Treatment planning will be different for each child, however, it should always begin with an occupational therapist who is trained in sensory processing, and one who is able to establish a trusting and good rapport with the child and family.
• Too rough with peers, pets, and toys
The occupational therapist should also provide ongoing education and support, strategies for ways to adapt the child’s environment, and a variety of functional therapy activities to address the underlying sensory difficulties.
that are indicative of sensory processing disorder: • High pain threshold • Dramatic responses to sensory input (such as noises or clothing) • Aversions to anything messy • Difficulty falling asleep • Dislike being held or rocked
Speech-N-Motion
SUMMER CAMP June 3rd- August 7th Ages 3-10
Morning, afternoon & full day classes available
• Dislikes hairs and nails cut • Poor personal space awareness • Constantly seeking out sensory stimulation • Fidgety and frequently moving
At Speech-N-Motion Summer Camp we create a fun, playful and supportive environment where children are motivated to interact and engage with others.
• Delayed milestones • Awkward or clumsy • Difficulty learning new motor tags If you think your child is demonstrating some of these behaviors ask your child’s teacher or pediatrician for a recommendation for an occupational therapist trained in SPD.
CRANE REHAB CENTER 8300 Earhart Blvd. Suite 100 New Orleans, LA 70118 (504-) 866-6990
www.cranerehab.com/summercamp
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Your child’s teacher recommends an evaluation by an occupational therapist, who can determine if your child has a sensory processing disorder. SPD is a neurological disorder when sensory information is incorrectly processed and produces abnormal responses. When a child has SPD, their sensory systems may be over or under sensitive to certain types of sensory input related to touch, sight, smell, taste, hearing, movement, and body awareness.
in a child, and confused to be attentional difficulties or hyperactivity. Before a diagnosis of ADHD or behavioral disorder is mistakenly given to your child, please talk with your child’s pediatrician and then consult with a child psychologist and occupational therapist.
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In honor of those celebrating their first
GEAR TO GET
MOTHER'S DAY AND FATHER'S DAY this year, here’s a few gift ideas when the baby is still the center of attention.
ITZY RITZY ATHLEISURE NURSING WRAP
ITZY RITZY BLACK BOSS BACKPACK Features 17 total pockets — 10 internal and seven external — including two insulated bottle pockets, a felt-lined valuables pocket, and an easy-access “parent pocket” to keep mom’s and dad’s essentials within reach. The tassels can be removed.
An athleisure-inspired and modern update to a traditional nursing cover. This one-size-fits-most athleisure wrap is made of soft jersey knit and includes snap closures for discreet coverage. For mom’s convenience, the wrap also includes two side pockets to hold mom’s and baby’s essentials!
$159.99. itzyritzy.com
$39.99. itzyritzy.com.
ITZY RITZY T-SHIRT NURSING COVER
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$19.99. itzyritzy.com.
An infant feeding support, burping pillow, and arm cushion all in one! Ideal for positioning baby at the perfect angle while bottle feeding or breastfeeding to help reduce the chance of reflux or gas. And when feeding is over, Milk Boss acts as a rest for baby while on his or her tummy getting burped. $24.99. itzyritzy.com
ITZY RITZY WET BAGS Travel Happens designer wet bags offer an eco-friendly solution to carrying your wet or dry items. They’re machine washable and come with an adjustable handle. Comes in a variety of styles including more masculine patterns like Rebel Skulls and Blue Bolt. $17.99-$21.99. itzyritzy.com.
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ITZY RITZY MILK BOSS
An easy-on, easy-off modern update to a traditional nursing cover, including a cap sleeve, ruffle, and fun graphic message on the front. The T-shirt nursing cover is made of soft, lightweight fabric. Plus, it’s machine washable.
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On Saturday, May 11, the Crawfish Mambo Festival will host its first crawfish eating contest.
In The Know
We have complete listings on our dedicated ‘classes’ calendar just go to nolafamily.com and click on ‘Calendars.’
Louisiana State Police - Troop B Child Safety Seat Inspection Station 2101 I-10 Service Road, Kenner. Every Wednesday, 1-4 pm. Walk in or call 504.471.2780 for an appointment. Free.
Louisiana State Police - Troop L Child Safety Seat Inspection Station 2600 N. Causeway, Mandeville. Every Tuesday, 3-6 pm. Walk in or call 504.893.6250 for an appointment. Free.
Ochsner Medical Center – Baptist Registration is required for all classes. Visit ochsner.org/baptistclasses.
Happiest Baby on the Block Learn techniques to calm and soothe a crying baby. May 1 and June 5, 6-7:30 pm. $25. Grandparents Class Learn the latest trends to help support your children. May 9 and June 20, 6:30-8:30 pm. Free.
Ochsner Medical Center – Kenner To register, call 504.464.8365.
Baby Care Basics Basic baby care, normal behavior, comforting baby, and how to keep baby safe. May 22 and June 26, 6-8 pm.
Parenting Center at Children’s Hospital To register, call 504.896.9591 or visit theparentingcenter.net.
Snuggles and Struggles Provides learning opportunities and socialization with new parents and babies newborn-6 months. Tuesday, 10:30 am-noon.
Touro Family Birthing Center For more information or to register, call 504.897.7319 or visit touro.com/events.
Baby Food Making Class Learn the basics of baby food plus baby food tastings. May 6, 6-7:30 pm. Free. Happiest Baby on the Block Learn to turn on a baby’s “calm reflex.” May 11 and June 8, 10 am-noon and June 10, 6-8 pm. Free. Understanding Your Newborn Design for first time expecting parents to learn the skills needed to care for a newborn at home. May 27, 6-8 pm. Free. Diapers to Desk Equips new moms with confidence and support to return to work from maternity leave. May 30, 9:30-11 am.
Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby An informative class on nutrition and wellness for expectant and new mothers. June 19, 6-8 pm. Free.
Tulane Lakeside Hospital for Women and Children For more information or to register, call 504.780.4641.
What to Expect...For Dads Veteran dads will provide hands on demonstrations of burping, changing, and swaddling a newborn. June 6, 7-9 pm. Free. Grandparenting 101 Learn the latest recommendations including rooming-in, skin to skin, exclusive breastfeeding, and safe sleep. June 20, 7-9 pm. Free.
West Jefferson Medical Center Most classes are free,unless otherwise noted. Registration is required. Call 504.349.6200.
Grammy-Mommy-Me Breakfast discussion for moms to be and grandmas to be on “what’s new?” May 25. $25/couple.
KIDS & TWEENS East Jefferson General Hospital For more information or to register, call EJGH Health Finder at 504.456.5000.
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Ochsner Medical Center – Baptist See listing above for registration information.
Sibling Class For ages 3-10, prepares sibling(s) for their new brother or sister. May 13 and June 10, 5:306:30 pm. Free.
Ochsner Medical Center – West Bank Campus Registration is required for all classes. Email familyunitwb@ochsner.org or call 504.391.5529.
Sibling Class Children 4-11 years will learn what to expect when a new baby enters the family. May 18, 9-10:30 am. Free.
Parenting Center at Children’s Hospital
Tulane Lakeside Hospital for Women and Children
See listing above for registration information.
See listing above for registration information.
Focus on Children Divorce Program Helps divorcing parents lessen the impact of separation and divorce on their children. Uptown. May 8, 6-8 pm. $25.
Super Siblings For ages 4-9, children will learn the role of big brother and big sister. May 21, 6:30-7:30 pm. Free.
Growing Up for Boys Ages 9-12 will receive practical information about female anatomy, what happens during puberty, and more. Girls attend with mothers or caregiver. Metairie. May 21, 6:30-8:30 pm. $20/child.
West Jefferson Medical Center
Touro Family Birthing Center See listing above for registration information.
See listing above for registration information.
Siblings T.L.C. Ages 3 and older. Prepares sibling for arrival of mom’s new baby. May 11 and June 8, 2:30 pm. Free. Mother-Daughter Rap Breakfast discussion for mothers and preteen girls. June 22, 9-11 am. $25/couple.
MAY
THURS 2
WED 1
Disney On Ice p resents Mickey's Search Party in New Orleans NOLA Crawfish Festival
Mrs. Heather's Strawberry Picking TH Farms, 31458 LA 43 Hwy, Albany, LA. Pick strawberries and have some fun! Learn how a strawberry grows, pick your own to take home from the strawberry patch, and enjoy face painting, a zipline, tractor races, and more. Call 225.567.3493 for more information. 9am-5pm. Continues through May 12.
New Orleans Community Moms 3915 Baronne St. Hosted by NolaNesting, bring your baby along and join other moms for support and community building. 10:30 am. Continues every Wednesday.
Central City BBQ. Last day of the threeday event. Celebrate crawfish season with its own festival! Enjoy over 6,000 pounds of fresh crawfish, live music, and competitions at the 4th annual NOLA Crawfish Festival. $35-$425/person. 3-10pm.
Wednesday at the Square Concert Ser ies: Get Down & GiveNOLA feat. Deacon John Lafayette Square Park. Lafayette Square. A music series in the heart of New Orleans’ Central Business District. Proceeds from food and drink sales benefit the Young Leadership Council’s community service projects. Opening act from 5-6 pm. Headliner performs from 6:30-8 pm.
UNO Lakefront Arena. Join Mickey Mouse and his friends at Disney On Ice presents Mickey’s Search Party. Help them follow Captain Hook’s treasure map and look for clues in the search for Tinker Bell in immersive, fantastic worlds. Ticket prices vary. 7pm. More showing on May 4 and 5.
FRI 3
Cirque Du Soleil: Luzia The Metropolitan Nightclub. Luzia is a Cirque du Soleil production that takes audiences on a journey through a surreal Mexico. Inspired by mythology, modernity, and the natural world, the show captures the stunning beauty of real-world marvels such as monarch butterfly migration and avant-garde architecture through dance, costumes, and the signature acrobatics of Cirque du Soleil. 8 pm.
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SafeSitter For boys and girls ages 11-14 entering grades 6th-8th who are ready to learn the skills they need to care for themselves and younger children. June 3, 19 or 26, 9 am-3 pm. $85/ attendee.
Safe Sitter For boys and girls ages 11-14, learn safe and nurturing child care techniques. June 3-4, 9 am-2 pm. $75/two-day session.
Out & About
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SAT 4
Blooming Art Home Depots throughout the Greater New Orleans area. In this hands-on workshop, you and your child will build a blooming work of art just in time for Mother’s Day. Once built, your child can decorate it with paint. Children will also receive a certificate of achievement, a workshop apron, and a commemorative pin. 9am-12pm.
THURS 9
Throwback Thu rsday! Louisiana Children’s Museum, 420 Julia St. Play one last time on Julia Street. Join for a grownups-only play date. This is your last chance to party like a kid at LCM before the closing of their big blue doors. $25/person. Must be 21 or older. Bubbles, prizes, small plates, selfie stations, and more. 6:30-9:30 p.m.
FRI 10
Breastfeeding Moms Cafe Meetup JCC Sock Hop 5342 St. Charles Ave. This is the place to be for kids in grades fifth, sixth, and seventh. Each dance features a live DJ and a snack bar stocked with soda, candy, pickles, and popcorn for sale. $10/members, $14/ non-members advance purchase, $15/nonmembers at the door. 7:30-10pm.
MON 6
Lego Night at River Ridge Library 8825 Jefferson Hwy. Come get creative and play with the library’s amazing lego collection! Open to children ages 3-12. 6:30-7:30pm.
Cafe Au Play, 1101 Upperline St. Hosted by La Leche League, join other breastfeeding moms to discuss varying related topics and have your questions answered. Or just use it as an excuse to get out of the house! Drop-in, come anytime, leave whenever, and of course kids are welcome. 10-11am. Continues June 14.
Pr ide Prom NOLA Hyatt Regency New Orleans. The Human Rights Campaign & Hyatt Regency New Orleans along with HyPride, PFLAG New Orleans, CrescentCare, and Jewish Pride NOLA invite LGBTQ youth ages 16-20 to Pride Prom 2019 featuring a special performance by New Orleans LGBTQ advocate and bounce music star, Big Freedia. 8 pm-midnight.
SAT 11
| may/june 2019 www.nolafamily.com
Art Jam Southern Rep. KID smART is celebrating 20 years of artful learning in New Orleans schools with a free birthday extravaganza open to all neighbors, families, and friends — featuring music from the Trombone Shorty Foundation, Mother’s Day gift-making activities, and more. 11 am-3 pm.
Eat, Darling, Eat: Mother /Daughter Cooking Demo & Storytelling Southern Food and Beverage Museum. Join the SOFAB Museum in welcoming Aimee Lee Ball and Steve Baum from the online community Eat, Darling, Eat. Host, Aimee, will introduce Eat, Darling, Eat with readings from several storytellers. Then there will be a cooking demonstration led by mother-daughter duo, Givonna Joseph and Aria Mason, founders of Opera Créole. $10.50/adult, $5.25/students and seniors over 60, free for children under 12 with adult, SOFAB members are free. 1-2:30 pm.
Kids Code Rosa F. Keller Library & Community Center. Do you have a child that is interested in computers and learning to code? That’s awesome, bring them with you to Kids Code. Kids ages 8-12 are invited to join Tech Talent South for an afternoon of code. Bring a personal laptop and a power cord. 4-5 pm.
WED 15
Big Easy Rollergirls: Home Game Double Header vs Nashville and Cap ital City UNO Lakefront Arena. The Big Easy Rollergirl’s Second Line team is playing at 5 pm against Capital City. Then the Big Easy Rollergirl’s Allstars play Nashville at 7 pm. Come join us for a family-friendly, actionpacked evening of thrill and athleticism. Featuring Kids’ Zone, bar, concessions, bake sale, crawfish toss, and up-close encounters with the best derby skaters in the Big Easy.
FRI 17
Wednesday at the Square Concert Ser ies: Kr istin Diable & The City Lafayette Square Park. Lafayette Square. A music series in the heart of New Orleans’ Central Business District. Proceeds from food and drink sales benefit the Young Leadership Council’s community service projects. Opening act from 5-6 pm. Headliner performs from 6:30-8 pm.
seafood while you’re at it. The fest also features live music, carnival rides, crafts and the Seafood Queen Pageant. Admission is $5. 6 pm‑10 pm. Continues May 18, 11 am‑10 pm, and May 19, 11 am‑8 pm.
SAT 18
Nola Soul & Art Festival Louis Armstrong Park. Experience something new this Spring. This festival will showcase many of the city’s local musicians and artists — spend the day shopping, dancing, and eating. $5-$10/person; tickets available at eventbrite.com. 11 am-8 pm.
Cirque Du Soleil: Luzia
Plaquemines Par ish Seafood Festival Belle Chasse, La. Head to Plaquemines Parish for a celebration of the parishes’ unique heritage, and feast on great local
The Metropolitan Nightclub. Luzia is a Cirque du Soleil production that takes audiences on a journey through a surreal Mexico. Inspired by mythology, modernity, and the natural world, the show captures the stunning beauty of real-world marvels such as monarch butterfly migration and avant-garde architecture through dance, costumes, and the signature acrobatics of Cirque du Soleil. 7:30 pm.
SUN 12
Mother's Day Bubbly Brunch Crawfish Mambo New Orleans University of New Orleans. Join in the 8th year of New Orleans’ largest crawfish cookoff. Featuring all-you-can-eat boiled crawfish and live music. $35/person, children ages 7 and under are free. 11 am-5 pm.
Paddlewheeler Creole Queen, 1 Poydras St. Celebrate mom in a special way this year as you take in the beautiful views of the Big Easy with your family. Enjoy a delicious brunch buffet and bottomless sparkling wine and mimosas. A lively jazz band will be on board for entertainment as the riverboat sails down the MIssissippi. $89/adult, $39/children ages 3-12, free for children 2 and under. 1:30-4pm.
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Lafayette Square Park. Lafayette Square. A music series in the heart of New Orleans’ Central Business District. Proceeds from food and drink sales benefit the Young Leadership Council’s community service projects. Opening act from 5-6 pm. Headliner performs from 6:30-8 pm.
St. Catherine of Sienna School, 400 Codifer Blvd/105 Bonnabel Blvd. Friendly crawfish cookoff, live music, and all-you-can-eat crawfish, jambalaya, and hotdogs. Featuring Honey Island Swamp Band and School of Rock. More information available at stcatherineshop.com. $20/adult, $10/kids ages 6-10, free for ages 5 and under. 12-8pm.
MON 13
MOTHER'S DAY
WED 8
Wednesday at the Square Concert Ser ies: Cyr il Neville's Swampfunk
Old Metair ie Crawfish Festival & Cookoff
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MON 20
Kids Code Rosa F. Keller Library & Community Center. Do you have a child that is interested in computers and learning to code? That’s awesome, bring them with you to Kids Code. Kids ages 8-12 are invited to join Tech Talent South for an afternoon of code. Bring a personal laptop and a power cord.45 pm.
WED 22
Wednesday at the Square Concert Ser ies: Mia Borders Billy Iuso Lafayette Square Park. Lafayette Square. A music series in the heart of New Orleans’ Central Business District. Proceeds from food and drink sales benefit the Young Leadership Council’s community service projects. Opening act from 5-6 pm. Headliner performs from 6:30-8 pm.
SUN 26
Drag Brunch w ith the Ladies of Va-Va Voom Pythian Market. This monthly drag brunch features the fabulous Drag Queens: TazeYa Ballz, Gia GiaVanni, and Lana O’Day. Coca Mesa hosts and features DJ Senator KEN. Food vendors will have tasty brunch options and Bar 1908 will have plenty of libations. Bring your family and friends. Free to attend. Noon-2 pm.
MON 27
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Grow ing Gardeners New Orleans Botanical Garden. In Growing Gardeners this month, we celebrate pollinators and all their hard work. Join us for a fun-filled pollination celebration as we learn about bees, butterflies, and other pollinators through games, crafts, and snacks. Children ages 6-9. $17/class. 10 am-noon.
Nora Navra Library. Kids can play games like UNO, Old Maid, Chess, minute-to-winit, Nintendo Switch, and more with us all summer long. For ages 18 and under. 2-3:30 pm. Continues every Tuesday.
WED 5
Teen Anime Club Mid-City Library. Love anime? Want a chill environment to watch the latest cutting edge anime and eat snacks? Interested in free manga and comics drawing tutorials? We’ve got the club for you. For ages 12-18. Meets every Wednesday. 5-7pm.
MEMORIAL DAY
JUNE SAT 1
New Orleans Oyster Festival Woldenburg Park, 1 Canal St. Celebrate your love for oysters with other oyster enthusiasts at the 2019 New Orleans Oyster Fest. There will be local restaurants, oyster farmers, contests, music, and so much more. Free to attend. Continues until June 2.
Big Easy Con Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Big Easy Con is a two-day inclusive pop culture convention celebrating the oneof-a-kind culture and people that make New Orleans one of the best cities in the world. Combining the excitement of the French Quarter with the passion and community of fandom, Big Easy Con will feature stars from television and movies, the biggest names in the comic industry, cosplay superstars, unique exhibits, and vendors, and family-friendly programming. Continues June 2.
Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. Audubon members spend an evening at the Aquarium with live music, aquarist chats, fish feedings, animal encounters, and activities for the kids. This membersonly event is a chance for members to see a dive show, meet the Aquarium team and be amazed by the undersea wonders. 4:30-7:30 pm. For Audubon members only.
THURS 6
Comic Book Club Cita Dennis Hubbell Library. Are you interested in comics? If so, meet others at the Library who share your comic book interests. Talk about your favorite heroes and movies, and discover new comics you might enjoy. Meets every Thursday. 5-6 pm.
FRI 7
GE Presents New Orleans Pr ide Weekend Citywide. Free to attend. For more information, visit www.togetherwenola.com. Continues June 8-9.
Johnette Downing in Concert New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. Join us at the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park for award winning children’s musician and author Johnette Downing. Johnette will perform a concert and sing along especially suited for young people from preschool to 3rd grade, all with a Louisiana theme. 11 am-noon. Continues the first Friday of each month.
Coutu r ie Forest Family Volunteer Day Annual French Market Creole Tomato Festival French Market District. Free to attend. 10 am-7 pm. Continues June 9.
Couturie Forest, City Park. Come give back to the forest that has taught our children so much and brought us so much joy! City Park has created a family-friendly volunteer opportunity where Nola Nature School families can help mulch the forest. We’ll have some simple refreshments and some extra bug spray and sunscreen. 8 am.
FRI 14
SAT 8
Party for the Planet Presented by Entergy: World Oceans Day Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. World Oceans Day is a global day of ocean celebration and collaboration for a better future. It offers guests the opportunity to learn how humans impact our ocean and marine life while enjoying animal-care chats and interactive activities from Audubon husbandry staff, educators, and conservation partners. Guests can visit the Entergy table to learn how to earn a World Oceans Day fish badge. Included with admission and free for Audubon members. 11 am-3 pm.
Bluesber ry Festival Bogue Falaya Park, Covington, La. The Northshore’s newest celebration of the art, will make its debut on this day. Bluesberry Festival is a full-day immersive arts experience. The festival will feature both national and regional musical talent on the Westaff Music Stage from, an interactive arts tent, over 30 vendors showcasing original artwork, an Abita Beer Garden, a food truck roundup, a children’s village, and more. $20 in advance, $25 at gate, $65 VIP, and free for children 10 and under. 10 am-7 pm.
Kinky Boots Saenger Theater. Tony Award-winning Best Musical Kinky Boots brings together fourtime Tony Award-winner Harvey Fierstein and Grammy Award-winning rock icon Cyndi Lauper. Inspired by true events, Kinky Boots takes you from a shoe factory in Northampton, England to the catwalks of Milan. Ticket prices vary. 8 pm. Continues June 15-16 at various showtimes.
Have an event our kids should attend? let us know about it at info@nolababy.com may/june 2019 | www.nolafamily.com
| may/june 2019
Palmer Park, 2300 S. Carrollton Ave. This event is a fabulous way to spend a couple of hours outdoors with the family. Hosted by the Arts Council, enjoy a free, open-air marketplace of artwork made by New Orleans and Gulf Coast artists. While you’re browsing, take a break and check out the live music by Louisiana musicians and delicious food made by local vendors. Free to attend. 10am-4pm,
Game Day
SEAlebration
SAT 25
Arts Market of New Orleans
TUES 4
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Dinner and a ZOOvie Audubon Zoo. Audubon Zoo’s Dinner and a ZOOvie series is a great way to spend a summer evening under the stars! Cool Zoo/Gator Run will also be open. Bring your chairs and blankets, bring your own dinner, or dine at the Zoo. Food trucks will be on-site as well as some regular Zoo concessions. Online tickets:$6; add Cool Zoo for $7. At gate tickets: $8; add Cool Zoo for $7. Children under two years of age get in free. 6 pm.
SAT 15
Sing-A-Long w ith Miss Judy East Bank Regional Library, Jefferson Parish. This is a special musical event with Ms. Judy! Sing lots of fun songs and have lots of fun! This program is intended for children up to 3 years old. 11 am-noon.
SUN 16
FATHER'S DAY Father's Day: Free Admission for Dads Ogden Museum of Southern Art. The Ogden Museum of Southern Art is celebrating all the dads on Father’s Day with free admission. 10 am-5 pm.
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Jung Hotel & Residences. FestiGals Women’s Weekend Experience is New Orleans’ first and only women-centric festival and is held each summer for women to enjoy themselves, be inspired and become empowered in a safe, festive environment. The festival features a variety of New Orleans-themed activities, designed for women by women. And it includes renowned female speakers, local female entrepreneurs’ seminars, and more. Continues June 21-23.
FRI 21
Dinner and a ZOOvie Audubon Zoo. Audubon Zoo. Audubon Zoo’s Dinner and a ZOOvie series is a great way to spend a summer evening under the stars! Cool Zoo/Gator Run will also be open. Bring your chairs and blankets, bring your own dinner, or dine at the Zoo. Food trucks will be on-site as well as some regular Zoo concessions. Online tickets:$6; add Cool Zoo for $7. At gate tickets: $8; add Cool Zoo for $7. Children under two years of age get in free. 6 pm.
SAT 29
Slidell Her itage Festival Heritage Park, Slidell. Lots of good food, music, games, arts and crafts booths, specialty vendors, and a fireworks display. Artists and craftsmen will display their work in the Camellia City Art-in-the-Park area. The Slidell Robotics Team will display its latest robotic invention. $10 for ages 13 and up; $5 for kids 4-12; free for kids 3 and under. 4-11 pm; fireworks at 9 pm
Ongoing Drop In & Play
Free Admission to the Botanical Gardens
Milton H. Latter Memorial Library, 5120 St. Charles Avenue. Meet new friends and enjoy sharing toys and puzzles with your child. No registration is needed. Ages 1-5. All children must be accompanied by an adult. 10-11 am. Fridays.
City Park, 5 Victory Ave. Louisiana residents receive free admission on Wednesdays courtesy of The Helis Foundation. Twelve acres of gardens and art await you. 10 am-4 pm. Wednesdays.
Rivertown Farmer's Market LaSalle’s Landing, Kenner. Shop local fresh produce and goods. Bring the kids to check out cooking demos, special events, and more and expose them to all the beauty and health of fresh fruits and vegetables. 8 am-1 pm rain or shine. Saturdays.
Free Admission to the Contemporary Arts Center 900 Camp St., New Orleans. Louisiana residents get free admission to the Contemporary Arts Center every Sunday courtesy of the Helis Foundation. The CAC is a multidisciplinary arts center that is dedicated to the presentation, production, and promotion of contemporary art. 11 am-5 pm. Sundays.
Free Wednesdays at the Audubon Natu re Institute Audubon Zoo, Aquarium, Butterfly Garden and Insectarium, and Louisiana Nature Center. Throughout 2019, the Audubon Institute’s Community Connect program is offering free admissions for Orleans Parish residents and four guests on alternating Wednesdays.
Art for All Ogden Museum of Southern Art. Admission to the museum is free for Louisiana residents courtesy of The Helis Foundation. 10 am-5 pm. Thursdays.
FIT4MOM NOLA Playgroup Laurence Square Playground, Napoleon Ave. Everyone is welcome: parents, caregivers, friends, and of course, the kids. Enjoy fun games and activities, as well as a space for families to connect with each other. 10:3011:45 am. Fridays.
Toddlers at Ten Louisiana Children’s Museum. The museum hosts activities for children ages 3 and under and their parents or caregivers. Free. 10-11 am. Tuesdays and Thursdays.
BYO(B)aby at the Broad Theater 636 N. Broad St. Enjoy this special move time just for parents and their infants. Sushi can be ordered when you arrive at the theater and will be delivered at 11am. Each week, there is a new movie. $8/adult.11am-1pm. Continues every Thursday.
SAT 22
NOLA Car ibbean Festival Central City BBQ, 1201 S Rampart St. The NOLA Caribbean Festival is a yearly multicultural festival showcasing Caribbean cuisine, music, and culture while highlighting New Orleans’ deeply rooted cultural connections as the Caribbean’s northern-most city. One-day pass: $10; twoday pass: $15; kids $5 (cash) at the gate. 5-10 pm. Continued on June 23rd.
Melon Songs East Bank Regional Library, Jefferson Parish. Join us for the famous Melon Songs concert performed by local musician Phil Melancon Jr. Registration is required for large groups of five people or more. Please call the Children’s Department at (504)8498813 to register. 10:30-111:30 am.
to learn about the relationship between animal, plant, and human life while enjoying educational and interactive activities with Audubon entomology staff, educators, and conservation partners. Come dressed as your favorite pollinator and visit the Entergy table and earn a Pollination Celebration butterfly badge. Included with admission and free for Audubon members. 11 am-3 pm.
Party for the Planet Presented by Entergy: Pollination Celebration Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium. National Pollinator Week — the event offers guests the opportunity
New Orleans Shakespeare Festival
Storytimes & Other Activities
Tulane University’s Lupin Theater. “Much Ado About Nothing” is a favorite among Shakespeare’s comedies. This play presents audiences with a battle of the sexes, fueled by both friends and enemies. Ticket prices vary. 7:30 pm.
Kids Canteen BB’s Stage Door Canteen, National WWII Museum. Escape the heat of the summer by spending select Saturdays enjoying a matinee. Families with kids aged 5-13 are invited to participate in a hands-on craft, enjoy a selection of theater snacks, and watch a kid-friendly WWII-themed movie. Kids are free; $7/adults. 10:30 am. Continued July 20.
Storytime at Le Jouet
Storytime at Magic Box Toys
1700 Airline Dr., Metairie. Le Jouet offers story time in their store every Thursday. Come in for a free story and fun. Free. 10-11 am. Thursdays.
5508 Magazine St. Join Magic Box Toys for their free weekly story times. They feature different books every week. Free. 10:30am. Wednesdays.
Storytime and Craft
Wiggles and Giggles Storytime
Main library branch, 219 Loyola Avenue. Enjoy a story and a craft at the main library. Open to all families and caregivers with children ages 7 and younger. Free. 12:30-1:30 pm. Fridays.
North Kenner Library, 630 W. Esplanade Avenue, Kenner. A fun time every Wednesday morning at the library with stories and activities for children ages 2-5 years old. Free. 10:30-11:30 am. Wednesdays.
WTUL's Kids Show 91.5 FM or stream online at www. wtulneworleans.com. This weekly radio show is hosted by DJ LizE and broadcasted live from Tulane’s campus features kid-friendly music, jokes, storytime, and more. 8-10 am. Saturdays.
Crescent City Reading Buddies Book Club Rosa F. Keller Library and Community Center, 4300 S. Broad St. The book club partners
middle school student volunteers (ages 12-14) with younger children (ages 2-7) to read one-on-one and build literacy skills. Each club meeting includes a snack or craft that matches the monthly theme. Contact nikki.nolareadingclub@gmail.com for more information. 4-5:30pm.
Drag Queen Story Time at Alvar Library 913 Alvar St. Listen to the beautiful and talented Vanessa and friends read stories. Open to all families and caregivers with children of all ages. This event occurs monthly, typically the third Saturday of the month. Free event. 1-2pm.
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| may/june 2019
THURS 20
FestiGals Women's Weekend Exper ience
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How Teens Handle Rejection By Ava Nicol
A healthy sense of self-worth can help teens handle rejection from their peers. Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month is celebrated every February and is an initiative created in 2010 to help raise awareness about this pervasive problem. It seems like every day, we read about another shooting, another rape, another act of violence against teens. Approximately 1.5 million high school students in the United States experience physical abuse from a dating partner, according to Loveisrespect.org — and one-quarter of parents don’t talk to their teens about domestic violence. Debates over gun control, Title IX, and toxic masculinity can be sensationalized in the media. However, as The Guardian writer Jessica Valenti posits in her online article from May 2018, there is one common element in nearly all reported acts of violence and aggression towards women: rejection. Consider this easily conceivable scenario: A male student experiences rejection from a would-be sweetheart. This student, we’ll call him Steven, is a sophomore. He has been working up the nerve for over a year to ask out a girl who has no idea he likes her. When he finally approaches her, she tells him that she’d rather just be friends. How Steven might handle the rejection is related to his perceived social identity. If Steven has a healthy understanding of his own worth, then he probably would not be affected by the girl’s rejection — it might sting, but he will move past it.
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The news is full of stories of mostly male offenders who threaten and act upon violent feelings towards women who have rejected them as well as women in general. Recently, as reported by the Washington Post, Christopher Cleary threatened to “kill as many girls as I see” at a women’s rally in Utah. Mollie Tibbets died last July when Cristhian Bahena Rivera kidnapped and killed her while she was jogging in Brooklyn, Iowa. She had threatened to call the police while he followed her and he “got mad,” writes Stephen Gruber-Miller in the Des Moines Register. The high profile cases of Rihanna and Janay Rice bring attention to the statistic that girls and women between 16 and 24 years old experience the highest rate of domestic violence and sexual assault, almost triple the national average. When is the best time to reach kids to teach them how to cope with rejection? Although it is ideal for kids to learn how to regulate their emotions and communicate better throughout childhood, Hafen says late middle school and high school is a critical age to foster resilience and communication. People who are mentally strong have different ways of dealing with rejection.
Whether it’s by spreading false rumors at school, name-calling, or if a couple has broken up, sending revenge sexts, which is illegal, teens can be aggressive and hostile just to prove they aren’t weak after their social identity is threatened.
As psychotherapist Amy Morin writes for Inc.com, once people learn to acknowledge their emotions, they don’t have to deal with the pain of suppressing, ignoring, or denying their pain. After reaching that level of acknowledgment, they move on to treating themselves with love and compassion to boost their spirits. They learn from rejection, they don’t shut down from it.
This is particularly true for males who score higher in social dominance orientation, a personality trait that can predict social and political attitudes. Over time, this difficulty in overcoming smaller conflicts leads to an inability to cope with rejection. This problem can start earlier than you might think.
Your world should not revolve around one human being, unless that one human being is you. Don’t let rejection define who you are, or who you will become, because your life and your happiness is always, and always will be, a choice you make. Teens who want to learn more about teen dating violence can visit www.loveisrespect.org/for-yourself.
Ava Nicol As a journalist-in-training with the New Orleans Junior Journalism program and a freshman at Riverdale High School, Ava Nicol loves to write about what’s important to today’s teens. She is grateful to have this opportunity and thanks her mentors, her English teachers, and her mother for their guidance and encouragement.
Contributed by Geaux Girl!, a nonprofit magazine created for and with New Orleans teen girls to inform, inspire, engage, and empower. For more writing by and for NOLA girls, visit geauxgirlmagazine.org and follow Geaux Girl! on social media at @geauxgirlmagazine!
may/june 2019 | www.nolafamily.com
| may/june 2019
Unfortunately, suffering from poor emotional control and easily submitting to gender stereotypes, such as male dominance, are the two main factors that can contribute to the likelihood that someone will react violently to rejection.
The reasons people develop insecurities in childhood are varied. According to Dr. Chris Hafen, a research scientist at the University of Virginia’s Adolescent Research Group, people who never establish secure attachments may develop rejection sensitivity. An embarrassing public breakup might trigger feelings of aggression in someone who already has low self-esteem.
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New Orleans JCC
Fitness & fun for the whole family Year-round swim lessons Adult and youth sports leagues Aqua fitness classes Mat and reformer pilates TRX, boot camps, indoor cycling, yoga, HIIT, boxing and more!
UPTOWN 504.897.0143
METAIRIE 504.887.5158
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