Aug/Sept 2015
How to combat
Mommy Shaming
Back to School Tips from Teachers
Plus: Published by
A great fish dish When the cute stage ends Two months of family fun!
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from the Editor I have always wanted to adopt, but never have. Until now. FYI is Tiffany Fitzgerald’s baby. She conceived and crafted its very existence. And she did a fine job. But, she found her real babies (a 3-year old, a 12-year-old and a baby due this month) were enough for her. That, and she moved to Colorado. So I take on the editorial helm of FYI, trying hard to fit into Tiffany’s shoes as editor. There’s a lot of responsibility when you are given someone else’s creation, especially the responsibility not to mess up a good thing. Tiffany was determined to create a magazine for families that didn’t take itself too seriously — infusing FYI with a non-judgmental and humorous tone while also imparting helpful advice and information for parents. I thank Tiffany for the great magazine she has handed over to me while, at the same time, I resist the daily urge to call her and say, “Come back, your baby needs you.” My mom friends and I often comment that one measure of your parental abilities is how your children act when they are on their own with others (babysitters, grandparents, friends) without you there. I fully expect that Tiffany’s baby, FYI, will continue to thrive and shine — which is a measure of her success. My mom friends and I often comment that one measure of your parental abilities is how your children act when they are on their own with others (babysitters, grandparents, friends) without you there. I fully expect that Tiffany’s baby, FYI, will continue to do what it has done for the last year — thrive and shine – which is a measure of her success. Speaking of that, Happy Birthday to FYI — it’s a year old with this issue! We are so thrilled to have all of our readers along with us as we enter our second year. We’ll continue to be the SW Michigan’s best resource for families — in fact, check out page 31 for a sneak peak of what FYI has planned for you this year!
Aug/Sept 2015
How to combat
Mommy Shaming
Back to School Tips from Teachers
Plus: Published by
A great fish dish When the cute stage ends Two months of family fun!
Publisher
encore publications, inc.
Editor
marie lee
Graphic Designer alexis stubelt
Contributors
ren briggs, tiffany fitzgerald, junfu han, brian lam, melissa lam, anne lape, kara norman, jef otte, brian powers
Advertising Sales
krieg lee, celeste statler
Office Manager hope smith
Distribution kama mitchell
FYI is published 6 times a year by Encore Publications, Inc. Copyright 2015. All rights reserved. Editorial, circulation and advertising correspondence should be sent to Encore Publications, 117 W. Cedar St. Suite A, Kalamazoo MI, 49007. Phone: 269 383-4433. General email correspondence to publisher@encorekalamazoo.com FYI is distributed free of charge at locations throughout Southwest Michigan; home delivery subscription rate is $18 per year. Advertising rates and specifications at fyiswmichigan.com or by request. FYI does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors; articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect FYI’s opinions or those of the FYI staff. To learn more about us visit fyiswmichigan.com
About the cover:
Marie Lee Editor
Local musician Cori Somers and daughter Rachael Caskey, 10, often play music together. Somers is the director of educational partnerships for the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra and Rachael is a fifth-grade student at Parkwood-Upjohn Elementary Photo by Brian Powers
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Our Everday Hacks writer Anne is the daughter of a teacher and a school administrator and grew up in Cadillac, where she lived in a 100-year-old school house. When she moved to Kalamazoo 24 years ago, she became a teacher. She now divides her time between teaching, writing and reading about teaching and writing.
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melissa lam Our Creation Station goddess never, ever runs out of great ideas for crafts with kids. Melissa is a former Montessori teacher who started her own day care where coming up with fun and creative projects using household objects went from a hobby to a necessity. She lives in Kalamazoo with her husband and daughter.
Kara is new to Kalamazoo but had no trouble finding other women to share their stories for her feature this month on mommy shaming. She has degrees in English and creative writing, which she says is just a convoluted way of saying she’s a nerd. Kara moved from Colorado with her husband and young daughter last summer and is fighting an addiction to Lake Michigan.
Jef ot te
brian lam As our Last Laugh writer, Brian, a native of Kalamazoo, is kind of the Peter Pan of our crew whose antics help us all find the humor in everyday parenting and life. A multitalented man, Brian coaches improvisation and spends time with his wife and daughter.
kara norman
ren briggs anne lape
The woman behind the delicious and easy recipes for Make This!, Ren is an Allegan mom and a graduate of Grand Rapids Community College’s Secchia School of Culinary Arts. A former pastry chef for Alpen Rose, Via Maria and deBoer Bakery, she spent a lot of time this summer making upscale wedding cakes, pastries and desserts.
Jef, who just completed an MFA in creative writing at Western Michigan University, is a writer and journalist whose work has appeared in Spin Magazine, Village Voice and our sister publication, Encore. And yes, he still has that cute little face.
Aug/Sept 2015
In Every Issue 3
From the Editor
4
Our Contributors
6
Fun for Free
Family-friendly fun for no charge!
8
Playground Pick
9
Head out to Frays Park in Kalamazoo.
Make This!
Make your fish dish delish with this easy and quick recipe.
10 Everyday Hacks
Make back to school simpler with these timely tips.
12 Is This Normal?
FEATURE
16 20
Local therapist Dr. Susan Carter answers parents’ questions about appropriate play.
14 Creation Station
Mommy Shaming Unwanted parenting advice from others often feels like criticism in disguise — here’s how to combat those shameless mommy-shamers.
Teachers Tell All Okay, they don’t really reveal all, but local teachers do give some great tips for getting kids ready for going back to school.
Ac tivities 23 Family Events
The area’s best calendar of family events!
What’s better — or easier — than painting like Jackson Pollock?
27 Cool Kid
Will Keller has his eye on birds.
29 Activity Page
Mazes, coloring and other fun to keep little hands busy.
PARENT TO PARENT 21 Family Man
“Cute doesn’t last, but the butt stage goes on forever.”
30 Last Laugh
When life’s script changes unexpectedly, it’s not funny.
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Fun For Free FYI
Get the Blues: National Blueberry Festival
They’re small, but mighty, those blueberries, and Michigan is the nation’s top producer of the fruit. South Haven is celebrating its claim as Blueberry Capital of the World with the 52nd annual National Blueberry Festival Aug. 6–9. You’ll find lots of kid-centric fun from a blueberry pie-eating contest (complete with a photo station to capture your urchin’s messy smiles), crafts, science projects, face painting, bubbles and more. There’s also live music, a youth pageant and craft and health fairs. Date: 5–9 p.m. Aug. 6, 8 a.m.–11 p.m. Aug. 7 & 8; 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Aug. 9 Place: Downtown South Haven Ages: All More info: blueberryfestival.com
Boppin’ with BenJammin & Analisa
Sneak in a little education before school starts by spending an hour on Saturday mornings moving and singing along with BenJammin and Analisa Gauthier at Old Dog Tavern. The educational music duo plays songs such as “The Safety Belt Song” and “Drink Some Water,” that encourage health, safety, respect and science. Date: 1 0–11 a.m. Aug. 1, 8, 15, 19 & 26; Sept. 5 & 26 Place: Old Dog Tavern, 402 E. Kalamazoo Ave. Ages: All More info: benjammin.biz
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Check out our event calendar on page 24 for a complete list of family-friendly activities.
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Tinker with TINKERTOYs
What’s better than the TINKERTOY we knew as kids? How about giant TINKERTOYs? The Kalamazoo Valley Museum’s exhibit, TINKERTOY®: Build Your Imagination™, is constructed of giant replicas of the classic toy with activities that introduce a new generation to the stick-and-wheel construction set. Nine activity stations let visitors explore the creative and inventive play in a hands-on environment. Date: Through Sept. 20, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Saturday; 1–5 p.m. Sunday and holidays Place: Kalamazoo Valley Museum, 230 N. Rose St.
Saturday classes begin September 12 Ages 4 - Kindergarten: Artistic Expression Grades 1-3: All About Clay, Mixed Media Exploration Grades 4 - 6: The Art of Drawing, Clay on the Wheel Middle & High School: Drawing & Painting, Photography, Screen Printing, Ceramics, Artful Tattoo Design, Art Explorer/Mixed Media Age 3 - 4: My First Art Class (Friday mornings, with parent)
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fyiswmichigan.com •
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Tucked into the Westwood Neighborhood between Stafford and Piccadilly roads and a block from the intersection of West Main Street and North Drake Road is Fray’s Park, a sprawling grassy lay of land complete with a nature trail, tennis court, volleyball court, picnic tables and a playground. The playground includes swings, a climbing wall and a unique central tower complete with spyglasses. It’s a small treasure for those living in the area and worth a visit for others. Where: Piccadilly Street and Canterbury Avenue Hours: Dawn to dusk Best age: All ages Amenities: • Drinking fountain • Grills • Nature walk • Picnic tables • Playground • Tennis courts • Volleyball courts
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Michael Lee
Playground Pick
Make this! FYI
Family Dinner Catch of the Day by
Ren Briggs
Summer is a great time to spend with the family at a local lake or river. Swimming, relaxing and fishing can easily be found at the many abundant lakes and rivers in Southwest Michigan. Whether you’ve caught it or bought it, fish is a great summer meal. Try this quick and very easy glaze complimented with a light, fresh summer fruit salsa. It only takes 30 minutes to marinate so you can eat in a hurry, and your kids might not even know they are eating fish!
Fish & Marinade Ingredients 1½ lbs. of fish fillets with skin on (such as salmon or trout) Marinade 4 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar 2 Tbsp. olive oil 4 Tbsp. brown sugar 1 Tbsp. chopped garlic Salt and pepper to taste How To • Mix all ingredients thoroughly • Cover fish with marinade for at least 30 minutes.
Confetti Summer Salsa Ingredients 1 cored, chopped fresh pineapple (canned tidbits or crushed pineapple will work in a pinch, too) 1 green pepper 1 orange pepper 5 Roma tomatoes 1 small red onion 1 tsp. chopped garlic Fresh cilantro, finely chopped, to taste Salt and pepper, to taste Fresh or jarred jalapenos (optional), to taste
How To • Serve immediately with Confetti • Dice green and orange peppers, Summer Salsa and your favorite tomatoes and onion and place in a side dishes. large bowl. Hints • Add pineapple, cilantro, garlic, salt and pepper and jalapenos (if de- • Pan-fried redskin potatoes and fresh steamed and buttered asparagus sired). • Mix thoroughly and let sit to blend with roasted red bell peppers make great side dishes. flavors. • Marinate the fish longer if you want Put It All Together a stronger flavor. • Preheat oven to 425°. • This is versatile recipe for any fish • Line a baking sheet with foil and fillet, including mahi mahi, tuna, coat foil with cooking spray. walleye, whitefish or whatever your • Place fish on foil, skin side down. family likes. • Pour marinade over fish reserving a • Purchase fish with the skin on and small amount for later. Let sit for 30 leave it on for cooking — it holds the minutes. fish together and prevents over• Bake for approximately 10 minutes cooking and burning. or until flesh is flaky.
• Substitute cantaloupe, mango or • Pour remaining marinade over fish, strawberries for pineapple in the salbroil for 5—6 minutes to carmelize sa for different flavor combinations. the brown sugar.
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Everyday Hacks FYI Back to School by
Anne Lape
The freshly sharpened pencils, new shoes and unstained backpacks of a new school year instill a sense of renewed hope in all of us — anything seems possible. By mid-October, the road to winter break seems unending. But what if there were some back-to-school hacks that didn’t just get the year off to a shiny new start, but could carry you all the way to summer break?
Color code your kids Buy as many school supplies as possible in the same color for each child — then you, and they, know the purple folder and pencils go in Sophie’s backpack, and the red go in Max’s. This also makes your child’s belongings more identifiable in the classroom: If your kid is known to have a “signature” color, chances are better that items they misplace will find their way back to them.
Padlock practice One of the biggest anxiety producers for new middle school students is lockers and combination locks. Buy your middle schooler a combination padlock and let her practice opening it at home for a few weeks before school when time, nerves and getting to class aren’t issues.
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Make a personal dictionary Writing homework is important for elementary school-age children. Establish a notebook with a page dedicated for each letter of the alphabet and when your child asks how to spell a word, have him write it in his personal dictionary first and then put it in his writing homework. The word will be there the next time he wants to spell it.
Prepare for separation anxiety Anticipate separation anxiety for preschoolers and kindergartners — both theirs and yours — and prepare for it with the wonderful book The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn. You and your child can read the book together and develop a parting ritual that will carry you the whole day through.
Emergency kit in a tin A breath mint tin (think Altoids®) is the perfect size for supplies that can turn a teen’s bad day around. Include lip balm, breath strips, a safety pin, a bandage, a sanitary pad or tampon, a wet wipe and a dollar or two, and your teen will be (discreetly) prepared for just about anything that comes her way.
A
A hack for you Most schools rely on parents to stay on top of their students’ grades through online grade systems, but it’s easy for a parent to go a while before remembering to check it. Set a weekly alarm for yourself to check your child’s grades. Do it midweek, at a time when you will be near your student to ask any questions about missing assignments or low grades. Don’t check on the weekends; that’s when teachers correct papers, entering the grades on Mondays or Tuesdays. Wednesday and Thursday are great days to check, so your student can ask his teachers about any missing work before the school week is over.
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fyiswmichigan.com •
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Is this normal? FYI
You Ask, Experts Answer Play, play, play. Who would guess something that seems so simple can parents so much consternation? Two parents wrote in and asked questions specific to playing: Are their kids doing it right? Is the play they engage in appropriate? We tapped Dr. Susan Carter, a clinical child psychologist and registered play therapist with Center for Change & Growth in Kalamazoo to provide some great guidance on play.
Q:
While at a play group, another 4-year-old’s mom told me she observed that my son didn’t engage in pretend play with the other kids and that was the sign of a developmental problem. Is she right? — Angie, Portage
Dr. Susan Carter: There are always comparisons between children when groups of them and their parents come together. So it is important to remember that children mature and develop differently and comparisons may be inaccurate at best. If a 4-year-old does not engage in pretend play, it may or may not necessarily be grounds for concern. Pretend play is identified as an important developmental milestone because it is through play that children make sense of their world. Play is their conversation, if you will, and play is the bridge between the concrete experience of their world and the more abstract experiences of adults. If your child seems not to comprehend the concept of pretending (highly concrete) or seems not to be able to engage in play with others, it may also be that he is anxious, shy or confused about what his role with others should be. Early childhood play is naturally parallel play (next to others in your own play) rather than play with (engaged in the same play in reciprocal ways). Helping children to understand how to play by playing with them can be one way of easing their discomfort in joining in play
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with friends. A good reference in this regard is Playful Parenting by Lawrence Cohen, PhD. If you are concerned for their development however, consult your pediatrician, a child psychologist or a school readiness program such as Early On. A brief assessment by one of these professionals can answer the question of age-appropriate development.
Q:
Why do my two sons, ages 5 and 7, pick up sticks and pretend they are guns? We’ve been careful about limiting their exposure to videos and TV
Simplify Your Life
shows that might have guns in them, so I am not sure where they are getting this. Is this something we should be worrying about? — Sarah, Texas Corners Dr. Susan Carter: Gun play is a common concern of parents, as guns are a symbol of violence and gun play is seeming to engage in violence. However, in our culture, guns are a symbol of power and in play, children are often playing out being powerful or overcoming powerlessness. Even though parents are careful about exposure to violent television or video games, our country is at war; playmates’ fathers and mothers are in the military or are deployed. Our police carry guns; police action figures — even LEGO® police — have guns. Our neighbors disagree about owning guns — the right to bear arms, what that means, what controls are good, etc.
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Children will use gun play to express superiority, power or safety. Parents shouldn’t worry that their children’s play includes pretend guns, but rather focus on the tone and theme of the play and whether it contains aggression. Limiting access to violence in any form is essential so that children do not become desensitized and lack compassion for the victims of violence. Parents can go one step further by modeling empathy for victims of violence, by calling their children’s attention to age-appropriate current events that are negatively impacted by guns and by directing their children’s inevitable play with “guns” (i.e. sticks, finger guns, etc.) toward targets rather than at siblings or playmates.
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fyiswmichigan.com •
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Creation station FYI
Unleash Your Inner Jackson Pollock by
Melissa Lam
Jackson Pollock was an American painter who created a unique style of art known as action painting. Helping your children create a Jackson Pollock-style art piece can be an engaging and enriching experience. This activity can teach them that not every art piece has to represent something; it’s okay to color outside the lines and have fun creating art. Because this painting process can be pretty messy, these abstract art creations are best done outside. There are still a few months of great outdoor weather left, so get outside and get messy!
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Here’s how to do it Materials needed •S queeze bottles (you can buy these at craft stores or recycle ketchup and other condiment bottles) • Poster board, large sheets of paper or canvas • Drop cloth • Tempera paint • Paint clothes or smock Directions •P ick a few different colors of paint to work with. In our example, we chose three for contrast, but more can be used for a dramatic piece. • Fill the squeeze bottles with tempera paint. •P repare your workspace by placing paper or canvas on an area you don’t mind getting paint on, like a drop cloth.
• Demonstrate painting to your child by holding the closed squeeze bottle above the workspace and not touching the canvas. • Squeeze the bottle, making drips, lines, squiggles and circle movements. • Work with one color at a time. • Switch colors when you have run out of paint. Tips • Add a little water to squeeze bottles if you are working with really thick paint, but be careful not to add too much because it will prevent the paint from drying quickly. • Be careful about moving your painting before it dries to avoid smudging the work. • Encourage your child to use all of the paper or canvas. • Encourage your child to layer colors on top of other colors.
Working together to help all students succeed. The Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency collaborates with Kalamazoo County schools to inspire educational excellence. We provide responsive, cost-effective support for learners, parents and educators.
For more information, visit www.kresa.org or call 269-250-9200
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Mommy Shaming:
Coping with unwanted criticism disguised as advice by
Kara Norman
Recently someone asked about my 1-year-old, “When will you know
if she can sleep through the night?” I pursed my lips and growled inside. The dreaded sleep question! As someone who has chosen not to sleep-train my child, I get the dreaded sleep question a lot. Soothing my daughter back to sleep, rather than asking her to soothe herself, has worked for our family. But instead of feeling confident in my choices and replying with something that might have put this person’s concern to rest, I just felt annoyed and tongue-tied and terribly, terribly judged. It was my first encounter with “mommy shaming,” a type of criticism or judgment on parenting style, reserved specifically for mothers, that is alive and thriving in our culture today. No mom is safe: it happens to celebrities and nobodies, online and in person. The reasons for the shame vary, psychologists say, but there are methods to help women cope and move on from the sting. In some ways, the practice of shaming other mothers seems counterintuitive. “Parenting is the hardest and best thing you’ll ever do,” says Dr. Larry Beer, licensed psychologist, licensed professional counselor, and president of Child & Family Psychological Services in Kalamazoo and Portage. “It’s the most meaningful thing any of us have ever done and we feel so vulnerable doing it.” If parenting is already so hard, why are we going around making it harder on each other? What gives? Cortney Poupard, a resident of Benton Harbor and mom of one with plans for another, has been on the receiving end of mom-shaming experiences over her breast-feeding choices and offers this theory: “I think ego gets the better of people,” she says. “Rather than admit that something didn’t go great for them, they shame the way it didn’t go.” Dr. Karen Horneffer-Ginter, licensed psychologist and co-founder of the Center for Psychotherapy and Wellness in Kalamazoo, agrees with Poupard’s assessment — aggressive opinions are the result of ego battles. “As parents,” says Horneffer-Ginter, “we are in such vulnerable territory. We’ll never be able to pull off things perfectly. It’s a tender, raw place where it can be too painful to face that doubt. Unfortunately, self-righteousness and opinionated stances result.”
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Horneffer-Ginter also posits how mommy shaming became so prevalent. “When it comes to parenting, it’s so familiar,” she says. “We’ve all come in contact with it, whether it was our own parents or we have children of our own. For some reason, this makes people feel like experts.” Generational differences account for some cases of shaming. Amanda (not her real name) is a Portage mom of two, with a third due in December. She got a particularly scalding lecture from her father-in-law about her children once, despite his limited exposure to them. At a family celebration in a restaurant before Easter last year, her 3-year-old enthusiastically offered his French fries to his grandparents, who were seated around him at the table. Amanda’s father-in-law declined several times. Her son persisted. From several seats away, her father-in-law, who was strongly disciplined when he was growing up, disparaged Amanda’s parenting, saying her children don’t understand “No.” Cultural backgrounds play a big part in expectations, as well. Amanda admits she is more confrontational than her husband, who froze when his father spoke up at the restaurant. She describes herself as coming from a nontraditional, Hispanic family where everyone is close. “We share everything,” she says. “We tell each other everything.” She also says her husband’s family is “a classic American family.” “You didn’t talk to Dad when he got home from work. He expected to relax with the newspaper, not play with his kids,” she says. At the restaurant, Amanda felt attacked and responded in kind. “I said: ‘My husband and I parent the way we want to parent, and there may be a reason none of your kids want to come see you,’” she says. “Obviously,” she adds, “I shouldn’t have said that.” Family relationships after that were tense. Amanda and her family skipped the next couple of holiday gatherings. Her father-in-law apologized and “we are cordial now,” she says. Amanda’s response may have caused a stir, but experts say that it’s sometimes necessary to simply stick up for yourself (see opposite page for tips on how). It can be good to draw a boundary and offer a thanks-but-nothanks approach to other people’s input. Well-meaning grandparents may not realize what a nuisance they are being and a gentle correction can help them scale back their misplaced zeal. On the other hand, psychologists say, overt confrontation can damage relationships. If you can live without the relationship in question, go ahead and speak your mind. For other scenarios — if you have to see the shamer often or they are important to your partner — bite your tongue. •
18 • Aug/Sept 2015
Horneffer-Ginter offers this advice: “It’s helpful for moms to have an awareness of what it is that is fueling the dynamics.” She stresses the importance of compassion — for ourselves and the other person. “If we can be present with ourselves with a bit of tenderness, then we can extend that,” she says. “We can say, m ̀ aybe this person feels challenged, too, and insecure. What is their story? Can we access that?’” The other thing Horneffer-Ginter recommends is having friends you trust with whom you can talk about a painful occurrence. “Nothing is so precious as having a circle of friendship where you can explore those things,” she says. Beer also stresses how important it can be to keep your primary relationships intact. “We have to be aware that what we are doing as parents is our best guess,” he says. “When someone offers unsolicited advice, in some situations, just be tactful. Just say, Ì appreciate you caring and I need to do things my way.’” Kalamazoo mom Nicole Craig was once reprimanded for having too shy of a child. The woman suggested Craig put her 1-year-old in daycare to make the child more personable. Craig says she wasn’t offended by the woman’s suggestion, because she could tell for that woman, daycare had been the norm. “I just nodded and kept my mouth shut,” Craig says. When asked about other times someone butted in on her parenting, she doesn’t recall any right away. “I wonder if things happened and I just don’t remember,” she says. “Do you think confidence has anything to do with shame? I mean, is it possible I just brushed away people’s suggestions because they weren’t useful to me?” It’s a good question. Dr. Horneffer-Ginter says it makes sense that mothers of young children are at risk for feeling threatened by unwanted advice. “It’s an unbelievable transition to move into being a parent,” she says. “It doesn’t matter if you have education, or if you are in your twenties or your forties, it can be lonely and humbling. People’s responses to criticism really vary, based on the individual.” She suggests trying to get a metaphorical “aerial view” of the moment, whenever possible. And remember to be kind to yourself and to others, even those who are doing the shaming. Because everyone, especially another mom, suffers from worry, fear and doubt. “It can be hard to give yourself credit for all the wonderful things you are doing right,” she says, but notes that many of the critical voices in our heads — and outside of them — serve a function. “At the root, they are trying to say, ‘This is the most precious thing ever. I don’t want to blow it.’ That’s a good thing.”
Stand Your Ground: Tactics to Deal with Mommy Shamers 3) A rm yourself with information (and be prepared to use it)
Here are five ways to combat mommy shaming, that defeating, painful strike of judgment from others that befalls any parent from time to time: 1) Listen with compassion It helps to remember that, for the most part, people are trying to help. Never mind that their “help” stresses you out, contradicts your parenting style or makes you want to scream. If you can remember that their words are coming from a good place, it can curb a snippy remark or some other reply you might regret. Even better, verbally acknowledge the concern while moving on with your agenda, saying something like, “That makes a lot of sense. I feel better when I do it this way, but I appreciate your thoughtfulness.” 2) Figure out what they are really saying Often, when others try to convince you of something, they are actually trying to convince themselves. Strong disapproval of your parenting methodology is sometimes a psychological defense against feeling unpleasant emotions. Your detracting sister-in-law may have doubts about her own actions as a mom, or the woman in the playgroup who suggests your child has ADD may be worried something is amiss with her own youngster. We’re not suggesting you psychoanalyze others here, but rather try to understand that different approaches to parenting can open up a lot of questions for others and make them feel insecure as parents. Remembering this can help you feel compassion for the other person, not anger. Try asking them why they find your parenting methodology bothersome and then use the opportunity to explain why you do it the way you do (which brings us to the next point…).
The day my daughter came home from the hospital, she fussed any time we put her in the bassinet. I wasn’t terribly concerned, but my mom was. “What are you going to do tonight?” she asked. “Where will the baby sleep?” When I told her we were co-sleeping, she had an adverse reaction. To help my mom understand, I found a pamphlet from La Leche League with articles about sharing sleep with your infant, how to make it safe and how it helps some moms and babies get as much sleep as possible. My mom not only understood more about co-sleeping and our decision, but used the information to talk to other family members about our choice for co-sleeping, saving us from their probing questions. 4) Change the topic In the book 25 Things Every New Mother Should Know, Dr. Martha Sears suggests that the pressure of dealing with unwanted advice can undermine your confidence as a parent. “The time you spend with your baby makes you the expert on this unique individual,” she reminds us. With this in mind, when all else fails, simply change the topic. “Talk about the weather, if you have to,” a mom of five once told me, and it might be my favorite piece of advice so far. 5) Be good to yourself so you can be good to others Parenting is a tough job made excruciating if you are constantly hearing criticism in your head. Remember to tell yourself you are doing a good job, even on days you feel hopelessly inept, and especially on days when someone has contradicted you. Reach out to like-minded friends and vent frustrations freely in the company of your cheerleading allies. At the end of the day, you are the one who has to live inside your head, so make it a nice place to be. You don’t have to be a parent to be plagued by selfdoubt, but something about the job compounds the natural tendency to wonder, “Am I doing this right?” Questioning your actions is OK; it helps you to stay present and redirect your course where needed. But the kinder and more generous you can be to yourself, the more kindness and generosity you will have left over for everyone else.
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m o r f s Tip s r e h c a e T
l o o h c S Back-to Advice N
o one knows how to get back to school smoothly better than those who teach our little ones on a nearly daily basis for nine months. And many teachers have generously offered us what they wish parents knew to get their students — and themselves — ready for that dreaded transition known as “back to school.” For the preschool child’s family, it can be a rough transition for the parent as much or more than the child. The first two weeks of school, I request that the parents do not come into the classroom. This allows the child to know that he or she can navigate his or her school environment without continued assistance from an adult. Four-yearolds are able to do a lot more than you think and teachers are always there to help the child when it is needed. — Georgia Boyle, Great Start Readiness preschool teacher, Portage
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The first grade team at Moorsbridge Elementary offers parents these suggestions to prepare a child for first grade: • Read to your child each day. Make this a habit now. • Let your child see you as a reader and writer. • Give your child a daily task around the house during the summer months to prepare them for acting in a responsible way. • Help your children learn that when someone is talking, they should wait before speaking. (This will make them more thoughtful classmates and more successful learners.) • Work toward independence — practice tying shoes, zipping zippers and loading and unloading a backpack. — Mary Rogers, first grade teacher, Portage
Starting two weeks before the first day of school, establish a routine for your child that gets their day off to a great start. This includes going to bed at a reasonable time and waking up early enough to eat breakfast before it’s time to leave for school. So many students come to school tired and barely awake and it’s hard to learn when they are in such a fog! Beginning this routine a week or two before the first day of school allows students to adjust from their summer sleep-in schedule. — Julie Polasek, Young Fives teacher, Portage
•G et the required immunizations well before the start of school. Waiting to get the shots until the day before school starts always results in a sore arm or leg and a cranky disposition. • Wear those new shoes well before the start of school and be realistic about your child’s clothing and the activities he or she will be doing, especially on the first day. Having kids wear their Sunday best and telling them not to get dirty can lead to their non-participation and anxiety. • I f you are new to a school, take time to visit the school’s playground ahead of time and hang out a bit. Let your child become familiar with one portion of their new environment. •B e positive about the upcoming school adventure your child is going on! Your enthusiasm will be contagious. — Kathy Evans, retired Young Fives teacher
The most important thing parents can bring to the first days of preschool is a sense of clarity. Their child will be looking to them for answers to the questions “Is this okay?” “Should I be scared?” “Do I have to go?” So grown-ups need to get clear ahead of time. If mom or dad is scared or unsure, he or she should talk out those anxieties with friends first. A mom whose body language and tone of voice tells her child “Yikes! I’m not sure” will have no luck using words that say “Yay! It’ll be great!” Kids can smell fear.
It is never too early to start talking to your child about being a positive leader! Help your child learn to be a leader who has confidence in his or her abilities and ideas, passion for his or her interests and compassion for others. Help your child find at least one area he or she shines in (a hobby, a subject area, a value, an activity, etc.) and talk to him or her about being a leader and someone others can look to for an example of what to do, how to act and how to treat others. Boost their confidence, fuel their passions and help them to learn how to respect others and the differences they have. Most importantly, be positive and let your child know they are in for a great new year with lots of fun new happenings. Let them know you will join the team with the teacher and with them to make the year go smoothly. — Rhonda Vander Veen, 3rd grade teacher, Portage Public Schools
I suggest preschool parents have a disaster plan. Not because the first day always goes badly, but because if it does you don’t want to be making decisions about what to do while you hold your weeping child. What will you do if your child is nervous, clings, and cries? Decide now: Will I take her home? Will I stay as long as necessary until he stops crying? Will I smile, kiss her and walk out? Preschool teachers understand the tears — they have had many first days — so they can make it better. But if you linger too long and perhaps even take the child home, you never let the teacher make that important transition with the student. — Christine Webster, preschool teacher, Kalamazoo
— Christine Webster, preschool teacher, Kalamazoo
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Family Man FYI
It Doesn’t Last by
Sometimes I’ll be out walking with my younger son, who is 3 and cute as a button, and random strangers will come up to me and say, “Enjoy that age, ‘cause it doesn’t last,” and I’m like, “Oh, I know.” I know because I also have a 12-year-old. When he was little, I used to play this game at bedtime where I would say, “Don’t let the bedbugs bite” and make my hand a buglike claw that scampered up his leg to
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Jef Otte
tickle him. Over the years — and if you have kids, you’ll know what I’m talking about here — this game evolved into an elaborate ritual which, at its apex, involved humming the Chariots of Fire theme while slowly plunging one hand toward his face and darting the other at the back of his knee. He loved it. He would laugh until he gasped for breath and beg me to do it again. Then one night, when he was about 7, I trotted out the bedbugs as
usual, and he shrugged and went, “Eh, that’s okay.” That night I shed three tears, which is exactly 75 percent of the tears I’ve ever shed. These days I play bedbugs with my younger son, and like his brother before him, he loves it, which pleases me so much it actually worries me. Now that I’m thinking about it, it was about the same time my older son grew out of the bedbugs that the younger was conceived, and it makes me wonder if there wasn’t maybe some kind of subconscious … you know what, I’m just going to never think about that again. I can at least admit, though, that I missed the way babies smell and the noises they make, and little kids with fat little faces and unlimited enthusiasm — and on those fronts, my 3-yearold delivers: he’s darling. A few days ago, he looked up at my wife with loving eyes and said, “Baby, I’m so gwad I mawwied you.” Me and the garbage man are pretty much the coolest things he knows. One morning while I made his lunch, he told me a protracted, breathlessly excited story about how he’d just seen the garbage man and he waved at the garbage man and then the garbage man said “hi.” I wouldn’t even be able to guess the last time my 12-year-old got that excited about anything because of the dampening effect my very presence has on him, an anthropological phenomenon known as Shut Up, Dad. We all know parenting is thankless, but it’s never truly more so than when parenting a 12-year-old, that stage of
even knowing how thankless being a parent is, when it comes to my own parents I’m an emotional teenager, ingrate and sullen. My wife and I have discussed this, and she feels the same way: Even as our theoretical empathy for them grows and we understand more fully with each passing year the choices our parents faced and the sacrifices they made, when we actually have to talk to them we can’t help it. It’s as if our very wiring conspired to make us always resent those who gave us most, to know, in the depths of our souls, that we are just better than them. I could live to be 90 years old, and if my dad was still alive then, I have no doubt I’d still be all, “Shut up, old man, and make way for tomorrow.” The paradoxical truth, though, is that the instant I had kids was both the instant I mattered and the instant I was obsolete. As for my 12-year-old, I brought up the bedbug game with him last week. He doesn’t even remember it.
psychosocial development when everything in the world except other 12-year-olds becomes so mind-numbingly tedious to them that the only appropriate response is a rolling of the eyes so hard the pupils reappear from the bottom of the eye-socket, like Pac-Man. Or is it more accurate to compare them to dual heads of Linda Blair? You be the judge. I know that eye-roll well, because I’m just as bad. My own mom called while I was writing this, and I half-listened to her catalog her day (“Well, for lunch I had a ham sandwich with this ham I got at the corner market — it’s actually weirdly shaped ham shavings they can’t put in regular lunchmeat, so they sell it for like a buck a pound …,”) while I checked Facebook, periodically saying things like “oh” and “interesting.” My eyeballs were spinning like twin chickens on rotisserie spits. The cute stage doesn’t last, but the butt stage lasts forever. Even as a grown man with children of my own, and
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WHERE IS?
Comstock Library — Comstock Township Library, 6130 King Highway, 345-0136
KIA — Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, 314 S Park St, 349-7775 KPL-Alma Powell — Kalamazoo Public Library-Alma Powell, 1000 W Paterson Ave, 553-7960
KPL-Central — Kalamazoo Public Library-Central, 315 S Rose St, 342-9827 KPL-Eastwood — Kalamazoo Public Library-Eastwood, 1112 Gayle Ave, 553-7810
KPL-Oshtemo — Kalamazoo Public Library-Oshtemo, 7265 W Main St, 553-7980 KPL-Washington Square — Kalamazoo Public Library-Washington Square, 1244 Portage Rd, 5537970 Kalamazoo Valley Museum, 230 N Rose St, 373-7990
Parchment Library — Parchment Community Library, 401 South Riverview Drive, 343-7747
Portage Library — Portage District Library, 300 Library Lane, 3294544
ONGOING Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery Tours, tour the hatchery & learn about Michigan’s lakes & rivers, 10 am, noon & 2 pm Mon–Sat; noon & 2 pm Sun, Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery, 34270 County Road 652, Mattawan, michigan.gov/dnr, all ages, FREE Thru Aug 9, USTA Boys’ 18 & 16 National Championships, 400 juniors compete for the tennis championship, Stowe Stadium, Kalamazoo College, 337-7343, ustaboys. com, all ages, $5–10 adults, K–12 free Aug 10–15, Kalamazoo County Fair, entertainment, Kids’ Zone, farm animals, 4-H exhibits, carnival rides, games & food, 9 am–9 pm, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 373-5181, kalamazoocountyfair. com, all ages, outdoors, $6 adults, $2 ages 6–12, 5 & under free Thru Aug 15, Open Swim, noon–6 pm Mon, Wed, Fri–Sun; noon–3 pm Tues & Thurs, Kik Pool, 1018 Walter Street, 337-8191, kalamazoocity. org, all ages, outdoors, $3 ages 17 & under Aug 16–22, Calhoun County Fair, Michigan’s oldest county fair, Calhoun County Fairgrounds, 720 Fair St, Marshall, 781-8161, calhouncountyfair.org, all ages, outdoors, cost varies Thru Aug 30, Evidence Found: Explorations in Archaeology, handson exploration of modern archeology, 9 am–5 pm Mon–Sat, 1–5 pm Sun, Kalamazoo Valley Museum,
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kalamazoomuseum.org, all ages, FREE Thru Sept 7, Family Scavenger Hunt, wetlands, forests & more, available untill 1 hour before closing, Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery, 34270 County Road 652, Mattawan, michigan.gov/dnr, all ages, outdoors, FREE Thru Sept 17, Treasures of the Great Lakes, how navigators used the night sky & lighthouses to guide them, 3 pm Tues & Thurs; 2 pm Sat, Kalamazoo Valley Museum Planetarium, kalamazoomuseum. org, all ages, $3 per ticket Thru Sept 18, Mystery of the Missing Moon, learn about the Sept 28 total lunar eclipse through Mrs Finch’s classroom project, 11 am Mon–Fri; 1 pm Sat; 2 pm Sun, Kalamazoo Valley Museum Planetarium, kalamazoomuseum.org, all ages, $3 per ticket Thru Sept 20, Tinkertoy: Build Your Imagination, educational exhibit with giant Tinkertoy® pieces, Kalamazoo Valley Museum, kalamazoomuseum.org, all ages, FREE Thru Oct 4, DaVinci: The Exhibition, hands-on journey through da Vinci’s life, innovations & art, Air Zoo, 6151 Portage Rd, 866-5247966, airzoo.org, all ages, regular admission
WEEKLY
Mondays Open Bounce @ Jungle Joe’s, indoor inflatable park, 9 am–8 pm, Jungle Joe’s Family Fun Center, 7255 S Sprinkle Rd, 324-1992, junglejoesffc.com, all ages, $10 unlimited play, adults with child $3, 23 mo & under $2 Storytime Fun, story, coloring pages & treat, 10:30 am, Barnes & Noble, 6134 S Westnedge Ave,barnesandnoble.com, FREE Open Jump @ Sky Zone, (thru Sept 6), trampoline park, noon–8 pm, Sky Zone, 5103 Portage Rd, 459-9243, skyzone.com/kalamazoo, all ages, $10/30 min; $14/60 min Tuesdays Kalamazoo Farmers’ Market, produce & other goods, 7 am–2 pm, Farmers’ Market, 1204 Bank St, 337-8191, kalamazoocity.org, all ages, outdoors, food & retail for purchase Open Bounce @ Jungle Joe’s, indoor inflatable park, 9 am–8 pm, Jungle Joe’s Family Fun Center, 324-1992, junglejoesffc.com, all ages, $10 unlimited play, adults with child $3, 23 mo & under $2 Half Price Tuesday, ropes course, mini-golf, laser tag & arcade, 9 am– midnight, Airway Lanes & Fun Center, 5626 Portage Rd, 327-7061, airwayfuncenter.com, all ages, cost varies Toddler Time @ Sky Zone, (thru Sept 6), trampoline park, 10 am– noon, Sky Zone, 459-9243, skyzone.com/kalamazoo, ages 1–5, contact for cost
Open Jump @ Bounceland, bounce park, 10 am–8 pm, Bounceland, 6255 Technology Ave, 353-0940, bounceland.com, all ages, $8 age 2 & older, $2 under 2, adults vary Toddler Tales Storytime, (Sept only), songs, rhymes, movement & story, 10:15 am, Parchment Library, parchmentlibrary.org, ages 2–3, FREE Open Jump @ Sky Zone, (thru Sept 6), trampoline park, noon–8 pm, Sky Zone, 459-9243, skyzone. com/kalamazoo, all ages, $10/30 min; $14/60 min Preschool Pals Storytime, (Sept only), stories, songs, finger plays & craft, 1 pm, Parchment Library, parchmentlibrary.org, ages 3 1/2–5, FREE Wednesdays Farmyard Wednesdays, (Aug only), 10 am, Tools & Tractors, Aug 5; Moo Land, Aug 12; Birds of a Feather, Aug 19; Hardworking Horses, Aug 26; DeLano Farms Market Barn, 357 West E Ave, 3811574, naturecenter.org, ages 2–8, outdoors, regular admission plus $2 fee per child Open Bounce @ Jungle Joe’s, indoor inflatable park, 9 am–8 pm, Jungle Joe’s Family Fun Center, 324-1992, junglejoesffc.com, all ages, $10 unlimited play, adults with child $3, 23 mo & under $2 Open Jump @ Bounceland, bounce park, 10 am–8 pm, Bounceland, 353-0940, bounceland.com, all ages, $8 age 2 & older, $2 under 2, adults vary Preschool Pals Storytime, (Sept only), stories, songs, finger plays & craft, 10:15 am, Parchment Library, parchmentlibrary.org, ages 3 1/2–5, FREE Toddler Talk, toddlers play while adults & parent educator talk, 10:15 am–12:15 pm, KPL-Oshtemo, kpl.gov, ages 1–3, FREE Family Storytime, stories & activities, 10:30 am, KPL-Alma Powell, kpl.gov, ages 0–5, FREE Baby & Me Time, (Sept only), fun for baby & caregiver, 11:15 am, Parchment Library, parchmentlibrary.org, ages 6–23 mo, FREE Open Jump @ Sky Zone, (thru Sept 6), trampoline park, noon–8 pm, Sky Zone, 459-9243, skyzone. com/kalamazoo, all ages, $10/30 min; $14/60 min Baby Talk, talk about infant care with Connie Koning, RN, 1:30 pm, KPL-Ostemo, kpl.gov, ages 0–12 mo, FREE Drop-In Gymnastics, (thru Aug 26), supervised, structured gymnastics, 6 pm, Greater Kalamazoo World of Gymnastics, 2723 Kersten Ct, 381-5749, gkwg.net, ages 6 & up, $10 membership fee Thursdays Kalamazoo Farmers’ Market, produce & other goods, 7 am–2 pm Farmers’ Market, 337-8191, kalamazoocity.org, all ages, outdoors, food & retail for purchase Open Bounce @ Jungle Joe’s, indoor inflatable park, 9 am–8 pm,
Jungle Joe’s Family Fun Center, 324-1992, junglejoesffc.com, all ages, $10 unlimited play, adults with child $3, 23 months & under $2 Open Jump @ Bounceland, bounce park, 10 am–8 pm, Bounceland, 353-0940, bounceland.com, all ages, $8 age 2 & older, $2 under 2, adults vary Fancy Pants Theater–Preschoolers, (thru Aug 27), pretend play, songs, stories & games, 10:15 am, KPL-Central, kpl.gov, ages 3–6, FREE Family Storytime, stories & activities, 10:30 am, KPL-Oshtemo & KPL-Eastwood, kpl.gov, ages 0–5, FREE Storytime Fun, story, coloring & treat, 10:30 am, Barnes & Noble, barnesandnoble.com, FREE Fancy Pants Theater–Grades 1–5, (thru Aug 27), songs, stories & games with scriptwriting & producing, 11 am, KPL-Central, kpl.gov, grades 1–5, FREE Open Jump @ Sky Zone, (thru Sept 6), trampoline park, noon–8 pm, Sky Zone, 459-9243, skyzone. com/kalamazoo, all ages, $10/30 min; $14/60 min Arrows Away Archery, (thru Sept 3), archery safety & shooting time, 5 pm, Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery, 34270 County Road 652, Mattawan, 668-2876, michigan.gov/ wolflakevc, all ages, outdoors, FREE Fridays Open Bounce @ Jungle Joe’s, indoor inflatable park, 9 am–9 pm, Jungle Joe’s Family Fun Center, 324-1992, junglejoesffc.com, all ages, $10 unlimited play, adults with child $3, 23 mo & under $2 Toddler Time @ Sky Zone, (thru Sept 6), trampoline park, 10 am– noon, Sky Zone, 459-9243, skyzone.com/kalamazoo, ages 1–5, contact for cost Open Jump @ Bounceland, bounce park, 10 am–9 pm, Bounceland, 353-0940, bounceland.com, all ages, $8 age 2 & older, $2 under 2, adults vary Family Storytime, stories & activities, 10:30 am, KPL-Central, kpl.gov, ages 0–5, FREE Lunchtime Live, (thru Sept 11), music, local food trucks, pop-up vendors & activities, 11:30 am–1:30 pm Bronson Park, 337-8191, kalamazoocity.org, all ages, outdoors, food & retail for purchase Open Jump @ Sky Zone, (thru Sept 6), trampoline park, noon–9 pm, Sky Zone, 459-9243, skyzone. com/kalamazoo, all ages, $10/30 min; $14/ 60 min Hook, Line & Sinker Kids’ Fishing, (thru Sept 7), fishing basics, catch & release, 5 pm, Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery, 34270 County Road 652, Mattawan, 668-2876, michigan.gov/wolflakevc, ages 3–16, outdoors, FREE Family Nights, swimming pool & games, 6:30–8:30 pm, Maple St; 6 pm–8 pm, Portage, YMCA, kzooymca.org, all ages, membership fee
Jumpapalooza, (thru Sept 4), 2 hours of jumping, 7–9 pm, Sky Zone, 459-9243, skyzone.com/kalamazoo, all ages, $15 per jumper Saturdays Kalamazoo Farmers’ Market, produce & other goods, 7 am–2 pm, Farmers’ Market, 337-8191, kalamazoocity.org, all ages, outdoors, food & retail for purchase Hook, Line & Sinker Kids’ Fishing, (thru Sept 7), learn fishing basics, catch & release, 9 am, Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery, 34270 County Road 652, Mattawan, 6682876, michigan.gov/wolflakevc, ages 3–16, outdoors, FREE Open Bounce @ Jungle Joe’s, indoor inflatable park, 9 am–8 pm, Jungle Joe’s Family Fun Center, 3241992, junglejoesffc.com, all ages, $10 unlimited play, adults with child $3, 23 mo & under $2 BenJammin Educational Music with BenJammin & Analisa, (except Sept 12 & 19), move, play & sing and learning about health, safety, respect & science, 10 am, Old Dog Tavern, 402 E Kalamazoo Ave, 267-1812, BenJammin.biz, all ages, FREE Fitness in the Parks, (thru Aug 15,) family fitness program to promote healthy lifestyles, 10 am, various City of Kalamazoo parks, 337-8191, kalamazoocity.org, all ages, outdoors, FREE Open Jump @ Bounceland, (thru Sept 6), bounce park, 10 am–6 pm, Bounceland, 353-0940, bounceland.com, all ages, $8 age 2 & older, $2 under 2, adults vary Open Jump @ Sky Zone, (thru Sept 6), trampoline park, 10 am– 7:30 pm, Sky Zone, 459-9243, skyzone.com/kalamazoo, all ages, $10/30 min; $14/60 min Foot Golf, game combining soccer & golf, 2 pm-dusk, Red Arrow Golf Course, 1041 King Hwy, 337-8191, kalamazoocity.org, all ages, outdoors, $5 per adult for 9 holes; children free with paying adult Sundays Open Jump @ Bounceland, bounce park, 11 am–6 pm, Bounceland, 353-0940, bounceland.com, all ages, $8 age 2 & older, $2 under 2, adults vary Open Jump @ Sky Zone, thru Sept 6, trampoline park, noon–5 pm, Sky Zone, 459-9243, skyzone.com/ kalamazoo, all ages, $10/30 min; $14/60 min Open Bounce @ Jungle Joe’s, indoor inflatable park, noon–6 pm, Jungle Joe’s Family Fun Center, 3241992, junglejoesffc.com, all ages, $10 unlimited play, adults with child $3, 23 mo & under $2
AUGUST Saturday, Aug. 1 Red Barns Spectacular Car Show & Swap Meet, antique, classic & special interest car show, 9 am–4 pm, Gilmore Car Museum, 6865 Hickory Rd, Hickory Corners, 6715089, GilmoreCarMuseum.org, all ages, outdoors, $12 adults, 11 & under free BlackRock Medieval Fest, entertainment, jousting, vendors & food, 10 am–6 pm, Olde World Village, 13215 M-96, Augusta, 580-1290, all ages, outdoors, $10 adults, 12 & under free LEGO @ the Library, build, race & imagine, 10:30 am, KPL-Oshtemo, kpl.gov, all ages, FREE Sunday, Aug. 2 BlackRock Medieval Fest, entertainment, jousting, vendors & food, 10 am–6 pm, Olde World Village, 13215 M-96, Augusta, 580-1290, all ages, outdoors, $10 adults, 12 & under free Reptile Weekend, see & touch over 100 reptiles & amphibians, 11 am–6 pm, Binder Park Zoo, 269979-1351, binderparkzoo.org, all ages, outdoors, regular admission Concerts in the Park, singer/ songwriter Yolonda Lavender, 4 pm, Bronson Park, 342-5059, kalamazooarts.org, all ages, outdoors, FREE Monday, Aug. 3 Kids’ Summer Movies, Paddington, 10 am, Kalamazoo 10, 320 Maple Hill Dr, 345-6434, goodrichqualitytheaters.com, all ages, $1 per ticket KIA Preschool Art & Stories, storytime & picture-book inspired art, 10:30 am, KPL-Central, kpl.gov, ages 3–6, FREE Tuesday, Aug. 4 Kids’ Summer Movies, Paddington, 10 am, Kalamazoo 10, 320 Maple Hill Dr, 345-6434, goodrichqualitytheaters.com, all ages, $1 per ticket Baby & Toddler Storytime, books, finger plays & creative movement, 10 am, Portage Library, portagelibraryinfo, ages 0–23 mo, FREE Drop-in Storytime, stories, songs & parachute play, 10:30 am & 1:30 pm, Comstock Library, Brookview & King Hwy, comstocklibrary.org, preschool, outdoors, FREE Wednesday, Aug. 5 Summer Family Fun, dance, create, perform & listen to stories, 10 am, Portage Library, portagelibraryinfo, all ages, FREE Kids’ Summer Movies, Paddington, 10 am, Kalamazoo 10, 320 Maple Hill Dr, 345-6434, goodrichqualitytheaters.com, all ages, $1 per ticket Challenger Experience, simulation program in the Challenger Learning Center, noon & 1 pm, Kalamazoo Valley Museum, 373-7990, kalamazoomuseum.org, all ages, $3 per ticket
In My Backyard, Fred Penner uses story & song to explore seasons, the Earth, planets & constellations, 1 pm, Kalamazoo Valley Museum Planetarium, 373-7990, kalamazoomuseum.org, all ages, $3 per ticket Tinkering with Toys–Moving Marvels, play with trains, planes & automobiles, 1–4 pm, Kalamazoo Valley Museum, 373-7990, kalamazoomuseum.org, all ages, FREE Spacepark 360, travel through an amusement park spanning the Solar System, 2 pm, Kalamazoo Valley Museum Planetarium, kalamazoomuseum.org, all ages, $3 per ticket Voyage to Mars Mini Mission, interactive, hands-on simulated space mission, 3 pm, Kalamazoo Valley Museum, kalamazoomuseum.org, ages 8 & up, $3 per ticket Read with Bailey, read with a lovable Schnoodle (registration required), 3:30–5 pm, KPL-Central, kpl.gov, all ages, FREE Wild Wednesdays: Duck, Duck, Goose, what makes waterfowl unique & survive in their environment, 7 pm, Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, 12685 East C Ave, 671-2510, kbs. msu.edu, all ages, general admission Thursday, Aug. 6 Blueberry Festival, a variety of activities, downtown South Haven, 637-5252, Southhaven.org, all ages, indoors/outdoors, cost varies Kids’ Summer Movies, Paddington, 10 am, Kalamazoo 10, 320 Maple Hill Dr, 345-6434, goodrichqualitytheaters.com, all ages, $1 per ticket Family Science Night, see a variety of organisms & learn what it’s like to be a scientist, 6:30 pm, Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, 701 W Cloverdale Rd, Hastings, cedarcreekinstitute.org, all ages, outdoors, FREE Friday, Aug. 7 Blueberry Festival, a variety of festival activities, downtown South Haven, 637-5252, Southhaven.org, all ages, indoors/outdoors, cost varies Kids’ Summer Movies, Paddington, 10 am, Kalamazoo 10, 320 Maple Hill Dr, 345-6434, goodrichqualitytheaters.com, all ages, $1 per ticket Preschool Storytime, story & a craft, 10:15 am, Richland Community Library, richlandlibrary.org, ages 3–5, FREE Art Hop, art at locations around Kalamazoo, 5–8 pm, kalamazooarts. org, all ages, indoors/outdoors, FREE
Saturday, Aug. 8 Blueberry Festival, a variety of activities, downtown South Haven, 637-5252, Southhaven.org, all ages, indoors/outdoors, cost varies Get Active Portage, youth triathlon & health fair, 8:30 am, Ramona Park, 329-4522, portagemi.gov, ages 6–13, outdoors, cost varies Creature Feature: Honeybees, see KNC’s animals up close & ask questions of staff & volunteers, 11 am, Kalamazoo Nature Center,
7000 N Westnedge Ave, 381-1574, naturecenter.org, all ages, regular admission United Teens Talent Show, local youth ages 13–19 perform (reservation required), 7 pm, Kalamazoo Civic Auditorium, 329 S Park St, 492-1792, kalamazooarts.org, all ages, FREE Sunday, Aug. 9 Blueberry Festival, a variety of activities, downtown South Haven, 637-5252, Southhaven.org, all ages, indoors/outdoors, cost varies Concerts in the Park, jazz drummer Keith Hall’s Homecookin’ with singer Nashon Holloway, 4 pm, Bronson Park, 342-5059, kalamazooarts.org, all ages, outdoors, FREE Monday, Aug. 10 Kids’ Summer Movies, LEGO Movie, 10 am, Kalamazoo 10, 320 Maple Hill Dr, 345-6434, goodrichquality theaters.com, all ages, $1 per ticket
Tuesday, Aug. 11 Baby & Toddler Storytime, books, finger plays & creative movement, 10 am, Portage Library, portagelibraryinfo, ages 0–23 mo, FREE Stroller Stroll, explore nature along stroller-friendly paths, 10 am, Kalamazoo Nature Center, 7000 N Westnedge Ave, 381-1574, naturecenter.org, all ages, outdoors, regular admission Kids’ Summer Movies, LEGO Movie, 10 am, Kalamazoo 10, 320 Maple Hill Dr, 345-6434, goodrichquality theaters.com, all ages, $1 per ticket Wednesday, Aug. 12 Kids’ Summer Movies, LEGO Movie, 10 am, Kalamazoo 10, 320 Maple Hill Dr, 345-6434, goodrichquality theaters.com, all ages, $1 per ticket Summer Family Fun, dance, create, perform & listen to stories, 10 am, Portage Library, portagelibraryinfo, all ages, FREE The Bubble Man Returns, Mr. Ron Loyd educates & entertains with bubble fun, 10:30 am, Richland Community Library, richlandlibrary. org, ages 3 & up, FREE Thursday, Aug. 13 Kids’ Summer Movies, LEGO Movie, 10 am, Kalamazoo 10, 320 Maple Hill Dr, 345-6434, goodrichquality theaters.com, all ages, $1 per ticket Friday, Aug. 14 Kids’ Summer Movies, LEGO Movie, 10 am, Kalamazoo 10, 320 Maple Hill Dr, 345-6434, goodrichquality theaters.com, all ages, $1 per ticket Preschool Storytime, story & a craft, 10:15 am, Richland Community Library, richlandlibrary.org, ages 3–5, FREE
Saturday, Aug. 15 Oshtemo Fun Day, food, rides, games, exhibits & entertainment, 8 am–4 pm, Flesher Park, 9th St south of Stadium, oshtemorotary.org, all ages, outdoors, FREE, cost for some activities Relix Riot, hot rods, customs & motorcycles, 9 am–6 pm, Gilmore Car
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Museum, 6865 Hickory Rd, Hickory Corners, 616-890-9347, GilmoreCarMuseum.org, all ages, outdoors, $12 adults, 11 & under free Sensory Showtimes, Fantastic Four & Shaun the Sheep Movie, a welcoming environment for guests with special needs, 10:30 am, Celebration! Cinema, 6600 Ring Rd, 324-7469, celebrationcinema.com, all ages, regular admission LEGO @ the Library, build, race & imagine, 10:30 am, KPL-Central, kpl.gov, all ages, FREE Creature Feature: Honeybees, see KNC’s animals up close & ask questions, 11 am, Kalamazoo Nature Center, 7000 N Westnedge Ave, 381-1574, naturecenter.org, all ages, regular admission Kalamazoo Promise 10-Year Anniversary Celebration, food, entertainment, student testimonials & career information, 11 am–3 pm, Bronson Park, 337-0037, kalamazoopromise.com, all ages, outdoors, FREE Midwest Soda Pop Festival, celebrating glass-bottled soda pop, noon–6 pm, Klassic Arcade/ Mr Soda Pop, 22711 M-40 Hwy, Gobles, 628-4628, sodapopfest. com, all ages, $5 admission, under 5 free Family Movie Camp Out, cookout, campfire & the movie The Sandlot, 7:30 pm, Mayors’ Riverfront Park, 251 Mills St, 337-8191, kalamazoocity.org, all ages, outdoors, $10 per family to camp; free for movie only Sunday, Aug. 16 Kalamazoo BB Gun & Airgun Show, airguns, toy guns & BB guns, 9 am–3 pm, Kalamazoo County Expo Center North, 779-9851, kalcounty.com/parks, all ages, $3 adults, 12 & under free Concerts in the Park, bluegrass band Schlitz Creek, 4 pm, Bronson Park, 342-5059, kalamazooarts.org, all ages, outdoors, FREE Monday, Aug. 17 KIA Preschool Art & Stories, storytime & picture-book inspired art, 10:30 am, KPL-Central, kpl.gov, ages 3–6, FREE Tuesday, Aug. 18 Garden Adventures: Plant Friends, the hidden world of plants with games, activities & hands-on stations, 10:30 am, DeLano Farms Market Barn, 357 West E Ave, 3811574, naturecenter.org, ages 2–8, outdoors, regular admission plus $2 fee per child Teen Game Club, video, board & card games, 4 pm, Portage Library, portagelibrary.info, grades 6–12, FREE Wednesday, Aug. 19 LEGO @ the Library, build, race & imagine, 2 pm, KPL-Alma Powell, kpl.gov, all ages, FREE Wild Wednesdays: Whooo Are We, an owl adventure, 7 pm, Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, 12685 East C Ave, 671-2510, kbs.msu.edu, all ages, general admission
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Thursday, Aug. 20 Kalamazoo Farmers’ Market Night Market, produce & other goods, 6–10 pm, Farmers’ Market, 337-8191, kalamazoocity.org, all ages, outdoors, food & retail for purchase
noon–6 pm, Kalamazoo Nature Center Camp, 7000 N Westnedge Ave, 381-1574, naturecenter.org, all ages, outdoors, regular admission, fee for zip line
Saturday, Aug. 22 Sayonara Summer 5K, games, 5K course on the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail & after-party, 9 am–noon, Mayors’ Riverfront Park & KRVT, 337-8191, kalamazoocity.org, all ages, outdoors, $30 ages 13 & up; $10 ages 12 & younger with T-shirt; free 12 & younger without shirt Kalamazoo Reptile & Exotic Animal Show, reptiles, amphibians & exotic pets, 10 am–3 pm, Kalamazoo County Expo Center North, 779-9851, kalamazooreptileshow. com, all ages, $4 adult, $2 children, under 6 free, $15 family max Creature Feature: Aquatic Turtles, see KNC’s animals up close & ask questions, 11 am, Kalamazoo Nature Center, 7000 N Westnedge Ave, 381-1574, naturecenter.org, all ages, regular admission rates
SEPTEMBER
Friday, Aug. 21 Disc Golf, learn from professional player Larry LaBond, 2 pm, KPL-Washington Square, kpl.gov, Grades 5–12, outdoors, FREE
Sunday, Aug. 23 Princess Tea Party, fairy tale characters entertain over tea, storytelling & dancing, 1–3 pm, Henderson Castle, 100 Monroe St, 344-1827, hendersoncastleinn.com, $31.27 per ticket Concerts in the Park, US Navy Band Cruisers play jazz, R&B, classic rock & pop, 4 pm, Bronson Park, 342-5059, kalamazooarts.org, all ages, outdoors, FREE Thursday, Aug. 27 Thursdays in the Park, drummer Herlin Riley’s New Orleans sound, 6 pm, Bronson Park, 342-5059, kalamazooarts.org, all ages, outdoors, FREE Saturday, Aug. 29 Nature Art Fair, 9 am–6 pm, Binder Park Zoo, 269-979-1351, binderparkzoo.org, all ages, outdoors regular admission Family Campout, cookout, night hike, archery, slip ‘n’ slide, games & art, 5 pm Sat–noon Sun, Kalamazoo Nature Center, 7000 N Westnedge Ave, 381-1574, naturecenter.org, all ages, outdoors, $35 member, $40 non-member per person; 3 & under free Sunday, Aug. 30 Emergency Vehicle Meet, antique & modern emergency vehicles, 9 am–5 pm, Gilmore Car Museum, 6865 Hickory Rd, Hickory Corners, 671-5089, gilmorecarmuseum.org, all ages, outdoors, $12 adults, 11 & under free Nature Art Fair, 11 am–6 pm, Binder Park Zoo, 269-979-1351, binderparkzoo.org, all ages, outdoors, regular admission Mudfest, a giant mud pit & slip ‘n’ slide, learning stations & zip line,
Monday, Aug. 31 DeLano Farms Tractor Tour, tractor-drawn wagon ride, 4 pm, DeLano Farms Market Barn, 357 West E Ave, 381-1574, naturecenter.org, all ages, outdoors, regular admission plus $1 fee per rider
Wednesday, Sept 2 Movies in the Park, Remember the Titans, 7:30 pm, VerSluis/Dickinson Softball Complex, 1924 Douglas Ave, 337-8191, kalamazoocity.org, all ages, outdoors, FREE Saturday, Sept 5 LEGO @ the Library, build, race & imagine, 10:30 am, KPL-Oshtemo, kpl.gov, all ages, FREE
Friday, Sept 11 NSRQA Street Rod Nationals North Plus, street rods, muscle cars & custom vehicles, 8 am–5 pm, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 303-776-7841, kalcounty.com/ parks, all ages, outdoors, $15 adult, $5 6–12, under 6 free; $3 parking Preschool Storytime, story & a craft, 10:15 am, Richland Community Library, richlandlibrary.org, ages 3–5, FREE Art Hop, art at locations around Kalamazoo, 5–8 pm, kalamazooarts. org, all ages, indoors/outdoors, FREE Saturday, Sept 12 NSRQA Street Rod Nationals North Plus, street rods, muscle cars & custom vehicles, 8 am–5 pm, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 303-776-7841, kalcounty.com/ parks, all ages, outdoors, $15 adult, $5 6–12, under 6 free; $3 parking Ransom – Live Clue Game, solve a mysterious case with a team of investigators, 8–10:30 am, downtown Kalamazoo, 337-8191, kalamazoocity.org, all ages, outdoors, $80 per team of 4; registration required Sunday, Sept 13 NSRQA Street Rod Nationals North Plus, street rods, muscle cars & custom vehicles, 8 am–5 pm, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 303-776-7841, kalcounty.com/ parks, all ages, outdoors, $15 adult, $5 6–12, under 6 free; $3 parking Muscle Cars PLUS Show & Swap Meet, area’s largest gathering of muscle cars, 9 am–6 pm, Gilmore Car Museum, 6865 Hickory Rd, Hickory Corners, 345-2202, GilmoreCarMuseum.org, all ages, outdoors, $12 adults, 11 & under free Princess Tea Party, fairy tale characters entertain over tea, storytelling & dancing, 1–3 pm, Henderson Castle, 100 Monroe St, 344-1827, hendersoncastleinn.com, $31.27 per ticket Thursday, Sept 17 Kalamazoo Farmers’ Market Night Market, produce & other
goods, 6–10 pm, Farmers’ Market, 337-8191, kalamazoocity.org, all ages, outdoors, food & retail for purchase
Friday, Sept 18 Preschool Storytime, story & a craft, 10:15 am, Richland Community Library, richlandlibrary.org, ages 3–5, FREE The Kingsmen, Chenery Gospel Series presents the quartet, 7 pm, Chenery Auditorium, 616-6620850, all ages, call for ticket prices
Saturday, Sept 19 Bangor Apple Festival, farmers’ market, kids’ activities, classic car show, vendors & entertainment, downtown Bangor, 350-3759, all ages, outdoors, FREE Super Summer Flea & Antique Market, new, used & handcrafted items, antiques & collectibles, 8 am–3 pm, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 383-8761, kalcounty.com/ parks, all ages, FREE 5th Annual 5K Doggie Dash, SPCA-sponsored run for dogs & owners, 9 am–noon, Spring Valley Park, 2600 Mount Olivet Rd, outdoors, registration fee Sports Card Show, sports cards, autographed items & memorabilia, 9 am–4 pm, Wings Event Center, Cube Viewing Area, 3600 Vanrick Dr, 744-7337, wingseventcenter. com, all ages, FREE 2015 Car Seat Check Up, car seats checked for safety, 10 am–2 pm, Westwood Fire Dept, 1310 Nichols Rd, 341-8830, safekidskalamazoo. org, all ages, outdoors, FREE Kalamazoo Reptile & Exotic Animal Show, reptiles, amphibians & exotic pets, 10 am–3 pm, Kalamazoo County Expo Center Room A, 779-9851, kalamazooreptileshow. com, all ages, $4 adult, $2 children, under 6 free, $15 family max LEGO @ the Library, build, race & imagine, 10:30 am, KPL-Central, kpl.gov, all ages, FREE Friday, Sept 25 Preschool Storytime, story & a craft, 10:15 am, Richland Community Library, richlandlibrary.org, ages 3–5, FREE Saturday, Sept 26 Kalamazoo Expo Mom to Mom Sale, gently used kids’ clothing, toys, books, furniture & maternity items, 9 am–1 pm, Kalamazoo County Expo Center South, 3838761, kalcounty.com/parks, all ages, $2 adults, children free Sensory Showtimes, Hotel Transylvania 2, a welcoming environment for guests with special needs, 10:30 am, Celebration! Cinema, 6600 Ring Rd, 324-7469, celebrationcinema.com, all ages, regular admission
Sunday, Sept 27 Bronson Children’s Hospital Walk & 5K Run, benefiting Southwest Michigan’s only children’s hospital, 11 am–3 pm, Bronson parking lot @ John & Lovell streets, 341-8100, bronsonhealth.com, all ages, outdoors, registration fee
Cool Kids
Local kids doing great things
Will Keller, 14
Leading the way for birding by
Tiffany Fitzgerald
Why do you never see a full-page-sized digital ad? Usually, Internet advertising comes in banners or tall rectangles in side columns. Little squares of advertising are tucked here and there, but we have quickly learned to ignore them. Pop-up ads are becoming more and more common, but because of the power at our fingertips, one click, and they disappear as quickly as they came. We look for the “x” or the “close” button before we look at the content!
When Will Keller, armed with a bird book and binoculars, arrived to co-lead a nighttime birding expedition at the Kleinstuck Preserve with his mom Donna Keller, he wasn’t nervous at all. “Birders are the friendliest people,” says Will. “They’re just really accepting. Anyone who goes out into the woods for hours at a time just to spot a bird is probably a pretty patient person.” Will says he’s always been keen on birds — his mom took him on informal walks looking at different birds when he was very young — and since the age of 4, he’s been interested in learning calls and spotting species. He started to get more serious after seeing The Big Year (2011), a Jack Black and Owen Wilson film about two bird enthusiasts who try to take the prize in seeing or hearing as many different species of birds as possible in a calendar year. “I wanted to have my own big year after I saw that movie,” says Will, who approached birders in the local community to help guide and support him. “That year I saw 221 species of birds and I actually read the Sibley’s Guide to Birds, cover to cover.” The Sibley’s Guide to Birds is 624 pages of comprehensive material on birds, complete with paintings and is a lot of reading. “Don’t worry,” says Will, “I broke it up into chunks and flipped from one area to another. It wasn’t like I just sat down and read it straight through.” Will starts high school this fall at Loy Norrix High School and is looking forward to possibly pursuing birding at a professional level after studying ornithology in college. He sketches his bird sightings, too, so one day we might see a new guide to birds authored and illustrated by Will himself. Until then, you can meet him on the guided birding walks he co-hosts with his mom through the Audubon Society of Kalamazoo (a schedule is available at KalamazooAudubon.org).
When it comes to print advertising, a reader spends more time actually considering if the ad is worth looking at rather than clicking away from each and every distraction. This is why we still love print. It’s still the best way to get people interested in what you do. Done right, print advertising is simply much more enjoyable and effective for the reader than its online counterpart.
1116 W Centre Avenue 323-9333 PortagePrinting.com
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Local? We’ve got that.
Southwest Michigan’s Magazine www.encorekalamazoo.com
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Kids’ Corner FYI
Activity Page
Help the monkey find the bananas
Connect the dots to discover the animal
Which shadow matches the butterfly?
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28 • Aug/Sept 2015
Last Laugh (continued from page 30) “Hmm,” I said again. Turns out he was right. The lab work was done again and it showed that while I’m definitely not in danger of rickets any time soon, my body and the food I eat are, in fact, conspiring against me and it’s time to start caring about nutrition. Thanks a lot, Brian Pretends to Be a Grown-Up scriptwriters. Now, the show’s viewing audience, which consists mostly of my family, tunes in to see me do things like read the nutritional labels on the side of yogurt cups and ask if there’s an upcharge to substitute a salad for fries at restaurants. It doesn’t make for great viewing, but fortunately, they continue to support the show. My wife finds it amusing when she watches me awkwardly navigate the murky waters that are “the science of nutrition.” “Don’t eat that,” someone will say. “It uses GMOs.” “GMOs . . .” I repeat. “Does the G stand for gluten? I heard that’s bad.” If you have a conversation with anyone for longer than 15 minutes, you’ll undoubtedly get an important lesson on something you shouldn’t be eating. Between my doctor, my nutritionist and a cacophony of barroom health experts who have all read the new fad diet books, I’ve
learned the only food I can safely eat is wild cabbage grown in a remote part of the Amazon jungle untouched by man. Basically, I’m doomed. My role in Brian Pretends to Be a Grown-Up used to be a sort of a bit part. It just consisted of occasionally nodding while at a parent-teacher conference or listening as the woman at the title company quickly described each and every document I was signing when we were buying a house. But maybe the scriptwriters saw something in me. I don’t know. What I do know is that now they’re telling me that this is the role I was born to play so I’ve got to start bringing my A-game to the show. Eventually, all shows get cancelled, so I’d better stretch it out as long as I can. Their jobs depend on it. I did ask the scriptwriters if they’d reconsider the Fortune 500 episode, but they said that, for my character, that would be “jumping the shark.” They’re going to stick with the reading yogurt labels plotline for a while. Oh, well. It’s a gig, right? And often not a bad one. On the next season of Brian Pretends to Be a Grown-Up, Brian finally learns what an IRA is and is forced to care about planning for retirement.
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LAST LAUGH FYI
Who Asked for the Plot Twist? By Brian Lam
On a recent episode of Brian Pretends to Be a Grown-
Up, the scriptwriters had me (Brian) go to my doctor for a physical and some lab work. In my role on this episode I have to say my doctor, not the doctor. Occasionally, I even visit my lawyer and my accountant, because that’s how a real grown-up would say it, the writers inform me. When I went back to my doctor to follow up on the test results, I learned that my role was about to have a major plot twist: I was going to have to start actually caring about nutrition. I sort of knew this was coming. I grew up watching My Parents Pretend to Be Grown-Ups and had seen the same thing happen on that show. It’s a pretty common trope in such programs, so would it kill the writers to give me one episode where I run a Fortune 500 company? Here’s how the plot twist came about. “Hmm,” my doctor said, looking intently at the results of my lab work. He tilted it so the nurse could read it. “Hmm,” she agreed. “This is the lowest level of vitamin D I’ve ever seen,” he said. “Ever,” confirmed the nurse. “Is that bad?” I asked. “It’s not good,” said my doctor. “This is rickets level.” “I have rickets?” I asked. “No, your count is just at rickets level.” •
30 • Aug/Sept 2015
“Oh, well, that’s good,” I replied. “No, that’s bad,” he corrected. “You need to start taking multiple vitamin D supplements every day. Let me ask you something, have you ever been in the sun?” “Have I ever been in the sun?” I repeated slowly. “Yes.” I paused. “I have been in the sun.” “Hmm,” said my doctor, and he looked back at the chart. “Hmm,” said the nurse. “I coach and play soccer. I’m in the sun almost every day,” I assured them. “Well, then it’s got to be a mistake,” he said, looking less concerned. He took out a pen and wrote something down. “Here, this is the number of IU of vitamin D you’ll want to take.” “I thought you said it was a mistake,” I replied. He shrugged. “Yeah, but it’s Michigan. I tell everyone to take more.” “Hmm,” I said. “Now, let’s talk about your cholesterol.” he said. “It’s out of control.” “Wait,” I interjected. “If the vitamin D count is in error, how can you be sure the cholesterol number is correct?” He looked back to the chart. “A hunch,” he said. The nurse nodded. (continued on page 29)
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From color tours to pumpkin picking, we tell you where to find the best autumn activities in Southwest Michigan.
There’s no denying preschool is great start for students and we help you make sense of local preschool choices.
Guide to Area Schools
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Kalamazoo Public Schools
are reaching higher! ition for tu e g e ll o c e e fr : e is rom The Kalamazoo P idency & attendance requirements apply) KPS graduates (res have been or ts n e d u st S P K 0 0 More than 3,0 of The Kalamazoo Promise are beneficiaries ents in d u st 0 0 ,0 2 n a th Growth of more the last 9 years school and le d id m , ry ta n e m le Rising e res high school test sco taking ts n e d u st f o r e b m u the n 6 years st la More than double e th in s e rs u o c nt Advanced Placeme
For enrollment or more information please contact Kalamazoo Public Schools at
269.337.1572