Family & Kids Chatt Valley April 2021

APRIL 2021

Wise Choices for Moms & Families

© Timeless Memories by Jessica

CHATTAHOOCHEE VALLEY

Cover Sponsor See Pg. 9

Alice in Wonderland on stage at the RiverCenter, May 15 & 16

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Wise Choices for You & Your Family

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Offer only valid Monday 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Kids 10 and under only. Limit one Zax Kidz Meal per adult meal purchase. Adult meals include any Zalad®, Sandwich Meal or Most Popular Meal. Dine-in only. Not valid at any other locations. © 2018 Zaxby’s Franchising LLC “Zaxby’s,” “Zax Kidz” and “Zalad” are registered trademarks of Zaxby’s Franchising LLC. Each Zaxby’s restaurant is independently owned and operated under a license agreement with Zaxby’s Franchising LLC.

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HOO’s tips

3

Getting kids to

“Follow Directions”

It can be frustrating to give directions to your kids only to find out later that your instructions were not followed.

Kids sometimes ignore directions out of defiance, but, in some instances, the issue may stem from how the directions were delivered. Here are some steps to take when communicating directions to kids that make them easier to understand and enable compliance.

Get their attention Kids might have a hard time focusing on directions if the environment around them is filled with distractions. Ensure you have your child’s full attention before you start providing directions. Ask your child to turn off the TV and put down his phone for a few minutes while you speak with him. Even adults have trouble remembering directions when they are multi-tasking. Make eye contact with your child, and do not begin speaking until he appears to be fully engaged in the conversation.

Tell, do not ask, when giving directions Formatting your directions in the form of a question is just inviting a negative, defiant response.

For example, instead of saying ‘Can you please fold the laundry?’, say ‘Please fold the laundry in the basket.’ Keep your commands short and to the point. If you include a long explanation of why the task is important before providing your child with a command, it is more likely that his mind will wander, and he will not hear your directions. For example, instead of starting a long lecture on why you do not want your guests to see the house in a messy state, keep the explanation and command to a few words, such as ‘We need to clean the floor before our company arrives. Please start cleaning up all your toys in five minutes.’

Make sure your child understands first Give one instruction at a time to young kids. If you try to include a list of tasks in your directions, there is a good chance many of them will be forgotten. For older kids, keep instructions short and to the point, but avoid speaking in a patronizing manner that may spark resentment and lead them to

tune you out. Older kids may just need a reminder like ‘Please complete your chore list by the end of the day.’This gives them a sense of responsibility along with the autonomy to decide when to complete the tasks during the day. Once you give your directions, ask your child to repeat the directions back to you to confirm that he understood them.

Provide a time frame for compliance Giving your child a few minutes of warning before you expect him to start a task reduces the risk of him just tuning you out because he is frustrated about having to immediately give up his current activity. When the warning period is over, remind him that it is time to immediately transition to his task. If your child is following a chore list, be specific about when you would like the tasks to be completed. Otherwise, your child may be tempted to use an incomplete task list as an excuse to delay bedtime at the end of the day.

Follow up on how well your child understood Observing your child while he performs his task can help determine how well your directions are being understood and can let you know if there is some level of defiance involved when tasks are not completed. Encourage future compliance by praising your child when you see that he listened and is performing his task well.

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The Scoop!

Wise Choices for You & Your Family

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registration at Columbus Self-Defense & Fitness ($200 value)

• Free Week of Summer Camp at Highland Kids ($135 Value) • $100 Gift Card towards Summer Camp at Growing Room Child Development Center & free t-shirt

• Four Free Day Passes to Rock Climb with Gear at Treadstone Climbing Gym ($100 value)

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Register at FamilyAndKidsGA.com/Giveaways

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TO BOOK: CALL 253-212-7270 OR TAMMY@FAMILYANDKIDSGA.COM

Where to Find HOO? Check your local kid-friendly doctors, dentists, attractions, retail shops & restaurants; or see our interactive distro map at: familyandkidsga.com/get-a-copy

TO SUBMIT AD OR EVENT: Tammy Usie, Publisher tammy@familyandkidsga.com 253-212-7270 FamilyAndKidsGA

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www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

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Retiring or separating from the military soon?

Contact GallantFew to speak with a Transition Support Specialist at rangers@gallantfew.org.

Education Coalition Events ✯ ✯April Military Child Tell Me A Story "The World Needs More Purple People” April 18 at 1:00 p.m. on Fort Benning For event details and registration, connect with @MCECPhenixCity on Facebook or email at ptop.phenixcity@militarychild.org.

HOO’s HEALTHY The brachial plexus is a major network of nerves that carries signals from the spinal cord to the shoulders, arms and hands. When this system of nerves becomes damaged, the result may be a condition called brachial plexus palsy.

In someone with brachial plexus palsy, some or all of the muscles in the arm may not work. When this condition occurs in newborns, it is usually due to a stretch injury that took place during childbirth. During a difficult birth, the baby’s shoulders may become wedged in the birth canal and the brachial plexus nerves are stretched during delivery.

This type of birth injury occurs in about 2 or 3 out of 1,000 births. In older kids, a mild case of brachial plexus palsy can be caused by a sports injury or trauma that stretches or compresses the brachial plexus nerves. A severe injury to the brachial plexus may tear or even rupture the nerves.

Less severe stretch injuries can cause symptoms such as weakness and a lack of feeling in the arm and a burning feeling in the arm. When the injury is more severe, there may be an inability to move the arm and the muscles in the arm may get smaller. Severe injuries may cause significant pain. Newborns who develop brachial plexus palsy during birth are often diagnosed during a newborn wellness check.

✯

Military Ministry at Saint Luke Columbus Volunteer positions open for active duty, veterans, and patriotic Americans desiring grow in Christ.

Contact Nicole Mayne at nicole@gallantfew.org for opportunities to serve our nation’s heroes and families.

WHAT IS: BRACHIAL PLEXUS

There are several tests your child’s doctor may use to diagnose brachial plexus palsy, including X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, electromyograms and nerve conduction studies. Newborns who suffer only a mild injury to the brachial plexus during birth often recover without treatment and regain movement and feeling in the affected arm. More severe cases may require physical therapy and surgery. Parents of a newborn with brachial plexus palsy are sometimes shown exercises to do at home to help their newborn recover.

If you think your child is showing symptoms of brachial plexus palsy, have him evaluated by a medical professional right away.

When surgery is needed to repair the damaged nerves, it is most successful if performed within six months of the injury to the brachial plexus.

RESOURCES: www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/brachial-plexus-injury/ symptoms-causes/syc-20350235 www.seattlechildrens.org/conditions/brachial-plexus-palsy/

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Wise Choices for You & Your Family

Sponsored by

3-Day Hands-on Adventure in Healthcare Rising 9th Graders - College Sophomore

Offering twice this year!

June 15-17, 9am - 4pm July 20-22, 9am - 4pm

Enjoy lab demonstrations, facility tours, surgical videos, hands-on activities, and a variety of career experts.

Scrub top & lunch provided For registration & payment information: www.hughston.com/summer-camp/

Early Registration Deadline: April 30th - $175 Regular Registration Deadline: May 28th- $200

www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

VALLEY VIEW RANCH

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Wise Choices for You & Your Family

Register by April 30th to get a camp t-shirt!

Camp Viking

2021

JUNE 1-JULY 30 CAMP HOURS: 7:30 AM-6 PM ATTEND ONE OR MULTIPLE WEEKS FOR KIDS GOING INTO GRADES K-8 OPEN TO THE PUBLIC MORE DETAILS & REGISTRATION: BEAVIKING.COM/SUMMER-CAMPS

St. Anne-Pacelli Catholic School 2020 Kay Circle Columbus, GA 31907 706-561-8232 BeAViking.com

www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

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April

1 *Sink or Float? Scientific Method to Water Play. 11am. Families. CV Libraries; 706-243-2669

8 *Storytime and Craft: Blowfish 15 Throws a Party. 11am. Families. CV Libraries; 706-243-2669

*Fairy Tale Science: Fairy Dough. 11am. Families. CV Libraries; 706-243-2669

1-3

9 Homeschool Friday. 1:30pm. $10.

Treadstone Climbing; 706-507-7625

16 Parents Night Out! (Ages 5-12).

6-10pm. $25. RSVP. Treadstone Climbing; 706-507-7625

Easter Bunny Photos. 11am7pm. Peachtree Mall; 706-327-1598

1-3 Spring Break Fun. 9am-4pm. 9-11 $5-$10. Historic Westville; 706-9400057

River Dragons Hockey game. Times vary. Limited seats. Columbus Civic Center; 706-507-4625

1-3 Create During the Break! Open 10 *CSO presents Exquisitely EnStudio. 11am & 2pm. Ages 5+. RSVP. Columbus Museum; 706-748-2562

glish. 7:30pm. $15-$35. RiverCenter; 706-256-3612

1-3 River Dragons Hockey game. 10-11 Click, Clack, Moo. Sat at Times vary. Limited seats. Columbus Civic Center; 706-507-4625

2 Nerf Wars Egg Hunt. 7pm. River of Life Church, Hamilton, GA; 706-5822142 5 *Alan’s Wacky Bathtub Storytime.

10am. Ages 12 and under. CV Libraries; 706-243-2669 6 *Mystery Box and Parent’s How To. 11am. Ages 0-5. CV Libraries; 706243-2669 6 Little Sprouts. 10am. Ages 0-5 years. $5/family. Columbus Botanical Garden; 706-327-8400 7 *Storytime: Z is for Moose! 10am.

Ages 0-5. CV Libraries; 706-243-2669

10am, 12:30pm & 2pm, Sun at 2pm.

Springer Outdoor Theatre Festival; 706-327-3688

16-18 *Plant Sale. 8am-5pm.

Columbus Botanical Garden; 706327-8400

16-18

River Dragons Hockey game. Times Vary. Limited seats. Columbus Civic Center; 706-507-4625

16-18 Glassmaking Workshop.

The Columbus Museum; Ages 13 & up; 706-748-2562

10 Spring Fling Festival 2021. 17 10am-5pm. Warm Springs; 770-9906409

Fairy Gardening Workshop.

10am. Callaway Gardens; 808-4787576

12*Storytime: Sink or Swim.

10am. Ages 12 and under. CV Libraries; 706-243-2669

17 Talks, Walks, Hawks Workshop.

10am. Callaway Gardens; 808-4782562

13 MOPS of Midland/Columbus.

9:30am. Church on the Trail, Columbus; 720-602-1440

17-18

Click, Clack, Moo. Sat 10am, 12:30pm & 2pm, Sun 2pm.

Springer Outdoor Theatre; 706-327-3688

14 *Simple Steps Storytime: Fairy 18 Columbus Toy & Comic Book Tales. 10am. Ages 0-5. Chattahoochee Valley Libraries; 706-243-2669

Show. 10am, 11:30am, 1pm or 2:30pm. $8-$10. Coca-Cola Space Science Center; ccssc.org

Events

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PROVIDED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH:

19 *Storytime: The Starry Giraffe.

10am. Ages 12 and under. CV Libraries; 706-243-2669

21 *Storytime: Aesop’s Fables.

10am. Ages 0-5. CV Libraries; 706243-2669 21 April Lunch & Learn. Noon-1pm. $5-$7. Columbus Botanical Garden; 706-327-8400

24 CSO’s Musique Francaise. 7:30pm. $15-$35. RiverCenter; 706-256-3612

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Bowl for Kids’ Sake. Big Brothers/ Big Sisters Fundraiser. Stars & Strikes. 1-5pm. Register at thefamilyctr.org/events-2

27 MOPS of Midland/Columbus.

9:30am. Church on the Trail, Columbus; 720-602-1440

21-22 Homeschool Science Day. 28 *Preschool Storytime: Head, 2-3pm. Ages 5-14. $10. Callaway Gardens; 844-512-3826

Body, & Legs. 10am. Ages 0-5. CV Libraries; 706-243-2669

22 *Discovery Hub: Water Fire- 29 *Discovery Hub: Walking Water.

Weekly TUESDAY

*Craft-o-Mania. 11am. Ages 12 and under. CV Libraries; 706-243-2669 (Not 4/6)

WEDNESDAY

Little Naturalists. 10am-Noon. Ages 2-5. $5. RSVP. Oxbow Meadows; 706507-8550

THURSDAY

At Home in Nature. 10am-Noon. Ages 6-10. $7. RSVP. Oxbow Meadows; 706-507-8550

FRIDAY

works. 11am. Families. CV Libraries; 706-243-2669

11am. Families. CV Libraries; 706243-2669

23 Homeschool Friday. 1:30pm. $10. Treadstone Columbus Climbing Gym; 706-507-7625

30-1 Miss Nelson is Missing, SATURDAY The Musical. 7:30pm. Family Theatre; 706-431-3752

24 Georgia Strawberry Festival. MAY 2021 8am-5pm. Reynolds, GA; 478-847- 1 SAMPOSIUM. 8am-6pm. $30-$75.

5301 24 Young Eagles Day. Flightways

Columbus. 8:30-11:30am. Free. Ages 8-17. Columbus Airport; 706-323-6565

Columbus Botanical Garden; 706327-8400

1-2 RiverBlast. Free. National Civil War Naval Museum; 706-327-9798

24 Mini Outdoor Market. TBA. Free. 2 SAMPOSIUM for Kids! 2-5pm. $10.

Shop local vendors. The Columbus Museum; columbusmuseum.com

Columbus Botanical Garden; 706327-8400

*DIY Friday. 4pm. Tweens/Teens. CV Libraries; 706-243-2669 Market Days on Broadway. 9amNoon. 1100 Broadway, Columbus; 706-596-0111 Toddler Time. 10am-Noon. $10.

Launch Trampoline Park; 706-2218680 Virtual Saturday Storytime. 11am.

Barnes & Noble; 706-653-7880 Children’s educational programming.

Times vary. Oxbow Meadows. $5 per child. Tickets at oxbow.columbusstate.edu.

Please call ahead to confirm event dates, times and age appropriateness, in case changes were made after the info was obtained. [ Denotes Virtual Event]

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Wise Choices for You & Your Family

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HOO’s CRAFTY

MOON SAND

EXPERIMENT The Moon’s surface is made of lots of volcanic minerals that give off a grayish color when viewed from space. In this activity, we will make a material that looks similar in texture to the surface of the Moon but is made of a very different material: flour!

DIRECTIONS

Courtesy of

1. Put your flour into a bowl.

2. Add the liquid oil (if you are using coconut oil you may need to heat it up until it liquefies).

3. Use a fork to mix the flour and oil mixture until mixture is integrated but crumbly.

4. Use your hands or tools to make awesome Moon landscape features and designs!

SUPPLIES l 1/2 cup Flour (recommend All-purpose) l 2 Tbs Transparent Oil (Any kind, recommend Canola Oil for the best texture or Coconut Oil for the best smell)

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Hoo’s Tips

THE Know Before You Go....TOLIBRARY

Now reopen, the Chattahoochee Valley Libraries are excit- We’d love to hear from you! Call to request a customized ed to serve families in our community! Our services may book bundle. Share your child’s interests, and we’ll select look a bit different, so here’s a know-before-you-go guide great reads to match. We can also select based on reading to make the best out of your next visit. level or for AR testing. * All branches, 24-hour kiosks, and book drops are open Short on time? Grab a pre-made book bundle! Enjoy a story * You can browse the shelves and use the computer time at home with a variety of fun titles and a craft project.

We have added over 1000 new children’s books this year, * Visits limited to 1 hour, but scheduling not required including WONDERBOOKS! * Masks are required for anyone over the age of 2 You can still check out park passes, including the Zoo At* Temperature checks are taken at the door lanta. Visit cvlga.org/blog/park-passes/ for updated inforWe host virtual family-friendly storytimes and craft programs every week! (Like us on Facebook @chatlibraries mation. and subscribe to our YouTube Channel!)

By Jeannine Scott, Branch Manager, North Columbus Public Library

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HOO’S PLUGGED IN WWW.FAMILYANDKIDSGA.COM

www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

Dining Deals

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for Kids

With deals this good, save the mess and dine out!

MONDAY Barberitos

Free kid’s meal with adult entrée

Sapo’s

5-8pm: Free kid’s meal with adult entrée

Zaxby’s

5-8pm: Free kid’s meal with adult entrée

Tuesday

Chicken Salad Chick

Free Little Chick Meal with purchase of adult meal

The Chicken Lady’s COOP

5-8pm: Kid’s chicken plate for $3.25

Denny’s

4-10pm: Up to two free kids entrées with adult entrée for kids 10 and under

Hudson’s

Free kid’s meal for 12 and under with adult entrée

Jason’s Deli

Thursday MOE’s Southwest Grill

5-9pm: Free kid’s meal per $5 minimum adult entrée

Captain D’s

Kids meals are .99 cents all day

Saturday Denny’s

4-10pm: Up to two free kids entrées with adult entrée for kids 10 and under

sunday The Simple Greek

Kids 12 & under get free kids bowl with purchase of regular bowl or pita

Every day 219 On The Lake

5-9pm: Kids eat for $2.19 on kids menu (M-TH)

5-9pm: Free kid’s meal for kids 12 and under with each adult entrée; dine-in only

Bruster’s Ice Cream

Ruby Tuesday

McAlister’s

5-10pm: Kids 12 and under eat free with adult entrée

Kids under 40” get free baby cone Kid’s meals are $1.99 with dine-in order

Wednesday

Newk’s

Applebee’s

O’Charley’s

Half off kid’s meal per adult entrée. Limit: 4 kids to adult

4pm-close: free kid’s meal with adult meal (M-W) Free kid’s meal per adult entrée for kids 10 & under

Pita Street Food

4-9pm: Kids eat free, per $8 min. adult buy; dine-in

Your Pie

Kid’s meal $1.99 (pizza, drink & gelato) w/ adult meal

Red Robin

Kid’s meal $1.99 w/ adult meal for kids 11 and under

All locations are Columbus, GA unless noted.

Specials are subject to change without notice, so please verify them directly before dining. Send kids deals to Tammy@FamilyAndKidsGA.com.

Wise Choices for You & Your Family

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HOO’s CUTE

CONTEST VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO ENTER YOUR CUTIE: www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

Leo, 7 years Smiths Station

Ellison, 21 months Ellerslie

Miles, 4 years Columbus

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Hoo’s helpful Local Clinical Trial for

Pediatric Eczema Does your child suffer from eczema? At least one in 10 children have eczema (atopic dermatitis). Eczema can cause unbearable itching that can interfere with the quality of life and make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep. Local research company IACT Health is conducting a drug trial to help innovate new therapies for pediatric eczema. If your child is under the age of 12, they could play a vital role in this medical advancement by participating in this local study. Find out more at iacthealth.com/studies/eczema-clinical-trial.

Did you know that no advancements can happen in healthcare without clinical trials? No new innovations, no new medications, and no new treatment options happen without the clinical trial process. This can be especially important when it comes to children. Children are not just small adults – their bodies work in very different ways

and they often undergo many changes as they grow from infancy towards adolescence and adulthood. Because their bodies work differently, it’s important to create child-specific medicines and treatments instead of modifying adult doses and therapies.

There is no cost, insurance, or referrals necessary for participants to receive care from IACT Health. Clinical trials not only allow participants to be a part of the advancement of medicine, but it also gives them access to a high quality of care. Clinical trials offer hope for many people and an opportunity to help researchers find better treatment for everyone by looking at new ways to prevent, detect or treat disease.

IACT Health has helped achieve FDA approvals on almost 80 medications in areas such as Dermatology, Oncology, Cardiology and Infectious Diseases. IACT Health currently has over 100 clinical trials open for enrollment. IACT Health has a proven reputation for excellent care, with 98% of research participants willing to participate in a future study and 96% of those participants willing to refer families or friends.

Consider becoming a medical hero by participating in a clinical trial. To find available trials in Columbus and learn more about IACT Health, visit iacthealth.com.

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HOO’s parenting

Wise Choices for You & Your Family

MY KID’S A

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BULLY?!

Getting a phone call from your child’s school notifying you that your child has been bullying other students is a distressing experience. Many kids act completely different at home than they do at school and their parents may have no idea that their child has been bullying others.

Bullying can take many forms. Physical bullying is obvious but some of the other forms of bullying can be subtle and your child may not even realize that the behavior was hurtful.

Cyberbullying involves using a technology platform such as texting, email and social media to harass someone online by posting hurtful comments or images.

Verbal bullying involves using words to tear

Sexual bullying may take the form of crude comments and gestures, or touching that is not invited.

Sometimes girls may be sexually bullied by other girls who call them names or seek to destroy their body image.

Emotional bullying is often used by ‘mean

down the self-esteem of the target and assert control over her.

girls’ and involves purposefully damaging the relationships of the target and harm her social standing.

If you find out that your child engaged in any of these types of bullying behaviors, the first step is to stay calm.

Firmly explain to your child what was wrong with his behavior and let him know he made a mistake that has serious consequences. Ensure your child fully understands his mistake so that he can own it and then decide how to make reparations to those he bullied. To gain an understanding of what may have triggered the bullying incident, engage your child in a conversation and listen carefully to his explanation of what happened. This information can help you act to preventing future bullying incidents. There are several reasons why kids bully.

Trying to prove themselves to a group of peers that they want to join. To fit in, kids may copy the behavior of the others in their group. Talk with your child about the peer pressure he feels at school and how to say ‘no’ to others pressuring him to be cruel to others.

Experiencing bullying at home or at school. Kids who are targets of bullying may bully others at school to express anger and to replace a sense of powerlessness with a sense of power.

If your child is the target of bullying at school, work with the school administration to put a stop to it. Teach your child ways to cope with anger that do not involve lashing out at others.

Lack of understanding of how to be a good friend. Some kids do not realize that a ‘just joking’ comment may be hurtful to someone else. Also, some kids are assertive and misdirect their energy towards asserting power over their peers. Teach your child that a good friendship includes kindness and respect. Try to find new activities that help your child channel his assertiveness into learning leadership skills and provide opportunities to form new friendships with kids that may be different from him.

Some kids bully out of their inability to cope with frustration and anger and may have a lack of empathy that keeps them from recognizing that they are hurting others. Help your child understand how his behavior makes the target of his bullying feel and teach him ways to manage angry feelings.

Remember to give positive feedback to your child when you do see him displaying kindness towards others and be aware that your own behavior sets an example for your child.

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EDUCATION/ CARE GUIDE

Math. Reading.

Confidence.

Kumon Math & Reading of Columbus - North 1290 Double Churches Rd., Ste. K Columbus, GA 31904

706.257.6963 kumon.com/columbus-north

©2014 Kumon North America *HIRING CENTER ASSISTANTS*

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Wise Choices for You & Your Family

a place to belong

saturdays 4pm | 6pm sundays 9am | 11am www.cascadehills.com

www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

Prop Culture

Trending crafty.moms

Crafty.moms on Instagram offers easy crafts for all ages. These crafts cover an array of topics and are presented to followers in colorful videos, photos and stories. A parent can never have too many ideas to keep their kids entertained. Crafty. moms gives you ideas to create fun memories for the whole family.

Streaming on Disney+, Film historian and prop collector Dan Lanigan reunites iconic Disney movie props with the filmmakers, actors, and crew who created and used them in some of Disney’s most beloved films. Throughout this journey, Dan will recover lost artifacts, visit private collections, and help restore pieces from the Walt Disney Archives to their original glory. Among the films featured this season are Mary Poppins, Tron, The Muppet Movie, Pirates of the Caribbean and more.

the Tiny small habits that change everything

The Next Right Thing

BJ FOGG is here to change your life—and revolutionize how we think about human behavior.

Fogg shows you how to feel good about your successes instead of bad about your failures. This step-by-step guide will help you design habits and make them stick through positive emotion and celebrating small successes. Whether you want to lose weight, de-stress, sleep better, or be more productive each day, Tiny Habits makes it easy to achieve—by starting small.

For the second-guessers, the chronically hesitant, or anyone who suffers from decision fatigue, best-selling author and host Emily P. Freeman helps create a little space for your soul to breathe so you can discern your next right thing. Because of the thousands of decisions you make every day, chances are a few of them keep you up at night. If you’re in a season of transition, waiting, general fogginess or if you’ve ever searched “how to make a decision” on the internet, listen in.

Keeping Young The time kids spend online has increased and the YouTube platform has become a favorite form of entertainment for many kids. Unfortunately, there are numerous dangers involved in allowing kids to access YouTube, including adult content and rude comments left on videos. Without any type of parental controls in place, parents find themselves having to with young kids to access and play the videos for them.

YouTube has a separate app called YouTube Kids to make it easier for parents to monitor the viewership of young YouTubers. When kids outgrow that platform, a system of tiered levels of parental controls can be applied to the main YouTube app to filter content.

A separate YouTube for kids

The new YouTube Kids platform is available at youtubekids. com or by app download and allows parents less oversight to control what their child is viewing. Parents set up the account by selecting one of three tiers for their child to access, and the content of the main YouTube app is not accessible. The categories of age-appropriate content are divided into Preschool (ages 4 and under), Younger (ages 5-7) or Older (ages 8-12).

‘ers Safe

Parental controls for older kids The three levels of parental controls for the main YouTube app helps gradually give kids more governance over what they choose to view. In this system, YouTube is accessed by a Google account managed by parents, who assign an appropriate level of access to the account.

The three levels include: • Explore: Contains videos selected for kids age 9 and up.

• Explore More: Contains videos appropriate for kids that areages 13 and up • Most of YouTube: Includes almost all content for older teens, except age-restricted content Even with parental controls in place, you should continue to monitor how long your kids spend online and what type of content they are viewing. To learn more about managed accounts, visit youtube.com/ myfamily/.

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ps a w S d o Junk Fo

Pre-packaged snack foods are a convenient solution when you are pressed for time and the kids are hungry. However, many of them are high in sugar, salt and fat and lack fiber and important nutrients. Here are a few tips on how to help your child replace junk food with healthy snacks that provide the nutrients he needs and keep him feeling full between meals.

Introducing a new food into the snack time menu may take time. Kids may not be very enthusiastic about trying a new food that has a taste and texture they are unfamiliar with.

You will likely need to introduce the food multiple times before your child decides to experience it. If your child sees you trying new food and enjoying it, he is more likely to try it. Also, you may want to provide a choice of two new healthy snacks to try. Sometimes, the refusal to eat anything new is just your child asserting himself.

HOO’s FIT For example, if you are trying alternatives to ice cream, offer a choice between a smoothie made with bananas and Greek yogurt or a homemade frozen fruit pop.

Making healthy food fun can help make it more appealing. Start a garden and ask your kids to choose the veggie plants. At harvest time, your kids will be excited to see what the veggies that they worked hard to grow and harvest taste like. Give kids input into planning snack choices for the week and get them involved in helping to make the snacks.

Search online for healthy versions of a snack time favorite. There are many creative recipes online that are good substitutes for pre-packaged snacks. Such recipes replace sugar with applesauce, bananas or other healthy alternatives but look the same as a pre-packaged version. This is helpful when you have a picky eater who refuses to try anything new and you need a way to gradually transition him to healthier foods. Pinterest can be a great resource.

www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

HOO’s HUNGRY

UNICORN POOP

VEGGIE DIP Here’s a fun way to get the kids to eat some healthy dairy and vegetables, and get a few giggles out of them in the process!

DIRECTIONS

Mix Together Your Hidden Valley Greek Yogurt Dips Mix Packet and Yogurt. Now, divide out your dip into separate bowls so you can dye the dip. Add a few drops of a different preferred colored dye to each bowl and stir. After you’ve dyed the dip, put it into the freezer for fifteen minutes or so to firm up a bit. Now, add the dip to a piping bag one color at a time. (Or if you don’t have a piping bag, then just use a gallon baggie and snip the tip over the bowl.) Swirl it all around the dip bowl. Add some sprinkles! Serve with their favorite raw veggies.

INGREDIENTS • 1 Packet Hidden Valley Greek Yogurt Dips Mix • 1 Tub of Greek Yogurt • Food Dye • Raw veggies of choice • Piping bag or gallon baggie • SPRINKLES! Courtesy of totallythebomb.com

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Wise Choices for You & Your Family

LOCAL PLACES ARE OPEN TO LEARN & PLAY Many local attractions in the Chattahoochee Valley have reopened to the public and are the perfect way to fill a staycation or a homeschool field trip with fun learning activities.

The Columbus Museum offers families the opportunity to enjoy the artwork and the history

of the Chattahoochee Valley for free. Activity books are available for families to enjoy as they explore the museum. The Bradley Olmsted Garden is also open to the public during museum hours. The museum is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays from noon to 5 pm; Thursdays noon to 8 pm; Sundays 1-5 pm. Face coverings required. See our calendar for their two April events: Glassmaking Workshop and Spring Outdoor Market. The museum also offers free resources for educators that align with the state curriculum.

Columbusmuseum.com

Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center in Columbus is open to the public from 9am to 4pm, Wednesday–Saturday and offers wildlife exhibits, a bird garden, nature trails and learning programs. The wildlife exhibits feature a variety of reptiles, amphibians and fish. Kids of all ages will enjoy learning about local wildlife and ecosystems, and the center is designed to be disability and sensory friendly.

The outdoor areas are open any time during Wed-Sat 9-4pm. Picnic tables are available and some of the nature trails are stroller-accessible. The center offers special kids programming on Saturdays and plans to offer summer programs too. Admission is free but you must reserve a timed ticket in advance unless you just plan to visit the outdoor spaces at oxbow.columbusstate.edu.

Columbus Botanical Gardens offers garden tours for aspiring gardeners of all ages and

is open from 8am – 8pm Tuesday – Sunday. Admission is free, though donations and memberships are encouraged. Due to the outdoor setting, face coverings are optional. Kids can enjoy a walk in the woods and learn about native tree species on the Joann Holt walking trail and watch pollinators at work in the Pollinator Garden. The Little Sprouts program for kids ages 0 – 5 is offered on the first Tuesday of every month from 10-10:30 am and is $5 per family. They will host an online plant sale April 16-18. The Sam Pate Naturalist Symposium is taking place May 1, with a special kids’ session on May 2 to include activities, story time and more. Columbusbotanicalgarden.org

Historic Westville offers families the unique opportunity to experience what daily life was like in Georgia in the 1800s. The village is open to the public Thursday – Saturday from 9am to 4pm. Temperature checks and masks required. Interpreters in period costume provide information about the buildings in the historic village and demonstrate 19th century crafts with activities for the kids. Saturdays will feature a ‘What’s to Come’ series of special demonstrations. Admission is free for ages 0 – 5, $5 for grades K-12, $10 adults, $8 for active-duty military/college students/seniors and $3 for participants in Museums for All (with EBT card and ID). westville.org Coca-Cola Space Science Center offers families an opportunity to enjoy hands-on science activities and a planetarium show, all best enjoyed by ages 7 and up. Experience what it is like to be an astronaut and take a trip to the International Space Station, drive a rover on Mars terrain and test their piloting skills on a Cyber Fighter. The center is open Monday-Friday 12– 4pm and from Saturday 11am to 5pm. Buy tickets in advance if you plan to go on a Saturday since a limit is placed on tickets sold. Admission is free for 3 and under, $6 for kids 4-10, $8 for adults and $7 for military and seniors. Check out the Columbus Comic Book Show on April 18 and their summer camps. ccssc.org.

For more attractions: familyandkidsga.com/cat/ attractions/

www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

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Getting ColumbUS moving again.

Whether you’re running your errands or running a marathon, being active is a big part of a full and healthy life. That’s why we’re here with the best orthopedics and sports medicine care possible to help you get moving again. Because life is full of possibilities. What’s yours?

call us at 800.424.DOCS (3627) or visit online at MyStFrancis.com/joint