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Oct/Nov/Dec 2020
HAPPINESS & MONEY Some thoughts
A TEACHER’S PERSPECTIVE Kids ace the protocols
ASTHMA TREATMENTS A parents’ guide
CHILD CARE OPTIONS Make a wise choice
Stellan Rhys Maul of Melba flies his paper airplane
Contents
Features
Volume 8, Number 5 Publisher J.J. Plew Associate Publisher Adrianne Goff Adrianne@globalpsd.com Cover Photo Blush Artistries Editor Gaye Bunderson editorgaye@gmail.com Sales & Marketing J.J. Plew jj@idahofamilymagazine.com 208-697-2043 Contributors Brian Bizik, Chuck Carpenter, Luke Erickson, Cara Johnson-Bader, Dennis Lopez, Sam Zink Graphic Design Carol Smiley csmileydesign@gmail.com
Oct, Nov, Dec 2020
4
5 The Horney
Kids, caring, and COVID
Clearing the air
Teacher’s Perspective
Tongue Tie
Does your child have signs?
The Outdoorsman
8
10
Follow us on Facebook
Village
6 Real Money,
Real Families
Happiness and money
15 Wednesday’s Child
Meet Josh
Bear hunting
In Each Edition
Distribution Shauna Howard, Doris Evans
Idaho Family Magazine, published monthly by Gem Production Co., LLC, is committed to providing readers with informative and entertaining information to help them in maintaining healthy families and positive lifestyles. It is distributed throughout the valley as a free publication. Idaho Family Magazine does not assume responsibility for statements or opinions expressed by editorial contributors or advertisers. The acceptance of advertising does not constitute an endorsement of the products, services or information. Idaho Family Magazine does not knowingly present any product or service which is fraudulent or misleading in nature. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced without express written consent of the publisher. Reader correspondence and editorial submissions are welcome. Idaho Family Magazine reserves the right to edit or reject all materials submitted. All rights reserved. Copyright 2020 by Gem Production Co., LLC.
Columns
Asthma
A parents’ guide
12
3 Editor’s intro Year-end events
Child care
Make good choices
14
11 Family Events Calendar
Children’s Photos Wanted Idaho Family Magazine would love to put your child or children on our cover. All photos should be high quality, sharp and clear, and high resolution of around 300 ppi. Color photos are preferred, and all photos need to be vertical not horizontal. Please identify the children in the photos, the children’s ages, and what Treasure Valley community they reside in. (If chosen for the cover, their last names will not be used without permission.) Send the photos to editorgaye@gmail.com.
2 OCT/NOV/DEC 2020 | Idaho Family Magazine
FREE
Oct/Nov/D
ec 2020
HAPPIN ESS & MONE Y Som e thoughts
A TEACHE PERSPE R’S CTIVE Kids ace the protocols
ASTHMA TREATM ENTS
A parents’
guide
CHILD CA RE OPTIONS Make a wise choice
Stellan Rhys
Maul of Melba
flies his paper
airplane
www.idahofamilymagazine.com
EDITOR’S INTRO
These year-end events won’t be cancelled
I
’ve struggled since April to come up with a calendar featuring events that didn’t face being cancelled due to the pandemic we’ve all come to know and loath. I found some programs online, so that worked. But let’s face it, all the great events we’ve come to cherish just didn’t happen – or aren’t going to happen – in 2020, including such beloved occasions as the Western Idaho Fair and the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, among many others. Looking at the remainder of 2020, I realized there will be a handful of things that won’t be “Postponed Until Further Notice” or just flat-out “Cancelled for the Year.” So this is my personal “calendar” for the remainder of 2020. By the way, because we had to skip our MayJune issue, we’re closing out the year with an OctoberNovember-December issue – three months in one edition.
Halloween
This year, Halloween falls on a Saturday; and as happens every year, it’s on October 31. There was a lot that was scary about 2020, so Halloween shouldn’t have too many things to give us worse chills than we’ve already had. In late August, my family and I were discussing the possibility of handing out candy while wearing masks; but this year, we’d be in the kinds of masks we’ve all been wearing to keep us safe from COVID-19. We’d be the anticoronavirus, safe-distancing, sanitizer-close-at-hand house full of good treats; and if you follow the rules, we’d love to give you some candy. The driveway is long, so there will be lots of room for safe distancing while waiting for your turn to Trick-or-Treat us.
Fall Back
This year, we’ll “fall back,” as they say, on Sunday, November 1. I’m sure we’d all like to “fall WAY back,” to a year that was pandemic-free, but we’ll need to look to the future for that. It. Will. Happen.
Election Day 2020
This year, we’ll vote for a president on Tuesday, November 3. Whether the incumbent is re-elected or is replaced by a new fellow, it should be quite interesting. Will most of the country vote absentee? Will some states open polling places, with or without precautions in place? It’s anybody’s guess, as elections frequently are. But this one certainly has some new tangles.
Thanksgiving
Whether or not we’ll be able to see extended family this year, Thanksgiving Day will nonetheless occur on
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Thursday, November 26. There may be only 3 of us this year sitting around our dining room table eating turkey and dressing, but I’m pretty certain the day will nevertheless be special. Why? Because we will make it that way, as we’ve tried to do with every other holiday in 2020.
Christmas
Nothing can stop individual families in their private homes from decorating for Christmas this year, both inside and out – and if you decorate outside, the Bundersons may drive by. Per usual, the holiday will take place on December 25, which is a Friday. As has happened for so many other occasions this year (i.e., birthdays, Mother’s Day, etc.), we will likely order most of our gifts online rather than shopping for them in-person. But we can do it, and it’ll still be fun. Because, once again, we will make it that way.
New Year’s
January 1, 2021 is a Friday. I will likely never be so happy to see a year end as I will 2020, acknowledging of course that 2021 is still an unwrapped box of 365 days I know nothing about, whether they be good or bad. I tell myself that at least I can say on New Year’s Day 2021, “Oh, thank heavens, I made it through one year of...THAT!” I can honestly say this has been one of the most challenging years I’ve ever lived through. I wouldn’t like to repeat another like it anytime soon. I look for all the good news I can, such as progress on a COVID-19 vaccine. Thank God for all the people, all over the world, working hard to find a solution. That said, I have had some actual fun this year. Never discount the human race’s well-honed ability for creative coping. I chocked up a personal-best record for picnics during the summer, enjoying time outdoors with both responsible friends and close family. We’ve laughed often and, together, enjoyed many a good picnic meal. Pardon my language, but crap has been happening for a very long time. This time it happened to us. We’ll take our place in history alongside others who’ve experienced...well... plague and pestilence. We’ve all experienced stellar years and harsh ones, and they’ve been jumbled up together. Another good year is out there, waiting for us to come experience it. I think now, after having been through 2020, my next good year will in fact be a great one, even an exceptional one. Because I’ll make it that way – and I can’t wait. – Gaye Bunderson, editor
Idaho Family Magazine | OCT/NOV/DEC 2020 3
A TEACHER’S PERSPECTIVE
Students ace the pandemic protocols By Dennis Lopez
L
istening to Bob Marley sing in my headphones about how “every little things goin’ to be alright” makes me hope he is right and forget that we are hunkered down and sheltering in place from a worldwide pandemic. But we are. The rubber gloves I am wearing as I type this are mute evidence of my wife’s deep concern for my welfare. I did manage to eschew wearing a surgical mask in my own house. Things taken for granted before, such as going to the post office or the grocery store, now seem like a run through the sniper-filled streets of Iraq or Afghanistan. At every turn it seems nature has planted invisible, microbial IEDs; a single wrong move, a handshake, a nearby sneeze could bring serious illness or even death. We dress to leave the house as though preparing for a deep space mission: gloves/check, face mask/check, hand sanitizer/check; and out the airlock we go. This killer virus, this COVID-19, has changed my street, my town, my state and my country...our world. For how long is anybody’s guess. As the death toll climbs, it seems incredible to learn there are those willing to buck the state’s social distancing orders to attend meetings in large groups rather than follow the directives to avoid groups. The order is temporary; death is permanent. For our part, Laurie and I are keeping our social distance. In fact, I think it’s been a couple of days since I last saw my wife. I know she’s in the house because someone shoved a tin of beans and a slice of Velveeta cheese-like substance under my office door an hour ago with an “I Love You (your name here)” note written on the napkin. Okay, it wasn’t really a napkin. With the paper product hoarding that’s been going on, we’re reduced to using pages out of one of the coloring books left over from one of our kids. Actually, we were pretty well prepared for this pandemic paper panic. No doubt in our state there are multiple hundreds of folks who regularly stored lots of stuff up for religious reasons. Others because they see storing food and other necessary stuff like bullets, toilet paper and paper towels as a means to survival in a post-apocalyptic world. I admit we have cases of Costco toilet paper stored in our garage. Not because we were brilliant pandemic preppers, but because my wife and I rarely are in sync when we shop. For example, we had two cases of Costco toilet tissue on hand because my wife bought one and, on one of my long ago, pre-quarantine trips to Costco, told me we needed paper towels. Seems that paper towel and toilet tissue packaging can
be confusing, especially to someone my age, whose mind is focused on tasty Costco samples (they will be back, someday). I absentmindedly bought a case of toilet tissue as well as a case of paper towels. Yet paper shortages, gloves, mask, germs…all of it cannot seem to dampen the indominatable, creative and determined human spirit. I see that in my own grown children. Our son works from home as a data analyst in the Midwest. One daughter is a drug and alcohol counselor who has kept her promise to those who seek her help, just not face to face. It’s done via computer screen. She says it is hard because she is the kind of counselor who does best in person. Yet her work goes on, as does that of my youngest daughter, a recent graduate of Boise State University’s education program. For a long time she taught via computer, now she has returned to her classroom. As a teacher at Lakewood Montessori School, Jenna says the hardest part is explaining the need for extreme caution to a room full of 3- to 5-year-olds. “Illness is an abstract concept,” she explained to me. “Linking cause and effect is difficult to convey, but children, even very young children, are remarkable in their ability to adapt.” I am not an educator. In fact I am certain there is an entire platoon of teachers who would universally agree that I was not even a student. But I can grasp the remarkable picture she paints of the character of children. She says the concept of germs or pandemics or viruses may not resonate with her class of pre-school kids, but they share one common goal: to help keep their fellow classmates, parents or their community at large from getting sick. Free from the polarizing influence of those who deny the need for precaution or even the reality of this worldwide pandemic, of mask-or-no-mask, open or close businesses, or refusal to socially distance, they are contributors to the greater good. So these children, those whom those of us in the adult word would consider just out of the toddler stage, are in reality more focused on helping others as well as themselves remain well. “They are showing one another a sense of humanity, of sharing the bond of dealing with an issue larger than themselves,” she patiently explained to me. “It’s a lot like what I think Americans were like during wartime, or perhaps post9/11. They are outside of the bounds of politics or societal anger and the polarization that comes from it. “They simply want to contribute as a group and as individuals for the betterment of all.”
“They are showing one another a sense of humanity, of sharing the bond of dealing with an issue larger than themselves,” she patiently explained to me.
4 OCT/NOV/DEC 2020 | Idaho Family Magazine
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THE HORNEY VILLAGE
Clearing the air… about many things By Jessie Horney
E
very morning I see the sunrise reflected in a mirror before I see it in the sky. There’s an eastern window in our front room that captures the sunrise, framing dawn in a way that directs the light to a mirror hanging in the entryway, and that’s also how I know when the world is burning when my mirror holds a bright red forest-fire sun. The smoke this summer settled like fog in our valley, the skies ash and the light a smoldering magenta, each a visual reminder of a crisis far away. The trees were on fire. The coast was on fire. We weren’t even supposed to go outside, the air so full of toxins, they told us, which was confusing because sometimes in a pandemic outside is the safest place to retreat. But there we were, tucked behind windows full of red sunshine because now, in every single way, the world was on fire. This article is supposed to be about parenting, I know that, and it’s probably supposed to be light and funny, I know that too. And life has been light and funny sometimes, like when my 4-year-old dresses up her brother’s stuffed animals in bows and dresses and hides them for him to find later, or when my 8-year-old watched one (ONE) school video
about outer space and immediately questioned the existence of a God. (I laughed so hard. I thought I was in a private Christian school commercial for a second. “Is public school ruining your family just like we told you it would?”) Really, though, how are you? What’s life like these days? Are you home more? Home less? How are the kids? Did your school open back up? Did you speak with Walter over at the school district technical help hotline yet? Did he walk you through the new server filter website and help log your first grader back into his homework app, even though that first grader does not want to do one more second of online school and he’s never even heard of math before? Have you cried a little? Cried a lot? Is the sunrise in your mirror still burnt red? I keep wondering, a slight grip in my chest like a handshake to my heart, what this time means to me, my family, and humanity. If the sun is telling me the world is on fire, what will I do? What will I remember about this season of hardship when the sky is finally clear? How will my Continued on Page 13
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REAL MONEY, REAL FAMILIES
Insights on happiness and money By Luke Erickson
W
In other words, once a person has some ith the holidays that come this fairly reasonable needs and wants covered, time of year we’re reminded the only thing extra money will do is increase of many of the things that expectations that offset any increases in bring happiness to our lives, income. such as candy, turkey, and presents. If only When choosing careers, we might visualize happiness were so simple, right? an “importance-of-money spectrum.” On one Happiness is an elusive thing. Yes, food end of this spectrum are those who strongly and gifts can provide small, temporary paths believe that the more money they earn, the to a little happiness, but research indicates happier they will be. This belief drives many that sustained happiness involves things like people into careers that they do not really gratitude, life-purpose, relationships with enjoy, but which are fairly effective at filling others, etc. bank accounts. On the other end of the And where does money fit into the Luke Erickson spectrum are those who believe that money has equation?! very little value in determining one’s career, life pursuits, and First of all some quick spending tips. Research has been ultimate happiness. These folks can sometimes find deep and pretty consistent in showing that dollar for dollar, money lasting meaning in their careers, but can also be left wanting spent on experiences, time-saving options (like a house in certain basic financial goals, which can ultimately subtract cleaner), and connecting with others (dinner out with friends) somewhat from the happiness level the meaning in their jobs tend to produce more happiness than material goods of the gives them. same price. It would seem that the key to But what about earning more money and happiness is in finding money? Since money spent on a balance in the middle of the certain things like experiences can spectrum, or, in other words, in boost happiness, shouldn’t more finding that career path where you money and more spending result in can pursue both meaning AND a even more happiness? fairly generous paycheck. Easier It’s common to see articles said than done, right? In a 2018 listing the highest earning actors, survey by BetterUp labs, 9 out most successful rock stars, richest of 10 people said they would give up about 25 percent of billionaires, etc., but how often do you see those same kinds their income for a job that was more personally meaningful, of lists for happiness? What if we could actually measure meaning that most people do not find much meaning in their happiness like we can dollars? Who would be the happiest chosen careers. person on earth? Would the list of happiest people line So many of us feel stuck because we don’t know where up with the same folks on the billionaire list? We know to find such jobs, or, heck we don’t even know what our instinctively that that is probably not the case, yet it is so strengths are and what will actually give our jobs meaning. easy, and we’re so often pushed by the pop media, to equate One way to find out is to explore and increase your personal money with happiness. This is a sentiment echoed by a quote strengths at viacharacter.org. Or, just try jotting down a I came across a while back, “Money can’t buy happiness, but few of your values until some patterns emerge that might it can buy a pretty close imitation.” translate into a career adjustment that you may find to be How close do money and happiness align? A well-known more fulfilling. study in 2010 by Princeton professors Daniel Kahneman Now, let’s say that somehow you are able to become one and Agnus Deaton found that a person’s happiness level will of the few who have managed to find that perfect balance of generally rise as they make more money, but only up to a meaning and pay in your career. Is your happiness level (as it point. That point, according to their estimation, was about relates to money) set? Nope! That would be far too easy. We $75,000 a year per person. A later study out of Purdue also have to avoid the tendency to compare ourselves to others. published in 2018 put that number more around $95,000 per Comparison is one of the quickest paths to unhappiness person per year. But the evidence suggested that anything with money, and yet we all do it. Even if we may be better over roughly $100,000 per year did not correlate much with off than 90 percent of our neighbors, we will tend to focus increased happiness.
The good news is that one of the best tools for combating this tendency is pretty simple and straightforward. It’s gratitude.
6 OCT/NOV/DEC 2020 | Idaho Family Magazine
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our attention in on that one neighbor who always seems to be driving a newer car, and taking slightly more luxurious vacations, and of course with the slightly greener grass. That’s the one we choose to compare ourselves to…and with predictable results: discontent with what we have. Teddy Roosevelt is credited with saying, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” Today a similar concept is found in the popular term FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). Experts say FOMO is exacerbated by comparisons to others on social media, where the vast majority of posts are meant to highlight the very best of a person’s life and hide the worst. Research has shown that about 10 percent of a typical person’s thoughts involved comparisons to others. So, if Teddy is correct, that means we spend 10 percent of our time unintentionally sabotaging our own happiness. The good news is that one of the best tools for combating this tendency is pretty simple and straightforward. It’s gratitude. Author David Steindl-Rast said, “Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful, then no matter how much we have we will not be happy – because we will always want to have something else or something more.” Keeping a regular gratitude journal can help us keep in mind those things that we might otherwise take for granted. Robert Emmons, a professor at UC-Davis, said that emphasizing people over things and treating the good things in our life as “gifts” can make a substantial difference. It also
serves as an added distraction from the tendency to compare. When we’re dwelling on gratitude for something or someone, it’s hard to simultaneously dwell on feelings of comparison and discontent. This brings us to the last main ingredient for happiness: strong relationships with others. Weak relationships tend to foster misunderstandings and jealousy, whereas strong relationships help you see a person as a whole – complete with strengths and weaknesses – which will help melt away tendencies for superficial comparisons. So yes, money can help you on your path to happiness, but that is only one ingredient. Relying solely on money for happiness would be like using only sugar to make a batch of cookies. Sure, sugar is a pretty important ingredient, and may even taste okay on its own, but without the other ingredients it will never be a cookie. In summary, take some time this holiday season to be grateful for the good things (“gifts”) and people in your life, and give a little thought to ways you might find a better balance of meaning and pay in your career. Luke Erickson, Ph.D., AFC®, is an associate professor of personal finance for the University of Idaho. He lives and works in the Treasure Valley. Luke and his wife Rachel have been married for 15 years and live in Meridian, Idaho with their four energetic children. Got questions or comments about kids and money? Email them to erickson@uidaho.edu; he’ll respond in future articles.
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Our baby was able to thrive thanks to Tongue Tie Release By Samuel P. Zink Jr., DMD
O
ur first son was born during my final year of dental school in Louisville, Kentucky. We were expecting a blond-haired, blue-eyed baby. He came out with a handsome full head of reddishbrown hair and a quizzical brow. We enjoyed being parents, but sometimes I wondered, is it supposed to be this hard? He had short sleep episodes requiring breastfeeding every 2-3 hours. My wife would tense with severe pain when he attempted to latch, even though she was on pain medicine. He struggled with reflux and spitting up. I would rock him and lay him down to sleep, only to have him wake up screaming as soon as I started to tiptoe away from his crib. My wife had mastitis and plugged ducts. She discovered a lump in her left breast and had a needle biopsy to rule out cancer. The pathology report showed that the lump was extra milk in the plugged ducts. My wife sought out help from a lactation consultant for breastfeeding difficulties and symptoms. They worked on positioning, latching, and a special pillow helped. None of our birth professionals or healthcare providers ever mentioned Tongue Tie, even though my son and wife
had all but two of the symptoms listed on my Infant Tongue Tie intake form. The only two symptoms they didn’t have were colic and poor weight gain. My son was gaining weight through his own tenacity and the dedication of my wife. Somehow, my wife powered through these challenges and nursed our son for over 2 years. Compensations have consequences. When babies require special positioning and pillows in order to feed, oral structures and airways get deformed, which inadvertently sets the infant up for potential airway and breathing issues as they grow into their toddler and child stages.
A glimmer of hope
Our second son also struggled to nurse effectively. He had many of the same symptoms as our firstborn, as well as colic. The constant screaming was unsettling for us all. However, my wife’s experience and expertise made it seem better. After doing some research, my wife came across a technique called Tongue Tie Release and asked me to look into it. As a professional, qualified dentist, I had never heard of Tongue Tie Release as it was never mentioned in dental school; so I called a pediatric dentist to get some more information. I relayed what I was told back to my wife: “As long as the tongue isn’t tethered at the tip, there is nothing to worry about.” Unfortunately this common misconception prevented us from getting help when we needed it most.
Awareness and relief
The day our third son was born, my wife and I noticed he had a prominent lip tie and tongue tie. Ties are bands of tissue that restrict movement and function. We asked the hospital lactation consultant for her opinion about the lip and tongue ties. Her answer: “I’m not allowed to say anything, but you might want to check out Dr. Ghaheri, a well-known ENT and an authority on infant Tongue Tie in Portland, Oregon.” Having read all the information we could find, we decided to have the baby evaluated for lip and tongue tie. At the one-week visit, the pediatrician referred us to the intown, in-network ENT. When the baby was 2 weeks old, we saw the ENT. He said there was definitely tongue tie present, but it was mild and did not need a tongue tie release. We accepted his recommendation – after all, he was the expert. We felt good about our decision, until… At 3 weeks old, my son showed poor weight gain. He was looking shriveled and gaunt and his body was breaking out 8 OCT/NOV/DEC 2020 | Idaho Family Magazine
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in an -Sacral T re to Thrive t, & Cranio ent of Failu Lactation Consultan tm ea Tr y entist, isciplinar Dis M Multi-D e-Tie) by D ciplin ngu iaar(TyoTr eatment o AAnngk gkylylooglgloossssia f Failure to (Tongue-Ti Thrive in an e) by Denti Exclusively st, Lactatio Breast-fed n Consultan Infant w t, & Cranio -Sacral Ther ith apist
and nurse effectively. The post-procedure diligence and care was a little tricky for several weeks; however, the results were incredible. My wife never had to pump or bottle-feed our son with formula. His incredible transformation was the result of functional breastfeeding without Tongue Tie. To this day he is our best sleeper d Ol ks ee rgery nasal breather. and W 8 Release Su and Lip Tie weeks after surgery) 4 ter Tongue 4 Weeks Af lbs, 6 oz increase in This was a turning point in my career. After – 42 % (3 d 11 lbs, 7 oz 4 Weeks Ol Release Surgery ) Tie seeing such great results in my son, I decided to oz 7 ngue and Lip birth weight 7 lbs, er ys After To 4 Wee3ksDa 3 Days Afte Old 28 % (Only 10 oz ov r Tongue an A – 8 lbs shadow Dr. Ghaheri, undertaking more extensive oz with eczema. weight check revealed ,1 , 1 oz – 28 % (Only 108 lbsd Lip Tie Release Surg oz er bir th weight 7 ery training, and buying a laser of my own. he was only 8 ovounces over birth lbs, 7 oz) 8 Weeks 4 Wee 11 lbs, 7 oz ks After Tongue and Old Lip Tie Relea – 42 % (3 lbs We moved back home to Boise, Idaho, where I weight. The hospital lactation consultant se , 6 oz incre ase in 4 we Surgery eks after su rgery) started my own dental practice dedicated to recommended “Triple Feeding,” a protocol of nursing, Airway Health and Tongue Tie. In setting up my practice, pumping, and bottle feeding formula to get his weight up. I made sure the office and treatment rooms are calm and My wife came home from the hospital in tears, frustrated comfortable with access to International Board Certified and overwhelmed. We looked at each other and said, “We should have gone to Dr. Ghaheri in the first place!” We called Lactation Consultants® (IBCLC®) and private client lounges for breastfeeding immediately after the procedure. Dr. Ghaheri’s office only to find out he was out of town for To date, I have helped hundreds of infants and feel several weeks. incredibly blessed to have helped so many precious infants We were desperate. I considered doing the tongue tie and families experience near-immediate relief from pain release myself with surgical scissors from the dental office. and frustration after the procedure. I am now confident each Dr. Ghaheri’s office called back. They had an approved infant has the best chance for long-term wellness. We use pediatric dentist nearby who could see us the next day. advanced laser technology to fully release your child’s tongue He had shadowed Dr. Ghaheri and had the same laser. I tie in a precise, quick, and sedation-free procedure. watched the lip and tongue tie disappear under the beam of If you and your baby are struggling with any of the the laser. A diamond shape appeared under the tongue, the symptoms related to ‘Tongue Tie’ (as mentioned below), telltale sign of a full release. book a Tongue Tie Release at IdahoTongueTie.com. Within hours after the procedure, our son was able to latch
Does Your Baby Have A Tongue Tie? Baby’s Signs...
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Poor latch Falls asleep while attempting to nurse Colic symptoms Reflux symptoms Poor weight gain Gumming or chewing of the nipple when nursing Unable to hold a pacifier in his or her mouth Short sleep episodes, feeding every 2-3 hours
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Creased, flattened or blanched nipples Cracked, bruised, or blistered nipples Bleeding nipples Severe pain when your infant attempts to latch Poor or incomplete breast drainage Infected nipples or breasts Plugged ducts Mastitis or nipple thrush
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Idaho Family Magazine | OCT/NOV/DEC 2020 9
THE OUTDOORSMAN
Catching a bear is the ‘easy’ part By Chuck Carpenter
I
n the late 1950s my dad worked for the a large cage on a stand with a big ole magpie government, helping livestock producers setting on a perch. He turned his head, fluffed with predator problems. We lived at a up his feathers, and looked at me. Grandma little place called Wolf Creek, Montana. tapped her hand on the side of the cage Early one morning he received a phone call and said, “Say hi, Charlie.” The ole magpie that a black bear had killed a lamb on a small stood on one leg, then the other, cooked his ranch not too far from where we lived. He was head, and with an ole cracked voice just like loading up gear in his pickup when I walked Grandma, said, “ Watch it, watch it.” by. “Do you want to go with me?” he asked. Dad waved me over; I thanked the ole We headed out and were soon headed up gal for the cookies and for showing me her a gravel road into some smaller mountains. magpie. The country was beautiful – big meadows Dad had a bag with some gear in it and a with timbered ridges and brush growing along Chuck Carpenter #5 bear trap. This was back before the foot the creeks. snares came along. The old man had some The little ranch looked like a painting, with a small log wooden panels he had made and we put them over the house, a log barn and a couple of small log outbuildings. fence. Dad made a type of cubby with the panels and put Neat, tight fences were around the yard and the pastures. the remains of the lamb toward the back, then placed a third There was a very manicured garden on one side of the panel on top and wired it all together. He bedded the trap house. There were a couple of horses in one pasture and a in the front of the cubby and put in some guide sticks. He dozen cows with calves in another. anchored the trap chain to a long fence post the old man had When we pulled into the driveway, an elderly man come that was about seven inches in diameter and eight feet long. out of the barn and his wife walked out of the house. After We packed the gear back to the truck. Dad told the folks we my dad introduced himself and me to the couple, the man would be back early in the morning and we headed home. told the story of the black bear problem to my dad. The Dad woke me early the next day and we headed off bear couple’s granddaughter had been involved in the local trapping. When we pulled into the small ranch, everything 4-H club and had raised a lamb she called Freckles. After was a wreck! raising ole Freckles and taking him to the local fair, the girl The bear had come back just before daylight. When he discovered that somebody was going to make lamb chops went to finish off Freckles, he stepped in the #5. He wasn’t a out of him. That wasn’t going to work, so Grandpa paid a monster bear but not a small one either. My dad figured he big price and bought Freckles and brought him home to his weighed 225 to 250 pounds. As soon as he was caught, he house to help mow the lawn. The granddaughter could see jumped the fence and tore down about 20 feet of it. He then him when she came out to visit Grandpa and Grandma. went along the fence and wrapped the trap chain around a “Everything was going good until last night,” said the man. power pole and chewed it off. It was hanging there by the “I think it was a bear that come along and killed and ate part lines. Then he dragged the eight-foot log through the garden of Freckles.” and wiped half of it out and climbed up on the porch and Dad and I followed the man around the house to the tried to climb up on the roof. He had one front foot on the backyard. By one of the small outbuildings was what was edge of the roof, the other in the trap. He was doing oneleft of ole Freckles. There were bear tracks along the fence armed chin-ups and scratching on the screen door with his and a big pile of bear scat not far away. Dad skinned out the hind feet. carcass and looked at the bite marks and trauma. “Yep,” he said, “it’s a bear.” We walked back to the pickup to get some gear. The grandma came out of the house with a plate of cookies and a can of orange pop. I was happy with this arrangement; she made really good cookies. While I was chomping them down, she asked me if I had ever seen a magpie? I told her I had. She said she had a pet magpie and she had taught him how to talk. “Would you like to see him?” she asked. We walked around to the side of the house and there was Continued on Page 15 10 OCT/NOV/DEC 2020 | Idaho Family Magazine
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CALENDAR of Events
Editor’s note: Efforts were made to verify the following events were still planned as of press time. However, things change rapidly and you are advised to check in advance to guarantee they have not been cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation. Also, check our website at idahofamilymagazine.com for updates.
Computer access at Boise Public Library
Limited computer access is available by appointment at the following Boise Public Library branches: • Main Library from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday to Saturday • Library! at Cole & Ustick from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday to Saturday • Library! at Hillcrest from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday to Saturday At each location, library staff will wear masks and gloves and practice social distancing. Equipment will be cleaned between each 45-minute session. Hours and locations may be expanded in future weeks. To make an appointment, visit boisepubliclibrary.org or call 208-972-8200.
Library delivery services
The Meridian Library Home Delivery Service has been delivering books to Meridian residents since May and the program is still going on. Go to the library’s website at mld.org and pick items from its catalog. A full-time delivery driver brings the items to patrons’ homes when the items become available.
Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge
The Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge is located at 13751 Upper Embankment Rd. in Nampa. Although most refuge lands and outdoor spaces have remained open for the public to enjoy, they encourage you to: check local conditions on websites such as fws.gov and call ahead for current information (DFNWR is at 208-467-9278); follow current CDC safe practices.
Children’s Museum of Idaho
The Children’s Museum of Idaho has implemented COVID-19 policies and protocols (see https:// www.cmidaho.org) and is holding KinderCamps for children ages 4-6, with a new adventure each week. The camps are held from 9:30 a.m. to noon Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 790 S. Progress Ave. in Meridian and cost is $75 per camp. Remaining camps include: Inventors Workshop, October 6-8; Earth, Wind, Fire and Ice, October 13-15; Mysteries of Ancient Egypt, October 20-22; Hidden Wonders, October 27-29; Time Travel, November 3-5; and Earth and Space, November 1012. Maximum number of campers is 10. Register at cmidaho.org/events; cut-off for registration is 5 p.m. the Saturday before camp starts. Call (208) 345-1920 for more information.
Beginning October, 2020 Please send family-related calendar items to editorgaye@gmail.com
Foster Care Informational Meetings
Foster Care Informational Meetings, sponsored by Fostering Idaho through the EWU-Family Resource and Training Center, are a great way to learn about the fostering process. Meetings are set to be held on Zoom on the following days and times: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, October 6; 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, November 17; and 6:30 to 8 p.m. Monday, December 14. Pre-registration is required through a Zoom link. To access the link and receive a meeting code, visit the events calendar at https://familyrtc.org/fosteringidaho/events. If you have questions, contact Monique Layton, recruitment coordinator, at (208) 249-0180 or mlayton4@ewu.edu.
WELCOME BACK TO BAM There is plenty of space for physical distancing and quiet contemplation at the Boise Art Museum. Come find joy by connecting with visual art at BAM. Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday
10 a.m. - 5 p.m. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Noon - 5 p.m. Closed
With the health of our visitors and staff as our highest priority, we have made the BAM experience no-touch or low-touch and have enhanced saftey measures throughout the building.
DECEMBER Elf the Musical
Elf the Musical is set to be performed at the Nampa Civic Center December 10-12, with matinee and evening performances. To purchase tickets, go to nampaciviccenter.com; for information about protocols at the center, go to https://nampaciviccenter.com/covid-19-alert/.
JANUARY McCall Winter Carnival 2021
DISCOVER BAM’S ONLINE ART EXPERIENCES Hear from the artists, create hands-on art projects, and learn about exhibitions at BAM through a variety of educational resources.
The McCall Winter Carnival 2021 is tentatively set for January 29-February 7. Stay up to date on the status of the annual event by going to visitmccall.org.
www.boiseartmuseum.org
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Idaho Family Magazine | OCT/NOV/DEC 2020 11
TREATMENTS
A parents’ guide to what’s new in asthma
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By Brian Bizik ith COVID-19 taking most of the health headlines, other medical ailments have been pushed to the news cycle background. One of those conditions is asthma. But that cough you hear might not be the latest virus; it might be asthma, a disease that is frequently worse in the fall and winter months. If you have a child with asthma you know just how scary the disease can be. Even mild asthma can cause wheezing and coughing, making activity or sleeping difficult. As of 2018, 7.7 percent of children in the U.S. had asthma and missed a total of 10.5 million days of school. The cost of asthma treatment and the missed school/work due to asthma is astounding, just under $60 billion dollars a year – over $3,000 for every person in the US. These costs make it the 7th most expensive disease. When it comes to the treatment of asthma in the U.S., the National Institutes of Health has a division called the National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute that is in charge of providing updates on the medications and plans that are best at controlling this chronic disease. The last published update was in 2007, meaning no real change in treatment has been recommended since the year the very first iPhone was released by Apple. That all changed in late 2019.
Just before the medical world was turned upside-down with a virus migrating its way from Wuhan, China, the U.S. released a proposed update to the management of asthma. The changes recommended would dramatically alter how we manage asthma. For almost 50 years the basis of asthma management was albuterol. If you have asthma, have a child with asthma, or have ever seen an inhaler, it was likely albuterol. This quick-relief inhaler provides an ultra-quick way to open up tight lungs, dissolve asthma cough and make wheezes a thing of the past. Just a couple puffs and asthma is gone. Right? Wrong! The latest update made it clear that while albuterol (brand names include Proair, Proventil and Ventolin) is a rapid acting medication and is the clear choice when a swift remedy is needed, it does little to change the course of the asthma state. Specifically, it does nothing to help change the other aspects of asthma – lung swelling (inflammation) and increased mucous production. When the only medication given for asthma is albuterol, the lungs may feel open, but the base asthma problems are not affected. The new recommendations seek to change this “severe over-reliance on albutero.” The updated guidelines also note that patients who over-use albuterol are more likely to end up in the emergency room and more often get admitted to the hospital. The parental take home point: if you Be a legend. have a youngster with asthma who uses Insure your life. their rescue albuterol inhaler more than Be a legend. once a week, on average, they need a Insure your life. second inhaler. This new device is one With the right life insurance, with a medication that can reduce the you can leave a legacy for your family. I’m here to help. inflammation and mucous production LET’S TALK TODAY. With the right life insurance, that accompanies asthma. The second KenKen Wells, Agent With the right life insurance, Wells, Agent leave for is a corticosteroid medication. 600600 N NMidland Blvd you canyou leavecan a legacy for a legacyinhaler Midland Blvd Nampa, ID 83651 Nampa, ID 83651 your family. here to help. yourI’mfamily. I’m here to help. 208-466-4162 Bus:Bus: 208-466-4162 These inhaled anti-inflammatory www.kenwells.net LET’S TALK TODAY. www.kenwells.net LET’S TALK TODAY. medications are very safe, with little getting into the bloodstream yet are State Farm Life Insurance Company (Not licensed in MA, NY or WI) State Farm Life powerful treatments that get to the heart and Accident Assurance Company (Licensed in NY and WI) Bloomington, IL
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12 OCT/NOV/DEC 2020 | Idaho Family Magazine
of asthma and change the disease process. In short, they are not an asthma band-aid. Dr. Neetu Talreja, a board-certified allergist and pediatric asthma and allergy specialist with The Allergy Group in Boise notes, “We want children who have symptoms more than a few times a month to talk with their provider about the possibility of adding in an inhaled corticosteroid to help control their symptoms, not just treating the airway tightness.” The additional inhaler does more than treat the immediate symptoms; it goes further to help stop the tissue swelling that often accompanies asthma flares. “The corticosteroid inhalers work much longer than albuterol and help maintain control of asthma,” added Dr. Talreja. Most children and teens will just keep both inhalers with them at all times, carrying both in their backpack or when at a friend’s house. Like before, they will use their rescue albuterol inhaler when they have symptoms like a cough or wheeze. However, now after their albuterol, they will also take two puffs of the second inhaler. This way they can address all aspects of asthma and make additional problems (asthma flares) less likely to occur. If this as-needed use of both inhalers is not enough to control symptoms, your provider may want to increase use to once or twice daily. Considering we are on iPhone 11 now, these new guidelines have been anticipated for some time and have started to change how we prescribe inhaler mediations. Thankfully most insurance plans and Medicaid cover these anti-inflammatory inhalers with minimal or no co-pays. As we head into the latter part of the year when infection rates and asthma flares rise, it is a good time to talk with your health care provider or asthma specialist. Talk about how often inhalers are used and the asthma symptoms you see. Pay close attention to cough, especially at night, and to problems during activity or exercise as www.idahofamilymagazine.com
these may indicate asthma that is less well controlled than it should be. A wonderful free resource for asthma information is the Asthma and Allergy Network (AAN) – a group started Nancy Sander. In 1985, Nancy was the mother of a young child with asthma. She was frustrated that she could not find patient friendly material on asthma so she started the AAN. It is now one of the most important sources of easy to understand asthma education and free material. You can see their material at allergyasthmanetwork.org. Brian Bizik, MS, PA-C, is Asthma Care Coordinator at Terry Reilly Health Services, Boise and Nampa. He is a Boise area physician assistant with almost 20 years’ experience treating pediatric and adult asthma and may be reached at brianbizik@yahoo.com. References 1 United States Environmental Protection Agency. Asthma Facts. March 2013: http://www.epa.gov/asthma/pdfs/ asthma_fact_sheet_en.pdf 2 Asthma Surveillance Data: https://www.cdc.gov/ asthma/asthmadata.htm
Clearing the air
Continued from Page 5
responses, my words or my silence, my fear or my anger, my mask or my notmask: What story will they tell about this time? The planet is changing. We are changing. And in the fog of smoke and disillusions, we have an opportunity to look up from the mirror and actually glance outside, out of ourselves, out of our own little worlds, and find ways to listen to each other. Because truly? There is no other. There is only us. Humans. And when one forest burns, even many miles away, we all breathe those toxins. The air is ours to share – with our kids, with our friends and neighbors, with the people at the voting booth choosing the ‘wrong’ candidate, with the teachers and the principals and the school board, with all those beloved Amazon drivers. We all need clean air. We all need each other. Always, of course, but especially when the fires burn so fiercely. And now for a blessing. May your thoughts be clear and your heart find
rest. May the night sky remind you that the universe is always expanding and life must expand with it, making room for each other and learning to love those we do not understand. May you know that you are loved by the God of that expanding sky (unless you agree with my daughter’s newfound theology). May your school year be at least slightly above mediocre, may the children remember how to spell, may the teachers be blessed a million times over for coming back to the classroom, and may your family connect each day in a way that matters. May you know you are simply one part of many more, but that still, your part matters very much indeed. Amen. Jessie Horney is a freelance writer and poet. Find her at www. horneymomtellsall.com.
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Idaho Family Magazine | OCT/NOV/DEC 2020 13
CHILD CARE DECISIONS
Good choices impact your child’s future By Cara Johnson-Bader
C
hoosing child care is one of the • Does the school have a policy or philosophy most important decisions you will on guidance and discipline? ever make for your child. Research Health & Safety and Physical increasingly tells us that the first Environment years of a child’s life are critical to shaping his • Are the children properly supervised at all or her future health and development. Hightimes? quality child care and education in the early • Are policies and procedures in place to years can make a positive difference for the keep children safe (entrance security system, future of your child. By making a thoughtful handwashing policies, administration of decision now, you can help your child develop medication policy, etc.)? the skills needed to be successful in school. • Are classrooms clean, safe, and hazard-free? To help you make the best decision for • Do the meals and snacks meet USDA Child your child, researchers have identified quality Cara Johnson-Bader and Adult Food Program guidelines? indicators with information on what to look for Teacher Qualifications and ask about to find out if the program you are considering • Do the teachers have experience in caring for children and a will be a safe, healthy, nurturing, learning environment for minimum of an early childhood credential or higher degree? your child. Below is a handy checklist to assist you in finding • Are the teachers expected to receive ongoing professional the best program for your family. development and training? Interactions • Does the school have long-term staff and teachers • Are the teachers affectionate, responsive, and sensitive to employed? the children?
14 OCT/NOV/DEC 2020 | Idaho Family Magazine
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Curriculum
The Outdoorsman
• Does the program have daily or weekly lesson plans that include a variety of activities – dramatic play, music, outdoor play, reading, science, technology, engineering, art, and math? • Does the curriculum target physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and literacy and language development? • Is there a balance between child-initiated and teacher-directed activities?
Child Assessment
• Does the curriculum include an assessment of the child’s development? • Are parent-teacher conferences offered, allowing parents to visit with the child’s teacher in a focused way about the child’s development and progress and to develop shared plans for educating and caring for the child?
Licensing and Accreditation
• Does the school have a positive reputation in the community? • In addition to state licensing, is the school accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)?
Family Involvement
• Are families welcome to visit at any time and encouraged to participate in activities? • Do teachers use an electronic communication app to share information and photos with families on a daily basis? Whatever decision your family makes about early child care and education, it is vital that your child’s first learning experiences be of the highest quality. Cara Johnson-Bader is the Vice President of Marketing and Parent Experiences at New Horizon Academy and mother of two young boys. Learn more about New Horizon Academy at newhorizonacademy.net.
Continued from Page 10
Grandma thinks my dad is knocking on the door so she opens it and there’s the bear hanging from the roof with one front foot. This ole gal screams bloody murder and scares the daylights out of Mr. Bear and he takes off around the house and in the process tips over ole Charley the magpie’s place of residence, setting it at a 45 degree angle. He makes another run across the garden and wipes the rest of it on the way out. Mr. Bear makes a run at the fence on the other side and hangs up there. By now Grandma is screaming and yelling so loud Grandpa bails out of bed, grabs his trusty ole 3030, runs out the back door in his red long-handles – flap in the back and all – and shoots Mr. Bear in the ribs. By the time we get there, it looks like somebody bombed the place. Grandma is jabbering like a chipmunk, ole Grandpa is in shock, and Charley the magpie is jumping up and down on one leg then the other hollering, “Watch it, watch it, watch it.” I don’t know if ole Charley could say anything but “watch it.” I never heard him say nothing but that. Dad was kind of quiet for a while on the way home. Finally he looked at me, smirked, and said, “Catching a bear is easy, and controlling him after he’s caught ain’t.” Chuck Carpenter, who now lives in Idaho, likes to hunt, fish and trap. He worked on a farm as a boy; then, as an adult, he took a job with the Department of Interior’s Animal Damage Control, now called USDA Wildlife Services. He ultimately became a district supervisor. He retired in 2011.
WEDNESDAY’S CHILD Josh, 17, always pursues the positive
The following information is provided by Wednesday’s Child, an organization that helps Idaho foster children find permanent homes.
Getting to know 17-year-old Josh is such a rewarding experience. Not only will you be amazed at his ability to solve a Rubik’s Cube in under one minute, you’ll see how much his personality and big smile will make you feel like fast friends. Josh has such a resilient attitude, helping him to find the positive in even the toughest of situations. He is funny, kind and outgoing, yet has a calm and quiet way about him as well. He loves Boy Scouts, football, track, and riding bikes, and he is looking forward to joining some team sports once he is adopted. He would love an active family that would take him to the beach for his first time and might be up for an adventure such as skydiving with him. Josh loves all kinds of animals, with wolves being his favorite. You won’t have to force him to eat healthy, as he’s not one for
soda or sweets. However, he will wipe out an entire pizza on his own pretty quickly. Josh and his Permanency Team are searching for either a one- or two-parent family where Josh can be the only child in the home. He would be happy with either a rural or more urban home setting and is fine with whether or not his new family attends church regularly. Even though Josh is 17, he continues to wish to be adopted and is in need of a loving, stable family that can help him transition successfully into young adulthood and beyond. For more information about Josh and other waiting children, visit www.idahowednesdayschild.org.
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Idaho Family Magazine | OCT/NOV/DEC 2020 15
For more information on the Idaho Wednesday’s Child Program, visit www. idahowednesdayschild.org, or contact Recruitment Coordinator Shawn White at swhite52@ewu.edu or cell 208-488-8989 if you have specific questions.
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WE BELIEVE home really is sweet. 16 OCT/NOV/DEC 2020 | Idaho Family Magazine
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