CharlottesvilleFamily November 2013

CharlottesvilleFamily

TM

T O W N & C O U N T R Y L I V I N G AT I T S B E S T

Local Moms Making Parenting Easier & Growing Up Fun!

THANKSGIVING RECIPES FROM US TO YOU TOP-RATED GIFT IDEAS CELEBRATING LOCAL SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS SPECIAL NEEDS GUIDE

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FIND A PRESCHOOL

HOLIDAY OUTINGS

KIDS IN BUSINESS

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volume 14 issue 11

Just Between Us… I enjoy recording all our occasions and holidays — whether it be the first day of school or the Thanksgiving feast. Photos outdoors this time of year somehow have magical lighting, and we have quite a few snapshots that are especially precious: Our oldest not yet a year old in a front pack with daddy up on Skyline Drive. The girls rolling in a pile of leaves with their brand-new, days’ old brother swaddled and propped for a quick photo. All three of the older kids helping their baby brother toddle along some hay bales with a background of clear blue sky.

And last fall, out at Chiles Peach Orchard, I took a photo that perfectly captured everyone’s personality. Our youngest mugged his best smile, pulling his grin wider with his fingers at the corners of his mouth, while his brother reached for a branch he ought to have known better than to climb and their sisters laughed

november 2013

PUBLISHERS Robin Johnson Bethke

Jennifer Bryerton CREATIVE DIRECTOR Robin Johnson Bethke EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jennifer Bryerton TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Peter D. Bethke EDITOR Jennifer Conrad Seidel EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Kelly Robeson GRAPHIC DESIGN

Kathleen Capshaw

Barbara Tompkins SALES TEAM LEADER Pam Whorley SALES ASSISTANT Katie Maillet ADVERTISING SALES

Lee Bibb

Catherine Murphy

Susan Powell CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Becky Calvert, Kelly Casey, Beth Cheuk, Kim Connolly, Rick Epstein, Ranny Levy, Dionna Mann, Ellen Metrick, Lynn Pribus, Kim Seidel, Bob Taibbi, Heidi White ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER Amy Duprey DISTRIBUTION Ray Whitson

at their antics. Those are my favorite shots — the spontaneous interactions that help you to remember the day and the good times you had together.

Last Thanksgiving at the kids’ table we captured a particularly funny shot of the kids, with their pinecone turkey decorations pretending to have a gobbling battle. From a journalist’s standpoint it doesn’t tell a clear story — it looks rather like Thanksgiving gone wrong — but we remember the laughter, and I am quite sure it will be one for the memory books.

Wishing you all magical fall days,

CharlottesvilleFamily™ Magazine and CharlottesvilleFamily.com™ are published jointly by Ivy Publications, LLC. CharlottesvilleFamily. com™ is published weekly online at www.CharlottesvilleFamily. com, the weekly Newsletter is distributed via email, and the Magazine is published in print format 12 times per year along with a CharlottesvilleFamily.com™ Directory. The views and opinions expressed by the writers and advertisers do not necessarily represent those of CharlottesvilleFamily magazine, its officers, staff or contributors. The information presented here is for informational purposes only and although every effort has been made to present accurate information, we do not in any way accept responsibility for the accuracy of or consequences from the use of this information or for the businesses and organizations presented herein. We urge all parents to confirm any information given herein and consult with your doctor or an appropriate professional concerning any information of question. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in part or in whole without the express written consent of the publisher. Copyright ©2013. All rights reserved.

We welcome reader comments, submissions and the support of advertisers!

Please direct all correspondence to Ivy Publications, LLC 4282 Ivy Road, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903 voice 434.984.4713 fax 434.984.4813 www.CharlottesvilleFamily.com editor@IvyPublications.com We reserve the right to refuse or edit any materials submitted to us that we deem inappropriate for our audience. Include a SASE with any submission to be returned. We do not accept responsibility for unsolicited materials.

8

November 2013

Jen Fariello

2004 Community Award Winner

{Contents} TABLE OF

OUR TOWN

LIVING WELL

News 10

The Buzz Around Town 12 Should Children Follow Their Parents’

Dietary Choices?

Our Schools 17

Spanish — At City Schools, It’s Elementary

Bravo! 18

Phil Giaramita

Tips & Trends 34 Fabulous Finds and Fun

RESOURCES

Home & Garden 36 Add Seasonal Glow to

Special Needs Guide 30 Local Resources for Health

Your Holiday Table

and Learning

Guide to Preschools 63 Places to Play, Learn and Grow

November Activities & Events for Families

Editor’s Pick!

Trim That Tree! 25

60

Healthy Family 32 Fever 101

Out & About Calendar 20

Dear Bob 30 Your Parenting Questions Answered

Here’s a trick I still use at fancy dinners: Make OK signs with your hands. The left one is a B for bread plate.

The right is a D for drink.

Read about other table manners on page 60.

Local Farms Offer Holiday Trains, Candy Canes and More

So Love This!

UNTIL NEXT TIME

We’ll Party Like Pilgrims 70 You Can Stay as Long as

We Have Leftovers

For us at the Murphy house, the holidays are just as much about grandma coming to visit as the turkey trimmings and pumpkin pie. Cooking together, making memories, is what makes the holiday meals truly special. Check our my family recipe on page 44.

— Catherine, Advertising Sales

INSPIRATION

Tasty Traditions 40 Thanksgiving Recipes from

Our Table to Yours

Top Gifts for Giving 44 The 2013 National Parenting

Publications Awards Winners in Toys, Games, DVDs & More

Three Cheers for School Volunteers 50

Meet Three Parent Volunteers

36

Buy Local!

Holiday Gift Guide Gifts for Mom & Dad 28 Wellness Gifts 35 Pop-Up Gift Shops 38 Gifts for the Hosts 42 Gifts for Kids 48 Photography & Art Gifts 70

Who Have Made a Lasting Impact

Teaching Your

Preschooler Manners 60 They’re Not Too Young to Be

Polite and Courteous

CharlottesvilleFamily.com

9

{our town community}

NEWS

­the local buzz

IP Presents

Local Teachers Publish Book

Check out the wonderful events

Chris Bunin, a teacher at Albemarle High School, and

we are sponsoring this month!

Christine Esposito, a teacher at Walker Upper Elementary School, collaborated on a workbook for educators

Virginia Gingerbread Christmas

who wish to use digital mapping technology to teach middle school-level U.S. history classes. The workbook,

Accepting entries starting November 1

Toy Lift

“Jamestown to Appomattox Court House: Using GIS Savion Glover

to Teach U.S. History,” covers topics ranging from the

at The Paramount Theater

United States’ first census to the election of 1860. The

November 20

book — a collection of short activities averaging 30 to

December 6

45 minutes each — was made possible by a 2006

Find us on Facebook at

Teaching American History grant awarded by the U.S.

Artwork by Jane Schmidt

Facebook.com/ CharlottesvilleFamily

Department of Education to Bunin and Esposito.

Jafrom Carte Diem Press projects that the book will be released in January 2014.

Cosmetics Entrepreneurs Two Albemarle County students, dissatisfied by the unnatural ingredients found in commercially available make-up products, decided to take the problem into their own hands. The result: Blush Daisy, a line of all-natural make-up products. The two young entrepreneurs, sisters Emma and

Last month at the 17th annual Arthur C. Greene Rising

Julia Wayne, offer a

Star Awards Celebration, the Piedmont Council for the

lip balm collection

Arts honored 18 recipients. Teachers at local public and

including flavors such

private high schools nominated 11th- and 12th-grade

as snow cone, pink

students who displayed excellence in and commitment

frosting and coconut

to the arts. The Rising Star Award recognizes achievement

and peaches. Made

in a wide range of arts genres, including visual arts, film,

for kids by kids, the

drama, music and writing.

lip balms have names

The 2013 Rising Star Award recipients are Peter

Blush Daisy

Rising Stars

inspired by instant

Balcke, Garen Dorsey and Anne Schmidt of Albemarle High

messaging, like LOL (laugh out loud) and ROFL (rolling on the floor

School; Hannah Rose Frobom of Tandem Friends School;

laughing). A portion of the proceeds from Blush Daisy products

Travis Grice, Rachel Poulter-Martinez and Liza Williams

helps to support Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.

of Western Albemarle High School; David Lee and Lainey

Currently the products are only available on the Blush Daisy

Wood of St. Anne’s-Belfield School; Micayle Levine of the

website and at the Charlottesville City Market on select Saturdays,

Renaissance School, Michelle Miles, Patrick Poehailos and

but these young entrepreneurs hope to delve into the local retail

Braelyn Schenk of Monticello High School; Aimee Moody,

scene with lip balm displays at stores around the area. Other

Vail Prior and Danny Wagner of Charlottesville High

ideas in the works include expanding the make-up line to include

School; and Kelli Peed and Jane Schmidt of the Covenant

everything from eye shadows to skin essentials, creating a sleeve to

School. The celebration featured student performances

attach lip balms to backpacks and launching a school fund-raising

along with a reception and a gallery exhibition.

option. Visit blushdaisy.com for more information, including a list of ingredients. (These products are exempt from FDA inspection.)

10

November 2013

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Walk to your morning cup of coffee at the Mudhouse on the Downtown Mall, then pick up fresh local fare for lunch at Feast! or The Main Street Market.

In the evening, head to the Mall or Belmont for dinner and free concerts at Fridays After Five; on Saturday, hit the Farmer’s Market.

Located in the heart of Downtown Charlottesville, The Woods at Burnet Commons is a continuation of the award winning Burnet Commons community developed and built by Southern Development in 2005. Featuring a 1-acre wooded central park, walking trails, and energy efficient homes built to stringent EarthCraft© standards – The Woods is the only single family home, new construction, community within easy walking distance to the vibrant Downtown Mall.

The Woods is different.

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DIRECTIONS:

{our town voices} The

Buzz

AROUND

TOWN Should children follow their parents’ dietary choices?

24% say “yes” 76% say “no” Family time is precious. Same diet means less time preparing meals. Less time preparing means higher probability of shared meals.

Let the kid have a cupcake, even if you are vegan [or] gluten-free. I think kids learn more by our example, not what we tell them to do. Force a kid to be vegan and he may Michelle E., Charlottesville, mother of three dream of the day he can have a big, juicy and business owner cheeseburger!

Lisa H., Charlottesville, mother of twins and expert eater of all foods except beets I think it is important to raise your children on the beliefs of your family. Dietary choices are an important aspect of a It is important to let children make their family’s lifestyle, and by instilling a similar own food choices with parental guidance. diet throughout the family, you give your When you help your children learn to make children a better sense of identity. positive choices on their own…it carries Jenna B., Charlottesville, mother to one boy over in to many aspects of their lives.

Mother of one, teacher of many If the parent has a healthy lifestyle, then definitely yes. If they do not, then obviously the answer would be no. As does the parent so will the child, healthy or not, good or bad — in most cases. We as parents are the example.

I don’t think that the children should have to follow any particular choice other than a healthy choice diet. But I don’t think that the parent should have to cook [or] provide food that she [or] he is uncomfortable with.

Dave, father of two girls

Ann, Ivy, mother of two

For this month’s poll, we had 83 respondents.

Visit CharlottesvilleFamily.com to answer next month’s question:

Are you careful to spend the same amount on each of your own children at the holidays?

12

November 2013

{our town community} SOCA’s Boys U16 Advances

F-Stop

Sports ZONE

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SOCA sent three teams to the Virginia Youth Soccer Association State Cup quarterfinals this fall.

After its 2-0 defeat of No. 2 seed FC Richmond Magic in early October, the SOCA U16 Boys Elite advanced to the VYSA semifinals, scheduled for the final weekend in October (before press time). The team’s victory was hard earned: The team was down a player for most of the game, and FCR has thwarted SOCA’s trip to the State Cup twice in the last three years. Carter Allbaugh and Brendan

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Moyers scored the team’s goals, and keeper Jonathan Whyte maintained the shutout.

On October 19 and 20, the SOCA U17 Girls Elite and U18 Boys Elite teams traveled to Northern Virginia for quarterfinal games.

Unfortunately, neither team was able to advance beyond this round.

Players will now set their sights on the spring State Cup competition.

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13

{our town interview}

SNAPSHOT

Libbey Kitten

Libbey Kitten, Science Coordinator for Charlottesville City Schools (CCS),

Annie Evans

by Lynn Pribus

is very involved with the state and national movements to introduce new technologies and engineering into K–12 science learning. “I spent my career working with grades 6–12,” says Kitten. “I love that I now work with K–12.

So much of our attitude toward learning is formed when we are quite young.” She lives with her husband and two cats in Short Pump, just west of Richmond, but says the commute to Charlottesville is worth it. “Having an opportunity to positively impact children’s views about science during the elementary school years is an extraordinary privilege,” she explains.

What are your current projects?

How can parents kindle an excitement for science in their

Collaborating with the University of Virginia to establish the nation’s first

children?

Laboratory School for Advanced Manufacturing Technologies for grades

Kids are natural scientists. Encourage them to observe, explore and

6–12. UVA students and our science teachers will help our students learn

experiment. Warning: mess and mishaps are part of the process.

science in a meaningful context, using the latest manufacturing technologies.

We’re also working with local businesses on student-created recycling education projects to reduce the amount of landfill waste CCS generates. In addition, we’ll partner with City Schoolyard Garden for the third year — with all six elementary schools plus Buford Middle School — giving our students ongoing, on-site garden-based learning experiences.

What was your favorite book as a child?

“The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” by C.S. Lewis What are you reading now?

“Animal’s People” by Indra Sinha.

What 21st-century technology could you not live without?

Central air and heat. OK, it’s 20th-century, but when I spend time in a thirdworld country, that’s what I appreciate most when I get home.

Why is science important?

Learning to communicate effectively and think critically matter. We need to understand how some technological advances can come with undesirable impacts or ethical dilemmas. If opinions aren’t based on basic scientific principles, our responses will be as ignorant as those who tried to ward off the plague with rose water.

What would you title your memoirs?

Serendipity If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

Teleportation. It would take care of my commute!

What do you like best about living here?

University towns place a premium on education. This is especially important in science, when your goal is to expose children to relatively new and

Whom do you admire?

evolving career fields. The UVA professors are essential in developing the

I admire specific traits more than specific people: kindness, humility, a strong

STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics] courses and lessons

work ethic and a healthy sense of humor.

we envision in CCS. Also, Charlottesville and CCS are committed to green

What’s the best advice your parents ever gave you?

“You can do anything if you persevere.”

initiatives. I’m proud to work in a community that seeks to preserve our natural resources.

What made you excited about science?

In fourth grade, we studied the Black Death. It fascinated me that no one

Lynn loved science, especially physics, in high school and

noticed the rat-flea-plague connection until 1898. I always felt I would have

college. She still likes knowing how things work.

noticed the rat deaths.

14

November 2013

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{our town community} rves a slice of the pie e s e D e n Everyo Blue Ridge Area Food Bank • Albemarle HS Chorus Independence Resource Center • JABA • Salvation Army • SOCA Monticello HS • March of Dimes • SPCA • Goodwill Industries Thomas Jefferson Food Bank • Habitat for Humanity Make A Wish Foundation • Kluge Children’s Rehab Albemarle Fire & Rescue • ARC of the Piedmont Special Olympics • Mosby Foundation Ronald McDonald House • St Judes SARA • Shelter for Help in Emergency

Stickworks Artist Patrick Dougherty visited Charlottesville last month to install a new and unique sculpture on the UVA Grounds.

Dougherty weaves locally gathered saplings and branches to create larger-than-life “Stickworks” — this one in front of UVA’s Ruth Caplin Theatre on the Betsy and John Casteen Arts Grounds. UVA students and community members, including students taking art classes at the Renaissance School, lent a hand in the creation of the sculpture. The recipient of many arts awards, including a National Endowment for the

Thank You for port 32 years of sup back so we can give ity. to our commun

Arts Fellowship, Dougherty has produced more than 200 installations worldwide in the past 30 years, always incorporating the specific nature of each location into his work. for Stickworks, as well as photographs and models of

Ray Sellers,

owner of your local Domino’s

Dougherty’s earlier projects, at UVA’s Fralin Museum of Art through December 22.

“Stickworks” will remain on display for over a year. CharlottesvilleFamily’s sister publication the Charlottesville Welcome Book is proud to support the exhibition. For more information about it and the Fralin’s exhibition on Dougherty, visit virginia.edu/artmuseum.

Learn Moves froM the Guys who have perfected theM.

Local Academies Albemarle High School launched

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its Math, Engineering and Science Academy (MESA) in 2009. This past year, Monticello High School’s Health and Medical Sciences Academy (HMSA) got underway. And in fall 2014, Western Albemarle High School will debut its Environmental Studies Academy. Each four-year academy is a tuition-free program designed

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November 2013

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to prepare students for careers and college studies in these fields.

The number of spots are limited, although Albemarle County students can apply to any academy. Look for open house and application dates at k12albemarle.org.

Renaissance School

Find preparatory drawings

Our Schools uk

by Beth Che

Spanish — At City Schools, It’s Elementary The students call her Ms. Hola or The Hola or Dora (the Explorer). But as long as they’re learning Spanish, teacher Stacy Díaz will answer to any of the above. Díaz joined Charlottesville City Schools in 2008 to initiate an elementary Spanish program to capitalize on children’s strong ability to learn a second language.

“The program was exactly what I wanted,” Díaz says. “In 2008 we began classes for all of the city’s kindergartners and first-graders. When those first-graders moved up, we added second grade, and so on. Now those first-graders are sixth-graders at Walker Upper Elementary School, and I am teaching them Spanish 1

Charlottesville City Schools

for high school credit.”

Through fifth grade, students have Spanish class for thirty minutes, twice a week. The sessions feature games, songs and high-energy activities. By first grade, students begin to write and read in español, using Spanish-language storybooks and accompanying materials. Díaz and her colleagues developed their own curriculum, now sought by divisions across the state and country. Díaz notes, “One of our successes is that we broke down Spanish vocabulary according to when students cover content in their regular classes. So when students study weather, we reinforce that material by teaching them la temperatura. We do this for shapes and colors with younger students or science and mapping skills with older students.”

“I enjoy taking Spanish,” says sixth-grade Darius. “Because I’ve learned some Spanish at school, I can teach phrases to my friends who don’t know any Spanish. I even have friends who don’t know any English, so they can teach me more Spanish, and I can teach them some English.”

His classmate Eliza agrees: “I like it, and I can tell that I’m learning. When I was younger, I couldn’t understand the teacher’s directions to the class in Spanish. I had to wait for it to be repeated in English. Now I understand what she’s saying in Spanish.”

“It’s incredibly rewarding,” concludes Díaz. “Sixth-graders can learn a foreign language. They can learn it very well.”

Beth serves as Community Relations Liaison for Charlottesville City Schools.

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17

{our town volunteers}

Bravo!

An Advocate for Children

Kim Connolly

nolly

by Kim Con

Phil Giaramita, Public Affairs and Strategic Communications Officer for Albemarle County Public Schools, hadn’t realized how sheltered his own life had been until he began volunteering for Piedmont Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), an organization that provides trained volunteers to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children. After 10 years as a volunteer, Giaramita realizes that being a stable, consistent presence in a child’s life can make a profound difference. “These kids have an enormous capacity to love,” he says. “And they have also developed a capacity to survive and achieve. . . . You see a lot of pain but also a lot of optimism. It is not hopeless.”

Like many other new CASA volunteers, Giaramita was initially worried about his emotional capacity when dealing with difficult cases and dysfunctional families. Over time, he learned not to make snap judgments about the families he encounters, because there are so many underlying factors: homelessness, poverty, drug issues and parents who lacked role models of their own.

Piedmont CASA offers ongoing training and support to its volunteers.

971.7515 www.pcasa.org

Giaramita describes CASA volunteers as honest, independent advocates whose loyalty is solely to the child — and who show up when and where they say they will. They build a level of trust with the children and the parents. According to the Piedmont CASA website, volunteers do not need to have experience in the court system, although they are asked to make a one-year commitment.

CASA volunteers’ input is sought by judges in court, and they can be very influential in the

Marketing & Communications

direction of a case. “These children’s lives are significantly better because of a CASA volunteer,” says

at the United Way-Thomas

Giaramita. “It is possible for a single individual to change lives.”

Jefferson Area.

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Kim is the Vice President of

November 2013

434.409.1633

Biz BITS

8

now online

at CharlottesvilleFamily.com • •

•

Now Open Gander Mountain, outdoor

Announcements Congratulations to James R. Stone, DDS

recreation products, 440 Gander Drive,

on his retirement! And welcome to the

gandermountain.com, 326-0007

practice’s new dentist, Barrett W. R.

L’Occitane, beauty products boutique, Shops at Stonefield, loccitane.com.

Peters. The practice’s new name is Piedmont Pediatric Dentistry.

Charlottesville High School alum

Check out the calendar for November family fun.

Mincer’s, UVA-imprinted sportswear,

Are you careful to spend the same amount on each of your own children at the holidays?

Plow & Hearth has reopened its store

Frameri, a new eyewear company

at the Barracks Road Shopping Center.

that offers fashionable frames with

Game Day Restaurant, Bar & Grill,

interchangeable lenses. Frameri, which

Like us on Facebook for a chance to win passes to family attractions, book baskets & more!

sports bar, 2208 Fontaine Avenue,

had a launch party at Chroma Projects

971-1550

on the Downtown Mall, has its business

Shops at Stonefield, mincers.com.

Henry’s Restaurant, American cuisine, 1305 Long Street, 295-7550

and recent University of Virginia grad Ted Lichtenberger has co-founded

office on Elliewood Avenue.

Jordan E. McKay has joined Michie Hamlett Attorneys at Law as an

In next month’s issue: • CharlottesvilleFamily Favorite Award Winners • After-School Activities Guide

associate.

Submit Biz Bits to

Ivy Publications is producing the

editor@IvyPublications.com.

newest edition of the Healthy Living Directory, which it acquired from Birch Studios earlier this year.

CharlottesvilleFamily.com

19

&

{our town calendar}

Out

About November 2013

THANKSGIVING Virginia Thanksgiving Festival

November 3, 12pm at Berkeley Plantation, Charles City Celebrate at the site of the first official Thanksgiving with manor house tours, activities and a living history program. berkeleyplantation.com 888-466-6018

Mini Fall Pie Making Workshop

November 17, 2-4pm at Mudhouse, Crozet Learn new tricks before Thanksgiving and take 4 mini pies home. Ages 13 & up. minipies.eventbrite.com 823-2240

Celebration of Holiday Lights

For more holiday festivals, events and fun, visit our online calendar at CharlottesvilleFamily.com

Poinsettia Open House Thanksgiving on the Mountain

November 28-December 1 at Wintergreen Resort Traditional feasts, the grand illumination of the courtyard, holiday workshops and more family fun. wintergreenresort.com 325-8180

Earlysville 5k Turkey Trot & Kids Run

November 28, 8:30am kid’s race, 9am 5K at 600 Earlysville Forest Drive, Earlysville Kids can enjoy a free half-mile race. Walkers are welcome. Benefits the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. charlottesvillemultisports.com

HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS

The Boar’s Head Turkey Trot

Virginia Gingerbread Christmas Gingerbread House Competition

November 28, 9am at The Boar’s Head Inn Before the big feast, run or walk the 5k course to raise money for the UVA Children’s Hospital. Registration. dominiondigital.com/TurkeyTrot 972-2237

Now through December 2 at the Omni Hotel The theme is “Stage and Screen: Favorite Movie or Play.” Registration is due by Dec. 2. CharlottesvilleFamily is a proud sponsor! virginiagingerbreadchristmas.com 825-3082

Annual Club at Ironwood Turkey Trot

A Christmas Carol

November 28, 9am at Club at Ironwood, Verona Strollers and kids are welcome at this 5K run/ walk to benefit the Valley Children’s Center. turkeytrotatironwood.com 540-290-4427

November 25-January 5, 5-11pm at Gypsy Hill Park Enjoy a drive through the 214 acre park aglow with charming nighttime scenes. celebrationoflights.org

November 22-December 15 at Four County Players, Barboursville Scrooge travels through his past, present and future to learn the true meaning of Christmas. fourcp.org 540-832-5355

November 29 & 30 at Milmont Greenhouses Enjoy Brunswick stew, free homemade donuts, door prizes and more. milmont.com 540-943-8408

Barracks Road Annual Holiday Parade

November 29, 9:30am at Barracks Road Shopping Center Enjoy this hometown parade with costumed characters, antique cars, live animals, floats, local celebrities, marching bands and more! barracksroad.com 977-0100

Junie B. Jones Christmas

November 29, 6:30pm at The Paramount Theater How can Junie B. enjoy the holidays after drawing her arch nemesis, Tattletale May, for her Secret Santa Gift? theparamount.net 979-1333

Charlottesville’s Grand Illumination

November 29, 6pm at the Downtown Mall Festivities include the grand illumination of the community Christmas tree, as well as kids’ activities at Winter Wonderland on Second Street from 5-7pm. downtowncharlottesville.net 825-3082

Snow’s Holiday Open House

Montpelier Hunt Races

November 30, 8:30am-5pm at Snow’s Garden Center Enjoy hot cider, holiday cookies and meet Santa while you choose your perfect Christmas tree or greenery. snowknows.com 295-2159

Great Russian Nutcracker

December 1, 3pm & 7pm at The Paramount Theater See visions of sugarplum fairies as 40 members of Moscow Ballet present the holiday classic “The Nutcracker.” theparamount.net 979-1333

Toy Lift

Steeple Chase

Montpelier Hunt Races November 2, 9am-6pm at Montpelier See page 12

December 6, 7am-8pm at Fashion Square Mall Bring an unwrapped new toy or make an online donation to help make a local child’s holiday bright! CharlottesvilleFamily is a proud sponsor! kidslift.org 975-8697 Continued on page 22

20

November 2013

360 AC R E FA R M I N G E S TAT E LO C AT E D L E S S T H A N 1 O M I N U T E S F R O M U VA

34+ ACRES IN ALBEMARLE COUNTY

HILLTOP FARM $4,495,000 A 360 acre estate located less than 10 mins from UVA, Hilltop Farm enjoys panoramic views of the surrounding hills, plus Ragged & Blue Ridge Mountains. The immaculate, Johnson, Craven and Gibson-designed residence, accessed via one mile drive that traverses hundreds of acres of rolling pastureland, provides 6-BR and 5.5-BA w/gorgeous views from most windows. The setting of this quality residence is truly breathtaking in all directions.

The siting of the house in the middle of the abundant acreage provides total privacy, tranquility & protection just a quick drive from all that Charlottesville & UVA have to offer. MLS# 514115 A F F O R D A B L E D E TAC H E D H O M E

4090 BROCKS LANE • $725,000 15 minutes to Downtown this solid built brick home offers wonderful livability including a first floor master suite with a cozy fireplace and private master bath, huge family room with wood burning fireplace and an open kitchen/living room/dining room which overlooks a gorgeous in-ground pool surrounded by lush plantings. Situated on over 34 private acres with wonderful views the property offers a private guest house with its own well and septic. Lindsay Milby (434) 962-9148. MLS# 512526

C H A R M I N G 1925 R E N O VAT E D FA R M H O U S E

GREAT HOME IN CONVENIENT LOCATION

708 NASSAU STREET • $125,000

775 RIDGE STREET • $249,900

1503 WILTON FARM RD • $192,000

Currently one of the most affordable detached homes in the City of Charlottesville. 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom home has been freshly painted, ideally located only minutes from I-64, PVCC, & the Monticello Trail. Only 6/10th of a mile to popular restaurants such as Beer Run, Belmont Pizza, Mas Tapas, The Local, and Tavola. Do not miss this opportunity to own a city home for a reasonable price!

Harmony Li Thurston (434) 996-0006. MLS# 513670

Located on historical Ridge St. within walking distance to UVA & Downtown Mall. Off-street parking for 2 cars, large private backyard & unfinished basement that could be finished for more living space. Updated interior - hardwood floors, butcher block counters, stainless steel appliances, glass tile backsplash & ceiling fans. R-1S zoning will support primary residence & addition of accessory apartment on large lot. Amy Toomy (434) 996-0394. MLS# 509904

Located within walking distance of Darden Towe Park and the Rivanna River Trail. Convenient to Martha Jefferson Hospital, UVA’s campus and hospital system.

2 miles of I-64, 1 mile from 250 bypass. Main level ensuite master, all bedrooms with large walk-in closets, spacious, shady backyard and deck, loft area upstairs as well as separate laundry room. No HOA fees!

Lisa Lyons (434) 987-1767. MLS# 513461

GATED SPRING CREEK COMMUNITY

79 AC R E S 12 M I N U T E S W E S T O F TO W N I N A L B E M A R L E

SUNNYSIDE $1,695,000

65 BLUE RIDGE TER • $364,900 This bright, airy beauty is a must-see. Open layout features HW floors, vaulted, tray, & coffered ceilings, wainscoting, eat-in kitchen with granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances, formal DR & study w/builtin shelves. 3 bedrooms & 3 bathrooms, large garage.

Spring Creek residents enjoy golf course, pool, fitness center, playground, tennis courts, and a security gate. Christine Lisle (434) 825-7446. MLS# 513711

401 Park Street Charlottesville, VA 22902

Sunnyside will make you feel like you have taken a mini vacation when you arrive home, and yet this totally tranquil, private 79 acre property is only 15 minutes to UVA, Farmington, and Downtown. The extremely well constructed 4 bedroom home enjoys drop-dead Blue Ridge Mountain views from every room and the wraparound porch. Complete with a luxurious immaculate guest cottage, 2 attractive detached garages with a total of 4-5 bays, and a woodworking area, plus dog kennels.

(434) 977-4005 lwoodriff@loringwoodriff.com

W W W . L O R I N G W O O D R I F F. C O M

{our town calendar} Family Day at the Virginia Film Festival

Dallas Children’s Theater

November 9, 9am-3pm at UVA’s Arts Grounds Attend a screening of “Peter Pan,” explore the Interactive Arts Fair and the instrument petting zoo, meet the megasize special effects creatures and more. virginiafilmfestival.org 982-5277

Shenandoah Uncorked

November 9, 10am-4:30pm at Yellow Barn at Shenandoah Caverns Enjoy live music, kid’s activities and more at this indoor/outdoor family-friendly festival. shenandoahuncorked.com 540-477-2432

MARKETS & SALES

Kid’s Classic

Stuart Little November 12, 5:30pm at The Paramount Theater See page 24

City Market

Now through December, 8am-1pm Saturdays at Second and Water Streets charlottesville.org 970-3260

WVPT Online Holiday Auction

FESTIVALS

Apple Harvest Festival

Montpelier Hunt Races

November 2, 9am-6pm at Montpelier Experience world-class steeplechase horse races! Enjoy the Jack Russell Terrier races, kids’ stick-horse races and Vendors Row. montpelierraces.org 540-672-0014

November 2, 10am-5pm at Rural Ridge Farm Go on a hayride, look at crafts, taste apples, watch old-fashioned apple butter cooking and cider pressing, tour the cidery and learn about growing fruit. albemarleciderworks.com 297-2326

November 5-19 auction.wvpt.net

Tandem Friends School Tag Sale

November 9 & 10, 7:30am-4pm Saturday, 10am-3pm Sunday at Tandem Friends School tandemfs.org 296-1303

presents

Saturday, December 21 •11:00am & 3:30pm Sunday, December 22 • 2:00pm & 5:00pm V. Earl Dickinson Building at Piedmont Virginia Community College To reserve your tickets for The Nutcracker Suite and our other holiday events, visit

www.CharlottesvilleBallet.org Box Office: 434.227.7592 Email: tickets@charlottesvilleballet.org Tickets starting at $20

22

November 2013

Mistletoe Market 2013

Sunday, November 17, 2013 The Boar’s Head 10 am – 5 pm

clothing, jewelry, gifts, toys, gourmet foods, home furnishings & more Tickets: $5 per guest (children under 10 free) Tickets available at the door or online at www.jlcville.org Ivy Publications is a proud sponsor of Mistletoe Market 2013

Friends of the Library Fall Book Sale November 9-17, 10am-7pm at Gordon Avenue Library jmrlfriends.org 977-8467

Mistletoe Market

November 17, 10am-5pm at The Boar’s Head jlcville.org

Alternative Gift Fair

November 29, 12pm at The Paramount Theater theparamount.net 979-1333

The Great Mouse Detective (G)

November 4, 3:30pm at Central Library Enjoy fresh popcorn and a movie on the big screen. Bring a blanket and pillows. jmrl.org 979-7151

Northside Players Drama Club November 4, 4-5:30pm at Northside Library Explore improv, story theater, and puppetry, play fun theater games and more. No experience necessary. Grades 3 & up.

Registration. jmrl.org 973-7893

Green Valley Book Fair

November 29-December 15 at 2192 Green Valley Ln., Mt. Crawford gobookfair.com 800-385-0099

STAGE & SCREEN

For more holiday festivals, events and fun, visit our online calendar at CharlottesvilleFamily.com

Stickwork Ongoing at UVA Arts Grounds Patrick Dougherty, renowned for site-specific sculptures made of locally harvested twigs and saplings, created a unique work of art in front of UVA’s Ruth Caplin Theatre. A corresponding exhibition at UVA’s Fralin Museum of Art will be on display until Dec. 22. virginia.edu/artmuseum 924-3592

Stuart Little

November 12, 5:30pm at The Paramount Theater A mouse born into an ordinary New York City family, Stuart Little’s life becomes a series of adventures as he learns to survive in the super-sized human world. theparamount.net 979-1333

Best of Both Worlds Competition

November 16, 4-6pm at The Paramount Theater Some of the best regional and non-regional step and dance teams compete for cash and the ultimate bragging rights. theparamount.net 757-263-0068

Savion Glover

November 20, 8pm at The Paramount Theater A Tony-winning hoofer, choreographer and producer, Glover’s credits include Broadway shows and movies such as Happy Feet. Ivy Publications is a proud sponsor! theparamount.net 979-1333

PVCC Chorus Free Fall Concert Barefoot Puppets: Ooey Gooey Poetry

November 12, 10:30am at Central Library This lively puppet show features timeless classics including “The Three Little Kittens” and “Little Miss Muffet.” Best for ages 3 & up. jmrl.org 979-7151

November 24, 3pm at PVCC’s Dickinson Building Enjoy a variety of music ranging from Renaissance composers to today’s jazz standards and show tunes. pvcc.edu 961-5376

2013 Virginia Gingerbread 10 al Christmas Events nu An th

Friday - Sunday 10-5

©

Sign up for the Gingerbread House Competition Nov.1-Dec.2! Forms available on our website.

Winter Wonderland Preview & Ticket Sales at Grand Illumination Nov. 29 at Central Place on the Downtown Mall

Winter Wonderland

Dec. 5-8 at The Omni | Grand Opening: Dec. 5, 4-7 pm Gingerbread House Village, visits with Santa, and more.

Check the website for Santa’s schedule! Free.

St. Nicholas Reception

Monday - Sunday 9-5

Dec. 8, 3-4:30 pm at The Omni See the winners of the Gingerbread Competition receive their awards. Last chance to visit with Santa before he heads back to the North Pole to rest up for his Christmas Eve journey. Free.

Mrs. Claus Invites... YOU!

Dec. 12, 4-6 pm at The Omni Party with the Elves and Santa’s friends.

Reservations required. Tickets $8.00 each.

NEW! Gingerbread Trail

Dec. 10-21 (see website for details)

The Gingerbread Express

Dec. 13-14 & 20-21 at The Virginia Discovery Museum. Leaves the station at 6 pm, 7 pm, 8 pm Enjoy the magic of Charlottesville’s Holiday Lights. Reservations required! Tickets are $5 per person.

For details and updates, visit:

VirginiaGingerbreadChristmas.com | 434.295.9073 Join us on Facebook and Twitter

CharlottesvilleFamily.com

23

{our town calendar}

Charlottesville

eene Meadow r G s Farm A Traditional Christmas Experience

Holiday Market

Less than 30 minutes from Charlottesville!

& cut:

White Pine White Spruce Canaan Fir

fresh pre-cut

Frazer Fir Concolor Fir

plus wreaths • swags garland •centerpieces

located at Water St. & South St.

Open the Friday after Thanksgiving until Christmas Eve

Visit the Christmas Shop to help outfit your perfect tree.

Visit the lambs & calves in our Petting Zoo while enjoying a complimentary cup of hot cocoa or cider, a candy cane and coloring book.

Fri., Sat., Sun. 10 am - 5 pm

434.990.1999

www.greenemeadowsfarm.com

ind the F perfect tree!

All Virginia Fresh Cut Fraser Fir & White Pine Wreaths Roping

Sponsored by the City of Charlottesville Parks & recreation...

Creating lifetime experiences!

970-3260

www.charlottesville.org 24

November 2013

17th Annual 5K Run for Shelter November 2, 8am at the Downtown Mall This annual run in downtown Charlottesville benefits the Shelter for Help in Emergency.

Walkers are welcome! shelterforhelpinemergency.org 963-4676

Heart Walk

choose

Saturdays 8am-1pm, Nov 30-dec 21

SPORTS & OUTDOORS

1st batch of trees arrive Thanksgiving Week

November 2, 9:30am at UVA Research Park This family-friendly walk is designed to promote physical activity and heart-healthy living. charlottesvilleheartwalk.org

UVA Football

November 2 & 30, time TBA at UVA’s Scott Stadium Cheer on our ‘Hoos at home as they take on Clemson (Nov. 2) and Virginia Tech (Nov. 30). virginiasports.com

ATA Board Break-A-Thon

November 9, 11am-1pm at ATA Leadership Martial Arts The festivities include food, games, prizes, face painting, demonstrations and board breaking. ataleadershipma.com 973-3000

Fee Free Days at Shenandoah National Park

November 9-11 at Shenandoah National Park Enjoy the park without having to pay an entrance fee in observance of Veterans Day weekend. nps.gov 540-999-3500

LEARNING FUN Toddler Time with Monticello

November 1, 8, 15 & 22, 9:30-10am at Monticello In this series, join toddlers and their adult companions for story time, crafts and special activities. monticello.org 984-9880

Paperback Party!

November 2, 2pm at Central Library Bring a gently used paperback to donate and enjoy crafts, prizes, storytime, dancing and cake. jmrl.org 979-7151

Magic Pots & Recycled Bottles

Go where the growing’s good afton mountain

amFOG

Farm • Orchard • Greenhouse

9264 Critzer Shop Road 540-456-7100 Find us in the beautiful Rockfish Valley of Afton, VA. 20 minutes West of Charlottesville.

On the right just before Blue Mountain Brewery

November 4, 2-3pm at Central Library From paper towel rolls to glitzy bangles!

Learn how to make treasure out of trash with Kathleen Jacobs. jmrl.org 979-7151

Civil War Trail & Farm Walking Tour

November 16, 2pm at Montpelier, Orange Carve a path through archaeological remains of a Confederate camp to a reconstructed camp street. Conclude at the Gilmore cabin and farm. montpelier.org 540-672-2728

Trim That Tree!

Local Farms Offer Holiday Trains, Candy Canes and More.

Boys’ Home Christmas Tree Farm, West Augusta 540-939-4106 boyshomeinc.org Choose from Norway Spruce, Eastern White Pine and Scotch Pine.

Baling and loading available. Hours: November 29-December 21; Friday-Sunday, 10am–4pm Claybrooke Farm, Louisa 540-872-3817 claybrookefarm.com Cut your own Blue Spruce, White Spruce, Leyland Cypress and some firs. Warm up with complimentary hot cider and enjoy a wagon ride to the fields. Offers tree shaking, loading assistance, saw and close parking. Hours: November 29-December 1, 10am-5pm.

Davis Creek Tree Farm, Lovingston 263-8762 daviscreektreefarm.com Choose and cut White Pines, Concolor Firs and Canaan Firs. Saw and twine available. Call ahead to schedule your visit. Hours: November 29-December 23; Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-4pm.

Foxfire Christmas Tree Farm, Scottsville 286-3445 foxfireva.net Choose and cut Norway Spruces, Douglas Firs and a limited number of pines. Wreaths, saws, twine, baling and loading available. Fresh wreaths and garland, too. Hours: November 22-December 23; Wednesday-Monday, 9am-5pm; Tuesday by appointment.

Greene Meadows Tree Farm, Stanardsville 990-1999 greenemeadowsfarm.com Choose from White Pine, Blue Spruce, White Spruce, Red Cedar and Canaan Fir or fresh, pre-cut Fraser Fir and Concolor Fir. Fresh wreaths, centerpieces, swags and garland. Hours: November 23-December 24; Friday-Sunday, 10am-5pm. See ad page 24.

The Market at Grelen, Somerset 540-672-7268 themarketatgrelen.com Pre-order a Virginia tree to pick up after Thanksgiving and choose from a selection of handmade wreaths. Live animals to pet and an antique sleigh for photo opportunities. Santa stops by on Saturdays. Roping available. Visit website for pre-order form.

Hours: 9am-5pm Tuesday-Saturday, 11am-4pm Sunday.

See ad page 43.

Thinkstock

amFog, Afton 540-456-7100 Pick up a fresh cut Fraser Fir or White Pine tree or a holiday wreath. Roping is available. The first batch of trees will arrive Thanksgiving week. Call for times. See ad page 24.

Oak Shade Farm, Rixeyville 540-937-5062 oakshadefarm.net Choose from Norway Spruce and White Pine. Stroll along walking trails, warm up with free cider and homemade cookies, visit with bunnies and chickens. Saws, baling and tying available. Hours: November 29-December 24; Tuesday-Sunday, 9am-5pm.

Peper’mint Christmas Tree Farm, Culpeper 540-825-4693 virginiachristmastrees.org Enjoy hot cider, candy canes and mountain views. Cut your own tree and select wreaths, swags and garland, made fresh daily.

Hours: November 29-first two weekends in December; 10am4:30pm Saturday & Sunday.

Spruce Rock Farm, Brightwood 703-759-3039 virginiachristmastrees.org Cut your own Blue Spruce, Scotch Pine, and Douglas Firs, or select from pre-cut Fraser Firs. Free tree shaking, baling, hot cider and chocolate. Cash or checks only. Hours: November 29-December 23; 10am-4pm Saturday & Sunday, weekdays by appointment.

Stonehearth Christmas Tree Farm, Madison 540-547-2576 Cut your own White, Scotch and Red Pines, and Canaan Firs. Also crafts, wreaths and garland for purchase. Saws, twine and tree shaker available. Kids get candy canes and a free coloring book.

Hot chocolate and cider, and model trains running on weekends.

Hours: November 29-December 23; 9am-5pm Saturday & Sunday, call for weekday hours.

CharlottesvilleFamily.com

25

{our town calendar} Be an Opera Star

November 21, 4pm at Northside Library Get a behind-the-scenes look with Ash Lawn Opera at “Amahl and the Night Visitors” through hands-on and interactive activities.

Registration. Grades 2 & up. jmrl.org 973-7893

ESPECIALLY FOR TEENS

It Only Takes

ONE

High School Essay & Youth Poetry Contests

to make a difference this holiday season!

2013 TOY LIFT Friday, December 6, 2013 | 975-TOYS | kidslift.org

Poinsettia Open House Friday, November 29 & Saturday, November 30 Open 8:00 - 5:30 MOn - Fri 8:00 - 5:00 Sat

located on rt 340 about 3.5 miles south of i-64.

brunswick stew, free homemade donuts, door prizes & more!

Visit www.milmont.com for the latest updates on specials and details for the open house.

(540) 943-8408 • milmont@milmont.com

www.milmont.com

Don’t Miss It!

Now through November 5 Presented by the National Garden Club, the essay contest is open to students in grades 9-12 and the youth poetry contest is open to grades K-9. See website for themes and entry rules. gardenclub.org 979-9900

Writer’s Eye Contest

Now through November 15 at UVA’s Fralin Museum of Art This annual competition challenges youth in grades 3-12, UVA students and adults to submit original poetry and prose inspired by works on view in the Museum. virginia.edu/artmuseum 924-3592

Minute to Win It Madness

November 20, 7pm at Gordon Avenue Library Compete Minute to Win It challenges inspired by the game show and test your mettle against your peers. Registration. Grades 6-12. jmrl.org 296-5544

Teen Cosmic Sci-Fi Spectacular

November 22, 7-8:30pm at Crozet Library Celebrate the release of “Catching Fire” and the 50th anniversary of the Dr. Who series with crafts, trivia, debate and more.

Registration. jmrl.org 823-4050

Teen Screen Movie Special

November 23, 2-2:30pm at Gordon Avenue Library Play Hunger Games trivia to win a ticket to see the “Catching Fire” movie. Afterward, watch the first movie in the series! jmrl.org 296-5544

ESPECIALLY FOR PARENTS Camp Holiday Trails Open House November 2, 9am-12pm at Camp Holiday Trails campholidaytrails.org 977-3781

Online Bidding November 5-19 Start your holiday shopping season in style at

auction.wvpt.net 26

November 2013

Birth Matters VA’s Awards & Fundraiser November 3, 1-5pm at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, Richmond Explore the garden and enjoy a day of birth advocacy with special guest Abby Epstein. birthmattersva.org 528-5458

CharlottesvilleFamily.com

27

{our town calendar} Renaissance School Open House

November 4 & 5 at Renaissance School renaissanceschool.org 984-1952

Come See Us in Action Day

Buy Local!

Holiday Gift Guide GIFTS FOR MOM & DAD

November 5, 9am-11:30pm at Tandem Friends School tandemfs.org 951-9314

Charlottesville City School Board Meeting November 7, 5pm at Charlottesville High School ccs.k12.va.us 245-2400

MESA Open House

November 7, 5-7pm at Albemarle High School k12albemarle.org Crutchfield See ad page 49 Happy Cook See ad page 41 Meadowbrook Pharmacy See ad page 68 Paramount Theater See ad page 28

Learn, Connect, Hope, Thrive Conference

November 9, 8am-6pm at Holiday Inn Roanoke-Tanglewood A conference for professionals and parents of special needs children. connections4children.com 823-2199

Big For a Day

November 9, 1-3pm at Bellair Farm Join in fall-themed activities and fun as you see what Big Brothers Big Sisters has to offer.

Each volunteer will be matched with one child. blueridgebigs.org 244-0882

SAVION GLOVER

The Paramount Theater

November 20 8pm

Regents School Open House

November 12, 5:30-7pm at Regents School of Charlottesville regents-school.org 293-0633

What New Parents Need to Know

November 12, 6-8pm at UVA’s McLeod Hall Parents to be are invited to a special night including refreshments, door prizes and short talks with UVA Physicians. healthsystem.virginia.edu 924-9920

Fall Open House for Prospective Parents November 14, 9-11am at Grymes Memorial School grymesschool.org 540-672-101

Albemarle County School Board Meeting November 14, 6:30pm at Albemarle County Office Building, Lane Auditorium k12albemarle.org 972-4055

Mindfulness in Teaching and Learning

November 20, 7pm at Tandem Friends School Irene McHenry, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Friends Council on Education in Philadelphia and author of “Tuning In: Mindfulness in Teaching and Learning” presents a lecture. tandemfs.org 296-1303

Submit your local events online at CharlottesvilleFamily.com or email them to Calendar@IvyPublications.com.

In search of the perfect Christmas gift?

A unique commissioned silhouette of your child, photographed in exact profile.

Parents love it! Grandparents love it!

Our sitting fee of $100 includes two archival 5x7 prints. Larger print sizes available.

www.theparamount.net 434.979.1333 215 East Main Street Charlottesville, VA 22902

Thank you to for sponsoring this event

PLUS Sunday Family Movies

and much more!

Margo L. Hamilton / photographer Studio Zer0 / McGuffey Art Center 201 2nd. St. NW Charlottesville, VA 22902 email: studiozerocville@gmail.com

434-242-8186

28

November 2013

1

Organic Olive Oil Skin Care made in C’ville brigittrueorganics.com

2

Current consignment + jewelry shopatdarling.com

3

jean theory: new and inherited premium denim www.jeantheory.com

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{living well dear bob}

Expert Advice Your Parenting Questions Answered Last year, the large family holiday dinner was very stressful for our family. Our middle child, who has Asperger’s, had quite a tantrum. Is it OK for me to stay behind this year with him and let my

Dear Bob

spouse and other children attend without us? — Della, Keswick

by Bob Taibbi

I can understand your worry and

off into a bedroom and playing on his iPad

desire to avoid another such incident from

or reading a book, for example — or perhaps

happening again this year. Of course, you can

staying for only a portion of the dinner itself

stay behind with your son, but I’m concerned

and excusing himself after he eats.

that while this may be a short-term remedy,

Once you agree on a plan, contact

it doesn’t help your son and it doesn’t help

your host and let her know what you have

your relatives become closer to your son. I

decided and need — the ability to find a quiet

think there are things you can do to help him

space, leaving the table early and so on — so

not reach the tantrum stage.

she knows what to expect. And finally on

You don’t say how old your son is,

the holiday day, review the plan one more

but I’d start by talking with him ahead of

time with your son, and then check in with

time about the upcoming holiday visit. Ask

him frequently just to see how he is doing.

if he remembers what was hard for him

It could also be beneficial to spend time

last year. I’m guessing that he may have

preparing your family. They’ll likely welcome

felt overwhelmed by the commotion and

suggestions on how they can support your

may have had a hard time following all the

son on the big day.

conversations going on at one time. See if

The goal here is to be proactive and

you both can come up with a plan. This may

preventative. If both the family and your

involve spending one-on-one time with a

son know what to expect and he has ways

cousin that he likes, or taking a break when

of re-centering before he gets overwhelmed,

he starts to feel overstimulated — going

WANT TO ASK BOB A QUESTION? Email your parenting concerns and queries to editor@IvyPublications.com.

Yours might be included in an upcoming issue!

everyone will enjoy the peace-filled holiday.

SPECIAL NEEDS GUIDE Local Resources for Health and Learning HEALTH & SAFETY

LEARNING & GROWING

Albemarle Therapy Center See ad page 31

Connections Achievement and Therapy Center See ad page 31

Heppner Family Chiropractic See ad page 54 Infant & Toddler Connection See ad page 31 Piedmont Pediatric Dentistry See ad page 37

Hidden Creek Farm See ad page 68 Life’s Work with Etta Legner See ad page 31 Peabody School See ad page 63

Bob is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Charlottesville with over 38 years of experience as a clinician, supervisor and clinical director. He is the author of five books and more than 200 magazine and journal articles. bobtaibbi.com

30

November 2013

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31

{living well healthy family}

Fever 101 Why Fevers Happen and Why There’s Nothing to Fear

Children are great at sharing germs, especially during the cooler months when they spend a lot of time in close quarters. Chances are good that your child will end up with a fever at some point this season. You may find yourself worrying that this elevation in body temperature will cause your child permanent harm, but that’s very unlikely to happen. In fact, a fever is usually a sign of a healthy immune system doing its job.

“A fever can actually be a good thing to help the body fight off infection,” says UVA Thinkstock

Children’s Hospital pediatrician Emily Wong. “Parents do not need to be afraid of a fever. The fever itself is not a dangerous thing.”

A fever is a symptom of an underlying condition. The most common cause of fever is a viral infection, such as influenza or hand, foot and mouth disease. Bacterial infections — such

Healthy Family

as strep throat, ear infections or pneumonia — account for many fevers as well. Children also

32

November 2013

by Kelly Casey

may develop low-grade fevers following vaccinations.

Many parents first detect a fever when kissing or lightly touching their child’s forehead.

But for an accurate and quick assessment, Wong recommends using a digital thermometer: a rectal digital thermometer for infants and toddlers under 2 years old and an oral (underthe-tongue) digital thermometer for cooperative children over 3. Ear and under-the-arm thermometer readings are less reliable.

It’s only natural to want your child to get well quickly, but experts say it’s not always necessary to treat a fever. Instead of worrying about how high the fever is, closely observe your child’s behavior and activity level. Is he drinking plenty of fluids?

Is she breathing normally? Is he alert? Does she know who you are and

WHAT’S THE CORRECT DOSAGE TO GIVE? Should you give your child feverreducing medication? Refer to the American Academy of Pediatrics website at healthychildren.org and consult with your doctor whenever possible.

respond appropriately to questions?

These observations will help you decide whether to administer medicine to your child. “The fever itself is not harmful to the child, so it’s not necessary to give medication for it,” Wong says. “If the child is uncomfortable from the fever and not drinking or not able to sleep, then there can be benefits to giving medication.”

Infants under 3 months old with a temperature of 100.4° F (38.0°C) or higher should be seen by a doctor. For older infants and children, consult your pediatrician for fevers lasting more than three days. Also call the doctor if your child has a fever accompanied by symptoms such as a stiff neck; severe headache, sore throat or ear pain; an unexplained rash; or severe diarrhea or vomiting.

Many parents are concerned about febrile seizure, a convulsion in a

child (aged 9 months to 5 years) triggered by a fever. This may occur at a fever’s onset or as it spikes higher, but it is usually brief and does not cause permanent damage. Even so, consult your child’s doctor if one occurs to make sure the child is stable and to rule out other types of seizures.

Most children’s illnesses are short-lived and best treated with plenty of rest and fluids to prevent dehydration. And always some of the best medicine — a little TLC from mom and dad.

Kelly is a medical writer for the University of Virginia Health System.

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{living well tips & trends} GARLIC & SAPPHIRES As Thanksgiving approaches and food becomes the topic of conversation, this entertaining memoir by Ruth Reichl — in which she adopts the persona of an undercover food critic in Manhattan — draws us into the experience of food hype at its best, thus putting our own

&

holiday meals happily into perspective.

Kitchen Confidential According to a study released earlier this year, one in five women says her man cooks the majority of meals in their home. A separate British study found the average guy is now cooking three dinners a week. (Where are these guys when we need them!)

$16 at Meadowbrook Pharmacy

Tips

by Heidi White

Holiday meal planning begins sometime before Thanksgiving and often ends after the New Year. Take some of the stress out of meal preparation this year and consider these suggestions:

1. Appetizers are not a necessary part of a holiday meal.

2. Make recipes ahead that can be refrigerated or frozen.

3. Holidays are for comfort food — not time to experiment with new dishes.

Thinkstock

LESS-HARRIED HOLIDAY EATING

TRENDS

4. Make a list of favorites and then cross items off. No one needs seven vegetable sides.

5. Accept others’ offers to bring food for the occasion.

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November 2013

Where do I find time to exercise during the extra-busy holiday season?

Multitask and be prepared! Do lunges or squats while baking cookies, speed walk around the

Thinkstock

Q A

Time for Fitness mall before shopping or turn on music and just dance. Keep a bag of workout clothes and shoes in the car, and you’ll be prepared at any moment to go on a run, to meet a friend for a walk or to drop into the gym.

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Holiday Gift Guide

“To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.’”

— François de La Rochefoucauld

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GET THE SCOOP! Thinkstock

Using a melon baller when hollowing out a squash allows you to get closer to the shell of the squash — so the interior shape better mimics the exterior.

Harvest Thanksgiving, the holiday of the harvest, is upon us. I like my holiday table to reflect the last of nature’s fireworks while creating

Glow

by Becky Calvert

a welcoming atmosphere. Here are a few of my favorite ways to add a seasonal glow to my holiday table.

1

Remove the top of an uncooked acorn squash and scoop out the insides. As you hold a piece of wicking in the center, fill the squash with melted wax (old candles are great for this). Let this sit until the squash is cool to the touch. At this point, the skin should easily peel away from the wax. Even out the bottom of your squash-shaped candle with a knife as needed.

2

Cut the stem out of a miniature pumpkin, carving out enough space to hold a tapered candle.

Use a little adhesive putty or melted wax to keep the taper from falling over, if necessary. Turnips are another great vegetable to use for this!

36

3

Wrap the exterior of votive candle holders with leaves or corn husks, attaching them with spray adhesive or double-sided

4

Colored tissue paper wrapped around hurricane lamps also add color. When folded and wrapped in layers, the paper can

5

Want something a little longer lasting? Try painting a glass cylinder with glass paint. Use masking tape to create your

tape, bringing a little bit of the outdoors in.

appear to be different tints of the same color. Secure with tape or glue and paintbrush.

own pattern — this year, I’m going with stripes.

November 2013

{living well home and garden} Bring the Outdoors In Former Martha Stewart Living editor Shane Power presents 20 projects that use a variety of plant

“How beautifully leaves grow old.

How full of light and color are their last days.”

— John Burroughs

materials to create striking, organic decor for your home. These projects are meant to blur the lines between outside and inside, with miniature

&

still lifes made of natural materials — like a flowering branch wall sconce.

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{living well home and garden} Buy Local!

Holiday Gift Guide

NATURAL MICE REPELLENTS

POP-UP GIFT SHOPS Charlottesville Holiday Markets See ad page 24

Cooler temperatures this time of year send small, furry critters looking around for shelter and warmth

Mistletoe Market See ad page 26

— places like your home and even your automobiles.

Hoping for a natural, safe way to keep them out?

Mice do not like the smells of mint, cayenne pepper or cinnamon, so try these approaches: Make small sachets with these spices and leave them where mice might find their way in. Or put a few drops of peppermint essential oil on a cotton balls and leave them in holes and cracks where small rodents might find their way in.

Essential oils dry out quickly, so if you go that route, be sure

HANDS HANDMADE LOVE FOR YOUR

izing l ingredients, these moistur Locally made using all natura g a light but lingerin bars — Wünderbars — have r, lemon ginger and nde lave effect. Scents include therapist, these e sag mas a more. Developed by !) mes (gno pes are offered in fun sha tin. or in a handy travel $2–15, ReThreads and Etsy

to replace the cotton balls every few days to ensure a critter-free home this fall

Becky lives on an urban homestead with her

and winter!

husband, daughter and a gang of chickens. Follow their adventures at chickenwirepaperflowers.com.

Is this your cup of tea?

Tune into the World around you.

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November 2013

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s n o i t i d a Tasty Tr able to Yours T r u O m ro f es ip Thanksgiving Rec traditions CharlottesvilleFamily One of our favorite recipes and bers’ Thanksgiving is sharing staff mem readers each with them with our the stories that go dishes to ’s offerings are side November. This year cipes. rkey and stuffing re tu e rit vo fa ur yo t complemen

Pop-Pop’s Smashed Rutabagas Catherine Murphy, Sales Consultant Thanksgiving is my all-time favorite holiday, filled with great food, family and — oh yea — more great food! My family is the epitome of the American family with a melting pot of backgrounds and grandparents originally from Jamaica, New Zealand, Germany and Canada. I have had the privilege of spending many holidays with three out of my four grandparents, each having a signature dish. But with this very special dish, we have been able to keep my Pop-Pop at the

Thinkstock

Thanksgiving table with us even after his passing. Though the actual root vegetable used in this dish is a rutabaga, for some reason my sisters and I have always called it “smashed turnips.” After speaking with my grandmother, I realized this was because she, having grown up in Jamaica, had never even heard of a rutabaga until she married my Canadian grandfather, who was from Newfoundland. The veggie’s name didn’t even matter as long as she knew which one to pick up at the market!

Like many family recipes, the three Murphy Girls taste as they go and make adjustments depending on how bitter each rutabaga is. So here is what we like to call a ballpark recipe. I hope you and your family enjoy it!

40

November 2013

2 to 3 large rutabagas taste) ¼ to ½ cup of butter (to

Thinkstock

utabagas Pop-Pop’s Smashed R te) salt and pepper (to tas ar (to taste) sug of s on spo tea 2 1 to

n layer. off the entire wa xy ski gas. Make sure to get aba to a rut ng the Bri l . ter pee n wa d the Cube them with col a large pot and cover and tender t sof are gas Place the rutabagas in aba rut 25 minutes, or until the t. boil and cook for about ly and return to the po rp knife. Drain thorough sha a when pierced with Now this until mostly smashed. ed with a hand blender orite! As fav s do’ kid r you Beat on a medium spe process and will be the of t par sugar ant and ort per imp is the most melting), salt, pep little at a time for easier are (a es r cub tte bu gie the veg the add il you aga, RA-RA-RA!” unt tab Ru a, is bag Th uta h.

“R dis g you must sin ce in an oven-safe ser ve right away or pla ore blended smooth. Either ore and heated right bef bef ht nig the to be made s for 20 ree deg 0 35 at it is the per fec t side dish eat reh temperature and then dinner! Bring it to room is warm. ter cen the minutes or until

CharlottesvilleFamily.com

41

Mom’s Green Bean Casserole Kelly Robeson, Editorial Assistant I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m no Martha Stewart. I collect Pinterest recipes like it’s my job, but in reality I’ve only actually attempted a handful of them with a marginal success rate. I try to stay out of the kitchen as much as possible, only popping in on special occasions to really wow my friends and relatives with my unexpected effort and passable finesse.

Thus, when I was asked to contribute a Thanksgiving recipe to feature in our November issue, I did what I always do in times of cooking crisis — I speed-dialed Mom. After tossing around ideas for a few minutes, we settled on a time-honored recipe for green bean casserole. (My true Thanksgiving love is mashed potatoes, but when I asked my mom for that recipe, she just laughed. Apparently only total kitchen novices need a recipe for mashed potatoes. Thanks, Mom.) While still not the healthiest side dish around, green bean casserole successfully tricked me into eating a cleverly disguised serving of vegetables. Now that I’m an adult, I can freely admit that this creamy and crunchy dish is tasty. I might have once looked upon it with skepticism from my seat at the kids’ table (where I am still seated every year, I’ll have you know), but I now look forward to it — along with

Buy Local!

Holiday Gift Guide

my beloved mashed potatoes, my uncle’s fantastic homemade bread, ham and other Thanksgiving goodies. Maybe this year I’ll even attempt to make it myself.

Or perhaps I’ll just set the table.

GIFTS FOR THE HOSTS

Albemarle Square Shopping Center See ad page 13 The Market at Grelen See ad page 43 Pet Supplies Plus See ad page 4

42

November 2013

serole Mom’s Green Bean Cas divided 3 tablespoons butter, se flour 2 tablespoons all-purpo t sal 1 tea spoon 1 tea spoon white sugar ¼ cup onion, diced 1 cup sour cream

nch-st yle 3 (14.5 ounce) cans Fre d green beans, draine ar cheese 2 cups shredded Chedd ry round tte bu led mb cru cup ½ crackers

llet of butter in a large ski s. Melt 2 tablespoons ree deg 0 Stir .

35 ute to n min e ove t on Prehea cook for in flour until smooth, and t. over medium heat. Stir en beans, and stir to coa gre d Ad . am cre r sou and , ion ese on che ar, ed sug edd t, sal shr in the dish. Spread a 2 ½-quart casserole ing Transfer the mixture to cker crumbs and remain cra er eth tog s tos wl, bo all ted sm a hea In . pre top over the 30 minutes in the r the cheese. Bake for it the om ly, ive nat ter (Al butter, and sprinkle ove and cheese is bubbly. n lde go is s top ion on the il ed oven, or unt familiar French-fri ping and use the more top r cke cra and ese .) che baking the last few minutes of instead, adding them for

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{inspiration shopping}

This Year’s Stand-Out Toys, Games, DVDs and More For 23 years, the National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) has been the go-to source for parents who are looking for great gifts for the holidays. An independent panel of experts, parents and children carefully tested and played with hundreds of submissions and honored the products featured in this section with gold awards.

To see the entire list of gold, silver and honors winners, visit NAPPAawards.com or download the free app from Cozi — the leading online family calendar and organizer — and view them on your phone.

i-Mat My Animal World Creative Baby, $79.99, creativebabyinc.com Ages: 18 months+

44

November 2013

i-Mat My Animal World by Creative Baby provides hours of learning, teaches three languages and entertains through games, animal sounds and music.

TOYS

By Ellen Metrick

Mega Bloks, $39.99,

alextoys.com

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Ages: 18 months+

A

Musical Owl

ilable A va Your

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Billy Beats Dancing Piano by Mega Bloks First Builders

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Alex Toys, $35.95,

Ages: birth and up

Learn to Write with Mr. Pencil

Tummy Time Activity Floormat

LeapFrog Enterprises, $19.99, leapfrog.com Ages: 3+

Mamas & Papas, $39.99, mamasandpapas.com Ages: birth and up

LeapPad Ultra

Air Hogs Elite: Helix X4 Stunt

LeapFrog Enterprises, $149.99, leapfrog.com

Spin Master, $79.99,

Ages: 3 to 8

airhogs.com Fun for the entire family

Razor Crazy Cart Razor, $399.99, razor.com Ages: 9 to 15

A

Innovation First International, $49.99,

Your

SmartMax Lighthouse: Smart Toys and Games, $59.99,

t

HEXBUG Nano V2 Black Hole ilable A va

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Zoomer Spin Master, $99.99,

Quick Attach Microscope

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Skyrocket Toys, $14.99,

Fun for the entire family

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45

{inspiration shopping} GAMES

By Ellen Metrick

Raccoon Rumpus

The Great Cheese Chase

Educational Insights, $14.99,

Peaceable Kingdom, $15.99,

educationalinsights.com

peaceablekingdom.com Ages: 5+. Great for special needs.

ilable A va Your

t

A

Ages: 3+

LOCAL STORE

Korner’d Endless Games, $19.99, Fun for the entire family.

ilable A va Your

Great for special needs.

t

A

endlessgames.com

The Magic Path of Yoga Upside Down Games, $29.95, upsidedowngames.us Fun for the entire family.

Laser Maze BeamBending Logic Game ThinkFun, $29.99, thinkfun.com Ages: 8+

ilable A va Your

t

A

LOCAL STORE

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Spot It! Party

Blue Orange Games, $19.99, upsidedowngames.us Fun for the entire family.

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DVDS

By Ranny Levy

Alphabet

Pocoyo: Pocoyo’s Circus

Rock ’N Learn, 2012;

NCircle Entertainment, 2013;

42 minutes, $19.99,

90 minutes, $12.99,

rocknlearn.com

ncircleentertainment.com

Ages: 18 months+

Ages: 3+

Sight Words Level 3 Rock ’N Learn, 2013; 50 minutes, $19.99, rocknlearn.com Ages: 3+

The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About Christmas!

NCircle Entertainment, 2012; 60 minutes, $9.99,

Luc Besson’s The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec Shout! Factory/EuropaCorp, 2013; 110 minutes, Blu-ray $24.97, DVD $14.97, shoutfactory.com, Ages: 9+

ncircleentertainment.com, Ages: 3+

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{inspiration shopping}

snu g gle up

TECH

By Ranny Levy

Perfect for Santa’s little helper

®

Clifford the Big Red Dog’s Website Scholastic Media, Free, scholastic.com/clifford Ages: 18 months to 8 years

toys

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{inspiration volunteering}

50

l o o h c S

Cramer Photo

Thinkstock

THREE CHEERS FOR

November 2013

s r e e t n Volu nteers Meet Three Parent Volu ting Impact Who Have Made a Las

By Dionna L. Mann

Our area schools are fantastic. The dedication and enthusiasm of our teachers is impressive. And, our children’s learning experiences are often further enriched by the volunteers who come alongside students in the classrooms and bring something different, something new, to the school day. Meet three parents and a few UVA students who volunteer their time and give from the heart.

Mia and Izzy’s dad, Chris Goodbar, has attained rock-star status at their elementary school. After all, he’s been teaching kung fu to their fellow Free Union Country School classmates ever since they were in preschool. Their dad’s course is always a favorite during Parent Teach Day. On this unique day, students’ “regular”

ris Ch bar d o Go

classes are set aside and parents come to share their skill sets, their talents, their loves — sewing, building rockets, Julia Child–inspired baking, sculpting, designing prostheses, jumping hurdles, explaining the math behind video games, making radio-controlled robots boogying to 80s music and martial arts — with groups of students.

Why has Mia and Izzy’s dad been sharing his knowledge and love of kung fu during Parent Teach Day for four years now? “I got involved for a couple of different reasons,” he explains. “On the one hand, I love working with kids and I love kung fu, so a chance to do both sounded like a good time to me! The other is CharlottesvilleFamily.com

51

Ashley Florence

{inspiration volunteering}

Parents share their skills and passions with students at Free Union Country School on Parent Teach Day. Chris Goodbar (above), who has two children at the school, leads a session of kung fu. that I made a conscious decision when my kids were born to be as involved with and as present in their childhood as possible. I didn’t want to wake up one day and realize my kids were all grown up and I somehow missed it. So, for that reason, I try not to pass up any opportunity to be a dad who’s involved.”

Participating on Parent Teach Day does not feel like any sacrifice of his time, he says. “Being involved with school activities just feels like a natural and obvious choice,” and he is grateful for the opportunity to be part of what he calls Free Union Country School’s family-like community.

Goodbar describes the atmosphere around the school on this special day: “There’s this ecstatic, bustling energy with the kids moving from one class to the next. It’s great to see it, because they’re having a blast, but at the same time they’re broadening themselves and learning new things. It’s one of the things I love about Free Union — that in addition to gaining all this knowledge, my girls are learning to love the act of learning itself.”

Why does Goodbar recommend that other parents find opportunities to volunteer at their child’s school? “Seeing a room full of kids get inspired about something you feel passionately about yourself is amazingly fulfilling. If the chance is there, I’d take it,” he advises. “And if it’s not, I’d think seriously about starting a similar program at your own school!”

da Lin ecoff n Wi

In 2010, Linda Winecoff, a parent volunteer at Walker Upper Elementary School, part of Charlottesville City Schools, began planting the seeds (pun intended) for a schoolyard garden. For starters, she took students on after-school trips to local organic farms. She and the kids cooked with produce from her home garden. She got the kids growing lettuces. And, for a wonderful finale at the end of the school year, she and the kids designed a “dream garden” for school grounds.

With a vision for several schoolyard gardens at local city schools, Winecoff recruited others for the effort: local garden experts, UVA student volunteers, other parents and school administrators. Buford Middle School was the first Charlottesville City School to install a permanent edible classroom. Now kids

52

November 2013

at six Charlottesville City Schools have the opportunity, through this garden program, to become stewards of organically grown gardens during hands-on science classes,

Join us for TWO NEW parties!

after-school activities and summer camps.

A landscape architect and urban planner, Winecoff recalls why starting this program interested her: “I have always

and

loved the idea of community gardens and,

Mutant slime

in particular, gardens where children can really get their hands in the dirt.” It also brings Winecoff great pleasure to see the gardens drawing children out into the sun and away from the beeps and clicks

Only at

of their electronic devices. Here, they have the opportunity to become stewards of the earth and a chance to taste food that they helped produce.

Cass Cannon

bouncenplayofcville.com

“Gardening is not an activity that one can look up on the Internet. It is a time-honored activity of mentor and student, of working shoulder to shoulder and of seeing firsthand how a plant can be nurtured and cared for. The lessons in that simple exchange are enormous,” she continues. “Children learn observation skills, patience, teamwork, how physical activity produces a result, the science of soil, listening skills and the wonder and magic of life itself taught in the kernel of a seed. There is such a sense of ownership CharlottesvilleFamily.com

53

{inspiration volunteering} CharlottesvilleFamily

Cavs in the Classroom

Favorite Award Winner 2012

A Madison House Program

Each week during the school year, at least 3,000 University of Virginia students volunteer in the Charlottesville community, an admirable feat coordinated by Madison House, just down the street from the Rotunda and a few steps before the ever changing Beta Bridge. Through this independent, non-profit organization, which has been active for four decades, UVA students spend more than 110,000 volunteer hours a year in the service of others.

These willing young men and women serve as tutors, construction workers, daycare supporters, patient service representatives, role models and peer counselors in partnership with some 90 community agencies — some of which serve senior citizens, animals, the environment, the hungry, the homeless and those with medical needs.

But nearly 210 of these UVA student volunteers, recruited by their peers and trained by more seasoned volunteers, are known as Cavs in the Classroom. These particular volunteers visit almost 20 Charlottesville City and Albemarle County Schools, where they become teachers’ assistants, student allies or an extra set of hands guiding scissors, glue, pencils, calculators and microscopes. Perhaps more importantly, they reduce the teacher-to-child ratio, give individual attention when needed and provide positive (and, yes, cool) role models for children who may not be thinking about college yet.

“Cavs in the Classroom volunteers might be a student’s introduction to the University of Virginia and college in general,” says onetime Cavs in the Classroom volunteer Stephanie Passman, now a fifth-grade teacher at Cale Elementary School in Albemarle County. “[They] personify college for my fifth graders by sharing about their busy class schedule, upcoming exams and volunteer activities. For some students, it is their first spark to ignite visions of themselves attending college one day.”

As a teacher, Passman truly appreciates the practical assistance of the Cavs in her classroom. She applauds volunteers’ consistency, saying, “I can confidently count on the volunteer coming at the arranged time and can plan lessons through which students receive more personal attention to help them meet their learning goals.” For example, while teaching the impact of temperature change on the state of matter, Passman had the manpower to turn her classroom into an ice cream-making factory!

Of her personal Cav in the Classroom that day, Passman says, “She was more than a helping hand. As the ice cream-making process got underway, she took turns with the students to help them vigorously shake their bags, laughed about her frigid fingers, and became a part of our classroom community.”

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among the youth that have participated in the garden program.”

Winecoff’s kids — no longer in middle school — still share in her continued enthusiasm for the program. Her son, Nick, has cut poles from a local farm and assisted in building a shade structure at Buford Middle School. Her daughter, Maddie,

provides

encouragement

and

administrative

assistance when needed. Her husband, Rick Hazard, has tackled garden-building projects, estimated the cost of garden structures and donated building materials. Winecoff appreciates her family’s support, noting that she could have had a paid job instead of volunteering these last few years.

Jeanette Abi-Nader

“I cherished the involvement of my family and having had them as a sounding board and as active participants in all that we have accomplished.”

Volunteering at local schools is not only about being active at the schools where her children are attending. It’s also about creating an educational experience for all students — one where they might obtain a deeper understanding of and love for nature. She says, “I truly believe that each student and adult who are touched by the garden become ambassadors for the program, for their school and for the earth. In that

Linda Winecoff’s efforts have resulted in the development of school gardens at several schools in the city of Charlottesville.

way, there is a ripple effect outward. As the initiators of the program here in Charlottesville, we have simply been the first stone cast into the pool of mindful regard for wholesome foods, healthy lifestyles and stewardship of our planet.”

You can see the wonderful impact The Little Gym can have on your child when you join us for a FREE introductory class.

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{inspiration volunteering} e rin e h t Ka ge rhi e M

THERE’S THERE’S NO NO PLACE PLACE LIKE LIKE CHILD CARE SIGN UP TODAY!!

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The Women’s Legal Group

In 2005, when their sons were in second grade, Katherine Merhige and her good

Law from a Woman’s Point of View

friend Judy Kamis founded the Brownsville Elective Education (BEE) Program. Merhige

ByrdAbbottSellsCville.com

explains how the two moms’ annoyance at driving their boys to a karate class nearly

Hollymead 10 miles away was the catalyst for starting

after-school classes to Brownsville, an elementary school in Crozet: ”The teacher

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November 2013

time and rather inconvenient for our

Jessica Fuller

A Trusted Name in Real Estate

was great, but the classes were at dinner

thought we could find a few more people that were interested in taking the class.”

Soon the instructor was hired to come and teach karate after school right at Brownsville.

But Merhige wanted her son, Beau, to learn more than just karate. “I was also interested in my son learning some

Spanish,” she muses, “so we found a teacher to teach Spanish. Those were our first two classes, and we grew it from there. I always joke about the irony of the beginnings of the BEE Program for me. I helped start it because I thought it was too much effort to drive once a week to his class!”

These tremendous

days,

Merhige

amount

of

spends effort

a

and

countless volunteer hours making the BEE Program what it is today — an organization serving hundreds of kids by facilitating as Avery Merhige

many as 100 different after-school courses, from cooking, skateboarding and stainedglass making to African drumming, rollerskating and swimming.

“Our three founding objectives were affordability,

convenience

and

variety

of classes,” says Merhige. “These have remained our guiding principles.”

Much is done by Merhige and the

Katherine Merhige (left) started the Brownsville Elective Education Program in 2005. Today, through the efforts of other “BEE Keepers,” hundreds of county students enjoy fun after-school classes.

many other volunteer “BEE keepers”: planning which classes will be offered, making sure all involved with the program have passed background checks, organizing

Art used with permission—from a 1st Grade Charlottesville Waldorf student’s main lesson notebook.

At the Charlottesville Waldorf School knowledge doesn't come from an SOL mandate.

It begins by nurturing a child's desire to learn.

Beginning in our Preschool classrooms, the foundations for academics, a life-long love of learning, and a genuine appreciation of the natural world are achieved with a play-based curriculum in a home-like setting.

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As well as learning the three R’s and immersing themselves in history, science and foreign language, all of our students plant, paint, sing, sew and sculpt. They play in orchestra. They are encouraged to ask “Why?” not just “Who?”, “When?”, “Where?”, and “How Much?”

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CharlottesvilleFamily.com

57

Melissa Collier

{inspiration volunteering}

Volunteers — whether parents in their child’s school or UVA students organized by Madison House — can provide organizational support to teachers and bring a contagious enthusiasm to students.

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November 2013

open house Tuesday, November 12th 5:30-7:00 p.m.

Every Wednesday is visitation day

(434) 293-0633

www.regents-school.org

daily roll calls and bus schedules, handling the monies and drumming up funding for scholarships — worth as much as $10,000.

Merhige says of those who work alongside her, “I think we will be friends for life.”

What has helped Merhige maintain

find over 9 acres with gardens and certified wildlife habitats to explore

her enthusiasm for the program? “It has become such an important aspect to our school. It is a great way for kids with common interests to get to know each other,” she answers. “When we began the program, the school population was about 350 students. Now we are up to 700, so BEE can make it a smaller place.” Besides that, she’s seeing excitement and enthusiasm on kids’ faces, including her daughter’s, when they tell their parents what they did that day.

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“I have had Brownsville teachers tell me that the days they teach a BEE class are their best days. They get to do something they love, share it with a

manageable

number

of

interested

students, and they get paid,” Merhige shares. “I am also immensely proud of the scholarship aspect. I love that everyone can participate.”

Merhige, who worked full-time for almost 18 years as an investment banker, recommends that parents spend time volunteering at their child’s school if possible. She says, “I believe it is important to be involved in what your children are doing. You get to know their friends, their friends’ parents — which is even more important, I have learned, as they move on to junior high and high school.

“If someone told me I had to start the BEE Program like it is now, I would have shied away — actually I may have run away,” she laughs. “But if you start small, it is manageable and fun. I am really proud of what we have created at Brownsville, and I hope my kids are too.”

find your place Dionna, a freelance writer from the local area, has experienced firsthand the joy of volunteering in her children’s classrooms and applauds the selfless energy of young people

MountaintopMontessori.org

who help others.

CharlottesvilleFamily.com

59

{inspiration preschool}

TEACHING YOUR PRESCHOOLER

Manners

By Kim Seidel

They’re Not Too Young to Be Polite and Courteous

Good manners help kids learn respect for themselves, for each other and for adults. However, few kids today could pass their grandparents’ test for appropriate manners.

Why? “Many modern parents declare it old-fashioned and turn up their noses at the importance of teaching manners — an antiquated ritual, super uncool,” says Aaron Cooper, a clinical psychologist, educator and co-author of “I Just Want My Kids to Be Happy: Why You Shouldn’t Say It, Why You Shouldn’t Think It, What You Should Embrace Instead” (Late August Press, 2008). “What well-intentioned moms and dads forget is that acquiring manners is one of the earliest ways to help kids develop self-control. And self-control, experts agree, is a key element in paving the foundation for a happy life.”

Another roadblock to teaching good manners is lack of time. With Ashley Florence

today’s busy family lifestyles, it’s common to let courtesy slide, says Fran Swift, a parent educator. “I hear from parents about their children’s rudeness and disrespectful behavior,” Swift says. “This can be connected to lack of common courtesies, which respect is a huge part of.”

It makes the kids unhappy when parents insist on manners — and today, parents just want their kids to be happy, Cooper says. “After one or both parents have worked all day, it’s harmony they’re looking for, not the inevitable struggle when they insist on manners,” he says. Parents would rather be “friends” with their kids than authoritative limit-setters, he points out, and friends don’t insist on manners.

Continued on page 65

60

November 2013

Thinkstock

CharlottesvilleFamily.com

61

{inspiration preschool} Thanks for Voting Foundations a CharlottesvilleFamily Favorite!

CharlottesvilleF Favorite Awamily a

Foundations

Winner rd 2012

Child Development Center

Celebrating 17 Years of Providing High Quality Infant, Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten Programs.

Manners to Teach Your Preschoolers Following are courtesy basics for children, according to Diane Gottsman, a nationally recognized etiquette expert.

These manners should be taught throughout the year, not only on holidays or special occasions.

• full & part-time programs available • experienced & caring teachers • small class sizes with low studentteacher ratio • individualized curriculum • Wee Little Arts classes available • CPR, First Aid and MAT-certified staff • secure entry for children’s safety

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• optional breakfast programs • large open playground • separate infant/toddler playground • monthly haircuts • FREE weekly music classes for all ages

Voted one of C’ville’s favorite daycares, 2005 through 2013!

Be consistent, says Gottsman. Parents won’t find success, for example, instructing their kids about “good graces” only during the holiday season — but it’s a good place to start.

Gottsman recommends that young children, especially those under age 5, should not be expected to sit through a long holiday meal. Keep their attendance to about 20 minutes, and then let the kids play with their new toys while adults can linger over dessert.

Join the Foundations “family” by calling 973-9218

3375 Berkmar Dr., Charlottesville (behind Lowes, next to SPCA) • www.foundationscdc.com

I got my start at

Preschool through Fifth Grade

Edward Brown Systems Engineer

Commonwealth Computer Research, Inc. Charlottesville

2008 Graduate

University of Virginia Engineering and Economics

“

At Free Union, learning wasn’t just about the facts but about using information to solve problems. I do that today.

62

November 2013

”

1998 Graduate

Free Union Country School

434.978.1700 www.freeunioncountryschool.org

Thinkstock

Free Union Country School INTRODUCTIONS: When your child meets new friends or relatives, teach her to say something similar to, “Hello, my name is Rachel.” Teach her to extend her right hand (even if left-handed) and to firmly shake a hand that’s extended to her.

PROPER EYE CONTACT: Instruct your child to maintain eye contact about half the time a person is speaking to him. If your child is uncomfortable with direct eye contact, tell him to look at the bridge of the person’s nose.

THE HANDSHAKE (or what to do with an unexpected hug): Remind your child to give a firm handshake and a friendly hug when appropriate. If you know a certain relative likes hugs, you can “warn” your child ahead of time.

Continued on page 65

Guide to Preschools

Thinkstock

Playing, learning, growing…These local preschools and child care centers are here to serve families in our area.

Charlottesville Catholic School Prepares students to embrace their world through lives of faith, service and leadership.

Pre-K–Grade 8 cvillecatholic.org 964-0400 See ad page 67

First Presbyterian Church Preschool Creating a foundation for continuous growth and development in a Christian environment.

Ages 20 months–5 years fpchurch.com/presch.asp 296-1447 See ad page 66

Charlottesville Waldorf School Emphasizes imaginative play as the foundation for nurturing the senses and understanding the sciences.

Preschool–Grade 8 cwaldorf.org 973-4946 See ad page 57

Foundations Child Development Center Focuses on developmentally appropriate, hands-on experiences and opportunities.

Ages infant–Pre-K foundationscdc.com 973-9218 See ad page 62

Daylily Preschool An intimate school of only 17 students who enjoy a literature rich experiential classroom.

Ages 1–7 996-8397 See ad page 66

Free Union Country School Encourages children to be creative thinkers, active explorers and good problem-solvers.

Ages 3–4 freeunioncountryschool.org 978-1700 See ad page 62 Continued on page 64

Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.

• Independent School for academically advanced students, Pre-K – 8 • Wide-ranging and rigorous curriculum • Differentiated instruction specially tailored to meet the needs of all students • Supportive and challenging educational environment

CharlottesvilleFamily Favorite Award Winner 2012

Please contact our Director of Admissions, Katie Murrah, to schedule a visit. kmurrah@peabodyschool.org

1232 Stoney Ridge Road ChaRlotteSville, viRginia 22902

(434) 296-6901 PEABODYSCHOOL.ORG

GrYMES

MEMorIAl SChool

We’ve known the secret for over 60 years.

Grymes: the way all schools should be.

Coeducational Independent Day School • Jr. Kindergarten through 8th Grade Challenging Curriculum • Small Classes • Spanish for All Grades Art, Music, Drama • PE Classes • Middle School Athletics Complimentary Bus Transport for 6 Counties Now enrolling for 2013-14 Expanded bus service so please call for the bus stop near you!

540-672-1010 | www.grymesschool.org 13775 Spicer'S Mill rd • Orange, Virginia CharlottesvilleFamily.com

63

{inspiration preschool} TE ON

CHO OL OF CHARL RI S OT O TE SS S

Frost Montessori School Multi-aged classrooms offer art, music, Spanish and outdoor enrichment.

Ages 21 months–6 years frostmontessori.com 979-5223 See ad page 65

V E ILL

M

Now taking applications for the 2014-2015 school year!

Est. 1976

Serving children ages 21 months - 6 years

Please visit our website montessoriofcville.org for more information!

Cutler Lane & Gordon Avenue | 434-295-9055 | admin@montessoriofcville.org

Putting children first since 1967

434-977-7406 mmp.registrar@gmail.com http://avenue.org/mmp 717 Rugby Rd, Charlottesville, VA

As Charlottesville’s first parent-run cooperative preschool, Molly Michie

Class Offerings:

Preschool strives to bring together families from all backgrounds in a nurturing, play-based environment where children and parents learn together with guidance from professional teachers. We offer parents the unique opportunity to observe and participate in their children’s preschool activities and provide a supportive network for families with young children.

2-Day: meets Tu/Thu Age 2.5 by Sept. 30th **potty training NOT required** OPENINGS AVAILABLE

Limited Scholarships Available

3-Day: meets M/W/F Age 3 by Sept 30th 5-Day: meets M - F Age 4 by Sept 30th OPENINGS AVAILABLE Optional Lunch Bunch Program Also Available

Providing a joyful, enriching experience while nurturing the emotional, spiritual, social and academic growth of your child through stimulating experiences in a loving, respectful environment.

Grymes Memorial School Co-educational day school offers art, music, drama, Spanish. Bus transport.

Age 4–Grade 8 grymesschool.org 540-672-1010 See ad page 63 Hillsboro Christian Preschool Focuses on school preparation with crafts and games in a Christian environment.

Ages 2½–5 hbcnet.org 823-5342 See ad page 64 The International School of Charlottesville Children learn by doing in Spanish or French language immersion programs.

Ages 2–6 theisc.org 284-2880 See ad page 66 Kingswood Christian Preschool A program that focuses on emotional, spiritual, social and academic growth.

Ages 2½–5 crozetumc.org 823-1258 See ad page 64 Continued on page 66

• Welcoming children

ages 2½ to 5 • Low student/teacher ratio • ABC Music & Me™ from

Kindermusik® included in each student’s curriculum

1156 Crozet Avenue • 434-823-1258 • www.CrozetumC.org

Hillsboro Christian Preschool (ages 2 1/2 - 5 years)

434-823-5342

www.hbcnet.org • hcpdirector@gmail.com 64

November 2013

Thinkstock

Friendly, Loving, and Experienced Staff Nurturing, Christian Environment

YOU’RE THE ROLE MODELS Many parents often feel hurried, so they may have unknowingly fallen into a pattern of speaking rudely to their children, Swift

Thinkstock

HOW TO USE A NAPKIN: A napkin stays on the child’s lap during the meal. If she needs to excuse herself, she should stand up, place the napkin on the chair, and push the chair in.

At the end of dinner, the napkin goes on the left side of her plate.

says. “I do believe that good manners are caught, not taught.”

Children need to learn that if it’s not an emergency (teach your preschooler what constitutes an “emergency”), they need to wait for their turn in conversation. In this situation, acknowledge your preschooler by taking her hand or putting your arm around

WHERE THEIR GLASS IS ON THE TABLE: The drinking glass goes on the right of his plate.

her. Then invite her to speak when it’s appropriate, Swift says.

The tone of your voice becomes part of good manners as

IF THEY DON’T LIKE A FOOD: Tell your child that if she doesn’t care for an entree to simply not eat it. Instruct her not to make any negative comments or “yucky” faces over the food.

well, Swift explains. If a parent is always in a rush, his voice may sound overly demanding. Set standards in the family: no name calling and no insulting one another. When the young children

USE COURTEOUS WORDS: Talk to your child about regularly using “please,” “thank you” and “excuse me.” During meals, she should ask to “please pass” the salt, et cetera, and to say “thank you” when it’s passed.

are in school, they are expected to meet similar expectations, set by their teachers. Hopefully, the good manners will carry into their classrooms and other public settings, Swift says.

DON’T INTERRUPT: Remind your child about not interrupting conversations. If someone asks him a question, that is his cue to respond.

Create a sense of sharing in the home, Swift says. Invite friends over to have popcorn and to watch a movie, and tell your children, “There are plenty of snacks to go around for everyone.”

IF THEY DON’T LIKE A GIFT: Practice or role-play an acceptable scenario before a child opens presents in front of family and friends.

Even if she doesn’t like a gift — or already has that item — she needs to genuinely smile and say “thank you.”

Enjoy family dinners — another learning opportunity — and model good table manners together.

“Parents say they want their kids to be happy, but without

SEND THANK-YOU NOTES: Mailing thank-you notes is a must. If the child is too young to write, have him draw a picture of the gift. A parent can write the note for the younger child, and he can sign his own name. A thank-you from older children can include why they liked the gift or how they’re using it.

the capacity for self-control, few kids can ever enjoy real happiness,” Cooper observes. “Teaching manners is one way parents can put their money where their mouth is.”

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November 2013

Montessori School of Charlottesville A Montessori experience with international and ecological consciousness.

Ages 21 months–6 years montessoriofcville.org 295-9055 See ad page 64 Mountaintop Montessori Montessori-based curriculum includes outdoor learning and art.

Ages 18 months–Grade 8 mountaintopmontessori.org 979-8886 See ad page 59 Peabody School Activities support the cultivation of creativity, problem solving skills, and social skills.

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EVERYDAY COURTESIES As parents go through the day with their children, they can practice little courtesies to make a big difference, Swift reminds us.

Charlottesville Catholic School

Faith Knowledge Community

From holding doors open to helping one another with chores, parents can model and encourage good manners in their children every day — in and out of the home.

Set the standard high for proper language used in your home, Swift notes.

Although swearing has become more common in public and in media, that doesn’t mean it should be an acceptable manner of speaking.

Where students are shaped by the values of our community as we bring faith and knowledge together.

• Enroll your child today • Serving Pre-Kindergarten – 8th Grade

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434.964.0400 | info@cvillecatholic.org | www.cvillecatholic.org

Other everyday courtesies include displaying

good

competing

in

sportsmanship games

together.

when Help

children to understand that it’s okay to lose and to feel upset, but remind them also that they can try again, Swift says.

In addition, help them learn respect by taking care of one another’s property.

If your child borrows something from

Academics shape the structure of our learning community. A robust athletics program, engaging fine arts curriculum, and strong commitment to service create well-rounded individuals. We honor tradition while nurturing an environment of innovation and creativity.

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a friend, make sure he cares for it and returns it in a timely manner, she says.

“Set expectations, start early, and remember good modeling matters,” Swift says. “Manners make up the way we treat each other. You do need to look at what’s happening as a society and then decide what you believe and how you want your children to behave.”

Kim is an award-winning writer and a mother of two daughters. She strives to model good manners for her family.

St. Anne’s-Belfield School

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November 2013

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Coming Next Month!

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ThaNkS For VoTiNg!

{until next time humorous reflections}

We’ll Party Like Pilgrims You Can Stay As Long As We Have Leftovers

by Rick Epstein

When I was a little kid, I didn’t think much about

than one of my friends visited, he would joke pointedly, “So,

Thanksgiving. In school, we’d trace around our hands to

when did you decide to have the party?”

draw turkeys and learn about a Native American named

Once, Uncle Phil and Aunt Char came to visit, and

Squanto who taught the Pilgrims how to grow corn or bake

we put them up in the guest room — at the Sleepy Hollow

pumpkin pies or something.

Motel. I could never understand my dad’s craving for privacy.

Then around seventh grade I had to do a report on

I only wanted it when I was doing something wicked. But

the first New England Thanksgiving. I consulted my favorite

the worst thing Dad ever did was to send our relatives to the

source, the World Book Encyclopedia. (I looked again just

Sleepy Hollow Motel.

now for a refresher.) Here’s a summary: Thanking God for

It’s not as though the tail-lights of Uncle Phil’s

the first harvest in the New World, the newcomers had a

Chrysler would fade in the direction of the motel and Dad

three-day extravaganza involving about 50 colonists and 90

would fire up the tiki torches, install two cold ones in his

Native Americans. The menu included duck, goose, turkey,

beer hat and yell, “Woohooo! Party time!” No, he’d just put

venison, eel, fish, clams, leeks, watercress, cornbread and

on his pajamas and go to bed.

plums. “Everyone ate outdoors at large tables and enjoyed games and a military review,” says the encyclopedia.

I’ve been glad to follow my dad’s lead on a lot of things, but not on privacy. I want friends to drop in for

With the deadly winter of 1620–21 behind them

dinner, and if they stay for a few days, so much the better.

and the travails of the Boston Red Sox centuries ahead,

But with two kids away at college and the youngest

the colonists were feeling festive, and for a short time,

usually off somewhere on urgent social business, our

Plymouth, Mass., was the party capital of

house is quiet as a mausoleum. Our cat, Mr. Kitty, is at least

the New World.

someone else to talk to. My wife and I watch so much TV

In fact, it seemed to my

Buy Local!

Holiday Gift Guide

12-year-old self that the original

PHOTOGRAPHY & ART GIFTS

Jen Fariello Photography See ad page 53 KMS Photography See ad page 27

with visitors. Real ones! The guest list includes all three

set a standard that

daughters, two of their college friends, both of my brothers,

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Lazy Daisy Ceramics See ad page 68

my

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dismally

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But on Thanksgiving, this place will be swarming

Thanksgiving

live up to. Certainly

Earthdarling Portraits See ad page 18

that we think the characters on shows must know us.

own

o’clock will come and go unnoticed. My wife will get the help

and

fell

in the kitchen that she dreams of all year, as the chatting

short.

multitudes peel and chop whatever she shoves their way.

good

We’ll add so many leaves to our dining-room table you

china

could land an airplane on it. Each night, people will sleep on

gleaming

every flat surface. We’ll have to borrow extra pillows from

featured

food,

The coffee will flow like water. Bedtime? Ha! Ten

family’s

observance It

a sister-in-law, a niece and a lively terrier.

fine

silverware, but what

Grandma. Laughter and affection will abound.

was that to a kid? I’d

Conspicuously sober, Mr. Kitty will spend most of the

have traded all of it just

holiday weekend on top of the refrigerator, wishing everyone

for a close-up look at an

would go back where they came from. His demeanor will

eel. And as a holiday, it arrived

remind me of Dad, the day he came home from work and

empty-handed, offering no gifts, no

found me and two pals sitting on the front lawn. “What is

Santa Claus, no fireworks, no songs, no candy,

this?” he asked, “Woodstock?”

no costumes, no egg hunts — not even a dreidel! Just an endless dinner.

Because our relatives lived far away and my dad didn’t like company anyway, it was always just us. To Dad, privacy was more delicious than pumpkin pies. Whenever more

70

November 2013

When not orchestrating the comings and goings of his children, Rick works for a chain of newspapers.

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