Northland Family - May 2012

MAY 3, 2012 LIBERTY TRIBUNE THE KEARNEY COURIER GLADSTONE DISPATCH

5 generations, 1 physician BOOK BUZZ: ‘Friends to the End’ May baby shower helps new parents in need

Making sense of spring Get out of town — together

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LIBERT Y T R I BU N E , T H E K E A R N E Y C O U R I E R , G L A D S TO N E D I S PAT C H

Get out of town — together When it comes to planning your family’s vacation, you can find a lot of value in that old saying “teamwork divides the task and doubles the success.”

Divvying up planning responsibilities helps ensure that one member of the family is not overwhelmed with tasks, and that everyone is excited about and invested in the trip.

“Sharing time together is one of the most appealing aspects of family vacations,” says Kimberly Miles, a travel planning expert with the Myrtle Beach (Fla.) Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“Families can start their vacation fun early by sharing planning responsibilities. It can be a great way to teach kids organizational and planning skills, and make sure everyone takes ownership of the family vacation.”

The secret to a successful family vacation? Teamwork

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All age groups can take part in the process, Miles notes. Here are some ideas for dividing the work and multiplying the enjoyment of the family vacation planning process:

with family and friends to see if they’ve visited your destination of choice, what they thought of it and what attractions they recommend. All the professional reviews on the Web can’t beat the endorsement of happy, satisfied kids.

Start with a survey

Successful teamwork requires constant communication. Your family vacation team effort should start by polling the members. Where does everyone want to go? Of course, you won’t be able to fulfill every desire, but you can come close by encouraging everyone to be specific.

For example, it’s not enough to say everyone wants to go to the beach, because not all beach destinations will offer the same appeal for all family members. Will your family members be relaxing or frolicking on the beach? Spending the whole trip in the sand and surf, or looking for other attractions to round out their adventure? Do they want to stay in a busy beachfront hotel, or somewhere quieter and off the beaten path?

“Destinations that offer a broad range of activities have the best chance of pleasing everyone in the family,” says Miles. Look for a location like Myrtle Beach, where generations of families have found something for every member — from miles of pristine beaches and plenty of water sports, to amuse-

3

Assign tasks based on age

ment parks, great shopping and dining, and even museums and live entertainment.

Research your options

Many families rely on the Internet for planning and booking their vacations. The Web can be a great resource for information about a variety of destinations — from what attractions you’ll find there to how much hotel rooms will cost during your travel dates. Look for family travel blogs and websites that provide specific destination information, visitor reviews, tips and advice.

Don’t overlook the value of word of mouth. Check

Once you’ve chosen your destination, the real teamwork begins. Divide up tasks based on each family member’s abilities. Mom and Dad will probably do the actual booking, but teens and older kids can pitch in with tasks like prepping the house to be vacant, and researching what to do and see.

Grandparents can help with driving and packing.

Even young children can play a role if you allow them to choose some of the snacks the family will pack for the trip.

Encourage everyone to choose one activity or sight in which the whole family will participate in.

This will help ensure everyone gets to do something they enjoy, and the entire team gets to take part in a variety of activities.

“Teamwork in vacation planning can definitely help make the workload lighter on parents,” says Miles. “And it helps get everyone excited about the trip - before they even begin the journey.”

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LIBERT Y T R I BU N E , T H E K E A R N E Y C O U R I E R , G L A D S TO N E D I S PAT C H

The Accidental Parent

Judge not, lest ye be judged

By Betsy Lee

i

It happened to me. That mo-

ment that every parent dreads.

The time when your kid points

out, loudly, in a public place, that a stranger is fat.

But instead of turning red-faced, stammering an apology and ush-

ering my wide-eyed child away — as I always imagined I’d do — I grinned.

In one naive comment, my son gave me the witty, redeeming remark that I would’ve obsessed over for days. It was the one time that I, at least by association, came up with the comeback that completely fit the crime.

Here’s the story:

It was a gorgeous Saturday and my little family decided to accompany my husband to work. While he finished up a few things at his office, my children and I wandered around the beautiful downtown square of Liberty.

I have to admit that I had my hands full. At the time, my daughter had just started running. Running all over. Running away.

So I was in that awkward phase everyone with two kids goes through — when your young children can, with no notice, bolt in two different directions.

To maintain order, I decided we should share a soda. And for a few peaceful moments, we sipped Sprite at an outdoor café.

Then all hell broke loose.

My son started whining about something. My daughter started screaming about something else.

As I dealt with the chaos, a woman walked by.

She wore a brown dress and expensive shoes. I was kneeling on the ground with my daughter, consoling her, when we made eye contact.

She rolled her eyes at me.

And I felt ashamed.

Calm returned and I threw away the empty cup and bent down to tie my son’s shoes.

While I looped and knotted, my daughter ran away.

She only made it one store front down. But by the time I caught up to her, abandoning my purse and leaving my son trailing behind me, she’d actually walked through the open door.

The store was a classy boutique kind of place, complete with fragile vases and jewelry hanging down low from racks with mirrors. I ran inside and scooped her up, hoping no one had noticed the unattended mini-customer.

We turned to exit and I spotted the woman in the brown dress staring at me. I gave her a half-hearted smile and searched her face for a mother’s understanding. I found none.

“Why don’t you watch your kids a little more closely?” she said, sneering.

My stomach went cold.

Like so many times in my short tenure as a stay-athome mother, I was mortified. I was inept. In the one job I had, I’d failed.

In an instant, I saw the possibilities flash before my eyes. My 1-year-old could’ve broken something in the store. Or worse, she could’ve bolted into the street instead of the store’s open door.

Later, I knew, everything I wish I’d said would come to me. I’d relive the moment in my head and imagine that the perfect witty comeback would fly instantly from my mouth.

But right now, though, I had nothing.

I adjusted my daughter on my hip and grasped my son’s hand. We started walking out.

Then my son, my charming then-3-year-old little boy, pointed his finger at the lady in the brown dress.

Then he said it, loud enough for everyone in the store to hear: “Mama! That lady must have a baby in her belly!”

He was so proud of his observation.

And so was I. “No, she doesn’t,” I said quietly.

Then we left.

Betsy Lee is a Kansas City journalist and columnist who lives in a perpetually messy house with her husband, three children and two pets. She can be reached at contactbetsylee@gmail.com.

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THE MEDICINE CABINET H E A LT H C A R E F O R YO U R FA M I LY

Doctor deals with everything from circumcisions to arthritis pain for this Northland family

Five generations of the Helgen family pose for a photo with their family physician, Dr. John Owen of the Liberty Clinic. Front row: Greatgrandmother Margaret Kain; father of baby Emmit, Dyllon Tucker; Emmit’s mother, Mariah Nitsch; and Great-great grandmother Elizabeth Helgen. Back row: Emmit’s grandmother and Tucker’s mother, Nichole Lidman; and Owen.

By Angie Anaya Borgedalen

Dr. John Owen puts the “family” into family practice. In what may be a unique situation, Owen, 55, provides medical care for five generations of the Helgen family at the Liberty Clinic.

The newest member of the clan is Emmit Tucker, who was born Feb. 28 at Liberty Hospital, and the oldest member of the family seen by Owen is Emmit’s great-great-grandmother Elizabeth Helgen, who is in her 80s.

In between are Emmit’s father, Dyllon Tucker, grandmother Nichole Lidman and great-grandmother Margaret Kain.

Although Owen did not deliver Emmit, he did circumcise the baby after his birth and his father 20 years ago. The baby’s mother is Mariah Nitsch.

“Everything looks fine,” said Owen after recently examining the baby boy.

Lidman, a transplant coordinator at Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City, said Owen fills the role of the old-fashioned family doctor, admirably treating everything from diaper rash to arthritis pain. She (Continued on next page)

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LIBERT Y T R I BU N E , T H E K E A R N E Y C O U R I E R , G L A D S TO N E D I S PAT C H

THE MEDICINE CABINET H E A LT H C A R E F O R YO U R FA M I LY (Continued on previous page) said at least 50 people with family ties to her also go to Owen.

“He took care of my son when he was a baby. He takes care of my mother and my grandmother. He takes care of us all,” Lidman said.

Lidman said she had complete confidence in Owen’s ability to provide proper medical care for the whole family and if more is needed to recommend a specialist.

“He always listens, even if there is nothing wrong,” she said. “He never makes you feel like you are bothering him if you have to call him in the middle of the night. And his nurse has been with him forever, so she knows us.”

A U.S. Air Force veteran, Owen

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has been practicing medicine in Liberty for the past 24 years. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Medicine. Owen is married, has two grown children and one grandchild, and lives in Liberty.

“This all started with Nicole 19 to 20 years ago, and now I take care of all of them,” Owen said.

Meanwhile, the medical profession is closely watching what happens with the controversial Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2009 and now awaiting a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court this summer. If the mandate requiring people to buy health insurance is upheld, millions of people could be looking for a family care physician just like Owen.

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New parents Dyllon Tucker and Mariah Nitsch gaze at their son, Emmit Tucker, who was born Feb. 28 at Liberty Hospital weighing 9 pounds 13 ounces.

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THE MEDICINE CABINET

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GENTLE, QUALITY AND AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE

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mind is their health or even who to turn to with questions about how to make a doctor’s appointment, birth control, vaccines, or healthy snacking.

Got a question? The Children’s Mercy Teen Clinic can help. Teen Clinic 101, a new health and safety video series from Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, is now available online at Childrensmercy.org/Content/TeenClinic101/ and on the Children’s Mercy YouTube Channel.

Teen Clinic 101 is a video series that highlights timely adolescent health and safety topics discussed by Children’s Mercy experts offer tips on bullying, alcohol, birth control, online safety and more. Teen Clinic 101 serves as a conversation starter on tough topics between teenagers and their parents, or even teachers, counselors and healthcare providers.

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LIBERT Y T R I BU N E , T H E K E A R N E Y C O U R I E R , G L A D S TO N E D I S PAT C H

THE MEDICINE CABINET H E A LT H C A R E F O R YO U R FA M I LY

Help your kids understand medication Kids are curious by nature, and few things parents do go unnoticed by their children.Though it’s good to encourage their curiosity, children might be in danger if their curiosity takes them to the medicine cabinet.

According to research conducted at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, the number of children younger than 5 who required emergency medical care because of household pharmaceutical poisonings increased by 28 percent between 2001 and 2008.

Dr. Randall Bond, who led the research, noted that 95 percent of those hospital visits were related to kids getting into someone’s medicine and not a result of receiving the incorrect dosage of their own medications.

The reasons for those increased hospital visits can vary and might very well be a product of an increased reliance on prescription medications, which are now more prevalent in most family homes than they used to be. For example, the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital notes that prescriptions for oxycodone, a painkiller that can prove deadly if

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ingested by a child, have increased by 500 percent in recent years.That growing presence only increases the chances accidents might occur when curious kids find these medications around the house.

Regardless of the reasons behind the hospital visits, parents must take steps to ensure their children are safe from prescription medicines around the house. One way to do just that is to explain medications to kids, whether it’s about their own medicines or something Mom, Dad or their siblings might take to treat an existing condition.

Explain the function of medication — Explaining its function and how it should improve their health is a good way to reduce kids’ unwillingness to take their medicine. Discuss the child’s symptoms before administering the medicine and explain how it will alleviate those symptoms. When doing so, read the instructions to kids, making a point to explain why it’s important to follow the dosage instructions and how ignoring those dosing guidelines can be dangerous.

Acknowledge that medicine is not candy — Kids often don’t like taking medication because it doesn’t taste good. Acknowledge that and use this as an opportunity to explain that medicine isn’t candy and shouldn’t be treated as such. This is especially important if medication is in pill form and doesn’t really have a taste that kids abhor. If the pills are brightly colored, kids might be more inclined to take them and then take more of them when you’re not looking. So it’s important to explain that medicine isn’t candy — no matter what it looks like — and that it should only be taken in Mom’s or Dad’s presence and in strict adherence to dosage guidelines.

Explain prescription labels to children — A prescription label can also be a valuable tool when teaching kids about medications. Point out certain symbols kids won’t soon forget, like poison symbols or skulls, and explain that they should never take anything out of such bottles without Mom or Dad present. Also, point out the doctor’s name on your own prescriptions, and explain that not even Mom and Dad can take medication unsupervised. This illustrates to kids that everyone, even grown-ups, must be under supervision when taking medication.

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LIBERT Y T R I BU N E , T H E K E A R N E Y C O U R I E R , G L A D S TO N E D I S PAT C H

5 SENSES OF SPRING These signs return every year, so teach children to experience Mother Nature using the five senses: touch, taste, sight, smell and sounds.

Touch

For a “hands-on” experience, gather spring garden elements. Soil, water, seeds and light all work together to help plants grow — the basics of photosynthesis. If you’re not quite ready for an outdoor garden, get kids gardening indoors by planting a small tabletop garden. Miracle-Gro Kids has developed a series of small gardening kits for kids that make this process rewarding. Simply plant the garden, place it in a sunny area, water and watch for sprouts.

Taste

Spring greens are some of the first tastes from the garden. Pot a “grownup” table-top container garden or visit the first local farmers market selling home-grown ingredients for salads this spring. Maple syrup is another great taste of spring. The first maple tree sap flows right before the leaves appear.

Sight

In spring, flowers bloom, leaves bud, birds build nests and the backyard fills with life. One of the most obvious signs of spring’s arrival is the appearance of flowers. Make a scrapbook or photographic diary of which flowers are spotted first in your area.

Flowers and blossoms are only part of the colorful sights. Many animals are returning from migration.

Most people are not aware that earthworms migrate, so be on the lookout. Earthworms make one of the shortest annual migrations, coming above ground only when the earth begins to thaw and the soil is ready

for new root growth. Their appearance above ground is a gardener’s reminder that the ground is almost warm enough for planting. Animals and birds will then return to gobble up these tasty morsels as quick forms of protein. To further explore the underground world of gardening, try the Miracle-Gro Kids Root Viewer to let kids experience what goes on underground in spring before plants appear above ground. Children can watch as seeds germinate and roots grow right before their eyes.

Smell

Spring brings soothing scents like lilacs, apple blossoms, hyacinth and daffodils. Sweet aromas turn a stroll through the garden into a delicacy for the nose. The smell of fresh, cool air wafting into an open window or the scent of laundry that’s been hung out to dry in the sun are some of the greatest moments of spring. And, of course, the pleasant smell of freshly cut grass.

Sounds

In the spring, birds returning from long migrations are busy building nests, looking for food and laying eggs. Their singing and twittering are a welcomed signal that spring has truly arrived. Set up a bird feeder in the backyard or patio and take turns documenting which feathered friends visit most frequently.

In addition to the birds, frogs are also making their spring appearance in many areas, filling the night air with song. Listen for their high-pitched calls in the evenings, especially around wet areas like lakes and ponds.

— ARAContent

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BOOK BUZZ: ‘Friends to the End’

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No matter where you wing-it, life’s more fun with friends. Newsbee couldn’t agree more. While the queen is regal, she’s out of my class. I’d rather pal around with daring drones like Betty, Bob and Buttercup, true “Friends to the End.” Bet my red specs, you’ll want to share my May Picks with your best buds, along with a teacup of nectar. This month, page on with some great titles as sweet as can bee!

Horsefly and Honeybee

By Riley Cecil

Occasionally a relationship can get thorny. Buddies hit rough spots in the road and have disagreements with their pals. Two insects have to reach deep to settle a quarrel in “Horsefly and Honeybee,” a simple story with sunshiny illustrations by Riley Cecil.

Honeybee’s wings are dragging, and the buzzer decides to grab some shuteye in a bright-yellow lily. But hold on there! That flower’s taken. A horsefly has claimed the blossom as its resting place. Two winged wonders in one spot are too many. Before you can say nay, horsefly and honeybee come to blows, each losing a wing in the fray.

Now the insects are really on the outs. With only one wing each they can’t fly, and so must resort to hoofing it over hill and dale.

That’s all well and good until a pond appears. How is honeybee going to get across the water?

The bee receives a ride from a pesky green frog that deposits honeybee on a lily pad, right next to you know who. Now the two feuding friends must cooperate to save their skins, to keep from being ingested by the froggy fiends.

Zero the Hero

By Joan Holub

Poor ol’ Zero; he’s a nothing to his buddies.

The number just doesn’t add up, but reading “Zero the Hero,” is total fun — a clever word-play book by Joan Holub with zany cartoon illustrations by Tom Lichtenheld, of “Duck Goose” fame.

Though Zero doesn’t have the power of numbers 1 through 10, and occasionally is “mistaken for other circular objects,” though his friends are often “unkind,” and make him feel less than, his “belief in his wonderfulness persisted.” Zero’s optimism and spirit rise when he realizes that any number times him equals zero, a powerful attribute that carries some real clout, but scares his fellow numbers because they realize they could be nothings if they hang with this wholly, but humble, character.

Upset at his lot in life, Zero rolls away, to the eventual dismay of his fellow numbers. They soon see that problems can’t be solved without Zero in the

equation. Missing their friend, and lamenting their loss, they become distracted to the umpteenth degree and don’t pay heed to the dangerous deeds of some Roman numerals that surround them. Leave it up to Zero to save the day and make a hero out of his nothingness.

The One and Only Ivan

By Katherine Applegate

An adorable young friend gives an old Silverback Ape hope for the future in “The One and Only Ivan,” a must-read by Katherine Applegate.

As a baby, Ivan is snatched from the jungle. After his original owner gives him up, he’s adopted by Mack, the owner of Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade. Mack bottlefed and diapered him, but as Ivan grows, and becomes less manageable, he’s turned out of the house and relegated to a cage behind glass, only released to perform with equally downtrodden wild animals at the Big Top Mall.

Ivan endures 27 years of captivity, but he has the low-level glummies about being imprisoned. Things only get worse when the Big Top falls on hard times. Overnight Mack gets meaner to Ivan’s friend Stella, a kind elephant with a big heart and swollen foot.

To make some cash for the Big Top, Ivan draws crayon pictures that Mack sells, but the ringleader needs another way to make money and arranges to buy a baby elephant to attract circus-goers — a newcomer named Ruby that becomes Ivan’s dear friend.

More than anything Ivan doesn’t want Ruby to suffer the same fate as he has, a life in captivity being a “one and only.” The great ape goes to great means to do everything he can to prevent this from happening in a story that will touch the hearts of readers 8 to 84.

Reprinted with permission, Missourian Publishing Company. Copyright 2012.

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LIBERT Y T R I BU N E , T H E K E A R N E Y C O U R I E R , G L A D S TO N E D I S PAT C H

Kiwanis Clubs, Hy-Vee stores to hold baby shower drive May 12 A little something for baby

Twenty-two Kiwanis Clubs are joining with 23 Hy-Vee grocery stores across the Kansas City metropolitan area to host the 13th annual Mom’s Day Baby Shower Drive for agencies helping babies in need, according to a press release.

The campaign to collect and distribute baby care items to 21 local service agencies will be held May 12, the Saturday before Mother’s Day. Kiwanians and representatives of the agencies will staff collection tables at the Liberty Hy-Vee stores between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

They will have lists of needed items, plus information on the benefiting agencies.

The Metro Kansas City Kiwanis Council is organizing the drive for agencies serving families and children in Cass, Clay, Jackson and Platte Counties in Missouri.

The council has become aware of the

agencies’ critical need for new, daily care items for babies of the families they are serving. Many times, the agencies have no specific funding for items such as disposable diapers and formula.

Agencies benefiting from the Baby Shower Drive are: Advise and Aide Pregnancy Center; Angel Babies; Angels of Grace Family Center; Black Healthcare Coalition; Cabot Westside Health Center; Child Abuse Prevention Association; The Children’s Place; Clay County Healthy Families; Della Lamb Community Services; Gardner Multi-Service Center; Hope House; Lee’s Summit Social Services; Life Choice Center for Women; Love INC of Clay County; Mother’s Hands; Newhouse; Raytown Emergency Assistance Program; reStart; Salvation Army; Synergy Services; and Safehome.

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“We care about you because you’re a person who deserves Care and Respect.”

Because your car shares a garage with bicycles, baseball bats and a Big Wheel. And it shows.

Dent removal and painting are two of our specialties. Don’t wait for a collision to return your vehicle to its original state. Let Precision Collision make it good as new! Call us when you need us. And don’t sweat the small stuff.

GLADSTONE

PLEASANT VALLEY

816.468.4011

816.781.9630

7109 N. Walnut Street Gladstone, MO 64118 1 block West of 72nd & N. Oak

6604 Royal Street Pleasant Valley, MO 64068 I-35 Hwy & Pleasant Valley Rd.

TOW SERVICE

Available 24/7

816.291.0497

PrecisionCollisionKC.com

2801 NE 60th Street • Gladstone, MO 64119 • • • • • • • • • • •

816-454-7755

Caring Assistance with Daily Needs Medication Assistance Assistance with Bathing & Dressing Special Diets Paid Utilities Housekeeping & Laundry Service 24 Hour Nursing Newly 24 Hour Security Renovated Daily Menu Selections Transportation to Doctors Daily Activities