November 2015 LIBERTY TRIBUNE THE KEARNEY COURIER GLADSTONE DISPATCH THE SMITHVILLE HERALD
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SWEAT, BABY, SWEAT
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Mother-child fitness classes tone bodies, generate friendships By Kellie Houx
Monday: strength training. Wednesday: core and barre work. Thursday: outdoor exercise,
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KELLIE HOUX/STAFF PHOTO
Ruthie VanDever gets her daughter Harper, 2 years old, to try lunges with her during the Babe-n-Burn class organized by Fit By Burn.
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The Babe-n-Burn class uses the courthouse steps to march up and down during a Thursday class. KELLIE HOUX/STAFF PHOTO
On a Thursday morning in early fall, a group of eight mothers and their children took a stroll around downtown Liberty with Shriver encouraging certain exercises and using the area topography to benefit her students. Erin Hahn had 15-month-old Landry with her. For this mom, the choice to join the Babe-n-Burn class was easy. “I didn’t want to put my baby in day care,” she said. “I have 5-yearold twins in school, but I have a child at home. I found the class on Facebook and ended up coming. It’s my chance to talk to other stayat-home moms and do something good for myself.” Ruthie VanDever, who brought her toddler daughter, is expecting her second child around Christmas. She appreciates exercising as long
as she can during pregnancy. She returned to her fitness routine six weeks after Harper’s birth two and a half years ago. “Fitness is No. 1 for me,” VanDever said. “The joy, though, has been becoming close friends with these women. It’s the bond of mom. Then the kids even become friends as they look forward to coming.” Kourtney Vaughn had her second daughter at the end of September. However, she kept up her exercising and her time with her 2-year-old daughter, Eila, during her most recent pregnancy. “It’s been awesome to be part of the class,” she said. “I was actually nervous about being a stay-at-home mom, but here are like-minded women. Eila loves the class. Being kept moving was good for me the first go-around. It made
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NORTHLAND FAMILY IS A SPECIAL SECTION PUBLISHED THE FIRST WEEK OF EACH MONTH BY LIBERTY TRIBUNE, THE KEARNEY COURIER, GLADSTONE DISPATCH AND THE SMITHVILLE HERALD, DIVISIONS OF NPG NEWSPAPERS, INC. MAILING ADDRESS: 104 N. MAIN ST., LIBERTY, MO 64068 ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: 816-781-4941 EDITORIAL INQUIRIES: NORTHLANDFAMILY@NPGCO.COM
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KELLIE HOUX/STAFF PHOTO
Samantha Nelson, Alena Prenger and Maria Mackey use the Liberty City Hall fountain as a stepper for their Babe-n-Burn parent-child exercise class.
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postpartum easier after the delivery.� Shriver is passionate about moms. She understands sleep deprivation, the joys and the tribulations of motherhood. She has five children herself. “I always offer a free class so moms can give it a try,� she said. Maria Mackey arrives with her two children, 2-year-old Brielle and 2-month-old Beckham. She had just returned to class after Beckham’s birth. She joined Babe-n-Burn when Brielle was 7 weeks old. “Sure, I am feeling fit, but I gained a bunch of friends, which means so much to me,� said Mackey, who also has three school-aged children. According to the Mayo Clinic, exercise during
pregnancy can ease or prevent back pain and other discomforts; boost mood and energy levels; and increase stamina and muscle strength. Shriver encourages brisk walks around Liberty Square, and the women use the steps in the downtown landscape to do lunges and other leg exercises. The children are invited to do lunges with their moms, or they sit to the side and play. Shriver has been known to hold children’s hands while their mothers work out. “I am proud of these women and their commitment to the class and each other,� she said. Liberty Editor Kellie Houx can be reached at 389-6630 or kellie.houx@ libertytribune.com.
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District scores up in annual review By Ryne Dittmer
More districts than ever surpassed the 90 percent benchmark on the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Annual Performance Reports released in October. Across the state, 61 percent of school districts earned at least 90 percent of the 140 possible points calculated under the state’s education accountability system, Missouri School Improvement Program 5. Almost all — 98 percent — of the districts received at least 70 percent of the possible points to earn full accreditation. The number of
districts reaching full accreditation was 15 percent higher than 2014. “We are pleased that Missouri public schools are meeting state standards while expectations continue to increase,” Missouri Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven said in a press release. “As a state, it is imperative that we continue to focus on high quality education in every school so that all Missouri children graduate from high school ready for post secondary success.” MSIP 5 annually scores school district achievement across five standards; academic performance, subgroup achievement, college and career readiness, attendance rate and graduation rate. Due to changes in state learning standards and assessment administration over the past year, school districts were able to use
their English language arts and math data from 2014 or 2015 when calculating academic and subgroup achievement scores to prevent accreditation rankings from being negatively affected. “MSIP 5 supports goal one of the department’s Top 10 by 20 plan that all Missouri students will graduate college and be career ready. I want to applaud the educators — administrators and teachers — who are helping more of our students graduate high school prepared for postsecondary success,” Vandeven said. “They are meeting state standards while expectations for what students should know and be able to do continue to increase.” County and Education Editor Ryne Dittmer can be reached at 389-6606 or ryne.dittmer@npgco.com.
VIEW THE SCORES MSIP5 scores can be accessed on the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website. BY DISTRICT: http://dese. mo.gov/sites/default/files/ Missouri-2015-APR-Summary -By-School-Districts-andCharters.pdf BY BUILDING: http:// dese.mo.gov/sites/default/ files/Missouri-2015-APRSummary-By-Buildings.pdf
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“Never, never, never give up!” That’s the mantra 53-year-old Joanie Peterson lives by, and one that served her well when she decided to run the Air Force Marathon at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio recently. “I have served my country since 1985, most recently as a colonel with the 131st Medical Group at Whiteman Air Force Base,” Peterson said. “I knew I was going to retire and I’m not a runner, but I set this goal as a final tribute to my 30 years of service.” It was her “last Air Force mile.” Peterson, who is the corporate compliance officer and director of risk management for Liberty Hospital, said this goal was ambitious, even for an avid runner, which she was not. “I was pretty healthy, and could run a couple of miles to pass my Air Force fitness test, but I had never done anything like this,” she admitted. After only a couple of months of training, she began experiencing knee
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Joanie Peterson, center, competes in the Air Force Marathon at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.
pain that didn’t respond to rest and over-the-counter medications. An MRI revealed she had arthritis. Determined, Peterson began training with Liberty Hospital Sports Medicine strength and conditioning coach Adam Long.
“He created a plan to help me make my goals happen,” she said. A half marathon (13.1 miles) in June resulted in so much knee pain, she could barely walk. “It was now June, and it seemed
as if my marathon dream might be slipping away,” Peterson said Dr. Ryan Snyder of Liberty Orthopedics, diagnosed Peterson with a meniscal tear. “He said surgery would be my best option to fix the tear and potentially recover in time for the race,” she said. Surgery was July 8 at Liberty Hospital, but with the Sept. 19 marathon date looming, Peterson got back on her feet and in training with Long in just two weeks. “You have seven hours to run a marathon, then they pick you up in a van if you aren’t finished,” Peterson explained. “I just wanted to cross that finish line on my own, not in the van.” Peterson ran the marathon in five hours. “There were days when I wondered, ‘How am I ever going to run 26.2 miles?’” she said. “The answer is I never could have done this without Adam at Liberty Hospital Sports Medicine, or Dr. Snyder at Liberty Orthopedics, or my co-workers. They never told me I couldn’t do it. They all asked me, ‘What can we do to help you reach your goal?’ They never let me quit.” — Liberty Tribune
Hospital ‘family’ gets Joanie Peterson
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Combat flu before it gets you By Kellie Houx
It’s that time of the year again.The days are in flux, and temperatures are too. It’s also the time for the start of the flu. Clay County Health Department Public Information Officer Aaron Smullin said influenza can be handled proactively with vaccines for children as young as 6 months. Older individuals may have to take a stronger dose. “There are two points here,” he said. “Getting the vaccine doesn’t give you the flu. It might give you a mild fever or pain at the injection site. It’s also not instantaneous. It takes two to six weeks for a person to build up the antibody resistance. Each individual is clearly unique, but we usually tell people about three weeks.” And just because an individual received a flu vaccine last year doesn’t mean they are covered this year, as epidemiologists and other disease experts record the everchanging strains of the flu, Smullin said. The health department offers FluMist nasal spray vaccine as well as shots. “The whole family can come in for vaccination,” Smullin said. “We are all exposed, whether we are in day care, preschool, elementary, middle or high school. Even the workplace can be trouble. It’s the nature of close contact,
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so it’s about being protected.” But there’s no single magical bullet to prevent the flu. “The biggest piece of advice is to wash hands often,” Smullin said. “Sing the ABCs and wash the palms and the top of the hands. Cough and sneeze into a tissue or your elbow. Stay home if you are feeling poorly. It protects your coworkers and peers.” Adults, teens, tweens and children are no longer contagious after the fever has broken naturally and not through medication. “Just be proactive and more vigilant,” Smullin said. “There are already cases being reported.”
Is your life limited by neck or back pain? • Have other options been tried and failed? • Have you been told that nothing else can be done? • Are you unhappy with a previous spine surgery? Seek consultation with Dr. Jeffrey MacMillan M.D. Practicing in Kansas City since 1995.
For families
Teach children to cover noses and mouths as they cough and sneeze. Throw used tissues away and then wash hands. If hand washing isn’t possible, use alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouths, as germs are spread this way. Keep healthy family members away from sick family members — about six feet away. Keep surfaces like bedside tables, surfaces in the bathroom, kitchen counters, door knobs and toys for children clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant. Follow the directions on the product table. Liberty Editor Kellie Houx can be reached at 389-6630 or kellie.houx@ libertytribune.com.
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STAY GO? OR
Local health care experts tell us just how sick is too sick to send a child to school
From Dr. Melanie Lively of Health Care for Children: Fever is certainly the easiest guideline to follow with regard to school attendance or not. If your child has had a fever in the past 24 hours, they should stay home that day from school. However, there are other symptoms or situations that should keep your child at home also. Children with diarrhea or vomiting should remain home until their symptoms resolve. If your child has significant nasal drainage and cough, and they are not at an age where they are able to be consistent with covering their mouth and washing their hands, or they are young enough that they may be playing with communal toys, they should stay home. In general, I tell parents to use their common sense. If your child is sick enough that they are not their normal active self, or they are not going
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to be able to perform at their expected level, it is probably time to keep them home and allow them to rest and recover. Of course, if there is ever any doubt, we encourage parents and caregivers to call us and consider bringing the child in to be evaluated. It is always better to be safe than sorry.
From Dr. Leesa McBroom, chair and associate professor of the Department of Nursing at William Jewell College: Parenting includes balancing our family’s needs and other demands such as work, chores, etc. One of the greatest demands that offsets this balance is when a child is sick and needs to stay home. Once a child is ill, the debate begins about whether to send the child to school. Following the guidelines that many schools and health care providers suggest will help in determining the best course of action. Some reasons to keep your child home are
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A child with a fever of 100.5 or greater should stay home from school.
clear in making this decision, such as any child that has vomiting, diarrhea, a fever of 100.5 or greater, colored eye drainage or an unknown rash. Others reasons may be more vague, but children should stay home if they are unable to participate in activities because they: • are tired with body aches and need bed rest (this is common with the flu); • have shortness of breath or wheezing (notify your healthcare provider); • have a cough that disrupts normal activity; • have distracting pain from an earache, headache, sore throat or injury. Part of keeping a child at home is not only to
speed up the healing process, but also to keep the illness from spreading to others. Staying home includes staying away from any pubic place such as the grocery stores, outside to play, etc. Send children back to school or out in public when no diarrhea, vomiting or fever has occurred for 24 hours without medication. If prescribed antibiotics, they can return after completing the first 24 hours on antibiotic (oral or eye drops). For chickenpox, children can return after all the lesions have crusted over. Definitely see your healthcare provider if your child has: • Difficulty breathing; • High or a persistent fever; • Vomiting or diarrhea and unable to keep fluids down to produce urine; • Sore throat with fever, headache, nausea or vomiting; • Stiff neck with headache, vomiting, confusion or fever; • Persistent pain; • An unknown rash; or • Colored eye drainage Never hesitate to make an appointment with your health care provider. It is important to have your child seen early if it is a major illness. In a minor illness, your provider can reassure you and remind you to keep your child well hydrated. Feel free to call your health care provider or your school nurse if you any have questions about whether to send a child to school. Your child’s health is a priority for all of us. — Chris Geinosky
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Baby sleeps safely out of seat Frazzled new parents seek out any way to get their infants to sleep soundly, particularly when these parents also could use some shut-eye. Some parents will attest that newborns seem to come into the world with their days and nights mixed up, as well as with an aversion to resting comfortably in a bassinet or crib, noting how infants seem to doze off most comfortably in swings or car seats. While it may be tempting to let sleeping babies lie, or rather, sit, in car seats when they’re asleep, research has sug-
gested that car seats are not the safest places for babies to sleep. A relatively recent study in the journal Pediatrics showed that the car seats can compress the chest wall and reduce airway size, possibly lowering blood oxygen levels. The study placed 200 healthy newborns in a hospital crib for 30 minutes and in a car bed or car seat for an hour. Infants who slept in a car seat or car bed had lower oxygen levels than when they slept in the crib. Pulmonary pediatrics experts at Massachusetts General Hospital concur, saying car seats can cause mild
respiratory compromise in about 20 percent of newborns. This means that the car seats should be restricted to use in the car only, and not be used as a makeshift sleeping area outside of the vehicle. Hypoxia, or a fall in oxygen levels that causes a deficiency in the blood, is associated with behavioral problems and adverse effects on development, offer researchers from Auckland University. Limiting time spent in car seats, and similarly, infant swings, can help prevent the condition. A child’s head can fall forward onto his or her chest and cause a decline in available oxygen. When children are in car seats for travel, ensure the seat is set at the proper incline, usually a 45-degree angle. This helps keep airways open.
If a child falls asleep in a swing at home, keep an eye on him or her. Turn off the rocking mechanism when he or she falls asleep and be sure that infants are always buckled in securely to avoid their slipping out and falling. Keep the swing in the most reclined position until the baby is able to lift and hold up his or her head on his or her own. Also, don’t pad the swing with loose pillows or blankets, as this can increase SIDS risk, advises the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Parents should recognize that car seats and swings should not be used as sleeping areas for children. Consult with a pediatrician about safer ways to help kids get some sleep. — Metro Creative
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How to raise kids who
GROW UP GIVING that giving increases self-esteem and self-confidence. Children who learn that they can help others will soon realize they have the power to make a difference. Recognizing that they can make a big change is a very empowering discovery for kids. Here’s how parents can foster a love of giving. Choose age-appropriate tasks. Young children do not have a lot of money, so try to find charitable tasks that allow them to donate their time and skills. Kids can help make cookies for bake sales or participate in food drives in front of grocery stores for certain charities. Let children choose the beneficiary of their efforts. Children may have their own ideas about who they want to help. Let kids choose because they’re more likely to get behind the effort if they feel their input is valued. Lead by example. Don’t just pay lip service to the idea of being chari-
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table. Provide a good example by getting involved yourself. Make sure the entire family gets involved with the effort of giving. Let children see where their efforts are going. Writing a check is a rather unceremonious way of giving that may not resonate with young children. But if they can see food being delivered to the hungry or pet supplies going to an animal shelter, they can see the fruits of their efforts paying off. Create a giving account or box. Make it a family tradition that members of the household will donate an item they receive or a small amount
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The message of giving has reached new levels in recent years. While charitable endeavors have long been the center of many local community groups’ outreach efforts, social media has made charitable efforts as popular as ever. Charitable giving is a family tradition in many households. Many parents find that the earlier they introduce their children to charitable giving and volunteering, the more likely their kids are to embrace these efforts, both immediately and into adulthood. Parents can impart lessons to their youngsters about the importance of giving during the end of the year, when many charities raise their public profiles, or when newsworthy events, such as devastating storms, draw attention to the less fortunate. Nancy Phillips, founder and president of DollarSmart Kids Enterprises, Inc., says it’s been scientifically proven
of money to the box each month. At the end of the year, the family can deliver those funds and gifts to a charity of choice. Talk about giving at dinner. Make philanthropy a regular part of family conversation. Discuss the plight of the less fortunate with your children, focusing on the value of volunteering and helping others. Children can learn to be generous and give to others at an early age, and those that do are more likely to grow into charitable adults. — Metro Creative
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KIDS IN THE KITCHEN Dietitian talks tips for having children assist with holiday meal prep
By Amanda Lubinski
Having them involved from the beginning is a great way to pique children’s interest in helping with Thanksgiving holiday meal preparations, Lindsay Nelson, dietitian at Liberty’s Hy-Vee, said. “They should start by getting involved in the meal planning. They can sit down with parents and talk about what the traditions are and what they want to have. It lets them have input,” she said. Children can participate in recipe item procurement, too. “Kids should go to the store with their parents so they can see what goes into what they’re making,” Nelson said.“They can also help by finding things in the store.” Once back at home, Nelson said parents should be mindful of children’s capabilities. “If you have small or younger children, they can be good at stirring, pouring things into container or bowls
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Hy-Vee dietitian Lindsay Nelson says small children are good Thanksgiving meal kitchen helpers because they can help stir, mix and pour ingredients.
and pans,” the dietitian said.“You don’t want them to be around sharp knives or the oven, things that could harm them.”
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Older children, Nelson said, can chop vegetables, use electric kitchen equipment or follow a recipe from start to finish in a kitchen under adult supervision. “If you have a teenager, that’s good for them.They can do it all,” she said.“For younger kids, I know here in our garden, we make salads. An adult can chop up the ingredients for that and then the younger ones can layer those together. We also make our own dressing. So younger kids can pour the dressing on or help mix it.” Children in the kitchen, Nelson said, means adults should pay attention to food safety. “It’s important to be making sure kids are washing their hands. If they crack an egg, they need to wash their hands before going on to something else,” she said.“Also, there should be a focus on no cross contamination.That means wiping surfaces down between items,” she said. Having a child in the kitchen allows adults to focus on more simple preparations, which tend to use more fresh ingredients like produce.Those recipes are healthier, Nelson said. “Having younger ones help is a good way to stay focused on more vegetables and fruits. I know Thanksgiving tends to be a meal that is more dense. Having younger ones help means you can focus on those healthier options,” she said.
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Quick and easy MAKE-AND-TAKE DISHES Party Meatballs
Between football and the holidays, there are plenty of reasons to gather friends and family around to celebrate this time of year. No matter the occasion, more time with family and friends and less time in the kitchen is important. Don’t let your busy schedule or a complicated recipe keep you from bringing a delicious dish to your next event. Be everyone’s favorite guest with these perfect party recipes that are quick and easy to make and transport easily. One secret to rich
Recipe courtesy of Sommer of ASpicyPerspective.com Cook time: 22 minutes Servings: 40-55 meatballs 1 tablespoon butter ½ cup red onion, grated 1 pound pork sausage 1 pound ground beef 2 cups panko bread crumbs 1 cup Musselman’s Apple Butter ¼ cup sour cream 2 eggs 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon allspice ½ cup beef broth 2 tablespoons honey 1-2 dashes of cayenne pepper
Heat oven to 400 F and line large-rimmed baking sheet with foil. classic Pennsylvania Dutch spread In skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add grated onions and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, until soft. made with apples and cinnamon In large bowl, mix sausage, ground beef, bread crumbs, that can add a special touch to 1/2 cup apple butter, sour cream, eggs, salt, pepper and your favorite sweet or savory recipes. allspice. Add onion, once it cools. Use hands to mix well until evenly combined. Find more recipes to make, take Measure one-ounce portions. Roll tight balls and place and share for any occasion or them on baking sheet, close together, but not touching. download a free e-Recipe Book at Bake for 15 minutes. musselmans.com. Meanwhile, mix remaining apple butter with beef broth,
flavor is Musselman’s Apple Butter, a
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honey and 1 to 2 dashes of cayenne pepper. Whisk well. Remove meatballs from oven. Pour sauce over top, making sure to cover each meatball, and place back in oven for 5 to 7 minutes. Once cooked through, shake baking sheet a little to loosen meatballs and serve warm.
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Nov emb er 2015
Cinnamon Oatmeal Bars
Tips to take along
Cook time: 40 minutes Servings: 16
1 cup flour 1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal ž cup light brown sugar Ÿ teaspoon salt 8 tablespoons butter, melted 1 cup Musselman’s Apple Butter
To keep the focus on the fun, here are some tips to help make transporting treats easier: To keep casserole lids in place, on a cool dish, crisscross rubber bands over the lid handle.
Heat oven to 350 F. Coat 8-by-8-inch baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Line with heavy-duty foil, leaving overhang on two sides to facilitate removal of bars from pan. Coat foil with cooking spray. In medium bowl mix flour, oatmeal, sugar and salt. With fork, stir in butter until well mixed and clumps form, then spread half the oatmeal mixture over foiled pan bottom, pressing to form a thin crust. Spread apple butter over crust, then sprinkle remaining oatmeal mixture on top. Bake until crisp and golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Use foil “handles� to remove bars from pan. Cut into squares and serve.
To keep food warm and minimize mess, place the dish in a cardboard box and wrap towels around it. To reduce day of stress, do prep work the night before or choose recipes, such as Cinnamon Oatmeal Bars, that can be made in advance.
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