Parent Life for May 2012 by InsideNoVa

MAY 4, 2012

LEESBURG TODAY

ParentLife VOL. 1 NO. 1

Brett Scott with his daughters Avary and Alexis in their Ashburn garden. Photo by Lisa Scott

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MAY 4, 2012

Spending Quality Time In The Garden Therese P. Howe For Parent Life

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From small lots in Ashburn backyards to 3 acres in Purcellville, local families are spending quality time with their kids in the garden. In the Scott household in Ashburn, it’s dad Brett who takes 4-year-old Avary and 2-year-old Alexis into their backyard almost every night to tend to their 8- by 8-foot vegetable garden. This year, he hauled the girls in a covered red wagon around the recent Leesburg Flower and Garden Festival, where they picked up this season’s crop, including tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, watermelon, zucchini and herbs. “They love to see things grow and pick the food they are going to eat for dinner,” he said. As a child growing up around farms in Springfield, OH, his parents had a large garden in their backyard. “When we moved into the Hamlets at Red Cedar in Leesburg, my next door neighbor (the Celentanos) put in a large garden. Watching them brought back those great childhood memories of gardening and I had a large enough yard to put in my own garden.” While many families imagine fruits and vegetables in the backyard when it comes to gardening, others gravitate toward creating natural habitats. Michelle Drake and her twin

6-year-olds Hailey and Sydney put in grasses and plants that will attract wildlife to their 3-acre lot in Leesburg: “lots of things that the hummingbirds like, and thistle seed or the echinacea for the goldfinches and viburnum—the berries—for the mockingbirds in the winter.” While she appreciates that gardening encourages the girls to be outside and get exercise, her primary motive is letting them “get to see the wildlife up close. I think there’s a lot of peace and beauty in birds and squirrels and chipmunks and all that.” “It’s a great way Courtesy Linna Ferguson to teach (kids) about nature,” Brett Scott added. “We talk about the soil, plants, insects and the rodents (squirrels/rabbits who steal our bounty) and the roles they all play in the garden.” Besides connecting with nature, gardening also teaches children about the importance of eating seasonally and locally. “My kids are very Photo by Therese P. Howe in tune with the seasons when it comes to Top: Skyla Ferguson helps in one of the 16 garden beds at her family’s fruits and vegetables,” Purcellville home. Above: Avary and Alexis Scott help their dad choose said Linna “the Loca- plants for their Ashburn garden at the recent Leesburg Flower & vore” Ferguson, a moti- Garden Festival. vational food garden Master Gardener Diane Hayes suggests startspeaker based in Purcellville. “When it’s straw- ing simple. “Lettuce grows within 7 to 10 berry time, we will go out and we will eat until days; you can go out and cut your own lettuce our bellies hurt and we’re sick of strawberries. and have a salad that night,” said Hayes, who We eat and eat, and I put no limits. I say, you is the co-leader of the Loudoun Master Gareat as many strawberries as you want and we’ll deners children’s programming. Other plants have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And she suggests are marigolds and sunflowers, then they’re kind of sick of it, and then I freeze which yield seeds that kids can eat once enough for the winter. And then they don’t eat they’ve grown. strawberries all year until strawberries come Veggies take more time, so “we just tell in again. … They’re just used to that. They parents to take bean seeds and put them don’t ask for strawberries in January because between wet paper towels and put them in a it’s not happening. So it’s getting your kids plastic bag and in a couple days you can see to understand that when things are plentiful, things sprouting. You can talk about the stem take advantage of it.” coming out first, and then the leaves come out Inspired to start with your own kids next, and then the roots. Most people think now? For families just starting to garden, the roots are going to be first, well the roots

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“Pinterest is pretty cool,” Linna Ferguson said. “On Pinterest you can find all kinds of kids’ gardens, like planting a circle of sunflowers and then planting pole beans and making this kind of club house for kids. All kinds of little gardening ideas are on there.” The experts who tend the Master Gardeners demonstration garden and Children’s Garden at Ida Lee Park in Leesburg. “On the first Saturday morning of each month starting in May there will be Master Gardeners out there answering questions for people on how to do plantings, what to grow and how to maintain it, things like that,” Diane Hayes said. She suggested coming by the garden on July 4 before Ida Lee opens for fireworks. The Loudoun County Extension Office at 30 Catoctin Circle SE has children’s gardening books and handouts for kids, Hayes said. You-pick farms and farmers markets. “There are lots of farmers who are … more than happy to answer questions for parents,” Hayes said. The Loudoun Spring Farm Tour takes place the weekend of May 19-20 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. For a list and map of participating farms, wineries and other venues, visit www.loudounfarms.org. The National Gardening Association’s website www.kidsgardening.org offers How-To Projects, How-To Videos, family gardening activities and more.

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Courtesy Lisa Scott Brett Scott shows his daughters Avary and Alexis how to tend their vegetable garden in the backyard of their Ashburn home.

the roots are going to be first, well the roots are the last thing. And they can take the bean seed that’s already sprouted and then put it into the ground and watch it develop into a plant with beans and stuff on it.” Here’s more advice for families new to gardening from parent experts: “Start small,” Brett Scott said. “One tomato plant in a pot on the deck or a 4- by 4-foot planter on the patio with a few different vegetables is all you need to see if gardening is for you before you commit to a larger garden that will require a fair amount of work to plant and maintain. Using a good soil and watering properly are also very important.” “Let them pick their own stuff out,” Michelle Drake said. “In other words, let them be a part of if they want to create a garden, (such as) what colors do they want to choose.” She suggests going further by having them connect the plants to their purpose in the garden. “Are there any animals that eat it or does it provide nourishment—is there another purpose for it beyond just a pretty flower?” “Knowing that kids have short attention spans, you have to create some kind of draw,” Linna Ferguson said. “I’m always thinking of games because I would like to spend more time in the garden and I want them there with me. So we created this worm thing, where we were testing the beds to see if they were healthy so if we have worms, it’s healthy. So I taught them how to dig holes and look for worms. Once we found some worms, we would each take a worm and put them on the top of the soil and then we would have worm races, and we’d see whose worm won. It seems so simple but we must have spent an hour and a half digging in different beds, checking the health of them by seeing if there were worms, picking a worm and then racing them.”

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     Monday through Friday, July 9 to 13, 2012      9:00 AM - 3:00 PM  Cost: $30 (Full Financial Assistance    Available)     Bus Transportation Provided     Register Online At:www.surveymonkey.com/s/campfriendship         Information   For More Contact:               Diane Kane •  703.840.2072 or dkane@gscnc.org        “Learn to be Active through Golf”  WEEKLY SESSIONS - June 11 - August 24:

               

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    

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Summer Golf Camps 

1/2 day AM - 8:30-12:00 - $250/week 1/2 day PM - 1:00-4:30 - $250/week Full day - 8:30-4:30 - $475/week Advanced Camp - $595/week

Golf + Fitness + Nutrition = FUN

! FUN

• Golf Specific Skills (Putting, chipping, pitching, full swing) • Rules/Etiquette • Video Analysis • On Course Activities • Fitness Activities • Amenities Pack • Character Building For more information or to sign up contact Adam Harrell at: 954-647-7760 • www.epgacademy.com • adam@epgacademy.com

Westpark Golf Club

Healthy Snacks & Lunch Provided!

56 Clubhouse Drive, Leesburg, VA 20175

Voted One of Northern Virginia’s

• CosmetiC Dentistry-inCluDing Veneers • restoratiVe Dentistry • Hygiene & PreVentatiVe Care • Dentures • imPlants • Crowns & BriDges • ortHoDontiCs for aDults & CHilDren • inVisalign for aDults & teens • CHilDren’s Dentistry • teetH wHitening • soft-tissue laser treatments • eVening & saturDay Hours • flexiBle Payment oPtions • finanCing aVailaBle • emergenCies welCome Enjoy a unique and relaxing dental experience in the soothing atmosphere of a beach or mountain retreat, complete with bird aviaries.

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Ike Lans, D.D.S. and Associates Family Dentistry & Orthodontics

703.297.8159

www.LansFamilyDentistry.com a44110 Ashburn Shopping Plaza I Suite 166 • Ashburn, VA 20147

Photos by Therese P. Howe Top: Mr. Knick Knack gets kids off their seats and onto the dance floor at the Village at Leesburg’s Fountain Court at the VAL’s Pals program this past Tuesday. Below: Tyler and AnneMarie Kosin picked up free VAL’s Pals backpacks to tote their stuffed buddies.

Kids Kick It Up At Village At Leesburg Therese P. Howe For Parent Life

Families can enjoy some of the most popular Washington, DC, area children’s entertainers closer to home twice a month at a program that recently launched at the Village at Leesburg. Called VAL’s Pals, the program features entertainers such as Mr. Knick Knack, Mr. Don and Tony M. Music. “We’ll have some jugglers here sometimes and some face painters,” said Tonia Chagnon of JP Events and Consulting, which puts on the events for Village at Leesburg. The program, which was created as an attraction for stay-at-home parents with young children, takes place the first and third Tuesday of the month from 11 a.m. to noon at the Fountain Court. On rainy days, the fun moves indoors to one of the empty suites at the retail center. At the April 24 event, Mr. Knick Knack had toddlers and preschoolers dancing to his performance, sending many for refreshments at a nearby table with free snacks and drinks. The kids also received free yellow VAL’s Pals backpacks that included small toys, hand sanitizer and coupons from Village at Leesburg merchants. “So if you come back with your backpack, you’ll get special things from the merchants to encourage repeat attendance,” Chagnon said. “We also have Inova Loudoun Hospital, who is one of our [program] sponsors, that is onsite each time with their Mobile Health van

and the kids can come on board and take a tour and get some free goodies from them as well,” Chagnon said. At the bus April 24, Inova drivers Anthony Straub and Tony Chandler and nurse Lilsa Evans were giving away activity books, crayons, lip balm, health brochures and more. For a schedule of the entertainers appearing at VAL’s Pals, visit the Village at Leesburg’s website at www.villageatleesburg.com. To get news and updates, including whether the event will be moved indoors on a particular date, check their Facebook page at www.facebook. com/villageatleesburg/.

MAY 4, 2012

I FD EA Y LPE A E SRBEUNRTG LT O

Prmrs_ 69385 _- Summr Cmp 12 Ad #2497 --THIS AD CAN NOT BE EDITED- 5 x 2.75

Expedition Summer. The Adventure Awaits! Primrose School at Mooreﬁeld Station 43345 Bissell Terrace · Ashburn, Virginia 20148

703.726.9306 · primrosemooreﬁeldstation.com

Educational Child Care for Infants through Private Pre-Kindergarten and After School Each Primrose School is a privately owned and operated franchise. The Leader in Educational Child Care is a trademark of Primrose School Franchising Company. ©2012 Primrose School Franchising Company. All rights reserved.

Are Your Kids READY FOR SUMMER?

69385_Prmrs_SmmrAd_ID_2497.indd 1

4/24/12 4:19 PM

Photos by Therese P. Howe

FREE

The Village of Leesburg 1608 Village Market Boulevard SE, Ste. 115 Located directly behind Wegmans

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(571)252-7572

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From top: Leila and Grace Oat enjoy Pinkberry chocolate ice cream while listening to Mr. Knick Knack; Agnes and Patrick Reaser won a gift certificate to Salon Montage in a raffle drawing at the end of the program; driver Tony Chandler, nurse Lisa Evans and driver Anthony Straub staffed Inova Mobile Health’s bus; and families were offered activity books, crayons, lip balm and more on the bus.

Theaters Presents

Airbus IMAX® Theater—Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center 14390 Air And Space Museum Pkwy., Chantilly, VA

www.si.edu/imax 866 868-7774 TTY 202 633-8850

P SABRUER NG TT OL DI AF YE LEE

The Hill School Sunday, May 20, 2012 2:00pm Please join us for an information session and tour led by Treavor Lord, Head of School.

The Hill School • 130 South Madison Street • Middleburg, VA 20117 K-8 Co-educational Day School • Founded in 1926

The goal of a Hill School education is to build character, self-confidence, and scholarship through academic and co-curricular excellence, individualized attention, and a strong sense of community. To RSVP or learn more about Hill please call Kelly Johnson at 540-687-5897 or visit www.thehillschool.org.

community

character

confidence

MAY 4, 2012

Rinse Hopper Makes Bathtime A Breeze The Rinse Hopper couldn’t have come to us at a better time. We recently started our little girl, Dara, on solids—and after a few weeks of enjoying her many menu options including sweet potato, butternut squash, yogurt, green beans, peas—she suddenly developed a nasty case of diaper rash. Needless to say, our formerly cheerful and easy-going new addition was cranky and fussy every time she had a wet or soiled diaper. On her pediatrician’s advice, we declared a moratorium on baby wipes (despite previously using those formulated for sensitive skin) and switched to soft tissue and plain water when changing her diapers during the day. Our alternative “wipes” were obviously a lot less convenient than the ready-to-use type we were accustomed to, and there was also the concern that she just wasn’t getting clean enough, which would prolong the diaper rash. Enter the Rinse Hopper. Similar to a baby bathtub, with drainage holes in the bottom, it allows you to keep the baby in a shirt (or a onesie, with the flaps folded up) while you wash them from the waist down. Result: Fresh, clean baby—and the mess goes down the drain. The Rinse Hopper can also be used for baby’s baths, especially if all they need is a quick rinse (we wouldn’t recommend it for anything longer than that, since

Photo courtesy of Nerissa Shepard Baby Dara relaxes in her Rinse Hopper, credited with alleviating a nasty diaper rash.

the baby could get cold). The holes in the bottom prevent the Rinse Hopper from filling up with water, so this product is safe for newborns. That said, one suggested improvement would be a pillow attachment/head support—particularly helpful if the little one doesn’t have enough neck/head control just yet. Cut to two weeks after first using the Rinse Hopper. The little one is back to her giggling self again, thanks to a combination of a little diaper cream, extra TLC, plus convenient (and frequent!) stints in the Rinse Hopper. Thumbs up! Nerissa Shepard, Leesburg

Seeking Product Testers! Parent Life is seeking parents and kids who would be willing to test products such as toys, then submit a review of the product for publication in Parent Life and/or our website at www.leesburgtoday.com. In addition to a written review, families also will be required to submit photos and/or videos of the product and their review. If you are interested in becoming a family reviewer for Parent Life, please send an email to editor@leesburgtoday.com with the following information: • Parents’ names • Childrens’ names, gender and age • Town/Village of residence • Pets (type)

MAY 4, 2012

A SRBEUNR TG TL OI FD E LP EE AY

Family Game Time Is In The Cards

Our family was immediately drawn to the unique card shape and beautiful colors of the new art-themed card games by Funnybone Toys. We “tested” three games: Array, CUBU and Spectrix. All three games are based on multiple short rounds of color-based matching or sequencing. The games are intended for ages 8 and up, which we found appropriate for our family which includes children aged 12 to 17. While we enjoyed testing these games, they are not likely to get much future use in our house. Fast rounds keep the games moving and balanced the competition among players of all ages, but the game design generates only short-term interest. Victory depends on luck and some individual strategy, but the series of independent actions do not effectively engage others waiting for their turn and result in a quick loss of interest in the games. Pros for all three games: There is no real advantage for older kids (younger kids seemed to be equally likely to win), and games can be adjusted to fit time available (quicker or longer games). Cons: Unclear instructions, differences in shades of color that led to debate about appropriate matches and difficulty in shuffling cards due to their shape. Specific comments: Array – We found this game to be the most entertaining of the three. It seemed fast paced and had the most interesting twists and turns. The game was logical and allowed the active player to incorporate some strategy into their turn.

Year-round Horseback Riding Lessons All Day, Half Day & Pre-School Horse Shows ~ Girl ScoutLessons Groups Year-round Year-roundHorseback HorsebackRiding RidingLessons Year-round Horseback Riding Lessons Horse Shows ~ Girl Scout Groups Horse Shows ~ Girl Scout Groups Troop Activities ~Great Great Fun! Horse Shows ~ Girl Scout Groups Troop Activities Fun! Troop Activities ~~Great Fun! Troop Activities ~Parties Great Fun! Awesome Birthday too! Awesome Birthday Parties too! Awesome Birthday Parties Awesome Birthday Parties too!too! All AllDay, Day,Half HalfDay Day&&Pre-School Pre-School All Day, Half Day & Pre-School All Day, Half Day & Pre-School 1313miles milesfrom fromLeesburg/Ashburnm Leesburg/Ashburnm

13 miles miles from Leesburg/Ashburnm 13 from Leesburg/Ashburnm All Day, Half Day & Pre-School540.882.3530 www.RedGateFarmVA.com www.RedGateFarmVA.com••540.882.3530

www.RedGateFarmVA.com 540.882.3530 www.RedGateFarmVA.com •• 540.882.3530 13 miles from Leesburg/Ashburnm

“Reserve Your Place Stage!” www.RedGateFarmVA.com •on540.882.3530

Summer Musical Theatre Camps ForAges Ages4 7-17 For to 17

Photo courtesy of Dee McGuire Kenny McGuire plays the card game Array, by Funnybone Toys.

CUBU – This game was the second most entertaining. The rules were a little more difficult to understand, and the range of colors and shapes made it more challenging to “read” the cards. Play combinations were limited, making the game predictable. After a few rounds, we were somewhat bored with the game. Spectrix – This was the least entertaining game of the three. The game cards are colorful, but the game is very simple with limited strategy. The game is built around a large color spectrum which was not naturally incorporated into game play and led to distractions. Dee McGuire, Ashburn

Cinderella -Stage Play 4 Kidz UT! Aladdin School HouseJr.Rock SOLD O N I D D ALA Jason Robert Brown’s -13 Grease Les Miserables Ages 4-7

For Registration and More Information:

www.growingstage.org / Loudoun Co./ Parks and 540-338-4122 www.growingstage.org 540-338-5367 Loudoun Co. Recreation Parks and Recreation 703-771-5281

Loudoun Country Day School

r a So

e r o l x p e and

the fr freedom of summer um

Summer Programs

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L E EPSABRU E RN G TT OLDI AF YE

MAY 4, 2012

Kool Riders Create Authentic Motorcycle Sound A Kool Riders is a small plastic device meant to make your bike sound like a motorcycle. It attaches to the front fork of the bike and is activated as the spokes hit the plastic. The package states, “Remember baseball cards in your spokes?” I was never successful at baseball cards in the spokes, so I was curious about this product. I passed them out to my three oldest kids: Jonathan, 6; Mia, 8; and James, 11. It was met with varying reactions. Jonny was excited and eager to try it out. Mia was curious but not overly thrilled. James was underwhelmed: “Big deal. I already know how to do that.” Truthfully, he does. He wedged a water bottle in the front fork of his bike and it makes a sound like a motorcycle in the distance. Still, I encouraged each child to give it a try. Each child was able to correctly install the Kool Rider without assistance. This was a major pride point for Jonny and Mia. Each child had a turn to ride solo. Jonny’s normal bike-riding smile cracked into a huge grin. When his test run was over, here’s what he had to say: “At first it sounded like a machine gun then it sounded like a real motorcycle. So, so, so, so awesome! Super awesome.” Mia took her Kool Rider for a spin next.

Her comments reflect the overall sound of the Kool Rider: “At first, it just sounded like a bunch of ticking, but as I went faster it sounded like a real motorcycle.” They don’t sound like a motorcycle when you start, but as you pick up speed, the sound quality and volume increases dramatically. It does not make a distant motorcycle sound. It makes an in-your -face motorcycle sound. Knowing her personality, I think Mia was happy to have an excuse to be loud. James went last, as a favor to me. He is happy with his water bottle method of motorcycle sound making and was reluctant to switch to another product. As he streaked past me on his bike, he shouted out, “I feel like a car with a bad muffler!” The Kool Rider produces a much louder sound than the water bottle, and for James this was not a bonus. He is at an age where he doesn’t appreciate extra staring or attention. Later, he commented that it sounded “like someone put rocks and pencils in the blender.” Take-away point from James: the Kool Rider makes your bike loud. Loud is embarassing. Over the course of a couple weeks, I don’t think that the Kool Rider encouraged anyone to ride bikes more, but for those who like to

Harmony Preschool

Photo courtesy of Tracy Sheppard The Sheppard family reviewers offer their take on the Kool Riders they installed on their bikes. From left: James, Jonathan and Mia.

be loud or attract attention it increased their overall enjoyment when they did. I would recommend this product for children ages 6-10 who like to ride bikes, have attention and/or

be loud. I think that covers most 6-10 year olds. Tracy Sheppard, Leesburg

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