October - November
NUMBER 210
2018
8 PAG.
Parenting
10
PAG.
Being a parent of an exceptional kid
PAG.
18
Cummunity
Feature
A Vision Without Eyesight- A Bright Horizon.
Special Assistance Guide sponsored by The Rotary Club of Miami
PAG.
32
PAG.
PAG.
Fall Activity Guide
Nutrition
Halloween Nutritious Dishes
20
26
12
PAG.
An interview with Trish and Dan Bell
Safety
Halloween Doesn’t Have to be Spooky How to keep your child safe
PAG.
16 Family
A Smile of Hope
PAG. Family Tradition
30 PAG.
34 Social
The Coconut Grove Pumpkin Patch
•MKM Back to School event. •The UPS 5K benefiting the United Way of Miami-Dade. •Family Day on Aragon
Fall is here! Time to get together as a family and celebrate many holidays! For me, the most important is Thanksgiving. That’s why we want to focus this issue on family,
PUBLISHER - EDITOR Karla C. Richey
CREATIVE DIRECTOR kids, and being thankful. Miami Kids Magazine appreciates all of its readers and partners - we would not be where we are today without you.
This edition is very important to me, not only as the publisher of Miami Kids Magazine, but also as a mom. When I visited hospitals, I witnessed a lot of parents suffering because their children are sick or have special needs. That made me realize how fortunate we are to be healthy. It also made me think how we can help others to strive towards a better life. Through time, I have noticed that it is very difficult for parents to gain the community support to keep fighting - that’s why we are presenting a Special Assistance Guide on page 20. We hope that with this guide we can give parents quality information and a starting point so they can make informed decisions to help their children. On the cover of our magazine we have visually impaired children surrounding Mrs. Virginia Jacko, CEO of the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind, who will give all of us valued words of wisdom towards life. We want to take an opportunity and present an article from a very wellknown philanthropic couple in the community, Trish and Dan Bell. Do not miss it - the article is as inspiring as their actions. Since Halloween is approaching we have a very interesting piece from Junior MasterChef winner Logan Guleff who will talk about how to eat nutritiously while having fun! I, personally hope you all enjoy this edition as it is one I have wanted to do for a long time. My goal for Miami Kids Magazine is to have it be a support system for parents who need someone to turn to looking for quality advice.
Karla C. Richey
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Miami Kids Magazine October-November 2018
Enrique Chavez Pincilotti
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Diane Landsberg Nelly Lusich Logan Guleff Lucia Galeano The Coconut Grove Pumpkin Patch Dr. Gabriela Garrote
SPANISH EDITOR Nelly Lusich
MARKETING AND SALES Karla C. Richey
EDITORIAL ASSOCIATE Claudia Del Castillo PHOTOGRAPHY Enrique Tubio
GRAPHIC DESING
jhonriveraarrera@gmail.com Jhonn Rivera
WWW.MIAMIKIDSMAGAZINE.COM @MiamiKidsMagazine @MiamiKidsMagazine
© 2018 Miami Kids, LLC. All rights reserved. Issue 210. Miami Kids™ Magazine is published bimonthly in the USA. Reproduction in whole or in partial without written permission is prohibited. Publisher is not responsible for claims and content of advertisements.
INTRODUCING
The smart parenting tool to help manage your family’s home and mobile devices.
Know their whereabouts with location monitoring. Personalize what they can do online with custom filters for each family member. Manage how much time they are spending online, and when it’s time for dinner, you can even Pause the Internet ®.
Visit Your Local T-Mobile Location Not compatible with DIGITS. Qual’g T-Mobile plan, App install on all devices, & iOS/Android device req’d. Filters may not block all content you consider objectionable & may not filter some secured (HTTPS) traffic. Home Base: Compatible WI-FI router req’d. Coverage may not be available some areas. Location information provided is approximate & may not always be available. Monitored device must be turned on & have location services enabled. Use FamilyMode as intended; App terms apply. See Privacy Policy & Terms and Conditions (including arbitration provision) at T-Mobile.com for additional information. Network Management: Service may be slowed, suspended, terminated, or restricted for misuse, abnormal use, interference with our network or ability to provide quality service to other users, or significant roaming. On-device usage is prioritized over tethering usage, which may result in higher speeds for data used on device. See T-Mobile.com/OpenInternet for details. FamilyMode is a trademark of T-Mobile USA, Inc. Pause The Internet is a trademark of Circle Media, Inc. T-Mobile and the magenta color are registered trademarks of Deutsche Telekom AG. © 2018 T-Mobile USA, Inc.
Being a parent of an
Exceptional Kid By Diane Landsberg ringing a baby into the world is exciting for new parents. Learning that your baby has a disability, serious complications, or is very ill is traumatizing. It is hard to comprehend, and your emotions can run the gamut from grief, fear, despair, confusion, disbelief and anger.
When it is a relative or friend that has a child in difficult circumstances, there are many ways you can help and assist. Providing a meal, assisting with housekeeping, and grocery shopping are always appreciated. If there are other children in the home you can provide rides to school or other activities, homework assistance, play dates and sleepovers. If it can be arranged on a regular schedule, it will provide a little bit of normalcy in their young lives.
Wikipedia defines “Special Needs” as a term used in clinical diagnostic and It is important to request help and let your functional development to describe family and friends provide the needed support individuals who require assistance for because you must recognize that you can’t disabilities that may be medical, mental, do it all by yourself. Many times people are or psychological. I believe there are other, at a loss for words or may say the wrong better terms such as: differently Abled, thing. Forgive them. Educate them. Share unique, exceptional, or irreplaceable. updates, diagnosis, future outcomes as you It means that your weekly schedule will feel comfortable. Consider having a good include therapy sessions, frequent doctor’s friend or family member be the point person visits, dealing with insurance companies, for information and someone to assist with all of which can be exhausting. Then, organizing things you need help with. there is the financial commitment, missed
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Miami Kids Magazine October-November 2018
work days, lack of sleep and the inevitable strains on the marriage. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the cost of raising a typical child to the age of 18 is around $240,000. You could expect to quadruple that with your exceptional child. It is suggested that you speak with your accountant about a disability tax credit. You may qualify for up to a $12,000 deduction. To qualify you will need your doctor to certify the diagnosis on Form # T2201. There are many resources, agencies and programs that can provide invaluable information and support to assist you care for your Special Angel. Amazon can be a source for dozens of items, clothing, equipment and books. In addition, here are a few website resources:
http://www.autism-society.org http://familyvoices.org https://www.cec.sped.org https://fcsn.org http://www.easterseals.com http://www.p2pusa.org https://www.ndss.org http://www.napcse.org https://www.php.com https://www.specialneedsalliance.org http://familyvoices.org
AN INTERWIEW WITH By Karla Richey
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rish and
DAN BELL
Trish and Dan Bell are well known in the community for their generosity with many important charitable causes, enhancing the lives of many people. In this special issue we want to recognize their important work in the community and give them our gratitude and admiration for all that they do.
Miami Kids Magazine October-November 2018
live faith-based lives. They both are now married, and they and their wives and our two granddaughters are our best friends! We count them and our relationship with them as our best blessings.
h gr an d Th e Be ll 's w it e an d es Re s er ht da ug Riley Bell Q. Tell us about your upbringing A. We grew up in Jacksonville, Florida and met in high school when Trish was 13 and Dan was15. (We were so young that Trish was actually taller than Dan when we first met!) As a result of meeting so young, we came to know each other’s parents extremely well, and over the years, we grew so close to them that we both felt like we each had two sets of parents. All four parents were loving, hardworking and were strict disciplinarians. They instilled in us both a sense of being responsible citizens, being honest, treating others with as much kindness as possible and working hard to accomplish whatever goal we set for ourselves. Q. Being married for many years, what is your advice for many parents reading this article to maintain a relationship for so long? A. Treat your spouse as though every day is his or her birthday! Q. What is the most important value you admire in each other? A. For us both, having a religious foundation and living a faith-based life is immensely important. So many good qualities stem from that foundation --- love, honesty, respect, putting the other first, sharing our blessings and many other attributes. We truly are each other’s best friend, and we genuinely enjoy working together and playing together. There’s truly no one we enjoy spending time with more than each other. Even after having been married for many years, we still get excited about seeing each other when we’ve been separated, even for just a brief time! Q. What is your biggest accomplishment? A. We are immensely proud of having experienced such a relationship with each other and of having raised two strong, professional and philanthropic sons who
that point has moved considerably upward over the years. Giving of, course, makes us feel good, but that’s definitely not the principal reason we give. We give because we strongly believe it’s the right thing for us to do.
Q. How do you balance such extensive service to the community with the Q. What are the organizations you demands of family life? support? A. Regardless of how busy we stay, our top A. We are drawn to organizations that have priority in life is our family, so we always try two things in common: (1) They provide our best to make time for them. We have two outreach and support to the underserved sons, two lovely daughters-in-law and two areas of our community and (2) they focus on wonderful and sweet granddaughters. Our education. Education is one of the greatest family members are our favorite people, our gifts one can give someone else, as it can best friends and a huge part of our lives. We change lives forever! You can give someone spend as much time with them as possible. a lot of money, but that alone will not help As parents and grandparents, it is gratifying them long-term; education, however, will! to see that they too share much of our same Add the two together, financial help and desire to help others – to reach providing education, and you out to the underserved in an effort TREAT YOUR have a winning formula for to make a difference in the lives changing lives. There are so SPOUSE AS many people out there who are of others. We are immensely proud of all of our family. THOUGH EVERY bright and talented, but perhaps haven’t had the financial or Q. What drives you to be so DAY IS HIS OR family support that many of us charitably inclined? HER BIRTHDAY! have had. With just a little help A. Dan and I come from very from those of us who have the modest backgrounds where our resources, such people often parents really did not have “extra” financial can live highly productive and fulfilling lives. resources, so it was not easy for them to Organizations that focus on both outreach “share” financially with others. My folks were and education really tug at our heart strings. loving individuals, but never had the means to be philanthropic. (In fact, I worked several Q. What do you think of the level of jobs to save money for college --- one was charitable giving in Miami? being a professional musician in a symphony A. Miami appears to have an extraordinarily after school and on weekends.) Dan’s folks high number of prosperous and exceedingly also had very limited resources but were wealthy people. There are also many truly heavily entrenched in their church, which generous people in Miami and, overall, we was the center of their lives. They strongly believe Miami is remarkably philanthropic believed in tithing (giving back 10% of their despite its absence of large corporate donors income) to their church. As a consequence, that are common to many large cities. There beginning from the time we married during are, however, many people in Miami who Dan’s senior year in college, we have have the capacity to give, but don’t appear to adhered to the belief that, at a minimum, have the inclination to do so. Unfortunately, it the first 10% of everything we earn should seems that a large portion of the philanthropy be “given back” in some fashion. That 10% in Miami is frequently contributed by many was our starting point many years ago, but of the same folks. We are thankful that we have as many generous residents as we do, and we genuinely feel sorry for those who do not receive the unending joy that comes from helping others.
Q. Please, give us a final Message for our readers: A. Parents - instill in your children a strong sense of self-confidence! If your child feels good about him/herself then he/she won’t give in to temptation as quickly; they will more likely come to believe that with hard work, they can accomplish anything they set their minds to; and they will lead a happier life without feeling that they have to depend on others, or on what others think of them, for their happiness. Help your children believe in themselves!!
October-November 2018
Miami Kids Magazine
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Nutritious Dishes By Logan Guleff
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H
alloween... When people say that word, the mind immediately races to costumes, decorations, killer parties, and most importantly, trick or treating. Halloween is a painfully, unhealthy start to the holiday season, but it is so much fun. The affliction of a busy schedule makes getting a healthy dinner extremely hard. Getting that healthy dinner is really important to having a good time on Halloween, since consuming all of the candy must be balanced out. When creating these healthy Halloween dishes, make sure that they are kid friendly. The dishes are the heart of a Halloween party, and
Miami Kids Magazine October-November 2018
most importantly need to be simple and easy to make. When making festive kid’s food, it’s all about repackaging already known favorites, and making things look fresh and playful. An interesting idea is to have kids draw some monsters and have those drawings fit into the shape of a dish. It works best with pancakes, mashed potatoes, or even cutting out a quesadilla. After the candy craze is over, many trick-or-treaters may be left with a bag of candy. When that happens, they can sort out their favorite candies, and start a new tradition by giving the excess candy to a homeless shelter. It is a great option! The candy can become a little desert with their meals. A special treat!
a By: Lucia Galeano
L
ife often presents battles to the people who least deserve them. Such is the case of Lukas Jesus Aguilar Gonzalez who was born in Venezuela, Lukas started having medical difficulties before he was even born. He is now four years old and has a new battle every day. He was diagnosed with hydrocephalus - a disease that causes fluid to build up in the brain. Lukas also suffers from Dandy Walker Syndrome, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, blindness, psychomotor delay, and has a cyst in his esophagus and stomach. People often hear of these stories and think of how strenuous it must be to see a family member suffer like Lucas. His mother says that it was very hard at first because their family “didn’t know how to face it.” As time passed, they became more knowledgeable about his issues and began investigating possible treatments. “He deserves everything and more,” says his mother, Luisamar. His family believes that if they cannot completely stop his seizures and disabilities, they will at least “try to do everything to make him feel good and comfortable.” These are the same words any parent would say if they were parents to a child similar like Lukas. However, Lukas does not let his struggles deter him from being a joyful, active kid. He loves listening to music - instrumental pieces especially. It is these qualities that characterize Lukas, not the diseases. Many people with disabilities, like Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking, have gone on to be the leaders and role models of the world. Such is the case with Lukas. While he is only four, he is an example of how strength goes beyond muscle. Lukas’ heart is able to carry the weight of problems while still managing to keep a smile on his face. That is what makes this story one of hope - not sadness. Lukas’ family inspires everybody to keep fighting despite the hardships they face. They are a symbol of resilience. They strive for what every parent wants: To want to give their children the world while also protecting them from it. There are kids like Lukas all over the world who were not given the same health and opportunities as others. However, there has to be hope in order to give these kids what they deserve!
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Miami Kids Magazine October-November 2018
A VISION WITHOUT
Virginia Jacko is the CEO of The Miami Lighthouse for the Blind; an organization that provides vision rehabilitation, eye health services, and education that promotes independence to collaborate with and train professionals, and to conduct research in related fields. Blind herself, she is the heart of the organization, a role model to many of us for her strength in all aspects of her life.
Q. Virginia, tell us about where you grew up and your formative years?
A. As a child, I grew up in the Midwest in Racine, Wisconsin. I went to Loyola University on a debate scholarship. After graduation, I remained in Chicago working as a financial analyst when few women pursued Finance as a career track. To grow my career opportunities, I relocated to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Peoria, Illinois, after which I earned my M.S. in Health and Human Sciences at Purdue University. I joined the Purdue Business Office and worked through the ranks to become the President and Provost’s financial executive with responsibility for Business Office operations for 15 administrative units such as Libraries, Continuing Education, Development, Research, Legislative relations and Student Services.
Q. How did you lose your vision?
A. Gradually, I lost my eyesight over several years due to a rare retinal disease that was difficult to diagnose.
Q. What where your initial thoughts and plans after you lost your vision?
A. When I learned of my diagnosis, I phoned my mother. Her response to my saying “Mom, I am going to go totally blind,” was “Well, I just will pray that you do good things for the blind.” She did not say “Oh poor thing.” No, she said in essence “get busy and help others.”
Q. How did you become the CEO of the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind (MLB)?
A. In 2001, I relocated to Miami because Miami Lighthouse was the first private institution in the country to rehabilitate adults for mainstream competitive employment, and I needed to regain my computer skills using key stroke commands, since pointing and clicking is not an option for the blind. Miami Lighthouse continues to be a national center of excellence in rehabilitating adults for competitive integrated employment, not a sheltered workshop. While in Miami, I lost all my remaining vision, but it gave me a higher purpose—to help the blind. I became a volunteer at Miami Lighthouse and began giving speeches about the transformational mission of Miami Lighthouse which became my passion. I was invited to become a Board member and subsequently asked to be the Treasurer of the Board. When I was invited to become Treasurer and told my daughter, “I could be a terrific Board Treasurer with my strong financial background, but I am blind.” My daughter said, “Mother if they believe in you, why you don’t believe in yourself?” After that I immediately said “yes” to become Board Treasurer. My tenure as Treasurer did not last long as shortly after assuming the post, the Board conducted a national search for the President and CEO position for which I applied and was subsequently appointed in 2005.
Q. Being visually impaired, do you think that others without sight are able to integrate into society? A. I know that blind and visually impaired individuals can be independent and productive members of society only if they get
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the skills necessary to do things a bit differently. The training they receive at Miami Lighthouse, such as computer and job readiness skills for teenagers and adults, help make this happen. Like learning about unique software for screen magnification and screen reading like ZoomText and JAWS (Job Access with Speech). Our program for babies and pre-kindergarteners lays the foundation for visually impaired children to succeed in our public schools and in life. At Miami Lighthouse: • We have had several blind board members, in addition to me. Two were lawyers, one in private practice and the other a Professor at the University Of Miami School Of Law, which demonstrates that blindness does not need to be a barrier to academic or professional aspirations and success. • Blind students in our Music Program have pursued postsecondary degrees at prestigious institutions like the University Of Miami Frost School Of Music and the Berkley College of Music, one of whom graduated with honors and was invited to perform at the 2013 Latin Grammy Awards. • Fifteen percent of Miami Lighthouse staff members are blind, including two computer technology specialists whose duties include accessibility audits of public and private websites for compliance with the American’s with Disabilities Act. • These are but a few examples of how the blind are integrated into society and can lead independent and productive lives.
Q. Do you think there are enough services and support for blind in the community?
A. Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired is the only full-service vision rehabilitation institution in Miami serving people of all ages ranging from early intervention for blind babies to seniors affected by age-related eye disease. When Dr. Bascom Palmer was Chairman of the Board of Miami Lighthouse in the late forties and early fifties, he had a dream, namely to provide vision health to the indigent and to conduct research. To fulfill his commitment, Miami Lighthouse provided the seed funding to start the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. A strong collaboration continues today.
Q. Are you aware of any recent medical advances that are helping the visually impaired?
A. A recent medical innovation is the Argus II retinal implant, as discussed in a peer reviewed article in the “Practice Report” section of the May-June, 2016, Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, “Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired Case Study: Vision Rehabilitation for the First Florida Resident Receiving the Argus II ‘Bionic Eye’.” The Argus II retinal system provides electrical stimulation of the retina to induce visual perception in individuals who are blind with severe to profound retinitis pigmentosa. After the retinal implant surgery was performed by Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami Lighthouse professionals developed and copyrighted an innovative rehabilitation program and provided extensive training to the recipient over a three-month period. While the implant surgery gives the patient the capacity for visual perception, the rehabilitation provided by Miami Lighthouse professionals was an important component in the successful use of the implant by the patient.
Q. What advice can you give to parents who have visually impaired children?
A. Parents should enroll their child in a vision rehabilitation program immediately after the diagnosis of vision impairment. A blind child should begin being taught by blindness professionals (early intervention and orientation and mobility specialists and teachers of the visually impaired) how to function in a sighted world. Our motto at Miami Lighthouse is “It’s possible to see without sight™,” and that is what we teach everyone who comes to us with a vision impairment to do.
Virginia to her mom: “Mom, I am going to go totally blind,” Mother: “Well, I just will pray that you do good things for the blind.”
Q. How did you decide to create the preschool for blind and visually impaired children? Why include sighted kids in the program?
A. After ascertaining that a large percentage of adults in our vision rehabilitation programs did not have a high school diploma, I decided that it was necessary to provide our vulnerable young visually impaired children the skills necessary to succeed in school starting as early as possible.
October-November 2018
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Shake a Leg The We Can Sail Program provides a positive environment for youth with disabilities ages 6-22 and their families. They participate in water and land-based activities. It runs on Saturday’s from 12-3 PM Email craigkirkart@gmail.com or visit http://www.shakealegmiami.org/ we-can-sail-program.htm
Values & Strengths Psychological and Educational Services VS provides comprehensive services to reach children’s optimal development through innovative, evidence-based, and whole-child approach. VS offers: psycho-educational assessments, speech therapy, counseling, tutoring, educational therapy, and shadow. Home-based and school-based bilingual services provided in South Miami, Brickell/KB, North Miami, and Doral. Gardiner Scholarship providers. Over 15 years of experience. www.vseducation.org info@ vseducation.org 786-206-5996 78 SW 7th St, suite 9-153,33130 Contact: Valeria Fontanals, Ed.M,SS Director/ Licensed School Psychologist/ Harvard trained
The MIAMI Lighthouse for the Blind Founded in 1931, Miami Lighthouse for the Blind is Florida’s premier rehabilitation organization serving the blind and visually impaired. Miami Lighthouse now serves nearly 18,000 people each year and reaches an additional 3,500 through community education and outreach programs. Miami Lighthouse also provides comprehensive eye exams and prescription glasses for underserved school children throughout Florida through their subsidiary, the Florida Heiken Children’s Vision Program. www.miamilighthouse.org 601 SW 8th Avenue Miami, FL 33130 Telephone: 305-856-2288 20
Special
Assistance Crystal Academy Crystal Academy is a Premium Therapy Center and School that provides the best evidence based therapies and individualized intervention for children and adolescents with Autism (ASD), ADHD, ODD, and other developmental delays. We accept and process most insurance plans for Behavior (VBMAPP), Speech and Language, Occupational Therapy, McKay & PLSA. Phone: 305-567-5881 Address: 107 Antilla Avenue. Coral Gables Fl. 33134
Therapies for Kids Therapies for Kids provides services in the areas of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech & Language Therapy, as well as ABA therapy at their new location American Therapy House (www.ATHaba.com). Almost all insurances both Private and Medicaid accepted. Services provided by Licensed therapist; for more information call 305-809-6078 or visit our website www.therapies4kids.com
Best Buddies Best Buddies is the world’s largest organization dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of the 200 million people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Our programs empower the special abilities of people with IDD by helping them form meaningful friendships with their peers, secure successful jobs, live independently, improve public speaking, self-advocacy and communication skills, and feel valued by society. Interested in being involved in South Florida? Call us at 305-374-2233 ext. 243
Miami Kids Magazine October-November 2018
The Rotary Club of Miami is proud to be a sponsor of the Special Assitance Guide, and shares Miami Kids Magazines mission to support children and their families as they seek the best possible medical care in our community. Florida Rehab Professional Group At Florida Rehab Professionals Group, Inc. we strive to deliver exceptional services with a bilingual team of rehabilitation specialists who focus on the medical, therapeutic, and educational needs of each child. Our therapists carry extensive knowledge in the area of Autism/Asperger spectrum and other communication deficits. Address: 401 Miracle Mile Suite 403 Coral Gables, Florida 33134 Phone Number: (305)446-1098 Email: frpg@ymail.com FB: @floridarehabprofessionalsgroup https://www.floridarehabspeech.com/
Parent to Parent Parent to Parent of Miami’s Community Parent Resource Center provides peer support and advocacy to families of people with disabilities. The assistance and coaching provided empowers families/caregivers to access services that lead to increased advocacy at home, school and community. Each family is assigned an Education and Support Specialist to coach as they face the challenges of parenting children with special needs. Website: http://www.ptopmiami.org/
Agency for Persons with Disabilities The Agency for Persons with Disabilities works with organizations to service customers with developmental disabilities. A person must live in Florida/have a developmental disability that occurred before the age of 18 to be eligible. APD serves people with: Cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, Intellectual disabilities, Phelan-McDermid syndrome, PraderWilli syndrome, Severe forms of autism, and Spina bifida. Contact 305-349-1478 or visit apdcares.org for more information.
South Miami Hospital’s Child Development Center South Miami Hospital’s Child Development Center provides diagnostic and early intervention services to help children achieve their full capabilities for development and is located at 7401 SW 62nd Ave in South Miami. Since 1993, the Child Development Center has provided the highest-quality services for children and their families offering a unified, interdisciplinary approach to address developmental problems. Contact our team to make an appointment at 786-467-PEDS (7337).
Succeed SUCCEED in Learning offers a comprehensive, 8-week program (called “Succeed”) with daily therapy, as well as various 6-week once a week courses with a variety of focuses for a multitude of learning experiences. We offer speech-language/occupational therapy/instruction. SUCCEED provides an evaluation to individualize therapies within the group. Address: 6035 Bird Road, Suite 101, Miami, Florida 33155. Website: www.succeedinlearning.com
Family Network on Disabilities PEN is the Parent Training Information (PTI) center funded by the U.S. Department of Education (OSEP), for the ten most southern counties of Florida, (Lee, Collier, Hendry, Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Martin, Charlotte, and Glades). PTI services help to ensure that parents of children disabilities have the training and information they need to help their children. All information and resources are free to families and educators. (800) 825-5736 FND@FNDUSA.ORG
Early Steps – Benchmark Human Services Early Steps provides early intervention services to children ages 0-3 born with a disability or developmental delay. These include: Family Support/Training, Health/Nutritional/Vision/Translator Services, Occupational/Physical/ Speech/Vision Therapy, Service Coordination, and Third Party Referrals. Evaluation is free, and services are covered by insurance or Part C funds. Once your child is deemed eligible you will receive the Individualized Family Support Plan with authorized services/ guidance on what to do next. Call 305.929.8705 or visit www.benchmarkhs.com for more information.
October-November 2018
Sponsored by
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Fall Activity Miami Kids Magazine & City of South Miami Spooktacular Safe Streets Halloween
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Don’t miss the City of South Miami and Miami Kids Magazine’s Safe Streets Halloween Block Party! It’s going to be on October 31 from 4 PM to 7 PM. The party will be from SW 72nd St. to 57th Avenue. There will be safe and fun trick or treating for the whole family! Enjoy a visit from Word Girl, free candy, games, prizes, music, pumpkin painting, inflatables, and much more! Pick a costume theme for the whole family and enjoy spookiest night of the year. This event is sponsored by Splitsville, South Florida WPBT, Sushi Runner, Snip-its, and Caramelo Caramelo!
Be a MonStar with Pottery Barns Kids & Miami Kids Magazine Dress your little ones in their favorite PBK costume and lets parade different stores as: Williams- Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Boy Meets Girl, Gables Pediatrics and others. Join in the fun on Saturday, October 27th and don’t forget a treat bag! We are going to have some raffles, facepainting and balloon artist along the stores and of course many candies, refreshments and special discounts. We will start the first parade at 11:00 a.m. and the second one at 11:45 a.m. Spaces are limited. Please RSVP to 305446-6511 to reserve your spot.
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Guide Crayola Experience Screamin’ Green Hauntoween
Screamin’ Green Hauntoween is back September 22– October 31, and it’s bigger and more colorful than ever! Get ready to get ZOMBIFIED with all-new monster-ific crafts and special, spooky happenings all month long, including weekend dance parties, a themed scavenger hunt, a live slime-themed show and SLIME TIME, an ooey-gooey class that’s fun for the whole family!* Plus trick-or-treating every weekend, all while exploring 26 exciting hands-on attractions. There is so much to “BOO”, you may never want to leave. ALL included with general admission! Check more details on Crayola Experience’s Events page at http://www.crayolaexperience.com/orlando/ plan-your-visit *additional fee applies
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Coconut grove Pumpkin Patch
Miami Kids Magazine is a proud sponsor of Coconut Grove Pumpkin Patch! Pick your perfect pumpkin from thousands in our patch! Also, don’t forget the rides! From kiddie roller coasters to bumper cars, we have it all! Featuring a Build-Your-Own Scarecrow activity, a corn stalk maze, and a pumpkin decorating tent, this years Pumpkin Patch will be spooktacular!
Miami Kids Magazine October-November 2018
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Gaylord Palms September 14, 2018 - October 28, 2018 Celebrate Halloween with spooky activities beginning September 14th. This Halloween season, pack your costume for a ghoulish good time at Gaylord Palms, including fun and frights for every member of the family! The best way to experience Goblins and Giggles is to spend the night with us.
Busch Gardens
From Sept. 21 - Oct 28, take on terrifying haunted houses and roaming hordes. For 19 select nights, there is nowhere to hide at Howl-O-Scream 2018. Designed to terrify, Busch Gardens’ haunted houses will return with a vengeance, but the scares don’t stop there. Unspeakable horror lives in every dark corner, including on Busch Gardens’ pulsepounding thrill rides and new, gruesome realm recommended for guests over the age of 17. Howl-O-Scream 2018 is bringing fear to the next level and once you’re in there’s nothing to fear but everything.
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Monster Splash Halloween Bash- Miami Seaquarium
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SAFARI OF FUN KIDS WEEKENS Saturdays & Sundays October 6 - 28, 11:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Little ones can enjoy kid-friendly rides, cool water fun and plenty of memorable adventures with Sesame Street friends! Fly through the desert with Grover. Climb in Elmo’s Tree House. Splash in Bert and Ernie’s watering hole. You can even dine with your child’s furry friends. It’s Sesame Street Safari of Fun, where imaginations run wild and there’s fun for everyone.
Spooky Science - Frost Science Put on your favorite costume and join us for our Second Annual Spooky Science! We’re putting a Frost Science spin on Halloween with bone-chilling science experiments and creepy, cool encounters throughout the day. Spooky Science programming is free with paid museum admission. All programming is ongoing throughout the day (11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.). *While supplies last. Address: Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science 1101 Biscayne Blvd Miami, FL 33132 Time and Date: October 27, 2018 at 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
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Description: Miami Seaquarium will be taken over by ghosts and goblins when Monster Splash Halloween Bash returns Friday – Sunday October 26, 27 and 28th from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Come experience Halloween themed shows, trick-or-treating, rides and inflatables, Flipper’s dance party, ‘create a scarecrow’ activities, pumpkin patch and much more! Phone number: 305-361-5705
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Pinto’s Farm Pumpkin Patch
Pinto’s Farm is hosting their 5th annual Pumpkin Patch event from September 29, 2018-October 28,2018 there will be fun filled fall activities. Admission gives you access to the hay maze, tractor ride, petting zoo, pedal boats and race track. Don’t miss out on pumpkin painting, character meeting, magic shows & delicious snacks !
House of Horror
South Florida’s Largest Halloween Haunt Experience returns September 27th through November 3rd with TWO brand new haunted houses. Junkies will be taken through the only house still standing on BLOSSOM LN., where people are invited to tour the remains of the abandoned house and it’s mysterious inhabitants. If you dare, you’ll be granted maximum security clearance at AREA 13 to discover what has been at the center of so many deaths and supernatural rumors.
Family Day on Aragon - Fall Harvest Come on in and fall into a fun filled afternoon, celebrating the Harvest season! With a live musical performance, fine dining craft, games, and meet our community partners as we get ready for the holiday celebrations. FREE! Family Day on Aragon- Fall Harvest Saturday, October 13, 2018, 2-5pm
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Not so scary Halloween Bash with Caramelo Caramelo & Miami Kids Magazine
Wednesday October 24, 2018 from 4:00 to 6:00 PM Wear your costume and let’s get ready for some Fun! We are going to have arts and crafts, glitter tattoos, photobooth, balloons and treats! Address: 1542 South Dixie Hwy Coral Gables FL. Call for RSVP 786-502-8344. Spaces are limited.
October-November 2018
Miami Kids Magazine
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all “fall ” for the COCONUT GROVE
FESTIVAL
BY CAROLINA SANCHEZ The 7th Annual Pumpkin Patch Festival, one of the most anticipated fall happenings of the season, returns to Coconut Grove’s Regatta Park, 3400 Pan American Drive, on Saturday, October 13 and Sunday, October 14 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Coconut Grove Pumpkin Patch Festival will feature a variety of fun activities for the whole family, including a giant pumpkin patch in the center of all the action with more than 5,000 pumpkins and a carnival for all ages. Admission is $20 per person for those two years and up, and includes unlimited carnival rides, a kiddie cornstalk maze, multiple fall
photo vignettes, a scarecrow dress-up village, pumpkin decorating, face painting and sponsor giveaways. Admission is free for children under 24 months old (does not include access to carnival rides). For an additional cost, attendees can also enjoy picking the perfect pumpkin in the patch (prices vary based on size) and yummy offerings in the Pumpkin Food Court featuring savory & sweet pumpkin delights, as well as delicious fair food. Plus, adults can also enjoy a “cold one” at the Pumpkin Beer Bars. The pumpkin patch offers thousands of pumpkins, in every color and size, ranging from $1 to $15 each, depending on size.
Jack-O-Lanterns (basketball size and larger); Pie Pumpkins (size of a large grapefruit); White Pumpkins (variety of sizes); Cinderella Pumpkins (blue-ish in color/variety of sizes); Mini Pumpkins (baseball sized); and Squashes and Gourdes of all sizes. The Coconut Grove Pumpkin Patch Festival continues to be an annual fall photo tradition for many families. Snap a family photo on the Hay Couch or Giant Chair, take a selfie in front of our Sunflower Wall or Paper Flower Wall, or have one of the Festival staffers capture a groupie with the genuine chuck wagon. These are just a few of the beautiful vignettes built into the Festival each year, in addition to classic “must-get” photos in the patch with thousands of pumpkins!
For more information visit www. coconutgrovepumpkinpatch.com
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Miami Kids Magazine October-November 2018
Halloween As Halloween nears, here are some things to keep in mind to ensure that your kids have fun and stay safe.
Doesn’t Have to be Spooky How to keep your child safe
By. Dr. Gabriela Garrote. Gables Pediatrics.
Dangers of Darkness
Another concern on Halloween is street safety. The safest time to trick-or-treat is when the sun is still out. Many parks, malls, and institutions host fun and safe daytime festivities and trick-or-treating events. Check your local publications to find out about events in your area. If you choose to embark on a more traditional trick-or-treating adventure, the following are some tips to keep you and your family safe: • If possible, neighbors should coordinate to turn on all outside lights to illuminate the streets in your neighborhood. • S pruce up your child’s costume with reflectors, glow sticks or light-up candy buckets to ensure that they are visible to passing cars. • C aregivers should carry flashlights or lanterns in hand to help illuminate the way.
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Miami Kids Magazine October-November 2018
Candy Police
Check each piece of candy to ensure that it is completely wrapped prior to allowing your child to eat it. This is important to do even if you will be trick-or-treating in a safe neighborhood and even if you know and trust each person handing candy to your child. While, fortunately, incidences of candy tampering are rare, the real tampering is likely not intentional but rather a product of unintentionally risky traditions that can lead to easy transmission of infections. Many neighbors place their candy in a large bowl which many children, who may be carrying viruses or other infections, reach into to grab candy. Eating unwrapped candy may increase your child’s risk of acquiring these infections.
Karla Richey & Superintendent Alberto Carvalho
Super Why Fans
Miami Kids Magazine Back to School event.
Adrian Echazu
On Saturday, August 11th, Miami Kids Magazine kicked off the Back to School year with our readers and partners! This event could not have been possible without the sponsorship of Sushi Runner, Splitsville, Buffalo Wild Wings, GameTime, the Rotary Club of Miami, Snip-its, South Florida WBPT and Shops at Sunset Place. We were honored to have the City of South Miami Mayor, Philip Stoddard, Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Alberto Carvalho, and School Board Chair, Dr. Larry Feldman as our guests of honor. A special presentation was made for Adrian Echazu, a child who survived cancer at the early age of two. We shared Adrian’s powerful story and celebrated his birthday. People enjoyed free eye exams and glasses by the Florida Heiken Children’s Vision Program. A music presentation was done by the University of Miami Frost School of Music along the singing of “Baby Shark” by the Miami Kids Magazine’s music team. Guests also witnessed a martial arts demonstration by White Tiger and Dragon Martial Arts and a performance by Safari Sam.
Safari Sam
Karla Richey, Superintendent Carvalho & South Miami Mayor Stoddard
Norby & Maria Rudel, Robin & Susan Shelley
Karla Richey, Diane Landsberg, Juan Duran & Rotary Club of Miami president Dave Skinner
Siti Nur and Nafhatun
Dr. Larry Feldman
Richard Fernandez, Jessica Rios & Roger Rojas
The Richey Family
Eye Exam
Olivia and Beatriz
Rotary Club of Miami making a donation to CIS Miami
Valentina, Stella, Olivia, Matthew, Laura& Tony
White Tiger & Dragon team
Karla Richey, publisher of Miami Kids Magazine, received the President s Volunteer Service Award for her dedication and service to the community.
Representing The Rotary Club of Miami are Diane Landsberg and Phil Seipp donating 50 backpacks to CIS. Their representative Ansley Elfmont.
Martha &Mariana De La Fuente, Ruben & Devin Gil
Alex & Maja Pino
Marisol & Charles Frye
Luis & Evelyn with their family
Jennifer and Franco Zuniga
Some winners
Henry Rodriguez with Fernando, Sebastian, Lorena and kids.
Sandra & doggy
Miami Kids readers
The UPS 5K Run/ Walk raised more than $57,000 to build a healthier, stronger Miami.
Josh, Sophie, and Miles Wade
Barbara, Joshua Markowitz & Nan
More than 1,700 runners and walkers woke up early to break a sweat for a good cause. All proceeds help 119 programs that support education, financial stability and health in MiamiDade. The event also had various tents for participants to learn how to live healthier lives, grab some food and goodies. The UPS 5K was held on September 8th in Coral Gables, FL.
Chase Simmons, Paloma & Isla de Onis
Miami Kids Magazine readers
Family Day on Aragon Every second Saturday of the month The Coral Gables Museum has free admission and kids activities! On September 8th we enjoyed with the community an afternoon of fun including exhibit tours, scavenger hunts, arts and crafts, performances and a photography exhibit from the Biscayne Nature Center. Don’t miss the next Family Day, its going to be October 13 from 2 to 5PM Sofia and Andrea Hernandez