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The online and print forum promoting the development of children, families and the parents who care for them.
Our Largest Issue Ever! It's Back! Our 4th Annual Summer Camps & Programs Showcase! The largest in print on the North Shore!
Parenting: Nurturing Autonomy The Role of Love & Guidance Supporting Genuine Choice-Making
Children & the Media: Our Amusement Culture Do Movies Matter? How to Read A Movie Discussing Values in Movies
Healthy Eating is Mindful Eating Community Calendar Education Feature: Harborlight Montessori School
Contests, Contests We've Got Contests! Enter to Win Great Prizes!
er Camps & Program m m s u S S I S S I H T UE !
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MARCH 2011
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North Shore Children & Families
Family & Friends
Beginnings & Endings – Endings & Beginnings… by Suzanne Provencher, Publisher Hello again, dear readers! It’s sometimes a challenge to decide what I want to share with you in my column each month, but this month I can only think of two main themes: death and friendship. You’ll understand why as you read on. In many of my past columns, I’ve written about friendship – and the responsibilities that go into being a good friend so that you can have good friends and keep them. And I also like to write about my life-long friendships that I have nurtured and cultivated over the years – because my friends are my greatest joy and most valuable treasures. So imagine if you will, having to witness multiple losses in a week’s time span. Over the course of the
last week, many in my group of lifelong friends suffered many losses – one after the other – to the point that it was almost surreal. Cindy lost her mom. Tyla lost her brother. Debbie lost her aunt and Leanne lost her mother-in-law. Last week, life endings were all around us for the most part – and it seemed like our circle got smaller and smaller with each passing day. But life is all about beginnings and endings, isn’t it? And we also know, on an intellectual level at least, that death is inevitable – and we will all face this many times over our lifetimes. There is no exception – and we all share this experience. And while a predominant feeling can be one of loss – we can often turn this around and find great comfort instead by focusing on all that we have gained
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from having had the privilege – the gift – of having had these loved ones in our lives at all, no matter for how long or short the duration. They were here. They were here and we loved them and we always will. Isn’t that wonderfully amazing? So instead of focusing on the loss – try instead to grab on to rejoicing in the gift. Feel the gratitude for being so lucky to have even known those we’ve lost – and then let it rest in your heart. Let it keep you warm. Access it when you need to, because they are always there. So for today, let’s try to focus on our blessings – on all that we have right now – on all that we have had in our full and ever-changing lives, instead of focusing on our losses and what we think we don’t have. If you focus on your blessings, you will always come up rich and full. And if you focus on your losses, you will have a mighty big and empty hole that will be difficult to fill until you change the way you think about things. I’ve heard it said that if you can’t change the world, change yourself and the way you view the world and the way you react to life’s challenges. It’s another option that can make you feel better, especially during the difficult times. And those we love are never really lost, now are they? Our hearts keep them alive –
and they will always live in our memories. How can we turn around such deep feelings of loss and grief? Well, I’m going to start small and keep it simple. For starters, simply love your family and friends today. Call them, write them, Facebook them, email them, “sacrifice” a few hours on the weekend to see the people you love. Do it before you talk yourself out of it or come up with yet another excuse. Dare to reach out – and you and your loved one will both be so glad you did – trust me! There are no excuses – and the laundry and housework and beauty salon will wait – I promise you this. But will our family and friends be there when we finally make time for them? Will we cry at wakes and funerals because we didn’t do enough – because we didn’t make the time – because we could have been a better friend or family member? Or do we cry because we truly miss our dearly departed – and because we know in our hearts that we were truly present while they were still here with us – and our tears are those full of rich gratitude? Good family relationships and friendships are privileges that take effort and commitment from all Continued on page 26
North Shore Children & Families
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Letter from the Editor
A Tale of Two Words by Michael F. Mascolo, PhD Over the past months, two events have occurred that have a lot to do with words. In one event, a twist on a popular epithet is made into the running joke of a movie sequel. In the second event, a book publisher has chosen to delete an offensive racial slur from an American classic. What’s so funny about the Fockers? I haven’t seen the movie, Little Fockers. But I don’t have to. It’s not the movie that I want to complain about; it’s the name. Little Fockers (and Meet the Fockers, the original movie on which this sequel is based) gains whatever box office oomph it has from a kind of adolescent play on words. We all
North Shore Children & Families
www.northshorefamilies.com P.O. Box 150 Nahant, MA 01908-0150 781.584.4569 A publication of North Shore Ink, LLC © 2011. All rights reserved. Reproduction in full or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited.
Suzanne M. Provencher Publisher/Co-Founder/Managing Partner suzanne@northshorefamilies.com Michael F. Mascolo, PhD Editor/Co-Founder/Partner michael@northshorefamilies.com Designed by Group One Graphics Printed by Seacoast Media Group Please see our Calendar in this issue for our upcoming deadlines. Published and distributed monthly throughout the North Shore, 10x per year, and always online. All articles are written by Michael F. Mascolo, PhD unless otherwise credited. Information contained in NSC&F is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only. Individual readers are responsible for their use of any information provided. NSC&F is not liable or responsible for the effects of use of information contained in NSC&F. Established 2007.
funny? Would it be in good taste? A movie or a book is a kind of cultural experience. As we sit through a movie or read a book, our thoughts become occupied with the words, events and issues displayed on the screen or represented in the book. If we are to engage with a movie or book, at least for the moments we are attending, we are thinking the thoughts of the movie or the book. Movies, television shows and books are neither inert nor neutral; they are formative experiences. They are part of the culture in which we grow and develop our sense of who we are.
know what “fockers” means and we all know that we ought not to go around uttering the focker word in public. However, when we go and see Fockers – or talk about going to and seeing Fockers – we get to say the non-offending word as many times as we like. Each time we laugh at the use of “focker”, we are, of course, thinking of the forbidden word. That irony makes the running joke “funny”. It’s all a bit of pretense. We get to say “focker” and mean something else. But that something else is always there; it has to be, or else there is no joke. But let’s do a thought experiment. What if we didn’t pretend? Imagine that every time we
said or heard or thought about the word “focker”, we actually said the other word (which is always lingering in the background)? Would it still be
Where to Find Us
This brings us to the second event. Alan Gribbin, a noted scholar on Mark Twain (aka: Samuel Clemens) has Continued on page 4
APARTMENT for RENT
North Shore Children & Families is available at over 400 locations throughout the North Shore! Our free, monthly parenting publication is available at North Shore libraries, schools, pediatric doctor & dentist offices, hospitals, pre-schools, children & family support services, retailers that cater to parents, children & thriving families, YMCAs, children’s activity & instruction centers (dance, gymnastics, karate, children’s gyms) and more! You can find us from Andover and Methuen – south to Malden and Medford – east to Everett, Revere, Marblehead and down to Cape Ann – north to Amesbury and Newburyport – west to North Andover and everywhere in between
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North Shore Children & Families
Letter from the Editor Continued from page 3
edited a new version of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (NewSouth publications) in which the racial slurs “nigger” and “injun” are replaced with “slave” and “Indian”. The former term, of course, is among the most offensive and inflammatory that appear in English language. One can easily understand the sentiment to correct the injustice that the traditional use of these words has inflicted. Ironically, the motivation to publish this new edition has more to do with saving Twain’s classic than simply purging it of its offensive language. Noting that the use of Huck Finn has declined on reading lists in high school and college courses (presumably at least in part because of the offensive language), NewSouth books has published the new edition in the hopes of rekindling interest in Twain’s classic. Continuing to use the offensive term raises problems; that much is obvious. One African-American scholar recounted his sense of high school humiliation when white readers appeared to relish the opportunity to use the term “Nigger Jim” when reading the book aloud. This is easy to understand.
But what are the lessons of Twain’s original text? Of Twain’s use of the offensive terms? Twain wrote Huck Finn in 1884, during the aftermath of the civil war. Some critics hold that Twain’s depiction of Jim and his use of the offensive term was a deliberate attack on the racial prejudice of his time. Among the characters in the novel, Jim is depicted as a moral and loving character, one who seeks freedom and dignity. To be sure, the use of the “n-word” has an offensive legacy. But to read Twain’s novel with an appreciation of the time in which it was written gives us an opportunity to be transformed by the novel. In 2011, we feel the overwhelming sting of that word (especially if we read it aloud). We are reminded of our history; we are motivated to seek out Twain’s intent. We may herald Twain or condemn him – but we will not be neutral. The original Twain text keeps the conversation going and refuses to let us forget. The effect of replacing the offensive term with “slave” is deep with irony. Replacing that term distorts the meaning of Twain’s text. It is an attempt to save the novel by destroying its meaning. Of course, when we change that word, we don’t so much as solve a problem as we introduce a new one. Why is “slave” more acceptable than “nigger”? We cannot escape the responsibility of how we use words. In our current culture, it’s okay to spend a few hours munching on the empty calories provided by the “Fockers”, but it’s not okay to confront the seriousness of our past as represented by a great literary figure writing about that great flaw in American history?
North Shore Children & Families
Parenting
Nurturing Autonomy without Giving In Parenting brings with it a series of questions and dilemmas. We love our children and want the best for them. We know that our children need guidance and direction. And we also know that simply telling children what to do is not going to help them. How do we manage the appropriate balance among loving our children, guiding them towards desired outcomes and promoting healthy autonomy? To answer this question, it is helpful to review some foundational ideas about what we know about optimal parenting practices, at least in Western-European cultures. Hundreds of studies have shown that parents who simultaneously hold high expectations and exhibit loving support produce children who demonstrate high levels of practical and social competence. Authoritative parents are active in setting the agenda for their children’s development, while at the same time providing the loving support that is needed to help children reach those standards. But is this all there is to optimal parenting? Is optimal parenting simply about setting high expectations and helping children reach those expectations? What is the role of children’s own preferences and choices in the process of parenting? How do we include the child herself as an active participant in the process of promoting healthy development? In the next two articles, we examine how parents can support the development of healthy autonomy in children by helping children take responsibility for real-world choices. The key to promoting healthy autonomy is to give children the opportunity to make choices that really matter to them while at the same time keeping choicemaking within limits set by the parent. In the next two articles, we’ll explore how this can be done.
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Parenting
Point 1: Optimal Parenting Requires Both Love & Guidance What do we know about how to raise proactive, competent and socially responsive children? The first thing that we know that neither authoritarian nor permissive parenting promotes optimal development in children. Authoritarian and permissive parenting styles occur at opposite ends of the parenting spectrum. Authoritarian parents believe that children cannot be left to their own devices: children do not raise themselves. They need firm direction in order to develop into responsible beings. Authoritarian parents hold their children to high expectations and attempt to enforce those expectations. However, authoritarian parents do not tend to be warm or nurturing in their attempts to convey these expectations. They tend not to explain the basis of their rules and expectations. It’s either “my way or the highway”. Permissive parents engage in the exact opposite behavior. Permissive parents tend to think that children have their own “inner” plans that guide their
Stuart G. Merle, D.M.D. Co-founder of Practice in 1975
Education: Brooklyn College of the City of New York; Tufts University School of Dental Medicine Pediatric Specialty: Brookdale Hospital Medical Center, NYU Past President: Massachusetts Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Appointment: Governor’s Commission to Study the Oral Health Status and Accessibility for Residents of the Commonwealth Board Certified: Diplomate, American Board of Pediatric Dentistry
Alan R. Zicherman, D.D.S. Co-founder of Practice in 1975
Education: City College of the City University of New York; NYU School of Dentistry Pediatric Specialty: Brookdale Hospital Medical Center, NYU Past President: Massachusetts Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Member: American Orthodontic Society, Cleft Palate Team, North Shore Children’s Hospital Board Certified: Diplomate, American Board of Pediatric Dentistry
Federico Lago, D.M.D. Education: Brown University; University of Connecticut Dental School Pediatric Specialty: Schneider’s Children’s Hospital Member: American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
ORTHODONTICS FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS
development. They often think of children as similar to a growing flower: All the child needs is plenty of love and nurturing and she will grow according to her own inner plan. As a result, permissive parents tend to approach their children with love, warmth and affection but do not hold children to high expectations. Research shows that children of both authoritarian and permissive parents fail to develop high levels of practical and social competence. While authoritarian parents have high expectations, they do not provide the supportive nurturance needed to help children to reach those standards. Conversely, while permissive parents are both warm and highly communicative with their children, they fail to provide the guidance that children need in order to become competent individuals. Authoritative parenting stands in contrast to both authoritarian and permissive parenting. Authoritative parenting is not simply a “happy medium” between authoritarian and permissive parenting. Authoritarian parents have high standards but fail to provide clear and loving support for children; permissive parents are warm and supportive, but do not attempt to direct their children’s development. Authoritative parents are able to maintain clear, high expectations while simultaneously providing high levels of warmth and loving support for their children. Thus, authoritative parents are able to provide guidance and support, direction and nurturance, optimal challenge and loving acceptance. Continued on page 8
PEDIATRIC DENTISTS Children are not miniature adults when it comes to dentistry. They are remarkable in every way – physically, emotionally, socially and dentally! When it comes to dental care, children have specialized needs. They require the services of dental professionals specifically trained in the growth and development of teeth and facial structures. Dr. Alan Zicherman, Dr. Stuart Merle and Dr. Federico Lago are pediatric dentists specially trained in treating infants, children, adolescents and handicapped children. The doctors and staff work with you and your child to assure healthy teeth, gums and bite. They also try to develop a positive attitude about dentistry and cooperative attitudes about home care at an early age. These components together help parents and their children learn skills for a lifetime of healthy teeth. Their office philosophy is based around prevention of problems, and they recommend that children be seen by a pediatric dentist by the first tooth or first birthday. Early prevention visits are key to laying the foundation for good oral health. Dr. Zicherman and Dr. Merle are board certified and diplomates of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry which ensures that they meet the highest standards of excellence in pediatric dental care.
Timothy Finelli, D.D.S. Education: Tufts University; Stonybrook School of Dental Medicine Orthodontic Specialty: Boston University Member: American Association of Orthodontists
ADULT COSMETIC DENTISTRY
Their offices are located in Peabody at 1 Roosevelt Avenue, phone 978-535-2500 and in Lynn at 225 Boston Street, phone 781-581-7798 Contact their offices for an appointment or for more information. www.mzdental.com
North Shore Children & Families
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Education Feature
Harborlight Montessori School Not Your Ordinary School Visit Harborlight and you will quickly discover what many parents and students already know. Harborlight is not your ordinary school. It is a thriving social and learning community where students matter and the faculty makes a difference.
skills, decision making, and social relationships. The multi-sensory early learning that takes place builds a foundation for abstract reasoning, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills. Harborlight teachers bring together high academic and professional achievements with well-established teaching skills that enable them to meet the advanced learner during these formative years. Individualized Instruction Individualized instruction from pre-k onward is essential to academic achievement. With the freedom to tap into the child’s natural sense of wonder and the expertise to customize the curriculum for each student, Harborlight teachers make learning a joyful and rewarding experience for all. Curriculum by Design
Authentic Co-Education Challenged to be responsible for the social and physical components of the multi-age classroom, Harborlight students create a welcoming and accepting atmosphere while developing considerate and cooperative relationships. Beginning in prekindergarten, children are encouraged to work together, to respect each other’s differences, and to embrace challenge with confidence. Armed with the skills to seek challenges, ask questions and express ideas convincingly, elementary and middle school students embrace the Socratic Method during mini-lessons. Fostering Early Learning The Early Childhood Programs (infant through kindergarten) focus on academic
Harborlight elementary and middle school students exhibit ingenuity, diligence, and artistic self-expression in all areas of the curriculum. The teachers are passionate about their subjects and dedicated to their profession. By design, the curriculum is customized to balance academic rigor with in-depth engagement in the content. Going beyond rote memorization of facts, students deepen their understanding of every
subject from long division to political geography. The curriculum is keenly responsive to the creative mind. Students are exposed to an advanced study of Humanities, which integrates research, literature, composition and theatre arts. Preparation for Life Harborlight graduates tell a story of preparation for high school, both socially and academically. They express gratitude towards the faculty for their firm yet supportive approach to teaching and the rigor of the educational program’s preparation for all academic pursuits. To learn more about Harborlight Montessori, please call 978.922.1008 or visit www.harborlightmontessori.org. The information contained in this education feature was submitted by Harborlight Montessori, and published in partnership with North Shore Children & Families; www.northshorefamilies.com.
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North Shore Children & Families
Parenting
Point 2: Supporting Genuine Choice Making within Clear Limits Maddie: Mom: Maddie: Mom:
Maddie:
There’s an ice-cream social tonight at school. Can I go? Have you finished your report on the Incas that is due tomorrow? No. But I can do that when I get home. When you get home, you’ll only have one hour before bed. How are you going to go to the ice cream social and do your homework? You won’t have enough time. Awww.
How can we promote autonomy while at the same time hold children to high standards? Surely, mom wants Maddie to be able to go to the ice cream social. But it is not acceptable that Maddie rush through her homework. How can we turn this into a teaching moment? Optimal parenting is not only about helping children rise to high expectations. If that were all there was to it, then there would be no place for the child in his own development. Although parenting requires that we hold children to high standards, it is also necessary to help children find their own way. Parenting is not a matter of trying to mold children to become who we want them to be. This is a task that is not only undesirable, but also impossible. Parenting is a matter of preparing children to be able to function independently in the world. To do this, over time, children must be able to make increasingly healthy decisions on their own. Although that may sound like a contradiction, it is not. It is possible to give children a strong role in making their own decisions even as parents are active in guiding their children’s development. The key is to encourage and support genuine choice-making within limits set by parents. What is a genuine choice? A genuine choice is a choice that matters to the child. It is a choice between at least two alternatives that will have real world consequences for the child. It is a choice based on the child’s awareness of the pros and cons of each alternative. It is an opportunity for a child to exercise some autonomy while simultaneously taking responsibility for the consequences of his choices. Now, in the example described above, Maddie and her mother have a problem. Mom is a caring and loving mother – she wants Maddie to be able to go to the ice cream social. But she also has high expectations – the homework has to
be done and done well. Mom could easily say, “Sorry Maddie, I really wish I could let you go. But the homework is more important than the ice cream social. You’re not going to be able to go.” This is a loving response that nonetheless holds Maddie to high standards. It is one of many ways that an authoritative parent can respond. But can we do even better? Can we turn this into a teaching moment by inviting Maddie to make part of the decision for herself? Mom:
Maddie: Mom:
Maddie: Maddie:
Maddie, I know you want to go to the ice cream social. But your homework is not done. And I won’t have you rushing through your homework just to go to the social. I can do it mom, I know I can. Hmm. I’m not so sure. You can either skip the ice cream social and do your homework tonight, or you can go to the ice cream social and do half your homework tonight and half tomorrow before school. I don’t want to get up early in the morning. I know you don’t. If you skip the social you won’t have to get up early. If you go to the social, you’ll have to work hard both tonight and tomorrow morning. And you might even have to go to bed earlier tomorrow night. What would you like to do?
Now what has happened in this situation? Mom has managed to do three things all at the same time: She has acted in a warm, accepting and loving way toward Maddie. She has shown Maddie that she cares about her and about what she wants. She has shown Maddie that, if possible, she wants Maddie to be able to get what she wants. And Mom has clearly communicated her own concerns. She is holding Maddie to high expectations. It is not acceptable that she does not complete her homework or even to do it poorly. Within the limits she has identified (you must get your homework done), she has invited Maddie to make a genuine choice that is relevant and meaningful to Maddie. If Maddie wants to attend the social, she will have to assume responsibility for the homework. If she finds that getting up early is not worth going to the social, she can choose to opt out of the social. Within Mom’s loving limits, both the decision and the consequences for the decision are up to Maddie. If Maddie makes the wrong decision, she can only complain to herself. Note here that Mom did not allow Maddie to not do her homework. Some might argue it might be helpful to allow Maddie to simply decide to go to the social and let Maddie learn a lesson when she ultimately fails to complete her homework. From this view, Maddie would learn by “suffering the consequences” of her actions. The problem with this approach is that it fails to impose sufficient limits on Maddie’s decision-making process. In all likelihood, the seductions of going to the social will outweigh Maddie’s awareness that she needs to complete her work. The problem is too emotionally complex for Maddie to solve on her own. She would likely learn little from her failure to complete her homework on time. But by guiding children through decisions that are within the scope of their intellectual and emotional competence, children learn a great deal. They learn about the complexity of the problem before them; they learn how to weigh pros and cons; they learn that mom is there to help and not to hurt; they learn to take responsibility for their actions.
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North Shore Children & Families
Children & the Media
Our Amusement Culture We live in unprecedented times. At no time in human history have we been more fully saturated by the media. Consider this: We often experience some of our strongest emotions not in direct face-to-face interactions with each other, but instead in the darkness of the movie theater (or, increasingly, on our televisions and computers). American children and adults spend many hours in front of television and movie screens. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Do the messages conveyed by media really affect us in ways that should concern us? Or perhaps consider this: When we go to a movie theater or watch a dramatic television program, we are exposed to a level of “hyper-realism” that is unprecedented in the history of the world. As we watch the latest crime drama, we are routinely exposed to the extremities of what humans can do to each other: graphic depictions of violence and sexuality, including sexual violence. We are not only exposed to highly realistic depictions of the worst of the human condition, we are actually entertained by them. We actively seek out such experiences as forms of amusement and distraction. You might say, “No, this is not entirely true. Throughout history people have sought entertainment in graphic depictions of human atrocity. Classic theater is filled with depictions of violence and aberrant sexuality. The Romans delighted in watching competitive contests resulting in gory death; citizens made time to seek out the spectacle of public executions; boxing, bullfights and
brutality have long been objects of public amusement.” This is all true. Our capacity to be entertained by extremes is not a recent invention. However, the situation today differs from that in all other historical epochs. In the United States, we enjoy unprecedented levels of leisure time. Our technology has advanced to the point that, at the touch of a button, we are able to lose ourselves in highly realistic fantasies at virtually any moment. We don’t have to wait for the next public hanging. We don’t have to create imaginary worlds through the active process of reading. It’s all right there at our fingertips. At the effortless push of a button, we are immersed in a rich and realistic fantasy life that rivals and even dominates the events of our everyday life. Movies, television and video games are not simply pleasant diversions from life, they increasingly play a dominating role in our everyday consciousness. We risk becoming so reliant upon the pleasures of amusement that amusement becomes the dominant mode of life. When this happens, it is easy for us to lose sight of what is (or should be) most important to us. Rather than working to live a good and meaningful life, we allow the characters on the screen to give our lives meaning. And it is increasingly difficult to choose not to push the button. To the extent that the internet (a wonderful medium that I would never want to do without) is increasingly essential for daily life, we can’t choose not to swim through the messy currents of the media’s river of meanings. For those who see a problem here, the solution is to find ways to use the media proactively to enhance our lives and not to simply succumb to its seductive pleasures. The price of an amusement culture is eternal vigilance.
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Summer Camps & Programs Showcase Series Part 1 of 4
Series continues in our April, May & Summer issues.
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North Shore Children & Families
Summer Camps & Programs Showcase Series Part 1 of 4
Series continues in our April, May & Summer issues.
North Shore Children & Families
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Summer Camps & Programs Showcase Series Part 1 of 4
Series continues in our April, May & Summer issues.
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North Shore Children & Families
Summer Camps & Programs Showcase Series Part 1 of 4
Series continues in our April, May & Summer issues.
North Shore Children & Families
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Summer Camps & Programs Showcase Series Part 1 of 4
Series continues in our April, May & Summer issues.
New this year – use our Flex Pass to pay for your camp days!
Anytime, Summertime Camps at The Little Gym. Our unique camps provide three hours of fun and activities in a non-competitive, nurturing environment. Each day, different creative themes keep your child on their toes as they take part in exciting imaginative journeys. Choose one day, a few days, or a few weeks. Now Enrolling for Summer Classes and Camps.
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The Premier children’s Motor Skill Development Program in the World for over 30 years! • Proven curriculum that builds confidence, balance, rhythm and flexibility • Parent/child classes for infants and toddlers up to 3 years of age • Classes in Gymnastics, Sports Skills, Dance and more for children 3-12 • Fun, nurturing environment for children and parents • AWESOME birthdays and fun theme-based day camps too! • Open all summer long…air conditioned, clean, safe and FUN!
Danvers, MA • 978.777.7977
DON’T MISS OUR APRIL SHOWCASE!
Woburn, MA • 781.933.3388
North Shore Children & Families presents the 4th Annual
Summer Camps & Programs Showcase Series – 2011! CAMPS & SUMMER PROGRAMS!
Series es u continur o n i May & April, r issues! e Summ
Ad Space Closes 3/18!
Secure your summer! ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Boost your summer enrollments & reach parents throughout the North Shore! Over 50,000 local readers - moms & dads with children of all ages & interests! Showcases run on bannered pages! Participation includes complimentary online text listing & link!
The more times your ad runs - the more you save!
LAST CHANCE TO SAVE !
DEADLINE FOR APRIL SHOWCASE ADS: All Showcase ad space must be reserved by Friday, March 18; if we are creating your ad/advertorial - your materials are also due by this date (copy, photos, logos). Ads requiring no production assistance are due by Tuesday, March 22 – provided your ad space is reserved by March 18.
Special Showcase ad sizes and pricing are offered for this series. To learn more or to secure your space, please contact Suzanne: suzanne@northshorefamilies.com or 781.584.4569.
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North Shore Children & Families
Summer Camps & Programs Showcase Series Part 1 of 4
Series continues in our April, May & Summer issues.
YOUR CAMP COULD BE HERE NEXT MONTH! Contact Suzanne by March 18 to have your summer camp or program appear in our April showcase!
781.584.4569 suzanne@northshorefamilies.com
North Shore Children & Families
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Children & the Media
Do Movies Matter? Do movies matter? Can they harm? Teach? Or are they simply neutral pastimes? Why do we watch movies? It’s tempting to think of movies as mere pastimes – activities that we engage in for the pure pleasure of watching. And to be sure, watching movies is a deep pleasure for many. When we watch a good movie, we lose ourselves in another world. Few activities have such power to transport us, deliver us from the present and transform our emotional lives. Do we watch movies just for the fun of it? And if we focus just on the pleasure, are we missing anything important? To answer these questions, it’s important to ask ourselves what movies really are. We tend to take movies for granted. Virtually all of us grew up in a world in which movies have always existed. What must it have been like before there were movies? When we ask this question, we come to realize something important. Movies are stories. Movies are just the latest version of the time-
honored art of telling stories. Before movies, there were books and plays. And before books and plays, stories were communicated by telling and retelling. Continued on page 18
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North Shore Children & Families
Children & the Media Do Movies Matter? Continued from page 17
happened when. Stories communicate versions of the world. It is in and through stories that we often learn about what is good or bad; about what is worth and not worth striving for; about who we should and should not be. Each communicates a version of an author’s view of how the world is or how it could or should be. Let’s take three common groups of stories: fables and fairy tales; the stories of The Bible or other religious books; the stories of the American Revolution. Although these works are very different, they all have something important in common:
Movies Are Stories So the question “Do movies matter?” is really a version of a much broader question: “Do stories matter?” The second we ask the question in this way, we become instantly aware that we are dealing with something big. Do stories matter? Throughout history, in all cultures and in all times we know about, the answer is a resounding “yes”. Stories are not simply amusing anecdotes or descriptions of what
Each consists of stories that – for better or for worse – people have lived their lives by. Some have even chosen to die for the principles conveyed in these stories. Take the Aesop’s simple fable of the lion and the mouse. After it has been caught by a lion and is about to die, a mouse convinces the lion to let him go free by suggesting, “Someday I might help you.” Later, after the lion is caught in a hunter’s net, the mouse returns the lion’s favor by gnawing through the net to set him free. The simple fable teaches the importance of compassion, kindness and reciprocity in human interaction. The importance of story in our lives is re-affirmed each time a person performs an act of compassion informed by this tale.
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Children & the Media Good Stories & Bad Stories “Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested: that is, some books are to be read only in parts, others to be read, but not curiously, and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention.” - Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626) When you tell me a story, at least for the time that I am hearing your story, your words determine my thoughts! This is true of any sort of telling, whether it occurs through the telling of a story, by reading a book, by watching a play, by hearing a poem or a piece of music or by watching a movie. When a child watches a movie, the movie’s words and images dominate their thoughts – at least for the time that the child watches the movie. That is quite a responsibility! If that is true, then movies are no mere pastime. They convey a version of the world to our children. Not all movies (stories) are good movies (stories). In this context, good does not mean “enjoyable”. Instead, it means “good for you.” For that reason, as parents, it is important that we take responsibility for helping
our children find ways to identify what is good and bad in the movies that they watch. How do we do this? By talking to our children about what they watch. For more on this topic, see “How to Read a Movie” (see next page).
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North Shore Children & Families
Children & the Media
How to Read A Movie “Reading without reflecting is like eating without digesting.” – Edmund Burke Movies tell stories. Stories contain lessons that can make us better people. If that is true, then we can “read a movie” in ways that are similar to the ways we read books. If reflecting on books can make us better people, then the same is true when we reflect upon movies. The key is the word reflection. While we can read a book or watch a movie just for the sheer pleasure of it, to realize fully what a book or movie has to offer, it is important to take time to talk about it. When we do, we can start by talking about what we liked or didn’t like about the movie – but that’s just a start.
We can learn from reflecting on both the good and the bad that we find in books and movies. For example, there is much of value in Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn. The story is about characters who face real moral and practical decisions. Should Huck run away from Pap? Should Huck lie to the bounty hunter to protect Jim, the runaway slave? Over time, as Huck confronts each moral decision, he develops his internal sense of right and wrong. Can we learn from the “bad” parts of the novel? What about the use of the racial slur that is repeated throughout the book? Can we learn from that as well? In fact, there is great potential for learning here. The use of this word raises a suite of questions that beg to be discussed. What is the
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meaning of this word? Why did Twain use it? What is the history of racial relations that leads to controversy about the word? Stories can teach us in many ways. An Example: What Can We Learn from Pixar’s Toy Story? The key to “reading a movie” is to ask questions about it. But what questions should we ask? With minor exceptions, we can ask the same questions about a movie that we would about a book. To illustrate, let’s reflect on a recent favorite of both kids and adults: Pixar’s Toy Story. How can we go about “reading” Toy Story, the movie? The figure on the next page of this article offers some suggestions about the types of questions that can help children and adults promote moral character in children. Here are some questions that can help promote reflection on a
movie (or on any other story). What did you like about the movie? What didn’t you like? Why? (Pleasure) Movies are pleasurable experiences (or at least should be). Our first reaction to a movie or story usually concerns how much we enjoyed it. Talking about what we like or dislike about a movie is a good first step to reflecting upon it. What were the major things that happened in the movie? (Plot) Any story has a plot – the sequence of events that occur in the story. To discuss a movie, it is important to be able recall some of the basic events that occurred in the movie, and particularly how later events build on earlier events. In the accompanying figure, I’ve divided Toy Story into five parts. You can divide it up as you wish Continued on page 22
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North Shore Children & Families
How to Read A Movie Continued from page 20
– and there is no need to recount the whole story! Focus on the parts that interest you. Who were the main characters in the story? What are their good qualities? What are their flaws? (Moral Character Sketch) This is an important one. In movies for young children, the moral qualities of the characters will often be “black and white” – they will often be “all good” or “all bad” (good versus evil). Sometimes, the characters will be good with a slight flaw. For example, Alladin is a good soul who wants to win the heart of the princess, but he tries to impress her by “showing off”. In movies for older children, the characters will be more complex. One of the reasons why Toy Story is such a good movie is that its characters are complex enough to appeal to both children and adults. Woody is clearly a good character – he is the leader of the other toys. But
he also has “moral” flaws. When Buzz comes on the scene, Woody is jealous and fearful that Buzz will become Andy’s new favorite toy. Woody’s jealousy – an everyday emotion that children and adults can both appreciate – sets off the events that structure the whole story. What challenges do the characters face? What choices do they make to overcome those challenges? (Conflict) Conflict drives human interaction. Conflict is a central part of any story. Stories are about challenges and overcoming challenges. No conflict, no story. The most interesting challenges are moral challenges – challenges that raise questions about what is the right, worthy or virtuous thing to do. The real lessons to be found in a movie or story occur when we identity the challenges faced by the main characters and evaluate how they go about facing these challenges. Do they act with virtue or selfinterest? Do they show moral strength or weakness? Do they act
with intelligence or ignorance? How do later events in the story follow from the decisions that they make? How does the moral character of any given story character develop (or diminish) as a result of the decisions that he or she makes? In Toy Story, the characters face a
series of interesting moral challenges. Each of these challenges contains implicit lessons for how children and adults can choose to live their everyday lives. From the start, Woody’s everyday jealousy poses a moral problem. How should Woody deal with his fear that Andy will like
Buzz more than him? Should he try, as he does, to “misplace” Buzz so that Andy can’t find him? Should he show understanding and compassion for Buzz? If so, how does he handle his jealousy? Similarly, once Woody accidentally pushes Buzz out the window, what is his obligation to Buzz? What would a good person do? Does Woody do it? (Yes, he does.) Did the characters make good decisions or bad decisions? (Values & Moral Lessons) This question flows easily from the preceding one. Once we identify the moral conflicts and challenges in a movie, we can ask whether or not we think the characters made the right choices. And the second we ask this question, we are in the realm of reflecting on our values. What do we learn about jealousy by observing Woody’s clumsy attempts to displace Buzz? What do we learn about compassion when Woody comforts Buzz after Buzz learns that he is really only a toy and not a Space Ranger. What do we learn about forgiveness when the toys learn that Woody
didn’t actually try to eliminate Buzz?
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Some Practical Points Of course, it is important to keep in mind two things. First, we have to discuss stories in different ways with children of different ages. When asked, “What happened to Buzz in Toy Story?”, a four year old won’t be able to say more than “Woody pushed him out the window” or “He flew through the air”. A fourteen year old might be able communicate an understanding that Buzz and Woody learned that, despite their differences, they could work together and be friends. An adult might see that over time, Buzz gains self-knowledge that actually transforms him (he learns that he is a toy and not a Space Ranger). Second, discussing a movie or a book should be both fun and informative. The accompanying figure is meant to suggest some of the issues that a movie raises. It is not necessary, of course, to discuss all of these issues or even the ones listed. The key is to promote moral reflection. Let the conversation go where it may!
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Children & the Media
Why Discussing Values in Movies is So Important Discussing the values implied in a movie is a very important task. It becomes increasingly important as children get older. This is because the values expressed in a movie are not always clear to children. More importantly, the values expressed by a movie are often hidden or simply assumed to be unquestioned and appropriate. Children are often not able to identify the hidden values in a film by themselves. Here is a recent example: consider the movie No Strings Attached. This is an R-rated movie, which means that no children under the age of 17 are permitted into the movie without an adult. I became aware of this movie
when I heard an advertisement for it on the radio station chosen by my 11 year old. What caught my attention was the dialogue that was taken from the movie, something to the effect of "Why don't we just have sex without any expectations?" In frustration, I turned off the radio. My 11 year old said, “You know, Dad, I’ve heard that ad a thousand times.” So, even though this movie is rated “R”, its message can be heard loud and clear by any 11 year old who clicks on his favorite radio station. You might think, “Wait a minute. Maybe that’s just the teaser. Go watch the movie – maybe the movie will settle on the idea that the ‘friends Continued on page 24
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North Shore Children & Families
Values in Movies Continued from page 23
with benefits’ culture is a bad idea, that ‘hooking up’ is not a good thing to do.” Unfortunately, that’s not the case. In a curious twist, the movie does, in a sense, call into question the idea of
“hooking up” and “friends with benefits”. The point is not so much that hooking up is vacuous, empty or dehumanizing. The point is that the “hooking up” experiment doesn’t work the way that the couple wants it to. (You may not want to read the next two sentences if you haven’t seen this movie!) Despite their best intentions,
they end up falling in love! They simply couldn’t pull off “sex without obligation”. This may seem to be a positive message, but it is not. The basic premise of the film is that “hooking up” is an acceptable way for people to relate. That premise is never directly challenged. Its legitimacy is part of the implicit backdrop of the movie. This also occurs in reviews of the movie. Here is an excerpt of Christy Lemire’s (of Ebert Presents at the Movies) review of the movie: “Portman and Ashton Kutcher star as what today’s kids might call “friends with benefits.” They can, basically, have sex whenever they want without all those complicated emotions getting in the way. This all sounds well and good at first. Easy, fun. But then Kutcher finds himself kinda (sic) liking Portman, and eventually he realizes he might be in love with her. And that...would be a violation of the rules. Once Portman starts sensing her own true feelings, she pushes Kutcher away in the age-old romantic comedy
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tradition. She has a bright idea: why don’t they have sex with other people? Kutcher tries that with a clingy co-worker played by Lake Bell. No Strings Attached is appealing for about the first half or so. It’s Rated R and has a nice little raunchy streak that I didn’t expect...But eventually the forced obstacles grow tiresome… I mean, something’s got to keep our characters apart, just so they can eventually get back together again.” Again, the problem here is not that “friends with benefits” is a bad thing in and of itself; the problem here is that the couple can’t quite pull off the desired result. They can’t keep their emotions out of their romps. And so, while the movie can claim to be a repudiation of the “hook-up culture”, in the end, it ends up advancing it. The task for a vigilant parent is to expose the premises of a movie that the movie-maker – and even movie reviewers – take for granted. It is the unquestioned premises that are dangerous. And that is what reflecting on movies is all about.
North Shore Children & Families
In Good Health
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Andrea Cohen is a local food psychology coach: www.fullcirclefoodcoaching.com.
Healthy Eating is Mindful Eating efficiency (calorie burning). Relaxed, mindful eating allows you to notice your body’s cues of satiety. In other words, you will be more likely to eat the amount that your body needs. In conjunction with breathing techniques, there are plenty of ways to integrate mindfulness into your every day eating: Be attentive to your external environment. Sit in a sunny window or play your favorite music. If you usually eat with others, try dining solo. Experiment with all of your senses. Smell your food, touch it with your fingers, feel it in your mouth, and while you taste it, hear the sound it makes as you chew. Try closing your eyes while you eat or enjoying a silent meal with family or friends (even just the first five minutes).
From Dr. Oz to Dr. Chopra, internationally recognized health gurus have been actively promoting the concept of mindful eating. The agreed upon advice values conscious eating as a path to better health, well-being and nutritional metabolism. Being fully aware when you eat is a helpful and uncomplicated method to eliminate habits such as speed eating and over-eating as well as easing common digestive complaints. What is mindful eating and how can you incorporate it into your existing eating patterns? Imagine the following scenario: you skipped breakfast and ran out the door over three hours ago. After dropping the kids off at school, almost on time, you hurry to meet with your accountant. Leaving the parking lot, anxious about the numbers on your tax return, you remember to stop by the pet store to pick up some dog food. A quick trip to the market (45 minutes later) and you welcome that familiar feeling of pulling back into your driveway. Even as you reach for last night’s cold leftovers, your stomach is threatening with loud grumbles. You devour this elegant brunch with one hand while putting away groceries with the other. When you reach for another bite, you realize the food is gone. You barely remember the flavor, do not feel satisfied with the meal and have an uncomfortable case of heartburn. This is mindless eating. Eating mindfully involves a non-judgmental approach to eating deliberately while remaining attentive to the chatter in your mind and the sensations in your body. The experience also extends into your surrounding environment. A straightforward definition describes eating slowly, with no guilt or shame, and being respectful to what pleases you and what nourishes you. Accepting that there are various levels of awareness and equally diverse paths to a healthy relationship with food will help to develop the practice. Bringing mindful eating from an esoteric thought to an everyday standard can be as simple as a breathing exercise. You already know how to breathe but did you know that a deep breath fills your back and belly, not just your chest? Try a few deep breaths right now, and exhale your entire breath each time. That’s all there is to it. Purposeful breathing feels great in part because it engages your relaxation response. Why is relaxation important? Eating in a relaxed state eases digestion, boosts nutrient absorption and increases thermic
Mindful eating leads to mindful living. At its foundation, eating with intention is a gentle reminder to live in the moment. There is no need for judgment because as we become aware, and slow down, we naturally make choices that benefit our health and wellness. Geneen Roth, a pioneer in understanding our relationships with food, reminds us beautifully, “Awareness, not deprivation, informs what you eat. Presence, not shame, changes how you see yourself and what you rely on.”
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North Shore Children & Families
Family & Friends Continued from page 2
parties. They are not rights or guarantees unless we work for them and towards them on a regular basis. Friendships and family relationships should not be taken for granted. They are not something to put off until you have more time. The time is right now. We think that our friends, our parents, our relatives, our neighbors – we think they will always be here. But after this past week, I am here to remind all of us that this is simply not true. And you can fool yourself and try to convince yourself otherwise, but then you would be lying to yourself. No one is immune from this major life event and the inevitable endings that we must all face and somehow endure. But it’s what we do with our lives prior to our final day that is within our power to change right now. No more excuses. I encourage all of you who are reading my words to contact someone you
have been meaning to (and we all have our list!), and do it today. Make a plan. Visit with a friend or relative. You know you’ve been meaning to… Don’t put it off again until next week or next month or next year. Treasure every moment that you can spend with your loved ones – and never take tomorrow for granted. As our circles get smaller, they also get larger if we let them. It’s not always easy to make new friends, especially as we get older. But I have recently learned that it is never really too late, as long as you are open and willing. Take my friend, Lisa. Lisa and I knew each other in high school, and while we knew each other – we didn’t actually hang out together in the same circles. But last fall, we found ourselves on our 30th reunion committee and something just clicked between us. We had many similarities – some differences, too – and we both made room in our lives for a new friend. It took time – it took effort – but it was and is worth it and
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From our Home Page – simply click on Enter to Win Tickets! Several winners will be selected. Only one entry per person per contest, please.
I think we are both reaping the rewards. It also takes courage to dare to reach out and face the possibility of being rejected. But how will you know if you don’t try? My friendship with Lisa is a blessing, an unexpected surprise – and a welcome one, for sure. What if I hadn’t gotten involved in the reunion, as I had originally planned? It would have been so much
easier to just blow it off and stay home. The lesson here: if you don’t participate – you don’t receive or achieve. It’s wonderful to have a new friend who has time to share, who likes to go to shows, who likes to travel, who enjoys good wine and trying new restaurants – and who works more than full time hours at a job she loves and takes great pride in and is completely devoted to – just like me. We understand and support each other – we listen to and teach each other. We enhance each other – and our new friendship already feels like we have had it and honed it all of our lives. Isn’t life strange sometimes? I thought my days of meeting a new best friend were long behind me – but I was wrong. So if you have room in your life for a good friend, just look around you and reach out to the
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many possibilities and opportunities that are right in front of you if you only care to see them and dare to take advantage of them. Lisa once said that she felt bad that we hadn’t become friends sooner – but I replied that isn’t it great that it happened at all? Why mourn what wasn’t – let’s celebrate what is instead! It’s all about changing the way you look at things – and being present enough to seek out and seize the many opportunities that surround you.
♣♣♣♣♣♣♣ So…what else is going on this month? This issue kicks off our 4th Annual Summer Camps & Programs Showcase series for 2011 – the largest camps and summer programs showcase in print on the North Shore! If you are a parent who needs summer options for your children, check out pages 11-16 in this issue – and check back in our April, May and Summer issues for even more options for your children this summer. And if you are an advertiser, or would like to become one, please contact me by March 18 to participate in our April
issue. While we are eagerly waiting for spring to arrive, it’s never too early to start thinking about summer! Have you noticed anything different yet about this issue that you are holding? Well, this issue is HUGE – with an additional 8 pages from our prior norm of 24! At 32 pages, this is our largest issue to date – which means we have more space to share more vital tools, tips and information with you that will help you and your family thrive and grow and develop into all that you can be, as individuals and as family units. Thank you to all
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North Shore Children & Families of our sponsors who have stepped up to the plate in a big way to support us each and every month – and thank you for believing in us and for sharing our vision and mission to help local, North Shore children and families. We could not offer our free family publication without you, our precious and valued sponsors. So please support our advertisers whenever you can – and remember to tell them that you saw them in North Shore Children & Families. This will help us to keep our free publication coming to you and your family each month for years to come – and thank you so much for doing so whenever you can. And finally, we have two more great reader contests this month, where you could win a gift certificate to Gibraltar Pools & Spas – or you could win
tickets to see Big Apple Circus, which is coming back to Boston in April! See pages 26 + 27 for more information on how to enter each contest – and check back again each month for more contests with more great prizes to win, courtesy of this publication and select sponsors and marketing partners. As we welcome spring – a time of rebirth and new beginnings – I encourage you to call an old friend, make a new friend or visit a relative who could use the company. Take your pick – we all have our “list” – and do it today while there is still time. Today is our gift – and tomorrow is simply not promised to any of us. So, please – do it today. You’ll be so glad you did! Thanks so much for spending time with us again this month – and blessings to you, your family and your friends. Until next time – Suzanne
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on Route One in Topsfield! Winners can use your gift certificate towards a new pool or spa – or for pool toys and accessories – for lots of summer fun in your very own backyard!
DEADLINE TO ENTER IS MARCH 31! Plus receive an online text listing & link for 4 months – linking our website to yours – at no additional charge! ($140 value!) To advertise, please contact Suzanne at 781.584.4569 or suzanne@northshorefamilies.com.
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North Shore Children & Families
Community Calendar
APARTMENT for RENT! See page 3. FREE CLASSES:
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Call today to schedule a FREE introductory class at The Little Gym! Danvers (978.777.7977); Woburn (781.933.3388).
While we will make every attempt to post all appropriate listings in our Community Calendar, space is limited – and priority will be given to those events that are free and family-friendly – and those submitted by our advertising partners & sponsors.
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Calendar listings are generally due by the 15th of each month prior and must be submitted through our website. If you need to guarantee that your listing will be posted – please contact Suzanne to advertise. See our current Calendar for our upcoming issue deadlines. To advertise, please contact Suzanne at suzanne@northshorefamilies.com or 781.584.4569.
IT’S TIME TO START THINKING ABOUT SUMMER CAMPS & PROGRAMS!
For complete listing accuracy, we recommend that you call ahead or check the websites listed. Featured listings do not constitute an endorsement from this publisher and we encourage our readers to always do their own research. MARCH IS THE MONTH FOR: Irish American Heritage, Music in Our Schools, Crafts, Frozen Foods, Nutrition, Peanuts, Women’s History, Poetry, Red Cross, Social Workers; 2nd week is National Bubble Week & Crochet Week.
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Book your next special event at The Bayside of Nahant! Oceanfront splendor, magnificent views, elegant and affordable. For info.: 781.592.3080 or www.baysidefunctions.com. SIGN UP TODAY: NEW! Ipswich Montessori School opens this September! Currently enrolling for Sept. 2011. For info. & to register, please call 978.356.2838.
Mommy & Me w/A Jewish Twist, 10:30-11:30am; 0-3 years w/caregiver. $10/class, $72/semester. At Chabad of Peabody, 83 Pine St., Unit E. Fun w/song, art, music, playtime, snacks & schmoosing w/other moms. 978.977.9111 WEDNESDAYS: Open School Wednesdays, 9-11am, at Harborlight Montessori School, Beverly. www.harborlightmontessori.org SATURDAYS IN MARCH: Infant & Toddler Parent/Child Playgroups at Harborlight Montessori School, Beverly; 10:45am12:45pm. www.harborlightmontessori.org GET TICKETS NOW FOR: Smucker’s Stars on Ice, 25th Anniversary Tour! March 4, 7:30pm, at Agganis Arena, Boston. Featuring Evan Lysacek, Sale’ & Pelletier, Ekaterina Gordeeva, Todd Eldredge, Joannie Rochette, Sasha Cohen, Kurt Browning, Belbin & Agosto, Michael Weiss; produced by Scott Hamilton. www.starsonice.com
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One Range Road, Nahant
www.baysidefunctions.com
Clever, Custom Verses for Your Invitations & Thank You Notes
For Events
suzanne @northshorefamilies.com
Have an Awesome Birthday Bash at The Little Gym! · Private party – clean, safe, beautiful facility all to yourselves. · Instructor led – great age-appropriate games and activities. · Stress-free for The Little Gym of Danvers parents…we take 978.777.7977 care of EVERYTHING! www.tlgdanversma.com Call for details.
The Little Gym of Woburn 781.933.3388 • www.tlgwoburnma.com
PAUL’S REPTILE CIRCUS
To advertise your party business here, contact Suzanne!
We Connect Reptiles With Kids! Featuring your choice of 9 reptiles, including a water dragon, cornsnake, box turtle, scorpion and more!
781.584.4569 suzanne@northshorefamilies.com
SCHOOLS • BIRTHDAYS • Fully insured • Credit cards accepted SPECIAL EVENTS www.reptilecircus.net 617.846.1860
GET TICKETS NOW FOR:
SEEKING HOST FAMILIES:
Boston Ballet Performances: Elo Experience – March 24-April 3; A Midsummer Night’s Dream – April 717; Bella Figura – April 28-May 8; Balanchine/Robbins – May 12-22. At the Boston Opera House. www.bostonballet.org
Host an international student for 3 weeks this summer! Weekly stipend for host families. For info.: email maria.barreda@ef.com; visit www.efhomestay.org.
MARCH 9:
MARCH 1, 3 + 8:
Mary Poppins, through March 20 at the Boston Opera House. www.broadwayacrossamerica.com/boston
Open Houses at North Shore Christian School (3/1 Beverly, 3/3 Lynn, 3/8 Marblehead). www.nschristian.org
Burn the Floor, March 8-13; Hair, March 22-April 10 at Boston’s Colonial Theatre. For tix: box office, Ticketmaster, www.broadwayacrossamerica.com/boston Big Apple Circus returns to Boston’s City Hall Plaza with Dance On!, April 2 – May 15. www.bigapplecircus.org Lynn Auditorium Shows: 3/12, Women of Ireland; 3/19 Kansas. www.lynnauditorium.com Beauty & The Beast on 3/20 at 2pm. Kaleidoscope Children’s Theatre, 466 Central St., Saugus. 781.230.EXPO. Harry Connick, Jr. & Orchestra, April 26-30, at Boston’s Colonial Theatre. Tix start at $60; 5 shows only. For tix: box office, Ticketmaster, www.broadwayacrossamerica.com/boston North Shore Music Theatre’s 2011 Season: My Fair Lady 6/7-19, Disney’s Tarzan 7/12-24, Footloose 8/16-28, The King & I 9/27-10/9, Legally Blonde 11/1-13. Season subscribers save 20%, buy tix at box office or www.nsmt.org. Dead Man’s Cell Phone, March 10-April 2, $12-$22 at Salem Theatre Co.; www.salemtheatre.com.
North Shore Children & Families
Ash Wednesday
3/14, ends 10pm on 3/28. Great items to bid on for a worthy cause: www.biddingforgood.com/plumcove.
MARCH 10:
MARCH 15:
Meet Me at the Museum, for homeschooled students ages 6-12, 1011:15am, at Cape Ann Museum, Gloucester. RSVP: lizabrowning@capeannmuseum.org.
Incredible Kids’ Day; Ides of March
MARCH 12:
MARCH 17:
Girl Scouts’ Day
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Infant & Toddler Parent/Child Playgroups at Harborlight Montessori School, Beverly; 10:45am12:45pm. www.harborlightmontessori.org
Happy Birthday to my sister, Sharon!
MARCH 16: Freedom of Information Day
MARCH 2: Open Class Day at Eastern Point Day School, Gloucester, 9am-12n. www.easternpointdayschool.org MARCH 4: Employee Appreciation Day MARCH 4 + 5: Women and Wallace at Endicott College, 3/4 at 7:30pm; 3/5 at 2pm & 7:30pm. $10 gen. adm.; free w/EC ID. For teens & adults. Pres. by the drama club, at 376 Hale St., Beverly. www.endicott.edu/centerforthearts
FREE Saturday Enrichment Program, 10-11:30am, at The Phoenix School, Salem. For 3-6 and 7-10 year olds – imagine, explore & create! Space is limited – pre-registration recommended: www.phoenixschool.org Family Fun FREE Days at Cape Ann Museum, Gloucester. www.capeannmuseum.org
MARCH 18:
Advertising Space Reservation DEADLINE for ALL ADS for our APRIL issue!
Our 4th Annual Summer Camps & Programs Showcase series for 2011 continues in our April issue! To advertise, contact suzanne@northshorefamilies.com! MARCH 19:
MARCH 5: Remembering Annie Spencer, 2007. Infant & Toddler Parent/Child Playgroups at Harborlight Montessori School, Beverly; 10:45am12:45pm. www.harborlightmontessori.org 11th Annual ECHO Performing Arts Festival at Peabody Essex Museum, 12-4pm. www.pem.org MARCH 6:
Studio Saturdays: Create a Creature, 1-3pm, all ages, at Peabody Essex Museum, Salem. www.pem.org MARCH 13: Daylight Savings Time Begins at 2am – clocks go ahead 1 hour! (Fall back, spring ahead!) Boston Symphony Orchestra Community Chamber Concert at Endicott College, free, all ages, 6:30pm. 376 Hale St., Beverly. www.endicott.edu/centerforthearts
Happy Birthday, Lisa! JAZZ STANDARDS:
MARCH 14 – 22: Dentists’ Day
North Shore parents & all musicloving adults – great for date nights or girls’/guys’ nights out – check out Just the Two of Us – featuring local musical artists Marc Maccini and Al Whitney! Appearing 3/4 at Trattoria Bella Mia, 218 Cabot St., Beverly, 7-10pm; 3/6 at Red Rock Bistro, 141 Humphrey St., Swampscott, 12-3pm brunch; 3/19 at Cavaleiro’s 573 Lawrence St., Lowell, 6-10pm; 3/25 at The Black Olive, 1866 Main St., Tewksbury, 6:30-10:30pm.
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MARCH 7: Sparhawk School (preK-12) will be hosting an info. session w/coffee & tea at the Newbury Town Library, 0 Lunt St., Byfield, 4:30-5:30pm. www.sparhawkschool.com MARCH 8: International Working Women’s Day; Mardi Gras
Children’s Drop & Shop, the area’s largest children’s clothing, gear & furniture consignment event! At Brookwood School, Manchester. www.childrensdropandshop.com MARCH 14 – MARCH 28: Online auction to benefit The Plum Cove Public Elementary School, Gloucester. Pres. by The Plum Cove Parent/Teacher Co-op; starts 8am on
Infant & Toddler Parent/Child Playgroups at Harborlight Montessori School, Beverly; 10:45am12:45pm. www.harborlightmontessori.org Hill View Montessori Charter Public School annual fundraising auction, 6-10pm; $30 pp advance/$40 at door; for adults at Michael’s Function Hall, Haverhill. www.hillviewmontessori.org MARCH 19 + 20: Tourfest: All Aboard for Adventure, at Peabody Essex Museum, Salem. RSVP by 3/17. See schedule of tours offered at www.pem.org. MARCH 20: Purim begins at sundown; Vernal/Spring Equinox Medicine Wheel Drum Circle w/Dr. Anne Kelty, 6:30-9pm, at Green Tea Yoga, Salem. $10 pp/$20 families; all ages welcome. Bring drums & percussion instruments. www.greenteayoga.com Continued on page 30
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North Shore Children & Families
Community Calendar Continued from page 29
Saturday Showcase at Cape Ann Museum, Gloucester, 1pm; Jan Turnquist performs as Louisa May Alcott. www.capeannmuseum.org
Sparhawk Schools’ Open Houses: PreK-8, 9-11am, 259 Elm St., Amesbury; High School, 9-11am, 18 Maple St., Salisbury. www.sparhawkschool.com MARCH 22:
Community Calendar Listings Deadline for APRIL issue! Please submit your listings for APRIL and early May events directly through our website. (See beginning of this Calendar for details.) MARCH 23:
Weekend Festival: Sensational India!, at Peabody Essex Museum, Salem. www.pem.org APRIL 4:
MARCH 21: Happy 19th Anniversary, Leanne & Sam!
APRIL 2 + 3:
What Art Tells Us About the Brain, a presentation at Peabody Essex Museum, Salem; RSVP by 3/25. www.pem.org MARCH 27: Story Trails, Historietas: Name that Folktale, at Peabody Essex Museum, Salem; for ages 5-8 w/accomp. adult. RSVP by 3/25. www.pem.org MARCH 28: Home School Programs begin – visit www.easternpointdayschool.org to learn more! MARCH 29: Remembering Uncle David, 1948-2010.
Sparhawk School (preK-12) will be hosting an info. session w/coffee & tea at the Newbury Town Library, 0 Lunt St., Byfield, 4:30-5:30pm. www.sparhawkschool.com APRIL 8: Nature Program: Bird Love, for adults & teens, at Peabody Essex Museum, Salem. www.pem.org APRIL 9: Salem Jazz & Soul Fest: Swing into Spring w/Dwight & Nicole, doors open 7:30pm/show at 8; $45 memb., $50 nonmemb. RSVP by 4/7. www.pem.org APRIL 10:
Transfer Open House at Cohen Hillel Academy, Marblehead, 7-9pm. Now accepting applications for all grades. www.cohenhillel.org
National Mom & Pop Business Owners’ Day MARCH 30:
Story Trails: Artful Gardens, 2-3pm, ages 5-8 w/accomp. adult, at Peabody Essex Museum, Salem. RSVP by 4/8. www.pem.org
Hear author Miriam Weinstein, The Surprising Power of Family Meals, speak about how eating together makes us smarter, stronger, healthier and happier – with special focus on the benefits for children. At 7:30pm, Barnes & Noble, North Shore Mall, Peabody. This free event is cosponsored by Temple Ahavat Achim, Gloucester and the Robert I. Lappin Charitable Foundation; pre-reg. is recommended by 3/16: Phyllis Osher, posher@rilf.org or online at www.rilf.org.
National Doctors’ Day
APRIL 10 + 20:
MARCH 31:
Free 1-Hour Educational Clinic at Pear Tree Lane Stable, Haverhill. For children 8+ through teens, with accomp. parent. Space is limited to 10 per session – call to register at 978.521.1505. See our ad on page 25 to learn more!
MARCH 24:
Open house at Hamilton Wenham Family Chiropractic, 7-9pm, free/all ages; www.straightspine.com.
Open Classroom at Clark School, Danvers, 9-10:30am. www.clarkschool.com MARCH 25: Feast of the Annunciation MARCH 26: Infant & Toddler Parent/Child Playgroups at Harborlight Montessori School, Beverly; 10:45am12:45pm. www.harborlightmontessori.org
Deadline to enter to win tickets to see Big Apple Circus – see page 26! Deadline to enter to win a $100 gift certificate to Gibraltar Pools & Spas – see page 27!
APRIL 2011: Congratulations and the very best wishes to Cape Ann Waldorf School – who is moving to their new campus at Moraine Farm on Route 97 in Beverly in April! www.capeannwaldorf.org
Service Directory ART INSTRUCTION TheArtRoom Topsfield 978.887.8809 www.theartroomstudio.com DANCE INSTRUCTION Boston Ballet School/ North Shore Studio Lynch/van Otterloo YMCA, Marblehead 617.456.6380 www.bostonballet.org/school CHARITABLE FOUNDATIONS The Robert I. Lappin Charitable Foundation Salem 978.740.4404 www.rilcf.org DENTAL CARE Andover Pediatric Dentistry Andover & Lawrence Locations www.andoverpediatricdentistry.com
APRIL 20-22: Open Activities Days at Eastern Point Day School, Gloucester, 9am2pm. Features story hours, drama, dance, music, art & science for ages 5-13. www.easternpointdayschool.org
Drs. Merle, Zicherman & Associates Peabody & Lynn www.mzdental.com DEVELOPMENTAL EVALUATIONS Pediatric Neuropsychology Svc. Salem 781.249.2901 www.pedi-neuropsych.com DEVELOPMENTAL LEARNING Brain Balance Achievement Centers Danvers 978.705.9570 www.brainbalancecenters.com
North Shore Children & Families
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EARLY EDUCATION
SCHOOLS
SCHOOLS
SUMMER CAMPS & PROGRAMS
Little Sprouts Several North Shore Locations 877.977.7688 www.littlesprouts.com
Austin Preparatory School Reading 781.944.4900 www.austinprepschool.org
Sparhawk School Amesbury & Salisbury 978.388.5354 www.sparhawkschool.com
Manchester Athletic Club Manchester 978.526.8900 www.manchesterathleticclub.com
FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT
Brookwood School Manchester 978.526.4500 www.brookwood.edu
Stoneridge Children’s Montessori School Beverly 978.927.0700 www.stoneridgecms.org
Shore Sports & Enrichment Camps Beverly 978.927.1700, ext. 256 www.shoreschool.org/summershore
Tower School Marblehead 781.631.5800 www.towerschool.org
Summer Adventures at The Phoenix School Salem 978.741.0870 www.phoenixschool.org
Mary Poppins at The Boston Opera House Through March 20, 2011 FUN & FITNESS The Little Gym Danvers and Woburn www.tlgdanversma.com www.tlgwoburnma.com Manchester Athletic Club Manchester 978.526.8900 www.manchesterathleticclub.com
Boost your summer enrollments in our 4th Annual Summer Camps & Programs Showcase series! Continues in our April issue – space closes March 18! GET YOUR SUMMER PROGRAM LISTED HERE! See page 15! Please Support Our Advertisers, Who Sponsor this Publication for You & Your Family!
The Cape Ann Waldorf School Beverly Farms 978.927.1936 www.capeannwaldorf.org Clark School Danvers 978.777.4699 www.clarkschool.com Cohen Hillel Academy Marblehead 781.639.2880 www.cohenhillel.org Covenant Christian Academy West Peabody 978.535.7100 www.covenantchristianacademy.org Eastern Point Day School Gloucester 978.283.1700 www.easternpointdayschool.org Harborlight Montessori Beverly 978.922.1008 www.harborlightmontessori.org Ipswich Montesori School Ipswich Enrolling now for Sept. 2011! 978.356.2838 The Phoenix School Salem 978.741.0870 www.phoenixschool.org Shore Country Day School Beverly 978.927.1700 www.shoreschool.org
SUMMER CAMPS & PROGRAMS Boston Ballet School/NS Studio Marblehead 781.456.6380 www.bostonballet.org/school Brookwood Summer at Brookwood Manchester www.brookwood.edu Camp Birch Hill in NH’s Lakes Region 603.859.4525 www.campbirchhill.com Camp Quinebarge New Hampshire 800.869.8497 www.campquinebarge.com Glen Urquhart School Summer Program Beverly Farms 978.927.1064, ext. 131 www.gus.org Gordon Summer Music Academy Wenham 978.867.4429 www.gordon.edu/sma The Little Gym Camp Danvers & Woburn 978.777.7977/Danvers 781.933.3388/Woburn
SummerQuest at the Crane Estate Ipswich 978.380.8360 www.thetrustees.org/summerquest Summer Quest at Pingree School South Hamilton 978.468.4415 www.pingree.org/summerquest Summer's Edge Tennis School At Salem State University & in Lexington 781.391.EDGE www.summersedgedaycamp.com Summer at Tower School Marblehead 781.631.5800 www.towerschool.org SUMMER FUN Gibraltar Pools & Spas Topsfield 978.887.2424 www.usaswim.com SPECIAL EDUCATION LAW Education Consulting, Advocacy & Legal Services 781.231.4332 Serving MA, including the North Shore
www.educationandjuvenilelaw.com