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mi Corner Our tips, picks, news and advice.
s a m t s i r h C
Part of what makes Christmas so special is the joy and magic it brings to our kids. Nothing can beat the look a kid’s face the first time he sees Santa, or the first time she makes her first snowman. We asked our readers to share the funny comments and observations their kids have made about Santa and anything related to Christmas. Their answers made us laugh. We think you’ll get a kick out of them as well. SHELLEY: When one of my sons was about 3, he asked Santa (at UP mall) for a pencil sharpener. It was all he had been talking about for a month. Santa, ever witty apparently, quickly looked to my next son in line and said, "And what do you want, young man? An ink pen?" HEATHER: My parents are professional Santa and Mrs. Clause each year. One little kiddo pointed at my mom dressed as Mrs. Clause and asked my dad dressed as Santa, "Santa Clause, is that your mommy?" SHANNON: My grandson tells me when a toy comes on TV that he wants it. Every toy he wants. I asked him why do you tell grandma you want every toy out loud? He replied he wanted to make sure Santa Clause hears him. STEPHANIE: When told Santa was coming soon to bring him presents, my 2-year-old asked, "Big Ho Ho come my house?" KERI: Somehow Santa accidently put an apple in my son's stocking that had a bite in it. He got such a kick out of how a reindeer bit his apple! MARCY: One year my children found a bell in the yard after the snow melted, probably from a Christmas decoration. They are convinced, to this day, that it belongs to one of Santa's reindeer. And, who knows, maybe they are right!
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MichianaFamilyMagazine.com | december 2011
Story Time
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Snowmen At Night By Caralyn Buehner and Illustrated by Mark Buehner Reviewed by Kathy Winkel Children’s Services Supervisor Harris Branch Library Mishawaka Penn Harris Public Library There’s nothing like cuddling up with your child and a good book on a cold winter afternoon or evening. Why not begin with a favorite winter book, “Snowmen At Night” written by Caralyn Buehner and illustrated by her husband Mark. After the child narrator has made the perfect snowman, complete with a top hat, crooked smile and carrot nose, he leaves it for the night. When he gets up the next morning, the snowman looks much different than it did the day before, which makes him wonder what snowmen really do at night when we are all tucked into bed. In this story, the reader will discover that snowmen do come to life and have a grand time sipping iced cocoa, playing games, running and having races. They ice skate, roll in the snow and even giggle. Of course, they also throw snowballs and have awesome snowball fights. The snowmen even take wild rides down the hills. This book is definitely not just for children. Readers of all ages will love the colorful and magical images of the snowmen. They are friendly, silly, happy and parents will find themselves smiling and giggling along with their children as they share the story. There is an added bonus to the illustrations. On one of the last pages in the book, the reader will find this message: “Don’t forget to look for hidden shapes that have been painted in all these wintertime scenes. See if you can find a cat, a rabbit, a Santa face and a Tyrannosaurus Rex.” This picture book is perfect to share with very young listeners (2 to 4 year olds) and it will remain a delightful story for older children as well. Enjoy this story as the first snows begin drifting around your house. If you like “Snowmen At Night” there are two others by the Buehners about snowmen, “Snowmen At Christmas” and “Snowmen All Year” which are equally as enjoyable and fun to read, listen to and search the pages for hidden pictures.
Here is a list of other favorite “snowy” stories perfect for wintertime sharing:
“Annie and Snowball and the Wintry Freeze” by Cynthia Rylant “Bear Snores On” by Karma Wilson “The Big Snow” by Berta and Elmer Hader “The Biggest, Best Snowman” by Margery Cuyler “Elmer In the Snow” by David McKee. “Mama, Will It Snow Tonight?” by Nancy White Carlstrom “Poppleton In Winter” by Cynthia Rylant “Snow Bears” by Martin Waddell “Snow Day!” by Lester L. Laminack “Snowballs” by Lois Ehlert “Snowy, Blowy Winter” by Bob Raczka “White Snow, Bright Snow” by Alvin Tresselt “Winter Is the Warmest Season” by Lauren Stringer
M i C H I L D • S P E C I A L PA R E N T I N G F E AT U R E S E C T I O N
mi Corner Our tips, picks, news and advice.
A Picky Picky
Christmas
In our Picky Picky section, we are always on the lookout for fun, interesting products. And what better time to be on the hunt than around Christmas! Check out some of these fun gifts to possibly leave under your Christmas tree this year!
Linus’ Blanket from Charlie Brown
This is sure to become a favorite cuddle object in your home! And after all the holiday excitement, what could be better than to curl up with Linus’ classic security blanket and take a nap? (Or share it with a toddler, if you must.) This 30" x 30" Linus Blanket is super soft, and some of the proceeds of your purchase even go to charity according to the packaging. Available exclusively at Urban Outfitters and online at urbanoutfitters.com. Price: $36.00
Daddy Diaper Tool Bag
Some gifts just make you smile, like this fun diaper bag designed to look like a tool bag Dad can lug around. This tough and durable diaper bag is ornamented with silver rivets and made of faux suede. It measures 17.5" x 6" x 12.5" and has a Velcro closure, seven outside pockets, a small zipper pocket inside and optional adjustable shoulder strap. So for the new Dad ready to get to work, this might be the fun Christmas gift you’re looking for. To purchase the bag or to learn more, visit bestbabyshower.com. Price: $46.99
Bonding Over Beauty by Erika Katz
In the book “Bonding Over Beauty,” author Erika Katz introduces a new guide for mothers looking to build open communication with their daughters using fun beauty activities to facilitate the dialogue. Erika teaches moms how to talk to their daughters about all things beauty, hygiene and even puberty. As a beauty expert and mother of a tween girl, Erika wrote the book to help moms establish trust with their daughters. Included are fun bonding activities to ease the awkwardness between mom and daughter when discussing sensitive topics such as when she can wear makeup or shave her legs. Price: $14.95
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barbZappia photography
Worx Toys Speedster Racecar
This toy is all the rage! Worx Toys are interactive vehicle and storybook systems that entertain and educate curious little minds about how things work with shape-code commands that identify each vehicle’s parts with light and sound. The corresponding stories explain how these parts work and what they do. This Speedster Racecar responds to shape-code commands that serve to light up the different parts of the vehicle, such as the engine, transmission and shock absorbers. The Speedster Racecar features working gull-wing doors and sequences of light and sound that are activated by simply pushing the Speedster forward or backward without having to engage the shape-codes, making it perfect for younger children. Learn more about this fun, education toy at www.worxtoys.com. Price: $30.00
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Mommy & Daddy
The Notorious
Family
Holiday Letter By Jane Sutter
Boots crunching in the icy grass, I make my way to my mailbox. As I crack open the frozen door, I am met with 18 catalogs, four bills and six hand-addressed, plump, white envelopes with various festive stickers sealing their contents. Yes, it’s December – time to open the grenades that are, The Family Christmas Letters. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, they will arrive by the handful: some boring, some hilarious and all potentially worthy of “The Biography Channel.” Maybe I’m just nosey, but I love reading these self-published report cards. Whether written in prose to mimic “The Night before Christmas” or told from the dog’s perspective, these yearly updates are riddled with misspellings and effused with twinkling embellishments. All of life’s boring details are absent. What is presented, especially if the author has
children, reads like an application to Harvard: Bobby had a terrific summer. After organizing a food drive for the poor in Haiti and being the youngest person ever to swim the English Channel, he finally broke the genetic code and cured cancer. He is super excited to start kindergarten this coming year, as he wants to restructure the curriculum and transform the school lunch program into a vegan-friendly environment.
100 We hope you’re to get connected to your community
Inspired
Diane Bennett 574-968-4236
Coming up May 14th:
Leslie is also marvelous. Oh, how we looovee our Leslie! She has just returned from a mission trip to Africa where she personally dug a well for a village using a shovel she forged out of a mixture of discarded rubble and the contents of her makeup bag. Now that she’s home, she intends to finish her doctorate in pediatric medicine while modeling for Vogue in her spare time.
to STAMP OUT HUNGER in Northern Indiana. Place non-perishable foods by your mailbox for pick-up on Saturday, May 14.
You can also tell who the black sheep of the family is: Ann is doing well. She, and that guy she married, are moving into an apartment soon. Seems what’s-his-face finally got a job. We pray for them daily.
Sunday, May 15, 6:30-11:30am
Oh, it’s all so delicious! And, have I mentioned the obligatory paragraphs regarding tragedy and death? This is standard protocol in most holiday letters. There you are, reading happily about the kids and the beach vacation and then BLAM! Faster than you can say Rudolph, everything gets all dark and frosty.
the LETTER CARRIER FOOD DRIVE
Holiday Happenings'
BIKE THE BEND Downtown South Bend map andCeremony details: Tree For Lighting http://www.bikethebend.com/ Dec 2
They always start off the same way: “On a sad note ...” or “Perhaps you’ve heard …” And then the gore fest commences. In shocking detail, every minute element of grandpa’s hip replacement fills the page. That, unfortunately, leads to the story of the violent car wreck, where death was avoided only by the grace of God, or the story of the surgical procedure that went terribly wrong. (Some of these authors make Stephen King look like a “Sesame Street” writer.) And then, just when you think you can actually hear the ping of the heart monitor Aunt Jenny is hooked up to, it goes right on back to candy-coated perfection. With a jingle of saintly gratitude, the essayist offers a silver lining, “We realize now it was a blessing” or “I guess we learned a valuable lesson.”
Marley RiverScrooge Park &Day Parade
Such plucky optimism these yuletide correspondents have. It makes me all warm inside just thinking about it – but not gushy enough to type up my own tome.
Dec 8 - Dec 9
You see, over the years I have realized I simply cannot compete with these superstar families. Yet, with each holiday post I receive from them, I still feel thrilled just to be included on their mailing list. To be honest, I am truly happy for their outstanding accomplishments, even though, by comparison, it makes me look like that kid who stuck his tongue to the pole in “A Christmas Story.” Happily, I’m okay with that. I know the truth – the simple, wonderfully un-remarkable details of my family that make me fiercely proud 365 days a year. Even though I won’t send out an epistle, I will shoot off a holiday picture. I sure hope it looks good. If it does, then I’m off the hook for not personally saving a rainforest or hand-feeding beached baby whales. The recipient will have to see how happy we are and feel glad we thought of them. But next year, watch out! My boys may just be old enough to change the world, become astronauts or learn how to fly. If that happens, I’ll be sure to write it all down and send it to you, in a five page Christmas letter, with a festive sticker sealing the envelope.
South Bend Civic Theatre th The 100 Anniversary Christmas Carol Dec 2May - Dec21, 1810:00am On Saturday, Head to Mishawaka Avenue Grangerin Community River Park Church
Let it be Christmas
Memorial Day Parades Southold Dance Theatre Monday, May 30 The Nutcracker
8:00am DecOsceola 11 8:15am South Bend, Western Avenue 9:30am Downtown Mishawaka Center for History
Copshaholm @ the Holidays Nov 25 - Jan 8 your Call or email with real estate questions.
For details & web links of these wonderful community events & more see our BLOG at team@inspiredhomes.com www.inspiredhomes.com
574-968-4236
Jane Suter is an award-winning writer and mom of two very energetic boys, one in kindergarten and the other in second grade. Born in Chicago, she is proud of her Midwestern roots.
M i C H I L D • S P E C I A L PA R E N T I N G F E AT U R E S E C T I O N
Newborn
A Holiday Cheat Sheet for the New Mom By Sorah Stein and Shanti Bradley
Whether your baby is a newborn still keeping you up at night or an older infant, the first holiday season can be overwhelming and full of questions. We have a few pointers that will, hopefully, help you and your family get through safely and sanely!
Great aunts, grandmothers, uncles and cousins. Oh, my!
Always make sure that everyone who wants to hold the baby washes their hands first. Come ready with the hand sanitizer if need be. Many people sharing germs with baby is a sure way to have a sick little one on your hands. If your little one already has the sniffles, do not take baby out and about. Remember that while a fever or cold may not mean much for a toddler or older child, it can mean big trouble for an infant. We are certain that baby’s doctor will be more than willing to provide a letter of excuse for you to any offended family or loved ones. Also, despite the fantastic photo opportunity that holiday gatherings present, don’t let people who are ill hold the baby, no matter how wonderful the picture would turn out to be.
On the topic of photos…
We know there are very many things that would make an adorable photo. However, Christmas stockings should never double as baby carriers, tinsel and ornaments are not appropriate baby toys, and wrapping bows do not belong on baby’s head. Yes, these and others would make for great pictures, but unless your name is Anne Geddes, do not attempt them at home! Please let your local photo studio or professional photographer shoot the fun and artsy shots for you.
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mi child magazine | december 2011
While at home, yours and others
If you have a little one toddling about, keep decorations and other potential dangers out of reach. Whenever lighting candles, make certain they are on a shelf or table baby cannot get to. Better yet, use LED candles when possible. No, they don’t make the whole house smell like freshly baked cinnamon rolls, but they don’t burn children either. Each holiday season more than 1600 people are injured by fire, and approximately 400 people die from burns, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.
Scheduling visits with friends and family
Try to arrange visits around your baby’s nap and feeding schedules. A well-rested and fed baby is much more likely to be a happy baby. As much as possible, maintain your baby’s routines around feeding and sleep as well. This might mean toting along a port-a-crib and favorite book to Grandma’s, but everyone will be much happier if the baby gets her nap. You’ll also want to plan ahead for baby food, formula or extra bottles of breast milk. Baby can’t exactly have turkey and stuffing, or potato latkes with the rest of you!
Gifts
Always keep wrapping supplies out of baby’s reach. Wrapping paper and accessories can be dangerous for baby to play with – and ingest. When dealing with gifts given to the baby, be sure to keep a list so that you can send out the thank you cards later. Also collect all of the receipts for anything given to the baby. This is helpful if something doesn’t work or fit. It’s also a useful way to deal with any inappropriate gifts like action figures or Barbie dolls baby obviously can’t play with yet, shirts with crude slogans on them or
very noisy toys. This way, you can make returns or exchanges without offending anyone, especially your mother-in-law.
MichianaFamilyMagazine.com | december 2011
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The loved ones that love to argue
There’s at least one in every family. Expect that you will have comments about how your mother, mother-in-law and grandmother did things, how you and your partner turned out just fine, and how wisdom comes with age. Politely and respectfully thank your loved ones for their points of view with a comment such as, “You’re right, you did a great job with me/us. I just hope this one turns out half as good!” At the same time, realize there are some things that you should never allow with baby. When in doubt, blame your family doctor or pediatrician. We assure you they have no problem being portrayed as the bad guys here. If asked beforehand, your doctor may even be gracious enough to supply you with a brief letter explaining the baby dos and don’ts, ready for any questioning relative. This way, when Aunt Sally aims the spoonful of sweet potatoes at your newborn’s mouth, you can feel free to step in the way and say that the doctor really insists that baby not have things like that yet.
Shop Smart for Kids! Get ahead of the rest and get your kids ready for winter and cold temps. Save $$$ with low prices on gently used winter coats, boots, hats and gloves. And, Once Upon a Child has so much more! Save on brands that kids crave: Old Navy, Gap, Justice and so much more!
The holidays are supposed to be about family and sharing time with loved ones. Unfortunately, in normal families, this usually results in a fair amount of stress as well. The stress with a baby for the first time, or even the fifth time, can often feel magnified. Preparing for what you know Aunt Sally is going to do and say, and for the gifts you know cousin Fred will come up with, can really make things go more smoothly for everyone. Remember, when in doubt, keeping your baby safe and healthy is your number one priority, not the feelings of your extended family. Authors’ note: we apologize to all of the Aunt Sallys and cousin Fred’s out there. No offense intended; we’re sure you’re wonderful!
4024 Elkhart Rd. • Goshen • 574.830.5332 HOURS: Mon-Sat 10am-8pm • Sun 12pm-6pm (Near Dunlap area, by Walmart) 5936 Grape Road • Mishawaka • 574.247.1099 HOURS: Mon-Fri 10am-8pm • Sat 10am-6pm Sun 12pm-5pm (Located in Indian Ridge Plaza, near Softa Select)
Shanti Bradley, BA, CD, CLS, lives in South Bend with her husband and two children. She is available for prenatal informational support, continuous labor support, postpartum care and education.
Sorah Stein, MA, BCBA, CSE, lives in South Bend with her husband and three children and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and Certified Sexuality Educator, working primarily with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
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M i C H I L D • S P E C I A L PA R E N T I N G F E AT U R E S E C T I O N
Big Kids
Living the
star
5 life
Respect. Responsibility. Integrity. Sacrafice. Courage.
By Michelle Wegner
We have two middle schoolers in our household. As most parents of this age group are aware, every single day there is huge drama about who is wearing what, which clothes are not washed or are missing from their fabulous wardrobe. We try to be compassionate, patient and understanding, knowing that middle school is a rough age. They aren’t making it up when they say that everyone will notice if their shoes don’t go perfectly with an outfit, or if their hair is tinted green over the summer from one too many swims in a neighbor’s overly chlorinated pool. Not that it’s happened here, but I’m just sayin... Middle schoolers are tough on each other. So, any outside help in raising them and helping them become their best selves is always appreciated. This is why we are so grateful for the presence of Five Star at the middle school our children attend. Five stars is the rating motels and movies use as a symbol for excellence. Five Star, the community service organization that has been working in 13 middle schools in Michiana for the past five years, is dedicated to helping kids build their own Five Star Life. Each family has their own set of values they want to pass along to their children. In our family, the five principles Five Star teaches (they spend four weeks on each one) are very important values we also teach at home: Respect, responsibility, integrity, sacrifice and courage. We were amazed when our daughter came home and started acting out what she learned at Five Star. She was more respectful, took more responsibility for herself, and we saw her trying to be more kind and patient with her sisters. We were in complete shock and awe at the transformation in her little life and attitude.
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We teach these principles at home, but when she had the opportunity to learn and discuss them with a coach who is a friend and fun mentor to her, she “got” it. The values we were teaching at home were being reinforced by some very fun activities and cool people at Five Star (apparently way cooler than her parents). For us as parents, we are thankful for the reinforcement of our family values in a fun environment and in a school setting. mi child magazine | december 2011
MichianaFamilyMagazine.com | december 2011
Five Star is a not-for-profit organization that exists to build self-esteem and character into tweens –1300 kids a week. Students gather one day a week after an already long day of school to hang out, do homework, play fun games, have a discussion with their coach and have a crazy fun time while learning important life lessons and character-building skills. Five Star has been at Grissom Middle School for five years. The school was searching for a character building program, so when Seth Maust came in the office, he sold them on this program. When the program first started, they were hoping 20 students would sign up. Now, they have to turn away 60 students a year because Five Star has become so large. Aside from a weekly afterschool meeting, Five Star students can also participate in day trips to Manowee Ranch, using ropes, horseback riding and other fun activities to push students past their comfort zone while in a safe environment. This helps them to learn to trust each other and depend on one another while building self-esteem and awareness. If your child or a middle schooler you know has the opportunity, encourage them to be a part of Five Star at their school. As we learned, they are partnering with the values we already have in place here at home and are doing an amazing job encouraging kids and mentoring them. Who knows, your middle schooler might actually start helping around the house or being kind to his brother or sister. It happened here!
Find the Hidden Acorn... ...that looks like the acorn pictured to the left for your chance to win a $30 Gift Certificate to
Sally & Company Hair Designs! New Way to Enter Contest! Go to: www.michianafamilymagazine.com and click on the acorn icon on the bottom of the web site’s home page. Tell us what page you found the acorn on and you will be entered into this issue’s drawing! Contest ends December 23rd, 2011. Congratulations Cheri Salasinski
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“My favorite session was when coach Seth talked about "your fox hole.” This meant picking friends that have your best interest and that are nice and faithful to you. After that lesson, I learned that I didn’t have real good people in my fox hole. Soon after that I had dropped those friends who didn’t care who they would become or didn’t care how they would turn out. Once I did that, I was improving in school and my grades went from C’s and D’s to A’s and B’s. By the end of the year, I made honor roll!” ~ From a student enrolled in the program “People that knew me back when I was younger and see me now hardly recognize me. I walk with such pride and confidence in myself. I have kept Five Star a part of my life, and now I am coaching other kids just like me. I have this amazing opportunity to use my gifts to plant seeds in young students’ lives. I continue to hope and pray that I can make such a change in someone’s life as I have had made in mine.” ~ From a Five Star Coach
Michelle Wegner is mom to three spirited little girls, Maddie-12, Whitney-10 and Isabelle-6. Her husband is a pastor at Granger Community Church, and they have been married for 17 years.
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