May 2020 Monterey Bay Parent Magazine

Monterey Bay

May 2020

PARENT We’re Celebrating

Mom

Pro tips for working from home with kids When Mother’s Day is difficult Mother’s Day traditions from around the world

Medical Moms

Going to work each day to protect all of us1

MONTEREY BAY PARENT • May 2020

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MONTEREY BAY PARENT • May 2020

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Visit stanfordchildrens.org to ensure your health care coverage includes Stanford Children’s Health.

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Contents may 2020

Monterey Bay

PARENT

P.O. Box 806 Pacific Grove, CA 93950 MontereyBayParent.com 831-582-1373

Publisher Andrea Breznay abreznay@ montereybayparent.com 831-582-1373 Sales Executive Cherilyn Miller cmiller@ montereybayparent.com 831-582-1770 Cover Photographers Michelle Findlay Tatiana Scher Contributing Writers Caitlin Fil more Tanni Haas Janeen Lewis cheryl maguire Susan meister Katie Raquel tricia vlasak rob weisskirch

Editorial Submissions are welcome.

We reserve the right to edit, reject or comment editorially on all material contributed. We cannot be responsible for return of any unsolicited materials.

Articles and advertisements in Monterey Bay Parent do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher nor does the publisher assume responsibility for statements made by our advertisers or editorial contributors. Acceptance of advertising by Monterey Bay Parent does not constitute an endorsement of the products, services or information. We do not knowingly present any product or service which is fraudulent or misleading in nature.

Monterey Bay Parent is available free of charge at over 250 distribution points throughout Monterey and Santa Cruz counties as well as digitally at www.

MontereyBayParent.com.

Monterey Bay Parent is ©2020 by Monterey Bay Parent, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is strictly prohibited.

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12 Medical Moms. We’re highlighting

four mothers who work in the medical field because we truly appreciate all that they do for the community.

by Cheryl Maguire 16 Coronavirus Double Duty: Working from home and parenting. It’s tough being a working parent under the best of conditions. When you add in homeschooling kids and dealing with a pandemic, you’re really upping the stress. by Katie Raquel 18 Mother is a Verb. You don’t have to have children to mother. Each time one of us cares for another, we are mothering. by Caitlin Fillmore 20 Great Mom Apps. You carry your phone everywhere. With one of these apps, life will be a little easier. by Tanni Haas 22 Mother’s Day Traditions Around the World. India, Japan, Mexico and more–learn about the unique Mother’s Day traditions in other countries.

24 Cooking With the Kids. Cooking a meal with your children opens up a unique opportunity to practice needed skills. by Tanni Haas 26 Ending the School Year Virtually. Even if the kids are doing their school work in PJ’s that’s no reason not to finish up the school year on a high note.

by Janeen Lewis 28 Monterey Remote. Learn about local businesses and organizations that have taken to offering services online in a big way.

30 Bubble Blast. Whether you’re making your own bubbles or using store-bought, we have a bunch of fun activities to take your bubble making to the next level.

on the cover Evelyn is 5-½ years old and the daughter of our cover photographer, Michelle Findlay and her husband James. Evelyn attends kindergarten in Monterey and loves snuggling, dancing, riding her bike, Scooby Doo, Frozen 2, and eating mac and cheese.

Photo by Michelle Findlay 831-262-9192 michellefindlay.com

in each issue: 08 Father’s Day Local dad, Rob Weisskirch covers parenting topics from a dad’s point of view.

10 Grandma Says An experienced grandmother of two offers insight and advice.

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from the publisher…

Happy Mother’s Day, Mama For the last two weeks, I’ve set Mother’s Day as my target to be less restricted in my movement. I’ve been diligent about sheltering in place, staying home for everything except grocery trips (wearing a mask and carrying sanitizer), and daily walks (same precautions). I’m closely watching the news of new COVID-19 cases (we’ve done a great job in following orders, yay us!) and to see when antibody and more widespread testing will possibly be available. All the while, my thoughts are turning to Mother’s Day. I want so badly to be able to spend it with my daughter and granddaughter that I feel a bit like a small child making magical wishes and bargaining with the universe to get something I want so much.

I haven’t seen my family since late February. Until then, I hadn’t gone more than about two and a half weeks without seeing my now 18-month old grandaughter. I made the two hour trip to the Bay Area at the slightest hint of an invite (and a few times without) and willingly offered my babysitting services to my daughter and son-in-law whenever needed. The result was a closeness with my granddaughter that has brought incredible joy to my life. The frequent visits have also allowed me a front-row seat to the stellar parenting skills of my daughter and son-in-law. They are truly meant for parenthood and have done a fantastic job.

Then came Coronavirus. We’re all sheltering in place, all working from home, following the rules, and limiting contact. I get almost daily videos and photos and we frequently visit via FaceTime or Zoom. My daughter usually calls me when Nina is in the bathtub, and we video chat for a few minutes while my precious granddaughter practices her newest words, and we make funny faces at one another. Those little moments are a balm.

What I want most right now is to spend Mother’s Day with Nina, Alex, and Britt. I don’t need brunch out or a special gift. I want nothing more than to hold my daughter and granddaughter close. I want to giggle with Nina, to chase her around the yard, to read her “Llama Llama Red Pajamas” a dozen times in a row. If I’ve been reminded of anything during this crisis we are all in, it’s that the little things are important. There is nothing more important to me than those moments with the people I care so much about–my family, my closest friends, the support network of once fellow publishers, now true friends that I’ve come to rely on for our daily chats and texts.

I’m going to keep wishing that I am able to make the trip on May 10. If I can’t, we will video chat, and it will be ok because I do know that this has to end even if we have to be apart a little longer For all of the mothers reading, I hope your Mother’s Day is filled with love. It’s all that matters.

Andrea Breznay/Publisher

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Father’s day by Rob Weisskirch

Fathering in Times of Uncertainty I

know I should have some positive, upbeat way to describe the last few weeks of dealing with COVID-19, social distancing, and shelter in place, but I don’t. It has sucked.

The hardest part, I think, has been the lingering and building anxiety. For a dad, these feelings of anxiety may be unusual. Men typically don’t experience as much anxiety as do women.

When men do experience anxiety, they alleviate their anxious feelings through physical activities such as exercise, for which opportunities are now limited.

Also, men often derive their friendships

Happy Mother’s Day!

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through work relationships, which are now remote or distanced. So, these feelings of anxiety are especially disconcerting.

As restrictions and social distancing accelerated, shopping left me in an anxious state. There is so much planning for what used to be a casual, relaxed, family activity. Now, my wife and I strategize as to what time to go, if the supply of necessary items at home is low enough to venture out, and who will go in. If she is the emissary, then I start thinking about how I would cope with her getting ill and how my six-year-old daughter might respond. If I go in, I become hyperaware of how physically close people are and try to be as efficient as possible to get in and out in the least amount of time, touching as few surfaces as possible. I take a few deep breaths and calm myself down as I exit. I don’t think my experience is unusual these days.

At the same time, as dads, we have to put on a brave face and, as Governor Newsom has said, meet the moment. This means we have to forge

ahead and do what needs to get done to keep our families functioning.

I am fortunate that my work responsibilities have shifted online. I don’t have to go out and put myself and my family at risk of becoming ill by entering a workplace. However, like many now work-from-home parents, I have to seek out a quiet place to attend to as many tasks as possible and have had to step out of online meetings because my child was whining to get my attention. The pressure of attending to work responsibilities and child care demands in a confined space and at the same time is a real challenge. But, I’m trying to let those lesser work tasks slide and keep the pace of schoolwork flowing so that my daughter’s brain doesn’t become mush. And I try to give my wife some uninterrupted time to do her work too.

Every day, I remind myself that it won’t stay like this, and we, as a family, will persevere.

It is hard to understand what it is like for an essential worker father who has to leave his family to go to his job.

Those employees allow the rest of us MONTEREY BAY PARENT • May 2020

to get groceries, pick up medication, get food, or get packages delivered. For that dad, I imagine it takes real effort to push down the anxiety of getting exposed to the virus and bringing it back to the family. To those fathers, there aren’t enough thank yous. I also advise those dads to talk about what it is like to have to do that for your family.

Sharing what you’re feeling in leaving and going to work may lessen the anxiety and pressure you may feel.

The fathers who are now feeling anxiety over household finances because of the loss of a job or income deserve our compassion. I think dads, by nature, are doers, getting things done to provide for the family. So, not having a job, not being able to work, and not being able to hustle to find a new job to fill the gaps strikes at the heart of being a dad. I hope those who are in this situation are seeking all the resources available to make it through this situation. This anxiety over the financial future can leak over into the interactions in the family. It is crucial to keep up the optimism that things will get better to ensure that these adult concerns don’t get absorbed by children and adolescents who have fewer abilities to address them.

MONTEREY BAY PARENT • May 2020

The hardest part for me is not knowing what is going to happen. I find myself thinking a lot about the serenity prayer that is often used at 12step meetings like Alcoholics Anonymous: “Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” We have to accept that the precautions we are taking now will keep our families and our communities healthy to thrive in the future. We also have to accept that it will continue for a while, but we do have the power to make shelter in place and social distancing less difficult for the children.

As dads, we can do what we need to protect and provide for our families, including acknowledging our anxieties and caring for our loved ones.

Robert (Rob) S. Weisskirch, MSW, Ph.D., CFLE is a Professor of Human Development at California State University, Monterey Bay, and is a Certified Family Life Educator. He and his wife are parents to a chatty 6-year-old daughter and reside in Marina. Rob’s writing was recently recognized with the 2020 Gold Award from the Parenting Media Association.

IF YOU NEED ADDITIONAL HELP •

Monterey County Behavioral Health can provide counseling and help with referrals. The line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and it is answered by a clinician afterhours. Call the agency at 1-888-2586029.

•

The Suicide Prevention Hotline provides free and confidential emotional support to those who feel suicidal or who are in emotional distress. It is available 24/7. Call the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-877-663-5433.

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The California Peer-Run Warm Line allows people to talk to peers who have lived with mental health challenges who can provide emotional support and referrals to mental health resources. The 24/7 line can be reached at 1-855-845-7415 or through an online chat.

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Call SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress line to talk to a trained crisis counselor at 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746

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May is a traditional time of renewal: spring is in full swing, the weather is turning warmer, and flowers are blooming. It’s also when we turn our attention to paying tribute to mothers.

T

his year, as we shelter in place, may be different from our usual Mother’s Day celebrations. Due to the virus that is sweeping the world, we might not be able to be with our own mothers or the children who call us Mom. For me, Mother’s Day is always a mixed bag of emotions and this year will be no different. I am a daughter, a mother, and a grandmother. I’m also a bereaved mother. May 10th will be my eleventh Mother’s Day without my youngest child.

Ian was my later-in-life child. The one I had planned for with my husband.

I had two children when we married, and my son and daughter were nine and nineteen years old when Ian was born. Although I was forty years old, it was a relatively easy pregnancy and delivery with no complications. Ian was born four weeks early, but healthy. He was eating well and growing on schedule. However, at eight weeks old, he developed flu-like symptoms: fussy and upset all day, he threw up a few times.

By that evening, Ian’s eyes looked unfocused, and while I was rubbing his head, I noticed his soft spot was bulging. We took him to urgent care, and from there, we were taken to the emergency room by ambulance. That was late on a Thursday night. By Saturday morning, he was gone. He had a fastgrowing brain tumor, and there was nothing that could be done.

The ensuing years were a series of steps forward and steps back. Each Mother’s Day after Ian’s birth, I feel this odd mixture of feelings: grateful beyond description for the blessings I have in my children and grandchild, yet incomplete. I am filled with intense love for my children here on earth, yet gripped by longing for the child who is no longer with us. It’s a paradox that makes Mother’s Day especially rough at times. I usually spend the day laughing and talking with my family, celebrating being a mom, a grandma, and a daugh-

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celebrating grandma says

by Tricia Vlasak

For mothers who have lost a child, for those who have lost a mother, and for those who haven’t been able to conceive, Mother’s Day can be a complex mix of emotions.

When Mother’s Day Is Difficult ter. But I have moments when my heart feels like it’s going to stop beating. In those moments, I must remind myself to take a breath.

If you have also suffered the loss of a child or a pregnancy, I want you to know you’re not alone. You can get through this, and it is okay to feel grateful for what you have, while also feeling profound sadness at what you don’t.

There is another group of you who may be experiencing Mother’s Day without your mothers. That, too, is a profound and excruciating loss. Your mother is, quite literally, the reason you are here.

The relationship with our mother can be complicated. Whether she was a good mom or a bad one, she helped to make you who you are, and losing her can leave you feeling incomplete. Finally, as a part of a global community, we are all experiencing a different kind of loss this year. Many of us won’t be with

our families on Mother’s Day if social distancing rules are still in place. This, too, is a painful reality worthy of sorrow.

It is okay to grieve for whatever loss you may be experiencing this year. On a day we set aside to recognize the mothers in our lives, it’s okay to feel ambivalent about it or even sad.

Because when you’re thinking of the people you love the most, any loss you feel is even more pronounced. On this Mother’s Day, especially, be gentle with yourself. If you are a mom, celebrate yourself. You are incredible, and you deserve it. tricia vlasAK is a mother, grandparent, and wife. She works in law enforcement when she isn’t writing about parenting, hiking with her dogs, or going on Jeep adventures.

I’d like to wish a very special Mother’s Day to the two most important mothers in my life: my mom and my daughter. Mom, You’re one of the most incredible women I know. I value you, and the things you have taught me, more with every passing year. And to my beautiful daughter: there is no greater joy for a mom than watching her daughter become a mom. Seeing you with my grandbabies warms and mends my heart. You make me so proud. I am blessed beyond words to be your mother.

MONTEREY BAY PARENT • May 2020

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By Cheryl Maguire

Medical

Moms

Most people who work in the medical field are selfless professionals who want to help others. With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, this quality is even more apparent as they literally risk their lives to do their jobs. We’re highlighting four mothers who work in the medical field. We truly appreciate everything they do for their patients, their families, and our community.

JORDAN FREDRICKSON

Jordan is a registered nurse who works in the skilled nursing wing of a local nursing home. As a charge nurse she works with residents who need longterm, high-needs care, or short-term care while recovering from an illness or injury. Jordan oversees the daily medical needs of the residents, including giving them medications, administering treatments, and monitoring any chronic medical conditions they may have.

Jordan has been a nurse for two years and in her current position for six months. She loves being able to take care of the elderly population and pro-

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vide them with the loving, compassionate care that she would give her parents or grandparents. Unlike a hospital with acute patients, she mostly works with long term residents, so it is easy for her to develop relationships and become attached to them.

Even though she is not on the front lines in the ER or ICU battling COVID 19, she is still anxious because she feels a profound responsibility to care for and protect the residents.

Her facility is screening all employees before they come into the building and rationing the personal protection equipment in case they need to take an overflow COVID positive patient from an area hospital.

One of the unanticipated difficulties is that the facility has been on a visitor lockdown for over a month now, and it’s hard for some of the residents to understand why their loved ones aren’t coming to see them anymore. Medical providers are the residents’ only real connection to the outside world now, which places a lot of pressure on the staff.

Jordan tries to assist in facilitating phone calls, video chats, and visits through windows as much as possible.

The pandemic has created an air of anxiety, especially for some of the residents who have memory issues and thrive in a structured, scheduled environment. It is stressful, but the staff is devoted to making the residents lives as normal and as happy as possible and will continue to do so through this crisis.

Jordan’s husband is in the Navy and a master’s degree student at Naval Postgraduate school. Her daughter goes to preschool when she is working. She worries about potential exposures with her daughter in daycare but she does not have a choice and feels fortune that her daughter’s daycare is still open.

Jordan’s biggest fear is getting infected and bringing it home to her family. She also worries that she may be an asymptomatic carrier and bring it into the facility. When not at work, she is diligently sheltering in place to minimize contact with the outside world.

MONTEREY BAY PARENT • May 2020

SARAH OFSTEDAL RAMER

A physical therapist in home health, Sarah goes to the homes of patients.

She works with them on restoring independence by improving their mobility, usually after an illness or hospitalization. Sarah works out of her car with all of her supplies in the back seat.

She has been a physical therapist for 16 years – the past two years in home health. She loves getting to know her patients and helping them develop a plan so that they can live their lives outside their home.

Her current biggest challenge is managing her supplies. She has a strict system in her car to control the risk of cross-contamination. She must reuse masks because of the shortage, and home health agencies are struggling to get restocked. She isn’t sure where things stand with assistance from the State of California, and Sarah worries that home health won’t receive needed funding from Washington.

Another challenge she faces is that her job demands that she stands close to her patients and at times physically assist them, putting them both at risk for possible transfer of the virus.

Sarah recently made the difficult decision to be one of the therapists on staff treating patients who are currently or were positive for COVID. These patients have gone through a crisis

and need extensive rehab to get their lives back.

Due to the lack of supplies, she is working as a team with her coworkers in creating a system that helps stretch their resources, while not ignoring reasonable infection control.

Sarah says that she feels torn between continuing to work with her patients and being home with her daughter. Her husband is also an essential worker who works at night further complicating their lives.

Sarah’s daughter is in kindergartner and is now being home schooled.

Because she’s at work all day, and her daughter is in daycare, they can’t begin schoolwork until after the work day ends. Between school work, dinner preparation, getting ready for bed, and a limited amount of family time, it’s been a difficult situation.

Sarah is grateful for the support the family is getting from her daughter’s teacher, and she knows that they’ll get through this together.

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Weslee has worked at her current job for a year but has been in the medical field for eight years. She loves helping patients but also faces some challenges. She has the occasional difficult patient who she deals with by reminding herself that people come to the doctor when they are aren’t feeling well. She also struggles with not being able to see her sons as often as she would like to since she is working.

Due to the Coronavirus, her clinic has decreased the hours they are open and reduced hours the employees work. For her, that means shorter hours and less money, but the upside is she also gets to see her children more.

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Currently, she is seeing less than 40 patients in a week.

She is trying to space out necessary appointments so that no patient waits in the waiting area and to give staff time to disinfect all patient areas between visits.

When Jennifer gets home, she has a strict routine of stripping down in her garage and throwing her scrubs in the hot wash. She cleans her phone, leaves her clogs outside, runs inside and washes hands/face, and only then will she see her family. If she is exposed, she plans to quarantine in her office, as one of her colleagues did. It is her job to care for patients and do no harm; it is also her responsibility and privilege to keep her families safe.

In an ordinary week, her three kids are in school all week and have sports and activities every weekend. Her husband is a professor at CSUMB, so he teaches during the kids’ school hours and is home for them when they get out. Currently, he’s teaching virtually. Her oldest son is home from his freshman year at college, her special needs son is doing online learning from Pacific Grove High School, and her daughter is virtual learning through Pacific Grove Middle School. The earliest disappointments were seeing her children’s sports events canceled. This is her daughter’s last year with her sports team and that, coupled with classes being cancelled, was a tough blow.

The most challenging part for Jennifer has been watching her special needs son flounder. Away from the Pacific Grove Unified School District program that had given him the routine and interventions he needed has been difficult.

Each day he wakes up asking about school, and if there’s no school, then he thinks that there should be outings to Bookworks Book Store or Rising Star Gymnastics–his pre-pandemic weekend activities. His family works to help him enjoy his days but there’s a lot of screen time which is tough for him to handle.

Ordinarily, her discussions with her patients are about how their health is, what’s happening with the preparations for their child’s birth, or celebrating family events. Currently, Jennifer spends more time talking about COVID and how to best prepare for prevention without increasing anxiety. Jennifer is also seeing an increase in postpartum depression, especially around loss of employment and/or insurance coverage. She spends time with patients dispelling myths they may have seen on social media. There is so much fear and anxiety, and it’s heartbreaking to Jennifer.

While she feels fortunate to live in a state and county that adopted guidelines to keep the infection numbers low, COVID-19 has had a significant impact on every aspect of Jennifer’s life, from home to work, even though this virus has not directly touched her.

THANK YOU MEDICAL MOMS! We want to say a huge thank you to all the medical moms who continue to work in their profession despite the risk to their own lives and the sacrifice to their own families. We truly appreciate all that you are doing.

Cheryl Maguire holds a Master of Counseling Psychology degree. She is married and is the mother of twins and a daughter. Her writing has been published in The New York Times, Parents Magazine, AARP, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Count Your Blessing, Your Teen Magazine and other publications. You can find her at Twitter @CherylMaguire05.

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celebrating mothers by Katie Raquel

Coronavirus Double Duty

Working from Home and Parenting

M

onterey County residents have been sheltering-in-place since March 17th. We may be in this together in spirit, but the reality of how this crisis impacts our daily lives is dramatically different from household to household. For some, it’s a breather offering a chance to step back, tackle a project we’ve been putting off, or embrace a simpler way of living. Many of the working parents I’ve spoken with

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share a different story: they’re drowning. And knowing how lucky they are to be still employed and safely at home, they’re keeping quiet about it.

I own a small business, and for the first few years, I grew it from home while caring for my three young children–developing skills and systems that worked for us. I went on to expand on those ideas for a book about work-life balance for entrepreneurs.

But there is a considerable difference between what I did and what parents are expected to do now: my work was on my timeline. No meetings that I didn’t accept. No deadlines that I didn’t create. Work projects and goals that were tailored to my work-at-home limitations.

That isn’t a luxury working parents have during the pandemic. Employers are expecting parents to accomplish MONTEREY BAY PARENT • May 2020

the impossible: maintaining their usual level of productivity while caring for and educating their children through an ongoing crisis. We all know that’s bananas, right?

One local mom writes, “My anxiety and depression kicked in early on, which makes it hard to stay level headed at times. It is also hard to concentrate. I’m feeling extremely scattered and frazzled most of the time. Our typical day right now is: wake up, get ready, set-up our work area (the dining room table), and start work and school.

My job requires a lot of concentration, which can be difficult when my son is doing projects that he needs to think about out loud. Once my husband gets home from his essential work, he and our son go for a walk, and I finish up my workday. It has also helped me to have a loose daily school schedule setup for my son.”

She adds, “My employer has been great. We were able to bring whatever we needed to work from home, including our laptops. We have benefits that we can use in relation to COVID-19. They have been understanding and flexible during this situation. They have also been giving us updates.”

Parents with employers that are less empathetic may feel hesitant to ask for accommodations, especially when companies are laying off workers at an unprecedented rate. It may help to share with your employer that a more flexible schedule or different types of projects allow you to create better work.

A few ways employers can make this easier: q Be mindful of roping employees into Zoom meetings that they don’t have to be attending.

MONTEREY BAY PARENT • May 2020

q Ask parents (or any employee) if they need to adjust their workload or take on different projects on different timelines. q Try to be open to adjusting expectations and supporting people within reason so we can all get through this in one piece.

Strategies for work-at-home parents: q If it’s possible, set up a distractionfree workspace that you can retreat to while your partner watches your children or after your kids go to bed. q If you feel comfortable, ask your employer for a modified schedule that works around your obligations at home. q Lean into routines that have helped in the past. If you know that daily exercise supports your mental health, make it a priority. q Reach out to loved ones and let them know, honestly, how you’re doing. q Listen to Podcasts and read books that you find inspiring and helpful. q If you find it’s making you anxious, limit your exposure to social media and the news. q Focus on getting through each day, one hour at a time. q Find ways to extend kindness to others, which can support your

q

q

q

q

emotional health as much as it supports theirs.

Spend some time every day in nature, even if it’s just 10 minutes with sunshine on your face on your front step. Sometimes the little things are the big things.

Shower kindness and praise on yourself and your spouse. Acknowledge that you are superheroes navigating an unprecedented time and that you have each others’ backs.

If your kids are bored and anxious, it can help to give them ownership over a job around the house.

When in doubt, prioritize connection and team building within your family over any other seemingly “productive” task.

Whatever this year holds, I know that parents will do what they’ve always done. They will make it work for their families. It’s my sincerest wish that we all continue to reach out and support each other as we navigate the impossible–one messy step at a time.

Katie Raquel is the founder of Katie’s Coldpress, a Realtor with Over the Moon Realty and the author of SQUEEZED: The Raw Truth About Work-Life Balance. She lives with her husband and three children in Monterey County.

“When my siblings and I were little, our mom would sew miniature sleeping bags for our Beanie Babies and craft elaborate Halloween costumes for us. Now she’s sewing my daughter and I matching unicorn-fabric masks and dropping Easter treats and board games on our doorstep. Happy Mother’s Day to a mama who always finds a way to show up for her family. We love you!”

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celebrating mothcelebrating mothers

by Caitlin Fillmore

Mother as a Verb Mother, as a noun, describes a woman in relation to her children.

I am 31 years old. I am divorced and childless. If there is anyone less qualified to write about being a mother, it may be me.

As the baby of five children, I was never accountable for helping raise anyone. The bright, shiny lights in my life are my eight nieces and nephews.

But I have never changed a diaper–I don’t even know how. There’s a move during a diaper change where you grab the child around the ankles like you’re snagging a piglet as it runs by. I used to raise hogs so perhaps there’s a connection that might help if I’m ever needed on diaper duty?

I will never forget the doctor’s appointment in early 2016, where I was told I would never be a mother in the traditional sense. I had checked all the boxes in sequence until that point: college graduate, married, homeowner.

That last item on the list remained, giving birth and now my doctor was telling me it would never happen.

Months later, shivering at a gas pump in below zero weather, a stranger seemingly obligated to awkward

small talk is stunned that I am single and have no kids. His parting words are suspended in the frozen air: “Well, what’s wrong with you?”

Mother, as a verb, means “to bring up with care and affection.”

I am not a mother, but I have been mothered.

I have been mothered in a million ways. I have been mothered by the woman who gave birth to me– she gave us all everything she could.

I have one sister and three sisters-inlaw. Through some of my hardest moments, they mothered me, too. Strangers have mothered me. There was a priest in downtown Chicago who stopped mid-stride as I entered the quiet sanctuary on Ash Wednesday to care for me. “Hello, child,” said the Father, as he mothered this lonesome out-of-towner. There was the woman at the Paris airport who gathered me into a hug as I sobbed over a missed flight. We had a language barrier, but the mothering broke straight through.

I am not a mother, but I hope I have mothered. Perhaps this is how I check that final box?

Happy Mothers’ Day, Mom! I hope the ground has thawed in Minnesota and you can finally get into your gardens.

Thanks for bringing me up right. Miss you!

-Shortcake

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This pandemic is revealing the mothers among us, bringing us all up with them. There are those who help vulnerable neighbors by running errands. There are artists breaking their hearts open to bring us beauty and relief. The industry managers and workers overhauling their entire businesses to support people they will never meet. Healthcare workers, grocery store clerks, delivery drivers: all caring for the rest of us. And, the folks who stay home, keeping distance so we can stay healthy. They are saying, “We are bringing each other up with care and affection.”

To mother is how we heal. To mother represents the authentic best of what we have to give.

Mother’s Day allows us to reflect not only on the women who gave birth to us but also their collective example as to how to move through our lives lovingly. On this Mother’s Day, celebrate the Mothers–the ones who brought us into this world. And, consider honoring all those who mother because they bring us together.

A lifelong writer, Caitlin Fillmore studied Journalism at Waldorf College in Forest City, Iowa. She reported news, feature, and entertainment stories for publications throughout the Midwest. Caitlin is currently the Director of Development and Stewardship for the Diocese of Monterey and lives in Pacific Grove with her two dogs, Beef and Chop.

MONTEREY BAY PARENT • May 2020

serious fun It’s a girl thing.

MONTEREY BAY PARENT • May 2020

Monterey Bay Parent April 2020

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19

Mom Apps That Can Make Your

by Tanni Haas, Ph.D.

Great

Life A Little Bit Easier

er home cooks like yourself. You can search by keyword, ingredients that you want to include or exclude, special dietary needs, and cooking time.

You can also see which ingredients are on sale in local stores, and watch more than 1000 step-by-step cooking videos with easy-to-follow instructions.

Mother’s Day is on May 10, the perfect opportunity to take care of yourself and other moms that you know. There are a lot of apps out there dedicated to making a mom’s life a little bit easier, whether you’re looking for ideas on what to serve for dinner or kid-friendly travel advice. Here’s a list of some of the very best mom apps. Bonus: they’re all free!

Allrecipes Dinner Spinner Amazon Apps; Apple Appstore; Google Play We’ve all been in this situation many times: It’s 5 pm, dinner time, you’ve got to make a meal for the family but all that comes to mind is the same things you always make. Enter Allrecipes Dinner Spinner, the world’s largest and most popular social app for food.

You can find user-generated - and reviewed recipes from 30 million oth-

Best of Parenting Apple Appstore; Google Play Even the most experienced of parents find themselves in situations where they can’t decide on the best course of action; I know that I do. When that happens, try Best of Parenting. Created by Carole and Nadim Saad, wellknown parenting coaches with three kids, this app offers straightforward, step-by-step advice on how to address more than 100 common parenting challenges. Their advice is based on the latest scientific research on the most effective parenting methods worldwide. You can also access howto guides to develop your strengths as a parent.

Cozi Family Organizer Amazon Appstore; Apple Appstore; Google Play Cozi Family Organizer has a shared calendar where you can track everyone’s schedules both individually and as a group, and a shared shopping list where you can see when items are

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MONTEREY BAY PARENT • May 2020

added to the list or purchased by other family members in real-time. You can also use the app to send automated daily or weekly agenda emails to other family members, create specialized todo lists, such as emergency supplies or vacation packaging, and organize receipts in one place that’s accessible to everybody.

Find My Kids Amazon Appstore; Apple Appstore; Google Play One of the most stressful experiences is not knowing where your kids are at any given moment. Nowadays, almost all kids have cell phones, which helps minimize the stress. Find My Kids, a GPS-based location app, lets you to track your kids quickly and easily. Once registered, each family member appears as a unique icon on a navigational map so you know exactly where your kids are at all times. The app sends out automatic alerts when your kids arrive at school or go home, and monitors their cell phone battery levels letting you when they’re low so you can send out reminders to charge the phones.

MONTEREY BAY PARENT • May 2020

Scholly Amazon App; Apple Appstore; Google Play The time may be around the corner or far off into the future but when it does arrive we’re all going to need it: money for college. Wouldn’t it be nice if at least some of that money is scholarships that you won’t have to pay back?

Developed by a former Drexel University student by the name of Christopher Gray who amassed $1.3 million in scholarship funds, Scholly is a database with more than 20.000 scholarship opportunities across the U.S that is continuously expanded and updated. You can look at each scholarship to learn more about eligibility requirements, the application process, important deadlines, and the amount of money offered.

SitOrSquat Apple Appstore; Google Play When travelling with kids, especially toddlers, there are few things more frustrating than not being able to find a public restroom when you really need one. SitOrSquat is a location-based app that lets you to find bathrooms in your location. The app contains a user-gen-

erated list of more than 100,000 public restrooms throughout the U.S. You can get the travel time to the nearest bathroom, and search by specific features like changing tables or handicap accessible, and you are encouraged to post pictures and rate the restrooms as either “Sit” (good) or “Squat” (not good) to help other app users.

Trekaroo Family Travel Apple Appstore I can’t count how many times on vacation with my 15-year-old son he shouted in frustration: “Another museum?!” It doesn’t have to be that way.

Trekaroo Family Travel, known informally as the TripAdvisor for kid-friendly travel, is an app that includes usergenerated reviews of activities, hotels, and restaurants that kids will enjoy throughout the U.S. and Canada. The app includes a price slider that makes it easy to find things to do that are either low-cost or free, and offers suggestions for kid-friendly day trips.

Tanni Haas, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Department of Communication Arts, Sciences & Disorders at the City University of New York – Brooklyn College.

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celebrating mothcelebrating mothers

Mother’s Day Traditions

Around the World

Ethiopia: Antrosht On the second Sunday in May, The Antrosht Festival is dedicated to mothers. The 3-day celebration calls for the whole family to gather and enjoy traditional Ethiopian meals. Daughters traditionally provide the vegetables and cheese while the boys in the family provide the meat. The meal includes hash–a combination of lamb or bull, vegetables, butter, and spices and Ethiopian punch–a mixture of lemon, orange, grape, and pineapple juice, and Rosebery syrup. After the feast, families gather to sing, dance, and play music.

Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador: Sweet Serenade Dia de Las Madres is always held on May 10 and is filled with flowers, large family gatherings, and community celebrations. Many businesses close, and Mariachi music and singing fill the cities and rural towns. The tradition has been carried to the US, where many Mexican-American families celebrate by hiring Mariachi bands to serenade the family matriarch.

In the United States the second Sunday in May is all about Mom. With breakfast in bed, handmade gifts, and a little time for special pampering, Mother’s Day is the day we celebrate mothers in the US. While many countries join us in the May celebration, there are also more traditional ways of acknowledging mothers around the world.

T

he American version of Mother’s Day was created by Anna Jarvis in 1908 and became an official holiday in 1914. Oddly enough, Jarvis would later denounce the holiday’s commercialization and worked in her later years to have it removed from the calendar.

Other countries and cultures have their own unique celebrations to honor mothers. To add a special twist to this year’s celebration, see if you can adapt one of these international celebrations to your family’s Mother’s Day. India: 10-Day Festival While India does celebrate a westernized version of Mother’s Day on the second Sunday in May, Hindus traditionally celebrate the goddess Dur-

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ga Puka, or Divine Mother, in October.

Families spend weeks getting ready for the festival by preparing food, decorating their homes, and buying and making gifts. The celebration is both a religious ceremony and a time for family reunions and gatherings.

Japan: The Right Flowers Following World War II, the tradition of using carnations to symbolize motherhood began. Children gave their mothers red carnations, and those who had lost their mother displayed a white carnation. The tradition has evolved to giving white carnations to all mothers.

Today, mothers are taken out to eat and celebrated with gifts, such as kimonos, kokeshi dolls, and cards.

France: Medals for Mom In 1806, Napoleon established a special day dedicated to the mothers of large families. This celebration was revived after World War I when it was adjusted to honor the widows who lost their husbands during the war. In 1941, the government chose the last Sunday of May as the official Mother’s Day date.

In every French municipality, the mayor can honor mothers of large families by giving them a special medal called “Médaille de la Famille” (Family Medal). Mothers can receive a gold medal if they have more than eight children, a silver medal if they have six or seven children, and a bronze medal if they have four or five children.

Most French families now celebrate more simply by giving gifts of flowers, perfume, and jewelry.

This year, especially, moms have taken on even more and they deserve to be treated to at least one special day that is all theirs. You may not be able to get a mariachi band to serenade your favorite mom, but a little creativity will definitely be appreciated!

MONTEREY BAY PARENT • May 2020

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Monterey Bay Parent Magazine March, April, May 2020

23

Cooking With The Kids

Involving your kids in preparing the meals for the upcoming week isn’t just enjoyable (mostly!), it’s also giving them lessons in math and budgeting and providing time for collaboration and creativity.

H

ere’s a common scenario: It’s Sunday afternoon and time to plan that evening’s dinner. The first thing that comes to mind is to do what you always do, which is to take a quick peek in the refrigerator, freezer, and cupboards and make a mental note of available ingredients. There’s nothing wrong with that. But here’s a suggestion that has worked for my family and could work for yours as well: involve your kids in preparing the meals for the upcoming week. Yes, it’s more timeconsuming than doing everything on your own, but it’ll teach them valuable lessons about planning, bud-

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geting, responsibility, collaboration, math, and creativity.

Planning and Budgeting Sit down with your kids, make a list of all the things you need for the upcoming week’s meals, and talk to them about how much each item costs. I bet that your kids have never thought about how much planning shopping requires and how much groceries cost.

Give them a budget and let them figure out what they would be able to buy within that budget.

Responsibility and Collaboration Planning the ingredients for weekly meals will teach your kids valuable lessons, but so will preparing the food together. Making your kids your regular kitchen buddies (or sous chefs) will teach them about responsibility, not just for themselves but for the well-being of the whole family. Too many kids slide into their chairs at the dinner table, expecting the food to appear before them magically. Once they start to prepare the food, they learn that it’s all a result of someone’s hard work (i.e., you).

They’ll develop a whole new appreciation for all that you’ve done and, maybe, just maybe, they’ll help you with cooking more often. They’ll also learn valuable lessons about collaboration. Preparing a meal, especially a dinner, requires lots

of prep work and a watchful eye on dishes in different stages of completion, including some on the stove or in the oven. They’ll learn that they need to pay attention to what others are doing around them and to help out when needed. While young kids can help clean fruits and vegetables and set the table, older kids can pretty much help do everything else.

Math and Creativity Your kids will also get essential lessons in math and creativity. Depending on the size of your family, you may need to adapt some of the recipes to a different number of people than what is in the recipe. That’ll require your kids to get out their calculators and figure out how much they need of each ingredient. You may be out of certain ingredients. When that happens, ask your kids to find alternative ingredients that might work. That’ll teach them to be creative in the kitchen. I can’t count how many times my family has made “breakfast for dinner” because we forgot to buy a key ingredient. And, yes, you can serve eggs with chopped up pieces of hotdog if you don’t happen to have any actual breakfast sausages around.

Tanni Haas, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Department of Communication Arts, Sciences and Disorders at the City University of New York – Brooklyn College.

MONTEREY BAY PARENT • May 2020

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EDUCATION by Janeen Lewsi

Ending the School Year Virtually

Ten Ways to Help Your Child Finish Strong It’s an unusual ending to the school year. Instead of year-end book signings, field days and endof-the-year parties, kids are at home waiting to catch glimpses of their friends on Zoom. It’s a tough time for kids, and keeping them motivated to finish the school year strong is difficult for parents.

Here are 10 tips to keep your child on the path to the finish line.

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1.

Send the message that school is a priority. Communicate to children that school is important, even if it isn’t occurring at the school building. Continue to read together, check in with them on their assignments, and take an interest in what they are learning. Research one of their school topics or check out the library digitally to find online access to learning tools and books.

2.

Set a goal. Help your child set an academic goal they can achieve during the last weeks of school. Maybe they want to turn a B into an A, learn all their multiplication tables or read a thousand pages. If they meet their

goal, reward them with something simple like ice cream or a new school supply or book.

3.

Stay on Schedule. Kids crave structure and need to know what to expect, especially when times are tough.

Try to keep routines like homework time, dinner time, and bed time as unchanged as possible. Make a conscious effort to keep the same schedule you had before virtual schooling began.

4.

Replace supplies. By now your child’s notebooks, folders, pencils and crayons probably look worn out. Replacing these is inexpensive and having them delivered to your house MONTEREY BAY PARENT • May 2020

can be a quick pick-me-up that motivates your child.

5.

Set up an outdoor classroom. Sometimes changing location gives a child that second wind they need to make it to the finish line. Let children have outdoor class time on the patio or in the yard. When math problems are completed correctly, they can take a walk or ride bikes. Let them read in a hammock, in a lawn chair or in an outside tent. When they reach their goal, they can pass the football or shoot hoops.

Plant a family garden as a science project and let the kids make observations when they are taking a break from their school work.

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS!

6.

Hold an end of the year countdown. There are many ways to count down the days until the end of the school year.

Mark off days on a calendar or put Popsicle sticks or marbles in a jar and remove one each day, or share a special treat.

For each child in your house, fill a container with Hershey’s kisses that match the number of days left. “Kiss” the last days of school goodbye with one countdown chocolate each day when kids finish their school work.

7.

Thank the teacher virtually. Teachers work hard, even when they are teaching virtually. Make a video or a take a picture of your child holding a sign with a message for his or her teacher. Then email it or use the teacher’s digital platform to send it to him or her. Your child could also decorate a card and write an encouraging note and give it to the teacher when school resumes in the fall.

8.

Plan a virtual recess. Kids crave social time with their friends, so this is the hardest part of them being out of school. Schedule a structured social time each day or week for your child to call, Face Time, Zoom, Skype or email a friend.

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9.

Make virtual sports or arts part of school. An important part of school is physical activity and the arts. Is your baseball player down because he misses throwing his curve ball?

Maybe your martial arts lover is itching to practice her kicks.

Why not sign up for virtual lessons? If you don’t have the right equipment it can easily be purchased on line, and many instructors are setting up virtual venues for lessons. There are many virtual art classes, and lots of “how to draw” lessons free on YouTube.

10.

Celebrate. Have a dance party in the den, a luau in the living room or arrange a Zoom party to celebrate the last day of school. If you’re in doubt about what to do, ask the kids. Even when they have to find a virtual way to have a party, kids are clever and will find a creative way to celebrate!

Janeen Lewis is a freelance journalist, teacher and mom to Andrew and Gracie. She loves to finish the school year strong with her students and family.

MONTEREY BAY PARENT • May 2020

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Monterey

Remote You’ve come to terms with the kids finishing the school year online and you’ve all mastered Zoom. But truth be told, most of us are a little bored right now. If that describes you or your kids, here are a handful of local businesses offering remote classes and resources.

acacia medical group Acacia Medical Group is now offering telehealth visits that utilize video and telephone to assess the health of a patient and determine what care is needed. Parents still have the guidance of a physician but the virtual visit allows the parent and child to remain safely at home in many cases There is a fee for the service but in most cases it is covered by insurance minus the copay.

For information, check https://acaciamed.org.

The Birth Network of Monterey County The Birth Network of Monterey County presents a free online community parenting series called Parenting 101, or P101. These classes run on a 7 week cycle. Parents can pop in for one or come to all of them. These classes

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do not replace a comprehensive childbirth series. This class is free, but you do need to register.

For information and registration info, check www.birthnetworkofmonterey.com. central Coast YMCA Not only is the YMCA providing childcare for essential workers at their Salinas location, they are also offering a variety of stress release and enrichment activities online. Viewers can participate in daily exercise classes, watch storytime, and attend art and STEM classes virtually.

For information, check www.centralcoastymca.org. exploratorium The Exploratorium is offering a new resource for at-home learning. The

“Learning Toolbox” offers timely topics and general science support for your virtual classroom or learning together at home. In addition, many of the exhibits are online.

For information, check www.exploratorium.edu/learn. monterey county free libraries Library buildings are closed, but librarians are available to help. You can speak to a library staff member by calling 831-883-7555 Monday through Saturday between 10 am-6 pm. You can also access a variety of virtual programs on Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube including yoga, storytime, craft lessons, and more.

For information, check www.MontereyCountyFreeLibraries.org or follow the library’s Facebook page.

MONTEREY BAY PARENT • May 2020

monterey sports center You can find live-streamed fitness videos under the video section on the Monterey Sports Center Facebook page to view at anytime. You’ll also find the live schedule on the page. Plus, there are kids activity videos available.

For additional information, check www.facebook.com/ MontereySportsCenter.

Orchestra in the schools Each student in the program received a 15-minute private phone lesson plus the organization has debuted SMARTMUSIC, an online music platform.

For information, check www.orchestraintheschools.com. progress not perfection paint parties Progress Not Perfection offers live Facebook paint parties that are also saved to the studio’s Facebook page to be viewed any time. The parties are free but you may contribute or leave a gratuity. You can also purchase Paint Party Supply Bundles that are available for curbside pick up or free local delivery. There are also several craft and entertainment packs for kids available online to purchase.

For information, check www.pnppaintparty.com. shoreline church Shoreline Church is offering online worship services.

They’ve also launched their “Get Out of Your Head Women’s Book Club” that has over 100 participants.

The Shoreline Church Food Pantry, open to the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays 12:30-2:30 pm, has seen an influx of families in need. They are open on Wednesdays from 11 am-2 pm to receive donations via a drive-thru system so that no one needs to get out of their car to make a donation.

In addition, the Shoreline Preschool has closed for the year but the students receive lessons and art packets via email each Monday morning and have been able to connect with teachers via an online format.

PROGRESS NOT PERFECTION PAINT PARTIES • STUDIO PAINT PARTIES • PRIVATE PAINT PARTIES Bring your own picnic basket We can even come to you! and wine!

NOW BOOKING! S • POP UP PAINT PARTIES ARTS & CRSAFT Come visit us all around town.

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FOR KIDS

Book a pa int pa Jessica Ansb rty with owner, erry today!

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✯winner✯ Monterey Bay

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125 CENTRAL AVE | PACIFIC GROVE | 831.596.9194 jess@pnppaintparty.com | www.pnppaintparty.com

SHORELINE CHURCH SERVICES

ONLINE Join Us! SUNDAY MORNINGS

8:30 | 10:00 | 11:30 WWW.SHORELINE.CHURCH

SPCA of monterey county The SPCA is offering an educational program for families that offers bi-weekly videos, lesson plans and worksheets for kids.

For information, check www.spcamc.org or the organization’s Facebook or YouTube pages. thomas farm films The Thomas Farm Films Youth Screenwriting and 2-Minute Video Competition has been created to keep kids creative while staying closer to home. The Screenwriting section of the contest is open to children through age 26, with 3 age categories. The 2-minute video section of the contest is open to all ages, with 3 age categories. Work in English or Spanish is accepted for both contests.

Please visit www.thomasfarmfilms.com/competition for all the details. west creative performing arts Creativity does not stop for a virus. After a short re-set, the WEST Winter classes resumed online. A roll out of full online programming – from community engagement games and events to new classes in Sketch Comedy, Shakespeare and Screenwriting are coming soon.

For information, check westperformingarts.com.

MONTEREY BAY PARENT • May 2020

Outdoor Adventures

• Discovery Camp (ages 8-12) • Outdoor Leadership Train­ing (ages 13-16) • Wee Ones in the Woods (ages 4-7) • Condor Wilderness Camps (ages 13-17) • Weekly homeschool classes (ages 4-12) Scholarships available on a sliding scale.

For dates, more information, or to enroll, visit us at: www.ventanaws.org/education or call

831-800-7421

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H

ave a bubbly good time with these bubble-themed activities and crafts for an entertaining way to spend the day.

Recipes for Bubble-Mania Make your own bubbles with these easy recipes.

Basic Bubbles: Mix two tablespoons of dish soap with one cup of water. Ultra Dawn detergent seems to work best.

Magic Bubbles: To create larger bubbles, mix one tablespoon of glycerin with two tablespoons of dish soap. Add nine ounces of water.

Color Bubbles: Add one cup of liquid tempera paint to two tablespoons of dish detergent. Mix in one tablespoon of liquid starch. Be sure to use paints that easily wash out of clothes.

Recipes from creativekidsathome.com Create Your Own Wands A Wand for Big Bubbles: Create giant bubbles at home with this simple trick.

Cut two straws in half, making each section six inches long. Cut a string 25 inches long. Pull the string through the straws, tie the string in a knot and hide the knot inside a straw. Place your hands on the straws and pull, creating a square or rectangle shape. Dip the shape into a pan of bubble solution and gently draw it through the air.

Budget-Friendly Wands • Bend a paper clip into a fun shape and dip in bubble solution.

• Use a fly swatter to produce lots of tiny bubbles or bend a coat hanger into a circle to make one large bubble.

• Hula-hoops are a good way to make large bubbles by simply dipping one in a baby pool filled with bubble solution.

A Book Break • Learn the science behind bubbles with “Pop! A Book About Bubbles”

by Kimberly Bradley and illustrated

by Margaret Miller.

• Yerbert, Froofle and Wumpus conquer their fear of bubbles in “Big Bad Bubble” by Adam Rubin and illustrated by Daniel Salmieri.

• “Curly’s Fun With Bubbles” by Sherry Boddie and illustrated by Sara Sanchez follows a young boy whose favorite thing is blowing bubbles.

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Have a Bubble Blast

by Sarah E. King and Emily Webb Science Experiments Bubbles are the perfect opportunity to explore scientific concepts. Check SteveSpanglerScience.com for experiments and explanations of the science behind creating bubbles. With instructions from the site you can create a bubble inside a bubble, make a giant bubble, create snake bubbles, bounce bubbles and turn a bubble into a square.

Bubble Painting Turn bubbles into art with bubble painting. You’ll need: • colored bubbles, which you can make yourself or add food coloring or tempera paint to storebought bubbles • disposable containers • straws • paper or card stock Store different colored bubbles in different containers. The more food coloring you use, the brighter the colors will appear.

Blow the bubbles onto the paper with straws, instead of using wands.

Mr. Bubbles Foamy Slime • One bottle (4 oz) of white glue • One bottle of saline solution (the same stuff you store contact in) • One can (8 oz) of Mr. Bubbles Foam Soap – also found here • Medium mixing bowl • Plastic mixing spoon • Container to store the slime in Pour the entire bottle of glue inside the mixing bowl. Fill the rest of the mixing bowl with Mr. Bubbles foam soap until it reaches the top of the bowl. Mix the foam soap and glue until fully combined.

Add 1.5 – 2 tablespoons of saline contact solution. Mix thoroughly. Start with 1.5 tablespoons and add more as necessary. Don’t add too much–when you mix it in, you’ll see that it becomes the slime activator. Mix just enough in so that the slime isn’t overly sticky when you touch it. It shouldn’t stick all over your hands but slime does have a tacky texture. Once it become too hard to mix with the spoon, pull it out of the bowl and get ready to be amazed. Mr. Bubbles slime lasts for several days.

MONTEREY BAY PARENT • May 2020

GYMNASTICS DAY CAMPS! Summer Camps: #1 June 15-19 us on #2 July 6-10 Follow Instagram #3 July 27-31 and Facebook!

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Eight weeks of filmmaking camps for ages 5-18

Week 1: June 15-June 19 Week 2: June 22-June 26 Week 3: June 29-July 3

Call now for details!

(831) 754-1113 Camps for Boys and Girls 5-13 Years Members & Nonmembers

ELITE GYMNASTICS ACADEMY 726-A La Guardia St., Salinas

Building Confidence, Self-Esteem, and Champions Since 1993!

MONTEREY BAY PARENT • May 2020

TUITION INCLUDES: • Supervised fun on an organic farm for one full week— Monday through Friday 8am to 5pm. Already a bargain!

• Cool TF Films T-shirt.

• Project-based filmmaking education making a supercool finished short film to be proud of.

• All summer camps films will be screened together at the THOMAS FARM FILMS SUMMER CAMP 2020 FILM FESTIVAL in early Fall 2020. TBA. Invite all your family & friends. Fancy dress & Red Carpet. An incredible & memorable event!

REGISTER NOW AT:

Thomasfarmfilms.com/register

Week 4: July 6-July 10 Week 5: July 13-July 17 Week 6: July 20-July 24 Week 7: July 27-July 31 Week 8: August 3-August 7 * 20% sibling & multiple week registration discounts. * We now offer payment plans. * Partial and full scholarships available to those in need

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Think differently?

Think Chartwell.

Call or email for information.

We are available to answer your questions.

For students in grades 2 to 12 with dyslexia and other learning differences.

Admission and financial aid information available

Summer Camp now enrolling!

Visit chartwell.org For over 35 years Chartwell has been leading the way in research-based education for students with language-based learning differences.

Stop struggling. Start learning.

Chartwell School | 2511 Numa Watson Rd. | Seaside, CA 93955 admissions@chartwell.org | 831.394.3468 32

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MONTEREY BAY PARENT • May 2020