On

On the Cover and TOC:

Features

2023 PARENT CHOICE AWARDS

We asked, you answered. Find out the winners and runner-ups in this eighth annual Parent Choice Awards. See readers’ favorite family-friendly spots — local businesses, attractions, family services and more.

6 Editor’s Note Routine Refresh.

8 Worth Noting

Summer reading begins now with these books and tips in the Reading Room.

10 Ages & Stages

The new parental role as kids leave the nest after graduation.

34 Family Calendar

Melt owner and musician Matt Fish talks about raising a family in the Cleveland suburbs.Kid-friendly events and activities in June and July! Plus, Summer fairs and festivals around the region. pg. 38.

41 Dad Matters

Jason Lea, dad columnist, shares how a recent family trip to the Holden Arboretum reminded him to give kids room to grow.

42 Aging Parents

Take you and your parents on a vacation.

32-page pull out inside Cookouts, Scavenger Hunts, Staycations & More!

Starts after pg. 22

Routine Refresh

I have certain times where I think to myself, “Maybe it’s me, maybe I am doing something wrong.” These moments are usually on the other side of my sons’ bedroom doors who I can hear screaming at their computer screens (or their friends? I’m still not sure).

Summer has just begun and the memory of the school day routine has faded, now it’s time to say “What else are we doing this summer?” Yes, we do have summer plans and big projects, but what are we doing daily.

For my teen sons, so far, it feels like me chauffeuring them around to sports activities, watching them eat the refrigerator (ok, not really, but the only thing left inside is all the “bad stuff”) and waking them up in the middle of the afternoon only to hear them in the hallways much earlier in the AM (usually headed towards the kitchen).

I admit, we haven’t started out great, but honestly, I was giving them some leeway. They are still going to the park with friends and exploring a few new adventures away from home, but I wanted them to chill after a stressful school year.

But, I see them endlessly scrolling through their phones: watching videos and Snapchatting. It’s not just me who’s worried about what they are viewing. In fact, Dr. Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General, released a “Surgeon General’s Advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health” earlier this year, which expressed concerns of overuse of social media.

The advisory states “Social media use by young people is nearly universal, with up to 95% of young people ages 13-17 reporting using a social media platform and more than a third saying they use social media “almost constantly.”

As many studies have shown, while there are benefits, this social media use can also impact sleep issues, anxiety, depression, and attention issues.

It also states, “While nearly all parents believe they have a responsibility to protect their children from inappropriate content online, the entire burden of mitigating the risk of harm of social media cannot be placed on the shoulders of children and parents. Nearly 80% of parents believe technology companies have a responsibility to protect children from inappropriate content as well.”

So, what do we do as parents, for now? It’s summer, right? Let’s be happy? Agreed. I think that’s why it’s so important to refresh your summer routine.

Matt Fish, Melt owner and his family is on our cover, who are raising two little ones. After the cover picnic photo shoot in a park, the kids went to the playground. No screens, just fun.

I started thinking, as parents with tweens and teens, I feel we have to find that new playground for them, too. That’s why this is one of my favorite issues of the year. I get to see your hotspot places in the 2023 Northeast Ohio Parent Choice awards, which some are new and others are a few of my go-tos. It gives my family and yours year-round options.

Also, as we put out the Summer Fun Guide, it reminds me how much there is to do in the summer with kids of all ages and abilities. We are so lucky to have plenty of resources from east to west, north and south sides of the region.

So, while my teen parenting brain often gets nervous about all the nuances of growing kids, summertime brings me back, where we can refresh the routine — and maybe find new ways our family can have fun together —outside the home.

P.s. During the June and July months, visit NortheastOhioParent.com for more events, parenting tips & videos!

June / July 2023

Northeast Ohio Parent is a property of PO Box 1088 Hudson, OH 44236 330-822-4011

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Interactive Reading Tips

To enhance the interactive reading experience for your child, consider these tips when exploring these fun and engaging picture books:

• Create a cozy reading space: Set up a comfortable and inviting area for reading, with cushions, blankets, and adequate lighting to encourage a positive reading environment.

• Be expressive: Use different voices, gestures, and facial expressions to bring the story to life and keep your child’s attention focused on the book.

• Encourage participation: Prompt your child to perform the actions in the book, like tapping, shaking, or tilting, and let them take the lead in exploring the interactive elements.

• Ask open-ended questions: Engage your child’s critical thinking skills by asking questions about the story, characters, or illustrations. For example, “What do you think will happen next?” or “How do you think the character feels?”

• Make connections: Relate the book’s content to your child’s life, interests, or experiences to help them understand and appreciate the story better.

• Take breaks: If your child is not fully engaged, take a break and return to the book later. Remember, the goal is to create a positive and enjoyable reading experience.

• Share your excitement: Discuss your favorite parts of the story and ask your child about theirs. This will help them develop a love for reading.

• Build a routine: Make reading an essential part of your child’s daily routine, like bedtime or after school, to foster a consistent reading habit

By incorporating these tips into your reading sessions, you can make the most of these interactive picture books and create a lasting love of reading for your child.

—Cleveland Public Library, cpl.org

LOOK I’M AN ECOLOGIST

By Cathriona Hickey

This title is part of the “Look! I’m Learning” series that explores STEM topics. Aimed at preschoolers and their grown-ups, the book encourages children to use their five senses to explore the natural world. The text provides lots of prompts to start discussions about the natural world. The book includes easy projects that use materials that are on hand or easily found to build on what children see. Not only do the projects help children learn to follow directionsvand improve their fine motor skills, they are also a greatvway to spend a rainy afternoon.

Just A Worm

By Marie Boyd

This picture book tells of the adventures of a worm, who goes out to explore a garden and is told that he is “just a worm.” As the worm encounters other garden critters, it learns about his neighbors — caterpillars, butterflies, dragonflies, and snails. And the worm learns about the important role that it plays in a healthy garden. This would be a great story to share before taking a youngster to work in the garden or dig for worms. The illustrations are created by using paper art, quilling. Boyd provides a very simple project using the technique to create a butterfly.

BORED NO MORE : THE ABCS OF WHAT TO DO WHEN THERE’S NOTHING TO DO

By Julie Reiters

This picture book provides an alphabetical list of things to do. The suggestions include both large ideas (grow a plant) and small (observe a tree). The ideas and clear illustrations can provide a starting point for adults and children to talk about how to fill empty time. The book also acknowledges that one thing to do might be to “yawn” and that it is okay for life to be boring once in a while.

THE NO-COOK COOKBOOK

By DK

This cookbook, full of detailed illustrations, includes more than 50 recipes for a young cook. It also emphasizes learning to plan healthy and nutritious meals and to use cooking implements safely. No one needs to tell the budding chefs that they are building reading skills and math skills while they are making treats. (If they have to make a grocery list, they will be improving their writing skills while they are at it.)