Sonoma Family Life August 2020

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August 2020

Mom Blogs

Help you need

Local Fun 26 family events

Mayor’s Letter COVID-19 response

Homeschool Veteran’s tips for success

August 2020

Every Issue 6

Dear Reader

7

Cooking with Kids Bake Your French Toast

8

12 Features 10 Still Santa Rosa Strong

14 Mom Blogs to the Rescue

A letter from the mayor on COVID-19.

From teaching tolerance to just plain coping, these moms have you covered.

12 Kitchen Table Lessons A veteran homeschooler offers advice to parentsturned-teachers.

16 How to Prepare for Classes In the time of COVID-19, there are many questions.

18 2020–21 School Calendars All the dates you need to plan your year.

28

Bits and Pieces Honor Local Health Care Heroes Make the Most of Virtual Play Dates Help Kids Cope with Stress Learn Yoga and Feed the Hungry at the Same Time Hang Out with Polar Bears JazzFest Offers Kids’ Music Classes

28 Calendar of Events Free Online Coding Instruction for Kids

30 Humor Break Goodbye Comfort Zone

7

22 Schools Enter the Digital Age The advantages of teacher-student online communication.

24 Rest Well, Stay Well How sleep boosts immunity.

9 4 SonomaFamilyLife

26 Safely Social Help kids connect during the pandemic.

August 2020 www.sonomafamilylife.com

HONOR A LOCAL PARENT IN THE MEDICAL FIELD Do you know parents who are also medical professionals working on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic? We’d like to honor them. Click on this ad to nominate them to get special attention in our magazine and e-blasts, and on our website and Facebook page.

To Submit Your Nomination Click Here

Dear Reader

G

Sharon Gowan Publisher/Editor Sharon@family-life.us

oing back to school during the time of COVID-19 can be anxiety provoking, for parents and students alike.

That’s why this issue is packed with lots of info—because we, and you, know that knowledge is power.

First things first: Scan the School Calendars 2020-21 (page 18) to plan your year. Then check out “How to Prepare for Classes” (page 16) for advice from doctors on child mask use and mental health.

Worried your child may be overly anxious about the start of school? Sonoma County Library is offering a free webinar aimed at helping students stay calm. See “Help Kids Cope with Stress” (page 8) for more information.

Perhaps you’ve decided to try homeschooling. We’ve got you covered with two articles featuring parents-in-theknow. “Kitchen Table Lessons” (page 12), by a longtime homeschooler, details nine

mistakes not to make; and “Mom Blogs to the Rescue” (page 14) lists culturally diverse blogs and sites that offer an array of educational activities, crafts, and essays on not just homeschooling, but also parenting—and keeping your sanity—in general.

Office Manager Patricia Ramos patty@family-life.us

We want you to know that you’re not alone.

And so does Santa Rosa Mayor Tom Schwedhelm. In “Still Santa Rosa Strong” (page 10), he talks about the family-focused programs that the City has put into place during these challenging times.

Business Marketing Renee Nutcher renee@family-life.us

Looking for some fun in the midst of adversity? Our Calendar of Events (page 28) is back! Check out the (mostly) free stuff to do online and in-person.

We wish you the best of luck as classes begin. We’ll be here all year long with empowering information to make sure school and the rest of your family’s life runs smoothly.

Warren Kaufman warren@family-life.us

Features Editor Melissa Chianta melissa@family-life.us

Production Manager Donna Bogener production@family-life.us

Contributing Writers

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Jessica Guerrieri Malia Jacobson Christina Katz Cheryl Maguire Kerrie McLoughlin Karen Nochimowski Jan Pierce Tom Schwedhelm

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August 2020 www.sonomafamilylife.com

Cooking with Kids

Bake Your French Toast Make a Breakie Fave with Ease

By Momma Chef

I

dedicate this recipe to parents everywhere. We’re all working overtime during the pandemic, and we deserve a day off. While this may be a pipe dream, we can still make things easier for ourselves in the kitchen. For instance, my kids love French toast, but standing in front of a skillet for 30 minutes making 15 pieces of French toast is not my idea of a good time. That’s why I love this recipe: prep it in 5 minutes, let it sit, pop it in the oven, and, violà, breakfast is served. My kids like to drizzle syrup on their individual pieces, rather than on the entire casserole. I say go for it. ¶ This article originally appeared on MommaChef.com. It has been reprinted here with permission.

Karen Nochimowski, aka Momma Chef, is a mother of three active boys (ages 12, 8, and 5). On her blog, MommaChef.com, find more of her recipes, all of which require no more than six ingredients and six minutes of prep time.

www.sonomafamilylife.com

Brioche French Toast Casserole Ingredients • 1 14–16 oz. loaf brioche bread • 1/3 cup melted butter • 2 ½ cups whole milk • 6 eggs • ½ cup brown sugar • 1 tbsp. vanilla Instructions 1. Slice brioche bread into 1” slices and then cut those into 1” cubes.

2. Pour melted butter into a 9” x 13” baking dish and coat the dish well.

3. Layer bread into a greased baking dish.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla and pour evenly over the bread.

5. I like to let this sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or, if possible, overnight.

6. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F and bake uncovered for 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

7. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5–10 minutes before serving.

Serves: 9

August 2020

SonomaFamilyLife 7

Bits & Pieces

Melissa Osmon, RN

Tricia Meyer, RN

Honor Local Health Care Heroes Parenting is hard. Throw a pandemic into the mix, and you’ve got some serious stress—especially for the folks listed below, who are risking their lives to serve others.

We honor them for their work, both as parents and as health care providers, during the COVID-19 pandemic. To all of you from all of us at Family Life: Thank you for your service.

Melissa Osmon, RN, was nominated by Robin Hardisty, who says Melissa “is that nurse you want caring for your loved ones.” Melissa is a single mom of a sixth grader and also takes care of her grandparents. She started to work as a nurse for Kaiser right when the pandemic hit.

Tricia Meyer, RN, was nominated by Tony Gines and Claire Gines, RN. Tony says, “Tricia is a selfless, extremely hard-working nurse and mother. She gives amazing care to COVID-19 patients almost daily and at the same time advocates for the safety of all the staff at the hospital.” Claire adds, “She is a passionate health-care advocate, school and community volunteer, and my best friend.” Meyer works for Kaiser in San Rafael.

Nominate your own Health Care Hero at sonomafamilylife.com. Nominees must be parents as well as health-care providers. ¶

8 SonomaFamilyLife

Make the Most of Virtual Play Dates

V

irtual play dates are here to stay for a while. The children’s advocacy nonprofit Zero to Three offers these tips for making sure they go well.

1. Make play dates social, interactive experiences. Try rhymes, songs, dancing, and games like peek-a-boo and hide-and-seek that young children can participate in with their screen buddies.

2. Use props. Puppets and stuffed animals are great props for virtual play. Also, sharing a snack together is a favorite among young children.

3. Be the “hands and heart” of the person on-screen. When the screen buddy “tickles” your baby’s tummy, give your child’s tummy a tickle, too. When a friend leans toward the screen for a “hug,” you can give a real hug to your child.

4. Explain any technical difficulties. Tell the child why the call dropped, or why the visiting friend may appear to “freeze” on the screen or not be looking directly at them. Explaining these experiences in simple terms helps children better understand both the technology and the interaction.

5. As they grow, let children take the lead. For example, toddlers can learn how to touch the green button to call or red button to hang up. ¶

Help Kids Cope with Stress

S

tarting school is stressful in normal conditions. But in a pandemic, kids may be feeling extra anxious. The Sonoma County Library’s free webinar Managing Stress aims to help. The 30-minute class, presented by Tutor.com’s Learning Design Manager Dr. Amy Dietzman, will cover time management and organization, wellness strategies, and support resources. It will be held on August 5, 9:30–10 a.m.; register at events.sonomalibrary.org/event/4415746. ¶ August 2020 www.sonomafamilylife.com

Learn Yoga and Feed the Hungry at the Same Time

W

hen kids dance and move we know they are helping themselves stay healthy. Thanks to UNICEF’s Kid Power program, they can also help others stay well, too. Every time kids view a set of the program’s free movement videos, children around the world receive emergency nourishment. The videos feature yoga, dance, and other exercises, and are meant to serve as a short break during children’s learning day. See kpop.ukp.io to register. ¶

Hang Out with Polar Bears

E

very year the snowy, barren landscape outside of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, becomes home to migrating polar bears— animals that most of us will not see in their natural habitat. So Discovery Education and Polar Bears International travel to this Arctic land and use YouTube to bring the bears to us. The virtual “field trips” feature both on-site discussions with scientists as well as videos that document the bears’ lives and how climate change is affecting their survival. Check out “Experience Polar Bears on the Tundra” at youtube. com/watch?v=3pI22Seiqag. See discoveryeducation.com/learn/ tundra-connections for engaging ways kids can discuss and integrate the information the videos share. ¶

JazzFest Offers Kids’ Music Classes

M

Keith Terry

www.sonomafamilylife.com

usic of all kinds helps children connect to and express themselves. But the pandemic and other restrictions, such as financial circumstances, may keep budding bards from fully blossoming.

The Healdsburg Jazz Festival aims to make music education easier with its Virtual Jazz Village Campus for K–5, a free series of children’s classes taught by educators, multi-instrumentalists, vocalists, and dancers with decades of experience.

Among the instructors are Maria De La Rosa, who will teach kids about son jarocho, a music genre from Veracruz, Mexico; Bryan Dyer, who will introduce the rhythms of New Orleans; and world-renowned percussionist Keith Terry, who will show students how to turn their bodies into drums.

The classes are free and may be viewed multiple times. For more information and to register, go to healdsburgjazz.org/virtual-jazz-village-campus. ¶ August 2020

Bryan Dyer

Maria De La Rosa

SonomaFamilyLife 9

Downtown outdoor dining

reopening of outdoor dining at Santa Rosa’s restaurants and eventually will be used for broader business activities as allowed by the Sonoma County Public Health Orders. Fun new art elements by local artists are also underway in this area. I invite families to plan an outing to 4th Street and discover a new shop or restaurant to enjoy in this safer, open-air setting.

Still Santa Rosa Strong

Programs Focus on Families & Businesses

By Mayor Tom Schwedhelm

I

t’s safe to say that 2020 is not going the way anyone could have envisioned it. Given these extraordinary circumstances, we, at the City of Santa Rosa, are doing everything we can to keep our community and families safe, and things as “normal” as possible.

This pandemic is testing us and disrupting our daily lives. As a father of two adult children, I recall the challenges of keeping my kids safe and entertained. Back then it was also a struggle to keep kids off screens, active, and moving outdoors. But I feel for parents today who have so much more to grapple with than just the “summer slide.”

10 SonomaFamilyLife

As a City, we have been hard at work to open opportunities for families within Santa Rosa and create a Safe Sonoma Summer.

The Open & Out Business Program was launched in July to create additional outdoor space in our downtown. Parking spots, select street locations, Courthouse Square, and sidewalks are being used for the safe

Recreation programs have been re-envisioned to provide safer care and entertainment options for children. This summer, our staff provided modified summer camps for 570 children, including youth from at-risk neighborhoods,

Of one thing I am certain: We are a resilient community. and provided virtual tutoring for children in need. Our goal is to continue offering safer care options for families as well as assist with distance learning well into the fall and winter.

InsideOutThere.com launched.

This online marketplace brings the goods and services of merchants, makers, and keepers of shops, bars, and inns to our community.

It’s another, safer way to explore Santa Rosa’s diverse array of small businesses, from arts to eats.

Civic engagement has never been easier. Since we cannot gather together, all of the City of Santa Rosa’s public and city council meetings are available online. It’s a great option for parents who need to stay home to watch their children or

August 2020 www.sonomafamilylife.com

Thank you for choosing local first!

want to get older kids interested and active in their local government.

While we are excited for the promise of these programs, we must acknowledge that the City of Santa Rosa will modify all programs and

I invite families to plan an outing to 4th Street and discover a new shop or restaurant to enjoy in this safer, open-air setting. practices if and when the Sonoma County Public Health Officer guides us to. Learn the latest information on the Sonoma County Public Health Order at srcity.org/PreventTheSpread.

While the future remains uncertain, of one thing I am certain: We are a resilient community. Together we will weather this storm and rise again even stronger and more cohesive. Until the day comes when we can return to some semblance of normalcy, please know that we, at the City of Santa Rosa, never stop working hard to keep families and the community safe.

Wear a face covering, frequently wash your hands, and be well. Âś Tom Schwedhelm is the mayor of Santa Rosa.

www.sonomafamilylife.com

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SonomaFamilyLife 11

Kitchen Table 9 Homeschool Lessons Mistakes to Avoid

By Kerrie McLoughlin

M

ost parents were thrown into homeschooling when COVID-19 struck. But I’ve been doing it for 14 years with my five children. So let me share some of the tricks of the trade and keep you from making some of my mistakes. Here’s what to avoid, should you choose to homeschool your kids this fall.

1

Playing copycat. There’s a temptation to try to recreate every nuance of a public or private school, complete with desks, chalkboard or smartboard, uniforms, and a rigid schedule. But since you are the teacher, you have

12 SonomaFamilyLife

permission to be flexible and do things differently.

2

Homeschooling 24/7.

The school day doesn’t have to be seven hours long. Consider shorter chunks of teaching/learning time along with occasional days

off to go to the zoo, take a nature walk, hit the library, watch some documentaries, or just snuggle up and read. For older kids, volunteering or working a part-time job certainly counts as real-world education.

3

Doing lots of desk time.

No need for kids and teachers to sit in chairs all day. We all learn and teach differently. Sometimes I’ll read to my kids while one is doing art, another is playing Minecraft, and I’m doing squats! I also include my kids in daily activities, such as errands, cooking, household chores, budget planning, and more.

4

Keeping up with the Joneses. Don’t compare your family to other homeschoolers or other conventionally schooled children. I might beat myself up because my kids have not learned cursive as readily as my neighbor’s children, while my

August 2020 www.sonomafamilylife.com

neighbor laments that she doesn’t do as many educational outings as I do. It’s great to bounce ideas off of a homeschooling tribe, but competition doesn’t help anyone, least of all your child!

5

Shelling out big bucks for curriculum. There’s no reason for elementary school to cost anything at all when there are so many free sources of information, such as the public library, ABCMouse.com, and Khan Academy. Also check out California Virtual Academies (cava. k12.com), which provides free online, teacher-monitored schooling to kids.

6

Not following your child’s lead. It was a sad day when I was in a homeschool store and heard a kid ask his mom if he could study a certain topic he was excited about and she said, “No, these are

the books that we are working on this year, and we aren’t going to stray from them.”

7

Sticking with something that isn’t working.

Switching curriculum halfway through the year is not uncommon.

Don’t compare your family to other homeschoolers or other conventionally schooled children.

If a certain workbook makes you and your child cry and want to throw it across the room, don’t power through until the end of the school year! Find something else that works. That’s the beauty of the freedom of homeschooling.

8

Doing everything with and for your child. Children often figure something out when we aren’t looking over their shoulders.

9

Trying to be perfect. The longer I homeschool, the more I enjoy telling newbies about random mistakes I’ve made. The relief I see on their faces when they realize they don’t need to be the World’s Greatest Homeschooler makes sharing my stories so worth it.

If you realize that missteps are totally normal, you might be easier on yourself and have more fun on this shorter-than-you-think journey with your kids! ¶ Kerrie McLoughlin has been homeschooling her five kids since 2006.

You can read more about her family’s fun antics at thekerrieshow.com.

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SonomaFamilyLife 13

Cherish360 is the baby of Jennifer Borget, a part-time journalist who writes about homeschooling a child with dyslexia and teaching kids about diversity and inclusion. She put together a great list of 30 websites to help

Mom Blogs to the Rescue Help for Entertaining and Educating Kids

By Jan Pierce

T

hese past few months have been some of the most abnormal of our entire lives. Nothing is on our usual schedules and many of us are home with our children all day long, every day. For those of us who are choosing to homeschool, this will remain true even after summer break is over. Wondering how to fill the long hours? Ta da! Mom blogs to the rescue. Check out these.

African-American Homeschool Moms has all kinds of resources, including a list of apps for homeschooling parents and innovative ideas for extracurricular activities in the COVID-19 era.

Buggy and Buddy is a fantastic, user-friendly site run by an elementary school teacher who shares art, science, STEM, and 14 SonomaFamilyLife

STEAM projects for toddlers through teens. She includes a great section on activities based on children’s books.

Busy Toddler offers a gazillion ideas for cool activities to do with your toddlers—from sensory play to tasks highlighting fine motor skills.

There’s also a homeschool preschool curriculum called Playing Preschool.

Busy Toddler offers a gazillion ideas for cool activities to do with your toddlers. parents homeschool and also has a collection of 20 children’s books with African-American protagonists.

Cool Mom Picks has a huge selection of activities for kids of all ages. Check out the back-to-school “mask self-portrait” art project and the review of the Anti-Racist Baby board book. Then dive into the extremely informative “8 Things to Think about If You’re Homeschooling Because of COVID-19 This Fall.” The website creators’ also have an award-winning podcast, Spawned.

The Dad Lab is a bit of a work in progress, but it does have some great kid/parent science projects.

The mother lode of science projects, however, is in The Dad Lab book, to which the site links.

Indigenous Homeschoolers is a private Facebook group to support Native families. See the “Native American Homeschoolers” page on a2zhomeschooling.com for other resources, such as the Native Child Curriculum.

Mommy Maestra features homeschooling advice and

August 2020 www.sonomafamilylife.com

children’s activities specifically geared for Hispanic families.

See the “A Comprehensive List of Spanish Curricula” post for educational materials in Spanish, or, if you want your child to learn Spanish, see the “Master List of Spanish Learning Resources.” Also check out Cinco Puntos Press for

Jennifer Borget writes about homeschooling a child with dyslexia and teaching kids about diversity.

Celebrating

bilingual books. Want community?

Join Monica Olivera, the blog’s founder, in her new Hispanic and Bilingual Homeschoolers Facebook group, which has already garnered more than 10,000 members since it started in June.

Mommy Poppins has a section, found under the “Virtual” tab, dedicated to free or low-cost virtual classes, parties, camps, and programming for kids.

No Time for Flash Cards focuses on crafts, books, and all sorts of educational activities—all searchable by age. If you are schooling at home, there is a section for teachers.

Untigering is the voice of an Asian-American momma who debunks common expectations of unschooling and gives you the scoop on topics like how kids can learn math in the real world. ¶ Jan Pierce is a freelance writer specializing in education and parenting. Find her at janpierce.net.

www.sonomafamilylife.com

YEARS as the #1 resource for local families

magazine • web • email • events August 2020

SonomaFamilyLife 15

“Drop the [second] mask into your child’s lunch bag and tell them to switch to a new clean one after eating,” says Reddy.

How to Prepare Physicians’ for Classes Top Tips “D

By Cheryl Maguire

o I have to wear a mask all day?” My 12-year-old daughter asked me this question when we recently discussed going back to school. She had many other questions, too, as did her peers and their parents. I turned to pediatrician Sumana Reddy, M.D., for guidance.

Face Coverings Schools are going to require that kids and teachers wear masks. How do you help your child get used to wearing one? Reddy suggests that, before school starts, kids wear masks at home at least once a week. “I also suggest offering kids incentives and rewards for not touching their faces,” she says.

In addition to getting used to masks, children should learn to replace their masks at lunchtime. Masks can pick up COVID-19 from the surfaces 16 SonomaFamilyLife

“I recommend that all kids do a telehealth check-in with their pediatrician.”

—Sumana Reddy, M.D.

on which they are placed, such as school lunch tables. So Reddy recommends that kids take two masks to school, one to wear before lunch and one to wear after it.

And what kind of mask should a child wear? “Although any mask is better than none, a tight weave cotton in layers is better than a single layer of jersey or similar stretch materials.

Also, the nose should have a metal bridge piece to minimize airflow from above,” says Reddy. If your child has trouble wearing a mask, then she suggests using a face shield.

Reddy recommends that kids take two masks to school, one to wear before lunch and one to wear after it.

Schedule a Check-Up or Well Visit If your child has not already had her or his yearly check-up, it is important to schedule one.

Children should get all the CDC-recommended immunizations, including an annual flu shot.

“This year, the flu shot is even more important,” says Damon Korb, M.D., author of Raising an Organized Child (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2019). “We want to reduce the common cold because, when noses start running, we all touch our faces.

That is a recipe for disaster with COVID-19. Getting the flu shot may actually reduce the likelihood of catching and spreading COVID.” Reddy agrees: “The more families that get the flu vaccine the better it will be for everyone.”

August 2020 www.sonomafamilylife.com

Discover SR Rec & Parks Kids and adults enjoy boating, swimming, tennis & more! See activities available under current health orders at SantaRosaRec.com

If you don’t have insurance, the federally funded program Vaccines For Children (cdc.gov/vaccines/ programs/vfc/index.html) will provide vaccines for free. And if you do have insurance there should not be a co-pay for receiving the vaccine.

“The Affordable Care Act requires private insurance companies to pay in full for vaccines recommended by the CDC,” says Reddy.

If your child has trouble wearing a mask, use a face shield.

St Elizabeth Ann Seton Church Faith Formation Classes Catechesis of Good Shepherd Pre-K (ages 3-6) Sacramental Preparation or Religious Education Classes (Grades 1st-5th) Online and hybrid classes beginning September 20th

There might be some insurance companies that are exempt, Reddy says. Look into your coverage before getting your vaccine.

Telehealth Check-In Kids that are going back to school either remotely or in-person are likely to experience more anxiety than usual. Your pediatrician can help address this and any other mental health issues your child may be experiencing.

“I recommend that all kids do a telehealth check-in with their pediatrician before going back to school to discuss the transition.

Often parents think their kid is fine, but you want to have a chance to talk about stress and anxiety,” says Reddy. ¶ Cheryl Maguire’s writing has been published in the New York Times, Parents Magazine, AARP, Healthline, Your Teen Magazine, and many other publications. You can find her on Twitter @CherylMaguire05.

www.sonomafamilylife.com

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2020–21 School Calendars The following are holidays for all schools in Sonoma County: Sept. 7, Nov. 11, Jan. 18, Feb. 15, May 31

First Day

Thanksgiving

Alexander Valley Union

Aug. 13

Nov. 23–27 Dec. 21–Jan. 1

Bellevue Union

Aug. 13 Nov. 23–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 4 Feb. 8

Mar. 22–26 June 3

Oct. 30

Bennett Valley Union

Aug. 13 Nov. 23–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 4 Feb. 8

Mar. 22–26 June 4

Oct. 30

Cinnabar Aug. 19 Nov. 23–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 1 Feb. 8

Mar. 29–Apr. 2 June 3

Apr. 26

Aug. 18

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 4 Feb. 12

Apr. 5–9

June 10

Feb. 11

Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified* Aug. 12

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 1 Feb. 8

Mar. 22–26

May 28

Oct. 12, Nov. 2. Dec. 18

Dunham

Aug. 13

Nov. 25–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 4 Feb. 8

Forestville Union

Aug. 13

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 1 Feb. 8

Geyserville Unified

Aug. 12

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 1 Feb. 8

Cloverdale Unified

Winter Break

Lincoln Day

Spring Break

Feb. 8

Mar. 22–26

Last Day Other Days Off June 4

Mar. 29–Apr. 2 June 3 Mar. 22–26

Sept. 25, Feb. 12, May 28

Oct. 23

June 3

Oct. 12

Mar. 29–Apr. 2 June 3

Oct. 16

*Charter & year-round schools in these districts may follow a different calendar.

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August 2020 www.sonomafamilylife.com

First Day

Thanksgiving

Winter Break

Lincoln Day

Spring Break

Last Day Other Days Off

Gravenstein Union

Aug. 19

Nov. 25–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 1

Feb. 8

Mar. 22–26

June 4

Oct. 2

Guerneville

Aug. 13

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 4

Feb. 8

Mar. 22–26

June 3

Apr. 5

Harmony Union*

Aug. 13

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 18–Jan. 4

Feb. 12

Mar. 22–26

June 3

Oct. 12

Healdsburg Unified

Aug. 19

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 1

Feb. 8

Mar. 22–26

June 10

Nov. 2, Dec. 18, Jan. 4, May 28

Kenwood

Aug. 19

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 1

Feb. 8

Mar. 22–26

June 3

Feb. 22

Liberty*

Aug. 19

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 1

Feb. 12

Mark West Union

Aug. 13

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 4

Feb. 8

Mar. 22–26

June 4

Oct. 2, May 21

Montgomery

Aug. 19

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 1

Feb. 8

Mar. 22–26

June 3

Jan. 22

Oak Grove Union

Aug. 19

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 4

Feb. 8

Mar. 22–26

June 8

Apr. 2

Old Adobe Union

Aug. 19

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 5

Feb. 8

Mar. 29–Apr. 2 June 4

Petaluma City Schools*

Aug. 12

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 4

Feb. 8

Mar. 29–Apr. 2 June 4

Piner-Olivet Union*

Aug. 13

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 4

Feb. 8

Mar. 22–26

June 2

Rincon Valley Union

Aug. 12

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 1

Feb. 8

Mar. 22–26

June 2

Mar. 29–Apr. 2 June 9

** See below

Feb. 5

Nov. 6

*Charter & year-round schools in these districts may follow a different calendar. ** Sept. 14, Oct. 23, Nov. 8, Feb. 16, Apr. 5, May 28

St Elizabeth Ann Seton Church Confirmation Classes and Youth Group Classes (Grades 6th-12th) Online and hybrid classes beginning September 20th A child’s journey creating a long-lasting relationship in their faith.

ST. ELIZABETH ANN SETON CHURCH

4595 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park 707-585-3708 | sesreled@gmail.com

www.seschurch.wufoo.com/forms/m1mo1r5f17b8er7 www.st-elizabeth-seton.com

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August 2020

SonomaFamilyLife 19

2020–21 School Calendars

First Day

Thanksgiving

Winter Break

Lincoln Day

Spring Break

Last Day Other Days Off

Roseland

Aug. 10

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 4

Feb. 8

Mar. 22–26

May 25

Oct. 12

Santa Rosa City Elementary* Aug. 13

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 4

Feb. 8

Mar. 22–26

June 3

Oct. 30

Santa Rosa City High*

Aug. 13

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 18–Jan. 4

Feb. 8

Mar. 22–26

June 4

Oct. 30

Sebastopol Union*

Aug. 13

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 18–Jan. 4

Feb. 8

Mar. 22–26

June 4

Aug. 21, Oct. 12

Sonoma Valley Unified*

Aug. 17

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 1

Feb. 12

Mar. 15–19

June 3

Nov. 6, Apr. 5, Apr. 16

Twin Hills Union*

Aug. 17

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 4

Feb. 8

Mar. 22–26

June 3

Two Rock Union

Aug. 12

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 18–Jan. 1

Feb. 8

Mar. 29–Apr. 2 June 4

Waugh

Aug. 18

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 4

Feb. 8

Mar. 29–Apr. 2 June 11

West Side Union

Aug. 13

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 3

Feb. 8

Mar. 22–26

June 4

West Sonoma County High

Aug. 13

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 18–Jan. 4

Feb. 8

Mar. 22–26

June 3

Wilmar Union

Aug. 19

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 1

Feb. 8

Windsor Unified

Aug. 13

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 1

Feb. 12

Mar. 22–26

June 4

Oct. 16

Wright

Aug. 12

Nov. 23–27

Dec. 21–Jan. 5

Feb. 8

Mar. 22–26

June 3

Oct. 30

Mar. 29–Apr. 2 June 4

Oct. 12

Oct. 12 Oct. 12, Apr. 26

*Charter & year-round schools in these districts may follow a different calendar.

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August 2020

SonomaFamilyLife 21

up-to-date about a student’s behavior.

Be as responsive and cooperative as you can, regardless of the issue.

Remember that even good kids can act badly and that there is no such thing as a bad kid; there is only poor behavior. Calm collaboration and a focus on finding fast solutions can help teachers and parents get students cheerfully back on track.

Schools Enter the Digital Age Embrace Online Student Communication

By Christina Katz

T

hanks to technological advances, things have changed dramatically since parents were in school. Here are a few types of communication to expect as your child progresses from elementary school through high school.

Parent-Teacher Emails There are two types of teacher emails: group and individual. A teacher may regularly email all at once the parents of students in one type of class. For example, the choir teacher may send out mass emails to announce upcoming concerts. Swiftly ask questions and then add any pertinent info to your family calendar. If you notice any errors in communication, such as an incorrect date or time, kindly point out the error to the sender.

However, do not offer grammatical

22 SonomaFamilyLife

advice or draw attention to innocuous typos. No one appreciates that.

Teachers are busy people and they occasionally make mistakes, just like the rest of us.

A teacher may also privately reach out to the parents of one child. Don’t be alarmed if you get an email about your child’s behavior. You want to be informed when there is a reason for discussion, and your child’s teachers will let you know if there is. Don’t take teachers’ emails personally.

Instead, see them as a way to keep

Many schools encourage the use of Google Classroom.

Teacher Blogs Some teachers like to use blogs to post lessons, deadlines, and online resources.

Teacher blogs are usually housed on the district’s website and are generally a safe, secure way for teachers and students to communicate. Blogs can be especially helpful if your child is trying to learn good organization habits, or if she or he misses class because of an illness or field trip. If the teacher is not using a blog, make sure your student has a planner and knows how to effectively use it.

Flipped Classrooms A flipped classroom means lessons are learned at home via videos or audios posted to a teacher blog or online classroom.

Instead of the traditional model, where students use homework to practice what they’ve learned in class, students can practice in the classroom what they’ve learned on their own and thereby get more teacher support. It may take some time to adjust to this approach. Give it a fair chance; try to temper any automatic resistance you or your student may have to it. Don’t be surprised if your child ends up preferring this method in the long run.

August 2020 www.sonomafamilylife.com

Google Classroom Many schools encourage the use of Google Classroom, a versatile online platform that helps students express themselves and collaborate. Google Classroom is a password-protected service that makes everyone’s role easier by creating a paperless environment for the creation, sharing, distributing, and grading of assignments. Included in the online platform is Google Drive for the storage and distribution of documents; Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides for document creation; Gmail for communication; and Google Calendar for scheduling. Using Google Classroom allows schools to consolidate a lot of class work into one universal online service.

Some students will start using this platform as early as elementary school,

www.sonomafamilylife.com

so it’s wise for parents to watch online tutorial videos to familiarize themselves with it.

Social Media Groups Social media groups are a convenient way to broadcast information and quickly communicate on an ongoing basis. For example, a high school

Some teachers like to use blogs to post lessons, deadlines, and online resources. theater department may have a private Facebook drama club group that is administered by the school advisors and composed of current club members and member parents.

August 2020

Drama club officers might use the group to post announcements for upcoming outings and events.

Parent volunteers might use a sign-up service like Sign-Up Genius to rally donations or fill time slots.

The directors of upcoming plays or musicals can create subgroups of students and parents in order to share specific information only with relevant audiences. Consult your student handbook for your school’s social media policies, and encourage your student to be a good digital citizen no matter what methods of communication are in use. ¶ Christina Katz has cheerfully embraced technological advances since childhood.

She received the very first iteration of the Macintosh computer when she matriculated college and has not looked back since.

SonomaFamilyLife 23

needs a standing 7 p.m. date with his bed. A teen who can stay awake for 16 hours and needs to get up at 6 a.m. needs to fall asleep around 10 p.m.

Nix nightlights. You may love the way your child’s smile lights up a room, but when it comes to sleep, the best light is no light at all. Nighttime light disrupts melatonin production, and even a small nightlight or the light from electronics or a baby monitor can be enough to prevent deep, restful

Rest Well Stay Well W

Support , Immune Systems with Sleep

By Malia Jacobson

hen it comes to staying healthy, all the hand sanitizer in the world won’t make up for lost hours of sleep. Getting enough sleep supports a healthy immune system, while sleep deprivation handicaps your immune response, leaving you, or your night-owl children, more susceptible to viral illness.

During sleep, the body releases proteins called cytokines that play a role in fighting infection.

During periods of sleep deprivation, infection-fighting cells are reduced.

Chronic sleep loss can even make vaccines less effective, according to research. Here’s how to build a better bedtime and a stronger immune system, starting tonight.

Do the math. A healthy sleep routine starts with bedtime. According to sleep expert Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D., late bedtimes cause many 24 SonomaFamilyLife

childhood sleep problems, because overtiredness makes it harder for children to get to sleep and stay asleep.

But figuring out when to put your child to bed isn’t easy.

To find your children’s bedtimes, first determine how many hours of sleep they need in a 24-hour period. This will determine how many hours they can comfortably stay awake per day.

For example, a one-year-old who needs 14 hours of daily sleep can stay awake for 10 hours per day. If he gets up at 6 a.m. and naps for 3 hours each day, he

Late bedtimes cause many childhood sleep problems. sleep. Dim the house lights after dinner and install effective blackout blinds to get the bedroom truly dark.

Embrace boring. Sleep doctors agree that an effective bedtime routine is one that’s absolutely set in stone: the same things, in the same order, every night. “Our bodies love routine, and this is especially so with children and bedtime,” says Teitelbaum. Performing the same events in the same sequence before bed cues a child’s subconscious for sleep.

Shut down media mayhem.

Bright lights, fast-paced activity, and over-stimulating content are bedtime don’ts. So television, which pours out light and stimulation just as kids should be winding down for sleep, has no place in a bedtime routine.

Numerous studies have linked television-watching with poor sleep in children, yet it remains a common evening activity in millions of households with young kids. Shut off screens an hour before bedtime and

August 2020 www.sonomafamilylife.com

use the time before bed for reading and other quiet activities instead.

Serve sleepy-time snacks.

The best bedtime snacks contain sleep-inducing tryptophan along with complex carbohydrates to help tryptophan cast its sleepy spell. Nut butter on whole-grain toast, cheese on whole-grain crackers, and cereal with milk or soy milk are great, healthy options. Be sure to serve the snack an hour before bedtime—sleeping on a full stomach can contribute to poor sleep and nightmares.

Start sunny side up. For a better bedtime, start your child’s day off the bright way. Strong morning light helps set your child’s internal clock so they’ll fall asleep more easily come nightfall. Open their curtains to let the light shine in and serve breakfast in a sunny spot.

A morning walk offers beneficial light exposure to help regulate your child’s circadian rhythm.

Avoid nap traps. Naps can help keep babies and toddlers from becoming overtired, and new

Sleep & Kids: How Much Is Enough?

Is your child getting enough sleep to keep the immune system strong? Take a peek at these general guidelines. If your child is falling short, move bedtime earlier by 20–30 minutes per night. This small change adds up to a couple extra hours of sleep per week.

One to Four Weeks Old. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15–16 hours per day One to Twelve Months Old. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14–15 hours per day One to Three Years Old. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12–14 hours per day Three to Six Years Old. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10–12 hours per day

research from Emory University shows that they help babies learn and retain new information. Tired teens and older children can benefit from short, 20-minute power naps. But napping all day is guaranteed to make your child nocturnal. To promote healthy naps while preserving nighttime sleep, babies and preschoolers should end afternoon naps four hours before bedtime. Older children who no longer take afternoon naps should limit catnaps to the morning hours.

Move it! A body in motion is one that’s primed for sleep, because exercise helps children fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly. Aim for at least 60 minutes per day of vigorous activity. Babies need lots of time on their tummies and backs to roll, wiggle, and work their muscles, while toddlers and older children can run, jump, climb, and stretch their way to sounder sleep. ¶ Malia Jacobson is a nationally published sleep and health journalist and hosts the Sleep Well, Stay Well

Six to Ten Years Old. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9–11 hours per day Ten to Eighteen Years Old . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8–10 hours per day podcast.

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August 2020

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SonomaFamilyLife 25

3. Get (video) chatty. Kids can still meet “face to face” thanks to video conferencing platforms, such as Zoom, FaceTime, Skype, and Facebook Messenger. Katie D.’s four kids craft, watch a show, or exercise, all via video chats.

4. Rediscover snail mail. Older folks, especially, love to receive packages and handwritten letters. Not sure what to do with that pillowcase made in a socially distanced sewing circle or the picture frame constructed

Safely Social

There are so many ways to stay in touch without touching.

7 Ways to Play and Keep COVID-19 at Bay

during a video chat? Send them off to a relative. What Grandma doesn’t like a kid-creation in her mailbox?

By Kerrie McLoughlin

5. Play with words. Texting, emailing, blogging, oh my! There are so many ways to stay in touch. And emailing and blogging hone kids’ reading, writing, and typing skills, too.

T

he pandemic has delivered us a new normal. Bye-bye haircuts, dinner parties, and plane trips. Hello masks, temperature checks, and Wal-Mart battles over the last bottle of hand sanitizer. The dramatic change has been disorienting and frustrating—especially for kids, who have found themselves spending lots of lonely time at home. But there are ways for children to safely socialize.

1. Hold a drive-by birthday party. Is your child’s special day around the corner? Ask a group of her or his friends to secretly meet at a close-by location (like a mall parking lot), and then collectively cruise by your house. Let rowdiness rule as everyone honks, waves balloons and streamers, and yells out birthday greetings. To add to the festive mood, decorate your cars with crepe paper and signs. Friends and family can drop off presents or cards, too. But if you are hardcore about avoiding germs, 26 SonomaFamilyLife

ask them to give nonperishable gifts that can be set aside for up to 72 hours.

2. Stay together—apart. Unfold comfy camping chairs on the driveway or in the yard for some masked, six-feet-apart chat sessions. Need an occasion to gather? Consider a kid-friendly book club or sewing/ knitting circle. Melissa R. says her family does meet-ups at nature spots.

The kids use FaceTime so they don’t have to yell at each other while social distancing.

6. Visit Marco Polo. Check out the Marco Polo app for a FaceTime-meetsvoicemail experience. Leave, receive, forward, and—here’s the cool part— save video messages.

7. Online activities. If there is a silver lining to the COIVD-19 madness, it’s that families have access to newly online activities across the country. Google “online activities for kids” and “virtual tours” for access to museums and performances you otherwise wouldn’t have a chance to see. I also know families who are continuing activities such as ballet, Irish dance, and karate online—and loving it. ¶ Kerrie McLoughlin’s special kind of chaos can be observed at thekerrieshow.com.

August 2020 www.sonomafamilylife.com

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August

Calendar of Events

Free Online Coding Instruction for Kids

G

ot a budding computer scientist in the family? Take advantage of the variety of free online coding classes for kids offered by code.org, Khan Academy, and Swift Playgrounds. And then there’s Code Monster, which isn’t even a class but more like a game. It features a little, one-eyed blue cartoon monster that offers simple prompts to demonstrate how numbers can translate into geometrical figures. Check it out at crunchzilla.com/code-monster. ¶

Our calendar is back! Note that most

events are virtual and, on the upside, free.

Monday 3

required: healdsburgjazz.org/ virtual-jazz-village-campus.

Tuesday 4

Back-to-(Distance Learning)

FREE Parenting Your Teenager.

School Supply Drive. Donate

Three-session online workshop.

Explores normal teenage behavior & communicating with teens. Presented

by California Parent Institute. Aug. 4, 11 & 18. 6–7:30 p.m. Registration required: tinyurl.com/yxdbdv75. Also see: calparents.org.

supplies to the program Mentor Me. See Facebook for Wish List. M–F. 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Thru Aug. 7. Drop-off: Petaluma People Services Center.

1500 Petaluma Blvd. S., Petaluma. tinyurl.com/yxulacof. facebook.com/ PetalumaPeople.

FREE Sesame Street in Communities. Online

activities for ages 0–6. sesamestreet incommunities.org.

FREE Transition to Co-Parenting.

Four-session online workshop. Helps parents adjust & manage the transition of separation & divorce. Presented by Child Parent Institute. Aug. 3, 5, 10 & 12. 5:30–7 p.m. Registration required: tinyurl.com/y5g7sxqu. Also see: calparents.org.

FREE Virtual Jazz Village Campus.

Online music classes for grades K–5, taught by world-class teachers.

Donations accepted. See website for schedule of classes. Registration 28 SonomaFamilyLife

Wednesday 5 FREE Managing Stress Webinar.

Stress management strategies from Tutor.com’s Learning Design Manager Dr. Amy Dietzman. For grades K–12.

Presented by Sonoma County Library.

9:30–10 a.m. Registration required: events.sonomalibrary.org/events.

FREE Ukulele Workshop. Strengthen

playing skills & learn new techniques.

Open to students in grades 7–12 & adults. Via Zoom. Aug. 5 & 19. 4–5 p.m. Registration required: events. sonomalibrary.org/events.

Carpool Cinemas. Curated by the

Santa Rosa Cinemas. Luther Burbank Center has been transformed into

a drive-in movie theater. Social distancing rules are in place. $30 per car. Movies start at sundown. Aug. 5: Guardians of the Galaxy. Aug. 8: Lego Batman Movie. Aug. 12: The Big Lebowski. Aug. 15: Toy Story. Aug. 19: Coco. Aug. 22: The Blues Brothers.

Aug. 26: Mamma Mia. Aug. 29: The Goonies. Luther Burbank Center. 50 Mark West Springs Rd., Santa Rosa.

Tickets: lutherburbankcenter.org/ carpool-cinemas.

FREE Redwood Forest Wonders.

Fun science spiels. Presented by Sonoma County Regional Parks.

Facebook Live. Wednesdays. 10 a.m.

Aug. 5: Redwood Forest Wonders.

Aug. 12: Crabby Crabs. Aug. 19: Mighty Mammals. Aug. 26: Pretty (& Not So Pretty) Pollinators. tinyurl. com/y234h3lu. facebook.com/ sonomacountyregionalparks.

FREE Children’s Museum of Sonoma County Virtual Wacky Wednesdays. Liquid nitrogen demos, marble roller coaster building, clay play. Sharing live & filmed videos.

Facebook Live. Wednesdays. 2:30–3:30 p.m. Must RSVP: facebook.com/ events/196640334992288.

August 2020 www.sonomafamilylife.com

Thursday 6 FREE Discover Nature Webinar: Emerging from the Ashes.

How fire-shaped communities are responding to the Tubbs & Kincade fires. Ages 13 & up (youth younger than 13 welcome with adult supervision). Via Zoom. 10–11:30 a.m.

Sponsored by Pepperwood Preserve.

Registration required: tinyurl.com/ y2hcxbzk.

FREE Breastfeeding MeetUp.

Weekly online group, facilitated by a lactation consultant. Hosted by the Luma Center. Thursdays. 12:30–1:30 p.m. Register: thelumacenter.com/ pregnancy.

Friday 7 FREE Positive Parenting in the Midst of a Pandemic. Webinar

with child & adolescent psychiatrist Sara Heron, M.D. Learn the signs of childhood mental health issues. 11 a.m.

Register: tinyurl.com/y5jp4dht.

FREE It’s Showtime: At Home Edition. Live-streamed talent show

featuring kids ages 12–18. Hosted by the LIME Foundation. 6:30–8 p.m. To watch, visit: ow.ly/7nYm50ALxn4.

FREE Children’s Museum of Sonoma County Virtual Toddler Playdate. Toddler dance party, sensory explorations & art activities.

Facebook Live: Fridays, 10–11 a.m. Must RSVP: facebook.com/ events/1349181461940743/.

Sunday 9 Prenatal & Postnatal Yoga. Online classes presented by the Luma Center. $15/session. Sundays. 9–10:15 a.m. Register: thelumacenter.com/ pregnancy.

www.sonomafamilylife.com

FREE Crusin’ Bear Republic. See

dozens of classic American cars & hot rods. Burgers, fries & ale. Facemasks & signed waiver (see website) required.

Noon–3 p.m. Beer Republic Brewing Company. 5000 Roberts Lake Rd., Rohnert Park. cruisinnorth.com.

Monday 10 How to Draw Snoopy. In this online

class, artist Mary Shyne will teach kids how to draw Snoopy. For ages 8 & older. $10–$15. Presented by the Charles M. Schulz Museum. Via Zoom. 1–2 p.m. Register at tinyurl. com/yy4nr82f or call 284-1272.

Tuesday 11 Under the Sea. Use a variety of media to draw, paint & color underwater environments & animals.

Three-day online session for ages 8 & up. $60–$75. Presented by the Charles M. Schulz Museum. Via Zoom. Aug. 11–13. 10 a.m.–noon. Register at tinyurl. com/y4p9a7k5 or call 284-1272.

Wednesday 12 FREE Guitar Workshop. Learn or

relearn guitar, strengthen playing skills & learn new techniques. For students in grades 7–12 & adults. Via Zoom.

Aug. 12 & 26. 4–5 p.m. Registration required: events.sonomalibrary.org/ events.

Friday 14 FREE I Hope You Dance.

Transcendence Theatre Company.

Featuring dance numbers from some of Broadway’s greatest musicals.

Aug. 14–16 & 21–23. Fridays: 7:30 p.m. Saturdays & Sundays: 7:30 p.m. & 2 p.m. Register & receive an email link 24 hours before the event. transcendencetheatre.org.

August 2020

Saturday 15 FREE Family Bike Skills. Virtual

series teaches parents tips, tricks & tools for bicycling safely with kids. Level 1: Aug. 15, 10:30–11:30 a.m. Level 2: Aug. 26, 4–5 p.m.

Registration required: bikesonoma.org/ family-bike-workshops.

Night Sky Trails. Docents will guide small groups in outdoor laser tours of constellations. 2 sessions: 9:30–10:30 p.m. & 10:30–11:30 p.m. Event: $5; ages 18 & younger, free. Parking: $10.

Masks required. Sugarloaf Ridge State Park. Robert Ferguson Observatory.

2605 Adobe Canyon Rd., Kenwood. brownpapertickets.com/event/4682305.

Tuesday 18 Monthly Dads Group. Online support group. $10/session. Hosted by the Luma Center. 8–9:30 p.m. Register: thelumacenter.com/pregnancy.

Wednesday 19 FREE Minds Behind the MIND Webinar. Psychologists will review the symptoms of anxiety in children with autism & offer practical back-to-school strategies. Presented by UC Davis MIND Institute. 5:30 p.m.

Registration required: tinyurl.com/ y2xccb47.

Wednesday 26 FREE Positive Parenting All Ages.

Intro to the Triple P Positive Parenting Program. This online group class provides a toolbox of ideas to support families who are sheltering-in-place.

10–11:30 a.m. Registration required: tinyurl.com/yygmu3au or see calparents.org.

SonomaFamilyLife 29

Humor Break The author’s daughters fishing during their RV vacation

It wasn’t R&R. The chance for that was lost when I, screaming kids in tow, had to help my husband back the RV up a hill into a camp spot situated between two huge trees. (I’ve officially unfriended RVs.) It wasn’t to sleep well. That became clear at midnight when we were playing a losing game of musical beds during which I was trying to co-sleep with a 16-month-old who had never co-slept before.

Goodbye Comfort Zone Lessons Learned in an RV with Kids

By Jessica Guerrieri

I

n an attempt to travel safely during the pandemic, we rented an RV. I picked a campsite an hour away, where my husband and I could take our daughters—a school-aged child, a preschooler, and a toddler—to experience the great outdoors.

The kids loved the RV right away.

Seventy percent of childhood pleasures seems to consist of elevated or confined spaces. So it’s no surprise that the older girls adored the rig’s bunk beds, and the storage containers, which they used as secret hideouts.

There was even an indication that toddler Josephine’s older sisters were including her in their girl gang: “This is Josephine’s first vacation in our family,” my four-year-old said to me before we left. Wow, you finally accept your little sister, I thought, letting her words trickle through me like a hug.

30 SonomaFamilyLife

But warm, fuzzy mom-feelings aside, my “fun” barometer definitely had to be auto-tuned. It’s just a fact that everything about traveling with young children requires lowering expectations. Moms always spend more time prepping and unpacking than enjoying themselves. The sheer volume of stuff required for a family trip of any kind is ridiculous. If you’re like me, the laundry machine runs for 48 hours nonstop before and after any venture. And then there are the inevitable obstacles—in our case, four items we forgot to pack, three major inconveniences, two meltdowns per child, and one unexpected detour.

When it became clear that I was going to be lucky to get five hours of sleep, it was only natural that I asked myself what I was trying to get out of this “vacation.”

It wasn’t to increase my squat and hover strength or brush up on entomology. Though those skills were surely challenged when we tried to hook up the RV to a water line and were treated to liquid running all over the floor. Off to the open-air bathrooms we went, and there, mid-hover, I happened upon a bug that was the size of my foot (please keep in mind I wear a size 12).

Then around 16 hours in, it hit me.

I was sitting on the beach letting Josephine cover my legs with rocks (the closest thing I’ve had to a pedicure in 120 days) and watching my husband and two older girls gleefully splash in the reservoir when I became aware that it all felt exactly right.

The effort, coordination, worry, money, and sleeplessness had absolutely nothing on that feeling. It’s those kinds of moments—the ones that become memories that we can call up in the darkness—that we are here for.

Experiencing them is just a matter of traveling out of our comfort zones and letting the meaningful minutes speak louder than the challenging ones.

Find Jessica Guerrieri at witandspitup. com and on Instagram @witandspitup.

August 2020 www.sonomafamilylife.com

James Innes

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hen the pandemic forced the shutdown of Dalmarnock Primary School in Scotland, its French teacher, James Innes, fought back and started a YouTube channel, French with Mr. Innes. The aim was to offer videos that, with humor and engaging graphics, made learning French easy and entertaining for kids. Apparently, Innes’ approach works: He earned 1,100 subscribers in just 11 weeks and now has more than 1,300. Check him out on youtube.com/frenchwithmrinnes.

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re COVID-19, pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding were challenging experiences. Add in a pandemic, and you’ve got a whole new level of new-momma stress. (We know, you didn’t think that was possible. Yet, here we are.) The local nonprofit Better Beginnings has stepped in with My Navigator, a warm line that provides information and resources to new moms and moms-to-be. The program even offers free Baby Weigh Stations, where parents can bring infants for a quick weigh-in and moms can get breastfeeding advice from trained volunteers. Baby Weigh Stations are held at Bridges Pregnancy Clinic and Care Center in Santa Rosa on Mondays, 9:30–11 a.m. Appointments are necessary; call 575-9000. The My Navigator warm line is 902-3031. For more information, see betterbeginningsforbabies.org. ¶

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SonomaFamilyLife 31

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