Sonoma Family Life July 2016

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July 2016

Teens♥ Farms Local FFA thrives

Reach for It! Set & meet

Fireworks Top celebrations

Summer Fun 61 exciting ideas

goals

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July 2016

Every Issue

10 Features 10 Back to the Land Future Farmers of America inspires teens to grow.

14 Hands-On Hiking Creative ways to get kids excited about hitting the trail.

16 Brothers’ Keepers Nip sibling rivalry in the bud.

18 Double-Dog Dare You

6

Dear Reader

8

Bits and Pieces It’s an Eighties Thing Trees with Taste Wave Your Magic Wand Future Foodies Float Your Boat Blast from the Past

29

24 Cooking with Kids Mediterranean Munchies

26 Crafting with Kids Summer Drive-In Party

28 Calendar of Events Pull Out the Red Carpet

29 Family Fun Sparks Will Fly

42 Humor Break

Help children set achievable goals.

20 Go Team!

Teach your champs sportsmanship.

22 Kids Cash In Business ideas for little entrepreneurs.

8 4 SonomaFamilyLife

26 July 2016 www.sonomafamilylife.com

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Dear Reader

O

n the Fourth of July, everyone looks forward to the sky filling up with an explosion of Sharon Gowan color. Turn to Publisher/Editor Sharon@family-life.us “Sparks Will Fly” (page 29) to find out the best places in your area to see fireworks. And the fun doesn’t have to stop there. Flip through our Calendar of Events (page 28) for tons of family-friendly entertainment.

Summer is the perfect time to take the family to a local park for a walk through the woods. In “Hands-On Hiking” (page 14), you’ll find all sorts of inventive ideas for making

the outdoors appealing to little backpackers. Or maybe your kids are more interested in pulling in some extra change than hitting the trail.

“Kids Cash In” (page 22) offers totally doable ideas for reeling in dough.

Some area teens are making money raising and tending livestock. See “Back to the Land” (page 10) and find out how Future Farmers of America is motivating students to get involved in agriculture.

We hope your July is full of days frolicking in the sun, picnicking on the beach, and maybe even setting up a lemonade stand or two!

Office Manager Patricia Ramos patty@family-life.us

Business Marketing Renee Nutcher renee@family-life.us Marie Anderson marie@family-life.us

Features Editor Melissa Chianta melissa@family-life.us

Production Manager Donna Bogener production@family-life.us

Web and Social Media Jean Flint jean@family-life.us

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July 2016

6/9/16 10:29 AM7 SonomaFamilyLife

Bits & Pieces

It’s an Eighties Thing

G

et ready to move with the high-energy, slick seventies and eighties dance band Wonder Bread 5. The San Francisco rockin’ quintet will be putting on a flashy free show on July 28, 5:30–8 p.m., at the Village Court at Montgomery Village in Santa Rosa. For a donation of $50 to the evening’s designated nonprofit, you can reserve a VIP table for six. See wonderbread5.com to get a feel for the band, and mvshops.com for more information about the event. To make reservations for a VIP table, e-mail angelina@mvshops.com. ¶

Wonder Bread 5

Art in the Park at Armstrong Woods Nature Reserve in Guerneville.

Trees with Taste

W

hat better venue to display the work of local artists than a grove of nature’s masterpieces, the redwoods? At Art in the Park, stroll through Armstrong Woods State Nature Reserve in Guerneville and peruse paintings, pottery, photography, sculpture, and jewelry.

Enjoy acoustic music, and wine and beer tastings, too. The event will be held on July 23, noon–5 p.m.

Admission is free, except for the tasting, which is $15. Free parking is available at the entrance of the park; parking within the reserve is $8. A free shuttle service will be provided. For more information, see stewardscr.org. ¶ 8 SonomaFamilyLife

Wave Your Magic Wand

C

lose your eyes, say the magic word, and—snap!—your kids stop bickering just like that.

While magician Brian Scott may not be able to do that kind of trick, his combination of slight of hand, misdirection, and comedy will most likely make your kids—and you—smile with delight. Come see the free Brian Scott Magic Show at 11 a.m. on July 9 at the Rohnert Park–Cotati Regional Library in Rohnert Park. Check out sonomalibrary.org or brianscott productions.com for more information. ¶ July 2016 www.sonomafamilylife.com

Future Foodies

H

ollie Fortkamp is a local globetrotting pastry chef whose forte is bringing the art of western baking to underdeveloped countries.

She’s flipped giant pancakes in Burma and whipped meringues in Thailand. Now she’s coming to Santa Rosa to teach teens how to make a mean spring roll and a kicky pineapple sorbet. The class will be held on July 9 at 2 p.m. at the Roseland Community Library and is open to 15 teens in grades 7–12. Registration is required. Sign up at the library’s reference desk. See sonomalibrary. org for more details about the class and shatterthelookingglass.com/ adventures-of-a-global-pastry-chef to find out more about Fortkamp’s adventures. ¶

Float Your Boat

D

ream up a fanciful costume, put feet to bike pedals, and get your arty self to the Rivertown Revival, a festival that celebrates eco-friendly creativity and play. A bicycle valet will happily handle your two-wheeled vehicles while you enjoy live interactive music, Americana bands, unique local art, and the inventive entries in the Grand Art Boat Regatta. (You can enter your family’s own buoyant creation, too.) Kids can tackle group art projects, mess around with water, or get up close to friendly animals. There will even be a Parents’ Tent for nursing, diaper changing, and general regrouping. The festival will be held on July 16 at the David Yearsley River Heritage Center in Petaluma.

Check out rivertownrevival.com for more information ¶.

Le Cancan Bijou

Blast from the Past

I

n the 19th century, San Francisco’s Barbary Coast was notorious for its population of ne’er-do-wells.

Experience a bit of what life was like then—from the safe distance of 150 years—at the Living History Extravaganza at the Buena Vista Winery in Sonoma. On July 9, 11 a.m.–3 p.m., the winery will recreate the environs of its 1866 Barbary Coast office. Dress up in a period costume and chat with Mark Twain (played by living historian actor Jeffrey Weissman), listen to the decked-out Sea Dogs sing traditional sailor songs, or watch the Le Cancan Bijou dance troupe flip their flouncy skirts. You can even visit with a Count, but mind the street urchins and thugs wandering about. There will also be newly released wines to taste and nibbles to nosh on. Tickets are $35 and may be purchased via buenavistawinery.com. ¶

www.sonomafamilylife.com

July 2016

SonomaFamilyLife 9

Sonoma Valley High School FFA members don the organization’s trademark blue jacket.

Back to the Land

By Melissa Chianta

S

ixteen-year-old Paul Shafer was an introverted eighth grader when he first

found out about Future Farmers of America (FFA). Some FFA students came to his science class to talk about what it was

like to study agriculture, and it piqued his interest.

Over the next couple of years, he found himself raising and selling lambs and chickens, and even speaking about agriculture in front of groups of people. Now an incoming senior, Shafer has shed his shyness and is the president of Sonoma Valley High School’s chapter of FFA. “FFA really forced me out of my shell. I never really thought it would have such a great impact…on my life.

It is such a big and important part of myself,” he reflects.

A state-funded national program formed in the 1920s, FFA has a three-pronged approach to agricultural—or “ag”—education: classroom lessons, supervised agricultural experiences (SAE), and leadership activities, including public speaking and skills competitions.

At Sonoma Valley High School (SVHS) in Sonoma and Petaluma High School (PHS) in Petaluma, students can take classes in a variety

10 SonomaFamilyLife

Local FFA Kids Are Passionate about Agriculture of areas—from agricultural sciences and floral design to welding and electrical work—and still earn a high school diploma.

Felicia Rush, SVHS agricultural educator and FFA advisor, says that agricultural science classes cover

Agricultural science classes cover different territory than traditional biology and chemistry classes, but they are just as rigorous. different territory than traditional biology and chemistry classes, but are just as rigorous.

“We don’t talk about human bodies; we talk about livestock bodies.

We talk about plant anatomy; we talk about photosynthesis. [Our approach] is a little different…but [students] still get the same course

July 2016 www.sonomafamilylife.com

credit for college admission,” Rush explains.

Most agricultural educators’ approach to classroom education is decidedly hands-on. For instance, in agricultural biology, students may dissect a goat or watch cows being immunized.

Meanwhile, in agricultural mechanics, students may wire a mock electrical board or put fire to metal as they learn various kinds of welding techniques.

Besides taking classes, one of the most important ways FFA students learn is through their SAE projects. “[They] can be anything from redoing the landscaping of [the] family’s house [to] raising a steer to go to the Sonoma County Fair. We have had students volunteer at Pets Lifeline [an animal

“To watch a student grow and want something so badly, and then finally get it, is a big deal.”—Kim Arntz shelter] in Sonoma. We have kids that work at the feed store in town. They can do anything they want to as long as it relates to agriculture,” Rush says.

At SVHS, kids can work on metal projects in the campus shop, raise livestock on the school’s farm, cultivate flowers and vegetables in the campus greenhouse, or, starting next year, tend grapevines in the school’s vineyard.

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Shafer is particularly excited about the latter, which is part of the new viticulture program at SVHS. “I’ve been really looking forward to it. This is going to be a real good class for [helping] us to understand www.sonomafamilylife.com

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SonomaFamilyLife 11

FFA student Paul Shafer loves raising lambs.

what our entire economy is built on here in Sonoma. It’s nice because we are surrounded by all these wineries and the vineyard life, and now we actually [are going to] get a hands-on experience. It’s going to be very interesting,” Shafer says.

The residential environment of PHS doesn’t allow for an on-campus farm, but students’ families and community members often provide places to keep animals, as well as other resources.

“We have a student whose uncle put in a vineyard out behind his house, so this student built a net device…to put over the grapes to prevent the birds from eating [them],” Arntz says.

A unique feature of PHS is its Petaluma Wildlife and Natural Science Museum, part of the school’s natural resources management program.

“We have a really large collection of taxidermy animals from all over the world—you name it, we probably have it. There is a room that is dedicated fully to Africa…[and one] dedicated to North America.

We [also] have a decent-sized living collection of reptiles and amphibians,” Arntz explains.

Since community service can be part of an SAE project, students volunteer at the museum over the summer and on the weekends, and eventually work there as docents.

Whatever they choose to pursue, FFA encourages students to make money from their projects. Kids are invited to get creative with their ventures, too. For instance, if they don’t have a place to raise livestock, but like small animals, they could start dog-walking 12 SonomaFamilyLife

“It takes a lot,” he says.

“I never really thought [FFA] would have such a great impact…on my life. It is such a big and important part of myself.”—Paul Shafer businesses. Or if they like cosmetics, they could make and sell lip balm from the lavender and mint that they’ve grown, Rush says.

Kids are responsible for funding their own projects, which, if they involve livestock, can require a substantial investment. To help cover their expenses, some students take out no-interest loans from American AgCredit, which has branches in Petaluma and Santa Rosa. Kids usually make enough to pay back the loans when they show and sell their animals at the Sonoma County Fair, Arntz says. One local teacher’s son sold his 1,300-pound steer for $6 a pound—a whopping $7,800.

That kind of dough may sound like a lot for a kid, but students work many months for the money they earn, FFA advisors say. Shafer, for example, tended to his lamb every day, morning and night, throughout his entire summer.

As students acquire knowledge and skills from their projects and classes, they test what they have learned at competitive field days. Held at state and community colleges, these contests evaluate student skills in a variety of areas—from floriculture and farm business management to veterinary science and grapevine cultivation. The contests are as rigorous as the rest of the students’ education. For examples, the ag mechanics team has to know the names and uses of more than 500 tools and materials while the floral design team has to know about 160 plants and 70 materials and tools.

As part of the public speaking component of the contests, students are asked to complete a range of tasks, from giving impromptu two- to three-minute speeches on, say, the pros and cons of organic versus nonorganic farming, to preparing and giving one-hour speeches they’ve written and submitted for grading.

For Shafer, the field days, and public speaking contests in particular, have been an empowering experience.

“Expressing myself and meeting all these new people and going to all of these conferences…is what I needed to really grow and become the person I am today,” he shares.

Shafer isn’t the only student who has found his voice thanks to FFA. Arntz chokes up talking about the complete transformation of one of her special needs students.

“He had a really hard time expressing himself when speaking and would often look at the floor,” she recounts.

But after his time in FFA, “public

July 2016 www.sonomafamilylife.com

SONOMA COUNTY’S

speaking became a thing that he was good at, and [taught] to other kids,” Arntz says.

The student eventually decided he wanted to pursue the prestigious American FFA Degree.

“In an organization of more than 600,000 kids nationwide, less than 1 percent of the membership receives [the degree],” Arntz explains.

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Students who obtain the degree must complete 50 community service hours over 3 years and either invest $7,500 into, or earn $10,000 from, their FFA projects, Arntz says. “[L]ast October, I watched him walk across the stage and get his American Degree in front of an auditorium of 50,000 kids, parents, and other adults. It was one of the best days ever. To watch a student grow and want something so badly, and then finally get it, is a big deal,” Arntz says.

Rush says her students make major shifts, too. “We’ve got a lot of kids [who] I would say…didn’t really have a direction. They didn’t know what they wanted to do, but they found their passion in ag,” she says.

Shafer can relate: “I would be lost [without the FFA]. I wouldn’t have any drive to accomplish anything,” he shares. “FFA has given me the sense to actually go out and accomplish something I didn’t think I could.”

So it seems while FFA students are busy learning how to dissect goats and turn a profit raising steer, they are also discovering something of even greater value: how to be more fully themselves. ¶ www.sonomafamilylife.com

July 2016

SonomaFamilyLife 13

Hands-On Hiking

9 Ways to Get Friendly with Nature

By Kimberly Blaker

W

hat better way to spend quality time with your family and get in touch with nature than a fresh, invigorating walk in the woods, along a river, or the beach? Family hikes make for fun learning opportunities for kids and parents alike. So try some of these hiking activities with your youngsters.

14 SonomaFamilyLife

Rock Hounds.

Go on an excursion to learn about rocks and minerals. Shorelines offer a variety of stones. Before you go, learn which rocks and minerals are abundant in the area, and have each family member choose several to scout for. (For a list and photos of minerals in our area, see mindat.org and search on “Sonoma County.”) Take along a small plastic container with dividers, a descriptive rock and mineral guide, and a magnifying glass for viewing the colors, layers, and details. As you identify stones and minerals, discuss their uses and other neat facts.

Sounds of Nature. Visit your library for a video or CD of bird and wild animal calls. Carry an audio

cassette player or your smartphone on your hike, and record some of the sounds you hear. Listen to the recording again at home and try to determine the source of the sounds.

Search the Internet, encyclopedias, and books to discover the makers of the mystery calls. A great, kid-friendly resource book on birdcalls is Donald Kroodsma’s The Backyard Birdsong Guide: Western North America (Cornell Lab Publishing Group, 2016), which includes Cornell Lab of Ornithology recordings of birdsongs built right in. You can also tap into the lab’s vast directory of calls, as well as videos of birds, on its website, allaboutbirds. org/guide/search.

Photo Adventure.

Hiking trails provide plenty of photo opportunities, and kids will love snapping the shots with either a smartphone or a digital camera.

Discuss in advance what each family member wants to catch on film— a huge oak tree? monarch butterfly? deer tracks? a close-up of a nibbling squirrel? At home, put the photos in a nature scrapbook.

Tree Tales. These giants of nature are not only intriguing because of their sometimes-massive size but also because of the variety and history behind them. Borrow some library books that describe the unique features and history of trees.

Use clues such as the shape of the tree’s leaves, the texture of its bark,

July 2016 www.sonomafamilylife.com

and even its size to determine the kind of tree. (We all know redwoods are enormous!)

North or South? Use roaming the countryside as an opportunity to teach children how to read a map and use a compass or the sun to determine

Hiking trails provide plenty of photo opportunities, and kids will love snapping the shots. direction. Choose a trail system that provides maps, or make up your own.

If your chosen path branches off several times, there will be plenty of skill-building opportunities. For even more fun, turn the excursion into a treasure hunt. Hide a small prize just off the trail under a bush or pile of leaves (watch for poison oak!), mark the location on your map, and let the journey begin.

Animal Friends. Take a quiet hike in a wooded area with grassy clearings, and see how many animals you meet.

If there’s a nearby lake or stream, watch for snakes, turtles, and geese.

Also, look for chipmunks and squirrels playing chase or gathering food; birds of prey circling overhead; or grazing rabbits and deer. Discuss the animal’s unique features and how those qualities help or hinder the animal.

Talk about what the animals eat, their shelters, and species they are related to. Also, keep eyes peeled for animal tracks to identify and determine how recently they were made.

Creepy Crawlies. Scouting for insects is an all-time favorite among www.sonomafamilylife.com

kids, and the variety of tiny creatures in the woods is remarkable. Carry an insect book, clear container, tweezers, and a magnifying glass for close examination of insects’ fascinating features. Bring a journal and track the types of insects you find. Read about insects’ defense behaviors and characteristics such as colors that indicate danger to predators.

Green Things. Discover with your kids the amazing diversity of plant life. On each hiking trip, choose a different trail or area and see what plants grow in certain types of soil, climates, and in different seasons. As you inspect plants, look for their seeds and discover the variations. Talk about how seeds travel by blowing in the wind or catching on the fur of animals.

Carefully brush away ground covering and look for seeds that have sprouted their roots and will soon develop into a new plant or tree. Learn how certain plants have evolved natural defenses to protect against creatures that would otherwise devour them.

Be Prepared. Plan your activities before you leave so you’ll arrive prepared. For your comfort and convenience, carry a small daypack, extra clothing for cool air, and wear hiking boots. For your protection, bring along hats, sunglasses, sun block, and insect repellant. Be prepared for emergencies by carrying a small flashlight and batteries, watch, map, bandages, and don’t forget plenty of water and snacks. Finally, make the most of your nature quest by carrying binoculars, a magnifying glass, and small camera or your smartphone. ¶ Kimberly Blaker’s articles have appeared in newspapers, and parenting and women’s magazines.

July 2016

Trekkin’ with Tykes When hiking with children, keep these suggestions in mind.

• Allow small legs plenty of time for breaks. Know your child’s limitations.

• Be familiar with potential dangers in the area, and teach your children trail and animal safety.

• Before you set out, prepare your children by informing them that there may be rules against bringing their nature finds home.

Check out the following for great, local family hikes:

Guerneville Armstrong Woods stewardscr.org/cms/pages/ armstrong_redwoods.html Jenner Kortum Trail parks.ca.gov/pages/451/files/ sonomacoastsb.pdf Santa Rosa Laguna de Santa Rosa Trail (right outside Sebastopol) parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/ get_outdoors/parks/laguna_de_ santa_rosa_trail.aspx Spring Lake Regional Park parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/ get_outdoors/parks/spring_lake_ regional_park.aspx Taylor Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve parks.sonomacounty. ca.gov/get_outdoors/parks/ taylor_mountain_regional_park_ and_open_space_preserve.aspx Sebastopol Ragle Ranch Regional Park parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/ get_outdoors/parks/ragle_ranch_ regional_park.aspx SonomaFamilyLife 15

Brothers’ Keepers

three children, twin sons, ages 18, and a daughter, age 15.

If your son expresses sadness or frustration over a loss, acknowledge the disappointment.

“We all feel disappointment.

Validate how he feels without trying to convince him that the way he feels is wrong,” Sosland says.

Helping Your Sons Get Along

By Christa Melnyk Hines

D

o your boys prefer to duke

Inspire cooperation.

“Parenting boys is a lot of fun,” says Jenny Brandt, an early education childhood professional and a mom of two preschool-aged boys. “Whether they are wrestling in the living room or helping me cook dinner, they bring a different perspective to my life, which I greatly appreciate.”

it out rather than talk it out? Raising brothers to work out conflict

respectfully despite wildly different

personalities or fierce competitive streaks can prove challenging. But set a positive example, and you’ll find that nurturing brotherly love isn’t impossible!

Encourage healthy competition. The good news is sibling rivalry is normal. To keep competition good-natured, avoid labeling and comparing one child to the other. Encourage your sons to compete against themselves instead of each other.

“Teach them that it’s not about whether you are better than anyone else. It’s whether you are doing better than you were at the beginning of the year or at the beginning of the season,” says child psychologist Jane Sosland, PhD, who is also a mom to 16 SonomaFamilyLife

Brandt says she and her husband started teaching

Boys on the Brain Want more words of wisdom on raising sons? Read on.

Steve Biddulph, Raising Boys (Ten Speed Press, 2014).

Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish, Siblings Without Rivalry (W.W. Norton, 2012).

Michael Gurian, The Wonder of Boys (TarcherPerigee, 2006).

Alan E. Kazdin, The Kazdin Method for Parenting the Defiant Child (Mariner Books, 2009). This book covers creating token systems.

Michael Thompson, It’s a Boy! (Ballantine Books, 2009).

July 2016 www.sonomafamilylife.com

their sons to cooperate by defining how to play nicely.

“We encourage them to use their words, offer another toy to use, and take turns,” she says.

Build empathy. Brandt fosters empathy between her boys by teaching them to acknowledge each other’s feelings. She might say to her older

While it is important to give your children space to solve conflicts, intervene if one child is hurting the other, physically or emotionally. son, Rhett, that Hank looks sad and involve him in finding ways to make his brother feel better.

“Rhett, now on his own, notices that Hank is sad and he’ll say: ‘Hank do you want me to sing your favorite song?’” she says.

Reinforce the positive. Describe what respectful behavior looks like.

For example, if one child answers a question from his brother with a grunt, explain that to show respect he must answer the question.

“You can say: ‘I don’t want to talk about it right now.’ Just as long as the response is something civil,” Sosland says.

Identify times when your children are most likely to squabble, such as when they are tired and hungry.

When the car ride home from school became a sibling battleground, Sosland started a program where her kids earned a poker chip for mutual respect and cooperation. www.sonomafamilylife.com

In order to attain the reward of a special outing, her kids had to work as a team to compile an equal number of chips.

Stop bullying behavior. While it is important to give your children space to solve conflicts, intervene if one child is hurting the other, physically or emotionally. Separate your kids and tell the offender that he can rejoin the family when he agrees to treat his brother kindly.

Role model. Many of us share the funny or frustrating things our kids do with friends and extended family members. But Brandt says this behavior may inadvertently teach our kids that it’s acceptable to portray family members in a negative light in front of others.

Make a family rule that you won’t embarrass or say negative things about each other in front of people outside of the family. Instead, make it a habit to point out the positive things each person does.

You and your partner can also model a respectful relationship to your children through your treatment of each other. Celebrate each other’s wins and empathize with each other’s frustrations and losses.

Over time, your sons will learn that their brotherhood is unlike any other bond. By honoring and respecting each other’s differences, their friendship will last a lifetime. ¶ Freelance writer Christa Melnyk Hines and her husband are the parents of two close-knit brothers, 9 and 11, who are keen on aggravating each other (and their parents). She is the author of Happy, Healthy & Hyperconnected: Raise a Thoughtful Communicator in a Digital World.

July 2016

Change your own

motor oil?

Then do the right thing !

Recycle BOTH the oil & filter!

Get Complete Oil Recycling Info & Free-Drop-Off Location Listings at RecycleNOW.org Or Call the EcoDesk at: (707 ) 565-3375

BIKES

BOATS

CARS

FARM

SonomaFamilyLife 17

Double-Dog Dare7 WaysYou to Teach Goal Setting to Kids

I

By Christina Katz

n this age of constant interruption, it’s easier than ever for kids to be distracted and disengaged. We need to help our children learn how and when to put their blinders on so they can focus on accomplishing goals of their own choosing. Achieving personal objectives helps kids channel their energy productively and inspires them to become more confident action-takers in the future.

Follow these suggestions, and you will notice your kids stepping up to set and meet new challenges.

1

Let them steer. Choose an age-appropriate, just out-of-reach goal. Be careful you don’t interject your own desires into this process.

If your kids are unsure about what goals to set, be patient and offer many choices until something appeals. The goals must be your children’s, not yours.

18 SonomaFamilyLife

2

Emphasize joy. Forget about solving problems and focus on fun instead. For example, if your children are overweight, overly focusing on weight loss may do more harm than good. Let sedentary children come up with goals on their own, like joining a team or training for a race for the fun of it, not just to get Mom and Dad off their backs.

Inspire them with stories of goals you’ve set and met.

3

Embrace strengths. Every person has good and bad points. There are no exceptions to this rule. If you only mirror your children’s negative qualities, perhaps

Don’t feel internal pressure to unstick stuck children. Let them do it. you have not spent enough time considering their best traits. Pick up a little book called Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath (Gallup Press, 2007). Then go through it and circle the words you think describe your children. (Keep in mind that any particular person has hundreds of positive attributes.) Mention these qualities often and watch your children’s confidence blossom.

4

Assist with challenges.

When kids run into obstacles, don’t solve their problems for them.

July 2016 www.sonomafamilylife.com

Instead, listen to their concerns and ask them questions. Brainstorm various approaches that might help.

Don’t feel internal pressure to unstick stuck children. Let them do it.

5

Praise progress. Comparing your children to others can rob them of personal power. Instead of encouraging your kids to be “the best,” encourage them to achieve their personal best. Celebrate the fruition of this expression no matter how it measures up to others’ achievements. In this way, a ribbon for Most Improved can be viewed as just as valuable as First Place or Most Valuable Player.

6

Respect weaknesses. Just as strengths can be discovered and flexed, weaknesses should be acknowledged and honored, too.

Sometimes flaws teach kids valuable things they need to learn. For example, a forward who can’t score might make a better midfielder. A dancer who can’t do acrobatic

If you only mirror your children’s negative qualities, perhaps you have not spent enough time considering their best traits. tricks might have a strong sense of showmanship. A student who’s scattered in the classroom might be a talented artist in the studio.

Teach your children to forgive their flaws and instead pursue their other, possibly undervalued, abilities.

7

Play the long game. As your children focus on setting and reaching personal goals, things may not always go quite the way anyone planned. Life has a way of introducing twists and turns. This means short-term victories don’t always pan out, even after much time and energy has been invested. When disappointments happen, and they will, help your children focus on the big picture. Achieving personal growth while making valuable contributions to the whole should always be the objective. Stay the course and things will usually work themselves out. ¶ Christina Katz is a journalist and writing coach who has learned that, no matter the age of the goal-setter, constructive engagement always follows genuine interest.

pitcher, a better way.

CHOOSE TAP WATER. Find out why at www.TakeItFromTheTap.org

www.sonomafamilylife.com

July 2016

ta froke it mt he

SonomaFamilyLife 19

Go

expectations by communicating schedule conflicts to coaches as early as you possibly can. Other parents may not bother, but you don’t want to be one of them.

Team!

3

Get in the spirit.

You have heard that attitude is everything, and nowhere is this saying more relevant than once your children become team members.

If you want your children to be positive contributors, have regular

10 Ways to Raise Good Sports

By Christina Katz

I

n the reality television age, when contestants are either considered superstars-in-the-making or deserving of international ridicule, parents may struggle to instill basic teamwork principles in their children. But teamwork—on the field as well as in the classroom—is just as important today as it has ever been. Learning to work together toward a shared goal boosts kids’ self-esteem and sense of personal pride. And it’s a great way to express creativity and build leadership skills, too.

Maybe the time and work involved in committing to a team makes you hesitant to take the leap. And I don’t blame you! Given the investment of resources, it’s probably a good idea to talk with your child about the pros and cons of joining before you sign up.

Once you decide to go for it, however, never fear. The experience will likely challenge and stretch everyone involved. Keep these teamwork tips fresh in your mind and your entire family will have a better experience.

20 SonomaFamilyLife

1

Commit wisely. Join teams pursuing goals your child is passionate about. It’s great to be good at more than one thing, but resist the urge to over-commit to too many teams at once. If you and your child try to please every coach at once, you won’t be able to please any coaches at all.

2

Communicate consistently. Conflicts, illnesses, and field trips are bound to happen. Try to manage

Talk with your child about the pros and cons of joining before you sign up. conversations with them about how fortunate they are to be part of such an awesome group.

4

Be an eager learner.

Coaches love engaged, enthusiastic players. Acquiring skills is an ongoing process. If your child does not have more to learn, then maybe it’s time to graduate from the team.

5

Contribute your best.

We need to ditch the idea that some people are natural-born players and others are not. Everyone can contribute something to any team, especially if they follow their innate instinct to be generous.

July 2016 www.sonomafamilylife.com

Discuss with your kids the difference between brownnosing and giving wholeheartedly.

6

Stay open to constructive criticism. Part of being on a team is responding to criticism.

Feedback will not likely be given perfectly every time. The coach and

Sometimes you have to say, “Good game,” when you don’t feel that way. team administrators are not perfect either, nor should you expect them to be. Members need to learn to take in helpful feedback and try to apply it to the best of their abilities.

7

Bounce back from disappointments. Sitting the bench, getting cast as the understudy, making JV instead of varsity—kids need help finding the value in experiences that don’t thrust them immediately into a spotlight. Help them find silver linings so they can maximize them as they keep growing.

8

Cultivate courtesy.

Sometimes you have to say, “Good game,” when you don’t feel that way. Coaches expect kids to park their pouting and behave with humility. Increase the odds your kids will be on their best behavior by being impeccable in your behavior, too. Cultivate a family reputation of being good sports.

9

Communicate calmly and clearly. Misunderstanding?

Miscommunication? Miffed for any reason? Wait 24 hours before you fire off that e-mail. Taking out your www.sonomafamilylife.com

anger or frustration on the coach or administrators hurts your child’s reputation. So compose yourself and ask for clarification of an issue before you demand heads on a platter.

10

Encourage new members. When you and your child became part of the team, you looked to others to learn the ropes. Once your rookie becomes a veteran, it’s your turn to welcome

new members and families. Stick out your hand, introduce yourself, and offer whatever assistance you can. There is only one rule: Keep your comments constructive. Your team member and fellow families will thank you for rising above gossip and slander. ¶ Author, journalist, and writing coach Christina Katz was co-captain of all of her teams in high school and college.

She is keenly aware that what we call teamwork is an inside job.

A Parent’s List of Don’ts

W

e model to our kids how to be good sports. To make sure they get the right message, don’t….

Be two-faced. Showing one face in public and then talking smack about the coach or teammates at home is confusing to kids. So don’t do it.

Hover. Your child is on the team; you are not. Sometimes the coach needs you around but most of the time she or he does not. Parents can play a supporting role and ask about the best way to help whenever they are unsure.

Stroke your child’s ego. Let your child strengthen his own ego through participating fully. You don’t need to make a child feel superior to others. In fact, over-praising will undermine a player’s natural desire to progress.

Grouse. Appreciating the coach, the administrators, and the teammates will lead to family optimism. Kvetching, complaining, and grumbling will only inspire cynicism. Choose wisely.

Imagine your child is the only one who matters. How many members of the extended team are there? How many coaches are there?

How many are there on the support staff? How many parent volunteers are there? Show appreciation and support for everyone involved. Nobody enjoys diva behavior.

Merely focus on winning. Teams win some and lose some. Your child will have to learn to deal with emotions related to both extremes. Don’t be surprised if you are balancing cockiness as much as discouragement because kids may not have the ability to handle emotional highs and lows without guidance.

Overstay your child’s enthusiasm. When the thrill of being on the team is gone, it’s time to move on. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is staying on a team when your child is no longer feeling the love. But never leave in a huff or quit when things don’t go your way. Instead, leave graciously when it’s natural to choose differently.

July 2016

SonomaFamilyLife 21

Real Moneymaking Ideas for Tweens & Teens

Kids Cash In

By Kimberly Blaker

A

n important aspect of helping kids develop into responsible adults is teaching them the rewards of earning their own money through hard work. The list of moneymaking ideas below, written with pre-teen and teen readers in mind, will not only put cash in your kids’ hands but also help them feel productive and good about themselves this summer.

Go green. What better way to soak up the sun, get fit, and make spare cash than mowing lawns? Create some fliers with your contact information and fees, making sure to mention that you live in the neighborhood. Base your fees on yard size, and keep them below the cost of professional services.

Deliver the fliers to the homes in your neighborhood, sticking them between doorknobs or tucking them under mats. Never place anything in mailboxes.

Care for kiddies. Are you old enough to stay home alone? If so, you may be ready to care for other children. Spread the word through family, friends, and neighbors. Once

22 SonomaFamilyLife

you’ve gained experience, post fliers on library, grocery, or Laundromat bulletin boards. Parents love sitters that keep their children busy so play games and do activities with the kids; avoid talking on the phone or watching TV. Clear out the cobwebs. Garage cleaning is a big chore, especially for the elderly. So offer your services to relatives and neighbors. When you get a job, be thorough; move everything into the driveway or yard before you begin. Grab a broom and remove cobwebs and sweep ledges and the garage floor. Then get permission to hose the garage concrete. When it’s

dry, neatly arrange everything back into the garage.

Wash windows. Offering your services for this dreaded task is bound to be a success. If you get the job, make sure your parents know the homeowner and approve of you going inside. Clean the interior of all windows, including doors, and

Parents love sitters that keep their children busy so play games and do activities with the kids. don’t forget to open the windows and clean the ledges and tracks. Offer to do exterior windows that you’re tall enough to reach without a ladder. Ask permission to hose them down to remove loose dirt. Then wash and dry them by hand. Trick: If you are using a spray cleaner like Windex, dry windows with old newspapers instead of towels for a streak-free finish.

July 2016 www.sonomafamilylife.com

Be a pet’s pal. Pet owners who don’t like to use a kennel are often in a dilemma at vacation time. Pass out fliers in your neighborhood, and offer to pet sit. Do the sitting in your home, garage, or fenced yard, if your parents agree. Otherwise, make regular visits to the pet’s home.

Wick weeds away. Are weeds taking over your neighbors’ flowerbeds? Then offer to get them back into shape. Before you get started, find out which green things are plants or flowers that have not yet bloomed. When in doubt, ask before you pull up something.

Hose the ground lightly to loosen roots, then pull weeds from rock beds, shrubbery, and cement cracks.

Wear gloves to protect your hands.

Dispose of weeds properly.

Trade in duds for dollars. Have you hit another growth spurt? Ask your parents if you can consign your clothing and split the profits. Look online for consignment shops in your area. Find out their policies, and then get your clothing ready. Wash and de-wrinkle, then hang or fold neatly. Don’t forget shoes, jackets, and pajamas, too.

Run errands for the elderly.

Are there handicapped, disabled, or elderly persons in your neighborhood?

If so, they’re apt to need some help.

Offer to run errands within walking or biking distance. Attach a basket to your bike or carry a backpack for easy transporting of goods.

Promenade with a furry friend.

If you’re looking for a new summer pal, why not make it man’s best friend?

Pass out fliers to offer your pet-walking services. www.sonomafamilylife.com

Wax on. Wax off. Round up your friends, and get ready for some cool, wet fun! Hold a car wash in your driveway or a parking lot, with permission from the property owner. Make a large, colorful “Car Wash” sign, and include your cost, which should be no more than your local car wash charges. Have your supplies handy: a bucket of soapy water, rags or sponges, a hose, and plenty of dry towels.

Spread the news. Hop on your bike or blades, and deliver an old-fashioned newspaper. Apply for a route. Placing newspapers either in a newspaper box or on the front porch will ensure they stay dry and may even increase your tips.

Old McDonald needs you. You don’t have to be raised on a farm to make a good farmhand, although it’s certainly a bonus. Visit area farms, and offer your help. Work may include laboring in fields or feeding and caring for livestock. Visit farmtrails.org to

learn how you can take a tour of area farms open to the public.

Patrol a pool. If sunbathing is your thing, then this is the job for you!

Find out the age and certification requirements for lifeguard duty, and then apply at your community pool, YMCA, or nearby beach. While keeping an eye on swimmers and soaking up the sun, keep your skin safe by using a good sunscreen.

Nurture nature. If you’re a nature lover, don’t forget about your local parks. Possible positions may include assisting with planned activities and events, maintaining park grounds, and tending ticket booths. Call area parks to find out what jobs they offer and how to apply. See nps.gov/ aboutus/jobsforstudents.htm for jobs available at local national parks and parks.ca.gov/?page_id=848 for jobs at local state parks.

Kimberly Blaker’s articles have appeared in more than 200 newspapers, parenting and women’s magazines, and other publications throughout the US.

Pave the Way to Success Follow these tips to keep the loot rolling in: • Get your parents’ permission before accepting a job, and make sure they know where you’ll be.

• Dress for the type of job; wear old clothes if they could be ruined.

• Discuss payment in advance to avoid disputes or hard feelings.

• Do your best. Not only will you earn respect and feel good about yourself, it will likely affect whether you are hired again and can use that person as a reference.

• If you make a mistake, don’t ignore it or try to cover it up.

Inform your employer, offer your apologies, and ask what can be done. Your honesty will likely make your employer overlook the error.

• Be on time. Call right away if you’ll be late or can’t make it.

July 2016

SonomaFamilyLife 23

Cooking with Kids

Mediterranean Munchies Easy Summer Snacks for Kids

Traditional Hummus

By Denise Hazime

A

ctive kids need quick, high-protein snacks.

Hummus is the perfect option.

The Mediterranean dish is tasty, easy to prepare, and full of nutrition. Its cousin, baba ganoush, made from eggplants, is a yummy way to sneak veggies into kids’ diets.

Serve both with pita bread, or carrot and celery sticks for extra from-the-garden goodness. Find these and other Mediterranean eats in my book, Idiot’s Guides: The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook (Alpha, 2014).

Traditional Hummus Ingredients • 1 (15-oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained • 3 cloves garlic, peeled • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice • ½ teaspoon salt • ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt • ½ cup tahini paste • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil • 3 fresh mint leaves Instructions In a food processor fitted with a chopping blade, blend chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, and salt for two minutes or until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the food processor bowl with a rubber spatula.

Add Greek yogurt, tahini paste, and extra-virgin olive oil, and blend for one minute or until creamy and well combined.

Add mint leaves, and pulse for 30 seconds or until you see little specks of green mint throughout.

Serve, or refrigerate for up to one week.

24 SonomaFamilyLife

Baba Ganoush Ingredients • 2 large eggplants • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil • 1 large white onion, chopped • 1 tablespoon minced garlic • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice • 1 teaspoon salt • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper • ½ medium red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, finely diced • ½ medium green bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, finely diced • 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped • ½ teaspoon cayenne • 3 medium radishes, finely diced • 3 whole green onions, finely chopped Instructions Preheat a grill top or grill to medium-low heat.

Place eggplants on the grill and roast on all sides for 40 minutes, turning every five minutes.

Immediately place them on a plate,

July 2016 www.sonomafamilylife.com

Baba Ganoush

cover with plastic wrap, and let cool for 15 minutes.

Remove eggplant stems, and peel off as much skin as possible. (It’s okay if it doesn’t all come off.)

In a food processor fitted with a chopping blade, pulse eggplant seven times. Transfer eggplant to a medium bowl.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, heat two tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Add white onion and sauté occasionally for ten minutes. Add onions to eggplant.

Add garlic, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and parsley to eggplant and stir well.

Spread baba ganoush on a serving plate and drizzle remaining two tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil over top. Sprinkle with cayenne, radishes, and green onions.

Serve cold or at room temperature. ¶ Denise Hazime is the founder of dedemed. com and the author of Idiot’s Guides: The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook.

www.sonomafamilylife.com

July 2016

SonomaFamilyLife 25

Crafting with Kids

Summer Drive-In Party

Make Your Own Cardboard Car

The author snug as a bug in her car.

By Jean Flint

P

icture an outdoor party on a warm summer evening.

All the kids are occupied with a project, chattering enthusiastically amidst a flurry of markers and colored paper. And then the magic hour approaches. At sunset, they “drive” their art projects to the driveway right in front of the garage, where a white sheet hangs taut.

Popcorn and other snacks are handed out while the projector whirs to life and a movie begins. You sit back, relax, and enjoy the evening with a cool glass of your favorite locally made beverage.

Everything you’ll need.

This is the beauty of the summer drive-in party. That art project the kids are working on so furiously? A cardboard car fit for pint-sized moviegoers. Here are step-by-step directions for making one.

Materials • 1 cardboard box big enough for your tyke to sit in and small enough to see out of • 6 large binder clips • 1 (8” x 5.5”) manila envelope • Scissors • Markers (red, black, blue) • 1 sheet white paper • 1 piece of red construction paper • Glue or tape • 2 red paper plates • 2 yellow paper plates • 3 sheets of blue construction paper • 1 set of fuzzy dice or similar • 1 white paper plate • 1 empty tissue box (a small vertical one works best) • Optional blanket

26 SonomaFamilyLife

3

5 July 2016 www.sonomafamilylife.com

Instructions 1. Use binder clips to hold down three of the box’s flaps. Place the clips in the middle of the flaps.

The fourth free flap will serve as the windshield, so it should be oriented toward what you want to be the front end of the car.

2. Make the license plate with frame by cutting a rectangle window out of the front of the manila envelope. Leave about an inch for a border. Make up a license plate number and write it with blue marker on the white construction paper, leaving room in the right-hand corner for a registration sticker. If you know cursive, write “California” above the numbers. Slip the paper into the envelope. The numbers of the license plate should appear through the opening you have cut out of the envelope. Next cut a small rectangle out of red construction paper. Write “2016” in black marker. This is the registration sticker. Glue or tape it to the upper right hand corner of the license plate. Once assembled, glue or tape onto the center of whichever side of the box will serve as the backend of the car.

piece of the paper to the inside of the propped-up front flap of the box. Then clip the second piece of paper to the outside of the front flap.

10. Optional: To make the car both mobile and comfy for the movie, take out the bottom cardboard flaps and park it on a folded up blanket.

7. Hang fuzzy dice from the clip used to affix the paper windshield.

Jean Flint is Sonoma Family Life’s web and social media manager.

8. Create a steering wheel by taping or gluing a white paper plate to the center of the inside front of the box. You can use a marker to decorate the wheel, as I have, but wait until the ink dries before affixing the wheel to the box.

9. To make side mirrors, cut the empty tissue box into two identical halves and the remaining piece of pale blue paper into two rectangles. Tape paper over the empty sides of the two halves of the box. Use tape to affix each light to the binder clips on either side of the front flap.

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Finished cardboard car

3. To make taillights, tape or glue two red paper plates on either side of the license plate.

4. Prop up the front of the box using clips on each side of the front flap.

5. To make headlights, tape or glue two yellow paper plates onto either side of the front of the box.

6. To make windshield and wipers, draw two black lines at the bottom on two pieces of pale blue construction paper. Clip one www.sonomafamilylife.com

July 2016

SonomaFamilyLife 27

July

Calendar of Events

Pull Out the Red Carpet

P

igs will be oink-ing their way to fame at the Sonoma County Fair.

With this year’s theme, “Lights, Camera, Fair!,” expect glammed up flowers and livestock with dreams of Tinseltown. The Hall of Flowers, the largest themed floral show in the west, will highlight iconic films made in Sonoma County. Children will, of course, flock to carnival rides and games, but there’s also a Kids’ Area where wee actors can put on impromptu theatrical performances in the “Let’s Put On a Show!” program. A slew of concerts, including Ozomatli and the Swedish ABBA tribute band Arrival, will be offered free with fair admission.

All events will be held July 22–August 7 at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa. Tickets are $12 for ages 13 and up, $6 for ages 7–12, and free for kids 6 and younger. See sonomacountyfair.com for a complete schedule of myriad fair events. ¶

Friday 1 Broadway Under the Stars: This Magic Moment. Thru July 3.

Picnicking: 5 p.m. Show: 7:30 p.m. $42. Jack London State Historic Park.

2400 London Ranch Rd., Glen Ellen. transcendencetheatre.org.

Crazy, Awesome Science! Fridays.

2–3 p.m. $10 (admission to museum).

Children’s Museum of Sonoma County. 1835 W. Steele Ln., Santa Rosa. cmosc.org.

FREE Cuentos y Cantos—Bilingual Story & Play Time. Exploraremos

cuentos, cantos y rimas en ingles y español. We will explore books, songs & rhymes in both English & Spanish. Ages 0–5. Fridays. 11 a.m.– noon. Sebastopol Regional Library.

7140 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol. sonomalibrary.org.

Funky Fridays Concert. Live

music & picnicking. July 1: Funky Dozen.

July 8: The Soulshine Blues Band.

July 15: RoseTown Soul & R&B Revue. July 22: The BluesBurners.

July 29: Gator Nation. 7–9 p.m. $10. Parking $10. Hood Mountain Regional Park. Hood House.

KaCees Car Wash Car Wash Discount

3 OFF

$

Spanish for Kids!

Reg. $10.00 • Expires 7/31/16

Supreme-Tech Car Wash Present this coupon for discount.

Coupons cannot be combined with other offers.

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28 SonomaFamilyLife

Catch the 4th of July Spirit by supporting your local independents.

golocal.coop

STUDENTS GAIN: • Academic Skills • Social Skills • Cognitive Development • Language Development • Creative Skills REGISTRATION OPENS JULY 4 FIRST DAY OF CLASS JULY 18

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July 2016 www.sonomafamilylife.com

Family Fun

Sparks Will Fly

Local Spots to Celebrate Independence Day

Uncle Sam wants you to enjoy fireworks at Analy High School in Sebastopol.

July 2

Bodega Bay. Fireworks display by Pyro Spectaculars over Bodega Bay. 9:30 p.m. Free. Handicap parking at Westside Park. visitbodegabayca.com.

July 3

Cloverdale. Bike decorating. City Plaza.

9 a.m.–noon.

Monte Rio. Fireworks Over the River at Monte Rio Beach. Big Rocky games for kids. Noon–4 p.m. Water Carnival Boat Parade and Water Curtain at dusk.

Fireworks follow. Free. (Big Rocky Games also on July 2, noon–4 p.m.). No dogs allowed. Free. monterio.org.

Sebastopol. Fireworks at Analy High School. Newly renovated stadium. No camping chairs, only beach chairs. Live music and dancing at 6 p.m. Fireworks at 9:40 p.m. $10. Ages 6–11. $5. Ages 5 and under free.

Windsor. Kaboom! Fireworks display in Keiser Park. Live music by local country singer McKenna Faith and 14-piece Michael Jackson tribute band Foreverland. Arts and crafts, bouncy houses, obstacle courses, and clowns. 4–10 p.m. $5.

Kids under 3 free. windsorkaboom.com.

July 4

Cloverdale. Fourth of July Bike Ride. Ride decorated bike in parade. 11–11:30 a.m. Parade starts at City Plaza.

Family Barbecue in City Park. Noon–3 p.m. Steak: $20.

Chicken: $14. Fireworks at Cloverdale High School. Dusk. cloverdalechamber.com.

Healdsburg. Fireworks at Healdsburg High School athletic field. Around 9 p.m. Free.

Kenwood. Fourth of July Celebration. Pancake breakfast and silent auction at Kenwood Community Church: 7–11:30 a.m. The following events will be at Kenwood Plaza Park: Kenwood Footrace 3K and 10K at 7:30 a.m. Registration: www.sonomafamilylife.com

$10–$45. Parade at 10:30 a.m. Rotary Club BBQ and family fun at 11:30 a.m. kenwoodparade.com.

Kenwood. Fourth of July Fireworks Hike at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park. Hike 6.5 miles up the tallest mountain in Sonoma Valley and view up to 18 fireworks displays in the Bay Area. 6:45–11 p.m. $50. Ages 12–17 $10. Not recommended for kids under 13. Space limited. Reservations required. sonomaecologycenter.org.

Petaluma. Fireworks by Pyro Spectacular at Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds. Live music, kids’ activities, and food and drink.

Gates open at 5 p.m. Fireworks at 9:30 p.m. $5. Free for ages 10 and under. Free parking. sonoma-marinfair.org.

Rohnert Park. Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular.

Vocalist Steve Tyrell and the Santa Rosa Symphony perform classics from the American Songbook. Sonoma State University’s Green Music Center. Indoor and lawn seating. Bring a picnic. (Beverages not permitted.)

Face-painting, carnival games, bouncy houses, music, and food at 4:30 p.m. Concert 7:30 p.m. Fireworks display follows the show. $25–$40. Half price for ages 2–12; under 2 free. gmc.sonoma.edu.

Santa Rosa. Red, White, and Boom. Sonoma County Fairgrounds. Local bands, bouncy houses, face painters.

Music starts at 4 p.m. Fireworks 9:30 p.m. Ages 12 and up $10. Ages 5–11 $5. Veterans $5. Under 5 free. Parking $10. srboom.com.

Sonoma. Sonoma Community Center’s Old-Fashioned Fourth of July Parade and Celebration. Sonoma Plaza. Parade 10 a.m. Carnival with games and food and drink. 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Free. sonomacommunitycenter.org. ¶ July 2016

SonomaFamilyLife 29

Saturday 2 1450 Pythian Rd., Santa Rosa. funkyfridays.info.

Marin County Fair. Thru July 4. 11 a.m.–11 p.m. $12–$20. Marin County Fairgrounds. 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. marinfair.org.

Bye Bye Birdie. Classic musical.

Before entering the Army, rock ’n roll star Conrad Birdie (think Elvis Presley) will kiss a girl on the Ed Sullivan Show. However, Conrad’s hip-shaking makes more than one man in town uncomfortable. Will the show go on? Fridays–Sundays. Thru July 10. 2 & 8 p.m. $10–$30. Raven Performing Arts Theater. 115 North St., Healdsburg. raventheater.org.

Family Overnight. Set

up camp in the zoo, meet with a zookeeper, take a guided nighttime zoo tour & more.

Ages 6 & up. July 2, 5:30 p.m.–July 3, 10 a.m. $80–$100. San Francisco Zoo. 1 Zoo Rd., San Francisco. sfzoo.org.

FREE Fireworks Over Bodega Bay. A spectacular firework display over the water. 9:30 p.m. Westside Regional Park. 2400 Westshore Rd., Bodega Bay. visitbodegabayca.com.

FREE Guerneville Independence Day Celebration. BBQ, live music, kids’

activities & block party. Fireworks over the river at dusk. Downtown Guerneville. russianriver.com.

FREE KidsWorks at Friedman’s.

Join Museum-on-the-Go on location in Santa Rosa. First Saturdays. 9 a.m.–noon. Friedman’s Home Improvement. 4055 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa. cmosc.org.

Sunday 3 FREE Floats & Fireworks in Monte Rio. Historic water parade starts at dusk, fireworks follow. 8:45 p.m.

Monte Rio Beach. 20488 CA-116, Monte Rio. monterio.org.

FREE Live at Juilliard. Live music & picnicking. July 3: The Lucky Losers (blues & R&B). July 10: Derek Irving & His Combo (rock).

July 17: Afrofunk Experience (world

STS For Less Stress, Fly

Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport Seattle (SEA)

March 21 - 24 9 am - 2 pm Doran Regional Park

Surf Camp

July 18 - 21 9 am - 2 pm Doran Regional Park

Junior Guards Camp August 1 - 5 9 am - 4 pm Spring Lake Regional Park

Surf Camp

Discovery Camp

Endless Summer Surf Camp

Surf Camp

Kayak River Camp

Discovery Camp

June 13 - 16 9 am - 2 pm Doran Regional Park June 20 - 23 9 am - 2 pm Doran Regional Park

Junior Guards Camp

June 27 - July 1 9 am - 4 pm Spring Lake Regional Park

July 18 - 22 9 am - 4 pm Spring Lake Regional Park July 25 - 28 9 am - 4 pm Del Rio Woods

TS

Spring Break Surf Camp

Portland (PDX) ©P N

Sonoma County Parks Summer Camps August 8 - 11 9 am - 2 pm Doran Regional Park

August 8 - 12 9 am - 4 pm Spring Lake Regional Park

Nonstop Service to & from Wine Country

Sonoma County Airport

(STS)

Discovery Camp

July 25 - 29 9 am - 4 pm Spring Lake Regional Park

Las Vegas (LAS)

Kayak River Camp July 5 - 8 9 am - 4 pm Del Rio Woods

Surf Camp

July 11 - 14 9 am - 2 pm Doran Regional Park

30 SonomaFamilyLife

Register Today at sonomacountyparks.org

Los Angeles (LAX) Orange County (SNA) San Diego (SAN)

Phoenix-Mesa (AZA)

www.sonomacountyairport.org

July 2016 www.sonomafamilylife.com

sonoma FIVE AMAZING SCHOOLS ENROLLING NOW FOR 2016-17 La Tercera Elementary School

Featuring a focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)

Loma Vista Immersion Academy Charter School

LOCAL

#1 local resource for for 25 years local families

Featuring the internationally acclaimed Dual Immersion language model

Miwok Valley Language Academy Elementary Charter School Featuring a focus on language and Expeditionary Learning

Old Adobe Elementary Charter School

Featuring a focus on Arts and Ecology

Sonoma Mountain Elementary Charter School

magazine • web • email • events

Featuring a focus on Arts and Music

845 Crinella Drive, Petaluma • 707-765-4321 • www.oldadobe.org

SMILE,

SUMMER IS HERE!

LOW MONTHLY PAYMENTS • ZERO INTEREST FINANCING ~ NO CREDIT CHECKS • HABLAMOS ESPANOL CALL (707) 575-0600 FOR YOUR

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www.BernsteinBraces.com

www.sonomafamilylife.com

July 2016

SonomaFamilyLife 31

BECOME A FAN! S O N O M A’ S

HOMETOWN PRO

BASEBALL

GAME DAY

TICKETS ALE ON S !

W O N TICKET PRICES

Bright Event Rentals Club - $8 Grandstand Reserved - $12 Home Plate Premium Reserved - $16 Front Row Premium Reserved - $18 Werowocomoco Club - $24 Discounts for Adults 65+ & Kids Under 10

Games Played at Peoples Home Equity Ballpark at Arnold Field on First St. West, just off the Plaza

& funk). July 24: Drifting South (country). July 31: Girls & Boys (alternative rock). Sundays. 5–7 p.m.

Juilliard Park. 227 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa. ci.santa-rosa.ca.us.

7:30 p.m. $25–$40. Sonoma State University. Weill Hall & Lawn. 1801 East Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park.

866-955-6040. gmc.sonoma.edu.

FREE Sunday Boating at the Barn.

Party. Fireworks

Borrow a rowboat, canoe, kayak, or sailboat & spend the afternoon on the Petaluma River. Short safety demonstration required. Sundays.

10 a.m.–1 p.m. David Yearsley River Heritage Center. 755 Baywood Dr. #196, Petaluma. friendsofthe petalumariver.org.

Sebastopol’s 43rd Annual Fireworks Extravaganza & Music Festival. Live music, dancing, games & relays, food & a raffle for prizes. Music: 6 p.m. Fireworks: approx. 9:40 p.m. $5–$10. Ages 5 & under free. Analy High School Football Field. 6950 Analy Ave., Sebastopol. sebastopolkiwanis.org.

Windsor Kaboom! Live

music by McKenna Faith & Foreverland.

Food & drink. Bouncy houses & family fun. 4–10 p.m. $5. Ages 3 & under free. Keiser Community Park.

700 Windsor River Rd., Windsor. windsorkaboom.com.

Monday 4 29th Annual Pancake Breakfast & Silent Auction. 7–11:30

a.m.

Kenwood Community Church.

9637 Channing Row, Kenwood. kenwoodparade.com.

4th of July Fireworks Spectacular.

Premier Partner and Proud Sponsor of the Stompers

For tickets Visit StompersBaseball.com the Fan Shop at 234 W Napa St. or Call 707-938-7277 32 SonomaFamilyLife

Family activities including face-painting, carnival games, bouncy houses, music & food. Steve Tyrell & the Santa Rosa Symphony performing.

Pre-show activities: 4:30 p.m. Concert:

Annual 4th of July Fireworks

above the garden of the iconic Depot Hotel & buffet dinner. 7 p.m. $35–$90. Ages 11 & under free. Depot Hotel Restaurant.

241 1st St. W., Sonoma. 938-2980. depotsonoma.com.

FREE 4th of July Family BBQ & Bike Ride. Decorated-bike

parade from City Plaza to City Park, followed by BBQ. Parade: 11–11:30 a.m. BBQ: 1–4 p.m. Cloverdale City Park. 450 W. 2nd St., Cloverdale. cloverdalechamber.com.

FREE 4th of July in Healdsburg.

Fireworks approximately 9 p.m.

Healdsburg High School Football Field. 1024 Prince Ave., Healdsburg. healdsburg.com.

FREE Cloverdale 4th of July Fireworks. 9

p.m. Cloverdale High School Football Field. 509 N. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale. cloverdalechamber.com.

FREE 4th of July Fireworks Festival. Live music, food booths & entertainment before the fireworks show. Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds.

175 Fairgrounds Dr., Petaluma. visitpetaluma.com.

FREE Kenwood 4th of July Hometown Parade. 10K

& 3K: 7:30 a.m. ($15–$45) Parade: 10:30 a.m. BBQ: 11:30 a.m. Kenwood Plaza Park. 200 Warm Springs Rd., Kenwood. kenwoodparade.com.

FREE Old-Fashioned 4th of July Parade & Celebration. Festive fun

with parade, food, beverage, games

July 2016 www.sonomafamilylife.com

& information booths. Parade: 10 a.m. Festival: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Sonoma Plaza. 453 1st St. E, Sonoma. sonomacommunitycenter.org.

Red, White & BOOM! An afternoon & evening of food, live music, kids’ activities & fun for the whole family. Music: 4 p.m. Fireworks: 9:30 p.m. $5–$10. Ages 4 & under free. Parking $10. Sonoma County Fairgrounds. 1350 Bennett Valley Rd., Santa Rosa. srboom.com.

Tuesday 5 FREE Tuesday Kids’ Movies. July 5:

The Peanuts Movie. July 12: Alvin & the Chipmunks: The Road Chip. July 19: Wall-E. July 26: Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Starts 15 minutes after sunset.

Windsor Town Green. ci.windsor.ca.us.

FREE Family Nights at Chick-fil-A.

Complimentary face-painting, balloon art & “icedream” cones for kids. Bubble machine on patio & an appearance by Mr. Cow. Tuesdays. 5–8 p.m. Chick-fil-A. 1452 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. 542-2456. facebook.com/ CFAMendocino.

FREE Zumba for Tweens. Loud

music, exercise & dance moves.

Wear comfy clothes to move in & shoes for exercising. Ages 9–12. Tuesdays in July. 3 p.m.

Windsor Regional Library. 9291 Old Redwood Hwy., Windsor. sonomalibrary.org.

Wednesday 6 FREE Family Reading Bookclub.

Unique reading aloud program for

Graduate from Elementary Bilingual

parents & their children. Grades 2 & up. Wednesdays. 4–5 p.m.

Windsor Regional Library. 9291 Old Redwood Hwy., Bldg. 100, Windsor. sonomalibrary.org.

FREE Henna Art. Learn

about the natural, ancient art form of henna & express yourself with body art.

Ages 12–17. 3 p.m. Northwest Santa Rosa Library. 150 Coddingtown Ctr., Santa Rosa. sonomalibrary.org.

Thursday 7 FREE BioBlitz at Doran Beach.

An intensive one-day study of biodiversity. All ages & skill levels welcome! Register online. 7 a.m.– noon. Doran Regional Park. 201 Doran Beach Rd., Bodega Bay. parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov.

SAFE SWIMMERS START HERE

Dual Immersion Program • Common Core curriculum.

• 1-1 computer program K-6.

• New classrooms on Kawana campus.

• Open to students from all districts.

• Transportation available in Kawana area.

Now Enrolling for Kindergarten

REGISTER NOW FOR SWIM LESSONS

SONOMA COUNTY FAMILY YMCA 707-545-9622 x 3138 www.scfymca.org

707-542-5197 ex2 Moriah Hart at mhart@busd.org

www.busd.org/dual-immersion-program.html

www.sonomafamilylife.com

Sonoma County Family YMCA 1111 College Ave. Santa Rosa, CA 95404 • 707-545-9622 • F 707-544-7805 The Y is a non-profit Community Organization. Financial Assistance is available.

July 2016

SonomaFamilyLife 33

Live Music  No Host Full Bar Raffle  Classic Cars  VIP Area Fun For All!!!

NORTH &BAY

BAY RIB CHALLENGEBBQ CHALLENGE

4 PM SEPTEMBER 29, 2013 RT PARK COMMUNITY CENTER

e

NEW LOCATION!!

Live Music  No Host Full Bar Raffle  Classic Cars  VIP Area ADMISSION & Fun For All!!!

IS FREE

ADULTS SENIORS (62+) 12 & UNDER FAMILY PAK

Sue

SATURDAY AUGUST 27, 11AM-5PM

includes hot dog, chips, drink & admission to $15 museum. Pacific Coast Air Museum. $10 1 Air Museum Way, Santa Rosa. $10 pacificcoastairmuseum.org. $40

(2 ADULTS, 2 KIDS 12 & UNDER)

For more info: Rohnert Park Community Center

SUE PILAND • (707) 696-1210 suepiland@comcast.net POTATO SALAD www.loveinashoebox.com

BBQ RIBS • BBQ WINGS • BAKED BEANS • LIVE MUSIC • RAFFLE SHOW AND SHINE CAR SHOW

ADULTS a benefit for $15Love in a Shoebox • 707-696-1210 • www.loveinashoebox.com SENIORS (62+) $10 12 & UNDER $10 FAMILY PAK $40 (2 ADULTS, 2 KIDS 12 & UNDER)

For more info: SUE PILAND • (707) 696-1210 suepiland@comcast.net www.loveinashoebox.com

sponsored by

Hot Dog Thursday. $5

Friday 8 FREE Land Meets Sea in Acrylics.

Each artist will walk away with some newfound painting skills for each part of the landscape. Space limited to 12 teens. Ages 12–17. 3 p.m. Windsor Regional Library.

9291 Old Redwood Hwy., Windsor. sonomalibrary.org.

Saturday 9 FREE Brian Scott Magic Show.

Combination of slight of hand, misdirection & comedy. 11 a.m.

Rohnert–Park Cotati Regional Library. 6250 Lynne Conde Way, Rohnert Park. sonomalibrary.org.

FREE 6th Annual Wine Country Big Q. Barbecue.

Rock & blues music. 1–5 p.m. Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds. 175 Fairgrounds Dr., Petaluma. winecountrybigq.com.

DOES YOUR CHILD KNOW HOW TO SWIM? Lessons offered at Finley Aquatic Center & Ridgway Swim Center Register now:

www.santarosarec.com 707-543-3737

34 SonomaFamilyLife

FREE Make Veggie Spring Rolls & Pineapple Sorbet. Space limited to 15 teens. Sign up at the Reference Desk. Grades 7–12. 2 p.m. Roseland Community Library. 779 Sebastopol Rd., Santa Rosa. sonomalibrary.org.

Living History Extravaganza. Dress up in period costume & see Mark Twain, Sea Dogs choral group & Le Cancan Bijou dance troupe.

11 a.m.–3 p.m. $35. Buena Vista Winery. 18000 Old Winery Rd., Sonoma.

July 2016 www.sonomafamilylife.com

They may never ask how you always know… all the coolest things to do & places to go.

But they’ll always remember the fun! And you don’t have to reveal the source of your superpowers. Get weekly e-mail updates from the editors at Sonoma Family Life with all the latest LOCAL family-fun events, ideas, and outings. On your phone, tablet, or desktop…

visit

Sonoma Family Life.com join our

Funblast E-mail Updates

Tuesday 12

Sunday 10 FREE Petaluma’s 15th Annual

Cow Appreciation Day. Guests

Art & Garden Festival. Local

who dress like a cow get free chicken. A free entree will be given to bovine-inspired adults & a free kids’ meal to cow-spotted tykes. A costume contest through the restaurant’s Facebook page will award free Chick-fil-A for a year to the Best Overall Costume & free event catering to the Best Herd. 6:30 a.m.–7 p.m. From 5–8 p.m.: Free “icedream” cones for kids, face painting & balloon art. Bubble machine on patio & appearance by Mr. Cow. Chick-fil-A.

crafters, artisans, gardeners & live music. Tastings presented by an array of local wineries, breweries, restaurants & fine food. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Historic Downtown Petaluma.

4th & Kentucky, Petaluma. petalumadowntown.com.

Miss Latina Wine Country 2016. 3–6 p.m. Graton Resort & Casino. 288 Golf Course Dr., Rohnert Park. facebook.com/ events/967906919960076.

1452 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. 542-2456. facebook.com/ CFAMendocino.

Wednesday 13 FREE Watercolor Resist Workshop.

Explore the many ways of using watercolor paints during application. Space limited to 12 teens. Ages 12–17. 2 p.m. Rohnert Park Cotati Regional Library. 6250 Lynne Condé Way, Rohnert Park. sonomalibrary.org.

Thursday 14 Flynn Creek Circus. July 14–15: 7 p.m.

July 16: 4 & 7 p.m. July 17: 1 & 4 p.m. $12–$25. Luther Burbank Center for the Arts. 50 Mark West Springs Rd., Santa Rosa. Tickets available online. flynncreekcircus.com.

FREE Henna Art. Learn

about the natural, ancient art form of henna & express yourself with body art. 12–17.

3:30 p.m. Healdsburg Regional Library. 139 Piper St., Healdsburg. sonomalibrary.org.

FREE Queens of Boogie Woogie.

Sing on a Starry Night

S

ince both listening to music and gazing at the stars can inspire a sense of wonder, why not do both at the same time? Pack up the kids and a picnic for an evening of professional outdoor theater and feel-good Broadway and Disney tunes at the Broadway Under the Stars’s Fantastical Family Night. Shows will be held at Jack London State Park in Glen Ellen July 15 and 16 at 7:30 p.m. and will include special performances by the students in the Transcendence Kids Camp. Come at 5 p.m. for picnicking and pre-show adventures.

General admission is $42, $29 for youth under 21. Purchase tickets at transcendencetheatre.org. ¶

36 SonomaFamilyLife

Krush Backyard Concerts. Bring low lawn chairs or blankets. Kids welcome. No pets. 5:30 p.m. July 21: Tornozo Canon. 3565 Standish Ave., Santa Rosa. krsh.com.

Friday 15 Broadway Under the Stars: Fantastical Family Night. Thru

July 16. Picnicking: 5 p.m. Show: 7:30 p.m. $29–$42. Jack London State Historic Park. 2400 London Ranch Rd., Glen Ellen. transcendencetheatre.org.

July 2016 www.sonomafamilylife.com

FREE Mindful Minis. Playful

yoga practice & exploration of mindfulness through fun activities.

Ages 6–12. 4 p.m. Healdsburg Regional Library. 139 Piper St., Healdsburg. Register: 433-3772. sonomalibrary.org.

up close & personal with creatures from around the world. Ages 5–12.

10:30 a.m. Sonoma Valley Regional Library. 755 West Napa St., Sonoma.

2 p.m. Sebastopol Regional Library.

7140 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol. sonomalibrary.org.

Saturday 16 live music, art, food & drink. More than 40 vendors. Art boat race & parade & floating art barges. 11 a.m.–8 p.m. $10. David Yearsley River Heritage Center. 6 Copeland St., Petaluma.

Thursday 21

Rivertown Revival. Local

FREE Mini-Quilt Sewing. Learn

Family Bike About. Bring your bike to

hand-sewing basics to create a classic four-patch mini-quilt wall hanging. Ages 12–17. 2 p.m. Healdsburg Regional Library. 139 Piper St., Healdsburg. sonomalibrary.org.

the zoo for this informative 1.5-hour cycling tour & watch the animals start their day. Participants must bring their own bikes. 8:30–10 a.m. $18–$23.

Includes parking & zoo admission.

Children piggy-backing on parents’ bikes are free. San Francisco Zoo. 1 Zoo Rd., San Francisco. sfzoo.org.

Wednesday 20 FREE Python Ron’s Reptile Kingdom. A

chance for kids to get

Cross & Crown Lutheran School 2 - 5 years Preschool Jr. Kindergarten – Kindergarten 1st through 5th Grade

CCLS - PSP Private Satellite Program K-5th

REGISTER NOW FOR 2016-17 (707) 795-7863

www.crossandcrownschoolrp.org Preschool license #490100475

www.sonomafamilylife.com

Hair & Skin Care for the Entire Family!

Champagne Hair Lounge

7981 Old Redwood Hwy. • Cotati

Friday 22 Sonoma County Fair. Thru

Aug. 7. 11 a.m.–9 p.m. $6–$12. Free for ages 6 & younger. Sonoma County Fairgrounds. 1350 Bennett Valley Rd., Santa Rosa.

Saturday 23 Art in the Park. Local

artists exhibit paintings, jewelry, ceramics, photography, sculpture & more.

Wine & beer tastings. Noon–5 p.m. Free admission. Tastings $15.

Parking $8. Armstrong Redwoods Natural Reserve. 1700 Armstrong

Special

Cut & Color $75 Special for 1st time clients.

Call for an appointment 707 665-5826 7 days a week

Put Your Affairs in Order • • • • • •

FREE Consultation

Nominate Guardians for Minors Revocable Living Trusts Wills Powers of Attorney Meet at Your Home

Evening & Weekend Appointments Available

707-431-7250

Maria Grace Wilson, Attorney at Law mgracewilson@comcast.net July 2016

It’s not just

Enrolling for Summer Camps

Gymnastics...

It’s confidence for a lifetime!

• Tumblebug Program for preschool-aged children • Boys & Girls Classes Recreation 6–12 • Camps & Birthday Parties!

707-763-5010

www.regymnastics.com

reg

redwood empire gymnastics

SonomaFamilyLife 37

Woods Rd., Guerneville. stewardscr. org/cms/pages/index.html.

Sunday 24 Wilmar Volunteer Fire Dept. 50th

Annual Chicken BBQ Fundraiser.

11 a.m.–4 p.m. $9–$14. Holy Ghost Hall. Corner of Bodega & Eucalyptus Avenues. Santa Rosa. wilmarfire.com.

Monday 25 FREE Positive Parenting Program: Dealing with Disobedience. Designed

to give parents the skills they need to raise confident, healthy children & build stronger family relationships.

Registration (online) required. 6–8 p.m. Children’s Museum of Sonoma County. 1835 W. Steele Ln., Santa Rosa. cmosc.org.

Museum Mondays for Little Ones.

Ages 1–5. Last Mondays. 10 a.m.– noon. $5. Before 11 a.m., up to 2 adults per child are free. After 11 a.m., regular museum admission applies. Charles M. Schulz Museum.

2301 Hardies Ln., Santa Rosa. schulzmuseum.org.

Thursday 28 FREE Wonder Bread 5. High-energy, colorfully costumed ‘70s & ‘80s dance band. 5:30–8 p.m.

Montgomery Village. Village Court. 911 Village Ct., Santa Rosa. mvshops.com.

FREE Mini-Quilt Sewing. Learn hand-sewing basics to create a classic 4-patch mini-quilt wall hanging. Ages 12–17. 2 p.m.

Petaluma Regional Library. 100 Fairgrounds Dr., Petaluma. sonomalibrary.org.

Friday 29 Beauty and the Beast. Teen Summer Musical Theatre Production. Thru July 31. 8 p.m. shows: July 29 & 30. 2 p.m. shows: July 30 & 31. 6thstreetplayhouse. com. 523-4185.

Saturday 30 FREE Star Party. Presentations

on astronomical topics throughout the evening. The observatory’s 3 main telescopes will be open for public viewing. 8 p.m. Robert Ferguson Observatory. 2605 Adobe Canyon Rd., Kenwood. 833-6979. rfo.org.

5 Things You’ll Love on the NEW Phone & tablet FRIENDLY Looks great on the go!

ENTER TO WIN Contest details & special events

The best family FUN events calendar Find what you want FAST with local directories Interactive MAPS make it easy to get there

Sonoma Family Life.com 38 SonomaFamilyLife

July 2016 www.sonomafamilylife.com

YEARS CE

L E B R AT I N G

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Online…Mobile…Magazine…E-mail…Social Media…Events…Local…Award-winning sonoma

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November 2015

December 2015

Twin Talk Advice on multiples

28 Private Schools Your local guide A+ Education

How to choose a school

Dream Center

Help for homeless kids

Learning Styles What’s yours?

FREE!

Valley Fire Tale A silver lining X-mas Lights!

24 sparkling spots

E-cig Autism

sonoma

A holiday how-to

Visit Making the Grade School’s new

Crazy for Apples!

Local fair & presses

Back-2-School Help kids chill out

Teach kindness

Kinetic Carnivale Steampunk fun!

12 Great Gifts The NAPPA guide

May 2015

Safe Sports

How to stay injury-free

Back-2-School Thrift-store bargains

May 16

Build a Global Family Host a

Kids & Pets

Easter Egg Hunts 9 Top spots

Mother ’s Day 5 ways to celebrate

money for kids

April 11 & May 16

Pop-up

Playgrounds

Make your own fun

11 Ways to

Honor the Earth

sonoma

JULY 4TH

Hot spots

Brunch to Beach

Fun in the Sun 12 great games

June 2015

Take a Swim 9 super city pools

Day Trip!

5 great stops

Backyard Fun 25 easy ideas

Why Dads Rule What the

research says

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Camp Fairs A love fest

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Take the family!

4 terrific trips

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131 CAMPS SUMMER

Curvy Girl Club Teach body-love

Teens & Digital Love

20

Camp Tips Choose the best

How to find a

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Online Guide to Local

Lessons

Camps

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PIANO & SINGING LESSONS IN YOUR HOME

Register Now for Summer Camp!

New students get 1st lesson free!

Since 1984

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Got Art? We Do!!!

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Get Mom’s Attention!

Weekly June 6 thru August 18

European Pony School

546-7669

europeanponyschool.com

Super Kids Camp At Sonoma State University

An exciting, recreational & educational experience for campers, ages 5-11.

Fun weekly themes, field trips, swimming, rock wall climbing & so much more!

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Piano: Ages 6 & older Singing: Ages 12 & older

Camps

A full week of camp as low as $150 per week.

Call, email, or check out our website for details.

Painting • Drawing Cartooning Mask Making Glass Staining Silk Painting Wood Burning Mosaic • Clay

707-664-4FUN

superkidscamp@sonoma.edu www.sonoma.edu/campusrec/programs/skc Blog—superkidscamp.wordpress.com

Celebrating 25 Years

Teaching the art of the sword Sign up for our summer camps today!

Santa Rosa

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egfencing.com

LEARN TO

Classes • Camps Birthday Parties

DANCE Kids Who Dance are:

5435 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park • 285-2002 www.scribblesandgigglesart.com

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4-day morning or afternoon sessions June 6 thru Aug. 4 Cartooning, basic drawing, jewelry making, ceramics, chalk drawing and more!

707-762-5600 ext. 104 www.PetalumaArtsCenter.org

ArtsEducation@PetalumaArtsCenter.org

A SK A BOUT OU R C A M PS

542-1367

www.keenanirishdanceschool.com Wings After School Martial & Arts Program

Wings (707) 544-2302 www.wingsmap.org

AFTER-SCHOOL

MARTIAL ARTS PROGRAM

SUMMER ADVENTURE CAMP!

www.wingsmap.org • 544-2302 3644 Airway Dr., Santa Rosa

July 2016 www.sonomafamilylife.com

Classified Marketplace Childcare/Preschools

McKenna Wood Works

Place for A Greaotler s to Grow o h c !

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Tables • Benches • Shelving • Custom Pieces

A magical place full of love, light and learning. Where kids use their imaginations, get messy and have fun!

Custom Furniture from reclaimed & salvaged wood Free Estimates & Design Consultation

RAINBOW GARDEN AT KENWOOD SCHOOL

707-318-8498

www. mckennawoodworks.com

Counseling

Lic #49011142

707-833-6551

230 Randolph Ave. Kenwood

Petaluma Preschool

PLAY WITH S.T.E.A.M. Science Technology Engineering Art & Math

Miss Lisa’s ECE Lic# 493000574

707 778-8074 misslisasece.weebly.com

Services

Childcare/Preschools

Educating the Whole Child

YMCA PRESCHOOL

YMCA PRESCHOO

GROW.LEARN.THRIVE YMCA PRESCHOOL

GROW.LEARN.THRIVE SANTA ROSA GROW.LEARN.THRIVE 2590 PINER SANTA RD. ROSA

Children’s Circle: 2.5–3.5+ yrs.

Kinderclub: 3–5 yrs.

Montessori In Motion: 3–6 yrs.

(Offering Kindergarten) 7:1 Teacher Ratio

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magazine • web • email • events www.sonomafamilylife.com

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SonomaFamilyLife 41

Humor Break

The Chore Czar Resistance Is Futile

By Rick Epstein

“I

hate this job!” yelled my five-year-old daughter Sally as she dragged a huge bag of trash down the stairs. I’d told her to empty the bedroom wastebaskets. On each step, she’d pause and yell something like, “I hate this stupid, dumb, shut-up, stupid garbage!” It was her way of cursing.

It had been a bad assignment. The trash made a load too bulky for a little kid, and she was letting me know about my mistake. She always does.

That same morning, determined to press the children into greater usefulness, I gave our oldest daughter, Marie, then nine, the job of rounding up all the shoes in the house and lining them up by the appropriate beds.

The job took her two hours because of the paperwork. She drew up a “shoe chart” and filled it out as she worked.

The chart listed each member of the family. Next to the corresponding name she drew a picture of a shoe for every one that she put away. Looking at the completed chart, which featured only three shoe drawings next to Marie’s name, you couldn’t miss the irony: I’d forced the one person who maintains good shoe discipline to pick up after a houseful of slobs who throw their footwear around like confetti.

But Marie didn’t know the real irony: When I was her age, I had no chores.

42 SonomaFamilyLife

On Saturdays, my brothers and I lounged around watching TV, still in our pajamas. In sharp contrast, my dad was busy with the laundry.

He would bring the clothes from the dryer and dump them next to me on the couch for sorting and folding.

Did I then spring up to do my part?

No, I would roll into the warm,

I’d forced the one person who maintains good shoe discipline to pick up after a houseful of slobs who throw their footwear around like confetti. fluffy clothes and wallow sensuously, never taking my eyes off the TV. Why did Dad permit this? I guess that after a grueling week of assigning, commanding, and coercing his employees, he was in no mood to crack the whip on Saturday morning.

I don’t tell my kids about my indolent past; we’re looking for a new and improved generation here. I would raise children whose habit is helpfulness.

I had to learn to suit the task to the child. Sally’s hated wastebasket job

was successfully given to her big sister Marie. The shoe job that Marie resented so much was never reassigned. Shoes generally lie where they fall, but we are spared the charts. Marie and Sally became partners in clearing away the supper dishes and emptying the dishwasher. The dishes and the laundry remained my job, with my wife handling the cooking and the cleaning.

One evening, when Marie was ten, I decided to ratchet up the program a notch. I told Marie she’d be washing the dishes a couple of nights a week.

I’d show her how and help a little. “Do I still have to help clear the table those nights?” she asked.

A fair question. I hadn’t thought it through that far. I paused, and six-year-old Sally spoke as one manager to another, “Aw, c’mon, Dad. Give the kid a break.” I smiled, and Sally presented a whole reform package. She would clear the table without Marie those nights, if I would assist. She and Marie would continue to empty the dishwasher, but Wendy, age four, would sort the silverware.

I said, “Okay,” partly because it was a sound plan and partly to keep up with Sally.

Sally’s plan has worked well. As the years pass, all three kids are becoming increasingly helpful. But I’ve still got a lot of delegating, coaching, and harassing to do before I can realize my ultimate goal—to loll in the laundry once more.

(It’s the way I was brought up.) ¶ Reach Rick Epstein at rickepstein@yahoo.com.

July 2016 www.sonomafamilylife.com

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