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ain (and even snow!) has freshened up our little patch of Earth, turning our thoughts to spring and, in the not too distant future, warmer days. While school doesn’t end for a few months, it’s not too early to look at camps.
“A Summer to Remember” (page 18) offers excellent tips to guide your search. And, if you have very little ones, “Preschool Camp Countdown” (page 16) will help you get your kids excited about the prospect of spending some time away from you.
RMarch into Literacy Month. Which means it’s the perfect time to put the spotlight on reading. Check out “March into Literacy” (page 20) for ideas on how to cultivate a love of words in your kids.
Reading is the perfect thing to do after a big meal, like one starring a St. Patrick’s Day Honey-Glazed Corned Beef (page 8). If you really want to get into the Irish spirit, go to the Keenan Irish Dance School show (see “Watch Irish Dance,” page 11). And be sure to check out our Calendar of Events (page 28) for activities to keep your family entertained all month long. Happy spring!
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No one will even know this recipe took you five minutes to throw together. It’s just that good! Be sure to use a whole pre-cooked corned beef. I heard Trader Joe’s has a great one. If it’s not pre-cooked, just boil and cut off the fat before you follow the recipe below. You absolutely cannot mess up this dish. It will be an instant hit with your family and friends. ❖
Karen Nochimowski is the author of 6-Minute Dinners (& More!), a newly released cookbook filled with more than 100 simple and delicious recipes with six or fewer ingredients, including nut-free and allergy-friendly options, to help busy families get dinner on the table with ease. You will find testimonials in the book from Gloria Estefan, Alex Borstein, Katie Couric, Howie Mandel, Margaret Cho, Barbara Corcoran, and many others. Karen also started and runs Momma Chef’s Soup Kitchen and Momma Chef’s Little Free Pantries, which provide food at no cost to those in need. So far Karen has provided more than 20,000 meals and more than 15,000 pounds of non-perishable food. Part of the proceeds from the cookbook will go toward feeding those facing food insecurity.
Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Total time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
• 2 pounds pre-cooked corned beef
• 1 cup honey or date syrup
• 1 cup apricot jam
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Spray a disposable pan or baking dish with cooking spray.
3. Mix the apricot jam, honey or date syrup, and Dijon mustard until well combined.
4. Place the pre-cooked corned beef in the prepared baking dish and smother with all but ½ cup of the marinade.
5. Place the remaining marinade on top of the finished corned beef.
6. Cook for 30 minutes.
Serves: 6
McQuadle is a dragon on a mission. He wants to find his purpose, even if it means paying a visit to an evil queen. Such is the premise of the children’s comedy McQuadle: A Dragon’s Tale. A Theater for Children will be staging the 40-minute show at the Steele Lane Community Center in Santa Rosa on March 3 and 10 at 7 p.m., March 4 and 11 at 1 and 3:30 p.m., and on March 5 and 12 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $7 and may be purchased at atheaterforchildren.com.
What makes a racecar fast? How does animation work? What does a brain look like? These are just some of the plethora of questions that the 70 North Bay Discovery Day Science Fair exhibitors will invite kids to explore. Exhibits will feature a total of 97 hands-on activities involving optical illusions, microscopic organisms, radar, robots, animal tracking, rockets, and many other science-oriented topics. The fair will be held, rain or shine, on March 11, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa. See a full list of exhibitors and activities at northbayscience.org.
How do lights work? How does electricity move? Kids can explore these questions at a special Electric Science class. Presented by the Women’s Committee of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the women-led class will feature hands-on, interactive activities that will teach kids about snap circuits, small fan and light circuits, LED light wiring, pipe bending, wire pulling, and light switch boards. Aimed at children ages four and older, the event will be held on March 4, 10 a.m.–1 p.m., at the Children’s Museum of Sonoma County in Santa Rosa. Admission is free for museum members or $16 for nonmembers. Find out more at tinyurl.com/2d4etjds
Percy Jackson was about to be kicked out of boarding school when the Greek gods in his mythology book came alive. And now he finds himself on a mad adventure, in search of Zeus’s stolen lightning bolt. Such is the plot of the Lightning Thief. Part of the Clover Sonoma Family Fun series, the musical will be performed by TheaterworksUSA on March 6 at 6:30 p.m. at the Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa. Tickets are $21 for adults and $16 for children and may be purchased at lutherburbankcenter. org/event/lightning-thief.
Irish dance was practiced mostly among the Irish until the mid-1990s, when Riverdance took the world by storm. The theatrical dance show, starring Irish-American dancer Michael Flatley, brought Irish dance to the masses, and there is still interest in it. Look no further than Petaluma’s Keenan Irish Dance School for proof. The school’s students will show off their rhythmic steps at the Luck of the Irish show on March 17 at 5:45 p.m. at the Petaluma Veterans Building in Petaluma. Tickets, which are $20 for adults and $10 for kids, will be available at the door. See tinyurl.com/yvj5xem9.
Nancy Hayssen loves to fly. It’s why the Santa Rosa pilot wrote Ants in the Pants Nance: Flies by the Seat of Her Pants, a children’s book that follows the adventures of a young aviator who goes on safari with her father. On March 11, 1–3 p.m., Hayssen and the book’s illustrator, Henry Castro, will be giving a talk at the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa. This Second Saturday Cartoonist event is free with admission ($5–$12). For more information, go to schulzmuseum.org/hayssen-castro
Keenan Irish Dance School
Parents approach preschool prep differently. Some eagerly jot down a list of all the things their child should know or be able to do before entering preschool. Others just roll their eyes. As is the case with most important matters in life, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Should parents consider their children’s development before enrolling them in preschool? Absolutely. Is there a list of 25 skills a toddler should have before crossing the threshold of a preschool classroom? In my opinion, certainly not. Perhaps, then, preschool prep is really about building a psychological and social foundation. Here are some building blocks.
According to developmental psychologist Gordon Neufeld, attachment is the primary task of the first few years of life. It sets the stage for a healthy ability to develop most, if not all, of life’s most fundamental skills, including
the ability to be independent. Attachment creates independence— sounds like a contradiction, doesn’t
it? But research shows that the more attached children are to their primary caregiver(s) in the first few years of life, the more capable they are of developing independence later in life. So spend time with your kids, as much and as often as you can. Communicate with them through play, laughter, and affection.
Promote social-emotional skills. On her website transformingtoddlerhood.com, ICF-certified coach Devon Kuntzman provides a wealth of empowering resources for parents of young children. The message that permeates her work is: respond to your child’s needs. Use validation, labeling, and modeling to teach your children how to manage their emotions. Also, treat your children the way you wish to see them treat others. This will encourage them to develop awareness and care for the emotions and needs of others.
Foster a love of learning. You are your child’s first teacher. But rather than develop a curriculum of ABCs and 123s, focus instead on fostering the love of learning. Rachel Rainbolt, MA, believes, “as long as you teach your child how to learn, they will happily and bravely be willing and able to learn anything they have a need or desire to learn. In other words, anything your child has a need or a desire to learn, they can and they will.” What
does it look like to teach your child how to learn? 1) Asking open-ended questions that tap into your child’s natural curiosity, and 2) offering up more information when your child expresses interest in something. Get outside. The North American Association for Environmental Education states that “nature is widely recognized as an important, and often low-cost, tool for fostering children’s health and development,” including brain development, mental health and self-regulation, and motor development. We can expose our children to nature in a variety of ways: gardening, hiking/walking, and visiting farms and wildlife preserves.
Prepare for the transition to school. If what you are really after are ways to ease the transition to a classroom environment, check out understood.org. The website provides an easy-to-remember
acronym— PIECES —to help parents recognize when their children might be ready for group learning: P is for potty-trained; I, for independent; E, expressive; C, concentration; E, emotionally ready; and S, stamina. Kids should have the desire to go to school and to make friends. They should also be able to engage in
self-directed play for 5–10 minutes as well as express themselves and understand basic communication from others.
In short, preschool prep is life prep. The first few years of life are sacred, and they go by so fast. Allow your child to stop and smell the roses. Literally. ❖
Emily Alona, LCSW, is a Sonoma native. She has worked in the fields of early childhood education and mental health for a number of years and has worked at the Hanna Center in Sonoma since 2015. She enjoys traveling and, above all else, spending time with her husband and young daughter. Find out more about the Hanna Center at hannacenter.org
Caterpillar Classes (2-3 year olds)
Age-appropriate developmental activities using monthly themes, circle times, and outdoor play. We also potty train.
Butterfly Class (3-4 year olds/Pre-K Program)
Theme-based curriculum that includes art,
“Who’s excited about camp?”
My twin toddlers looked up at me with perplexed expressions. They had no idea what I was talking about. Perhaps you know what I mean. There are ways to get preschoolers interested in camp. Here’s what worked for me.
Go to the library. Check out every video and picture book about camp. Also look on YouTube for camp videos or songs, or stream videos through your library. Talk about your own camp experiences, too.
Hit the stores. With a list of camp supplies in hand, go to the mall. My kids loved picking out towels, bathing suits, and sunglasses. I even let them buy a new backpack just for camp. While we shopped, we discussed
the different activities they would be participating in, such as swimming and other sports.
Teach your kids how to make friends. When you are playing games like Candyland with your kids, talk about things like taking turns and how to have conservations with new people. You can ask questions like, “What are some things you can talk about with kids your age?” or “What are some ways to make new friends?” Also read books or watch movies about friendship.
Play camp games at home. Set up different types of races, like relay races, as part of a mini Olympics. Or create a scavenger hunt with camp-related items, such as a backpack and water bottle.
After you are done, cook up some s’mores.
Go swimming. When they first take swimming lessons, a lot of kids fear going into the water, especially when there are tons of kids splashing around. If you take your children swimming before camp starts, you will ease some of their anxiety. Discuss water safety and reinforce that swimming is fun.
Schedule a visit. Most camps offer an open house or orientation to help children understand what camp will be like. This is a perfect time for kids to ask questions, and meet counselors or other campers. If possible, set up a pre-camp play date with some kids that are going to be at the camp. Drop-off will be easier if there are some familiar faces.
Create a countdown. My kids love to countdown the days until Christmas, vacations, and camp. Use a countdown calendar or app to keep track of the number of days until camp starts. Another option is to create a paper chain, tearing off a link every day.
After I did all of the above, I again asked my twins, “Who’s excited about camp?” They both jumped up and down with glee. And when they actually went to camp, they loved it.
Cheryl Maguire’s writing has been published in the New York Times, Washington Post, and many other publications. Find her on Twitter @ CherylMaguire05.
Check to see if the program you are considering has before- and after-care. Also ask if friends in similar situations want to put their kids in the same program so you can coordinate rides.
Summer day camp is a place where children can stretch their minds, exercise their bodies, and develop new friendships and interests. Here are 10 suggestions on how you can choose the right day camp for your child.
1 Look, listen, and learn. Talk with your children to find out what their interests are. As you do, get a list of camps, show them what the options are, and ask if any appeal to them. Need ideas? Come to Sonoma Family Life’s Camp Fair & Family Expo on April 14, 3–7 p.m., in Coddingtown Mall in Santa Rosa. You can collect information about, and talk to representatives from, camps all over the area. There will be free family-friendly entertainment, too. Once you’ve chosen some camps to explore more deeply, talk with people
whose children have attended them to find out if they had good experiences.
2 Value in variety. Ask your children if they want to do one activity or have a variety of experiences. A lot of parents think they have to be tied down to one camp, but it is okay to send your children to different places.
3 Consider your family’s needs. If you have two working parents with set schedules, this may be a factor in determining where to send your children.
4 Focus on friendships. Friendships are an important part of camp so factor that into your decision. The focus of day camp is to have fun and learn skills, and a lot of that is done through face-to-face interaction with peers. Have your children go with a friend but encourage them to make new friends there.
5 Look at location. Most families want a camp close to home or work or one somewhere along the way, but convenience shouldn’t be the only consideration. If your child has a specific interest and there isn’t a program close by, it may be worth driving a few miles out of the way to get what you’re looking for.
6 Ponder program length. Day camps run from several hours to a full day, so consider your children’s ages, developmental levels, and previous camp or group-setting experiences when looking at the program’s duration. Find out how many activities will be done in a day and determine if your kids can keep up the pace. If you still have reservations, ask the camp director what she or he suggests.
It may be worth driving a few miles out of the way to get what you’re looking for.
7 Ask key questions. Safety is a top priority, so find out what the counselor-to-camper ratio is. The American Camping Association suggests 1:8 for ages 6–8, 1:10 for ages 9–14, and 1:12 for ages 15–18. Also look at hiring practices: How old are the staff members? Have background checks been done on them? How many hours of camp training do they have? And how many are CPR and safety certified? Many times an overseeing organization’s accreditation or certification covers health, safety, and staff issues, as well as the quality of the program. Ask if the camp is certified or accredited, and then find out exactly what that means.
8 Check out cost. When examining fees, make sure you’re
comparing apples to apples. Some day camps have a base price but charge extra for field trips, special activities, materials, registration, and food. Also ask about a refund policy or transfer of
to meet and discuss things with counselors. If that’s not possible, give yourself a few extra minutes at the start of camp to meet the staff and share information you think is important.
weeks if there is an unforeseen illness or emergency. If the camp is more than you can afford, find out if there is a scholarship program.
9 Plan a pre-visit. If an open house is available, try to attend, even if your child previously went to the camp. It’s an excellent opportunity
10 Peruse policies and procedures. Most camps have a parent handbook or policies and procedures manual. So if you’re undecided on a camp, ask for a copy to see if you agree with the rules and regulations set forth. It’s equally important to go over this information with your children so they know and agree to the expectations. ❖
Denise Morrison Yearian is the former editor of two parenting magazines and the mother of three children.
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If the camp is more than you can afford, find out if there is a scholarship program.
What better date to celebrate Read Across America Day than March 2, the birthday of the beloved Dr. Seuss? It’s the perfect kickoff to March’s National March into Literacy Month.
The National Education Association (NEA) first introduced Read Across America Day in 1998. The NEA’s goal for the celebration is to motivate kids to become lifelong readers, thereby improving student performance. Every year, schools, public libraries, and other organizations celebrate this day with reading events for kids.
There are many ways parents can
promote a love of reading and encourage their kids to read not only during this celebration, but also year-round.
Read to kids. Begin reading to your children very early. The NEA suggests infancy is a good time to start. As your children grow,
encourage them to participate in reading the story with or to you. Although your little ones may not be ready to read, they most likely have some of their favorite books or pages memorized. Making your children active participants will help develop their love for reading.
Begin reading to your children very early.
Visit the library. Think of the library as a big, free educational toy store. Help your children choose some books but also encourage them to look through shelves and select some on their own. Kids can also take home audiobooks, video games, videos, and music CDs. Help your kids build a collection. One thing common among reading lovers is how much they enjoy having their own book collections. Help your children build personal libraries of their favorite series, author, or genre. Then give them a special shelf to store and display the collection.
Play word games. Look for board, computer, or phone games that help kids develop their reading and spelling skills and vocabulary.
Through this Android and iOS app, kids can track both the books they’ve read and those they want to read. They can also check out what their friends are reading.
Subscribe to a kids’ magazine. There’s a host of
children’s magazines on the market, something for every age group. A subscription will give your children something to look forward to each month and build enthusiasm for reading.
Read in front of your kids. Show little ones that reading isn’t just a school requirement, but rather a lifelong activity. Let them see you reading both to learn and for pleasure.
Form a kids’ book club. It’s a great way to build excitement for reading. Find kids who are all about the same reading level. Then decide where to hold the weekly or monthly meetings, which could be at your house, or perhaps your school or public library. You might be able to advertise the club through your children’s school or public library as well.
Set up a reading room or corner. Find a quiet, distraction-free area in your home to designate as the reading area. It should have comfy seating, perhaps even a bean bag or two, pillows, blankets, and good lighting. ❖
Kimberly Blaker is a freelance writer. She also owns an online store, Sage Rare & Collectible Books, specializing in out-of-print, scarce, signed, and first editions; fine bindings; ephemera and more at sagerarebooks.com .
Think of the library as a big, free educational toy store.
By Christina Katz
March 8 is International Women’s Day, a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. One of the ways we remain a society of empowered women is by passing on what we have learned to our girls. So why not take the opportunity to have some important and inspiring conversations with your daughters? Here are some talking points to get you started.
1. Expect equality. Equality is not only for women and girls; it’s for every member of a healthy society. So talk to your daughter about parity and fairness. Ask her if she has gotten the impression that opportunities that should be available to her are not. Ask if she thinks the same opportunities that are available to her are accessible to others. Challenge her to think.
2. Treasure your body. Talk to your daughter about her body. Does she love it? Does she hate it? Does she
wish it were different? How are you modeling self-love and self-care for your body? Work together to create more body awareness and acceptance in your family.
3. Be period positive. Ask your daughter how she feels about being female. Does she need help managing her menstrual cycles and moods? Talk to her about what has been helpful for you. If there are consistent challenges or discomforts, seek assistance through traditional
or alternative medicines until they are resolved.
4. Live your values. One of our most important roles as parents is helping our children think for themselves. Talk to your daughters about their values. Really listen and ask thoughtful questions to help them understand how they think. Respect their beliefs and choices.
5. Speak up and be heard. If you are always speaking on your child’s behalf, she is not going to learn to speak up for herself. So, next time she needs to straighten something out with a friend, teacher, or coach, why not talk to her about it and then let her do it herself? Ask how she did afterwards and offer support.
6. Never miss a chance to vote. In 1920, the 19th amendment granted women in the United States the right to vote. Talk to your daughter about knowing and voting her own conscience. Let her catch you debating choices and selecting wisely. If she can witness the political process at home, she will be more comfortable asking questions to prepare for her future responsibility.
7. Stay alert and safe. Maybe you have never had a teacher make racy remarks about your figure or had an employer put his hands on you, but it happens. Rules and laws don’t keep your daughters safe; healthy boundaries and assertiveness do. Make sure she understands her
Equality is for every member of a healthy society.
body belongs to her, and talk to her about how to steer clear of danger. Have a “safe” word that only you and she know, so she can communicate with you in public settings if she feels uncomfortable. If your daughter struggles with assertiveness, consider martial arts or assertiveness training so she will become a role model rather than the next victim.
8. Support sisterhood. “Never disrespect a sister” is a good policy. In any situation where a girl is being picked on, singled out, or mistreated, prep your daughter to stick up for the other girl, rather than ignore the situation. Social instincts may discourage her from speaking out, but teach her to be brave and do it anyway.
9. Trust yourself. You may not always agree with her desire for green hair, a triple-pierced earlobe, or raucous music. But if you assume she’s always making a mistake, then you are setting her up to second guess herself for the rest of her life. Teaching her to trust herself means accepting you are not always going to be right. But as long as the doors to communication stay open, your mother-daughter relationship will always be in great shape. ❖
Author, journalist, and writing coach Christina Katz is not a perfect mother. But she has accepted the mission to talk to her daughter about tricky topics before her girl turns 18, no matter how uncomfortable it is to broach any subject.
When I began to change the way I was responding to my children, I started pausing because I didn’t know what else to do. What I was doing wasn’t working, but I didn’t have a clearly defined new plan either. And I still had work to do on my own past so that I could more clearly see the present.
I thought every situation warranted an immediate response, but there are very few actual parenting emergencies that require lightning reflexes and no thought. A child running into the road is an emergency. Even though it felt like an emergency, my older son speaking unkindly to his brother was not. The situation still needed
attention, but there was time to pause before acting.
So I started pausing and an interesting thing happened. Sometimes what I was so afraid was going to happen, didn’t. Sometimes it did, but it wasn’t exactly like I thought it would be. I found I had time to think. I could sometimes even think of
something helpful to do, which in turn created connection. Sometimes I used the pause to reconnect to myself—my feelings, thoughts, and interpretations. Sometimes I just breathed. My family started changing right there, in the pause.
Sometimes I got in only a small pause and then still did whatever reactionary thing I was going to do. But I celebrated the pause anyway. Big changes don’t happen overnight, but rather through small, everyday victories—victories like the pause. Eventually I learned that we’re actually changing neuro pathways in our brains when we pause. And what’s cooler still is that when we pause, our children also learn to pause.
So many families I work with are living out patterns that aren’t working for them. Generally when those patterns start, everything speeds up and goes faster.
Example: Your eight-year-old hits his younger sister. Because this isn’t the first time this has happened, you immediately feel very angry and grab his hand. You start yelling, feeling scared for your daughter. All of this happens so fast every single time.
Enter the pause. Your eight-year-old hits his younger sister. You pause and take a breath.
There are very few actual parenting emergencies that require lightning reflexes and no thought.
You’re holding the intention of finding more loving ways to support their relationship. You feel a wave of anger and take another breath. You still take hold of his hand, but more gently and without the yelling this time. You bring him over to sit with you; you invite your daughter
to sit on the other side of you so you can listen to them both and what happened. This would be a big step toward changing trans-generational patterns and responding the way you want to respond to your children.
It may take time and also some more support to get there, but the pause is where it all begins! Try it and see how it feels, and let me know what you think. ❖
Reprinted, with permission, from Consciously Parenting: What It Really Takes to Raise Emotionally Healthy Families by Rebecca Thompson Hitt, and also from the Consciously Parenting Project, consciouslyparenting.com
The mother of two young adult sons, Rebecca Thompson Hitt, MS, MFT, PPNE, is a holistic marriage and family therapist who has been working with children and families for more then 30 years. The founder and executive director of the Consciously Parenting Project, LLC, she supports families around the world with educational resources, community groups, workshops, and retreats. She also has a two-year relationship-focused parenting training program for parents and professionals. Find out more about her work at consciouslyparenting.com .
My family started changing right there, in the pause.
EarthTalk® is from the editors of E: The Environmental Magazine.
Dear EarthTalk: Which of the EV models now available in the United States provide the most bang for the buck? Is now a good time to finally make the upgrade from my internal combustion car? — P. Bronson, Tampa, FL
With some 43 new battery-powered electric vehicles (EVs) debuting in the United States this 2023 model year, not to mention the continued production and sales of 32 previous EV models, there has never been a better time to make the switch from your internal combustion gas guzzler to something greener. The increased competition among carmakers for your EV dollars means lower prices all around;
indeed, 14 different EVs sport sticker prices of $40,000 or below. Cheapest of them all is still the Nissan Leaf, with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $27,400. While this is the only EV for sale in the United States with a sticker price under $30K, the trade-off is less range; the Leaf will only get you about 149 miles per full charge, making it perfect for short commutes or jaunts around
town but not so good for road trips. (Nissan also offers a Leaf “Plus” model with a bigger battery array that sells for $5,000 more but gets you 226 miles between charges.)
The next cheapest EV is Chevrolet’s Bolt, with a sticker price of $31,500 and a range of 259 miles; given this longer range, this little hatchback,
by one of America’s great carmakers, might just be the best bang-for-buck option out there. Chevy is also offering a Bolt EUV model, which gives customers a roomier interior for $2,000 more than the base Bolt, but with slight range trade-off (247 miles between charges).
Other good options for costconscious EV buyers include Hyundai’s Kona Electric ($34,000; 258-mile range), Subaru’s Solterra SUV ($37,000; 285-mile range), Kia’s Niro EV ($39,990; 239-mile range). Also under $40K but with less range include Hyundai’s Ioniq Electric sedan ($33,245; 170-mile range), Mazda’s MX30 crossover ($33,470; 100-mile range), and Mini Cooper’s EV ($33,900; 114-mile range).
Of course, these MSRPs don’t factor in tax rebates and other financial incentives. In the United States, EV buyers still qualify for up to $7,500 in tax credits. The amount varies depending on your tax
Going electric is definitely a step in the right direction for the environment.
bracket and other factors, including where the vehicle in question was built. Some state governments and municipalities offer their own incentives for EV buyers. Get the full rundown for your location via the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE, dsireusa.org), a free and comprehensive resource on federal, state, and regional incentives supporting renewables and energy efficiency across the United States. Going electric is definitely a step in the right direction for the environment given how much less
pollution is caused by charging your car up with electricity as opposed to filling ‘er up with gas. But if you think you’re doing Mother Nature a favor by turning in or selling a perfectly good gas car so you can upgrade, you might want to think twice. The overall environmental impact of producing your brand-new EV far outweighs that of continuing to drive a gas car around. But if it’s really time to upgrade or you just need a car now, buying an EV is the smart and responsible way to go. ❖
EarthTalk® is produced by Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss for the 501(c)3 nonprofit EarthTalk.
See more at emagazine.com . To donate, visit earthtalk.org Send questions to: question@earthtalk.org.
This little hatchback might just be the best bang-for-buck option out there.
Thursday 2
Chop’s Rainbow Group. Activities & discussions for LGBTQIA+ Chop’s Club members. Held first & third Thursdays of the month. Mar. 2 & 16. 4:30–5:30 p.m. Chop’s Teen Club. 509 Adams St., Santa Rosa. facebook.com/ chopsteenclub. Info on membership: 707-284-2467.
Just Between Friends Kids’ & Maternity Consignment Sales Event. The largest of its kind in northern California. Admission: $4–$25. Mar. 1–2: 9 a.m.–7 p.m. Mar. 3: 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Mar. 4: 9 a.m.–8 p.m. Mar. 5 (1/2 price day): 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Sonoma County Fairgrounds.
1350 Bennett Valley Rd., Santa Rosa. Tickets: tinyurl.com/4vtuabsa
A Raisin in the Sun. $24–$43. Thursdays–Saturdays: 7:30 p.m. Saturdays & Sundays: 2 p.m. Thru Mar. 19. 6th Street Playhouse. 52 W. 6th St., Santa Rosa. 6thstreetplayhouse.com
Friday 3
McQuaddle: A Dragon’s Tale. A Theater for Children’s production for young audiences. $7. Mar. 3: 7 p.m. Mar. 4: 1 & 3:30 p.m. Mar. 5: 3 p.m. Mar. 10: 7 p.m. Mar. 11: 1 & 3:30 p.m. Mar. 12: 3 p.m. (Preshow activities begin 30 minutes before curtain.) Steele Lane Community
Center. 415 Steele Ln., Santa Rosa. atheaterforchildren.com
Saturday 4
Electric Science. Members of the Women’s Committee of IBEW use hands-on activities to teach kids ages 4 & up about electricity. Free with museum admission ($16 or free for infants 11 months & younger). Discounts available for qualifying guests. 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Children’s Museum of Sonoma County. 1835 W. Steele Ln., Santa Rosa. tinyurl. com/2d4etjds.
FREE Rialto Cinemas Family Matinees. Labyrinth, starring David Bowie. Mar. 4 & 5. 11 a.m. Family
415
Tickets $7 • www.atheaterforchildren.com
matinees held first Saturday & Sunday of each month. 6868 McKinley St., Sebastopol. rialtocinemas.com/ sebastopol
Sunday 5
FREE Common Ground Under 5 Special Needs Family Meet-Up. For kids (& parents) younger than 5 who have a disability, medical complexity, or any sort of unique need. Siblings welcome. 10 a.m.–noon. Early Learning Institute. 311 Professional Center Dr. # 100, Rohnert Park. Register: tinyurl.com/9w33mjkh
FREE Pokemon Club. Ages 10–17. Learn basics & play casual games. Sundays. 2:30–4 p.m. Tournaments on fourth Sundays. Sonoma Valley Regional Library. 755 W. Napa St., Sonoma. Register: tinyurl. com/2xncwhrz.
Santa Rosa Symphony Youth Orchestra Spring Splendors
Concerto Concert. $5–$20. 3 p.m. Green Music Center. 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. srsymphony.org/ EventDetail/252.
Monday 6
FREE Wine, Cheese & Megillah. Celebrate Purim with Megillah, hamantashen & wine & cheese buffet. Free with RSVP. 6:30 p.m. Chabad Jewish Center of Petaluma. 205 Keller St. #101, Petaluma. RSVP: tinyurl. com/2p8ryj4f
The Lightning Thief. Part of the Clover Sonoma Family Fun Series, this is a musical adaptation of Rick Riordan’s children’s book. $16–$21. Lap passes for ages 2 & younger available for $5 day of the show. 6:30 p.m. Arrive 1 hour early for
art-themed projects. Luther Burbank Center. 50 Mark West Springs Rd., Santa Rosa. Tickets: tinyurl.com/ yckacbzy
Tuesday 7
Early Release Enrichment. For elementary school–aged children who have half-days on Tuesdays & Wednesdays. Provides farm, nature & art-based experiences. Flexible fee: $10–$45. 12:30–4:30 p.m. Veronda-Falletti Ranch. 175 W. Sierra Ave., Cotati. Registration required: sandyloam.org/enrichmentprograms
Wednesday 8
Big Thinkers Class. For ages 7 & older. Staff members use experiments & art projects to illustrate scientific concepts. Free with admission ($16 or free for members & infants 11 months & younger). Discounts available
for qualifying guests. Wednesdays.
2:30–3:30 p.m. Children’s Museum of Sonoma County. 1835 W. Steele Ln., Santa Rosa. tinyurl.com/2p8rfj85
FREE Homework Help at the Library. Grades K–12 receive help with all subjects on a drop-in basis. Wednesdays (except Mar. 22).
2:30–4:30 p.m. Northwest Santa Rosa Library. 150 Coddingtown Center, Santa Rosa. Other libraries will host this event. See tinyurl.com/ybrzeb8k for branches/times.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Five-time Grammy-award winning singing group performs all-ages concert. $10–$55. Children 5 & younger (lap seating only): free. 7 p.m. Sebastopol Community Cultural Center. 390 Morris St., Sebastopol. Tickets: tinyurl.com/2p8p82cv.
Thursday 9
Dancing with the Stars: Live 2023. $59–$575. 8 p.m. Luther Burbank Center. 50 Mark West Springs Rd., Santa Rosa. Tickets: tinyurl. com/2wtxhfjf.
Friday 10
FREE A Bit About Bats with NorCal Bats. Meet live insect-eating bats. For grades K–6. 4–5 p.m. Rincon Valley Library. 6959 Montecito Blvd., Santa Rosa. tinyurl.com/385syp6b. Other libraries will host this event. See tinyurl.com/rvakmw2z for branches/ times.
Saturday 11
Junior Ranger Program: Fire Ecology Hike. Youth will explore fire-scarred land & gain a better understanding of fire as seen through
the eyes of forest ecology. $10–$12. Parking: $7. 10:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Mark West Creek Regional Park & Preserve. Santa Rosa. tinyurl.com/2uwa8fb8
Teen Night at the Museum. Pizza dinner, games, crafts & more. For ages 10–13. $40. Get 10% discount off total order when registering more than one family member. 5:30–9 p.m. Charles M. Schulz Museum. 2301 Hardies Ln., Santa Rosa. Advance registration required. Online registration closes 24 hours before the start time. schulzmuseum.org/ teen-night-at-the-museum
FREE Family Bike Workshop. Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition members teach tips, tricks & tools for bicycling safely. 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Sebastopol Independent Charter School. 1111 Gravenstein Hwy. N.,
Connecting children & families in a hands on program
Cultivating compassion and kindness through advocacy for wildlife
Developing skills for futures in animal care or farming
Sebastopol. Register: tinyurl.com/ ysnmzve9.
FREE North Bay Science Discovery Day. Seventy exhibitors offer 97 hands-on activities. Free parking. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Sonoma County Fairgrounds. 1350 Bennett Valley Rd., Santa Rosa. northbayscience.org.
Sewing Creations. Sewing machines, embellishments & materials provided. Specialist will be on hand to support families. Geared for ages 4 & older. Free with museum admission ($16; free for 11 months & younger). Discounts available for qualifying guests. 1–3 p.m. Children’s Museum of Sonoma County. 1835 W. Steele Ln., Santa Rosa. tinyurl.com/2p88csxx.
Second Saturday Cartoonists: Nancy Hayssen & Henry Castro. Meet, watch & talk to author &
illustrator of Ants in the Pants Nance: Flies by the Seat of Her Pants. Free with museum admission ($5–$12; free for ages 3 & younger). 1–3 p.m. Charles M. Schulz Museum. 2301 Hardies Ln., Santa Rosa. schulzmuseum.org/ hayssen-castro.
FREE I Am Latinx. Special interactive story-reading with local children’s author Maria Alondra Jasso. Grades K–6. 11 a.m.–noon. Guerneville Regional Library. 14107 Armstrong Woods Rd., Guerneville. tinyurl.com/ bdzdfh5s
FREE Soaring Minds Art Club/ Club
De Mentes Brillantes Para Ninos. Analy High School students go to the Sebastopol Library to assist kids ages 4–8 with arts & crafts activities./ Los estudiantes de Analy High School van a la biblioteca de Sebastopol para ayudar a los niños de 4 a 8 años con actividades
de arte y manualidades. 12:30–1:30 p.m. Sebastopol Regional Library. 7140 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol. tinyurl.com/ mwshnyc3
FREE Arbor Day Tree Planting Party. 9 a.m.–noon. Northwest Community Park. 2880 W. Steele Ln., Santa Rosa. tinyurl.com/32a2vyms.
Sunday 12
St. Patrick’s Day 5K. Annual themed run/walk race open to all ages & abilities. Post-race celebration features a costume contest, music & giveaways. $35–$60. Noon. Old Courthouse Square, Santa Rosa. Registration: srcity.org/2175/ St-Patricks-Day-5K.
Tuesday 14
FREE Sensory Friendly Afternoon. Exclusively for families of children
ages 0–12 who have special needs. Hands-on exhibits, art studio. Safe, accessible environment. 1–5 p.m. Children’s Museum of Sonoma County. 1835 W. Steele Ln., Santa Rosa. Registration required: tinyurl. com/2x3md9wf.
Wednesday 15
FREE 15th Annual Sonoma County Transition Fair. Learn about services for youth with special needs as they transition from school-based programs to adulthood. 3–6 p.m. Becoming Independent. 1455 Corporate Center Pkwy., Santa Rosa. tinyurl. com/3bs26v9m.
FREE Walk Through the Grades Tour. Take a peek into Waldorf classrooms. Check out the campus & working biodynamic farm. Adults only. 9 –11 a.m. Summerfield
Waldorf School & Farm. 655 Willowside Rd., Santa Rosa. Register: summerfieldwaldorf.org
Queer Art Club. Demo from a professional artist includes materials needed to make the project. Safe & inclusive space for queer teens. Suggested donation: $5–$25 (upon arrival). Held third Wednesdays. 6–8 p.m. Sonoma Community Center. 276 E. Napa St., Sonoma. sonomacommunitycenter.org/ queer-art-club.
Thursday 16
Los Lobos with Special Guest Gaby Moreno. Four-time Grammy award-winning band blends son jarocho, norteño, Tejano, folk, country, doo-wop, soul, R&B, rock & punk. Also featuring Grammy award-winner Gaby Moreno with Latin-infused
blend of jazz, soul, blues & ’60s rock. $45–$65. 8 p.m. Luther Burbank Center. 50 Mark West Springs Rd., Santa Rosa. tinyurl.com/6w4mvdtt
Firefighter Appreciation Night. Honoring firefighters & first responders in Sonoma County. $20–$120. Dinner free for firefighters/ first responders. Firefighters, call office to RSVP: 707-763-0901. No host-cocktails: 5 p.m. Dinner. 6–9 p.m. Elks Lodge #901. 2105 S. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma. Tickets: tinyurl. com/4hsjvmh8
Friday 17
FREE The United States Navy Concert Band. A wide array of marches, patriotic selections, orchestral transcriptions & modern wind ensemble repertoire. Limit 4 tickets per household. 7:30 p.m. Green
Music Center. 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. Tickets required: gmc. sonoma.edu/us-navy-band. Parking permit required: visit sonoma.edu/ parking
FREE Family Day at Green Music Center. Sonia De Los Santos & the Okee Dokee Brothers perform. Percussion & hip-hop workshops. For children of all ages. No ticket required.
1:30 p.m. Green Music Center. 1801
E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. gmc. sonoma.edu/somosamigos.
Grease, School Edition. $12–$17. Mar. 17–18 & 24–25: 7:30 p.m. Mar.
18–19 & 25–26: 2 p.m. Spreckels
Performing Arts Center. 5409 Snyder Ln., Rohnert Park. Tickets: tinyurl. com/bdfdakn5
Luck of the Irish Dance Show. Keenan Irish Dance School students
perform. $10–$20. 5:45 p.m. Veterans Memorial Bldg. 1094 Petaluma Blvd. S., Petaluma. tinyurl.com/4n8bmks2
FREE Common Ground Moms Meet-Up. For moms of disabled or special needs children. Snacks, crafting & hanging out. Use pressed flowers, glue & glass jars to make vases or candle holders. 9 a.m. Early Learning Institute. 311 Professional Center Dr. #100, Rohnert Park. Register: commongroundsociety.org/ calendar
Science Saturdays: Lava Lamps. Use everyday materials to make homemade lava lamps & experiment with liquid density, chemical bonds & acids & bases. For ages 6–12. $10–$12. Parking: $7. Two sessions: 11 a.m.–noon & 1–2 p.m. Spring
Lake Regional Park Environmental Discovery Center. 393 Violetti Rd., Santa Rosa. Register 11 a.m. session: tinyurl.com/2smbff72. Register 1 p.m. session: tinyurl.com/5ew3u7wy
Public Star Party. Presentations on astronomical topics. Telescopes are open for viewing. $5–$15; 5 & younger, free. Parking: $10. 8–11 p.m. Sugarloaf Ridge State Park. Robert Ferguson Observatory. 2605 Adobe Canyon Rd., Kenwood. rfo.org.
Hansel & Gretel & Other Selected Works. Featuring contemporary & classical pieces performed by North Coast Ballet California company dancers. $22–$30. 2 & 6:30 p.m. Spreckels Performing Arts Center. 5409 Snyder Ln., Rohnert Park. Tickets: tinyurl.com/bdfdakn5
Sonoma County Home & Garden Show. Resources for remodels, home offices, energy upgrade, landscaping, accent pieces & more. $7. Kids 12 & younger: free. Parking: $10. Mar. 18: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Mar. 19: 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Sonoma County Fairgrounds. 1350 Bennett Valley Rd., Santa Rosa. tinyurl.com/4cuvyxex
Sunday 19
Springtime Piano Concert. Members of Jack London Volunteer Piano Club perform on Charmian London’s 1901 Steinway baby grand piano. $20 includes parking. 2–4:30 p.m. Jack London State Park. House of Happy Walls Museum. 2400 London Ranch Rd., Glen Ellen. Tickets: jacklondonpark.com
Wednesday 22
FREE Shadow & Walk Through the High School Tour. Prospective students come shadow while parents tour the school. 8–9:30 a.m. Summerfield Waldorf School & Farm. 655 Willowside Rd., Santa Rosa. Register: summerfieldwaldorf.org
Thursday 23
FREE Escape at the Library. Teens must work together to solve puzzles, open locks & find hidden messages in order to complete the mission. Grades 7–12. 4–5:30 p.m. Limited to 10 participants. Sign up online or at the Service Desk. Rohnert Park–Cotati Regional Library. 6250 Lynne Condé Way, Rohnert Park. Registration: tinyurl.com/y9x2ecj6.
FREE Teen Crafternoon: No-Sew Cup Cozies. Materials provided.
Grades 7–12. 4 p.m. Petaluma
Regional Library. 100 Fairgrounds
Dr., Petaluma. Register: tinyurl.com/ mryxwm9e. Will also be held at Sonoma Valley Regional Library on March 8. See tinyurl.com/3k3yybhz.
Friday 24
If I Don’t Make It, I Love You. A harrowing collection of narratives written by the survivors of school shootings. $25; $10 for students with ID. Thursday show is Pay What You Can. Mar. 24–25, 30–31: 7:30 p.m. Mar. 26: 2 p.m. Thru April 9. Raven Performing Arts Theater. 115 North St., Healdsburg. tinyurl.com/ mutmy58f.
17th Annual California Artisan Cheese Festival. Farm & producer tours; seminars & pairing demos; Cheese Crawl; Artisan Cheese Tasting
& Marketplace. $25–$175. Various locations in Sonoma County. Thru Mar. 26. Tickets & full schedule: tinyurl.com/ykhxspu5
Saturday 25
FREE Morning on the Farm. Children 6 & younger & their parents are invited to Summerfield’s Biodynamic farm to visit the animals, hear a story & meet early childhood teachers. 9:30–11 a.m. Summerfield Waldorf School & Farm. 655 Willowside Rd., Santa Rosa. Register: tinyurl. com/2btr6xcx .
How to Draw Peanuts. Robert Pope, who has contributed to Peanuts, Batman, Scooby-Doo & many more comic books, will teach participants how to draw Peanuts characters. Free with museum
admission ($5–$12; free for ages 3 & younger). 11 a.m. Charles M. Schulz Museum. 2301 Hardies Ln., Santa Rosa. schulzmuseum.org/ how-to-draw-peanuts
Cultivating Queer & Trans Community. LGBTQ2IA+ people to come together & explore the natural world while building supportive relationships. Event: free. Parking: $7. 1–3 p.m. Sonoma Valley Regional Park. 13630 Sonoma Hwy., Glen Ellen. tinyurl.com/ytz2dkwu.
Little Parkies: What’s the Buzz? Play games, check out the wildflowers & learn about bees, birds & butterflies. For ages 3–7. $10–$12 per family (4 people). Parking: $7. 9:30–11:30 a.m. Sonoma Valley Regional Park. 13630 Sonoma Hwy., Glen Ellen. tinyurl.com/mspc6me9.
Tuesday 28
FREE Seeds & Reads: Butterfly Puddler. Create a mini-puddling station to support butterflies. All materials provided. For grades K–6. 4–5 p.m. Healdsburg Regional Library. 139 Piper St., Healdsburg. Registration required: tinyurl.com/ycy9u27k. Other libraries will host this event. See tinyurl.com/5n7xutrs for branches/ times.
FREE E Street Studios Media Maker Meet-Up. Connect with other videographers, photographers, podcasters, designers & sound artists who are making media or are curious about making media. Registration not required. For ages 13 & older. 6–7 p.m. Santa Rosa Central Library. 211 E St., Santa Rosa. tinyurl.com/48k9bs6w
By Shannon Carpenter
Every profession has its own vernacular, the way that they talk with people “in the know.” For example, physicists use phrases such as “don’t touch that button or you’ll kill us all.” It’s no different with parents.
Here are some simple terms:
Blowouts: when a diaper cannot hold the absolute lava flow of baby poop and erupts like when Gallagher smashes a watermelon.
Trunking: when Dad changes the baby’s diaper in the trunk of your 1993 Lincoln because there is no changing table in the men’s room. Used in a sentence: John can’t be here right now. He’s out front, trunking.
Bullseye: when changing a boy and you forget to put the diaper on his front as you take the old one off, and he gets you right in the face.
Chicken Fried: can refer to both nuggets and your nerves after too many blowouts that occur when trunking.
Pretty easy, right? So, let’s go deeper: Here’s Johnny: when a parent hides in the bathroom and a toddler is trying to break down the door.
Laundry Sherping: when you have to hire a guide to climb all the laundry piles even though you do 25 loads a day.
Nuggetpalooza: the only thing your kid will eat.
Fancy Nuggetpalooza: nuggets that come in the shape of a dinosaur.
Power Nap Battle: the ability to take a quick nap while a Hot Wheels car is hitting you in the face.
Inside Voices: still screaming but inside.
Now we’re going to get really deep into the weeds:
Barbie Surprise: when one of the kids threw a Barbie in the air fryer without you noticing it, and then you ran the fryer for 15 minutes at 350°F. You still serve the Barbie-dinner, though, rather than cook yet another meal.
Retirement Plan: hoping that your kids will build a shed in their backyard that you can live in, next to the lawn mower.
The Robinson Crusoe: when the week has been so hard that you wonder how you can get shipwrecked for about a month.
Getting Banksy’ed: when permanent makers are really, really permanent, and you consider cutting the sheetrock to sell it for millions because your little one is a genius.
Game of Thrones: any adult show that is not Disney-affiliated and has at least one swear word.
Transfer of Power: when you can transfer a napping child from the car to the crib without waking them up. More legend than fact, it only happens once a century or so.
A Metal Lullaby: to keep your sanity, you sing lullabies based on Metallica and Rage Against the Machine because you can’t take “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” anymore.
Shannon Carpenter is a professional humorist, co-host of The Dadhouse Pod , and the author of The Ultimate Stay-at-Home Dad Manual (Penguin, 2021).
Creating unity through music is a driving vision of Latin Grammy–nominated Mexican vocalist Sonia De Los Santos and the American folk duo the Okee Dokee Brothers. With their act Somos Amigos: Songs on Common Ground, the trio will headline the Green Music Center’s free Family Day, sharing bilingual songs from the musical traditions of North America. The afternoon will also include a marimba performance, dance demos by Grupo Folklórico Quetzalén of Sonoma Valley, and percussion and hip-hop workshops. The event will be held on March 18, 12:30–5 p.m., at the Green Music Center in Santa Rosa. Find a schedule at gmc.sonoma.edu/somosamigos.
School-based programs provide essential services to children with disabilities. But what happens when a student graduates but still needs help? The 15th Annual Sonoma County Transitions Fair aims to assist families as they figure out the answer to that question. The event will feature service providers offering information about residential options, adult day programs, vocational training, post-secondary education, employment, support services, and CalABLE accounts. Information about Social Security benefits will be provided at the Work Incentives Planner Booth. The fair will be held on March 15, 3–6 p.m., at Becoming Independent in Santa Rosa. Spanish interpretation will be available. For further details and to register, go to tinyurl.com/3c9ddwm5.
