Kin Magazine March 2011

kin ST. JOSEPH’S FAMILY MAGAZINE

Balancing Breakfast Cereals and Breads are fine, just try to skip the overly sweetened Cereals and pastries

food fight

loCal moms share how they take Care of their piCky eaters

help on the home front

military and red Cross programs support families

march 2011

Kevin Krauskopf | designer I will never again, unless my life somehow depends on it, eat black licorice or a black jelly bean. Don’t the people who make those know that candy isn’t supposed to be disgusting?

Jennifer Hall | reporter There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t eat while pregnant with both my children. But oysters on the shell and okra are two things I can never bring myself to eat.

Steve Booher | columnist I absolutely cannot handle Brussels sprouts. They make me gag.

Jess DeHaven | editor I have never liked white dairy products, including milk, and to this day I can’t eat anything that’s been touched by sour cream, mayo or cream cheese. I don’t like whipped cream, but that I will just scrape off.

Have a story idea or photo you’d like to see in Kin? Send it to kin@newspressnow.com or call (816) 271-8563.

Jess DeHaven A little about me: Jess DeHaven is Kin’s editor. She and her husband are the parents of a 3-year-old daughter.

Three cats round out their family. When she’s not cleaning up after everyone, Jess enjoys reading, cooking and travel. At this time of year, you can often find her in front of the TV cheering on the Jayhawks.

05 Avoid too-sweet cereals and pastries.

06 The Oz Museum in Wamego, Kan., is an ultimate ‘Wizard of Oz’ mecca .

08 Spice things up with this Mexican meal.

09 Take a stroll through the stroller aisle.

10 Local moms share how they address kids’ picky-eating habits.

12 Military and Red Cross initiatives provide support for families.

15 Use discarded items to give your garden a head start.

16 The classroom isn’t the only place for your child to learn.

18 Keep the kids — and yourself — busy.

20 Pointers on how to choose your next home.

Balancing Breakfast | By Jennifer gorDon oz fest | By Blake Hannon

Pass tHe naPkins Beefy tostaDas | By Dawn forsBerg

Hot wHeels | By sHea conner

fooD figHt | By erin wisDom

HelP for tHe Home front | By Jennifer gorDon

make seeD-starter Pots | By george stanton

Parents as teacHers | By clinton tHomas tHings to Do

a living situation | By erin wisDom

Kin’s editor is Jess DeHaven Paul Branson is the presentation editor The photo editor is todd weddle

On the cOver: Adan Seiter, 5, is a kindergartner at Cathedral School.

According to Adan’s mom, he could eat oatmeal every day.

Jessica stewart/St. Joseph News-Press

|MARCH2011.kin

We asked our staff the following question: What food will you not eat?

Contents.March11

Contributors

I consider myself a “selective” eater rather than a picky one. As a kid, my parents found having me take a sack lunch to school was much easier than dealing with things on the school-supplied tray that I wouldn’t eat. In my case, most of the things I couldn’t stand were pretty standard kid dislikes — peas, broccoli, spinach — although milk and related products were an issue for me as well. At home, I’d pretty much eat anything my mom cooked — of course, she generally avoided making foods I didn’t like. When my brother came along, mom was forced to become more of a shortorder cook because of his pickiness.

Even today, as a father himself, many of his meals have a plain chicken centerpiece. And when we have family meals, mom still caters to our preferences (our sister who lives 500 miles away being the only one of us who will eat pretty much anything).

I consider myself fairly fortunate to have a child who isn’t too choosey when it comes to meals, although like many parents we do keep a supply of mac and cheese and chicken nuggets at the ready for those nights she’s just not in to the main meal. If you’ve got a picky eater in your family, check out Erin Wisdom’s story on page 10. Our tips won’t have your kid loving everything, but they can help dinner from becoming a battleground.

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The parenting plunge

Moving on to bigger, better things

By Betsy Lee

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A little about me: Betsy Lee is a freelance journalist. She lives in a perpetually messy house with her husband, two children and a neglected basset hound mix. You can e-mail her at contactbetsylee@gmail. com.

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To My Childless Friends: Yes, I know. I’m different than I used to be three years ago.

We used to go out, late. And with nary a glance at the clock, we’d dance or drink or discuss the night away.

And man, could I discuss with the best of ’em. I made you laugh.

I dissected your problems. I was fun.

Now, to you maybe, I seem like a shadow.

A dull one at that.

I can’t have dinner on a whim. Often, I can’t even have dinner if it’s planned a month in advance.

I’m always tired. So even if I do get a free evening out, I’m always glancing at the clock. Either because I’m timing when I need to get home to relieve the sitter or I’m watching the hours of sleep I could be getting click away. And it’s pretty clear I’m wondering if it’s worth it.

And, my goodness, when we talk now, it seems like I haven’t picked up a newspaper in months. (I haven’t.) The documentaries I watch now (in 30-minute segments) are about babies and the American school system. (BORing.)

You might even wonder why I always seem to prefer the company of my friends with children. How did they become the priority when we have a history together?

Truth is ... sometimes I miss the old “me” too.

It isn’t easy giving up everything you know to become a virtual slave to an uncommunicative wiggling ball of muscle.

But I need to let you in on some things you obviously don’t understand.

Over the course of a day, I meet the needs of two people (my husband notwithstanding) before I meet my own. For my kids, anything as complicated as brushing teeth requires my assistance.

I answer every question. I dry every tear.

I correct every poor decision. Every task that takes you five minutes takes me 20.

And I do all of this while trying to teach basic skills (ABCs and 123s anyone?) and instilling in my children compassion, caring, love, morality and spontaneity.

So, when you call at 9 p.m. to chat about your boyfriend or your idiot boss, sometimes (OK, often) I just let the call go to voicemail. I just don’t have any more to give.

I also do this because when you ask me about my children and I say “they’re good,” that part of the conversation ends. I don’t blame you. I don’t really know what to say. We’ve gone so long ignoring my life that I don’t know how to reintroduce you to it. And somehow, sharing with you that I stared at my sleeping daughter for

15 minutes tonight wondering where her babyhood disappeared to seems silly. Even if it was meaningful to me.

And when it comes to leaving my kids, I’m reluctant. Not because I don’t want to be away from them. Sometimes I want to RUN away from them. It’s because I don’t live in the 1980s, where the friendly neighborhood teenager knocks on your door and tells you she’s starting a Babysitters Club.

And she only charges $3 an hour.

Every sitter we’ve had, we felt the need to pay them at least $10 a hour, just to be certain that this virtual stranger won’t leave our children to go pick up a pizza.

And if something happens — if your children are injured or abandoned or abused — I can’t even imagine the guilt.

Plus, my friend, there is this simple fact: When you head home from the bar at 1 a.m., I have a feeling that you won’t have an alarm clock set at 6:30 a.m. But I do.

It goes off like clockwork. And it doesn’t snooze.

It’s true. I made the choice to have kids and to be their full-time parent. And the joys that go along with this job are boundless and endlessly fulfilling. I love my children more than my life. So I’m willing, if I have to, to give it up.

But I don’t WANT to. And I want to be your friend. I want to have some crazy nights in my future. I want to hear your stories, celebrate your successes and help you through your troubles.

I just need the same from you. Even if you don’t fully understand. Even if you’d rather be at the movies than sitting at my house playing with my kids.

Even if it’s kinda hard to sit through my frustrations about my lack of sleep or my chorus about my amazing children. (You think I’m thrilled to hear the play-by-play of the conversation you had with that hot bartender?)

If we really are friends, we’ll do these things because we love each other.

And if you can’t, then, sorry. I’ll always remember our fun times fondly.

But I’ve got better things to do.

Love,

Betsy

STAY WELL

Balancing breakfast In the rush of the morning, forgotten homework assignments and late risers often take up the time needed to prepare a nutritious meal.

Easy-to-fix breakfast cereals can be a good start, says 4th Grade Challenge dietitian Jessica Hagey. Before you reach for one of the breakfast cereal menagerie, however, check the label.

Kids might think tiger-branded boxes are great, but super sugary cereals won’t get them very far.

“If you have a breakfast that’s a bowl of sugar and that’s all it is, it was something, but it’s not going to stay with you as long as a balanced breakfast would,” Hagey says.

A recent Yale University study also shows children who eat low-sugar cereals are more likely to fill up on other parts of the meal, such as fresh fruit or

orange juice.

Purchase cereals with at least 3 grams of fiber, ideally 5, and you’ll most likely be in the right sugar range, Hagey says. Boxes marked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Women, Infants and Children (WIC) stamp will meet both sugar and fiber requirements. If your kids are used to a sugar influx in the morning, add bananas or blueberries to a less-sweet alternative.

You also can mix up breakfast options with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole-grain bread. The lunchtime favorite provides recommended protein, fruit and whole-grain servings and can be eaten easily on the run. To-go yogurt packs, dry cereal and string cheese also are good in a pinch.

School breakfasts provide another option. The USDA provides nutritional guidelines that national school food programs must meet. Even if the school offers pancakes in the morning, it will

be within nutritional serving size and usually accompanied by a breakfast meat and fruit option.

“We won’t serve cold cereal every day,” says Robin Rhodes, nutrition services director for the St. Joseph School District. “All things are in moderation.”

When the school does provide cereal, including sweet options of the chocolate and marshmallow varieties, only reduced-fat or skim milks are available to top them off.

Whatever you decide, be sure the whole family eats something. No breakfast is worse than doughnuts.

“Breakfast is really important because it does get you started for the day, especially if you’re a child going to school and you’re there to pay attention and learn,” Hagey says. “It is hard to focus and learn — and the research shows that, too — if you didn’t have something to eat.”

— Jennifer Gordon, Kin magazine 05 |MARCH2011.kin

Avoid too-sweet cereals and pastries

photos.com

Day TRIP

The Oz Museum in Wamego, Kan., is the Midwest’s ultimate ‘Wizard of Oz’ mecca

Oz fest Submitted photo

You can find just about everything to do with ‘The Wizard of Oz’ at the Oz Museum in Wamego, Kan.

It’s

hard to imagine an American film more beloved than “The Wizard of Oz.” It’s a movie that continually sparks our imagination and is thoroughly embedded in the fabric of popular culture.

But the people whose fanship of “Oz” begins and ends with the 1939 classic are missing out on its origins and the numerous spinoffs and reincarnations that came after.

But all that can easily be found with a trip to the Oz Museum in Wamego, Kan. “I think we’re one of the only (museums) that showcases the history of all ‘Oz’ — not just the movie,” says Oz Museum director Mercedes Michalowski.

In the late ’90s, the Columbian Theatre in

The Oz Museum includes replicas from the famous film.

Submitted photo

production “Wicked.”

“We celebrate over 100 years of ‘Oz,’” Michalowski says.

But the path through the Oz Museum also has a structure fans will be familiar with as they enter themed alcoves and get to meet full-scale models of the Scarecrow, Tin Man, The Cowardly Lion and other fan favorites.

“As you’re going through the museum, you’re not only going through in a chronological order, you’re also greeting the characters as Dorothy did,” Michalowski says.

While the Oz Museum prides itself on offering a comprehensive look at everything related to “The Wizard

of Oz,” those who simply want to see a museum that honors the original movie will be in for a treat. They can see the entire movie play in the museum’s theater along with documentaries revealing behind-the-scenes info.

Props like the iconic ruby-red slippers will be on display, along with peculiar items like the four-inch rubber flying monkeys they used as props for one of the film’s famous sequences. And then there are the mountains of memorabilia that have been manufactured over the years.

“Pretty much everything they could put ‘Wizard of Oz’ on, they did, and we have at least one (of everything),” Michalowski says.

Considering the affection that so many people have for the story of Dorothy’s trip to a magical place far beyond her Kansas home, the Oz Museum continues to attract fans of all ages.

“I think that a lot of it is it’s a timeless classic that every year gets introduced to new generations,” Michalowski says. “They start to embrace it as the first generation did.”

The Oz Museum is located at 511 Lincoln St. in Wamego, Kan. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $7 for adults, $4 for children ages 4 to 12 and free for children 3 and under.

For more information, visit www.ozmuseum.com.

— Blake Hannon, kin magazine

There are more than 2,000 ‘Oz’ items at the Oz Museum.

Submitted photo

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Wamego held an exhibit featuring “The Wizard of Oz” memorabilia and artifacts. It was a smashing success and the inspiration for the Oz Museum, which opened in 2003 and is dedicated to “The Wizard of Oz” and everything associated with it.

Now, the museum attracts nearly 25,000 visitors a year from all 50 states and a dozen foreign countries who can peruse the approximately 2,000 “Oz” artifacts, collectibles and exhibits.

Attendees experience the objects of the Oz Museum in chronological order.

They’ll see items related to the original 1900 L. Frank Baum book “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” and the numerous literary sequels that followed.

“We often encounter the visitor that didn’t know it was a book first, let alone that there were 40 official ‘Oz’ books,” Michalowski says.

Guests also will learn of the “Oz”based silent films that preceded the 1939 feature and get a glance at objects linked to the reinterpretations that followed, whether it be the 1970s musical film “The Wiz,” the SyFy channel miniseries “Tin Man” or the hit Broadway

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quick food

Pass the Napkins Beefy Tostadas

By Dawn ForsBerg

A little about me: Dawn Forsberg is the author of “Dawn’s Kitchen Cuisine” and has won numerous recipe contests in magazines such as Better Homes and Gardens and Cook’s Country. Before moving to St. Joseph, she lived in San Diego, Calif., where she had her own business, “Dawned on Me,” making and selling fruit salsas, barbecue sauces, mustards, chutneys, soups, salads and pickles. She is now a stay-at-home mom to two children, two stepchildren and four grandchildren.

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W 08

e love interactive meals in our house, and this is one of our favorites. It is easy to put together, inexpensive to make and the leftovers make great taco salads either for lunches or snacks. I started making these because of my inability to master the art of taco shell making. They sell premade tostada shells, but making them from scratch is so simple, and the results are almost foolproof.

IngredIents 1 pound lean ground beef 1 large onion, chopped fine 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed 2 teaspoons chili powder 1/2 teaspoon oregano leaves 1/2 teaspoon rosemary 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1/4 cup beef broth or water Refried beans (homemade or purchased) Tostada shells toppings (optional): Grated cheese Sliced green onions Sour cream Chopped tomatoes Shredded lettuce Salsa or taco sauce

dIrectIons

ERIC KEITH/Kin magazine

I fry a bunch up in some vegetable or canola oil and let them drain on a paper towel. I set everything on the table and let everyone make their tostadas to taste.

I do have one rule, and that is the beans are the first layer. It helps keep everything else from falling off the tostada. Sour cream might do the same trick.

The herb mixture is very flavorful and doesn’t contain all of the

In a large frying pan over medium heat, brown the ground beef until all the pink is gone, about five minutes. Drain off any accumulated fat and add the onion and garlic to the pan. Cook until the onion is limp, about three minutes. Stir in the chili powder, oregano leaves, rosemary, cumin and black pepper and sauté for about three minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce and beef broth or water and simmer until the meat is desired consistency.

Heat tostada shells in oven according to package directions. Heat refried beans either on top of stove or in microwave.

To assemble tostadas, spread a little bit of refried beans on the tostada, top with taco meat and any of the other desired toppings. Pass the napkins and enjoy!

salt and MSG that packaged taco seasonings usually have. I have also used this recipe with a chuck roast in the slow cooker. When the beef is fall-off-the-bone tender, shred it with two forks and have a shredded beef burrito, taco, tostada or torta (a Mexican-style sandwich that consists of a chewy substantial bun that is split and spread with guacamole, then topped with the shredded beef).

Take a stroll through the stroller aisle for these gems

Hot wheels

want that

Baby strollers have come a long way in the past few decades. They’re no longer simply seats on wheels but fashionable vehicles with durable designs full of safety features and comfort-enhancing amenities. Here’s some information about the best strollers in three categories: value, utility and luxury.

— Shea Conner, Kin magazine

VALue: KoLcrAft contours Lite For under $100, parents could purchase the Kolcraft Contours Lite and get a stroller that comes pretty close to the pricier the Graco MetroLite. The Contours Lite comes with a fivepoint harness, a swiveling child tray (with a cupholder for easy access), a multi-position reclining seat, a canopy, a parent cupholder and a storage basket. Another nice feature — the Contours Lite stands on its own when folded. At 15 pounds, it’s one of the lightest quality strollers money can buy. The only knocks against the Contours Lite are its questionable durability and the inability to support a car seat.

utiLity: GrAco MetroLite The Graco MetroLite is like the Swiss Army knife of strollers. It may not be too stylish, but at a cool $150, it’s slim, light and full of features. The MetroLite accommodates Graco infant car seats and advertises a one-handed fold, harnesses that can be used as three- or five-point, padded seats with multi-position recline, drop-down bottom baskets, peek-a-boo canopies, pivoting child trays with cupholders, parent trays with two cupholders and lockable swivel wheels with suspension.

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Luxury: uPPAbAby VistA Among full-featured luxury strollers (the Rolls-Royce models of the stroller world), the UPPAbaby Vista stands out for practicality and value. Although it’s not cheap ($650 to $700), it’s still considerably more affordable than its closest competitors, the Stokke Xploryinfo and the Bugaboo Cameleoninfo (both cost close to $950). Yet it offers most of the same features as the Stokke and Bugaboo models. The Vista allows babies to ride up high, close to mom and dad. It is also an excellent choice for parents who want an easy-to-fold stroller that delivers an extremely smooth ride for the baby. Taller parents praise the adjustable telescoping handles and arched rear axle that pretty much does away with parents stubbing their toes on the back of the stroller. It also comes with a rain shield, bug shield, a car seat adapter and an interchangeable bassinet. Those who need to accommodate more than one child can equip the Vista with a “RumbleSeat” second seat or “Piggyback” running board, which are sold separately.

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Photo by CoCo Walters/Kin magazine

‘‘

I think it’s her way of exerting control. She’s even picky when it comes to sweets; only grape suckers will do.

— Rebecca Evans, St. Joseph mother and regional director of the Small Business Development Center

Food Fight Local moms share how they address kids’ picky-eating habits about her business — usually coming back hungry and willing to give her dinner a try a Then she turned 2 and became a Picky couple hours later.

Eater. Every parent knows the type — either The word “try” from personal experience or from counting is key here: It’s the key rule her their blessings that at least for now, their daughter is held to at dinner time. child isn’t one.

While the Mayo Clinic advises parents against becoming short-order “I think it’s her way of exerting cooks who prepare separate meals control,” says Evans, who works as when their children reject the origithe regional director of the Small nal ones, Evans found she had to Business Development Center in St. relent and prepare food her daughJoseph and whose daughter is now 4. ter would eat after the little girl “She’s even picky when it comes to began losing weight from refusing sweets; only grape suckers will do.” meals. Now, the agreement is she According to the Mayo Clinic, can have food she likes — usually Evans is far from alone in dealing macaroni and cheese, cheese pizza, with this. She’s also somewhat of an Chef Boyardee spaghetti, chicken expert who’s tried most if not all the nuggets or peanut butter and jelly picky-eating tips the clinic provides — but only if she tries a bite of the on its website — with varying levels food that’s been placed in front of of success. her.

Tip No. 1 is to respect a child’s apUsually, she still opts for one of petite, not forcing or bribing him to her favorites after trying the new eat if he’s not hungry — and inevitafood. But the rule that she has to give bly intensifying the food battle in the each meal a try has led her to deem a process. few other foods acceptable, including “The pediatrician and all the broccoli (as of yet the only vegetable research books say don’t make it a she enjoys) and mashed potatoes. big deal, so I’m nice about it,” Evans “That was really hard, getting says. If her daughter doesn’t want to her to try a big white pile of stuff,” eat, she gets to leave the table and go

Evans laughs. “It’s not pretty.”

Another tip the Mayo Clinic suggests is sneakiness — hiding chopped vegetables in spaghetti sauce, for example, or mixing them into casseroles or soups. Because her daughter won’t take any chewable vitamins, Evans has resorted to “sneaking” vitamins into her by mixing PediaSure with milk.

Starting early in exposing out-ofthe-ordinary foods can also be helpful — perhaps stopping picky eating before it starts. This is the approach Anna McDowell took with her daughters, who are now 6, 4 and 1.

The St. Joseph woman notes that she made their baby food with somewhat uncommon fare such as avocados and black beans.

“If that’s all they’ve been exposed to, it’s what’s normal,” she says.

“They aren’t used to processed foods.”

The Mayo Clinic also suggests involving children in the food preparation process, which is something McDowell has done as her daughters have gotten older.

“Not that my kids are in the kitchen with me every night,” she says. “But when they do help prepare the food, they’re more likely to want to eat it.”

— Erin Wisdom, Kin magazine 11 |MARCH2011.kin

When Rebecca Evans’ daughter was a baby, she ate everything.

Military and Red Cross initiatives provide support for families coping with deployment

Help for the home front

By Jennifer Gordon W Photographed by Jessica stewart

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Greg and Cailie Stewart and their children, Corinne, 7, Sydney, 11, and Hayden, 8, from left to right, in their Avenue City, Mo., home.

Mr. Stewart is a member of the Missouri Air National Guard.

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Greg Stewart, a member of the Missouri air National Guard, is surrounded by his wife, Cailie, and children, Sydney, 11, Corinne, 7, and Hayden, 8, from left to right, upon his return from deployment in January.

While spouses fight overseas, families face their own battles on the home front. The barrage of day-today responsibilities and challenges previously shared on two sets of shoulders now fall on the parent left behind.

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“It’s like being a single parent,” says military wife Cailie Stewart of Avenue City, Mo. “I have a new respect for what they go through.”

Cailie’s husband, Greg, a member of the Missouri Air National Guard, was deployed again Nov. 1 and returned following the holidays in January.

Skype and e-mail close the distance a little bit. Cailie and the children — Sydney, 11, Hayden, 8, and Corinne, 7 — could at least see Daddy a few times a week. Live chatting didn’t help with the loneliness, however, and it didn’t provide the much-needed extra hand.

All three of the kids are on the swim team. Sydney’s on the academic team, Corinne plays indoor soccer and Hayden plays basketball and baseball.

While Greg was away, Cailie says she had to scale back and start saying no to extra activities.

Jennifer Halter, a volunteer for the 139th Airlift Wing and Family Readiness Program at Rosecrans Memorial Airport, helps families cope with their loved ones leaving. Her husband, David, has been deployed more times than she can remember.

“There’s plenty of things that arise when they’re gone,” Halter says. “Not having that friend, parent and helper with you is very hard.”

During her husband’s last deployment, Halter’s mother-in-law’s water heater broke. If her husband had been home, he could have fixed it. Instead, she had to find a plumber and figure out the best course of action.

Parenting, too, becomes more complicated as children adjust to single-voice authority. Everyone feels the extra stress and anxiety when a parent is away, but children might not understand it. They are often the ones who feel the brunt of deployment, Halter says.

“If problems are going on at home, a parent can’t afford to pay 14

the water bill, that comes down on the kids, even the 0 to 3 set,” Halter says.

Kids with troubles of their own also might not voice concerns because they don’t want to add to ongoing tensions.

The Family Readiness Center at Rosecrans connects families to the resources they need for the practical and psychological problems that arise during deployment. A Military Family Life Consultant (MFLC) comes to the base every Thursday to counsel families. Family Readiness volunteers will direct families to Military One Source, a national 24-hour hot line — the number is (800) 342-9647 — as well. Military One Source has access to grants and loans military families can use to cover expenses in times of need.

Halter is also the chairman of Operation Support Military Kids, a local offshoot of the national Operation Military Kids, which alerts community educators to the unique stressors on children in a military family. Operation

Support Military Kids points out children with parents overseas to school counselors to keep them from being forgotten in the school system. If school counselors learn there’s something going on at home, they can alert the Family Readiness Center to help get the problem addressed.

The Red Cross course “Coping Through Deployment: Psychological First Aid for Military Families” also reaches out to families with loved ones overseas. During the four-and-a-halfhour class, mental health professionals discuss how deployment affects adults and kids and provides resource guides to participants.

Cailie Stewart found outside resources helped her the most during her husband’s deployments. She credits prayer and support from friends for getting her through the tough times.

“Keep friends and family close,” Cailie says. “Don’t be afraid to ask for help because there are times you have to.”

Make seed-starter pots

How To

Go green by using your discarded toilet tissue and paper towel rolls as seed-starting pots — just in time for planting season.

Materials list: › Seeds › Scissors › Large spoon › Milk jug › 4 toilet tissue tubes or 2 paper towel tubes › Potting soil

2. Fold it

3. taMp it

Fold under about a half-inch of one end to create the bottom of the seed pot.

After folding the ends in, place the bottom on a firm surface and push the folds down flat.

4. Make a Container Use a clean gallon milk or water jug in which to place your seed pots. Cut about 2 inches up from the bottom all the way around the jug.

5. Fill it up

Take your scissors and cut the toilet tissue tubes in half. They will be about 2 inches in length.

Illustrations and story by George Stanton If you have a suggestion or idea on illustrating a how to, please contact George Stanton at george.stanton@newspressnow.com.

6. add seeds Push seeds down in the middle of the pots and gently water each container. Be careful not to overfill each pot. Set the container in a south window and watch your plants sprout to life.

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1. Cut it

After placing nine seed pots in the milk-jug container bottom, spoon in the potting soil about a half-inch from the top.

15

The classroom isn’t the only place for your child to learn

Parents as teachers

News-Press file photo

Debbie Kunz, St. Joseph Parents As Teachers coordinator, interacts with a child at a recent Children’s Fair. Parents as Teachers works with families to make the home a positive learning environment.

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K

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ids don’t come with instruction manuals.

For a child to have a balanced education, parents may need some instructions to continue the learning experience outside the classroom.

Organizations like Parents As Teachers help parents boost their child’s education before they reach school age.

Debbie Kunz, coordinator of Parents As Teachers in St. Joseph, says her group operates on the philosophy that parents will be their child’s first teacher and the home is the first learning environment.

Parent educators make home visits where they bring activities for the parent and child based on different developmental benchmarks.

“Life in general is education for a young child,” Kunz says. “What parents need to learn is how they can make their life that learning environment.”

News-Press file photo

Arts programs like Artscape, seen here, or Robidoux Resident Theatre’s Summer Musical Camp provide learning experiences outside the classroom.

Homemade toys — as simple as a yogurt cup filled with beans — show both parent and child that their normal home environment contains opportunities for learning.

“The emphasis is on how to expand a child’s mind using the environment they live in,” Ms. Kunz says.

When a child reaches the classroom, parents may be tempted to take a less active role in their child’s education, letting teachers fill the void.

Jeff Haney spent 16 years as a teacher before he became executive director of Robidoux Resident Theatre.

When recalling his most successful students, he saw a trend. The brightest pupils knew learning did not end with the final school bell. In his position at Robidoux Resident Theatre, Haney provides programs that build upon a child’s classroom education.

Summer Musical Camp gives kids an opportunity to stage a musical during their vacation from school. Theatre Academy offers three six-week trimesters where students use a literature-based program to learn different aspects of the theater industry, from acting to directing and stage design.

“What we’re trying to encourage is that kids can learn as well at 9 o’clock in a rehearsal as they can at 1 o’clock in a math class,” Haney says.

The time students spend with fine arts helps them find their niche, whether it is in front of an audience, behind a desk, on a canvas or in a board room.

“The vast majority of the parents who enroll their children in our programs, they want their kid to be a little more confident, a little more graceful, a little more socialized,” Haney says. “I don’t think we approach it as ‘This child should take a career in fine arts.’ Arts are a way to continuously develop the brain.”

In addition to artistic offerings, St. Joseph contains numerous museums that can introduce children to history, science and other fields.

The Remington Nature Center of St. Joseph provides a taste of the outdoors and local history under one roof. For children seeking more than a standard tour, the Nature Center offers monthly programs where kids create crafts with natural or historic themes, such as seed bombs or paper quilts.

Andrea George, manager of the Nature Center, says she can create programs for groups that request information on a certain topic. Children have an easier time engaging in their work in a fun setting, she says.

“It just makes the kids more excited to learn. It’s a change of scenery,” George says.

Other local museums may pique a child’s interest in fields like mental health or the Wild West, while any library offers limitless options. Parents never need to look far to further their child’s education.

— CLINTON THOMAS, Kin magazine

‘‘

It just makes the kids more excited to learn.

It’s a change of scenery.

— Andrea George, Remington Nature Center of St. Joseph manager

News-Press file photo

Andrea George, right, talks with a family visiting the Remington Nature Center of St. Joseph. The city’s many museums can help spur a child’s interest in learning.

kids stuff 02I15

Things to do with young people

Tricky Tuesday Movie.

Come watch “Toy Story 3” and enjoy delicious snacks. 3:30 to 5 p.m., Washington Park Library, St. Joseph.

Free. 232-2052.

02I17

Science Adventure Club. A preschool science hour for ages 3 to 5 (with a chaperone, of course). The club meets every Thursday at 11 a.m. to highlight an animal or other topic with songs, stories, a science lesson and a craft. This week’s topic is whales. $5 ($4 Friends of the Zoo members) fee includes a carousel ride. Zoo admission not included. www. kansascityzoo.org.

02I19

Polar Bear PJ Party. Kids can enjoy a sleepover with all their friends in the Kansas City Zoo’s Polar Bear Passage viewing building. 7 p.m. Feb. 19 through 8 a.m. Feb. 20. One adult chaperone per 10 children under 18 required. $35 ($30 Friends of the Zoo members). Zoo admission not included. (816) 513-5723, www.kansascityzoo.org.

02I21

All Day Skates. B&J Skate Center, St. Joseph. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 21-22. $7 with or without skates. 364-1314, www. skatebj.com.

02I26

Last Saturday Craft. In honor of George Washington’s birthday, kids can participate in two colonial-era crafts: quilling and making silhouettes. 2 p.m., Remington Nature Center of St. Joseph.

271-5499, www.stjoenaturecenter. info.

02I26 |MARCH2011.kin

“Toy Story” Marathon. Watch the three “Toy Story” movies back to back to back.

Noon to 5 p.m., East Hills Library, St. Joseph. 236-2136.

18

03I01

“Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” A lively musical version of the beloved folktale.

Baby Bear and Goldilocks — a modern show biz kid from the city — bring peace to their feuding families through music and dance. Runs through April

Disney-Pixar

15 at Union Station’s Theater for Young America in Kansas City. (816) 4602083, www.unionstation.org.

03I02

“Evening of Seuss.”

Crafts, stories and more centered around iconic children’s author Dr. Seuss. Every child receives a free book. 6 to 7:30 p.m., East Hills Library, St. Joseph. Free, sign-up required.

236-2136.

03I05

Reading PUPS. Domesti-PUPS and the St. Joseph Public Library team to offer children a way to improve their reading skills and build confidence in a unique, fun environment: by reading out loud to friendly dogs. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., East Hills Library, St. Joseph. 236-2136.

03I07

Family Movie Night.

“Diary of a Wimpy Kid” (rated PG). 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. East Hills Library, St. Joseph. 236-2136.

03I08

Tricky Tuesday.

Make St. Patrick’s Day crafts to take home and enjoy a delicious snack. 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., Washington Park Library, St. Joseph.

232-2052.

03I11

Moila Shrine Circus.

7 p.m. March 11; 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. March 12; and 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. March 13. $12 adults, $6 children. St. Joseph Civic Arena.

03I12

Second Saturday Story Time. Come

celebrate “Plant a Flower Day” through stories and activities. 2 p.m., Remington Nature Center, St. Joseph. 271-5499, www.stjoenaturecenter.info.

03I22

Tricky Tuesday Movie. Come watch “101 Dalmatians” and enjoy delicious snacks. 3:30 to 5 p.m., Washington Park Library, St. Joseph. Free. 232-2052.

03I26

Last Saturday Craft. Be prepared to get your hands dirty while making seed bombs and learning about “Guerilla Gardening.” 2 p.m., Remington Nature Center, St. Joseph. 271-5499, www. stjoenaturecenter.info.

03I28

Practical Joke Workshop for Teens. Need we say more? 6:30 to 8 p.m., East Hills Library. Sign-up required.

Ages 12 to 17. 236-2136.

03I18 03

“Yesterday & Today.” An interactive Beatles experience presented

by Robidoux Resident Theatre. 7:30 p.m., St. Joseph’s historic Missouri Theater. 232-1778.

good stuff 02I15

Get a ‘sitter and try out these activities

Movie Night.

“Contact” (1997, rated PG).

Admission and popcorn are free.

6:30 to 9 p.m., East Hills Library, St. Joseph. 236-2107.

02I17

Third Thursday Wine Tasting. Presented by Hy-Vee Wine & Spirits. Learn about and sample a variety of wines.

5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, St. Joseph. $10 per person.

232-9750.

02I18

Friday Wine Tastings. Sample a variety of wines. 5 to 8 p.m., Smooth Endings Fine Wines, Spirits & Cigars, St. Joseph. $5. Tastings are held every Friday. 749WINE.

02I18

Englewood Art Walk. Seven galleries in the Englewood Station Shopping District in Independence, Mo., open their doors to art-lovers. Enjoy artist demonstrations, live music, refreshments and more. 5 to 9 p.m., free. (816) 252-3372.

02I19

“Motown Magic.”

Presented by the Performing Arts Association. $12 to $47.

8 p.m., St. Joseph’s historic Missouri Theater. 279-1225, www.stjosephper formingarts.org.

02I22

Movie Night. “Glory” (1997, rated R). Admission and popcorn are free. 6:30 to 9 p.m., East Hills Library, St. Joseph.

236-2107.

02I23

Pints for Penguins featuring hypnotist Brian Powers. Sample beers from Boulevard Brewery and enjoy tasty appetizers and live entertainment as you raise money to bring penguins to the Kansas City Zoo. 5 to 7 p.m. $30 ($20 Friends of the Zoo members). Must be 21 or older. (816) 513-5800, www. kansascityzoo.org.

02I22

Movie Night.

“The Night of the

03I22 03

Movie Night.

“Blazing Saddles” (1974, rated R). Admission and pop popcorn are free. 6:30 to 9 p.m., East Hills Library, St. Joseph. 236-2107.

Hunter” (1955, not rated). Admission and popcorn are free. 6:30 to 9 p.m., East Hills Library, St. Joseph. 236-2107.

03I02

The United States Army Field Band’s “Jazz Ambassadors.” Presented by the Performing Arts Association. 7 p.m., St. Joseph’s historic Missouri Theater.

279-1225, www.stjosephperforming arts.org.

03I05

Hot Tuna Blues.

Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady, blues icon Charlie Musselwhite and two-time Grammy winner Jim Lauderdale. $35 to $80. 8 p.m., Carlsen Center for Performing Arts at Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kan. (913) 469-4445, www.jccc.edu.

03I23

“A Musical Matter of Life & Death.”

Presented by the Saint Joseph Symphony. 7:30 p.m., St. Joseph’s historic Missouri Theater. 232-7701.

03I29

Movie Night. “Immortal Beloved” (1995, rated R). Admission and popcorn are free. 6:30 to 9 p.m., East Hills Library, St. Joseph. 236-2107.

03I31

“Menopause the Musical.” Presented

by Robidoux Resident Theatre. 7:30 p.m., St. Joseph’s historic Missouri Theater. 232-1778.

03I08

Movie Night. “The Muppet Movie” (1979, rated G). Admission and popcorn are free. 6:30 to 9 p.m., East Hills Library, St. Joseph. 236-2107.

03I15

Movie Night. “The Last Picture Show” (1971, rated R). Admission and popcorn are free. 6:30 to 9 p.m., East Hills Library, St. Joseph. 236-2107.

See a New You in the New Year.

Buy one complete pair, get one 50% off.* Keeping value in sight

816-364-0450 or 888-916-9898 2925 N. Belt Hwy., St. Joseph, MO www.specshoppe.com *See Store for Details The best eyewear. The best value. The best service.

money views

| MARCH2011.kin

Pointers on how to choose your next home

20

A living situ

uation

T

o rent or to own? It’s a question most adults face at some point in their lives — and not necessarily one that’s easy to answer.

Jennifer Lawson, a financial advisor with Ameriprise Financial Services in St. Joseph, offers these pointers for what to think through before making a decision: gg Determine what you can comfortably afford. Consider not only the amount of money you have for a down payment but also your monthly income and expenses, as well as your access to emergency funds for unplanned repairs or maintenance.

“You may qualify for a higher loan amount than you should borrow, given these factors,” Lawson says.

She also notes if you decide to go the buying route, it’s a good idea to know when you’re preapproved for your loan exactly what price range you’ll be shopping in, as this shows sellers you’re serious. In addition, it’s important to research your loan options and to be sure you know exactly how your loan will work. gg Whether you buy or rent, be realistic about how long you plan to stay in the home, what repairs or updates will be needed and what you will need to set aside for upkeep, utilities, taxes, insurance, etc. These are expenses that tend to be more for buyers than renters but that don’t necessarily come to mind during the initial stages of home shopping. If you do decide to buy, these expenses should all be factored in to how much you are willing to pay for a home.

— Erin Wisdom, Kin magazine

Been there, done that

Karma will tug at your guilt, drag you down

By steve Booher

| MARCH2011.kin

A little about me: As a parent and stepparent, Steve Booher has tried to keep his sense of humor while helping to raise five kids. He doesn’t claim to be the best parent out there, but he says he’s not the worst, either.

22

All of us have done crappy things to one another or wished ill on others. It’s normal. But it is tempting karma. A few years ago, a sitcom named “My Name is Earl” dealt with karma.

The main character was a guy named Earl who won the lottery but was in an accident and became convinced he had bad karma. In order to disperse the bad karma and enjoy his winnings, Earl made a list of all the bad things he’d done then went about setting them right.

The show was hilarious as Earl tried clean up his messes. In the show, Earl scrawled the list on a single page in a spiral notebook. I’m thinking I’d probably need the whole notebook.

Here’s one of the top items on my karma list: Find a childhood chum named “Randy” and apologize.

Randy and I walked to school together every day until his older brother, Rocky, bought an old beater and started giving him rides. Randy was one of those friends you hung out with, but he would always sucker-punch you when you weren’t looking or, when you wrestled around, he would cry “uncle” when you had him pinned then would shove you viciously into a wall after you let him up.

Anyway, here’s my brush with karma.

Randy and I were headed home from school one day during the sixth grade. The March sun bore down, lifted the temperature above freezing and began to melt a winter’s worth of snow. It was perfect for making snowballs, and soon we were compressing handfuls of snow and hurling them at trees, stop signs and each other.

It wasn’t long before we had a really good fight going.

The battle raged up and down Mather Street. We both scored some pretty good hits then called a truce and sat down to rest for a bit. Across the street, a little ways off, was a house still under construction.

The elderly couple that would own it had included one striking feature in its design: a huge picture window in the living room that offered a neighborhood panorama.

Just then, karma strolled right down the street.

Randy packed a new snowball and stared at the window with a strange look. “Think we can hit it?” he asked.

Now, any level-headed kid would have known not to throw anything at an expensive, fragile decorative fixture. Mostly, I was that kid. But karma’s temptation was too strong. I scooped up some snow and packed a ball.

On the count of three, we hurled our snowballs at the house. Randy’s fell way short; he always did have kind of a wimpy arm. I, on the other hand, put some air un-

der my throw and gave it a bit more juice.

The snowball arced toward the house. To my horror, it hit that huge window dead center and smashed the glass into about a thousand pieces. The breaking glass sounded awful. The shards that remained looked like broken teeth in a wicked smile.

Randy and I looked at each other in amazement. That throw had to be one in a million. But, we had just broken a window so there was only one thing to do.

Run. Like. Hell.

I bolted like a scalded cat straight down Mather Street and covered the six blocks to home in seconds. Randy stayed in my vapor trail until he turned left on Superior Street and ducked into the safety of his uncle’s house. Once home, I breathed a sigh of relief.

After supper that evening, the phone rang. My mom answered and, after a minute, asked if I had thrown a snowball and broken a window that day. Apparently, we’d been spotted fleeing down Mather Street and while the old couple didn’t recognize me, they knew Randy by reputation. They called his parents and demanded a new, expensive window. Randy told the truth and said I was the one who smashed the pane of glass.

My mom waited for an answer. I swallowed hard, looked at her — and lied.

Window, huh? Gosh... I can’t remember anything like that. Yes, Randy and I were having a snowball fight and it is possible that an errant snowball, through no fault of my own, could have accidentally grazed the window and possibly caused hairline cracks in the least valuable part of it.

My mom, who of course saw right through my lies, just nodded. A few minutes later, she hung up and returned to her knitting.

I breathed a sigh of relief. Obviously I’d lied well enough and cleverly enough to avoid punishment. I felt a rush of relief and a twinge of guilt.

Randy drew severe punishment. I saw he and his dad replacing the window the next day. His parents grounded him for a week.

His older brothers, Rocky and Rickey, who were mean and tough, no doubt probably pounded on him repeatedly.

I’ve kept that secret for all these years.

Randy eventually quit school after his junior year and got a job working his family’s sawmill. He took his punishment that day and never said a word to me. I haven’t seen him in 30 years. But I think of him whenever the mercury rises and the snow sticks.

Perhaps it’s one of those childhood memories that karma won’t let you erase completely. Or, maybe it’s karma poking my conscience. It’s something to think about next time you’re tempted to do something stupid.

Free Diabetic eDucation!

Family Medicine will be hosting a series of educational classes starting in February.

Each class will cover a different topic essential to diabetes self-management.

The 5 course class schedule is as follows: February 2nd at 10:30 a.m. & February 24th at 7:00 p.m. Topic: Introduction to Diabetes Self-management, Pre-diabetes & Blood Glucose Monitoring. Free glucose monitors!

March 2nd at 10:30 a.m. & March 24th at 7:00 p.m. Topic: Nutrition, Carb Counting, Meal plans & Weight loss.

Free vouchers for cookbooks!

March 7th at 10:30 a.m. & March 31st at 7:00 p.m. Advanced Carb Counting. Free vouchers for cookbooks!

April 6th at 10:30 a.m. & April 28th at 7:00 p.m.

Topic: Medication Options & Healthy Activity. Free pedometers!

May 4th at 10:30 a.m. & May 26th at 7:00 p.m.

Topic: Risk Reduction: Preventing Complications. Free Assessment tools!

June 1st at 10:30 a.m. & June 16th 7:00 p.m.

Topic: Coping, Problem Solving, Goal Setting & Trouble Shooting.

Free gift bag for those that complete the series!

Patients may attend all classes or just the ones they want. Friends and Family are always welcome! Classes are held at Family Medicine Associates, 2303 Village Drive (on the corner of Beck Road and Village Drive).

For reservations or any questions, call 816-901-1013 Tara Stevenson RN, BSN, CDE (Diabetes Educator)

Visit our website to find the clinic nearest you or call 816-271-8261 www.nwhealth-services.org We accept Medicaid, Medicare, most private insurance and offer a discount program for those who qualify.