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O R E G O N F A M I LY. C O M

Back to School RAISING A PINK FLAG

INDOOR VEGGIE GARDENS

TAMING FEAR OF SHOTS

In times of sickness and wellness, we are with you every step of the way.

Karen Ortiz, M.D., F.A.A.P., brings genuineness and compassion to each patient visit and strives to help children and their families be well, physically and emotionally. Proficient in medical Spanish, Dr. Ortiz recognizes that each family is unique and focuses on building lasting relationships, from birth through young adulthood.

To schedule an appointment, call 541-HUG-KIDS. 995 Willagillespie Road, Suite 100 • 541-484-5437 • www.EugenePeds.com

O R E G O N F A M I LY . C O M

OCTOBER 2022

Eat Smart,

Waste Less

Tip #1

Shop with meals in mind “Shop at home” first! Be sure to check your fridge, freezer and cupboards for any ingredients you already have before you go shopping.

For more information, visit

www.eatsmartwasteless.tips

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Coupon required. Expires 10/31/22. No Limit.

OCTOBER 2022

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SPRINGFIELD/OLYMPIC 1810 Olympic St 541-741-8886

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

5 7 8 12 14 16 18 20 22 4

FAMILY HEALTH Taming Shot Fears For Kids EARTHTALK Bottle Cap Recycling What Goes and What Can’t

contents 8

FALL FEATURE Indoor Veggie Gardening for Fun, Healthy and Sustainable Living SPIRIT OF CHILDREN Helping Kids Navigate Medical Issues and Hospital Stays

FOR BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH Raising the Pink Flag of Awareness DAD’S EYE VIEW Season of Weird and Creepy EXPLORING NEARBY NATURE Nature Tales MOVIE REVIEWS Kids: Pinocchio Parents: Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris

RESCUE SPOTLIGHT Pupper: Tika Kitties: Barbara Streisand

O R E G O N F A M I LY . C O M

OCTOBER 2022

Coping with Children’s Fear of Shots BY ROSS NEWMAN, M.D., F.A.A.P.

EUGENE PEDIATRIC ASSOCIATES

HE FEAR OF GETTING a vaccination can often be worse than the shot itself, but there are things you can do to help make immunizations a positive and calm experience for children. It’s important to let children know ahead of time what to expect when it’s time for a vaccination. It’s never a good idea to surprise them, because it can bring on instant panic. Instead, be honest about what to expect and reassure them that it’s going to be a short-lived discomfort.

LANGUAGE TIPS The language you use is also important. Use “vaccine” or “immunization” instead of “shot,” which may have negative associations. You can describe the feeling as a “pinch,” “pressure” or “small poke” instead of words like “sting” or “burn.” Especially with older children, it’s a good idea to help them understand the importance of getting vaccines. Explain that immunizations make it safer for them to participate in fun activities with other kids while helping to protect the community.

When the shot is over, give your child lots of praise. By praising your child, you’re reinforcing positive behavior and setting your child up for more success the next time they need a vaccine.

FLU VACCINE While a lot of attention has been focused on the importance of COVID-19 vaccinations for children, we must remember that there are other vaccine-preventable diseases that are also important, including influenza. Flu causes some of the highest burden of disease in the United States every year, including hospitalizations and deaths. The flu shot doesn’t always prevent illness, but it does significantly reduce the risk of hospitalization, pneumonia or severe infection. Flu season typically runs September through March, and the flu vaccine is available now. If you have any questions about vaccines for your child, be sure to talk with your child’s primary care provider. ✦

CALMING TECHNIQUES There are some things you can do to try to minimize a child’s anxiety. Here are a few tips: • If your child has a special stuffed animal or toy that they find comforting, allow them to bring it with them. • Be reassuring and explain that it will “pinch” for just a second and then it will be over. • Remain calm, as children easily pick up on emotional clues. • Acknowledge any anxiety they may be feeling and let them know you understand without dismissing their worries. • Divert their attention to something else in the room or a different topic of conversation.

OCTOBER 2022

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Our Contributors 1

29 YEARS

Oregon Family Magazine is distributed monthly, year-round via direct mail in the greater Lane County area, and at over 150 high-traffic commercial locations. For information regarding Every Door Direct Mail, please visit www.dmachoice.org or www.optoutprescreen.com.

PUBLISHER Pacific Parents Publishing EDITOR Sandy Kauten GRAPHIC DESIGN/LAYOUT Springer Design & Illustration ADVERTISING

1. KIMBERLY BLAKER Kimberly Blaker is a freelance writer. She also owns an online bookshop, Sage Rare & Collectible Books, specializing in out-of-print, scarce, signed, and first editions; fine bindings; ephemera and more at sagerarebooks.com 2. RICK EPSTEIN A Dad’s Eye View contributor, also awardwinning columnist, and journalist. Author of Rookie Dad (Hyperion) and The Right Number of Kids (McKenna Publishing Group). His wife and three daughters run a living laboratory in which he is constantly tested, analyzed, and experimented upon. It’s as if a guinea pig could write. 3. BONNIE HARRIS Bonnie is Oregon Family Magazine’s resident Movie Review Master Extraordinaire. She enjoys watching movies of all kinds, and has been doing movie reviews for over 9 years and counting. She lives in Eugene with her family, enjoys gardening and cooking. 4. ROSS NEWMAN, M.D., F.A.A.P. Dr. Ross Newman practices the full spectrum of pediatric medicine, seeing patients from birth to young adulthood at Eugene Pediatric Associates. Genuine and dedicated, he aims to

make his patients’ appointments as comfortable as possible, taking extra time to get to know families and build their trust. He works alongside parents to incorporate their beliefs, concerns and values with evidence-based medicine, creating treatment plans that enhance the well-being of kids and their families. 5. BETH STEIN Beth Stein is the Executive Director of Nearby Nature, a non-profit nature education group in Eugene, Oregon. At Nearby Nature’s home base in Alton Baker Park she might be found teaching classes, training volunteers, telling stories, writing newsletters, managing finances, or even occasionally hopping around in a Frannie Frog costume! Beth has a B.A. in English Literature and a minor in Environmental Studies from Williams College. She lives in Eugene with her husband, daughter, and cat Batman. 6. RODDY SCHEER Journalist and photographer specializing in environmental issues, the outdoors and travel. When he is not out in the field taking pictures, Roddy runs EarthTalk, the non-profit Publisher of the syndicated EarthTalk Q&A column and the EarthTalk.org and Emagazine.

Sandy Kauten • 541.683.7452 sandy@oregonfamily.com Christi Kessler • 541.484.0434 christi@oregonfamily.com OREGON FAMILY MAGAZINE P.O. Box 21732 • Eugene, OR 97402 541.683.7452 Email: info@oregonfamily.com Web: www.oregonfamily.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/OregonFamily

FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1993 Opinions expressed by contributors or advertisers are not necessarily the opinions of, nor an endorsement by this publication. © 2022 Pacific Parents Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied or reproduced without prior expressed written consent from Pacific Parents Publishing.

O R E G O N F A M I LY . C O M

OCTOBER 2022

Is it true that you shouldn’t put plastic bottle caps that are less than three inches wide in diameter into the recycling bin

— BILL S., GRAFTON, VT

completed by BEACH, it was found that 100 per cent of albatross chicks that call the northwestern Hawaiian Islands home had eaten plastic derived from a number of sources,

melted down, the bottlecaps stay intact. This can render an entire batch of recyclables useless, which means it becomes unusable waste again. Thankfully, specialized PHOTO: KRIZJOHN ROSALES, PEXELS

ES! IT IS TRUE that you shouldn’t recycle plastic bottle caps that are less than three inches in diameter; in fact, you shouldn’t recycle anything that is less than three inches in diameter. Why is this? During the recycling process, plastics are sorted, baled, washed, ground down, separated from contaminants, melted, filtered and made into pellets. This is a long, complicated process, and the smallest plastics are often easily lost. The end result is an overaccumulation of plastic bottle lids and other small plastic items that were disposed of improperly and unfortunately have nowhere to go. This overaccumulation is very problematic for animal life; marine life in particular. Hawaii, for example, is detrimentally affected by the global plastics issue. Because of its location in the Pacific, much of the world’s plastic waste ends up on Hawaii’s beaches, making the 50th state an unfortunate but necessary target of scientific inquiry. According to the Beach Environmental Awareness Campaign Hawaii (BEACH), plastic caps are among the top 10 items found during beach clean-ups. In another study

OCTOBER 2022

EarthTalk

DEAR EARTHTALK

Even recyclable plastic caps less than three inches wide should go in the trash as they are too small for recycling processors to deal with. plastic bottle caps being one of them. Unfortunately, most plastic bottle caps, regardless of their size, are not easily recycled and may require a specialized facility. According to Earth 911, plastic bottle caps are made from a different kind of plastic called polypropylene (plastic #5) which has a higher melting point (a difference of 160 degrees Fahrenheit!). Because of this, when the plastic recyclables are

O R E G O N F A M I LY . C O M

recycling facilities circumnavigate this issue by grinding the plastic caps into flakes. These flakes are then melted into pellets, which are formed into new items such as reusable plastic bags or car battery casings. However, finding these specialized facilities may be a bit tricky, depending on where you live. Most curbside collectors offer a cap-on standard, whereby you as the recycler may recycle

plastic caps if they are twisted onto a bottle. However, some do not as they may consider a sealed bottle a safety hazard (due to compression/explosion) while others may simply want to avoid liquids. In some select cases, they may refuse to recycle bottle caps simply because the financial return rate is too low. Whatever the case, it is advised that you determine exactly what options your recycling program offers, as the options do vary. If you’re having difficulty finding a convenient way to recycle your plastic bottle caps, your best option would be to either save them up and then throw them out at an acceptable facility, or to reuse them. Many plastic caps are actually universal and can be used on all sorts of different plastic bottles. Other more determined recyclers have even gone as far as to make arts and crafts from bottle caps! ✦ CONTACTS: Bottle Caps and the Environment, sustainability.weill.cornell. edu/recycling/bottle-caps-and-environment; How to Recycle Plastic Caps & Lids, earth911.com/recycling-guide/how-torecycle-plastic-caps-lids/. EarthTalk® is produced by Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss for the 501(c)3 nonprofit EarthTalk. See more at https://emagazine. com. To donate, visit https//earthtalk.org. Send questions to: question@earthtalk.org

Veggie Gardening I N D O O R

F O R F U N, H E A LT H Y & S U S TA I N A B L E L I V I N G

BY KIMBERLY BLAKER

O R E G O N F A M I LY . C O M

OCTOBER 2022

HE MOVE TOWARD MORE sustainable living has may want to start small and simple, like a grow kit that supports your gained traction in recent years with families looking to family’s growth process. help the environment and their wallets. Gardening is On a basic level, plants need at least water, nutrients, and light - and a great hobby to support a more sustainable lifestyle. of course, you’ll need the plant seeds or seedlings. Also, think about It’s fun, saves money on groceries, and helps you and your kids feel what your space is like and what will grow best in that environment. accomplished by eating something you grew. It also promotes healthy Alternatively, if you have more flexibility, you can think about which living, cooking at home, and eating more nutritious foods. When you plants your family wants to grow and how to adapt your environment grow your own food at home, you also know exactly what’s in it and to meet the plants’ needs. how it was produced. To give your plants the best chance of thriving, you’ll want a specific Gardening can be difficult, especially outdoor gardening, place you can control. Decide if you’ll use one room, spread them because there are so many variables. This includes climate changes, around the house, dedicate just a windowsill, or perhaps build a unpredictable weather, and plants getting eaten by wildlife or pests. smaller controllable environment within your home. Also, be aware Indoor gardening allows you to grow veggies year-round in the of your home’s humidity, especially during dry winter months, since comfort of your home, with a greater likelihood of success plants need a more moist environment. Plants do best in stable, because you control the environment. This is consistent temperatures in the 60s to 70s with good air circulation to also beneficial for families with little or no prevent mold or fungus growth. outdoor space to incorporate nature into If you’re planning to use mostly EXAMPLES their daily lives. natural light from your windows, Growing plants indoors is good for consider the amount of light OF EDIBLE your family’s health in other ways they permit and at what too. Plants remove carbon dioxide time of day they allow VEGETABLES from the air and generate oxygen, for more or less light. AND HERBS THAT making the air in your home Generally, a south-facing cleaner. Exposure to nature and the window will give you the CAN BE GROWN accomplishment your family will feel most sunlight. This will from successfully starting a garden is likely change throughout INDOORS also good for everyone’s mental health. the seasons. So be aware of how light exposure WHAT TYPES OF VEGETABLES varies and affects plants. HERBS AND HERBS CAN BE GROWN

INDOORS?

SUPPLIES Mint • Cilantro • Parsley Herbs, leafy plants, and microgreens are the The supplies you’ll need depends Basil • Rosemary • Thyme most common edible plants for indoor growing. on your budget and how involved you want They generally do well with shallow soil because to be. Some products do nearly all the work for you. Lavender • Oregano they’re smaller and don’t need as much space inside. You can also find those that offer simple setups yet They also don’t need as much sun and are easier to where you’re more engaged with the process. If you have grow if you’re just starting out. It’s possible to grow fruits specific plants in mind, research what particular items you’ll indoors. But fruit generally needs a significant amount of sun and need to support the best-growing environment. exposure to pollinating insects or animals and wind, which are more Containers should be big enough for your plants’ needs. Consider difficult to replicate indoors. how big the plants will grow, the depth needed for roots, and how far seeds must be planted from each other. When growing plants indoors, BEFORE YOU BEGIN you need to consider drainage, so excess water doesn’t build up and Before starting your indoor herb and veggie garden, consider cause problems like root rot or bacterial growth. You don’t need fancy, realistic expectations for your family’s lifestyle. Plants need tending expensive containers. Depending on the individual plant, you can even and care to grow successfully. If you’re a newbie to gardening, you repurpose old plastic containers. OCTOBER 2022

O R E G O N F A M I LY . C O M

PLANTING Before planting your indoor garden, prepare your environment. Have all the supplies you’ll need so you don’t have to stop and run to the store mid-planting. If you’re using a growing system, read all the instructions before starting. If your family is doing the whole process on your own, have a way to track everything and make sure you’ve researched what you’re doing. Depending on the plant, you need to put it into the soil the correct way. Each type of plant needs to be planted within particular dimensions, at specific depths and distances apart.

CARING FOR YOUR GARDEN

The soil you use for growing indoors is different from ordinary garden soil. Use potting mix or soil made explicitly for seedlings and the indoors. These soil varieties are made to drain better than garden soil. They aren’t likely to contain organisms like fungus or bacteria. If you’re growing plants throughout the winter, you’ll need a light source to make up for the lack of natural sunlight. Grow lamps are specifically designed to provide the right type of light to help plants grow. Common types of grow lamps are LED or fluorescent. Consider which plants will need more or less light exposure and place them at appropriate distances. Since your plants won’t get rain, you’re in charge of making sure they have enough but not too much water. Always check how dry the soil is before watering, ensure appropriate drainage, and be aware of the plants’ needs. Self-watering containers, drip systems, and hydroponic kits that may use pumps or other methods to make the process easier can be helpful.

Edible plants generally take more effort than just putting seeds in the soil and forgetting them, especially indoors where you have to create the environment. Each plant has different needs: some may need pruning, adjustments to watering and soil, and various harvesting or replanting times. To keep track of your plants’ needs, it might help to keep a journal or binder or some kind of tracking system. You can use your system to remind you to care for them and how to do so, and also track your successes or failures for next time. In terms of harvesting, some plants need to be completely picked and then replanted. Other plants, especially herbs and leafy greens, can be harvested as you need while the plant grows and regrows where it was cut. You might decide to use a growing system that does most of the work for you. Consider how much time and effort you and your family want to invest. If you do decide to use a growing system, you still want to check and track it to be involved in or aware of the process and make sure everything is working correctly. Be sure to always follow all directions for appropriate use. Finally, keep in mind your family can do everything right and still fail. This can be frustrating but indoor gardening is a learning process. You can try new things next time for better results and a garden that contributes to a healthy, sustainable lifestyle. ✦

TIPS FOR INDOOR GARDENING WITH KIDS Gardening can be a fun and educational project for kids of all ages. It provides them

the opportunity to learn about how plants grow and healthy eating and nutrition. It also helps them develop responsibility and so much more. You know your child and their abilities best in terms of how much support they’ll need. Here are a few suggestions for growing an indoor garden with your child. • Use a chore chart or tracking chart to help keep your child on track. Include what the plants need, how often, and what your child should look out for.

• Have your child create a journal. To make it more fun, they can take photos or draw pictures of what the plants look like as they grow. • When the plants are ready to harvest, work together, so your child experiences the reward of their efforts. • Involve your child in finding or choosing delicious, healthy recipes to make with the plants. • Work together to prepare the produce to be stored.

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OCTOBER 2022

Recipes

Mango Monster Pudding BY JENN MESSINA, FAMILY DIETITIAN & MOM This pudding is delicious and loading with protein, fibre and micronutrients. It’s also SO easy to make which is a massive bonus! Enjoy it on its own or create “Monsters” for a fun Halloween treat! Makes 2 monsters

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup Gnubees Mango Tango • 1 tbsp corn starch • 1 egg yolk • Butter • Leftover chocolate cake or muffins • Marshmallows • Eyes

ICING

1. In a small pot, warm 1 cup of Gnubees Mango Tango and sprinkle cornstarch in slowly. Stirring constantly allow to thick and boil for 1 minute.

2. Separate egg yolk from egg and place in a bowl. Remove mango mixture from the stove and spoon in a few tablespoons of the hot liquid into the egg yolk. Then stir egg mixture back into the pot and boil additional 1 minute. Remove from heat. 3. Stir in 1 tsp butter and let cook, covered, in fridge. 4. Once cool layer pudding, muffin/cake pieces, and pudding again 5. Top with marshmallow and eyes (secures with a touch of icing)

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OCTOBER 2022

O R E G O N F A M I LY . C O M

The Magical Moombah! Friday school program at 10:15 am - Oct 7, Jan 13, Mar 10 & Jun 2 Saturday performances at 10 a & 1 p - Oct 8, Jan 14, Mar 11 & Jun 3 11

Spirit of Children

HILE OUTFITTING YOUR LITTLE ghosts, witches and vampires this Halloween, you also can do something really sweet for children who face challenging medical issues and are receiving treatment at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend. For the fourth year running, Spirit Halloween stores are raising funds for PeaceHealth’s Child Life Specialist Program through the Spirit of Children campaign. Use the coupon below to receive 10 percent off your purchases at local Spirit Halloween stores. Spirit Halloween will donate the dollar value of the 10 percent discount to help kids at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend. If you prefer to shop online at www.SpiritHalloween.com, simply use the promo code DONATE22 at checkout. PeaceHealth’s Child Life Specialist Program shares the Spirit of Children Foundation’s goal of “making hospital stays less scary for kids.” The program helps families navigate challenging medical issues and hospital stays. These families have unique needs, and PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend—like a growing number of hospitals across the country—has made a commitment to improving their experience. RiverBend’s child life specialists provide developmentally focused education and therapeutic support to pediatric patients, often using play, art and music. Thank you so much for helping the children in our community as you and your family get ready to celebrate a fun Halloween! ✦

O R E G O N F A M I LY . C O M

OCTOBER 2022

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NOVEMBER 4–6, 2022 OCTOBER 2022

O R E G O N F A M I LY . C O M

PANDEMIC MAKES

Pink Ribbons

MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER FROM OREGON MEDICAL GROUP

INCE OCTOBER WAS DESIGNATED National Breast Cancer Awareness month many years ago, we’ve all made the shift from blushing when the topic of breast cancer surfaces, to knowing how common it is and how easily it can be addressed if found early. And since 3D mammography became standard, women have received fewer ‘call backs’ for a second look, and the accuracy of the screenings has improved many times over. Still, women tend to postpone this important preventative health screening. Combined with the appointments missed over the pandemic, the team at Oregon Medical Group believes it’s important to raise the pink flag higher, to encourage women not just to be aware of breast cancer, but to actually get an appointment on their calendars.

If you came of mammogram age over the last few years and postponed scheduling yours, here’s a run-down of what you should know about breast health and screenings:

WHEN TO START The guidelines for when to start your breast cancer screenings are not simply age-based, as they used to be. Variables include your family health history, your medical history and your age. If you are under 40, but have a family history of breast cancer, you should speak with your doctor now so that you have a plan for screenings that reflects your risk level. Otherwise, in general, if you are 40 or older and you haven’t had a mammogram in the past year, you may be due. The frequency of your scans is something you should discuss with your primary care provider or OB/GYN.

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OCTOBER 2022

WHAT TO EXPECT Mammograms used to be a bit painful because the compression required for imaging was applied for longer. Since 3D mammograms, most women report only mild discomfort. Mammograms are also much faster than they used to be. You’ll probably spend more time getting to your appointment than actually being screened! (Practical advice: It sounds silly, but the best advice we share in preparation for a mammogram is to be sure to wear a two-piece outfit. You’ll be asked to remove your top and bra and without a bottom half it’s a bit cold!)

TIMELINES These days, getting the results from your mammogram is really fast – especially at Oregon Medical Group. The results of your scan appear in your MyChart account as soon as the image has been reviewed. We know how stressful it can be to wait, so prioritize getting the information to you quickly.

TYPES OF MAMMOGRAMS Some women have experienced being sent for a diagnostic mammogram rather than a screening mammogram. This imaging uses the same x-ray technology, but the diagnostic mammogram will focus on an area of the breast that your provider thinks should receive a special look. For example, if she found a lump during your annual exam, extra diligence will be taken to evaluate this area with mammography and possibly ultrasound.

OTHER TYPES OF BREAST IMAGING

Taking control of your health is the most powerful act you can take for a long and healthy life.

One of the reasons we’ve made such good progress in the fight against breast cancer is that we have a suite of imaging tools that can be used according to a woman’s unique physiology. For example, a woman with dense breast tissue and some level of higher risk might be screened using an MRI. Ultrasounds are also put to work to check on specific areas of concern. Sometimes you’ll be sent for a diagnostic mammogram paired with an ultrasound. If you find yourself with questions about the technology, ask your doctor to explain.

SCREENING SHOULDN’T BE SCARY Taking control of your health is the most powerful act you can take for a long and healthy life. Screenings give you the chance to find things – and take care of them – early. In the case of breast cancer, finding it early makes a significant difference not just in the long-term outcome, but it also allows for much less invasive treatments.

HOW TO GET STARTED Use your regular preventive checkup to discuss your breast cancer screening plan with your doctor. With your medical records, family history, knowledge about your lifestyle and a good conversation, your doctor can get you started and even connect you with the Oregon Medical Group Women’s Imaging Department. From then on, your breast screenings can help you feel confident each year when the pink ribbon campaigns kick off! ✦

OCTOBER 2022

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A Dad’s Eye View

Season of the Weird and Creepy BY RICK EPSTEIN

“If

YOUR HEAD WAS cut off, could you still talk?” Five-yearold Sally, who carries Halloween in her heart year-round, was tapping into the paternal store of vital information. “No, for two reasons,” I replied. “First, you’d be dead. Second, your lungs need to be hooked up in order to push air through your voice-box,” I said, pointing to my adam’s apple. “It’d be like a harmonica that has no one blowing through it.” “Could you eat?” Sally asked. “No,” I said, finding the picture of an eating head considerably more repulsive than a talking head. I don’t know what prompted these questions, except that at the moment, we were lunching together in the kitchen – talking and eating. This was actually just one in Sally’s series of hearings on decapitation and head injury. Although the conversation took place a couple of months ago (during a family vacation when I was available to answer Sally’s questions full-time), I’ll be expecting additional gruesome questions during October’s month-long run-up to Halloween. Witches, devils, skeletons, ghosts, zombies, vampires and Frankenstein’s monster all are likely to excite Sally’s curiosity about their origins, attitudes and capabilities. She may already know something about werewolves: When her big sister Marie complained about a bully in her third-grade class, Sally made a serious suggestion:

“Just tell him your father is a wolf.” (Marie, either suspecting mockery or influenced by a full moon, gave her a baleful look and growled, “Stop it, Sally!”) Both girls have asked me if ghosts are real. “I don’t think so,” is my official policy on the matter, so now they don’t think so either. Sally, who is always asking me to tell her about the “old days,” knows all about white bedsheets that you could cut eye-holes into to make a ghost costume – an option you don’t have when all your old bedsheets have pictures of Hello Kitty or SpongeBob on them. When Marie was 4, a neighbor child got her all stirred up by telling her, “Halloween is Satan’s

birthday and if you dress up, you are honoring him.” Marie was not completely squared away on Satan, but at that age she was ready to sell her soul for any opportunity to snap on a pointy hat and sing “Happy Birthday.” We had to let her down easy. Purists of all kinds have problems with the celebration of holidays; they are days when the things some people hold sacred come into contact with other people who don’t hold them so sacred. Thus you have Dec. 25 with more Santa than Jesus, Hanukkah beefed-up to compete with Christmas, and the birthdays of Washington and Lincoln lumped into one handy Monday called Presidents Day. And some people believe that certain holidays, such as Columbus Day and Halloween, ought to be wiped right off the calendar.

Halloween never was Satan’s birthday, but it may have been his New Year’s Eve party. Halloween is descended from religious observances of the Celts 2,000 years ago in England and vicinity. They believed that on the evening of Oct. 31, the end of their year, the souls of the departed came home to visit. The Celts lit bonfires, burned live animals and wore costumes made of animal skins and heads. (Bobbing for apples came later.) The Christian church introduced All Saints’ Day (Nov. 1) in the 800s, and later All Souls’ Day (Nov. 2) as more subdued festivals of the dead. Even though Celtic theology seems to have petered out, a trace of their dark partying spirit lingers on in Halloween’s traditional air of spookiness. It’s a time for children to indulge their natural fascination with the weird and creepy, and that doesn’t bother me much. A certain amount of ghoulish fascination in a child is no unwholesome thing – surveying the twilight frontier between life and death, and wondering about the natural and the supernatural, are facets of the great exploratory process that is a child’s full-time job. A young mind is a searchlight that will shine into any dark place, and Halloween presents several places like that. Childhood is being wasted on any kid who would look at a mummy and not want to unwrap it. ✦ Rick can be reached at rickepstein@yahoo.com.

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OCTOBER 2022

O R E G O N F A M I LY . C O M

BY BETH STEIN

IDS LOVE STORIES. Adventures steeped in danger and drama. Long journeys and who-done-it mysteries. Coming-of-age tales and magical transformations. Through stories, kids grow and learn, develop and thrive. Books, of course, provide an infinite supply of tales for kids of all ages. They are also a wonderful source of information about the natural world. Have you ever considered, however, that there is another, even more hands-on source of stories available to your child? One with an ever-changing table of contents? One with stories that can be read day or night, regardless of where you call home? One with tales you can see, hear,

PHOTO: QUENTIN FURROW

Explore Nearby Nature

Reading the Stories that Nature Tells You

touch, smell, AND taste? Have you guessed yet? That’s right, it’s nature nearby! The world right outside your window is filled to the brim with stories. Some stories, such as the birth of a bloom, are meant to be read with your eyes and smelled with your nose. Other tales, such as the romance of a robin, are meant to be heard with your ears. Some tales, like that of a river’s journey to the sea, make the most sense when you dip your fingers in rushing water or float in a boat. Other stories, such as the skyward reach of a high hill, require some climbing to understand. Many stories, such as the life cycle of a leaf or a stone’s adventures in the river, can simply be held in your hands.

For a bit of live-action nature storytelling this fall, join Nearby Nature for the Haunted Hike on Friday, October 21. At this popular October event, Nearby Nature guides lead special pumpkin-lit hikes in Alton Baker Park. On each hike, people encounter all sorts of costumed night critters in the woods, from wily Grandma Spider to mysterious Ollie Owl. Each of these talking critters has an entertaining story to tell about its life as a creature of the night. The event is most appropriate for pre-school and elementary school kids. Preregistration is required for the hourlong hike – see nearbynature.org/ events for more info.

The next time you go outside with your kids, try to “read” the stories that nature is telling in your neighborhood. Solve mysteries. Who left that pile of feathers on the ground? Who created that big mound of dirt? Who made that hole in the tree? Keep your eyes open for evidence of big adventures and long journeys. Watch for ants on the move, bees gathering nectar, and birds flying south. Look for plants and animals coming of age – spiders hatching, fruits ripening, fawns with their mamas. Seek out magical transformations – butterflies fluttering and frogs hopping. It’s amazing what you will learn when you start to read the woods and listen to the language of the land. In all your adventures, remember that the most important thing about your time outdoors with a child is that you discover and let the stories enchant you. Knowing the exact names of the characters (plants, animals, insects, etc.) is not nearly as important as simply finding the story itself. The details can come later, after the enchantment. ✦ Beth Stein is the Executive Director of Nearby Nature, a non-profit education group dedicated to fostering appreciation of nature nearby and providing tools for ecological living. In 2022, the organization is celebrating its 30th birthday! Nearby Nature hosts daycamps, after school programs, preschool activities, special events, and restoration projects. For more information, call 541-6879699 or see www.nearbynature.org.

O R E G O N F A M I LY . C O M

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