Boston Parent April 2017

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Make Way for Ducklings

Catch the MFA Exhibit before it flies away!

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Family Events & Activities April 2017 | BostonParentsPaper.com

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Photo: S. Cheng

Your Aquarium Adventure Awaits!

New England Aquarium Whale Watch

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Boston Parents Paper | April 2017

Simons IMAX ÂŽ Theatre

Meet Jackson — Born at 31 weeks

Erin holding Jackson for the first time in the NICU

NICU to Now Brought to you by Boston Parents Paper and the Massachusetts March of Dimes

I Walk for my Superhero Celebrate your Child's Amazing Accomplishments and Milestones

By Andrea Toomey

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typical car ride with my five-yearold daughter, Ava, consists of conversations on a wide variety of topics ranging from school activities, to weekend prepare for a healthy plans, to favorite future by banking songs. One day newborn stem cells recently we were dis- will be sponsoring cussing superheroes the Superhero Sprint.

– Ava thought that This is great place for the Incredible Hulk your little superhero must be really strong to run, play and show but she seemed to off their own powers like Wonder Woman and strengths. It is the best. When she also a great way to asked me who my celebrate your child, favorite superhero and their amazing was, I stated without accomplishments and ViaCord will be sponsoring the Superhero Sprint. hesitation, "you!" milestones. Whatever She laughed hysteriThis is great place for your little superhero to run, journey you and your cally but I went on to play and show off their own powers and strengths. preemie have travexplain to Ava how eled, please join us at strong she was and the March for Babies how she was a fighter. on May 13th at the Ava was born Boston Hatch Shell. In a world filled with premature at 32 weeks weighing only 3lbs, Batman, Superman, the Hulk and Wonder 9oz. Every baby is special – but every Woman, how lucky are we to have our very preemie parent can relate to watching own superheroes! their baby fight every day in the NICU to meet the milestones that will get them ready to go home. So I explained to Ava, when she was a baby, she fought for every breath every day and how lucky I was to live with my superhero and watch her grow and thrive more and more every day.

Every year, the March for Babies celebrates these superheroes and their individual journeys throughout the NICU and beyond. Again this year, ViaCord – a cord blood bank dedicated to helping families

✼ On the Frontlines

From Helpless to Helper: How One Family Uses Their Experience

By Susan Solomon Yem to Support Others

E

rin Postl’s pregnancy with her first child seemed routine until her water broke at 29 weeks. Her husband, Ken Wauchope, took her to the doctor who sent them to the hospital right away. “They thought I would deliver that night but gave me magnesium to stop or slow down the labor, and that worked,” recalls Erin.

The magnesium combined with steroids to help the baby’s lung development did delay delivery, but it made Erin very sick.

She was confined to strict bed rest in the hospital for two weeks. Unfortunately, Erin was leaking amniotic fluid throughout the ordeal and ended up developing an infection. Jackson Wauchope was delivered by emergency C-section at 31 weeks. He weighed four pounds, which is rather large for a preemie. Erin became a mom two weeks before her 30th birthday.

“Not only was the delivery very scary and traumatic, but I didn’t get to see Jackson until he was two days old.”

That was fourteen years ago, when mothers confined to hospital beds were not allowed in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Jackson's first Halloween

Jackson being a big brother (NICU) and cell phones did not have cameras. “All I had was a Polaroid of him.”

Erin and Ken were living in Vermont at the time, far from family. “Our families came to Vermont while I was on bed rest, but when Jackson was stable they had to return home.”

Jackson was a very sick little boy. He stayed in the NICU at the University of Vermont Children’s Hospital for four weeks.

“It was overwhelming and I felt like we had very little support.”

Erin does not remember much about any procedures Jackson had or what complications he might have experienced. “That was probably my way of coping. I hated every second of being in the NICU. Jackson was covered in tubes and wires and it was hard to hold him.”

It was equally difficult for Ken, who was not only concerned about Jackson, but also Erin. “Dads have two people to worry about—baby and mom,” something Erin tells NICU families she now works with.

“Mom is only worried about the baby, but for Dad it’s a double whammy. He tries to keep it together for the whole family.”

Perhaps the worst was the day Erin was discharged but had to leave Jackson in the hospital. “I felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest. I cried hysterically all the way home.”

At 35 weeks and five pounds, Jackson was discharged and finally joined his family at home, but Erin thinks he probably should have stayed several weeks longer to gain more weight and resolve his feeding issues. Feeding was a struggle for several months after he came home.

Jackson’s experience in the NICU, while lifesaving for him, was traumatizing for Erin. She suffered from depression and anxiety and what she now realizes was post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a common response to having a baby in the NICU.

Support for the Unsupported In the early years of the 21st century, family support for parents of preemies was nonexistent. Erin and Ken felt very alone in their experience, but the March of Dimes, the international organization dedicated to improving the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature births, and infant mortality, began supporting NICU families in the mid-2000s.

The March of Dimes was established in 1938 by President Franklin Roosevelt as the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis.

As a victim of that disease, the President recognized the urgent need to find a cure.

The original organization was dubbed the March of Dimes for its annual fundraising drive, which encouraged children to donate dimes that funded the research that resulted in the development of the polio vaccine. Once that disease was eradicated, the March of Dimes turned its focus on preventing birth defects and infant mortality.

Worldwide, 15 million babies are born prematurely each year. The March of Dimes funds lifesaving research and supports legislation that improves care for mothers and babies. Regional staff along with their partners—local health care agencies, community-based organizations, professional associations, and hospitals—determine the most pressing maternal and child health needs and develop multi-year strategic plans to address these needs.

March of Dimes chapters focus efforts on improving health care disparities by creating programs among communities

with specific populations including African Americans, Hispanics, Asian-Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans.

Improving the Quality of Life The March of Dimes-supported research has led to improved prenatal diagnosis of sickle cell anemia, the discovery of the genes for Marfan and Fragile X syndromes, and the development of the pulmonary surfactant therapy that treats respiratory distress syndrome.

Jackson was a recipient of pulmonary surfactant therapy. Newborns with underdeveloped lungs can suffer respiratory distress syndrome, a breathing disorder in which the air sacs do not remain open because the production of surfactant, the substance that coats the air sacs, is absent or insufficient. Babies with respiratory distress syndrome are administered surfactant at birth or shortly thereafter.

Lung surfactant was identified in the 1950s, but it was during the 1980s that pulmonary surfactant therapy was first successfully administered. The March of Dimes has invested over $2.6 million into research involving lung surfactant.

Jackson, 9, attended the 2012 March for Babies

Continuing the Effort In 2004, the March of Dimes began the Prematurity Research Initiative (PRI) and has awarded $28 million to 88 grantees researching the causes of prematurity. While some researchers are examining whether genetics plays a part in causing premature labor, others are studying how infections may trigger early labor. Infections involving a woman’s uterus may contribute to

one of every four premature births. As a result of the March of Dimes investment in research, since 1954, 13 Foundation-supported scientists have won the Nobel Prize.

Community Support More than 3 million volunteers worldwide enable the March of Dimes to achieve its goals. There are 3,000 March of Dimes chapters with millions of people supporting the Foundation’s efforts. Erin first became involved when Jackson was just over a year old. “There were no March of Dimes direct services when Jackson was born,” says Erin. “But there were opportunities to support the organization that had made Jackson’s surfactant therapy available.”

In April, shortly after Jackson’s first birthday, Erin signed up for WalkAmerica, now called March for Babies. WalkAmerica started in 1970 as the first charitable walking event in the U.S. It was renamed March for Babies in 2007.

Annually, there are more than 1,100 marches in communities around the country. By 2013, over 7 million people had participated in the event, raising more than $2 billion since its inception. The fundraising goal for the May 13 Boston March is $880,000.

Erin reflects on that first walk in Vermont. “It was freezing cold that April, and I cried the whole time. It was the first time I did not feel so alone with my preemie.”

Erin, Ken, and Jackson raised a lot of money and were contacted directly by the March of Dimes to become Ambassadors. Ambassadors build awareness about the work of the March of Dimes and garner support. Ambassador opportunities include helping out at a March of Dimes event or workshop, sharing a personal experience through the March of Dimes online community, and getting involved with Team Youth, the student volunteers who also raise awareness and funds. One of the most significant Ambassador jobs is supporting families with babies in NICUs.

Ambassadors for Babies As an Ambassador, Erin first volunteered and then joined several committees.

She helped start an NICU Family Support Program in Vermont and eventually sat on the March of Dimes Board there. When Jackson was four, the family moved to Massachusetts. They now live in Groveland. The Vermont Chapter of the March of Dimes

Jackson (8th grade) and Oliver (6th grade) first day of school in 2016. introduced Erin to the Massachusetts Chapter, and she continued to serve the Foundation from the family’s new home.

Erin has been a March of Dimes volunteer for 13 years, but she also worked for them for four years as the Community Director for Family Teams. Family Teams are committed volunteers who encourage donors to support March for Babies events.

Last year Erin joined the staff of Brigham and Women’s Hospital as an NICU Family Support Specialist. Perhaps recalling her lonely NICU experience with Jackson, Erin stands with families as they endure the long days and nights of life with a hospitalized preemie. “We three who run this program are all mothers of preemies,” Erin explains. “We understand what it feels like to live the NICU journey and now we help parents navigate their own journeys.

I hold their hands, if that’s what they want.

I even cry with them if they get bad or scary news.”

The March of Dimes NICU Family Support Program offers comfort and support in 120 hospitals nationwide. Last year, 90,000 families received this care. The program educates NICU staff about the best ways to support babies, families, and each other.

The Foundation also provides hospitals with information for the extended family.

Erin discusses the impact of having a premature baby: “Parents of preemies need a lot of support. First and foremost, they need to know that they are not alone and that everything they are feeling is normal.

Having a preemie can feel very isolat-

ing, especially when all your friends have healthy, full-term babies. You feel betrayed by your body and angry that this is happening to you.”

What Can You Do? Erin advises family and friends to show support for parents of preemies. “Show them you are there when and if you are needed.”

Her list of suggestions includes providing food and cleaning up the house. Take care of pets, and if there are other children in the family, offer to babysit. “No one can understand what it is like to have a baby in the NICU until you have lived it.”

Erin cautions friends not to frustrate parents by asking when the baby is coming home or why the baby is not home yet.

“Give parents their space. They will let you know if they need you.”

A Thriving Family Three years after Jackson’s birth, Erin and Ken welcomed a second son, Oliver, who was born full term. Erin confesses to being a complete wreck through the pregnancy. “They never knew exactly why my water broke at 29 weeks. I thought it could happen again. I had panic attacks at Oliver’s 29th week.”

In fact, doctors told Erin she had a 50 percent chance of premature labor with Oliver. Erin and Ken underwent hypnotherapy to ease them through this preg-

Erin, Jackson and Erin's mother at 2015 March for Babies at Fenway Park.

nancy. They worked with a therapist who helped Erin train her mind to relax. “Deep relaxation allows your body to do the work of delivery.”

Oliver arrived with no complications.

Jackson is now an active 14-year-old who devotes lots of time and energy to supporting the March of Dimes. As a toddler with gross and fine motor skill delays, he received physical therapy. He struggled to crawl and walk. When he started school, Jackson needed occupational therapy for his fine motor skills delay. He still faces challenges in school in executive functioning and working memory issues.

“We are a March of Dimes Ambassador family because of Jackson. Ken and I feel incredibly blessed to have two healthy boys. We are continually inspired by the many families we have met through the March of Dimes. These families inspire me because they have not lost hope. They are willing to turn their tragedy into helping others.

“My husband and I will forever be indebted to the March of Dimes. We decided to give as much time and energy as we could to this organization that is truly the champion for all babies.”

Erin, Ken, Jackson, and Oliver will join more families Saturday, May 13, for their 14th annual March for Babies. With their family team, Erin, Ken, Jackson, and Oliver have raised a total of $300,000 over the years. For more information on this event, visit marchofdimes.org.

KAYA Y SURVIVED! Born 4 months early and spent more than 5 months in the hospital.

Sign up at marchforbabies.org

Š 2016 March of Dimes Foundation

March for Babies 2016 Walk Locations & Dates: 2017 Dates, Locations & Registration Times Boston: Saturday, May 7 April 30 Worcester Hall Common; a.m.

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Premature birth is the #1 killer of babies.

April 2017

Volume 32 • Number 9

Contents

What’s Inside 4 On the Web

April's Featured Web Content

6 Out and About

Don’t Miss the Boston Marathon

National Humor Month Easter Trivia

8 Family F.Y.I

14 Ages & Stages

Learning to Lose

18 Family Cents

How to Save for a Great Family Vacation

20 Family Calendar

April Vacation Activities....29

Parental Payoffs

30 Raising Dad

Nurturing a Child’s Interest in Visual Arts A Day with the Ducklings

ON THE COVER: Children in Make Way for Ducklings: The Art of Robert McCloskey at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Photo courtesy of MFA.

The Art of Robert McCloskey at the Museum of Fine Arts

Directories 15 24 26 28

Camps and Summer Programs Schools & Childcare Centers Entertainment & Party Needs Classes and Enrichment

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Send letters to the editor or article submissions to editor@bostonparent. com. Submit events to our Family Friendly Calendar at bostonparentspaper.com/event/

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✼ On the Web This month at BostonParentsPaper.com

Spotlight NORTHEAST

2016 Edition

BostonParentsPaper.com

CAMP GUIDE

Northeast Camp Guide

Day Camps • Residential Camps • Enrichment Programs • Camps for Special Needs TM

Your Child’s Best Summer Ever Starts Here!

PLUS: The Camp Experience Family Camps Dealing with Food Allergies Specialty Programs Boston Parent’s Paper published by Parenting, LLC., a division of

©2016 Dominion Enterprises.

All Rights Reserved.

Still trying to figure out where you’ll send your child to camp this summer? The 2017 digital edition of Northeast Camp Guide features helpful articles on picking the right camp, specialty programs, family camps and more. Read it on BostonParentsPaper.com – just click on Northeast Camp Guide in the “Magazines” tab.

Enter to Win A Family 4-Pack to MFA

Memories of Ducklings

Enter to win a family pass to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and take in the wonderful exhibit, Make Way for Ducklings. In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the beloved children’s book set in Boston, Make Way for Ducklings, this exhibition tracks the career of the book’s author and illustrator Robert McCloskey. The recipient of two Caldecott Medals and three Caldecott Honors, McCloskey was a major force in 20th-century picture book art, and “Make Way for Ducklings: The Art of Robert McCloskey” provides an opportunity for visitors of all ages to enter the author’s delightful world. Email us to enter, editor@bostonparentspaper.com Contest ends April 22.

Thank you to all of the respondents to our February contest who shared their memories of how the book, Make Way for Ducklings impacted their lives. Here are some of our favorite submissions:

"This beloved book has served to bind our family together through the passing of Grammie and Grampa Emery, 19 days apart in 2014. There is not a day that goes by that we do not glance at or take down and read this story as a way to remember their grandparents and honor their life in Boston after WW II." — Jane Emery Kowalski and family

Who’s Your Favorite?

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Our 2017 Family Favorite Awards ballot is here, and we need your input! Each year we poll our readers for their top picks of places VOTE NOW to shop, dine and play – everything from baby gear and book stores to kids’ classes, camps, museums and zoos. Head online to BostonParentsPaper. com/familyfavorite to vote for your favorites today. We’ll publish the winners in our annual Best of the Best publication this summer.

And you’ll automatically be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card as our thanks for your help. Voting ends April 30.

“Make Way for Ducklings” always had a special place on my classroom shelves as well. I would read it regularly to my classes.

I wouldn’t tell them it was set in Boston right away. I would ask them if they knew what city it was set in. Oftentimes, only one or two kids knew the story or recognized some of the landmarks in it. Sometimes none of my students had any idea of the locale as books got read at home less often. I remember being shocked and dismayed that these kids weren’t read to on a regular basis.

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Boston Parents Paper | April 2017

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✼ Out and About

Catch the Boston Marathon Patriots’ Day, Monday, April 17

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nyone can watch Boston Marathon coverage on television, but when thousands of runners’ feet are pounding the pavement in our own backyards, there’s no good excuse for not watching this world-class race in person.

While the race annually attracts some of the world’s best marathoners, it is accessible and inspirational for a wide audience, especially families. You’ll witness blind runners with others guiding them, runners with prosthetic limbs, hundreds of dedicated athletes and amateurs running for local charities or medical research, and plenty of “average Joe” runners just trying to finish, some decked out in crazy hats, Superman costumes or as bride and groom.

This year’s 121st running of the Boston Marathon is set for Patriots’ Day, Monday, April 17.

Don’t Just Watch

Discuss with your kids the home geography, culture or distance traveled by the world’s best runners, such as last year’s winners: Lelisa Desisa, Yemane Tsegay and Lemi Berhanu Hayle of Ethiopia, Wesley Korir of Kenya and wheelchair winners Marcel E. Hug of Switzerland and Tatyana McFadden of Maryland.

• Compute the number of runners crossing the start line each minute if it takes 10 minutes for 10,000 runners to start.

• Cheer on the runners who pen their names on their arms or shirts.

• Take a picnic and explore an unfamiliar town on the marathon route after runners have passed.

Getting There

Many towns along the marathon’s route offer great views of the race, parks to picnic in and opportunities for fun. Keep in mind that roads close for the event by 6 a.m. in some towns. Start times for different classes go from 8:50 a.m. (Mobility Impaired), 9:17 a.m. (Push Rim Wheelchairs), 9:22 a.m. (Handcycles), 9:32 a.m.

(Elite Women), then from 10 a.m. until 11:15 a.m., Elite Men and Waves 1 through 4. If you want to see the start, go early to either Hopkinton State Park on Route 85 near the Southborough town line or follow signs from Route 495 to parking and use shuttle buses from either location.

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Boston Parents Paper | April 2017

Racing to the finish at the Boston Marathon.

The MBTA commuter rail’s Worcester/Framingham line nearly parallels the race route, making it an easy, car-free way to see the marathon. The Framingham, Natick and Wellesley train stations are also right alongside the race route, as are MBTA Green Line trains to Boston College, Cleveland Circle and Riverside.

The Course

The historic course starts on Main Street in the rural New England town of Hopkinton and follows Route 135 through Ashland, Framingham, Natick and Wellesley to where Route 16 joins Route 135.

• It continues on Route 16 through Newton Lower Falls to Commonwealth Avenue, turning right at the fire station onto Commonwealth, which is Route 30.

• It continues on Commonwealth through the Newton Hills, bearing right at the reservoir onto Chestnut Hill Avenue to Cleveland Circle.

• The route then turns left onto Beacon Street continuing to Kenmore Square, and then follows Commonwealth Avenue inbound.

• The course turns right onto Hereford Street, then left onto Boylston Street, finishing near the John Hancock Tower in Copley Square.

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✼ Family F.Y.I. April is National Humor Month

Gotta Laugh

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tarting with April 1 – April Fools’ Day – try to laugh all month long! April is National Humor Month, now in its 41st year. Author and comedian Larry Wilde, director of the

Take Kids to Work

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ive your kids the day off of school on April 27 and show them what real work looks like! Now in its 24th year, Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day is more than a “career day,” according to its sponsoring foundation bearing the same name. “Exposing girls and boys to what a parent or mentor in their lives does during the work day is important,” writes Carolyn McKecuen, executive director, “but showing them the value of their education, helping them discover the power and possibilities associated with a balanced work and family life, and providing them an opportunity to share how they envision the future… [are keys] to their achieving success.” For worksheets your child can do, go to daughtersandsonstowork. org.

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Boston Parents Paper | April 2017

Carmel Institute of Humor, founded the celebration to raise public awareness about “the value of laughter as a tool for successful living” – a good idea since April is also tax season. Plus, there are a slew of silly and not-so-silly holidays during the month of April that simply shouldn’t go unnoticed. Take, for example, Children’s Book Day (April 2), Caramel Popcorn Day (April 6), National Siblings Day (April 10) or International Moment of Laughter Day (April 14). And if your partner is eager to hit the putting green as the weather warms, cut ’em some slack on April 10, which just so happens to be Golfer’s Day (undoubtedly created by golf enthusiasts looking for a reason to rationalize that extra tee time). Foodies can also rejoice this month, as National Prime Rib Day falls on April 27, National Shrimp Scampi Day on April 29 and, for snack lovers, National Pretzel Day on April 26. Yum!

How to Write a Thank-You Note Coaxing kids to finally sit down and write thank-you notes can be tough, but the process itself doesn’t have to be!

For babies: Take a photo of your baby with the gift, put a sticky note on it and mail.

Relatives understand you’re busy and they’ll love having the photo!

Toddlers/preschoolers: Have tots draw a picture of themselves with the gift. Then write a caption describing what’s happening: This is me playing with my new truck.

Young elementary schoolers: Write a template and have them fill in the blanks: I love my new _____ because ______. Thank you so much! Love, ______.

Older kids: Have them start with a thank you: Thank you so much for _________. Next, write a description of what you liked about the gift or how you’re using it: I will take the new sleeping bag to camp. Or, I will use the money to buy ________. End with a repeat thank you and a comment: Thank you again. It was so nice of you!

Calling All Patriots

D

edication, determination, perseverance and endurance – all values we want to teach our kids. On April 17, Marathon Monday, head out to show your family’s support for the 30,000 runners competing in the 121st Boston Marathon, the oldest annual marathon in the world.

You’ll also want to tell your kids what happened 242 years ago on April 19, 1775, in Lexington and Concord, sites of the opening battles of America’s fight for independence, and the reason we celebrate Patriots’ Day in Massachusetts. (Officially observed on Monday, April 17, 2017)

Easter Trivia • Each year nearly 90 million chocolate bunnies are made. When it comes to eating of chocolate bunnies, the ears are preferred to be eaten first by as many as 76% of people.

• Easter always falls between March 22 and April 25 and is now celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon, which happens on, or after March 21, the Spring Equinox.

• The first Easter baskets were designed as such so as to give it an appearance of a bird's nests.

• The custom of giving eggs at Easter time has been traced back from Egyptians, Gaul, Persians, Greeks and Romans, to whom the egg was a symbol of life.

y

Frogg

• Kids' favorite Easter candy comprises of the red jellybeans.

AVOID TICK TROUBLES Yippee, we can get outside and play! Yikes, we need to think about ticks!

• Wear light-colored clothing covering exposed areas.

• Tuck pants into socks or boots and be sure wrist cuffs are snug.

• Put clothes in the dryer for one hour on high after being out in the woods.

• Shower after coming inside and check under arms, in and around ears, inside the belly button, • Shower after coming inside and check under arms, in and around ears, inside the belly button, the back of knees, and around the waist and hairline.

• For kids, use repellents with 10-14 percent DEET. Apply to clothing not skin.

EYE PROTECTION AND SPORTS

A NIGHT OF QUESTIONS

While contact lenses might be convenient for young athletes to wear when playing sports, they don’t provide eye protection like special sports glasses or goggles, which are shatterproof and designed to withstand impact.

A prescription correction can also be put in swim goggles.

For more eye care advice, visit BostonParentsPaper.com/ eyehealth101.

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Nurturing a Child’s Interest in

Visual Arts

By Cheryl Crosby and Denise Yearian

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t some point in time, nearly every preschooler picks up paper and crayons and begins to draw out disjointed circles and haphazard lines. Although this may appear to be random doodling, it could be the beginning of a lifelong love of the visual arts. Even if your child isn’t a budding Botticelli you can nurture a love and appreciation for the fine arts. So where do you begin?

Amy Briggs, assistant director of visitor learning and experience at Danforth Art Museum/School in Framingham, believes art appreciation begins with everyday experiences early on. “Visual stimulation – and the building of a visual vocabulary – really begins at birth. Much of a

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Boston Parents Paper | April 2017

Making art is a personal expression of ideas and feelings, so if a child wants a purple tree in the picture I say go for it. young child’s biological and cognitive development involves learning to visually interpret the world around him/her,” Briggs says. “A parent may sit with a young child in [her] lap, and while looking through a picture book point to various images and identify objects or animals by labeling them out loud – ‘cat,’ ‘house,’ ‘flower.’ This type of experience is building an oral vocabulary, but it is also contributing to a child’s visual literacy. By building a visual vocabulary children become appreciative of colors, textures,

shapes and lines all around them.”

For 9-year-old Devon Godek, this came naturally. “From the time she was 3, Devon would say, ‘Daddy, look at the colors of the sunset,’ or ‘Look at the design in the clouds.’ Then she would try to draw them,” says Joe Godek of his daughter. “It was obvious even from preschool that her work was more intricate than other kids her age.”

Valerie Schulte had a similar experience with Maggie, now 5. “From a very early age, my daughter was

extremely creative,” says Schulte. “At 2, she was enthralled with crayons and moved quickly on to finger paints.

She also loved to manipulate clay.

Even now when she plays waitress, she takes our orders and draws pictures of what we want.”

Experts agree Maggie and Devon both display signs of an artistically gifted child.

“If your child prefers drawing to most other activities, if you see an astute observation reflected in the images he or she creates, or if you notice a sophisticated or advanced use of a medium, your child will likely have great success with art making as he or she grows,” says Noelle Fournier, children’s studio education coordinator at Danforth Art Museum/ School.

Even if a child doesn’t initially display extraordinary artistic skill, it’s a good idea to continue exposing him to the arts.

“Messing about with art materials offers all children the chance to have success, to try new things, to expand their horizon,” says Sarah Fujiwara, executive director at Brookline Arts Center (BAC) in Brookline. “We see children at the BAC who have deep curiosity and express their feelings, thoughts and ideas in their art – they can explore and reflect challenges, joys and all ranges of emotions.”

Schulte hit this roadblock with her son, now 11. “When Jack was little, he enjoyed coloring like most kids. But by the time he was 4, it was apparent he was all about sports,” she says.

“That’s when the struggle began to get him to participate in creative projects.”

Like Jack, there are many children who prefer other activities to visual arts. But Fujiwara says those interests can still be translated into art. “ A primary goal in education is often to extend the learning experience so if your child is interested in cars, making ramps, garages or race tracks, all can become an art experience,” she explains. “Decorate the track, paint the garage, put signs and graphics on the garages and make

a map to go with the cars. When my boys were little, they were into Ninja turtles. Those turtles ‘needed’ sewers, clothes and places to explore so we gathered all the cardboard, paint, tape and scissors we could find and the boys designed forts and underground caves. They were exploring design, color, problem solving and writing.”

What’s most important is that you encourage, but don’t push. Be careful with correction, too.

“On a few occasions, I’ve tried to correct Devon’s work, but it wasn’t well received. She’s her worst critic,”

says Godek. “Now I ask questions to stimulate discussions and she responds better.”

Fournier and Fujiwara both think accentuating the positive is the best approach. Praise the process and point out positive features of each piece. And don’t be concerned if something is a little “off .” “‘Perfect’ art from a child is exactly whatever the child makes,” says Fournier. “Making art is a personal expression of ideas and feelings, so if a child wants a purple tree in the picture I say go for it!”

“All parents/teachers/others have made the mistake of saying, ‘I love the house you made’ to have the child say, ‘It’s not a house. It’s a motorcar,’” Fujiwara adds. “We should say, ‘Tell us about your drawing.’ Then

compliments should be real. ‘I love the way you used red paint all over.’

We don’t want to limit them – let them explore. This is not about perfection; it’s about trying new things, exploring and playing.

One way Schulte encourages Maggie “She really enjoys being with other kids who are working on the same project,” she says. “She’s just realizing her individuality and how everyone’s work turns out differently because they all have their own styles.”

Another way to instill a love for the arts is to visit art museums.

Many facilities in Massachusetts cater to children with kid-friendly audio headsets, printed booklets and/ or guides, and free passes are often available from libraries. Even if the museum you visit doesn’t have these offerings, you can create impromptu games such as “scavenger hunts” for various shapes, colors, animals, portraits and/or landscapes. Keep the experience upbeat and fun, and leave before boredom sets in.

“There is also a tremendous amount of public art around Greater Boston that is accessible any time,” says Fujiwara. “Places like deCordova with its sculpture park. Look at Boston Public Garden and the ‘Make Way for Ducklings’ ducks, or the playgrounds in Brookline and other towns. They are designed by architects and are playful, artistic and can be a delightful place to play but to also appreciate artistic endeavors and art.”

What if repeated attempts to encourage your child in the visual arts are met with failed endeavors?

Back off and try something else, such as dance, music or theater. “I didn’t set out to make my girls artists.

I just wanted to give them a well-rounded education and help them develop an appreciation for all things,” says Godek. “Devon and [her sister] Taylor have both taken dance and are learning to play the keyboard.

We take them to plays, too. I think if you expose kids to a variety of opportunities, sooner or later you’ll start to see their interests emerging.” ■ >>> April 2017 | BostonParentsPaper.com

11

A WELL-ROUNDED APPROACH

• Purchase a sketchbook and encourage your child to draw one picture a day using various mediums. Date the top of each Visual and performing arts are a page. way for children to creatively express • Do art alongside of your child. Family parthemselves. They also encourage ticipation will encourage her to continue. social and academic development.

• Find books or other resources that give Even if you don’t have formal trainthe history of famous artists. Learning ing or special talent, you can still about their lives, the period they lived in nurture the arts in your child. and their culture more than likely affected their subject and style.

• Encourage your child to tell stories with TRY THESE TIPS: pictures rather than words.

For Visual Arts • Use your child’s other interests as • When your toddler is ready, give him springboards for art projects. If he likes chunky crayons and large paper to experiphotography, give him a digital or disposment with. As he grows, provide a variety able camera and have him take pictures, of materials and keep them accessible make a collage or try to draw a depiction for use at any time, including markers, of the image he sees. colored pencils, colored paper, large rolls of paper for murals, watercolors, tempera For Performing Arts paints, modeling material, craft sticks, • Have a box of old clothes and accessories glue, scissors, old magazines, wall paper on hand so your child can play dress up. samples and fabric scraps for collages, • Encourage her to pretend to be an animal stickers, stencils, ribbons, glitter, wood or object. How would the animal move? cuts and nature items.

What would it sound like? What would • Look for art all around you. When you are the personality be like? Make up a story outside, point out trees and the effects of and act it out. the sun on nature. Comment on the colors • Encourage your child to pantomime of the sunset and design of the clouds. rather than tell stories.

Visit park statues and city murals. Ask • Have him create hand puppets and put on your child if he wants to draw what he a puppet show. sees.

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Boston Parents Paper | April 2017

• When she is young, create simple, repeatable dance steps and encourage her to engage in rhythmic movement to music.

As she gets older, have her create her own routines.

• Help your child become familiar with differences in pitch and encourage him to sing songs.

• Purchase simple rhythm instruments your child can experiment with. Or have her create her own with simple household materials.

• Expose your child to various instruments at your local music store or at a symphony’s musical petting zoo.

• Let your child try a variety of musical instruments. Rent until he is ready to commit to playing long-term.

• Encourage him to write a skit or find a play he can do with friends or siblings.

Make it into an all-out production by creating tickets, providing snacks and inviting family and close friends.

• Attend local dance, music and theater performances. After the production, discuss the event with your child. What did she like about it? What didn’t she like?

Cheryl Crosby is the former editor of Boston Parents Paper. Denise Yearian is the former editor of two parenting magazines. This article was originally published in April 2015.

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13

✼ Ages & Stages

Susan Solomon Yem

Learning to Lose

F

or every child who wins a competition, there is one who loses. And pity the poor parent who must live with the loser! For lots of summers, many of my evenings were spent sitting on splintery bleachers cheering on one of the three Little League teams that boasted a Yem in the lineup. As I watched them annihilate some opponents and be crushed by others, I came to the conclusion that while the ultimate goal may be to win, losing may actually be a good thing.

We put a lot of emphasis on being a winner. We lavish praise on our children for good report cards and bestow awards and trophies upon them for athletic excellence, but what we often neglect is teaching our kids how to cope with defeat.

It becomes glaringly apparent when you hear about the child who walks off the field in the middle of a game and goes home because she is so disappointed in how she plays or the boy who blames everyone from the umpire to the pitcher to the ice cream man on the corner for his strikeouts.

Perhaps it is rooted in the fact that as a society we have always lauded victors and disdained losers.

Even former winners are vilified when upset by young upstarts. Yet, as I looked at the dejected expressions on the faces of my sons and their teammates after a rout, I realized that losing was an important lesson in their young lives. It is easy to be a winner. It’s a lot more difficult to be a gracious loser.

My oldest son can be a very sore loser, especially when he is competing against his brothers. Cross him during a game of Monopoly and you’re likely to find the board overturned. Yet when he participates in a team activity he actually handles losing pretty well.

In an interview conducted several years ago, psychologist Dr. Kalman M. Heller, now retired, said, “It all depends on how much of himself a child has invested in the activity. While most children tend to be consistent— either comfortable with competition or not—some may not take a sense of responsibility in team activities.”

So what do we parents do? I often find it more interesting to watch the Little League parents rather than the game. Mothers tend to commend their sons and daughters for the amount of effort they put into each time at bat or each play in the field. They even applaud members of the opposing team who do a good job. Fathers, on the other hand, seem to be more interested in the outcome of the game.

Dr. Heller explains, “Women tend to look at things from the inside. They’re empathetic. They may feel sorry for the child who misses the ball. Men will view things

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Boston Parents Paper | April 2017

from a distance and consider the final score.”

We need to acknowledge how important winning is to our children and how badly they feel when they lose. “We often try to make our kids feel better by minimizing the situation,” says Dr. Heller. “Don’t minimize their distress over losing. The child may not have a sense of being heard. It is more effective to say, ‘it’s really frustrating when you want to win that badly and you don’t.’”

I hate to lose so I rarely play games. Even a simple game of Candyland can put me in a bad mood. I recognize myself in Dr. Heller’s comments about modeling: “Some kids have a low frustration tolerance, but sometimes children model themselves after their parents.

Is the parent driven, impatient? Do you tolerate your own mistakes? Children may incorporate their parents’ behavior into their own attitude.”

We need to help our kids feel okay about losing.

Dr. Heller uses a baseball analogy to explain: “A really good shortstop can make an error, shake it off and go on. That’s what our kids need to learn. We don’t really support or encourage making mistakes. The goal should be not to discourage a child from getting upset about losing, but to allow that child to grieve the loss and get on with things. It becomes a problem if the child can’t move on.”

Learning to lose is developing survival skills. The kid who walks off the pitcher’s mound in disgust will one day face a job interview and not be hired. The champion speller who comes in third in a few years will open a letter from the college of his/her choice and be rejected.

The finalist in an elementary school art competition may as an adult architect lose a bid for the contract to design a building.

The reality is more of us lose than win. We all have to learn to survive disappointment and keep going. Dr. Heller stresses, “Teach your kids that it’s okay to get upset at losing. Don’t try to stamp out the bad behavior.

Help them feel good about who they are. Invite them to talk about it more if they need to. Give them some sympathy, a hug, and then help them move on to the next thing.”

There is one other benefit to learning to lose. We tend to learn more from our failures than from our successes.

A child who can accept defeat is likely to keep trying, to attempt new challenges, to improve and refine skills.

Because no matter how good a loser you are, everybody wants to be a winner.

A mother of five, Susan Solomon Yem has experienced all kinds of parenting. Tell her your stories at susansyem@gmail.com

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April 2017 | BostonParentsPaper.com

15

A Day with the

Ducklings Susan Solomon Yem

I

t has been more than seventyfive years since the Mallard family waddled across Boston and settled in the lagoon at the Public Garden, but it seems like this is a story that never gets old. Make Way for Ducklings has been in print continuously since 1941, selling five million copies. Author/illustrator Robert McCloskey was awarded the Caldecott Medal for “the most distinguished American picture book for children” in 1942.

For a behind-the-scene glimpse into how this and other Robert McCloskey books were created, visit Make Way for Ducklings: The Art of Robert McCloskey at the Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Avenue, Boston (www.mfa.org). The exhibit, which is organized by The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst Massachusetts, is now on view in the Edward and Nancy Roberts Family Gallery and will close June 18th.

The presentation is made possible by Northern Trust with support from the Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf Exhibition Fund and the Patricia B. Jacoby Exhibition Fund. “This is like seeing a beloved old friend and getting to know him better,” says Meghan Melvin, Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf Curator of Design.

Fifty-nine thousand people have already visited the exhibit that boasts more than 50 works drawn primarily

16

Boston Parents Paper | March 2017

from the rarely exhibited holdings of the May Massee Collection at Emporia State University in Kansas. On display are preparatory drawings for Make Way for Ducklings and preliminary studies and final illustrations for seven other McCloskey books including Lentil (1940), Homer Price (1943), and Blueberries for Sal (1948).

From Ohio to Boston

McCloskey was born in Hamilton, Ohio in 1914. In his senior year in high school, he was awarded a scholarship to study art at the Vesper George School of Art and arrived here in 1932, at the height of the Great Depression.

The school, which closed in 1983, was located on St. Botolph Street. McCloskey would occasionally walk through the Public Garden to get to class. “I had first noticed the ducks on my way to art school,” McCloskey Boston’s famous duck family brass statues in Boston Public Garden.

once told The New York Times. “When I returned to Boston four years later, I noticed the traffic problem of the ducks and heard a few stories about them. The book just sort of developed from there.”

The iconic story was named the official children’s book of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 2003.

Sculptress Nancy Schon was commissioned to create a tribute in 1985. Bronze statues of Mrs. Mallard and her brood of eight took up residence in the Public Garden near the corner of Beacon and Charles Streets in 1987.

Because children are always sitting on their backs, the ducklings have never needed polishing. A miniature version of the family is part of the MFA exhibit.

And Maine, too

Original drawings for Make Way for Ducklings courtesy of MFA

All seven of Robert McCloskey’s books were inspired by real life, including his own as a boy in Ohio. Other New England-based stories, Blueberries for Sal and One Morning in Maine are rooted in family experiences with his wife and daughters at their summer home near Little Deer Isle.

“This exhibit is a smaller version of the one at the Eric Carle Museum,” says Melvin. “It focuses on publications where McCloskey was both author and illustrator.”

McCloskey, who hoped to be a fine artist, illustrated the works of other authors and even assisted Francis Scott Bradford in painting the murals of the Massachusetts State House, the Charles River, Louisburg Square and other Boston scenes at the Lever Brothers Building, now part of MIT in Cambridge. He drew syndicated cartoons and painted watercolors in Provincetown.

Up Close and Personal Visitors to the MFA exhibit follow duck prints leading from the Ruth and Carl J. Shapiro Family Courtyard downstairs to the exhibition gallery. Large-scale reproductions of illustrations from his books line the walls.

“And we hung all the pictures lower than we normally do so it’s easier for kids to enjoy,” adds Melvin. “We have included some labels with interactive questions for our youngest visitors.”

An exhibition-specific family guide, available for free in the gallery, encourages close looking and includes drawing activities for children. Families can take a break on the reading bench and enjoy McCloskey’s stories in the midst of his original artwork.

This up close view will confirm McCloskey’s attention to detail. Included in the exhibit are studies of bears

in the Central Park Zoo, blueberry plants at the New York Botanical Garden and sketches of his daughter, Sally, the inspiration for Blueberries for Sal. It took years for McCloskey to learn how to illustrate the Mallards. He spent two years studying mallard specimens at the American Museum of Natural History, consulted an ornithologist and even purchased 16 ducks that came to live in his small Greenwich Village apartment and serve as models. McCloskey told author Leonard Marcus for his book, Show Me A Story, ““I’d moved from Boston to a studio apartment in New York City, and though I returned to Boston to make sketches, it was cold, rainy and very unpleasant. I soon realized I couldn’t study ducks there. An anthropologist mentioned that I could buy live ducks at a certain Greenwich Village market. So I did, brought them home, and kept them in the tub.”

Two Miles from the MFA Melvin recommends that families plan an hour-long visit to the MFA, but children who want the full Make Way for Ducklings experience can visit the sites depicted in the story.

The Mallard ducklings hatched near the Longfellow Bridge, only two miles from the Museum of Fine Arts.

Their walk to the Public Garden was 6/10ths of a mile from there, even if it did seem longer. Interestingly, this is hatching season for ducks. They nest in March and lay eggs that take up to 35 days to hatch.

April is also the month when the Swan Boats are launched. This year the boats will hit the water on Saturday, the 15th. And for children who may risk hitting a duckling or two while riding a bike, Boston REI is hosting a how to ride a bike class Saturday, April 22nd beginning at 2:00pm (https://www.rei.com/events/ how-to-ride-a-bike-class/boston/169495).

It is only one month until the annual Duckling Day Parade. The Friends of the Public Garden, in association with the City of Boston Parks and Recreation Department will celebrate Mother’s Day Sunday, May 14th with the 30th annual Duckling Day Parade. More than 1,000 children and adults duck walk from the Boston Common to the Public Garden. The registration fee is $35 per family, when paid before May 6th or $40.00 per family, if paid at the parade.

Admission to the Museum of Fine Arts is $25.00 for adults and free for children up to 17 years old. April School Vacation week hours are 10:00am –8:00pm, Tuesday, April 18th – Friday, April 21st. Free drop-in activities are scheduled all week including Collaborate and Create!, a hands-on family art making experience.

April 2017 | BostonParentsPaper.com

17

✼ Family Cents

How to save for a great summer vacation

By Aaron Crowe

S

aving money isn’t very fun. It can be difficult to see the far-off goal of what you’re saving for.

Saving money for a summer vacation can be especially difficult. With such a fun goal on the horizon, putting money aside can be like collecting sand one grain at a time so you can build a sandcastle.

This summer, my family is going on vacation to Europe for four weeks, and we saved for it in two big ways—putting money aside for it since November 2016, and cutting our travel costs immensely by swapping houses for most of the trip.

A vacation savings account We started by putting money into a savings account dedicated to the trip. We’ve been doing this for a few years already with automatic transfers from our checking account each month, but we stepped it up late last year.

As a freelance writer, I’ve dedicated a monthly paycheck from one of my clients to the vacation account.

I’ve also tried—not always successfully—to deposit another check from another client each month.

The account allowed us to pay for much of the trip upfront. A travel agent helped us find a deal on a flighthotel package in February, when reasonable rates were still available. We paid a deposit on the package, giving us until June to save for the final payment that’s due then.

We also booked rooms in two hotels in cities we’re visiting during the trip for a few days, so those rooms were paid for in February. We also paid in February for a deposit on a waffle-making class in Brussels.

One difficulty of saving in winter for a summer vacation is that the trip seems so far off that it’s hard to be enthusiastic about trying to put money away early. It’s delayed gratification at the extreme.

But that’s what helps make it a little easier to save for. It’s such a fun goal that I’m spending months reading guidebooks and listening to podcasts about the areas we’re visiting, which is making the savings easier to put aside.

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Boston Parents Paper | April 2017

Sightseeing on canal in Amsterdam

Home exchange The biggest way we’ve been able to make this trip affordable is by swapping homes. Through a home exchange website, we’re exchanging homes with a family in the Netherlands for almost three weeks.

After paying the site’s annual membership fee of about $80, home exchanges are free. Using another family’s home is saving us at least $3,500 in lodging.

Every time we go on vacation, one of the biggest costs is housing. We’ve rented vacation homes from homeowners and stayed in hotels, and housing always end up being the second-biggest expense after transportation.

A home exchange allows us to cut out almost all of that from our vacation budget, except for a week before the exchange that we’re spending elsewhere in Europe. It’s an idea I’ve been thinking about for years, and finally a newspaper story about a father going on a trip to Europe with his child persuaded me to get moving on it.

It took us about a month to find a family in Europe that was a match. What took me a little while to figure out was that finding a home in a similar situation to ours was key.

We live in a Bay Area suburb and can be in San Francisco on BART in 45 minutes. San Francisco is a very popular tourist destination, and promoting our home in an exchange as being 45 minutes outside of the city is a high selling point.

Our home exchange is with a family who lives about a 30-minute train ride from Amsterdam. That exchange makes much more sense for us than with a homeowner in central Amsterdam. It’s a fair distance for each family.

We’ll cook in their kitchen—which will save us money— and we’ll be there long enough that we won’t feel like we’ll have to constantly be on the move to see exciting sites as we might if our time was limited. It can be a relaxing vacation to enjoy another culture at a leisurely pace.

That’s one of the main things I want my daughter to get out of this summer vacation. Saving and paying for much of it months in advance should only make it that much easier.

Aaron Crowe is a freelance journalist who specializes in personal finance writing. This will be the first trip for his daughter, 12, to Europe, and hopefully not her last. Follow Aaron on Twitter @AaronCrowe or read his personal finance blog about family finances at CashSmarter.com.

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April

Calendar

Boston Red Sox Home Opener Cheer on the Sox as they take on the Pirates in their season’s first home game. Throughout the season, young fans can visit Wally’s Clubhouse during home games for activities, visits from Wally, a toddler play area and much more. 617-226-6666; April 3, 2:05pm, Fenway Park, 4 Yawkey Way, Boston. redsox.com 20

Boston Parents Paper | April 2017

All events are subject to change or cancellation. We recommend calling first to confirm and purchasing tickets in advance whenever possible.

1 Saturday April Fools 9am – 6pm, Providence Children’s Museum, 100 South St., Providence, R.I. A silly scavenger hunt will have you solving riddles and finding funny objects in surprising spots. Free with admission.

401-273-5437; childrenmuseum.org

Go Fly a Kite!

12-2pm, The Discovery Museums, 177 Main St., Acton. Experiment with a variety of materials, shapes and sizes as you create your own kite. Free with admission. 978-264-4200; discoverymuseums.org

Animal April Fools 3:30pm, Drumlin Farm, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln. Explore the wacky world of animal adaptations. Registration required. $15.

781-259-2206; massaudubon.org

The Stacey Peasley Band at the HCA 11am, Hopkinton Center for the Arts, 98 Hayden Rowe St., Hopkinton. Join Stacey Peasley , recipient of the 2010 Nickelodeon Parents Connect Parents’ Pick Award for Best Party Entertainer for a show. Adults $10, Students $5. www.hopartscenter.org

Boston Children’s Chorus 1&2:30pm, Boston Children’s Museum, 308 Congress St., Boston.

Choral concert performed by 50 children. The BCC unites children ages 7-18 across differences of race, religion and socioeconomic status to discover the power of singing and transcend social barriers in a celebration of shared humanity and love of music.

Free with admission. 617-426-6500; bostonkids.org

Japanese House: Make Origami Hina-dolls to Celebrate Girls’ Day 11:10am-1:50pm, Boston Children’s Museum, 308 Congress St., Boston. Experience Japanese family life, customs, ceremonies, art, architecture and seasonal events in this 100-year-old house. Free with admission. 617-426-6500; bostonkids.org

2 Sunday

Boston March for Babies Date: Saturday, May 13, 2017 Registration: 9:00AM | Start: 10:00 AM Walk distance: 3 miles DCR Hatch Memorial Shell 45 David G. Mugar Way Boston, MA 02108

Light It Up Blue - World Autism Awareness Day 10am-12pm, The Discovery Museums, 177 Main St., Acton. .

In support of World Autism Awareness Day, with the goal of increasing autism awareness and celebrating the abilities of individuals with autism, our mascot Bessie is looking to show her blue too! Come help us paint Bessie a lovely shade of blue, so she too can Light It Up Blue. Free with admission. 978-264-4200; discoverymuseums.org

Pinkalicious The Musical 11am & 1pm, Leventhal-Sidman JCC, 333 Nahanton Street, Newton.

New York’s multi-award-winning Vital Theatre Company presents the delectable new musical Pinkalicious based on the popular children’s book by Elizabeth Kann and Victoria Kann. $18. 617-5586522; bostonjcc.org

Register online at: marchforbabies.org/event/boston We're getting ready to walk in March for Babies!

It promises to be a fun day out with people who share our passion for improving the health of babies. Join our event and walk with us to raise money for babies right here in our community!

3 Monday Boston Red Sox Home Opener 2:05pm, Fenway Park, 4 Yawkey Way, Boston. Cheer on the Sox as they take on the Pirates in their season’s first home game.

Throughout the season, young fans can visit Wally’s Clubhouse during home games for activities, visits from Wally, a toddler play area and much more. 617-226-6666; redsox.com

April 2017 | BostonParentsPaper.com

21

MFA Playdates

Toddler Tuesdays

10:15am, Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave., Boston.

Bring your toddler to enjoy story time and looking activities in the galleries. Free with admission. 617-267-9300; mfa.org

10am – 2pm, LEGOLAND Discovery Center Boston, 598 Assembly Row, Somerville. Special toddler activities and story time for the youngest LEGO fans. Adults, $16; youth ages 3-5, $14. 866-2286439; legolanddiscoverycenter.com/boston

4 Tuesday

5 Wednesday

Visit the Japanese House 11am, Boston Children’s Museum, 308 Congress St., Boston.

Experience Japanese family life, customs, ceremonies, art, architecture and seasonal events in this 100-year-old house. Free with admission. 617-426-6500; bostonkids.org

Is Your Child in 3rd-6th Grade?

Lindentree Farm CSA

Spring Woodcock Watches 7:15 - 8:15am, Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary, 113 Goodnow Road, Princeton. Enjoy an hour of nature-themed fun with your youngster. We’ll read an engaging storybook, make a craft to take home, and walk on one of the sanctuary’s beautiful trails with lead educator, Chris Eaton. For ages 2.5-5. Registration required. Members: Adult FREE/Child $2.50, Nonmembers: Adult FREE/Child $3.50. 978-464-2712; massaudubon.org

Coyote Club 3:30-5pm, Habitat Education and Wildlife Sanctuary, 10 Juniper Road, Belmont. This afterschool program helps children expend pent up energy, become familiar with the sanctuary, problem-solve and learn to work together. For ages 5-10. Registration required. $18. 617-489-5050; massaudubon.org

6 Thursday April Showers

617-324-9725 beamstudies@gmail.com bit.ly/BEAMstudies

Celebrating 25 years of growing certified organic produce. Come join us! lindentreefarm.com

10-11:30am & 1-2:30pm, Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, 293 Moose Hill Parkway, Sharon. Look for watery habitats, signs of water on the move, and more during this outdoor exploration. Use watercolors to paint your own watery picture. Visit the “puddle tree” to see if it is full. For ages 4-6. Registration required. $12.

781-784-5691; massaudubon.org

CAMPS AND SUMMER PROGRAMS

DIS

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E

SUMMER

S THI

July & August Classes for toddlers to adults Boston

•

Newton

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North Shore

Enroll online today! bostonballet.org/school Photo by Igor Burlak Photography

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Boston Parents Paper | April 2017

CAMPS AND SUMMER PROGRAMS NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY

Visual & Performing Arts

Juntos Exploramos Vengan y Exploren con nosotros!

A Bilingual Spanish Summer Program for children ages 15 mos. to 5 yrs.

Un programa bilingüe de verano para niños de 15 mos. a 7 yrs.

Did you know there are 23 Spanishspeaking countries in the world?

School-age program for Kindergarteners to rising 3rd graders (5-8 yrs.)

Summer Camp: June 19-August 18 April Vacation Camp: April 18-21

Limited space still available!

Session I: July 5th - July 28th Session 2: July 31st - August 25th

Crafts, Games, Cooking, Outdoor Fun and Field Trips.

Open to boys and girls ages 21 months - 12 years old Online registration now open!

Each day at the Pine Village Sign up today at cambridgemontessori.org

Join us on the Pine Village “Avión Imaginario” for the adventure of a lifetime as we explore and discover Spanish- speaking countries of South and Central America and the Caribbean.

A sampling of activities may include: learning dances from Cuba and Mexico, creating clothing from Peru, cooking a traditional Mayan feast, and participating in traditional Venezuelan children's games!

We will have special visitors sharing their customs and traditions with us from many of these Spanish-speaking countries.

2016 For more information visit our website WINNER www.mybilingualpreschool.com or email enrollmentPVP@gmail.com 2015 WINNER 617-416-7763

Summer Program, the children

Contact: Beth Johns-Thomas and teachers will embark on a Director of Summer Programsmagnificent imaginary journey to explore these Spanish 617.206.4662 speaking countries and passport@cambridgemontessori.org

7 Friday

experience life as a child in a different country.

Butter My Bread TM

TM

3:30 - 5pm, Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, 208 S Great Road, Lincoln. We’ll grind the grains, mix the dough, shape the loaf, and bake it in the oven. While the bread is baking, we’ll visit the cow and make butter to spread on our warm bread. For families with children ages 0-7. Registration required. $16.50. 781-259-2200; massaudubon.org

First Friday Night Free 4:30-8:30pm, The Discovery Museums, 177 Main St., Acton. Join us with free admission and explore both museums—and Discovery Woods while there’s still daylight—on the first Friday night of the month! FREE. 978-264-4200; discoverymuseums.org

Big Night!

6pm, Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, 87 Perkins Row, Topsfield.

Catch a glimpse of the frogs and salamanders as they begin a mass migration to vernal pools for breeding. Registration required. $10.

978-887-9264; massaudubon.org

Golden Dragon Acrobats 7:30pm, The Hanover Theatre, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester. Watch award-winning acrobatics, traditional dance, spectacular costumes, ancient and contemporary music, and theatrical techniques to present a show of breathtaking skill and spellbinding beauty. $26 and up. 508-831-0800; thehanovertheatre.org

8 Saturday NanoDays 11am – 3:30pm, Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston.

Imagine, discover and explore a world that’s too small to see with nano-related activities such as presentations, juggling and a handson lab. Free with admission. 617-723-2500; mos.org April 2017 | BostonParentsPaper.com

23

Egg Hunt 10am & 1pm, Oak Knoll Wildlife Sanctuary, 1417 Park Street, Attleboro. Join us for an “egg”citing program as we start the day dying eggs with natural dyes, create birds nest, visit with some egg-laying animals, and learn about different types of eggs in our educational stations before heading out for our annual egg hunt.

For families with children ages 3-12. Registration required. Adult FREE/ Child $10. 508-223-3060; massaudubon.org

Special Puppet Performance with Italian Puppeteer Mariano Dolci 11:30 am, The Eric Carle Museum, 125 West Bay Road, Amherst.

During this special puppet performance of a familiar fairytale, Dolci will delight guests by taking unlikely objects and creating characters and stories from them. Free with admission. 413-6581100; carlemuseum.org

Amphibians After Dark!

5:30-8:30pm, Stony Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, 108 North St., 6665_CHS_BosParent_Ad3.3x3_6665 CHS_Elmbank_Ad 3/10/17 3:33 P Norfolk. Tour lantern-lit trails and meet costumed characters who SCHOOLS AND CHILDCARE CENTERS will teach you about amphibians and vernal pools via story and song. $10. 508-528-3140; massaudubon.org

Open House

Nashoba Valley Mothers of Multiples Tag Sale

Wednesday, April 12, 2017 from 8:30 to 10:00 am.

Beginners (Age 3) to Grade 6 Co-Educational Financial Aid Program Exceptional Secondary School Placement Afterschool Extended Day

8am to noon, Chelmsford Senior Center, 75 Groton Road, North Chelmsford. Deep discounts on gently used children’s toys, clothes, books, strollers and baby gear. Cash only. $1. nashobavalleymom. org

9 Sunday Easter EggZOOberance 9:30am, Buttonwood Park Zoo, 425 Hawthorn St., New Bedford.

Hop over to the Buttonwood Park Zoo to meet the Easter Bunny!

Enjoy an egg-cellent breakfast buffet, face painting, meet and greet with some of our animal residents and then head out into the Zoo for an Easter egg hunt. Repeats 4/15. $25. 508-991-6178; bpzoo.org

The Chestnut Hill School

Educating. Engaging. Inspiring.

Educating. Engaging. Inspiring.

Chocolate: The Exhibition

428 Hammond Street Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 617-566-4394

10 Monday –Passover Begins

www.tchs.org

Museum of Science 1 Science Park, Boston. Test your chocolate knowledge and discover the complete story behind the tasty treat

Ages 18 months - 5 years Brighton • Porter Sq. • Kendall Sq. • South End • Needham West Newton • Jamaica Plain South St. • Jamaica Plain Revere St.

SCHOOL YEAR AND SUMMER PROGRAMS FULL AND EXTENDED DAY TM

Give your child the gift of bilingual education!

2016 WINNER

Language Immersion

NEW

Saturday morning Spanish classes in Needham and Porter Square locations for children ages 3 - 8 years old.

TM

2015 WINNER

Language Immersion

Email: EnrollmentPVP@gmail.com • Phone: 617-416-7763

www.MyBilingualPreschool.com 24

Boston Parents Paper | April 2017

we crave in our newest temporary exhibition. Free with admission.

617-723-2500; mos.org

new tradition of taking a night walk every month when the moon is full. Free with admission. 978-264-4200; discoverymuseums.org

11 Tuesday

Peek a Blue Hike

Celebrate April’s Full Moon, the Pink Moon 2-4pm, The Discovery Museums, 177 Main St., Acton. Come learn about the moon and stars, grab a full moon calendar and start a

11am, Houghton’s Pond, 840 Hillside St., Milton. A free, onehour guided hike for kids, including a simple scavenger hunt and refreshments. FREE. 781-828-1805; friendsofthebluehills.org

SCHOOLS AND CHILDCARE CENTERS

Greater Quincy Child Care Center 859 Willard St., 1 Adams Place, Quincy (1/2 mile North from the So. Shore Plaza)

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• • Kindergarten - full day, year round; Age req. 5 yrs. old

by Oct. 31st. Kindergarten cert.Teacher implements MA Curriculum Frameworks.

• Preschool: 2.9 to 5 yrs.

• Toddlers: 15 mos. to 2.9 yrs.

• Infants: 8 wks. to 15 mos.

• Full or Part Week • Hot Lunch

Full Day – Year Round Kindergarten FALL 2017 - Call for a tour -

• Hours: 7:30 am to 6:00 pm. • Developmental Curriculum • Music & Large Motor Programs • Small Teacher/Student Ratios • State-of-the-Art Center • High-Tech Security System We are celebrating over 30 years of quality care & education.

617-773-8386 • e-mail: gqccc@aol.com

elc.ad.bpp.17.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/17 12:47 PM Page 1 www.greaterquincychildcare.com

Little People’s Playhouse

Educating and caring for your child like their own!

15 mos. to 6 yrs. • Pre K • Kindergarten Before & After School Ages 6-12 • 7am - 6pm Part-time Preschool • 7am - 1pm ♦ Literacy based academic program focusing on the whole child ♦ Tutoring available ♦ Catered hot meals included

ONGOING ENROLLMENT

www.peopleplayhouse.net 32 South Fairview Street ♦ W. Roxbury/Roslindale Line ♦ 617-323-2566 4019 Washington Street ♦ Roslindale/Jamaica Plain ♦ 617-323-6144

“I can’t wait to come back tomorrow!”

Learn, create, and explore at the JCC Early Learning Centers JCC Early Learning Center • Brookline/Brighton Godine Early Learning Center • Newton Gilson Early Learning Center • Sharon JCC Early Learning Center at Congregation Sha’aray Shalom • Hingham

bostonjcc.org/earlylearning Everyone welcome

April 2017 | BostonParentsPaper.com

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12 Wednesday

14 Friday

Preschool Story Hour- Robin of Hickory Street

Cambridge Science Festival

10 - 11am, Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, 414 Massasoit Road, Worcester. A thematic hour of a story, an activity, and a WEST naturalist-led walk. For ages 3-5. Registration required. Adult FREE/ Valentine Card Making Party, 10am, The Eric Carle Child $4. 508-753-6087; massaudubon.org Museum, 125 West Bay Road, Amherst. Pop in to make special valentines for your family, friends or classmates.

Afterschool Cooking Club Registration recommended. $12 per pair or trio.

3:30 - 5pm, Habitat Education and Wildlife Sanctuary, 10 Juniper 413-658-1100; carlemuseum.org.

Road, Belmont. A part of each class will be spent discussing ingredients, working in the garden, planning the recipe, baking, frying, mixing, boiling, steaming, chilling, drying, rolling, seasoning, and anything needed, beforeCorner finally eating! For The Enchanted Forest, else 10:30am, Coolidge ages 7-11.290 Registration required. $22.Artbarn, 617-489-5050; Theatre, Harvard St., Brookline. a youthmassaudubon. org community theater company, presents the tale of a family vacation gone wrong. Adults, $13; youth, $10.

617-734-2501; coolidge.org.

Various locations, Cambridge. An annual showcase of science, technology, engineering and math, featuring dozens of events, many of them free. The Science Carnival and Robot Zoo is a family favorite. Through April 23. cambridgesciencefestival.org

NORTH Sing, & Learn: The World of Whales Imagine,

15 Saturday

29 Sunday

13 Thursday

Ward Winter Fest,Flats noon to 3pm, Ward Reservation, 9:30 - 11am, Joppa Education Center, 1 Plum Island Turnpike, Andover. Explore property on a guided hike, or for the Newburyport.

Thisthe parent/child program is designed bring your snowshoes and sled to play. Then up creative, curious, and active preschooler who warm loves animals.

A with refreshments the fire.including $10 per car.

978-886-5297; structured series of by activities original songs, movement, ttor.org. dramatic play, hands-on science, and a thematic snack. For families

with children ages 3-6. Registration required. Adult $8/Child $7.

978-462-9998; massaudubon.org

31 Tuesday

WEST Party @ Boston Black Block

Backwards Storytime, The308 Discovery Museums, 6-8pm, Boston Children’s 10am, Museum, Congress St., Boston. Your 177 MainisSt., Acton. Celebrate NationalBLOCK Backwards Day presence requested at this awesome PARTY at Boston with silly stories andIncluding activities.music, Free with Children’s Museum. art &admission. craft, dance, storytelling, 978-264-4200; discoverymuseums.org. and hanging around with us! Free with admission. 617-426-6500; bostonkids.org

ENT & PARTY NEEDS Parents Choice Award er ner nne inn Win Wi W

rty

Fran Friedman Birthday Parties, Schools, Concerts, Libraries

en

s

Rosalita's Puppets

Preschool &• Illusions Elementary • Audience Participation Music Specialist • All Occasions • Remarkable Rates

Jim& Munsey 617-759-1517 www.rosalitaspuppets.com Lots of Participation Fun• for All! www.MunseysMagic.com 617-633-2832 • www.franfriedman.com 508-358-1614

Second Fridays 5-8pm, MIT Museum, 265 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. Jumpstart your weekend with performances, demos and short talks throughout the galleries. Free with admission. 617-253-5927; web. mit.edu/museum

Make a Mess: Happy Birthday Leonardo da Vinci!

11am-2pm, The Discovery Museums, 177 Main St., Acton. Join us as we celebrate the birthday of painter, sculptor, architect, inventor, engineer, mathematician - and so much more - Leonardo da Vinci.

We’ll explore the “science of art and the art of science” with hands-on activities inspired by da Vinci’s own experiments and work. Free with admission. 978-264-4200; discoverymuseums.org

Opening Day: Swan Boats 10am – 5pm, Public Garden, Boston. A sure sign of spring, Boston Public Garden’s famous swan boats make their first appearance of the year. Through September 17. Adults $3.50; youth, $2. swanboats.com

Celebrate everything 2017 at Online Ordering Available

Host your next party in our new Decorating Kitchen

BIG JOE the Storyteller

Original & classic stories Props, puppets, & surprises Birthday Parties Schools Libraries Special Events

www.bigjoe.com Parents Choice Award er ner nne Win Wiinn W

s& ds!

• • • •

ine

.com

9am-5pm, New England Aquarium, Central Wharf, Boston. Get up close to some small but mighty shark species from around the world. Free with admission. (617) 226-2323; www.neaq.org

ENTERTAINMENT AND PARTY NEEDS

Children’s Musician & Instructor

lable

Science of Sharks – New Exhibit

LLeett’s’sy! t !

Pa arrty P

617-713-4349

Fran Friedman

Children’s Musician & Instructor Birthday Parties, Schools, Concerts, “Come Bounce Off Our Walls” Libraries

Open Bounce & Family Fun Birthday Parties Field Trip Programs Glow & Rock Star Parties

Preschool & Elementary Peabody, MA Music Specialist 978-532-5868 TM

2016

BostonBounceParty.com

TOP 10 Lots of Participation & Fun for All! 508-358-1614 • www.franfriedman.com

26

Boston Parents Paper | April 2017

TM

2016 WINNER

Now offering GLUTEN-FREE items

Cakes, Cookies, Candies, Gift Baskets & All Your Party Needs!

1356 Beacon St., Brookline 617-566-3330

www.partyfavorsbrookline.com

FIND MORE ENTERTAINERS ONLINE AT: BostonParents Paper.com/ entertainers

Fee Free Day, National Parks

Patriots’ Day

Forests and Wildlife Refuges nationwide. Celebrate National Park Weekends with FREE admission. Through April 23. nps.gov/ findapark/feefreeparks.htm

11am – 4pm, Concord Museum, 200 Lexington Road, Concord.

After the Patriots’ Day parade, stop by the Museum to enjoy patriotic crafts, try on colonial clothing and more. Free with admission. 978-369-9763; concordmuseum.org

Patriots’ Day Weekend Various locations, Concord, Lincoln and Lexington. Parades, pancake breakfasts and historical reenactments fill the weekend leading up to this holiday commemorating the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Through April 17. FREE. www.battleroad. org

Heartbreak Hill Road Race & Walk 11:30am – 3pm, Newton City Hall, 1000 Commonwealth Ave., Newton. A one-mile race, up and down famed Heartbreak Hill. Rather walk? Join the Family Walk at 11:30am. $10. newtoncommunitypride.org

16 Sunday – Easter

18 Tuesday National Marionette Theatre - Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel 10:30am, JFK Library and Museum, Columbia Point, Boston. The master puppeteers bring one of the most famous of the Grimm Brothers’ stories to life with exquisitely crafted marionettes, scrolling scenery and the beautiful music of Englebert Humperdinck. Reservations required. FREE. 617-514-1644; jfklibrary.org

Youth Excursions: Eagle Rock Hike

11am, Glass House 450 Kendall Street Cambridge. Join us for an afternoon of brunch and family friendly festivities at Glass House to celebrate Easter! (617) 945-9450; www.glasshousecambridge. com

9am - 2pm, Joppa Flats Education Center, 1 Plum Island Turnpike, Newburyport. Come on this fun, full-day hike and learn about vernal pools and forest wildlife while we explore the glacial granite summit of Eagle Rock with other adventurous young adults. Don’t forget a camera -- the views should be great!

For ages 10-13. Registration required. $35. 978-462-9998; massaudubon.org

Sensory Explorations

19 Wednesday

Easter Egg Hunt

10 - 11am, Oak Knoll Wildlife Sanctuary, 1417 Park Street, Attleboro. Join us on our monthly hike exploring Attleboro Spring’s accessible Reflection Trail behind LaSalette Shrine. We may explore using only our hearing or look at the features of a tree from centimeters away. Attleboro Springs trails are accessible by wheelchair & strollers. For families with children ages 3 and up.

Registration required. $4. 508-223-3060; massaudubon.org

Love That Boy: What Two Presidents, Eight Road Trips, and My Son Taught Me About a Parent’s Expectations 7-9pm, The Discovery Museums, 177 Main St., Acton. Speaker: Ron Fournier, senior political columnist for The Atlantic and National Journal, and author of Love That Boy. Suggested donation $5.

978-264-4200; discoverymuseums.org

17 Monday – Patriot’s Day

20 Thursday

Boston Marathon

Visit the Japanese House

Watch 30,000 runners brave hilly New England terrain and unpredictable weather in the Boston Marathon, billed as the world’s oldest annual marathon. FREE. www.baa.org

Patriots’ Day in Lexington The re-enactment of the Battle of Lexington will be held on the Lexington Green starting at 5:30am, the time of the original battle held on April 19, 1775. Followed by the Patriot’s Day Parade at 2:00pm. FREE. lexingtonhistory.org

11am, Boston Children’s Museum, 308 Congress St., Boston.

Experience Japanese family life, customs, ceremonies, art, architecture and seasonal events in this 100-year-old house. Free with admission. 617-426-6500; bostonkids.org

21 Friday Star Gazing Nights 8 - 10pm, Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, 293 Moose Hill Parkway,

ENTERTAINMENT AND PARTY NEEDS

• • • •

LLeett’s’sy! t !

Pa arrty P

J & J Pony Rentals “Come Bounce Off Our Walls”

Open Bounce & Family Fun Birthday Parties Field Trip Programs Glow & Rock Star Parties

TM

2016 TOP 10

Peabody, MA 978-532-5868 BostonBounceParty.com

• Quiet, gentle, lovable ponies; large and small available for any occasion.

• Pony parties at your place or at the farm.

• Customized packages at reasonable rates

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Find more camps online…

Search Our New & Improved Kids Camps Site!

www.BostonParentsPaper.com

HUNTERS HAVEN FARM 104 King St., Groveland, MA

978-373-1300

HuntersHavenFarm.com April 2017 | BostonParentsPaper.com

27

Sharon. Join local astronomers for a look at the stars and other night objects through big telescopes. The event is on-going, so drop in for all or just some of the evening. For all ages. FREE. 781784-5691; massaudubon.org

Umbrella Arts Center, followed by an Earth Day celebration. FREE. 978-371-0820; theumbrellaarts.org

22 Saturday – Earth Day

Day of Dance

Earth Day Meets Math Day 11am-2pm, The Discovery Museums, 177 Main St., Acton. Today is Earth Day and the National Math Festival, and we’re so excited to celebrate these two events together! Join us as we explore patterns in nature, uncover symmetry in nature, and discover more of the math in nature. Free with admission. 978-264-4200; discoverymuseums.org

Earth Day/Arbor Day Celebration!

10am-2pm, Stony Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, 108 North St., Norfolk.

Timely demonstrations and information sharing, children’s nature games and crafts, music and more. FREE. 508-528-3140; massaudubon.org

23 Sunday 11am-4pm, Boston Children’s Museum, 308 Congress St., Boston.

Join us for dance all day! Free with admission. 617-426-6500; bostonkids.org

Roots and Shoots 10:30am - 12pm, Oak Knoll Wildlife Sanctuary, 1417 Park Street, Attleboro. The program builds on the legacy and vision of Dr. Jane Goodall to place the power and resources for creating practical solutions to big challenges in the hands of the young people. For ages 8-13. Registration required. $10. 508-223-3060; massaudubon. org

Frogs, Pollywogs & Fairies...Exploring the Vernal Pool

10am – 3pm, Franklin Park Zoo, 1 Franklin Park Road, Boston.

Celebrate Earth Day by some of the birds that call Boston home.

Free with admission. 617-989-3742; franklinparkzoo.org

1 - 2:30pm, Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary, 280 Eliot Street, Natick.

Discover some of the fantastic creatures that inhabit Broadmoor’s vernal pool. Explore and learn what hides under the water and lives around this seasonal pool. For families with children ages 5 and up. Registration required. Adult $14/Child $8. 508-655-2296; massaudubon.org

Celebrate Earth Day at Stone Zoo

Sense of Wonder Walk: Trees Do Amazing Things

10am – 2pm, Stone Zoo, 149 Pond Street, Stoneham. In celebration of Earth Day, learn about the zoo’s conservation initiatives and meet an animal up close at the Education Station located across from the flamingo exhibit. Free with admission. 617-989-3742; www.zoonewengland.org

1:30 - 3pm, Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, 87 Perkins Row, Topsfield. Why are some trees green all year-round? On this walk, discover the secret lives of trees and learn to identify some common species. For families with children ages 3 and up. Registration required. Adult $9/Child $7. 978-887-9264; massaudubon.org

Party for the Planet

Party for the Planet 11am – 3pm, Buttonwood Park Zoo, 425 Hawthorn St., New Bedford. An Earth Day celebration including activities about sustainable living and global ecology. Free with admission. 508991-6178; bpzoo.org

Earth Day Clean Up 10am to noon, Ravenswood Park, 481 Western Ave., Gloucester.

Get outside for Earth Day and help pick up small branches and prune back the trails. FREE. 978-281-8400; ttor.org

Earth Day 9:30am – 2pm, various locations, Concord. Giant puppets, stilt walkers, dancers and more will parade from the Old Manse to The

25 Tuesday Beach Babies – White Shark Nurseries of the Northeast Pacific 7-9pm, What does a white shark nursery look like? Probably like your favorite beach. And, why are they there? Find out the answers. Free with admission. Pre-Registration suggested. (617) 226-2323; www.neaq.org

Bubble Time 10 - 11am, Habitat Education and Wildlife Sanctuary, 10 Juniper Road, Belmont. Did you know fish, frogs, moles, and spittlebugs use bubbles in interesting ways? We will make a special bubble

CLASSES AND ENRICHMENT

GET THE BEST REPORT CARD YET! GET AHEAD IN MATH & READING. Join us as we play math games, read books and apply our studies to our daily lives.

Call in today to reserve a slot!

TM

2016 TOP 5

32 South Fairview St., Roslindale, MA

617-323-2566 SPACE AVAILABLE

We bring the instrument and the instructor.

Private in-home lessons available Contact Molly Howard at 617-999-8794 pianoplaytime@yahoo.com www.pianoplaytime.com

28

Boston Parents Paper | April 2017

Enrollment Down?

Advertise Here!

Call

617.522.1515

Fill Your Break There are no shortage of April vacation (April 17-21) activities planned at local venues. Here are just few: • Visit with the cuddly newborn animals at Old Sturbridge Village’s Family Farm Fest. osv.org • Celebrate the Earth at Boston Children’s Museum with environmental-themed activities such as making rain catchers, mud paintings or planting seeds. bostonkids.org • Get free admission (ages 0-17) to the Museum of Fine Arts, where you can also take part in free drop-in activities like making recycled art. mfa.org • Become a Junior Senator and debate the pros and cons of a longer school day at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute. emkinstitute.org • Party for the Planet at the Franklin Park Zoo, Celebrate Earth Day with some of the birds that call Boston home. franklinparkzoo.org

Franklin Park Zoo

Visit BostonParentsPaper.com/aprilvacation for even more April vacation week ideas.

brew and some bubbles of our own For families with children ages 0-5. Registration required. $8. 617-489-5050; massaudubon.org

events throughout the city, featuring interactive and creative experiences. Through May 7. Full schedule at artweekboston.org

Where’s the Milk?

KidsJam

3:30 - 5pm, Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, 208 S Great Road, Lincoln. Lend a hand with afternoon chores in the barn. We will feed the cows their evening hay and then try our hands at milking.

After all our hard work, we will enjoy our own dairy treat. For families with children ages 3-8. Registration required. $16.50. 781259-2200; massaudubon.org

6:30-8pm, Boston Children’s Museum, 308 Congress St., Boston. An all ages dance party. Live DJ. Dance lessons. Free dance. Games.

Free with admission. 617-426-6500; bostonkids.org

26 Wednesday Swamp Romp 10am & 1pm, Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, 293 Moose Hill Parkway, Sharon. What lives under Moose Hill’s boardwalk? Look and listen for swamp creatures. For ages 4-6. Registration required. $12. 781-784-5691; massaudubon.org

27 Thursday ARTS FIRST

29 Saturday Charles River Earth Day Cleanup 9am to noon, Sites along the Charles River and its tributaries. More than 3,000 volunteers will pick up litter, remove invasive species and assist with park maintenance. FREE. crwa.org

Mass Audubon Statewide Volunteer Day 9am – 1pm. Help with a number of projects at locations across the state. Contact a sanctuary near you for more information.

Registration required. FREE. 781-837-9400; massaudubon.org

Sheep Shearing Open House

Various locations, Cambridge. Harvard invites the public to four days of non-stop art, from a cappella to installation art. Through April 30. 617-495-8676; ofa.fas.harvard.edu/arts

1-4pm, Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary, 113 Goodnow Road, Princeton. Meet the flock, learn how sheep are sheared and how the fleece become hats and mittens. Registration required.

Adults, $9; youth, $5. 978-464-2712; massaudubon.org

See, Think, and Wonder Walks: Spring Comes to Woodsom Farms Trail

30 Sunday

2 - 3:30pm, Joppa Flats Education Center, 1 Plum Island Turnpike, Newburyport. Each nature exploration will focus on the importance of a sense of place. We’ll focus on local and migrating birds, other species of wildlife, collecting techniques, and environmental awareness, and present each topic in a fun, energetic format that both adults and children will enjoy. For families with children ages 3-6. Registration required. Adult $8/ Child $7. 978-462-9998; massaudubon.org

28 Friday ArtWeek Boston

Art in Bloom 10am – 5pm, Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave., Boston.

View floral arrangements inspired by the MFA’s collection. Through May 1; special family programs on April 30. Free with admission.

617-267-9330; mfa.org

Nature Egg Hunt 1 - 2pm, Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, 293 Moose Hill Parkway, Sharon. Explore the forests and wetlands of Moose Hill for any and all kinds of eggs. For ages 3-12. Registration required. $9. 781-7845691; massaudubon.org

Various locations, Boston. A twice annual 10-day collection of April 2017 | BostonParentsPaper.com

29

✼ Raising Dad

Parental Payoffs

By Tony Hicks

I

work weekends. Then, when I need a breather during the week, I go to my job.

It’s way more work.

I had this funny idea I was going to be able to take my family somewhere this spring. I went through the calendar, tried to balance my co-workers’ requests for time off with the days my kids are off school. After about 83 hours, I finally pegged the right combination of five days that my three kids, my wife and I could get away.

Then I saw the softball schedule. And all my hopes and dreams were smashed like a peanut stepped on by an elephant.

I’m starting my third season as a softball parent.

The first was unexpected: a daughter who played video games so much her fingers grew around the controllers like webbing, unexpectedly announced to my wife and me she wanted to play a sport. As you can imagine, we wept with joy.

Last season she wanted back in, as did her little sister, who must’ve noticed all the (screaming) attention her sister got from dad and mom (seriously— we were embarrassing) and decided she wanted in too.

Great, I thought. We get

30

Boston Parents Paper | April 2017

“You know, having you as a coach isn’t as bad as I thought it would be.” them both off the furniture for a few hours a week.

But they have this funny rule I don’t remember from when I was a kid playing sports. They make parents participate now. All of them.

If I wanted to participate, I’d join a bowling league or something.

Actually, my wife and I tried that a few years back and it’s totally expensive.

I thought maybe they would pay us to come hang around the alley for three hours and eat their bad food.

Anyway, I was an umpire the first year, which was awful, as I had to wear these gray dress slacks and tell crying 7-year-olds their foot slid off the base, therefore they screwed up

and cost their whole team the game.

Last year I got to be an assistant coach for my own 7-year-old, meaning my job was to scream and threaten the life of the umpire when he told my crying kid her foot slid off the base, therefore costing her entire team the game.

You know, pretty standard stuff.

This year, I’m an assistant coach for the ninth grader’s team. Which is way different. These girls are frighteningly good. A 7-year-old will pretty much believe you when you tell her her position is to stand in the parking lot and wait for foul balls. Not these girls. I have to pretend I actually know something.

Which gets exhausting.

Plus, since its serious, there’s lots of practice time. Lots of it. Which takes up a lot of time I could be spending taking naps or channel surfing for Patrick Swayze movies. Never mind vacation planning.

There is some good news. The older girl—who forbade me from coaching her team last year— recently looked at me and said, “You know, having you as a coach isn’t as bad as I thought it would be.”

I asked why.

“Because you aren’t as annoying as I’d thought you’d be.”

As far as parental payoffs go, that’s not so bad.

Tony Hicks is a freelance journalist and the father of four daughters.

www.msmresources.org Acton Montessori School

Acton, MA

978-263-4333

Acton Montessori School Acton, MA 978-263-4333 Adams Montessori School Quincy, MA 617-773-8200 Adams Montessori School Quincy, MA 617-773-8200 Amesbury Montessori School Amesbury, MA 978-518-5113 Amesbury Montessori School Amesbury, MA 978-518-5113 Amherst MontessoriSchool School Amherst,MA MA 413-253-3101 Amherst Montessori Amherst, 413-253-3101 Andover SchoolofofMontessori, Montessori, Inc. Andover,MA MA 978-475-2299 Andover School Inc. Andover, 978-475-2299 BayBay Farm Academy Duxbury, 781-934-7101 FarmMontessori Montessori Academy Duxbury,MA MA 781-934-7101 Bedford Montessori Bedford, 781-275-3344 Bedford MontessoriSchool School Bedford,MA MA 781-275-3344 Bellingham Children's House Bellingham, MA 508-966-2752 Bellingham Children’s House Bellingham, MA 508-966-2752 Blue Hill Montessori Canton, MA 781-828-5230 Blue Hill Montessori Canton, MA 781-828-5230 Bridgeview Montessori School Sagamore, MA 508-888-3567 Bridgeview Montessori School Sagamore, MA 508-888-3567 Burlington Montessori School Burlington, MA 781-273-0432 Burlington Montessori School Burlington, MAMA 508-628-8429 781-273-0432 CA Montessori Children's Center Framingham, Cambridge Montessori School CA Montessori Children’ s Center Cambridge, Framingham,MA MA 617-492-3410 508-628-8429 Children's House Montessori West Roxbury, Cambridge Montessori School Cambridge, MAMA 617-325-2233 617-492-3410 Children's Center Danvers, MA MA 978-774-2144 Children’Montessori s House Montessori West Roxbury, 617-325-2233 Children's Own School, Inc. Winchester , MA 781-729-2689 Children’s Montessori Center Danvers, MA 978-774-2144 Children's Workshop Montessori Marbelhead, MA 781-631-8687 Children’s Workshop Montessori Marblehead, MA 781-631-8687 Christian Family Montessori Christian Family Montessori School Holliston, MA 508-429-5478 School Holliston, MA 508-429-5478 Concord MontessoriSchool School Concord,MA MA 978-369-5900 Concord Montessori Concord, 978-369-5900 Cottage Montessori Arlington, MAMA 781-333-0918 Dandelion Montessori Coop Cambridge, 617-354-6400 eBridge Montessori School Westborough, MA 508-366-9288 Hands-On Montessori School 508-339-4667 Hands-On Montessori School Mansfield, MA 508-339-4667 Harborlight-Stoneridge Harborlight-Stoneridge Montessori School Beverly, MA 978-922-1008 Montessori School Beverly, MA 978-922-1008 Inly School Scituate, MA 781-545-5544 Inly School Scituate, MA 781-545-5544 Keystone Montessori School School Chelmsford, 978-251-2929 Keystone Montessori N.North Chelmsford, MA MA 978-251-2929 King’ s Wood Montessori School Foxboro, MA 508-543-6391 King's Wood Montessori School Foxboro, MA 508-543-6391 KingsleyMontessori Montessori School School Boston,MA MA 617-226-4900 Kingsley Boston, 617-226-4900 Lexington Lexington, 781-862-8571 LexingtonMontessori Montessori School School Lexington,MA MA 781-862-8571 Longmeadow LongmeadowMontessori Montessori Internationale Longmeadow, MA 413-567-1820 Internationale Longmeadow, MA 413-567-1820 Meeting House Montessori Braintree, MA 781-356-7877 Melrose Montessori School Melrose, MA 781-665-0621 Melrose Montessori School Melrose, MA 781-665-0621 Mighty Oaks Montessori School Auburn, MA 508-304-7110 Mighty Oaks Montessori School Auburn, MA 508-304-7110 Montessori Academy of Cape Cod North Falmouth, MA 508-563-9010 Montessori Beginnings School Sandwich, MA 508-477-7730 MontessoriChildren' Beginningss School Sandwich, MA 508-477-7730 Montessori House of Montessori Country Day Wellesley Wellesley, MA 781-235-9439 SchoolCountry of HoldenDay School of Holden, MA 508-829-2999 Montessori Holden Holden, MA 508-829-2999 Montessori Day School Montessori Day School of Wellesley Hills of Wellesley Hills, MA 781-795-5571 Wellesley Wellesley MontessoriHills Escuela Belmont, Hills, MA MA 919-259-6516 508-454-0631 Montessori Belmont, MA 508-454-0631 MontessoriEscuela Institute-New England at Harborlight-Stoneridge Montessori Institute-New Montessori School England Beverly, MA 978-927-9600 at Harborlight-Stoneridge Montessori Parent Child Center Boston, MA 617-513-4270 Montessori School Beverly, MA 978-927-9600 My Montessori of Woburn Woburn, 781-333-4898 Montessori Parent Child Center Boston, MAMA 617-513-4270

Montessori-Sudbury MyMyMontessori of Woburn Nashoba Montessori Montessori School Nashoba School NewburyportMontessori Montessori School Newburyport School Newton School NewtonMontessori Montessori School North School NorthShore ShoreMontessori Montessori School Norwood Montessori School Norwood Montessori School Notre Dame Children's Class Notre Dame Children’s Class Oak Meadow School Oak Meadow School School Old Colony Montessori Old Colony Montessori School Panda Cub Montessori Pinewood Panda CubSchool Academyof Montessori Pioneer Valley School Pincushion Hill Montessori Montessori School Pond View School Montessori School Pinewood of Montessori Reading Montessori School Pioneer Valley Montessori School River Valley Charter School Pond View Montessori School Sam Placentino Elementary Reading Montessori School School River Valley Charter School Seaside Montessori School Shrewsbury Rock and RollMontessori Preschool School Summit Montessori School Sam Placentino Elementary School Sunrise Montessori Sandwich MontessoriSchool School T.E.C. School Seaside Montessori School Tara Montessori School Shrewsbury MontessoriSchool School Thacher Montessori Summit Montessori School The Bethlehem School Sunrise Montessori Schoolof The Montessori School Northampton Tara Montessori School The Montessori School of the Thacher Montessori School Berkshires The Bethlehem School The Riverbend School The Bilingual Montessori The Sandwich Montessori School School of Sharon The Torit School The MontessoriMontessori School of School The Westwood Northampton Tobin Montessori School The Montessori SchoolSchool of Treetops Montessori Berkshires UrbantheVillage Montessori The Riverbend School School Vineyard Montessori

Sudbury, MA Woburn, MA Lancaster, MA Lancaster, MA Newburyport, MA Newburyport, MA Newton, MA Newton, MA Rowley, MA Rowley, MA Norwood, MA Norwood, MA Wenham, MA Wenham, MA Littleton, MA Littleton, MA Hingham, MA Hingham, MA Chestnut Hill, MA Plymouth, MA Brookline, MA Springfield, Ashland, MA MA Dedham, MA Plymouth, MA Reading, MA Newburyport, MA

Dedham, MA Reading, MAMA Holliston, Newburyport, MA Hull, MA Shrewsbury, Cambridge, MAMA Framingham, Holliston, MA MA Franklin, Sandwich, MA MA Worcester, MA Hull, MA Manchester, MA Shrewsbury, Milton, MA MA Framingham, MA Lynnefield, MA Franklin, MA Northampton, Manchester, MA MA Milton, MA

978-883-8000 781-333-4898 978-365-6669 978-365-2555 978-462-7165 978-462-7165 617-969-4488 617-969-4488 978-495-2244 978-495-2244 781-769-6150 781-769-6150 978-468-1340 978-468-1340 978-486-9874 978-486-9874 781-749-3698 781-749-3698 617-614-7709 508-746-5127 617-614-7709 413-782-3108 508-881-2123 781-801-7939 508-746-5127 781-944-1057 413-782-3108 978-465-0065 781-801-7939 781-944-1057 508-429-0647 978-465 0065 781-773-1588 508-842-2116 857-259-6891 508-872-3630 508-429-0647 508-541-8010 508-888-4222 508-577-3045 781-773-1588 978-526-8487 508-842-2116 617-361-2522 508-872-3630 781-334-6436 508-541-8010 413-586-4538 978-526-8487 617-361-2522 413-637-3662 781-334-6436

Lenox Dale, MA Natick, MA 508-655-7333 Sandwich, MA 508-888-4222 Sharon, MA 781-784-3000 Boston, MA 617-523-4000 Westwood, MA 781-329-5557 Northampton,MA MA 617-349-6600 413-586-4538 Cambridge, Sturbridge, MA 508-347-8059 Lenox Dale,MA MA 413-637-3662 Haverhill, 978-361-0793 Natick, MAHaven, MA 508-655 7333 Vineyard 508-693-4090 The Wellesley Montessori School, Inc. Wellesley, MA 781-237-6670 Walnut Park Montessori School Newton, MA 617-969-9208 The Westwood Montessori School Westwood, MA 781-329-5557 Wildflower Montessori Cambridge, MA 617-863-7290 Tobin Montessori School School Cambridge, MA 617-349-6600 617-237-0722 Wollaston Hill Montessori School Quincy, MA Torit Language Center Montessori Boston, MA 617-292-5181 Woodside Montessori Academy Millis, MA 508-376-5320 Treetops Montessori School Sturbridge, MA 508-347-8059 Northeast Montessori Institute Warren, ME 207-236-6316 Urban Village Montessori Haverhill,, MA 978-361-0793 Seacoast Center for Education Warren ME 603-590-6360 VineyardVillage Montessori School School Amherst, Vineyard Haven, 508-693-4090 Country Montessori NH MA 603-672-3882 Hollis Montessori School Hollis, 603-400-1515 Walnut Park Montessori School Newton,NHMA 617-969-9208 Casa dei Bambini Children’s Wollaston Hill Montessori School Quincy, MA 617-237-0722 Center Bow, 603-227-9300 Woodside Montessori Academy Millis, NH MA 508-376-5320 Northend Montessori Manchester, NH 603-621-9011 Country Village Montessori School Amherst, NH 603-672-3882 Southern NH Education Hollis Montessori School Hollis, NH NH 603-818-8613 603-400-1515 Campusmy Londonderry, Seacoast Center for Education Stratham,RINH 603-590-6360 Montessori Pathways Exeter, 401-295-0677 Southern NH Education Center Londonderry, NH 603-818-8613 Montessori School of Greenwhich Bay East Greenwich, Montessori of Greenwich Bay East Greenwich, RI RI 401-234-1243 401-234-1243 Hilltop School Brattleboro, 802-257-0500 HilltopMontessori Montessori School Brattleboro,VTVT 802-257-0500

The listed schools do not discriminate in admission,

The listed schools do not discriminate in admission, financial aid, or administration of their educational policies and and employment practices the ofbasis race,national color, or employment practices on theon basis race,ofcolor, national or ethnic any other protected ethnic origin, or anyorigin, other or protected category undercategory applicable under Federal or State laws.

Federalapplicable or State laws.

April 2017 | BostonParentsPaper.com

31

April Vacation Week Kids Get in Free!

Tuesday–Friday, April 18–21 Enjoy free drop-in activities including collaborative art making, family art walks, and dance performances.

Join us for Cogan Family Foundation Vacation Week Adventures: “Collaborate and Create!”

Don’t miss “Make Way For Ducklings: The Art of Robert McCloskey.”

mfa.org/vacation