Boston Parent July 2020

JULY 2020

TM

LAST MINUTE

Camps and Summer Programs pg 34

11 FUN ACTIVITIES

to Answer “I’m Bored” pg 27

GET CRAFTY

THIS SUMMER Creative Projects for Kids pg 8

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Boston Parents Paper | February 2020

IS IT JUST A “PHASE”— OR SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS? If your child is struggling, Borderline Personality Disorder may be the cause.

We will find the answers, together.

877.203.2240 mclean.org/bpd

July 2020 | Boston Parents Paper

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ADVANCE IN MATH

this Summer

WITH COURSES ONLINE

Students in grades K-12 can choose from a variety of online math courses including those that will reinforce their knowledge and prepare them for the upcoming school year or math competition courses that will provide them with additional challenge. Test prep courses including SAT I, SAT II, ISEE, and more are also available.

All courses are taught in a live, interactive, virtual classroom setting in our 6-week summer session.

June 22nd - July 30th

Schedule a FREE Math Evaluation!

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Boston Parents Paper | July 2020

Summer Classes Now Enrolling!

www.RussianSchool.com

855.MATH.855

Contents

Volume 35 • Number 9

10

Time for a Back-up Plan

12

A Day in Scenic Cape Ann

July 2020

14

Favorite Family Campgrounds

WHAT’S INSIDE TM

Boston Parent 841 Worcester Street Suite 344 Natick, MA 01760 • 617-522-1515 info@BostonParentsPaper.com Visit us online at BostonParentsPaper.com PUBLISHER Parenting Media, Inc ART DIRECTOR | Debbi Murzyn ASSOCIATE EDITOR | Jean Abernathy ADVERTISING SALES Holly Castro, David Morney Boston Parents Paper is published monthly by Parenting Media Inc. Please note that the advertisements in this magazine are paid for, which allows this magazine to be free to the consumer.

Copies of Boston Parents Paper are distributed to locations throughout Greater Boston and Eastern Massachusetts. Past issues are available on our website, www.BostonParentsPaper.com Send letters to the editor or article submissions to editor@bostonparent.com.

Submit events to our Family Friendly Calendar at bostonparentspaper.com/event/

6 Family F.Y.I.

44 Childhood and Teen OCD

20 Massachusetts Berry Picking Guide

46 Raising a Good Listener

24 Netiquette & Remote Schooling Norms

48 The 7Rs of Long-Distance Grandparenting

31 Kept At Home? Keep Your Kids Busy

60 What to Look for in a Virtual Summer Camp

37 Executive Functions: Children Are Apt to Forget to Remember

65 Make Housework a Family Affair

50

Summer Camp Listings

ADVERTISER INDEX Camps.................................................51-64 Preschools............................ 30-35 Classes & Enrichment................47 Entertainment & Party Needs....49 Schools . ............................... 25-30 Special Needs....................... 36-45 July 2020 | Boston Parents Paper

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Family F.Y.I. 2020-21 Annual Childcare & Preschool Guide

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ur 2020 Childcare & Preschool Guide includes articles on how to find the best program for your child, questions to ask the program, determine if your child is ready, and more! Read it online at BostonParentsPaper.com by clicking on the Childcare & Preschool Guide under the Magazines tab.

Keep Those (Non Covid-19) Vaccinations Coming!

I

n the US, federal health officials reported in May that routine vaccinations of children dropped dramatically in March and April as a result of the coronavirus response.

This could lead to a measles outbreak or, even the return to Polio in the US. Pediatricians recommend that children still receive their inoculations, even amid the pandemic.

Get Crafty This Summer

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ith most summer activities being home based this summer, kids can still find creative ways to spend their time by making a unique gifts and projects using any of the fun tutorials from CraftProjectIdeas.com, a site that inspires creativity.

Kids can make 3D card or custom picture frames or give a special message to a friend that they can’t spend time with. Parents can search for projects based on their children’s age, material and season using the “Project Finder” in the top right corner of the site!

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Boston Parents Paper | July 2020

CraftProjectIdeas.com

Incoming Call Harbor Seal

Missing your aquarium friends?

Let’s catch up. Learn how at neaq.org.

July 2020 | Boston Parents Paper

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Family F.Y.I. Window Fall Prevention Barbara DiGirolamo Injury Prevention Coordinator

ANOTHER WORRY FOR PARENTS: Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C) associated with Covid-19

U

A

Children are very curious and very agile, if windows are open any more than for inches; there is a good chance they can push their way out.

s the temperature rises and sunshine finally hits the Bay Area, opening up your windows to clear your house of winter germs is always one of the first things we do.

Albeit a great idea, if you have children under the age of six in your home, you should take the below precautions before letting in that spring air.

Windows should be open from the top, down. If you must open them from the bottom, be sure to have window locks on them, so that they may only be open a maximum of four inches.

Screens are meant to keep the bugs

out, not your children in. Children are very curious and very agile, if windows are open any more than for inches; there is a good chance they can push their way out. There should be no furniture near windows, especially if they are open. Jumpers and climbers may slip and fall into or out of the window.

If you child does fall out of the window, never move them. Call 911 immediately in case of any spinal cord injury.

With these tips, we hope you have a safe and fun filled July!

ntil recently, it was thought that Covid-19 wasn’t that dangerous for children. Then in New York, several children who had been exposed to Covid-19 developed symptoms such as fever, abdominal and/or neck pain, vomiting, diarrhea, etc., alarming doctors as they determined the relation to Covid-19 now calling this MIS-C. MIS-C is a condition where different body parts can become inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs. We do not yet know what causes MIS-C. However, we know that many children with MIS-C had the virus that causes COVID-19, or had been around someone with COVID-19. MIS-C can be serious, even deadly, but most children who were diagnosed with this condition have gotten better with medical care.

I-Scream, U-Scream In 1984 President Ronald Reagan crowned July as National

Ice Cream Month. If you’re trying to keep your snacks healthy and low-cal, try this easy DIY frozen banana treat. Simply slice a few bananas and place them in a plastic baggie, then toss it in the freezer. Once frozen, pour the slices into a food processor or blender, whiz until creamy and voilà – you’ve got a healthy and delicious take on ice cream without the dairy.

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Boston Parents Paper | July 2020

The Center for Pediatric Dental Care and Orthodontics

A hands-on museum for families that blends

science, nature, and play.

Wesley Barton, DMD Ronen Krausz, DDS Arnold I Weiss, DDS Danya Mermelstein, DMD Carmen Brambila, DMD Myles Clancy, DMD Roger Taylor, DMD

Caring for Children in Brookline, Newton, and Greater Boston for over 40 Years!

TM

TM

2019 WINNER

2019

2019

Dentist

Orthodontist

WINNER

177 Main Street, Acton MA 978-264-4200 • discoveryacton.org

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FRESH AIR AND FUN AWAIT YOU AT PLIMOTH’S OUTDOOR LIVING HISTORY EXHIBITS!

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We’re ready to welcome you.

Your wellness matters to us! Travel over to plimoth.org for our most up-to-date hours and programs, the latest on the newly restored Mayflower, and information about the steps we’re taking to create a healthy, safe and fun visit.

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State of the art sterilization

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Call for your first Dental or Orthodontic visit!

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www.PediatricDentalCare.com July 2020 | Boston Parents Paper

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Time for a Back-up Plan The act of making a back-up plan enables us to take initiative.

We’re being proactive by solving a problem and that builds resilience.

By Mira Browne

S

ometimes my brain goes into crazy overdrive. That often happens right before I go to sleep. The other night my head started spinning as I thought about this summer.

Back in January, my husband and I had painstakingly planned every day to make sure we had childcare coverage, learning enrichment for the boys and an opportunity to see family. Now I’m wondering: will there be camp for Gabriel? Daycare for Miles? What about our plan to visit grandparents and cousins? We no longer feel comfortable traveling out of state.

As we slowly come out of lock-down, we all have worries, questions and concerns about what happens next. All those well-crafted plans are probably out the window, but we’re resilient. Our minds are remarkable, made to find meaning in chaos.

Figuring out how to develop a back-up plan is just one example.

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Boston Parents Paper | July 2020

Don’t dwell on what could have been Focus on the ultimate goal from your original plan. What was your hope for that time? Can you still achieve it? How?

Start with the non-negotiables What are those things that cannot be changed like your work schedule, the family budget and other obligations? What compromises are you willing to make? How can you create an alternate plan with these in mind?

Identify your options Recognize what you can’t do, like travel, and stay nimble. Decisions about shelter-in-place and stay-at-home orders are region-specific and subject to change depending on whether local curves are flattening or not. Not knowing what’s ahead can heighten levels of worry and stress and that robs us of enjoyment in the present, saps our energy and keeps us up at night. Instead accept that things are a bit uncertain right now.

What this looks like for our kids The act of making a back-up plan enables us to take initiative. We’re being proactive by solving a problem and that builds resilience.

Resilience makes it easier to pick ourselves up, giving us a new sense of purpose and a feeling of pride and confidence. When we involve our kids in making the new plan, we’re giving them a really powerful skill-set they can use in all areas of their lives. Without the ability to respond to challenges and set goals, kids often give up. They feel like what they want to accomplish is just not possible.

We want to be optimistic, so we often say, “let’s think positive.” However, the science

What’s WOOP? WOOP is an acronym for: Choose a WISH. Imagine the OUTCOME. Identify the OBSTACLE. Make a PLAN. WOOP is useful because it boils down the process of reaching a goal into simple steps while forcing us to consider everything that can

of human motivation tells us, it’s not the power of positive thinking that gets the job done. When we only think positively, we tend to get lost in our rosy dreams and underestimate any obstacles that may arise. Learning to overcome obstacles is an important step in finding solutions to problems. Gabriele Oettingen and Peter M. Gollwitzer, psychology researchers at New York University, developed a strategy called WOOP, based on the concept that the obstacles that we think most impede us from fulfilling our wishes can actually help us to realize them.

go wrong. It’s been proven to help people achieve all kinds of goals from losing weight to making better grades in school.

This exercise works for adults and children. Mentally imagine one positive outcome and one obstacle that stands in the way of achieving a goal.

Naming and planning for obstacles is energizing, and helps us take action and move

forward. It becomes a virtuous cycle as we achieve a greater chance of success, pushing us towards bigger wishes and dreams.

Prepared Parents has developed an activity for practicing WOOP to use with your kids. Try it when making your family’s new plan for this summer. ² Mira Browne is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Prepared Parents, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping parents raise kids to be independent, kind, and resilient using the best learning science and research.

More tips and tools are available at preparedforsuccess.org.

July 2020 | Boston Parents Paper

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A Day in Scenic Cape Ann: The Other Cape

Rockport, by John Phelan

By Alyson Gregory

W

ith summer so close you can almost taste the sand in your lunch, and your kids stuck on Zoom calls until mid June, day-tripping offers the perfect quick and much-needed getaway with the family.

Cape Ann, Massachusetts’ lesser-known (and lessertraveled) Cape, is only 30 miles northeast of Boston and represents the quartet of charming seaside towns: Essex, Gloucester, Manchester-by-the-Sea, and Rockport— each with its own distinct landmarks and local flavors.

Getting there is half the fun—Cape Ann lies at the heart of the Essex Coastal Scenic Byway, so New England’s finest is guaranteed to roll past your windows.

Visit the area’s interactive website before you go, and search by town to discover the historic harbors, shoreline, and quaint villages full of places where you will want to linger, explore—and eat, of course. EssexCoastalByway.org

Essex

Woodman’s of Essex, home of the fried clam, is still a “must stop” on Main Street over 100 years later, and will give you bragging rights back in Boston on National Fried Clam Day, which apparently was declared as July 3rd. You can walk off all the award-winning seafood by making your way farther down the street to the Essex Shipbuilding Museum, where you will learn about shipbuilding and a fascinating chapter of America’s

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Boston Parents Paper | July 2020

maritime history from a local. If running free in open fields with expansive views is your thing (“Sound of Music” anyone?), Cox Reservation on the Essex Bay estuary is the place to go. Abundant wildlife and air fragranced with apple and pear blossoms make this a true oasis.

Fried clams from Woodman's of Essex When you’ve had enough terra firma, take a narrated tour on the Essex River, and explore the spectacular coastal tidal estuary and salt marsh in a protected bay. Recognized by Yankee Magazine as “A glittering coastal view few travelers are lucky enough to see” is a surefire reason to take the 90-minute cruise.

Manchester-by-the-Sea

Known for its dramatic rocky coastline (almost 13 miles long) and scenic shoreline, Manchester is a beachgoer’s paradise. Singing Beach, named for the whistling sound the sand makes when walked upon, will have your entire family kicking off their flipflops. Collect sea glass to take home as you stroll the north end of the beach to take in the stunning view of Eagle Head, famously painted by Winslow Homer.

Head to Coolidge Reservation for an easy hike past freshwater ponds and forest to view the famous Ocean Lawn and, on a clear day, maybe even the Boston skyline. Stop at Captain Dusty’s for the best ice cream in town, and drive scenic Route 127 for stunning estate views on your way to Gloucester.

Gloucester

All things maritime prevail here at America’s oldest fishing port, and there’s no better way to get a taste of salty air than at the waterfront’s iconic Fishermen’s Memorial Monument, aka Man at the Wheel. The Gloucester HarborWalk will lead you on a self-guided, relaxing harborfront path with 42 granite story posts highlighting its rich history and culture—both past and present—in today’s fishing industry. The city’s commercial fishing heritage is cause for celebration here and is a long-standing Gloucester tradition every summer at the St. Peter’s Fiesta (usually held at the end of June but postponed, TBD, due to Covid-19), a five-day citywide festival honoring the patron saint of the fisherman, St. Peter.

It features a carnival and the infamous greasy pole contest. For a look at the home and laboratory of eccentric inventor and pioneer of remote control, John Hays Hammond, Jr., visit Hammond Castle Museum, a medieval-style castle on the coast sure to wow your whole clan.

Rockport

Tucked away at the northern tip of the Cape Ann Peninsula, Rockport truly is a seaside escape, best known for its rugged beauty, charming shops, and rich artist colony. Even if you forgot your oil paints, you should still head over to Motif Number 1 to shoot a family photo for your holiday card. This fishing shack on Bradley Wharf in town is notable as “the most-often painted building in America. Put on your sensible shoes for the 1/8-mile ocean walk on the Rockport Breakwater. For “one of the most unique sites you will ever see,” visit The Paper House, an abode constructed entirely out of paper— along with some furniture. Rumor has it there’s even a piano inside! Thacher Island and the Light House Cruise has been halted for 2020. ² Alyson Young Gregory is a native New Yorker, Bostonbased freelance writer, and mother. She has a passion for finding inspiring local activities for families.

Movies and TV shows filmed on Cape Ann Olive Kitteridge The Proposal Grown Ups The Perfect Storm The Crucible Mermaids Bewitched Manchester By The Sea Wicked Tuna Devil You Know

Manchester-By-The-Sea July 2020 | Boston Parents Paper

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Pitch Perfect:

Favorite Family Campgrounds

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By Alyson Young Gregory

ent? No tent? Yurt?

Cabin? RV? Camping these days comes as individually tailored as you’d like—you can even dial your wilderness experience up or down depending on how close you prefer to sleep to nature— but whatever you choose, it all comes to down to the same

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Boston Parents Paper | July 2020

thing: sleeping under the stars and making memories with your family! Check out these top campgrounds near Boston where you can escape summer in the city and spend a night or two in the great outdoors with your favorite people (and animals too!).

continued page 16 >>>

Now accepting reservations for June with a peace of mind cancellation notice of just 24 hours in advance*

Enjoy Our 4-Diamond Rated Resorts on Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket

Each resort features proper COVID-19 protocols & guidelines, including Staff training; high cleanliness standards It’s a perfect summer for bicycling, kite flying, stargazing & fun family activities. Explore pristine beaches & outdoor spaces. Arrive by car & ferry & we’ll pick you up in our private van with proper social distancing.

Featuring 1-to-4 bedroom suites and private cottages & homes with kitchenettes/full kitchens and expanded outdoor dining options, private dining rooms & take-out meals. Our swimming pools, fitness centers & Children’s/Family Activities Programs will be open in June (per Government approval).

We can’t wait to welcome you! *Cancellation offer valid through July 1st

For Reservations: winnetu.com | 866-335-1133 | reservations@winnetu.com thenantuckethotel.com | 866-807-6011 | reservations@thenantuckethotel.com

July 2020 | Boston Parents Paper

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<<< continued from page 14

PHOTO COURTESY SWEETWATER FOREST

When you take a break from bird watching with the fam, you’ll find plenty of activities to keep everyone busy till your next campfire!

Sweetwater Forest

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amily owned and operated since 1958, this fourth generation campground located in the heart of Cape Cod (perfect for exploring in any direction) has 250 wooded campsites designed for reconnecting to nature, and the wildlife of the Cape’s wetlands. When you take a break from bird watching with the fam, you’ll find plenty of activities to keep everyone busy till your next campfire! The kids fishing dock and Catch & Release derbies on Griffith’s Pond are a thrill for all, and canoe rentals anytime of day are pure relaxation. An old-school arcade, six playgrounds, and horseshoe pits round out on-site recreation, and a lit basketball court and brand new 18-hole mini golf course keep the family fun going after dark.

Check the website for special weekend celebrations, and don’t forget to grab a souvenir from the wellstocked Camp Store.

Brewster, MA sweetwaterforest.com

Boston Minuteman Campground

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f nearby undisturbed relaxation among the pines is what you’re looking for, this is your place. 30 miles northwest of Boston, woodsy tent campsites and one and two-room rustic cabin rentals make communing with nature easy. Quiet hours, no late-night activities, and a peaceful family atmosphere to sit around the campfire, toast some marshmallows, and enjoy being on vacation is what has been attracting people here since 1973. Challenge family members to a game of Bocce, tetherball, ladder ball, basketball, or cornhole in the sports area, followed by a refreshing dip in the pool. You’ll find a playground for the kids, a game-filled Rec Hall, and a store full of goodies. Want to do a little sightseeing? Revolutionary towns Lexington and Concord are both a short drive away.

Bonus: Four-legged friends are welcome in the top-rated dog park! Littleton, MA minutemancampground.com

Normandy Farms

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ust 30 miles from Boston, and voted among the top 13 campgrounds in the world by the Travel Channel, this luxury

camping resort has the convenience of being nearby and is loaded with amenities and activities. The staff of 15 dedicated solely to your entertainment provide a daily schedule of

Normandy Farms

PHOTO COURTESY NORMANDY FARMS

Sweetwater Forest

continued on page 18 >>>

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Boston Parents Paper | July 2020

Are You Ready for Some Mountain Air?

It’s time to get away and get busy having fun!

Escape to the fresh air, cool waterfalls, easy hiking trails and endless mountain merriment at the Red Jacket Mountain View Resort. Spacious guest rooms welcome families of all sizes. Experience classic family fun frolicking in the outdoor pool, zooming down waterslides in the 40,000 square foot Kahuna Laguna Water Park, or simply relaxing with a picnic on our sweeping grounds.

We’re prepared and ready so you can unwind and have fun with peace of mind knowing we’ve thought of everything so you don’t have to!

800-752-2538

redjacketresorts.com north conway, nh

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recreation from breakfast breakfast until after dark featuring everything from Zumba and Tai Chi to candy bar bingo.

Toddler time, parachute play, and family softball games guarantee everyone’s smiling, and the four swimming pools and fishing pond offer plenty of water play. With 400 travel trailer campsites, cabin, yurt, and safari tent rentals (glamping is still camping), it’s hard to believe there was room for the phenomenal bike park! Huevos for breakfast anyone? The “snack bar” even delivers to your campsite if you’re enjoying some quiet time with the family!

Foxboro, MA normandyfarms.com

Cape Ann Camp Site

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ent camping near the beach? Yes, please!

This family-run, treecovered campground offers 200 campsites and the best of both worlds when it comes to summer fun with the scent of pine in the air mixed with salt from the ocean just down the road. Explore local tide pools and history in and around the fishing village of Gloucester, and maybe even schedule a whale watching expedition or side trip to Salem before heading back to your quiet, wooded campsite to completely unplug.

Wood and ice available to buy in the small camp store.

Gloucester, MA capeanncampsite.com

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Boston Parents Paper | July 2020

Myles Standish State Forest

R

obert Frost would have loved this place!

Forest trails you can hike for miles with ponds, lakes, and crystal clear water (visit the favorite Curlew Pond) promise a peaceful camping experience at any of this massive park’s spacious sites.

Heaven for swimmers and cyclists, yurts available on a limited basis, and the ideal place to start that family meditation practice!

Plymouth County, MA, 508-866-2526 ²

Alyson Young Gregory is a native New Yorker, and Boston-based freelance writer, mother, and Holistic Health Educator specializing in Ayurveda. She has a passion for maximizing vitality through nutrition based on environment and individual body constitution for all ages, supporting children’s wellness policies, and finding inspiring local activities for families.

STARGAZING Got darkness? No need to take a crash course in astronomy! Download one of the many free (and entrylevel) apps designed for child-friendly nighttime sky viewing to identify and learn about constellations, far-off galaxies and even satellite fly-bys! Bigger is better when it comes to the screen here as you can live-touch any object in view and get a real-time info pop-up!

Images on right from Star Walk 2 App.

PHOTO DAVIDALANC, WIKIMEDIA

Forest trails you can hike for miles with ponds, lakes, and crystal clear water promise a peaceful camping experience at any of Myles Standish State Forest spacious sites.

Myles Standish State Forest

Vermont’s Most Beautiful Address Family First — No more “are we there yets,” never another “how much longer?”

Everything you need for a perfect family vacation is right here.

The Woodstock Inn & Resort is New England’s most luxurious family destination.

Experience. Together.

Family Activities • Falconry • Just for Kids Camp • Tennis • Golf • Hiking Teen Spa • Biking • Fly Fishing • Swimming • Game Room • Culinary Studio Garden Tours & Fairy Houses • Farm Animals • Arts & Crafts

Woodstock, Vermont | 833.878.9101 | www.woodstockinn.com July 2020 | Boston Parents Paper

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Massachusetts Berry Picking Guide

T

here’s nothing quite like the first bite of a strawberry when we enter berry season. Not only is berry picking (or even just picking up a crate at a nearby farm stand) a wonderful way to support local farmers, it gives us the ability to show our kids exactly where their produce is coming from. Check in before heading out to see current Covid-19 policies and what fruit is available.

Strawberries: June through July Cherries: June through July Blueberries: July through August Raspberries: July through Sept.

Hanson • The Blueberry Farm 698 West Washington St. 781-447-1584 Pick Your Own: Blueberries.

Check out the list below of local farms that offer berry picking. Be sure to call ahead to make sure the farm has plenty of ripe berries to pick.

Ipswich • Russell Orchards 143 Argilla Rd. 978-356-5366 • russellorchards.com Pick Your Own: Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cherries and blackberries.

Acushnet • Keith’s Farm 1149 Main St. 508-763-2622 • keithsfarm.com Pick Your Own: Strawberries, blackberries and raspberries.

Amesbury • Cider Hill Farms 978-388-5525 • ciderhill.com Pick Your Own: Strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.

Danvers • Connors Farm 30 Valley Rd. 978-777-1245 • connorsfarm.com Pick Your Own: Strawberries, blackberries and raspberries.

Lancaster • George Hill Orchards 582 George Hill Rd. 978-365-4331 • yourfavoritefarm.com Pick Your Own: Blueberries and raspberries.

Millis • Tangerini’s Farm 139 Spring St. 508-376-5024 • tangerinisfarm.com Pick Your Own: Blueberries.

Natick • Belkin Family Lookout Farm 89 Pleasant St. South 508-653-0653 • lookoutfarm.com Pick Your Own: Strawberries.

Deerfield • Atlas Farms 218 Greenfield Rd. 413-665-0277 • atlasfarms.com Pick Your Own: Blueberries, raspberries and strawberries.

North Andover • Boston Hill Farm Route 114 978-681-8556 • bostonhillfarm.com Pick Your Own: Strawberries, raspberries and blueberries.

East Bridgewater • C.N.Smith Farm 325 South St. 508-378-2270 • cnsmithfarminc.com Pick Your Own: Strawberries, raspberries and blueberries.

Northboro • Tougas Family Farm 234 Ball St. 508-393-6406 • tougasfarm.com Pick Your Own: Blackberries, strawberries, cherries and blueberries. Integrated pest management practices.

East Longmeadow • Art’s Berry Farm 81 Parker St. 413-783-1909 Pick Your Own: Strawberries and blueberries.

East Taunton • Spring Rain Farm 692 Caswell St. 508-824-3393 Pick Your Own: Strawberries.

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Boston Parents Paper | July 2020

Peabody • Brooksby Farm 54 Felton St. 978-531-7456 • brooksbyfarm.org Pick Your Own: Strawberries, raspberries and blueberries.

Seekonk • Four Town Farm 90 George St. 508-336-5587 • fourtownfarm.com Pick Your Own: Strawberries.

Sharon • Ward’s Berry Farm 614 South Main St. 781-784-3600 • wardsberryfarm.com Pick Your Own: Strawberries and blueberries. Minimizes chemical and pesticide use.

Southampton • Birdhaven Blueberry Farm 55 Gunn Rd. 413-527-4671 • birdhavenblueberry.com Pick Your Own: Blueberries. Chemical free.

Sterling • Clearview Farm 4 Kendall Hill Rd. 978-422-6442 • clearviewfarmstand.com Pick Your Own: Blueberries and raspberries.

Stow • Honey Pot Hill 138 Sudbury Rd. 978-562-5666 • honeypothill.com Pick Your Own: Blueberries.

Tyngsboro • Parlee Farms 95 Farwell Rd. 978-649-3854 • parleefarms.com Pick Your Own: Cherries, strawberries and blueberries. Uses integrated pest management practices.

Uxbridge • Sunburst Blueberries 44 Rawson St. 508-234-9859 sunburstblueberryfarm.com Pick Your Own: Blueberries.

Whately • Nourse Farms 41 River Rd. 413-665-2658 • noursefarms.com Pick Your Own: Raspberries, strawberries and blueberries.

Wrentham • The Big Apple 207 Arnold St. 508-384-3055 thebigapplefarm.com/picking.htm Pick Your Own: Blueberries and raspberries.

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And visit www.pmc.edu/csc

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Boston Parents Paper | July 2020

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July 2020 | Boston Parents Paper

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By Courtney Dickinson

IN THIS ERA OF REMOTE SCHOOLING, there are new tech platform norms and social coaching advice that we, as parents and educators, need to expressly spell out for our children. Framing and coaching how students can engage productively will support their success in on-line learning and social collaboration in a video classroom world. Students need explicit guidance to know how to bridge “in-person” social norms into this virtual world.

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Boston Parents Paper | July 2020

Being in a virtual classroom is a social experience and requires conscientious self-awareness and self-management. As is the case when students are together at school, there are many behaviors which can be inappropriate and risky; comments and actions can be misconstrued and backfire. Make it clear to kids that when they are not in person, there is an even higher risk that they will be misinterpreted by others.

Being in a virtual classroom is a social experience and requires conscientious self-awareness and self-management.

6

The following are norms that teachers can implement in online classes:

1 2 3

LOCATION MATTERS! Find a spot in your home where lighting and sound work well, where you can be physically comfortable, and distractions are limited.

BE DRESSED FOR CLASS. You wouldn’t wear pajamas to school on a regular day, so don’t wear them now.

LISTEN AND AVOID INTERRUPTING VERBALLY or through chat, just as if you were sitting in the classroom. You might need to mentally “bookmark” your idea even longer than you would during an in-person discussion. Write it down so you don’t forget it, and then insert it later when it fits.

4

DON’T YELL BY USING CAPITAL LETTERS, bold font, or excessive punctuations. You won’t get the result you want.

You will just make people feel annoyed at you, and then they may YELL back – which is unproductive – or not listen to you at all.

5

ATTEMPT TO FIND YOUR OWN ANSWER. Take the time to read and reread directions and information in emails and other written messages. See if you can figure it out before asking for the answer. Believe in yourself!

KEEP YOUR WRITING IN THE “CHAT” FUNCTION FORMAL. Textspeak can b gr8 4 ur friends, but in class your written communication should reflect proper writing style.

7

ALWAYS USE A RESPECTFUL TONE AND DO NOT SAY UNKIND THINGS. While it feels easier to say hurtful or disrespectful things when you are not standing face-to-face with someone, remember that your classmates and teachers are real people who are affected by the words you say and write.

8

THINK BEFORE YOU TYPE. You can even say the words out loud before you send a response. Written communication is not the same as an in-person conversation because important cues like tone, body language, and immediate listener feedback are missing. Sarcasm can – and will – backfire.

9

BE FORGIVING! This is different for everyone, mistakes will happen, and plans may not come together as intended. Pause to take a breath and be kind. You will be back in person with them, and you want to keep these friendships! continued next page >>>

SCHOOLS

July 2020 | Boston Parents Paper

25

<<< continued from page 25

Discover

Thayer Proactively help your child set up video chat meet-ups with their friends outside of school day hours. This additional “screen time” is valuable and worth it.

10

“

Thayer’s teachers pay attention to students. They’ll go over things with you. They really care about how

“

you’re doing and how things will turn out.

Lucy Hisenberg ’26 Sixth Grader, Thayer Academy Activities & Interests: Science, Chorus, Drama

Thayer Academy Founded in 1877, Thayer Academy is an independent, co-ed day school for grades 5-12

www.thayer.org

26

Boston Parents Paper | July 2020

DON’T ABUSE THE CHAT BOX and avoid using or changing your virtual backgrounds. If used at all, the chat box should improve the conversation, not distract from it. Changing the virtual background distracts others in ways that may feel fun to you but actually are just annoying to others. If what you really want is to connect with friends and laugh together, set up a video chat time to socialize at a non-class time!

For parents serving as the school-day facilitators and monitors of your child’s focus, accountability, and morale, there are home-based norms which you might consider as well: • Keep habits and norms on a schedule at home with consistent wake up, meal and bed times.

• Expect that everyone in the house gets dressed every day.

• Have family meals whenever possible. Even historically snarky teenagers may actually really be craving conversation, even with uncool parents!

• Expect that everyone goes outside every day and, ideally, exercises every day.

• Limit the amount of discussion and newscasts about COVID to which your kids are exposed. They have even less reserve to process this than we do, as adults.

• Say “no” and shut off TV and video games with clear, firm, consistent limits when you see that too much screen time is eroding your child’s mood, undermining their willingness to go outside, or distracting them from school work.

That said, proactively help your child set up video chat meet-ups with their friends outside of school day hours.

This additional “screen time” is valuable and worth it.

It is difficult to support your child to stay engaged and to follow through and also to know when to “let them off

See if you can figure it out before asking for the answer. Believe in yourself!

onstage for “Being Declamation, musicals,

and plays has taught me to be more comfortable in front of a lot of people.

“

Shanveer Gupta ’26 Sixth Grader, Thayer Academy Activities & Interests: Ensemble, Diversity Club, Flag Football

the hook” and opt out of school for emotional wellbeing. Emotional well-being and feeling connected with other people is far more important than any academic learning or growth right now. Without emotional health, no academic learning or growth can occur, anyways. Prioritize your kids’ time this way. It’s OK to say “yes” to video chatting with friends as more important than the on-line math tutorial program.

Reach out to your child’s teachers and school counselor to share your observations and kids’ needs. The ways teachers and counselors monitor kids’ wellbeing and engagement are no longer available to them, and they still worry and care. They may be able to set up additional supports if they know what you are seeing at home with your child.

Assess if a child’s behavior is truly problematic or if they are doing something which may be a coping mechanism. Try to understand what is at the core of your child’s choices and behaviors when you intervene.

All the norms that make things work during in-person schooling still apply in this remote schooling world.

The benefits of a clear and consistent daily schedule and rhythm top the list of things parents can provide their kids. For students, engaging with heightened awareness about how they impact others will be best supported by adults who convey the translation of in-person social conventions and kindnesses into the video chat world. Making things clear to them supports kids to feel safe and to know what to do to be successful. ²

Courtney Dickinson is founder and director of Acera: The Massachusetts School of Science, Creativity and Leadership. Acera’s free downloadable remote learning lessons for K-12 schools can be found online at www.aceraschool. org/remote-learning.

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July 2020 | Boston Parents Paper

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Kept at Home?

Keep Your Kids Busy... and Maintain Your Sanity!

By Kerrie McLoughlin

A

s plans are cancelled daily due to the COVID-19 virus, we are all feeling a little disoriented. I truly believe that boredom can be a gift for our kids because it forces them to get creative (and get along!).

It never hurts to put a few fun suggestions in front of them to get them started, so some of the following ideas kids can do on their own and some you’ll want to get involved in.

LEGO MASTERS

Break out the Legos because kids of all ages can get in on this one. Start by taking turns tossing out ideas for things to build (if you’re stuck, there are some great ideas for printable cards online). For example, you might tell the kids to build a refrigerator, then everyone tries their best to build that. Everyone’s creation will be different, so it’s not really a competition, but it’s fun seeing what everyone comes up with! Then pop some popcorn and turn on Lego Masters (Hulu).

PLAY-DOUGH

This one just takes a few minutes of your help and then the kids are off on their own, creating for hours.

You could always just buy the stuff, but here’s a simple recipe, as well. Pair with a rolling pin and cookies cutters for even more fun!

1 cup flour ½ cup salt 1 cup water

1 T. oil 2 t. cream of tartar Food coloring

Mix all ingredients except food coloring on low heat in a pan. Once the consistency is of play-dough, take pan off heat, let cool, then add food coloring a few drops at a time. Knead until the color is all mixed. Grab some cookie cutters and other kitchen items and let the fun begin! Store in air-tight containers or baggies. continued next page >>>

ART SHOW

Kids love to draw and color! I have tons of artwork on my fridge, but how about REALLY showcasing their special artwork of the day? All you need is a long piece of thin rope or yarn hung from one end of a room to another. Then hang finished pictures using clothespins, pretend you’re having a grand gala opening, serve some snacks and you have an art show! (Bonus activity: get some canvases, paint and a variety of paintbrushes and you have art to hang on your wall that can be switched out with other pieces they’ve created.)

RESTAURANT

I loooove when my kids play restaurant because I get to be the diner sitting at the table reading my book while they serve me different foods and drinks! They get to play waiters, hostesses, managers and cooks (depending on age and what they are making, of course, but what a great opportunity to do some cooking and/ or baking with them as well!).

July 2020 | Boston Parents Paper

31

of paper). Ideas include: a winter glove, a cotton swab, a doll shoe, a pie pan, etc. Now send the teams off and whoever gets back with the most items from the list first wins a prize.

BOARD OR OTHER GAMES

There are so many to choose from it’s insane! Depending on the ages of the kids and how much time you have, great games include: Clue, Bananagrams, Tenzi, One Night Ultimate Werewolf, Apples to Apples, Ticket to Ride and so many more!

PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD

Break out the mini marshmallows and spaghetti noodles and have the kids construct creations like houses,

<<< continued from page 31

WRITE AND ILLUSTRATE A STORY

Kids are full of stories, but some aren’t old enough to write them down. That’s where you come in! Have each kid tell you a story that’s been running around in their mind and you can either write it out or type it. Then have your child illustrate it! If you’re creating the story on the computer, you can go to free photo sites like Pixabay to grab images for the story!

SCAVENGER HUNT

Take out a piece of paper and write down different items in the house on it (if you have two teams doing the scavenging, write the same items down on another piece

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Boston Parents Paper | July 2020

patterns. You can turn creations into necklaces, magnets, cool things to put inside school binders! Once the beads are in place, you’ll need to place parchment paper over them and iron on low until the beads melt together. Flip it over and do the other side, then they are stuck together and ready to go!

SALON

This is another one of my favorites because I usually can get a 5-minute back or neck massage while playing this.

It’s also a blast to have the kids do my makeup, wipe it all off and start again. Then I get to do their makeup or, for my boys, tattoos on their arms using washable markers. Then it’s time for a bubble bath for the kids to wash off makeup (and germs — for the parenting win!). bridges, towers and more! If you have rice around (and you should right now!), put a bag into a large baking pan and let the kids play around in it on the kitchen floor.

Excess can be vacuumed up, and the rest can be put into a bag to play with later.

PERLER BEADS

MARCO POLO

No, I’m not talking about the swimming pool game! I’m talking about the smartphone app that lets you leave video messages for friends and family. Depending on the age of your child, let them make all the video messages they want for their friends, and especially for grandparents! My own dad and grandma love to see what we’re up

You may know them as those things that go crunch when to each day indoors and in our backyard.² you vacuum, but kids recognize them as hours of fun!

Kerrie McLoughlin doesn’t really mind being safely tucked inUsing flat, plastic shapes with spikes, kids can create side with her 5 kids and does all the things on this list! Check all sorts of things by placing Perler beads in different up on her at TheKerrieShow.com.

PRESCHOOLS

July 2020 | Boston Parents Paper

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Executive Functions

CHILDREN ARE APT TO FORGET TO REMEMBER

By Kat Marsh, M.Ed.

Executive functions are a collection of mental processes that guide our everyday actions and help us plan for the future. Think of them as the characteristics and behaviors a person in charge of running a company would need to succeed.

Some executive functions help us pay attention and remember details, others help us organize our thoughts or the physical space we live in, still others help us figure out the best way to solve problems or plan what we should do next. Researchers are trying to sort out and define executive functions with names such as metacognition (thinking about thinking), working memory (visual or verbal information we hold onto while weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re making decisions), response inhibition (holding back unfruitful reactions), and task initiation (getting started on non-preferred tasks).

Some figure we have eight or ten distinguishable executive functions. Others suggest there could be more than thirty.

Although all executive functions interact and some overlap, we can make sense out of most executive functions by categorizing similar ones together into four groups:

GROUP ONE IS WHAT I CALL THE STP GROUP: SPACE, TIME, AND PLANNING. This group has to do with keeping physical space organized, having a sense of the sweep of time, and planning that has to do with time management. Caution: organized space can look messy to another person. The key factor is whether the organizer can work effectively in the space. For children, these spaces are typically their homework space, backpack, and locker. If your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spaces look messy, but they know where everything is and can find things they need, then they have some kind of organization scheme that makes sense to them.

Sensing the sweep of time means being accurate when estimating how much time a task will take, and as you work, gauging whether you need to speed up to finish. continued next page >>>

July 2020 | Boston Parents Paper

37

Executive Functions continued from page 37

GROUP TWO IS THE GET UP AND GO GROUP. This group has to do with getting started on your work, keeping your attention focused on the work, and sticking with a goal that you work at little by little, like saving up money over several weeks to buy a toy or game.

GROUP THREE IS THE HOLD ON! GROUP. This group has to do with holding back knee-jerk responses and being aware of when your emotions are getting out of control so you can pause and calm down.

GROUP FOUR IS THE PROBLEM-SOLVING GROUP. This group manages your working memory, your ability to think flexibly, and your ability to step back and look at your overall progress.

Executive functions can be assessed using both formal and informal methods. Formal assessments were designed for clinical use with adults and test language, memory, and motor skills. Informal assessments were designed to uncover information about naturally occurring behavior in an everyday environment. With formal methods some tests to measure one executive function can mask other executive functions. For example, test items are often presented in brief groupings that may mask sustained attentional issues. INFORMAL ASSESSMENTS

CAN BE USED TO SUPPLEMENT FORMAL ASSESSMENTS, AND ARE OFTEN PREFERRED BECAUSE THEY MAY REVEAL MORE ABOUT HOW YOUR CHILD FUNCTIONS IN EVERYDAY LIFE. Two components of the assessment process are

38

Boston Parents Paper | July 2020

important to consider: standardized behavior rating scales and classroom observations. Parents, teachers, and sometimes the child, can be interviewed, or can fill out a structured interview form for behavior rating scales which provide a statisticallynormed comparison to highlight areas of concern. They gauge how well your child’s environment and behaviors may be contributing to struggles with executive functions and can be a starting point for developing interventions. CLASSROOM

OBSERVATIONS, CONDUCTED BY A TRAINED OBSERVER, CAN PROVIDE MORE OBJECTIVE VIEWS OF YOUR CHILD IN THE CONTEXT OF THE DEMANDING ENVIRONMENT OF THE CLASSROOM. Observations can be reviewed to select interventions that will be most effective for your child in different types of classroom situations. For example, your child may need more guidance during less structured times like gym or lunch.

Executive function assessments will generally provide information on attention, working memory, organization, concept formation, and flexible thinking. A CHILD’S ABIL-

ITY TO PAY ATTENTION IMPACTS ALL AREAS OF LEARNING—NOT ONLY ACADEMIC, BUT PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL AREAS AS WELL.

Some childhood daydreaming is to be expected, but moderate inattention may impact your child’s success when teachers are giving instructions or when chatting or playing with peers. A CHILD’S ABILITY TO

HOLD BACK FROM AUTOMATIC RESPONSES, OR PAUSE BRIEFLY

TO THINK BEFORE ACTING IS TIED TO SELF-CONTROL. Although self-control takes time to develop, it is important when children must assess a new situation and consider the correct or most effective way to respond.

WORKING MEMORY MAKES IT POSSIBLE TO HOLD ONTO INFORMATION TEMPORARILY IN ORDER TO PUT IT TO USE. If a teacher gives a three-step instruction, your child may lose track of where she is in the sequence, resulting in frustration or anxiety. Planning, sequencing, and organizing information are essential for learning new information, for problem-solving, for completing tasks efficiently, and for participating in complex discussions.

Concept formation is the ability to categorize items based on what they have in common, select items that are different and explain why, and figure out patterns or relationships between items. If your child cannot readily see relationships between items, he will struggle to link new ideas with what he already knows.

Concept formation is also the basis for more abstract thinking. FLEX-

IBLE THINKING MEANS YOUR CHILD CAN SHIFT FROM ONE TASK TO ANOTHER OR BE OPEN TO A CHANGE IN PERSPECTIVE WHEN LEARNING NEW INFORMATION. If your child can think flexibly, she can see new ways of doing things, or be willing to think of or try out a new solution to a problem. Speaking of solving problems, in part two we will look at how to support your child’s executive functions. continued on page 40 >>>

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Executive Functions continued from page 38 DOWN THEY FORGOT AS UP THEY GREW

By Kat Marsh, M.Ed.

As your child grows and develops, his executive functions will develop along with him. Executive functions continue to develop into early adulthood, so it’s never too late to raise your expectations of what your child may be able to do in this area.

YOUNG CHILDREN AGES 3-4 SHOULD BE ABLE TO FOLLOW A SIMPLE DIRECTION SUCH AS, “GET YOUR COAT,” OR, “PUT THESE TOYS IN THE TOYBOX.” They should be able to hold back from touching a hot stove or hitting another child.

Over the next few years and into first grade, your child will expand on those skills by carrying out simple two-step or three-step instructions, and recalling safety rules. With some reminders, your 5-7-year-old can carry out more generalized chores such as, “make your bed,” or, “unpack your backpack,” because they will be able to sequence the specific details on their own. Children this age will begin to sense the sweep of time, understanding that if they get out of bed late, they will need to speed up their morning routine to get to school on time. With some reminders, they will be aware of papers that need to be brought home and some that need to be brought back to school.

By the time your child is well into elementary school, between 8 and 11 years old, she should be able to work more independently with chores, keep track of belongings, and recognize when best behavior is required. Children at this age will also experience and learn to manage days with different schedules, unexpected changes in schedules,

and assignments that require some planning such as selecting a choice book to read or creating a poster with printed pictures, drawings, and words. At this age your child’s ability to get started on homework, stick with it until it’s done, or ask for help when needed are signs that executive functions are in the process of developing. PRE-

ADOLESCENT CHILDREN MAY TRY OUT DIFFERENT SYSTEMS FOR ORGANIZING SCHOOLWORK, AND RECOGNIZE THE NEED FOR PLANNING AFTER SCHOOL TIME, BUT THEY MAY NEED REINFORCEMENT OR SOME TRIAL-AND-ERROR TO FULLY EMBRACE THESE SKILLS. Preadolescents are also developing their sense of how to manage themselves when they are away from adults, such as when babysitting or when their teacher is temporarily out of the classroom. By the time your child enters high school, he should be ready to take on more complex tasks such as managing a varying workload of homework, projects, upcoming tests, and after school activities. He should recognize social situations where recklessness or taking risks is too dangerous, and he should start thinking about longer term goals such as developing plans for after high school. Executive functions will continue to develop

and be refined as your child moves beyond high school, but be on the lookout for a progression of skills, and prepare for setbacks along the way.

TO SUPPORT YOUR CHILD’S DEVELOPMENT OF EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS, CONSIDER PLANNING EARLY FOR A GRADUAL HANDOFF OF RESPONSIBILITY, AND ALLOW FOR BOUTS OF TRIAL-ANDERROR. One of the most helpful

supports for a child is the time you take to reflect briefly on what’s working and what’s not working for your child and your family. Caution: aim for a truly reflective discussion, rather than jumping right to a lecture about how you think your child should manage things. It’s important for a child to have the benefit of their own experiences along with tales of your struggles and successes. It can take three times as long for a three-year-old to put on and zip his own jacket, rather than having you do it for him, but the experience is worth the time.

Consider how to further your relationship with your child around executive functions.

CHILDREN WHO ARE WORKING ON OR STRUGGLING WITH EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS BENEFIT FROM KNOWING THAT YOU RECOGNIZE THEIR STRUGGLE AND THEIR EFFORTS. continued on page 42 >>>

40

Boston Parents Paper | July 2020

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Executive Functions continued from page 40

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Acknowledge the current situation and try to keep discussions focused on the future.

Tell them about how you struggled to organize your backpack or desk. Then, instead of telling them what you think they should do, ask them about some possible things they think they could do. Once they start thinking about solutions, you can offer some suggestions of your own.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION IS THE LANGUAGE YOU USE WHEN TALKING TO YOUR CHILD ABOUT EXECUTIVE FUNCTION STRUGGLES. If you are frustrated or worried

about whether they have completed their homework, you might ask, “Did you do your homework?” Even if you say this in the most comforting and solicitous tone, it may sound like an accusation to your child, resulting their anxiety or frustration. INSTEAD ASK, “DID THE HOMEWORK GET DONE?” Now, you have removed the possibility of direct accusation and raised a joint concern along with your child about the homework. Oh, the poor homework, did it get done?

S LANGUAGE CAN HELP CUE YOUR CHILD TO DEVELOP HER EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS. INSTEAD OF TELLING YOUR CHILD WHAT TO DO, ASK HER WHAT OR WHEN SHE PLANS TO DO SOMETHING. “Clean out your backpack now,” becomes, “When would be a good time to clean out your backpack?” If you cue them to know what to do by themselves, it becomes easier to follow up without a confrontation because, “you didn’t do what I told you to do,” is going to lead to an argument, but, “you didn’t do what you said you were going to do,” will lead your child to follow through on her own promises. If reinforcement is needed, you can always ask, “How can I help you with your task?” You avoid a direct confrontation, and emphasize that they are capable, and you are supportive. You may have to guide them through the initial step to get them started. Afterwards, you can revisit and talk about what they think worked and didn’t work and what they might do differently next time. As they grow, they will benefit from these initial experiences developing executive functions that will serve them well in the future. ² Kat Marsh teaches study skills at Commonwealth Learning Center in Danvers.

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leagueschool.org 44

Boston Parents Paper | July 2020

Childhood and Teen OCD

By Kerrie McLoughlin

W

hat’s the first thing you think of when you hear about obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)? Maybe you think of the TV show “Monk,” of someone who washes their hands over and over, of someone who loves a schedule and hates germs. Did you realize that as many as 1 out of every 200 kids or teens has OCD? For most of us, it’s easy to keep ourselves from performing an action over and over. Sure, I might really want that third piece of cake, but I stop myself. There is no voice in my head egging me on and telling me I simply must have it or that I might die if I don’t get it … or that something bad could happen to my family or myself if I don’t eat it.

So when my 7-year-old son could not stop himself from going up and down our stairs in a specific pattern one day, I was worried. He was crying while he was on the stairs but said he couldn’t stop. He had done quirky things in the past like walking in a pattern or stepping over cracks, but these things had never made him upset.

As his symptoms got worse, I went into Mama Bear mode. I got on the phone and Internet to navigate the world of insurance, therapy visits, typical treatment length and costs. A therapist came to our house for the first visit, and I bought the book “Talking Back to OCD” by John S. March so I could be doing something in between weekly therapy appointments and know what was ahead.

Kids and teens with OCD feel compelled to perform an action (e.g., washing their hands dozens of times or tapping out a pattern on the table hundreds of times) or something bad might happen, and they become obsessed with performing the action to obey what their brain is telling them to do. Their brain is essentially telling them that they will feel better if they perform the specific action. In reality, obeying the action sets the brain so that it wants to do it even more frequently.

What works well for many kids facing OCD is Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) treatment. In essence, it’s like having to face one’s fears. If a child’s compulsion is being afraid to go up stairs because he always has to perform the same debilitating rituals, then he doesn’t avoid the stairs (exposure). Instead, he faces the stairs head-on and might keep a chart of how many times he performs the ritual on the stairs and how many times he is able to stop (response prevention) so he can see his progress.

If you suspect your child or teen has OCD, you are certainly not alone. Make an appointment with a reputable therapist and see what she has to say. OCD can definitely be treated.

Children’s books about OCD: • Up and Down the Worry Hill: A Children’s Book about ObsessiveCompulsive Disorder and its Treatment, by Aureen Pinto Wagner Ph.D. • What to do When Your Child Has Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Strategies and Solutions, by Aureen Pinto Wagner Ph.D. • Freeing Your Child from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Powerful, Practical Program for Parents of Children and Adolescents

By Tamar E. Chansky ²

Kerrie McLoughlin, mom of 5 great kids, can be chased down at TheKerrieShow.com.

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sk moms how 4. Give directions to raise a good in small steps. listener, and For the younger set, you’ll be met with a general instructions variety of responses. like, “Please clean your Some, like Eva Gavin, room” can be overwill laugh out loud and whelming. Instead, say, “If you write about ask her first to put all kids who ignore their of her stuffed aniparents all the time, mals in the box in the I’m your woman.” Othcloset. Then ask her ers may tell you they to hang up her shirts. have it all together Then have her put all and that their children the dolls on her bed. always listen to them Kids love that they and do everything they can do something for say (don’t trust these themselves and please women!). you at the same time.

So many of us are at Instead of saying, a loss when it comes “pick up the living to teaching listening room”, Jill Connors skills. Parents are busasks her smaller kids ier than ever, and that to pick up 10 toys each

By Kerrie McLoughlin can sometimes make and put them in the toy it difficult to just stop bin. When they are done, she asks them how many more and listen to our children. Yet making sure you raise your they think it will take to clear the floor. The counting child to be a good listener is crucial for many reasons.

For example, he needs to be able to follow directions at practice is invaluable, and the room is clean in no time. school, in college and at a job. He also needs the practiced 5. Consistency counts. If you are a parent who skill of listening to make and keep friends, snag a spouse threatens and never follows through, watch out because and deal with a variety of people in everyday life. your child is watching what you say and do. If you say So how do you become one of those moms whose chilthere will be no allowance for skipping chores, then dren don’t tune her out? don’t pay allowance that week. Then make sure you 1. Humor works wonders. Tresa Cope says, “When have the same consequence if it happens again.

I want to get my 4-year-old’s attention, I randomly insert 6. Show your appreciation. Thanking your child the word ‘chocolate’ into whatever I’m saying. As in, ‘put for being a good listener when he does something you your chocolate shoes on, NOW, please’. Sometimes he asked him to is a great way to show him that listening giggles at my misuse of the word; sometimes he makes me really does matter and that you notice what he does. pay up with chocolate-covered raisins.”

Raising a Good Listener

2. Practice reading comprehension. When you finish reading your child a story, ask her random questions about it. You can also ask her to summarize the story for you. If you’re reading a bedtime book that takes many nights to finish, ask your child what she thinks might happen the next night in the story.

3. Listen to your child. If you want your child to pay attention to what you are saying, practice listening. Turn off the radio in the car and hear what your child wants to tell you about his day. Most importantly, don’t interrupt. Look him in the eye when he’s talking to you so he knows you are present and paying attention. Parents, this is a hard one, so you have to practice often. It’s easy to mumble a bunch of “mm, hmms” when your child is telling you about an artistic creation or about a kid at school, so put the dishes down and just listen.

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Boston Parents Paper | July 2020

Listening Games • Simon Says • Red Light, Green Light • Opposites (you say a word and your child acts out the opposite) • Guessing game (give several clues, like, “I’m thinking of an animal that lives at the zoo.” then “The animal is gray.”)

• Scavenger hunt (tell your child 2 things to find in the house and bring them back to you, working your way up to 10 items) ² Kerrie McLoughlin (TheKerrieShow.com) happily homeschools her 5 kids in the country.

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Attributes of a Successful Student It can be difficult to accurately and objectively assess how your children are developing as students. Selwyn points to benchmark skills to be aware of that kids need to acquire from the earliest grades, such as knowing how to organize binders, writing down homework assignments and checking book bags and planners, to make sure they have everything they need. She also says it’s a good sign when kids have the impetus to ask a friend or go to the teacher if they aren’t sure or have a question.

Often during the school year your children might spend more time with their class than they do with you, so it’s essential they learn to be proactive. “I think one mistake parents make, especially in the younger grades, is assuming their child is either too young or not able to advocate for themselves,” says Dean. She sees a lot of emails from parents trying to smooth out problems their kids are having in class. As a teacher, Dean would rather parents encourage her students to work out the problem for themselves by using available resources or speaking to her to get the information they require.

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M

By Kerrie McLoughlin

ost long-distance grandparents will agree that you don’t have to live in the same town to play a huge role in the life of your grandchildren. Yes, you might be sad that your grandkids don’t live close by, but you can certainly still create a special and lasting relationship with some planning. Here’s how:

Do Your Research Joy Candrian of the blog XOXO Grandma suggests: “Research the places where your grandchildren live and when FaceTiming or talking on the phone, ask them intelligent questions about their home, school and the things they have done that week.” Another example might be checking out the latest children’s movie in your own town if you know your grandkids are going to see it as well so you can talk about the best parts together.

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Boston Parents Paper | July 2020

Read to Them and Play Games “Record yourself reading a book and then upload that recording to YouTube so your grandchild can hear your voice and see you reading them a story. After you’ve got your recorded story online, mail the book to your grandchild so they can follow along while they watch your video,” shared Candrian. Buy a blank puzzle at a craft store then, if you are arsty, draw a picture on it. If not, write a message and color in some of the pieces. Your grandchild will have a blast putting it together over and over. Online games like Words with Friends are also a fun and educational way to connect.

Recognize Holidays and Special Dates Keep track of important dates so you can be there for the big events.

Set reminders on your phone or put them on your wall calendar so you can send cards or plan a video chat for birthdays, graduations, last day of school, prom, sports, spelling bees and so much more. Candrian offers, “I think giving gifts is such a natural way to show we care, and giving a handmade gift [such as a quilt] shows we care enough to spend our time for those we love.

Your grandchild may not understand that now but as they grow older and wiser, your gifts should help them feel the love you have for them.”

Raise Video Chatting and Social Media to a New Level Skype, FaceTime and Zoom make it so much easier to see their faces and keep yours fresh in theirs. They grow and change so quickly, so make

weekly dates to do things like call up the grandkids and take them on a walk with you, let them watch you bake something, read to them. One way my 90-year-old grandmother loves to keep up with her grandkids and great-grandkids is to hop on Facebook daily to check out status updates and photos.

Remembrances Make sure you have plenty of photos of your grandchildren around your home and send photos of yourself to them as well. You want them to get to know you as well, and it’s so easy these days to create photo books and books of stories from your childhood for them on a site like Mixbook. Check out the Marco Polo app for a FaceTime meets voicemail experience, where you get to the Tanglewood Marionettes. Reservations required. FREE. leave and receive video messages, and they don’t disap617-514-1644; jfklibrary.org. pear… Winter you can save them on Marco Polo indefinitely and Backyard Birding, 10:30am, Boston Nature also save them toWalk yourHill phone or forward them to other Center, 500 St., Mattapan.

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Kerrie McLoughlin is the writer mom of 5 kids ranging from 10 to 18 and blogs at TheKerrieShow.com.

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Summer Camp Listings PLEASE NOTE - In light of fast changing responses to Covid19, camp and camp offerings are now often subject to change at a moments notice. Please check camp providerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s websites for the latest information.

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Boston Parents Paper | July 2020

ACERA SUMMER STEAM CAMP (WINCHESTER)

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The Acera Summer STEAM Camp is a creativity-based arts and sciences day camp where children ages 5-17 can nurture their natural desire to inquire, create, and innovate. https://aceraschool.org/summer-camp

At Belmont Hill Summer School, students from grades 6-12 can explore new subjects, hone skills, and gain valuable academic experience from expert faculty.

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Nestled in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire, Camp Birch Hill offers a fun, elective based program where boys and girls aged 6-16 can participate in over 50 diverse activities of their choice.

BC HIGH SUMMER PROGRAMS Each summer they welcome campers to (BOSTON) their grounds in New Durham, NH. This traditional, overnight summer camp sits 617-474-5181 on a 100 acre piece of private, lakeside Age or Grade Range: Grades 5-12 land where kids can come for two, four BROOKLINE ARTS CENTER Explore new interests. Build your or six weeks of their summer. It is a confidence. Challenge yourself! Choose (BROOKLINE) home away from home where kids have from over 30 programs in our Sports the time of their lives for two, four or six 617-566-5715 Camps, Academic Courses, Middle weeks while making lasting friendships School Enrichment Courses or Specialty Age or Grade Range: Ages <4-Adult and memories.

Programs. Registration is ongoing until Summer starts here. June - August. a program is full.

ArtVentures, jewelry and metals, painting, campbirchhill.com drawing, pottery, mixed media, comics, https://www.bchigh.edu/summer and more! Classes and workshops for continued next page >>> children, teens and adults!

SUMMER STEAM CAMP JUN E 8 – AUGUST 28, 2020

168 engaging, hands-on, unique and fun offerings for children ages 4-17!

Curiosity, creativity and innovation come alive at Acera’s Summer Camp! Choose from courses like: • Mini Treehouse Building (ages 4-7) • Fantasy, Forts and Friends (ages 5-8) • Backyard Biology (ages 7-10)

• Lions and Tigers and Robots, Oh My! (ages 7-10) • Drones & Flying Machines (ages 10-14) • Marshmallow Crossbows (ages 11-15)

Register online today! | aceraschool.org/summer-camp July 2020 | Boston Parents Paper

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CAMP CODY (FREEDOM, NH) 954-803-8655 We strive to maintain an environment that both encourages personal growth and creates an unforgettable summer experience. Regardless of what age a camper joins us, we work hard to make them feel like part of the Cody family. http://www.campcody.com

CAMP WEKEELA (HARTFORD, ME) 201-612-5125 Age or Grade Range: Ages 7-16 Camp Wekeela is a premiere summer camp on a bucolic setting in the beautiful state of Maine. http://www.campwekeela.com

CHARLES RIVER CREATIVE ARTS (DOVER) 508-785-8250 Age or Grade Range: Age: 5 - 15 Charles River Creative Arts Program, located in Dover, MA, has been a pioneer in multi-arts education since 1970. Here, young people take risks, learn new skills, and discover new

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Boston Parents Paper | July 2020

talents within a nurturing and diverse community of experienced and dedicated artists. Two 4-week sessions are offered every summer. Students may enroll in one or both sessions. Creative Starts provides an opportunity for children ages 5 – 8 to begin exploring and developing their artistic talents in an encouraging, stimulating environment. Each two-week session runs 9am – 4pm, Monday through Friday and features a unique theme, tying together creative projects with diverse art forms.

We offer an age-appropriate balance of choice and structure to encourage experimentation, independence, and creative confidence. http://www.crcap.org

CHINESE SUMMER CAMP FOR YOUTH (SMITHFIELD, RI) 401-232-6883 Age or Grade Range: Ages 11-18 This two-week program is designed for local middle and high school students to learn Chinese language and experience its culture in a university campus.

There is No previous Chinese learning experience required. https://china.bryant.edu

DEBATE CAMP (WEST ROXBURY) 888-512-8154 Age or Grade Range: Ages 10-16 Debate Camp provides summer training programs in public speaking, debate and Model UN for students in grades 5 to 11 http://www.debatecamp.com/boston

DEDHAM COMMUNITY HOUSE SUMMER CAMP (DEDHAM) 781-329-5740 Age or Grade Range: Ages <3-14 Since the 1920’s, the Dedham Community House Summer Camp has helped create lifelong childhood memories of summers filled with fun in the sun! http://www.dedhamcommunity house.org

DEDHAM COUNTRY DAY CAMP (DEDHAM) 781-320-1832 Age or Grade Range: Ages 3-15 At Dedham Country Day Camp, we believe that summer time should reinforce the wonders of being a child, continued on page 54 >>>

WE WILL BE READY FOR SUMMER

July 2020 | Boston Parents Paper

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and the enduring joy of friendship. While we offer a broad range of activities from archery to woodworking, we also allow time in each day for the simple enjoyment of catching frogs in the stream, climbing trees and building forts in the pine grove. https://www.dedhamcountryday.org/ community/summer-camp

DELPHI ACADEMY (MILTON) 617-333-9610 Private day school and summer camp in a beautiful Milton setting. http://delphiboston.org/

EDGE ON SCIENCE (PLYMOUTH, WESTIN) (315) 773-5673 Age or Grade Range: Ages 8-14 Edge on Science offers week-long, project based, day programs in applied science and engineering. A back-tobasics approach is taken where children get to work independently and in teams to problem solve, all while having fun and making new friends! https://edgeonscience.com

EXXCEL GYMNASTICS & CLIMBING (NEWTON) 617-244-3300 Age or Grade Range: Ages 3+ Gymnastics, climbing, water slides, field trips, swimming, trapeze, bungee, zip line, skits, arts & crafts, gamesâ&#x20AC;Ś what more could a kid want? http://www.exxcel.net/

FRENCH CULTURAL CENTER SUMMER IN FRENCH (BACK BAY) 617-912-0400 Age or Grade Range: Ages 3-18 Give your child a full immersion experience of summer fun and learning! With native French-speaking and bilingual teachers, varied and engaging curriculum, and a convenient location in the heart of Back Bay, our Summer in French program is the perfect way to improve your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s skills and confidence in French, no matter their age or level. Each week focuses on a theme with a variety of special activities geared for children to increase their vocabulary and stimulate their conversation skills.

Outdoor activities take place at a nearby playground and at the Boston Common. https://frenchculturalcenter.org/ summer-in-french/

GROTONWOOD CAMP & CONFERENCE CENTER (GROTON) (978) 448 5763 Age or Grade Range: Ages 5-18+ 40 minutes from Boston, Grotonwood has been providing life changing experiences for over 60 years. Situated in 250 acres of woodlands with a 1.5 mile waterfront & boat dock. We are an inclusive Christian sleep-away & Day camp for kids in grades K-12. http://www.grotonwood.org

HALE DAY CAMP (WESTWOOD) 781-326-1770 Age or Grade Range: Age: 4 - 13 Hale offers a wide variety of summer camp experiences. From our Traditional Camp to our Specialty Camps, including Outdoor Adventures, Mountain Biking, and our Leaders in Training (LIT) program for teens, Hale has a summer of fun waiting for you! We believe in continued on page 57 >>>

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Boston Parents Paper | July 2020

Choose from over 130 classes and create

your own summer adventure!

REGISTER ONLINE FOR SUMMER 2020!

CHARLES RIVER CREATIVE ARTS PROGRAM Choose from over 100 classes Lunch included with tuition For students ages 6-15

WWW.CRCAP.ORG

July 2020 | Boston Parents Paper

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JOIN US FOR SUMMER CAMP Full Scale Productions

Grades 2-8

Grades 2-12

Grades 8-12

One Week Theatre Arts Camps 4 Years - 12th Grade

Space Is Limited - Enroll Today!

781- 235-1550

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Boston Parents Paper | July 2020

www.wellesleytheatreproject.org

continuing camping traditions such as being outdoors with your friends all day, getting plenty of exercise and swimming in our natural ponds. Here at Hale Day Camp we also provide a hands-on experience that recognizes the campers’ need for a nurturing environment where they can mature socially, emotionally and intellectually. www.hale1918.org/bpp

HILL HOUSE (BOSTON) 617-227-5838 Age or Grade Range: Ages 3-12 Hill House summer staff kicks off the organization’s 21st summer of camp for children ages 3 to 12. Weekly themes, a balance between structure and play, field trips, and age-appropriate activities promise a well-rounded experience. http://www.hillhouseboston.org

HUNTERS HAVEN FARM HORSEBACK RIDING CAMP (GROVELAND) 978-373-1300 Age or Grade Range: Ages 6-18+ Full Day Weekly Horseback Riding Camp at beautiful Hunters Haven Farm

KIDS 4 CODING | SUMMER TECH PROGRAM-AGES 7-16 (CAMBRIDGE & WALTHAM)

in Groveland MA. http://www.huntershavenfarm.com

ICODE OF WELLESLEY (WELLESLEY)

770-642-0004 Age or Grade Range: Ages 7-16

781-291-3131 Age or Grade Range: Ages 5-18 iCode of Wellesley is a STEAM summer camp and after-school program to engage children in a STEAM learning experience using AGILE teaching methodologies on a dynamic technology curriculum. https://icodeschool.com/wellesley107/

INCARNATION CAMP (IVORYTON, CT)

Nationally Recognized KIDS 4 CODING Two area locations: CAMBRIDGE at Lesley University & WALTHAM at Bentley University. Quality tech programs at an affordable price. https://www.kids4coding.com

KIDSTOCK! CREATIVE THEATER (WINCHESTER) 781-729-5543 Age or Grade Range: Ages 4-15

860-767-0848 Age or Grade Range: Ages 7-15 Incarnation Camp is the oldest Coed Summer Camp in America! Located on a 700 acre wooded property with a mile-long lake, providing 130 summers of fun to campers from all over the world! Our age range is for campers 7 to 15 years old. https://www.incarnationcamp.org/

Kidstock! Creative Theater offers a performance arts summer camp opportunity for children ages 4-15. http://www.kidstocktheater.com

KINGSLEY SUMMER IN THE CITY (VIRTUAL) 617-226-4927 Age or Grade Range: Grades Toddler - 6 continued on page 58 >>>

12 Highland St., Natick, MA 01760

Summer Arts Programs For creative kids ages 10–17 SUMMER YOUTH DANCE SUMMER THEATER INTENSIVE

Registration & Information:

NEW SUMMER INSTITUTES! Visual art, photography, classical music, voice, creative writing, filmmaking

walnuthillarts.org/communityacademy July 2020 | Boston Parents Paper

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Join us for Summer in the City @ Home!

Brought to you by Kingsley’s Auxiliary Programs, this exciting 7-week program will engage students and families in a multitude of ways. From exploring space and designing structures to writing stories and enjoying nature, the Summer in the City program is something you won’t want to miss! This year’s program is being offered exclusively to Kingsley families and will be taught by some of our exceptional Kingsley teachers. We have designed the program to have a combination of synchronous and asynchronous lessons to keep students engaged throughout each day. Each participant will receive a kit with the materials they will need for each week, so all they will need to do is log on and enjoy the fun. https://info.kingsley.org/summer-2020

LETGO YOUR MIND STEM PROGRAMS (VIRTUAL)

using LEGO bricks, motors, elements in the areas of simple machines, robotics, stop motion animation and programming Minecraft. The programs focus on the vital STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and challenge the kids to think while having fun. Our programs are for students between the ages of 4 and 14. http://www.letgoyourmind.com

LINX CAMPS (WELLESLEY) 781-235-3210 Age or Grade Range: Ages 3-15 LINX Camps offers award-winning full and half day camps for kids 3 years 10th grade. We provide a traditional day camp experience that builds community and character while allowing kids to explore their interests. https://www.linxcamps.com/

MASS AUDUBON SUMMER CAMPS (MULTIPLE CITIES)

603-731-8047 Age or Grade Range: Age: 4 - 14 LETGO Your Mind programs offer a safe, educationally enriching STEM Program experience that is fun and challenging

781-259-9500 Age or Grade Range: Ages 3-15 Have fun, make friends, and experience nature this summer! Mass Audubon

campers enjoy outdoor exploration, habitat hikes, wildlife observation, hands-on activities, interactive games, imaginative free play, creative crafts, and more. Small group sizes ensure camper safety and engagement with positive role models who are enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge of the outdoors. Sign up for hands-on, outdoor fun this summer. With 19 day camps and one overnight camp, there’s something for everyone. https://www.massaudubon.org/

NICOLE’S ART SPOT -- ART AND CRAFTS CLASSES & SUMMER PROGRAM (VIRTUAL) (781) 343-1250 Age or Grade Range: Ages 5-15 Nicole’s Art Spot Summer Program offers children a hands-on opportunity to delve into week-long intensive arts and crafts classes that interests them the most. In each class children can explore and expand their love of art and craft media. http://www.nicolesartspot.com continued on page 62 >>>

MY FIRST CAMP

ULTIMATE DAY CAMP

JUNIOR TENNIS CAMP

The Ultimate DAY CAMP WATER PARK LUNCH PROVIDED

EDGE SCIENCE

ROPES COURSE

on

™

• summer STEM programs •

Visit edgeonscience.com 58

Call (315) 773-5673

781-326-2900

DedhamHealth.com

Boston Parents Paper | July 2020 DHAC_1/4_Camp_BostonParents_1219.indd 1

12/18/18 4:12 PM

• Family friendly scheduling: “Choose Your Days, Choose Your Weeks”

NEEDHAM

• Weekly Swim Lessons & Free Swim, Special Visitors, Field Trips, Theme Days, and more!

• Open 7:00am - 6:30pm daily, with full-day, early-day and mid-day options – the most family friendly summer program around!

• Programs offered for children 2.9 - 4 years and children entering K-8th grade in the Fall.

Contact us today to learn more!

Alex Maider, Senior Director • amaider@tobinbeaudet.com 781-444-5444 • www.tobinbeaudet.com

LEADERS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

NATICK

• Flexible scheduling: “Choose Your Days, Choose Your Weeks”

• Weekly Swim Lessons & Free Swim, Special Visitors, Field Trips, Theme Days, and more!

• Open 7:00am - 6:30pm daily, the most family friendly summer program around!

• Summer at Tobin Jr. Program offered for children entering JrK and Kindergarten in the Fall.

Summer at Tobin program offered for children entering 1st - 5th grade.

Contact us today to learn more!

Joe Dumas, Assistant Director • JDumas@thetobinschool.org

508-650-1561 •

www.tobinafterschool.org/learning/summer-at-tobin/ July 2020 | Boston Parents Paper

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What to Look for in a Virtual Summer Camp

By Courtney Dickinson

C

ovid has dramatically changed the summer of 2020. Camps that parents painstakingly identified are cancelled outright or transitioning to a virtual model. How can we, as parents, ensure that our kids have an engaging and fun summer amid the constraints of distance learning?

The key to effective distance learning is to make sure it will be truly engaging for students. Below are five attributes that parents should seek in online learning programs.

1

TOPICS THAT AUTHENTICALLY INTEREST YOUR CHILD First and foremost, give your child a voice in picking the program. All of us concentrate better when we are engaged in a topic we chose and find meaningful! It is best to not “sign your child up” for a class thinking that it will go well without consulting them. Especially with the summer mindset, signing them up for a class they don’t want to do could cause kids’ resentment rather than a successful way to engage students in summer learning and projects.

THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP A REAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE TEACHER We all want to be seen and heard.

Live virtual “classrooms” are essential for forming new teacher/ student relationships. While watching a video, executing an assignment or project, and then sending it back in to a teacher may be a common distance learning practice, it is not one which honors or satiates students’ craving for real connection with teachers.

Instead, look for camps that provide “synchronous” Zoom/ video call time when students and

2

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Boston Parents Paper | July 2020

the teacher are on a video call together as an anchor component of any remote learning experience.

In a week long experience, this synchronous student and teacher connection time should happen every day.

PROGRAMS THAT GIVE STUDENTS THE CHANCE TO CREATE SOMETHING REAL Great learning catalyzes student curiosity and creativity by engaging them to make, persuade, and instigate. When a student’s role is to sit, listen, and watch a teacher perform or lecture, they are in a passive role, waiting. Alternatively, when a teacher functions as a facilitator of students’ experiences, they are catalyzing students to do, imagine, and make. Examples include a camp in which students create their own terrariums, a game design class that shows students how to build their own arcade game with cardboard, tape, and principles from Rube Goldberg machines, or a science class in which students turn their kitchen into a space for hands-on labs.

Such camps scaffold students’ skills and knowledge to be able to do these things themselves, and the project is done by the student.

Ideally, great courses also make sure that these projects are meaningful and relevant to students’ concerns and lives.

3

4

INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES Programs that put students in the driver’s seat of their experiences are ones in which kids will invest in, engage with and care about in a fundamentally different way than a lecture/listen format.

In a virtual art camp, for example, kids can share their work with fellow classmates and engage in live group feedback sessions. Ideally, camps will also feature a “culminating event” during which kids can hold a teacher-facilitated virtual

exhibit showcasing all of the students’ creations. These are readily feasible in the arts, but they also can come alive in the sciences and social sciences and in so many ways that defy what we thought possible!

5

SKILL-BUILDING, PROJECTBASED LEARNING EXPERIENCES – YES, THEY CAN OCCUR VIRTUALLY! Look for courses that weave skill development into project-based learning. One example is a virtual filmmaking camp that teaches basic video editing skills and inspires kids to complete their own film by the end of the program. Some of the camp’s “work times” may occur either in “breakout groups” in Zoom, or when the video feed is off, but students know they are to share their work back at the end of a timeslot framed by the teacher.

This expectation to share a project result with peers and teacher(s) makes an otherwise impersonal assignment real. Project based learning – which comes in a wide array of forms – enables students to internalize, process, analyze, relate topics across disciplines, and create something new out of the material.

This process of internalization and application to something meaningful - which is what project-based learning is all about - is what ultimately enables the learning to “stick.”

Conventional wisdom tells us that remote learning will be abysmal.

But when it is well-designed and led by teachers who focus on facilitating students’ dialogue and growth in thinking and creativity, students engage and discover what they are capable of – and that’s when remote learning can be highly successful. ²

Courtney Dickinson is Founder and Director of Acera: The Massachusetts School of Science, Creativity, and Leadership. Acera is offering remote summer camp learning opportunities for kids ages 4 through high school.

DESIGN ENGINEERING

&

WORKSHOPS

Tufts engineering workshops are designed by engineers, educators, and researchers to foster creativity, curiosity, problem solving, teamwork, and STEM skills for your child.

LEGO Robotics with new SPIKE Prime Art and Robots Circus Engineering

Engineering for Wizards Girls Week

Pet Helpers

Environmental Engineering Solutions for Book Characters Engineering for Middle and High School

GRADES

1-12

outreach.tuftsceeo.org

SLEEPAWAY WATERSPORTS SUMMER CAMP FOR BOYS AND GIRLS AGES 10 - 17

ONE-WEEK CAMP SESSIONS ALL SUMMER OR PRIVATE LESSONS BY THE HOUR/DAY CALL TODAY TO LEARN MORE OR SIGN UP! LAKES REGION, NH | 617-855-WAKE (9253) | WATERMONKEYCAMP.COM July 2020 | Boston Parents Paper

61

NIGHT EAGLE WILDERNESS ADVENTURES (WALLINGFORD, VT)

REVELS SUMMER VAUDEVILLE WORKSHOP (WATERTOWN, MA)

(802) 446-6100 Age or Grade Range: Ages 10-14

617-972-8300 Age or Grade Range: Age: 7 - 14

Located in the heart of Vermont’s Green Mountains, Night Eagle Wilderness Adventures is a unique primitive summer camp where boys live in tipis and do things that boys did hundreds of years ago. http://www.nighteaglewilderness.com

A Revels Summer Theater Workshop is a complete theater experience. In the mornings young people will participate in theater games, acting, singing and traditional dance. In the afternoons we will be participating in “Production Time;” making the printed program; designing and building sets, costumes, props; and creating a slide show.

Along with creating the show, we will have electives, where young people can choose areas to learn more about theater including; play and song writing, creating a mummers’ play, audition techniques, writing and performing a monologue, clowning, and the art of improv. Everyone will have a part and auditions for the parts are held on the first day of the workshop. There will be a performance at the end of the workshop. www.revels.org/summer

PENGUIN CODING SUMMER SESSION (LEXINGTON) 781-277-2755 Age or Grade Range: Ages 5-18 Penguin Coding believes in the joy of creation as the motivation for learning.

Students build games and animation in Scratch for 2-4th graders, website/ games using HTML/CSS/Javascript for 4-8th graders, and apps with Java/ Python for 6-12th graders. http://www.penguincodingschool.com/

SUMMER AT TOBIN (NATICK) 508-650-1561 Age or Grade Range: Ages 4-10 Our summer program is designed for families looking for a reliable, nurturing place for their kids to spend time in the summer – with a lot of fun field trips and activities! http://www.tobinafterschool.org/learning/ summer-at-tobin/

SUMMER AT TOBIN BEAUDET (NEEDHAM) 781-444-5444 Age or Grade Range: Ages 2.9 - 8th Grade We are busy planning another amazing summer for your children at Tobin Beaudet! Choose Your Days, Choose Your Weeks! Open 7am – 6:30pm Programming available the day after Needham Public Schools closes through the day before school begins http://tobinbeaudet.com/programs/summer/ continued on page 64 >>>

Register online today for:

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!

CAMP IS IN SESSION

•Weekly Day Camp field trips •Kiddie Kamp onsite adventures O u r c a m p s •Expanded enrichment opportunities •Sailing,Theater, Sports & Film camp options feature: •Weekly themes •Extended day options for Day Campers •Expanded LIT program for 13-15 year olds Camp is in session:

june 15 - august 27

Our camps feature: 127 Mount Vernon Street, Boston 617.227.5838 hillhouseboston.org

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Boston Parents Paper | July 2020

BELMONT HILL SCHOOL SUMMER PROGRAMS

ACADEMICS AND SPORTS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS AGES 6-17

Math • Science • English • SAT Test Prep • Art • Baseball • Basketball • Field Hockey • Flag Football • Lacrosse • Multi-Sports • Soccer • Strength & Conditioning www.belmonthill.org/summer-programs

Summer fun for campers 3 to 15 years old

• Traditional Camp and Sports Option Available • Half-Day & Full-Day Programs • LIT and CIT Programs

Exxcel Gymnastics and Climbing

Exxcel would like to thank all the brave medical and military personnel, police officers, firefighters, first responders and people who work in disaster and emergency response for putting their lives on the line on a daily basis to protect, help and rescue the rest of us. Thank you for all you do to keep us safe!

Ar

Ro

Where kids matter most!

TM

2019 WINNER

88 Wells Avenue • Newton 617-244-3300 • www.exxcel.net

STEM PROGR AMS

1. Receive a sanitized LEGO brick building kit 2. Join our Zoom session Monday morning 3. Each day instructors will lead LEGO brick builds & lessons with students 4. Return LEGO brick building kit with the provided pre-paid package!

(Minecraft (Minecra Programs available)

Monday through Friday 9am-12pm www.LetGoYourMind.com

www.dedhamcountryday.org/camp

DAY CAMP Wellesley, MA 3 - 12 Yr Olds

When we can, we will be here for you and your children.

TENACRECDS.ORG/SUMMER

Where KIDS can

ACT UP all KIDSTOCK! CREATIVE summer long! THEATER

creative summer programs for ages 4-14 single days - mornings - full day weeks

June 15 - August 28

kidstocktheater.com

ONLINE BIRTHDAY PARTIES

NOW BOOKING CREATIVE THEATER VIRTUAL PLAYS! July 2020 | Boston Parents Paper

63

SUMMER IN FRENCH AT THE FRENCH CULTURAL CENTER/ ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE OF BOSTON (BOSTON, MA) 617-912-0400 Age or Grade Range: Age: 3 - 17 Language Studies www.frenchculturalcenter.org

THE ULTIMATE DAY CAMP AT DEDHAM HEALTH & ATHLETIC (DEDHAM) 781-326-2900 At the Ultimate Day Camp we aim to make each day the “BEST DAY EVER”.

We pack all that DHAC has to offer into every week! Campers love the water park. http://www.dedhamhealthsummer.com/camp/

TUFTS UNIVERSITY DESIGN AND ENGINEERING WORKSHOPS (MEDFORD, MA) Age or Grade Range: Age: 4 - 18

workshops! Kids will learn about the Engineering Design Process through hands-on activities. Grades: K - 12.

Learn more and register at http://outreach.tuftsceeo.org/

WELLESLEY THEATRE PROJECT SUMMER CAMP (WELLESLEY)

WALNUT HILL SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS SUMMER PROGRAMS (VIRTUAL)

Wellesley Theatre Project offers a variety of Summer camps including full scale production camps and weekly camps for students 4 years old through 12th grade.

Sessions include three production camps geared for students between 2nd and 12th grade in addition to one week Theatre Arts camps for Pre K- 12th grade. The production camps are: Annie, KIDS! (Grades 2-8), Newsies (Grades 2-12), and Footloose (Grades 8-12). https://www.wellesleytheatreproject.org/ summer-camps ²

508-650-5020 Age or Grade Range: Ages 10-17 Walnut Hill School for the Arts offers dynamic summer programs for creative middle and high school students passionate about music, theater, dance, visual arts and film making.

Each summer, we welcome hundreds of talented students from across the country and around the world to our Natick, Massachusetts, campus.

Students enhance their skills and work with expert faculty and peers who share their exceptional abilities and love for the arts. https://www.walnuthillarts.org/ communityacademy

FOR GIRLS & BOYS GRADES 5-12

✺ ✺ ✺

Specialty Programs GRADES 5–8

Sports Clinics GRADES 6–12

Academic Courses GRADES 6–12

SUMMER PROGRAMS

Join us as we explore robotics and engineering in fun week-long summer

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER:

bchigh.edu/summer REGISTRATION BEGINS FEBRUARY 11, 2020!

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781-235-1550 Age or Grade Range: Ages 4 - Grade 12

Make Housework a Family Affair

By Kerrie McLoughlin

P

arents, trust me here. Society will not be pleased with you if you set your kid loose at age 18 with zero life skills (like how to do laundry without turning it all pink or how you should take out an overflowing bag of trash without being asked). It’s never too early to get your child to start helping out around the house. But where to start? What can a teeny two-year-old do? Check out these ideas to turn the chore of housework into a fun family affair.

TOTS Toddlers might surprise you with their mad cleaning skills. They can fold napkins and towels or pick

up their own toys, even if that just means tossing them into a catch-all like a toy ottoman or set of colorful bins. They can also water plants, feed animals, dry pots and pans, toss wet laundry into the dryer, throw things away, recycle and help put away groceries.

LITTLE KIDS Preschoolers can do all the things a toddler can do … plus empty smaller trashcans into a big one, put away silverware, match socks, dust, “mop” and “vacuum,” and even put away their laundry (hang a wooden rod in their closet low enough for them to be able to hang up their clothes). Jayna Ely said of her now 7-year-old son, “When my son was a preschooler, we started a game called ‘clean up hide and go seek.’ While one person counts, the other people go hide. Once a person is found we pick up 2, 3, 4 or 5 (depending on how messy the house is) things in the room they hid in.” Set up a chart with simple pictures so your child knows the chores you would like her to do.

BIG KIDS School-age kids can do dishes, empty the dishwasher, start a load of laundry, take out the trash, help with bathrooms, vacuum (for real!) and

put away their own laundry. A great way to connect with your child as he gets older is to dump the laundry out on the bed then fold it together as you chat.

When things get really messy, I like to write tasks on pieces of paper, fold them up and put them in a bowl.

I have one kid pick a task and then choose the person they want to help them. For harder tasks, create an instruction sheet, put it in a sheet protector, then do the task with them until they get the hang of it.

Whether or not you use an incentive system is up to you. Some parents pay out cash per chore to older kids, while some may pay with a sticker or the promise of a small toy for a preschooler. Some parents simply use the promise of an outing (park, pool, playdate) as incentive to clean up.

Remember that these are kids, and the job doesn’t have to be done perfectly. They will learn it well in their own time. The point is they are learning a life skill, so be patient. And don’t forget to put on some upbeat cleaning music! ² Kerrie McLoughlin, mom of 5, (TheKerrieShow.com) still can’t get used to the fact that her 17-year-old son does his own laundry without being asked!

July 2020 | Boston Parents Paper

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