Boston Parent March 2017

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Family Events & Activities 1

Boston Parents Paper | March 2017

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Boston Parents Paper | March 2017

Contents

March 2017

12

What’s Inside

Transition Planning for Youths with Disabilities

What you need to know and plan for before your child with special needs turns 18.

PLUS Special Needs Support Groups and Organizations..........................17

18

Benefits of Special Needs Summer Camps

Volume 32 • Number 8

4 On the Web

March's featured web content

6 Family Cents

Family Budget Meetings

STEM Sprouts Waterworks Museum

8 Family F.Y.I

10 Ages & Stages

Parents, We Have a Problem

20 Family Calendar

Maple Sugaring.......... 24 Curtain Call................ 25 I Love a Parade........... 31

Help Your Child Excel at Math

34 Teach In

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Directories 19 26 28 30 33

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

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

March 2017 | BostonParentsPaper.com

3

✼ On the Web This month at BostonParentsPaper.com ✼ on the webNORTHEAST Spotlight Day Camps

• Residential

Northeast Camp Guide

2016 Editio

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BostonPare ntsPaper.co m

CAMP GUIDE

Camps • Enrichm ent Program s • Camps for

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Special Needs

Your Child’s Summer Eve Best Starts Here! r

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

This Month at

The Camp

PLUS:

Experience Family Camp s Dealing with Food Aller gies Specialty Progr ams Boston Parent’s Paper published Parenting, by LLC., a division of

Enter to Win Tickets to the Blue Man Group — Boston Enter to win four tickets to the Blue Man Group at the Charles Playhouse.

Are you feeling the Winter Blues? Enter a photo of how you are beating the winter blues and one lucky winner will receive tickets to see the Blue Man Group in Boston.

Please send your submission to editor@ bostonparentspaper.com with subject line of Blue Man by March 20th.

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All Rights Reserved.

Education & Enrichment Guide Who’s YourOur 2016-2017 edition of Education & Enrichment Guide is Favorite? the No. 1 resource for learning

Enter to Win …

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the beloved Browse our virtualmusical, magazines, including Fiddler on the Roof Expecting, Childcare & Preschool Guide, features a cast of Family Survival Guide, Your Child with Special Boston-area favorites Needs and Education in this energetic & Enrichment Guide at BostonParentsPaper.com production that puts

about public and private Our 2017 Family Favorite schools, special education Awards ballot is here, and enrichment programs, and we need your input! promoting good homework the classic story’s WINNERin print as well Each year, we poll our and studying habits. Available fi erce heart atfor the the best doctors, If you're searching as online at BostonParentsPaper.com – just click on readers for their top picks center of the audience Education tab. professional service providers, of places to shop, dine and & Enrichment Guide in the “Magazines”hospitals, experience with its timeless warmth, humor, and maternityhonesty. and newborn care, special needs play – everything from baby gear and book stores Playing at the Charles Mosesian Theater services or entertainment to kids’ classes, camps, and zoos. Head from Dec. 2-24. Contestproviders, ends Nov. 21. visit Themuseums Elf Is Back!

BostonParentsPaper.com/listing online to BostonParentsPaper.com/familyfavorite As soon as we put our heads to bed to vote for your favorites today.Thanksgiving We’ll publish after a delicious meal, the the loveable on the Shelf returns winners in our annual Best ofElfthe Best publication Expecting to many family’s homes and the this summer. And you’ll be automatically entered Our 2016 edition of Expecting fun begins. Check out some of to win a $100 Visa holiday gift card as our thanks for your will help you plan for your the hilarious places where kids have help. newborn before and after found their elves by scanning this QR code or visiting

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Boston Parents Paper | November 2016

Boston Parents Paper | March 2017

he or she arrives. Turn each page to find informative articles on pregnancy symptoms you may not know about, prenatal nutrition, what makes new parents panic, why babies smile, valuable resources and much more! Available in print as well as online at BostonParentsPaper.com – just click on Expecting in the “Magazines” tab.

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March 2017 | BostonParentsPaper.com

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✼ Family Cents

How to Have Family Budget Meetings

By Aaron Crowe

F

amily meetings can be a pain in the neck.

They can lead to people taking on more responsibilities for a common goal.

One family meeting that shouldn’t be avoided is a monthly family budget meeting. If you’re not already doing this, it’s time to start. If you can increase that to one per week, then you’re much more on top of your finances than a lot of people.

A family budget meeting should have a few goals.

The main one should be to go over all the bills and assets together and discuss strategy. A second goal is to discuss long-term goals and how to pay for them.

You can add others if you’d like, such as going over chores with the kids and paying them if everything is completed, but children don’t have to be a part of all of a family meeting. After all, how many 8-year-olds want to review bills? But they can help on setting long-term goals.

Family budget meetings can be great ways to get older children involved in money decisions. The meetings should give them the feeling that they’re part of a team and not get them worried about how to deal with money.

All of this should take 20 minutes, max. Go beyond that and you’ll risk losing someone’s attention, or you likely have a bigger issue — such as discussing summer wardrobe purchases for the family — that can be a separate, mini-budget meeting.

How to prepare for a family budget meeting Before you have a family budget meeting, you should plan for it. There’s probably a “saver” among couples, and that person likely deals with the family budget: balancing the checkbook, paying bills, setting up automatic deposits to savings accounts, etc. Both people in a relationship should be responsible for the budget, but it may make things easier to have one person in charge of it overall.

There are many ways to keep track of a budget: On paper, spreadsheet on your computer, phone app or website that specializes in budgeting. Everyone should have a calculator.

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Boston Parents Paper | March 2017

Nuts and bolts of a meeting Start the meeting by reviewing the budget. It’s a lot simpler than you may think it is — amounts spent in various categories versus what you planned to spend. If you’re spending more than the amount you have budgeted in an area — such as dining out — then you’re over budget and are spending beyond your means or you’re covering it by spending less elsewhere.

Review spending, decide how to deal with spending that wasn’t budgeted, and go over savings goals and how you’ve met them or not this month.

After a review, you and your spouse can discuss changes and agree on a final budget for the upcoming month.

I won’t go into all the spending and saving categories that should be covered, but it’s worth mentioning that adults should have an account that they can each use however they want. See a dress you really want now? Use your “fun money” account to pay for it. It’s an expense you don’t have to explain to anyone.

Being over budget, at least for the first month or so, is likely. Don’t panic. These are skills you or your spouse may be learning for the first time, and discussing them together may not be easy. Don’t point fingers and don’t let one person take over the meeting. It’s a “family” meeting where everyone should be involved.

Lastly, get your computer out and end the meeting by transferring any money to the appropriate accounts. If your budget is so tight that you can’t set up automatic transfers, then now is a good time to move money to savings, retirement, college fund and “fun money” accounts, among others you may have.

That’s it. Expect some kinks along the way, but remember that creating and sticking to a family budget is a process. A family budget meeting can be one of the best ways to make your family’s financial life a lot easier.

Aaron Crowe is a freelance journalist who specializes in personal finance writing. He owns a few personal finance websites, including CashSmarter.com, where he writes about his family’s finances.

Follow him on Twitter @AaronCrowe.

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✼ Family F.Y.I. Blown Away

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TEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skills are essential to early childhood learning. STEM kits, like this one from lakeshorelearning.com, help develop those skills, offering kids a chance to explore complex concepts like structural stability size, balance and working to find a solution to a problem. The Three Little Pigs Problem Solving STEM Kit challenges young engineers to construct their own fairy tale endings as they design a house that blows them away but won’t be blown down.

STEM Sprouts

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An environmental microbiologist originally from Beverly is credited with proposing the acronym STEM. Rita Colwell, director of the National Science Foundation from 1998 to 2004, suggested that the foundation refer to its focus on science, technology, engineering and math as STEM aftwer the name-change was suggested at a science education meeting. Apparently, the former acronym – SMET – wasn’t well-received!

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oston Children’s Museum in collaboration with National Grid and WGBH provides on their website a downloadable STEM teaching guide featuring the characters form Peep and the Big Wide World focused on preschoolers. This guide provides activities involving the five sense as well as the four STEM principles. This teaching guide makes is a snap for families to introduce the STEM concepts to preschoolers. www.

BostonChildrensMuseum. org

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ish, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, is said to be good for boosting brain power and reducing the effects of conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Other good brain foods include blueberries, nuts, seeds, avocados and whole grains. For short-term alertness, try dark chocolate!

Cozying Up with Numbers People frequently associate reading with pleasure, but math doesn’t tend to give them that warm fuzzy feeling. Bedtime Math is looking to change this. What started as founder Laura Bilodeau Overdeck’s family ritual of having herself or her husband snuggle up with their children at night and do math problems has grown into a worldwide movement. www.bedtimemath.org 8

Boston Parents Paper | March 2017

Waterworks Museum, Boston

Waterworks Museum

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ooking to take an interesting field trip? Try the Waterworks Museum in Boston. If you’ve ever wondered where our water comes from, this is the place to find out. You’ll learn the history of Boston’s water supply since the late 1800s and see three steampowered pumping engines. As you walk through the old pumping station, you’ll learn how public health, social history, engineering and magnificent architecture came together.

EXPLORE YOUR WORLD Paper or plastic cups make great tools for curious young builders, scientists and mathematicians. Make structures by stacking the cups pyramid-style or arrange them on the floor to form geometric shapes and patterns. With imagination added in, they can provide hours of fun.

To nurture little ones’ natural curiosity, have them make predictions, such as “sink or float?” or “magnetic or not magnetic?” Then test them out.

BAG IT This is fizzy fun.

You’ll need sandwich bags, paper towels, baking soda, vinegar and water. Tear a paper towel into squares and add 1½ tbsp. of baking soda to the center, then fold the sides in to make a packet. Pour ½ cup vinegar and ¼ cup warm water into your bag. Toss the baking soda packet into the mixture and close quickly. Give it a shake and then stand back to watch it pop.

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✼ Ages & Stages

Parents, We Have a Problem What to do when a teacher says your child needs a professional evaluation.

By Meg Zweibeck, R.N.,M.P.H., Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

Question:

but if they wait too long to express concerns, many parents are upset because they had assumed everything was going well at school.

At whatever point a teacher brings concerns to parents, it is most helpful if the teacher has already done some initial observations and evaluation of a child’s strengths and weaknesses. General comments don’t help you to know what steps you need to take.

Answer: It can be very hard for parents to Here are some elements that are get the recommendation for an “eval- useful in evaluating a child with uation” from a teacher. First, you are classroom difficulties. If a parent being given worrisome news—your is being asked to seek consultation child is not doing as well in school outside the school, it is often helpful as you expected. Second, you’re being to involve the school principal in asked to find an explanation or a the evaluation and recommendation solution, without much guidance process. If your child is in a public about where to begin. You’re in a dif- school, you can also request that a ficult and upsetting situation, which “student study team” meet to help is not that uncommon. coordinate an initial plan. That Your son’s teacher, like most meeting will include the principal, a teachers, is probably experienced in school psychologist, the teacher, and managing a classroom in a way that other professionals who are involved works well for most children. All with your child. teachers at times will have a child If you decide to seek further in his or her class who doesn’t “go evaluation, you’ll need to gather with the flow.” If a child’s behavior information. or difficulty staying on task continue • A written teacher evaluation to be a problem, a teacher will talk that describes specific behaviors, to parents about the problem. Some including academic performance, teachers will tell parents in the first is very important. The purpose of a few months of the school year that teacher evaluation is not to diagnose they are concerned about a child, but a child, but to pinpoint the areas other teachers will wait to see how where a child is having problems a child changes or matures in his and the areas in which the child is behavior over time. Either approach functioning well. The teacher should can be problematic. Teachers don’t also look at the child’s intellectual like to worry parents unnecessarily, and emotional development and age Our son’s first-grade teacher has just told us that we “should have him evaluated.” She says that he’s having difficulty paying attention in class and gets very silly. She says he is smart and that he’s learning to read but not as well as he should be.

We’re very upset and we don’t know where to start.

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Boston Parents Paper | March 2017

in comparison to other children in the classroom. The teacher should also note what methods have been tried to modify the child’s behavior.

The more careful and precise the teacher’s evaluation is, the more likely it is that parents will accept that their child is having difficulties that warrant intervention.

• A classroom observation by someone other than the teacher is important. All children benefit from being closely observed in the classroom. The teacher cannot do this observation because she or he is a part of the process being evaluated.

Another teacher, the school director, or a trained professional should observe the child in class to note times when the child is cooperating as well as having difficulties. The classroom environment should also be observed. Sometimes the observer will use a checklist of behaviors, which is very helpful for a more descriptive and objective measure of a child’s actions.

This information can help to clarify the potential causes of a child’s difficulty in the classroom. In order to help a child, the teacher and family must consider many possible causes for the child’s difficulty.

Without a careful evaluation, a child may be inappropriately labeled as a “behavior problem.” All of the following causes should be considered: • Physical problems: Vision and hearing should be tested yearly. The child should have a complete routine physical exam, not just be seen when

he’s sick. A health-care provider should review with the family the child’s daily patterns, including sleep, exercise, activity, and any illness. If a child has a chronic illness or is taking any medication, the impact of these factors should be considered. All of these factors can and do influence behavior in the classroom.

• General behavioral problems: Sometimes the behaviors that are of concern occur only at school and rarely at home. Other times parents realize that they are experiencing the same challenges at home. It’s important to seek help managing home-based behavior as part of an evaluation.

• Stress can impact a child’s behavior at school. When a child is using energy to cope with stress, classroom behavior may be affected.

Stress is often not avoidable, nor are the causes always “bad.” A new baby at home, a best friend moving away, or even being on a high-pressure soccer team can be as disruptive as more serious stresses such as parents’ fighting, divorce, or a death in the family. A parent-teacher conference can help identify factors that may be affecting the child’s overall emotional state. If a problem continues over several months and is not getting better, a teacher may reasonably ask parents to have the child evaluated by a psychotherapist.

• Leaning difficulties can be a cause of misbehavior at school. If a child is having difficulty with the

work expected in the classroom, she or he may employ many strategies to avoid doing it. Misbehavior, inattention, or acting bored can be signs that the child can’t do the work (rather than won’t do it). A careful evaluation of the child’s learning abilities in relation to age, grade in school, and intelligence may be necessary. This kind of evaluation can begin with an analysis by the teacher of the child’s current proficiency and rate of progress. It may be appropriate to refer the child for educational testing, which should be done by an educational psychologist or learning specialist.

• Attention issues may become apparent in the first few years of school. The child who has trouble staying on task can be challenging for the teacher. Children with attention deficit disorder don’t all look alike. A child who can stay focused and on task at home may lose that ability as the level of stimulation increases. The child may be able to read a book if the room is quiet, but she may look up constantly if a group of children is working nearby. Or the child may look out the window and daydream while the teacher is giving instructions to the class. A stimulating learning environment that works well for many children can overwhelm a child who has difficulty focusing.

If a child is having trouble paying attention in class but seems focused and can work well when she gets individual attention, the teacher

should consider the possibility of ADHD. However, teachers should be aware that ADHD and learning difficulties can cause similar types of inattention. Not only that, but a child who doesn’t get enough sleep may act the same way at school as a child who has been diagnosed with ADHD. Therefore, no child should be diagnosed as having ADHD without a thorough educational evaluation. A complete evaluation will require collaboration between a physician and other professionals, who may include psychologists, teachers, or other specialists. Teachers should be aware that the words “attention deficit disorder” can be very upsetting to parents and that it is better to describe a child’s behavior without attaching a label or possible diagnosis.

When a teacher ask parents to get help for a child, they will be most helpful if they first identify for parents the areas of a child’s strengths as well the possible causes of a child’s difficulties.

Once everyone agrees that the child is having difficulties, the next step is to use school resources to help direct parents to additional referrals or recommendationsw to further evaluate the problem.

Meg Zweiback is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner who counsels parents about children’s behavior and development. Her website, www. bringingupkids.com has more articles and information about children of different ages.

March 2017 | BostonParentsPaper.com

11

By Annette Hines

Transition Planning

For Youth with Disabilities

By Annette M. Hines

“TRANSITION REFERS TO

a change in status from behaving primarily as a student to assuming emergent adult roles in the community. These roles include employment, participating in post- secondary education, maintaining a home, becoming appropriately involved in the community and experiencing satisfactory personal and social relationships. The process of enhancing transition involves the participation and coordination of school programs, adult agency services and natural supports within the community.

”

– Massachusetts Governor’s Commission on Intellectual Disability

T

his quote goes to the heart of the matter of how to help youth with disabilities make the transition to adulthood.

It is a community e ort.

An individual’s transition plan must look at many elements of adult living: employment opportunities, vocational and post-secondary education, where to live and with whom, independent living skills, recreation, leisure activities, social relationships, selfadvocacy, health and safety, financial benefits and income planning. these elements fall within four categories:

1

School to Work

All students with disabilities must operate under an Individualized Education Program (IEP), which must include a Transition Planning Form by the time the student turns 16, in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Under

Massachusett’s law, this form must be completed by age 14. IDEA states that appropriate educational and transitional services are guaranteed, a school-based team that includes the parents and the student develops the IEP, and it is a “results-oriented” process.

To get the best outcome, the team must review the student’s strengths and preferences, and it must have an action plan that discusses instruction, related services, community experiences, employment, daily living skills and functional vocational evaluations. Many times we see a Transition Planning Form that merely repeats the same goals listed in the IEP. is does not really satisfy the law.

Transition goals are separate from IEP goals because they look at more than just the educational process.

This is when a parent’s and student’s vision statement, which is a required part of the IEP, becomes very important. A student may state that he wants to be a professional baseball player. Well, not all people continued on page 14 >>>

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Boston Parents Paper | March 2017

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<<< continued from page 12

have a skill set to be a professional athlete; but there are ways to include the love of baseball into this studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life and employment plans. Perhaps the student can volunteer for the local team, or maybe he can work at a sports store or a stadium. Once you have the vision, mapping out the process through individualized assessments and an action plan becomes a little easier.

Public Benefits and Public Agencies

2

Next, we would determine the appropriate transition agency that would deliver adult services to the student. In Massachusetts, the two most likely agencies are the Department of Developmental Services, which serves people with intellectual disabilities, and the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, which serves just about everybody else. These agencies have particular programs that may be appropriate for an individual, and these programs have income, asset and other eligibility rules that are important. In general, they serve individuals with disabilities who are of low income and resources.

The other two benefits that will likely become extremely important for adults with disabilities will be Social Security Income payments and your state Medicaid program. These two programs will typically

FEDERATION FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

establish a baseline of eligibility for other various educational, housing and support programs in your state. therefore, eligibility for these programs is a gateway to many other benefits.

You want to be declared eligible for benefits under todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eligibility rules because every year that goes by, the rules make it harder and harder to qualify.

Medicaid is a very helpful program for many people with disabilities. It offers care and medical supports that most private insurers do not pay for, such as personal care attendants, nursing, incontinence supplies, medications, equipment and services. In Massachusetts, we have signed on to three federal waiver programs for adults, which combined with our state agency, the Department of Developmental Services, provide a valuable bundle of services and financial support for our most vulnerable population to continue living in the community. However, this waiver program requires you to be of li le means in terms of income and assets.

3

Financial Management

To stay under these income and asset limits, most planners for children with special needs will use two different kinds of special needs trusts to allow a family, or even disabled persons themselves, to put aside resources to help support them

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FEDERATION FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

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Boston Parents Paper | March 2017

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and still qualify for public benefits. These trusts, if appropriately drafted, do not count as assets of the person with the disability.

The most popular trust is typically known as a Supplemental Needs Trust (SNT).This trust is funded with other people’s money, not money of the person with the disability. In most instances, the trust is funded at the death of the parents of the disabled person, but may also be funded by the parents during their lifetimes. The trust may also hold gifts from anybody else who would like to provide support for the disabled beneficiary. is trust is set aside for the benefit of the disabled person and must be completely discretionary.

In other words, the trustee has the absolute authority to decide what distributions to make from the trust. e disabled person may not be a trustee. The trust is held for the lifetime of the disabled beneficiary, and the original creators of the trust get to decide the successor trustees and beneficiaries.

In addition to that trust, we also have a provision under the Social Security laws that allows disabled people to take their own money and put it in a trust that will be available for their benefit but will not count against them when qualifying for public benefits.

This is typically known as a (d)(4)(A) trust or an OB 93 trust. It seems impossible that the government would allow this, but there is a catch. If a disabled beneficiary does use a trust of this type, when he dies, the trust must name as the successor beneficiary each state that has provided Medicaid benefits to the disabled beneficiary. The state Medicaid agency may recoup or “recover” all costs of providing medical care to that disabled beneficiary for his entire lifetime.

This means that if a person with a disability passes away and there is $100,000 le in the trust, a state may place a lien on those assets to satisfy any medical payments it has made throughout the person’s lifetime. In addition, there are other significant differences between a (d)(4)(A) and a SNT. A (d)(4)(A) trust can only be established by a parent, grandparent or legal guardian of the disabled beneficiary or by court order. e trust can only be established and funded for a person under the age of 65. Lastly, the trust must be irrevocable, meaning it cannot be changed or terminated.

Although these requirements can be very daunting, a (d)(4)(A) trust is very helpful to a person with a disability under certain circumstances so that the person does not lose valuable benefits provided by the federal or state government.

4

Boston March for Babies Date: Saturday, May 13, 2017 Registration: 9:00AM | Start: 10:00 AM Walk distance: 3 miles DCR Hatch Memorial Shell 45 David G. Mugar Way Boston, MA 02108 Register online at: marchforbabies.org/event/boston We're getting ready to walk in March for Babies!

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Legal Authorities

The last area reviewed is whether the parents or other trusted adults need to remain involved in some legal capacity with the person with the disability. This could include either guardianship, conservatorship, or durable powers of attorney and health care proxies. continued on page 16 >>>

March 2017 | BostonParentsPaper.com

15

needed for the disabled individual by court intervention and oversight. Perhaps she lacks the capacity to validly When children turn 18, they become their own legal execute a durable power of attorney or health care proxy. persons. Regardless how severe a disability, there is no Or, in rarer cases, a court-appointed fiduciary is needed presumption of incapacity. Only a court can determine because there is no interested party available to serve as whether a person is incapacitated, to what extent, an agent under a durable power of attorney or a health whether a guardian should be named and who should care proxy. be named. is action does not take place automatically; it Each state has its own laws regarding health care must be initiated by some interested person. Each state proxies and durable powers of attorney, but in general, requires medical documentation of the incapacity and the documents are: sets its own standard for determining whether incapacDurable Power of Attorney, which governs financial ity exists. decisions and gives the agent the authority to act on the The most important fact for family members to part of the principal (the person with the disability). It is remember is that without this legal finding of incapacity, typically a concurrent power, meaning that the agent and there are confidentiality issues around health care and the principal can act simultaneously; cannot be used to financial information of the disabled person. A parent void contracts and is easily revoked by the principal. can no longer automatically Health Care Proxy, make health care decisions which governs health care or perform banking tasks decisions and gives the for their child. It often agent the authority to act comes as quite a shock to on the part of the principal. family members when they Typically it is a springing realize this. power, which goes into To decide whether effect only when a physiguardianship or other legal cian says so. It cannot be authorities are appropriused for day-to-day health ate, you must review your care decisions and is easily childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s individual needs, revoked by the principal. strengths, weaknesses and With each of these, the risks. A specific diagnosis, principal has a very low or the fact that a person threshold for capacity to has an intellectual or Once you have the vision, mapping out the sign the documents. They physical disability, does process through individualized assessments must only understand not mean he is incapaciand an action plan becomes a little easier. at a very basic level the tated. The determination authority and to whom they of incapacity is very are giving it. The difficult individualized. aspect of this for many people I work with is the fact that Considering whether guardianship can be avoided is it is easily revoked. If you have a child that is variable in a valuable process. Guardianship can be wa cumbersome any way, this may not be the solution for you. and expensive undertaking. In most states the process Decisions regarding transition are very difficult to is public, meaning it happens in open court, and the make, and the planning requires time and good support pleadings led with the court, except for medical informa- people on your team. e process should start when the tion, are open to the public. The legal determination of person with the disability is a teenager, with the hardincapacity eviscerates the option of self- determination. est work being done around age 17. The plan should be Other alternatives to guardianship, such as health care flexible and evolve over time. An attorney specializing proxies, powers of attorney and other agency appointin this field, a financial planner and a care manager can ments, are less intrusive and should be reviewed. add enormous value when planning for the transition to However, there are times when guardianship cannot adulthood of a youth with disabilities. or should not be avoided. As the mother of a severely * Note: This material is intended to offer general infordisabled teenager, and in my law practice, I usually err mation and should not be relied upon as specific legal on the side of guardianship because I find it to be a more advice. cautious approach. The statistics of financial and physiAttorney Annette M. Hines has been practicing in the areas of special cal abuse and neglect of the disabled in our communities needs, elder law and estate planning for more than 18 years. She is the mother of a child with disabilities, and is the founder and managare frightening. Many of our disabled family members ing partner of Special Needs Law Group of Massachusetts, PC, in may be vulnerable and at risk. Sometimes, protection is Framingham. For more information, visit specialneeds-law.com. <<< continued from page 15

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Boston Parents Paper | March 2017

• Learning Disabilities Worldwide – 978-897• Jewish Community Centers 5399; ldworldwide.org – This of Greater Boston – 617-558- professional organization (for 6507; bostonjcc.org – Offer a full researchers, educators, clinicians and others) has a “parents” array of special needs programs section on its website with for children and adults. current articles. to fund access and safety modifications to their homes.

continued on page 32 >>>

SPECIAL NEEDS SUPPORT GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS These Massachusetts organizations offer support, information and/or advocacy for individuals with special needs, their parents and their caregivers. Many of these groups also offer referrals or links to related services.

• Advocates for Autism of Massachusetts – 781-8916270; afamaction.org – Public advocacy organization offering resources regarding autism spectrum disorder. Click “links” for support centers in your area.

• Autism Coalition of Massachusetts – 781-891-6270, ext. 102; autismcoalitionofma.com – A network of local organizations that support individuals and their families by sharing resources and working as a collective voice on policy change.

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Our program provides a holistic, student-centered approach in a school- based setting, as well as support to families.

Services provided include: • Physical Therapy • Occupational Therapy • Speech Therapy • Vision Therapy • Eagle EyesTM • Music Therapy • Healthcare Services

• Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism – 617-236-7210; 800-331-0688 (in Mass.); flutiefoundation.org – Provides family and technology grants through its programs, along with grants to nonprofit organizations that provide services to individuals with autism.

• Federation for Children with Special Needs – 617236-7210; 800-331-0688 (in Mass.); fcsn.org – Advocacy, resources and information for parents and professionals.

• Home Modification Loan Program – mass.gov/ mrc/hmlp – Facilitated by the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, this program helps individuals with disabilities

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Don Ricciato Ph.D. Director The Campus School at Boston College 140 Commonwealth Avenue Chestnut Hill, MA 02467

• Autism Society, Massachusetts – 781-2370272, ext. 17; autism-societymassachusetts.org – The local chapter of this national organization is a “point-of entry” for people newly diagnosed with autism or new to the area and in need of referrals and resources.

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17

Benefits of

Special Needs Summer Camps AT

AGE 6, KIM KELLY PAID HER FIRST VISIT to a special needs residential camp. It was an experience she and her family will never forget.

Up to this point, Kim had lived a pretty sheltered life, her mother Ruth Kelly explains. “Because she has a hearing loss and an orthopedic problem, it was natural for me to want to hold her close.” By bringing Kim to camp, her mother realized two things: “My daughter needed to learn to do things on her own, and I needed to let go a little.” For the Kellys, it was a positive experience.

There’s a host of benefits children derive from a ending camp, but for kids with special needs, those benefits are amplified, says Amy Van Huss, administrator and director of Club Kodiak (a program for young adults) at Camp Kodiak in Ontario, Canada, a therapeutic, residential summer camp for children and teens with and without diagnoses like Attention Deficit Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Asperger Syndrome. “ Our goal is to provide all the fun of a traditional camp, but in a safe, supported setting,” Van Huss says. “Campers with special needs typically thrive in a structured, predictable environment with as few changes in schedule as possible.”

Heidi Haldeen, summer program specialist for an Easter Seals Camp, agrees. “At a special needs camp, kids

18

Boston Parents Paper | March 2017

By Denise Yearian

have the same opportunities they have at traditional camps. e only difference is the activities are modified according to the campers’ needs. is gives them a chance to shine.”

That’s what 9-year-old Tiffany Wells found as a camper.

During the school year, Tiffany, who has cerebral palsy and asthma, played on a so ball team and in a community bowling league; but because none of the children she played with were disabled, the competition wasn’t always equal.

“Attending a special needs camp allowed Tiffany to compete on more even ground because all the other kids were playing with some kind of disability,” reports her mother Linda Wells. The result? “Tiffany saw that she could actually win and come out on top.”

According to Van Huss, “Camp Kodiak is a place where you are accepted and supported, and where you have the chance to grow. We offer as many different activities as we possibly can, everything from sailing to high ropes to waterskiing to the theater arts, with the hopes that they will find an activity they can continue at home. Seeing the growth in a camper socially, academically and functionally, as well as the growth in confidence – from the time they arrive at camp to the time they board the bus or climb into their parent’s car to go home – is truly amazing.”

Such was the case with Kim. When she first attended camp, she was afraid of the water. “She cried just getting her face wet,” her mother says, but “by summer’s end, she was jumping in the deep end and had received her first American Red Cross swimming certificate.”

While some parents and caregivers choose a summer camp for their children’s fun and recreation, others use it to continue education and therapy goals, and teach life skills. This is accomplished one step at a time. “It may mean being 10 minutes late for breakfast so Timmy can learn to tie his shoes by himself,” says Haldeen.

CAMPS AND SUMMER PROGRAMS Developing new skills isn’t the only thing kids glean at a special needs camp. They learn about friendships, too.

Last year when Tiffany went to camp, there was a girl in her cabin with a more severe case of cerebral palsy than Tiffany. Because Tiffany had spent her whole life with people helping her, she naturally wanted a chance to help others. “When we went to the dance, I got to push my new friend around in her chair,” says Tiffany. “I also got to help her eat.”

Van Huss notes, “Many of our campers have trouble making friends and maintaining friendships in their home environments. Just knowing there are other kids out there, just like them, is comforting. With our focus on social skill-building and with our specialized staff helping to guide social interactions, many of our campers leave having made lifelong friendships.”

When camp is over, what do the children take with them? For some, new skills. For others, new friends. And for many more, simply a fond memory of having had a break from their routine at home.

“Our campers look forward to returning year after year,” says Haldeen. “For many, we are their summer vacation. e minute they drive away, they are making plans to return next year.”

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

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

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

Sign up today at cambridgemontessori.org Contact: Beth Johns-Thomas Director of Summer Programs 617.206.4662 passport@cambridgemontessori.org

Denise Yearian is the former editor of two parenting magazines and the mother of three children.

Camps designed for specific needs offer very specialized care, but some families make inclusion their goal, preferring a traditional camp that caters to all children. Before enrolling your children in a camp, visit the facility and make sure it meets your expectations and needs. Here are a few things to keep in mind before choosing a traditional camp or special needs camp: • Is the camp accredited by the American Camping Association (www.acacamps.org) or the National Camp Association (www.summercamp.org)? Does it meet the organization’s standards for kids with special needs, including facility and staffing requirements?

• What training and experience do the directors and counselors have in working with kids with needs similar to your child’s?

• Ask for the names of families whose children have attended the camp who might be willing to discuss their experiences with you.

• What is the ratio of counselors to campers? For children with severe disabilities, the ratio should be at least one counselor for every three campers. What are the camp’s health and safety procedures? Who is the health care consultant? What emergency arrangements been made with a local hospital?

• Can I visit the camp to see the program firsthand? Do they have sessions year-round? If it’s a regular camp, are special efforts or programs in place to integrate a child with special needs? Is it accessible for children with limited mobility?

• What about the camp’s registration fee? Keep in mind that expense and quality may not go hand-in- hand because many specialized camps charge only a fraction of actual costs. Find out if scholarships are available.

– Denise Yearian

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March 2017 | BostonParentsPaper.com

19

February

Calendar

Live Animal Presentation The aquariumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s live animal programs take your visit to a whole new level! 10:45 am, New England Aquarium, 1 Central Wharf, Boston. Meet an aquarium animal up close! Adult: $26.95; College/Senior: $24.95; Child: $18.95. Rates effective until 4/1/17. 617-973-5200; www.neaq.org Top: Mandarinfish; left: northern fur seal, photo courtesy of New England Aquarium

20

Boston Parents Paper | March 2017

CAMPS AND SUMMER PROGRAMS

Membership Beach

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Hale Day Camp GOT LEGO FEVER? WEʼVE GOT THE CURE!

www.HaleReservation.org Westwood, MA

Stop Motion Animation

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• STEM Concepts • Problem Solving

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21

3 Friday

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

Boston Children’s Chorus, Rise Up Weekend

1 Wednesday ARTfull Play – Lincoln 10:30am, deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, 51 Sandy Pond Road, Lincoln. A play-based session engaging kids with art, books, materials, the environment and new friends. Ages 2–5. Free with admission. 781-259-8355; decordova.org

2 Thursday Read Across America Day 9am – 4:30pm, The Discovery Museums, 177 Main St., Acton.

Celebrate reading with surprise pop-up story times and an outdoor Story Walk. Free with admission. 978-264-4200; discoverymuseums. org

CAMPS AND SUMMER PROGRAMS

4pm, Boston University College of Fine Arts, 55 Commonwealth Ave. Boston. Boston Children’s Chorus presents “Rise Up,” a weekend of song and professional development and a public concert, with guest artist Jim Papoulis. 617-245-6045; See website for details and pre-registration bostonchildrenschorus.org

4 Saturday Tea & Sweets: A Colonial Tea 2:00 Concord Museum, 200 Lexington Road, Concord. Learn about tea and the revolution in the 1700s with a costumed museum interpreter who will lead a gallery talk at 3:00 p.m. $20 includes admission. 978-369-9763; concordmuseum.org

Lego Batman Movie Days 9am-6pm, LEGOLAND Discovery Centers, 598 Assembly Row, Somerville. Super hero. Crime-fighter. Master Builder. LEGO® Batman™ is all of those and so much more. Come meet Gotham City’s Caped Crusader during this celebration of the Warner Bros. feature film, which will include photo ops with the scene-stealing star, a themed scavenger hunt and a LEGO® Batman™-inspired LEGO build activity. See website for schedules and rates. boston. legolanddiscoverycenter.com

Family Owl Prowl 5pm, Oak Knoll Wildlife Sanctuary, 1417 Park St., Attleboro.

Explore the park after dark as you learn about owls and their habitats. Dress warmly. Registration required. Adults, $8; youth, $6. 508-223-3060; massaudubon.org

Magic and Beyond - The Magic of Illusionist David Garrity 10:30am, Regent Theatre, 7 Medford St., Arlington. An interactive, magical illusionist who specializes in variety and entertainment for all ages. Adults, $10; youth, $8. 781-646-4849; regenttheatre.com

Badger Meets the Fairies 2pm, Arlington Center for the Arts, 41 Foster St., Arlington. Mr. Badger flies off to help the fairies build a playground. Then it gets complicated: the fairies won’t use cement, and Mr. Badger wants to learn to fly. Best for ages 3 to 10. $7. 781-643-1228; margaretmoodypuppets.com

March 2, Read Across America Day, The Discovery Museums, Acton.

DEBATE PUBLIC SPEAKING MODEL UN

DAY and OVERNIGHT CAMPS • 1 week programs • all levels / grades 5 - 11

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w w w . d e b a t e c a m p . c o m 22

Boston Parents Paper | March 2017

CAMPS AND SUMMER PROGRAMS

Open House Saturday, March 4 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Juntos Exploramos Vengan y Exploren con nosotros!

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

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

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

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

Limited space still available!

Session I: July 3rd - July 28th Session 2: July 31st - August 25th

ited Lim Still ts Spo lable! i Ava

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

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

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

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

Ex

B with

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Ages 3–18 Boston • Newton • North Shore Photo by Igor Burlak Photography

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mmer this su e c dan e r Ballet School o pl ston July and August

23

Each day at the781-320-1320 Pine Village Summer Program, the children 10 Campus Drive and teachers will embark on a Dedham, MA 02026 magnificent imaginary journey Summer Camp for Ages 3 ½ – 14 to explore these Spanish noblesdaycamp.org speaking countries and experience life as a child in a different country.

Enroll Online Today www.bostonballet.org/school

Boston Parents Paper | March 2017

247th Anniversary of the Boston Massacre

Harlem Globetrotters

7pm, Old State House, 206 Washington St., Boston. Hundreds of reenactors perform at the exact location of the original event that changed the course of history. FREE. 617-720-1713; bostonhistory. org

TD Garden,100 Legends Way, Boston. Also, March 11, varying times. $20 and up. 617-624-1050; tdgarden.com

Maple Sugaring Tours

Featuring NMYO Maple Street Congregational Church, 90 Maple St., Danvers. 3:30pm. FREE 978-309-9833; nmyo.org

10:30am, 12:30 & 2:30pm, Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, 87 Perkins Row, Topsfield. Take a naturalist-guided tour and watch the entire sugaring process, right down to a sweet taste. Dress warmly. Weekends through March 13. Adults, $10; youth, $8. 978887-9264; massaudubon.org

Hansel & Gretel 10:30am, Amazing Things Arts Center, 160 Hollis St., Framingham.

Tanglewood Marionettes’ production of Hansel and Gretel is based on the classic fairytale by the Brothers Grimm, and features melodies from the Humperdinck opera. $8. 508-405-2787; amazingthings.org

5 Sunday Mask Making 1-4pm, Children’s Museum in Easton, 9 Sullivan Ave., North Easton.

Inspired by Mardi Gras, come design a colorful mask and learn about mask-making around the world!. Free with admission.

508-230-3789; childrensmuseumineaston.org

Pancakes at the Farm 9am – 1pm, Heifer Farm, 216 Wachusett St., Rutland. Eat a hearty breakfast, then tour the maple sugaring operation and meet the newborn lambs.

Reservations required. Adults, $14; youth, $7. Weekends through March 12. 508-886-2221; heifer.org/farm

Maple Days 9:30am – 4pm, Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge. See how maple sugaring was done in 19th-century rural New England. Free with admission.

Weekends through March 27. 800-733-1830; osv.org

Chamber Music concert

6 Monday Especially for Me Mornings for Families with deaf, hard of hearing, & koda infants and toddlers, 9:30am – 12:30pm, The Discovery Museums, 177 Main St., Acton. Join in all the fun during this special free morning for families with infants and toddlers with hearing loss. Free with pre-registration. 978-264-4200; discoverymuseums.org

Olympic Coast Exhibit 9am-5pm, New England Aquarium, 1 Central Wharf, Boston. The Olympic Coast exhibit at the Aquarium was recently renovated and expanded to provide a home to many marine animals from this region of the Pacific Northwest. Tidepool invertebrates include hermit crabs, sea stars, sea cucumbers, snails, and anemones. The Olympic Coast is also home to the giant Pacific octopus, the largest known species of octopus. Fishes include the wolf-eel, starry flounder, spotted ratfish, kelp perch, and Pacific spiny lumpfish.

Adult: $26.95; College/Senior: $24.95; Child: $18.95. Rates effective until 4/1/17. 617-973-5200; www.neaq.org

7 Tuesday SMART Gals 2pm, The Discovery Museums, 177 Main St., Acton. It’s Women’s History Month and today, learn about paleontologist Mary Anning with hands-on fossil digging.

Free with admission. 978-264-4200; discoverymuseums.org

8 Wednesday Sap to Syrup – morning

Seussational!

11am – 2pm, Providence Children’s Museum, 100 South St., Providence, R.I. Celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday with stories, slime, costumes and more. Free with admission. 401-273-5437; childrenmuseum.org

10 - 11:30am, Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, 293 Moose Hill Parkway, Sharon. It’s maple sugaring time at Moose Hill. Try your hand at becoming a maple sugar farmer. For ages 4-6. Registration required. $12. 781-784-5691; massaudubon.org

Maple Sugaring Tours — Signs of Spring

W

hen wispy smoke appears from the sugar shack chimney that can only mean one thing: It’s syrup season! Visit a local sugar shack. (A listing of them can be found at BostonParentsPaper.com/ maplesugaring.) Or attend one of these maple-themed events for a taste of madeon-the-spot sweetness.

24

Boston Parents Paper | March 2017

Maple Sugaring Tours — weekends, Feb. 25 – March 12, Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, 87 Perkins Row, Topsfield. Adults, $10; children, $8. 978-8879264; massaudubon.org/ ipswichriver Maple Days — weekends, March 4-26, Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge. Free with admission. 800-7331830; osv.org

Maple Festival — March 13, South Shore Natural Science Center, 48 Jacobs Lane, Norwell. $8. 781-659-2559; southshorenaturalsciencecenter. org Maple Sugar Days Festival — March 18-19, Noon – 4 p.m.

Brookwood Farm, 11 Blue Hill River Rd., Canton. Adults, $10; children, $5. 617-333-0690; massaudubon.org

Science Stuff Series: Sticky Stuff 3:30 – 5pm, Habitat Education and Wildlife Sanctuary, 10 Juniper Road, Belmont. We need your help with some special science stuff. Experiment with glues handmade from household items like milk and cornstarch, explore elasticity through dough, taffy, and building our own balloon-powered rockets. For ages 6-10.

Registration required. $18. 617-489-5050; massaudubon.org

9 Thursday Imagine, Sing, & Learn: Ready for Winter!

9:30 – 11am, Joppa Flats Education Center, 1 Plum Island Turnpike, Newburyport. This parent/child program is designed for the creative, curious, and active preschooler who loves animals. A structured series of activities including original songs, movement, dramatic play, hands-on science, and a thematic snack. For families with children ages 3-6. Registration required. Members Adult $6/Child $5, Nonmembers Adult $8/Child $7. 978-462-9998; massaudubon.org

Brimmer and May School — 69 Middlesex Road, Chestnut Hill. 617-278-2330; brimmerandmay.org.

Curtain Call Here’s a roundup of this month’s productions at major theaters and performance centers. Check websites for times not listed below. For information on other productions, check our full calendar.

American Repertory Theatre — Oberon, 2 Arrow St., Cambridge. 617-547-8300; americanrepertorytheater. org.

The Night of the Iguana — February 18 - March 18, varying dates and times. A Nantucket portrait artist traveling with her ancient grandfather, a bus full of fuming Texan college administrators, and a party of vacationers round out the roster of misfits in this drama about how far we travel to outrun the demons within. Ages 8 and up. $15 and up.

Arsenal Center for the Arts — 321 Arsenal St., Watertown. 800-838-3006; watertownchildrenstheatre.org.

James & the Giant Peach — March 17-19, varying times.

Watertown Children’s Theatre students sing and dance their way through this fun-filled, timeless musical production. $14.

Boston Children’s Theatre — ­ Calderwood Pavilion, 527 Tremont St., Boston. 617-424-6634; bostonchildrenstheatre.org.

Curious George, The Giant Meatball — February 18 March 19, varying dates and times. It’s time to celebrate AllYou-Can-Eat Meatball day! Join the fun-loving little monkey Curious George as he helps his friend Chef Pisghetti cook the most delicious meatballs and see what happens when Curious George enters the meatballs in the world-famous Golden Meatball Contest in Rome! $20 and up.

Boston Opera House — 539 Washington St., Boston.

617-259-3400; bostonoperahouse.com.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time — March 7 - 19, varying dates and times. Fifteen-year-old Christopher has an extraordinary brain; he is exceptionally intelligent but ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. When he falls under suspicion for killing his neighbor’s dog, he sets out to identify the true culprit, which leads to an earth-shattering discovery and a journey that will change his life forever. $40 and up. Ages 10 and up.

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Boston Parents Paper | March 2017

Into the Woods — March 2-4, varying times. Brimmer and May’s Upper School students present a story centered on a childless couple, who set out to end a curse placed on them by a vengeful witch.. $6 and up.

The Company Theatre — 30 Accord Park Drive, Norwell.

781-871-2787; companytheatre.com.

Sister Act — March 17 – April 9, varying dates and times. Sing Hallelujah for this new, ridiculously fun, feel-good musical that will have you jumping to your feet! $41 and up.

The Hanover Theatre — 2 Southbridge St., Worcester.

508-831-0800; thehanovertheatre.org.

PAW Patrol Live! — March 8, 10:00 a.m & 6:00 p.m. It’s the day of the Great Race between Adventure Bay’s Mayor Goodway and Foggy Bottom’s Mayor Humdinger, but Mayor Goodway is nowhere to be found. PAW Patrol to the rescue! $20 and up.

Shen Yun — March 11-12, varying times. Fascinating stories from 5,000 years of Chinese culture are told through the vivid athleticism and deep expressiveness of classical Chinese dance, $70 and up.

Reagle Music Theatre — 617 Lexington St., Waltham.

781-891-5600; reaglemusictheatre.org.

A Little Bit of Ireland — March 11-12, varying times. One of the largest Irish shows in New England with Irish tenors, Riverdance and much more. $37 and up.

Regent Theatre — 7 Medford St., Arlington.

781-646-4849; regenttheatre.com.

The Margot Fox Family Fun Time — March 11, 10:30 a.m.

Join Margot Fox and friends for some family-friendly folk-rock!

Come to dance, wiggle, and sing to her tunes, both old and new as we try to shake off the cold and look toward the Spring! $10 and up.

Symphony Hall­—301 Massachusetts Ave., Boston. 617266-1200; bso.org.

Concerts for Very Young People — March 12, 2:30 p.m. The BSO’s Concerts for Very Young people have been designed to build initial and direct connection between BSO Musicians and these families, offering young children an opportunity to engage with musical experiences of the highest quality, and deepening the BSO’s relationship with Boston Children’s Museum and the Boston area community. All concerts are at the Boston Children’s Museum. Admission to these concerts is free with a ticket to enter the museum

10 Friday

MFA Teen Arts Council: Stellar 70s Night 6 – 8:30pm, Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave., Boston.

Dress your 70s attire to the max; a costume contest with prizes will be held. Come make a groovy tie dye shirt or some psychadellic slime! Refreshments provided. Groove to some tunes and watch some 70s shows. Can you dig it? Registration Req. Free with admission. 617-267-9300; mfa.org

Second Fridays 5-8pm, MIT Museum, 265 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. Enjoy performances, demos and short talks throughout the galleries.

Theme: Nautical Night. Free with admission. 617-253-5927; web. mit.edu/museum

11 Saturday Little Groove

SCHOOLS AND CHILDCARE CENTERS

10:30am, Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St., Brookline. An interactive musical show where children are encouraged to play instruments and move their bodies. Adults, $12; youth, $9. 617734-2501; coolidge.org

Our mission is to create an early childhood program that fulfills the cognitive, emotional, social and physical needs of what is known to be the most significant period of human development.

Celebrate the Lions’ Birthdays 10:15am – 2pm, Franklin Park Zoo, 1 Franklin Park Road, Boston.

Lion brothers Dinari and Kamaia turn 7. Celebrate with zookeeper encounters, cake and more. Free with admission. 617-989-3742; zoonewengland.org

Friends Childcare offers an exciting, creative curriculum, as well as fun and stimulating learning activities for all age groups. Tailor-made schedule 7AM-6PM, 5 days a week. Regular in-house enrichment programs such as nature exploration, music, gross motor program, and baby massage are included in the tuition.

Sap-to-Syrup Farmer’s Breakfast

• Infants

9am – 1pm, Drumlin Farm, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln. See how sap is collected and enjoy a hearty breakfast. $15. 781-259-2206; massaudubon.org

(Birth to 15 Months)

• Toddlers

(15 Months to 33 Months)

• Preschool/ Pre-Kindergarten

Boston Babies Clothing Swap

(33 Months to 5 Years)

Brookline • 617-731-1008 • 617-739-0854

Call or email us to schedule a tour • friendschildcare.brookline@gmail.com www.friendschildcare.net

A

(newborn - 3T), 2-4pm First Church of Somerville, 89 College Avenue, Somerville. Donate clothes, baby and momma gear, and toys. Take home same. Extras donated to Cradles to Crayons. $5 per family, free with bag of 18m-3T clothing. www.facebook.com/ groups/Boston.Babies.Aug15.to.Feb16/

PREMIER COLLEGE

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With our academically challenging education, your student will be wellprepared for college. Our numbers tell the story!

• 100% of our graduates are accepted to one or more colleges* • $2.7 million in college scholarships offered to our graduates this year* *Graduation acceptance percentage based on student-reported data from 2016 graduates who applied to college; Scholarship amount based on the cumulative total of all scholarships offered to students accepted into college for the 2015- 2016 school year.

Learn more at an online information session.

Visit gwuohs.com/event or call 877.847.1165 for more details.

26

Boston Parents Paper | March 2017

12 Sunday

Conservatory’s Youth Concerto Competition, Ina Cui. $8 and up.

508-746-8008; plymouthphil.org

Family Concert 2pm, Memorial Hall, 83 Court St., Plymouth. Meet our Phil musicians and their instruments during a pre-concert instrument demonstration - the perfect way to test-drive many instruments!

Our hour-long Phil concert includes performances by The Plymouth Children’s Chorus and the winner of the South Shore hkcGreaterQuincyCldCtr1612.eps

1

10/28/16

11am – 3pm, Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, 293 Moose Hill St., Sharon. A guided tour of the sugaring process, including people portraying characters from the past. Registration recommended. $11. 781-784-5691; massaudubon.org

10:08 AM

SCHOOLS AND CHILDCARE CENTERS

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

• Infants: 8 weeks to 15 months • Toddlers: 15 months to 2.9 years • Preschool: 2.9 to 5 years • Kindergarten: 5 years by Oct. 31st • Hours: 7:30 am to 6 pm Fall 2017 Full Day Kindergarten – Year Round • Developmental Curriculum OPEN HOUSE Kindergarten FALL 2017 Friday, January 20th at 6:15 pm • Full or Part Week • Hot Lunch Age requirement: 5 by 10/31/17 (call for more information) We only close for 12 holidays!

• State-of-the-Art Center • Music & Large Motor Enrichment Programs • Small Teacher/Student Ratios • High-Tech Security System • Indoor and Outdoor Playgrounds • NAEYC Accredited We are celebrating 32 years of quality care & education.

617-773-8386 • e-mail: gqccc@aol.com www.greaterquincychildcare.com

For Early Childhood Program

Maple Sugaring Festival

Little People’s Playhouse

Educating and caring for your child like their own!

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

ONGOING ENROLLMENT

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

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

SCHOOL YEAR AND SUMMER PROGRAMS FULL AND EXTENDED DAY TM

Give your child the gift of bilingual education!

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Language Immersion

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www.MyBilingualPreschool.com March 2017 | BostonParentsPaper.com

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Lego Batman Movie Days 9am-6pm, LEGOLAND Discovery Centers, 598 Assembly Row, Somerville. Super hero. Crime-fighter. Master Builder. LEGO® Batman™ is all of those and so much more. Come meet Gotham City’s Caped Crusader during this celebration of the Warner Bros.

WEST film, which will include photo ops with the scene-stealing feature Valentine Card Making Party, 10am, The Eric Carle star, a themed scavenger hunt and a LEGO® Batman™-inspired Museum, 125 West Bay Road, Amherst. Pop in to make LEGO build activity. See website for schedules and rates. boston. special valentines for your family, friends or classmates. legolanddiscoverycenter.com Registration recommended. $12 per pair or trio.

413-658-1100; carlemuseum.org.

14 Tuesday 29Day Sunday Pi at Boston Children’s Museum

The Enchanted Forest, 10:30am, Coolidge 11am – 3pm, Boston Children’s Museum, 308Corner Congress St., Boston.

Theatre, 290 Harvard St.,things Brookline.

Artbarn, a youth Celebrate circles and all round.

Free with admission. community theater company, presents the tale of a w617-426-6500; bostonkids.org family vacation gone wrong. Adults, $13; youth, $10.

617-734-2501; coolidge.org.

Pi Day at The Discovery Museums

NORTH 10am, The Discovery Museums, 177 Main St., Acton. Visit today Ward Winter Fest, to 3pm, for circle-themed artnoon activities.

FreeWard withReservation, admission. 978-264-4200; Andover. Explore the property on a guided hike, or discoverymuseums.org bring your snowshoes and sled to play. Then warm up with refreshments Maple Moo by the fire. $10 per car. 978-886-5297; ttor.org.

3:30pm, Drumlin Farm, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln. Milk the cow, then check to see if the sap is running through the maple trees. Registration required. $15. 781-259-2206; massaudubon.org

s

7-9pm, Simons IMAX Theatre New England Aquarium, 1 Central Wharf, Boston. Daniel Fernando tells us about his research efforts to better understand these animals and about his work to promote their conservation. FREE. 617-973-5200; www.neaq.org

Celebrate Brain Awareness Week 2-4:30pm, The Discovery Museums, 177 Main St., Acton. Learn about the different parts of your brain and what they do with some fun brain teasers. Free with admission. 978-264-4200; discoverymuseums.org

The Ultimate Moms’ Night Out 6:30-9:30pm, Arts at the Armory 191 Highland Ave, Somerville.

Mingle, unwind, meet moms, experts, pamper yourself and get your laugh on! $20. 831-920-7133; http://mommybites.com/ boston/ultimate-moms-night-out/

17 Friday St. Patrick’s Day

15 Wednesday

Parents Choice Award er ner nne inn Win Wi W

10am – 4pm, The Children’s Museum in Easton, 9 Sullivan Ave., North Easton. Celebrate the holiday with Celtic crafts and a little leprechaun magic. Free with admission. 508-230-3789; childrensmuseumineaston.org

ENTERTAINMENT AND PARTY NEEDS

Celebrate everything 2017 at

Fran Friedman

Children’s Musician & Instructor Birthday Parties, Schools, Concerts, Libraries

Rosalita's Puppets

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

Online Ordering Available

Host your next party in our new Decorating Kitchen

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

BIG JOE the Storyteller

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

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

s& ds!

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The Conservation of Devil Rays

WEST Backwards Storytime, 10am, The Discovery Museums, 177 Main St., Acton. Celebrate National Backwards Day Winter Wonders: Hello, Chickens with silly stories and activities.

Free with admission.

978-264-4200; discoverymuseums.org.

11am – 12pm, Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, 208 S Great Road, Lincoln. Explore the farm and sanctuary in winter! Feed

lable

en

16 Thursday

31 Tuesday

ENT & PARTY NEEDS

rty

hay to the sheep with their fluffy winter coats. Search for eggs in our hen house. For families with children ages 0-6. Registration required. Members $12.50, Nonmembers $15.50. 781-259-2200; massaudubon.org

LLeett’s’sy! t !

Pa arrty P

617-713-4349

Fran Friedman

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

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

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

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BostonBounceParty.com

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

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Boston Parents Paper | March 2017

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

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Now offering GLUTEN-FREE items

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

1356 Beacon St., Brookline 617-566-3330

www.partyfavorsbrookline.com

February Flapjack Fling & Sugaring Tours varying times, Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, 87 Perkins Row, Topsfield. Enjoy a pancake breakfast and sugaring tour.

Registration required. Breakfast/Tour: Adults, $7/$10; youth, $5/$8. massaudubon.org

19 Sunday

Sat. March 25, Special Storytime, The Eric Carle Museum — Amherst.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade 1pm, South Boston. One of the country’s largest St. Pat’s parades, complete with military, marching bands, floats and plenty of bagpipes, it follows Broadway through South Boston. FREE. 844-478-7287; southbostonparade.org

St. Patty’s Party

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

10am, Drumlin Farm, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln. Plant some shamrocks, greet a snake and enjoy traditional Irish potato treats.

Perhaps dance a jig or two. Registration required. $16.50 781-2592206; massaudubon.org

1pm, Scituate. The parade begins at the Gates Middle School, and ends at Hatherly Road by the Satuit Tavern. FREE. 781-545-6671; weloveaparade.com

Health Fair: Our Changing Brain 9am – 9pm, Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston. Hands-on activities and research displays from local scientists delve into brain chemistry. Free with admission. 617-723-2500; mos.org

18 Saturday

21 Tuesday Spring Ecosploration 1pm, Governor Hutchinson’s Field, Adams Street, Milton. Explore the field and river bank, looking for the first stirrings of animals and plants. Adults, $5; youth, free. 617-542-7696; ttor.org

22 Wednesday

Sugar Shack Saturdays 10am & 1:30pm, Appleton Farms, 219 County Road, Ipswich. Watch the syruping process, do a maple- themed craft and enjoy a story and snack. Registration required. Family, $30. 978-356-5728; ttor. org

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with animal enrichment, 10am – 2pm, Franklin Park Zoo, 1 Franklin Park Road, Boston. Watch as animals receive green-themed enrichment treats in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day! Free with admission. 617-989-3742; zoonewengland. org

Adult & Teen Book Discussion Thing Explainer Complicated Stuff in Simple Words By Randall Monroe, 7– 9pm, The Discovery Museums, 177 Main St., Acton. Thing Explainer is funny, interesting, and always understandable. Join us for a discussion of the book and how science is communicated.

Registration Req. Free with admission. Through March 31.

978-264-4200; discoverymuseums.org

23 Thursday Bread and Bunnies

Nowruz 10am – 5pm, Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave., Boston.

Celebrate the Persian New Year with tours, art making activities and performances. Free with admission. 617-267-9300; mfa.org.

10 - 11:30am, Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, 208 S Great Road, Lincoln. Hop on down to the kitchen for some hare-raising fun.

We’ll visit a rabbit on the farmyard then head into the kitchen

ENTERTAINMENT AND PARTY NEEDS

• • • •

LLeett’s’sy! t !

Pa arrty P

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

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

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2016 TOP 10

Peabody, MA 978-532-5868 BostonBounceParty.com

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

• Pony parties at your place or at the farm.

• Customized packages at reasonable rates

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Find more camps online…

Search Our New & Improved Kids Camps Site!

www.BostonParentsPaper.com

HUNTERS HAVEN FARM 104 King St., Groveland, MA

978-373-1300

HuntersHavenFarm.com March 2017 | BostonParentsPaper.com

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to bake bunny’s favorite treat: carrot bread! For families with children ages 0-7. Registration required. $16.50. 781-259-2200; massaudubon.org

24 Friday A Teddy Bear Tea Noon & 2pm, Concord Museum, 200 Lexington Road, Concord.

Bring your favorite teddy bear to join you for an afternoon tea party and craft. Reservations required. $20. 978-369-9763; concordmuseum.org

25 Saturday Special Storytime Pamela Zagarenski, The Eric Carle Museum, 125 West Bay Road, Amherst. Bring your favorite toy to this special storytime that celebrates friendship and love. With dreamy mixed-media illustrations, Pamela Zagarenski’s Henry & Leo tells the story of a young boy, his beloved toy lion, and the magical qualities of the Nearby Woods.. Free with admission. 413-658-1100; carlemuseum. org

Lego Batman Movie Days 9am-6pm, LEGOLAND Discovery Centers, 598 Assembly Row, Somerville. Super hero. Crime-fighter. Master Builder. LEGO® Batman™ is all of those and so much more. Come meet Gotham City’s Caped Crusader during this celebration of the Warner Bros. feature film, which will include photo ops with the scene-stealing star, a themed scavenger hunt and a LEGO® Batman™-inspired LEGO build activity. See website for schedules and rates. boston. legolanddiscoverycenter.com

Lucky Rainbow Wind Catcher 10am, Milton Art Center, 334 Edgehill Road, This hands on program encourages children to use their imagination to create. Art meets Science as children use the four LittleBits components: power sources, inputs, outputs and wires to make Art come alive! 6 weeks class. Grades 2-6. $150. Registration required. miltonartcenter.org

Söderberg Voice Competition 4pm, South Shore Conservatory, 1 Conservatory Drive, Hingham Voice competition for kids ages 10-18. FREE. 781-749-7565; sscmusic.org

CLASSES AND ENRICHMENT

Bay State Skating School LEARN TO SKATE CLASSES for Recreational • Figure • Hockey Skating Skills

As featured on “Chronicle”

48 Years Experience

Circle & Larz Anderson), Medford, Newton-Brighton, Quincy, Somerville, South Boston, Waltham, West Roxbury, Weymouth

Contact Molly Howard at 617-999-8794

Children (41/2 –18 years) & Adults

781-890-8480 • www.BayStateSkatingSchool.org

Exxcel Gymnastics and Climbing Now Enrolling for Spring Programs Tumble, Turn & Learn!

Wednesdays & Fridays 9am to 12pm Ages 3 to 5 years

We bring the instrument and the instructor.

Private in-home lessons available

Cambridge, Brookline (Cleveland

pianoplaytime@yahoo.com www.pianoplaytime.com

Online

Spring Vacation Camps:

Ongoing Class Enrollment Gymnastics • Tumbling Rock Climbing • Ninja Trainer

March 13-17 & 20-24 April 17-21 Where Kids Matter Most!

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

Visit our website at BostonParentsPaper.com to explore our comprehensive online resources for schools in the area. Discover private schools, enrichment programs, after-school programs and more!

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

Call in today to reserve a slot!

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2016 TOP 5

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617-323-2566 SPACE AVAILABLE

• Individualized Instruction • Basic Thinking and Critical Thinking Math • Reading Comprehension ENROLLING NOW! • Low Student:Instructor Ratio MATH & ENGLISH • Writing Skills PROGRAMS Learning Center

781-658-3189 eyelevelarlington.com

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Boston Parents Paper | March 2017

I Love a Parade Break out your lucky green shirt and head to one of these St. Patrick’s parades throughout the region.

Cape Cod — March 4, 11am. Starts at the corner of Long Pond Drive and Route 28 in South Yarmouth. 508-2407347; capecodstpatsparade. com

Boston — March 19, 1pm.

Starts at the Broadway T station, runs through South Boston and ends at Andrew Square. 844-478-7287; southbostonparade.org

Worcester — March 12, noon. Runs down Park Ave. from Mill St. to Highland St. 508-753-7197; stpatsparade. com

Scituate — March 19, 1pm.

Starts at Gates Middle School on First Parish Road. 781-5456671; weloveaparade.com

Abington — March 19, 1pm. Starts at the corner of Orange St. and Washington St. 781-878-1570; eddiebaileysgarage.com

Healthy Kids Festival

Live Animal Presentation

11am – 3:30pm, Boston Children’s Museum, Boston, 308 Congress St. Boston. Visit the teddy bear clinic and learn what happens in the hospital. Experience medical tools in non-threatening ways.

Play and learn about healthy habits with volunteers from local hospitals and health care organizations. Free with admission..

617-426-6500; bostonkids.org

10:45am New England Aquarium, 1 Central Wharf, Boston. Meet an Aquarium animal up close! Adult: $26.95; College/Senior: $24.95; Child: $18.95. Rates effective until 4/1/17. 617-973-5200; www.neaq.org

Doctors at Play

10 – 11am, Habitat Education and Wildlife Sanctuary, 10 Juniper Road, Belmont. It’s the beginning of spring and many animals are beginning to return or emerge from their winter homes. For families with children ages 0-5. Registration required. $8. 617-4895050; massaudubon.org

11am – 2pm, Providence Children’s Museum, 100 South St., Providence, R.I. Assemble a doctor’s bag with real hospital supplies, give a teddy bear a check-up or have a cast made on your finger.

Free with admission. 401-273-5437; childrenmuseum.org

26 Sunday Israel Folkdance Festival of Boston 3pm, Kresge Auditorium, MIT, 48 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge.

Dancing feet and flying horas, lithe Yemenite movements, all capped by a huge finale filling the stage and the aisles. $15. bostonfestival.org

The Eyes Have It

29 Wednesday Celebrate NanoDays 2pm – 4:30 pm, The Discovery Museums, 177 Main St., Acton. A nationwide festival of hands-on programs about nanoscale science and engineering. Free with admission. Through March 31. 978-2644200; discoverymuseums.org

30 Thursday

Jenny the Juggler

Spring into Spring – Afternoon

10:30 am, Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard Street, Brookline.

Jenny the Juggler dazzles with dexterity and wit in her variety show, blows minds with face painting, delights with balloon animals, captivates with singing, and amazes with her appeal to kids and adults at celebrations and events.. $10 and up. www. coolidge.org

10am & 1pm, Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, 293 Moose Hill Parkway, Sharon. Spring has arrived, but what does that really mean? Search the woods and fields for evidence that spring is really here. Plenty of games and active exploration will be included. Dress for outdoor exploration and shake off the winter blues. For ages 4-6. Registration required. Members $9, Nonmembers $12. 781-784-5691; massaudubon.org

27 Monday Full Moon Owl Prowl 5:30pm, Belle Isle Marsh Reservation, Bennington St., East Boston. Search for snowy owls under the first full moon of spring.

Registration requested. FREE. 617-542-7696; ttor.org

28 Tuesday

31 Friday Chicken Dance Party 3:30 – 5pm, Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, 208 S Great Road, Lincoln. Come and dance along with the chickens! We’ll do the Rooster Rumba, Barred Rock Ballet, and Chickie-Chickie Cha-Cha when we visit the Poultry House. For families with children ages 0-8. Registration required. $15.50. 781-259-2200; massaudubon.org

Autism & Insurance with Amy Weinstock 6:30 - 8:30 PM, 15 Pacella Parkway #210 Randolph MA 02368 Information Session and Q&A about insurance coverage for Autism. FREE to attend. 781-400-2482, bostonautismcenter.com March 2017 | BostonParentsPaper.com

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• Massachusetts Branch of The International Dyslexia Association – 617-650-0011; massbranchida. org – Information and links to resources, such as recommended reading for parents and kids, as well as professional development workshops.

• Massachusetts Commission for the Blind – 617-727-5550; mass.gov/mcb – Provider of services that promote independence and community participation.

• Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing – 617573-1600; mass.gov/mcdhh – Services for deaf and hard of hearing, including interpreting, case management and technology.

Kahal B’raira Humanistic Judaism in Greater Boston Since 1975

H US.

• Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education – 781-338-3000; doe.mass.edu – The State’s education website offers information on special education, standardized testing, public schools and related topics.

• Massachusetts Office on Disability – 617-727-7440; 800-322-2020 (in Mass.); mass. gov/mod – Information and support concerning community, government and individual services for those with disabilities. Its primary mission is to ensure access.

• Massachusetts Special Olympics – 508-485-0986; specialolympicsma.org – Sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for individuals with disabilities.

• Parental Stress Line – 800-632-8188; parentshelpingparents.org – This 24-hour call line is staffed

by Parents Helping Parents of Massachusetts and provides a supportive ear for parents.

Parents support groups are also offered by staff and volunteers.

• Partners for Youth with Disabilities – 617-556-4075; 617-314-2989 (TTY); pyd.org – Provides adult mentors, one on one and in groups, to kids ages 6 through 22 with disabilities.

• Special Needs Advocacy Network – 508-655-7999; spanmass.org – Supports professional advocates for people with special needs, offers referrals to Massachusetts special needs advocates, and provides special education workshops and training.

• The Arc of Massachusetts – 781-891-6270; arcmass. org – Statewide organization advocating on behalf of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.

PLEASE JOIN US FOR AN OPEN HOUSE: April 2, 2017 9am until noon Guests are invited to visit our Sunday School Classes and Services

Humanistic Judaism celebrates Jewish culture, identity, and community in a fun, welcoming environment.

Learn more:

www.communityofchoice.org 617-431-3994 Pre-K to 9 • Bar/Bat Mitzvah Study • Adult Ed 32

Boston Parents Paper | March 2017

CREATING MEANINGFUL CHANGE FOR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM, BRAIN INJURY, AND NEUROBEHAVIORAL DISORDERS. Four nationally recognized yearround day and/or residential schools in Massachusetts.

800.778.7601

 May Center Schools for Autism and Developmental Disabilities  May Center School for Brain Injury and Neurobehavioral Disorders 

www.mayinstitute.org

Mount Alvernia Academy Faith First, Learning Foremost

onal i t a N on b b i R Blue hool Sc

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✼ Teach In

Try These Two Things to Help Your Child Excel at Math

By Benjamin Campopiano

W

hether your son or daughter is learning their times tables or prodding through proofs, there’s two key things to try when helping them at math. First, ask. Then, praise.

Math is hard. It doesn’t come naturally for many of us, and the data is showing that our children are struggling with it. In the latest round of testing comparing high school students all across the globe, U.S. students declined in math scores, finishing behind 36 of the 70 participating countries or educational systems.

Furthermore, the Common Core State Standards have seemingly made math classes and homework more challenging than ever before. And not only that, but students are being asked to do more in school than previous generations — from wlonger English essays to harder science projects, to more extracurricular activities. So, when you put it all together, it’s no wonder that math scores are declining, and many of our children have come to dread their math homework.

But the fact is that most kids who struggle with math have the intelligence to succeed at the subject.

Often we find that students with low math scores and grades are doing fine

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— or excelling — in other subjects. This shows that the math concepts aren’t always above the student’s pay grade, but rather just aren’t being taught — or learned — correctly. This is where parents come into play. We need to ask the right questions, and praise every step of the way.

First, ask. Then praise.

When your child is working on their math homework, it’s critical that you don’t ask for the answer to the problem. Instead, ask for an explanation of their work. Ask them how they got to the answer, what the process looked like, or why they took the route they took when solving the problem. You can do this with your fifth-grader or 15-year-old, it just takes some getting used to.

After you ask questions, give your child time to verbalize the steps they took.

If they aren’t sure what to say, prod them to go deeper in detail, or show you step by step what actions they took to solve the problem. Sometimes this can be done quickly because the problem is simple, or sometimes it can take minutes. Either way, the goal is to get your child to express their thinking, to share their process, and to explain their rationale. When kids do this — regardless of their age or aptitude — they will increase their learning, improve their

Boston Parents Paper | March 2017

confidence, and gain vital skills that will help them solve other math problems that will arise in class or on exams.

Once your child begins answering your questions, praise them. Shower praise on them for how they approached the problem, how they worked through the steps, how they organized their thoughts, and how they made such a great effort. If they got the answer right, praise them for that too. But if the answer was wrong, you simply praise the effort and process, and then help them rework the problem.

Recent studies by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development show that girls do worse in math than boys despite having more positive attitudes to school in general, doing more homework, reading more often for pleasure than boys, and outperforming boys overall. The OECD concluded that girls lack selfconfidence when solving math problems, and suffer from parents and teachers having low expectations of them when it comes to math.

The takeaway from these studies is simple. Ask more. Praise more. Whether your child is a girl or boy, teen or tot, it doesn’t matter. By asking the right questions and praising the process and effort, our kids

will more likely excel at math. Their confidence will increase, their understanding of the subject matter will grow, and they will develop trust in their ability to critically think and problem solve, even when they are stuck.

When you and I were growing up, we aced math tests by memorizing formulas, and putting in the hard work doing lots of problems over and over again. This served us well in school, college and when we took to our careers. But times have changed, schools and markets have evolved, and we can’t be stuck in past ways of thinking — even if it worked for us. Math is no longer about memorization, so we need tow change our approach when supporting our kids.

Our kids struggle at math because they are confused. Or lack confidence.

Or both. Not because they don’t have the will or skill to do the work. As parents, we can help increase confidence and decrease confusion simply by asking and praising. Try it out this semester, and I can all but guarantee that you’ll see their math scores and grades increase.

Benjamin Campopiano is a secondary Instructional Coach and a social studies teacher as well as the father of a newborn daughter. Reach him at campopianob@mdusd.org.

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www.msmresources.org Acton Montessori School

Acton, MA

978-263-4333

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

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978-883-8000 781-333-4898 978-365-6669 978-365-2555 978-462-7165 978-462-7165 617-969-4488 617-969-4488 978-495-2244 978-495-2244 781-769-6150 781-769-6150 978-468-1340 978-468-1340 978-486-9874 978-486-9874 781-749-3698 781-749-3698 617-614-7709 508-746-5127 617-614-7709 413-782-3108 508-881-2123 781-801-7939 508-746-5127 781-944-1057 413-782-3108 978-465-0065

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

The listed schools do not discriminate in admission,

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

Federalapplicable or State laws.

March 2017 | BostonParentsPaper.com

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