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Life Skills That Pay the Bills Essential habits to teach every child, from toddler to teen
26/
Sea Stars and Limpets and Chitons — Oh My! 9 beach treasures to discover during low tide
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Life Skills That Pay the Bills 6 Essential interpersonal skills and habits for every child, from toddler to teen
Spring Cleaning Secrets Revealed 6 savvy strategies for busy parents trying to cut back on clutter
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Sticker Shock at the Checkout! 23 10 clever ways to help you shop smarter and waste less EDUCATION
Optimism Is Contagious 4 ways to help your child develop a greater sense of optimism and resilience
10
Montessori-Inspired Toys for Preschoolers 28 9 fun educational toys that help kids develop life and learning skills PARENT DAY JOBS
Reduce food waste and cut down on your grocery bill with these easy-to-implement smart shopper tips.
23 14
Family Fun Your March Play List 15 freshly picked ways to fling yourselves into spring
31
25
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8 Snacks and Crafts to Celebrate Spring 20 Usher in the new season with these favorite recipes and activities OUT + ABOUT
Sea Stars and Limpets and Chitons — Oh My! 9 beach treasures to discover with curious kids during low tide
26
18
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“Adversity ripens resilience, and self-sufficiency is priceless.”
37
26
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Kids learn best through play — discover toys that will help them dabble with early reading, math and fine motor skills.
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DE AR R E ADER
Embracing the season of optimism When I sat down to write this note, I kept gazing out my front window at the slushy retreating remains of our mid-February snowstorm, seeking some source of inspiration as to its message. I wouldn’t say I was feeling particularly glum, but there is something acutely depressing to me about piles of dirty melting snow — nature somehow seems
MARCH 2021, VOL. 18, NO. 3
PUBLISHER
Alayne Sulkin EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR Patty Lindley OUT + ABOUT EDITOR Nancy Chaney
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slightly embarrassed in these moments. As I sat there, a brilliant green Anna’s hummingbird flew right up to
CONTRIBUTORS Heidi Borst, Natasha Dillinger, JiaYing Grygiel, Tiffany Doerr Guerzon, Devon Hammer, Vicky McDonald, Sanya Pelini, Ph.D., Nicole Persun
ments before flitting away. To be so tiny and delicate-looking, yet so
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unfazed by the snow, sleet, rain and perma-gray of our drear PNW
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Spring owns optimism, and my little hummingbird friend was a heartening reminder of that. As “Hope springs eternal,” so does spring
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Science confirms that the energy source powering resilience is
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been hard not to be one these past many pandemic months), the great news is that optimism is not an inherited trait — it can be practiced and learned by people of all ages. So, embrace the reason for the season and seek fresh cause for optimism. Nature will help in this practice in the coming weeks, as we enjoy longer days, flowers beginning to bloom, more birds chattering about
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Walking the beach in Seabrook, with kids and the dog running to and fro.
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their birdy good news and a
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plethora of puddles to splash
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optimism (p. 10). If you tend to be a bit of a Gloomy Gus (and it has
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hardy — an adorable avian equivalent of the intrepid postal worker, winter. All of the seasons have their own claims to fame, but spring?
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an invitation to fling yourselves wholeheartedly into spring: Look inside to find dozens of ideas for celebrating this most hopeful season, from crafts and holiday activities (p. 20), safe inside-and-outside play ideas (p. 18) and fun ways to get the kids helping with spring cleaning the beach exploring the fascinattide pools (p. 26). Maybe fill your
Lucy Wicklund at the beach near Seabrook
bird feeder while you’re at it. May your spring adventures buoy your family’s spirits and inspire you to keep looking forward with optimism. — Patty Lindley, managing editor 4 / PA R E N T M A P. C O M
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(p. 14) to planning an epic day at ing marine creatures that live in
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FE ATUR E
Essential Life Skills for Every Child, From Toddler to Teen By Heidi Borst One of our most important endeavors as
“We want the world to be big, even if it’s
tally reinforcing aggressive behavior with
parents is helping our children to grow into
uncomfortable, as opposed to small and
attention. A lot of times when kids strike
capable, independent members of society,
comfortable,” says Karen Pavlidis, Ph.D.,
out, they get a lot of attention for it, and
but we often unintentionally thwart their
a Seattle-area child psychologist and
that could actually make it happen more. A
progress. Admittedly, it’s tough to watch
founder of Child and Teen Solutions
time-out teaches [kids] there’s a line and
our kids struggle when the going gets
(childandteensolutions.com). “Difficult
a limit; it’s predictable and reasonable. The
tough, but allowing them to find their own
feelings are a universal part of being a
internalization of rules and limits helps kids
solutions stimulates their growth into fully
human, and it’s not the feelings that are the
build self-regulation,” says Pavlidis.
competent individuals. Instead of swoop-
problem. The actions that we use to man-
ing in to save the day, help your kiddos
age them, the various forms of escaping,
develop the coping skills they need to
are what create the problem,” says Pavlidis.
When tough emotions come up, help your
Toddlers
“Teach your kids not just about being
With toddlers, predictability is key. Establish-
angry, sad, excited and frustrated, but
ing a regular routine early on lays the ground-
also about embarrassment and shame,”
work for emotional regulation later in life. To
advises Pavlidis.
weather life’s storms on their own. Adversity ripens resilience, and self-sufficiency is priceless. Read on for our experts’ take on interpersonal and practical life skills all kids need to master, and the actionable ways parents can guide and support their
nurture emotional development, be attuned
development at each age and stage.
to your little one, reading their cues and
Support emotional literacy and foster independence
this intuitively. They naturally mirror what their
responding appropriately. “A lot of parents do toddler’s emotions are showing, attend to their basic needs and help them stay regulat-
Elementary-school-age kids kid learn to identify and process them.
As parents, we may feel that it is our job to fix difficult emotions. “That gets really tricky, because then kids get the message that they’re supposed to be happy all the time. Just sit with a child through a dark
ed throughout the day,” says Pavlidis.
emotion and give them words for their
effectively self-regulate. Parents can en-
After age 3, it’s wise to set clear, intention-
more than that,” says Pavlidis. “For exam-
courage growth and individuation by being
al limits, using mild discipline strategies,
ple, if a child says, ‘I hate myself,’ I think
supportive guides throughout the course
including well-implemented time-outs. “A
most parents want to say, ‘Don’t think such
of their child’s development, allowing
time-out is one of the best strategies for
a thing. We love you. You’re so smart,’ and
the child the freedom and space to work
helping preschoolers develop self-regula-
that actually doesn’t help them. They can
through hard times.
tion — it prevents [parents] from acciden-
feel dismissed and get the message it’s not
In order for children to become autonomous individuals, they must be able to
6 / PA R E N T M A P. C O M
internal experience without doing anything
okay to feel dark emotions. It can actually be more effective to say something like, ‘I think you’re letting me know that’s a really painful thing to feel’ or ‘I think you’re telling me that shame is showing up.’ [Providing] connection in those darker moments can be really powerful and help a child ulti-
Help kids forge and manage friendships to set the stage for positive relationships
To assist kids with self-soothing,
Being a good friend is an important life skill
help them move away from the situation,
to develop; close relationships make us happier and more successful in life. From tod-
mately self-regulate,” says Pavlidis.
dler to teen, an increasing ability to under-
Tweens
development of more intimate, long-lasting
Once they’re in middle school, encourage kids to develop a discipline, though without pushing them to participate in activities they don’t enjoy. Developing an interest requires dedication and nurtures motivation
stand someone else’s perspective fuels the friendships, says Eileen Kennedy-Moore, Ph.D., a Princeton, New Jersey, psychologist and co-author of “Growing Friendships: A Kids’ Guide to Making and Keeping Friends.”
Kennedy-Moore says, parents should practice empathy when kids are upset. “With little ones, you might want to rub their back, or gently put a hand on their chest and let them calm down so they know you’re there. Then you acknowledge their feelings.” If another child is upset, we can nudge our child to help out. “You can say things like, ‘Jeffrey is upset because his blocks are knocked down.’ Then you ask the most wonderful question, ‘What can you do to
and self-direction. “Whether it’s martial arts, dance, a musical instrument or a sports team, it teaches them to self-regulate and self-manage, have self-discipline, and hang in there through frustration and when the going gets tough,” says Pavlidis.
“Teach your kids not just about being angry, sad, excited and frustrated, but also about embarrassment and shame.”
“It’s nice when kids have different sources of peer groups, so maybe they have school friends, neighborhood friends and friends from their activities. It’s a more resilient setup for a child if one area isn’t going as well — they still have these other areas of relationships.” Teens As kids become teenagers and develop their own beliefs, it’s helpful to adopt a more democratic parenting style, Pavlidis says. Being open-minded and listening to your teen’s perspective allows them to appreciate their worth and instills empathy. “Parents should show they value their teen’s voice, their opinions and their feelings. Give [teens] the message that their individuality is respected even if they might have different views [from your own]. If we treat our kids that way, they internalize how to treat others. It’s not by lecturing about it, but by living those values, paying attention and making space for their internal world,” says Pavlidis.
“Friendships make the good times more enjoyable and the hard times more bearable — they’re kind of the answer to everything. If you want a kid to be motivated to go to school, help them have friends. If you want them to deal better with stressful situations, help them have friends. If you want them to feel happier, help them have friends,” says Kennedy-Moore. Toddlers There are a few components to practicing kindness for very young children. “First, they need to be able to manage their own distress. A kid who is overwhelmed by their own emotions is not going to be able to respond in a kind way to someone else, so learning to self-soothe is crucial. Second, they need to be able to understand someone else’s feelings. Third is realizing they are capable of helping the other person,” says Kennedy-Moore.
help him feel better?’ This lets the kid respond in a kind way,” says Kennedy-Moore. Elementary-school-age kids Kids in this age group are learning how to manage conflict and understand the perspectives of others. “In the elementary school years, kids don’t know how to solve things, and they resort to just being mean. When conflict arises, you might teach [kids] to say, ‘This isn’t fun for me. I’d like a turn being the cat,’ or whatever the game is, and also kind of a judicious withdrawal if the friend is being consistently unfair,” says Kennedy-Moore. “Elementary school kids are very concerned about fairness, but they’re mostly concerned about fairness to themselves. We can prompt them about what would be fair to everyone, and that can sometimes temper their natural desire to have things their way,” says Kennedy-Moore.
PA R E N T M A P / M A R C H 2 0 2 1 / 7
FE ATUR E
continued from page 7
[person]. Belittling the friend is not going
Teaching littles how to take care of their own
Forgiveness is also important to learn
to be helpful, and it’s kind of insulting their
body is a good place to start. They can learn
taste in friends. A big part of their identity
to brush their teeth, wash their hands and
is: Am I someone who belongs? Am I liked
dress themselves. Allowing toddlers to feed
by my peers? Do I feel connected?”
themselves helps develop fine motor skills,
at this age. “Some children will collect grievances like beads on a string, and they will keep track of every mean thing that anybody has ever done. Teach them that if it wasn’t deliberate, if it is not likely to happen again, if it happened more than a month ago or if the person is very sorry, let it go.” Tweens As kids mature during adolescence, they gain a broader perspective and develop deeper friendships. Parents should be fully supportive of these peer connections. “At this age, [kids] will do kind things for each other without as much keeping score as younger kids do. They really care about
By supporting our teen’s friendships, we are supporting their growth as individuals.
Promote practical life skills to develop self-sufficiency and competency By the time our kids are ready to fly the coop, we’ll have taught them countless practical life skills. The more tasks we equip our kids to do on their own, the more empowered and capable they’ll be when it’s time to live independently. Even at an early
“A handwritten note helps with penmanship, learning letter format, writing and gratitude.” each other, and this is when we get those ‘joined at the hip’ friendships, the deep friendships,” says Kennedy-Moore. “Connection is so important, and we want to create opportunities for kids of all ages to have friends. First is through activities: Kids make friends by doing fun things together. Second, prioritize friendship. We’ve all got too much going on, but find ways to make time for your child to get together with other kids. One-on-one get-togethers are the single best thing parents can orchestrate to deepen children’s friendships,” says Kennedy-Moore. Teens Teenagers want to be autonomous, and parents should be open to their friends, never critical, says Kennedy-Moore. “With teens, it’s asking questions more than giving answers. If you’re concerned that they’re hanging out with a mean friend, ask your kid how they feel when they’re with that
8 / PA R E N T M A P. C O M
age, our children can develop many life skills on their own, if we’re willing to give them the opportunity and plenty of guidance. On the road to self-reliance, kids of all ages should know how to ask for help, says Catherine Pearlman, Ph.D., LCSW, founder of The Family Coach (thefamilycoach.com) and author of “Ignore It! How Selectively Looking the Other Way Can Decrease Behavioral Problems and Increase Parenting Satisfaction.” “There will always be a situation where you don’t know how to do something or there is an emergency. Being able to ask for help will become vital to doing a good job, getting a good grade or saving someone’s life,” says Pearlman. Toddlers Parents can begin to prepare their children for independence at a young age. While toddlers will need help doing most things, parents should encourage them to be self-sufficient in every way they’re able.
and straightening up their play area teaches spatial relations and a sense of organization, Pearlman says. “Most skills at this age should be taught to foster the child’s independence. Mastering these basic skills builds confidence as well as skills that can be used to scaffold more difficult skills.” It’s important they know how to pull their pants up and down and how to put on their underwear; being able to go potty is a huge developmental skill, and it’s required to attend school. Elementary-school-age kids At this stage, kids can begin to engage in more complicated tasks. Assigning them specific jobs boosts their intrinsic motivation. Giving your child daily chores, such as feeding the dog or putting the dishes away, may seem small in scale, but such mundane tasks boost their self-confidence in a major way. Whatever responsibilities they’re given, make sure you allow them to complete their jobs (don’t do them yourself instead). Kids can be responsible for emptying the dishwasher, setting the table, taking care of a minor wound and light cleaning tasks, such as dusting or wiping down the table after dinner. Pearlman suggests teaching children basic cooking tasks, such as making cereal, toast or pasta (with supervision). It’s a good time for parents to teach children how, and why, to write a thankyou note. “A handwritten note helps with penmanship, learning letter format, writing and gratitude,” says Pearlman. Tweens A child’s responsibilities should increase in proportion to their age. The less control parents exert over their tween’s day-today functioning, the better. Show confidence in your tween’s abilities and help them discover the pride of ownership.
“At this stage, kids are doing skills that help prepare them for the teen years with increased independence,” says Pearlman. Good things for tweens to learn are doing their own laundry, practicing more advanced cooking skills, such as baking and following a basic recipe, and loading the dishwasher on their own, she suggests. Tweens can become proficient at meal planning; grocery shopping and comparing prices; budgeting; folding, ironing and hanging their clothes; and budgeting skills, such as saving and managing money. They can take charge of cleaning their own living space as well as designated areas of the family home, help with yard work and learn how to use basic tools. Teens As children move closer to adulthood, they become more capable in all aspects of life. “Life skills for teens should focus on preparing them for independent living away from their parents. Many
Decision Making
parents continue to help teens do tasks because at this stage they want to feel needed. That’s a mistake, because it holds teens back from gaining confidence to be out on their own and be successful,” says Pearlman. Young adults should be able to fill out their own paperwork, make a doctor’s appointment and even get a job, says Pearlman. It’s a good time to advance money-management skills, such as opening a bank account, learning how to cash a check and spending money conscientiously. Up the ante in the kitchen: Teens should be able to cook a basic meal, such as pasta dishes or casseroles. They should know exactly how to handle an emergency situation, medical or otherwise. If they’re driving, they should understand the basics of car maintenance, such as how to check the oil and where the spare tire is located, as well as what to do if an accident or breakdown occurs. It can be challenging to let go of the reins, but we must allow our children to exercise a healthy degree of control over their own lives. Instead of micromanaging every aspect of our children’s routine, we must encourage them to explore their interests and blossom into self-sufficient adults, offering our love and support along the way.
■
Heidi Borst is an active mom, journalist and nutrition coach with a strong affinity for nature, sarcasm and extra sleep.
PA R E N T M A P / M A R C H 2 0 2 1 / 9
LO CAL R ES O UR CES / S CH O O L S + PR ES CH O O L S
What Scientific Research Reveals About Improving Our Kids’ Resilience How to improve kids’ sense of well-being and their ability to cope when things get tough By Sanya Pelini, Ph.D. Last year was a very challenging year, and everyone is hoping that 2021 will mark a return to some form of normality. The trials of 2020 dealt us lots of practice in dealing with the unexpected. Science says that we are not powerless in the face of uncertainty. Even when confronting the most difficult of situations, it is still possible to transform our sense of helplessness into something more positive. Behavioral science research indicates that the more your child displays an optimistic outlook on life, the lower their chances of
By portraying more optimistic behavior, you show your child that negative situations are temporary and can be overcome. depression, physical illnesses and psychological issues. Optimistic children are also more likely to be resilient, to be better problem solvers and to have a healthier sense of well-being. The best news is that optimism is not an inherited skill — it can be practiced and learned. Here are four ways to help your child develop a greater sense of optimism: 1. Help your child develop a more positive outlook on life. The problem with always seeing the glass as half-empty is that this view of life can
1 0 / PA R E N T M A P. C O M
become somewhat permanent and can spread to almost all areas of your child’s life. A pessimistic disposition tends to make your children view negative events as permanent, and therefore gives them the impression that they are powerless to change them. Helping kids reflect on current events as positively as possible is an easy way to help them question their way of seeing
things and showing them that they have control over how they may react to the situations they encounter. Researchers from Kent State University found that asking people to explain events using alternative (not necessarily more optimistic) phrases led to a decrease in pessimism. In other words, being able to come up with multiple explanations to describe a specific negative event makes it easier to deal with that event.
LO CAL R ES O UR CES / S CH O O L S + PR ES CH O O L S
2. Show your child what optimism looks like. Martin Seligman, a researcher who has focused much of his work on optimism and pessimism, says that how your child reacts to the events in their life has an impact on whether they will develop an optimistic or pessimistic outlook on life. But we also know that children learn how to react to life’s events by watching how their parents and caregivers react to them.
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“In order to grow, it is important for your child to experience failure, and all the negative emotions associated with failure.” If you express an attitude of helplessness (e.g., “It will never get better,” “This always happens to me,” “I knew it wouldn’t work” or “It’s impossible”), you model pessimistic behavior. By portraying more optimistic behavior (e.g., “Things will get better soon,” “I’ll listen to music to feel better” or “I’ll try again tomorrow”), you show your child that negative situations are temporary and can be overcome. 3. Help your child practice gratitude. There are many positive effects to be experienced from cultivating a mindset of gratitude. A child who practices gratitude is less prone to pessimism, has a greater sense of well-being and also experiences more positive emotions. But to make gratitude work for your child and for your entire family, it is important to adopt a “gratitude routine” in your home. This could mean, for example, asking each member of your family to state one thing for which they are grateful at a specific time every day — for instance, at mealtime, bedtime or right after school.
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4. Obstacles help your children thrive. Obstacles help children grow. Their failure or success when they encounter obstacles has an impact on their self-esteem and helps them develop qualities such as motivation and resilience. In order to grow, it is important for your child to experience failure, and all the negative emotions associated with failure. That said, too much failure is
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continued from page 11
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bad for anyone. Your child needs to feel capable of achieving success. If your child constantly encounters failure, they are likely to develop what Seligman refers to as “learned helplessness,” meaning that they could start to think of themselves as incapable of success.
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Setting reasonable expectations is the easiest way to ensure that your children can benefit from obstacles. This means that the obstacles should present a challenge to help them learn and grow, but that they must consider what they are actually capable of doing, rather than what you think their peers are capable of doing.
A positive outlook Everyone feels down from time to time, and it is perfectly normal for children to occasionally display pessimistic traits. That said, the more you encourage your child to develop a positive outlook on the events in their lives and show them that they have power over how they react to those events, the more positive and optimistic a disposition they will develop.
■
SPP is open to:
SPP is to 3- and 4-year-old children • 3open and 4-year-old children who live in Seattle SPPlive classrooms have: who in Seattle
Sanya Pelini, Ph.D., is a parent and researcher in education. She transforms research into practical tools and resources on her blog, Raising Independent Kids (raising-independent-kids.com).
• Nationally-recognized curriculum
• Nationally-recognized curriculum SPP offers: • Daul language instruction at some sites • Full 6-hour school day SPP ProgramSeattle.gov/applyspp offers: • Free or sliding-scale tuition 206-386-1050 • Full 6-hour school day • Specialized programs at • Tuition on a sliding scale preschool@seattle.gov some sites (including dual Seattle.gov/applyspp language and inclusion) 206-386-1050 | preschool@seattle.gov
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Food + Home
6 Secrets to Spring Cleaning With the Kids
With the arrival of spring, you can practically smell the Pine-Sol in the air. The urge to deep-clean is real, but good luck finding a surface to scrub buried under soooo many stuffies, art projects, toys, clothes, trinkets. …
Simple strategies for busy parents trying to cut back on clutter
I’m pretty sure someone sneaks into our house at night and deposits clutter while we’re sleeping. It’s hard to remember that in the B.C. (before children) years, I was a minimalist who stored a couple of empty boxes
By JiaYing Grygiel
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in my otherwise empty closets. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard of the polarizing neatnik Marie Kondo and her “sparking joy” purging method. Good for her, but you’ve got kids, and therefore no time, no energy and way too much junk. No wonder you’re overwhelmed and constantly stepping on tiny Barbie shoes! With kids in the house, keeping the clutter at bay is a never-ending
LO CAL R ES O UR C ES / S C HO OL S + PRES C HO OL S
struggle. We reached out to the Marie Kondos of Seattle for tips on how to manage the chaos. Live with less. “People often hold on to things ‘just in case,’ but usually ‘just in case’ means never. And all that stuff is just taking up prime real estate, and our time and energy dealing with it,” says Vivian van Vriesland, owner of The Dutch Touch (thedutchtouch.net) and a Sammamish mom of two. The ideal home isn’t about having as little as possible, van Vriesland says, but about only having the things you use and appreciate, and letting go of things that you don’t need. So, don’t go running to The Container Store to buy a ton of pretty baskets. That’s the last thing you want to do. Start by being really critical about what you let into the house. Ask yourself: Do we really need this? Where would I keep it? While you’re at it, unsubscribe from all the promotional emails so you’re not tempted by sales. “The pitfall I see in every single home is that people simply have too much stuff,” says van Vriesland. “It can kind of sneak up on you, until one day you realize your stuff has multiplied while you were busy and sleepless being a parent.” Get the kids involved. Help kids figure out which things are their true favorites by implementing a rating system, says Pam Kopec, founder of Happy Nest Professional Organizers (happynestorganizers.com). The kids can sort their toys into buckets. Maybe this pile of stuffed animals gets 10 hearts, and that pile gets two hearts. Teach kids that there is a limit; the buckets can’t be overflowing. A bonus of having kids sort their own things? “Raising discerning children,” says Kopec. “‘I like that, I don’t like that’ — that’s huge when they can do it with their toys and their belongings and their friends. And [to] know how they feel about things. That’s such a great skill to have.” Honestly, though, sometimes you have to just plow through the playroom when they’re out of the house. You know what they never play with. Tuck it away, and if they haven’t asked about it after a month or two, it can go.
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LO CAL R ES O UR C ES / CAM P S : ARTS + ACT I V I T I ES F O OD + HOME
continued from page 15
“These things will fall out of favor, I promise you. We have to be stewards for their possessions,” says Kopec. Rotation, rotation, rotation! The smaller the kid, the bigger the toys, and it doesn’t take many of them to make your house feel crowded. But not all of the toys have to be in the living room at once. If you have the storage space, start a rotation process, Kopec suggests. When new toys rotate out of storage, it’ll spark joy for little kids. Make sure your kids have access to a nice balance of toys. Mix up the kinds of playthings that are out at any given time. Is it an educational toy? Does it inspire creativity? Is it designed to comfort?
group. That frilly dress your baby wore once for a picture? Take it to Mary’s Place (marysplaceseattle.org) or Wellspring Family Services (wellspringfs.org), where another beautiful baby can use it.
Establish a system for incoming paper.
Consider recycling your old stuff. Many organizations will take your clothes and shoes and recycle them or partner with charitable organizations to give these items a second life. Check out a comprehensive list of recycling programs that take everything from shoes to baby seats at parentmap.com/recycle.
Phinney Ridge mom Merrily Matthews gives each of her two boys an under-bed bin for all their papers from school. At the end of every school year, the bin comes out and they go through it. “You have one bin. What are you going to take out of it? It establishes for them a way to evaluate what they have and what they want to keep,” says Matthews. Sometimes there are papers the kids would throw out (report cards!) except that mom wants to keep them. So, Matthews has a bin under her bed for that stuff, but there’s just one bin, so she has to edit the contents, too. What about your prolific Picasso’s stream of artwork? Look at it, maybe take a picture of it and recycle it, says Matthews. Or display it in a frame with a hinged front so it’s easy to swap it for the newest masterpiece. Give and feel good about it. Donate those extra clothes to a charity such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound (schedule.bigpurplebins.org). Give away small toys and art supplies to neighbors through a local Buy Nothing Facebook
Keep it real. The ideal house should have all white furniture, with blush and gold accents, right? That’s what HGTV would have us believe. But being organized looks different from home to home, says Rachel Corwin, owner of Spruce with Rachel (sprucewithrachel.com). In her own lived-in Ballard home, there’s a messy kitchen table covered with receipts, a planner, a laptop and a cup of tea. Those Better Homes & Gardens interiors are the result of many, many hours of purging, organizing and designing. “You can achieve this, but everyone’s home looks different,” says Corwin. “And we all have different habits, hobbies, lifestyles. What does tidy look like in your space?”
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Freelance photographer and writer JiaYing Grygiel is a mama of two boys. Find her work at photoj.net.
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FAM I LY F UN
March Play List 15 fun ways to fling yourselves into spring By Devon Hammer
Check out many more happenings online at parentmap.com/calendar.
We made it through a pandemic winter and that is something to celebrate! Warmer spring weather and longer days beckon with plenty of options for playing outside. More kid-focused indoor attractions are opening with safety precautions in place, and there are still plenty of cool virtual activities to do as well. We’ve handpicked our fave ways to play as a family this March — whether your comfort zone is inside, outside or on a screen, check them out!
she creates characters for her graphic novels, and everyone is invited to draw along with her. Thursday, March 4, 3 p.m. Free; preregister. parentmap.com/live
2.
1. Grab your art supplies and
join a virtual ParentMap Play Time event with a professional cartoonist. She’ll show you how
Peer under the pier virtually with Harbor WildWatch. See what lies beneath the Salish Sea, live, from home, as a scuba diver explores at night using an underwater drone. Saturday, March 6, 7 p.m. Free. parentmap.com/pier
3. Will March offer our last
chance for snow play? Head out with the family to the new Easton Reload snow play area to build snow people and make snow angels. Note that there isn’t a sledding hill at this spot. A Sno-Park parking permit is required. parentmap.com/easton
4.
Help build your kid’s reading confidence by connecting them with a therapy pup live over Zoom. Sign up for
Editor’s note: Please remember to wear a mask when coming within 6 feet of anyone outside of your immediate household and follow all advisories related to safe recreating outdoors (parentmap.com/stay-safe).
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Highlighted Events for March
March 6
| Saturday
March 13–14
| Saturday–Sunday
Pier Into the Night
St. Patrick’s Day Dash
Online parentmap.com/pier
Green Lake Park, Seattle parentmap.com/dash
5.
7. Don your green garb and
join the St. Patrick’s Day Dash at Green Lake, IRL (a virtual option is also available)! Select a date and time on Saturday or Sunday, March 13–14, to take your turn to run the loop around Green Lake all decked out in your St. Paddy’s Day duds. $30–$40; preregister. parentmap.com/dash
8.
Celebrate Irish cultural traditions with an online edition of Seattle Center Festál’s Irish Week 2021. Enjoy performances and play games over five
ParentMap Puget Sound Camp Fair Online parentmap.com/camp-fair
summer camps and classes — conveniently from home — with ParentMap’s 2021 Puget Sound Camp Fair virtual resource event. Discover the perfect camps and activities for your little adventurer while they are being entertained with fun virtual activities. Saturday, March 27, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Free; preregister. parentmap.com/camp-fair
Get a behind-the-scenes look at some of your favorite resident animals at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium through online animal encounters. Zoo staff will highlight a different animal during each session. Wednesdays at 3:30 p.m. and Fridays at 1 p.m. in March. $10; preregister. parentmap.com/pdza
6.
| Saturday
12. Dive into the world of
a 30-minute session so your young reader can read aloud to a patient furry friend. Tuesdays (4–5 p.m.) and Saturdays (10:30–11 a.m.) in March, Free. parentmap.com/rover
Spot signs of spring blooming all over the Washington Park Arboretum while exploring with your crew on a self-guided adventure. Pick from nine downloadable guides full of games and fun ideas to enjoy while at the park. parentmap.com/arboretum
March 27
13. Plan a family date night
The Chicken Coop playstation at KidsQuest Children’s Museum
days. Saturday–Wednesday, March 13–17. Free. parentmap.com/irish-week
9. Explore our spectacular
state parks for free in honor of our state park system’s 108th birthday. No Discover Pass is required to park on Friday, March 19. parentmap.com/free-entrance
11. KidsQuest Children’s
Museum is open again! Book a two-hour time slot and explore 12 exhibits designed for immersive, hands-on play! $10 per person; ages 1 and younger free. parentmap.com/kidsquest
10.
spent in the kitchen! Hop on Zoom with Metro Parks Tacoma with your junior sous chef and work together to cook a meal while learning some new tips and tricks in the kitchen. Saturday, March 27, 6:30 p.m. $15 per family; preregister. parentmap.com/get-cooking
14. Get to know some groovy goats while brushing, feeding and playing with them! Book the splurge-worthy Groovy Goats Experience at the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium to enjoy some behind-the-scenes action with these lovable creatures. parentmap.com/groovy-goats
15.
Desperate for exercise but have a little one in tow? Pack up the stroller and get moving on a stroller-friendly trail around Seattle, the Eastside or South Sound. Bonus. Most trails run adjacent to a play area along the way so your tot can get their wiggles out, too. parentmap.com/get-moving
After its annual winter closure, the Seattle Japanese Garden reopens in March. Plan a day to enjoy the tranquil beauty of the garden, teeming with new spring life. Open Tuesday–Sunday. $4–$8; 5 and younger free. seattlejapanesegarden.org
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Seattle Japanese Garden
Devon Hammer is ParentMap’s Out + About editorial assistant and a mother of two.
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LO CAL R ES O UR CES / CAM P S : ARTS + ACT I V I T IES
8 Snacks and Crafts to Celebrate Spring Our favorite springtime recipes and activities for kids By Nicole Persun We’re ready for sunshine, how about you? Every year, by the time March rolls around, even the proudest Pacific Northwesterners are eager for a respite from the endlessly overcast weather. And since this has been an especially isolated winter, we’re positively itching for spring. To help usher in the new season, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite spring recipes, crafts and activities.
your homemade binoculars by using them to peep at the birds as they enjoy your offering. Get the full instructions online at parentmap.com/for-the-birds. to-make rainbow frosting and a decadent chocolate base, these mini cakes are sure to delight the whole family. Check out the full recipe at parentmap.com/cupcakes.
Create a fairy garden
Make spring rolls
What better way to celebrate spring than by rolling it into a delicious and colorful snack? The kids don’t need to know that these spring rolls are healthy, too. And the best part? You can make these out of whatever scraps of leftover fruits and veggies you have in the fridge. Read the whole recipe online at parentmap.com/ spring-rolls.
Explore the neighborhood
More daylight and milder temperatures mean that a stroll around the neighborhood is just that much more doable. Before you head outside, engage the kids in an eco-friendly craft project to make some DIY recycled “binoculars,” then take the finished product along to gain a new perspective on familiar surroundings. Get the full tutorial online at parentmap.com/binoculars.
Welcome the birds
With spring around the corner, the birds are back! Welcome them home with a peanut-buttery craft turned treat. Once the feathered cuties discover your DIY birdfeeder, get some extra mileage out of
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Start a garden
Early spring is the perfect time to dig in the dirt! We love this seed-start craft made from recycled shredded paper, a cookie cutter (for shaping) and your choice of seeds. Once you’ve made your seed-start “cookies,” plant them in a pot and wait for the beginnings of your garden to emerge. These make great gifts, too! Get all the details online at parentmap.com/seed-starts.
Engage everyone’s imaginations by creating a fairy garden! When the ground thaws and early spring bulbs begin to poke through the soil, it’s time to keep an eye out for our little winged friends. Fairy crafts are all about found and foraged materials, from twigs to old flower pots to the moss growing in your backyard. Find fairy garden inspiration at parentmap.com/fairy-garden.
Catch a leprechaun
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) by crafting a shamrock leprechaun trap! Legend has it that if you catch one of these little tricksters, they have to grant you three wishes. Build your trap out of these easy-to-find materials: a cardboard box, green construction paper, glitter, glue and string. Don’t forget to entice the leprechaun into your trap with chocolate gold coins! View the whole craft tutorial online at parentmap.com/leprechaun.
Make rainbow cupcakes
Looking for an excuse to bake something delicious? We think St. Patrick’s Day is just the occasion, and this colorful recipe takes the cake — er — cupcake. With easy-
Clear the clutter
Okay, we know spring cleaning isn’t as fun as rainbow cupcakes and fairy gardens, but it still brings a sense of satisfaction. The secret to successful spring cleaning is to involve the kids, manage your own expectations and have a game plan. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the task, view our list of tips on page 15.
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Nicole Persun is ParentMap’s digital content production coordinator.
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Food + Home 10 Clever Ways to Save on Groceries No, it’s not your imagination: Grocery prices have gone way up By Tiffany Doerr Guerzon
Does it feel like you are spending more at the grocery store each week? You are, and it’s not just because you are staying home and cooking more. Food prices have skyrocketed since the pandemic began, and since they may not go back to pre-pandemic levels anytime soon, we’ve come up with some simple tips to help you shop smarter and waste less.
1. Use what you have. The first important step to saving money on food is to take an inventory of the food you already have. Start by going through your pantry and freezer. Check expiration dates and throw out anything that has expired. Make a list of what you do have and use recipe apps like Allrecipes Dinner Spinner, Supercook and BigOven to find recipes that use the ingredients you have on hand. Try to shop only for the fresh items you need to supplement your meals.
2. Stretch meat. With the high price of meat, simply buying what is on sale will help your budget. Another way to stretch meat products is to cut down just a little on the amount you put in a recipe. If a recipe calls for 1 pound of ground beef, use three-quarters of a pound. It’s a small change that no one will notice. Pack away the extra meat in a zip-close bag in the freezer, and after
three meals of using the reduced amount, you will have enough meat for an extra dish. Another great way to stretch meat is by adding a nutritious filler. For ground beef, use a half-pound instead of a whole pound and add a can of pinto beans to the recipe (this works especially well with Mexican flavors). In a casserole that includes diced or shredded chicken, use half the amount of meat and add an equal amount of cooked rice.
3. Go meatless. Your mom might have told you that you need to eat meat at every meal to get enough protein, but the truth is that most Americans consume roughly twice as much protein as they need. Remember that plants, legumes, eggs, dairy products and grains also contain protein. Consider serving a vegetarian dinner once or twice a week.
4. Cut produce costs. Fresh produce can be a budget buster, especially when you find it in the back of the fridge past its prime. Purchasing just the right amount of produce, which includes the veggies needed for your weekly menu, will automatically cut down on waste. You can also save money by purchasing frozen fruits and vegetables instead of fresh. Frozen produce has the advantage of not going bad when you deviate from your menu, and frozen foods can be just as nutritious as fresh.
5. Get out of your store “comfort zone.” Everyone has their favorite grocery store, but it might not be the most economical. Try checking out other stores. Places such as WinCo Foods and Grocery Outlet may not offer the convenience of other chains, but they do offer big savings. Even if a cheaper store is in an inconvenient location, it may be worth going there once or twice a month to stock up on staples.
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F O O D + HOME
continued from page 23
6. Use coupons. Most major chains have a free app with which you can browse sales and e-coupons. You can add coupons to your store membership account that will be redeemed at the register when you enter your card or rewards number. As far as manufacturer coupons go, in my shopping experience, they seldom save me any more than buying items on sale or opting for the store brand or a generic brand. If the coupon is for an item you were already going to purchase, then obviously it will help lower your bill. But often coupons are offered for newer products and might just add an item to your list that you wouldn’t have purchased in the first place.
7. Try a rebate app. You may have heard of rebate apps like Ibotta, Target Circle and Checkout 51. These are apps used to get cash back when you buy certain items. For example, with Ibotta you might see a $1 rebate for a product. You won’t get $1 taken off your bill at the register; instead, you will need to take a picture of your receipt and upload it on the app. When you have collected $20 in rebates, you can get a gift card in that amount or a PayPal transfer. Every app works a bit differently. Search your phone’s app store to see what is available and what works for you.
8. Avoid impulse buying.
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Stores employ entire marketing teams to generate impulse buys. Those flashy displays work — otherwise, the stores wouldn’t use them! It can be hard to stick
“Stores employ entire marketing teams to generate impulse buys. Those flashy displays work ...” to your list while shopping — especially if you bring the kids. If you find that you are regularly deviating from that list you worked so hard to prepare, then a delivery service might help you save. Instacart is a service through which personal shoppers buy your groceries for you and deliver them to your home. Services like Instacart cost more, but if paying a fee eliminates impulse buying and gives you time to cook that scratch meal for the family, it might be worth it.
9. Switch to store brands. Many believe that store-brand items are
of lesser quality than name-brand versions. This is not always the case. Consumer Reports found that in a blind taste test, store brands were equal to — or even better than — national brands. But the only way to know is to try them. Canned goods are a great starting point. When canned tomatoes, beans or corn are added to a recipe, it will be hard to tell the difference between brands, and you can save up to 50 percent.
10. Stop throwing out food! Studies show that the average American family throws out about one-third of the food it buys. If you spend $900 per month on groceries, that is $300 going out with the trash. Families can cut down on waste with a few simple tips. First, if you are putting together a menu and only purchasing the food needed to prepare that menu, this will automatically cut your food waste drastically. Leave one night open on your
menu plan per week to set out all the leftovers buffet-style and let family members choose what they want, adding a salad and a loaf of bread to round out the meal. It’s so easy to forget about food in the fridge — especially produce — until it’s too late! Seeing what you have on a daily basis will help cut waste. When you come home from the grocery store, place the new items toward the back of the fridge and bring the older stuff to the front. Consider moving your fresh veggies to a more prominent part of the fridge (instead of the crisper drawer) so you see them each time you open it. Place fruit that doesn’t need to be refrigerated in a pretty bowl on the counter for grab-and-go snacks.
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Tiffany Doerr Guerzon is a freelance writer, the mother of three children and author of “Save Money on Groceries by Going Back to Basics.”
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Out + About
9 Beach Treasures to Discover as a Family Cool creatures to search for at low tide By Nicole Persun
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From Alki to Carkeek, we’re lucky to have a plethora of family-friendly beaches for some socially distanced outdoor time. It might seem counterintuitive to head off to a chilly, blustery beach in early spring, but there’s something energizing about the crashing waves, sea-salty scents and all that nature literally at your fingertips. It certainly beats doomscrolling on the couch. The beach can be fun on stormy and clear days alike, but we recommend you time your visit according to the tide, not the prevailing weather conditions. Exploring tide pools is best when
the water is low, so aim to be there during a negative tide to search for any of the following creatures. Refer to NOAA’s tide predictions chart (tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov) to track highs and lows in your area.
Sea stars You might be accustomed to calling them “starfish,” but the term is a misnomer — sea stars aren’t fish at all. They’re invertebrates with tough skin and soft undersides. Blood stars are bright red or orange and easy to spot, but keep a look out for ochre sea stars, too.
Tide pool tips Why they’re cool: Sea stars move around by using tiny suction-cupped tube feet — their suction is strong, so we recommend you don’t touch the underside of a sea star. Kids might be impressed to know that sea stars can regenerate their limbs.
Sea anemones One of the most common things to spot at low tide are sea anemones. You can find them on the sides of bigger rocks that are submerged during higher tides, but they also might be nestled in the sand, so watch where you step. The easiest species to spot is the giant green anemone, as its bright green color stands out against the gray rocks. Why they’re cool: Sea anemones are related to jellyfish and coral. Sea anemones have stinging cells at the ends of their tentacles, which they use to immobilize their prey. Human skin is too tough to be affected, so you can touch sea anemones in tide pools without concern. They’ll feel a little sticky, but won’t hurt. Just be gentle and try not to poke too hard — they’re delicate!
Crabs Crabs are a crowd favorite with tide pool enthusiasts. The easiest place to find crabs is under rocks. Carefully lift a medium-size rock and watch the crabs scuttle into hiding. Look carefully and you’ll find red rock crabs, pygmy rock crabs, hermit crabs and others. Why they’re cool: The claws. The side scuttle. Need we say more?
Sea cucumbers Sea cucumbers are a rare and special sight to see in tide pools. They can be found on the sloped
undersides of boulders, usually farther out, near deeper pools. A common variety is the California sea cucumber, which is red with yellowish spikes and can grow up to a foot long. Why they’re cool: Sea cucumbers are scavengers and have been called the vacuums of the sea. Though they’re soft to the touch, they’re actually related to the tough-skinned sea stars.
Before you head off to the beach in search of sea stars, anemones and more, here are some quick tips to keep your family and the wildlife comfortable and safe. What to wear: • Wear waterproof footwear with good soles — the rocks are slippery, and you’re bound to get your toes wet. • Speaking of getting wet: Bring extra clothes and towels, just in case.
Fish Disturb the water in a deeper tide pool and you might spot a fish dashing around. Common varieties include sculpins and gunnels. Sculpins have wide heads and tapered bodies, while gunnels are long and narrow and resemble eels. Why they’re cool: Tide pool fish have excellent camouflage to blend in with their rocky gray-brown surroundings. It takes patience to spot them, but they’re worth it.
Barnacles We all know barnacles as those hard, white bumps found all over beach rocks. Live barnacles have a round calcareous outer shell and internal plates that form a narrow slit. If you touch these plates gently, they’ll move as the creature inside closes them for protection. Why they’re cool: This stationary animal, related to crabs and lobsters, may not seem exciting. However, when underwater, barnacles extend feather-like legs to catch plankton. continued on page 30
• Wear layers (another reason for those extra clothes). After all, it’s the Pacific Northwest! Who knows when the wind will pick up or the sun will disappear? Tide pool rules: • Be careful where you step. When the tide goes out, all sorts of delicate creatures are exposed — it’s important to watch where you step so you don’t accidentally squish or damage an animal. • Use one finger to touch. You shouldn’t squeeze, grab or pick up sea creatures. • Flip rocks with care. There are many fun things to see under the rocks in a tide pool, but be careful not to squish creatures in the process. If you lift a rock, make sure to gently put it back where it was when you’re done admiring the tiny habitat underneath. • Take pictures, not souvenirs. Shells, rocks and other natural treasures are an integral part of the ecosystem and should remain at the beach. If you find something particularly pretty, take a photo!
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Calendar board
9 Montessori-Inspired Toys for Preschoolers Fun educational toys that help kids develop life skills By Vicky McDonald
Helping Hands Fine Motor Tool Set
Wooden reading blocks
Matching Letter game
Calculator cash register
Many parents are still working at home, with little kids by their side, vying for their attention. Finding time to educate and entertain kids can be an exhausting endeavor, and many of us could do with a little help. We all know that young kids learn best through play, so we have picked out some excellent educational toys that will help littles dabble with letter recognition, early reading, math skills, fine motor skills, spatial reasoning and more. Keeping track of time Time is a little disorienting for everyone right now, but keeping track of the days, the weather and the seasons is important and comforting for kids. Pidoko Kids’ All About Today Calendar Board is a cute interactive toy that helps kids learn about the concepts of time in a playful way while encouraging communication and logical thinking. Cutting and pasting Cutting and pasting are important skills for preschoolers to master in their pursuit of fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Highlights’ Learn on the Go Cutting and Pasting Practice Pad contains fun matching exercises and puzzles that will keep your little preschooler entertained Scooping up the fun Learning Resources’ Helping Hands Fine Motor Tool Set includes little tweezers, scoopers and droppers that actually help strengthen hand muscles. Add the utensils to a sensory bin or have your kid scoop and match colored beads or pasta shapes. These clever tools encourage kids to work on their pincer grip, which can ultimately help them with handwriting. Working with shapes Visit the Kizh store on Amazon to snag its beautifully made wooden pegboard sorter toy, which helps kids learn to recognize numbers, letters and shapes. Kids will enjoy hours of fun putting letters together.
Geoboard game 2 8 / PA R E N T M A P. C O M
Reading blocks Once your kiddo becomes familiar with letters and the basic concepts of phonics, they will be eager to start reading words. Instead of a boring worksheet, present a set of adorable wooden reading blocks by Young Hands, which lets kids meditatively interact with words. In no time at all, they will learn lots of useful words and develop confidence in their reading ability. Matching letters Little Treasures’ nifty Matching Letter game helps kids develop memory skills, word recognition and strategic thinking. The game comes with a word tray, letter cubes, picture cards and word cards. It can be played alone or with a parent or friend. Making math count Learning Resources’ MathLink Cubes help kids practice fundamental math skills, including counting, addition, subtraction and one-to-one correspondence. For younger tots, the cubes encourage matching as well as color and pattern identification. Think of them as Legos with benefits! Playing with money As soon as the kids become interested in math, money is a great way to build on their number skills. Learning Resources’ kid-size Pretend & Play calculator cash register toy contains some realistic-looking cash and coins to help kids learn more about addition and subtraction. This toy is also great for imaginative role-playing. Learning with geoboards Coogam comes through again with an awesome geoboard mathematical manipulative board that helps kids learn about shapes, letters and designs. The toy includes a bounty of geoboard pattern cards to get them started.
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Vicky McDonald is ParentMap’s digital content editor and a mother of two.
LO CAL R ES O UR CES / M O NT ES S O RI S CH O O L S
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Limpets If you spy a conical shell about the size of a quarter, it’s probably a limpet. Limpets can usually be found affixed to the sides of rocks, but unlike barnacles, they are not stationary. They’re actually a type of marine snail. Why they’re cool: Limpets have a strong muscular foot that holds them to the rocks. In fact, the foot is so strong that limpets are able to create a seal against the rock to hold in moisture. This keeps them from drying out in the sun while the tide is out. It also keeps them safe from predators that try to pry them off.
Chitons Chitons are related to limpets, but instead of one single shell, they have eight protective plates. Chitons also have a strong foot that holds them to rocks. In addition
to acting as a defense against predators, this ensures chitons don’t get knocked off their rocks by crashing waves.
lettuce. There are many, many varieties of seaweed: If you want to nerd out, The Seaweeds of the Pacific Northwest website (seaweedsofpnw.com) provides a good overview.
Why they’re cool: Chitons are living fossils! Fossil records show chitons existed more than 400 million years ago.
Seaweed Okay, seaweed is a plant, not an animal, but it’s still worth a closer look! The easiest type to identify is bull kelp, due to its big, floating bulbs. Another common seaweed is rockweed, which has mitten-shaped bulbs that pop if you step on them. You can also easily find Turkish towel seaweed, which is red and bumpy. Big swaths of slippery green seaweed are likely to be sea
Why it’s cool: Seaweed bulbs are called pneumatocysts and are filled with various types of gases. Underwater, these bulbs keep the leaves of seaweed close to the surface to absorb sunlight for photosynthesis. Sea otters use floating seaweed to anchor their babies in one place while the parents search for food.
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Nicole Persun is ParentMap’s digital content production coordinator.
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Parent Day Jobs Meet Chelsea Murphy This activist is changing the narrative about diversity in the outdoors By Natasha Dillinger Data from the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service highlight how people of color are currently underrepresented in the outdoors. Black people made up around 13 percent of the population in the 2010 census, but only 1 percent of the visitors to our national parks. Chelsea Murphy, a Washington-based activist, filmmaker and mother of two, wants to change the narrative about diversity in the outdoors. Her She Colors Nature Instagram account (@she_colorsnature) documents her lived experience as a Black woman thriving in nature. She also shares her own anti-racism journey (including advocating for Indigenous populations) and how she fosters a positive naturebased childhood for her daughters. Murphy and filmmaker Erin Joy Nash are presently collaborating on the Brave Space Film Project, which will feature the stories of Black, Indigenous and women of color who are redefining the term “outdoorsy.” We spent a few minutes catching up with Murphy to learn more about her work.
What inspired you to start She Colors Nature? I grew up in more of a city setting, and playing outdoors looked different for me growing up. We engaged in hiking and camping and being outdoors as a family, but it didn’t look like the Western European traditional style of getting outdoors. Living in the mountains, I saw a pattern of a lack of diversity on trails in Washington state. On a 2019 road trip to Idaho with
my husband, I decided I wanted to start something and network with other mothers, specifically Black mothers, who are getting outdoors with their kids … so they can feel validated, resonate with my story and share theirs. How has motherhood affected your experience of the outdoors? Getting into nature was a huge part of my postpartum journey. I had a friend who took me out hiking and encouraged me to hike with my kids. I started doing that, and it blossomed into my relationship with nature and motherhood. I am a firm believer that mothers should get out more with their kiddos if they can. There are barriers, and I understand it’s a privilege not everyone can afford, but that’s why I’m here — to close the gap of who’s getting out there. For families that are new to getting outside, how would you recommend they start? Be okay with being a beginner and not knowing it all and making mistakes. Come as you are. You don’t have to have the biggest and brightest gear. You just need a pair of sneakers, your water bottle and a map. Use your resources, like the AllTrails app [alltrails.com] or Washington Trails [Association website; wta.org], to understand how far you have to drive and the distance and elevation. Choose trails that are appropriate for your skill level. Don’t go out the first time and choose a 14-miler. Choose trails that are in [cell phone] service range or where there are other people, so if something happens, you can ask for help or phone in case of emergency.
What’s next for Brave Space Media and how
can folks support you? I think this film is going to be one of the first of its kind in relation to how it’s being produced — it’s very community-based. Our team is multicultural and we coproduce, codirect ... co-everything!
So, stay tuned for the crowdfunding link — we’ll need an army of people who are ready to build up this community, to share what we’re doing in this brave space, and to encourage other women, especially BIPOC women. We have lots of hope for this film — this project is so amazing that it deserves to be shown on a big screen with hundreds of people watching. We want BIPOC people to come see the film and to hold storytelling events and community-building moments or retreats for private or public showings. We are hoping that white folks who see this will begin to understand the importance of all voices, to get behind our narrative of re-creating what it looks like to be “outdoorsy,” and to have an open mind and heart. If that means waiting due to COVID, then we’re not in a hurry to release the film. We’re hoping things start to get better over the spring and summer. Here’s to dreaming!
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Natasha Dillinger is a Seattle mom who paused a career in accounting and finance to focus on showing her two young children around the Pacific Northwest.
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CRUISIN’ THE FOSSIL COASTLINE Where art and fossils collide THROUGH MAY 2, 2021 BURKE MUSEUM, UW CAMPUS
Ray Troll.
See the world through the eyes of an ammonite-obsessed scientist and an artist with a fondness for cheeseburgers and trilobites in this exhibition on West Coast fossils and the remarkable stories they reveal.
burkemuseum.org/cruisin
Organized by the Anchorage Museum and supplemented with Burke Museum collections and stories.
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