July2014

Accents One mom’s observation of raising a globally integrated child.

Free In Fifty States

The “A” Word Adoption from the adoptees’ point of view.

Art Photography Poetry And More Page 1 ~ Summer 2014

 Front Cover of Ajna L. by Misha Photography  Springs Comics by G.S. Davis…………..4, 74, & Back Cover  Letter from the Editor……………………………………………….5  Accents by Kim Moravec……………………………………………6  Morning at the Lake by Anna Carbone…………………………8

 A Few of Our Favorite Things……………………………………14  Nature Photo Essay by Eric Hendricks……………………….22  Activities Under $10 That Will Keep Your Kids Busy All Summer by Mike Spohr……………………………………………28  Watercolors by Alice Tetamore…………………………………32  The “A” Word - Mindshift Necessary by Jay Humenay…...40  In Full Bloom by Anna Carbone………………………………..50 Page 2 ~ Summer 2014

 Free in Fifty States………………………………………………...56  Summer Kids Photo Essay by Dannah Barringer………..66  Sunflowers on Red by Amanda Trueblood………………….70  Ode to My Son by Stina French………………………………..72  The Refrigerator Magnet…………………………………………75 

No Name Face by Alajiah R………………………………..76

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Then It Happened by Katzi T……………………………...78

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Eye See by Charissa T……………………………………….82

 Just Say ‘No’ to Back to School Shopping………………….84

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Feel the Heat After a winter on hiatus to change over to this new, beautiful way to publish and to give myself time to (almost) finish my degree, I’m so excited to reintroduce Parents Ink! Talk about feeling the burn, though, exercising muscles that haven’t been used in a while feels good and challenging all at the same time.

PARENTS INK ACCEPTS: ● Fiction ● Creative Nonfiction

And I’m sure some of you are starting to feel the heat, too. Midway through summer is so often the most challenging time to try and keep the kiddos to occupied and productive without going broke or bonkers. Many of you still have at least six weeks before school starts and are, perhaps wondering what else can be done without taking out a second mortgage.

Well, we have some great ideas in here, as well as some advice about Back to School Shopping, and a few of our favorite things for your own enjoyment.

One thing that you will notice in this edition, if you have been a follower of the previous website, is the shift over to more creative work. Parents often don’t have an outlet for their creativity, and that is something that we at Parents Ink are recommitting ourselves to providing.

We are slowly becoming an art, literary, AND informational magazine.

● Poetry/Prose ● Essay ● Article ● How--To Article ● Recipes ● Product/Book/Movie Review ● Photography ● Graphic Art ● Cartoon/Comic ● Images of physical art such as:  Painting  Sculpture  Jewelry  Pottery  Quilting  Needlework  And More

Also, check out the fun new section, The Refrigerator Magnet. This is art, poetry, and stories for kids, by kids.

We have some great work in here and I can’t wait to share it with you. So many talents, so little time!

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Send all submissions to: parentsink@hotmail.com

Accents

By Kimberly Moravec When I was pregnant with my first child in France, an American co-worker who had lived there for decades told me France was a great place to raise a child. “Only thing is, they don’t like to speak English with us anymore,” he said. “It gets really annoying when they correct my French.”

We soon moved to the UK, so my daughter never learned French, but the language my children has never quite been mine. For months I bathed, fed, and rocked that tiny soul to sleep, but when she opened her mouth to call me, it was never “Mommy.” My name, apparently, is “Mum.” Even when the words are the same, the meaning can be different. When she told me she needed to bring a pancake and a frying pan to school on Friday, my husband said it was for Pancake Day Races, obviously. “You know,

like egg-and-spoon races, but with pancakes and frying pans?”

I was not, in general, a pancake making person. Somehow not one single reference had been made to this ubiquitous childhood British tradition in any of the literature or BBC TV I’d ever watched. But one must soldier on in the face of adversity, so I researched recipes, gathered ingredients, and sent her with the required items on Pancake Day. It didn’t go well. It wasn’t just a case of not allowing the pancake to fall on the ground. As you ran, you

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were expected to flip it again and again. All the other mums had bought their dry, round pancakes from Tescos in packets of five; child after child was eliminated by flying pancakes. My daughter alone ambled towards the finishing line red-faced, shaking her pan for all it was worth, my enormous Betty Crocker buttermilk pancake stuck fast to the Teflon.

When we moved to America, and the game changed. It seemed that at last I would be the one who knew stuff only natives could know. Like how to talk into drivethru speakers or open combination locks. But the illusion was shallow. America, long term, kind of confused me, what with all the tilapia, Elves on Shelves, and higher expectations about manicured toenails. Having left back when pagers were new technology, cell phone contracts now totally flummoxed me. And I’m still unsure where all the sidewalks have gone.

At first, she was popular at school because of her English accent.

Then, in a strategy to be like everyone else, she flattened her a’s and stopped swallowing her r’s.

She started cheering for the TCU football team, spending her money on Rainbow Loom bands, building Minecraft worlds. She started saying things like “totes” and “epic” and “OMG.” If I need to know what they mean, I can always listen to her.

And if I accidentally say “biscuits” when I mean “cookies,” she’ll be right there, correcting my English for me.

But at least I have my daughter.

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Breakfast Time

By Anna Carbone

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The Power and the Glory

By Anna Carbone

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Reflections

By Anna Carbone

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Perfect for a long day trailing after the little ones at the zoo or spending your day at the ball park, Born shoes are the epitome of comfort with a style all their own. Made from only the highest quality leathers and products, the minute your foot is cradled in one you begin to wonder why your closet isn’t filled with their shoes. Truly, you moosh right in in the best of ways. With shoes for men and women and prices ranging from $70 - $190, the quality is such that these are an investment in classic craftsmanship that will last you for many years to come. http://www.bornshoes.com/ Page 14 ~ Summer 2014

A group of us were chatting not too long ago, discussing some of our favorite products and brands. We decided that we just had to share at least a few of these choices with you for your shopping pleasure. We hope you love them as much as we do!

As an all natural, chemical-free nail polish, RGB is a natural alternative to the many chemical -laden products currently on the market while resisting chipping for up to a week. It contains no Formaldehyde, Toluene, DBP, Formaldehyde Resin, or Camphor, making it a Five Free Formula. It comes in 32 colors and retails for $18. http://www.rgbcosmetics.com/

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Custom, handmade sterling silver jewelry and key chains created from your child’s art! Right? Yes, it’s expensive, but when each piece is painstakingly created from a 5-year olds’ drawing and then fired, and has to go through the refining process, $200 for something that is truly unique and will last forever starts to sound like a pretty good deal. http://www.formiadesign.com/ Page 16 ~ Summer 2014

Fun, funky, and eclectic, each item is hand-painted so that no two is exactly alike. Begun as a home business and with prices ranging from $12 - $48, you are sure to find something you’ll love. http://gleefulpeacock.com/

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We adore all things Melissa & Doug wi products that the kids always seem to are the tried and true art easel, the Se where everything must be balanced on sculpture before it falls. Then when yo stuffed animals, tents, castles, teacher to understand why we admire them so and girls in a variety of price ranges su birth to about 8 years old, you are sure family to enjoy.

http://www.melissaan Page 18 ~ Summer 2014

Keen sandals for children and toddlers is my kids favorite shoe. While they cost more than I generally liked to spend (usually retailing at $50), I will buy them in the spring and they will wear them until it snows sometime in October or November. And after that? They will wear them on any dry day they can since they can wear them with socks because of their closed toe. They are just about indestructible, so make it worth paying the higher price.

http://www.keenfootwear.com/

ith their safe, lead-free love. These particular ones ee and Spell, and Suspend n the funky shaped ou include things like their r’s toys, and more, it’s easy o much. With toys for boys uitable for children aged e to find something for your

nddoug.com/ Page 19 ~ Summer 2014

These are beautiful, accessible books of classical and contemporary poets with greats such as Robert Frost, Maya Angelou, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Lewis Carroll, and more. These are a great way to introduce younger, or even older, children to classic works without all of the intimidating accoutrements that come with the adult publications. Additionally, the editors are kind enough to add footnotes for any terms for which any parent or child might have trouble. Must haves for any children’s library! http://www.sterlingpublishing.com/

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Allergy Patches by Jeeto’s can be placed on your child’s backpack, coat, hat, or whatever they tend to have with them all the time to help remind their teachers and caregivers that your child has a potentially dangerous allergy. Fun and easy iron-on application, so you can be assured that your child has communicated their dietary needs without even trying.

Buy them at: www.spottedmonkey.com Page 21 ~ Summer 2014

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by Mike Spohr (Reprinted with permission. For all 33 ideas go to www.buzzfeed.com).

Well-placed yarn is all you need to let your kids get their Mission Impossible on.

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Painter’s tape and some balled up newspaper are all you need for this “sticky spider web” activity!

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DIY a Throwing Tarp 

Tarp

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Marker

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Rope

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Tape

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Scissors

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Play Ball!

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Make alien bubbles with this cool science experiment!

Dry ice and bubble solution (along with some stuff you likely have around the house) are all you need.

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Left: Calapooia Reflections in Watercolor Above: Hope In Watercolor

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Right: Thompon Mills in Watercolor

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Birds From Top: Juvenile Goldfinch, Purple Finch, and Towee in Watercolor Right: Falk Barn in Watercolor

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Light in the Mist in Watercolor

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By Jay Humenay Reprinted and Edited with Permission

Let’s talk about a subject that weighs on my heart every single day.

Adoption.

I didn't expect this journey to be the greatest challenge to my courage that I've had to date, but it certainly has. Beyond being a divorcee, beyond becoming submariner's wife, beyond relocating, beyond flying Page 40 ~ Summer 2014

solo, beyond any amount of height of jumped on a box or weight lifted, this has truly redefined 'courage' to me. I know it's completely mindboggling to most when I say that it doesn't really matter to me if I ever have biological children. If it happens, it happens. I'm not burning for the whole pregnancy deal. We're building our family no matter what. And we're adopting. Just as some women have always known they'd have bio kids, as soon as I started entertaining parenthood, I knew I'd adopt. I guess I'm wired differently.

Courage doesn’t mean you don’t get afraid; Courage means you don’t let fear stop you.

People ask a LOT of questions. Honestly, I don't mind the questions. In fact, I appreciate questions, because it shows an effort to fully understand the process and the people who choose to get involved in the adoption world. As an adoptee, I don't mind talking about it one bit. As an adopting parent, I stay open about it. I'm pretty skilled at fielding questions that are well intentioned (like, "How much will your kids cost if you go international?" as if I'm just dialing up Amazon and ordering a kid 'Made in China' or something, or "Why don't you just go IVF?" as if that's an easy process for a woman or somehow a more 'legitimate' way to build a family rather than embracing kids who are already in the world in dire need of a place to call 'home' and someone to love, guide, and believe in them).

I've got kind, friendly answers to all of these questions down pat and I don't take offense to the questions.

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See, I'd rather people ask questions and show a willingness to understand than jump to conclusions.

Ignorance is not bliss. It's just ignorance.

Now, in defense of those who jump to conclusions - we all jump to conclusions in life. We can't help it. It's part of our protective instincts to evaluate our surroundings (and those who inhabit it) for threats and assets. It's a basic need for survival. So I get where it comes from.

But I ran into a situation last week that just infuriated me. I can't stand when the ignorance of people about family dynamics make them treat adoption (and, by association, adoptees) as 2nd class citizens. As if creating a family through adoption somehow makes it 'less' of a family.

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Just because I wasn't my birth parents or my adoptive parents 'Plan A' when it came to family planning... well, you've heard the saying, "Man plans and God laughs," right? What's meant to be as a way of working out.

So let me ask the biologically related families out there.

Do you love your family members ONLY because you have genetics in common?

Everyone has an opinion about adoption.

So without further ado, you my dear readers (ye brave, ye few) are getting the answers to some of the strong opinions I've been exposed to this last year as we're challenged to adopt.

"White people shouldn't adopt black children. It'll be too hard and you can't possibly understand what it's like to grow up black." - You're right. I don't know what it's like to grow up 'black'. Or Asian, or German, or Mexican, or fill-in-theethnicity-that-isn't-on-my-mixed-family-tree-here. The stark color difference seems to just call more attention to families adopting kids with darker skin tones. I only know what it's like to grow up. I know that it's hard. I know that people can be mean. I know that I'll need to ask for help from people who do understand the culture my child comes from better than I do, no matter what that nationality is. Just because a child is a similar skin tone to mine doesn't mean that's any different. More often than not, these kids (who are in an orphanage or foster care by no Page 43 ~ Summer 2014

fault of their own) will either age out of the system and be left to their own devices, or worse, die from conditions in orphanages across the seas.

So you're saying death or not having a place to go home to are better options than having a loving place to call 'home' even if it's filled with people who don't look like you?

If you have a better solution, I'm all ears.

"Don't adopt overseas! There are SO many kids here who need good homes!" - You're right. There are lots of kids here who need loving homes. Anyone who has been part of a Page 44 ~ Summer 2014

family knows that the bonds are an invisible, guttural tie that binds.

Sometimes that guttural feeling crosses streets, blocks, and states. Other times, it crosses oceans.

"Adopt an infant!

The earlier the better! Then you'll get a blank slate and someone who isn't 'damaged.'" Let me spell this out for you. Adoption is a thing born of trauma. There is no way around it. Infants have emotions. In fact, their emotions are completely unguarded and untempered by reason, since they don't have that skill set yet. They don't understand why they are being surrendered or who these strangers gazing lovingly down at them are, be they foster parent, orphanage worker, or adoptive parent. No child is a 'blank slate' ever. With an older child, you can communicate and explain things, and help them reason through things. With an infant, you still have to do that- just later in the game.

"But you'll miss all those firsts if you adopt older!

First steps! First words!" True, there are some 'firsts' that Page 45 ~ Summer 2014

adoptive parents of beyond-infant-age kids don't get. But they get different 'firsts'. The thing is, adoption, like any kind of parenting, isn't really about the parent. It's about the kids. So, if we adopt an older kid, we'll get firsts like - the first genuinely unguarded hug, the first "I love you" that comes genuinely and easily, the first time they ask for help with a problem they are having because they now know they can rely on their parents for help for the first time. Those are just as much worth celebrating, if not even more.

On a personal level, I got a very small taste of this one when I was in a relationship with a single dad. I still recall clearly the day his youngest gave me a hug and said she loved me. I remember the first time his son got a kiss on the cheek from me and turned bright red, smiling from ear to ear. I remember the first time his oldest confided in me about a problem she was having. Each of those experiences were treasured moments in my past - and I still send up prayers for those kids often, despite the fact that it would have been unhealthy for me to be an ongoing presence in their lives. They deserve the chance to bond with a step-mother that is a better match for their father than I was.

"But Older kids have a history or might have special needs! They could be really screwed up! Doesn't that scare you?" Sure! EVERY parent is scared on some level. It's normal.

Even with biological children, you can't protect them from the world entirely. Bad things sometimes happen and our job (as parents) is to make sure we give them coping mechanisms to deal with what the world dishes out and teach them to reach for their dreams. Now, Page 46 ~ Summer 2014

granted, few would choose a child with special needs over a healthy child. Honestly, there are some special needs that I'm not (at this moment) able to deal with, but there are some I know deep down I can figure out. (And you find me an adult who doesn't have a single special need, and I'll lay money that person doesn't have a pulse.) Remember, no child is in the system by fault of their own. Yes, some may have medical/mental needs that their parents couldn't attend to and that's why they were taken away/given up. Some may have had adults that failed them in their lives. Whatever the reason, these kids have experienced loss on a level most people don't see until they become adult-orphans (when their parents pass away). Trust may not come easily to some. It might come too easily because all they want is love. Life doesn't come with guarantees. But that's okay. Trust is something that can grow and can be learned over time. If this sounds like something you'd say (or have said), I challenge you with this one, "What age do you stop needing hearts to call home?"

Sure, as a 30 something, I don't depend on my parents for the everyday things, but anyone that has ever lost a parent can tell you that you never stop needing or wanting a loving parent's influence in your life.

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"What if you can't bond with them?"

I don't believe in

'return to sender' labels. I believe in building connections where you can and letting time (and consistency) do it's job. We'll find some common ground, no matter how small, and build on that. We'll take our time making sure we find a match that fits with us. Parenting isn't about what you can get. It's about what you can give.

"But isn't adoption expensive?" Actually, there are a LOT of grants and options out there. Adoption through foster care in our state is about $2500 per adoption (not per child since you're paying fees for the services, not a price tag for a child). There are LOTS of ways to raise money for adoption. There is a fabulous book out there, Adopt Without Debt, that has some great ideas for raising money. Like anything in life, you save up for it, or you finance it. It's like anything else. You figure it out if it's important enough to you. You cut corners. You hold garage sales. You change your vacation expectations. And think about it this way, if you're willing to finance a car or a house that is purely a 'thing' that will be part of your everyday life for 6-30 years, why wouldn't you be willing to do what's necessary to bring your child/children home?

In closing - Adoption is NOT for everyone. I respect that completely. A bad match can do more harm than good. In fact, in the US, adoption has fallen by 68% over the last 8 years, which is 24% steeper than the rest of the world. The number of children living without families is on the rise all over the world.

Just as IVF or surrogacy or even parenthood is not for everyone.

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As an adoptee that got matched with the right family for me, I have seen first hand the kind of healing that happens when adoption works. It's never been about what my brother and I can do for our parents. It's always been about what our parents could do. They changed their lives to change ours because they wanted a family. Adoption is a practice as old as time. As long as there have been orphans, there has been adoption. We see it in nature, and we see it in our world. Nearly 3% of the US population is adopted, but over a million kids around the world are still awaiting homes. Many of them with aren't infants. But, like I said, there is never an age a child doesn't need a place to call home, someone to believe in them, and someone to take the risk of caring.

So, I ask you, dear readers Do you love your family members ONLY because you have genetics in common?

Or is that the LEAST of the reasons why you love your family?

There is one thing that everyone seems to agree on though - Children belong in families.

No matter what those 'families' look like.

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Boat Tour of Lake Union at the Center for Wooden Boats 

Rides are about 45 minutes long with some special tours lasting up to 2 hours. 

The Center for Wooden Boats is very “kid-friendly” and focuses on educating and preserving the history 

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You will likely see the houseboat used in the movie “Sleepless in Seattle” Free tour of Bob’s Red Mill, where they produce organic and gluten free products.

Located in Milwaukie, OR. You will see antique milling machinery, French Buhr millstones, and more. Free cookies are located in the Visitor Center! 

Knotts Independence Hall in Buena Park is a brick-by-brick replica of the original located in Philadelphia. Open daily 10AM 4PM. 

Los Coyotes Paleontology Museum in the Ralph B. Clark Regional Park is reputed to have the only complete ice age whale fossil! 

Pirate Ship Battle at Buccaneer Bay in front of Treasure Island from 4-10 PM every day, weather permitting. 

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Snake River Valley Wine region. Several of the more than 2 dozen vineyards offer free tastings; others char a $5 fee that can be used toward a bottle of wine. Take a picnic and enjoy the view of the Owyhee Mountains and Snake River Plain. 

Second Saturday of every month you can enjoy a variety of art-making activities at the Salt Lake Art Center for Family Art Saturdays.

The Galleries are open to the public Tuesday Saturday 11 AM - 6 PM & Friday 11 AM - 9 PM. 

ASU Art Museum or Museum of Anthropology in Tempe. The Art Museum has five galleries of contemporary art within the Nelson Fine Arts Center. Southwestern and Latino art is well-represented. The Museum of Anthropology features ever-changing exhibits related to culture and society, archaeology and human origins. 

Fishing days at Tingley Beach each month as part of Albuquerque Bio Park 

Summerfest Concerts at Civic Plaza with free music, games, and carnival rides. 

Dinosaur Ridge is located south of downtown Denver on the C-470 exchange. The Trailway is 1.5 mile trail along Alameda Parkway, with hundreds of tracks, bones, and geologic features. 

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The Hobo Pool in Saratoga is owned and maintained by the town, so is free and open to the public, and is a natural hot springs that just recently added a not-so-hot pool. Better for winter, but still feels good on tired body after hiking through Medicine Bow National Forest. 

Clyfford Still Museum will be free on AUGUST 7, 2014. Clyfford Still was among the first Abstract Expressionist painters, a style developed right after World War II. Still is credited with laying the groundwork for the Abstract Expressionist movement in the United States. 

Keelboat Park and Steamboat Park in Bismark features replicas of the boats like one Lewis and Clark used and the boats of the time before the railroad arrived. Located on River Road, next to the Missouri River. 

Souix Falls Dowtown Moonlit Movie nights every Saturday night through August 28th at Fawick Park. The movies begin at dusk. 

Sioux Empire Medical Museum has an iron lung, old patient room, pediatrics area, and surgery center. It’s open Monday - Friday 11 AM - 4 PM. 

Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts in Omaha is an ever-changing museum/gallery known for its art-in-residency program. 

Sunken Gardens is a gorgeous terraced garden of thousands of annuals, reflecting ponds, waterfall, and the pavers on the pathway are engraved to memorialize special people and events. A beautiful way to spend the day in Lincoln. 

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Ulrich Museum of Art at Wichita State University is home to a vast collection of contemporary and modern art including the Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection, which has more than 70 statues spread across campus. You can also visit the very first Pizza Hut while on campus! 

Mat Hoffman Action Sports Park in Oklahoma City is a 26,000 square foot outdoor sports park for BMX riders, skateboarders, and rollerbladers.

It is the states largest and most challenging skate and bike park named after local BMx biker, Mat Hoffman, and features not only a bowl course, but street course, as well. 

Grapevine is about 20 miles from Dallas and offers a variety of free activities including free fireworks every Friday nigh at the Gaylord Texan Resort, NASA Blast, the Grapevine Convention and Visitors Bureau’s Grand Gallery, and Glockenspiel Clock Tower train heist on Main Street. 

Germain Cazenave Wells Mardi Gras Museum in New Orleans is a tame way for your kids to get a taste of Mardi Gras where they can see masks, costumes, and vintage photos. 

If you are visiting Shreveport-Bossier, instead, you could visit the Barnwell Garden & Art Center, which has a domed botanical garden conservatory and fragrance garden for the visually impaired. 

Folk musicals and dancing on the Stone County Courthouse Square in Mountain View where professionals and amateurs join together to jam in impromptu band performances every Friday and Saturday night during the warmer months! 

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Dr. Bill Roston Native Butterfly House in Springfield is open Sat & Sun 10 AM - 6 PM and Tue & Wed 5 PM to Dusk. It looks like a greenhouse, but instead of glass it is covered in a fine netting to keep the butterflies inside. 

Des Moines Art Center includes a permanent collection of major 19th, 20th, & 21st century recognized masterpieces in a contemporary complex designed by three internationally recognized architects. They also are featuring free movies and events all through the summer months! 

The Quarry Hill Nature Center in Rochester is open year-round for hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and fishing. You can also explore the interactive displays and exhibits of area wildlife scenery, participate in a cave tour, or visit the 1,700-gallon native fish aquarium. Open daily. 

Jazz in the Park in Milwaukee happens every Thursday night in Cathedral Square Park. Bring a picnic! Bastille Days also happens at Cathedral Square and this celebrate French Culture with music, dancing, mimes, stilt walkers, an Eiffel Tower replica with hourly light show and street performers. 

Lots of places have free movie nights on Fridays, but can you watch them from the deck of the USS LST 393 in historic Downtown Muskegon with the lake in the background? I thought not! 

The Garfield Park Conservatory in Chicago is a 3.5 acre wonder in the city is that is always free!

With new activities and plants growing daily, it’s a super place to take the family for a day of fun! 

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Gulfport features 3 huge Splash Pad Parks that are free and open to all! There is West Side Park with features 1/4 mile of rubberized lighted walking track, pavilion, “KABOOM” playground, shoofly, and splash pad. Then there is Jones Park with its tropic theme and Gaston Point with water bucket drops and water rings for the children to walk through and several toddler sprays. There is something for everyone to stay cool this summer in Gulfport! 

Army Aviation Museum in Dothan has an extensive collection of more that 160 military aircraft including many examples of early research efforts and the evolution of the helicopter. Film kiosks are placed throughout the gallery. 

Shakespeare in the Square in Knoxville happens Thu through Sun at 7 PM when The Tennessee Stage Company presents classic Shakespeare in the heart of the city from July through August. Features local actors. 

Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Kentucky in Lexington where you can take a tram tour through this car-manufacturing plant Mon through Friday at 10 AM, 12 PM, and 2 PM with a 6 PM tour added on Thursdays. 

The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis has Free Family Nights the first Thursday of every month from 4 - 8 PM. This is the largest children's museum in the U.S. and features a fully functioning antique carousel that you can ride for a $1. 

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Indianapolis Museum of Art is the 7th largest general art museum and is free every day. It’s huge 152 acres features botanical gardens, a greenhouse, Civic theater, and nature trails as well.

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From late July until the beginning of football season, you can watch the Cleveland Browns Training Camp workouts in Berea. The team also hosts a family night once a year where the kids can get autographs from their favorite players. 

University of Maine Museum of Art in Bangor hosts contemporary artists and ideas with more than 3,500 pieces of original art. The museum also offers family programming, educational classes, and adult workshops. 

Horatio Colony Museum & Nature Preserve in Keene is an old-time New England home filled with original family furnishings and fabulous collections with offer a glimpse of a bygone era of culture, refinement, and travel. The Nature Preserve consists of 3.5 miles of well-marked trails that detail geological features, historic ruins, and plant communities across the property. 

Movie Night sponsored by Ben & Jerry’s on Tuesdays in front of the Church St. Scoop Shop in Burlington. The movies begin at dusk (8 PM-ish) and you can enjoy free ice cream samples before pre-show! 

Tour the USS Constitution, the oldest commissioned ship afloat in the United States while you are in Charlestown. While there you can also enjoy the “All Hands on Deck: A Sailor’s Life in 1812” exhibit with interactive adventures. 

Movies on Misquamicut Beach begins at 8:30 PM on Wednesday nights. These are familyfriendly movies so bring a beach chair and blanket and enjoy the show! 

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Yale Center For British Art houses the largest collection of British art outside the UK in a landmark building designed by Louis Kahn.

Exhibits include paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings, and rare books. Check for tours, concerts and regular family programs. 

Governor’s Island in New York City is free, as is the ferry to get there! There is a bike path, minigolf, picnic area, plus military sites such as Admiral’s House and a “ghost town” at Nolan Park.

The ferry leaves from Battery Maritime Bldg, Slip 7 in Lower Manhattan. This is a fun day trip for the whole family. 

Howell Living History Farm in Titusville takes you back to 1900. When you visit you could build a barn, deliver a lamb, back a loaf of bread from wheat that you grew yourself. Kids can play with the animals or help sweep up the barn. Saturdays are often the best day to go! 

Storytelling Benches in Philadelphia are available at 13 locations including Christ Church, Franklin Square, and Signer’s Garden. Children can obtain a Story Flag at any bench, collect a star from each storyteller, and exchange the flag complete with 13 stars for a certificate and coupon book at the Independence Living History Center or the Franklin Square Shop.

Benches are open daily from Memorial Da through Labor Day. 

Herr’s Snack Factory Tour in Wilmington where you learn first hand how they make their chips and other yummy snacks. Before the tour you’ll get the inside scoop on the history at Chipper’s theater then it’s off to explore and sample. 

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Harborplace Amphitheater in Baltimore, between the Harborplace Pavilions, hosts singers, dancers, magicians and more throughout the spring and summer. Call ahead for times and details. 

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts offers free concerts or performances every night at 6 Pm on the Millennium Stage. They also offer free tours and a free shuttle from Foggy Bottom Metro. 

All six museums operated by the West Virginia Department of Culture and History are free to the public. You can find them in Charleston, Wheeling, Moundsville, Clifftop, Lesage, and Logan. Check the website as they all have at least one day a week for which they are closed. 

The Fralin Museum of Art at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville exhibits art from around the world dating from ancient times to present day. The galleries feature American and European painting and sculpture of the 15th-19th centuries including art from the “Age of Thomas Jefferson” (1775-1825), art from the ancient Mediterranean, Asian art, and 20th century art. 

Gold Rush Trolley in Charlotte offers two circulating lines in Center City. The Gold Rush Trolleys stop at marked bus stops every 12 minutes from 6:40 AM to 6:30 PM Mon through Fri. This is a great way to see Uptown Charlotte. 

Broadway at the Beach entertainment complex in Myrtle Beach includes street performers and a free pontoon ride for the kids. Fireworks on Tue. 

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Centennial Olympic Park was originally built to commemorate Atlanta being chosen for the 1996 Olympic, but is now a gorgeous green space where you can play on the Olympic rings fountain and the amphitheater hold concerts and more! 

A little Mommy and Daddy time might be called for with a complimentary tour and wine tasting with Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards. Tours are held every 15-20 minutes, beginning with a 12 minute video presentation daily. The tour and wine tasting lasts approximately 45 minutes. 

Music in the Park happens at noon every Wednesday and Friday when local musicians get together to play at Peratrovich Park next to the Anchorage Visitor Center. 

Torch Lighting Ceremony and Hula Show at Kuhio Beach Park in Waikiki. This show is presented every Tue, Thu, Sat, and Sun night around sunset (6/6:30 PM) depending on the time of year. Great show filled with traditional Hawaiian music and dancing 

We at Parents Ink hope this inspires you to search out and find the other amazing free things we found during our search. We wish we had the time and space to list everything! There is so much to do for free in our states, so whether you are having a vacation or staycation, you are sure to find something that will fit your budget!

Have fun and stay safe.

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Ode to My Son

by Stina French

You are figuring me out, mapping me.

Studiously, yet couched in game.

Maybe it’s mealtime, and we are siting across from each other, something more than your dripping yogurt chin happening between us.

You’re opening a door (with a key washed up on the shore of your parent’s junk drawer) and now you’re in some locked room inside me rearranging things pulling the books off the shelves and you know you shouldn’t be in there.

We are wrestling around and we break something and now, just like that, your eyebrow shoots up to see if brokenness matters.

And my eyebrow shoots up to throw The Question back to you.

And here is where I am gladdest to be your mother.

Here is where I am in on the joke.

Here is where we laugh at the eventual brokenness of everything.

At the yogurt on your chin.

Here is where I’m glad I didn’t sell you on e-bay.

Here is where I don’t mind your relentless goings where you shouldn’t.

Here is where I start to see that all the keys to all doors are irrelevant (and thereby beautiful) because we always have the choice of whether we let something in.

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Then It Happened Excerpt by Katzi T., Age 12

It was a cold September morning and I was all alone. Le Lafume Toi is pretty place with great coffee. I sat, drank

coffee, and worked on school projects. Then it happened, a man six foot two walked up and sat down right across from me. He was wearing sunglasses and a long coat. “Maxwell.

Kevin Maxwell,” he said as he extended his hand across the table.

“Iztak Morette,” I replied as I shook his big, rough hand.

He has big blue eyes and brownie colored hair. Kevin then took off his coat and asked for a chai latte.

It was the year 4321. I was going to finish college next year and get a BC degree, the highest degree in Marine Biology. I’m twenty-five years old with green eyes and blondish brown hair. I’m wearing torn jeans, a purple and black plaid t-shirt, and dirty old sneakers.

At that moment, I realized that Kevin is staring right at me. “Yes?” I was starting to get freaked out when he replied, “I know where he is.”

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“What?”

“Don’t play games, I know who you are. It’s time to go somewhere safe. Got any ideas?”

“I’m sorry, but you’ve got the wrong person.”

“Iztak, I know where your father is, but we must get to safety.”

“Where is he? Who has him?”

Kevin then covered my mouth and shushed me. “Shon’t shoo shush mo,” I muffled.

“What,” he said as he removed his hand.

“I said don’t shush me!”

He took me by the shoulder and told me to clean up my things and to come with him. *

*

*

We’re in a cab, now, being driven to my apartment.

“Explain!” At that moment, I felt as if I’d explode. “Who has by dad and what do they want from me?”

“Calm down--” “I’m not going to calm down! Answer my questions!

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“Iztak! I can’t until I know no one can hear or see us.”

He said this so coolly, I got the chills. We got out of the cab and I paid the driver twenty bucks. I walked up the stairs quietly, thinking about how on earth could Kevin know where my dad could be.

We got into the elevator, I pressed seven. “Alright, just tell me who has him.”

“Iztak, I said--”

“Kevin, I barely even know your name, I’m not asking where he is, I just want to know what I’m up against.”

“It’s a gang of brutes. They want the blueprints to

something your father knows about and I assume he’s never talked about it to you or your mother?”

“My mother passed away when I was three. And my father never talks about work or that kind of thing. Here we are, Room G33.” I opened the door and led Kevin in. “Would

you like something to drink? Coffee, orange juice, milk, or water?” I asked as if I was a host.

“How about some water?”

I poured out some water for the both of us. I handed Kevin one and sat on the couch. “Sit.” I gestured toward the arm chair and couch. “There’s plenty of seats, choose one.”

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He sat down on the arm chair across from me.

“Is there any security cameras? Surveillance?”

“Nope.”

“Seriously, I thought you’d look over your shoulder every thirty seconds. Have miniature cameras and listening speakers everywhere in your apartment!”

“Why on Earth would I need those? And why are you being extremely suspicious?”

“Well, your dad has been father-napped and you’re all alone with nothing that will even show how you are kidnapped.”

“What makes you think I’m going to be kidnapped?”

Then it hit me, Kevin must be trying to kidnap me! I gasped “Oh, no!” I get up, run to the door. All I can see is Kevin holding a gun. Everything goes black.

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W

ith seven kids, shopping for clothes can get expensive quick, fast, and in hurry. Back to school shopping isn’t just about clothes any more, either, it’s about paying the school fees for technology and the bus and lunch accounts and yearbooks and… well, let’s just say that by the time I’m done paying for much of the stuff that truly matters for school, there isn’t much left over. Then when you add in the fact that at our kids school, anyone in the third grade and up (it’s a Pre-K thru 12 program) goes camping at the beginning of the year… substitute trips for sports fees, and I think most parents feel the same pain!

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We have been conditioned by retailers that we must join the ravaging hordes stampeding into the big box and discount stores alike to restock on things that, frankly, we probably don’t need.

The odds are good that your kids don’t even need new clothes, that they haven’t outgrown most of what they wore during the summer months and they can absolutely continue to wear during the first weeks, even months, of school.

Really, unless there is a specific dress code at your school that forbids regular summer clothes, there is no reason why they can’t wear what they’ve worn all summer anyway. Additionally, this will save you money in the end, because then you are only purchasing them clothes when they really need them and not based on hyped up sales. You can shop at the first of October and get almost all the same stuff marked down by 50% or more, instead, and be more assured that they may actually be able to wear these clothes longer than a couple of months. Don’t fall prey to Pavlov’s Marketing Technique! Choose the best time to buy for you and your family.

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Last year I gave each of my kids $20 in addition to some money that they had each saved up from gifts and doing odd jobs so that they all had between $50 - $60 to spend on clothes and personal items. We went to some regular retailers for a few particular items - specifically things I won’t buy used like undergarments and shoes.

Afterwards, however, we went to our neighborhood thrift store. I took each one them individually over the course of several weeks so that we could shop on Saturdays when our store would have all but two of their When shopping, make sure that you colored tags on half have a set budget and that you give price. All of the your child the cash to pay for it kids came home themselves. They learn the value of with a minimum of the dollar and the difference between one new pair of what they need and what they want! shoes, new underwear/bras, and eight new outfits!

Consignment stores are also popular, but many times you will spend just as much there as you would at someplace like Target or Kohl’s and more than what you would spend at Walmart, so be careful about what you pick in those places and make sure the brand is worth it . Don’t assume that just because it’s second hand, it is less expensive.

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Supplement Your Child’s Summer Wardrobe With These Must-Haves!

The Legging is just so versatile for girls of all ages! Grab a bunch of fun and funky styles to be worn with their shorts and skirts for those back-to-school days that are too cool for summer clothes and too hot for jeans!

LONG SLEEVE KNIT These are perfect for layering underneath summer weight tees for boys and girls. Get them in a variety of colors!

Truly, unless like my kids did last year for the first time in many years and all went through a growth spurt the month before school began, WAIT! Wait to buy them clothes until the weather changes and they really need new items for the new season. Being a parent is expensive enough without being bullied by a false expectation set forth by the retail industry to help them make their bottom dollar.

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