April/May 2020

Twelve Years of April / May 2020

101 THINGS TO DO DURING SOCIAL DISTANCING AUTISM DOESN’T HAVE A LOOK, BUT

Kindness Does

Inside:

CAMP G UIDE Preview

*Northwest Health Physicians’ Specialty Hospital is owned, in part, by physicians.

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We help children explore and discover their interests through play in a safe environment. We provide ample opportunities for fun learning experiences, promoting a lifelong love of learning in literacy, science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

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Goddard Systems, Inc. program is AdvancED accredited. © Goddard Systems, Inc. 2020

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The

Family KIMBERLY ENDERLE Editor-in-Chief editor@peekaboonwa.com | 479-957-0532

JONATHON ENDERLE Creative Director jon@peekaboonwa.com | 479-586-3890

Jonathon and Kim with Holden, Ava, Gwen, and Grant PHOTO BY MILES WITT BOYER

DISTRIBUTION/ CIRCULATION Joyce Whitaker Judy Evans Marcedalia Salinas

Jeremy Whitaker Michelle Dodson

FRANCES WILSON Assistant Editor

BEN LACY Dad’s View

Peekaboo Publications

Columnist

PO Box 1036 Bentonville, Arkansas 72712 Please send inquiries to: editor@peekaboonwa.com or call 479-957-0532 www.peekaboonwa.com Peekaboo may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. Views expressed herein are those of the authors and advertisers, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the magazine.

PEEKABOO Northwest Arkansas accepts writing contributions

4 April 2020

MEAGAN RUFFING Columnist

DAVID HOVEY Story Design

Now Now Enrolling Enrolling KINDERGARTEN KINDERGARTEN

Learn more about our Learn more about our Balanced Learning® approach Balanced Learning® approach that balances early learning that balances early learning theories with modern wisdom modern wisdom totheories address with children’s individual tolearning addressstyles, children’s individual helping to learning styles, helping empower every child to child toempower reach his every potential. to reach his potential.

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Inside

A P R I L / M AY 2 0 2 0

Also 28

Virtual Learning: Code Word Grace BY: KIM ENDERLE

32

COVID 19: 101

BY: MEAGAN RUFFING

12

Fun Photo Spots from Across NWA

14

Sawyer Strong BY: JO ANN GREENFIELD

36

Autism doesn’t have a ‘look’, but kindness does!

BY: JACQUELINE ERNST

44

In the Know: Board Game Knights

46

Camp Guide Preview

56

Quarentine Survival Guide BY: AMENDA LACY

20

Vintage Market Days

26

Dad’s View BY: BEN LACY

60

Willow Creek Women’s Hospital Launches New Maternal-Fetal Transport Service

ON THE COVER

40

The Importance of Outdoor Play

58

Meet Luke BY: ROBYN HUBBARD

BY: CHRISTY PIERCE AND MELISSA WELLS

Cover Sponsored by: Northwest Health www.northwesthealth.com 6 April 2020

Aurora and Grayson of Rogers. Children of Brian and Jacqueline Ernst.

Photos by Main Street Studios www.mainstreetstudios.net

High-quality child care looks like

SCIENCE

Children don’t learn in silence. They have questions – lots of questions! And they learn about the world through experience.

In quality child care programs, children learn through everyday scientific processes. They observe rocks and leaves under a magnifying glass. They classify seeds by size and shape. They learn what plants need to grow. They learn that living things change over time.

Ask your child what they learned in class today.

Your child’s early learning is very important to school success. Visit our website to find qualityrated child care with early childhood educators that help prepare your child for kindergarten.

ARBetterBeginnings.com 501-682-8590

LEARN THROUGH

EXPERIENCE The Sunflower Jar

The most important element of any experiment is a caring adult. This activity is appropriate for a child who has exchanged asking “why” for asking “how.” “How do plants grow?

How do plants in the woods get started? How do the stores get all that food?”

Place wet paper towels in a glass jar. Paper towel should be placed loosely, not packed down.

Position 4-6 seeds against the insides of the jar so they can be seen.

The number of seeds depends on the size of your jar. The sprouts will need room for roots.

Place your sunflower jar in a window for light.

Water daily with a spray bottle or sprinkle water lightly with your hands. Keep the towels a moist place for the seeds.

In a few days sprouts from the seeds will appear. Then come roots.

When the sprouts have two leaves and are two inches tall, you can plant them in a pot.

What do children learn from the activity?

• How materials absorb water • What plants need to grow Materials: Glass jar or smooth plastic container

• Plants are delicate when they are young • Measurement

Paper towels Water Packet of seeds Extend the experience 

Click here to visit our Resource Library. You’ll find activities and tips to help you prepare your child for life.

www.ARBetterBeginnings.com • 1-800-445-3316

Visit our Family Resource Library for activities that help your child learn by doing at bit.ly/ sunjarpk

Also en Español

From the Editor

photo by: Miles Witt Boyer

I talk a lot about perspective -- finding it, framing it in a healthy manner, and finding joy in it. For the past few weeks, I have struggled with this more than anything. In a 24-hour day, my perspective will shift from grateful for the recent slow down, to sad for all that we are missing out on, to joy for the memories made, to despair over the lives that have been lost and the families that have been turned upside down.

An emotional roller coaster is one thing, but an entire life roller coaster is the roughest ride I have ever experienced.

Everyone “jokes” about wishing there was a parenting manual, because parenting is such a difficult and unique experience--of course it would be great to get some extra help! I have asked for this magical parenting manual multiple times over the last 14 years, but the reality is, there are already many, many parenting books, and manuals, and guides (and magazines just like this one you have been reading for the last 12 years) out there. You can pick whichever one suits your fancy.

I usually write my letter from the editor over the course of the month. I can get a thought, write it out, come back to it the next day, and finish it. This letter from the editor is completely different. The last few weeks have been crazy! Like, straight out of a weird dream that just won’t end kind of crazy. I have sat down multiple times to write out my feelings on the situation taking place in our area - our state - our nation - our world - but by the time I come back to finish my thoughts, everything has changed.

You know what there isn’t a manual or a guide for? The great physical distancing of the past few weeks that is the result of a ruthless pandemic that shut down schools, the stock market, businesses, and life as we knew it. Other shut-downs, like those put in place because of ice storms have end dates and plans that can be found in a manual in an office somewhere. If an ice storm hits and roads are slick, stay inside until it melts. If you can make it out, then do so with caution, but only if you can’t wait indoors, cozy on the couch for a couple days max. Rest assured, the ice will melt, spring will come, and life will resume. With Covid-19, there is no promise of an end date or any information on what that will even look like when it happens.

This is the very first issue of Peekaboo in over 12 years that was not able to “hit the stands” because the “stands” weren’t open. When I erased ‘April’ on the front cover and combined it to say ‘April/May,’ I have to admit... tears were shed. My first feelings were a reaction to that slash between the names of the months. That slash meant there was a literal pause in our world for an entire month (or maybe more - I don’t know how all this will turn out).

8 April 2020

It would be absolutely impossible to write a recap of the month, or a look at the month ahead, without talking about Covid-19 (sung to

the tune of “Come on Eileen”). It began with nonstop messages informing me of canceled plans and closings.

It isn’t just schools and businesses closing for a day or two--it is colleges, major sporting events, performances, flights, and even Las Vegas... like, the entire city. Unlike a snow day cancellation, we are not hoping for something to come, we are instead staying inside to prevent something from finding our family and loved ones.

While the added family time of last few weeks has been amazing, we’re also grieving what was supposed to be, what won’t be, and not knowing what is to come.

I am an introvert by design, so the canceling of plans, meetings, and social hang outs felt very natural.

When cancellations first started happening due to the virus, I felt a sense of comfort.

“No face-to-face meeting? You just want everything sent over in an email? You got it!”

“I can cross out things on my calendar so they no longer overlap time slots? Okay!”

But I am a unique type of introvert. I am also one that loves people, but more than that I have kids who love, love people, and their sports, and their friends, and their usual day-to-day life. Canceling a few easily rescheduled things was one thing, but wiping my kids’ calendars was much harder.

Before the coronavirus-inspired social distancing order, a common conversation thread always revolved around how busy we were, how we could all use some down time, how there were so many projects left undone but no time to take care of them.

Well, ask (or complain) and you shall receive. We were literally gifted with not just a free weekend, or even a free week -- we were given the opportunity to shut out the noise of the world with all its demands and expectations and focus on our family and our own self-care. It also put into perspective just how quickly things can change, and how what we found so important one day can become insignificant the next.

Despite not being able to see anyone outside of the small crowd I live with, I learned very quickly which relationships were the most special to me outside of my husband and children. Even though there were no plans to hang out, or school to talk about, or kid activities to run into each other at, I still had the opportunity to Facetime my parents, call friends, and facilitate tutoring sessions and guitar lessons and hangouts for my kids via Zoom.

Getting repreive from the unknown and distanced friends was a positive, but watching other friends and family fighting with each over about the virus and what protocols should be taken or should not be taken was maybe the hardest part. People have been fighting over politics for decades, so even though it is disheartening, it is tradition, if you will. But, I have a grand total of zero friends who are experts on the coronavirus, zero friends who are leading health officials, and zero friends who are experts on proper pandemic protocol; yet, I had a Facebook feed a mile long of individuals not only offering their opinions and advice, but berating anyone who had a different opinion. Close the schools. Don’t close the schools.

Cancel sports. Don’t cancel sports. Buy toilet paper.

Don’t buy toilet paper. These simple things became so contentious that it caused Facebook hate to spew unchecked.

As sad as I was to watch the internet turn into a shouting match of which non-expert was more wrong, the internet also became a place where teachers went above and beyond to help their students learning from home. A place where people rallied together to share which restaurants were helping feed kids who relied on schools for a hot meal, and offered tips and tricks and ideas to make learning and being stuck inside a little easier. Museums organized digital tours, online book archives waived their fees, and zoos let their animals out to play in the empty spaces once crowded with spectators.

Despite finding myself mourning for what was supposed to be and for what experiences were lost and for those who had lost financial stability, it was very easy to see the helpers shine bright through this.

Tons of examples of people sacrificing, donating, and supporting one another in miraculous ways has helped to to balance all the heaviness. So even though there isn’t a deadline for the pandemic or even the social distancing timeline, that just means there are lots of time left for people to do good things for others and to make an impact that will last long after this is behind us.

We can do hard things and we are all in this together.

- Kim Enderle

Quick Notes: This is the first issue of Peekaboo without a calendar. That is because at "print" time every event for the next couple months (especially April and May has either been canceled or on pause.)

Watch our Facebook page all month long for updates on business hours and specials and other fun things ways they are engaging with the community.

No matter how small, every EMERGENCY is a

BIG DEAL Arkansas Children’s Northwest has the only pediatric emergency room in the region.

ER Open

24/7

Pediatric Experts

Fast Access

Kid-Sized Care

Peace of Mind

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(479) 725-6977 | archildrens.org/emergency 2601 Gene George Blvd., Springdale, AR 72762 Across from Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, Don Tyson Pkwy. Exit 70 10 April 2020

Learning at home looks like fun and

LITERACY

Educators tell parents, “You are your child’s first teacher.” Currently, you may be your child’s only teacher. Many families are stressed – parents and children alike. Now is the time to model calm behavior. Listen to your children and speak honestly but positively about what is happening in the world. Turn off the news for a while and make some happy memories with your children.

Routine is calming. Set times for outside play, pretend time and story time. Story time can lead to science, math and art experiences. Visit our Family Resource Library for tips and activities to keep your children learning.

ARBetterBeginnings.com • 501-682-8590

MAKE

BOOKS AN

EXPERIENCE Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

By Bill Martin, Jr. Illustration by Eric Carle

This classic children’s book is ideal for having fun while teaching your child about color and animals.

The rhythmic text inspires a playful experience. Have fun!

As you read:

Extend the learning and the fun

• Sing the words to a familiar tune like Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

Brown Bear, Brown Bear illustrator Eric Carle is famous for his hand-cut and layered paper collage book illustrations.

• Pause to talk about the animals

Help your child make his own collage or potato print work of art. These projects are recommended for children age three or older.

• Make animal sounds before reading the animal’s response to “what do you see?”

What do YOU see?

• Reread the book asking questions, such as: “what animal is that? What sound does this animal make? Where do you usually see this animal?”

Rereading the book, asking questions and playing helps your child’s memory develop.

Get more fun book activities in Bring Books to Life from our Family Resource Library.

What your child learns: Creating something with your child helps him know how important he is to you. Plus, the more fun you have, the easier it is for your child to learn and remember!

In the activities that follow, there are opportunities for developing concepts of literacy, math and science.

Art helps children learn and about order and quantities. It helps them develop fine motor skills and eye coordination, awareness of sizes, classifying and recognizing when things are the same or different.

See the next page to let the art begin!

Visit our Family Resource Library for more tips to raise a reader in your home.

Click here to visit our Resource Library. You’ll find activities and tips to help you prepare your child for life.

ARBetterBeginnings.com • 1-800-445-3316

Visit our Family Resource Library for activities that help your child learn though play at bit.ly/ seepk

Also en Español

Peekaboo Photo Album

HomeSchool Edition Covid-19 turned every home in Northwest Arkansas into a school. We loved seeing all of the support and advice shared across social media as homeschooling moms and dads shared their tips and advice and newly-homeschooling parents shared resources that zoos, museums, and educational sites had given unprecedented access to.

Here is a sneak peak into the homes-turned-schools across our area.

12 April 2020

P L A N N I N G R E T I R E M E N T* O N Your T E R M S .

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by: Jo Ann Greenfield

L

iving in downtown Houston, TX in a twobedroom apartment with only one of my three sons was not how I ever pictured I would begin a new decade, but here we are. Prior to this, I had only ever lived in Arkansas. Born and raised in Little Rock, I went to college in Conway and moved to Bentonville with my husband and 2-year-old son in 2008. Over the last 12 years my husband and I have grown to love the Northwest Arkansas community, and even convinced my parents to move here. My husband Rodney and I have watched our family grow and flourish here. We came to NWA with our oldest son, Carter Wayne (13) and had our second son, Sawyer (10) here in 2009. In April of 2012, we adopted our son Peter (13) from Malawi, Africa. From the schools, to our church, to the community, we love NWA and the amazing people we have met here. Over the last 15 months, however, we have grown to love and depend on them more than we ever thought possible.

Our world changed forever on Monday, November 26, 2018. I got a call from the nurse at my youngest son’s school saying that he was sick. The nurse was worried because she felt like Sawyer’s color was jaundice-like, and she recommended we go straight to our pediatrician. Sawyer had been battling what 14 April 2020

we thought was a fever virus over the Thanksgiving holiday, but he seemed much better to us. Over the next few days, our pediatrician would run a series of blood tests that sparked great concern. By Thursday of that week, Sawyer was spiking a fever of 104 °F and was so lethargic that he couldn’t even stand. We were admitted to Arkansas Children’s Northwest that day and began treating Sawyer for various viruses.

Over the next two weeks, we watched our little boy get sicker than he had ever been. His blood numbers continued to drop, and his liver numbers began to rise. To update as many people as possible, I shared on social media what was going on and asked people to pray for answers and healing for our sweet boy.

Not only did I receive prayer and concern, but our community stepped in to provide meals, money, rides to school, and even sick days for my husband and I to use for our jobs. The support was amazing!

After running every test possible at Arkansas Children’s Northwest, the decision was made that Sawyer needed to be transferred to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock to the Hematology/ Oncology Unit. The day before we left, friends organized a prayer time for Sawyer at 4pm. We were overwhelmed by all the people that messaged us saying that they had stopped what they were doing

to pray for Sawyer at that time. We were full of fear, but we moved forward, boldly believing that the Lord went before us and we would find answers and healing.

Sawyer was admitted to Arkansas Children’s in Little Rock on December 9, 2018. He was in extreme pain, lethargic, unable to eat and spiking some of the highest fevers I had ever seen. Every hour he seemed to get worse. More tests were run and the doctors there were very concerned. I remember the medical team coming in and saying that they believed Sawyer had one of two diseases. They said both names, and I had never heard of either of them. They walked out and Rodney went down the hall to make a phone call.

Sawyer was finally asleep, and I just sat on the couch and started crying. The nurse walked over and gently asked if she could do anything for me. I told her I was upset that my son may have one of two diseases and I couldn’t even understand what the names of them were, I had never felt so helpless in my life. She immediately went and got a paper towel and wrote the names of the two diseases down for me: “Aplastic Anemia or Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.”

She handed me the paper towel and then hugged me.

I still have that paper towel. In that small moment I realized there was power in asking questions, and my son needed me to ask questions. As much as I hated to cry in front of a stranger, I saw the power of vulnerability. Instead of waving the nurse away, or holding my tears in until she left, I allowed her to step into my pain with me and I told her exactly what I needed. It was a lesson I needed to learn early on in this journey. I decided right then that I would not hide any of Sawyer’s story, because I did not want our family to walk this hard road alone. I did not yet know what pain was ahead, but I did know we would need all the support we could get.

Two days later, on December 11, 2018, Sawyer was diagnosed with Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, commonly known as HLH. I

laugh at the phrase “commonly known,” because if you are like me, you have never even heard of this disease. I have found very few people that can even pronounce it correctly. At the time of diagnosis, we had been in the hospital for a little over two weeks and I had already learned that when a doctor comes and sits down in your room, it is rarely good news.

Two doctors came into our room that evening and sat down. They explained to us that, based on Sawyer’s numbers and symptoms, they had narrowed it down to HLH. Patients with HLH have cells in their immune system that do not work properly. These cells become overactive and cause inflammation.

These cells should destroy infected and damaged cells that are in the body, but with HLH, the immune system begins to damage a patient’s own tissues and organs--including the liver, brain, and bone marrow where blood is made. Sawyer’s HLH was aggressively attacking his liver, and we had to begin treatment that night, which included very strong steroids and chemo treatments. The doctors said that they would give us a few moments alone before they began the steroids, that they were very sorry for our child’s diagnosis, and walked out. Our nurse put a “do not disturb” sign on our door, and we were left there in shock. Sawyer was sleeping soundly on pain medication and my husband and I began to cry. To this day, I wonder who would want to be in a career where you must deliver the absolute worst news a parent will ever hear about their child. Of course, I am so grateful these genius men and women choose to spend their lives treating these deadly diseases, but delivering this horrible news must be one of the hardest parts of their jobs.

My husband and I allowed ourselves about an hour each to grieve, and then we got to work. We started calling all our close friends in the medical field and started asking questions. They got on the phone and sent emails to any and every expert they had a contact

CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE >

peekaboonwa.com

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number for. Sawyer began steroid treatments that night, and for the first time in three weeks he didn’t have a fever and felt good enough to do a small Lego set. When the team of doctors came in the next morning, we were armed with a legal pad full of questions and determination to see our baby boy healed. The doctors even remarked that they had received several emails and a few calls from colleagues inquiring about Sawyer and offering assistance. Over the next 6 months, we watched Sawyer battle in a way I did not know a 9-year-old could. He endured grueling steroid treatments that wreaked havoc on his body, appetite, and emotions.

He had chemo treatments that caused him to be very sick and lose his hair. He gained over 40 pounds on his small frame, causing joint pain and discomfort.

After several treatments in Little Rock, we were able to do most of our treatments at Arkansas Children’s Northwest. This allowed us to be close to our family and friends who continued to support us in both tangible and intangible ways. They never let us stay discouraged, and when we lost faith, they held us up and believed for us that Sawyer would be healed.

On March 27, 2019, after 119 days of treatment, we celebrated Sawyer’s remission from HLH. He finished his chemo treatments, was weaning off steroids, and his numbers were finally in the normal range. We had a big party, and friends and family gathered at Arkansas Children’s Northwest to watch Sawyer ring the bell. In May, he celebrated his 10th birthday and got to walk in his 4th grade graduation. He even got to go tour his new middle school because he would be returning to school in the fall. We had just begun monthly doctor visits instead of weekly. We were settling into life after surviving a life-threatening disease and attempting to pick up the pieces of our lives.

In late June, however, things changed. My husband was away on business, and I woke up early to take Sawyer for his monthly check up. Sawyer immediately started throwing up and complaining of pain everywhere. We went to the doctor and had blood work done, then went to the infusion center to receive a monthly antibiotic.

Our doctor came in the room and immediately sat down. He said

Sawyer’s blood numbers did not look good. He asked us how quickly Rodney could get home from his business trip, and then he told me he feared that it was one of 4 things: a bad virus, the HLH had returned, Acute Myeloid Leukemia brought on by the chemo and steroids, or Acute lymphocytic leukemia. He told me to go home and pack a bag and head to Little Rock with Sawyer. Sawyer started crying, saying, “Why is this happening to me?” It is a question neither of us could answer. I still can’t. After several tests in Little Rock, Sawyer was diagnosed with ALL: Acute lymphocytic leukemia. Sawyer had cancer, and I had never been angrier in my life. We had never found the underlying cause of Sawyer’s HLH. His form of HLH was not genetic, so we knew he was not born with the gene that causes it. There were several theories about where it originated, but no concrete evidence.

HLH is a rare disease, and there is still so much to learn. In Sawyer’s case, the cancer cells were there but the HLH was so aggressive that it was eating all the good cells and the cancer cells. Once the HLH was in remission, it allowed the leukemia cells to continue growing. Sawyer had cancer all along, but the HLH was preventing us from seeing it. We had all prayed for a miracle, and now it felt like it was slipping away.

That summer would be the hardest of our lives as we began chemo treatments to get Sawyer into remission. Sawyer spent most of July and all of August in the hospital in Little Rock. The chemotherapy suppressed his immune system to the point that he contracted a fungus in his nasal cavity. We were told that the best-case scenario was that he would be blind, and the worst case was death. We immediately turned to our community and they organized a special day of prayer for Sawyer. That week, Sawyer endured four surgeries in his nasal cavity and near his brain to remove the life-threatening fungus. By the end of the week, all the fungus was gone and none of it had spread to his brain or any other part of his body. Sawyer’s best-case scenario was healing. God was still in the business of performing miracles in Sawyer’s body and our community wasn’t going to let us forget that.

I could write a book on the nightmare that is childhood cancer. The pain that these children endure is heartbreaking. No part of their bodies, hearts, minds, or spirits is not traumatized in some way. At the end of each cycle of treatment, Sawyer was tested to see if he was in full remission. His first two tests showed that the treatments were working, but he still had leukemia in his body. Our doctor explained to us that Sawyer’s bone marrow could no longer be trusted. Because of the HLH, steroids, and chemo during HLH treatment, Sawyer’s bone marrow was compromised. We needed him in

remission and cancer-free, but then he would need a bone marrow transplant at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston. After a very harsh round of chemo in November, Sawyer was hospitalized at Arkansas Children’s Northwest. This time, Sawyer had lost all his fight. He was depressed and did not want to go on.

He didn’t want to do more chemo, and he certainly didn’t want to move to Houston for a bone marrow transplant. After a horrific year, he was done.

Enter our amazing community. They organized a candlelight vigil to be held on the parking lot outside of Sawyer’s hospital room. Word quickly spread on social media and people from all over--many we did not even know--came on a cold, drizzly November night to pray for Sawyer. They sang, made signs, and took turns praying for Sawyer. They held up their cell phone flashlights and cheered for Sawyer as he, his dad, and I watched from the hospital window.

Once again, when our hope was lost our community stepped in to help us find it again. In a world where we see so many awful things happen every day, our family has been able to see the very best that people are capable of. There is so much good in the world, and after this past 15 months I will never believe differently.

In December, we received some of the best news ever: Sawyer was cancer-free, and Texas Children’s had found a bone marrow donor that was a 100% match for Sawyer! In January, we came to Houston and Sawyer received his bone marrow transplant on January 30, 2020. An anonymous donor gave over 403 milliliters of healthy bone marrow to save Sawyer’s life. After a year, if the donor is willing, we can plan to meet each other, and I pray every day that he will so he can see what an amazing gift he has given our family. Sawyer and I are required to remain in Houston for at least 100 days after his transplant.

We are almost to the halfway point, and Sawyer is doing extremely well. He is finally out of the hospital here and going to Texas Children’s bone marrow clinic three times a week for tests and to receive blood products. We are waiting for his body to become 100% his donor cells and to start producing blood, platelets, and marrow on his own.

It is so hard to know how to help someone when they go through something like this, but I encourage you to never be afraid to step into someone’s pain.

Send a card, a note, or a text. Buy them a meal or send them money. Drop off some groceries or take their other children out for some fun. Donate blood, sign up to be a bone marrow donor, or volunteer at Arkansas Children’s Northwest, and do it in honor of a hurting family and what they are going through.

Take time to pray for the family and let them know you are doing so. No act is too big or too small--do it in love and I promise it will be received that way.

There is a powerful painting my husband and I saw recently where there is a small child reaching up to ring the cancer-free bell. The painting is unique because underneath the child there is a mountain of people holding that small child up. That is exactly how we view our community. Sawyer is reaching out for victory, but hundreds of people are holding him up, supporting him, and helping him reach the finish line. Those amazing people are holding up our whole family.

To find out how to donate blood, visit Community Blood Center of the Ozarks at www.cbco.org To find out how to become a bone marrow donor, go to www.bethematch.org To find out how to volunteer at Arkansas Children’s Northwest, go to www.archildrens.org

Even though we are 10 hours away, our NWA community continues to love on us. They are praying for us and cheering us on daily as we count down to 100 days post-transplant. They send cards, letters, and packages to brighten Sawyer’s day. They remind us to hope, believe, and trust, even on the hardest days. Sawyer’s journey has been their journey, too.

Our hashtag #sawyerstrong reminds us all to keep going even when it is hard, and to believe in miracles even on the darkest of days.

peekaboonwa.com

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Amber J. Sills, MD | Amy Sarver, MD | Lisa Bearden, MD

500 SE Plaza Avenue Bentonville, Arkansas

18 April 2020

peekaboonwa.com

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20 April 2020

Must-Shop Booths at Vintage Market Days

Reborn Co.

www.rebornco.net Reborn Co. is a veteran-owned, veteran-operated business located in the Ozark Mountains. We specialize in ManCandles and more. Our products contain no color, no toxins, and no additives, and they burn clean and slow, hold their scent, and are skin-safe. You can find us on Amazon, Instagram, Facebook or RebornCo.net Amazon: Reborn Co Candles Shows: reborncoshows@gmail.com Facebook: @therebornco Instagram: Reborn Candle Co Work Shop 417-612-8411 Cell 417-860-9668

Carmelita Catering

www.carmelitacateringco.com Carmelita Catering Co. is your much-anticipated supplier of hand-crafted, made-from-scratch foods in Northwest Arkansas. Our customizable menu offers traditional Mexican cuisine and Southern-inspired dishes that will be sure to please. We offer gluten-free and vegetarian options in all our menus to satisfy your dietary needs. For party planning, we are pleased to introduce Lita and Roger, the charming ice cream cart and our old-fashioned tap cart, respectively. email: CarmelitaCateringCo@gmail.com Phone: 479-222-0953 Social Media: @CarmelitaCateringCo

Vintage Market Days® is an upscale, vintage-inspired, indoor/outdoor market featuring original art, antiques, clothing, jewelry, handmade treasures, home décor, outdoor furnishings, consumable yummies, seasonal plantings, and a little more.

Git-N-Krafty & Scott’s Stuff www.gitnkrafty.com

We specialize in premium wood decor, and are inspired by Vintage Farmhouse Designs. We bring both finished and unfinished wood designs, allowing for DIY-goers to add their unique touches to that special piece. Anything from large wall words 45” wide to smaller words at 10”, to several variations of letter monograms for your home, 3 size ladders, and plaques for individual sign creations, window frames, and window arches. We design each product to be interchangeable and multi-functional for efficient use at an economical cost. After being in business for 15 years, we value our customers and bring a large variety of wood decor to meet individual design preferences.

Must-Shop Booths at the Vintage Market Days Continued...

Piggin’ Out snack sticks

www.facebook.com/367627030622190 We are a farm-to-table pork snack stick made from locally grown and vented pigs with no growth hormones or antibiotics.

We offer twelve flavors, from a mild, smoky BBQ to a spicy habanero BBQ and everything in between. We will deliver to you or ship anywhere in the US. (479) 903-5869 or (479) 427-0699

Mod Miss Jewelry www.themodmiss.com

Mod Miss Jewelry is dedicated to two things -- making beautiful jewelry and providing a safe haven for women struggling with life-controlling issues. We employ women who are overcoming addictions so they can provide for their families and regain self-confidence.

When you purchase from Mod Miss Jewelry, you are helping to provide an opportunity for women to overcome, and become better and stronger individuals for themselves, their families, and their local community.

Spruce + Nest with Studio Bliss

www.thisisstudiobliss.com Studio Bliss is an occasional/traveling cottage shop, full to the brim with pretty things. This flexibility allows us time to create and curate our ever-changing collection, as well as update our supply of unique finds and handmade designs for sprucing your wardrobe and feathering your nest. @thisisstudiobliss

Email: misty@themodmiss.com 28 South First St. Paris, AR

Cottonwood Creek Herbals cottonwoodcreekherbals.com

I grew up in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina, learning from my parents and grandparents about medicinal herbs. After graduating with my Master’s in herbology, I wanted to share my love of medicinal plants with others. I create all-natural bath and body products using medicinal herbs and therapeutic grade essential oils. I love to teach people that what they put on their skin is in their bloodstream in as little as thirty seconds, so choose wisely! Our lotions, soaps, body washes, scrubs, pain lotion, and other wellness products are made with the highest quality ingredients and, most importantly, love.

22 April 2020

Granny’s Jam

grannysjam.etsy.com Looking for a unique gift? Check out our all-natural jalapeño jams! We have five different jalapeño flavors: blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, peach, and regular jalapeño.

Goodman Locker Plant at 125 N Roy Hill Blvd, Goodman, MO email: grannysjam7@gmail.com phone: 918-864-6085

J Bae Boutique

www.jbaeboutique.com (918) 533-8986 Everything J Bae offers is handmade and done with so much love. We offer the most adorable baby moccasins, gorgeous lightweight earrings, and incredible hand-stitched handbags. We value excellence and quality while still maintaining affordable products. J Bae Boutique isn’t just another accessory company -- it’s a small, home-based business with a huge amount of heart.

Sweet as Dough

www.sweetasdough.com Instagram: #sweetasdough Facebook: @sweetasdough Twitter: @as_dough

Sweet as Dough Edible Cookie Dough Creations is a gourmet edible cookie dough company that is brand new in NWA! We are a familyowned and -operated business and look forward to serving our NWA community. Our family is very excited to share our variety of edible cookie dough flavors that will make you take a step back in time to your childhood of eating cookie dough straight from the bowl.

What makes our cookie dough so special? It is EGG-FREE and made with a heat-treated flour to allow it to be eaten safely and enjoyed raw! This dessert will make you smile with each bite. Our dough can be used for fundraisers, weddings, and other events, or just for your eating pleasure. We look forward to serving you up a smile with EDIBLE COOKIE DOUGH!

Matilda Jane Clothing

www.matildajaneclothing.com We are personal stylists and boutique owners for Matilda Jane Clothing Company. We have a mission to keep little girls little, twirling and spinning, and to help ladies feel beautiful and confident in what they wear. Our unique clothing and accessories are so special, as our very own artist does most of our prints. We are proud to offer quality clothing that will last babies and ladies for years to come!

Brittney Wheeler brittneywheeler@matildajaneclothing.com Linsey Eakin linseyeakin@matildajaneclothing.com

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Your life is our life’s work.

So, anything new with you guys?

Given the weekly, often daily, sometimes hourly and occasionally by-the-minute changes we’re experiencing, what I’m writing on March 29th, could be seriously old (but not fake) news by the time you read it. To quote Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast.”

The Lacy house? We’re doing fine. But, to be fair, we’re habitually “lame,” so forced lounging around the casa is more of a reward than a hardship. Also, not to get too personal, but my wife has been fighting--and seriously whipping--cancer since October, so we’ve been doing the shelter-in-place thing for six months.

With this lengthy experience, I’ll tell you that if we end up missing a few more months of happy hour patio beers, can’t destroy some tasty fajitas at our fave Mexican restaurant, and have to cancel a couple of 26 April 2020

the far-too-many-mind-numbing 162 Major League Baseball games this season... trust me, it will all be okay.

Plus, this isn’t our first adventure at the crazy-time rodeo, is it? We’ve been through some rough events before. You know, scary stuff like 9/11, weapons of mass destruction, Hurricane Katrina, tsunamis, the War on Drugs, the bail-out, global warming, a bit of the Cold War, and even the “it-was-frighteningthen-but-now-we-look-kind-of-silly” Y2K. We’ve also endured our share of ridiculous things like hanging chads, Ponzi schemes, Aqua Net-fueled holes in the ozone layer, cassettes, CDs, VHS, Beta, dial-up internet, boy bands, and reality TV. By now we’ve been “shook,” been “woke,” we’ve thrown and received some “major shade”... and all of this while trying to attempt some semblance of “adulting.”

I’m sure that, like us, by now you have found the actual end of the internet. We hit rock bottom a few days ago when we Googled “How much does it cost to rent a wingsuit?” Don’t ask why. By now, all the fellas have grown some pretty impressive hockeyplayoff-level beards (just in time for summer?) and I’d say roughly 37% of the female population aged 18 to 49 has decided “Ah, screw it, I’m cutting bangs.”

You’ve also probably had the time to figure out that paying for Netflix, HBOGo, Hulu, Prime, Disney+, and YouTubeTV is not only more expensive than your old cable bill, but pretty much features the same unwatchable shows. Don’t defend your love of “Ozark,” “This is Us,” and “Westworld”... as I said before, I’m lame and still blissfully watch “Seinfeld” and “Cheers” re-runs.

But, on some level... this is what we wanted, right?

We begged for more time together, and now we have it. I know a certain writer for Peekaboo (that would be me) who for years has bashed the loss of family bonding, complained about insane sports schedules, and whined about time-robbing car lines. Um, those are all gone now, so wish granted, Aladdin.

Now, I don’t recall rubbing a lamp or chatting up a genie, but if so, perhaps I have two wishes left.

Obviously I’m going to invest one on eliminating COVID-19, even though I’d love to burn one of the wishes to, just once, have six-pack abs. Seriously though, we need to crush this thing so everyone can get back to work, back to health, and back to taking daily showers (don’t pretend you are).

For my third and final wish, however, I’m going to request that the world slow down. Sure, once we’re given the all-clear it’s going to initially look like a planet-sized Mardis Gras party out there. That’s fine, and I will definitely attend. But after that, we need to consider what we’re doing on this blue marble (and no, that’s not a political or environmental statement).

Since I earlier quoted a 1980s movie, I will now quote a 1990s movie. As Ian Malcom said in Jurassic Park, “Scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.”

It’s not just scientists that should stop, look, and listen.

It’s all of us. Remember, everyone from our parents to our teachers and librarians have told us this for years (or decades); maybe it is time to listen and act. You know, evaluation before activation.

A final quote, this one from Iron Man, a movie from the 2000s, “No more of this fire, ready, aim business”. Like our teachers also told us, take your time and do it right.

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Things I’ve Learned As a Homeschooling Mom by: Kim Enderle

When we decided to homeschool Holden in the fall, I only survived because of the amazing home school mommas who have gone before me. So, even though I haven’t been doing it long, I wanted to share a little of what I learned for everyone who has been thrown into this new way of learning.

First of all, we can all agree that homeschooling is hard. It is something that I said I would never be able to do - that I could never do - that I never wanted to do.

Until I did.

In November, we made the decision that it would be best for our 4th grade son Holden and the entire family if we pulled him home to do his learning with me. He is dyslexic, has dysgraphia, and struggles with anxiety. One night, after studying for two hours for a test he would take the next day (a test that he would have to take orally while the rest of his class got to take open note), something clicked in me. He learns differently, so what works for most kids in a classroom setting doesn’t always for him. He can sit in a classroom for endless hours and retain very little, but sit with him one on one and “discuss” the material and he picks it up in a fraction of the time. We sat together on the floor until our backs hurt while my other kiddos waited all afternoon for my attention, but like every day after school, I was focused on Holden and helping him relearn the day’s school lessons in a way he could understand best.

He was tired. I was tired, and then the doorbell rang - it was his dyslexia tutor. He didn’t cry or get upset, he just said, “After tutoring, it is bedtime right? That means I didn’t get to play today.”

All I could say was that I was sorry and proud of him, and he walked in to the dining room to sit with his tutor and worked as hard as he could for

the next hour. Afterwards, he brushed his teeth and went to bed.

That was it. Something had to change. My sweet, happy boy’s confidence had slipped away since starting fourth grade, and his anxiety had begun to suffocate his childhood. We made the decision that night to start homeschooling him.

I know that most everyone reading this was happy with their school and thrown into homeschooling because of Covid-19, but I wanted to share some positive things that have come out of our short time homeschooling that I hope can help ease the stress and frustration you might be feeling.

1. GRACE: Those first few weeks were so full of giving and receiving grace. I didn’t know exactly what schedule would work or how much learning and teaching should take place in any certain time period. I had to figure it out, and Holden had to figure it out, but we figured it out together and found a groove and a bond in the process that made our relationship that much stronger.

It is important to note that what you are experiencing now isn’t true home schooling, but it is schooling at home during a crisis. This means even more grace is needed for all involved.

2. All the extra hours I have with him. I spend time teaching him, watching him learn and figure things out, and we get those ah-ha moments I wouldn’t have had the chance to have if he had been at school. I will cherish them forever.

3. Not only do I get to teach him things found in a book, I have gotten to help build his confidence.

Now, I have time to encourage him and help him find things he is great at that go beyond a textbook - things that he can use beyond this year or the next ten.

4. Teachers have the hardest jobs. They should make more than celebrities.

5. Perfection doesn’t exist, so don’t even try. I started by scheduling every hour of his day to the minute, but we quickly realized that we weren’t meeting these unrealistic expectations a dozen times a day. Once I set goals for the day and didn’t put a time limit on them, it was much easier to succeed. School is 8am-3pm. Homeschool is wake-up time until bedtime. Math facts at bedtime instead of 8:30am-9am? No problem!

6. Options. From cooking class to economics, laundry class, or even nature walks, homeschooling has lots of great class options.

7. Just like with motherhood, there is no right way to homeschool. Even if you don’t think you are up for the challenge, the answer is - you are! You know your kid better than anyone, so you’ve got this!

Remember when you had your first baby, and felt overwhelmed and exhausted and didn’t think you could do it or be as good as you hoped? Same thing applies here. New is scary. New routine is scary.

But, when it falls into place (and it will) it gets a lot easier. I remember that when I had my first baby, every diaper change was an ordeal, where I used 100 wipes and ripped a tab or two of the diapers.

By baby #4, however, I could do it in my sleep... and often did!

Your kids are watching. Use this week as a

way to show them how to face the unknown, disappointments, and stress with positivity and grace. Help them understand that it is okay to be upset. Encourage them that they truly can do hard things, and together you can all do the really hard stuff life throws at us.

Am I saying that homeschooling is easy? Um, no! But I am saying that these are precious hours with your child or children you get to have that you wouldn’t have otherwise is itself a gift. With Virtual Learning being the new normal for now, those first few days with all of them learning at home brought me right back to that “figuring out our groove phase” when I first started with Holden. Even though it seems overwhelming, I am confident we will find it too.

When your kids go back to school, you will look back on these unprecedented days with a smile.

No matter how many extra messes were made, or arguments over refusal to work there were, the hours you got to spend together are precious.

As this past month has shown us, the “tomorrow as you know it” is not promised, so we should appreciate today.

Our generation never really had that “I walked 10 miles in the snow uphill to get to school story” but now our kids will have a crazy memory to share with their kids and grandkids -- but it is up to us to make it so they can frame it as a positive experience.

Explore your suroundings and the history of Northwest Arkanas Visit 4 unique locations For kids 7 - 12 years old Reservations are required

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FA C I A L S Designed to help you put your best face forward, let us help you discover a more beautiful and youthful-looking you. All facials include an in-depth skin analysis, cleansing and exfoliation of the neck, face, and décolleté.

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I N J E C TA B L E S A N D D E R M A L F I L L E R S As we age, our faces naturally lose subcutaneous fat and the “plump” look of our youth. Injectables and dermal fillers can be used to help diminish facial lines and restore volume and fullness in the face. Plump thin lips, enhance shallow contours, soften facial creases and wrinkles, and improve the appearance of recessed scars.

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I N T I M AT E W E L L N E S S CO2RE Intima vaginal treatments help restore your vaginal health… and help you rediscover what you’ve lost. The procedure only takes a few minutes and many women report symptom relief after the very first treatment. The treatments use laser energy to stimulate healing and renewed collagen that results in increased elasticity and natural lubrication, decreased urine leakage, and more pleasurable sex.

B O DY C O N T O U R I N G Love the idea of reshaping your body, but not the reality of incisions or scars? Our non-invasive procedures don’t require any incisions and deliver noticeable results. The treatments work to improve the appearance of cellulite, reduce dimpled skin, and tighten skin on the abdomen, love handles, hips, thighs and other areas that require fat reduction. BodyFX addresses problematic fatty tissue in larger body areas such as the abdomen, back (flanks), and thighs. MiniFX addresses problematic fatty tissue in smaller areas like the neck, arms, and knees. Forma tightens the skin on the face, neck and hands.

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W E LC O M E S

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COviD-19: 101 Things to Do Inside and Around Your House

By Meagan Ruffing Desperate times call for desperate measures, which is why I have chosen to wrack my brain (and hit up my friends) to come up with 101 things that you and your kids can do in and around the house during this time of quarantine. (I even threw in a few “chores” for ideas on what your kids can do when they need a little bit of positive reinforcement for any unwanted behaviors).

1. Play video games

18. Draw with sidewalk chalk

2. Play with your pets

19. Hop scotch in your driveway

3. Start a Nerf war 4. Jump on the trampoline

20. Make a sensory bin with rice, beans, and small objects to hide and find

5. Bathe

21. Do the dishes

6. Make a new recipe

22. Go through old clothes

7. Make your bed

23. Organize pictures

8. Put painter’s tape on the floor and make a race track for matchbox cars

24. Work on baby books that you’ve always meant to get to

9. Read books

25. Writer letters to friends and mail them, like pen pals

10. Watch read-aloud books online

26. Pull weeds

11. Watch a LIVE web cam online

27. Do a crossword

12. Blow bubbles

28. Cross-stitch

13. Paint your toenails and fingernails

29. Make bracelets

14. Go for a run 15. Go for a walk 16. Walk your dogs 17. Ride your bike

30. Color 31. Do a puzzle 32. Yoga 33. Grill outside 34. Scavenger hunt

35. Dye Easter eggs 36. Clean your fridge (see what you can make with what you have!)

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37. Vacuum 38. Clean out your vacuum 39. Steam clean the rugs 40. Watch a Netflix series 41. Watch a movie with your kids (throw in some of the old ones from when YOU were a kid!)

42. Take a nap 43. Build a model car

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44. Wash your book bags and winter jackets 45. Clean out the pantry 46. Make cookies (see Oatmeal Chocolate Chip recipe, below!)

47. Make banana bread

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48. Make freezer meals 49. Send a friend a surprise package in the mail from Amazon 50. Write a letter to your favorite celebrity 51. Start working out at home 52. Play “kitchen� with empty boxes from the groceries you just bought 53. Guessing game: put something in a bag and have your kids close their eyes and try to guess what it is 54. Clean out your email inbox 55. Memory: put 10 things on the table, place a sheet over them, see how many your kids can remember, and then take the sheet off 56. Hide and seek 57. Clean your room 58. Digital learning: catch up on assignments

peekaboonwa.com

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59. Build something

84. Star gaze

60. Organize the garage

85. Plant flowers

61. Clean the baseboards

86. Look for worms

62. Sit down as a family and eat dinner

87. Look at old pictures of your kids when they were little

63. Have a picnic outside, or inside on the living room floor

88. ‘Social distancing’ Tic-TacToe: Grab some sidewalk chalk and play with your neighbors.

Each kid uses their own piece of chalk, and backs up 6 feet before making their next move.

64. Call friends and family on the telephone 65. Learn a new language 66. Journal

89. Start a new chore list (or start one for the first time)

67. Paint 68. Drink more water 69. Ride on toys outside 70. Skateboard 71. Learn to read 72. Potty train 73. Play dress-up 74. FaceTime with friends and family since you can’t see them in person 75. Have a dance party

90. Science experiments 91. Water beads 92. Play-Doh 93. Clay 94. Draw self-portraits (you might be surprised at what you see!)

95. Fly a kite 96. Go fishing 97. Easter egg hunt inside and outside the house

76. Read a series together (Laura Ingalls Wilder, The Hardy Boys, The Boxcar Children, etc.)

98. Legos

77. Put on a puppet show

100.Tea party

78. Water balloon fight

101. Bake

79. Camping in the backyard

Life is so weird right now, isn’t it? Doing the things on this list will help bring some normalcy back into your life and the lives of your kiddos. We all need a little bit of normal right now until we figure things out. Feel free to print this list and cross off what you’ve done. If you think of some new ones, pencil them in and get going!

80. S’mores 81. Learn to knit with your kids 82. Jump in muddy puddles 83. Bird watch

99. Board games

Meagan Ruffing is a mom to 3 wild kiddos who are all approaching this stay-at-home school thing with different attitudes.

Let’s just say… she had plenty of material to write this article.

Follow along with her and her family’s shenanigans on Facebook at writermeaganruffing.

34 April 2020

Lazer Lee Photography Phone: (479) 644-7121 Email: lazerleephotography@yahoo.com Facebook: Lazer Lee Photography

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Autism doesn’t have a ‘look ’, but kindness

does! by: Jacqueline Ernst photos by: Main Street Studios

When you stop and think about what autism is, it’s different for almost every person. Nearly everyone will have a different perception of what autism is, as well as what effects it does or doesn’t have on a person. This is all affected by who they know with autism, what kind of autism they have, and where on the spectrum they fit. My perception of what autism was five years ago when my son was diagnosed as being on the spectrum is very different from what it is now. I didn’t know many children on the spectrum, and I was honestly a naive mom, as most new ASD mommas are. But, it’s been five years, and I’ve met dozens upon dozens of ASD moms and children from all over the world. What I thought autism looked like, and what I’ve learned autism is... there aren’t words to express how wrong I was. What I learned very quickly, and what I want other people to learn, is that autism doesn’t have a ‘look’. You can’t look at a person and know that they’re on the spectrum. My daughter has Cerebral Palsy, and her big leg braces and mobility assistance service dog give away the fact that she’s got something going on. When you see a child in a wheelchair, it’s safe to assume that they have an additional need, whether temporary or not.

But autism--autism doesn’t have a look! There isn’t a way to look at a child or adult and know without questions that they are autistic.

So, when my son is trying to choose which 36 April 2020

Transformer or Beyblade to buy with his chore money, and he’s sitting in the toy aisle at Walmart for an hour, well... that’s what he needs to do. He will literally sit in the aisle with the choices in front of him for a good 45 minutes going over every little detail. I know this about him, and I accept this about him. What I don’t want to accept is the stares and glares I get from other parents in the toy section.

The questions about the “weird kid” who’s talking to himself about Transformers, the eye rolls that don’t go unnoticed by myself or others and that always seem to accompany a trip to the toy aisle. My son is mostly oblivious to this because he’s focused on the task at hand, and also because he’ll also turn off his hearing aids when we go out if things are too loud, so he’s effectively deaf. Honestly, I’m thankful for that.

I’m thankful that he doesn’t know how mean the world can be--how unkind and uncaring society can be to those who are different.

You see, autism doesn’t have a look. You can’t tell that my son is autistic by looking at him, but kindness... kindness does have a look.

The mom that genuinely smiles at me while I wait, or asks if she can watch my cart while I’m dealing with a meltdown: that is what kindness looks like.

At a recent local Autism Mom’s breakfast, I was

chatting with a few different ASD moms about the situations they’ve lived through and kindness that hasn’t been given, and it made me sad for everyone involved. The glares and looks when they’re out at a restaurant and using tech at the table, or the whispers about how their child won’t respond back when greeted. “How rude” it was that their child was in their own world and not acknowledging someone speaking to them.

seemed to think that their child could catch whatever was making my son so “weird.” My son is highfunctioning, so I don’t have the experience that some of my ASD mom friends do, with non-verbal, or severely socially delayed children. I cannot imagine the judgment and comments they have endured. It seems as though the world as a whole hasn’t watched Bambi in quite a while, because they’ve forgotten what Thumper’s mom taught him:

It isn’t just the reaction to our child’s differences, but the judgment that comes with it: the multiple uncalled-for moments of “You really should…” or the reprimands of “I would never have let my child...” I think every mom can agree that we’ve had a moment when judgment has come knocking, and it stings.

We have all questioned whether we’re doing the right things at the right times and if there is something else we could be doing. Every mother I know has expressed that those moments happen! As a mom of two high-needs kids, I question my decisions and actions at least 100 times a day. I wonder if I could be doing more, if I could have spent that half an hour working on physical therapy, or working on better study habits and organizational skills. The “what ifs” and “should haves,” they never stop. So, having those questions asked by a person who hasn’t been in our shoes, or really even seen what they really look like, it hurts.

“If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”

When my son was diagnosed five years ago, my husband and I went through a grieving process, and we still go through moments of grief. The life we had expected for our child to experience was changed, and the path we had drawn out had to be redrawn. We had blanks in his future that we weren’t sure would be filled. Would he play sports? How would school go?

Would he have a best friend? These were questions we couldn’t answer, that we had no idea how to even go about trying to find an answer, because every child with autism is different. There is no road map, and there is no path for us to follow. As a super Type A person, that was really hard for me.

What was even harder was, and still is, the lack of kindness from our larger community. My child is unaware of how out of place he is. He’s able to attend a school that celebrates his differences and encourages his strengths. We were able to move him away from an environment where he was being bullied and taken advantage of. Luckily, he doesn’t really remember those days. But I do, and I remember the moms who questioned me, or made comments without knowing that I could hear. I can still feel the tears rolling down my cheeks when yet another classmate had a birthday party and my son seemed to be the only child from the class not invited. I still remember when other parents would instruct their children not to go too close to my son while playing, because they

Being kind isn’t a hard thing to do. It takes between 10 and 12 muscles to produce a smile. You can even burn a single calorie smiling at someone! It’s not like running a marathon, or doing an Ironman, it’s a smile. Kindness can be holding your tongue and your judgment. The self-realization that you don’t know what’s happened in a person’s day or life, and saving your thoughts for yourself. Kindness can be holding a door, or a cart, while a frazzled parent is dealing with their child. It could be letting a stressed out parent go in front of you in line, or dropping a note of encouragement in the mail to a parent you know is doing their best, but still struggling. It can be a cup of coffee, or some flowers, or a wave. There are so many different ways to be kind, to make a difference in someone’s day. To help any parent, but especially those raising littles with differences, feel just a little bit better about their day.

Teaching kindness isn’t a hard thing to do either.

It’s easy to teach all our children that everyone is different and special in their own way. That not all communication is done through words. That we all see the world differently, that we all have different gifts and abilities, and when we each use our gifts, we can paint the world in an amazing way. We can teach our children to help others, to lend a hand, and use kind words always. Those are easy things to do ourselves and mirror for our children. Creating a more accepting kind generation should be one of our main goals as parents. I know it is for my husband and myself!

I pray each night that I’ve impacted the world in a small way, that I’ve spread a bit of kindness somewhere. I pray that I’ve taught my children to be kind to others and themselves, that we as a family have shown the world kindness, and hopefully helped others to learn kindness as well. I pray that we see the look that kindness has spread over our community more and more each day.

Autism doesn’t have a ‘look ’, but kindness does! peekaboonwa.com

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Dr. Averitt, Megan, Staci & and the staff of Best Start Pediatric Clinic would like to welcome our new Nurse Practitioner, Bessie Smith, APRN.

WALK AUTISM INVOLVES ME

FALL 2020 —Bringing awareness, support and hope to families living with autism New Location: Horses for Healing

REGISTER@ AIMNWA./ORG AIM-WALK-2020

THANK YOU PEEKABOO MAGAZINE FOR YOUR SUPPORT

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The Importance of Outdoor Play A Perspective from an Occupational Therapist

by: Christy Pierce, MOT, OTR/L and Melissa Wells, COTA/L, CIMI Seven minutes. This is the average time a child spends outside per day. Now think back to your own childhood. What is one of your most cherished childhood memories? Does it involve being outside?

Riding bikes, climbing trees, or catching tadpoles in the pond? Ahh... the good old days! Our best memories certainly didn’t take place while we were camped out in front of a TV or electronic device.

Our culture is ever-changing, and technological advancements have made life more convenient. Kids today have endless cartoon choices every day of the week versus our generation of waiting for Saturday mornings. Not only do they have more choices, but they can watch cartoons anywhere. Necessary errands and chores are made easier for parents when kids are distracted by screens. This is a shift in our culture and how kids are being raised. Time spent on electronic devices is a part of our daily lives.

Consequently, kids face an array of rising health concerns: obesity, ADHD/ADD, difficulties with emotional regulation, social skills, anxiety and depression, and sensory challenges that interfere with daily activities. Studies conducted in the last 10 years show increased screen time is negatively impacting kids’ mental health. However, new research also shows an effective anecdote for improving mood and overall wellness: time spent in nature.

Benefits of time spent in nature include: decreased stress and anxiety, increased focus, attention, physical activity, creativity, and improved sleep. In our increasingly busy lives, we need time in nature.

Our kids need time to disconnect from screens and reconnect with their natural world. Kids need time for daily outdoor play!

40 April 2020

Outdoor play is different than indoor play. Outdoor play activities encourage creativity and problemsolving by using imagination to create games or build toys from natural materials, versus a backyard playset or a single-purpose toy. Kids are naturally more active outdoors with climbing, jumping, and running over various terrain that challenges their balance and builds core strength. Nature play can be semi-guided or unstructured playtime for children to explore and interact with various sensory elements such as building forts, baking mud pies, or digging in the dirt for dinosaur bones. Their visual and auditory systems are also challenged by searching the ground for collectible rocks or gazing into the trees to find a singing bird. Children learn to gauge risks while playing outdoors, which helps build their self-esteem and confidence. Children also experience trial and error which helps them develop skills to deal with success and failure. A child crossing a creek on rocks or a log will have to consider the risk of getting wet if they slip or misjudge their footing. However, playing and developing important motor skills are not the only benefits of nature play. Growing research shows interaction with natural elements, such as soil, helps strengthen the immune system. Even if you only squeeze in ten minutes a day of outdoor play for your child, you are providing a foundation for a rejuvenating experience after a long day of structured tasks. Northwest Arkansas has numerous outdoor destinations to enable you to explore beyond your backyard.

The mission of ReWild The Child NWA, LLC is to reconnect kids with nature and imaginative play in the great outdoors. ReWild The Child NWA is a Pediatric Occupational Therapy (OT) practice that focuses on therapeutic activities solely in nature.

2020 There’s no camp experience like an Amazeum camp experience.

Register today at amazeum.org/programs/camps.

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We saw a need in our community to reconnect kids with nature and to detox from screens. Through our programs, we have seen amazing changes in our clients. After attending our nature summer camp last year, one camper said, “Nature camp is more fun than Minecraft!” This camper went home each day and continued to play outside, never asking for their device throughout the duration of the camp. Before this camp experience, he rarely talked about his day and preferred to play on screens. His mother was ecstatic with this change and commented, “Now he won’t stop talking about his day and how much fun it was. He even wanted to take us on family nature hikes.”

ReWild Nature Summer Camps 2020

Along with providing nature summer camps, ReWild The Child NWA also created a nature-based group therapy program that meets one time per week to reconnect kids with nature and their peers while working on important life skills. Our adventure therapy includes nature hikes, fort building, nature arts and crafts, campfire cooking, therapeutic drumming, and mindfulness games. We also address traditional occupational therapy goals such as self-regulation, social skills, fine motor skills, food exploration for picky eaters, and core muscle/balance training activities. Nature provides a well-balanced sensory experience that is calming and motivating for kids to explore and challenge themselves.

ReWild Boys Social Skills Camp July 13th-July 16th 12PM-2PM Ages 12-15 Coler Mountain Bike Preserve

ReWild The Child NWA is run by licensed pediatric occupational therapy practitioners who are also outdoor enthusiasts and parents. Occupational therapy focuses on the development or enhancement of the child’s motor skills, cognitive abilities, sensory processing skills, and age-appropriate abilities through therapeutic activities. It is called occupational because the treatment focuses on the child’s challenge areas in their daily tasks or “occupations.” A child’s main occupation is playing! Our expertise as holistic child development experts allows us to guide a sensory play experience that is both engaging and safe while helping kids feel confident in their abilities.

ReWild’s nature-based services are for children with or without the presence of a medical diagnosis who may benefit from guided play exploration that is natural, inspiring, and developmentally appropriate without technology. Play exploration with us goes beyond the backyard and allows children to build problem-solving skills, resilience, grit, and self-risk assessment.

ReWild Summer Camp June 22nd-June 25th 12PM-3:30PM Ages 7-10 years Coler Mountain Bike Preserve

Kindergarten Readiness & Review Camp July 27th-July 29th 9AM-12PM Ages 4-6 Coler Mountain Bike Preserve

Check out our website at rewildthechildnwa.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram to learn more about our summer camps and nature group program.

We would love to hear from you at rewildthechildnwa@gmail.com.

davidadams.com

100 West Center, Ste 101 Fayetteville 479-444-7778 peekaboonwa.com

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IN THE KNOW

Board G ame Knights by: Jesse Arburn Almost everyone has played a board game before.

Whether it was Monopoly, The Game of Life, Trouble, Risk, or Sorry! - chances are, you’ve had an experience with your friends and family around a board game or a deck of cards.

What most people do not realize is that there are hundreds of thousands of board games out there, ranging from simple reflex-based card games like Jungle Speed to complex squad-based tactics games like Warhammer 40k. Most popular board games today fall in the middle of these examples. Games you may very well have heard of or even played before could include Ticket to Ride, a cross-country train adventure in which players collect and play matching train cards to claim railway routes connecting cities throughout North America. Perhaps you’ve heard of Settlers of Catan, where players collect resources and use them to build roads, settlements and cities on their way to victory.

Board games are more than just a fun way to pass the evening after dinner. Studies have shown that kids as

young as preschool age can develop problem-solving skills, effective communication skills, and enhanced math and reading skills--all by playing board games.

Many other skills are further developed by playing board games, such as turn-taking, sportsmanship, and strategic skills. Board games also give children and adults a creative outlet to explore new worlds and play as characters that evoke a strong sense of imagination and wonder. They help us connect with our friends and loved ones on a level playing field and politely ask us to set aside our connection to the digital world in exchange for eye contact and conversation with those of us around the table. Board games help us create memories that will last our entire lives, and the only thing they ask for in return is to follow the rules in their little booklet. Or don’t, and debate the nuance of house rules with Uncle Jerry the Rules Lawyer all night!

Here at Board Game Knights, our passion is to bring new players, friends, families, and loved ones, all together to enjoy a night filled with adventure and entertainment without the growing disconnect

of technology that looms over our heads. We want to provide a family-friendly environment for our community to experience board games in an easy and memorable way. Our team consists of leaders and teachers from Northwest Arkansas. We love our community as much as we love board games, and we want to show everyone how much fun you can have while playing them. Our experts are available to help you figure out which games you’d like to try and how to play them.

We will also be offering camps, clubs, after-school programs and many other activities to stay involved in our community. Our program director and curriculum designer is well qualified for the task, having her Masters in School Counseling and a Masters in Teaching K-6. Board Game Knights came to life in the mind of Jesse Arburn, a former Walmart Home Office Project Coordinator and

Operations Analyst, every time he traveled out of state to his family reunions. He took several board games to these events and loved how much the games brought everyone together. He shared this revelation with his longtime friend Jason Spicer, a Program Supervisor for the State and former teacher, who was immediately on board with the idea.

Board Game Knights will host over 200 board games in their library with many, many more games to come. We also have 12 unique, custom board game tables designed to make the experience even more comfortable. Slated to open mid-May 2020 in the Business Park Plaza on 14th street in Bentonville, we hope you’ll join us at the table for a fantastic board game night! “It’s Your Move!” Visit www. boardgameknight.com for more details. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates on our progress to the Grand Opening!

2020

Camp Guide

PREVIEW

Code Ninjas 1501 SE Walton Blvd Suite 115, Bentonville www.codeninjas.com Transform your child’s love for technology and video games into an exciting learning adventure.

Code Ninjas Camps offer an immersive environment for children to explore and develop new skills, gain confidence, and have fun with friends. It’s an unforgettable experience!

Watershed Summer Camp irwp.org We hope you will join us at camp this summer!

We will be exploring different ecosystems in Northwest Arkansas, participating in interactive, nature-based activities, and taking a field trip to Lake Fayetteville Environmental Study Center!

Snacks will be provided each day and a cookout will occur each Friday during lunch to celebrate the end of camp week.

Here are a few of our favorite camps for kids this year! The full guide can also be found online at www.peekaboonwa.com

Want to see your camp listed?

Email editor@peekaboonwa.com to be a part of this amazing resource for parents across Northwest Arkansas!

School of Rock 2603 W Pleasant Grove Rd Suite 106 Rogers 479-936-8838 bentonvillerogers.schoolofrock.com SCHOOL OF ROCK offers rock music camps for musicians of all skill levels who play guitar, bass, drums, keyboard, and vocals. Students ages 7-18 can develop their musicianship and learn new skills in a creative and fun environment.

Our camps emphasize live performance through workshops, clinics, and group rehearsals, where students learn about playing together in a band and developing stage presence. Our camps are a great introduction to School of Rock, or a perfect complement to our year-round program.

Buddy Pegs Summer Camps www.buddypegs.com www.facebook.com/BuddyPegs

Girl Scouts Camp www.girlscoutsdiamonds.org Girls grades 1-12 will attend a week of resident camp, experiencing 68 hours of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. It’s a place where every girl explores the joys of camping and being outside, discovers independence and selfreliance, learns new skills, makes lifelong friends, experiences group living and compromise, has fun, expands self-confidence, shares dreams and laughter, and much more, all within a set of controlled, safe boundaries.

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What better way to spend a summer week than on a bicycle! Buddy Pegs summer camps are perfect for kids (ages 4.5 to 9) with a wide range of ability levels including, kids who are not pedaling yet, new pedalers who want to improve their bicycle skills and for rippers who want to improve their mountain biking skills. The Buddy Pegs Ride Leaders work hard to ensure that all kids individually progress in their skills and double their bike stoke throughout the week!

Go to buddypegs.com/summercamps to find the perfect camp for your child’s ability.

JOIN THE FUN!

Be Active Summer Camps Fayetteville www.fayetteville-ar.gov The goal of Be Active! Summer Camps each year is to provide healthy, fun, and educational activities for campers age 5-15 years. We strive to create an environment where your child has an enthralling experience fostering life-long participation in sports and recreational activities.

Kaleidoscope 900 SE Village Loop Bentonville dancewithkda.com Join KDA for a wide variety of summer dance camps. All camps include dancing, crafts, snacks, fun and more! Groups will be divided according to age.

Trike Theatre, 209 NE 2nd St. Bentonville, www.triketheatre.org

Rogers Activity Center

Summer Day Camp and Summer Sports Camps 315 West Olive Street www.rogersarkansas.org/sdc

NWACC Kid’s College www.nwacc.edu/workforce/kidscollege/ NWACC Kid’s College 2020 offers numerous fun, educational short-term courses for two age groups: 9-12 and 13-16! Classes range from computer coding, robotics, and political simulations to global cuisine, painting and more!

There are a variety of great options allowing young students to experience the excitement of being on a college campus while learning about topics that ignite their passion.

Infiniti www.infinitiathletics.com

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2020

Camp Guide

PREVIEW

Amazeum 1009 Museum Way, (J St & Museum Way) Bentonville www.Amazeum.org Amazeum summer camps specialize in curiosity!

Our unique week-long summer camps are the perfect place to unleash your child’s curiosity to explore and make new discoveries. Summer camps offer hands-on, STEAM-focused fun that encourages your camper to be a creative explorer.

Community Creative Center communitycreativecenter.org

New Life Ranch 918-422-5506 160 New Life Ranch Dr. Colcord, OK www.newliferanch.com

Camp Bright Haven 1110 Mathias Dr, Ste F, Springdale www.brighthavenshines.com Morning and afternoon snacks provided.

Engaging learning activities encouraging discovery. Fun themes planned for each week. Safety is our number one priority. For information, erin@brighthavenshines.com

Camps Include: Welcome to Dragon, How It’s Made, Mechanical Pinata Party, Lighting Bugs, and more ReWild Nature Summer Camps 2020 (479) 310-9107 text/call rewildthechildnwa@gmail.com rewildthechildnwa.com Coler Mountain Bike Preserve SUMMER ART CAMPS 2020 at Imagine Studios 479-619-6085 imaginestudiosnwa.com Fire up your creativity and join the summer fun!

Imagine Studios camps are for creative, artsy kids of all ages. Campers will work with a variety of mediums such as watercolor, clay, canvas, acrylics, board art, glass fusing, and/or ceramic painting.

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ReWild Summer Camp June 22nd-June 25th - 12PM-3:30PM Ages 7-10 years ReWild Boys Social Skills Camp July 13th-July 16th - 12PM-2PM Ages 12-15 Kindergarten Readiness & Review Camp July 27th-July 29th - 9AM-12PM Ages 4-6

CONVENIENTLY LOCATED AT 194 COLLEGE ROAD, PINEVILLE, MO NO OUT-OF-STATE TUITION | FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING | JUST NORTH OF THE STATE LINE ASSOCIATE DEGREES: Certified Medical Assistant (AAS) General Studies (AA) Nursing (AS) Psychology (AA)

CERTIFICATIONS: Certified Nurse Assistant Certified Medical Assistant Emergency Medical Technician Phlebotomy EKG

ACCEPTING NURSING PROGRAM APPLICATIONS THROUGH FEBRUARY 15, 2020

CROWDER.EDU | 417.226.6000

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www.siloamwomenscenter.com

Kyle Thompson, DO, FACOG

Chad Hill, MD, FACOG

Natalie Eiland, DO

Siloam Springs Women’s Center BOARD CERTIFIED OB - GYN SPECIALISTS SERVING SILOAM SPRINGS REGIONAL HOSPITAL

Focusing On:

• Comprehensive OB Care & Delivery • Gynecological and Laparoscopic Surgery • Female Incontinence • Pelvic Pain • Pelvic Reconstruction • Minimally Invasive Outpatient Hysterectomy • In-Office Surgical Sterilization

Now Accepting New Patients COMMERCIAL INSURANCE • MEDICARE • OKLAHOMA, ARKANSAS & MISSOURI MEDICAID

603-2 N. Progress Avenue, Suite 100, Siloam Springs 479.524.9312 50 April 2020

Hours: Monday - Friday 8am to 5pm

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Rick’s Bakery Streetside Studio Summer Camps 1220 N College Avenue, Fayetteville, 479-442-2166 Ext. 1 Campers will learn basic decorating techniques, take a behind-the-scenes tour, and will be able to take home all of their goodies to share. Plus, each camper will get a T-shirt. Each two-day session is $75 plus tax.

The Little Gym 2603 W. Pleasant Grove, Suite 118, Rogers, AR 479-636-5566 Little Gym’s expert instructors fill each threehour camp day with fitness and fun. Obstacle courses challenge them. Arts and crafts engage them. And group activities, snack time and special events give them time to interact and build their social skills – all in a non-competitive, nurturing environment.

High Pointe Performing Arts highpointe.dance

Li’l Blazers Academy Youth Basketball Camp www.arkansasblazers.org The Li’l Blazers Academy is the gateway into our Arkansas Blazers Basketball Program for girls/boys K thru 5th grade. Our camp is designed to teach the fundamentals of basketball. Shooting, dribbling, defense and passing are some of the things that will be covered over the 4-week duration of our camp. At the conclusion of each camp, we pick campers who we believe have what it takes to compete on our fall competitive travel teams.

Experience Robotics www.experiencerobotics.com Curriculum is designed and delivered by certified engineering and science teachers with the assistance of college and high school students enrolled in STEM programs.

Campers learn about the design process and sharpen their problem-solving skills.

Experience Robotics offers one-week day camps in Bentonville, Arkansas. Campers have the opportunity to explore areas of science, engineering and technology while learning project management skills in a supportive team setting.

Each dancer will begin camp by getting their face painted, then moving into class to work on flexibility and technique. Each dancer will learn two routines to perform in front of parents and friends. Snacks and crafts will be provided each day.

First Tee of Northwest Arkansas Summer Golf Camp www.thefirstteenorthwestarkansas.org Engineering Summer Camps at the UA College of Engineering, Fayetteville engineering-camps.uark.edu Camps focused on engineering and robotics for students in grades 1st - 11th.

The First Tee of NWA offers several camps throughout the summer. Each day will feature lessons for putting, short game, full swing, fun games and golf course play on our simulator, lessons on rules and etiquette and time on the course. Camps are for ages 7-9 and 10-18.

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2020

Camp Guide

PREVIEW

Kids Day Camps and Fun Days at Turpentine Creek www.tcwr.org Sign up your cub for one of the new Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge Summer Day Camps! We offer three-day Day Camps for 2 different age groups. Kids between the ages of 6 and 12 can enjoy 3 days learning all about exotic animals and Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge. Our day camps make education fun! Limited space available at each camp, register now before they fill up! Come and enjoy educational activities, tours, crafts, and much more with Turpentine Creek’s Education Department. Lunch will be provided.

Larson’s Language Center Summer Camp and Summer Club!

(Ages 3-13) - 479-633-9900 www.larsonslanguagecenter.com 1730 W. Poplar St. Rogers Learn Spanish while playing! Foreign language, crafts, cooking, games and more! More fun, more language exposure, and more experiences.

Board Game Knights 1400 SW Susana Street, Bentonville www.boardgameknight.com Board Game Knights is Northwest Arkansas’ premier board game lounge located in Bentonville. Join us for a unique summer camp experience for ages 9-12. Campers will spend the day immersed in board games, collaboration, and competition. They will spend each week learning the essential components to tabletop games and creating a game of their own. Each week features a new type of game and selection of games curated for campers.

Super Science 1034 Reed Valley Rd Fayetteville (479) 444-0303 super-sci.com Super Science one-day camps are most popular with 4- to 12-year-olds. We keep kiddos busy with Estes rocket building and launches, T-REX dinosaur tooth (fossil) casting, a light and laser show, fun science games and more, culminating with all-you-can-eat cotton candy. Yes, there is science behind the invention of cotton candy!

Bentonville Parks & Recreation 479-464-PARK (7275) parks@bentonvillear.com Camp Bentonville is back and ready for a great 2020! From Camp Memorial to Camp Downtown Bentonville, showcasing tennis camps, soccer camps, Abrakadoodle camps and more, you are sure to find a camp that guarantees your child will have a fun-filled summer!

Young Chefs Academy of Rogers 5208 Village Parkway Suite 6 - Rogers (479) 401-2006 youngchefsacademy.com Each fully-immersive, 3-hour / multi-day camp experience will include our most popular camp experiences, with all new recipes, techniques and subject matter.

The art of cooking AND the science of baking. Team challenges and competition.

One four-course meal or party menu will be created around newfound skills.

Basic & NEW culinary techniques, tips and tricks. Tested recipes and curriculum developed by our team of expert chefs.

Lessons that are created to encourage creative expression and discoveries.

Campers will be introduced to some of the latest trends in the culinary world, taking their creativity to new heights.

Bentonville Christian Academy bentonvillechristian.org/academics/summercamp/ Summer is a fun season often filled with activities and plenty of outdoor time. It also, unfortunately, can be a time where students lose some of what they learned in the previous school year, and some skills and lessons must be “re-taught� at the start of each school year.

At the Bentonville Christian Academy Summer Camp, we take a fun approach to learning, where elementary school students are more likely to retain what they learned the previous school year and even learn new things.

Happy Feet Soccer Camp www.nwahappyfeet.com The benefits are amazing! The kids love the fun games! As children learn the physical skills, they build confidence and self-concept that applies to other sports and to life in general.

Camp War Eagle is a Christian summer camp in Rogers, AR! HOW MUCH IS IT?

Camp can be affordable! Tuition is based on family income & starts as low as $20 per session!

WHO CAN APPLY?

Camp is for kids and teens ages 7 to 17! There is an Overnight camp on Beaver Lake and Day Camp options in a town near you!

APPLY TODAY!

campwareagle.org | (479) 751-8899

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At Pediatric Dental Associates and Orthodontics you’ll discover that we go the extra mile for our patients! From the LPgA moment you see our office, you’ll know what we mean. We have a fully themed environment that is comforting and fun for your children.

We offer preventive, restorative, and orthodontic services for kids ages 0-18.

We also specialize in dental care for children with special needs.

1607 E. Rainforest Rd. Fayetteville, AR 72703

801 SW Regional Airport Blvd.

Bentonville, AR 72712

Fayetteville: 479-582-0600

Bentonville: 479-268-5000

#brushflossrepeat

We accept all insurances and we are in-network with Delta Dental, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, ARKids, Delta Dental Smiles, and MCNA.

Camp Eagle summer Camp War EagleWar is a Christian 14323camp Camp War Eagle in Rogers, AR! Rd Rogers, Arkansas HOW 751-8899 MUCH IS IT? (479) Camp can be affordable!

Tuition is based www.campwareagle.org on family income & starts as low as $20

per session!

Activities like football, softball, gymnastics, volleyball, water skiing, WHO CAN APPLY? wakeboarding, riflery, horseback rock Camp is for kidsriding, and teens archery, ages climbing, rappelling, skateboarding, 7 to 17! There is an Overnight camp on pottery, stained glass, Beaver Lake and Day cheerleading, Camp options in a nature/ town near you! conservation study, hip-hop dance, water slides, Blobbing, fishing, canoeing and many, many more! An adventure that will help you develop leadership qualities.

An adventure campwareagle.org | (479) 751-8899 that will promote a greater appreciation for God, others and yourself. An adventure that will not stop at the end of the summer but will continue throughout the year. An adventure that will be fun, exciting, challenging and lifechanging.

APPLY TODAY!

Crystal Bridges Summer Camps www.CrystalBridges.org Register now for Crystal Bridges summer camps for kids 6 to 12! Explore the museum galleries and grounds, enjoy art-making and theatre activities, make friends, and have fun!

All materials and healthy, nut-free snacks are included in camp fee.

Arts Live Theatre Summer Conservatory 818 North Sang Avenue, Fayetteville, 479.521.4932 info@artslivetheatre.com Arts Live Theatre offers a wide variety of classes, camps and workshops providing actors with theatre education in musical theatre, acting, improv, reader’s theatre, story telling and more.

Casa Castillo casacastillonwa.com During our summer camps, students will enjoy diverse activities each day with games, music and movement, dramatic play, visual arts and crafts, and more to encourage language development in the Spanish language. Each week there is a specific theme that will focus our language learning and activities. There will be diverse activities to fit all developmental levels and interests of students. We will give students all the fun and excitement they crave in a summer camp, completely immersed in the Spanish language and Hispanic culture. Locations in Bentonville and Centerton.

Camp Clover (479) 282-2571 www.clovercommunityschool.org As a working farm school, we will offer nature and gardening activities, animal care lessons, goat yoga, tinkering and science activities, and lots of cool down water play! We will serve a healthy snack in the morning and campers are welcome to bring a brown bag lunch. Cost is $170/week. For more information or an application, email Kimberly@clovercommunityschool.org.

Flip Side Ninja Park flipsideninja.com 213 Grant Place - Lowell (479) 927-6070 Monday - Thursday | 10:30 am - 1 pm Save $10 - Sign up by May 1st! Are you ready for the coolest summer camp in NWA?! We sure are! Learn new obstacles, make friends, and have a ninja good time this summer!

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ETTLING S R O F TIPS E R HOM U O Y O INT LY. R FAMI U O Y H WIT

Quarantine Survival by: Amenda Lacy Isn’t this a crazy time? A monumental period in our lives that we will all certainly remember. Personally, I think the loss of control of what we normally do is what causes the most stress and anxiety. It is almost disorienting. I know exactly how you feel.

In September, I was diagnosed with cancer, which essentially caused me to have a multitude of reactions, including feelings similar to what families are realizing when dealing with the coronavirus repercussions. My first instinct was to get all the information – to Google everything, watch news stories and go down a rabbit hole filled with of all the things that could possibly happen. This is very similar to what I am guessing you as a parent started to do when the word “coronavirus” hit the media. From social media to the 24/7 news programs, we were inundated with updates and projections. Our daily lives have been dramatically affected and adapting has been a shocking struggle in a lot of ways. With that understood, let me share some tips from what I have learned that might help you put your quarantine time into perspective.

It’s a Mental Game Understanding that you have to stay home is a mental game. Of course, physically you are going to survive in the safety of your home, but this quarantine time is 56 April 2020

more of a mental challenge – a mindset that you must get your brain wrapped around. Once you accept you are stuck at home – then you can move from surviving to thriving. One thing that makes it easier is that most everyone else is in the same situation as you – you aren’t alone.

Take Care Focus on taking care of you! If you fall apart, you won’t be able to take care of those that need you most.

These four areas that I recommend focusing on will help you stay healthy, both physically and mentally.

• Drink water:

The goal is to keep yourself hydrated. A good rule of thumb is to aim for half your weight in ounces. Yes, this might cause more frequent bathroom trips initially, but your body will adapt. This is great for flushing out toxins, keeping systems running smoothly, and might cause you to slow down on the snacking!

• Move your body: Say yes to exercise!

Take a walk through your home if that is all you can do. Go online for workouts and training opportunities. If possible, get outside! The fresh air will do you good.

Bike rides, hiking, or a simple neighborhood walk are great ways for you to get exercise and still distance yourselves from others.

• Eat well: Fuel your body to live well. Since being

diagnosed, I have become even more aware of what I am eating. As you scramble to gather groceries and take-out, make good choices for you and your family!

Eating and snacking at home has never been such an adventure.

• Supplement the gaps: Even as we try to eat

well, our American diet does have gaps. This goes hand-in-hand with food choices. (Full disclosure that supplements are my passion and business!) Lack of certain nutrients can surely affect immunity (key during chemo and coronavirus) and can cause some extra issues to deal with if not addressed. During this time of change, many face issues with anxiety, stress, GI problems, etc. Make sure to address the problem at the root and consider supplements to help during this period.

Focus on Others Don’t disappear into your home and cut off communication with the outside world! We need each other. Check on neighbors – especially those living alone – and support those in need. What I have found in battling cancer is that there are people willing to help and support, survivors willing to share, and newly diagnosed needing information.

Same holds true during coronavirus: help others and

We get you.

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share what you have learned. We can all get through this together.

Challenge Yourself Imagine if you were to come out of this a better version of yourself. Imagine that you are healthier, your skin is clearer, and you have a great, positive mindset about life. When I was hit with the cancer diagnosis, I had to challenge myself – to understand that this is something that I have to go through and that I’ll come out better on the other side.

I challenge you to do the same.

I realize there are monumental life events and occasions that are being postponed or canceled.

These losses are hard, but look at the positive side. We have an extended summer with our kids and extra precious time with our immediate family. I have chosen to embrace it and be excited about spending time with our children and learning what they enjoy. We’ve had nightly game competitions, learned through Ted Talks, read more books, Facetimed with friends, and taken up different exercise routines.

In the end, know we can’t control what is happening, but we can control how we react. Make the most of each precious day – this time isn’t going to last forever.

the official diagnosis of autism when he was four years old.

MeeT

LUKE

by: Robyn Hubbard

As parents, we all want the absolute best the world has to offer our children. We have big dreams and high hopes for them from the moment they are first placed in our arms. When Luke was born, we already had a three-year-old daughter who made us feel like we had parenting all figured out. It didn’t take long for us to realize the expectations we had for Luke’s life might not be met the way we thought they should be.

From the beginning, he was more difficult to connect with. He didn’t reach one single milestone on time.

Not one. As he got older, he refused to eat anything but baby food. He had very little speech, and was frustrated by his inability to communicate. He injured himself daily and had uncontrollable fits of rage that would last up to an hour. We loved our boy, but we were confused, frustrated, and exhausted. We felt like we were failing him and we had no idea what to do.

Finally, when Luke was two and a half, we were referred to Wendy Cassady in Springdale for a speech evaluation to address his feeding issues. As she asked me questions about his violent reaction to unfamiliar foods, she noticed some atypical behaviors and recommended an occupational therapy evaluation.

After a series of testing, Luke qualified for speech, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. He got 58 April 2020

While we were relieved to finally have some answers, there was a period of grief that came with the official diagnosis. We had to grieve the loss of those expectations of the life we thought our child would have. For me, there was also a sense of panic. How were we going to be able to give him everything he would need to navigate this difficult world? How could we keep him safe and happy? Would he be mistreated for being different? Would he ever be able to hold a job, live on his own, or have a family? What will happen to him when my husband and I are gone?

The questions kept me up at night and, to be honest, still do at times.

The summer before Luke started kindergarten, we made the decision to move several states away to a big city that we believed might have more resources available for people with autism. We had done our research, but when we got there everything fell apart.

Our plan for school fell through and we discovered other schools for kids with special needs were hard to get into and more expensive than a college education.

Public schools weren’t what they are here and there was little to no assistance to help with the cost of private school or his therapies, except for a waiver with a two-year-long waiting list.

In this city of a million people, I struggled to find support groups, activities created for families with children with special needs, or other opportunities for Luke that I had taken for granted back home.

Arkansas has funding in place for families like ours and we were starting to regret giving all of that up.

Since we couldn’t afford private schooling for him, I ended up being forced to homeschool him for a semester while we waited for the public school system to place him. After he was placed, it was clear that it was not the right environment for him. The main reason we had displaced our family was to help our son, but we were repeatedly met with one obstacle after another.

When we found out we were expecting another baby, we waved the white flag and decided to move back home to Northwest Arkansas after a year away.

There’s nothing like moving to a new place to make you realize how supportive NWA really is.

We immediately went back to Cassady Children’s Center for therapy and were welcomed with open arms. They worked hard to catch Luke up and to help him through the transition of moving again. We signed him back up to play baseball for the Yankees on his Miracle League team. (If you ever need a reason to smile, I highly recommend coming to a game!)

He was placed in a self-contained classroom at a public school in Springdale that has bent over backward to individualize his instruction and love him through his hardest days. Our church started an “Incredible Kids” program so kids with special needs can learn and play in a safe environment just for them.

we are so grateful for the opportunity to raise our family here and know without a doubt this is where we are supposed to be. The community of Northwest Arkansas truly makes us feel like we aren’t alone in this journey and for that, we plan to continue to raise our family here, give back, and help other families like ours know they are not alone in this journey.

We reconnected with Autism Involves Me (AIM), a local nonprofit that provides support, resources, and special activities around the community for families just like ours. We were able to go to sensory-friendly movies, autism nights at the trampoline park, trickor-treating at Embassy Suites, and so many other experiences that allowed us to do things we couldn’t normally do as a family without judgment. We were able to find things like summer camps, piano lessons, and swim lessons for him. There was so much more available than we ever realized.

When we decided to get our service dog, Bailey, three Springdale Schools came together to raise money to help us pay for her and AIM provided a grant that also went toward bringing her home. She goes to school with Luke every day to help keep him safe and calm and has been welcomed into his school with open arms.

Although our expectations of what Luke’s life would be like have taken a completely different direction,

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Willow Creek Women’s Hospital Launches New Maternal-Fetal Transport Service

Willow Creek Women’s Hospital (WCWH) has launched a new Maternal-Fetal Transport Service to provide rapid medical intervention for mothers-to-be who are experiencing pregnancy complications. Expectant mothers – as well as their critically ill newborns – can be safely transported in an ambulance specifically equipped to provide an intensive-care environment. The only service of its kind in Northwest Arkansas, the transport service is staffed by a multidisciplinary team of medical professionals.

For newborns in distress, WCWH has provided a Neonatal Transport Service for many years.

The hospital also has an OB/GYN emergency department solely focused on women’s needs with board-certified OB/GYNs available 24/7, the only such dedicated service in Northwest Arkansas. The new Maternal-Fetal Transport Service is operated 24/7 in conjunction with the hospital’s Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and MaternalFetal Medicine services.

“Women who are experiencing complications during pregnancy may require rapid medical care. It’s our goal to provide the highest level of specialty care for mother or baby in need,” said Juli McWhorter, RN, Chief Administrative Officer for WCWH. “We’re so pleased to be able to provide this muchneeded maternal transport service for our region.

Additionally, we’re pleased to be able to provide access to both maternal-fetal and neonatal expertise under one roof so mother and baby can be treated in the same hospital without the need to separate them.”

60 April 2020

The Maternal-Fetal Transport emergency service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to transport women experiencing maternal medical emergencies, which may include: + Bleeding after 20 weeks + Diabetes + Hypertension + Multiple gestation (twins, triplets or more) + Preeclampsia + Preterm labor + Rupture of membranes

Mothers-to-be experiencing these and other complications are assessed by a highly trained, dedicated transport team and brought to Willow Creek Women’s Hospital. They are transported in an ambulance specially equipped with a self-contained mobile intensive care environment.

“It is a fact that premature babies do best at the hospital where they are born,” said Dr. Bernard Canzoneri, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist. “It is important for a pregnant patient to be transferred to a hospital with an advanced level of neonatal care before the infant’s birth. With our new MaternalFetal Transport Service, a pregnant mom will be given immediate access to highly experienced nurses and physician specialists in the Northwest Arkansas region. This service will provide quick management of problems or complications during pregnancy which will result in better outcomes for both the pregnant mother and her baby.”

Dr. Sameer Wagle, a neonatologist, stated: “Northwest Health again has shown its commitment to mothers in Northwest Arkansas to offer the highest level of perinatal care locally with this new service. Mothers often present with preterm labor or with severe pregnancy complications at community hospitals without NICU services. Research shows that the transfer of women in labor to a Level III NICU hospital, such as Willow Creek, increases the opportunity of survival for premature newborns when they are delivered after maternal transfer. For high risk women with pregnancies requiring very preterm deliveries, receiving care at the right hospital with the right resources can be a matter of survival and normal development for their children. There is no higher level of care available in Northwest Arkansas for mothers and babies than at Willow Creek Women’s Hospital.”

The Maternal-Fetal Transport Service provides: + A high-risk maternal-neonatal emergency response team, including a registered nurse specializing in maternal-fetal medicine, a respiratory therapist, and an emergency medical technician;

+ A communications system provides constant contact with perinatologists, neonatologists and obstetricians with special expertise in high-risk pregnancies at Willow Creek Women’s Hospital; + Life-saving equipment such as ventilators and heart monitors.

Upon arrival, expectant mothers receive expert care from a highly trained team of obstetricians, nurses and neonatologists to ensure safe delivery for both mother and child.

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64 April 2020