May 2018

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At Pediatric Dental Associates and Orthodontics you’ll discover that we go the extra mile for our patients! From the 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.

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We accept all insurances and we are in-network with Delta Dental, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, ARKids, Delta Dental Smiles, and MCNA. May 2018

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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

Kim and Jonathon with Gwen, Holden, Grant and Ava Enderle.

PHOTO BY ASHLEY MURPHY IMAGES

FRANCES WILSON Assistant Editor

DISTRIBUTION/ CIRCULATION Joyce Whitaker Judy Evans Marcedalia Salinas

Jeremy Whitaker Michelle Dodson

BEN LACY Dad’s View

Columnist

Peekaboo Publications 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

6 May 2018

MEAGAN RUFFING Columnist

DAVID HOVEY Story Design

When children need medical attention, they deserve special treatment. And Northwest Pediatric Convenient Care is here to help. A team of skilled providers will deliver the care your child needs in a comforting environment designed just for kids.

If your child needs care fast, come see us. To learn more, visit NW-Physicians.com.

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Whether you need prenatal care, an annual preventive exam, or gynecological screenings, Willow Creek Women’s Clinic is here for you. We also provide family planning and postpartum care as well as gynecological services for adolescents.

Call 479-757-1730 to ask about same-day appointments. Or, visit NW-Physicians.com.

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Serena Pierson, M.D. Board-Certified OB/GYN

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From the moment your baby is born through childhood and adolescence, your relationship with a skilled and caring pediatrician is crucial to the health and wellbeing of your child. That’s why it’s so important to find a pediatrician who makes you feel comfortable and confident every step of the way. At our Northwest Physicians practices, we focus on providing preventive care, such as routine checkups, sports and school physicals, immunizations, allergy care, and diagnosis and treatment of childhood illnesses.

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Members of the Medical Staff of Northwest Health and Allied Health Staff of Northwest Health.

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Our Family’s Journey with Lowe Syndrome

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Your Make-a-Wish Has Been Granted

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Peanut

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64 On the cover: Beau Barton, 8 months, of Bentonville. Son of Sarah and Kevin Barton Photography by: Mandy Babyar Photography @mandybabyar on Instagram

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by: Amanda Brehm

by: Rossy Rodriguez

by: Sarah J. Hoyos

Shared Families of NWA by: Amanda M. Childs

Mom to Mom By: Meagan Ruffing

The Adoptive Mom by: Heidi Loften and Alex Fittin

Kids in the Kitchen NWA Women’s Shelter Dad’s View with Ben Lacy

Peekaboo’s 2018 Camp Preview Guide Summer Camps & Family Fun at Crystal Bridges by: Rachel Tucker

Mothers, Your Souls Deserve More by: Melissa Fenton

Cover Sponsored by: Northwest Health www.northwesthealth.com 10 May 2018

Scott Family Amazeum theamazeum Amazeum

1.8 gazillion likes theamazeum Check our website amazeum.org or follow us on social media for everything you need to know to make summer more “funner.� #amazeum #every_day_amazing #nwarkansas View all 47,093 comments funfamilynwa There are so many reasons why the Scott Family Amazeum is your Summer Daycation Destination! tinkeringguy Unique traveling exhibits: Tape & Tunnels: Ordinary Materials, Extraordinary Uses May 12 to Oct. 1 and Curious Contraptions June 2 to September 3 #makersgonnamake curiouscamper6 Eight super fun summer camps! June 11 to Aug. 3 creativekid45678 Incredible Pop-Up activities all summer long! sumfun18 Indoor fun in Nature Valley Water Amazements!

If you have a story to share, or an idea for a story, email editor@peekaboonwa.com and be a part of the Peekaboo family!

From the Editor

HERE IS A LOOK AHEAD! _____________________________ JUNE is time to celebrate dads! Do you know a dad who deserves special recognition? We want to meet him, too!

JULY is about all things summer! Summer safety, summer fun, and even your kids’ favorite friends their furry friends!

S

ince becoming a mom almost 12 years ago, I have gone through quite a few “phases” and earned many coveted “badges” in my mommyhood quest. I still haven’t gotten to the big ones yet, like “mom to a teen,” or “grandmother,” but the phases I have experienced so far can be equated to levels on a really, really difficult video game... A game that’s full of intense joy when you are doing well, and utter disappointment when you realize you have been going through a challenge the entirely wrong way for a while -and ultimately have to push the reset button.

For example, I have been a first-time mom who everyone had loads of advice for, and even though I didn’t want to admit it, I needed it. At that time I was in the phase of “lost and confused and pretty overwhlemed.” A few years later, I earned the badge of “mom to boys,” which is physically exhausting, and requires a saved seat at the ER for any incidents involving more blood than my heart can handle. Then, almost a year ago, I accepted that I am “mom to a lot of kids,” often referred to by onlookers as a “You really have your hands full, don’t you?” phase.

Just last month, I decided that the flu had finally moved out of NWA, and my youngest’s immune system was strong enough to add her own list of activities to our family’s already-full calendar.

Unfortunately, I had forgotten that one of the most critical components in the game of motherhood was making mom friends! Cue the dramatic music...

I hadn’t really had to do this before. My first group of mom friends was ready-made with the most amazing ladies in my prenatal pilates class.

We were all becoming moms together for the first time, so the bond was instant and effortless.

12 May 2018

Since most of those women had their second and third around the same time I did, playdates for baby two and three were a rollover of the same mom friends I had already easily made.

Then, enter baby four, nearly 11 years after baby one.

That first day of mommy and me class was like deja vu. I had sung the same songs in baby classes over a decade ago with my first (and then twice in between).

I had done the same activities, and cheered on my little one in the same way as I was doing now, but, this time, I had my work cut out for me. All my friends were done having babies, and I was the only one who had kept going. I now had to make new mom friends, based solely on the fact that we were in the same room as each other at the same time. This was strangely difficult. Walking into her first baby class was like walking into my first day of college where I knew absolutely no one, and everyone had already paired or grouped off with another woman (or women) born in the same decade as them.

If you know me outside of the pages of Peekaboo, you will know that I always put my best foot forward with any thing I do. So, in preparation for that first day of Little Gym, I dressed in a new outfit with my hair and makeup the opposite of how it looks on most days. I then bought baby Gwennie a new workout outfit for her first day, because she, too, had to dress the part when making her own first set of baby friends.

The first sing-a-long song ended, and still no BFFs to be found. Ummm... this was going to be harder than I expected. In the most non-creepy way, I began making small talk. Ugh! Half of the stuff I said was so cheesy; plus, I literally repeated it to each person as I made my way around the room.

“How old is your little one?” “Are you from Northwest Arkansas?” “Did you move here for work?” “Do you have other kids?” and, if so, “What school do they go to?” Any conversation that might be actually flowing

was quickly paused when Gwennie would take off crawling to another part of the room. After all, I couldn’t not follow her, because she might do something super cute that I would need to photograph and send to grandparents.

In my pursuit of new mom friends in this new phase of mommyhood, I realized quite quickly that I was no longer a young mom compared to the rest of the women. When you have an 11-monthold and an 11 year old (and two in between,) age kind of has a way of creeping up on you. When you overhear a mom say she is old because she graduated in year (fill in the blank,) you might die a little inside realizing that it was the same year you gave birth to your THIRD. Quick call to schedule Botox... followed by a quick cancellation because you are still nursing and can’t... followed by another quick order of the best eye cream you can find. Oh, insecurities... you are fun little things.

During the course of the class, my insecurity almost compelled me to text one of my friends to rush over just so I could show everyone I had cool friends and was someone these women should want to hang out with. I actually typed out most of that text, and then deleted it for fear of being actually crazy - because once it has been texted it is real - which means printing it in a regional parenting magazine also makes it real... but that’s beside the point.

At the end of the day, I am happy that my kids have a bit of an age gap between each one--even if it means living life in a way similar to the movie Groundhog Day, where I keep repeating the stages of motherhood. I don’t have to be one of the cool moms in baby class, because I am now one of the “been there done that” moms. I have an amazing group of moms that I have met and bonded with organically over the last decade, and I am sure that eventually I will find my tribe of moms that are perfect for baby playdates with Gwennie.

In the meantime, for all the moms out there (and the moms-to-be) I want to wish you a very happy Mother’s Day this month! It is the most amazing title you will ever hold, whether it is your first baby, or your fourth, or fifth or six.

Until next month - Kim Enderle Don’t forget to join Peekaboo Magazine May 6th from 11A-3P in downtown Bentonville at the 6th annual KidsFest Street Faire--this time as part of the Bentonville Film Festival! Come meet Peppa Pig and George, and enjoy activities and fun for the entire family from local businesses!

Summer Camp Schedule

ON E IN A 1/2 M I L L I ON

Our Family’s Journey with Lowe Syndrome

By Amanda Brehm When we learned that we were pregnant with our son, Jonah, we weren’t thinking of the possibility that anything could go wrong. Like most new parents-to-be, we prepared for his arrival and waited with eager anticipation for that first moment we would meet him, filled with all sorts of ideas and expectations of what it would be like.

We marveled at his ultrasound photos, dreaming of this whole life he would have. But on the day we came close to losing him, we realized just how many things—from conception to birth—have to go right.

I had a seemingly textbook pregnancy up until about 34 weeks, when I started noticing a decrease in fetal movement. I sought comfort in the advice of family and close friends who told me that he likely just had less room to move around. After all, I had heard a strong heartbeat at every doctor’s visit, and all my prenatal screenings had come back normal. But by the end of that week, I started getting a little more concerned. I tried all the usual tricks to get him moving, but his kicks were getting fewer and farther between. On September 15, 2016, following that proverbial “maternal nudge,” I called my OB’s office and, before I knew it, I was driving to the hospital to check on the baby’s health. Everything was probably fine, they told me.

Baby’s Coming

After multiple rounds of testing, my OB came into the room and told me that Jonah was showing signs 14 May 2018

of distress and that I should prepare for a quick delivery. I lay on the cold steel operating table, filled with worry. In minutes, my relief poured out in a flood of tears at the sound of Jonah’s first cry.

My husband looked at me, tears in his eyes and a smile stretched across his face as he said, “We’re parents!”

I was granted only a quick kiss on Jonah’s bluish forehead before the doctors and nurses took him away. The next time I saw him, wires and IV’s covered his fragile, 4-pound body. I’ll never forget what one of our neonatologists told me: If I had waited one more day to come in for testing, Jonah would not have survived.

Jonah was very sick. In addition to extremely low muscle tone that made him unable to suck or swallow, he was showing jaundice, an inability to gain weight, a dangerously low platelet count, digestive problems and minor respiratory issues.

Obviously this was bad news, but we thought these complications were just a result of his prematurity, and that with a little care and time to grow, he would become healthy again.

But, soon after that, the doctors discovered cataracts in both eyes, a thick

clouding in each lens that meant he probably couldn’t see much more than shadows. They also performed an ultrasound and MRI to check for any bleeding on the brain, and that’s when they discovered that his brain was significantly underdeveloped. These were the first signs that Jonah’s problems were much more severe than we thought.

drink from a bottle without aspirating.

Jonah experienced seizures that lasted for days, his body not responding to any seizure medications he was given.

Just a week after birth and still in critical condition, Jonah was transferred to Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis, where we would have access to more specialized intensive care.

But, slowly and surely, Jonah’s condition started improving as he gained weight and doctors figured out the exact medication dosages his body needed to replace the critical nutrients he was losing.

Waiting for Answers

The NICU room at Riley held our entire universe for the next two and a half months. The days and events, filled with every conceivable emotion, blurred together as Jonah fought to hang on and I learned to become his mommy. Most days, I hardly left his side, cuddling him warmly against my chest, singing songs and reading to him, for as long as I could. A wall in our room held a proud display of the tiny handprints and footprints we had stamped on paper. In those moments, all I saw was a beautiful, perfect baby, our baby, with whom I was so completely in love. In my heart and mind, I fought to protect the sacredness of this time against the revolving door of nurses, doctors, lactation consultants, therapists and others.

When Jonah’s medical team made their rounds, they told me they had never seen a case like this before. He was, by all accounts, a medical mystery.

I remember thinking, “How could that be true?”

We sought answers from one doctor after another.

But as we would come to find out, a diagnosis like Jonah’s rarely happens quickly. It unfolded slowly over time, as test after test, hours of research, small observations and intuitive insights from a multidisciplinary medical team came together to form a complete picture.

It wasn’t long before Jonah’s kidney issues became apparent. While healthy kidneys filter blood and reabsorb essential nutrients back into the bloodstream, doctors discovered that filters in Jonah’s kidneys are “leaky,” which means that certain substances such as sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphate and bicarbonate are excreted in his urine instead of being reabsorbed. This leads to severe electrolyte imbalances if left untreated, and disrupts the delicate blood pH range needed to sustain life.

Additionally, a lack of muscle tone caused increased respiratory issues and an inability to

Getting the Diagnosis

After we had been at Riley for a month and genetic testing had ruled out any chromosomal condition, it was time to take a closer look at his genes. This test would take yet another month to come back.

And when it finally did, a geneticist relayed the devastating news: Jonah has Lowe Syndrome.

Lowe Syndrome is a rare genetic disorder affecting only males, with an estimated prevalence of only 1 in 500,000. It is primarily characterized by kidney dysfunction, intellectual disability, low vision and physical handicaps. A mutation in the OCRL1 gene inhibits the normal function of an enzyme essential for processes related to the Golgi apparatus of the cell, including membrane trafficking (or the flow of membrane to different parts of the cell). This leads to the various developmental defects associated with Lowe Syndrome, including cataracts and problems in the brain and kidneys.

Additionally, boys affected with Lowe Syndrome commonly exhibit:

+ Glaucoma (developing in about half of the cases)

+ Seizures

+ Autism spectrum disorder

+ Feeding difficulties

+ Dental issues

+ Short stature

+ Tendency to develop rickets, bone fractures, scoliosis and joint problems

There was a sense of resolution in this diagnosis, of finally having a name for this constellation of symptoms. And yet, it carried a weight and significance that we weren’t quite prepared for.

Read On...

We were told that after a decade or two, Jonah’s kidneys may start to fail, and that we should expect a maximum life span of about 35-40 years due to progressive kidney failure. We also learned that getting a kidney transplant in end stage renal disease may not be possible – or the best option. Complications from Lowe Syndrome leading to death have also occurred at much younger ages due to infection, dehydration, pneumonia, and, subsequently, organ failure.

We would be giving medications around the clock and facing years of therapy, multiple surgeries and hospital stays. He would most likely never live independently.

We came to grips with the real possibility that he may always need help with basic hygiene — including bathing, dressing, and toileting help each day. He may be unable to see, walk, communicate or feed himself. All of these challenges would be compounded with all of the “normal” parenting struggles.

There’s No Place Like Home

Going home was bittersweet. It was the day we had been looking forward to, and yet we were filled with anxiety knowing that we were solely responsible for a medically fragile infant. Just a few days before going home, surgeons placed a g-tube that would serve as a lifeline to ensure that he would continue to get enough calories to grow. The nursery we had prepared for him would now include a broad assortment of monitors and wires, an IV pole, a feeding pump, medications and manuals. But... he was home.

At 3-4 months, Jonah underwent surgeries to have his cataracts removed. This left him without lenses in his eyes, and for 6 months he wore very specialized contacts that seemed to help his vision, but also got lost easily.

We finally transitioned him to a stylish pair of thick-lens glasses that make him look incredibly adorable.

Different is Beautiful

Shortly after Jonah’s diagnosis, we joined the Lowe Syndrome Association, a non-profit organization that supports research and connects affected individuals and their families. In the summer of 2017, when Jonah was 9 months old, we attended an LSA Conference in Chicago. My heart ached in a particular way as I observed many boys and young men with Lowe Syndrome that I had, up until now, only seen in pictures.

Here they were in front 16 May 2018

of me, an unshakeable glimpse into my future. I noticed the noises they made, their childlike behavior, their short stature. It was as if they had grown older but never grown up.

And yet, as the conference went on, I felt drawn to them and to their parents. We formed a curious sort of family, connected across states and countries, brought together by this disease.

The last night of the conference featured a dinner party with a superhero theme. I watched as the boys, wearing their capes, filled the dance floor—some standing, some with walkers, others in wheelchairs.

One boy pumped his fist in the air, entirely absorbed in the music. There was this spirit in all of them that could conquer the world.

They celebrated life as it came, not dwelling on their fears of the future or the injustice of being dealt an unfair hand. It was the moment I realized that their stories—and Jonah’s—were ones of triumph, not tragedy.

Looking to the Future

Time is a great healer, and we have gradually come to terms with his diagnosis.

Thankfully, Jonah has remained stable since his discharge from the NICU, although his medical needs are constantly changing. It seems like as soon as we wrap our minds around them, the rules of the game change all over again.

Currently, he receives 11 medications, some multiple times a day. He is followed by doctors in 10 medical specialties aside from his pediatrician. Additionally, he is supported by four therapists and a dietitian.

Thankfully, there is significant support available through government agencies to help cover these medical and specialized care expenses. Without that, the financial burden would be crushing.

Due to Jonah’s low muscle tone, motor skills such as sitting, crawling, walking and grasping objects are much harder for him than for other children.

Read On...

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Now 19 months old, he has learned to sit up unsupported, but cannot yet walk or crawl. His speech is limited to “Mama” and “Dada” and a few other sounds (including a contagious giggle that is absolute music to our ears). However, he is constantly surprising us with what he can do and understand, and we expect him to continue to reach milestones in his own time.

I try not to focus too much on the future. I have absolutely no clue what it will look like for him to attend school, or how we will teach him life skills, or how we might cope with behavioral problems and aggression when he is older. But I believe that our strength and faith will sustain us through whatever the future may hold.

Mercies in Disguise

Despite the pain and chaos, there are some wonderful things about what we’ve been given.

I attribute Jonah’s life to my greatest lessons of love and faith. Watching Jonah straddle the line between life and death has helped me believe there is extraordinary purpose for his days on earth— and for ours, too. A maelstrom of sorrow, isolation and confusion has been replaced by peace, courage, resilience, and a deeper understanding of unconditional love. Even more, Jonah has brought our family together in new and unexpected ways.

In parenting a child with special needs, you face a major choice: You can believe that your child’s condition is a deathblow to everything you’ve dreamed for your future. Or, you can incorporate your child into that picture, allowing new dreams and possibilities to overshadow what is lost. By choosing the latter, we have found success amid struggle and growth amid pain.

demand more of you than you feel you can give.

Often these connections can begin through nonprofit organizations, such as the Lowe Syndrome Association, that exist to support children affected by the disease, their parents and their families.

There are also early intervention programs, financial assistance programs, in-home nursing care agencies, respite services, and plenty of other resources to help. If your medical professionals do not automatically provide this information, ask questions and do your own research. These services are there for the express purpose of meeting your and your child’s needs – and you must take it upon yourself to be persistent in obtaining and maintaining the help that is available.

Most importantly, don’t let the diagnosis define your child, and remember that you are his or her best advocate. Throw aside the judgments and unhelpful opinions, the “one-size-fits-all” approach. Demand the best from your healthcare practitioners, and insist on being heard. Your voice can help to create a more humane and dignified place in the world for your child — one that knows no limitations.

Protect Your Family

Just as a child’s disability should not define him or her as a person, having a child with special needs should not be the sum definition of your personal and family life. It’s important to take time for your own mental and physical well-being. Maintain friendships with the ones who bring you joy.

Continue to nurture your marriage, as you and your spouse will need to rely on each other more than ever before.

Find Your Village

Genetic disorders and other serious lifelong medical conditions create inevitable hardships for many families, but you don’t need to go it alone. If your child has received a complicated medical diagnosis, I urge you to find your people, your allies, with whom you can share the unique challenges of parenting. They will be the ones who will push you forward on the days that

Supporting Lowe Syndrome Research

Today, the world of science and medicine leaves us with more questions than answers. There are countless reasons to be hopeful, however. The possibility for advancement of new treatments that could be developed in Jonah’s lifetime is very promising. There may even be an opportunity to have Jonah participate in scientific research to help find answers. If you feel led to support Lowe Syndrome research or just want to learn more, please visit lowesyndrome.org.

18 May 2018

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20 May 2018

No matter how small, every EMERGENCY is a

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Your

Make-a-Wish by: Rossy Rodriguez

Has Been Granted “Your wish has been granted!”

That is my favorite thing to say at a wish reveal!

I have been a wish granter in Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley area since 2015. I often get asked if the reason I volunteer for Make-A-Wish is because I received a wish as a child, or I personally knew a child that received a wish. No, and no. I volunteer because it is my life purpose to make a positive impact on others’ lives by granting wishes to children in this area, I am fulfilling my purpose; plus, volunteering enriches my life. I have had the privilege of meeting so many great families and wish kids in the area. As much as a wish is impacting their lives, these families and children are impacting mine.

Make-A-Wish fell in my lap one day at work. I had just moved to Northwest Arkansas and did not know anyone, so I decided to find a local organization to join. There was a Make-A-Wish booth set up at an event at work to provide information on wishes and volunteers. After meeting with the staff manning the booth, I knew that this was the organization I wanted to be a part of.

I went through Wish Granting training a few months later, and immediately signed up as a wish granter for a child in Springdale. Since the first visit with my first “wish kid,” I fell in love with the organization and what it stands for. As soon as I completed one wish, I signed up for another right away. Slowly but surely, I was granting wishes one kid at a time. As a bilingual, I was also granting wishes for Spanish-speaking-only families. There was a need in the area for Spanish-speaking volunteers, as there is not only diversity in the wish families themsleves, but also in order to refer and get the word out about Make-A-Wish in the 22 May 2018

Spanish community. One way we have tackled this is by recruiting volunteers that are bilingual and creating flyers. There will always be a need to welcome more bilingual volunteers.

The wish granting process always begins with the initial visit with the child and their family. This is the first step we take in determining what wish the child would want. There are four types of wishes: I wish to be, I wish to have, I wish to go, and I wish to meet. During this visit, we, the volunteers, write down as much information as we can to identify the wants and needs of the child and family. Once paperwork is completed and turned in to the Make-A-Wish office, we wait. The average wait time for a wish to be granted is six to eight months.

Once the wish is ready to be granted, we get the call from a Wish Coordinator to begin planning a surprise party: the wish reveal! This is where I get to tell the child “Your wish has been granted!”

A lot of time and thought is put into planning a wish reveal. I love, love, love to plan, so I enjoy this step in the process. Myself and the other volunteer will set a date, time, and location of the reveal. The older kids area little harder to surprise, as they catch on to things pretty quickly, but the younger kids almost never know the surprise is coming.

The light in their eyes and smile when they find out their wish has been granted is mesmerizing. There is so much joy that goes through their bodies, that most of them just begin to jump up and down!

Oh, and the parents! They are forever and always so thankful for their child’s wish. As a parent, I cannot say that I understand what they are going through, but I can be there for them. I will listen as they tell their child’s story. I will guide them in preparations for their child’s wish trip, if needed.

Each wish reveal I have been a part of is always different from the one before and from the one after. Every kid is so unique that not every wish reveal can be the same. I recently had a wish reveal for a child where instead of saying “Your wish had been granted!” we said it in Spanish: “Se ay completado tu deseo!” The family turned on some music and made food for everyone. This wish reveal turned into a true fiesta! All that mattered in the end was that the wish kid was happy. The wish kid would tell me every five minutes “Thank you so much!” or “I really love this party!” Hearing that made me melt. I had achieved my purpose.

I had impacted this child in such a positive way.

The way I impacted him, he also impacted my life.

Every wish kid I have met has impacted my life.

They have taught me to be selfless, and to never take a moment for granted.

As much as I love to grant wishes, I also love to be an advocate for Make-A-Wish. I am always talking to someone about the organization, at work or at home. My husband always teases me that MakeA-Wish is my second job.

I encourage you to give back to Make-A-Wish.

There is always a need for more volunteers in the

area. Wish granting is not for everyone, but there are other volunteer opportunities, such as event volunteers, translators, office help, and airport greeters. As much as we need volunteers, we also need referrals. If you know a child with a critical illness, please consider referring the family to Make-A-Wish. Donations are always a good way to give back if you are not interested in physically being involved. Any amount donated is always appreciated, and it will all go toward wishes.

Donating as little as $100 will pay for a new outfit for a wish kid that wants a photoshoot. Granting a wish cannot be done without your help. It has been statically proven that a Make-A-Wish experience can help the child cope with or overcome their critical illness.

Wish granting is a life-transforming experience. It is the child’s and family’s moment to forget they have a critical illness. They can look forward to this, because it will bring them closer together.

They can stop counting down how many chemo treatments they have left and start counting down how many days are left until their wish trip!

Make-A-Wish Mid-South eschroeder@midsouth.wish.org

Peanut A New Way to Cultivate Friendships Forever

By Sarah J. Hoyos In April 2016, my husband and I decided to move from Charlotte, North Carolina to the Chicagoland area to pursue a job opportunity in Illinois. Moving meant we would be twelve hours away from our immediate family and friends.

Soon after we transitioned to Illinois I became pregnant with our first child, Sophia. While we had met and become friends with several people, none of them were parents at the time. I was home alone, pregnant, while my husband was working.

I was overwhelmed with emotions. I had so many questions regarding my pregnancy and getting prepared for my child’s birth. I did not know where to start looking for other “mom” friends. As I was browsing Instagram one day, I stumbled upon a “mom blogger.” The lady mentioned how the “Peanut” app was a wonderful way to meet other moms, so I downloaded it right away.

Peanut is where I found not only my friends, but also friends for my daughter. There are mothers from all over the world on the app. They are from different religions, ethnicities, backgrounds, ages and from different areas of life. When I found out about the app, I created a profile with the following information: my name, hometown, neighborhood I lived in currently, pictures of my baby and myself and wrote a short and sweet biography. After I created the profile, I was shown profiles of mothers located nearby, then I swiped upwards to “wave” to ones I thought I was compatible with and swiped downwards if we were not compatible; the person will never find out when I swiped downwards, which I like! I would then get a notification if she waved to me as well. If she waved to me, then the application will ask if I wanted to “say hey” by sending her a message.

24 May 2018

I found many mothers and babies that myself and my daughter Sophia had a lot in common with. I spoke to many mothers while living in the Chicagoland area through the Peanut application before I was finally ready to meet some of the mothers and babies close to Sophia’s age. My friend Jessica and I agreed to meet at a baby class the hospital offered for mothers who had their babies at Edward’s Hospital in Naperville, Illinois. Shortly after meeting Jessica, I met another friend on Peanut, Maritza. We had a lot in common and hit it off well! Soon after that, Maritza and Jessica brought their friends, who they’d also met on Peanut, so we could all meet at the park. I met my other friends, Elizabeth, Tina and Angelica through Jessica and Maritza, who used the application to meet them.

We would set up dates to meet at Jessica’s house, since she lived in a central location for all of us, have birthday parties, do “Baby Boot Camp,” and hang at parks and coffee shops. We had so much fun together. We all are stay-at-home moms, so interacting with other adults while our babies were interacting with each other was a lot of fun.

Since moving to Northwest Arkansas from the Chicagoland area a month ago, I have spoken to several mothers, and soon I will meet up with them to see how well we all get along. I am very excited to meet new friends here using this app. It is very easy to use, and I have not had an unpleasant experience meeting any of the mothers or their children. I highly recommend this application to any mothers or soon-to-be mothers! As a firsttime mom, it helped me understand what other mothers were going through and how women can support each other during difficult times.

About Peanut: Meet as Mamas, Connect as Women Meet Peanut, the app created to help new moms and moms-to-be connect. Peanut is a smart and chic solution for mothers to chat, meet up with, share and learn from like -minded women who are moms. Struggling to meet other like-minded moms whilst working, Michelle decided to use her vast experience in social networks to make a product that makes being a mum a little less lonely. Peanut aims to build a community of mothers and unite women on a wide scale, facilitating conversations that women want and need to have. Michelle believes in connecting women because they genuinely have things in common, not just because they’re moms after all, motherhood isn’t all about Pampers and pastel shades, and women don’t have to lose or change their identity just because they’re new moms.

Using GPS, Peanut’s ‘discover’ function helps users find moms nearby who have common interests. The app also includes various features designed to make the experience as

seamless as possible, including group chats, the ability to suggest and poll meetup times, post and comment on photos, send invites and add them straight into users’ calendars.

Peanut’s Pages function encourages women to converse beyond the necessary, but sometimes limiting, topics of breastfeeding and birthing plans. Mamas can post questions under a range of topics such as ‘Health & Fitness’, ‘Love & Sex’ and ‘Work & Money’, to discuss the pressing issues in the ever-changing sphere of motherhood. Since its launch, Peanut has over 300k female members, generating over 17 million swipes.

Peanut is available to download for free on iOS

REAL.

TRUE.

FUN.

322 South Second Street

Corner of Second & Cherry in the Rogers Historic District

479-621-1154 * rogershistoricalmuseum.org

ENJOY A DAY OF FREE FAMILY FUN!!

Pony Rides Face Painting Crafts Community Booths

Food Games Historic Demonstrations & More peekaboonwa.com

25

Trends that work for Mom

ShopAtLabel

@shopatlabel

Gone are the days of the “mom uniform” - you know, the “mom jeans,” unfashionable sweater and comfortable tennis shoes. Taking on the title of mom no longer means you have to trade in your favorite brands, boutiques and overall sense of style and fashion, and we can help you know where to start. Label in Bentonville, owned by a new mom herself, has you covered with trends and brands that work for a mom always on the go, but not ready to sacrifice style and fashion.

STRAIGHT LEG JEANS Easy to move around in, but not as tight as a typical skinny jean.

HIGH WAISTED DENIM These make it easier to bend over without jeans falling down!

No more hiking up your pants all day picking up baby.

COLORS ARE HUGE RIGHT NOW! Move aside black, white and gray.

Add in lavender, blush, mustard for instant on-trend looks.

LOAFERS These are so on-trend and so comfy. They are cute paired with denim, shorts, dresses, etc. Easy way to look pulled together and be able to chase around a crawling baby!

BACKPACKS These are easy to throw everything in and go! I love mine from Rebecca Minkoff--always in stock at Label.

DENIM JACKET These may seem so obvious, but it is such an important part of my daily “uniform.” I love to throw them on over dresses and tanks, and love wearing the denim-ondenim trend. Plus - they’re easy to clean and don’t show tons of dirt or wear!

blush dress with easy striped blazer

straight leg, high-waisted denim These loafers match everything

Michael Stars Dress.

Works for before, during pregnancy and after! It stretches to fit and is so cute with a bump.

FAVORITE BRANDS SINCE BECOMING A MOM: MICHAEL STARS - comfy and cute, often one-size-fitsmost, so they’re super forgiving.

SPLENDID - so soft and easy to wash!

FREE PEOPLE - boho chic, blousy and easy tees and dressier tops.

AG - stretchy, forgiving denim that fits all body types.

RAILS - easy tees, plaids, shorts and dresses.

Downtown Bentonville 116 W. Central Ave. |

479.224.9295

by: Amanda MChilds

W

hen I was younger, I always knew I wanted to be a mother. As a young girl, my friends and I would play house, all arguing over who would be the mom and who would be the daughter. By my tween years, my friends and I would play M.A.S.H., coming up with clever careers and dream boys we would one day marry. In hindsight, I cannot ever remember thinking “Hey! What about being a stepmom? Let’s add that in!” Even though being a stepparent was never in my mind growing up, I can say it has been one of the most rewarding titles I have ever been blessed to have.

In my twenties, I welcomed my daughter to the world. Anxious and excited, I was so thankful to be a mom for the first time! Eventually, as I got more settled into the role of “Mommy,” the reality caused me to panic and doubt every idea I had about how to be a mother. I worried I would say the wrong thing or do the wrong thing. I listened to everyone’s advice and continued down a rabbit hole of confusion. Eventually, with practice and support, I became more confident and comfortable with being a mom, and grew to enjoy it much like I had dreamed it would be.

After some time, my daughter’s father and I decided to file for divorce. For me, divorce created setbacks in my self-esteem as well as confidence in my ability to be a good spouse. In one word, divorce was overwhelming.

The idea to remarry could cause anyone to become apprehensive, especially me.

In addition to the idea of remarriage, introducing stepkids into the mix brought back all my worries and stress about what kind of parent I would be, but now with stepkids. While the kids may not be the reason to marry, the kids will be a significant component of any remarriage and can be a great reward!

The brief experience of being a mom had me

naively convinced that maybe I was ready to be a stepmom; and not just any stepmom... the “perfect” stepmom!

When we got remarried, it was very important to include all of the kids, but I’m not so sure that was as important to them at the time. We had a very quick crash course, as the kids did the complete opposite of what I had determined in my head that would happen. The kids all wanted individual time with their biological parent, and to be the most-noticed child out of the three. They made these demands well-known throughout the house, sometimes to the point of using loud volume as a way to get their point across. Tantrums, passiveaggressive remarks, or flat-out “ignoring you” behavior were common tools used by all three kids to get the attention of my husband and myself. Not to mention, I went from having one child to three.

This was about the time I noticed my sanity slowly fleeing.

Navigating the “should” and “should not” neighborhood of being a stepparent and parent presented many struggles. It was a full-time job trying to figure out what was acceptable, helpful, a waste of time or a complete disaster with several attempts of trial and error. I was struggling to communicate what I needed to my husband and he was struggling to translate what I was trying to voice, all while he was adjusting to the new role of being a stepparent as well.

As a new stepparent, it

was important for us help the kids figure out ways to adapt to changes rather than punish or guilt them for “not doing it my way.” Once we married, there was no more “my” way, there were several variations of “ways” in which to do things -- it was a constant state of “no more black and white.” We, as a new combined unit, had to incorporate everyone’s history of habits and rituals, including my stepchildren’s biological parents, into our day to day.

For me, recognizing the boundaries of where my role as a stepparent began and ended has been the most significant and relevant challenge for me. Most of the stressful times have caused me to ask myself, “What’s my role?” and “How can I help, versus try to control?”

In the search for new changes (because everyone loves change, right?) it was important for me to learn the differences and similarities our household had with the kids’ biological parents.

As a new stepparent, the age-old fear/worry was now the big lesson: How to work with an ex. For me, I struggle to use the word “ex” because it has a negative connotation, and, in my situation, I have been fortunate that there have been rarely any negatives. My husband’s clear boundaries made the negative much less prevalent. From the beginning, my husband explained his need to have me be his support and to recognize that I did not have the years of experience and personal knowledge that he did when it came to his child’s mother. Despite my initial reservations, he was correct. By him setting a boundary to take charge of parenting with his child’s mom and demonstrating respect for her, it modeled the way she deserved to be treated; as a mother, not an “ex.”

As time has passed, the growing, learning, communicating, and changing continues everyday.

I may not be the “perfect” stepmom I initially set out to be, but I am a happy stepmom. I appreciate the open communication I have with our kids. I have overcome several of my insecurities and worries about being the “best” and grown to appreciate being myself. Stepparents are not in the role of replacing parents, but rather enriching their family’s life even more. I always remind other parents and stepparents that love is not like a pie. You can’t “give” all the pieces away. Kids will always love their

biological parents, and they still find room to love their siblings, grandparents, stepparents, friends, and other family members. Sometimes it just takes little reminders that as a stepparent you are

Whether you are a stepparent, foster parent, adopting a child, multigenerational family, or simply adjusting to being a new parent, our goal is to deliver quality support and services. significant to your kid’s life, no matter your title. When I talk about my kids, I rarely use the word “step.” Although most people know, I only gave birth to one -- the other two saved me from some extra hours of labor and stretch marks! -all three kids hold a place in my heart and I feel privileged to be a part of their lives. It’s an honor I strive to do my best to earn every day.

In the years of being a stepparent, bonus mom, biological parent, and even a foster mom, I can appreciate the challenges that we all can face as mothers and parents. I have worked with several moms in the process of trying to sort through each of our own experiences. While I still have room to grow and learn everyday, I have developed a passion for wanting to help other area moms and families with the challenges and transitions that come with blended households. In 2017, another mother and friend of mine came up with a plan on how we can help blended families, which resulted in the creation of Shared Families of NWA. With our experience working in the mental health field, we recognized how many situations of stress and anxiety were related to the family dynamic.

As more families continue to break away from the traditional model, our goal is to provide counseling and coaching support to families overcoming the challenges of bringing a blended family together.

Whether you are a stepparent, foster parent, adopting a child, a multi-generational family, or simply adjusting to being a new parent, our goal is to deliver quality support and services.

We will be starting with a Stepmom Support workshop that will allow stepmoms from around the area to share their struggles and successes with each other in the hope of encouraging and empowering each other. We hope that by providing this support, more stepmothers will feel more confident and ready to take on the challenges and changes that come from being a stepmom.

For more information about our coaching and counseling services, find us at our Facebook page @SharedFamiliesNWA

peekaboonwa.com

31

FOUNDED FOUNDED BY BY

PRESENTED PRESENTED BY BY

TICKETS ON SALE NOW MAY 1-6, 2018 Visit bentonvillefilmfestival.com to get your tickets.

32 May 2018

peekaboonwa.com

33

to

A COLUMN FOR MOMS, BY MOMS, AND FOR THE LOVE OF MOMS

Mom THE

DARE BY

ME

AN AG

RUFFIN

You wake up whenever you want, because that’s what sleeping in means, and you meander on over to the coffee pot. You usually brush your teeth and let the dogs out first, but not today. Today, you are going to rock that messy bun and make your coffee and drink it while it’s still hot. This needs to be the day when you don’t microwave your coffee. Sit down if you must, and drink your coffee in one sitting.

After your coffee, maybe eat some breakfast.

Maybe not. It’s whatever you want. Maybe you start yourself a bath and drop in a bath bomb, or add a few drops of your favorite essential oil.

Turn all of the lights off and light a few candles.

Turn your phone off; actually, leave your phone in another room and just soak in the tub for as long as you want.

G

Bonus Recipe OVERNIGHT OATS BREAKFAST ½ cup rolled oats Pinch of salt

R

emember the days when you were on the school playground, and your friend dared you to wave to the cute boy by the swings?

Or when your other friend double-dared you to wave to him and then blow him a kiss? Or when both of your friends double-dog-dared you to wave to him, blow him a kiss and then walk over to him? That was fun, wasn’t it? Wel,l let’s bring the fun back for this year’s Mother’s Day. Are you up for ‘The Mom Dare?’

Here’s what you need to do. This Mother’s Day, I dare you, and any other moms you know, to do things a little differently this year. Okay, a lot different this year. I dare you to create a day that completely revolves around you. It might look something like this…

You start the day off with sleeping in. Not the sleeping in that requires you to get up, get the kids breakfast, make coffee, let the dogs out or tell everyone to turn the volume down. Nope. This is the sleeping in where you have your face mask on, the room is pitch black and the only thing you can hear is yourself snoring because there is no one else in the house. That’s right. Your kids and spouse have left early and are already out the door.

34 May 2018

½ cup almond milk 1 tbsp chia seeds 1 tbsp honey (use this as your sweetener) ½ cup of fruit (sliced banana, strawberries or blueberries) Shake and put in fridge overnight.

After you throw on some super comfy pajamas, crawl back into bed and turn on your favorite movie. Don’t worry about the kids. Don’t worry about your husband. Worry about how you’re going to reach for the remote once you’ve realized it’s on the floor. This is ‘The Mom Dare,’ after all.

Try not to use your phone today if you don’t have to. It’s draining and time-consuming. Use your time wisely and rest up. You know how it goes… you grab your phone to look up one thing, and then you check your email and realize you forgot to send a reply to someone, so you take a minute to do that. Then, you realize you forgot to post about something on Facebook, so you go on there and, well, now you’re in a black hole and an entire hour has gone by.

“Must Haves” FOR THE BATH

Make this year’s Mother’s Day truly a relaxing one.

Bath Bombs Be intentional about not using your phone and(www.lushusa.com) -whatever you do--do not clean your house. If you must, pick up the night before Mother’s Day Stress Fix so you can enjoy Composition Oil being in your home (www.aveda.com) SUGGESTED MOVIES all day if you’re one of those people who TO WATCH IN BED Loofah Soap can’t relax if there are (www.naplessoap.com) Mother’s Day dishes in the sink.

Prep if you must, but Charcoal Face Mask Freaky Friday do not lift a finger. (www.target.com) Joy Luck Club Mermaids

If you feel like you want to get out of the house, take yourself Troop Beverly Hills out to lunch--or, The Parent Trap better yet, order in and have your favorite pasta place deliver. Go get your nails done or book yourself a massage. Mother’s Day can be a combination of alone time and family time. When you’ve had your fill of ‘The Mom Dare’ and feel like Steel Magnolias

Turbie Twist Hair Towel (www.walmart.com) Epsom Bath Salts (www.walmart.com)

you’ve accomplished what you wanted, go ahead and grab your phone, call your spouse and ask to meet up back home for family game night. Your kids will be excited to see you after a long day of being away, and you will feel refreshed and ready to roll back into your ‘mom groove’ once again.

Meagan Ruffing uses her Mother’s Day to rest and relax. She tries to find balance between self-care and everyday life in the midst of motherhood. You can follow her at www.meaganruffing.com.

36 May 2018

“ THE WAY TEACHERS TEACH YOU HERE IS

OUTSTANDING.” XAVIER LOVES THAT THE NEW SCHOOL GIVES HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO TACKLE A TOUGH MATH EQUATION, PLAY PETER PAN IN THE SCHOOL PLAY AND SHOOT HOOPS WITH HIS FRIENDS. “The New School really expands your mindset and I want other kids to experience that.”

THE NEW SCHOOL IS A SPECIAL PLACE where a welcoming environment is matched with a challenging curriculum. Teachers here are focused on classroom learning that leads to real world discovery.

“My favorite subject is math because math is in everything.

This building, math made it happen so it’s really awesome to know that math is in everything.”

Our low student, teacher ratio and dynamic learning environments help students look at the world in a new way.

Xavier

8th grader

Learn how The New School can help your child discover more.

Schedule a tour today by calling 479-521-7037 or visit thenewschool.org.

TheNewSchoolNWA

TheNewSchoolTweets

TheNew SchoolAR

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS’ PREMIER INDEPENDENT SCHOOL SERVING PRESCHOOL THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL

peekaboonwa.com

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Spring Into Summer Craft Fair

May 4 | 9AM - 5PM Benton County Fairgrounds A weekend of fabulous shopping with local artisans and specialty vendors, food and family-friendly activity! There will be something for everyone!

Fayetteville Yoga Fest

May 4-6 Mt. Seqoyah Fayetteville Yoga Fest is a three-day festival that takes place in the Ozark Mountains in Fayetteville. More than 60 yoga classes, meditation, live music, kids’ yoga, group hikes, thought-provoking discussions and presentations, art, food and shopping.

Home Depot Kids Workshop

May 5 | 9:00 AM-12:00 PM Home Depot Rogers All kids get to keep their craft, receive a FREE certificate of achievement, a workshop apron, and a commemorative pin, while supplies last.

Free Comic Book Day

May 5 | 10 AM Fayetteville Public Library Join FPL in celebrating Free Comic Book Day! There will be crafts, superheroes, free caricature drawings, temporary spray-on tattoos, and free comics.

Jog with a Dog

May 5 1153 Lake Fayetteville Rd, Fayetteville Price: $20.00 to $30.00 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk at Lake Fayetteville. Bring your dog and enjoy a fun morning at Lake Fayetteville. Start/Finish will be at the Marina. Registration includes a t-shirt and goody bag. Breakfast will be served after the run/walk. Proceeds benefit the Animal League of Washington County.

38 May 2018

Randy Noojin’s Hard Travelin’ With Woody

May 5 | 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM Faulkner Performing Arts Center This critically acclaimed, award-winning multimedia solo show encourages viewers to “hop on a box car through time” with Woody Guthrie and “commune with the spirit, stories and songs of America’s iconic folk singer.” For tickets visit faulkner.uark.edu

6th Annual MINI DERBY

May 5 | 3 PM - 7 PM Equestrian Bridges 3100 N. Oakland Zion Rd, Fayetteville, Join us for Northwest Arkansas’ BEST Kentucky Derby watch party! The event will feature live music by Backroad Anthem, live miniature horse racing, Famous local food trucks, silent and live auction, beer & wine, mint juleps, “Big Hat & Bowtie” Contest, and fun activities for kids, including pony rides, and, of course, the greatest two minutes in sports history: the Kentucky Derby on the big screen! Benefits children and their families with special needs using Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies (EAAT) equestrianbridges.org

Slingsby Theatre Company’s The Young King

May 5 Walton Arts Center Performed by two actors and one musician, and enhanced by miniature puppets and shadow play, this interactive performance tells a touching coming of age story that grapples with the ethics of beauty, leadership and compassion, and asks “What kind of king would you be?” Best for ages 8+

Fayetteville 5K Poker Run May 6 | 10 AM Fayetteville Square Supporting Purr Catfe... where the best hand wins!

KIds Fest with BFF

May 6 | 11am - 3pm Legion Street, Bentonville Square Peppa Pig, PJ Masks, art stations, rock wall, face painting and much, much more!

Wheelchair Dancers with Heart at

Kaleidoscope Dance Academy (Youth) May 10 | 5:45 PM - 6:45 PM Kaleidoscope Dance Academy 900 SE Village Loop Bentonville Wheelchair dancers toddler to pre-teen.

FREE

The Secret Life of Suitcases

May 11 Walton Arts Center Co-created by one of Scotland’s top puppetry companies and the UK’s leading theater for young audiences, “The Secret Life of Suitcases” is a playful, hilarious, hugehearted piece for small people with giant imaginations.

Flying Debris

May 12 | 10:30 AM Fayetteville Public Library The Flying Debris Show is an hour packed with comedy, zany stunts, and lots of audience participation!

Autism Involves Me Walk 2018

May 12 | 9 AM - 1 PM Horton Farms Ln, Gravette www.aimnwa.org Join us for our 9th Annual AIM Walk! This is a free family event that includes a family fun walk, resource fair, kids zone, local food trucks, silent auction and more!

The Sound of Music

May 15-20 Baum Walker Hall A brand -new production of The Sound of Music returns to Walton Arts Center by popular demand. over 50 years when “The Sound of Music Live!” aired

2018 NWA TechFest

May 17 | 7:30 AM - 4 PM Fayetteville Town Center This conference is for programmers, coders, and doers who want to learn from one another and network. Proceeds from the conference go to assist STEM-related initiatives in the NWA community.

6th Annual Moving Together

May 19 | 8 AM Veteran’s Park in Fayetteville, AR Arkansas Support Network (ASN) will host the 6th annual Moving Together 5k paved, 10k trail run, and 1 mile walk, run, roll. The event will be 1980’s themed to celebrate ASN’s 30-year anniversary. Participants are encouraged to wear 80’s attire.

Register at www.supports.org.

3rd Saturday Program for Families May 19 | 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Shiloh Museum of Ozark History

Spring Carnival

May 23 | 6 PM-10 PM Parsons Stadium, Springdale Pride Amusements brings a carnival that is fun for all ages! There is no entrance fee, and tickets and armbands will be available for purchase from ticket booths during carnival hours information.

VFW Auxillary Family Freedom Festival

May 26 | 10 am to 4 pm Shiloh Square and Walter Turnbow Park This family-friendly event is to celebrate the American freedoms we enjoy and will feature food, music, bike activities, military vehicles, and networking for many veteran services in the NWA region. Learn flag etiquette and what each fold of the flag means. View and ADD your veteran to our Honor Board.

Contribute to homeless veterans by bringing, deodorant, tooth paste, a can opener, or a coffee cup! Participate in a Bike Rodeo for kids hosted by the Boy Scouts.

peekaboonwa.com

39

GOLF WALK WEEKEND Presented by Henkel

MISSION

Presented by Jarvis

AUTISM INVOLVES ME

MAY 11/12 2018

Autism Involves Me (AIM) enhances the lives of people with autism by connecting AIM GOLF community the NW Arkansas KINGSWOOD GOLF COURSE through greater awareness AIM WALK BELLA VISTA 8 AM & HORTON and resources.

1 PM

MAY 11

MAY 12

FARMS

GRAVETTE | 9 AM

GOLF WALK Presented by Henkel

MISSION

Presented by Jarvis

Autism Involves Me (AIM) enhances the lives of people with autism by connecting the NW Arkansas community through greater awareness and resources.

REGISTER AT

AIMNWA.ORG 2018 AIM WEEKEND C0-CHAIRS Larry Lundeen Vice-President Global Investigations-US, Walmart 40 May 2018

Laura Rush Vice-President/DMM Frozen Foods, Walmart

NOWOPEN! OPEN! NOW

NorthwestArkansas Arkansas Pediatrics Northwest Pediatrics Pinnacle Hills Pinnacle Hills 3730 S. Pinnacle Hills Pkwy Rogers, AR 72758

3730 S. Pinnacle Hills Pkwy Rogers, AR 72758

19 Board Certified Pediatricians

19separate Board Certified Pediatricians acute care & well care / newborn care /

adolescent care / sports, school physicals, separate acute care & well care&/ camp newborn care / wellness & immunizations / acute care walk-in clinic adolescent care / sports, school & camp physicals, wellness & immunizations / acute care walk-in clinic

3730 S. Pinnacle Hills Pkwy Rogers, AR 72758

3730 S. Pinnacle Hills Pkwy Rogers, AR 72758 nwapediatrics.com

PINNACLE HILLS CLINIC

nwapediatrics.com 3730 S. Pinnacle Hills Pkwy Rogers | 479.464.5597

PINNACLE HILLS CLINIC 3730 S. Pinnacle Hills Pkwy Rogers | 479.464.5597

WELLNESS CLINIC 3383 N. MANA Ct., Suite 101 Fayetteville | 479.443.3471

WELLNESS CLINIC 3383 N. MANA Ct., Suite 101 Fayetteville | 479.443.3471

ACUTE CARE & WALK-IN CLINIC 3380 N. Futrall Dr. Fayetteville | 479.442.7322

ACUTE CARE & WALK-IN CLINIC 3380 N. Futrall Dr. Fayetteville | 479.442.7322

Meet Heidi Loften: Our family adoption story started long before our home was open. Charlie and I flip-flopped over the years, taking turns being the one who was gung-ho about pursuing adoption. The “not as gung-ho spouse” would meet our enthusiasm with reasonable objections as to why “now was just not the right time to adopt.” And thus we continued for years, both believing we would adopt some day, when the timing was right for our family.

The C.A.L.L. (Children of Arkansas Loved for a Lifetime), a ministry which encourages Christian families to obey God’s call to love orphans by becoming involved in foster care, has been instrumental in our adoption journey. When we were pastoring a church in Cabot, AR, our church was able to help bring The C.A.L.L. to Lonoke County. Seeing the impact that ministry had by multiplying the number of foster homes in our county, as well as watching firsthand the foster care experiences of several families in our church, deepened our appreciation of the need for more foster homes and the role of the church in supporting foster care as a ministry.

Not coincidentally, as our family was moving to Northwest Arkansas, so was The C.A.L.L. Our church, The Grove, hosted one of the first informational meetings for prospective foster families in NWA, and our family launched the process of becoming an open foster home. We were trained through The C.A.L.L, which offers expedited training and certification for new homes, and our home was opened in October 2011. Our older daughters were 11 and 14 at the time, and, between Charlie having recently 42 May 2018

joined The Grove staff as Lead Pastor and the girls’ extracurriculars, our home was a flurry of activity.

If any season seemed to not have the margin to consider adding to our family, this one certainly qualified. Yet, when we explained to our girls the potential sacrifices that might be required for our family to foster (“Both Mom and Dad may not make it to all of your soccer games or be able to see every performance of your plays”), they both were enthusiastically in favor of moving forward.

Seeing the impact that foster care and adoption has made in the lives of our older girls has been one of the biggest blessings of this entire experience.

At a time when kids can naturally gravitate towards becoming self-centered teens, they had the opportunity to sacrifice their wants for another person’s needs. Opening their lives and family up to foster care has changed both of their hearts forever.

Our first foster placement came in November and was a newborn baby girl. We were asked to be her foster family on a Tuesday, met her at the hospital the next day and brought her home the following day when she was 4 days old. Becoming a foster family is definitely like a box of chocolates. You don’t know what you are going to get, and there is really no way to be fully prepared in advance.

I’m not even sure how the word got out on the afternoon that we agreed to foster a baby girl, but by the time we went to bed that night, our living room had literally been filled by our church body with everything we would need to bring home a baby. I joke that we did not have a baby shower, but a “baby flood!”

Our friends, family and church family supported us so well as we navigated the emotional roller

coaster that is foster parenting and transitioned from a family of four with two busy teen and preteens, to a family of five with the same crazy schedule plus a newborn. Our village prayed for us, cried with us, brought us food and baby clothes, drove our older girls to their soccer practices and play rehearsals, and loved our baby girl as wholeheartedly as we did long before she was legally ours. They also joined with us in celebration when, at 11 months old, Laylah Sue became legally what she had been in our hearts from the day we met her: our daughter. Sadly, however, we know that every family who opens their home to foster care cannot say they have felt this level of support.

The need for foster placements greatly exceeds the number of available homes. Unfortunately, many families who open to foster care burn out and end up closing their homes. Providing a safe and loving home for children who, through no fault of their own, are having to live with people they don’t know for a season is a huge and hard job. Those who step in to meet this overwhelming need in our communities cannot and should not do it alone. They need a village of people supporting and sustaining them as they do this hard thing.

Read On...

Alex: If you could sum it all up into one piece of advice or encouragement for adoptive families and also for church staff, pastors, or influencers, what would you say?

Although they may not be willing, or know how to ask you to help, foster families in your church and community would probably accept and appreciate practical help in the form of childcare, laundry, shuttling kids, meals, housecleaning, yard work, and/or restaurant or activity gift cards.

Whether by opening your home to meet the need in our community for foster families, or joining in to love and support the foster families in your circle, I hope you will consider involving your family in caring for these vulnerable kids. I know we spent a long time waiting for the perfect time, but, ultimately, it is always the right time to do the right thing.

--- Excerpt from Heidi’s podcast interview --Alex: What do you wish someone had sat you down and truly told you at the beginning of this journey?

Heidi: I think two things: I wish I could have known how good this would be for our family, for our older girls. When you’re entering into the whole prospect of adopting or especially fostering, you fear what could happen to your biological kids in this process. You think, “Will this be good for them?” “Will this be healthy for them?” and “Am I exposing them to danger or to trauma of some sort that’s unnecessary?” I know there are a lot of things that happen where some families do have to deal with that, so I don’t want to minimize that in any way, but for our family, this has been an amazing thing for our older girls. They were 11 and 14 when we brought Layla home, and so we’ve been able to teach our children how to parent, which is something that you don’t usually get to teach your kids because you’re parenting them.

They’ve gotten to watch us parent her because she’s so much younger than them. It’s brought up many good discussions, which is an aspect of this that has been so good for our family.

44 May 2018

Heidi: My biggest piece of advice for families would be to teach people how to love you in this process, and to resist the urge to do it alone. I think a lot of families feel like once they’ve taken on this big hard thing, then it’s too big and too hard and too overwhelming for them and no one else wants anything to do with it. I think they assume that wrongly. Be willing to tell people how to love you, how to join you and how to be a part of this thing you’re doing, because it’s a huge calling that you’ve answered. It’s a huge need, and it’s too much for you to do alone. You’re going to bless the other people around you by letting them be a part of this. So, overcome the stigma of telling other people how to love you. Overcome the wrong notion that people don’t want to be a part, that they would rather you just stay on your “foster care people” island and leave them alone. Invite people in to your world and let them share this with you.

Charlie: Movements can be created bottom-up, so don’t get frustrated if you feel like your pastor and your church aren’t quite as on board as you would like. You don’t need them to be on board, God’s got *you* on board, and He will use your circle of influence to build a movement from the bottom that ultimately the leadership won’t be able to ignore.

..................................................

Alex Fittin hosts The Adoptive Mom Podcast: A weekly program for the strongest of moms (and dads, too!). This podcast features all kinds of characters from the adoptive community, including support systems, grandparents, pastors, birth moms, educators, adopted kids, and of course, lots of adoptive mamas! On this show, we are honest, raw, and supportive about the struggles, joys, wins, losses, and the beautiful and ugly parts of this adoption thing. No topic is off-limits, and you can always count on a real take on one of the most important things one can do: adopt.

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Peek Picks - Ava i l a b l e at -

boutique

Shade Critters

Finally an “Insta-worthy” sun-safe swimwear solution for kids! Shade Critters, a unique collection of UPF50+ sun protection for infants, toddlers, and kids. Designed with a let’s-play-dress-up angle for the little ones mixed with trending prints that Mom can’t get enough of.

Today’s modern mom knows the harmful effects of UVA/ UVB rays, and Shade Critters finally offers the solution that the kids will love... and Mom can POST!

Pebble Rattle

Pebble products are handmade in Bangladesh by talented artisans at the Hathay Bunano Fair Trade Organization. Its mission is to create fairly paid, good quality, flexible and local employment for rural women who are poor and often disadvantaged.

“Helping people to help themselves.”

Women and people with disabilities hand-knit and crochet children’s toys. In addition to the training of the craftsmanship, the women’s children are being well-taken care of when they’re brought to work. Above-average wages and flexible working hours open up a new way out of poverty and contribute to a sustainable change to their living conditions. Learn more: www.pebblechild.com

Personalized

A personalized baby blanket is THE perfect one-of-a-kind gift. The perfect baby shower gift and use for those adorable newborn photos! It is also a great size for newborn swaddling, a car seat cover, or receiving blanket.

Ju-Ju-Be

Welcome to the magic of Ju-Ju-Be, where we have you covered no matter what the day or night holds.

All Ju-Ju-Be diaper bags are machine-washable, ultra-organized, incredibly durable yet lightweight, and, don’t forget, include a lifetime guarantee.

46 May 2018

YOUR DENTIST YO UR FAMILY FA M I LY DEN TIS T When many people people choose chooseto to Whenititcomes comesto todental dental care, care,there’s there’s a reason many go you’ll be be choosing choosingaadental dental gowith withaafamily familydentist. dentist.The The main main benefi benefit is that you’ll home that can take care of you and your loved ones year after year. home that can take care of you and ones year after year.

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Kidsthe in

kitchen

By the wife of a chef and mom of two picky eaters Many families are like my own, where we have work and school all day, and then we gather the kids and head to numerous after-school activities. We are so tired by dinner that we grab something through a drive through, come home, or even eat on the go, then clean up and head for bed. There is no time to stop and discuss the day as a family--no concerns or accomplishments. We are in such a rush that we are completely exhausted. I am working hard to get my family back in ‘slow motion.’ The primary change we’re making is bringing back the dinner table. We are making time to cook meals at home, to work together in the kitchen, and to eat around the table (without homework, TV, toys, phones, or other distractions). Just us and our conversation. I hope to help you succeed with bringing your kids into the kitchen as well!

SEED BITES 1/4 cup Water

1/2 cup Pumpkin Seeds

1 1/2 cup Dates

1/4 cup Hemp Seeds

1/2 cup Raisins

1/4 cup Chia Seeds

1 cup Rolled Oats

1/4 cup Flax Seeds 1 t. Cinnamon

Put all ingredients into a food processor and blend.

Roll into balls or press into an 8-x-8 glass dish to make bars.

WHY DID I CHOOSE THESE SEEDS? PUMPKIN SEEDS - High in Protein, Vitamin B, Iron, Vitamin E, and other minerals including magnesium and zinc HEMP SEEDS - A complete Protein, High in Omegas 3 and 6, Fiber and Vitamins A, B1, B2, D, and E FLAX SEEDS - High in Omega 3s, Fiber and Lignans CHIA SEEDS - High in Calcium, Phosphorous, Fiber, Omega 3s, Protein, and is an antioxidant

TIP FROM THE CHEF Roast the oats for coating the outside for added depth of flavor and a less sticky eating experience.

Note from the author: I am not a health care professional and these statements are from independent research I have conducted. Always try to shop organic and non-GMO when purchasing your ingredients, especially seeds! They are soluble and therefore absorb pesticides easily!

48 May 2018

THE JONES CENTER

SUMMER CAMPS

June June June June

5-7 | Basketball | $50 11-15 | Ice Skating | $100 12-14 | Soccer | $50 19-21 | Art | $50

June 25-29 | All Sports | $75 July 9-13 | Hockey | $489 July 16-20 | Ice Skating | $100 August 6-10 | Ice Skating | $100

REGISTER AT THEJONESCENTER.NET/SUMMER-CAMPS 922 E. Emma Ave. Springdale, AR 72764 | 479.756.8090

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C R Y S TA L B R I D G E S

Enroll Now! Explore a variety of themes and activities to unleash your creativity and imagination.

VIEW ALL CAMPS AT CrystalBridges.org/SummerCamps

Inspiration & Beyond MON, JUNE 18 – FRI, JUNE 22 9:30 am – 3:30 pm | AGES 9 – 12 Enjoy the unique opportunity to travel between two museums for a one-of-a-kind summer camp!

Sponsored by Nice-Pak Products, Inc.

See all Youth and Family Programs at CrystalBridges.org /Calendar.

Crystal Bridges & Amazeum members enjoy a discount on camp registration.

Movie Making

MON, JUNE 25 – FRI, JUNE 29 9 am – 3:30 pm | Ages 10 – 14

Crystal Bridges + Amazeum Nerdies New Design School

Video Game Development MON, JULY 9 – FRI, JULY 13 9 am – 3:30 pm | Ages 10 – 14

#CrystalBridges

BENTONVILLE, ARKANSAS

479.418.5700

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The NWA Women’s shelter strives to empower clients to take back control over their lives after experiencing domestic abuse or sexual assault.

T

he Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter (NWAWS) serves survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Their mission is to provide shelter and support at any hour for those affected by domestic violence in the Northwest Arkansas community in order to accomplish NWAWS’s vision: to break the cycle of domestic violence in Northwest Arkansas.

As of 2018, NWAWS has been operating for 30 years, providing a 24-hour crisis hotline (1-800775-9011 or 479-246-9999), safe emergency shelter, advocacy, support services, and community education.

Domestic violence is prevalent across the United States, and Northwest Arkansas is not immune.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated one in three women will be a victim of domestic violence in their lifetimes.

In 2017 alone, NWAWS answered 1,941 crisis calls, provided safe shelter for 509 clients (the equivalent of 8,291 nights of safety), and provided support for 145 outreach clients. The average age of children who stayed at the shelter was five years.

The shelter strives to empower clients to take back control over their lives after experiencing domestic abuse or sexual assault. Services are provided to women, children, and men both in-shelter and on an outreach basis. Additionally, emergency shelter is available to survivors who need a safe refuge for up to thirty days. During this stay, all basic needs are provided for clients, and each client is assigned a primary advocate to assist with transitioning into a life free of abuse, to provide domestic violence education, and to empower them to believe in themselves again and take control of their futures.

Outreach services are offered to survivors who may not need emergency shelter but want to utilize 52 May 2018

NWAWS’s services. Both in-shelter and outreach clients have the opportunity to attend weekly support groups and receive advocate assistance, court advocacy, safety planning, vouchers for clothing and household items, and more.

NWAWS encourages the community to get involved in the fight against domestic abuse in Northwest Arkansas, and one way to do this is through participation in their signature events held throughout the year.

Their Annual Champions on W(heels) fundraising event is one where the entire family can join for fun activities including: a walk in heels, bike ride, bike decorating and bike parade, games and more! All family members are welcome, including beloved pets. Champions on W(heels) will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 9th at Lake Atalanta in Rogers. There is a $5 entry fee per person, which covers participation in all activities. Register online at www.nwaws.org.

Please join the event for fun games, family-friendly domestic violence education, and to learn more about what Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter does and how you can help end domestic violence in Northwest Arkansas.

By Ashlyn Perryman Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter, Intern

www.davidadams.com

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

53

Northwest Health is the newest member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network. The network consists of a select group of independent health systems that work closely with Mayo Clinic to improve the delivery of health care and better serve their patients and the communities they serve.

“Northwest Health is honored to be selected a Mayo Clinic Care Network member,” says James Tanner, M.D., chief medical officer, Northwest Health. “Physicians in our community will collaborate with Mayo Clinic physicians to improve the delivery of health care for patients through high-quality, data-driven medical care and treatment. Our patients gain the benefits of Mayo Clinic expertise within their own communities.”

Through a formalized relationship with Mayo Clinic, Northwest Health care providers have access to an array of clinical resources to promote collaboration and enhance locally provided care, including:

• AskMayoExpert Review Mayo Clinic-vetted information on care guidelines, treatment recommendations and medical reference information at the point of care.

• eConsults Consult electronically with Mayo Clinic specialists on patient care questions.

• eBoards Interact with a multidisciplinary panel of Mayo Clinic specialists and other members via live video conferences to review and discuss the management of complex cases.

• Health care consulting Learn from Mayo Clinic’s experience and gain access to its subject matter experts to meet an organization’s clinical, operational and business objectives.

Northwest Health’s staff also will have access to professional development opportunities, including grand rounds, symposia and continuing medical education programs. In addition, staff will have access to Mayo Clinic’s library of patient education materials.

“Northwest Health and Mayo Clinic share a commitment to the highest-quality patient care, and we are pleased to begin this collaboration,” says David Hayes, M.D., medical director, Mayo Clinic Care Network. “As we work together, we hope to bring a new level of teamwork to health care for this region and the patients of Northwest Health.”

For more information about Northwest Health and its membership in the Mayo Clinic Care Network, please visit NorthwestHealth.com.

54 May 2018

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 Emily Goucher, APRN, WHNP-BC COMMERCIAL INSURANCE • MEDICARE • OKLAHOMA, ARKANSAS & MISSOURI MEDICAID

603-2 N. Progress Avenue, Suite 100, Siloam Springs 479.524.9312 56 May 2018

Hours: Monday - Friday 8am to 5pm

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Private & Group Therapy For Students With Learning Differences We offer •

• • •

• •

Customized treatment for students diagnosed with various forms of Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, ADD, ADHD, Autism Spectrum and other processing disorders Comprehensive therapy for students with dyslexia using the “Take Flight” program Reading, Comprehension, Writing, Grammar, Spelling, Vocabulary Math including Addition/Subtraction, Multiplication/Division, Fractions, Decimals, Percents, Algebra I & II Study Skills 2 Certified Academic Licensed Therapists (CALT) with over 40 years experience

Now Scheduling Summer Group & Private Sessions AMLTherapy.com Email: Info@AMLTherapy.com Phone: 346-704-0262

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Pay for Play S

o, this spring the whole “Pay for Play” debate got stoked up again. For those of you unfamiliar with this NCAA issue, I’ll give you a quick recap. High level college athletes/programs generate millions of dollars for universities and their “partners” (oh, that covers all manner of sin!) and the argument centers on whether these athletes should be paid – beyond their tuition, room and board – since they are the ones that generate the dollars. I’ve got two kids in high school, so tuition, room and board are all very big, expensive, nasty, scary words that are no longer out on the horizon; they are pretty much in my face! However, due to very poor athletic genes and a lack of parental stimulus, neither are getting an athletic scholarship. Anyway, let’s get back to the argument of paying college players. In my opinion, since you didn’t ask, both sides are right… and wrong.

Let’s look at another side of Pay for Play... that is, paying for youth travel and club teams.

58 May 2018

Good news:

There are a number of club/travel outlets for pretty much any sport in Northwest Arkansas.

Bad news:

It’s gonna cost you.

In today’s age of club teams and travel teams, your annual investment will quickly pass three digits, definitely hit four digits and likely scrape the five digit barrier. That’s a serious investment; no doubt about it. So much so that it’s no wonder that some grown-ups behave very much like toddlers during games. Not that I condone the Lavar Ball wannabes, but think about it this way--if someone was messing with your $10,000 investment, how would you respond? These adults are paying for their kids to play. It doesn’t take too much to see that players in the NCAA – and their parents – want, to borrow a Walmart/financial term, a little ROI (Return on Investment).

For families, paying for a club/travel team is a very difficult process and decision. On one hand, we want to give our children the best opportunity in any facet of their life; and

for the most part, travel teams give a higher level of instruction and competition. On the other hand, especially if you have more than one kid, the financial burden can be crippling. Plus, there’s the probability factor. To use basketball, my sport of choice, a little over 1% of all high school basketball players get an NCAA Division 1 scholarship. Of those eligible to be drafted into the NBA, only .9% make it and then only a third start. And remember, most every club team, travel team, etc is a for-profit enterprise. While most seem to have the player’s future in mind, they are also a business designed to make money. That isn’t meant to seem harsh or to rage on any travel/club team; it’s just the economic facts. Remember, ESPN makes their money on commercials, not sporting events….

My sprouts were involved in travel sports for a short time and chose to thankfully retire before I was broke, and thus unable to ever retire myself. That’s the easiest and most comfortable way out, to go out before you are put out. But, in some cases, whether you are Benjamin Jay Lacy or Michael Jeffrey Jordan, the sport tells you when it’s your time to quit. And, regardless if you’ve spent $100 per year on rec league or $10,000 on a travel team; you are done. And that hurts, because sports go beyond competition--there is the sense of being a team, the comradery, the social aspect, the feeling of belonging.

Now, I’m sure some of you are reading this going “This dude is some eternal teenager who is just bent that he can’t relive his high school glory years”. Maybe, but I’ll let you decide based on

historical facts. Long ago in a state far, far away (not really, just Kansas) I played a very meager version of “travel” basketball (furthest opponent was 20 miles away) in the summer, then played school ball in the winter. The sport “showed me the door” one cold February night in Coffeyville, KS. The player I was guarding was pretty good, really good I hope, since he dropped 50 (points) on me. But, I got the last laugh, he never made it the NBA, or even to college basketball!

Nope, instead he went to the “U” (University of Miami) where he was the starting tight end, before being drafted by the Oakland Raiders.

Man, I showed him the door! But seriously, the best way to manage youth sports is to heed the advice of my friend Crash Davis (name changed to protect the guilty) who told me this when my kids started sports: “Don’t take it away from them; let the sport decide when they are done”. Really hope I don’t have to pay him for that quote.

2018

Camp Guide

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 will encourage your camper to be a creative explorer. Summer 2018 features new camp themes, as well as a twist on your favorite themes. Your innovative summer starts here.

Young Chefs Academy of Rogers 5208 Village Parkway Suite 6 - Rogers (479) 401-2006 youngchefsacademy.com CAMP CAN-I-COOK Where else can your child leave the house for a few hours and come home with gained culinary skills, new friendships, original YCA recipes, and memories to utilize and last a lifetime? You got it, only at Young Chefs® Academy!

The Jones Center Camps 922 E. Emma Ave., Springdale www.jonescenter.net 479-756-8090 Skating skills camp, as well as hockey, soccer, basketball, and all-sports camps.

Harmony Youth Dance Center 201 S. 19th St, suite H, Rogers Find us on Facebook (501) 538-3831 Fun camps all summer long! $85, 9:30A-12:00P for 3 days, including dance instruction, themed craft and snack: Dance with your Doll! (Ages 5-8) Pet Camp (ponies, puppies and kitties- ages 3-5, 6-8) Princess Camp (ages 3-5, 6-8) Girls Rock!

(Ages 5-8, 9-12)

Art's Live Theater www.artslivetheatre.com 818 North Sang Avenue, Fayetteville Series of 4 MONDAY FUNDAY Mini Camps- Join the fun this summer with our exciting $110 for all or $30/day. Themes will include: schedule of summer camps and conservatory!

Magic Unicorn Day, Hawaiian Day, Beach Day, Camps in musical theatre, create-a-play, comedy Going Camping Day improv, reader's theatre, and more for ages 5-7, 8-11, & 12-18!

60 May 2018

​

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

• School Assemblies & Workshops • Special Events & Camps • Corporate/Non-Profit Presentations • Awesome Party Concept

EDUCATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT FOR ALL AGES! www.super-sci.com • 479-444-0303

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Infiniti www.infinitiathletics.com

The Little Gym 2603 W. Pleasant Grove, Suite 118, Rogers 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 entertain them.

Summer program at Club iNFiNiTi providing full-time youth activities ALL SUMMER LONG! The experience your children will have this summer by being a part of CLUB iNFiNiTi will create memories that will last a lifetime-while accommodating your busy schedule. We make sure all of our students are having great life experiences, having fun, staying fit and meeting new friends in a safe environment!

Camp Millwood (479) 502-2541 Premier after-school care and summer camp in Rogers. 3-4 field trips weekly including zoos, Silver Dollar City, skating, movies, and more. Summer hours 7am-6pm

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!

The Strike Zone Training Academy 479-877-6877 1300 Hudson Rd . Rogers www.strikezonetrainingacademy.com The Strike Zone Training Academy offers ageappropriate softball, baseball and soccer camps and clinics throughout the year for players from around our region. All programs are designed to maximize player development, ensure safety, and promote all three as competitive, yet fun.

In addition, all training sessions and programs are led by certified instructors.

62 May 2018

Aloha : Mind Math | Reading | Writing (479) 426-3419 www.alohamindmath.com 3101 SW I Street, Bentonville Offering Programs for ages 3-12 - Half Day Camp.One-of-a-kind summer camp! A perfect choice for your child to rediscover the joys of reading, while engaging in creative writing. All in a safe and fun learning environment.

First Friends Preschool (479) 636-2230 fccrogers.org/First-Friends-Preschool Summer Play Days Program: All of the fun and learning you expect from First Friends, plus activities unique to summertime! The summer program is a great way to offer some routine and regularity to the summer months. TuesdayWednesday-Thursday each week, from 8 a.m.-12 noon. Ages: 3 – 5 years old

mikeandersonbasketballcamps.com

2018 Summer Camps 2018 Summer Camps 2018 Summer Camps JUNE, JULY & AUGUST JUNE, JULY & AUGUST JUNE, & AUGUST ONE &JULY TWO WEEKS CAMPS ONE & TWO WEEKS CAMPSCAMPS ONE & TWO WEEKS

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Ages 5-7, 8-11 & 12-18 Ages 5-7, 8-11 & 12-18

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JOIN US JOIN US JOIN US 2018 SUMME 2018 SUMM 2018 SUMMER

THEATRE CAM CA A variety of camps during the mo

THEATRE CAMPS THEATRE A variety of camps during the months

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By Rachel Tucker This summer, take advantage of your museum with summer camps, a new concert series, and free family fun at Crystal Bridges!

If you’re not quite ready for the kids to be out of school and the long, hot, “Mom-I’m-bored” days of summer vacation, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville has got you covered.

Looking to unleash your child’s creativity and imagination? Crystal Bridges Summer Camps have a variety of themes and activities for ages 4 to 14! Explore the trails and grounds, create fashion inspired by art, and more. There’s even a partnered camp with the Amazeum where your camper will spend half of each day at both museums, learning about art and making new friends!

As a special treat, we’ve partnered with Nerdies to teach your camper all about movie making and digital storytelling. With camps like 3D Modeling and Animation, The Art of Storytelling, and Video Game Development, your camper will leave with finished projects to share with friends and family.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to introduce your child to art, nature, creative play, and more. To register visit: CrystalBridges.org/SummerCamps Are you dreaming of last year’s summer evenings spent at Chihuly Saturday Nights concerts? You’re in luck! We’ve just announced our new Forest Concert Series happening every Saturday night of 64 May 2018

the summer. This series of musical performances merges national and local acts in our beautiful North Forest. Bring your own lawn chair or blanket to enjoy music and dancing; plus, a food truck will be available throughout the night.

Admission to view Crystal Bridges’ permanent collection is always free, but did you know that each summer the museum has a variety of familyfriendly, fun, artful, and FREE programs and events?

Throughout the season, Summer Family Fun features film, performance, and artmaking for all!

Dance to the beat with Afrique Aya, delve into the world of Shakespeare with Arkansas Shakespeare Theater, enjoy the stunning views of Disney Nature: Wings of Life for Family Movie Night, and much more!

Have you experienced the massive Fly’s Eye Dome

by Buckminster Fuller on our North Lawn?

Standing alongside the magnificent architecture is a fun experience for all ages. How about experiencing it at night? A new film

series on Crystal Bridges’ North Lawn will feature sci-fi movies next to the Fly’s Eye Dome. Want to take the fun times a step further? Come dressed in sci-fi attire! Films will include Forbidden Planet, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and E.T.

p.m. nightly, the work features a continuous display of vibrant, ever-changing colored light. Sit back in the comfy benches, and enjoy the show for free.

If artmaking is your thing, we offer free drop-in artmaking projects in our studios every Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. Museum Educators will walk you through the steps to create your own take-home art project. All materials are provided, and no registration is needed.

Don’t forget that the museum grounds are open every day from dawn to dusk for you and your family to explore and enjoy. Visit the beautiful Crystal Spring in its enchanted hollow just a short walk from the museum’s south entrance. Look for butterflies and lightning bugs in the Skyspace Meadow, dabble in the cool waters of Cindy Springs along the Art Trail, or relax in the evening on the North and South Lawn to enjoy the outdoor sculptures.

This summer, there’s something for everyone at Crystal Bridges.

It’s always free to explore the outdoor artworks on Crystal Bridges’ grounds. Bring your family to view the new sculptures that have been installed in the North Forest, including Tony Tassett’s 12-foot-tall Deer sculpture. Also, if you haven’t experienced James Turrell’s Skyspace, The Way of Color, in a while, be sure to take the short walk down the Crystal Bridges Trail from downtown Bentonville to this installation, located at the entrance to the Art Trail, and enjoy its amazing display of light against the evening sky. The display begins about ten minutes before sunset and lasts about half an hour, every night. For a flashier light show, drop by Leo Villareal’s illuminated sculpture, Bucky Ball, located on Museum Way. From dusk until 10:30

Share your experience with #MyCrystalBridges to show how you enjoy your museum.

Youth Theatre Productions

Auditions At Trike Theatre May 5 and May 12 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm

June Summer Camps June 4 - 8 @ Trike Theatre June 11 - 15 @ Trike Theatre June 18 - 22 @ Bentonville Community Center

Register Today!

WWW.TRIKETHEATRE.ORG | 479.464.5084 209 NE 2nd St Bentonville, AR 72712

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Camp Guide

Math & Language Therapy AM&L Peekaboo ad 0217 v2 pr.pdf

1

2/20/17

8:43 AM

Academic

READING • SPELLING HANDWRITING • MATH GRAMMAR

Academic Math and Language Therapy 104 N 37th Street, Rogers (479) 253-3256 amltherapy.com Keep the learning going all summer long with our special summer programs, group and private sessions.

AML Therapy has experience with children having Dyslexia, ADD, ADHD, Asperger’s, Autism, Downs, Klinefelter and other syndromes and conditions that affect children’s abilities to process and learn.

Multisensory Language Therapy “Take Flight” , a comprehensive intervention for students with dyslexia based on OrtonGillingham concepts.

Reading • Spelling • Handwriting • Phonics Vocabulary • Fluency • Comprehension (classes available) Pre-Flight (Phonological Awareness)

Multisensory Math • Counting and Numeration • Addition & Subtraction facts for instant recall • Multiplication & Division facts for instant recall • Fractions • Decimals & Percents • Integers & Algebra I & II

Multisensory Grammar • Parts of Speech, Capitals, Punctuation …

Verbal to Written Expression (thoughts on paper) Writing

Treatment for Hyperlexia (can read, but does not understand what is read) Study Skills • Time Management • Notetaking • Memory Technique • Test Taking Strategies …

Wing Studios 201 S. 19th St. Rogers (417) 540-2312 info@wingstudios.net www.wingstudios.net Musical Theater Class: “Winging It” Tuesdays - June 5-July 31 Ages: 10 and up Classes will involve audition preparation, technique instruction, age-appropriate monologues, singing, musical theater movements, and study of “Into the Woods.” The class will culminate with a final performance for friends and family.

Group Voice Class Wednesdays - June 6-Aug 1 Come join this exciting class where you will learn basic singing principles, music reading, and how to be comfortable singing in front of an audience!

Tunes and Toes Ages: 3-5 The first half of class will be “Dance Discovery,” which will involve creative movement using props, exciting music, and beginner dance instruction! The second half of class will be “Music Discovery,” and will include singing, rhythm games and exercises, and beginner music instruction!

Visit us at www.amltherpy.com or call 479-253-3256

Bentley

Greeter

104 North 37th Street Suite B Rogers, AR 72756

Karen Sykes — Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) 29 years experience teaching

Lisa Lundeen — CALT, 6 years experience in Social Work, 6 years experience teaching

PlayStrong Kids Summer Camp www.playstrongtherapy.com 3625 W. Chesnut St. Rogers, AR playstrongkids@gmail.com This weekly summer camp is for kids of ALL abilities ages 3-8. We offer flexible scheduling to accommodate any crazy summer schedules. Let ourqualified camp leaders captivate your child’s imagination with different themeseach week!

Your child will be engaged in sensory art classes, gymnastic classes, water play, fine motor and gross motor activities, socialization with peers and imaginative play

Boys and Girls Club www.bgcbentoncounty.org/enroll Various Locations

Monday – Friday 7:30 am – 5:30 pm (extended hours available from 7 am – 6 pm) Cost: $55/week + $20 Summer Membership fee. Weekly Themes include BGC Pride Week - Come celebrate all things Boys & Girls Club! Aloha, Summer! Wilderness & Wildlife Trike Theatre, All Stars! Super Heroes. BGC Film Fest. Arts 209 NE 2nd St. , Bentonville, Alive. Music Appreciation. Party in the BGC. www.triketheatre.org Sports Camps: We are also offering a variety Trike’s 2018 Summer Camps: Register now and of sports skills camps out of our HLM create memories that will last a lifetime. Fine arts Athletics Center! Breakfast, lunch and snack camps, production camps, and young actors camps! provided plus field trips!

BJJ enables a smaller, weaker person to successfully defend themselves or another against a bigger, stronger, heavier assailant.

BJJ is for everyone.

EXCELLENT FOR SELF DEFENSE BUILDS CONFIDENCE ANTI-BULLYING DISCIPLINE SOCIALIZATION

KIDS FREE GI AT SIGN UP! LOCATION: 1772 W SUNSET AVE #2B, SPRINGDALE, AR 72762 CONTACT INFO: 479-366-1897 or 479-287-5921 EMAIL: rubalcavajiujitsu@gmail.com

www.rubalcavajiujitsu.com

WE BELIEVE WE BELIEVE EVERY CHILD EVERY CHILD IS IS

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We free, offerpersonalized, free, personalized, We offer K–12 online education.

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Tuition-free, online public schools powered Tuition-free, online public schools powered

by K12 teach to each child’s unique brillianc

by K12 teach to each child’s unique brilliance.

• State-certified • State-certified teachersteachers • Award-winning curriculum • Award-winning curriculum • College and career • College and career planningplanning

† Zachary is a 2016 K12 student in Washington, D.C. and his statement reflects his experience at his s Zachary is a 2016 K12 student in Washington, D.C. and his statement reflects his experience at his school.

Families do not pay tuition for a student to attend an online public school. Common household Families do not pay tuition a student attend online public school.

Common items and officefor supplies like to printer inkan and paper are not provided.

Ourhousehold enrollment consultant can h and office supplies like printer ink and paper are not provided. Our enrollment consultant can help address your technological and computer questions and needs. address your technological and computer questions and needs. †

LEARNLEARN MOREMORE

K12.COM/AREVEN K12.COM/AREVENTS IN ARKANSAS IN ARKANSAS

877.344.8785 877.344.8785 peekaboonwa.com

67

Mothers,

YOUR SOULS DESERVE MORE

I

had an appointment today with my OB/ GYN. Nope, not pregnant -- I’m well beyond child-bearing years.

With me in the waiting room sat a couple -- clearly eager first-time parents -- flipping through pregnancy magazines and looking anxious and excited. When I got to my exam room, I realized they were in the room right next to mine, as I could hear their muffled voices and nervous laughter.

And then I heard the most magical sound in the world.

That joyful sound will soon be a distant memory, replaced with this…

Gained more than 25 pounds during your pregnancy?

You’ll never lose it, fatty.

Had a labor full of complications or a C-section? Your body failed you, and your baby.

Formula fed? Baby will have low I.Q. and be sick all the time.

Breastfed for only six weeks? Quitter.

Nursed into toddlerhood? Freak.

Back to work? Neglectful.

Thump thump. Thump thump. Thump thump.

Thump thump.

Staying home? No ambition.

It was the loud and unmistakable sound of their baby’s heartbeat coming through on the fetal doppler.

Homemade mac-and-cheese? Obnoxious overachiever.

As I listened, I took a deep breath filled with gratitude that I was once lucky enough to hear that sound from my own womb, then I smiled, remembering how 20 years ago I first heard the sound of that sweet beat, and how it filled my soul like nothing else had before. It filled my soul with instant and immeasurable joy.

And then, in a split second, my smile faded, replaced with a frown and thoughts of all the soul-crushing things that modern mothering has in store for that first time mom in the room next to mine.

Raising a child these days -- days full of sanctimonious social media and evervigilant mom shaming, means being under the scrutinizing and suffocating microscope of anyone and everyone attempting to crush her spirit and her soul.

Crush it.

68 May 2018

Boxed mac-and-cheese? Poison giver.

TV watcher? Tablet user? Ignorant. Both you and your preschooler.

Private school? Elitist.

Homeschooler? Religious nut, unsocialized kids.

Public school? Oh, I get it. You’re average.

Raising an atheist? You’re going to hell.

Raising a Christian? Family of bigots.

Raising a Republican? Blasphemy.

Raising a Democrat? Are you insane?

Kid playing outside alone? I’m calling the police.

Kid never allowed to leave the house? I’m calling Child Protective Services.

No sports? Your kid will never be able to compete in life.

Traveling sports teams? Waste of money.

Piano? Dance? Cheer? Scouts? Brownies? Your kids are overscheduled neurotics.

Do your kids’ laundry, make their breakfast, and pack their lunches? You’re raising incompetent future adults.

Don’t do anything for your kids? Selfish.

Low standardized test scores? Your kid has no future.

High standardized test scores? Your kids will arrive at college depressed and burnt out.

Zero extracurriculars? Yeah, good luck with college applications.

15 AP courses, president of everything, headed to Ivy League? Give me a freakin’ break.

Regular classes, 3.0 GPA, state school? Your kid is totally screwed.

Community college? Why bother?

And just like that, SOUL. SUCKED. Thump thump. Thump thump. Thump thump. Thump thump.

Hey, first time mom in the next room, mom who just had a baby, mom who has a house full of diaper clad toddlers, mom who will have a first time kindergartener in a few weeks, mom with school-aged kids, and the mom who is getting ready to embrace the final years of high school or send a kid off to college--please remember one thing for me…

Hogtown Creation's Custom Heartbeat Paintings are hand sketched and painted by Brittney Skelton in detail to capture your baby’s unique and precious heartbeat as a lasting piece of art. Paintings are done in texture mediums and acrylic on canvas or custom-built wood and created based on the baby’s heartbeat from the ultrasound. Remembrance Heartbeat Pieces have found a special place in our heart. Contact Brittney Skelton @hogtowncreations, hogtowncreations@hotmail.com, 479-466-4439

Remember that sound of your baby’s heartbeat.

Then remember it’s your baby’s heartbeat, not society’s baby, or social media’s baby, or some parenting study’s baby.

Remember it’s your baby, toddler, child, young adult, and college student.

Yours.

Don’t let the motherhood soul suckers of the world take away one second of your joy of mothering. Not one single second.

You are the mom. Period.

You made that heartbeat (or had the privilege of adopting it), so you get to raise it, the way you want to raise it.

Nobody else.

Mother’s Rings at David Adams Fine Jewelry A must-have for any mother or grandmother. This unique piece of jewelry is engraved by hand with your child’s name to make it look as though your child wrote their name themselves.

One ring per child, and designed to be stackable. www.davidadams.com 100 W Center St # 101, Fayetteville, (479) 444-7778

It’s time to get your mothering joy back, deep in your souls. Start now.

Let’s all get our joy back.

One thump at a time. by: Melissa Fenton

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ENROLLING FOR SUMMER AND FALL

R CLASSES EA Y L O O H SC D N A ER M SUM children ages 3-5!

Day options offered for Half Day and Full

Our staff of early childhood professionals provide children learning opportunities to promote growth of the whole child and tailored to develop individual skills and needs. High quality, developmentally appropriate environment for children ages 3,4 and 5!

905 South 13th Street • Rogers

A MINISTRY OF FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH

Call today! 479-636-3338

VIEW POSTS OF ACTIVITIES, CLASSROOMS AND PLAYGROUND BY VISITING US ON FACEBOOK

LEVEL 3 CENTER MEETS OR EXCEEDS ALL STANDARD AREAS OF ADMINISTRATION, STAFF AND FACILITY REQUIREMENTS

At a

To advertise email: editor@peekaboonwa.com

EDUCATION/TRAINING

ARTS and MUSIC

Amazeum (Pg. 11) (479) 696-9280 Arts Live Theatre (Pg. 63) (479) 521-4932 Crystal Bridges (Pg. 51) (479) 418-5700 crystalbridges.org Harmony Youth Dance Center (Pg. 13) (501) 538-3831 Imagine Studios (Pg. 23) (479) 619-6085 Trike Theatre (Pg. 65) (479) 464-5084 triketheatre.org Wing Studios (Pg. 29) wingstudios.net

BANKS

First Security (Pg. 43) www.fsbank.com; www.onlyinark.com

CHILDCARE/NANNY SERVICES

ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 27) (479) 202-5691 abchappykids.com First Friends Preschool (Pg. 70) 479-636-3338 Infiniti Childcare (Pg. 36) (479) 418=3116 Mary’s Little Lambs Preschool (Pg. 73) (479) 273-1011

CLOTHING

Label (Pg. 26) (479) 224-9295 Oh Baby Boutique (Pg. 46) ohbabynwa.com

DENTIST

Mint Dental Care (Pg. 47) (479) 385-6308 MintDentalAR.com Pediatric Dental Associates & Orthodontics (Pg. 4) (479) 582-0600

DERMATOLOGY / SKIN CARE

Advanced Dermatology (Pg. 29) (479) 268-3555 NWA Center for Plastic Surgery (Pg. 2) (479) 571-3100 nwacenterforplasticsurgery.com Women's Health Associates (Pg. 75) whanwa.com

72 May 2018

Aloha (Pg. 13) (479) 426-3419 New School (Pg. 37) thenewschool.org Rubalcava Jiu-Jitsu (Pg. 67) (479) 366-1897 Super Science (Pg. 61) (479) 444-0303 www.super-sci.com Thaden School (Pg. 19) (479) 268-5321 Wing Studios (Pg. 29) wingstudios.net

FAMILY FUN / ENTERTAINMENT

Amazeum (Pg. 11) (479) 696-9280 Arkansas Razorbacks Basketball Camp (Pg. 63) ArkansasRazorbacks.com Botanical Garden of the Ozarks (Pg. 27) (479) 750-2620 Boys & Girls Club (Pg. 58) bgcbentoncounty.org/enroll City of Rogers Camps Pg. 49) (479) 502-2541 Crystal Bridges (Pg. 51) (479) 418-5700 Fayetteville Public Library (Pg. 17) (479) 856-7000 Harmony Youth Dance Center (Pg. 13) (501) 538-3831 Heavenly Stitches (Pg. 17) (479) 373-3964 Imagine Studios (Pg. 23) (479) 619-6085 Jones Center (Pg. 49) (476) 756-8090 Little Gym (Pg. 59) thelittlegym.com/rogersar Rogers Historical Museum (Pg. 25, 45) (479) 621-1154 Starlight Skatium (Pg. 35) (479) 444-STAR Strike Zone NWA (Pg. 74) strikezonenwa.com Super Science (Pg. 61) (479) 444-0303 www.super-sci.com Trike Theatre (Pg. 65) (479) 464-5084 triketheatre.org

FOOD / DRINK

TCBY (Pg. 3) (479) 636-8229 (TCBY)

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Arkansas Children's Northwest (Pg. 21) ARchildrens.org/nyla Friendship Pediatric Services (Pg. 33, 55) fccare.org Lifespring (Pg. 20) lifespringhealthcare.com

Northwest Children's (Pg. 9) nw-physicians.com

Ozark Pediatrics (Pg. 61) (479) 544-9432

JEWELRY AND GIFTS

PHOTOGRAPHY

LEARNING CENTER

THERAPY

David Adams (Pg. 53) davidadams.com (479) 444-7778

Academic Math and Language Therapy (Pg. 57) (479) 253-3256 www.amltherapy.com ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 27) (479) 202-5691 abchappykids.com Elizabeth Richardson Center (Pg. 53) ERCinc.org K12 (Pg. 67) (877) 344-8785 Mary’s Little Lamb Preschool (Pg. 73) (479) 273-1011

PEDIATRICIAN

Best Start (Pg. 5) (479) 575-9359 Northwest Pediatric Convenient Care (Pg. 7) (479) 751-2522 NWA Pediatrics (Pg. 41) (479) 442-7322

Main Street Studios (Pg. 28) (479) 524-2004

Academic Math and Language Therapy (Pg. 57) (479) 253-3256 www.amltherapy.com Friendship Pediatric Services (Pg. 33, 55) (479) 524-2456

ULTRASOUND

Baby Face & More (Pg. 19) (479) 270-7391

WOMEN'S HEALTH

Parkhill (Pg. 45) Parkhillclinic.com Siloam Springs Women's Center (Pg. 56) (479) 524-9312 Willow Creek (Pg. 8) (479) 757-1730\ Women's Health Associates (Pg. 75) whanwa.com

To advertise and become a part of the Peekaboo Family email: editor@peekaboonwa.com

peekaboonwa.com

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2 hour facility rental includes your choice of activities, party room, party host, pizza, drinks and party supplies

ACTIVITIES INCLUDE Baseball, Softball, Soccer, Kickball, Flag Football, Batting Cages, Nerf Battle and Slime Making.

GAMES, PIZZA, FUN & MORE!

YOUTH SOCCCER SPEED & AGILITY

*30 minutes of strength and conditioning drills, speed work and agility drills for the beginner.

WHEN: Mondays TIME: 6:30-7:00pm AGES 7-10 CLASS SIZE IS LIMITED

www.strikezonenwa.com 1300 W. HUDSON RD, ROGERS AR Call 479-877-6877 or message us for pricing and to book your party

74 May 2018

500 SE Plaza Avenue Bentonville, Arkansas

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