RAK magazine August 2019

raisingarizonakids.com

IS SU E !

AUGUST 2019

What if my child is

AVERAGE? A Q&A with Common Sense Media

Feeling safe at school Kindergarten Bootcamp

Alexa is in the house

What parents should know about smart speakers

Does my baby have a tongue- or lip-tie?

Ava Essler (12) of Phoenix.

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contents

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August 2019 FEATURES 20

Using Common Sense in a 24/7 media world Common Sense Media’s Ilana Lowery explains why the national nonprofit opened a Phoenix office and details tools kids, parents and teachers can use to navigate the digital world.

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Tongue-tied A surprising number of infants have lip-and tongue-ties. Cara Riek of Arizona Breastfeeding Medicine and Wellness explains what problems they can cause (it’s more than feeding issues!) and what can be done.

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Free tutoring at Grand Canyon University High school students who get 100 hours of free tutoring at GCU’s Learning Lounges can be eligible for a Students Inspiring Students scholarship.

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Raising Outdoor Kids: Swimming holes It’s still hot, but that’s no reason to stay inside. Here are three picturesque swimming holes worth a road trip.

DEPARTMENTS 4

dialogue Back to school

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azgrown • Fifth annual Special Needs Resource Fair is Sept. 7

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• Study: Having a supportive parent matters!

• Measles cases soar in time for back-to-school • HopSkipDrive offers kids shuttle service • Kindergarten Bootcamp aids school readiness • Sari on Science: Apple mummification experiment • 6 ways to help young girls into STEM careers • What if my child is … average?

• Living with the threat of violence at school • Are smart speakers OK for kids?

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family time!

• Top August events • On exhibit • Around Arizona • Onstage family performances

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40

first person The lies moms tell themselves

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AUGUST 2019 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR’S

LAST CHANCE! ENDS IN AUGUST

dialogue

BACK TO SCHOOL AT PRESS TIME, we’re in the midst of 115-degree days, and summer (after a lovely long spring) is feeling cruel. Still, the start of a new school year can seem bittersweet. There’s the fact that our kids are another grade older, continuing their sprint through childhood.

School also brings new friends, inspiring teachers, renewed curiosity. But these days there are worries, too, for kids, parents and teachers: Will class sizes get more manageable?

Will there be enough school counselors to have a positive impact? Will our kids stay safe?

Writer Sheri Smith — who has taken on challenging subjects for Raising Arizona Kids, including the thousands of kids who remain in Arizona’s foster care system — writes an emotional intro to “Feeling Safe at School.” It’s a series we’ll continue to explore this year, and we’re wanting to hear from parents, teachers and kids on the complex subject.

Cover photo: Ava Essler (12) of Phoenix.

Mary Anne Duggan Photos by Allen Patrou. addresses a milder fear parents can relate to at the start of a new school year: “What if my Next month — on Saturday, Sept. 7 — child is … average?” She urges us to take a we host our Special Needs Resource Fair longer view, and help our kids — and all kids at Ability 360 Sports & Fitness Center in — recognize their unique gifts. Ilana Lowery Phoenix. Our September issue will look at of Common Sense Media in Phoenix answers some of the best resources locally for families questions about parenting in the digital age of children dealing with disabilities and as a kick-off to “Using Common Sense,” a learning differences. We’ll also preview the monthly column she will be writing for us. fall performing arts season. Until then, we In this issue, we’ve hit on a wide range wish everyone a great start to the 2019-2020 of parenting topics, from recognizing and school year. treating tongue- and lip-ties in infants (August is National Breastfeeding Month) to Arizona Swimming Holes that get families outdoors and can make great escapes from the Valley’s sizzling temperatures. Calendar Editor Carrie Kara G. Morrison, Editor Wheeler offers a thorough line-up of events to kara@RAKmagazine.com add some family fun to your to-do list.

August 2019 | Vol 30 | No 5 Publisher Karen Davis Barr Editor Kara G. Morrison Calendar Editor Carrie Wheeler Copy Editor Debra Citron Contributors Margaret Beardsley, Sari Custer, David Dodge, Mary Anne Duggan, Stephanie Pletka, Sheri Smith, Lisa Van Loo Art Director Michèlle-Renée Adams Cover Photography Allen Patrou Operations Manager Tina Gerami-Bynum Marketing Consultants Shannon Cornall, Kate Reed, Mary Vandenberg

Contact Us: editorial@RAKmagazine.com familytime@RAKmagazine.com advertising@RAKmagazine.com subscriptions@RAKmagazine.com 5229 N. Seventh Ave. #102 Phoenix, AZ 85013-1974 P: 480–991–KIDS (5437) F: 480–991–5460 raisingarizonakids.com

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R aising Arizona Kids magazine (ISSN 1051-4295) was created to connect Valley families to local resources and share real-life stories about the challenges and joys of raising children. Copy­right © 2019 by R aising A rizona K ids, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.

Subscription price is $20 for one year or $35 for two years. Back issues are $6 per copy. The Post Office will not automatically forward in the event of a move. Make address changes on our website or mail changes to our office. Original, locally generated articles, illustrations and photographs are welcome.

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AUGUST 2019 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

RaisingARIZONAKids.com AUGUST 2019

5

az grown good to know RAISING ARIZONA KIDS HOSTS 5TH ANNUAL

Special Needs Resource Fair MEET WITH STAFF from local organizations that support families with special needs at Raising Arizona Kids magazine’s fifth annual Special Needs Resources Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7, at the Ability 360 Sports & Fitness Center in Phoenix.

This fun and free event offers families a relaxing, enjoyable opportunity to discover the Valley’s vast array of resources for children with physical, intellectual, cognitive or behavioral disabilities and/or learning differences that may require educational support.

The Arizona Department of Health Services will offer free vision and hearing screenings, which are key to the early detection of conditions that can affect a child’s learning. Ability 360 staff will supervise free rock climbing for kids of all abilities, and many participating vendors will provide hands-on activities to keep little hands busy while parents and caregivers ask questions.

Raising Special Kids, the state’s official Parent Information Center, will be on hand to provide individual consulting to families that preregister for a time slot.

The center’s gymnasium will be filled with representatives who can answer questions about disability law, disability-specific services, parent-support organizations, special-needs schools, education-support services, transition-toadulthood services, respite care and much more.

Registration is recommended, but walk-ins are welcome. Ability 360 Sports & Fitness Center is located at 5031 E. Washington St., across the street from the new Valley Metro Rail line station, which opened in March. raisingarizonakids.com/ special-needs-resource-fair

STUDY: Having a supportive parent matters!

A HIGHER NUMBER of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) is associated with worse academic performance and attitudes toward school. However, the more “protective factors” in a child’s life — especially a parent the child can freely talk with — the more likely they are to do well in school, according to a study published in the August issue of Pediatrics.

The survey, “Adverse childhood experiences and protective factors with school engagement,” identified up to nine potential ACEs for each child — such as abuse, neglect or being separated from a parent because of death, incarceration or divorce — all of which, research shows, can produce “toxic stress” in children. It also looked at seven protective factors: a safe neighborhood; supportive neighbors; neighborhood amenities such as parks and libraries; a well-kept neighborhood; a non-smoking household; at least five family meals each week and having a parent the child can talk with.

School performance and attitude — one of the strongest and most consistent predictors of future health — were measured by whether the child repeated one or more school grades, routinely completed homework and cared about school. Researchers found the most powerful protective factor for kids was having a parent to talk to about “things that matter and share ideas.”

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AUGUST 2019 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

Measles cases soar as kids head back to school

KATE REED

THE NUMBER OF MEASLES CASES — a disease considered eradicated in 2000 in the United States — has risen dramatically. At press time, more than 1,120 cases of measles had been confirmed in 28 states in 2019, including one in Arizona, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is the greatest number of cases reported in 27 years.

Arizona was affected by a 2015 multi-state measles outbreak linked to Disneyland in which babies too young to be vaccinated became sick. Health officials are increasingly concerned about what a big outbreak would do in Phoenix, America’s fifth largest city.

The American Academy of Pediatrics provides extensive research studies about vaccine safety at healthychildren.org. Parents and caregivers with financial need can call 800-232-4636 to locate a facility that offers free immunizations through the federal Vaccines for Children program. Parents can also locate local clinics via The Arizona Partnership for Immunization at 602288-7568. Visit cdc.gov/vaccines or whyimmunize.org

HOPSKIPDRIVE

offers shuttle service for kids EVER HAD TROUBLE getting a kid to soccer practice, dance class or even picked up from school on time? A new Valley service launched July 30 offers transportation for ages 6 and up.

HopSkipDrive — already operating in metro areas of California, Colorado and Washington, D.C. — promotes the fact that its drivers (called CareDrivers) have gone through extensive background checks and have a minimum of five years of caregiving experience. CareDrivers must pass a 15-point certification that includes fingerprinting, FBI and U.S. Department of Justice background checks, driving-record checks and an in-person meeting with the HopSkipDrive team.

“Nearly one in two parents say they feel they put their jobs at risk to meet their children’s transportation needs,” Joanna McFarland, HopSkipDrive’s co-founder and CEO and mother of two, said in a statement. “Parents shouldn’t have to choose between their careers and their children’s education and activities, but that tough choice is very real for countless families. HopSkipDrive wants parents to take comfort in knowing they have someone to rely on to get their kids where they need to go, safely and without worry.”

Rides must be reserved — online at hopskipdrive.com or through its app — eight hours in advance or by 7 p.m. the night before for morning rides. HopSkipDrive matches ride requests to a CareDriver and sends parents a picture and CareDriver profile. Parents can request “door through door” service for the driver to sign kids into or out of school or other venues. Parents also get pickup and drop-off alerts.

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RaisingARIZONAKids.com AUGUST 2019

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az grown education

KINDERGARTEN BOOTCAMP

helps kids/parents with school readiness

By Debra Citron IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT nap rugs, snack time, shoe-tying and finger-painting anymore.

Kindergarten is tough. Seriously. Not quite “Game of Thrones,” but tough. Today’s kindergarten is demanding and consequential, and it will set the tone for the following 12 years of a child’s education.

Research has demonstrated that to be successful in kindergarten, kids need talking and listening abilities in addition to vocabulary and pre-reading skills. They also need involved parents who engage them, often, in activities that promote open-ended conversation; which, in turn, stimulates critical thinking and encourages creative use of their expanding vocabulary.

Even the best preschools can’t constantly provide the level of interaction that’s best for

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AUGUST 2019 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

children. Only parents can, and they can get a little (actually, a lot of) help from their friends at the library.

Three years ago, Phoenix Public Library, in partnership with First Things First and the Phoenix Library Foundation, began offering Kindergarten Bootcamp to children getting ready to enter kindergarten.

The free program consists of seven weekly one-hour sessions attended by a child and a parent/caregiver. That adult must pre-register and commit to attend, with the child, all seven classes, and both must come ready to participate. Each very interactive session is built around a specific learning concept and will give the parent/caregiver information, tools and activities to help prepare their child to succeed in kindergarten and meet the expectations of

Arizona’s educational standards.

And each class, guided by early learning specialists, will give the parent/caregiver the opportunity to learn and practice schoolreadiness skills with the child, so those skills can be practiced and reinforced at home as often as possible. When kindergarten begins, the child is prepared.

Since the 2016 start-up, the library’s confidence in the program has grown even greater as the demand for it increases beyond the high initial levels and as the positive results are documented. Librarian Wendy Resnik, Children & Teen Services Coordinator at Phoenix Public Library, says that as of the end of June, more than 3,000 families have participated in Kindergarten Bootcamp.

She also said that the curriculum has been

MONKEYBUSINESSIMAGES

evaluated, refined and polished, and that new activities have been added.

“The biggest innovation since 2016,” Resnik says, “is that we introduced a companion program called Tools for School for 3- to 5-year-olds.” More about that soon.

Resnik’s enthusiasm for Bootcamp is contagious. It’s no surprise that this program has turned out to be tremendously successful, demonstrably so. Every autumn, she sends a survey to the families who have participated during the previous 12 months to obtain on-the-ground reporting about children who have completed the course and are actually in kindergarten. Satisfaction is sky-high, with approval numbers that would make a politician swoon.

PARENTS/CAREGIVERS WERE ASKED IF: • Bootcamp helped them to prepare their children for kindergarten; 96 percent agreed or strongly agreed.

• They received information and activities that they could use even after Bootcamp ended; 92 percent agreed or strongly agreed.

• They were confident in their ability to support their children’s learning at home; 92 percent were extremely or quite confident.

They were also asked how the children were doing in kindergarten.

One hundred percent of responding parents said their children were excelling and loving school.

Pretty impressive statistics for any educational endeavor. About 60 percent of the kids who attended the classes had not been in a preschool program, but the other 40 percent had, and still found the Bootcamp experience worthwhile, so any parent who is interested in building or reinforcing their child’s schoolreadiness bona fides might want to give Kindergarten Bootcamp a try.

If you have a child who will enter kindergarten in the fall of 2020, and

you are willing and able to make the time commitment, the library is beginning a new round of Bootcamps in September and October. Classes are available on weekdays, weekends or evenings at branches citywide, as well as at offsite locations such as community and health centers.

If your child is not yet eligible for the program or the time commitment is not doable but you want to begin school-readiness training, Resnik has a solution: the companion program, Tools for School. It was developed because Bootcamp was so popular that parents were trying to enroll younger children who were not ready for the level of instruction the course was providing. The library’s early learning specialists created an alternative: an “interactive weekly drop-in program for 3- to 5-year-olds and their favorite adults” where, as noted on the library website, they “will work on school readiness skills such as persistence, flexibility and problem-solving while enjoying stories and activities.”

Resnik elaborated, “Tools For School is a 45-minute program that covers some of the same readiness skills that get more in-depth coverage in Bootcamp, but are geared for younger children. We spend a lot of time…on social-emotional skills, understanding and naming emotions, as well as phonological awareness and fine/gross motor skills.”

Tools for School is offered at more than half of the city’s library branches and various community locations.

Many Bootcamp graduates attend Tools classes to keep their just-learned skills fresh.

Kindergarten is coming.

Bootcamp can help your kids tame the school-readiness dragons.

Debra Citron is a Phoenix writer, editor and lifelong supporter of children’s literature and literacy.

KINDERGARTEN BOOTCAMP

sessions and sign-ups PHOENIX LIBRARY LOCATIONS: Harmon Library 1325 S. Fifth Ave., Phoenix 11 a.m. to noon Saturdays, Sept. 14-Oct. 26.

Registration begins Aug. 10.

​Palo Verde Library 4402 N. 51st Ave., Phoenix 12:30-1:30 p.m. Saturdays, Sept. 7-Oct. 19.

Registration begins Aug. 10.

​Juniper Library 1825 W. Union Hills Drive, Phoenix 9:15-10:15 a.m. Mondays, Sept. 23-Nov. 4.

Registration begins Aug. 19.

​Burton Barr Central Library 1221 N. Central Ave., Phoenix 5:30-6:30 p.m. Thursdays, Sept. 26-Nov. 14.

Registration begins Aug. 10.

​Agave Library 23550 N. 36th Ave., Phoenix 1:30-2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1-Nov. 12.

Registration begins Aug. 27.

Century Library 1750 E. Highland Ave., Phoenix 1:15-2:15 p.m. Sundays, Oct. 6-Nov. 17.

Registration begins Aug. 31.

​Cholla Library 10050 Metro Parkway East, Phoenix 10:15-11:15 a.m. Wednesdays, Oct. 23-Dec. 4.

Registration begins Sept. 25.

COMMUNITY LOCATIONS: Goelet A.C. Beuf Community Center 3435 W. Pinnacle Peak Road, Phoenix 6:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Oct. 1-Nov. 12.

Registration information coming soon.

​Paradise Valley Family Resource Center 17835 N. 44th St., Phoenix 1:30-2:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Sept. 17-Oct. 29.

Registration information coming soon.

RaisingARIZONAKids.com AUGUST 2019

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az grown STEM

Sari on Science

APPLE MUMMIFICATION EXPERIMENT

By Sari Custer

WHEN YOU THINK OF MUMMIES, you probably think of Egypt — or a certain series of Hollywood movies. But actually, mummies have been found in countries all over the world. In fact, the Chinchorro people of South America started mummifying their loved ones 2,000 years before the Egyptians! Here’s a simple experiment that showcases the mummification process in action.

Supplies: • Apple • Two small plastic containers (without lids) • 1 cup baking soda • 1 cup salt • Mixing bowl • Measuring cups • Knife • Food scale • Paper • Pen/pencil Directions: 1. Measure and mix together the baking soda and salt in the mixing bowl.

2. With an adult’s assistance, cut the apple into four equal pieces. Decide whether to use two,

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AUGUST 2019 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

three or four slices.

3. Place one apple slice on the food scale and record its weight on a chart. Place the slice alone in a plastic container (no lid) and set it aside.

4. Weigh each remaining apple slice on the food scale and record the weight on the chart.

5. Place the remaining apple slice(s) in the second small plastic container and cover completely with the soda/salt mixture.

6. Place the containers (without lids) in a dry, dark area (like a pantry) and leave for for five to seven days.

7. After five to seven days, pull out the apples.

Make observations of the uncovered apple in the first container. Use the food scale to record its weight.

8. Uncover the remaining apple slices from the salt mixture, weigh them and make observations.

One of the main steps of mummification is removing water — a process called desiccation.

Ancient Egyptians used a material called natron — a natural mixture of salt and soda — to desiccate the body during mummification. This is the same process you see happening to the apple slices. While some of the water likely evaporated from the uncovered apple, the salt and soda surrounding the other slices draws out the water and helps prevent the growth of mold, bacteria and other microorganisms that would normally aid in decomposition. Use your weight charts to figure out exactly how much water was removed from each apple slice.

Don’t miss your chance to learn more about mummification while coming face to face with 40 real human and animal mummies in “Mummies of the World: The Exhibition” at Arizona Science Center through Monday, Sept. 2.

What’s happening?

What did you observe about the apple slices covered in the salt mixture? Did they look the same as when you started? Did they weigh the same? How did ithey compare to the observations you made of the uncovered apple?

Sari Custer is a lifelong science junkie, Chief Scientist at Arizona Science Center, and mom to daughter Carson (5).

Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @SariOnScience.

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11

az grown STEM

6

ways to help young girls into STEM careers

By David Dodge AS THE FATHER of a 6-year-old daughter and the director of the Scottsdale-based kids coding academy CodaKid, I have a special interest in getting girls interested in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The paucity of women in the tech workforce is a fact, but there is much we can do to change that.

Here are six proven tips that can spark young girls’ early interest in STEM, and (we hope) reverse some of the trends when they select college majors and career paths.

1. START EARLY. When my daughter started kindergarten, we witnessed a lot of discouragement and low self-esteem that stemmed from her early struggles in math. We jumped in, and my wife began a nightly ritual of math, robotics and STEM activities that made math fun and interesting for her.

Now almost nine months later, our daughter recently confided to us that she is really good at math, and her belief was confirmed by an excellent report card. The early intervention and hard work is paying off.

2. TURN STEM INTO STEAM. By adding the arts to STEM and making it STEAM, girls become a more receptive audience. At CodaKid, we’ve found that to introducing digital drawing, design and animation into girls’ coding projects piques their interest and makes them want to learn more. In one of our courses, we teach students how to design and code their own

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digital 3D models for Minecraft, and this course has been enormously popular with girls. When we make the coding projects creative, girls are more willing to power through and learn more advanced concepts such as conditionals, loops and arrays.

3. GET PERSONAL. Having kids personalize their projects is an excellent way to increase their engagement. We encourage students to design and code their own websites about their interests and hobbies. Getting girls to create projects about their pets, favorite music or martial arts class is a surefire way to keep them interested.

4. ENCOURAGE EXPERIMENTATION. Handling tools, screwdrivers, circuits and robotic parts teaches girls that they can learn anything. In tech camps, girls design and learn how to build their own custom robots from the ground up.

Rather than using STEM projects that require girls to follow rigid directions, we recommend projects that are more free form, creative and experimental. Girls drive the process, test their assumptions, operate the computer, assemble the robot and run their code. This builds confidence and self-esteem.

5. ENCOURAGE A GROWTH MINDSET. STEM projects typically involve problem-solving, and at times can be quite challenging. Having

supportive mentors to cheer on young girls can be beneficial, but research shows some forms of praise are better than others.

Carol Dweck, the author of “Mindset” and a Stanford University professor of psychology who first described the terms “fixed” and “growth” mindset, says telling children they are smart encourages a fixed mindset that is often frustrated by failure. She found that praising hard work and effort cultivates a growth mindset that is more resilient to challenges. In short, when students believe they can get smarter, they understand that effort makes them stronger.

We have found these practices to be very helpful with our 6-year-old, who has developed a lot of confidence after a rough start in math.

6. INVEST IN STEM. Whether you subscribe to a kids coding website, purchase a STEM or STEAM kit from Amazon or enroll your daughter in a tech camp, you are investing in skills that can pay big dividends in your daughter’s life. An increasing number of STEM resources offer modules designed for young girls to help provide a firm foundation for these essential 21st century skills.

David Dodge is the founder and CEO of Scottsdale-based CodaKid. Learn more at codakid.com

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RaisingARIZONAKids.com AUGUST 2019

13

az grown parenting

What if my child is . . .

AVERAGE?

By Mary Anne Duggan

SOME YEARS AGO, I taught kindergarten in a school that eliminated letter grades.

Our report cards consisted of two columns: “Meets expectations” and “Needs more time and support.”

I’ll never forget the parent who held up his child’s report card and asked, “So you’re saying my son doesn’t excel in anything?” I was schooled in that moment about the potency of parental yearnings.

It’s natural as parents to want a fictional Prairie Home Companion scenario, where “all the children are above average.” Even during pregnancy, we begin to envision our growing child as a future concert pianist or MLB slugger.

But for many of us, our dreams for our children meet a harsh reality once school years start. That child we thought would make the honor roll is floundering with multiplication tables. Our future novelist prefers video games to reading.

In the bell curve of life, approximately 68 percent of us fall into the meaty middle in a variety of areas. We have much company in the normal range. However, that doesn’t stop

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us as parents from worrying that our child might be left behind. After all, concerns about competitive college entry brought us the recent college admissions scandal that will translate into some misguided parents doing hard time.

A small number of parents have children who win science fairs and spelling bees. A label of “in the normal range” can feel triumphant to parents of kids with special needs or difficult circumstances. The suggestions that follow are for the third group of parents: those who are concerned about a child’s middle-of-the-road performance as we start a new school year.

Put the “average” label into perspective.

What does it mean to be average? There are two main ways a child’s academic performance is evaluated in school: against some standard (criterion-referenced) or in relation to the performance of other students (norm-referenced). A teacher may set a standard that a child will complete 100 multiplication items in one minute. In this case, a child either meets the standard or does not. Or, the child’s

multiplication performance can be compared to that of other students. For example, a child may complete the multiplication table in 50 seconds, which reflects above-average performance when compared to the class norm of 55 seconds.

When we talk about average in this way, we are always talking about comparison. And while comparison can provide some information about how our child is doing relative to others, a more helpful strategy is to focus on mastery. The more we can help a child set personal goals that encourage stretch but are attainable, and the less we focus on students in the next row, the more likely it is that our child will find success.

Find your child’s unique gifts. It can appear that some children just aren’t cut out for school, when in fact not all schools are a fit for all children. The standardized testing craze has contributed to this problem. Typical achievement tests in school measure a very narrow set of skills. Not all important life skills can be measured on a bubble sheet.

When the focus is solely on discrete language

and computational skills, abilities such as creativity, problem-solving, synthesis and analysis can go by the wayside.

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All children have unique gifts, and it’s our job as parents to help uncover them. As a teacher, I had dreams for my own children’s academic paths that, let’s just say, they may not always have shared. But when my son was in the second grade, he assembled my vacuum cleaner straight out of the box when I wasn’t looking — without any parts left over. Now 28, he owns an advertising software company. My daughter spent hours on MySpace creating web pages when she could have been reading novels.

Today, at 30, she works as a social media manager in New York City. Our children’s individual strengths abound, but they might not always be detectable in the school realm.

Learn from late bloomers. My own children might be considered “late bloomers.” In a book by the same name, author Rich Karlgard lays out the case for “the power of patience in a world obsessed with early achievement.”

Our culture may have a fascination with wunderkinds who come blazing out of the early-school gate, but more of us are late bloomers in the long journey of life. Notable examples include Albert Einstein, whose family was worried about his development in the early years, and author J.K. Rowling, whose school performance paled in comparison to her overwhelming Harry Potter success.

Karlgard presents six strengths of late bloomers, which include: curiosity, compassion, resilience, equanimity, insight and wisdom. Clearly, these important capacities are not something one is born with, but hard won through a lifetime of experience.

And again, these characteristics are not measured on any standardized test in school.

The average response to having a child labeled “average” is one of concern. Just remember that all children are individuals with immeasurable unique qualities and abilities that defy labels.

Mary Anne Duggan, PhD, is an educational psychologist and a former elementary school teacher.

Reach her at mary.duggan@ asu.edu

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az grown safety

YOUR THOUGHTS? This story kicks off a series of articles on school safety that will run during the 2019-20 academic year. We welcome your thoughts at editorial@RAKmagazine.com

FEELING SAFE AT SCHOOL

LIVING with the THREAT of VIOLENCE

By Sheri Smith IN MARCH 2018, I attended a pre-rally for a “March For Our Lives” event — the national student-led demonstration organized in response to the Feb. 14 mass shooting that killed 17 students and staff at Parkland High School in Florida.

The pre-rally — held at a downtown Phoenix church on the eve of the march — gave marchers a chance to reflect on the purpose of the demonstration: honoring the victims, shining a light on the issue of gun violence in our country and discussing ways to prevent future tragedies.

It was a solemn gathering, with diverse communities and religious organizations from the Phoenix area represented. In the front pews, a handful of teenagers looked down awkwardly at hand-scribbled notes. After a few words from the pastor, the teens were invited to the lectern.

That’s when the mood in the room shifted.

These teens — with sad, frightened eyes — described in stunning detail what it was like to attend school under the looming threat of gun violence.

They spoke bravely about the “weird kid” in the corner who joked regularly about guns and bombs and what he’d like to do to people he hated if given the chance. They talked about lockdowns and texting their parents: “Just in case — I love you.” They described staying hidden in closets for extended periods, listening for sounds of gunfire.

They explained stomachaches and other physical symptoms of anxiety, and openly wondered if lockdown instructions offered the best advice. Would lockdown procedures intended to protect them from a crazed attacker instead set them up for mass murder?

By the time these young people were finished, every adult in the room was crying. It truly felt like we had failed our kids. The pain and stress these teens were experiencing was so much more than most of us realized, and we wondered how much more scary and confusing

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it must be for even younger students.

I wish everyone could have heard those stories, unfiltered, without the noise of TV pundits and gun advocates. The teens expressed how distressing it was to live in an age when there is a constant threat of violence.

It was alarming to realize how much that was affecting their ability to function at school.

As a new school year begins, I wanted to know what we as parents can do to help alleviate the tensions surrounding this new reality. I spoke with Janine Menard, who spent two years as chair of the Arizona School Counselors Association, a nonprofit representing the state’s school counselors.

Menard has witnessed students under stress and says most parents don’t understand the level of anxiety their kids are experiencing.

Menard understands why parents want to shield their children from the news, but she says kids hear things anyway, and want to talk about it with someone they can trust.

“It’s uncomfortable bringing these [topics] up,” she said, “but the children are usually upset about it already and with no outlet or way to talk about it, their anxiety just increases.”

She suggests opening age-appropriate dialogue with children from a very early age, asking open-ended questions, such as: “How do you feel about this?”

Menard points to the dire need for more professional counselors on school campuses.

Arizona has one of the country’s highest student-to-counselor ratios, with an average of more than 900 students assigned per counselor, according to 2015-16 figures. With that gross imbalance, and classroom sizes that continue to

grow because of inadequate education funding, “a lot falls on the shoulders of teachers who feel alone and overwhelmed,” she says.

And let’s face it, teachers are also experiencing anxiety. They’ve seen colleagues around the country sacrifice their own lives while trying to protect students from shooters.

As individual school districts try to determine what safety measures will be implemented, more research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of various methods. Do active-shooter drills leave kids prepared or merely traumatized? Are lockdowns most effective?

When deciding how to address school safety issues, we must take kids’ emotional development into consideration. Do we really want to frighten children or put them in militaristic environments? How will this affect their ability to learn? None of these questions have easy answers, but one lesson we can take away is that we have to start listening to the children. They are growing up in a very different world than we experienced.

Over the coming months, we will explore this topic in depth -- seeking perspectives from children, teens, parents, educators, administrators, mental health experts and others. It’s OK if we don’t have the answers, but we must show our kids that we are working together to figure it out.

Sheri Smith is a Scottsdale freelance writer and the mother of two teenagers.

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RaisingARIZONAKids.com AUGUST 2019

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az grown technology

Alexa is in the house Are smart speakers OK for kids?

By Carrie Wheeler

What kids can ask Alexa Alexa, open 1-2-3 Math. Kids solve math word problems — easy to hard.

Alexa, open Amazon Storytime. Hear narrated stories for ages 5-12.

Alexa, start Chompers. Meant to keep kids entertained for two minutes while they brush their teeth, Chompers offers jokes, kid-authored stories and more.

Alexa, start Kids Court. In the middle of a sibling argument? Duke it out in Kids Court!

Alexa, launch Mommy-gram. Give Alexa a message, and Mommy-gram will send it via text to parents, who can respond.

Alexa, open Kids News. Hear a newscast for kids about art, science and current events.

Alexa, open Song Quiz. Listen and name that tune!

Alexa, open Yes Sire. This “skill” makes you a monarch and offers choices that can result in the kingdom’s prosperity or its demise; appropriate for older kids.

Sources: commonsensemedia.org, amazon.com, redtri.com

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Alexa, tell me a joke.

Alexa, play “Somebody to Love” by Queen.

Alexa, rap.

MY 8-YEAR-OLD SON uses our Amazon Echo — a.k.a. “Alexa” — as his own jukebox, news channel, comedian and encyclopedia. He asks Alexa to define words, to find out about a news story he sees flicking across its screen, to play “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me” and occasionally to message his grandparents.

Sometimes he just wants to chat: “Alexa, how are you?”

He has also used the Echo to entertain his friends. One night we had some couples over with their kids. On a hunch, we checked out some of the requests the kids had made while the adults were socializing. “Alexa, play ‘The Poop Song’ by The Toilet Bowl Cleaners,’ ” was followed by conspiratorial giggling.

My husband is a technophile who loves gadgets, so we were early Echo adopters.

In fact, my son has been talking to Alexa pretty much since he could form words.

While our Echo has become a useful tool for my husband and me, and second nature to our son, sometimes we wonder if we’re putting too much information out into the cloud — and if that’s good for our son.

The Echo and other new smart speakers such as Google Assistant and Apple Siri are assisting families in kitchens, bedrooms and offices, doing basic tasks, getting information, interfacing with other programs and devices … and creating concerns about privacy.

After all, these smart devices connected to the Internet are constantly giving and receiving information. But what are they doing with all the information we’re giving them?

According to a survey by Common Sense Media — a national nonprofit dedicated to helping kids, families and teachers navigate the digital world — nearly 60 percent of kids ages 2 to 8 interact with smart devices to play music, get

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information or hear jokes. I recently attended a local panel by Common Sense Media’s Arizona office that addressed some of the questions educators, journalists and parents have about smart devices and how they affect children.

ARE SMART DEVICES SPYING ON US? In short, yes. Smart devices by Amazon, Google and Apple are collecting data and using it to create personal user profiles. Amazon and Google take that data and create a marketing profile to suggest products and ads. Parents have some privacy controls with all of these devices, but much of the safety comes from how parents communicate with their kids about Internet use.

“Like any other piece of technology, we need to educate children so they can create their own Internet personas,” suggests Francine Hardaway, a local technology entrepreneur. She suggests parents make sure children (and adults) know anything they’re saying to a smart device is being captured. Companies are collecting data like voice, location and interests — all of which can be used to create an Internet persona for their users.

Parents and kids also need to understand that Alexa is not a friend or family member, but an Internet device to be addressed like any other online entity. Namely, kids and adults should keep private information private — including addresses, phone numbers, birth dates and passwords — and set privacy protections.

HOW CREDIBLE IS THE NEWS WE’RE GETTING FROM OUR SMART DEVICES? According to Retha Hill, executive director of New Media Innovation at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism, “We have to encourage kids to go beyond the first answer they might get from a smart device, news source or Wikipedia. It’s important to teach kids critical-thinking skills so they can learn to verify the information they are getting … which is a by-product of living in this digital world.”

In a nutshell, kids and adults shouldn’t take the first answer they get as fact. Everyone should get into the habit of checking multiple credible sources when looking for information.

ARE SMART DEVICES BAD? While the whole privacy issue can be scary, Rebecca Randall, vice president of philanthropic partnerships at Common Sense, insists, “There are a lot of good things that come out of using smart devices.”

Along with entertainment and games, these devices can help kids with skills such as spelling, language, math, creative play, current events and storytelling. Having a smart device can give kids autonomy over their knowledge … which in itself can be scary.

Calendar Editor Carrie Wheeler is the mother of Wilson (8).

Send calendar info to Carrie@RAKmagazine.com.

Mindful Parents, Mindful Children

By Sami Majeed, J.D. Chief of Schools, Self Development Academy

YOU’VE SEEN THE IMAGES: An attractive person in yoga clothes is tucked into a peaceful, protective cocoon, safely guarded from bills, taxes, teenagers and flash floods. This is not mindfulness. This is escapism.

Mindfulness, by its nature, is reality-based. You are reading right now.

You are facing this page and your eyes are gazing at these letters.. and these… Feel your feet in your socks, on the ground. Become aware of your breath, its simplicity, its flow. Feel the texture of the page. Capture the tones of colors in your periphery.

Because I’ve engaged a bit of intentional situation awareness, the act of reading takes on more character. You are enlivening your senses until your mind is full. You are being mindful.

Mindfulness can help children regulate their emotions, develop coping skills, even increase attention span. Mindfulness can decrease screen time and increase enjoyment in other activities. Here are some ideas for starting a mindfulness practice with your child.

Share a three-breath hug. Hug your child and take three intentional breaths together. Inhale and expand your bellies against each other. Hold at the top for a second. Exhale, dropping your shoulders and relaxing all of your muscles, letting go of all tension. Repeat twice.

Share your sensations, thoughts, and feelings. Pretend to be detectives or doctors. What is your brain is telling you? What does your body want you to do? What are you feeling?

Schedule time to practice mindfulness. Close your eyes and pay attention to your breath. Imagine your thoughts as clouds. Watch them come and go but don’t latch on to any one thought.

Name things that are giving you comfort right now. For me, it’s the Sprite I can still taste from lunch. It’s the comfy socks I am wearing today.

It’s sitting cross legged at my desk.

Mindfulness is the act of savoring each moment, finding a secret indulgence often overlooked. What better way to practice it than with your children?

Self Development Academy’s philosophy emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, self-knowledge and selfacceptance. Our award-winning, tuition-free charter schools serve grades K-8 in Mesa, South Mesa, Phoenix and Glendale. Learn more at selfdevelopmentcharterschool.com RaisingARIZONAKids.com AUGUST 2019

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RaisingARIZONAKids.com AUGUST 2019

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USING COMMON SENSE IN A 24/7 MEDIA WORLD

A Q&A with Common Sense Media’s Arizona Director Ilana Lowery 20

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C

OMMON SENSE MEDIA helps families navigate the world of 24/7 media and technology by offering free age-based ratings and reviews for movies, TV shows, books, games and apps — plus parenting advice and public policy recommendations. This national nonprofit recently opened a Phoenix office. We invited Arizona Director Ilana Lowery to explain what the organization will be doing locally for parents, kids and teachers.

Common Sense Media is a national nonprofit headquartered in San Francisco with offices in New York, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Why now Phoenix?

The Arizona Community Foundation, Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust and Phoenix IDA [an entrepreneurial nonprofit] stepped up to financially support Common Sense’s work in Arizona. The leaders of those organizations agreed there was a need to expand the mission to our state, and they’ve invested in Common Sense to ensure that children, parents and educators can access tools that maximize the benefits of media and technology in a safe environment.

The organization helps parents grapple with tech. When Jim Steyer founded Common Sense Media in 2003, what specific problem was he trying to address? Jim’s passion always has been to grow Common Sense into the largest child advocacy organization in the U.S. In 2003, he started the conversation about raising kids in the digital age with a book he wrote called, “The Other Parent.”

His goal was to call attention to the outsized influence of media and tech on kids’

Explain the device-free dinner initiative.

By 2016, as personal devices continued to create barriers and compete for our attention, Common Sense introduced a simple, yet powerful idea — device-free dinner — to promote family time and a healthy, balanced digital lifestyle. Visit commonsensemedia.org/device-freedinner for tips on putting electronic devices away and talking face-to-face for 30 minutes during family dinners.

FIZKES PHOTOGRAPHY

lives and to empower families with the information they need to be advocates for their children. From the very beginning, his mission has been to protect kids, support digital well-being and help parents and educators set young people on a path to thrive in school and in the 21st-century economy.

How has Common Sense Media’s mission expanded? A few years after introducing its independent ratings and review system for children’s media, parents began turning to teachers for answers about cyberbullying and other challenges they were facing because of the growth of the internet and social media. By 2008, Common Sense developed its K-12 digital citizenship curriculum that addresses top concerns for schools, prepares students with critical 21st-century skills, supports educators with training and recognition and engages the whole community through family outreach. Common Sense also launched the first-ever ratings system to help teachers and parents better understand the educational value of the thousands of new apps that were flooding the market — many of which were aimed at kids. By 2014, Common Sense began to tackle the digital divide by advocating for all kids, regardless of ZIP code or background, to have equal access to technology and the support they needed to build strong digital skills.

The following year, Common Sense created community-grounded resources for Spanish-speaking and Latino families.

What is the DigCit curriculum, and how do schools get this for free?

More than 700,000 teachers worldwide and schools in all 50 states are using our award-winning DigCit curriculum. Designed and developed in partnership with Project Zero at the Harvard Graduate School of Education — and guided by research with thousands of educators — each digital citizenship lesson takes on real challenges and digital dilemmas that students face today, giving them the skills they need to succeed as digital learners, leaders and citizens of tomorrow. We are working with districts across the state to implement the curriculum, which is available at commonsense.org. Districts interested in gaining Common Sense recognition should contact Regional Manager Victoria Saylor at 415-553-6737 for professional development support.

Common Sense Media just released a new study on “Screens and Sleep” that studied media usage of both parents and teens. What findings are getting the most attention? More teens wish their parents would get off their devices. Fifty-two percent of parents surveyed admitted they spend too much time on their devices, up from 29 percent in 2016; 62 percent of the parents said they keep their phones within reach of their bed; 29 percent of kids said they do. Forty-five percent of parents surveyed say they are “addicted” to their mobile devices; 39 percent of kids say they feel “addicted.”

How do you suggest both parents and kids curtail their smartphone usage? As annoying as constant cell phone use is, it’s a normal part of life for many kids. Staying in touch with friends is important, particularly for tweens and teens. When we parents were teens, we talked for hours on the phone. Now that same kind of contact happens through texting and social media. However, if cell phone use is getting in the way of family time, homework, and other responsibilities, it might be time to help your kids manage their phone time. Here are some suggestions: • Help kids find space for face-to-face conversations. Put phones down during key conversation times such as dinner or car rides.

• Model the manners and behavior you want to see. Avoid texting in the car. Consider narrating your phone usage — i.e. “I’m looking up directions to the party”— so young kids understand the utility of the device. Make sure to excuse yourself if you have to interrupt a family moment to attend to your phone.

• Charge kids’ phones in your room at night. Removing their phones can give kids a needed break.

• Establish consequences for problematic phone use. If your kids are having trouble putting the phone away when you ask or are engaging in other problematic phone-related behaviors, consider instituting temporary time or location limits. Some wireless carriers offer parental controls that let you set daily phone-use limits, and some apps can disable your child’s phone when he or she hits a limit.

Coming next month:

“Using Common Sense” An exclusive column by Ilana Lowery for Raising Arizona Kids readers!

RaisingARIZONAKids.com AUGUST 2019

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Tongue-tied

By Kara G. Morrison | Photos by Kate Reed

August is National Breastfeeding Month. Lip- and tongue-ties affect a surprising number of infants and can cause problems with feeding, speech and even sleep. Scottsdale breastfeeding expert Cara Riek explains what causes ties and offers options for correcting them.

Tongue-tie and lip-tie issues affect up to one in three babies and are often genetic. Stemming from connected tissue that limits the mobility of the tongue or lip, ties can impact an infant’s latch during bottle or breastfeeding and can also affect speech and even sleep patterns later in life, says Cara Riek, co-founder of Arizona Breastfeeding Medicine and Wellness in Scottsdale.

Riek is an international board-certified lactation consultant who holds a doctor of nursing practice degree — the highest degree a nurse can earn — from Arizona State University. She became passionate about helping mothers after her own difficulties with breastfeeding, and now works to educate healthcare providers about breastfeeding issues. She also performs laser procedures to correct lip- and tongue-ties in infants, children and adults.

How common is tongue-tie and/or lip-tie in infants? A 2018 research study published in “Speech, Language, Hearing Sciences Education Journal” cites the incidence of tongue-tie as high as 32.5 percent in infants As a professional, I feel like this is a fairly accurate assessment that one-third of babies are born with a tie that ultimately needs correction.

Is it always a genetic condition? Yes, I do believe that there is a huge genetic component to ties. I also think there are epigenetic/environmental circumstances that contribute to ties. We do know that the tie is formed in the first six weeks of gestation.

Certainly more research is needed in this area as many providers agree that we are seeing more ties but are not entirely sure why.

Anytime a child has a lisp, is it the result of a tongue- or lip-tie issue? Often, in the case of a lisp, a tongue-tie is a big part of the issue. The tongue is not sitting and moving correctly in the mouth because compensations have been made to allow for intelligible speech. Again, it is important to have an assessment by a skilled provider to rule out any other causes.

Cara Riek examines Grayson Reed (6 months).

Are newborns routinely checked for tongue- and lip-ties upon delivery at a hospital or birth center? Ties often are not checked for in the hospital. Many birth centers in our community do look for ties at birth. It is hard to assess the full functionality of a tongue within the first few days of life. Some ties are obvious and need correction right away. Other ties are not as obvious and are difficult to assess before milk comes in. It is very important that families have ties assessed by a skilled professional to fully assess tongue movement and make sure the issue is not related to other underlying issues (such as muscle tightness or torticollis).

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A Mom’s perspective Kate Reed, a marketing consultant for Raising Arizona Kids, had her son’s tongue-tie corrected via a laser procedure at Arizona Breastfeeding Medicine and Wellness Center this spring. Reed agonized over the decision to have the procedure and wanted to talk about the process to help other moms.

How did you know your son Grayson had a tongue-tie? We found out about an hour after his birth, during his newborn check at the birth center. The midwife noted “severe lip- and tongue-tie.” So, I was well aware before we saw problems.

We noticed his issues within the first week, but by 5 months, when he already had two teeth, we knew we needed to have it corrected. I was concerned about tooth and palate development and speech issues — limited tongue movement means he could have a lisp or struggle with speech.

Most babies with lip- or tongue-ties have low weight gain due to latching issues, or moms have severe pain while nursing.

This wasn’t the case for us. Grayson is an efficient eater, so he gained weight fine.

However, he wouldn’t take a pacifier, struggled with a bottle and had issues with

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reflux and gas because he was getting too much air from a poor latch while feeding.

He also seemed frustrated while nursing.

His upper lip was always tucked under, and he got frequent lip blisters.

What made you decide to have the procedure done? Reading about future issues he might have — teeth development, speech issues, even sleep apnea, neck/shoulder tension and potential focus issues in older kids — convinced me to have it done. One local specialist recommended delaying it because Grayson had no weight-gain issues, he is generally well-adapted and I was not experiencing breast pain. Our pediatrician saw surgery as the last option.

I asked every mom I could about their experience, and they all said, “Get it done!” I know a lot of moms stop nursing because they assume their body and their baby aren’t “compatible,” when they might have a similar issue — which is so sad if they really wanted to breastfeed.

A tongue-and/or lip-tie is corrected by cutting the tissue. What are the different ways you can get this done? The best

way to have it done is via laser. Our doctor used a CO2 laser, although there is a water laser as well. They started with a shot to numb him, then the laser was maybe 45 seconds, then they took pictures and handed him back to me.

In researching this, you found out pediatricians, breastfeeding specialists and even dentists can do this procedure? There are pediatrician offices, breastfeeding centers and pediatric dentists that specialize in lipand tongue-ties.

What was it like having the procedure done? It’s always terrible to see your baby in pain, and all I wanted to do was hold him. The procedure was short, though, and they handed him back to me the second they were done. He wanted to nurse immediately!

You mentioned you have to “stretch the wounds” so they don’t fuse back? This is one of the reasons I wish we had done it earlier. At 6 months old, he can fight me (and bite)! I have to lay my legs on his arms and squeeze my thighs to hold

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his head still. There are a few different stretches you have to do every four to six hours (we space four hours during the day, six hours at night if he’s sleeping). You have to do these stretches for four to six weeks to prevent reattaching.

What advice would you give other parents? Use your gut and do your research. Deep down, I knew we needed to have the procedure done. I talked about it over and over again for six months — always talking myself out of it because (some) medical professionals saw it as a last option. Cara Reik (who did the procedure) made me realize even the most mild of symptoms were still not normal. Grayson compensated and made nursing work for him, but it wasn’t correct. Now, because we allowed it to go on for this long, he has a high palate we need to correct.

In researching this for Grayson, you noticed your older son Jackson, 6, has a lip-tie. Are you considering the procedure at his age? Some of Jackson’s issues — snoring, congestion, high energy due to lack of quality sleep, wouldn’t take bottles or pacifiers as a baby, constant headaches, lisp/speech issues — are likely related to this. We are considering having this procedure done with him as well, but there are two to four weeks of prep work, and then chiropractic care after the procedure because of the tension release. While I dread the stretching with him, I wonder if it will benefit him as he grows up.

Is the procedure expensive, and are there follow-ups? Ours cost $300. Other places quoted $500 and up. Insurance often covers this, so parents should check their plans. We have one follow-up to make sure it’s not reattaching, otherwise I think you would only have further appointments for chiropractic care (they recommend at least once after the procedure for babies) or lactation appointments. If you had difficulty nursing, you’d need to teach baby how to nurse correctly.

Can tongue- and lip-ties be corrected immediately after birth? If a tie is significant enough, it can be corrected at birth. Often, it is better to wait for the milk supply to come in and then seek help from a professional who specializes in tie release. Our office is really good about getting babies in ASAP who have noted ties, as we want to establish breastfeeding with minimal complications for mom or baby.

Is there an optimal age to have this procedure done? Research tells us that correcting ties in the first 10 days of life leads to breastfeeding (and bottle feeding) success. The sooner we can identify a true tie and correct it, with proper support for bodywork and feeding, we get the best results. The longer we wait, the more compensations form, potentially resulting in a longer time to see improvement.

Are there any down sides to having this procedure done? I tell all my patients that this is a medical procedure. All medical procedures come with potential risks, though we rarely experience them. Tongue- and lip-tie procedures require exercises and stretches afterwards (and sometimes before) to insure proper healing. The exercises can be difficult and do cause babies to be in discomfort over the first few weeks.

Most people think of tongue- and lip-tie causing problems with breastfeeding, but there are lots of issues it can create for babies and kids — and even adults? Ties cause issues across the lifespan. For infants, we can see issues with both breast and bottle feeding. As a baby gets older, we can see issues with starting solid food, such as gagging and food aversions. In toddlers and young children, undiagnosed/untreated ties can result in speech issues, pediatric sleep apnea and bed wetting (for potty-trained children).

Older children and adults can experience TMJ issues [jaw pain], sleep apnea, headaches, neck aches and sometime GI [gastrointestinal] issues.

One mom told us that because her child was not experiencing serious breastfeeding problems, her pediatrician saw the procedure as unnecessary. What should parents consider before ruling it out? The first doctrine of medicine is “First do no harm.” When we are assessing for ties, it is important to look at the entire picture. Often we find that while a baby may be gaining weight well with breastfeeding, there are other underlying issues, such as reflux, colic and possible feeding discomfort for mom. If breastfeeding is truly going well, and there are no issues for mom and baby, then waiting to do a procedure may be the best choice. I advocate that parents seek help from a provider that specializes in diagnosing and treating ties to come up with an appropriate care plan that works for mom and baby. This may mean treating the tie, or this may mean taking a wait-and-see approach.

What kind of follow-up care is needed after the procedure? When treating ties, I advocate for a team approach: family, release provider, international board-certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) (or speech language pathologist/oral myofunctional therapist if treating a child or adult), and body worker (chiropractor, craniosacral therapist and/or physical therapist).

Families must commit to doing the exercises, IBCLCs help with feeding and positioning, and a bodyworker helps with making sure the bones and muscles are properly aligned and free of tension to allow for normal biological movement. Six weeks of exercises help strengthen and tone the tongue to allow for proper healing of the procedure.

Kara G. Morrison is the editor of Raising Arizona Kids and the mother of Sofia (7). Reach her at kara@rakmagazine.com.

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Kids in grades K-12 can get free tutoring help at Grand Canyon University’s Learning Lounges.

First in a series of stories supporting the goals of Achieve60AZ — a statewide initiative striving to ensure that 60 percent of Arizona adults — ages 25 to 64 — hold postsecondary credentials or degrees by 2030. Achieve60AZ is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, community-based alliance of more than 75 member organizations

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and more than 40 municipalities. Learn more at achieve60az.blog

Tutoring can lead to free tuition at

GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY

By Margaret Beardsley

I

t’s not every day you hear that a full

college scholarship is available for doing something you need to do anyway. Imagine getting 100 hours of free help with high-school homework, then getting a scholarship to attend college for free! That’s what Grand Canyon University in Phoenix is offering to eligible high school students with its Students Inspiring Students scholarship program.

Shari Stagner, director of K-12 outreach for the university, says it all began with GCU’s Learning Lounge tutoring center. Students of all ages can visit the Lounge to get help from GCU student volunteers. “The Learning Lounge is a way of supporting schools in the community,” Stagner explains.

GCU President Brian Mueller initiated the concept. He saw how valuable time spent with college student leaders (“LEADS,” as they are called) could be in encouraging younger kids to think about college — many for the first time. He wanted to figure out a way to make that happen. The idea was born to offer college scholarships to students who have received 100 hours of tutoring support at GCU during their high school years.

“I was the first one to go to college in my family,” says Flor Varelas Martinez, a senior at GCU. “Now I have a career that I can pursue because of this scholarship. I’m trying to be a doctor.”

Varelas went to the Learning Lounge while attending Washington High School for help with calculus. After getting her 100 hours of tutoring, she applied and was given a Students Inspiring Students scholarship. “We didn’t have the financial means to go to college,” she says.

“Maybe financial aid would have helped me, but I would have definitely had to have worked two jobs to pay for college. It was amazing when I heard the news. I called my mom, and she began crying.”

Jesus Miranda Cuevas from Goodyear attended Glenview College Prep, a Glendale charter high school, and had a similar experience. “At first, when my principal told me, I didn’t believe it.” The opportunity was inspiration for Miranda, now a GCU sophomore, who was also awarded a full

scholarship. “I was like, wow, I should try more, put in my 200 percent. So I put in even more effort.”

To be eligible for the scholarship, students must come from the Phoenix Union High School District, Glendale High School District, Bourgade Catholic High School, Empower College Prep Charter School or Glenview — which is a neighborhood school near GCU. Eligible students must complete the 100 hours of tutoring in the GCU Learning Lounge during high school, apply and be accepted to GCU, prove a financial need, have a minimum 3.5 GPA and get a recommendation from a LEAD. “It takes a certain amount of determination, drive and ambition,” Stagner explains. “Our LEADS watch (the high-school students) with a careful eye. They get to know them and can speak at length to their personalities by the time we get to the selection process.”

Another requirement is giving back. Once at GCU, the SIS students are required to volunteer through outreach at nearby grade schools and high schools or help students who come to the Learning Lounge. Valeras says it’s one of the things she likes best about the program. She tutors seventh- and eighth-graders in Algebra.

“I can actually influence them and teach them how to critically think to get to the answer,” she says.

Since 2016, the program has awarded 327 scholarships with an ultimate goal of helping at least 800 students. Stagner admits GCU would like to award even more scholarships.

“I feel like if this is a program that gains momentum, and it continues to have the success that it’s had, it won’t stop there,” Stagner says.

“It’s truly a full circle of giving, and an asset to the community. If you think about this 10 years down the road and the impact that can have, it could be great!”

Margaret Beardsley of Phoenix is a staff writer and former television news executive producer. She is the mother of two adult children.

Requirements for Students Inspiring Students scholarships • Students must come from the Phoenix Union High School District, Glendale High School District, Bourgade Catholic High School, Glenview College Preparatory High School or Empower College Prep Charter School • High school students must complete 100 hours of tutoring at a GCU Learning Lounge, then apply and be accepted to GCU • Students must prove financial need • Students must have a 3.5 or higher GPA and a LEAD recommendation • Learn more at giving.gcu.edu

Free tutoring for any high school student Grand Canyon University operates several Learning Lounges, some embedded in local schools. Two are open to the public starting Aug. 5: Learning Lounge at Grand Canyon University 3300 W. Camelback Road, Phoenix 3-8 p.m. Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday Learning Lounge at American Family Fields of Phoenix 3805 N. 53rd Ave., Phoenix 3:30-7 p.m. Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday

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RAISING OUTDOOR KIDS

ARIZONA SWIMMING HOLES Story by Lisa Van Loo and photos by Ron Abelar

T

hey’re usually cold. They’re usually at the end of a trail. They usually require some exploring. And all of that makes Arizona’s swimming holes some of the most romantically rugged and refreshing respites from the heat.

Besides, there’s something primal and childlike about coming upon water and splashing around in it — especially if it feels like a secret — with no lifeguards, no depth markers and no designated diving board.

We have a favorite spot along 89A, tucked in the switchbacks between Sedona and Flagstaff, where we try to cool off every summer. It requires a lucky roadside parking spot, a brief scramble down a rocky trail to the creek, and a little imagination to create a changing room, because there is very little privacy at the bottom.

But it has this perfectly placed cliff above a perfectly deep pool allowing all of us to get a few jumps out of our systems. Downstream, it flows over rocks and trees — a landscape that changes every year and creates a great backdrop for photos.

From Sedona to Payson to Strawberry, Arizona is stocked with swimming holes, some of which are fed by waterfalls and all of which offer sanctuary from the sun and views more scenic than the public pool up the street.

Swimming holes require a modest road trip, but that’s part of the adventure. Here are a few worth checking out.

Water Wheel Falls on Ellison Creek in Payson. This swimming hole between

Lulu Nicita (9) finds a dry spot just downstream from the swimming hole in Oak Creek.

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Payson and the Mogollon Rim inside Tonto National Forest is a popular spot on weekends.

Be prepared for company and expect to get wet along the hike to the swimming hole as you navigate a number of ponds and cross a creek en route. The reward after the hike is a waterfall cascading into a pool of cold, clear water. Nearby rocks are slippery enough to be used as slides. Ellison Creek is one of those spots that will inspire a mixed day of exploring and lounging, so pack a lunch and enjoy the view.

Details: The one-mile hike to the falls is just a few miles from Payson. The U.S. Forest Service (fs.fed.us) and azswimmingholes.com offer additional turn-by-turn directions and details. The trail is in a major flash-flood area, so always check the weather forecast before traveling and pay close attention to changing weather. Roads may be closed during periods of wildfire danger.

SPONSORED CONTENT

6

tips for enjoying Arizona swimming holes

TIPS FOR

WATER SAFETY

❱ BRING PLENTY OF TOWELS. Everyone needs a towel for changing and keeping warm after the swim. ❱ PACK OUT YOUR TRASH. Bring a full-size trash bag, because you’ll probably find items left behind by others. ❱ GO EARLY. Parking is always at a premium at these spots, so get a jump on the crowds. ❱ WEAR WATER SHOES. They will be lifesavers on slippery and sharp rocks. ❱ TEST THE DEPTHS AND THE CURRENT. The Drowning Prevention Coalition of Arizona encourages life jackets — even for kids who are good swimmers — in open water with currents. ❱ LISTEN TO THE WEATHER REPORT. Make sure spots are safe for exploring before allowing kids to adventure, and stay alert to monsoon or rain storms, which can create flash-flood conditions.

Grasshopper Point in Sedona. Not far from the popular Slide Rock, Grasshopper Point is another popular day-use area along 89A inside Coconino National Forest. Parking is tight and requires an $8 fee per vehicle, but the area offers picnic tables, restrooms and a day’s worth of beautiful swimming in Oak Creek. Officials discourage cliff jumping at this spot because of varying depths and underwater hazards. Have your camera ready, because this spot is a stunner.

Details: Grasshopper Point is a designated day-use area that is marked and easy to find. From the 89A and Highway 179 roundabout, drive north about 2.5 miles to the entrance of Grasshopper Point on the right, just after a large bridge. The U.S. Forest Service (fs.fed.us) and azswimmingholes.com offer more photos and details.

Fossil Creek near Strawberry. This swimming hole requires a little advance planning because access to Fossil Creek requires a permit.

The planning is worth it, because you’ll be able to splash around in some of the state’s clearest, coolest waters. There are a number of different permits, which correlate with specific areas along the creek, so be sure you’re choosing the spot you want to explore. That said, you can’t go wrong. It’s a spot where folks like to jump into crystal pools from the edge of a cliff, dive under the waterfall or simply float in the gorgeous water. Weekends during the summer are busy; consider scoring a midweek permit.

Details: Permits are required and cost $6. To secure a permit and learn more about Fossil Creek, visit recreation.gov.

Lisa Van Loo is Gilbert freelance journalist. Ron Abelar is an avid outdoorsman and photographer. Together, they are parenting five children. Follow them on Instagram @RaisingOutdoorKids

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AUGUST IS DROWNING IMPACT AWARENESS MONTH. Scottsdale Fire Department and the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Arizona urge parents to stay vigilant about water safety as kids head back to school.

Learn more at PreventDrownings.org • NEVER leave a child alone near water: Children are naturally attracted to water, and a child can drown in only a few inches. Teach children to STAY AWAY from water without an adult. Parents can NEVER ASSUME someone else is watching their child. Consider hiring a LIFEGUARD for a pool party, or assign one adult to watch the water and rotate this duty every 20 minutes. Supervising adults must AVOID DISTRACTIONS poolside. Life vests are MANDATORY for anyone in water above his/her swimming ability. (Note: Floaties are toys, not life-saving devices.)

• Use pool barriers: Pool fences/barriers must be in place in case children get away from adult supervision. If you see a gate propped open, shut it, and repair broken gates or fences immediately.

• Drink water: It is easy to get dehydrated in Arizona. If you do not use the restroom hourly, you are not drinking enough fluids.

Alcoholic beverages only increase one’s dehydration risk.

• Avoid slipping hazards: Don’t let kids run on the pool deck. Watch young children in restrooms and changing rooms where wet tiles are slippery.

• Use sunscreen: The risk for severe sunburn in Arizona is high. Wear sunscreen with an SPF of at least 20 and reapply often. Encourage children to wear UV protected sunglasses to protect their eyes from glare.

• If a child or adult is experiencing trouble in the water: » Don’t panic. Yell for help. » Get the child/adult out of the water at once. » Call 911 immediately. » Begin CPR. If you are not trained in CPR, follow telephone instructions from the dispatch operator until emergency responders arrive.

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family time!

Arizona Cardinals (Aug. 1,3,5-6, 10-12 and 17) at State Farm Stadium.

TOP AUGUST EVENTS

By Carrie Wheeler

August is a time to squeeze the last bit of fun out of summer vacation before school is back in session. Here’s a roundup of family-friendly music performances, sports events and outdoor festivities that will end the school break with a bang.

NOTE: Because last-minute schedule changes can occur, please confirm dates and times on event websites.

Find more extensive day-by-day event listings or submit a calendar item for publication at raisingarizonakids.com/calendar

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AUG. 1, 3, 5-6, 10-12 AND 17: Arizona Cardinals Training Camp.

The NFL Arizona Cardinals report to Glendale for training camp on July 24 and host 14 open practices July 25-Aug. 17.

Open practices are free for fans to attend and include entertainment, autograph sessions and family activities. Times vary. State Farm Stadium, 1 Cardinals Drive, Glendale. 623-433-7101 or azcardinals.com/events/training-camp/

AUG. 4

Harry and the Potters. Accio Music!

The inventors of the Wizard Rock genre, “Harry and the Potters” will perform a 60-minute concert with cuts from their new album, “Lumos” as well as old favorites like “Voldemort Can’t Stop the Rock.” 6:30-8 p.m.

Free. Burton Barr Library, 1221 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. phoenixpubliclibrary.org

Teacher Appreciation Day. The WNBA Phoenix Mercury is honoring local teachers and raising money for teacher-led causes. Players will be wearing special teacher-inspired shirts. 3 p.m. $13 and up. Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix 602-252-9622 or mercury.wnba.com

HA

RR

YA ND T H E P OT T ER S

AUG. 2:

AUG. 5 “Weird Al” Yankovic (Aug. 3) at Comerica Theatre.

The Wiggles Party Time Tour. Experience all the fun of The Wiggles show in person. Kids can sing and dance to all their favorite songs featuring Dorothy the Dinosaur, Captain Feathersword, Wags the Dog, Henry the Octopus and Shirley Shawn the Unicorn! 6:30 p.m. $40.

Orpheum Theatre, 203 W. Adams St., Phoenix. 602-262-6225 or thewiggles.com

ARIZONA CARDINALS

WEIRD AL YANKOVIC

AUG. 8

AUG. 3: Back 2 School Bash. Boys and girls in grades K-12 are invited to a back-to-school bash.

The first 400 children will receive backpacks and school supplies. There will also be barbers and beauticians on hand for back-to-school haircuts and styling. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Maryvale Community Center, 4420 N. 51st Ave., Phoenix. 602-262-5030 or phoenix.gov Club Read Book Club. Kids ages 8-12 will discuss this month’s book club selection, “Harriet the Spy,” by Louise Fitzhugh, in both the Tempe and Phoenix stores. 2 p.m. Free. Changing Hands Phoenix, 300 W. Camelback Road, 602-274-0067; Changing Hands Tempe, 6428 S. McClintock Drive, 480-730-0205. changinghands.com Slide the Rails. Enjoy one last splash bash before school starts. There will be seven water inflatables/slides set up for all ages and a combo inflatable for ages 2-4. 9 a.m. to noon. $10 for ages 3 and older; free for ages 2 and younger. McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park, 7301 E. Indian Bend Road, Scottsdale. 480-312-2312 or therailroadpark.com “Weird Al” Yankovic. Weird Al plays his hits in the Strings Attached tour, a high-energy rock and comedy production featuring his original band, costumes, props, a video wall, background singers and a full symphony orchestra. 8 p.m. $38-$164. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. comericatheatre.com

Glow Paddle. Light up the night while you glow and glide across Tempe Town Lake in a kayak. In addition to all necessary kayaking equipment, participants get glow-in-the-dark accessories. Glow-inthe-dark clothes are encouraged! 7:30-9:30 p.m. $35; $20 ages 10 and older. Tempe Town Lake, 80 E. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe. 480-3508069 or tempe.gov

AUG. 8 AND 22 Movies in the Courtyard. Every other Thursday, families can enjoy a kid-friendly movie in the Barnes & Noble courtyard. 6:30 p.m.

Free. Desert Ridge Marketplace, 21001 N. Tatum Blvd., Phoenix. shopdesertridge.com

AUG. 9-11 Game On Expo. One of the largest gaming events in Arizona celebrates all things gaming with free sports, arcade and tabletop games, guests from the industry, tournaments, cosplay contests and more.

1-9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. $10-$145; $10 ages 3-12; free for ages 2 and younger. Phoenix Convention Center, 100 N. Third St., Phoenix. gameonexpo.com

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TOP AUGUST EVENTS continued AUG. 13:

Learn Your Lizard Walk (Aug. 10 & 31) at Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park.

BOYCE THOMPSON ARBORETUM STATE PARK

Stroller Tour Tuesday. Caregivers and their littlest ones, ages 0-18 months, join educators for art-inspired conversation designed for curious adults and the youngest visitors at the Phoenix Art Museum. August’s tour theme is “Cool.”

Advance registration required. $18. 10:30 a.m. Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-257-1880 or phxart.org

AUG. 10 Drag Queen Storytime. Changing Hands bookstore in Phoenix hosts Nevaeh McKenzie, Miss Gay Arizona America 2015, and Bruce the Bear of Mother Bruce for a storytime and activities. Children and adults are invited to the event promoting inclusivity and love.

Proceeds benefit Phoenix Pride Scholarship. 10 a.m. Changing Hands, 300 W. Camelback Road, Phoenix. changinghands.com National Bowling Day. Get a strike with this great deal! You and your family can enjoy two free games of bowling at participating bowling alleys when you sign up for the MVB rewards program. Participating bowling alleys include Brunswick Lanes and AMF locations. Hours vary. nationalbowlingday.com

AUG. 10-11 Musical Icon: Elvis. Join the MIM as it honors the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll and celebrates his music, movies and legacy. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Aug. 10-11. $20; $15 ages 13-19; $10 ages 4-12; free for ages 3 and younger. Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. 480-478-6000 or mim.org

AUG. 10 AND 18: Toddler Test Kitchen. This is a one-of-a-kind, parent-child cooking class for junior chefsto-be ages 2-6. Junior chefs will learn cooking basics, proper respect and use of knives, vocabulary for describing foods. Each class features an age-appropriate, original recipe created by Yaffi Lvova of Baby Bloom Nutrition. Classes are guided by Yaffi or Sarah Garone of A Love Letter to Food. 10 a.m. $30. Arizona Science Center, 600 E. Washington St., Phoenix. azscience.org

AUG. 16: Dueling Pianos. Double the pianos means double the fun! Spend an evening in Dorrance Hall singing along with AZ Dueling Pianos. 7:30-9:30 p.m. $25-$30.

Desert Botanical Gardens, 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix. dbg.org

AUG. 17: D-backs Girl Scout Night. Raytheon and the GSACPC Father’s Council is sponsoring a Girl Scout Night as the Arizona Diamondbacks take on the San Francisco Giants. Tickets include entry onto the field for a pregame parade and a special patch for the troops. The first 1,000 Girl Scouts get a custom D-backs and Raytheon hat. Girl Scouts can get a free ticket for their dad by registering online. $20-$53. 3:30-8:30 p.m. Chase Field, 401 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. dbacks.com

AUG. 22: National Tooth Fairy Day. Brush those teeth a little longer today; it’s National Tooth Fairy Day. Celebrate the fairy who works tirelessly, year-round, collecting pearly whites. According to the Original Tooth Fairy Poll, sponsored by Delta Dental, the Tooth Fairy’s cash payouts have dropped to an average of $3.70.

Theoriginaltoothfairypoll.com

AUG. 23: Harlem Globetrotters. The perfect fusion of basketball and entertainment, the Globetrotters’ Fan Powered World Tour comes to Glendale. 7 p.m. $15-$59. Gila River Arena, 9400 W. Maryland Ave., Glendale. harlemglobetrotters.com

AUG. 25: Rock the Pink. It’s breast health awareness night as the WNBA Phoenix Mercury takes on the Seattle Storm; 9,500 fans will get pink T-shirts. 7 p.m. $12 and up. Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix 602-252-9622 or mercury.wnba.com Free Summer Sundays at the Heard Museum. Admission is free on the fourth Sunday in August. See performances and artist demonstrations and enjoy family activities. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Heard Museum, 2301 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-252-8840 or heard.org

AUG. 10 AND 31:

AUG. 31 AND SEPT. 1:

Learn Your Lizards Walk. Leaping lizards! Wind your way through Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park on a guided tour to learn about Arizona’s most common, charismatic reptiles. Be in the visitor center breezeway at 8 a.m. $15; $5 ages 5-12; free for ages 4 and younger. 37615 U.S. 60, Superior. 520-689-2811 or cals.arizona.edu/bta

Experience India. Experience India’s vibrant musical and dance culture, workshops, curator talks. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Aug. 31 and Sept.

1. $20; $15 ages 13-19; $10 ages 4-12; free for ages 3 and younger. Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. 480-478-6000 or mim.org

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4 KIDS MEALS

$

ENDS AUGUST 31

C on t u s to a c t v a c l a i s it s s!

Discover the joy of making music together with your family!

Find a location near you in the Valley of the Sun. www.musictogether.com/GreaterPhoenix

SCOT TSDALE QUARTER | BILTMORE FASHION PARK GILBERT HERITAGE M ARKETPL ACE ZINBURGERA Z .COM |

E ATZINBURGER

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family time! on exhibit

The Electric Guitar: Inventing an American Icon (through Sept. 15). Learn about the history of the electric guitar, from its invention to its role in changing American music. See more than 80 of the world’s rarest electric guitars and amplifiers and learn about performers responsible for making this groundbreaking music. $7-$10. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Roadside USA (through Sept. 8) at the i.d.e.a. Museum.

Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. 480-478-6000 or mim.org Flora at Phoenix Art Museum (through Aug. 18).

Discover how flowers have inspired fashions through the ages. See designs by Marc Jacobs, Comme des Garçons, Charles James and Slava Zaitsev and explore botanical-inspired designs from the 18th century to the present. $14-$23; hours vary. Pay-what-you-wish hours: 3-9 p.m. Wednesday, 6-10 p.m. on the first Friday of each month. 1625 N. Central Ave., Phoenix.

602-666-7104 or phxart.org Gaman: Enduring Japanese American Internment at Gila River (through April 18, 2020).

During World War II more than 16,000 Japanese Americans were forcibly removed from the west coast to the Gila River Internment Camp near Chandler. This exhibit at the new Chandler Museum explores how gaman, the Japanese value of enduring the seemingly impossible with patience and dignity, helped these American citizens survive loss and incarceration in the Arizona desert. Chandler Museum, 300 S. Chandler Village Drive, Chandler. 480-782-2717 or chandlermuseum.org Mummies of the World (through Sept. 2). Arizona Science Center hosts this blockbuster exhibit of 40 human and animal mummies and 85 rare artifacts.

Coming to Phoenix from Hungary, “Mummies” offers a look at life in ancient Egypt, South America and Europe. Multimedia stations take visitors on a 4,500-

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AUGUST 2019 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

year journey. $7.95-$11.95 plus general admission: $18; $13 for ages 3-17; free for ages 2 and younger.

600 E. Washington St., Phoenix. 602-716-2000 or azscience.org/mummies Paul Calle’s Life of Exploration: From the Mountains to the Moon (through Oct. 11, 2020).

This exhibit traces the career of American West artist Paul Calle, an official NASA artist whose postage stamp designs included the iconic 1969 First Man on the Moon. It includes his paintings and sketches of President John F. Kennedy, Robert Frost, Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan. $8-$15; free for ages 5 and younger.

9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday and FridaySaturday; 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West, 3830 N. Marshall Way, Scottsdale. 480-6869539 or scottsdalemuseumwest.org Roadside USA (through Sept. 8). The summer road trip is an American tradition, and the i.d.e.a.

Museum in Mesa’s new exhibit opened June 14 with photos, art and hands-on activities that celebrate the unique destinations and culture surrounding the quintessential pastime. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. TuesdayThursday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. $9; free for babies younger than 1 year. i.d.e.a. Museum, 150 W. Pepper Place, Mesa. ideamuseum.org

Surprise Your Eyes (ongoing). This 3D opticalillusion attraction encourages viewers to be a part of the art. The show offers 30 paintings and optical illusions, from fighting with dinosaurs to walking on the moon. 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday-Thursday. $10. OdySea in the Desert, 9500 E. Via de Ventura, Suite E130, Scottsdale. 480291-5082 or surpriseyoureye.com The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s 50th Birthday (through Aug. 31). Butterfly Wonderland partnered with Penguin Publishing and author Eric Carle on this exhibition celebrating the 50th birthday of the classic children’s book. Activities include seeing live caterpillars and other creatures from Eric Carle’s books, larger than life storybook pages, photo opportunities with character backdrops, caterpillar trading cards, character meet and greets, face painting, special storytimes and movies on select dates. Butterfly Wonderland, 9500 E. Via de Ventura, Scottsdale. 480-800-3000 or butterflywonderland.com Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition (through April 2020). More than 120 Titanic artifacts never before seen in Arizona. Visitors will step into 1912, receiving a replica boarding pass of an actual Titanic passenger.

The chronological voyage moves through the ship’s construction to life onboard, the tragedy and artifact rescue effort Scottsdale’s at OdySea in the Desert. 9500 E. Via de Ventura, Suite E-250, Scottsdale. titanicaz.com

IDEA MUSEUM

Away From Home: American Indian Boarding School Stories (ongoing). This updated exhibit examines the U.S. government’s efforts to assimilate American Indians into “civilized” society beginning in the 1870s. Children were taken from families and transported to far-away boarding schools, where all signs of “Indian-ness” were stripped away. Art, firstperson interviews and interactive displays. 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. $18; $7.50 for ages 6-17; free for ages 5 and younger.

Free admission 6-10 p.m. on the first Friday of each month and on Aug. 25. Heard Museum, 2301 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-252-8840 or heard.org

GATEWAY ACADEMY SEEKING BALANCE • 3rd-12th Grades specializing in students with Asperger’s Syndrome.

• Accredited by AdvancEd. • Project Based Curriculum supported with Experiential Learning.

• Rock Band, Digital Music, Equine Therapy, Counseling, OT, & Speech.

• Clubs, Community Service, Student Council, & National Honor Society.

• Student to teacher ratios: 6:1 Lower, 8:1 Middle, 10:1 High School.

• Career Exploration and College 101 Transition Program.

• Dual Enrollment with Scottsdale Community College.

• Home of the Warriors!

Contact us for further information!

Max McFadden, Director of Admissions maxmcfadden@gatewayacademy.us 480-998-1071 • www.gatewayacademy.us 3939 E. Shea Blvd, Phoenix, AZ 85028

Schedule a Tour!

Meet our faculty, students, and therapists! Tours take approximately 1.5 hours, and includes a meeting with our Director of Admissions and Executive Director.

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family time! around arizona FLAGSTAFF Annual Navajo Festival of Arts & Culture (Aug. 3-4). Soak up the artistry and cultural traditions of Navajo storytellers, hoop dancers, musicians, artists and more. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday-Sunday. $12; $8 youth; free for ages 10 and younger. $12-$18 weekend passes. Museum of Northern Arizona, 3101 N. Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff. 928774-5213 or musnaz.org Movies on the Square (Aug. 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31). Bring chairs, blankets and sweaters to the town square on Saturday nights for games, activities and a movie.

Fratelli’s pizza, ice cream, popcorn and drinks available for purchase. Free.

Heritage Square, 111 W. Birch St., Flagstaff. downtownflagstaff.org Summer Concert Series: Barrio Manouche (Aug. 3). Enjoy original instrumental compositions with jazz and flamenco flair under the pines on the Arboretum stage. Beer, wine, cocktails and food available for purchase. 5:30 p.m. $22; free for ages 12 and younger. The Arboretum at Flagstaff, 4001 S. Woody Mountain Road, Flagstaff. thearb.org Flagstaff Urban Flea Market (Aug. 10). Local artisans sell their wares — handmade wood and leatherwork, ceramics, soaps, vintage clothing, used tools, comics, toys, household goods, jewelry, upcycled goods, flowers and fleamarket-type treasures. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Free. City Hall parking lot, 211 W. Aspen Ave., Flagstaff. flagstaffmarket.com

Summer Concert Series: Barrio Manouche (Aug. 3) at The Arboretum at Flagstaff

and live entertainment. View exhibits, demonstrations and livestock shows.

10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday-Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday. $5-$8; free for ages 5 and younger. Coconino County Fairgrounds, Fort Tuthill County Park, Exit 337 off I-17. 928-679-8000 or coconinocountyfair.com

PAYSON Payson Food Truck Festival (Aug. 3). Kick off Arizona State University’s pre-season football week with this third annual event featuring a variety of food trucks, four live bands, life-size Jenga games, cornhole boards and a beer and wine garden. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Free.

Green Valley Park, 1000 W. Country Club Drive, Payson. paysonrimcountry.com

STEAM Second Saturdays: Digging Dinosaurs (Aug. 10). Paleontologist Christa Sadler explains how experts find, excavate, remove and prepare dinosaur bones. Touch fossils, handle tools and create a fossil craft. 2-4 p.m. $12; $8 for ages 10-17; free for ages 9 and younger.

Museum of Northern Arizona, 3101 N. Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff. 928-7745213 or musnaz.org

PRESCOTT

Coconino County Fair (Aug. 30-Sept.

2). The annual Coconino County Fair is one of the largest events in northern Arizona. Enjoy carnival rides, games

Wet and Wild Water Day (Aug. 24).

Cool off with the animals! Enjoy water games, a splashy bounce house, wet attractions, special animal feedings,

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Zoo by Moonlight (Aug. 15). Visit the Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary every full moon to see nocturnal residents out and about. Docents will help locate animals and answer questions. Bring a flashlight! 8-9:30 p.m. $8. 1403 Heritage Park Road, Prescott. 928-778-4242 or heritageparkzoo.org

AUGUST 2019 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

aquatic animal encounters, concessions and more. 9 a.m to 5 p.m. $10; $6 for ages 3-12; free for ages 2 and younger.

Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary, 1403 Heritage Park Road, Prescott. 928778-4242 or heritageparkzoo.org

TUCSON Cool Summer Nights (Aug. 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31). Beat the heat at the ArizonaSonora Desert Museum. See stunning sunsets, star-filled skies, night-blooming plants and nocturnal animals that appear after their daytime naps. Bring flashlights and explore or participate in themed activities. 6-10 p.m. Saturdays. $16.95 Arizona residents; $8.95 ages 3-12; free for ages 2 and younger. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, 2021 N. Kinney Road, Tucson.

520-883-2702 or desertmuseum.org Light the Night Sky Lantern Festival (Aug. 3). Spend a day at the park with yard pong, cornhole, face painting, food, music and vendors followed by an evening relaxing by the fire pits with friends and family as you write your messages on lanterns. Make a wish to the universe, write down and release something that’s been weighing you down or send a note to a departed loved one. 5-10 p.m. $55 for adults; $15 for ages 6-12. Christopher Columbus Park, 4600 N. Silverbell Road, Tucson. lightthenightevents.com

Summer Safari Saturday Nights (Aug. 3, 10 and 17). Fill your summer nights with animal encounters, zookeeper talks, games, crafts and face painting. 6-8 p.m. Saturdays. $6.50-10.50; free for ages 1 and younger. Reid Park Zoo, 3400 E. Zoo Court Drive, Tucson. 520-881-4753 or reidparkzoo.org

WILLCOX Peach Mania (Aug. 3-4, 10-11 and 17-18). Peach Mania Festival is a celebration of sweet, juicy ripe Willcox peaches. Spend the day at Apple Annie’s Orchard enjoying pick-your-own peaches, free samples, hayrides and more, including homemade peach pie and peach ice cream. “All You Can Eat” Peaches & Pancakes breakfast from 7:30-10:30 a.m.

Free admission. Apple Annie’s Orchard, 2081 W. Hardy Road, Willcox. 520-3842084 or appleannies.com

TOMBSTONE Doc Holli-Days (Aug. 10-11). This weekend event is dedicated to celebrating the life and legend of John Henry “Doc” Holliday. This year the featured guest is actor Michael Biehn. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Saturday, 3-6 p.m. Sunday. Event times and prices vary; Meet and greet and party tickets are $25-$125. Tombstone Historic District. theannualdochollidays.com

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37

family time! onstage

singers and a full symphony orchestra.

8 p.m. $38-$164. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. comericatheatre.com The Wiggles Party Time Tour (Aug. 5). Experience all the fun of The Wiggles show in person. Kids can sing and dance to all their favorite songs featuring Dorothy the Dinosaur, Captain Feathersword, Wags the Dog, Henry the Octopus and Shirley Shawn the Unicorn!

6:30 p.m. $40. Orpheum Theatre, 203 W. Adams St., Phoenix. 602-262-6225 or thewiggles.com.au

RAZOR & TIE PUBLICITY

Buddy, Ritchie & the Big Bopper Tribute Concert (August 12-13). A tribute to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper features music from the musicians’ final concert in Clearlake, Iowa. It includes hit songs “Peggy Sue,” “That’ll Be The Day,” “Rave On,” “La Bamba” and “Chantilly Lace.” 7 p.m.

Monday, 3 and 7 p.m. Tuesday. $42. Hale Theatre, 50 W. Page Ave., Gilbert. 480497-1181 or haletheatrearizona.com Elton John Tribute Concert (Aug. 26-27). Colte Julian stars as Elton John in this two-hour musical tribute to the British singer/songwriter. 7 p.m. Monday; 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Tuesday. $40. Hale Theatre, 50 W. Page Ave., Gilbert. 480-497-1181 or haletheatrearizona.com

The Wiggles (Aug. 5) at Orpheum Theatre.

DANCE Hip Hop Dance Championship (Aug. 2-10). The 18th annual USA & World Hip Hop Dance Championships and World Battles bring the best hiphop dance teams to the Valley. This championship features 100 events and more than 4,000 dancers from 50 countries.The eight-day event includes workshops and a lifestyle expo featuring music, style and hip-hop merchandise.

Festivities begin at the Arizona Grand Resort and conclude at Gila River Arena. Times vary. $25-$210. Arizona Grand Resort, 8000 S. Arizona Grand

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Parkway, Phoenix and Gila River Arena, 9400 W. Maryland Ave., Glendale. hiphopinternational.com

MUSIC Harry and the Potters (Aug. 2). Accio Music! The inventors of the Wizard Rock genre, Harry and the Potters will perform a 60-minute concert with cuts from their new album, “Lumos” as well as old favorites like “Voldemort Can’t Stop the Rock.” 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Burton Barr Library, 1221 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. phoenixpubliclibrary.org

AUGUST 2019 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

Mickey’s Jukebox (Aug. 2-4).

This interactive musical gives audience members who arrive 15 minutes before curtain an opportunity to select their favorite Disney songs from a giant jukebox.

7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. $18-$33. Fountain Hills Theater, 11445 N. Saguaro Blvd., Fountain Hills. 480-8379661 or fhtaz.org “Weird Al” Yankovic (Aug. 3). The Strings Attached tour is a high-energy rock and comedy production featuring Weird Al’s original band, costumes, props, a video wall, background

PUPPETS Old MacDonald (July 24-Aug. 11).

Sing along with everyone’s favorite farmer and his animal friends. Recommended for ages 2-8. 10 a.m. Wednesday-Saturday; 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. $8-$12; free for ages 1 and younger with the purchase of a child’s ticket. Great Arizona Puppet Theater, 302 W. Latham St., Phoenix.

602-262-2050 or azpuppets.org My Pet Dinosaur (Aug. 14-Sept.

1). Arthur gets a dinosaur egg for his birthday and adventures ensue.

Recommended for ages 5 and older.

10 a.m. Wednesday-Saturday; 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. $8-$12; free for ages 1 and younger with the purchase of a child’s ticket. Great Arizona Puppet Theater, 302 W. Latham St., Phoenix. 602-262-2050 or azpuppets.org

dares to take a stand and change her own destiny. 7 p.m. ThursdaySaturday; 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. $26-$36. This Valley Youth Theatre production takes the stage at Herberger Theater Center, 222 E. Monroe St. in Phoenix. 602-2538188 or vyt.com

THEATER

Winnie the Pooh Kids (Aug. 16-Sept. 1). Join TheaterWorks on a trip to the Hundred Acre Wood, where Winnie the Pooh is once again in search of honey.

Along the way, he meets his pals, Tigger, Piglet, Rabbit and Owl, but soon discovers that Christopher Robin has been captured by the mysterious Backson! As they prepare for a rescue operation, the animals learn about teamwork, friendship and, of course, sharing snacks. $18 McMillin Theater, 10580 N. 83rd Drive, Peoria. theaterworks.org

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (July 5-Aug. 17). Embark on a musical adventure over air and seas with an out-of-this-world car. Based on the 1968 film and featuring an unforgettable score by the Sherman Brothers (of Mary Poppins fame), this show is a fun-filled adventure for the entire family. $20-$40.

7 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 3 and 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday.

Hale Theatre, 50 W. Page Ave., Gilbert. 480-497-1181 or haletheatrearizona.com Rent (Aug. 2-10). Greasepaint Youtheatre stages a year in the life of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York’s Lower East Side, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. 7 p.m. FridaySaturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. $17.

7020 E. Second St., Scottsdale.

Greasepaint.org In the Kingdom of the Clouds (Aug. 2-11). In a world where hope and creativity have been lost, those who live in the Kingdom of Clouds bring to life a lyrical rock opera about love, sacrifice, hope, and fate. Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre, 7014 E. Camelback Road Suite 0586, Scottsdale. 480-4831664 or desertstages.org Matilda (Aug. 9-25). Roald Dahl’s story of an extraordinary girl who, armed with a vivid imagination and a sharp mind,

Puffs (Aug. 16-Sept. 29). For seven years, a certain boy wizard went to a certain wizard school and conquered evil. This, however, is not his story. This is the story of the Puffs, who just happened to be there, too. 7:30 p.m. FridaySaturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. $22-$28.

Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre, 7014 E. Camelback Road, Suite 0586, Scottsdale. 480-483-1664 or desertstages.org Gypsy (Aug. 30-Sept. 13). An ambitious stage mother fights for her daughters’ success while secretly yearning for her own.

“Gypsy” explores the world of American show business in the 1920s. 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. $15. Spotlight Youth Theatre, 10620 N. 43rd Ave., Glendale. 602-843-8318 or spotlightyouththeatre.org

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first person

The lies moms tell themselves

By Stephanie Pletka

I’m messing up my kids. I feel this way when I’m hurried, angry and hollering at my children. But I have to remind myself that these are momentary circumstances. If we mess up today, we’ll get plenty of do-overs.

Did you feed your kids today? Did they have a warm bed to sleep in? Is there love in your home? Then congratulations — you’re the

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AUGUST 2019 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

best mom ever! Kids don’t see our messups like we do. They wear rose-colored glasses, full of unconditional love. Let’s see ourselves through their eyes.

I should be able to do it all. I often think I should wear all the hats: the nurse, the nurturer, the counselor, the cook.

But I’m only one person. It’s important to let others feed our children’s souls. Let those with other talents and gifts shine, like grandparents and teachers. When we send our kids to school, there’s a PE coach, a cafeteria worker, a bus driver and parent volunteers. We can’t expect one person alone to create optimal success. Let’s appreciate our limits and learn to accept that it takes a village.

Janie is cooler, hipper — better at everything — than me. It’s so easy to compare our neighborhoods, our kids, our cars, our jobs, ourselves. Social media tells us everyone is doing it better. I have to remember to stay in my lane and appreciate my unique circumstances.

Camelback Mountain and Pinnacle Peak have distinct features. Comparing denies their uniqueness. The same goes for us.

I’m stuck. Seasons of life — good or bad — don’t last forever. Some days it feels like the baby will never stop crying and the teenagers will always act like persnickety cats. That amazing job, the crabby teen attitude, the rash on baby Liam’s butt; it’s all fleeting. Let’s hang tight for the winds to change. We’re not stuck, just transitioning. We’ve got this.

I should be somewhere else. We walk around with mom guilt, like a well-placed black cloud, because we’re torn in so many directions. We have a 50 percent chance of making the right

ISTOCK

WHEN THE DOORBELL RINGS at 7:15 a.m. I’m in a fog. We have three kids under age 4, including a newborn, and we’re remodeling the upstairs.

The construction crew promised not to arrive before 8 a.m., and yet here they are. I rush to find appropriate clothes — wishing I had an “appropriate clothes” drawer. I wrestle into a sweatshirt as I holler “Come in!” to the guys. They run up the stairs, then quickly run down. “We can NOT work under these circumstances,” one says. And just like that, they are gone.

I run to the upstairs bedroom to find baby poo on the walls and every spindle of the crib.

It has solidified, like concrete.

The baby’s diaper must have blown out moments after I put him to bed. I thought he had slept through the night, but as it turns out, I had slept through the night. Now, out of sheer exhaustion, he was sleeping like a poopie little angel. He had doo doo in his eye lashes, his hair and his ears.

That’s when I heard it, in my own Southern accent: Someone else would probably do a better job raising your kids.

I know I’m not the only mom who beats herself over less-than-perfect child-rearing.

I’m not the only mom who worries she’s not doing enough, or being enough. So at my last speaking engagement, I asked some other moms to offer up lies they tell themselves. Here are some examples, followed by some truths.

choice. Give yourself grace. Wherever you are is where you are supposed to be.

The to-do list is boss. Life’s home runs and failures should not be measured by how far down the to-do list we make it today. Perhaps you need to hang out with the kids on the floor today. Or spend some time with your teenager before she heads off to college. Maybe the dishes are left unwashed. Don’t connect the to-do list to your worth.

I can’t start until everything is perfect. “I’ll start on Monday.” How many times have I said this? But life is a live production, and there is nothing magical about Mondays. If we wait until everything is perfect, we’ll never start.

We can’t expect fallible creatures to be flawless.

We’ve got to start, right now, where we are.

Moms, let’s quit being so hard on ourselves, thinking we need to do all things at once and do them perfectly. Here’s to all the warriors out there — with no “appropriate clothes” drawer — who are writing their stories, daily, and who have always been Enough.

Stephanie Pletka is a Southern transplant, writer and blogger living with her husband and four kids in Scottsdale.

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