RAK Magazine May 2019 by Raising Arizona Kids magazine

raisingarizonakids.com MAY 2019

Phoenix Mayor

KATE GALLEGO

is also a mindful mom

ABBY MASLIN on her memoir “Love You Hard” Arizona’s optimistic schools superintendent KATHY HOFFMAN 9 ways to celebrate MOTHER’S DAY Mayor Kate Gallego and her son Michael (2) in the garden at the Children’s Museum of Phoenix.

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contents

May 2019 FEATURES 18

Kate Gallego: Phoenix mayor and mom

There’s a new mayor in town, and she’s often at family events toting along her 2-year-old son Michael. Gallego talked to Raising Arizona Kids about work-life balance, her choice to run for office and some long-term goals for the city.

Abby Maslin: “Love You Hard”

Maslin, who grew up in Phoenix, talks to Publisher Karen Barr about her new book that details coping with her husband’s traumatic brain injury following a brutal mugging, and learning to be a family again.

Arizona’s new schools superintendent brings youth, optimism to the job

Kathy Hoffman took office in January. She shares challenges ahead to improve the state’s public schools, plus one thing that keeps her up at night.

PHOTOS BY ALLEN PATROU

Mother’s Day essays

Two local writers offer lessons on motherhood, from its surprises to the mistakes we make as parents that instruct in many ways.

DEPARTMENTS 2

dialogue

Strong women

az grown

• Road trip? Try an audiobook • Maricopa County Reads summer program • Sari on Science: Make a light-up greeting card • Great Wolf Lodge opening in October • OdySea in the Desert building a rainforest attraction • Legoland California celebrates 20th birthday • Bonjour Phoenix: Host a French exchange student • 5 eco-friendly family habits • 7 ways to help raise happy kids • AAP recommends swim lessons at age 1

family time!

• Top May events • Around Arizona • Exploring Fan Fusion • Onstage family performances • 9 ways to celebrate Mother’s Day

RaisingARIZONAKids.com MAY 2019

dialogue Michelle Adams, Kate and Michael Gallego, Karen Barr and Kara Morrison.

May 2019 | Vol 30 | No 3 Publisher Karen Davis Barr Editor Kara G. Morrison Calendar Editor Carrie Wheeler Copy Editor Debra Citron Contributors Sari Custer, JoAnn Crohn Jessica Runberg, Sheri Smith, Lisa Van Loo Art Director Michèlle-Renée Adams

Celebrating strong women AS RANCOROUS as our politics are right now, there’s been one silver lining: Women. Women are stepping up and running for office in astounding numbers, and in this issue of Raising Arizona Kids magazine, we meet two of them. For our Mother’s Day issue, we talked to newly elected Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, and took a photo of her with her delightful 2-yearold son Michael. Gallego shared the fact that becoming a mom made her think even more about big-picture issues, like the kind of city she wants for her son. I was in awe. For me, figuring out how to shower daily, sleep for more than two-hours stretches, meet deadlines at work and spend quality time with my baby/toddler were serious challenges during my first two years of motherhood. My “long-term plans” had more to do with laundry than fixing the world. Gallego also shared funny stories about the time she showed up to greet an African crown prince with spit-up all over the back of her clothes and trying to look mayoral as she dashed after Michael at an official appearance at a Phoenix park. Ultimately, she’s decided, “I may just need a new definition of what it means to be mayoral.” I love that. We also sat down with Kathy Hoffman, Arizona’s new schools superintendent, whose win at the polls came as a surprise to some when she had no political experience. Hoffman isn’t yet a mom, but like Gallego, her decision to run came from wanting to effect change for kids. She has long said Arizona’s future begins

MAY 2019 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

in our public schools. A speech-language pathologist by training, Hoffman says she’s not overwhelmed by the job she started in January. In fact, she’s even more optimistic and hopeful about the ways we can improve public education in this state. She acknowledges her youth (she’s 33) probably plays into that, and it also helps her see issues “education policy experts” haven’t noticed or addressed, like the fact that our teachers — the majority of whom are women — lack access to paid maternity leave. The rest of our May issue is packed with interesting reads — Sheri Smith’s tips on raising happy kids, Jessica Runberg’s “Surprises of Motherhood,” an interview with former Phoenician Abby Maslin (whose memoir, “Love You Hard,” explores life and marriage after her husband’s traumatic brain injury) and more. Plus, we’ve got a great roundup of family events this month as we wind down the school year and start looking toward summer vacations. Up next month, it’s our popular Summer Survival Guide, with dozens of ways to make it through the desert heat. Until then, we’re wishing all Arizona moms a happy Mother’s Day!

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

in partnership with

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 $12 for one year or $18 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

Kara G. Morrison, Editor kara@RAKmagazine.com

mail changes to our office. Original, locally generated articles, illustrations and photographs are welcome. Guidelines are available at raisingarizonakids.com.

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az grown books

ROAD TRIP? TRY AN AUDIOBOOK By Carrie Wheeler WHEN MY FAMILY travels in airplanes, it’s every person for him or herself. My 8-year-old son can sit through any intercontinental flight with an iPad, only disconnecting from the screen long enough to use the bathroom or shove some snacks in his mouth. My husband also defaults to tech, carrying his computer, phone and maybe some programming obsession. I board a flight with an aspirational 40-pound backpack filled with books, magazines and a sketch pad — all of which I furiously flip through, afraid of frittering even

a moment of precious “alone” time. During road trips, however, we coalesce as a family. We’ve spent lengthy car rides listening to a combination of my son’s favorite musicdu-jour (try two hours of Weird Al parodies and ’80s jingles). Then, on one four-hour trip from Phoenix to Rocky Point (Puerto Penasco, Mexico), I signed up for a free Audible subscription, and we gave an audiobook a whirl. The hours flew by as we listened to “The Adventures of Pippi Longstocking.” My son enjoyed it so much, we listened to it again on the

way home at his request. Since that trip, we have listened to many, many more books varying in length and subject matter (though mostly adventure capers). We’ve also learned that the local library and Spotify are good sources of free audiobooks. These days, “Can we listen to the story?” is a usual car-ride request, regardless of the trip’s duration. Calendar Editor Carrie Wheeler is the mother of Wilson (8). Send calendar info to Carrie@ RAKmagazine.com.

Here are some audiobooks our family has enjoyed so far: ➊ “Artemis Fowl” (eight books) by Eoin Colfer. Riveting sci-fi tales about a 12-yearold criminal mastermind and his encounters with the faery people who dwell under the earth’s surface. Full of mystery, intrigue and great characters, it’s soon to be a Disney movie.

➋ “Born a Crime” by Trevor Noah. For the adults and older kids (there’s some salty

language), I whole-heartedly recommend Trevor Noah’s memoir, which I think is made even better and more personal by the audio format.

➌ “Blackthorn Key” (three books) by Kevin Sands. Cracking codes and murder/

mystery-solving featuring apprentice apothecary Christopher Rowe. Note: Fast-forward through tedious code readings.

➍ “From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler,” by E.L. Konigsburg. A

timeless classic about a sister and brother running away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and uncovering a mystery.

➎ “Harry Potter” (seven books) by J.K. Rowling. The epic tales of the boy wizard are, if possible, even more compelling with the addition of Jim Dale’s great narration.

➏ “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind” by William Kamkwamba. The uplifting story of a Malawian boy who, despite tremendous adversity — including drought and starvation — created a windmill that changed lives.

➐ “The Mysterious Benedict Society” (three books) by Trenton Lee Stewart. A gripping story about gifted orphans saving the world. When we first tuned in, my son complained, “This is for grown-ups.” After about 10 minutes, he was hooked.

➑ “The War that Saved My Life” (two books) by Kimberly Brusker Bradley. A

World War II-era story about Ada, a London girl born with a club foot, who escapes her abusive household, relocating to the countryside during the evacuation of children during the war.

➒ “Wonder” by R.J. Palacio. This story hooked my son with jokes about a name

synonymous with “butt,” and kept him with a heartfelt and relatable story about fitting in.

MAY 2019 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

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A Universe of Stories STARTING MAY 1, kids and adults can sign up for Maricopa County Reads, the all-ages online summer reading program running June 1-Aug. 1. This year’s theme is “A Universe of Stories.” Participants who register online at maricopacountyreads.org get one point for every minute added to their reading log and can earn prizes and coupons throughout the summer. Prizes include a free book (1,000 points), a day-use pass for one adult and child or one vehicle at Arizona State Parks and a free personal pan pizza from Peter Piper Pizza. Log 20 minutes of reading every day for a chance to win a weekly drawing prize. “A Universe of Stories” also offers hands-on workshops, classes, festivals, tasks, scavenger hunts and more “community experiences” for participants. The program is aimed at promoting literacy and stopping the “summer slide” in learning that can happen when kids are away from school.

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• Peoria Public Library at library.peoriaaz.gov

RaisingARIZONAKids.com MAY 2019

SARI CUSTER

az grown science

Sari on Science

Make your own LED light-up greeting card By Sari Custer LIGHT UP HER MOTHER’S DAY (or anyone’s day) by making an amazing LED greeting card. This is a fun, easy way for kids to start exploring circuits, and you can get all the materials at your favorite craft store. LED stands for light-emitting diode, which is an electronic device that emits light when an electrical current passes through it. Supplies: • 2 pieces of cardstock or heavy construction paper (any size) • 5 mm copper tape • 1 3V coin-cell battery • 1 LED light (3-4 mm — any color) • Crayons, markers, colored pencils or paint • Stickers, silk flowers or other decorative items (optional) • Clear tape • Pencil • Scissors • Binder clip • Glue stick Directions: 1. Fold one piece of cardstock in half so that it resembles a greeting card. 2. Fold a second piece of cardstock to match the

MAY 2019 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

first, then set it aside for later. 3. Decorate the front of your card, identifying a place to add an LED light. 4. Using the pencil or scissors, carefully poke a small hole in the card stock for your LED light. 5. Insert the LED from the back of the card and bend the wires out so it doesn’t fall through. 6. In a corner of the card, mark a place for the coin-cell battery. 7. Using the pencil on the back of the card, draw out the circuit you want to make, so that a line runs from each LED leg to the battery. The battery has a plus (positive terminal) or minus (negative terminal) symbol on each side. The LED also has positive and negative terminals — the longer leg is positive (anode) and the shorter one is negative (cathode). To make the LED light up, you will connect the negative side of the battery to the negative leg of the LED and the positive side of the battery to the positive leg of the LED. Circuit 1. Tape down your copper tape over the lines you drew, carefully folding the tape to “turn” any corners. 2. Using clear tape, secure the legs of the LED so that they are on top of the copper tape. 3. Place the battery in its designated spot on the circuit and fold the corner so that each line of

copper tape makes contact with appropriate terminal of the battery. Secure with a binder clip when you want to keep the LED on. 4. If you want to write a message on the interior of the card, use the second folded cardstock piece to cover the circuit. Secure it with a glue stick and write your message. Be sure to leave access to the corner with the battery. What’s happening? Electricity can only travel through certain conductive materials. When the copper metal tape connects the battery, LED and back to the battery, a circuit is completed. Electricity flows from the battery to light up the LED. What happens if you try to add more LED lights? Learn more Join Arizona Science Center’s CREATE space for workshops on circuitry, 3D printing, laser cutting, woodworking and sewing. Located adjacent to the main building, this 6,500 square-foot community makerspace provides workshops for all ages. Sari Custer is a lifelong science junkie, Chief Curiosity Officer at Arizona Science Center and mom to daughter Carson (4). Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @SariOnScience.

RaisingARIZONAKids.com MAY 2019

az grown attractions

INDOOR WATER PARK and RESORT plans an October opening in Scottsdale GREAT WOLF LODGE, an indoor water park and resort, plans to open Oct. 17 near Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, the company recently announced. The 350-room, all-suite hotel will feature an 85,000-square-foot indoor water park. It will be the first Great Wolf Lodge in Arizona and the 18th such concept in North America. In addition to a water park, the lodge features a Great Wolf Adventure Park, where families can explore ropes courses, play miniature golf and go bowling. It will also feature MagiQuest — Great Wolf Lodge’s exclusive live-action adventure game — and an arcade. Water in the water park is heated to 84

degrees year-round and the park will offer body slides, tube slides, raft rides, activity pools and splash areas. The resort also features a large outdoor resort pool with additional water attractions. Other features planned for guests include: • Yoga Tails, a kids class that combines yoga and storytime • Afternoon crafts and interactive science experiments • Nightly storytimes in the lobby that culminate with a dance party • Several on-site restaurants, including Barnwood, with seasonal dishes, and Hungry

as a Wolf, serving pizza and pasta • Eight types of suites, from family suites with two queen-sized beds and a pull-out twin sofa sleeper to premium suites that sleep up to 13 people with separate bedrooms and bathrooms Great Wolf Lodge Arizona sits on 18 acres adjacent to Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, located within the Salt River PimaMaricopa Indian Community’s Talking Stick Entertainment District. Standard rates for an overnight stay will start at about $200 per night, including two days of play in the indoor water and adventure parks. The resort is located at 7333 N. Pima Road in Scottsdale.

Rainforest concept planned for

OdySea in the Desert ODYSEA IN THE DESERT keeps adding to its growing number of family attractions. The complex on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community east of the 101 on Via de Ventura near Scottsdale boasts OdySea Aquarium, Butterfly Wonderland and Pangaea: Land of the Dinosaurs. OdySea will soon have a new welcome center for a rainforest attraction called Paradise Earth, tentatively slated to open in 2020. Paradise Earth promises thousands of free-flying birds in botanical habitats, plus primates and more in a three-story space. For kids, the rainforest attraction will offer hands-on play on balance logs and climbing vines. Monkeys will be another big draw. Visitors will be able to watch them jump, play and swing through trees. While construction isn’t yet under way, Paradise Earth is selling limited lifetime memberships, much as it did when OdySea Aquarium was being built. Lifetime memberships start at $395 per person or $995 for a family of three. Learn more at paradiseearth.com and odyseainthedesert.com MARK KOSTICH

MAY 2019 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

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az grown travel

WHAT’S NEW AT DISNEYLAND AND UNIVERSAL STUDIOS STAR WARS: GALAXY’S EDGE opens May 31 at Disneyland. Not just a ride, Galaxy’s Edge is an entire new “land” at the Anaheim, California, theme park, offering rides in the Millennium Falcon, a Droid Depot and lightsaber shop, a cantina with otherworldly foods and beverages and, more than likely, some incredible costumes. Galaxy’s Edge is said to be set on the forgotten planet Batuu. The biggest ride here — Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance — will not yet be ready when Galaxy’s Edge opens (the ride’s opening is planned “later this year”). Still, such big crowds are expected May 31 through June 23 that Disneyland ticket holders are required to make no-cost reservations, subject to availability. Tickets for one-day general admission to Disneyland vary daily, ranging from $104 to $149 per person; learn about multiple-day discounts and other ticket packages at disneyland.com. Universal Studios Hollywood also is set to debut new attractions this summer, including Jurassic World: The Ride on the lower level of the theme park and movie studio lot. At the popular Wizarding World of

Harry Potter, a new light and sound show debuts this spring at the castle. Dark Arts at Hogwarts, “an ominous spectacle of light and music,” will be projected select nights on the castle walls accompanied by a John Williams music score. One-day general admission tickets run $109-$129 and include all rides and shows. Visit universalstudioshollywood.com for more details.

LEGOLAND California celebrates 20 th birthday IT’S BEEN 20 YEARS since Legoland California opened its gates in Carlsbad, a laid-back beach town between San Diego and Los Angeles. The theme park is celebrating its two decades with new attractions and activities, including a weekly celebratory dance party in the park and a new exhibit that lets visitors step inside the set of “Lego Movie 2.” On May 9, a completely new Duplo Play Town will open on Legoland California’s highest vantage point. Aimed at ages 5 and younger, it features a larger play area, a new train and views of Miniland, where American landmarks are recreated in Lego bricks. The year-long 20th birthday celebration includes a special perk for kids ages 3-12, who get free admission on their own birthdays. Be sure you bring an original birth certificate, passport or government-issued ID to the ticket booth. Merlin Entertainments adds new attractions and improvements to Legoland

MAY 2019 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

each year. Castle Hotel — the second on-site Lego-themed hotel — opened last year, along with Lego City Deep Sea Adventure, a submarine ride during which kids glimpse real marine life. The waterpark features a new RipTide Racers slide and an entire SeaLife Aquarium. And of course the park offers lots of hands-on Lego-building opportunities — including some Lego-stocked areas where kids can play happily while parents wait in ride queues. Kids can bring or buy minifigures and trade them with any employee wearing a “brick badge.” Tickets are $96 per day, $90 for ages 3-12 and free for ages 2 and younger. Costco offers a three-day pass for Legoland California, Legoland’s waterpark and the on-site SeaLife Aquarium for $110 per person. Check Legoland’s website for additional deals. 760-918-5346 or legoland. com/california. One note about Carlsbad: hotel rooms fill up quickly, and bargains can be fleeting, so book early.

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az grown education The 2018 Bonjour Phoenix participants in Sedona; Left: The Hayes family enjoys Coronado Island near San Diego.

STAY-ATHOME SUMMER ADVENTURE:

Host a French exchange student 12

MAY 2019 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

ANTHEM MOM CELINA HAYES fell in love with France as a high-school exchange student. Today, she’s the director of Bonjour Phoenix — a three-week program in which Arizona families volunteer to host French students. She’s currently looking for 15 host families for July 6-27. Hayes says hosting is a blast, and kids and families reap lifelong benefits from making connections with friends across the ocean. “It’s a smaller commitment for host families,” she explains, comparing Bonjour Phoenix to other programs. “The students and the families who host really get to bond and spend time as a family, all while the student gets a true Englishimmersion experience.” Her family has hosted several times, and last year was a highlight. “Nic Maurer was our student, and it literally felt like he was a missing piece of our family,” she says. “The timing was perfect for hosting, because France was in the World Cup finals. We were able to coordinate a few game-viewing parties with several other families who were hosting students. … It was so awesome to experience the thrill of the games with those kids and to celebrate an epic win [for France].” We asked Hayes how to know if your

family is a good fit for a stay-at-home international adventure. What qualities are you looking for in host families? Primarily, we want fun and active families. We want people who really want to welcome the student into their own family. Each student sends along a few pictures showcasing his/her family and interests, as well as a letter sharing what they enjoy and why they want to have this experience. The host family gets to read several of these letters, and they make the final decision on who they feel would be the best fit. Does the host family need to speak French? Not at all! The goal for these students is to immerse themselves in English for three weeks. Many of the students have had fiveplus years of English, and they desire to really become proficient. If the host family does speak some French, it’s just fun to get the rust off and use it a bit. Should the host family have teenagers? It’s not necessary, but families with children/ teens make great host families. They usually are involved in lots of activities, and that makes

Diving in to teach your child to

SWIM!

BONJOUR PHOENIX

for an excellent experience for our students. When we first hosted, our children were 12, 10 and 7. Our host “son” was 15. They all had a blast. Louis-Raphael was the youngest child in his family, and both of his brothers were off at college. He loved the change of being in a family with siblings at home and getting to try out being a “big brother.” Do you require one stay-at-home parent? The preference would be to have at least one work-at-home or stay-at-home parent. In a home with no kids, we would want at least one person home most of the time, so the student isn’t left alone. What fun would that be? Older students often enjoy the one-on-one that they can get from an active empty-nest home. When families without children apply, we look for those who enjoy getting out and about and would like to invest time into showing the student around. What’s a recommended itinerary? We have had host families who love horseback riding and have brought their students with them. Our family loves day trips, dining out and seeing the sights. We went to Montezuma’s Castle, San Diego, a Diamondbacks game and a preseason Coyotes hockey game. Funny thing is, our students were wowed at the little things we took them to, like Costco, Walmart, Cabela’s and any restaurant that had unlimited fries or soda refills! What did your family learn from hosting an exchange student? We wanted our kids to think about life beyond their little corner of the world, to make friendships, to open their lives up to new people and learn from them. They have made friends for a lifetime. We still Skype regularly with our previous host students. [In 2017] we actually took all of our kids on a trip to France, and we were invited to stay with the families of our host students. It’s been beautiful to see our own children embracing another culture and its people. They have a real and tangible connection to a world across an ocean. That’s priceless!

Interested in hosting? Contact Celina Hayes at 815-979-8216 or visit bonjourphoenix.com.

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az grown parenting

RAISING OUTDOOR KIDS

eco-friendly family habits

Story by Lisa Van Loo and photos courtesy of Ron Abelar

Clockwise: Dominic Nicita (10) drills screws into a garden box as Ron Abelar helps. Riley Abelar (10) churns the compost bin as Lulu Nicita (9) dumps in a new load of food waste. Nolan Abelar (6) sips a drink out of a reusable silicone straw.

took a few trips to the grocery store before we remembered to grab the reusable bags we kept in the car. We’d get a few steps inside, realize we’d forgotten them and run back out. In short, it took a few days to break a lifelong habit. We kicked plastic grocery bags to the curb, just like that. And we shop for seven. So if we can do it, anyone can. We felt we had no choice after reading so many headlines about the impact of climate change and how plastic trash is affecting Earth’s wildlife. When we’re out exploring and hiking, we also pick up trash others leave behind. Experts predict plastic will outweigh fish in the world’s oceans by the year 2050, which is terrifying. A dead whale was found recently in the Philippines with 80 pounds of plastic in its stomach. If that doesn’t

MAY 2019 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

trouble you, try googling the Great Pacific garbage patch. So, beyond grocery bags, we’ve also kicked sandwich bags and produce bags to the curb. That might sound impossible with kids, but it’s not. Was it an adjustment? Totally. Did the kids catch on? Yep. Not only did they catch on, but they began to take pride in doing the right thing, and they started making thoughtful connections as budding environmental stewards. As a family that runs kids to playdates and sports practices, packs lunches and sends snacks, we can honestly say building a little environmental responsibility into each day is not impossible or even painful. It’s just a matter of creating new habits. Here are a few ways you can, too.

1. Ditch plastic bags. Despite more than a decade of knowing better, plastic bags are still filling grocery carts. They don’t have to. Buy a half dozen reusable grocery bags, and keep them in the car. Always. Then, retrain yourself. If you forget your bags at home, use the paper bags most grocers provide or carry what you buy. Before you know it, you’ll have a new, more responsible habit. And, while you’re at it, stop using plastic produce bags. We ordered washable mesh bags from Amazon, and we love them. Stuff them inside your reusable grocery bags, and you won’t forget them.

2. Turn to Tupperware. Think of how many sandwich bags you throw away every day. Reusable containers will ease your conscience. Goldfish crackers, pretzels, Takis, fruit and cookies all fit in small, reusable plastic containers just as well as they fit in disposable plastic sandwich bags. And — newsflash! — kids can be trusted to bring the containers home. This, too, was an adjustment, but it didn’t take long for new habits to form.

3. Learn to compost. Most cities have composting programs through their waste management departments, which makes getting a compost bin super easy. We started composting recently as one of the first steps toward building an urban garden, and we’re a little obsessed with it. The kids already know they should no longer chuck banana peels and eggshells in the trash, and instead toss them into our compost bucket, where we collect all our non-meat food waste and grind it up each day for our backyard bin. Not only are you cultivating valuable soil by composting, you’re keeping food waste out of landfills and putting it to use. You’ll be amazed at how quickly composting will lead to lighter loads in your trash bin.

4. Buy reusable straws. Besides sandwich bags, plastic straws might be one of the toughest habits to break, especially on the road. Drinks come with lids (and kids need lids!), so they also need straws. We purchased a set of silicone straws for when we’re on the go. They come in different sizes to accommodate thicker drinks, and they come with little brushes for cleaning. We keep a bag of them in the car console, so we always have them. If silicone seems weird, try steel straws. We recently saw a set for less than $3 at Walmart.

5. Break up with Styrofoam and plastic water bottles. The first time I asked a convenience store worker if I could use my recyclable cup at the soda machine, he looked at me a little sideways, but ultimately said it was fine. Styrofoam is not biodegradable, and it never goes away. Just avoid it. Do the same with single-use plastic water bottles. Give kids their own refillable bottle, and they will learn responsibility in more ways than one.

TOGETHER, WE can PREVENT DROWNINGS!

Learn the ABC's of WATER SAFETY

Adult Supervision

Barriers

Coast-Guard Approved Life Vests and Classes

A= Supervise children and adults around all water. The caregiver should be sober and know how to swim. Practice eye-to-eye and touch supervision always. B= Block children from unexpectedly getting into water. Secure and lock gates. Make sure drain covers meet standards. C= Take classes to learn how to swim and be able to perform mouth-to-mouth CPR. Wear a life vest while learning to swim.

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

For more information, visit

www.PreventDrownings.org RaisingARIZONAKids.com MAY 2019

az grown health and safety

AAP’s new water safety guidelines recommend

SWIM LESSONS AT AGE 1 Photo courtesy of Hubbard Family Swim School

THIS SPRING, the American Academy of Pediatrics updated its water safety guidelines to recommend swimming lessons for children ages 1 and older as a drowning-prevention measure. Previously, the AAP recommended swim classes for ages 4 and up, which many swim-school advocates considered too late. “Needless to say, all of us at Hubbard Family Swim School and the U.S. Swim School Association are ecstatic and excited to have the support of pediatricians taking a more active role in speaking with parents of young children about the importance of water safety,” said Kathy Hubbard, co-founder of Hubbard Family Swim School and Hubbard Sports Camps, which operate programs in Phoenix, Peoria and Mesa. However, she added, “We continue to emphasize to all parents that swim lessons are just one part of keeping everyone safer. We believe that our students are safer around water — but they are never safe around water.” “Research has found that swim lessons are beneficial for children starting around age 1, and may lower drowning rates,” the AAP’s Dr. Linda Quan, a co-author of the new guidelines, said in a statement. “Learning to swim is a great family activity. Families can talk with

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their pediatrician about whether their child is developmentally ready for swim lessons, and then look for a program that has experienced, well-trained instructors. Ideally, programs also should teach ‘water competency’ — the ability to get out of the water if your child ends up in the water unexpectedly.” Beyond safety considerations, early swimming offers other benefits, Hubbard says. “In 2013 we were part of a study of 7,000 children, conducted by Australia’s Griffith University, that showed children who consistently participated in structured swim lessons were testing one year to 15 months ahead of non-swimming peers cognitively, verbally and physically. These results were evident across socio-economic lines.” The AAP recommends parents take several measures (called layers of prevention) to make a child’s environment safer. For homes with a pool, the most important safety measure is a four-sided fence that completely surrounds the pool and isolates it from the house. The AAP also recommends: • Never leave children alone or in the care of another child while in or near bathtubs, pools, spas or other open water. • Empty water from buckets and other

containers immediately after use. • Never leave young children alone in the bathroom. • Use toilet locks, which can prevent drowning accidents involving toddlers. • When infants or toddlers are in or around the water, a supervising adult with swimming skills should be within an arm’s length, providing constant “touch supervision.” • Even with older children and better swimmers, at least one supervising adult should focus entirely on the children and not be engaged in any other possibly distracting activities — including cell phone use. “Water is everywhere, and we need multiple layers to protect children from the deadly risks it poses,” said Quan. “As pediatricians, we cannot overlook this risk. Pediatricians can help by counseling families and working in their communities to improve safety, especially around pools, lakes and in boating communities.” The AAP is a group of about 67,000 pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists nationwide. Learn more at healthychildren.org

parenting az grown

ways to help raise happy kids

By Sheri Smith

1. It begins with close relationships. “Human babies come into the world less neurologically developed than any other species,” says Steier. “Babies are not just an unfolding of genetics. They are highly influenced by their relationships and their environment.” Parents, of course, do not have the power to control every external factor affecting their children. What they can provide, however, is the one key component that is crucial to their child’s emotional development: A positive parenting relationship. “Relationships are the central focus,” says Steier. “Through their relationships, especially with their parents, children learn who they are and how they feel about themselves — whether they are likable, funny, smart and worthy of love.” They also learn what the world will offer them as far as caring and support. 2. Support through adversity. Even though life does not always go smoothly, the support a child receives when faced with adversity will help that child realize that problems can be solved and that difficulties are not insurmountable.

A parental relationship that supports a child through difficult times stacks the deck in favor of a child being able to “struggle well” through adversity throughout life. Strong families provide a safety net and let children know that when the going gets tough, they will have something to fall back on.

RAWPIXEL

WHEN ASKED WHAT they want most for their children, parents often respond, “I just want them to be happy.” It’s an admirable goal, but what exactly can parents do to help ensure a child’s happiness? We asked local child psychologist Alison Steier. With a doctorate in psychology and 18 years of experience as vice president of mental health services at Southwest Human Development — a leading Phoenix nonprofit dedicated to early childhood development — Steier has spent a vast amount of her career dedicated to this very issue. While Steier notes there’s no blueprint for raising happy kids, she shares seven concrete ways parents can work toward that goal — from forming strong relationships to rolemodeling optimism.

3. Edit your attitude. Parents set the tone. The anxiety level in a home environment has an especially profound effect on children. “Anxiety is contagious,” Steier says. If your child sees you worrying excessively or feeling out of control, children will take on that same level of concern. 4. Realize all behavior is communication. A child’s behavior gives us clues to their emotional state. Steier encourages parents to take on a reflective stance: What is my child’s behavior telling me? A child’s behavioral issues often indicate something bigger that is going on. Are children acting out due to anxiety or frustration? Are their needs being met? Has their routine been disrupted? What could be underlying their emotions? Behavior is not usually good or bad. It’s better to think of it as communicating an emotional state. When children are struggling, provide supportive messages like: “I am here for you. I will help you.” That “always-ness” and that kind of presence is key. 5. Role model optimism. “Children are picking up on cues about whether they are OK or not,” Steier says. “They’re paying attention more than parents can appreciate.” When parents are dealing with stressful situations, it’s important to project a level of optimism. Steier suggests: “Try not to use discouraging language, but rather the language of figuring things out.” It’s also important to pay as much attention to the things that bring us pleasure as those

things that frustrate us. This can be as simple as celebrating joys and sharing optimism, as these are things that are learned. Be sure to make room in life for simple pleasures, small comforts and something especially important to children: playfulness. 6. Seek help along the way. If your child seems particularly stressed or overwhelmed, seek professional help. A change in sleeping or eating patterns or a suddenly withdrawn or easily frustrated child can be indicators that something concerning is going on. 7. Understand every child is different. There’s no blueprint for raising happy children. Steier’s advice is to “be open to children being unique individuals with powerful emotional and psychological reactions to their world.” It’s not easy to grow up. Steier calls it a “formidable path.” But with supportive, accepting and thoughtful parenting childhood can be a positive and joyful experience.

Birth to Five Helpline: 1-877-705-5437 Sheri Smith is a Scottsdale freelance writer and the mother of two teenagers.

RaisingARIZONAKids.com MAY 2019

Mayor and Mom

Kate Gallego is embracing her new job as mayor of Phoenix, while juggling her role as enthusiastic mom to 2-year-old son Michael. By Karen Davis Barr | Photos by Allen Patrou

March, when Kate Gallego was inaugurated as the 61st mayor of the City of Phoenix, she made her priorities abundantly clear. The ceremony, held at the historic Orpheum Theatre, was both solemn and celebratory, with strong themes of family, diversity and inclusion. When it came time for Gallego to recite the Oath of Office, her mother walked onto the stage, leading Gallego’s 2-year-old son Michael by the hand so he could be with his mother during that historic moment. Gallego raised her right hand and placed her left hand on her family’s Bible. As she repeated the oath, she became, at that moment, the only woman mayor among the 10 largest cities in the U.S. (Lori Lightfoot became mayor of Chicago in a run-off election on April 2.) Gallego was also, as she pointed out in a speech minutes later, the youngest — and “the shortest” — of mayors in that illustrious group, eliciting laughs. Not bad for someone the Arizona Republic editorial board deemed “stilted in social gatherings” when she first launched her campaign. (During the run-off, the Republic endorsed her as “the mayor Phoenix needs now.”) Gallego, 37, is widely known for her focus and fierce intellect. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard University and earned an MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. After moving to Phoenix, she worked in strategic planning and economic

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development for Salt River Project. She was the first woman elected to represent District 8 on the Phoenix City Council in 2013 and was re-elected in 2017. In 2010 she married Ruben Gallego, a Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq and went on to become U.S. Representative for Arizona’s 7th Congressional District in 2015. When Kate was pregnant with Michael, the couple announced they were seeking a divorce. Both have kept the details private, but the pressures of a largely long-distance marriage (as Ruben spent much of his time in Washington, D.C.) can’t have helped. Publicly, they have preferred to focus on their enduring friendship and mutual political support, keeping their personal priorities on Michael’s needs. When former Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton left office to run for Congress in May 2018, four people jumped into the ring to replace him in the special election that followed, including Gallego and former councilman Daniel Valenzuela. The two later squared off in a run-off election March 12, which Gallego won decisively. Though known as a progressive thinker, Gallego is quick to point out that the office of mayor is nonpartisan. In everything from public speeches to her Instagram feed (@KateGallegoAZ), she repeats her determination that Phoenix be a city where everyone belongs and everyone can thrive.

RaisingARIZONAKids.com MAY 2019

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Gallego is less known, perhaps, for her warmth and sense of humor — characteristics she often keeps guarded but is growing to embrace. At a photoshoot in the lush garden area at the Children’s Museum of Phoenix — a signature city property located in the historic Monroe school — Gallego was relaxed and radiant, her attention fully focused on Michael, who played in the sand with a toy truck or watered the garden with an elephant-shaped pitcher. You would expect a seasoned politician to know how to “work” a photoshoot. Gallego’s smile was always ready, always confident and consistent. But Michael must have gotten some of that same stuff in the gene pool. During an hour and a half of photographs and interviews, he was “on” in the best possible way — ever curious, always on the move during breaks, and laughing as staff from the museum, the mayor’s office and our own team danced and sang to encourage a perfectly timed smile. After the photos, we moved indoors to talk with Mayor Gallego. As we exited the elevator on the second floor of the museum, it was a bit of a trick luring Michael away from the museum’s popular Noodle Forest and into the art room, where we sat with the mayor on child-sized chairs at a low, round table covered with newspaper and adorned with art supplies. Michael immediately gravitated toward a plastic wading pool filled with cornmeal, where he contentedly played with digging utensils and trucks under the watchful eye of a staffer and two members of the mayor’s security team. We started by asking Gallego if she’d had a moment to breathe since her election. She admitted it had been a quick transition. Had she won more than 50 percent of the vote in the November general election, she would have had a couple of months to prepare to enter office, and possibly some time to take a vacation. But the run-off election was March 12, and she spent many of the nine days afterward preparing for her March 21 inauguration ceremony. There was, however, a much-enjoyed day for a mom-and-son visit to the Phoenix Zoo. You decided to run for mayor when Michael was about a year old. Those first couple of years as a parent are intense and exhausting enough! Why that timing?

Being a mom makes you think about things more long term — you think about what kind of city you’re going to leave behind for your family. I wanted a Phoenix that he would love, and where he could get a great education, have a safe community, have a great, fulfilling career. I think as soon as I became a mom, I began thinking longer term. You don’t think about the next year, you think about the next generation, which is a good perspective for a mayor! Not just thinking about what’s happening next week, but what’s happening next decade. If you’re going to take on bigger things you have to think longer term. Was there something about how you were raised that encouraged your interest in running for public office?

My parents were always very interested in giving back to the community and being involved. They would take me with them when they voted. I saw my dad be involved with the [American] Cancer Society board and other community activities. He’d get involved in making sure we had

good parks near where we lived. I was raised with a sense that government could really get things done and help people solve problems — which, unfortunately is not a message every young person gets these days. People always ask my dad, “Did you expect her to be mayor?” He always says, “There was nothing that made me feel she couldn’t be mayor!” They just wanted me to pursue whatever I loved. How will you set that example for Michael?

I’m planning to take him with me when I go voting, and have him be involved. I try to bring him to [mayoral appearances] that are family friendly. When Harkins Theatres announced they’re opening a new movie theater in Laveen, Michael came out and celebrated with the Harkins movie monkey, which he really enjoyed. He’s never actually been to a movie theater, but he loved the movie monkey. It was just a community announcement. They passed out popcorn and celebrated. How did your daily life change once you became mayor? You have a security team with you today — are there now people with you everywhere you go?

Yes. It’s definitely very different. I had a moment once when I had to run by a bathroom during an event and it ended up that six people plus a security detail had to be involved. There are certainly moments when you realize “some of the daily parts of my life are going to be very different.” But a lot of it is the same [as being on council]: meeting people, going to community events, going to council meetings. Does Michael go to preschool?

He’s at a neat, bilingual program, so I’m hoping he’ll learn Spanish. I drop him off and pick him up most days. Every once in awhile my

RaisingARIZONAKids.com MAY 2019

Gallego’s swearing-in ceremony was a family affair including Michael in his grandmother’s arms.

parents will do that. I wouldn’t be here without my parents. They’ve been wonderful, very engaged grandparents, and they just love him. Michael has three grandparents [including Ruben’s mother] all living close by, and they’ve all been wonderful. There is, unfortunately, that “terrible 2s” label that goes with children Michael’s age. Have you ever been in a situation where you had to quickly switch gears?

My first weekend as mayor, we went to the Encanto-Palmcroft Historic Home Tour. I had him at Encanto Park. He loves being chased, and he’s quite quick! He just goes off shooting off in the park, and I go shooting off after him. Trying to figure out how to look mayoral when you’re chasing a 2-year-old is very difficult. So I may just need a new definition of what it means to be mayoral. During an interview you did with Brahm Resnik on 12News “Sunday Square Off,” he asked if being a “working mom” was easier than being a “candidate mom” and now a “mayor mom.” You said we need to think of elected officials not as people who are up on pedestals, but as people who have the same daily-life challenges as the rest of us.

I think there is real value in having elected officials who have the same challenges that families do, and are facing the same things. You see the results in little things, like “Do we have a good place to nurse at Sky Harbor?” versus big-picture things like “What are we doing for early childhood [programs] in Phoenix?” A lot of people in this community are struggling to balance everything, and if we have elected officials who are also thinking about how we make that a little bit easier, I think there is real value.

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[Being a working mom] does mean that sometimes I’ll show up at a meeting with who-knows-what on my shoulder, or in my hair. I had a funny [example] as a council woman. We were greeting a crown prince from Africa when Michael was quite young. I dropped him with my mom and went in. I felt like everything smelled like Michael! I thought it was just my new reality. And then I got the pictures back, and it turned out he had spit up all over my back! So hopefully babies are universal and the crown prince had some experience with babies, and didn’t think, “Who is this vice mayor of Phoenix who can’t show up with a clean shirt?” How do you establish boundaries on your time with Michael? You must have people telling you all the time you’re needed here, there, everywhere…

I try to make sure Michael and I have time together every day when we’re just engaging and he gets 100 percent of my focus and I can be totally present for him. Tell us what Michael is like.

He’s a very warm and friendly guy, very curious. Right now he loves everything involving trucks. His favorite part of the city is definitely our garbage trucks, but the fire trucks are pretty cool as well. He’s just so curious. I’m always surprised at things he knows and understands! When we were just out at the Children’s Museum [garden], he knew the well was for water. I have no idea how he would know that! Wonderful surprises. Your life has the added dimension of co-parenting with your former husband, Congressman Ruben Gallego. That’s a

challenge many parents are navigating right now. What have you learned?

COURTESY OF THE CITY OF PHOENIX

We always try to think about what is best for Michael and put him first, and just stay up to date on whatever happened in his week, what he’s interested in, all of his little milestones. He was getting ear infections all the time, so we both wanted to be there when he got tubes in his ears, and hug that little guy. It’s important for both of us to be flexible. We both have jobs where you have to be pretty responsive to what’s happening in the world around you. We try to make plans and plan ahead, but adapt if something big happens. Your inauguration ceremony represented a broad swath of the Phoenix community — a festive mariachi band, a hip-hop group, an invocation by Rabbi John Linder, remarks by Gila River Indian Community Governor Stephen Roe Lewis ... You even had a 6-year-old recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Tell us about that.

The young man is named Anaik Singh Sachdev. I met him on the campaign trail; folks in the Sikh community had invited me to community events. He spoke before the State Board of Education [in October 2018] to advocate for including the Sikh religion [in state standards for K-12 social studies and world languages]. Anaik was 6 years old when he did that. I was really inspired! I liked the idea of having him say the Pledge of Allegiance and showing this is absolutely his country — just the neat symbolism [of that]. A very impressive young man, in his turban, saying the Pledge of Allegiance! That’s part of what being an American is to me, and he did such a great job. He was surprised when I asked him if he was nervous. He said he’d said the Pledge of Allegiance so many times before, why should he be nervous? You’re known as something of an “in your head” intellectual. Have you had to learn to adjust to the more social aspects of being a politician and now mayor?

I’m a little bit introverted for someone who does this for a living. I really like to read. I had some funny moments during campaign, like when the Arizona Republic editorial board wrote that I wasn’t super fun at cocktail parties. I love being around people. I enjoy it. But I do have to make sure I have some time just for me, and for my son.

Phoenix toward a knowledge-based economy with higher-wage jobs. Education so important. We have to figure out how to get people the resources they need to get that education and the jobs of the future. Certainly any job is great, but a call-center job with no healthcare isn’t the job you need to raise your family. You always hope every future generation will be better off than the current one. You talk about all you are juggling. Every mom wants that chunk of advice that makes it all possible. Anything you can share?

Every mom at work has that question: How much do you talk about being a mom and make sure the people around you know it’s important? I’ve talked to some moms who’ve said “I just don’t even want to talk about being a mom, because I worry it will hold me back.” I had that real concern when I was running. Would people be accepting of a mayor who was a mom to a 2-year-old? And ultimately, I decided it’s who I am. And so we put Michael in my TV commercial, and I said, “I think this is an asset. I think it will make me better at my job.” And I got a really positive response. People seemed to say, “We like the idea of having a mayor who’s a mom.” I would hope that would be true for other people at work — that if you’re willing to tell your co-workers “family is really important to me, I’m really glad to be a mom,” we’re in a special time in our country when people are really embracing that. One thing all moms struggle with is making time to selfnurture and regenerate. What do you do to keep yourself so energetic and positive?

We live right by South Mountain Park. On a bad day on the job you can [hike up and] look down at the city from South Mountain and know everything is OK. It is a beautiful city. It’s just neat to look down, to be part of something that you think is phenomenal. I love Phoenix, and I also feel like our future is in front of us, we’re still telling the story of what Phoenix is and changing the face of it. It’s an honor to be part of that. Do you take Michael with you to hike?

He prefers to sit in the dirt. So when I take him to South Mountain it is a more stationary experience. He just gets in the dirt and plays. As he should.

What is your favorite part of your job?

I love it when I can shine a light on someone who’s doing amazing things in the community, usually as a volunteer, and just thank them and recognize them for what they’re doing. I love being able to connect people — you get to meet so many people in so many different parts [of the community]. It’s wonderful when you can put people together who would work well together. I love thinking long-term about ways Phoenix can change.

Yes, at 2, he is not yet taking in the view of the city. The art room at the Children’s Museum of Phoenix began to fill with

excited children on a school field trip. As the noise level climbed it was clear our interview was over. While wrapping things up, we remarked about the fact that Mayor Gallego had kept her phone turned off during our entire time together “You have to be present at what you’re doing,” she said. So that is her secret.

What’s part of that vision?

One of the big projects I hope to take on is redevelopment along the Salt River bed. Tempe created Tempe Town Lake along their [portion of the] Salt River bed, and we haven’t done as many bigger-picture things [along ours]. That’s something I hope to take on. Also I hope to push

Karen Davis Barr is the founder and publisher of Raising Arizona Kids. Her 33-year-old son, Andy, a political strategist who lives in Berkeley, California, has worked with both Kate and Ruben Gallego. Kara G. Morrison, the magazine’s editor, contributed to this report.

RaisingARIZONAKids.com MAY 2019

Abby Maslin: “Love You Hard” By Karen Davis Barr | Photos courtesy of Abby Maslin

OST OF US GAIN PERSPECTIVE IN tiny increments, from a steady drip of experiences that push us to accept, adjust, reframe and recalibrate our lives over time. It happens so gradually we can’t pinpoint a specific moment of change. It’s like a child you can’t see growing, but notice, one day, is an inch taller. For author Abby Maslin, wisdom came like a tightly compressed crash course after a brutal mugging left her husband, TC, with a traumatic brain injury so severe his doctors at first thought he would never walk or talk again. In a new memoir, “Love You Hard,” she shares her journey — from the initial days of terror, grief and confusion through the challenges of communication and caregiving, to a new plane of existence that brought acceptance, peace, clarity and recommitment to her fierce love of husband, family, friends and community. Maslin, who spent part of her childhood in Phoenix, returned to the Valley recently during an early leg of her book tour. An event at Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe had the feel of a family reunion, with lots of hugs, laughter and tears with people who “knew her when.” During that event, and a subsequent interview by phone, she talked about her book, which was released March 12, readers’ initial reactions to it and where her extraordinary journey may take her next.

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IN THE SUMMER OF 2012, TC and Abby Maslin were living the dream. Careers they loved — he was an energy analyst; she was an elementary school teacher. A second-floor home near Eastern Market in Washington, D.C. A young son, Jack, whose arrival rocked their world in the best possible way. TC was so attached to Jack, in fact, that he almost didn’t go out that night. He couldn’t bear the thought of missing precious time with his toddler son. But it was baseball season, and he had a chance to enjoy a Washington Nationals game with his brother. With Abby’s blessing, he decided to go. At 10:30, he called Abby to say goodnight. He was stopping for a quick drink with some friends. She went to bed. When she awoke the next morning, her husband’s side of the bed was untouched. TC was not there. Hours later, she was at the hospital, trying to comprehend what had happened. As TC walked home at about 12:30 a.m., three young men jumped out of a car, holding a gun and demanding that he empty his pockets. Even while TC was cooperating, one of the men knocked him in the eye with the butt of the gun. Another bashed the left side of TC’s head with an aluminum baseball bat. Then they fled. Battered and bleeding, TC stumbled away, looking for help. He passed out on the porch of a home whose occupants were out of town. That’s where the police found him. Maslin takes readers into her deepest thoughts and emotions as she moves through that first morning and everything that follows — including her struggle to reconnect with the very different version of her husband who emerged from the hospital six months later. Her telling of it is mesmerizing and surprisingly relatable. Few of us experience trauma on this magnitude, but none of us escape the hard work of reconciling life expectations with reality. MASLIN’S FAMILY FIRST MOVED to Phoenix when she was in second grade, and her dad, Martin E. Sullivan, was director of The Heard Museum, a job he held for most of the 1990s. She attended Hopi Elementary School for a year and a half before transferring to Arcadia Neighborhood Learning Center (renamed Echo Canyon School in 2017), where her mom was the librarian. Maslin was in the first class to “graduate” from ANLC, which opened in 1990 as something of an experiment: an alternative educational environment featuring multiage classrooms and a student-directed learning approach considered cutting edge for a public school. Maslin remembers lots of opportunities for hands-on, real-life lessons. Like the time she decided to raise money for her school by hosting a “dessert theater” talent show and went around town soliciting donated desserts from restaurants and stores. “There were all these opportunities to be independent,” she says. It was a perfect learning environment for a kid like Abby, who was by nature outgoing, imaginative and intellectually curious. Even then, she loved writing. Her teachers would “let me write all day if I wanted to.” They encouraged her to read her stories (some as long as 20 pages) to the class. Maslin also pursued interests in theater and dance. She performed with what was then a newly launched Valley Youth Theatre. She danced in Frances Smith Cohen’s “Snow Queen” under the tutelage of

Susie Silverman of Dance Theater West. (Silverman was in the crowd at the Changing Hands event.) Those interests continued after Maslin’s family moved back east. All the way through high school, she gravitated toward creative outlets. But by the time she graduated, she was seeking something with more reliable employability. “I knew that writing/theater/acting was not going to be my grown-up life,” she says. She became a teacher. TWO AND A HALF WEEKS into TC’s hospitalization, Maslin tried to write an email to update people she knew were concerned about them. Her sister Bethany suggested she write a blog instead. That way, Bethany said, anyone who was interested could follow along. That first post exposed some of the “rawest kind of emotions I was feeling,” says Maslin. “The worst thing that could possibly happen had happened. I had nothing to lose by sharing my heartbreak.” The post went viral: 5,000 hits in a matter of hours. Months later, she submitted an essay called “Love You Hard” to a literary contest, and won. That drew the attention of an agent. She started her book during the second year of TC’s recovery, when he was doing better, but found she couldn’t finish it. The strain of post-traumatic stress (on both of them) and the pressure of trying to redefine and accept their changed lives and relationship didn’t make for much of a happy ending. Abby, empowered by her creative, empathic teaching skills, had

RaisingARIZONAKids.com MAY 2019

Page 24: Rosie, Abby, TC and Jack Maslin. Page 25: TC in the intensive care unit following the brutal attack that left him with a severe traumatic brain injury. Left: Jack (then 2) and Abby visit TC at during the early months of his recovery. Below: Abby today.

been a big factor in TC’s continuing recovery. But she was drained by the exhaustion of caregiving and the loneliness of a marriage so different from what it had once been. And while the couple had re-established a life routine, the deeper-level communication of thoughts and feelings remained challenging. The story of how she emerged from that stage is this book’s best gift to the world. This is where you learn what Maslin had to accept about herself before she could move on. It is a lesson all mothers, all caretakers, all givers, must eventually confront about themselves. Maslin went back to her story, writing it in pieces, “then spent many years fitting it all together.” She says she rewrote the book six times, “to teach myself to write.” What kept her going? Remembering how fervently she wished she had been able to find a book like this “on all those lonely nights when I was searching the Internet for [traumatic brain injury] stories that had happy endings.” She’s adamant about emphasizing this is her story. “I didn’t try to tell our story, only mine,” she says. “I could never tell the survivor’s story.” Reactions to her book have been “so beautiful!” she says. “That’s been the most affirming part of this. People have opened their lives to me, telling me their own stories. There are lots of tears at events. Not just from people in the brain-injury community, but anyone who’s been through a deeply difficult time and suffered in some way. Even people who are content with their lives — when that layer of honesty gets peeled back, it’s liberating in some way.” BY THE FOURTH YEAR, TC’s recovery had progressed to the point where he could resume driving and became more independent. That’s when the couple’s daughter, Rosie, was born. Rosie will never know, and Jack will never remember, the “before” version of their dad. Jack was their source of light and normalcy when everything else seemed to be spinning out of control, Maslin says. Rosie is clearly the reaffirmation of a love that transcended enormous sacrifice and challenge. After several moves around the country (“for a while we were too

MAY 2019 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

freaked out to live in D.C.”), the family has returned to the nation’s capital. “We missed D.C. and decided not to be making decisions out of fear,” Maslin says. “We were not going to let that assault rob us of anything else.” Besides, she says, “safety is an illusion. You can’t make your decisions out of fear. You have to make them out of love and joy.” TC is back at work in an office overlooking Dupont Circle. Abby has returned to full-time teaching. Largely because she is a teacher, Maslin harbors no ill will toward the young men who upended their lives. “A lot of people wanted me to be angry [at the assailants],” she says. “But I’m an urban-area teacher. It’s not a mystery to me that these kids feel like they have no options in life.” For at least the short term, she plans to continue her “double life” as full-time teacher and part-time author, using every available break to travel the country to speak about her book. She wants to keep writing, and plans to tackle fiction next. “I have a lot of passions,” she says. “I’m lucky I get to pursue a lot of them. I want to say yes to all of them.” But like most young mothers, she faces a persistent struggle for balance. “Sleep is a huge factor,” she says. “I realized that when I was trying to write in the middle of the night. Sleep is critical. For me, movement is critical, too. If I don’t do yoga or at least go walking every day I start to lost my creative faculties — I don’t feel like I’m living inside my body. My third boundary is putting more of a line around my time with TC. We’re just like everyone else. Our ‘special time’ together is usually like, ‘The kids finally went to bed, so do we work or do we numb down on Netflix?’” Karen Davis Barr is the founder and publisher of Raising Arizona Kids. She learned about Abby Maslin’s book from former RAK multimedia contributor Vicki Louk Balint, whose daughter, Cory (now a physician and mother of two), was one of Abby’s good friends during the Phoenix years. Both girls danced in “Snow Queen.” Abby, the more mischievous of the two, remembers creating a No More Rules Club, which Cory reluctantly joined.

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RaisingARIZONAKids.com MAY 2019

A NEWCOMER TO POLITICS, Kathy Hoffman took some voters by surprise when she won her bid to become Arizona’s Superintendent of Public Instruction and took office in January. A former speech therapist in the Vail and Peoria school districts, Hoffman is the youngest elected schools superintendent in state history at 33 (32 when she won), and the youngest of her peers across the country. Hoffman oversees Arizona’s public school system and directs the state Department of Education’s 565 employees at offices in Phoenix, Tucson and Flagstaff. She says she’s energized by her new role. “It’s part of my personality that I have a lot of hope and optimism,” Hoffman says from a 16th-floor Education Department office at a midtown Phoenix high-rise. (In person, Hoffman’s youth is less apparent than her height: she’s just over 6 feet tall and often towers over colleagues at events.) “I think part of that is being young and just seeing there’s so much opportunity, and there’s still so much we can do to change the future and influence the direction we go.” From day one, Hoffman affirmed she’ll have her own style. She took her oath of office on a children’s book — “Too Many Moose!” by Lisa Bakos — explaining it was beloved by her students and taught important communication skills. She’s also listening to diverse groups, including the March for our Lives AZ kids, and trying to bring many stakeholders together to resolve the challenges still facing Arizona’s schools.

Schools superintendent brings youth, HOPE and OPTIMISM to her role By Kara G. Morrison

MAY 2019 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

HOFFMAN GREW UP IN PORTLAND, Oregon. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Japanese Studies at the University of Oregon (she’s fluent in Spanish and Japanese) and then moved to Tucson. Hoffman taught preschool there for two years and discovered the two

loves of her life: speech pathology and her husband, Justin. (In his third year of medical school at Midwestern University, he plans to be a pediatric neurologist.) Hoffman went on to earn a master’s degree in speech pathology from the University of Arizona and worked as a speech pathologist in Arizona classrooms for six years. Hoffman’s husband was one of the few who wasn’t surprised when she decided to run for office — a decision she came to after hearing U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos speak. “It should have been a shock,” Hoffman recalls of his reaction. “I was not involved politically. I’d never run for anything before, but for him, he says he knows me as being a leader.” Hoffman is the first Democrat to hold the position since 1995, and the first person elected to the post since tens of thousands of Arizona teachers joined the Red for Ed movement and marched on the state Capitol last spring, demanding better pay and support for public schools after years of cuts to public education funding landed Arizona near the bottom in most comparisons with other states in areas including teacher pay and retention. So far, Hoffman is sticking with priorities she identified on the campaign trail, including an audit of the Education Department that is just getting underway. “I want my administration to be responsible and transparent and using tax dollars in the most efficient way,” she says. While audit results are months away, she’s already learned the department uses “antiquated” systems to track complex school-funding inputs. She’s planning to request money for a new IT system, and says the Education Department is also partnering with ASU, using its technology to double-check funding formulas and outcomes. As this issue was going to press, state officials were celebrating a bipartisan victory after the legislature repealed a 1991 state law nicknamed “no promo homo” that prohibited the “promotion of a homosexual lifestyle” in schools (specifically in sex ed classes, but it was being interpreted

more broadly). Gov. Doug Ducey signed legislation to repeal the law. Hoffman called attention to the law in her first State of Education speech, noting it had discriminated against LGBTQ students and contributed to bullying. As the legislature worked, Hoffman tweeted: “I applaud my colleagues in the legislature for taking this important step toward building a better and more equal state. Today, and every day, we say: all are welcome in our schools.” Hoffman says there’s lots of work to be done, including identifying “a broad sustainable source of school funding” going forward. Here’s what she shared about the challenges and opportunities ahead. You’ve long said paid maternity and paternity leave for teachers should be a priority. Why? I’ve just talked to countless teachers who have had that be an issue for them, and to me it’s just common sense. I think it would help attract more teachers to the profession and also retain our current teachers who want to start families. Are there advantages to youth in this role? I definitely think I have brought a unique perspective to these conversations. Maternity leave is a perfect example, because I have had countless conversations with people who would say they have been working on education policy for over 20 years, who are considered to be experts in the field for Arizona education policy, and I start talking to them about why we need maternity leave, and they’re just stunned: ‘Wait, what? We don’t have maternity leave?’ I think [knowing things like that,] that’s being a young woman, that’s being in the classroom. Both Arizona and the country are grappling with dropping vaccination rates and outbreaks of once-eradicated diseases like measles. You were glad when a bill to make personal exemptions for vaccinations easier failed this year in the legislature. For a kid to do well, they need to be in school. I think we need to follow the advice of our medical

providers and follow the research, which supports vaccinating our children. It’s a way everyone can be as healthy as possible and prevent these types of outbreaks. For me, it comes right back to an issue of attendance and school outcomes and academic performance, as well as the safety and well-being of the child. Is a particular issue or this job as a whole going to be more challenging than you thought? Actually it’s been the opposite. There were so many people along the way [who] said, “Why would you want that job? It’s just an administrative job. The legislature and the governor have all the power.” It’s been a pleasant surprise that this job is what you make of it. I’m a relationship builder and I’m a problem solver and I’m very solution-focused and I’m very quick to realize there’s a place for analyzing the problems and looking at the data and research — we do a lot of that — but then there’s realizing there’s just as important a place for identifying the next steps and moving forward and taking action. I’m really good at pushing those things forward and figuring out who needs to be involved [and coalition building]. What about this job keeps you up at night? What keeps me up at night is that our teacher shortage is so severe. I feel like it’s going to take years, and there’s not one easy fix to it. It’s a multifaceted issue when it comes to teacher workload and burnout and [how] our young people view the teaching profession. In December, [a report came out that] over 900 teachers had quit, and it had been roughly the same the year before. Even with the [20 percent by 2020] raises! Even housing is an issue — the affordability of housing can be a barrier for teachers. … It’s a massive problem, and it’s going to take time to address it. That’s a real challenge for us. Editor Kara G. Morrison is the mother of Sofia, 6. Freelance writer Margaret Beardsley contributed to this article.

RaisingARIZONAKids.com MAY 2019

The surprises of motherhood By Jessica Runberg

B efore our daughter

was born, we thought we knew everything. Not everything about parenting — we’re still figuring that out! — but everything about her. We eagerly found out her sex, gave her a name shortly thereafter, and I went into labor the evening before my due date — right on time. There were no polls about what we were having or family and friends anxiously waiting to hear what name we’d been secretly harboring. My labor progressed normally, uneventfully and according to my birth plan. No surprises whatsoever. Until she was born at 4:54 a.m. on Valentine’s Day with a full head of red hair. I’m brunette. My husband’s a blonde. We have a few redheaded relatives hiding in our family tree, but it never occurred to me that she might have red hair. Little did I know that it was the first of many surprises our little Valentine would have in store. Like the time she rolled over just shy of 3 weeks (and repeated this feat of strength for the pediatrician at her one-month checkup in case there was any doubt). Perhaps we shouldn’t have been surprised when she hiked to the end of the Pinnacle Peak trail when she was newly 2. We’re both hearty hikers, but this accomplishment at such an early age floored us. She is mentally strong, too. “No” and “I do it my own” were two of her earliest toddler mantras — a quality that sometimes makes parenting difficult, but I know her strong will and can-do attitude will serve her well in life. Still, I was shocked by how easily a small person could outwit me. There are a lot of stereotypes about redheads, most of them being a variation on their fieriness. I suppose it’s a warning label of sorts. Six years later, it makes perfect sense that our daughter has her own hair color. She’s her own person after all. She’s not a mini me, nor is she a carbon copy of my husband. She has her own special sauce, and is having her own experiences in the world, not a do-over of our childhoods. Perhaps this shouldn’t have been a surprise. My independent child has taught me this: To watch, listen and wait. I take my cues from her, often letting her guide my parenting. What does she need from me? Does she really need my help, or is it better if I take a step back and let her “do it her own”? One Halloween, she decided to come up with her own costume, rummaging through the contents of her dress-up bin. It’s hard to say

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what she was exactly — some sort of purple-sunflower-fairy if there is such a thing — and at the last minute, I decided to go as a gardener. My husband snapped a picture of me donning a wide-brimmed sun hat as I held a watering can over her head, and ever since I can’t help but think of myself as her personal gardener. It’s my job to tend to her and make sure that she has everything she needs to bloom (water, sunlight, nutrients, love) and become the remarkable wildflower that she is. I already feel like I know her so well, her likes and dislikes and inborn personality traits. If I squint, it’s not hard to picture her future, potential career paths or the values she might cling to along the way. But instead of claiming that I know everything about her, I think I’ll sit back and see what other surprises await. Jessica Runberg is a freelance writer and the mother of Emily (6).

One parenting “mistake” I’ll take By JoAnn Crohn

D irty dishes were piled

on the kitchen counter. I had three full bins of clean laundry to fold and my 5-year-old son was throwing a temper tantrum “Mom, I don’t want to live in this house anymore. I want to move.” “No, I don’t want applesauce (or cereal or yogurt-covered raisins or a banana). We don’t have anything to eat!” “MOM … I’m so grumpy because I didn’t get to sleep at 8 last night.” (For the record, it was 8:10). I tried to stay calm. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes and waited for serenity. That peace never came. As I searched for a clean fork in our dishwasher, my eyes started to burn. I slammed the dishwasher door and retreated to the couch. There, I started a big, ugly, uncontrolled cry. At that moment, I felt everything I did was wrong. I was ashamed that I couldn’t keep up with the housework. Frustrated that I could do nothing to make my kid happy. Embarrassed that I was falling apart. I felt … like a failure. Negative thoughts raced through my head: “I’m a horrible mom.” “Why can’t I keep it together?” “What would Supernanny say about me now?” Unexpectedly, my son stepped up. He walked up to me — a whimpering ball on the sofa — put his arms around my neck and leaned his forehead on my cheek. “I’m sorry, Mommy.” At that point, I cried harder, because instead of consoling my son, he was having to comfort me. A few days later, I mentioned my guilt to a friend, and she brought up an interesting point. “Your son showed what kind of parent you are.” I didn’t get it. “Kids are the best mirrors,” she continued. “If you were a mom who told your son to toughen up each time he cried, he would have said the same to you. But you don’t do that. Instead, you comfort him and hold him when he’s sad. That’s what you taught him to do.” Often as parents, we don’t know how we’re doing. Kids give us little feedback, and when they do, it’s usually in the form of a temper tantrum, a sassy comeback or an eye roll. But in those little moments — those little surprises — you can find proof of the true good we are doing raising little humans, even through our “mistakes.” JoAnn Crohn is a former elementary school teacher who lives in Chandler with her husband, 10-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son. She’s the founder of noguiltmom.com

RaisingARIZONAKids.com MAY 2019

family time!

Paint and Play (May 5) at Desert Botanical Garden.

TOP MAY EVENTS By Carrie Wheeler

May is a month to celebrate mothers, teachers, end-of-school days and warm-weather fun. Families can fiesta, pick fresh fruit, get free stuff (comic books, movies and museum admission) and prepare for the long summer ahead. NOTE: Find more extensive day-by-day event listings at raisingarizonakids.com/calendar. Be aware that last-minute scheduling changes can occur. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always best to confirm dates and times by phone or online before attending.

MAY 2019 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

ALL MONTH: U-pick peaches. Pick from eight different varieties of fresh peaches at Schnepf Farms. Choose your own in the orchard or grab already-picked fruit at the main store. Free admission; peaches are priced by the pound with bags and boxes included. 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday-Sunday. Schnepf Farms, 24610 S. Rittenhouse Road, Queen Creek. 480-9873100 or schnepfffarms.com

MAY 2, 16 AND 30: Movies in the Courtyard. Enjoy a free outdoor movie in the Barnes & Noble Courtyard at Desert Ridge Marketplace. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free. 21001 N. Tatum Blvd., Phoenix. shopdesertridge.com

MP E MA

MAY 4-5:

R K E T PL AC E

Zapcon 7. Play games for free at this weekend classic arcade and pinball party. Find a complete list of games online. $10-$40. Mesa Convention Center, 263 N. Center St., Mesa. zapcon.com

MAY 4 AND 12: MAY 4:

Cultural Connections Concert Series. Local performers entertain and educate with their unique cultural styles of music and dance. 1-5 p.m. Free. OdySea in the Desert, 9500 Via de Ventura, Scottsdale. odyseainthedesert.com

Bubble Bash at Tempe Marketplace. Bubbles are everywhere at this annual festival featuring interactive bubble-experience stations, live entertainment, a foam zone and bubbles as big as a bus. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free. Tempe Marketplace, 2000 E. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe. tempemarketplace.com

Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition (May 8) at OdySea in the Desert.

Girls on the Run. Men, women and children are invited to support the limitless potential of girls at this family-friendly 1-mile and 5K race featuring snacks, free photos, a happy hair station, massages and more. 8 a.m. $12-$25. Wesley Bolin Plaza, 1700 W. Washington St., Phoenix. gotrmc.org Paint and Play. In its new Cocoon: A Space for Garden Play, the Desert Botanical Garden encourages kids to create a garden-inspired masterpiece using assorted natural materials to paint, print, smear, stamp and spread their vision onto canvas. Included with general admission: $12.95-$29.95. Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix. 480-941-1225 or dbg.org Turf Paradise Kentucky Derby Party. Grab your best hat and head to the state’s only Kentucky Derby party with live horse racing. Hat and fashion contests (for kids and adults), live music, a kids fun park with bounce houses and a performance by the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show. 7 a.m. gates open; 3:24 p.m. race starts. $5 grandstand admission; free for ages 16 and younger. 1501 W. Bell Road, Phoenix. 602-942-1101 or turfparadise.com

ODTSEA IN THE DESERT

DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN

Free Comic Book Day. Whether you are a dedicated comic book fan or a first-time comics reader, this day is for you. It celebrates the art, this diverse story lines and the hobby of comic collecting. Stop by a participating local comic store and receive at least one free comic book. Locations Valleywide. freecomicbookday.com

MAY 5: Cinco de Mayo Phoenix Festival. This multicultural street festival is filled with non-stop fun, games, traditional food, drinks and live entertainment (including performances by War and Tierra) and an interactive kid zone. Noon to 10 p.m. $10-$75; free for ages 10 and younger. Downtown Phoenix, 200 W. Washington St., Phoenix. 602-279-4669 or cincophx.com

MAY 7 AND 21: Blaire’s Cookie-Decorating. Girl of the Year Blaire Wilson loves watching things grow on her family farm and cherishes her animal friends. Girls ages 6 and up can decorate cookies shaped like flowers, chicks and pigs. To-go boxes are provided. 2:30-4:30 p.m. $10. Reservations required. American Girl at Scottsdale Quarter, 15059 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 100, Scottsdale. 877-247-5223 or americangirl.com

MAY 8: Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition. See 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 efforts. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. SundayThursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Ticket sales stop an hour before close. $14.95-$19.95 at the exhibit box office. OdySea in the Desert, 9500 E. Via De Ventura, Scottsdale. odyseainthedesert.com

RaisingARIZONAKids.com MAY 2019

TOP MAY EVENTS continued Girls in STEM (May 11) at Arizona Science Center.

MAY 12: Discount Tire Free Family Sunday. Phoenix Art Museum offers free general admission and discounted special-exhibition admission from noon to 5 p.m. on the second Sunday of each month. This one lands on Mother’s Day, so the whole family can take mom to the museum and enjoy hands-on art activities, scavenger hunts, live performances, storytimes, free tours and more. Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-257-1880 or phxart.org

MAY 18:

ARIZONA SCIENCE CENTER

Surprise Your Eyes. This new 3D optical-illusion attraction begins today; it 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. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. $9.95. OdySea in the Desert, 9500 Via de Ventura, Scottsdale. odyseainthedesert.com

MAY 11: Girls in STEM. Calling all fourth- through eighth-grade girls: Explore science, technology, engineering and math fields including robotics and biology during hands-on workshops, and collaborate on real-world problem-solving with women working in STEM careers. Lunch and snacks provided. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. $15. Arizona Science Center, 600 E. Washington St., Phoenix. azscience.org Movies in the Desert: The Little Mermaid. Enjoy a free night of fun … and a movie. Festivities start at 5 p.m. with an Ariel meet-and-greet, crafts, games and prizes. 6:30 p.m. movie. Seating is on a first-come basis. 5-9 p.m. Free. Odysea in the Desert, 9500 E. Via de Ventura, Scottsdale. odyseainthedesert.com Childsplay: The Girl Who Swallowed a Cactus. When school is out, it’s hot outside, and Sheila and her friends find themselves in search of something — anything — interesting to explore. Recommended for ages 5 and older. $14-$27. 11 a.m. Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix. 480-941-1225 or dbg.org Toddler Test Kitchen. This hands-on, parent-child cooking class is for ages 2-6. It is designed to increase food acceptance for selective eaters and boost excitement for adventurous palettes. Each class features an ageappropriate recipe created by Baby Bloom Nutrition. 10 a.m. $30 for an adult and child. Botanica at the Farm at South Mountain, 6106 S. 32nd St., Phoenix. thefarmatsouthmountain.com Star Wars Night at Chase Field. Dress up, grab your lightsaber and get ready for some great people-watching as the Arizona Diamondbacks take on the Milwaukee Brewers at 5:10 p.m. Then, enjoy a post-game fireworks show presented by Gila River Hotels & Casinos. Ticket prices vary. Chase Field, 401 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. dbacks.com

MAY 11-12: Experience Polynesia. The Musical Instrument Museum’s annual celebration of Pacific Island music and culture features music performances, dancing, ukulele lessons and a Polynesian-inspired menu at Café Allegro. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. $20; $15 ages 13-19; $10 ages 4-12; free for ages 3 and younger. 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. mim.org

MAY 2019 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

International Museum Day. This day is meant to raise awareness that museums are an important means of cultural exchange and understanding. Register for free admission to Pueblo Grande Museum near downtown Phoenix, buy-one-get-one-free admission at the i.d.e.a. Museum in Mesa and more. Find events at icom.museum Superhero 5K. Don your superhero gear and run/walk for Put on the Cape: A Foundation for Hope! Plus: music, booths and games at Steele Indian School Park to benefit child victims of abuse, neglect and trauma throughout the Valley. 8-11 a.m. $20-$40. Steele Indian School Park, 300 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. Putonthecape.com

MAY 18-SEPT. 2: Blue Star Museums — a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense and participating museums — provides free admission for America’s active-duty military personnel and their families, including National Guard and Reserve. The program begins on Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 18, and extends through Labor Day. Visit arts.gov/bluestarmuseums for an up-to-date list of participating museums in Arizona and across the country.

MAY 23: Red Nose Day. This national fundraising campaign to end child poverty is run by the nonprofit Comic Relief USA. Buy your “red nose” at any Walgreens store, take a picture and clown around while helping kids. rednoseday.org

MAY 23-26: Phoenix Fan Fusion. This four-day convention is filled with costumes, workshops, activities, shopping and some of the best people-watching ever. Celebrity guests this year include Elijah Wood (Frodo Baggins of “Lord of the Rings” trilogy) and Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom from the Harry Potter franchise). 2-8 p.m. Thursday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. $20-$350; $10 for ages 3-12; free for ages 2 and younger. Phoenix Convention Center, 100 N. Third St., Phoenix. phoenixfanfusion.com

MAY 25-27: Splash Bash. OdySea in the Desert hosts a summer bash Memorial Day weekend with foam parties and giant water slides. Bring water shoes and sunscreen! 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. $5. Odysea in the Desert, 9500 E. Via de Ventura, Scottsdale. odyseainthedesert.com

MAY 29: National 529 Day. Today is National 529 College Savings Plan Day. Make a point of reading up on 529s — tax-advantaged savings plans designed to encourage parents, grandparents and family members to save for future college costs. az529.gov and savingforcollege.com

INSPIRING STUDENTS SINCE 1968 For 50 years, New Way Academy has served students in grades K-12 who learn differently. New Way empowers education by offering small class sizes, on-campus therapists, a robust athletics program, extra curricular activities and more. Students become confident, capable, and able to reach their full potential throughout all of their endeavors.

Learn more at NewWayAcademy.org. 5048 E Oak Street Phoenix, AZ 85008 | T: 602 (602) 389 8600

WNBA

Phoenix Mercury Home Opener (May 31) at Talking Stick Resort.

MAY 31: Phoenix Mercury Home Opener. Cheer on the WNBA Phoenix Mercury at their home opener against the Las Vegas Aces. 7 p.m. $9-$128. Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. 602-379-7800 or mercury.wnba.com Calendar Editor Carrie Wheeler is the mother of Wilson (8). Send calendar info to Carrie@ RAKmagazine.com.

RaisingARIZONAKids.com MAY 2019

family time! around arizona Lizard Walk (May 11) at Boyce Thompson Arboretum.

COTTONWOOD Verde Valley Fair (May 1-5). Free entertainment, carnival rides, livestock show and sale, fine art and crafts, horticulture and floriculture. Times vary. $5-$10. Verde Valley Fairgrounds, 800 E. Cherry St., Cottonwood. 928-6343290 or vvfair.com

FLAGSTAFF Bird Walks (May 4, 8, 11, 25). Join the Audubon Society every Saturday morning at 7:30 a.m. and see some of the more than 130 species of birds found at the gardens. 7:30 a.m. Free. The Arboretum at Flagstaff, 4001 S. Woody Mountain Road, Flagstaff. thearb.org Zuni Festival of Arts and Culture (May 25-26). Zuni traditional dances, flute playing, weavers, jewelers, carvers and painters. Purchase traditional and contemporary art and enjoy lectures, documentaries and live performances.

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. $12; $8 for ages 10-17; free for ages 9 and younger. Museum of Northern Arizona, 3101 N. Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff. 928-774-5213 or musnaz.org

SEDONA Cinco de Mayo Chili Cookoff (May 4). The entire family can celebrate Mexican heritage with mariachi music, folkloric dancers and traditional Mexican fare. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Free. Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village, 336 State Route 179, Sedona. 928-2824838 or tlaq.com

SUPERIOR Lizard Walk (May 11). Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park hosts a guided tour for kids and adults who enjoy Arizonaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most common, colorful and charismatic reptiles. Audubon naturalist Steven Prager leads the tour and expects to see side-blotched

MAY 2019 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

lizards, Clarks and desert spiny lizards, greater-earless lizards and tiger whiptails. 8 a.m. $15; $5 ages 5-12, free for ages 4 and younger. Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 US 60, Superior. 520-689-2811 or btarboretum.org

scale. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Offered the second Saturday of every month; this monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s project is making a mini ship. Noon to 3 p.m. $10.50: $7 for ages 4-17. The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures, 4455 E. Camp Lowell Drive, Tucson. 520881-0606 or theminitimemachine.org

TOMBSTONE Wyatt Earp Days (May 25-27). See the Wild West come alive when Tombstone honors its legendary frontier lawman, Wyatt Earp, with three days of street entertainment, a chili cook-off, reenactments, an 1880s fashion show, look-alike contests, carnival rides and more. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free. Historic Allen Street in downtown Tombstone. 520-4573511 or tombstonechamber.com

TUCSON Kids Create (May 11). This art program for school-aged kids encourages creativity working in small-

Cool Summer Nights (May 18 and 25). The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum combines the experiences of a botanical garden, zoo, art gallery and natural-history museum all in one visit. Starting this month, the museum stays open 6-10 p.m. Saturdays, and visitors can enjoy sunsets, stargazing, nightblooming plants and nocturnal animals, plus themed activities. Bring flashlights. $16.95 Arizona residents; $8.95 for ages 3-12; free for ages 2 and younger. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, 2021 N. Kinney Road, Tucson. 520-883-2702 or desertmuseum.org

FA N

F US

BOYCE THOMPSON ARBORETUM

Exploring Phoenix Fan Fusion as a family FORMERLY KNOWN AS PHOENIX COMICON, Phoenix Fan Fusion — May 23-26 at the Phoenix Convention Center — is four days of amazing people-watching, shopping, learning, and feeling like you’re a part of an artsy, zany community. Sure, families might run into a few risqué costumes and some macabre art, but the bigger focus is this community of people dedicated to creating, comics, sci-fi and freakflag-flying. Here are a few tips for getting the most out of your visit: DRESS UP! Planning costumes is half the fun. Dress as a popular character, or make something up. You can’t go wrong! Just be sure outfits are (relatively) comfortable, easy to walk around in and not too precious — there’s a lot of ground to cover and crowds to maneuver. Note: Props that resemble firearms are not allowed. DO YOUR HOMEWORK. There are loads of kid-friendly activities and workshops, including lightsaber training and comics drawing. This year promises a Lego building room with scheduled “build-offs,” Quidditch for Harry Potter fans, superhero sidekick training and more. Make sure you know when and where activities are happening and allow yourself time to get there. SET LIMITATIONS. The marketplace is a kid (and adult) fantasyland of costumes, toys, fake weapons, books and other supercool stuff that could excite any comic fan. To avoid tantrums, set expectations about if, what and how much you are willing to buy before heading in. DON’T FORGET TO take pictures, look around and have fun! PHOENIX FAN FUSION (MAY 23-26). 2-8 p.m. Thursday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. $20-$350; $10 for ages 3-12; free for ages 2 and younger. Phoenix Convention Center, 100 N. Third St., Phoenix. phoenixfanfusion.com

JUNIOR CHEFS CLASS (8-15 years old) non-credit Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced June 3-27, 2019  $225 per session ENROLL EARLY TO SECURE A SPOT! Contact Admissions at 480.423.6100 for information on how to enroll in the class.

RaisingARIZONAKids.com MAY 2019

family time! onstage Childsplay: The Girl Who Swallowed a Cactus (May 11) at Desert Botanical Garden.

Events are categorized by type, then listed in date order. Because lastminute schedule changes can occur, please verify times on dates on event websites to avoid disappointment.

MUSIC Metropolitan Youth Symphony’s 37th Season Spring Concert (May 1). Wind ensemble, string orchestras and the full symphony perform some of their favorite popular pieces in the Ikeda Theater. 6:30 p.m. $8.50-$10. Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St. 480-6446500 or mesaartscenter.com Cultural Connections Concert Series (May 4 and 12). Local performers bring live cultural music and dance to OdySea in the Desert. This month features hip-hop dance, capoeira crews and Beat Feet. 1-5 p.m. Free. OdySea in the Desert, 9500 E. Via de Ventura, Scottsdale. odyseainthedesert.com

MAY 2019 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

4U: A Symphonic Celebration of Prince (May 9) Hear the music of Prince with a full symphony orchestra. 7:30 p.m. $38.50-$68.50. Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St. 480-644-6500 or mesaartscenter.com Experience Polynesia (May 11-12). The Musical Instrument Museum’s annual celebration of Pacific Island music and culture features music performances, dancing, ukulele lessons and a Polynesian-inspired menu at Café Allegro. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. $20; $15 ages 13-19; $10 ages 4-12; free for ages 3 and younger. 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. mim.org

Star Wars and More: The Music of Deep Space (May 23). Enjoy music that spans galaxies. The Phoenix Symphony performs favorites from “Star Trek” and “Star Wars,” including “Imperial March” and more otherworldly John Williams’ scores. Costumes are encouraged! 8 p.m. $25-$65. Phoenix Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second St., Phoenix. phoenixsymphony.org The Planets: An HD Odyssey (May 25-26). In this multimedia experience, NASA and Hubble images are projected above the orchestra, which will play Sir Edward Elgar’s “Elegy for Strings” and more. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. $25-$139. Phoenix Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second St., Phoenix. phoenixsymphony.org

PUPPETS Goldilocks (through May 5). An adorable retelling of the classic three

bears tale using hand puppets. 10 a.m. Wednesday-Saturday; 2 p.m. SaturdaySunday. $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. 602-2622050 or azpuppets.org The Three Billy Goats Gruff (May 8-26). Hand and rod puppets tell the story of the Three Goats Gruff trying to cross a bridge. First they must outwit a hungry troll. Recommended for ages 3 and up. 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 Rumplestiltskin (May 29-June 16). A hilarious retelling of the classic tale of a strange man with a hard-to-guess name and woman forced to spin gold.

Recommended for ages 5 and up. 10 a.m. Wednesday-Saturday; 2 p.m. SaturdaySunday. $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

THEATER

DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN

Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (through May 11). This musical combines Cajun, gospel, folk, country and blues to tell the story of Huck Finn as he helps his friend Jim, a slave, escape to freedom. Parents take note: The script follows Mark Twain’s dialogue from “Huckleberry Finn,” and there are a few instances of the “n” word. Times vary. $22-$38. Hale Center Theatre, 50 W. Page Ave., Gilbert. 480497-1181 or haletheatrearizona.com Wicked (through May 5). The “Wizard of Oz” story with a twist. Told from the Wicked Witch’s point of view, this hit Broadway musical explores a misunderstood green girl, her unlikely friendship with Glinda and a misunderstanding that changes everything. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday. $39-$199. ASU Gammage, 1200 S. Forest Ave., Tempe. 480-9653434 or asugammage.com Oliver! (through May 5). In this musical rendition, the Victorian England orphan escapes a workhouse and heads to London, where he meets Mr. Fagin and his band of pickpockets. Bad circumstances and actors threaten Oliver’s ability to find a happy home. 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. $17. Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre at Scottsdale Fashion Square, 7014 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix. 480-483-1664 or desertstages.org The Miracle Worker (through May 5). Spotlight Youth Theatre performs the story of deaf and blind Helen Keller and her ingenious, determined teacher Annie Sullivan. Trapped in a silent world and

unable to communicate, Helen is violent and spoiled, but Annie recognizes the mind and spirit waiting to be rescued. Best appreciated by ages 12 and up, but ages 5 and up are welcome. 7 p.m. Friday; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. $15. Spotlight Youth Theatre, 10620 N. 43rd Ave., Glendale. 602-8438318 or spotlightyouththeatre.org Schoolhouse Rock Live (through May 6). Retro hit “Schoolhouse Rock” makes learning fun with memorable hits like “I’m Just a Bill” and “Conjunction, Junction.” Childplay’s rendition is updated for a new audience. 1 and 4 p.m. Saturday; 1 p.m. Sunday; backstage tours after some shows. $12-$30. Herberger Theater Center, 222 E. Monroe St., Phoenix. childsplayaz.org Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (May 3-12). Christian Youth Theatre performs this Disney classic about bookish Belle, who yearns for adventure, and the cursed prince who is punished for being cruel. Showtimes vary. $16-$23. Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St., Mesa. mesartscenter.com Newsies (May 3-12). Disney’s uplifting musical set in turn-of-thecentury New York City follows Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a band of other teenage “newsies.” When titans of publishing raise distribution prices at the newsboys’ expense, Jack rallies newsies from across the city to strike. 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. $17. Greasepaint Youtheatre, 7020 E. Second St., Scottsdale. greasepaint.org Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (May 3-19). TheaterWorks presents the musical tale about Belle, a smart young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast — a prince who is cursed. If the Beast learns to love and be loved, the curse can be lifted. Times vary. $16. Peoria Center for the Performing Arts, 10580 N. 83rd Drive, Peoria. 623-815-7930 or theaterworks.org

Fairy Fantastic! Children’s Drag Queen Story Hour and Film Screening (May 4). “Over the Rainbow: Queer and Experimental Shorts for Kids of All Ages” presents nine short films on difference-affirming, gender-variance and anti-bullying themes that are moving, hilarious, beautiful and inventive visions of a genderfluid world. Noon. Free. Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, 7374 E. Second St., Scottsdale. 480-874-4666 or smoca.org Seussical Jr. (May 10-19). Join Horton the Elephant, the Cat in the Hat, and the Whos in a live-action musical experience from the mind of Dr. Seuss. In this Desert Foothills Theater production, The Cat in the Hat narrates the story of Horton, an elephant who discovers a speck of dust containing tiny people called the Whos. Horton faces ridicule and danger protecting the Whos. 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. $19. Cactus Shadows Fine Arts Center, 33606 N. 60th St., Scottsdale. dftheater.org Childsplay: The Girl Who Swallowed a Cactus (May 11). When school is out, it’s hot outside, and there’s nothing to do. Sheila and her friends find themselves in search of something — anything — interesting to explore. This Childsplay production is recommended for ages 5 and older. $12-$27. 11 a.m. Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix. 480-941-1225 or dbg.org Newsies (May 16-June 29). Extra! Extra! Disney’s uplifting musical set in turn-of-the century New York City comes to Hale Theatre. When titans of publishing raise distribution prices at the newsboys’ expense, Jack Kelly rallies newsies from across the city to strike. Times vary. $22-$40. Hale Center Theatre, 50 W. Page Ave., Gilbert. 480-497-1181 or haletheatrearizona.com In the Heights (May 17-June 2). Before Hamilton, there was “In the Heights,” Lin Manuel Miranda’s

first Broadway hit about life in the Washington Heights neighborhood in upper Manhattan. Mesa Encore Theatre explores what it means to be home, with Miranda’s signature mixtures of Latin music, rap and traditional musical theater ballads. Times vary. $28-$34. Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St., Mesa. mesartscenter.com Legally Blonde: The Musical (May 17-June 16). Based on the movie following the transformation of California girl Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes, snobbery and scandal in a journey of self-discovery at Harvard Law School. Desert Stages Theatre, 7014 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale. desertstages.org F’lympics with Sherrie Martin and Boo Boo (May 18-19). Sherrie Martin, 60, is many things: a gymnast, a realtor, a comedian. In her one-woman show, she utilizes all of her talents. Adults will enjoy the amazing bodily feats; kids will want to grow up to be like her. $28. Theatre Works, 10580 N. 83rd Drive, Peoria. 623-8157930 or theaterworks.org Gerry Cullity’s Alice in Wonderland (May 25-June 29). Follow Alice down the rabbit hole and through the zany world of Wonderland in this Lewis Carroll classic told through songs and madcap characters. 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. $22-$28. Desert Stages Theatre inside Scottsdale Fashion Square, 7014 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale. 480-483-1664 or desertstages.org Little Shop of Horrors (May 31-June 16). When meek plant-store worker Seymore finds a carnivorous specimen that has a taste for human blood, mayhem ensues. Expect lots of R&Bstyle music and slapstick comedy from this Broadway musical hit. 7 p.m. FridaySaturday (with additional Saturday performances June 8 and 15); 2 p.m. Sunday. $15. Spotlight Youth Theatre, 10620 N. 43rd Ave., Glendale. 602-8438318 or spotlightyouththeatre.org

RaisingARIZONAKids.com MAY 2019

family time! mother’s day

9 Mother’s Day

ideas to CELEBRATE

MOM

Mother’s Day is coming up fast: Sunday, May 12. Many restaurants are offering Mother’s Day brunches, so make reservations if that’s your preference. If you need additional ideas to make her day, here’s what’s happening:

IMAGINE THAT! SUMMER CAMP

Summer 2019 | Celebrating 40 years of fun!

1. Discount Tire Free Family Sunday (May 12). The whole family can take Mom to the Phoenix Art Museum, which is offering free admission from noon to 5 p.m. with hands-on art activities, scavenger hunts, live performances, storytimes, free tours and more. Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-257-1880 or phxart.org 2. Tea with Belle (May 12). Don your favorite princess dress and enter the Beast’s enchanted castle at TheaterWorks, which is staging Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.” Tea time is 12:30 p.m. $25 per person plus $16 performance ticket. Peoria Center for the Performing Arts, 10580 N. 83rd Drive, Peoria. 623-815-7930 or theaterworks.org 3. Mom-A-Palooza (May 11). Enjoy a fashion show, live entertainment, massages, manicures, makeup and more while kids bounce in the bounce houses, get their face painted or get crafty at OdySea in the Desert. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free. odyseainthedesert.com 4. Mother’s Day giveaway at Chase Field (May 12). The first 10,000 moms get a free Mother’s Day charm necklace courtesy of Tyson Foods when the Arizona Diamondbacks take on the Atlanta Braves. 1:10 p.m. game (arrive early for the giveaway). Ticket prices vary. Chase Field, 401 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. dbacks.com

Over 30+ camps for 3-11 year olds in the Arts, American Girl, Sciences, Sports, and Action/ Adventure

MAY 2019 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

5. Discounts and deals for moms (May 12). The Children’s Museum of Phoenix and the i.d.e.a. Museum in Mesa typically honor moms with free admission on Mother’s Day. Moms also get $10 off general admission

Mother’s Day Gift Make & Take (May 10) at As You Wish Pottery. at OdySea Aquarium, and $3 off admission to Butterfly Wonderland — both at Scottsdale’s OdySea in the Desert. 6. Mother’s Day Musical Lunch at Organ Stop Pizza (May 12). Organ Stop Pizza hosts its first Mother’s Day Musical Lunch featuring tunes on the nation’s largest Wurlitzer pipe organ, built for the Denver Theatre and installed in 1927. All-you-can eat pizza buffet and salad, plus cake. $7.75; $6.25 for ages 3-9. 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. 1149 E. Southern Ave., Mesa. organstoppizza.com 7. Mother’s Day Gift Make & Take (May 10). Need a last-minute Mother’s Day gift? Paint a special jar to fill with little slips of paper recounting all the reasons you love Mom. This pottery painting class is $30 at six As You Wish locations in greater Phoenix, including the jar and paint supplies. Kids can customize the design and take it home the same day; it’s recommended for ages 5 and up. 6:30-8 p.m. asyouwishpottery.com 8. Free concert (May 12). Bring picnic blankets and sprawl out on the lawn at McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park, which hosts free concerts under the stars every Sunday through June. Tonight’s band is Mogollon playing high-energy country music. Food is available for purchase. 7:30-9 p.m. $2 train and carousel rides; free rides for ages 2 and younger with a paying adult. 480312-2312 or therailroadpark.com 9. Mother’s Who Write Reading (May 11). Join current and former members of the Mothers Who Write workshop for a 2 p.m. reading of their new work. Laugh, cry — and enjoy beer, wine, coffee, tea, and snacks from First Draft Book Bar in Phoenix. Note: Some material is not suitable for children, which can happen when mothers speak freely. changinghands.com

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