October issue, Rhode Island Parent Magazine

Parent

October 2015

FREE

RHODE ISLAND

MAGAZINE

Halloween ideas from games to spooky food

Sensational Kid

Testing: SAT vs. ACT

Living with Sensory Processing Disorder

Landon Friedman, 7, of Warwick

School lunch: How to influence what is served

2

Rhode Island Parent Magazine  October 2015

October 2015  Rhode Island Parent Magazine

3

4

Rhode Island Parent Magazine  October 2015

8

Contents October 2015 / vol. 1 / no. 3

Departments

18

6 A Note from the Publisher Welcome Parent Bug advertisers.

10 My Turn When parenting advice doesn’t work.

12 Halloween Scary and fun party games.

14 The Healthy Child Local farms provide for school lunches.

16 Education Demystifying the SAT and ACT tests.

20 Get Organized!

Managing kids' paper.

22 Ask Dr. Day Care Your questions answered.

24 Question of the Month Make or buy Halloween costumes?

26 All About Baby Tips on pumping in public.

28 Kid of the Month A one-day $1,000 lemonade stand.

30 Tips and Treats for

32 Calendar Things to do in October.

SPECIAL SECTION

25 Directory of Advertisers They make the magazine possible and keep it free. Give them some love!

30

Features 8 Cover Feature:

Living with a Sensational Kid

Learn about Sensory Processing Disorder.

18 Kids and Marijuana

New campaign encourages parents to get involved.

Halloween

Fun facts, spooky food ideas, pumpkin procedures, and more.

On the web

We are working on our website and the magazine is available digitally online (great for tablet, phone, or computer, and you can join our Facebook page). Visit www.RIParentMag.com and Facebook.com/RIParentMag October 2015  Rhode Island Parent Magazine

5

A Note from the Publisher

A

s we announced last month, Rhode Island Parent Magazine and Parent Bug have now merged. You won’t see Parent Bug on the shelves anymore, but you will find its benefits here.

At the end of September, we gave away a family 4-pack of tickets to the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular at Roger Williams Park Zoo thanks to Parent Bug. In November’s issue, we will give away tickets to the Zoo where Santa will be arriving and joining in a holiday parade.

Plus, we’ve scored tickets to the Providence Children’s Museum for a December giveaway – just in time to use during school break.

We are so grateful for the support we’ve received from the community and advertisers. In this issue, partly due to merging with Parent Bug, you will also see many more fantastic advertisers. Looking for birthday party entertainment, additional fun things to do, or mental health counseling for your child? These resources are all in this issue, plus more. Try to spot who’s new!

It’s October, so of course pumpkins and Halloween are big in the magazine this month. We’ve given you three pages of Halloween foods, party games, pumpkin tips, and even some funny statistics about how people eat candy corn! To balance out all that candy, check out our story on Harvest of the Month, which is working to get more locally-grown fruits and veggies into school lunches.

We are working to make the magazine available near everyone. Part of merging with Parent Bug also means that starting this month, our distribution points will increase significantly. You’ll find Rhode Island Parent Magazine in many more locations, from libraries to child care centers to your pediatrician’s office.

Lastly, we have rearranged the calendar to make it easier to read and more useful. We’d love to know what you think.

Talk to us at Facebook.com/RIParentMag or email me directly at publisher@RIParentMag.com.

May all your carved pumpkins last until Halloween!

Susan Gale

6

Rhode Island Parent Magazine  October 2015

57 Rolfe Square, Suite 10094 Cranston, Rhode Island 02910 (401) 337-9240 Publisher/Editor Susan Gale publisher@RIParentMag.com Art Director/Graphic Designer Rob Kenney artdirector@RIParentMag.com Copy Editor Sheila Flanagan editor@RIParentMag.com Business Manager Lisa Koulibaly sales@RIParentMag.com Advertising Sales (401) 337-9240 sales@RIParentMag.com This issue’s cover photo was taken by Kimberly Dobosz of Kimberly Dobosz Photography. kimberlydoboszphotography.com Publisher photo taken by Keith Jochim.

KeithJochimPhotography.com Rhode Island Parent Magazine is published monthly by Gale Force Communications. Unless specifically noted, no advertisers, products, or services are endorsed by the publisher.

Editorial submissions welcome.

©2015 All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.

Like us on Facebook and Twitter: Facebook.com/RIParentMag @RIParentMag

October 2015  Rhode Island Parent Magazine

7

Cover Story

By Joy Adamonis

M

y world is sensational, thanks to a 7-year-old boy named Landon. Some days, loud noises are our friend and the next day, they aren’t. On most days, sunlight is the enemy, food is surely our foe, and bedtime is never quick or painless.

My son Landon Friedman has Sensory Processing Disorder, better known as SPD. This condition exists when sensory signals don’t get organized into appropriate responses.

SPD affects senses such as vision, audition, tactile, olfactory, taste, proprioception, and the vestibular system. The last two in that list relate to balance and motion. SPD can affect one sense or multiple senses at once. I think A. Jean Ayres, Ph.D, said it best when she referred to SPD as a neurological “traffic jam” in the brain.

Day-to-day life

All of Landon’s senses are affected by SPD. While some days only certain things trigger him, he has what I refer to as fullblown “sensory days.” Call it mother’s intuition, but I can tell if he is going to have a “sensory day” within one hour of him being awake. When this happens, anxiety leads to sadness and sadness leads to frustration and frustration leads to anger.

Landon has many daily obstacles when it comes to his SPD. His eyes dilate more than necessary, making sunlight painful for him. We cannot leave the house without sunglasses, regardless of the weather. One manifestation of his condition is that Landon has developed bags under his eyes because he must squint so often due to the light. At school, he must wear anti-glare glasses even though he has perfect vision.

He can’t handle certain sounds and textures. Walking barefoot on grass and sand has gotten easier, but is not preferred. Tags need to be cut out of clothes and certain fabrics are never to be found in his closet. The biggest challenge thus far has been helping him articulate his feelings. His emotional barometer is heightened and he feels things in ways most people don’t.

Early signs of SPD

Living with

Sensory Processing Disorder 8

Rhode Island Parent Magazine  October 2015

Landon was a late walker (19 months), late talker (3 years), and was on a milk/formula combo and step 2 baby food well into his second year. He was later diagnosed with Selective Eating Disorder. Today he eats a very “beige” diet of mostly carbs, and has only 15–20 food choices on his menu.

Preliminary research has found that SPD is often inherited, which means it is coded into the child’s genetic makeup. However, as in many developmental and behavioral disorders, genetic factors and environmental factors can affect the child. Only with more research will doctors be able to identify the role that each factor plays.

While navigating this path with Landon, I uncovered that I also have SPD. Between us, we have more than 50 pairs of sunglasses! At first, I was sad to think I might have passed this on to him, but Landon is who he is meant to be, and neither he, nor I, will ever apologize for being “sensational.”

A link to intelligence

During Landon’s testing for developmental delays and learning disabilities, it was discovered that he is, in fact, gifted. While some people are not convinced that there is a link between gifted minds and SPD, there is more research being compiled on this topic every day to say otherwise.

Paula Jarrard, MS, OTR, author of Sensational Kids: Hope and Help for Children with Sensory Processing Disorder, conducted a research study to bring awareness of the prevalence of SPD in gifted children. "The 'double-edged sword' of giftedness often bestows, among other features, a global heightened awareness to sensory stimulation, an endowment of amplified mental processing speed and attention capacity, and unusual challenges with frustration, pain, noise, and emotional hypersensitivity," Jarrard learned from her review.

"As many as one-third of gifted children may exhibit sensory processing disorder features, significantly impacting quality of life,” according to her study. I find her results to be very accurate in how they depict life with my sensational kid.

Recognizing SPD

In order to better understand if a child is having sensory issues, try using the “Sensory Checklist,” organized by senses and age. After reading the entire checklist, you might think that most kids exhibit these characteristics and it is not a big deal.

However, when the symptoms of these characteristics become severe enough to affect normal functioning and disrupt everyday life, it becomes a challenge.

Behavioral therapy, play therapy, and social skills groups are just some of the ways you can treat SPD. You must find the right balance that works for you and your sensational kid. For more information about SPD, visit www.spdfoundation.net.

Celebrating Landon for who he is

Landon never lets SPD control him; he owns it every day of his life. My child has been labeled fussy as a baby, grouchy as a toddler, and now anxious as a 7-year-old. I tear these labels off.

Labels are for jars, not for my son. Having SPD doesn’t define us. Instead, it shapes us.

We might move to the right while others move left. But in the end, we are all on the same journey. We want to learn, grow, socialize, love, and explore just like the rest of you. We just have a harder time navigating through it all.

We do things a little differently, as does everyone in some way, shape, or form. And last time I checked, being different makes us unique. The world is a better place when we are free to be who we are meant to be.  Joy Adamonis, of Warwick, is a full-time wife and mother, freelance writer, and social media planner who writes a blog about raising a son with SPD. www.mysensationalkid.com

1 in 6 children experience sensory challenges sufficient enough to disrupt their academic, social, and/or emotional development, according to a population-based study (Ben-Sasson, Carter, Briggs-Gowen, 2009).

Sensory Checklists By senses Tactile: Defensive when touched/craves being touched; seeks out certain textures; may choose to not play with their hands; poor fine motor skills Oral: Picky eater (severe); excessive drooling past teething stage; puts objects in mouth (chews, sucks, bites); gag reflex Olfactory/Smell: Bothered by many smells; can’t smell certain things correctly Visual: Hypersensitive to light; easily distracted by visual stimuli; avoids eye contact; rubs eyes Auditory: Can’t tell where sounds are coming from; difficultly determining people’s voices; bothered by loud or soft noises; difficulty articulating and speaking clearly

By age Infant/Toddler (0–3): Avoids or craves being held; doesn’t smile, appears sad; tantrums; severe separation anxiety; attached to pacifier; poor sleeper Pre-school (3–5): Difficult to potty train; in constant motion; sudden mood changes; poor spatial awareness; difficulty learning new motor tasks School Age (6–11): Slow to perform tasks; craves rough-housing; confuses similar words and phrases; overly sensitive to stimulation; overwhelmed in crowds Adolescence/Adulthood (12–adult): Slow to start the day; trouble forming thoughts; hypersensitive to stimulation; difficulty staying focused; may appear anxious and jittery

Photo taken by Kimberly Dobosz, kimberlydoboszphotography. com, at Morris Farm in Warwick.

October 2015  Rhode Island Parent Magazine

9

My Turn

By Abigail Addington-May

When parenting advice doesn’t work for everyone

M

y first child, a daughter, was born in Seattle in 1998. I was a new mother “of advanced maternal age” as the ob/gyn record shows – I was 44.

My own mother had died when I was 14, and I had no remaining female relatives who could offer wisdom and support to me in my journey into new motherhood.

I felt pretty confident about things, though. The pregnancy was perfectly healthy, I’d taken the classes, read the books, and had moral support from a few close friends with kids. But as they say, I didn’t know what I didn’t know.

I had intended to breastfeed. This was Seattle in the late ‘90’s after all, and Seattle was ahead of the curve in promoting breastfeeding as the best option for child and mother. My newborn daughter, however, had other ideas. She would not latch on. My doctor sent in lactation specialists to help. Thus began almost a week of misery for mother, daughter, and left-out father.

Too much lactation advice

The lactation specialists worked in eight-hour shifts. The first one gave me some positioning advice and a directive on how frequently to put my baby girl to my breast to have her try.

Eight hours of frustration and little sleep. The next lactation specialist appeared and had a different suggestion of what to do. Eight more hours unlearning the first technique and trying a new one.

The third lactation specialist arrived and openly mocked one of the other two for her poor techniques. Back to the first one again, who said “Never mind her. We have a name for her.” (Which is unprintable!) Meanwhile, poor little baby Jane is getting no nourishment, is crying a lot, and I’m exhausted and confused.

We were discharged from the hospital and sent home with the goody bag of freebies from the marketers of many products, including formula. However, we were seriously warned not to use the formula. We were told, ominously, there would be “no going back” to breastfeeding if we did.

Home alone with a choice to make

Back at home, the three of us were all alone. The only living grandparent was on the East Coast. My husband was in charge of everything else as my daughter and I just tried to 10

Rhode Island Parent Magazine  October 2015

This is your space to express your thoughts. To contribute a "My Turn" column, contact editor@RIParentMag.com. get comfortable and relax (said to be so important to let down the milk). Nonetheless, Jane just cried and cried and cried, as she could not/would not latch on.

I had been taught five or six different breastfeeding techniques. I couldn’t remember them. Couldn’t remember how frequently I was supposed to try. Couldn’t hear my mind through Jane’s heartbreaking crying. After nearly 24 hours, I succumbed to my own exhaustion and handed her to my husband so I could try to sleep. And I did. Like a rock. For at least 5 hours.

I woke up and realized the house was quiet. I went downstairs and found my husband holding little Jane, both of them sound asleep. Next to my husband was an empty bottle of formula. I was devastated. He had blown it.

As I look back 17 years later, I am saddened by how skewed my thinking was at that point. Our newborn baby was satiated and content in the safety of her father’s arms at home, and my interpretation was: “He’s blown it.”

Trusting my own parental instincts

The next day, the three of us went to the scheduled follow up visit with our pediatrician, who, of course, asked how feeding was going. I explained, not able to keep the huffiness out of my voice, that “we were now bottle feeding.”

The wise and kind doctor did not blink an eye. He looked at my husband and me (no doubt assessing our ages) and said, “Well, I imagine you were both bottle-fed, right?” Yes, that was true. And yet, here we sat, having produced an absolutely beautiful, healthy specimen of the next generation.

Over the years, I have told this story to many friends as we’ve shared birthing stories. From friends in London, to Long Island, to Pennsylvania, to Seattle, they have sat with jaws dropped because I precisely described what they went through.

The loud promotion of breastfeeding drowns out the message that it doesn’t work for everyone.

The most important thing I learned from that experience was to trust my husband’s parental instincts. And ultimately, to trust my own.  Abigail Addington-May lives in North Attleboro, MA, with her husband and their two teenagers.

October 2015  Rhode Island Parent Magazine

11

Feature Story

Games to help you throw a SPOOKTACULAR Halloween party

H

alloween is one of the biggest holidays of the year for parties, and what is a kid’s party without games?

Below are some game ideas for you to try.

Pumpkin bowling

Take plastic pumpkin treat buckets and stack them up in a pyramid shape. You can make it as high as you want, but need at least three to start. Find some lightweight plastic balls – plastic bowling balls are excellent for this. Then let the kids go bowling! They will love knocking over the pumpkin heads.

You can give out prizes for achievements such as highest score and getting a strike (knocking them all down).

Mummy making

Kids of all ages enjoy making mummies out of themselves and their friends. Here's how this works: buy lots and lots of toilet paper. You can also use rolls of streamers in Halloween colors if you prefer. Divide the kids into teams of two. When you begin timing the kids, they must wrap their friend up in the toilet paper, mummy-style. The first team who is all wrapped wins. The child who's wrapped up like a mummy can then break out of the toilet paper wrap with a scary "roar" and the game begins again so the other child can also be wrapped. Be sure to play some spooky Halloween music to add to the atmosphere.

Spooky story circle

Have all the kids get in a circle and begin a spooky story with the classic, "It was a dark and spooky night." Go around the circle and have each child add a line or two to the story. This game can turn out to be hilarious as well as spooky. Create the mood by lowering the lights, giving kids small flashlights to light up their face when it is their turn, and playing spooky music in the background. You can go further by turning off all the lights at once when the music starts. You can also cut candles near the top and trim the wick. Then melt the wax to stick the two pieces back together and the candles will mysteriously go out at some point because of the shorter wick.

Monster Mash musical chairs

In this version of the classic game, play Halloween music (Monster Mash, Thriller, eerie sounds, etc.) Ask the kids to act as spooky and scary as they can while they move around the chairs. This might involve scary faces or doing the Monster Mash dance. If you are really ambitious, you can cover the chairs with white sheets and paint some eyes and 12

Rhode Island Parent Magazine  October 2015

mouths on them to make them look like ghosts. Give prizes not only for winners of the game but for best spooky face and dance. You're sure to get some creative responses.

Spooky dance contest

Just like a traditional dance contest, put on Halloween music and have the kids dance. Have judges that award prizes for all different categories: best dancer, spookiest dancer, best use of spooky face, etc.

Dress the scarecrow

Divide the children into small teams and give each team some old or adult-sized clothes for their scarecrow. You can use clothes normally associated with scarecrows (jeans or overalls, flannel shirts, boots, gloves, and a straw hat) or any kind of crazy clothing. One child on each team is the scarecrow and has to stand still while the others of the team put the clothes on. The first team to complete a scarecrow is the winner. You can also reward things like funniest use of the clothing, or best-looking scarecrow.

Pin the nose on the jack-o-lantern

Create a large pumpkin out of cardboard or make one out of construction paper and pin it to a bulletin board. Paint or glue eyes and a mouth on the jack-o-lantern, leaving empty the area where the nose should be. Cut out several yellow triangles, writing each child's name on the front (or letting them write their own) and place a small piece of double-sided tape on the back. Blindfold the children, spin them lightly, and have them attempt to pin the nose where it belongs.

Halloween hunt

Modeled after an Easter egg hunt, hide small pumpkin baskets/cauldrons filled with candy or larger-sized candy bars around the house or yard. Then let them go hunting! 

October 2015  Rhode Island Parent Magazine

13

The Healthy Child

By Susan Gale

What’s in your child’s school lunch?

W

e've all heard the jokes about school lunches, but did you know that, as a parent, you can influence what is served in Rhode Island schools? You have the power to encourage more use of locally grown, nutritious foods.

This knowledge comes from a new marketing and education campaign which began this school year. Harvest of the Month aims to make it easier to get all types of cafeterias to buy local produce while also enhancing relationships between farmers and food service providers.

“We want to make eating fruits and vegetables fun and interesting and help kids adopt good habits, so as they grow up, they choose to support RI agriculture and make healthy choices,” said Kimberly Clark, the Farm to Cafeteria Coordinator for the program.

Every school district uses local food

All 36 school districts in RI have joined Harvest of the Month, which means they commit to buying and serving RI produce at least two times per month, though some do so more often.

In total, 70,000 RI students will be served local produce this year, according to Clark.

On average, 11% of school district food budgets were spent on local food in the 2011–2012 school year, according to the latest statistics available from the USDA Farm to School Census. Individual school districts range widely in how much they spent on local food, from as low as 2% to as high as 42% of their budgets.

In the census, 94% of school districts also reported that they planned to purchase more local food in the future.

According to the report, 55% of schools used locally grown food in breakfasts, 97% served them at lunch, and 12% used them in snacks. To see more statistics: fns.usda.gov/ farmtoschool/census#/.

Teaching about the local food supply

Harvest of the Month celebrates a local vegetable each month – except in September, when they couldn’t decide so they went with two – tomatoes and cucumbers. Upcoming vegetables include peppers, apples, butternut squash, potatoes, and carrots.

The program provides stickers and posters to schools, as well as two AmeriCorps Vista members who lead activities about local farms and nutrition. Programs might include a corn-shucking contest, handing out samples of a new recipe during lunch, or a field trip to a farm.

The program assists teachers in developing lesson plans about the local food system and provides help in 14

Rhode Island Parent Magazine  October 2015

the classroom. Parents can access information through a social media campaign on Facebook (facebook.com/ RIHarvestoftheMonth), Instagram (harvestofthemonth), and Twitter (@RIFarm2Caf).

Clark sees Harvest of the Month as an economic development program because it encourages cafeterias to buy local produce, which keeps money in RI and allows farms to thrive and grow.

“We invest money in our state and build community,” said Clark. “Kids become aware of the farms in their community. By supporting local growers, kids connect to the food they eat and how it affects the body, the environment, and the community.”

Senior center food providers have also joined the program with 12 sites in northwest RI signed up. Another 24 in central RI and the East Bay are considering the program and Clark is currently reaching out to hospital cafeterias.

How you can influence what is served in school lunches

Every school district has a Wellness Committee, with about half of them addressing local food procurement in their policies, according to Clark. She recommends seeking out your school’s committee as a way to influence school lunches.

To learn more and read your town’s wellness policy, check out the Rhode Island Healthy School Coalition at rihsc.drupalgardens.com/resources.

In addition, some school lunch menus offer the name of the school’s food service director. You can contact that person to discuss school lunches and request that more local food be included.

“We want to remind parents and communities that they are the customers of school lunch programs and encourage them to demand that RI-grown foods are used in their children’s school lunches,” said Clark. “The more they hold their food service provider accountable for providing fresh local fruits and vegetables, the more you will see them on the school menu. And we’re here to help parents.”

Harvest of the Month is part of Farm to School, operated

by Farm Fresh RI and supported by a federal grant through the RI Department of Environmental Management. To learn more about Harvest of the Month, check out Farm Fresh RI at farmfreshri.org.  Susan Gale is publisher/editor of Rhode Island Parent Magazine.

October 2015  Rhode Island Parent Magazine

15

Education: From pre-K to college

By Jeff Gale

W

TESTING:

Comparing the SATs to the ACTs

hat’s the difference between the SAT® and ACT® tests? The devil is in the details. The SAT measures aptitude of students and their reasoning and verbal abilities while the ACT is more of an achievement test which measures what a student has learned in school.

The SAT, introduced in 1926, is the older of the two tests; the ACT began in 1959. However, the ACT has overtaken the SAT in number of students taking the test. About 3.2 million students in total take the two tests annually. While many students take both tests, it’s good to understand what each one measures. (Note – the SAT is changing its format in March 2016 to be more like the ACT.)

If only taking one, which test should you take?

Deciding between the SAT and ACT depends on many issues including: what the schools your student is applying to require; whether your child is more science oriented or essay writing oriented; and whether they like taking tests in individual subject order or jumping around to different subjects.  SAT: The SAT is broken up into more sections than the ACT. The content areas (critical reading, math, and writing) are broken into 10 sections, with the required essay at the beginning. Students do a little math, a little writing, a little critical reading, a little more math, etc.  ACT: Students tackle each content area (English, math, reading, and science) in one big chunk, with the optional writing test at the end.

If choosing between the SAT and ACT, ask yourself if moving back and forth between content areas will confuse your student or keep them energized. In addition, the SAT has a stronger emphasis on vocabulary. If your student is an ardent wordsmith, they may prefer the SAT. If words aren't their thing, they may do better on the ACT.

Science and math

tests knowledge of trigonometry, too. That said, the ACT math section is not necessarily harder, because many students find the questions to be more straightforward than those on the SAT.

Writing

The 25-minute SAT essay is required and is factored into the writing score. The 30-minute ACT writing test is optional and not included in the composite score — schools will see it listed separately. However, many colleges require the writing section of the ACT, so be sure to check this before opting out.

Making the grade

College admissions officers care about how your student does on each section of the SAT. On the ACT, which is more of a “big picture” exam, they're most concerned with the composite score. So, if your child is weak in one content area but strong in others, they could still end up with a very good ACT score.

The SAT penalizes students a ¼ point for each wrong answer. The ACT does not penalize in this way, so it doesn’t hurt to guess on the ACT but it might on the SAT. This is one area that is changing next year on the SAT test.

Practice leads to success

The key to success on these tests is practice, practice, practice.

Make a study preparation plan and stick to it. Instead of studying for a targeted number of hours each week, try constructing your plan by setting weekly goals. Then have your child take practice tests in as realistic a setting as possible – complete the entire practice test without distractions and multi-tasking. Compare your student’s baseline practice results against the ACT or SAT results for incoming freshmen at the colleges they are interested in attending.

The further a student is from their goal, the more time that is needed to prepare. There are many resources available to help, from tutors to books such as the “Real ACT Prep Guide” and “The Official SAT Study Guide.” By making all the preparation necessary, your student can be calm and ready on test day. 

The ACT has a science section, while the SAT does not.

Students don't need to know about amoebas or chemical reactions for the ACT; it is meant to test reading and reasoning skills based upon a given set of facts. But if your child is a true Jeff Gale is the Owner and Area Director for Club Z! In-Home science-phobe, the SAT might be a better fit.

Tutoring in Rhode Island. clubztutoring.com/blackstonevalley The ACT tests more advanced math concepts. In addition to basic arithmetic, algebra I and II, and geometry, the ACT 16

Rhode Island Parent Magazine  October 2015

October 2015  Rhode Island Parent Magazine

17

Feature Story

By Susan Gale

Stopping or delaying kids from using marijuana

starts with parents

W

hen was the last time you spoke to your children about marijuana?

Rhode Island is number one in marijuana use, higher than states that have legalized small amounts of the drug for recreational use. In a survey released in 2013, 36% of high schoolers reported having tried marijuana, with 21% saying they had used it in the month prior to the survey. (Source: State Epidemiology and Outcomes Workgroup survey, 2013) A federally funded, parent-focused media campaign in Rhode Island seeks to lower those numbers. You may have seen the billboards, the bus stop signs, or other ads with a child pointing. “It Starts with YOU to prevent underage drinking and youth marijuana use,” they say. That’s because parents are the best way to get kids to avoid marijuana and alcohol, or at least to delay use until they are older.

“The older you are when you’re introduced to any substances, the less likely you are to get addicted. When kids go to high school, many parents back off. But parents are the number one and biggest influence on kids’ lives,” said Nancy A. DeNuccio, chairman of the Ocean State Prevention Alliance.

Given that one in six kids who start using marijuana at an early age will become addicted, there are multiple reasons that parents need to pay attention to the issue and talk with their kids, she said.

Today’s marijuana is different

The marijuana used when today’s parents were teens had 3 to 5% THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, but today’s marijuana often has 12 to 15%, according to DeNuccio. THC, one of many ingredients in marijuana, produces the high and changes the perception of the user.

“You didn’t have nearly the information back then as we do now,” said DeNuccio of today’s parents. “We’re not doing enough education. It’s not your father’s marijuana. It’s not the marijuana found at Woodstock. Today it’s very different.”

Young people’s brains are still forming, so the younger a person is when they start using marijuana, the more likely there will be long-term consequences such as a reduction 18

Rhode Island Parent Magazine  October 2015

in IQ, memory and concentration problems, and trouble with decisionmaking. While under the influence of marijuana, people can also experience issues such as a slower response time when driving.

“It causes real effects in the brain,” added Pam Shayer, a Certified Prevention Specialist with the Cumberland-Lincoln Prevention Coalition, one of 35 such coalitions across the state. “You don’t know who is going to have an addiction problem and who isn’t.”

kids that it isn’t dangerous for them to try, even at a young age.

They say that Rhode Island’s medical marijuana isn’t regulated well enough. About 10,000 patients and 3,500 caregivers are authorized to grow marijuana in RI, but they have the capacity and legal ability to produce much more than should actually be necessary for medical marijuana patients in the state. The law allows for “authorization” to grow marijuana, which is different from a “prescription” that would control dosage amounts and how much can be dispensed at one time.

Things parents never could In addition, Rhode Island does not have imagined provide funding for drug use prevention While marijuana was seen as a in the state budget, Shayer said. Groups counter-culture revolution in the past, working on the issue must rely on a for the kids of today it has evolved patchwork of federal grants. in ways the teens of the 70s and 80s “There is so much excess marijuana could not have imagined. being grown. It’s really unbelievable Now, marijuana is sometimes run how much there is,” said DeNuccio. through butane hash oil in a highly “Marijuana use in RI is higher than in flammable, dangerous process, to create a states where it is legal, but there isn’t one substance that looks like wax and can be dollar from the state for programs.” used in vapor devices such as e-cigarettes.

Neither DeNuccio nor Shayer are Used in this manner, the marijuana against medical marijuana and see the produces no odor, which was a parental value it can provide to some patients; alarm system in the past. Shayer said that they just want the state to regulate kids in school will put the vapor device it better. And they want parents to up their sleeve and then lean over their understand that marijuana no longer desk to use it right in the classroom. being treated like an illicit drug can affect The wax-like substance can also be their kids’ decisions about trying it. cooked into brownies in place of butter, The best way to help or into candy, either of which creates a your child very concentrated form of THC. These So what is a parent to do? Don’t ignore methods have also allowed kids to take marijuana in school, according to Shayer. the signs such as a change in grades, a change in friends, more anger and “In edibles, it’s very hard to know aggression, and moodiness that is the levels of THC. One brownie can more than the usual teenage issue, says have many doses in it. And who eats DeNuccio. Start young and talk about just part of a brownie?” said DeNuccio.

“They also put it in candies, and it’s hard everything, says Shayer, and know that to tell the difference from real. They are you can make a difference.

“Have an open, honest conversation selling it at school.” at a young age, know who their friends Unintended consequences are, give them rules,” said DeNuccio. of changes in the law “Parents have to constantly pound that DeNuccio and Shayer say that message into kids. It really does start at legalization of medical marijuana home. Kids get so much information and decreased legal consequences but they will believe it if they hear it for possession of small amounts of from parents. Kids look to their parents marijuana, which have been changes in to be role models.” recent years in RI, can help to convince

“Be consistent with rules. From a young age, they have to have rules. If they grow up with rules and structure it will be easier to accept new rules as teens,” she added, also advocating that parents pay attention to the rules in your children’s friends’ homes.

And what if you suspect your child is using marijuana? Partner with your child’s health care provider on this and trust yourself, they say.

“If you think your kid is using, then you are probably right. Trust your gut,” said DeNuccio. “The sooner you treat, the more success you will see. If you have had an open dialogue since age 6 or 7, you’ll recognize it. It’s never too young to be talking about it.”  Susan Gale is publisher/editor of Rhode Island Parent Magazine

Resources for parents

To find your city or town’s prevention group: RIParentMag.com

Ocean State Prevention Coalition: oceanstateprevention.org Facebook.com/Blackstone Valley Prevention Coalition RI Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities & Hospitals: bhddh.ri.gov Partnership for Drug-Free Kids: drugfree.org National Institute on Drug Abuse: drugabuse.gov Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): www.samhsa.gov

October 2015  Rhode Island Parent Magazine

19

Get Organized!

By Kristin MacRae

5 tips to TAME your kids’ papers

I

t’s only October and you are already drowning in paper.

The kids’ backpacks just seem to spit it out every day, usually crinkled and bent. Their papers are taking over the kitchen, the dining room, and the bedrooms.

All this paper is becoming a distraction. You’re wondering if there is important information hiding in those piles. Think about how long it takes you to rifle through papers looking for a permission slip or a homework assignment. How much time have you wasted, and how much stress have you acquired just from the kids’ paper piles?

It’s time to finally tackle this project. Paper management is the number one issue when dealing with disorganization. If you don’t have your personal papers under control, there is a good chance that you don’t have your kids’ papers under control.

The beginning of the school year is a great time to develop a system and follow through as the year progresses. Get your kids in the habit of controlling their paper now. If they are old enough, incorporate them into this process and transfer this skill set to them. You’ll be saving them a lifetime of paper management issues!

Here are five ways to get paper under control:

1 Organize school binders

It all begins with your kids having an organized backpack.

Binders and folders will make it easier to transfer papers to your home organization system with no time wasted. Dedicate a color to each subject. For instance, for English class, have a green notebook, folder, and/or binder. All paperwork for English stays contained in the English folders. Get your kids in the habit of cleaning out their subject folders and filing papers in their file drawer once a week. Start these routines now and make it a habit of following up with them.

2 Develop a kid-friendly filing system

Include your kids in this process. Ask them how they want the system to function and you may be surprised that they actually have answers. Create a filing system for the paper.

It can be a filing drawer, cabinet, accordion file, portable rolling cart, or any other filing system that will work for them.

Label files by subject and color code to match the colors you dedicated to each subject.

20

Rhode Island Parent Magazine  October 2015

Throughout the year, put class projects, papers, and any other important documents in these files. At the end of the school year, go through the files and purge whatever you think you may not need for the future. Store the documents you want to keep in a separate file, label with the school year, and keep everything together in a separate storage box. Start each school year fresh by continuing to rotate the files.

3 Create a process

Once this filing system is in place, maintenance becomes important. Make sure the system works for both you and your kids by talking with them about how everything should function going forward. Have a process for every piece of paper that arrives in the home – it can get filed or put on a calendar or to-do list. The more complicated your system is, the more likely it is to fail. Simplicity makes maintenance easier. If the system doesn’t work, keep trying and tweaking until it works for your family.

4 Contain paper to one area of the home

Don’t let paper take over the kitchen, living room, or dining room table. Choose one area in the home; keep and organize all the paper in that area. Imagine no longer finding paper in drawers, under the bed, or taking over the kids’ rooms!

5 Corral memorabilia and personal information

Develop a system for any artwork, achievements, and other paper memorabilia they bring home. Don’t stuff it into a drawer or leave in a pile on the counter. Purchase and label a container to hold the memorabilia. Each child should have their own bin. For additional organization, create a personal file for each child that includes birth certificates, passports, ID cards, school physicals, etc.

Work with your children to put these systems in place.

This organizational skill set will stay with your kids, helping them to grow up to be efficient and productive adults. So map out your plan, make your to-do list, and put this project into motion!  Kristin MacRae, owner and founder of Organizing in RI, LLC, is an organizing and efficiency expert. www.organizinginri.com

October 2015  Rhode Island Parent Magazine

21

Ask Dr. Day Care: Advice for Parents

By Mary Ann Shallcross Smith, Ed.D.

Dr. Day Care answers your questions about children from infancy to school age. Send questions to: editor@RIParentMag.com or ask them on facebook.com/RIParentMag.

Q

Dear Dr. Day Care, As a student, I was horrible at math. I am worried my daughter will take after me when she goes to school. She is a toddler – is there anything I can do to get her ready for math lessons?

- Math Mom

Dear Math Mom, There is so much you can do while your daughter is young to assist her in building strong math skills!

Sorting and classification is an important skill, and it’s easy to do with toddlers.

Enjoy fall by using the environment to teach math: classify leaves by separating them into piles – red leaves, yellow leaves, etc. Talk about your family, asking your child who lives in their house, who lives in Grandma’s house, and who lives is Uncle Joe’s house. Separate and match socks.

Separate the fruits in a fruit salad. Go on a “color hunt” where you find and sort toys and household objects by color.

These are all great ways to interact with your toddler to teach math through play.

Talk through the process with your child as you are sorting. By engaging your child in these simple activities, math learning begins! I am sure your future student will do well in math if you have a positive attitude and engage her in fun math activities while she is young.

A

Q A

Dear Dr. Day Care, We are first-time parents and are wondering if you have tips on toilet training.

- Parents of a Toddler

Dear Parents of a Toddler, I have been involved with toilet training for more than 40 years as a mom, grandmother, and child care professional. Potty training is such a special milestone for toddlers and parents.

Begin the toilet training process when your child is ready, usually around 2-2½ years old. The biggest key to toilet training is being positive. Your child is feeling your vibes, so if you remain relaxed and positive, your child will follow your lead.

Try using new and educational concepts to introduce the toilet training process, such as reading a book about it. Also,

22

Rhode Island Parent Magazine  October 2015

give your child as many choices as possible, because it is a powerful way to work together as a team and empower your child to make decisions. Here are a few suggestions for choices: • When putting their pants back on, ask which leg, left or right, they want to put in first to teach the concepts of left and right.

• When it comes time to go to the toilet/potty seat, ask your child if they want to go now or in a minute – keeping to the minute will teach about time relations.

• Ask whether they want to turn the faucet on or off to teach about the concepts of on and off.

• Ask them whether they want to flush the toilet or have you do it.

Have your child wear loose pants or other non-restrictive clothing during the toilet training process. This will make is easier for your child to take his or her pants on and off when going to the toilet. Always wash your hands before and after toilet training.

Keep the diaper on at night and when traveling in the beginning days of toilet training. It is normal for your child to have accidents during these times. Once your child is dry for at least a week at night and while traveling, try removing the diaper during those times. Praise your child the first night that you take off the diaper, and especially if your child is still dry in the morning. If your child wets the bed, simply have him or her help with the clean up as much as possible and praise your child’s efforts.

I highly suggest not reinforcing your child with food or candy during toilet training. Try having stickers available to be used for reinforcement, but nothing works better than mom and dad giving happy hugs and dancing around the house together with their child who has accomplished using the toilet.  “Dr. Day Care” is Mary Ann Shallcross Smith, Ed.D., CEO/ President of Dr. Day Care and Kids Klub and children’s book author: Edgar Graduates. www.drdaycare.com

See Dr. Day Care’s new instructional video on potty training at youtube.com/ pottytrainingprocess.

October 2015  Rhode Island Parent Magazine

23

Question of the Month We love hearing from you! Below are answers to a question we asked on our Facebook page.

To answer future questions of the month, like us at: Facebook.com/RIParentMag.

Make or buy Halloween costumes and why?

“I let the kids decide what they want to be, then I decide if I’m going to buy or make it based on the level of complexity. One year we made a Care Bear costume. I thought it would be so easy but it was a FAIL. We ultimately bought something else. It was fun trying though!”

Lisa Y Providence

“I usually buy them because I’m not exactly Martha Stewart. But I have helped my kids assemble unique pieces to make a fun themed costume!”

Jackie H Barrington

“Being the mom of an avid dancer, I usually have several costumes on hand and I ask the kids to dress as something that makes use of one of the old dance costumes.”

Tracey S Cranston

“We have a two-year-old so we haven’t had enough Halloweens to know what the trend will be. So far, we had a costume gifted to us, and a hand-me-down. This is the first year she will have a say in what she wants to be. One of the options isn’t mainstream, which means we might have to get creative. Gulp.”

“I assemble all our costumes. Parts are bought, parts are made, and parts are repurposed from our closets. For me, the best part of Halloween costumes is the creativity that goes into them!”

Amy M Pawtucket

“I buy my kids’ costumes because I can’t sew.”

Amy C Coventry

Geralyn D Cumberland

Like us at Facebook.com/RIParentMag 24

Rhode Island Parent Magazine  October 2015

Rhode Island Parent Magazine

Upcoming SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTIONS

Santa’s Arrival and Visiting Calendar, School Break Camps/Activities Guide $49 for November and December listings.

Copy and payment due by October 21.

Up to 35 words. Can include location, dates, times, and costs.

Holiday Gift Guide

November and December listings.

Multiple sizes/rates available. Copy and payment due by October 21.

Contact 401-337-9240 or sales@RIParentMag.com

Directory of Advertisers Please support our advertisers. Tell them you saw their ad here.

These advertisers keep the magazine free for you!

Active/art/dance

Health-related services

Artists’ Exchange ........................................ Page 7 Dream Big Gymnasium .............................. Page 21 Rock Spot Climbing .................................. Page 7 Teamworks ............................................ Back cover To the Pointe of Performing Arts ................ Page 13 YMCA of Greater Providence ..................... Page 11

Dr. Elissa Contillo, Optometrist ................. Page 3 Psychological Associates of Warwick ........... Page 29

Baby products and services Mother’s Nature ......................................... Page 3 Tiny Touches by Perfect Touch Interiors ..... Page 3

Child Care/preschool BrightStars ................................................. Page 13 The Children’s Workshop ........................... Page 21 Dr. Day Care .............................................. Page 4

Education/tutoring Club Z In-home Tutoring ............Inside back cover The Wolf School ......................................... Page 15 Your Writing Coach ................................... Page 3

Events/Shows Bring Your Own Improv ............................ Page 25 Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular ........................ Page 23

Miscellaneous Barden Family Orchard .............................. Page 25 Kid Think .................................................. Page 7 Cumberland-Lincoln Prevention Coalition ..............................................Inside cover

Museums Providence Children’s Museum................... Page 23 Tomaquag Museum .................................... Page 15

Parties/events/workshops Animal Experiences .................................... Page 17 Bjorn the Magician .................................... Page 17 Bwana Iguana Reptile Adventure ................ Page 17 Mad Science of Southern MA and RI ......... Page 21 Ponies to Go............................................... Page 17 Pop n Bop Bubble Bash .............................. Page 17 Reel to Real Recording Studio .................... Page 17

Photography Kimberly Dobosz Photography .................. Page 23

To advertise, call (401) 337-9240 or email sales@RIParentMag.com October 2015  Rhode Island Parent Magazine

25

All About Baby

By Hollie Barclay

8 tips for pumping in public

T

here are so many different circumstances that may require you to pump breast milk outside your home. Pumping in public is a whole lot different than pumping from the comfort of your couch.

People tend to look a lot closer at what you are doing to your breasts in public when they don’t see little feet sticking out from your coverall!

Here are some tips that may help make pumping breast milk in public more comfortable:

1. Wear Layers

Wearing a tank top under a larger shirt is an inexpensive way to keep your midsection covered while still accessing the necessary equipment up top, therefore leaving you less revealed. By doing this, you have a built-in “coverall” and won’t have to drape yourself (depending on how big the top layer shirt is).

2. Put Your Pump in a Cute Bag and Go for Comfort

A bag can disguise the pump, leaving only the cord and tubing showing. Then, relax – the more relaxed you look, the less conspicuous you are.

5. Go Hands Free

Get-ups that allow you to wear your pumping equipment and not need hands at all are available. You can get the same concept accomplished by wearing a snug, stretchy tank and placing the pump parts underneath, allowing the tank to hold them in place.

6. Keep it Simple

Make sure you have everything you need while pumping within half an arm’s length, since that is probably all you have to spare. Keep your extra equipment in your bag with the pump so you have it handy at a moment’s notice.

7. Quick Clean-up

Instead of needing to get to a sink after pumping to clean up all the parts and bag up the milk, etc., look into waterless options that are available for safely cleaning bottles and pumping parts.

8. Go Bold and Look Like You’re Breastfeeding

3. Hunt for the Perfect Outlet

Throw on your most stylish breastfeeding coverall and just go for it! And when all else fails, draw up a sign that says: “Yes, I am pumping in public! I am doing what is best for my baby, even when he/she isn’t with me. Have a nice day!” 

4. Go Low

Hollie Barclay, RN, IBCLC, CHBE, is owner of Mother's Nature, a mother/baby care service that includes 3D/4D ultrasounds and serves RI and MA. She is mother of four children under five years old. www.MothersNatureMA.com

Pumping takes some time, as you know. Finding the ideal outlet is key. Look around for a corner spot where you can either face the wall privately or sit in comfort on a piece of furniture – imagine that!

Wear a low-cut blouse with a zip-up hoodie or sweater. Doing this still leaves your midsection covered, like with the layering trick, as you only need to pull your shirt down past your breasts. Having a zip-up or button-up sweater makes it so you can cover a bit with just the clothing you have on.

26

Rhode Island Parent Magazine  October 2015

Rhode Island Parent Magazine is the only magazine in Rhode Island focused on parents and families.

PRIMARY AUDIENCE Women in the 18–54 age range CIRCULATION 14,000 initially DISTRIBUTION Available for free at several hundred locations throughout Rhode Island.

ADDITIONAL AUDIENCE Dads, grandparents, aunts, uncles, child experts, pediatricians, teachers, child care centers, etc.

85% OF PURCHASES and purchase decisions are made by women, so Rhode Island Parent Magazine is a great way to reach your audience. * Based on an industry-accepted average of two readers per each magazine.

To request a rate card and discuss advertising, email sales@RIParentMag.com or call 401-337-9240.

October 2015  Rhode Island Parent Magazine

27

Kid of the Month

By Susan Gale

How many cups of

LEMONADE

does it take to earn

B

$1,000?

ryson Murray is a fourth-grade expert at lemonade.

This summer, she raised about $1,000 in one day with her lemonade stand.

Of course, it wasn’t just any lemonade. Bryson, 10, of North Smithfield, was completing her second fundraiser for the Extraordinary Needs Fund at Boston Children’s Hospital. She handed out more than 20 liters of lemonade in return for donations in the name of Zoë Faye Young, the granddaughter of a friend of the family.

Zoë entered the hospital with cancer at 2 months old, and died just three months later. Bryson calls her fundraiser Zoë's Lemonade Stand. Her outlook on life is one worth following.

“You can change other people’s life just by one little thing you do. You can compliment them and they will have a good day for the rest of the day,” she said. “The way you treat people is the way they treat you, but if you do something to volunteer, don’t think you are going to get something in return.”

Word got around about her lemonade stand from last year, and this year’s brought in people from all over, including many that Bryson and her family don’t know.

Combined with an online fundraising campaign set up by her mother, Heather Cardone, Bryson is on track to donate more than $7,800 to Boston Children’s Hospital this year.

That’s more than three times the $2,200 she donated in 2014 and significantly higher than this year’s goal of $4,400.

Zoë’s parents run the Zoë Faye Foundation (teamzoecancersucks.com), which held a fundraiser at which they presented Bryson with an award for her work and donated money from the fundraiser to Bryson’s campaign.

Bryson is also good at getting others to help with fundraising. Over one weekend her cousins earned $100 selling rainbow bracelets from their front yard. One year, Bryson told her grandmother that all she wanted for Christmas was for a child in need to receive an Elf on the Shelf® doll.

28

Rhode Island Parent Magazine  October 2015

“She’s very philanthropic and generous. She’s good at taking care of others before herself,” said Bryson’s mother Heather.

Bryson dreams of making her fundraising even bigger with year-round availability of Zoë’s Lemonade Stand branded items, such as lemon candies. She’d also like to take the show on the road to other states and especially wants to visit New York City.

“I really like staying in hotels,” she explained. “It’s so cool to see cities. There are so many people there.”

She doesn’t want to be a full-time fundraiser, but thinks about being a wild life rehabilitation expert, a veterinarian, or a special education teacher like her mother, who teaches 6th grade in Central Falls. “I want to take after my mom,” she said.

Writing is Bryson’s favorite subject and she likes to write stories. She loves reading the Bad Kitty® chapter books. Bryson is especially good at being a friend to children in her school with special needs, often going to their school room to play with them at recess.

“They’re all the same. It’s just people treat them different for some reason,” she said.

What advice does Bryson have for others who want to raise money for good causes? “Go big or go home,” she said.  Susan Gale is publisher/editor of Rhode Island Parent Magazine.

Bryson's fundraiser continues until October 22, 2015. To contribute: fundraise.childrenshospital.org/goto/ zoeslemonade

October 2015  Rhode Island Parent Magazine

29

Feature Story

&

Tips

HOW DID HALLOWEEN START?

HALLOWEEN FUN FACTS Ã 75% of American households plan to hand out candy this year. Ã 61% of Americans will decorate their front porch or door to welcome trick-or-treaters. Ã 27% of people will dress in costume to welcome trick-ortreaters, though millennials (47%) are far more likely than other age groups to wear a costume. Ã About 47% of people believe it’s best to eat the whole piece of candy corn at once, while 43% think it’s proper to start with the narrow white end.

Halloween feels like a very American holiday, but it actually got its start a couple of thousand years ago and incorporates the rites of multiple cultures and religions. Here is a very condensed version of Halloween history.

The holiday started in the area that is now Ireland, the UK, and northern France with the pagan Celtic festival called Samhain, which marked the start of their new year on November 1. The Celts believed that on October 31, ghosts and spirits came out to haunt. They held large bonfires and disguised themselves in animal skin costumes to drive away the unwanted visitors. Feasts were prepared and edible offerings left out for the spirits.

When the Roman Empire came to the area, they added a celebration of Pomona, the goddess of fruit and trees.

This helped develop today’s bobbing for apples tradition.

Over the centuries, Christianity joined in with All Saint’s Day on November 1 and All Soul’s Day on November 2. The night before All Saint’s Day began to be called All Hallow’s Eve or All Hallow’s Mass – the precursor to the term Halloween.

In England on All Hallow’s Eve, poor people went door to door and received pastries in return for promises to pray for the household’s dead. In Scotland and Ireland, young people practiced “guising,”

Source for all statistics: National Confectioners Association

30

Rhode Island Parent Magazine  October 2015

Treats for

which included dressing up in costume and accepting fruits, nuts, or coins in return for “tricks” such as a song, poem, or joke.

In America, the practice of going door to door really got going when it was brought here by Irish immigrants fleeing the great potato famine in the 1840s. The holiday was curtailed during the Great Depression because of sugar rationing but took off after World War II, growing into what we know today as Halloween.

DISAPPEARING CANDY You’re not the only parent sneaking your kids’ candy: 78% of parents confess that they take candy from their child’s Halloween haul (or other seasonal candy collections), with 23% waiting until their kids go to bed or school before sneaking some treats. Meanwhile, 55% have a house rule that everyone must share.

SCAREDY CATS AND DOGS About 13% of Americans plan to dress up a pet on Halloween. A reminder to never leave your pet alone in a costume – if they panic they could get caught on something and suffocate or suffer another kind of injury. And if you are having a party, especially with many children, make sure to have a quiet room for your pet where they can be alone and away from the noise of the party.

Halloween SAFETY TIP

Create a wristband or dog tag with “in case of emergency” information for your child. Not all costumes have pockets so this is a way to provide information in case you become separated from your child, are taking them to a party with a lot of people, or have older children going out on their own. You can put information such as your address, phone number, allergy information, and everything else you would want someone to know to help your child.

SPOOKY FOOD IDEAS In many ways, Halloween is about food.

Here are some fun recipes that you can make for parties or just for your kids on Halloween night. Make them with your kids for even more fun. Ã Eyeballs on forks: Your guests’ eyes will bug out when they see this snack. Cover doughnut holes with melted white chocolate. Add a chocolate chip as the pupil and use red frosting to create veins. Ã Skeleton cookies: Bake or buy gingerbread cookies shaped as people or animals, then draw skeleton-like lines on them with white frosting.

à Finger-food fingers: Create your PUMPKIN PROCEDURES own Frankenstein fingers with à When choosing a pumpkin, look for mozzarella string cheese and green one with a strong stem that is firmly bell pepper. Cut the mozzarella attached. Of course, never carry the string in half and cut out horizontal pumpkin by the stem – if it snaps wedges for the joints. Cut a piece off, it will speed up the rotting of of pepper, not peeled, in the shape the pumpkin. of a fingernail and place it on the à To check for ripeness, pick up the “finger.” You’ll need to remove a bit pumpkin and thump it a few times. of cheese and some of the pulp of the You should hear a hollow sound, pepper so it looks good. Use a bit of which lets you know this pumpkin cream cheese to make the nail stick. will be easy to scoop out. à Cannibals: Create fingers or toes à Store your pumpkins in a cool, out of cocktail wieners. Make a dry place. Heat and light speeds little wedge on the end of each up rotting. wiener where you will place the nail. Wrap a strip of soft tortilla on à Before carving your pumpkin, wash the other end and keep it in place it in a solution of one teaspoon of with a toothpick. After baking it for chlorine bleach and one gallon of around 7 minutes at 350 degrees, water. This prevents mold. add a dollop of ketchup for the nail and remove the toothpick. à A bowl of guts: As a healthier snack, cook a spaghetti squash, add some tomato sauce to the squash strands, and mix it all together in a small glass or bowl.

à Ghost poop: For the trick-ortreaters, add one marshmallow ghost and some mini marshmallows to a bag. Close the bag with a ribbon and add a little note that reads, “bag of ghost poop.”

October 2015  Rhode Island Parent Magazine

31

October 2015

Our calendar is as up-to-date as possible at press time. Be sure to check information with event sponsors for updates/changes. To submit calendar items for November and beyond, please email them to editor@RIParentMag.com.

Famous 14-year-old performs with local chorus See musical sensation Ethan Bortnick perform with the chorus of Bristol’s Colt Andrews School. Bortnick has a long list of accomplishments, including a PBS special shown more than 2,000 times; being the “The World’s Youngest Solo Musician to Headline his Own Concert Tour,” according to Guinness World Records; raising more than $40M for charities; and sharing the stage with many legendary artists such as Elton John, Andrea Bocelli, Beyoncé, and Josh Groban. 3 pm, 10/25. The Nazarian Center for Performing Arts, Rhode Island College, 600 Mt. Pleasant Avenue, Providence. $29–$49/tickets, eventbrite.com; $75/ tickets through PBS as a fundraiser (includes PBS membership). ripbs.org/ethan-bortnick

32

Special events

Places to go

Autumnfest 2015. Columbus Day Weekend. Kids’ entertainment each day, midway, food court. 10 am–10 pm, Saturday and Sunday; 10 am–6:15 pm, Monday. Fireworks, 9 pm, Saturday.

Parade leaves from Diamond Hill Plaza, 9:30 am, Monday. World War II Memorial Park, Social Street, Woonsocket.

Free entrance. autumnfest.org

Audubon Society Environmental Education Center. 9 am–5 pm daily until mid-October, then 9 am–5 pm, Wednesday–Saturday and noon–5 pm, Sunday. 1401 Hope Street, Bristol. Some activities free. Admission $6/adults; $4/ children 4–12; free/under 4. asri.org

Global Cardboard Challenge. Design and build original creations using cardboard and recycled materials.

11 am–2 pm, October 3, 4, 10, 11, 12.

Providence Children’s Museum, 100 South Street, Providence. $9/person; free/children under 12 months. www. childrenmuseum.org Jack–O–Lantern Spectacular.

Admission: 6–10 pm, Sunday–Friday; 6–11 pm, Saturday. Roger Williams Park Zoo, 1000 Elmwood Avenue, Providence. $14/adults; $11/children 3–12, Sunday–Thursday; $2 more on Friday and Saturday. rwpzoo.org/jack-olantern-spectacular Wickford Wicked Week and a Half.

Kids’ Halloween events. 10/17: 11 am –3 pm, pumpkin decorating in Updike Park. 10/25: Noon, Horribles Parade, kids of all ages invited to march in this costume parade. Begins from St. Paul’s Parish House, Main Street. 10/31: During the day, trick-or-treating at participating businesses. Free. www.wickfordvillage.com

Rhode Island Parent Magazine  October 2015

Coggeshall Farm Museum. Working 18th century living history farm with multiple activities and workshops. 10am– 4 pm, Tuesday–Saturday. 1 Colt Drive, Bristol. Weekdays, $5/adults; $3/children 3–12. Weekends, $7 adults; $5/children 3–12. coggeshallfarm.org Providence Children’s Museum.

Different activities every day. 9 am–6 pm daily except Mondays; open select Fridays until 8 pm. 100 South Street, Providence. $9/person; free/children under 12 months. www.childrenmuseum.org Scavenger Hunt Tours at Linden Place Mansion. Find artifacts throughout the federal-style mansion. Learn what it was like to be a kid 200 years ago. 10 am– 4 pm, Tuesday–Saturday; noon–4 pm, Sunday. Linden Place Museum, 500 Hope Street, Bristol. $8/adults; $5/ children ages 6–12; free/children under 6. lindenplace.org/museum

Misquamicut Drive-In Movie Nights.

10/2 Charlie & the Chocolate Factory; 10/9 The Wizard of Oz; 10/16 Men In Black; 10/23 Rocky; 10/30 Gremlins.

8 pm. Wuskenau Town Beach, Pondside Lot, 311 Atlantic Avenue, Westerly. $10/car. misquamicut.org/events

Weekends Moss and Mushroom Walk. Children 8 and up. 10:30 am–noon. Blackstone Field, 2 River Road, Providence. Free. blackstoneparksconservancy.org

Games, imaginative arts, mad scientist’s laboratory, and more.

11 am–2 pm, 10/31.

The Providence Children’s Museum, 100 South Street, Providence. $9/person; free/children under 12 months. www.childrenmuseum.org

Friday nights Bring Your Own Improv. Family– friendly comedy show. 7–8:30 pm.

Warwick Museum of Art, 3259 Post Road. $8/adults; $4/children under 12 and seniors. bringyourownimprov.com Frosty Drew Observatory & Sky Theater. Public stargazing. 7:30 pm.

61 Park Lane, Charlestown. $1/person suggested donation. frostydrew.org Friday Night Live. Interactive scenes and musicals with improvised song, dance, and skits. All ages. 7 pm. Everett Stage, 9 Duncan Avenue, Providence. $5. everettri.org

SNEC Toy Train Show. Displays, raffles, door prizes. 9 am–2:30 pm. Aldrich Junior High School, 789 Post Road, Warwick. $5/adults; free/children under 12. www.snechapter.org Norman Bird Sanctuary Harvest Fair.

See 10/3.

3/Saturday

Let’s do the Boo Bash!

Providence Public Library, 150 Empire Street, Providence. Free. provlib.org

Waterfire. Full lighting. 6–10 pm. Waterplace Park, 1 Finance Way, Providence. Free. waterfire.org Norman Bird Sanctuary Harvest Fair.

“Mabel Express” Barrel Train, Monkey Bridge, Mud Pit, games, kids’ craft tent, music, and food. 10 am–5 pm. Norman Bird Sanctuary, 583 Third Beach Road, Middletown. $6/adults, $3/children 3–12. normanbirdsanctuary.org Peace and Providence Fifth Annual Family Fall Festival. Arts and crafts vendors, children’s activities area, live music. 11 am–9 pm. Alex and Ani City Park, 2 Kennedy Plaza, Providence. Free. peaceandprovidence.com Thundermist's Duck Race and Family Fun Day. 5,000 rubber ducks launched into Pawtuxet River, prizes for first 25 to cross the finish line. 11 am–2 pm. Royal Mills Riverpoint, 125 Providence Street, West Warwick. Free Admission; purchase ducks online. www.thundermisthealth.org

4/Sunday Family Learning Sundays. Interactive learning program focused on various topics including science, music, nature, art, and dance. Ages 5–10. 2–4 pm.

10/Saturday Animal Clothes. Learn how animals protect themselves from the elements and survive the seasons. Ages 3–10.

10–11:30 am. Audubon Power Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge, 12 Sanderson Road, Greenville. Register online. $5/ member child; $7/non-member child. asri.org Newport Festa Italiana. Italian food, music, raffles. Storyteller/musician at 12:45 pm and 2:45 pm. 11 am–4 pm, Touro Park, Bellevue Avenue, Newport.

Free.

11/Sunday Family Learning Sundays. See 10/4.

17/Saturday Children’s Fest and Pumpkin Racing.

Pumpkin painting, games, inflatables, “Toe Jam The Puppet Band,” and pumpkin racing. Ages 3–10. Rain location, South Kingstown High School gym. 1–3:30 pm. Old Mountain Field, Kingstown Road, South Kingstown. Free with donation of a canned good for the Jonnycake Center. southkingstownri.com Halloween Movie Night. 5:30 pm, costume parade; 6 pm, family movie; 7:30 pm, scary movie. Vote on movies choices on website. Rain date, 9/25.

Ballard Park, corner of Hazard & Wickham Roads, Newport. Free. ballardpark.org (continued on next page)

October 2015  Rhode Island Parent Magazine

33

October 2015 18/Sunday

25/Sunday

Rhode Island Model Train Show. Learn about model railroading. 80+ vendors.

10 am–3 pm. Pawtucket Armory, 172 Exchange Street, Pawtucket. Free parking, wheelchair accessible. $5/adults; free/scouts in uniform and children under 12; $15 max per family.

Meet Four-time Olympic Gold Medalist Lenny Krayzelburg.

Celebrating the launch of the Lenny Krayzelburg Swim Academy at the Dwares JCC. Swim evaluations, autograph session, giveaways, bounce house, music, snacks, story time, arts and crafts, defense workshop, kids’ movie, and Patriots game. All ages, faiths, and backgrounds welcome.

10 am–2 pm. 401 Elmgrove Avenue, Providence. Free. jewishallianceri.org/ lennykswim

Family Learning Sundays. See 10/4.

24/Saturday Creepy Critters. Kids can come in costume to meet critters and learn from animal expert Dave Marchetti of Animal Experiences. Noon–2 pm. Providence Children’s Museum, 100 South Street, Providence. $9/person; free/children under 12 months. www.childrenmuseum.org Jason Andrews Halloween Magic Show. One-man variety show for all ages with international touring World Champion Magician. 11 am, 3 pm, and 7 pm. Artists’ Exchange, Theatre 82 & Café, 82 Rolfe Square, Cranston. $15 general admission. artists-exchange.org

Family Learning Sundays. See 10/4.

Autumn Tour Weekend & Clam Cakes/Chowder Event. See 10/24.

31/Saturday Happy Halloween!

The Perfect Pumpkin Party. Pumpkin games and pumpkin decorating.

10 am–3 pm. Audubon Environmental Education Center, 1401 Hope Street, Bristol. Admission $6/adults; $4/children 4–12; free/under 4.

10th Annual Halloween Iron Pour: Extra cost for pumpkins. asri.org Monster vs. City. Theatric display of the industrial arts using liquid iron and heat Craft Bash. Making painted pumpkins. of flame. 5 pm. Steel Yard, 27 Sims Ave, 11 am–2 pm. Artists’ Exchange. 50 Providence. $10/person.

Rolfe Square, Cranston. Free. artistsAutumn Tour Weekend & Clam Cakes/Chowder Event. Tours of the mill with Johnny Cake demonstrations, clam cakes and chowder. 10 am–5 pm.

Kenyon's Grist Mill, 21 Glen Rock Road, West Kingston. Free. www.kenyonsgristmill.com

34

exchange.org

Carousel Village’s UnBOOlievable Festival. Kids’ costume party, crafters, artists, farmers, live musicians, food.

Trick-or-treating for kids 12 and under while supplies last. 11 am–5 pm.

Carousel Village, Roger Williams Park, 1000 Elmwood Avenue, Providence.

Free entrance. rwpzoo.org/carousel

Rhode Island Parent Magazine  October 2015

401-229-2101 www.clubz.com/blackstonevalley October 2015  Rhode Island Parent Magazine

35

36

Rhode Island Parent Magazine  October 2015