RM Parent | October 2020

OCTOBER 2020 • RMPARENT.COM

TIME FOR A

PET?

Fall festivals Picture perfect painting Election season Safely social SPECIAL SECTION:

Easing anxiety in these troubled times

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OCTOBER 2020

Departments PERSPECTIVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 A glimpse of the future—2020 vision makes it clear how we must act

AS WE GROW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Safely social—Striking a social balance during the pandemic

Special Sections FUN AND FIT

Advertising supplement

Fun & Fi t

FAMILY ACTIVITIES . . . . . . . . 10 Fall happenings—Corn mazes, pumpkin patches, hayrides, Zombie paintball…

A DV E RT I

SING SU PPLE

MENT

LEARN AND LIVE . . . . . . . . . . 12 Picture perfect painting—Getting started, ideas, activities, classes

COMMUNITY NEWS . . . . . . . 14 NoCo family resources—Childcare, teen self-care, Internet safety, suicide prevention, parenting tools and pumpkins

HEALTHY LIVING . . . . . . . . 16

Considering a pet?–Weigh timing, responsibilities, and benefits

CALENDAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Events and activities for parents, kids and families

Features ASING ANXIETY 20 EHelp your kids stay calm and secure

during these trying times. Listen to their concerns and reassure them that by wearing masks they can help control the pandemic, or that even though you lost your job, you still have an income or that wildfires will be kept away from cities. Relieve stress through fun and laughter.

TIME OUT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Budgie duty—Turns out they’re social animals

School District News GR-E 6 School District . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Next helps raise money for meals, New Greeley West High School groundbreaking

Poudre School District . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Data used for COVID decisions, all students can receive meals, Support students with disabilities, PSD IT department offers support

Thompson School District . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Student receives 2020 Youth Impact Award, TVHS celebrates AP Capstone Diploma recipients

24 Trying ELECTION SEASON to teach our children the values

we claim to espouse is sometimes difficult during election season. We might otherwise ask them to be openminded, to listen respectfully to others, to evaluate a situation by gathering a wide array of information and making an informed choice.

ABOUT THE COVER: Freddy loves riding his bike, climbing trees, playing video games, and fostering kittens from Animal Friends Alliance.

Photo shot by Cheri Schonfeld, courtesy of Sky's Open Design. www.skysopendesign.com RMPARENT

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perspective Generosity A glimpse of the future learning, being and doing

2020 vision makes it clear how we must act

A W

young man approached me in a parking lot hen yesterday. it rains, it pours as the saying “My And family and if I are staying goes. lately, it rains, it over there and ifsnows. we could get five dollars we could And the fires keep burning get a pizza.

If we could get ten we could get on the West Coast, across the west and in two and that would cover us.” our backyards. And the hurricanes keep I hadin. noIsidea whether story wasbeen true.so flooding it crazy that his there have He looked as though he was living rough, many named storms this year that they went though—gaunt, sunken all the way through the cheeks, alphabetdespairing for stormeyes.

Without hesitation, I pulled out my names and now they’re just using thewallet Greek and handed him ten bucks. alphabet? Anyway, I digress.I don’t know just why I did it. He wasn’t threatening. wasn’tpandemic over imploring.

He just seemed to really need a Throw inHe a global that’s killed more than 200,000 boost right then and interacting with him right there a couple of feet Americans, widespread drought, civil unrest, the economic challenges away, I just felt it was a moment. that some are feeling, an augmented political landscape, and well, if It’s not that I’m on anxious, a missionthen to give away live all ofinour money. walk you aren’t feeling a little you must a cave withIno and drive by plenty of people who are asking for a little push.

And I’m human contact and spend your days meditating on kindness, compassion, not driven to help others by a sense of guilt or even a feeling of being generosity, patience and all those other things that are the good side of lucky enough human nature.to have it and these others don’t and so therefore it’s my social obligation do struck it. Norby doisIhow get amuch big sense of satisfaction.

I have Actually, whattoI’m kindness, compassion, a hard time pinpointing why I feel compelled to help out sometimes, generosity and patience (yes, I wanted to repeat them for emphasis) I’ve whether scooping sidewalk forwith a neighbor or observed stopping as toI’m push car, seen in my personala interactions people or outa and and other times not so much. about. I’m impressed with human beings overall and dismayed that what Every fall,ada nauseum neighborare of ours comes byactions with his compressor we hear about the abhorrent of air a few who seem and blows out our sprinkler lines.

He makes the rounds in our often to have a point they want to make. And that point, in my opinion, corner the“my neighborhood and so gets for winter. Ah, He the falls intoofthe beliefs are right, I’lleveryone do what ready I want” category. doesn’t ask for anything.

He just does it because he can.

It is not true joy of self-righteousness! But most of us are considerate of whataour transactional any way. neighbors and offer fellowincitizens think. The only point we want to make is Theresa Baer writes this month Learn and Live column that, given the opportunity, we’re hereintoher help. about teaching children to be generous and volunteer.

Sheitalso offers And what about our kids? Lynn Nichols to really dives into in her some ideas about where and how.

The idea is to help children to be story called “Easing Anxiety—talking to your kids about the crazy times aware of others’ needs and to understand they, themselves, have of 2020.”

It’s really a must-read for its ideasthat about how to guide your something to offer. children safely through the dumpster fire that is this year. goal for them, really all of us, to not do generosity an IThe think weishave an amazing opportunity herejust to see with 2020 as vision activity that we have come to understand as something that we should what the world might hold for us and strive to make our little corner dothe because lucky enough to have something other of worldwe’re a better place, not just for ourselves butand for those everyone, or people are struggling.

Where we’re really headed with this is for in our if everyone sounds like too much, how about for just a few people children to see people who are just like they are, who just want to be our community. The important part is to choose kindness, compassion, happy just as they do and who don’t want to feel bad just as they don’t generosity and patience. We really are in this together and our happiness wantfortunes to. We want to getinextricably. beyond the them and us feelings. We don’t just and are linked dropBe money in a can and walk by. We stop. We talk and engage with well, people who are just like us.

Scott In the end, we want to be generosity, not just do generosity, though the path to being generosity, it seems, lies through the path of doing generosity.

‘Tis the season, Scott

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OCTOBER 2020 2019 •• Volume Volume 25, 24, Issue Issue 56 OCTOBER PUBLISHER PUBLISHER Scott Titterington, (970)221-9210 Scott Titterington, (970)221-9210 scott.rmpublishing@gmail.com scott.rmpublishing@gmail.com EDITOR EDITOR Kristin Titterington, (970)221-9210 Kristin Titterington, (970)221-9210 kristin.rmpublishing@gmail.com kristin.rmpublishing@gmail.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR CREATIVE DIRECTOR Emily Zaynard Emily Zaynard emily.rmpublishing@gmail.com emily.rmpublishing@gmail.com ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR Greg Hoffman, (970)689-6832 Greg Hoffman, (970)689-6832 greg.rmpublishing@gmail.com greg.rmpublishing@gmail.com DISTRIBUTION MANAGER DISTRIBUTION MANAGER ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVE Susan SusanHarting Hartig susan.rmpublishing@gmail.com COVER PHOTO Cheri istockphoto.com Schonfeld, Courtesy of Sky’s Open Design - skysopendesign.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Theresa Baer, Lea Hanson, Katie Harris CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lynn U. Nichols, Scott Titterington Theresa Baer, Lea Hanson, Katie Harris, Lynn U. Nichols

ROCKY MOUNTAIN PUBLISHING PO Box 740 ROCKY MOUNTAIN PUBLISHING Fort Collins, 80522 PO BoxCO 740 VoiceFort 221-9210 Fax80522 221-8556 Collins,•CO editor@rockymountainpub.com Voice 221-9210 • Fax 221-8556 www.RMParent.com editor@rockymountainpub.com www.RMParent.com

Rocky Mountain Parent magazine is published monthly

by Rocky Mountain Publishing, Inc. Rocky Mountain Parent magazine is published Publication this paper doesPublishing, not constitute monthly by of Rocky Mountain Inc. an endorsement of thedoes products or services Publication of this paper not consitute an enadvertised.

RMP reservesorthe right toadvertised. refuse dorsement of the products services any advertisement for any Theadvertiseopinions RMP reserves the right to reason. refuse any expressed by contributors or writers do not by ment for any reason.

The opinions expressed necessarily reflect the opinions Rocky Mountain contributors or writers do not of necessarily reflect Publishing. ©2020 RockyMountain MountainPublishing.

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first years Safely social

Striking a social balance during the pandemic LY NN U. NICHOLS

W

hen it comes to letting kids socialize during the pandemic, you’ll hear a wide range of advice. Some people say keep kids and teens inside and allow only virtual friend visits. Others say let kids go about business as usual without restrictions. As always, the voice of reason is somewhere in the middle.

Let’s start by acknowledging some truths and setting some realistic ground rules. Can we agree to take politics out of the pandemic? The pandemic is real.

It does kill people. And it’s likely not going anywhere until we have a vaccine.

The next logical step is to adopt rules to live by to keep our kids safe.

Sticking to a few non-negotiable rules is best, like: wear a mask inside in public, wash your hands whenever you come home from somewhere, and stay a few arm lengths away from friends when playing or hanging out. Those acts alone will do a lot to control the virus and keep your kids from catching it and spreading it to more vulnerable adults.

With teens, it’s a little trickier.

They are a lot more independent. Start by requiring they wear their mask in cars with friends and that most of their get-togethers occur outside, especially if they want to be in groups. If they are embarrassed to follow these rules they can always blame their parents. Being firm and not wishy washy in your rule setting is key. Also, let them know you expect them to follow the rules established by public places like movie theatres, restaurants, stores, and the mall.

Allow kids a “bubble” of friends that all agree to limit their exposure to other kids except for those in the bubble. While this might feel too risky for some parents, others find it useful to give kids a chance to socialize and avoid isolation. The longer this pandemic goes on, the less video gettogethers are cutting it for many families.

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Some suggest limiting your kids’ bubbles to 10, or preferably fewer, people.

Yet, keep in mind that bubbles are still risky. Maybe kids get together with their bubble only once a month, preferably outside, and otherwise hang just with one best friend from the bubble.

It’s also wise to have some ground rules for the bubble. At the very least, if someone has symptoms, or someone in their family has COVID, they obviously need to pass on the get-together no matter how badly their FOMO is.

Do pandemic bubbles feel too risky? If so, compromise between sheltering in place and letting go of the reigns completely, by getting creative.

Help kids plan a movie night on the deck for a few friends or cousins with a firepit to keep warm and a sheet as a screen hung on the side of the house.

Or, go old school and help your kids set up touchless tag games in the yard or a neighborhood park. Another idea is to encourage them to learn a new non-contact sport, like tennis, with one friend, or suggest they jam outside with

a schoolmate who is also in band or plays an instrument. Friends can also take bike rides or walks through the neighborhood together. Be willing to drive them to meet friends for quick get-togethers. Touching base for an hour while you grocery shop goes a long way to helping them feel they are still connected to friends.

Another super safe idea is helping kids set up a Netflix Party so they can hang out with friends and watch a movie safely. Netflix Party is a free Google Chrome extension where the playback of a film is synchronized with friends. It includes a live chat in the sidebar for comments.

With winter coming there are fewer opportunities to hang outside, but don’t let the cold stop you. Maybe this is the year you take up cross country skiing as a family, or find the best sledding hills in town and encourage kids to meet their friends there on snowy Saturday mornings.

And heck, Halloween is easy. It already involves masks and outdoor fun.

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family activities

Fall happenings

Corn mazes, pumpkin patches, hayrides and more KATIE HARRIS

A

fter a long, hot summer, fall is finally in the air! Celebrate the season with a family trip to a local pumpkin patch, seasonal festival or trick-or-treat outing!

PUMPKIN PATCHES

Osborn Farm 1230 S. Boise Ave., Loveland

Family owned for over 150 years, Osborn Farm is open in October, 10am-6pm daily. The farm features a pick-your-own pumpkin patch, hay rides and a barrel train.

In addition, decorative fall items including gourds, corn stalks and straw bales are available for purchase. Due to current restrictions, vendors will not be present for this year’s event, and guests are asked to wear masks in the check out area. To learn more visit http://osborn.farm/.

Something from the Farm 8020 S. Timberline Rd., Fort Collins

Something From the Farm is open Oct. 2nd-31st, Mondays through Saturdays from 9am-6pm and Sundays from 10am6pm. In addition to a pumpkin patch, the farm is offering its traditional hayride and hay bale maze, along with a corn cannon, and, on weekends, a pumpkin trebuchet.

The four-generation family-owned farm also offers a country store with homegrown food items. For more information visit http://www.somethingfromthefarm.com.

FALL FESTIVALS WITH HAUNTED HOURS Anderson Farms 6728 CR 3 1/4, Erie

A petting zoo, pedal kart rides, wagon rides to a pumpkin patch, limitless climbs on tire mountain, a ride on a wooden train and a trip through Colorado’s longest running corn maze are all open for business. Anderson Farms is open six days a week through October 31st, excluding Tuesdays, while the farm’s spookier events, Terror in 10

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the Corn and Zombie Paintball Hunt, are open Thursday through Sunday evenings. To learn more visit: Anderson Farms: www.andersonfarms.com Terror in the Corn: www.terrorinthecorn.com Zombie Paintball Hunt: www.zombiepaintballhunt.com Fritzler Farm Park 20861 CR 33, LaSalle

Open Fridays through Sundays in October, Fritzler Farm Park features slide mountain, a barrel train, antique farm equipment, pedal karts, a pillow jump, pick-your-own pumpkin patch and over two miles of corn maze to get lost in. Scream Acres, the spooky version of the farm’s fall event, is held on Fridays and Saturdays in October, with additional hours on Oct. 21-22. To learn more about each event, visit: Fritzler Fall Days: www.fritzlerfarmpark.com Scream Acres: www.fritzlerscreamacres.com TRICK-OR-TREAT EVENTS

NoCo’s Greatest DriveThru Trick-or-Treat Experience The Ranch Events Complex, 5280 Arena Circle, Loveland

On Oct. 31st, The Ranch and Thompson Education Foundation will host a socially distanced trick-or-treat event. The event will take place at The Ranch from 11am4pm, and will take the form of a reverse parade, as families drive through a long series of Halloween themed vignettes.

Kids are encouraged to trick-or-treat in costume from their car windows. The event is free to all guests, but registration is required. For details and registration visit www.thompsontef.org/drive-thrutrick-or-treat.

Treatsylvania The Farm at Lee Martinez Park, 600 N. Sherwood, Fort Collins

Back for its 30th anniversary this year, Treatsylvania will once again host trickor-treating for children ages 10 and under.

Treat bags will be provided and guests will have the opportunity to trick-or-treat at the store fronts, explore a small hay bale maze, visit the barn residents and have photos taken. The event will take place Wednesday, Oct. 28th—Saturday, Oct. 31st from 10amnoon, with additional hours from 5:307:30pm on Friday, Oct. 27th. Reservations are required and can be made at www.fcgov. com/recreation/treatsylvania/.

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learn and live

Picture-perfect painting Getting started, ideas, activities, classes

THERESA BAER

K

ids love to paint! Why not join in on the fun for an extra special moment together? If you haven’t dived into painting with your kids yet because of the anticipated mess, I encourage you to give it a try.

With proper planning and washable paint, it really isn’t such a hassle.

GETTING STARTED Clear the area of items you don’t want painted! Garages, basements and outdoor patios are great easyto-clean areas to set up for painting with the kids. Lay down newspaper or flattened cardboard boxes to protect the floor. If you’d like to stand while painting, consider acquiring easels, which come in adult or children’s sizes (often seen at reasonable prices at yard sales, consignment stores or online marketplaces as kids outgrow them).

Even standing up a piece of plywood and clipping paper to it works. Wear paint-friendly clothing like old t-shirts and pants and pull long hair back to keep out of the paint.

For children under age 12, choose child-safe washable paint, which can be found at grocery or craft stores. Adult paint often contains toxic chemicals that are hazardous to children. A paper plate or empty egg carton works well for distributing small amounts of paint and works as a mixing palette.

Don’t forget the brushes. Watercolors typically come with small brushes. If using washable tempera paints, you’ll also need to buy a couple brushes.

Larger brushes are easier for younger children to hold.

Various household items can also be used to apply paint in fun patterns or textures, like forks, sponges, marbles, bubble wrap, feathers, toy trucks, a bunch of cotton swabs, etc. Even potatoes can be cut into interesting

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shapes and used like a rubber stamp.

For the paper, simple printer paper works fine, but you can also buy paintspecific art paper (a little thicker) or canvases (more expensive but longer lasting) at craft stores.

WHAT TO PAINT Let imaginations run wild! You can also jumpstart the creativity by suggesting a theme or subjects like pets, flowers, the park or self-portraits. Try dripping paint onto your surface and lifting or rotating it to make different drip effects. Put your paper in a shallow box and drizzle paint across it, then roll marbles across or drive rubber treaded toy trucks across it. Experiment with different shapes and textures or express feelings with various colors. It is also fun to paint to rocks, sticks, leaves, and even pumpkins!

OPTIONS FOR CLASSES There are also places for you to take the kids for classes. Some offer

classes just for the kids or adults but others cater to parent and child together. Check out local museums, city recreation departments or art galleries, keeping in mind that current offerings may be limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

There are also “paint and sip” studios across northern Colorado where you would go together for a lesson on a specific painting project on canvas, and a few have “mommy/ daddy and me” sets to paint. To accommodate COVID-19 precautions, many of these studios are also offering take-home paint kits that include all the supplies (canvas, brushes, paints, disposable aprons, etc.) plus either detailed written step-by-step instructions or video tutorials. Some even offer live virtual events with an artist guiding a class.

Regardless of what or how you decide to paint, get a little messy and have fun with those amazingly creative kiddos of yours.

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community news NoCo Family resources

Childcare, teen self-care, Internet safety, suicide prevention, parenting tools and pumpkins THERESA BAER

NEW FREE CHILDCARE REFERRAL SYSTEM Early Childhood Council of Larimer County (ECCLC) has launched a new, free local childcare referral system to help parents find childcare faster.

The new system, called Larimer Child Care Connect, allows families to find available spots among hundreds of local providers with a simple personalized search, including special sections for providers to share how they are adhering and adapting to the COVID-19 situation. Visit www.larimerchildcare. org to begin your search.

KEEPING KIDS SAFE ON THE INTERNET In an effort to increase awareness and provide tools to keep children and teens safe from the dangers of sexual predators, online enticement and grooming, cyberbullying, social networking websites, email, instant messaging (IM), smartphones and sexting, Fort Collins Police Services will host Internet safety presentations. A virtual session will be held Tuesday, October 6 in English and Spanish, and an in-person presentation will take place on Sunday, November 1 at the Fort Collins Police Services Community Room located at 2221 S. Timberline Road. Families will be divided into three groups: adults; 8- to 12-year-olds; and 13- to 18-year-olds for age-appropriate presentations. Visit www.fcgov.com/police for times and registration information.

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VIRTUAL TEEN SELF-CARE In spring 2019 Imagine Zero, Larimer County’s Suicide Prevention Community Coalition, and the Alliance for Suicide Prevention of Larimer County launched the Teen Self Care Fair, which is a community-wide event offering access to healthy coping skills and the opportunity to experience

Did you know?

• 1 in 5 kids are subjected to unwanted sexual solicitation on the Internet.

• 1 in 5 teens ages 13-19 are taking photos of their intimate parts and sending them to friends.

• 25 percent of kids sexually solicited on the Internet told a trusted adult.

• 64 percent of teens report posting personal photos on the Internet and 58 percent report posting personal information such as where they live.

Source: Fort Collins Police Services, Keep Kids Safe On The Internet, https://www.fcgov.com/police

new activities. Two in-person events have taken place and given the current COVID-19 situation, their third event will take place virtually. Teens can access virtual workshops for physical self-care that provide tools for dance, yoga and breathing exercises, as well as mental self-care workshops that teach meditation, writing, art therapy and more. To access the fair, visit www. teenselfcarefair.org. To learn more about the event organizers, visit www. imaginezerosuicide.org and www. allianceforsuicideprevention.org.

AAP RECOMMENDS FLU SHOTS BEFORE OCTOBER ENDS The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that everyone over the age of 6 months get the flu vaccine this year, ideally by the end of October.

Doctors say it can take some time for the flu vaccine to activate in your body and protect against the illness, making it important to be vaccinated sooner rather than later. The policy statement, titled “Recommendations for Prevention and Control of Influenza in Children, 2020–2021” found the AAP website at www.aap.org, also indicated “Influenza vaccination is particularly important during the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic to reduce the burden of respiratory illnesses and hospitalizations and preserve the capacity of the health care infrastructure.”

PARENT EFFECTIVELY, EVEN UNDER STRESS The Parent Café, a free program of The Matthews House, supports and educates parents and caregivers by providing the skills and resources needed to parent effectively, despite stressful times. The program emphasizes the five “Protective Factors” of Resilience, Relationships, Knowledge, Support and Communication.” Cafés are held weekly and free children’s activities take place during in-person cafés. Registration is required: www.tinyurl.com/ParentCafes-TMH. • Spanish Café: Virtual Café presented in Spanish–Tuesdays, noon to 2pm

• Kin/Foster Family: In-Person Café for Foster and Kin Families–Tuesdays, 6–8pm • Orchard Cafe: In-Person Cafe for residents of Orchard Apartments–Wednesdays, 6–8pm • 2 Gen Cafe: In-Person Cafe for parents and youth age 11–17 (referral only) • Strong Families: Virtual Cafe presented in English–Thursdays, 8–9pm

PUMPKINS ON PARADE Celebrate harvest time and Halloween while socially distanced at the Pumpkins on Parade event the weekend of October 23–25. Hosted by The Gardens on Spring Creek at 2145 Centre Avenue in Fort Collins, visitors will see hundreds of squash and gourds arranged in artistic displays along with the results of their first ever community pumpkin carving contest for all ages and skill levels.

The contest is free to enter–though participants must provide their own pumpkin–and winners will be awarded fun prizes in a variety of categories.

Costumes are encouraged at the event and kids under 12 will receive a candyfree goodie bag. Learn more about the event and enter the contest online at www.fcgov.com/gardens/pumpkins.

FREE BOOK FOR EVERY 4-YEAR-OLD Stop in to your local library in Estes Park, Fort Collins, Greeley and Loveland between October 13–25 to receive a free book for your 4-year-old child in either English or Spanish. No registration is required. A total of 75,000 paperback copies will be distributed this year as part of One Book Colorado. This annual program, in its ninth year, provides every

4-year-old child in Colorado with a free copy of the same book to foster the love of reading. According to the One Book Colorado Facebook page, “Literacy skills are critical to success in school and in life.

Not only do children who are exposed to books early have better language skills than those who wait, they also have better success in learning to read. As a child’s first and most important teachers, families need access to quality books and educational materials. By providing free books in literacy-rich environments (One Book Colorado) promotes a lasting love of learning in Colorado children.” Learn more about the program and/or donate to support the efforts by visiting www. onebookcolorado.org.

SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING FOR TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS The Alliance for Suicide Prevention of Larimer County and the Poudre River Library District present this free online training session for teens and young adults aged 16–25 on Thursday, October 29 from 7pm— 8:15pm via Zoom.

This Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR) training covers warning signs of suicidal behavior and how to question someone if they are considering suicide, persuade them to accept professional help, and refer them to community resources. Participants will also receive a three-year certification for completing the one-hour training. Registration is required at https://poudrelibraries. evanced.info/signup to receive a link for the Zoom webinar.

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healthy living

Considering a pet?

Weigh timing, responsibilities, and benefits LEA HANSON

F

or many, animals and children seem like the perfect combination, but choosing to get your child a pet should never be an impulsive decision. A pet is a big responsibility, and one that can last for many years.

BENEFITS OF PETS There are many advantages for kids owning a family pet ranging from experiencing unconditional love and affection to the various health and social benefits. Jordan Dunn, Director of Community Engagement for Animal Friends Alliance in Larimer County says the greatest benefit to a family, or anyone, adopting a new cat or dog is the love and companionship we can share with them. “Many of us have fond memories of our childhood pets and the bonds that we shared; having a pet can build social skills and encourage kids to be compassionate,” Dunn says.

Responsibility–As kids grow, they become more independent and take care of themselves. From learning to dress right up to driving a car for the first time.

When it comes to caring for other living beings, opportunities are not always abundant and it isn’t always natural. In this respect, having a pet can be a great responsibility for a child to take on.

Stress and anxiety relief–Animals are often used to help various groups of people manage stress levels and provide great comfort and improve self-esteem among kids.

Allergy Prevention–Growing up with a pet builds a stronger immune system. Children who have exposure to dogs and cats during the first year of their lives can build tolerances to allergens and are less likely to develop allergies later in life.

Social Interaction–Pets can be a great facilitator when it comes to

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making new friends. They can serve as icebreakers and can enable people to talk who may not otherwise.

PETS AND CHILD AGES Animal Friends Alliance believes pets and kids can get along at any age, Dunn says. Kids under 5 should always be supervised with pets, and kids can be encouraged from a young age to be careful and gentle with pets.

Getting a pet when you have a baby, or introducing your new baby to a pet who predates them, can be tricky.

New parents generally have enough to do without adding a puppy or kitten to the household, so most professionals don’t recommend getting a new pet and new baby at similar times. Of course, if you have a pet already when your baby joins your family, take common-sense precautions.

Toddlers by their sheer nature

of being toddlers can inadvertently treat pets badly; they pull hair, hug too tightly, and aren’t familiar with boundaries. The Association of Pet Dog Trainers recommends getting dogs heavier than 30 pounds because they are less likely to be injured by a curious or rambunctious toddler.

Dunn says those looking to add a pet to their home are best off waiting until their child is 5 or older. “At this age,” Dunn says, “kids have more impulse control and are better able to understand how to kindly and safely interact with their new furry family member.” Caregivers know that kids seldom can (or will) care for the pet all on their own. At this age, caregivers often need to supervise the duties and chores related to caring for the pet but should include the child and slowly transition responsibilities as the child masters them.

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Easing anxiety Lynn U Nichols

N Talking with your kids about the crazy times of 2020 18

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o matter who we are, we all agree that 2020 has been a hard year. From the coronavirus and racial justice protests to political disputes and recent fires, we are all on edge. Just like us, our kids feel it too.

Constant scary news can create general anxiety in kids, making them believe the world is an unsafe place.

This general feeling of fear can seep into their bones and manifest into worries about getting sick and dying, getting hurt by a stranger, or having their house broken into or burned down by a fire. As adults, we know that the likelihood of taking a direct hit from all of the 2020 threats is somewhat slim, but kids’ imaginations can tell them otherwise.

“Elementary aged kids are not old enough to separate out events. They tend to think that if something happened there, it could happen here,” says Dr. Usha Udupa, a child psychotherapist with UCHealth Mountain Crest Behavioral Health Center.

It’s common for young kids to worry about getting sick or their family

member getting ill. Plus, they are extremists. They can think that if you get sick, you will die. Or if mom or dad loses their job, they will be homeless.

It’s impossible to shelter our kids completely, but we can ease their fears and help them gain perspective through honest answers, limiting their exposure to bad news, listening, reassuring and staying calm.

CONCRETE, SHORT HONEST ANSWERS ARE BEST Try not to delve too deeply into what’s happening and the why behind it. For example, with the wildfires, say: ‘Wildfires happen in the forests and we are in a town, so they won’t happen here.’ Or, with the coronavirus, remind them of a time when they had a bad cold or the flu, and tell them that’s what most people experience. Also, let them know that kids don’t tend to get as sick from it as adults. It’s a nice segue into why you wear masks—to protect older adults, like their grandparents.

With older kids, explore topics

Regardless of your views, ask them about their own and do your best to stay open. Feeling heard empowers kids and helps them feel safe.

If you sense your child is especially anxious, ask open-ended questions about feelings, such as, ‘How does it feel to not see your friends or your teacher in person?’ and ‘What would help you feel better?’ For really young kids, have them get their feelings out through an activity, such as drawing a picture or through pretend play, letting dolls act out their worries.

Give your family a break from the stress by doing things that you all enjoy doing together, like playing games or going outside and getting active. It’s okay to find a few “pandemic” friends to socialize with, after getting a sense of the other families’ commitment to staying safe.

When discussing an event, stick to the facts to help alleviate frightening misperceptions. Acknowledge your kids’ fears as valid, but let them know that you believe your family and loved ones will get through the pandemic. If they know someone who has gotten very sick, let them talk about it. They may need to tell the story over and over again to work through it and let it go.

with questions, like: ‘What are you hearing about the coronavirus (or racial justice protests, or wildfires)?’ Let them tell you what they know or believe.

Then, give your input, reassuring them that these situations are likely to pass, at least for now. Brainstorm with them healthy ways they can calm their fears on a day-to-day basis, like connecting to friends, journaling, reading, playing an instrument or exercising. Don’t shy away from exploring bigger topics around the 2020 challenges, like racial equality and global warming.

TURN OFF THE NEWS While you can’t keep your kids under a rock, do your best to avoid listening to disturbing news around them or talking about it with others in front of them. That’s not to say you should hide it or deny it. When they have questions, answer them, holding back hard details. After age 13, kids can be exposed to most of what we see because they understand different perspectives and see the scope of the situation relative to themselves and their worlds.

“You can’t completely protect your kids from all news. So when they do hear the news, talk about what it means to them and your family,” Udupa says.

If world events have directly affected your family, be especially open. For example, if you were laid off because of the pandemic, explain it to your kids while reassuring them that you are still

getting money (from unemployment or a temporary job) to help cover the cost of your house and food to alleviate worry.

It’s okay to say that you all have to make some sacrifices until things ease up.

CREATE CALM BY LISTENING AND VALIDATING THEIR FEELINGS Do your best to stay calm yourself.

Kids watch their parents to know how they should react to a situation. If you send the message that something is challenging, but nothing you can’t handle—and that you feel safe and confident—it will go a long way to helping your kids feel the same. It’s okay to admit you are worried, as in: ‘The wildfires are scary, but with colder weather, they will be put out eventually.’

To ease worries, tell your kids the plan on how you will face it. For example, review all the things you are doing during the pandemic to stay safe, like wearing masks, washing your hands well, social distancing and doing school virtually. Reassure them that all these steps greatly reduce their risk of getting sick.

“Young kids tend to jump to the worst case scenario. You can ease their fears by explaining each step of the plan to face a challenge,” Udupa says.

If you’ve tried everything and your kids are anxious, worried and can’t seem to shake their fears over several weeks, it’s time to seek outside help. Remember, worry can look like anger, defiance, poor sleep, ongoing nightmares, poor grades and voicing a desire to want to escape.

LIGHTEN UP AND LAUGH Finally, remember that humor is the ultimate icebreaker. It’s hard to worry when we are being silly. Break up the monotony of so much time at home with creative, fun outlets like having a masquerade dinner every week, where everyone comes to the table in costume.

Or, plan a joke-telling contest to see who can get the biggest laugh from the group—complete with a home-made laughometer.

The events of 2020 have not been a laughing matter, but releasing our stress through laughter and fun will go a long way to getting us to a better 2021.

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HELECTION SEASON H Having civil conversations with our kids Scott Titterington

W

hen our kids were young, I was a horrible role model when it came to politics. I would rant, throw my hands in the air, and stomp around. It was quite clear to me that if you didn’t see the world my way, then you were just plain wrong and you maybe even killed kittens, slowly.

I wish I could say that it was amusing, but I was too vitriolic for that. But boy howdy, nothing feels quite as good as a self-righteous rant. Idiots, ostriches, sheep and worse.

I clearly was not demonstrating civil discourse. I think heated, mindless passion was all they could possibly have learned from me. I didn’t show them how to have thoughtful interaction or be open-minded or even how to stand firm in your convictions backed by reason. I think all I really did was cause a lot of anxiety for the kids, my wife and anyone else who had to witness my displays.

Trying to teach our children the 22

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values we claim to espouse is sometimes difficult during election season. We might otherwise ask them to be openminded, to listen respectfully to others, to evaluate a situation by gathering a wide array of information and making an informed choice. But somehow that seems to fly out the proverbial window when we’re faced with those “idiot ideas that those no-nothing, hypocritical, selfdealing morons keep bringing up.”

So how might we go about talking to our kids about politics, elections and voting in a way that will help them to be excited about participating in our democracy and not cynical or disillusioned?

“Kids really want to know what the issues are beyond the hype,” says Kurt Knierim, social studies teacher at Rocky Mountain High School. In his 29th year of teaching, Knierim teaches a popular government and civil rights course called We The People. He creates a safe

space in his classroom where students can ask questions and discuss openly.

“It’s critical to set down boundaries for respect,” Knierim says.

Knierim suggests that parents could follow a model similar to that of his class. He advises finding a source such as the State Ballot Information Booklet, also known as the Blue Book, and do a pro-con analysis on the issues.

Or he recommends looking at websites together, which can be as informative for parents as it is for children.

“It’s always good to have conversations, civil conversations,” he says. “Kiddos need to understand why their parents get so passionate, too.”

Looking back, I can see how Knierim’s advice to civilly engage with kids, even at a young age, would have helped them, and me, to have a better understanding of how our system of government works and how to be effective participants in that system.

H

Book list

H H

Sometimes it easiest to talk to younger children about voting and elections by reading a story that illustrates the ideas in a format that they can understand and relate to. Here are a few ideas.

H

• Bad Kitty for President, Nick Bruel • Duck for President, Doreen Cronin • Grace Goes to Washington, Kelly S. DiPucchio • Grace for President, Kelly s. Dipucchio • Lillian’s Right to Vote, Jonah Winter • One Vote, Two Votes, I Vote, You Vote, Bonnie Worth • Vote!, Eileen Christelow

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H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H

Make sure that your vote counts

It’s a different kind of year with COVID-19 and concerns with in-person voting. Fortunately for us here in Colorado, we have been receiving ballots in the mail for many years. Following is a schedule for voting along with procedures to help you be certain that your vote counts.

Larimer County Elections Department www.votelarimer.org 970-498-7820; elections@larimer.org Weld County Elections Department www.weldgov.com/departments/clerk_and_recorder/ elections_department 970-304-6525; elections@weldgov.com

H

Media-savvy kids

We all get bombarded during election season, which seems to be getting longer every year, from social media interactions to TV advertising and ads on websites. How can we help kids learn what is credible and how to find different viewpoints?

Here are some ideas condensed from Common Sense Media.

Elementary school kids • Decode ads—talk about claims the ad makes and how visuals and music are used to persuade viewers.

• Watch out for campaign-inspired bullying—explain that mudslinging and name-calling are not appropriate at home, school or on the playground.

• Seek kid-friendly news—Check out news sources designed for kids, such as THE Kids News, Time for Kids and Scholastic Kids Press Corps.

• Keep the bombast at bay—try to change the station and mute the TV when you can.

Middle school kids • Talk about political advertising—how is a political ad like a regular commercial-product ad?

• Share political cartoons—poking fun at politicians takes some bite out of their harsh statements.

• Tackle tough topics—steer conversations back to the important issues of the election.

• De-fang hate speech and fear-mongering—explain to kids that much of what politicians say simply isn’t true.

Extra Credit: To know where your news is coming from, visit: www.adfontesmedia.com/interactive-media-bias-chart-2/ for an idea of media outlets bias and reliability.

H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H

At your county websites you can: • View a sample ballot for your precinct • Register to vote • Verify or update your voter registration • Track your mail-in ballot Important dates • October 9 Ballots begin to be mailed out 24-hour drop box locations open • October 19 Voting and Polling Centers open • October 26 Last day to mail your ballot back; after that you must drop it off in a ballot box or go to a polling center.

Last day to update your registration to receive a ballot by mail • Nov. 3 Election Day Last day to vote and to register. Ballots must be received by 7pm.

How to vote Mail your ballot—afix postage and send it back by October 26.

Drop off your ballot—at a drop box or a polling center in your county.

Vote in person—at a polling center. Check websites listed above.

The Blue Book 2020 State Ballot Information Booklet (also known as the Blue Book) is scheduled to ship to voters on Oct. 2 It’s also available online at: http://leg.colorado.gov/content/ initiatives/initiatives-blue-book-overview/ballot-informationbooklet-blue-book

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greeley district 6 news Next helps raise money for meals in D6 A Denver news show has helped raise more than $50,000 to pay off outstanding student meal debt in Greeley-Evans School District 6.

Word of Thanks Microgiving Campaign is a weekly feature on Next with Kyle Clark, which airs at 6pm on Denver Channel 9. Clark focused fundraising efforts on the Food 4 Success Campaign that is being run through The Success Foundation serving Greeley-Evans Schools.

He asked viewers to give $5 to the campaign, and announced he would match the first $55 given. By Sept. 15 the campaign had raised over $80,000.

Currently, District 6 has more than $147,000 in outstanding debt from unpaid student meals. The district has stopped trying to collect on this debt due to the pandemic and the related downturn in the economy.

But without dollars to pay for this debt, money will have to be taken out of other programs. And no student is ever denied a meal in any of the District 6 schools.

Several District 6 staff and supporters tweeted with Kyle Clark about the campaign to pay off student meal debt, and were instrumental in helping Clark in choosing this District 6/Success Foundation program to support.

“Lunch debt gets paid off one of two ways usually: Either families struggling to get by come up with the money or the district has to cover it and take the money away from other programs,” Clark said.

“Food fuels learning. Kids are not shamed if they can’t pay for their lunch. They get the same lunch as everyone and nobody knows.”

If you would like to support Food 4 Success, please donate at coloradogives. org/d6food4success. Every dollar helps a student and a family in need, and helps the school district keep dollars in other essential programs.

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GROUNDBREAKING HELD FOR NEW GREELEY WEST HIGH SCHOOL Officials from Greeley, Evans and Weld County joined leadership from GreeleyEvans School District 6, the Board of Education and members of the Greeley West High School staff for the official breaking of ground at Greeley West High School.

Contractor Adolfson and Peterson Construction and architects Hord, Coplan and Macht helped host the event for about 70 people.

Construction at Greeley West is already well underway, as visitors will see looking on the West side of the school. Ground has been cleared and grading has begun in the area that will eventually be the new Greeley West High School. Tennis courts have been removed and will be relocated, and a new parking lot has been constructed west of the school.

Speakers at the official groundbreaking event thanked the voters of Greeley and Evans, community partners and the staff and families of Greeley West High School who worked hard to help pass the 2019 Bond Issue.

“It really does take a village to support our students and schools,” Board of Education President Michael Mathews said at the event.

Superintendent Dr. Deirdre Pilch thanked the Growing Great Schools campaign committee, many who were present for the event, as well as the 2017 Mill Levy Override committee, including co-chair Pete Morrell, who recently passed away.

“That campaign really helped build community trust in District 6,” Dr. Pilch said. “Without it, we could have never passed this bond issue and been able to address so many of our capacity and facility needs in District 6.”

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poudre school district news PSD upcoming plan We hope that your first few weeks of school are off to a great start. Thank you for what you’ve been doing; we hear how hard you’re working to support the children in your life. We know many of you want your kids to return to inperson learning and we are looking forward to having them back in our school buildings.

On Sept. 15, PSD announced that it will transition to Phase 3 – Hybrid in-school/remote learning in October.

Here are some highlights of what you need to know: • PreK-2 students will return to in-person education Oct. 5 • Grades 3-5 will start Oct. 19 • We continue to target Oct. 19 to begin in-person learning for our secondary students and will share more details the week of Sept. 28.

Learn more: https://www. psdschools.org/node/1622

WHAT DATA ARE PSD MONITORING AND USING TO MAKE DECISIONS? If there is one thing that is constant, it is that the COVID-19 pandemic is always changing. Because of that, it’s important for our staff, families and community to understand there is not one single data point that will determine the educational phase in which Poudre School District is operating. Learn more about PSD’s partnership with the local health department, community risk data being monitored and other key information. As a reminder, as of early September, no district-wide decision has been made about what happens after Oct. 16 and whether remote education will continue. Read more: https://www. psdschools.org/node/1612 USDA CHANGE MEANS ALL STUDENTS (NOT JUST PSD STUDENTS) CAN RECEIVE MEALS Due to a change announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, ANY student, including those who are not 28

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enrolled in PSD, can get free meals.

PSD is providing sack breakfasts and lunches at no cost to students (18 and younger) Monday-Friday at numerous schools and mobile-serving locations across the district. Families and students must wear a mask and maintain social distancing when picking up meals.

More info: https://www.psdschools.org/ psd2020-21/mealsremotelearning Breakfast and lunch menus are now available online: https://psdschools. nutrislice.com/menu/ PSD IT DEPARTMENT SUPPORTING STUDENTS, FAMILIES THROUGH NEW SITE AND OTHER RESOURCES PSD’s IT Department recently launched the PSD Community Tech Portal, where families and students can find device troubleshooting and application technical support information, how-to guides, a calendar with important upcoming dates related to PSD technology and more.

More information: http://techportal. psdschools.org/.

Check out our Technical Support and Resources web page:

https://www.psdschools.org/RemoteLearning-TechSupport.

Read more >> PSD keeps students connected with devices, internet access and tech support: https://www. psdschools.org/node/1601.

SUPPORT OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES IN 2020-21 The needs of students with disabilities are of the utmost importance, and PSD’s Integrated Services (IS) team has been working diligently to ensure equity and access for all students this school year. Learn more about the hundreds of hours of training and planning that IS staff did in spring and summer 2020 to support students with disabilities in any educational phase, get quick access to IS Department contact information, and find answers to frequently asked questions. More information: https:// www.psdschools.org/psd2020-21/ supportingstudentswithdisabilities Looking for more information than you see here? Visit the PSD 2020-21 school year web pages: https://www. psdschools.org/psd2020-21.

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thompson school district news

Student receives 2020 Youth Impact Award Loveland High School senior, Delaney McNally, received the Colorado Association for Gifted and Talented (CAGT) 2020 Youth Impact Award in the Master Division for her project Generation Connect.

Delaney, shares her story: “In 2014, my grandfather fell and broke his ankle on Christmas Eve. He went through lots of physical therapy and most of it he spent being socially isolated from others. When he finally came back home, most of the family was on their phones and he got upset because he wanted to talk with us. I saw this and realized this was a common occurrence in society today. Thus, came the idea of my project.

Along with the help of my mom, Jody, we created a vision of encouraging people to put down their phones and truly connect with people. We made a special effort to get different generations to connect because there seems to be a huge generational divide. The project started small with personal interviews that were recorded with older adults in the community.

In continuation of that, I challenged people my age to go home during the holidays and connect with their older relatives, whether that be learn a family recipe or talk about each other’s first jobs. Along with this, we started Crate & Connect, where during these conversations, technology would be placed in small crates or boxes, decreasing distractions. My project then evolved in 2018 with Generation Connect organizing groups of teens to volunteer with KidsPak, whose volunteers were mostly retired adults.

We would bring coffee and breakfast, and everybody got to mingle and make connections. My personal favorite story is when my friend was talking to another volunteer and learned that he was an ex-FBI agent and some of the crazy things about his job. Some of the connections people made during these 30

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times turned into friendships that are still going on today.

At the end of 2018, Generation Connect was approached by Partnership for Age Friendly Communities, as they had been following what I was doing and felt it matched their mission. Together with other local organizations, we formed the Intergenerational Conversations team. This group hosts events that give teens, young adults, and older adults the opportunity to come together and have conversations about topics that affect both generations. The first event was hosted in February of 2019 and they have continued to grow since. I lead this planning team with my project, and some of our partners are PAFC, CSU Center for Public Deliberation, Loveland Housing Authority, Poudre River Public Library District, Fort Collins’ Senior Advisory Board and Women’s Commission.

We have countless supporters in the

Northern Colorado community. Our conversation topics have included generation tribalism, technology, social isolation, loneliness, traditions, life during COVID-19 and empathy.

We started hosting them in Loveland and then expanded into Fort Collins.

Through this project and the people I have been able to meet, I have learned people are people. Everybody can find common ground even with opposing views and beliefs. I feel that sometimes people are scared to expand their connections and relations outside of their own generation because of common misconceptions, but once these stereotypes are broken down, you realize that they are another person.

Since starting this project, I have learned so much about others and even about my own family. Part of my family is pretty large and I had never sat down and had a real conversation with my grandmother before. Her first job was in a donut shop. I learned that when my

grandfather was in the Navy, he was the first person on his ship to learn of JFK’s assassination and had to go straight to the captain without telling others. There are so many cool stories and lessons we can learn and share ourselves when we make these connections. I am extremely humbled and honored to be recognized for this award. In September of 2019, my grandfather passed away and all that I do with this project allows me to continue honoring him and his legacy, including receiving this award.”

THOMPSON VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL CELEBRATES AP CAPSTONE DIPLOMA RECIPIENTS Three TVHS students have earned the Advanced Placement® (AP®) Capstone Diploma, and 9 students have earned the AP Seminar and Research Certificate™ during the 2019-20 school year.

Those earning the Advanced Placement Capstone Diploma are Madeleine Boyles,Colin Davies, and

Alexcis Escandon.

Those earning the AP Seminar and Research Certificate are Madeleine Boyles, Colin Davies, Alexcis Escandon, Katherine Fray, Kylie Jacobson, Haley Lawton, Emma Liakas, Kaitlin Walsh, and Autumn Zhou.

“We are proud to recognize the outstanding achievements of students who participated in the AP Capstone Diploma program, and we continue to look forward to providing students with opportunities to explore their passions while building college-level academic and collaboration skills,” says Jaymie Cruickshank, TVHS Principal.

The AP Capstone Diploma™ program allows students to develop critical thinking, research, and presentation skills, both individually and as a team. Students conduct academic research on topics of personal interest in two interdisciplinary courses: AP Seminar and AP Research.

“Congratulations to the AP Capstone award winners, who conduct,

present, and defend academic research on topics they are passionate about,” says Trevor Packer, College Board senior vice president of AP and Instruction. “Their ability to manage long-term projects, collaborate with teams, and deliver effective presentations will accelerate not only their academic careers but their professional careers as well.”

The College Board Advanced Placement Program gives students the opportunity to take challenging collegelevel courses while still in high school. A 3 or higher on an AP Exam has multiple benefits for students, including earning college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on AP Exams, saving them time and money.

Research shows AP students are better prepared for and more likely to enroll and remain in college, do well in classes, and earn their degrees on time. Each exam is developed by a committee of college and university faculty and AP teachers, ensuring that AP Exams align their high standards.

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OCTOBER 2020

EVENTS CALENDAR Please check websites for the status of the following events as cancelations or postponements may have been announced after our publication date.

FESTIVALS, FAIRS & CELEBRATIONS

OCTOBER 1 THROUGH 25 Fiesta Flurry: A Socially Safe Scavenger Hunt Participate in this virtual scavenger hunt using an app on your phone or computer to solve clues at home, or venture into the community. Earn points to win prizes. $20 registration supports The Family Center/La Familia. www.thefamilycenterfc.org/fiesta.

OCTOBER 10 & 11 Greeley Tribune Craft & Gift Show Features artisan vendors, giveaways, food and children’s activities. Greeley Mall, GR. Saturday 9am–5pm; Sunday 11am–4pm. https://events. greeleytribune.com/craft-show.

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OCTOBER 23 THROUGH 25 Pumpkins on Parade Celebrate Halloween and the harvest with a community pumpkin carving contest and hundreds of pumpkins and gourds arranged in artistic displays. All ages. Kids under 12 receive a candy-free goodie bag.

Costumes encouraged. Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 6–9pm. www.fcgov.com/gardens/pumpkins.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24 Loveland Pumpkin Festival First annual event offers a socially distanced pumpkin decorating event, farmers’ market vendors and Halloween music. Sign up for 1-hour time slots to decorate a pumpkin with a Loveland artist. Foundry Plaza, 1st to 3rd Streets, Downtown LV. 10am–3pm. www. downtownloveland.org/pumpkinfestival.

LIBRARY & BOOK EVENTS

In addition to offering curbside pickup, local libraries are open with limited hours and services. In-person programs continue to be suspended—check websites for online storytimes and other virtual programming.

WEDNESDAYS Getting Crafty Each week’s craft project uses simple supplies found around your home. Ages 6–12. YouTube, 3–3:30pm, www.youtube. com/clearviewlibrary.

THURSDAYS The Works Develop your STEAM skills using everyday items found at home or in nature, or pick up one of 15 kits available from the library. Ages 6–12. YouTube. 3–3:30pm. www.youtube.com/clearviewlibrary.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2 Family Cooking Challenge: Rice Crispy Treats You’re challenged to get creative as a family and add a special ingredient of your choice to the Take & Make Kit you’ll pick up from the library. All ages. 4–4:30pm.

YouTube meeting, www.youtube.com/ clearviewlibrary. Registration required: https://clearviewlibrary.org/event/4531983.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3 Adolescentes, comida, cultura e identidad: prepara polvorones tricolor / Teens, food, culture and identity: bake tri-colored polvorones Celebrate Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month in this bilingual conversation on food, culture and identity while learning to prepare traditional Mexican cookies. Ages 13–19. Registration required to receive Zoom meeting invitation. 11am–noon. www.poudrelibraries.org.

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9 Study Break: Design a Mask Create a design for your mask using special markers and colored paper, and watch as the Teen Librarian irons your design right onto your mask to take home. Grades 4–12. Registration required. Twin Silo Park, 5552 Ziegler Rd., FC. 2–3pm and 5–6pm. www.poudrelibraries.org.

OCTOBER 9 THROUGH 11 AND 16 THROUGH 18 Virtual Fort Collins Book Fest Held virtually, features headliners such as music legend Judy Collins, Colorado Poet Laureate Bobby LeFebre, journalist Fred Pearce, author/photographer John Fielder and award winning poet Camille T. Dungy. www.focobookfest.org.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12 Teen Cooking Challenge: Pumpkin Possibilities (with Take & Make Kits) Will it be pie, cake, cookies, bread? Your challenge is to find and make a delicious pumpkin recipe using the Take & Make Kit you’ll pick up from the library the week prior. Ages 12–18. 4–5:30pm. Zoom meeting. Registration required: https:// clearviewlibrary.org/event/4560561.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13 Get Slimed!

Kids and their grown-ups can get messy and learn early math and science skills by making slime at home. Ages 2–5. Virtual Zoom meeting. 10:30–11am. Register at: https://clearviewlibrary.org/event/4529222.

Interactive Virtual Event with Kimberlee Gard Author Kimberlee Gard leads an interactive virtual event with “Snoozapalooza” and “The Little i Who Lost His Dot.” Ages 2–10. 10:30–11am.

Register in advance for Zoom and Facebook Live: www.oldfirehousebooks.com.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16 Study Break:Virtual Game Night for Tweens Meet up on Zoom to play Quiplash, Tee K.O., Drawful and more. A second device (a smartphone or tablet) is recommended but not required to play. Grades 4–12.

Registration required. Zoom meeting.

6:30–8pm. www.poudrelibraries.org.

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20 Clearview Homeschooler’s Academy: Pandemic Prevention Training Program In this Pandemic Prevention Narrative Escape Room, trainees will learn the basics of a virus, pandemics and what we can do to prevent them. All ages. YouTube: www. youtube.com/clearviewlibrary. 1–2pm.

Register at: https://clearviewlibrary.org/ event/4561010.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22 Teen Craft-a-Thon: Jack-O-Lantern (with Take & Make Kits) You’re challenged to use any crafting techniques to make your scariest jacko-lantern. Pick up Take & Make Kits at the library the week prior. Ages 12–18. 6–7pm. Registration required for Zoom link: https://clearviewlibrary.org/ event/4560482.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29 QPR Suicide Prevention Training The Alliance for Suicide Prevention of Larimer County shares how to help someone who is struggling or may be considering suicide. Question, Persuade and Refer training covers warning signs and how to question people about suicide, persuade them to accept professional help, and refer them to community resources.

Ages 16–25. Registration required to receive Zoom link. Zoom mtg. 7–8:15pm. www.poudrelibraries.org.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30 Study Break: “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” Virtual Escape Room You wake up locked inside a strange little one-room house filled with spooky weird things... a book on the nightstand has a note that says “Get out now! Harold is coming...” Will you be able to escape in time? Escape room link will be posted on the library’s calendar and Facebook page on October 30–complete any time after that.

Grades 4–12. www.poudrelibraries.org.

CONNECT TO NATURE

VIRTUAL The Gardens Read and Seed in Your Home The Gardens on Spring Creek present nature-inspired lessons plus related activity sheets. YouTube lessons, www.fcgov.com/ gardens/read-and-seed.

MONDAYS AND TUESDAYS The Gardens Read and Seed Garden story time, movement or song plus a hands-on, nature-inspired activity.

Ages 2–4 with adult. Limit of 5 students/ caregivers per session. Registration required. Free/members; $8/non-member child; $11/ non-member adult (includes gardens/butterfly house.) Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 11:15–Noon. www.fcgov.com/gardens/read-and-seed.

TUESDAYS TO FRIDAYS, OCTOBER 6 THROUGH 16 Science Matters: Compost with Critters Learn about nature’s way of recycling as the decomposer detective during this fun workshop. Ages 5–9. Registration required. Larimer County Garbage Garage Education Center, 5887 S, Taft Hill Rd., FC. 10:30am and 11:30am. www.larimer.org/events.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16 Black-Footed Ferret Exploration Journey to a presentation about the black-footed ferret and then we will hike and search for this elusive resident.

Registration required. Soapstone Prairie Natural Area, meet your guide at the cabin (details online), FC. 5pm. www.fcgov.com/events.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17 Astronomy & Skygazing: Humans on Mars?

Family-friendly astronomy program followed by viewing with telescopes provided by Northern Colorado Astronomical Society. All ages.

Registration required. Bobcat Ridge Natural Area, 10184 Co Rd 32C, LV. 6:15–7:45pm.

970-416-2815, www.fcgov.com/events.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23 Skygazing Telescopes and information provided by Northern Colorado Astronomical Society.

Fossil Creek Reservoir Natural Area, on Carpenter Road/ CR 32, one mile west of I-25, or two miles east of Timberline.

7–9pm. 970-416-2815, www.fcgov.com/ naturalareas.

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MUSEUM EVENTS

VIRTUAL (ANY TIME) Loveland History/Art Activities Explore local history lessons and complete a history scavenger hunt, journal about your pandemic experience, go outside to explore art and more. www.lovelandmuseumgallery. org/virtual-learning.

OCTOBER 2 THROUGH NOVEMBER 6 Día de Los Muertos/Day of the Dead Exhibit A collective altar of remembrances with photographs of loved ones submitted by the Northern Colorado community. To schedule appointments, call 970-221-4600 or email admin@globalvillagemuseum.org.

Global Village Museum, 200 W. Mountain Ave., FC. www.globalvillagemuseum.org.

OCTOBER 3 THROUGH JANUARY 3 Mental Health: Mind Matters Exhibit Build a greater understanding of the importance of mental health and create a safe space for meaningful conversations about mental illness. All ages. Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, 408 Mason Ct., FC. www.fcmod.org/mindmatters.

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9 Heritage Courtyard Tours Journey through the historic 1858 Antoine Janis cabin, the 1864 “Auntie” Elizabeth Stone cabin, the 1882 Franz-Smith cabin, and the 1905 Upper Boxelder Schoolhouse. Heritage Courtyard at Library Park, 200 Mathews St., FC. 2–2:30pm. www.fcmod.org/event.

TUESDAYS, OCTOBER 13 & 27 Tune-Out Tuesdays in the Dome Enjoy a short “Sky Tonight” astronomy presentation, then sit back and relax to soothing music. Bring your lunch. Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, 408 Mason Ct., FC. Noon–1pm. www.fcmod.org/ event.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22 History Brown Bag: Death in the Balcony– A Sterling Example or a Chief Concern?

Historian Susan Seager discusses a death in one of the Greeley theaters in 1911 and whether that death is the source of the ghost in the Chief Theatre balcony. Greeley History Museum, Zoom meeting. Noon– 1pm. www.greeleycalendar.com.

Virtual: The Rich and Complex History of Día de los Muertos Expert presenter highlights the significance and importance of Day of the Dead, a holiday celebrated throughout Mexico to honor family members and friends who have passed. $5/Zoom connection. Register online. Global Village Museum, via Zoom. 6–8pm. www.globalvillagemuseum.org.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29 Virtual: Hanal Pixán–Day of the Dead in the Yucatan Peninsula Expert presenter discusses cultural practices and traditions around Hanal Pixán, the name given to the Day of the Dead celebration of the Maya people who live in the Yucatan Peninsula. $5/Zoom connection. Register online. Global Village Museum, via Zoom. 6–8pm. www.globalvillagemuseum.org.

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ENTERTAINMENT

VIRTUAL Fort Collins Symphony: Tiny Concerts Self-recorded videos of FCS musicians playing their favorite songs. www. fcsymphony.org/tiny-concerts.

THROUGH OCTOBER 20 Always…Patsy Cline Sing along with one of the lost legends of American pop in the juke-box musical based on the true story of Patsy Cline’s friendship with Houston housewife, Louise Seger. Candlelight Dinner Playhouse, 4747 Market Place Dr., Johnstown.

Sundays–Tuesdays/times vary. www.coloradocandlelight.com.

THROUGH OCTOBER 25 Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot Follow the legendary love triangle of King Arthur, Guenevere and Sir Lancelot in a soaring musical masterpiece. Candlelight Dinner Playhouse, 4747 Market Place Dr., Johnstown. Days/times vary. www.coloradocandlelight.com.

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2 Comedy of Adam Cayton-Holland Named one of “10 Comics to Watch” by Variety. $28. Rialto Theater, 228 E. Fourth St., LV. 7:30pm. www.rialtotheatercenter.org.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3 Face Vocal Band Modern pop tunes, harmonies, beat-box and voice. $25. Rialto Theater, 228 E. Fourth St., LV. 7:30pm., www.rialtotheatercenter.org.

ACTIVE-ITIES

SATURDAYS, OCTOBER 3 & 10 Adult Yoga at The Gardens Class held outside. Ages 18+. $15 Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave. FC. 9:15–10am. 970-416-2486 www.fcgov.com/gardens.

OCTOBER 24 THROUGH 31 Steps for Stability—VIRTUAL Live United 5K Run, skip or walk at your own pace while recording results online. All ages. $35/ adult, $15/ages 6–12, free/under age 5. www.unitedway-weld.org/events/virtuallive-united-5k-2.

ONGOING RECREATION Estes Valley Recreation Sports, fitness, swimming and more: https://evrpd.colorado.gov/recreation.

Fort Collins Recreation Discover a multitude of swimming, sports, skating and fitness opportunities: www.fcgov.com/recreation.

Greeley Recreation Check out swimming, ice skating, sports and more: www.greeleyrec.com.

Loveland Recreation Sports, fitness, swimming and more: www. cityofloveland.org/departments/parksrecreation/chilson-recreation-center.

Windsor Recreation Seek swimming, fitness and athletic programs: www.recreationliveshere.com.

HALLOWEEN & FALL FESTIVITIES THROUGH OCTOBER 31 Bartels Farm Pumpkin Patch Punkin chunkin, farm animals, kids’ mini straw maze, hay rides, corn maze plus seasonal decorations and pumpkins! All ages.

The Bartels Farm, 3424 E. Douglas Rd., FC. 10am–6pm. 493-3853 www.thebartelsfarm.com.

Fritzler Farm Fall Festival Pumpkin patch, corn maze (haunted at night), and many fun family attractions.

All ages. Fritzler Farm, 20861 CR 33, LaSalle. Hours vary. 737-2129 www.fritzlerfarmpark.com.

Osborn Farm Pumpkin Patch Field of pumpkins, barrel train, hay rides, seasonal décor. Hay rides on Saturdays/ Sundays only. All ages. Osborn Farm, 1230 S Boise Ave., LV. 10am–6pm weather permitting. www.osborn.farm.

OCTOBER 2 THROUGH 31 Something from the Farm Pumpkin Patch Pumpkins, hayride and bale maze, Corn Cannon, and Pumpkin Trebuchet (operates only on weekends). Something from the Farm, 8020 S. Timberline Rd., FC. Monday–Saturday 9am–6pm Sunday 10am–6pm. 282-1135 www.somethingfromthefarm.com.

OCTOBER 5 THROUGH 31 Loveland Scarecrow Scavenger Hunt Locate over 25 artistic scarecrows around Loveland created by local artists and businesses to win prizes. View details and map online. LV. www.visitlovelandco.org.

OCTOBER 16, 17, 23, 24, 30, 31 Harrington’s HAAunted Hotel Theatre experience meets a time escape meets a haunted house. Kid-friendly day October 31, Noon-4, $5. All other days $12/ages 11 and under, $15/ages 12+. Harrington Arts Alliance, 575 N. Denver Ave., LV. 6–11pm. 568-8370 www.harringtonartsalliance.org.

TUESDAYS–FRIDAYS, OCTOBER 20 THROUGH 30 Candy Science Learn the 3R’s, use candy to explore chemisty and more. Ages 3–6. Registration required. Larimer County Garbage Garage Education Center, 5887 S, Taft Hill Rd., FC. 11am. www.larimer.org/events.

Spooktacular STEM Activities Review the 3R’s and then create a circuit to make your pumpkin glow. Ages 7–11. Registration required. Larimer County Garbage Garage Education Center, 5887 S, Taft Hill Rd., FC. 11am. www.larimer.org/events.

OCTOBER 23 THROUGH 25 Pumpkins on Parade Celebrate Halloween and the harvest with a community pumpkin carving contest and hundreds of pumpkins and gourds arranged in artistic displays. All ages. Kids under 12 receive a candy-free goodie bag.

Costumes encouraged. Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 6–9pm. www.fcgov.com/gardens/pumpkins.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24 Loveland Pumpkin Festival First annual event offers a socially distanced pumpkin decorating event, farmers’ market vendors and Halloween music.

Sign up for 1-hour time slots to decorate a pumpkin with a Loveland artist. Foundry Plaza, 1st to 3rd Streets, Downtown LV. 10am–3pm. www.downtownloveland.org/ pumpkinfestival.

OCTOBER 28, 29, 30, 31 Treatsylvania Trick-or-treating, hayrides and pumpkin patch–by online reservation only. Ages 10 and under. Farm at Lee Martinez Park, 600 N. Sherwood St., FC. 10am–noon (plus 5:30–7:30pm on Friday, Oct. 30). www.fcgov.com/treatsylvania.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30 Virtual Halloween Eye Ball Online costume contest, dance contest (submit to Facebook by Oct. 23) and silent auction. Proceeds are used to provide services to people with low vision throughout Colorado who are in need of training, counseling and tools. $30/dance contest, $25/costume contests, $50/costume & dance contest. Online.

6:30–10:30pm. www.facebook.com/ EnsightSkillCenterColoradolowvisionrehab.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31 Drive-thru Trick-or-Treating A socially safe Halloween event where families will slowly drive through a long series of scenes decorated by local businesses, schools and nonprofits. Free to guests who register. The Ranch Events Complex, 5280 Arena Circle, LV. 11am–4pm. www. thompsontef.org/drive-thru-trick-or-treat.

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time out Budgie duty

Turns out they’re social animals LEA HANSON

M

y kid just turned 10 and therefore is at that stage in life at which she wants a million pets. We’ve had a dog since she was born, so having a family animal isn’t a new idea, but when being presented with the idea of additional pets, I’ll admit I was reluctant.

Immediately ruling out a cat (sorry), my brain immediately went through the list of small and smelly rodent options. As a kid, I had many hamsters, gerbils, Guinea pigs, rabbits, and so forth—not all at once—and the olfactory memories are pungent. As cute as a ferret is, I didn’t want one. And although my kid did, I knew I’d be the one bearing the burden of most of the related chores.

Plus, contrary to my mother’s practices when I was a kid, I did research on these animals and learned for the most part, they’re all “social animals.”

Which means, in 10-year-old terms, they can die from loneliness. Soooo, you need to get two at a time. All that did was seal the nope.

But then I remembered our family Cockatiel, Sydney. He was so sweet and cute and…. EASY. Outside of regular feeding and changing the newspaper at the bottom of his habitat (the non-violent word for cage these days), we just needed to talk to him, teach him to sit on our finger, and take him out the cage and let him fly around every once in a while. As I type this, I realize there must have been many other duties my mother performed to which I was oblivious.

So we landed on a parakeet. A much-welcomed shift of thought from the small furry rodent conversation.

We chose a blue parakeet (because that was the only option when we visited) and bought the necessary accessories and habitat. She named

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him Chubbs.

He came with a “How to Care for Your Parakeet” brochure and lo and behold guess what? Parakeets are social animals. Just my luck! The following week we returned to the store and got a female companion (no, I don’t think they’ll lay eggs) and named her LuLu. Like other social animals, birds need to “pair” which basically means they may or may not like each other. If they like each other, they just behave normally and groom and chirp at each other. If they don’t like each other, well, they might tear each other’s feathers out. So, it’s a bit of an

intense waiting game.

Each time Chubbs would peck at Lulu, my kid would rush to me worried, “He hates her! He’s hurting her!”

Which initiated the memory of the one time we tried to pair Sydney with a lady Cockatiel. It was ugly…. And bloody (don’t worry, she survived and was returned to a safe home).

Lucky for us, the budgies became besties. And all is well in the avian world. It’s been a few months, and they’re starting to tame. Lulu sits on fingers and Chubbs just hangs upside down, playing with his bird toys. And we love them.

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