XYZ Summer 2011 by seveneightfive magazine

[everything for Topeka families]

WORK

summer 2011 $3.95 | xyztopeka.com

• work from home • childcare • teen jobs + more

XYZ xyztopeka.com

rg d2 iPa vail.o n a nt Win tormo at s You want the best care for your little one.

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Get back to living.

XYZ Magazine | Vol. II • Issue I | Summer 2011

[ what’s inside ] 21 Babysitting

XYZ writers Janice Watkins and Erin Wynkoop explore the good and the bad of babysitting from the perspectives of a parent and a sitter.

32 birth choice

Home births are on the rise. Read about what really happens when babies are born at home, and how women in both the home birth and hospital camps make the choices they do.

40 a match made in heaven

Our recipes this issue will have you squeezing lemons and turning on your oven for a mere 12 minutes.

10 4-H city kids

46 keen eye

Shawnee County and Topeka 4-H clubs aren’t just for livestock fairs. Read about how these city kids find a means of self-expression through 4-H and also get to blast their leaders with water balloons and some serious squirt gun action.

special stories on work and how it affects Topeka families 14 when work and home collide

Working from home can be both a blessing and a curse. How four local moms deal.

18 a long term decision

How to navigate the choices of child care.

22 candidates

A teen’s first job is an important step in learning professionalism.

26 9 to 5

How a Topeka mom changed her workplace and changed her life in the process.

28 where have all the teen jobs gone?

The Nintendo game “Paperboy” is an artifact for so many reasons. One writer’s observations on the grownup takeover of traditionally teenaged work domain.

If the picture puzzle this issue doesn’t stump you, we don’t know what will. Check out this issue’s keen eye into the grain elevator exhibit at the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center.

IN EVERY ISSUE 4 letter from editor 7 yum, yum - local dining options 8 - community calendar 10 resource feature 12 the picky eater goes out to eat 30 cd reviews 38 cool bday parties 40 recipes 42 cool kid’s room 44 - 47 imagination section

[ letter from the editor ]

the works by Leah Sewell

hanks for subscribing or picking up this issue, the first in a new year of XYZ Magazine. We did it. We accomplished a full year as a new publication, and we’re showing no signs of slowing down. It’s fantastic. I’m not going to lie, it’s not easy putting together this magazine. It takes a lot of coordinated effort, it takes a lot of time. Add to that sustaining a website, social media, distribution, planning events, the works. Oh, and, yeah, these two kids. Keeping them healthy, happy and stimulated is a full time job in itself. So many moms and dads reading this just might be nodding along. Working from home is not a stroll down Easy Street. It can be just as taxing as a job at the office or in the field and sometimes more so. Is it worth it? Sure, but I still dream about locking myself in an office to get some serious, uninterrupted work done for 8 hours in a day, just as parents who work in those offices dream about typing on the laptop in the dining room while their kids

on the cover

color on the floor beside them. Work is work, a necessary evil. But it helps to be passionate about the thing you do, and in my case, there are few things I’m more passionate about than editing XYZ and our sister publication, seveneightfive. But I also love neglecting it when the c hance to go swimming with my kids on a hot afternoon presents itself. So, yeah, there’s that. Life as a working parent has its ups and downs. When we sat down to figure out the content for this issue, the idea of work arose again and again. The kids are out of sc hool, but one of the down sides of being a grown-up is that we don’t get that 3-month siesta. Work is continuous. I hope you dogged working parents find a moment to relax and read up on other members of the workforce in Topeka, whether they’re teens working their first jobs, paper men instead of paper boys, parents who work from home or one mom who upended her workplace in order to work at her own pace.

xyztopeka.com XYZ

Kerrice Mapes Publisher Leah Sewell Editor-in-Chief Writers Rio Cervantes-Reed Ande Davis Chelle Decker Alice C. Hunt Cale Herreman Bailey Marable Kerrice Mapes Leah Sewell Janice Watkins Erin Wynkoop

[everything for Topeka families]

Annie Brock and her son, Brodie photo by Colin MacMillan Nathan Ham Photography

[ everything for Topeka families ]

And then, go find a pool. Topeka is teeming with them. Take your kids, splash, play Marco Polo, do an underwater handstand and be a kid again yourself for a while. Because we spend so muc h time being grown-ups, we deser ve it.

Photographers Lydia Barnhart EJ Drake Sarah Hamlin Adam Koger Colin MacMillan Matt Porubsky Art + Production Kerrice Mapes Justin Marable Leah Sewell Advertising xyztopeka@gmail.com 785.249.3126 Kerrice Mapes Melissa Sewell Jennifer Falley Rio Cervantes-Reed calendar Heather McKee Marketing / Website Social Media / Distribution Rio Cervantes-Reed Alice Hunt Leah Sewell Kerrice Mapes Erin Wynkoop Administration Elizabeth Bell Reprints + Permission No part of XYZ may be reproduced in any form without prior consent from seveneightfive designs. For permission requests, call 785.249.3126 or email kerrice@seveneightfive.com Opinions or advice of columnists are not necessarily those of the publication. XYZ MAGAZINE xyztopeka@gmail.com P.O. Box 750491 Topeka, KS 66675

XYZ Contributors

[ our gang ] kerrice mapes’ first job was at Bagel Express (now called Pizagel’s), where she learned how to make bagels from scratch and got into trouble for using funny voices over the drive-thru speaker. She remembers it fondly. leah Sewell Leah’s first job was as a waitress at a place called Keedi’s in Rockford, Illinois. The uniform included a bow-tie and she still feels embarrassed. matt porubsky Matt’s first job was at his grandparent’s tavern, Porubsky’s. He spent all his pay on comic books. colin macmillan Colin’s first job was a joint endeavor with his little brother. They had a thriving business mowing lawns in the summer and shoveling driveways on the days school was cancelled. heather mckee Heather’s first job was at Boston Market in Topeka when it first opened. Coolest thing about the job: donating the leftover food at night to the Topeka Rescue Mission. cale herreman Cale’s first job was answering the phone for a delivery service. He got to talk on the radio to the drivers, running all over town in their vans. Payment was weekly, and in cash. There was a lot of downtime, so he got to read a lot. EJ Drake EJ’s first job was at Burger King. Sarah Hamlin Sarah’s first job was at Lady Foot Locker.

Erin Wynkoop When Erin got her first speeding ticket, just a few months after turning 16, she was told to get a job by her mother to pay for it. She worked at Denny’s for two weeks, just long enough to pay her ticket and court fees.

Alice hunt Alice’s first unofficial job was weeding her parents’ patio for a quarter an hour. Her first official job was folding mountains of shirts at Abercrombie & Fitch. She still has nightmares involving shirt avalanches. Janice watkins Janice’s first “Whoa, I’m actually paying taxes” job was at Westridge 8 Theatres, where she got to screen all the new movies the night before their release.

justin marable Justin’s first job was as a paperboy for the Hiawatha Daily World.

bailey marable Bailey’s first job was at D’s Eatery in Halstead, Kansas. She could only work weekends and left town twice a month. She got the boot pretty quickly. ande davis Ande’s first job was at Chuck E Cheese’s, which explains a lot. Chelle Decker Chelle’s first job was at age 15 where she processed returned instruments at a music store, taking out old reeds from clarinet cases and cleaning out spit valves from trumpets. Rio Cervantes-Reed Rio’s first job was at age 15 at a local law firm where her mother was an office manager. She was hired at $5/hr to do filing, adding addendums to law books, making copies, running errands and representing the occasional client in court. adam koger Adam’s first job was at the irresponsible age of 16. He was a bus boy at Chili’s, a job that lasted only a month.

lydia barnhart Lydia’s first job was working with/for her grandpa and dad in construction. mainly sheetrock and drywall.

our staff would love to hear from you! have something to say? email xyztopeka@gmail.com XYZ xyztopeka.com

words for Lily

App inspired by local preschooler helps peers learn to read.

“I

know what that says! That says ‘Words… for… Lily’. I can read that!” exclaimed preschool-aged Lily.

Lily, the daughter of Topeka parents Laurel Leamon and Tony Farrell, was the inspiration for Words for Lily, a new mobile app that is available for parents and kids to learn to read on the go.

The mobile app is available from the Android Market and from the Amazon AppStore. (An Apple iOSbased version of the app should be available soon.) The Amazon AppStore has a simulator which lets you test-drive the Words for Lily app for free through your browser. XYZ TOPEKA

Follow Words for Lily

Parents can visit the Words for Lily website at wordsforlily.com. Some free content – including Lily’s actual sight words list – can be used directly from your Internet browser or from the mobile app from its guest account. The real power of Words for Lily comes from the ability to create your own word lists (annual subscriptions are as low as $5.99) and to access those at any time via your browser or from your mobile device. Create your own lists based on what your children are working on now, and change it as often as you wish.

Razzle Dazzle July & August Art Classes Fun for all ages!

July 25-29 1-3pm Cost $65 Zany Zoo, ages 4-6 Mobiles, ages 7-9 Book Making & Scrap Booking, ages 13-Adult

on Facebook + Twitter

“We were seated at dinner at a local restaurant, and I found myself wishing we had a way to work on Lily’s sight words rather than just watching her scribble on paper placemats,” dad and Words of Lily software developer, Tony Farrell said. Farrell created Words for Lily to help his daughter and quickly grew the concept into a web –based system with an available mobile application.

Mulvane Art Museum and ArtLab

August 8-12 1-3pm Cost $65 Fun Messy Art, ages 4-6 Paper Making & Casting, ages 7-9 Paper Folding, Cutting & Craft, ages 10-13 Beads, Glass & Ribbon Jewelry, ages 13-Adult

Saturday Adult Classes

Tuesday Adult Classes

July 9, 16, 30, August 6, 13, 1-3pm Drawing for Teens & Adults Cost $65

June 21, 28, July 12, 6-8pm Mixed Media Masterpieces for Adults Cost $42

July 23 & August 6, 1-3pm Fused Glass with Cassandra Cohen for Adults Cost $29

August 2, 9, 16, 6-8pm Evening Acrylic Painting for Adults Cost $42

Check out our web site for a complete class listing: www.washburn.edu/mulvane or call 670-2420.

Lower Level Mulvane Art Museum 17th & Jewell

Hours

Tues. 10-7, Wed.-Fri. 10-5, Sat. & Sun. 1-4 Admission to the Museum and ArtLab is FREE! 785-670-1124

Look, Create, Understand!

Y UM U M

Foodie discounts and kid approved items for dining out in Topeka, family style. Submit your favorite discount and menu items to xyztopeka@gmail.com by Kerrice Mapes, E r i n Wy n k o o p + Rio Cervantes-Reed

Info. correct at time of printing - 3.11.2011. Please check with restaurant as specials change. Check out websites for menus and other specials.

Hanover Pancake House 1034 S Kansas Ave. | 232.1111 www.hanoverpancakehouse.com BREAKFAST Bobcat breakfast is $6.69 for one egg, 1/2 order of sausage and pancake. XYZ LIKES They’ve been serving hungry Topekans for over 40 years.

Jade Garden Chinese 2038 SW Gage Blvd | 271.2038 EVERYDAY Kid-friendly choices on the appetizer menu, including fried chicken strips and shrimp. Prices begin at $3.99 XYZ LIKES: They are open everyday, except Thanksgiving. Boss Hawg’s 2833 SW 29th Street | 273.7300 www.bosshawgsbbq.com SUNDAY $2 kids’ meal w/ purchase of adult meal and beverage every Sunday. XYZ LIKES: The kids’ menu includes items titled “Baby-Boss” and asks kids to name as many famous pigs as they can. (We came up with six). Sweet Pea’s 1306 S Kansas Ave. | 354.9115 EVERYDAY Kids 3 & under eat for free. Kids up to age 11 are $3.99 XYZ LIKES: Sides are served family-style.

[ local flavor ] Los Charros 4111 SW Gage Center Drive | 228.8922 EVERYDAY $3.75 “Los Ninos,” menu for ages 12 and under, features full child-sized meals adding rice and beans to faves such as quesadillas and tacos. For the less-developed palette, the little one can get chicken fingers or a hamburger, served with fries. XYZ LIKES: For a buck and a half more, parents (or your teenager) can order the smaller meal from the children’s menu. Now how many Weight Watcher’s points will that save us? Hmmm.... Kansan Grill 705 S. Kansas Ave. | 233.0086 | www.kansangrill.com EVERYDAY $3.99 - $4.99 kids’ meals that feature kid-friendly choices and atmosphere. Friday buffet - Culinary Kid Day XYZ LIKES Photographs of famous Kansans line the walls and provide a history lesson in downtown Topeka.

Via’s Pizzeria 738 SW Gage | 215-8421 www.viaspizzeria.com EVERYDAY Personal 6’’ pizza with one topping $4.99 XYZ LIKES: The kids’ corner is filled with kid-friendly items and Via’s is “XYZ picky eater” approved. Topeka Steakhouse 526 SE Dupont Road (East on 6th St.) 279.9994 EVERYDAY Children’s plates $4.49 XYZ LIKES: Long tables in the big room allow for large family gatherings. HuHot 5900 SW Huntoon | 271.8190 www.huhot.com MONDAY Kids 12 + under eat free after 4 p.m. (Regularly $4.99). XYZ LIKES: You can make your own dish. You’re the chef...and it’s fun to watch the cooks. Jason’s Deli 6121 SW 12st Ste 400 | 478.4144 www.jasonsdeli.com (menu online) WEEKENDS Kids eat for $.99 Sat. + Sun. During the week JD Pickle menu items are under $4. XYZ LIKES: A organic salad bar option for kids + a lot of other fresh choices on their menu.

O’Dooley’s 1930 SW Westport Dr # 100 | 273.0131 www.odooleys.com EVERYDAY Every night kids’ menu includes meals $4.99 or under. XYZ LIKES: Sing-along with Kyler Carpenter every Monday night. Lupita’s 732 S. Kansas Ave. | 234-6340 EVERYDAY Mini-Me menu - most items are less than $2.50 XYZ LIKES: It’s family-owned and located downtown. Hazel Hill is just a few doors down and perfect for dessert. Blind Tiger Brewery 417 SW 37th Street | 267.2739 www.blindtiger.com SUNDAY 1/2 price kids meals all day XYZ LIKES: Fried pickles. Buffalo Wild Wings 1227 SW Wanamaker | 783.2999 www.buffalowildwings.com WEDNESDAY Kids’ meals $1.99 every Wednesday. XYZ LIKES: They have cool trivia machines for entertainment at your table while you wait for dinner (or lunch).

Community Events compiled by Heather McKee • designed by Karli Davis

Have an event you want to see featured here?

We want to get your family-friendly events listed in our calendar. Just contact our calendar editor at mckee.xyz@gmail.com. Your event could be featured online and/or in print. Please keep in mind that we publish on a quarterly schedule, so we try to fit a season’s worth of events into each issue.

xyztopeka.com topekaparents.com your sources for family events

Free summer movie series Movie on the Lawn June 23, 30 & July 7 FREE movies on the lawn of the Statehouse Come downtown early for Top City Thursday, and stay late for a movie on the Capitol Lawn. Movie varies each week and starts around sunset (9pm). Tour the Capitol before for $1. Tours provided by Kansas Capitol Tours presented by the Kansas Historical Society June 23, June 30 + July 7 | 40 minute tour | Cost: $1 6pm / 7pm / 8pm Location: Capitol Tour Booth located on the 1st floor of the Capitol All ages welcome

Big Screen Under the Stars July 1 9pm | Bettis Sports Complex, Lake Shawnee Start the evening with fireworks, and stay to watch a classic baseball movie on the big screen, under the stars.

Sundown Film Festival 6th Annual Sundown Film Festial on the lawn of the Kansas Historical Society. Films and museum admission are free and concessions are available. July 15 | July 22 | July 29 | August 5

Picnic (1955) Sarah Plain and Tall (1991) Mars Attacks! (1996) (PG-13) | Wyatt Earp (1994)

Tips for enjoying the Sundown Film Festival: * Bring your blankets and/or lawn chairs. * Come early, because the plaza fills up fast! Set up on the grass, then stroll over to the museum to visit our main gallery for free from 5 to 9 p.m. * Bug spray is always a good idea on a muggy summer night. * The concession stand closes about 30 minutes into the film. Support the festival by buying concessions and/or making donations! * In case of rain, the event will be moved inside to the museum lobby.

attn: Music lovers Expose your kids to a variety of music this summer Big Band at Concerts in the Park Gage Park Ampitheater - 7pm most Sundays - Free Bluegrass at Wheatstock VII Old Prairie Town - 12-8pm, 6/18 - Free Bluegrass at Ted Ensley Gardens Lake Shawnee - 6:30, 6/26 - Free Spirit of Kansas Blues Fest Lake Shawnee - Noon - 9pm, 7/4 - Free Summer Sunset Concert Old Prairie Town - 6-9pm, 7/30 - 10 & Under Free, 11+ $2 Jazz in July at Ted Ensley Gardens Lake Shawnee - 6:30, 7/31 - Free Music at the Market Most Saturdays during Farmers Market- 9a - Free

Bark for Life Doggie Olympics

Tykes on Bikes June 23 Tykes on Bikes presented by TDC Learning Centers, Inc July 23 | 9am | Topeka West High School Carnival, railway safety with BNSF, road safety with Topeka PD’s bike patrol and safety helmet checks/bike checks. Bike races are free for ages 3 to 10 www.learnplaygrow.org or www.facebook. com/tdclearningcenters for more info.

India Fest August 27 Saturday August 27 10am - 2pm | FREE Food & other activities cost Each year, the India Association of Topeka invites the public to share in food, music and fun, in an effort to teach people about the Indian heritage, and raise money for a local charity. Take your picture in traditional Indian dress, and enjoy the fun!

August 28 August 28 | Lake Shawnee Beach | 10 am $10 for your dog to participate Come see the fastest dog, the best swimmer, the longest dog jump and others, at this fundraiser for the American Cancer Society.

Art City Thursdays 7/21, 8/18, 9/15, 10/20 Join XYZ Magazine, ReThink Topeka, Topeka Parents and more every 3rd Thurs. for booths with art activities, live entertainment, the Topeka Library’s Adventuremobile, animals and lots of other rad stuff. During Top City Thursdays, 5-8 p.m. | 6th & Kansas XYZ xyztopeka.com

[ resource ]

city 4-H kids

Shawnee County & Topeka 4-H Clubs

by Anthony Davis photos by Colin MacMillan / Nathan Ham Photography

hy’ane, the 12-year-old president of the Purple Ribbon 4-H Club, has discovered a passion for breeding and showing rabbits thanks to 4-H, and now competes in dedicated rabbit shows with American Rabbit Breeders Association. According to Shy’ane, 4-H has helped her come out of her shell, leaving behind the shy, nervous kid that refused to leave her uncle’s side at her first meetings, to become the responsible and forward-thinking preteen who now wants to become a mentor for other kids trying out the program for the first time. “When I first got into 4-H, I thought it was just about animals, but it’s more,” says Shy’ane. “You can explore things, you can go to camp, you can be a leader.” But, hobbies and leadership aside, 4-H will be a tool to help Shy’ane achieve her education goals; scholarships won from competitions will help fund her future training when she enrolls in the University of Kansas School of Medicine when she’s older. The Purple Ribbon 4-H Club – one of seven clubs located in the Topeka city limits, with another six around the county – is looking for new members, and Greg and Amy Abbott, two of the club’s volunteer leaders, want Topeka to see that 4-H isn’t just for “farm kids.”

“You can live in the city, not even having a dog or cat, and still be involved with 4-H,” said Greg. “It’s a broad spectrum program.” While some projects focus on animals and livestock, more urban-centric themes – such as photography, robotics, rocketry, and sports cards and collectables – are available, and participants are encouraged to pursue whatever project field interests them.

What sets 4-H apart, according to the Abbotts, is that there are no required affiliations or beliefs and all costs are voluntary and related to the child’s project of choice. “4-H is life-skills, social-skills, those skills that help you in the classroom and everywhere else,” said Greg. These skills are crucial for children ages 5 to 18 – the age ranges for 4-H – and give participants confidence and goals. “They come into our group in a shell, and then they just open up,” said Amy, “It’s amazing to watch.” Shawnee County and Topeka 4-H clubs will be putting their projects to the test at this year’s county fair, held July 21-24 at the Kansas Expocentre in Topeka, and showing what they have learned about the organization’s goal to improve the Hands, Head, Health and Heart of America’s youth. XYZ TOPEKA each issue, XYZ features an accredited local organization that serves children and/or parents. We do not necessarily endorse the organization’s policies. Have an idea for an organization to spotlight? Email us: xyztopeka@gmail.com

The Purple Ribbon 4-H Club of Topeka gets rowdy during their summer water balloon fight.

4-H | Shawnee Co. shawnee.ksu.edu click on “4-H Youth Development”

785.232.0062 ext. 111 XYZ xyztopeka.com

[ local flavor ]

Gavin

vs.

the

Sunny Starr Café

picky eater by Chelle Decker photos by Adam Koger

Picky Eater Gavin age: 7 certified picky: his favorite food is chocolate, but he'll settle for hot dogs or mac and cheese

Sunny Starr Café 2135 SW Gage Blvd. 785.215.8877

goes out to eat

even-year-old Gavin Breedlove is an adorable kid, and completely easy to get along with. As we sit down to breakfast at Sunny Starr Café on Gage Blvd. it’s quite obvious that this little kid is easy-going and quite agreeable…until you offer him a fruit or vegetable, and then you might have an argument on your hands. You see, Gavin has about a handful of foods he will indulge in, but that’s about it. He pretty much exists on chocolate, which he calls his number one favorite food, and as we gaze at the menu he quickly decides on chocolate chip pancakes for his first meal of the day. We inform the kind waitress that we are writing an article about picky eaters that morning. She laughs and says that she too used to be a picky eater.

A Topeka Favorite.

DAILY SPECIALS MONDAY CUBAN SANDWICH $5.99

Includes non-alcoholic beverage of choice Add One Side for $1.99

TUESDAY TURKEY, BACON, RANCH SANDWICH $6.99 Choice of Bread and One Side

Phillip [dad] says that the night before, he told Gavin he couldn’t go play with his friends until he ate his dinner. Gavin promptly told him, “Okay, I won’t go.”

WEDNESDAY $ .45 HOT WINGS Minimum Five Yum. << what AuntOrder Rioofhad. Choice of BBQ or Hot Sauce THURSDAY OPEN FACED ROAST BEEF SANDWICH $6.99 FRIDAY 8 OZ. SPECIALTY FISH $10.99 Choice of Two Sides Full bar and wine list

ORDER ONLINE www.kansangrill.com

Clearly the healthy menu options offered by the Sunny Starr Café including whole wheat pancakes, turkey sausage, oatmeal and fruit options weren’t going to work for this picky eater. The only time he strays from his preferred chocolate diet is to indulge in some pizza, hotdogs, or mac and cheese. Mac and cheese sparks my interest, so I ask him if he likes homemade Mac and Cheese, envisioning a healthy wheat pasta with organic cheese, but was informed he likes the “box kind.” When asked what his “ideal perfect meal” would be, he tells me, “chocolate chip cookies.” Gavin’s two-year-old baby sister, Lenora, has no eating preferences like her brother, but Gavin tells me that she “doesn’t share her cookies.” Phillip says that the night before, he told Gavin he couldn’t go play with his friends until he ate his dinner. Gavin promptly told him, “Okay, I won’t go.” The more we visit, the more it becomes obvious that Gavin does have a few other things he’ll eat, including corndogs and Doritos (the cool ranch variety only) and Burger King hamburgers as long as no pickles have touched the burger. Phillip and Gavin tell me that Gavin’s mother, Martha Rison, is careful to check the school menu each day in order to know which days the “Picky Eater” needs to take his lunch to school. At this point, Philllip assured me that they are currently working on helping Gavin create better eating habits. Since Phillip was also a picky eater, he is sure Gavin will grow out of this phase. He said he’s been using the parenting approach that “if he’s hungry enough to eat junk, he’s hungry enough to eat good food.” I really enjoyed my breakfast with Gavin and his Dad, in fact I’d sit down to breakfast with him any time…especially if he shares his chocolate chip pancakes. XYZ TOPEKA

Mon. - Sat. 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. 705 S. KANSAS AVE. | 785.233.0086

[ WORK ]

when work and home collide

s mammals, human parents are driven to do whatever is necessary to ensure the survival and advantage of their progeny. This could be anything from the feeding and clothing of their offspring, to earning money to bring home. All parents work. Most get paid for it. But some—as I have learned—get paid to work from home, just like in those brochures at the grocery store, or those ads on the side columns of blogs. No, please don’t click on those ads, I was kidding. (Remember, if it seems too good to be true, it is!) I have had the great privilege, however, of meeting some parents who have been lucky, and found honest-to-goodness opportunities to do important things, things they care about, for money, and from home. Annie Brock is a freelance greeting card writer for Andrews McMeel Universal. This means that she has a regular schedule. “There aren’t many greeting card emergencies,” she jokes. She used to do this at the company’s Kansas City headquarters, but when she was expecting her now eight-month-old son, she asked to work from home. Now, she says, “Same job, but I can do it in my sweatpants!”

xyztopeka.com XYZ

by Cale Herreman • photos by Colin MacMillan / Nathan Ham Photography

Her days are spent caring for a baby and squeezing in productivity around naps. That can be a tightrope walk. “I think the most difficult part of it is that you want to do it all, and you want to do it all well, but when you’re working at home, that is sometimes difficult, because you’re interrupted by a poopy diaper or a bottle of milk, so it’s difficult to keep your train of thought going.” “I just do the best I can, and remember how fortunate I am to be able to stay home with him and be in this situation.” Jill Lyman also has a corporate employer: agricultural giant Cargill. When her family moved to Topeka, the company allowed her to keep the job she had performed in its Wichita office. It equipped a work space for her home, and required her to find outside childcare for her daughter. She lucked out by finding a daycare just one block from her house. continued on page 17 >>

Jessica Finley, small business owner /mother

< Annie Brock, a mom to 8-month-old Brodie, works from home as a freelance greeting card writer. XYZ xyztopeka.com

xyztopeka.com XYZ

continued from page 15 >>

She is careful not to slack off, aware of the delicate politics of her arrangement: “Your bosses, your coworkers, they see you in such an advantaged position, you really kind of have to stroke the egos a little bit when you’re in this type of a position because they’re not working from home, and they’ve got to deal with traffic, and they’ve got to deal with what to wear every day.” Megan James-Rogers has a business, Trees and Bees Photography, that is active in the evenings and on weekends, when her husband is home from his job, and can be with their three kids. Asked if the children ever join her at photo shoots, she says, “The kids never come with me. That wouldn’t be good for me, or anybody.” If her husband is unavailable, she also has a lucky break: her mother lives one block from her house!

After the kids are in bed, she works on the time-consuming process of editing the photos, and replying to emails. “I prefer to do things by email, so I have a track record, because with three kids, my brain can be kind of shot sometimes.” Jessica Finley has a business creating custom garments for martial arts, Fühlen Designs. She went from occasionally making costumes for friends to having martial artists contact her through email to order items. She has a room in her home set up as a sewing room, with all the equipment, supplies, and notions in easy reach. But having space isn’t the same as having time. “When you’re doing a job out of your home, I find it’s hard to carve out that time from your family.” “When you get in a car and leave, it’s pretty obvious what you’re doing. But when you’re home, everybody knows where you are, and how to get ahold of you,

and so it’s harder to set aside work time.” Jessica can often be seen at parks and playgroups with a garment, thread and a needle. Her kids can run around and play while she moves a project closer to completion. She says she can even read books to the kids while she’s sewing. Less child-friendly work can be done in the sewing room after everyone else is asleep. These parents have been rather lucky, finding opportunities to make money and accomplish something while being at home. They might have the option to stay in their pajamas all day, but they mostly don’t. What they must do, though, is multitask hard. So many things call for a parent’s attention without outside work. Balancing it all sounds hard, but clearly, it can be done. XYZ TOPEKA

“When you get in a car and leave, it’s pretty obvious what you’re doing. But when you’re home, everybody knows where you are, and how to get a hold of you, and so it’s harder to set aside work time.” XYZ xyztopeka.com

[ WORK ]

a long-term decision b y J a n i c e Wa t k i n s • p h o t o b y E J D r a k e

How to make the difficult choices about childcare.

“Hello?”

I hear the ruffling of covers and the clank of the water cup as she sets it aside on the oak side table next to the bed. The crack of her voice all but disappears with the swallow of water. “Why in the world are you calling me so early?” she then asserts with increasing anger. I check the clock on my dashboard as I race through traffic. Even given that my clock is set purposefully five minutes fast, it’s at least 8:01. Six months ago, she wouldn’t have cared that I called this early, but now, she is adjusting to a different schedule – one that is set daily by her children and not by a punch clock on the wall at work. Eileen Wiedwald said goodbye to the office building where she was an employee for the State of Kansas over three months ago and embarked on a new journey – working only part-time, two days a week, allowing her to stay at home with her two children, Willie, 2, and Lillie, 1, the remainder of the week. “I am pretty much living my dream life,” says Weidwald with a sigh, looking lovingly at Lillie who is trying to balance herself on the ottoman and take independent steps. “I had a great opportunity to take Lillie with me to work for the first six months,” she states, referring to the popular program the State offers for certain, eligible employees. “When those six months were up, dropping her off at daycare became devastating, not only for me as a parent, but for our household budget. Staying at home was an easy choice.” 18

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While the factors allowing Wiedwald to be a mostly-stay-at-homemom fell into place following baby number two, she recalls the agony of selecting a daycare option after the birth of her firstborn and again reviewing her family budget after she realized she would be paying for full-time care for two a year and a half later. “There are just so many options out there,” gasps Wiedwald. “How are first time parents supposed to navigate through the world of nannies, in-home daycares and center-based programs? I remember what a nightmare it was.” Julie, a childcare student, who wished to remain partially anonymous due to her work in the field and hopes for future employment, has worked in all arenas of childcare – as a private nanny, as a substitute for an in-home daycare and at a childcare center. “There are definitely ups and downs to each,” she laughs. “A

nanny can give a child that needs it that one-on-one, specialized attention, a center offers the socialization that is undeniable, an in-home, if the right one, can be a godsend. For most parents, though, it generally seems like the pocketbooks are steering them in any one particular direction.” For Wiedwald, the initial decision to send her firstborn to an in-home, sometimes referred to as “family childcare” was based largely on the costs associated with a center. Wiedwald agonized over the decision for a month and finally sought the assistance of ERC, an agency licensed by the state to offer child care resource and referral services. “Any parent needing childcare in the 785 area code can contact our office for referral assistance,” says Laurie Pigg, Director of Referral Services for the ERC. “We will do an intake with the family by asking specific questions about their needs and give the family information about available childcare options.” ERC can offer information regarding what to look for in a facility, access to resource information, information regarding vacancies, ages of vacancies, schedules at the facilities, or homes, costs and

childcare by the numbers Topeka Average Weekly Rates for Full-Time, Family (“Inhome”) Childcare – Shawnee County, as provided by ERC Under age 1 - $121 12-17 months - $119 18-23 months - $105

ERC Resource & Referral 1710 SW 10th Ave. Suite 215 785.357.5171 erc@ercrefer.org www.ercrefer.org

2 - 3 years - $103 3 – 4 years - $102 4 – 5 years - $101 5 – 6 years - $97 6 + years - $92 U.S.

training and experience of staff. Much of the suggestions the ERC provided to Wiedwald and other parents turning to the organization for assistance in selecting an option for childcare, can be employed to selecting a centerbased program, as well. For instance, the suggestion of interviewing at least three different providers and making comparisons to each, will work well if selecting a center.

Average weekly rates for a full-time, center-based childcare program – Shawnee County, as provided by the National Child Care Bureau, in conjunction with the US Census

“It’s important for parents to visit a few centers before selecting the right one,” says Julie. “Most of

Age 4-5 $103

Under Age 1 - $165 Age 2 – 3 - $149 Age 3 – 4 - $138

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the centers offer full-time childcare all the way through pre-K and it is a long-term decision when you are selecting one when the child is only six weeks of age.” While the average costs of a center are generally higher than an in-home service, or a nanny, Julie insists there are still benefits to a center. “For me, there is more accountability. There is a boss, there is a director, there is a board of directors, sometimes. The boss of the in-home worker or the nanny is the parent and that person is at work, so it can sometimes be hard to know what is going on from eight to five.

“The center has curriculum requirements, meal requirements, and several employees at any given time to make sure a child is not falling through the cracks,” says Julie. Julie immediately insists that she is not against the in-home facility, or a nanny service, but cautions parents to consider the pros and cons of each and to engage the assistance of an agency like ERC when considering the best option for your child. She insists that any viable nanny option should hold their CDA, or Child Development Associate credentials. “I am not joking when it comes to things you might see on TV or in movies, there are bad apples out there,” laughs Julie. “But for every bad apple there are ten good programs, centers and nannies who only want to do what is best for your kid every day.” For a complete list of tips and questions for facilities from the ERC, visit xyztopeka.com

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TRY OUR MOBILE APP your library goes where you go www.tscpl.org 1515 SW 10th Avenue 785 580-4400

[ babysitting ]

the dreaded date night b y J a n i c e Wa t k i n s

adventures in babysitting b y E r i n Wy n k o o p

t’s “d-day” in our house again - the quarterly-dreaded event of date night. It’s not that I don’t like exiting the house and spending quality-time with my husband, absent of any Nickelodeon character singing in the background and eating a meal that I did not have to prepare. It’s mostly that every time we decide to go on a date, we have to tackle the daunting task of securing a babysitter for the event. We’ve been trying to secure a backup sitter for as long as I can remember and it’s not that my kids are in terrorist training or anything like that, it’s mostly that I don’t know where to look, what to prepare and what to pay. Enter my closest circle of friends and our once Sex and the City-vibe with top fashion and cute shoes, turned to where to find the best diaper bag and how to clean vomit from velour. The consensus was generally age 14 and up makes a suitable sitter age. Referrals and friends are the best way to find a good sitter. Absent any friends – put out a solicitation for a sitter at a local agency (Girl Scouts, YWCA, etc) and perform interviews. Select the best candidate and start by allowing the new trainee an hour or so with the kids. Go grocery shopping and return to see how the newest employee is holding up. Leave all emergency contacts on the fridge or another suitable location. List the name of any doctors, the numbers where you will be, backup contacts, the preference for hospital of choice, and list any and all medications the child is taking, as well as a list of all known allergies. As you prepare to leave the door, ensure that the ground rules are clear – what are suitable channels, snacking times and when bedtime is intended each night (and when it actually occurs). That only leaves the worst task of all – pay. Again, the consensus is “it depends.” It depends on the age of the sitter, experience and how many kids. The overall agreement is 1-2 kids, a 14-16 year old sitter with one or less years of experience, is deserving of $7 - $10 an hour. Again, if you want the sitter to return, make it worth his or her while. And with that, the only thing remains is what to order for desert on date night. XYZ TOPEKA

nyone who knows me is aware that I think kids are cool, I just don’t want them, as of right now. Kids are amazing, there is just something about changing dirty diapers, being projectile vomited on and being responsible that I’m not 100% sure about quite yet. I think when it’s all said and done, I haven’t even really grown up myself. Mac & Cheese and Capri Suns frequent my lunch bag, and I could watch “The Little Mermaid,” over and over again. Hence, I have pronounced myself the perfect baby/kidsitter. In fact, the most intellectual conversations I have are typically with kids. They have no problem saying it as it is, whether us grown-ups want to hear the truth or not. I was recently asked to kid-sit my little cousin Evan for a short while at a family gathering. He and I settled on sidewalk chalking. “Hey! Hey Erin, I don’t know how to do that. Those stars and that moon,” Evan said. As I gave my chalk lesson, I asked him if he was excited about all the movies he gets to go see this summer. I figured, if he wasn’t interested in the conversation, we could go back to the lesson. I asked him about “Transformers,” to which he promptly replied, “Bumblebee!” Being a Harry Potter fan myself, I asked Evan what he though of Harry, Hermione and Ron and all the trouble they get themselves into. We talked about the differences between Harry Potter and Spiderman, and who makes a better villain. Evan schooled me on how the “mean” Spiderman is only mean in one movie, but HP is always mean. After much debate, we both came to the conclusion that Harry Potter is way more of the bad guy who could rule the world if he wanted to. Take that, Spiderman, you fail in the bad guy department. XYZ TOPEKA XYZ xyztopeka.com

[ WORK ]

candidates

everything teens + their parents need to know about the job hunt.

b y J a n i c e Wa t k i n s • p h o t o s b y E J D r a k e

18-year old Caitlyn rises promptly at 7:30 a.m. and snatches the morning newspaper from the outskirts of a mud puddle. “Do these newspaper delivery guys even realize what they do to me each morning with this nonsense,” she exhales in a fit of rage, motioning towards the muddy crevice of her parent’s driveway. “This thing is like gold to me,” she finishes swinging the paper in the mail like a trophy. Just three weeks ago, Caitlyn’s days were filled with finals and last minute essays and the hum of Pomp and Circumstance ringing in her ears, now with a high school diploma hanging proudly on her bedroom wall next to 3D framed Justin Bieber print, her days are spent with a task even more daunting than the uncertainty that follows graduation – finding a summer job. With over a decade of helping care for her younger brothers and sisters and assisting her dad with “do-it-yourself ” tasks, Caitlyn has experience in certain trades, but none that actually provided a paycheck. She mulls through the want

ads each day looking for something that screams “give me my first shot” and fills out upwards of 25 job applications a week. While paid work experience is something Caitlyn seems lacking in, Paul Bossert, Vice President at Premier Employment Solutions, encourages teens to move forward in the employment-seeking process. “If you don’t have previous employment experience, list your education, accomplishments, clubs, awards and volunteer activities. There are a lot of candidates competing for the same jobs so your goal is to stand out amongst your competition.” Bossert notes the importance of building a resume that will catch the attention of employers. “Make sure it is clean and professional. If you don’t have anything to list, it’s time to get involved in your community so you can stand out.” In between highlighting sections of the paper in hot-pink highlighter, Caitlyn updates her Facebook status to “I hate

this. I will never find a job!” and immediately receives several “likes” from her newly graduated friends. Bossert, however, cautions teens against what their Facebook pages look like and who has access to them. “Start by doing some self evaluation and self marketing prep,” Bossert instructs teens. “Are you doing things that make you attractive to an employer in your everyday life? Start cleaning up your social networking profiles and making them professional. What will an employer find if they Google your name?” Caitlyn’s phone starts buzzing, simultaneously with her Beyonce ringtone. Her casual tone when she answers it with, “Yeah?” immediately turns serious when she realizes it is a hit on one of her many applications, calling her in for an interview. She hangs up the phone and runs to her closet, tossing hangers without caution, searching for the perfect outfit. I casually steer her away from the knee-high boots and thigh-high skirt. Cierra Lunkins-Summers will be a senior this fall at Highland Park High School. She works as a hostess at a local restaurant.

“Make sure that you have interview appropriate attire. I Credit Counseling, Inc. sees this type of behavior in teens and always say to dress a step above the position that you are advises people of all ages to set goals as to what they want to do applying for. So do some research and find out what they are with their money, consider their “wants” versus their “needs” wearing,” Bossert instructs. “When you secure an interview, and to prepare a personal spending plan, or budget, to get a make sure you are nice to everyone you meet (even in good handle on monthly expenses. the parking lot or lobby). Let the interviewer control the Caitlyn also adds “2010 Jeep Cherokee” to the bottom of her pace, don’t ramble or talk list and gives me a casual about personal topics and wink. prepare questions ahead When advising clients of time. Ask questions regarding big expenditures, phone starts buzzing about the company or the Caitlyn’s such as a car, or college tuition, responsibilities, but stay simultaneously with her Beyonce ring Stanley instructs individuals away from questions that tone. Her casual tone when she answers it with, “Yeah?” immediately turns to prepare and plan for the ask, ‘What’s in it for me?’” serious when she realizes it’s a hit on expense appropriately, with Although her interview is knowledge being key. one of her many applications. still three days away, Caitlyn “A more informed teen will get has begun making a wish list a better “deal” and will be able in her journal of things that to make a better decision as she wants to buy with her to what to do with their money,” Stanley says. “Each financial first paycheck. A new swimsuit and a pedicure immediately decision should carefully consider thinking about the ‘pros’ become priorities over her previous desire to put money and ‘cons,’ as well as cost comparisons versus value.” aside for books come the start of the Fall semester. As Caitlyn sets aside her “wish list,” I remind her that taxes will Marilyn Stanley, Chief Operating Officer of Housing and be taken out of any potential paycheck, and she scoffs.

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worker’s rights 101 by Rio Cervantes-Reed

Your child’s first job experience should be a good one. If one thing were to go wrong, this could paint your child’s attitude towards the work environment for a good amount of time, or at worse, result in physical injury. To help assure a good experience, make sure you and your child are aware of the resources and contacts that are available.

“Why would I have to pay taxes? I am only 18!” Stanley informs that “families general pay approximately 20% of their gross income in taxes, but each situation is different. Generally teens will pay less in taxes but should call on a tax expert or research www.irs.gov for more details.” Stanley would also guide someone like Caitlyn to check her credit report before any purchase and to continue to monitor the report on an annual basis, as HCCI has seen a growing epidemic of teens that have bad credit before they even start college, due to a family member using the teen’s name, or the teen being issued a credit card in the aftermath of loose preapproval standards. Stanley also instructs teens to only borrow what they need when it comes to financial aid. “Student loans are often used to pay for things other than tuition and books. Student loan debt continues to rise and can be very difficult to pay off at the completion of education,” Stanley notes. For Caitlyn, however, it is one small step at a time. “What about this one?” she laughs, pointing to a business suit she has pulled from her mother’s closet with larger-thanlife shoulder pads for a possible interview outfit. “Perfect attire, for ‘do you want fries with that?’” she winks, with only a hint of sarcasm. XYZ TOPEKA

Make a big splash with your next event call 783-8883 blueplanetcafeevents@gmail.com

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Child Labor Child labor laws must be followed by any business that is covered by the Federal Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which is almost all employers. It restricts the number of hours that children under the age of 16 may work, and restricts the type of work that children under 18 can perform due to safety hazards. Enforcement is handled by the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division. The Kansas City District Office, whose jurisdiction includes all of Kansas, can be reached by phone at 1-866-487-9243. Complaints may also be filed by mail with the Kansas Department of Labor at 401 SW Topeka Boulevard, Topeka, Kansas, 66603 or you may call 785-296-4062. Their website maintains a “Frequently Ask Questions,” page at http://www.dol.ks.gov/ES/ faq_child.html. This department also handles workplace safety issues, please call them with any inquiries. Workplace Discrimination Civil rights laws in Kansas cover any employer with four or more employees. If your child has a concern that he/she is being treated differently due to race, national origin, color, ancestry, sex (gender), religion, age or disability, resulting in negative impact, he or she may address their concerns with their immediate supervisor. If the supervisor is the person with whom your child is having a problem, he or she should refer to their employment handbook for guidance on filing a complaint within the company. Regardless, as a parent you may contact the Kansas Human Rights Commission (KHRC) for further guidance, and for assistance in determining if a complaint should be filed with the KHRC. In many cases, employment complaints with the KHRC are dual-filed with the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, to protect your child’s rights in both jurisdictions. For more information about the KHRC visit http://www.khrc.net or call the office at 785-2963206 during regular office hours. Disclaimer: This information is not legal advice, nor intended as such. If you need legal advice, please consult an attorney.

[ young artists ]

art in layers

rt enriches all our lives, but for children suffering from mental illness, abuse or neglect, art can be a window into both the joys and the setbacks that they experience in their young lives. Their art can be incredibly powerful and compelling.

Dentistry For Infants, Children & Teens Member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry

Sedation Available

785-272-6060 6231 SW. 29th Street â&#x20AC;˘ Topeka, KS 66614 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26, 2011 at the Ramada Inn, 10 artists ages 10-16 who are clients at Family Service and Guidance Center will display their art and hold it up for auction at the annual Works of Heart event, with the proceeds going toward help to fund the mental health services and programs that FSGC offers to area families.

Your moSt important haircut iS Free...

Over 25 professional artists have also donated pieces for silent and live auction. The young artists will be on hand at Works of Heart to speak about their art. For more information on the event, how you can donate or ticket prices, visit fsgctopeka.org or give them a call at 785.232.5005

First haircuts are free for Envy customerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s children, like Arin & Allison Neary.

Full Service Salon for the whole family 785.233.5577 * 17th & medford

[WORK] b y J a n i c e Wa t k i n s • p h o t o s b y A d a m K o g e r

9to5:

WORK SUCKS

How one mom took control of her life and work/personal time

ork sucks. For Veronica “Ronnie” Wooten, these were the words that would profoundly change her life over nine months ago.

As the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Suntell, Wooten is no stranger to corporate America. She is familiar with the intense competition of the service industry, the constant drive for customer satisfaction, the often longer than 40-hour work week, and the day-in and day-out tasks that are generally spent in an office, sitting at a desk. She was maybe too familiar with the monotony of her corporate work day and was searching for a solution, when a job interview and a book changed it all. “I was actually interviewing somebody to hire for our company and she mentioned in passing that her husband worked for a Results Only Work Environment, a ROWE,” Wooten reminisces. A quick Google search following the interview and some research into ROWEs and Wooten had her hands on the book “Why Work Sucks and How to Fix It” by Jody Thompson and Cali Ressler, two of the founders of the ROWE revolution. “I was reading it while I was sitting at my desk in the office and about halfway through I decided that I could read the book just as effectively sitting on an air mattress in my pool,” Wooten laughs. And just that she did. Wooten soaked up the sun as she became hooked to the idea of a ROWE. Shortly after in an executive management meeting, Wooten took advantage of an opportunity to fire the book from her arsenal. A day later the CEO of her company called and was just as committed as Wooten to transforming their company into a ROWE. “It totally made sense that if you give people control of their lives, their time – they will produce higher results for you,” Wooten says with a shake of her head.

Suntell moved quickly on the fast-track to transitioning to a ROWE and as of September 1, 2010, the company was fully transitioned and became the first company in Topeka to offer the innovative work culture. Wooten and the executive team, along with the staff, brought in a consulting team to transition, immediately did away with all vacation and sick leave accrual and started

After reading he book “Why Work Sucks and How to Fix It” by Jody Thompson and Cali Ressler, mom Veronica “Ronnie” Wooten introduced ROWE into her work enviornment. “This is the first time in 19 years that I get to be here in the morning when they leave for school and be here in the afternoon when they get home from school,” Wooten notes of seeing her 19, 16, and 8-year old children.

“It totally made sense that if you give people control of their lives, their time – they will produce higher results for you.”

working to reverse the ingrained ideas of work in the minds of the employees.

Sitting back against the plush cushions of her living room chair, Wooten smiles when thinking about how her push for her company to transition to a ROWE has changed her own life.

“It is the antithesis of what is ingrained in our minds about what work looks like,” Wooten notes.

“This is the first time in 19 years that I get to be here in the morning when they leave for school and be here in the afternoon when they get home from school,” Wooten notes of seeing her 19, 16, and 8-year old children. “I may be working during those times, but it’s being able to say ‘Hi! How was your day?’ I never got to do that with my two older kids,” she sighs, recalling the days that she would drop her children off at 6:30 in the morning at daycare and a brief time frame when a nanny would take over after school and put her children to bed at night.

In the ROWE, the employees of Suntell focus on meeting their results, which are set by the employees themselves and then negotiated with the management team. The employees only focus on their results and no longer worry about being in the office from 8 to 5 or taking an extended lunch break, if necessary – the focus is entirely on results. “The office becomes a tool that is available that anyone can use at anytime 24/7, 365 days a year, if they need to in order to meet their results, “Wooten explains. “I only go to the office when that is the only way that I can meet my results and I can’t achieve it from anywhere else.” Wooten recalls her fear on Sunday nights, prior to the transition to a ROWE, and the text messages, phone calls and emails that she would receive all the way until eight o’clock Monday morning, with employees calling in sick. Today, however, that Sunday night dread has disappeared as employees can mentally check out if they want to for the day and come back to meeting the results at a different time, or stay in pajama pants all day, if feeling under the weather, and if they are up to it, meet results later, after a nap.

Now, Wooten enjoys watching her 19-year old play college baseball without worries of vacation requests, or permission for flex-time. In the ROWE, Wooten is in charge of her own schedule and her own life. She watches her children grow in a forward, fast-paced, technology-driven culture, where they are always available with smart phones, text messages and can connect to the internet with video games and computers, always being mobile and always on the go. She acknowledges that a sedentary, time-clock based work environment would be foreign to the generation of her kids and envisions more and more companies transitioning to a ROWE in the future. “To be able to increase productivity, get more results, delight the customer at a level that you never imagined and have happy, healthy employees,” Wooten exhales passionately. “I don’t know why anybody wouldn’t want to do it?” XYZ TOPEKA

[ WORK ]

where have all

the teen jobs gone?

XYZ TOPEKA

Delivering newspapers isn’t just for kids anymore.

by Ande Davis

photo courtesy m.spesoft.net

hen I was growing up, there was this game called Paperboy. I played it often at a friend’s house on his Nintendo—not the Wii, but the original one where the controller cords kept you from being more than four feet from the TV screen, like video games were meant to be played— and we could waste a lot of time delivering those eight-bit newspapers. I never had a paper route—the Nintendo game was the closest I got. I assume it was much more fun than an actual paper route (not having to wake up before dawn or exert any actual energy being the key to that), but I’ll never know. Because despite being old enough to remember when Paperboy and the original Nintendo were the height of technology, by the time I was mature enough to handle one, my house was one of the many like it whose paper was delivered by a guy driving a beatup Toyota. You don’t see actual paperboys (or girls) anymore. They’re like passenger pigeons—only the older generations can recall the time when they were so numerous they blotted out the sky, and the younger generations only know of them through those stories and Wikipedia. I don’t know that I’ve ever actually seen anyone younger than 30 ever delivering a paper. The paperboy has been blotted out, replaced, exterminated by adults in minivans and sedans who can use the flexible schedules, the cash and the low amount of training time.

Turns out, the paperboy was just the canary in the coalmine. You’re starting to see the same type of thing happen across the board with jobs that were once the domain of teenagers. In fast food restaurants, in mall retail stores, at movie theaters—hell, even babysitters—everywhere you look, there seems to be a shift in proportion away from high school students to those normally considered part of the working population.

You see it in the anecdotal evidence. You see it in countless studies conducted by people with degrees in that sort of thing. You see it when the guy handing your kid’s Happy Meal through the drive-thru window looks like he might just have a degree or two himself. And there are plenty of reasons for it. The crash in the economy caused a lot of people to be unemployed and thankful for whatever job they could get that didn’t require them to go back to school for more degrees, even if it’s passing out tickets to the people poor schlubs who paid to see The Hangover Part II. Those who chose to go back to school

when they were laid off still have to pay for Junior’s braces and acne medicine, so they pick up some shifts peddling Twilight shirts at West Ridge. Longer life expectancies are making plenty of people to sweat the future of social security, which means when they retire from their work, they pick up another job working the fryer at Hardee’s to make ends meet. Who can blame them? Who can blame the manager for hiring someone with a long record of dependability and maturity over the high school sophomore with no experience that wasn’t able to keep eye contact during the interview? Jobs for high schoolers aren’t gone completely, but just like everyone else—the recently unemployed, new college graduates, working seniors—it’s just that much harder these days for them to bring home a paycheck. It’s terrible all around for everyone, but I hate to think of the growing number of people who will be leaving high school and college in the coming years never having worked a day in their lives at an actual job with a boss and coworkers. That’s something you just can’t pick up in the classroom or pretending to deliver papers on the Nintendo. XYZ TOPEKA

Sarah Hamlin Photography

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[ entertainment ]

turtles are cool by Cale Herreman

photo courtesy digstation.com

O V E A LL B A Books & Gifts, LLP

“Dedicated to Giving the Highest Service.”

Your family’s source for Bibles, books, music, church supplies and inspirational gifts. Locally owned and operated.

2607 SW 21st Street Plaza 21 Shops (785) 266 - 6107 OPEN Monday - Friday 9 am - 7 pm Saturdays 9 am - 6 pm

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hen I was looking for something to review in this space, I came across Jeff Iftekaruddin, an artist I had never heard of, and I bet you haven’t either. Having a bit of a challenging surname myself, I have a soft spot for people with long, funny names. (He has a song about how to pronounce his last name: if-te-car-ooh-deen).

He isn’t one of the superstars of kids’ music, he’s just a guy who made an album, and it, like everything, can be found on Amazon. And it’s good. The guy has a nice voice, and some songs rock a little, some are quite mellow. The subtitle of the album is “Music for Kids Who Get It!” That’s a little pretentious - I’m not sure what they’re supposed to “get.” The artist has a sense of humor, and has lots of silliness and different characters. Maybe that’s it. Or maybe I don’t get it. It has a lot of the standard kids’ music tropes: songs about waking up, several about being different, making mistakes and feeling bad. And silly characters, like Ardilla the squirrel, or Stan the Man, who lives in the sky. A decent cover of Kermit the Frog’s most famous song, “Rainbow Connection.” Probably the main question for a potential customer for this album is, would the kids like a whole song about how turtles are cool? If that seems too flimsy, they may be too old for this one. XYZ TOPEKA Give it a listen: themusicofjeff.com

basement tapes Music the whole family can dig.

by Matt Porubsky

p h o t o s c o u r t e s y w a l l p a p e r - m u s i c . c o m / l o r m o g r a p h y. c o m

When it comes to listening to tunes with the kids, I think about three aspects of the music in this order: vocabulary, rhythm and content. The first song in the double-album The Basement Tapes by Bob Dylan and The Band is about spilling juice. The second song is called Orange Juice Blues (Blues for Breakfast). All kids want to start off with juice, right? The six-man crew continues to weave tales of turtles, doing the laundry, apple trees, floods, trucks and chickens. And that’s just the first disc. I think they are speaking a pretty accessible vernacular. The language of this album is the most brilliant. Even though the vocabulary is simple, the story and arrangements of them vary from simple love songs to nonsensical C.S. Lewis Through the Looking Glass moments. One song, Lo and Behold, for example, is a kind of spoken-word stream-of-consciousness poem about being hither and yon and then is followed up by the song Bessie Smith, which is a love song about the great blues singer where the narrator is confused about whether he loved her or her voice. It is this continuous flow from jaunty carnivalesque atmosphere to a the rhythm of a slow breeze across a field, along with the blend of their unique voices, that constantly surprises and keeps the listener intrigued. It’s certainly a summer-time windows-down kind of album. My daughter and I were enjoying the music the other day and she said, “I love this music. Can’t you see my pinkies dancing?!” They sure as heck were. Dylan and The Band wrote this music in 1967 at a time in their careers when all they cared about was having fun with the music and being true to their art. It can be heard in every song. What’s more, in some songs you can actually hear Dylan and the boys start laughing from sheer enjoyment. You’ll know how they feel. XYZ TOPEKA XYZ xyztopeka.com

[ lifestyle ]

the birth choice

b y L e a h S e w e l l • p h o t o s b y M e g a n R o g e r s / Tr e e s & B e e s P h o t o g r a p h y • s p e c i a l t o X Y Z

hen Grace MacMillan stood in the computer area of the library, visibly pregnant with her second child, keeping an eye on her three-year-old son, Liam, and talking with a friend about her plans to deliver her second child at home, the conversation tugged at the ears of other mothers in the room. Soon, they approached her. “One couple said, ‘you’re planning to have a home birth? We just had our son at home.’ And another woman had also had a home birth,” says Grace. “It’s amazing that even in that small room, there were several women who had done it.” Several months later, Grace gave birth to Piper, a healthy and chubby little girl, in a birthing pool in her son’s playroom on the second floor of her home in the Potwin area of Topeka.

Grace MacMillan labors at home during the birth of her daughter, Piper Grace.

“people look back

on their lives, and your child’s birth is going to be one of the most important things that happens to you besides your wedding day and when your kids get married.” -- Grace MacMillan

“I didn’t think I could have a better birth than what I had with Liam, but it was so different, so different,” Grace says while four-week-old Piper sleeps with her head snuggled into her neck. “It was just awesome.”

women who go a different direction and choose to birth at a hospital, some choosing pain relief, and so many who leave completely satisfied and content with their experiences in that setting as well.

For some women reading this right now, here’s the part where the soft and peaceful music playing on the old record player screeches against the needle and comes to a halt.

But the two experiences are polar opposites. The end result is, of course, a healthy baby. So why is the location so important?

Birth? Awesome? But your dog-eared copy of “What to Expect” says it’s one of the most painful experiences in human existence, and your sister screamed for an epidural when she was only at a 2, and furthermore, maybe your own labor experience wasn’t exactly… awesome.

Carrie Etzel was one of the women in that library computer room who, with her baby boy, Wystan, approached Grace to say that she, too, had given birth at home.

Or maybe it was. There are an increasing number of women who are choosing to give birth at home (the home birth rate rose by 20% between 2004 and 2008) and there are certified professional midwives in the Topeka area who are available to assist them and provide prenatal care. These women swear by a natural birth at home. But there are also thousands of

“I knew enough people who had done home birth that I knew even before I had kids that I didn’t want the hospital experience, unless you know something is going to happen,” says Carrie. Her first birth with her son Asmund, like Grace’s first birth with her son Liam, had happened at the Birth and Women’s Center, a freestanding birth center in Topeka that avoids >> continued on the next page XYZ xyztopeka.com

medical intervention and employs Certified Nurse Midwives for prenatal care and birth attendance. It’s a place that offers an alternative to hospital labor and delivery for women who feel passionate about wanting to labor naturally. In one of the two birth rooms in the Victorian-style house turned clinic and birth center, women are encouraged to labor in whatever position they feel best. It has all the accoutrements of home, but it isn’t quite the same. After giving birth at home, Carrie says, “I was done, got cleaned up and was bundled back into bed and they carried the baby over to me. After a while they measured him and did a more thorough exam. I presided over this little world from my pillow. And it was so nice.” “You’re there,” Carrie’s husband, Dennis, chimes in. “You don’t have to go anywhere!” Beyond the warmth and comfort at home, both Grace and Carrie say that hospitals have a record of unnecessary medical interventions, a view that turned them off to the hospital option.

“I got there and I said, ‘Can I have my epidural?’ and they said, ‘Let’s see if we can get it to you on time.’ But I did get one on time. My labor was coming so fast, my contractions were two minutes apart at the time, and it was interesting, because they gave me the epidural and the labor just stopped progressing.” A couple of hours later, Laura was given the contractioninducing drug, Pitocin, to get her labor started again. “I knew going into it that I wanted the epidural,” says Laura. “But I didn’t want to have Pitocin.”

there’s always this piece of my mind that’s like, what if I need to be at the hospital? ... There’s always that fear in the back of my mind.”

“If I would’ve had traditional care after having contractions that long, I probably would have gone to the hospital, and I probably would’ve been dilated and they probably would have augmented my labor to try to speed things up,” she says. Carrie admitted that the pain of labor might have caused her to seek pain relief if she had labored in a hospital setting. “I remember thinking, ‘How on earth could you take away this sensation?’ But I never wanted drugs. I was nervous about the intensity, not the pain, because it’s an intense experience,” she says. “It’s psychological. It’s work. You have to dig down into it.” For Laura Mzhickteno, the epidural was the way to go. While feeding her three-month-old baby girl, Tiffany, at her home in the far north reaches of Topeka, she related her older sister’s xyztopeka.com XYZ

Laura arrived at St. Francis Hospital already in active labor, dilated to a 7 and immediately requested pain relief.

“There were things I didn’t like about the hospital, but

Grace had contractions over the course of three days when laboring with Piper.

edict: “You’re going to want an epidural, so you should just get it as soon as possible.”

The IV drip and the blood pressure machine, says Laura, were annoying, yes. But Laura felt that the hospital was the safest bet for her and her baby.

“There were things I didn’t like about the hospital, but -- Laura Mzhickteno there is always this piece of my mind that’s like, what if I need to be at the hospital? I had an easy, easy pregnancy and an easy delivery, but not everybody does. There’s always that fear in the back of my mind.” Rena Figures, a certified professional midwife (CPM) working out of Topeka and the midwife who assisted Grace, says that women who are interested in home birth often have concerns about emergencies. “A couple will come in for the first time, and it’s their first baby and first birth, and they’ll wonder about emergencies,” says Rena. “We just take each question one by one and answer it. Asking a midwife how is she prepared to deal with these situations, they’re prepared. They have hands-on skills, they have different things in their kits, have been through transfers a couple of times. I think people are surprised with how well prepared home birth midwives really are.”

The birth of Brynna Grace Whitton at Stormont-Vail Birthplace in Topeka

Of the hospital, Grace says, “There’s still no guarantee there. Something could happen when I put my kid in my car today. I can’t base my life on what could possibly happen. I’m still going to put my kid in the car and drive home to see my mother.” Women who’ve had their babies at home will happily tell you about their labor experiences, the “intensity,” the joyous moment of their child’s birth, but talk to Grace and Carrie about their home births and the subject always turns back to their prenatal care. “We are only dealing with one client at a time,” says Rena. “Each prenatal is an hour long and the number of prenatals is the same as you would have with an OB.” During a prenatal exam with a CPM, all of the same exams are done as with hospital-centered pregnancy and delivery care, but the midwife also spends a lot of time talking to the mother about nutrition, her feelings about the pregnancy and labor >> continued on the next page

>> continued from the previous page

and plans for the big event. In Grace’s case, Rena also prescribed herbs in smoothies and teas to help her maintain a balanced nutrition, kind of like a prenatal vitamin to drink. “We wouldn’t talk about my weight gain,” says Grace. “If my nutrition was good, it didn’t really matter.” “The quality of the prenatal care is phenomenal,” says Carrie.

< The birth of Lucas Henry Scoville, born by VBAC in Overland Park

Laura was also tremendously pleased with the care that she got from her certified nurse midwife (CNM), Denise, through St. Francis’ Topeka OB/ GYN Associates. And when it came to the actual labor, she had good things to say about St. Francis’ nursing staff. “They were really encouraging. They were like, ‘You’re doing great, keep it up, you’re almost done.’ And that really helped.” CPM’s take on the helping role to the laboring mom at home, with emotional and psychological encouragement and even helping to provide counter-pressure during contractions. Laura’s only real complaint with the hospital experience was the postpartum and neonatal care. “After I had her, and I was trying to spend time with her, [the nurses] kept coming in trying to do stuff to her and trying to do stuff to me. They were really strong about when was the last time she ate, how long did she eat, did she eat on both sides, you need to be feeding her every two hours, you need to wake her up every two hours. I’m I really laidback person, so it was just nerve-wracking,” Laura remembers. After Laura and her baby were discharged on a Saturday, she had difficulties with breastfeeding and wasn’t able to reach a hospital lactation consultant for help. She finally called the Topeka chapter of the La Leche League and was able to get reassurance and guidance. Laura felt that the hospital experience didn’t fully prepare her for a solid start to breastfeeding. One of the benefits of a home birth is the CPM’s frequent postpartum visits, and most CPMs are board certified lactation consultants. But like thousands of other pregnant women in Topeka, Laura felt that the pros of a hospital birth

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“You’re waited on. They get you water, you order something to eat that is made, brought to you and taken away, whereas if I had chosen to have her at home - my husband is not the best at waiting on me - I wouldn’t have had that. When you’ve just had a baby, it’s really nice.” Hospital births account for nearly 99% of births per year in America. The vast majority of women are consciously choosing to deliver in a hospital setting. But home births are on the rise, and the advocacy for non-medical, midwife-assisted births is also increasing as currently 1 out of every 3 women in the US deliver by C-section. But numbers aside, the low-risk pregnant woman who chooses home birth does so knowing that it will be a challenge, that it will prove to have unique benefits and that it will be an experience to be remembered for a lifetime. “People look back on their lives, and your child’s birth is going to be one of the most important things that happens to you besides your wedding day and when your kids get married,” says Grace. And what will she remember? “All the lights were off, the candles were lit, soft music was playing. It was just all me,” she says. “Piper was born with the umbilical cord looped around her neck. I caught her, and as I tried to lift her up, Rena stopped me, unlooped the cord, and I brought her up out of the water. It was awesome.” XYZ TOPEKA

birth options in Topeka

outweighed the cons. Having the option for pain relief, the huge medical staff at the ready and being cared for during recovery were all factors in her decision, and in the future she thinks she would again labor at a hospital.

Home Birth some insurance companies reimburse some of the cost of home birth. the average midwife fee is between $1500-$3000. some additional costs include disposable birth supplies and/ or purchasing or renting a birthing pool. Rena Figures, CPM, suggests to interview three candidates for a midwife. A good place to start is birthpartners.com or the Kansas Midwives Association website. For a list of questions to ask a midwife, visit midwiferytoday.com and click on “why homebirth” Birth and Women’s Center a freestanding birth center that avoids medical intervention, this option is great for a low-risk pregnant woman who wishes to labor naturally but does not have the resources or feel comfortable laboring at home. More information can be found at topekabirthcenter.com Hospital Birth Stormont-Vail Birthplace labor/delivery/recovery suites and postpartum suites for family-oriented care A full range of family-centered programs in prenatal, sibling and infant care For more information about the Birthplace, or to schedule a tour, call (785) 354-5225 or visit http://www.stormontvail. org/birthplace/birthplace.html St. Francis New Life Center Birthing suites and postpartum rooms Tours available Childbirth and other classes available Call (785) 295-8276 for more information, or visit stfrancistopeka.org/ body.cfm?id=83

why home birth? 1. Planned home births attended by certified midwifes are as safe for babies and have reduced risks for mothers when compared to planned hospital births. * 2. Midwives provide personalized prenatal care, with visits often lasting an hour. 3. Home birth midwives provide continuous labor support, as well as postpartum care. 4. The mother and her partner decide who attends the birth. Children or other family are welcome if desired, but no one aside from the midwife and possibly her labor assistant is required. 5. Mothers have choices for labor and birth positions, are able to move around, and eat and drink as desired. *Janssen PA, Lee SK, Ryan EM, Etches DJ, Farquharson DF, Peacock D, et al. (2002). Outcomes of planned home births versus planned hospital births after regulation of midwifery in British Columbia. Canadian Journal of Midwifery,166(3), 315-23. http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/short/cmaj.081869v1 *Johnson, KC, Daviss, B. (2005). Outcomes of planned home births with certified professional midwives: large prospective study in North America. British Medical Journal. 330, 1416. *Olsen, O. (1997), Meta-analysis of the Safety of Home Birth. Birth, 24: 4-13. Fullerton, J.T., Navarro, A.M., Young, S.M. (2007). Outcomes of Planned Home Birth: An Integrative Review. Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health, 52(4), 323-3.

XYZ xyztopeka.com

[ cool kid’s bday ]

tea time!

Tea parties where proper manners are the only limitation by Leah Sewell • photos courtesy Michelle De La Isla

ot only does Linda Carson have legendary status in Topeka for being one of the best bakers and cooks in town, offering up her tasty and healthy creations at Blue Planet Cafe (110 SE 8th Ave.) but she’s also magical when it comes to children. That is why Linda is offering special tea parties at the Blue Planet that will appeal to people of all ages, but especially to kids, and birthday kids will find a unique and enlightening celebration at a Blue Planet tea party birthday.

Butterfly tea parties include two straws fashioned into butterfly wings so the attendees can “drink like butterflies.” There’s also a lesson in “capillary action,” with paper flowers that have tubes attached to them to teach a science lesson about capillaries and how liquid draws up into the flowers to make them open.

Linda is a tea party purist, so the parties begin with a little lesson on teatime etiquette before the raspberry hibiscus tea (filled with vitamin C, says Linda) is served in a real tea set with real dainty ceramic tea cups, saucers and the works.

Evening moonlight tea parties, although not actually occuring during the moonlight hours, will feature handmade telescopes and skywatching lessons.

“We talk about how they used to have teas, the proper manners and how to serve tea. The girls get to pick out hats and shawls. It’s very cute,” says Linda.

Linda even encourages grown-ups to get in on the action with the guise of a baby Mad Hatter-themed tea party.

As is the proper custom, food is served at tea parties and the spread depends on the kind of tea party your child requests. Linda can do anything from the traditional British cucumber sandwiches to cupcakes to “butterfly sandwiches” if your little one is a butterfly fan. But the food and the tea don’t always take center stage. “Teas are meant to relax you and rejuvenate you for the rest of 38

your day, and also to talk and learn something,” says Linda.

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Teddy bear tea parties are available for toddler-aged children.

“The moms would actually get the tea,” she says. “I have little toe games and finger puppets for the babies while the mamas get fussed over.” Linda, who was a childcare provider in her pre-Blue Planet life, has over 85 programs for special themed parties. And the age range is not limited. “On the day we had a tea party for little girls, I saw some high

school girls looking forlorn, and they said, ‘That would be fun.’ No matter what age you are, you still want to have a little magic.” The tea parties at Blue Planet are a brand-new offering, with just one so far going off without a hitch and giving Nina and her four tea-partiers a celebration they won’t soon forget. But Linda says that once the word gets out, she’ll be booking up fast. XYZ TOPEKA

Children Can experienCe anxiety, too.

party plans Place: Blue Planet Cafe Address: 110 S.E. 8th Ave. Phone: 785-783-8883 E-mail: blueplanetcafeevents@ gmail.com Website: blueplanettopeka.com Cost: Affordable, but depends on theme, guests and food desired Food: Is provided by Blue Planet Cafe (YUM). Decorations: Work out a decoration plan with Linda when discussing the party theme.

Excessive worry… unreasonable, overriding fear… unexplainable physical aches and pains. These may be signs of a serious anxiety disorder. Family Service & Guidance Center is proud to offer specialized services designed to help children experiencing anxiety and their families. These services could give your child the skills they need to live a happier, healthier life. For more information, contact Dr. Callis at 785.232.5005.

Improving children’s lives since 1904

785.232.5005 • www.fsgctopeka.com 325 SW Frazier Ave • Topeka, KS 66606

[ recipes ]

a match made in heaven. lemonade + blueberry scones by Leah Sewell • photo by Matt Porubsky

’m going to tell you to turn your oven on. Don’t worry - it’s only for about 12 minutes! And when you’re done baking the scones, you can wash these barely sweet fluffy cushions of blueberry goodness down with a big glass of ice cold lemonade. This is your weekend morning this summer, and all you’ll need to create a memorable at-home tea party for the little ones you love. And, obviously, kids love to help with the lemonsqueezing part, so be prepared; it’s gonna get juicy.

homemade lemonade 6-8 lemons, saving an extra lemon for garnish (squeezed until you get enough juice for 1 cup - use a lemon juicer or a press) 1 cup sugar 1 cup water for dissolving sugar 3 cups of cold water ice

Heat the sugar and water in a saucepan until the sugar is completely dissolved. Squeeze enough lemon juice from your lemons to make 1 cup of juice. Put the juice and the sugar-water into a pitcher and add 3 cups of cold water to the mixture. Stir. Refrigerate. After about an hour, pour it over ice, garnish with sliced lemons and enjoy.

xyztopeka.com XYZ

Share your favorite meal ideas or shopping tips with us at xyztopeka@gmail.com.

buy local.

blueberry scones 2 cups flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 3 tablespoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt

Some cool merch we found around Topeka for kids at locally-owned businesses.

5 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch cubes 3/4 to 1 cup fresh blueberries 1 cup heavy cream

Scandinavian Imports 1421 SW 6th Ave. 10-6 M-F, 10 - 5:30 Sat 785.233.2412

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl until combined.

scandinavianimportstopeka.com

Add the butter, and with your hands, incorporate it into the dry mix until the mixture is coarse, with just a few larger lumps of butter. Wash blueberries and make sure they are thoroughly dried. Stir blueberries in gently. Add the heavy cream slowly as you stir, or if you’re my two-year-old son, Oliver, just dump it right in. Either way. Stir until the dough begins to form, and then turn it out onto a clean work surface (don’t worry if there’s loose, powdery bits). Press it and mold it into a ball. The dough will be kind of sticky. Sprinkle it with just a little flour and then press it into a roundish, flat shape about 3/4 of an inch thick. Using a biscuit cutter or a glass, cut the dough into round shapes and put onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Mold the scraps back into a flattened round shape and cut them up too. Let your kids eat the remaining bits of dough. Bake for 12-15 minutes. You should get about 9 scones from this recipe. adapted from smittenkitchen.com recipe

Monkey mobiles spin and bounce, and mobiles aren’t just for babies. Sure to spruce up your cool kid’s room with cat, horse, zoo animal, lady bug and other varieties available from $8.50 - $32.95 (monkeys: $13.95)

The Toy Store

5300 SW 21st St. #A 10-6 M-F, 10 - 5:30 Sat 785.273.0561 thetoystoreonline.com

Bella Butterfly, the wind-up toy that rolls across the ground while flapping her wings like a real butterfly is only one of so many cool and cheap wind-up toys in the bins at the Toy Store. Bella is $3.99, a price that’s right for collecting her friends. by Leah Sewell

• photos by Matt Porubsky XYZ xyztopeka.com

cool kid’s room

no brothers allowed by L e a h S e wel l • photos by Lydi a B ar n har t

KayLynn age 7

ayLynn knows what she likes and she’s not too shy to advertise it. Mom and Dad, Stephanie and Jeremy, let their karate, soccer, princess, book-loving seven-year-old have free reign on how she wanted her room to look when they moved into their new house a year ago. And when a girl’s interests are so many, the result is going to be colorful, outspoken and eclectic. That’s KayLynn’s room to a T. There are rules to be followed, though, and no one knows this better than KayLynn’s three-year-old brother, Jason. But he certainly gets a kick out of breaking the rules. “Boys aren’t allowed in my room,” KayLynn says. “When Jason gets older and learns how to read, I’m going to make a big sign that says, ‘Read the note’ with an arrow pointing at the note,” she says, pointing to a message hooked onto the doorknob reading “No Brother’s allowed.” In KayLynn’s room, a walk-in closet was converted into a hidden clubhouse-like 42

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Heirlooms from Mom and an eclectic assortment of items branded by KayLynn herself.

playroom where she stores the Cabbage Patch doll and accessories her mom passed down to her, her Barbies, a play kitchen and a crazy-tentacled hat that she’s super proud to show off. A lot of KayLynn’s decorations are made by her own hand, whether at school or home. The family picked up wall decals cheap at Lowe’s and let KayLynn go at it, decorating the walls. Other furniture is heirloom stuff from Stephanie’s childhood or bits and pieces around the house that have been re-purposed. “You can do a lot of cool stuff and make it fun without spending a lot,” says Dad, Jeremy, who has been found once or twice napping in KayLynn’s room. “It’s a really comfortable bed,” he explains. XYZ TOPEKA

XYZ xyztopeka.com

IMAGINATION

summertime reads b y T o p e k a a n d S h a w n e e C o u n t y P u b l i c L i b r a r y Yo u t h S e r v i c e s staff member Jason Lamb • photos contributed by TSCPL

Black on White and White on Black by Tana Hoban (ages 0-3) These two companion board books feature simple silhouettes of objects. Read with your baby to get them used to using a book and make up fun names and stories for each object. When I Grow Up by Al Yankovic (ages 3-8) Billy wants to be a gorilla masseuse and a tarantula shaver, a chocolate-mouse artist and a pickle inspector. All of these jobs and more Billy tells us during show-and-tell. But his most favorite future job just might be a surprise! Smash! Crash! by Jon Scieszka (ages 5-7) Jack Truck and Dump Truck Dan want to smash and crash! Follow along as they help their other truck buddies with their jobs all the while getting in plenty of smashing and crashing. Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa by Erica Silverman (ages 6-9) Every cowgirl needs a sidekick. Cocoa the horse fits the bill, and he and Kate do all kinds of work and fun stuff around the ranch. This is the first in a series. The Ocean of Osyria by Scott Lobdell (from the Hardy Boys: Undercover Brothers graphic novel series) (ages 7-12) A classic reimagined. Join the Hardy Boys in a new series of adventures – this time in the full color and excitement of a graphic novel. To protect their friend, the Boys must find a priceless treasure and return it to its rightful owner. Swindle by Gordon Korman (ages 9-12) This winner of the 2010-11 William Allen White Award for 3rd to 5th grade stars the Man with the Plan, Griffin Bing. After Griffin is swindled out of a valuable baseball card he found, Griffin and his friends -- and an enemy – join forces to get it back. Cool Jobs for Yard-Working Kids: Ways to Make Money Doing Yard Work by Pam Scheunemann (ages 9-12) Show you’re hard working by working hard in the yard. And make some money too! This how-to gives great ways to get a lawn job. You also learn about money and ways you can spend, save, invest, or donate it.

Check out this edition’s best bets from the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library. You know your children best, but these great stories appeal to a range of kids (birth 18). Compiled by newest Youth Services staff member, Jason Lamb. Next time you visit the library, make sure to say hi and welcome him to our community!

Years of Dust by Albert Marrin (ages 9-14) Many years of bad practices in ranching and farming, combined with a decade-long draught, created one of the worst ecological disasters in American history: the Dust Bowl. Learn why and how the calamity started and its effects on America’s land and people. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead (ages 9-14) Sixth-grader Miranda is losing her best friend, making new friends, dealing with the crazy man on her New York City corner, and helping her mom play on TV’s $20,000 Pyramid. Throw in a mysterious boy at school and some time travel, and Miranda has her hands full. Bronzeville Boys and Girls by Gwendolyn Brooks (ages 9-14) Pulitzer-prize-winner Brooks takes a look back at her childhood in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago. Her verse is heartfelt and fun. Regardless of where your neighborhood is, you’ll find things in common with the kids in this book. The Story of the Kansas City Royals by Sara Gilbert (ages 9-14) Nothing says summer like baseball. Learn about your favorite team, the Royals. Everything is covered, from its beginnings to its most famous players to it stadiums. After reading this book, get out and play ball! Diego: Bigger than Life by Carmen T. BernierGrand (ages 9-14) Diego Rivera was one of the most famous artists in the 20th Century. Each part of his life is documented with verse and colorful illustrations. Learn his background, how he made his art and what his inspirations were. ReMake It! Recycling Projects from the Stuff You Usually Scrap by Tiffany Threadgould (ages 9-18) Don’t throw away the garbage, use it! You can make everything from jewelry to soap dishes to picture frames to games. Simple instructions and illustrations walk you through it. Be stylish and help the environment. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (young adult) Mary lives in the last village not infected by The Return, which turns people into zombies. A fence keeps the zombies out, but Mary’s curiosity about the world strains to get out as she tries to discover how the village came to be and whether other people exist outside. This is the first in a trilogy.

[ art ]

IMAGINATION

contour drawing with Watercolor Wash En plein air Less Fancy Project Title: Drawing Flowers - Outside

project and photos by Bailey Marable B a i l e y i s a n a r t t e a c h e r a t R o y a l Va l l e y H i g h S c h o o l a n d m o m t o Ka s s y, 8 , Wi l l o w, 3 , a n d n e w b o r n O l i v e .

Artist: Kassy, 9 (Willow, 3, also participated in the art project, because she does everything her sister does). Supplies: • Heavy Paper (watercolor paper, card stock, anything heavier than typing paper, really) • Tape + Cardboard • Ink Pen + Paint Brush • Cup of Water + Watercolors NOTE: for younger artists, you may want to limit color palette by removing some colors. Hint: Complimentary colors mix to make brown… Blue+Orange, Yellow+Purple, Red+Green.

Set Up: Tape down paper onto cardboard, tape all the way around to create a border if the artists paints all the way to edges. Go outside and locate some flowers. Yes, dandelions do count. Set up a comfortable area near flowers. *Kassy and Willow decided they needed small chairs about halfway through project. This was pretty stinking cute.

Instructions: With pen, draw the outline of the flowers. Look mostly at the flowers, just looking at your paper a little. Think of your pen as an ant, crawling around each petal and leaf. Artist Response: “I can’t do that! Where is my eraser? WHAT, no eraser!?!?” Followed by amazing drawings done with just a few words of encouragement. More NOTES: When drawing is complete (Kassy did two, with great concentration, in about an hour, Willow did five), watercolors were brought out to add a bit of color.

This piece of art plus a dozen more by Kassy will be on display as part of the Young Artist Review at Warehouse 414, opening July 1. Warehouse 414 | 414 SE Second St.

Interview with the artist: Want your child to be a Bailey: What did you create today? featured artist in XYZ Kassy: Looking at me like I’m nuts…. and/or Warehouse 414? Flowers! I looked at the flower and drew it on my paper. Contact Bailey Marable at baykivo@gmail.com Bailey: What was the hardest part? Kassy: Not looking at my paper! Bailey: Learn any tricks you’d like to tell the young artists of Topeka about? Kassy: I learned it is more fun to look at the flower than the paper because the drawing looks better that way! At first I thought, ‘I can’t do that’ but then… I could do it!

There are 7 little differences between these two photos. Can you tell what they are?

by Colin MacMillan / Nathan Ham Photography

keen eye

IMAGINATION

Answer key at xyztopeka.com

Kansas Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Discovery Center at Gage Park Now Open! 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tues. - Sat., 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Sun. Admission: $6.50 ages 12 mo. - 65 years. ($5.50 for 65+) $75 family memberships/yr.

IMAGINATION

what’s the story? Imagine the story that goes with this illustration and write it out. Email your story to xyztopeka@gmail.com and you may see it in our next issue or on our website: xyztopeka.com

by Justin Marable

heard + noted My daughter Sophia, age 4, has always had an aversion to wet hands. For example, if you wash your hands and don't get them completely dry, and then you try to help her with something -- she hates that. One morning I had just gotten out of the shower and I could tell that she was struggling to button her pants. I said, "Do you need some help?" As I was standing there in my towel, she looks me up and down and says,"I hope you don't have wet hands." - submitted by Melissa

Daniel, 19 mo, likes to pretend the computer mouse is a telephone. Now when we ask him what sound a mouse makes he replies: "Hello." - submitted by Barbara

what Topeka kids are saying

This morning Finn, (age 7), was being super pokey getting dressed and I'm ashamed to admit I lost my temper and shouted at him very loudly, "Get Dressed Now!" (I know, bad Daddy) He looked at me with a hurt expression and said; "Daddy, sometimes I think you don't even like working for me." - submitted by Shannon

I realized that everyone speaks "text talk" when I was looking over my 9-year-old niece’s tests from school. The last question on one of them was a very long word problem. Her answer: IDK -submitted by Mary Beth

"Mommy, your everything is pretty." My three year old son while I was crouched down face to face with him buttoning his pants in a Royals stadium restroom. - submitted by Julie

I have short hair and in the morning it tends to stand straight up. My five year old Bebe seemed to notice it lately and just the other morning asked me; "Daddy, why does your hair always look so surprised?" -submitted by Shannon

At the "Purple Park" at Huntoon & Fairlawn...8yo Jordan got tagged by 5yo Lily and he said, "Sure. Tag me because I'm the old fart!" - submitted by Laurel

Did your child say something witty, funny, cute, repulsive or profound? Share it with us on Facebook (search “XYZ Heard and Noted”) or email us: xyztopeka@gmail.com

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