NWI PARENT

dec 2009/jan 2010

Real Solutions for Real Families kid bits East Chicago teacher goes abroad

teen scene Are they getting enough sleep?

Holiday warm-up

Beat winter’s chill with spirited outdoor activities, hearty dinners and festive local events.

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contents december 2009/ january 2010

features

volume 3 / issue 6 Publisher

Bill Masterson, Jr.

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Associate Publisher/Editor

Pat Colander

Director of Product Development

Chris Loretto Managing Editor

Kathy MacNeil Creative Director

Joe Durk

18 FROZEN TREATS It’s the season for sledding and ice-skating, so try out these frosty getaways in Northwest Indiana.

Designers

April Burford Matt Huss Assistant Managing Editor

Julia Perla

20 HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS From festive performances to community events and great shopping opportunities, there’s always something going on nearby.

Contributing Editors

Heather Augustyn Ashley Boyer Jane Dunne Rob Earnshaw Patricia Gurnak Rick Kaempfer Debi Pillarella Stephanie Precourt Erika Rose Carrie Steinweg Sharon Biggs Waller

departments 4 KID BITS Leap into the Arts, a Parkinson’s disease podcast, and a local teacher goes to China 6 HEALTH CHECK The importance of managing your child’s weight, and an update on the HPV vaccine

Photographer

Robert Wray Advertising Managers

8 SCHOOL NOTES Mentoring young girls in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math

Deb Anselm Frank Perea Jeffrey Precourt

10 MEAL TIME Hearty, all-in-one-pot winter meals for the whole family

Sales Offices Crown Point - 219.662.5300 Munster - 219.933.3200 Valparaiso - 219.462.5151

12 TEEN SCENE The epidemic of sleepdeprivation in our middle and high schools

published by Lee Enterprises/The Times of Northwest Indiana/Niche Productions Division 601 W 45th Ave Munster, Indiana 46321

14 YOUR SPACE A Chesterton mother’s story about her son’s battle with cancer 22 OUR KIDS Three area children who deserve special recognition 24 FAMILY ROOM Sibling rivalry doesn’t take a vacation over the holidays

dec 2009/jan 2010

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22

Copyright, Reprints and Permissions: You must have permission before reproducing material from NWI Parent magazine.

NWI Parent magazine is published six times each year by Lee Enterprises, The Times of Northwest Indiana, Niche Division, 601 W 45th Ave, Munster, IN 46321.

kid bits

News and Notes from Northwest Indiana Winfield youth joins Parkinson’s podcast

From East Chicago to China East Chicago Central High School history teacher Gale Carter was chosen, along with 19 other teachers, to participate in a 21-day study tour in China, administered by the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia (NCTA) and the Indiana University East Asia Studies Center. The 3-week tour included six cities (Beijing, Xi’an, Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, Shangri-La and Shanghai), three boat cruises, a midnight train ride, a ride in a rickshaw, and an unforgettable ride on a yak in the mountains of Shangri-La. The group toured traditional sights such as the Great Wall, the Terra Cotta Warriors, the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square, as well as newer sights like the 2008 Olympic Bird’s Nest stadium and the Water Bubble. They also observed time-honored crafts like calligraphy and silk-, pottery- and noodle-making. Evenings were spent at cultural events like acrobatic performances, the opera and the symphony.

Carter prepared for the trip by taking a Chinese language class prior to the trip. “Even though the class that I took was only a few weeks long, it came in handy.

I struggled through some short conversations, but I was surprised by how much I was able to understand.”

As teachers, the highlight of the trip was the visit to

the Love of Learning middle school, where they were able to sit in on various classes. The visit ended with a student performance that included singing, dancing, instrumental performance and gift exchanges. Carter says, “The program was created just for our benefit. We felt so honored.”

The NCTA study tour, funded by the Freeman Foundation, is offered annually and rotates between China, Korea and Japan. Selection is competitive, and Carter was honored to be chosen to participate. In exchange for the trip, teachers create, implement and promote curriculum and awareness about East Asia.

Carter encourages participation in the program, which is open to middle and high school teachers; she found it to be a life-changing experience. For more information about the program, visit www.iu.edu/~easc/outreach/ educators/seminar/index.shtml.

LEAP into the arts Northwest Indiana youth who are interested in the arts were well represented on a national level this past fall. On September 21, 2009, Kay Wuchner Marcus, chairperson of NWI’s “Leap into the Arts” committee, found herself appearing on the Today show in New York City.

Kay stood outside the taping of the show holding a sign promoting Leap into the Arts, when she met personable weatherman Al Roker, who posed for a picture with her.

The Leap into the Arts committee was formed to showcase the talents of Northwest Indiana youth who are active in the performing arts, and the venture has proven to be very successful. Leap into the Arts provides funds for youth in the disciplines of instrumental music, dance and voice, and the children perform at an annual fundraising gala. This year’s gala will be held on February 26, 2010, and the Southlake Children’s Choir and South Leap into Shore Dance Alliance will the Arts Gala be entertaining guests.

6-11pm Additional entertainment Feb 26, 2010 will be provided by the South Halls of St. George Shore Youth Orchestra, the 905 E Joliet St, Wolffgang Vocal Ensemble, and Indiana Youth Ballet.

Schererville There will also be a dinner, 219.942.4810 a silent auction and a raffle. leapintothearts.org

dec 2009/jan 2010

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T

en-year-old Zack Rozek has joined his parents’ mission in using today’s technology in order to make a better tomorrow. For the last two years, Rich and Kim Rozek have discussed their experience with Parkinson’s disease by way of their Internet radio show PD Talk Live.

Rich, 49, was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s nearly a decade ago. In 2008 the Winfield couple kicked off what Rich calls a “part talk show, part cybersupport group” on Blog Talk Radio.

“We thought it was unique, because there were no cyber-support groups out there for this,” Rich says. “We’re trying to bring more awareness and let people know it’s not just Michael J. Fox who deals with it.”

Children deal with Parkinson’s, too. Which is why Rich and Kim began to incorporate Zack into the broadcast. “Our lives are open books,” Rich says. “And we’ve got people who say they’ve listened with their whole family.”

Zack’s contribution to the show began with a weather report, including the temperature inside the studio. “We try to add humor to the show because after all, we’re regular people, too,” Rich says.

Zack, who wants to be a music composer, is a master with the editing software on his iMac computer. He adds sound effects to the show and creates transition music.

He especially enjoys interacting with listeners, many of whom have Parkinson’s.

“We call them the PD Circle of Friends,” Zack says.

The Rozek family can be heard Thursdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on pdtalklive.com. —by Rob Earnshaw

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health check

Erika Rose is a freelance journalist who primarily covers health news in Northwest Indiana. Erika and her husband Kevin live in Highland with their two girls, Morgan and Alexandra.

By ERIKA ROSE

vaccine update

battling the bulge The Centers for Disease Control reports that an estimated 16 percent of children ages 6 to 19 are overweight as determined by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of 1999-2002. That’s a 45 percent increase from the 1988-94 survey.

Clearly, the alarming reality of booming childhood obesity rates is well publicized, but even those not up on all the news reports can see the epidemic at shopping malls, playgrounds and schools.

Despite a high level of awareness, the challenge of helping kids make the necessary lifestyle changes to fight the battle of the bulge remains an ominous task. Educated parents can exercise much control in the toddler, preschool and early elementary years, but perhaps most challenging and at risk are those with a greater level of independence.

A mother of three boys, ages 8, 16 and 19, Beth Stritar, a registered dietitian at St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Centers in Dyer, targets kids 11 to 14 in her “Weight Management for Children” course. The objective is to help this age group who are more often left to make their own choices to make the right ones.

She advocates talking to kids about why one choice is better than another.

W

Eat meals together.

Stritar notes that meals prepared to be shared as a family tend to be healthier.

Eating on the run and with others is when the bad choices tend to take over.

Teach by example. As a mother of three video game-loving boys, Stritar admits inactivity is the rule rather than the exception. A good way to combat this, she says, is to get off the couch and get moving yourself.

Steer clear of power struggles. Forcing kids to eat their vegetables or to clear their plates can have a damaging effect, Stritar says. It’s important that kids feel they have some control over their own diet.

Be proactive. Prepare.

Meals that come ready made in a can or box are poorer choices than fresh.

Spending more time on preparing meals with fresh ingredients will pay off in the long run.

Go on the offensive at home. In a society where our social lives revolve around food, Stritar points out that toughening up your standards at home can help provide balance.

Choose whole grains over white bread and pasta.

Have lots of fruits and vegetables available over high carb, high sugar snacks.

Get them involved.

Take kids to the farmers’ market or involve them in gardening. Get them a kids’ cookbook. Engage them in creating fun and exciting ideas for their school lunches.

Keep trying. Children’s taste buds are so much stronger than an adult’s, notes Stritar, which explains why they prefer blander tastes and reject stronger tasting vegetables and fruits. But taste buds calm down as we age, so don’t abandon hope. A rejected food one day may turn agreeable the next.

dec 2009/jan 2010

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nwi.com/parent

hen the news media broadcasts stories about the medical concern of the day, Dr. Crystal Strickland readies herself for questions she will face in her Portage and Valparaiso offices in the coming days.

One of the things on parents’ minds lately is the Gardasil vaccine to protect against the human papilloma virus (HPV). The vaccine protects against two of the high risk subtypes of HPV that cause about 70 percent of cervical cancers and two lower risk types that cause genital warts. HPV is passed through sexual contact. In 2006, the FDA approved the Gardasil vaccine, manufactured by Merck & Co., for girls ages 9 to 26.

Strickland, an obstetrician/gynecologist with Porter Memorial Hospital, says reports of serious side effects associated with the vaccine are rare, and after administering hundreds of doses, the most common complaint from her patients to date has been pain at the injection site and nausea.

She says many are concerned vaccine recipients might get HPV from the vaccine, but this isn’t possible because it is not a live vaccine.

Strickland, who recommended the vaccine in the Jan/Feb 2008 issue of NWI Parent, still stands behind the vaccine and thinks it has the potential to put a significant dent in the risk of pre-cancer and/or cervical cancers. With more than 100 subtypes of HPV out there, a chance to eradicate about 70 percent of the highest risk types is significant, she says, and the vaccine has about 10 years worth of data to back it.

Of course, Strickland advises a thorough evaluation by a physician before getting the vaccine. In most cases, the vaccine will be appropriate for all patients, she says, but there is a small chance of an allergic reaction, such as from those who may be allergic to yeast.

Strickland feels 13 to 15 is a good age for getting the vaccine as this is about the age girls are ready to have a conversation about what HPV is and how it is contracted.

“I personally feel like you should be able to talk to the patient receiving it about why they are getting it,” Strickland says.

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Cheryl Short M.D., FACOG

L. Jennifer Murphy M.D., FACOG

Crystal Strickland M.D., FACOG

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school notes

Carrie Steinweg (carriesteinweg.com) is a freelance writer who lives in Lansing with her husband Paul and five sons.

by CARRIE STEINWEG

discoveries unlimited O Mentoring young girls in the underrepresented areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics

A study from the National Council for Research on Women found that although 45 percent of the work force is comprised of females, careers in science and engineering are still held primarily by men, who make up 88 percent of the work force in those areas.

For years it was a common belief that boys excelled in math and science areas and that females didn’t grasp the concepts as easily. However, a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Wisconsin, Madison, shows that girls’ performance on standardized tests now matches that of boys at the high school level. It stated that about 20 years ago, the genders were equal in those areas in elementary school, but that girls lagged behind at the high school level. That change is partly attributed to the larger numbers of girls now taking advanced math and science courses in high school.

However, beyond high school, when students head to college and onto career paths, there is still a far larger number of boys than girls going into careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, often referred to as STEM careers. Many initiatives have been taken in higher education to recruit females into STEM fields, but the importance of reaching girls at an earlier level is now being recognized.

We’ve come a long way. In the 1950s, only 5 percent of PhDs in mathematical sciences were awarded to women. Today that number

dec 2009/jan 2010

is roughly 30 percent. At Rutgers University, women earning degrees in STEM careers rose from 31 percent in 1989 to 36 percent in 2008.

However, there is still work to be done in convincing girls that they can be anything they want to be and showing them that a career in STEM may be a good fit. For example, when it comes to computers, U.S. Labor statistics show that while about 75 percent of tomorrow’s jobs will require use of a computer, less than onethird of participants in computer courses are girls. According to the American Association of University Women, only 20 percent of information technology professionals are female.

Karen Williams, executive director of marketing for Ivy Tech Northwest, says that in their pre-engineering program that started in 2006, only 4 of the 37 students enrolled are girls.

Aviation is another field where there are few females, and the Federal Aviation Administration reports that less than 6 percent of pilots are women.

In Northwest Indiana, there is a push to encourage more girls to enter STEM fields. A pilot program called STEM Mentors, arranged through Discoveries Unlimited (a not-for-profit organization with the mission of guiding more girls into STEM careers), will begin in January.

It will be open to sixth grade girls at two Valparaiso schools and will be expanded in the fall of 2010 throughout Northwest Indiana.

Girls in the program will be matched with a volunteer mentor in a STEM field. Using secure monitored servers, 75 percent of the contact is online, with monthly face-to-face visits. A mentor open house was held at Valparaiso University in October and Cathie Dull, director of development and recruitment for Discoveries Unlimited, says the event was a success and several potential mentors attended representing a variety of STEM careers, including space science, computer science, education and different types of engineering.

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ne of the schools where STEM Mentors will begin in January is Thomas Jefferson Middle School in Valparaiso. Principal Paul Knauff says that through the years, he’s seen about equal participation in the school’s Science Olympiad between boys and girls and he’s excited about the mentor program and hopes it encourages some of those middle school females to stay interested in science.

Dr. Robert Rivers, dean of the School of Education and a professor of science and technology education at Purdue UniversityCalumet, says he is encouraged by the number of girls seeking engineering degrees, although he notices that many are international students.

“American kids are not that interested in those careers,” he says.

Dull says that families interested in the STEM Mentors program for 2010 can call her or visit the Discoveries Unlimited website for more information. She’s also looking for additional mentors. “It can be anyone from a veterinarian to a web graphics designer to someone who works with CAD,” she says, adding that volunteers can be male or female.

One goal of the program is to retain talent in STEM fields in the region. The STEM Mentors administrators will work closely with officials at Valparaiso University and Ivy Tech. Dull would like to see mentors who will follow the girls through high school and college and perhaps assist in placing them in positions in Northwest Indiana once they complete their education.

By introducing girls to the many possibilities in STEM fields, Dull is hoping that they may learn that there are careers they would enjoy that they didn’t know existed.

Discoveries Unlimited Cathie Dull • 219.508.5606 discoveriesunlimited.org

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meal time By jane dunne

Jane Dunne has two sons, each married with three children, and she loves to cook with her grandchildren.

Slow Cooker Hearty Pot Roast

Chicken, Broccoli and Brown Rice

Skillet Taco Supremo

You can prep the potatoes and carrots the night before if you wish, covering them with cold water and refrigerating. Drain and dry them in a kitchen towel the next morning before adding to the slow cooker.

The onion and garlic may also be sliced and refrigerated the night before, kept in separate Ziploc bags. No peeling onions and garlic with your morning coffee, which is not the most ideal way to start your day.

I have yet to meet a child over the age of 6 who doesn’t love this meal, broccoli included!

A great way to use up the broken, crumbly tortilla chips at the bottom of the bag.

If you prefer, low-fat cheddar cheese and lite sour cream are fine. It’s important that the sour cream and lettuce be at room temperature.

(6 servings)

all-in-one

dinners Have your hearty winter meals in a single, easy-to-prepare dish

1 (3-to-4-pound) beef pot roast Salt and pepper 4 large baking potatoes, peeled and quartered 6 large carrots, peeled and quartered 1 large onion, peeled and quartered 4 cloves garlic, minced ¾ cup beef broth 1 teaspoon tomato paste or ketchup 1 pinch dried thyme 1 tablespoon dried parsley Cornstarch or Wondra flour (optional)

Winter evenings are back—filled with hungry kids, tired parents and homework, just to name three.

Backyard grilling days are over—replaced with holiday shopping at crowded malls—and it’s back to the kitchen stove, where the range and the oven await. • Here are three delicious dinners to help you through, all of which have less than 10 minutes prep time. Apart from the slow-cooker pot roast, the other two dinners are of the family skillet variety—one pot, fast dinner and easy clean-up. As cooking maven Ina Garten likes to say, “What’s not to love?”

dec 2009/jan 2010

Lightly season the roast with salt and pepper. Place potatoes, carrots and onion in a slow cooker and stir in the minced garlic. Place the roast on top of the veggies.

Separately stir together the beef broth, tomato paste, thyme and parsley and add to slow cooker.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook on low setting 8 to 9 hours until roast is tender. After removing the meat to cut, you can thicken the liquid with a slurry of cornstarch or Wondra and water to use as gravy.

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(4 servings)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1 pound) 1 can (10¾ ounces) condensed Cream of Chicken Soup 1½ cups water ¼ teaspoon paprika ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 1½ cups uncooked instant whole grain brown rice 2 cups fresh or frozen broccoli flowerets

Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and cook for 10 minutes or until wellbrowned on both sides.

Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.

Stir the soup, water, paprika and black pepper into the brown bits in the skillet and heat to a boil. Stir in the rice and broccoli. Reduce heat to low.

Return the chicken to the skillet, sprinkling with additional paprika and black pepper to taste.

Cover and cook for 7 to 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and rice is tender. To serve, cut the chicken breasts into slices on the diagonal and fan over the creamy rice and broccoli.

(serves 6)

1 tablespoon of vegetable oil 1 pound pork tenderloin, cut into small cubes 1 can (16 ounces) refried beans 1 cup mild salsa plus more for the table 2 large ripe tomatoes, diced 2 cups broken corn tortilla chips 1 cup grated cheddar cheese ½ cup sour cream, room temperature ½ cup pitted black olives 2 cups iceberg lettuce, shredded, room temperature

Using a large skillet, cook the cubed pork over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes until browned and partially cooked. Add refried beans and salsa, stirring until blended.

Cook until the mixture reaches a near boil, then lower heat and simmer, stirring frequently, for about 6 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.

Add tomatoes, chips and cheese to the skillet, in that order. Cover just long enough to melt the cheese. Uncover and quickly fold in sour cream, olives and lettuce.

Serve immediately with more salsa on the side.

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teen scene

dreamon

By Sharon Biggs Waller

Your teenager may need more sleep than you think You’ve seen that sleepy teen waiting at the bus stop with bleary eyes and shoulders slumped, looking as though she’s just been yanked out of bed. An extra hour in the sack would be a luxury, but lack of sleep goes much deeper than that. Sleep deprivation in teens is a serious issue.

“S

leep deprivation is one of the biggest issues facing teens and teen functioning,” says Tanya Gesek, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and professor at Syracuse University in the psychology department.

“Many teens are misdiagnosed with significant mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, ADHD and others, when the culprit is simply a lack of sleep.

Sleep deprivation impacts attention and arousal, two key components in academic engagement, which is important for overall achievement.”

sleep habits

Dr. Gesek says teens on average require 8 to 10 hours of sleep, much more than adults. This is because brains do not stop developing until we are in our mid 20s, and sleep helps that process along. “During sleep, we go in and out of stages of sleep, REM (Rapid Eye Movement) and deep sleep,” she says. “During the lighter sleep, or REM, is when we do our dreaming.

Neurologists have discovered that we solidify a lot of learning during deep sleep. If we are not sleeping enough, that solidification does not happen and we lose what we have learned. A lot of very important stuff is happening when we allow our bodies and minds to rest.”

One of the problems stems from the school schedule, which does not match the sleep cycle of the average teen.

Dr. Gesek says their natural rhythm is to sleep from 11 p.m. to 8 a.m., but school usually starts by 7:30 a.m. “You can’t make a teenager sleep at a certain time if he isn’t sleepy,” says David Rozenfeld, MD, medical director of the Sleep Lab at Munster Community Hospital. “Sleeping pills won’t help because those are meant for insomniacs, people who are tired but can’t switch their minds off enough to sleep. In this case, the teen just isn’t sleepy.

Teens also have a natural tendency for their internal clocks to shift forward. If I were to stay up until 3 a.m. for a few nights, I would still be able to return to my normal bedtime. If teens do that, their clocks reset to that new time. So instead of sleeping from 10 to 6, they want to sleep from 3 to 11.”

time change

In 2001, researchers at the University of Minnesota published results of a study of 7,000 high school students whose schools had changed their start times from 7:15 to 8:40 a.m. These teens were getting more sleep, and as a result were getting better grades and were better behaved in school.

Culver Academies, a private college preparatory boarding school in Culver, Indiana, recently changed its school start time to 8:30 a.m. (instead of 7:50) in order to support overall health and wellness. “It was very hard getting up in the mornings,” says Culver senior Nina Karas from Chesterton. “I had to wake up around 6:15 every morning. At first I was slightly resistant to the change, only because I was used to the way things were and I didn’t believe I would be getting much sleep. But since it has started I have actually been going to bed a little earlier, and I have been getting about an extra hour.

This new sleeping pattern has helped me be more awake for my morning classes. I used to feel unable to function before nine o’clock. I definitely feel like I can pay attention in class a little more, because I am not falling asleep throughout the day.”

dec 2009/jan 2010

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teens at risk

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) says adolescents and young adults (ages 12 to 25 years) are at the highest risk for serious problems associated with sleepiness, including injuries and deaths stemming from slow response time.

Over 100,000 traffic crashes occur each year (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) because of sleepiness, and young drivers are responsible for half of those.

tips to help a teen sleep

• It’s difficult for the brain to slow itself down enough to fall asleep quickly, so cut out stimulating activities, such as screens or phone use, two hours prior to bedtime.

• Sleeping in during the weekend and vacations changes the internal clock. Avoid shifting sleep schedules and keep consistent bedtime routines.

• Moderate exercise is important for sound sleep.

• Keep a manageable daily schedule.

• Maintain a healthy diet.

• Melatonin helps regulate sleeping and waking cycles.

Melatonin supplements can help reset the body clock. Talk to your doctor about dosage and use.

• If your teen is set in a later sleep schedule, help him readjust by rolling the bedtime back 15 minutes each night. So if your teen prefers to go to bed at 11, have him go to bed at 10:45 one night, 10:30 the second, 10:15 the third, and so on until he is able to adjust to the optimal bedtime.

• Light can help set the internal body clock that regulates sleep patterns. Opening the blinds in the morning and dimming the lights in the evening help, but tough cases may need bright light therapy, such as with a light box.

CALVARY CHRISTIAN

SCHOOL

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Giving Back Karen Gengnagel of Chesterton talks to NWI Parent about her young son’s battle with cancer.

It started when Tyler was 7, so that was five years ago. He became sick, and complained of a side pain.

We thought that maybe he had just hurt himself, so we watched it for a couple of days until it got too bad. We finally took him to the doctor, and they thought he had pneumonia. They treated him for that for a weekend, but it progressively got worse.

They sent him home, and by the time we went back, his lung was collapsed, so they sent us up to the University of Chicago. They finally realized that he had a tumor behind his spleen. They did a biopsy and discovered that it was cancer.

By that time, it was already in his whole abdomen, wrapped around his aorta, and engulfed some of his intestines. His abdomen was huge. I was pregnant at the time, but his belly was bigger than mine. It was pretty bad. At that point, all they could do was put him in a drug-induced coma until they could figure out what kind of cancer he had. They told us he had about 48 hours to live if the chemo didn’t kick in.

They waited until they got the biopsy back with what kind of cancer he had, so we basically just sat in the PICU with him while he just hung on. The kind of cancer was non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a very aggressive cancer, so the tumor probably grew within a couple of weeks’ time. It was squeezing his organs, and that’s why they put him in the coma, because they didn’t think his heart could handle any kind of stress.

The doctor told us that the fortunate part of fast-growing cancers is that they react to chemo so much better than a slow-growing tumor, and once they finally figured out what kind of cancer he had, his chemo kicked in right away. He was in a coma for 8 days, intubated, and when the chemo started deteriorating the tumor, they started to wake him up. I didn’t leave the University of Chicago for 30 days. I didn’t leave his bedside. I would just crawl in bed with him, or just sleep on the end of his bed. We had a 4-year-old at the time, so once we knew Tyler was out of the woods, my husband would come back and forth and I just stayed.

He was lucky, very fortunate. He thought he might not make it. He was only 7, but he asked me if he was going to die. I asked him, “Do you want to?” and he said no. I said, dec 2009/jan 2010

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“When Mommy tells you to wake up, you’d better wake up.”

Fortunately, it had a great outcome at the end. It started in July, and in September he had a CAT scan, and the tumor was completely gone. No traces of cancer at all. He still had to do 14 months of chemo, but that became outpatient.

He didn’t go to school for a semester; he was home taught.

He got through it, and then shortly after that he did his Makea-Wish, and went to Disney World. They really do a great job for the kids. They pamper them for a week.

The experience was trying. My 4-year-old had a rough time; he kind of got bounced around a lot. He’s still a little resentful for different things that Tyler gets to do—you can see it.

Tyler’s been on special trips. The little one kind of just went with the flow. He and Tyler are very close.

The community support was wonderful. I had some friends who did a couple of benefits for us. They did a bike-a-thon and raised close to $10,000. When we finally came home, they all knew I was pregnant, so they brought me maternity clothes, things for the baby, things that they knew I didn’t have time to get. They brought us dinner for a good two months. It was really touching. It was great to see people out there who care so much.

N

ow, we try to give back what we can. We do the Relay for Life [usually held in June or July in Chesterton], which is a walk for cancer.

Last year was our fourth year doing the Relay, and I’m on the committee. We’re just a family team, and we raised $5,000 just on our own.

I have over 100 walkers on our team, just families with kids that are my friends, and friends of friends. We just try to get the word out there that it’s important to give back. I just want my kids to know—and I taught Tyler—as bad as you had it, someone’s always got it worse.

For other parents of children with serious illnesses, you’ve gotta hang in there. As bad as it is, you’ve got to think positively and just keep going. Kids are great. They’re better at it than you are. Just take it one step at a time and keep going.

Tyler’s at 4 years remission; he’s got one more year, and then they’ll deem him cured. —as told to Kathy MacNeil

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The pull of hibernation, of course, only seems to grow as we get older.

A workweek spent battling the snow and ice in the course of our daily grind only serves to breed a general lack of patience with the season, making the bunker of hearth and home that much more attractive an option by the time Saturday rolls around. But here, as is so often the case, kids tend to provide the necessary sense of perspective that adults seem to lose with the passage of time. • To a kid, snow isn’t something to be fought, feared or cursed, but an all-too-fleeting seasonal wonder with which to build and play.

Ice isn’t a driving or walking hazard, but a canvas upon which to glide in all manner of shapes and patterns.

A cold nose isn’t an uncomfortable nuisance best avoided, but a glorious red indicator of a day well spent. • So instead of hiding from the winter, maybe it’s better to think back to a time when the first snowfall was a reason to rejoice rather than retreat, and then find a few good ways to embrace the season and rediscover just a little bit of that childhood magic.

frozen treats

Sledding and ice-skating in Northwest Indiana by mark loehrke

As a thin layer of frost makes its way across the glass and the walls creak and groan against the assault of the elements, the temptation grows. Birds do it. Bees do it. So why shouldn’t we all take the forbidding winter weather as a cue to snuggle in and reacquaint ourselves with the warm, cozy joys of the great indoors? It seems clear, after all, that Mother Nature is not terribly interested in playing with us, so perhaps it’s best to simply respect her wishes and check back in March or April when she might be feeling a bit more reasonable. dec 2009/jan 2010

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SLEDDING

There’s no better way to thumb one’s nose at the elements than to race headlong into them amid the marginally controlled chaos of a good sled hill. Whether you favor a bouncy inner tube, a back-to-basics plastic disc, or a crowd-pleasing wooden toboggan, a blanket of white on the ground means it’s time to get out there and fly.

Oak Ridge Prairie 301 S Colfax, Griffith 219.884.7238 lakecountyparks.com/oakridge.html

For parents who’d prefer to get their exercise from something other than countless trips up the sled hill, a few laps on the cross-country ski loop might be a good option while the kids indulge in the gravitational pull.

Lemon Lake 6322 W 133rd Ave, Crown Point 219.663.7627 lakecountyparks.com/lemonlake.html

This warm-weather playground has its winter charms as well, with cross-country ski and snowshoe trails to complement a solid sled hill that’s suitable for most ages.

Hidden Lake Park 6355 Broadway, Merrillville 219.769.2111 rosstownship.org/hlp.htm

The off-season crowds may pale in comparison to those that turn out during the summer months, but passionate sledding enthusiasts know a “hidden” treasure when they find one.

Kesling Park 18th and A Sts, LaPorte

If the kids can ignore its proximity to nearby Kesling Middle School— a particularly chilling prospect when trying to enjoy a weekend or holiday break—the sled hill at this 90-acre parcel can be a great way to unwind from the rigors of elementary academia.

Worth the drive: Pokagon State Park

450 Lane 100 Lake James, Angola 260.833.2012 stateparks.com/pokagon.html

Like the drive-in movie or the unassuming

amusement park, the classic toboggan run is well on its way to becoming a forgotten cultural relic in the face of increasing economic pressures and persistent liability concerns. But for those parents hoping to give their kids a high-speed taste of their own childhood days, there’s still one remaining bastion of good old-fashioned winter fun in the area. You’ll likely spend more time in the car than you will actually zooming down these lightning-fast toboggan slides, but the warm family memories for the ride home will be more than ample compensation for the journey.

ICE-SKATING

Whether you’ve got a shaky-legged beginner just trying to stay upright or a budding prodigy putting the finishing touches on a perfect figure eight, a trip to the frozen pond is a great way to spend some quality outdoor time together.

Hand-holding couples, long lines of little ones trying to do the whip, aspiring hockey stars, and Olympic medalists-in-training all share the scene on the area’s many ice rinks.

Deep River Waterpark 9001 E US Hwy 30, Crown Point 219.947.7850 deepriverwaterpark.com

The warm days of waterslides and wave pools may be but a distant memory by the time December and January roll around, but this sprawling aquatic playground still manages to put all that H2O to good use in the bleak midwinter for “Ice-Skating on the Plaza” on its expansive 14,500-square-foot rink.

Washington Park 115 Lakeshore Dr, Michigan City 219.873.1510

Given its proximity to the chilly waters of Lake Michigan, this rink is often best suited for milder days or hardier souls.

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You can’t beat the cold-weather authenticity of an outdoor rink, but when an unforgiving wind chill makes for more misery than memories, there’s no shame in retreating to the relative comfort of an open skate in the cool confines of this bustling arena.

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Lost Marsh 1001 129th St, Hammond 219.932.4653

While best known for its garbage-togreens reclamation golf course, the surrounding nature and recreation preserve on this former slag heap— which includes cross-country skiing, sledding and a skating area—is equally impressive, with plenty of opportunities to spot winter wildlife during an afternoon on the ice.

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Worth the drive: Millennium Park

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If you’re looking for a quiet, backto-nature kind of skating experience, keep looking. But for a busy, urban, center-of-it-all trip around the ice, the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink nestles you and crowds of fellow skaters right between the glistening skyscraper wall of Michigan Avenue and the brilliant reflected glory of Cloud Gate (aka “The Bean”). Need a break from the masses? Amble a few blocks down Randolph to the all-but-forgotten Daley Bicentennial Plaza rink.

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The City of Hammond is something of a skater’s paradise, with seasonal rinks at a half-dozen neighborhood

HEALTHY SMILES LEAD TO HEALTHY LIVES dec 2009/jan 2010

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SMILEBRIGHTLY.COM

holiday happenings If your organization has a family-friendly event that takes place in late January or later, and you would like it to be considered for inclusion on the NWI Parent website, please send a detailed description of your event with complete contact information to kmacneil@nwitimes.com by January 1. // compiled by JULI DOSHAN

ONGOING Holly Days, check website for dates and times, downtown Valparaiso.

219.548.9137. popcornfest.org. A live nativity scene, the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus and a “Cool Yule” Christmas concert highlight this annual holiday event. Carols will be sung by local Girl Scout Troops and downtown stores will be open for some last-minute holiday shopping as well. Dec 10: “Cool Yule” Christmas concert with Chicago jazz singer Spider Saloff.

ONGOING Santa Claus in Crown Point, Sat noon-4pm, Lower Level Courthouse Shops, Crown Point. 219.663.1800. crownpointguide.com. Santa Claus will arrive in town on Nov 27 in a Crown Point fire truck and will bring Mrs. Claus and Elie the Elf with him. Children can share their Christmas wishes and take pictures with Santa every Saturday from Thanksgiving through Christmas as well as the Sunday before the holiday.

THROUGH DEC 20 The Christmas Schooner, The Theatre at the Center, Center for the Visual and Performing Arts, 1040 Ridge Rd, Munster. 219.836.3255. theatreatthecenter.com. Based on the true story of a Michigan shipping captain who braves the deadly winter weather to bring Christmas trees to homesick German American families in turn-of-thecentury Chicago, The Christmas Schooner is a truly original holiday musical.

THROUGH JAN 10 A Christmas Story Comes Home, South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority, 7770 Corinne Dr, Hammond. 219.989.7979. achristmasstorycomeshome.com. Six animated displays depicting scenes from A Christmas Story will be showcased at the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority. The scenes, which debuted in the windows of Macy’s in New York City, feature some of the beloved characters and locations of the movie. In addition to viewing the displays, kids can also participate in various events throughout the season, including the “Mommy’s Little Piggy” eating contest, “Oh Fuuudge!” relay race and photos with Santa atop “Santa’s Mountain” before sliding to the ground just like Ralphie does in the film.

NOV 20 Annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony, 6pm, east steps of the Old Courthouse, downtown Crown Point.

219.662.3290. crownpoint.in.gov. The city of Crown Point is invited to share in this festive, free holiday ceremony that will help usher in the holiday season. Accompanied by a medley of traditional holiday classics sung by the Crown Point High School Choir, Mayor Uran will do the honors of lighting the official city tree. Hot refreshments will be provided.

OPENS NOV 20 Snow Much Fun, Chicago Children’s Museum, 700 E Grand Ave #127, Chicago. 312.527.1000. chicagochildrensmuseum.org. If there isn’t enough snow outside yet, kids can build a snow fort, throw snowballs, dress up a snowman and ice-skate inside this popular exhibit at the Chicago Children’s Museum.

NOV 20-JAN 3 Christmas around the World and Holidays of Light, Museum of Science and Industry, 57th St & Lake Shore Dr, Chicago. 773.684.1414. msichicago.org. A grand 45-foot Christmas tree will take center stage in the museum’s Rotunda and more than 50 other trees will be decorated to represent cultures from around the world. Dance and choral groups will perform on the Holiday Stage and “snow” will fall on visitors as they walk along the decked halls.

1201 E 1000 N, LaPorte. 219.778.2783. hesston.org. The Candy Cane Express will be running the first two weekends of the month, allowing visitors to celebrate an old-time children’s Christmas. Kids can ride the trains and visit with Santa Claus.

Also, the museum will be running a Toys for Tots drive in which people who donate an unwrapped toy to the U.S. Marine Corps can receive a free train ride.

DEC 4-JAN 3 Winter WonderFest, Navy Pier, 600 E Grand Ave, Chicago.

312.595.7437. winterwonderfest.com.

The ninth season of this magical event will bring new attractions, popular favorites and stunning décor to Navy Pier.

Children will have the opportunity to meet Santa and run into holiday cops who like to issue tickets for “Un-holiday-like behavior.” Decorations feature 750,000 sparkling lights, 25,000 holiday ornaments and hundreds of elaborately decorated trees. There are more than 170,000 square feet of indoor family fun that includes dozens of rides, games, music and live entertainment at this event, which has free admission. Special New Year’s activities include a family New Year’s Eve bash and fireworks.

DEC 5-6 Zooltide, 5-7pm, Washington Park Zoo, 115 Lake Shore Dr, Michigan City. 219.873.1425. wpzoosociety.com. The Washington Park Zoological Society will be hosting Zooltide, where visitors can see the Washington Park Zoo lit up for the holidays. Carolers, luminaries and Santa Claus will also be on hand and hot cocoa will be available to help keep visitors warm.

DEC 5 3rd Annual Holiday Bazaar, 9am2pm, 1314 S Woodland Ave, Michigan City.

219.871.9138. holidaybazaar.org. Handmade and retail gifts will be available at this holiday market, including international handcrafted eggs, woodworking, jewelry, holiday décor, custom embroidery and more. Lunch and snacks will be provided in the café and all shopping is on the first floor of this free event.

NOV 21 8th Annual Holiday Shopping Spree & Craft Show, 10am-3pm, Kahler Middle School, 600 Joliet St, Dyer.

219.865.2505. townofdyer.com. This show offers the perfect way to do some holiday shopping with over 100 vendors, while avoiding the mad rush at the mall. Past vendors have included Avon, Tupperware, Pampered Chef, Mary Kay and the Longaberger Company.

DEC 5 Hammond Holiday Parade, 10am, parade starts at Gavit High School, 1670 175th St, Hammond. 219.853.6378. gohammond.com. Kick off the holiday season by watching or participating in this fun event that features the Jesse White Tumblers and area high school bands. Call or visit the website for parade route and to register to participate. Nov 20: Entry deadline.

NOV 21 Winter Lights, 3pm, Sunset Hill Farm County Park, 775 Meridian Rd, Valparaiso. 219.465.3586. The Winter Lights celebration at Sunset Hill Farm will include music, crafts, cookie decorating, a visit from Santa, a holiday reading corner and many other children’s activities. The event will conclude with fireworks. Also, Nov 27-Dec 27: Drive Thru Displays.

dec 2009/jan 2010

NOV 26 State Street Thanksgiving Day Parade, 8-11am, State St from Randolph to Congress, Chicago. chicagofestivals.org.

More than 400,000 visitors are expected to line the route for this annual televised event, which features marching bands, equestrian units, floats, performance groups, celebrities and everyone’s favorite Thanksgiving parade staple: enormous helium balloons.

DEC 5-6, 12-13 Candy Cane Express, noon-5pm, Hesston Steam Museum,

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DEC 6 Christmas Ornament Workshop, 1:30-2:30pm, Crown Point Community Art Center, 138 S Main St, Crown Point.

219.663.0200. southshoreartsonline.org.

This one-hour workshop will allow children ages 6-12 to create their own ornaments with provided decorating materials.

DEC 12-13 The Nutcracker, Sat 2pm & 7pm, Sun 2pm, The Morris Performing Arts Center, 211 N Michigan St, South Bend. 574.235.9190, 800.537.6415. morriscenter.org. Delightful sets and costuming will enhance this timeless holiday classic as it thrills and enchants audiences of all ages. Watch as the Nutcracker comes to life and Clara travels to faraway places in the largest and only full, unabridged version of The Nutcracker in Michiana as performed by the Southold Dance Theatre.

DEC 19 ’Twas the Night before Christmas, 11am, The Center for Performing Arts at Governors State University, 1 University Pkwy, University Park. 708.235.2222. centertickets.net.

The classic holiday poem gets a new spin in this musical adaptation that utilizes aspects of the real life of its author, Clement Moore. An interesting portrayal of Santa Claus will have the audience rolling in the aisles during this delightful comedy.

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Opportunities andChallenges

Tyler Goodman : 11

Rudy Becerra : 12

Micayla Watroba : 11

Tyler Goodman is a familiar face at Boys and Girls Clubs of Porter County’s South Haven Unit.

Since becoming a member three years ago, Goodman has become a regular, going to the club each day it is open. When he’s not meeting friends or playing in the game room, he likes helping out the staff. He’ll pitch in to clean up messes, pick up in the lounge or even work the phones at the front desk if asked.

His club dedication has been recognized three times with a Member of the Month award, which recognizes members for outstanding behavior and positive involvement in the club. “I like helping out at the club, helping the staff and setting an example for all the other kids there,” he says.

Goodman is again playing soccer at the club this year and he continues to participate in Torch Club, a group that helps out in town and around the club.

He also is part of the Junior Garden Club that has planted flowers at the club and in the community, planted seeds at South Haven Public Library and does environmental art projects.

Goodman never tires of club activities. “They have fun stuff to do,” he says. “It’s time to hang out with friends, do arts and crafts, go to the computer lab, gym or game room. They also have tutoring and Link and Learn.”

Goodman, son of Cleet and Diane Hopkins of South Haven, is a fifth-grader at Paul Saylor Elementary School.

Rudy Becerra walked in the footsteps of U.S. leaders at the Junior National Young Leaders Conference.

Becerra, son of Rudy and Maria Becerra of Hammond, attended the leadership forum recently in Washington, D.C. The event, titled, “Themed Voices of Leadership— Reflecting on the Past to create the Future,’’ introduced young people to the traditions of leadership, while helping them to develop their own skills. During the six-day program, scholars take part in educational activities and presentations.

Working in groups, students were inspired to recognize their leadership skills. Becerra examined and evaluated critical leadership areas, formulated personal goals and worked on several projects that focused on six leadership traits: goal-setting, teamwork, respect, communication, problem-solving and character. “By learning the six traits, you know how to help people and to make good decisions,” he says.

In addition to examining notable U.S. leaders, students study the impact of leadership throughout critical periods of American history and visit relevant sites, such as Harpers Ferry, Capitol Hill, the Korean and Vietnam memorials and the Lincoln Memorial.

“We got to see sights that are amazing,” he says.

Becerra was nominated to attend the JrNYLC by his former fifth-grade teacher at Joseph Hess Elementary School.

A sixth-grader at Scott Middle School, Becerra is on the A Honor Roll and involved in Student Council and Lego Robotics. He received first place in the Science Olympiad last year, and represented his school at Challenger Learning Center this summer. He is an officer for the Scott Middle School Credit Union and captain of the Hessville Vipers Football team.

Mayor David Uran might face some stiff competition next election, if only Micayla Watroba were old enough to run against him.

Watroba, daughter of Carl and Melissa Watroba of Crown Point, recently became a slice of Crown Point history by serving as Honorary Mayor of the Day. She began her day assisting the mayor in conducting the Board of Works meeting and then visited every department in the Hub City.

“I really liked the architectural department because I like drawing and designing things and I’m thinking about being an architect,” she says.

Watroba toured the parks department, then the fire and police departments before breaking for lunch with the mayor.

Aside from the many photographs taken of the day, Watroba cherishes a glass-etched plaque that was presented to her. It sits in her bedroom next to a lamp that makes it glow. “It’s really cool,” she says.

Watroba first met the mayor two years ago while walking with fellow cancer survivors in a Crown Point parade. “At the end of the parade he asked if I wanted to be mayor for a day and I said yes.”

Diagnosed with leukemia in 2005, Watroba is in remission and sees a bright future ahead. A sixthgrader at Wheeler Middle School, she plays flute in band and will again be contributing in the school’s Pennies for Patients campaign to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

This year, however, Watroba will be an honorary hero and her story will be included in the campaign.

dec 2009/jan 2010

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Rick Kaempfer’s business card says author/writer/blogger, but his real job is “stay-at-home dad” for his three school-aged sons. For more adventures-inparenting tales, check out Rick’s “Father Knows Nothing” blog at nwi.com/parent.

By Rick Kaempfer

family feud

Sibling rivalry across the generations My sister Cindy and I are only a year apart, and we were sworn enemies.

We competed against each other for every conceivable thing with a knockdown drag-out winner-take-all mentality that was nothing short of blood sport, the winner taunting over the lifeless body of the vanquished opponent until he or she yelled, “Mooooom!”

Now that I’m a dad myself, of course, I’m being given my karmic rewards.

My two youngest sons fight every day. And listening to that constant bickering is like being stabbed in the ears repeatedly. I can only imagine what my mother went through in the 1970s. My fights with my sister weren’t as physical, but they were certainly as loud. And they were probably even more emotionally vicious.

I’ll give you an example that has become family lore.

It was Christmas Eve 1975. That Christmas season my mother came up with a great idea to help end the fighting. Cindy and I were to give each other Christmas presents for the very first time. We were told to give from the heart.

As a parent, I can see the logic. The mere act of thinking about what the other sibling wanted, then spending our own money to make that sibling happy, combined with the overall festiveness of the holiday season HAD TO tone down the viciousness.

That moment is captured forever on film. My dad had one of those Super-8 home movie cameras and was eagerly filming every second of that Christmas. My little brother was only 5, so most of the silent film focuses on him playing with his forts and cars, but then you can see my mom step in front of the camera and point to my sister.

Cindy, age 11, was getting ready to open the present from Ricky, age 12.

She smiles from ear to ear as she unwraps the present with anticipatory glee. You can’t hear what she’s saying, but it looks like she’s asking me if I wrapped the present myself.

My dad pans over to my smiling nodding face, before returning to focus on the lucky girl and the Christmas gift from her brother.

The box is oddly shaped and unlabeled.

dec 2009/jan 2010

“What is it?” you can see her mouthing.

She opens the box, and stops cold. She glares at me, then at the camera. It doesn’t take a lip reader to see what she says next.

“A BABY BOTTLE!” Just in case you can’t read her lips, the baby bottle emerges, and Cindy stands up and fires that bottle at me—hitting me in the midsection—which is no easy task because I am laughing so hard.

Then the camera pans to my glaring mother, none too pleased at the development.

So what did my sister get me that Christmas? I honestly don’t remember, but it was a normal gift.

I do remember what she got me the next year, though: Pampers. The year after that I bought her baby powder, and she gave me a pacifier. Another year we exchanged baby wipes and Gerber baby food. The battle lasted for the rest of the decade.

But you know what the story of my sibling rivalry with my sister represents most to me? Hope. That’s right, hope. Hope that my boys will eventually snap out of it the way Cindy and I did.

For us, the thawing began thanks to my girlfriends in high school and college, and eventually my wife, all of whom pointed out that I was being a jerk. It thawed out forever when my kids were born. My sister turned out to be the most caring and loving aunt imaginable to those boys. She lives just a few miles away from us and spends time with them whenever she can. In fact, I have a sneaking suspicion that they love her more than they love me—and I think that’s wonderful.

Cindy and I actually get along great now. I probably see her or talk to her on the phone four or five times a week.

And when I tell my boys that she and I used to fight, they don’t even believe me. When they’re old enough not to copy their dad, I’ll prove it to them.

I’ll show them the film in the box labeled “Christmas 1975.”

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