Capital District Parent Pages - March 2019 by Spotlight Newspapers

Inside:

March calendar of events

arent pages

Capital District

Volume 23 • Number 3 • MARCH 2019 • Complimentary

Guide Pages 23-28

The Resource for Parents

Realistic budgets are better You’re in luck with shamrock chips Keep family dinners simple cdparentpages.com MARCH 2019 — CDPARENTPAGES.COM 1

Our students say it all. Love of learning

is what it’s all about for students at Rochester School for the Deaf. Since 1876, our students have been discovering the

art of communication and education in a nurturing, inclusive environment—at no cost to families.

As a private school, our dynamic educational programs employ skilled professionals who

educate students in a vibrant multicultural and bilingual scholastic setting which includes

American Sign Language and English.

H Building futures for deaf and hard of hearing students

H Focusing on infant, early childhood, K-12 grades, up to age 21

H Sign language learning programs and community outreach services

Get in touch today and give your student the love of learning. Lily, 2nd Grade signing “Love”

Rochester School for the Deaf Celebrating our 140th Year! 1545 St. Paul Street | Rochester, NY 14621 585-544-1240 • www.RSDeaf.org • email info@RSDeaf.org 108109_4

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March brings a promise of spring

arch has always had that in-between feeling – it doesn’t seem fair to call it winter, yet it doesn’t quite feel like spring. Sometimes it goes in like a lion and out like a lamb, and sometimes the lion stays the whole month.

p Capital District

Editor’s desk

arent pages The Resource for Parents

March 2019 Features Luge (and life) lessons

14-15

Hannaford Kidz Expo

23-28

Columnists

There are, however, plenty of good things about this time of year. There may be a day or two it warms up enough to throw open the windows and air out our musty homes. We are no longer eating our dinners long after the sun sets. And the seed catalogs cropping up in our mailboxes are a cheery reminder that sunny days are not so far off.

24-Hour Shift

Let’s Cook!

Still, March tends to be a month that we at Parent Pages spend waiting for a new season to kick in, so we are pleased to share with our readers the perfect antidote to all that anticipation – the Hannaford Kidz Expo, which takes place this year on Saturday, March 2.

Learning Center

On that day, the Empire State Plaza in downtown Albany is packed with free familyfriendly activities and entertainment. Check out the supplement that is packaged with this issue on Pages 23-28 to learn more about all the things you and your family can see and do at the Expo. Did we mention it’s all free?

On the Bookshelf

While you’re at the Kidz Expo, stop by the Capital District Parent Pages booth and say hello. We love having the chance to speak with our readers in person, and we will have some great giveaways throughout the day. This month, get in to the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day and invite your little leprechauns to make a yummy green snack following Jodie Fitz’s Let’s Cook recipe on Page 10. It’s a simple and tasty treat your child can help create. Or cuddle up with one of the springthemed books featured on Page 4. One more thing: Thanks to all of the parents who sent in pictures for our Parent Pages cover contest, and congratulations to the Alarcon family of Watervliet, who won the drawing for the Great Escape Lodge gift card! As always, thanks for reading. Check out our articles and resource listings at www. cdparentpages.com and mail your story ideas and pictures to Capital District Parent Pages, P.O. Box 100, Delmar, NY 12054, or e-mail me at robertsk@spotlightnews.com. Kristen Roberts Editor, Capital District Parent Pages

On the cover: Jackson, 3, holds hands with his parents in this photo taken by Photography by Jodianne and submitted by his mom, Heather. Parent Pages is always accepting photos for potential covers. Submissions should be at least 8-by-10-inches with a dpi of 400. They can be sent via email to robertsk@spotlightnews.com.

Triple Threat

6-7

Show Money Who’s Boss

8-9

What’s new

Kids Fun Page

4 16

Resources Calendar 17-22

publisher - John

McIntyre editor - Kristen Roberts advertising sales - Denice Mau art director - David Abbott graphic design - Martha Eriksen Capital District Parent Pages is a unit of Community Media Group LLC. Published monthly. Deadline for advertising and calendar events is the 5th of the month preceding publication. Display advertising rates are available on request. Capital District Parent Pages reserves the right to refuse advertising for any reason. We do not guarantee any of the information, services or products published in this or any issue. The opinions expressed by the contributors do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this paper. Copyright 2013 by Capital District Parent Pages. No portion of Capital District Parent Pages may be reproduced without written permission from Community Media Group LLC. Rachelle & Lawrence Stallman Founders of Capital District Parent Pages

MARCH 2019 — CDPARENTPAGES.COM 3

On the Bookshelf

Time to read a rainbow ‘Pete the Cat: The Great Leprechaun Chase’

‘Let’s Bake St. Patrick’s Day Treats’

by James Dean

by Ruth Owen

It’s St. Patrick’s Day, and it’s also the grand opening of Pete the Cat’s leprechaun catching business. Pete gears up to trap a leprechaun for his friends, but catching a leprechaun is never easy, especially if he’s full of tricks. HarperCollins

A great collection of St. Patrick’s Day recipes for young would-be bakers, including shamrock cookies, green pistachio muffins, and rainbow treasure cupcakes. Gareth Stevens Publishing

‘Ava and the Rainbow (Who Stayed)’ by Ged Adamson The rain had stopped and the sun was coming out. And Ava knew that meant one thing – a rainbow! She wished that it could stay up in the bright sky forever, but she learns that sometimes the rare and special things in life are the most valuable. HarperCollins

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PRESCHOOL

• 5 Hour Programs • Daycare Offered

Children caught in the system deserve to feel loved

hat does life mean to you? Does life mean having a breath and a pulse or is it enjoying every minute and experiencing everything? Saving a baby’s life doesn’t end at birth. Being unwanted by a parent is already a negative start to a parent-child relationship, which can deepen further into abuse and neglect. I’m not saying that every unwanted child is abused or neglected or ends up in foster care, but I do want to point out that what happens to these children after birth is extremely important. As a former foster parent I see what can happen when parenting fails and families shatter. There are too many foster children and not enough foster parents to care for them all. At times children are returned to their abusive families or children are removed from the home unnecessarily. If they do end up in foster care, it’s important to know that not all foster parents are good. Some foster kids are further abused or treated unfairly. The ones who aren’t abused are at times told to put up with poor treatment because another home just isn’t available. Foster kids get moved from house to house so often that some kids never unpack.

2 Bethlehem Ct., Delmar

518-478-0722

Summer camp

If they don’t go into foster care, a baby born into a hostile environment such as domestic violence, poverty, or a high crime area is at risk for a host of emotional and mental health concerns as well as developmental delays. Is this the life you would choose for them?

Weekly Adventure-Filled Camps for Children Ages 2.5-10 Up to 10 Weeks of Extended-Day, Full-Day, and Half-Day Options

I have painted a sad picture of what can happen to an unwanted baby. There are no guarantees as to how any child will grow up.

Campers explore science, art, outdoor education, creative movement, music, and more!

No child asks to be born, but afterward I would bet they would ask to be loved, cared for, and wanted. Theresa Davis is a former early childhood educator and has worked in childcare centers for more than 15 years. She is also an adoptive mother, living and taking care of her family in the Capital District.

Locations in Delmar & Ravena

www.circleoffriendsprek.com Kweldingwala@circleoffriendsprek.com

There is no sense of permanency, family, or home. Often they are separated from their siblings because of the low availability of homes. Some older foster children continue to be unwanted because most adoptive parents want babies. Children removed from their families and move from home to home often have difficulty with forming any kind of relationship with others, have social difficulties or delays, and may develop mental illness or developmental delays.

SP YO END SU UR M AT ME CA OUR R MP !

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A life, defined

L FAL MS A R G PRO OLLING ENR OW! N

12 Fisher Blvd., Slingerlands, NY 108568_4

Theresa Davis

The 24-hour shift

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parenting is a full-time job

518-478-0224 www.bethlehemchildrensschool.org/wordpress/summer-camp MARCH 2019 — CDPARENTPAGES.COM 5

Triple Threat

parenting triplets in the Capital District

Food for thought

Family dinners are better without a serving of stress

amily meals are important to me because our lives are pretty chaotic between appointments, treatments, school and all kinds of other events. We all run by off to do our

stuff and become frazzled and stressed out. After the day is over, Olivia, Benjamin and Rebecca come home facing homework, chores and getting ready for the next day – with it all hopefully being topped off by a night of slumbering bliss.

Jennifer Steuer

Dinner is a great time to talk about what made the day great and what we would like to do over. Putting dinner on the table cannot be a one-person show. There are so many different

Continued on Page 7

Keep family dinners simple. It’s about being together more than the food.

Inspiring students to create the future

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visiting week

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n Triple Threat continued from Page 6 ways for everyone to help. A family with three kids should be able to get a dining room into shape quickly … or not. When three kids have three separate assigned jobs, getting ready for dinner can be a little more peaceful. Sometimes I will be in the kitchen trying to finish dinner while listening to chaos in the next room. Sometimes I will peek into the dining room, and the table will look really nice. Once or twice there was even flowers and music! I have a great amount of respect for families that can meal plan for 30 days. There is so much that goes into figuring out dinners: time for prep and cooking, who is doing the cooking, whether everyone is going to eat the same thing, and if it will give us leftovers. If the prep and time for cooking is too much, we won’t do that meal on a Scout or Hebrew School night. Most of the time there is some amount of food left over, and I can either serve it as a lunch or put it into another dinner somehow.

I’ve tried to plan meals far in advance, but that doesn’t always seem to work so well. I can make the plan, but sticking to it is another story. No amount of planning can prepare me for the days that blow up in my face because Harlan gets sicker, or there’s a snow day, or it’s just a day that cooking isn’t going to happen. So instead of attempting a 30-day plan, I am working on one week at a time. So far, we have been successful for one week out of three. Progress though, right? I am a big believer in family meals, and that is what we have done since Olivia, Benjamin and Rebecca were old enough to stay awake and not drive us nuts by throwing things on the floor too many times. But be careful of the limits you set for yourself. Early on, I set a limit that I didn’t realize would eventually make me feel like a meal planning/family dinner failure. I believed that to have a good family dinner, we all had to be eating the same meal. Well, that isn’t at all how life works out. I make a meal, and there is no shortage of ways that one person or another will complain about it. If there is some way I can mess up

a favorite meal for Benjamin I do, but not on purpose. That boy LOVES him some grilled cheese and macaroni and cheese! The poor kid is the butt of so many jokes. The best one is: What is Ben’s favorite meal? Cheese! With a side of cheese! My desire for the perfect family dinner was stressing me out. Then I realized what the problem was. Me. My own ideal was creating more problems. The night I put plain pasta on the table with dishes of alfredo sauce, cheddar cheese sauce, butter, salt and marinara was an epiphany. We all had pasta our favorite way! There was lots of bread and some salad. We had the best family dinner ever! Olivia, Benjamin and Rebecca are not going to remember every dinner they had with Mom and Dad. What I hope they remember is that as a family we had good food, lots of talking, debates and love. Always, always love. Jennifer Steuer is an Albany mom whose busy household includes her husband, Harlan, and 11-year-old triplets Olivia, Benjamin and Rebecca. Follow her on Instagram: jennifersteuer.

My desire for the perfect family dinner was stressing me out. Then I realized what the problem was. Me.

Open House March 30 1-3 pm

2019

Ages 3-12

June 24 - August 23 Woodland Hill Montessori School 100 Montessori Place • North Greenbush

Woodland Hill welcomes you to play, cook, create, and invent! Become a nature explorer, lean yoga poses, create with clay, connect with your inner musician, investigate outer space, and try coding!

Space is limited. Register today! 518.283.5400 woodlandhill.org 108118_4

MARCH 2019 — CDPARENTPAGES.COM 7

Making family finances work for you Gerard Bialek photo

Show Money Who’s Boss

The (million dollar) question Define what ‘spending money’ means to you and your family

hen my son learned to talk and shopping at Target and other fun stores became an exercise in fending off endless requests for pretty much any item with a familiar character’s face on it, I used to say no with the explanation that I didn’t have enough spending money. Born with a head for numbers, he’d look around for something with a cheaper price tag and ask me to buy that instead. I’d attempt another take on my goto answer, but he’d usually want to get to the bottom of things quickly, so we could proceed beyond this transactional con-

versation to the more interesting part: the purchase.

And then, if I was lucky, his baby brother would start screaming, or I’d accidentally “Well, how much spending spill the contents of my bag all money do you have?” he’d over the floor or maybe we’d ask. run into someone who knew me — but I couldn’t The question is place — and I’d straightforward get caught up by enough, and in a confusing on the surface and precariseems simple ous conversato answer. I tion (or any even had a combination budget with a of the above all line item called at once.) This “spending money” would distract me right on it. But I from my son’s quesnever felt like I could really tion, and I’d be able to avoid the topic for another day or so. answer him.

Heather E. Schwartz

But it started to nag at me even when he wasn’t asking. Why didn’t I have an answer? I felt sure I should be able to

“Well, I have to check,” I’d hedge. Or worse, I’d come out with the truth: “I don’t know…”

supply a number that would satisfy his question. Remember when you used to get your paycheck at work on a Friday and then you’d go to the bank, where you’d deposit it, taking home only the cash you needed for the week: your gas money and spending money, for example? No? (I do, which I guess dates me, but let’s leave my age out of this for now.) It used to be quite simple to know how much spending money I had at any given moment. I’d start off with, say, $20 and buy a Rubik’s Cube for $1.99. Assuming 4% sales tax, I’d wind up paying $2.07. (Yes, I realize these numbers are very telling — I had my first job in the 1980s, OK!?) And I’d be

Continued on Page 9

re art and scie e meet! e h nc w

Summer Camps

WWW.DRAMAKIDS.COM (518) 458-1313

WWW.DRAMAKIDS.COM WWW.DRAMAKIDS.COM

Art and Science programs for any age.(518) 458-1313 (518) 458-1313 Weekly themes to choose from.

Colonie.KidzArt.com | Colonie.ClubScientific.com 8 PARENT PAGES — MARCH 2019

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n Show Money continued from Page 8 left with $17.93 in spending money. The point is everything is different now. For starters, when I became a parent, I also became a freelancer, so instead of getting a check in hand every week or two at my job, I started getting paid whenever the companies I worked for put a check in the mail. Also, direct deposit is a thing now, so most people don’t even see a paper check. And debit cards exist, too, not to mention credit cards. I just don’t carry around cash the way I used to; no one does. (Well, OK, some people do, but I suspect they are really old school and belong to a generation even older than I am. Forgive me, I’m having a somewhat important birthday soon. Anyway, Rubik’s Cubes must have been very affordable back then.) Nowadays, I can answer my son’s question with an actual

number. I finally figured out how because it seemed irresponsible not to. What was I teaching him about money management? Here are some things I learned along the way.

Having a budget and actually following it are not the same thing. I used to have a budget written down on paper … and that was as far as I went with it. Unless you stick to it, it’s not really a budget. If you don’t budget a reasonable amount of spending money for yourself, you’ll find yourself “borrowing” from the money you’ve budgeted for other necessities. Frugality is a laudable goal, but it’s important to be realistic, too. Yes, aim to teach your kids financial responsibility, but don’t feel obligated to explain and justify your spending habits to them every time you buy yourself a blank book or order a throw pillow online.

It pays to puzzle out how much spending money you actually have in your budget. And if you have a vintage Rubik’s Cube lying around, consider yourself lucky. They’re going for around $10 these days — and you’ve got one you can give your kids for free!

Heather E. Schwartz writes children’s books for a living and performs at The Mopco Improv Theatre in Schenectady for fun. She’ll release three money tips books in 2019. Visit www. showmoneywhosboss.com.

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!

YMCA

SUMMER CAMPS • • • • •

YOU ADVE R NTU AWAIT RE S!

New Specialty Camps Swim Lessons Field Trips FREE Before & After Camp Care Fun Weekly Themes

CAPITAL DISTRICT YMCA • 518.869.3500 • www.CDYMCA.org The Capital District YMCA is a leading Capital Region charity.

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MARCH 2019 — CDPARENTPAGES.COM 9

Let’s Cook!

Make a shamrock snack Shamrock Chips

Spinach flatbread Canola oil Sea salt Using a metal shamrock-shaped cookie cutter, cut each flatbread into shamrocks. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with a very light layer of canola oil. Place the shamrock-shaped flatbreads onto the baking sheet. Baste the top of each shamrock with a very light layer of oil or water. Coat the top with a light sprinkle of sea salt. Bake until lightly browned around the edges; approximately 5-7 minutes.

love. These crunchy, savory chips are perfectly served with a little salsa made from heirloom tomatoes. While the chips are baking, you can whip this up quickly for a tasty bite by chopping or using a mini food processor. It’s veggies all the way!

Get more recipes from Jodie Fitz through the Price Chopper Cooking Club at www.pricechopper.com. To learn more about her, visit www.jodiefitz.com.

Jodie Fitz

Lucky Salsa 1 cup diced orange or yellow tomatoes (heirloom or the golden minis) ½ cup finely chopped Vidalia onions ½ cup orange or yellow bell pepper, finely diced 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, fresh 1 clove garlic, finely minced Stir together the diced tomatoes, finely chopped Vidalia onions, the diced peppers, the chopped fresh cilantro and the minced garlic. Set aside. Note: You can also pulse the ingredients together in a mini chopper or food processor.

26 Computer Drive East, Albany • 518-438-4800

• Party theme of your choice • Pizza & Juice • • Set up, clean up, & everything in between •

Bizzy Beez is an innovative, indoor, multi-sensory environment where kids of all ages can move, touch and swing their way through different settings.

20 OFF A BIRTHDAY PARTY

UP TO A $4 VALUE

Expires 8/31/19. Must mention coupon at time of booking. Must present coupon. Limit one coupon per customer. Not valid with any other offer. 90 Minute Birthday party rental.

Expires 8/31/19. Must present coupon. Limit one coupon per customer. Not valid with any other offer.

— FUN FOR ALL! —

10 PARENT PAGES — MARCH 2019

1 OFF Sensorational Saturday Admission

Valid For Up To 4 Admissions 108570_4

omemade shamrock chips with lucky salsa make for a festively delicious St. Patrick’s Day snack. Simply grab some spinach flatbreads at the deli and turn them into shamrock chips everyone will

at RPI! Swimming, arts and crafts, nature walks, sports, drama, field trips ... SamaritanRensselaer Children’s Center Discovery Day Camp has it all!

June 27 - August 29 6:30 am - 5:30 pm • For children entering Kindergarten through age 12. • Full and part-time enrollment. • Located on the campus of RPI. Babysitting is one way that grandparents can be a frequent fixture in their grandkids’ lives. If it’s been some time since you cared for little children, it’s well worth it to take a refresher course in child care.

Babysitting for grandparents

itnessing your children getting older and starting their own lives and families can be bittersweet. There is pride that comes with seeing their successes, but the melancholy of knowing that the years have passed so quickly.

One of the great joys that comes from having older children is the ability to welcome and love grandchildren. Grandchildren are points of light in people’s lives and provide the exuberance and excitement that reminds you of your own youth.

Although you may no longer be tucking your children into bed, reading them bedtime stories or bandaging boo-boos, when your children have children, the chance to nurture can start anew.

Grandparents often are thrilled to be involved in the care and upbringing of their grandkids. Some may also live with their grandchildren to help take some pressures off of

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• Fees include all trips, supplies and two snacks daily. Campers bring their own lunch. • Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information, or to register, call Deirdre or Kristina at (518) 271-3748. Or go to sphp.com/childrens-day-care-sam.

Presented by:

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MARCH 2019 — CDPARENTPAGES.COM 11

Learning Center

Education insight for parents

Not making the grade

ou do your best to keep your child on task with his or her homework and studying, but what happens when they get their report card and the results are not so great?

Don’t ignore it. Your child will likely say, “Don’t worry, I was confused, but I’ve got it now.” That might be true, but you need to understand what happened this quarter, before you can accept that answer. Listen to your child’s explanation, but remember: trust, but verify.

Review the school’s parent/student portal. Did your child turn in all the homework? Did they do poorly

on a lot of quizzes or just have one bad test? If you haven’t been checking the portal, now is the time to start. When you contact the teacher, you want to show that you’ve already gathered all the available information.

Contact your child’s teacher.

know that they are getting support from parents, and many teachers will go the extra mile if they believe a student and their parents are making every effort, too.

Patrick McNamara

Email is probably the best way to start a conversation, but you may want to have a phone conversation as well. Emails are often brief, and you never know what useful information you might learn during an open-ended phone conversation. Moreover, teachers like to

Review your expectations with your child.

Discuss what is expected for the next quarter. Confirm that things that are entirely in your child’s control (i.e., homework assignments) must be done 100 percent. Define (perhaps escalating) consequences if they fail to meet expectations.

Follow up weekly, at least at first. What homework/quizzes/tests are coming up? Has that big term project been started? What grades did they get last week? School portals aren’t always updated in a timely fashion.

Check in with the teacher after 3-4 weeks. Confirm that things are going OK and show that you are staying on top of the issue. If there hasn’t been improvement, you want to know that before the end of the quarter.

Consider tutoring. Are your child’s results not

Continued on Page 13

We’re all about family.

At Burdett Birth Center, we want your birth experience to be as special as your new infant. That’s why we offer a range of personal options to make your experience your own, including access to highly-experienced OB/GYN and midwife providers, as well as private rooms and state-of-the-art services. Childbirth education and support groups are also available. Burdett Birth Center. A family experience. Located on the second floor of Samaritan Hospital in the heart of Troy. burdettbirthcenter.org | 2215 Burdett Avenue, Suite 200, Troy, NY 12180 | (518) 271-3393 | 108136_4

12 PARENT PAGES — MARCH 2019

n Grandparents continued from Page 11 adult children. Babysitting is one way that grandparents can be a frequent fixture in their grandkids’ lives. If it’s been some time since you cared for little children, it’s well worth it to take a refresher course in child care.

Make sure it’s safe If your child comes home with poor grades, it is important to follow up with the teacher.

n Learning Center continued from Page 12 matching up with their effort? Many teachers and schools provide free after-school help.

Patrick McNamara is the Executive Director of Sylvan Learning of Albany and Clifton Park, which provides tutoring services and academic coaching (www.SylvanLearning.com).

Assess your health Chasing after children can be a workout. Be sure you are up for the challenge and have the stamina. If you have any medical conditions that can

Take directions The way you parented may not be the same way your own children parent. Be humble and follow their lead with regard to instructions. The parenting guide Apt Parenting advises that you should ask about the eating and sleeping habits of the child. You may have to defer to your own children’s guidelines on discipline and behavior.

Learn what’s new Many things regarding childcare have changed in the last 20 years, including safety laws and guidelines. Be sure you are up to date on these changes. And if you aren’t certain about something, ask. This involves everything from crib bar widths to car seat installation.

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Some teachers are available for paid tutoring, and tutoring companies provide a wide variety of tutoring services, including assessments to better

understand the reasons for the struggle, instruction geared towards addressing underlying skill gaps, and traditional homework help.

Conduct a safety audit of your home if grandchildren will be coming over to your place. Are outlets secured with covers? Are medications you may be taking out of reach? Do you have gates to block stairs or restrict access to certain rooms? Modifications may be needed.

impair judgement or reaction time, you might want to reconsider babysitting.

MARCH 2019 — CDPARENTPAGES.COM 13

On track for success Young luger balances activities and schoolwork as he pursues an Olympic dream

ethlehem Central High School ninthgrader Robert Davis may be only 14 years old, but he already has ambitions beyond his everyday life here — he wants to become a member of the U.S. Olympic Luge Team.

Diego Cagara

His passion for luge began when he and his family were playing miniature golf in Lake Placid in the summer of 2013. While there, he ran into acclaimed luger Aidan Kelly, who was there training to make the national luge team for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. Kelly went on to make the team, and came in 24th place overall.

Davis said he was intrigued at having met a rising athlete, and he immediately became interested in luge. “It was really exciting and I was like, ‘That looks amazing; I want to try it,’ and I watched Aidan do it,” Davis said. “Then I tried it myself for the heck of it, and I started loving luge.”

oto

by Yor k

Luge is a sport in which an individual hurtles down a track feet-first on a small sled at speeds of almost 90 mph. The luger is timed for how long it takes him or her to complete the track. Davis said it was the speed and adrenaline rush of the sport that spoke to him him.

Robert Davis says he was inspired to compete in luge after meeting Olympian Aidan Kelly in 2013. Photo provided

“I felt like a daredevil, it draws me,” he said. “What I always like about it is how I can feel so free.” Davis started training, with regular practices in Lake Placid. In August 2016, he began trying out for the national Slider Search which recruits young athletes, ages 9 to 13, to train and qualify for the national luge Junior Development Team. From there, qualifying trainees could become part of the National and Olympic Luge Teams down the road. Despite his rigorous training schedule, his father said he does not lose focus on his studies.

We’re online!

Be sure to visit our website…

p Capital District

arent pages The Resource for Parents

cdparentpages.com 107145_4

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“His No. 1 job is his school, and he never forgets that’s his No. 1 priority,” said Rem Davis. “He’s also very thoughtful and hardworking and he’s very determined.” Robert’s mother, Nancy, said her son regularly sets priorities and juggles many activities, events and school assignments. Besides luge, Robert’s packed schedule includes a part in the school musical, choir, the town’s cross country club, track and field, chess club and two kindness clubs. He has also been on the honor roll for each school quarter from grades six through eight. So how does he manage balancing all of that at such a young age? “There used to be very long nights,” he said, “and the hard part was making a schedule every day to decide how many hours I want to spend doing this, this, and this, and make sure I have enough time to do homework. I would also ask for help with homework if I had to, and I’d mostly get it done before heading out to my other activities.” Rem said that in addition to Robert honing his luge skills, he was also practicing skills like time management and discipline, which he believes will benefit him in the long run. Robert’s persistence paid off when he was finally asked to join the country’s Luge Developmental Team in May 2018, officially starting later that summer in Lake Placid and slated to end sometime this month. In what Robert calls a “kind of a

there are great athletes in this sport who are also great people. I’m excited for my son to be around those people and look up to them.”

Robert says he hopes to make the Oylmpic team in the next couple of years, but he also remains focused on his schoolwork. full-circle moment,” Aidan Kelly was the team’s coach. “He was the one who got me into it, and he still remembers me from all those years back,” he said. Since beginning his official training in Lake Placid, Robert said that Kelly has become a true role model for him, offering both valuable coaching and life advice. “He would say that if you’re 10 minutes early, you’re late, and then if you’re on time, you’re also late. For me, I get there at least 15 minutes early so I have time to warm up and not worry,” Robert said. Rem Davis praised Aidan Kelly for being the kind of athlete his son can look up to. “It’s amazing to have successful people like Aidan be such great role models who teach young people coming into this sport about how to be good in it, but also about how to be a good person,” he said. “I like it that

Training does not come cheap. There is a roughly $5,000 fee for Developmental Team athletes to pay for room and board, training, travel expenses, tutoring and relevant equipment. At one point, the Davis family established a GoFundMe page in an effort to accept donations toward those fees, and they are grateful for the financial support they’ve already received from local residents and businesses. Robert keeps focused on his luge goals, but he has also expressed interest in traveling around the world and either becoming a Social Studies teacher or an engineer. “I do feel like I’ll be able to combine doing luge and becoming a Social Studies teacher because I’ll be able to use my knowledge of maybe having been in other countries to compete in luging and then bring it back to teach in the classroom,” he said. “So that my students can feel excited about Social Studies or history.” While he hopes the possibility of making the Olympic team could become real within the next few years, he said he remains focused on the present, working to improve his skills and timing. His record speed so far is 56 mph. “I’m really excited for it, and you know what? This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I’m just going to go for it and make the best out of it and see what happens,” he said.

hvcc.edu/kidscamps

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• Athletics • Circus Theatricks • Cooking • Forensics • Legos

2019

KIDSON CAMPUS

S U M M E R

• Minecraft • Painting • Technology Enrichment • Youth Theater and more!

P R O G R A M S MARCH 2019 — CDPARENTPAGES.COM 15

CROSSWORD ANSWERS ACROSS: 1. Parties 4. Cot 6. Insigina 8. Reduces DOWN: 1. Patrick 2. Rocks 3. Parades 5. Antic 7. Iced

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16 PARENT PAGES — MARCH 2019

CROSSWORD

Coloring Fun

Calendar of events

March 1 Friday Story Art

THE MUSIC STUDIO

dog!), followed by an outside presentation, 11 a.m. Free, but reservations required. Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany. For more information, call 456-0655 or visit www.albanypinebush.org.

Now Offering Music for Children with Special Needs

Discover the Pine Bush Hike

Enjoy the Museum by listening to a story, Following Hug a Tree exploring objects from the teaching collection Take a journey into the distinct inland and creating a fun art project, 11 a.m. For toddlers and preschoolers. Free. New York State Museum, pine barrens, on a guided 0.9-mile hike over Albany. For more information call (518) 474-0079 rolling sand dunes, noon. For all ages. Free, but reservations required. Albany Pine Bush Discovery or visit www.nysm.nysed.gov. Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany. For more information, call 456-0655 or visit www. albanypinebush.org.

New Circle of Friends Sessions Begin this Month!

518-459-7799 TheMusicStudio.com

2 Saturday

Hannaford Kidz Expo

A day chock full of entertainment and activities to keep your kids happy and on the go with activities like meet and greets with beloved characters, theater performances, bounce rides, arts and crafts, mini-golf, and even reptiles, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Empire State Plaza, Albany.

Slime-pocolypse! Saturday, March 2 at 1 PM. Enjoy some super sill science and make slime, 1 p.m. For ages 5-12. Rensselaer Public Library, 676 East St., Rensselaer (across from the Amtrak parking lot). For more information, call (518) 462-1193 or visit rensselaerlibrary.org.

Dr. Seuss Read-A-Thon It’s time to celebrate all creatures strange and silly to mark Read Across America Day with selections of favorite books by Dr. Seuss, 10 a.m.-noon. For all ages. Five Rivers Environmental Education Center, 56 Game Farm Road Delmar. For more information, call (518) 475-0291 or visit www.dec.ny.gov/education/1835. html.

Family Yoga

3 Sunday

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March Magic Come learn to play Magic the Gathering, where beginners will be given free decks, 2-4 p.m. For grades 7 to 12; please register. Voorheesville Library, 51 School Road, Voorheesville. For more information, visit www.voorheesvillelibrary. org or call (518) 765-2791.

5 Tuesday Miss Lisa’s Musikids With lots of singing, creative movement and hands-on instruments, parents and children will have a great musical time, 10 a.m. For ages 18 months-5 years with caregiver. Please register. Voorheesville Library, 51 School Road, Voorheesville. For more information, visit www.voorheesvillelibrary.org or call (518) 765-2791.

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Pre-K Storytime Drop-in storytime for ages 2-6, 11 a.m. Siblings welcome. Rensselaer Public Library, 676 East St., Rensselaer (across from the Amtrak parking lot). For more information, call (518) 462-1193 or visit rensselaerlibrary.org.

Partner with your children in simple, animated poses that help strengthen coordination and build body awareness, 10 a.m. All ages welcome.This is a drop-in program, no registration The Princess in Me required. Clifton Park-Halfmoon Public Library, Program focuses on teaching girls 4-12 years 475 Moe Road, Clifton Park. For more information, call (518) 371-8622 or visit www.cphlibrary.org. old how to love themselves, how to care for others, and how to be respectful as a princess, Dr. Seuss’s Birthday Bash: 5-7 p.m. Free. Electric City Barn, 400 Craig St., Schenectady. For more information, call (518) Family Storytime 491-6162 or email mdam@mdamweb.com. An hourlong birthday storytime celebrating the beloved author and illustrator, 10:30 a.m. Birthday cake will be served. For ages 2-8 with parents/caregivers. Please register. Voorheesville Early Explorers Play Group Library, 51 School Road, Voorheesville. For more A time for caregivers and their children to visit information, visit www.voorheesvillelibrary.org or the museum, enjoy some light snacks, and form call (518) 765-2791. a community of encouragement and acceptance, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Cost is $2 per family. Hug a Tree World Awareness Children’s Museum, 89 Warren Hug a Tree was developed to teach children a St., Glens Falls. For more information, call (518) few of the most basic and vital survival principles 793-2773 or visit www.worldchildrensmuseum. and was designed for children between the ages org. of 6 and 12. We will start with an indoor presentation and demonstrations (including a rescue Continued on the next page

6 Wednesday

7 Thursday

Stand for Integrity. Stand Up Against Bullying. Bullying can make kids feel isolated, sad and hopeless, but a kind word or gesture from a classmate can make a world of difference. Help fight bullying by setting an example of kindness and caring with your words and actions at home, and encouraging your child to do the same at school.

Friendship. Kindness. Respect. Compassion.

arent ppages

A reminder from: Capital District

family fun for March

The Resource for Parents

www.cdparentpages.com

MARCH 2019 — CDPARENTPAGES.COM 17

for animal rights rlsanimal rights rights

Development Fund’s New York “Well.” LisaKron Kronbattles battles “Well.” Lisa ill-ill- City-On ofwoman’s Alice Walker’s novel about Wyler, who extols of novel Alice Walker’s novel aboutadCity-OnStage,(212)768-1818. 30. Longacre. Telecharge. (212) 768-1818. ness and her ego-deflating moth“Well.” Lisa Kron battles illone triumph over of Alice Walker’s about City-On Stage, (212)Stage, 768-1818. Butz star in a musicaloneabout a triumph ness and her ego-deflating mothness and her ego-deflating mothone woman’s triumph over adwoman’s over adBallroom the Bever-ele- irritanttotheLosAngelesZoo. ousingofcaptive er inambitious the performer’s ness and her ego-deflating moth-if comedy, a versity. Telecharge. one woman’s triumph overBroadway. ad- “Wicked.” An onal Ballroom of the Bever-to“Icouple irritanttotheLosAngelesZoo. of con men fleecing gullimserves, of the Beverirritant the Los Angeles Zoo. er in the performer’s comedy,a a er in the performer’s comedy, versity. Broadway. Telecharge. versity. Broadway. Telecharge. otel in Beverly Hills. don’t think anyone should nt to therather Los Angeles Zoo. than transfer from off-Broadway. er in the performer’s comedy, a versity. Broadway. Telecharge. “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.”musical onBeverly in for Beverly “Iright don’tanyone thinkon anyone should Rivieproblematic about the Hills. don’t should transfer from off-Broadway. bleathink women theanimal French transfer from off-Broadway. will beHotel taped a two-“IHills. have to see a wild don’t think anyone should Now in previews. Opens March “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.” transfer from off-Broadway. “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.” Jonathan Prycewitches and Norbert Leo Now ent will taped forhave a two-aupright havetoBased asays right“Dirty to see aRotten wild animal Scoundrels.” ped forbeatotwosee aWyler, wild animal in “The Wizard of Oz.” Now in previews. Opens March in previews. Opens March ra. on the 1988 film. Impeion special to air on close,” who extols family fun for March a right see a wild animal Calendar of events 30. Longacre. Telecharge. Jonathan Pryce and Norbert Leo Now in previews. Opens March Jonathan Pryce and Norbert Leo eselevision zoo director John Butz star in a musical about a onthe rial. up sayswho Wyler, whoeleextolsNorbert LeoBased on the novel Pryce and cial tosays airspecial on toupair close,” saysclose,” Wyler, extols 30.by Longacre. Telecharge. 30. Telecharge. Gregory Telecharge. etMay 6andMay13. virtues ofJonathan housing captive ose,” Wyler, who extols Butzofinstar in a30.fleecing musical about a Longacre. Longacre. Telecharge. Butz star a musical about a “Wicked.” An ambitious omment he made PlanetMay6andMay13. the virtues of housing captive elecouple con men gulliTONIGHT Butz starrather inele-athan musical about aMaguire. 6few andyears May 13.that visit thecaptive ofonhousing captive and hang out with your friends, 4-6 p.m. For Gershwin. ages themes of self-acceptance, and of course, tellingif if required. Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 Ticketmas“Wicked.” An ambitious 7virtues Thursday (cont.) phants preserves, irtues of ofhousing ele“Wicked.” An ambitious if New KarnerAlbany couple of con men fleecing gullicouple of con men fleecing gulli13-18. Rensselaer Public Library, 676 East St., the truth, 1 p.m. For families and children Road, Albany. For more information, problematic musical about the “Doubt.” John Patrick Shan“Wicked.” An ambitious if hin a few years of that visit phants on preserves, rather than ble women on the French Riviesound, ago about the difcouple of con fleecing gullivisit phants onthan preserves, rather thanmen Pajama-Rama Rensselaer (across from the Amtrak parking lot). ages 3and up. No registration required. Clifton call 456-0655 or visit www.albanypinebush.org. problematic musical about the Wyler shed five zooenclosures. tsrs ofonthat preserves, rather ter. Difficult. problematic musical about the ble women onFrench thefilm. French Rivieble women ononcallthe Riviewitches about inPublic“The Wizard ofRoad,Oz.” problematic musical the ley’s riveting play about a nun dog pound, Wyler shed five zooenclosures. ra. 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RESERVING TICKETS Based on thenovel novelbybyGregory Gregory eape, lambastes director John full-lengthzoosilver Lewis for a Ave., comment he maderial. Telecharge. Based on the TONIGHT rial.8Telecharge. Public Library, 451 Delaware Delmar. For Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire. Gershwin. Ticketmascurrent project, 2-3TONIGHT p.m. If you’re a beginner, bring Friday illa cape, full-length silver Lewis for a comment he made rial. Telecharge. l-length silver Lewis for a comment he made TONIGHT more information, call (518) 439-9314 or visit stars. Winner of four 2005 Tony Women of Science “Doubt.” John Patrick Shanople, about ani-heseveral Maguire. Gershwin. Ticketmass for it’s a comment mademonths ago about the difutria-lined coat —bethlehempubliclibrary.org. and Maguire. Gershwin. Ticketmassize 8 knitting needles; we’ll provide yarn and get TONIGHT The Telecharge number is (212) Maguire. Gershwin. Ticketmas“Doubt.” John Patrick Shan-Celebrate ter. 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For Terrific Turtles Turnbladdoes (Shannon Collodi, children will be whose life’s desire is to more information, call (518) 439-9314 or visit permitting, andcy submission Simon. Ticketmaster. whose life’s desire to Learn about what types of turtles live in whose life’s desire to is music exposed toisoperatic whose life’s desire is to bethlehempubliclibrary.org. on a television dance not guarantee publication. the Pine Bush, where they live, and how they TS BRIEFS and classicaldance singing while on a television on a television dance ARTS BRIEFS RIEFS Boys.” The survive, 1 p.m. For all ages. Free, but reservations nd $3, may be pur- “Jersey on a television danceSimon. Ticketmaster. exploring the important Continued on the next page Simon. Ticketmaster. Simon. Ticketmaster. Simon. Ticketmaster. story of Frankie Valli “Jersey Boys.” The ng, call442-3997. 584-4132. DeadliTickets, $6$3,and $3, may be pur“Jersey “Jersey Boys.”Boys.” The The ations, 584-4132. Deadli$6may and $3,August may be pur4-4132.call DeadliTickets, $6Tickets, andSeasons. be purFour “Jersey Boys.” The ckets, $6 and $3, may be purstory of Frankie ValliValli vationsisMonday. chasedbycalling442-3997. of Frankie ofstory Frankie Valli chasedbycalling442-3997. seservationsisMonday. Monday. chased byTelecharge. calling 442-3997. exhibit story of Frankiestory Valli ed by calling 442-3997. Seasons. August Four Seasons. August FourFourSeasons. August Four Seasons. August ,kel jazzto bands Nickel to exhibit Telecharge. “The Light in the cert, jazz bands Nickel to exhibit Galleries Telecharge. bands Nickel to exhibit Telecharge. exhibit young Telecharge. American “The Light wUAlbany at UAlbany at Center Galleries “The Light in the “The Light in inthethe show at UAlbany at Center Galleries at Center Galleries “The Light in the Center Galleries An exhibit featuryoung American romance in Italy, much to the young American young American —University The University young American ALBANY —exhibit An— exhibit featurs ANY — The University by Jason Nickel tihe romance inItaly, Italy, much tothetothethe ts HOME. OF THE ALBANY An exhibit featurALBANY — An featurs consternation of her mother. An tte s t s romance in Italy, much r romance in much to BANY — by AnKevin exhibitingfeature a a nd, directed r e romance inNickel Italy, to the of her mother. An b n new works by Jason ti- ti-much c twill Band, directed bying Kevin cted byopen Kevin consternation ajo ingti-new by Jason new works by works Jason Nickel ti-Nickel an Acro Gym COOLEST SUMMER EVER! affecting new musical by Adam consternation of her mother. An consternation of her mother. An ew works byTuesday Jason Nickel M D and the University consternation of her mother. An tled “Float On”open will open Tuesday affecting new musical by Adam and15the University University tled On” willopenTuesday tled “Float On”“Float will Tuesday hheagne, April atbyAlbany affecting new musical by Adam affecting new musical by Adam Float On” will open Tuesday Guettel and Craig Lucas. Vivian ble, directed David affecting new musical by Adam andthrough run through April 15Albany at15atAlbany Albany nsemble, directed by David cted by David Guettel and Craig Lucas. Vivian and run through April and run April 15 at es, 161a program Washington Guettel and Craig and Craig Lucas.Lucas. VivianVivian un through Aprilin15a atCenter Albany Beaumont. ofGuettel six 2005 Guettel and Craig Lucas. Vivian Galleries, 161Winner Washington ,share will share a program in a Galleries, aer program in a Beaumont. Winner of six Center Galleries, 161 Washington Center 161 Washington Beaumont. six20052005 Beaumont. WinnerWinner of sixof 2005 Galleries, 161MonWashington 8 p.m. Beaumont. Winner of six 2005 Tony Awards, including score Ave. t presented at 8 p.m. Monatsented 8 p.m.at MonTonyAwards, Awards, including score Ave. Ave. Tony Awards, including score Tony including score Main Theatre theof the Aand Tony Awards, including score will beof held a prize for its star, Victoria the Main Theatre Theatre the of from reception will be held from and a prize for its star, Victoria A reception will be helditsfrom Aheld reception willandbeaheld from and a for prizeitsforstar, its Victoria star, Victoria andstar, a prize willon bethe from Artsp.m. Center prize for Victoria 8reception Clark. Telecharge. ming Arts Center on the Center on Thursday, the 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, Clark. Telecharge. 8Telecharge. p.m. Thursday, 5:30Thursday, p.m. 5:30 to 8p.m.Clark. p.m.to Thursday, Clark. Telecharge. Clark. Telecharge. p.m. toAlbany’s 8 uptown p.m.uptown atsity Albany’s atuptown any’s March30. “The“The LionLion King.” Director March 30. March30. “The Lion King.” “The Director Special guest Merritt Alumni h 30. 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Harold ArlenHarold 372-5282 372-5282 372-5282 magic of theater. New Amster372-5282 tures. DANCE CAMP tures. magic of theater. Amstermagic ofAmstertheater. New New Amster.burg. VISIT US FORmagic FULL ofDETAILS: theater. New www.merrittdancecenter.com Y.Harburg. magic of theater. New AmsterJuly 29–Aug 8 www.merrittdancecenter.com www.merrittdancecenter.com www.merrittdancecenter.com dam. Ticketmaster, a special DisThe The gallery on the second www.strose.edu/summeracademy dam. Ticketmaster, a special dam. Ticketmaster, Dis- Dis-www.merrittdancecenter.com Ensemble gallery is second on the second Thethesecond gallery isTicketmaster, onis the dam. Ticketmaster, a special Dis- a special eiswill gallery isplay onthe the Ensemble will play leJazz playwill the dam. a special Dison the second ney hot line, (212) 307-4747. Dif-Difofthe AlbanyPublicLibrary. line, 307-4747. 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Calendar of events

12 Tuesday Pre-K Storytime Drop-in storytime for ages 2-6, 11 a.m. Siblings welcome. Rensselaer Public Library, 676 East St., Rensselaer (across from the Amtrak parking lot). For more information, call (518) 462-1193 or visit rensselaerlibrary.org.

13 Wednesday Slingerlands Elementary Summer Camp Fair A variety of local camps will share information about their summer programs and families will receive five raffle tickets to be entered to win raffle items from the participating camps, including free weeks of camp, gift certificates for discounts, t-shirts, etc., 6-8 p.m. Free. Slingerlands Elementary, 25 Union Ave., Delmar For more information, call (518) 366-1871 or visit sites.google.com/view/slingerlandscampfair.

Beading Workshop Drop in and learn easy beading techniques for making simple necklaces, bracelets, and earrings, 6-8 p.m. The library provides tools and offers a variety of beads to choose from, or you are welcome to bring your own supplies and projects along. Voorheesville Library, 51 School Road, Voorheesville. For more information, visit www. voorheesvillelibrary.org or call (518) 765-2791.

The Princess in Me Program focuses on teaching girls 4-12 years old how to love themselves, how to care for others, and how to be respectful as a princess, 5-7 p.m. Free. Electric City Barn, 400 Craig St., Schenectady. For more information, call (518) 491-6162 or email mdam@mdamweb.com.

Library Friends Children and their parents are invited to the library to play and interact with others while using age appropriate toys, books and puzzles, 11:15 a.m. For ages 3-6. This is a drop-in program, no registration required. Clifton Park-Halfmoon Public Library, 475 Moe Road, Clifton Park. For more information, call (518) 371-8622 or visit www.cphlibrary.org.

14 Thursday Library Tots Early literacy program emphasizes sharing books, flannel board stories, music, rhymes, and playtime together, 10 a.m. For ages newborn to 36 months. Voorheesville Library, 51 School Road, Voorheesville. For more information, visit www.voorheesvillelibrary.org or call (518) 765-2791.

National Geographic Live with Brian Skerry Underwater Photographer Brian Skerry will share images from the glacial waters of the North

Summer Dance Summer Dance Dance

the School of the

Atlantic, where harp seals face off with commercial hunters, to the balmy central Pacific, where he photographed damaged coral ecosystems rebuilding themselves, 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20-$40. Proctors, 432 State St., Schenectady. For more information, call (518) 346-6204 or visit www.proctors.org.

ALBANY BERKSHIRE BALLET

Teen Anime Club

Pre– Ballet ** Pilates Pilates***Jazz Jazz Pre– Pilates Jazz Pre– Ballet

Madeline Cantarella Culpo, Madeline Cantarella Culpo, Director Director Director Madeline Culpo, Director Madeline Cantarella Cantarella Culpo,

Ballet Modern *** Pointe Pointe*** Ballet Modern Pointe Ballet ** Modern

Watch anime, discuss manga and pop culture, and hang out with your friends, 4-6 p.m. For ages 13-18. Rensselaer Public Library, 676 East St., Rensselaer (across from the Amtrak parking lot). For more information, call (518) 462-1193 or visit rensselaerlibrary.org.

16 Saturday St. Patrick’s Day Celebration Meet a leprechaun and participate in a sing-along with local performer and educator, Diane Payette (aka Gramma Tippy Toes), 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Irish step dancers and Irish soda bread too! All ages are welcome. Clifton Park-Halfmoon Public Library, 475 Moe Road, Clifton Park. For more information, call (518) 371-8622 or visit www.cphlibrary.org.

Taco Saturday Enjoy a taco and socialize with your neighbors, 12:30 p.m. For all ages. Rensselaer Public Library, 676 East St., Rensselaer (across from the Amtrak parking lot). For more information, call (518) 462-1193 or visit rensselaerlibrary.org.

(EHS-CCP)

We are a FREE Infant Toddler Program for families who qualify and live in Schenectady County.

Early Explorers Play Group A time for caregivers and their children to visit the museum, enjoy some light snacks, and form a community of encouragement and acceptance, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Cost is $2 per family. World Awareness Children’s Museum, 89 Warren St., Glens Falls. For more information, call (518) 7932773 or visit www.worldchildrensmuseum.org.

SCAP Early Head Start Child Care Partnerships

Weekly classes classes Weekly classes Dance Camps Dance Camps Camps Dance Intensives Intensives Dance Intensives admin@schoolofabb.org admin@schoolofabb.org admin@schoolofabb.org www.schoolofabb.org www.schoolofabb.org www.schoolofabb.org 518-426-0660 518-426-0660 518-426-0660 25 Monroe Monroe Street, Street, 25 Street, Monroe Albany, NY Albany, NY Albany, NY

We provide: • Free diapers and formula • Nutritious meals and snacks • Family support services • Developmental screenings • Special Education Services (Speech, OT, PT) • Assistance getting health services • Nurturing learning environment Give us a call today.

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family fun for March

518.377.2015

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913 Albany St. • Schenectady

APRIL 19–21 TIMES UNION CENTER

Feisty Fishers Start inside with a short talk about the history and biology of the fisher, and then continue outside for a walk in the preserve to look for signs of the fisher, 11 a.m. For ages 6 and up. Free, but reservations required. Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany. For more information, call 456-0655 or visit www.albanypinebush.org.

Maple Sugar Open House An introduction to maple sugaring, from tap and sap to syrup, where you’ll get to twirl a brace and bit, pound a spile, inspect the sap flow, enjoy the aroma of sap boiling in our evaporator and take the maple syrup taste test challenge, 1:30-3:30 p.m. For all ages. Free. Five Rivers Environmental Education Center, 56 Game Farm Road Delmar. For more information, call (518) 475-0291 or visit www.dec.ny.gov/education/1835.html.

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Calendar of events 16 Saturday (cont.)

Voorheesville. For more information, visit www. voorheesvillelibrary.org or call (518) 765-2791.

The Mopco Improv Theatre Family Show

17 Sunday Erie Canal for Kids Learn about life on the Erie Canal and use a 1903 Erie Canal map as you imagine yourself on a canal boat traveling through the many locks of this great waterway, 2-4 p.m. Free. New York State Museum, Albany. For more information call (518) 474-0079 or visit www.nysm.nysed.gov.

19 Tuesday Preschool Storytime Books, rhymes, songs, a short video, and an art activity, 10 a.m. For ages 2 to 5 with caregiver. Voorheesville Library, 51 School Road,

20 Wednesday Sensory Playtime

Self-paced activities will allow you to explore sight, touch, and sound, work on motor skill development, and reinforce cooperative play with others, 9:30 a.m. This is a drop-in program for children ages 12-36 months accompanied by an adult, no registration required. For safety reasons only older siblings welcome. Clifton Park-Halfmoon Public Library, 475 Moe Road, Clifton Park. For more information, call (518) 371-8622 or visit www.cphlibrary.org.

KBA: Kids Builder Association Build your own fun with Legos, Snap Circuits, K’nex, blocks, puzzles, origami and more, 6:30-8 p.m. Bethlehem Public Library, 451 Delaware Ave., Delmar. For more information, call (518) 439-9314 or visit bethlehempubliclibrary.org.

Continued on the next page

Sesame Street Live! Make Your Magic When a magician visits Sesame Street to put on a magic show, Elmo wants to be part of the big event, but there’s one problem, Elmo doesn’t know how to do magic. Find out what happens as Elmo joins his friends to discover the many magical moments in everyday life, 5:30 p.m. Tuesday; 11 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. Tickets cost $20 and up. Times Union Center, 51 S. Pearl St., Albany. For more information, call (518) 487-2000 or visit www. timesunioncenter-albany.com.

March

12 13

OPEN HOUSE

Wednesdays, 9:30 am 23 Sitterly Road, Clifton Park Building Kindergarten Readiness skills Fostering Self-Esteem and Confidence Developing Leadership Skills for Life 5-hour Integrated Preschool Program Prime Locations in Clifton Park and Fort Edward

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www.newmeadow.org

Drop-in storytime for ages 2-6, 11 a.m. Siblings welcome. Rensselaer Public Library, 676 East St., Rensselaer (across from the Amtrak parking lot). For more information, call (518) 462-1193 or visit rensselaerlibrary.org.

Prepare them for Learning. Prepare them for Life.

Call:

518.899.9235

Pick of the Month

Pre-K Storytime

An interactive, family-friendly improv show that uses audience suggestions and willing volunteers to create stories, characters, and songs off the tops of our heads in this one-of-a-kind performance, 3:30-5 p.m. Tickets are $5 for children and $10 for general audience. The Mopco Improv Theatre, 10 North Jay Street, Schenectady. For more information, visit www. mopco.org.

Newmeadow

family fun for March

To advertise on our website, call Denice Mau at 439-4949 Check us out at:

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www.cdparentpages.com

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family fun for March

21 Thursday Library Tots Early literacy program emphasizes sharing books, flannel board stories, music, rhymes, and playtime together, 10 a.m. For ages newborn to 36 months. Voorheesville Library, 51 School Road, Voorheesville. For more information, visit www.voorheesvillelibrary.org or call (518) 765-2791.

Open Playtime Play and socialize with age-appropriate toys, 10:30 a.m. For newborns to 30 months old. Voorheesville Library, 51 School Road, Voorheesville. For more information, visit www. voorheesvillelibrary.org or call (518) 765-2791.

Teen Anime Club Watch anime, discuss manga and pop culture, and hang out with your friends, 4-6 p.m. For ages 13-18. Rensselaer Public Library, 676 East St., Rensselaer (across from the Amtrak parking lot). For more information, call (518) 462-1193 or visit rensselaerlibrary.org.

family. World Awareness Children’s Museum, 89 Warren St., Glens Falls. For more information, call (518) 793-2773 or visit www.worldchildrensmuseum.org.

22 Friday Crazy Craft Morning: Make and Take Program Looking for something creative and fun to do on your day off from school? The library’s closet full of leftover craft projects are just looking for someone to make and take, 10-11:30 a.m. For grades K to 5. Voorheesville Library, 51 School Road, Voorheesville. For more information, visit www.voorheesvillelibrary.org or call (518) 765-2791.

School’s Out “Incredible” Double Feature Spend the day off from school at the library enjoying these animated films featuring everyone’s favorite super family. The original (PG, 115 min., Disney) shows at 10:30 a.m., and the sequel (PG, 118 min., Disney) starts at 2:30 p.m. Bring a blanket or pillow to get comfy on the floor. Bethlehem Public Library, 451 Delaware Ave., Delmar. For more information, call (518) 439-9314 or visit bethlehempubliclibrary.org.

Harry Potter Movie Experience

Calendar of events Jordan Stewart for a Family Sing-A-Long ‘60s style, 11 a.m. Take a trip down memory lane and sing some old favorites to help celebrate the Library’s 50th Anniversary. Clifton Park-Halfmoon Public Library, 475 Moe Road, Clifton Park. For more information, call (518) 371-8622 or visit www.cphlibrary.org.

Grab a goodie bag when you arrive at 1:30 p.m., complete with a ticket to the Hogwart’s Express and everything else you need to become a classmate of Harry’s as you watch “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” Dress up for the Maple Sugar Open House occasion, if you’d like. Open to grades 4 and up, adults also. Please register. Voorheesville Library, An introduction to maple sugaring, from 51 School Road, Voorheesville. For more informa- tap and sap to syrup, where you’ll get to twirl a tion, visit www.voorheesvillelibrary.org or call brace and bit, pound a spile, inspect the sap flow, (518) 765-2791. enjoy the aroma of sap boiling in our evaporator and take the maple syrup taste test challenge, Family Film: 1:30-3:30 p.m. For all ages. Free. Five Rivers Beauty & the Beast Environmental Education Center, 56 Game Farm Road Delmar. For more information, call (518) This Disney classic revolves around a selfish 475-0291 or visit www.dec.ny.gov/educaprince who is cursed to become a monster for tion/1835.html. the rest of his life, unless he learns to fall in love with a beautiful young woman he keeps Terrific Turtles prisoner, 2 p.m. Rated PG; 129 min. For Learn about what ages 4 and up and their families. Clifton types of turtles live in Park-Halfmoon Public Library, 475 the Pine Bush, where Moe Road, Clifton Park. For more they live, and how they information, call (518) 371-8622 or survive, 1 p.m. For all ages. Free, visit www.cphlibrary.org. but reservations required. Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany. For more information, call (518) Family ’60s Sing-A-Long 456-0655 or visit www.albanypinebush.org. Join Darling Valley band members Ashleigh Continued on the next page Whitfield (also the Library’s Teen Librarian) and

23 Saturday

IT’S TIME TO START THINKING ABOUT PRESCHOOL AND SUMMER CAMPS FOR 2019! Come check out The Herman and Libbie Michaelson Early Childhood Center at Temple Israel! Located right next to St Peter’s Hospital

Temple Israel Nursery School offers: • Care for children 18 months 5 years • Register for 2 - 5 days per week, Full Day 8:00am - 5:30pm or Half Day 9:00am - 1:00pm • Unique Hebrew immersion program, ages 3 - 5 years • Music, art, gardening, and so much more every day!

Summer Camp is right around the corner…Registration begins March 1 for our 2019 Summer Camp season!

Take a tour, learn more, or register by contacting: Amie Bloom, Director • 518 438-7858 x120 amiebloom@tialbany.org • 600 New Scotland Ave, Albany 108122_4

MARCH 2019 — CDPARENTPAGES.COM 21

Capital District

arent pages

Calendar of events 24 Sunday Albany Comic and Toy Show Show features new and vintage toys, comic books and collectibles of every kind, as well as vendors and guests that create comic books, comic book art, gaming card art, statues and action figures, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For all ages. Cost is $5 per person. Red Lion Hotel, 205 Wolf Road, Albany. For more information call (518) 884-9498.

The Resource for Parents

Play the Recorder Celebration

Upcoming Monthly Themes & Deadlines

Come celebrate National Recorder Month by listening to members of the Hudson-Mohawk Recorder Society perform along with students of Albany Community Charter School at Colvin Tower in Adirondack Hall, 1-4 p.m. Free. New York State Museum, Albany. For more information call (518) 474-0079 or visit www.nysm.nysed.gov.

April

25 Monday

Summer Camp Guide (Part 1) Special Needs Deadline: March 4th

Open House at Clifton Park Nursery School Bring the kids for an Open House to tour the cooperative preschool and find out how to join, 5-7 p.m. Clifton Park Nursery School. Clifton Park Nursery School, 344 Moe Road. For more information, call (518) 371-5850 or visit www. cliftonparknurseryschool.org.

May

Summer Camp Guide (Part 2) Mother’s Day The Family Rensselaer County: Parenting Resources Deadline: April 1st

26 Tuesday Chess Club

Sign up for one session per night and play chess with teen volunteers, 5:30-6:30 OR 6:30-7:30 p.m. All experience levels welcome. For grades K-5. Bethlehem Public Library, 451 Delaware Ave., Delmar. For more information, call (518) 4399314 or visit bethlehempubliclibrary.org.

June

27 Wednesday

Father’s Day Adolescents Saratoga County: Parenting Resources Deadline: May 6th

Teddy Bear Sleepover

July

Summer Fun & Travel Summer Birthdays Schenectady County: Parenting Resources Deadline: June 3rd

To advertise in one or more of these issues please call

Denice Mau at 439-4940 or email: maud@spotlightnews.com 22 PARENT PAGES — MARCH 2019

Join local performer and educator, Diane Payette (aka Gramma Tippy Toes) for teddy bear stories and songs. Bring your favorite bear or cuddly friend to stay overnight in the Library, 6:30 p.m. Clifton ParkHalfmoon Public Library, 475 Moe Road, Clifton Park. For more information, call (518) 371-8622 or visit www.cphlibrary.org.

28 Thursday Library Tots

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Early literacy program emphasizes sharing books, flannel board stories, music, rhymes, and

family fun for March

playtime together, 10 a.m. For ages newborn to 36 months. Voorheesville Library, 51 School Road, Voorheesville. For more information, visit www. voorheesvillelibrary.org or call (518) 765-2791.

29 Friday PB&J Café: Stuart Little Also Saturday. Young theater-goers will have the opportunity to order a meal from the cast of characters, participate in an art activity, dine during the live musical theatre performance, and come home with autographs from their favorite characters from this endearing classic about a mouse named Stuart, 7 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday. Cost is $15. Proctors, 432 State St., Schenectady. For more information, call (518) 346-6204 or visit www.proctors.org.

30 Saturday Creative Movement and Inspirational Dance Class Children will use their bodies to form letters, numbers, and build stories, 10:30 a.m. No dance experience necessary. Wear comfortable clothing. For children ages 4-10. Please register. Voorheesville Library, 51 School Road, Voorheesville. For more information, visit www.voorheesvillelibrary.org or call (518) 765-2791.

Maple Sugar Open House An introduction to maple sugaring, from tap and sap to syrup, where you’ll get to twirl a brace and bit, pound a spile, inspect the sap flow, and take the maple syrup taste test challenge, 1:30-3:30 p.m. For all ages. Free. Five Rivers Environmental Education Center, 56 Game Farm Road Delmar. For more information, call (518) 475-0291 or visit www.dec.ny.gov/education/1835.html.

31 Sunday

SenseAble Science A sensory friendly science center experience for those with autism and other sensory needs, 10 a.m.-noon. Presented by the Autism Society of the Greater Capital Region, Schenectady ARC, and miSci with additional funds from sponsors. Cost $5 for children, $8 for seniors and $10 for adults. MiSci, 15 Nott Terrace Heights, Schenectady. For more information, call (518) 382-7890 or visit www.misci.org.

Cinderella by the New York Theatre Ballet New York Theatre Ballet‘s story of Cinderella is told through dance with colorful costumes reminiscent of the most spectacular book illustrations complete with wicked step-sisters, the fairy godmother, magic slippers, and more, 3 p.m. Tickets are $20; adults free with accompanying child. The Egg Center for Performing Arts, 1 Empire State Plaza, S. Mall Arterial, Albany. For more information, call (518) 473-1845 or visit www.theegg.org.

3.2.19 | 10am-5pm | FREE Welcome to the 14th annual Hannaford Kidz Expo at the

Empire State Plaza. Admission is FREE and there's something for everyone! Find activities galore, from meet and greets with beloved characters, theater performances, bounce rides, arts and crafts, mini-golf, and even reptiles. For the parents, you'll appreciate finding information on everything you and your kids need all in one convenient location: college savings, summer camps, health care, sports clubs, photographers, dance studios, and vacation planning, just to name a few. Whether Kidz Expo has become a tradition or you are scheduling your family's very first trip, we hope this official guide will help you plan the perfect day. We look forward to welcoming you to the 14th annual Hannaford Kidz Expo!

Paid visitor parking is available in the V-Lot under the Empire State Plaza for $5 and free parking is available in the East Parking Garage, Madison Lot, and Cathedral Lot. For more information, please visit empirestateplaza.ny.gov

MARCH 2019 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; CDPARENTPAGES.COMâ&#x20AC;&#x201A; 23

South Concourse

to Madison Ave.

North Concourse Meeting Rooms 1

Meeting Room 6

Food Court

EVENT MAP

Elevators to V-Lot

INFORMATION LOST CHILD AREA

Convention Hall

Hart Theater in The Egg to State St.

Meeting Room

Mommy Lounge

MAIN ATTRACTIONS Science Bob Presented by National Grid

Meet Chase & Marshall

Experience the world of science like never before with science teacher, author, and maker, Science Bob!

Don’t forget your camera because PAW Patrol is on a roll!

Hart Theater in The Egg 11:00am | 1:00pm | 3:00pm

Performances Live on Stage

Meeting Room 6

Magic by Bowey

Hannaford Healthy Kidz Obstacle Course Meeting Rooms 3 - 4 Get ready, get set, get moving with tunnel crawls, hopper balls, balance beams and more!

10:15am | 1:00pm

Seussical by Debuts Theater

11:30am

Albany Berkshire Ballet 1:45pm | 3:45pm

Reptile Adventure Meeting Room 5

Friendly animals and stranger-than-fiction facts. Stop by for a hands-on educational adventure.

Albany Community Charter Schools Drill Team 2:30pm | 4:30pm

Hoops by JEM 3:00pm

24 PARENT PAGES — MARCH 2019

Fun Putt Challenge Meeting Room 7

Indoors or outdoors, everyone loves mini-golf! Practice your skills and challenge your friends.

CHARACTERS

SPORTS & DANCE

North Concourse

STAR WARS 501st Legion

Albany Empire Meet & Greet Battlefield Live Laser Tag Tri-City Valley Cats

Convention Hall

Hi-4 Entertainment

South Concourse

Dance Dimensions

Roaming

Joshua J. Superstar Stilt Walking Scotty Nut-Nut Entertainment

Convention Hall

Northeastern New York PGA Plaza Level

Empire State Plaza Ice Rink Open from 12-8pm

ENTERTAINMENT & RIDES

ARTS & CRAFTS

Base of the Egg/Convention Hall

North Concourse

Bounce Rides

North Concourse

Make Empire State Plaza Art Tulip Queen and Court Girl Scouts of NENY

South Concourse

Base of the Egg

STARLAB Planetarium Roaming Railroad

FACE PAINTING Convention Hall

Faces by Barbara Base of the Egg

Bon Bon

North Concourse

Magic Brushes South Concourse

Rich Conley Caricatures

Albany Public Library

MEET OUR HEROES North Concourse

Albany Police Department Safe Child IDs New York State Police New York State Fire

FOOD

Base of the Egg

Dom’s Fried Dough + Pizza Guido’s Italian Ice North Concourse

Wild Bill's Old Fashioned Soda Food Court Open from 10:30am-2pm

Learn more at empirestateplaza.ny.gov MARCH 2019 — CDPARENTPAGES.COM 25

Welcome to the 14th annual Hannaford Kidz Expo

annaford Supermarkets is thrilled to return as the title sponsor of the 14th annual Hannaford Kidz Expo at the Empire State Plaza. The annual event has certainly become a must-attend day for families and children throughout the greater Capital Region. Hannaford has been working with the New York State Office of General Services to put together an exciting day of entertainment and education to mark the 14th edition of this outstanding event, including theater and musical performances, arts and crafts, and hands-on activities. Engaging with and strengthening our community is very important to Hannaford and we are a major supporter of non-profits that fight hunger, promote health and wellness, and contribute to child development and education This is why we last year launched the Hannaford Chef’s Table program, a partnership with six prominent local and regional chefs who share our passion for great fresh food and strong local communities. The core component of Chef’s Table is a focus on simple, everyday food inspired by local chefs to help home cooks make fresh, affordable meals. The program features affordable recipes using quality and fresh ingredients created by the participating chefs in local Hannaford stores. Shoppers who purchase participating products contribute toward a Hannaford donation to child nutrition efforts. Thanks to your purchases during these special events over the past year, we’ve provided more than three million meals to children in need throughout New York and New England. Hannaford invests hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in additional funds to support child nutrition and strengthen communities as part of the Chef’s Table program. Some of our most recent local contributions related to Chef’s Table include: • $125,000 to the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York to assist the non-profit organization’s efforts to bridge the gaps in access to nutritious food for young children, including through its Backpack Program, which provides students in need

26 PARENT PAGES — MARCH 2019

with bags of child-friendly, nutritious food for times when other resources are not available, such as weekends or school vacations. • $125,000 to the United Way of the Greater Capital Region, which utilized the funding to support its Summer Meals Collaborative, a cross-section of health and human service providers, policy advocates and government agencies to provide free, nutritious meals to children in need when school is not in session at more than 90 sites across the greater Capital Region. Additionally, the chefs, as individuals, are working throughout the year to strengthen their communities by participating in charitable activities and making donations. The Capital Region-based participating chef is Ric Orlando, executive chef and management consultant of New World Bistro Bar in Albany, NY. Known for his vibrant personality, we admire Ric’s passion for global ingredients and flavors, as well as his ardent support of local nonprofit organizations, such as the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York. We encourage you to keep an eye out for Ric’s exciting and flavorful recipes at your local Hannaford store. We invite you to visit us at the Hannaford Healthy Kidz Room (Meeting Rooms 3-4) during the Kidz Expo, where we’ve put together an exciting obstacle course with multiple activities designed to get kids on their feet. Feel free to ask any of our volunteers about the Hannaford Chef’s Table while your little ones get moving!

WELLINGTON’S R ESTAURANT, BAR & LOUNGE

We’re putting our energy behind the community.

DISCOVER DATE NIGHT IN ALBANY

National Grid values and respects the strength and diversity of our employees, customers and communities. And we take pride in our employees who volunteer their time and talents to enrich the places where we live, work and play.

Located in the Renaissance Albany Hotel, Wellington’s offers much to savor and discover with small plates, locally inspired dishes, engaging staff and classic libations.

WELLINGTON’S at the RENAISSANCE ALBANY HOTEL 144 State Street, Albany :: wellingtonsalbany.com :: 518 992-2432

www.nationalgridus.com Connect with us on

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WITH THE CARD THAT OPENS DOORS IN 50 STATES.

bsneny.com A division of HealthNow New York Inc., an independent licensee of the BlueCross BlueShield Association.

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Truth is, we let nature do all the

hard work.

That’s the Hannaford promise.

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28 PARENT PAGES — MARCH 2019 PromoAd_7.375x9.88.indd 1

2/14/18 11:17 AM