MARCH 2017
PARENTING In The Digital Age
10 UNMISTAKABLE
HABITS Of Utterly Authentic People
SUMMER CAMP GUIDE
[ ACTIVE FAMILY ]
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PUB: Activ Magazine Issue: May Client: Ast Property: Size: 1/2P (7.75” x 4 Colors: Fu DUE: 4/14
See a Stanford pediatrician at Bayside Medical Group and LPSR Pediatrics
Access to Excellence.
Volume 4 / Issue 38
[ PARENTING ] 5 Steps to Making Sure Your Children Get What They Need from You
8 Let No One Tell You What is Worth Saving
6 Reasons Parents Complain So Much
[ EVENTS ]
24
18
March Calendar
[ WOMEN & RELATIONSHIPS ]
[ SUMMER CAMP ]
10 Unmistakable Habits Of Utterly Authentic People
Summer Camp Guide
16
10
Camp Spotlight
[ MARRIAGE & RELATIONSHIPS ]
5 Little-Known Parenting Hacks That Take Less Than 1 Minute
14
26
11 Strategies to Strengthen Your Partnership in Early Family Life
34
22
Parenting In The Digital Age
20
20 4 ACTIVE FAMIL Y | MARCH 2017
22
18
Rainforests are responsible for about one in eight of the breaths we take. Visit our ever-evolving indoor rainforest to learn how these vital ecosystems affect life globally. Plus, see all the colorful new species just added to the 1,600 plants and animals from around the world. Get tickets at calacademy.org The Osher Rainforest is generously supported by The Bernard Osher Foundation.
Local Life & Style for the East Bay Area Publisher/Editor
Marketing Assistant Interns
Contributing Authors
Tracie Brown Vollgraf
Jaida Sinclair
Advertising Sales Director
Fashion Editor
Kathy Brillheart kbrillheart@activefamilymag.com
Rachel Fawkes www.fawkeshunter.com
Advertising Sales Managers
Design/Production
April Gentry agentry@activefamilymag.com
Teresa Agnew Craft
Jamee Tenzer Rachel Macy Stafford Erica Reischer, Ph.D. Travis Bradberry Susan Stiffelman Carrie Contey Jennifer S. White
Ad Design/Production
Mary Oakes moakes@activefamilymag.com
Lara Mays
Active Family is published by TAG Marketing Group Mailing Address | P.O. Box 5158, Pleasanton, CA 94566
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Editor’s Note It’s absolutely wonderful that we are officially out of the drought, but enough rain already! Although we are blessed with a plethora of indoor activities and fun around the Bay, such as the Museum of Science in San Francisco, the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito, Habitot in Berkeley and the Aquarium of the Bay (just to name a few), this Mom is ready for some sun! At this point we will have to settle for planning the summer fun. It gives us something to look forward to…right? As we daydream of sunnier days ahead, flip to page 26 and check out all of the amazing summer camps offered conveniently close to where we live. If it is a classic summer adventure your child seeks, you can find it. Looking for a specific activity, S.T.E.M or sleep away camp? We have those listed too! Be sure to check out our NEW website at www.activefamilymag.com and tell us what you think! Tracie Brown Vollgraf Editor info@activefamilymag.com
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[ PARENTING ]
Jamee Tenzer is an Executive Coach, Trainer and Mentor. For the past 15 years she has been privileged to coach breadwinner moms and executives and to work internationally as a coach mentor and trainer. She has worked with leaders in many industries including; entertainment, non-profit and technology. In addition to serving as a Supervisor, Mentor and Trainer for the International Coach Academy from 2006 to 2015, she is also a trained mediator and the co-creator of three ICF Accredited courses for coaches; Deeper Conversations Coaching, Mentor Coach Certification and Real Coaching Sessions Unplugged. Jamee is a member of the International Coach Federation, Producers Guild of America and Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. She holds a CPC from the International Coach Academy, a PCC from the International Coach Federation and a BCC from the Center for Credentialing and Education. She is a committed im-perfectionist - her husband and three children can attest to this!
5 Steps to Making Sure Your Children Get What They Need from You by Jamee Tenzer When you close the door behind you to head off to work each morning, you may wonder if your children are getting what they need. Do they cry themselves to sleep when you go on a business trip? Are you missing important conversations after school? Will your children tell you if they are having a problem with friends? Will you know if they come home with a stomach ache each day or if they are being teased on the playground? These thoughts and concerns swirl around in your head like a tornado that is trying to form – but instead stays on the horizon, hands on hips, taunting you. Sure, if that tornado ever moved in it could do some damage. But this imaginary tornado is happy to stand just outside of reach, tongue sticking out – daring you to challenge its windy assertions. Time to check the weather report? Chances are that tornado is just a collection of tiny storms that will easily dissipate if challenged. As women, we excel at communication.
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[ PARENTING ] We can have those tough conversations with our
today. Keep checking in.
staff. We can confide in our friends with honesty and authenticity. We feel better when we are able to
4. Be honest about what you can and cannot do for your
share how we are feeling with our partners and family
child.
members. But somehow, when that tornado shows up, instead of talking, we freeze. And that ability to communicate with the outside world, can turn into a guilty lump in the throat that stops us from learning the truth. Time to check the weather report? It’s probably sunnier than you think.
You may not be able to meet every need – and that’s ok. Just acknowledging that the need exists, is so important. Your child might wish you could pick him up from school every day. The truth is that you cannot do that and keep your job. But are there some days that you could work it out to pick him up from school? Acknowledge the wish and do what you can to fulfill it.
Of course there are challenges. Your children face their own issues each and every day – and if they had their
5. Be a work in progress.
druthers they might wish you could be with them 24/7.
We are not looking for perfection here, just a willingness
But what do they need from you? How are they really
to move forward in the best way you know how. What is
feeling about life? The tornado doesn’t have any of
the minimum you can do each day to let your child know
those answers and the lump in your throat simply keeps
you are always there for them?
you from investigating. Lump in the throat and imaginary tornado be gone! Let Time to check the weather report? It’s going to be a
the weather checking begin!
beautiful day. Coach Me Quick Tips for Checking the Weather: 1. Remember that your kids are not you. Do you ever look at your child and wonder how they became the person they are? The things that might have bothered you – won’t bother them. But they will be challenged in areas you might not have ever dreamed
Rainforest Adventure is a multisensory expedition that introduces visitors to tropical rainforests around the world.
could be challenging. Be open to hearing their truth
• Climb a 9 foot kapok tree
without filtering it through your truth.
• Explore a gorilla nest
2. Ask dumb questions.
• Discover products that come from tropical rainforests
You may think you know the answers but don’t assume that you do. Your child may not care if you send her with home baked cookies for the bake sale. Before you
• Study animals and plants using unique scientific tools • Learn how children and their families help protect rainforests
Rainforest Adventure was created by Stepping Stones Museum for Children
spend another late night baking, ask her. 3. Assume things change daily. Children’s needs and wants change just as quickly as they do. Just because your child needed you to walk
Special Exhibition Open Through May 7
her into school last week, doesn’t mean she wants that MARCH 2017 | ACTIVE FAMIL Y 9
[ PARENTING ]
Let No One Tell You What is Worth Saving by Rachel Macy Stafford
Rachel Macy Stafford is a certified special education teacher with a Master’s Degree in education and ten years of experience working with parents and children. In December 2010, this life-long writer felt compelled to share her journey to let go of distraction and grasp what really matters by creating the blog “Hands Free Mama.” Using her skills as a writer, teacher, and encourager, Rachel provides readers with simple, non-intimidating, and motivating methods to let go of distraction and connect with their loved ones. Rachel’s work has been featured on CNN, Good Morning America, Global News, USA Today, TIME.com, MSN.com, The Huffington Post, and Reader’s Digest. Her blog currently averages one million visitors a month. Rachel’s new book, HANDS FREE MAMA, is a New York Times Bestseller.
“One life, one love One voice And that is enough, One heartbeat, two hands to give I got one shot and one life to live One life to live.” -Switchfoot, Live It Well I confess: I don’t kill spiders, and I save drowning bugs in pools. Ever since I could walk, I’ve had a heart for animals, insects, and creatures of all kinds. I was quiet about my animal rescue missions until I heard my older daughter talking to her friends a couple years ago. “My mom doesn’t kill spiders,” Natalie said after I heard screams from the basement. “It’s just a Daddy Long Legs. I can get it,” she said calmly. From my hidden position in the stairwell, I heard the door open and shut. The spider was free. My heart felt free too. Maybe saving spiders is nothing to hide. I thought to myself. I knew exactly where my apprehension to share my empathy for animals derived from – I was five years old, and I was watching television with my dad. A heart-wrenching ad came on the screen about abused and mistreated animals. Images of starving dogs with pleading eyes and terrified cats with
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[ PARENTING ] matted fur flashed before my innocent eyes. As my heart broke wide open, my dad scoffed at the T.V. “Save the animals? Let’s save the starving and abused children first,” he retorted. I quickly composed myself before he could see the emotional reaction I was having to the disturbing images on the screen. I was old enough to understand the reason for my father’s words. After serving in the Peace Corps, he became a social worker. His life’s work was dedicated to equipping college students to lift the marginalized and equip the disadvantaged. My dad was passionate about the empowerment and liberation of humankind, not animalkind. I would soon follow in his footsteps. I became a special education teacher. Advocating for beautifully unique and often undervalued children (as well as their parents) was a fulfilling calling, but it didn’t produce the same peace I had when I was saving animals. So behind the scenes of my teaching mission, I continued my animal rescue mission—freeing trapped lizards in garages and lanais, lifting stuck turtles to safety, retrieving puppies tossed in trash bins, and feeding starving cats along my walking route. My animal-loving heart radar was always up, spotting creatures to help on a daily basis. While teaching special education students was my obvious mission, saving animals was my quiet mission – and I honestly don’t think either approach was any less effective or any less worthy; extending love, care, and support to a living, breathing being is always worthy. To save a life is to save a life To ease pain is to ease pain To speak for the voiceless is to speak for the voiceless And one is enough … One saved, comforted, or positively impacted is enough. As I watch my growing daughters cultivate their own heart-led passions, I’m glad I’ve experienced both approaches to saving because there is a vast difference in the way my daughters advocate. Natalie writes
letters to Priscilla, the unsmiling child she selected out of an array of much cheerier children in need of a Compassion sponsor. “I want to give her a reason to smile,” explained then seven-year-old Natalie when she picked up Priscilla’s card that others had quickly looked over. Natalie eventually taught herself Swahili so she could communicate in Priscilla’s native language. When I pointed out Priscilla has a translator, Natalie’s response was: “I know, but I don’t want the words to come from someone else; I want them to come from me.” When a friend is going through a tough time, Natalie is the first to write an encouraging note. She sends valentines to recently widowed friends of my mom. She is not afraid to walk up to homeless people on the street and hand them money from her pocketbook. Yes, she wants love to come from directly her, one to one, and she wants to do it quietly without recognition, fanfare, and fuss. At age thirteen, she already knows she is called to reach one at a time … that one is enough … and that no one needs to know except that one. My younger daughter, who had no issue taking the stage at age four to captivate an audience with “Amazing Grace” on her tiny ukulele shares her passions outwardly. Last Spring, she officially declared herself an advocate for the Noticers of the world. With sidewalk chalk she wrote in big, bold letters: “I Am a Noticer! Noticing is GOOD!” She has since made a point to do everything she can to encourage people who feel more, see more, and hear more—to support those who respond compassionately to sadness and pain because of their heightened awareness to the world around them. Avery doesn’t want Noticers to hide their gift just because they might seem a little different from rest. Avery recently had the chance to film a short video about being a Noticer that would reach a wide audience. When I told her someone could play her role in this video if she didn’t feel comfortable, her response was this: “I want to do it. I was born to do it.” I’m quite certain we are all born to do something. We all have a tug on our heart towards certain issues, groups of people, ideals and causes. Lately I’ve noticed more MARCH 2017 | ACTIVE FAMIL Y 11
[ PARENTING ] and more people being vocal about what matters to
To ease pain is to ease pain
them. I have watched people I know and love speak out on really tough topics, only to be met with silence or
To speak for the voiceless is to speak for the voiceless
condemnation.
And if you touch one life through your loving hands or shaky voice, one is enough.
I stood in the hallway of my home with one such advocate. Because of her ancestry, this woman’s heart is
Dear ones, listen closely to what your heart is telling you
full of passion and pain for her Native American brothers
is worth saving. Don’t listen to naysayers—save your
and sisters. Although vocally addressing the issues her people face puts her in a vulnerable position, exposed to criticism and rejection, she does it anyway. When I told her how proud I was of her, she began to cry. I understood her reaction. When we are fighting for the things that break our hearts wide open, we often grow weary … our skin hurts from the pushback … our soul is bruised from being exposed to harsh elements. But like Avery said, we are born to do this. And whenever I read my friend’s words, I’m certain she’s born to
energy for those you are fighting for. Keep walking in your purpose and let love fall at the feet of those who’ve been waiting to hear your voice. “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” –Martin Luther King, Jr. It’s time to speak – whether it’s in a letter, a bullhorn, a one-on-one conversation, or whispered in a furry, tattered ear. Your heart cracked wide open is the sound of hope.
advocate for her people and bring awareness to government officials, fellow citizens, and the entire world. What I said to this beautiful activist the day we stood in my foyer may also be helpful to you. So just in case you’re feeling a pull on your heart to fight for something worth saving, here is my encouragement to you: Let no one tell you who or what is worth saving.
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[ PARENTING ]
5 Little-Known Parenting Hacks That Take Less Than 1 Minute by Erica Reischer, Ph.D. Erica Reischer, Ph.D. is a psychologist, author, speaker, and parent educator. Her work with parents and families has been featured in Real Simple, Time Magazine, Parenting Magazine, Woman’s Day, The Washington Post, Red Tricycle, PopSugar, Brit & Co., Mother Magazine, The Chicago Tribune, GreatSchools, Yahoo Parenting, KQED Public Radio, Parenting.com, and more. Dr. Reischer’s writing about children and families appears in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Psychology Today, The Greater Good Science Center, and The Atlantic. She is also the author of the best-selling book, “What Great Parents Do: 75 Simple Strategies for Raising Kids Who Thrive,” which has been translated into nine languages. Dr. Reischer earned a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in Psychology / Human Development, and is an honors graduate of Princeton University. A former consultant with McKinsey & Company, she sits on the advisory board for Happy Healthy Kids and continues to lead popular parenting classes at schools and organizations such as UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, Habitot Children’s Museum, and University of California.
As a working mother, I’m always on the lookout for simple things I can do to make life easier and more fulfilling. Whether it’s learning that I can use a microwave to disinfect a kitchen sponge in one minute or apply baking soda to remove water stains from wood furniture, I love to find tips and tricks that save time, reduce stress, and make a small but meaningful difference in my life. These sorts of simple tips and tricks have come to be known as “hacks.” There are life hacks, cooking hacks, decorating hacks, cleaning hacks, and so on. With that in mind, here is my contribution: 5 parenting hacks from a developmental psychologist who specializes in parent-child relationships (but who is not a very good cook). They all take less than 1 minute to do, but have powerful and often immediate results. These parenting hacks, based on my work with thousands of moms and dads in my parenting classes (link is external), can help you sidestep power struggles and encourage kids to listen and cooperate, while also improving your relationship with them. 1. Pivot Pivoting is the art of saying ‘yes’ instead of ‘no’, and meaning the same thing.
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[ PARENTING ] So instead of saying: “No, we can’t go to the park until after you have a nap,” pivot and say: “Yes, we can go to the park as soon as you’re done with your nap.” Or: “Yes, you can borrow the car as soon as you finish your homework.” The message is the same, but the tone is completely different, and saying “yes” gives kids a lot less to argue with. 2. Reframe Reframing is engaging kids’ imagination and sense of play in order to create the behavior you would like to see. A fascinating study of four-year-olds shows the power of this strategy. In the study, the researchers first asked the kids to stand still for as long as they could. The kids didn’t last very long: usually less than a minute. Then the researchers asked the kids to pretend that they were guards at a factory. Now, the kids were able to stand still almost four times as long. Why? Because they were imaginatively engaged in the activity. You will also see reframing at work in many preschools when everyone sings the “clean-up song” while the kids put away toys and organize the room. 3. Give a reason In our busy lives as parents, we may not even notice ourselves barking out “do’s” and “don’ts” to our kids: “Get your shoes on now,” “Turn off the computer,” “Stop that,” and so on. Then we get frustrated when they ignore us or resist doing what we’ve asked.
are making reasonable requests and also models the importance of using good reasons to motivate behavior. 4. Empathize Empathy, as I’ve previously written, is the most powerful tool we have as parents. When we practice empathy with our kids, we show respect for their feelings and their reality (which are often different from ours). We show that we are listening, and that we understand--or are trying to understand--their point of view. When you don’t know to do in a situation, practice empathy. When you have to insist on something or follow through on consequences, practice empathy. For example: “Sweetie, I know you don’t want to wear your seatbelt. It feels itchy to you. You wish you didn’t have to wear it (empathy).” Please note that practicing empathy does not oblige you to change or fix anything about the situation. This is an important distinction. You can empathize with your son’s frustration at having to wear a seatbelt without the need to take it off. 5. Avoid saying “But” After all of that empathizing to create connection with your kids (see #4 above), don’t negate it by saying “But...” As in: “I know you don’t want to wear your seatbelt, but it keeps you safe so you have to do it.”
Here we have the beginnings of a power struggle. But we may be able to sidestep it if we help kids understand why we are asking (that is, give them a reason).
Instead, keep the connection you established through empathy by conveying that kids’ feelings are important even when they can’t be honored.
(Note: “Because I said so” is not a reason--and will probably lead to more power struggles or secrecy).
How? Say “At the same time” rather than “But.” As in: “Sweetie, I know you don’t want to wear your seatbelt. At the same time, the seatbelt keeps you safe in the car so we all wear seatbelts when we drive somewhere (give a reason).”
For example: “Please go get your shoes on now. We have to leave in one minute or we’ll be late to pick up your friends and that would not be nice manners.” This strategy will not guarantee immediate compliance with your requests, but it will show your kids that you
Note: This parenting hack, plus #4 above, can work on people of all ages (including your spouse and/or coworkers). MARCH 2017 | ACTIVE FAMIL Y 15
[[ ACTIVE ] WOMENFAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS ]
Dr. Travis Bradberry is the award-winning coauthor of Emotional Intelligence 2.0 and the cofounder of TalentSmart® the world’s leading provider of emotional intelligence tests and training serving more than 75% of Fortune 500 companies. His bestselling books have been translated into 25 languages and are available in more than 150 countries. Dr. Bradberry is a LinkedIn Influencer and a regular contributor to Forbes, Inc., Entrepreneur, The World Economic Forum, and The Huffington Post. He has written for, or been covered by, Newsweek, BusinessWeek, Fortune, Fast Company, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The Harvard Business Review.
10 Unmistakable Habits Of Utterly Authentic People by Travis Bradberry Oscar Wilde said, “Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.” Wilde made it sound so simple, but living with authenticity is a real challenge. To live authentically, you must own your actions and ensure that they align with your beliefs and needs. This can be a difficult thing to maintain when external forces pressure you to do something you’re not comfortable with or to be someone you’re not. Most people have experienced the discomfort that comes with failing to behave authentically. Researchers from Harvard, Columbia, and Northwestern joined forces to measure this phenomenon scientifically. They found that when people failed to behave authentically, they experienced a heightened state of discomfort that’s usually associated with immorality. People who weren’t true to themselves were so distraught that they felt a strong desire to cleanse themselves physically. It’s clear that our brains know when we’re living a lie, and like all lies, being inauthentic causes nothing but harm. But how do you start living authentically? That can be tough, especially if you’ve been playing a role for most of your adult life. “I had no idea that being your authentic self could make me as rich as I’ve
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[ WOMEN & RELATIONSHIPS ] become. If I had, I’d have done it a lot earlier.” - Oprah
of that stuff is nothing more than cultural trappings, and
Winfrey
they choose to talk about things that matter.
Authentic people are deeply in tune with who they
6. They don’t take anyone’s advice without evaluating it
are and what they want. Their ability to live their life
carefully first. It’s not that authentic people aren’t willing
in harmony with their true selves comes from some
to take advice; they are. But they don’t put that advice
clearly discernible habits that any of us can study and
into action just because other people have. First, they’ll
incorporate into our repertoire.
run it through the wringer from a critical perspective so that they can be sure it makes sense for them.
1. They help others to be their authentic selves. Authentic people don’t expect others to play a role either. They
7. They don’t complain about their problems.
don’t make people feel as though they have to fit into a
Complaining is what you do when you think that the
certain mold or to project a certain image to be a part
situation you’re in is someone else’s fault or that it’s
of their lives. Their commitment to being authentic gives
someone else’s job to fix it. Authentic people, on the
other people the freedom to live authentically too.
other hand, are accountable. They understand that they—and no one else—are responsible for their own
2. They let go of negative people. Authentic people
lives, so there’s no point in complaining.
have too much self-respect to put up with people who treat them badly or have ill will toward them, and they
8. They’re internally motivated. Authentic people don’t
have too much respect for other people to try to change
sit at their desks thinking, “Well, if my boss would just
them. So they let go—not out of anger, but out of their
make this job worthwhile, I’d do a better job.” The carrot-
need to be true to themselves.
and-stick approach just isn’t relevant to them. They’re motivated from within.
3. They express their true feelings and opinions, even when they’re not popular. Authentic people don’t live
9. They make the best out of any situation. Authentic
a go-along-to-get-along lifestyle. They’re simply not
people have a very firm grasp on reality. When things
capable of acting in a way that’s contrary to what their
don’t go their way, they don’t get trapped in denial, and
principles dictate, even if there are repercussions. They
they don’t sit around whining about how things should
prefer not to lie to other people, and they especially
be different. They simply take stock of the way things
can’t lie to themselves. This means that they’re willing to
are and, if there’s nothing they can do to change the
live with the repercussions of staying true to themselves.
situation, they figure out a way to make the best of it.
4. They are confident. Much social anxiety stems from
10. They don’t get stressed or upset when someone
the fear we have of being “found out.” We’re afraid that
doesn’t like them. It’s never fun accepting that someone
somebody is going to discover that we’re not as smart,
doesn’t like you, but a lot of times that discomfort comes
experienced, or well-connected as we pretend to be.
from trying to figure out what you did wrong or how
Authentic people don’t have that fear. Their confidence
you can fix it. Authentic people don’t have that anxiety
comes from the fact that they have nothing to hide. Who
because they would never try to change themselves to
they appear to be is who they really are.
influence someone else’s opinion. They accept that other people have a right to be authentic about their own
5. They prefer deep conversations to meaningless
feelings, even if those feelings are negative toward them.
chatter. Eleanor Roosevelt nailed this one. She once said, “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss
Bringing It All Together
events; small minds discuss people.” You won’t find
Living authentically is a perpetual challenge that
authentic people gossiping about others or giving their
requires emotional intelligence and yields great rewards.
opinions on the latest celebrity scandals. They know all
It’s a noble path that you won’t regret following. MARCH 2017 | ACTIVE FAMIL Y 17
[ EVENTS ]
March Alameda County MARCH 1 -5 Disney on Ice: Worlds of Enchantment Oracle Arena & Oakland Coliseum Oakland Times Vary www.coliseum.com/events/detail/ disney-on-ice-worlds-of-enchantment
MARCH 3 $5 Fridays Chabot Space & Science Center Oakland 6pm – 10pm www.chabotspace.org/first-fridays. htm
MARCH 4 You Have to Have a Habitat! Crab Cove Alameda 10am – 11am www.apm.activecommunities.com Meet the Bunnies Ardenwood Fremont 11:30am – 12pm www.apm.activecommunities.com
MARCH 5 That’s Our Snow White East Bay Children’s Theatre Berkeley 1pm & 3pm www.ebctonline.org/production SSnakes, SStories & Sspirals Coyote Hills Fremont Times Vary www.apm.activecommunities.com Rockridge Ice Cream Tour Rockridge Oakland 11am www.localfoodadventures.com/ tours/ice-cream-tour
18 ACTIVE FAMIL Y | MARCH 2017
MARCH 7, 14, 21 & 28 Dublin Iceland Family Night Dublin Iceland Dublin 7:45pm – 9pm www.dubliniceland.com
MARCH 10 – 12 Gem Faire Alameda County Fairgrounds Pleasanton 12pm – 5pm www.gemfaire.com Bay Area International Children’s Film Festival Chabot Space & Science Center Oakland Times Vary www.baicff.com
MARCH 11 Make Your Own Rain Sticks Tilden Nature Area Berkeley 1pm – 2pm www.apm.activecommunities.com Farmyard Story Time Ardenwood Fremont 1pm – 2pm www.apm.activecommunities.com Fiber and Dye Family Day UC Botanical Garden Berkeley 11am – 3pm www.events.berkeley.edu
MARCH 11 & 18 ZooKids- Paws & Claws Oakland Zoo Oakland 9:30am – 12pm www.oaklandzoo.org/ZooKids_Program.php
MARCH 12 The Recycling Puppet Show Tilden Nature Area Berkeley 1pm – 2pm www.apm.activecommunities.com
Johnny Appleseed Day Ardenwood Fremont 11am – 3pm www.apm.activecommunities.com
MARCH 17 Friday Nights @ OMCA OMCA Oakland 5pm – 9pm www.museumca.org/friday-nightsomca
MARCH 17 – 26 Madagascar: A Musical Adventure, Jr. Firehouse Arts Center Pleasanton Times Vary www.firehousearts.org/eventscalendar/
MARCH 18 Patchwork Series: Frances England Freight & Salvage Berkeley 11am www.thefreight.org/170318 Sheep Shearing Day Ardenwood Fremont 11am – 3pm www.apm.activecommunities.com
MARCH 25 Building Birders Coyote Hills Fremont www.apm.activecommunities.com
Contra Costa County MARCH 3 Preschool Performance Series Village Theatre Danville 10am www.villagetheatreshows.com
[ EVENTS ]
March MARCH 3 – 5
MARCH 13
Bye Bye Birdie Village Theatre Danville Times Vary www.icandothattheatre.com
Spring Tea at the Library Martinez Library Martinez 6:30pm – 7:30pm www.ccclib.org
MARCH 4
MARCH 14
Family Program- Working Wool Forest Home Farms San Ramon 11am – 2pm www.ci.san-ramon.ca.us
Shahrzad Dance Academy Nowruz Celebration Danville Library Danville 4pm – 4:30pm www.ccclib.org/locations/danville. html
Family Program- Buzzing Bees Forest Home Farms San Ramon 11am – 2pm www.ci.san-ramon.ca.us
MARCH 4, 11, 18 & 25 Chess Club Dougherty Station Library San Ramon 3:30pm – 4:30pm www.ccclib.org/locations/dougherty.html
MARCH 9 – 12 Jack and the Beanstalk Fantasy Forum Walnut Creek Times Vary www.fantasyforum.org/jack-thebeanstalk/
MARCH 11 Lot’s O’ Luck Hat Lakeshore Learning Store Walnut Creek 11am – 3pm www.lakeshorelearning.com
MARCH 12 & 19 All You Can Eat Skate The Golden Skate San Ramon 6:30pm – 9pm www.thegoldenskate.com
St. Patrick’s Day Craft Danville Library Danville 11:45am – 1pm www.ccclib.org/locations/danville. html
Out of Area MARCH 1 Free Day Bay Area Discovery Museum Sausalito 9am – 4pm www.bayareadiscoverymuseum.org
MARCH 3 - 6 Family Camp Weekend Point Bonita Sausalito www.ymcasf.org/programs/familycamp-weekends-point-bonita
MARCH 14 Pi Day Exploratorium San Francisco 10am – 5pm www.exploratorium.edu
MARCH 18 Family Program- Laundry Day Forest Home Farms San Ramon 11am – 2pm www.ci.san-ramon.ca.us
MARCH 18 & 19 Model Railroad Show Model Railroad Society Walnut Creek Times Vary www.wcmrs.org
MARCH 19 That’s Our Snow White! Orinda Library Auditorium Orinda 1pm & 3pm www.ebctonline.org/production
MARCH 25 Family Program- The Invention of the Telephone Forest Home Farms San Ramon 11am – 2pm www.ci.san-ramon.ca.us
Email info@activefamilymag.com to subscribe to our weekly email blast for more events!
MARCH 2017 | ACTIVE FAMIL Y 19
[ PARENTING ]
Susan Stiffelman, Huffington Post Parent’s weekly advice columnist (“Parent Coach”), is an engaging speaker whose presentations leave audiences upbeat, entertained and fortified with practical strategies that will make an immediate and significant difference in their day to day lives. Susan is a licensed Marriage, Family and Child therapist, a credentialed teacher, and a highly regarded parenting coach. Instead of offering standard, scripted advice to parents about how to control their children, Susan focuses on helping them be what she calls the Captain of the ship their children need and naturally want to cooperate with, confide in, and respect. Those who attend Susan’s presentations routinely email her office with thanks, and a request to come back again!
Parenting In The Digital Age by Susan Stiffelman An email arrives in my inbox almost every day with some version of the following: “I’m losing my kids to their smartphones/ video games/ internet.” The writer may be talking about a teen who can’t stay in a conversation for more than a minute because as soon as she hears that Ping! on her phone, she’s off and running. Or it could be that a parent is asking out for help because his six year old flies into a rage whenever Daddy says it time to turn off the iPad. How do we help our kids enjoy the wonderful fun and social connectivity offered by their devices without losing their ability to hit the “Off” switch? It isn’t easy to figure this out for our kids — or ourselves. Few among us don’t have our own love affair with our digital devices. We stay connected with loved ones, stay up to date with the news, and work out carpool schedules with a few clicks. But we are in uncharted territory, and nowhere is that more evident than in
20 ACTIVE FAMIL Y | MARCH 2017
[ PARENTING ] parenting in the digital age. How should we handle our
sometimes be unhappy with your decisions. It’s okay if
child’s insistence that he has to be on his computer to
they think you’re the meanest mom who ever lived. Be
do his homework when we know he’s also listening to music and keeping tabs on his friends. What should we do about a daughter who insists that the only time she’s
kind and acknowledge their frustration, but don’t be afraid to set limits.
happy is when she’s online, or a son who claims his only friends are the ones he plays online games with — kids he’s never actually met.
Model healthy habits. It’s all well and good to suggest that our kids go play
I’d be a fool if I suggested that there was a one-size-fits-
outside. But how easy is it for you to resist the urge to
all approach to such a complex issue. But there are a
check in one last time at work, or take a quick look at
few things I have found to be true. (For more, please click
what your pals are up to on Facebook? If you spend
here to join me for a webinar on Feb 15th as I explore this topic in depth with Dr. Victoria Dunckley, author of “Reset Your Child’s Brain.’’)
hours every night in front of your screen, or interrupt conversations with your kids when you get a text message, your kids aren’t going to take you very seriously
Strengthen connection. Many children turn to their devices because it’s the only game in town. While it’s true that our 15-year-old may
when you extol the virtues of the 3D world. Take a walk, pick up a book, or plunk yourself down in front of the
roll her eyes at us if we suggest a game of Monopoly, I
piano. When your kids see you having the kind of fun
can’t count the number of times that kids have privately
that doesn’t require a plug or a battery, they’ll be more
confessed to me to me that their parents are always busy. Youngsters who feel liked and enjoyed on a regular
inclined to follow suit.
basis by parents who seek their company (not to remind them about homework but simply to hang out) are far more willing to unplug. Whether you concoct a new dessert together or challenge your son to a Connect Four championship, make time for real-world activities with your kids and they’ll be more willing to cooperate
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suggest they turn off their screens. Others are afraid of what might be said behind their back on social media if they go offline. Encourage your kids to share their objections when you suggest that they engage with the 3D world, and then listen, without scolding, shaming, or giving unwanted advice. Don’t be afraid of their upset. I wish parents were less fearful of their children. Yes, your kids may pitch a fit if you tell them that six hours of non-stop video gaming is not an option, but children are comforted by parents who are willing to hold a line.
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Make peace with the likelihood that your children will MARCH 2017 | ACTIVE FAMIL Y 21
[ MARRIAGE & RELATIONSHIPS ]
Carrie Contey is an internationally recognized coach, author, speaker and educator. Her work offers a new perspective on human development, parenting and family life. She guides, supports and inspires her clients to live with wide open and courageous hearts so they can approach family life with skill, spaciousness and joy. Carrie received her PhD in prenatal and perinatal psychology and is masterful at synthesizing and articulating the science, psychology, and spirituality of humanhood. She is the creator of “Evolve” a year-long “personal growth through parenting” program. She is also the cofounder of the Slow Family Living movement and the co-author of CALMS: A Guide To Soothing Your Baby. Carrie has appeared on NBC’s The Today Show, NPR, CBS radio and in many publications including Time, Parenting and The Boston Globe. Currently she lives, works and plays in Austin, TX but spends as much time as she can traveling, speaking, creating things that make family life more wonderful and living her very own extraordinary life to the fullest! To learn more, visit www.carriecontey.com
11 Strategies to Strengthen Your Partnership in Early Family Life by Carrie Contey Partnership can be challenging at times and it jumps to a whole new level of intensity when you add one or more tiny humans to the mix. Parenting as partners, partnering as parents — however you slice it — takes time, energy, patience and care. And all these things can feel in very short demand between the two of you when you become parents. So, what can a couple do, in the early years of family life, to keep the relationship cooking and navigate the logistics of getting everything done as they parent growing people who need so much? Here are 11 ways to strengthen your partnership in the midst of parenting: • Accept what is. You two got together under completely different circumstances. And now you are here. So... be here now. Stay present. Meet
22 ACTIVE FAMIL Y | MARCH 2017
[ MARRIAGE & RELATIONSHIPS ] this moment. Perpetually meet each other as you are
• Regulate before you communicate. Try to be aware of
now. Not as you were or how you wish each other to
where you are in your brain when you communicate.
be. But right here. Right now. Warts and all.
If you are in the red (reptilian brain), don’t talk. If you are in the yellow (mammalian brain), do something
• Acknowledge, often and honestly, the wacky phase of life you are in together. The very nature of family life is chaotic when there are children in the home. And the chaos is typically in inverse proportion to the age of the children (younger = more chaos) and direct proportion to the amount (more kids = more chaos). Say it loud and proud, “This is NOT the season of our life where we will have lots of time to nurture each other and our relationship. That time will come again. AND we will do our best with the time we do have together now because this is important to us. All of us.”
that gets you back in the green (human brain) before you speak. A few ideas — big breath, drink of water, jump up and down, walk outside, splash your face with water. Remember your partner is hearing your brain state WAY more than he/she is hearing your words. Oh, and no one is a mind reader. Express yourself clearly, from a kind human brain. • Check yourself. Be responsible for checking in on your own emotional state. Often. Hold whatever you observe with kindness, not judgment or excuses. Think of it like the way you might talk to a friend who simply
• Invest in the relationship bank account. Make little investments (kind words, simple gestures, warm
needs empathy. Turn to yourself with softness and check in often.
touches, sweet texts) and big investments (dates when you can, physical and emotional intimacy, time away
• Five to one. For every one criticism, give five
alone) into the relationship bank account. Be mindful
appreciations. Practice this regardless of if you voice
of keeping the account from going into the black.
the criticism out loud or you think it to yourself. 5 to 1. Learn it. Live it. Love it.
• Be honest and own your stuff. When you start to feel resentful because he or she is or isn’t doing this or that, check in and notice what’s getting triggered. Own that you are tired or overwhelmed or feeling frustrated or feeling inadequate or feeling scared. Take responsibility for how you are feeling instead of putting it on your partner. It’s so easy to do the latter, and so much more productive to do the former. • Slow down, connect, enjoy. Take more breaths. Look each other in the eyes when you are talking. Hug. Kiss. Give each other “high-fives.” Hold hands when you can. Find things to laugh about. Be silly and playful with each other, especially in the midst of parenting
• Let it be. Cut everyone around you, especially yourself, a whole lot of slack. Be like Teflon, let the annoyances slide off. Try to let at least 50% of what bunches you up . . . go. • Really listen and put yourself in your love’s shoes. We all want to feel heard. We all want to feel heard. We all want to feel heard. Give your partner the gift of really listening. And then try to see that person’s point of view. Oh and remember, you can be right or you can be connected. But you can’t often be both. Go for connection. And finally...
and doing chores and daily life. Make it fun. Make if funny. Find the humor in the absurdity of the fact that
• Choose love.
you committed to each other. And in being with each
Please write a comment and let me know which
other you made babies and in having babies you
strategy you will try in your partnership (or with
don’t get to actually be with each other all that much!
yourself)! MARCH 2017 | ACTIVE FAMIL Y 23
[ PARENTING ]
6 Reasons Parents Complain So Much by Jennifer S. White Jennifer S. White is a voracious reader, obsessive writer, passionate yoga instructor and drinker of hoppy ales. She’s also a devoted mama and wife (a stay-at-home yogi). She considers herself to be one of the funniest people that ever lived and she’s also an identical twin. Jennifer is a columnist for The Huffington Post, A Plus, elephant journal and Be You Media Group, and has over 40 articles published on the wellness website MindBodyGreen. Her yoga-themed column Your Personal Yogi ran in the newspaper Toledo Free Press. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in geology, absolutely no degrees in anything related to literature, and she currently owns a wheel of cheese. If you want to learn more about Jennifer, make sure to check out her writing, as she’s finally put her tendencies to overthink and overshare to good use. Jennifer is the author of The Best Day of Your Life and The Art of Parenting: Love Letters from a Mother, available Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Her brand new book A Quiet Kiss just released this summer, and is also available on Amazon. www.jenniferswhite.com
Parents of little kids notoriously complain a lot. I have two children, ages 5 and 1, and I’m not immune to joking about there never being enough coffee, or the lack of sleep I get some nights, or how showers these days just aren’t the same. After reading a few posts from people making comments that parenting must be awful—and a few mentioning how glad they are that they aren’t doing it—it got me pondering why exactly we bitch so much about these little individuals who, clearly, are worth it, and who offer significantly more in return than the effort they take… 1. Competition. American culture, in particular, is highly competitive. We compete about how busy we are, how little sleep we get, and, generally, things that really aren’t worth gloating over (and yet, culturally, we do). Saying that I only slept this amount last night, or I cleaned up this many messes today, or I haven’t had a shower in fill-in-the-blank days could be translated into this perverse social need to work harder than everybody else around us. 2. It’s true. It’s true that it’s hard work. It’s true that I bust my ass at my job—it’s just that my job is at home caring for the two people dearest to me in the world, besides their father.
24 ACTIVE FAMIL Y | MARCH 2017
[ PARENTING ] 3. Empathy.
Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing
We are offering our empathy to other parents when we
unless it means effort, pain, difficulty… I have never in my
say things like, “Hey, my house is untidy most of the time,
life envied a human being who led an easy life. I have
too,” or, “I’m also tired as hell of changing poopy diapers
envied a great many people who led difficult lives and
today,” or, “Yeah, it’s gonna be beer-thirty here ASAP.”
led them well.
But this empathy, and reminding other parents that they aren’t alone, shouldn’t be mistaken for saying that the
Parents know that our hard work will pay off. And, no, it’s
work outweighs the benefits, because it doesn’t.
not because of what will come later in our lives as our children grow older.
4. Our bosses are tiny. It’s sometimes difficult to admit that such small people
Caring for my children is already worth it, every single
have so much pull over us—over our hearts, and our
day—when my daughters smile at me with cupcake
schedules, and our lives.
frosting around their mouths; when we were leaving the zoo yesterday after I took my girls there for a surprise visit,
5. It’s consuming.
and my oldest turned to me and said, “It’s a good day,
Having children can become all-consuming, especially
Mommy.”
if we don’t make the effort to care for ourselves as individuals outside of parenting, and to care for the
I don’t necessarily believe that effort always equals
relationships that exist outside of this parent-child bond.
success, but I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t take a shower today, that I wish I had a second cup of coffee
6. Nothing worth it is easy.
in my hand—and that my kids are hands down the best
That ol’ Teddy Roosevelt quote is applicable here:
things that have ever happened to me.
Dr. Ozzie Jafarnia
DDS, Board Certified
Specialist in Pediatric Dentistry
Dr. Noyan Aynechi DDS, Board Certified
Specialist in Pediatric Dentistry
Nothing is more beautiful than your child’s smile!
Welcome to Danville Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics! ! Our office is committed to providing excellent preventative care for children in a warm, positive, and compassionate environment. We specialize in comprehensive dental care for children of all ages with an emphasis on prevention and health. As your child grows, we are able to provide comprehensive orthodontic care for children and teens. This is to help create and maintain a healthy smile into adulthood. We will do so by providing excellent treatment at the right time for the right reason with integrity, honesty and a caring heart.
Your child’s smile is our top priority. We are committed to making it the happiest, healthiest and straightest smile possible. After all, nothing is more beautiful than your child's smile! 4145 Blackhawk Plaza Circle, Ste. 203, Danville
Dr. Reem Stephanos DDS, MS
925-837-7745 • drozzie.com
Specialist in Orthodontics
MARCH 2017 | ACTIVE FAMIL Y 25
[ SUMMER CAMP ]
Spanish Immersion Classes & Camps Engaging curriculum uses music, art & games
Experienced, dynamic teachers Ages toddlers to teens Small class sizes
FIND A
CAMP
r Join us fo g, in story tell a g t, mes music, ar f F UN & TONS o l! año p s e - in Mention ACTIVE FAMILY and receive a FREE first time trial class!
www.vivaelespanol.org • 925-962-9177 Lafayette • Pleasanton • And schools all over the Bay Area
PERSONALIZED INSTRUCTION FOR ADULTS, CHILDREN AND TODDLERS. SUMMER CAMPS & HORSEMANSHIP CLINICS
.............................................
Coaching for the beginner and competitive show rider. CALL NOW FOR MORE INFO:
925.960.9696
............................................. Ask for:
Samantha Lazone & Barbara EnDean •
5111 Dolan Rd, Livermore CA 94551
www.showstables.com
26 ACTIVE FAMIL Y | MARCH 2017
t h a t FITS!
Walnut Creek traditional summer camp experience AA Traditional Summer Camp
925.937.6500
•
San Ramon & Alamo
Adventuredaycamp.com
MARCH 2017 | ACTIVE FAMIL Y 27
[ SUMMER CAMP ]
Summer Alameda County ALAMEDA Alameda School of Music 1307 High St. 510.769.0195 www.alamusic.org
Camp Bladium 800 West Tower Ave 510.814.4999 www.bladiumalameda.com/ youth-kids/kids-camps
Monkey Business Camp 2880A Sacramento St. 510.540.6025
Bee Best Learning 20394 San Miguel Ave. 510.728.2110
Quarry Lane School 6363 Tassajara Rd. 925.829.8000
www.monkeybusinesscamp.com
www.beebestlearning.com/
www.quarrylane.org
Sticky Art Lab 1682 University Ave. 510.981.1148
DUBLIN
FREMONT
East Bay SPCA Animal Camp 4651 Gleason Dr. 925.479.9670
Learning Bee Summer Camp 39977 Mission Blvd. 510.226.8408
www.eastbayspca.org/camp
www.learningbeeusa.com
City of Dublin 100 Civic Plaza 925.556.4500 www.ci.dublin.ca.us
Ohlone for Kids 43600 Mission Blvd. 510.659.6000
www.stickyartlab.com
Young Writers Camp UC Berkeley Campus 510.642.0971 www.bawpwritingcamp.org
Green Stuff Summer Camp UC Berkeley Botanical Gardens 510.643.4832 www.botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu
Lawrence Hall of Science UC Berkeley 510.642.5134 Play-Well TEKnologies 2203 Central Ave. 510.747.7529 & 1011 Chestnut St. 510.227.9378 www.play-well.org
BERKELEY Music Discovery Workshop 2005 Berryman St. 510.528.1725 www.sfems.org
www.lawrencehallofscience.org
BERKELEY/ECHO LAKE Berkeley Echo Lake Camp Lot #7 Echo Lakes Rd 530.659.7539 www.cityofberkeley.info/camps
CASTRO VALLEY Skye Valley Training Camp 10250 Crow Canyon Rd 925.858.8825 www.psi.lunariffic.com/~skyev0/
St. John’s Camp Elmwood 2727 College Ave. 510.845.6830 www.stjohnsberkeley.org/ campelmwood
Camp Kee Tov 1301 Oxford St. 510.842.2372 www.campkeetov.org
Habitot 2065 Kittredge St. 510.647.1111 ext. 14
Sarah’s Science This Land Is Your Land Summer Day Camp 21525 Knoll Way 510.581.3739 www.sarahscience.com
Play-Well TEKnologies 21201 Independent School Rd & 6395 Palo Verde Rd 415.460.5210 www.play-well.org
www.habitot.org/museum/activities_camps.html
28 ACTIVE FAMIL Y | MARCH 2017
Valley Christian School 7500 Inspiration Dr. 925.560.6270 www.ValleyChristianSchools.org
Edge Gymnastics Training Center 6780 Sierra Court St. K 925.479.9904 www.edge-gymnastics.com
Kidz Kraftz Quail Creek Cir. 925.271.0015 www.kidzkraftz.com/camps
Tri-Valley YMCA 6693 Sierra Ln 925.263.4444 www.trivalley.ymcaeastbay.org
Extended Day Child Care 8435 Davona Dr. 925.829.4043 & 7997 Vomac Rd. 925.551.8170 7243 Tamarack Dr. 925.833.0127 & 5301 Hibernia Dr. 925.803.4154 & 3300 Antone Way 925.826.5538 www.extendeddaychildcare.com
www.ohlone.edu/org/ohloneforkids
HAYWARD Hayward Area Recreation Park District (H.A.R.D.) Day Camps 510.881.6700 www.haywardrec.org
Play-Well TEKnologies 2058 D St. 415.460.5210 www.play-well.org
LIVERMORE Horizons East Equestrian Center 5111 Doolan Rd. 925.960.9696 www.showstables.com
Roy’s Magic Camp 2466 8th St. 925.455.0600 www.magiccamp.org
Camp Arroyo Taylor Family Foundation 5535 Arroyo Rd. 925.371.8401 www.ebparks.org/activities/daycamps/parks_camp_arroyo
[ SUMMER CAMP ]
Camps Saddle to Ride Topline Training, Inc. 4180 Greenville Rd. 925.858.3933
Lake Merritt Boating Center Youth Boating Camps 568 Bellevue Ave. 510.238.2196
City of Pleasanton Summer Programs 200 Old Bernal Ave. 925.931.3436
Backyard Explorers Corner of Babel Ln & Cowell Rd. 925.671.3118
www.saddle2ride.com
www.sailoakland.com
www.ci.pleasanton.ca.us
www.cityofconcord.org/recreation/ summercamps/backyardexp.htm
Xtreme Force Dance Company 847 Rincon Ave. 925.455.6054
Raskob Learning Institute 3520 Mountain Blvd. 510.436.1275
Expressions Dance & Art 3015 Hopyard Rd. Ste. I 925.200.9908
www.raskobinstitute.org
www.expressions-dance-arts.com/
Kids N’ Dance 3840 Macarthur Blvd. 510.531.4400
Young Ivy Academy 5460 Sunol Blvd (#3) 925.548.0188
www.kidsndance.com
www.youngivyacademy.com
www.doublediamondsportsacademy.com
MOCHA Summer Camp 1625 Clay St. 510.465.8770
Inspire Music Academy 2340 Santa Rita Rd. Ste. 7 925.461.3266
Valley Montessori 1273 N. Livermore Ave. 925.455.8021
www.mocha.org
www.inspiremusicacademy.com
Play-Well TEKnologies Various Locations Oakland 415.460.5210
Contra Costa County
www.xtremeforcedanceco.com
Double Diamond Sports Academy 2272 Research Dr. 925.830.9765
www.valleymontessorischool.com
OAKLAND Lakeshore Children’s Center 3534 Lakeshore Ave. 510.893.4048 www.lakeshorechildrenscenter.org
Urban Adventure Camp 5701 Cabot Dr. 510.339.0676
www.play-well.org
PLEASANTON Gingerbread Preschool 4333 Black Ave. 925.931.3430 www.ci.pleasanton.ca.us/services/ recreation/gb/gbhome.html
www.urbanadventurecamps.com
East Bay SPCA Animal Camp 8323 Baldwin St. 510.569.0702
Extended Day Child Care 5199 Black Ave. 925.846.5519 www.extendeddaychildcare.com
www.eastbayspca.org/camp
California Shakespeare Theater Summer Conservatory 4660 Harbord Dr. 510.809.3293 www.calshakes.org/v4/educ/summer_conservatories.html
Quarry Lane School - East 3750 Boulder St. 925.846.9400 www.quarrylane.org
Quarry Lane School - West 4444B Black Ave. 925.462.6300 www.quarrylane.org
Oakland Summer ZooCamp 9777 Golf Links Rd. 510.632.9525 www.oaklandzoo.org
Yang Fan Academy 4160 Hacienda Dr. St. 100 925.699.4664
DANVILLE City of Danville Camps 420 Front St. 925.314.3400 www.danville.ca.gov/Recreation/ Camps
ANTIOCH City of Antioch Parks and Recreation 213 “F” St 925.776.7070 www.ci.antioch.ca.us/Recreation
Vision Tech Camps 117 Town & Country Dr. St. B 925.699.9602 www.visiontechcamps.com
Devil Mountain Summer Camp at Athenian School 2100 Mt. Diablo Scenic Blvd 925.837.5375 www.athenian.org
Color Bundles 301 Hartz Ave. #104 925.727.3137 www.colorbundles.com
Four Stars Gymnastics Academy 1799 Vineyard Dr. 925.778.8650
Camp Brainy Bunch 741 Brookside Dr. 510.548.4800
www.fourstarsgym.com
www.campbrainybunch.com
CONCORD
Quest Therapeutic Camps Charlotte Wood Middle School 600 El Captain Dr. 925.743.2900
City of Concord Parks and Recreation 925.671.3404 www.cityofconcord.org/recreation/ summercamps
www.questcamps.com
Camp Concord in South Lake Tahoe 1000 Mt. Tallac Trailhead Rd South Lake Tahoe 530.541.1203 www.ci.concord.ca.us/recreation/ camp
www.yfacademy.org
MARCH 2017 | ACTIVE FAMIL Y 29
[ SUMMER CAMP ]
Summer LAFAYETTE California Shakespeare Theater Summer Conservatory 1000 Upper Happy Valley Rd 510.809.3293 www.calshakes.org/v4/educ/ summer_conservatories.html
Kids N’ Dance 3369 Mt. Diablo 925.284.7388 www.kidsndance.com
Sienna Ranch 3232 Deer Hill Rd. 925.283.6311 www.siennaranch.net
Sherman Swim School 1075 Carol Ln. 925.283.2100 www.shermanswim.com
www.frenchforfun.com
Lafayette Tennis Club 3125 Camino Diablo 925.937.2582 www.lafayettetennis.com
Husky House for Kids 3855 Happy Valley Rd. 925.283.7100 www.huskyhouseforkids.org/ summer-camp-programs
Lafayette Community Center Camps 500 Saint Mary’s Rd. 925.284.2232 www.lafayetterec.org
Roughing It Day Camp 1010 Oak Hill Rd. 925.283.3795 www.roughingit.com
BandWorks Summer Camp 28 Orinda Way 925.254.2445 www.bandworks.com/summer_ orinda.php
Orinda Academy 19 Altarinda Rd. 925.478.4504
Merriewood Children’s Center 561 Merriewood Dr. 925.284.2121
www.orindaacademy.org
www.merriewood.org
www.campdoodles.com
MARTINEZ
PLEASANT HILL
John Muir Mountain Day Camp John Muir National Historic Site 925.680.8807
City of Pleasant Hill Camps 147 Gregory Ln 925.682.0896
www.johnmuirassociation.org/ muircamp/index.php
French For Fun 3381 Mt. Diablo Blvd 925.283.9822
ORINDA
Rancho Saguaro 1050 Pereira Rd. 925.788.5200 www.ranchosaguaro.com
MORAGA Gaels Summer Camp 1928 St Mary’s Rd. 925.631.4FUN www.smcgaels.com
Camp Saklan 1678 School St. 925.376.7900 www.saklan.org/about-us/campsaklan
OAKLEY City of Oakley Parks and Recreation 3231 Main St. 925.625.7044 www.ci.oakley.ca.us
Diamond Hills Sports Club 1510 Neroly Rd. 925.420.4575 www.sparetimeclubs.com
30 ACTIVE FAMIL Y | MARCH 2017
Camp Doodle 66 St. Stephens Dr.
www.pleasanthillrec.com
PITTSBURG City of Pittsburg Parks and Recreation 300 Presido Ln. 925.252.4842 www.ci.pittsburg.ca.us
SAN RAMON City of San Ramon Camps 2226 Camino Ramon 925.973.2500 www.ci.san-ramon.ca.us
WALNUT CREEK Adventure Day Camp Seven Hills School 975 North San Carlos Dr. 925.937.6500 www.adventuredaycamp.com
Lindsay Wildlife Museum Summer Science Camp 1931 First Ave. 925.935.1978 www.wildlife-museum.org
Camp ARF for Kids 2890 Mitchell Dr. 925.256.1273 www.youth.arf.net
City of Walnut Creek Summer Camps 1666 North Main St. 925.943.5899 www.walnut-creek.org
Castle Rock Arabians 1350 Castle Rock Rd. 925.933.3701 www.castlerockarabians.com/
Multiple Locations The Growing Room Academy Various locations around the Bay Offers: 3,4 and 5 Day Camps 925.837.4392 www.thegrowingroom.org
Camp Rocks: Girl Scouts of Northern California Offered at 5 locations: San Rafael (Camp Bothin), Santa Cruz (Skylark Ranch), San Jose (Camp Metro Day Camp), North Lake Tahoe (Deer Lake), and the Sierra Nevada Mountains (Sugar Pine) 800.447.4475 ext. 2091 www.camprocks.org
Mad Science Camp Offered at several local Recreation sites and Community Centers 925.687.1900 www.mtdiablo.madscience.org
Steve and Kate’s Camp Danville, Dublin, Fremont, Oakland, Walnut Creek and Berkeley 415.389.5437 www.steveandkatescamp.com
Camp Galileo Alameda, Alamo, Berkeley, San Ramon, Walnut Creek, Fremont, Oakland, Lafayette and Orinda 510.595.7293 www.galileo-learning.com
[ SUMMER CAMP ]
Camps KinderCare Walnut Creek, Concord, Danville, Martinez and Clayton 888.523.6765 www.kindercare.com/summercamp
Viva el Espanol! Lafayette, Piedmont, Pleasanton & San Anselmo 925.962.9177 www.vivaelespanol.org/summerprograms.php
Stratford School Summer Sports Camp & Enrichment Danville, Fremont, Los Gatos, Morgan Hill and Pleasanton 925.737.0001 www.stratfordschools.com
Sky hawk’s Sports Camp Various locations around the Bay Area 800.804.3509 www.skyhawks.com
Lango Language Summer Camps Serving Alamo, Blackhawk, Brentwood, Briones, Canyon, Clayton, Concord, Danville, Martinez, Moraga, Orinda, Pacheco, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, San Ramon, Walnut Creek and surrounding regions 888.445.2646 www.langokids.com/parent/kidslanguage-summer-camps
Camp Edmo Alameda, Fremont, and Oakland 415.282.6673
Camp Tawonga 131 Steuart Ste. 460 San Francisco 415.543.2267
College For Kids 1700 W. Hillsdale Blvd. San Mateo 650.574.6149
www.campedmo.org
www.tawonga.org
www.collegeforkids-smccd.com
Kids’ Carpentry Berkeley, Lafayette, Alameda, Oakland, Alamo & Walnut Creek 510.524.9232
SF Zoo Camp Sloat Blvd. & the Great Highway San Francisco 415.753.7080 www.sfzoo.org
School of Rock Summer Camp 711 South B St. San Mateo, San Jose & Palo Alto 650.347.3474
www.kidscarpentry.com
www.schoolofrock.com
TechKnowHow Kids Dublin, Berkeley, Fremont, Livermore, Oakland & Pleasanton 650.638.0500
Almaden Equestrian Center 20100 Almaden Rd. San Jose 408.927.0232 www.almadenequestriancenter.net
www.techknowhowkids.com
Out of Area Golden Arrow Camps 644 Pollasky Avenue, Ste. 100 Clovis, 93612 800.554.CAMP
Kennolyn Camps 8205 Glen Haven Rd. Soquel 831.479.6714 www.kennolyncamps.com
Silver Creek Sportsplex 800 Embedded Way San Jose 408.224.8774 www.gotoplex.com
www.goldarrowcamp.com
Coppercreek Camp 1887 Williams Valley Rd. Greenville, 95947 800.350.0006 www.coppercreek.com
Camp Unalayee 3921 East Bayshore Rd. Palo Alto 650.969.6313 www.unalayee-summer-camp.com
CYO Summer Camp 2136 Bohemian Hwy Occidental, 95465 707.874.0200 www.camp.cccyo.org
Club Sport Fremont, San Ramon, Pleasanton and Walnut Creek 925.938.8700 www.clubsports.com
Mountain Camp Woodside 302 Portola Rd. Portola Valley 650.576.2267 www.mountaincampwoodside.com
MARCH 2017 | ACTIVE FAMIL Y 31
[ SUMMER CAMP ]
Summer Camp ‘17 Register Today! THE GROWING ROOM
925.837.4392
AT T H E G R OW I N G R O O M
Customize your summer fun with enrichment classes, music lessons, field trips and more!
J u n e 5 – Au g u st 9
THE ACADEMY
925.820.5808 thegrowingroom.org/camps info@thegrowingroom.org
THE ACADEMY
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G R A D E S K– 5 • H O U R S : 6 : 3 0 A M – 6 : 3 0 P M ENRICHMENT CLASSES FOCUSING ON: STEAM, Sports & Fitness,
Dance, Culture, Cooking, Minecraft Play and more! Specialized Classes offered for an additional fee in Robotics, Computer Programming, Sewing, Arts/Theater, Languages, Chess and more!
NEIL ARMSTRONG
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TASSAJARA HILLS
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HIDDEN HILLS
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LIVE OAK
Meet friends. Learn about animals. Have a fur-tastic time!
Camps for kids entering grades 1-12 in Oakland and Dublin
Register today at eastbayspca.org/summercamp 32 ACTIVE FAMIL Y | MARCH 2017
[ SUMMER CAMP ]
Summer @ Stratford
Let the Adventure Begin… Stratford offers an innovative, customizable summer camp experience — from academics to engineering; science to music and art; sports to writing workshops; and so much more! A variety of summer programs are available for preschool through 9th grade.
Find a campus near you and explore summer at
StratfordSchools.com/summer-camp
Camp begins June 19 O
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Accrediting Commission for Schools
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Preschool State License Numbers: 073402482, 013417816, 013420588, 434404890, 434408056, 434407977, 434404336, 434406722, 434408877, 384001837, 434410807, 434410816, 073406680, 013420939, 414004014, 434413440. © 2017 Stratford Schools, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
ASSOCIAT I
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The curiosity to reach. The courage to grasp.
AND CO
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MARCH 2017 | ACTIVE FAMIL Y 33
[ SUMMER CAMP ]
Camp Spotlight ADVENTURE DAY CAMP Adventure Day Camp is a traditional summer day camp that offers a welcoming, lively, safe, positive, and diverse environment where children gain confidence and build self-esteem while enjoying a funfilled summer in the outdoors. Their summer camp program exposes
VIVA ESPAÑOL Summer 2017 will offer ageappropriate Spanish immersion programs for: Elementary school students and teens. Spanish immersion day camps are designed to give children a unique opportunity to learn or improve their Spanish language skills. They consist of oneweek sessions. During each week, students participate in interactive games, music and movement activities, and arts & crafts projects that center around a specific theme. Camps run June 12- August 18 offering a variety of activities to choose from. Each week culminates with a sing-along and presentation where the kids get to show o what they have learned. Sessions run Monday thru Friday. Ages 5 to 10.
campers to a variety of challenging and exciting activities that will strengthen their appreciation for teamwork and personal accomplishment. There are three different 3-week Summer Camp sessions available: June 12th – June 10th; July 3rd – July 21st and July 24th – August 11th. To register: www.adventuredaycamp.com 925.937.6500.
To register: www.vivaelespanol.org/east-bayprograms/camps 925.962.9177. 34 ACTIVE FAMIL Y | MARCH 2017
ROUGHING IT DAY CAMP At Roughing It Day Camp they have four amazing programs. First they have their premier all outdoors program located at the Lafayette Reservoir, Roughing It Day Camp which is offered in 4 & 8 week sessions and meant for Pre-K to 12th grades. Little Raccoons is offered in 2 week sessions and ideal for Pre-K to 1st grades. Their Horse Camps are available in 2-week sessions and ideal for 3rd to 10th grades. And last but not least is their Outdoor Explorer program available in a 1-week Session for 3rd to 10th grades. To register: www.roughingit.com 925.283.3795
®
Preschool
Education is a Lifelong Commitment
®
Discover Quarry Lane
NOW ENROLLING Join our Open House every Wednesday! www.QuarryLane.org/Preschool
Toddler, Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten Academic-Based Curriculum Passionate, Experienced Educators
PLEASANTON WEST CAMPUS Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten 4444B Black Ave., Pleasanton, CA
925.462.6300
Full and Half Day Schedules Computer, Spanish, Music, P.E., and Library Two Preschool Campuses in Pleasanton
PLEASANTON EAST CAMPUS Infant through Pre-Kindergarten 3750 Boulder St., Pleasanton, CA
925.846.9400
MARCH 2017 | ACTIVE FAMIL Y 35 CA Licenses: 013411303, 013411304, 013411305, 013417681
36 ACTIVE FAMIL Y | MARCH 2017