Family& Parenting Coastal Carolina
August-September 2018
THERAPY SESSIONS An interesting way to relieve stress.
NATIONAL NIGHT OUT
A celebration to promote crime prevention in Onslow County.
Disney Under the Stars Family-fun and musical entertainment for the whole family.
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August - September 2018
August - September 2018
Coastal Carolina FAMILY & PARENTING | 3
Table of Contents therapy 4 light
night out 7 national
10
getting pets for kids
Family& Parenting Coastal Carolina
ADVERTISING Sales Manager Bobby Stone
Editorial
Managing Editor Ena Sellers
Contributing Writers
ON the Cover
5 calendar for august back to 6 school
under 8 disney the stars
9
calendar for september
Kenbasa Harrell Christopher Dewitt Matthew Sokol
Coastal Carolina Family & Parenting is published six times a year. Circulation: 10,000. Distribution of this magazine does not constitute an endorsement of information, products or services. For distribution inquiries, call 910-939-0704. For advertising, call 910939-0700. Cover photo by Couture Expressions Photography
August - September 2018
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Healing the body with the
Friday Nights Lights
Therapy Session
STORY By Matthew Sokol
S
tart out a beautiful Friday evening in a stress free environment with the “Talk About Light” event at the Swansboro Recreational Center in Swansboro, August 17. Participants will learn about incorporating health enhancing self-care techniques. Whether trying it out for the first time or revisiting the concept, this community building event will be an educational opportunity for all. This light therapy session is an ongoing monthly series. Patrons from all ages are welcome to attend the event. Family and friends can learn together and try a new approach to improve their wellness levels as this is a practical solution to heal the body. Patrons are advised to consult a doctor if they a medical condition before attending the light therapy session. “Participants will get a free InLight Polychromatic LED Light Therapy session,” said Jamie Botinovch, program supervisor at the Swansboro Park and Recreation Department. “These sessions are said to help aid in healing and repair of the body by providing targeted LED light energy delivered by non-invasive diodes.” For anyone going through the recovery process after an injury, the light therapy session can be used for pain relief. It is alternative way to cope with an injury during a safe healing process. “Supporters of LED Light Therapy cite an increase in circulation as well as detoxification,” said Botinovch. “We all know that getting the blood flowing can really do wonders for our stress levels. LED Light Therapy has been used as an aid in healing for things ranging from traumatic brain injury to arthritis.” The event will kick off with a brief presentation on how light therapy can change lives at 5 p.m. “A major highlight of this class is a chance to try something new,” said Botinovch. “Patrons can come and ask questions or take part in a free session. This is a non-invasive alternate therapy method.”
Pre-registration for this event is appreciated by the Swansboro Parks and Recreational department. For more information on events through the Swansboro Recreation and Parks department, call 326-2600 or visit swansboro.recdesk.com/ Community/Calendar.
August - September 2018
AUGUST EVENTS CALENDAR
movies in the park
opportunity for service members to meet. For more information, call 455-9840.
Bring the whole family out to the Jacksonville Commons Recreation Complex for a free movie in the park. The movie will start at sunset. Bring your blankets and lawn chairs. Snack will be on sale. In the event of inclement weather, movie will be held in the Commons Rec Center. For more information, visit JacksonvilleNC.gov/Recreation or call 938-5312.
Sounds of summer concert series aug. 10, 7 P.M. - 9 p.m.
aug. 3, 7 p.m.
creative forces: open studio sessions aug. 8, 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Once a week the Jacksonville-Onslow Council for the Arts hosts a free art studio session for active-duty service members and veterans. These sessions are for artists of any and all experience levels. This is an
Enjoy a night outdoors with the failly at the Jacksonville Commons Amphitheater where you’ll enjoy live music. Participants are welcome to bring blankets and lawn chairs to sit out and relax or get up and move on the dance floor to the Sounds of Summer concert guests Striking Copper, who will be the performing for the evening. For more information, call 938-5312.
back to school bash aug. 18, 3:30 p.M. - 7:30 P.M. With the start of a new school year rapidly approaching, it wouldn’t be right not to have one last party. Join Carrie On NC at
Coastal Carolina FAMILY & PARENTING | 5 the Oaks Road Elementary School for a day full of food, entertainment, face painting and a bounce house. Free school supplies, haircuts and clothing will also be available to help prepare little ones for the year. For more information and eligibility guidelines for haircuts, clothing and school supplies, visit www.carrieon1.weebly.com.
family park days: circus streets aug. 11, 10 a.M. - 12 P.M. Join the Jacksonville Recreation and Parks Department for a morning of face painting, cotton candy, snacks, obstace courses and carnival games for the entire family at the Riverwalk Park. This circus-themed event is a part of the Family Park Days series presented by the JRPD to bring more family-friendly fun to the Jacksonville area. For more information, call 938-5312.
Back to School
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August - September 2018
Help your kids have a strong start
I
Story by Chris DeWitt
t is time to go back to school. As you read this you may be rushing about getting your child the school supplies they need and checking to see if their old clothes still fit (hopefully they do). As you and your family make these preparations, I want to remind you that going back to school can be stressful for you as a parent, but it also stressful for your children. Going into a new grade with possibly a new teacher and peers to get along with can be a challenge for children and teens. However, there are some practical methods you as a parent can utilize to ease the transition. “Consider making a New School Year Resolution like you would for the New Year,” said Julie Fulton, United States Marine Corps K-12 school liaison. “Start with a conversation about what your child wants to change and he will be more likely to be successful than if it is the parent’s idea. Remind him of his goals regularly and praise successes.” Fulton shared some goals that parents can make with their children: Good attendance Get your child their own alarm
clock and teach them to use it. Set clothes and backpacks out the night before. Try rewards for good attendance each week, month or quarter depending on your child’s needs. Read a little bit, every day Some children are natural readers but others struggle and get frustrated with heavy reading assignments. Try using a timer for reading time. Start with a small number of minutes like 10 with a little reward at the end. Once children get interested in a book, it is usually easier to keep going. Reading is a habit and doing it every day for 30 days will help to build a new one. No missing work Zeroes can kill a grade point average and make a child feel defeated. Make Thursdays the day to check in with the teacher for missing work. If your child’s school allows for make-up, that will give the child time to bring home any books or materials needed to complete the work over the weekend and not fall behind. The main idea I want to drive home is to get yourself and your child a familiar routine before school commences. In addition, having a prepared study area and a structured schedule for homework, meals, sleep, etc.… helps kids stay on track and allows you to coordinate your schedule better with theirs. Lastly, do not allow yourself or your kids to overbook themselves with extracurricular activities. Having down time for family meals and recreation is essential for your well-being as a family. Have a great school year.
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Story by Ena Sellers
Each August, locals and members of the law enforcement community gather at the Riverwalk Crossing Park in downtown Jacksonville to celebrate National Night Out as part of a national effort to promote community awareness and help prevent crime. This year, the event is set to kick off at 5 p.m. on Aug. 7. What started as a small event in 1998, has grown into a festival that attracts more than 12,000 visitors, according to Jacksonville Police Department Lieutenant Staci Leyble. The family-friendly event is free
N AT I O N A L N I G H T O U T to the public and will feature live music, a bicycle giveaway, face painting and several fun activities including more than 100 exhibitors and vendors. Event goers of all ages will have the opportunity to meet with local law enforcement who work behind the scenes to keep our neighborhoods safe. The event will showcase military, police and fire truck demonstrations and a car exhibit. The event will also feature, a children’s activity area specially created to entertain the little
Locals come together to celebrate, promote crime prevention
ones and police dog demonstrations. To close the evening, the event will feature a fireworks display. For more information, visit jacksonvillenc. gov/nno.
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DISNEY UNDER THE STARS
STORY By Ken Harrell
B
ring the little ones out to a night full of memories at Disney Under the Stars, presented by the Jacksonville Performing Arts organization at the Jacksonville Commons Amphitheater, Aug. 24. The Jacksonville Commons Amphitheater is a fairly new venue in the Onslow County community, having just finished construction this past spring. So far, the summer line up for the theater has been packed with great musical performances. “Disney Under the Stars is part of the Jacksonville Recreation and Parks Department’s Cultural Arts Series of performances held at the Jacksonville Commons Amphitheater,” said Becky Stanford, recreational
coordinator for the city of Jacksonville. “With the support of local community organizations, we have scheduled several events. Our vision of the Cultural Arts Series is to provide diverse performances that inspire and entertain the community.” Participants should expect to be immersed into a world of Disney-themed imaginative scenarios packed with humor, expressive dancing and musical performances that encourage the crowd to sing along to some familiar Disney fan-favorites. According to Stanford and members of the JPA, the audience can expect crowd-assisted comedy with performers on stage interacting with the children throughout the night.
The event took several months of coordination, auditioning and rehearsals to ensure that the performance felt genuine and worthwhile for those in attendance. “These events are important to showcase the talent within the community and provide free, family-friendly events for everyone to enjoy,” said Stanford. “Our Cultural Arts Series is meant to bring the community together. We look forward to the Commons Amphitheater becoming a staple venue for events in Jacksonville.” This is an event that is free to the public. Seating begins at 7:30 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m For more information, call 938-5312 or visit www.jacksonvillenc.gov/recreation.
SEPTEMBER
August - September 2018
EVENTS CALENDAR
Summer Harvest Festival Sept. 15, 9 A.m., Sept. 16, 10 A.m.
As summer comes to an end Poplar Grove Plantation will be hosting their Summer Harvest Festival. There will be tons of arts and crafts vendors as well as folks with handmade goodies and produce. Live music will be provided as well as games and bouncy houses for the kids. The Barnyard will also be open for tours. Proceeds go toward the Animals. Bring your blankets & chairs – let the kids go a little wild and free, while you sit back under the shade trees with family, friends and neighbors. For more information, call 910.686.9518 or visit poplargrove.org.
Glow Down Sept. 7, 6 p.m.
Join the New Bern Area Chamber of
Commerce in a huge laser light show and glow party. Bring your best glow in the dark attire. There will be music from all decades, contests, prizes, and some special surprises. This event is safe for the kids, but fun for adults of all ages. The event will take place at 403 East Front Street in New Bern. For more information, call the New Bern Area Chamber of Commerce at 252-637-3111.
DINOSAURS! at the Aquarium Through sept. 3, 9 A.M. - 5P.M.
Step back millions of years and experience “DINOSAURS!” Massive moving beasts spit, roar and wow visitors. A stroll through the Aquarium’s outdoor garden reveals a fearsome T-Rex, a spitting Dilophosaurus and the fearsome-horned Diabloceratops among many other prehistoric creatures. Don’t be surprised to see a new generation
Coastal Carolina FAMILY & PARENTING | 9 of toothy terrors hatching, too. For more information, visit www.ncaquariums.com.
Topsail Island Jeep Week Sept. 21- SEPT. 23, 10 A.m.
Put your top down and take in the salt air during Jeep Week at Topsail Island. This is a family-friendly weekend event for Jeep lovers, spanning six towns and two counties. The event will feature an obstacle course, a jeep crawl and a beach bash. For information, call 910-329-4446.
Free Community Science Class Sept. 4, 1 P.m.
The free class gives families the opportunity to learn about our marine environment. Students will learn about ocean life through fun, hands-on activities. Classes vary from topic week-by-week including short experiments and outdoor activities. No registration required. The class meet on Tuesday at 116 S. Topsail Drive in Surf City from 1- 2 p.m. For more information, visit www.ecologicalma rineadventures.com. For more events taking place in September, visit www.camplejeuneglobe.com.
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children who have early contact with cats and dogs have fewer respiratory and ear infections
children who were exposed to two or more dogs or cats as babies were less than half as likely to develop common allergies
Want healthier kids? Get a
PET
If youngsters have been eyeing fuzzy kittens or boisterous puppies at nearby shelters or pet stores, parents may want to give in to those cries for a family pet. Pets are added responsibilities, but the health benefits associated with pet ownership may be well worth the investment of time and effort. Caring for a pet is sometimes viewed as a childhood rite of passage, but there’s much more to the experience than just learning responsibility. Experts say a child’s emotional, cognitive, physical, and social development can be enhanced through interaction with a family pet. Studies continue, but the effects of family pets on children was heavily researched by developmental psychologist Gail F. Melson. Melson looked at literature
on child-animal relationships and found that children who had pets were better able to understand biology and children who could turn to pets for unconditional emotional support were less anxious and withdrawn than their peers without family pets to turn to. Data from a study conducted by researchers at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University reported that adolescents who had animal experience were more likely to see themselves as important contributors to communities and more likely to take on leadership roles. Pets also can help children develop into well-rounded individuals. Playing with a pet requires children to engage in physical activity and can help stimulate motor skills. An English study
Pets can contribute to cognitive, physical and emotional wellness in children
conducted in 2010 and published in the American Journal of Public Health found that children from dog-owning families spent more time in light or moderate to vigorous physical activity and recorded higher levels of activity counts per minute than kids whose families did not own a dog. Pets may help with allergies and respiratory ailments as well. A study by the American Academy of Pediatrics discovered that children who have early contact with cats and dogs have fewer respiratory infections and ear infections and need shorter courses of antibiotics than children who have not had contact with pets. A study from Dennis Ownby, MD, head of the allergy and immunology department of the Medical College of
Georgia, found that having multiple pets decreases a child’s risk of developing certain allergies. He found that the children who were exposed to two or more dogs or cats as babies were less than half as likely to develop common allergies as kids who had no pets in the home. Pets also may foster social interactions, which can benefit children who are shy. Inviting others over to meet pets can help children make friends and find others with similar interests. Children may also confide in pets and develop their self-esteem. Studies have indicated that the type of pet a family has, whether it’s horses, dogs, snakes, etc., does not matter, as all companion animals have the potential to benefit children.
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