february 2016
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY
Wichita Family • February 2016 - 1
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Todd Vogts
Publisher Todd Vogts publisher@wichitafamily.com
Wichita Family Magazine is published 12 times a year by Lucky 7 Publishing LLC. Wichita Family Magazine is available free, at schools, stores, restaurants, libraries, retailers and local attractions, as well as other places families frequent. For a complete list of where to find Wichita Family, or for subscription rates, email us at publisher@wichitafamily.com or visit our website at www.wichitafamily.com. Copyright 2016 by Lucky 7 Publishing LLC. All rights reserved. Wichita Family Magazine is not responsible for errors, omissions or contest fulfillment from third parties. Reproduction in part or in whole without written permission is strictly prohibited. Wichita Family is distributed free of charge. The magazine’s advertisers make this possible, so support them! We reserve the right to edit submitted material. All submissions will be considered for publication, but we reserve the right to refuse material. Materials will not be returned. Any editorial content or advertising published is the property of Lucky 7 Publishing LLC. 2 - www.wichitafamily.com
Message from the Publisher February is a month of love. Valentine’s Day is smack in the middle of this month. Some argue this particular holiday is nothing but a marketing ploy by chocolate producers, rose growers and card manufacturers. These people have little use for the day, and I would generally agree. However, it isn’t because I am at odds with the impetus behind the holiday. Rather, I feel a person shouldn’t use a single day each year as a crutch to actually show his love for those near and dear to him. One should show his love for others every day in ways that don’t inherently involved flowers or chocolates. That being said, I am actually looking forward to Valentine’s Day this year. It marks a milestone for me. It will be the first Valentine’s Day I have experienced as a married man having married my wife and Wichita Family essayist Kendall Vogts this past July. But even that isn’t the true reason I am looking forward to this time of the year. It was the day before Valentine’s Day last year when I got engaged. I did so on purpose. I thought it would be too cliche to do it on Valentine’s Day, and I did it when she and I were Todd Vogts alone. To me, publisher@wichitafamily.com
that made it more special. In my mind, it showed I wasn’t asking to prove anything to anyone other than her, and I was proving my love for her by making a commitment to be with her for the rest of our lives. The fun part for me was that particular day, Feb. 13, 2015, was a Friday. Yes. I got engaged on Friday the 13th. That’s hilarious to me due to the juxtaposition of the bad connotations of Friday the 13th and the expression of love behind a marriage proposal. Besides, it was the perfect day to do it. It truly fit our relationship. We both are quirky. Besides both of us being a little different, we also mesh perfectly in numerous other areas of life — a love for reading, suspense and crime dramas (seriously, you need to watch “How To Get Away With Murder” on ABC . . . we love it; it’s on Netflix if you are interested in checking it out), golf, writing, music and so much more. It is the love for music which comes to mind today. Neither of us play an instrument, though I could still play taps on my trumpet if called upon to do so. Rather, we both love listening to music, and the genre is inconsequential. We just love music. This has been particularly important in our married life as on the weekends I am a mobile disc jockey. This is a business I have ran since I graduated high school, and Kendall embraced it. My brother helps me, and Kendall is now an official part of the business. She trav-
els to nearly all the gigs with us, and when my brother can’t be there, she steps up and helps me do it all, including carrying the equipment. Then, once the show begins, she is out on the floor dancing and helping me ensure everyone at the event is having a good time, even if that means making a fool of ourselves in order to make a shy person feel OK about getting up to move and groove to the music. Every time she takes part in our djing business, I see it as an act of love. I so appreciate her willingness to join in. It speaks volumes to me. I feel that is part of any relationship. The small acts of love and understanding are so important. It isn’t about constantly showering a person with gifts. It’s about doing little things to show you care. Every time we dj, read, watch our favorite television show or simply listen to music together while driving around, I feel closer to her. I don’t need gifts from her. I just need her time and understanding. So this Valentine’s Day, don’t stress about ordering a dozen roses, buying the biggest box of chocolates or picking out the perfect card. Give the gift of your time and understanding. Make your significant other supper, read your favorite book together or cuddle on the couch while watching a great show on Netflix. Or maybe just go for a drive together and listen to your favorite music. Wichita Family • February 2016 - 3
Inspiring book love
6 Reading Skills before Age 6 T urning your child into a reader may start sooner than most parents realize. In fact, it’s never too soon to expose your children to the joy and benefits of reading. Part of the way you can do that is with “6 x 6”, a parent-friendly early literacy program that emphasizes the six skills that can help children develop, before they learn to read, which happens for most children around age six.
1. Have Fun with Books. If children associate reading with negative feelings, their motivation to read is diminished. So find the right time when you and your children are in the mood and enjoy reading together. Have books with you on the go, like to a doctor’s office, and make waiting time a fun bonding time for you and your child over a book. Take them to the library and let them have fun picking out their own books to check out. 2. Notice Print All Around You. Being aware that print is all around you doesn’t just happen. Children need help in understanding that print is used in multiple ways for a variety 4 - www.wichitafamily.com
of purposes. This is known as “Print awareness.” Let your child help you make a shopping list. Match the words on your list to those on the products. Point out road and business signs as you’re out and about.
3. Talk, Talk, Talk. Even when they are too young to form their own words, talk to your children frequently. The more words children hear, the larger their vocabulary becomes. Instead of trying to find the easy or familiar words to describe something, introduce new words and explain their meanings. Listen to your baby babble. When he stops, respond. This teaches them the give and take of conversation. 4. Tell Stories About Everything. The more you read with your child, the more they will become familiar with the sequence of a story, be able to tell their own stories, and retell familiar stories. Plan your day by talking about what you’ll do first, next and last. While reading with your child, pause to ask “when, where, what, why,
and how” questions, such as “What do you think will happen next?” 5. Look for Letters Everywhere. It’s important for children to see that each letter is unique, and that most uppercase letters look different than their corresponding lower case version. Choose a “letter of the day” and listen for words that begin with that sound and do something fun like clap your hands when you hear that sound. A precursor to learning letters is learning shapes and colors. Point these things out while you interact with your child. 6. Take Time to Rhyme, Sing, and Play Word Games. Recognizing when words rhyme and hearing the beginning sounds of words are part of the literacy skill called “phonological awareness.”
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DIY Decor with Creative Containers
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ontainers come in all shapes and sizes with purposes ranging from helping organize your stuff to adding an extra element to your decor. These simple DIY projects make it easy to transform basic containers into pretty accent pieces that showcase your personal style. Re-imagine plain glass jars by adding texture and color with a project created by the crafting experts at Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores. Create a faux milk glass look and emulate the appearance of tree bark by simply using hot glue to make your design. Finish with paint to match the palette of the room where your vessels will be displayed and add some dried or fresh vegetation for an added organic touch. Then spruce up boring terra cotta pots using decorative paints and tape to add trendy patterns and designs. The pots make a lovely addition to any room, or they’re perfect as hostess gifts or party favors. National Traveling Exhibit
Find more ways to get creative with the containers in your home at joann.com. Milk Glass Jar and Jug Crafting time: 3-5 hours Skill level: Some experience necessary Supplies and Tools: • Mason jar • Glass milk jug • Rubbing alcohol • Hot glue gun and glue sticks • 1/2-inch flat brush • FolkArt Home Decor Chalk: White Adirondack • Mod Podge Ultra Matte finish Instructions: Wash jar and jug with mild soap and water. Dry and wipe with rubbing alcohol to remove any residue. Create dots on Mason jar with hot glue. Work in sections to allow glue to harden. Apply lines of hot glue to milk jug, starting with a swirl in the middle to create a tree knot design. Create lines around knot to achieve a faux
bois effect. Allow glue to harden. Paint over glue on both glass surfaces. Apply several coats if needed, allowing drying time between applications. Seal both pieces with a coat of Ultra Matte finish. Allow to dry before applying any additional coats. Trendy Plant Pottery Crafting time: Under 1 hour Skill level: No experience necessary Supplies and Tools: • Clay pots • Decorative tapes • Paint of choice • Teresa Collins rub-on metallic letters • Plants Instructions: Decorate clay pots with paint and decorative tapes. Allow to dry. Use rub-on letters to personalize pottery with a trendy aesthetic. Add plants. — Family Features
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Wichita Family • February 2016 - 5
~ A Communication Essay ~
Love’s Languages I
By Ian Anderson
earn my living trying to teach high school students how to use language. This includes lessons on grammar and mechanics, but mainly my message is this: they must
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know how to communicate well. In other words, if they can use English effectively, they will be better for it in their professional and personal lives. This is especially true, I tell them, with regard to what they meant to say or write and what they actually said or wrote. Often we think we’ve been clear — it’s in black and white in our own heads, after all — when what we’ve actually communicated is something different. Tone is a whole other matter and complicates things further. And if these things are true about the words we use in everyday language, that they can communicate in ways we don’t intend, what about love languages? Every so often, I’m reminded that I need a refresher course in foreign language: how to speak love to my wife. English may be our first language, but we’re from vastly different lands when it comes to communicating love. We’ve been married over a decade, so it might be easy to assume that I’m skilled in getting to her heart. Alas, I’m a slow learner, and I need constant teaching. Words are important to me, and I receive love in the form of encouragement — or at least words are the main way — and my wife likes the occasional compliment, too. However, words are not what sink down and stay with her; she hears love most loudly in a different way. Of course, as in any misunderstanding, the difficulty is that I can’t wrap my mind around her perspective. Because love has to do with losing my appetite for myself, indeed, with placing myself behind my wife, I have to realize that speaking my own love language communicates a weak message to her. Sometimes, the message I intend is not heard, and the most painful part is that I think I’ve given love when I have not. I’m still better at speaking my own language. I’m just like my students, who, upon writing a sentence they’re sure is clear, continue to argue they’ve presented content that simply isn’t there. Intention isn’t enough. Clarity is only valuable when it’s universal, not just in my own mind. The lesson I need this February is the lesson of diversity of language — that my wife is different, and that I must relearn how to best love her. I must unravel first myself, and then widen my narrow concept of communicating. Perhaps each time I have to correct a student’s paper I’ll remember: it’s not just in grammar we need practice. Love’s languages are also many, and they’re worth understanding and refining. Ian Anderson is a teacher, a husband, and a dad. He lives with his family in Central Kansas. Occasionally, he tweets here: @ian_writes.
~ A Support Essay ~
February from a Teacher’s Perspective
I
By Kendall Vogts
am one blessed teacher! I had a long Christmas break and was able to spend time with my family and friends, make many wonderful memories, play with my nephews and niece, and get in some much needed relaxation time. I slept in, lounged on the couch, and binge-watched a show on Netflix with my husband. It was fantastic! But, I must admit, the time leading up to Christmas break is sometimes difficult on students and teachers, as is the time refocusing, once our break is over. Coming back from Christmas break is an adjustment. Rules and expectations must be retaught, lessons start back slowly, and interruptions from students are many, but finally we get rolling again. All is well through January! We hit that last week, in stride, and glide into February, but then that itch comes around again. It’s a, “Haven’t we been here for a while?” itch. Yes, by mid-February, the teachers feel it too. We see students squirm in seats. We see a growing lack of enthusiasm, and we see glazed over eyes, as our students search for the light at the end of the tunnel that comes in the form of Spring break. It’s true… The time between Christmas and Spring Break can seem extremely long and strenuous. But while your kids might seem very “blah” about this point of the school year, remember, there is also the side of your child’s educators to consider. Let me shed some light on it for you! In February, we are trying our hardest to engage your children! We are preparing for and carrying out parent/ teacher conferences where we truly want to see you and your children show up! We are going to our students’ ball games! We are trying our best to help your students solve problems at school (because even when they don’t tell you, they are there). We are entering grades. We are staying after school in order to help our students. We are taking time to work on interventions, in order to help your children become more successful. We are greeting your children in the hall and by the door! We are laughing with, high-fiving, fist-bumping, and hugging our students as they come into or exit our classrooms. All the while, knowing that our students are slowing down; hitting the wall of boredom or anxiousness as the next break away from structure, learning, and friendship that their teachers work very hard to provide. So why do it? As teachers, why do we constantly put ourselves out there to only sometimes be well received? Why work to help your kids make connections with the material they are learning? Why work to make every single one of our 125 students feel valued and successful? Well, because we love what we do. We love our students. I can truly say that I love each of my students. I pray for them, and I care about their success and well-being. I have a common response that I tell everyone who asks me, “8th
graders, how’s that? Aren’t they difficult?” Here it is: I love my job, and I really do have the best group of students. And even when they are jerks (because let’s face it, teenagers can be jerks sometimes) they are mine. For this school year, they are my students and I wouldn’t want to be with anyone else. So as your students slow down, hit a wall, or become very “blah” in the month of February, help their teachers by encouraging them. Send them to school with the reminder that you love them, and so do their teachers. Tell them that you are proud of them for all they have accomplished. Send them to school with a note of encouragement, and pack an extra for their teachers! You see your kids every day, and so do their teachers. There are two sides to the story, when it comes to school and even when it’s hard or monotonous, your child’s educator is working to help your students love and be successful at school! Kendall Vogts lives and teaches in Central Kansas. She is married to WFM publisher Todd Vogts.
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Wichita Family • February 2016 - 7
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Thank you for your support this season!