June 2021

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2 WNY Family June 2021

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June 2021 • Volume 38 • Issue 4

EDITOR & PUBLISHER Michele Miller GENERAL MANAGER Paul Kline SALES REPRESENTATIVES Jennifer Staebell Paul Kline GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Karen Wawszczyk Melanie Schroeder CONTRIBUTORS Barbara Blackburn • Donna Phillips Richard De Fino • Deborah Williams Kathy Lundquist • Myrna Beth Haskell Mike Daugherty

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Where It’s At!

Happy Father’s Day! Features: 6 n Dads Just Want to Have Fun

by Christina Katz 8 n Beyond Golf Balls & Coffee Mugs: 105 Father’s Day Gifts

by Christina Katz 10 n It’s a Dad Thing

by Pam Moore 11 n 4 Great Apps for New Dads

by Tanni Haas, Ph.D.

SUMMER GO! GUIDE A Special Pull-Out Section

17 n

• These “Unconventional” Family Vacations Worked for Us During COVID • Our Region is “Rich” in State Parks Get Out & Enjoy Them!

• Generations of Families Have Returned to Lake George Year after Year

49 n The Family Pet

Directories:

44 n Summer Camps 52 n Wellness Choices

Regulars: 5 n Web Finds / What’s New In The Kid Biz 12 n Raising Digital Kids Family Friendly Fitness Apps

by Mike Daugherty 14 n Pick of the Literature

by Dr. Donna Phillips 16 n Journey Into Fatherhood Start of a New Day

by Richard De Fino 41 n Parent Previews Godzilla vs. Kong

by Keith Hawkes 42 n Special Needs Try This Token System for Positive Behavioral Change in the Difficult Child

by Kimberly Blaker 48 n Tweens and Teens Youth Runaways: Causes, Signs, Prevention and What To Do If They Flee

by Kimberly Blaker 50 n Single Parenting Breaking the “Habit” of Negativity

by Diane Dierks, LMFT 54 n The Kid Friendly Kitchen

by Kathy Lundquist 55 n The Kiddie Gourmet Islands Hawaiian Grill

by Barbara Blackburn

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(Look for us INSIDE Wegmans on the racks where newspapers are sold, even though we are still FREE, or in some stores, on the FREE rack in the store foyer.)

Find this entire issue online at www.wnyfamilymagazine.com June 2021 WNY Family 3

The Original Fun Family Movie Experience...

Call or visit our website for times and films scheduled on our 5 giant outdoor screens.

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4 WNY Family June 2021

web.finds This month we celebrate Dads with a sampling of fun Father’s Day gift ideas you can put together yourself! The kids can help you brainstorm about which items to select for Dad’s special day.

ONE STOP POP SHOP

Gather up all treats with the word “pop” to create a “One Stop Pop Shop.” You can include popcorn, Pop Rocks, Pop Tarts, Ring Pops, soda pop, Popsicles, and cake pops. To make the giant looking bottle cap sign, just buy an old metal pie plate at a thrift store and spray paint it red (or whatever color you’d like). Free printables for the 7-inch round “Pop Shop” sign and a coordinating Father’s Day card are available on the site: https://www.nobiggie.net/fathers-day-gift-ideaone-stop-pop-shop/

GRILLING GIFT BASKET

Line a large metal bucket (or container of your choice) with colored tissue paper and fill with items useful for a dad who likes to barbecue — an oven mitt, metal spatula, tongs, silicone brush, kitchen towel, apron, Koozies, thermometer, smoking wood chips, a jar of homemade or store-bought BBQ sauce, and a jar of homemade Sweet and Smoky BBQ Dry Rub — the recipe can be found on the website: https://www.kitchen-concoctions. com/2017/06/sweet-and-smoky-bbq-dry-rub/

TREAT-FILLED SLIPPERS

Fill a new pair of slippers with Dad’s favorite candy bars, beef jerky, nuts — or any other treat he’s fond of — and maybe a gift card, too. Now you’re golden! It’s literally a gift within a gift. Check out the details at: https://prettyprovidence.com/slippers-gift-idea-men/

WE’RE NUTS ABOUT YOU!

This DIY gift basket is the perfect gift for the dad who loves all things nutty! You can include peanut butter, Reeses Cups, Reeses Pieces, Trail Mix, Peanut Butter Cookies, Pecan Cookies, Peanut M&Ms, Almond Joys, or different nuts (peanuts, almonds, cashews, etc.), plain or chocolate covered. Taking some of the treats out of their packaging and putting them in mason jars makes the presentation a bit fancier. You’ll find free printable “We’re Nuts About You!” and “Happy Father’s Day from your little peanut” tags on the website here: https://www.darlingdoodlesdesign. com/2017/06/nuts-fathers-day-gift-basket.html

What’s New...

IN THE KIDBIZ BEST & WORST STATES FOR WORKING MOMS According to personal finance website WalletHub, mothers are regaining lost jobs due to COVID faster than fathers. Additionally, in its new 2021 report, “Best & Worst States for Working Moms,” it compares the attractiveness of each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia for a working mother based on 17 key metrics. The data set ranges from the median women’s salary to the female unemployment rate to day-care quality.

The three key dimensions evaluated included 1) Child Care, 2) Professional Opportunities, and 3) Work-Life Balance.

Here are a few of their New York State rankings for life as a working mom: • 1st – Day-Care Quality • 5th – Pediatricians per Capita • 11th – Gender Pay Gap (Women’s Earnings as % of Men’s) • 13th – Ratio of Female Executives to Male Executives • 15th – Median Woman’s Salary (Adjusted for Cost of Living) • 7th – Parental-Leave Policy Score • 23rd – Avg. Length of Woman’s Work Week (in Hours) • 27th – Percentage of Single Mom Families in Poverty Women make up nearly half of the U.S workforce and nearly 66% of moms with children under 18 were working in 2020, according to WalletHub. Child Care was evaluated not only on quality but on costs, school-system quality, share of nationally-accredited child care centers, and number of childcare workers per total number of children.

Professional Opportunities were evaluated by gender pay gap, ratio of female executives to male executives, median women’s salary, share of working women living with economic security, share of families in poverty, female unemployment rate, and gender-representation gap in economic sectors, and WalletHub’s ranking of “Best States for Working from Home.”

Work-Life Balance was evaluated on the state’s parental leave policy, average length of a woman’s work week, and women’s average commute time.

Overall, New York State came in 9th out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Massachusetts placed first overall, and Louisiana came in last.

For the full report, visit https://wallethub.com/edu/best-states-for-workingmoms/3565 June 2021 WNY Family 5

then head to the nearest Frisbee golf course. Check online for the location closest to you.

Dads Just Want To Have Fun

10) History Buff Dad Is a historic destination or re-enactment event within driving distance? If so, pile everyone in the car and travel back in time together.

11) River Rat Dad Some dads are just water-lovers. If your dad is one of them, he’ll probably love a day of kayaking, rafting, or tubing. Be sure to wear a helmet when necessary.

— by Christina Katz

30 Unforgettable Father’s Day Outings

B

efore you start preparing that traditional breakfast in bed for dad on Father’s Day, consider some of these outings first. If dad is itching for an adventure this year, why not try one or even a few of these family activities? And don’t forget to snap photos of everyone enjoying dad’s special day because this is going to be his best Father’s Day yet! (Note that some of the activities described may be affected by COVID restrictions; be sure to call ahead to see if they are open.)

1) High Score Dad Whether dad likes vintage video games like Pac Man and Space Invaders or prefers a few rounds of Skee Ball and pinball, a trip to the arcade is a sure-fire way to light up the day.

2) Soaring Dad Remember the

song, “Let’s Go Fly A Kite” from the Disney film Mary Poppins? Stop at the store on your way to the best kite-flying park in town and you’ve got a great impromptu Dad’s day excursion.

3) Slip & Slide Dad If you are fortunate enough to live near a water park, you’ve got a whole day of splashing-good fun ahead of you. Arrive early to beat the long lines.

4) Root, Root, Rooting Dad

Take dad out to the ball game, take 6 WNY Family June 2021

him out with the crowd. Buy him some peanuts and Cracker Jacks, and he will smile all day while he cheers for the home team.

5) 3-D Dad Surprise dad with the 3D or Imax movie he’s most excited to see this summer. Or head for the nearest drive-in movie theater. There are 338 locations left in the US and you can find them listed online by state.

6) Rappelling Dad Does dad love an intense challenge? If so, rock climbing at your local climbing center is a great idea. Be sure to make reservations in advance.

7) Biscuits & Gravy Dad Let’s

face it, one of the best places to go on Father’s Day is out to brunch. Hit dad’s favorite greasy spoon or surprise dad with a new-to-him restaurant you think he’ll love. Reservations are a good idea.

8) Angler Dad If dad loves fishing, don’t try to worm your way out of it. Dig him up some worms on Saturday or buy some at your local pet store. Then haul out or borrow the gear, and off to the nearest body of water you all go! (Don’t forget the need for a fishing license.)

9) Tomahawking Dad

Some dads love nothing more than a nice long game of Frisbee. So surprise him with a new disc to add to his collection and

12) Lip-smacking Dad Barbeques are great, but today is dad’s special day and he’d probably like to be waited on rather than cook. So, what’s it going to be: steak, BBQ, pasta? Go ahead and indulge dad with a fancy dinner on his special day.

13) Breaking Away Dad You don’t have to own enough bikes for everyone in the whole family. You can always rent bikes for the day or borrow bikes from your neighbors for a whole family ride. Stay hydrated and bring snacks.

14) Putting Dad

For some dads, there is no greater joy than sharing a love of golf. If kids are young, minigolf is a great option. When they get older, try the driving range, and eventually, the whole eighteen holes.

15) Paint-splattered Dad

For dads with tweens and teens, an afternoon at the paintball park can be thrilling, not to mention colorful. Just remember to wear safety gear.

16) Sunscreen Dad Even if dad doesn’t surf or even Boogie board, he may still long for a relaxing day at the beach. If visiting the coast is not an option, how about a lake or riverfront?

Dads and water do mix!

17) Education-junkie Dad

Have you noticed the proliferation of local classes in your community? Why not sign the whole family up for a class you can take together? Search for “family learning” + your location and see what sounds intriguing.

18) Cowboy Dad If your dad loves the movie City Slickers, maybe it’s time for that family trail ride. Wear jeans

and sturdy shoes and get ready to sweet talk your ride.

19) Bull’s Eye Dad Does your local sporting goods store have an archery gallery? If not, find an archery store in your area and head on over for a few pointers before purchasing a bow and arrow set to use in your yard.

20) Tire-screeching Dad Even though kids may not be old enough to drive, they can have fun racing dad at the nearest Go Kart destination. Search for both indoor and outdoor options and then rev ‘em up!

21) Everybody Now Dad Outdoor concert opportuni-

ties abound in the summertime! Grab tickets ahead to attend a traditional concert. Be sure to choose a singer or group that will get dad grooving.

22) Stomping Dad Looking for a last-minute adven-

ture for Father’s Day that won’t break the bank? Hiking is perfect. You can either do a short afternoon hike or take more time preparing for an all-day excursion. Whichever dad prefers.

23) Puddle Of Dad Do you have a day spa or a local

massage center near home? If so, sign dad up for some treatments. If the place is family-friendly, everyone can join in. Otherwise, grab a bite while dad gets spoiled.

24) Top-Down Dad How convenient, vintage car shows often fall on Father’s Day. If dad is a car buff, plan a day trip to a show in your region. Wash dad’s car before you go.

25) Helping Hands Dad If dad loves to volunteer, why not pitch in as a family on Father’s Day? Charities often need more support during the non-holiday months. Contact your favorite for ways your family can contribute.

26) Roadrunner Dad Lace up those sneakers and get ready to pound some pavement with dad. Families who run together can work their way up from short races to long over the years.

27) Down To Earth Dad If dad has a green thumb,

why not take a garden tour for Father’s Day? Or take dad to the biggest nursery in your area to select plants for the season.

28) Strike-loving Dad Of course, dad doesn’t need to use the bumpers, but younger kids can. This means even young children can enjoy an afternoon or evening of bowling with dad.

29) Browsing Dad If dad is the thoughtful type, his idea of the perfect adventure might be a literary roam through the stacks of your largest local bookstore. Give him a gift card and let him browse, while everyone else hangs out in their favorite section.

30) Up, Up & Away Dad If you are looking for an unforgettable Father’s Day experience, consider taking the family up in a hot air balloon. Of course, this adventure is weathersensitive, so be schedule-flexible for the safest experience.

Author, journalist, and writing coach Christina Katz is married to a bookstore and concert-loving dad, who appreciates a good restaurant, is always eager for time to travel, and really knows how to appreciate vintage video games and a good movie or ten.

Summer 2021

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Quality Gymnastics: Ages 1-18yrs ~ Weekly Themes Trampoline & Tumbling Classes: 7-18yrs Open Tumble/Cheer Class July/Aug. - Mon. 8:50-9:45pm July/August Open Workouts - Wed. 7:15-9pm Returning!! Mini Camp!

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www.gymnastics-unlimited.net June 2021 WNY Family 7

Beyond Golf Balls & Coffee Mugs — by Christina Katz

105

Father’s Day Gift Ideas

D

ad is an original. So why does he always get the same old gifts for Father’s Day? Maybe it’s time to think outside the gift box and come up with some original Father’s Day gifts.

This list of gift suggestions is organized by Dad types, because, after all, most dads have specific passions and attitudes that make them who they are.

Shoppers, whether little or big, with this list in hand can use dad’s interests to help select the perfect Father’s Day gift or gifts, while enjoying an exercise in thoughtfulness.

After all, doesn’t dad deserve a gift as original as the man himself?

Yard Conqueror Dad Weed whacker Heavy-duty work gloves Hand mallet Large insulated drink cup Electronic fly swatter

Athletic Dad Running store gift card Sporty headphones Cushioned ankle socks Smart phone armband Polarized sunglasses 8 WNY Family June 2021

Writer Dad

Voracious Reader Dad

Stack of yellow legal pads Fancy pen or assortment of pens Hip laptop bag Writing magazine subscription Registration at a writing seminar

E-Reader E-Reader cover Bookseller gift card Original edition of favorite childhood book Set of bookplates

Youthful Dad

Urban Dad

Vinyl record frames Gift certificate for Urban Outfitters Giant glass jar for ticket stubs Bike bags and helmet mirrors Public radio membership

Favorite comic book collection Assortment of plastic moustaches Tickets to a summer action movie Deluxe magic trick kit DVD of favorite humorous movie or TV show

Outdoorsy Dad Pocket multi-tool LED Solar Lightcap for water bottle Crank radio Survival skills book Combo compass-watch

Handy Man Dad

Electric screwdriver Tool caddy/organizer Nail sorter drawers Folding stepladder Binder with page protectors for instruction manuals and warranties

Road Warrior Dad Carry-on rolling bag Electronics accessory charging dock Bureau-top valet Leather toiletries kit Custom luggage tags

Tinkerer Dad

Top Chef Dad Wooden carving board Knife set High-powered mixer Cooking store gift card BBQ cookbooks

Hobby models Model display case Build your own radio kit Basic hobby tool set Cutting mat with knives

Homebody Dad

Gift card to his favorite pizza delivery service Comfortable pajama bottoms Slippers Robe Remote caddy

Digital Dad

E-Tablet Music, books, or apps gift card Smart phone portable keyboard Gadget sleeves or cases Sound-canceling headphones

Hippie Dad

Caffeinated Dad

Frisbee Save the [something] T-shirt Skateboard Gift certificate to vegetarian restaurant Set of foot bags

Single-cup coffee maker

Coffee shop gift card Flavored coffee syrups Snazzy travel mug

Favorite movie theater drink assortment Superman Motion Picture Anthology, 1978-2006 Pre-purchased movie tickets Entertainment magazine subscription

Global Dad

Instant coffee selection

Guy’s Guy Dad

Film Buff Dad

Popcorn maker or microwave popcorn assortment

Steak house gift card Six pack of WD-40 Clint Eastwood, Jack Nicholson, or John Wayne DVDs Hot sauce assortment Beer-making kit

National Geographic DVD Set Scratch-Off Global Map GPS system Travel guidebooks Gift certificate for fair-trade items

Sports Fan Dad

Cultured Dad

Theater tickets Biography of favorite artist Tickets to a gallery exhibit Fine arts class registration Desktop kinetic sculpture

Vintage look favorite team T-shirt Portable snack/ drink cooler Tickets to a game Bleacher seat cushion License plate holder with name of favorite team

Coachy Dad Baseball cap with favorite team name

Custom whistle lanyard Set of large net bags Stack of small orange cones Portable whiteboard with markers

Author, journalist, and Writing Coach Christina Katz is married to an athletic, voracious reader, writer, yard conqueror, youthful, film buff, handy man, digital, sports fan, top chef, caffeinated, cultured, homebody, global Dad, who is sure to be spoiled this Father’s Day. June 2021 WNY Family 9

M

y daughter is a few weeks old and lying on her activity mat. My husband gives me a kiss and says, “Have a great day!” and turns toward the door.

“Aren’t you going to say goodbye to the baby?” I know I am pouting and my tone is of the Whiny Baby variety but I can’t help it. I don’t understand how he can just ignore our perfect, tiny baby.

It’s a Dad Thing — by Pam Moore

“Oh, right. Goodbye, sweetie!” He crouches down and gives her a quick kiss on the top of her soft, bald head and leaves for work, this time for real.

My husband is a good man and a loving father, but it infuriates me that he neglects to give our daughter a simple goodbye when he leaves and he often fails to greet her when he arrives home.

How can he care so little about connecting with our beautiful baby?

My life revolves around her. I am breastfeeding and I will not return to work for another few months. My days are a blur of nursing, burping, diaper changing, and if I’m feeling perky, a load of laundry or a trip to Target. I talk to my mom on the phone a lot. I need to hear the voice of another adult and I need advice. I read the breastfeeding boards online. I try to find time to pump, in anticipation of someday leaving the house without the baby.

My husband’s life is largely the same as it was before our daughter was born. He gets up and goes to work. He comes home from work and some nights we eat dinner together while our daughter sucks peacefully on her pacifier. The other nights we eat in shifts so one of us can hold the baby while the other eats.

10 WNY Family June 2021

In the middle of the night, I awake to the sound of our daughter’s soft whine, and wait, holding my breath, hoping the whine won’t escalate into full-blown crying, even though it always does, and then I go into her room to nurse her back to sleep. When I return to bed, my husband is blissfully unaware, breathing his deep, oblivious, sleepy breaths. I try not to hate him for being asleep.

At my new parent support group, a male therapist is our guest speaker on the topic of being a new dad. Although the group is for moms and dads alike, we are all women. The therapist talks about the unique challenges of fatherhood, which is enlightening. One thing he says really sticks with me. He tells us motherhood is about letting go of the child and

fatherhood is about developing a relationship with the child. I still bear some resentment that I am the one getting up in the middle of the night but I start to understand my husband a little better.

And then our daughter starts to smile and my husband starts to engage with her a little more. She starts to laugh and he starts to give her raspberry kisses on her belly and tickle her armpits. She starts to get bigger and he puts her in the Kelty backpack and takes her on hikes more often. I start to realize I don’t need to leave him with a list of reminders and instructions for her care. He starts to take her on walks in the neighborhood, allowing her all the time she wants to stop and admire dogs, collect twigs, and explore the rocks she finds on the sidewalk.

Our daughter is almost two now.

Most mornings she cries, “I need the Mama! Where are you Mama!?” imploring me to rescue her from her crib at an entirely too early pre-dawn hour. But the other day, she yelled instead, “Daddy, read the Hobbit!” My husband is a science fiction/fantasy geek and reading The Hobbit has become a bedtime ritual he shares with our daughter.

I am too tired to open my eyes but I don’t need to see my husband to know his heart is smiling.

Pam Moore is an author, body positive health coach, occupational therapist, and certified personal trainer who helps women push through fear to become their best selves. To get her free guide to crushing Impostor Syndrome visit pammoore.com. This article was originally published on Mamalode.

Hatch Baby

4 Great Apps For New Dads

S

— by Tanni Haas, Ph.D.

unday, June 20 is Father’s Day, a great occasion for new fathers to learn how to best support their better halves — from pregnancy, to delivery, to taking care of the new baby. Here are four apps, which offer great advice for every step of the way. The best part is that they’re all free, so share the following reviews with your husband:

Daddy Up

(Available at: Apple Appstore; Google Play) As a man, you can be forgiven for not knowing what it’s like to be pregnant. After all, YOU aren’t the one who’s pregnant. But do yourself a favor and get Daddy Up. This app has all the advice you could possibly want about what it feels like to be pregnant and what you can do to support your wife through the many changes she’s going through. It’s written by other dads who’ve been through this, so they know what they’re talking about. The app has a journal log to jot

down your thoughts and feelings as you and your wife go through this journey together.

Contraction Timer

(Available at: Amazon Apps; Apple Appstore) When the time is up, you want to be ready: ready to get your wife to the hospital or birthing center ASAP or if you’re having a home birth, to let the doula begin with her support. Contraction Timer can help you with that.

This awesome app lets you time your wife’s contractions and record the length of each one and the intervals between them. You can add notes to describe each contraction such as their intensity, which is very useful if you’re going to the hospital or birthing center and would like to update the OB/GYN or midwife.

(Available at: Amazon Apps; Apple Appstore; Google Play) Once the baby arrives, your life will change radically and forever. Suddenly, you’ll need to keep track of a whole host of things, including your baby’s feedings, diaper changes, and sleep.

You’ll be very tired, but Hatch Baby can help you stay organized and on top of things.

This app lets you record and track all your baby-related responsibilities, which will help you learn about your baby’s patterns.

CDC’s Milestone Tracker

(Available at: Apple Appstore; Google Play) It’s great to stay organized with all the things you need to do for your baby, but how do you know that your baby is developing as it should?

Milestone Tracker is a developmenttracking app that has been developed by the highly respected Centers for Disease Control. The app has a comprehensive checklist that lets you see if your baby is reaching various milestones, advice on what you can do to stimulate your baby’s development, and suggestions about where to go if you’re concerned about how your baby is doing.

Tanni Haas, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Department of Communication Arts, Sciences and Disorders at the City University of New York – Brooklyn College.

June 2021 WNY Family 11

toward getting in shape while spending time with someone who surely has the energy to keep up with you. Regardless of your ultimate goal, this is an excellent starting point. There are several apps on the App store that offer a variation of this program. I prefer the “C25K 5K Trainer” app from “Couch Potato to Running 5K.” It’s free, has a simple interface, and is very easy to follow.

FitPlan

RAISING DIGITAL KIDS — by Mike Daugherty

Family Friendly Fitness Apps

O

ne of my most cherished memories from my childhood was throwing a Frisbee with my father in the front yard after dinner every night. When my wife had our first child a few months after my thirtieth birthday, I vowed to create similar moments for my son. This did not seem like much of a challenge since we were an active couple already. We played sand volleyball in the Summer, flag football in the Fall, and indoor volleyball during the Winter months.

Kids tend to change your priorities and more recently, so do pandemics.

The challenges of being a parent coupled with the COVID limitations have pushed exercising to the bottom of the priority list.

Summer has arrived and so has the vaccine. Maybe you have a few extra pounds to lose from quarantine or maybe you just want to get yourself to a healthier place! As the restrictions are slowly lifted, it’s time to put all of your excuses on the shelf and get motivated.

Trying to figure out where to start first can be a daunting task in itself. Technology can help, but there are over 250,000 health and fitness apps on the App Store 12 WNY Family June 2021

alone. Here are a few apps that can kick start your fitness goals.

Couch To 5K

This program is designed to get someone off the couch and ready to run a 5k in eight weeks. Think of it as running for beginners. The app takes you through progressions to get your body in shape to compete in a 5K. The workouts average 30-40 minutes including a light warm up. It gets you out and gets you moving.

The Couch to 5K program might just be what you need to make exercise a part of your weekly routine. Couch to 5K is something you can do with your kids as well.

It is working

Couch to 5K is great for cardio, but if you’re looking for a whole body workout, FitPlan is an excellent option. FitPlan takes a personalized approach to home or gym workouts. You start by selecting what you are trying to accomplish: build muscle, tone, weight loss, etc. Next, you’ll select your trainer. The program has pro trainers, both male and female.

Lastly, you’ll select a plan based on your commitment in days, how often you need to work out, and for how long each workout should take. FitPlan provides you with step by step workout routines to achieve realistic results.

Each exercise has a detailed, high-definition video (filmed from multiple angels) explaining exactly how to perform the routine. FitPlan offers single day workouts to get you started. The app charges a monthly fee of $15.99 to access the ongoing experience. Monthly payments are not ideal; however, it is more affordable than most gyms, and the app gives you personalization that you would typically only get from a personal trainer.

Other Options Not everyone is willing to pay a monthly fee for an app, however, you’ll

struggle to find a full-featured free option. Most of the health and fitness apps start with a free 7-day trial before asking for a weekly or monthly subscription.

The limited trial is a perfect way for you to explore what these apps have to offer and find one that fits your needs. Here are some additional fitness apps to consider: ● PEAR/All Out Studio — Similar to FitPlan, these apps help create a customized workout routine with the help of videos and fitness experts. ● WakeOut/Seven — Designed for busy people who cannot make it to the gym and need to workout at home. These are a bit less intense than some of the other options. ● Apple Fitness Plus — A relative newcomer to the fitness scene, Apple Fitness Plus has received rave reviews from customers due to its ease of use and variety of options. The service costs $9.99 a month, but Apple offers bundles which include AppleTV, ESPN+, and Hulu along with iCloud storage. The bundles may actually save you money, especially since you can share it with up to five family members. The downside is that you need an Apple Watch Series 3 or newer in order to complete the workouts.

NEOU NEOU (pronounced New You) takes a different approach to fitness.

NEOU provides its users with access to a community of well known, high-quality fitness instructors from all over the world. These elite trainers have designed hundreds of workouts that can be accessed on demand. Scroll through the app, find a workout that seems appealing and read the reviews before you start.You can choose from boxing, yoga, dance, fat burning, and lots of other categories and concepts. Think of it like Netflix for fitness. NEOU also offers live classes if you prefer. Stream the workouts from your phone, SmartTV,

or tablet. On NEOU, a user states “As a mom of two, gym time is hard to come by. No matter what your mood is, there is a class for you. No matter what your stage in fitness is there is a class for you.” NEOU is more expensive than the others listed above due to the quality of the content and classes you are receiving. There is a free trial available though so check it out before committing.

Calm The apps we’ve looked at so far are focused on your body’s health.

If we’ve learned anything from the pandemic, it’s that mental health plays a critical role in your overall happiness.

Calm is an investment in your mental health. The whole app is dedicated to sleep, meditation, and relaxation. Experts lead you through daily mindfulness exercises designed to help you with focus, stress, anxiety or relationships.

Sleep stories help you fall asleep by taking your mind off the stress of the day. Calm even has meditation, sleep stories, and soothing music for kids as young as three years old. Calm has a 7-day trial followed by a $14.99 per month price tag.

Prep Work Getting in shape can become very arduous quite quickly if you are not prepared. For example, a two-mile jog can feel like ten miles if you don’t have something to listen to. Music lovers should look at purchasing a subscription to Spotify or Apple Music to help with the monotony of a run. Pandora is free, but the commercials are annoying midworkout. Podcasts and audiobooks are fantastic options for those people looking to work their brain as well as their body. A great story can make the time go by incredibly fast.

You’ll want to invest in a good pair of wireless headphones as well. The Apple Airpods are incredible if you don’t mind the high cost. There are quite a few similar wireless options that are much more affordable. Search wireless earbuds on Amazon to see your options. My suggestion would be to start with those until you’ve found an app, routine, and style of workout that best fits your needs.

In Conclusion The focus of this column was to help you as parents find a path to fitness.

Bring your children on this journey with you. Doing these workouts together can be a fun bonding experience. The kids will get excited about watching you progress through the app, almost like playing a video game. You are also instilling in them the importance of staying in shape at a young age. The results of your hard work will pay off quickly in your overall attitude and how you feel about yourself. There are so many positive results that can come from going down this road. In my opinion, this is a win-win for everyone in the family.

Mike Daugherty is a husband, father of three young children, author, speaker, Google Innovator, and possible Starbucks addict. He is a certified educational technology leader who has served in a variety of roles through his twenty-year career in public education.

Currently, Mike is the Director of Technology for the Chagrin Falls Exempted Village School district in Northeast Ohio. As an IT director he has developed creative, well thought out solutions that positively impact teaching and learning.

June 2021 WNY Family 13

PICK OF THE LITERATURE — by Dr. Donna Phillips

T

he family is the lynchpin of a society. Adults that nurture and protect their young create societies that are stable and successful. Even though the composition of the family has changed over the years, the outcome is still the same. Males play an important role in helping children develop into secure and thriving adults, but these roles can vary greatly. Books that celebrate dads and their relationships with their children show us just how varied these roles can be and how significant they are.

An ABC of Families (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, Beverly, 2021, $15.99), written by Abbey Williams and illustrated by Paulina Morgan, is the perfect board book to introduce young children to the many family configurations and the importance of everyone in them.

From Adoption to Dads, Grandparents to Kids, Moms to Others, Relations to Traditions, Unconditional Love to Zillions (for the many ways to be a family), this book is a warm and wonderful way

14 WNY Family June 2021

A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society

If you and your children like hide and seek, then Can You See My Daddy?

(Random House Children’s Books, New York, 2021, $9.99), written by Becky Davies and illustrated by Mel Armstrong, is sure to be a hit! This colorful board book features characters from the sea that delight in looking for their fathers and often they can be hard to find. Even though they might be camouflaged, there are cut outs and holes to peek through as we are guided by a delightful poem. As we help our underwater friends find their fathers, it is even more reassuring if the reader of the book is a father himself. The importance of the messages sent by this simple act can never be underestimated.

— Billy Graham

to help children realize just what it takes to be a family. It is not so much who, but how everyone contributes to the love and caring for one another that makes the family the place they can call home.

What special talent does it take to be the best dad ever? In My Dad (Quarto Publishing, Mission Viejo, 2021, $17.95), written by Susan Quinn and illustrated by Marina Ruiz, we learn what to look for. Is it the dad who is an astronaut, a spy, a racecar driver, or always running to a meeting? Not according to this child. His dad is the best because he reads to him, loves to bake, teaches him things, takes the time to play in the rain, or go sledding. His dad points out the beauty and magic in the world, even if it is just in the backyard, and he makes him laugh. Through this simple rhyming story, we learn that the best dads are the ones that simply make time for their children. To paraphrase Carl Buehner, a child “may forget what you said — but they will never forget how you made them feel.”

Carpenter’s Helper (Schwartz & Wade Books, New York, 2021, $17.99), written by Cybil Rosen and illustrated

by Camille Garoche, is the charming story of a little girl and her father who love to do carpentry projects together.

Renata is especially proud of their latest renovation. She loves learning about wiring and plumbing and loves the smell of saw dust. She loves the time she spends with her father, the things he teaches her, the odd treasure he leaves for her, but most of all… he calls her his Carpenter’s Helper. While there are always new discoveries and adventures she never expected, they find a special surprise as a result of wrens flying in a window that was being replaced and building a nest in the new bathroom. As she watches and learns about this bird family, she also learns about her own family and how families take care of each other. The unexpected twist at the end of the story leaves everyone feeling proud and protected.

There are so many books to celebrate fathers and what they do for their families and for their children. Why not take the whole family to the bookstore, or go online to find the perfect book for Father’s Day and the dads that make a difference in the lives of children and the world?

Dr. Donna Phillips is an associate professor in the College of Education at Niagara University where her specialty is literacy and children’s literature. She lives on Grand Island, NY and is the mother of two adult children and the grandmother of one.

Healthy

WNY Family Magazin

Healthy Child, Family e • July 2020

20th Annual

21ST ANNUAL!

healthy CHILD, healthy FAMILY

July 2020 WNY Family 17

A Special Pull-Out Section

Health & Wellness Matters to WNY Family Magazine Readers!

Join us in educating local parents about how they can improve their family’s health.

Appearing July 2021 In Print & Online

Space Reservation Deadline:

Thursday, June 10, 2021 Contact Your Sales Representative or Call (716) 836-3486 x104

June 2021 WNY Family 15

Start Of A New Day

I

t’s hard to believe, but for the first time in almost eight months, since Violet was born, the three of us finally had a chance to spend the day together outside the house. Between Andrea working fulltime on top of being a full-time mom, and myself averaging over 60 hours a week at work, the three of us hardly had any time to spend together that didn’t involve feeding and a bedtime routine.

Most of our inability to bond fell on me due to the attention I had to give to my job. But I’m happy to say that I accepted a position with a new company that will allow me to be home every night and weekend, work a normal number of hours, ultimately changing the way we spend family time together.

By spending more time at work than at home, I was starting to worry about my bonding time with Violet; I felt like I was watching her grow up via text message photos. It’s so important to form a strong relationship with your baby from the start and I felt like I was missing out on that.

My first day off after working 18 days straight fell on a Saturday, which also happened to be Andrea’s birthday, and we made sure to take advantage of the time off. We drove a couple of towns over to East Aurora where we spent the entire day together.

That day brought on a few “firsts” for us. For myself, it was the first time I brought Violet through a store that

16 WNY Family June 2021

wasn’t Wegmans or Tops to buy groceries, and I quickly realized how difficult it is to maneuver a baby stroller through some smaller aisles. After getting her stroller stuck in the second boutique we went into, we resorted to window shopping for the rest of the day.

After a little bit of walking and playing bumper cars with strollers, we stopped for lunch at a gastropub. We opted to sit outside to spare the other patrons the chaos of our first time trying to manage a potentially screaming baby while simultaneously trying to eat our lunch. We figured if we were outdoors, one of us could pick Violet up and walk around if she started to have a meltdown. Also, if she started to cry, we wouldn’t have to worry about her screams being amplified inside the restaurant where the acoustics are much better. But, from the time we were seated to the moment we left the tip, Violet never woke up; and the weather was perfect that day anyway, so it was worth eating outside even though we were seated next to a row of impatient cars revving their engines at the red light.

After lunch, we made our way over to an ice cream

shop called Rosie’s, where we ate some of the best vegan ice cream we’ve ever had. While I was waiting in line I saw a man, maybe around my age, with his daughter; she was probably five or six.

What caught my eye was their bond together. It was the way she stood by his side, how he looked at her and she looked at him, and the way they laughed together. It looked like a friendship that took years to build. It was inspiring to me.

As Violet’s father, I want to establish a strong bond with her as she continues to grow older. I want to make sure I listen to her needs and concerns and not just brush her off and send her over to Andrea to deal with it. I figure, if I tell Violet I love her every day, play with her, be there for her, and just simply make sure I’m present in her life, then I should have no problem forming that solid relationship with her that I desperately want. Or at least I hope it’s that easy.

I don’t ever want Violet to think of me as someone whom she can’t come to with a question about anything or feel awkward being around me. I despise the thought of the cliché father sitting in his recliner, drinking his beer and saying, “I don’t know, go ask your mother.”

We finished Andrea’s birthday off with a delicious yellow cake back at home where I didn’t want the day to end. I’ve grown so accustomed to not having many days off, but now with my new job, we’ll have countless days like this where we can be together again.

Richard De Fino, a freelance writer by night, first became a father at age 34. After losing his first-born son Louis, at birth, he was determined to keep his memory alive the best way he knew how; through words. Now, with the birth of his daughter Violet, he plans on continuing to share his fatherhood journey each month with WNY Family readers.

r me m u S

! o G Guide

Western New York Family Magazine

June 2021

Summer Go! Guide • June 2021 WNY Family 17

T e co o

lest thing around !

LuGia’s on Wheels • Birthday Parties • Family Reunions • Block Parties • Weddings LuGia’s brings the Ice Cream and the FUN!

For More Information...

Email: buffalo@lugiasonwheels.com www.buffalo.lugiasonwheels.com

Attractions Aquarium of Niagara

Discover an ocean of wonder at the Aquarium of Niagara! Meet our rescued seals and sea lions, playful penguins, mesmerizing jellyfish, and more! Get hands-on interaction with sharks and stingrays at our new touch pool. Open at 9am daily.

701 Whirlpool St., Niagara Falls, NY 14301 • 716-285-3575 www.aquariumofniagara.org See ad on page 39

Big Kahuna Tiki Tours

Take a cruise on the historic Buffalo River and inner harbor on the coolest tiki boat in town. Adults can sip on a Hawaiian cocktail or a cold beer on this family-friendly tour. Create family memories on board while enjoying our tiki tour complete with a Caribbean-style playlist.

44 Prime St., Buffalo, NY 14202 • 716-796-4556 See ad on page 22 www.bigkahunatikitours.com

Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens

Enter a tropical paradise full of surprises! Each greenhouse showcases different collections of plants. Explore our online and in-person programs all year round! NEW! Feed our koi fish on select mornings with our educators. E-tickets are required to visit!

2655 South Park Ave., Buffalo, NY 14218 • 716-827-1584 www.buffalogardens.com

See ad on page 19

Buffalo Zoo

See exotic species from around the world, including our a-roar-able lion cubs now out for public viewing! Grab the whole family and come check out these two ferocious balls of fur. Reserve your tickets today at buffalozoo.org. Open daily, 10am-4pm.

300 Parkside Ave., Buffalo, NY 14216 • 716-837-3900 www.buffalozoo.org

See ad on page 25

Collect 380 million year old fossils at the #1 fossil park in the country...Penn Dixie!

Unearth the Unexpected!

Open weekends starting May 1, 2021

Canalside

Canalside hosts daily activities and events with something for everyone to enjoy. You’ll find history, children’s, and fitness programming. Grab a bite to eat or enjoy the views from the Boardwalk. At Canalside, fun happens here!

44 Prime St., Buffalo, NY 14202 buffalowaterfront.com See ad on page 19

Discover Niagara Shuttle

Enjoy a day of discovery as you connect to over 17 destination sites along the 14 mile route from the “Falls to the Fort” on the free Discover Niagara Shuttle. Park and discover!

716-222-0729 www.discoverniagarashuttle.com

See ad on page 18

Agriculture/ U-Pick Farm Greg’s U-Pick Farm Follow us penndixie.org 4050 North St. • Blasdell, NY 14219

716-627-4560 www.PennDixie.org 18 WNY Family June 2021 • Summer Go! Guide

An in the dirt, educational, hands on experience for the entire family! CSA shares, U-pick strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and pumpkins available. Visit our farm market and bakery for fresh produce, pies, and more!

Bring a group, book a field trip. Pick here! Grow here! Have fun here!

9270 Lapp Road, Clarence Center, NY 14032 • 716-741-4239 www.gregsupick.com

See ad on page 24

Come Play With Us Raff’s Playland offers Kid Size Fun! FEATURING...

Mini Duff’s Restaurant Animal Hospital Police Station Fire Truck Grocery Store and More!

Older children can check out the BEAM Room!

Eastern Hills Mall • Williamsville, NY 14221

For More Information Visit www.raffandfriends.com ~ 716-632-4202

SUMMER FUN at... GREENDALE

FARM

Celebrating Over 30 Years Serving WNY with Quality Riding Programs

~ For Ages 7 - Adult ~ • Lessons, Trail Rides & Group Events

(with instruction and guides)

Reservations required for all activities

Holland/East Aurora Area For More Information: Contact Susan 716-479-2020

er Ice B u m p Ca rs a t

Fun!

bumpegr bumpin

OLD FORT NIAGARA Youngstown, NY

~ Open Daily through Labor Day ~

BIRTHDAY PARTIES | HOCKEY PUBLIC SKATING | FIGURE SKATING LEARN TO SKATE | FUNDRAISING

See the public skate schedule online at cornerstoneicearena.com

1 Grigg Lewis Way | Lockport, NY 14094 | 716.438.7698

★★The French & IndIan★★ War encampmenT ★ July 2nd - July 4th, 2021

★

The PParsetsiesnt Learn more at www.oldfortniagara.org | 716.745.7611 Summer Go! Guide • June 2021 WNY Family 19

Look Forward to

MMUS

Campgrounds Houghton Letchworth KOA

in 2021!

As of our issue print date, the following events were scheduled for 2021. Be sure to check websites for the most current information and any COVID restrictions or advance registration requirements due to limited attendance.

June

Sunday Gazebo Concert Series Olcott Beach Through September 5th olcott-newfane.com 6 • Meet Our Past: A Walk Through History Lancaster Hullfamilyhome.com 12 • Fairy House Festival Lewiston artpark.net 12 • Buffalo Porchfest Elmwood Village buffaloporchfest.org 12-13 • Strawberry Festival Forestville merrittestatewinery.com 12-13 • Celtic Faire Mumford gcv.org 17-18 • Civil War Living History Mumford gcv.org 19 • Celebrating Juneteenth Mumford gcv.org 19-20 • Lewiston Garden Fest Lewiston lewistongardenfest.com

Continued on page 22

20 WNY Family June 2021 • Summer Go! Guide

Only 20 minutes from Letchworth State Park, this tranquil, family-owned KOA offers more than 80 sites for trailers & tents, along with cabins to rent. Enjoy themed-weekends, several outdoor courts, playgrounds, a general store, indoor & outdoor heated pools and a fun-filled lodge!

7632 Centerville Rd., Houghton, NY 14744 • 585-567-4211 www.HoughtonKOA.com

See ad on page 21

Sleepy Hollow Lake

Family friendly campground that offers a wide variety of activities and events. RV, tent and cabin available. Many on-site and planned activities for the entire family. We offer a lake, swimming, fishing, kayaking, tennis, mini golf, themed weekends, rec hall and more!

13800 Siehl Rd., Akron, NY 14001 • 716-542-4336 www.sleepyhollowcamp.com See ad on page 37

Family Programs JCC Buffalo

With 2 convenient locations, the JCC features 2 indoor pools, an outdoor pool, playgrounds, and everything else needed for the best summer ever! Join us for Day Camp for children in Grades K-10, relax at the pristine outdoor pool, make new friends, fly down the Dual Zipline, climb the rock wall, and so much more!

787 Delaware at Summer in Buffalo, NY 14209 • 716-886-3172 2640 North Forest Rd. (behind UB at Aububon), Amherst, NY 14068 • 716-688-4033 www.jccbuffalo.org

See ad on page 25

Farms & Markets Becker Farms & Vizcarra Vineyards

Open every day! Kids welcome, pick your own berries, farm market, pies, ice cream, farm animals, play ground/picnic area. Visit Vizcarra Vineyards and Becker Farms and Becker Brewing Company for wine and beer tastings!

3724 Quaker Rd., Gasport, NY 14067 • 716-772-2211 See ad on page 21 www.beckerfarms.com

Hands-On Fun! Buffalo & Erie County Public Libraries

The 37 Buffalo & Erie County Public Libraries & the “Library on Wheels” bookmobile provide a variety of year-round, all ages virtual and in library programs, services and more than 3.2 million books including eBooks for everyone! Libraries & library cards are FREE! Visit us soon!

716-858-8900 See ad on page 39 www.Buffalolib.org

Designing Dish

Everyone is an artist at Designing Dish – a paint your own pottery store featuring Glass Fusing. Now offering Pottery To Go Kits for individuals and for groups, field trips and private parties. Celebrate summer by visiting us. Facebook and Instagram.

138 Grey St., East Aurora, NY 14052 • 716-655-4456 www.designingdish.com See ad on page 33

Summer Go! Guide • June 2021 WNY Family 21

Look Forward to

MMUS in 2021!

As of our issue print date, the following events were scheduled for 2021. Be sure to check websites for the most current information and any COVID restrictions or advance registration requirements due to limited attendance.

June cont.

19-20 • Thunder on the Buffalo Waterfront Outer Harbor buffalowaterfront.com/events/ thunder 20 • Free Admission for Dads Genesee Country Village & Museum Mumford gcv.org 20 • Fishing at Lake Surprise Mumford gcv.org 26 • Classics at the Carrousel Car Show North Tonawanda herschelcarrousel.org 26-27 • Free Fishing Days All Fresh Waters of NY State dec.ny.gov/outdoor/89821.html

22 WNY Family June 2021 • Summer Go! Guide

Horseback Riding Greendale Farm

Greendale Farm provides family friendly activities, including trail rides and parties. Our trails cover 100 acres of woodland. We provide certified riding helmets and trail guides. Individualized lessons ages 7 and up.

Younger children receive personal instruction in the indoor arena.

10379 Crump Rd., Holland, NY 14080 • 716-479-2020 See ad on page 19

Indoor Recreation Cornerstone Ice Arena

Everything’s better on ICE! If skating isn’t your thing - or you just want a change of pace – check out our Ice Bumper Cars! Rides are 10 minutes long during our public sessions or you can book a private party for up to 25 people with 12 cars. Pre-register at www.CornerstoneIceArena.com.

1 Grigg Lewis Way, Lockport, NY 14094 • 716-438-7698 www.CornerstoneIceArena.com See ad on page 19

Gymnastics Unlimited

Flip into summer with us! Your child will be head over heels joining our classes, fun mini day camp, birthday parties, open workout or open tumbling! Discounted Registration fee for fall if paid by June 12th!

70 Weiss Ave., West Seneca, NY, 14224 • 716-677-0338 www.gymnastics-unlimited.net

See ad on page 33

Niagara Climbing Center

Enjoy family friendly fun as Niagara Climbing Center invites all ages to experience the excitement of climbing! Never climbed before? No problem! We will teach you our ropes! Open 7 days a week.

1333 Strad Ave., N. Tonawanda, NY 14120 • 716-695-1248 www.niagaraclimbingcenter.com

See ad on page 39

Raff’s Playland

Come imagine with us! Raff’s Playland is a dramatic play center for children and their caregiver to play together in a safe and welcoming atmosphere. Kids get to explore the play stations including a grocery store, animal hospital, police station, fire truck, restaurant and more!

Visit our website for more information and to complete required waiver.

4545 Transit Rd., Eastern Hills Mall, Williamsville, NY 14221 • 716-632-4202 www.raffandfriends.com See ad on page 19

Living History

Look Forward to

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House

NUF REMMUS

Visit the events calendar at martinhouse.org throughout the summer to discover family programming, including the free Architecture Adventures outdoor sessions. Kids will experience the architecture and the public art in entertaining and engaging ways. Advance reservations required for most events.

125 Jewett Parkway, Buffalo, NY 14216 • 716-856-3858 www.martinhouse.org See ad on page 22

Genesee Country Village & Museum

Visit New York State’s Largest Living History Museum! Less than 1 hour from Buffalo, Genesee Country Village & Museum has fun for the whole family as costumed interpreters bring history to life at a living, working 19th-century village. Visit www.gcv.org.

1410 Flint Hill Rd., Mumford, NY 14511 • 585-538-6822 www.gcv.org

See ad on page 35

Old Fort Niagara

Old Fort Niagara offers exciting living history programs and authentic 18th century buildings and fortifications. The Fort presents daily history adventures and a full calendar of special events that are fun for the whole family. Connect with Niagara’s past as you walk in the footsteps of history.

102 Morrow Plaza, Youngstown, NY 14174 • 716-745-7611 www.oldfortniagara.org See ad on page 19

Museums Buffalo Museum of Science

Step into interactive Science Studios and explore the wonders and cultures of our world, from geology to physics and dinosaurs!

Admission includes access to the special exhibition Medieval to Metal, now open through Labor Day. Weekly summer camps also available!

1020 Humboldt Parkway, Buffalo, NY 14211 • 716-896-5200 www.sciencebuff.org See ad on page 24

Explore & More The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Children’s Museum

Grab your lab coats! Grab your paintbrushes! It’s time to head to Explore & More for our summer camp series. We have many wonderful camps. Check out our website for details on each fun-filled camp. Space is limited so sign up today!

130 Main St., Buffalo, NY 14202 • 716-655-5131 exploreandmore.org/summer-camps See ad on page 29

National Comedy Center

Named the “Best New Museum” in the country by USA Today, the National Comedy Center provides a fun & laugh-filled interactive experience for the entire family. Their LaughSafe program keeps the experience safe, touchfree & worry-free. Less than 90 minutes from Buffalo.

203 West Second St., Jamestown, NY 14701 • 716-484-2222 www.comedycenter.org See ad on page 21

in 2021!

July

1-4 • Ellicottville Rodeo Ellicottville ellicottvillerodeo.com 2-4 • French & Indian War Encampment Youngstown oldfortniagara.org 3 • Fireworks Over Lake Ontario Olcott Beach Olcot-newfane.com 10-11 • Taste of Buffalo Buffalo tasteofbuffalo.com 10-11 • Geneseo Air Show Geneseo nationalwarplanemuseum.com 10-Aug. 15 (weekends only) • Sterling Renaissance Festival Sterling sterlingfestival.com 13-16 • Old Home Days Williamsville oldhomedayswilliamsville.com 17 • Enchanted Wild Fest West Falls hawkcreek.org 17 • Crafts in the Gardens Buffalo botanicalgardens.com 18 • School of Rock The Musical Lewiston artpark.net

Continued on page 38

Summer Go! Guide • June 2021 WNY Family 23

Nature & Outdoors Adventure Calls Outfitters, Inc.

Come experience Letchworth State Park as only we can show you - from the bottom up! Paddle class I/II rapids on our guided trips. Perfect for families with younger children and novice paddlers.

P.O. Box 391, LeRoy, NY 14482 • 888-270-2410 See ad on page 33 www.adventure-calls.com

Penn Dixie Fossil Park & Nature Reserve

Dig up buckets of fun at our 54-acre fossil park. Your family will discover ancient sea life that everyone can bring home for a fun and educational experience. Seasonal hours.

4050 North St., Blasdell, NY 14219 • 716-627-4560 www.penndixie.org See ad on page 18

Parks & Beaches New York State Parks

From the shores of Long Island to the mighty Niagara Falls, experience New York’s 250 state parks. Connect your 4th grader for free entry to our beaches, hiking trails, campsites, golf courses and boat launches. Grants also available for other grades.

250 throughout New York State www.nysparks.com

See ad on page 35

Party Resources LuGia’s On Wheels of Buffalo

The coolest thing around! We do everything from corporate events and birthday parties to weddings, block parties, and festivals: anywhere you would like to have ice cream and fun! We supply everything you need, including ice cream, toppings and our very own professional ice cream scoopers!

Call or email us today, buffalo@lugiasonwheels.com 3600 Commerce Parkway, Lancaster, NY 14086 • 716-352-0007 www.buffalo.lugiasonwheels.com See ad on page 18 9270 LAPP ROAD • CLARENCE CENTER, NY 14032

COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE

VISIT US & JOIN TODAY! MID JUNE - MID JULY : U-Pick Strawberries MID JULY - MID AUGUST : U-Pick Blueberries MID AUGUST - MID SEPTEMBER : U-Pick Raspberries SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER : Pumpkins & Fall Fun Visit our farm market & bakery Bring a group or book a field trip!

PICK HERE. GROW HERE. HAVE FUN HERE. MORE INFO, BOOK YOUR GROUP & CSA SIGN UP:

716-741-4239 GREGSUPICK.COM

24 WNY Family June 2021 • Summer Go! Guide

Restaurants Salvatore’s Hospitality

Make it memorable with Salvatore’s! With Italian | Prime Italian Steakhouse, The Delavan Hotel and Salon & Spa, The Chandelier Bar and The Garden Place Hotel, we have something for everyone.

6461 Transit Rd., Buffalo NY, 14043 • 716-635-9000 www.salvatores.net

See ad on page 39

Vacation Destination VisitErie

Order your FREE Erie Adventure Guide to plan your vacation now. Or Download the FREE “Hello Erie!” GPS-based mobile app. Map out your vacation with this easy-to-use app. Safe. Fun. Affordable. Close.

208 East Bayfront Parkway, Erie, PA 16507 • 800-524-3743 www.VisitErie.com

See ad on page 25

Summer Go! Guide • June 2021 WNY Family 25

denly I found myself with a short list of options.

— by Jean Bezek

Forest Gully Farms

Top of the list quickly became uncontested once I found the listing for Forest Gully Farms in Santa Fe, Tennessee and fell in love (https://www. forestgullyfarms.com/). I’m NOT a fan of camping, but my husband and kids are. This looked like a great “glamping” experience with an added bonus — my husband loves the Lord of the Rings books and we’d be staying in “hobbit house” style lodging! Only one family/ group could book the property at a time so that took care of social distancing.

These “Unconventional” Family Vacations Worked for Us During COVID

A

s we all know, COVID threw everyones’ lives off course in 2020 and family vacations were among the most-anticipated events that were the first thing to face cancellation. That is, unless you began to think “outside the box,” and do some online research to look for “unconventional” destinations, where crowds were unlikely, but with enough activities to keep both kids and adults entertained.

Time spent in the outdoors was also an important factor.

Long before COVID hit, I had started planning our 2020 summer vacation but wasn’t feeling especially inspired. We’d done Florida and its various theme parks, as well as Boston and the Cape Cod region. My husband isn’t

26 WNY Family June 2021 • Summer Go! Guide

a huge fan of flying so anything that can be a road trip is preferable, and my two kids, ages 12 and 8, are old enough to manage longer trips by car.

In search of inspiration, I pulled up the Airbnb app. They have some search tools that make it easy if you don’t know where you want to go. Just enter the attributes of what type of lodging you are looking for and go from there! Well, that was easy… I knew how many beds and bathrooms were necessary, along with the need for parking, laundry, and A/C. With my preferences locked in, I could search by price and by rating. Then I realized I could search using the map, so I started to look at places that were within a 2-to-3-day drive. That feature added a whole new layer to my search and sud-

The “gully huts” are built into earth mounds and each of them has A/C! There are two that are for sleeping which can fit 3-4 people comfortably. Each is also equipped with power outlets, along with interior and exterior lights.

The third hut is the kitchen, and it would serve as our hangout place during the day. We’d be able to cook our own meals with plenty of pots and pans, along with an electric cooktop and a full-size fridge. There wasn’t any running water in the huts so we would need to carry it from the bath house/laundry building, to fill a jug that emptied into the sink, but that wasn’t an issue for us.

The walk to the bath house/laundry building takes about 90 seconds from the huts. The building housed a washer and a dryer (a must have for a trip like this), along with a “slop sink” and two separate bathrooms, with one of them with a shower.

After a few days of discussion

amongst the four of us, we decided to go for it and booked 5 days. We’d make the drive there and back into part of the trip, and make some fun stops in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Kentucky along the way.

Months later, when COVID hit, we were worried we’d have to cancel our trip. Luckily, since we were driving and the location was so remote, we felt very safe about still going. The farm is an experiment in sustainable living, built around the goal of living off the land and guests immerse themselves in their own “homestead,” which includes a vegetable garden, orchard, and chickens.

The kids had a wonderful time checking out the creek and the waterfalls, getting eggs from the chickens, picking buckets of blueberries, and just lazing about with the two dogs that belonged to the hosts and were allowed to roam the property. We were 20-30 minutes away from a few different small towns, with enough options for groceries and takeout, as well as some parks we could go to for fishing and exploring.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

We thought for sure that we’d be able to go on a “normal” vacation sooner rather than later, but as the rest of 2020 proved, that wasn’t the case.

I am fortunate to be able to work from home, but the idea of having the kids bouncing off the walls over Winter Break in February 2021 wasn’t appealing. So back to the Airbnb app I went!

With work commitments and winter travel, we didn’t want to go away for more than a few days, so that meant the drive time had to be shorter. I found an incredible house in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for us to stay at and used TripAdvisor to find some outings that we could go on. The site had a ranking of top attractions, and each had been updated to clarify what was available with COVID restrictions.

We settled on the following and bought advance tickets: The National Aviary (https://www. aviary.org/) offered timed tickets and reduced attendance, in addition to requiring masks. My husband is a big fan of birds, and there were an impressive continued on page 32 Summer Go! Guide • June 2021 WNY Family 27

and returned the area around the falls to its natural state and to the people of the world.

The campaign resulted in the establishment, on July 15, 1885, of the nation’s first state park, embracing 435 acres of land along American Falls.

Niagara Falls State Park

Writers have long struggled to capture the wonder and magnificence of the Falls.

Mark Twain simply wrote, “Niagara Falls is one of the finest structures in the known world.”

— by Deborah Williams

Our Region is “Rich” in State Parks — Get Out & Enjoy Them!

N

ew Yorkers can be justly proud of their state parks.

They are some of the finest in the country. Our state park system has long been recognized as one of the best and most diverse in the nation.

The state ranks first in the number of operating facilities and first in the total number of campsites. Western New York is particularly lucky, boasting the oldest and most famous state park in the world. It also is home to the newest state park.

The parks remained open during the pandemic and welcomed a record setting 78 million visits in 2020. Since 2011, the parks have enjoyed nine years of steady growth. The record growth came despite reduced capacity limits at some parks last summer because of the pandemic. Attendance at some parks such as Niagara Falls was also impacted by limits on out-of-state and international visitors and canceled spe-

cial events.

Niagara Falls State Park is certainly one of the most famous parks in the world.

Millions come here each year to witness one of the world’s most impressive natural phenomena. They line the promenade opposite, gape from the deck of a boat below, peer out from the caves behind, ogle from a helicopter above — drinking in the vista from every conceivable angle.

It’s hard to believe it wasn’t always thus, but in 1985 the world celebrated just a century of unrestricted viewing of Niagara Falls. Before 1885, the lands around the falls had become one of the most vulgar tourist traps anywhere, with visitors having to pay for the privilege of seeing the cataract through peepholes in privately owned fences.

A group of Americans including landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted created the Free Niagara Movement

Niagara Falls also boasts one of the most thrilling, totally accessible and safe boat rides in the world on the two new allelectric Maid of the Mist boats. Tour boats have been in operation more or less continually since 1846. President Theodore Roosevelt called the ride “the only way fully to realize the Grandeur of the Great Falls of Niagara.”

A family visit to the Falls can be an adventure packed day. The Niagara Falls USA Discovery Pass includes admission to area attractions including the Cave of the Winds, Maid of the Mist, Niagara Adventure Theater, Aquarium of Niagara, the Niagara Gorge Discovery Center, and oneday unlimited transportation for the Niagara Scenic Trolley. It offers a 35% savings over individual tickets.

Nearby Fort Niagara State Park in Youngstown offers a variety of water activities including two boat launches providing access to the lower Niagara River and Lake Ontario. There are woodland hiking trails, a recently rebuilt and modernized swimming pool complex with a water slide, picnic grounds, and playgrounds.

Since the park sits on the shore of Lake Ontario, on a clear day, you can see the Toronto skyline from the park.

The park is adjacent to Old Fort Niagara State Historic Site. The fort is open daily during the summer. It offers a chance to step back in time to an era when great empires struggled for control of North America. The Visitor Center offers exhibits with original artifacts and an awardwinning 16-minute orientation film. Don’t miss the Fort’s original War of 1812 flag.

Witness musket and artillery firing demonstrations, go on a guided tour, see artisans at work and learn about life on the Niagara Frontier during the 18th and early 19th centuries. Reenactors recreate the lives of past fort garrisons and depict the struggles that led to the birth of the U.S.

28 WNY Family June 2021 • Summer Go! Guide

Buffalo Harbor State Park

and Canada during special events.

Buffalo is home to New York’s newest state park — Buffalo Harbor State Park on the city’s growing waterfront. It is the perfect spot for watching the sunset after walking, biking, or kayaking. The park is home to a 1,100-slip marina, Charlie’s Boatyard Restaurant (with indoor and outdoor dining), boat launches, personal watercraft launches, snack bars, kayak and canoe rentals and a beach for strolling and sunbathing.

Don’t miss the nautical-themed playground for kids of all ages.

The park is across the Buffalo River from Canalside and the Queen City Bike Ferry will be operating this season for the five-minute ride. Dogs and bikes are welcome.

East Aurora’s 633-acre Knox Farm State Park is the former country estate of Buffalo’s renowned Knox Family. It is a popular spot for walking, hiking and biking. The off-leash Dog Park is one of the largest in the area and is divided into three sections, with a special fenced area for little dogs and puppies.

Looking for the perfect spot for an afternoon at the beach?

Visit Evangola State Park on Old Lake Shore Road in Irving. The main attraction is the beautiful natural sand beach. Scenic cliffs of Angola shale line the reminder of the park shore near the three campgrounds.

The park features swimming, picnic shelters, banquet room, grassy picnic areas, baseball diamond, basketball and tennis courts, 80 campsites, six yurts, a cabin and a nature center. continued on page 34

Knox Farm State Park Summer Go! Guide • June 2021 WNY Family 29

— by Deborah Williams

Looking for an ideal multi-generational experience? Lake George is it.

Generations of Families Have Returned to Lake George Year After Year

L

ake George has it all. The lake in New York’s southern Adirondacks is known as the “Queen of the American Lakes.”

It also bills itself as “the birthplace of the American vacation.”

Thomas Jefferson was an early visitor and heaped praise upon the lake in 1791 on his tour of New York and New England with James Madison — a decade before Jefferson and then Madison served as U.S. presidents.

limpid as crystal, and the mountainside covered with rich groves of silver fir, white pine, aspen and paper birch down to the water.”

It boasts 109 miles of shoreline and more than 300 islands and is surrounded by mountains offering perfect picture postcard vistas.

“Lake George is without comparison, the most beautiful water I ever saw,” observed this veteran traveler.

Lake George is rich in history, offers a wide range of water and land sports and activities, adventures galore, a grand amusement park, shopping in top stores and local boutiques, and an amazing array of accommodations including island campsites.

Jefferson noted that the lake was “interspersed with islands, the water as

This is a place where generations of families have returned year after year.

30 WNY Family June 2021 • Summer Go! Guide

The welcome mat and dog biscuits are also out for the family canine. It is one of the most dog-friendly destinations my very well-traveled Labrador retriever Sam has ever visited. Sam would rate it with five biscuits.

A ride on a Lake George Steamboat Company boat is a quintessential Lake George experience. Founded in 1817, the company has been transporting passengers and visitors for more than 200 years. The trips began as essential passenger and supply runs as the small communities that lined the lake were not connected by roads. Then sightseeing cruises began.

Visitors have their choice of three ships. The Minne-Ha-Ha is one of the country’s last steam paddle-wheelers and one of only two in New York. The Mohican is one of the country’s oldest continuously operated tour boats. The Lac de Saint Sacrement is the largest cruise ship on New York’s inland waters.

Luke Dow’s grandfather bought

the company in 1946 and it remains a family company offering a wide variety of cruises including brunch, lunch, and dinner cruises and fireworks cruises. The captain narrates the tour with history and fun facts about the lake and the Lake George community.

“The one-hour cruises on the steamboat remain our most popular and they are ideal for families,” Dow said. “The young kids love everything about the boat with the puff of exhaust, the steam whistle, and the calliope. A couple nights a week we have pirate’s cruises complete with cannon fire.”

Children receive a pirate loot goodie bag and are invited to join in a treasure quest. Be sure to sample some pirate grog and hold your ears when the canon fires.

Before Lake George became a vacation destination, it was a major player in American history. During the French and Indian War, major battles were fought along the water. The 35acre Battlefield Park in the village on the southern end of Lake George preserves major French & Indian War and Revolutionary War battle sites. Battles between the Algonquin and Iroquois tribes and between England and American colonists were fought on this land. It is a popular picnic spot today.

Next door is the reconstructed Fort William Henry. The original fort was built to protect the inland waterways from the French during the French and Indian War. In July 1757 word came that the French were coming to attack the fort. Faced with an overwhelming force, the British surrendered after six days.

But the drama continued with a massacre at the fort. It was then set on fire which lasted two days. The massacre was later dramatized in James Fenimore Cooper’s book, The Last of the Mohicans.

Today’s visitors learn about life in a British fort, weapons, and warfare including live firing demonstrations of musket and cannon. Children are invited to join the King’s Army. Young soldiers are provided with a uniform, musket and the chance to drill with their guide following the military demonstrations.

After the “firing” of their musket, participants will be presented with a certificate signing them up as a soldier and a coin for their pay.

Spirit of History Ghost Tours are conducted at the fort during the summer and fall in the evening.

Don’t miss a drive on the Prospect Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway especially if your visit includes a clear day.

A lovely, winding two-lane highway leads to a parking lot near the summit. On the way up there are three overlooks. There are grand views of Vermont’s Green Mountains, New Hampshire’s White Mountains, New York’s Adirondacks High Peaks and on a very clear day, the Laurentian Mountains of Canada can be seen.

From the parking lot, it is an easy walk up to the summit or there is a view-mobile that runs to the top for even more spectacular views. continued on page 36 Summer Go! Guide • June 2021 WNY Family 31

UNCONVENTIONAL VACATION continued... number to be seen. Memorable standouts were the penguins that were very active and wore bands on their wings with their names, and we also bought tickets to see a show where the birds would fly overhead.

The Senator John Heinz History Center (https://www. heinzhistorycenter.org/) also offered timed tickets and reduced attendance, in addition to requiring masks. Our daughter is a HUGE ketchup fan and that, coupled with the Mister Rogers Neighborhood exhibit as well as a huge sports exhibit/Stanley Cup display, made sure there was something for everyone.

In addition, we made stops at IKEA, along with two different eateries in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood — Gaby et Jules Patisserie (https://www.gabyetjules.com/) and Everyday Noodles (http://www.everydaynoodles.net/). The kids were big fans of all three, as each experience was something different from what we have access to back home.

On our way home, we’d planned our route so that we could stop at Pinball PA in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania (https://www. pinballpa.com). For $40 our family of 4 could play all the games we wanted for 2 hours! That was just the right amount of time for our group and while we’re big fans of pinball and retro arcade games, there were many here that we hadn’t had the opportunity to see or play before.

Closer-To-Home

Now that COVID restrictions have allowed attractions to open back up, there are some unique options in our own backyard here in Rochester, NY, and a short drive from Buffalo, that we’re happy to be able to visit again.

Radio Social (https://radio-social.com/) is much more than a bowling alley! Located in Rochester’s historical StrombergCarlson warehouse, the 42,000-square-foot facility features 34 bowling lanes, lounge areas, a variety of indoor and outdoor games (seasonally on their back lawn), two in-house dining concepts and two bars. Recently we were able to book a lane on a Friday night, and were able to get food and drinks delivered by our server. While there are standard kid-friendly options, their menu and drink list are next level (https://radio-social.com/ food/). You can also rent equipment to play ping pong, shuffleboard, and pool. There are some oversized Connect Four sets that are available for sign-out without a fee.

Livingston County Veterans Monument, located at 5871 Groveland Station Rd., Mt. Morris, NY, makes for a nice drive and there are 250 metal poppies on display. My kids enjoyed running around and looking at all of the unique designs at the center of each of the poppies. The monument is free to visit.

You can learn more about the project here: https://www.livingstoncounty.us/1163/Livingston-County-Veterans-Monument On the way home from your drive, you might want to stop at Colby’s Ice Cream & Bake Shop (https://www.colbysicecreambakery.com/) in Rush, NY for some treats!

Tip for Future Vacation Planning:

In pre-COVID times, it had become a family tradition to start planning our summer vacation (for the week of July 4th) in November/December/January. With our busy schedules, ad32 WNY Family June 2021 • Summer Go! Guide

vance planning was absolutely necessary to make sure we had the downtime that both grownups and kids needed. By planning ahead in November/December, we could gift portions of it to the kids over the holidays, and/or take advantage of “Black Friday” sales for our destinations. Yup, those are a thing! If you’re eyeballing a resort or major attraction as your destination, get on their mailing list ahead of the day after Thanksgiving, and you might be surprised with how much money you save.

Jean Bezek is the multi-tasking mom of two school-age children and the daughter of WNY Family editor and publisher, Michele Miller.

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NEW YORK STATE PARKS continued...

A yurt might be perfect choice for family camping. The park yurts include six cots and mattresses as well as a refrigerator and a microwave. They are wood lattice-framed structures with windows, a domed roof and wood floors.

The park’s nature center is in a historic 1929 YWCA Recreation Building with original art from the women who stayed at “Camp 40 Acres” during the 1930s. During World War II, women who worked in defense plants were invited to the progressive Camp 40 Acres for interracial weekends which gave them the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors together and learn how to work together. The center offers activities and displays focused on the Lake Erie environment.

Evangola State Park

Allegany State Park

Allegany State Park is on the southern border of New York, west of Olean and east of Jamestown. It is the largest of the state parks with 65,000 acres and two developed areas: Red House and Quaker.

The Quaker area is known for its two lakes and memorable camping experiences. It offers a sandy beach for swimming, two fishing piers and a canoeing or kayaking access point. There are miles of hiking trails, park programs offered at the amphitheater, horseshoe pits, baseball fields, basketball, volleyball and tennis courts.

Letchworth State Park

The park is home to natural rock formations known as Thunder Rocks as well as three fire towers. The old Quaker store has been completely restored and now houses a park museum. Exhibits document the history of the park as “the Wilderness Playground of Western New York,” and orient visitors to the park’s unique features and attractions, both past and present.

The two campgrounds and 20 cabin trails in the area offer 189 campsites and 230 cabins, 30 of them winterized and one group cabin. There are also vacation rental cottages with bathrooms, room to sleep six, and are furnished and stocked with bedding, cooking utensils, dishes, as well as outside grill and picnic table.

Letchworth State Park is one of the jewels of the park system and has been voted the country’s best state park by USA Today readers.

Dubbed the “Grand Canyon of the East” it is considered one of the scenically magnificent areas in the East. The Genesee River runs fast and deep between towering rock walls, forming a 17mile gorge with three major waterfalls. There are 66 miles of hiking trails throughout the more than 14,000-acre park.

The big news this year is the mile-long Autism Nature Trail, the first of its kind in the country and the world. It is currently under construction and is designed for everyone because it is ADA compliant as well as wheelchair and walker friendly.

Last summer the $2 million Lower Falls Recreation Area in Letchworth opened. Adventure Calls offers whitewater rafting and kayaking trips here.

Taughannock Falls State Park 34 WNY Family June 2021 • Summer Go! Guide

Another must see is Letchworth’s Humphrey Nature Center.

It focuses on sustainability and environmental education. It includes meeting space, classrooms, a butterfly garden, and interactive exhibits that promote activity within the park.

There are also campgrounds, cabins, houses for visitors as well as a swimming pool and regular park ranger programs.

Traveling just a few hours to the Finger Lakes region there are a number of top state parks.

Watkins Glen State Park is the most famous of the area’s parks, with a reputation for leaving visitors spellbound. It won third place in USA Today Readers’ Choice Poll for best state park in the country. Within two miles, the glen’s stream descends 400 feet past 200-foot cliffs, generating 19 waterfalls along its course. The gorge path winds over and under waterfalls and through the spray of Cavern Cascade. Campers and day visitors can enjoy the Olympic-size pool, tours throughout the gorge, campsites, picnic facilities and fish and boating on Seneca Lake.

Taughannock Falls State Park’s namesake waterfall is one of the outstanding natural attractions of the Northeast. The Falls, outside Ithaca, plunges 215 feet past rocky cliffs that tower nearly 400 feet above the gorge. Gorge and rim trails offer spectacular views from above the falls and from below at the end of the gorge trail. Campsites and cabins overlook Cayuga Lake, with a marina, boat launch and beach nearby.

Travel Tip of the Month: For information on New York State parks visit: parks.ny.gov. Many parks offer various ranger programs including guided hikes. A park admission pass can be used in more than one park on the same day. For campground reservations visit ReserveAmerica.com. Reservations are required and campgrounds and cabins fill up quickly.

Deborah Williams is a veteran travel writer whose work has appeared in national and international publications. She lives

AMERICA’S ORIGINAL

Water Park Niagara Falls State Park is a wonder in every season – especially in summer.

Cool off under the thundering water of the Falls at the the thrilling Cave of the Winds tour. Enjoy a meal with a view overlooking the mighty Horseshoe at Top of the Falls Restaurant. Explore the park’s numerous hiking and biking trails. However you define it, the roar of adventure is waiting for you at Niagara Falls this summer.

Learn more at NiagaraFallsStatePark.com

in Holland, NY, and is the recipient of the Society of American Travel Writers’ Lowell Thomas Gold Travel Writing Award.

Watkins Glen State Park

Summer Go! Guide • June 2021 WNY Family 35

LAKE GEORGE continued...

The 51-acre Million Dollar Beach on the southernmost shore of Lake George is one of the top lakeside beaches in the state. The reason for the name? It opened in 1951 at a cost of $1 million. It is free, although there is a parking fee, and the beach includes a bath house, lifeguards and food concessions. Bring a picnic lunch and spend the afternoon. A public boat inspection station, boat wash, and boat launch are located adjacent to the beach area. No dogs are allowed but there is the Dog Beach nearby.

A perfect summer day should feature a visit to an ice cream stand and Lake George boasts one of the most memorable ice cream emporiums serving up an astonishing array of delightful flavors. It is Martha’s Dandee Crème that has been famous for its ice cream for 74 years. It is also a good choice for a casual lunch or dinner and is open till 11 pm in the summer. Flavors change daily and servings are huge! How about banana, raspberry chocolate twist, peanut butter or cotton candy? Ice cream menus are posted monthly. All ice cream is made fresh daily.

Have a family of adventure seekers? Adirondack Extreme Adventure Course in Bolton Landing is the country’s largest aerial tree-top adventure park with more than one and a half miles of thrilling tree top courses designed for all ages.

There’s a Kid’s Treetop Adventure Course for children as young as six years offering two full treetop courses with more than 30 games, five ziplines, and a giant zipline.

There is also a “Low Rider” Zip Tour” for ages nine and over. It is designed for first-time, novice zipline adventurers as well as seasoned course veterans. Each of the ziplines range in heights of just 10-30 feet above the forest floor.

If you grew up with family stories of the fabled Comet roller coaster at Canada’s nearby Crystal Beach Amusement Park you can carry on the family tradition. The famous coaster has been reborn at Six Flags Great Escape, just outside the village. The Comet’s history goes back to 1927 when the first portion of what would become the Comet was built. Its name back then was the Cyclone which was hailed as the most intense coaster ever. It was so intense that nurses were stationed at the exit to assist patrons.

The Comet opened in 1948 rising from the old steel that once supported the Cyclone that had been dismantled two years earlier. It was an instant success. Only 41 years later the park closed, and its beloved Comet seemed destined for the scrap heap.

But the owner of the Great Escape bought it, transported it from Canada to the Adirondacks and rebuilt it. The coaster 36 WNY Family June 2021 • Summer Go! Guide

Greater Niagara Region

Camping & RV Park RV • Tent • Motorhome • Park Model Rentals

reopened in 1994. It remains one of the park’s main attractions with a 95-foot-tall frame, 4,197-foot-long track and speeds up to 60 mph. It has long been famous among avid coaster fans and in 2009 the Comet was recognized with a Coaster Landmark Award. There are also more than 135 other rides and attractions including two themed children’s areas.

Right across the road is the 200 room Six Flags Great Escape Lodge & Indoor Waterpark. It is an ultimate familyfriendly lodge with themed suites offering a child-sized log cabin with themed bunk beds and a queen size bed for parents.

Dining options include one of the country’s largest Johnny Rockets, designed to recreate the look and feel of a timeless hamburger and malt shop.

30/50 Amp Pull Through & Back In Sites City Water Playground Beach Saltwater Pool Laundry Activities and more

•

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Weekday S pe c i a ls

If you have always wanted to camp on an island, Lake George offers plenty of opportunities. The lake is home to 44 state owned islands with 387 campsites that are accessible via canoe or boat. These campsites fill up fast, so reserve as far in advance as possible. Other accommodations include hotels, motels, lodges, cabins, houses and land-based campgrounds.

Our base was the elegant and most comfortable Queensbury Hotel which has been lovingly restored to its 1920s grandeur. This Glens Falls hotel is a member of Historic Hotels of America. There’s an inviting indoor pool, restaurants, live music on weekends and pet-friendly rooms. The ten-mile drive to Lake George passes the outlet mall, the Great Escape park, and Martha’s Dandee Crème.

Travel Tip of the Month: For more information call 80095-VISIT or visit visitlakegeorge.com. Bookings have been strong for the summer season so reserve soon. For the Queensbury Hotel visit thequeensburyhotel.com or call 518-792-1121 or 800-554-4526.

Deborah Williams is a veteran travel writer whose work has appeared in national and international publications. She lives in Holland, NY, and is the recipient of the Society of American Travel Writers’ Lowell Thomas Gold Travel Writing Award.

Located Between Buffalo & Rochester For Reservations www.sleepyhollowcamp.com

716.542.4336

Summer Go! Guide • June 2021 WNY Family 37

Look Forward to

REMMUS

As of our issue print date, the following events were scheduled for 2021. Be sure to check websites for the most current information and any COVID restrictions or advance registration requirements due to limited attendance.

in 2021!

July cont.

18-25 • Canal Fest City of Tonawanda canalfest.org 19-25 • Chautauqua County Fair Dunkirk chautauquacountyfair.org 24-25 • SanbornLewiston Farm Museum Festival Sanborn sanbornhistory.org

5-8 • Attica Rodeo Attica Atticarodeo.com 5-8 • Eden Corn Festival Eden edencornfest.com 11-22 • Erie County Fair Hamburg ecfair.org

28-29 • Elmwood Festival of the Arts Buffalo Elmwoodartsfest.org 29 • Petpalooza Lancaster hullfamilyhome.com

September

14-15 • Lewiston Art Festival Lewiston artcouncil.org

4-5 • National Buffalo Wing Fest Sahlen Field buffalowing.com

4-15 • Revolutionary War Living History Weekend Lancaster hullfamilyhome.com

4-5 • War of 1812 Encampment Youngstown oldfortniagara.org

20-21 • Pendleton Farm & Home Days Lockport facebook.com/pendletondays

9-12 • Niagara County Peach Festival Lewiston lewistonpeachfestival.org

20-Sept. 6 • New York State Fair Syracuse nysfair.ny.gov

12 • Fishing at Lake Surprise Mumford gcv.org

4-7 • Gerry Rodeo Gerry gerryrodeo.org

21-22 • Fiddlers’ Fair Mumford gcv.org

4-8 • Niagara County Fair Lockport cceniagaracounty.org

28 • Urban Farm Day Tours Buffalo urbanfarmday.com

12 • War of 1812: A Walk Through History Lancaster hullfamilyhome.com

24-31 • Genesee County Fair Batavia gcfair.com 25 • Fishing at Lake Surprise Mumford gcv.org 25-Aug.1 • Quaker Days Orchard Park everythingop.com

August

4-8 • Lucille Ball Comedy Festival Jamestown comedycenter.org

38 WNY Family June 2021 • Summer Go! Guide

18-19 • Raid & Retribution Grand Encampment Youngstown Oldfortniagara.org 24-26 • Oinktoberfest BBQ Cookoff Clarence oinktoberfest.com

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Discover the unsearchable Discover the forest

Find a trail near you at DiscoverTheForest.org 40 WNY Family June 2021 • Summer Go! Guide

— by Keith Hawkes

PARENT PREVIEWS –

Making Media Entertainment An Easier Choice For Families OVERALL RATING: B-

Godzilla vs. Kong Rating: PG-13 WARNER BROS. DVD Release: June 15, 2021

A

VIOLENCE: (C) Humans are shown threatening people with guns. Titans fighting each other are shown using every weapon, limb, and nearby infrastructure at their disposal, leading to, at a bare minimum, hundreds of thousands of deaths.

SEXUAL CONTENT: (A­) None.

LANGUAGE: (C) There are seven uses of scatological profanity and For additional information on this infrequent use of mild profanities and terms of deity. film’s content, visit ALCOHOL / DRUG USE: (A) None. www.parentpreviews.com

fter leveling most of Boston in an epic showdown with the three-headed Ghidorah in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Godzilla has apparently retreated beneath the waves, content to leave humanity to its own devices. But when he appears in Florida and destroys the Apex research laboratory there, people start asking questions… people like conspiracy theorist Bernie (Brian Tyree Henry) and Madison Russell (Millie Bobby Brown).

Meanwhile, Apex continues to search for the entrance to the so-called “Hollow Earth” from which all Titans theoretically originated. Deciding that a tour guide would be useful, Apex staffers drag Kong off to show them the way. Godzilla isn’t about to let another giant beast supplant him as King of the Monsters and takes Kong’s emergence as a threat. Monster rivalries are a problem for humans, too — a fight between these incredible creatures could spell unimaginable disaster for everyone caught in the middle.

As a committed fan of both Godzilla and Kong, I have frequently been asked who I’m rooting for in this film. This is,

essentially, an impossible question.

How do you choose between your children? I love them both a great deal, and although it does hurt to see them fight, it’s also insanely cool. The scale and wonder of their combat is genuinely fascinating — in what other franchise can you see a 335-foot ape throw military aircraft at a 394-foot radioactive lizard?

As usual, your enjoyment of this movie is going to depend on how much you like the monster flick genre, so the real test is how well Godzilla vs Kong appeals to existing fans. I feel qualified as one of those fans to say that this is… a little bit of a letdown. Godzilla: King of the Monsters was such a strong film, not only in terms the awe-inspiring giant battles, but in terms of the pacing and structure of the movie. In contrast, this script separates its storylines too much, which hurts the pacing.

As soon as you get some momentum on one storyline, you’re whipped away to the other one — which frankly, isn’t nearly as good.

Apart from some brief language and the typical genre violence, there aren’t any content concerns here. No sex, not even any sex jokes, and no drinking, smoking, or drug use. Of course, the body count for this movie is likely somewhere in the low millions — you can’t level that much of a city with 7.5 million inhabitants and expect minor losses — but those happen almost exclusively off-screen. This is definitely suitable for a teen audience, and arguably intended for one as well.

Talk about the movie with your family…

Bernie subscribes to a lot of conspiracy theories, several of which turn out to be true… more or less. What is the risk with his mindset? How does a mentality like that make people more susceptible to dangerous misinformation?

Watch at home…

Obviously, the previous films are a good place to start. Godzilla and Godzilla: King of the Monsters are part of the same reboot as Kong: Skull Island. Earlier depictions of King Kong include the 1933 original and Peter Jackson’s 2005 remake.

June 2021 WNY Family 41

— by Kimberly Blaker

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F

inding healthy, effective approaches to gaining children’s cooperation, and improving their behavior isn’t always easy.

The tried and true methods often turn out to be true but temporary at best, especially for children with behavior problems stemming from attention deficit disorder or other behavior disorders.

One approach that works well is a token system. With this method, children earn tokens for a variety of good behaviors and lose tokens for misbehavior. Then they purchase rewards or privileges with the tokens they’ve accumulated.

Benefits of the Token System

The token system has several advantages over other forms of discipline and behavior management plans. First, it can be carried out at any time and in 42 WNY Family June 2021

any place. Children often act up in stores or public places, leaving parents with few options for immediately settling the problem. But with the token system, you and your child will carry a supply of tokens everywhere you go. Before you head out, just remind your child that good behavior will be rewarded and that inappropriate behavior will result in immediate loss of tokens.

The second advantage is the token system teaches children how to save, budget, and plan expenditures because tokens are used similarly to money.

Next, this system prevents inappropriate or useless measures that parents often utilize in the heat of the moment.

The token system makes empty threats a thing of the past. Because your child is aware of the consequences and your ability to administer them immediately, he’s less likely to act up.

Fourth, the token system is a positive approach. It eliminates criticism,

Finally, the token system can be altered regularly to keep kids’ interest and thereby increase its effectiveness. The token system, or one of its variations, can be used from about the age of three on into the preteen years, depending on your child’s level of maturity.

Getting Started

Make a list of the behaviors you’d like to work on with your child. This should include positive behaviors you’d like your child to improve on, such as using good table manners or putting dirty clothes in the hamper. If your child is five or older, also make a separate list of problem behaviors you’d like to reduce, such as name-calling or hitting.

For children under five, the token system should be used only for reinforcing positive behavior. The frustration caused by losing tokens for poor behavior will not be helpful to the preschooler.

That said, when a preschooler misbehaves, you can simply tell your child she will not be receiving any tokens as a result of the bad behavior.

Next, go through each list and prioritize and choose only four or five behaviors to work on at a time. Once your child has improved on a particular behavior, remove it from the list and add a new one.

Next, determine how many tokens to reward your child or to confiscate for specific behaviors. Your list might look similar to the one below. Keep in mind the number of tokens assigned to a particular behavior should fit the severity or diffi-

culty of the behavior relative to the other behaviors on which you are working.  Hang up their book bag and jacket - Earn 3 tokens  Eat supper without complaining - Earn 2 tokens  Say please and thank you Earn 1 token  Complete homework - Earn 6 tokens  Hitting - Lose 5 tokens  Tattling - Lose 2 tokens Also, try to estimate the number of tokens your child is likely to earn and lose in a week. Your child should be able to earn enough tokens to pay for problem behaviors. It’s not a good idea for your child to go into debt. If this becomes a problem, adjust the distribution of tokens accordingly.

You’ll also need to choose rewards your child can purchase with the tokens.

Determine what will be most enticing to your child. While a DVD or video game rental might be a real winner with some kids, others won’t be fazed by it.

As you plan the rewards, include privileges your child asks for or does regularly and would be devastating if

FUN REWARDS for gaining your child’s cooperation

 a trip to the ice cream parlor  a DVD or video game rental  collector cards  gel pen  a trip to the park  favorite fast food  play a board game with Mom or Dad  a new book  a pass to stay up late  a friend overnight  an hour of TV  a packet of colorful modeling clay  bowling or roller skating  a treat from the ice cream truck  a favorite meal for dinner

the opportunity were lost. Those rewards will be the strongest motivators.

To make such a reward effective, you’ll need to place limits on those types of privileges unless your child has earned and purchased it.

Be sure to set guidelines for rewards that require your time or attention. For example, a trip to the apple orchard might require a two-day notice. While for a board game, you might agree you’ll play within four hours of the request.

Set a variety of values to the rewards. That way, your child has the option to either make frequent purchases or to save for something big. Small children require frequent opportunities to purchase rewards to maintain their interest.

Poker chips make good tokens. For older kids, assign different point values to each color.

Finally, when handing out tokens, always verbally praise your child. Say you’re proud of his actions or appreciate her thoughtfulness. When your child is no longer earning tokens for the behavior, continued use of praise will reinforce it.

Variations

If your child struggles to complete schoolwork and turn in assignments, use the token system for this alone. Ask your child’s teacher to send home a daily report of what your child has completed and turned in, then reward your child’s efforts. Use grade rewards only if your child is capable of achieving high marks without too much difficulty.

As your child approaches the teen years, tokens may be perceived as childish. If your preteen still struggles behaviorally and with completing tasks, offer a checkbook ledger for tallying points instead. When points are earned, your preteen should fill in the ledger with the specific behavior or task and the number of points earned. Then immediately initial to show you’ve approved the points.

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This leads to another preventive measure, communication. Make sure your child knows he can talk to you about whatever is going on. Teach him how to talk calmly and express himself clearly, and always respond in kind. Ask your teen how you can improve the situation enough so he will want to stay.

TWEENS & TEENS — by Kimberly Blaker

Youthays Runaw Causes, Signs, Prevention and What to Do if They Flee

O

ne in seven kids between the ages of 10 and 18 will runaway, according to a report by the National Conference of State Legislatures. Not to mention, reports the National Runaway Safeline, more than seventy percent of runaways make a spur of the moment decision. Therefore, parents may see little clue their child might go missing.

So be aware of the causes and signs to watch for, take preventative measures, and know what to do if your child does flee.

CAUSES

There are numerous reasons kids run away. Many suffer from verbal, physical, or sexual abuse. Even when the situation is not as severe, often runaways feel neglected and lack financial and emotional support at home. They may also be in frequent conflict with their families. Kids might have drug or alcohol addiction problems or are trying to escape the addictions of their own parents. Teen pregnancy puts girls at high risk to run away. Often, sexual orientation leads teens to run away because they are rejected by their families.

Foster kids frequently run back to their own families, and mentally ill youth are at high risk as well. Finally, some kids run away simply because they don’t like their parents’ rules.

48 WNY Family June 2021

SIGNS Warning signs that a kid is planning to flee are not always present. Even when there are signs, most of these behaviors can have so many causes it is difficult to predict that a child is considering running away. But there are some telltale signs. The most obvious is when a teen threatens to do so. While it could be an attempt at manipulation in the heat of an argument, it should be treated as a serious warning sign. Your child may also start hoarding money, and valuable items might disappear from the house.

You might notice your child keeps a bag or backpack filled with clothes. Your teen may also become more secretive or might start staying away from home as much as possible.

PREVENTION The most important thing you can do is provide your child acceptance and unconditional love. Your child should feel she is loved the same whether receiving straight A’s or failing. A gay or pregnant teen needs acceptance from her family. If your teen has a drug addiction, make sure he understands that while you hate the addiction, you love him. Show you care by asking your child on a daily basis how she’s doing or how things are going, which also gives your child an opportunity to open up.

If she has actually threatened to run away, first ask what’s going on and why she wants to leave, and try to address her concerns. Then discuss the risks involved with running away and homelessness — the long-term impact of not finishing school; drug or alcohol problems that often develop; the high potential for falling victim to human trafficking; or committing crimes as a means of survival and ending up in jail or prison.

What to Do if Your Child Runs Away  Call your local police, and make a report immediately.  Make reports with your sheriff and state police as well as police stations in neighboring communities.  Contact everyone your child knows, including their friends, the parents of their friends, relatives, co-workers, classmates, and school staff.  Try to access your child’s social media accounts, school locker, and thoroughly search their room for possible clues.  Contact their cell phone provider to see who they’ve recently called.  If your teen has a debit or credit card, contact the bank for details of any transactions.  Hire a private investigator.  Call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THELOST and the National Runaway Safeline at 800-RUN-AWAY. Kimberly Blaker is an author and freelance writer. Her articles have appeared in more than 250 newspapers, parenting and women’s magazines, and other publications throughout the U.S.

MYTH:

There is no difference between dry and wet pet food.

Fact: Canned is recommended for cats and kibble is recommended for most dogs.

PET FOOD MYTHS

W

hich pet food is best? If you believe pet food advertisers, each is better than the competition. Pet food nutrition is an unbelievably complex subject. An incredible amount of misinformation is pushed at pet parents. So how do you choose?

Following are several myths and facts so you can begin to become educated. There isn’t just one “best” food — each pet is different, the best diet depends on age, medical conditions, food allergies, weight and activity level. Your veterinarian can help you choose what’s right for your pet.

MYTH:

“All natural”, “holistic”, “primal” foods are healthier.

Fact: Anyone can put these labels on any pet food.

There is no legal definition for most of these terms, few regulations in the pet food industry, and almost no oversight.

The FDA only gets involved when a major problem occurs. Terms like these are just marketing, meant to grab your attention.

THE FAMILY PET

There is more protein with fewer carbohydrates in canned food which helps cats stay lean. The increased water content in canned food helps prevent bladder problems and stones. Kibble makes sense for large dogs who could go through too many cans each day to keep them happy and healthy. Kibble is also easier to use as training rewards and in food puzzle toys.

MYTH: Dogs are exclusively carnivores.

Fact: Dogs need both plant and animal in their diet.

That said, it doesn’t mean they can eat all fruits and vegetables. Some are toxic for dogs and cats, including grapes, onions, garlic, chives, Macadamia nuts, and yeast dough. (A good reason to alcontinued on page 51

MYTH:

Grain free diets are better and help allergies.

Fact: The FDA has linked several grain-free diets to heart disease in pets.

Many people embraced the advertising for grain free diets which emerged with the gluten free craze. These diets quickly gained popularity, but many dogs and some cats have become sick or died of a heart condition related to diets high in peas and lentils.

June 2021 WNY Family 49

make to work toward becoming a more positive parent:

SINGLE PARENTING — by Diane C. Dierks, LMFT

Breaking the

“HABIT”

of Negativity

O

ne of the hardest things for anyone to do is break a bad habit. But if bad habits are so easily followed, why are good habits so hard to begin? Simply put, sometimes we’re just more comfortable in the negative zone. I talked to a single mom not long ago who expressed how difficult it was to talk to her son about his father.

“I can’t even think about him without rolling my eyes, let alone talk about him. Everything that comes out is sarcastic and mean. Even though deep down I know his father is a good parent, I’m afraid my son is getting the wrong image of him from me, but I don’t know how to stop.”

I understood her sentiments completely. Those of us who have been divorced know how far the pendulum swings the other way when there is a breakup. We often can go from being in a dream world to realizing harsh realities in a matter of days, and it seems the whole world is crashing in around us. Our only defense is to play the blame game — either by outward expression or internal emotional build-up. But according to Abigail Trafford, author of Crazy Time: Surviving Divorce and Building a New Life (Harper Perennial 2014), some amount of negativity is a necessary part of the “crazy time” stages of post-divorce. She calls this negative time the “Foundering Phase,” when people allow themselves 50 WNY Family June 2021

to grieve. However, Trafford says if this stage is allowed to linger too long, it can have damaging consequences.

“The danger in the Foundering Phase is that you forget you have choices,” warns Trafford. “You confront the agony of divorce but let it overwhelm you. You grow resigned that life is not going to work out, whether on the job, in bed, or out to dinner. It’s easier this way. You become a professional Divorce Victim.”

This kind of lingering negativity can lead to the type of constant anger experienced by the single mom I refer to above. If no movement toward the positive is made, it can lead to depression, illness, and adversely affect the children.

So, how long is too long? There is no definitive answer because much depends on individual circumstances. But divorced parents can begin taking steps soon after the divorce is final to work toward shedding the negative habit and making new ones.

The secret? As Trafford said, it’s a matter of remembering you have a CHOICE. Here a few simple choices you can

1) Acknowledge something positive each day. As cliché as the “power of positive thinking” has become, I think Norman Vincent Peale had a profoundly simple idea. The more you speak negatively, the more negative your life seems to become. Conversely, the more you focus on the positive, the better you feel. Start a Daily Joys notebook and list three things at the end of each day that brought you a sense of joy. This could be a feeling, event, or simply thankfulness for not having a nervous breakdown.

Force yourself to think of three things and write them down. If you get stuck, think of your child’s face, and I’m positive something will come to mind.

2) Begin a walking program. It has been medically proven that exercise is a good preventative measure for relieving stress and warding off depression. Walking is the simplest, most inexpensive form of exercise — and you can even involve your kids, no matter how old they are.

In Mark Fenton’s and Seth Bauer’s The 90-Day Fitness Walking Program (Perigee, 1995), the suggestion for Day 1 is to “Walk out of your door and walk for five minutes in any direction at any speed. Then turn around and come home. That’s it. You’re done. You need no preparatory gyrations or incantations. You don’t need to change clothes beforehand or shower afterward. Your workout is over.”

Their reasoning? Good habits start with small steps. Work up to 30-minutes a day for 4-5 days per week. Your attitude will change almost overnight when you begin to help your body shed the effects of stress.

3) Meditate and Breathe. Take time each day to feed your body and soul. It really works! Your meditation could be five minutes of prayer or simply sitting still with some relaxing music on and clearing your mind of the day’s events. While you are having this “quiet” time, get in the habit of taking deep breaths, filling your lungs completely, and exhaling slowly as if you are lightly blowing out a candle. This fills your lungs and brain with much-needed oxygen and serves to relax your nerves. Do this about a dozen time during your quiet time.

If you can start these three habits at once, great! You are on your way to learning how to cultivate hope in your life and finding positive ways to replace negative thoughts. If it’s too much at once, start with the breathing and work on that step only for a couple of weeks and then add the walking, the meditation, and the daily joys as you feel more confident. Now, this does not mean you will instantly begin to think positively about your expartner! But it will prove to you that good habits can be accomplished. Also, it will lead you to begin thinking about what other areas of your life you can improve.

Trafford calls this the Phoenix Phase.

“You get in the habit of making difficult choices,” she says. “You accept what in the beginning was unacceptable: yourself and your past of failure in marriage.

You bring to your new life a survivor’s confidence and a tourist’s vision that the world offers many different experiences.

It’s just a question of deciding what you want to do.”

Diane C. Dierks is a licensed marriage and family therapist in Atlanta, Georgia.

She is also author of The Co-Parent Toolbox (2014 Aha! Publishing) and Solo Parenting: Raising Strong & Happy Families (1997 Fairview Press). For more information visit her website is www.dianedierks.com.

THE FAMILY PET continued... ways keep the phone number for pet poison control and a bottle of hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting handy.)

MYTH: Homemade diets are

Fact: Cats are true carnivores.

Your pet’s diet must fulfill all nutritional needs. Unfortunately, most homemade diets are missing some essential nutrients, especially vitamins and minerals which can lead to health problems in the long run. Talk to your veterinarian if you want to feed a homemade diet long term.

MYTH: Cats can eat vegan diets.

Taurine, an essential amino acid cats require in large amounts in their diet, isn’t found in plant-based foods. A vegetarian diet is possible with eggs and milk but not generally recommended.

MYTH:

Raw food diets are better for pets.

Fact: Cooked meats are better absorbed and safer for you and your pet.

Many pet owners believe that raw meats are best for pets as that’s what they ate in the wild. Your pet isn’t living in the wild. Raw diets carry significant risks both to your pet and those in your household through bacterial contamination.

Pets eating raw diets can also shed dangerous bacteria in their saliva, posing a significant risk of infection to their human family. Many raw diets have been found to be contaminated with Salmonella and E coli bacteria. If you insist on feeding raw, please flash boil or microwave the diet before feeding to minimize health risks and increase nutrient absorption. In studies, cats and dogs prefer cooked meats to raw meats.

healthier than commercial pet food.

Fact: Most homemade diets are not nutritionally complete and balanced.

MYTH:

Byproducts should be avoided.

Fact: Many byproducts are considered human grade – think pork and beef liver, tripe, spleen.

Pet food companies try to maximize using as many animal parts as possible, just like the trendy snout to tail restaurants.

Advertisers have convinced consumers that byproducts are bad or low quality, but these parts would be eaten in the wild and are often more nutritious than simple muscle meat.

The Niagara Frontier Veterinary Society consists of more than 75 small animal hospitals and 200 veterinarians in Erie and Niagara counties. Learn more at www.nfveterinarysociety.org June 2021 WNY Family 51

s s e n l l e W Choices

Prenatal Stress Can Program a Child’s Brain for Later Health Issues

S

oaring blood pressure. A racing heartbeat. Trouble sleeping. Excessive worrying. Difficulty concentrating. These are warning signs of out-of-control stress and anxiety, and their roots could begin long before you might think.

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health issue in the United States, affecting nearly 1 in 5 adults, or 40 million people. Another 19 million adults — 8% of the population — has depression. Both can harm heart and brain health.

While the causes of these disorders are not fully understood, researchers believe at least some of the architecture of mental health begins long before adulthood. And a growing number of studies show it can begin in the womb. High levels of maternal stress during pregnancy can predispose a developing fetus to psychiatric and cardiovascular illnesses decades later.

“Prenatal stress does not cause these disorders, it creates a vulnerability to them,” said Jill Goldstein, a professor of psychiatry and medicine at Harvard Medical School. She also is founder and executive director of the Innovation Center on Sex Differences in Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

The stress hormone cortisol plays a vital role in the body and in fetal development. But when a woman is exposed 52 WNY Family June 2021

to intense or prolonged stress during pregnancy, excessive levels of cortisol can disrupt development of the unborn child’s brain. These changes in fetal brain circuitry can lead to hypersensitivity to stress later in life, Goldstein said, as well as immune system problems that can lay the groundwork for future vulnerability to disease.

She recently published a study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showing middle-aged people who had been exposed in utero to abnormal levels of pro-inflammatory markers because of stress had poor stress regulation up to 45 years later. Her team’s earlier work showed prenatal stress affects the unborn child’s later risk for depression, psychosis and heart disease.

But experts caution that not all maternal stress leads to brain changes, and not all pregnant women respond to stress the same way.

“It’s not the cause of the stress, but how the person handles it that matters,” said Catherine Monk, professor of medical psychology and director of Women’s Mental Health at Ob/Gyn at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City.

While some stress is good because it helps people make deadlines or face challenges, poorly regulated or chronic stress is what’s potentially harmful.

“If mom is anxious in pregnancy, the fetus could be exposed to greater levels of cortisol. That can subtly change the setpoints for the child’s future response to stress,” Monk said. But that’s not always a bad thing.

During prenatal development, the mother’s experience cues the child for what the future may hold, Monk said.

If the child is born into an environment rife with threats, being conditioned to respond to a high level of stress is a good

thing. They “will be more adept at handling a threatening environment, which might be beneficial to survival.”

The problem occurs when there’s a mismatch between the way the child’s brain has been conditioned and the environment into which that child is born, she said.

A child predisposed to react to high levels of stress but born into an environment that is safe and non-threatening may struggle with anxiety problems, Monk said, because “that level of vigilance and reactivity is not needed.”

But it’s also important for women to know changes to the baby’s brain created during pregnancy aren’t irreversible.

“Brain development is fastest in utero, but a remarkable amount also occurs in the first three years of life,” said Monk.

“There are lots of opportunities to address this.”

For example, adults who attend to a child’s needs after birth and act as calming forces and role models also will affect a child’s brain development, she said.

Even if hyper-reactivity to stress persists past childhood, adults can learn to regulate their stress response.

Mindfulness, cognitive behavioral therapy, insight-oriented therapy and other practices can help adults—including pregnant women — lower stress and anxiety, as can medications.

Monk’s research found social support was one of the most important factors in helping women reduce stress during pregnancy. People who felt connected to friends and family members and who had help with errands, for example, were less stressed than those who did not. “Those who reported feeling stressed did not have people who emotionally had their back and could be there to help with things.”

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Not everyone has that kind of help. Women living with the chronic stress of poverty or structural racism also face higher risks, Monk said, as well as those with depressive disorders — all factors that can result in barriers to finding social support.

One in 20 women of childbearing age in the U.S. and about 13% of pregnant women have depression, according to a 2018 analysis in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology. Black women are at even greater risk. They are more likely than any other group to report symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression during pregnancy.

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Because of the potential long-term health consequences, doctors treating pregnant women should be attentive to their mental as well as physical health, Monk said.

“When you work with a pregnant woman, you have two patients, not just one,” she said. “When we’re supporting her and her mental health, we’re also supporting the future child.”

— Source: medicalexpress.com June 2021 WNY Family 53

Grilled Vegetables Free of: DAIRY, EGGS, SOY, PEANUTS, TREE NUTS, FISH, SHELLFISH, WHEAT, GLUTEN, VEGAN Yield: 4-6 servings Prep Time: 10 minutes Grill Time: about 8 minutes 4 assorted bell peppers, seeded and cut into lengthwise quarters 2-3 summer squash, sliced in half lengthwise Oil (canola or olive) Salt, pepper, seasonings to taste Using a pastry or barbeque brush, lightly coat the vegetables with oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook on medium grill heat about 4 minutes, flip and grill another 4 minutes until desired texture.

I

t’s Father’s Day – fire up the grill! The men in our family love to grill and, on Father’s Day (or any day) they also enjoy golfing.

Slightly sunburned, they come home, relax, and start looking for something to grill… anything so they can stay outdoors.

An easy way to incorporate your little ones is to let them be daddy’s helper.

If they are too young to grill, they can still carry out the plates and utensils, and help prepare the vegetables and fruits.

Keep the meal simple — hamburgers, grilled vegetables, and grilled fruit. All on the same heating surface, no pots and pans, no need to heat up the house.

June is a little early for good corn, so we grill sweet red, orange, and yellow peppers, and maybe some summer squash. They cook up in about 8-10 minutes. We also like grilled pineapple,

topped with a little drizzle of brown sugar syrup. Yum! A Few Tips: • Select fresh, unblemished peppers.

Choose various colors for added appeal.

• As with the peppers, select fresh unblemished summer squash.

Whether yellow squash or zucchini, select smaller sizes which tend to be less “seedy.”

• When grilling fruit, in general select fruit that is under ripe. Grilling brings out their natural sugars, so they will be sweet. Ripe fruit may become mushy when grilled.

My favorites to grill are pineapple, peaches, pears, and apples.

• Serve grilled fruit as is, or sprinkle with a little cinnamon, drizzle with maple syrup, vegan chocolate syrup or brown sugar syrup.

If you have any questions about our column, e-mail Kathy at allergy@roadrunner.com. For further information about food allergies, contact FARE www.foodallergy.org, or call 1-800-929-4040.

Kathy Lundquist is a Western New York parent whose son, now an adult, was born with severe food allergies. Over the last two decades, she has worked tirelessly in a variety of capacities to increase community awareness of food allergies.

54 WNY Family June 2021

Grilled Pineapple

With Brown Sugar Sauce

Free of: DAIRY, EGGS, SOY, PEANUTS, TREE NUTS, FISH, SHELLFISH, WHEAT, GLUTEN, VEGAN Yield: 4-6 servings Prep Time: 10 minutes Grill Time: about 8 minutes

1 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into either 1” spears or rounds 1 1/2 cups brown sugar 1 cup water 2 tablespoons dairy/soy free margarine (or butter if not dairy allergic) Optional: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or other flavoring Using a pastry or barbeque brush, lightly coat the pineapple slices with oil. Cook on medium grill heat about 4 minutes, flip and grill another 4 minutes.

In the meantime, put sugar and margarine in a small sauce pan. Over medium heat, stir until margarine is melted. Add water, heat to boiling. Stir and cook a few minutes until sugar is fully melted, careful not to burn (turn heat down if necessary.) Remove from heat, add vanilla extract. Plate the pineapple, and drizzle with sauce.

THE KIDDIE GOURMET

T

— by Barbara Blackburn

here is an American Holiday on June 13th, celebrated only in Hawaii — King Kamehameha Day, celebrating the birthday of the founder and first ruler of the Kingdom of Hawaii. You may miss the big parades and flower leis on the mainland, but you can celebrate via your taste buds in Batavia, at the Islands Hawaiian Grill.

Islands Hawaiian Grill 60 Main Street Batavia, NY 14020

585-483-3113

islandshawaiiangrill.com

~ SPOONS ~ FOOD 4.5/5 SERVICE 5/5

Shrimp, Teri Chicken or Beef, and Kalua Pork. The Short Ribs ($12.99 elsewhere on the menu) are Korean style cut, across the bone, and marinated in sweet soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and sesame — Very “ono,” meaning delicious.

These Hawaiian classics are served “plate lunch style” with two scoops of rice and one scoop of mac salad or a side salad. One can substitute sides for an added charge, but that departs from the Hawaiian flavor.

Although Batavia is a FAMILY bit of a drive for most WNY FRIENDLY 5/5 Family readers, it’s a quick trip to Hawaii. “Keikis,” The cultural fusion of that means children, will find this restaurant displays itself some favorite edibles, on a in items such as Ashley’s separate menu, which Lumpia ($7.99), lightly is not online like the fried spring roll stuffed main menu. For the 12 with seasoned ground and under crowd, there beef, cabbage, onion, are six offerings, inand carrots. Another Filipino favorite is cluding Teriyaki Bowl, Pork Adobo ($10.99) Hamburger, Hot Dog, consisting of pork, poand Nuggets, each for $5.99. The burger, dog, tatoes, peppercorns, and nuggets are served and bay leaves, served with fries. The island with rice. However, this flavor is captured in the classic is not always Spam Musubi Teriyaki Bowl, with rice available. The Weekly topped with choice of Specials even have that meat (chicken or beef) and teriyaki sauce.

Hawaii touch, such as Taco Tuesday — For $3.99 there’s Mac ‘n Cheese and Garmix or match fried or grilled fish, Kalua den Salad for $4.99. Ingredients in the pork or Spam tacos, all served with fries salad include romaine, tomatoes, cucum(2 for $9.99 or 3 for $12.99). bers, onion, cheese, along with a choice Hawaii is memorable for Malasadas, of dressing — our favorite being Ginger Portuguese doughnuts. I savored one with Miso. Kids’ drinks are milk, orange juice, coconut cream and caramel sauces for apple juice, chocolate milk, and hot chocdipping. These were a bit different from olate. Pictures on the menu to color are a the ones in my memories but still as enpalm tree, surfboard, canoe, and clouds. joyable. Also on the menu were Grilled I dined on memories resurrected from the past when I briefly lived in Hawaii — where else do you find Spam as revered food? I enjoyed my Spam Musubi ($4.99), Panko-fried spam with a side of spicy mayo. I even enjoyed Spam as a kid, a.k.a. “Keiki.”

Dad ordered the Mixed Plate, which is called Plate Lunch in Hawaii ($12.99).

He had a choice of HBBQ Chicken, HBBQ Short Ribs, Chicken Katsu, Panko

Glazed Pineapple with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Lilikioi (Passion Fruit) Cheesecake with an almond crust. Very, very “ono!”

As they say in pidgin English, “Da Kau-Kau is da best...” Aloha!

Check out Barbara Blackburn’s blogs at frontierfare.wordpress.com and culinarrations.wordpress.com.

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June 2021 WNY Family 55

t u O l l Chi THIS

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Guide

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56 WNY Family June 2021