July 2023

Award Winning Academy of Theatre Arts

2023/2024 ATA Theatre Season

• Nationally Award Winning Academy of Theatre Arts and The ATA Performing Arts Center is the only year-round full time theatre venue in Western New York created and designed solely for the development and training of children and young adults in the genres of acting, vocal performance and musical theatre dance. Dedicated to enriching young lives dramatically, ATA provides an extensive year-long venue, as well as our extremely popular summer camp program, for anyone between the ages of 3 and 18 who has an interest and passion for theatre arts.

• Not only does our Award Winning program excel in theatrical training, but with a generation now losing those communication skills needed to succeed in life, ATA uses theatre as a platform to teach and promote excellence in public speaking, self esteem, confidence and personal skills.

OWNER/PUBLISHER

Paul M. Kline

ADVERTISING SALES

Paul M. Kline

EDITOR & CONSULTANT

Michele Miller

ADVERTISING DESIGN

Karen Wawszczyk

MAGAZINE LAYOUT/DESIGN

Michelle Richter

CONTRIBUTORS

Barbara Blackburn • Donna Phillips

Shannon Carpenter • Deborah Williams

Kathy Lundquist • Mike Daugherty

Meagan Ruffing

Where It’s At! Vacation Money Savers!

Features:

6 n Vacation Money Savers: Budget-Conscious Travel Tips for Families by Rebecca Hastings

/WNYFamily

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Hastings 13 n Fun Products to Get Your Kids Moving 16 n A Patriotic 4th of July: 10 Fun Ways to Celebrate the U.S. by Rebecca Hastings Regulars: 5 n Web Finds / What’s New In The Kid Biz 18 n Pick of the Literature by Dr. Donna Phillips 40 n Family Travel The Wonder of the Mighty Niagara Falls by Deborah Williams 44 n Raising Digital Kids A Parent’s Guide to Generative AI Apps by Mike Daugherty 46 n The Daddy Track It’s All About July by Shannon Carpenter 47 n Parent Previews by Kirsten Hawkes

8 n Messy Summer Fun: 17 Activities for An Unforgettable Vacation At Home by Christina Katz

19 n HEALTHY CHILD, HEALTHY FAMILY

A Special Pull-Out Section

• 7 Ways to Promote Your Child’s Healthy Lifestyle

• Fun Ways To Inspire Healthy Eating

• Apps That Promote Healthy Eating

• Help Your Kids Develop A Positive Body Image: What to Say and Do

• Help Your Kids Develop A Positive Body Image: What NOT To Say Or Do

• How Healthy Are Your Child’s Eyes?

• Teen Girls’ Mental Health

Six Ways to Reach a Teenage Girl

• Marijuana Is Going Mainstream… But Does That Make It Safe?

• How to Do a Proper Tick Check for Yourself, Kids & Pets

48 n

n Summer Camps 14 n

(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.)

Trampoline & Tumbling Classes: 7-18yrs

Open Tumble/Cheer Class

July/Aug. - Mon. 8:50-9:45pm

July/August Open WorkoutsWed. 7:15-9pm

NEW DAY! Mini Camp!

Wham-O, the company who brought us the Frisbee® back in the 1950s, is celebrating 75 years of adventure and play! This summer, they’ve unleashed a collection that promises to ignite your imagination and leave your kids yearning for more.

MINI FRISBEE LAUNCHER

Leading the pack is this compact and portable launcher that is built based on a carabineer design and can be easily attached to your pants or a backpack. Kids can snap mini Frisbees® all over the place with their friends and see who has the better aim. ($15.99, wham-o.com)

What’s New... IN THE KIDBIZ

FAMILY

CONCERT FOR UNITY JULY 21

On Friday, July 21 at 7:00 pm, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra will perform a FREE Concert for Unity at the Johnnie B. Wiley Sports Pavilion. This performance grew from last summer’s BPO Concert for Healing, held in response to the tragic events of May 14, 2022, and seeks to uplift, heal, and unify the Western New York community in an accessible way.

TRAC-BALL® II

Recommended for ages 8 and up, this set includes two jumbo-sized rackets and 2 airaction balls. These specially designed rackets launch balls at amazing distances and add spin to your balls, making catching them more challenging. ($29.99, wham-o. com)

SPLASH FLAMINGO POOL FLOAT

Who can resist this adorable creature, constructed from durable vinyl! Add some personality to your backyard pool this summer — and your Instagram posts! For ages 4 and up. ($14.00, wham-o.com)

Music Director JoAnn Falletta will conduct the concert, with featured appearances from the newly formed Buffalo United Community Choir of over 100 local voices, Buffalo music educator and vocalist Karen Saxon, and BPO Conductor Diversity Fellow Fernanda Lastra. The program includes a variety of repertoire from great composers including Duke Ellington, Florence Price, Arturo Márquez, Antonín Dvořák, Nkeiru Okoye, Adolphus Hailstork, and more. Local vendors and food trucks will also be present at the Pavilion.

BPO President and Executive Director Daniel Hart comments on the importance of this concert to the orchestra and staff: “Providing positive, inclusive, and accessible musical experiences for the community is a top priority of the BPO. We’re thrilled to partner with the Johnnie B. Wiley Sports Pavilion and have this opportunity to bring music directly to the people of Buffalo, with the people of Buffalo.”

Maestro Falletta adds, “The Buffalo Philharmonic and I strongly believe that music can bring people together, and we are honored to partner with the Johnnie B. Wiley Sports Pavilion and the Buffalo United Community Choir in presenting this concert.”

SLIP ‘N SLIDE® DOUBLE WAVE RIDER®

Another classic is updated to provide dou ble the fun! A 16-foot-long sliding lane has room for two side-by-side sliders. Streams of water on the end and side of the slide add to a big splash! For ages 5-12. ($29.99, wham-o.com)

This performance is presented by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York, with support from National Grid.

The Johnnie B. Wiley Sports Pavilion is located in Masten Park at 1100 Jefferson Ave., Buffalo, NY. For more details on the concert, visit https:// bpo.org/event/concert-for-unity/.

Vacation Money Savers: Budget-Conscious Travel Tips for Families

— by Rebecca Hastings

Sitting in front of my computer, I was ready to find the perfect vacation for my family. I knew it needed to be fun and exciting. I wanted it to be memorable. It needed to have something everyone would enjoy. A quick Google search and I had 1,375,283 results. Maybe not exactly that many, but it sure felt like it. The possibilities seemed endless. Until I remembered my bank account.

It seems you need funds to go on these amazing vacations. And while I had saved some money, it wasn’t enough to simply follow wherever my Google search led. I needed to be strategic about what we chose and how much money we spent on our vacation.

According to Mastercard Economics Institute, travel has increased 33% since 2019. This likely represents a rebound from our pandemic travel restrictions, among other things. The biggest shift, however, is spending. With changes in the economy, families are discovering they need to change the way they travel.

Simple changes may be the thing that is making it possible for people to continue to travel when faced with skyrocketing travel costs. Forbes reports that 46% of people are likely to change their travel plans due to inflation. Top changes include traveling during the off-season, changing destinations, and choosing less luxurious lodging.

The big question is: how do you create magical family vacations while spending less? Even with a smaller budget, you can travel with your family. Try these simple tips that make a big difference.

Location, Location, Location

It’s like the real estate mantra; location makes a big difference in price. It is tempting when you see glamorous places fill your social media feed, but there are plenty of places you can go if you are willing to try something different.

If you have your heart set on a trip to Paris, consider another area of France or Europe. For something domestic, shift your sights from a summer at Disney to family-oriented parks with less demand.

Beach and lakefront spots are at a premium in the summer for good reason. But you may be able to find something in the mountains that has a great pool instead. The key is your willingness to explore your options.

Also, don’t dismiss international travel. Sometimes international locations can be more affordable than domestic. Consider a variety of options and see what works best for your family’s needs.

BUDGET TRAVEL TAKEAWAY: Think outside the box when deciding where to go.

Book at the Right Time

Travel prices fluctuate all the time. While we can predict some trends, considering when you book your vacation can have major savings.

For busy travel times like holidays, you should book early or last minute to maximize savings. The few weeks leading up to a holiday are typically the most expensive, with price variation that can go into the hundreds of dollars.

BUDGET TRAVEL TAKEAWAY:

Book early or last minute for the cheapest flights and lodging options.

Find the Discounts

Places offer a wide variety of travel discounts, many of which you may not even think of. Consider looking for discounts on everything from flights and lodging to tickets and dining.

Great places to start are with your credit cards. Many cards offer perks or member benefits with reduced rates for hotels and special events. Additionally, you may have airline miles you completely forgot about. Cashing them in for a family vacation can be the perfect money saver.

Other often overlooked discounts are through employers and directly from businesses. Some employers have special savings programs they offer as a benefit. Contact your human resources department to see if your company participates. Even if you don’t have an employer-sponsored discount program, with some advance planning you can check individual companies or even discount warehouse stores for options.

See if any places you want to visit offer discounts for veterans, EMS workers, nurses, or teachers. Check for child discounts, free kids’ meals, or reduced rates on certain days. Some places like zoos and museums even have free or pay-what-you-can days each month; they also have reciprocal agreements — if you are a member at your local zoo or museum, check with the zoo or museums at your destination — you may

receive free admission there as a result of your memberships at home!

These savings take a bit of research but they can pay off.

BUDGET TRAVEL TAKEAWAY:

Research possible discounts and money-saving opportunities for your destination.

Use These Tips as Your Foundation

These are great starting places, but your travel savings can grow from there. Savings can be found in places you wouldn’t expect when you build upon them. It will take extra work, but that extra effort may be the very thing that makes it possible to have a wonderful vacation with your family that also fits your budget.

More MoneySaving Family Travel Tips

1) Rent a condo or a house instead of a hotel room. In addition to more space, you will have a kitchen. This allows you to bring food or do a quick shop and make food. Even if you just made cereal for breakfast each day instead of eating out, you could save hundreds of dollars over the course of a week.

2) Look for unusual kid discounts. Whether it’s at your hotel, restaurants, or events, many places offer discounts for kids on certain days or at certain times. Do an internet search for kid discounts + (location) and see what you find. You can find everything from kids eat free days to discounted or free tickets for good grades. Just be sure to call to confirm with the business and bring anything you need (like a report card.)

3) Bring the pricey stuff. When you travel with kids, you’re bound to need some essentials like sunscreen or swim diapers. Tourist areas often offer these items, but at a much higher price than

you would get at home. Bring things like sunscreen, bug spray, sunglasses, swim diapers, and beach towels to prevent expensive emergency purchases.

4) Consider different types of trips. Not every vacation needs to involve boarding a plane for a tourist destination. Considering different types of trips can have big savings. Great options for families include camping/glamping, farm stays, multi-stop road trips, volun teer travel, and train trips.

5) Check for dining packages. While a dining package may sound like an expensive option, it can save you money. A dining plan at a theme park, for example, can allow you to get a meal and drink every hour or two. You can purchase one or two dining plans and share the food throughout the day with the whole family, saving you from pur chasing meals and snacks for everyone individually.

6) Make a souvenir and snack policy before heading to parks or destinations. Decide ahead of time if you will purchase souvenirs or snacks and how much you are willing to spend on each. It can save money to let every one pick one snack while you’re out and then make a meal back at your rental. Or you can purchase themed souvenirs on line for theme park trips ahead of time. Buying favorite character T-shirts from a discount store offers big savings from purchasing on-site.

July 4th

Independence Day

July 7th

Father Daughter

Take a Walk Day

July 13th

French Fries Day

July 17th

Ice Cream Day

Rebecca Hastings is a former elementary teacher who traded the classroom for writing when she stayed home with her three children. Passionate about authenticity, faith, and family, you can find her at RebeccaHastings.net and on Amazon. In real life, she can often be found typing words, driving her kids places, or wherever there is chocolate.

July 25th

Carousel/ Merry-Go-Round Day

July 28th

Waterpark Day

Messy Summer Fun: 17 Activities for An Unforgettable Vacation At Home

— by Christina Katz

Summer is here and you know what that means, right? Long, unstructured days punctuated by “I’m bored,” and “There’s nothing to do.” Which really means kids are tired of doing all of the same things and they crave new activities they can feel excited about.

This is the perfect opportunity for messy fun to swoop in for the emotional rescue this summer. After all, what could be more festive than a little bit of parentapproved pandemonium? So never fear, because the key to milking the most fun out of any summer vacation is including more messy fun in the mix.

This summer, why not try a new messy activity each week? In fact, you may as well get the whole neighborhood involved. Just be prepared for your house to become the most popular summer hangout spot on the block. Here are seventeen messy activities that will keep the kids smiling outdoors or indoors without breaking the bank.

1) Take aim, color. Mark off a square play arena outdoors with fivefoot tall bamboo garden stakes and blue

painter’s masking tape. Fill squirt guns or squirt bottles with non-toxic watercolor paints, don a pair of clear swim goggles, and let the kids decorate each other dressed in white T-shirts and leggings or sweats. The only rule is no one leaves the field until all the paint is spent.

2) Take a whack at it. Fill a store-bought piñata two-thirds of the way full with cooked, well-drained spaghetti. Then add small plastic toys, foil-wrapped granola bars, and plastic wrapped candies. To extend the fun, hang the piñata on a pull cord threaded through an eyehook so you can pull it up and down as kids swing at it with a bat or broom handle. Secure a tarp underneath with duct tape (indoors) or camping stakes (outdoors) for easy cleanup.

3) Eggcentric art. Break the tops off real eggs and pour the yolks and whites into Tupperware to make quiche or a soufflé later. Keeping empty shells in the carton, fill each with acrylic paints of various colors. Outside or in the garage or basement, hang a large canvas against a sturdy wall or fence and let the kids take aim and fire until they make a masterpiece. Use plastic drop cloths to catch the splatters as needed.

4) Franken-beauty. Make natural facial masks out of banana, avocado, or cocoa. Sit kids around a large table in pairs to take turns applying masks to each other’s faces. Be sure to have some hand mirrors nearby so everyone can see what all the squeals are about.

5) Construction junction. Supply lots of sheets, blankets, and pillows for fort construction. If you can mount a few Hula Hoops strategically around the room, they come in handy. You might also supply bandanas and bungee cords. Be sure to inspect the results for hazards. Keep food and drinks strictly separate.

6) Reach for the foam. Play messy Twister in the yard by mixing foam shaving cream and food coloring. Wear clothing that can get stained. If no one wants to worry about clothing stains, simply use white shaving cream for the same effect.

7) Pudding slide. Make about a gallon of chocolate pudding. Drop large spoonfuls of pudding onto a Slip & Slide. Have children take a running start down a lowgrade slope. To make the slide more slippery, have kids sprinkle it with water from a sprinkler can or set the hose sprayer to mist. Add more pudding or water, as needed.

8) Slime ball. Find an online recipe to make nontoxic slime and let kids prepare it. Then play a game of hide the bouncy ball in the slime. Use a blindfold and a timer to see who can find their toys the fastest. Enjoy the groans.

9) Picasso footsie. Roll out a long sheet of paper and pour puddles of acrylic paint at one end. Have each child step in one color per foot and walk across the paper. Switch to the other end of the paper to balance out the look. Trim and hang art on a fence or wall to dry.

10) Musical silly string. Put half the group in the middle on a plastic tarp. Encircle them with the other half of the group. Turn on the music. Have the inside group move in one direction and the outside group move in the other direction, while spraying the inside group with silly string. When the music is turned off, switch groups.

11) Pasta fling. Cook one box of spaghetti per participant. Get some five-gallon buckets and fill them two-thirds of the way with water. Add enough flour to thicken the water, then add cooked spaghetti. The only rules are: use your own spaghetti, no bucket-dumping, and no touching — just throwing. Put them in the square play arena and get the heck out of the way.

12) Mud puddle fun. On a sturdy table at playing height, fill a small kiddie pool with dirt and just enough water to make mud. Add digging and pouring toys for an hour of industry for young kids.

13) Duck-Duck-Dump. Have kids sit in circle for a game of Duck-DuckGoose. But first, hand them a cup of water and a half-cup of flour to pour over each goose’s head.

14) The opposite of tiny bubbles. Make bubble mix with ten cups of regular Dawn Dish soap and five gallons of water. Let it sit overnight. Do not agitate the solution as you pour it into a small wading pool slightly larger than a Hula Hoop in diameter. Have one child don a pair of clear goggles and stand in the middle of the pool without splashing. Let two kids lower a Hula Hoop over him and then pull it straight up into a giant bubble.

15) Three-legged color run. Set up a start and finish line for a short jaunt. Tie the legs of two kids together and have them wear clear swim goggles and white play clothing. Have other kids stand on the sidelines and throw color

from bags of nontoxic Holi colors (the type used for Color Runs, available online). Repeat until everyone has run. The most colorful pair wins.

16) Sloppy volley. Divide children into two groups. Put a line across the center or your play arena. Everyone has to stay on their own side and wear swim googles. Place a table of supplies within reach of the backcourt on each side. On the table, supply large bowls of chilled mashed potatoes, Jello, pudding, and cooked oatmeal. Tint food with food coloring if clothing can be stained. On your mark, get set, food fight!

17) Trashion runway. For a couple of months, don’t discard your reusable recyclables. Spread them out evenly in tarps with plenty of clear tape, masking tape, painter’s tape, and duct tape. Pair kids up into design teams. Give a time limit like one hour. The assignment is to design a runway-worthy fashion for each team out of only the trash that’s been supplied. Have a runway show afterwards to display the results.

Making Messy Work for You

Remember, the key to setting up an unforgettable messy activity isn’t about

imitating the trendiest Pinspirations. The key is simply to let kids make a mess and have fun doing it. These tips will save you some sanity.

1) If you can’t go outside, consider using a well-ventilated garage, shed, or basement. Some activities work better indoors than others. Some simply won’t work.

2) Check out the house painting supply section of your local store for inexpensive items to protect your space.

3) Have a designated photographer who may not be slimed, spaghettied, or painted (make it you!).

4) After a messy activity, hand out messy food, too, like popsicles or ice cream.

5) If you don’t want kids to get stained or dirty, you can still make a mess. Just use smocks, shower caps, and bandanas to cover up.

6) The sky’s the limit when it comes to making messes. Use your imagination; then consider safety precautions, as needed.

Like most parents, Christina Katz’ first instinct is not necessarily to choose the messiest activity. But her desire to let kids have fun usually prevails. She is a freelance writer and author based in Oregon.

— by Rebecca Hastings

Get Off the Couch and Get Moving!

Fun Things for Kids to Do on Their Own or with Friends that Get Them Up and Moving

It was a beautiful summer day. It was sunny, perfectly warm, and we didn’t have anywhere to rush off to. I love days like this. Until I look over at the couch and see my kids glued to their devices.

We know the benefits of being active; we’ve heard them for years. Active kids have improved cardiorespiratory health and build strong bones and muscles while controlling weight and preventing health conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Leading an active lifestyle can also reduce anxiety and depression, an increasing problem among youth in the United States.

If we know these benefits, why do we still struggle to get kids moving? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that only 24% of kids are active for 60 minutes daily. Busy parents need simple ways to combat these numbers, especially in the summer when kids don’t have school, extracurricular activities, or organized sports.

Four Ways to Increase Activity

Increasing activity doesn’t have to be a battle. You can find things your kids will look forward to doing each day. It just takes a little intention and dedication.

1. Get out of the house: Sometimes it just takes a change of environ-

ment to get the kids excited and active. It can be challenging to do this all the time when you have other responsibilities, but a change of scenery can inspire your kids to move more. Some simple places you can go are:

• Park

• Beach

• Library

• Museum

• Zoo

• Friend’s house

• Hiking

2. Involve friends: Kids are more likely to be active when they have someone to play with. This is a great option if you need to be home to get work done. Plan a few playdates each week and give the kids something fun to do. Having these simple ideas will help make it easier:

• Sidewalk Chalk

• Variety of balls

• Lawn games

• Access to a hose and sprinkler

• Printable scavenger hunt

• Shaving cream

• Bubbles

• Large cardboard boxes and markers

3. Reduce access to electronics: This is the idea kids usually aren’t fond of. It can be hard to limit electronics, especially if you need to get things done or the kids complain. As much as we don’t like battling with our kids, reducing electronics access forces kids to do other things. Some ideas to help:

• Have a summer plan for electronics use and be consistent.

• Set certain times kids can look forward to using their devices.

• Give kids a list of things to complete before electronics use. For example, kids may need to read, do something creative, and play outside for 30 minutes each before they can watch television.

• Model healthy electronics boundaries.

4. Join your kids: Often, kids want to engage with their parents. Being active with your kids is a great way to get them up and moving. This helps you and your kids’ physical, mental, and emotional health with the added benefit of being together. Try:

• Playing a game of horse

• Taking a walk or bike ride

• Working in the garden

• Exploring a new playground each week

• Putting on music and having a dance party

• Doing a yoga video together

• Building something together

More Simple Ideas

You can encourage your kids to get off the couch when you make it fun for them. They may argue or complain but don’t give up. Keep trying new ideas and remember the reason you want them off the couch: to be healthier.

Don’t worry about getting sixty minutes in each day. Instead, focus on finding things your kids enjoy. This will help them feel motivated to get off the couch and get moving!

Fun Products to Get Your Kids Moving

Obstacle Course Race:

Create an obstacle course with things in your house or a prepackaged set like the American Ninja Warrior Competition Obstacle Course. (Indoors or outdoors)

Wack-a-Tag:

A fun pop-up tag game for kids from 18 months to get moving and increase hand-eye coordination. (Indoors or outdoors)

Stepping Stones Game:

Discover endless fun and possibilities with a stepping stones game like Turtle Steps or PlayzoneFit Stepping Stones. (Indoors or outdoors)

Ninjaline:

Improve balance and strength with this hanging obstacle line. You can set this up in your yard or bring it to a park or on vacation. (Outdoors)

Doorway swing: This hanging swing goes in a doorway, giving your little and big kid a fun way to get some energy out indoors. (Indoors)

Swings:

Give kids a place to swing outside, even if you don’t have a swing set. Try a big swing like a Saucer Swing or a Slackers Swingline to give multiple swinging options. (Outdoors)

Most of the above products are available on Amazon; others can be found on bolderplay.com.

Indicators of High-Quality Child Care

When searching for child care, the Child Care Resource Network of Western New York offers parents the following key indicators to look for when choosing child care:

Health and Safety

• Is the program licensed by New York State?

• Does the program comply with the appropriate child care provider-to-child ratios?

• Do caregivers and children wash hands before and after meals, diapering, toileting, or contact with bodily fluid?

• Are providers in the program certified and trained to give your child medications?

• Is the environment free from hazards by using outlet covers, wires out of reach, and cleaning fluids and medicines locked away?

• Are toys, diaper changing areas, and other commonly used materials washed frequently?

Care Routines

• Are the same providers in the room each day so children can develop relationships and feel secure?

• Do providers respect and accommodate individual sleeping and eating patterns?

• Do providers encourage children to be independent during meals, toileting, and dressing?

Professionalism

• Are providers trained in Infant and Child CPR and First Aid?

• Do providers stay up-to-date with their training and edu-

FOUR SEASONS

cation? How much experience do they have?

• How long have the providers been with the child care program? Does the program have a high turnover rate?

• Do providers seem knowledgeable about the specific needs of children, planning age-appropriate activities based on observations?

Working With Families

• Do providers encourage families to visit whenever possible?

• Do caregivers support and accommodate mothers who want to breastfeed throughout the day?

• Do providers and families communicate on a daily basis by talking about or writing down information at drop off/ pick up time?

• Are providers respectful of each family’s language, belief, culture, and parenting beliefs?

• Are providers always available and willing to answer questions?

Interactions

• Do providers encourage families to visit whenever possible?

• Do caregivers support and accommodate mothers who want to breastfeed throughout the day?

• Do providers and families communicate on a daily basis by talking about or writing down information at drop off/ pick up time?

• Are providers respectful of each family’s language, belief, culture, and parenting beliefs?

• Are providers always available and willing to answer questions?

Learning Environments

• Do providers have space for children to play on the floor?

• Do providers have opportunities for children to climb, run, jump, and dance?

• Do providers have a variety of materials for infants and toddlers to touch, look at, listen to, smell, and taste?

• Do providers read and sing with children?

• Do caregivers encourage children to choose who and what they want to play with?

• Are there opportunities for play time outside?

Download their complete 15-page guide at https://wnychildren.org/parentresources-0

— by Rebecca Hastings

A Patriotic 4th of July: 10 Fun Ways to Celebrate the U.S.

Thinking of the 4th of July always brings images of parades and fireworks. These are great ways to celebrate, but there is a lot you can do to have fun with your kids and feel patriotic this holiday. Try these ten ideas for fun ways to celebrate the fourth with your family.

1. Get the history basics

down.

Many families don’t even know why we celebrate the fourth. Sometimes there are even mixed feelings about the holiday considering difficult parts of the nation’s history or the current state. You can honor all of those feelings while still recognizing why we celebrate.

The Fourth of July celebrates America becoming a nation. The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776. Today, we celebrate to honor the founding of the United States and the freedom it represents.

A fun way to share this with kids is with books. Some great options are:

• The Story of America’s Birthday by Patricia

A. Pingry

• The 4th of July Story by Alice

Dalgliesh

• Blue Sky White Stars by Sarvinder

Naberhaus

in the window. You can even use sidewalk chalk to make one in the driveway. Kids also love the small flags available at this time of year. Try lining your walkway with them or putting one by your mailbox.

3. Make patriotic tie-dye. You just need red and blue dye to make a patriotic tie-dye. White cotton shirts or tank tops are perfect for a fun Fourth of July craft to make before the fourth. Have the whole family make them and then wear them to your Fourth of July activities.

4. Get colorful. Try fun face paint and nail polish for a festive look to go with your shirts. Red, white, and blue strips and stars are a great way to show your American spirit.

for the Fourth of July. You can make it a day trip or a longer getaway to visit a noteworthy place or monument in United States history. Search for National Landmarks in each state online and set out on an educational adventure.

7. Get crafty.

Have some family craft time in honor of the red, white, and blue. You can try a simple craft like painting rocks with stars and stripes to leave around the yard or town. This is great for all ages and doesn’t require a lot of supplies. A quick online search for Fourth of July crafts will give you plenty of creative ideas!

8. Go on a scavenger hunt.

Create or download a holidaythemed scavenger hunt. The list can challenge people to find things like a flag, a holiday shirt, a soldier, or an apple pie. You can customize the list for your needs. This is great to do during a parade or family cookout.

9. Thank someone.

The freedom we have in the United States is maintained by dedicated service men and women. Consider visiting a VA hospital, making cards or care packages for veterans, and thanking service members in the community.

10. Make holiday food.

You can eat so many things to represent and celebrate the Fourth of July. Try some of the holiday classics like watermelon and apple pie. You can also make themed treats like a red-white-and-blue trifle or star-shaped cookies.

2. Display your flag.

Roberts

• Founding Mothers: Remembering the Ladies by Cokie

5. Paint your yard. Grab some grass-friendly spray paint and make your yard the talk of the neighborhood. Spray some red and white stripes for the perfect way to stand out. You can even make starshaped cut-outs from cardboard as a stencil for the white stars and blue background.

Hanging an American flag is a great way to get in the red, white, and blue spirit. If you don’t have a full-size flag, your kids can paint or color one to hang

6. Visit a historic landmark. A family trip to a Historic National Landmark is a great way to feel patriotic

No matter how you decide to celebrate, remember that it is a privilege to be able to do so. While there is still important change and progress to be made, we can celebrate our country’s founding in fun ways.

Accepting

If you could grow anything in the garden, what would it be?

What is your favorite thing about yourself?

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?

Where is your favorite place to go on vacation?

An Amazon box shows up. What do you hope is inside?

*Source – familyeducation.com

— by Dr. Donna Phillips

did not deter her. In fact, it made her even more determined. This determination paid off when she was eventually invited to run for the House of Representatives in Illinois. The rest, as they say, is history. This story is a source of inspiration for all who hold service to this country in their heart.

July is the month to celebrate the United States! We celebrate the founding of our country. We celebrate those who have fought for our freedom internally and in the world. We celebrate all the things that make us the same and we celebrate the things that make us different. It is our oneness and our diversity that make us great! It is the time when we demonstrate to ourselves, our families, our friends, our community, and the world that we can live together in peace and harmony. How do we do this? We can start with good books and use them to listen and learn from each other.

My Red, White, and Blue (Philomel, New York, 2023, $18.99), written by Alana Tyson and illustrated by London Ladd, is an exceptionally written and illustrated book. Using descriptive and poetic language and masterful illustrations, it explores and celebrates the good, the bad, the ugly, and the beauty of our country and our journey to where we are today. Through the eyes of a young black boy, we see how he observes the people around him, processes historical events, and makes personal connections to those who have come before him. With optimism, he recognizes the struggles that have made us the country we are today. Throughout his testimony, he validates and celebrates his commitment to his ancestors’ dreams, to his country, and to his future as he joins others “who find pride in the

red, white, and blue.” This is a book for everyone and could provide a wonderful opportunity for your family to think about tracing your journey to where you are today. It should be on everyone’s list of best books for the summer.

A Life of Service: The Story

of Senator Tammy Duckworth (Candlewick Press, Somerville, 2022, $18.00), written by Christina Soontornvat and illustrated by Dow Phumiruk, tells the story of Tammy Duckworth’s journey from her childhood in Thailand to becoming the first female disabled veteran to serve in the House and the Senate. At the age of seven, she and her family were rescued from Cambodia along with other United Nation’s employees and refugees seeking safety.

Through homelessness, hunger, and hard work at school she remained committed to serving America and those in need. Her decision to join the Army National Guard as a Black Hawk helicopter pilot gave her the opportunity she was looking for. The loss of her legs in a grenade attack

Being the child of military personnel is never easy. When Your Daddy’s a Soldier (Viking, New York, 2023, $17.99), written by Gretchen Brandenburg McLellan and illustrated by Ed Keller, shows us just how hard it can be. Written from the perspective of a young boy, we learn what life is like for children, husbands, and wives when one of them has to leave for deployment. Long hours of concern yield to happy hugs and happier times. Sometimes children get quiet, sometimes they even regress.

They can send letters and messages. They can plan for a homecoming party. They use their imaginations to pretend they are alongside their missing loved one. With the support of family, friends, and the community, the away time can be a bit less hard and the return that much more meaningful.

You, Me, We: A Celebration of Peace and Community (Candlewick Press, Somerville, 2022, $18.00), written by Arun Gandhi and Bethany Hegedus, with childlike illustrations by Andrés Landazábal, is a simple exploration of peace. Written for young children, it answers such questions about peace like, “Where continued on page 39

Family

7 Ways to Promote Your Child’s Healthy Lifestyle

— by Cheryl Maguire

It’s important to keep your kids as healthy as possible to prevent getting sick. A child’s health encompasses physical, mental, and social well-being. It is important to maintain good overall health in children so they grow and develop appropriately. My grandfather used to say, “If you have your health you have everything.”

If you and your child are healthy, you will have more energy, lower medical costs, improved moods, and live longer. Here are some ways to promote healthy habits within your child:

Create a Bedtime Routine & Regular Bedtime

Sleep helps your brain function properly which improves learning. Studies show sleep deficiency increases the risk of obesity, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Receiving the proper amount of sleep promotes appropriate growth and development, improves social interactions, and increases immunity against diseases.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) recommends school-age children and teens should sleep for 9-10 hours per night. Bad sleep habits will affect both your physical and emotional health. One way to ensure your child is receiving enough sleep is to create a scheduled bedtime based on when they need to wake up in the morning. If you maintain the same bedtime every night, it will be easier for them to fall asleep and create a healthy habit.

Another way to help your child receive the proper amount of sleep is to have a bedtime routine a half-hour before the expected sleep time. This routine will help your child relax, which would then lead to falling asleep easier. Some suggested bedtime routines are reading, a warm bath, drawing, listening to soothing music, or other calming activities.

Read Food Labels

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), childhood obesity

has more than tripled since 1970. Childhood obesity has both short and longterm effects on a child’s physical, social, and emotional health. For this reason, it is important for a child to maintain a healthy weight.

Reading and understanding food labels is a way for a child to figure out if a food is healthy to eat. The food label will demonstrate the number of calories, sugar, fat content, and also break down the percent of the recommended daily intake to help create a balanced diet. It also helps to become more aware of what you are eating since you might think a food is healthy only to learn it isn’t after reading the food label. You can find free printable worksheets to help your child understand a balanced diet at http://bit. ly/3Cmj2cl.

Exercise with Your Kids

The CDC recommends children and teens should be physically active for 60 minutes per day. The physical activity should include aerobic, strengthening, and bone-strengthening activities. If you exercise with your child and select something you both view as fun, you will be more likely to do it. Some suggested family activities are walking, running, hiking, dancing, biking, and a workout class or video. Create a weekly scheduled routine to incorporate it into your life, which would create a healthy habit.

Limit Screen Time

Screen time consists of watching television, playing video games, or using electronic devices. When a child is in front of a screen, they are typically sedentary and not interacting with others. A research study at UCLA found when kids have too much screen time they have difficulty understanding other people’s emotions. Dr. Leonard Epstein studied the effects of limiting screen time in obese children. His findings, published in the Journal of American Medical Association Pediatrics, demon continued on page 23

Fun Ways To Inspire Healthy Eating

— by Tanni Haas, Ph.D.

We’ve all been there: despite our very best efforts — and cajoling — our kids simply won’t eat healthy, home-cooked food. How about trying a new strategy and making healthy eating a fun activity? Here are some fun ways to inspire the kids:

Dinner for breakfast

Everyone knows about “breakfast for dinner,” but have you ever considered “dinner for breakfast”? “Well, why not,” says Shannon Crocker, a dietician. “If it was a healthy, balanced meal last night, it’s still a healthy, balanced meal this morning.” If your kids’ favorite food is pizza, serve mini-pizzas with healthy filings like tomato sauce, ham, pineapple, and cheese.

Roll-ups

Have the kids “roll” their own food, sushi-style. They can roll whole wheat tortillas with ham and cheese or peanut butter and banana. They can also roll pizzas with shredded mozzarella and tomato sauce. The possibilities are endless. “Kids love these fun snacks, and they’re packed with protein, potassium, and filling fiber,” says Angelina Sickora, a dietician.

Funny faces

Take a bunch of vegetables and have the kids make the funniest faces possible on the kitchen counter. Hint: peas are good for eyes. “This is a great way to increase children’s sensory experiences (and then probably acceptance) with veggies in a fun and entertaining environment,” says Karina Savage, a dietician.

Healthy plates

Have the kids create a meal that includes items from all four food groups: fruits and vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy. “Assem bling a balanced plate is one of the most practical skills you can teach a child,” says Shannon Doleac, a nutri tionist, “and creating plates can become fun nutrition activities for kids.”

Guess the fruit or vegetable

Put a bunch of fruits and vegetables in a bag, have the kids close their eyes, and ask them to choose

one thing. The goal is to guess what it is based on how it feels and smells. “Exploring food with all of their senses moves them closer to trusting and eating that food,” says Ms. Savage.

Dessert as main course

Put a small portion of dessert on their plates, just enough to keep them hungry and eat the main course. “You’ll be surprised when your child suddenly takes a bite of dessert along with a bite of something else, instead of just gobbling up the dessert,” says Jennifer House, a nutritionist.

Guess the fruit

Have your kids guess which fruit you’re thinking of by describing its color, shape, texture, and taste. “It’s a great way to have fun while promoting healthy eating in kids,” says Ms. Savage.

Follow their passion

Kids have different passions. Some are interested in certain countries or cultures, others in specific colors or textures. “What’s your child’s current obsession?” asks Katie Kick, the author of Good Life Eats. “Incorporate that into their food.” Kids are more likely to take an interest in what they eat if it aligns with their passions.

Healthy recipes

How about having the kids collect all their favorite, healthy recipes and make a book out of them? For added fun, each recipe could have a key ingredient starting with a different letter. “Creating your own family recipe book is always a memorable project,” says Ms. Doleac.

Plant person

Take a bunch of vegetables, put them on the kitchen counter, and ask the kids to make a “plant person.” “Once you’re done,” says Ms. Savage, “it’s a great chance to ask the kids if they want to eat some of their plant person.”

Let them dip

For a healthy afternoon snack, give the kids some food they can dip: fruits and vegetables, whole wheat crackers, or pita.

The dip could be fat-free yogurt, salsa, or guacamole. “A great dip makes everything better!” says Aracely Rojas, a dietician.

Cooking club

Get some of your kids’ friends or classmates together and start a cooking club on afternoons or weekends. Parents could volunteer to teach basic cooking skills or connect with a local culinary school to see if a student would volunteer. “Children are more likely to eat healthy foods if the presentation is appetizing and if they have a hand in preparation,” says Patti Ghezzi of Greater Good Communication, a non-profit that focuses on nutrition and food.

Plant a garden

If you have an outdoor garden, dedicate a small area for the kids to grow their own fruits and vegetables. If not, grow a small kitchen garden. A hydroponic (water) garden is a lot of fun. “Kids are invested and interested in foods they’ve watched grow in a way that’s otherwise hard to replicate,” says Alisha Grogan, a pediatric occupational therapist.

Bake something wholesome

Kids love to bake. Have them help you make a loaf of bread with whole wheat flour or a banana bread with some overripe bananas. “Making pasta or gnocchi is another fun option,” says Ms. Savage, “but be prepared for the mess!”

Cut out images of food

Gather old magazines and have the kids cut out images of all the farm-fresh foods they can find. “This is one of the best nutrition activities for discussing whole foods and clean eating,” Ms. Doleac says, “and why they’re an important base to build our meals from.”

Then… Make A Meal

Ask the kids to use some of those items to create and prepare that evening’s dinner. “These simple activities,” says Ms. Savage, “are the perfect way to introduce healthy eating to kids.”

strate when screen time was limited, the children consumed 300-1500 fewer calories. Both of these research studies demonstrate the importance of limiting screen time to help your child socially interact with others, eat fewer calories, and be more physically active.

Encourage Social Interactions

It is important to encourage your child to develop healthy relationships with peers and adults. Problem-solving, managing friendships, and understanding emotions are necessary for a child’s positive mental health. These skills will also enable a child to learn more effectively in the classroom.

Discuss Physical & Emotional Safety

According to the CDC, car accidents are one of the leading causes of death in children. One study found over 600,000 children did not use the proper car seat or seat belt, which could prevent death during a car accident. Other accidental deaths include drowning, fire/burns, guns, poisoning, and suffocation. To prevent injuries and death, it is important to discuss safety issues regarding all of these potentially dangerous situations.

Children and teenagers may be in situations when they are offered drugs or subjected to physical or sexual abuse. It is important to discuss with your child healthy and appropriate relationships.

Be a Healthy Role Model

Children and teens model their parent’s positive and negative behaviors. Research conducted at Duke University found kids were more likely to eat well and exercise if their parents modeled those behaviors. If you model a healthy lifestyle, your child will most likely lead one as well.

Cheryl Maguire holds a Master of Counseling Psychology degree. She is married and is the mother of twins and a daughter. Her writing has been published in The New York Times, Parents Magazine, AARP, Healthline, Your Teen Magazine, and many other publications.

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.

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Apps T hat Promote Healthy Eating

WWhether your kids are going to day or sleepaway camp, or are just hanging out with their friends in the neighborhood, the summer months are full of exciting food choices. How can you help them make good choices and encourage them to eat healthy — at least most of the time? Here are some of the very best healthy eating apps around that are both educational and fun. The best part is that they’re all completely free so encourage your kids to download an app — or three!

Color Quest AR

(Apple Appstore, Google Play)

Kids are more likely to make healthy food choices when they know what they’re actually putting into their bodies. Color Quest AR teaches kids about fruits and vegetables in a fun way. They get to select a fruit or vegetable, color it in, and then watch it come to life in cartoon form. Each image is accompanied by healthy eating facts. They can also take photos and videos of themselves with their creations and share them with friends. They can win badges and compete in games to become a “Magic Health Master.”

Eat-And-Move-O-Matic

(Apple Appstore)

Eat-And-Move-O-Matic is a great companion app to Color Quest AR. This app teaches kids about the consequences

of their food and beverage choices. It lets them compare the calories in their food and drink consumption with the type and length of time of physical activities like biking, running, or walking that are needed to burn off those calories. This way, kids get a real-life comparison between nutritional intake and physical exertion that they can relate to.

Family Farm Seaside

(Amazon Apps, Apple Appstore, Google Play)

Research shows that kids are more likely to eat healthy when they’re involved in growing their own food. Few kids live on farms or have access to fruit and vegetable gardens. For all those other kids out there, Family Farm Seaside is a great alternative. This app lets kids pretend that they’re farmers who do everything from plowing the field, fertilizing the soil, to manufacturing food products that they can “sell” to further expand the farm. Kids can create a circle of “farmer-friends” with whom they can exchange the products that they manufacture.

Fooducate: Nutrition Coach

(Apple Appstore, Google Play)

Unless you happen to live on a real farm, chances are that you take frequent

trips to the supermarket. Bring your kids with you and have them download

Fooducate: Nutrition Coach. When they scan the barcodes of food items, they get a detailed nutritional breakdown as well as suggestions for healthier alternatives. You can use this app to plan the most nutritional meals possible, and even to make a super-healthy, weekly meal plan.

Gardenscapes

(Amazon Apps, Apple Appstore, Google Play)

What Family Farm Seaside does for farming, Gardenscapes does for gardening. This app teaches all the steps involved in creating and maintaining a garden, including design, maintenance, and the removal of trash. Kids are encouraged to create todo lists that they can use to better plan their gardening activities in an organized manner.

iDo Food

(Apple Appstore)

Kids are more likely to choose healthy food when they help prepare those foods. iDo Food is a great app for two reasons. First, it teaches kids how to prepare various food items. Second, it is specifically aimed at kids with special

needs. Kids learn how to wash fruits and vegetables, create salads and sandwiches, as well as set the table and eat the meal with a fork and knife. Each of the skills taught are accompanied by a video and sequencing guide.

Panda Robot Kitchen

(Apple Appstore)

iDo Food focuses on basic food preparation. Panda Robot Kitchen goes one step further and teaches actual cooking skills. Featuring cute pandas that live in outer space, a flying pot, and an oven robot, this app teaches young kids practical cooking like baking, chopping, grating, and mixing. They choose a dish, select the ingredients, and then cook the food.

Wello: Healthy Habits for Kids

(Apple Appstore, Google Play)

Wello: Healthy Habits for Kids is a great app for inspiring the whole family to get — and stay — healthy. You can use this app to track your family’s eating habits and time spent on various physical activities. You can also get personalized, nutritional plans that fit your family’s specific preferences. You can also set up realworld rewards to be redeemed when one or more in the family reach certain goals that you’ve set for yourselves.

Help Your Kids Develop A Positive Body Image: What to Say and Do

— by Tanni Haas, Ph.D.

It’s always a great time for parents to think about how they can help their kids feel good about themselves and their bodies. Research shows that nearly two-thirds of kids are self-conscious about some aspect of their physical appearance and that negative body image issues affect even kids as young as 3 years old. There’s a lot you can say and do to nurture a positive body image. Here’s what the experts suggest:

Value All Bodies

The first and most important thing is to make your kids value all bodies. Explain to them, says Sumner Brooks, a registered dietician and author of How to Raise an Intuitive Eater, that, “Bodies come in all kinds of different shapes and sizes [and that] there isn’t one good way to have a body.” Joslyn Smith of the National Eating Disorders Association puts it even more pointedly: Tell your kids that, “All bodies — including yours — are good bodies.”

Love the Body You’re In

You can inspire your kids to love their own bodies by asking them “what they like about their body and why,” says Diana Chillo-Havercamp, a licensed clinical social worker with expertise in children. This could be anything from how their eyes, ears, and noses let them experience the world in different but exciting ways to the beauty of the color of their skin. “A regular practice of saying affirmations,” notes Ana Reisdorf, a registered dietician, “can reduce negative self-talk and build your children’s confidence.”

Focus on What Bodies Can Do

Another way to cultivate a positive body image is to “teach children to appreciate bodies for what they can do rather than how they look,” says Dr. Amy Slater, a clinical psychologist and one of the leading researchers on body image issues. Instead of asking them whether they think they’re too thin or too thick — and how they ideally would like to look — talk to them about all the things they can do and would like to do with their bodies, whether it’s riding a bike, learning a cool dance, mastering skateboarding or becoming a better swimmer. These conversations will make them feel good about themselves and inspire them to try to stay healthy and strong.

Promote a Guilt-Free Relationship to Food

It’s also important to promote a guilt-free relationship to food. Instead of telling your kids to only eat “good” nutritious food and avoid all “bad” junk food, which isn’t realistic or sustainable, teach them to listen to their bodies and don’t eat any more than they need. Kids need to learn, as Dr. Renee Engeln, a professor of psychology, puts it, “to listen to their bodies’ own cues about hunger and satiety.” To do that, says Milda Zolubaite, a registered nutritionist, never tell your kids that they need to clean their plates. Instead, “promote eating until full versus eating until all food is consumed,” say Drs. Sasha Ulrich and Deidre Paulson, family physician and clinical psychologist, respectively.

Encourage Physical Exercise

Encourage your kids to be active and exercise. “Physical activity, even a

10-minute walk,” says Dr. Angela Celia Doyle, a clinical psychologist, “has been shown in research to improve body image.” Make sure, though, that you suggest physical exercise as a way to stay healthy and strong rather than to lose weight.

Model a Positive Body Image

Kids look to adults for guidance on how to feel about themselves and their bodies, and no adults are more influential to kids than their parents. Try to cultivate a positive body image yourself and project that image to your kids.” As Ms. Reisdorf puts it: “Work at being the role model your children need to see.”

Teach Your Kids Media Literacy

Despite best efforts to nurture and project a positive body image, chances are that your kids will be influenced by the super-skinny bodies they see on TV and social media. Explain to them that many of these images are digitallyaltered and edited and that, even when the images are real, they don’t represent healthy bodies that they should try to copy. “Help your child become a savvy media critic,” says Dayle Hayes, a registered dietician, “by talking about bodies on television, in magazines and on the internet.”

Also, encourage your kids to read books with a body positive message. Well-known titles include All Bodies are Good Bodies by Charlotte Barkla and Erica Salcedo, Beautifully Me by Nabela Noor and Nabi Ali, and Love Your Body by Jessica Sanders and Carol Rossetti.

Develop A Positive Body Image: What NOT To Say Or Do

— by Tanni Haas, Ph.D.

Research shows that nearly two-thirds of kids are selfconscious about some aspect of their physical appearance and that negative body image issues affect even kids as young as 3 years old. There’s a lot of useful information on how to nurture a positive body image, but are there things you should avoid saying or doing? Here’s what the experts suggest:

Don’t tell your kids they need to lose weight.

It’s not a good idea to tell your kids they need to lose weight. “When kids are labeled as fat, and when fat equates to bad,” says Dr. Haley Kranstuber Horstman, a well-known professor of family communication, “it sticks with them.” These labels can make kids feel ashamed and even unlovable, Dr. Horstman adds. Encourage your kids to be physically active and eat only what their bodies need. This will help them lose any excess weight naturally and make them feel better about themselves.

Don’t discuss your own need to lose weight.

Refrain from discussing your own need to lose weight. “Children learn how they should think and feel about their own bodies from listening to the adults around them,” says Dr. Renee Engeln, a professor of psychology. “If you talk about your huge thighs, your latest weight loss diet or your punishing workouts,” says Dayle Hayes, a registered dietician, “your kids will pick up on these negative messages. They’ll begin to worry about the size of their thighs and

think they should be dieting.”

Dr. Engeln agrees: “If they hear adults engaging in negative body talk — always focusing on ‘problematic’ body areas — kids get the impression that bodies can never be good enough as they are.” Simply put: “Ditch the diet talk,” as Emily Lauren Dick, the author of Body Positive: A Guide To Loving Your Body, puts it. If you feel the need to lose weight, emphasize how important it is for you to stay healthy rather than focusing on weight loss.

Don’t comment on other people’s bodies.

You can also inadvertently impact your kids’ body image by making negative comments on other people’s bodies. When kids “hear adults disparage other people’s bodies,” Dr. Engeln says, “they learn to apply the same sort of criticism to themselves when they look in the mirror.” Even positive comments can be detrimental, such as when we say that so-and-so looks so much better now that they’ve lost all that weight. “Instead of commenting on how their current body looks compared to their past body, compliment their hard work, dedicated effort and resiliency,” suggest Drs. Sasha Ulrich and Deidre Paulson, family physician and clinical psychologist, respectively.

Don’t encourage your kids to nibble.

Your kids’ body image is also influenced by how you talk about food and eating. Be careful about encouraging your kids to nibble. Dr. Horstman defines a nibbler as “the person at the party who eats one carrot stick, only to

be dipped lightly in fat-free dressing, and claims that they’re full — the fullest they’ve ever been, in fact.” This type of “restrictive eating,” as Dr. Horstman refers to it, is problematic because your kids will feel bad about themselves, and they won’t be satisfied and just end up making up for their hunger at the next meal. If your kids are hungry in between meals, offer them a nutritious snack as a good and healthy option.

Don’t pressure your kids to only eat certain foods.

You shouldn’t suggest to your kids that they should only eat certain “good” foods and avoid all “bad” foods. “The food you restrict or place rigid limits around,” says Sumner Brooks, a registered dietician, “are very likely to become the most desired foods, and it gives these foods a lot of power as ‘special’ or ‘forbidden.’ The result? Kids may choose to eat more of these foods when you’re not around, hide or sneak them, or learn to feel bad about themselves for even wanting them.” More generally, Ms. Sumner says, “precious family time can be overtaken by arguments about a child’s eating, instead of meals being about positive connection and chatting about the day.”

Instead of labeling food as good or bad, let kids “know that certain choices are better for growing, strength, and concentration,” says Diana ChilloHavercamp, a licensed clinical social worker with expertise in children. Dr. Angela Celia Doyle, a clinical psychologist, agrees. She suggests that parents teach their kids “that all food consists of varying levels of nutrition and calories.”

How Healthy Are Your Child’s Eyes?

— by Cheryl Maguire

“You need glasses,” the ophthalmologist said to me. I was twelve years old. My mom was shocked, since I never complained of unclear vision and no one else in our family had poor eyesight. The reason I went to the doctor is that I failed the school eye screening exam. My vision became gradually worse so I didn’t realize it wasn’t normal.

I remember when I first wore glasses thinking to myself, “Everything seems so clear and crisp. I can see the tips of leaves on a tree and easily read street signs.” I thought it was normal to see the world a little bit blurry.

Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month is coming up in August. This issue is important to me since my vision has significantly declined from the time of my initial diagnosis over thirty years ago. Even though I am nearsighted (which means I can only see close up and need glasses for far away), without my glasses or contact lenses, I wouldn’t be able to read anything on a computer screen word document (it’s just a white blur with black lines) since my vision is so poor. I asked my eye doctor if I am considered legally blind. It turns out I’m not since my vision can still be corrected with glasses.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 6.8% of children younger than 18 years in the United States have a diagnosed eye and vision condition. They also state that Amblyopia, or lazy eye, is the most common cause of vision loss in children which can be treated if caught early, between the ages of 3 to 5 years old. The web-

site Prevent Blindness found the most common vision disorders in children are myopia (nearsightedness; trouble seeing far away), hyperopia (farsightedness; trouble seeing close up), and astigmatism (blurry vision at all distances).

The Urban Child Institute states that correcting poor vision can foster a child’s cognitive and social development. The American Optometric Association estimates 80% of a child’s learning happens through observation. In the classroom, most of the teaching is done by displaying the information. Children learn social skills from seeing facial expressions and body language.

Similar to my experience, children may be unaware of the fact their vision is not normal. This may lead to feeling frustrated about being unable to see the words in a book or on the board in the classroom, causing a child to act out.

The American Optometric Association states, “Some children with learning difficulties exhibit specific behaviors of hyperactivity and distractibility. These children are often labeled as having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

(ADHD). However, undetected and untreated vision problems can elicit some of the very same signs and symptoms commonly attributed to ADHD. Due to these similarities, some children may be mislabeled as having ADHD when, in fact, they have an undetected vision problem.”

Pediatric Optometry lists the following as signs that may indicate your child could have a vision problem:

1) Head Tilt: If your child has a problem with their ocular muscles or nerves, they will attempt to compensate by tilting their head.

2)

Sitting

Too Close to the TV:

If your child is nearsighted, they will attempt to compensate for this by moving closer to the TV or other reading materials.

3)

Avoidance

of Reading:

If your child has poor visual skills and eye teaming skills, they will compensate for this by avoiding reading. Reading uses many complex eye movements and

poor visual skills may cause your child to become frustrated easily.

4) Frequent Headaches: Your child may have headaches because he/she is overstrained using all of their energy to align, focus, and use their eyes.

5) Laterality Problem: If your child has poor directional skills and often confuses left and right it could be due to poor vision. Proper oculocentric location is dependent on vision and laterality depends, in part, upon oculocentric location. There are four basic types of eye movements: saccades, smooth pursuit movements, vergence movements, and vestibulo-ocular movements.

6) Finger Pointing: If your child has poor vision tracking skills, they may use their finger to compensate for their poor tracking ability.

7) Can’t Copy from The Board: Your child may have difficulty with accommodation, the ability to change focus between far and near. This is essential for success in school.

8) Squinting: Your child may squint because this narrows a bundle of light entering the eye which allows for sharper vision. Your child may be squinting because this act compensates for blurry vision.

9) Poor Hand/Eye Coordination: This skill is required for everything from writing notes in class to playing ball with friends. Clear vision and adequate visual skills are required to create an accurate link between vision and other body movements.

10) Eye Rubbing/Squinting Rubbing: This is a basic response to ocular discomfort. It typically occurs when one’s eyes are strained or have been working much too hard to complete a task. Squinting is used to narrow a bundle of light entering the eye which allows for sharper vision. Your child may be squinting because this act compensates for blurry vision.

If your child is experiencing one of these symptoms, then schedule an eye exam with an eye doctor. There are two different types of eye doctors — ophthalmologists and optometrists. An ophthalmologist went to medical school and completed a 1 year internship followed by a 3 year residency. These types of doctors can provide total eye care services. An optometrist did not attend medical school. Instead, these types of doctors went to a 4-year professional program and received a doctor of optometry degree. Optometrists mostly prescribe glasses and contact lenses. Due to my poor vision and the fact I have had other vision issues, I go to an ophthalmologist every two years for a checkup and to receive updated prescriptions for my glasses and contacts.

Even though my mother didn’t think I would need glasses when I was twelve years old, she took me to see the eye doctor. I’m grateful she did.

— by David Magee

TEEN GIRLS’ MENTAL HEALTH

SIX WAYS TO REACH A TEENAGE GIRL (and Maybe Save Her Life)

The new CDC statistics are grim: There’s been a huge spike in suicidal thoughts in teenage girls (and boys aren’t doing great either). In a dangerous world, parents need to connect with our teens more than ever. Mental health and substance misuse expert David Magee explains how.

Ashocking new report by the CDC confirms what many parents already suspected: Teenage girls are in crisis. A 2021 survey of more than 17,000 high school students found that 30 percent of the girls had considered suicide — a rate that’s double that of boys and almost 60 percent higher than ten years ago. Besides the unprecedented rise in suicidal behavior, the report shared other grim findings on sexual violence, substance misuse, depression, and other mental health woes.

Most parents receive news like this with a sinking feeling and a sense of dread. It’s not that we’re surprised; after the COVID years and the flood of stories on drug addiction, broken mental health, and the relentlessness of social media, how could we be? It’s that we feel so helpless to do anything about it.

The good news is that, actually, we aren’t helpless, says national recovery advocate David Magee. Despite the message you may be getting from all-grim news reports — not to mention your teen’s closed door, perpetual silence, and sullen stares — our girls are reachable.

“I’ve engaged with some 20,000 middle and high school students through-

out the country in the past year,” says Magee, host of The Mayo Lab Podcast and author of the upcoming book Things Have Changed: What Every Parent (and Educator) Should Know About the Student Mental Health and Substance Misuse Crisis. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been talking about my own depression or my daughter’s eating disorder and looked out into the audience to see girls just wiping away flowing tears.

“Also, they are the ones lining up to talk to me the most,” he adds. “It just breaks my heart, but it also warms my heart because they are reachable. A critical key is to be there with them and for them — really see them and hear them.”

None of this is to suggest boys are not struggling, too. They certainly are — indeed, Magee’s own son tragically died of an accidental drug overdose in 2013 — and they need just as much parental attention, empathy, and understanding as girls do. The question is, regardless of gender, how do you reach your teens? Magee offers a few tips:

First, get the lay of the land. (Educate yourself.) Magee’s book title says it all: Things really have changed. Young people face a cauldron of pressures their parents can’t relate to. That’s why he joined with the University of

Mississippi’s Thomas Hayes Mayo Lab to create The Mayo Lab Podcast. This weekly program — available on all podcast platforms — brings together the best thought leaders in various arenas (mental health, drug misuse prevention, and parenting) so parents can access them in one place.

“The idea is to offer research-based insights and guidance to equip not just parents but also educators and students to start a different conversation in their own lives,” says Magee. “If we don’t know the realities our children face, we can’t talk about them in a meaningful way.”

Hold regular conversations to normalize how teens are feeling. Make it a priority to engage with your teens over meals and activities. Broach conversations on subjects you might suspect they are dealing with — bullying, eating disorders, substance misuse — and don’t be afraid to state the blunt facts. However, remember the goal here is to engage your teens on what they may be feeling, not to lecture, “catch,” or shame them.

“Your teens may seem to prefer sitting in silence, but don’t let them,” says Magee. “Too often parents just follow their children’s lead because it feels too uncomfortable to force the conversation or — as is very often the case — because we don’t know what to say.”

Ask open-ended questions. (This is critical.) Too many parents preach or hold one-sided conversations with our children. Resist this urge. Instead, ask questions focused on how they feel, rather than thrusting your angst and fear upon them. For example: “How did you feel when your friends were out together Friday night while you were at home with family?” or, “How did it feel when the names were posted for making the team and yours was omitted?”

“Studies show young people need to be seen and heard to become whole,” says Magee. “Open-ended questions open your child’s mind and yours. Their responses hold the capacity to inform and surprise and even deeply delight.”

Listen closely and you may hear clues. (The word “anxiety” is one.)

Magee calls anxiety the “safe word” for today’s generation. While they may not continued on page 32

MENTAL HEALTH continued...

admit to substance misuse or depression, they will often claim anxiety. This is your cue to continue asking open-ended questions, like, “When are you most likely to feel anxiety? How would you describe what your anxiety feels like? What do you think would make you feel better?”

Resist the urge to tell them how they should feel. As parents, our instinct may be to say things like, “You have so many friends!” or, “You’ve got that big game coming up — there’s so much to

AUDUBON COUNSELING CENTER

♦ Adolescent Therapy

♦ Anxiety/Depression

♦ Substance Use and Gambling Treatment

♦ Co-Dependency as it pertains to Addiction

♦ Addiction and Family Dynamics

be happy about!” While we may do this with pure intentions, it is not helpful, says Magee. If we really want to know our child, we must do less telling and more listening. Often, telling our children how they feel is a reflection of our own desires to shape them into who or what we think they should be, rather than helping them explore what brings them joy.

Share relatable stories when appropriate. “I am a huge believer in using storytelling to help people grasp a message in a real and heartfelt way,” says Magee, who has made peer-to-peer storytelling a focal point in bringing his message to students. “When parents tell teens about their own struggles with sub-

stance misuse, for example, it can be incredibly powerful. They probably recognize it anyway. Likewise, you might tell stories of others who have had success in treatment or recovery, like friends or family members who don’t mind being used as an example.

Obviously, none of this is easy. In fact, it’s the sheer complexity of the mental health and substance misuse epidemic and all its moving parts that led to the creation of the William Magee Institute for Student Wellbeing at the University of Mississippi. (“It takes a whole institute to even begin getting our hands around these issues,” notes Magee.)

But one thing is undeniable: Holding conversations like the ones described above should be a top priority for parents, says Magee.

“Engaging with your teens this way is just as important as putting food on the table,” he says. “You wouldn’t think of not nourishing your child’s physical health with regular meals. The same goes for nourishing their mental health. These conversations, along with ensuring that teens get plenty of sleep and exercise and limit their time on social media, go a long way toward changing their reality.”

David Magee is the best-selling author of “Things Have Changed: What Every Parent (and Educator) Should Know About the Student Mental Health and Substance Misuse Crisis” and “Dear William: A Father’s Memoir of Addiction, Recovery, Love, and Loss and other nonfiction books. A changemaker in student and family mental health and substance misuse, he’s the creator and director of operations of the William Magee Institute for Student Wellbeing at the University of Mississippi and a frequent K–12 and university educational and motivational speaker, helping students and parents find and keep their joy. He’s also a national recovery advisor for the Integrative Life Network. Learn more at www.daviddmagee.com.

“Healing from Within”

Barry J. Chapman, LCSW-R

We Are All In This Together!

MARIJUANA IS GOING MAINSTREAM… BUT DOES THAT MAKE IT SAFE?

— by Larry Walker

SIX INSIGHTS ALL PARENTS SHOULD KNOW

Now that marijuana is more widely legal and available, teens (and even their parents) may believe there are no consequences. As a guest on The Mayo Lab Podcast with David Magee, Dr. Larry Walker discusses the effects of cannabis on young people’s brainsand their mental health.

As marijuana is made legal in more parts of the country, it’s becoming more normalized than ever before. And teens and young people have taken notice (despite most states’ attempts to limit exposure to young people). Now that it is deeply engrained in our culture, even parents might be wondering what’s the big deal if their children become regular marijuana users.

Dr. Larry Walker says it’s a big deal indeed. Teens who use cannabis are at risk for a range of serious mental and health-related problems.

“Parents and young people alike may believe that marijuana use is not problematic, but that couldn’t be further from the truth where teens and adolescents are concerned,” says Dr. Larry Walker, interim director of the National Center for Cannabis Research and Education (NCCRE) at the School of Pharmacy at the University of Mississippi. “Starting marijuana, especially in one’s early years, sets a pattern that can be devastating. We know enough to know that drug abuse in young people changes the way their brains develop.”

Parents need to push back against the culture that convinces children that this addictive drug is safe, says Dr. Walker, who is the latest featured guest on The Mayo Lab Podcast with David Magee, which serves as a single source

of research-based guidance for parents, educators, and students. (Listen at https://themayolab.com and on Apply and Spotify.) Marijuana is more powerful — and often more dangerous and addictive — now than it was in recent decades.

Here are six insights parents should know about modern marijuana use and their children.

Street marijuana is far more potent than it used to be. Teens and young adults need to know that this isn’t your mother’s or your grandmother’s mild marijuana. Modern marijuana is far more potent. Dealers and experimenters are finding new ways to strengthen the drug and rapidly distribute it to the brain. Dr. Walker shares that since the early ’90s, the potency of marijuana, which was then running from 3 or 4 percent, is now approaching an average of 20 percent (and many samples are much higher than that). There’s been almost a tenfold increase in the potency of marijuana, not to mention other changes that may be going on as we’re breeding the plants and selecting them. Someone who isn’t well accustomed to using modern marijuana is vulnerable to experiencing serious problems due to its potency alone.

“Parents today have no idea what their children face using street marijuana,” says podcast host and student

wellbeing activist David Magee, who, in his role as director of operations at the William Magee Institute for Student Wellbeing focuses on helping students with alcohol and other drug education and support. “And many students themselves are duped, unsure of what’s happening to them or why. I hear it all the time, and it’s the single most surprising thing I learn from so many students I get to engage with from throughout the country.”

Legal or not, marijuana can be highly addictive. Though it does not create dramatic withdrawal symptoms like heroin or crack, cannabis causes serious withdrawal symptoms, and many users are surprised to find that they cannot stop without professional help. Magee, whose late son William struggled with drug addiction before dying of an accidental drug overdose, recalls how marijuana slowly took over his son’s life.

“Some may not have physical withdrawals, but rather emotional withdrawal symptoms,” says Magee. “My son wrote journal entries describing how emotionally difficult it was for him to separate himself from marijuana. Because for him, it had become a ritual that began when he woke up, continued at midday, and concluded at night so he could go to sleep. And I hear the same things from continued on page 36

Choices Wellness

Informed wellness decisions lead to healthy, fulfilling lives.

This section, a monthly complement to our annual July “Healthy Child, Healthy Family” pull-out, focuses on topics of utmost importance to today’s families in the areas of Wellness, Physical & Mental Health, Nutrition and much more.

MARIJUANA IS GOING MAINSTREAM continued...

students I talk to in middle schools and at colleges and universities. It becomes this daily part of their life that feels harmless. But over time it grows and takes them over.”

There’s a link between marijuana use and mental health struggles. A number of studies show that there is an exaggerated incidence in mental health and mood disorders in teens who are chronic marijuana users. Young people are much more susceptible to issues that range from depression, addiction problems, aggression, and schizophrenia, says Dr. Walker.

Early marijuana users may struggle more later on in life. A study from New Zealand that has monitored the educational, economic, and social success, and mental health of marijuana users suggests that early users of the drug fare worse in adulthood in a number of areas. For example, they earn less money, have more family problems, have more addiction problems, have more societal adjustment problems, and perform worse on IQ tests.

The lesson we can take from this is that we not only need to keep our children away from marijuana, says Dr. Walker, but we also need to educate and caution them about the associated risks of using this drug.

Marijuana isn’t the “magic cure” for anxiety that many believe it is… Marijuana is often touted as a treatment for various anxiety disorders, causing some parents to look the other way if their teen uses it for that reason. But Dr. Walker wants parents to know that while cannabis might alleviate anxiety symptoms in some people, it is far from being a silver bullet. “Marijuana may lower anxiety in some users, but in others, it can create an anxiogenic reaction,” he says. “This could be due to the users’ genetics, or the dose, or other factors.” Either way, it isn’t for everyone, and especially not for young people who may be struggling with their mental health.

…And medical marijuana is problematic too. While marijuana does have some legitimate health benefits (such as easing nausea in cancer patients) there are still issues with making it legal. Overall, medical cannabis companies have limited medical oversight; the range of products is wide and very variable; some states have better programs than others; and there is little guidance available about dosing, management of patients, and treatment protocols. This can contribute to issues like unwanted side effects, abuse problems, and addiction problems in users, including young people. The bottom line: even if your child uses marijuana for a medical reason (for example, anxiety), they can still end up using too much or using it too often.

of all family health care decisions are made by women.

of women prepare the family meals & make the nutrition choices.

of over the counter pharmaceuticals are purchased by women.

For more information, call Paul Kline at 716-836-3486

“It’s important that parents, teachers, and organizations promoting health and wellness get on the same page about their messaging around marijuana,” concludes Dr. Walker. “It’s not about legality. Legal or not, today’s marijuana is unsafe for children, teens, and young adults. But understanding this truth is power. When young people and the people who love them know the truth, they can avoid going down a road that leads to suffering.”

Larry Walker is Interim Director of the National Center for Cannabis Research and Education, and Director Emeritus of the National Center for Natural Products Research (NCNPR) at the University of Mississippi. He has been a member of the faculty of the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy for 41 years. A Tennessee native, he took undergraduate degrees in biology at Oglethorpe University (Atlanta, GA) and in pharmacy at Mercer University in Atlanta. His doctoral training was in Pharmacology at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Dr. Walker is a coauthor of more than 200 papers in peer-reviewed journals in pharmacology, toxicology, and natural products discovery and development. He received the University’s second Distinguished Research and Creative Achievement Award in 2009, and the School of Pharmacy’s Researcher of the Year Award in 2003. He is a frequent presenter on Cannabis research and the potential health benefits and risks of Cannabis for health professional and public interest groups.

How to Do a Proper Tick Check for Yourself, Kids & Pets

Plus… What to Do If Bitten

Good weather has officially arrived and families are enjoying time outdoors. Unfortunately, ticks are out in full force as well. Tick expert, Dr. Thomas Mather and Equip-4-Ticks Resource Center have compiled helpful tips on how to conduct a proper tick check on yourself, kids, and pets.

TICK CHECKS

“The most important thing to think about when you’re doing a tick check is that you need to check the lower extremities first and then move up.” —

Dr. Thomas Mather

Start From the Ground Up

After spending time in a tick habitat, it’s important to do a thorough tick check. While many recommend checking from head to toe, Dr. Mather recommends checking from the lower part of your body first and then moving up, because that’s how ticks move, from the ground up.

Places to check for ticks:

• Between toes

• Behind knees

• In the groin area

• Around waistline

• In the belly button

• Inside elbow joints and armpits

• In and around the ear

• Around the hairline

• On the scalp

Dr. Mather notes that it’s especially important to check areas where your clothing meets, or binds closely to, your skin. Ticks will crawl to those areas and won’t be able to, or want to, go any further, and they’ll bite there.

Check Your Pets

Once you’ve finished doing a tick

check on yourself, it’s also important to perform a tick check on your pet. On a pet, the head region is the most important place to look for ticks. Ticks will also end up on other areas of dogs, or cats. Make sure to check all places where a tick could get caught up in its fur or the crease of its skin.

Places to check your pet for ticks:

• Paws and between toes

• Between back legs

• Between front legs

• Under the collar area

• In or around the ears

• Head region

• Base of the tail

Resource: Watch the video “Tick Checks: Best Practice for Humans and Pets” on YouTube at https://youtu. be/8PrbC5iClUI

BITTEN BY A TICK? WHAT TO DO NEXT.

Finding a tick on yourself, your family member, or your pet can be scary. While it’s vital to remove a tick as soon as possible, it is also important to ensure that you do it properly, and that you take the right steps once it’s removed. This includes storing the tick, and sending it in for testing in case it is carrying a dangerous tick-borne disease like Lyme, or a dangerous allergen like Alpha-gal.

1) Remove the tick

According to tick expert, Dr. Thomas Mather, the best strategy for removing a tick is by using fine-tipped, pointy tweezers like the ones from TickEase. By having something with a very pointy tip, you are able to get as close to the skin as possible and pull the tick out.

To remove a tick:

• Hold tick with fine-tipped, pointy

tweezers

• Get as close to the skin as possible

• Pull straight up in a slow, steady motion

2) Keep the tick in a plastic bag

After removing the tick, don’t throw it away. Instead, place it in a Ziploc bag. Most people won’t know how to identify what kind of tick it is, and if you don’t, you won’t know what kind of diseases it may be carrying.

3) Identify the tick

Next, take a clear photo of the top side of the tick, and send it to TickSpotters, where Dr. Mather and his team will identify it for you within 24 hours with the following information:

• The kind of tick it is

• How long it was attached

• And what kind of germ it likely, or even didn’t likely, transmit to you

4) Send the tick in for testing

After the tick has been identified and TickSpotters has let you know if the tick that bit you has a high chance of carrying a disease, you can choose to send in the tick to a testing facility.

It should be noted that while tick testing can be a helpful resource, it should not be used as a substitute for physician diagnosis of disease.

Tick Testing Services Recommended by TickEncounter:

• TickReport

• Eco Laboratory

• Ticknology

• TickCheck

Resource: Watch the video “Safe Tick Removal, Storage, and Identification” on YouTube at https://youtu.be/ AXQn8H4na-U

Dr. Mather (a.k.a. “The TickGuy”) joined the University of Rhode Island in 1992 from the Harvard School of Public Health, and now serves as director of URI’s Center for Vector-Borne Disease and its TickEncounter Resource Center. His research focus is on tick ecology, area-wide tick control strategies, tickbite protection, and tickborne disease prevention. His research and outreach programs are diverse, including antitick vaccine discovery projects, evaluations of targeted tick control strategies, tickborne disease risk prediction, as well as development of tick-bite protection decision support tools and social networking strategies for tickborne disease prevention.

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is it?,” “Where can we find it?,” “What does it look like?,” “What does it sound like?,” “What does it feel like?,” “How can we create it?” This book is also a good reminder for adults, too. We show our children what peace looks like in everything we say and do. Peace is something we should be exploring together first in our hearts, then in our minds, then in our community, and ultimately in the larger world.

It is said, “we have 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason.” We need to listen more and talk less. Perhaps a little mindfulness and reflective work will help us learn to listen first and then respond more thoughtfully and respectfully. Books like these and many others can be found in your local library and bookstore and online. Sharing and listening to books and stories, and talking with our children, can help all of us come to a place so we can celebrate all of US.

June

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.

HOURS:

Tuesday - Thursday: 4:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Friday: 4:00pm - 9:30pm

Saturday: 12 Noon - 9:30pm

— by Deborah Williams

The Wonder of the Mighty Niagara Falls

Every year, millions of visitors from around the globe flock to one of the world’s greatest natural wonders that spans two nations and the Niagara River. It drains the waters of four of the five Great Lakes.

It is right in our backyard and yet there are many Western New Yorkers who rarely, if ever, come to the Niagara Falls and enjoy the phenomenon and allure of the mighty waterfall. This is the summer to go to the Falls and experience both old and new attractions.

There are higher and bigger falls but nowhere else are the waterfalls so grand and accessible to millions of visitors. The falls offer an immersive experience to all.

There is certainly no shortage of vistas from which to ponder the wonder of the Falls of Niagara. Visitors line the promenade opposite, peer out from caves behind, climb out on a web of wooden catwalks, absorb the view while dining in a revolving tower, ogle from a helicopter above — absorbing the vistas from every conceivable angle. I have done them all but still believe the best way to intensely experience the falls is aboard the iconic Maid of the Mist which is both thrilling and accessible to everyone

On May 27, 1846, the Niagara Courier reported after the launching of the first boat: “Whoever visits Niagara will not have seen half its wonders till they have taken a trip on the steamer the Maid.” In 1901, Teddy Roosevelt, who was sworn in as President in Buffalo, took a ride proclaiming the experience “the only way fully to realize the grandeur of the great Falls of Niagara.”

The boats boast a long list of celebrity passengers starting in 1860 with the British Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII), Marilyn Monroe while starring in the movie Niagara, and Princess Diana and her two sons Prince William and Prince Harry.

In October 2020, the Niagara Falls, NY based Maid of the Mist company launched two new all electric 600-passenger vessels, the first of their kind in the country. For newcomers to the electric boats, the main difference for passengers is the absence of engine noise so the sounds are 100% the roar of the magnificent waterfall.

The boats are named James V. Glynn and Nikola Tesla. The James V.

Glynn honors the longtime Maid of the Mist Chairman James V. Glynn, and the Nikola Tesla honors the Serbian-born engineer behind the design and construction of the world’s first hydro-electric power plant in Niagara Falls, NY.

On board the Tesla, everyone is excitedly gearing up with their new blue plastic raincoats. Phones and cameras are ready for their adventure. The boat first cruises by the base of the American and Bridal Veil Falls and then continues almost into the thunderous deluge of the Horseshoe Falls. There is a moment, just a moment, when we seem to be engulfed by the water and mist. But, of course, we emerge from the cataracts and are soon making the trip back to the dock.

The Maid of the Mist boasts an enviable safety record. Only once has one of the Maid’s life preservers been used and then not for one of its own. Our captain tells the amazing story of sevenyear-old Roger Woodward. On July 9, 1960, he was swept over the Horseshoe Falls after a boat he was in with his sister and a family friend stalled and swamped, pitching him into the water.

Wearing only his orange life jacket and bathing suit Roger hurtled over the brink at an estimated 75 miles per hour. On the third try, Roger was able to grab the life ring and, miraculously, he was safely aboard seconds later. He instantly became world famous as the only person to survive a trip over the falls with only a life jacket for protection. He returned 20 years later with his wife to enjoy the falls and the Maid of the Mist in a more conventional fashion.

For a sublime experience, pick a hot summer day, stand at the bow, forego the raincoat, and wait for the falls themselves to drench you to the skin. The luckiest of all will catch a glimpse of at least one rainbow.

Just a year ago, a huge tunnel buried deep below the cascading waters opened to visitors. The area’s newest attraction is part of the Niagara Parks Power Station on the Canadian side of the falls. This 2200-foot-long tunnel is Phase II of a unique attraction. This one-of-a-kind attraction is the only fully intact, decommissioned hydroelectric power plant of its period left in the world.

The massive stone power station sits 1,500 feet above the Horseshoe Falls. It was completed in 1905 and supplied electric power through 2006 to Fort Erie and Buffalo which was soon known as the City of Light. The water from the mighty Niagara was diverted to run the 11 giant generators that electrified the region.

The original 11 blue cylindrical generators are on display as part of Phase I of the project which opened to the public in 2021. Displays and exhibits tell the story of the inventors including George Westinghouse. Uncover the War of the Currents, a bitter feud between inventors that lasted many years. Guides are on hand to tell the building’s remarkable story.

It’s time to enter the glass paneled elevator that offers views of the six underground decks as it travels down 180 feet to the tunnel. This is where the water would exit into the river when it was operating as a power station.

It took thousands of workers four years to build this tunnel and continued on page 42

excavate the shale using dynamite, shovels, and pickaxes. There are benches for resting and exhibits along the walls. It is accessible for strollers and wheelchairs. Near the end of the tunnel, we can see daylight. The path exits onto a 60-foot cement platform very close to the base of the Horseshoe Falls.

There seems to be mist and water everywhere but not to worry as our guide hands out yellow plastic raincoats. Out of the mist comes the Maid of the Mist Here is a new perspective on the falls and many would say it is the best place to see the falls.

Come back in the evening for an entirely different way to experience the power station. Called Currents: Niagara’s Power Transformed, it is an epic sight and sound show in the heart of the plant. It features immersive, interactive

media where projected effects react to your presence. Children seemed to be having a great time with that feature. There’s imagery, color, lights, sound, and a wonderful musical score.

Nights in Niagara Falls are filled with light. The Falls are illuminated nightly with distinctive lights for holidays or special occasions on both sides of the border. Fireworks fill the skies at 10 pm (weather permitting) until early fall.

The Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls offer a spectacular panoramic view of the waterfalls. For a fun experience, the whole family can walk through the turnstile at the bottom of the bridge on the U.S. side. There is a barrier between the road and the sidewalk, so it is safe to walk across or just to the middle for some great photos.

Be sure to bring along your identification that you would use for crossing into Canada. There is no charge if you don’t cross into Canada. If you decide to cross the border, then there is a $1 per person charge for the return trip.

The Niagara Falls train station is another special place because it also is home to the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center. The award-winning permanent exhibit, One More River to Cross, features the rich stories of the Underground Railroad in Niagara Falls and the escaped enslaved people who arrived here with freedom just across the river in Canada. It is in the former 1863 U.S. Customs House that is attached to the Amtrak Station. While not a site on the Underground Railroad, the Customs House is adjacent to the former International Suspension

Bridge. The bridge was a point of crossing for many freedom seekers including Harriet Tubman. Freedom Conservation Tours are held Tuesday through Sunday at 11:30 am and 2 pm.

Later this summer, the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Welcome Center at Niagara Falls State Park will open with new ticketing and information desks, interpretive museum space including immersive experiences and exhibits on the history of the Falls, and to connect visitors to the many opportunities for recreation in the area.

The Wilson Foundation donated $8 million toward the $46 million state-ofthe-art welcome center. It is designed to be a center befitting its location alongside the mighty Falls in the country’s first state park that attracts more than nine million people annually. The project will complement the $150 million revitalization of the park landscape changed to better reflect noted park designer Frederick Law Olmsted’s vision for the landscape.

Travel Tip of the Month: All COVID border mandates on both sides of the border have ended, so crossing the border has returned to pre-pandemic rules. Adults need a passport, passport card, enhanced driver’s license, or NEXUS card to cross the border and children need a birth certificate. Bring along a change of clothes and towels if you think you will be riding the Maid of the Mist and foregoing the raincoat.

For Maid of the Mist visit maidofthemist.com or call 716-284-8897. For the Niagara Parks Power Station and The Tunnel visit niagaraparks.com or call 877-642-7275. For information on the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center at the Train Station visit niagarafallsundergroundrailroad.org or call 716-300-8477. For Niagara Falls, NY visit niagarafalllsusa.com or call 1-877 FALLS US. For the Canadian side visit niagarafallstourism.com or call 1-800 56FALLS.

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

RAISING DIGITAL KIDS

— by Mike Daugherty

Embracing the Future: A Parent’s Guide to Generative AI Apps

As we navigate the 21st century, technology continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, radically transforming the way we live, work, and learn. One such groundbreaking technological advancement is generative AI, which can create new content, such as text, images, and music. Generative AI has been a hot topic lately, with tools such as ChatGPT from OpenAI and Bard from Google being two of the most talked about AI applications. Let’s look at some other fun, engaging generative AI tools that can enhance your children’s learning and creativity:

DALL·E

Created by OpenAI, DALL·E is a generative AI model trained to generate images from text based descriptions. For example, if your child describes a “twostory pink house shaped like a shoe,” DALL·E can generate an image closely resembling this description. The more descriptive you are, the better the final creation will be. Try using artistic style options such as oil painting, digital art, or “in the style of Salvatore Dali” for some inspiration.

DALL·E can provide a fun way to spend some time with your children being creative. Using a tool like this can help children visualize their silly ideas or story characters, leading to better comprehension and learning. DALL·E is free, but you only receive a set amount of credits each month. Check out alternatives such as Midjourney or Craiyon when you run out of credits.

AIVA

AIVA is a generative AI app focused on music. It composes original music pieces based on the inputs given. Your child can choose a genre, mood, and duration, and AIVA will do the rest.

The app can be used to introduce children to music composition and help them understand different music styles and structures. AIVA can also create background music for your kids’ projects or performances, enhancing their presentation skills. Abundant Music is another generative AI app that can create music

Runway ML

Runway ML is an AI tool that enables users to create unique digital art

and designs. By using machine learning models, the app can transform, enhance, or stylize images and videos.

This app can be a great way for your child to explore digital art and design. They can experiment with different effects, learning about colors, patterns, and visual aesthetics in the process. This tool is better for teens or young adults.

SmartDreams

SmartDreams is an AI bedtime story app that brings your kids’ imaginations to life like never before. It uses powerful generative AI to create personalized stories that are tailored to your child’s interests. The stories are also illustrated with stunning visuals, making them even more engaging for kids. SmartDreams is a great way to help your child fall asleep and to encourage a love of reading. It’s also a great way to promote creativity and imagination.

DeepArt

DeepArt is an AI tool that transforms photos into artwork inspired by famous painters. Simply upload a photo, choose a painting style, and DeepArt will recreate the photo in the chosen style.

This app could be a fun way to introduce your children to different art styles and painters. They can also use it to personalize their school projects, encouraging a blend of technology and art.

Artbreeder

Artbreeder is a unique platform that uses Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) to merge and modify images. Users can create “children” of images that inherit attributes from both “parent” images, producing surprising and creative results. You can make everything from portraits to landscapes and abstract art.

For kids, Artbreeder can be a fun way to understand how AI can blend images and create new ones. It encourages exploration of imagination and creativity. Kids can also learn about different visual elements like color, shape, and texture.

Teachable Machine

This one isn’t generative AI, but it does help you understand how AI works in a fun, engaging way. Teachable Machine is a web-based tool developed by Google that makes creating machine learning models fast, easy, and accessible to everyone. You don’t need any specialized knowledge in machine learning or coding to use Teachable Machine. With Teachable Machine, you can train a computer to recognize your own images, sounds, and poses without writing any machine learning code. For example, you could train a model to recognize different gestures you make on your webcam, different objects shown to your webcam, or different sounds you make into your microphone.

Once your model is trained, you can export it to use in different projects, apps, or websites. This makes it a great tool for teaching children about the basics of machine learning in a fun, handson way.

Stay Involved!

Isn’t it exciting to think about how these AI apps can bring a sprinkle of magic to our kids’ learning journey? They’re like secret tools we’ve discovered, helping our little ones explore, imagine, and grow in ways we could only dream of in our own childhoods.

Just remember, it’s all about balance. Just as we mix up their diet with healthy foods, let’s mix up their techtime, too. Juggling between the digital

delights and the good old non-digital fun is the way to go. After all, nothing can replace the joy of a sunny day at the park, or a cozy afternoon with a good book!

Remember, no app or AI tool is 100% perfect and may sometimes generate unexpected or inappropriate content! So, while our kids are on their AI-powered adventures, parents need to stay involved. Guide them, answer their questions, share their excitement, and make sure the digital playground stays fun and safe.

Generative AI apps are like little doors opening to a world full of possibilities. As we, hand in hand with our kiddos, step into the future of learning and creativity, let’s ensure these tools are used in ways that enhance our children’s growth and development.

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.

Daddy Daddy The Track

– by Shannon Carpenter

It’s All About July

July is about warm summer breezes as you sit under a tree with a root that makes a good footrest. It’s about picnics with egg salad that you would never make unless it was July, and you were on your way to a picnic. In the summer, in July, it’s about forgetting the start of the year and about ignoring what comes next. July is about the now.

July is for late nights and late mornings with friends and family. It’s saying yes when your little ones ask if they can stay up just a little bit longer, and then watching them fall asleep on the couch with a smile on their face. Oh, they tried to stay up, but early sunshine and water parks sap the energy of the best of us.

It’s the time for road trips where you walk away from your phones and run towards an adventure. It never matters where the adventure is in July, because you’re already in the adventure. It is the journey and the destination all rolled into one beautiful month. Big balls of twine, The World’s Largest anything, the one of a kind. That is July.

July is for fireworks that sparkle like a million lightning bugs. It’s hot dogs undercooked and hamburgers left too long on the grill. It’s about crinkling the water hose until your kid looks down

the center of it and then letting it go. It’s about your children then running soaking wet through your house and jumping into mom and dad’s bed. It’s about not caring for just a moment and living the memory.

In July, and sometimes only during those dog-hot days when the leaves of trees sweat with humidity, it’s about realizing that you’ve made it through the first half of the year. That you’ve done so many loads of laundry that you dream about grass stains at night. You’ve cooked so many meals that you are sure you could be the best short-order cook in history and your Mac N Cheese game is on point. It’s about knowing that the smiles your family have is because you’ve made it to July.

Because here, in this month that is always your goal, and your halfway point is the month where you get to take a moment, just a very small second, to sit in a summer breeze underneath that tree. You allow yourself to drift to a place where there are no work deadlines, pointless meetings that aren’t at the splash parks, or computer screens with spreadsheets. In this place, you exist just to exist. As parents who are constantly on the run, where your life is dictated by schedules and diaper changes, in July, you get to be

you. Even if just for a second.

Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are months away. They try to wiggle their way into your brain, to get on the schedule, to formulate a plan. But not in July. Because July is for putting ladybugs in the garden and watching roly-polies crawl out of rocks toward little hands that want to discover the wonder of the world. And your older hands, those that are calloused and tired, gleefully showing them the way.

July is the deep breath before the rest of the year. It’s before daycare gives everyone the flu, the first day of kindergarten, and the last year of high school. July is the pat on the back for making it this far. July is to forgive broken bedtime routines, five a.m. commutes, and time spent away so that your family can thrive. July is the ‘atta boy you deserve.

Mistakes made in January are forgotten in the cold. February has leapt away, and March can beware of its own ides. In July, none of that matters anymore. What matters are snuggles under starlight, spooky stories told over dying campfires, and holding hands first thing in the morning.

That’s what July is all about. It’s about your family and you, and giving yourself the courtesy of forgetting all the rest, so you can make memories that will last until next summer.

Shannon Carpenter is the father of three and has been a stay-at-home dad since 2008. He’s the author of the book “Stayat-Home Dad: Your Essential Manual for Being an Awesome Full-Time Father.” as well as the co-host of Dadhouse Pod. In addition to his writing on parenting, he is also a humor writer trained through the famous Second City. And we all know that having a sense of humor is essential to surviving parenthood!

Family Movie Options: In Theaters and Streaming Online

Young mermaid Ariel is fascinated by the human world and Prince Eric, who she saved from drowning When Ursula the Sea Witch gives her a chance to live on land, Ariel takes it – but she doesn’t fully realize the price she’ll have to pay. Halle Bailey gives a star turn as Ariel and the movie provides Eric with a new backstory, but the film sti ll feels soulless. This isn’t a vibrant, magical tale: it’s just a bland, bloated cash grab on the part of Disney. That won’t stop kids from enjoying it but it may frustrate parents. Photo ©Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Miles Morales is struggling to keep his life in balance as he adjusts to being Spider-Man – and then Gwen reappears and takes him into the multiverse where they meet a team of Spider-People who protect every universe. The original Spider-Verse film was a groundbreaking work of animation, and this movie is even better. The animation is dazzling and the plot, although darker than the first film, remains satisfying. Spidey fans of all ages will find lots to enjoy here Photo ©Columbia Pictures

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts

The Maximals (giant transforming metal creatures) are on a mission to prevent Unicron (a planet-consuming entity) from finding a transwarp key This device allows the user to transport instantaneously across the galaxy and it has been hidden on Earth. There’s little doubt how this story will play o ut or how it will end Fans will appreciate the detailed action sequences and parents can be assured that the violence remains within PG-13 limits Photo ©Paramount Pictures

The Boogeyman Theaters

ating Overall Violence Sex Profanity Alcohol/Drugs

PG-13 C+ C A C- D

Psychiatrist Will Harper has a new patient with a story about the deaths of his three kids, caused by a monstrous creature preying on children in the dark. When the patient dies, Will’s daughters start seeing something in the night Based on a Stephen King story, this is a creepy tale with good acting, solid dialogue, and a monster that relies more on imagination than gory effects . It’s an option for teens who want to try out a horror flick Photo ©20th Century Studios

Rally Road Racers

Rating Overall Violence Sex Profanity Alcohol/Drugs

PG A- A- A A- A

A slow loris named Zhi is thrilled when his car-racing idol, Archi Vainglorious, comes to his hometown and is then outraged to learn that Vainglorious wants to buy and bulldoze Zhi’s grandmother’s home. The two make a deal: if Zhi wins the Silk Road Rally, Grannie’s home is his Packed with physics-defying driving and stuffed full of positive messages, this is an innocuous cartoon that will be enjoyed by kids and, miraculously, not loathed by parents. Photo ©Viva Kids

– by Peggy Gisler and Marge Eberts

SUMMER LEARNING ACTIVITY

Parents: Because so many of your children have had an off-again/on-again education during the past two years, it is important for them to do some catch-up work this summer. If their learning lag appears to be quite serious, then you will want them to do some formal work with tutors, online programs, or summer school. Otherwise, it is still important to keep them in the learning mode this summer. One way to do that is through some of our language arts activities. The language arts involve the skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing) used to communicate ideas effectively. They are the foundation for lifelong learning.

The following activities are designed to be enjoyable for your children to do. Most of them involve the family. Try to do a few each week. Besides improving school skills, they also may help the language arts be more appealing to your children in the future at school. If they are enjoying doing some of these learning activities this summer, you will find more on all subjects on our Dear Teacher website. And there are also a great number online. You just have to search for them.

STORYTELLING

This is a skill that helps children develop their oral language skills and teaches them how to present material in a sequential order. Being a good storyteller definitely pays dividends at school. It can be especially enjoyable to practice this skill any time the family is together

from meals to car trips to around campfires in the evening. The earlier you start your children telling stories, the more likely it will become an enjoyable part of their lives.

Preschool and Kindergarten

• Take your children to a storytelling session at the local library so they will learn what fun it can be to hear stories.

• Have your children frequently retell favorite stories. Encourage them to change the ending if they would like to do so.

• Instead of reading a book at bedtime, tell your children a story. They will especially enjoy hearing about things that you did as a child.

Elementary School

• Have your children take turns telling a story alternating between using “Luckily, ...” and “Unluckily, ...” to start each sentence. Or the sentences can start with one or other of these word combinations: happily and sadly, frequently and rarely, safely and dangerously, or any other combination your family wants to use. These stories should amuse the family. For example, you might retell a fairy tale such as The Three Bears using lines like “Luckily, Goldilocks found a house in the woods. Unluckily, the bears came home early.”

Middle School & Beyond

• Encourage your older children to play games that actually involve some storytelling, such as Fabrication in which they will tell an outrageously tall tale. It is a good way for them to discover storytelling is fun.

WORD GAMES

• Word games are great for children of all ages because besides having fun playing a game, children are also expanding their vocabulary and spelling skills. Many games also can enhance their criticalthinking skills.

• For younger children, word games can be made from words they know or need to know. For example, you can make two sets of word cards — each with the same words — and then use them to play the card games War, Go Fish, and even Old Maid. These same cards can be used to play memory games by laying them out and turning them over to find matching pairs.

• Right now, the game “Wordle” which is online at the New York Times is quite popular and can be played every day. It is a challenging way to enhance your children’s spelling skills and word knowledge.

• You should also introduce your children to the game and TV show — 25 Words or Less. This will improve their ability to define words.

• Popular board games such as Scrabble, Boggle, and Bananagrams often have versions for different age levels.

• Older children should be introduced to the challenge of crossword puzzles and cryptograms in hopes that they may become a lifetime interest

continued on page 50

Helping all parents make their children’s educational experience as successful as possible

— bySandi Schwartz

5 Ways to Get Your Teens Outside

You know your kids are growing up when they no longer have recess at school. When my son started middle school, recess and even physical education were no longer part of his schedule. While he could choose a gym class, he opted for a hectic academic schedule instead. This shift really worried me because I know how beneficial a relaxing break outdoors can be for him.

Time outdoors in nature can help reduce stress and enhance mood. It has also been shown to improve focus and attention; boost creativity; decrease feelings of irritability and anger; and lower physical symptoms of stress like blood pressure, heart rate, and muscle tension. There is now so much science to back this up that more doctors are even giving out nature prescriptions to their patients to encourage them to reduce stress and balance time on screens with time outdoors doing activities they enjoy. In fact, a groundbreaking study published in 2019 in Scientific Reports found that spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and well-being.

A number of stressors are taking a toll on our teens. Indeed, child and adolescent mental health disorders are the most common illnesses that youth will experience under the age of eighteen. With the rise in mental health issues, like anxiety and depression, in addition to physical health issues like obesity due

to factors including technology use, it is clear that we need to do something to help our teens. Nature can be a big part of the solution.

But what do we do about teens who are too busy and feel like they are too old to play outside?

All of us — including teenagers — need healthy breaks throughout the day to recharge and get back to a balanced state both mentally and physically. This will help them come back energized and inspired as they continue on with their day. If they do not get these necessary breaks, they will probably burn out before they even have the chance to receive their high school diploma.

It turns out that my son actually gets more time outdoors during his school day than I initially realized. I shadowed his daily schedule during back-to-school night and quickly learned that he runs outside all over campus, back and forth between buildings, throughout the day. He also eats lunch outside most days. I was thrilled to discover this, but realize this is not the case for most teens who have a different type of school set up or who live in a colder climate.

So, how can we help teens get the nature breaks they need throughout their week? My biggest advice is to start with what they already love. If they are athletic, sign them up for outdoor sports. If they are artistic, consider art projects like nature photography or drawing outside. If they love to cook, start a family garden and enjoy creating delicious

meals together. If they love math and science, get them involved in naturerelated experiments.

Here are some more fun ways to get teens outside that they won’t think they are too cool for:

Local Trips

Carve out some time after school or on the weekends to get away to places that fill your teen with a sense of peace and relaxation. Some ideas include parks, botanical gardens, sculpture gardens, nature centers, wildlife refuges, hiking trails, and fountains. Depending on where you live, maybe you can head over to the beach or a lake to enjoy the sights and sounds of the water. If your teens are old enough, encourage them to plan a fun, outdoorsy day trip with friends to go hiking, birdwatching, or to simply hang out and relax.

Outdoor Adventures

Many teens love traveling to discover exciting new places. Taking them on outdoor adventures to try something fun and challenging can play a significant role in their happiness and personal growth, not to mention all the precious memories you will build together. Some ideas include camping, boating, kayaking, river rafting, caving, mountain biking, rock climbing, zip lining, geo-caching, skiing, surfing, and doing a ropes course.

Social Gatherings

Another great way to get your teens connecting to nature more often is to organize gatherings that take place outdoors. This can be as simple as having your kids eat breakfast outside before school or setting up your family dinner in your backyard. See if your teens want to invite some friends over to study or to enjoy a barbeque. Organize a family gathering for an upcoming holiday, but instead of sitting around your dining room table, take the fun outside (even if it means wearing sweaters or coats). Always look for opportunities for more outdoor time as holidays, birthdays, and other special occasions arise.

continued on page 50

RHYMING WORD FUN

• Read nursery rhymes to your young children, and you will be giving them a head start on phonics. All of our first set of “Skinny Books” on our website and at the app store have rhyming words, as they teach young children to read. For example, they can read about Mox the Ox and Tut who had a hut and the cat who sat on a rat on a mat.

• Introduce older children to the poems of Shel Silverstein, Jack Prelutsky and Bruce Lansky. They’ll discover what fun poetry can be. For example, they’ll find themselves laughing when they read a poem like “When Grandma Visits” in “A Bad Case of the Giggles,” a book of poems selected by Bruce Lansky. The poem starts: “When Grandma visits you, my dears, be good as you can be. Don’t put hot waffles in her ears or beetles in her tea.”

HANDWRITING

• Your youngest children can practice the alphabet by writing with chalk on the sidewalk.

• Older children can communicate with pen pals. They can also investigate the companies where they can write for samples. If they write to a Disneyland or Disney World character, they will receive an autographed postcard.

• If your children do not know how to write their names in cursive, a YouTube video will show them how.

Parents should send questions and comments to dearteacher@dearteacher.com, and visit the dearteacher.com website to learn more about helping their children succeed in school.

Pet Breaks

Once a pet lover, always a pet lover. If you have a family pet, then give your teen more responsibility to take care of it. This can really help them feel better since animals can have a profound impact on well-being by reducing stress and improving mood. Making time for a pet break before or after school, such as going for a walk or simply petting the animal, can give your teen a real happiness boost.

Volunteering

Whether or not your teen has a community service requirement at their school, volunteering has so many benefits to their health and well-being. The simple act of doing something for another can trigger positive emotions that help them feel happier and calmer. By combining community service and nature, teens can experience a double dose of stress-busting bliss. Some ideas include:

• Citizen Science: Gain science experience and help the scientific community by collecting scientific data. Find projects at CitizenScience.gov, SciStarter, and Zooniverse.

• Parks and Nature Centers: Local, state, and national parks and wildlife preserves often need help with projects like hiking trail maintenance, planting trees, and removing invasive plant species.

• Cleanups: Participate in a trash cleanup at a park, beach, lake, river, or other location. Find cleanup events by contacting your city or county’s sustainability or environmental director or through Ocean Conservancy, Surfrider Foundation, and volunteercleanup.org.

• Community Gardens and Local Farms: Both community gardens and local farms need help with planting seeds, watering plants, weeding, composting, and picking produce.

And remember, teens are not too old to enjoy being outside. I recently was at the playground near our neighborhood and I got on a swing. I felt so amazing and light for a few minutes, flying through the air and sensing the cool breeze on my skin. I didn’t care who was watching me act childlike because it made me feel so incredible. If I can do that in my forties, then your teen can do it, too. Every chance they get to feel free outdoors will help them thrive.

Sandi Schwartz is an author, journalist, and mother of two. She has written extensively about parenting, wellness, and environmental issues. Her new book, “Finding Ecohappiness: Fun Nature Activities to Help Your Kids Feel Happier and Calmer,” is now available. Learn more at www.ecohappinessproject.com.

Travel Tips for Family Members with a Disability

— by Nikki Puzzo

Not all families travel the same, but many who have a family member with limited mobility, a disability, or a wheelchair might not know how to plan or pack for a vacation. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, an estimated 25.5 million Americans have disabilities that make traveling outside the home difficult. Our daughter Stella has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, and here are some of the tips we have found to be extremely helpful when traveling, camping, or going outdoors with her.

First, we always make sure that whoever is helping us book our travel is aware that our daughter is in a chair, and to try to get as close to the front of the plane and the bathrooms as possible. This makes navigating the plane and passengers so much easier for everyone traveling around us. When we arrive at the airport, we always check in right away at the gate to let them know we have arrived, and position ourselves close to boarding. This allows us to get her on the plane and settled first.

We also try to include her in the trip planning process, as traveling can increase Stella’s anxiety. Show the child pictures of the campground, hotel, or city you’ll be staying at, and the sites you may visit during the duration of the trip. Giving them a heads up of the possible activities you may be participating in can prepare them to navigate the new experience with an open mind. Including your child in this process can alleviate the unknowns of what to expect and where they will be going.

When it comes to medical needs, leave room in your suitcase to pack safety products that you rely on at home like nightlights and/or supportive pillows. We also clearly label all medications and what they are treating, so if anything was to go awry while traveling it is easy to address with medical staff on site right away. In case of travel delay or cancellation, pack extras of medication and other essential medical supplies, and make sure you have important doctor’s phone numbers.

Be sure to research the vacation spot beforehand to ensure there is easy access for wheelchairs, and if necessary, notify the hotel that the room you are staying in may need to be modified of any walking obstacles like unnecessary furniture or rugs. Most hotels can also accommodate the need for an open access shower.

As for packing, we also like to stock up a goody bag and make a list together of items that Stella enjoys such as coloring, games on her iPad, stress putty, headphones and, of course, special treats like gummy bears, gum, and a fun snack. It is also important to pack an item(s) that your child finds helpful during times of anxiety or feeling sad (i.e., weighted vests, a special blanket, or stuffed animals). Share the items with whomever you are traveling with as

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For more information, call Paul Kline at 716-836-3486 continued on page 53

It can be lonely out there; especially when you’re a single parent and the dating apps just aren’t cutting it. It can seem like everyone around you is meeting their significant other while you’re continually trying to find someone who is ready for a commitment.

I get it. I’m in that season of life right now and I am beyond ready to be out of it. Hang in there. I’ve got some fun and exciting things you can do by yourself. I know you might prefer to be doing these things with someone but use this time to focus on healing and dating yourself. Try these 22 things over the next few months and take notice of how you feel throughout the process.

1. Sign up for a cooking class. Google “cooking classes near me” and see what comes up.

2. Go for a walk and take your dogs. Listen to a new podcast while you’re walking around the block or listen to your favorite song. Sign up for a free workout app like Strava to keep track of your physical activity.

3. Take yourself to the movies. Is there a new one you’ve been wanting to see? Check out the times and locations near you, put some comfy clothes on, and drive yourself for a night out.

4. Order from your favorite takeout place and put Netflix on. Grab a spot on the couch and get cozy!

5. Take a nap. You heard that right. Crawl into bed, turn off the lights, and take a snooze. Your body probably needs rest more than you realize.

6. Get a cup of coffee and drive around town looking at houses with the music blasting. Have no agenda and nowhere to go. Take your time and just enjoy the leisure of sipping coffee and savoring the taste.

— by Meagan Ruffing

Date Yourself Instead

7. Gather up your friends and have a game night. Who says you need a partner to have fun? Have each person bring a game and a snack and take turns picking which game to play.

8. Rent a kayak or a canoe and spend the day on a beautiful body of water. Enjoy the solitude and peace of being alone.

9. Get your nails done and bring a good book with you. Unplug from your phone and unwind for a bit.

10. Make a new recipe. Meal prep for the week so your days at work are easier during lunchtime. I don’t know about you but I get really excited when I have something fun to eat. Subscribe to a monthly meal kit and schedule one night a week where you try something new.

11. Get your hair done. I love grabbing coffee and heading to an early morning hair appointment all by myself. I giggle with the hair stylist, and we spend hours sharing dating stories while I wait for my hair to process.

12. Sign up for a 5k or 10k. Have you been wanting to get in better shape? Now’s your time. If you’re new to running, I would start with a 5k and build your endurance and confidence from there. Don’t overthink it and don’t talk yourself out of signing up. Just do it and show up. You’ll be so glad you did.

13. Schedule a massage or facial. If money is tight, look on Groupon and keep an eye out for deals. Sometimes I’ll schedule a month in advance and write my appointment in my calendar. I forget all about it and then when I get a reminder, I’m so excited with myself for having the foresight to schedule early.

14. Sign up for a pottery class and try your hand at the wheel.

15. Go to the Farmer’s Market and buy local produce for the week. Take your time and enjoy walking around each booth while soaking up the sunshine.

16. Make a list of projects in your house that you’ve been wanting to get done but keep thinking you need to wait on because you don’t feel like you

can do them by yourself. Slowly work through the list and tackle the ones you can do with a little bit of research. Think about hiring out for the more complex projects. Even though this isn’t a date, I consider this one to be important for one’s self-esteem. I can’t tell you how many house projects I’ve had to put on the back burner because I didn’t have a spouse to help me. This year I vowed to figure out ways to get those projects done with or without someone.

17. Get a new journal and start writing down your thoughts about everything that’s on your mind. I call this a “brain dump” in therapy when I’m working with my clients.

18. Take a nice bath with some yummy bath bombs or take a hot shower and use your favorite shower gel. There’s nothing quite like feeling squeaky clean.

19. Buy a new outfit that makes you feel incredible.

20. Wash and vacuum your car. Having a clean space and a tidy car will make you feel in charge and ready for the day.

21.

Get a good workout in and reap the benefits of how amazing you will feel afterwards. When my kids are at their dad’s house and I’m feeling a little low about myself, I will get in my

car and drive straight to the gym. I don’t even give myself the opportunity to think about why I’m upset and all the reasons not to go to the gym. I just tell myself how amazing I always feel afterwards, and I let that feeling fuel my desire to get out of the house and go. Sometimes if I work extra hard in the gym, I’ll drive to the Neighborhood Walmart across the street and buy myself a bouquet of flowers. Those have been some of my most favorite dates with myself.

22. Get outside and go for a hike. I’m not a huge outdoor person but this summer I have challenged myself to make a list and to try one new place a week. I’m really hoping these hikes will help me clear my head, get some energy, and learn how to push myself to do an activity that I don’t know a lot about.

Dating yourself instead of waiting for the “right” person is a healthier way to go about the single life. I know it can be hard to feel like you’re the only one who doesn’t have anyone. Work on you. Focus on you, and channel your energy towards things that make you better. Healing happens one day at a time.

Meagan Ruffing is a parenting journalist, mental health therapist, and single mom who tries to do her best each day. She doesn’t always get things right but continually strives to do better.

well so they can help during the stressful time.

Another nice idea is to pack some pre-stamped envelopes and pen/paper so the kids can write letters to family and friends while they are away. This way they can share their experience with everyone and help them still feel connected to home without the use of electronics on the trip. For camping purposes, unless the electronics are used as a communication device or helping regulate medications, it is helpful to leave electronics at home so your child can be fully engaging in the experience of being outside.

When packing outfits, it is always important to have layers like sweatshirts, raincoats, and ZipOns for easy changing in case of fluctuation in the weather. The days can start off chilly and end up beautiful, and you may be traveling between climates and need to dress appropriately for the weather. ZipOns are great for layering over shorts and swimsuits to make changing quicker and easier throughout the day, even on an airplane if necessary. In addition, we find it helpful to use large Ziplock bags to pack undergarments, socks, etc., so it is organized and easy to access in her bags, especially when camping.

One thing to always remember is that it’s okay to ask for help, and selfcare should also be a priority to avoid burnout. A vacation is meant for people to take a break and soak in new memories, so it is really important to take things one day at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed and actually enjoy the time away from the bustle of a regular home routine.

Nikki Puzzo has a license in Social Work and worked at Genzyme for 10 years before starting a family. Nikki is married with two girls, Chloe (15) and Stella (13) and a dog Benji. Nikki is also co-owner of an adaptive clothing line called befree, LLC, inspired by Stella after undergoing double hip surgery at the age of 5. befree is dedicated to improving lives by addressing the real, everyday challenges of people living with limited mobility. befree is committed to making adaptive and inclusive fashion that really works. Though clothing is a basic human need, for millions of people with temporary or permanent disabilities, getting dressed can be an ongoing daily hardship. For more information, visit https://befreeco.com.

Some foods just say summer more than others. For our family, it’s corn on the cob, fresh fruits in season, and s’mores. S’mores, short for “Some Mores,” have been a campfire favorite since the 1920’s, when the recipe was published for the Girl Scouts. I first had them at summer camp as a child, and was immediately hooked. They served them two ways — graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows; or thinly sliced apple and marshmallows. I haven’t seen most people serve them with apples, but trust me, they are great that way. They’re lighter, crisp, and refreshing.

As a summer tradition, I wanted to share this treat with my son. We built a backyard bonfire, skewered the marshmallows on long sticks, and showed him how to roast them. They were a hit. Okay, typical boy — he roasted the marshmallows to a charred crisp, then dropped them into the fire, then torched another — until we showed him how to eat the roasted marshmallows. He quickly abandoned pyromania in favor of enjoying this new treat.

A few tips:

• Graham crackers may be traditional, but there are many other ways to make s’mores. Use cookies (molasses, chocolate chip, and oatmeal are all great), or a crisp fruit like thinly sliced apples or pears.

• Gluten and wheat free graham crackers can be found at specialty stores or online.

• If adding chocolate, thin chocolate works best. It melts faster with the heat of the marshmallow. There are many good brands of dairy free and soy free chocolate bars.

• Replace chocolate with other fillings, like fruit (raspberries, blueberries, sliced apple, pear, or mango.) Fruit spreads and jams are also tasty.

• Check ingredients in everything for food allergies. Some marshmallows have been known to contain unexpected ingredients like eggs. Vegans don’t eat gelatin (made from bone broth), so use vegan marshmallows.

TRADITIONAL S’MORES

Free of: DAIRY, EGGS, SOY, PEANUTS, TREE NUTS, FISH, SHELLFISH, WHEAT, GLUTEN, VEGAN

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 1-2 minutes

4 gluten free vegan graham crackers, broken in half (or apple slices)

4 large vegan marshmallows

2 small thin dairy/soy free chocolate bars, broken in half

Place chocolate on one half of the graham cracker. Roast marshmallows to desired color and consistency (some like it light golden, others charred to a crisp!) Place on top of the chocolate, top with the other graham half. Allow about 1 minute for the heat of the marshmallow to soften the chocolate.

Microwave instructions: Place marshmallow on cracker half. Microwave on high for about 10 seconds, until marshmallow starts to puff up. Watch closely, it doesn’t take long to melt. Remove from microwave, top with chocolate and second graham cracker half.

S’MORES BARS

Free of: DAIRY, EGGS, SOY, PEANUTS, TREE NUTS, FISH, SHELLFISH, WHEAT, GLUTEN, VEGAN

Yield: 24 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

1 cup dairy/soy free margarine, melted

3 cups gluten free vegan graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

2 cups dairy/soy free chocolate chips

3 cups vegan miniature marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine margarine, graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Press half of crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Top with the chocolate chips, then the marshmallows. Sprinkle the remaining graham cracker mixture over the marshmallows and press down. Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes, until marshmallows are melted. Cool completely, cut into squares.

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 1-800-9294040.

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 about food allergies.

THE KIDDIE GOUR ME T

“The wind is fresh and free,” says a quotation. The food at the Wind is fresh, and if not free, a good deal. When we enjoyed this new restaurant, we were — shall we say — “gone with the wind.”

— by Barbara Blackburn

Wind Restaurant

7566 Transit Road

Williamsville, NY 14221

716-770-0688

windbuffalo.com

~ SPOONS ~ FOOD 5/5 SERVICE 5/5 FAMILY

The chain offers All You Can Eat for two different basic prices for lunch and dinner. Kids under 4 are $5. Kids 4 to 10 are $10.99 lunch and $15.99 dinner. Adult lunch is $30.99 and dinner is $40.99. Check your screen for confirmation. We spotted five high chairs and kids fascinated by a robot server. Take your pick of a table or a booth in this Japanese and Thai themed restaurant. We chose to go with the all you can eat and not just ordering a few items.

Who needs a fun page when you have a robot walking by, with big owl-like eyes and little pointed cat ears? They stop at the table to deliver the ordered food, then bid you goodbye after you take your plates of food from shelves. We asked for a printed menu at first before we ordered on the digital screen with the pictures and descriptions. On a small table, we maneuvered our chopsticks to enjoy high quality food. You can ask for silverware for children and adults.

My traditional Dumpling Soup ($6.00 if ordering a la carte) contained a splendid dumpling, seaweed and green onion. I never met a dumpling I didn’t like. We loved the “Pizza” and recommend it. Ours was a combination of Crabmeat Pizza and Salmon Pizza — crispy hash browns topped with some protein and served with mayo, eel sauce, and tempura bits (4 pieces of each kind). Chain restaurants, such as this one have usually perfected the art of deep frying.

We savored the Shrimp Tempura Roll ($18.00), with avocado, mayo,

and fish roe. Also, we savored a Cheese Strawberry Roll ($7.50), as we let the good food and good times roll. The fruity roll was a dessert stand-in. Speaking of dessert, the Deep-Fried Mars Bar (3 pieces $5.00) fit in with the savories we had accumulated.

My favorite order was the Yaki Udon ($18.00) a stir fry of vegetables and an oyster garlic soy base — a bit challenging with chopsticks and the slippery noodles. Overall, our favorite was the Thai Peanut Curry. Our choice of chicken was pan fried with the sweet and spicy house peanut sauce and veggies. I’m so glad that I don’t have an allergy to my favorite go-to comfort food.

Dad made a wise choice with the Mango Salad ($10.00) pairing mango with sweet bell pepper, mint leaves, coriander, shallots, onion, and lime juice, topped with roasted cashew nuts. This is food to respect.

Back to the Tempura, battered pumpkin deep fried and served with house tempura sauce was a newcomer to our memories of tempura treasures. Another tempura battered captivator was the Rocky Shrimp, a tiger shrimp topped with “rocky” sauce and green onions.

So much more awaits your decisions. I’m not a screen person, but with help from our charming waitress (the opposite of a robot), we survived the modern world. This is one Wind experience we thoroughly enjoyed. Shall we say that we were blown away with the excellent fare.

Whether at home or in the car on a road trip, Would You Rather? questions can strike up some fun conversations .

Here are some QUESTIONS

you can ask your child!

Would you rather eat only vegetables or only fruit for the rest of your life?

Would you rather be a math genius or a science genius?

Would you rather ride a roller coaster or go skydiving?

Would you rather have the power to heal people or the power to fly?

Would you rather go to the playground or to the mall?

Barb has been happily doing the Kiddie Gourmet for over 35 years. She has two adult children and four grandchildren. She is a home instructor and community education cooking instructor for Williamsville Central Schools.