a FREE local publication may 2013
mtparent.com
montana parent from birth to college
ine
growing up under the big sky
az ma g
mother's day
kids &
technology :: meet harper :: our babes of bozeman cover winner
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MAY 2013 |
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KOHL’S KIDS EAT SMART WITH BOZEMAN DEACONESS Eating smart is easy with Bozeman Deaconess and Kohl’s Cares. It starts with eating a healthy energy-packed breakfast every morning and adding in fruits, vegetables and whole grain snacks like popcorn, throughout the day. Use the Nutrition Facts on food labels to help guide your choices. When choosing snacks, look for food with at least 3 grams of fiber per serving and whose first ingredient is a whole grain. These foods help fuel your child’s body and brain to perform its best at school and play. Kohl’s Kids Eat Smart is presented by Kohl’s Cares and Bozeman Deaconess Health Services. Call Bozeman Deaconess Nutrition Specialists for more healthy eating tips for your kids, (406) 522-4600.
A Healthy Twist on Popcorn extra Pop 1 tbsp of popcorn in 2 tsp of oil is virgin coconut oil. Like butter, the free. ol ester chol it’s sweet and salty, but salt. an alay Him with ly • Sprinkle light These pink crystals contain all 84 taste elements found in the body and delicious.
•
bdhg.org/Kohls
Our medical spa is Not your average day spa. If you want the luxurious pampering of a day spa but the medical and curative benefits of your doctor’s office, you’ll find what you’re looking for at Bozeman Deaconess Synergy Medical Spa + Weight Loss Center. Our physicians oversee a host of clinical spa treatments to help you relax, feel better and look fantastic. Medical grade services include clinical facials, laser hair and vein removal and treatment, fillers and injectibles such as Botox and Restylane, and medically supervised weight loss. Synergy offers integrative treatments to help ensure you get the results you desire. Call us today!
406.556.5140 | synergymedicalspabozeman.com | Bozeman Deaconess Campus 2
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MAY 2013 |
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JuNe 8th
N N uA l A 1 S c H N e e’S St
9am - 4pm
hiking festival
a day of hiking at bohart ranch together with our sponsors
_ Kids’ Nature Hike _
_ Nordic Walking Seminar _
_ Art Hikes_
_ Observational Bird Walks _
with Steve Eshbaugh of the Montana Outdoor Science School
with ArtSplot
_ Photography Workshops _ and Kids’ Photography Class provided by the staff at F-11 Photographic Supplies
_ Product Demos _
with LOWA representative Gordon Lehman
_ Backpacking Seminar _ with Ryan Jordan of Backpackinglight.com
– Food & Drink – from Sola Café with proceeds benefitting GVLT
For Registration and a Full Schedule, Visit: schnees.com/hikingfestival Or, stop by our Flagship Store in Historic Downtown Bozeman
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Schnee’s Flagship Store · 37 East Main · 587-0981 · Mon ~ Fri: 8-8 | Sat: 9-6 | Sun: 11-5 Schnee’s Sundance Shoes · Gallatin Valley Mall · 587-4337 · Mon ~ Sat: 10-9 | Sun: 11-5 MAY 2013 | mtparent.com Schnee’s · 1934 North 19th · 587-9023 · Mon ~ Fri: 9-8 | Sat: 9-7 | Sun: 11-6
montana parent e
in m ag a z
Need more information,resources or fun things to do with your kids this Spring? visit
mtparent.com
photo E. kelley Photography
Find Your Health springintegrativehealth.com
for comprehensive daily event calendars and our blog, “Gum in Your Hair,” featuring giveaways, crafts, recipes and more.
Publisher Media Mavens LLC
Advertising Sales Regional:
Operations Manager Stephanie Johnson 406.223.6166 •
[email protected]
Cora Larson 406.579.0746
[email protected]
Business Manager/sales/Co-owner Cora Larson •
[email protected] Creative Director/layout/Co-owner Shaunescy Willard •
[email protected] Ad Design Jennieven Cole Cover Photographer e. kelley photography
Jennieven Cole 406.579.5640
[email protected]
Helena/Townsend:
Demaris Bruce 406.465.9992
[email protected] Alycia Holston 406.422.2898
[email protected]
Holistic Counseling Medical Massage Bodytalk Craniosacral
Livingston/park county:
Amanda Harms 406.223.8433
[email protected] online CALENDARs LiZ Sullivan
[email protected]
copy editor eleonore snow
Social Media Assistant Gloria Ravi Inder Overcash
Blog Katie Walters, bunny FuFu, Bozemama, Adrienne Schroeder
Information system management Kristin Laird
Contributing Contributing Writers: Sara Groves Photographers: Leigh Ripley Caleigh Searle e. kelley photography Michele Ranard, M.ED Melynda Harrison Amelia Anne Photography Sarah Webb, LCSW Anna Boswell LUCAPHOTOGRAPHY Kerry Williams Jacy Rothschiller zo-mak photography Shane Borrowman Mary Ellen Maunz Bring Media Gretchen Bauder Carly Seifert Pam Omohundro Photography Alyssa Miller Sam Farmer Jacqueline Photography, Butte, MT Jennifer Gossett Nora Daniels kelly kuntz Photography Elizabeth Flynn Elsie Johnson Pam Western Photography Ann Swann Maranda Lee Amy Shertzer photography Lane O’Donnell Shel Sebren sleeping giant Photography Jodi Murray, LCPC Nicole Friend Photography Stacey Tompkins, MA Mike Polkowske Photography Josh Overcash, LMT, CBP, CFT Anna Boswell Amy Stoddart Marie Mitchell, PNP, FNP Lauren Caselli © Copyright 2013 by Media Mavens LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without permission prohibited. This magazine is printed on FSC Certified paper that is 100% a product of USA.
Naturopathic Acupuncture
Bozeman & Helena
Editor/accounting/Co-owner Leigh Ripley •
[email protected]
One stop for:
Please recycle this magazine!
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Dr Alisun Bonville practices family medicine and women’s health at Spring integrative Health
Family Friendly Discounts Available
406.586.2626
springintegrativehealth.com
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Congratulations to: Babes of Bozeman cover winner, harper Evie!
may 2013
Photos by E. Kelley Photography
What’s Up? Bozeman
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What’s Up? Helena
23
What’s Up? Livingston
31
What’s Up? West Yellowstone
34
Kids and Technology
Editor’s Voice
36
The Problem of Pediatric Paparazzi
37
Simple Family Life: Mindful Monitoring of Tech-Time
38
Common Sense Media
39
Games, Movies and Childhood Magic
40
Great Apps for Kids
42
Educational and Developmental Apps
44
A Version of Normal: Assistive Technology for Special-Needs Children
45
Toddlers, Technology and the Temptation to Turn It On
46
I Just Need 15 Minutes!
48
Hawk Tawk: Maturing with Media
49
Counselor’s Corner: Social Impacts of Technology
50
The Teenager: Facebook is Awesome, But Real Life is Way Better
52
Pondering the Balance with our Digital Natives
53
The Physical Side Effects of Device Dependence
54
Corner on Health: Safeguarding Our Children
55
Mother’s Day
2013 summer csa subscriptions available now. delivery to bozeman, big sky, livingston and west yellowstone. Matt & Jacy RothschilleR 406-599-2361 www.gallatinvalleybotanical.com 250 Chester Lane · Bozeman
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Thank You: An Open Letter to My Mom on Mother’s Day
57
MOMoirs
58
Super Natural: Pampering Your Mom
60
Are We There, Yet? Mother’s Day Mini Road Trip
61
Functional Art: Aluminum Can Votives
62
Little Sprouts
63
Mamalina Speaks: Technology and Hiking
64
Africa to America: Parenting Your Adopted Child
65
Weird Rocks: Montana Parent’s Book Pick
66
Parenting Single: When the Going Gets Tough
67
Elsie’s Tips: Thinking About Thinking
68
Mama’s Got a New Bag
69
Top Five Egg Substitutes
70
Kenyon Noble Lumber & Hardware
Garden Center Kenyon Noble Garden Center - Bozeman
Saturday • May 11th, 2013 • 12pm - 2pm Exclusive Garden Products, Expert Advice & Special Guest Seminars by
MASTER GARDEN CLUB MASTER GARDENER
CHRIS HUERTA
PARK COUNTY/MSU AG. EXTENSION AGENT
BILL O’CONNELL
OWNER, BIOMEGA 3 SUPPLEMENTS/FERTILIZER
DARREN MILLER
CONSTRUCTING GROWING PLANS
GARDENING FOR SMALL SPACES
BIOMEGA 3 CAMELINA MEAL
ORGANIC GARDENING
& WHAT TO DO AFTER
TRACY MOSLEY
& CONTAINER GARDENING
NATURAL FERTILIZER
SILVERSTAR FARMS ORGANIC GARDEN
VEGETABLES & HERBS
Bake Sale | 50¢ Hot Dog & Pop
Kenyon Noble Garden Center 1243 West Oak Street • Bozeman
Proceeds to the Gallatin Empire Garden Club
Kenyon Noble Junior Carpenter
Mother's Day Project Saturday • May 11th, 2013 All Locations • 11am am - 2pm
FREE
FREE
FLOWERS MATERIALS & POTTING SOIL
BELGRADE
4949 Jackrabbit Lane• 388.6400
SNACKS REFRESHMENTS & FAMILY FUN
BOZEMAN
1243 West Oak Street• 586.2384
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LIVINGSTON
122 North F Street• 222.0761
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Our team is dedicated to healthy babies! From getting pregnant to giving birth, our goal is to help you have a healthy baby. Our team of obstetrician-gynecologists, certified nurse midwives, physician assistant, and registered dietitian can help you with comprehensive fertility, pregnancy, and childbirth care, including: • Obstetrics and high-risk obstetrics • Bozeman’s only certified nurse midwives with hospital privileges • Reproductive medicine and fertility care full-time at Bozeman OB/GYN, including the only In Vitro Fertilization Program in the Northern Rockies
• Maternal-fetal medicine consults and monthly outreach clinics • Pregnancy diabetes clinic with a registered dietitian • Magnet® nurses – we are recognized for excellence in nursing
For an appointment, call (406) 587-9202 or 1-866-587-9202. 925 Highland Boulevard Suites 1210/1220 • Bozeman, MT Monday-Friday, 8 am to 5 pm
Free pregnancy tests available Monday-Friday, 8 am to 5 pm
www.bozemanobgyn.com
Primary (ages 3 – 6) Weekly Themes June 10 - Week 1: Exploring our Backyard June 17 -Week 2: Let’s Grow a Garden June 24 - Week 3: Music Makers July 1 - Week 4: America the Beautiful July 8 - Week 5: Birds and Raptors July 15 - Week 6: Insects of Montana July 22 - Week 7: Our Amazing Solar System July 29 - Week 8: Using Nature in Art August 5 - Week 9: Under the Sea
“Explore Outdoors” 2013 Summer Program
Elementary (Grades 1-6) Weekly Themes June 10 -Week 1: Exploring the Yellowstone Ecosystem June 17 -Week 2: Fossils and Paleontology June 24 - Week 3: Treasures of the Canadian Rockies July 1 - Week 4: Incredible Insects July 8 - Week 5: Birds of the Rocky Mountain Region July 15 - Week 6: Fun with the Forest Service July 22 - Week 7: Into the Wild: Survival Skills July 29 - Week 8: Our Amazing Solar System August 5 - Week 9: Math is Fun!
Now Accepting Applications for Toddlers through Middle School for Summer and Fall 2013
1572 Cobb Hill Road • Bozeman, MT 59718 • 406-587.3817 • www. middlecreekmontesori.org 8
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ladies'
Bozeman
night out Empower Yourself May 9, 2013
Calling all ladies! This one's for you. Montana Parent and Gallatin Valley Furniture/Carpet One will host the 2nd annual Ladies' Night Out on May 9, 2013, from 6-9 p.m. Last year’s event welcomed more than 300 women and this year promises to be even bigger and better. Proceeds benefit Big Sky Youth Empowerment, so you can feel good about your contribution to our community’s youth and yourself.
»» Fashion from Girls Outdoors and womens outdoor adventures with Mountain Belles »» European massage »» Bare Minerals makeup by Antoinette’s »» Paraffin hand dips and skincare with Aesthetic Medicine
Sammy fa
A sampling of the experiences available include:
rmer
Twenty local businesses focused on women’s health, happiness and pampering will converge upon Gallatin Valley Furniture/Carpet One for an elegant evening. Some of the tastiest food available in Bozeman will be featured including selections from John Bozeman’s Bistro, Storm Castle Cafe, Cornerstone Grill, La Chatelaine, Montana Harvest, Kuchen and Sola. Bozeman Brewing Company, the Wine Gallery and Bronken’s Distributing will be providing spirits.
photos
photo zo-mak photography
Y What's Up?
»» Bozeman Running Company - running information, shoes and clothes »» Life advice from parenting counselors Sarah Webb, LCSW, Evan Center, LCPC, Family FUNction Coaches »» Palm readers »» An oxygen bar »» Zumba instruction with the Ridge »» Jazzercise and Aerial Fitness demonstrations
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»» Home design tips with Gallatin Valley Furniture/Carpet One »» Baker Street kitchen demonstrations
More Bozeman goodness
»» Flower arrangements by Langhor’s Flowerland »» Marriage counseling by Heartmanity
Empower yourself by experiencing the best of what Bozeman has to offer women, and bring along a donation of new or used ski/snow clothing for Big Sky Youth Empowerment. mp
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Music Together
Launches “Sing & Craft" Summer Camp This summer, Music Together is launching an exciting camp that pairs its popular early childhood music program with rhythm band instrument craft projects. These "Sing & Craft" camps consist of four class-day sessions attended in either July or August. Class attendance is flexible according to your schedule. Mix and match four class sessions in July or August or attend a special make-up session. The camp is ideal for kids aged one to six. Babies under12 months are free with a registered sibling. Each day of camp starts with a 45-minute mixed-age music class involving singing, movement, rhythm making, puppetry, improvisation, dance and creative play. An instrument craft-making session
"My daughter, Piper, and I have been involved in Music Together for two years now. We love the songs, spontaneous improvisation and rhythm making. Can't wait for Summer Camp!" ~ Dad, Jason M. follows, where children, with guidance from their parents, creatively decorate/ make their own rain stick, maracas, egg shakers and click sticks. “Kids will have a great time singing and creatively connecting to the music by making their own rhythm band instruments,” says Kate Bryan, local Music Together teacher and camp leader. Registration includes a music CD, songbook and all craft project supplies. All music classes and instrument craft sessions are held at Pilgrim Congregational Church (South of Sola Café). Visit www.MusicTogetherBozeman
and click on “Our Classes/Summer Semester” for camp dates and online registration. QUESTIONS: Contact Kate at 406-570-2839. SPECIAL OFFER: “Like” Music Together on Facebook by May 15, 2013, to receive $10 off your summer registration. Email
[email protected] to “Try a Class” this spring or to be notified of upcoming free preview classes, Music Together community events and concerts. mp
Summer Sing & Craft
Daily Music-Making & Rhythm Instrument Craft!
JULY 15-18 *
4 Days of Camp (M-Th) * 10–11:45 AM Daily (Pilgrim Church)
AUGUST 12-15 *
*NOTE: Mix & Match Days and “Jump Between” Camps (to fit your Schedule)
Parents attend “with” Children (Babies FREE with Registered Sibling + Sibling Discounts ) - Infants to Age 6
www.MusicTogetherBozeman.com
Mixed-Age Family-Style Music Classes for Children Fall—Winter—Spring—Summer PHONE: 406-570-2839 EMAIL:
[email protected]
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Single
BZN
Mom or Dad? Ready to Mingle? May 7, 2013 Dating as a single parent is no easy endeavor; just meeting other singles is difficult enough. That’s why Montana Parent, Bozeman Parks and Recreation, Tarantino’s Pizza and the Bozeman Brewing Company are joining forces to offer single parents a safe, relaxed environment to mingle with other singles. No pressure, and no babysitter needed. Join us Tuesday, May 7, 2013, from 6-8 p.m. at Beall Park (rain or shine) for a kidfriendly, social dinner in a non-bar setting catered by Bozeman Brewing Company and Tarantino’s. The Bozeman Parks and Recreation Department will be providing games and activities for all ages, offering you the opportunity to mingle. The cost is $10 per family. To attend, please RSVP to the event on Facebook at www. facebook.com/montanaparentmagazine. Your RSVP is greatly appreciated because it helps us plan this exciting new event that we hope to hold on a regular basis. Tell all your single parent friends! mp
1st ANNUAL
Soak up the SOLA!
BOZEMAN BBQ COOK-OFF Bozeman BBQ, a local group that celebrates everything barbecue, is bringing Bozeman its 1st annual BBQ Cook-off Competition on July 28, 2013, with over $3,000 in cash prizes. The event will incorporate all the traditional categories (chicken, pork ribs, beef brisket and pork) as well as a few regional favorites such as tri-tip, and two wild categories for elk and venison. There will be two open categories for pie and chili. If competing isn’t your thing, come down and help judge the event by voting in the People’s Choice award and sample meats from all of the competitors. There will be activities for the kids like face painting and bounce houses, as well as live bands, a beer garden, a farmers market and plenty of vendor exhibits to explore. Admission will be free. The Cook-off will be held in Downtown Bozeman on Grand Avenue between Main and Mendenhall next to Cornerstone Grill. Full details for the event can be found at BozemanBBQ.com. Sign-ups for the competition open May 15, and space is limited. mp
utdoor Best o g in seatin ! an Bozem
Dining Patio! Full dinner service nightly 5pm til close.
brick oven bakery 290 W. Kagy 1007 W. Main
solacafe.com
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BZN Monforton School’s
Art & Culture Fair May 10, 2013 Monforton School’s Art & Culture Fair will be held May 10, 2013, from 5-8 p.m. at the school (6001 Monforton School Road) in Bozeman. The Art Fair is a showcase of student art as well as a fundraiser to continue the school’s vibrant visual arts program. The evening will feature 16 art activity booths, a student art exhibit, professional dance performances by Bad Asp Urban Tribal Fusion Bellydance, a shadow puppet theater, live and silent auctions, an edible art contest, and soups and appetizers from around the world. The 16 Art Activity Booths will feature: Balinese shadow puppets • Mexican sugar skulls • Cuneiform tablets • Sketchytours art and culture tours • Amestoy photo booth • The Emerson • Duct tape art • Cap-it folk art assemblages • Paint-a-T-shirt • Henna tattoos • World face painting • Bozeman Thread Artists • Fishing booth • MSU ceramics guild • Belly Dancing demos and classes with Bad Asp Urban Tribal Fusion Bellydance and much more.
Women’s clothing boutique featuring shabby chic activewear. Hours
Mon-Fri 11- 6 • Sat 10-5 451 East Main Street Bozeman, MT
406-586-9474 www.gerty.net 12
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HAVEN’S 2nd Annual
Mother’s Day Run May 12, 2013
Healthy world cuisine will be available, including appetizers, soups and deserts, provided by Chickpea Café, Café Zydeco, the Garage and other local restaurants. Culture of Bozeman will provide their original frozen yogurts and toppings.
HAVEN will host its 2nd annual 5k Mother’s Day Run, presented by First Security Bank on Sunday, May 12, 2013, at 10 a.m. in Bozeman. The race will start and end at the Ridge Athletic Club where we will have family activities, music and a picnic provided by Food for Thought Deli following the run. Please visit racemontana.com to register today. We look forward to seeing you and your family there.
The Monforton Art Fair is a celebration of art and culture. People of all ages are invited to come make art, view art, buy art and enjoy the Monforton community. Funds from last year’s Art Fair allowed Monforton to buy a new Skutt kiln; funded mosaic artist Sarah Anderson (who helped create a unique bench with the 8th graders) and allowed the school to purchase curriculum materials. The Art Fair also funds the purchase of art supplies for an increasing population of K-8th graders. More than 300 students, aged five through 13, benefit. mp
HAVEN has been serving clients since 1979 and is committed to reducing the incidence, and minimizing the impact, of domestic abuse on families and communities. They provide emergency shelter, crisis intervention, ongoing support, referrals and education. For more information visit www.havenmt.com or if you need help, call 406-586-4111. mp
WOW Women on Wisdom
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SUMMER SESSIONS BEGIN JUNE 17.
We’ve all probably experienced an inspiring conference, a refreshing yoga retreat or a self-help event that left us soaring and feeling like we could do anything. We left with hope, with glowing hearts ready to reach out and open up to others—but then we got home and, after a few days or a week, that special feeling wore off and we felt separate again. We lost momentum and went back to our old ways of being and interacting. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could have that kind of connection and inspiration, not just once, but as a regular support you could count on several times a year? Then come to the first event in a new series: A women’s mini-retreat “Women on Wisdom” (WOW), will be held Sunday, May 19, 2013, from 1-4:45 p.m. at the beautiful Triple Tree Ranch in Bozeman, Montana. In this retreat, you’ll experience deep, soul stretching conversations with other fabulous women of all ages. Expertly guided by relationship coach and empowerment expert Jennifer Williams you will begin to access your true self and its wisdom that may be hiding behind the layers of busyness and responsibilities. You’ll embark on a journey of discovery through unique grounding exercises, tools to shift energy and emotions, group discussions, visualizations and meditations to help you reach the depths of authentic power that each of us has within. Learn how to unlock places in yourself to live more fully.
This retreat is for you if you: »» Have put your needs on the back burner and are ready to shift »» Are yearning for inspiration and kinship with other like-minded women »» Desire to work through any blocks that may be hiding the true you »» Seek lifelong, deep connections to yourself and others »» Just want to have a fun day off from your life
You will leave this empowering event with: »» A lighter step from the exhilaration of shared wisdom »» The ability to honor yourself by saying “yes” to your inner truth »» Tools to sustain inner peace and purpose »» More connection with your intuition »» And most importantly, you will leave with an awareness that a community of women will be right there with you, and for you, as you boldly re-connect to your true self
Stretch, leap and register today by visiting: www.heartmanity.com or calling 406-222-1207. Make a commitment to yourself. Together we can shape a community where everyone can find the support, connection and wisdom they need to thrive. mp
ONE-TO-ONE INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION FOR CHILDREN AGES 4-18. A R E A S W E C OV E R Fluency in Foundational Skills Reading and Spelling Phonics Reading Fluency and Comprehension Pre-Reading Skills Fine Motor Skills Memory Expansion Math Processing Skills Vocabulary Development and Critical Thinking Skills Study and Organizational Skills Attention Development
AT SAGE LEARNING CENTER, OUR MISSION IS TO IDENTIFY AND DECREASE THE GAP BETWEEN A PERSON’S POTENTIAL AND THEIR PERFORMANCE.
March Against Monsanto
Sage Learning Center
582-9570
Voice your concern about your family’s health and your children’s future at the March Against Monsanto on Saturday May 25, 2013. People around the world will be marching in their local cities to raise awareness about the dangers of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in our food supply. The Bozeman event includes an educational rally in support of GMO food labeling and organic, locally-grown food and sustainable agriculture beginning at 9 a.m. at the Community Food Co-Op on West Main, followed by a march to the court house at 11:30 a.m. For more information, visit March Against Monsanto Bozeman on Facebook, call 406-570-1812 or email
[email protected]. mp :: MAY ACTIVITY & EVENT CALENDARS + BLOG + MORE @ MTPARENT.COM ::
2055 N. 22nd Ave. Ste 4 Bozeman, MT 59718 Carisa Fillbach, Owner
www.SageLearn in gCe nter.com
Locally owned and operated since 1996.
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Pregnancy
and Exercise:
Hawthorne School’s
Celebration of Children and the Arts
Rewards, Risks and Recommendations
May 17, 2013 Hawthorne School is proud to announce that their 22nd annual spring “Celebration of Children and the Arts” will be held Friday, May 17, 2013, from 5-8:30 p.m. at Hawthorne Elementary School (114 N. Rouse in Bozeman). Please join Hawthorne and its families, as well as the many community sponsors who support this event, for a fabulous and fun filled evening. Hawthorne School is recognized for a successful implementation of the arts in its curriculum and has received numerous state and national honors. Hawthorne was recognized by the Boyer Center in 2003 as one of the top five schools in the nation for exemplary arts integration programs. “Celebration of Children and the Arts” is the culmination of an entire year’s worth of effort and is an opportunity to provide the resources to support the philosophy and integration of arts at the school. Proceeds from the event directly pay for art residencies, teacher education, equipment and materials. There will be the opportunity to bid on hundreds of individual pieces of art made by the students in both a sealed bid and silent auction forum. Casita del Arte (our little house of art), which is held in the library, is geared towards giving children an opportunity to purchase affordable art pieces made by the students, families and staff. There will also be a “Mason Jar Raffle,” with each jar representing a gift or gift package, generously donated by the community. Tickets for the raffle are on sale the week prior to, and during, the evening with the winners announced immediately following the live auction. The live auction begins at 6:45 p.m. in the gym, where imaginative, collaborative classroom pieces will be auctioned to the highest bidder. In addition to art, there will be great eats offered by local food trucks, as well as activities for the entire family, including art projects led by the Bozeman High School Art Club, the FlipSide photo booth and a Children’s Film Festival. Weather permitting, the fun outdoor opportunities include a live DJ, dance area and bouncy houses. All funds raised during the event will benefit Hawthorne’s Art Program (a non-profit, 501c3 organization) and contributions are tax deductible. Please contact Hawthorne School for additional information at 406-522-6700. This event will take place rain or shine. mp
Excel Physical Therapy’s Megan Peach, DPT, CSCS will present “Pregnancy and Exercise: Rewards, Risks and Recommendations” Wednesday, June 5, 2013, from 6:307:30 p.m. in the Bozeman library's Large Community Room. Come dressed to move. This seminar is free and open to the public. Megan will review the benefits and risks of aerobic and resistance exercise during pregnancy and provide specific exercise recommendations for pregnant mothers. Question and answer time with Megan will be provided after the talk. An expectant mom herself, Megan specializes in manual treatment of spinal dysfunction, as well as knee and shoulder pain. After receiving a Bachelor of Science in exercise science from Montana State University, Megan earned a doctorate in physical therapy from Duke University. Post-graduation, Megan became a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and has completed the Kaiser Permanente Residency Program in advanced orthopedic manual physical therapy. For more information on the seminar, visit: http://excelptmt. com/2013/04/pregnancy-exerciserewards-risks-recommendationsseminar-june-5th-2013-630pm/.
mp
Camp Equinox! Acting! Comedy Improv! Musical Theatre! Playwriting! Puppetry! Mask Making! Shakespeare! Main Camp: Entering Grades 3-8, M-F 8:30-3:30 “Minispots” Program: Entering Grades 1&2, M-F 8:30-Noon Session I: June 17 - July 11, 2013 Session II: July 29 - August 22, 2013 • This Summer Theatre Camp is being presented by Camp Equinox. The Bozemn Summit School (formally Learning Circle Montessori) serves only as the venue for the event and is not responsible for any content or any part of the event or programming.
Held at Bozeman Summit School • 3001 West Villard | www.campequinox.com |406.522.7623 14
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BZN
School's Out,
Rock Out!
Skavocado
No more pencils, no more books…you know the rest. Celebrate the end of the school year and kick off the start of summer with a family-friendly, all-age concert extravaganza featuring great live music, food, drinks, games and tons of door prizes. Join Cure For The Common, Skavocado, and Basement Jazz at 5 p.m. Friday, June 7, 2013, at the Emerson Cultural Center in downtown Bozeman. Tim Rooney, singer and guitarist for Skavocado and father of two young children, has heard the same question so many times over the years, “Why aren’t there more concerts that are family friendly and happen earlier?”
Gallatin Valley Relay for Life
Needs You
Cure for the Common
“We’ve played some big outdoor shows and festivals and the front few rows are always packed with kids having a great time,” says Tim. “Last summer, at the SLAM FEST in Bogert Park we played with a Bozeman High student who I have known since he was three years old. He is now a high school musical prodigy who plays with the best of the best in town. By the end of our set that day, we had a bunch of little kids all over the stage going crazy and playing all my percussion instruments while the band jammed out. It was a great gig and so much fun to see everything full-circle like that! I want to help create the opportunity for families and kids to go out together and see the real deal with the sound, the lights, the crazy dancing and good times that music brings.” The School’s Out, Rock Out celebration will begin with Basement Jazz, a band made up of Bozeman High School students who met at Camp Epic in 2010 and have since gone on to play the annual Jazz Montana dinner and 2011 Big Sky Summer Music Festival as well as numerous public and private performances. The nonstop musical madness that is the one and only Skavocado will follow them. This is a unique musical entity that must be seen and heard to be believed. Skavocado is an eight-piece band with a unique array of talented people. With five lead singers, a four-person deep horn section, (The Megahorns) a tight knit stage presence and some of the catchiest grooves going, they are a blast to watch as well as hear. Cure For The Common lives up to its name. Armed with an arsenal of original funk-rock tunes, the band is known for packing houses full of eager dancers ready to follow them into the morning. For anyone who has caught one of their shows, there is no question why the band has quickly become one of the most sought after groups in Bozeman. There will be wine, great Montana beers and tasty local food (for kids and adults) catered by The Emerson Grill. There will also be raffles all night long with a chance to win great door prizes included with admission. A portion of the proceeds from this event will support Hand Me Down Some Silver, a Bozeman based non-profit organization that supports Hand me down Some Silvermusic education and instruction. Tickets will be available at the door and doors open at 5 p.m. Family tickets are $25, $10 for adults, $5 for kids aged 11 to 18, and kids 10 and under are free. Come out early, stay late and start the summer off right with a great night of music you won’t forget. mp
Montana’s Best Kept Secret
Hey Mom!
Great Selection of New and Used Cars & Trucks
It’s more fun buying a car at Yellowstone Country Motors!
Let’s go to Livingston!
The 2013 Gallatin Valley Relay for Life will be held Friday and Saturday, June 21 and 22, at Belgrade High School. This overnight event is the American Cancer Society’s largest fundraiser. Teams camp out around the track and each teammate takes a turn walking throughout the night. We are pleased to announce KSKY Country’s own Keith Stewart as this year’s host and don’t miss a live performance by Bozeman’s own 10 Foot Tall & 80 Proof. You can help in the fight against cancer today. Get a few of your family members and/ or friends together and create your team. Visit gallatinvalleyrelay.org for more information and start your fundraising today. mp
C
one Yellowst otors ountry M
Come See That our Price is Right
Livingston Montana
1415 West Park St. Livingston, MT | 406.222.8600 | yellowstonecountrymotors.com :: MAY ACTIVITY & EVENT CALENDARS + BLOG + MORE @ MTPARENT.COM ::
MAY 2013 |
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Local Gem Fifth Annual Peets Hill Hustle
Family Fun Run and Obstacle Course The Children’s Museum of Bozeman (CMB) invites runners of all ages to lace up for the Fifth Annual Peets Hill Hustle to be held Saturday, June 8, 2013, in front of the Bozeman Public Library. From its humble beginnings as an early-season 5K tune-up run, Peets Hill Hustle has grown into an exciting community-wide event that the entire family can enjoy together. The action kicks off at 9 a.m. with the Classic 5K Hustle. The course takes racers up and over Peets Hill, combining roads, trails, grass and some of the most beautiful views in downtown Bozeman. The kids' runs take off at 10 a.m., and include the 1K Kids Challenge and the ½K Toddler Sprint. New this year is the Obstacle Course, which leads competitors through beautiful Lindley Park as they complete a series of classic physical challenges. Appropriate for all ages, the Obstacle Course will be open throughout the day, and race organizers will be keeping track of the best times and awarding prizes and bragging rights. A selection of Bozeman’s famous food trucks will be open for business all day long on the Library Rotunda. The proceeds from Peets Hill Hustle help fund CMB’s Access Program, providing free or reducedprice admission to families in need from all around southwest Montana. The registration fee is $20 for the 5K run, and $10 for the 1K Kids Challenge or the ½K Toddler Sprint. Runners can register in person until June 6 at the CMB, 202 South Willson Avenue, or online at www. racemontana.com. Race-day registration begins at 8 a.m. on Saturday, June 8 in front of the library, and is $25 for the 5K and $12 for the Kids Challenge and Toddler Sprints. Obstacle Course entries are $2 each; show your official race number for a free run-through. Please contact the CMB at 406-522-9087 for more information, or visit www.cmbozeman.org for the latest race updates. See you at the starting line. mp
Chalet Market Written by Eleonore Snow
Gwen and Tucker croghan
Back in the days when she was working at the Harley Davidson dealership in Belgrade, Gwen Croghan always looked forward to Fridays. Why? Because Friday is ham, egg and cheese biscuit day at the local Chalet Market – and she and her coworkers had a deal that they would take turns picking up everybody’s favorite breakfast sandwich on the last day of the work week. Little did she know then that she would end up buying the beloved Chalet with her husband Mark, a former stonemason, and their two little boys, Bodi and Tucker, in February 2012. (And, yes, the old Harley gang still comes in every Friday for their biscuits – except now they’ve added the new cinnamon rolls to their order.) Sitting in her office today above the shop with ten-month old Tucker snoozing in her lap, the smell of hickory smoke wafting through the air, the 41-year-old mom laughs as she looks back on the last year, “Everything that could happen, did happen,” she says, blue eyes twinkling. “We had all kinds of equipment failure. Mark was making snack sticks and the smokehouse kept shutting off, and he had to spend the night out here, turning it back on.” But now, Mark -- who had never made sausage in his life until last year-has not only perfected the Chalet recipes (which the Croghans bought with the business), he has added a few new twists of his own and also brought back the pepperoni stick. If you’ve never heard of “the shalay,” as Gwen calls it in her sweet Minnesota twang, then today is your lucky day because now you can add it to your must-stop shopping list. This place has been serving up authentic and delicious jerky, bratwurst, summer sausage, ham and meat sticks in this valley since 1976. They are the only USDA meat plant in the area, which allows them to send their products all over the country (check out their awesome gift boxes) and down to Yellowstone, where their goodies are sold in the Park’s shops. They also serve daily soup and lunch specials and their bratwursts and ham (which you can buy sliced by the pound) are absolutely to die for. As she describes the Chalet Market and its history, it’s obvious that Gwen is extremely proud of her business and gratified by what it has done for her family. “I feel really lucky that I can bring my kids to work,” she says, toting Tucker (who has all the employees and customers in his thrall) around the shop. “I came back to work immediately after Tucker was born. I’d nurse him and he’d sleep in the bouncy chair,” she says, smiling. Then, she continues with a story that is a favorite of her mother’s: “As a matter of fact, a few hours after giving birth to Tucker, I got a call from our bank, Stockman Bank, with a lunch order for 15 sandwiches. I was like, ‘I’m kind of busy. Can you please call the store?”mp Eleonore Snow is an East coast transplant to Bozeman (please don’t hold this against her) who delights exploring her new hometown with her two marvelous kids and her gassy dog Lola.
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Montana Parent
Summer 2013
Real Estate Guide Looking for a new home? Plan on consulting Montana Parent’s Summer Real Estate Guide, scheduled for publication in the June/July 2013 issue.
Make a Move Find useful information geared toward families. »» Do you want your children to attend a specific school without worrying about out-of-district tuition and waiting lists? Check out our school district boundary maps and tools for locating real estate in your desired area »» Single parent, just getting by, and afraid you will never own your own home? Read about how your dream can become a reality »» Lost your house? Get tips and resources available to become a homeowner once again »» First-time homebuyer? Find out where to start, what to look for, where to look and what to expect »» Upgrading? How to get the most out of what you plan to sell »» Market trends and statistics »» Loans: what’s out there, what to look for, what you’ll need to qualify
The June/July issue of Montana Parent will be available in print form and online (www. mtparent.com) June 1 through July 30, 2013. FOR ADVERTISING AVAILABILITY Contact Cora Larson at 406-579-0746 or
[email protected]. All ads must be reserved by May 15, 2013.
photo Bring media
»» Miscellaneous costs associated with buying and selling a home
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OPENING FALL 2013
Bozeman Montessori will serve children six weeks to six years old their families in a new facility that is designed to meet the needs of young children! • Highly qualified staff
Deck Out
The Sola Hideout Contest Sola Café is using a creative community approach to design a safe, fun area for children to play – a hideout - while their parents are enjoying conversation and meals with friends. Submit your ideas for decorating and constructing the kids' hideout and possibly win one of four prizes.
The winner will receive: »» A $200 budget to procure supplies (must provide receipts)
• Healthy food program
»» A day of free coffee and lunch for the winner and their helpers on “decorating day” »» Free lunch once a month for one year at Sola Café »» Their photo on the website (solacafe.com) and Facebook (if they want)
• Extended hours
»» Three runners-up will each get a $10 Sola gift card
The rules: »» No plastic toys, no small choking hazards
Come be a part of our history and help shape our future.
Space is limited Enroll today. Application fee of $50 is waived when you mention this ad.
Open House May 4 or June 1st 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Bozeman Fire Dept. Station 3 (near Dinosaur Park)
ITY
ACIL EW F
N
Contact us at 406.600.8098
[email protected] www.BozemanMontessori.com
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»» Use as much recycled materials (reused) items as possible »» Try to encourage exploration, cooperation and perhaps a little learning »» Make it appropriate for ages 18-months to seven years »» Everything needs a place to be stored, such as books, soft toys, chalk - the hideout is cleaned nightly »» Have fun with it
How to enter: Come by Sola Café to check out the hideout (under the stairs behind the chalkboard). Draw a detailed picture of your design idea or make a collage. Write a paragraph listing the details of your concept. Scan or snap a photo of all this and send it to service@ solacafe.com by May 25, 2013. Winners will be announced June 4 and decorating will be scheduled by June 15. (Technophobes can submit hard copy images in an envelope to Sola Café, 290 W. Kagy, Bozeman, MT 59715. Be sure to include your name and phone number - original documents will not be returned.) mp
Bibs and Binkies Under New Ownership Dr. Rachel Rising, Pediatric and Prenatal Chiropractor at Gallatin Valley Chiropractic in Bozeman, purchased Bibs and Binkies in March, 2013. The store has undergone major renovations and the inventory and retail space have doubled since opening. Bibs and Binkies will continue to be a specialty baby store carrying your favorite brands such as Britax, BOB, Chicco, Medela, Adan and Anais, Franklin and Ben, and much more. For your convenience, we also have an online store (www.bibsandbinkies. com) where you can purchase items and have them shipped to your front door. Make sure to like us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on new products and weekly promotions. mp
BZN
Hunt for Health May 17, 2013 Bridgercare will host its 1st annual fundraiser, Hunt for Health, a scavenger hunt in Downtown Bozeman on Friday, May 17, 2013, from 6-9:30 p.m. Groups will gather at the Baxter Grand Ballroom for tapas and a nohost bar before heading out for a scavenger hunt downtown. Then, everyone will return to the Baxter for dessert, prizes and more. To participate, gather a group of four-to-six people (all ages are welcome), give yourselves a really fun group name and then create a group color or matching T-shirts. Finally, register with Stephanie McDowell (
[email protected] or 406-587-0681 x31) at Bridgercare for $300 per group. Happy Hunting! May the best man (or woman) win!!
NOW OPEN
GALLATIN VALLEY MALL 2825 WEST MAIN STREET BOZEMAN, MT
mp
Family Promise Seeks New Congregations
to House Homeless Families Did you know that families are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population today? Since 2006, local nonprofit Family Promise of Gallatin Valley has been a part of the solution to homelessness by helping these families regain their independence. The need for temporary shelter is growing for homeless families in our community. As a result, Family Promise is looking for more congregations to help provide this temporary shelter for only four weeks each year.
CHE OUT OCUKR NEW PLACE!
The Family Promise program uses a family day center to provide full-time case management to help families find employment, housing and work on life skills. In the evenings, up to four Family Promise families sleep overnight at a different host congregation each week from a Sunday evening to the following Sunday morning. “I can’t think of a better way to put faith into action than churches opening their doors to homeless families in our community,” said Executive Director Gloria Edwards. Each evening, families are transported to hosting congregations where volunteers welcome them as guests into their church or synagogue, providing them with meals, hospitality and overnight accommodations for one week on a rotating basis. Family Promise also uses partner congregations that assist host congregations by providing meals and overnight volunteers during hosting weeks. There are currently 24 generous congregations partnering in the Family Promise program. “Family Promise has over an 80 percent success rate of families graduating the program with stable housing, employment and childcare. Our volunteers and congregations are really the heart and soul of our program. They provide support, care and encouragement to families who just need a new beginning,” said Bridget Pitman, Volunteer and Marketing Director. Family Promise is in need of one more host congregation and four more partner congregations to help our families only four times per year. Former Family Promise guest Cami said, “Family Promise is a blessing and continues to touch the hearts and lives of many. I cannot thank them enough for showing me love, inspiring me and giving me wings to fly. I went from homeless to being a homeowner. I am forever grateful.”
20
%
OFF*
your purchases of $40 or more at the Gallatin Valley Mall location
NOW THROUGH MAY 31, 2013
*Valid now through May 31, 2013 at the Gallatin Valley Mall location only. Not valid in any other U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico stores or online at childrensplace.com. Valid for one-time use only. Limit one coupon per customer. Coupon must be relinquished at time of purchase. Purchase must total $40 or more, net of applicable discounts and before sales tax is applied. Cannot be combined with any other offer except PLACE credit card everyday discount and myPLACE Rewards certificate discount. Returns and exchanges are subject to discount taken at time of redemption. Not valid toward the purchase of gift cards or toward previously purchased merchandise. Photocopies not accepted. Coupon may not be purchased, traded or sold, and will not be replaced if lost, stolen or corrupted. Internet distribution strictly prohibited. Employees of The Children’s Place may not use this discount in conjunction with The Children’s Place Associate discount. Use of coupon is acceptance of its terms. Offer may be cancelled or modified at any time. Void where prohibited.
If your congregation is interested in participating in Family Promise of Gallatin Valley, please contact Bridget Pitman at
[email protected] or call 406-582-7388. mp :: MAY ACTIVITY & EVENT CALENDARS + BLOG + MORE @ MTPARENT.COM ::
MAY 2013 |
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Family Deals & Discounts
Bozeman
Bozeman
Childrens Place
Heebs
20% OFF
$5 OFF
Must Present Coupon on Page 19. Located in the Gallatin Valley Mall.
A $30 Order
Must present coupon on page 40
Bozeman
Bibs and Binkies
$75 OFF A Custom Storytime Series Best Chair Order
Bozeman
Creative Sandwiches & Lunch Platters
Mountain sheet metal heating & Cooling
$300 OFF
Installation cost of an air conditioner Mention this ad for discount. May be added to rebates on qualifying systems.
Bozeman
Check out www.fftdeli.com for daily specials and rotating menu Hours: M-F 11am - 6pm Sat: 11am-3pm • Closed Sunday 270 W. Kagy Suite B • Bozeman MT
406.587.4454 Follow Us On Facebook and Twitter Owned & Operated by a Registered Dietitian Full Service Catering • Kid Friendly Options
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big O Tires
$10 OFF Oil Change Up to 5 quarts
Bozeman
Bozeman
Juice Republic BUY ONE GET ONE
HALF PRICE Coffee Drinks and Tea Lattes Grab a friend and head to Juice Republic located inside Montana Harvest Market
any Alignment
$6 OFF any large bag of Petcurean (NOW & GO) natural dog food Expires May 31, 2013. Not to be combined with other offers. Limit 1 coupon per party.
Bozeman
Storm Castle Cafe Bozeman
aesthetic Medicine
$25 OFF 50 % OFF Price Guarantee; “We’ll beat any local retailers written price, on any product or service we provide by 5%”.
DEe-O-Gee
Your first Bikini/Brazilian Wax or Laser Hair Removal Treatment.
NOW OPEN FOR DINNER Fun Kids' Menu Kids’ Play Room!
Earth's Montana Mixed North
Community Food Co-op
Baxter Lane
Lincoln St.
Kagy Blvd.
Aesthetic Medicine
N. Wallace Ave.
Montana Harvest/Juice Republic Childrens Museum of Bozeman
Community Food Co-op Downtown
Heebs Nova Cafe Kagy Blvd.
Sourdough Rd.
S. 3rd Ave.
Museum of the Rockies
N. Church Ave.
N. Willson Ave.
Montana State University
Mendenhall St. Main Street
South Church Ave.
South 19th Ave.
Storm Castle Cafe
S.11th Ave.
College St.
Culture
S. Willson Ave.
Bibs & Binkies
N. Rouse Ave.
N. 7th Ave.
Babcock St.
S. 8th Ave.
Gallatin Valley Mall Main West
0 I-9
Re-Couture
N. 11th Ave.
La Chatelaine
North 19th Ave.
Dee-O-Gee Children's Place
Bridger Pilates
Gallatin Valley
Highland Blvd.
Bozeman Montessori
Earth's Treasures
Sola Cafe
Food for Thought
Antoinette's
Salon & Make-up
Moberry Frozen Yogurt
photo Lucaphotography
Bozeman
Treasures Martial Arts
Bozeman
with purchase of a parent's dinner. 5pm-close. Minimum purchase $12.
Bozeman
Bridger Pilates buy one private get one
50% off ($140 value for $105 = $35 savings)
YOGURT!
Bozeman
Earth's Treasures
Happy Mother's Day!
$5 OFF
Limit of 10 oz free
any purchase
Bozeman
Children’s Museum
FREE
Friday Nights!
Kids Favorite Store!
Bozeman
Re-couture
20% OFF
your purchase *some items excluded
:: MAY ACTIVITY & EVENT CALENDARS + BLOG + MORE @ MTPARENT.COM ::
food and art
LocaL
Trial Week of Classes
bacon!
Y o U ’ L L wa n t t o LIcK oUr SKILLetS
daILY SpecIaLS breaKfaSt 7-2
312 e. maIn St. bozeman t h e n o v a c a f e . c o m
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406.587.3973
HALF PRICE
FREE
FREE
downtown bozeman
LUnch 11-2
Kids Pizza or Burger
Kids wear your soccer jersey and treat your mom to a
Montana Mixed Martial Arts
free
Bozeman
Sola Cafe
Culture
Bozeman
GLUten
See ad on p. 18 for more info.
Bozeman
LocaLS ’ choIce
For families that intend to apply for enrollment in the Fall.
bacon!
($50 Value)
bacon! KIdS’ menU
Bozeman Montessori APPLICATON FEE WAIVED
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Helena
TAKE A STAYCATION! at the Great Northern Town Center, Helena, Montana
Fun for the whole family includes: One night stay at the Best Western Premier Helena Great Northern Hotel. Stay includes 2 queen beds, deluxe breakfast bar, overnight parking, and unlimited swimming (5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.), room and tax.
2 unlimited-ride wristbands good for both days at the Great Northern Carousel.
All-day admission for 4 to ExplorationWorks!—Montana’s hands-on science center for all ages.
Full StayCation package only
$169
Great Northern Town Center. The up side of Downtown Helena!
Book your StayCation today!
gntowncenter.com
406.457.5500 H gnhotelhelena.com
Overnight Camps
Adventure Camps
June 16-21 June 23-28 June 30-July 5 June 30-July 5
Wilderness Adventure
July 5-8 July 9-13 July 14-19 July 14-19 July 21-26 Aug 30-Sept 2
3rd & 4th Grade 5th & 6th Grade 7th-9th Grade 6th-8th Adventure Family Camp Sr High Camp 3rd-5th Grade 9th-12th Backpacking 6th-8th Grade Family Camp
6th-8th Grades • June 30-July 5
YELLOWSTONE Alliance
ADVENTURES Bozeman’s Finest Youth Camp
1st-5th Grades June 17-21 and/or June 24-28 Registration 8:30am. Drop-off 9am & pick-up 4pm. Full week $145 or $35/day. Price includes lunch.
Family Camps July 5-8 and August 30-Sept 2 For information and an application visit our website (www.yaacamp.org) or call YAA at 406.763.4727. 22
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9th-12th Grades • July 14-19
Leadership Training Programs timothy progrAm
June 13-July 27 • 9th-12th For information and an application visit our website (www.yaacamp.org) or call YAA at 406.763.4727.
Camp Fee: $265. Save $20 if postmarked before April 15th.
Day Camps
Wilderness BAckpAcking
JoshuA proJect
et on TargChrist for
May 28-July 29 College age and above For information regarding this summer ministry project visit our website (www.yaacamp.org) or call YAA at 406.763.4727.
Camper Registration Forms are available on our website or register online at www.YAAcamp.org
Welcome Summer at the Great Northern Town Center
Montana Parent
Staycation Blog Giveaway
Y What's Up?
Helena
Written by Sammy Farmer
As the days get warmer we all want to spend more time outside of our homes, cars and offices. How about strolling through Helena's Great Northern Town Center? With its lovely array of shops and eateries as well as convenient parking, this section of Helena is like a welcome escape from your day-to-day life. Kids love the friendly bustle and energy found at ExplorationWorks! Science Center and need we even mention their joy when they also get to indulge in an ice cream cone and carousel ride? A day at the Great Northern Town Center is the perfect way to be out and about with your family and friends, while still sticking close to home. The summer fun kicks off June 6 with the 4th season of the very popular “Out to Lunch” mid-day live music series. The musicians featured all perform for free. How very lucky we are to have them supporting downtown liveliness. Out to Lunch is held every Thursday throughout the summer, from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Great Northern Town Center amphitheater. Enjoy a delicious lunch from food vendors or bring your own. And this year, enjoy more shaded seating and kid’s activities and entertainment in addition to the music. If you are interested in being a vendor for the new kids' activities, contact Janessa McElrath, Out to Lunch Manager, at 562-881-2746. For more details and a complete schedule of artists who will be playing, click on the “Events” tab of Great Northern Town Center’s web page at www.gntowncenter.com.
Out to Lunch Out to Lunch, the popular live music concert series held in the Great Northern Town Center amphitheater kicks off on June 6, 2013, with Common Ground. Out to Lunch is held every Thursday throughout the summer, from 11:30–1 p.m. Enjoy a delicious lunch from food vendors or bring your own. New this year, enjoy even more shade. The line-up for the 2013 Out to Lunch series includes:
»» June 7 – Common Ground »» June 14 – MSK Project
Even more exciting, Montana Parent’s “Mama’s Got a New Bag” blog contest is featuring a staycation at the Great Northern Hotel. One lucky winner will receive a night’s stay, unlimited ride wristbands for the carousel, specialty nuts to snack on, a $25 Fusion Grille gift card, a $15 Irene’s Kitchen gift card, an interior design book and gift card from Boxwoods to fuel your imagination, a “Discover Fossil Excavation Kit” and a one-year family membership to ExplorationWorks! For more information, visit www.mtparent.com for the giveaway on our blog.
»» June 21 – Brett Veltri
Book your family’s Staycation in June, July or August to enjoy everything Great Northern Town Center has to offer this summer. mp
»» August 2 – Little Elmo Unplugged
Sammy Farmer is an artist and writer who lives in the Gallatin Valley and explores Montana with her family.
»» June 28 – The Juice Basement
»» July 5 – Sarah Frazier »» July 12 – Dan Hunthausen »» July 19 – Dan Dubuque »» July 26 – Sarah Frazier
»» August 9 – Amber Olsson »» August 16 – Fourte »» August 23 – Stonehouse »» August 30 – Dan Dubuque
:: MAY ACTIVITY & EVENT CALENDARS + BLOG + MORE @ MTPARENT.COM ::
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Helena
International
Migratory Bird Day May 4, 2013
QR Code for April Issue of Montana Parent
http://www.helenamt.com/helena-walking-app.php
http://kaywa.me/hrl9p
Helena
Download the Kaywa QR Code Reader (App Store &Android Market) and scan your code!
teens
International Migratory Bird Day is winging its way into the Helena area for our 10th Annual Celebration. On Saturday, May 4, 2013, early morning bird walks begin at 6:30 a.m. The event continues with an outdoor fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. featuring a variety of fun activities—including live raptors, drawing birds with Jane Beasley, weaving a willow roost, bird poetry, bird identification, making a bird-friendly backyard, tattoos, face painting and a performance tent with plays and music all day long. A complete list of stations and performances can be seen at our website at www. montanadiscoveryfoundation. org/html/international_ migratory_bird_day.html. mp
at the library
Get Involved! F irst Friday Movie Nights Teen Tech Tutors Anime Club Teen Writers Group Teen Advisory Group
Eye-Spy
Nature Scavenger Hunt June 13, 2013 Bring your family out for a trail hike designed just for kids, hosted by the Prickly Pear Land Trust in Helena. The one-mile Eye-Spy Nature Scavenger Hunt will take place on June 13, 2013, at 6 p.m. Walk leaders will help kids find animals, trees, flowers, weeds, cactus and more. Hikers will meet at the Nob Hill Trailhead, which is on Saddle Drive, just past the intersection with South Hills Drive. Bring sturdy shoes and appropriate clothing. Refreshments will be provided. For more information call 406-442-0490 or visit www. pricklypearlt.org. You do not need to RSVP to attend. Prickly Pear Land Trust works with the City of Helena, the Helena National Forest and the Bureau of Land Management on planning and management of the South Hills trails. For the past 16 years, they have worked to secure more than 1,000 acres to protect and expand Helena’s South Hills Trail System. mp
ATTENTION HELENA PARENTS! Tips on Talking to Your Teen About Sex Are you the parent of a teen? Are you concerned about the messages your teen gets from the media about sex? Are you in need of advice on how to talk to your teen about sex?
www.lewisandclarklibrary.org
Attend a free forum, “Tips On Talking To Your Teen About Sex,” May 13, 2013, from 7-8 p.m. Donna Miller, an Outreach Educator who has 25 years of experience working with parents and teens, will lead the meeting. Parent involvement can make a big impact in reducing the risk of teen pregnancy. Register today by calling 406-422-1248 or email:
[email protected]. The forum will be held at 318 N. Last Chance Gulch (next to 406). Enter through the glass door with IMPP Office of Public Affairs, go upstairs to the second level and you'll find the conference room straight ahead. mp
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BIKEWALK
HLN
Helena
Helena Christian School
Helena’s Open Streets Celebration
Helena
Recreation Celebration
lder
Helena Climbing Bou A Projec t of
the Helena Recrea
tion Foundation
May 18, 2013 The Helena Recreation Celebration and Boulder Fundraiser will take place May 18, 2013. Headlining the event will be Conrad Anker, who has made a specialty of climbing the most technically challenging terrain he can find, from the mountains of Alaska and Antarctica to the big walls of Patagonia and Baffin to the massive peaks of the Himalaya, including the summit of Everest three times. Anker will attend the celebration (6 p.m. at ExplorationWorks!) to give a show on his recent expeditions, visit with local community members, and autograph posters. Food and a cash bar will be provided. Donations will be taken at the door. Earlier in the day, ExplorationWorks! will have a Tinker Lab focused on the science of climbing from 1-3 p.m. Outdoor activities, beginning at 2 p.m., will include a backpacker’s cook-off (three ingredients using only one pot), slack lining and Kendama competition, juggling, hacky sack and more. Ages three-93 are invited to participate. There will be lots of prizes, raffles and all are welcome to watch. Sports vendors will be present as well as a model and pictures of the proposed boulder for Centennial Park. For more information, visit www. helenaboulder.com or email info@ helenaboulder.com. mp
Support Helena’s BIKEWALK efforts and plan to attend Open Streets on May 5, 2013, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. This is a free community event that transforms Last Chance Gulch between Placer and 6th into a carefree space, opening the street to cyclists and pedestrians, and playing host to various forms of recreation, exercise and family fun in the street and adjacent Walking Mall. The day will feature a kids' race at 11:30 a.m. followed by a bike parade at 12:30 p.m. Also, enjoy Zumba, juggling, a photo booth, Irish dancers, a climbing wall, bike polo, face painting, live music, a bike decoration contest, bike registration and much more. BIKEWALK Helena is an initiative created by Lewis & Clark County and the Non-Motorized Travel Advisory Council to highlight existing cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, educate travelers, promote biking and walking and build momentum toward enhancing biking and walking opportunities in Helena. The Commuter Challenge begins May 1, with an improved challenge website to log-in and track your miles; an all-new point system and public transit (HATS). For more information, visit: www. bikewalkhelena.org. Remember, safety first and always obey the rules of the road. For more information on BIKEWALK Helena and Open Streets for bikes and pedestrians, visit: www. bikewalkhelena.org. mp
Developing a Biblical Worldview Achieving High Academic Standards
Located in the Heart of the Helena Valley Pre-school through 12th Grade 3384 Canyon Ferry Road 442-5210 Fully accredited through ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) and NAAS (Northwest Association of Accredited Schools)
www.helenachristian.org Helena
WEDNESDAY CLASSES June 13 – Tape and Tools
Using masking tape and everyday items around the store, we will make something AMAZING! Ages 5 and up
June 27 – It’s About Time!
We are making wonderful, functional clocks. Ages 7 and up
July 11 – Come Swirl Away
Using our super fun Cricut to create crazy, swirly bowls! Ages 5 and up
July 25 – Kid Safe Glass
Vote Now for the Helena Brewers Design a T-Shirt Contest Your Lewis & Clark Library and the Helena Brewers have teamed up to host a T-shirt for the contest is“READ Batta design contest for all area 4th-8th graders. The theme Batta Batta,” and all entries were required to feature some aspect of the theme in the Helena Brewers’ colors of black and/or navy blue. The public can vote for their favorite design through May 15, 2013. Visit the Lewis & Clark Library to view and vote for submissions in person, or got to: www.facebook. com/lewisandclarklibraryteens to vote online.
Finally a glass class for everyone! We will be using pre-fused glass to allow the young kids a chance to try their hand at glass fusing. Ages 5 and up
August 1– Monogrammed Mug
This class also uses the Cricut, but combines paper masking with bubble painting to create something really unique. Ages 7 and up
August 22 – Puzzle Pottery Curious? Or just puzzled? Ages 7 and up
Creative Arts Summer Camps @ THE PAINTED POT SUMMER CAMPS
June 18-22 – Pottery Painting Covering all the greats marbleizing, etching, watercolor, stickers and more! Ages 5 and up July 16-20 – Multi Media A little bit of everything – clay, paint, metal, tie dye, and canvas. Ages 7 and up August 15-19 – Crazy for Clay We now have wheels and this class will cover sculpture, hand-building, wheel work and finishing. Ages 7 and up August 22-26 – Hot for Glass This class offer glass fun for beginners or those who have fused before. Ages 12 and up
The Painted Pot 411 N. Last Chance Gulch Helena MT 59601
[email protected] www.paintedpothelena.com ph: 406-443-3799
The winning design will be unveiled at the June 5 Youth Bands Alive @ Five in Pioneer Park. It will then be printed onto 500 T-shirts to be given away at the Brewers game on Monday, June 24, 2013. mp
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Bozeman & Helena
Rhythms World Drum Camp African! Cuban! Egyptian Drumming! Storytelling, Games, World Culture! Bozeman camp dates: June 17-21, July 15-19 and 22-26 Helena camp dates: June 24-28 Livingston camp dates: July 8-12 Big sky camp dates: Aug 5-9
Ages 4-12 • Price $150 With Award Winning Teacher Chet Leach Meets at Rhythm Drums at The Emerson | www.rhythmdrums.com | 406.580.8229
Helena
A history of caring. Commitment to the future. • Residential and acute psychiatric care for children • Clinical and laboratory medical genetic services for people of all ages Caring for Montana's Families Since 1896 406-444-7500 • 1-800-447-6614 2755 Colonial Drive, Helena, MT 59601
www.shodair.org
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Montana
Learning Center The Montana Learning Center, located on the shores of Canyon Ferry Lake, is the perfect place to create lasting summer memories. The location offers unique geological and natural features as well as fishing, boating and swimming at the lake. With 15 buildings in the village, the Montana Learning Center is ideal location family reunions and professional development workshops. Invite your extended family and design your own learning experiences using the abundant resources available. As a location for professional development workshops, the Learning Center gives educators, teachers and PARA’s the chance to complete certification requirements in a setting like no other. Cute and cozy bungalows, delicious meals in the dining hall, classroom instruction, computer labs, Wi-Fi access, connections with wildlife right out your front doorstep and private beach access for sunbathing, swimming and weenie roasting. If you are looking for a service project for your business or company retreat, the Learning Center offers opportunities to work, serve and contribute to the local community. Working and having fun together is a great way to create lasting friendships and connections for building team capacity back at the office. ‘Learning at the Lake’ is gearing up for Summer STEM Camps (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) for kids. Family Camps are also available for parents and kids, exploring and learning together. Enjoy some great food and relax in your own private family cottage. For more information visit www. montanalearning.org and make your summer count. mp
HLN Free
Essential Oil Class May 14, 2013
Lewis & Clark
Library’s Bookmobile Written by Alycia Holston
Our kids are bombarded with screens, noises and flashing lights daily. One of the best ways to unplug your kids from the technology surrounding them every day is to get a book into their hands. The Lewis & Clark Library is making this easier for our community with the addition of their new bookmobile. “Through the strategic planning process, we learned that the North Valley was drastically underserved,” explained Lewis & Clark Library Director Judy Hart. “And the best way to reach those individuals not served by one of our existing branches was to take the library to them via bookmobile.” Bretagne Byrd joined the staff of the Lewis & Clark Library as the Bookmobile Librarian, coming to Helena from the Bloomfield-Eastern Green County Public Library in Bloomfield, Indiana where she served as the Outreach Librarian. Upon her arrival in Helena, Byrd began making contacts and establishing a bi-weekly route that the bookmobile would follow throughout Helena, the North Valley and all of Lewis and Clark County. The state of the art rolling library and Byrd hit the road November 5, 2012. After six months, the response has been overwhelmingly positive, according to Patricia Spencer, the library’s Public Information Officer. Six hundred items were loaned out the first month and, five months later, it was up to 1,600 items. They are evaluating stop times and lengths to adjust to the usage. Byrd tailors materials for each of her stops to serve the patrons and would like to include activities for each of those stops as the library grows. With more than 2,500 library material items on board, the mobile branch of the library features Wi-Fi connections so that patrons can access the Internet during their stop. Additionally, the vehicle is ADA compliant and kid friendly. The mobile branch is also eco-friendly, burning a cleaner version of diesel fuel and featuring solar panels that allow the vehicle to absorb enough energy to not have to operate the generator at most stops. For Byrd, the interaction with new library users is the most rewarding component of her job. “We are excited to provide services to the Milford Colony, the Masonic Home, the Birdseye and Green Meadow areas, the State Capitol, Touchmark, Apple Rehab, Eagle’s Manor, Hunter’s Pointe, Wolf Creek, Canyon Creek, and many other locations throughout the County,” she said. The future is exciting for the rolling library. The bookmobile is available at many locations around the community and available for special events or requested stops. This is the perfect way to use new, advanced technologies to unplug your children and engage their minds this summer.
A free essential oil class will be held May 14, 2013 at 6 p.m. at the Lewis & Clark Library Small Conference Room. Learn how nature’s medicine is safer, cheaper and oftentimes more effective than modern medicine. You will learn how to care for common (and not so common) ailments ranging from: flu, ear infection, coughs, tummy issues, temper tantrums, eczema, allergies, immune support, leg cramps, headaches and much more. These particular essential oils are so pure that they can be ingested. Join us to learn how they can change the way you care for yourself and your loved ones. We will be covering topics including natural cleaning with essential oils, infants and children and essential oils, using essential oils for romance, gift-making and cooking with essential oils. There will be a free biofeedback analysis for all in attendance. This technology finds where a persons’ biomarkers are out of range. Upon completion of the scan, particular essential oils will be prescribed to bring you back into range. This is an amazing way to assess what is happening in one's emotional and/or physical being. Essential oil books, samples, recipes and more will be available. Please email cora@ mtparent.com or call 406-5790746 to reserve your spot or to answer any questions. Seating is limited. mp
A complete schedule of stops and times can be found online at www.lclibrary.org. mp Alycia Holston, wife and mother of three, lives in Helena, MT. She is the author of While The Giant Is Sleeping and continues to write the new chapter of her life each day.
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Helena
Family Deals & Discounts Just mention you saw it in Montana Parent magazine!
OPEN SUNDAYS
from 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.! • European Style Desserts • Breakfast Pastries • Hearth Breads • Pizza • Delicious lunches.
Park Avenue Bakery & Cafe 44 South Park Avenue, Helena, MT
406-449-8424
Helena
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Helena
Holter Museum of Art
Helena
Kids always get
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FREE Admission Helena
On any 6-12 Meal
Great Northern Carousel
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5 After 5 Special Mon.- Friday after 5pm
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FREE ASSEMBLY
Helena
Associated Dermatology
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Must Present Coupon Expires 5/31/2013
Helena
Frozen Moose Helena
(1015 Boulder Ave. Ste. 1D)
ExplorationWorks
Come see Muttley the Moose and
ADMISSION
get 15% off your entire order!
Get unlimited rides and a Kiddie Scoop of ice cream for only $5.00
$2.00 OFF
Valid until 5/31/13
For everyone in your party!
Helena
Step back in time at our old fashioned
Archie Bray Foundation
Soda Fountain!
Memory Trail
Helena
Dinners Done Right
W. Custer Ave.
Frozen Moose Yogurt
N.
I-1 5
Great Northern Carousel
t.
Ultra Vac Services
E. Lyndale Ave
W. Lyndale Ave
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Cedar St.
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Great Northern Carousel Exploration Works Fusion Grill
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Party Plus
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Associated Dermatology
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Heritage Pioneer Park
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Holter Museum of Art
Parrot Confectionery
Montana State Capital
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Archie Bray foundation
FREE PIECE OF WOOD-FIRED PIZZA
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$5 OFF A $20 Purchase Regular Priced Items
Pipsqueak Consignment and Baby Boutique
$5 OFF Total purchase with coupon
Consignment and Baby Boutique
Maternity and children’s consignment, nursing essentials, cloth diapers, and great baby shower gifts. 330 N. Jackson • Helena, MT ph: (406) 443-PIPS (7477) Check out our Facebook page
Helena Helena
Helena
42 N LAST CHANCE GULCH 442-1470 WWW.PARROTCHOCOLATE.COM
Helena
Mother's Day Pots and Plants Sale on Saturday, May 11 from 10am-3pm.
photo zo-mak photography
11th Ave
ce
N. Park
Gu lch
Ave
Pipsqueaks/Mt Book & Toy
Get your
FREE
estimate today for their cleaning service at 406-495-1060!
Parrot Confectionery Stop in to our Soda Fountain to sip something
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BOOKS v TOYS CARDS v GIFTS GAMES v PUZZLES JEWELRY & MORE! 331 N Last Chance Gulch • Helena, Montana
(406) 443-0260
www.mtbookco.com Booksellers since 1978
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CMB summer camps
Science enrichment & arts exploration all summer at CMB! Camps run Monday-Friday, 9am-3pm $175 members/$195 non-members
Dates
Ages 5-7
Ages 8-11
June 17-21 June 24-28 July 8-12 July 15-19 July 22-26 July 29-Aug 2 August 5-9 August 12-16
Magic Tree House Time Travelers Tinker Lab Superheroes Junior Builders MythBusters Harry Potter’s Magic for Muggles Animal Adventures Magic Tree House Global Explorers
Backyard Ballistics Maker Lab Masters of Disaster Master Builders MythBusters Extreme Hogwarts Summer Academy Animals Unleashed Backyard Ballistics
For more info: 202 South Willson Avenue in Bozeman 406/522-9087 www.cmbozeman.org
Children’s Museum of BOZEMAN
Treat yourself to a corrective facial that will have visable results. 60 Minute treatment featuring: Corrective Facial, Brow Wax, Relaxing Hand, Arm & Scalp Massage. $60 ( Regularly $100)
Ronald Buss, M.D. | 406.586.9229 2006 Stadium Dr. #101 • Bozeman, MT 59715
Visit us online at BeautifulSkinMontana.com 30
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Y What's Up?
Livingston
Fur Ball
Big Fun Under the Big Top May 17, 2013 How about a fun date night without the kids that helps a great cause? Stafford Animal Shelter’s 14th Annual Fur Ball fundraiser will be held Friday, May 17, 2013, at Chico Hot Springs. The circus-themed evening kicks off at 6 p.m. with cocktails and global food, a magician and performing animals, live music by Cindy Hicks and a silent auction in the Big Top Tent (which closes at 7:30 p.m.). The Center Ring opens at 7 p.m. for a multi-course ethnic dinner with complementary regional wines, the Lucky Dog Raffle and the Ringmaster’s Live Auction begin at 8 p.m. The auction items include: a private dinner with Jack Horner, a guitar autographed by Mary Chapin Carpenter, a lavish wine collection, an autographed Willie Mays photo, a bicycle, handcrafted furniture, a sapphire pendant, original artwork, fun family adventures and much more.
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If you can’t make the Fur Ball, but still want to support the Stafford Animal Shelter, purchase a Luxury Raffle ticket for $50 in advance and take your choice from one of the many auction items available. The remainder of the items will be auctioned off live after the Luxury Raffle drawing the night of the event. No need to be present to win.
More
Livingston goodness
Visit staffordanimalshelter.org for event informaion, and luxury raffle tickets and to view photos of the auction items or call 406-222-1313 to learn more. mp
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LVN
Livingston
Family Deals & Discounts Just mention you saw it in Montana Parent magazine!
photo lucaphotography
Livingston
Livingston Kite Company
25% off
kite string w/purchase of any style of new kite!
Livingston
Yellowstone Country Motors Because We Care... Come in for a
FREE
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Livingston
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1415 West Park street
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Livingston
Custom Hand Crafted Bags and Accessories
CHOOSE FROM 9 CHEVRON COLORS! www.marandalee.com
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3S Kids and Maternity
NOW OPEN find 3S Kids and Maternity on facebook for events, news and consignment policy
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photo Yellowstone Gateway Museum
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Livingston
W h at M at t e r s M o s t...
Support.
Livingston Museums in May Yellowstone Gateway Museum: Make plans to visit the Yellowstone Gateway Museum for Montana’s Spring Knap-In and a new flintknapping exhibit that illustrates the creative process of making stone points and tools on Saturday, May 18, 2013, from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday, May 19 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Expert flintknappers will demonstrate their craft. Scout activities like primitive fire building and natural cordage will also be offered. The museum will be open seven days a week from 10 a.m.5 p.m., beginning May 23, 2013, through Labor Day. The remainder of the year, it is open Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Yellowstone Gateway Museum is also developing several children’s interactive activities to make the museum more family-friendly, including a dress-up trunk, an explorer’s journal/ activity book, items for kids to touch inside the tipi, a train set and more. Admission to the Yellowstone Gateway Museum, located at 118 W. Chinook, Livingston, is free for children under 18 years and just $5 for adults. Call 406-222-4184 for more info.
Every parent wants their child to reach their full potential. We know that some families need extra help and support. The pediatric therapy providers at Livingston HealthCare help children reach their ful l p oten tial t h ro ug h skilled, high-quality physical, occupational, and speech therapy that involves the child and family. Call 406-222-7231 for more information or to schedule a free screening for your child.
The Depot Center Museum: The Depot Center Museum will open for the season on May 25, 2013, and will be open 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Monday through Saturday and Sunday 1–5 p.m. The museum is located in the Depot Center at 200 West Park and features Railroad and Western History Exhibits and art. Admission is free to all. Call 406-222-2300 for information on special events at the Depot Center.
The Museum of the International Federation of Fly Fishers:
406-222-3541 Find out more about the support our providers can give your child www.livingstonhealthcare.org. www.facebook.com/livingstonhealth
The Museum of the International Federation of Fly Fishers has a beautiful collection of angling artifacts and literature and art. It is located at 5237 US Hwy 89 South, Suite 11, Livingston, MT. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The museum can be reached at 406-222-9369. mp
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Yellowstone's Quiet Season
West Yellowstone
Spring is often called Yellowstone’s “quiet” season, during which few crowds and little traffic offer a much more intimate experience of America’s first national park. It is a time of birth, when visitors can smile at the antics of playful bison calves or peer into the pines for the first elk calf of the new year. If you are lucky, you might glimpse a wolf cub, venturing outside its den for the first time, accompanied by its brothers and sisters.
Three Forks
Pony Belgrade Four Corners Bozeman Norris Ennis
Norris Hot Springs
Mike Polkowske Photography
Y What's Up?
Bison began calving in mid-April and, by May, you start to see hundreds of bright reddish-brown calves among the bison herds. The bison gather in traditional “nursery” areas such as Fountain Flats just north of Old Faithful or in areas along rivers such as Lamar and Hayden Valleys.
Big Sky
Remember, spring is a season of constantly changing weather. Temperatures range from near freezing at 30 degrees (Fahrenheit) at night to 60 degrees during the day. May can still bring an occasional snow shower mixed in with the rain, and a rare snowstorm can deposit up to 12 inches of new snow in a 24 hour period.
West Yellowstone
Yellowstone Park West Entrance Gusher Pizza MT Parent_OpenHouse_041613.pdf
1
In West Yellowstone, don’t miss the 2013 opening of the Yellowstone Historic Center on May 18. At the West Yellowstone Visitor Center registration for the Junior Ranger or Young Scientist Program continues at the Yellowstone Park desk. Requirements include attending a Ranger-led program, hiking on a park trail and 4/16/2013 6:41:13 completing activitiesPMabout geology, park wildlife or fire ecology. mp
Bozeman Summit School
Excellence in Montessori Education
excellence
Looking for (take a closer look)
in montessori education?
Open House!
Thursday, May 16 | 10:00 a.m.
Early Childhood (ages 3-6) Lower Elementary (grades 1-3) & Upper Elementary (grades 4-6)
SAVE THE DATE: 2nd Annual 5k Run to the Summit, Kids’ Fun Run & Alumni BBQ Saturday, June 1 | 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. | Registration Forms Available at www.bozemansummitschool.org
3001 West Villard Street | Bozeman, MT 59718 | (406) 585-3778 www.bo z emansummitsc hool.org
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inf o@bo z emansummitsc hool.org
Screen-Free Week events Common Sense Media The Best Apps Mindful Monitoring toddlers & Tech plus more... :: MAY ACTIVITY & EVENT CALENDARS + BLOG + MORE @ MTPARENT.COM ::
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KTKE IIDDSSand& TECCHNO
{
lizbeth geary photography
HNOLLOOGGYY
editor's voice
Where to start this month? I could begin with my utter disdain for Facebook; or the mind-mushing, addictive, attention-sucking games kids can’t seem to live without; what about the fact that my 90-year-old grandmother has tweet-fests with the Pope; or the educational websites and assistive technology that are maximizing our children’s potential everyday; and then there’s social media, which connects more people than ever… while giving mean kids yet another outlet for tormenting other tweens and teens. As great as technology has been for our children, it is also a new, very real danger that we – as today’s parents – never had to worry about as children ourselves. I made monstrous mistakes as a teen, but I had the option of covering my butt by claiming the indiscretion was “not true.” Verbal rumors were simply that, your word against mine. Today’s kids don’t have that luxury; they are growing up under a spotlight. Every kid is famous and there’s a team of paparazzi-peers waiting in the shadows for that über-incriminating image, just so they can post it on YouTube and ruin someone’s formidably difficult high school years. Bullying has escalated from verbal and physical abuse to social media soul destruction. Not that either option is any better than the other, but with the proliferation of media outlets available to kids, their garbage is out on the street before they can even bag it up. Have you heard of cyber beauty contests, where pre-teens and teenage girls post their picture (or someone else does it for or to them) and anyone (that’s anyone - pervs, predators, peers, etc.) can vote for the prettiest girl? The losers end up with a big red X and LOSER branded across their face. Unfortunately, this isn’t even the worst case of cyber-bullying I’ve seen. I can tell you it gets a lot dirtier, and a lot more dangerous. While I’ve struggled to find my way with technology, I am both afraid and enamored of it. I appreciate the power of social media: the power it has to connect people and businesses, and the power it has to destroy young lives. I fear for my kids, and what might happen if a text message is misconstrued or an embarrassing video ends up on YouTube. But I am excited for them as well, in terms of what technology has in store in the years to come and how far their curiosity will take them. Rather than hiding from what I don’t understand, I am trying to embrace it as best I can. The more I know, the better I can protect my three girls. If I choose to ignore or refuse to learn, then it’s like giving them a hall pass for potential disaster. Equally as true: What we don’t know we cannot teach. Technology is amazing, and our kids are growing and learning alongside it everyday. Even if we’re reluctant, parents have a responsibility to move forward with them. mp
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Screen-Free Week Events Continue
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The Early Childhood Community Council is sponsoring free events in the Bozeman and Belgrade area throughout the course of Screen-Free Week, which began on April 27 and runs through May 4.
Wednesday, May 1: »» 2-3 p.m. - The Museum of the Rockies' free Tour for Tots called “Whooo lives in Yellowstone?” (museum admission not included) »» 4 p.m. – Awesome Eats: Tasty and Easy Family Meals at Chief Joseph. Middle school students are invited to try their hand at cooking (call 406-994-5641 to sign up) »» 5-6:30 p.m. - Family Game Night at Story Mansion.
Thursday, May 2: »» 3-5 p.m. – Unplug and explore at the Children’s Museum of Bozeman »» 3:30 p.m. - Kaleidoscope Youth Theater: explore creativity the Kaleidoscope way »» 6-8 p.m. - Promoting Family Well-Being at the Belgrade Community Church (call 406587-2194 to sign up)
Friday, May 3: »» 11 a.m.-1 p.m. - Join the Early Childhood Community Council for Unplug and Play!, a great mid-day event introduceing young children to new ways to expand their creativity. Held at the Bozeman Public Library »» 4-8 p.m. - Free Family Swim Night at the Bozeman Swim Center
Saturday, May 4: »» 10 a.m. – Join Montana Outdoor Science School and explore the outdoors with a guided family hike up Drinking Horse. Meet at 4056 Bridger Canyon Drive, Bozeman, MT (across from the “M”) at 10 a.m.
For a full list and more event details, visit www. greatergallatinunitedway.org and click on the Screen-Free Week link. There are so many ways to have fun without screens. Come join other families and have a blast together while you Unplug and Play. mp
photo Pam Western Photography
KTEKCIIHDDNSOSLOandG&YY TE
The Problem of Pediatric Paparazzi Get my good side, will ya? Written by Michele Ranard, M.Ed.
A few years back Jamie Lee Curtis discussed motherhood on a talk show, comparing children to paparazzi. She said, "They take your picture mentally when you don’t want them to, when you don't look good, and show it back to you in their behavior. The metaphor struck a chord. It is true. My children unknowingly expose my contradictions (FLASH!), reflect them back (ohhhh, it ain’t pretty) and make denial nearly impossible. To see your parental blemishes unveiled like The Real Housewives’ botched lips or Tara Reid’s wandering boob can be unnerving. Maybe the trick is to actually learn something from the photos that the paparazzi snap and to endure the light of their truth without pulling a Russell Crowe. On a bad day, pictures are snapped of me losing my cool, gossiping or failing to apologize. But on a better day, an emotionally stable mom allows those same unflattering portraits to point the way toward personal growth. It’s not figurative photos that have me ranting today; today, I am more concerned with how technology turns my teens into literal paparazzi. It seems nothing is quite so trippy for an eighth grader as punking an emotive mother and preserving the memory digitally. Irreverent in my sense of humor, I’m normally a good sport. But the last Bam Margera/Benny Hill-inspired video incorporated me, a nephew, and a tiny Speedo. I won’t say more.
And the texting! Incessant texting while we are doing nothing on God’s worldwide web worth noting. Even the most uninhibited parent would feel selfconscious sharing space with such a documentarian.
supposed to be turned off, but teachers know kids are a click away from filming and posting career killing youTube footage. I suspect even janitors and class bullies do a little more checking before wrecking themselves these days.
Texting junkies live for catapulting breaking news to the touch screens of their peeps. While lunching with a friend, I spotted my eldest son’s ex-girlfriend, who appeared not to notice us. However, by the time we arrived home, my friend’s daughter knew from a forwarded text where and when we had eaten and probably if there were ice cubes in the lemonade. Slow day for the serial stalking voyeurs?
To live with techie mosquitoes and their obsessions is to be solidly aware that you are out of touch with millennial MySpacers. In my estimation, my son sends three texts every five-minutes of his waking hours. I honestly have no idea— beyond hot girls, skateboards, and Gears of War—what pressing matters warrant that many texts from a 14-year-old.
We’re not even safe on holidays when the family gathers. On Christmas Eve, our family room dance party was covered by a paparazza niece texting details of the holy night bump-and-grind. Entertaining an audience of other sophomores, her phone was inundated with texts from peers documenting assorted inebriated festivities. As with true paparazzi, capturing contentment or well-dressed parents won’t bring home the Benjamins. Glossies of celebutantes sans makeup eating burritos or emerging from their rides thong-less are what the public craves, so the papa-nazi in my house score with “Check out my dad’s sleep apnea,” or “Dude, watch my mom’s eyes pop.” At school, students are armed and dangerous with weapons of class destruction. Yes, phones are technically
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In his defense, he assures me if texting had been available in 1980, I too would be hooked. He knows I love language and delights in reminding me how quickly I became sucked into a Facebook frenzy. FLASH & SNAP! See what I mean? The papasnotzi are vicious. Whether you live the high life or cautiously under a rock, the paps will catch you with your eyes closed. They simply thrive on mid-chew moments. Daily parental comings and goings, cursing slips, burnt dinners, dad in ripped boxers or mom’s greasy ponytail are all fodder on their mission to keep the parents paranoid, defensive, and anxious and, AT ALL COSTS, NEVER STOP TEXTING. If only we could photoshop those freakin’ metaphorical pictures. mp Michele Ranard is learning to work it for the camera. She is a counselor, tutor, and freelancer with a blog at http://hellolovelyinc.blogspot.com.
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photo E. kelley Photography
KTKE IIDDSSand& TECCHNO
HNOLLOOGGYY
Simple Family Life
Mindful Monitoring
of Tech-Time Written by Sarah Webb
Across the world, the debate persists over how much technology is just right for kids. Parents struggling through decisions about how their kids are “plugged in” often end up giving up or obsessing. Maybe it’s not about specific rules, but more about how we parents use the opportunity to understand and connect with kids. No one solution salves every family, but the process of discovery is important, as constant conflict pulls at the threads of relationships. The following mindful process can help uncover solutions right for your family: Observe, Discover, Heal, Problem Solve, and Maintain.
Observe If you’re in the heart of conflict or see the looming shadow of the Playstation on the horizon, pause. Restrain you reactivity and observe. Literally sit next to your child at the video game console and watch. Observe how and when your child makes phone calls, texts and uses the computer. Snoop through texts, search history and social site posts. Observe yourself. To what, and how, are you reacting physically and emotionally? What triggers the most intense reactions?
Discover Now do research. How much time is your kid engaged? Learn about the games, TV shows and websites. Know their friends. Understand what compels your child: Do video games provide a sense of confidence and accomplishment? Is she trying out new identities on social sites? Is the Internet an information source for questions he’s afraid to ask? Once you have done detective work, take
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a deep breath and check in with how you feel. Ask: where do these feelings, attitudes and beliefs about my child’s use of technology come from? How do I use/ abuse/avoid technology? What causes fear or worry? Talk to your kid, making statements and curious prompts: “You’re really into 'Minecraft!' Those Creepers are a pain!” Or, “I notice you need time alone these days.” Or, “You’re all about texting. It must be important to keep up with friends.” Ask questions with a “beginner’s mind,” like you know nothing, really want to learn and have no criticism. Research can support ANY argument you take. The American Academy of Pediatrics presents studies on antisocial behavior related to violent video games, and risky behavior associated with uninhibited cell and computer access. Psychology Today presents studies on the possibility of prosocial behavior learning. However, both agree that responsible use requires mindful engagement.
Heal Children have this amazing capacity to seek what they need and drink deeply when they find it. They have little inhibition about engaging fully in today’s technology, which will help them keep up with this fast-changing world. To heal from the conflict and worry, begin cultivating a sense of compassion for your child. Maybe you remember struggling with self-confidence or social confusion. Maybe you remember the vital importance of staying connected with your “besties.” Maybe you understand what it feels like to be excited about the possibilities of technology. Super Grover 2.0 on Sesame Street reminds us that even a spatula is considered technology!
Even if you discover your teen son is downloading pornography, maybe you remember your curiosity about sex. With this discovery, it’s clear he needs outlets for that curiosity, guidance about relationships and a trusted person to talk to if he wants. And, yes, maybe more parental blocks on the Internet, but observing, discovering and healing before reacting allows broader thinking about solutions. The process demonstrates respect for the relationship with, and willingness to know, your child. So the solutions appear more naturally.
Problem Solve Once you have identified your child’s needs, get creative about developing diverse opportunities that also fulfill or repair those needs. Offer super fun, compelling family time. Create “screen free” zones of time and physical space in the house and commit to them (yes, even you). Get a family game of Wii bowling going. Text a joke to your teen. Help your kid strengthen social skills and selfconfidence. Model technology restraint yourself.
Maintain Stay mindful by taking care of yourself and continue to teach your children balanced, safe engagement with technology. If use gets out of control again, re-engage with the process. Pause. Observe. These skills can build mindful and connected parenting. Family life can be simple and peaceful when we put our mindfulness to it. mp Sarah Webb, LCSW inspires families to live simple, connected and wholehearted in private practice counseling and coaching. You can reach Sarah at 406-581-3853 or via email:
[email protected].
photo E. kelley Photography
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Common Sense Media Written by Kerry Williams
If you need help negotiating the multitude of media your kids are exposed to, look no further than Common Sense Media (www. commonsensemedia.org). It is by far my favorite website as a parent. Not only does it have thousands of reviews on all types of media, but you can sign up for an e-newsletter that focuses on different themes, from the best apps for kids with learning disabilities, to previews of summer blockbuster movies and how to help your kid become a lifelong reader. I’ve pulled more gems out of their information than I can count. Common Sense Media has helped me steer clear of G-rated movies that would have been upsetting to my kids, and also helped me decide to go for a PG that I would otherwise have avoided simply based on the rating. Each piece of media (which includes movies, apps, games, websites, TV, books and music) has a suggested appropriate age, which is shown on a scale to indicate where a parent might choose to blur the line a little bit. There are also suggested ages submitted by real parents and kids who have interacted with the media in question. The website also includes two reviews, one being what parents need to know
to decide what to expose their kids to, the other being where it falls in terms of quality. They also rate media on educational value, positive messages and other values-based criteria. Common Sense Media goes into a level of detail that makes me feel like I’m getting insider information on the media surrounding my family. Look, I know my kids will get exposed to things that I am uncomfortable with, or am possibly deeply disturbed by, but long ago I heard a piece of advice that has stuck with me as my kids have grown. You cannot control what your kids may be exposed to in the outside world, but the reflection of your own family’s values in the media that you select inside your own home will stick with your kids long after they begin making choices on their own. In short, it makes a difference when you allow certain games, movies, music, etc. and put your foot down on others. And we are so fortunate to live in a time when an incredible tool is right at our fingertips. Give www. commonsensemedia.org a try. You’ll be glad you did! mp Written by Bozeman resident, Kerry Williams. She is the mother of two boys with very active imaginations, which explains why she is still dealing with fallout from the fire in the movie Bolt, even though Common Sense Media gave her plenty of warning that it was coming!
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Games, Movies and
Childhood Magic Written by Shane Borrowman
I’m the father who goes quiet when a conversation turns toward the things everyone else denies their children. My best friend’s daughter didn’t see an R-rated movie until she was thirteen. My neighbor’s kids are allowed to play only Lego games on their Wii. My nephew is allowed to watch only Nickelodeon when he visits his grandparents and his family doesn’t own a television at all. If parental censorship is a continuum, then I’m at the other end from these responsible decision makers. My twins are eight years old. For years, I have denied them almost nothing.
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At three, my son's favorite movie was 300, and he would (daily) lead his toddler army at daycare. Lincoln Log sword held high, he would rouse his troops: “This is where we hold them! This is where we fight! This is where they die! Spartans, prepare for glory!” He had it all memorized. I have it on video. My daughter—less interested in films—would sit on my lap as I played "World of Warcraft." She watched my troll hunter fight giant spiders and lose. Multiple times. She mocked me. We watched Jurassic Park together, and the velociraptors-stalking-children scenes didn’t trouble them. We watched all of the Harry Potter films, and even the Dementors didn’t upset them. No crawling into my lap. No nightmares. Even Shelob didn’t creep them out...and I’m still a little bothered by that particular massive arachnid, even at the age of 42.
“It’s just pretend,” my daughter once told me. Growing up, I wasn’t censored at all, and I spent most Saturday afternoons, once cartoons were over, watching double features of black-and-white horror from another era—Creature from the Black Lagoon, Them!, and endless variations and combinations of Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Wolfman. My wife was not raised on a steady diet of horror, and we’ve agreed not to expose the kids to this particular genre of film or gaming. Yet. We’ve done all right keeping them away from horror films, but survival horror gaming is ubiquitous. Even though they don’t play "Dead Island" at home, they play it with their friends during recess. Same with the "Halo" franchise, "Call of Duty," and "Resident Evil." The school, which has a policy against students bringing any type of toy weapon onto campus, can’t bar imagined video game content from its play yard. And we have a simple arrangement: They’re allowed to hear a video game character say anything, no matter how profane, as long as I don’t hear them repeat it. So I go quiet when other parents discuss their censorship efforts, and I only passively enforce a largely pointless ban on horror movies and games. I suspect other parents judge and find me wanting. I’m OK with that. And I’m really OK with the fact that technology has allowed
me to share my own childhood with my children. I grew up in the age of the Atari. The Atari 2600 disappeared decades ago but was resurrected as a stand-alone plugand-play console preloaded with several dozen games. Most of them are awful, and John and Samantha don’t mind telling me so. But "Pitfall" has withstood the test of time. We bond in the present over a piece of my past. As a child, my year was built around specific television events: Charlie Brown marked every Halloween and Thanksgiving, as the Grinch marked Christmas. There were dozens of others, from Mad Monster Party to Little Drummer Boy. But these seasonal offerings were only the regularlyscheduled part of the program. My year was also built around annual showings of The Wizard of Oz, The Ten Commandments, The Hobbit. These programs continue to be a part of my life, although I’m able to share them with my children mostly because of Netflix. Technology helps with the magic, too. My twins learned of Santa Claus from childhood’s films. They never had to ask how Santa could get down a chimney. Tim Allen showed them. As they’re getting older, the dreams of early childhood are ending. Recently we watched Rise of the Guardians, a cartoon featuring everyone from a mime-like Sandman to an Aussie Easter Bunny. They loved the movie. So did I. The next day, they sat beside me at church for the funeral of my great uncle. During the service, my son leaned in and told me, out of the blue, “Dad, I don’t think I really believe in Santa or the Tooth Fairy or any of that anymore.” I suspect his belief has only lasted this long because of film, but the situation was an odd one, and I whispered back to him the only thing that came to mind: “Son, all that really matters is that we believe in love. That’s the real magic.”mp Shane Borrowman, a native of Anaconda, Montana, serves as chair of the English Department at The University of Montana Western. He teaches nonfiction writing and has published in such magazines as Renaissance, Nostalgia and Twins. He has edited or co-edited six collections of original scholarship and four writing textbooks. Although he is a longtime fan of the New England Patriots, both of his twins inexplicably root for the Seahawks.
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SUMMER HORSE CAMP
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Things are different today than when we were kids. Videos games were considered a useless waste of time, “You’re rotting your brain,” my aunt would say. So why is it that kids (and adults) can get sucked into a game for hours just to get to the next level, or next prize?
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Because these games push you just past your abilities. They aren’t so far out of your reach that you give up, and they aren't so easy that you get bored. They also start you out at zero and work you up to a better score. In school, you might start out with an A and think that's great. But what it really means is that you have nowhere to go but down. Not all games are mindless. These days there are some great games on the Internet and available for the iPad and smartphones, where kids use facts to get to the next level. For example, I was checking out Operation Math to find some good math games. It is set up like Mission Impossible: You unlock something new at every level. I got sucked in myself. I wanted to see what the next watch looked like. I ended up reinforcing some of my own math facts; making me think my parents would have loved for me to be interested in this, years ago.
Math Bingo:
(FREE/Ages 5+) Work on math facts, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Choose harder levels based on abilities.
Endless ABC:
(FREE/ Ages 4+) This vocabulary app has easy words, funny words and some challenging words. My four-year-old started using the word Gargantuan after playing with this app. Also, our 3rd grade class was sucked into learning vocabulary words for a solid uninterrupted 20 minutes.
Teach Me Toddler-3rd:
($1.99/Ages 4-9) This app is great. It keeps track of what kids are learning and their progress. In the Toddler/ Kindergarten levels they win stickers when they get past a set of challenges. In the 1st-3rd grade levels they earn coins.
MoneyMath:
($1.99/Ages 3-6) Math games for sorting, colors and counting. Kids earn fish and accessories for their aquarium.
Monkey Word:
($1.99/Ages 3-7) Fundamentals of reading and writing in a fun app where you earn items for your terrarium.
UmiNumbers:
As the Technology Instructor at Anderson School, I am around kids and computers often. Here are a few of my (and the students') favorite educational apps.
($2.99/Ages 4+) My son absolutely loves this game. I don’t think he knows it’s educational. Counting, addition, subtraction, number line, larger/smaller numbers.
Operation Math: (Cost: $2.99/
(FREE/Ages 4+) Choose a path through the diagram. This strategy game requires math skills to get the best path.
Ages 5+) Mission Impossible-type game where you unlock levels by using your addition, subtraction, multiplication and division skills.
Pick-a-Path:
photo Jacqueline Photography, Butte, MT
Kahn Academy:
(FREE/K-College) A library of more than 4,000 videos and a site on everything from arithmetic to physics, finance, and history and hundreds of skills to practice.
Sock Puppets:
(FREE/Ages 4+) This is a fun app that allows kids to create sock puppet plays. This doesn’t directly relate to reading, writing and arithmetic. This app taps into their creativity. One of the phrases I have been hearing lately is that Adults Consume, Kids Create. Creativity has value too.
Animoto:
(Free for 30 second videos/Ages 4+) Create fun slide shows with your pictures. This app allows you to take your pictures and enter them into fun videos. Fun for kids and adults.
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Animator Free:
(FREE/Ages 4+) Create a flipbook and stop-motion animation. Draw a picture and then animate it like the old fashioned flipbooks. Don’t expect kids to stay engaged with a single app for too long. Some of the apps don’t have as much depth as the video games we used to play, but finding new games with the same concepts will help keep them interested. Now I’m not saying you should plug your kids into these games all the time (My kids still get outside to play too). What I am saying is that I am personally going to let go of some of the guilt I have when my kids are getting “screen time.” If they can learn in a fun environment where they are challenged and engaged, then great. mp Gretchen Bauder is the Technology Instructor at Anderson School in Bozeman. She has two children who both love to play outside and are avid tech kids during downtime.
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Educational and Developmental
Apps
By Alyssa Miller, Speech-Language Pathologist
The market for education technology has developed at lightning speed since the introduction of computers and now tablets like the iPad. Traditional flashcards, pictures, stories and other visual aids, while still being effective themselves, have all evolved into highly interactive visual aids and exercises. This doesn’t mean that we should abandon traditional teaching and therapy techniques and just let children zone out into the world of technology. However, the iPad and other devices now offer applications that can serve as fun, motivational, skill-building activities. From speech and occupational therapy sessions, to school and finding fun ways to engage your child’s development in the home, tablets can be a wonderful supplement to childhood education. For children of preschool age, there are applications that help teach concepts such as color, shape, orientation and spatial concepts, and general language skills. The Speech with Milo apps are great for teaching different parts of language such as prepositions, verbs and adjectives. They target vocabulary recognition and expansion. With these colorful shapes and letters activities that
respond to touch, children can see the results of their actions in a quick and stimulating way. Kindergarten.com has created multiple apps like What Rhymes?, where children match rhyming words, or Which Does Not Belong?, where they choose which shape or object does not belong in a certain group. Some of the fine motor apps available are Dextera and Alphabet Tracing, which encourage fine-motor and drawing skills and pre-writing as well as tracing letters and shapes. In addition, there are games for kids preschool aged and older that are great emotional behavior and social-skill builders. Some of the apps, like Social Skill Builders or Model Me Kids - Going Places, will play out narrative scenarios such as “Going to the Playground,” or “Going to the Restaurant,” where the child watches videos and makes choices about how to act in those given situations. They are then encouraged or congratulated for making the right choices. My Playhome is another app that you can use as a reward or motivator and for following directions and interaction.
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Children of all ages love it because it is an interactive, virtual playhouse. You can give children directions, such as “give the baby a drink” or “feed the fish,” and children absolutely love exploring the different things the family can do within the “house.” Along with other instruction methods,
W h at M at t e r s M o s t...
these apps and Support . many others can serve
as good motivational rewards for completing other tasks or exercises, because ultimately they are fun and interactive. Most of them play or feel like games and will be a welcome activity after more difficult work. Plus, some of the activities that these apps provide can be difficult or cumbersome to replicate with other materials. Children are individuals, and may learn in different ways. But, if you’re looking for a fun way to engage a child’s interest, then the iPad and other tablets offer nearly endless possibilities. mp
Every parent wants their child to reach their full potential. We know that some families need extra help and support. The pediatric therapy providers at Livingston HealthCare help children reach th ei r fu l l p otenti al th rou gh skilled, high-quality physical, occupational, and speech therapy that involves the child and family. Call 406-222-7231 for more information or to schedule a free screening for your child.
406-222-3541 Find out more about the support our providers can give your child www.livingstonhealthcare.org. www.facebook.com/livingstonhealth
Alyssa Miller is a SpeechLanguage Pathologist at Livingston HealthCare.
A Version of Normal
Assistive Technology for Special-Needs Children
KTEKCIIHDDNSOSLOandG&YY TE
Written by Jennifer Gossett
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (known as IDEA) was originally passed in 1975, and it made sweeping changes to the way special-needs children are educated in public schools. Essentially, the law is designed to guarantee the right of all children to a “free appropriate public education,” regardless of any disabilities or differences. Since then, the law has been revised several times and, as conditions like autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, ADHD and learning disabilities are increasing in number, the law has to constantly adapt to conform to the needs of today’s schools and today’s children. One of the ways in which IDEA has evolved is in regard to assistive technology (sometimes called augmentative technology, or AT). The 2004 revision of the law requires schools to consider the use of assistive technology to “maximize accessibility” for children with disabilities. Simply put, if a child with an identified disability cannot access the school curriculum on a level playing field with his peers, AT may be used to compensate for the weaknesses caused by the disability. If your child has an IEP (Individualized Education Plan), part of that plan should involve a team decision about whether an AT evaluation is needed. An AT evaluation would determine which, if any, assistive devices are recommended for your child, and how those devices can use her strengths and skills to work around the demonstrated
weaknesses. If AT devices are called for, the school district is responsible for providing them, and also required to provide training for the teachers, child and family. What kind of assistive devices could be recommended for your child? These can vary widely, depending on the child and the severity of the impairment that is affecting his ability to do his best work in school. In the case of my son, age nine, he has struggled for years with fine motor skills and has worked on this with an occupational therapist for quite a while. As he has gotten older, the fine motor issues have become more of a problem in schoolwork because it impairs his handwriting. Now in 3rd grade, he has to write journal entries, short stories, etc. He works incredibly hard—writing at a slow, labored pace—and ends up with almost unreadable work. As a result, we are looking into having him type his work rather than write by hand. The therapist is working with him on typing skills, and my plan is to have him using a device called AlphaSmart soon, which will work like a laptop keyboard. (Find out more at www. neo-direct.com). If the issues are with speech or language and communication, there are many options available. Children who are non-verbal often use devices that are commonly known as switches. Switches come in a variety of forms and sizes, but
the basic concept is that a person presses a button to activate either a pre-recorded sound or turns on something else (lights, radio, a toy etc.) that is connected to the switch. These devices provide those children with a sense of independence, control over their environment and a simple, low-tech way to communicate wants and needs. Tablet devices, such as the iPad, have also become very popular for use in AT. Apps have been created to target language development, math computations, handwriting (tracing the letters with a finger), organizational skills and countless other concepts. Special education teachers as well as therapists (speech, occupational, music, etc.) are constantly finding new applications for these devices to help children improve skills in a variety of areas. To learn more about AT, as well as other components of the IDEA, the best resource is www.wrightslaw.com, a comprehensive resource for parents about the rights of special-needs children in public schools. Sign up for their Special Ed Advocate newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest news and developments. mp Jennifer Gossett is a music therapist for children with disabilities and has 15 years experience as a music educator in public and private schools. She is also a wife and the mother of two special boys.
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So there I am, exhausted after a hard day’s work, trying my best to get a decent meal scraped together for my family. I have an infant on my hip and a toddler at my heels, pulling all the Tupperware out of the cupboard and throwing it around the room. And then I think, “Wait, isn’t it time for Dora The Explorer?” I plonk my wild child down in front of the tube and put the baby in a bouncy seat next to him, all in the name of teaching the importance of world geography. All is suddenly (and blissfully) quiet and I can gather my thoughts and look for something green in the fridge… Does this use of screen time in the name of a little sanity (and a nutritious meal) make me a “bad” mom? In our busy world of technology overload, our children are constantly exposed to not only television, but video games, smart phones, iPads, and the next new electronic “must have.” I’m sure, as parents, we all know the pacifying effect these things can have on our children. But what about the impact this digital age will have on our children in decades to come? And what role should we parents play in order to effectively manage our children’s exposure to technology? What’s clear is that we need to moderate our children’s screen time. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no television for infants under age two and
up to two hours per day for children over age two. There are many reasons for this, but it really all comes down to ensuring that our growing children have the most enriching environment possible in the early years when incredibly intense brain development is going on. Kids need a lot of relationship time with real people (having Dora as a buddy just won’t cut it) and a lot of opportunity to explore their worlds. The more their lives are limited to what is happening on a flat screen in front of them, the fewer opportunities they are getting to learn and practice social, cognitive, physical and emotional skills. And if a child doesn’t have enough opportunities to practice those skills while the brain is forming, then those connections may not end up very strong, which can adversely impact them over the course of their lifetime. It really comes down to moderation and balance. We need to monitor the amount (and content) of screen time so that it’s just one (small) part of a healthy lifestyle. When incorporated with time spent outside being physically active, social interaction with peers, time spent reading, playing, singing, dancing, and in conversation with parents, and most importantly, a loving home environment, a little screen time will not ruin your child forever. But, if there is an opportunity to provide your child with an active
photo zo-mak Photography
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experience, either alone or with real people, instead of screen time – it is always in your child’s best interest to defer to the former.
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We need to provide plenty of healthy alternatives like puzzles, games, crafts, other children, playgrounds, as well as spending quality time interacting with us as much as possible. We should turn the TV off during meals (a consistent sitdown interactional family meal is one of the most powerful protective factors a child can have); we should keep TV’s and internet out of bedrooms (they should be a place to REST our bodies and minds); and we should be good role models and set a good example by limiting our own screen time. But, in a generally stimulating and loving environment, parents need not be overcome with guilt when they feel the need for a break and resort to theTV or iPad once in a while. Let’s face it - raising children is an exhausting task. As we always remind parents at Florence Crittenton, none of us will ever be a perfect parent. But what we can do is to be the best we can be. Enjoy yourself; enjoy your children. And when the dinner’s on the table we can all sing along with Dora, “We did it!” mp Elizabeth Flynn is with the Florence Crittenton Home, offering residential and community outreach services to families of all ages.
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July 1-3
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July 15-19
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I Just Need
Summer ArtCamps
15 Minutes! Written by Ann Swann
Big Kid Camps: Age 9 -13 Monday - Friday, 9am - 3pm
Little Kid Camps: Age 4 -8 Monday - Friday, 9am - 11:30
Week #1 June 17 -21 Week #2 June 24 -28 Week #3 July 8 - 12 Week #4 July 22 - 26 Week #5 August 5 - 9 *(Week #5 is Big Kids Only)
Most parents understand that TVs, smartphones and computers are generally not good for babies or young children. So what can you do if you want what’s best for your child when it comes to screen time, but you also need your fifteen minutes of sanity? »» Make a fort. Build it out of couch cushions and sheets. Throw in some books and toys and the kids should be all set. »» Put washable paint in a re-sealable plastic bag, zip it closed, and seal it with clear packing tape. Your small child will love squishing the paint around in the bag. »» Glue or staple a Popsicle stick and paper plate together to make a “paddle” for each child. Then blow up a balloon. Have your children play tennis. »» Download books and stories to your iPod and let your child listen.
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»» Break out the cardboard boxes. Younger children will love to crawl through them and older children can use markers to decorate them. »» Yogurt finger painting is great for babies and toddlers. Put your child in their high chair and put a couple different colors of yogurt on the tray. They will love to spread it around.
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»» Give your child a dust cloth and let them help you with the cleaning. »» Pick up some silly putty the next time you are at the store and break it out when you need a few minutes. Show your kids how to make imprints of the newspaper on it. »» Toddlers and preschoolers love to scoop and pour. Give your child two bowls with some oatmeal or rice and some spoons or measuring cups. »» Turn on the music and let the kids dance or have your older child be the DJ for you while you cook.
Free preschool program for income eligible children aged 3, 4 and 5 in Bozeman, Belgrade, Gallatin Gateway and Livingston. For more information or to receive an application, please call 586-9652.
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»» Use empty plastic bottles and cotton balls and have your child work on stuffing the cotton balls into the bottle. »» Put a towel (or two) on the floor and give your child a small container with water and some small plastic toys. Let them explore. »» Maybe you will keep them so busy that they will forget all about the TV in the other room. mp Ann Swann is a parent educator with the Parent Place - a signature program of Thrive. For help with any of your parenting questions call Thrive at 406-587-3840 or log ontowww.allthrive.org.
photo kelly kuntz Photography
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Hawk Tawk
Maturing with Media
Written by Lane O’Donnell
My sister’s early-onset maturity first reared its clever head three years ago at a friend’s 50th birthday party, where one of the toasts included a joke about the necessity of Viagra with age. My mom immediately leaned over and whispered that she would explain what the joke meant later in private. The fact that my mom assumed that I didn’t know about Viagra was weird enough, but – even worse – was the fact that my nine-year-old sister had laughed along with the joke and knew word-for-word the purpose and effect of Viagra. Given the amount of commercials for products similar to Viagra, it’s really not that surprising that my sister could recite the side effects of a male organ enhancement drug in third grade. But it was still astonishing. With explicit information readily available to young kids, the real question we
should be asking is: Does early and frequent unfettered access to technology actually affect behavior? From my perspective as a high school student, it seems that kids are dating, having sex and joining Facebook younger and younger, and the media continues growing and growing. It’s impossible to shelter this tech-centric generation of kids from the media. Instead, parents need to put an emphasis on media literacy and analyze how their kids view and process what they see on their screens. My little sister may know more than I did at her age and she may be exposed to concepts that are age-inappropriate because of the pervasiveness of technology, but the best way to deal with this exposure is through communication. Media today is what it is – and the reality is that kids can’t be sheltered from what they may see or hear. Parents can play their part by setting appropriate age limits for different social media outlets and have meaningful conversations with their kids about what they see. Media and technology don’t have to destroy a child’s innocence. In my sister’s case, media literacy has allowed her to see life with a clear head and mature heart. mp Lane O’Donnell is a senior at Bozeman High School and member of the Hawk Tawk staff. She hopes to pursue a major in communications during college.
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The harsh reality of being an older sister is that I’m constantly surprised at how much my little sister knows at her age compared to what I knew at age twelve. Her infinite knowledge of popular culture, dirty humor and even definitions of words I didn’t learn until sophomore year both impress and terrify me. While I comfort myself in the assumption that her precociousness is a result of her being the youngest sibling, I can’t help but blame our generation’s exposure to media and technology as the real force behind her beyond-her-years wisdom.
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5k for Father’s Day June 16th - Belgrade Registration now open. Run, walk, skip or hop to the finish! Family, dog and stroller friendly.
For more information or to register call 587.3840 or allthrive.org
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Counselor’s Corner
Social Impacts of Technology written by Jodi Murray
Parent: My son has been spending an increasing amount of time with his iPod and less time interacting with friends. Should I be concerned about technology having a socially negative impact on him? Counselor: Before we can accurately assess whether or not there is reason for concern, we must consider the quality of his overall social interactions. If your son is a child who, in general, is socially comfortable and typically interacts well with others, technology will most likely not have a negative impact on his ability to socialize. In fact, it could be positive if he's using technology to become more connected to others. You might monitor the amount of time he is spending "plugged in," because minutes on computers turn into hours. It may be necessary to intervene if he becomes more secluded and less willing to interact with others. If your child becomes obsessed with things for short periods of time, this may pass. But technology has a way of sucking kids into its vortex. It is super compelling. However, if your son is not particularly social he may be turning to technology for meaningful interactions, which in turn will decrease his opportunities to improve important social skills. We are seeing a drastic increase in the use of technology by kids (and, to be fair, adults). Young children are given devices to soothe and entertain, which can displace connections with parents, communities and the natural world. Kids are avoiding uncomfortable situations and interactions by turning to 50
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photo zo-mak Photography
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screens. Research shows that brains are evolving to crave the constant stimulation and variety provided by different forms of technology. Over the years, technology has made instant communication possible. This has made texting, emailing and cell phone conversations a powerful force for connecting people around the world. Unfortunately, people are also using it to connect with neighbors, classmates or even parents in a different room of the house. This focus on convenience and instant gratification is leading to a decline in overall social skills. Asking ourselves ‘how’ and ‘why’ we are using technology may be helpful, because technology is impersonal and has the potential to create psychological as well as social problems. Areas of difficulty or decline: »» Ideas expressed through text or email can lose meaning or be taken the wrong way »» Lack of clarity in interpreting emotions »» An inability to make eye contact makes meaningful connection less likely »» Phone skills (not texting, but actual speaking) are deteriorating »» The art of conversation through impromptu questioning, reading non-verbal cues and active listening is being lost. Instead, these moments are experienced as awkward and are avoided
»» Spatial awareness is declining: This is an understanding of where one is in relation to others in a social setting. An individual on his phone may stop in the middle of the aisle at the grocery store, completely oblivious that others are trying to move around him. »» Inability to think on one’s feet, have a spontaneous reciprocal conversation. This is crucial in a job interview. »» Decrease in creativity, imagination and self- initiation. These are important for sustainability, self-gratification and overall happiness as an adult. »» Very concerning to me is the lack of problem solving and conflict resolution skills. Isolation through technology is shown to have detrimental effects on the ability to self-regulate and manage one’s emotions.
There is a time, place and reason for the use of technology - which is here to stay. There is also tremendous value in a faceto-face conversation around the dinner table. Technology is like many other things in life, one can definitely have "too much of a good thing." A study by Barbara Fredrickson found that “the more attuned to others you become, the healthier you become, and vice versa. If you don’t regularly exercise your ability to connect face to face, you’ll eventually find yourself lacking some of the basic biological capacity to do so.” We have a profound need to connect with others on a personal level, to touch and be touched. Meaningful connections with others feed the soul.
The Y-fun for all ages B.O.L.D/G.O.L.D Teen Leadership Program Summer Sweat Program Bike Camp Flag Football & Swim Camp Basketball Camp Girls Outdoor Exploration Camp 406.994.9622 iWork Out Program www.gallatinvalleyymca.org Women on Weights Each camp is open to a variety of ages. Please check our website for details.
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With regard to your son, if you feel he is spending too much time interacting electronically, or his Facebook friends are the only friends he has, reach out to him. Invite him to join you and others in an experience of meaningful social interactions (that means you have to put your phone away as well). It is a fact that a screen (even a high-definition one) cannot replace a smile, a laugh and a hug. mp Jodi Murray, LCPC, lives in Bozeman with her husband and three kids. She works with individuals, families and couples through her practice, About Families Counseling & Consulting. She can be reached by calling, 406-579-8307. Call for information on Jodi's 'Camp Connect', which focuses on increasing kids' connections with themselves, others and nature.
Our goal is to have you lead a healthy life free of allergy or asthma symptoms. www.allergymontana.com p. (406) 582-1111
Michael C. DiCello, MD
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The Teenager
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KTEKCIIHDDNSOSLOandG&YY TE Facebook Is Awesome,
But Real Life Is Way Better Written by Stacey Tompkins, MA
I love Facebook. And I admit that sometimes I’m weak, and I do that obnoxious competition thing. If you have a Facebook account, you know what I’m talking about. Facebookers are constantly invited to compare, contrast, judge and become smug over superficial things. For example, one might say upon viewing another’s FB photo album, “She totally used Photoshop! Those are not her real (whatevers)! OMG, she’s completely— insert a flippant comment of choice here—." Okay, maybe you don’t do that, but I bet you know what I’m talking about. Facebook is an online social media website (as if you didn’t know) that boasts 483 million daily users. That is a mega-ton of comparisons and judgments happening at any given moment. What does this do to a person’s self-worth? You would be correct if you guessed that a percentage of what happens is not good, and has the potential to trigger righteousness or feelings of inadequacy. According to an online survey conducted by The Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt in Baltimore, the constant comparison happening on Facebook can take a serious toll on self-esteem. In February of this year, researchers polled 600 male and female Facebook users aged 16 to 40. The survey found that approximately 51 percent of respondents claimed that looking at Facebook photos of themselves and others made them feel insecure about their own bodies. In addition, nearly half secretly coveted a friend’s figure or wished they could attain a different look. Does this sound familiar? And guess how many of those surveyed said that they were satisfied with their body and weight? Only 25 percent. Yikes.
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Comparison is self-torture; it leads us away from our unique essence and creates a loop tape whispering emphatically, “You are not good enough, you are not beautiful enough, skinny enough, smart enough, or anything enough...” The inevitable downward spiral of self-esteem is the last experience anyone needs, but it’s often what occurs in heavy doses while envying FB photos or posts. What if instead of comparing, or being overcome with a competitive spirit when we saw attractiveness, we relaxed and said, “Wow, she is an amazing and beautiful person, I am going to set up a coffee date with her.” Okay, perhaps that’s a little dreamy, given human nature. But I wonder, could we find a middle ground that feels positive, with a sprinkling of kindness in it? Might we respond from a place of generosity that allows others their happiness, and permits us to be content witnessing their happiness, and even opens up the potential for experiencing meaningful shared happiness? Such as connection and friendship. It could be said that welcoming another’s joy is the definition of friendship, and it’s something that takes an investment of time and concerted effort to achieve. But I don’t think so. Appreciating another’s success and beauty is a choice. One young woman, upon witnessing another young woman looking (or being) particularly awesome could say, “You go girl,” “You are the bomb!” and simply be positive.
This welcomes the chance to invite inspiration and inclusion, rather than dragging down or being threatened. Yes, it takes generosity of spirit, and such generosity can be a conscious choice. That’s right. You can simply choose to stay positive. Besides, just because you are looking spiffy does not automatically mean you are stealing my thunder, or diminishing my beauty. In fact, the more we acknowledge and celebrate each other, the more inspiration there is to go around. I’m suggesting that we don’t have to go down the rat hole, to that place that makes everyone feel dark and inadequate and lonely. And if we did feel that pang of envy or sense of injustice at the unfairness of a random gene pool, we could notice it and not react. It will pass. Meanwhile, it could be helpful to remember the gifts of your own DNA. And get busy refining that inspirational paper you wrote or study for the test that you are planning to rock, not to mention seeing that intriguing new friend at lunch. And weren’t you going to make a call about traveling abroad? Because, you already know there is so much more to life than what gets posted on Facebook. There’s that little business called actual real life, which can be pretty dang awesome. mp Stacey Tompkins lives in downtown Bozeman with her elderly mutt, two teenage daughters and one energetic husband. She is an irrepressible writer, and loves working with individuals and couples as a life coach through her business, Sungate Integral Coaching (406-570-1304 or tompkins.stacey@gmail. com).
Pondering the Balance
KTKE IIDDSSand& TECCHNO
HNOLLOOGGYY
with our Digital Natives
Tires:
Written by Josh Overcash
Media and parents are abuzz with conversation these days regarding screen time and our children. Our children have been labeled “digital natives” (and we are the “digital immigrants”) because of their incredible ability to navigate our electronic devices, picking them up just as quickly as they do our language. There are over 40,000 apps marketed for children on iTunes. You can even buy a potty seat for your toddler with a built-in stand to hold the iPad for your child’s entertainment while learning to use the toilet. Some of the more direct concerns out there about online lifestyles are body posture, privacy, online identity, protection of intellectual property and exposure to harmful EMFs. Then there are indirect concerns such as changing the nature of friendships from Facebook and Twitter, social isolation, information overload and discerning fact from fiction when Google is the new mode of research. Are we setting our children up for a lifetime of digital obsession? Insight into to these questions and more can be found, of course, on the Internet, and in books and research on children in the Information Age. Because of the brain’s plasticity, it is important to remember that the experiences we have are literally pruning, shaping and molding the neurological connections in our brains. There is a possibility that we are connecting more with our screens than in our human interactions. Are our digital habits reducing our biological capacity to relate to others in real time, face to face? It’s a two-way-street here, parents ignoring their children in favor of their own iPhones and children lost in technology to the point of becoming unresponsive to human interaction and direction. As time unfolds, we will be able to see more clearly what is happening here. Where do we draw boundaries? Do we need to draw boundaries? The
American Psycologoical Association recommends less than two hours a day to avoid the effects of too much screen time, which include obesity, irregular sleep, behavioral problems, impaired academic performance, violence, decreased creativity, higher likelihood of developing asthma and higher blood pressure. However, a common approach in the Radical Un-schooling community is to let children have unlimited access to screen time and let them naturally find their own balance. The idea is that once it is freely available, there is less desire to have it all the time. In contrast, parents following a Waldorf approach to schooling will eliminate all screen time (and radio as well), especially in the early grades, to encourage creativity and imagination. And then there are those of us in the middle who may find ourselves imposing various limitations on screen time- only on the weekends, only after the homework is finished and the chores are done, x number of minutes or hours per day, educational programming and Skype calls with Grandma only, etc. Other parents measure their children’s “Green Time vs. Screen Time,” and encourage a higher ratio of outdoor pursuits to screen time. Research on brain development coupled with your personal belief system and your child’s demeanor and behaviors will factor into the decisions you make about screen time in your home. Personalize your experience with your children and their screen time. How do they respond during and after enjoying some screen time? Do different types of video games and television affect them differently? Do the guides on age appropriateness for various media experiences fit your child? You are the expert on your own child and your family values. mp
spring
Josh Overcash LMT, CBP, CFT is a BodyTalk Practitioner and Craniosacral Fascial Therapist at Spring Integrative Health. He works at the physical, mental and emotional levels of the body to get lasting results, creating health empowerment. He lives an active lifespring with his wife and two sons in TEGRATIVE Bozeman,I N MT.
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The Physical Side Effects of
Device Dependence Written by Amy Stoddart
As the technological advances in our world lead to new avenues for research, study and communication, we as a culture are becoming increasingly dependent upon these technologies to keep up with our fast paced lives. Our children have embraced the many uses for technology and seem hardwired to use it. My 11-yearold son can fix my cell phone without pause and regularly sends i-messages to friends about homework assignments and social plans. We’ve come a long way since my pink rotary phone. This easy access to information has made answering his homework questions manageable (yes, I confess to googling the answer to 5th grade homework questions), however, there are many physical down sides to our growing dependence on technology. In 2011, at least 23 percent of auto collisions involved cell phones. That equates to approximately 1.3 million crashes. This is an obvious safety concern. One would be naive to think these statistics only reflect teenage drivers. Beyond road safety, increased dependence on technology creates some other long-term negative physical side effects. According to a Wellesley University study, children who spend time behind a keyboard can cause delays and strain in their developing musculoskeletal system. The more hours in front of the computer, the less time children spend outside playing. This stunts the natural strengthening of the musculoskeletal system and is coupled with a propensity for obesity. Increased time hunched over a keyboard, phone or tablet over-stretches the scapula stabilizers in the upper back leaving us with poor posture, neck pain and stiffness. “Computer-related discomfort 54
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in childhood and adolescence is of particular concern as the musculoskeletal system and posture are still developing,” said Karen Jacobs, a Boston University occupational therapist. Repeated or excessive movements of the hands and wrists can cause carpal tunnel syndrome. The repetition involved in typing, the repeated use and positioning of the mouse and the rapid texting with thumbs can lead to this painful syndrome. Many MDs are now diagnosing teens with carpal tunnel syndrome, a condition more commonly found in older adults or waitresses. Furthermore, “Blackberry thumb” has been recognized by the American Physical Therapy Association as a real-life medical condition, which is categorized by pain and inflammation in the thumb joints as a result of frequent texting. Anyone who works long hours at a computer has probably noticed their eyes become scratchy and fatigued. Some sources believe we actually forget to blink while at the computer, which can result in dry eyes. This condition can be extremely uncomfortable—but, worse still, is the prevalence of myopia (or nearsightedness) that is now being associated with prolonged use of electronics. When we constantly focus on close up objects, our inner eye muscles lose their flexibility to focus on distant objects. According to The New York Times, our dependency on electronics can lead to anxiety and sleep deprivation. I have experienced wakefulness at 3 a.m. as my cell phone pings to let me know it is updating software. Likewise, as my phone vibrates during sessions with clients, my mind wonders if the kids or my aging parents are calling with worrisome news. Sherry Turkle, psychologist at MIT states: “If something next to you is vibrating
every couple of minutes, it makes it very difficult to be in that state of peace and quiet.” Frequent “texters” are also beginning to show decreased attention span in school and, therefore, lower academic achievement. Although texting is banned in most schools, it’s difficult for teachers to monitor in overcrowded classrooms and with devices small enough to fit in a pocket or backpack. “It’s a huge issue, and it’s rampant,” said Deborah Yager, a high school chemistry teacher in California. These constant distractions take student’s attention away from critical information and assignments. If the texting continues into the evening, these students may face sleep deprivation, compounding the odds against their successful completion of work and participation in the classroom. So, what’s the best answer here? We rely on electronics, and they are admittedly useful as a tool for streamlining our lives and effectively multitasking. I believe it’s as simple as monitoring and limiting. Set up rules and stick to them. Maybe your kids earn texting rights by completing physical tasks. How about, ten minutes of stretching equals ten minutes of texting? Maybe a one-hour walk equals one hour of television or video games. Don’t hesitate to confiscate cell phones until your kids show evidence that they have completed their schoolwork. And remember to take time each day together without any electronics. Go for a walk as a family. Sit on the sofa and talk about the day. Ask pointed questions. Involvement is key and modeling the outcome you hope to see in your kids is imperative. mp Amy Stoddart is owner of Bridger Pilates in downtown Bozeman. Information on group and private instruction in Pilates can be found online at www.bridgerpilates.com. Amy is a STOTT Pilates Certified Instructor, holds an MFA in Dance, and is the Co-Artistic Director of the Montana Ballet Company.
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Safeguarding Our Children
GIVING YOUNG MINDS ROOTS OF FAITH & SPACE TO GROW.
By Marie Mitchell, PNP, FNP of Four Corners Health Care, Inc.
Social networking provides unlimited opportunities for accessing information and contacting others. By monitoring the websites our children have access to, we can limit the chances of contact by child predators.
Who sexually abuses children?
Pedophiles may be men or women, straight or gay, sexually attracted to girls or boys, as well as adults. Some pedophiles may be married and even have children of their own. Usually the child (and often his parents) knows and trusts the pedophile and is not suspicious of his motives.
What are some signs to look for in a sexual predator? Most sexual
abuse of children is not through use of force. The adult pedophile is attracted to the child and spends a lot of time “grooming” him, singling him out and giving him special gifts, favors, or other forms of attention. Grooming is a form of seduction, meant to make the child feel comfortable with, trust, and want to be with, the pedophile. Pedophiles look for opportunities to have contact with children, such as Internet chat rooms or Facebook. They may be in leadership roles in childoriented groups or organizations. Some pedophiles look to date someone with a child. In all cases, they aim to develop a child’s - and sometimes their parents’ - trust to set the stage for later sexual contact. Pedophiles are usually not a scary stranger, but more often charming, friendly, and trusted. (http:/www.parenting-childdevelopment.com/child-predator. html)
Why your child might not tell you he is being sexually abused?
Children who have been sexually abused may be uncomfortable with the sexual contact, but afraid to mention the abuse or identify the abuser. They may feel responsible for their behaviors, ashamed or reluctant to report the abuse due to threats to harm them or their family. Others may not tell because they like feeling special and fear the loss of privileges and gifts. Sometimes abused children may withdraw from favorite activities, act seductively or have an increased interest in sex or body parts.
Some children will have nightmares or wet the bed. Children who have been abused may show an excessive interest in the offending adult. They are often unaware that the adult who is so nice to them is actually doing anything to hurt them and may not realize that the actions of the pedophile have been inappropriate, especially if they are not physically harmed, or they have an affection for the abuser (especially if he is a family member or close friend).
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Children who are the most vulnerable - those who are neglected, have low selfesteem or other needs - may be easier targets for pedophiles, but all children are potential targets. It is important that parents be on guard and alert to behaviors that are suspicious in order to safeguard our children. »» Be wary of any adult who shows a special interest in your child »» Watch for special gifts and activities
MANHATTAN CHRISTIAN SCHOOL ENROLLING NOW! FOR THE 2013-14 SCHOOL YEAR
8000 Churchill Road Manhattan, MT (406) 282-7261
www.manhattanchristian.org Social networking provides unlimited
»» Limit “alone” time with other adults and your child »» Watch for changes in behaviors »» Teach your child about “private parts” »» Teach your child not to answer personal questions »» Let your child know he can tell you anything about anyone and you will believe him »» Be aware of sexual offenders living near you: http://svcalt.mt.gov/svor/ search.asp
Urgent Care for the Whole Family
»» Consider giving your child a cell phone with GPS to locate him and so he can call you »» Monitor Internet and cell phone use
Children, by nature, are trusting. Pedophiles count on this. Safeguarding our children isn’t always easy, but as all parents know, neither is parenting. mp Marie Mitchell is nationally certified and licensed in Montana as both a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and Family Nurse Practitioner. She is the owner of Four Corners Health Care, Inc., where she sees patients of all ages. She is accepting new patients. 406-556-8300.
:: MAY ACTIVITY & EVENT CALENDARS + BLOG + MORE @ MTPARENT.COM ::
Walk-in Hours: M-F 8am - 8pm | Sa-Su 9am - 5pm 403 W. Main Street Belgrade,MT 406-388-8708
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a m a na M
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Hap
photo zo-mak Photography
photo zo-mak Photography
photo kelly kuntz Photography
photo Pam Omohundro Photography
photo kelly kuntz Photography
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photo E. Kelley Photography
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photo Pam Omohundro Photography
kelly kuntz Photography Jacqueline Photography, Butte, MT
photo zo-mak Photography
photo zo-mak Photography
jacqueline Photography, Butte
photo kelly kuntz Photography
photo zo-mak Photography
photo kelly kuntz Photography
sleeping giant Photography
photo kelly kuntz Photography
photo Pam Omohundro Photography
Thank You:
An Open Letter to My Mom on Mother’s Day Written by Lauren Caselli
Dear Mom, It’s almost Mother’s Day and, while I definitely think you deserve a massage or a silk scarf, I think you also deserve a little recognition for all the work you’ve done for the last 28 years of my life. Because even though I left home when I was 18, whether you realize it or not, you’re still parenting me in a way that makes me so, so grateful. photo Jacqueline Photography, Butte, MT
Thanks for wiping my butt when I couldn’t reach that far. Thinking about it, you came within a finger’s distance of touching my poop on a daily basis for three years, so thanks for teaching me to wash my hands. Thanks for holding me when I cried. In fact, thanks for still holding me when I cry. Remember that time that I went through all your really nice makeup and sprayed your expensive perfume everywhere? Thanks for laughing and not mentally calculating the hundreds of dollars that I had smeared all over my body. Sorry that I spilled so much stuff on you. Now I know why you wore black for the first eight years of my life. I just thought you were really stylish.
photo Pam Omohundro Photography
Thank you for checking your ego every time I told you that something I did was your fault. Also, you weren’t in fact ever ruining my life like I accused. Sorry about that.
photo zo-mak Photography
Sorry that I stained every expensive article of clothing you bought me, even if I only wore it for a few hours. Thank you for buying it for me anyway. Thanks for calling my friends’ parents when I told you I was going to their houses to sleep over. It certainly made me less cool, but it also showed me that you really cared. (Also, your suspicions were right. We did eventually sneak out and meet up with boys.) Thanks for Ginger Ale, making the bed up on the couch and staying home and watching Audrey Hepburn movies with me. And, even 28 years later, I still wish you were here to take care of me when I’m sick. Pam Omohundro Photography
Sorry that I didn’t brush my hair for a good three years of my life. Grunge was in. And for the record, you were right. I do look at pictures from 15 years ago and wonder what I was thinking. On that note, thanks for haircuts and pedicures, even that time when there wasn’t a lot of wiggle room at the bank. Sometimes a girl just needs to be with her mom. Sorry I rolled my eyes every time you engaged a neighbor, bank teller, barista or waiter in conversation. I didn’t realize as an angsty teenager that it was called being nice. Thanks for insisting that we had dinner as a family every night, even those nights when you made us tea, toast and pancakes because you were too tired to cook. Breakfast for dinner is now one of my favorite meals.
photo Pam Western Photography
photo zo-mak Photography
photo zo-mak Photography
Sorry I hung up on you so often. For the record, you were right about that one guy I dated in college. What was I thinking? Thanks for answering the phone at 10 p.m. when I’m at the grocery store and can’t remember if I need baking soda or baking powder. Thanks for encouraging me to follow my dream all the way to Montana. I know it’s hard, being half a country away, but I truly couldn’t have done it without you. Happy Mother’s Day. mp Lauren Caselli is a freelance writer, former nanny and current daughter. She’d like to apologize to her mother for her attitude during years 14 through 17 of her life.
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zo-mak Photography
e. kelley photography
Nicole Friend Photography
photo Pam Western Photography
MOMoirs
Written by Sara Groves
For Mother’s Day, give more than a gift... give her a moment. perfect for every mom, a moment just for her
Mother’s Day 2013
I have to admit that I have a real fondness for Facebook, the social networking website. It allows me to effortlessly (and freely) keep in contact with friends from around the world while streamlining communication with my friends here in Helena. But, of course, there’s a downside to nearly everything, and Facebook is no exception. Facebook often makes me feel like I’m failing at nearly everything. First, there are all my wildly successful friends — doctors with their own practices, lawyers who have made partner at international firms, researchers who have discovered amazing things, entrepreneurs with their own businesses. Then there’s me: I gave up my career when my oldest son was born and I’ve been plugging along at the same parttime government job ever since. I enjoy my job and my coworkers. Best of all, I feel like my little slice of public service contributes something valuable to society. But I’m not exactly finding the cure for cancer, if you know what I’m saying.
Facebook.com/HeydayBozeman Pinterest.com/HeydayBozeman
Mother’s Day 2013
Open Mon - Sat 10am - 6pm Sun 12pm - 5pm Downtown Bozeman (406) 586-5589
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In direct contrast to my wildly successful friends are my friends who work when they have to and spend most of their time and money traveling the world: Korea, Thailand, Turkey, river trips down the Nile, the Balkans, the Alps, Morocco. Then there’s me: My last vacation was a winter trip to a bunch of Idaho hot springs. I was elated because my then eight-year-old and my just-turned-sixyear-old hiked for miles through snow up to their chests to get to those hot springs. Sure, the best part of the trip for them was sledding down the giant hills by our cabin and having as much hot cocoa as they wanted. But people — they hiked for miles! They did it! I could almost feel the world opening back up to me — to all of us — as we trudged up and down hills through the snow.
But perhaps the people who make me feel absolutely the worst about myself are the mothers. Of course, it wouldn’t take much to make me feel like I am failing my children miserably on nearly every level, but when my mother friends post photos of the beautiful nurseries they have created, including wall-size murals; stunning cribs and changing tables decked out in colorful sheets, blankets and crib bumpers; and tasteful artwork on the walls, most of which they created themselves, I cringe. Both of my boys co-slept with me forever and ever because I didn’t buy them a bed. I meant to buy them a bed, but apparently the combined 18 months of pregnancy was never enough time to get the job done. Then all of a sudden they were here and I was comatose from being tired, and the only thing I ever thought about beds was how much I wanted to be in one — sleeping. The boys also never had a changing table because our centrally located washing machine did double-duty. Beyond the custom artwork my mother friends create for their children’s rooms, they also sew their kids’ clothing and undertake elaborate craft projects. The last thing I sewed was an apron for my dreaded home economics class that I was required to take in sixth grade (for which I received the worst grade I was ever given in my academic career). So we have a saying in our house: “If you lose a button off your shirt, it’s time to throw away the shirt.” As far as artistic and craft skills go, I can sum it up for you like this: I am one of those people who can make exactly five things out of Play-Doh — a snake, an eel, a hot dog, really fat strands of spaghetti and a rock. Michelangelo I am not. But my apparent failings extend beyond my home decorating skills and ability to
sleeping giant Photo.
zo-mak Photography
wield a glue gun. Because my Facebook friends are also always posting photos of these elaborate meals they prepare. “Le boeuf a la bourguignon!” a friend posted — on a Tuesday. One that I still can’t get over was a photo of a friend and her preschool-age children decorating miniature Christmas cookies — with toothpicks! Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t have time to braise beef on some Tuesday morning and throw a bunch of chopped up ingredients into a pot before I head out to work for the day. So what do we eat if we’re not noshing on le boeuf a la bourguignon? Grilled chicken breasts — they’re certainly not fancy, but they cook in mere minutes. And sure, I make Christmas cookies with my kids, but they certainly haven’t been carefully decorated with toothpicks — just ask our friends and neighbors who receive our creations that are slathered with frosting and have approximately an inch-thick layer of sprinkles. To top it off, my kids like to put “boobies” on all of the gingerbread ladies so we always have a stash of X-rated cookies for Santa. I don’t post many photos or status updates on Facebook, but maybe I should start. Anyone care to see my latest Play-Doh eel? Or how about a fancy grilled chicken breast? Come Christmas, I think you’ll agree that nothing says “Happy Holidays” like a gingerbread lady with boobies. I’m sure that I could serve as inspiration to other downtrodden moms — or at least be a good warning. mp Sara Groves lives in Helena where she is mom to Mike, age seven, and Peter, age five. She coordinates the early literacy program, Ready 2 Read, at the Montana State Library and also works as a freelance writer. A note to Sara Groves, from the editor: you are a humorous, down-to-earth, impressive writer and from what I know of you, I believe you to be an excellent, real-life mother (the gingerbread boobies sealed the deal for me). You should most definitely post your achievements if you feel the need to do so. I however, will unfortunately never see it. I loathe Facebook. Happy Mother’s Day Sara.
The Gallatin Valley’s Finest Sausage - Since 1976 Buffalo, elk & beef sausage & snack sticks • Buffalo & beef jerky Specialty deli featuring our smoked ham, pastrami & brats Homemade salads and deserts • Import beer & wine • Gift shop The Chalet Market • 6410 Jackrabbit Lane, Belgrade, MT 59714 406-388-4687 • chaletmarket.com • Open 7- days a week • Trailer Parking Located just south of the 1-90 interchange in Belgrade.
CMB
5th ANNUAL
Peet’s Hill Hustle Family Fun Run
saturday
june 8
9 am @Bozeman Public Library
5k Hustle plus:
1k Kid’s Challenge, 1/2k Toddler Sprint, and All Ages Obstacle Course!
Pre-Register: in person at Children’s Museum of Bozeman or online at racemontana.com $20 for 5k, $10 for kid’s races. All proceeds benefit CMB.
Children’s Museum of BOZEMAN
202 S. Willson | 406.522.9087 | cmbozeman.org
Register at CMB, 202 S. Willson, or online at racemontana.com more information? cmbozeman.org or call 522.9087 :: MAY ACTIVITY & EVENT CALENDARS + BLOG + MORE @ MTPARENT.COM ::
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Pampering Your Mom Written by Caleigh Searle
May is the month of new growth and new beginnings, the perfect month to honor the giver of life, our mothers. Whether they are our best friends or drive us crazy, they should be acknowledged as the women who gave us life or the women who chose to raise us. A mother, to me, isn't necessarily the person who gave birth to you, but the woman who raised you, changed your diapers and slapped your cheek when you finally got your first period. So, in honor of all the mamas, aunts and grandmas who raise children (the hardest job in the world) this is for you: total pampering. If you don't have a special woman to pamper, hand this article to your husband or partner (hint, hint). Mother’s Day is a day to be spoiled and taken care of. Breakfast in bed is great, especially if you don’t have to do the dishes. Let’s go a few steps further. How about a pedicure for your mom? Not an expensive, impersonal one, but one with two little hands doing the job. Here is how: 1) Soak The first step is to soak mom’s feet in warm water. This softens the feet and feels so good. Use a large pot or bowl that can hold both feet. Fill it up with very warm water and add a handful of Epsom salts and 25 drops of lavender or 15 drops of peppermint essential oil. Let the feet soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Towel dry with a soft bath towel and save the water for the next step. 2) Scrub Sugar or salt scrubs are awesome for sloughing away dead skin and calluses. They will also leave the skin baby smooth because of the oil in them.
Sugar Scrub: »» 1 cup oil (olive, sweet almond or your favorite oil) »» 1 cup sugar or salt, fine crystals are better »» 15-25 drops of your favorite essential oil (optional)
1) Mix together in a small bowl. Save any leftovers in an airtight container.
w w w. g i f t c o r r a l . c o m
Spring is Here! Stop in to pick up a "plant a tree kit"
3) If there are large calluses, you can use a foot file to work on those if you want.
We have a wide variety of wildflower
4) If mom’s feet are very dry, you can slather them with lotion and treat her to a foot massage now.
seeds, wildflower identification guide books and hiking books! Bring in your guests for their gift shopping & receive a coupon for 15% off YOUR next visit
Open until 8 P.M on Weekdays Sat 9-6 & Sun 10-5
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6) Shape nails with a nail file, use a clear base coat, two coats of polish and then a topcoat and you are done.
The above steps can be done as a manicure if that is your preference.
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5) If you will be skipping polish, then you are done; otherwise, take a little polish remover and wipe the toenails to get rid of any lotion or oil.
7) Give your mom a cup of tea or a glass of wine and order her to sit for an hour to thoroughly dry those toenails.
DOWNT OWN B OZ EMA N 237 E Main Street Bozeman, MT 59715 (406) 585-8625 1-800-242-5055
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2) Place mom’s feet over the soaking pot so the oil doesn’t stain anything. Scrub one foot with the sugar scrub for a few minutes (bonus: your hands will be so soft) and then place that foot back in the pot. Do the same with the other foot and then rinse that foot in the pot as well. You can put warm, fresh water in the pot beforehand if you are really ambitious. Towel dry again, making sure the scrub is well rinsed off.
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I am lucky to live in the same town as my mother, who is my best friend, my exercise partner and a wonderful grandmother. I have been giving her crazy pedicures (polka dots) for as long as I can remember and they are always so appreciated. Happy Mother’s Day. mp Caleigh Searle is a certified Clinical Herbalist with 18 years experience. She is a Montana native and mom of two active boys. Questions can be answered at
[email protected].
photo lucaPhotography
Super Natural
photos amy shertzer Photography
Are we there, yet?
Mother's Day Mini Road Trip written by Melynda Harrison
One of my favorite things to do with my kids is take mini-road trips. We love exploring Montana’s back roads, hot springs and funky towns. We like gawking at the animals in Zoo Montana, browsing the Montana Candy Emporium in Red Lodge, getting blown around in the hurricane simulator at Exploration Works! in Helena and hiking through the Gallatin Mountains. There are so many places to check out within a couple hours of where we live, it’s hard to choose where to go next. When it comes to my special day (Mother’s Day, of course), I have a few criteria I like to meet. I want to spend the day with my family, eat something yummy, be outside and not have to prepare or plan any of it. This year, I want them to take me to Pine Creek Lodge and Café for breakfast, and then take a walk in Yellowstone. The Pine Creek Café plays an important historical, culinary and musical role in Park County and the Paradise Valley. Well known actors and writers have long used it as a gathering place. Families dance outside on summer nights to their favorite bands. Couples celebrate anniversaries; and just about everyone, including me, loves the brunch. Walking into the café, the first thing one notices is the warm odor of wood smoke from the soapstone stove in the middle of the room. Windows look out upon conifers and a little creek that flows
through the property. Log cabin walls are adorned with local art, memorabilia and a “Pine Creek Store” sign. I always order the huevos rancheros, my husband goes for the filling breakfast burrito, and the kids overdo it on pancakes and French toast. After breakfast, when the grown-ups want to chill out and drink their tea and coffee, it’s easy to send the kids outside to run back and forth over the little bridge. Then we hop in the car and head south. By mid-May, the low elevation trails around Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park are usually free of snow. Bison and elk calves cute-up the park, and bears are easily spotted from the vehicle. On a nice day, it’s one of the best times of year to visit Yellowstone. I like a trail that minimizes the whine factor—not too long, not too steep, and with points of interest along the way. The Lava Creek Trail fits the bill. This 3.5-mile trail can be hiked one way if you arrange a car shuttle ahead of time and it’s mostly downhill. Or hike out as far as you like and turn around. The trail follows Lava Creek downstream to 60-foot Undine Falls at 0.3 miles. The waterfall gets its name from mythological creatures that were extraordinarily wise, usually female and thought to live around waterfalls. An undine could acquire a mortal man, marry him, and have his children. It’s a perfect reference for Mother’s Day.
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From the falls, the trail drops consistently through mostly open terrain. There is no shade or water, but it’s spring and you brought your own beverages. Lava Creek meets the Gardner River further downstream. The trail crosses the river on a footbridge to a final steep climb out, ending near the Mammoth Campground. I don’t tell the kids about the short, steep section at the end; I let that be a little surprise.
Know Before You Go Pine Creek Lodge and Café »» Open Wednesday through Sunday from 5:30-9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday brunch from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. »» pinecreeklodgemontana.com
Lava Creek Trail »» Distance: 3.5 miles one-way »» Estimated time: 3–4 hours »» Trailhead: Across the road from the Lava Creek picnic area on Mammoth–Tower Road. »» nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/ upload/236DHMammoth08.pdf
mp
Melynda Harrison is the author of Ski Trails of Southwest Montana and she babbles on and on about her life and kids at www.travelingmel.com.
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Functional Art
There’s no better way to mom’s heart than by giving her a handmade gift. This Mother’s Day, share the love of upcycling with these sweet and simple aluminum can votives. There are lots of ways to turn a can into a work of art, so get creative with your designs and paint colors. She’ll have a beautiful keepsake all made from materials you already have at home.
Aluminum Can Votives project and photos By Anna Boswell, HEAP
Materials: »» Aluminum cans »» Spring clamp »» Hammer and nail »» Acrylic paints and brush (or spray paint) »» Tea light or small candle »» Wire hanger and wire cutters (optional)
Instructions:
1. Clean the inside of the aluminum cans
and fill with water. Keep 1 inch empty at the top.
2. Freeze overnight or until ice is hardened through. This will make hammering the holes much easier.
3. Turn the can on its side and use a clamp to secure the can to a table.
4. Using a hammer and nail, carefully
create your shape by punching out small holes. Turn the can as you hammer around the curve. If you want a handle, punch two holes on either side of the can about ½” from the top.
5. Once ice melts away, dry the can
completely. Don’t worry if the base of the can expanded from the ice. You can hammer it back to its shape after it’s dry.
1.
6. Paint with colorful acrylics or spray from a distance. If your holes fill with paint, use a toothpick to open the space again.
2.
7. For the handle (optional) use wire
cutters to snip a 10”-12” strip of wire hanger. Bend it to fit the size of your can. Make a loop on each end of the wire that will fit the holes in the can.
3.
8. Place a candle inside and display.
4.
mp
Variations: Keep the cans intact and just paint to create a beautiful recycled vase, or punch small holes in the base of the can and plant flowers. For more upcycling projects join the Human Empowered Arts Project on Facebook or follow our blog updates at www.heapbozeman.org.
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8.
HEAP Bozeman inspires upcycle creativity and empowers our community through environmental awareness and contribution.
{Buffalo}
leaRninG
oPtions
Tools to take the DIS out of Disability • Learning Disabilities in Reading, Writing and Math
Little Sprouts
• ADD - organization and time management
Written by Jacy Rothschiller
My husband and I have two children, ages three and six, and we live on an organic vegetable farm just outside of Bozeman. When my children were babies I packed them around on my back while planting garlic and let them sleep in the clover pathways while I harvested arugula, confidently waiting for the day when they would run free, happily working and playing next to me in the garden. Then, reality set in around the time they turned one. They have a short attention span; trample plants; dig holes and, more often than not, need a snack or potty break. At the same time, they are curious, love new projects, and should spend time outside and know where their food comes from. So where do you start? Start with a small plot in a sunny spot in your yard. Remove the grass and roots with a digging fork and add a half-inch of quality compost. Grow with organic methods so you will feel free to eat straight from the garden. Follow the planting directions on your seed packets, making sure to give your plants the space they need. Keep seeds moist until they germinate. Here are a few of my kids’ favorites: Carrots are planted by seed. A good variety for sweet baby carrots is “Mokum.” For big summer and fall carrots we plant “YaYa.” There are also some fun purple and yellow varieties. Carrots can be planted now, through mid-July. You might want to seed two or three different times a summer for a steady supply. Peas are planted by seed in the spring. Seed should be soaked overnight and coated with a pea inoculant that can be found in most garden stores. You can grow snow, snap or shelling peas. Almost all peas need to be trellised, but you can get away with not trellising “Sugar Ann” snap peas. Strawberry plants are transplanted from plants bought from a nursery or catalog.
• ASD - Autism and Aspergers
They can be June-bearing, producing one big crop, or ever-bearing (day-neutral), which produce continually in smaller amounts. We grow and love “Sparkle.” Sunflowers are easy to plant, easy to watch grow, can withstand dry conditions and poor soil, make beautiful flowers, bring in pollinators and feed the birds. Plant them in mid-May. Make it fun and follow your children’s interest. Spend a short amount of time in the garden often, observe how much things grow and what they look like at each stage. What insects are in and around the garden? Learn how to identify aphids, all stages of ladybugs, honeybees, and a few butterflies that land in your garden. Have breakfast in the strawberry patch. Go out to harvest veggies for dinner and spoil your meal by eating too many peas. Get dirty. Leave the kids a spot of empty dirt where they can dig around, explore and maybe find some worms. Keep your project to the right size and remember who will be weeding and watering that garden most of the time when the initial enthusiasm wears off. Sometimes your kids will have great bursts of enthusiasm for the garden and other times they won’t want to “work” on it much. I always have to remind myself how much they are paying attention even if it doesn’t seem that way. They will surprise you with how much they are soaking up, just being in the garden and having fun with you. For more detailed information give me a call, or I recommend The New Organic Grower by Eliot Coleman or Guide to Rocky Mountain Vegetable Gardening by Robert Gough & Cheryl Moore Gough. mp Jacy raises two children, Zachary (six) and Ania (three), and several acres of veggies for the community. She and her husband run Gallatin Valley Botanical just outside of Bozeman.
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Custom Short-Term Program with Life-Long Results Daughter: “I make mistakes, am tired, and not having a very good day” to “All my tools help a lot” Mom: “now she enjoys and reads well” *See Elsie’s Tips column in this month’s magazine
elsie Johnson
406-282-7416 www.montanadyslexia.com
Christian Education There IS a difference.
• Quality academics and a Christ-centered curriculum • Caring, qualified teachers provide individual attention • Orchestra, daily P.E., Lego Robotics, Ski P.E., sports teams • A whole person approach in a positive Christian environment
Moun Ellis Elementary Find us at: 3835 Bozeman Trail Rd • Bozeman, MT • mtelliselementary.org • ents... Don’t-miss-ev May 10 stival: Friday, & Fine Arts Fe Visitors Day 6) 587-5430 (40 ! on ati Call for inform rg iselementary.o or info@mtell
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Mamalina Speaks
Technology and Hiking written By Mary Ellen Maunz
Technology and hiking—what a perfect combination of themes for this month. Let’s begin with the word and concept of technology. It has to do with getting work done. The dictionary definition is: “Technology refers to the making, modification, usage, and knowledge of tools, techniques, crafts, systems, and methods of organization, in order to solve a problem….or perform a specific function.”
Comprehensive Therapy Services for Independence and Growth
Let’s focus on usage of tools. What is the best tool you have to get from one place to another? Your feet! And, right off the bat, you can see the connection between technology and hiking.
F Occupational and Physical Therapy F Speech and Language Therapy F Breastfeeding Support and Supplies A warm and comfortable environment serving: Infants, Children and Women
1276 N. 15th Ave., #101 F 587-2755
Even as toddlers, children can—and want—to walk for long distances as soon as they are able. But they walk to see what is under the next rock and see what is behind the tree across the meadow. It has nothing to do with getting from point A to point B. To fully enjoy a walk with a child, we need to let go of our agenda and accompany the child on his walk. The child’s agenda is his interest. If we follow him rather than try to lead him and answer his questions, we honor and satisfy his curiosity and encourage his enthusiasm for life. As he gets older, the child can easily and cheerfully follow a set program of where we will hike.
Confidence Montessori teaches an important concept: “Everything we do for the child that he can do for himself is an obstacle to his development.” So as soon as he can walk, let him walk. When we pick up a new walker and plop him in a stroller or carry him to get there faster, he may be feeling, “Why should I even try? Mom or dad can do it better.” This may all too easily become an inferiority complex.
The Noble Foot Pregnancy & Exercise: Rewards, Risks & Recommendations Presented by Excel Physical Therapy’s Megan Peach, DPT, CSCS
Wednesday June 5, 2013 6:30-7:30pm Bozeman Library - Large Community Room
When we get ready to take a hike, call the child’s attention to his feet. These wonderful instruments get us where we wish to go. In many countries people walk to school and to work every day. Discuss with your child what he needs for the hike: water, a snack and perhaps a jacket. Use the hike for physical exercise and for executive functioning of the brain. Make him think. P.S. Most of us in Montessori love technology and use it where appropriate. Once a child can read and write and begins individual research, which is the basis of Montessori elementary, computers are essential. mp
Bozeman Next to MSU Fieldhouse 1125 W. kagy Blvd 406.556.0562
Manhattan Next to Manhattan Athletic Club 220 Wooden Shoe Lane 406.284.4262
More info: www.excelptmt.com/seminars
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Mother of three grown children and author of Nurturing Your Child’s Inner Life, Mary Ellen Maunz has been exploring the deeper spiritual message of Maria Montessori for the past 40 years. She is the founder and program director of Bozeman’s own Age of Montessori where she has created a nationally accredited course that spreads the Montessori message to the world. www.ageofmontessori.com
Africa to America:
Parenting Your Adopted Child written By Carly Seifert
After six and a half months of waiting, our baby boy, Benjamin Eugéne Nsimba, arrived home from the Congo. In many ways, parenting this sweet little soul is exactly the same as it was with my daughter who was born to me four years ago. He needs food, sleep and lots of cuddle time. But, in the short time we have spent getting to know each other during his time home, I have realized he has many unique challenges as a result of his time spent at an orphanage in a third world country. Parenting an adopted child is a lifelong process that requires parents to be informed, sensitive and patient. AFTER THE AIRPORT Bringing your child into your world is likely going to be overwhelming for him. Our little one came home to us at just nine months old—relatively young as far as international adoptions go—but it didn’t take us long to figure out that he was very sensitive. He slept a lot for the first few weeks home—a coping mechanism he used to deal with all the change. We limited visitors and didn’t go out much, but on the rare occasion that someone would drop in, he was agitated during their stay and upset when they left. Many adoptive families “cocoon” when their child comes home, to help the child attach and adjust to the changes he is experiencing. Families may ask visitors to stay away for a while, and often won’t let anyone touch, hold or feed their little one until their child learns who his new caregivers are. Adopted children
have spent their lives watching people come and go. Stability is new and it is something that takes time. RECOGNIZE THE ROLE GRIEF AND LOSS PLAY IN ADOPTION During our wait to bring home our son, it became clear in conversations with friends and family that they believed— because our son was young—his losses wouldn't affect him since he would have no memory of them. While the idea is a nice one, every child who has experienced loss—no matter the age— will grieve that loss. If you adopt your child domestically as a newborn, she will miss the sound of her birth mom’s voice and heartbeat. If you adopt your child as an eight-year-old, he will miss the familiar sights and smells of the orphanage. This grief may manifest itself in various ways throughout your child’s life. He may be resistant to your love and touch— even as an infant—because it is new and uncomfortable. You may deal with issues of rejection during the delicate teen years when she begins to wonder why her birth mom gave her up. No matter what or when, honor your child’s grief and let him know it is safe to talk to you about it—that he doesn’t need to worry you’ll be upset if he asks questions about his birth mom or feel guilty if he admits to missing the familiar orphanage life. DIFFERENT EXPECTATIONS We moms can be so competitive. I think it’s safe to say we’ve all been guilty of comparing the milestones or math scores of our children with
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another parent. A mom once asked me what milestones my six month old had reached (who was then in an orphanage) and gasped in shock when I told her he was trying to smile. It breaks my heart that my son has a flat head from spending too much time in his crib and that we have to visit a physical therapist weekly because he is so developmentally behind. He has a huge belly from a disease called kwashiorkor that I didn’t even know existed until he came home, and he screams his head off whenever he finishes a bottle because he suffered malnourishment and wants to eat food all the time. Whenever people think he’s four months instead of nine, I have to blow it off. And I haven't even bothered to pick up What to Expect the First Year because, frankly, I have no expectations. He’s alive and he’s here and he’s loved— and that’s good enough for me. While parenting an adopted child certainly brings unique challenges that take a bit more education and consistency to work through, our little boy has expanded and enriched our lives in ways we never could have imagined. When I sit and rock him to sleep, watching his eyes close and the smile fade from his lips as he crosses over to dreamland, I find myself marveling at the joyous miracle that he is—and the miracle that he is home. mp Carly Seifert is a mom, writer and piano teacher. Read more about her family’s adoption journey at www. africatoamerica.org.
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Weird Rocks
Weird Rocks written By Michele Corriel
Montana Parent’s Book Pick
Illustrated by Dan Bilyeu ISBN 978-0-87842-597-6 Price $12.00
Review by Sam Farmer
Local author of the middle grade novels, Fairview Felines: A Newspaper Mystery and True Lies: A Newspaper Mystery, Michele Corriel has done it again. Her new book Weird Rocks is a nonfiction, musthave guide for your young rock hound. Kids love collecting rocks, and this title is the perfect motivation for kids to go outside and get a firmer grasp on the stuff of the earth. Mountain Press, widely known for its popular and concise rock hounding guides like Roadside Geology of Montana, publishes Weird Rocks. During screenfree week, you might just take the opportunity to get outside and discover some weird rocks of your very own. The book is illustrated in a very kid-friendly way by Bozeman artist Dan Bilyeu. His often humorous and bright watercolor and ink drawings of the many weird properties of rocks clearly depict the amazing things that rocks can do, such as: sail across a desert, glow, come from space, attract metal, float and even burn. Photographs by Tom Ferris of the various samples that Michele describes are also included and add to the richness of these very approachable lessons about rocks. The combination of writing, illustration and photos make this book a fantastic bedrock of beginner knowledge. As you may know, screen-free week continues through May 5th and rock hunting would be another good thing to do with your junior geologist – and, hey, Montana Parent just happens to have a copy of Weird Rocks that we’ll be giving away on the MTParent.com blog. Help us build an online list of where to find the best rocks with your little ones by leaving a comment on the MTParent.comblog. The contest will run May 6-10, 2013. Get outside and inspire your small ones. Weird Rocks and Roadside Geology of Montana are available for purchase at the Country Bookshelf.
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Here is a list of local rock hounding destinations to get you started: Earth’s Treasures »» 25 N. Willson Ave. • Bozeman »» Check in with their knowledgeable staff and simply take in their wide varieties of rock and mineral samples as well as equipment for your fieldwork.
Lewis & Clark Caverns »» 25 Lewis and Clark Caverns Rd.• Whitehall »» www.stateparks.mt.gov/lewis-and-clark-caverns/ »» Camp, hike and experience amazing geologic wonders at Montana’s first and best-known state park, showcasing of one of the most highly decorated limestone caverns in the Northwest.
Crystal Park »» 65 miles SW of Butte »» www.fs.usda.gov/activity/bdnf/recreation/rocks-minerals »» Crystal Park is a popular recreational mineral collection area on the Pioneer Scenic Byway in southwest Montana. The Dillon and Wise River Ranger Districts work to promote, develop and maintain this site for recreation. There is a recreational use fee of $5 per vehicle, which goes toward helping maintain the area. The park is open for quartz crystal digging from May 15 to October 15, depending on snow and road conditions. The facilities are universally accessible.
Gem Mountain »» 201 W. Broadway - Philipsburg »» www.gemmountainmt.com/ »» Gem Mountain in Montana was first developed in the 1890’s and has since produced more than 180 million carats of sapphires. Sapphires are some of the most rare gemstones in the world, but not here. No admission to visit; you only pay if you choose to sift through a bucket of natural sapphire gravel. Sam Farmer is an artist and writer who lives in the Gallatin Valley and explores Montana with her family. mp
parenting single
When the going gets tough written By Nora Daniels
It finally happened. I’ve been bracing myself for a year-and-a-half, waiting for the day when TMTWIUTBM (the man to whom I used to be married) would get a girlfriend, and that day is here. I knew that he’d been dating and playing the field, but that’s not the same thing as having a steady girlfriend, you know? A girlfriend is someone you travel with and introduce to friends (our friends!) – someone who will most likely meet your children at some point soon. In some ways, I’m surprised that it took so long. Our marriage counselor had warned me that men almost always rebound into a new relationship before women do. (We could go on and on about that and analyze the fascinating dynamics involved there, but we won’t be doing that today.) Like I’ve said in these pages before, I consider myself lucky that I wasn’t “left” for another woman, but I was pretty sure that I would be replaced before I found a shiny new replacement of my own.
Besides, as I realize more and more each day, TMTWIUTBM and I really are better off separate than we were together. I am stronger, more confident; he’s relaxed and happy. Even our daughter sees this. And so why does it hurt? Because he was my best friend for 20 years. Because, no matter how much better we are without each other today, I still have all the memories of the days when we were good together. Because we still have a lot of love for each other and we have two amazing children together and because, as hard as it is to admit, I guess deep down in a dark, hidden, secret place I must have been hoping that maybe – just maybe – we might one day decide to try rebuilding our family. But now I know that this is not going to happen. And it’s not just because he has another woman in his life. (I know there are lots of couples that reconcile after having relationships with other people.) No. It’s because of what I’ve seen, heard,
learned and lived through during the last few weeks. It hasn’t been pretty and I know that I don’t deserve to live through it ever again. I’ve learned to love myself –and I now love myself too much to expose myself to an unhealthy dynamic. So, how do I move on? By holding on – hard – to what’s good. There is so much that’s so good in my life and I take it for granted far too often. Well, not anymore. So, here, let’s take a quick inventory together: My kids are healthy. I have all my limbs and senses. I have friends and family who love me. My eyebrows have grown back after being overplucked. I have a roof over my head. Wine tastes good. I am finally working out at the gym for the first time in my life. And now, I am free.
mp
Nora Daniels lives in Bozeman with her two awesome kids who keep her focused on what’s really important: Putting one foot in front of the other and laughing every single day.
Livingston
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Get sas’d up for Mother’s Day (shampoo and style) or a fun braid.
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Adult Classes • Pregnancy Yoga • Mommy & Me Yoga
makeup so pure you can sleep in it
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Elsie’s
Tips
Increase - core strength and flexibility
Thinking about Thinking written By Elsie Johnson
Create - longer leaner muscles
Improve - posture, balance, circulation, coordination 810 N Wallace, Suite A • Bozeman, MT 59715
(406)600-5247 • www.bridgerpilates.com
{Buffalo}
Health Care For You & Your Family Marie Mitchell
Pediatric and Family Nurse Practitioner
406-556-8300
Look for the monthly “Corner on Health” column in Montana Parent Magazine
Specializing in food and place Maggie Garver
406.570.3298
www.bentforkphotography.com
Mark Deibert, MD Timothy O’Brien, MD Jeff Rasch, DO Peter Kelleher, MD
Timothy O'Brien MD Specializing in Shoulder and Knee Surgery Board Certified
536 S. Cottonwood Rd. in Bozeman
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Q.
I want my daughter’s next school year to go better than her past two years. I saw her struggling two years ago when her teacher reassured us that she was doing OK. This past year, she started to voice her “being different.” Please describe a typical program for someone who is struggling with reading and getting worse. She is a smart girl, very creative, (she loves sewing clothes for her dolls); yet reading consumes an inordinate amount of energy and deflates her confidence.
A. Each person is different. I have a client similar to your situation, let’s call her R. She and her twin sister received help in their school in Alaska. Her sister started to flourish, but R was still stuck. We met for an initial consultation; she and her parents each gave their own opinion of the ease or difficulty of items associated with both word and picture thinking intelligence. R gave me a sample of her reading and participated in a picture thinking assessment. Because of her picture thinking strengths and her continuing sound/symbol weakness, despite her having received the best multimodal instruction, I accepted her as a program candidate.
We chose a five-day period of three-hour morning and afternoon sessions complete with snacks and breaks. Throughout the week, she gained tools and practiced recognizing when and how to use them based on how she felt so that she had a sense of control and centeredness. She determined which reading symbols – letters, fonts and punctuation – triggered uncertainty and used her tools to resolve the confusion. Her active involvement using her ideas to clarify words, along with exercises to practice elements of reading, revealed a more confident student. The people supporting R’s reading growth invested time reading and viewing materials to understand how to best help her during a half-day training where they practiced their role in her follow-up. R took advantage of one of her three follow-up sessions months after her program. Today, her mom loves having to tell her to stop reading and go to sleep. mp Elsie Johnson, a Registered Educational Therapist, and certified DDAI Facilitator, has helped hundreds of adults and children gain control over their ABILITY to learn, through understanding how to take advantage of their picture thinking – thus taking responsibility and pride in learning. Learn more at www.thelearningoptions.com or call Elsie at 406-282-7416.
Mama’s Got a New Bag
Contest prizes CoMpiled BY Maranda Lee PhotoS BY Amelia Anne Photography
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ENTER to WIN! Here are a few things we love around Southwest Montana. Go to www.mtparent.com and enter to win this bag and all the prizes! Want to be featured in the next bag? Email
[email protected].
d | FUSION GRILLE
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Top Five Egg Substitutes for Baking Written by Shel Sebren
Are you looking for a replacement for eggs in your baking? Perhaps you or your child is allergic, vegan or maybe someone accidentally dropped the last egg on the floor (oops!). Maybe you just want to stretch your culinary horizons. Fortunately, there are easy substitutions for eggs in recipes. And the chances are very good that you already have some of them in your kitchen. Before you decide on a replacement, consider your recipe. What role do eggs play in this dish? Eggs help to bind ingredients, add moisture and creaminess and help baked goods rise. Here are five egg replacers and how to use them in baking. Note that substituting more than three eggs in any recipe will likely change the final product’s consistency and flavor. Each substitute listed below is the equivalent to one egg.
Vinegar and Baking Soda:
If you are baking a cake, use vinegar and baking soda to create a light and fluffy texture. It also helps the cake to rise, using the fizzy combination of vinegar and baking soda for natural leavening. Combine 1-teaspoon baking soda and 1-tablespoon vinegar then add to the recipe for cakes and brownies.
Unsweetened Applesauce:
Applesauce acts as a binding agent and provides moisture to muffins, brownies or sweet bars. Use ¼-cup applesauce per egg. Do not exceed one cup total. Be aware that applesauce can cause the final product to be dense, so choose this substitution accordingly.
Banana:
Similar to applesauce, mashed ripe bananas add moisture and bind the ingredients together. Delicate desserts may be overwhelmed by bananas. It can also provide a slightly sweet flavor change. Use ¼-cup mashed ripe banana for quick breads, muffins and cakes.
Silken tofu:
Tofu provides the same richness and creamy texture eggs do in baked desserts. Try subbing silken tofu (found in the Asian food section at Co-op West Main) in pies, quick breads and dense cakes. Tofu also helps add moisture to baked goods. It can create a heavy texture, so avoid recipes that call for multiple eggs. Use ¼-cup silken tofu. Place in a blender and add enough water that it creates a smooth consistency when blended. Do not use firm or extra firm tofu.
Egg Replacer:
Egg replacers mimic what eggs do and can be used as an all-around egg substitute in any baking recipe. The Co-op carries prepackaged Egg Replacer, from Ener-G Foods, in the baking aisle of Coop West Main. mp
Shel Sebren started working at the Co-op nine years ago. She is married to Matt and is mama to Graham, 10, and Molly, six. Although she has chickens, sometimes she runs out of eggs and has to improvise.
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When it comes to our kid’s education, its not a question of yes or no, it’s more about how you’re going to make it work. That’s why we have a financial partner that gives us the means to do what we need to... when it matters the most.
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Stop childhood obesity IT’S UP TO YOU
M
ake time for healthy eating and living choices for your whole family. Bozeman Deaconess Nutrition Specialists offers KidsNOW, a program to teach parents valuable strategies to help their overweight children eat well, get active and achieve a healthy weight safely. KidsNOW includes a private consultation, two 90-minute educational sessions where parents learn how to kick-start your family’s and child’s healthy life. The program concludes with a complimentary dietitian-guided grocery store tour to learn how to shop smart for a healthy life. The cost for the program is $150. If you want to learn how to help your child lose weight safely and improve your family’s nutrition, then this class is for you. Call 522-4600 to register today!
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bdhg.org/kidsnow :: (406) 522-4600
