October 2011
Fr e e
N O R T H
&
G E O R G I A
letters
Dear Chattanooga and North Georgia Parent:
October, 2011 Volume VI • Issue 8 Advisory Board Becky Barnes Hamilton County Department of Health Dan Challener Public Education Foundation Mai Bell Hurley Community Volunteer Shawn Kurrelmeier-Lee Read 20 Alison Lebovitz Community Volunteer Bea Laurie Girls, Inc. Linda McReynolds United Way of Greater Chattanooga
Michael Kull Publisher/Advertising Jennifer Crutchfield Managing Editor/Advertising Jenny Hammond Copy Editor Evan Faires Design & Production Contributing Photographers Andree Herbert Battle Academy Chattanooga Hamilton County Bicentennial Library Richard DeCredico Victoria Mason Frank May Sequoyah Museum Tracey Rissor Stevens
Contributing Writers OJ Morgan Liza Blair The Bright School Tracey Carisch Jennifer Crutchfield Henry Schulson Creative Discovery Museum Shelley Headrick Josh Hildebrand Alison Lebovitz Ray Swoffard Shawn Kurrelmeier-Lee Hamilton County Lu Lewis Department of Education Dave Loftin Mary Tanner University of Tennessee, Chattanooga Parent publications are GREAT places to advertise! For more information, please call: (423) 643-8499. Contact Info: Phone: 423.643.8499 Fax: 888.457.9602 E-mail: info@ChattanoogaParentMagazine.com Chattanooga Parent is published monthly and is distributed throughout the city of Chattanooga and surrounding communities. North Georgia Parent is published monthly and is distributed throughout Walker and Catoosa Counties. Both publications are available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. No person without written permission from the publishers may take more than one copy per monthly issue. Both publications may be distributed only by authorized distributors.
Chattanooga Parent and North Georgia Parent are published by Chattanooga Parent, LLC P. O. Box 4070 Chattanooga, TN 37405, phone 423.643.8499 fax 888.457.9602 The entire contents of this publication are copyrighted and property of Chattanooga Parent, LLC. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publishers. Chattanooga Parent and North Georgia Parent utilize freelance writers, and the views expressed within this publication are not necessarily the views of the publishers or editors. Chattanooga Parent takes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or other materials. Letters to the editor must include name, address and daytime phone number for verification. Chattanooga Parent and North Georga Parent reserve the right to edit letters for space and clarity. Please keep letters within 500 words in length.
We want to thank Chattanooga Parent Magazine for sponsoring the Party in the Park this past Sunday to celebrate Project Ready for School’s 7th Birthday and 7 years of free Imagination Library books in the hands of area children. The magazine has been an awesome sponsor this year and we hope to work with them on many more projects. You guys are awesome! United Way of Greater Chattanooga Editor, It was a real thrill to be included in last month’s annual Arts edition of Parent Magazine and have the opportunity to discuss Augmented Reality and some of the uses here in Chattanooga. Even though only a couple of ‘beta’ layers are only available now, in the next two months, all of Chattanooga’s public art will be augmented and available to interact with on any smart phone. Our Dutch partners, Layar, has developed one of the most advanced AR browsers in the world and we are thrilled at what can be done not only around the world, but here in Chattanooga! Sincerely, Taylor McDonald We welcome your letters! If you have a question or comment for Chattanooga Parent or North Georgia Parent, please e-mail it to JCrutchfield@ChattanoogaParentMagazine.com. Letters may be edited to meet space requirements.
contents 4
Live and Learn: Go Fishin’
12 Parent involvement in our schools
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Back to School Message from Superintendent Rick Smith
15 Fall fun for families
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18 Volkswagen and the Austin Hatcher Foundation
Childwise: Smart school advice for Chattanooga Parents
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The Kid’s Plate: Kitchen as alternative learningscape
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The List: Hiking
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Servings from the Cereal Bowl
team up for :Racing to Win”
19 Babysitter Basics are for everyone 21 Get a kit. Make a plan. Be informed. 23 Readers read, and readers succeed
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History Mystery: Sequoyah and the secrets of the syllabary
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House Calls: Is it a cold...or something more?
24 It’s never too early to learn at the CSO 25 The Dad Dispatch: “Fathers be good to your
daughters”
26 Because I Said So by Alison Lebovitz: The
Boredom Buster
on the cover:
Violet DeCredico is 6-years old and plays the cello and the piano. Her siblings all play instruments and their whole family loves the Chattanooga Symphony and Orchestra’s Youth Orchestra programs. Photo courtesy photographer Richard DeCredico decredico@gmail.com
Read us on the Web (including the full page version)!
ChattanoogaParentOnline.com 3
Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • October 2011
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Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • October 2011
Just Fishin’
Lu takes the helm in this article about spending quality time with our children Elise and her brothers and sisters may not realize all that they are learning from their family outings but their parents, Frank and Nicole May, know just how valuable that time is.
W
hether you’re a country fan in general or a Trace Adkins fan in particular, you should google the lyrics to his song, “Just Fishin’,” or YouTube it (Note our new 21st century verbs). In it, the singer talks about all he’s learning from his daughter, and all she’s learning without knowing it. She ain’t even thinkin’ ‘bout, what’s really goin’ on right now But I guarantee this memory’s a big’in, and she thinks we’re just fishin’.
from Daughters and Sons.) One reviewer wrote about Big Russ & Me: “Russert takes us through his Irish-American 1950s childhood at Jesuit school to his recent years with Meet the Press. Along this successful journey, ‘Little Russ’ learns life lessons from his father, dispensed through pithy nuggets over the kitchen table.” Do we need any further proof that time spent with our children matters? While Russert was known for asking great questions, lucky for us, we don’t have to be that good at engaging our audiences because children are full of wonder and constantly trying to figure out how the world works. Forgive us for inserting a joke here to make the point, but you’ll find this one and more like it to convince you on the website, The Questions Kids Ask at www. OnlyFunnyStories.com/Questions-Kids.ask. Four year old Joe is in the surgery’s waiting room with his mom when he sees a pregnant lady sitting on a bench on the opposite wall. Having nothing better to do, Joe saunters over to her with wide eyes full of curiosity and asks “Why is your stomach so big?” The lady calmly replies with a smile, “Because I’m having a baby.” With eyes as large as saucers, Joe asks, “Is the baby in your tummy?” “She sure is,” replies the lady charmed by the little kid’s innocent question. “Is it a good baby,” asks Joe with a puzzled look on his face. “Oh, yes. I’m sure it’s a really good baby,” says the lady with good humor thinking how incredibly cute the little kid is and looking forward to what he might say next… At this point much to her surprise, with an even more surprised and shocked look than before, Joe asks, “Then why did you eat her?”
We like the message of this song because it makes the point that the formal education children get from teachers and books is only part of what they carry with them throughout life. The other part is measured in the moments we spend with our children, just getting to know them, getting to know what they are curious about, and getting to feed their wonder through every day activities. When is the last time you responded to a child’s natural inclination to ask those questions that seem to bubble up from nowhere? In his book, Father Knows Less, author Wendell Jamieson says, “Once the questions start, they never stop. Everything a child sees or hears is a mystery We rest our case! waiting to be unraveled, pulled apart, dissected, e The next big question then becomes, “When h T “ explained.” do we find the time in our busy lives to Jamieson was recalling one day that other spend quality time with children?” To when he was a young reporter he gave nd with e sp e w start answering that one, go back to ts n e m policemen doughnuts to put them in a ing d in the mo tt re e g su , a e m Trace Adkins. We can carve out e m th is w rt o a p talking mood, and his son promptly asked, tting to kn e g st ju plenty of time during our day , n d n re a d il t, our ch “Why do policemen like doughnuts?” Like rious abou cu re a when we’re just walking—noticing y e th t a many who hear jokes about policemen ugh the fall foliage or the herons on ro to know wh th r e d n o w ir the and doughnuts, Jamieson was curious himself the river walk, just shopping— getting to feed and felt the question was worthy of a metaphorical ities.” iv ct a y a encouraging as many questions as d every fishing trip. He called a police officer friend to ask his opinion and got your child can ask to turn the market at least one explanation: Policeman like doughnuts because you can get them into Ye Olde Curiosity Shop. Just cooking---make almost anywhere. If you’re eating one and you get an emergency call, you can every meal a science experiment, just watching television---Did you just toss it out the window and go. We don’t know whether Jamieson and son know this movie is based on a book and the book has a lot more good turned this into a full-blown research project or settled for that answer, but the stuff in it? Just washing the car, just waiting at the dentist’s office, just painting point is, they turned a simple question into an opportunity to learn together. the apartment, just raking the leaves, just driving to see the grandparents, just How many of us miss that opportunity with an “I don’t know, and stop asking bowling, just shooting hoops in the back yard, just fishin’! silly questions!” Journalist Tim Russert, the master at asking questions, appeared for more than 16 years as the longest-serving moderator of NBC’s Meet the Press before his Veteran Chattanooga educators Lu Lewis and Edna Varner untimely death. We wonder how he got so good at asking questions and we think collaborate each month to address a topic of particular the answer may be in his first bestseller, Big Russ & Me: Father and Son Lessons of concern to area parents. If you have a concern you’d like them to discuss in print, send it to Lu and Edna care of Chattanooga Life. (The book prompted more than 60,000 letters from sons and daughters Parent at Info@ChattanoogaParentMagazine.com. who responded with memories of quality time with their fathers. Russert shared their letters in his follow-up bestseller, Wisdom of our Fathers: Lessons and Letters
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Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • October 2011
A letter from the Superintendent
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t is hard to believe our schools have been in session for seven weeks and on October 7 we will end our first quarter for this school year. We are off to a very good start and I am excited and honored to be representing Hamilton Schools in the role of Superintendent. The Hamilton County Department of Education is committed to creating, fostering and supporting an environment that offers opportunities for success for Superintenent Rick Smith is dedicated all of our students. Moving forward to working with parents, students, teachers and and community leaders to with a rigorous curriculum based on higher standards, we want our parents improve student achievement. and the community to know that we take our responsibility of educating students very seriously. We will work closely with parents, students, teachers, support staff and community leaders to focus our resources and efforts on improving student achievement. As new state standards continue to be implemented, it is critical that our students receive support from all of us.
The Hamilton County Department of Education is committed to creating, fostering and supporting an environment that offers opportunities for success for all of our students. Student enrollment is significantly up this year with an increase of almost 500 students system-wide for a total of over 42,000 students. This is the largest increase in the past ten years. The growth of student population has presented some facility and staffing challenges. The Hamilton County Commission provided assistance in the East Brainerd area by purchasing the David Brainerd School. We were able to move East Brainerd Elementary students in grades 4-5 to that site. This allowed the K-3 students to have the needed space for their classes. To meet the staffing challenges, teacher transfers were used to balance student/teacher ratios. We are entering the second year with our Race to the Top grant. These funds must only be spent to improve teacher quality, enhance principal leadership, use data to drive instruction and turn around low performing schools. Hamilton County is using Race to the Top money for implementation of the new evaluation model for teachers and administrators, a principal leadership academy for aspiring administrators, consistent and varied professional development for teachers to ensure high quality instruction in every classroom and technology for our teachers to use student data to drive individualized instruction for every student. I am looking forward to this school year and all the possibilities and opportunities our students will have for success. Rick Smith Superintendent
Help Students Succeed
Volunteer with PEF! We’re helping local high school students plan for college. A few hours of your time can make a lifetime of difference! Contact Kate Skonberg at (423) 648-4444
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Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • October 2011
Raise Your Hand If You’re Shy Dear Childwise: My son is very shy and his teachers say that he isn’t answering questions in class. Are there any afterschool activities that you might suggest that could help him with his shyness? Not Too Shy to Ask Dear Not Too Shy, Many schools offer after-school sports, such as basketball, tennis, and even track! Additionally, some schools offer after school clubs and/or classes, such as art, music, or boy/girl scouts. Volunteering at a local non-profit organization is also an option. These types of activities foster leadership, communication, teamwork, and other interpersonal skills. Gaining confidence during these activities might carry on into the classroom.
Homework Rules! Dear Childwise: My daughter is in elementary school and is starting to have a lot more homework than last year. It is getting to be an argument every night. Are there any strategies you can suggest to make it easier? Running Out of Erasers Dear Running, As children get older and the workload increases, it is typical for homework time to become more of a challenge. Does your child have a set homework time?
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Children are more comfortable when a routine is in place, so setting a specific time for homework every night might be beneficial. Also, it is important to give students a break after school! They have been working hard all day. Having a break may allow your daughter to relieve some stress and make homework easier. My final suggestion would be to set up a reward system for her, such as a sticker chart. If she completes her homework without arguing all week, then she can receive a special treat of her choice on Friday. Good luck!
“Children are more comfortable when a routine is in place, so setting a specific time for homework every night might be beneficial. Also, it is important to give students a break after school! ” The Warning Signs of Bullying Dear Childwise: I am worried that my middle-school child is being bullied but she is telling me she is not. What are the warning signs that I should look for? Concerned Parent Dear Concerned, The warning signs that a child is being bullied vary tremendously for each individual. Some major warning signs to look for are withdrawal; lost of interest in school and other activities; difficulty concentrating; sudden changes mood or behavior; and changes in eating and/or sleeping patterns. Not every child reacts the same way. If a parent suspects their child is being bullied, they should contact their school administrator and/or school counselor immediately. For more warning signs and tips, a great website is www.stopbullying.gov. The advice in “Childwise” is provided this month by Casey Jacobs. Casey is a School Counselor at Normal Park. She began her career at The Siskin Children’s Institute and provides individual and group counseling, is in classrooms teaching curriculum from Hamilton County’s Character Education Initiative and was named Hamilton County’s Elementary Counselor of the Year! The responses provided by Casey are for general information only. The suggestions offered are not intended to represent or replace professional consultation or intervention specific to a particular child or family. Parenting question? Send it to Childwise c/o Chattanooga Parent via e-mail: info@ ChattanoogaParentMagazine.com, or send a letter to Childwise c/o Chattanooga Parent, P.O. Box 4070, Chattanooga, TN 37405.
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Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • October 2011
Nutrition, food, and fun
Kitchen as alternative learningscape
e to mak w o h : for gscape tions n s i e n g r g a e u e s ive l re som into a creat a e r ner e H hen c aring din t p i e k r p r n you e ts whe
By Liza Blair
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e’ve heard the saying, It’s not the destination, it’s the journey. Well the same can be said for how children learn. Learning that’s more process-based helps children ip develop stronger visceral and cognitive connections. This n in a rec ingredie h s p it e t w s is when the steps to achieving the intended goal are just as ing mes ients follow nting ga t ingred y u n b o e r c important, and sometimes more, than the desired outcome. g e in y f ows a c • Pl and dif w it gr sequen o w h e h n d it are This is especially true when working with food. How to make a n g w a tasting • Help ipe usin comes from , g c e in r l e a e salad is about making choices based on experience and curiosity. p ur elling, f ood yo Make u t where food m f s • e , g h t in What happens if you mix salad greens with beets and egg? Is it out : tear abou ions ab touch t • Talk , a h s r c still a salad if there is no lettuce? Questions like these help a child e u v con h, to hool d’s sc • Touc to begin il identify solutions that can lead to the process of understanding. s h y c a r w t eam you all grea Process-based learning can st rporate o w c o in s H t o a son. ays t carries over into child e kettle? ing les find w a h : c e d a n iv e a t t a r e en ate everything we do: from • Be cr a kitch sing boiling w o t in designing art and kitchen ght u work of all, be tau t e s r o lessons, to exhibit u m s s pre But FUN! objectives and writing HAVE curriculum. And sometimes the best learning takes place in the most unexpected Photog places. rapher Victoria a nd her CDM’s Culinary M son lov e makin ason treats t g healt ogethe Corner is recognizable h r and th always e lesson y d e li c io as a kitchen space. us. s are But it’s also a space for reflection and contemplation, a place for sensory development, a place for peer learning, a place for adult and child engagement, and a place for integrating other modes of teaching, such Liza Blair is arts manager for the Creative Discovery Museum. as science, math, geography, chemistry and language arts. Utilizing alternative spaces where process-based learning can happen is a fun approach to making learning more interesting, for both the learner and the instructor. And a kitchen can be just the place. Kitchens provide a multi-sensory space for young children to Ivy Academy is a tuition-free, public charter high experience creative learning. And it can be fun for parents too.
“Kitchens provide a multi-sensory space for young children to experience creative learning. And it can be fun for parents too.”
school focusing on hands-on learning with outdoor classrooms. For the active learner! 8443 Dayton Pike * Soddy-Daisy, TN 37379
423-305-7494 www.ivyacademychattanooga.com
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Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • October 2011
Hiking
Compiled by Shelley Headrick
Children’s Department, Chattanooga-Hamilton County Bicentennial Library
for libary information visit: www.lib.chattanooga.gov
Sheep Take a Hike By Nancy Shaw Reading level: PreK – 1st Sheep lost on a hike discover a trail of wool that they have left behind which helps them find their way.
Sammy Keyes and the Wild Things By Wendelin Van Draanen Reading level: 5th – 8th Super sleuth Sammy Keyes joins forces with the Girls Scouts on a hike and camping trip.
Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping, Hiking, and Other Natural Disasters By Lenore Look Do Princesses Wear Reading level: 2nd – 4th Hiking Boots? Young Alvin Ho is By Carmela LaVigna afraid of everything, Coyle so spending time in Reading level: PreK – 1st the great outdoors A little girl asks proves to be a her mother various daunting experience. questions about princesses, including if they wear hiking boots and play outside. Halfway to the Sky By Kimberly Brubaker Bradley Henry Hikes to Reading level: 5th – Fitchburg 8th By D.B. Johnson Twelve-year-old Reading level: PreK – 3rd Dani and her mother Unlike his friends, hike part of the Henry decides the Appalachian Trail. best way to travel to Fitchburg is by walking. Pocket Guide to the Outdoors: Based on My Side of the Mountain Little Red Riding Hood By Jean Craighead George By Gennady Spirin Reading level: 5th – 8th Reading level: 1st – 3rd This outdoor guide provides In this beautifully excellent information illustrated version of for hiking and camping the classic story, a girl enthusiasts. walking in the woods to her grandmother’s house meets a dangerous wolf.
The Divide By Elizabeth Kay Reading level: 5th – 9th A hike along the Continental Divide in Costa Rica changes drastically for Felix when he is transported to a fantastical world.
Trouble By Gary D. Schmidt Reading level: 8th – 12th After the death of his brother, Henry and some friends climb Mt. Katahdin in Maine.
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Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • October 2011
Servings from the Cereal Bowl
Sample the Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl
Grab you kid and a cup of coffee and tune in to the “Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl,” hosted by Dave Loftin Saturdays from 8 to 10 a.m. on the Web at WAWL.org. He posts his weekly playlists on SaturdayCerealBowl.com. And now you can take your cereal bowl with you�in podcast form! Go to SaturdayCerealBowl.podbean.com, or simply search the iTunes store. Don’t worry, parents, it’s free!
Lunch Money Dizzy
© 2009 Molly Ledford Lunch Money (trio Molly Ledford, Jay Barry and J.P. Stephens) keep the music pumping on their sophomore release, Dizzy. Lunch Money cranks out some simple yet very entertaining tunes for the tots—but don’t read “simple” as boring or childish. This disc is full of great music and great songwriting. Dizzy starts off with a wonderful tale of taking a wagon to the library, loading it up, and frying your brain with all the great stories you’re pumping into it. “It Only Takes One Night to Make a Balloon Your Friend” is a folksy ditty about how to keep a new balloon around. And the title track could start the biggest dance craze since The Twist. Lunch Money is a band you’ll want your kids to listen to for a long time. Molly’s sweet voice and the band’s playful tunes will stick with you and your kids for years to come…in a good way!
Captain Bogg & Salty Emphatical Piratical © 2009 Scabbydisc Music
The scallywags of Captain Bogg & Salty return with their fourth album—and, yes, if you haven’t guessed by the band’s name, there is a heavy pirate theme. This time around, the music takes on an island flavor, but the silliness of the band’s previous releases stays firmly intact. “Port Side,” a song describing each part of the ship, is sung in a very eerie, but well done, Primuslike vocal style. Your kids can swab the deck (or the kitchen floor, if you prefer) to the rhythmic tune “Bunnyjacks.” And don’t Halloween_HalfPgAd_ParentMag_HR.pdf 9/20/09“The 12:25:27 PM Walker.” Captain Bogg & Salty can easily be passed off as a gimmick, but miss the Ventures-style instrumental, Plank listen closely and you’ll find there is true musicianship and pure talent throughout the disc.
Playing It Halloween Safety Tips Halloween should be a time of fun, but unsafe costumes and careless trick-or-treating can lead to accidents and injuries. Safe & Sound urges parents and children of all ages to follow a few simple rules so everyone will have a happy and safe Halloween. • Children age 10 and under should not trick-or-treat without adult supervision. If kids are mature enough to go alone, assign a predetermined route with good lighting. • Cross streets safely at the corner, using traffic signals and crosswalks. Walk, don’t run, across the street. • Walk on well-lit sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible. • Children should walk in familiar areas with minimal street crossings. • Children should bring along flashlights or glow sticks, carry a reflective bag, or place reflective tape on costumes. • Costumes should be short enough to avoid tripping hazards. Shoes and headgear should fit properly. • Do not let children cut through yards where stones, lawn ornaments, and other hazards may be hard to see in the dark. • Inspect all candy and treats before kids consume them to make sure they are sealed and have no signs of tampering. • Keep your own doorstep and porch well lit. Jack-o-lanterns should be kept away from the doorstep and sidewalks. Safe & Sound is a prevention service of T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital at Erlanger and the proud leader of Safe Kids Chattanooga. Call (423) 778-6691 to learn how this service can benefit you.
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Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • October 2011
Sequoyah and the secrets of the syllabary By Jennifer Crutchfield Photo courtesy the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Bicentennial Library
A
disabled man named George did A lifetime of patience and passionate politics must have given something in 1825 that had never been Sequoyah the strength to endure the ridicule of his neighbors as done before in the history of the entire he worked for over 12 years to develop the 85 symbol syllabary world. For the first time ever and only time since a man who could not read or write that freed the Cherokee to read. created an effective writing system for an eastern Cherokee lands to a new set of towns where they called themselves illiterate nation. In the history of language the Chickamaugas. They lived in seven villages in places we know now as and cultures that has never happened before Reflection Riding, Lookout Mountain, Chattanooga and Brown’s Ferry. and when it did it changed Chattanooga and Sequoyah served in the Cherokee Regiment during the Battle of Horseshoe the Cherokee Nation. Bend, fighting the Creek Indians alongside Americans. In 1813 the Cherokee In the Cherokee tribal system it was the had already ceded vast amounts line of the mother’s clan that was important of land to the French, British in a child’s life. Sequoyah was born into and, finally, Americans. While the Red Paint Clan and the famous tribal Sequoyah served alongside chiefs Old Tassel and Doublehead were his Americans he had a family history grandfather and great uncle. of mistrust that kept a wary eye When Sequoyah was a boy he was injured on his fellow soldiers. in a hunting accident and became disabled, Young George Guess (Gist) Sequoyah was a his Cherokee name reflecting his foot injury, had a wife and children and silversmith, blacksmith, “Pig’s Foot”. The Cherokee were huntersoldier, teacher and watched while fellow soldiers read gatherers and young boys learned life lessons father. His patience loving words from their family from their elders and the land with bows and dedication created members and orders from their in their hands searching for prey in their a writing system that commanding officers while he led his nation into a ancestor’s lands. As George returned to Visit the Brainerd Mission Cemetery across from and his fellow Cherokee couldn’t new era. health he learned from his elders and became Eastgate Mall with your children and have a real communicate except through adept as a silversmith and blacksmith. Chattanooga history mystery adventure. runners. He recognized that his Sequoyah, also known as George Gist nation could not survive within this nation without a way to communicate, (or Guess) was the son of an English fur trader named Nathaniel Gist record their history and govern their future. who had served with George Washington in the Continental Army and a Sequoyah knew that they needed a written language in order to protect them woman who was the daughter of a tribal chief. Sequoyah was 18 years old from the treaties and “talking leaves” that came with each new government when Doubletree and Old Tassel were assassinated at a Peace Conference and stream of encroaching pioneers. A life of patience and passionate politics his uncle, Young Tassel, became the hand-picked successor to the famous must have given him the strength to endure the ridicule of his neighbor’s and warrior chief Dragging Canoe. Dragging Canoe had taken his warriors from his family as he spend 12 years identifying the 86 syllables that make up the Where to take your kids: Brainerd Mission Cemetary The Brainerd Mission was the only settled area in Chattanooga other than the trading post at Ross’s Landing and the school compound was the first agrarian school in the country. Across from the China Moon at Eastgate Mall is the remaining plot of land with gravestones of both Cherokee and white missionaries. It is open to the public and is a fascinating picnic adventure to have with your children. New Echota in Calhoun, Georgia It’s less than an hour’s drive away and is an amazing state park with many buildings from the Cherokee Nation’s capitol replicated and a wonderful hiking path. It is a great place for a family daytrip during Fall Break with your children.
Cherokee language. With his daughter Ayoka Sequoyah tested his syllables and took his written messages to the Cherokee tribal leaders who had already migrated to the Arkansas territory. Sequoyah took his syllabary to the Brainerd Mission and the message of literacy spread like wildfire in the Cherokee Nation. Literacy among the Cherokee surpassed that of European settlers as messengers took the lessons of the syllabary to the farthest corners of the Nation; Kentucky, North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee. The average Cherokee could learn to read with Sequoyah’s system in a few months and there was a printing press, newspaper and system of formal government in just a few years as the Cherokee Nation forged ahead as a nation within a nation, led forward by the syllables Sequoyah created.
Jennifer Crutchfield, managing editor of Chattanooga Parent, chases mysteries along with her boys George, Will and Max. Contact Jennifer at JCrutchfield@ChattanoogaParentMagazine.com
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Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • October 2011
&
Parent/Child Preschool/Kindergarten Grade School Gymnastics
Is it a cold…or something more? By Susan Sawyer
H
ealthy children, in a typical year, will experience six to 12 “cold or flulike” illnesses. These illnesses tend to cluster during the cold weather months, but can occur throughout the year. With each illness lasting an average of seven to 14 days, a child may just be improving from one viral illness, only to encounter another. At times, it may seem to a parent that their child has been persistently ill with a cold for the majority of the winter or spring season, and certainly this may be the case! So when should a parent worry that the “common cold” may be something more? Typical cold and flu illnesses caused by respiratory viruses may cause fevers, usually in the first three days of a new infection. Fevers may be appreciated by touch, and confirmed with a reliable thermometer, with temperatures higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit regarded as a “fever.” Parents should contact their doctor’s office for advice on managing fever, especially to confirm proper dosing for common fever-reducing medicines like acetominophen or ibuprofen. Patients with very high fevers (typically regarded as above 103 degrees), fevers persisting beyond 4 days, or any fever associated with abnormal activity in the child, such as poor feeding, decrease in alertness, or failure to wake for feedings in young babies, should be promptly evaluated by medical personnel. ANY fever in a child under 2 months of age may be a medical emergency, and should be promptly discussed with your physician’s office. Most children will experience a change in their typical appetite during a cold. They may eat smaller amounts more frequently, or may show less interest in foods altogether. In general, maintaining the child’s intake of appropriate fluids is more important during these times than ensuring solid food intake. Talk with your doctor about which fluids are most appropriate for your child’s age, as this differs from infants to older kids. If your child has had fewer than three wet diapers per day, or has dry mouth, or is generally much less active than normal, seek advice from your doctor’s office promptly, as the child may be dehydrated. If your child is following a typical pattern for a viral respiratory illness (sniffles, mild cough, and low-grade or absent fevers) with no difficulty breathing, best treatments will be plenty of rest, plenty of fluids to drink, and doing your best to prevent the spread of this illness to others. Older children should be taught to “cough into their elbows” and wash their hands after cleaning their noses. Most schools require that kids remain home until they are fever-free at least 24 hours, which helps to limit the spread of the virus when the child is at his/her most contagious, though care should still be taken to wash hands carefully and not share beverages with others even once fevers are gone. Over-the-counter cough and cold remedies are not recommended for children age 4 and younger, and should be used with cautious attention to dosing instructions in older children. While we still don’t have a cure for the common cold, we do have effective vaccines against influenza, and the CDC and Academy of Pediatrics recommend universal flu vaccines annually for all people older than 6 months of age. In this case, an ounce of prevention can be worth a pound of cure! Kourtney Santucci, MD, is a pediatrician at T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital at Erlanger. For more information, call Erlanger’s physician referral line at 423-778-LINK(5465).
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Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • October 2011
Parent Involvement in Our Schools
Helping Our Children, Our Schools and Our Nation By Tracey Carisch
K
eri Todd, a physical therapist and mother of twins, rushes through the door of Chattanooga’s Creative Discovery Museum just in time to join her son and daughter’s class field trip. While chaperoning the event with other parents, she closely watches the time and hopes she won’t have to leave early in order to make her next patient appointment. As the tour ends, Keri kisses her kids, says goodbye to the teachers and parents, and then runs at a full sprint to her car. With the luck of some well-timed stoplights, she does make it to her next patient on time, but she has to work up a sweat and entirely skip lunch in the process. So many parents can relate to this story. While we want to be involved in our children’s education, we often find ourselves scrambling to make it happen. Whether it’s staying up late to ice cupcakes or sitting down to help them with difficult math concepts we don’t even understand ourselves, staying involved in our child’s education can feel like a tremendous challenge at times. Yet, remaining engaged in the academic experience is critical to both your child and our educational system.
Photo courtesy Battle Academy
Hamilton County Department of Education said, “The more parent involvement we have, the better. Those schools with strong parent involvement are our better schools.” Improving Our Nation The downturn in the economy has led to reductions in federal and state funding dollars for our schools. Despite this financial reality, the quality of our educational system remains of critical importance to the future of our economy. Erik Hanushek, a leading international researcher on education, has tied the level of cognitive skills among a nation’s students to its subsequent economic growth rate. Students’ skills in math and science were found to particularly impact the economic advancements of the 50 nations included in the study. With the United States’ position in the world economy resting on the future capabilities of our youngest citizens, our contributions to the educational system enhance not only to our own children’s success, but that of our nation as well.
Redefining Parent Involvement Understanding the important global impacts of our involvement in the educational process doesn’t make it any easier for us Improving Our Children as parents to give our local schools the Battle Academy student Jainey Walker got to meet Governor While involvement in the educational attention they deserve. Busy work schedules Haslam at the year’s Battle Banzai event. process can get a bit stressful, research tells and other obligations can sometimes make us it’s definitely worth it. Numerous studies it difficult to simply help with nightly over the last 30 years consistently report that the most accurate predictor of homework, let alone take on major volunteer efforts in the school. To meet the student achievement is the child’s family. Students are more likely to succeed demands of modern life, school systems encourage parents to consider a new in school and beyond when family members encourage learning, communicate definition of parent involvement. high yet realistic academic expectations, and remain involved in the child’s education. The National Institute of Education reports that effective parent involvement directly correlates with students’ earning higher grade point averages and higher scores on standardized tests. Improving Our Schools Parent involvement also delivers tremendous benefits to faculty and administrators. The hour you spent cutting out shapes for the art lesson gave that teacher more one-on-one instructional time with a struggling student. Your donation of school supplies freed up budget funds which could then be spent on materials for science experiments. The efforts we put forth to support our children’s educational experiences improve outcomes for their schools as a whole. When recently asked to comment on the importance of family involvement in our local schools, Rick Smith, the Superintendent of
Erik Hanushek, a leading international researcher on education, has tied the level of cognitive skills among a nation’s students to its subsequent economic growth rate.
First of all, we must recognize the time dedicated to learning in the home as a critical form of parent involvement. By taking an interest in our children’s studies and helping with homework when needed, we not only progress their learning but we also send an important message to our families – school is important and we care about academic achievement.
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Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • October 2011
Photo courtesy Battle Academy
a school’s resources in its mission to advance learning. While sponsorship of school sports teams holds a long tradition in education, local business partnerships fostering academic programs have gained prevalence and importance in our country’s educational system. Many schools throughout our region have gained substantial support from local businesses. As a parent you can advocate for your child’s school at businesses throughout your community. Your lunch time burger joint might be able to donate cups for the basketball game concession stand. A local printing company may donate supplies for art projects. Look for opportunities to cultivate business partnerships in your community and coordinate with school administrators as you pursue them.
Numerous studies over the last 30 years consistently report that the most accurate predictor of student achievement is the child’s family. Chattanooga’s public art sculptures make a great pit stop for these Battle Academy students on a field trip downtown.
We must also be diligent in identifying “teaching moments” in our daily lives. Maybe we impart basic math and science concepts by helping our kids bake a cake. Perhaps we cultivate their engineering curiosity as they help us fix the lawn mower. When we involve children in our household activities we open the door to learning. In addition to promoting learning in the home, schools need us to consider new possibilities in our volunteer activities in the school. Today’s parents provide technological assistance, facilitate grant writing, perform construction services, organize after-school tutoring programs, and cultivate community relationships. The parent activities we traditionally think of, such as helping in the classroom and chaperoning field trips, will continue to be important components of parent involvement, but we should also broaden our scope to include options which provide us with more flexibility and draw upon our passions and professional skill sets. Parent Involvement in Our Region Lakweshia Ewing is the District Director of Family Engagement and Community Partnerships for Hamilton County Schools. With Parent Volunteer Coordinators and Family Partnership Specialists working in schools throughout the district, her department implements programs and cultivates community relationships which provide families with a wide range of resources as they support the academic growth of their children. Ewing acknowledges the power of parents and the home environment in positioning students for success. “Students are now required to know far more under the current educational curriculum than any group before them.” Her department advocates parent involvement throughout the entire educational process, recognizing the importance of teaching moments and a positive attitude toward learning in the home. “Anything taught in the classroom that’s not reinforced during the remainder of the day can be untaught.” Cultivating Community Support Community partnerships comprise another important component of Lakweshia Ewing’s work. “One of the most powerful contributions a parent can make to their child’s school is to develop a partnership with a supporting local business.” The monetary contributions, supply donations and enhanced community relationships presented through business partnerships can bolster
School Education Funds A school education fund is a nonprofit organization with the mission of raising money and cultivating community support for a specific academic entity. Within our region, a number of school education funds provide financial support, services and resources to the schools they are committed to assisting. School administrators communicate their critical needs to education fund board members, who then organize volunteers and donors to meet these needs. You can collaborate with other parents and school administrators to research the option of an education fund for your school. Contact one of the successful
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Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • October 2011
school education funds operating in our community to learn more about how these organizations operate and the process for establishing one.
Photo courtesy Andree Herbert
Tips for Staying Involved in Your Child’s Education As you think about your involvement in your child’s academic experience, experts from around the region and the country offer a few ideas for staying connected as a parent. • Support education in the home. Ingrain a positive attitude toward learning, engage with your children during homework time and look for teaching moments throughout the day. • Take the time to thoroughly read communications from the school and chat about them with your child. • Be proactive in your volunteer efforts. Don’t wait to be called. Contact the school with suggestions for how your skill set can support the school’s needs. • Be an advocate in the community. Stay informed on educational issues and express your opinion to local leaders.
The Normal Park Medical School day offers students and parent chaperones the chance to use microscopes and learn about body systems, healthy habits and medical careers.
• Coordinate with your school administrators to cultivate community involvement. Approach local businesses and organizations with ideas for how they can support
your school and contribute to the community. • Continue your involvement throughout the entire educational process. As children enter high school, parent involvement can drop dramatically. Stay involved in your children’s studies, attend events at school and connect with the parents of their classmates throughout the secondary education years. The quality of our educational system is a topic of continuing debate in our region and throughout the country. While legislators, researchers and educational leaders devise strategies for advancing the U.S. educational system, we as parents can start doing it today. We don’t need to wait to start improving our schools. It begins with making education a priority in our households and it includes everything from icing cupcakes to cultivating business partnerships. When the day comes that our children have grown up and finished their schooling, let us remember that the quality of our educational system effects of every citizen in this country, not just those with school-aged children. Our involvement should continue even after our children leave the classroom.
For more resources online visit these sites: http://www.education.com
http://EducationNext.org/education-and-economic-growth/ http://www.EducationWorld.com/a_special/parent_involvement.shtml Tracey Carisch is a partner at STG, providing consulting, facilitation and coaching services to businesses and community organizations. She lives in North Chattanooga with her husband and their three daughters.
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Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • October 2011
Fall Fun for Families
Tips and treats for a “Staycation” in the Chattanooga Area By CP
F
all Break is fast approaching and that means that report cards and children are headed home – to stay. The first 9 weeks of a school year seem to go by like lightning as everyone adjusts to the school year and a new pace of life. October and Fall Break are a great time to take a deep breath, enjoy the changes in the weather and make good family memories. Hamilton County students are out of school from Monday, October 17 to Friday, October 21 and that can be a challenge for working families; balancing jobs and child-care while trying to make the most of family time together. Chattanooga families have so many unique opportunities for adventure right here that the fall break doesn’t have to strike fear in the hearts of budget-minded families. Don’t forget to carry your Kid’s First Coupon book around during the school break because there are hundreds of opportunities to save money and have fun in that book. The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, Goony Golf, and many other local attractions are featured in these books available at all Hamilton County public schools. When was the last time you went roller-skating? The inevitable cry will come, “Mom, I’m bored” and when you are faced with bored kids who need to be tired kids Chattanooga has lots of fun options. Hamilton Skate Park has a great program of special rates and days and once you strap on those roller skates and catch yourself dancing to “Thriller” with your child you can’t believe you don’t go more often. Tag Gymnastics, TBA Climbing and even renting bikes from Outdoor Chattanooga are cheap and fun ways to play off some of that homefrom-school energy. The CARTA Electric Shuttle is free, has wireless internet and is a super fun way to spend an afternoon touring your city with the children. You don’t have to worry about parking and along the way you might want to hop a ride on a Buzz Pedicab! These humanpowered pedicabs are a fun way to cover a few blocks and make it an adventure your children will remember. Did you know that miniature golf was invented right here? It was and
21 East 7th Street, Chattanooga, TN 37404 423-402-8174 www.sceniccityminigolf.com
there is a terrific place downtown where you and your children can re-live the adventure and play a few holes of this fascinating game.
Putt or Treat On Saturday, October 29, 2011 from 2pm-6pm Scenic City MiniGolf will be hosting a Putt or Treat event. A costume and $4 is your admission to 18 holes of fun-filled miniature golf with a special treat at each holeall you have to do is say “Putt or Treat” to one of our costumed guides! Adults are encouraged, but not required to play. Additional rounds are just $1! When you are done playing your round of Putt or Treat don’t forget to visit our 19th Hole Blue Bell Ice Cream Parlor for ice cream, shakes and floats. Scenic City MiniGolf is an indoor, family-friendly activity in Downtown Chattanooga. See www.ScenicCityMiniGolf.com for location and contact information.
Local Hotspots for Family Fun The YMCA, Chattanooga’s Parks and Recreation Centers and many of our local museums have programs during the holiday with day-camp options that are so fun children don’t realize that they are learning, even on a school vacation. Local businesses like Kid’s Park also offer hourly
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Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • October 2011
Come visit America's largest underground lake! Registered National Landmark Open every day but Christmas day Group rates available Special Wild Cave Tours available 140 Lost Sea Road, Sweetwater, TN 37874 • (423) 337-6616 www.TheLostSea.com
or daily child-care in an exciting, fun environment. Membership has its advantages and families see the savings especially during school breaks. The Chattanooga Arboretum and Nature Center, the Creative Discovery Museum, the Tennessee Aquarium are just a few of the local organizations that offer programs for the entire family. Programs and activities are generally not very expensive (certainly cheaper than going out of town!) and with substantial discounts for members. Remember that when your aunt from Albuquerque asks what you want for Christmas and trade the fruit cake in for a year of family fun! Do your kids like gazing up at the stars? Take the family to the Beginning Astronomy Workshop at the Chattanooga Arboretum and Nature Center. Look at the sky together, build a basic knowledge of astronomy, discuss the features of the moon, including lunar phases, craters, and seas. You will look at the seasonal planets with the opportunity to view the Constellation of Orion, which will be viewable on the western horizon and you will learn the basic principles of how to use a telescope.
Festival Fun GoFest is the first Saturday of the holiday break, October 15 from 10 am to 3 pm a the Chattanooga Zoo. Visitors of all abilities will go wild for a free day at the Chattanooga Zoo at Warner Park during the seventh annual Go!Fest celebration. Animal attractions and interactions abound, but breaking boundaries and increasing disability awareness are at the heart of Go!Fest, which also showcases activities, entertainment and information from various social service agencies and other civic-minded groups, businesses and institutions. Corral the family, conjure up your Halloween spirit, and come to Chattanooga Arboretum and Nature Center’s 12th annual Festival of the Jack O’Lanterns Saturday, Oct. 15th from 2 to 9 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 16th from 1 to 6 p.m. Horse and buggy rides will go through Reflection Riding and Sack Races, Pumpkin carving, storytelling, a bonfire for cooking s’mores, live music, petting zoo, hayrides through Reflection Riding and outdoor movies such as the Halloween favorite, “It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown”. Also new this year will be more animal presentations, guided hikes and canoe trips down Historic Lookout Creek. This is a great creek for first time paddlers or the pros! Admission to the Festival of the Jack O’Lanterns for CA&NC members is $10 for adults and $8 for children ages 4 through 11. Admission for nonmembers is $12 for adults and $10 for children. Children three and under get in free.
Chattanooga and Surrounding Areas Staycation Destinations
Come for a tour! In Chattanooga For ages 2 – 12
2020 Gunbarrel Rd. #166 • Near Babies R Us •
423.305.1796
Chattanooga Arboretum and Nature Center 400 Garden Road Chattanooga, TN 37419 423.821.1160 www.Chattanoogaanc.org
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Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • October 2011
Chattanooga Zoo 301 North Holtzclaw Avenue Chattanooga, TN 37421 423-697-1322 www.ChattZoo.org
Tennessee Aquarium 201 Chestnut Street Chattanooga, TN 37402 423-265-0695 www.tnaqua.org
Hamilton Skate Place 7414 Goodwin Road Chattanooga, TN 423-899-1788 www.HamiltonSkate.com
World’s Fair Park Lawn & the Sunspere 1600 Worlds Fair Park Drive Knoxville, TN 1-865-215-1158 www.ci.knoxville.tn.us
Kid’s Park 2200 Gunbarrel Road, #166 Chattanooga, TN 37421 423-305-1796 www.Kidspark.com/center/ chattanooga Lost Sea 140 Lost Sea Road Sweetwater, TN 423-337-6616 www.TheLostSea.com Rock City 1400 Patten Road, Lookout Mountain, GA 30750 706-820-2531 www.SeeRockCity.com Ruby Falls 1720 South Scenic Highway Chattanooga, TN 37409 423-821-2544 www.RubyFalls.com Scenic City MiniGolf 21 East 7th Street Chattanooga, TN 37404 423-402-8174 www.ScenicCityMiniGolf.com
Knoxville Zoological Gardens 3500 Knoxville Zoo Drive Knoxville, TN 1-865-684-1200 www.knoxville-zoo.org
Open Weekends
“Top 10 Extreme Thrill”
Groupaway Travel Magazine.
Blount Mansion 200 Wet Hill Avenue Knoxville, TN 1-865-525-2375 www.BlountMansion.org Tellus Science Museum 100 Tellus Drive Cartersville, Georgia 770-606-5700 www.TellusMuseum.org Booth Western Art Museum 501 Museum Drive Cartersville, Georgia 1-770-387-1300 www.BoothMuseum.org
423.821.2544 RubyFallsZip.com NEW for 2011: Children’s course ZIPline!
Also, come back again & again with our new Triple Adventure Pass
Be a happier, more confident mom! Do you sometimes fear for your child’s future? Do you know that your child is smarter than he performs? Does it concern you that his self-confidence is low?
Volkswagen and the Austin Hatcher Foundation team up for “Racing to Win”
Celebrating healthy lifestyle choices Story and photo by CP
V
AnsweRs ARe A phone CALL AwAy. You owe it to yourself, and him, to learn more about the breakthrough cognitivebased reading and learning programs from LearningRx. LearningRx Chattanooga
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Now Enrolling! Siskin Early Learning Centers Unique learning environments for children of all abilities ages 6 weeks to 6 years Siskin Early Learning Center East Brainerd 1602 Gunbarrel Road 423.643.4059
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Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • October 2011
Siskin Early Learning Center Downtown 1101 Carter Street 423.648.1759
Learn more at www.siskin.org/enrollment
olkswagen Chattanooga has partnered with a local non-profit to bring a message celebrating healthy lifestyles to student in Hamilton County. The Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer is a local organization serving families, hoping to erase the effects of pediatric cancer and optimize each child’s quality of life. They use interventions that begin at the time of diagnosis and continue throughout survivorship. Hatch’s House of Hope provides services to children with cancer The Austin Hatcher Foundation has and their families. been bringing their message to families The “Fueling Potential: Racing at events with the Chattanooga to Win” program is funded Parent Magazine and is excited about GoFest on Saturday, October 15 at the by a grant from Volkswagen Chattanooga Zoo. Chattanooga as a part of their continuing effort to invest in the Chattanooga community. Racing to Win meets both state and national education guidelines and uses kidfriendly car imagery to teach children about nutrition, exercise, sun safety and the dangers of tobacco. These lessons are designed to equip children with the knowledge to make healthy choices that will greatly reduce their risk of cancer later in life. These unique curriculums were designed in collaboration with UTC’s Department of Health and Human Performance and Lee University’s Department of Education. The Austin Hatcher Foundation hopes to reach thousands of children in grades Kindergarten through 5th grade during the next year. The Foundation has joined the Chattanooga Parent Magazine and its program partners at events serving Chattanooga area families and is bringing their innovative educational activities to GoFest at the Chattanooga Zoo on Saturday, October 15. For information about the Foundation please contact www.hatcherfoundation.org.
Calendar of Events October 1-31, 2011
Featured Listing for October Chattanooga Market’s 10th Annual Oktoberfest First TN Pavilion Saturday, October 22 (10a-6p), Sunday, October 23 (11a-4p) As Chattanooga’s oldest and longest-running German celebration, the festival is expected to attract crowds up to 25,000 each day. With live Oompah music, German bier gartens, bratwurst and other German specialty foods, vendors selling fresh produce and art & crafts, the festivities offer something for everyone.
1826 Carter St. (423) 266-9270. www.facebook.com/ chattanoogaoktoberfest
ONGOING EVENTS AND s ATTRACTIONS s a Audobon Acres t Open 9 am - 6 pm daily. 900 North Sanctuary e Road. 423-892-1499. Bessie Smith Cultural Center Open 10am - 5pm. 200 East MLK Boulevard. www.caamhistory.org. 423-266-8658. Chattanooga Chew Chew Canine Park Open 9 am – 6 pm. 181 Carter Street 423-4256311. Chattanooga Choo Choo Open 9 am – 8 pm. 1400 Market Street. www. choochoo.com 423-265-5000. Chattanooga Ducks Tour times vary by season. 201 West 5th Street. www.chattanoogaducks.com. 423-756-DUCK. Chattanooga Ghost Tours 6pm - 10pm every Friday and Saturday. night. Various downtown locations. www. chattanoogaghosttouts.com. 423-821-7125. Chattanooga Nature Center Open 9 am - 5 pm. 400 Garden Road. www. chattanooganaturecenter.org. 423-821-1160. Chattanooga-Hamilton County Bicentennial Library 1001 Broad Street. 9 am - 9 pm Monday & Tuesday; 9 am - 7 pm Wednesday & Thursday;
9 am - 6 pm Friday & Saturday. www.lib. chattanooga.gov. 423-757-5310. The Chattanooga Zoo at Warner Park Open 9 am – 5 pm. 301 North Holtzclaw Avenue www.chattzoo.org. 423-667-1319. Chattown Skate Park Open 4 pm – 10 pm. 1801 Carter Street. 423757-2076. Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park Open 8:30 am – 5 pm. Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia 706-866-9241. www.nps.gov/chch. Coolidge Park Carousel Open 11 am – 6:30 pm. 150 River Street. 423595-4485, 425-6311. www.chattanooga.gov. Crabtree Farms Open 10 am – 5 pm. 1000 East 30th Street. www.crabtreefarms.org. 423-493-9155. Creative Discovery Museum 321 Chestnut Street www.cdmfun.org 423-7562738. East Ridge City Library 10am - 8:30pm. 1517 Tombras Avenue East Ridge, TN 423-867-7323. Greenway Farm Dog Park Open daily sunrise to sunset. 5051 Gann Store Rd. www.Chattanooga.gov. The Houston Museum of Decorative Arts Guided tours 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Monday through Friday. 201 High St. 423-276-7176. TheHoustonMuseum.com. Hunter Museum of American Art Noon–5 p.m. Sunday; 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday; noon–5 p.m. Wednesday; 10 a.m.–9 p.m. Thursday. Children under 3 free every day. Children 13 and under free weekends and holidays. 10 Bluff View. www.HunterMuseum.org. 423-267-0968. IMAX 3D Theater Theater 201 Chestnut St. Tennis.org 266-4629. Incline Railway 8:30 a.m.–6:20 p.m. Monday–Friday; 8:30 a.m.–8:50 p.m. weekends. 3917 St. Elmo Ave. www.LookoutMountainAttractions.com. 423821-4224.
Lake Winnepesaukah Visit website for hours. 1730 Lakeview Dr., Rossville, Ga. www.LakeWinnie.com. 877-5253946. 12th Annual North Pole Limited Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum. 5:45 PM. Tennessee Valley Railroad Musuem 4119 Cromwell Rd. All trains will depart from depot. www.tvrail.com / 423-894-8028 Reflection Riding Arboreum & Botanical Garden 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Saturday; 1–5 p.m.Sunday. 400 Garden Rd. www. ReflectionRiding.org. 423-821-9582. Rock City Gardens 8:30 a.m.–8 p.m. daily. 1400 Patten Rd. Lookout Mountain, Ga. www.SeeRockCity. com. 706-820-2531 or 800-854-0675. Ruby Falls 8 a.m.–8 p.m. daily. 1720 South Scenic Hwy. www.RubyFalls.com. 423-821-2544. The Sinks Disc Golf Course Free & open daily, dawn to dark. Off Access Road, across from DuPont. www. ChattanoogaDiscGolf.com. Southern Belle Riverboat Visit website for daily cruise schedule. 201 Riverfront Pkwy., Pier 2. www. ChattanoogaRiverboat.com. 423-266-4488 or 800-766-2784. Tennessee Aquarium 10 a.m.–6 p.m. daily. 1 Broad St. www. TNAqua.org. 423-267-3474. Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum Visit website for daily train schedule. 4119 Cromwell Rd. www.TVRail.com. 423-8948028. Vaudeville Cafe Children’s show 1 p.m. Saturdays. Visit website for other show schedules. Vaudeville Café: Murder Mystery Dinner Shows. 138 Market St. FunnyDinner.com. 423-517-1839. The Walnut Wall Call for hours. Coolidge Park. www. TheAdventureGuild.com. 423-266-5709.
Visit ChattanoogaParentOnline.com for a complete listing of family-friendly events! Send calendar submissions to Calendar@ChattanoogaParentMagazine.com.
Beverly Semmes: Starcraft Until Oct. 23 Featuring installations, photography, collage, pottery and crystal.
Register Now:
Fall Classes for Kids • Art After School (classes for ages 6 to 13) •Pre-K Days and Pre-K Holidays
Call 423.267.0968.
huntermuseum.org
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Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • October 2011
Babysitter Basics are for everyone
CPR and Safety are critical lessons for everyone in the family
B
Story and photo by CP
abysitters, family members and family caregivers should all be safety protocol should be kept handy and highly visible. The properly trained in first aid and lifesaving techniques. When inside of a kitchen cabinet can be a great place for this kind of families and babysitters begin a working relationship together it information. is important that expectations and guidelines be communicated CPR Babysitting Classes – Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation early and that safety is the first priority for everyone. Babysitting classes, first aid training and CPR classes can be When you are looking for a babysitter start with your friends valuable tools for babysitters, grandparents and other extended and family members. Recruit several people who you can family members. These classes can be found at your local Red “interview” so that when you need help you have a few options. Cross chapter, hospital, YMCA or other community centers. Make sure that the children have the opportunity to meet WERCPR is a local business that offers a wide range of classes prospective sitters to see if they have rapport. and trainings. Be sure to talk about the training that they have and whether It is critical that a child-care provider know how to save they would be willing to receive CPR training as a condition of the lives of their charges in case there is an emergency. While employment. Prepare a list of a few “what-if ” scenarios to present calling 911 should be always be first the time it takes for a child to your prospective sitters to evaluate how they might react in to receive aid like CPR can mean the difference between life situations with your children. Tonya Carver of We R CPR will and death. If a child begins choking, suffocating, or drowning, Review house rules so that each sitter knows the rules of the be at GoFest October 15th for administering CPR immediately and correctly can save their life. house. It can be a big shock to come home to a food fight because a free day at the Zoo. the children told the sitter you always did that after dinner! Talk Local Resources: about behavior rules, television rules, bedtimes, snack options, dinner rules and www.wercpr.com cleaning expectations for children and sitter. www.chattanoogaredcross.org Emergency phone numbers, family emergency plan guidelines and household
McCallie
great hearts great minds has always been intent on
turning out boys with
connected to
–HAL DAUGHDRILL III ’73
.
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Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • October 2011
Get a kit. Make a plan. Be informed. By CP
D
isasters can strike quickly and in the blink of an eye a family’s routine is upside down. Chattanooga and North Georgia area families have seen more than our fair share of disasters lately but if we all have a kit and a plan the next disaster, whenever it comes, won’t get the best of you. There are different parts to disaster preparation but each is as important as the other. Surviving the disaster or catastrophic event safely is the first step and maintaining life in the aftermath of the disaster and staying informed are the ongoing challenges that families must face together. Talking with your children about what we do during a disaster and how we work together after a disaster can reduce the fear factor and make the family work together more safely as a team.
Photo courtesy Crystal Cadieux
Recommended Items to Include in a Basic Emergency Supply Kit: • Water, one gallon of water per person per day for three days •
Food (three-day supply of non-perishable food)
•
Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries
•
Flashlight & extra batteries
•
First aid kit
•
Whistle
•
Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
•
Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
•
Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
•
Local maps
•
Cell phone with chargers & car charger
Additional Items for an Emergency Supply Kit: • Prescription medications and glasses •
Infant formula and diapers
•
Pet food and extra water
•
Cash or traveler’s checks and change
•
Important family documents (copies of insurance policies, identification & bank account records in a waterproof, portable container)
•
Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or information from www.ready.gov.
•
Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person.
•
Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes.
•
Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper – When diluted nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. In an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.
•
Fire Extinguisher
•
Matches in a waterproof container
Disaster can strike quickly and it is important that a family talk about how they will handle an emergency before it happens.
•
Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
•
Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils, paper towels
•
Paper and pencil
•
Books, games, puzzles & activities for children
Talking with your children about what we do during a disaster and how we work together after a disaster can reduce the fear factor and make the family work together more safely as a team. Get Tech Ready According to The American Red Cross, the internet – including online news sites and social media platforms - is the third most popular way for Americans to gather emergency information and let their loved ones know they are safe. Through the use of everyday technology, individuals, families, responders, and organizations can successfully prepare for, adapt to and recover from disruptions brought on by emergencies and/or disasters. With effective planning a family can use technology before, during and after a crisis to communicate with loved ones and manage your financial affairs. Continued on page 22...
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Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • October 2011
...Continued from page 21
Stay Connected • Keep your contacts updated across all of your channels, including phone, email and social media. •
Learn how to send updates via text and internet from your mobile phone to your contacts and social channels in case voice communications are not available. Text messages and the internet can often work even during phone service disruption.
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Keep extra batteries for your phone in a safe place or purchase a solar-powered or hand crank charger. Consider using a car phone charger to charge your phone if you lose power at your home.
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• Personal and property insurance According • Identification: Driver’s License/Passport (for family members, as well) to The American • Banking information Red Cross, the internet • Don’t forget your Pets! – including online news sites Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so it is important to plan in and social media platforms - is advance. Create an Emergency Information Document or Family Communications Plan to the third most popular way for record how you will contact one another; how you will get back together; and what you will do Americans to gather emergency in different situations. Practice a dry-run of your information and let their emergency plan together. Sign up for Direct Deposit and electronic loved ones know they banking through your financial institution so you are safe. can access your payroll funds
Program “In Case of Emergency” (ICE) contacts into your cell phone so emergency personnel can contact those people for you if you are unable to use your phone. If you have a traditional landline (non-broadband or VOIP) phone, keep at least one non-cordless phone in your home because it will work even if you lose power. • If you do not have a cell phone, keep a prepaid phone card to use if needed during or after a disaster. • Prepare a family contact sheet. This should include at least one out-of-town contact that may be better able to reach family members in an emergency.
and make electronic payments regardless of location. Federal benefit recipients can sign up by calling (800) 3331795 or at www.GoDirect.org.
Family Emergency Plan Your family may not be together when disaster strikes so you should plan in advance: how you will contact each other; how you will get back together; and what you will do in different situations. •
Identify an out-of town contact. It may be easier to make a longdistance phone call than to call across town, so an out-of-town contact may be in a better position to communicate among separated family members.
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Be sure every member of your family knows the phone number and has a cell phone, coins, or a prepaid phone card to call the emergency contact. If you have a cell phone, program that person(s) as “ICE” (In Case of Emergency) in your phone.
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Subscribe to alert services. Many communities now have systems that will send instant text alerts or e-mails to let you know about bad weather, road closings, local emergencies, etc.
• Have a battery-powered or hand-cranked radio or television available (with spare batteries). Get Organized Store your important documents such as personal and financial records in a password-protected area in the Cloud or a secure flash or jump drive that you can keep readily available. This flash drive can be kept on a key ring so it can be accessed from any computer, anytime, anywhere. Remember important documents, such as:
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You may also want to inquire about emergency plans at places where your family spends time: work, daycare and school. If no plans exist, consider volunteering to help create one. Talk to your neighbors about how you can work together in the event of an emergency. You will be better prepared to safely reunite your family and loved ones during an emergency if you think ahead and communicate with others in advance. Some online resources: •
www.ready.gov – Be Red Cross Ready
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http://www.ready.gov/kids/step2/index.html - Ready Kids
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http://www.fema.gov/pdf/library/color.pdf - Coloring Book
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http://www.fema.gov/kids - FEMA for Kids
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Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • October 2011
Readers read and readers succeed Hamilton County’s Read20 Program and Bright School talk about reading By Jennifer Crutchfield
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arly literacy is what children know about that the school’s founder, Mary Gardner Bright, OJ Morgan slept here! reading before they can read. exemplified through her decades of service. A child’s brain develops at an incredible rate Bright School has been teaching students during the first three years of life and early and serving families from pre-k to 5th grade for experiences with language (playing peek-aboo, almost 100 years and whether they were raising reading aloud, talking about words) contribute money from scrap metal for a war effort in the to healthy brain development. Talking about 1940’s or collecting supplies for the Little Miss letters, words and playing games can lay the Mag center this year the school has celebrated foundation for learning to read when a child reading, learning and good citizenship. enters school. Children who love to read become citizens Parents are a child’s first and most important who strive to succeed and each of the 18 classes teachers. Since 2006 Read 20 distributed at Bright School got to pick out a book for their over 65,000 books; interacted with over 43,123 Headmaster to read as he spent the night on the children; confirmed at least 23,680 adults roof. During the week since Mr. Morgan has reading with children every day and provided visited each class and read their chosen book resources and training for 1,277 teachers in area and had a conversation with the children about public schools and day care centers. what they liked about the book. Visit www.read20.org for more information Children’s eyes glowed as they talked to on community outreach and opportunities. him about the books they had chosen. When Read20 has facilitated 700+ hours of read aloud reading is celebrated children read and those activities for children and families across the children have a higher chance to succeed. It is community at schools, events, libraries and easy to imagine that those students will always Bright School students cheered for reading as their daycare centers. remember the excitement of their leader’s Headmaster spent the night on the roof reading the books commitment to their learning! Read 20 programs have encouraged area they chose. elementary schools to include reading 20 minutes everyday as part of every student’s homework assignment. Consider Researchers agree that children are more likely to become good donating some of your time by sharing the message of reading as a reader or readers if they start school with six skills for early literacy: through a program donation.
“Parent involvement is linked to children’s school readiness, success and future social and educational achievement, says OJ Morgan.” Parent involvement is linked to children’s school readiness, success and future social and educational achievement. Research shows that greater parent involvement in children’s learning positively affects the child’s school performance, including higher academic achievement and greater social and emotional development. Simple interactions, like reading and word games, lead to greater reading knowledge, skills and enthusiasm. Children who see their parents read and enjoy reading demonstrate higher levels of reading knowledge and skills at kindergarten entry. Bright School’s Headmaster celebrated the fun of reading – on the school’s roof! OJ Morgan, the Headmaster of Bright School, knows about children, Chattanooga and the power of reading. Mr. Morgan has been in Chattanooga since he came to Baylor in 1979 but a few weeks ago he spent the night on the roof with books that his students had chosen. His energy and spirit with the students at Bright School reflect the energy of enthusiasm in education
* Narrative Skills - Children have the ability to describe things around them and tell stories * Vocabulary - Understanding what different words mean. Children have the ability to understand and use a variety of words. * Print Awareness - Children have learned that the black and white marks on a page represent spoken words and have the ability to follow words on a page. * Letter Knowledge - Children are able to name the letters of the alphabet. * Print Motivation - Children have been exposed to a wide variety of literacy experiences and have learned to love books and stories. * Phonological Awareness - Ability to hear small sounds making up words.
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Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • October 2011
It’s never too early to learn at the CSO Story by Josh Hildebrandt and Jennifer Crutchfield
I
t’s never too early to learn music in the DeCredico family and their children; 10, 8, 6 and 4 play a myriad of instruments. The love each over, adore being a family in Chattanooga and celebrate all of the lessons that they learn together. Suzanne and Richard came to Chattanooga on a trip for the rock climbing. They were both from the Northeast and when they became parents Chattanooga made the best sense to raise their children. Nature and adventure were abundant, culture was vibrant and it was an affordable place to live. Sophia and Winston were toddlers when they decided that Chattanooga was the place to be. Violet and Audrey came along in due time and when the decision about kindergarten came Suzanne and Richard realized that they were already doing it together and enjoying that time with their children. As the family evaluated their options for school their decision was less about the local school system and more about the resources in town and their family’s time together.
The opportunities offered by Chattanooga’s museums, non-profits and social organizations expand horizons for children who crave knowledge and families who embrace learning together. The Chattanooga Symphony and Orchestra Youth Orchestra offers opportunities for students of all ages. The hallways of Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences echo with the harmonious sounds of musical instruments intermingled with the excited voices of over a hundred students. Small students play violins passionately, middle school girls whisper loudly about the upcoming concert and everyone gazes at the young faces with their amazing instruments. Parents glance, bemused, at a group of six- and seven-year-olds who walk past with their sophisticated instruments in hand. The Chattanooga Symphony & Opera Youth Orchestras (CSOYO) rehearsals are in full swing. “Most people do not realize that children who are five and six years old can play instruments.” And as a mom with different aged children she debrandt. explains that, “It’s exciting for students il H sh o J rtesy Photos cou to be a part of something where it is the level of your ability that matters, instead of your age.” A perfect example of this is DeCredico’s daughter, Violet. Violet is a six-year-old homeschooled student and the youngest member of the CSOYO. She is a cello player who uses a 1/10-size cello and a custom stand that is short enough so she can see the conductor. During practices, she uses a stool that can be raised and lowered, since she is too small to sit on a regular-sized chair. Asked why she plays music, Violet replies, “I really like the sounds of the songs I play on Sophie, now 10, has started as a 6th grader at CCA my cello.” Violet quickly goes on to describe (Chattanooga Creative Arts) and the younger kids that when she practices at home, she sets up her are following a curriculum of family activities and stuffed animals in front of her so she can always events that include dance, music, theatre and reading have an audience. include top-knotch instructors from the CSO, Cadek “This way I will not be nervous when I have to Conservatory and local musicians. play in front of people.” Their science, nature and geology classes are The DeCredico children reflect the significant Violet is usually on amazing boulders and big adventures, impact of arts education and the pivotal role that 6 years old and plays bo right in their back yard. They learn together, whether the piano. organizations play in providing opportunities for th the c ello and it’s Chinese or music and the selection of sounds from the area’s young people. DeCredico is enthusiastic the flying fingers of this family tribe is remarkable. Sophie (10) plays about the role that the CSOYO has in the the violin and piano, Winston (8) plays the viola and piano, Violet (6) plays the community: “The CSOYO shows how Chattanooga is cello and piano and Audrey (4) plays the violin. open to arts for people of all ages.” Suzanne was amazed when she bought materials for Sophie’s first class “It is really great that students can get started playing young, and that way and realized that children as young as 4 could learn to play instruments. will remember playing music at all times.”
“I really like the sounds of the songs I play on my cello.” Violet (age 6) then describes that when she practices at home, she sets up her stuffed animals in front of her so she can always have an audience.
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Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • October 2011
“Fathers, be good to your daughters.” For in their eyes.. we hang the moon. By Chris Atkins
M
y wife and I sat together at a local deli eating lunch one warm Sunny afternoon with our 11 and 9 year old daughters and our toddler son. While we were enjoying our sandwiches, my oldest daughter remembered our tradition of having dessert on Friday and Saturday evenings. She excitedly commented that we should have dessert after our meal. My response was another one of those times in my life when I have spoken without thinking first. I was thinking about my personal experience of gaining weight later in life when my metabolism took a nosedive when I replied, “If you’re not careful you have the possibility of becoming a chubby lady someday!”. The look on her sad face, with head hung low, devastated me. I immediately realized that this would be the very last thing to say to a pre-teen girl…. or ANYBODY for that matter. My wife embraced my daughter, who was tearful, looked at me and said, “you don’t say that.. that’s mean!”. My second oldest daughter joined them, “that’s mean!” My 2 year old son, munching on French fries concurred. “No, Daddy!” Of course, I responded with my, “what I meant was…” explanation, which didn’t mean much given how hurtful my words were. Finally, a sincere, “I’m sorry sweetheart, I love you, and you are a beautiful girl, who should love you for YOU!”, seemed to relieve her somewhat. I really do believe that but I didn’t quite realize the power of the relationship between a father and daughter until that moment. Later, my wife’s words to me were very powerful. She explained to me that my oldest, more conscious of her appearances than in earlier years, had put on make-up that morning, combed her hair nicely, and was proud of the way she looked, and that in the past year had become more conscious of her appearances, more so than in her earlier years. She reminded me of the importance of body image for girls, especially pre-adolescent girls and adolescent girls. The most powerful thing she said was, “later on in her teen years, she will become interested in boys… but for now, YOU hang the moon for her. Her relationship with her daddy, and what her daddy thinks of her are very very important”. Those words stuck with me. At 36, I am prone to forget 24 years ago, and how turbulent adolescence was for me as a pre-teen boy. Not having a sister, I had nobody to teach me about the journey of a young girl: puberty, adolescence…a time of changes. Now as a father, I have to learn from my wife about this journey. Hannah, almost 12, is in 6th grade, wrapping up her first year in middle school. She received braces this year, has made new friends, is physically active and plays regularly in her little league. This year has surely been a time of changes for her. My wife reminded me of the importance of positive parenting that praises her for successes, and comforts her in times of distress. Boundaries and structure are equally important, but the foundation of these two must be the positive affirmation and a father-daughter bond that will help a girl’s positive self-esteem and to assist her in successfully entering into the teen years. Having been in the Army for 8 years, I’ve become really attuned to my male battle buddies, with statements like “Good to go… drive on… roger…. and high speed, low drag”. But for me to be successful as the parent of an almost-teenager, with a 9 year old not far behind, I’m going to have to be an Army guy who is also really attuned to the needs of his pre-adolescent daughter, and look for opportunities to enhance her selfesteem and for a job well-done. Recently, Hannah came home with her report card. She was excited and greeted me at the door waving it in the air. I read each grade aloud, and accompanied each reading with a High 5, “Language Arts… High Five! Math… High Five!..”. All in all, 5 A’s, and 1 B! It was a time of celebration, and I tried to make sure she was praised for her efforts and hard work.
Following a big mistake that negatively impacted my daughter’s self-esteem, I realized, with my wife’s help, that for a pre-teen girl, her daddy really does “hang the moon”, as my wife put it. I’m her “Daddy”.. and with that comes greatly responsibility… and that involves positive affirmation and bonding via intentional “daddy-daughter time” with a girl who is growing into a young woman. For sure, I’m going to be a lot more proactive in making sure my daughters consistently know that they’re #1 in their Daddy’s eyes, that I may pattern to them the healthy love of a man in their lives, in the present… and future years to come. One of my favorite songs is “Daughters”, by John Mayer. It’s pretty applicable to my recent lesson that our daughters will love the way that we love them: “So fathers, be good to your daughters Daughters will love like you do Girls become lovers who turn into mothers So mothers, be good to your daughters too.” Chris Atkins, a behavioral health officer with the Tennessee National Guard and a Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom Care Manager with the Chattanooga VA clinic, is the father of two daughters, 11 and 9, and a 3 year old son.
BaylorEngages “Before Baylor I thought science was so boring. Now I think it’s fun because we do a lab with chemicals and mixtures every day!
BaylorLeads Admission Test Date: January 7, 2012 | www.baylorschool.org | (423) 267-8505
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Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • October 2011
I
The Boredom Buster
feel really bad for my children. Unfortunately, all three suffer from the same chronic syndrome for which there is often no cure – boredom. With the countless number of games, gadgets, and gizmos our children have at their immediate disposal, you would think they could find something to keep them moderately entertained. But not a week or weekend goes by without one of our boys exclaiming those four little words, “I am so bored.” I used to respond, “Boredom is the mother of invention,” or “You know, only boring people are bored.” But that did more to perplex them than to prompt them so I gave up on those mantras. I then would suggest no fewer than a dozen options for entertainment, from board games to ping-pong to art projects and every one would be denied, based on the fact that doing any of those things would be really boring. I finally started to pull out the only ammunition that has successfully eliminated the ennui for generations, the old, “Well, if you are so bored then I have lots of work around the house you can do,” which immediately sends any child out the door, never to be seen or heard from again. When I was younger we had neither the inclination nor the luxury to be
bored. That’s because a bored child in our house was a child just begging for a job. If we ever looked bored, acted bored or even dared to let that word escape from our lips, my mother was at the ready with a veritable laundry list of household chores for us to choose from. “Ali, what are you doing?” my mother would ask. “Nothing,” I would sometimes respond carelessly and then immediately regret my ill-fated answer as my mother would start to rattle off her recommendations. “Great, then why don’t you help me weed the garden, or take out the trash, or fold this laundry, or clean your room, or go start dinner, or straighten up the playroom, or go in the kitchen and get my list and see what else needs to be done.” And that was all the incentive I needed to find something – anything – to do. Sometimes that entailed riding my bike or my Big Wheel around the driveway and through the carport a thousand times, or re-enacting the Wild West in the backyard by turning sticks and string into bows and arrows, or converting our tiny playhouse into a makeshift restaurant that doubled as my imaginary mansion. But most of the time, I would simply grab my brother and call my neighborhood friend Laura and say, “Meet me at The Log.” The Log was exactly what you might imagine a place called “The Log” would be – an old tree that had fallen across a dried up creek bed behind our house. It was only a few houses down the block and the exact middle point between our house and Laura’s. And we could spend literally hours playing there.
“When I was younger we had neither the inclination nor the luxury to be bored. That’s because a bored child in our house was a child just begging for a job.”
St. Peter’s Episcopal School Learning to Love, Loving to Learn
When I was growing up, neighborhood friends were the best. You didn’t text their parents to see if they could come out and play, you just walked into their kitchens to see if they were home. You would meet early in the morning and walk the neighborhood in search of adventure, or ride bikes together for fun and wouldn’t bother checking in with an adult until you got hungry or it got dark outside – whichever came first. I am certain that every generation remembers their childhood as a simpler time, when neighbors had open door policies, when no one worried about their kids’ safety if they were gone all day, when any game that ended in the word “tag” could keep you occupied for hours, and most of all, as a time when we were never, ever bored. My hope is that our kids remember their childhoods with that same sense of joy and nostalgia. That’s why our boys know they can walk to the neighbors house when they are looking for a playmate, they can bike to the park when they want to meet some friends to play football and they can even play on the four-foot stub of a giant oak tree that once stood in our backyard. Our kids know that on any given day, there is always an adventure waiting to be discovered. And if not, they also know there is always a load of laundry waiting to be folded.
Got feedback for Alison? Contact her via e-mail at ChattanoogaParent@gmail.com or post feedback to her column at ChattanoogaParentMagazine.com.
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