Mamatoga Summer 2014

MAMATOGA Saratoga’s First Parenting Magazine

Summer 2014

Pony Party

Dolphin Parenting Summer Unplugged Five or less lunc hbox project

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Letter from the Editor Summer in Saratoga is such a magical time, and this year we already have our list going of things not to miss: American Girl Night at SPAC, swimming at the McGregor Links pool, takeout picnics from ParkSide Eatery at Congress Park, family days at the racetrack, nights at the Malta Drive-In, Circus Smirkus, it goes on and on.

This year I have another focus too, a focus on giving the kids time to just be kids. Sure we are going to sneak in the odd tennis lesson and horseback riding show, but I want to also make sure I give them plenty of tree climbing, bug catching, ice pop eating, cloud watching, do nothing time. Time to just run around and be kids. I want them to curl up and read books for hours on rainy afternoons, beg to stay out past dark to chase fireflies, and become experts at finding the perfect stick to roast marshmallows with. That time to just be a kid goes so fast, and the summer goes even faster, that I plan on keeping plenty of our hours in the warm weather unplanned and spontaneous.

This summer we are also going to welcome our fourth baby, a baby girl, and as of press time we still don’t have one single name for her on our list but we can’t wait to become a family of six.

Believe it or not after three kids I still feel like there is so much I have forgotten about having a newborn, and I can’t wait to pull out the teeny tiny onesies and the super small diapers and the baby slings once again.

I will be easy to spot this summer, I’ll be the hugely pregnant one chasing around a little blonde toddler. I’m also going to be taking advantage of indulging all of my Saratoga Springs food cravings this summer, including plenty of Hattie’s fried chicken, ice cream at Humpty Dumpty’s, and some BBQ at the Saratoga’s All-American Celebration on July 4th. Lastly, please don’t miss Big Truck Day this summer at the Maple Avenue Middle School on Saturday, August 2nd. It is the biggest family friendly fundraiser for the Children’s Museum at Saratoga, and we would love to have your support! If you see me out and about, please do say hi, your support for Mamatoga means so much to me!

xoxo - Jenny 8 | MAMATOGA

Summer 2014

Jenny Witte

CEO & Founder

Jake Van Ness

Creative Director jake@graphicprecision.com

Mamatoga, LLC

Publisher publishing@mamatoga.com On the cover with Levy is Emma McGraw with Scooby at North Country Horses (photo by Tracey Buyce)

FEATURES MAMATOGA

Building a Foundation with Ballet 22

Pony Party

Pony Party 28

Saratoga’s First Parenting Magazine

Summer 2014

Dolphin Parenting 36 Pilates Girl Stuff 42 Dolphin Parenting

The Art of the Swaddle 56

Summer Unplugged Five or less lunc hbox project

Cover photo by Tracey Buyce

TABLE Go2Snax

39

The Five or Less Lunchbox Project Frushi

49

PLAY Adventure in Co-Parenting Summer Favorites Calendar

16

Getaway

32

12

15

Summer Unplugged

18

Avoiding the Summer Slide

44

HEALTH Truth About Sports Drinks Summer Babywearing Parenting Pages

STYLE Stuff I Love Style Files

20 27

51

50

31

46

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

www.Mamatoga.com

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CONTRIB Katie Nemer

Katie is a Toga mama to Jackson (12), Zoe (3), Preston (1) and Cocoa (the family lab). She and her husband, Josh, are huge fans of Saratoga and of Mamatoga magazine. Julie Cox is Jackson’s stepmom and Katie’s Co-author for their column, “Adventures in Co-Parenting”. Together they share their story about the many benefits, challenges, and humorous events that arise when sharing a child between two houses. Katie also took the fabulous cover shot for this issue.

Stephanie Messercola, PA-C

Stephanie is a graduate of the University of Connecticut. She attended PA school at Albany Medical College in Albany, NY and completed her rotations in all areas of medicine throughout the Capital Region. In 2005 she became board certified by the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants. She has practiced locally since 2005. Her areas of interest include pediatric obesity and adolescent medicine. Stephanie is married to Dan and has two sons.

Robin Dalton

Robin is originally from New York City and graduated from Cornell University.

In 2008, she moved to Saratoga Springs and joined Roohan Realty. She is an avid marathon runner and Ironman triathlete and the co-Toga Tattler columnist for the Saratogian newspaper. Mrs. Dalton lives in Saratoga Springs with her husband Matt and their three young children; sons John Matthew and Charlie, and baby girl Alice, as well as their beloved lab Smushie.

Jennifer Armstrong Jennifer, an independent fashion consultant, is also an author of over 100 books for children and teens and the 2004 winner of the New York State Library Association’s Knickerbocker Award in Juvenile Literature for her body of work. Her daughter, Dani, is in 8th grade. Jennifer works part-time in the children’s department at Northshire Bookstore in Saratoga Springs and invites you and your kids to visit her at the store on Saturdays!

10 | MAMATOGA

Summer 2014

BUTORS Julie Cox

You can often spot Julie around town doing one or more of the following things: chasing one of her three boys, Jackson (12), Declan (4), and Beckett (1), educating teenagers about Shakespeare/aliens/grammar, driving her sweet minivan between various sports and activities, and chugging coffee in the midst of all the organized chaos. But most likely you will find her wandering the aisles of the grocery store where she spends the bulk of her time stockpiling food for the aforementioned three boys who are, for the most part, very very hungry.

Tracey Buyce Tracey is a top-ranked wedding and pet photographer in Saratoga Springs, NY. Her work has been published in numerous high profile publications and websites.

She is an active member of the Wedding Photojournalist Association, Fearless Photographers and Professional Photographers of America. Tracey volunteers for several charities including: Hospice of Saratoga, CANDi International and Photographers without Borders.Tracey is married to Pete and has two rescue dogs, Roxy and Cassidy, one shelter kitty, Reece, and a horse named Moose.

Jake Van Ness Jake is a graphic designer and the owner of Graphic Precision, a design firm serving clients locally and nationally. With over 15 years experience in the design and printing industries, Jake provides his clients with cutting edge branding and marketing design in print, as well as online. Graphic Precision has received numerous national awards for it’s design work, including one for the design and layout of Mamatoga Magazine.

Having grown up in Saratoga Springs, Jake enjoys working as the Creative Director for a magazine based in his home town. Learn more about Jake and his design firm Graphic Precision at www.graphicprecision.com.

www.Mamatoga.com

| 11

Adventures in Co-Parenting

by Katie Nemer & Julie Cox

1. A laundry chute that launches our dirty clothes back upwards clean and folded, prepared for being put away.

2. Cows who live in our back yard that can be milked indefinitely and have both ‘plain’ and ‘chocolate’ flavored udders.

3. Many, many, many butlers.

4. Personal chauffeurs for each of my kids to be brought to their various activities, and Jackson to and from his Dad and Julie’s.

5. Email and texting robots who can read my mind and send my replies instantaneously as soon as I think of them.

Katie’s 20 things

6. Assistants for my email robots who can check off “reply to thirtyfive emails” on my to do list after the robots complete them.

7. A banana tree.

8. Socks that don’t turn inside out.

15. Snacks. Lots and lots of snacks.

9. Broccoli that looks exactly like a cookie.

16. Table guardrails tall enough to block large animals.

10. A drive-thru at Healthy Living.

17. A nationwide ban on shoelaces in kids shoes.

11. A drive-thru at Starbucks.

18. The ability to levitate my car over everyone else’s on route 50 on the way to Wilton.

12. A drive-thru at Target. And BJs. 13. The entire town of Wilton to require drive-thrus, everywhere.

14. Signs on the side of my Tahoe that tell me where each kid’s seat is.

12 | MAMATOGA

Summer 2014

19. A car detailer who lives in my SUV and is very experienced in goldfish explosions.

20. A minion who follows my twelve year old around making sure he doesn’t forget anything.

1. Coffee. So much coffee. All the coffee. With a touch of cream and two sugar cubes to make me feel fancy.

2. Receiving a text from one of my extraordinary co-workers first thing in the morning that says “getting you coffee,” and thinking YES, more coffee.

3. Trashy celebrity gossip - ugh, why do I love you so?

4. Fresh office supplies, preferably a brand new package of brightly colored fine-tip pens for grading and making To Do Lists.

5. To Do Lists, complete with entries that one wouldn’t think require listing such as, go to the bathroom or pick up the children or put on matching shoes.

Julie’s 20 things

6. Mommy friends who get “it.” All of “it.”

7. Watching Game of Thrones and daydream/wondering if anyone in Westeros will ever get their act together and/or take a shower.

8. My secret stash of dark chocolates I keep in my desk for those moments when I just need a moment to breathe...and a dark chocolate.

9. My students who relentlessly try to keep me “cool” by banning phrases such as “interwebs,” “boo-yah,” and tell me I should never sing or dance in front of people...ever.

14.

That dirty-little-boy smell that clings to them after playing outside for hours which must be some combination of dirt, grass-stain, sweat, sunshine, smushed bugs, scraped knees, and more dirt. God, I love that smell.

10. The feeling that comes after grading a whole set of research papers which is second only to...

11. The feeling that comes just after washing, drying, and folding all the laundry in the house and just before realizing the hamper is already halfway full again. But that sweet spot right in the middle - heav-en-ly.

12. Belting out the songs from Frozen in the car and nailing the “Love is an Open Door” duet with my 4 year old. Especially the robot part.

13. The feeling of sweet victory when I make up a recipe and it’s so completely delicious that I add “write down what you did before you forget it” on my To Do list. I usually forget it but I swear, it was really good.

www.Mamatoga.com

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15. That post-bathtime two-minute-zen when the kids are snugly wrapped in towels and just let me hold them tightly and smell their freshly-washed hair.

(Apparently I enjoy smelling my kids.)

16. Catch-up phone conversations with my sisters and/or my parents which always end with saying exactly when it is we’ll see each other again.

17. Watching a whole week’s worth of DVR-ed Jeopardy and schooling my husband in our own fierce competition. (OK, sometimes I let him win.)

18. That feeling when the kids are in bed and we are relaxing on the couch, and decide on just one more episode (and perhaps a glass of wine to go with it) so we can stretch the precious us-time just 44 minutes longer.

19. Checking on the kids before turning in and pausing to watch their sweetdrooly-sleepfaces and thinking how blessed I am that I get to be the mom and stepmom to the coolest boys in the world.

20. Sleeping. Just sleeping. And preferably a night of uninterrupted sweet-dream sleep during which I’m not laying awake making mental To Do Lists or packing backpacks in my mind. There’s nothing quite as delicious as a good night’s sleep, except maybe the smell of my children...or dark chocolate...or that thing I made that one time but don’t remember how I did it...

Charles Lasky, MD Amy Knoeller, MD Carolyn Slatch, MD Amos Cutler, MD Katja Bock, MD Eliot Birnbaum, MD Dympna Weil, MD Kelly Goldenberg, CNM Terri Jones-Kingman, NP Ruthann Aurentz, NP

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Summer 2014

summer favorites from mamatoga locals We love to explore all the nooks and crannies of Congress Park.

Add in a visit to the library and a treat from Plum Dandy and it’s the perfect day! – Katie I love Moreau state park. The lake is awesome in the summer. The kids can swim, have a snack, and play on the playground. Being from Long Island where I miss the beaches so much the lake is the closest I can get to getting my kids to be connected to home and my childhood. – Diane We love to just walk downtown and people watch! Kettle corn, carousel, fireworks, music, ice cream, dough boys, chasing ducks, Peerless pool, and of course The Track!

We live close to the track so we get to people watch from our porch and hear the races being announced! Oh can’t forget rainy days...they are even fun too, going to the library, the Children’s Museum at Saratoga… We are so lucky to live in Saratoga Springs! – Sarah

Picnics at Saratoga State Park and cooling off in the Geyser springs. Evening strolls through Congress Park and pizza and Ben n Jerry’s on the lawn, while chasing kites and those crazy geese! – Alicia The lawn at SPAC during any classical performance. No phones, games or electronics of any kind. The sights and sounds of the NYC Ballet or The Philadelphia Orchestra, the night stars, the waterfall near the stage, and my entire family snuggled on a blanket enjoying it all. – Melissa For me and my kids, a highlight of the summer is definitely Circus Smirkus! It’s always a huge hit with kids and adults alike, and the energy and enthusiasm that these teens put into every show is just amazing. Mark your calendars: July 12 and 13 at the Saratoga Race Track! – Donna For food choices my favorites that I have to get every summer are beer and pub food at The Parting Glass and a blue cheeseburger at PJs Bar-B-QSA. Taking a walk at SPAC, Saratoga State Park and Congress Park. Attending concerts at SPAC. Swimming at Peerless Pool. Also ice cream at Ben and Jerry’s! – Kristen Every year around March when I’ve just about had it with the long winter, I make my list of spring/summer activities that I want to do in Saratoga and surrounding areas. I’ve been doing this pre kids and now with my 4 and 2 yr old. (Although the type of activities haven’t changed all that much just additional family activities) this year on our list we have: Horseback riding at North Country Horses, Berry picking, Camping at Moreau, riding the carousel at Congress Park, see a Polo match, see Shakespeare in the Park in Congress Park, Saratoga County Fair, Boating on Lake George and so much more… www.Mamatoga.com

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june Fri, June 20th until Sun, June 22nd The Saratoga Balloon & Craft Festival at the Saratoga Fairgrounds in Ballston Spa. The family-friendly event will be a three-day festival with Morning and Evening Balloon Launches, Tethered Balloon Rides, 100 artists and artisans tents, Specialty Food Producers, Live Entertainment and a Kids Zone with crafts, musical petting zoo, face painting, and more! Adult Admission $10 and children 17 and under get in for free. Nighttime Balloon Glow admission just $5 for adults and children.

Sun, June 29th Ballston Spa Village Family Fun Day 3-9pm At the Saratoga County Fairgrounds in Ballston Spa. Enjoy family-friendly activities, food and music and fireworks at dusk. For more information or to volunteer, contact the Village of Ballston Spa office at 885-5711.

jul y Fri, July 4th Saratoga’s All-American Celebration 2014 Enjoy spectacular fireworks in the Spa City! This 4th of July, celebrate America’s Independence Day with Saratoga’s All-American Celebration in Congress Park! Featuring a parade, BBQ and Dessert Festivals, live music, a car show and more! For more information on Saratoga’s AllAmerican Celebration and up-to-date event information, visit www.saratogajuly4th.com.

Wed, July 9th

Tue, July 8th The New York City Ballet at SPAC: Opening Night Join them at SPAC for the opening night of the NYCB. Balanchine’s Journey through Russia, Europe, and America. New York City Ballet opens its 48th season at Saratoga Performing Arts.

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Summer 2014

American Girl Night The New York City Ballet at SPAC presents American Girl Night at 8pm. One of SPAC’s most popular nights invites children to bring their American Girl Dolls for a tea party, free photobooths, crafts, pink lemonade, cookies, and more!

Tue, July 22nd until Sun, July 27th The 173rd Saratoga County Fair Sure to be a hit with every member of your family. From July 22 -27, you can enjoy one of the country’s oldest fairs, right in Ballston Spa.

Thu, July 24 The Zucchini Brothers Check out the Zucchini Brothers in Wiswall Park, Ballston Spa from 6-8pm. This free family friendly concert series is a signature event in Ballston Spa and draws hundreds of visitors, as well as residents of the greater Ballston Spa community, to the village’s historic downtown.

Tue, Jul 29th Bolshoi Ballet See the opening night of Russia’s legendary Bolshoi Ballet at SPAC! The evening includes fireworks and the Bolshoi Ballet’s performance of “Don Quixote.”

august Sat, August 2nd The Children’s Museum at Saratoga’s Big Truck Day This is their biggest annual family event taking place at Maple Ave Middle School in Saratoga Springs. Trucks of all kinds line up to let the kids explore, plus crafts, games and so much more!

Fri, July 18th

Thu, August 7th

Saratoga Race Track Opening Day The races begin at the Saratoga Race Course in late July each year. The gates open at 11am and first race post time is 1pm.

Ballston Spa Union Fire Co. Band and Ice Cream Social in Wiswall Park, Ballston Spa. Enjoy tasty cake, ice cream, coffee and bottled water. Admission is free.

www.Mamatoga.com

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summer unplugged

by Jenny Witte

T

his summer we are considering something daring, something drastic, something downright crazy to some people…we are going to unplug the kids for the whole summer. The debate over how much technology is too much technology can be particularly anxiety provoking during the summer, when children are free from their rigorous school-year schedules and have more time to play—with or without a screen.

First, you don’t need to unplug totally to see a difference.

School is a social place for kids, but over the summer they can lose some of that social connectedness and they can preserve that feeling of staying connected to friends through some use of social media or texting. Furthermore, completely banning all technology might breed resentment in kids, and avoids the real challenge of helping kids learn how to manage and moderate their own technology use.

To “unplug” can mean many things to different families. At its most extreme it means no TV, no DVDs, no computers, video games, MP3 players, cellphones, iPods, iPhones, iPads, iAnythings. It can mean taking the opportunity to step back and recharge without electronics being a part of your everyday lives.

Set an example for the kids by being thoughtful about your own technology use. Don’t ask your kids to do something you wouldn’t do yourself, so if you are making a commitment to use less technology as a family this summer, follow through and limit your own use as well. Take a look at your own habits and preferences with technology and scale back accordingly.

It can be difficult for those of us that rely on phones and email for work, but it might present an opportunity to cut back in other areas to balance out your technology use.

This sounds like a drastic course of action for some people, and it is, which is why you can tailor your unplugging to suit your own family’s needs. The summer break can be a good time to take a tech break, and by using a few guidelines you can make it seem like less of a punishment and more of something you can enjoy together as a family.

18 | MAMATOGA

Summer 2014

Use this opportunity as a chance to talk about safety when it comes to texting and social media and internet use with kids.

Open up a dialogue where they feel comfortable that can be

carried on as they get older. Be sure to stress to older kids and teens the importance of not texting, Facebooking, using the phone, listening to ear buds or earphones, or engaging in similarly distracting activities while driving as well and make sure you are an example of these safe behaviors.

Find what works for your family and set limits accordingly.

Some rules that are helpful can include no devices at the dinner table (experts argue that this is a good rule to follow year round, introducing it during the summer might make this one stick), no devices in the bedroom at bedtime and no media starting with an hour or two of bedtime.

Studies have shown that kids who use technology close to bedtime have poorer quality sleep and also sleep less. Setting clear ground rules will help eliminate confusion and arguments once your kids understand that the technology curfew is a nightly event.

kids to take on some creative projects that extend past the short term, and make sure they have enough time to read (see tips on page 44).

Lastly, a little boredom never hurt anyone. In fact, more and more experts actually encourage giving kids the chance to be bored, arguing that it helps them develop their innate ability to be creative. When they aren’t being entertained by technology they are forced to use their brains to actually come up with their own entertainment. M

Create opportunities for fun that don’t involve technology. With all the distractions that technology offers, families nowadays can find themselves having to work at doing face to face activities together. Find fun things to do that don’t require any devices, take a walk, go to a concert, even involve the kids in preparing and cooking the family meals. Encourage

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STUFF I LOVE  Zinka Colored Zinc Oxide Sunblock This sunblock comes in cool colors that is visible on skin—so you know what’s been covered—and it’s sunblock kids will actually want to put on! $7 www.jcrew.com



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Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mysteries I’ll be giving the kids these tried and true favorites for summer reading, the same ones I used to read as a kid. Excitement and mystery never get old. (find them at Northshire Bookstore) www.northshire.com

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Summer 2014

Marks and Graham Bermuda bags A classic never goes out of style. $79 www. markandgraham.com

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Babiators Sunglasses Absolutely adorable and virtually unbreakable, protect those little eyes in the most stylish way possible. Find a great selection (including accessories) at The Bundle Store in Ballston Spa. http://thebundlestore.gostorego.com/

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Monogrammed Fornash tortoiseshell clutch It doesn’t get much better than tortoiseshell and a hot pink monogram. available at Silverwood Gallery $110-125 depending on monogram www.silverwoodgalleries.com

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Sunny Life Portable Radio Perfect for picnics at Congress Park, radios don’t get much cuter than these. $44 www.uncommongoods.com

 Cruciani C bracelets These traditional needle-made macramé lace bracelets come in sizes for both moms and kids and are perfect for sunkissed summer wrists.

Starting at $13 they are priced to stack. www.barneys.com

www.Mamatoga.com

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building a foundation

with Ballet photos by Jenny Witte

I

n the world of extracurricular activities for kids, ballet endures as one of the most beautiful and one of the most popular. Beyond the cuteness of those first classes and the well known benefits of ballet however, there is a multitude of lesser known benefits, some of which may surprise you.

I sat down with Darlene Myers, who in 1990 founded Northeast Ballet Company, the resident company of Proctor’s Theatre, where she continues to serve as Artistic Director.

Annual productions of the Nutcracker at Proctor’s Theatre are enjoyed by over 5,000 audience members each year and Ms. Myers’ choreography has been performed at numerous locations in both the U.S. and abroad. Darlene began her professional career with Pennsylvania Ballet Company and toured the United States dancing works of Balanchine, Butler and Sokolow. She went on to teach classical ballet, modern, jazz and choreography at Union College for 20 years, and at the State University of New York at Albany for five years, prior to opening her own ballet school. The Myers Studio has offered comprehensive training to young men and women in classical ballet, pointe, partnering, choreography, and related dance forms since 1985, and many students of the studio are dancing in professional companies worldwide today.

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Summer 2014

Mamatoga: How does ballet help with focus and concentration, even for young children?

Darlene Myers: It doesn’t matter the age of the student who studies the art form of Classical Ballet, the demand for focus is the same - total immersion in the moment. As young children experience how to control their bodies through ballet exercises they are also learning how to concentrate and channel their thoughts. Most of the time without realizing the benefits of this kind of laser focus, they are just enjoying moving their young bodies to beautiful music and making classical lines with their bodies. As they continue to study, they improve their technique and their focus.

In order to control all your muscles and move them the way you want them to, when you want them to and make them look the way you want them to, takes that kind of focus! It all begins with the mind first, then the body responds. First the thought -then the translation into movement.

In our very fast-paced world, children are surrounded with stimuli 24/7. Just the choices and decisions they need to make in one day are numerous. The training that Classical Ballet demands provides them the opportunity to learn how to manage their time and select their priorities.

There are so many options for children and demands on their precious time. When children are given too many choices, none of them are beneficial. I do feel it is very important to have a well-rounded life that is balanced. I also feel it is important to know what is authentic to each child and allow each child to discover what it is for him or her.

M: Priorities are important for kids to learn, how does ballet help kids understand priorities and time management?

DM: When discussing priorities, each family needs to take time to decide and then re-decide in another 6 months if the first decision is working for the family, as a family and each child in the family. Classical Ballet is a demanding art form, for sure. It is total immersion of the body, mind and spirit. It gives one structure and discipline - in the studio and outside the studio.

M: What are some examples you have seen in your own experience with kids that have developed these life skills due to their ballet training?

Many of my former students who have graduated from Myers and who did not chose the dance world have become doctors and lawyers. They have informed me that their time management skills have come from their study of Ballet. They wanted their ballet classes but their parents required them to keep their grades up in school. So by osmosis they learned time management as a side benefit of serious study. For the ones who did choose the profession, many have become professional ballet dancers in large and small companies, Broadway dancers, professional choreographers, teachers, college professors, and company directors.

M: Do you think ballet can serve as something similar to meditation for kids, who might be over-stimulated in their everyday lives?

DM: Yes, you are in a very large open classroom with other students and your teacher, but you really are totally alone with the music, the barre, and the mirrors. Your hair is pulled back off your face and your body is clad with leotards and tights - it is the essential YOU - as a dancer- it is a centering space, a calm place. There is nothing else but your mind and body to use as your tools for communication. No talking, just translation from thought to movement.

For me - as a child and now - it is my meditation and my solace. I know who I am when I am in the studio. It was always that way for me, ever since I can remember. For young children they come to this quickly. Although children may not use these terms, they find Ballet class to be a place to escape the rest of the busy world and forget everything else that is going on in their lives for an hour or so. This just happens naturally because it takes so much focus and discipline to achieve this art form. The training of the body takes so much energy and mind control, one cannot be thinking other thoughts.

As they get older and have more stresses in their lives that complicate their journeys, they need their meditation (ballet classes) even more. Teenagers find their classes to be their safe place for them, where they can be themselves. There is a sameness, a regime to each class as well as a challenge and a newness. One is always competing with oneself, “did I do that arabesque better than yesterday?”.

This is inner directed thinking. Finding that centering space is crucial for improvement and expansion in dancing and also helpful in life. There is a phrase - ‘being in the moment”...

Classical Ballet dancers have always “been in the moment”.

One has to be in order to improve in class and succeed in the profession. This is our meditation. We also bring it to our lifestyles. M Myers Dance Center is located at 153 Regent Street, Saratoga Springs.

Myers Ballet School and Northeast Ballet is located at 418 Liberty Street, Schenectady.

Northeast Ballet is the resident dance company of Proctor’s Theatre, Schenectady New York.

For more information please call: (518) 374 -0376 or visit www.myersnortheast.com

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My current summer uniform involves jeans or capris, with a printed top, cropped jacket, fun jewelry and great shoes. I am going through a bit of a Lilly Pulitzer phase with the warm weather and am living in their luxury capris which with a slim fit but some nice stretch that literally feel like my favorite Lululemons. Longchamp Le Pliage tote www.bloomingdales.com

style files

by Robin Dalton

Metallic Sperry’s boat shoes www.sperrytopsider.com

I try to keep in mind the practicalities of life with two jobs and three young children but didn’t want to sacrifice my need for a little style. Finding that balance together with pieces that reflect my preppy sensibilities have lead me to looks that I think transition from mom to realtor to columnist then back again with ease.

My makeup routine is pretty simple but two of the things I can’t live without are Nars Bronzer and an eyelash curler from Shu Uemura. Nars Bronzer in Laguna and Shu Uemura eyelash curler, both from Nordstrom shop.nordstrom.com Wedges or my favorite gold Sperry’s and a cute cuff or chunky necklace round out the look, I live for the jewelry at Silverwood (24 Caroline Street, Saratoga Springs) Fornash enamel bangle

www.Mamatoga.com

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When my animal loving kindergartner asked if we could ride horses for her birthday party I couldn’t say yes fast enough.

Hands on, active, outdoors and getting an opportunity to try something new isn’t always the case for a birthday party, but when it comes to a Pony Party that is exactly what you get.

North Country Horses treats the Pony Parties like a mini horseback riding lesson for each child, where all the kids get a chance to groom, saddle and bridle the horses as well as ride and even bathe the horses. The whole thing starts off with a safety lesson, explaining the important tips on how to stay safe around the ponies and horses, and then smaller groups do the rounds of meeting the horses, learning about the equipment and getting started. They also have several other party activities to add on to a package like Paint the Pony, Roping, and Carrot Trail.

Breaking the kids into smaller groups means that the action keeps going (especially important for younger kiddos) and also helps make sure everyone gets a turn to do each part.

All kids need to do beforehand is make sure they have long pants or jeans on as well as shoes or boots with a small heel, helmets are of course required and kids are welcome to bring their own or can borrow one from the farm.

At Levy’s party, I decided to take a low-key homemade approach with some bunting hung up on the tree outside by the picnic table and a simple homemade cake. The kids all took turns grooming and tacking and riding the ponies then sat down at the sunny picnic table outside the barn to do a craft (a craft option is available at the Pony Party for an

additional charge). The parties take place rain or shine since they have an indoor riding area and an indoor party room.

We decided to go with a simple pizza and cake menu for the kids and you are welcome to bring whatever food you choose. The highlight of the day for the kids came at the end when they got a chance to Paint the Pony. Using the same kind of safe, non-toxic paint you would let your toddler fingerpaint with, the kids all took a turn painting a patient and kid loving white pony, who then got a nice cool bath afterward. It was a great way to help the kids feel even more comfortable around the ponies and a fun way to teach them how to be careful and gentle with these beautiful animals.

North Country Horses does a great job catering to the younger set, surely from all the experience teaching young riders and having all the young campers over the summer at the farm. Safety and caution are of the utmost importance, both for the kids and the animals, and there is plenty of staff on hand to make sure things run smoothly and safely.

North Country Horses is located at 438 Clark Rd in Gansevoort just minutes from Saratoga Springs. To set up a Pony Party for your child call them at (518) 441-5959.

PONY PARTY

photo by Tracey Buyce

THE TRUTH ABOUT SPORTS DRINKS

By Dr. Farzad Sani, DDS from Pediatric Dentistry of Glens Falls The warm weather is finally here, and in the heat kids will likely reach for sports drinks to hydrate after exercise, but you may want to make sure they reach for something else instead.

Studies have shown that sports drinks have erosive potential and the ability to dissolve even fluoride-rich enamel on kids teeth. Damage to enamel can cause teeth to become sensitive to touch and temperature changes, and be more susceptible to cavities and decay, and damaged tooth enamel cannot be fixed.

A new study published in the journal General Dentistry found that energy and sports drinks contain so much acid that they start destroying teeth after only five days of consistent use. Thirty to 50 percent of American teens use energy drinks, the paper says, and up to 62 percent drink sports drinks at least once a day.

Kids may think these drinks can enhance their sports performance and energy levels and assume they are “healthier” than soda, but according to Poonam Jain, lead author of the study, “Most of these patients are shocked to learn that these drinks are essentially bathing their teeth with acid.”

Jain and her team tested 13 sports drinks and nine energy drinks for acidity. They tested six drinks for their effects on tooth enamel and found both types caused damage. Energy drinks, however, were twice as bad. Research said acidity levels vary among brands and flavors of energy drinks, and caused twice as much damage as the sports drinks.

Have kids stick to plain water to rehydrate instead of sports drinks. Recent research has also found that low fat chocolate milk works better than sports drinks. Low fat milk has all three components required for proper sports recovery:

carbohydrates, in the form of lactose; the electrolytes potassium and sodium; and protein, from casein and whey.

Plus, recent studies have shown that some solid foods – such as bananas and raisins – may be just as effective for sustaining the performances and electrolyte balances of athletes. And with extra benefits like fiber, vitamins and antioxidants, they fit into a complete nutrition plan better than a sugary sports drink.

Can’t get the kids into the water drinking habit? Here are a few tips: •

Keep it accessible: Have kids playing outside? Set up a cool water station outdoors. Keep kids’ water bottles filled and within easy reach in the fridge.

•

Silly straws and colorful bottles can make it more fun for kids to choose water over juice or soda.

Let them pick their favorite reusable water bottle and pick up some fun straws to pop in a glass of water to make it more enticing. Decorating their bottles with stickers or name labels will make it even more fun for kids.

•

Try some sliced lemons, limes, and oranges to add a little flavor and color to plain water. Have your kids pick their favorite and then add a slice to their drink for a little flavor pop.

•

Teach them about the effects of sugar on their teeth, and give them a motivation that will resonate with them. A younger child might like the idea of keeping their teeth healthy and clean for the Tooth Fairy, and older children might identify with the idea of building strong teeth for a lifetime. www.Mamatoga.com

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y a w a t e g High P

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am forever on the search for vacation locations that aren’t too far but are just far enough that we can get away for a few nights (or even just one sometimes) for a little break, and Lake Placid proves to always be a huge hit for our family. Just two hours away from Saratoga Springs, the Lake Placid area has family fun for all four seasons and the High Peaks Resort was the perfect backdrop to our little mini break this May.

modern Adirondack retreat and the convenience of having everything from restaurants and shopping to boating on the lake just steps away.

Located right in the heart of downtown Lake Placid, the High Peaks Resort overlooks the beautiful Mirror Lake, surrounded by mountains you get the feeling of being in the great outdoors but with the comfort of this

Our room at High Peaks Resort had a stunning view of the mountains, just across the street from Mirror Lake with a little balcony to relax on as the sun set. The room was nice and spacious, which isn’t easy to say when you have three

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Y

kids and two adults staying in the same room, but everyone had plenty of space and I stretched out on the huge comfy chair to relax by the windows and take in the view.

The kids, however, spent approximately thirty seconds in the room changing into bathing suits before they were running down the hall to the indoor pool. That is part of the appeal of High Peaks Resort, no matter what the weather (it was raining that first day) you have the indoor pool option so the kids can get in some fun and exercise (there’s also a hot tub in the indoor pool area) and Sean took advantage of the full gym while we all snoozed the next morning. I also loved the gorgeous walk in shower in our room that made it easy to get three kids hosed down at the end of the day. The fact that we could all walk out the door and be right in the heart of downtown was great too, without having to get everyone strapped back into carseats and find parking, we could just stroll around and find a place for dinner.

The next day was perfect outside, so we had our pick of two outdoor pools, and chose the one that sits right on the edge of Mirror Lake with the stunning mountain backdrop.

High Peaks Resort also has a whole set up of kayaks and paddleboats ready to use with a huge selection of lifejackets from kid sizes on up to adult sizes so you can just grab and go. Guests were sitting on the dock fishing and soaking up the sun in lounge chairs and we pushed off to float around in the lake.

This was probably my favorite part of the resort, the fact that we could walk from our room right to the lakefront in just a couple minutes and have the complete on the lake experience with no extra hassle or planning. And when we were done we could hop out, tie the boats back up and hit the pool, all without loading the kids and a bunch of gear into the car. It made it possible to maximize the time we spent there doing stuff we wanted to do, rather than wasting more time in the car getting to each place.

We finished up our stay at the Dancing Bears restaurant right in the High Peaks Resort, which also had a perfect view of the lake, and the kids loved looking at the Lake Placid memorabilia from all of the Olympians and sports greats that have come through the area. Set right on the corner it was the perfect spot to people watch on the streets of downtown while also having that spectacular lake view.

It’s surprising that such a big and spacious resort fits in so naturally right there on the main street of downtown but it really is nestled right into the perfect spot. I’m looking forward to visiting again when their newest addition, the Lake House, is finished across the street this summer, which will have a really cool retro vibe paired with some of the best lake views you can get.

We included a little hike (and I mean little, hiking while being this pregnant isn’t my absolute favorite) on the ride home which was the perfect way to finally get the kids out

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of the pool and the best way to tire them out for a nap on the way back and after a quick little zip on the Northway we were back in Saratoga. I have to give the High Peaks Resort five stars for our visit, and we all highly recommend checking them out for your stay no matter what season it is.

For more information visit them at www.highpeaksresort. com.

Here are some of our other favorite Lake Placid favorites to check out during your stay…

Visit the Wild Center Exhibits include a river flowing around the inside of the Museum’s main Hall of the Adirondacks, a live wetland connecting directly through a giant glass window to a living marsh outside, an indoor waterfall, a towering glacial ice wall, high-definition interactive films, a wide-screen theater, and an indoor trail leading from an Adirondack Lean-to in the Museum’s Great Hall to a replica of the summit of a mile-high mountain. The Museum is set on a 31-acre campus that includes frontage on one of New York’s wild and scenic rivers and trails serve as outdoor exhibits with their own labels that reflect the sometimes daily changes outdoors. Living exhibits contain river otters, amphibians and fish, while high definition state-of-the-art technologies enable visitors to explore the Adirondack environment with a depth and richness not normally available. wildcenter.org

The High Falls Gorge

We loved this laid back spot right in the heart of downtown for breakfast. The kids were thrilled with their Nutella crepes and the breakfast sandwiches were so good we got another to take with us and eat on the lakefront. M

m design o t

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Along the base of Whiteface Mountain, the famous AuSable River flows through a breathtaking 700 foot long gorge and catapults over four splendid waterfalls into a deep crevice carved a billion years ago by ice, water and wind. Groomed paths, steel bridges and walkways with glass floor sections bring visitors down into the gorge and provide safe, close access to plunging waterfalls as the river flows through dark pools, pot holes and the splendor of the Gorge. Summer highlights the wildflowers, foliage and unique colors of the gorge. Take home real gemstones and fossils after mining at the AuSable River Mining Co. www.highfallsgorge.com

Big Mountain Deli and Creperie 2475 Main Street, Lake Placid

craft

sm

Pools, cabanas & water features 路 Decks & screen rooms Stone patios & walls 路 Outdoor kitchens & fireplaces Garden design & so much more

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residential landscape design 路 construction management

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www.Mamatoga.com

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DOLPHIN PARENTING why I let my child quit

by Jenny Witte

W

hen people ask me what my favorite baseball team is, I have no answer. No answer for football either, I am one of what feels like the few people who don’t watch either of these hugely popular American pastimes, which I mainly don’t watch or support because my family didn’t watch them. I was raised in a soccer family, we played soccer, we watched soccer, my brother traveled Europe playing soccer (and we luckily got to follow him around watching him play), that was our thing. Because of a sort of random and unexpected allergy my own soccer playing career was sidelined, but I have nevertheless stayed into the sport and when the World Cup rolls around I am like a child at Christmas.

So, that being said, I always assumed my own kids would play soccer, and Finn even started out with his first pair of shoes being a hand me down pair of indoor Adidas soccer shoes, and numerous little Chelsea Football Club shirts and toys were gifted to him over the years. He played micro soccer at the YMCA, and seemed to be into it, I mean, he was 2 and there was very little actual soccer going on, but he went and didn’t cry, so it was deemed successful. Then soccer started in kindergarten and I was ALL fired up for him to start.

We played out in the yard, we practiced, he seemed excited and he said he wanted to play, and he was. Until he wasn’t.

He started to complain about going to practice, which I

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brushed off to his age, and maybe him being a little tired, and he complained about going to the games, which again I brushed off, thinking to myself that he would get more into it as it went along. But he didn’t, he didn’t seem engaged, he didn’t try as hard, and I felt frustrated that he wasn’t enjoying himself. If he just keeps at it, he’ll start enjoying it, he’ll get better at it, I kept thinking to myself.

I asked him last fall, sort of as a secondary thought, if he was ready for soccer this year as I was literally about to sign him up online and he informed me that he didn’t want to play this year. Huh? Don’t want to play? Again I brushed it off, I actually totally disregarded what he said for a little bit until he explained he just wasn’t into it, he’d rather do tennis. Not only was he not into it, he was against playing it at all. Then it dawned on me, and it seems unbelievable to say that what he was telling me point blank even needed to “dawn on me” in the first place, that how would I feel if someone was pretty much forcing me to participate in something I had no desire to do? Looking at it from that angle his attitude seemed not irritating and frustrating but instead made perfect sense.

I hate volleyball, like, I really hate it, and could never get the technique right for hitting the ball so instead my wrists would ache with huge red welts, let’s just say it was not my forte. So I imagined if for whatever reason someone drove me to volleyball practice once a week, one that usually cut

into my dinner time and bedtime routine, and then I was forced to spend my weekend playing this same sport when I had already expressed I really didn’t want to. Would I get joy out of never quitting volleyball? Probably not. Would I develop a negative attitude and complain about going to volleyball and not try my hardest at it? That sounds more likely, especially if I were a child.

Finn wanting to “quit” soccer wasn’t a case of seven year old ambiguity, it wasn’t a case of being tired, it was a case of me pushing him to do something based on my own feelings, something I thought he would enjoy of course, but it became clear to me why the fun was sucked out of it for him. I realized that even though we started soccer when he was pretty young, I needed to involve him in decisions we made about activities, even if they didn’t jive with what I thought he would like or thought he would be good at.

However, I worried about letting him “quit” something he initially liked. Should I have pushed him to keep going? Was I teaching him that he should quit something as soon as he got a little tired of it rather than pushing through and seeing if it turned out he liked it or got better at it? Admittedly, this also combined with the fact that I wasn’t in LOVE with going to soccer either. It was a hassle to get all the kids there on time, it often got late and cold once the sun set, and we would wind up having a hasty dinner sometimes in the car on the way home because it got so late. Plus having our weekends eaten up partially by shuttling back and forth to a game he wasn’t even interested in playing in was not appealing to say the very least. And it wasn’t exactly free

either, so no more soccer. We put the cleats and shin guards away, leaving the door open for him starting again in the future if he wanted to. It was actually sort of a relief, and it helped make room for him to get into tennis more, which he seems to actually enjoy and very rarely complains about doing and has also gotten rather good at.

Still, I continued to be uneasy with the feeling that I just let him give up on something that he did have an initial interest in, until I started reading about “Dolphin Parenting”. We have all heard about “Tiger Parenting”, a term coined by author Amy Chua’s provocative 2011 memoir, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, the strict and rather aggressive style of parenting designed to hopefully turn children into high achievers and hard workers, but “Dolphin Parenting” is something different altogether.

“Dolphin Parents” is a new term coined by Shawn Achor, a Harvard-trained psychologist and author of The Happiness Advantage and the upcoming BeforeHappiness, with the idea that we think that success will make us happy or at least fulfilled, but it’s really the other way around. By being happy, we’re far more likely to find success. Research has shown that being happy makes people more intelligent, creative, and energetic. Dolphin Parents are the ones who raise positive kids by taking things in stride, talking about things they’re grateful for, and being kind. And those are the kids who are going to make a difference in the world. This approach used the dolphin as their “mascot” because the animals are generally playful, social and intelligent. The main difference is that Tiger Moms believe, “If you work hard, then you’ll

“Too often we’ve replaced those family and community ‘pods’ – groups of kids playing together in the neighborhood for example, with structured activities where the minivan becomes the kitchen table.” www.Mamatoga.com

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be successful and someday you’ll be happy” and Dolphin Parents believe, “If you create happiness and positivity in the present, then you’ll be more successful in the long-run.”

The Dolphin Way of parenting is also outlined in a new book out recently by Vancouver psychiatrist Shimi K. Kang, called The Dolphin Way, which urges parents to abandon the striving, overscheduled lifestyle of Tiger Moms and adopt a more balanced, natural, approach. Kang explains that humans, like dolphins, are social beings meant to live in family and community “pods.” Too often, though, we’ve replaced those pods—groups of kids playing together in the neighborhood for example, with structured activities where the minivan becomes the kitchen table.

WHAT DID YOUR FOURTH GRADER DO TODAY? Learn More: www.waldorfsaratoga.org

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I myself was definitely guilty of this, I saw setting up activities and team sports and stuff like that as a way to not only get some good physical exercise, but as a way for the kids to be with friends. I overlooked the idea that it was also super structured, and overlooked the benefits of free play and letting them just go outside and be little kids running around together doing their own thing. Making Finn play soccer when he wasn’t into it now seemed as ridiculous as me going out into the backyard and forcing all the neighborhood kids to play a match while I watched and barked out instructions from the sidelines.

Instead of over-scheduling kids and over committing to a new activity, Kang suggests focusing on activities kids can try out versus “committed” activities. The Harvard-trained psychiatrist, who participated in precisely zero extracurricular activities as a child, also negotiates the terms of her kids’ activities on a case-by-case basis. If your child is interested in dance, for example, set limits for what they should try before they quit. Maybe you have to shell out for six sessions in order for them to really try it, so explain that they need to try it that many times, and if they want to quit after that, it’s okay. The danger comes in over-stigmatizing quitting, where the child feels like they are a failure for quitting something even if it isn’t something they are particularly interested in anymore. This in turn can lead to them not even wanting to start something new, for fear they might not like it and will want to quit.

Sometimes just taking a break is enough to renew interest in something your child once loved. Maybe the timing was bad, maybe the coach just wasn’t their cup of tea that time around, maybe it was just an off season. Step back, let them try something new, but don’t look at quitting as an end all be all for that particular activity.

So, for us, I’m going to focus on our own little dolphin pod, and on the kids running in their little friend pods. Maybe some kids are like Tiger Woods and they find out they have an aptitude for a certain sport before they can walk and turn it into success, but maybe others find it along the way, and use their enjoyment to foster their eventual success. M

T

eaching kids about eating healthy can be an uphill battle sometimes, one that can be waged single handedly by parents while in the home, but what about when kids are out and about making their own choices? This is where chinks in an otherwise well built healthy eating armor can appear, when kids make their own choices about what to eat and what to snack on, and we all know that often the options are less than ideal.

In an effort to help the nation reduce the number of children who are overweight and obese, a lot of schools are targeting vending machines. Remember vending machines? Think back to the days when vending machines could easily also have been known as sugar machines, loaded with candy and junk food, soda and unhealthy juice. Some schools and businesses have banned vending machines altogether, but that only solves the issue of getting rid of junk food. Our kids are on the go these days now more than ever, and growing kids need a snack boost during the day, so why not give them the same

convenience of a vending machine but stock it with healthy options that kids will actually love to eat?

That’s the idea behind Go2Snax Healthy Vending, started by two local moms who share a common belief that there’s a natural balance between having fun and being healthy. They believe that offering an alternative to traditional, unhealthy vending machines is a smart choice for any school, business, corporation or organization.

The two moms behind this fresh idea are Lynn Pohl and Lauren Rose, who were both born and raised in the Saratoga Springs area (Lynn is from Saratoga Springs and Lauren is from Ballston Spa) and they are vhappily raising their own families here, too. I have known Lauren from our work together on the board of the Children’s Museum at Saratoga, and she is an advertising, marketing, and business development professional and the Vice President of Marketing at a local digital marketing company. Lauren is also a nationally certified yoga teacher

5Ks, yoga and fitness studios and an all around appreciation for the outdoors and an active lifestyle, so it feels like the perfect starting ground for this health conscious idea.

Lynn Pohl and Lauren Rose and former yoga studio owner who enjoys skiing with her husband and son on weekends each winter, and camping, hiking and swimming in the warmer seasons.

Lynn has climbed the ranks in banking from an entry level clerk to Assistant Vice President of Operations for a wellrespected local institution and is also a Chamber Ambassador for the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce. When not working, Lynn and her young daughter enjoy horseback riding – a Saratoga Springs family tradition, and their entire family enjoys visiting parks – from Disney theme parks to camping in the Adirondack Park. These two moms bring decades of experience in business operations, finance, marketing and sales to Go2Snax in addition to their shared passion for healthy, balanced living, and they developed the idea for Go2Snax while sipping organic, free-trade coffee (and testing great tasting healthy snacks!) on various park benches in downtown Saratoga Springs. They also both credit the healthy vibe we have here in Saratoga Springs with helping foster the idea. The Saratoga Springs area is packed with farmers’ markets, healthy grocery store options, 40 | MAMATOGA

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With Go2Snax Lauren and Lynn are committed to offering the most popular, great tasting, natural and organic snacks and drinks on the market to area schools, health & fitness centers as well as wellness-focused local businesses and organizations. Their cheerful machines are a fresh and modern twist on the old fashioned vending machines you probably remember, and are almost reminiscent of a little “farm stand”, which fits perfectly in line with their back to basics philosophy that simpler ingredients mean healthier snacks. Inside you’ll find a wide variety of organic and natural food and drink products including well-known national name brands and boutique brands. Snacks and drinks in the Go2Snax machines are snacks you can trust, with no added colors, flavors and preservatives, products that are Non-GMO, Organic, Vegan, Whole Grain, as well as Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, and Nut-Free. In fact, Go2Snax can even create an exclusively Gluten FREE or Nut FREE machine on request as well. Everything in the machines is something you would easily hand your child to snack on, knowing that it is a healthy option. Although simple on the outside, the Go2Snax machines are high-tech, eco-friendly, and come standard with vend screen digital interface displays that also highlight nutritional information at the time of purchase. M

Find Go2Snax locally at the following locations: The School of The Arts at the National Museum of Dance The Cutting Edge Martial Arts Adirondack Radiology Assoc. - Saratoga Imaging Center Cohoes Middle School Saratoga Springs Public Library - Staff Lounge Saratoga Hospital Administrative Building Contact them at info@go2snax.com for more information or visit them at go2snax.com.

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Pilates Girl Stuff: Pelvic Floor, Post-Partum Diastisis and putting it back together after childbirth

M

y son, William is turning 4 years old tomorrow.

When I found out that I was pregnant with him I was excited of course for all of the usual reasons, but as a Pilates instructor I was also looking forward to the experience of practicing Pilates through my pregnancy so I would have a better frame of reference when I worked with pregnant clients. However, almost immediately after my first appointment to the Obstetrician the complications began.

Exercise was out for me, and eventually my activity was limited to laying on my left side on bed rest for the last few months and a c-section delivery. It was worth it of course and I would do it again a hundred times to get the son that I had, but I was bummed. This was not what I had planned.

could not even find! I was starting over, literally, and it took longer than I hoped to get back to where I was at in my personal Pilates practice before pregnancy.

Even though I went through the pregnancy, I would still not be able to know what my pregnant clients felt like on the reformer. What I realized though was that my experience would help me relate to any of my clients recovering from a c-section or other major abdominal surgery. It was bizarre and frustrating to have a numb “black hole” that used to be abdominals I could feel working deeply but post surgery I

I had known about diastasis recti, when your rectus abdominals (aka “six pack” muscles) separate, and how it commonly happens during pregnancy, and around this time I discovered I had this issue too. But how would I work on bringing them back together when I couldn’t even feel them? This was a physical issue of course, but for me, like it affects many other women, it was emotional as well.

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Looking back now, the best thing I could have done was go immediately to my master teachers for regular lessons.

I know they could have helped me to get through my physical recovery faster. At the time though, not only was it a challenge learning how to care for a new born and make any kind of time to think about my own body, I realize that I was ashamed and embarrassed that I had so much trouble connecting to my powerhouse (abdominals.) I had never heard anyone talk about feeling this way.

It is intended to help postpartum women learn about the support system required to have a strong body, and take some tools to deepen their understand their Pilates practice as well as other exercise.”

Luckily also around this time, Kathryn Hefter, Romana’s Pilates Certified Instructor Extraordinaire, relocated to Saratoga Springs and wanted to teach with us at Reform Pilates. Anyone that has been lucky enough to have had a lesson with Kathryn will tell you how gifted she is as a Pilates Instructor, but something that makes her very unique is her training in the Tupler Technique. In case you have not heard of this, The Tupler Technique is the only researchbased exercise program proven to effectively treat a diastasis recti. Kathryn has been teaching the Tupler Technique since 2008 and was trained and certified by Julie Tupler in NYC. The training includes an 8 week intensive with written and practical exams.

When talking about how she got interested in the topic herself, Hefter said, “As a Pilates professional and business owner I was keen to create an expanded offering that appealed to those working with their postpartum bodies. I realized there needed to be a place for this population to work out and their diastisis not made worse. It was appealing to build on my Pilates training and develop a deeper understanding of the pelvic floor and postpartum body. I found a great synergy with the Tupler Technique. I became pregnant shortly after my certification and found the work to have great value to me personally.”

Visit Reform: A True Pilates Studio online at www.reformyourbody.com for more information on upcoming workshops. M

I love working with Kathryn in the studio and feel lucky to have her on our teaching team. Postpartum Recovery is a topic I have been personally interested in for the last several years, first as a professional that sometimes worked with this population, and now on a more personal level as I experience it myself. Kathryn’s expertise in this area is a great asset for our clients, staff and community. I am so thrilled to have her here!

“The Diastasis Rehab program is for all women and men (yes, men can have them too!) wanting to close a diastasis.

We learn techniques for pelvic floor strength, pushing in childbirth and rehab postpartum, and preparing you before any abdominal surgery to maintain the integrity of the sutures after surgery. Also maternal fitness is included,” Kathryn Hefter says. “The workshop is geared for women who have had a baby, have a diastasis recti or want to learn what it is. Also, postpartum (pregnant women welcome too) suffering from back pain, poor posture, pelvic floor problems. This workshop is interactive but not strenuous. www.Mamatoga.com

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Avoiding the

Summer S lid e

When kids think summer they think sprinkler parks and pools, fireworks and cookouts, camps and the ice cream man. What they might not be thinking about though, is reading, which is why parents need to keep it a priority throughout the school break months. Research shows children that don’t read at all in the summer can lose up to two months or more of their reading skills and can start the next school year a little behind, but that doesn’t need to be the case. There are plenty of ways to keep reading interesting and engaging for kids that will help give them a boost up for the coming school year. Here are some tips on summer reading, as well as some great summer book picks from Jennifer Armstrong, bookseller at our favorite local bookstore Northshire Bookstore.

• Sign the kids up for a summer reading program.

Contact your local library and see what they have to offer kids for summer reading fun. They usually involve prizes and goals kids can work toward to keep them excited about choosing new books. This is also a great opportunity to sign your little one up for their library card if they don’t already have one.

• Combine activities with books. Maybe your child can’t wait to see the big summer blockbuster movie coming up, encourage them to read a book related to the movie first as a way to build excitement. Or maybe the family is taking a little trip this summer, find a book that talks about activities you’ll be doing or takes place in the location you’re traveling to, talking about the book will also serve as great road trip conversation.

• Lead by example. We all know kids follow the monkey see, monkey do principle, so lead the way when it comes to reading. If they see you enjoying a summertime book they are more likely to pick one up for themselves. Read the newspaper at breakfast, pick up a magazine at the doctor’s office, and stuff a paperback in your beach bag.

• Make time for reading. With all the summer fun and summer sun, kids need downtime, and digging into a good book is a great way to encourage them to switch gears and relax for a little bit. Don’t always leave it till bedtime for reading either, since kids might be too tired from their time in the sun 44 | MAMATOGA

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to read. Work little chunks of downtime into their routine where they can kick back and read. Set up a picnic blanket in the backyard with a snack and a pile of books to look through too, so the outside fun doesn’t need to stop.

• Relax the rules for summer. Don’t set any requirements for reading over the summer or determine the number of pages they should read.

Take this opportunity to let them explore their own interests as far as books go, as opposed to during the school year when they might not have as much freedom in choosing a book. The best book for a child is the one they are interested in, so take them to the bookstore, let them wander around and see what catches their eye.

• Read aloud with kids. Don’t forget to continue reading aloud to your child, and take the opportunity to go to local story times. Reading aloud is widely recognized as the single most important activity leading to literacy acquisition. Among other things, reading aloud builds word-sound awareness in children, a potent predictor of reading success, it stimulates language and cognitive skills, and it also builds motivation, curiosity, and memory.

• Have plenty of reading material around.

Storybooks aren’t the only thing that kids can read for fun. Make sure to have newspapers, magazines, and informational material on hand that might spark the interest of a young reader.

For some great recommendations of titles to check out, Jennifer Armstrong from Northshire Bookstore has some great suggestions. “Kids like ‘beach reads’ too, so hand them some good, engrossing mysteries this summer. The A to Z Mysteries, Nate the Great, The Boxcar Children Mysteries, and Encylopedia Brown will turn your second and third graders into budding detectives and keep their critical thinking skills sharp.

For older elementary readers, the Enola Holmes Mysteries (starring Sherlock Holmes’ younger sister), Mister Max: The Book of Lost Things, and Knightley and Son will keep them begging for one more chapter before flashlights out. And speaking of solving mysteries, don’t forget to stock up on puzzle books, too, this summer. Word searches, cryptograms, scrambles and crosswords can help develop those vocabulary and spelling skills, which support reading.”

“Also, for those kids who are off to sleepaway camp when the last school bell rings, come to Northshire Saratoga for our ‘Camper Care Package.’ This includes Mad Libs, a joke book, games, a pocket scope, and one page-turning middle grade novel – all hand-picked to keep your child reading and sharing with new friends. We’ll pack it and send it to camp for you.”

s s e L r o e v i F The t c e j o r P x o b h c n u L G

o down any “snack” aisle in a conventional grocery store and you’ll find hundreds of items geared just toward kids’ lunchboxes. Gummi snacks, cookies, fruit cups, tiny little individual bags of cookies or super processed crackers and “cheese”. Add to those the boxes upon boxes of sugar (and artificial dye) laden juice boxes, and the ready made lunch packs full of perfect little turkey rounds that fit on matching pre-cut crackers topped with matching pre-cut cheese, all packed fresh with preservatives, colors, and additives. To make them even more appealing to kids, they slap on cartoon characters and bright colors, making these sugary snacks irresistible to kids, and they are so easy to toss in a lunchbox they are hard to resist for parents as well. But are they healthy?

Short answer is, no. A lot of the processed snacks that are common in today’s lunchbox are anything but healthy, and are also far away from real, wholesome food. The “Five or Less” in my lunchbox project refers to the number of ingredients in any one item. This idea comes from Michael Pollan, the food writer for the New York Times and the author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma and In Defense of Food.

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Pollan believes that most dietary related health problems come from over-consumption of processed foods and one of the guidelines he recommends is to avoid processed foods with more than 5 ingredients. “The specific number you adopt is arbitrary,” Pollan says, “but the more ingredients in a packaged food, the more highly processed it probably is.”

We try to aim for a product having not too many more than 5, but we are flexible, and of course we aim for the product’s ingredients to be wholesome, healthy ingredients.

I recently shopped with Christina Davis, the Demonstration Coordinator at Healthy Living Market and Café (also the founder & editor at From Scratch Club) for some healthy, easy alternatives to the sugar and processed junk food that has taken over lunchboxes. Here are some tips on how to get some real, good food into your child’s lunchbox. The best part about shopping at Healthy Living Market and Café is that you know all of the products they carry are free from preservatives and additives, and they are always checking to make sure product ingredient changes keep up to the standards they maintain at the store.

Instead of a juice box we use Kleen Kanteens full of water for lunch. Safe and durable these stainless steel canteens keep water cool all day and can withstand the rough and tumble kid lifestyle.

We use the Sistema Klip It Lunch Cube to pack our lunches. They are made of BPA free plastic, and they are nice and compact so you avoid over packing and having good food go bad because you packed too much. The portion size is just right for my 6 and 7 year olds, and there is enough room left in the lunchbox to add any little extras too.

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Here are some of the great items we found that have made their way into regular rotation in my kids’ lunchboxes: •

Cascadian Farms Organic Granola Bars. The granola bar habit is a hard one to kick, but you can pack these knowing that the whole grains and wholesome ingredients are safe and healthy for kids with an even better taste than the processed kind.

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easnax I did not think my kids would eat seaweed S sheets until they did and they loved them! These nutrient-packed roasted seaweed snacks are vegan, gluten free and Non-GMO Project verified, and are made using 100% olive oil and just a pinch of sea salt.

This vegetable of the sea is all natural with no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. They taste great right out of the bag or you can them to make rice rolls to pop right into the lunchbox.

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Finally, a protein alternative to processed turkey that my kids will eat! These RealSticks from Vermont Smoke and Cure are gluten free and contain 50% less fat and 40% less salt than the leading snack sticks, and at least 80% less sugars than the leading sports bars. Made with beef humanely grown without antibiotics and never fed animal byproducts these have no sodium nitrite added and no nitrites or nitrates added except for those found naturally occurring in celery juice and sea salt. I simply cut these up into bite size pieces and add them in with some cheese and crackers.

Kids can be picky, we all know that, but the bulk section at Healthy Living Market and Café helps ease that problem while also giving kids the opportunity to try something new without spending too much. They have a huge selection of snacks including dried fruit, crunchy mixes, and much more that you can try a little of and then buy a lot more of if it’s a hit. Buy enough to just try two days that week as the “something new” to try. Their cheese section also has something similar, rather than having to buy the bigger chunks of cheese, they have smaller bits that they wrap and sell for just a few bucks,

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the perfect size to try at the perfect price. Tuck some cheese in with some organic apple slices for the extra calcium boost.

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Need something sweet as a treat? We tried their housemade organic date coconut rolls, just two ingredients: dates and coconut, rolled into a little treat that will satisfy any sweet tooth without the added preservatives or sugar.

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An alternative to nuts without the allergy risk but still packed with protein is dry roasted edamame. A serving of the Seapoint Farms Dry Roasted edamame provides 11 grams of soy protein and couldn’t be easier to include in the lunchbox. The crunchy snack is miles better than a salty pretzel and even comes mixed with antioxidant rich goji berries too.

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Perhaps the biggest hit in the lunchbox (and for everyone in the family actually) was the Simply 7 Quinoa Chips. Everyone has heard about quinoa, but I had no idea they made quinoa chips, OR that they had 9 grams of protein per serving, in chips! These were so delicious, and I paired them with a scoop of Healthy Living Market’s house made guacamole for some good fats and a container of their housemade salsa, not too spicy for little palates.

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Fresh fruit and veggies are a no brainer to add to a lunchbox and should be part of every meal, make them more appealing to kids by adding dipping sauces or cutting them into shapes using little cookie cutters.

Housemade hummus or bean dip from Healthy Living Market and Café makes a perfect side to fresh cut veggies, and some all natural yogurt sweetened with a little honey is great for an easy and healthy fruit dip.

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Head to the next page for a special recipe from Shannon Beckwith from Healthy Living Market and Café’s Learning Center, perfect for lunchboxes AND picky eaters. M

fru-shi

Shannon Beckwith, the Learning Center Coordinator/ Chef Instructor at Healthy Living Market and Café gave us this fantastic (and easy, I swear) recipe that kids will love for the taste and the fact that they can put it together themselves however they want. You can buy the sushi rice in the bulk section at Healthy Living Market and Café, grab a bunch of different fruit options to play around with and have fun with this new addition to the lunchbox.

Frushi

1 cup sushi rice 1 1/2 cup water 1 cup coconut milk 2 Tbsp maple syrup 1 tsp vanilla extract pinch of salt Prepare the sushi rice. Rinse the rice 4 or 5 times until the water runs clean. Once clear, drain water and add 1 1/2 cups cold, fresh water to rice. Allow to soak for 30 minutes. Place on stove over high heat and bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook 20 minutes. When water has evaporated and the rice is done, turn heat up to medium and add the remaining ingredients.

Stirring often, mix until the coconut milk is soaked into the rice, about ten minutes. Spread rice onto a plate and allow to cool.

Once rice is at room temperature, scoop the rice into heaping tablespoons and shape into squares or circles. Place back into refrigerator and let rice set up. Meanwhile thinly slice fruit.

Mango, kiwi, watermelon, pineapple or any other fruit of your choice.

Assemble frushi however your heart desires!

Summer Babywearing: How to Keep Cool & Comfortable

One of my favorite local shops is The Bundle Store in Ballston Spa, it has everything for moms and littles, including really beautiful nursing bras, some great all natural products, cloth diapers, baby slings, all natural wooden toys, books, the cutest baby clothes and accessories and a ton more. Amber, the owner, stocks the shops with a signature style that is unique to our area with really great, well made products you won’t find anywhere else locally. The shop also specializes in babywearing education and use of baby carriers, cloth diapering, maternity, natural and eco-friendly products. Baby wearing can seem like it should be easy, and it is, but it’s also easy to get caught up in little details and wonder if you’re actually wearing the sling right or doing it the right way. I asked Amber for some tips on baby wearing successfully in the summer to make it even more comfortable for mama and baby.

1. Stay hydrated. It’s important that both parent (especially breastfeeding mothers) and child drink lots of fluids when babywearing during the warmer months to stay well hydrated. Pack extra diapers.

2. Stay shaded and protected from the sun. Stop often to take breaks in the shade or AC and let your child nap or play outside of your carrier. Wear sun hats and use sunblock with children as advised by your pediatrician.

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3. Wear less clothing. You and baby need less clothing during the warmer months and your carrier will add another layer on top of what you have on. Keep this in mind when dressing for the day.

4. Use a carrier that is made of natural fibers and breathable.

Mei tais make great carriers for the summer for children over 4 months because they allow some air to pass between child and wearer. Ring slings are also a great lightweight option for summer babywearing wearing and are ideal for children from birth up through toddler years.* 5. Avoid bulky carriers and carriers made of synthetic materials. If you’re using a woven wrap use a carry that requires fewer passes around your body.* *Always contact your local babywearing educator for best practice and guidance in using an infant carrier. Stop in to The Bundle Store to talk with one of their certified babywearing educators and see their baby carriers and wraps. Look for their current classes and events. Nursing nook and changing area on premises, located at 35 Milton Ave in Ballston Spa.

pregnancy to schoolkid

pages

52 pregnancy

how to beat the heat while preggo

53 baby

sun safety for infants

54 toddler

my 2 year old never eats

55 schoolkid bee stings: when to call the doc & heatstroke info With Stephanie Messercola, PA-C

pregnancy Most of us assume pregnant women feel hotter in the summer months because they’re carrying around all that extra weight, but as it turns out, their body temperatures are also slightly higher, which makes things even worse. This puts pregnant women at risk for heat exhaustion, because it takes twice the mom’s energy for her body to cool off not just her, but her baby as well. And heat exhaustion, characterized by muscle cramps, excessive sweating, weakness, dizziness, and headaches, to name a few symptoms, can lead to heat stroke, which is very detrimental to the mother’s health and that of her baby -- and can even lead to pre-term labor or death. If you can’t be inside with the AC on or a few fans, a cool, damp washcloth applied to the back of your neck, your forehead, or the top of your head is also a good way to keep your body temperature down.

If you perspire heavily because of the heat, make sure you drink plenty of fluids. Water is always good, but too much water can be as much of a problem as too little, leading to a condition called water intoxication. Over-hydration with water can dilute your electrolytes even more, and

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can cause fatigued muscles, cramps, and in severe cases, unconsciousness.

Swimming can cool you off, plus it helps to take some of the weight off your sciatic nerve. Wear breathable fabrics so you won’t sweat; this will keep you cooler and help prevent heat rash that can develop under your breasts and abdomen, a common problem for pregnant women.

Exercise at the cooler times of day and avoid exercising to the point overheating, and be sure to always check with your health-care provider before starting, or continuing, an exercise regimen.

baby Although doctors used to recommend avoiding sunscreen on babies younger than 6 months, this recommendation has now changed.

Doctors still believe it’s best to keep babies this young out of the sun, or to cover them up in long sleeves and a hat, but if you can’t, it’s fine to use a little sunscreen at any age.

Choose a hypoallergenic formula with an SPF of at least 15 and apply thirty minutes before you head outdoors and again every two hours.

Pediatricians also recommend doing a patch test on a small area of your baby’s skin about 30 minutes before applying a new sunscreen all over just to be sure it won’t cause irritation.

Your first defense, though, should be true sun blockers like long sleeved tops, pants, and a hat (look for one with a three-inch brim). Keep baby under the shade of an umbrella, tent or stroller as much as possible. Don’t ever bring a tiny baby outside for too long on a hot day since their bodies can’t tolerate extreme temperatures well.

toddler My two year old seems to never eat, is this just a phase?

When should I be worried about their lack of appetite?

Yes this is absolutely a phase. Children undergo rapid growth until the age of 2 then it slows down, so they may go from eating 3 good meals per day to 1. A child may eat only a certain type of food or refuse foods based on their color or texture at this age. Try not to stress and continue to offer healthy foods on their plate for them to choose from. As long as your child has plenty of energy, is at a healthy weight, and is growing properly he or she is most likely to be eating enough to be healthy. If they are sleeping all the time, look pale or not wanting to play then I would be worried and you should consult your pediatrician.

schoolkid My child has never been stung by a bee, how do I know if its an allergic reaction and when to go to the ER? A sting anywhere in the mouth needs immediate medical attention because stings in oral mucous membranes can quickly cause severe swelling that may block airways.

The following signs may indicate a serious or potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. Call 911 right away if you notice: • wheezing or difficulty breathing • tightness in throat or chest • swelling of the lips, tongue, or face • dizziness or fainting • nausea or vomiting Additionally, seek medical care if you notice a large skin rash or swelling around the sting site, or if swelling or pain persists for more than 3 days, which could indicate an infection.

What are some of the signs of heatstroke in kids?

How much water should they be getting on hot days spent outdoors?

The most severe form of heat illness is heatstroke.

Heatstroke is a life-threatening medical emergency where the body cannot regulate its own temperature.

Body temperature can soar to 106°F (41.1°C) or even higher, leading to brain damage or even death if it isn’t quickly treated. Prompt medical treatment is required to bring the body temperature under control.

Heatstroke also can happen when a child is left in, or becomes accidentally trapped in, a car on a hot day.

When the outside temperature is 93°F (33.9°C), the temperature inside a car can reach 125°F (51.7°C) in just 20 minutes, quickly raising body temperature to dangerous levels.

Increase your child’s fluid intake, regardless of their activity level. Don’t wait until they are thirsty to drink.

During heavy exercise in a hot environment, have them drink two to four glasses (16-32 ounces) of cool fluids each hour they are outside.

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the art of the swaddle Swaddling is the technique of snugly wrapping a baby in a blanket for warmth and security, which can keep your baby from being disturbed by their own startle reflex, and it can help to calm your baby. Swaddling can also be used to help settle your baby down when they are overstimulated or when they just need to feel something similar to the tightness and security of the womb.

Improper swaddling by tightly wrapping your baby’s legs straight down may loosen the joints and damage the soft cartilage of the hip sockets, leading to hip dysplasia. To prevent this, be sure there’s enough room at the bottom of the blanket so that your baby can bend their legs up and out from their body.

Once your baby is about a month old you might want to stop swaddling them while they are awake, as it can interfere with mobility and development in older babies. It’s fine to keep swaddling your baby for naps and nighttime if they seems to sleep better that way, but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends you stop swaddling when your baby is 2 months old – about the time they will start to roll over.

One of my all time favorite baby products are the muslin or bamboo swaddling blankets from Aden + Anais. Super soft, with beautiful prints, these swaddling blankets are even lightweight enough to use in the warmer months. The folks at Aden + Anais gave us some tips on how to swaddle, and with the help of the beautiful Baby Rory we have a few pointers on how to practice this time honored technique.

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Swaddling is believed to simulate the environment of the womb, and as a result it creates a sense of familiarity, comfort and security for newborns.

•

Swaddling is about establishing a routine for your baby, not about a precise wrapping technique.

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Swaddling isn’t difficult, it just takes a little persistence and patience.

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Baby’s bedtime routine should involve the same steps (for example, feeding, bathing, swaddling, lullaby), preferably at the same time every night.

Aden and Anais swaddling blankets and more from their fantastic line can be found locally at The Bundle Store in Ballston Spa or online at www.adenandanais.com.

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STEP 1 Lay the swaddle in a diamond shape and fold the top corner down to form a triangle. Place your baby in the center of the folded area with their head just above the fold of the swaddle.

Ensure that your baby’s shoulders are still below the fold.

STEP 2 Place your baby’s right arm slightly bent at the elbow flat against their body. Take the left side of the swaddle and bring it across your baby’s chest. Ensure their arm is securely under the fabric. Tuck the edge of the swaddle under their body to ensure a secure swaddle.

STEP 3 Fold the bottom of the swaddle up & over your baby’s feet.

STEP 4 Finally, place your baby’s left arm slightly bent at the elbow against their body, take the right side of the swaddle & bring it across your baby’s chest. Tuck the excess fabric underneath your baby to secure the swaddle.

The Strand Hair Studio 358 Broadway at The Granite Palace Saratoga Springs (518) 581-1800

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McGregor Links Country Club Enjoy Golf, Tennis, Swimming and more at McGregor.

Our Golf Course

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Family Activities

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Lessons

Membership

Dining and Events

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2014 Membership Structure

To learn more call 518-584-6270 or visit mcgregorlinks.com

McGregor Links | 359 Northern Pines Road, Saratoga Springs | 584-6270 |

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A PASSION FOR PICNICS Love picnics? So do we! Pop in and fill your basket with our house-made sides, salads, sandwiches and desserts! While you're here, grab something special from our huge selection of local breads, cheeses, and pastries. And remember Divine Wines, where we have heavenly vinos in Track-and-SPAC-friendly containers.

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