Kids VT, May 2012

✱ HOW MOMS JUGGLE JOBS

✱ NEW FATHERS’ FIRST THOUGHTS

✱ WHEN TO DIAL THE DOC

✱ TALES FROM A TWO-MOM FAMILY

MAY 2012

STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS

Co-Publisher Colby Roberts colby@kidsvt.com ext. 77

Co-Publisher/Executive Editor Cathy Resmer cathy@kidsvt.com ext. 74

Creative Director Don Eggert don@kidsvt.com ext. 71

Managing Editor Kate Laddison kate@kidsvt.com ext. 73

Calendar Writer Becky Tharp becky@kidsvt.com ext. 78

Account Executive Kaitlin Montgomery kaitlin@kidsvt.com ext. 72

P.O. Box 1184

Editorial in Kids VT is for general informational purposes. Parents must use their own discretion for following the advice in any editorial piece. Acceptance of advertising does not constitute service/product endorsement. Kids VT is a proud member of the Parenting Media Association. Kids VT distribution is audited for accuracy.

Da Capo Publishing shall not be held liable to any advertiser for any loss that results from the incorrect publication of its advertisement. If a mistake is ours, and the advertising purpose has been rendered valueless, Da Capo Publishing may cancel the charges for the advertisement, or a portion thereof as deemed reasonable by the publisher. Da Capo Publishing reserves the right to refuse any advertising, including inserts, at the discretion of the publishers.

Copy Editors/Godparents Pamela Polston

Paula Routly

Proofreaders Meredith Coeyman

Kate O’Neill

Marissa Keller

Production Manager Justin Gonyea

Lead Designer Brooke Bousquet

Designers Celia Hazard

Rev. Diane Sullivan

Circulation Manager Steve Hadeka

Deputy Web Editor Tyler Machado

Office Manager Cheryl Brownell

Contributing Writers: Maryellen Apelquist, Kathryn Flagg, Carolyn Fox, Madeleine Kunin, Amy Lilly, Cindy Morgan, Ken Picard, Katrina Roberts, Jaime R. Tibbits, Sarah Tuff, Lindsay J. Wesley

Photographers: Stina Booth, Andy Duback, Matthew Thorsen

Illustrators: Rev. Diane Sullivan

Cover image: Stina Booth

Harper and her mother Tiffany Brigham of South Burlington were photographed shortly after

Mom Deserves a Space of

Pushing It

PREGNANCY IS ANTICIPATION that leads to labor’s intense physical challenge and the joy, awe and relief of birth. It’s like Christmas, a Tough Mudder marathon and religious ecstasy all rolled into one wrinkly, squalling newborn. Then the real work begins.

And if you work outside the home, you need to figure out how to fit it all in.

I was working — at my former job as a technical writer — almost up to the moment my son was born. My water broke in the early hours before dawn, and the first person I told was my coworker Najiba, who was online in the company’s Brussels o ce. She encouraged me to get to the hospital, and I did, carrying my laptop along with my overnight bag. I finished up a couple of work tasks just a few hours before things went awry and I was whisked away for a C-section.

Oliver Laddison

Fast-forward eight weeks, and I was back at the o ce full time, exhausted. I think I only fell asleep at my desk once, but I honestly can’t remember. Those were foggy times.

Creating work-life balance is di cult, whether moms and dads stay at home, work 9 to 5 jobs or juggle a mix of part-time commitments. Throw in the need for exercise, alone time and date nights, and there are just not enough hours in the day.

Kathryn Flagg’s feature on page 18 looks at how a few local moms have managed the transition back to work. Twelve weeks of unpaid family leave might seem like a long time for employers to give up a valued worker, but in reality, it’s the blink of a baby’s eye.

Men are part of the equation, too. In “Go Ask Dad,” fathers share their awe-inspiring thoughts from the delivery room. In a separate story, Ken Picard interviews a male nurse who works in Fletcher Allen Health Care’s neonatal intensive care unit.

Want to hear more baby stories? Read the “Kids Beat” for details on upcoming “Pregnancy Circles.” And, a lesbian mom in rural Vermont o ers a twist on the traditional birth tale in this month’s “Use Your Words” essay on page 51.

We conceive Kids VT every month in hopes you’ll find something new, enlightening, comforting or useful in it. Whether you’re a seasoned, expectant or newly minted parent, I’d love to hear from you. Want to share your story? Email me at kate@kidsvt.com.

KATE LADDISON, MANAGING EDITOR

kate@kidsvt.com

Some of this month’s Kids VT contributors:

Kathryn Flagg (“Hi, Ho! It’s Back to Work We Go”) is a sta writer at Seven Days. This is her first appearance in Kids VT. She and her husband, Colin, raise beef cattle in Shoreham.

Madeleine Kunin (“Because Project”) was the first female governor of Vermont. She served as deputy secretary of education and ambassador to Switzerland in the Clinton administration. She is currently a James Marsh professor-at-large at the University of Vermont and a commentator on Vermont Public Radio. Chelsea Green Publishing released her third book, The New Feminist Agenda, in April. Kunin lives in Burlington with her husband, John Hennessey. She has four grown children.

Jaime R. Tibbits (“Use Your Words”) lives with her partner, Mary Alice, and their two children — as well as a dog, two cats and a cow — in Fairfield. This month Jaime will receive her bachelor’s degree from Johnson State College. Congratulations, Jaime!

Readers Respond

People are talking about the April 2012 issue of Kids VT...

Can’t Wait for the Next Paper

Dear Kids VT, My mom and I enjoy the articles in your paper. I love the pictures for the coloring contest. The newspaper is a good way for kids and adults to get reading. Some of the kids who win the coloring contests are really creative and cool. I hope you enjoy my picture. Can’t wait for the next paper.

RAVEN DUKE FERRISBURGH

Artist at Work

Zoe Smith, 4, of Burlington, working on her coloring-contest submission.

Send photos of your kids coloring their contest entry or crafting this month’s stained-glass vase (see page 45) to: art@kidsvt.com.

ON “BIZ KIDS: SOME YOUNG VERMONT ENTREPRENEURS ARE EARNING — AND LEARNING — THEIR MONEY”

What a great article. I think both my boys will get something out of this. Thanks!

MARNA EHRECH SHELBURNE

From kidsvt.com:

ON FIT FAMILIES: “JUMP ROPING FOR JOY”

Love this! My almost-6-year-old son declared this past weekend that he was planning on becoming a professional jump roper. He’s been jumping at any given opportunity all week. It’s wonderful.

ASTRID HEDBOR LAGUE COLCHESTER

Speak Up!

Kids VT wants to publish your rants and raves.

These kids are amazing! I especially liked reading their insights. They are reflective thinkers and are willing to work hard. Congratulations to all kids who are starting their own businesses!

NILAH COTE FRANKLIN

Log in and sound o on our website, kidsvt.com.

Your comments should

• be no more than 250 words long

• respond to Kids VT content

• include your full name, town and a daytime phone number

Email us at feedback@kidsvt.com or send a letter to Kids VT, PO Box 1184, Burlington, VT 05402. We also reprint comments we receive via Facebook and Twitter, with permission from the authors. Kids VT reserves the right to edit for accuracy and length.

1/2 mile from Tafts Corners Across from the New England Federal Credit Union Hours: Mon-Sat 9:30-6 Sun 11-5 • www.butterednoodles.com

Would you, or did you, opt for prenatal screening for genetic abnormalities that required amniocentesis?

Sometimes a little information is enough. Most of our survey respondents — 81 percent — skipped prenatal tests involving amniocentesis or had no prenatal screening at all.

COLORING CONTEST

April didn’t exactly deliver its requisite showers last month. But our coloring-contest entries had no trouble imagining rain — along with lots of laughing, squealing, splashing, singing and dancing pigs with rainbows.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

COOL KALEIDOSCOPE OF COLOR

“Rainbow Everything”

Zoe Smith, 4, Burlington

LOVELIEST LANDSCAPE

“VT Sunset in April”

Cali Gilbert, 7, Essex Junction

BLUE SKY, PINK SKY

“Piggin’ in the Rain”

Garett Ward, 8, North Hero

TWO-WAY TIE FOR RAINBOWY-EST RAIN

“It’s Raining Rainbows”

These winners get $25, plus an additional $10 when they open a TD Bank Young Saver Account by May 31.

19% YES, we screened for genetic abnormalities through amniocentesis.

64% NO, we had only an ultrasound screening.

Baby&

17% NO, we opted for no prenatal screening.

FROM THE WEB: Inside the new ECHO Exhibit

The new anatomy exhibit at the ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center features actual human bodies — dead ones.

Wondering whether to take your kids to see it? Kids VT calendar writer Becky Tharp toured Our Body: The Universe Within before it opened and shared her thoughts about it on the Kids VT blog. Read her review at kidsvt.com.

Maeve McCullagh, 8, Colchester

“Rainbow Raindrops”

Cooper Cleveland, 8, Essex

PASTEL MASTER

“Piggy in the Rain”

Madelyn Ford, 7, South Burlington

PRETTY PARAPLUIE

“My Wet Piggy”

Audree Gabree, 7, St. Albans

PINKEST PIG

“Singing in the Rain”

Trace Cushing, 10, Burlington

BOFFO BOOTS

“Every Pig Likes Rain!”

Sophie Lee, 9, Underhill

BEST PENCIL SHADINGS

“Just Snorting in the Rain”

Bella (no last name given), 10, Montpelier

RIGHTEOUS RAINBOW

“A Rainy Day for Piggy”

Natalie Abair, 7, Colchester

TOP TITLES

“Two Dimensions, a Nocturnal Pig and Electric Rain”

Max Cleveland, 8, Essex

“Miss Piggy Jumps in Muddy Puddles”

Nyche German, 5, Milton

“A Splash in Time”

Mikenna Sherwin, 10, Whiting

“Pig Puddle”

Jared Hislop, 7, Williamstown

“100% Chance of Rain”

Brandon Tierney, 11, Vergennes

See the winning submissions at kidsvt.com Find this month’s contest on page 49

The deadline is May 15.

9

“April Showers Bring May Flowers”

Joselyn Gilbert,

ESSEX JUNCTION

Zoey Skapof, 4 WILLISTON “The Rain Pig”

Emma Lowry, 8 BURLINGTON “Piggy Patterns”

THE BEAT

Baby&Maternity

PREGNANCY Great Expectations

Theme and plot structure aside, every birth story is di erent. Birth Journeys, a doula and childbirth education company, will soon host Pregnancy Circles — discussion groups for expectant moms who want to hear about pregnancy and birth in a supportive environment. That means trained professionals sharing the details — not some woman with a labor horror story in the checkout line at the grocery store. “She was in line when I was pregnant, too,” quips Jenna Thayer, a partner at Birth Journeys. The goal is to counter the seemingly endless supply of freak-you-out birth tales with honest and encouraging accounts. Drop in on twice-monthly classes that start in May.

PREGNANCY CIRCLES: Bimonthly discussions offered on a sliding scale, $5-15 per session. Birth Journeys, 4 Kellogg Road, Essex Junction. Info, 324-8809, vtbirthjourneys.blogspot. com.

BUSINESS

Sweet Spot

BY KATE LADDISON

“I want candy:” Not only is it a popular song, but a familiar refrain with kids. A new store in the University Mall, Candylicious, satisfies those sweet cravings. Color and presentation are important to owner Khuyen Tran, who opened the store at the end of March. “Candy is like fashion,” she says, noting sugary trends come and go with the seasons. And sometimes, what’s old is new again. Currently popular: nostalgic candy from the 1920s and ’30s such as Charleston Chew, Mallo Cups and Sugar Daddy. Two other coming attractions Khuyen identified are fancy lollipops and relatively healthy concoctions like Superfruit Jelly Belly’s made from real fruit juice. Scoop them up at the new store, where most of the treats are sold by weight.

CANDYLICIOUS: University Mall, Monday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. - 9 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Info, 864-7779.

BOOKS Horse Tale

Vermont author Jessie Haas captures the hearts of young readers and equestrians with her new horse-meets-girl love story, Bramble and Maggie. Bramble is a horse with a mind of her own, and it’s not ’til she meets Maggie that she finds a match made in horse heaven. Bored with giving riding lessons, Bramble trots too fast, goes backward rather than forward and lies down on the job. Her owners decide to get rid of her, and young Maggie happens upon the “Free Horse” sign. Told from the perspective of both horse and rider, the tale is sweetly funny: Bramble thinks a garden hose is a snake; to the horse, a swing set looks like a strange, lawn-eating animal. Maggie works patiently with her ride and steadily builds their friendship. The engaging watercolor illustrations on every page and easy-to-read sentences make this chapter book a great early reader.

BRAMBLE AND MAGGIE: By Jessie Haas, Candlewick Press, 56 pages, $14.99, ages 5 and up. Info, jessiehaas.com.

EDUCATION Acting Out

Kids at the St. Albans Town Educational Center are acting out against bullying. A pilot program with Theatre-in-Action uses traditional theater games to put students into a bully’s shoes — or a bystander’s mind. Kids draw from their own experiences to create a scene, perform it for classmates, deconstruct the action and then perform it again. “They’re putting solutions into their bodies,” Theatre-in-Action’s Kim Jordan says of the one-hour weekly session for fifth graders. She draws on her skills — and passion for bullying prevention — to draw middle schoolers into the action, unleashing what they’re wondering as well as what they know. “Just because they’re young doesn’t mean their voices aren’t important,” Jordan says.

THEATRE-IN-ACTION PILOT PROGRAM: Wednesdays, 8:10-9:10 a.m. through mid-June. St. Albans Town Educational Center. Info, theatreinactionvt@yahoo.com, theatreinaction.org.

ARTS Music to Her Ears

Orwell musician Michael King has found a unique way to make a Mother’s Day: He expresses maternal love in music. Last year, King experienced two milestones. His band the Jesters broke up after an 18-year run, and he scattered his mother’s ashes. He decided to honor her memory with a music composition. How does he do the same for moms he doesn’t know? He interviews them. “They have no idea the poetry that’s in what falls out of their mouths,” he says. From there, he retreats to his home studio, where he works out the guitar part, the words, and finally drums, keyboards and other tracks. The resulting music is poignant and personal. And free of charge. So far, 14 moms have inspired an original CD from King. “My mom, she would have wanted me to be expressive, and to think, and to give,” he says of his new mission.

“I love it.”

Chiropractic, encouraging the body to heal on it’s own. We know that the decision isn’t easy, making healthcare choices in a world filled with information requires time and diligence.

Dr. Jennifer Peet has been helping parents for over 20 years by providing intelligent, safe, natural healthcare for newborns, infants & children.

Sometimes birth is traumatic; even in the most controlled situations. Your child’s neck and backbones can be pushed out of their normal alignment leading to poor health, ear infections and hyperactivity.

Dr. Jennifer Peet’s experienced, gentle hands on approach to your families health is covered by most insurance programs. Are you ready?

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Who you gonna call? When?

BY KEN PICARD

THE FIRST FEW WEEKS of your baby’s life are exhilarating — and occasionally frightening. New parents don’t know what “normal” newborn behavior is but may be reluctant to call the doctor about every questionable cry and cough.

This month, Dr. Lewis First, chief of pediatrics at Vermont Children’s Hospital at Fletcher Allen Health Care, assures parents that when it comes to caring for newborns, they should feel comfortable asking anything, anytime.

KVT: What should trigger an automatic phone call in the first few weeks of life?

LF: Di culty breathing, fever and any concern regarding the baby’s activity level. If there’s a persistent cough, if the lips are blue, if the baby seems to be working hard to breast-feed because the baby can’t catch his or her breath, call immediately. In the first two months, a temperature above 100.4 degrees F warrants a call.

KVT: What other conditions should parents watch for?

LF: If the baby is not feeding well or is overly sleepy and has a normal temperature, I’d still want to get a phone call. If a baby under two months hasn’t peed in eight hours and hasn’t pooped in a day and is breast-feeding, I would be concerned about the baby’s hydration status.

KVT: Should parents be concerned about excessive crying?

LF: Believe it or not, it’s normal for newborns to cry up to three hours a day. If your baby’s crying or irritability is bothering you, even if it’s less than three hours, it’s worth a call. One of the leading reasons we have accidental trauma and brain damage in babies is when someone shakes a baby who is crying. Oftentimes, that happens after far less than three hours of crying.

KVT: Any advice about visitors in the first few weeks of life?

LF: If someone has a cold, it’s probably a good idea for that person to avoid handling the baby without good hand washing. Unfortunately, you may be carrying a virus even before you know you’re getting a cold. The best thing you can do is wash your hands before handling the baby and then again afterward.

KVT: Should we worry about postcircumcision problems?

LF: If the bleeding around the circumcision site seems persistent after your baby boy goes home, that certainly warrants another look by the doctor. That may also be a harbinger of a bleeding problem, such as hemophilia.

KVT: How about caring for the baby’s belly button?

We

KVT: What about rashes? They look awful, but do they warrant a doctor’s visit?

LF: If parents need advice on a diaper rash or are worried that a rash looks worse than a simple red area, that’s worth calling about. The most dangerous rashes we worry about are those that don’t blanch. A rash that doesn’t turn white or change to a lighter color when pressed with your finger may mean that the redness represents cells that have leaked out of broken blood vessels under the skin, suggesting a serious infection.

KVT: Is there such a thing as a new baby sleeping too well?

LF: Most babies will sleep 16 hours a day in the first week or two of life. If it’s been four hours and the baby hasn’t woken up, you should try to wake the baby up. The baby should rouse pretty easily; if not, call your child’s doctor for advice.

KVT: What can cause persistent crying?

LF: It could be something as simple as gas. It may be that the baby has an infection. Or it may be that the baby has been overfed. But rather than starting to feel frustrated, this is an ideal time to talk it out with the doctor. So check with your pediatrician or family physician and make sure all is well, in addition to giving yourself time out and having someone else watch the baby. We never want to see a parent calm a baby down with physical force.

KVT: Why do we get crying with no tears?

LF: Parents should know that babies won’t have tears before four to six weeks of age. Since the tear ducts aren’t fully formed yet, germs and bacteria can get in those not-yet-fully open tear ducts and cause a little pus to come out of the eye. It’s easily treatable, but it can look a lot worse than it is.

LF: If parents need instructions for caring for the belly button, that’s fair game for calling to discuss belly-button care with your baby’s doctor. If they start seeing pus or discharge, or the stump stays on for three to four weeks or starts to smell bad, they should talk to us. In rare circumstances, that could be indicative of an immune problem.

KVT: Can you share any humorous parent phone calls?

LF: One of the most common things we use to treat a congested nose are saltwater nose drops. The typical home recipe is a teaspoon of salt in eight ounces of water. I’ve had parents call and say, “I’ve gotten several ounces down the baby’s nose. Do I have to use all eight ounces?” That’s not a problem of the parent. That’s a problem of the health care provider not explaining that we’re only using a few drops of the solution and not all eight ounces. Parents need to make sure they understand the instructions they’re given. If they’re not, call back.

Believe it or not, it’s normal for newborns to cry for up to three hours a day.

BY SARAH TUFF

Pumping Pampers

IT’S NOT A GOOD SIGN when your workout makes other people laugh. But as Lexie launches into a series of side lunges at Essex Junction’s HammerFit gym, she doesn’t seem to mind when the person next to her erupts in giggles.

That’s because it’s her 7-month-old daughter, Jane, watching her mom from an infant car seat in a Tuesday morning session of “Baby Pump.” Earlier this year, HammerFit owner Jessica Ebert Edelmann started the class as a way for moms to work out, bond with their new babies and meet new friends. A play on the popular Les Mills Body Pump classes, Baby Pump is a 45-minute non- to low-impact workout that uses hand weights, resistance bands and, yes, babies to tone and strengthen.

“At first, the moms are a bit nervous and proud that they just made it to class,” says Edelmann. “Two to three times later, they’re enjoying themselves, and the babies are happier because mom is radiating confidence.”

Before a recent class, instructor Candice Allembert has a few moments to chat — moms with new babies tend to

show up fashionably late. “Working out, you shouldn’t feel guilty,” she says. “It’s not about getting to a size 0; it’s about getting fit and having the energy to go up and down stairs with your children.” There’s even a chair in the back where moms can nurse.

Allembert then pops in a peppy soundtrack — the ’80s hit The Safety Dance, and songs from The Lion King and The Muppets — as she leads four moms through a warm-up of stepping in place and stretching hamstrings and hip flexors. For now, the four babies are happily snug in their car seats or on soft blankets. Eleven-week-old Jack is sound asleep.

It’s just the right tempo to allow near continual motherand-child contact: Lexie laughs back at Jane; Megan plants a kiss on 5-month-old Olivia’s forehead while holding plank position. I think back on how I used to set my 6-week-old daughter next to the treadmill and had to stop running every time she squirmed for fear of upsetting fellow gym members. This is a much better way to exercise with babies.

Allembert devised much of the

WHAT YOU NEED: Comfortable workout clothes, baby (newborn to about age 1) in car/infant seat, baby toys. HammerFit supplies weights, resistance bands and other gear.

WHERE TO GO: HammerFit Athletic Club, 21 Essex Way, suite 115, Essex Junction. Classes held Tuesdays from 11 to 11:45 a.m.; $36 for a six-class punch card.

INFO: hammerfit.com

routine from working out at home with her own children, now ages 14 and 17, when they were babies; indeed, many of the moves lend themselves to a livingroom floor. Doing wide-leg squats while holding the baby, for example, is a no-brainer.

But staying home would mean missing out on the camaraderie, the compliments doled out by Allembert — “I love Olivia’s pajamas!” she exclaims to Megan during a set — and all the other adorable babies. My children are 3 and 5 now, and being around all the oxytocin almost makes me want to have another — until a few of the infants squawk for more attention.

Everyone makes it to the end of the 45-minute session, but that’s not always the case for new moms who must put their workout on hold for a few hours or a day. Says Allembert, “Sometimes you just have to surrender.”

Achilles’ summary: Curious to know what your baby is thinking?

It’s easy to find out with Lora Heller’s boardbook series Baby Fingers, which teaches basic American Sign Language to parents and infants alike.

Each page of I

LIBRARIAN: Tina Achilles, children’s librarian at the Cobleigh Public Library in Lyndonville

BOOK: Want Teaching Your Baby to Sign by Lora Heller and others from the Baby Fingers series.

AGE RANGE: Infant

Want… features a bright, engaging photo of a baby or toddler signing a word he or she is likely to find useful — potty, cereal, bed, etc. A written description of the motion o ers a chance for reading, and clear, visual demonstrations help both parents and babies pick up the signs.

Why sign? Research has shown that signing not only eases the frustration of communication between parents and children, but also fosters early literacy and stimulates brain development. Plus, it’s an opportunity to bond. Sign language researcher Marilyn Daniels, who lives in Newport, writes about signing’s benefits for hearing children in her Sign to Speak books, which include songs, rhymes and an appendix of signs. Learn more about helping your young child communicate at marilyndaniels.com.

“The Librarian Likes” features a different librarian and book each month.

Got an idea for a future LL?

Email us at ideas@kidsvt.com.

Instructor Candice Allembert (on left) with Ali and Adi Bigenho

It’s not about getting to a size zero, it’s about getting fit.

Seeing

The grade on children’s programs in Colchester, Essex, Jericho, Milton, Underhill and Winooski

VERMONT’S STEP AHEAD RECOGNITION SYSTEM (STARS) is designed to help parents evaluate programs that care for their kids. Sponsored by the Child Development Division of the Vermont Department for Children and Families, STARS assigns star rankings to participating childcare, preschool and after school programs.

The process is much more thorough than a simple site visit. To receive a ranking, programs must complete an application that assesses progress in five areas: compliance with state regulations; sta qualifications and training; communication and support of children, families and communities, providers’ self-assessments and plans for improvements; and the strength of a program’s operating policies and business practices. Simply by completing the application, programs demonstrate a desire to go above and beyond the minimum state standards.

The STARS coordinators assign applicants one to five stars. A single star

SHINING STAR Each month, Kids

VT spotlights one five-star program from the featured geographical area.

Children’s Preschool and Enrichment Center Inc.

39 Main Street, Essex, 878-1060

Type of program: Full-year preschool program

Year opened: 1987

Age range of children: 3 to 5 years old; children who have been in kindergarten can attend in summer.

Last field trip: Green Mountain Audubon Center

Favorite rainy-day activity: “Scary Afternoon” with books and flashlights to help process fears in a safe atmosphere

Favorite song: “Jump Up and Down”

Most recent staff development activity: In-service day with “Medicine Administration” in the morning; “Strengthening Families” in the afternoon

means a program is new or examining its practices and working to improve them; a five-star ranking signifies that a program is established and outstanding in all areas. A ranking is good for three years, though each applicant must complete an annual review to maintain it.

STARS helps parents assess a program’s quality and professionalism, and it can also save them money. Parents who meet the state’s income eligibility guidelines may pay less for childcare if they enroll their children in programs with three, four or five stars.

Each month, Kids VT publishes an excerpt of the list of STARS participants. This month’s “Seeing STARS” features participating programs in Colchester, Essex, Jericho, Milton, Underhill and Winooski. Find more information about STARS, a complete list of rankings and other childcare resources at dcf.vermont. gov/cdd/stars.

COLCHESTER

Carolyn’s Red Balloon

40 Severance Green, Suite 101, 878-5001

Little Feats Daycare

5857 Roosevelt Highway, 878-4220

ESSEX & ESSEX JUNCTION

Children’s Preschool and Enrichment Center, Inc. 39 Main Street, 878-1060

Ed-U-Care Children’s Center 5 Ewing Place, 879-4427

EJRP Preschool 75 Maple Street, 878-1375

Essex Town Preschool

1 Bixby Hill Road, 878-2584

Green Mountain Montessori School

8 Jericho Road, 879-9114

Hand In Hand

Creative Learning Center

3 Oliver Wight Drive, 524-6028

Hiawatha Early Education

34 Hiawatha Avenue, 878-1386

Kangaroo Corner Child Care Facility

26 Susie Wilson Road, 872-2772

Lorrie’s Daycare

14 Colbert Street, 878-4603

Organic Kids 8 Murray Road, 879-7559

Summit Street Elementary School 51 Park Street, 872-3266

Y School Age Program at Essex Essex Elementary School, 1 Bixby Hill Road, 350-2252

Y School Age Program at Founders School in Essex Founders School, 33 Founders Road, 350-2249

JERICHO

Good Shepherd Preschool

273 Route 15, 899-3989

Saxon Hill School 7 Red Mill Drive, 899-3832

MILTON

Berry Patch Child Care 49 Strawberry Lane, 893-7822

Charlotte Little 34 Villemaire Lane, 893-6625

Diane’s Day Care 48 Railroad Street, 893-4530

Doodlebug Daycare 724 Route 7 South, 893-0530

Imagination Island Child Care 52 Maplewood Avenue, 893-7501

Little Feats Too 9 Checkerberry Square, 893-4569

Milton After School Kids (MASK) Milton Family Community Center, 23 Villemaire Lane, 893-1457

Milton Family Community Center 23 Villemaire Lane, 893-1457

UNDERHILL

Child Works Preschool and Child Care 63 Timber Ridge Road, 899-4976

Poker Hill School 209 Poker Hill Road, 899-3716

Underhill/Jericho Preschool Program 6 Irish Settlement Road, 899-4676

WINOOSKI

Winooski Early Childhood Program 60 Normand Street, 655-0411

Winooski Family Center 80 Normand Street, 655-1422

Karen Gray

BECAUSE

PROJECT

WITH SUPPORT

The Because Project asks Vermonters to share their stories about people and experiences that have shaped their lives, especially during their formative years — stories that may inspire others to get involved. Because together we can all make a di erence.

As I think back on the people who touched my life, I’m reminded of a summer camp counselor named Zelda, who taught us modern dance to the sound of a new and exciting piece of music: Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue.” She pulled me aside one day and said, “Madeleine, I think you have potential.” “Potential?” I asked.

She was not talking about dance, although I would have been pleased to hear that. She was talking about potential in life. I was 14 years old at the time. The camp was located on a farm in Binghamton, N.Y., and, by today’s standards, was very basic. Our activities consisted of piling into the back of a pickup truck with a milk can full of red Kool-Aid, which we would drink at the lake after our swim. We’d come back and play simple games like volleyball and Ping Pong, and when it rained, we would make lanyards. The highlight of the season was the Color War. I was on the blue team. We were all from New York City, and before that, from war-torn Europe.

I remember Zelda because she was the first person who said the word “potential” to me. My mother had talked to both me and my older brother about America as the land of opportunity, but I had never interpreted the American dream personally. My older brother was expected to write the next chapter of the Horatio Alger success story for the simple reason that he was a boy. There was no similar Harriet Alger.

I don’t know exactly what Zelda saw in me that summer afternoon that made her tell me I had potential, but I do know what e ect it had on me. Why else would I remember that brief conversation? It made me stand taller than if I had won first place in a dance contest. Her words allowed me to expand my sense of who I was and who I could become. They encouraged me to dream, and eventually, to strive to fulfill those dreams.

One small word, said at just at the right time, can make a lifelong di erence. Perhaps that is why I recently told a high school student, “You have great presence” after she had just given a campaign speech for “governor” at a workshop for juniors and seniors about how to run for public o ce. (I was there to deliver the keynote.)

The look on her face expressed an emotion that can be best described as relieved happiness. She glowed. “That means a lot to me, especially coming from you,” she said.

I knew exactly what she meant.

The Vermont Children’s Trust Foundation supports statewide prevention programs for children and families to help give all kids a fair chance at success.

I was inspired to dream BECAUSE of a few words a camp counselor said to me.

Madeleine Kunin

FORMER VERMONT GOVERNOR AND U.S. AMBASSADOR TO SWITZERLAND

COOKIN’ BY MARYELLEN APELQUIST

Simple Sliders

KIDS GET A KICK OUT OF MINIATURE FOOD, from doughnut holes and cake pops to minibagels and bite-size pizza snacks.

One of the more healthful mini-food options is the slider, a scaled-down sandwich that can be made with any combination of ingredients. The possibilities, whether vegetarian or meaty, are limited only by one’s imagination. You can go Italian, with mini-burgers topped with marinara sauce, provolone cheese and fresh basil leaves to replace the usual lettuce.

Or go Southern, with a sweet-and-savory theme. Made from ground chicken, these honeybarbecue sliders will be a crowd pleaser. Serve them as an appetizer at your next cookout, or pair them with oven-baked fries for a quick and healthy weeknight meal.

HONEY-BARBECUE SLIDERS

Patty Ingredients:

2 pounds ground chicken

2 medium carrots, grated*

½ medium sweet onion, grated

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, or more to taste

salt and pepper to taste

Topping Ingredients:

½ medium sweet onion, diced (optional)

1 cup barbecue sauce

¼ cup honey

12 mini burger buns (dinner rolls work well), split and toasted

6 slices of your favorite cheese, divided into 12 pieces

0:25

MAKES 12 SLIDERS

Steps the kids can help with:

• Grating carrots and onion

• Seasoning the meat

• Mixing and forming patties

• Portioning out cheese slices

1. In a mixing bowl, combine ground chicken, grated carrot and onion, olive oil, and Worcestershire sauce. Season mixture with salt and pepper and form into 12 patties, each about 2 inches in diameter. Note: An easy method for portioning the patties is to score the meat mixture with a knife — first into quarters, then each of those quarters into thirds — for a total of 12 mounds.

2. Heat large skillet over medium heat. Brush it with olive oil.

3. Place patties on the skillet, being sure not to crowd. Cook the patties for about 8 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking time, until juices run clear when a knife is inserted. It may be necessary to cook patties in 2 or 3 batches, depending on the size of the skillet.

4. Set aside cooked patties on a clean platter.

5. Add diced onion to skillet, if using, and cook until translucent. Add barbecue sauce and honey, whisking to loosen any bits from the bottom of the pan.

*Carrot

• Whisking honey-barbecue sauce on stove top (older kids)

• Assembling the sliders

6. Reduce heat to medium-low and return patties to skillet, flipping them to coat with sauce.

7. Place toasted bun bottoms on a platter. Top each with cheese and a patty, scooping up a bit of sauce to drizzle over the patty. Cap with toasted bun tops and serve.

adds sweetness and moisture to the chicken. It may be replaced with shredded zucchini for a similar effect.

Q

oUT To EAT

By cindy M organ

Ocha Thai Restaurant

my hUsbAnd And i considEr oUrsElVEs globAl omniVorEs: We eat foods from around the world and are raising our children to do the same. Ethnic restaurants offer foods I can’t, or don’t, make at home and, better yet, force my kids to order something other than chicken fingers or pizza. My family travels the world, one local restaurant at a time.

My kids love Thai food but hadn’t eaten it since we left Southern California — and our favorite Thai restaurant — eight months ago. We needed a fix. I didn’t expect Ocha Thai in Waterbury to feel like our restaurant, where the waitress knew our order from memory, but it was time to move on. And we could support a locally owned business in a town hardhit by Tropical Storm Irene.

Ocha’s 19th-century brick exterior on Main Street screams Victorian New England, but the interior is a tropical oasis, with pastel walls and enough Buddhas to keep kids counting until the food comes. The dining room has four distinct sections. We were seated far enough away from the couples on dates that I didn’t have to worry that my two 10-yearolds would disturb their chi.

With no chicken fingers or fries in this joint, and no waitress with our preferences memorized, my kids spent a lot of time studying their menus.

“Do you think I would like the

duck?” my son — global omnivore in training — asked.

“Probably,” I said. “But since it’s our first time here you might try some-

thing you know you like.”

I felt a little guilty for discouraging his adventurous spirit, but a $22 dish would be a pricey experiment. He

settled on the barbecue Thai chicken, while his sister chose wide rice noodles with chicken in oyster sauce. My husband and I stuck with Thai staples: pad Thai and yellow chicken curry, extra spicy. Our server was gracious and polite and brought our dishes out quickly, a bonus on a school night. The food hit the table so hot we knew it had been in the pan just seconds before. My kids didn’t like the vegetables in the fried spring roll appetizers, but my son chewed his fried noodlewrapped shrimp down to its tail.

Our main courses were everything

we’d hoped for. The curry had a lot of heat, something I wasn’t sure I would find in Vermont. The barbecue chicken was basic but well executed, and the pad Thai was as good as any I have tasted. My daughter’s noodles, a risky order for her in a new restaurant, put the “ooh” in “umami. “

“Do you think I would like the sticky rice?” my daughter asked after reading the dessert choices.

Embracing her daring, we ordered the mango version. The kids left the fruit — ripe, juicy and delicious — for me and then scraped up every last bit of sweet rice. It was a good deal all around. K

From left Aidan Casner, Reed Browning, Ian Browning

“Do you think I would like the duck?” my son — global omnivore in training — asked.

Kid-friEndly AmEniTiEs: Three high chairs; two booster seats. oUr bill for foUr, inclUding AppETizErs, EnTréEs & dEssErT: $99.25.

DILEEP NETRABILE

WILLISTON, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ENGINEER AT IBM

Child: son, William, 4 months

The main thing I was thinking when I first saw the head coming out was, Wow! That kid’s got a lot of hair. The next thing was, My God, how did that fit in there? That was my very first impression. The body all unravels, and I couldn’t believe how big he was.

Then, in the span of a microsecond, I’m looking for the 10-10-1: 10 fingers, 10 toes and the extra digit. Then you hear him crying, and it’s an amazing relief that he’s healthy. It was a tremendous feeling. I was very proud of my wife; she did an amazing job. I have to say that I definitely looked at her di erently after having gone through the whole labor process.

I knew what my wife was capable of, but this exceeded any experience I’ve ever had with her. It was just such a short time period from when she went into labor to when the baby came out, and it fostered a close sense of teamwork. She did most of the hard work, let’s not kid ourselves here, but I was right there helping out wherever I could and making sure she was as comfortable as she could possibly be.

TOBY FULLER BURLINGTON, INTERN ARCHITECT WITH TRUEXCULLINS

Children: daughter, Elena, 2; son, Jasper, 3 months

It was a little di erent for the two kids.

Elena’s birth had been somewhat complicated and prolonged. Her heart rate was dropping o quite severely; my wife Jenny had been in labor for a long time and was exhausted. It was something like 4 in the morning, and everyone else was feeling pretty worn, as well.

The doctor decided to intervene and use the vacuum to make sure Jenny’s last couple of pushes delivered the baby, and boom, the baby was out — but there was no time to really think. The baby’s heart rate was low; she was nonresponsive, not breathing. I was told that if I wanted to cut the cord to “do it now and do it fast.” I took the scissors, cut the cord, and the baby was whisked o . In those moments all I remember is worry for my child. All I knew was that the medical sta seemed to be in action, and it wasn’t the smooth delivery we expected.

I guess I felt helpless at that point, as I did for most of the pregnancy. I went closer to the table where they were working, and soon we heard Ellie’s first cry. That was such a relief. The next four months of crying would be loaded with fatigue, emotion and frustration, but that first one was a cry of relief — a sign that everything was going to be fine. Finally, I remember feeling gratitude and appreciation to the medical sta . They did their job, did it well and probably saved a life.

MIKE WASCO

Children: daughter, Taylor, 8; son, Sean, 6

For our first child we tried to have a natural birth, and it just wasn’t working out. The doctors had to do a C-section. When Taylor was born, it was scary to think that we couldn’t deliver in a natural form, because we had our hearts set on it. For our second child, Sean, we decided in advance that medically it would be more prudent to go with having a C-section scheduled.

I had the easy job — I just had to be there. My wife did all the work. It’s incredible to see what kind of strength women can have in delivering babies. I think if men had to do it, I don’t know, we’d be challenged.

It’s incredible to see life present itself. We bring life into this world, and it’s a gift. The heartbeat, seeing it, it’s a promise: You want to see a better future, and that is our future. You see a child, and it’s a bond between you and your wife. It’s an experience you can’t really explain. It represents the evolution of the relationship between my wife and myself.

GEORGIA, SENIOR ASSOCIATE WITH HISCOCK & BARCLAY Child: son, Michael, 4 months

My wife Chasity went a lot sooner than we thought she was going to, and so it was 12:30 at night and she says, “Mike! My water broke!” And we haven’t packed a bag, we just ordered a bunch of stu three hours ago that we need, and we don’t have a nursery done yet, and we’re going to have a baby. It was somewhat surreal. Her labor was like clockwork. It was exactly the way classes were. I was just happy that everyone got through it OK. Because Chasity was a little bit older, I was worried. Three weeks before Michael was born, she started to show some signs of health issues. I didn’t want anything to happen to her. I kind of knew the kid was OK; we’d been to the doctor periodically for so long, and they had assured us that everything was fine. He was just ready to come out.

NORMAN BALDWIN ST. ALBANS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS FOR THE CITY OF BURLINGTON

Drama in Three Hours

BY AMY LILLY

THREE YOUNG BOYS ZOOM around the empty stage at Very Merry Theatre on a recent Saturday morning. One wields a prop — a sign that reads “Burger Palace” — as if it were a sword and charges up to a balcony to face his opponent. Another clambers on hands and feet around a painted foam rock. Their moms wait at the door with drama instructor Jane Beaumont-Snyder to see if more children will show for the Saturday Drama Club.

The club is a weekly opportunity for 6 to 12-year-olds to create, stage and star in a drama of their own making — all in three hours. Along the way, the kids have a blast and hone their social skills, too. Anyone can show up, making the group’s dynamic as unpredictable as the 15-minute performance at the end. Parents drop o their kids and return to play the important part of audience for the show.

Since 2002, Very Merry Theatre has been casting Vermont children in

plays by Shakespeare, Dickens, Carroll and Twain. In summer, the company uses a traveling theater wagon to peddle its plays at festivals and other events. The “camp” sessions that take place in Charlotte are already sold out for 2012.

Cofounder Don Wright says the Saturday Drama Club began almost four years ago when the company opened its 333 theater space, a brick building decorated with cheerful murals behind Pho Hong on North Winooski Avenue.

He passed the program on to director Trish Denton, a Goddard College grad who specializes in physical theater.

Beaumont-Snyder, who is Denton’s regular assistant, is substituting for her on this particular Saturday.

A veteran of Spielpalast Cabaret, Denton uses clowning and miming exercises to engage her charges, and says she’s seen kids grow more empowered. “It’s about cultivating the imagination, and the skills with which to apply your

WHERE TO GO: Saturday

Drama Club, ages 6-12, at Very Merry Theatre, 333 North Winooski Avenue, Saturdays, 10 a.m.–1 p.m., September through June. Pay $15, or whatever you can afford, at the door. There is no lunch break, but kids should bring a snack. (One is provided if necessary.)

Info, 355-1461, verymerrytheatre.org.

imagination in the outside world,” she says during a phone interview.

The moms say other children got their own interested in theater. Lynn Sutton explains that her son, Thomas, has older sisters who are “very into drama.” Nyarkoa Mensah-Jordan says her son, Zaiah, had a friend in the club. “We create these shows for our neighbors three times a year,” she adds, and Very Merry Theatre seemed like a good next step.

“Are you going to leave yet?” Zaiah calls out from the balcony, making his mother laugh. When the parents are gone, the instructors lead the boys in a round of drama games where they take turns acting like “weird people,” whales and police cars. After a snack break, they start talking about their characters. Before long, Thomas is the owner-chef of the Burger Palace, Zaiah is a vegetarian and undercover PETA agent, and the third boy, Kody, is a wild panda.

“It all fits together in the end,” assures the experienced Denton. “It’s all very wacky and free form, but it’s surprising how well things gel.”

It’s about cultivating the imagination, and the skills with which to apply your imagination in the outside world.

TRISH DENTON, VERY MERRY THEATRE

Baby&Maternity

Hi, Ho! It’s Back to Work We Go

The baby-book industry is full of advice for moms-to-be about what to expect during maternity and early childhood. Got a question about Braxton Hicks contractions? Exercising while pregnant? Prenatal nutrition? The answers await in one of many best-selling guides.

What to expect when you’re no longer expecting

BY KATHRYN FLAGG

But if you’re a woman heading back to work in the weeks after becoming a mother, good luck. There’s no be-all, end-all handbook for balancing profession and parenthood.

That leaves Vermont parents to negotiate the transition back into the workforce as best they can. Seventyone percent — with children under the age of 6 — are working at least part time, according to the Kids are Priority One Coalition. An estimated 40,000

Vermont children are, at least at some point, in the care of someone other than a parent.

“This is not just a small segment of the society,” says Kids Are Priority One organizing director Kelly Ault. Kids VT spoke with three women about how they managed expectations in those first few months. One works part time. Another brings her baby to the o ce. The third, a classroom teacher, counted down the hours she had to be separated from her baby. There’s no one right way to balance work and family, but increasingly, there are more options to consider.

I ue

FACT: An estimated 40,000 Vermont children are, at least at some point, in the care of someone other than a parent.

Lindsey Halman has come to the well-worn conclusion that having a child “changes everything.” Since she gave birth to daughter Aila in late 2010, the 33-year-old teacher had to make some major adjustments, including to the way she views herself as a professional. An educator at Essex Middle School, Halman takes pride in her work: She knows she plays an important role in the lives of her students.

It Gets Easier

Finances required that Halman return to work post partum. Her husband is a doctoral student at the University of Vermont, and the young family depends on Halman’s income. Between parental leave and scheduled school vacations, she managed to eke out 14 weeks at home with Aila. She knows she was lucky to have so much time at home, and her husband’s flexible schedule allowed him to take o four weeks as well.

“Those first months were amazing,” Halman says. “I tried to soak up every moment.”

Then March rolled around, and with it, the end of Halman’s maternity leave. Not quite ready to send Aila to a childcare center — “She was so young,” Halman says — she and her husband, Josh, interviewed close to a dozen possible nannies before Halman returned to work. Finally, through word of mouth, they found someone who could care for Aila until the end of the school year. Halman says that having one person at home with her baby, who could maintain Aila’s routine and give Halman regular updates, eased the new mom’s mind.

But returning to work was no picnic. On particularly emotional days, Halman counted the hours until she could go home to Aila. “The first month, I was definitely an emotional wreck most days.”

Striking the balance between “mom” and “teacher” was complicated by Halman’s own — very high — expectations of herself. She was a self-described “workaholic” before Aila was born, on the job “nonstop.” Suddenly, though, she had 46 children at school in need of attention and one more waiting for her at home. She didn’t want to shortchange her students, but she also longed to spend time with her new baby.

Something had to give.

“You can’t be 100 percent at both parenting and your job. That sometimes is frustrating, because I liked to do things at 110 percent before,” Halman says. Running on very little sleep, she had to accept the fact that she wasn’t always in top form. She worried if her coworkers noticed, what they would think of her, etc. But since many had small children of their own, it wasn’t a big deal.

“We all have families, and that’s our priority,” Halman says. If need be, she adds, “we’ll cover each other.”

The good news: The balancing act got easier. Halman became more e cient at work, which meant she could focus on her baby at the end of the day. And, after pining for Aila for those first few weeks, she’s happy at work again. The little girl attends childcare at the YMCA and “she loves it there,” Halman says.

“I feel good about being a teacher and the work that I do,” she says. “When I have the time with Aila, it makes that time even more special, because I know that time is limited.”

You can’t be 100 percent at both parenting and your job.

LINDSEY HALMAN

Lindsey Halman

The PartTime Fix

Laura Rabinovitz never doubted that she’d go back to work after giving birth to twin girls. It was partly a financial decision; daycare is expensive, especially when you’re in the market for two spots. But Rabinovitz, a psychotherapist, suspected that she wouldn’t be happy at home full time. “The first couple of months were very hard,” she says, especially because her daughters were born in the winter and it was di cult for her to get out.

So she and her husband started the hunt for childcare early. In the end, they chose to hire a nanny for the first year, because it wasn’t that much more expensive than daycare for two. It came with its own challenges, like getting used to being a boss. But Rabinovitz says the nanny certainly made it easier to get out of the door in the morning. If daughters Stella and Lucy were sleeping, or still in their pajamas, it didn’t matter: Daycare came to them.

In some ways, Rabinovitz says going back to work was a relief. Leaving the twins and heading to work meant she found herself in an o ce that was quieter and more peaceful than her life at home.

“It’s a lot less work to be at work than it is to be at home,” she notes.

Of course, she missed some Kodak moments — Lucy turned over for the first time the day Rabinovitz went back to work. But she counts herself lucky that she didn’t second-guess or fret about her decision to return to work part time. Spending 24 hours a week away from her children is a far cry from spending 40 or 50 hours a week at the o ce, she says, and because of that she feels she didn’t face many dilemmas as a working mother.

Her husband also has a flexible work schedule.

Now that the girls are older, they’re in daycare. Rabinovitz believes they benefit both from socialization with other children and from learning to trust more than just two adults in their lives.

“I love my kids to death, but being with them 24/7 isn’t the way I choose to express that love,” Rabinovitz says.

It’s a lot less work to be at work than it is to be at home.

LAURA RABINOVITZ

Laura Rabinovitz

Best of Worlds?Both

Thanks to an innovative

“bring your baby to work program,” Brynn Evans may have it all. An accounting and HR administrator at Zutano, the Cabot-based children’s clothing manufacturer, Evans is able to work in the company of her 6-month-old daughter Amelia. While Evans fires o emails, makes calls and dashes between meetings, Amelia focuses on the business of naptime and a pile of brightly colored toys.

Zutano’s program allows Evans to bring Amelia to work for the first year of her life. For new parents whose jobs can’t be done with a baby close at hand, the company chips in for o site childcare costs.

Surprisingly, though, the unusual set-up presents some challenges. “She is with me 24 hours a day, every day, plus I’m trying to work,” Evans says. In some ways, that has made this transition more di cult than the one with her first child, David. Evans went back to work — sans baby — just four weeks after her son was born. Her mother provided daycare, and still does, for the now 3-and-a-half-year-old boy.

With Amelia by her side, Evans never really gets a break from the baby or enjoys any adults-only time. Amelia is also clingier than her older brother was as a baby, a di erence that might be due in part to spending so much time with mom.

The logistics of juggling work and baby are in constant flux. “Just when you think you know what your child’s schedule is,”

Ge ing Ready to Go Back: Transition Tips

Plan for your absence at work. Brynn Evans was working as executive director at Meals on Wheels in Morrisville when she gave birth to her first child, the now 3-and-a-half-year-old David. Evans and her coworkers spent months compiling a detailed manual and calendar in anticipation of her departure. That didn’t mean she wasn’t answering work-related questions the day after giving birth; she was. But by planning ahead, Evans says her staff was ready to step up and fill in the operational gaps.

Start searching for childcare early. In much of the state, finding childcare for young children — especially infants and toddlers — is incredibly difficult, says Addison County Parent Child Center co director Sue Bloomer. She recommends families start exploring options about halfway through a pregnancy. Other advocates, like Kelly

Ault, suggest starting even earlier: With 18-month waiting lists at some infant care spots, it’s not a bad idea to get on a list before conceiving.

Choose wisely. Both Bloomer and Ault recommend that parents visit as many different facilities as possible, ranging from family care arrangements to childcare centers.

“What works and clicks for one person isn’t going to work and click for another,” Bloomer says. Finding that “click” is important, she adds, especially when hormones and emotions are complicating matters in the first few months after giving birth.

“There’s so much emotion involved in it,” Bloomer says. “You really want to look for a place where someone is willing and able to hold your hand and reassure you, even if you have to call five times a day.”

Ault also points parents to ratings

it changes, Evans says. That makes it hard to plan meetings or phone calls — which would ideally take place when Amelia is napping or playing quietly.

Nonetheless, Evans is deeply appreciative of the chance to be with Amelia. She says she feels productive in the o ce and can meet her deadlines — all while being able to breast-feed and watch her baby grow.

Plus, having a little one around, she says, “gives you something to smile about.” And that applies to Evans’ coworkers.

While she acknowledges that the arrangement wouldn’t work for every mom, or every company, Evans thinks other businesses should give the unusual program a try. She thought she might take advantage it for four months or so, but it’s already been six. Soon enough, Amelia will be “out of the o ce,” spending one or two days a week with her brother and grandmother.

systems at both the state and federal levels that could be useful in evaluating the quality of the childcare facility. The STep Ahead Recognition System — more commonly known as STARS — recognizes the overall strength of childcare facilities with as many as five “stars.” Kids VT publishes some of the the results every month (see page 12). Unfortunately, Ault says, only 25 percent of childcare providers in Vermont have been awarded any stars at all.

Practice makes perfect. If possible, try leaving your baby with his or her childcare provider in advance of your first day back at work. For breastfeeding moms, Evans also recommends introducing your baby to a bottle early, when he or she is just 3 or 4 weeks old. That could help avoid an abrupt or fussy transition from breast to bottle later on.

Know your due. Under Vermont law, birth and adoptive parents are allowed to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid parental leave. There are a few qualifications: Only companies with 10 or more employees are held to this standard, and the employee must have worked at least an average of 30 hours a week for a year before taking leave. The vacated job — or a comparable position — must be made available to the returning parent. More details about the nitty-gritty of this law are available from the Vermont Commission on Women.

Breast-feeding mothers also have certain rights once they’re back in the workplace. Employers have to provide reasonable, but not necessarily paid, time for women to express breast milk. They also have to make a reasonable accommodation to provide an appropriate and private space to do so.

She is with me 24 hours a day, every day, plus I’m trying to work

BRYNN EVANS

Brynn with daughter Amelia Evans

Baby Steps

Joseph Sorensen has a very big job working with very small people — about as small as they come.

Sorensen is a neonatal nurse practitioner in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Vermont Children’s Hospital at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington. Sorensen attends di cult deliveries and works with full-term infants born with medical complications.

His specialty, however, is the “littlest of the little.” His unit receives the extremely low-birth-weight infants, or babies weighing less than 1000 grams, or 2.2 pounds — that are the result of fewer than 28 weeks of gestation. Not surprisingly, they’re among the most complex patients in the hospital.

The state-of-the-art NICU, located on the seventh floor of the McClure Building, is the only one of its kind in Vermont. In the large room, as many as 20 babies at a time can receive care, though the NICU usually has no more than seven or eight in clear plastic

isolettes, incubators that protect them from germs, drafts and noise. Others are kept in open beds with overhead warmers. These beds are typically reserved for the most unstable infants. It’s a matter of access: If something goes wrong, Sorensen needs to get his hands on them in a hurry.

For obvious reasons, the NICU is an ultra clean environment, and sta and visitors, including parents, must scrub for at least three minutes before entering. In fact, Sorensen says that once these babies go home, they’re rarely readmitted to the NICU — even if complications arise.

“Once you’ve been out in the community,” he explains, “you’ve been exposed to so many things that can really wipe out our littlest of the little who don’t have intact immune systems

Despite the stereotype of nurseries being super-quiet, the NICU gets quite noisy at times, due to sounds from ventilators, IV pumps and other life-support equipment.

“We try to keep the noise level down, but I can be the worst o ender,”

When I first started there it was very unusual to see a 24- or 25-week gestation infant — you’re talking about six months into a pregnancy — come out and survive.

Now, it’s not unusual for them to survive, and many of them do well.

A neonatal nurse practitioner on Vermont’s “smallest survivors”

BY KEN PICARD

&MaternityI ue yet.”

JOSEPH SORENSEN

Joseph Sorensen

Eddie Spaghetti

Made with marinara or butter.

$5 | add meatballs for $1.5

Grilled Cheese

Texas toast with cheddar & american cheese.

Ser ved with a side of hand-cut fries. $5

Chicken Tenders

Free-range chicken tenders.

Served with a side of hand-cut fries. $6

Baby Steps

Sorensen jokes. “I’m always getting told to shut up!”

A major part of Sorensen’s job is transporting newborns to FAHC from other hospitals. His tiny patients may travel from as far away as New York’s North Country, Rutland, even parts of New Hampshire. In such cases, Sorensen travels via ambulance as part of a team of five, which includes a nurse and respiratory therapist. “It’s a fun part of the job,” Sorensen adds. And the ambulance always drives very carefully.

Kids VT caught up with Sorensen on one of his rare days off.

palsy. I think there are limits to what we can do.

KVT: There must be huge challenges in handling babies that small.

JS: Sure. Most of them require ventilators, which means getting breathing tubes into them in the delivery room. They all require some sort of IV access. We can put lines in the arteries and veins in the belly button.

KVT: You must have great manual dexterity.

Hamburger or Cheeseburger

PT farms all-natural grass-fed beef.

Ser ved with a side of hand-cut fries. $6.5

Personal Pie Comes with cheese & choice of 1 topping. $6 | add additional toppings for $.75

Pizza Roll

Fresh baked dough wrapped with mozzarella, herbs & choice of pepperoni or broccoli. $6

Shelburne Farms Shelburne Farms

Bring the whole family!

Open May 12 to October 21

Kids VT: Help me visualize what a 2.2-pound baby looks like. That’s tiny!

JS: I’m great at household painting. I always do the corners! But yes, you do develop a lot of manual dexterity starting lines. Intubating is always a

www.shelburnefarms.org

JOSEPH SORENSEN: Think of four sticks of butter as a pound. It’s kind of [double] that size.

KVT: does the age and size of preemies keep getting lower?

JS: When I first started there it was very unusual to see a 24- or 25-week gestation infant — you’re talking about six months into a pregnancy — come out and survive. Now, it’s not unusual for them to survive, and many of them do well. There are some places that are pushing those limits to 23 or 22 weeks. But as you get down into those numbers, you’re increasing morbidity, whether it’s neurodevelopmental problems, problems with the eyes or cerebral

challenge, trying to get a breathing tube below the vocal cords.

KVT: is it a stressful job?

JS: Yeah, but a little bit of stress is always good for everybody. It teaches you that what you’re doing is incredibly important. You’re working with someone else’s child. And all procedures have risks associated with them. I would never become so complacent as to walk in and say, “Oh, this isn’t stressful.”

KVT: it must be incredibly stressful on the parents, too.

JS: Yes, but we try to offer them as much support as possible. Gone are the days when you would withhold

1899 MOUNTAIN ROAD, STOWE 802.253.4411 PIECASSO.COM

information from parents because you felt it was best to try to protect them.

KVT: What’s the hardest part of your job?

JS: It’s always hard when you lose a baby. Babies do still die and that’s hard. But I think it’s important to keep the family involved, so they can start their grieving process.

KVT: What’s the most rewarding part?

JS: Sending the kids home with their parents. The baby who probably wouldn’t have made it 10 or 15 years ago, to be able to reunite that family and send them home. That and being able to support the family

body] is premature and the only way to overcome that is to get them to grow and heal.

KVT: Are you ever taken aback that you’re working on a person that small?

JS: Yeah, sometimes you do a double take and think to yourself, My God, that’s really small! But then it’s so rewarding to see them come back in one year, two years, three years, 14 years. I’ve got kids who I took care of when I was a new nurse who are now 25 years old.

KVT: And you remember when they fit in the palm of your hand.

JS: Exactly! We encourage parents to take pictures of that so they’ll

In the battle against whooping cough, she needs more than cute.

while they’re there in the unit, taking these little 25- and 26-weekers with breathing tubes and central lines and having mom put on a breast-feeding gown or dad doing “kangaroo care,” where you put the baby right on his chest, cover them with a blanket, kick ’em back in a rocker and let them just hang out.

KVT: can babies that small breast-feed?

JS: We encourage moms to breastfeed even if the babies can’t eat immediately and might not for several weeks or maybe even a month. We also encourage moms to pump and freeze their breast milk because it really is the optimal food for kids. We’re trying to get food into them sooner and sooner because it’s good for their gut. Everything [in their

remember it. Sometimes we’ll have moms or dads take off a wedding ring and you can usually fit it up to the baby’s wrist on a preemie.

KVT: What’s your unit like?

JS: There’s tremendous camaraderie. We’re all in one big room together and with a lot of the nurses, once they move to the neonatal intensive care unit, they don’t go anywhere else. So you work together for years. There’s a core group of people up there who I cut my teeth with, and when you’re all in one room together, you get to know each of them really well. Sometimes too well! I really enjoy it. You have to love it to work there. Anytime you can wake up in the morning and 98 percent of the time you’re happy going to work, you should consider yourself lucky. K

She needs the safe, proven protection of vaccines. Giving her the recommended immunizations by age 2 is the best way to protect her from 14 serious childhood diseases, like whooping cough and measles. For more reasons to vaccinate, talk to your child’s doctor or go to http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines or call 1-800-CDC-INFO. Immunization. Power to Protect.

Sometimes we’ll have moms or dads take off a wedding ring and you can usually fit it up to the baby’s wrist on a preemie.

Joseph sorensen

Know Before They Go

What questions should you ask before sending a kid to camp?

BY LINDSAY J. WESTLEY

FAST-FORWARDING TO SUMMER, your camper-to-be probably has a million questions: Will I make friends? Will there be spiders? What’s it like to sleep in a tent? Will we have pancakes on Saturday morning? How do you go to the bathroom in the woods?

As a parent, you probably have a few queries of your own, such as: Will my child be happy and safe when he or she is out of my sight?

You’re right to ask. Kids go o to camp to push their personal and physical boundaries, but how much pushing is too much? Is there a way to vet camp counselors before entrusting your child to them?

One of your first questions should be whether or not the place is accredited by the American Camp Association. It’s not mandatory, but tests the ACA applies during the evaluation process have established a safety standard across the industry.

Unlike required state licensing, which focuses mainly on health standards, cleanliness and sanitation, the ACA evaluates emergency protocols, sta qualifications and medical care, collaborating with experts from organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Red Cross.

It also looks at the suitability and safety of specific programming, the ratio of sta to campers and opportunities for camper growth. In short, an ACA evaluation goes beyond spot-checking the kitchens to really dig into the nitty-gritty of what your child will be doing each day.

“Safety is a shared responsibility; camps and families need to partner together to ensure that children and youth have the best possible camp experience,” says Peg Smith, CEO of the American Camp Association. “ACA-accreditation is a family’s best evidence of a camp’s commitment to the health and safety of campers, so if the camp is not accredited, ask why.”

There could be a perfectly logical reason. Adventure camps, such as Jericho-based Northland Adventure Education & Therapy Center, often don’t seek ACA accreditation because they report to — and follow guidelines established by — other outdoorindustry organizations.

“As an adventure-education camp, we’re closely regulated by the American Mountain Guides Association, the American Canoe Association, Outward Bound and

KNOW BEFORE THEY GO P. 28 »

There are so many different ways to think of risk and safety when you’re in loco parentis.

PIETER BOHEN, FARM & WILDERNESS CAMPS

©THINKSTOCK.COM

CAMP EDGE

CAMP EDGE

is a place of innovation, fun and fitness for school age children ages 6-12. We also offer a Camp Program for 5 year olds, which is run in conjunction with Camp Edge. Additionally, we offer more diverse and detailed activities for our older group of 9-12 year-old Campers. Our program offers a variety of indoor and outdoor activities including sports, craft projects, field trips and more! Our campers have an active summer playing and learning with their friends!

but not limited to: baseball, soccer, floor hockey, basketball, kickball)

Night Eagle

Know Before They Go

National Outdoor Leadership School,” says Ed Spaulding, executive director at Northland Adventure. “We have rigorous standards for our instructors, which include requiring five or more years of experience, a bachelor’s degree related to the field and a current certificate in wilderness first aid or wilderness first responder — and, of course, a lifeguarding certification for our water sports.”

Other programs, such as Colchester’s Enniskerry Farm horseback-riding day camp, require fewer official certifications, so it’s your responsibility to seek out information. If the camp director is unwilling to meet with you or answer questions over the phone, that should raise a red flag.

“Families should ask for references, and check them out — and don’t be afraid to ask tough questions,” Smith says.

Enniskerry Farm owner Patty HartAhonen, an experienced horsewoman of 30-plus years, is happy to answer queries from parents or kids, and recommends that families visit the farm before camp starts.

“I like it when the kids come to visit first; I’m much more comfortable with that, and the kids are much more comfortable when they arrive,” Hart-Ahonen says. “It also helps the parents to be able to do a walk-through and see that the facilities are suitable and the horses are calm and friendly.”

Hart-Ahonen provides

Quizzing camps:

is the camp accredited by the American Camp Association? Why? Why not?

WhaT is the camp’s philosophy and program emphasis?

WhaT is the camp director’s background?

WhaT training do counselors receive?

WhaT is the staff-to-camper ratio?

industry-approved helmets, ensures small class sizes and maintains a healthy staff-to-camper ratio.

Crunching numbers — like the staff-to-camper ratio and the average age of the staff — is an important part of evaluating a camp’s safety. The amount of time a staff spends in training before campers arrive is also crucial to ensuring familiarity with equipment, trails and potential dangers.

In part because it incorporates multi-week expeditions, Plymouthbased Farm & Wilderness camps have a long pre-camp training time for counselors — they spend 19 days honing on-the-trail emergency procedures, food safety and farmmanagement skills.

“There are so many different ways to think of risk and safety when you’re in loco parentis,” says F&W Executive Director Pieter Bohen. “There are

the more obvious things, like storms, drowning, broken limbs, but there’s also a much more subtle social dynamic that needs to be addressed, like bullying or a child becoming isolated.”

At the eight Farm & Wilderness camps, there’s a broad-ranging policy on acceptance and inclusiveness that applies to both staff members and campers. Bohen calls this “the freedom to present yourself however you wish.” If that means wearing a bear suit all summer, or a purple cape plucked from the overflowing costume chest, that’s okay.

Statistics show the most dangerous part of camp, and the most likely source of injury, is the car trip back and forth. So if you’ve done your camp research in advance, and manage to get there without incident, it’s a safe bet that you can relax knowing your child is in good hands. K

WhaT are the ages of the counselors?

WhaT are desired qualities in camp staff?

WhaT percentage of the counselors returned from last year?

hoW are behavioral and disciplinary problems handled?

hoW does the camp handle special needs?

hoW does the camp handle homesickness and other adjustment issues? does the camp have references?

Here are some of our GREAT camping programs

Leadership Camp ages 14-15

Curious About Camp grades 2-3

Art-n-Fun grades 3-5

Costal Camp grades 6-9

Green/Garden grades 5-7

Canoe/Mountain Bike grades 8-12

Lego Camp grades 3-5

Elementary Soccer grades 4-6

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Jr/Sr Soccer grades 7-12

Golf Camp grades 7-12

Maine Camp grades 6-9

Creating a Masterpiece grades 2-5

Music, Arts, Drama grades 4-12

Rock Band Camp grades 7-12

Mission Camp grades 6-10

Explore Camp grades 5-7

Visit our website: www.covenanthillsvt.com

Questions? Contact us!

Kelley Alderman, Executive Director chccdirector@gmail.com

Pillows, Pj’s & Popcorn grades 6-9

Kids in the Kitchen grades 8-10

Soulfest grades 9-12

A Day at the Beach grades 3-5

Great Outdoors grades 4-6

Amazing Race grades 7-9

Outdoor Adventure grades 7-12

Family Camp ALL!!!

adventure day camp

Camp Dates:

June 18 - August 3

Age Groups:

Rangers: 5-6

Trailblazers: 7-8

Vikings: 9-11

A DV EN T URE DAY C A M P

University of Vermont

register

Oakledge Park

Shelburne Farms

Ben & Jerry’s Factory Carnival Day

Field Trips Include: Daily Activities: swimming sports & games arts & crafts water games and more!

www.uvm.edu/recreation/adc

Mini-Summer Intensive

June 11-15 & June 18-22 (ages 12-18)

Cinderella Camp

June 18-June 22 (ages 4-5)

Nutcracker Camp

June 18-June 22 (ages 5-6)

Fairy Tale Ballet Camp

June 25-June 29 (ages 3-4 and 5-6)

Beginning Ballet Camp

July 9-13 (ages 7-9)

Coppelia Camp

July 30-Aug 3 (ages 6-7)

Arabian Nights Camp

July 30-Aug 3 (ages 6-7)

We also offer a variety of weekly classes at many levels, youth-adult.

Call or visit our website for details on all classes and camps! Simply

Animal Adventures ages 7-9: Half-day camp with themes like Dog Day, Feline Friends, Careers, Shelter Day, and Animal Safety. (choose between AM or PM session)

Summer Sessions:

July 9-13 | July 16-20

July 23-27 | July 30-Aug 3

(Choose Between AM or PM) AM: 9am-12pm | PM: 1pm-4pm

802.862.0135 x11 www.chittendenhumane.org

ACADEMY July 9-21 COME GET YOUR GAME ON!

Summer 2012

advanced

Summer

Day Camp at the

y Children ages 3–8

y Nature- and artistic-themed weeks

y Multi-week discount

For more information: Call 802-456-7400 or E-mail orchardvalley@ovws.org

Child’s Garden 155 Northfield Street, Montpelier

Licensed, independent school by the State of Vermont. Childcare subsidy accepted.

OrchardValley

Untitled-78 1 4/24/12 2:32 PM

Wake Up and Smell the Lilacs

Nothing says Mother’s Day like fresh flowers. And the Shelburne Museum delivers that — and more — during SPRING FEST, when more than 400 lilac bushes in 90 varieties are in bloom on the museum’s opening day. There’s kid stuff, too: Arts-and-crafts activities throughout the day include a make-your-own garden doll station and a build-a-birdhouse construction area. A scavenger hunt through the gardens encourages children to explore the grounds and 37 exhibit buildings, while roaming musicians entertain families along the museum’s walking paths. One leads to a DOLL TEA PARTY, where dressed-up kids and their dolls sip from dainty cups and nibble delicate sandwiches. Seven new exhibits will be open, including a snowmobile collection with historical and modern sleds and ManMade Quilts, featuring original designs dreamed up and crafted by men.

SPRING FEST: Sunday, May 13, Shelburne Museum, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. $10-20 adults; $5-10 kids. Info, 985-3346, shelburnemuseum.org.

Like Fletcher Allen Health Care on Facebook and get weekly updates from Dr. First!

Sponsored by:

CALENDAR SPOTLIGHTS AND LISTINGS BY BECKY THARP

1 TUESDAY

Food

Kids in the Kitchen: chocolate Pudding: Chocolate lovers make this creamy dessert from scratch and top it off with real whipped cream. Taste testing is required. Healthy Living Natural Foods Market, South Burlington, 3:30-4:30 p.m. $20 child. Info, 863-2569, ext. 1.

Library & Books

craftacular Tuesdays: Kids get caught up in low-tech projects. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, first Tuesday of every month, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 223-4665.

creative Tuesdays: Crafters use their imagination and recycled materials. All ages. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 3-5 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7216.

2 WEDNESDAY

Arts

opus 24: Professional musicians perform original compositions by young student composers. All ages. Ludlow Town Hall Theatre, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 879-0065.

Community

Breast-feeding-mom support: New mothers get to know each other during this informative and informal session. Children welcome. Trinity Episcopal Church, Rutland, first Wednesday of every month, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 747-8665.

Education

dcf Book discussion Group: Kids discuss their opinions of Storm Runners by Roland Smith.

Ages 8-11. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-0313.

social Thinking: Meetings focus on social-skills development for kids with nonverbal learning disabilities, Asperger’s syndrome and highfunctioning autism. Call for times. Ages 6-17. Preregister. Maple Leaf Clinic, Wallingford. Info, 446-3577.

Food

cookie decorating: Budding bakers doll up treats with sprinkles, frosting, sugar and nuts. Panadero Bakery, Burlington, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-8278.

Kids cook Up stories: Hungry for words? Readers bring lit to life in the kitchen. For prekindergarten-age children. LACE, Barre, 10 a.m. $3 suggested donation. Info, 476-4276.

Health & Fitness

afternoon Hoops: Basketball-loving high school students spend the afternoon dribbling, shooting and scoring. Preregister. St. Albans City Hall, 2:30-3:45 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1500, ext. 266.

Kids open Gymnastics: Tykes tumble and jump while adults connect with other families. Snack is provided. River Arts, Morrisville, 10-11:30 a.m. $5 child, $8 two children, $10 three or more children. Info, 888-1261.

Library & Books

LEGo afternoons: Youngsters create freely from big buckets of building blocks. Parents encouraged to send a snack; popcorn provided.

Ages 6 and up. Lincoln Library, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 453-2665.

3 THURSDAY Arts

assisting your child With music: Musician Paul Ruscak teaches caregivers to share a love of music with kids. Participants bruh up on instrument care and tuning while gaining confidence. Adults. ArtisTree Gallery, Woodstock, 6:30-7:30 p.m. $15. Info, 457-3500.

‘Lyddie’: This play tells the story of a young girl who works to regain her family farm in Vermont. All ages. Lost Nation Theater, Montpelier City Hall Auditorium, every Thursday and Sunday until May 19. 7 p.m. $20-35 ticket. Info, 229-0492.

Pollywog drop-in art: Tots get their art fix with a variety of craft materials, from homemade play dough to colorful ribbons. Ages 6 months-5 years accompanied by adult. Burlington City Arts Center (BCA), 9:30-11:30 a.m. $5-6 child/ parent pair. Info, 865-7166.

Baby & Maternity

Breast-feeding support Group: Lactating moms bring their babies and share stories, advice and company. Preregister. Family Birthing Center, Northwest Medical Center, St. Albans, first Thursday of every month, 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 524-7970.

middlebury La Leche League: Breastfeeding moms and kids gather for fun and conversation. Expectant mothers welcome too. Junebug Mother and Child, Middlebury, first Thursday of every month, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 382-1589.

Community

mom’s matinee: Parents and their wee ones catch a flick with dimmed lights and babyfriendly volumes. Palace 9, South Burlington, 10:30 a.m. $7.25 adult; $6 child; free for kids under 2. Info, 864-5610.

Education

anthroposophy Today and Tomorrow: Author and chair of the Education Department at Antioch University, Torin Finser, discusses his philosophy on schools, leadership and improving the current educational system. Adults. Orchard Valley Waldorf School, East Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 456-7400.

Building Blocks for Literacy Webinar: This webinar series educates professionals and parents on literacy development and gives playbased activity ideas to help early readers hit the books. Online, Burlington, 1 p.m. Free. Info, 878-2332.

Health & Fitness

Hot mama Workout: Kids are welcome while moms squeeze in some fitness. City Hall Gymnasium, St. Albans, 9-10 a.m. Free if preregistered; $10 drop-in. Info, 524-1500, ext. 266.

stroller Gathering: Walkers and their wheeled counterparts meet for a recreation path promenade. Fairfax Community Park & Recreation Path, 9:30 a.m. Free. Info, 782-6332.

Winooski family Gym: Indoor playground equipment gives tumblers a chance to burn off some energy. Ages birth to 7. YMCA, Winooski, 10:30 a.m.-noon. $5 family with one child; $8 family with multiple children. Info, 862-9622.

Library & Books

food for Thought: Teen volunteers chow down on pizza and work on library projects. Grades 7-12. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, first Thursday of every month, 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

food for Thought: Teens chat while working on library projects. A pizza dinner finishes off the evening. Grades 7-12. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, first Thursday of every month, 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918. Highgate youth advisory: Kids in grades 5-8 plan projects with the Crossroads after school program. Highgate Public Library, Highgate Center, 3-4:45 p.m. Free. Info, 868-3970.

Homeschoolers Book Group: Bibliophiles share thoughts on recent reads. Ages 8-10 and 11 and older. Preregister. St. Albans Free Library, first Thursday of every month, 1 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

Jericho Evening family story Time: Kids and their parents gather for parable and playtime. Snacks are served following the tale. Ages 3-8. Preregister. Deborah Rawson Memorial Library, Jericho, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 899-4962. shelburne magic club: Fantasy-card-game lovers play and share tips. Grades 5-8. Pierson Library, Shelburne, first and third Thursday of every month, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 985-5124.

4 FRIDAY Arts

family clay drop-in: Parents join kids for some work on the wheel. All ages. Burlington City Arts Center (BCA), 5:30-7:30 p.m. $5-6 includes one glazed/fired piece; $5 per additional piece. Info, 865-7166.

‘Lyddie’: See May 3, 8 p.m.

Preschool clay drop-in: Kids craft cool stuff using the wheel or working by hand. Preschool ages. Burlington City Arts Center (BCA), 9:3011:30 a.m. $6. Info, 865-7166.

Vyo spring concert: The Vermont Youth Orchestra is joined by the VYO Chorus and environmental activist and author, Bill McKibben, for the premiere of “A New Eaarth.” This orchestral/choral piece is an original composition by Music Alive Composer-in-Residence

Robert Paterson. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe, 8 p.m. $10 adult; $5 child. Info, 655-5030.

Community

first friday family dance: Supper kicks off a wholesome evening of live music and dancing. All ages. Worcester Town Hall, first Friday of every month, 5:30-10 p.m. $5 person; $8-$12 family. Info, 229-0173.

Park Exploration with Big mo: Mo the moose takes curious visitors on a guided tour of the park followed by a snack and games. Ages 3-5 with adult. Preregister. Schmanska Park, Burlington, 9:30-11 a.m. $12 child. Info, 864-0123.

Education

Parent-child sign Language: Wee ones use their hands to communicate with mom and dad. Ages birth to 5. Preregister. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 879-7576.

Ongoing Events

coBLEiGH PUBLic LiBrary

Info, 626-5475

red clover Book Project: Families read and discuss award-winning books, then gather for related projects and activities. Grades K-4.

EcHo LaKE aQUariUm

aNd sciENcE cENTEr

Info, 864-1848

our Body: The Universe Within: Real human bodies are displayed with attention to the functional systems of the anatomy. Exhibits allow visitors to peer under the skin to discover the complexity and beauty of hominid biology. Opens April 14.

fairBaNKs mUsEUm & PLaNETariUm

Info, 748-2372

Wildflower Table: This living exhibit reflects the abundance and diversity of flowers, grasses, berries, ferns and evergreens found in the Northeast Kingdom. Kids are introduced to more than 400 species displayed throughout the year, in both fruit and flowering stages.

iNdEPENdENcE PETTiNG farm

Info, 948-2429

animal menagerie: Rain or shine, families visit, pet and feed a variety of animals at this educational, hands-on farm. Open daily, year-round. All ages.

moNTrEaL sciENcE cENTrE

Info, 1-877-496-4724

star Wars identities: Combining LucasFilm archive memorabilia with interactive elements, this exhibit explores the development of identity. Visitors explore character development within the themes of origins, influences and choice. Fan then explore their own existence by combining their identity with fictional elements to create a unique Star Wars character. Through September.

moNTsHirE mUsEUm of sciENcE

Info, 649-2200

charlie and Kiwi’s Evolutionary adventure: Young visitors learn the basics of evolution through story, exhibits and activities about a boy and his favorite bird, the kiwi.

VErmoNT iNsTiTUTE of NaTUraL sciENcE NaTUrE cENTEr

Info, 359-5000

Through the Eyes of raptors: Kids who explore the natural world through the eyes of raptors are usually amazed by these efficient predators. Bird programs cover the mechanics of flight, seasonal migration and conservation issues. All ages.

raptors up close: Little nature lovers discover the fascinating lives of birds in this exhibit featuring touchable artifacts and handson materials. Kids learn how hundreds of birds are rehabilitated each year and the fundamentals of how raptors are trained. All ages.

submit your June events by may 15 at kidsvt.com or to calendar@kidsvt.com.

Wild Things

Wings and antennae may “fly” at home. But the ALL sPEciEs dAY PARAdE ANd sPRiNG PAGEANT

— a 20-year Montpelier tradition

— invites kids to spread their wings on the streets of the state capital. Revelers dress up like their favorite species, celebrating spring and the interdependence of earth’s life forms, and join a parade from Hubbard Park to the golden dome. On the Statehouse lawn, the Birth of the Spring Goddess Pageant sets the stage for sprightly maypole and flower-children dances. Feeling antsy about dancing? There’s a rehearsal the day before.

ALL sPEciEs dAY PARAdE ANd sPRiNG

PAGEANT: Sunday, May 6, Hubbard Park & the State House lawn, Montpelier, noon-4 p.m. Free. Info, 222-1242, alltogethernowvt.org.

Health & Fitness

Afternoon Hoops: See May 2.

Family Gym: Indoor playground equipment provides active fun for kids and their parents. Ages 7 and under. YMCA, Burlington, 10:30 a.m.noon. $5 family with one child; $8 family with multiple children. Info, 862-8993.

Kids open Gymnastics: See May 2.

Library & Books

After school movie: Film buffs put their feet up and watch a flick, popcorn in hand. KelloggHubbard Library, Montpelier, 3 p.m. Free. Info, 223-4665.

5 SATURDAY

Arts

Fabulous Fibers: Crafters turn fibers into works of art by learning techniques of felting, weaving and tying. Preregister. Purple Crayon Productions, Woodstock, 10 a.m.-noon. $15-30 child. Info, 457-3500.

Family Art drop-in: Folks get creative with crafts, drawing and painting whenever the mood strikes. All ages. Burlington City Arts Center (BCA), 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7166.

Girls Rock Vermont Rock Lotto & instrument drive: Musicians from all genres get chosen

at random to join up and form five bands. They have until 9 p.m. to come up with a 20-minute set and perform for an intrigued audience. Instrument donations will be accepted throughout the day to support a nonprofit music education program for girls. Monkey House, Winooski, 10 a.m. Info, 503-0409.

it’s All About mom: Make mom a special garden gift and learn to make flower greeting cards. All ages. Gardener’s Supply, Williston, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 658-2433.

‘Lyddie’: See May 3, 8 p.m. saturday drama club: Thespians help Very Merry Theatre produce a show in just three hours. All ages. Preregister. Very Merry Theatre, Burlington, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. $15 (or whatever you can afford). Info, 863-6607.

seussical The musical: Well-loved Dr. Seuss stories get a musical makeover in this retelling of classic children’s stories. Paramount Theater, Rutland, 2 p.m. $12.50-19.50. Info, 775-0903.

Baby & Maternity

Everything Pregnancy and Baby Expo: Naturally You Childbirth hosts an event all about babies and mammas. Experts on childbirth education, breast-feeding support, chiropractic care, baby clothes and gear, and lots of other reproductive topics will be on hand to pass out advice and peddle their wares. Williston Central School, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $5 adult; Free for

kids under 16. Info, 363-9597; eronsnycoflove@ yahoo.com.

Postnatal Yoga: Moms and their brand-new babies connect through movement and breathing exercises. Central Vermont Medical Center, Berlin, 10:45-11:45 a.m. $10 mom/baby pair. Info, 778-0300.

Community

Fairy Playshops: Believers in magic explore the world of fairies and elves, see where they might live, and learn to make houses to attract the wee ones. Ages 4 and older with an adult. City Market, Burlington, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 861-9757. Green Up day: See Spotlight, pg.42. spanish community Breakfast: Elementary students and their families gather for morning eats, games and conversational Spanish language instruction. Russ Sholes Senior Center, Middlebury, 8:30-10 a.m. Free. Info, 382-9325.

Education

Teen skin care: Learn to make your own beauty products and leave with all the skills to give yourself a complete facial. City Market, Burlington, 12-1 p.m. Free. Info, 861-9757.

Fairs & Festivals

mayfest: Families with kids birth to 6 celebrate the return of the sun with pony rides, maypole, face painting, arts and crafts, and snacks galore.

Lake Champlain Waldorf School, Shelburne, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 985-2827.

Food

sweet & savory All-You-can-Eat Pie Breakfast: Hungry locals fill their bellies with pastries fit for the first meal of the day. Christ Church, Montpelier, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $25 family; $7 person; free for children under 5. Info, 456-7400.

Health & Fitness

children’s space Fun Run: Speedy feet choose a 1K or 5K course. Routes take runners on Intervale paths and dirt roads. All ages. Burlington Intervale Center, 9 a.m. $10 adult; $5 child; $20 family. Info, 658-1500.

Earl’s Bike swap: Cyclists upgrade their old wheels choosing from a variety of new and used pedal-powered vehicles. Earl’s Cyclery and Fitness, South Burlington, 6, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Free. Info, 864-9197.

onion River sports Bike swap: Bikers get ready for the upcoming season by trading in their old bikes, trailers and strollers for different models. Those selling drop off their wheels in the week preceding the event. Free. Onion River Sports, Montpelier. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Info, 229-9409.

Prenatal Yoga: Moms-to-be explore meditations, postures and breath work tailored to their minds and bodies during pregnancy. Central Vermont Medical Center, Berlin, 9-10:30 a.m. $10 person. Info, 778-0300.

4 FRidAY (COnTinued)

Winooski Family Gym: See May 3.

Nature & Science

Ephemeral Zoo: Amphibians and aquatic creatures are special museum guests and the topic of activities a about their daily life and survival. All ages. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Museum Admission. Info, 649-2200.

6 SUNDAY Arts

‘Lyddie’: See May 3, 7 p.m.

VYO Spring Concert: See May 4, 3 p.m. $15 adult; $10 child.

Co unity

All Species Day & Spring Pageant: See spotlight, pg. 34.

Dairy Day at the Farm: Milk and all its products receive an honorary day at the farm. The Brown Swiss herd are available for curious visitors to view and pat the calves. Adventurous types try milking a real cow. All ages. Shelburne Farms, 1-4 p.m. $5 car; Free for walkers. Info, 985-0328. Open Barn Day: Folks of all ages meet therapy horses, learn to groom the horses and hear about the benefits of horse-assisted therapy. All ages. Pease Farm, Middlesex, 1-4 p.m. Free. Info, 223-4828.

Health & Fitne

Earl’s Bike Swap: See May 5.

Family Gym: See May 4.

Nature & Science

Drawing Birds and Blossoms: An artist and a naturalist lead artistic nature lovers in capturing the form of delicate spring blooms and winged beauties. Ages 8 and older. Green Mountain Audubon Center, Huntington, 1-4 p.m. $15-20. Info, 434-3068.

Leafcutter Ants: Nature fans examine the secret life of insect fungus farmers during this hands-on investigation. All ages. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 11 a.m. Museum admission. Info, 649-2200.

Mirror, Mirror: Science fans learn about symmetry and reflection while creating cool and complex images. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 3 p.m. Museum admission. Info, 649-2200.

7 MONDAY

Baby & Maternity

Baby Yoga: Mini yogis and their minders stretch and move to soothing music to build coordination, strength and balance. Ages 3-10 months. Preregister. Move You Fitness Studio, Essex, 10:45-11:30 a.m. $10 baby/adult pair. Info, 734-0821.

Montpelier Prenatal Yoga: Moms-in-the-making focus on relaxation, strengthening and focus. Yoga Mountain Center, Montpelier, 5:30-7 p.m. $15. Info, 778-0300.

Yoga After Baby: New moms focus on their core, pelvic floor and arm strength, bringing their infants along if they choose. The Shambala Center, Montpelier, 11 a.m.-noon. $10. Info, 778-0300.

Health & Fitne

Hot Mama Workout: See May 3.

8 TUESDAY

Education

Waldorf Observation Morning: Prospective families take a tour, meet teachers and parents, and learn about this independent elementary school’s programs. Preregister. Lake Champlain Waldorf School, Shelburne, 8:30-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 355-7023.

Library & B ks

Creative Tuesdays: See May 1.

Game On!: Kids learn new diversions or play old faves. All ages. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, second Tuesday of every month, 3:30 p.m. Free. Info, 223-4665.

Teen Craft: Show mom how much you care with a bouquet of duct-tape flowers. Instruction and supplies provided. Ages 10 and older. Preregister. St. Albans Free Library, 4-7 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

Nature & Science

Storytime in the Nestlings Nook: Little ones listen attentively to stories all about our feathered friends. Tales are followed by a nature walk. Birds of Vermont Museum, Huntington, 10:3011:30 a.m. Museum admission. Info, 434-2167.

F d

Kids in the Kitchen: Twice Baked Potatoes: Little chefs scoop out the potato insides and then start mashing and mixing with cheese, herbs and veggies before putting it all back into the jacket for a final bake. Healthy Living Natural Foods Market, South Burlington, 3:30-4:30 p.m. $20 child. Info, 863-2569, ext. 1.

9 WEDNESDAY

Baby & Maternity

Baby Time: Babies gather for board books, lap rhymes and songs. Ages 18 months and younger. Siblings welcome. Deborah Rawson Memorial Library, Jericho, 10:15 a.m. Free. Info, 899-4962.

Burlington La Leche League: Moms bring their questions, babies and older kids, too, to this breast-feeding support group. Lending library available. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, second Wednesday of every month, 9:30 a.m. Free. Info, 985-8228.

Co unity

Georgia Family Game Night: Candyland, checkers and Monopoly bring gamers to the library. Visitors are welcome to carry in other favorites, too. Georgia Public Library, Fairfax, second Wednesday of every month, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 524-4643.

Education

High School Morning Preview: Interested students and their families visit Waldorf classrooms, meet faculty and enjoy a welcome tea.

Lake Champlain Waldorf High School, Charlotte, 8:30-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 985-2827.

Social Thinking: See May 2.

TeenPower Workshop: Young adults learn assertiveness, boundary setting and how to create safety plans in order to increase independence and prevent violence. Ages 13 and older. Preregister. Rock Point School, Burlington, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 425-KIDS.

Health & Fitne

Afternoon Hoops: See May 2.

Kids Open Gymnastics: See May 2.

Library & B ks

LEGO Afternoons: See May 2.

F d

Cookie Decorating: See May 2.

Kids Cook Up Stories: See May 2.

10 THURSDAY Arts

‘Beauty and the Beast’: The fairy-tale musical with an accompanying animated film visits Burlington. Flynn Main Stage, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $27-76 seat. Info, 863-5966.

Drum, Song and Dance of Guinea: The sights and sounds of West Africa fill the studio as kids learn the cultural traditions of a far-away land. Ages 6-12. ArtisTree Gallery, Woodstock, 3-5 p.m. $20 child. Info, 457-3500.

‘Lyddie’: See May 3, 7 p.m.

Mulan Jr.: Young thespians perform a celebration of culture and fighting spirit set in ancient China. All ages. Edmunds Middle School, Burlington, 4 p.m. Free.

Ooey Gooey Icky Fun: Youngsters learn the art of ick by making slime, glurch and other messy media. Ages 3-5. Miller Community Recreation Center, Burlington, 10-11 a.m. $24 child. Info, 864-0123.

Pollywog Drop-in Art: See May 3.

Co unity

Mom’s Matinee: See May 3.

Education

Building Blocks for Literacy Webinar: See May 3.

Health & Fitne

Hot Mama Workout: See May 3.

Stroller Gathering: See May 3.

Winooski Family Gym: See May 3.

Library & B ks

Highgate Youth Advisory: See May 3. LEGO Club: Building-block lovers get busy. All ages. St. Albans Free Library, second Thursday of every month, 3-5 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

11 FRIDAY

Arts

Family Clay Drop-in: See May 4.

‘Lyddie’: See May 3, 8 p.m.

Mulan Jr.: See May 10, 7 p.m.

‘Peter Pan’: The 1982 adaptation of the children’s beloved classic is performed with a combination of live actors and puppets bringing Tinkerbell, Captain Hook and the Darling children to life. All ages. Black Box Theatre, Burlington, 7 p.m. $20 adult; $15 child. Info, 863-5966.

Preschool Clay Drop-in: See May 4

Co unity

Children’s Room Tag Sale: Bargain hunters find clothing, toys, furniture, sports gear and more at

low prices. Waterbury Congregational Church, -12, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Info, 244-5605.

Kids Night Out: Parents get a break while the younger crowd play games, get crafty and snack. Grades K-5. Preregister. Robert Miller Community & Recreation Center, Burlington, 6-9 p.m. $15. Info, 865-7091.

Health & Fitne

Afternoon Hoops: See May 2.

Donkeyball: Good sports from town government and school administration attempt to play basketball while riding donkeys. Laughs are guaranteed and proceeds go to a support a young person beginning college in the fall. All ages. BFA Fairfax, 6:30 p.m. $6-7 person; Free for kids under 4. Info, 324-2998.

Family Gym: See May 4.

Kids Open Gymnastics: See May 2.

Stowe Kids Night Out: An evening away from home includes free play, ice skating, movies and games, all supervised by camp counselors. Ages 5-15. Preregister. David Gale Recreation Center, Stowe, 6-10 p.m. $10. Info, 253-6138.

Library & B ks

Book Reading by VT Author: Doug Wilhelm reads from his newly-released “True Shoes” and talks to fans about his twelve other young adult books. Brown Dog Books & Gifts, Hinesburg, 1 p.m. Free. Info, 482-5189.

After School Movie: See May 4.

12 SATURDAY Arts

Family Art Drop-in: See May 5.

‘Lyddie’: See May 3, 8 p.m.

Mulan Jr.: See May 10, 7 p.m.

‘Peter Pan’: See May 11.

Saturday Drama Club: See May 5.

Baby & Maternity

Postnatal Yoga: See May 5.

Co unity

Bolton Community Yard Sale: Deal seekers peruse new and used wares. Toys and goods for kids and babies abound. Smilie Memorial School, Bolton, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 434-5468.

Car Seat Safety Checks: Car seats get checked over by careful eyes watching for correct installation, recalls and proper fit. Seats will be available for purchase. Burlington’s #2 Fire Department. May 18 event is at the Milton Fire Department, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 847-5164. Children’s Room Tag Sale: See May 11.

High School Monopoly Tournament: Local high school students face o in public bouts on a life-sized board of the classic capitalists’ game. Winners receive a MacBook Air 4G. University Mall, South Burlington, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 8631066, ext. 11.

Spanish Community Breakfast: See May 5.

Story Times

MONDAY

Bristol Toddler Story Time: Lawrence Memorial Library, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 453-2366.

Burlington Stories With Megan: Fletcher Free Library, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 865-7216.

Colchester Preschool Story Time: Burnham Memorial Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 878-0313.

Marshfield Story Time: Jaquith Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

Milton Infant Story Time: Milton Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 893-4644.

Richmond Pajama Time: Richmond Free Library, 6:30-7 p.m. Free. Info, 434-3036.

St. Albans Story Time: St. Albans Free Library, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

Stowe Family Story Time: Stowe Free Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 253-6145.

Stowe Monday Morning Story Time: Stowe Free Library, 10-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 253-6145.

Waitsfield Story Time: Joslin Memorial Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 496-4205.

Waterbury Toddlers-’n’-Twos: Waterbury Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

Williston Story Time at Buttered Noodles: Buttered Noodles, 10-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 764-1810.

Woodstock Baby Story Time: Norman Williams Public Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 457-2295.

TUESDAY

Alburgh Story Hour: Alburgh Community Education Center, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 796-6077.

Barre Children’s Story

Hour: Aldrich Public Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 476-7550.

Burlington Science and Stories: ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center, 11 a.m. Museum admission. Info, 324-6386.

Colchester Toddler

Story Time: Burnham Memorial Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 878-0313.

East Barre Kids Story

Hour: East Barre Branch Library, 9:30 & 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 476-5118.

East Middlebury

Preschool Story

Hour: Sara Partridge Community Library, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 388-7588.

Essex Preschool Story

Time: Brownell Library, 1010:45 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Early literacy skills get special attention during these free read-aloud sessions. Some locations provide additional activities like music, crafts or foreign language instruction. Contact the story time organizer or visit kidsvt.com for details.

Essex Toddler Story Time: Brownell Library, 9:10-9:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Fairfax Preschool Story Time: Fairfax Community Library, 9:30-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 242-9000.

Georgia Pajama Story Time: Georgia Public Library, third Tuesday of every month, 6:307:30 p.m. Free. Info, 524-4643.

Grand Isle PJ Story Time: Grand Isle Free Library, first Tuesday of every month, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Highgate Toddler and Preschool Story Time: Highgate Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 868-3970.

Hinesburg Preschool Story Time: CarpenterCarse Library, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 482-2878.

Hinesburg Toddler Story Time: CarpenterCarse Library, first Tuesday of every month, 9:30 a.m. Free. Info, 482-2878.

Milton Preschool Story Time: Milton Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 893-4644.

Montpelier Story Time: Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 223-4665.

Richmond Story Time: Richmond Free Library, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 434-3036.

Shelburne Story Time With Webby: Shelburne Museum, 10:30-11 a.m. Free with admission. Info, 985-3346.

South Burlington Tiny Tot Time: South Burlington Community Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 652-7080.

Williston Story Time at Buttered Noodles: See Monday.

Woodstock Toddler Story Time: Norman Williams Public Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 457-2295.

WEDNESDAY

Colchester Pajama Story Time: Burnham Memorial Library, third Wednesday of every month, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 879-7576.

Essex Preschool Story Time: See Tuesday.

Highgate Toddler and Preschool Story Time: See Tuesday, 11:15 a.m.

Jericho Preschool Story Time: Deborah Rawson Memorial Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 899-4962.

Middlebury Baby and Toddler Story Hour: Ilsley Public Library, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Free. Info, 388-4097.

Montpelier Story Time: See Tuesday.

Realms of Reading Crafts: East Barre Branch Library, 3-5 p.m. Free. Info, 476-5118.

Richford Story Hour: Arvin A. Library, 9:30 a.m. Free. Info, 848-3313.

South Burlington Story Time: Barnes & Noble, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 864-8001.

Stowe Preschool Story Hour: Stowe Free Library, 10:15 a.m. Free. Info, 253-6145.

Swanton Story Hour: Swanton Public Library, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 868-7656.

Warren Story Hour: Warren Public Library, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 496-3913.

Waterbury Baby Lap Time: Waterbury Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

Williamstown Story Time: Ainsworth Public Library, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 433-5887.

Williston Story Time at Buttered Noodles: See Monday.

THURSDAY

Bristol Preschool Story Time: Lawrence Memorial Library, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 453-2366.

Colchester Preschool Story Time: See Monday.

Franklin Story Time: Haston Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 285-6505.

Jericho Preschool Story Time: See Wednesday, 10 a.m.

Middlebury Preschool Story Hour: Ilsley Public Library, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Free. Info, 388-4097.

Montgomery Story Hour: Montgomery Town Library, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, montgomery. librarian@gmail.com.

Shelburne Story Time With Mary Catherine Jones: Pierson Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 985-5124.

South Burlington Baby Story Time: South Burlington Community Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 652-7080.

St. Albans Story Time: See Monday.

Stowe Preschool Story Hour: See Wednesday, every other Thursday.

Vergennes Story Time: Bixby Memorial Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 877-2211.

Westford Story Time: Westford Public Library, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-5639.

Williston Story Time at Buttered Noodles: See Monday.

FRIDAY

Enosburg Story Hour: Enosburg Public Library, 9-10 a.m. Free. Info, 933-2328.

Georgia Preschool Story Time: Georgia Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 524-4643.

Huntington Story Time: Huntington Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 434-4583.

Lincoln Children’s Story Time: Lincoln Library, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 453-2665.

Milton Toddler Story Time: Milton Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 893-4644.

Montpelier Story Time: See Tuesday.

South Burlington Story Time Adventures: South Burlington Community Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 652-7080.

Stowe Baby and Toddler Story Time: Stowe Free Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 253-6145.

Waterbury Preschool Story Time: Waterbury Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

Williston Story Time at Buttered Noodles: See Monday.

SATURDAY

Barre Story Time: Next Chapter Bookstore, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 476-3114.

Colchester Saturday Story Time: Burnham Memorial Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 878-0313.

South Burlington Saturday Story Time: Barnes & Noble, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 864-8001.

South Burlington Second-Saturday Stories: South Burlington Community Library, second Saturday of every month, 10:15 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 652-7080.

Winooski Preschool Story Time: Continues through May 19. Winooski Memorial Library Champlain Mill, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 655-6424.

Winooski Story Time: Winooski Memorial Library, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Through May 19. Free. Info, 655-6424.

Woodstock Story Time: Norman Williams Public Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 457-2295.

Baby Ready

The nursery’s ready. Mom’s ready. Dad’s ready. But what about little bro or sis? These days, there’s a class that prepares kids to deal with siblings. Soon-to-be big brothers and sisters learn about the important job of being the eldest and the benefits and the challenges that come with the promotion. The class focuses on celebrating the changes that come with a new baby and on important questions such as: What’s that strange belly button “raisin” all about? Sibs-to-be learn how to hold a baby and why sharing food and toys is a no-no — at least in the beginning. New siblinghood brings mixed emotions. Kids learn that it’s normal to feel excited and proud one minute and frustrated the next, when the newest member of the family becomes star of the cute show. The class winds up with a hospital tour and an art project.

BIG SISTER, BIG BROTHER: SIBLING PREPARATION: Saturday, May 19, Fletcher Allen Health Care, Burlington, 9:30-11:30 a.m. $30 per child, $25 for each additional child. Appropriate for kids age three and older. Info, 658-5959, beginningschildbirth. com

Fairs & Festivals

Evergreen Preschool Children’s Fair: Mini golf, games, face painting, food and fun create a lively atmosphere for springtime reveling. Ages 3-9. St. Peter’s Parish Hall, Vergennes, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 877-6380.

Kids Day: It’s all about young people as Burlington celebrates youth with a parade, performances, food, games and fun at the park. All ages. Battery Park, Burlington, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. $1 person. Info, 864-0123.

Health & Fitne

The Kids Are All Bike: A two-wheeled festival promotes safety and fun with a ride along the Stowe bikepath, a bike rodeo, a rec path ra e course, bike safety checks and other fun activities like a bounce house and face painting. All ages. The Rusty Nail Bar and Grill, Stowe, 1-5 p.m. Free. Info, 253-8686.

Kids Night Out: Mom and dad take a break, while the youngsters are entertained with a movie, a bounce house, pizza and a swim. Ages 5-12. A little-kids version for ages 1-4 takes place simultaneously. Preregister. YMCA, Burlington, second Saturday of every month, 5:30-8 p.m. $816. Info, 862-9622.

Prenatal Yoga: See May 5.

Winooski Family Gym: See May 3.

Library & B ks

Kids Craft: Kids fashion tissue paper into “stained glass” windows. Ages 7 and older. Preregister. St. Albans Free Library, 1 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

Nature & Science

Celebrate Migratory Bird Day: Friends paint bird nest boxes, learn about wild, flying creatures and go on a quest to find and identify winged beauties. All ages. Vermont Institute of Natural Science Nature Center, Quechee, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 359-5000.

Creeping Colors: This science-packed session teaches kids about capillary action as they watch water crawl up paper and find hidden colors inside a marker. All ages. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 3 p.m. Museum admission. Info, 649-2200.

International Migratory Bird Day: Live bird demonstrations get observers in the mood to discuss feathers and beaks. Guided walks in search of common and illusive varieties follow. All ages. Shelburne Farms, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 985-8686.

Magnetic Moments: Budding scientists experiment with electric currents. All ages. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 11 a.m. Museum admission. Info, 649-2200.

13 SUNDAY Arts

‘Lyddie’: See May 3, 7 p.m.

‘Peter Pan’: See May 11, 2 & 6 p.m.

Fairs & Festivals

Spring Fest: See spotlight, pg. 32.

F d

Free Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries: Bring mom in for a treat on her special day, courtesy of Laughing Moon Chocolates. Laughing Moon Chocolates, Stowe, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Free. Info, 253-9591.

Health & Fitne

Family Gym: See May 4.

Flower Power Mountain Bike Race: Racers ready. Catamount starts the season with wheeled races on open, rolling terrain and single track. A variety of distances suit each member of the family. Preregister. Catamount Outdoor Family Center, Williston, 9:30 a.m. Free for kids under 8. Info, 879-6001.

Mother’s Day Bike Ride: Moms and their ospring peddle 16, 30 or 55 miles to raise money for the Lund center. Riders stick around for food and fun. All ages. Rice Memorial High School, South Burlington, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Free; suggested fundraising minimum $200. Info, 861-2585.

Nature & Science

Gearing Up: Little engineers create machines to explore how gears work. Ages 9 and up. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 3 p.m. Museum admission. Info, 649-2200.

Sundays for Fledglings: Little learners get the scoop on birds. Investigations include outdoor and indoor fact-finding and creative expression.

Ages 5-9. Preregister. Birds of Vermont Museum, Huntington, 2-3 p.m. Museum admission. Info, 434-2167.

Who Sank the Boat?: Newbie boat-builders craft a vessel, then see how much weight it can hold before sinking. All ages. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 11 a.m. Museum admission. Info, 649-2200.

14 MONDAY

Baby & Maternity

Baby Yoga: See May 7.

Infant Care: Up-and-coming parents prepare for taking care of Junior. Preregister. Timber Lane Pediatrics, South Burlington, 6:30-9 p.m. $30 family. Info, 658-5959.

Montpelier Prenatal Yoga: See May 7.

Yoga After Baby: See May 7.

Education

Parenting the School-Age Child: An openforum discussion provides parents a chance to talk about tricky issues like computer use, playdates, hygeine and nutrition with others. Adults. Preregister. Fletcher Allen Health Care, Burlington, 7-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 847-2278.

Health & Fitne

Hot Mama Workout: See May 3.

15 TUESDAY

Education

Scoring Points: Improving Health Through the Power of Video Games: Think all those video games are bad for Junior? Think again. UVM/ Fletcher Allen researchers present novel findings on the development of video games to improve learning, behavior, social responsibility and even health in chronically ill children. Preregister. Fletcher Allen Health Care, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 847-2886.

Playgroups

MONDAY

Barre Open Gym: Sunrise Gymnastics, 10 a.m.-noon. $10 child. Info, 223-0517.

Burlington Crawlers, Waddlers and Toddlers: St. Joseph School, 11 p.m. Free. Info, 999-5100.

Essex Open Gym: Regal Gymnastics Academy, 11 a.m.-noon & 1-2 p.m. $8 child; Free for children under 18 months. Info, 655-3300.

Isle La Motte Playgroup: Isle La Motte School, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Jeffersonville Hometown Playgroup: Cambridge Elementary School, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 885-5229.

Montgomery Playgroup: Montgomery Town Library, second Monday, Wednesday of every month, 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Morristown Hometown Playgroup: Morristown Graded Building, 9-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 888-5229.

Swanton Playgroup: Mary S. Babcock School, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Williston Music With Raphael: Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, 10:45 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

Winooski Fathers and Children Together: Winooski Family Center, 5-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 655-1422.

TUESDAY

Bristol Playgroup: Bristol Baptist Church, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 388-3171.

Burlington Family Play: VNA Family Room, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 860-4420.

Burlington Fathers and Children Together: VNA Family Room, 5-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 860-4420.

Burlington Music With Robert: Fletcher Free Library, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 865-7216.

Essex Open Gym: See Monday.

Hardwick Playgroup: Hardwick Elementary School, 8:15-10:15 a.m. Free. Info, 652-5138.

Johnson Baby Chat: Church of the Nazarene, fourth Tuesday of every month, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 888-3470.

Middlebury Playgroup: Middlebury Baptist Church, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 388-3171.

Milton Playgroup: New Life Fellowship Church, Thursdays, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 893-1457.

Montpelier LEGO Club: Kellogg-Hubbard Library, third Tuesday of every month, 3:30 p.m. Free. Info, 223-4665.

Montpelier Tulsi Morning Playgroup: Tulsi Tea Room, 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 223-0043.

South Hero Playgroup: South Hero Congregational Church, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

St. Albans Playgroup: St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Worcester Playgroup: Doty Memorial School, 9-11 a.m. Free. Info, 229-0173.

WEDNESDAY

Barre Open Gym: See Monday.

Burlington Moving and Grooving: Fletcher Free Library, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 865-7216.

Kids enjoy fun and games during these informal get-togethers and caregivers connect with other local parents and friends. The groups are usually free and often include snacks, arts and crafts or music themes. Contact the playgroup organizer or visit kidsvt.com for site-specific details.

Charlotte Playgroup: Charlotte Central School, 12:15-1:15 p.m. Free. Info, 764-5820.

Colchester Music With Raphael: Burnham Memorial Library, 12:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-0313.

Colchester Playgroup: Colchester Village Meeting House, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 264-5640.

Enosburg Playgroup: American Legion, 1011:30 a.m. Free. Info, 933-6435.

Essex Open Gym: See Tuesday Essex Welcome Baby Playgroup: Essex Junction Teen Center, 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 872-9580.

Fairfield Playgroup: Bent Northrup Memorial Library, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Hinesburg Playgroup for Dads: Annette’s Preschool, 5-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 860-4420.

Morrisville Open Gym: River Arts, Fridays, 10-11:30 a.m. $5 child, $3 additional child. Info, 888-1261.

Shelburne Sing-a-long: Lemon Peel Café and Creperie, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 985-9511.

South Royalton Playgroup: United Church on the Green, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 685-2264.

Vergennes Playgroup: Congregational Church of Vergennes, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 388-3171.

Williston Baby-Time Playgroup: Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 658-3659.

Winooski Open Gym With Princess: Regal Gymnastics Academy, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $12 child. Info, 655-3300.

THURSDAY

Burlington EvoMamas Playgroup: Evolution Physical Therapy and Yoga, second Thursday of every month, 2-4 p.m. Free. Info, 864-9642.

With Raphael: See Monday, 10:30 a.m.

every month, 2-4 p.m. Free. Info, 864-9642.

Burlington Family Play: See Tuesday. Essex Movin’ Moms: Move You Fitness Studio, first Thursday of every month, 10:30-11:45 a.m. Free. Info, 734-0821.

Essex Open Gym: See Tuesday Fletcher Playgroup: Fletcher Elementary School, first Thursday of every month, 9-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Johnson Hometown Playgroup: United Church of Johnson, 9-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 888-5229.

Milton Playgroup: See Tuesday.

Montgomery Infant Playgroup: Montgomery Town Library, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Morrisville Baby Chat: First Congregational Church of Morrisville, first Thursday of every month, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 888-3470.

Richmond Welcome Baby Group: Richmond Free Library, second Thursday of every month, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 899-4415.

Spanish Musical Kids: Warren Town Hall, 10-10:45 a.m. $15. Info, 917-1776; constanciag@ gmail.com.

Winooski Playgroup: O’Brien Community Center, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 655-1422.

FRIDAY

Colchester Playgroup: See Wednesday, 9:3011 a.m.

Essex Center Playgroup: Memorial Hall, 9-11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6751.

Essex Open Gym: See Tuesday.

Fairfax Playgroup: BFA Fairfax, 9-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Ferrisburgh Open Gym: Ferrisburgh Central School, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 388-3171.

Hometown Playgroup Stowe: Stowe Community Church, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 888-5229.

Montgomery Tumble Time: Montgomery Elementary School, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Morrisville Open Gym: See Wednesday.

Shelburne Playgroup: Trinity Episcopal Church, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 985-2382.

St. Albans MOPS: Church of the Rock, first Friday of every month, 8:45-11 a.m. Free. Info, 891-1230.

Swanton Late-Morning Playgroup: Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Williston Playgroup: Allen Brook School, 9-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 876-7147; jakruwet@ yahoo.com.

SATURDAY

Franklin Playgroup: Franklin Central School, second Saturday of every month, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Morrisville Weekend Baby Chat: Lamoille Family Center, second Saturday of every month, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 888-3470. South Burlington Tots and Tykes Open Gym: Chamberlin School, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 846-4108.

SUNDAY

Essex Sunday Open Gym: Regal Gymnastics Academy, May 6, 1-5:30 p.m. $8 child; Free for children under 18 months. Info, 655-3300.

Dorothy

REAL FUN! Real Science.

F d

Kids in the Kitchen: Carrot Cake Cupcakes: Orange-colored root veggies transform into frosted cakes in the hands of new bakers. Preregister. Healthy Living Natural Foods Market, South Burlington, 3:30-4:30 p.m. $20 child. Info, 863-2569, ext. 1.

Health & Fitne

Itty Bitty Game Time: Young’uns get creative with pool noodles creating structures for play. A giant parachute is on hand for group games. Ages 3-5 with adult. Schmanska Park, Burlington, 9:30-11 a.m. $12 child. Info, 864-0123.

Library & B ks

Creative Tuesdays: See May 1.

16 WEDNESDAY

Arts

Leap of Faith Dance Theatre: Little ballerinas stay on pointe in a performance featuring original kid coreography. All ages. Town Hall Theater, Middlebury, 7 p.m. $10. Info, 382-9222.

Education

Early Education Workshop: Early childhood educators learn from author and director of the Alliance for Childhood Joan Almon. Workshop titles include, “Crisis in Early Education” and “Crisis in the Kindergarten.” Preregister. Champlain College, Burlington, 2-5 & 6-8 p.m. $25-35 person. Info, 383-6603.

Social Thinking: See May 2.

F d

Cookie Decorating: See May 2.

Kids Cook Up Stories: See May 2.

Health & Fitne

Afternoon Hoops: See May 2.

Kids Open Gymnastics: See May 2.

Library & B ks

LEGO Afternoons: See May 2.

17 THURSDAY

Arts

Drum, Song and Dance of Guinea: See May 10.

‘Lyddie’: See May 3, 7 p.m.

Ooey Gooey Icky Fun: See May 10.

Pollywog Drop-in Art: See May 3.

Co unity

Mom’s Matinee: See May 3.

Education

Building Blocks for Literacy Webinar: See May 3.

Health & Fitne

Hot Mama Workout: See May 3.

Stroller Gathering: See May 3.

Winooski Family Gym: See May 3.

Library & B ks

Highgate Youth Advisory: See May 3.

‘PBS Kids Go!’ Writers Contest Showcase: Prose competitors share their stories submitted to Vermont Public Television. St. Albans Free Library, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

Shelburne Magic Club: See May 3, first and third Thursday of every month, 6-8 p.m. Info, 985-5124.

18 FRIDAY Arts

Family Clay Drop-in: See May 4.

‘Lyddie’: See May 3, 8 p.m.

‘Peter Pan’: See May 11.

Preschool Clay Drop-in: See May 4.

Scrapbooking Extravaganza: Memory keepers gather mementos with the help of some instruction and available materials. Ages 1014. Preregister. Milton Elementary School, third Friday of every month, 6-8 p.m. $12. Info, 893-4922.

Spring Spectacular: Very Merry teams up with the Champlain Philharmonic for classic children’s theatrical performances, including Peter Pan and The Velveteen Rabbit, accompanied by the sounds of 60-piece orchestra. Vergennes Opera House, 7:30 p.m. Free.

Co unity

Car Seat Safety Checks: See May 12, Milton Fire Department, 3-6 p.m.

Health & Fitne

Afternoon Hoops: See May 2.

Family Gym: See May 4.

Kids Open Gymnastics: See May 2.

Library & B ks

After School Movie: See May 4.

Youth Night: Teens and tweens hang out and enjoy movies, snacks and projects. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, third Friday of every month, 6-9 p.m. Free. Info, 223-4665.

19 SATURDAY

Arts

Family Art Drop-in: See May 5.

‘Lyddie’: See May 3, 8 p.m.

Major Mess: Young artists explore holidaythemed projects with mixed media. All ages. Children under 4 must be accompanied by an adult. Purple Crayon Productions, Woodstock, third Saturday of every month, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

$10. Info, 457-3500.

‘Peter Pan’: See May 11. Saturday Drama Club: See May 5.

Baby & Maternity

Big Brother, Big Sister: Sibling Preparation: See spotlight, pg. 37.

Postnatal Yoga: See May 5.

Montshire Museum!

• 125+ Hands-on Exhibits

• Daily Activities

• ViewSpace see images from the NASA Space Telescopes

• Visiting Exhibitions

• Science Park with water exhibits

• Nature Trails

• Live animals & aquariums

• Museum Store

$2 Off Admission! When you subscribe to Montshire’s eNews at montshire.org.

OPEN DAILY 10-5

montshire.org • 802.649.2200 Exit 13 I-91, Norwich, VT

Opening-day festival featuring activities for visitors of all ages. Tour gardens, build a birdhouse, plant flowers Mother’s Day doll tea party and over 400 lilacs!

Community

Big Truck day: Little truckers climb on impressive vehicles and get up close with every part of the machines. A horn-free hour from 10-11 a.m. gives those with sensitive ears a quiet time for exploration. Monty the Moose and Clifford provide high-fives in between jumps on the bounce house, crafting activites, face painting and savenger hunting. All ages. Hinesburg Nursery School, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. $5 child. Info, 482-3827.

Big Truck day Burlington: Fire, dump and tow trucks serve as jungle gyms to curious kiddos. Music, dancing, food and raffles round out the day’s experience. All ages. Robin’s Nest Children’s Center, Burlington, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. $5 family. Info, 864-8191.

car seat safety checks: See May 12, Buttered Noodles, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

CENTRAL VERMONT WOMEN’S HEALTH

OUR SERVICES:

Family Fun Night: A movie, swimming, a bounce house, food and more highlight the evening. All ages. YMCA, Burlington, third Saturday of every month, 5-8 p.m. $3-5. Info, 862-9622.

Family Fun Volunteer day: Do gooders lend a hand in trail maintenance and veggie garden start up. Volunteers get a free lunch and tours of the grounds. Common Ground Center, Starksboro, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. Info, 453-2592. High school monopoly Tournament: See May 12.

spanish community Breakfast: See May 5.

Fairs & Festivals

Bird day Festival: Budding ornithologists celebrate the migratory birds’ return to Vermont and see a winged demonstration, go on a guided bird walk, make feathered crafts and dance to live music. All ages. Birds of Vermont Museum, Huntington, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. $2 person. Info, 434-3068.

Horticulture Farm spring Festival: Families celebrate the warmer weather with a nature treasure hunt and wagon rides. UVM greenhouse staff sell hanging flowering baskets and state entomologist Jon Turmel leads a bug walk at 11 a.m. UVM Horticulture Farm, South Burlington, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 864-3073.

Health & Fitness

Prenatal Yoga: See May 5. Winooski Family Gym: See May 3.

Library & Books

12:30-2:30 p.m. $10 parent/child pair; $5 additional child. Info, 985-8686. cells!: Compare plant and animal cells using a compound microscope. Then, using the lab’s video microscope, take a close-up look at your own cheek cells. Ages 9 and older. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 3 p.m. Museum admission. Info, 649-2200.

20 SUNDAY

Arts

‘Lyddie’: See May 3, 2 p.m.

‘Peter Pan’: See May 11, 2 & 6 p.m.

Baby & Maternity

cloth diapering 101: Parents looking to start a new baby off on the reusable types and those wanting to switch over from disposables get tips for choosing the best bum covers. Participants receive $10 off their first order. Birth Journeys, Essex Junction, 2-3 p.m. $10. Info, 881-9451.

Health & Fitness

Family Gym: See May 4.

Walk to cure diabetes: Over 600 pedestrians high step to raise money for diabetes research. Preregister. CVU High School, Hinesburg, 9 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 1-866-256-0832.

Nature & Science

Build Your own Birdhouse: Invite feathered friends to your backyard by constructing a cozy home just for birds. Families with kids 4 and older. Green Mountain Audubon Center, Huntington, 10 a.m.-noon. $20-25 family. Info, 434-3068.

Hoopster Gliders: Kids create a craft that flies. All ages. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 11 a.m. Museum admission. Info, 649-2200.

skulls: Science lovers explore skeletal remains of local wildlife. All ages. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 3 p.m. Museum admission. Info, 649-2200.

sundays for Fledglings: See May 13.

21 MONDAY

Baby & Maternity

Baby care Basics: Dr. Lewis First puts parentsto-be at ease with information on the growth, development and care of a newborn. Adults. Preregister. Fletcher Allen Health Care, Burlington, 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, 847-2278.

8am-5pm

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 8am-5pm

FOR AN APPOINTMENT CALL 371-5961

Horse Lovers Book Group: A horse expert leads a discussion on all things equine. Learn about good reads on animal care and get tips to start the riding season off right. Ages 8-16. Preregister. Flying Pig Children’s Books, Shelburne, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 985-3999.

Nature & Science

About Air: Kids create mini-parachutes to learn how air resistance slows down falling objects. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 11 a.m. Museum admission. Info, 649-2200.

Amazing Amphibians: Young scientists seek frogs and salamanders in their natural habitats. Mud boots highly recommended. Ages 4 and older. Shelburne Farms, 9:30-11:30 a.m. &

Baby Yoga: See May 7.

Breastfeeding Preparation: Moms-to-be learn the basics of feeding baby the natural way. Preregister. Timber Lane Pediatrics, South Burlington, 6:30-9 p.m. $30 family. Info, 658-5959.

montpelier Prenatal Yoga: See May 7.

Yoga After Baby: See May 7.

Health & Fitness

Hot mama Workout: See May 3.

22 TUESDAY

Health & Fitness

itty Bitty Game Time: See May 15.

Roger Ehret, MD

Roger Knowlton, DO, FACOG

Julie Vogel, MD, FACOG

Christine Malcolm, NP, CNM

Gail Yanowitch, MD

Sheila Glaess, MD

Rebecca Montgomery, CNM, MSN

Colleen Horan, MD, MPH

residents $10 admission; children $5

Library & B ks

Creative Tuesdays: See May 1.

23 WEDNESDAY

Arts

Art Safari: Tots dive into stories and art activities related to the museum’s collections. Ages 3-5 with adult. Preregister. Shelburne Museum, fourth Wednesday of every month, 9:30-10:30 a.m. $5. Info, 985-3346.

Education

Social Thinking: See May 2.

F d

Cookie Decorating: See May 2.

Kids Cook Up Stories: See May 2.

Kids in the Kitchen: Deviled Spring Chicks: Deviled eggs get a cute makeover to appear like hatching chicks. Preregister. Healthy Living Natural Foods Market, South Burlington, 3:30-4:30 p.m. $20 child. Info, 863-2569, ext. 1.

Lockstepping Out

Every year, Essex Junction hosts a MEMORIAL DAY PARADE to pay homage to U.S. servicemen and -women. A special flyover by the Green Mountain Boys launches the procession of World War II vets striding in crisp uniforms, followed by the younger generation of soldiers. An impressive line-up of high school marching bands makes it one of the largest assemblages of onfoot musical talent in Vermont. Themed floats vie for awards as the parade wends from gate F of the fairgrounds, through the Five Corners onto Route 15 and back to the fairgrounds. The procession begins at 10 a.m., but find a spot a half hour in advance to ensure safe viewing. Post-parade happenings include another Memorial Day tradition: great grilling at the VFW’s chicken barbeque.

Health & Fitne

Afternoon Hoops: See May 2.

Kids Open Gymnastics: See May 2.

Library & B ks

LEGO Afternoons: See May 2.

24 THURSDAY

Arts

Drum, Song and Dance of Guinea: See May 10.

Ooey Gooey Icky Fun: See May 10.

Pollywog Drop-in Art: See May 3.

Co unity

Mom’s Matinee: See May 3.

F d

Kids in the Kitchen: Hashbrowns: Budding chefs get busy shredding potatoes learn to make a fresh breakfast side. Preregister. Healthy Living Natural Foods Market, South Burlington, 3:30-4:30 p.m. $20 child. Info, 863-2569, ext. 1.

Health & Fitne

Hot Mama Workout: See May 3.

Stroller Gathering: See May 3. Winooski Family Gym: See May 3.

Library & B ks

Highgate Youth Advisory: See May 3.

ESSEX JUNCTION MEMORIAL DAY PARADE: Saturday, May 26, Champlain Valley Fairgrounds, Essex Junction, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 878-1375, essexjunction.org.

LOOK CLOSER…

Early Childhood Programs designed specifically for the developmental needs of children.

Monday - Friday 7:00 am to 5:30 pm for children ages 6 weeks - Pre-K

Full-time and part-time openings

Richmond Berlin 434-3891 229-2869

ATTENTION CLASS INSTRUCTORS!

List your class in Kids VT for only $15/month!

Submit the listing by the 15th at kidsvt.com or classes@kidsvt.com

www.womenearningsixfigures.com/gayle

One Kid’s Trash

For 40 years, volunteers for GrEEN uP dAy VErmoNT have pitched in to “spring clean” the state. last year, Vermonters removed more than 40,000 bags of rubbish from the Green Mountain roadsides. interested community members contact a local organizer — easily found by visiting greenupvermont. org — to find out how and where to pick up trash in their area. Many hands make light work, and green-up garbage bags are provided. Some towns offer snacks and prizes. in rochester, they’re hiding necklaces amongst the trash. Find one to win an iPad. this year’s Green up day kicks off a new season of post-irene recovery work. Helping out will make the whole family feel good — and tired.

GrEEN uP dAy: Saturday, May 5. Cities and towns all over Vermont, all day. Free. Info, 229-4586, greenupvermont.org.

24 THursdAy (continued)

Nature & Science

Feathered Frenzy: Bird lovers build nests, investigate feathers up close and marvel at delicate birds’ eggs. Ages 3-5. Green Mountain Audubon Center, Huntington, 10-11 a.m. $8-10 adult/child pair; $4 additional child. Info, 434-3068.

25 FRIDAY Arts

Family clay drop-in: See May 4. Preschool clay drop-in: See May 4.

Health & Fitness

Afternoon Hoops: See May 2.

Family Gym: See May 4.

Kids open Gymnastics: See May 2.

Library & Books

After school movie: See May 4.

26 SATURDAY Arts

saturday drama club: See May 5.

Baby & Maternity

Postnatal Yoga: See May 5.

Co unity

Lake Champlain Maritime Museum Opening Day: Seaworthy folks visit floating relics, learn the history of water travel on Lake Champlain and take part in special activities on the seasonal opening. All ages. Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, Vergennes, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $10 adult; $6 child; Free for children under 5. Info, 475-2022.

Memorial Day Parade: See spotlight, pg. 41.

Spanish Community Breakfast: See May 5.

Health & Fitne

Kids’ Triathlon: Young athletes test their mettle in a three-part race, beginning with laps in the pool then spinning on a stationary bike and finishing with loops on the indoor track. Kids are separated by age and all abilities are welcome. Preregister. YMCA, Burlington, 11:45 a.m.-3 p.m. $25 child. Info, 862-9622.

Prenatal Yoga: See May 5.

Winooski Family Gym: See May 3.

Yam Scram: Racers run in 1/2-, 1- and 2-mile courses. Ages 4-14. Preregister. Burlington’s Waterfront Park, 8:30 a.m. $20 child. Info, 863-8412.

Nature & Science

Magnetic Moments: See May 12, 3 p.m.

Playing Telephone: Kids craft paper-cup phones and explore the properties of sound waves. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 11 a.m. Museum admission. Info, 649-2200.

27 SUNDAY

Baby & Maternity

Newborn 101: Moms- and dads-to-be get the skinny on tiny babies and how to enjoy the first three months of parenthood. The class covers tips on setting routines, breastfeeding basics, newborn care, how to handle prolonged crying and participant questions. Preregister. Franklin County Home Health Agency, St. Albans, fourth Sunday of every month, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $30 couple. Info, 527-7531.

Health & Fitne

Family Gym: See May 4.

Nature & Science

Fossils: Science enthusiasts handle fossilized remains and use clues to guess their origins. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 3 p.m. Museum admission. Info, 649-2200.

Kitchen Chemistry: Kids explore scientific reactions with household products. All ages. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 11 a.m. Museum admission. Info, 649-2200.

Sundays for Fledglings: See May 13.

28 MONDAY

Baby & Maternity

Baby Yoga: See May 7.

Montpelier Prenatal Yoga: See May 7.

Yoga After Baby: See May 7.

Health & Fitne

Hot Mama Workout: See May 3.

Nature & Science

Sound Science: Curious kids experiment with sounds and how they travel. All ages. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 3 p.m. Museum admission. Info, 649-2200.

Straw Rockets: Science lovers discover the power of air during this hands-on session. All ages. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 11 a.m. Museum admission. Info, 649-2200.

29 TUESDAY F d

Kids in the Kitchen: Italian Sodas: Fromscratch fruit-flavored syrups start the process toward fizzy drinks. Preregister. Healthy Living Natural Foods Market, South Burlington, 3:304:30 p.m. $20 child. Info, 863-2569, ext. 1.

Library & B ks

Creative Tuesdays: See May 1.

30 WEDNESDAY

Education

Social Thinking: See May 2. F d

Cookie Decorating: See May 2.

Kids Cook Up Stories: See May 2.

Kids in the Kitchen: Veggie Pinwheels: Wouldbe cooks make rolled sandwiches cut into bite-sized pieces. Preregister. Healthy Living Natural Foods Market, South Burlington, 3:304:30 p.m. $20 child. Info, 863-2569, ext. 1.

Health & Fitne

Afternoon Hoops: See May 2.

Kids Open Gymnastics: See May 2.

Library & B ks

LEGO Afternoons: See May 2.

31

THURSDAY

Arts

Drum, Song and Dance of Guinea: See May 10.

Pollywog Drop-in Art: See May 3.

Co unity

Mom’s Matinee: See May 3.

Health & Fitne

Hot Mama Workout: See May 3

Stroller Gathering: See May 3.

Winooski Family Gym: See May 3.

Library & B ks

Highgate Youth Advisory: See May 3.

St. Albans PJ Story Hour: Soon-to-be-sleepy kids say goodnight with songs, crafts and snacks. All ages. St. Albans Free Library, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

stained-glass Vases

April showers bring mAy flowers — and Mother’s Day on May 13 could bring some of those blooms right to your table. Crafty youngsters can contribute these découpage DIY vases, which use strips of tissue paper to create a surprising stained-glass effect ... with surprisingly little effort. It’s as simple as breaking out the Mod Podge and grabbing a jar from the recycling bin. They pass the test of time, too: My mom still has the sunny yellow vase I made for her more than 15 years ago.

—By Carolyn Fox

materials

• glass jar, bottle or vase, cleaned and with label removed — baby food or spaghetti-sauce jars work great!

• scissors

• several colors of tissue paper

• sponge

• Mod Podge découpage glue

1. Begin by cutting tissue paper of varied colors into inch-wide strips. Make sure the strips are long enough to go around the glass jar with about an inch to spare.

mix it up:

Experiment with different colors and sizes of tissue paper. you can even cut the paper into squares and make a patchwork pattern. Reuse the vases to hold pencils, tea lights, toothbrushes and more.

2. Use a sponge to apply Mod Podge evenly around the bottom inch of the jar. Gently lay a strip of tissue paper over the glue, and use the sponge to apply a thin coat of Mod Podge on the strip to smooth out any bubbles or rough edges. It’s OK if the tissue paper wrinkles or overlaps; this will make your jar look more interesting in the end.

3. Continue applying Mod Podge and tissue paper all the way up the jar, alternating colors as you go. If there are gaps or small tears, just lay another strip of tissue paper over it.

4. When the jar is covered, let it dry for about 15 minutes. Then use the sponge to apply one final coat of Mod Podge over the whole jar, sealing down any flyaway edges. Let it dry completely before use.

I’ve had my share of baby showers and loved them all. For the first of my three pregnancies, I was treated to four — yes, four: the family shower, the girlie shower, the work shower and the coed shower. With our second baby, I enjoyed a Sunday brunch with a small group of friends and a family party at Great Grandma’s. Finally, when I was expecting last winter, I spent an indulgent day at a spa with two close friends.

Celebrating a pregnancy is fun, whether you are expecting yourself or planning a shower for someone else. If the parents-to-be aren’t su ciently forthcoming about how they want to be feted, here are some pretty good guesses.

FIRST TIMERS

For a new mom, find out what she wants. If she says, “Oh, you don’t have to do that,” ignore her, but organize a simple event with close friends. The traditional shower involves food, beverages, something sweet to eat, a few silly baby games and presents. It lasts no more than two hours and is usually held at a friend or family member’s home. Every new mom should have at least one of these.

IT TAKES TWO

Don’t forget the dad: Coed showers are all the rage. Send some fancy invitations, and serve yummy hors d’oeuvres and mocktails for mingling couples. Instead of gifts, collect money for a gift card from the couple’s registry.

WHATEVER SHE WANTS

If your mom-to-be has done this once or twice, or won’t stand for a full-blown party in the baby’s honor, here are some ways to pamper the parent.

• Organize a premade meal service for the last two weeks of pregnancy. Friends and relatives make dishes to freeze, so the new family has yummy, homemade food after the little one arrives. Check out mealtrain.com, a website that makes organizing a group meal e ort a whole lot easier.

• Take her to a spa — something I highly recommend.

• Hire a cleaning service. Spend some time in the company of an expectant mother, and you might notice that a cleaning and nesting neurosis sets in around two weeks before birth. A home detox before the little tyke arrives is practical, and very much appreciated.

✱ THE PARTY PLANNER BY KATRINA ROBERTS

• Lactation Assistance Services

• Sports Medicine

• Well Check Ups

• Same Day Urgent Appointments Available

Sara Quayle, MD • Barbara Kennedy, MD • Monica Fiorenza, MD • Michelle Perron, MD

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PUZZLE PaGE

Kids Across/PArenTs down

Puzzles4Kids

riddle search — musical Terms

Look up, down and diagonally, both forward and backward, to find every word on the list. Circle each one as you find it. When all the words are circled, take the UNUsED letters and write them on the blanks below. Go from left to right and top to bottom to find the answer to this riddle: where do geologists go to listen to music?

By HELENa HOvaNEC

Get Going!

Kids Across

1. Postal carriers drive a mail _____

6. Thousands of people each day use the Golden Gate Bridge to go ____ san Francisco Bay

7. Every airplane has a pair to let it soar into the air

9. What a fisherman needs to keep on top of the waves

10. stop right there!: it’s what you use to bring your bike to a halt

12. in 1903, Wilbur Wright and his _______, Orville, were the first people to fly in an airplane

14. What Jack and Jill used to fetch water

15. The side of a snowy hill that skiers hurry down

18. a car has five of these (if you count the one the driver uses to steer)

19. Early sleds and wagons were made out of ____

22. The words above the number on a white highway sign: speed _____

23. a saddle is a leather ____ on a horse’s back

PArenTs down

2. if nice guys finish last, in which train car would you most likely find them?

3. it gets revved up on the autobahn

4. Copter topper

5. Until the ______ is lifted, a ship is going nowhere

7. Uplifting song: silent support Bette’s friend provided beneath her “wings”

8. if it could talk, it surely would say, “i spend the night at my hotel and go to the airport each day”

11. What every vacationer is happy to get

12. Colorful craft for a sightseer determined to rise above it all

13. What people do when they’re in a hurry

16. What bicyclists do that motorcyclists don’t

17. manual labor: stick shift driver’s options

20. Cruise man

21. Happy returns: One who goes to war and returns to a hero’s welcome (for short)

Riddle answer:

Enjoy fun time with mom, Dad or your favorite grown-up. The across clues are for kids and the down clues are for adults.

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The Other Mother

A lesbian mom redefines family in Franklin County

BEFORE I KNEW WHERE BABIES CAME FROM, I used to pray at night for God not to give me one. I guess I put two and two together — Mary getting pregnant with Jesus through immaculate conception — so I asked God not to let that happen to me. I always imagined that I would have kids, but I never wanted to be pregnant.

Fourteen years ago, I started dating Mary Alice. That’s the beauty of a lesbian relationship: two wombs. Mary Alice has always wanted to have kids, and she wanted that mothering experience. She was able to carry our daughter, Mania, who’s now 3, and she gave birth to our son, Hobie, last month.

Being a parent has completely changed my perspective on what’s important. Before I had kids, I think I kind of defined myself by what I did, whether it was my work or my extracurricular activities. But now I prioritize my family. And I’m more fiercely devoted than I was when there were just two of us.

I do feel that the bonding experience is definitely di erent for me, because I’m not breast-feeding. I don’t actually physically want to breast-feed, but I do appreciate the bond it creates. With Mania, I had to feed her with a finger tube for the first 48 hours. I felt like I had this connection that I feel is slightly lacking with Hobie — he’s been breast-feeding from day one. Mary Alice is the most important thing to him right now because of that, and I think I get a little jealous.

I always struggle in the baby phase: Where do I fit in?

Now that Mania is older, I feel like I’ve bonded with her quite well. I work for a landscaping company, so I stay home with her all winter, and I involve her in everything I do. We cook together. We make bread together. She helps me work on the car and do construction projects. I hope Hobie will do all of those things, too.

One thing that frustrates me about being a two-mom family is that every time I talk about the kids, at some point, I have to come out. We were at the Fairfield library last Sunday, and I was talking with a town official. I had Hobie in the baby carrier. The town o cial asked, “How old is he?” I said, “2 weeks.” At some point, he asked how much Hobie weighed at birth, and I told

him 11 pounds, 5 ounces. He put his hand on my arm and said, “You poor girl.” And I said, “Oh, it wasn’t me; it was my partner.” There are lots of moments like that where I can either mislead the person I’m talking to, or I have to correct them. It forces me to out myself.

For me, it’s awkward, because you never know how people will react. I’m just always thinking, Please don’t let this go down a road where we’ve gotta talk about it. We’re talking about my kids. Why should I all of a sudden have to talk about my sexuality?

But sometimes I feel like I need to bring it up, to challenge people’s definition of family. I’m taking an online class right now through Johnson State College, and I emailed my professor privately saying, “We just had our son, I’ll do my best to post online, but I might be a little absent this week.” And then she posted on the forum for our whole group something like, “Jaime might not be participating as much this week. He just welcomed a new son into his family.” I never indicated a gender for me or my partner, but she thought I was a he, based on just my name, I guess. That was interesting.

I emailed her back privately and said, “Thanks for the posting, and by the way, I’m a woman. My partner and I just had a son.” Not in a sassy way, but just to let her know. I didn’t correct her public message because I didn’t have the energy, and it’s not my problem.

She emailed back and said, “LOL, I’ve had this happen before.” I couldn’t help but think: Wouldn’t that make you less likely to make assumptions? I just wish people would think outside the box.

I’ve never encountered any negativity, though. After I came out to the guy at the library, we just sort of glazed over it and started talking about something else. I’ve been taking Mania and Hobie to a local playgroup, and people there probably assumed I was a straight mom. But when Mary Alice came, too, all of the grandmothers oohed and aahed over Hobie and just accepted us.

Who knows what people say when we’re not around, but so far, we’ve only received a positive response. I was ready for anything, but I’ve been amazed — I feel like I’ve underestimated my community.

Every time I talk about the kids, at some point, I have to come out.