December 2016 Toledo Area Parent News

FREE DECEMBER 2016

HOLIDAY Hullabaloo p10

Festive events all month long!

Love, loss and p17 the holidays Surviving the season

p18

Finding your village

Tips for today’s virtual world

Happy Holidays from

ADAMS STREET

PUBLISHING C O M P A N Y HOME OF

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• December 2016 • www.toledoparent.com

Toledo’s Award-Winning Parent Newspaper Volume 25 • Issue 12 December 2016

Ann-Marie Finn PHOTOGRAPHY

[special features] 10

Tis the season for family fun

HOLIDAY Hullabaloo

departments community snapshots 5

what’s briefly happening new kids exceptional families tweens healthy kids calendar marketplace

6 7 8 9 9 24 27

17

Kitchen Table Politics 22

Surviving Election Year Holidays

What we can learn from our children to make it through those awkward moments.

— by Sam Melden

Food Fight 23

Te`Kela Mexican Cocina y Cantina

Tacos and tequila - need we say more?

— by Karen L. Zickes

Join us and our 3,500+ followers for laughs, updates & parenting discussions.

“Like” us on facebook.com/ toledoareaparent

December

The Art of the Thank You Note Fun and simple ways to encourage your kids to send thank yous

By Tiffany Doerr Guerzen

Tinkergarten: The Ultimate Classroom Using the great outdoors to build tomorrow’s leaders

Countdown to Christmas 14 — by Lisa A. Beach

Benjamin, 21 mo. and Margaret Blake, 4, Maumee

Online

commentary Get in the spirit of the season

On the cover

Love, loss and the holidays Surviving the season

By Heidi Borst

[Always online]

special

Needs

G U I DE

Special Needs Guide

FIND LIKE AND FOL LOW US

A roundup of supportive resources to help families, friends and neighbors make the most of everyday

Blogs by local moms, for local moms, are at your fingertips. Relatable and hilarious reads online at recycle this paper for our children's future ...

toledoparent.com Health tips from area practitioners.

Make sure your practice is part of our TOP DOCS issue!

Issue Date: JANUARY Space Reservation by: DEC 15

RESERVE SPACE NOW!!

Call 419.244.9859 or Email Sales@AdamsStreetPublishing.com

www.toledoparent.com • December 2016 •

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Adams Street Publishing Co. What’s your favorite holiday tradition?

KIDS HOROSCOPE

Publisher/Editor in Chief

Collette Jacobs (cjacobs@toledoparent.com) having whole family together

Co-publisher/Chief Financial Officer Mark I. Jacobs (mjacobs@toledoparent.com) making the whole family happy

Dec. 21 - Jan. 22

By Sue Lovett

Editorial

This child may come out of the womb already looking smarter than you look! And this goes on.. and on… They learn to talk at a very young age and are serious about whatever they say.

Adult conversations are never a mystery to them. When they play with children their own age they are the leader of the pack. They are touchy and often keep their hands on the person to whom they are speaking. No matter the age of other family members, they get along well with them so long as they can be the boss! When they are ready for pre-school they are often are “teacher’s pet” because they are so bright and follow the rules. They enjoy history and even like antiques.

Associate Editor Athena Cocoves (athena@adamsstreetpublishing.com) seeing all my cousins

They are natural-born leaders and this quality lasts throughout their lifetime. Save your money because they may need it for their education which surely goes at least through college and perhaps beyond. You will always be proud of your Capricorn child.

Assignment Editor Kimberly Feldkamp

(toledoparenteditor@adamsstreetpublishing.com) christmas morning with my kids

Contributing Writers Bridget Adams, TiAnna Anderson,Lisa Beach, Heidi Borst, Kimberly Feldkamp, Tiffany Guerzon, , Sarah Lyons, Melissa Klorer, Erin Marsh, Sam Melden, Emily Remaklus Sarah Yale, Karen Zickes

Art/Production

Production Manager Imani Lateef (imani@adamsstreetpublishing.com) Atlanta in the fall Senior Designer Leah Foley (leah@adamsstreetpublishing.com) cookie baking and decorating (eating!)

Graphic Designer YOUR NAME HERE (YOU@adamsstreetpublishing.com) WE’RE HIRING Contributing Designer Anita Tipton christmas morning with my girls, no matter how old they are

Advertising

Sales Coordinator Jenny Leach (sales@adamsstreetpublishing.com) christmas eve with the whole family Sales support Catherine Bohr (classifieds@adamsstreetpublishing.com) whole family sings 12 days of christmas Sales Sharon Kornowa (sharoncitypaper@gmail.com) secret santa with friends Sam Rotroff (srotroff@adamsstreetpublishing.com) Golden Corral Buffet Bonnie Hunter (bhunter@adamsstreetpublishing.com) Christmas stockings Tony Washington (awashington@adamsstreetpublishing.com) having the whole family together Kathleen Dewar (kdewar@adamsstreetpublishing.com) seeing happy young faces open presents

Administration

Like Us on

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• December 2016 • www.toledoparent.com

Accounting Robin Armstrong (rarmstrong@toledoparent.com) donating to toys for tots Distribution Cassie Hadadd (cassie@adamsstreetpublishing.com) watching muppet christmas carol with my dad Tech Manager Saul Jacobs (saul@adamsstreetpublishing.com) santa

Advertising/General Info For advertising and general information, call 419/244-9859 or fax 419/244-9871. E-mail ads to adsin@adamsstreetpublishing.com.

Deadline for advertising copy 2 p.m. Friday before publication.

Toledo Area Parent subscriptions are available by mail for $30 per year at Adams Street Publishing, 1120 Adams St., Toledo, Ohio 43604. One copy free per person per week; extra copies $1 each. Persons taking copies for any reason other than personal use are subject to prosecution.

Letters to the editor must be limited to 300 words, are subject to editing, and should include the writer’s full name and phone number. Any letter submitted to the editor or publisher may be printed at the publisher’s discretion in issues subsequent to its receipt. Entire contents © 2016 by Adams Street Publishing Co. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form is prohibited without written permission of the publisher.

Also publishers of:

Audited by

onclova

nths, M

,18mo Katelyn

PHOT OGRA PHY

We love to see what the community is up to. Send us your funniest, favorite or themed pics of your littles just being themselves.

JEM

Send your favorite moments to production@adamsstreetpublishing.com Include name, age and hometown of each child in the pic.

lbridge

, 5, Wa

7, Layla Parker,

Caroline, 6months, Toledo

Zander, 2, Toledo

Riley, 13, Anthony, 12, Ronny,14, Zaine, 6, Reanna, 6, Abby, 10, Amelia, 12. Leader Farms, Sylvania,Ohio Korbin, 3, Whitehouse with Ember

www.toledoparent.com • December 2016 •

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Compiled by Randi Petrello and Kimberly Feldkamp

Seeing Stars

See the sky like you’ve never seen it before, thanks to a generous donation from the Toledo Astronomical Association. The Toledo Lucas County Public Library now has telescopes available. Four (three at the Main Library and one at the Point Place Branch) Orion StarBlast 4.5-inch telescopes can be checked out for a seven-day loan period. Telescopes must be checked out from and returned to the same branch.

Grocery Shopping Made Easy

Everyone’s busy this holiday season, but grocery shopping just got a bit easier for Kroger customers. Kroger’s ClickList - online grocery shopping with curbside pickup - is now available at more Toledo locations, including Orchard Center in Holland, West Sterns Road in Lambertville, Jackman Road and Holland-Sylvania Road in Toledo and the Tiffin Avenue store in Findlay. Kroger plans to debut the service at additional stores in Sylvania, Toledo and Oregon over the next few months. Right now you can try ClickList for free when you place your first three orders. After that, it’s $4.95 per order.

Afternoon at the Movies Take a break from the hustle and bustle of the season and spend the afternoon at the Ohio Theatre and Event Center for the Community Choice Family Film Festival. On Saturday, December 3 the theatre will show two movies where you can help pick what to watch! The shows are at 1pm and 5pm with performances in between.

Tickets are $10. Kids 12 and under are free. You can get tickets at the door or purchase in advance online at ohiotheatretoledo.org/ event/community-choice.

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• December 2016 • www.toledoparent.com

Junior High Billboard Art Contest Walker Funeral Homes is looking for junior high students to submit art for their 2017 “Help with Heroin” billboard campaign. Students in grades 6-8 from Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan can enter their anti-heroin art designs now through December 19th. Local community leaders will judge the contest and pick the winning design. All artwork must include the website www.helpwithheroin.com and the phone number 419-213-6582. Submissions should be sent to Heroin Design Contest, Walker Funeral Home, 5155 W. Sylvania Ave, Toledo, Ohio 43623. Those behind the contest say they hope students can understand the danger and destruction from heroin abuse.

f a m il y

Capture Iconic Moments with ICON

5

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Have you ever wanted to remain in the moment, while still capturing some awesome photos to augment the memory?

Well, Toledo entrepreneur Will Lucas has created a service that allows you to do just that. Icon is a photography on-demand service similar to Uber. Simply open your smartphone browser and type iconapp.co and a photographer will show up at your location in about 30 minutes. After your photoshoot, you will receive a link to your pictures.

Icon was developed for Lucas’ client who needed photos of himself taken at various times, not always pre-scheduled.

Icon is looking for photographers.

Apply as a hobbyist or a professional photographer by visiting iconapp.co.

Cake in a Cup Times Two

winner

Little Sprouts Academy

~Educational Childcare & Preschool~

Peace of Mind is just a Click Away Secure Live

s Webcam For your peace of mind, Little Sprouts offers secure webcam login for parents.

Checking in is only a click away.

To request a photographer or to apply visit iconapp.co from the browser of your smartphone or iPhone.

After almost 10 years in business, Cake in a Cup is expanding with a second location in the Cricket West Shopping Center. Lori Jacobs and Dana Iliev, co-owners of the inventive cupcake shop, are planning a grand opening for Valentine’s Day 2017. With the new location they hope to reach more cupcake lovers, by being closer to the center of the city. The Cricket West location will offer onsite kids’ baking and frosting classes, as well as wedding consultations. Lori, who loves working with kids, feels the younger generation could benefit from learning some basic cooking techniques, such as measuring and folding batter. In 2011, Cake in a Cup was the winner on an episode of the television series Cupcake Wars, “The Tim Burton Bake-Off.�

Our Programs

4014 Elmhurst Rd (419) 754-1057 littlesproutsacademy.com

s )NFANTS THROUGH 0RE + s .UTRITIOUS -EALS s %DUCATIONAL #URRICULUM FOR !LL !GES s 9OGA 3IGN ,ANGUAGE 3PANISH

/UTDOOR !CTIVITIES $RAMATIC 0RODUCTIONS

-INI -OTIONS $ANCE #LASS AND -ORE

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING FUN TO DO AFTER SCHOOL?

Cake in a Cup, 6801 W Central Ave, Toledo, 419-491-1104, cakeinacup.com

Bring on the Bumble

As you make your grocery list for holiday meals, make sure to include Bumble Olive Oil. The Company has opened a second store in Perrysburg where you’ll find more than 50 varieties of olive oil and balsamic vinegars “on tap�– which means you can try before you buy. Choose from a variety of single olive, fused or infused.

Bumble Olive Oil Company, 130 Louisiana Avenue, Perrysburg, (419) 509-7402, bumbleoliveoil.com.

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Grab a Brush and Get Creative

A new DIY studio has opened in Sylvania, making it easy to create that perfect one-ofa-kind gift. Board and Brush Creative Studio offers wood sign workshops to help you turn raw materials into a work of art. All projects are a flat fee and include everything you need to complete the piece. In addition to workshops, Board and Brush offers private parties, corporate events and fundraisers.

Board and Brush Creative Studio, 6725 W Central Ave, Ste N, Toledo, 419-245-8516.

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www.toledoparent.com • December 2016 •

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The Misunderstood Child Sensory Processing 101

By Sarah Lyons

A typical morning in my home begins with the words, “My clothes hurt me.” or “They are too loose.” or “I need new clothes.” As a result, I began the search for the “right” clothes for my 4-year-old daughter. After many tears and lots of tight hugs, she begins her day in the same dress that she has worn for many, often consecutive, days. The process of getting dressed, seemingly simple for most, is the biggest challenge my child faces every day.

This situation, one example of the daily struggles of a child with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), is a symptom of the disorder which leaves children “feeling cranky because their clothes are itchy…[or] because they feel they have to move all the time, which makes it hard to sit and listen to a story when they need to touch everything they see or they need to jump, run or push, so they are often in trouble with adults,” explains Gail Masse, occupational therapist (OTR/L) for Sylvania Schools.

“Some children with SPD feel like their bodies are not able to do the things that other kids their age are able to do, so they appear clumsy or uncoordinated.”

Defining SPD The term sensory processing refers to the way the nervous system receives messages from the senses and turns them into appropriate motor and behavioral responses. “SPD is an impaired sensory system, which results in a variety of difficulties for the child,” Masse clarifies. “Some studies show that as many as 1 out of 20 children suffer from SPD, and there is ongoing research to identify genetic, environmental, [and] birth risk factors that may contribute to SPD.” Eric Swindel, preschool intervention specialist with Sylvania Schools, adds that SPD “can impact a child’s performance in the areas of emotional stability, academic performance, and peer [interaction]. When a child does not feel sensory input is regulated, it is difficult for [him/her] to complete any task.”

Eric Swindel, preschool intervention specialist, with his wife Andrea and their children, Elise and Elijah.

The diagnosis SPD can be difficult to diagnose because it affects each person differently. Masse explains that children with SPD may fall into one category or a combination: hypersensitive: if they over-respond to sensation to a greater degree than their peers; *hyposensitive, if they under- respond to sensation;

Hyposensitive SPD: • Has a constant need to touch people or textures

sensory craving: if they crave sensation to a greater degree.

“Another pattern is...sensory-based motor disorder, which describes children who have significant difficulty with postural control and/or motor planning,” she adds.

• Seems to be a “thrill seeker”

Hypersensitive SPD: • Is distracted by typical noises (flushing toilets, clanking silverware) • Fears unexpected touch • Avoids swings and playground equipment • Has poor balance

• Has a high tolerance to pain •Doesn’t understand own strength (may accidentally harm children or pets when playing) • Is fidgety and unable to sit still, enjoys movement-based play (spinning, jumping, swinging etc.)

Thrive and survive SPD does create challenges for families, but there is treatment available for kids who struggle with it. “Specific sensory strategies for over responsive, under responsive and/or sensory craving patterns are implemented in the school environment. Strengthening and movement activities are recommended for sensory-based motor disorders,” Masse says. “With treatment and maturation, SPD can improve; however, left undiagnosed and untreated, older children and adults can also suffer from the effects of SPD.”

Gail Masse, OTR/L, occupational therapist for Sylvania Schools.

An occupational therapist tries to educate parents about SPD, providing families with tools to help the child progress at home. With occupational therapy, kids with SPD can find techniques that help them balance sensory input. Activities may include swinging, wearing a weighted vest, pushing or pulling heavy objects across the room, or jumping on a trampoline.

Many of these activities are fun for the child and can be integrated into playtime at home.

Patience, persistence, and love are needed to parent children with SPD, but feeling accepted and supported, they can work through their struggles, and thrive in school and at home.

Comics4Comprehension The Autism Model School has received a $54,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Education’s Straight A Fund to create a series of comic strips to supplement the school’s evidence-based reading curriculum. Students with autism often struggle more than their developing peers of the same age to understand what they read. The Comics4Comprehension project will reinforce learning by giving students a visual scene to bring to life the words on the page. The Autism Model School is a public community school for individuals with autism ages 5 to 22.

To learn more visit autismmodelschool.com or call 419-897-4400.

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• December 2016 • www.toledoparent.com

THE LINES TWEEN advice for parents with children 10-16

healthy kids

Inspiring Others in the Great Outdoors

Close for Comfort Benefits of Babywearing

By Bridget Adams

First-ever Girl Scout Trail comes to Holland

By Heidi Borst

Every parent would love to make life with young children a little easier. “Babywearing” is a new term for carrying your infant or toddler with the help of some cloth or a carrier. Though it may seem trendy, the tradition spans centuries and has been a part of cultures on nearly every continent. Babies have always loved to be held and carried along with their caretaker. Easily carrying your baby while having your hands free, makes for a happy baby, as well as a happy parent who can get things done.

Bunch of benefits

Benefits of babywearing include better bonding and attachment, less crying, and enhanced mental and physical development. In a study in the journal Pediatrics, researchers found worn babies cried and fussed 43 percent less than babies who were not worn, with 51 percent less crying in the evening hours. Many pediatricians count time that you wear your baby as “tummy time,” so you can replace the oft-tearful infant while mom exercises with some snuggling as you walk through the Toledo Museum of Art or the grocery store. Babywearing’s close contact can also boost parents’ confidence and can help lessen the effects of postpartum depression.

Ellie Leonard receives a proclamation from Toledo Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson for her work on the trail.

The first nationally recognized Girl Scout hiking trail opened recently in our neck of the woods! The mile-long Juliette Gordon Low trail, planned by Girl Scout Ambassador Ellie Leonard to commemorate the founder of the Girl Scouts, was celebrated October 29 with a ribboncutting ceremony and inaugural walk at West Winds Metropark in Holland.

Leonard, an 18-year-old freshman at the University of New Hampshire, has been a member of the Toledo Girl Scouts since she was 5 years old. She built the trail for her gold award project, the highest achievement in Girl Scouting. Moved by a strong passion for hiking and camping, Leonard wanted to make certain other Girl Scouts were inspired to be actively involved in the outdoors. “I also want to make sure they know that if they are willing to try, they can create positive change in the world,” Leonard shared.

Help from friends and family brings a dream to life

Leonard credits her family and Toledo’s Girl Scout Troop 10407 as an incredible help in both physically clearing out the trail and being a support system throughout the whole process. “My Girl Scout council …helped me connect with different people to bring everything together. The Metroparks staff helped guide me in learning about the process

of clearing and creating a trail; they were more than happy to help me put the trail in, and were an immense help along the way. Preparing the area for the trail began with clearing the woods. We pulled an obscene amount of garbage out, something I was lucky enough to have volunteers help with. The trail was then cut by the park,” Leonard said.

Recognizing a young leader and positive role model Toledo Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson presented Ellie Leonard with a Proclamation recognizing the outstanding achievement and its effect on the well-being and growth of the Toledo community.

“I am honored to be here today. This is exciting because of the leadership displayed by a young person,” said Mayor Hicks-Hudson. “This young woman decided to connect with the historical origin of the Girl Scouts. Ellie is a wonderful example of leadership among young people in our community. I like to say young people are not our future, they are our present.”

Leonard urged, “For young leaders or those who would like to make a difference…it is definitely possible. If they think they have an idea they should pursue it. There is a lot of hard work involved in bringing ideas to life, but all of the hard work is worth it.” Kudos, Ellie!

Babywearing is especially beneficial for newborns, some special needs children, travel, and siblings who are close in age, allowing you to put one into a car seat while wearing the other, or nursing one while following the other at the playground. It’s also easier than rolling a stroller to a Mud Hens game or on a camping trip.

Something for everyone

Toledo Area Babywearers (TABW) is a You’re invited! group of parents that holds meetings twice a Toledo Area Babywearers Group month to learn about different carrier options meets at 10am every second and how to safely wear children from newSaturday of the month and at 5pm born to preschool age. There are countless every fourth Monday at the University options to wear babies on your front, back, Church on Hill Avenue. or hip, and carriers for every budget. You can spend $30 at Target for an Infantino mei tai, Intro to Babywearing Classes, taught based on a traditional Chinese design, $100

by Kelsey Stone, meet at 6:30pm for a soft-structured buckle carrier like an Acevery second Thursday at the Babies tion Baby Carrier, which is made in Detroit, “R” Us in Holland. Call the store at or thousands of dollars for a highly sought419-382-9990 to register. after, handwoven wrap. Stretchy wraps such as the Moby Wrap are very popular for newborns, but aren’t as comfortable for carrying older babies and toddlers. TABW has a learning library so parents can try 15 different carriers and see what works best for them, and a Facebook group Toledobabywearers for added information and assistance.

Kelsey Stone, a leader of TABW, explained why she enjoys wearing her two children, Katie, 5, and Joey, 2. “I love the bonding between mother and child. I also love being somewhat hands-free. It also allows me to remain close to both my children, especially while on my own, such as at the zoo, or the Metroparks’ walking trails. It also helped with my postpartum depression, and made breastfeeding on the go much more feasible.”

“I have gotten a variety of comments, ranging from ‘Isn’t he too big for that?’ to ‘That is really neat,’ as well as people who were flabbergasted that I was able to get Joey up securely with one long piece of woven fabric. Moms ask about my carrier, and I always love to spread the knowledge.”

Don’t forget dad

Babywearing isn’t just for moms, either. With the wide range of carriers available, there are plenty of options for dads, too. Babywearing is a great way for dad to bond with baby, whether while out and about or helping to calm a colicky infant in the evening. When it comes to babywearing, the closeness provides comfort.

www.toledoparent.com • December 2016 •

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HOLIDAY Hullabaloo

By Emily Remaklus

The Thanksgiving Day leftovers are finally finished and it’s time to decorate the tree, buy presents, and send holiday cards. This time of the year can be busy, but don’t let that block you from enjoying the season.

Toledo has all you need to get in the holiday spirit!

December 1-January 1 North Pole Express

Fri-Sat 5-9pm, Sun 5-8pm Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation 12505 County Road 99 Findlay 419-423-2995, nworrp.org Take this opportunity to live out the classic story of The Polar Express as you board Findlay’s own North Pole Express. Enjoy a ride through the beautiful wintry Ohio scenery, and remember to stop by the gift shop!

December 2

Trans-Siberian Orchestra

3:30pm and 8pm Huntington Center 500 Jefferson Avenue, Toledo 1-800-745-3000, huntingtoncentertoledo.com No music says ‘it’s the holiday season’ like the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Early in “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve” tour, the Orchestra features two Toledo concerts here.

Tickets $33.50-$74.50.

December 2-4

A Christmas Carol

The Valentine Theatre, 410 Adams St., Toledo 419-242-3490, valentinetheatre.com Don’t be a Scrooge! The Toledo Rep presents its annual performance of A Christmas Carol. A 30-year old tradition in Toledo, this show is sure to remind everyone of the true meaning of Christmas. $27/adults, $22/seniors, $17/children 13 and under.

December 2-3

Heralding the Holidays

Friday 5-9pm and Saturday 10am-4pm Toledo Botanical Garden 5403 Elmer Dr., Toledo 419-536-5566, toledogarden.org Get some holiday shopping done while visiting the Botanical Gardens. Arts and crafters have many handmade gifts available for purchase.

December 3

Toledo Symphony Orchestra: Christmas at the Peristyle

3pm • Toledo Museum of Art Peristyle 2445 Monroe St., Toledo 419-255-8000, toledosymphony.com Come see the Toledo Symphony as it celebrates Christmas with a concert featuring all your favorite Christmas tunes. Join in for a Toledo Opera Chorus-lead sing-along, and be sure to keep a lookout for a visit from Santa.

December 3

Grinch Grow Your Heart

2-4pm • Levis Commons Books-A-Million 2105 Levis Commons Blvd., Perrysburg 419-873-0727, shopleviscommons.com Help the Grinch grow his heart three sizes! Join Books-A-Million for storytime and holiday activities.

December 2-4

December 3

Friday 5-10pm; Saturday 11am-4pm; Sunday 1-8pm Downtown Sylvania 419-882-2135, redbirdarts.org/ miracle-on-main-street Sylvania is packed full of holiday fun during Miracle on Main. This weekend-long celebration includes Sylvania’s First Friday Art Walk, live music, family crafts, Christmas movies, a silent auction fundraiser, a 5k run/walk, the Festival of Lights Parade, and a tree lighting with, special guest, Santa!

4pm • Bowling Green State University Donnell Theatre-Wolfe Center for the Arts 419-372-2531, bgsu.edu/musical-arts Enjoy a variety of ensembles as they bring in the holidays with some classic tunes. In collaboration with BGSU’s annual Arts-X, this concert features BGSU’s student artists. After the concert explore the art buildings on campus to watch films, music, dance, theatre, and visual arts created by the students.

Miracle on Main

10

CMA Holiday Concert

December 3, 9, 10

Holiday Lantern Tour

4-8:30pm Sauder Village, 22611 St. Rte 2, Archbold 1-800-590-9755, saudervillage.org Learn a little history during your holidays with a trolley ride through Sauder Village. The trolley will make stops to allow visitors to prepare a holiday meal, make holiday crafts, sing carols, and frost cookies.

Preregistration and prepayment is required. Non-members: $13/ adult, $7/children 3-16. Members: $11/adult, $6/children 3-16.

• December 2016 • www.toledoparent.com

December 3 - December 11 Holidays in the Manor House

10am • Wildwood Preserve 5100 W. Central Ave., Toledo 419-407-9700, metroparkstoledo.com For over 40 years, the Manor House has been magically transformed into a winter wonderland (with the help of some hard-working volunteers). Stop by Wildwood to tour the home, make s’mores, and enjoy carriage rides.

ONE NIGHT IN

BETHLEHEM

December 1-December 31

Lights Before Christmas

Sunday–Thursday 3-8pm, Friday and Saturday 3-9pm Toledo Zoo 2 Hippo Way, Toledo 419-385-4040, toledozoo.org Lights Before Christmas is one of Toledo’s most well-known holiday happenings. With 70 miles of lights, visitors are bathed in the splendor of the season.

Grab a cocoa and bundle up, this sight you won’t want to miss! Tickets are $17Adult, and $14-Children and Seniors.

“It’s not just a play, it’s an experience!

And our gift to the community.�

2108 COLLINGWOOD BLVD. • TOLEDO, OH 43620 • 419.243.3275 • WWW.COLLINGWOODPC.NET

So good...SANTA WOULD BE JEALOUS

Toledo Symphony Orchestra: Handel’s Messiah

December 8

UT Jazz Holiday Concert

7pm • The University of Toledo’s University Hall 2801 W. Bancroft St., Toledo 419-530-2452 , utoledo.edu/comm-arts/music Jazz up your holidays with a musically fun time at The University of Toledo. This is an event the whole family will enjoy. Be sure to keep your eye out for some special guest performers!

1-6pm Collingwood Presbyterian Church

Interactive Actives r Live Animals r Nativity Scene Tours of Our Historic Church r Musical Performances r and More!

December 4

4pm • Rosary Cathedral, 2535 Collingwood Blvd, Toledo 419-255-8000, toledosymphony.com Enjoy the beauty of the Rosary Cathedral while listening to TSO’s stunning performance of Handel’s Messiah.

Sunday, December 11th from

December 9 - December 24 Children’s Wonderland

11am-8pm • Tam-O-Shanter 7060 Sylvania Ave., Sylvania 419-885-1167, sylvaniatamoshanter.com This Toledo classic event has been around for more than 50 years. A truly beautiful look at the wonders of Christmas, this family event features train rides, treats, interactive kid zones, and pictures with Santa!

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December 10

Holiday Celebration

4:30pm • West Toledo Branch Library– Auditorium, 1320 Sylvania Ave., Toledo 419-259-5290, toledolibrary.org Spend an afternoon at the library listening to holiday stories, making crafts, and visiting with Santa!

Then stop by the park across the street for the tree-lighting ceremony.

December 11

Fort Meigs Holiday Open House

1-4pm • Fort Meigs 29100 West River Rd., Perrysburg fortmeigs.org Celebrate the holidays with Fort Meigs as they provide demonstrations and answer questions about the War of 1812, all while you enjoy holiday music and refreshments.

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www.toledoparent.com • December 2016 •

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December 16-18

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Ten Mile Creek Theatre Sylvania Northview Performing Arts Center 5403 Silica Dr., Sylvania 419-262-1753, tenmilecreektheatre.com Join Ten Mile Creek Theatre Company as it begins a new tradition of presenting A Charlie Brown Christmas live onstage.

The well-known holiday story takes its turn in the spotlight.

December 11

Hanukkah Palooza

11:30am • The Temple 6453 Sylvania Ave., Sylvania RSVP at Hallie@JewishToledo.org or 419-724-0362 A groovy Hanukkah happening with a far out hippie theme! Get excited for Hanukkah while enjoying music, food, and fun! Entirely free, but please bring adult socks or toiletries as a donation for the St. Paul’s Community Center.

December 11

One Night in Bethlehem

1-6 pm - Collingwood Presbyterian Church 2108 Collingwood Blvd, Toledo 419-243-3275 - collingwoodpc.net Take a step back in time to experience the sights, sounds, tastes and aromas of ancient life as you walk through Bethlehem. Enjoy musical performances, live animals, a nativity scene, tours of the historic church and more -- all for free!

December 17

Santa’s Last Stop

11am-2pm • Nature’s Corner 6036 Angola Rd., Holland, OH. 419-866-0420, mynaturescorner.com It’s getting close to Christmas, so come out to Nature’s Corner to visit Santa, Mrs. Claus, and the reindeer before they head back to the North Pole to get ready for Christmas Eve. While enjoying hot chocolate and cookies, visit the Gift & Garden Shops for some unique holiday gifts.

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• December 2016 • www.toledoparent.com

December 17-18

The Nutcracker

December Snapshot Giveaway

Saturday 2&7pm, Sunday 2pm Stranahan Theater, 4645 Heatherdowns Blvd., Toledo 419-381-8851, stranahantheater.org The longest-running annual Nutcracker performance in the United States, this Toledo tradition is sure to stun audiences. Keeping with tradition, the character Mother Ginger will be played by a local celebrity at each performance! Tickets range from $27.50-$57.50.

The hustle and bustle of the holiday season is here and we want to help cross names off your gift list! This December Toledo Area Parent is giving away these five gifts to five lucky readers. Send a favorite holiday photo to production@adamsstreetpublishing.com. Be sure to include the names, ages and location of those in the photograph for your chance to win! Send your favorite snapshots/photos to production@ adamsstreetpublishing.com by December 31 for a chance to win these great prizes! Be sure to include your child’s name, age and city.

December 18

Run Santa Run 5K

Buddy Balls

9:00am-11:00am • The Town Center at Levis Commons, 4190 Levis Commons Blvd., Perrysburg 440-413-0907, runsanta5k.com/toledo The perfect event for runners to get in the holiday spirit. Join hundreds of festively dressed runners and walkers as they tackle this 5K course. The race will be timed and awards will be given to those who place in their age category.

Have fun socializing after the event while enjoying hot chocolate and cookies. For more information, mccloskey@ secondsoleohio.com

December 19

Holiday Magic Show

6:30-7:30 • Waterville Branch Library 800 Michigan Ave., Waterville 419-878-3055, toledolibrary.org Feel the magic of the season with a Toledo Public Library-sponsored magic show! Fun for the whole family and free! Just be sure to register for your seat starting December 5.

This incredibly cute two-in-one is a must have toy for boys and girls of any age.

Made by Creative Toy Company, Buddy Balls came from a 6-year-old’s idea to have his favorite stuffed animal turn into another cherished toy, a ball! These cozy characters easily unzip and tuck in, to become your favorite beach ball, football, soccer ball and basketball.

Baby’s Building Blocks

Building blocks are a classic, essential toy for kids. Haba’s Baby’s First Classic building include 12 cubes in six colors that are perfect for infants to hold as they learn to stack and play. These bright blocks will provide hours of educational play for your little one.

Hot Wheels Play Tape

If your son or daughter loves cars or trucks, they will love this new Hot Wheels Play Tape. Perfect for any surface, this tape is easy to tear (no scissors required), easy to remove and leaves no residue so they can create roads and racetracks anywhere.

Because it’s easy to take with you, it’s perfect for playtime during holiday travel– and a perfect stocking stuffer!

December 26-31 Sleigh Rides

1-4pm • Rutherford B Hayes Presidential Center 1 Spiegel Grove, Fremont 419-332-2081, rbhayes.org Ride like President Rutherford Hayes – horsedrawn sleigh style! South Creek Clydesdales will pull sleigh rides around the President’s 25-acre Fremont estate. Cost is only $3 per person and rides are on a first-come, first-served basis.

December 31

Noon Year’s Eve

11am-1pm • Toledo Zoo 2 Hippo Way, Toledo 419-385-4040, toledozoo.org Midnight is awfully late. Why not celebrate a little early at the Toledo Zoo’s Noon Year’s Eve? Cheer in the New Year by watching the ball rise at noon and having an apple juice toast. Ice carving, crafts, and an ice slide will also be available for a fun family outing.

Yoobi Craft Chest Perfect for curing winter boredom, the Yoobi Craft Chest is full of supplies for your youngsters to get creative! From pipe cleaners and googlyeyes to feathers and foam, everything you need for a variety of projects is tucked neatly in this chest. Yoobi products are gifts that keep giving for every item purchased, Yoobi donates an item to a classroom in need in the U.S.

Wine Glass Writers

so this one isn’t for the kids, but moms and dads deserve a treat this season, too! With Cork Pops’ Wine Glass Writer Pens, you and your guests can easily keep track of your wine glasses during those holiday parties. Wine Glass Writers in silver and gold make it easy to get creative with personalizing gifts.

HOW TO ENTER: To enter, send a snapshot of the kiddos to toledoparenteditor@adamsstreetpublishing.com, then visit toledoareaparent.com and click to enter our giveaway, through December 31!

www.toledoparent.com • December 2016 •

13

3 Simple Ways to Countdown to 4 Christmas

Blow holiday bubbles outside by adding red food coloring to one jar of bubbles and green food coloring to another. For a crafty twist, blow the bubbles onto sheets of white paper and watch a Christmas color-burst emerge.

Play holiday decoration bingo by driving around

your community checking out yard displays while searching for Christmas items like snowflakes, inflatable Santas, and Rudolph.

5

Get in the spirit of the season

by Lisa A. Beach

As the holiday season approaches, a whirlwind of activity ensues that leaves families almost breathless by the end of December. Instead of rushing through the month, be intentional about when you say “yes”. Rather than over-committing to too many activities that take you away from your home, focus instead on infusing the holiday spirit with family.

But how? Create an advent calendar, with 25 days of simple, meaningful holiday activities that focus on giving, family, friendship, and fun. Starting on December 1st, focus on one intentional, memory-making activity each day.

1

Do a “ding-dong-ditch” by secretly placing a poinsettia plant on a neighbor’s porch, ringing the doorbell and running away without getting caught.

6

Make holiday S’mores by adding crushed candy canes to a

classic S’more recipe for a festive spin on a classic summertime treat.

7 8 9 10

Allow your kids to decorate their bedroom doors for Christmas with garland, ornaments, ribbons, etc.

Invite Grandma to a craft or baking day at

Play the Giving Game. Brainstorm ways you can give to others without buying something (i.e., give a smile, a hug, a helping hand, etc.). Post the list on the fridge as a reminder. Each night, ask kids to share how they gave to others that day. Track everyone’s daily “gifts,” and at the end of the week, whomever gave the most gets to choose a holiday flick to watch on family movie night.

2

Adopt an international Christmas tradition.

The Swedes celebrate St. Lucia Day on December 13, which focuses on St. Lucy being the light during the long, dark Scandinavian winters. Light up your own holidays by eating breakfast together by candlelight. Or adopt the French tradition of making buche de Noel, a traditional cake resembling a Yule log with bark-colored frosting and a buttercream filling.

Decorate it with “snow” by sprinkling confectioner’s sugar on top.

FIND EVEN MORE IDEAS ONLINE @ TOLEDOPARENT.COM 14

your house to ensure your holiday fun extends to other family member.

Designate a “chores for charity” week.

If you normally pay your kids for chores, ask them to donate their weekly earnings (which you’ll match) to a charity of their choice. If you don’t pay for chores, create a menu of special paid jobs to choose from (i.e., raking leaves, washing windows, etc.). Pool everyone’s wages and let the kids drop the family donation into a Salvation Army kettle.

• December 2016 • www.toledoparent.com

Play Christmas tourist in a

neighboring town. Pop in a local gift shop to check out holiday treasures. Walk along storefronts and look at window displays.

Grab a sweet treat at a neighborhood bakery.

www.toledoparent.com • December 2016 •

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• December 2016 • www.toledoparent.com

MY FAMILY My Way

Missing Dad At The Holidays Sharing more smiles and fewer tears

By Karen L. Zickes

Remembering Dad

The kids and I have things we do to remember their dad on special occasions.

We light a candle to remind us that he is with us on special days. We’ve made ornaments in his memory and have gone out to eat at his favorite restaurant on his birthday. On Father’s Day we’ve continued with our picnics and a hike in the park like we used to do. What we’ve learned however, is sometimes it’s not just the big things that throw you for a loop. Traditions you thought weren’t a big deal turn out to mean much more than you ever realized.

Traditions: old and new

My husband and I tag-teamed making English Toffee each December ever since the kids were toddlers. Because it was time consuming and best done without distraction, it became a late night tradition we did together after the kids went down for bed. We’d turn on the music, maybe pour a glass of holiday cheer, talk about the upcoming holidays, and just enjoy having a project we were doing together, every single year.

After he passed, I was paralyzed by the mere thought of making the toffee without him. It seemed like such a silly thing to derail me, but it did. It’s usually the little things that make the big difference in life. I realized this was one of them.

Last Christmas I enlisted a new helper: my daughter. She was excited to step into Dad’s place and be a part of this tradition. We laughed and shared memories and finally, more smiles and fewer tears. It just took a little time.

New Year’s Eve, however, was a tradition that we have decided to alter permanently. Every single year we spent the evening together grazing on a plethora of holiday goodies and playing games for hours. We’d conclude by ringing in the New Year together. Not one of us voted to keep that tradition. Truly, that one was just going to be too hard without Dad here with us.

We’ve since started a new New Year’s tradition of celebrating away from home in the company of many close friends for an evening filled with lots of love and laughter.

We’ve learned that most things do get better as time goes by. To continue moving forward, we must be willing to alter some traditions, forego others completely and remain open to making new traditions. If you follow your heart and do what is best for your family, you will eventually find more smiles and fewer tears with each passing holiday.

Karen Zickes, the mother of three amazingly brave children, is a freelance writer who resides in Holland, OH.

Karen Zickes and her three children share more smiles and fewer tears each holiday as they create new traditions.

After my husband Jim lost his courageous battle to cancer three years ago, I have been asked many times how our three children, now ages 10, 14, and 17, and I have handled the holidays. Quite simply, the same way we’ve tackled every other aspect of our journey: by doing what is best for our family and doing so with every family member’s input.

Though Father’s Day is one that gets harder for me every year, other holidays have become more joyful. It’s not that we think of Jim any less, but rather we have more smiles and fewer tears as we recall precious memories. Admittedly, as I reflect upon those early holidays, I am grateful to have moved beyond those intense, raw emotions that come flooding in and stay too long. There will always be moments of tears. Always. However, making adjustments has balanced our grief with our joy.

Resources to assist those grieving the loss of a loved one

Special presentation: Facing the holidays after the loss of a loved one 2-4 pm, Sunday, Dec. 4, at Hospice of Northwest Ohio, Toledo Center, 800 South Detroit Ave. hospicenwo.org RSVP 419-6614001 Free and open to anyone and all ages Help for grieving children: childrengrieve.org Local help for grieving children: goodgriefnwo.org 419-360-4939 Families grieving loss of a child: compassionatefriends.org

www.toledoparent.com • December 2016 •

17

It Takes a

Virtual Village

Finding support in today’s online world

By Heidi Borst

Mothers’ Center of Greater Toledo

Members of the local nonprofit organization include moms of newborns, toddlers, and school-aged children. The Mothers’ Center (motherscenter.net) is a place where moms can seek education, create friendships, share experiences, and receive positive reinforcement about their roles as women and parents. Members volunteer in the community, hold Moms’ Night Out events (think yoga, sushi, or game night), host Co-Ed Nights with spouses to attend local sporting events (Go Walleyes!), and of course, organize playdates for kids (i.e. Toddler Time at Sky Zone).

At some point, you’ve probably uttered the phrase “It takes a village!” when welcoming help while raising your children. In today’s world, though, the “village” extends beyond immediate family and friends to include a “virtual” community, thanks to social media. Parents easily access groups online; we’re all just a click or comment away from connecting with others 24/7.

In Toledo, so many resources – both on and off-line – are available to children and parents. Having lived on both coasts, I feel fortunate to have landed here six years ago; it is a wonderful place to raise children. When I first arrived, I had a small social network. Then I had a child and all that changed. Friendships were easily formed and my group slowly expanded into a great network of support – an immense advantage, as my closest relative is an eight-hour drive away. While playdates are great, I always feel especially recharged after a girls’ night or morning latte date with my mom-friends. Even a quick one-onone walk and talk session to air our worries and frustrations makes a world of difference. If you’re a local mom looking for support, to connect, or just to expand your “village,” read on.

“We meet once a week…to offer ways for moms to find mothers in the same situations,” said Mackenzie Lonsway, member and the head of public relations for Mothers’ Center. There’s also a monthly evening meeting for working moms.

“The group is extremely open to different ways of thinking, so it’s nice to be able to go and get advice on something while having other mothers’ support,. without judgment. The meetings really help connect members and help start off those important and lasting friendships. When one of us is struggling with sleep deprivation, sickness, or even the joys and stresses of a new baby, our members come together to help make meals and offer any aid we can give them.”

Rochelle Roth, also a member of Mothers’ Center, felt immediately welcomed by the group, and was impressed by the sense of genuine acceptance and support she felt, one that went above and beyond. “When my father-in-law passed away a couple months ago, the group offered to set up a meal train for my family,” Roth said. “One of the ladies I got to know through Mothers’ Center came to my house at 11pm to stay with my girls (Jael, 4, and Rossalyn, 18 months) the night he was rushed to the hospital. I felt so blessed to have met these ladies and have them offer help when my family really needed it.”

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: The virtues of the Mothers’ Center ring true for this mom of now twentysomethings. I met my Toledo Parent News founding partner, Becky Harris, at the Center in 1991 when we both had toddlers. Based on our friendship, established through the Center, we explored different ideas for starting a business and we published our first issue of Toledo Parent in September, 1992. Toledo Parent celebrates 25 years of supplying a forum for information for families in 2017. We are planning to tell the entire story, including our beginnings at the Mothers’ Center, in an anniversary issue next fall.

Collette Jacobs, Publisher

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• December 2016 • www.toledoparent.com

One of the perks of belonging to such a group is being free to air your grievances among people who don’t personally know you (or your family members), but who understand what you’re going through. There really are some great moms out there. And, for the most part, everyone is encouraging and supportive. Sometimes just knowing you aren’t alone is all you need to get through tantrum #42,795.

If you’re looking for events or ways to connect with local moms, Playgroups & Moms Groups in Toledo Hub on Facebook is a huge message board of events going on in Toledo and surrounding areas. It’s a great destination for moms looking to connect with other local moms and moms’ groups, and posts include events going on in the area. The group’s mantra? “Moms NEED other moms!

We need to get out of the house with our kiddos, have adult conversations, meet up with like-minded mommas, and most importantly have some fun!” I like the sound of that!

A “virtual” village: there’s a group for that Some days, I’m sure all of us moms feel like nothing is easy when it comes to raising a child. I stumbled my way through many issues, both common (ear infections) and uncommon (hip dysplasia) on my journey through motherhood thus far. I’m grateful to have had access to other moms’ advice and support from various online groups. The best thing about virtual villages? You can belong to more than one!

Want to expand your virtual bubble? If you’re a newbie, Babycenter.com, perhaps one of the most popular websites, has a community page with pretty much any topic you can think of. It’s a great resource for any and all questions related to baby. Topics are grouped by name and ranked by popularity, making them easily searchable and accessible.

A personal favorite with over 50k members, First Time Mommy Group on Facebook is an open forum for discussions between moms on topics ranging from how long to do tummy time, how to deal with postpartum depression, tips on making it through baby’s first long flight or road trip, to rants about meddlesome mother-in-laws or those times when your husband just.doesn’t. get.it.

www.toledoparent.com • December 2016 •

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Ulch’s first and perhaps most popular book is geared toward children in foster care.

Making a Difference

Virginia Ulch finds fulfillment helping kids

By Emily Remaklus

One source of great satisfaction is knowing that you have made a difference in the life of another. For Virginia Ulch, this fulfillment has come in a variety of ways.

Providing a guiding light “I tend to lean towards being a helper, and I love kids,” explained Ulch, describing her enjoyment for the field of education. After working as a special education teacher in an elementary school, she realized that she was spending a lot of time in the classroom working with students on emotional issues. Following a suggestion from the principal, Ulch took an internship and then pursued her master’s degree in school counseling, which led to her work with the Toledo Public Elementary Schools.

“I do miss teaching, especially that light bulb moment of ‘Aha!’” she said.

“But as a school counselor we do a lot of classroom guidance, so I still get to go into the classroom and work with kids.”

Her love for helping children is not just her daytime job, but also her life. One of her first jobs was in a group home at St. Anthony Villa, a residential center for teens with behavioral issues that was in operation from 1855 to 2001. While at St. Anthony Villa she noticed that many kids needed guidance and friendship, which ultimately lead to her decision to become a foster mother.

For all of her adult life, she has been caring for children in the foster system.

“My last kid is grown and out of the house as of last year and I’m going through the empty nest syndrome, but now I get the joy of being a grandparent,” she said.

Keeping busy with writing And although she may have an empty nest, she is keeping busy with her book series that focuses on difficulties children may face in their lives. Her series includes Love You, Teddy: A “Tail” of Loss and Hope and I Love You Anyway: A “Tail” of

Each year, Friends for Foster Care provides more than 400 children in foster care in Lucas County with a stuffed raccoon like this one.

Understanding ADHD. As of September, she has added two more books, Bullyfish and Happy to “Bee” Me. Along with the story, the books all provide advice and classroom activities for teachers and parents.

Her first book and perhaps most popular, Love, Bandit: A “Tail” of Foster Care, is geared towards children in the foster care system who may be struggling with their emotions. After a baby raccoon unexpectedly came into her life, she found the perfect narrator for the story, and includes real photographs of Bandit the baby raccoon as her illustrations.

Foster care can be a scary experience, so Ulch has recently partnered with Adopt America Network to create Friends for Foster Care, providing more than 400 children in Lucas County each year with a copy of Love, Bandit and a plush raccoon stuffed animal. It is the hope of Ulch that Friends for Foster Care will help provide a little comfort for the children during the difficult transition.

To order a book from the series and the accompanying plush stuffed animal, please visit heart2heartresources.weebly.com. And to donate to the Friends for Foster Care please visit gofundme.com/fostercarefriends.

Q & A with Virginia Ulch What’s your favorite activity to do with your family/kids?

“We always took road trips. We’d go to Florida or Virginia. That’s the luxury of being in a school district; you get to do a lot of traveling over the summers.”

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Best Christmas memory you have from when you were a kid? “My grandparents. I always loved Christmas at their house. They had a silver tree with a color wheel and it was always so magical watching the tree go from blue to red to green.”

What’s your go-to activity when you finally have a few minutes to yourself? “Reading. Getting lost in a book.”

Name one thing you swore you’d never do as a mom, but totally do.

“Ground my kids. I used to tell my mom I would never ground my kids, but as a mom I had to ground them.”

Describe your life in three words.

“Exciting, unpredictable, peaceful.”

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• December 2016 • www.toledoparent.com

Kids in Action Sleep Your Way to Good Health Establish healthy habits

By Meliss Klorer

s 3MALL CLASS SIZES s 4ECHNOLOGY RICH s 3MART"OARDS IN EVERY CLASSROOM s 0OSITIVE AND SAFE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT SUPPORTED

BY A UNIQUE SOCIAL SKILLS PROGRAM s 3ENSORY )NTEGRATION FOR MORE FOCUSED LEARNING s %NERGETIC CURRICULUM INFUSED WITH ART AND TECHNOLOGY

Sleep is vital for children’s overall health and development. That’s why it’s important that children develop good sleep habits, right from the start. Between schoolwork, sports and other activities, many children don’t get enough sleep. Sleep is just as important to your children’s development and well-being as nutrition and physical activity. The amount and quality of sleep can affect safety, how alert we are, as well as our memories, moods, behavior, and learning abilities.

Children should be getting between nine and 12 hours of sleep a night. If children don’t get enough sleep, they’re more likely to be overweight, do poorly in school, and have behavior problems.

Routine Helps

Children thrive on routine, develop a night time routine. Turn off the TV, computer, and cellphone an hour before bedtime, read a book, have a small snack and go to bed at the same time every night including weekends. Help your children sleep better and reduce their risk of childhood obesity! For more information on sleep, visit the Kohl’s Kids in Action website: www.kohlskidsinaction.org.

Kohl’s commitment to Mercy Health Children’s Hospital is made possible through the Kohl’s Cares cause merchandise program. Through this initiative, Kohl’s sells $5 books and plush

toys, where 100% of the net profit benefits children’s health and education programs nationwide, including hospital partnerships like this one. Kohl’s has raised nearly $300 million through this merchandise program. For more information, visit Kohls.com/Cares.

Mercy Health - Toledo

Mercy Health - Toledo is a member of Mercy Health, the largest health system in Ohio and the fourth largest employer in the state. Locally, Mercy Health is based in Toledo and serves 20 counties in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. Mercy Health – Toledo provides comprehensive primary and critical care services to residents and has a robust physician group, Mercy Health Physicians – Toledo, Life Flight critical air transport services and Mercy College of Ohio.

Mercy Health - Toledo is proud to provide over $107 million in community benefit in 2015 which includes charity care and community health services.

With approximately 7,500 employees; more than 230 employed physicians; and 2,200 medical staff members, Mercy Health has been a part of the Northwest Ohio community it serves for over 160 years. Please visit mercy.com for additional information and connect with Mercy Health – Toledo on Facebook, Twitter @mercynwohio and Instagram.

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21

Kitchen

Table Politics

Surviving Election Year Holidays

What we can learn from our children to make it through those awkward moments.

By Sam Melden

So there you are, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a year since youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen most of your family and your Grandma just asked you to pass the butter. You would love to but you are currently using the butter knife to pretend to cut through that awkward tension in the room from your opinionated uncle who just talked about his favorite candidate.

Your cousinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eye roll was exaggerated, even for her, and your brother is going on and on because â&#x20AC;&#x153;this is what you get when you only have two parties.â&#x20AC;? Now, where is that butter? Right, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next to Grandpa who is sitting at the end of the table staring, silently, at his mashed potatoes.

The question is: What do you do?

For more than a year we have all been surrounded by the news of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s election. And even with the result being determined, chances are pretty good that many of our relatives will take an opportunity to bring up their thoughts when we gather for the holidays. Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a random dig at the candidate they didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like, or parroting back the headline they read on the way to dinner or actually attempting to bring up in a thoughtful way an issue that matters, we all have to deal with these moments with our family.

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It would be easy to think about this in terms of what it it does for our children.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve all heard â&#x20AC;&#x153;our children are watchingâ&#x20AC;? over and over, so to attempt to model good behavior would be a safe route to take. What we also know as parents is how much we learn from our kids. I think there are three lessons we can learn from our children to make it through these moments with our family.

Dealing with Family First, ask questions. Children are the most inquisitive, curious people we know and after the political season we just witnessed, we could use more of an inquisitive nature. We would do ourselves well to lean into our curiosity rather than resting on our certainty. Ask good questions. Questions are inherently respectful. Badgering, poking and baiting family members will only end poorly. Genuine wonder in the form of a question is an invitation to deeper understanding. When was the last time you asked someone in your family a question about what they thought about politics or current events in general? What if you asked the eldest family member â&#x20AC;&#x153;In what election did you first vote?â&#x20AC;? That question could take the conversation to new places. You might learn something about a family member that has been at every Christmas dinner you could possibly remember. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quite a gift.

And, of course, it could all backfire.

Your Grandpa could answer you and immediately mourn the â&#x20AC;&#x153;good ole days.â&#x20AC;?

Well, you tried. So then we take another lesson from our children: Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take yourself too seriously. Just move on. The chances are pretty good that

â&#x20AC;˘ December 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ www.toledoparent.com

youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll get another chance, or that someone will notice your intent and follow your lead. And what if you end up on the defensive? You forgot to take that bumper sticker off your car and your Aunt decides to confront â&#x20AC;&#x153;whoever owns that car in the driveway.â&#x20AC;? Simple, clear explanations are great. Sharing your values about what you think about the world is a wonderful opportunity with family, but not taking yourself too seriously will help. Trading in the soap box for a quick joke about your bumper sticker could be a useful approach. The point of the gathering is to enjoy family, have fun and eat a lot of food, not to change hearts and minds. Kids have that down.

The last lesson we can learn from our kids to help us with our families is one we we need now more than ever. Be where you are. Put down your phone, leave it in the car, in your coat, whatever it takes. I might even suggest employing a â&#x20AC;&#x153;phone basketâ&#x20AC;? at the front door. Collect all the phones and watch how the gathering changes. Children do this so well. Kids arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t thinking about where they want to be next or scrolling through photos of what the kiddie table looks like at their buddyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house. Wherever they are, there they are. So wherever you are, be there. The holidays will come and go, just like elections and scandals and aggregated polls, but our family, even with their strange, unexpected comments, will only be with us while they are here, and we should be too.

Fiesta Time!

Expect the unexpected at Sylvania’s new cantina

By Karen Zickes

Te`kEla Mexican Cocina y Cantina www.tekelacocina.com www.facebook.com/tekelamexican

5147 S. Main St. Sylvania, OH 43560 419-517-0233 Mon-Thur: 11am-9:30pm Fri:-Sat: 11am-10:30pm, Sun: 11am-9pm The kids and I have discovered another favorite Mexican restaurant. Te`kēla Mexican Cocina y Cantina in Sylvania has taken the area by storm. Opened in September in the Southbriar Shopping center, the Cocina has already become a favorite destination for many.

Dining options for any occasion

Immediately when you step inside Te`kēla, you notice a strikingly different décor from what you have come to expect from typical Mexican cantinas. The atmosphere radiates a traditional vibe that meets contemporary flair. A beautiful mural painted by Kristen Valdez spans the length of two walls and tells the story of tequila from the planting of blue agave to the producing of tequila, to the harvest celebration in the town square. The beautiful wood tile tables were built from scratch by owner Javier Cobian.

Aside from the aesthetically pleasing atmosphere, there are varied seating options that deliver completely different dining experiences. Te`kēla’s cantina area offers high tops, booths, and ample seating around the stone trimmed bar, where you can enjoy live music every Wednesday through Friday.

However, if you would prefer a traditional dining experience with the kids, they offer a relaxing dining room with an additional dining area in the back. They are completely separate from the bar.

The majestic stone fireplace and beautiful mural offer a very comfortable dining experience for the whole family. They will soon complete renovations on a banquet room that will seat 50.

Food fusion

Javier Cobian, along with sons David and Javier Jr. and their cousin Juan Acuna, opened Te`kēla in Perrysburg four years ago. Javier Sr. is from the Mexican state

25481 Dixie Hwy, Perrysburg, OH 43551 419-874-8800 Mon-Thurs: 11am-9:30pm Fri-Sat: 11 am-10:30pm, Sun: 11am-9pm

The Short Course Kid-friendly: Yes

To avoid wait: Weekend evenings are very busy, though they have a large waiting area Noise level: Moderate; may be loud on weekend nights

Bathroom amenities: No changing station High chairs? Yes

Got milk? Yes, and one free refill Kids’ menu? Yes

Allergy info: There is a separate gluten free menu. Also, alert your server so they can consult with the manager. Only soy bean oil is used. For extreme situations, contact them a day in advance so they can be ready for your visit the following day. of Jalisco, which just so happens to be the home of authentic tequila. Not only did he bring his love for tequila to the States, but when it comes to the food, Te`kēla “celebrates the fusion of contemporary and authentic foods of Mexico.”

“Just about everything is made from scratch”, according to general manager Lee Anne Sandor. The Latin fusion entrée I enjoyed is one of their most popular.

The patrón and lime chicken was amazing with wonderfully fresh flavors. The offering of street tacos is varied and I may make a meal out of several of those next time. The kids and I also shared a large bowl of fresh guacamole with the perfect balance of lime and cilantro.

The kids’ menu is reasonable at $5.50 plus drink. Not only is milk available, but your little ones can enjoy the added bonus of one free refill. With traditional choices like burritos, quesadillas, tacos and

nachos, your little ones will be content.

However, burgers and chicken tenders with fries are always available.

While my oldest son kept with the traditional wet burrito with slow roasted pork, smothered in salsa, cheese and pico de gallo, my daughter devoured the chicken fajita bowl. All the flavors of fajitas, but no assembly required. Despite the fact that we had leftovers going home with us, we still managed to indulge in the fried ice cream dessert for an extra sweet ending to the meal.

I would be remiss not to mention the extensive tequila menu and incredible cocktail list. I sampled the coconut lime margarita which Ms. Sandor said is so popular it’s now offered year round. One sip and I transcended to a sandy white beach scene somewhere far away. The low rumble of my children bickering over who would get the last of the guacamole immediately brought me back to reality.

Ah well, I will try again next time.

Bottom Line:

Te`kēla Mexican Cocina y Cantina has a lot going for it at the new Sylvania location. The atmosphere, service and, of course, food and drink are all wonderful reasons to see for yourself what the buzz is all about. A dining area that is completely separate from the bar area is an added bonus that many families will enjoy. Be sure to stop

by Wednesday thru Friday for a bit of live, local music, too.

Karen Zickes is a mom of three active children and freelance writer who resides in Holland, Oh. She can be reached in c/o editor@toledoparent.com.

www.toledoparent.com • December 2016 •

23

{ December

2016 }

All calendar events are subject to change, cancellation and limited size. Calling ahead for confirmation is recommended.

3 Saturday

1 TUESDAY Tinkering Space Activity: Frankentoy - Imagination Station’s tinkering space activity examines many popular toys to discover what’s inside. Participants get to disassemble and rebuild beloved toys to create something new. 10am-5pm,$11, $9/ ages 3-12, $10/ seniors, free/ children under two. Imagination Station, 1 Discovery Way Toledo, OH. 419-244-2674. imaginationstationtoledo.org/home The Libbey Dolls: Fashioning the Story - The Libbey Dolls are back on display at the Toledo Museum of Art. The collection depicts French fashion dating from A.D. 493 to 1915. The designs of the clothes on the dolls are inspired by the art of great French artists. The exhibit also looks at the historical significance of the collection. The exhibition opens on Dec 1.

10:00 am. The Toledo Art Museum.

2445 Monroe St, Toledo. 419- 255-8000. toledomuseum.org. Free

2 Friday Drawing Fun with Mr. Picasso - Local Artist Roy Wilson teaches 2nd-7th graders to develop drawing and compositional skills.

The program explores nature and cartooning themes. Fridays through December 20.

3:55-5pm. $70. The 577 Foundation, 577 E. Front St., Perrysburg. 419-872-0305.

577foundation.org Trans-Siberian Orchestra - The TransSiberian Orchestra celebrates 20 years of performances with its 2016 winter tour titled “Ghosts of Christmas Eve”. The TransSiberian Orchestra brings their brand of rock theater to Toledo as they perform their versions of holiday favorites to a laser light show. Dec. 2 8pm. Tickets will range from 33.50 to 74.50. The Huntington Center.

500 Jefferson Ave, Toledo, OH 43604.

419- 255-3300. huntingtoncentertoledo.com Santa’s Secret Star - This program teaches kids about star navigation with a Christmas theme. See how Santa and Rudolph use stars and constellations to find their way home. Fridays at 7pm through December 19. $7, $5/kids, free/faculty, staff, students and kids under age 4. Ritter Planetarium, 2855 W. Bancroft St. 419- 530-2650. utoledo.edu/nsm/rpbo Toledo repertoire Theatre presents: A Christmas carol - The classic Charles Dickens tale returns once again to the Valentine Theater. The Toledo Repertoire Theatre brings a cast of nearly one hundred to present a gift to the community. The story of Scrooge and his visits from three ghostly spirits has been a holiday tradition for Toledo but world wide. Dec. 2-3 8pm, Dec. 4 2:30 pm. $27/ adults, 17/kids. The Valentine Theater. 410 Adams St., Toledo.

419- 242-2787. toledorep.org.

24

92.5 KISS FM and The River Toy-aThon for Salvation Army - Tap into the season of giving by donating new, unwrapped toys, or monetary donations to those in need. 10 am- 6pm on the food court stage at Westfield Franklin Park Mall. 5001 Monroe St., 419- 473- 3317.

Shoppingfranklinparkmall.com

Pajama Party Fans of cozy Christmas experiences will be thrilled with Barnes and Noble’s upcoming Storytime selection: The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg.

Hosting a special nighttime edition, participants are encouraged to come in their pajamas for an in-store reading that will feature a themed craft event with coloring and a “Dear Santa” letter-writing activity.

Children can see the story come to life in the comfort of their favorite nightwear. Friday, December 2, 7 pm. Barnes and Noble, Franklin Park, 4940 Monroe St. 419-472-6164. barnesandnoble.com Free

One Night in Bethlehem Bring your family along to take a step back in time to experience the sights, sounds, tastes and aromas of ancient life as you walk through Bethlehem at Collingwood Presbyterian Church. Enjoy musical performances, live animals, a nativity scene, tours of the historic church and much more -- all for free! The event is Sunday, December 11 from 1-6pm. Collingwood Presbyterian Church, 2108 Collingwood Blvd, Toledo. 419-2433275, collingwoodpc.net

Christmas at the Peristyle! Christmas at the Peristyle is back again to spread holiday cheer through music. The show will feature the Toledo Symphony, Toledo Opera Chorus, sing-alongs, and even a visit from Santa. Dec. 3 3pm. $25.

Toledo Museum of Art Peristyle. 2445 Monroe Street Toledo. 419-246-8000. toledomuseum.org.

Battle of the Badges- Support your Toledo Police and Fire department as they hit the ice in the fifth annual Battle of the Badges hockey game. Toledo Police look to break Toledo Fires winning streak. A portion of each ticket sold benefits police and fire charities. Dec. 3 7:00pm. Tickets range from $17-$26. 500 Jefferson Ave, Toledo.

419- 255-3300. huntingtoncentertoledo.org Family Film Festival - Ohio Theatre Film Series - Do you have a favorite holiday film that you would like to see at the Ohio Theater? Vote for your favorite! The winning choice will be shown at 1pm and 5pm with performances in between. Dec. 3 1pm. $10. Kids 12 and under get in free. The Ohio Theatre. 3114 Lagrange St., Toledo.

419- 720-8952. ohiotheatre.org.

Christmas Tree Ship - Experience the past by buying a Christmas tree that is delivered on the tugboat Josephine, which will transport the trees to the National Museum of the Great Lakes. Come watch the tree ome off the boat and into your hands. 12pm. Each tree is $40 and includes refreshments and a meeting with Santa. National Museum of the Great Lakes, 1701 Front St. 419-214-5000. inlandseas.org Charity Hockey Game Grace Speaks vs. Detroit Red Wings Alumni Association - The Detroit Red Wings Alumni Association are being hosted for a game. Come see great past Red Wing players as they raise money for speech therapy. Dec. 3 3:45pm. $10/ if bought before. $13/ at the door. BGSU Ice Arena. 417 N. Mercer Rd. Bowling Green, OH. 419 348-4083. Gracespeaks.org.

TAG FEST - Toledo Anime & Gaming festival is a one day only celebration of anime and video games. Gaming competitions and tournaments will be held along with panels, screenings, and other events. Vendors will also be there selling anime and gaming merchandise. 11:00 am - 11:59pm. $5/ per person. Seagate Convention Center 401 Jefferson Ave B, Toledo, 43604. 419-255-3300. toledo-seagate.com

Holiday Lantern Tours “Yuletides of Yesteryear” - Learn how Christmas was celebrated throughout history. The tour begins in the year 1850 and ends in the year 1928. While walking on the tour you will learn of food recipes, decorations, and traditions for the perspective time. Dec. 3, 9, and 10. Tours last 90 minutes and will be running repeatedly from 4pm-8:30pm. $13/ Adults $7.00/ Children (3 and up), Members: $11.00 / Adults , $6 / Children. Sauder Village. 22611 OH-2, Archbold, OH 43502. 419- 446-2541.

Saudervillage.org.

Kids Gingerbread Cabin Workshop Celebrate the holiday season by creating a holiday gingerbread cabin workshop.

Kids will use icing and candies to create an edible cabin. December 3 4:00pm 5:15pm. $15.00. The Art Supply Depo.

29 S. St. Clair St., Toledo. 419-720-6462. artsupplydepo.com.

4 Sunday

The Phantom of the Opera - The Phantom of the Opera arrives in Toledo as a part of its North American Tour. The classic musical written by Andrew Lloyd Webber has updated costume and scenic designs for a much grander scale. Dec. 4 2pm. Tickets are available at the Stranahan theater box office. The Stranahan Theater. 4645 Heatherdowns Blvd, Toledo, Ohio 43614. (419) 381-8851.

Stranahantheater.org

6 Tuesday Family Pottery - All ages can participate and build pottery together or individually from demonstrations. The 577 foundation will provide a clear glaze to your finished pieces. 1-2:30pm. $15. The 577 Foundation, 577 E. Front St., Perrysburg.

419-874-4174. 577foundation.org

7 Wednesday

Owens Community College Concert Band Christmas Concert - Owens Community College Concert Band performs Holiday favorites along with some popular Broadway hits. Veterans are encouraged to wear their military ribbons, medals, or hats so that they may be honored for the 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbor. Refreshments are provided. 2:30-pm. Owens Community College 30335 Oregon Rd., Perrysburg.

567-661-7000. owens.edu.

Stained Glass Snowflake Ornament - Celebrate the holidays by creating a unique decoration. Learn to make a colorful glass holiday snowflake. No experience is necessary. All tools and materials are provided. 6:30pm. $25. The 577 Foundation, 577 E. Front St. Perrysburg.

419- 872-0305. 577foundation.org.

Paint a Holiday Ornament or Gift Item - A 6th annual Depo Holiday tradition, this event will allow you to paint an ornament or other gift item. It also teaches how to use different brushes and layering ceramic underglazes. Dec. 4 1:00pm 4:00pm. $20/ per ornament, price varies for other gift items. The Art Supply Depo.

29 S. St. Clair St. 419-720-6462. artsupplydepo.com.

Disney On Ice: Passport To Adventure - Join Mickey, Minnie, and more of your favorite Disney characters as they adventure in the magical worlds of The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Peter Pan, and Frozen. Packed with unforgettable moments this show on ice will be one the whole family can enjoy. Dec.8-9 7pm, Dec. 10 11am, 3pm, 7pm, and Dec. 11 1pm, 5pm. Tickets range from $15-$60.

The Huntington Center 500 Jefferson Ave. Toledo. 419-255-3300. huntingtoncentertoledo.com

• December 2016 • www.toledoparent.com

8 Thursday

The Phantom Tollbooth - Toledo School for the Arts is performing the Phantom Tollbooth which is based off the book by Norton Juster and Sheldon Harnick. Dec. 8 - 10 at 7pm, Dec. 11 at 2:30pm. Tickets range from $10-$16.

Toledo Repertoire Theatre. 16 10th St, Toledo, Ohio 43604. 419-246-8732 tickets.ts4arts.org.

9 Friday Great Performance: Rejoice Handbell Choir - The rejoice Handbell Choir of Olivet Lutheran Church returns to spread christmas cheer with some holiday favorites. Dec. 9 7pm. The Peristyle. 2445 Monroe St, Toledo. 419- 255-8000.

Toledomuseum.org

10 Saturday Tis the Secor - Celebrate the holidays while supporting a local cause. Tis the secor will feature more than 30 local vendors. UT 3d art students will have an exhibit on display. This event will also include live performances from local band. Dec. 10 5pm - 11pm. The Secor Building. 425 Jefferson Ave, Toledo. 419514-7496. secorartistnet@gmail.com Jingle bell Run Toledo - Join the largest holiday themed 5k race to spread awareness about arthritis, which is the largest cause of disability. Break out your christmas sweaters and other holiday costumes and run or walk with your friends. Dec. 10 8am. $35. The Shops at Fallen Timbers. 3100 Main Street #1599, Maumee, Ohio 43537. 614-503-5591. emartin@arthritis.org.

11 Sunday Fort Meigs Holiday Open House - Celebrate the holidays like the year is 1812. Fort Meigs is holding its annual holiday open house. Reenactors will be present to give demonstrations. There will be holiday music, refreshments, and activities. Dec. 11 1pm. $2. Fort Meigs.

29100 W River Rd Perrysburg, OH. 800.283.8916. Fortmeigs.org.

One Night In Bethlehem- This christmas take a trip to the real nativity scene.

The Collingwood Presbyterian Church presents a recreation of ancient times.

There will be interactive activities, live animals, a nativity scene, tours of the church, and musical performances! Dec. 11 1pm-6pm. Collingwood Presbyterian Church. 2108 Collingwood Blvd, Toledo, OH. 419) 243-3275. Collingwoodpc. net. Free Winter Festival of Crafts - Complete your last minute christmas shopping by finding unique handcrafted items created by members of The Toledo Craftsman’s Guild. Jewelry, pottery, woodworking, fragrances, lotions, and much more will be available for purchase. Dec. 11 10:00am4:00pm. Admission and parking are free.

The Franciscan Center 6832 Convent Blvd, Sylvania, OH 43560. 419-8243961. Lourdes.edu. FREE

13 Tuesday Paint A Flying Santa - Artist Donna Ebert will strengthen your painting abilities while painting a decorative holiday piece.

The session will teach how to paint on different types of surfaces. Dec. 13 6:00pm - 9:00pm. $45. The Art Supply Depo.

29 S St Clair St, Toledo. 419-720-6462.

Artsupplydepo.com.

16 Friday It's A Wonderful Life - The Valentine Theater will be showing the classic Frank Capra film “It’s A Wonderful Life” as part of their silver screen classic film series. A full bar will be serving drinks along with popcorn. 7:30pm. $5. The Valentine Theater. 410 Adams St, Toledo. 419-2422787. valentinetheater.com Teen Interactive Movie: Elf - Have you ever wanted to be apart of your favorite holiday movie? The library is holding an interactive movie screening of Elf. Teens are given the opportunity to act with the movie as it progresses using props. 3:00pm. Mercy Family Activity Center.101 E Indiana Ave Perrysburg, OH. 419-251-1121. Waylibrary.info.

Free Open Play with Painting- Hero’s will be offering open play and art classes open to the public.Open play will include inflatables and lazer tag. Art classes can also be taken. Open plays/ $10, Bounce and Paint class/$25. Dec. 16 5:30pm- 8:30pm Hero’s 9851 Meridian Ct. Rossford, Oh. 419-853-9400.

Herostoledo.com

17 Saturday CARVE A COTTAGE FOR HOLIDAY VILLAGE - Come join the 577 foundation in designing and carving a decoration Holiday Cottage. Participants could choose from holiday themed house, log cabin, santa’s workshop, or a desing of your choice. All levels of carving expertise are encouraged to come. Materials and tools are provided. Dec. 17th 9:00amnoon. $25.00. The 577 Foundation. 577 East Front Street Perrysburg, OH. 419-872-0305. 577foundation.org Toledo Jazz Orchestra: Cool Yule Annual Holiday concert - Toledo Jazz Orchestra provides Christmas music that really swings with their Cool Yule Holiday Concert. They return to the beautiful Valentine theater with award winning Toledo Vocalist Ramona Collins. Dec. 17 8pm. Tickets range from $25-$35. The Valentine Theater. 410 Adams St, Toledo.

419- 242-2787. Valentinetheatre.org Great Performance | Glenn Tucker: Jazz Nativity - Jazz up the Holidays in the Peristyle. Glenn Tucker is train in organ and piano and will approach classic holiday music with a background in jazz. Dec. 17 2pm. The Peristyle at the Toledo Art Museum. 2445 Monroe St. Toledo. 419- 255-8000.

Toledomuseum.org. Free

www.toledoparent.com • December 2016 •

25

Toledo Ballet’s 76th Anniversary Nutcracker - One of the oldest traditions in Toledo. The Toledo Ballet’s Nutcracker is the longest running annual Nutcracker in the entire USA. The show returns for the holiday in its 76th anniversary.

Accompanied by the Toledo Symphony Orchestra. The Stranahan Theater. Dec. 17 2pm and 7pm, Dec. 18 2pm. Tickets range from 27.50- 57.50. The Stranahan Theater. 4645 Heatherdowns Blvd Toledo.

419- 381-8851. Stranahantheater.com

18 Sunday Legopalooza - Share your collections and exchange creative ideas. Library staff will share stories, books, and ideas with participants. 2:00pm-3:00pm. The event is free. Children’s Place Programming Room at the Main Library Branch. 251 N. Main Street Bowling Green, OH. 419-352-5104. wcdpl.org.

24 Sunday

21 Wednesday Write Stuff: Teen Writing Club Strengthen your writing skills. Teens are welcome to bring their original written work for workshopping in a group environment.

Writing prompts and exercises will also be available. Dec. 21 4:00pm. Way Public Library. 101 E Indiana Ave Perrysburg, OH. 419- 874-3135. waylibrary.info.

22 Thursday PARTNERS IN FUN-DECORATIONS Adults and their 3-4 year old kids are welcome to create beautiful art projects. The projects will be Christmas themed. 10:00 am- 11:00am. $5. The 577 Foundation.

577 East Front Street Perrysburg, OH. 419872-0305. 577foundation.org.

Art Hours: Penguins - Create a glass penguin at the open art hours at the Glass Pavilion. Sessions are open to ages 14 and up. Dec.22 6:00pm. $25/members only. The Glass Pavilion 2445 Monroe St.,Toledo, OH. 419-254-5771. toledomuseum.org.

Think Tank Workshop: Holiday LEGO Workshop - Imagination Station Holiday workshop is filled with LEGO bricks. Use LEGO bricks to solve holiday theme challenges. This small group experience allows for creative freedom while problem solving. December 24 1pm- 3pm. $10/members, $14/non-members. 1 Discovery Way, Toledo, OH 43604. 419244-2674. imaginationstationtoledo.org.

26 Monday Frostology: The Science of the Season- Imagination station will explore the science of snow and winter weather.

Holiday themed activities and demonstrations will also be available. Dec. 26-31 10:00am- 5:00pm. $11.00, Kids - 3-12: $9.00/ kids 3-12, Seniors - 65+: $10.00/ seniors 65+, Free/ members and kids under 2. Imagination Station. 1 Discovery Way Toledo. 419-244-2674. imaginationstationtoledo.org.

Family Center Activities: Great Art Escape! Puppets and Performances!The coming of winter is celebrated at the Great Art Escape with storytelling, puppets, and performances. The theme of this year's celebration revolves around dance with performances from different dance groups and music ensembles. Activities will be available throughout the Museum. Dec. 26- Jan. 3. The Toledo Art Museum. 2445 Monroe St. Toledo. 419- 255- 8000.

Toledomusuem.org.

28 Wednesday Harlem Globetrotters- Watch as the Harlem Globetrotters show off their impressive trick shots and basketball mastery as they play in their 2016-2017 tour. Join the Globetrotters after the show for photographs and autographs. Dec. 28 7:00pm.

Tickets are available on ticketmaster. The Huntington Center. 500 Jefferson Ave Toledo. 419-255-3300.

Harlemglobtrotters.com.

31 Sunday Noon Year's Eve - Celebrate the new year at noon! The Toledo Zoo rings in the new year by watching the ball fall at noon.

There will be activities, ice sculpture demonstrations, and rides down the ice slide.

Dec. 31 11am - 1pm. Celebration is free with purchase of an admission ticket. The Toledo Zoo and Aquarium.

2 Hippo Way Toledo. 419- 385-5721.

Toledozoo.org.

Wednesdays Storytime - Join Gathering Volumes for storytime every Thursday at 10am. Gathering Volumes, 196 E. South Boundary., Perrysburg.

567-336-6188. gatheringvolumes. com Free

Saturdays

Saturday Chess Players Stop by the Children’s Library on Saturday mornings for a game of chess. Practice the basics and learn the strategies used by experts. All skill levels welcome. 9:30am. Toledo Lucas County Public Library, 325 N. Michigan St. 419-259-5200. toledolibrary.org Free Christmas Sleigh Rides through Spiegle Grove - Recreate the past by riding in a horse drawn carriage through the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library estate. After the ride warm up in the Hayes home or Museum. Every day until Dec. 31 1pm- 4pm. $3. Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museum.

1337 Hayes Avenue Fremont, OH 43420. 419.332.2081.

Rbhayes.org.

26

• December 2016 • www.toledoparent.com

marketplace

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Line Classifieds: Only $20 per month for 20 words or less. Each additional word is 40 cents each and any artwork will be $5 extra.

Display Classifieds: Display classifieds with a box may be purchased for $25 per column inch. Photos are accepted with ads for an additional $5 per photo.

EDUCATION OR TRAINING

events

Emmanuel Baptist Church is hosting our fourth season of UPWARD basketball. Sign up online at upwardintoledo.com. Plan to come out to one of our evaluations on December 7th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm or December 10 from 4:00 to 6:00 pm. For more information go to upwardintoledo.com or email upward@emmanuelbaptist.com mom2mom is not just another mom’s group. Moms, are you looking for an encouraging atmosphere to meet other women and gain practical insights on strengthening your family? Join us! mom2mom is for women with children of all ages. We meet the first Wednesdays of each month (9/7-5/3) from 9:15-11:15 AM at Christ the Word Church, 3100 Murd Rd, Sylvania. Check us out at www.facebook.com/mom2momtoledo

HELP WANTED

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by the 15th of the month prior to publication.

Payment: Payment must be received before an ad can be placed. We accept checks, cash, money orders and credit cards (Visa/Mastercard).

Phone: 419-244-9859

E-Mail: classifieds@adamsstreetpublishing.com REFUNDS: Sorry, NO REFUNDS given.

MISPRINTS: Credit toward future ads.

Art Director/ Design Guru for local niche publications Lead a production team charged with creating the go-to sources for reliable, relevant information that motivate, inform and enrich the lives of our loyal community of readers.

We’re looking for a committed graphic artist with a distinct graphic style and a impeccable command of design elements. (i.e. your taste in font usage is killer, you’re a wizard at sizing and placing art elements, you have an educated eye for design, etc.) You’re in your element leading a team and possess the ability to constructively critique others’ work. If you’re a talented art director type, hungry to set the design direction of each of our six publications, we would love to sit down and talk.

Outside Sales Rep You know Toledo. You’re hungry to join a growing, fast-paced and fun team. You have sales experience (and if not, you’re such a great communicator that you seem to create meaningful relationships with nearly everyone). You’re reliable and accessible. You’re open to accepting constructive feedback and finding a rhythm. For you, there’s no such thing as a tough sell. A valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.

We’re excited to work with the right person who shares our vision and values. Welcome aboard.

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www.toledoparent.com • December 2016 •

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PERSPECTIVES ON PARENTING

Developing a World View We read about it everywhere. Everything’s connected. We live in a global society, an interdependent world where actions and re-actions in distant lands have an effect on our daily lives.

We know we need to prepare our children for the future, but how?

Each infant begins to develop a world view at birth.

Am I safe? Well-fed? Healthy? Loved? A tiny child’s world is completely self-centered. However, within a remarkably short time young children begin to explore and expand their universe. As they do so they absorb the sights, sounds, smells, touch, and culture of their families and others around them. Experiences shape their developing views and values.

Ideally, young children should be exposed to other cultures and languages at a very early age. Many American families speak several languages at home or have grandparents and relatives visit who are non-English speakers.

Lynn Fisher Founder and Head of School West Side Montessori lfisher@montessoritoledo.org

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How fortunate those children are! While some may initially take longer to learn our language, they ultimately have a broad understanding and appreciation of the rich diversity in the world.

Find ways to expose your young child to other cultures, languages, and ideas. Take them to an Asian, Middle Eastern, or Indian grocery store or restaurant. Seek out neighbors and friends who speak Greek or Farsi or Portuguese. Ask a baba to tell your child stories about growing up in the old country.

By the time a child is 5 or 6 years old the idea of a vast and exciting world and universe beyond to be explored can be firmly established and should be the basis for feeding their insatiable curiosity and quest for knowledge and understanding.

Give your young child the gift of exposure to other languages and cultures from a young age and you will set them on the path to greater understanding, less fear of the unknown, and an openness to the future. You will give them a world view worthy of the future they will inherit.

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