Savvy Kids - January 2014

2014 Special JANUARY 2014 • WWW.SAVVYKIDSOFARKANSAS.COM

Needs Issue

MAKE YOURSELF

FIT TO LOSE

WORK OUT TIPS, SMOOTHIES AND MORE

NEW YEAR ARTS &CULTURE ROUNDUP

LOCAL FAMILIES SHARE THEIR STORIES HOW TO SET UP A TRUST TIPS FOR FINDING SERVICES AND SUPPORTS ANNUAL RESOURCE GUIDE Plus our monthly features...

JANUARY 2014 SAVVY KIDS

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Last chance!

Download our camp brochure at museumofdiscovery.org

$5 admission during

Riverfest Weekend Saturday, May 25- Monday, May 27 (Closed Friday, May 24)

These lifelike intelligent machines leave on January 26

i Tech C ty

June 15

Opening February 8!

500 President Clinton Ave

2 | SAVVY K I DS JANUARY 2014

Little Rock, AR 72201

www.museumofdiscovery.org

501.396.7050

Serving Children with Special Needs Since 1971

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www.pathfinderinc.org

Pathfinder is a private, non-profit, community based organization which provides an array of services for the disabled. Services are provided for those citizens, of Arkansas, with developmental disabilities. Pathfinder offers services without regards to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, martial status, medical condition or physical disability. Our goal is for each participant to become a self-supporting, productive member of society.

JANUARY 2014 SAVVY KIDS

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Abundant Life School “Education with a Difference”

contents JANUARY 2014

ON THE COVER:

Keagan Provost of Conway, photographed by Brian Chilson at Helping Hand.

12 “We love the convenience of having all 3 of our kids at the same school, under the care of teachers who love them and truly want them to succeed. At Abundant Life they are provided with a high quality, biblically based education.”

– Joe & Holly Dunn

Stories of local families, setting up trusts, finding services and supports, and a resource guide

28

10 WAYS TO CREATE BONDING TIME

4K-12th Grade

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John 10:10 Call For A Tour (501) 835-3120 9200 Highway 107 · Sherwood abundantlifeschool.org 4 | SAVVY K I DS JANUARY 2014

SPECIAL NEEDS ISSUE

34

GET FIT TOGETHER

36

JUNIOR DEPUTY BASEBALL

DEPARTMENTS

Plus...

Smoothies, eating healthy and more.

8 ODDS AND ENDS 10 LITTLE HERO 30 EATS & TREATS 46 SAVVY ARTS 48 POP TOPICS 50 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 52 OF THE MONTH 54 KIDS EAT FREE

JANUARY 2014 SAVVY KIDS

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Editor’s Letter

New Year’s Resolution

publisher

Alan Leveritt alan@arktimes.com

editor

Photo by Brian Chilson

January is the time for ringing in the New Year and making (and hopefully sticking to) New Year’s resolutions. It also marks my one-year anniversary as editor of Savvy Kids. It has been a very fun and interesting year.

In the media this time of year, it’s common to see year-inreview or best-of lists. I originally set out to do something similar in my letter this month. I’ve learned a lot, met many wonderful people, shared amazing stories and been a part of many exciting events. No matter how much I love making lists, it was just too difficult to narrow down all of these awesome experiences into a manageable look-back.

But, I have made a New Year’s resolution this year, something I never do. I’m going to do a better job at thanking and appreciating everyone I know. There are so many remarkable people involved with producing our awesome magazine, and I greatly appreciate each and every one. While it’s impossible to recognize everyone, I would like to take a minute to thank two people with whom I work very closely: Patrick Jones and Brian Chilson.

Patrick is our art director and the one who makes our magazine look so fantastic each month. He also puts up with my indecisiveness and random questions. Brian is our photographer and is to thank for all of our beautiful images, particularly our cover photos. I drag Brian all over the place and he never complains, not to my face anyway. Now, hopefully I’ll stay on Patrick and Brian’s good sides for the rest of the year.

Here’s to another great year at Savvy Kids…Happy 2014!

Erica Sweeney, Editor ericasweeney@arktimes.com Follow our Pins on Pinterest

Follow us on Twitter

Become A Facebook Fan

savvykidsofarkansas.com

We

inned It!

Nutty Fruit and Popcorn Mix from Always Trust a Skinny Cook.

6 | SAVVY K I DS JANUARY 2014

Erica Sweeney ericasweeney@arktimes.com

digital media producer Bryan Moats

editorial art director Patrick Jones

account executive

Rose Gladner rose@arktimes.com Lesa Thomas lesathomas@arktimes.com Ellen Weiner ellenweiner@arktimes.com

production manager Weldon Wilson

advertising coordinators

Roland Gladden, roland@arktimes.com Kelly Schlachter Carr, kellys@arktimes.com

graphic artists

Kai Caddy, Bryan Moats, Patrick Jones, Mike Spain

photographers Brian Chilson

controller

Weldon Wilson

accounts payable Kelly Lyles

it director

Robert Curfman

billing/collections Linda Phillips

circulation director Jack Higgins

ALL MATERIALS ARE HANDLED WITH DUE CARE; HOWEVER, THE PUBLISHER ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR CARE AND SAFE RETURN OF UNSOLICITED MATERIALS. ALL LETTERS AND PICTURES SENT TO SAVVYKIDS™ WILL BE TREATED AS INTENDED FOR PUBLICATION AND ARE SUBJECT TO SAVVYKIDS'™ UNRESTRICTED RIGHT TO EDIT OR TO COMMENT EDITORIALLY. 201 E. MARKHAM ST. SUITE 200, LITTLE ROCK, AR 72201 501-375-2985. ALL CONTENTS ©2014 SAVVY KIDS™

National Popcorn Day is Jan. 19. Celebrate by popping a variety of flavors, from savory to sweet. Get these recipes and more at www.pinterest.com/savvykidsmag/.

Popcorn Ball “Ice Cream” Cones from Cookies and Cups.

S’Mores Popcorn from I Wash…You Dry.

Rosemary Parmesan Popcorn from The Little Yellow Kitchen.

Don’t let the winter blues get you down…

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JANUARY 2014 SAVVY KIDS

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ODDS & ENDS

KIDS MARATHON PROMOTES LIFELONG FITNESS The Little Rock Marathon is just around the corner, and while most believe it’s only open to hardcore runners and walkers, there are a few other marathon events well-suited to families and children of all fitness levels.

The Little Rockers Kids Marathon is a children-only event for ages 7-12.

Kids accumulate 25.2 miles of running, walking or other activity on their own, and then meet to complete the final mile as a big group, says Jennifer Rogers, kids marathon chair.

Rogers encourages those wanting to participate to sign up as early as possible and start building up miles for race day, which is Saturday, March 1 at 10 a.m. in the River Market District. Kids can take part individually or with school, church or other groups.

“Kids commit, accumulate miles, and show up and get a real medal,” she says. “They are as proud and deserving as any of the grown-ups competing in the marathon.”

Kids’ experience on race day is similar that of the runners and walkers in the actual marathon the next day. Kids receive race packets and cross the same finish line, creating a memorable experience that hopefully inspires a lifelong love of fitness, Rogers says.

Another event for families is the 5K Fun Run/Walk at 8 a.m. on March 1.

Rogers says the 3.1-mile distance is a “great starter race for families,” where everyone can participate together.

By helping kids train for either event, parents give their children the “gift of physical fitness,” which has an overwhelmingly positive effect on their lives.

Rogers urges parents to find a way to build fitness into a child’s everyday life, so that it becomes the norm.

Participating also helps children learn about setting, working toward and achieving goals, as well as discipline, self-respect and delayed gratification, Rogers says. Physical fitness also strengthens individuals, psychologically and physically.

ZUMBA FOR KIDS

“Every minute we’re engaged in physical fitness adds quality time to our lives,” she says.

Rogers’ three sons (now ages 16, 18 and 21) were all Little Rockers, she says. And, she has participated in the full marathon in years’ past, but hasn’t decided if she’s taking part this year.

To start a training routine, families should track times and distances, set goals and celebrate achievements along the way. The Little Rock Marathon has training schedules available on its website (www.littlerockmarathon.com) to help families stay on track. The activity can be running, walking or “anything that gets you out the door and accumulating achievements,” Rogers says.

In its 11th year, the Little Rockers Kids Marathon is a safe, secure environment, with police officers and emergency medical technicians on hand, Rogers says. Children are only required to complete their final mile, which is not timed.

“It doesn’t matter how fast or slow you are, everyone is celebrated, and that’s cool,” she says.

Kids of all abilities are welcome.

The Little Rock Parks and Recreation’s Therapeutic Recreation section regularly has a large team for kids with special needs.

Fees for the kids marathon are $25 online and $30 with a mail-in form, and $30 and $35, respectively, for the 5K. Register online at www.littlerockmaraLast year’s Little Rockers Kids Marathon thon.com by Feb. 21.

Combining dance moves with a fitness routine, Zumba Kids offers a great workout for youngsters, ages 7-11.

Zumba Kids is a great starter program for teaching children about exercise and leading a healthy lifestyle, says Bernice Amoakohene, a certified Zumba instructor, who teaches classes for kids at Studio One Dance in North Little Rock.

“Currently, there are very few fitness programs that focus on this age group and the developmental and social concerns of kids ages 7-11,” she says.

This exercise program features age-appropriate music, along with energetic moves. As the Zumba website explains, “It’s all about feeling fearless on the dance floor, reinforcing the idea that it’s OK to just be yourself and dance like no one’s watching!”

The classes at Studio One are offered on Saturday mornings, and the spring classes kick off on Jan. 11, Amoakohene says. Four-class packages are $40 or $12 per class.

For more details about Zumba Kids classes, contact the studio at (501) 833-6000 or email studio1dancenlr@att.net.

8 | SAVVY K I DS JANUARY 2014

I just finished reading Jasper Potts’ article in the November issue.

Where has she been? Is she a regular contributor and I’ve been overlooking her? I enjoyed her article so much. Her candor in writing “Being the Big Sister” was refreshing. Keep up the good work Jasper, I see big things in your future.

Valerie Rogers North Little Rock

X O B L I MA

Note: Jasper Potts is taking a little break from her column, “Potts’ Picks,” to focus on middle school. As time allows, she continue being a contributor.

JANUARY 2014 SAVVY KIDS

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LITTLE HERO

LITTLE HERO

BIG HEART Conway teen is dedicated to the community

Story and Photo by Callie France Sterling Abbey Fletcher, a Conway teen, knows the importance of giving back and community involvement. Fletcher is a 16-year-old junior from Conway High School who is involved with organizations, including the United Way, Children’s Advocacy Alliance (CAA) and City of Hope Outreach (CoHo).

Fletcher got involved with the United Way eight years ago through her mother Tess Fletcher, who is executive director for the Children’s Advocacy Alliance, which closely works with the United Way. CAA oversees Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC), which conducts interviews for sexually and physically abused children.

“I enjoy volunteering for these organizations because they have it set up very conveniently for people to get involved since they are partner agencies,” Abbey Fletcher said. “The organizations are basically a family tree. They are all linked together and it makes it very easy for people to hear about all of the organizations at once.”

Fletcher’s volunteer work for the United Way ranges from large projects to smaller assignments, and she attends most of their events.

“After school, I do a lot of office work,” she said. “I do the little things, which are actually some of the most important things.”

In addition to extracurricular community involvement, Fletcher participates in many organizations at Conway High, including Cradle Care, Spanish Club, Honorary Spanish Club, Beta Club, Future Business Leaders of America, Key Club and Caring Cats.

“Cradle Care is a daycare next to Conway High,” she said. “It is for children of teen parents and it helps the parents get through high school. It not only gives the parents a chance but it is good for the children who attend Cradle Care as well. I have been involved with Cradle Care for about six years.”

10 | SAVVY K I DS JANUARY 2014

After school, Fletcher volunteers with City of Hope Outreach, a nonprofit that provides low-income students with free tutoring, access to computers and snacks.

Fletcher serves as secretary for her school’s Key Club and has played a major role in getting the club involved with United Way. She hopes that the two organizations continue to work together.

“I am a compulsive helper,” she said. “I have a teacher’s spirit and love to help others. I am also good at marketing, developing plans and following through by putting them into action. I over think most things, and I think this will help me in my career.”

Appropriately, Fletcher’s favorite quote is “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” by Mahatma Gandhi.

As a teenager, Fletcher seems to grasp that there is a bigger picture to life and why giving back is important. Her supportive family has been one of the main reasons that she has been given the opportunity to help others and why her passion continues to grow.

“I’ve always encouraged Abbey to volunteer because I believe in helping others and giving back to your community,” Tess Fletcher said. “Abbey has always volunteered with the agency I work for but I encourage her to volunteer at other places because I want her to fully understand the needs of the community she lives in. Imagine what our quality of life would be if everyone woke up each morning and chose to make a difference in someone’s life that day.”

The United Way’s mission is to advance the common good. For more information about the organization, or to get involved or donate locally, visit www. unitedwaycentralark.org.

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JANUARY 2014 SAVVY KIDS

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2014

Special Needs Issue Troubles and Triumphs Local families share stories of raising children with special needs

By Erica Sweeney

“There’s so much to embrace about kids with special needs,” says Cabot mom, Lacy Davis.

“They’re all so different but you can learn so much from them. They teach you a lot about unconditional love and not taking anything for granted.”

Davis’ son, Lucas, was diagnosed with autism last summer. Read their story and others in the pages that follow. These local families have shared their experiences of raising children with special needs, whether autism, learning disabilities, developmental delays, heart defects or brain cancer.

The parents we spoke to describe challenges and triumphs, and most of all how all of these experiences have impacted their lives.

12 | SAVVY K I DS JANUARY 2014

A Born Fighter Keagan Provost is a chatty 3-year-old with a big heart who loves Batman and making up songs.

Most who meet him would never guess that Provost has had two bouts with brain cancer, eight brain surgeries, nearly 70 radiation sessions and hundreds of MRIs and CAT scans, says his mom, Robin Unwer.

It all started just after Provost’s first birthday.

His mom says he had always been a healthy baby, but suddenly “started taking steps backwards.” He couldn’t keep food down and stopped walking. He was first diagnosed with an ear infection, but when he didn’t get better, Unwer demanded answers.

The family was living in New York at the time, and during a trip to a children’s hospital in Rochester, doctors discovered a baseball-sized mass on Provost’s brain. The next day, he had an 11-hour brain surgery, during which he had a stroke, leaving the left side of his body unusable.

Provost had to re-learn to walk and talk, Unwer says. Treatment also included several sessions of radiation and MRIs every three months.

The family, who now lives in Conway, was thrilled to learn that Provost’s cancer was considered in remission in June 2012. The chances of it returning were one in the millions, Unwer says.

But, by March 2013, Provost began getting sick again, with seizures and balance problems. A CAT scan in the emergency room showed a tiny spot on his brain. By the time Provost had surgery a few weeks later, the mass had grown dramatically, his mom says.

Provost takes six different medications twice a day and just finished nearly

30 sessions of radiation in August. Every three months, he continues to have an MRI. He still has seizures about once a week, which leave him disoriented The family isn’t sure what the future holds, but they know that Provost is a fighter.

“When you meet him, you wouldn’t imagine he’s ever been sick,” Unwer says.

Five days a week, Provost attends preschool at Helping Hand in North Little Rock, where he also receives speech, occupational and physical therapies. When he started there in August 2011, Unwer says he was still not walking or using his left hand.

Now, Unwer says her son talks nonstop about everything.

“He is doing really good now,” she says. “You worry when your child has been in the hospital for so long and gets sick easily, they won’t interact with kids well. But, he’s like a social butterfly.”

Celebrating Accomplishments Sassy, independent and fun is how Tricia Ambeau describes her 2-year-old daughter, Emmalin.

Emmalin Ambeau was born with Down syndrome and a heart defect that often accompanies the disorder. She had heart surgery when she was just three-and-a-half months old, and when she was six months old, began attending Allied Therapy in Sherwood, which her mom says has been a great fit for the family.

“At Allied, they know Emma,” Tricia Ambeau says. “They hugged and loved her. She’s doing great there.”

She now receives physical, speech and developmental therapies at Allied.

Emmalin also participates in hippotherapy at Beyond Boundaries

in Ward, where horses are used as therapy tools to increase motor, sensory, speech, behavioral and social responses, and in a neurodevelopment program in Dallas, says Tricia Ambeau.

Reading, dancing, talking and climbing are some of Emmalin’s favorite activities. She knows her ABCs and can identify colors, but still struggles physically because of low muscle tone and has some sensory issues, mostly visual.

The Ambeaus, who live in Cabot, work with Emmalin at home to help her achieve her best. The biggest challenge of raising a child with Down syndrome is “seeing things not come natural for her as with my typical kids,” Tricia Ambeau says.

“It’s heartbreaking, but she’ll get it. The most rewarding times are the proud moments that she has when she accomplishes something that we know did not come natural for her. We hold her to the same standards and whatever her best may be.”

The Ambeaus did not know that Emmalin had Down syndrome until after she was born, and they are using their experiences to help educate and comfort other parents because they know the importance of a strong support system.

Chad Ambeau, who was on active duty in Iraq when Emmalin was born and is now a helicopter pilot for Arkansas Children’s Hospital, says he has learned to see the world through much more compassionate eyes. He takes whatever chance he gets to share his experiences with new parents, so that they understand his family’s path, including the challenges and triumphs.

Tricia Ambeau and another mom started Precious Baby Ministries and a website (www.3of21.com) to provide support and information to new parents with children with Down syndrome. She says many parents are thrown into a world of unknowns, and “it’s a scary place to be.”

JANUARY 2014 SAVVY KIDS

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2014 Special

Needs Issue

Leaps and Bounds Blue thick-rimmed glasses are the first thing most notice about Parker*, but after meeting him, his bubbly personality quickly comes through.

Watching 3-year-old Parker chatting away while playing, his mom, Rachael, explains how far he has come since she first met him. When he was just over a year old, Rachael became foster mom to Parker and his younger brother.

Parker’s balance was unstable, and he lacked core strength and muscle tone.

His speech was underdeveloped, and he could only say a few words, Rachael says. After having Parker evaluated, it was determined that he had developmental delays.

Rachael, who officially adopted Parker and biological brother in March 2013, signed Parker up for speech, occupational and physical therapy at Pediatrics Plus in Little Rock. Both boys also currently attend preschool there five days a week.

“He’s so much better now,” she says. “The speaking is the most visible thing.”

Parker is also much stronger by “leaps and bounds,” Rachael says.

She says she has relied on reports from the therapists at Pediatrics Plus to learn ways to work with Parker at home, and has even attended therapy sessions to watch them in action.

“Therapy is an awesome thing,” she says. “They’re so good at helping me help him.”

Now, she says they focus on learning colors and numbers, putting together puzzles and repeating words. Rachael says Parker is an observer, who likes to stand back and watch what’s going on, and often has delayed reactions to situations.

Parker is still delayed, about 10 months behind, but he’s progressing, his mom says. Parker’s brother is 10 months younger, so Rachael says it’s “basically like having twins.”

Having a child with special needs takes patience and understanding, she says.

Asking for help and getting a child evaluated as soon as possible are her two pieces of advice for parents who may be concerned about their child’s development.

“We have to take things slower, but it’s rewarding having such a loving child and seeing him grow and face challenges,” she says.

Rachael, 37, is a single mom, and says she always wanted kids. She became a foster home to provide a loving home to children, even if for only a short time, and because she knew she wanted to adopt locally.

Parker and his brother were the first children placed in her home, and she says she feels blessed that she was able to adopt them, and to adopt biological brothers. *The names of the individuals featured in this story have been changed at the request of the child’s adoptive mother to protect their privacy.

Sweet Siblings Levi Bowling, 2, loves giving kisses to his 1-year-old baby sister, Angela.

Only 13 months apart, the two are very close. They also both have special needs, says their mom, Bobbi Bowling.

Bowling says Levi had a seizure when he was 12 days old, and several tests revealed that he has stage 1 Chiari malformation, where the base of his brain sits low, nearly touching his spinal cord.

This condition has caused Levi to have some problems with coordination and balance, she says. He also has some speech delays, and can only speak a few words and has a difficult time expressing his needs or wants.

For the past few months, Levi has received speech, physical and occupational therapy at TheraTeam Rehab Services in Bryant three days a week. The therapy has helped Levi improve coordination, and his mom says he now tries to say a few more words.

Levi also wears a compression vest, which helps provides a calming effect and helps with sensory issue. Bobbi Bowling describes it creating a hug-type feeling.

Both Levi and Angela are patients at Snell Prosthetic & Orthotic Laboratory in Little Rock. They wear dynamic ankle foot orthoses (DAFO), called Chipmunks, which insert into their shoes.

Angela was born a “high-risk aspiration baby,” her mom says. Her epiglottis, the flap that prevents food from going into the trachea, doesn’t function as it should. So, any liquids, including water, that she consumes must be thickened to the consistency of honey to prevent her from choking, Bobbi Bowling explains.

These conditions have put Angela a little behind on her milestones. The orthotics in her shoes help prop her up to walk, and physical and occupational therapy help to give her “an extra boost with everything,” Bowling says.

Speech therapy is also helping with some of the issues Angela has with the 14 | SAVVY K I DS JANUARY 2014

muscles in her mouth.

The challenges of raising two children with special needs can be overwhelming at times, so Bobbi Bowling says it’s important stay calm, take a deep breath, and step a way, even for just a few seconds. One of the biggest challenges, she says, is Levi’s inability to communicate, which causes him to get frustrated and have tantrums.

There is also a lot of “waiting and watching” associated with Levi’s condition, she says. There’s no way of knowing if, or when, the Chiari malformation will cause problems for him in the future.

Access the Ages & stages Questionnaires at:

MakeTheFirstFiveCount.org

Five Things to Keep in Mind Your child is UNIQUE and develops at his or her own pace.

2 3

Understanding the basics about child development will make you more AWARE of the skills your child should achieve.

Trust your instincts - you know your child best. If something doesn’t feel quite right, SHARE your concerns with your child’s doctor.

Early identification and treatment are key to a bright FUTURE for your child.

d ed d Easter Seals SERVICES.

To find out more about Easter Seals Arkansas services call 501-227-3602, email rmcpherson@eastersealsar.com or visit eastersealsar.com

Lonoke Exceptional Development Center

Building BridgesToward Independence

d Developmental Day Treatment Clinic d Services (Preschool and Adult)

d Early Intervention, Waiver and Outreach

d Occupational, Speech and Physical Therapy

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CARF accreditation signals a service provider’s commitment to continually improving services, encouraging feedback, and serving the community.

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Lonoke

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JANUARY 2014 SAVVY KIDS

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2014 Special

Needs Issue

An Independent Spirit

Haven McCormack has had the chance to represent many of the organizations that have helped her become the outgoing, independent 8-year-old she is today.

McCormack is the 2013 Easter Seals Arkansas Youth Representative, and was the 2011 Children’s Miracle Network Champion Child for Arkansas, and a member of the American Heart Association Survivor Gallery and an Arkansas Children’s Hospital Ambassador in 2009. She has been on billboards for Easter Seals and has had the chance to meet many people and share her story along the way, says her mom, Deana McCormack.

When Haven was born, everything seemed fine, her mom says, but soon after, doctors realized she had pulmonary stenosis with complete blockage, a congenital heart defect, which affected her right ventricle.

A balloon catheter successfully opened the blocked artery when she was three days old. At 11 days old, she had open-heart surgery at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, and a shunt was implanted. When Haven was taken off the ventilator, she coded and doctors performed CPR for 58 minutes to revive her.

For 36 hours, she was placed on an ECMO, a heart and lung machine, and had a G-button, or gastronomy button, put in for feeding and giving her medicine.

Deana McCormack says all of the trauma Haven’s body experienced at such a young age caused several developmental delays in her legs, left arm and mouth.

Haven began attending Easter Seals Arkansas, when she was 14 months old, for physical, occupational and speech therapy, and started preschool there at 4. Now a second-grader at Fulbright Elementary in Little Rock, with As and Bs, Haven continues her therapy at Easter Seals, and also receives therapy at school and has help from a paraprofessional during the day.

Deana McCormack says Haven’s “heart is healed,” and she’s healthy overall but her “body is just a little different.” She doesn’t take any medications for her heart and the shunt was removed when she was 2, but because she has some problems with balance, Haven uses a walker and has an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO).

“She thinks like an age-appropriate person, but her body is not there,” McCormack says. “She can’t walk by herself or dance, but she has her own way of doing it.”

Haven loves to paint, draw and dance, and takes dance classes at Shuffles and Ballet II with a helper. She’s also very strong willed and seeks independence wherever she can find it, her mom says.

“I want Haven to get the most out of life,” Deana McCormack says. “No one knows what she can and can’t do.”

Embracing Achievements Lucas Davis is a happy 3-year-old, who loves playing with cars and the “Toy Story” characters.

His mom, Lacy Davis, describes him as happy, smart, funny and lovable.

Last summer, Lucas was diagnosed with autism, and, since June, has been attending Pathfinder in Jacksonville five days a week for occupational, speech and physical therapy, and preschool. Lacy Davis says this gives her son some muchneeded structure and routine so that Lucas knows what to expect day-to-day.

Davis says Lucas developed typically until he was about 16 | SAVVY K I DS JANUARY 2014

a year old. He had crawled and walked early, and “met every milestone,” she says. But, then he started regressing. Lucas stopped making eye contact and his language development stopped.

“He went into his own little world,” Davis says. “My intuition was that something was going on.”

The lack of eye contact was a “huge red flag,” Davis says. After taking Lucas to his pediatrician, Davis started Lucas in occupation, physical and speech therapy when he was 18 months old.

This early intervention has been a big help to Lucas, and “made a huge difference” in his development, Davis says. She had suspected that he had autism, but didn’t get the official diagnosis until summer 2013.

Since beginning therapy and attending Pathfinder, Lucas’ eye contact has improved, and, while he is not speaking, he is better able to understand others. As his therapy continues, Lucas continues to improve.

“The therapists are amazing,” Davis says. “They love their job and the kids.”

The most difficult aspect of raising a child with autism is Lucas’ inability to communicate what he wants. Davis says he often has tantrums because he gets frustrated with not being able to express himself. She says she feels lucky that Lucas is so affectionate.

Davis strives to help Lucas to learn as much as he can and become as independent as possible. She says they celebrate each of his achievements and never take anything for granted. Seeing him learn something new is most rewarding.

“Those learning moments are so special,” she says. “We embrace every little thing he learns.”

2014 Special

Needs Issue

Overcoming Obstacles Adam Zimmer has always been active and curious, loving to build with Legos and take things apart. He has also always struggled with reading, says his mom, Ashley Edwards.

“He always read slowly, but had phonetic skills so we wondered why he couldn’t read faster,” she explains.

During a parent-teacher conference at the end of second grade last year, Edwards says she was told that her son was having trouble paying attention in class, and that Zimmer needed more help with reading than what his school, Christ the King Catholic School, could provide.

“I was concerned because second grade is when you’re learning to read, and third is when you read to learn,”

Edwards says.

Edwards first took Zimmer to his pediatrician, and then to ACCESS in Little Rock for an evaluation of his reading and attention level, as well as IQ and achievement in all areas, including math and spelling.

Zimmer was diagnosed with dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Last summer, he began academic therapy at ACCESS, which includes reading textbooks on CD to help with fluency, along with using online reading programs, electronic spellers and other tools to help him succeed.

Now, the third-grader is doing much better in reading and spelling, and has improved in every other subject. Zimmer, 9, is now on a second-grade reading level, his mom says. In the future, Edwards hopes her son will be at the reading level for his grade.

Most important, Edwards says, is that her son’s confidence has improved, and he’s more easily motivated. He now enjoys school, and even homework.

“He believes in himself and knows he can do well now,” Edwards says.

Zimmer’s academic therapist from ACCESS visits him at school twice a week, so he can continue the therapy as part of his school day, Edwards says.

Edwards says she wishes Zimmer had been evaluated sooner. Any time parents notice something about their child that is of concern, they should “get it checked out even if (they) don’t think it’s a disability,” she says. And, parents should educate themselves about any diagnosis and talk to other parents in similar situations.

“Go to those who know how to help,” she says. “Your child is not the only one.”

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| 17

2014 Special

Needs Issue

Coping Strategies Parents of children with special needs weigh in on making time for themselves (and others)

By Erica Sweeney When her daughter, Haven, was born with a congenital heart defect that caused developmental delays, Deana McCormack admits that it was a humbling experience and that she was “afraid of the stigma” that comes along with having a child with special needs.

McCormack found comfort in an essay called “Welcome to Holland,” written by Emily Perl Kingsley in 1987.

In the essay, Kingsley, the mother of a son with Down syndrome, creates a metaphor to explain what having a child with special needs is like. She compares having a baby to planning a trip to Italy, but several hours into the flight, a flight attendant announces that the plane touched down in Holland. While this is a change in plans, the narrator comes to realize all the wonderful things about Holland.

“But if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things about Holland,” the last line reads.

Most parents of children with special needs, like McCormack, would agree that the experience brings many ups and downs. The parents we talked to all admit that, while things can be difficult at times, they have learned much from their children.

Tricia Ambeau, whose 2-year-old daughter, Emmalin, has Down syndrome, started Precious Baby Ministries and a website (www.3of21.com) to help other parents in similar situations. The Ambeaus did not know that Emmalin had Down’s until she was born, and Tricia Ambeau said the support from other parents has been immeasurable.

“It’s a scary place to be,” but, she explains, “You see the world through a more compassionate set of eyes.”

Robin Unwer, whose 3-year-old son, Keagan Provost, has had brain cancer twice, agrees. Staying strong for her son is her No. 1 priority.

“Until it’s your child, you have no idea,” she said. “You never know how strong you are until you have to be for your little boy. The stronger you are, the stronger it makes them. Your child is worth everything.”

Seeking out support is essential to balancing the demands of parenting a child with special needs. Whether it is church groups, family, friends or other parents, having somewhere to turn is important.

Through Precious Baby Ministries, Ambeau dedicates time to help other families who are at the hospital with their child. She brings dinner to families and sits with their little ones while they take a minute to step away. She said she remembers how much these small deeds have helped her.

Trusting someone else to take care of the child is also important. McCormack said many parents are reluctant to leave their child with special needs with anyone else, but it’s essential to take breaks.

“Say ‘yes’ to help. You can’t do it all on your own,” she said. “And, don’t feel guilty. You have to trust that they’ll be OK without you. That’s partly your ego.”

Finding an outlet for some “me” time is an important coping strategy for parents with special needs.

Lacy Davis says she tries to take one day off of work each month to do something for herself. Her son, Lucas, was diagnosed with autism earlier this year. And, Bobbi Bowling, who has two small children with special needs, said she enjoys going to the gym and socializing with other adults. Sometimes, even just stepping outside for a minute is therapeutic, she says.

When her son was in the hospital for two months, Unwer never left his side. She said putting on her makeup each morning was the one thing that kept her “feeling normal.”

“You have to keep up some type of normalcy,” she said. “You have to have one thing for taking care of yourself.”

Parental Advice

Here are a few tidbits of advice from parents of children with special needs.

DON’T TAKE “NO” FOR AN ANSWER. Robin Unwer says parents should always ask questions of medical professionals, especially if something doesn’t add up. When her son, Keagan Provost, was diagnosed with brain cancer, she said doctors first thought it was an ear infection, but she knew something more was wrong.

TALK TO THERAPISTS. Bobbi Bowling, who has two small children with special needs, said therapists can provide a wealth of information. They can also give parents tips for working with their children at home.

USE CARINGBRIDGE.ORG TO COMMUNICATE WITH FAMILY MEMBERS. Unwer said when her son was in the hospital, talking to family and friends about her son’s condition could be stressful. This site is an online journal, which allows people to post updates for everyone involved to see.

WORK EXTRA HARD TO TREAT SIBLINGS EQUALLY. Deana McCormack said it’s important that parents ensure that all children in a family are treated the same. Her younger daughter, Haven, was born with a congenital heart defect and has developmental delays. She said siblings of special needs children can often feel left out.

18 | SAVVY K I DS JANUARY 2014

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| 19

2014 Special

Needs Issue

Special Needs, Special Costs Where to find help paying for services for children with disabilities

By Jennifer Barnett Reed

Raising a child is an expensive undertaking no matter what. But for a child with special needs, the price tag can jump astronomically.

Fortunately, government programs can pick up most if not all the cost for providing special education, therapeutic and medical services for children with more pronounced disabilities and developmental delays. Resources also exist for families whose children have milder needs, though they often wind up bearing much of the cost themselves.

FIRST CONNECTIONS The first call parents should make when they know or suspect their child has a disability or delay is to a state early intervention program called First Connections, said Traci Harris, assistant director of children’s services for the Department of Human Services’ Division of Developmental Disabilities Services. First Connections helps families of children from birth through age 3 navigate the process of figuring out what services their child needs, where they can get those services, and what financial assistance they’re eligible for.

(After age 3, a child would transition to the Arkansas Department of Education, which works with local cooperatives and programs such as Pathfinder to provide services for children ages 3 through 5, Harris said.)

To be eligible for First Connections, a child must have a delay of 25 percent or more in at least one area of development, or have a medical diagnosis — such as Down syndrome — that has high likelihood of resulting in a developmental delay. Little Rock mom Dorothy Graves learned about the program from staff at Arkansas Children’s Hospital after her son, Ari, was diagnosed with Down syndrome soon after his birth in May 2013. She called, and a representative met with Graves and her husband, Sean, at their house to talk about what kinds of services are available and what the state will pay for.

20 | SAVVY K I DS JANUARY 2014

TEFRA One of the main sources of financial assistance for parents of children with disabilities is called TEFRA (named for the bill that created it, the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982). TEFRA is a category of Medicaid, but eligibility is based on the child’s disability status, not parents’ income — although parents who are not low-income must pay a monthly premium based on a sliding scale. The goal of TEFRA is to allow children with disabilities to be cared for at home rather than in institutions. To qualify for TEFRA, a child must meet the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) definition of disability and must meet the medical-necessity requirement for institutional care.

“A lot of people who are middle class think they’re too wealthy for TEFRA,” said Becca Green, director of marketing and communications for Access, which offers full-time education, outpatient therapy, diagnostic services, training and activities for children who have learning disabilities, autism, ADD/ ADHD, feeding disorders and other challenges. “But it’s based on disability, not income.”

Ari Graves has physical therapy and developmental therapy once a week, and TEFRA pays for what his mother’s employer-sponsored insurance won’t cover. And that’s a lot, given that private insurance plans typically limit the number of therapy visits they will pay for.

“I can’t imagine if we were having to rely on private insurance,” Graves said.

“We’d be losing access or paying through the nose in a really short period of time.”

Private insurance also doesn’t cover more intensive programs like Helping Hand’s developmental preschool, said Ashley Minchew, the preschool’s director.

All of the preschool’s students receive regular Medicaid or TEFRA, she said.

Still, the state’s assistance programs do include incentives for parents to maintain private insurance on their children. If, for instance, Graves took her

son off her insurance policy, he would lose his TEFRA benefits for six months.

Another state program called AR-HIPT will pay all or part of a special needs child’s premium on an employer-sponsored private insurance premium.

“They recognize it’s cheaper to keep him on private insurance,” Graves said.

TEFRA covers medical costs through age 19 and developmental education costs — including full-time developmental day care at facilities such as Helping Hand and the Allen School — through age 5, when a child would typically transition to the local public school system for educational services.

OTHER SERVICES AND SUPPORTS Not all children with developmental disabilities and delays meet the federal definition of disabled used by TEFRA. The regular state Medicaid program will pay for special center-based services for children who have a significant delay of 25 percent or more in at least two areas — physical (including hearing and vision), cognitive/communication; social and emotional; and adaptive skills.

In a center-based program, children typically attend all day, just like a traditional daycare, and receive specialized therapy over the course of their day.

It can be much harder for parents of children with less significant developmental delays to get help paying for their children’s special services, Green said. That’s especially true if they’re between preschool and adulthood.

Because children in this category are generally expected to receive special education services through their school, there isn’t as much government money directed to programs for them.

Access does its own fundraising to offset the cost of tuition for students in its full-time private school, and about a third of students receive some kind of assistance with the $7,750 annual tuition, Green said.

One source of assistance that parents often don’t think about is the public school system, Green said. The federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires schools to provide special-needs students with necessary services, which can include developmental therapy.

“A lot of people who call us may not understand or realize that they have some access to those services” through public schools, Green said. Public school districts often contract with agencies like Access to provide occupational, physical and speech therapy and other services to individual students, she said.

Graves said that so far, she and her husband have not had any problems getting the services their son needs — but she knows that’s at least partly because he has a very clear-cut diagnosis.

“There’s no question of him qualifying for TEFRA,” she said. “We don’t have to prove ourselves on a regular basis. That’s a big deal for some families that deal with disabilities.”

Jennifer Barnett Reed is a freelance writer and Little Rock native. She and her husband have two children, Jack and Georgia.

Resources for Families First Connections 1-800-643-8258 www.humanservices.arkansas.gov/ddds TEFRA (501) 682-8473 www.humanservices.arkansas.gov/ddds Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) www.idea.ed.gov

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| 21

2014 Special

Needs Issue

Preserving & Protecting Ways to manage parental rights of special needs children

By Brooke Moore Parents of special needs children should be aware that there are various legal issues affecting the rights and welfare of their children that must be considered. These considerations range from parental rights to managing your child’s affairs to your child’s right to public benefits. Learning how to assist your child and to properly manage his or her funds is essential to preserving and protecting your child’s best interest and access to present and future public benefits.

As parents, we have complete control over the affairs of our children to manage as we deem in their best interests; however, these parental rights terminate upon the child reaching age 18. Failing to prepare for this will impact a parent’s ability to manage their child’s personal and financial affairs, interfere with a parent’s decision-making ability pertaining to medical care and restrict access to your child’s information.

Guardianship If your child is unable to manage his or her personal or financial affairs, you can and should petition the court to be appointed as a guardian for your child.

In order to serve as a guardian in Arkansas, you must be at least 18 years old, of sound mind and not have an unpardoned felony. Depending on the situation, which determines the scope of your authority, you can be appointed as guardian of your child’s person, estate or both. As a guardian, you will have legal authority to make decisions about your child’s personal and medical care, assets or both.

In order for guardianship to be granted, parents must prove that the child does not have the mental capacity to make competent decisions about his or her affairs and that your appointment as guardian is in the child’s best interest. The process of petitioning for guardianship requires filing legal documents, along with a statement from the child’s attending physician(s) certifying that the child cannot manage himself or his affairs. There will then be an adjudication declaring the child legally incapacitated and subsequently numerous duties will be imposed upon the parent as guardian.

Wills, Trusts and Public Benefits Often parents of special needs children err in saving or creating funds for their children in the form of gifts, devises by will and supporting trusts.

However, such distributions can actually interfere with a child’s ability to obtain their entitled public benefits. Some of these benefits include Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability (SSD).

For instance, a child may be devised money from a relative. If this money is not properly directed or disposed of, the child can be penalized or denied benefits because of that asset. In order to preserve a child’s right to these public benefits, consider establishing a “special needs trust” for his or her benefit.

As a parent or guardian, you may establish the trust and be appointed as trustee to manage the trust or have someone else named as trustee. The purpose of the special needs trust is to serve as a supplement to the public benefits received by your child. Assuming your child is eligible for public benefits, creating this type of trust protects the money and/or property set aside in the trust and also protects your child’s right to those public benefits from penalty or denial resulting from an outright distribution of assets to the child.

If your child does receive an outright distribution, as in the preceding 22 | SAVVY K I DS JANUARY 2014

example of a devise by a relative’s Last Will and Testament, it is possible for a court to reform that Last Will and Testament to place the funds in a special needs trust in order to preserve the child’s public benefit eligibility. Gifts made to and settlements received by your child may also be used to fund the trust.

By establishing a special needs trust your child’s right to public benefits will be protected while simultaneously benefitting from the assets of the trust and will enhance his or her quality of life.

Brooke Moore is the owner of Law Office of K. Brooke Moore, providing statewide services primarily in the areas of Medicaid and Veterans benefits. She is a 2013 graduate of the Arkansas Bar Association leadership academy, currently serves the Bar’s Young Lawyers section as editor-in-chief of the In Brief newsletter and is an at-large member of the Executive Council. Brooke lives in Sherwood with her husband, Adam, and their children, Parker, Brodie and Kinlee.

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| 23

2014 Special Needs

RESOURCE GUIDE The 2014 Special Needs Resource Guide is an essential reference for many of the most important services and supports available to children with disabilities, illness and other special needs, as well as their families. We’ve covered ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER ACCESS 10618 Breckenridge Drive, Little Rock (501) 217-8600 www.ACCESSGroupInc.org Attention-Deficit Disorder (ADD)/ Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Clinic at Dennis Developmental Center 1301 Wolfe St., Little Rock (501) 364-1830 www.UAMS.edu/DDC Learning RX 1900 Aldersgate Road, Little Rock (501) 223-9500 www.LearningRX.com/little-rock ADVOCACY Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families 1400 W. Markham, Suite 306, Little Rock (501) 371-9678 www.ARAdvocates.org Arkansas Disability Coalition 1501 N. University Ave., Suite 268, Little Rock (800) 223-1330 www.ADCPTI.org 24 | SAVVY K I DS JANUARY 2014

Disability Rights Center of Arkansas 1100 N. University Ave., Suite 101, Little Rock (501) 296-1775 www.ArkDisabilityRights.org National Alliance on Mental Health, Arkansas Chapter 1012 Autumn Road, Suite 1, Little Rock (501) 661-1548 www.namiarkansas.org AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS ACCESS 10618 Breckenridge Drive, Little Rock (501) 217-8600 www.ACCESSGroupInc.org Allied Therapy & Consulting Services, P.A. 1500 Wilson Loop Road, Ward (501) 941-5630 201 Country Club Road, Sherwood (501) 834-0437 www.allied-therapy.com/ Arkansas Autism Resource and Outreach Center 2001 Pershing Circle, Suite 300, North Little Rock (501) 682-2209 www.aaroc.org

categories, including autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, learning disabilities and visual and hearing impairments. There’s also a listing of recreational programs for children with special needs.

Arkansas Children’s Hospital Autism Multi-Specialty Clinic 1 Children’s Way, Little Rock (501) 364-4000 www.ARChildrens.org Arkansas Children’s Hospital Neurodevelopmental and Neurobehavioral Clinic 1 Children’s Way, Little Rock (501) 364-4000 www.ARChildrens.org Autism Resource Center of Arkansas 2740 College Ave., Conway (501) 733-1627 www.CommunityConnectionsAR.org Autism Spectrum Disorders Clinic at Dennis Developmental Center 1301 Wolfe St., Little Rock (501) 364-1830 www.UAMS.edu/DDC Easter Seals Outreach Program 3724 Woodland Heights Road, Little Rock (501) 227-3770 www.eastersealsar.com Helping Hand Children’s Center 4901 Northshore Drive, North Little Rock (501) 791-3331 www.helpinghandcc.com

DENTAL Arkansas Children’s Hospital Dental Clinic 1 Children’s Way, Little Rock (501) 364-1816 www.ARChildrens.org

United Cerebral Palsy of Arkansas 9720 N. Rodney Parham Road, Little Rock (501) 224-6067 www.UCPArk.org

DISABILITY GROUPS Arthritis Foundation, Southeast Region 10 Corporate Hill Dr., Ste. 340, Little Rock (501) 664-7242 www.arthritis.org/arkansas

EDUCATION Academy at Riverdale 1600 Riverfront Drive, Little Rock (501) 663-6965 www.academyatriverdale.com

Helping Hand Children’s Center 4901 Northshore Drive, North Little Rock (501) 791-3331 www.helpinghandcc.com Learning Disabilities Association of Arkansas P.O. Box 23514, Little Rock (501) 666-8777 www.LDarkansas.org Muscular Dystrophy Association, Central Arkansas Chapter 204 Executive Court, Suite 208, Little Rock (501) 227-7098 www.MDA.org

ACCESS Schools 10618 Breckenridge Drive, Little Rock (501) 217-8600 www.ACCESSGroupInc.org All Children’s Academy 12410 Cantrell Rd., Suite 200, Little Rock (501) 224-1418 www.allchildrensacademy.org The Allen School 824 N. Tyler St., Little Rock (501) 664-2961 www.TheAllenSchool.org Arkansas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired 2600 West Markham St., Little Rock (501) 296-1810 www.ArkansasSchoolfortheBlind.org

Butterfly Learning Center 9720 N. Rodney Parham Road, Little Rock (501) 228-3868 www.ucpark.org Dyslexia Project 2740 College Ave., Conway (501) 428-1739 www.CommunityConnectionsAR.org Easter Seals Arkansas A Child’s Place Preschool 3920 Woodland Heights Road, Little Rock (501) 227-3602 www.eastersealsar.com Helping Hand Children’s Center 4901 Northshore Drive, North Little Rock (501) 791-3331 www.helpinghandcc.com Integrity Inc. 6124 Northmoor, Little Rock (501) 614-7200 www.integrityinc.org Lonoke Exceptional Development Center 518 NE Front St., Lonoke 207 Plaza Blvd., Cabot (501) 676-2786 www.lonokeexceptional.org Pathfinder Preschool (6 weeks - 5 years old) 2615 W. Main St., Jacksonville (501) 982-0528, ext. 1400 www.Pathfinderinc.org

Pathfinder Charles Bussey (6 weeks - 5 years old) 1410 West Main, Little Rock (501) 375-7811 Pathfinder Academy (Grades 6-9) (Service for Children with Autism) 2611 West Main St., Jacksonville (501) 982-0528, ext. 1500 Pediatrics Plus Therapy Services & Developmental Preschool 2740 College Ave., Conway (501) 329-5459 1900 Aldersgate Road, Little Rock (501) 821.5459 www.pediatricsplus.com Sammie Gail Sanders Children’s Learning Center 1300 W. 18th Street, North Little Rock (501) 907-5716 www.aeddinc.org

EVALUATION/ASSESSMENT ACCESS Evaluation and Resource Center 10618 Breckenridge Drive, Little Rock (501) 217-8600 www.ACCESSGroupInc.org Allied Therapy & Consulting Services, P.A. 1500 Wilson Loop Road, Ward (501) 941-5630 201 Country Club Road, Sherwood (501) 834-0437 www.allied-therapy.com Arkansas Neuropsychology and Behavioral Health 1701 Centerview Drive, Suite 123, Little Rock (501) 537-1388 www.andrewsneuropsychology.com Dennis Developmental Center 1301 Wolfe St., Little Rock (501) 364-1830 www.UAMS.edu/DDC Easter Seals Arkansas Outpatient Children’s Services 3920 Woodland Heights Road, Little Rock (501) 227-3602 www.eastersealsar.com Easter Seals Outreach Program 3724 Woodland Heights Road, Little Rock (501) 227-3770 www.eastersealsar.com Technology and Curriculum Access Center at Easter Seals 3920 Woodland Heights Road, Little Rock (501) 227-3610 www.eastersealsar.com INSURANCE ARKids First (888) 474-8275 www.ARKidsFirst.com Arkansas Community Care 10025 W. Markham Street, Little Rock (501) 223-9088 www.ArkansasCommunityCare.com LEARNING DISABILITIES ACCESS Schools 10618 Breckenridge Drive, Little Rock (501) 217-8600 www.ACCESSGroupInc.org

Allied Therapy & Consulting Services, P.A. 1500 Wilson Loop Road, Ward (501) 941-5630 201 Country Club Road, Sherwood (501) 834-0437 www.allied-therapy.com/

Rivendell Behavioral Health Services 100 Rivendell Drive, Benton (501) 316-1255 www.RivendellofArkansas.com

Learning Disabilities Clinic at Dennis Developmental Center 1301 Wolfe St., Little Rock (501) 364-1830 www.UAMS.edu/DDC

NUTRITION Arkansas Children’s Hospital Eating Disorder Clinic – Child and Adolescent 16101 Cantrell Road, Ste. 114, Little Rock (501) 364-8957 www.ARChildrens.org

Learning RX 1900 Aldersgate Road, Little Rock (501) 223-9500 www.LearningRX.com/little-rock

Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center (Research) 15 Children’s Way, Little Rock (501) 364-3309 http://acnc.uamsweb.com/

LEGAL SERVICES Arkansas Special Education Law Firm 10515 W. Markham, Ste. H-9, Little Rock (501) 823-0550 www.arkspedlaw.com

Feeding Disorders Clinic at Dennis Developmental Center 1301 Wolfe St., Little Rock (501) 364-1830 www.UAMS.edu/DDC

MEDICAL Arkansas Children’s Hospital 1 Children’s Way, Little Rock (501) 364-1100 www.ARChildrens.org Arkansas Epilepsy Program 2 Lile Court, Suite 100, Little Rock (501) 227-5061 www.ArkansasEpilepsy.com Pediatric Neuropsychology Clinic at Dennis Developmental Center 1301 Wolfe St., Little Rock (501) 364-1830 www.UAMS.edu/DDC Snell Prosthetic & Orthotic Laboratory 625 N. University, Little Rock (501) 664-2624 www.SnellPandO.com MENTAL HEALTH Bridgeway 21 Bridgeway Road, North Little Rock (501) 771-1500 www.TheBridgeWay.com Methodist Family Health 1600 Aldersgate Road, Little Rock (501) 661-0720 www.MethodistFamily.org Pinnacle Pointe Behavioral Healthcare 11501 Financial Center Parkway, Little Rock (800) 880-3322 www.PinnaclePointeHospital.com

RECREATION Acts Jr. (501) 733-1627 www.CommunityConnectionsAR.org Camp Aldersgate 2000 Aldersgate Road, Little Rock (501) 225-1444 www.CampAldersgate.net Community Connections 2740 College Ave., Conway (501) 733-1627 www.CommunityConnectionsAR.org Easter Seals Arkansas A.R.T. (Artistic Realization Technologies) 14901 Cantrell Road, Little Rock (501) 227-3700 www.eastersealsar.com First Tee (501) 733-1627 www.CommunityConnectionsAR.org Freedom Reins 17706 Interstate 30, Suite 3, Benton (501) 315-4414 www.KidSourceTherapy.com I Can! Arts and Resource Center 1040 Angel Court, Little Rock (501) 329-5459 www. CommunityConnectionsAR.org Little Rock Parks & Recreation – Therapeutic Recreation Division 7201 Dahlia Drive, Little Rock (501) 570-1131 www.LittleRock.org/ ParksRecreation/

Martial Arts (501) 733-1627 www. CommunityConnectionsAR.org Miracle League of Arkansas 2500 Cantrell Road, Little Rock (501) 940-3405 www.MiracleLeagueAR.com My Art (501) 733-1627 www. CommunityConnectionsAR.org My Music (501) 733-1627 www. CommunityConnectionsAR.org Rivals United Football League (501) 733-1627 www.CommunityConnectionsAR.org Showstoppers Cheerleading (501) 733-1627 www. CommunityConnectionsAR.org Special Olympics Arkansas 2115 Main Street, North Little Rock (501) 771-0222 www.SpecialOlympicsArkansas.org TOP Soccer (501) 733-1627 www. CommunityConnectionsAR.org RESIDENTIAL SERVICES Easter Seals Children’s Rehabilitation Program 3818 Woodland Heights Road, Little Rock (501) 219-4000 www.eastersealsar.com Independent Living Services 615 E. Robins St., Conway (501) 327-5234 www.IndLiving.org SPEECH AND HEARING ACCESS 10618 Breckenridge Drive, Little Rock (501) 217-8600 www.ACCESSGroupInc.org Affiliated Audiology Center 10310 W. Markham St., Suite 207, Little Rock (501) 224-6910 www.AACAudiology.com Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Audiology Department 1 Children’s Way, Little Rock (501) 364-4000 www.ArChildrens.org Arkansas Department of Health, Infant Hearing Program 4815 W. Markham St., Slot 20, Little Rock (501) 280-4740 www.ArHealthyHearing.com JANUARY 2014 SAVVY KIDS

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2014 Special

Needs

RESOURCE GUIDE Arkansas Relay Services 900 S. Shackleford Road, Little Rock (501) 221-1285 www.ArkansasRelay.com Arkansas School for the Deaf PO Box 3811, Little Rock (501) 324-9506 www.ARSchoolfortheDeaf.org Easter Seals Arkansas Outpatient Children’s Services 3920 Woodland Heights Road, Little Rock (501) 227-3602 www.eastersealsar.com Helping Hand Children’s Center 4901 Northshore Drive, North Little Rock (501) 791-3331 www.helpinghandcc.com Little Rock Audiology 500 S. University Ave., Suite 405, Little Rock (501) 664-5511 www.littlerockaudiology.com Saline Audiology 5 Medical Park Dr., Benton (501) 778-3868 www.salineaudiology.com Speech/Language Pathology Services at Dennis Developmental Center 1301 Wolfe St., Little Rock (501) 364-1830 www.UAMS.edu/DDC UALR Speech and Hearing Clinic 5820 Asher Ave., Suite 600, Little Rock (501) 569-3155 www.UAMS.edu/chrp/ audiospeech SUPPORT SERVICES Allied Therapy & Consulting Services, P.A. 1500 Wilson Loop Road, Ward (501) 941-5630 201 Country Club Road, Sherwood (501) 834-0437 www.allied-therapy.com/ American Childhood Cancer Organization of Arkansas P.O. Box 3854, Little Rock (501) 376-4567 www.acco.org/arkansas/ The Arc Arkansas 2004 S. Main St., Little Rock (501) 375-7770 www.ArkArc.org 26 | SAVVY K I DS JANUARY 2014

Arkansas Department of Human Services, Division of Developmental Disabilities Services PO Box 1437, Slot N-501, Little Rock (501) 682-8678 www.State.ar.us/dhs/ddds Arkansas Department of Rehabilitation Services 525 W. Capitol, Little Rock (501) 296-1600 www.ARSinfo.org Arkansas Down Syndrome Association 9800 Vinson Court, Little Rock (501) 223-3696 www.ARDownSyndrome.org Arkansas Governor’s Developmental Disabilities Council 5800 W. 10th Street, Suite 805, Little Rock (501) 661-2589 www.DDCouncil.org Brain Injury Alliance of Arkansas 1000 S. Main St., Little Rock (866) 610-4841 www.bia-ar.org CARTI 4 St. Vincent Circle, Little Rock (501) 664-8573 www.CARTI.com Centers for Youth and Families 5905 Forest Place, Suite 200, Little Rock (501) 666-8686 www.CentersforYouthandFamilies.org Community Connections 2740 College Ave., Conway (501) 733-1627 www.CommunityConnectionsAR.org Coping with Chronic Illness at Dennis Developmental Center 1301 Wolfe St., Little Rock (501) 364-1830 www.UAMS.edu/DDC

Friendship Community Care 920 N. University Drive, Russellville (479) 967-2322 www.FriendshipCommunityCare.org

Arkansas Children’s Hospital Department of Rehabilitation 1 Children’s Way, Little Rock (501) 364-1192 www.ARChildrens.org

Onsite Therapies, Inc. 400 Natural Resources Drive, Little Rock (501) 687-2000 www.OnsiteTherapies.net

Increasing Capabilities Access Network 525 W. Capitol, Little Rock (501) 666-8868 www.AR-ICAN.org

Arkansas Neuropsychology and Behavioral Health 1701 Centerview Drive, Suite 123, Little Rock (501) 537-1388 www.andrewsneuropsychology.com

Pediatrics Plus Therapy Services 2400 Crestwood, Ste. 107, North Little Rock (501) 753-5459 www.pediatricsplus.com

Independent Case Management 13310 Kanis Road, Little Rock (501) 228-0063 www.icm-inc.org Integrity Inc. 6124 Northmoor, Little Rock (501) 614-7200 www.integrityinc.org Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation – Greater Arkansas Chapter 11324 Arcade Drive, Suite 16, Little Rock (501) 217-0321 www.JDRF.org/GreaterArkansas March of Dimes 1501 N. Pierce Street, Suite 106, Little Rock (501) 663-3100 www.MarchofDimes.com/ Arkansas Medical Crisis and Loss Clinic at Dennis Developmental Center 1301 Wolfe St., Little Rock (501) 364-1830 www.ARChildrens.org/Services/ Center-for-Good-Mourning/GoodMourning-Resources/FamilyCounseling.aspx Technology and Curriculum Access Center at Easter Seals 3920 Woodland Heights Road, Little Rock (501) 227-3610 www.eastersealsar.com THERAPY ACCESS 10618 Breckenridge Drive, Little Rock (501) 217-8600 www.ACCESSGroupInc.org

Easter Seals Outreach Program 3724 Woodland Heights Road, Little Rock (501) 227-3770 www.eastersealsar.com

All Children’s Therapy 46 Bouresse Circle, Little Rock (501) 868-1212 www.AllChildrensTherapy.org

Epilepsy Education Association 701 Autumnbrook Circle, Sherwood (501) 454-9950 www.EpilepsyArkansas.com

Allied Therapy & Consulting Services, P.A. 1500 Wilson Loop Road, Ward (501) 941-5630 201 Country Club Road, Sherwood (501) 834-0437 www.allied-therapy.com/

Ascent Children’s Health Services 3214 Winchester Drive, Benton (501) 326-6160 4107 Richards Road, North Little Rock (501) 955-2220 www.AscentCHS.com Beyond Boundaries 2195 Peyton St., Ward (501) 941-1522 www.beyondboundariesar.com Pathfinder Charles A. Bussey Child Development Center (6 weeks to 5 years old) 1410 W. Main St., Little Rock (501) 375-7811 http://www.pathfinderinc.org/litlrok.htm Easter Seals Arkansas Outpatient Children’s Services 3920 Woodland Heights Road, Little Rock (501) 227-3602 www.eastersealsar.com First Step, Inc. 407 Carson Street, Hot Springs (501) 624-6468 www.FirstStepArkansas.com Helping Hand Children’s Center 4901 Northshore Drive, North Little Rock (501) 791-3331 www.helpinghandcc.com Hearts & Hooves 2308 Kellogg Acres Road, Sherwood (501) 834-8509 www.HeartsandHooves.com Helping Hand Children’s Center 4901 Northshore Drive, North Little Rock (501) 791-3331 www.HelpingHandCC.com Independent Living Services 615 E. Robins St., Conway (501) 327-5234 www.IndLiving.org KIDSource Therapy 300 S. Rodney Parham, Little Rock 1721 Martin Luther King Blvd. Ste J, Malvern (501) 315-4414 www.KidSourceTherapy.com

Pediatrics Plus Therapy Services & Developmental Preschool 2740 College Ave., Conway (501) 329-5459 1900 Aldersgate Road, Little Rock (501) 821.5459 www.pediatricsplus.com SAFE (Sensory And Feeding Enrichment) Center 17706 I-30, Ste 3, Benton (501) 315-4414 Social Behavior at Dennis Developmental Center 1301 Wolfe St., Little Rock (501) 364-1830 www.UAMS.edu/DDC Therapy 4 Kids 306 Salem, Conway (501) 514-3722 Hwy 65, Greenbrier (501) 581-6045 www.therapy4kids.net TheraTeam Rehab Services 2305 Springhill Road, Bryant (501) 847-2555 Timber Ridge Ranch NeuroRestorative Services 15000 Hwy. 298, Benton (800) 697-5350 www.NeuroRestorative.com VISUAL IMPAIRMENT Arkansas Children’s Hospital Eye Clinic 1 Children’s Way, Little Rock (501) 364-1150 www.ARChildrens.org Arkansas Department of Human Services, Division of Services for the Blind PO Box 3237, Little Rock (501) 682-5463 www.Arkansas.gov/dhs/dsb/ Arkansas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired 2600 West Markham St., Little Rock (501) 296-1810 www.ArkansasSchoolfortheBlind.org Lions World Services for the Blind 2811 Fair Park Blvd., Little Rock (501) 664-7100 www.LWSB.org

Entertainment.

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| 27

Life is busy. So make sure you slow things down on a regular basis and just enjoy being a family. As kids grow up, everyone can seem pulled in utterly different directions. You may even find yourself thinking that you liked your kids better before they had the ability to leave you at will.

But never fear. Here are 10 remedies that will keep your relations relating even while everyone evolves along individual lines:

1. CREATE A FAMILY ALTAR. Use a large hutch, buffet or fireplace mantel as the main display area for a well-blended

BONDING TIME:

10

EASY WAYS TO BRING YOUR FAMILY BACK TOGETHER

By Christina Katz

family. Find words that describe your family values or blocks with sweet sayings on them. Add photos of each person that really show their personality. Ask each member to contribute one or two personal items that may seem quirky separately but when combined together perfectly capture the spirit of your clan.

2. EAT DINNER TOGETHER. When my daughter Samantha was little, she wrote us a note of protest after one night when we did not all sit down to dinner together. It said, quite simply, “We hav to eat togther.” Today, when I’m tempted to skip a formal sit-down dinner due to busy schedules, I remember her note and set the table anyway or ask her to do it. If she complains, I simply quote her back to herself.

3. PLAY GAMES. Sunday afternoons are just as perfect for game night as they ever were. But if you are having trouble gathering your kids to all be home at the same time every other week, you might need to make family game night a mandatory family event. Sure, you’ll hear some reluctant grumbling before the games begin. But once you settle in and start having fun, you’ll be so glad you insisted—and so will your kids.

4. CREATE A SHARED WORKSPACE. Surely you have a space in your home that is underutilized. Be it the dining room, the laundry room or an extra bedroom, it’s easy to convert this space into a shared work space where the whole family can convene instead of scattering to every corner. Simply add a large table (a folding table is fine), ample places to dock and charge electronics, office supplies, a pencil sharpener and a printer and voila! This instant family office is a great place to have your family meetings or collaborate on projects.

5. PUT MUSIC ON WHILE YOU DO THE DISHES OR CHORES. You have seen The Big Chill, right? Then surely you remember the dish-washing scene. You can either be the type of family that says quit-your-grousing-and-do-your-chores, which makes everyone sullen and pokey. Or you can be the type of family that makes chores fun and silly.

Sometimes the difference is as simple and easy as turning on the radio to a station that plays oldies.

6. TAKE A FAMILY WALK. Grab the dogs, the leashes and a couple of water bottles and get the heck out of dodge.

Go just go far enough away from home to walk without interruption from friendly neighbors and just stroll.

Don’t bring up any difficult topics, don’t confront anyone about unacceptable behavior, just take your family for a walk and leave your collective worries in the dust.

7. TREAT EVERYONE TO DINNER. Let this be a surprise even if it’s just the local burger or teriyaki joint. If you plan dinner out in advance, don’t tell everyone you have a consensus—it was an awful, terrible, rotten day. Then do you best imitation of the dad in A Christmas Story when he says, “All right, get dressed. We are going out to eat!” And watch those frowns turn upside down.

8. CELEBRATE THE SMALL STUFF. Don’t wait for birthdays and anniversaries to celebrate each other. Try to recognize one person in the family every week. Was someone selected for the school play? Maybe someone else got to play for the varsity team. Maybe mom got elected to a position in the PTA. When it’s a big enough deal, head out for ice cream or bring home bakery cupcakes. And don’t forget, you can stick a birthday candle in just about anything.

9. HAVE AN END-OF-DAY RITUAL. Our family enjoys reading a book from a book series out loud before bed. But make yours whatever your family finds relaxing and enjoyable, so everyone can drift off to sleep with a smile.

Whether it’s a quick game of “Highs & Lows,” sharing a story from the day or just tucking in and kissing goodnight, end on a consistent happy note no matter what the day was like.

10. HAVE A DO-NOTHING DAY OF REST. Stay in your jammies until noon on a Sunday morning. Cook a big messy breakfast. Grab the paper and some donuts or bagels. Watch a movie in the middle of the day with fresh popcorn. Don’t bother cleaning up until the 11th hour. Just enjoy the splendid imperfection of being the family you are right now, happy and relaxing together.

Christina Katz loves nothing better that relaxing deeply with the people she loves most so everyone can reboot and reconnect. She often wins at games of luck and is not afraid to crow about it.

28 | SAVVY K I DS JANUARY 2014

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| 29

Eats & treats

Mealtime

ENJOY THE HEALTHIER SIDE OF

By Daniel Walker

We’ve all been here before—you lay out a wonderful, well-planned, colorful meal for your young ones. A plate filled with fruits, vegetables, grains—healthy, wholesome foods—things to make your little tots grow up strong and fit. But…they won’t touch a thing. “I want cookies,” you might hear. “I want French fries!” You feel defeated; you’re doing your best to provide your child with nutritious meals, but we can all attest that this is no simple task. But it is possible to help your kids appreciate and even enjoy wholesome foods.

Here are five tips to help your youngsters enjoy the healthier side of mealtime.

1. Little Kitchen Helpers Get your kids involved in the kitchen.

Allow them to participate in the preparation of the meal to the best of their ability. Stirring a pot of soup, chopping vegetables, cutting apple slices or just washing fruit—the more they can contribute, the more they will want to partake in what they’ve prepared. They’ll be excited to taste the fruits of their labor. Simply planning and eating the majority of your meals at home, with some actual cooking and prep work required, generally provides healthier meals than fast food or quick microwave dinners.

2. Little Dippers Getting your kids to enjoy their vegetables—especially raw veggies—can be one of the biggest

challenges for a parent striving to provide healthy foods. Try providing your kids with any number of dipping sauces to help them get used to the flavor of raw vegetables. A small spoon of ranch dressing helps a plateful of baby carrots go down much smoother. Celery, cucumbers, tomatoes—all these are more favorably accepted with a dollop of tasty dip.

Try lo-fat ranch, thousand island or Italian dressings. Even ketchup, barbecue sauce or salsa can improve the flavor of some of your kids’ worst veggie enemies.

3. Grow It Yourself When the weather is favorable, plant a garden. Your kids will love assisting in the planting process. Engage them in the watering and tending of the plants as they grow. They’ll be anxious to eat those tomatoes they took part in producing. Even a small home herb garden can get kids interested in cooking and using their own healthy ingredients in their food.

4. Children’s Choice Allow your children to make choices in what they eat. Of course, if faced with a candy bar and a celery stick, there’s probably no way the little green guy will come out on top. But allow your kids to choose from a number of healthy options throughout the day or as you’re packing their lunch. Banana vs. apple? Wheat toast vs. pita? Corn-on-the cob or baked potato. Giving kids a choice allows them to feel like their opinions and preferences are respected.

5. Look Out When Eating Out Sometimes, despite all your veggie-loving efforts, you’re just going to have to eat out. It happens to the best of us, I assure you. Don’t fret, all is not lost. Most restaurants today—including fast food joints—understand that parents want healthier options for their kids. Don’t be afraid to choose more nutritious options. The apple slices instead of the ice cream, the yogurt over the cookies. The milk carton over the soda fountain, the grilled chicken over the chicken nuggets. The options are there, you just have to look for them.

Daniel Walker is a resident physician in dermatology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and a freelance food writer and blogger for the Arkansas Times. He and his wife have two kids, Max and Vivian, and live in Little Rock.

30 | SAVVY K I DS JANUARY 2014

WHEN CORBIN CAME TO US, HE COULDN’T UNDERSTAND A SIMPLE STORY. NOW, HE READS THEM TO HIS PARENTS. Student and clients join us for all kinds of reasons, whether they need evaluations, therapy or a different educational setting. ACCESS uses innovative, multi-sensory teaching methods. We offer everything from speech and reading to feeding techniques and educational technology.

Our services build a foundation for reading skills and future academic success so your child can hit milestones with his peers.

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| 31

smoothie

By Kim Doughty

Green smoothies are a great way to sneak extra veggies into your child’s diet. While these smoothies may be bright green in color, you can’t even taste the spinach! Have fun and experiment with different milks, yogurts, juices, fresh or frozen fruits, veggies and greens. Try visiting your local farmers market for fresh, local and seasonal ingredients. These smoothie recipes pack a healthy punch at breakfast or snack time, and are a great start to a healthy new year.

Kim Doughty is an illustrator and decorator living in Little Rock.

You can usually find her sketching in her sketchbook, gardening or scouring local flea markets for vintage finds. She shares her illustration and design work on her blog azulhome.com.

32 | SAVVY K I DS JANUARY 2014

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WINTER Dates Tuesday, January 14th Grades 7-9 Wednesday, January 15th Grades 1-3 Thursday, January 16th Grades 4-6 Tuesday, FEBRUARY 11th Grades 7-9 9:00 - 11:00 am Make your reservation* online: www.ArkansasBaptistSchoolSystem.com or by calling 227-7070 ext. 355. *A limited number of spots per event are available.

Arkansas Baptist JANUARY 2014 SAVVY KIDS

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Staying Fit TOGETHER Why you should get healthy as a family

By Jeff McDaniel

IT’S EPIDEMIC It’s well-known that childhood obesity is a huge issue in our country, and the numbers continue to rise to the point that it has now doubled in the past 30 years. Kids who are suffering from this, which is now up to 1 in 5 children, are plagued with a domino effect of other health issues, such as diabetes, bone and joint problems, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. These are all health issues that previously only affected adults, but now are reaching epidemic proportions in children at a very young age.

WHY THE DRAMATIC RISE? If we look closely, it’s apparent that our culture has undergone a change over the past three decades. Technology has made life easier while at the same time made it less active. It would be hard to grasp a generation ago, but today’s children spend an average of six hours after school doing sedentary things, such as watching TV, using computers and playing video games. Coupled with the fact that students are less active even at school than a generation ago, you have the result of being less fit, more overweight and just not as healthy in general.

STAYING FIT TOGETHER So what can be done to stop these trends?

Well, studies show time and again that parents who live a healthy, active lifestyle have healthy, active kids. Now while your child may not be that enthusiastic about “working out,” the key is to rethink your idea of what exercise is. A workout doesn’t have to include lifting weights or running laps. Often the best exercise is just to let kids do what they naturally do best and simply play. The options are really endless.

34 | SAVVY K I DS JANUARY 2014

With toddlers, who these days spend a lot of their time strapped to a car seat or sitting in front of the TV, literally getting down on their level and playing on the floor is a great way to develop motor skills and strengthen their bones. For older kids, it could be a game of pitch and catch with a ball or Frisbee, going for a walk together or playing with the family pet.

Also, anyone who has taken a child to a playground knows that most kids are naturally physically active and love moving around. Swinging from monkey bars and climbing up a slide are beneficial in so many ways, not the least of which is helping prepare them for a lifetime of fitness. Bottom line, finding activities your children naturally enjoy is always the best workout for them.

THE ADDED BONUS Being fit and active together as a family creates its own domino effect, but in a more positive way. From an academic standpoint, research continues to show that children who exercise routinely perform better in school and have fewer behavioral issues.

But on possibly a more important note, exercising together as a family creates a bond beyond the physical as it creates opportunities for meaningful conversations and to really get to know each other. Although we tend to think of this as “quality time,” it’s really the QUANTITY of time that matters. And during fun activities, opportunities just spontaneously happen.

Jeff McDaniel, C.P.T., has been in the fitness industry since 2006 and is a selfproclaimed fitness junkie and a “work in progress.” As owner of FastFit, a personal training business in Little Rock, he is best known for his programming of Express Bootcamp-style Workouts for the Busy Professionals.

&Families

First Connections First Connections is the statewide, comprehensive early intervention program in Arkansas. First Connections is family-centered, family-driven, and community-based. Early intervention services are: 

  

Voluntary on the part of the family Individualized to meet the needs of the child and the goals and priorities of the family Provided by qualified professionals No cost to eligible infants & toddlers and their families

Just as children are all individuals, families have different abilities and needs.

FC works with families on an individualized basis to help the family locate and coordinate services and resources to enhance the infant’s/toddler’s abilities and those of the family to assist their child.

First Connections recognizes that parents are a child’s first and most important teacher. First Connections (FC) helps families reach their goals by linking families to resources in their communities. Early intervention provides parents the supports, education, and training they need to assist their child with a developmental delay or disability to reach his/her full potential.

Who can receive services?

A child and family may receive supports and services if the child is:  from birth to three years of age (and) *  has certain levels of developmental delay or an established condition** The delay can be in one or more of the following areas:  thinking and learning  moving, seeing, hearing and health  understanding and using sounds, gestures and words  responding to and developing relationships  taking care of one's self when doing things like feeding or dressing *A

child with a developmental delay is not developing like other children his/her age. established condition is a medically diagnosed condition likely cause developmental delay.

**An

Some established conditions include:  genetic disorders, such as Down Syndrome or cystic fibrosis  congenital infections, such as HIV and rubella  central nervous system disorders, such as cerebral palsy or epilepsy  hearing loss or vision problems  autism-spectrum disorder

What are early intervention services?                 

Service Coordination Multi-Disciplinary Evaluation Medical Diagnostic Services Assistive Technology Physical Therapy Occupational Therapy Speech Therapy Vision Services Special Instruction Audiological Services Sign/Cued Language Health/Nursing Services Nutritional Services Social Work Services Transportation Psychological Services Family Training/Home Visits/Counseling

Toll Free information/referral line: 1-800-643-8258 Fax: 501-682-8890 Web site: http://humanservices.arkansas.gov/ddds/Pages/FirstConnectionsProgram.aspx

JANUARY 2014 SAVVY KIDS

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Junior Deputy Baseball Leaves No One Behind

By Jim Harris

Arkansas natives Drew Smyly and Tyler Wood had impressive summers in Major League Baseball this past year. The lefty Smyly helped pitch the Detroit Tigers to the American League Championship Series, while the left-handed pitching Wood was one of the Chicago Cubs’ brightest hopes in a dark, losing season in the National League. Both are early in their prime and expected to continue their successes for years to come.

As kids, playing baseball, though, their trajectories were different. Smyly developed in Little Rock’s Junior Deputy Baseball program through age 15. Meanwhile, veterans around the JD ballpark complex off Cantrell Road recall with chagrin that Wood, at age 9, failed to make a team after trying out.

Obviously, that little roadblock didn’t stop Wood, who eventually honed his pitching skills in Bryant and was drafted out of high school by the Cincinnati Reds in 2005. But, what it better illustrates is that children do not develop in sports at the same pace. This applies not only to baseball. For every child that dominates the elementary school years like he’s the next Mike Trout, there are many more who won’t master the fine motor skills until much later.

Parents, though, need to know that all is not over for their kid at age 9, if they’re met by rejection from a sports league.

Junior Deputy Baseball now makes sure everyone has a chance. Its Recreational League offers an opportunity to continue to play and develop even if the program’s competitive Cal Ripken League doesn’t immediately come calling. Also, some simply want less pressure while enjoying the game, which the “Rec” league provides.

“I think our Rec League has been looked at as a place to put the boys who can’t play in Cal Ripken,” JD board president Kori Gordon said, “and I think some parents have thought, ‘Well, if my boy can’t play for a Cal Ripken team, then we’re through with baseball, or with JD.’ But we believe in our Rec League and what it provides as much as any of our leagues.”

Junior Deputy, which starts its spring registration in late January, starts boys and girls at age 4 with its Astro League, a T-ball league. Youths – mostly boys, though the program is open to girls – progress through Rookie (ages 5-6, with a blend of T-ball and pitching machine), Minor (7-8, pitching machine), Cal Ripken (9-12, live arm pitching), Recreation (9-12, live arm pitching) and Babe Ruth leagues (13-15).

“Many boys have been able to develop in the Rec League and make a Cal Ripken team, sometimes the very next year,” Gordon said. “Other boys just enjoy the pace of the league. It’s still competitive, and the kids want to win, but mainly it provides them with the same life lessons as any of our leagues. And our coaches in the Rec League are great mentors who work hard on the fundamentals.”

Under its leadership in the past decade, Junior Deputy has attempted to make baseball available to every youth in the capital city. Tryouts do not eliminate the opportunity to play and develop. Families throughout Little Rock who cannot afford the yearly registration fee can qualify for scholarships “We operate totally off our registration fees and donations from parents and supporters and our advertising signage,” Gordon said of the nonprofit program. “We get no city funds. Our ballpark maintenance, our light bill, 36 | SAVVY K I DS JANUARY 2014

it’s all paid out of the money we raise.”

JD, with the exception of a paid park director, Roger Mallison, who tends to the fields and a new paid development director, Jeff Poe, also depends solely on volunteers for its board and coaches.

Guys like Holt McConnell, a local businessman, invest time in managing several teams, including the Rec League. McConnell, who had a son who enjoyed baseball but wasn’t as keen for a more stressful, competitive situation, wanted to make sure the lesser-skilled and perhaps not-as-serious youngsters weren’t forgotten. He soon found what he calls “the best-kept secret in Little Rock.”

“Parents have a great opportunity to burn out their 9- to-12-year-olds,” McConnell observed. “I think keeping it fun will go further to keeping them interested.”

With his own son, McConnell hoped that he would develop at the pace the son wanted and still play high school baseball. McConnell saw how this could apply to many kids and their parents, who either stayed away from JD because of its perceived “over-competitiveness.”

McConnell committed three years to building up what was then called the “Bambino” league, soon to become the Rec League. Three years turned into five. When his son got serious and starting playing Babe Ruth Baseball, McConnell turned over his commissioner’s role to John Burgess. He said he saw the Rec League providing a stream of potential players when Cal Ripken had typical turnover; plus, the added participation at JD could provide more, needed registration fees.

McConnell’s ideas also were that the park might attract more inner city players who didn’t have the money, any previous experience at baseball, or the time for a more serious baseball commitment, and this would help the overall JD program achieved its mission of being a total communitybased organization.

It’s worked as he had hoped, McConnell said. With dedicated coaches and increasing numbers for more teams, the Rec League has provided newly skilled players for the Cal Ripken League. Also, some kids who were fearful of competition or the time commitment to Cal Ripken soon loved the sport.

“As far as how I look at it, I don’t see a winner and loser in a game, I don’t pay attention to the score,” he said. “I see kids having fun, and I’m there to teach. If they’re having fun, they’ll enjoy the game more and stay with it longer.”

As for McConnell’s son, he did as dad had hoped, playing high school baseball along with five other players on the first 11-man roster that McConnell cobbled together in the Rec League.

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Jim Harris is a freelance sportswriter in Little Rock, the editor of Arkansas Wild, and is a Junior Deputy Baseball board member.

Junior Deputy Baseball

501-372-7640 • www.juniordeputy.com

Look for the Tyson Project A+™ label on Tyson® products. ®/TM/© 2013. Tyson Foods, Inc. JANUARY 2014 SAVVY KIDS

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17

IDEAS FOR USING

MASON JARS

by Carol J. Alexander

I get a charge out of upcycling, repurposing or otherwise finding a use for things that most folks send to the landfill. From old socks to appliance cords to twist ties, I can find a use for it. Even food scraps go into a soup or casserole, are fed to the animals or added to the compost bin. At our place, very little is left for the trash heap.

Mason jars are handy to have around, even if you don’t can food in them. Following are 17 ways to use these versatile containers—or any other jars you save.

1 BAKE IN THEM For individual servings of dessert, fill half-pint jars half full of brownie or cupcake batter and bake according to instructions. Serve when cool or cap and freeze for later.

2 GROW SPROUTS Sprouts are an excellent way to add some green food into your winter diet or some extra crunch to that sandwich in the summertime. No need to buy a fancy sprout grower. Just use a special sprouting lid on top of a canning jar. This lid is a plastic ring with a screen in place of the usual metal cap. You can purchase them at your local health food store or online retailers. Teach the kids to grow sprouts and you started a new family project.

3 TAKE A SALAD FOR LUNCH Do you struggle with fresh ideas for the lunchbox carriers in your home? A salad layered in a jar will keep fresh three to five days in the fridge. Using a wide-mouth jar, put the dressing in the bottom, heavy veggies next, then greens on top. Cap and store.

4 CREATE A NOVELTY CANDY DISPENSER

At your local farm store, pick up a chicken feeder that uses a Mason jar screwed to the top. Fill the jar with M&M’s, jelly beans, peanuts or other small treats. Screw on the feeder top for a country themed candy dispenser.

5 STORE WATER

If you regularly can your garden produce for the winter, don’t store empty jars as you eat the food. Fill them with water. In fact, boil the water and process it a few minutes in the canner to seal. When the power goes out, you are prepared with bottled drinking water that cost you nothing.

6 MAKE MEALS IN JARS Using specially designed recipes, layer freeze-dried food in a jar and seal with an oxygen absorber inside. This creates a meal for four that lasts years in the pantry for times of illness, natural disaster or worse. When I can my produce, I do a supply of mixed vegetables. When I want a quick meal, I simply pull out a jar of chicken broth with meat, a jar of mixed vegetables, and have soup. Meals in jars beat the local drive-thru any day.

7 TAKE A DRINK Want to drink from glass, but don’t like the price tag on a glass water bottle?

Use a jar. You can now buy silicone or stainless steel drinking lids that fit into the ring of a Mason jar. Or, you can make your own by punching a hold in the metal lid and inserting a straw. Make or buy a crocheted or quilted sleeve to slide over your jar to prevent breakage and absorb any condensation. A search Etsy or other online retailers will give you plenty of ideas.

38 | SAVVY K I DS JANUARY 2014

8 CREATE A SPRINKLE JAR Did you know that a parmesan cheese lid fits a regular-mouthed Mason jar? What do you want to sprinkle on?

Sugar or cinnamon? What about homemade body powder? The possibilities are endless.

9 STORE STUFF Rather than spend money on little baskets and bins at the

that student success is the only option.

dollar store, look at your jar supply. Using different sizes of Mason jars on the bathroom shelf to store cotton balls, swabs or floss picks is a free alternative.

Tie decorative ribbons around the rims, label with permanent markers, or find jars with a little more eye appeal than your standard canning jar.

10 STORE BUTTONS

If you have a lot of buttons all mixed together in your sewing room, use small jars for sorting them by color. Then, when you are looking for just the right color, you don’t have to go through a mixed-up mess of buttons to find what you want. If you want a country touch to your décor, fill a few old blue Ball jars with an assortment of buttons and tie a plaid ribbon around the neck. These make great bookends on a bookshelf.

11 BURN A CANDLE

Fill the bottom of a wide-mouthed jar with sand.

Insert a pillar candle and you have safe holders to line your sidewalk or patio for an evening party.

12 WRAP A GIFT For the person who has everything, you buy a gift card,

LRSD Magnet School Fair

right? For a creative wrapping, fill a half-pint jar with his or her favorite candy (M&Ms, jelly beans, etc.) and slide the card down in the middle. Tie a ribbon around the lid and you have two gifts in one. Just make sure to mention that there is something hiding in the candy.

January 25, 2014 Park Plaza Mall • 10 am - 2 pm Only for students living in LRSD attendance zones Open Enrollment for the 2014-2015 School Year

13 DISPLAY FLOWERS An old blue Ball Jar makes a stunning vase for a

January 27-31, 2014 St. Mark Baptist Church • 5722 W. 12th St. • 8 am–5 pm

bunch of wildflowers picked in the spring time. Or consider a bunch of greenery with berries for the holiday season. Tie a ribbon or raffia around the neck, for an added touch.

February 3-7, 2014 LRSD Student Registration Office • 501 Sherman St. • 8 am–5 pm

14 CREATE A SEWING KIT On the flat part of the lid assembly for a

Open Enrollment is the two-week time period in which new students, students with address changes, and students wishing to apply for magnet programs or school choice options may submit applications. All P-3 and P-4 student must register during open enrollment. Magnet school assignments are made by a scrambled/random selection. Assignment letters are mailed in March (K-12), April (P-4) and May (P-3).

wide-mouthed jar, place a ball of poly-fill and cover with fabric. Bring the fabric to the underside and glue to make a pin cushion. Inside the jar, place a small pair of scissors, spools of thread, a tape measure and other notions to fit.

15 DISPENSE STRING Drill a hole in the center of the canning jar lid. Using a jar to fit your ball of string, place the ball inside the jar. Thread the string through the hole in the lid before screwing it on. You can decorate the jar with a ribbon tied round, permanent markers or paint.

ENROLLMENT IS NOT FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED. ALL APPLICATIONS TAKEN DURING OPEN ENROLLMENT WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR MAGNET, P-3 AND P-4 PROGRAMS. IF YOU APPLY AFTER FEB. 8, YOUR APPLICATION WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED UNTIL AFTER SCHOOL ASSIGNMENTS ARE MAILED.

16 KEEP CREATURES

My boys have used my canning jars for more than I care to admit. The most frequent reason they “borrow” a jar is to house bugs. A jar of fireflies by the bed creates fond childhood memories. We’ve even kept praying mantis oothecae (that’s the name for their egg sacks) in jars and waited for hundreds of baby mantises to emerge. A butterfly chrysalis is another fun one to watch.

You must come during the Open Enrollment period to register: • For the P-3 and P-4 program (this is the only time for P-3 enrollment) • For students that are new to LRSD • If there has been an address change • If you are requesting a school other than your attendance zone school (magnet schools or transfer to another LRSD school)

17 BUILD A TERRARIUM Another idea for the kids is to build a terrarium.

A terrarium is a self-sustaining environment with plants and sometimes small animals. Using a larger, half-gallon or gallon pickle jar for this would be ideal.

Freelance journalist Carol J. Alexander specializes in all things home. Her work has appeared in BackHome Magazine, Grit, Hobby Farms, and in over 30 regional parenting magazines. She is also the author of the soon-to-be released e-book Homestead Cooking with Carol: Bountiful Make-ahead Meals.

If your child is already enrolled in a LRSD school, and there are no changes or requests for another school you do NOT need to come to Open Enrollment.

Where WE Put Children First

»

Learn how you can help us keep our promise at WePromiseLRSD.org.

«

JANUARY 2014 SAVVY KIDS

| 39

HEALTHY HABITS FOR

TV, VIDEO GAMES, AND THE INTERNET No doubt about it — TV, interactive video games, and the Internet can be excellent sources of education and entertainment for kids. But too much screen time can have unhealthy side effects.

That’s why it’s wise to monitor and limit the time your child spends playing video games, watching TV, and on the computer and the Internet.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that kids under age 2 have no screen time, and that kids older than 2 watch no more than 1 to 2 hours a day of quality programming.

It’s also a good idea to make sure kids have a wide variety of free-time activities like reading, playing with friends, and sports, which can all play a vital part in helping them develop a healthy body and mind.

Here are some practical ways to make kids’ screen time more productive.

TV Time

Limit the number of TV-watching hours: • Stock the room in which you have your TV with plenty of other nonscreen entertainment (books, kids’ magazines, toys, puzzles, board games, etc.) to encourage kids to do something other than watch the tube.

• Keep TVs out of kids’ bedrooms.

• Turn off the TV during meals.

• Don’t allow your child to watch TV while doing homework.

• Treat TV as a privilege that kids need to earn — not a right that they’re entitled to. Tell them that TV viewing is allowed only after chores and homework are completed.

40 | SAVVY K I DS JANUARY 2014

Try a weekday ban. Schoolwork, sports activities, and job responsibilities make it tough to find extra family time during the week. Record weekday shows or save TV time for weekends, and you’ll have more family togetherness time to spend on meals, games, physical activity, and reading during the week.

Set a good example.Limit your own TV viewing.

Check the TV listings and program reviews.Look for programs your family can watch together (i.e., developmentally appropriate and nonviolent programs that reinforce your family’s values). Choose shows, says the AAP, that foster interest and learning in hobbies and education (reading, science, etc.).

Preview programs. Make sure you think they’re appropriate before your kids watch them.

Use the ratings. Age-group rating tools have been developed for some TV programs and usually appear in newspaper TV listings and onscreen during the first 15 seconds of some TV programs.

Use screening tools. Many new standard TV sets have internal V-chips (V stands for violence) that let you block TV programs and movies you don’t want your kids to see.

Come up with a family TV schedule. Come up with something the entire family agrees on. Then post the schedule in a visible household area (i.e., on the refrigerator) so that everyone knows which programs are OK to watch and when. And make sure to turn off the TV when the “scheduled” program is

over instead of channel surfing for something else to watch.

Watch TV with your child.If you can’t sit through the whole program, at least watch the first few minutes to assess the tone and appropriateness, then check in throughout the show.

Talk to kids about what they see on TV and share your own beliefs and values.If something you don’t approve of appears on the screen, turn off the TV and use the opportunity to ask your child thought-provoking questions such as, “Do you think it was OK when those men got in that fight?

What else could they have done? What would you have done?” Or, “What do you think about how those teenagers were acting at that party? Do you think what they were doing was wrong?” If certain people or characters are mistreated or discriminated against, talk about why it’s important to treat everyone fairly despite their differences. You can use TV to explain confusing situations and express your feelings about difficult topics (sex, love, drugs, alcohol, smoking, work, behavior, family life). Teach your kids to question and learn from what they see on TV. Find out about other TV policies.Talk to other parents, your doctor, and your child’s teachers about their TV-watching policies and kid-friendly programs they’d recommend.

Offer fun alternatives to television.If your kids want to watch TV but you want them to turn it off, suggest alternatives like playing a board game, starting a game of hide and seek, playing outside, reading, etc. The possibilities for fun without the tube are endless — so turn off the TV and enjoy quality time with your kids.

Video and Interactive Computer Games

Look at the ratings.Video games do have ratings to indicate when they have violence, strong language, mature sexual themes, and other content that may be inappropriate for kids. The ratings, established for the Entertainment Software Rating Board, range from EC (meaning Early Childhood), which indicates that the game is appropriate for kids ages 3 and older, to AO (for Adults Only), which indicates that violent or graphic sexual content makes it appropriate only for adults.

Preview the games.Even with the ratings, it’s still important to preview the games — or even play them — before letting kids play. The game’s rating may not match what you feel is appropriate for your child.

Help kids get perspective on the games.Monitor how the games are affecting your kids. If they seem more aggressive after spending time playing a certain game, discuss the game and help them understand how the violence that’s portrayed is different from what occurs in the real world. That can help them identify less with the aggressive characters and reduce the negative effects that violent video games can have.

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WINTER OPEN HOUSE Come see, firsthand, our small class sizes, individual instruction and challenging curriculum.

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Internet Safety

Become computer literate.Learn how to block objectionable material.

Keep the computer in a common area. Keep it where you can watch and monitor your kids. Avoid putting a computer in a child’s bedroom.

Share an email account with younger children.That way, you can monitor who is sending them messages.

Teach your child about Internet safety. Discuss rules for your kids to follow while they’re using the Internet, such as never reveal personal information, including address, phone number, or school name or location.

Bookmark your child’s favorite sites.Your child will have easy access and be less likely to make a typo that could lead to inappropriate content.

Spend time online together. Teach your kids appropriate online behavior.

Monitor kids use of chat rooms.Be aware that posting messages to chat rooms reveals a child’s email address to others.

Find out about online protection elsewhere. Find out what, if any, online protection is offered at school, after-school centers, friends’ homes, or anyplace where kids could use a computer without your supervision. © 1995-2014 . The Nemours Foundation/KidsHealth®. All rights reserved.

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| 41

123

ALLOWANCE BASICS An allowance can be a great way to teach kids money management skills and help them learn how to make decisions, deal with limited resources, and understand the benefits of saving and charitable giving.

There’s no single correct way to handle giving an allowance. Deciding when to start, how much to give, and whether you want to link the allowance to chores are choices that should fit your family.

42 | SAVVY K I DS JANUARY 2014

STARTING AN ALLOWANCE

No particular age is best for every kid, but consider starting an allowance by the time a child is 10 years old. By then, most kids have had experience making thoughtful spending decisions but still look to parents for guidance.

How much allowance should you give? It depends on your financial situation and what kind of commitment you feel that you can comfortably keep. Experts generally recommend that kids get 50¢ to $1 per week for every year of their age — $4.50 to $9 for a 9-year-old, for example.

Regardless of how much you choose, give the allowance regularly and increase the amount as your child gets older.

ALLOWANCE AND CHORES

Should an allowance be tied to chores? Again, it’s a personal choice.

Some experts think that it’s important to make this connection so that kids learn the relationship between work and pay. Others say that kids should have a responsibility to help with housework, above and beyond any financial incentive.

Ultimately, you must decide what works best for you. Whatever you decide, be sure that all parties understand the arrangement.

If you give an allowance for doing housework, make sure that your kids understand what their responsibilities are and the consequences of not doing them. You might want to involve them in choosing the chores and then keep a chart posted to remind them what needs to be done.

It’s important to be consistent. Following through on your promise to give a regular allowance sets a good example for your kids and is

incentive for them to honor their end of the bargain. If you don’t keep up with the allowance, they might lose that incentive and stop doing the chores.

USING AN ALLOWANCE

How should kids spend their allowance? It’s good to have them use it for discretionary things, not essential purchases such as food or clothing. This lets kids make buying decisions — and mistakes — without dire consequences.

You might want to encourage kids to put away a portion for charity and another portion for savings. If so, let them choose where to donate the money. It may be a cause that a child can relate to in some way, like an animal shelter or a group that helps sick kids.

If some of the allowance goes to savings, consider setting up an account at a local bank. This way, your child can keep track of the money.

Many banks offer special bank accounts for kids, and yours may enjoy the experience of getting mail, even if the mail is a bank statement.

BEYOND ALLOWANCE

Once kids become teenagers, you might want to provide a quarterly clothing allowance in addition to the weekly allowance.

If you do, establish a reasonable budget and allow your kids to spend it as they wish — but also to honor its limits. If your son chooses to buy a $95 shirt or your daughter opts for a pricey handbag, for example, they might have to make compromises on other clothing choices. © 1995-2014. The Nemours Foundation/KidsHealth®. Reprinted with permission.

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savvy PROJECT

How to Draw a Fox Tutorial by Kathy Barbro

For more how-to drawing tutorials and other art projects, visit Kathy Barbro’s blog, Art Projects for Kids at www.artprojectsforkids.org.

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savvy arts

New Year Arts and Culture Roundup A preview of upcoming family-friendly activities

By Erica Sweeney Another holiday season is behind us, and while it might feel like a great time to take it easy, there are many fun, family-friendly arts and culture activities coming up. Most of central Arkansas’s museums and attractions hold regular (and, often free) events for kids year-round. There are also some special annual events. As the new year progresses, more details and events will surely be announced, but here’s a little preview of what to expect in the coming months.

ARKANSAS ARTS CENTER In conjunction with its Mark Rothko in the 1940s: The Decisive Decade, Portraiture Now: Drawing on the Edge and Face to Face: Artists’ Self-Portraits from the Collection of Jackye and Curtis Finch, Jr. exhibits, the Arkansas Arts Center is hosting a Family Festival: Rothko’s Colors and Perfect Portraits on Jan. 18, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The event is free for members, $5 per nonmembers and $20 per nonmember family.

Upcoming Children’s Theatre performances include “Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type” on Jan. 24 to Feb. 9, “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” on March 7-28 and “Sleeping Beauty” on April 25 to May 11. Tickets are $12.50.

A two-day Spring Break workshop for ages 6-9 will also be held in tandem with “The Boy Who Cried Wolf,” on March 24-25, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Students will experience painting, printmaking, clay, paper maché and other art mediums, and see a performance of “The Boy Who Cried Wolf.” Tuition is $116 for members and $145 for nonmembers and includes the cost of materials and admission to the play. Registration ends March 17. Space fills up fast.

For more information about these events and programs, visit www.arkarts.com or call 501-372-4000.

ARKANSAS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra’s Masterworks IV: Bohemian Rhapsody, with special guest pianist Norman Krieger, is Jan. 25-26. Shows are Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. at Robinson Center Music Hall. Tickets are $14-$53, but kids can get free admission to the Sunday performance with a paid adult.

Another show is the Pops Series III: Best of Broadway on Feb. 15-16.

The Intimate Neighborhood Concerts Series I: Bohemian Festival will be held at St. James United Methodist Church in Little Rock on Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $29. The River Rhapsodies Chamber Series: Dvorak’s Piano Trio will be Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. at the Clinton Presidential Center Great Hall. Tickets are $23.

Call 501-666-1761 or visit www.arkansassymphony.org for more details about these performances.

HEIFER VILLAGE Heifer Village hosts free monthly interactive events, called Heifer Hour. They are held on the second Saturday of each month, from January to May. On Jan. 11, the theme will be “Not a Cup But a Cow,” and youngsters will learn about how a cow can change a family’s lives forever and about milk-giving animals through a game, called “How Much Milk?” On Feb. 8, kids can create their own pop-up books and learn about Heifer International’s first shipment of 17 heifers at “17 Cows and Counting.”

Beyond Hunger: Communities of Change, a celebration of how communities change the world, is March 22, featuring activities for all ages and a visit from a Heifer Ranch ambassador. The Spring Fling 2014 is March 24-29. Kids can spend Spring Break at Heifer Village and make crafts and take part in scavenger hunts.

Visit www.heifer.org or call 501-907-8800 for details.

46 | SAVVY K I DS JANUARY 2014

MUSEUM OF DISCOVERY The Museum of Discovery’s Robots + Us exhibit wraps up on Jan. 26, and a new one begins on Feb. 8. Tech City highlights the engineering it takes to make a city work, and runs through May 11. The museum will also host African Rhythms,

by African drum master Zinse Aggine, on Feb. 20-22.

The museum’s Spring Break with Sid the Science Kid is March 27-28, and is a partnership with AETN. Kids can also learn about nanoscience with fun and interactive stations across the museum at NanoDays on April 24-26.

Museum admission is $10 for adults, and $8 for ages 12 and younger and seniors 60 and over. For more information, call 501-376-7050 or visit www. museumofdiscovery.org.

OLD STATE HOUSE MUSEUM

The Old State House Museum hosts free monthly Little Beginnings Toddler Programs for children ages 2 to 4 accompanied by a parent. Each month the class highlights a different topic and promotes learning through hands-on activities, music making, movement and storytelling. Programs will be held on Jan. 15, Feb. 19 and March 19 from 10:30 to 11 a.m. On Feb. 8, there will also be a Valentine Fair, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Call 501-324-9685 or visit www.oldstatehouse.com for more information.

WILDWOOD PARK FOR THE ARTS The LANTERNS! Festival is scheduled for Feb. 14-16, beginning at 6 p.m. each night. This year’s festival is held in conjunction with the first full moon of the lunar year and the Chinese New Year. Visitors can walk along paved pathways lit by fire pits and luminaries, and enjoy entertainment representing eight cultural experiences around the world, including Mexico, eastern Europe, Shakespearean England and more. There will be games and other activities.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 6-12 and free for kids 5 and younger. For more information, visit www.wildwoodpark.org.

JANUARY 2014 SAVVY KIDS

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POP TOPICS

Nobody Told Me This Stuff:

The Second Child

By Robert Bell

Long about early January, if all goes according to schedule, a new little Bell will claw his or her way out into the world, squinting and screaming and covered in clear goo, wondering what in the heck just happened.

I say “his or her” because we don’t know if we’re having a boy or girl. This was a conscious decision on our part not because we’re cheapskates and wanted to save a few bucks, but because we figured how many more opportunities will we get for such a major (and pleasant) surprise? Who knows?

Probably not too many.

Over the last few weeks I’ve been explaining or attempting to explain to our 2-year-old that there’s a baby in Mama’s tummy, and soon that baby will come out and he’ll be a big brother. He usually gives me a kind of suspicious look, like, “OK dad, whatever you say.” Nonetheless, I’m convinced that he grasps this concept on some level, but really who in the heck knows. He’s 2, after all.

We asked him if it’s going to be a boy baby or a girl baby and without any hesitation he said, “Boy!” We asked him what this baby’s name is going to be (since we haven’t decided on one yet, we thought what the heck) and again, without a moment’s pause and with absolute certainty, he responded: “Bison.”

Ooookaaaay…

So we’ve been referring to this child as Bison, which must be confusing to anyone who might overhear our conversations at the grocery store: “We need to make sure to buy lots of infant-size diapers and some Boudreaux’s Butt Paste for Bison.”

Or: “Ow, man! Bison is really kicking the crap out of my right hip!”

I told a buddy of mine about this whole Bison thing and he pointed out that Bison Bell is most certainly a name fit for the leader of some kind of post-apocalyptic militia warrior group. I was forced to concur.

Anyway, regardless of what name we settle on, things are about to get very real.

I mean, we’ve had a child for more than two years now, but as Bill Cosby pointed out, you’re not really a parent until you have more than one. Or as one of my in-laws’ friends reminded us recently: “Just remember, it never really adds up. Having one is like having one but having two is like having five.”

Fantastic.

In some ways though, maybe it will be easier having two kids. Or, you know, not “easier” in the “literal” or “dictionary definition” of the word, but just more streamlined. Maybe we won’t have time to overanalyze things or freak out unduly. We’ll be forced to prioritize and apply a triage approach to each day’s problems.

When you’ve only got one kid, every single worry or disaster that comes up 48 | SAVVY K I DS JANUARY 2014

is a brand new worry or disaster that you’ve never faced before and is directly related to the well-being of your most precious little one. On the second go around, perhaps one is less inclined to totally obsess over every little bump or scrape or hiccup.

With the first one, we were all, “What’s this rash?”

“I don’t know!”

“Oh my God! Should we go to the emergency room?”

“I don’t know! Let’s get the baby book!”

Whereas with the second one maybe we’ll be more like, “What’s this rash?

“That?”

“Yeah.”

“Eh, I don’t know. It’s probably nothing, just put some Boudreaux’s Butt Paste on it and then get in here and help me with dinner.”

So I think we’ll get through this alright, but ask me again in a few weeks and I’ll let you know how my theory panned out.

Join us in Celebrating

Eileen Sotomora

Women & Children’s First

Woman of the Year

January 18, 2014 Marriot Hotel Grand Ballroom For ticket information contact: Meredith Looney at 501.376.3219 or mlooney@wcfarkansas.org

Founded in 1978, Women & Children First (WCF) has become the largest continually operating family violence social services agency in the state. True to our long term mission we empower those who have been subjected to domestic violence, and their children, to live independently and free from violence by providing crisis intervention, safe shelter, social and legal advocacy, transitional housing, prevention education, and support services.

In the last year, WCF answered nearly 1,800 crisis calls and sheltered 650 individuals representing more than 11,600 shelter days. Our transitional housing program provided more than 175 case management hours and supportive services to families seeking permanent housing free of violence.

The Center Against family Violence For more information contact: Angela McGraw, Executive Director amcgraw@wcfarkansas.org • www.wcfarkansas.org WOMEN & CHILDREN FIRST P.O. Box 1954• Little Rock, AR 72203

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Calendar

JANUARY2014 CALENDAR OF EVENTS ROBOTS AND US EXHIBIT January 1-26: In science fiction, robots look like R2D2. In stores, they look like vacuum cleaners and robotic pets. Visitors to the Museum of Discovery will see what robots look like in real life at the Robots and Us exhibit. The exhibit will give visitors a lighthearted look at modeling artificial life after humans. Robots and Us encourages museum visitors to compare sci-fi fantasies of robots with today’s technical realities and to explore why it’s so hard to build robots to be like humans. Enjoy directing lightsensitive robots through mazes in the Robot Arena, experimenting with walking machines in the Leg Lab to learn how simple changes in anatomy can affect how they walk and handle obstacles, interacting with Lena, a computergenerated character and learning to race and outwit the Robot Arm. Admission: $10 for adults, $8 for children 1-12, children under one and members get in free. For more information, call 501-396-7050.

NATIVE ARKANSAS EXHIBIT January 1-31: Native Arkansas will take visitors on a tour of the state at a time when Euro-Americans began to explore the territory that eventually became Arkansas. Visitors will experience early Arkansas through the eyes of some of the first Euro-Americans to write about the state and will encounter some of the native flora, fauna and geology of the state’s five geological regions. Event place: Butler Center for Arkansas Studies (401 President Clinton Ave.).

For more information, call 501-320-5700 or visit www.butlercenter.org.

MAD LAB WORKSHOPS January 2 & 3: This winter, fourth through sixth graders are invited to unleash their inner mad scientist at Mid-America Science Museum’s Mad Labs. Lab times: 10 a.m. to noon and 2 to 4 p.m. For more information and pricing call 501-767-3461.

EAGLE LAKE CRUISE January 4: Join Pinnacle Mountain State Park interpreters for a cruise on Lake Maumelle to seek wintering bald eagles. Dress in layers for extreme cold and windy weather. Advance payment is required. Admission: $12 adults, $6 children 6-12. For more information, call 501-868-5806.

SCHOOL’S OUT DAY January 6: The Little Rock Athletic Club is offering a School’s Out Day. Price includes morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack and field trip cost. For more information, call 501-225-3600.

MAKE-A-WISH VOLUNTEER TRAINING January 11: Become a wish-granting volunteer for Make-a-Wish Mid-South. This training session will include an overview of the organization, steps of the wish process, a detailed look at required paperwork, how to do a wish visit and how to reveal a wish, and additional volunteer opportunities. Event time: 50 | SAVVY K I DS JANUARY 2014

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Event place: Make-A-Wish Mid-South Office (1780 Moriah Woods Blvd., Ste. 10, Memphis). For more information, visit www.midsouth.wish.org.

making, movement and storytelling. Admission is free; no day care or school groups please.

Event time: 10:30 to 11 a.m. Call (501) 3249685 for more information.

LIL’ WILD ONES NATURE STORIES AND ACTIVITIES January 11: This event will take place at the Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center (602 President Clinton Ave.). Event time: 2 p.m. Tag along with Mr. and Mrs. Squirrel as they scurry through their daily routine. These nervous nutcrackers are known to stash hundreds of acorns in secret hidey holes for later.

How do they remember where they put them all? We’ll save that secret for the class. For more information, call 501-907-0636, ext. 104.

INTIMATE NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERT SERIES January 16: The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra is hosting the Intimate Neighborhood Concert Series I: Bohemian Festival. Event time: 7 p.m. Location: St. James United Methodist Church, 321 Pleasant Valley Drive, Little Rock.

Tickets are $29. Call 501-666-1761 or on arkansassymphony.org for details.

HEIFER HOUR January 11: Bring the family for a day of free, fun activities for children in kindergarten through fifth grade starting at 11 a.m. at Heifer Village. This month’s theme is “Not a Cup but a Cow.” Kids can learn how giving families a cow can change their lives forever, and play How Much Milk? to learn about milk-giving animals.

Admission is free. For more information, call 501-907-2697.

JANUARY PARK OF THE MONTH January 11: Come enjoy a fun-filled family day. All ages are welcome. Admission: Free.

Event time: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Event place: Martin Street Youth Center (201 Martin Street, Jacksonville). For more information, call 501982-4171.

EAGLE AWARENESS WEEKEND January 11 & 12: Petit Jean State Park plans to kick off its 2014 Special Events and Activities with this event. Join us as we spend two days devoted to our national symbol, the bald eagle. A variety of programs are planned, including field trips to nearby Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge to look for wintering eagles and other birds. Contact the park at 501-727-5441.

MASM HOMESCHOOL DAY January 13: Join the Mid-America Science Museum for a unique opportunity to participate in lots of hands-on activities and explore the museum with other homeschool families. This is a great way to network with other homeschool families and to learn about MASM programs designed specifically for homeschoolers. The event features new activities and topics so that families that attended previous Homeschool Days will have a fresh experience. Plan to arrive at 10 a.m. and stay until 3 p.m. Admission: $5 plus tax per person. For more information, call 501-767-3461, ext. 15.

LITTLE BEGINNINGS TODDLER PROGRAM January 15: The Old State House Museum is hosting its monthly Little Beginnings Toddler Program. The program is for children ages 2 to 4 accompanied by a parent. Each month the class highlights a different topic and promotes learning through hands-on activities, music

ARKANSAS TACKLE, HUNTING & BOAT SHOW January 17-19: If you love the outdoors, this show is for you! Get new and updated products at this show before they ever hit the public market. Find out the latest fishing and hunting techniques from the pros and get the products of their success. This event brings together the best of the best boat, tackle and hunting dealers with products, apparel and services all under one roof. The show is packed with more than 250 vendors, seminars, kids’ events, food, contests and giveaways. Great fun for the whole family. Admission: $10 adults, $5 children. Event place: Fort Smith Convention Center. For more information, call 918-343-4868 or visit www. arkansastackleandhuntingshow.com.

48TH ANNUAL COIN, STAMP & SPORTS CARD SHOW January 17-19: This event is presented to the public by Tri-Lakes Coin Club, Inc. in association with A.N.S. also featuring Civil War memorabilia. Event times: Friday, 1 to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and, Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free parking and admission. This event will take place at the Hot Springs Convention Center. The Tri-Lakes Coin Club meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Garland County Library (1427 Malvern Road, Hot Springs). New members and guests are welcome. For more information, call 501-6240074 or visit www.hotsprings.org/events.

Jr. Bring the family to enjoy, create, and learn!

Location: Arkansas Arts Center. Event time: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Free for members, $5 per nonmember individual, $20 per non-member family.

Visit www.arkarts.com for more details.

ANTIQUE ALLEY ARKANSAS ANTIQUE SHOW January 18-19: Over 100 exhibitors from 10+ states will fill over 200 booths. Shoppers will find architectural salvage, old advertising, antique toys, linens, primitives, glassware, antique furniture and more at the show. Admission: $5 adults, $1 children ages 12 and under. Event times: Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Event place: Conway Expo Center. For more information, call 501-230-5728 or visit www.antiquealleyarkansas.com.

24TH ANNUAL BIG BUCK CLASSIC January 24-26: Come to the Arkansas State Fairgrounds for the Largest Hunting Event in Arkansas. Show Hours: Friday, 1 to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and, Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission: $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 5-12, and kids under 5 are FREE. Kids concessions are $1 on Friday only. Awards presentation at 4 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, visit www.bigbuckclassic.com.

35TH ANNUAL EAGLES AT CATERA January 24-26: Arkansas’s longest-running eagle awareness event is back for its 35th year!

See live birds of prey, meet a raptor rehabilitator, learn about the ancient art of falconry or join an eagle tour to look for wintering bald eagles in the wild. An activity room and loads of bird and conservation themed presentations will round out the weekend. For more information, call 501-865-5810 or visit www.degray.com.

MONSTER JAM January 24-25: See the Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam at Verizon Arena. Event time: 7:30 p.m. Call 501-975-9000 for more details.

CLICK, CLACK, MOO: COWS THAT TYPE January 24-26: When the cows learn to type and fowl go on strike, Farmer Brown must find a new way to get milk and eggs. “Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type” is adapted from Doreen Cronin’s original book with illustrator Betsey Lewin. Illustration by David Hohn. The show runs through Feb. 9. Shows are Fridays at 7 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m.

Admission: $10 for members and $12.50 for non-members. For more information, call 501372-4000 or visit www.arkarts.com.

LAKE CATHERINE BALD EAGLE TOURS January 17-19: There are few moments in nature more awe-inspiring than seeing a bald eagle in the wild. Take a boat or hiking tour for a chance to see this memorable site. Bald eagles are migratory raptors that pass over Lake Catherine in the winter. Sign up in advance for a boat tour or just show up to a hike. Other daily programs about eagles are available so you can learn even more about this national emblem. For more information, call 501-844-4176.

MASTERWORKS IV: BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY January 25-26: The Masterworks IV: Bohemian Rhapsody will be at Robinson Center Music Hall, with Special Guest pianist Norman Krieger. Event times: Saturday at 8 p.m.; Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets are $14-$53 and kids get in FREE via Entergy Kids Ticket (with paid adult admission). Call 501-666-1761 or on arkansassymphony.org for details.

ROTHKO’S COLORS AND PERFECT PORTRAITS January 18: Enjoy art-making and activities inspired by Mark Rothko in the 1940s: The Decisive Decade, Portraiture Now: Drawing on the Edge and Face to Face: Artists’ Self-Portraits from the Collection of Jackye and Curtis Finch,

RIVER RHAPSODIES CHAMBER SERIES January 28: The River Rhapsodies Chamber Series: Dvorak’s Piano Trio will be at the Clinton Presidential Center Great Hall. Even time: 7 p.m. Tickets are $23. Call 501-666-1761 or on arkansassymphony.org for details.

Make Learning the Alphabet Fun 5 creative games to spark alphabet skills

By Sara Kendall One of the most important teachers a child will ever have is an attentive parent. And possibly the single most important skill your child will learn is how to read. As the caring parent you are, you can have a great impact on your child’s reading skills by teaching them to recognize and read their ABCs through fun learning games.

Children love to learn through play. Creative hands-on activities will engage and stimulate alphabet learning. Check out these five fun-filled games, introducing one game at a time. Make it fun, so they will be more willing and eager to participate in the next alphabet game you play with them.

1 HIDE AND SEEK Take your child on a scavenger hunt through hiding letters in a given room of your house. Use alphabet blocks, flash cards or magnetic letters. Tell your child how many you hid and have them read the letter once they have discovered it. Children love the thrill of the hunt and the discovery of finding a letter. Take the game outdoors for a new set of hiding places.

2 WRITING IN THE SAND You don’t need to be at the beach to draw in the sand. Create your own mini beach in a tray. Adding a touch of water to the sand will make it firmer and the letters will last longer. Trace a letter in the sand with your index finger and have your child copy it. A good first goal for this game is to work up until your child can spell their name.

3 CREATE SPAGHETTI LETTERS Children light up when you give them the green light to play with food. You can use cooked or uncooked spaghetti to shape letters of the alphabet. Write out a small set of letters on a piece of paper for them to use as reference. It’s a great way to build fine motor skills while reinforcing the 26 letters of the alphabet.

4 MAKE PLAY-DOH LETTERS Children love playing with Play-Doh and modeling clay, so why not add letter recognition practice into the fun. Use alphabet cookie cutter letters and have your child cut out letters. Ask them what letter they just made. Encourage your child to spell small words in play dough like cat, dog and fish.

5 BUILD LEGO LETTERS For this game, you can find everything you need in your child’s toy box, Legos. Turn an everyday toy into a new medium to create letters. An added challenge is to encourage your child to build upright letters so they will stand up. Place the newly created letters in their bedroom or play area for a lasting sense of accomplishment.

Add a little learning to your playtime with your preschool-aged child. It will pay off tremendously in the long run and give your child a huge boost of confidence in kindergarten.

Sara Kendall is a freelance writer and mother of two young daughters.

Arkansas Children’s Hospital Specialty Clinics: • Experts in caring for special needs patients • Assistance with multiple appointments on the same day • Support for special needs families

Visit archildrens.or/services for a list of all ACH specialty services.

ACH mobile app coming soon!

Learn more at archildrens.org/myACH. Healing is in our nature.®

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of the month

BOOK OF THE MONTH Courtesy of the Children’s Department at the William F. Laman Public Library in North Little Rock

The Snatchabook Treasury for All Seasons: Poems and Songs to Celebrate the Year

By Helen and Thomas Docherty The woodland animals of Burrow Down are ready for a bedtime story, but where are the books?

This new picture book and the illustrations are really appealing for story time or to read at home at bedtime.

By Julie Andrews This is not only visually appealing but covers each segment of the year with simple poems and songs for children to enjoy. It is definitely a lap book for families to read out loud and enjoy together.

Hello, Mr Hulot! Angelina Ice Skates

By David Merveille Mr. Hulot, a beloved character in France, was created and played by French comic actor and filmmaker Jacques Tati. This book’s comic strip-style illustrations depict 22 scenes building suspense for each surprise ending. This is a very fun wordless picture book that will also appeal to older readers and comic strip lovers.

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By Katharine Holabird Angelina and some other mice are preparing for a New Year’s Eve ice skating show, but the hockey players keep getting in the way until Angelina gets them involved. This is a cute and wonderful book to start off the new year.

of the month

APP OF THE MONTH Planet Starslug Bag Game

By Flatcracker Software Free With Planet Starslug, children will meet 12 whimsical characters.

When touched, users will hear the characters’ names, along with animations and sounds. This app helps develop and stimulate senses, builds vocabulary, develops fine motor skills and teaches how to recognize and associate animals, insects and objects.

Available for iPad.

By all4mychild $1.99 The Bag Game is great for small education, therapy or group sessions, and is recommended for kids with autism. It teaches turn-taking, impulse control, theory of mind and communicating with others. This app also helps with speech-language goals, reasoning, visual memory and more. The app provides many levels of difficulty, so people of all ages can play. Available for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

Mad Math 2 Toca Train

By Reese Mclean $1.99 Mad Math features a variety of games to help youngsters practice their math skills, including addition, subtraction, multiplication and division in single to triple digits. Bingo Math focuses on recognition and memory; Bubble Math allows students to practice arithmetic by using critical thinking. Another aspect is flashcard training. Available on iPhone and iPad.

By Toca Boca AB $2.99 Toca Train is best suited for kids, ages 3-7, who love trains. This app allows youngsters to explore their imaginations to the fullest. The app features six stations and a steam train with sounds, smoke, whistle, sparks and more, along with a variety of passengers and cargo to load and unload. There are no time limits, high scores or stressful music. Available for iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Android devices.

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kids eat free Below is a listing of locations and days in which kids, 12 and under, can eat free with a paid adult (unless otherwise noted).

EVERY DAY

KIDS EAT FREE!

GOLDEN CORRAL Ages 3 and under eat free at buffet.

N. Little Rock: 5001 Warden Road, (501) 771-4605

THE PROMENADE AT CHENAL Get a free kid’s meal with a paid adult at the following restaurants located at The Promenade at Chenal: A.W. Lin’s Asian Cuisine, Bravo! Cucina Italiana, The Tavern Sports Grill, Big Orange, Local Lime and YaYa’s Euro Bistro. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., lunch and dinner kids menu entrees only.

Kids must be 12 and under (limit 1 kids meal per each adult entrée ordered). Drinks not included. Not valid with any other discount or offer. See restaurants for details.

Little Rock: 17711 Chenal Parkway, (501) 821-5552.

JJ’S GRILL Free kid’s meal with the purchase of an adult meal. All day. Kids 12 and under.

Conway: 1010 Main St., (501) 336-1000

SHORTY SMALL’S Up to two kids’ meals free per paying adult.

Little Rock: 1110 N. Rodney Parham, (501) 224-3344

CICI’S PIZZA Ages 3 and under eat free at buffet.

Conway: 1250 Old Morrilton Hwy, (501) 764-0600 Hot Springs: 3321 Central Ave., (501) 321-2400 Jacksonville: 120 John Harden Drive, (501) 241-2224 N. Little Rock: 2815 Lakewood Village, (501) 753-1182

LARRY’S PIZZA Ages 4 and under.

Bryant: 4500 Hwy 5 North, (501) 847-5003 Cabot: 2798 South Second St., (501) 843-7992 Conway: 1068 Markhan, (501) 329-3131 Little Rock: 1122 S. Center St., (501) 372-6004; 12911 Cantrell Road, (501) 224-8804; 801 S. Bowman, (501) 400-8260 N. Little Rock: 5933 JFK Blvd., (501) 812-5353

TA MOLLY’S $1.99 kid’s meal with purchase of adult meal, 5-9 p.m.

Bryant: 206 W. Commerce St., (501) 653-2600

e MARCO’S PIZZA North Little Rock: 5007 JFK Blvd., 753-8100, order online at marcos.com Free small one-topping pizza per child, dine in only, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Maximum of two free pizzas with purchase of at least one medium pizza, six-inch sub or small salad.

BEEF ‘O’ BRADY’S One kid’s meal per adult meal purchased, 4 p.m. to close.

Maumelle: 115 Audubon Drive, (501) 803-3500

SAN FRANCISCO BREAD One free kid’s meal with the purchase of an adult meal, after 5 p.m.

Hot Springs: 261 Cornerstone Blvd., (501) 525-7322

GOLDEN CORRAL Discounted prices for kids 12 and under, and ages 3 and under always eat free.

N. Little Rock: 5001 Warden Road, (501) 771-4605

ZAXBY’S One kid’s meal per adult meal purchased. 5 p.m. to close.

Dine in only.

Jacksonville: 209 Marshall Road, (501) 241-0546 Maumelle: 104 Carnahan Drive, (501) 851-9777 Sherwood: 208 Brookswood Road, (501) 833-9777

MOOYAH BURGERS One free kid’s meal with the purchase of an adult meal, 5-9 p.m.

Little Rock: 14810 Cantrell Road, (501) 868-1091

MONDAY

AMERICAN PIE PIZZA Kids eat free after 4 p.m.

Little Rock: 10912 Colonel Glenn Road, (501) 225-1900 Maumelle: 9709 Maumelle Blvd., (501) 758-8800 N. Little Rock: 4830 North Hills Blvd., (501) 753-0081 CHICK-FIL-A First Monday of each month N. Little Rock: 4320 McCain Blvd., (501) 945-1818 GUSANO’S CHICAGO-STYLE PIZZERIA Kids’ Night for 12 and under. 8” pepperoni or cheese pizzas are $1.99.

Conway: 2915 Dave Ward Drive, (501) 329-1100 Little Rock: 313 President Clinton Ave., (501) 374-1441 IHOP (N. Little Rock Location Only) One free kid’s meal with the purchase of an adult entrée, 3-9 p.m.

N. Little Rock: 11501 Maumelle Blvd., (501) 753-4457 54 | SAVVY K I DS JANUARY 2014

TUESDAY

ARKANSAS BURGER COMPANY One free kid’s meal per adult meal purchase. Dine in only, 5-9 p.m.

Little Rock: 7410 Cantrell Road, (501) 663-0600

DENNY’S RESTAURANT Ages 10 and under, 4-7 p.m.

Little Rock: 310 S. Shackleford, (501) 224-8264

PIZZA HUT 5-8 p.m., dine in only Little Rock: 11410 W. Markham St., (501) 228-7000 STROMBOLI’S One free kid’s meal (12 and under) per adult meal purchased at regular price. Dine in only. Cannot be combined with any other offer.

Conway: 605 Salem Road, (501) 327-3700

WEDNESDAY

IHOP (N. Little Rock Location Only) One free kid’s meal with the purchase of an adult entrée, 3-9 p.m.

N. Little Rock: 11501 Maumelle Blvd., (501) 753-4457 ZAXBY’S One kid’s meal per adult meal purchased.

Bryant: 2207 N. Reynolds Road, (501) 847-3800 (ages 10 and under) Cabot: 2215 W. Main St., (501) 941-2601

(ages 12 and under) Conway: 3800 Dave Ward Drive, (501) 329-5000 (ages 12 and under)

THURSDAY

CAPTAIN D’S Benton: 1419 Military Road, (501) 778-7909 Jacksonville: 1109 W. Main St., (501) 982-3330 Little Rock: 6301 Colonel Glen Road, (501) 568-6244 N. Little Rock: 5320 JFK Blvd., (501) 758-5144 MEXICO CHIQUITO One free kid’s meal per adult entrée for kids 12 and under. Dine in only.

Conway: 1135 Skyline Drive, (501) 205-1985 Jacksonville: 1524 W. Main St., (501) 982-0533 Little Rock: 13924 Cantrell, (501) 217-0700; 11406 W. Markham, (501) 217-0647 N. Little Rock: 4511 Camp Robinson, (501) 771-1604 MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL 4 p.m. to close. One free kid’s meal with paid adult meal.

Bryant: 7409 Alcoa Road, (501) 778-3111 Conway: 625 Salem Road, (501) 336-6500 Little Rock: 12312 Chenal Pkwy, (501) 223-3378 N. Little Rock: 4834 North Hills Blvd., (501) 812-5577

SATURDAY

BOSTON’S GOURMET PIZZA RESTAURANT Little Rock: 3201 Bankhead Drive, (501) 235-2000 DENNY’S RESTAURANT Ages 10 and under, 4-7 p.m.

Little Rock: 4300 S. University, (501) 562-5651; 310 S. Shackleford, (501) 224-8264 DIXIE CAFÉ $1.99 kids’ meals with purchase of an adult meal, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Kids 12 and under.

Little Rock: 1301 Rebsamen Park Road, (501) 663-9336; 10700 Rodney Parham, (501) 224-3728; 10011 Interstate 30, (501) 568-6444 North Little Rock: 2724 Lakewood Village Pl., (501) 758-4777 Cabot: 302 S. Rockwood, (501) 843-1700 Conway: 1101 Fendley Drive, (501) 327-4777 LUBY’S CAFETERIA Little Rock: 12501 West Markham, (501) 219-1567

SUNDAY

BOSTON’S GOURMET PIZZA RESTAURANT Little Rock: 3201 Bankhead Drive, (501) 235-2000 CORKY’S Kid’s meals are half off, 4 p.m. to close Little Rock: 12005 Westhaven Drive, (501) 954-7427

If you know of other places with a kids eat free or discounted kids meals, let us know! Call (501) 375-2985 or email ericasweeney@arktimes.com.

EMPOWERING KIDS TO CONQUER THEIR WORLD.

The challenges the world presents are different for every child.

That’s why Pediatrics Plus takes an individualized approach with each child we serve in order to bring together the tools and resources necessary to address his or her unique developmental needs. Because what really matters is that every child can overcome any challenge before them or meet any goal they set in order to conquer the world around them.

Conway

Little Rock

North Little Rock

pediatricsplus.com Russellville

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Pointe Your Family in the Right Direction.

When families become stressed by behavioral issues, they need a caring environment. Pinnacle Pointe is the largest child & adolescent behavioral care hospital in Arkansas.

Programs and Services:

• Acute Inpatient • Residential Inpatient • Outpatient • School-Based

Pinnacle Pointe is the only Tricarecertified residential program in the state. Contact us for a free, confidential assessment.

2009 President’s Award for Outstanding Juvenile Programs 2008 ATRS Facility of the Year 2007 APA Residential Facility of the Year for Outstanding Service

B E H AV I O R A L H E A LT H C A R E www.PinnaclePointeHospital.com

Arkansas’ only Tricare-certified residential program.

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1-800-880-3322

11501 Financial Centre Parkway Little Rock, AR 72211