Chattanooga Parent - December 2011 by Chattanooga Parent

December 2011

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Dear Chattanooga and North Georgia Parent:

December, 2011 Volume VI • Issue 10 Advisory Board Becky Barnes Hamilton County Department of Health Dan Challener Public Education Foundation Mai Bell Hurley Community Volunteer Shawn Kurrelmeier-Lee Read 20 Alison Lebovitz Community Volunteer Bea Laurie Girls, Inc. Linda McReynolds United Way of Greater Chattanooga

Michael Kull Publisher/Advertising Jennifer Crutchfield Managing Editor/Advertising Jenny Hammond Copy Editor Evan Faires Design & Production Contributing Photographers Ballet Tennessee Chattanooga Theatre Center Ringgold High School Brad Cansler Robin Conover Jennifer Crutchfield Michael Gray Jane Mitchell Wendy Ransom

Contributing Writers Mohsin Ali, M.D. OJ Morgan Liza Blair The Bright School Jennifer Crutchfield Michael Gray Henry Schulson Creative Discovery Museum Janis Hashe Shelley Headrick Alison Lebovitz Ray Swoffard Lu Lewis Hamilton County Edna Varner Department of Education Julie Zielinski, M.D. Mary Tanner University of Tennessee, Chattanooga Parent publications are GREAT places to advertise! For more information, please call: (423) 643-8499. Contact Info: Phone: 423.643.8499 Fax: 888.457.9602 E-mail: info@ChattanoogaParentMagazine.com Chattanooga Parent is published monthly and is distributed throughout the city of Chattanooga and surrounding communities. North Georgia Parent is published monthly and is distributed throughout Walker and Catoosa Counties. Both publications are available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. No person without written permission from the publishers may take more than one copy per monthly issue. Both publications may be distributed only by authorized distributors.

Chattanooga Parent and North Georgia Parent are published by Chattanooga Parent, LLC P. O. Box 4070 Chattanooga, TN 37405, phone 423.643.8499 fax 888.457.9602 The entire contents of this publication are copyrighted and property of Chattanooga Parent, LLC. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publishers. Chattanooga Parent and North Georgia Parent utilize freelance writers, and the views expressed within this publication are not necessarily the views of the publishers or editors. Chattanooga Parent takes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or other materials. Letters to the editor must include name, address and daytime phone number for verification. Chattanooga Parent and North Georga Parent reserve the right to edit letters for space and clarity. Please keep letters within 500 words in length.

I just loved that you were able to join us at Craven’s House and here at Ooltewah Elementary School. What a treat! Thank you so much! Thank you so much for coming on our field trip to teach us about Craven’s House and Chattanooga landmarks. We appreciate your willingness to share your knowledge and research. Students all over Hamilton County deserve to have a fair and equitable education that promotes individual student understanding and accountability while encouraging life-long learning. I know that this resonates with you and would love to support you and your efforts in any way that I can. Brenda Cothran Ooltewah Elementary School Thank you so much for coming to speak at our PTA meeting. We appreciate all of the history information you gave us and the books that you shared with our students. Shanele Collins PTA President, DuPont Elementary We welcome your letters! If you have a question or comment for Chattanooga Parent or North Georgia Parent, please e-mail it to JCrutchfield@ChattanoogaParentMagazine.com. Letters may be edited to meet space requirements.

contents 4 5

Childwise: Smart school advice for Chattanooga Parents

The Kid’s Plate: Make gingerbread houses a part of your family’s tradition

The List: Ten terrific books about dinosaurs

House Calls: Scoliosis

Servings from the Cereal Bowl

11 Family Excursions: Celebrate winter break with

Live and Learn: Go Fishin’

adventures in Chattanooga and atop Lookout Mountain 15 The performing arts build confidence through

discipline and fun.

18 Party like a rock star: A Chattanooga birthday

party guide

21 The Dad Dispatch: A most holy night 22 Because I Said So by Alison Lebovitz: YouTubing

History Mystery: The legend of the Lost Sea

on the cover:

Mollie and her brothers celebrate the season with their tradition of making gingerbread houses together.

Photo courtesy Wendy Ransom, mom-extraordinaire, teacher and President of Emily’s Power for a Cure.

Read us on the Web (including the full page version)!

ChattanoogaParentOnline.com 3

Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • December 2011

“Plays well with others”

universe, changing it when it suited us. But our world has changed, and play has fallen on hard times. Brain and emotional research have led us to resist the benefits of play, to the point that ‘’All work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy” has resurfaced as a lesson to be relearned for those struggling with work/life balance. Recently, I was watching the children in my neighborhood play a game of “knights.” The kids were running across the yard, organizing and naming each area. (Remember Christopher Robin’s backyard, where Pooh and friends lived?) Roles were assigned, their characteristics negotiated; if you were watching, you might have seen what looked like organized chaos. But by the expressions on the children’s faces, this was important stuff. It was early November—cold, cold, cold. The children were all in costume, shivering from head to toe. The story changed from time to time, but the intensity continued until the announcement of a hot chocolate break. If you’ve never seen a group of kids wearing These Normal Park students homemade medieval costumes drinking hot chocolate, you’ve really celebrated the safety of their missed out on an important part of life! Lu, our team authority on play, has this to say about why dinosaur after it survived being On display that afternoon were all the skills practiced by business play is so important for children and adults: hit by a tree in the 2010 tornado. leaders, as well as many others work behaviors business leaders long Play is learning. Playing with your child is not only fun, it’s one of for: communication skills, effective negotiating (You don’t want the most important ways you can nurture development. “Play” doesn’t necessarily mean to be the horse forever!), creativity, team focus. What we need to learn about working an organized game or a dedicated period of “quality time.” Play—and learning—can together as adults was all wrapped up in the play I observed that day. happen any time you are with you child. Albert Einstein was right when he said, “Play is the highest form of research.” Remember when we were kids, and we played outside all day? We created our own The most complex brain activity happens during play; all the senses are alerted, and energy is devoted to solving problems. The research on brain development validates what we’ve intuitively thought—our brains and our bodies need healthy workouts to maintain peak performance. At recess, my kindergarten class would just run and & scream, with no discernable purpose—a great stress reliever. (How many times have you wished you could just run and scream, especially during the holidays?) Our children Parent/Child tend to experience a high degree of stress, but we give them few opportunities to Preschool/Kindergarten release it. Playing music and doing art projects are effective stress relievers (as well as Grade School Gymnastics having myriad other benefits), and yet time for these and similar activities seems to be shrinking in our children’s lives (and our lives, too). dna, on report cards and ribbons: Do you remember your grade school report card—the assessment of six weeks of hard work in elementary school, and the indicator of what the next six weeks would be like at home? If you remember, the right side of the card typically reported achievement in English, arithmetic, social studies, science and such. The other side, known in kid language as “the conduct side” (but to teachers as “the socialemotional growth report”), was where we kids coveted good marks on our limiting talking. Parents, however, were especially interested in the assessment innocently labeled “Plays Well with Others.” I was reminded of that at a recent Community Foundation Conference in San Antonio, Texas, where we had a choice of ribbons to go along with our name badges. As I surveyed the crowd, I noticed that my choice appeared to be among the most popular, so it’s obviously something we still care about as a measure of how we interact with adults. That most popular tag was “Plays Well with Others.”

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Lu explains how to get your family playing: Plan a family game night. Board games are fine, but also try active games like charades, treasure hunts, scavenger hunts or a dance night. A family I know starts game night with each member telling a joke so they can begin with laughter. Your ideas for family play may be very different, but the old saying, “A family that plays together stays together,” is still true. Go for it! Lots of folks are going for it when it comes to encouragement and incentives to “play well with others”: The National Football League is sponsoring the “Play 60” program promoting health and fitness for kids. For three hours on Sept. 26, kids’ network Nickelodeon cut off their programming and scrolled, “Go outside and play. Turn the TV off, shut down the video games, and go outside and play.” Sept. 26 was declared the Worldwide Day of Play. Of course, we can declare our own Day of Play anytime we want, for no reason other than, It’s a beautiful season, and we want to enjoy each other’s company! I’m asking Edna. And we’re asking you: “Can you come out to play?” Veteran Chattanooga educators Lu Lewis and Edna Varner collaborate each month to address a topic of particular concern to area parents. If you have a concern you’d like them to discuss in print, send it to Lu and Edna care of Chattanooga Parent at Info@ChattanoogaParentMagazine.com.

Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • December 2011

“Go outside and play” a hard sell Dear Childwise: Do you have any suggestions for getting a child to go outside and play? I do the “good mom” thing and limit my son’s screen time to two hours (TV, computers, Game Boy, etc.), but he would almost always rather draw or read a book than go outside on a nice day. I’ve even offered to go bike riding or go for a walk with him, and he’s just not interested. He is not overweight, but I think this can’t be very healthy. When I was a kid, we played outside all day long. Should I just force him to be outside for a set amount of time each day? My son is 11, by the way. Deanne Dear Deanne, I must confess that I am a bit embarrassed at having to answer this question. You see, just this weekend I threw quite a tantrum at home related to this very problem. You read that right—I haven’t entirely outgrown my tantrums! Let me explain. It was a sunny, 68-degree Saturday afternoon in November. To me, that means our family should be outdoors. I suggested several different possibilities and provided a lot of incentives. However, my 10- and 8-year-old daughters declined all of them, and elected to stay indoors to rest, watch television and play on the computer. This made me angry, both for not being able to go out myself, and even more so for the bad choice they were making for themselves. I could have made them go out with me, as I have done before, but I felt it would spoil everybody’s fun. We stayed home, and I announced that there would be no use of the television or computer until sundown (which kind of spoiled everybody’s fun anyway!). I thought about this for some time, after overcoming the immediate disappointment, and again after reading your question. The fact is, we parents can encourage, push, command and enforce only so far. We have to balance that with the acceptance that the babies we raised are fast growing into individuals with their own sets of ideas about life, and that is quite all right. Indeed, it is quite magical and delightful if you think about it. To answer your question less philosophically and more directly: Sometimes force him to go outside, and sometimes accept that he prefers the indoors.

Girl isolated by possessive friend Dear Childwise: I need to know how to help my middle school child solve a problem. She has a longtime friend who is very jealous of her time and attention, and who is preventing her from making many other friends at school. When my daughter attempts to sit with other kids in the cafeteria or play with them at recess, her friend cries or gets angry, and my daughter feels guilty and gives in. This girl isn’t interested in being part of a group, and, frankly, she’s not well liked by other children. My daughter would like to expand her circle of friends but doesn’t know how to handle this issue. Thanks for your help! No name, please Dear No-Name, It sounds as if your daughter’s old friend is making your daughter’s social life much harder. Your daughter seems to have the right idea—she wants to add new

Get out and play with your kids and play for a cause! Chattanooga is host to charity walks, runs and events that encourage physical activity for a good cause for the whole family.

friends, and she knows how to start doing so. It’s just that her old friend sends her on a guilt trip whenever she tries. This could be an unfair oversimplification, though, because there may be other qualities about this old friend that we are overlooking, but that your daughter values a lot.

“In middle school, it is important for most girls to develop a peer group they are comfortable in.” As you know, there is only so much you can do about this, because the ultimate actions will have to come from your daughter. You could talk to her about what she values and dislikes about her old friend, and find out whether guilt is really playing such a big role in her decision to back out from adding new friends. If it is, you should try to help free her from this unreasonable guilt—she has every right to make new friends, and she should hear that from you. If it turns out that her old friend is really so controlling and jealous, then she probably isn’t that sincere a friend after all. In middle school, it is important for most girls to develop a peer group they are comfortable in, and I hope your daughter doesn’t let her old friend get in the way of that. The advice in “Childwise” is provided this month by Mohsin Ali, MD. Dr. Ali is director of psychiatry services at Fortwood Center, Inc. He is trained in the evaluation and treatment of psychiatric problems in children, adolescents and adults. The responses provided by Dr. Ali are formulated from general theoretical principles and are for general information only. The suggestions offered are not intended to represent or replace professional consultation or intervention specific to a particular child or family. Parenting question? Send it to Childwise c/o Chattanooga Parent via e-mail: info@ ChattanoogaParentMagazine.com, or send a letter to Childwise c/o Chattanooga Parent, P.O. Box 4070, Chattanooga, TN 37405.

Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • December 2011

Nutrition, food, and fun

Holiday Traditions

s.com) e p i c e r All sy of e t r u o (c hat a great time of Recipe d a e r b r gar year for families Ginge cup su er ½ • to work in the kitchen, p butt • ½ cu making memories; honoring age-old traditions. • 1 egg es molass urpose flour p This year, why not start a u c 1 • all-p da new tradition making warm, ½ cups ns baking so on 2 • o delicious gingerbread cake. aspo inamm • 1 ½ te on ground c er Baked in Europe for po ng centuries, gingerbread has • 1 teas on ground gi ves lo po a long and varied identity. • 1 teas oon ground c In some places it was a soft, sp • ½ tea oon salt delicately spiced cake; in others, sp • ½ tea ot water a crisp, flat cookie, and in h others, warm, thick, steamy-dark • 1 cup By Liza Blair

Photo courtesy Jane Mitchell

squares of “bread”. In Medieval England, gingerbread meant “preserved ginger”. During that time, the Claire and Jane make a gingerbread term came to be applied to a house each year, a tradition started in kind of cake made with treacle Jane’s family. Claire’s house has a swing, (molasses) and flavored with a house, a slide and a candy corn fence! ginger. Gingerbread cake was believed to aide in digestion and was often made to soothe an upset stomach. Today, gingerbread cake is associated with welcoming in the holiday season. The recipe that follows requires simple ingredients and takes only a few minutes to prep. And it’s a perfect recipe for children to help make. Here are some ways your child can help: Take turns with your child when using an electric mixer Have your child measure and add ingredients (this is great time to discuss where food comes from while also incorporating some math skills) Help your child pour the mixture into a prepared pan While the bread is baking, remember to include your child in the clean-up. Make it an opportunity to talk more about the history of gingerbread.

Directions • • • • • •

In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter. Beat in the egg and mix in molasses. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, cinammon, ginger, cloves and salt. Add to sugar/butter mixture and blend together. Stir in hot water. Pour in prepared, 9 inch greased and floured square pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

And for another great gingerbread holiday tradition, check out Creative Discovery Museums gingerbread workshops. For more information go to www.cdmfun.org. Liza Blair is arts manager for the Creative Discovery Museum.

Start a Family Tradition with the CSO

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Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • December 2011

Dinosaurs

Compiled by Shelley Headrick

Children’s Department, Chattanooga Public Library

for libary information visit: www.lib.chattanooga.gov

Dinosaur Scientist: Careers Digging Up the Past By Thom Holmes Reading level: 5th – 8th Find out about a career in paleontology.

Dinosaur vs. the Library By Bob Shea Reading level: PreK – 1st Dinosaur loves to go to the library.

Too Many Dinosaurs By Mercer Mayer Reading level: PreK – 2nd Instead of getting a dog, a little boy gets a baby triceratops for a pet.

Lulu and the Brontosaurus By Judith Viorst Reading level: 1st – 4th Much to her parents’ dismay, Lulu really wants to have a brontosaurus.

Jake Ransom and the Skull King’s Shadow By James Rollins Reading level: 5th – 9th While visiting the British Museum, two teenagers are transported to a fantastical world of dinosaurs, lost civilizations and an evil king.

National Geographic Kids the Ultimate Dinopedia Dino Pets Go to School By Don Lessem Z. Rex By Lynn Plourde Reading level: 3rd – 6th By Stephen Cole Reading level: PreK – 2nd Learn about the many Reading level: 6th – 9th Figuring out which varieties of dinosaurs In the first book of The dinosaur to bring to that used to roam the Hunting series, thirteenschool for Pet Day is earth. year-old Adam tries to a big challenge for a flee from the dinosaur young student. that escaped from a virtual reality game. Dinotopia: a Land Apart from Time By James Gurney Reading level: 4th – 7th The Ugly Duckling A scientist and his Dinosaur: a Prehistoric Tale son are stranded on By Cheryl Bardoe an island filled with Reading level: PreK – 3rd other castaways and One of the eggs in a nest dinosaurs. of ducklings hatches into a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

What makes one kid learn easily and another struggle?

Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • December 2011

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By Julie Zielinski, M.D.

lthough all spines have a natural curve, some people develop a sideways curve known as scoliosis. Most of the time, scoliosis develops during growth spurts in adolescence. Girls, ages 11 to 13, and boys, ages 13 and 14, are the most vulnerable, although scoliosis affects girls eight times more often than boys. Scoliosis seldom causes pain in children and teens, and it’s often subtle in appearance. Researchers aren’t sure why mild scoliosis occurs, although studies show it is not caused by carrying heavy backpacks or not standing up straight.

“Researchers aren’t sure why mild scoliosis occurs, although studies show it is not caused by carrying heavy backpacks or not standing up straight.” Occasionally, a person may have a curved spine because of other health problems, such an uneven leg lengths, a birth defect, or a disease that affects the back muscles or other tissues. Sometimes people who injure their spine may have temporary scoliosis. The simplest way to check for scoliosis is the “forward-bend” test. Parents can perform this simple, 30-second screening exam at home. Here’s how: •

Have your child bend forward. Knees should be straight, and arms should hang down at sides.

•

Look for a prominence or elevation in the trunk area. Is one shoulder blade higher or more prominent than the other? Does one side of the back appear higher than the other?

•

Have your child stand up straight. Are the shoulders uneven? Does she or he lean to one side? Is one hip higher than the other? Are the feet even and side by side?

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If you suspect your child is developing scoliosis, contact your child’s pediatrician for a complete checkup and thorough evaluation. Most young people with mild scoliosis only need a check-up every few years. Studies have shown that most mild curves will not get worse as a child grows older. Severe cases of scoliosis may need more care and treatment. Some children or teens may need to wear plastic or metal braces to stop curves from getting worse. In rarer cases, children and adults may need surgery to reduce severe curves. Left untreated, severe cases can cause back pain or affect breathing during adulthood. That’s why it’s so important to check for scoliosis during childhood and the teen years.

Julie Zielinski, MD, is a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital at Erlanger. For more information, call Erlanger’s physician referral line at 423-778-LINK(5465).

Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • December 2011

Servings from the Cereal Bowl

By Dave Loftin

Sample the Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl

Grab you kid and a cup of coffee and tune in to the “Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl,” hosted by Dave Loftin Saturdays from 8 to 10 a.m. on the Web at WAWL.org. He posts his weekly playlists on SaturdayCerealBowl.com. And now you can take your cereal bowl with you�in podcast form! Go to SaturdayCerealBowl.podbean.com, or simply search the iTunes store. Don’t worry, parents, it’s free!

Asylum Street Spankers

Mommy Says No! © 2006 Spanks-a-Lot Records Asylum Street Spankers are better known for their quirky brand of alt-bluegrass rather than children’s music. But their venture into the realm of kids’ tunes is flawless. Mommy Says No! takes you on a rollercoaster of bluegrass, folk, rock, and even a cover of Nirvana’s “Sliver”— which is not only a great kid-friendly song, but a great bluegrass tune as well. (Who knew?) The album also includes a cover of Harry Nilsson’s “Think About Your Troubles.” The entire CD is chock-full of diverse styles and fun for all. Be sure and check out the track, “You Only Love Me for My Lunchbox.”

Danny Adlerman & Friends

Danny Adlerman is able to accomplish two things with his kids’ music: He is talented, so he makes quality music, and he writes songs that talk to kids at their level without patronizing them. (Unfortunately, there are many kids’ artists who achieve only one or the other.) On Listen Up! Adlerman is joined by some seasoned musicians—Jim Babjak of The Smithereens and Kevin Kammeraad, just to name a couple. Simply put, this is a good rock and roll album. It starts off with “When I Grow Up” and “In the Future,” excellent rock tunes. And “The Veggie Song” sounds like it could have been on an album from The Who. Kids will have a great time listening to this CD—and parents will love it, too. These edgy New Southerners 12/2/09 have a rousing mix of Brit sounds with a rock and roll flavor. Two of their six players are ToyDangers_HalfPgAd_ParentMagCTP_HR.pdf 9:58:08 AM talented songwriters producing powerful lyrics that get a crowd moving.

Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • December 2011

The Secrets of the Lost Sea By Jennifer Crutchfield

en Sands grew up hearing stories about a magnificent underground lake. Pioneers “Ben wouldn’t know for decades that he had discovered the largest in the area around Sweetwater, Tenn. had been weaving stories around Craighead Caverns since they came to settle there in 1820. Named for its earliest owner, the underground lake in the United States, the second largest in the Cherokee Chief Craighead, the caverns were central to local lore, fables from Cherokee world—a 4½-acre body of water, 300 feet beneath the earth’s surface.” history mixing with Civil War tales, spy intrigue, saltpeter mining and pioneering power. Young Ben often entered the caverns along with his father, who guided groups hunting store their roots and vegetables. Photos courtesy The Lost Sea for arrowheads there. During the Civil War the caves In 1905, 13-year-old Ben was exploring the caves on his own when he ventured were a critical source of the saltpeter further than ever before. Pushing past a shallow pool in a familiar chamber, he crawled necessary for the manufacture of through a small underwater opening in gunpowder. Diaries from the era reveal the chamber wall to emerge in a vast, the critical importance that mining in dark cavern with a lake so large that the caves played in the war effort. One he couldn’t find its end. The young boy diary entry tells the tale of a Union threw mud balls in every direction, spy, caught and shot trying to blow up hoping to find the edge of the amazing the cave’s entrance to keep valuable lake—but he heard only splashes and the saltpeter from the guns of Confederate echo of his efforts. Ben wouldn’t know soldiers. for decades that he had discovered the Scientists have confirmed that largest underground lake in the United some initials on the cave walls were States, the second largest in the world—a “painted” with the carbon of a soldier’s The tunnel entrance to 41/2-acre body of water, 300 feet beneath torch—providing another layer of the cave is the beginning the earth’s surface. authentic 1863 history hundreds of feet of an adventure that Imagine that young explorer’s joy as he underground. The Confederate soldiers carries you through returned to his family and classmates to who volunteered for the dangerous duty hundreds of feet of cave share his discoveries! History comes alive of distributing the gunpowder were for explorers, whatever their ages. To and millions of years of legendary for their courage, and the young Ben, when he made his awesome history. Learning is fun underground and your children will miners were known among soldiers for discovery, the shadows in that marvelous take lessons back to school about anthodites, columns, working days and nights without sleep lake room must have danced with the stalagmites and stalagtites from this exciting adventure. to keep the Confederate guns blazing with Tennessee Valley saltpeter. ghosts of the Cherokee councils, Union From the 1920s to the 1960s, the caverns became home to spies and Confederate miners who had been there years before. several businesses that created more connections to Sweetwater’s southern neighbor, The skepticism of adults, plus droughts that caused the pool to fluctuate, kept people Chattanooga. Manure from Fort Oglethorpe’s Sixth Cavalry fed a mushroom farm in from believing Ben’s story about a “lost sea” for years. the caverns in the 1930s, and the Tennessee Power Company, a Chattanooga creation, In 1915, with Prohibition coming, a developer purchased the caverns, creating a dance installed a revolutionary lighting system in Craighead Caverns during the 1920s. With floor, tavern and entertainment venue in the series of caves, some already occupied by its holding building in what we now know as Parkway Towers (the blight at the edge moonshiners. of Finley Field), the Tennessee Power Company worked with farmers in the rural Sweetwater area to cut poles and provide the right-of-ways that brought them electric Earlier “cave men” service. Relics, pottery, weapons and jewelry bear testament to the Cherokee use of the caverns as an important meeting site, and the massive tracks of a giant Pleistocene jaguar tell a Ben’s “Lost Sea” rediscovered tale of a 500-pound animal who lost his way in the in the caves over 20,000 years ago. Ben Sands was an old man when the underground lake in Craighead Caverns was In the 1820s, pioneers took advantage of the caverns’ constant 58 degree temperature to rediscovered; he was honored as its first official visitor and was asked to name it. More

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than 50 years had passed, but the amazing lake Ben called the “Lost Sea” was finally found, and it became a leading attraction in the Tennessee Valley, drawing visitors from around the world. Since its rediscovery, divers have measured and explored the Lost Sea. The surface of the lake measures 800 feet long and 220 feet wide, and the water is home to ghostly monsters, trout who have grown to several feet long and who have lost much of their color in For more information contact: their habitat 300 feet under the earth’s surface. The Lost Sea Now tour boats skim the spooky surface 140 Lost Sea Road of the Lost Sea, gliding past amazing rock Sweetwater, TN 37874 formations, dancing lights and other fascinating (423) 337-6616 sights that tell the tale every child wants to www.TheLostSea.com hear: Wondrous discoveries can still be made, and our valley is a great place to make them. Jennifer Crutchfield, managing editor of Chattanooga Parent, chases mysteries along with her boys George, Will and Max. Contact Jennifer at JCrutchfield@ChattanoogaParentMagazine.com

Family T

December 2011

O N I S S ! R U C EX

Now Playing: the Chattanooga Region versus Disney

he Zeller family had prepared their children for a Chattanooga vacation for the Fall break. They might have talked about visiting Rock City, Ruby Falls, the Incline or the famous Tennessee Aquarium. They might have talked about eating ice cream after taking a walk on the Walnut Street Bridge or may have even planned a tour on the double-decker bus or the famous Chattanooga Duck boat. Like many families in the Southeast the Zeller’s come to Chattanooga several times a year for long weekends but with the events, excitement and activities they never have time to do all of the things that they want to and their two children were really, and I mean really, upset when they were told that they were going to Disney instead! It gets better. The Zeller’s had a camera running, anticipating capturing the moment of joy as they told their children they were going to Disney. Disney is the grand mecca for children, the dream that makes children’s hearts sing. Right? In a YouTube moment that was the dream of Chattanooga’s marketing and tourism offices the Zeller children cried when their parents broke the news. The Zeller children knew Chattanooga, they had been here before and they always left wanting more. A week in Chattanooga seemed like the perfect vacation to them and Disney, well, they don’t have family festivals, the Creative Discovery Museum and an Incline! In a time of “staycations”, budget-conscious parents and an emphasis on quality family time actually living in Chattanooga is a huge bonus for a family. There is hardly ever a weekend without more exciting events than one family can do and the attractions and natural wonders offer every family affordable opportunities to play, live, learn and to celebrate their city and the fun that always awaits. In case you don’t have a savings account set aside for the quarterly breaks from school for holiday travel we would like to offer some scenarios for fun downtown, on the Northshore, the Southside and in the Gunbarrel area. Being affordable is always the name of the game and we advise that your stop is the Kid’s First Coupon Book! You will find discounts, promotions and opportunities to save in the coupon book, in your free mailers, at the Visitor’s Bureau on Broad Street and on online. Often bundling attractions can make your winter break budget stretch to the max.

Online savings portals like Chattanooga.DealMoms.com, Groupon.com, ChattanoogaPackages.com, ChattanoogaFun.com and ClassECash.com offer savings and even rebates and rewards for your designated school! Imagine spending money in your city knowing that it improves our economy, sends rewards to your children’s school and gives you the opportunity to make memories and special moments with your family? That’s a winwin and during the Winter Break and holiday season the opportunities are everywhere! Seasonal offerings at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, the Chattanooga ChooChoo and the Lookout Mountain attractions make family fun affordable. Ways to Travel: Buzz Pedicabs CARTA Electric Bus Chattanooga Duck Boat Double-Decker Bus Chattanooga Funny Cars

Downtown Attractions: The Tennessee Aquarium; You can use the Aquarium as an anchor for a 2-day downtown adventure. Each admission includes a 2-day voucher to visit both the River Journey and Ocean Journey of the Tennessee Aquarium. Plan to get downtown early and park and use some of the fun ways to travel as you explore your city. There are so many exciting things to see at the Aquarium that relate to the lessons that your children are learning at school so be sure to let them “teach” you as you go.

IMAX Tennessee Aquarium The Vaudeville Cafe The Chattanooga Choo-Choo and Rose Garden Modern Railroad Display and Museum Chattanooga Ghost Tours The Bessie Smith Cultural Center The Tivoli Scenic City Mini Golf Chattanooga Zoo The Passage Continued on next page...

Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • December 2011

The Bluff View District: The Hunter Museum of American Art The Houston Museum Bluff View Sculptures Bluff View Bocce Ball Court The Holmberg Glass Bridge

The Northshore: Southern Belle Coolidge Park and Carousel Walk the Walnut Street Bridge Art till Dark at WinderBinder on Frazier Climb the Walnut Street Climbing Wall with the Adventure Guild The Delta Queen Renaissance Park

Come visit America's largest underground lake! Registered National Landmark Open every day but Christmas day Group rates available Special Wild Cave Tours available 140 Lost Sea Road, Sweetwater, TN 37874 • (423) 337-6616 www.TheLostSea.com

Lookout Mountain: The Incline Station Ruby Falls Rock City - Enchanted Garden of Lights The Natural Bridge (park) Point Park Craven’s House Glen Falls The Battles for Chattanooga Museum Chattanooga Nature Center and Arboretum International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum

Gunbarrel/Brainerd: Hamilton Skate Place Pinstrikes Audobon Acres The Brainerd Mission/Eastgate McKay’s Books and CD’s Hamilton Place Mall Playground Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum Pump It Up Insane Paintball

Entertainment: The Tivoli The Chattanooga Symphony and Opera The Chattanooga Theatre Centre Barking Legs Chattanooga Ghost Tours The Chattanooga Choo-Choo The Vaudeville Cafe Pinstrikes Hamilton Skate Place Holiday Bowl Sir Goony’s Family Fun Center Mountain Opry - Signal Mountain The Comedy Catch

Editor’s Note: Please send us your staycation ideas and win free passes to the Chattanooga Zoo! Please send your favorite places, fun ideas and family vacation pictures to jcrutchfield@chattanoogaparentmagazine.com.

Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • December 2011

Family Excursions: Operation Craven’s House and Rifle Pits!

Did you know that the very last battle of the Revolutionary War was fought right where Craven’s House is? Yes, and it was fought almost two years after the War was over. Imagine how the world has changed since 1782 and since then important things have continued to happen on that mountain and in the Chattanooga valley that lies below. In one afternoon you and your children can travel through hundreds of years of Chattanooga history in a 15 minute drive up Lookout Mountain and make memories that your children can share (in 30 years or so) with their children. A cloud of fog hovered halfway up Lookout Mountain on November 24, 1863. Almost 150 years ago the Battle of Lookout Mountain was fought, a battle that would become known as the “Battle Above the Clouds.” Chattanooga, and its families, was deeply divided between Union and Confederate sympathies. The railroads, rivers, mountaintop views and saltpeter mining all made the Scenic City an important and valued strategic goal and it was a focal point of high drama during the Civil War. As you wind your way up the mountain you can talk to your children about the 15-minute drive and see if they can guess how long it took early Chattanoogans to climb that mountain. The St. Elmo Incline Station has live music most weekends and

Ooltewah 5th grade students had a huge adventure recently at the Craven’s House, Point Park and the Battles for Chattanooga Museum. Our editor, Jennifer Crutchfield, told them stories about the high drama of the mountain’s history.

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“There is enough to do on Lookout Mountain that a family could plan two days of fun and along the way learn about our history”

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is a way to start an adventure. Children are often amazed that the marvelous mile up the mountain was built before cars! The cables come from the same company who provide them to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Fransisco and have been carrying passengers since the 1890’s. There is enough to do on Lookout Mountain that a family could plan two days of fun and along the way learn about our history from Chief Dragging Canoe and the Revolutionary War to the Civil War, engineering marvels and the breathtaking views above and below ground! During the winter Rock City turns into the Enchanted Garden of Lights and Ruby Falls is home to Ruby Red Christmas and families can celebrate the season amid natural formations, caves and vistas that formed millions of years ago when the mighty crash of tectonic plates thrust a mountain and its wonders up to a prehistoric sky. The Battles of Chattanooga Museum does a terrific job of providing both a visual landscape that explains the occupation and movements during the Civil War and a dramatic narration that puts the war, our city and landmarks familiar to us in context in an entertaining way. Point Park, one of the many National Park Service sites in Chattanooga that preserve both nature and history while providing educational and recreation opportunities for citizens and visitors. The National Park Service maintains a great web site (www.nps.gov) that helps a family plan their trip to the Lookout Mountain and Chattanooga sites, offering lots of great suggestions, history, details and pictures that can make the planning process something exciting enough to even engage our multi-media savvy kids. Trails are clearly marked and the adventurous family can hike from Point Park down to Craven’s House and back in an energetic afternoon. Climb into the rifle pits and compare your picnic contents to the hard tack, chicory coffee and rancid meat that Civil War soldiers ate in those same pits almost 150 years ago. The Natural Bridge is a public park with a prehistoric past. Spiritualists during the early 1900‘s had their national meetings nearby, fed by the chalybeate springs that also drew early Chattanoogans during the Yellow Fever outbreak of the early 1800’s. The massive rock that is marvelously perched to form a bridge has thrilled children and families since people began exploring and settling the area. An ancient news report from the Chattanooga Times reported that a massive megalodon tooth was found nearby and that is an amazing illustration to children and adults alike of the power of the past, creating an imagery of the water-covered valley as tectonic plates crashed and mountains formed, trapping that sad shark on top of the world! Children learn about tectonic plates, prehistory and the crashing creation of mountains in books and in class but lessons with their parents can create indelible memories that make the learning and the knowing joyful. Chattanooga is rich with these opportunities and taking advantage of them is easy, affordable and fun. The natural formations on Lookout Mountain are a perfect landscape for teaching and in those lessons about our shared history you and your children can look toward a bright and fun future.

December 2011

Events

December 2011

LaFayette’s Amazing Christmas

City of LaFayette 6:00 PM Weekends. Enjoy the whimsical display from our city park or in the warmth of your car. There are more than 200,000 lights and songs with dancing color arrangements.

Chattanooga Boys Choir: Singing Christmas Tree

Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 2 pm and 7:30 pm Tivoli Theatre, Downtown Chattanooga. www.ChattanoogaBoysChoir.org.

Live on Stage: The Emporer’s New Clothes

Friday, December 09, 16, 17, 2011 at 7:30 PM 400 River St., Chattanooga, TN 37405. 423-267-8534 or www.TheatreCentre.com. Festival season is upon the land and the narcissistic emperor needs new duds. Two con men take advantage of the wonderful emperor and possibly teach him a muchneeded lesson. This is sure to be a funny, fast-paced comedy the whole family will enjoy. Youth Theatre. Tickets are $8 and $10.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Friday, December 09, 16, 17, 2011 at 8 PM 400 River St., Chattanooga, TN 37405. 423-267-8534 or www.TheatreCentre.com. A co-production for CTC’s Youth Theatre and MainStage seasons. The Herdmans are absolutely the worst kids in the history of the world. But when rumors of free snacks lure them into church one Sunday afternoon, they inadvertently take over the annual Christmas Pageant. A holiday treat for the whole family.

Choral Arts: “Welcome Yule”

Friday, December 9, 2011 at 7:30 PM 2nd Presbyterian Church, 700 Pine St., Chattanooga. www. ChoralArtsOfChattanooga.org. A Holiday Concert featuring Seven Joys of Christmas by Kirke Mechem and music by Pachelbel, Brahms, Mendelssohn, and others.

Chattanooga Ballet: The Nutcracker

Friday, December 09, 2011 at 8 PM 709 Broad St., Chattanooga, TN 37402. 423-265-0617 or www.ChattanoogaOnStage.com. Chattanooga Ballet and the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera collaborate to present Tchaikovsky’s well-loved Christmas classic. All seats reserved from $15 to $29 for adults, with discounts for children, students and seniors. Tickets are available at the Chattanooga Ballet office.

EPB Holiday Window Displays

Saturday, December 10, 2011 10 West MLK Blvd., Chattanooga, TN 37402. 423-648-1372 or www.epbFi.com. A Chattanooga tradition continues with the lively, animated holiday windows at EPB. Great fun for the whole family!

Holiday Starlight Parade

Saturday, December 10, 2011 at 6 PM Route starts at Martin Luther King Blvd. & travels down Market St. to the Tennessee Aquarium. 423 265-0771 or www.chattanoogapresents.com. Enjoy this communitywide holiday parade featuring live music, balloons, Santa Claus, floats, walking units & specialty vehicles, all strung with festive holiday lights. Route: starts at Martin Luther King Blvd. & travels down Market St. to the Tennessee Aquarium.

Ballet Tennessee: The Nutcracker

December 16 & 17 at 8 pm and December 18 at 2 pm Hayes Concert Hall, UTC Fine Arts Center. www.BalletTennessee.org. Featuring guest artists Fredrick Davis, Dance Theater of Harlem and Sean Hilton, Northwest Florida Ballet. Join Ballet Tennessee in this classic production of the holiday season’s most beloved ballet with a story and music the whole family will love. Call 423-425-4269 for tickets or visit www.UTC.edu/FineArts.

Chattanooga Symphony: Home for the Holidays

Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 8 PM 709 Broad St., Chattanooga, TN 37402. 423.267.8583 or www.ChattanoogaSymphony.org. “Yule” be in the Holiday mood when you join the CSO for our annual wintertime celebration! With the CSO Chorus, the Metropolitan Bells, George S. Clinton, Jessica Clinton, and the Voices of Lee. Tickets are on sale now online at chattanoogasymphony.org and at the CSO box office, now located at the Tivoli Center at 701 Broad St. Call (423) 267-8583.

Family Excursions!

Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • December 2011

Sing out, Louise!

The performing arts build confidence through discipline—and fun By Janis Hashe

hen The Best Christmas Pageant Ever opens at the Chattanooga artistry and technique.” Photo c Theatre Centre, the Montague family will be front and center. Lindsay Fussell, a local ourtesy Chattan Mom Kristina, daughter Chapin, 13, and son Max, 9, all have major choreographer and ooga Th eatre C entre roles. This is the first time the family has acted together, and according to dance teacher who Kristina, it just seemed to be destiny. teaches multiple “My auditioning was a spur of the moment thing,” she says. “I knew dance classes for I would be there anyway, so I decided to read.” She was cast as Grace children at the Bradley, the female lead, and Max was cast as her son Charlie. Chapin CTC, the Center plays Alice Wendleken. “She’s prissy and full of herself,” says Chapin. for Creative Arts and The Montague family has a generations-long elsewhere, many based association with the CTC— on Anne Green Gilbert’s its Circle Stage is “BrainDance” methods. see Ballet Tennes Photo courtesy in fact dedicated to “I teach children as Mildred Montague young as 3,” she notes. and a great-great“Creative movement grandfather was one of and dance help with the theatre’s founders. focus, confidence and The Chattanooga “Both Chapin and coordination.” Theatre Centre encourages Max have a passion for At the Chattanooga participation by all ages in the community, acting,” Kristina says. Ballet, director Bob Willie’s with its educational programs, youth theatre and Circle and Mainstage productions. Chapin explains, “It gives 400 students range from me the freedom to do age 3 through college-age. stuff onstage I can’t do “I like to quote Martha normally. And you make a Graham,” he says. “She said, ‘Dance is first a discipline.’ What we lot of new friends.” find is that most of our students are also exceptional in academics.” “I like being someone The Chattanooga Theatre Center Education Director Chuck The Nutcracker else,” Max agrees. “And Tuttle points out, “Theatre is about ensemble. You’re working is a signature performance of the Ballet Tennessee troupe, the graceful moves I just like being funny together with other people. It gives kids the confidence to speak entertaining Chattanooga families and teaching young performers. onstage.” out.” Both Montague kids “Theatre is not by its nature educational,” he says, “but it’s about have been in multiple shows at the CTC. ”It fosters great independence,” says ‘What if?’” Pointing to the series of “alphabet plays” that the youngest Youth Kristina. Theatre students create themselves, he adds, “Play is the greatest learning tool in the world, and that is what we make—a play.”

“Play is the greatest learning tool in the world, and “In dance class, we tap into children’s innate that is what we make—a play.” ability and love of movement to develop motor Development dance The professionals who run performing arts programs agree with that skills, creativity, musicality, muscle strength, and assessment. Ballet Tennessee has three outreach programs for children ages 3-6 with flexibility.” an enrollment of approximately 160 children, according to co-founder Anna Baker-VanCura. “Dance is a brain-body activity, meaning it develops both physicality and cognitive skills,” she says. “Research shows that movement at an early age is critical for early childhood development. In dance class, we tap into children’s innate ability and love of movement to develop motor skills, creativity, musicality, muscle strength, and flexibility. At the same time children are learning basic skills such as listening, following directions, sequencing, leading, following, and taking turns. Older children in higher level classes learn problem-solving, communication, and time management while developing

Confidence through performing Even—in fact, perhaps especially—a shy child can benefit from the chance to perform. “Dance class is a safe and positive environment that is ideal for a shy child to explore different ways of opening up. Many parents in our programs have cited increases in confidence from their children as a benefit of dance,” says BakerVanCura. “Parents are often very surprised. I’ll hear, ‘I can’t believe what he or she is doing now,’” says Willie. Continued on page 16...

Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • December 2011

...continued from page 15

“Music draws people together, and it’s something you can participate in your entire life. You are never lonely if you have music.” “Failure is good,” says Chuck Tuttle. “Rehearsals involve a lot of failures and we make it a little better each time by allowing ourselves to fail.” “Dance is an excellent activity for boys as well as girls,” Baker-VanCura emphasizes. “We have boys at different levels in our programs and they all tap into the energy and athleticism of dance. In our Dance Alive program, we have a separate boys division that was an integral part of The Mustang Project this past summer.

Photo courtesy Brad Cansler

Don’t forget the magic of music Among the many opportunities Chattanooga’s kids have to grow through music, one of the best is the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra’s Youth Orchestras. Founded in 1949, the orchestras have more than doubled in size over the years, and now include a symphony orchestra, a philharmonic orchestra and an Etude String Orchestra and Prelude String Orchestra. String students of any age may audition with a private lessons’ teacher recommendation. Percussion, winds and brass students must be between the ages of 12 to 20. For more information, contact the CSO Youth Orchestras Manager Steve Tonkinson through www.chattanoogasymphony.org, or call (423) 267-9011.

The Chattanooga Theatre Centre performances are a family affair for the Montague family with Mom, son and daughter all performing.

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Aiming for lifetime learning: music and theatre at GPS

ary Baxter is the director of orchestras and an instructor of instrumental music at GPS. The comprehensive music programs at the school involve all students at middle-school level, she explains, and include opportunities in vocal and instrumental music. “For example, we have three levels of string classes,” she says. “There’s also a middle-school string quarter club, the McCallie/ GPS honors orchestra, the invitation-only Tango String Ensemble and the International Music Club,” among many possibilities. Seventh graders have a chance to participate in a choir with McCallie students. “Music is the universal language,” Baxter says. “Students learn about cultures from all over the world. I find making music together is very community-building. “Music draws people together, and it’s something you can Continued on next page...

Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • December 2011

participate in your entire life. You are never lonely if you have music.” GPS also provides students the chance to play alongside professional musicians, she says, mentioning among others the Shaking Ray Levi Society co-founder, percussionist Bob Stagner. The young musicians venture into the community as well. Baxter points to the middle-school string quartet’s trip to the Tennessee Aquarium to participate in “caroling with fish.” “Our students have gone on to participate in many advanced programs,” she notes proudly. “But most of all, music makes you feel wonderful.” Catherine Borden is GPS’s theatre manager, a member of the fine arts faculty and a teaching artist. She directs two shows per year at the school, in addition to the upper and middle school musicals, which are in coordination with McCallie. “We ask ourselves, ‘How can we design a curriculum in which the arts add depth to academic experience?’” she says, acknowledging, as did all those interviewed, that arts experience bolsters study, organizational and life skills. “We are dedicated to developing mind, body and heart.” The enthusiastic Borden clearly loves her work, especially the “non-cut” plays in fall and spring, in which every child who auditions will be given a part. “I write the middle-school plays myself,” she explains. “You can have 94 kids on stage, along with 20 running tech.” She also coordinates the winter one-act program, in which the plays are student-directed, as well as acted—and sometimes student-written as well. The theatre students, like the music students, often have community opportunities as well. “For several years, our students participated with READ 20, reading with young learners to encourage early literacy,” she says. “In theatre, we are building readers as well as artists.” Yet another point of agreement among all the teachers interviewed: Involving a child in the performing arts requires a lot of commitment from both the child and the parents. But the driving, the long hours of afterschool and weekend rehearsals can ultimately mean a lifetime of loving the arts—and many life skills benefits besides.

Watch the kids soar •

The Chattanooga Theatre Centre presents The Best Christmas Pageant Ever December 9-23 on the Main Stage, and the Youth Theatre will present The Emperor’s New Clothes December 2-18. Visit TheatreCentre.com for tickets and more information.

•

The Chattanooga Ballet presents The Nutcracker December 9 and 10 at 8 p.m. and December 11 at 2 p.m. Three casts with more than 180 children perform. Visit ChattanoogaBallet.net for more information.

•

Ballet Tennessee presents The Nutcracker with a cast of 70 dancers, December 16 and 17 at 8 p.m. and December 18 at 2 p.m. at the UTC Fine Arts Center. For more information, visit BalletTennessee.org.

•

The Center for Creative Arts will present Tarzan the Musical in February, choreographed by Lindsay Fussell. More than 30 students will be involved in the special show, presented in cooperation with Disney as a test of new material. To contact Fussell about classes she offers, visit LindsayFussellDance.com.

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Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • December 2011

Party Like a Rock Star

The complete guide to planning a birthday party in Chattanooga by CP

Party Supplies / Rentals: hattanooga is a fun place to be a family and birthdays are a great time to celebrate with friends, Activity Rentals - www.activityrentals.com— family and fun. There are some important ingredients Sometimes it is the activities and not the place that to a successful party but the key starts with you and make the party and we always enjoy doing business your child. with Activity Rentals. Whether you want an inflatable Parties can be expensive, exhausting and grueling for bouncer, a chocolate fountain, a snow cone machine, the parents involved but they don’t have to be that way. cotton candy machine, spin art game or a fog maker It’s a cruel irony to celebrate a day of joy by torturing they can help you. If you don’t have enough tables, yourself with poor planning, expensive frills or tearful chairs, carnival games, balloons, face paint, prizes or tirades. We’ve celebrated a lot of birthdays over the entertainment they can help at a reasonable price with years and we’d like to share some lessons we’ve learned. terrific service. The ingredients to a happy birthday party don’t have Party Places: to come with a ritzy price tag to be first-class fun. Start Whether you are planning to have the party come to out by talking to your child; ask for a list of places, you or booking the place for the party you can tailor a ideas, food and friends. Don’t be afraid to think out of theme to match your child. We’ve had parties at parks, the box. Those can be the parties that you remember celebrated in the Rolling Video Games bus, rocked the most and they don’t have to break the bank. out with record players at our house, gone vertical One year a son of mine wanted to be bald. He was at climbing gyms and more. The smiles are the same desperate to feel that fresh scalp and no crew cut would when everyone is happy. do it. We talked about parties and presents but all he Chattanooga Nature Center - www. wanted was to be shiny bald. I was appalled. chattanooganaturecenter.org—Nature, animals, We had a party at our house, rolled our trees with wildflowers and an awesome treehouse make the toilet paper to decorate, played games and had a Chattanooga Nature Center and Arboretum a great hair stylist as the centerpiece of the day. She shaved venue for parties and events. his sweet head, gave his friends haircuts (with their parent’s supervision) and made a day that my boys and Chattanooga Parks and Recreation Centers— their friends will always remember. Visit www.chattanooga.gov for a listing of Parks and Place, theme, games and friends. It’s like a basic Recreation Centers in Chattanooga that are available dinner recipe that you change each time you make it, for parties and activities. adding and subtracting to fit the moment. Each child is Chattanooga Zoo - www.chattzoo.org—The different and a party doesn’t have to be a cookie-cutter Urban Rocks birthday parties are 2 hours with 80 minutes Chattanooga Zoo offers a unique opportunity plan, it can be as tailored and individual as you, your of supervised climbing. for birthday party fun in a beautiful setting with family and your children are. experienced staff that is a great opportunity for Sometimes children don’t want to have a big party with their whole class. There’s budding naturalists and animal-lovers. nothing wrong with a small party, a just-family party or a present, trip or activity that Creative Discovery Museum - www.cdmfun.org—The Creative Discovery Museum replaces a party. As your children grow their ideas about how to celebrate their special puts a smile on every young face and is the perfect mix of fun and learning with a variety days will change and we have to be able to roll with those differences. We may have of options available for holiday and birthday parties. given birth but when it comes down to it the day is theirs. Cynthia Howell Stationery & Gifts - Pottery Painting Party - www. Party Favors, Presents and Philanthropy: cynthiahowellonline.com—Make the memory live forever for a group of friends, Depending on your children’s age party favors are primo and kids hungrily eye the shiny little bags for their sugary goodies. Parents may be less thrilled about those treats as they’re prying children away from the frolic, fun and sugar rush of the sweet celebration. Out-of-the-box favors may be score parent points with your peers and share some of your family with theirs. Consider school supplies, art supplies, coupons, discount offers 3626 Ringgold Road, Suite B or tickets to family activities instead of candy. Think about making things with your East Ridge, TN 37412 children to use as party favors. Online sites like www.familyfun.com, a Disney franchise, MarthaStewart.com and www.eHow.com have lots of neat ideas for favors, treats and activities. Materialism is alive and well but there comes a time when enough is enough and sometimes a meaningful birthday is best celebrated by sharing with others. Some Gingerbread Decorating Class classmates might not have the budget to bring presents to parties for each of their December 10 friends but the time spent together is real and valuable. Consider asking your child’s Signature Cakes, friends to bring gently used books for their class’s library, canned goods for a food drive Cookies & Party Room! or wrapped presents for a Toys for Tots drive instead of presents. Everyone can win and the spirit of giving teaches lessons and appreciation that last a lifetime. www.clubsugary.com

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Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • December 2011

designing and firing your own pottery keepsakes. Sir Goony’s Family Fun Center - www.sirgoonys.com—Go-carts, arcade games, mini-golf and batting cages can all be added to birthday party packages at Sir Goony’s. Hamilton Skate Place - www.hamiltonskate.com—The disco balls, skates, music and friends make Hamilton Skate Place a regular stop for lots of Chattanooga families (including ours!) and the party rooms and party plans can make everyone smile! Insane Paintball—Middle schoolers, adolescents and teens will all enjoy the competition at Insane Paintball. Learning Express Toys - www.chat.learningexpress-toys.com—Learning Express knows toys and is a great place to celebrate. Noah’s Little Ark - www.noahslittleark.net—Noah’s Little Ark brings the zoo to you with entertaining and educational fun. Partyville - www.mypartyville.com—Partyville is a great place for bouncy fun and a hassle-free party. PinStrikes - www.pinstrikes1.com—Games, games and more games. Food, fun and lots of game options are available at this venue. Pump It Up - www.pumpitupparty.com—Children travel from one inflatable-filled room to another before ending up in the party room, honoring the birthday child in an inflatable throne with cake and treats. Raccoon Mountain Go Karts & Gem Panning - www.raccoonmountain.com—Go Karts, gem panning and arcade games can send thrills to children of all ages. River City Pottery - www.rivercityparty.com—Paint your own pottery and make a memory that lasts a lifetime for your birthday party.

Sometimes a great party can be as easy as a donut-eating contest at Coolidge Park where children have to use strategy to each the donut without their hands!

in this high-tech heaven and provide the perfect main event to parties for children and their parents (translate: Dads....) Ruby Falls - www.rubyfalls.com—Visit Ruby Falls, celebrate underground and have a caving adventure that’s cool any time of year.

Rock City Gardens - www.seerockcity.com—Rock City Gardens offers a variety of party options for children and guests of all ages.

Scenic City Mini Golf - www.sceniccityminigolf.com—Expect fun and more at Scenic City Mini Golf in downtown Chattanooga. Open during the holidays this 18 hole

Rolling Video Games - www.rollingvideogames.com—The Rolling Video Games franchise offers fun on wheels. They come to you, they have a wide selection of games

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Nutcracker PRESENTS

Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • December 2011

miniature golf course partners with Blue Bell Ice Cream to offer fun and flavor! Spa La Petite - www.spalapetite.com—Pampering is fun at this spa specializing in exciting, feminine parties. Sugary Creations - www.sugarycreations.com—What about a gingerbread decorating party or a cupcake party in a fantastic venue? Signature sweets at Sugary Creations add to a lovely venue with reasonable prices and convenient hours. Tennessee Academy of Gymnastics - www.taggym.com—Let your budding gymnast and their best buddies bounce, swing and balance in a safe and fun environment before retiring to the party room to celebrate the special one. Tennessee Bouldering Authority - www.tbagym.com—Have a vertical celebration or book a lock-in party that is great for elementary students, middle schoolers and teens. Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum - www.tvrail.com—Trains, tunnels and engineers are the name of the game and Chattanooga’s railroad history comes alive at the TVRM’s birthday parties. The whole family will thrill to the sound of the whistle at these parties that are great for all times of the year. The Little Gym - www.thelittlegym.com—Children of all ages are celebrated, challenged and engaged at The Little Gym of Chattanooga. The East Brainerd business is a must-visit for families exploring the connection between fine and gross motor skills in a fun environment and their parties create cravings for more tumbling, active fun. TumbleBus - www.tumblebustots.com—This rolling party venue is a safe and fun place to celebrate with children of all ages and it can come to you, wherever you decide to be! Urban Rocks Climbing Gym - www.urbanrocksgym.com—Urban Rocks offers a wide array of family options for fun, fitness and families. Winner’s Circle Batting Cages - www.wcfamilyfun.com—Is your birthday bunny a baseball pro, laser tag fan or go-kart guy? WInner’s Circle offers a wide array of party options. YMCA Chattanooga - www.ymcachattanooga.org—The YMCA offers a variety of party options at their Chattanooga area locations, including pool parties, children’s programming and more.

Guest Artists:

Fredrick Davis

Dance Theatre of Harlem and

Sean Hilton

Northwest Florida Ballet

December 16 & 17, 8PM December 18, 2PM

Hayes Concert Hall, UTC Fine Arts Center

Tickets On Sale December 1

Box Ofﬁce: 423-425-4269 ● www.utc.edu/ﬁnearts For more information visit BalletTennessee.org

Helpful Hints: Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Assign other parents to help watch kids, monitor food, guide games and assist with activities. Be clear in your invitations. Not all schools have directories but often class email chains can help you communicate with parents. Be clear about whether parents can drop children off without supervision or not and spell it out in the invitation, whether it’s in print, email, online, Facebook or as an evite. Be flexible. Plan games and activities but be prepared to be flexible if the kids are having fun in their own way. Look for balance. If you have something detailed planned like painting pottery make sure that you balance it with an activity that gets the kids running around and being active so they don’t get too antsy. If your main activity is an obstacle course and race make sure that you give the kids an opportunity to have down time and a creative activity. Think about the time of day for your party and plan food accordingly. Even if it’s a party time that doesn’t call for a full meal make sure you have the basic food groups handy. Fruits, grains and vegetable will help you avoid the sugar rush and crash. Your child’s birthday comes around at the same time every year. Think ahead and when you see a great sale on something that might be good for a party favor keep it in a special Will Engle is all smiles at Pump hiding place. You can pack a favor bag full with It Up having a massive Nerf gun goodies gotten at 90% off seasonal sales. battle amid the inflatables.

Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • December 2011

A Most Holy Night By Michael Gray

n the little country church I attended tradition held that we always sang Silent Night at the end of the Christmas service. It always began with a young girl singing the first verse solo, then a verse sung in Italian, finally followed by the whole congregation singing together. Finally we all walked silently from the church. I was in my teens before I finally asked my grandmother why it was done this way. She said, “We do it to remember a young girl, a young man, and how they taught us what Christmas was really about.” Here is what she told me: After WWII an Italian family moved into our community; a man, his wife, and an infant girl. Rumors abounded; he was from Mussolini’s inner circle, he was Jewish and escaped Italian and German atrocities, or he had been a spy and his reward was to live in relative obscurity in America. Others wondered if he had been a spy for the Reich and had been here all along. All we really knew was that he lived in a house near the railroad tracks, paid with cash and baked, his wife selling the goods from a cart on Main Street every afternoon. He seemed unfriendly; when met on the street he lowered his head and hurried away. I know now he could not speak English and was embarrassed by his inability to communicate. The preacher visited them but couldn’t persuade them to attend church regularly. The few times they came they sat on the back row and left before the call to the altar. The Christmas Eve pageant was a parade led first by three older men dressed as the wise men, teenage boys dressed as shepherds and all of the children bringing gifts from each family to be placed under the tree. At the end of the service the women’s auxiliary delivered the gifts to a “needy” family. The first Christmas after this man moved into the neighborhood his wife passed away right before Christmas. The women’s auxiliary decided by a narrow margin to give the gifts to them because it was the Christian thing to do. We saw very little of the man or his daughter after that night. They began selling their baked goods through the neighborhood grocery on Lakeshore Ave. The Father seldom came out of the house and spoke to no one when he did. The ladies and men of the church talked about how he was ungrateful as he never came to church after that; the least he could have done was come by and say thanks. The next year when we had our Christmas pageant most had forgotten about the Italian’s lack of gratitude and I was excited to be Mary, the Mother of Jesus, holding a doll as the procession came down the aisle. I could see the Italian gentleman and infant girl at the back of the church behind the children. As he made his way down the aisle I heard voices whispering and what they were saying was not kind: Of all the gall, what does he think he is doing? Does he actually think he can come here and get gifts again this year? Who does he think he is why he was so ungrateful that he never said thanks? Because I was at the front I saw the scene as it unfolded. The man and his daughter waited their turn, then he bent and helped her lay her gift, a loaf of bread, at the foot of the tree. While everyone stared the two of them began walking to the rear of the church. It would have ended right there if it had not been for the solo scheduled next. A young woman was to sing the first verse of Silent Night then the choir director was going to get the congregation to join in. As her voice carried across the room the Italian stopped and I could see that

“Looking back on that night, I understand, we had all finally spoken as one. So we sing the first verse to honor the young girl who knew exactly how to say thank you.” something familiar had touched him. Tears welled into his eyes and when our soloist came to the end of first verse the rest of the church was silenced when he started singing the next verse. None of us knew Italian but the language of song is universal. Looking back on that night, I understand, we had all finally spoken as one. So we sing the first verse to honor the young girl who knew exactly how to say thank you. The second verse is for the Italian who taught us that love is the greatest gift of all, even if it comes baked into a simple loaf of bread. Then we sing a verse in unison to represent coming together to celebrate the season. Finally, with a broad smile spreading across her face she told me, “Then we march out in silence to honor your Grandfather, the best darned baker I ever knew.” Michael Gray is a Chattanooga father, writer and business owner. He enjoys the creative spirit and this fictional story is based on people he has known. Join Michael at Barking Legs (www.barkinglegs.org) for the Wide Open Floor programming that offers a great venue for spoken word and performance art.

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Chattanooga/North Georgia Parent • December 2011

YouTubing

hen our youngest son, Levi, turned seven he could read like a champ, do math like a whiz, and even play chess like a young Bobby Fischer. What he couldn’t do, however, was tie his own shoes. I blame myself, of course. The years of buying those revolutionary no-tie sneaks with Velcro fasteners proved not only convenient, but also constraining as far as his shoe-tying abilities were concerned. And no matter how many times I tried to show him how the bunny goes around the tree and through the hole, he just didn’t get it. He kept insisting, “What bunny?!?” So, I did what any technologically savvy and totally desperate parent would do. I turned to YouTube. There was a time when YouTube was basically just a place on the web where people could secure their 15 seconds of fame with videos that featured a three-year-old lip-syncing to Michael Jackson or a couple spontaneously breaking into a hip hop routine during their wedding reception. And even though these cutting-edged clips always seem more like rejects from America’s Funniest Home Videos or American Idol, it is proof positive that we are as easily entertained today as we were when Bob Saget was considered a celebrity. And even though currently the most popular hits on YouTube are either Justin Bieber music videos or some poor British kid getting his finger bitten by his brother Charlie, there is also a refreshing wave of videos that actually fulfill a need and serve a real purpose – the “how to” videos. YouTube is the one place on the web where you can learn to be, do or master just about anything you can imagine no matter how unskilled, uncoordinated or unqualified you might be. They should actually call

it “TubeU” as it has become a veritable online university for “how to” classes in everything from “How to Pick a Lock,” to “How to be Ninja” to “How to Solve a Rubik’s Cube” (which apparently takes two videos). I know people who swear by YouTube when it comes to homework help, workout routines or even cooking lessons. So I figured if I couldn’t teach Levi to tie his shoes, then maybe some self-proclaimed shoe-tying expert on YouTube could. Sure enough, a search for “How to Tie Your Shoes” yields a wide range of results, including the conventional, “How to Tie Your Shoes,” a more challenging, “How to Tie Your Shoes Really Fast,” an impressive TED talk on “How To Tie Your Shoes” (the Right Way) and of course the ever elusive, “How to Tie Your Shoes Like a Ninja.” (Those of you who just took out your smart phones to search this for yourselves can verify that I am not making this up.) So, I sat Levi down and using the process that most of us would use when trying to determine which “how to” video to use, I simply chose the one that seemed to be reasonably short (under two minutes) and reasonably sane (no Ninjas). As Levi and I watched the video together, I couldn’t help thinking that this person was saying the exact same thing that I had been trying to explain for weeks, and that this would turn out to be a futile attempt. But just as I was about to shut down the whole operation, an amazing thing happened – Levi started doing what the video was showing. And he was doing it right! I quickly pressed the play button again and after a few more times he was really getting the hang of it. This YouTube stranger had successfully taught my son to tie his shoes and I was ready to give her a virtual hug. I then started thinking about all the other things I could pawn off on YouTube to help fulfill my many parental duties – how to brush your teeth the right way, how to make your bed, how to do the dishes, how to fix your own breakfast, how to get the mail without whining. The list was endless. So now that Levi is turning eight soon and has spent the last few months becoming a shoe-tying master, YouTube and I are helping him acquire an even more important skill – learning to sing and dance like Justin Bieber – Ninja-style. I know Bob Saget is going to love it.

“YouTube is the one place on the web where you can learn to be, do or master just about anything you can imagine no matter how unskilled, uncoordinated or unqualified you might be.”

Got feedback for Alison? Contact her at AlisonLebovitz.com or post feedback to her column at ChattanoogaParentOnline.com.

Holiday Greetings, It is hard to believe it is that time of the season once more, Christmas is almost upon us. Where does the time go? It seems like I was just taking down the holiday decorations and now it is time to put them right back up again, under the watchful eye of Nina. Speaking of time I’d like to take a moment of your time to encourage you to take 20 minutes every day to read to your children or grandchildren. I realize at this time of year with a frenzy of activities and engagements to be met, along with shopping for the special ones in our lives, we sometimes break our normal patterns of behavior. One behavior many of you have embraced and if not I certainly hope you will is to read to children 20 minutes every day. It really is the simplest of acts. Yet it pays the highest of dividends; literacy. Research shows a direct correlation between reading and children’s vocabulary. This is a startling fact; homes with an average of 13 books in their residence mean children age six have a vocabulary of 20,000 words. Homes with few or no books in their household have children with a vocabulary of only 3,000 words at age six. Reading opens children’s imaginations, stimulates their brains and prepares them for the kind of good paying jobs we work every day to bring to Hamilton County. This is why the mission of Read 20 is so important. Not only does Read 20 advocate for literacy and public awareness of reading to children. Read 20 also purchases and distributes books. Since Read 20’s 2006 origin we have distributed over 208,000 books, we have interacted with more than 102,000 children daily and provided resources and training for almost 200 teachers in our public schools and child care centers. This is why Read 20 is so important to me, I hope in this holiday season you won’t forget to invest 20 minutes every day into your child’s future by reading with them. Perhaps you might want to buy a book or two to place under the tree. I can assure you of this, I’ll be spending some time this Holiday season reading to my grandchild and I hope you do also. Merry Christmas and Happy Reading!

Jim Coppinger Hamilton County Mayor