DFWChild North Texas Edition April 2020

IRVING + FLOWER MOUND + DENTON EDITION

A P R I L 2020

MEET ALEX SNODGRASS OF THE DEFINED DISH IS BREAKFAST THE NEW FAMILY MEAL?

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THE FOOD ISSUE

FIGHTING FOOD WHEN YOUR CHILD WON’T EAT

pages / A P R I L

2020

IRVING + FLOWER MOUND + DENTON EDITION

DEPARTMENTS NOTED 9 Breakfast Club

Try a different approach to the family meal

REAL MOMS 13 Mom Next Door / Alex Snodgrass

The North Texan behind The Defined Dish on her bestselling cookbook, life in the spotlight and simple, healthy recipes

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13 ABOVE // Alex Snodgrass, the foodie who created The Defined Dish, stays busy with her culinary brand and two daughters.

18 Briefs / Delectable Favorites Our Mom Next Door shares her top picks for the kitchen

20 Routines / Jennifer Serra

This makeup artist mom lives her Monday with style

KID CULTURE 31 Cooking Lessons

Why you should empower your kids in the kitchen (and how to do it)

FEATURE

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22 Food Fighter

What to do when your child just won’t eat words Carrie Steingruber

MOM NEXT DOOR: COURTESY OF ALEX SNODGRASS; COOKING: ©ISTOCK; MOM TRUTH: MARY DUNN; SYDNEY: CINDY JAMES

COLUMNS ON THE COVER

Cover Kid: Sydney, 8 Photography: Cindy James / Alyssa Pizer Management Hair & Makeup: Lisa Williams / Independent Artist Agency Art Direction/Styling: Heather Vance Devers

6 dfwchild.com / Off the Pages

In-car entertainment, pregnancy skincare and more

CREATIVE + CONTENT DIRECTOR Heather Vance Devers

Digital Editor Sydney Blalock Ritchie Calendar Editor Elizabeth Smith Editorial Intern Emily Yearwood

EDITORIAL Executive Editor Carrie Steingruber Managing Editor Alexis Patterson

ART Contributing Editorial Designer Lesley Busby Graphic Designer Susan Horn

PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Joylyn Niebes

4 Hello / Deep Breaths

Adjusting to our new reality words Heather Vance Devers

34 Confessions / Mom Truths

Impromptu public dances and other LOL parenting moments

CREATIVE DIRECTOR AT LARGE Lauren Niebes ADVERTISING Account Executives Alison Davis, Suzanne Gosselin, Becca Hobby, Nancy McDaniel, Sandi Tijerina PR/MARKETING Audience Development Director Candace Emerson

Marketing/Advertising Strategist Tram-Anh Le ADMINISTRATION Business Manager Leah Wagner Accounting Jeanie Vance Office Manager/Bookkeeper Ann Mathai

DFWChild is published monthly by Lauren Publications, Inc. DFWChild is distributed free of charge, one copy per reader. Only DFWChild authorized distributors may deliver or pick up the magazines. Additional or back copies of DFWChild are available for $2 per copy at the offices of Lauren Publications, Inc. We reserve the right to edit, reject or comment editorially on all material contributed. We cannot be responsible for the return of any unsolicited material. DFWChild is ©2020 by Lauren Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without express written permission prohibited.

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ABOVE // Heather Vance Devers in her home with her daughter, Betty, and son, Jude.

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NOTE

deep breaths

T’S HARD TO KNOW where to begin. While our April issue centers on food, it feels silly to talk about anything besides the state of our world due to COVID-19. My husband and I are working from home while also attempting to teach our 5-year-old her kindergarten lessons and keep our 2-year-old son entertained.

Y’all, it’s a lot. The first few days we stayed in our pajamas, ate Oreos and ignored bedtimes. That was fun, but I quickly realized we were going to need some sort of structure to function in our (hopefully temporary) new normal. We’re now all getting dressed each day and brushing our teeth, because even if we’re not seeing anybody but each other, I want us to keep a sense of semi-normalcy.

Earlier today, my husband and I took a walk with our kids to look at bugs and all the flowers blooming. For them, it was a mini-adventure; for me, it was a nice break to feel the sun on my face. Yesterday, to teach my daughter basic math (and the value of money), I created “house money” and told her that she could do chores to earn money, which she could then use to “buy” things like string cheese or bubbles. She was eager to help me fold laundry and feed the cats, and I didn’t have to nag to get help with housework.

I’m doing my best to stay positive, because our kids’ worlds will look different for months—maybe indefinitely—after this. My daughter won’t have the party we envisioned for her sixth birthday in early April, but I’m going to decorate our house, have a virtual party with some of her friends and ask a local baker to drop a cake on our porch. I’m trying to support small businesses, since they are getting hit hard right now. These are uncertain times, and it’s a victory just to keep the wheels on.

The silver lining that I am seeing to all of this is a change in people, a sense of community that our world desperately needed.

My neighborhood Facebook page, typically filled with posts about people driving too fast or not picking up after their dogs, announced a “Chalk Your Walk” next week—we are all going to decorate our driveways with inspiring messages and beautiful pictures to lift everyone’s spirits. I have heard from a ton of friends this week, setting up FaceTime calls and sharing songs or memes to help spread happiness. I’ve seen families offering to help at-risk neighbors get supplies or medication. This virus has made us all realize what is really important: our connection to one another, even if it is from afar. I hope this is something that changes our culture for the better and creates a more kind and supportive world for our children.

Wishing you good health,

Heather Vance Devers 4

april 2020 / dfwchild.com

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KORENA SINNETT

hello / E D I T O R ’ S

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online / D F W C H I L D . C O M WORDS

SYDNEY BLALOCK RITCHIE

OFF THE PAGES

what’s in store this month on dfwchild.com

WE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU, but for us, spring got off to a pretty rough start. The coronavirus pandemic seemed to come at us with full force just like that. Schools closed, events all over town were postponed or canceled, businesses limited their operations, social distancing became a necessity—and for some reason, everyone decided to hoard toilet paper. But remember: We are resilient. We will bounce back. Things will return to normal (a “new normal,” at least), and this will eventually be a reminder of how the community can work together for the common good. We have plenty of resources on our website for getting through trying times—and if you just need a pick-me-up, we’re here for that too.

Check out dfwchild.com for mom blogs, life hacks and more. Also, be sure to sign up for our newsletter to get all this delivered to your inbox.

Pregnancy Skincare

While you’re pregnant, there are so many things that you should or shouldn’t do.

Do take your prenatal vitamins. Don’t eat sushi. The list goes on. But did you know the do’s and don’ts extend to skincare as well? We spoke to Louise Proulx—longtime med spa professional and owner of Renew Beauty Med Spa—about what you should know.

5 Ways To Entertain Your Kids in the Car

Everything You Need To Know About Public Pre-K in DFW

You’ve probably seen billboards advertising free, full-day pre-K programs for some of our local districts. So who qualifies? We talked to Tamala Olsby with the Texas Education Agency and got all the details about public pre-K. 6

april 2020 / dfwchild.com

ALL IMAGES: ©ISTOCK

Are you tired of your kids staying glued to their devices while you’re on the road?

Our mommy blogger Stephanie Hanrahan has some great ideas for screen-free ways to entertain your kids in the car.

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noted.

BREAKFAST CLUB start the day around the table WORDS

ALEXIS PATTERSON

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AMILIES SEEM BUSIER THAN EVER these days. Kids fill their evenings with homework, sports and other extracurricular activities. Parents can’t always punch out of work at 5pm. And maybe Mom or Dad wants to catch a spin class or yoga session after wrapping up at the office. Getting everyone around the dinner table on a consistent basis can feel like herding those proverbial cats.

And yet there are so many reasons to make time to eat together. “Regular family meals are associated with lower rates of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, behavioral problems in school and teen pregnancy—those are just some of the benefits,” says Anne Fishel, Ph.D., executive director of The Family Dinner Project and associate clinical professor at Harvard Medical School. “A shared mealtime gives kids a chance to connect with their parents and feel a bond.

It’s that bond that’s so protective.” dfwchild.com / april 2020

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CLUB

But with everyone going in different directions in the evenings—an issue that often becomes more pronounced as kids get older— how do you ensure that bond is developed?

“Breakfast is our go-to answer for families who say they can’t do dinner,” explains Fishel, whose organization developed The Family Breakfast Project initiative. “A shared family meal is a shared family meal. Any of those count in terms of benefits.”

“We built out The Family Breakfast Project with the idea that if you get up the first time your alarm goes off, you’ll have at least seven minutes you can devote to a family breakfast,” says Fishel. “It’s less about quantity than quality. It’s about the atmosphere around the table.

It doesn’t have to be perfect in terms of length, what you’re serving, impeccable manners—it’s about the connection.”

If your kids are cranky when they get up, it’s best to have a few tricks at the ready. The THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL Family Breakfast Project recommends everyBreakfast really does have the potential to be thing from creating a special morning playlist the most important meal of the day in terms with your kiddos’ favorite tunes to playing silly of nutrition. “When you’re sleeping, your practical jokes in order to get them going. The body is in ‘power save’ mode. So you need to Family Breakfast Project webpage also offers jumpstart your metabolism in the morning,” conversation topics, crafts, quick, healthy recisays Jacie Slocum, an pes, and more ideas Aramark dietitian at that make breakfast Baylor Scott & White easier and more fun All Saints Medical (see sidebar at right).

Center in Fort Worth.

Slocum emphasizDietitian Jacie Slocum suggests these es that you can make “Lean protein and foods packed with time for these things options for a quick, healthy meal: fiber will provide the while still having a Build-your-own yogurt parfait: Plain Greek calories you need and healthy morning meal. yogurt or low-fat strawberry yogurt with fuel your body.”

“Have those foods an assortment of toppings (berries, low-fat Slocum adds readily available,” she granola, nuts, cereal) that ensuring a good advises. “Set fruit out, breakfast doesn’t mean Dressed-up frozen waffle: Frozen waffle, have pre-portioned toasted and topped with a nut butter or lowpreparing a gourmet cups of yogurt—even fat cottage cheese and fruit spread. “It can be just a banana and Toast and a little extra: Whole grain toast, something small, but peanut butter is topped with peanut butter and banana having breakfast will good. You can have Breakfast tacos: Corn or whole-grain tortillas, a healthy breakfast increase your energy scrambled eggs, turkey sausage, cheese, salsa throughout the day.” without a lot of time.”

Egg bites: Eggs cracked in muffin tins, your She notes that breakMoms can also favorite toppings (turkey sausage, cheese, fast also is associated invest more time in tomatoes, etc.) with less calorie conadvance. “Sunday Naturally sweetened cereal: Hot or cold sumption throughout was baking day in whole grain cereal, low-fat or fat-free milk, the day (especially our family,” Slocum fruit or a teaspoon of honey during nighttime says. “You can make hours), a decrease in homemade breads diabetes and weight, and freeze them so and better performance in school. they’re available throughout the week. Your And if you want those benefits for your kids can help you bake, and that engages kids, Fishel suggests you pull up a chair. “Kids children more.” are more likely to eat breakfast if parents are eating too,” she says.

EAT TOGETHER—WHENEVER

Even if you have to get up earlier than usual, JUST SEVEN MINUTES breakfast can be a little easier on moms and Sitting down to breakfast sounds so wholedads than dinner. In addition to typically some, but many moms (me included) have requiring less cooking, breakfast offers choices hectic mornings. Well, that’s putting it mildly. that are often more palatable to little palates.

Truth be told, we run around like our hair “Kids tend to really enjoy breakfast foods, so is on fire. We’re throwing together lunches, there’s less bellyaching about what’s being shoving on shoes as we head out to the car. served,” Fishel says. “It’s easier to focus on For my son and me, a family breakfast usually what’s happening around the table.” means we’re both cramming cereal into our Still, if breakfast just isn’t an option in your mouths on the way to school. So a sit-down house, and dinnertime is busy, Fishel says find meal where we have meaningful communicasome time to connect. “It doesn’t have to be tion—when would I find the time? the same meal every day,” she says. “Maybe It’s easier than you might think, accordyou can do breakfast once a week, a couple of ing to Fishel: Don’t hit the snooze button in dinners, a weekend brunch and an intentional the mornings. (“Guilty,” I admit during our family snack. It’s whatever is doable and enjoyconversation.) able for your family.”

Make Breakfast Easier

GATHER ’ROUND With the kids home from school and parents home from work, now could be a good time to start a breakfast routine. Here are excerpts and suggestions from The Family Breakfast Project. For the whole day-by-day guide, visit thefamilydinnerproject.com/thefamily-breakfast-project.

PREP YOUR PANTRY. Gather items like milk (1/2 gallon size is easier for kids to pour); fruit; extras (berries, new jam flavors, granola); and basics (cereal, yogurt, bread).

INVITE YOUR FAMILY TO BREAKFAST. Let your family know that breakfasts will be extra special, fun and delicious this week.

On The Family Breakfast Project website, you can download and customize an invitation for every member of your family.

MAKE A CLOTHING CHECKLIST. Give your kids a printable checklist (available on the website) that helps them plan their clothes out at night. This makes it easier to create time for breakfast.

MAKE BREAKFAST MEANINGFUL. Try these conversation topics: + “What is your wish and worry?” You can give kids advice and help them brainstorm possible solutions. + “What were you like as a kid?” Your children can as you about your favorite subject in school, the games you liked to play at recess and who was your best friend.

MAKE BREAKFAST FUN. Family activities (either something you prepare in advance or do at the table) can be a special treat. Check these out: + Together, create a playlist of your family’s favorite songs and make it a part of your mornings. + Teach your kids about your favorite music. You may learn something new about what they like, too. + Make lunchbox notes. Put some notepads on the table and write notes to each other. No peeking allowed!

Notes of encouragement can make a big difference in your family’s day.

The Family Breakfast Project is a partnership of Cheerios and The Family Dinner Project. dfwchild.com / april 2020

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real moms.

RÉSUMÉ

AGE 32 HAILS FROM Celina LIVES IN Dallas KIDS Sutton, 7, and Winnie,

4 SIGNIFICANT OTHER Husband Clayton Snodgrass, real estate developer ALMA MATER Texas Christian University, where she earned a degree in history WHERE TO FIND HER TheDefinedDish.com, @TheDefinedDish and her cookbook The Defined Dish HER DREAM JOB AS A KID Counselor

SNODGRASS AND DAUGHTERS: COURTESY OF ALEX SNODGRASS

The kitchen is a happy place for Alex Snodgrass and her daughters.

mom next door /

ALEX SNODGRASS new york times bestselling author of the defined dish WORDS

HEATHER VANCE DEVERS

C

ONVINCING YOUR CHILDREN TO CHOOSE grain-free, gluten-free, dairyfree versions of their favorite Chick-fil-A nuggets or Taco Bell Crunch Wrap Supreme may seem like a far-fetched dream—but leave it to The Defined Dish’s Alex Snodgrass to make that happen. The North Texan’s New York Times bestselling cookbook is flying off the shelves, and for good reason. Here are just a couple of the reviews: “I own two cookbooks, and Alex’s is the second. Buy it. You won’t be disappointed.”

“Alex Snodgrass makes recipes that would normally be intimidating very doable, delicious and healthy.”

The praise goes on and on. Snodgrass recently returned from a sold-out book tour, maintains a blog that covers everything from pantry prep to self-confidence, and has dfwchild.com / april 2020

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real moms / M O M

DOCTORS

DFWChild.com Directory Helping parents successfully navigate the childhood years is kind of our thing. Explore our not-so-secret weapon, the online directory, at dfwchild.com.

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NEXT DOOR

an Instagram following of 415,000. Oh, and she’s also parenting two young girls with her husband Clayton, her college best-friendturned-sweetheart. Snodgrass describes life as “chaos—but the best kind.”

How did you start The Defined Dish?

Originally The Defined Dish started because my sister [Madison]—and this is probably six years ago—had an Instagram account where she would share fitness workout videos, because she was a personal trainer. I had just had my daughter Sutton, and I was at home.

I always loved cooking and shared my recipes with my family and friends. It was really kind of my sister’s idea to join forces and start a food and fitness blog, where I did the recipes and she did the fitness. We started it together, and it was more of like a hobby-type thing. It kind of quickly tipped more into food because I was way more into it than she was—and everybody likes food more than fitness.

After about two years, my sister was getting married, and she decided that she didn’t want to do it anymore. At that point, we probably had about 10,000 followers, and I was really starting to like it and get the hang of things. I was like, “Oh, should I just stop too?

This is taking up a lot of time and energy, and it’s not really going anywhere,” or I could actually shift it into business mode and try to turn it into my business. So I went out on my own.

I rebranded my site, made it easier to work and just really shifted into a food-focused blog. It was just me running it. From there it just kind of took off.

That’s really when The Defined Dish as it is today was born.

What gave you the drive to go out on your own? Before I really started the blog, I was also struggling with anxiety for the first time in my life. I had Sutton at a really young age. We weren’t expecting her; we weren’t there yet. I kind of became a stay-at-home mom by default. I got my real estate license, so I kind of piddled in that, but I just wasn’t finding what was next for me. So doing the blog as a hobby brought me a lot of

joy, and it was my passion.

I realized that if I can make this my job, it would make me so happy—and it’s flexible. I can still be at all the big things that I need to be at—all the teacher meetings, all the recitals and all the things—and not worry about that because I have a flexible schedule. So it was like, If this works out it would be so amazing.

At that point, when Madison left, Clayton and I really sat down, because he saw me spending so much time and energy on it. He said to me, “I really think you can make this a business, and you need to, because otherwise it’s not worth your time.” We didn’t have a nanny then; I was just trying to do this at night. I had a lightbox set up to take pictures of my food. I did that for a while longer until I could afford to have a nanny. Now I am able to work during the day and clock out at night and be present with my kids—rather than right after dinner’s served hovering over the food taking pictures, and Clayton’s like, “Sit down and have dinner.”

A lot has changed because I was able to turn it into a business, which is really important.

What is it like to have a New York Times bestselling cookbook? Was that your goal? It’s pretty awesome. It’s not really necessarily the goal because it’s so hard to get. I was kind of warned before the fact that the odds of getting that, even if you have a great-selling book, are so slim— because it’s not just based on numbers. I don’t know what the algorithm is for The New York Times bestselling list, but it’s really tricky. So I was warned by my publishing team, “Just so you know, your book is already presold.

The numbers are there, but you’re probably not going to get it just because that’s just how it works”—unless you’re, like, Brené Brown, or someone super like Alison Roman, who writes for The New York Times’ cooking column.

It was one of those things that I just didn’t think I was going to really get it. So when I got it, it was just like the icing on the cake—

“TO BE ABLE TO BRING THAT SPARK BACK TO THE KITCHEN AND HELP THEM LOVE [COOKING] AGAIN AND FEEL REWARDED WHEN THEY PUT DINNER ON THE TABLE IS REALLY LOVELY.”

Sparking your child’s learning with a STEAM-based Montessori curriculum.

SNODGRASS: COURTESY OF ALEX SNODGRASS

ABOVE // Alex Snodgrass recently completed a sold-out book tour for her cookbook, The Defined Dish.

because even though my book was selling great, and all my fans were cooking out of it, and that was the goal, this was just like such a good prize to get on top of it. You know, it’s super rewarding.

What a great validation of all the hours you put into creating your brand. It’s hard to be validated when you’re a home cook trying to start this blog and writing your own cookbook. A lot of people would kind of be like, “Oh, those recipes aren’t that impressive.” If you’re somebody that likes to cook really high-end food that takes a long time, say, that cooks for six hours—that’s not the style of cooking that I do. So it can be considered a little elementary for some people.

Even though it might not be impressive to you, it’s something that’s a necessity for everybody in this day and age. Everybody is strung thin, and they want good food that’s clean, where they feel good about serving [it] to the family, that’s also not difficult, that’s very straightforward. It’s a great validation for me to just be able to be like, “OK, this isn’t just stupid stuff that nobody cares about.”

What was it like to be on a book tour? It’s the most emotionally rewarding, emotionally draining experience of my life. I wouldn’t trade it for anything, and I’ll do it again, for sure. It’s so nice to be able to—as somebody who has always been in this digital world, virtually connecting with my community— to actually be able to meet people in person and see them show up for me in person. It makes it all more real. It makes it all more meaningful. It’s been so fantastic to meet everyone in person and not just be behind a phone.

It’s also a lot of time away from my family, a lot of travel, in a very short amount of time. So it’s really exhausting. I’m glad to be on the other side of it, but it was absolutely glorious and so special.

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What has been the most surreal part of this process? I think just the fact that it did so well.

When you put something out there like that, it’s very vulnerable. On the internet, if someone doesn’t like something or if there’s an error, you can delete it, and it’s so informal. This was the first very formal thing I’ve done for my business, and for myself, and it was really scary.

But to see how many people loved the book and that they are actually cooking from it every night, it’s exactly what I wanted. To see that come to life has been super surreal. Plus, putting on the book tour, I didn’t know if people were going to show up. I’ve never gone to D.C. or New York or Boston to do an event. I kept thinking, I hope people come. They showed up and sold out every venue. That just blew my mind. I was like, Oh my gosh, this is actually a real thing that people are there looking at me every day and not just these “fake” Instagram accounts.

It’s just nice to put a face to a name and realize that people really do care. My favorite thing that so many people said to me was that they’re so proud of me, because they’ve been following me for so long. They feel like they’re a part of it with me, which is really special. I cry just talking about it. It’s just been really special to see that, because everyone’s really supportive of me.

What has been the best feedback you’ve been given? People like my mom who have always been cooking for families say when you cook that much for your kids, it gets burdensome and old, and so the kids leave the house and [the parent starts to] hate cooking. They cooked so long and [were so busy] just trying to get everyone to bed that cooking isn’t fun anymore. It’s like another 16

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“IT’S JUST NICE TO PUT A FACE TO A NAME AND REALIZE THAT PEOPLE REALLY DO CARE.” job. And now, with these recipes, they say, “I like cooking again. It’s fun for me. For a while there, I was just eating; I was just done cooking. I don’t care if it’s chicken soup from the grocery store, I just don’t want to cook anymore.” So to be able to bring that spark back to the kitchen and help them love it again and feel rewarded when they put dinner on the table is really lovely.

What has been your biggest lesson in this whole process? Probably throughout the whole thing, it’s just being able to accept criticism a little bit more. When you’re putting yourself out there like I am—and with this many people that are following me and looking at me and seeing me— part of it is the negative side of it, the negative

commentary that you get from it. It’s just people being a******* to be honest. Just picking at the littlest things that you can ever imagine. That has been a little bit hard for me, especially at first.

Some months are easier than others; it just depends on what the person said and how deep it cuts, what my mood is—but being able to realize it’s not worth my attention is something that I’ve had to learn throughout this time and not let it affect me. There’s been times I want to crawl under my bed and just cry for a couple days.

When my book came out, just reading some of the negative reviews on Amazon … The positive far outweighed the negative; it’s just our human nature to focus on the negative. I had to be able to break through that and be like, This is so silly that I’m focusing on these people’s comments or reviews.

I could be focusing on all these people that are lifting me up and supporting me and showing up for me in such big numbers. So that’s been the mind game. It’s been a learning experience for sure.

Where do you see yourself and your family in the next five years? I always tell people I’m just trying to make it to Friday every week! I can’t even imagine anything more than what’s already happened with my career. Now that I’ve gotten to this point, I’m like, Wow. This is what I didn’t even imagine ever happening. I’m really trying to figure that out, but my favorite part about what I do is making recipes. So no matter how I share it, I’m happy with it, as long as it feels right. Book two obviously will happen. I mean, a lot of people ask about if I’m ever going to do TV. I’m open to it if it’s the right show, but as long as I’m continuing to share recipes and people are continuing to cook them, that’s my goal.

SNODGRASS AND DAUGHTERS: COURTESY OF ALEX SNODGRASS

ABOVE // Alex Snodgrass’ daughters Sutton and Winnie are learning their way around the kitchen at an early age—as their mom’s culinary brand, The Defined Dish, grows from blog to cookbook and beyond.

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16795 State Route E, Rolla, MO 65401 573-458-2125 • office@bearriverranch.com CubCreekScienceCamp.com

Imagine a summer camp where campers eat breakfast with a colony of lemurs, zoom down a zip-line and pet a camel before lunch, and play a camp-wide game of Capture the Flag after dinner! Cub Creek is that camp! With 300 incredible animals and over 100+ classes, we are not your average science camp! Welcoming boys and girls ages 7 to 17 for over 25 years.

dfwchild.com / april 2020

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real moms / B R I E F S

DELECTABLE FAVORITES

alex snodgrass shares her culinary picks

MU S T-H AV E KITCH E N TO O L

2

H E R KI DS’ FAVO R ITE CO O KBO O K R ECI PE S g“Sutton would probably say the tomato soup, but

don’t add the basil, and cook it with a grilled cheese.

They both love—and this is another fan favorite from the book—the grain-free chicken nuggets, which taste like Chick-fil-A, in the kids chapter. You brine them in pickle juice. You brine them in a grain-free almond flour/tapioca combination with some spices and fry them in avocado oil. They’re delightful. They’re so good. I just put mine on a salad and I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m so healthy.’’’

H E R FAVO R ITE CO O KBO O K R ECI PE

A GOOD KNIFE. MADE IN IS A GOOD BRAND, AND THE COMPANY IS BASED OUT OF AUSTIN. THEY HAVE GOOD KNIVES AT A DECENT PRICE. THEY’RE SOLID. CUTTING THINGS WITH A BAD KNIFE JUST TAKES FIVE TIMES LONGER.

MADE IN COOKWEAR // madeincookware.com

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april 2020 / dfwchild.com

4

3

FA M I LY M E A L O UT (O R I N)

‘‘

WE REALLY LIKE JOSÉ. THEY HAVE THE WATERFALL AND THE PATIO OUTSIDE, AND WE LOVE HANGING OUT THERE. OUR OTHER HACK IS TO GO TO LA DUNI AT NORTHPARK BECAUSE YOU CAN SIT OUT IN THE COURTYARD. WE LET OUR KIDS ROAM—WE’RE THOSE PARENTS— AND THEY LOVE IT.

‘‘

1

HEATHER VANCE DEVERS

Editor’s note: José and La Duni McKinney

“The most cooked recipe thus far is probably the grain-free chicken no parmesan.” THE DEFINED DISH:

Ave. offer pickup and delivery services dur-

HEALTHY AND WHOLESOME WEEKNIGHT RECIPES // thedefineddish.com

Multiple locations; ladunihub.com

5

ing dining room closures. JOSÉ // 4931 W.

Lovers Lane, Dallas; jose.mx LA DUNI //

FAVO R ITE CLE A N -E ATI N G B R A N D “My favorite brand of all time is Siete Foods.

Everything is wonderful, all their grain-free chips, tortillas, enchilada sauces, hot sauces; they have everything and they’re all wonderful. I just love the company, the people that run it too. I have a really good relationship with them, but first and foremost I love their products.” SIETE FOODS // sietefoods.com

SNODGRASS AND CHICKEN: COURTESY OF ALEX SNODGRASS; KNIFE: MADE IN; CHIPS: SIETE FOODS

INTERVIEW

RAISING A BRAIN CHILD? GO PUBLIC. ™™

KERA KERA offers offers aa world world of of teacher-tested, teacher-tested,kid-approved kid-approvedresources resourcesfor forfamilies families and and educators. educators. Like Like Start Start Smart, Smart, aa free free texting textingservice servicethat thatdelivers deliverstips tips about about child child development, development, literacy, literacy, health, health, math math and and more moreright righttotoyour your phone.

Go find out how to make any time learning time. phone. Go find out how to make any time learning time.

KERA.ORG/STARTSMART KERA.ORG/STARTSMART

a monday in the life of

JENNIFER SERRA Jennifer Serra owns and is the lead makeup artist for JenniferSerraBeauty Hair & Makeup Team.

She and her husband Frank, a real estate professional, are raising four children—Lily, 9, Sebastian, 5, Maddox, 4, and Nikolas, the family’s newest arrival. When she's not at photo shoots or weddings, you can find Serra exploring DFW with her crew of six.

3

AM I hear 8-week-old Nikolas rustle in his bassinet. I pick him up and nurse him back to sleep. He wants to “talk” instead, so we play peek-a-boo.

I change and wrap Nikolas and rock him around the kitchen until he drifts off.

3:58AM After I lay my head on the pillow, one of the kids wakes me up to take him to the bathroom. I lay my head back on the pillow only to wake up to another kid coughing and needing his breathing treatment. This is brutal!

6:20AM My alarm goes off. Somehow two of the four kids managed to climb into bed. “Hi, Mom,” my oldest whispers, and hugs me. She’s anything but a baby anymore and the weight from her big kid hug is a reminder of that.

8AM Time to eat breakfast and pack lunch. I’ve got a wedding styled shoot to get ready for two hours away, too. I load up the diaper bag, my lighting and kit into the trunk. It’s one of those

rare days baby gets to go with me.

9AM Dropping my preschooler off. I wave bye to Maddox and, from the classroom window, watch him give his best friend a hug.

9:10AM Nikolas is still asleep in the car seat. I’m exhausted but try to get my mind off of it. Nothing a lot of caffeine can’t fix! I sneak in some time in the car to follow up with my assistant. Time to head home to nurse before we head out!

10:30AM I send off bridal makeup and hair timelines. We’re finally off! Luckily, the baby sleeps the whole two-hour ride there.

12:15PM Country roads, country roads and more country roads. The majority of the wedding venues are what I consider “Middle of Nowhere, Texas.”

The scenery is always gorgeous, but I never take my phone off GPS until I get to the destination.

12:20PM We drive into the venue, and the scene is stunning! There are longhorns to the right and sheep to the left. I take photos for my Instagram story. I follow the pebbled road up to meet the owners.

12:30PM The venue is decorated with a modern yet cozy Southern vibe. There’s some construction still being done on patios, but overall I wouldn’t mind staying!

12:45PM I haul the car seat inside as baby sleeps.

Set up my kit and my lighting. Nikolas squirms, and I take a moment to nurse him. I scarf down my lunch while he’s eating.

1PM The coordinator of the shoot, Jacilyn from Nothing But Love Weddings & Events, peeks her head inside to say hello. (She manages the styled shoot with such grace, you never would have thought there were so many hiccups in planning!)

1:20PM I babywear Nikolas and survey the premises, chitchatting some more with the owner about how I love the view and her eye for design.

I find so much satisfaction in touring venues and learning the stories behind each one. They all have their own little personalities.

1:45PM Nikolas is on a baby blanket while we start hair and makeup on my model. I take the boho theme and run with it. Baby is amused with my ring light but gets fussy. I try to talk. Ugh. Thankfully, the model offers to hold him. He flirts with her while I finish her makeup.

3PM I put down Nikolas for a short nap and post the hillside view on my Instagram story. I scurry to tidy up the hair and makeup setup as my model changes into a vintage boho gown.

3:20PM I bust out the baby carrier again, and we head outside to meet with the crew. My makeup artist eye doesn’t like the lip color against the bouquet and outdoor “backdrop.” I ask the photographer for her thoughts. “Something more mauvy,” she says. Much better!

3:30PM I notice the chemistry between the model bride and groom is a bit off. I attempt to crack jokes to make them more comfortable with each other. Body language is always easy to detect in photos.

4PM Workouts are few and far between lately, so

Diaries are penned by moms (and dads) in the North Texas area. The authors volunteer to share a day of their choosing and are not paid or endorsed by DFWChild. Send your diary to editorial@dfwchild.com. All submissions are subject to editing and may be cut for space.

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april 2020 / dfwchild.com

SERRA FAMILY: MALIA MAUREEN PHOTOGRAPHY

real moms / R O U T I N E S

the fine

print

BEAUTY PRODUCT SHE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz pencil WHAT SHE’S WATCHING Love Is Blind (I’m so embarrassed to admit it …) FAVORITE INDULGENCE Tacos, hands down BEVERAGE OF CHOICE Room-temperature water FAVORITE SCENTS Lavender and cleaning products NO. 1 ITEM ON HER BUCKET LIST To travel to each continent at least twice WORDS SHE LIVES BY Go hard or go home TOP PLAYLIST Workout Twerkout on Spotify MOTHERHOOD IN FIVE WORDS So much love and poop FAVORITE GIFT TO GIVE FRIENDS Surprise random Venmo for coffee WHAT SHE’S READING The Myth of the Nice Girl:

BROW WIZ: ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS; BOOK: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT

Achieving a Career You Love Without Becoming a Person You Hate by Fran Hauser SHE’S REALLY GOOD AT Reading people SHE’S REALLY BAD AT Math HABIT SHE CAN’T QUIT Caffeine (please don’t take it away!) SHE’S INSPIRED BY Powerhouse women

I do some squats with baby outside during the shoot. He stares at me and giggles like I’m the best person in the world. Why don’t they stay like this forever?

4:45PM The shoot moves inside, and I refresh the model bride’s curls. I send her on her way and get packing.

5:15PM I nurse the baby, talk about possible publications and then bid farewell to the whole crew. On the road again! Of course, we hit rush hour traffic.

6:45PM I’m starving and want something sweet as a reward for the last few days. I make it through the Dairy Queen drivethru, with the line long enough for baby to start crying. I park, nurse him and eat. And we’re off again!

7:15PM It’s starting to drizzle and all I want is to finally be at home with my chaos ... aka kids.

8:30PM Home sweet home! My three oldest run and give me hugs. “Mom! I haven’t seen you in forever!”

8:45PM Quick shower and make a bottle for Nikolas so I can actually sleep tonight.

9PM Thankfully, the kids have done their homework with Dad. I ask them if they have any special prayer requests, and we pray. We listen to a podcast to help them wind down.

9:15PM Yes! Whatever Dad did with the kids puts them to sleep without a fuss.

Lights out! dfwchild.com / april 2020

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What to do when your child just won’t eat dfwchild.com / april 2020

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EFORE HER family's first trip to Disney World, Summer Satterfield stocked up—not so much on sunscreen or games for the plane, but on cases of Yoplait Thick & Creamy yogurt.

Besides Carnation Breakfast Essentials (a nutrition powder mixed into milk), that yogurt was her 9-year-old son’s only food.

“We literally lived on yogurt and milk,” the Wylie mom says. “We would order three or four cases [of yogurt] every week, because he would eat three or four at a time. That was his meal.”

Satterfield’s husband found a store in Orlando that would deliver cases of Thick & Creamy yogurt to the resort where the family was staying—but they could get only strawberry, not even Tyler’s preferred vanilla. “We were taking a chance,” Satterfield says. “If they hadn’t’ve showed up with them, I guess he would have drank milk the whole trip.”

Fortunately, the yogurt was waiting for them when they arrived, and they stored it in the room refrigerator and an ice chest, along with vanilla they’d brought in their baggage.

“It’s crazy looking back on this,” she adds.

“I’m like, ‘I can’t believe we did that!’ We had to.”

That’s not an exaggeration. The adage “They’ll eat when they’re hungry,” often offered by mothers-in-law or even pediatricians, doesn’t apply to kids who have feeding disorders, like Tyler. Satterfield says he was “petrified” when presented with food.

“I would even try to tell him, ‘If you would lick a piece of bread, even lick, I will buy you a Thomas Train today,’” she admits of Tyler’s younger years. “It was terrible—bribery—but I didn’t know what else to do.”

These kids would (and occasionally do) end up on an IV before they’d venture off their limited menus. Some don’t even have the capacity to chew or swallow food properly.

And we’re not talking about a tiny sliver of the population here—research suggests that at least a fourth of typically developing kids have a feeding disorder. That means for every kid you know who’s left-handed, you probably know two with a feeding disorder.

Among children with autism, developmental delays and chronic medical conditions, the prevalence balloons to 80%.

Meanwhile, experts proposed defining “pediatric feeding disorder” for the first time in the ICD-10, the World Health Organization’s bible of diseases that doctors and insurance companies rely on. The distinction between a feeding disorder and typical pickiness is fluid, but some kids dismissed as “going through a phase” might actually be going through pain, anxiety or an undiagnosed medical condition that makes mealtime miserable and puts their health at risk.

WHAT’S GOING ON? “I can send you a picture of what his fourth-grade class looks like, and you can tell which one is my 24

april 2020 / dfwchild.com

child,” Fort Worth mom Lorena Pudyk told me.

She wasn’t wrong—in the photo, her 9-year-old son Walter barely comes up to his classmates’ shoulders.

Walter stopped eating at around a year old.

“This is gonna sound terrible,” Pudyk says, “but my husband would hold his head, and I would try to open his mouth just to feed him, because we got to the point where we were desperate.”

But when they tried to feed their son, he would gag and vomit (which can be symptoms of a feeding disorder). “I would just feel awful, and

“My husband would hold his head, and I would try to open his mouth just to feed him, because we got to the point where we were desperate.” sometimes embarrassed, because here I was not being able to feed my child, not knowing why or not understanding why,” Pudyk says.

Walter survived on PediaSure and Nutter Butters, eventually adding crunchy cereal—well, a crunchy cereal, Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

Kids with feeding disorders tend to take brand loyalty to the extreme, and that’s a key difference between run-of-the-mill picky eaters and those with feeding disorders, explains Mary Fink, clinical manager of feeding programs at Children’s Health. The latter reject entire food

groups (such as vegetables) or only accept foods with a certain texture, sometimes discriminating by brand (say, McDonald’s chicken nuggets but not Chick-fil-A’s).

While a child’s palate may suggest a feeding problem, often the proof is not in the pudding, but the growth chart.

“How a child is growing is a huge clue into their health,” explains Dr. Vanessa Charette, a pediatrician with Cook Children’s Pediatrics Fort Worth – Magnolia. “If a child is growing well, it helps give you a lot of reassurance that they’re getting enough nutrition and they’re doing OK. But if they’re growing poorly, then that is a sign that we need to start looking for what’s going on.”

The list of possible causes is lengthy, ranging from prematurity to gastroesophageal problems to traumatic events that trigger psychological aversions. “I had a child who had an aversion because of a hospitalization,” Charette says, “and literally all she would eat was chips and queso.

That was it.”

For some kids, eating is painful thanks to allergic inflammation or reflux. Blood tests on Walter didn’t reveal any such underlying medical conditions, but a pediatrician recognized the symptoms of sensory processing disorder (SPD): Besides refusing food, Walter never put anything in his mouth as a baby, and in public places he would sometimes “just scream his lungs out for no reason,” Pudyk says. She had no idea his tantrums were related to his picky palate, but SPD frequently precipitates feeding difficulties.

Still other kids have a physical dysfunction, like a swallowing problem, that prevents proper ingestion. Sally Bober, a Plano speech-language pathologist who treated Tyler Satterfield, says 100% of her feeding disorder clients to this point have ultimately been diagnosed with a tongue restriction. Tyler’s tongue-tie caused him to gag, and what was a structural problem swelled into a behavioral problem too.

“He’s scared to death he’s gonna gag, because his gag was horrible,” Bober remembers. “With these kids, if they gag once on something, they remember it.” Tyler reacted in fear, “freaking out” whenever food was placed in front of him, Satterfield says.

Anxiety and resistant behavior are hallmarks of feeding disorders, turning mealtime into a “power struggle between the child and the parent,” explains Monica Johnson, an occupational therapist at PediaPlex Southlake. “And then it increases anxiety for the child, and it increases anxiety for the parent, because eating is a life skill—we have to have it to survive.”

Charette explains that a period of poor nutrition early in life can stunt a child’s final height.

“If they have poor nutrition early on, they never grow as well,” she says. That goes for cognitive development too—lack of proper nutrition compromises a child’s ability to think, concentrate and learn.

And as their anxiety worsens, it can seep into other aspects of life, especially as food becomes an integral part of many social situations. “Some

of my clients have had a lot of anxiety when it comes to social events, because they know they’re not going to eat whatever’s offered at the birthday party,” explains Karen McPhearson, a speechlanguage pathologist at PediaPlex. Kids feel left out of the celebration, or they avoid social gatherings altogether.

So when a child is gagging on a new food or wailing in defiance at dinnertime, parents face an unappetizing choice: force-feed their child, or give in to their child’s preferences at the expense of their health. To outsiders, a pained decision borne of love looks like cruelty on the one hand or weak-willed indulgence on the other.

“They don’t understand,” Pudyk says of her own family. “Sometimes I would hear stuff like, ‘Oh, you’re not doing it right,’ or, ‘You’re spoiling him’—those nasty comments that you don’t expect from your family.”

MORE THAN HE COULD CHEW Though Satterfield’s family was more supportive, she did get ignorant comments from other people “all the time”—advice like, “You just need to make him eat.” She had tried, of course; in fact, she and her husband had spent tens of thousands of dollars on in-home, inpatient and outpatient therapy programs by the time her son was 7.

“I remember when my daughter started eating food,” Satterfield recalls, “and I think one of the most crushing things [Tyler] ever said was, ‘Mommy, why do I not eat food?’ He knows something’s wrong, but he doesn’t know what to do about it.”

Nobody, it seemed, knew what to do about it—when the Satterfields found Bober, Tyler was 9 and still on a diet of yogurt and milk despite years of therapy.

“We kind of just gave up,” Satterfield admits.

“We didn’t know what to do. Then you’ve got other kids in the mix. Your focus is not on fixing it all anymore—it’s coping with what you’ve been given.”

If there’s an underlying medical condition that’s causing pain, such as reflux, a pediatrician can test and prescribe treatment for it, which might swiftly solve the child’s feeding difficulties.

But if they have poor oral motor skills, deepseated anxiety or sensory issues, then working through those problems takes time, and sometimes a whole team of therapists.

“Feeding encompasses so many systems and so many skills,” Fink says. “Seeing it through several different eyes helps us determine a thorough plan for treatment.”

It’s a multifaceted problem that requires a holistic solution, often a combination of occupational and speech therapy, as well as mental health counseling to alleviate anxiety. “You can’t just treat the oral skills; you have to treat the whole child and the family,” Fink explains.

Still, those oral skills are a prerequisite to fighting mealtime fears and expanding the menu—a child who can’t chew or swallow properly won’t make any headway with new foods.

For the first few weeks of Tyler’s treatment

with Bober, food wasn’t even on the menu; they exclusively worked on his oral motor skills— something none of his other therapists had done, Satterfield says. “He had to know what it was gonna even feel like to chew.”

So at the clinic and at home, Satterfield says her son chomped his way through an alphabet of oral motor tools—“P” and “Q” tubes, a “knobby T”—to strengthen his mouth muscles, while another tool called a Z-Vibe gently simulated the feeling of food.

Then as Bober presented new foods—Greek yogurt, fruit, bread—Tyler’s tongue-tie was still problematic. “He couldn’t lateralize his tongue to get the food out of his cheek,” she explains. “He couldn’t keep the food on his teeth if he wanted to chew. So it floated around and that’s what caused that gag.” And he was spending upwards of 50 chews on a single bite, far above the max of 20 chews that Bober aims for.

Tyler finally had a frenectomy (aka tongue release) five months into his therapy with Bober, and Satterfield says the change in his mealtime demeanor was “almost immediate.” He wasn’t anxious anymore; he had control over his mouth. By the time Tyler was released from therapy, five months after his frenectomy, he was eating about 100 foods.

FOOD EXPLORERS There is no standard length of treatment. Some kids are chowing down in a matter of months; Walter’s treatment, meanwhile, lasted for years— and he’s still not crazy about food. The therapists at PediaPlex taught him a gradual, step-by-step process for trying new things, which Johnson likes to call ‘food exploration.’ “Sometimes you’re gonna just use your basic senses to explore the food with no intention of eating,” she says, “because once you take that away, sometimes that reduces some of that anxiety.”

Food exploration is a progression of sensory encounters: touching or playing with the food, then smelling it, putting it to your lips, touching it with your tongue and holding it in your mouth—all before ever trying to ingest the food.

The therapists invited Walter’s parents to observe this process so they could replicate it at home.

A key ingredient of successful treatment is consistency between the clinic and the dining table, so therapists teach parents to establish a mealtime environment that doesn’t reinforce their child’s food aversions. For some families, that means establishing a mealtime, period—kids thrive on routine and expectations. Other families may need to loosen up a little.

“Some families are, ‘We eat neat and tidy, there’s no mess, there’s no playing with food, it’s always utensil-based, it’s never hand-based,’” says Nicole Dunagan, a speech-language pathologist and COO at PediaPlex. “Sometimes it’s breaking those barriers down with parents as well—let them be messy, don’t wipe their mouth every time, let it hang out on their face for a little bit, let their hands get sticky.”

The Pudyks have a poster of the food explora-

It’s a rare child who enthusiastically scarfs down everything you put on their plate, so when does a picky palate become something more concerning? Here’s what to watch for, according to experts: • Gagging, choking or vomiting when eating • Inability to transition to an age-appropriate diet • Super selective eating—rejection of whole food groups, or preference for a certain texture or brand • Sudden and permanent rejection of previously accepted foods • Holding food in their mouth a long time or swallowing food whole • Tantrums and other resistant behavior at mealtime (particularly in combination with other signs) • Poor weight gain for their age • Inability to eat without a distraction (e.g., a TV show) If you have any concerns about your child’s eating habits, keep a record of what your child eats and talk to your pediatrician.

tion steps on their wall, and they also took home a new mealtime routine: Walter has to sit with his parents, even if he’s not hungry, and he has to try everything they eat. Pudyk clarifies that they don’t push if he’s resistant. “We don’t want to get to the point where he gets upset and then he starts hating food again,” she says.

After-school cooking classes helped Walter expand his gustatory horizons as well. Now on the menu: waffles, chicken nuggets, quesadillas, Fanta (previously a no-go because of the carbonation). As a parent, Pudyk’s job is to continue presenting new foods to her son, and to accept that because of his SPD, he may always struggle with eating to an extent. She has to urge him to eat sometimes, and remind him that food is what gives him the energy to jump on his trampoline.

But at least he has tools for navigating a foodfilled world.

“We know now that he’s never gonna grow out of it,” Pudyk says. “Therapy helped him as much as they could to be socially interactive and to find out what he can do in a situation where food is present.”

Mealtime at the Satterfields’ isn’t resistancefree, and even as Tyler adds new menu items, he drops others he had begun to accept, like bacon.

But Satterfield can handle a little pickiness if it means her son is eating.

“Is there still pushback sometimes, like a normal kid? Yes,” Satterfield says. “But the fact that he eats food at every meal … We can eat together.

We can go to a restaurant. We can go through a drive-thru. Our life is dramatically different.” dfwchild.com / april 2020

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IDEAS FOR FUTURE FAMILY VACATIONS //

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

IDEAS FOR FUTURE

Family

VACATIONS 26

april 2020 / dfwchild.com

IDEAS FOR FUTURE FAMILY VACATIONS //

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Stay and Play in Grapevine

Glamping or Camping?

TAKE SUMMER TO THE NEXT LEVEL IN GRAPEVINE

AN OUTDOOR ADVENTURE RIGHT OUTSIDE YOUR DOOR

Celebrate summertime in Grapevine from Memorial Day to Labor Day weekend with something fun for the entire family!

Enjoy fun attractions, special events, world-class shopping, wine and craft brew tastings, the 38th Annual July 4th Fireworks Extravaganza, art and educational exhibits like the highly engaging exhibit, Storyland: A Trip Through Childhood Favorites, showcasing the power of reading, and more. With so much to do, you’ll want to plan a staycation at one of Grapevine’s great hotels!

Strap on your hiking boots, mist some bug spray, and snag some marshmallows for a camping trip at Twin Coves Park and Camp Ground. Home to fully furnished cabins, RV sites (with optional hookups), and primitive campsites, you can choose the best fit for your family. During the day, take advantage of the boat dock and kayak launch along Lake Grapevine, or enjoy hiking the Northshore Trail. You’ll also find a playground, short disc golf course, and plenty of picnic tables, grills and pavilions along the 243-acre park.

grapevinetexasusa.com

twincovespark.com

Twin Coves Park & Campground

Plan a stay-cation at the picturesque Twin Coves Park in Flower Mound!

The park boasts 19 furnished cabins and 22 RV slips, in addition to a variety of other amenities including a small craft launch boat ramp, and much more.

Families and can enjoy a variety of features including office/camp store, playground, two large pavilions, grass volleyball court, horseshoes and washer game sets, four-hole disc golf course, nature trails, and a lake overlook area with a fire pit and seating. Online reservations for cabin, RV, and tent site rentals can be made through the park website or by phone.

5001 Wichita Trail Flower Mound, TX 75022 twincoves@flower-mound.com 972.874.6399 / twincovespark.com

dfwchild.com / april 2020

27

IDEAS FOR FUTURE FAMILY VACATIONS //

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Island Vibes

HAVE AN OCEANFRONT ESCAPE WITHOUT LEAVING TEXAS For a seaside escape located just 20 miles outside of downtown Houston, load up the car and head for Kemah Boardwalk. With 60 acres of waterfront fun, a trip to Kemah Boardwalk promises a wide array of amusements and activities.

Stroll down the Boardwalk and dine at one of the 10 waterfront restaurants, get some retail therapy at one of the unique boutiques and for the thrill seekers – you can take a ride on the Boardwalk Bullet rollercoaster or jet off on the Boardwalk Beast speedboat. You’ll also find Midway games for all ages and a double decker carousel boasting painted seals, horses and zebras to mount. If the Ferris wheel seems a little too tall for your little ones, head for the Wonder Wheel, a child-sized version of the classic attraction.

Be sure to schedule a visit to the Kemah Aquarium—between the rainforest exhibit with African elephant and lowland gorilla animatronics and the specialty-themed restaurant housing a 50,000-gallon tank filled with tropical fish, everyone in your crew is sure to be impressed. If you have little daredevils in tow, steer towards the Stingray Reef to touch (and even feed!) Southern and Cownose stingrays.

If you’re looking to cover a lot of ground, hop aboard the C.P. Huntington, a gas-powered train that carries passengers around the property. Give your family a taste of history on this gas-powered train, which is a handcrafted replica of a Central Pacific Railroad train from 1863.

Plan your trip for the first half of this month to catch the Crawfish and Zydeco Festival, where families can enjoy fresh-boiled crawfish. The last weekend of the month you can check out the annual Craft Beer Fest and sample over 72 craft beers and then enjoy watching festive decorated boats as they cruise down Clear Creek Channel for the annual Blessing of the Fleet on April 26.

kemahboardwalk.com 28

april 2020 / dfwchild.com

SPRING FAMILY FUN DIRECTORY //

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Spring

FAMILY FUN D I REC T O RY Note: This information is accurate as of press time. Check with organizers to ensure events are not canceled in light of coronavirus concerns.

DESCRIPTION

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Denton County Office of History and Culture dentoncounty.com/chos 940/349-2850

Century of Action: Women & The Vote, a new exhibit commemorating the ratification of 19th amendment opens April 21 at the Courthouse-on-the-Square Museum. May 2 is Denton County Farm Heritage Day at the Historical Park. See ads on pages 4 and 6.

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Explorium Denton Children's Museum exploriumdenton.org 940/320-5444

We provide opportunities for children and their families to learn and play together. Please follow us on Facebook to get up to date information and hours of operation!

See ad on page 7.

3

Irving Arts Center irvingartscenter.com 972/252-7558

JumpstART: Art “To Go” Edition, April 2, 8 AM to 5 PM. April 19, 1 to 4 PM, Second Sunday Funday “To Go.” Art kits can be picked up in Irving Arts Center Parking Lot. See ad on page 11.

april 2020 / dfwchild.com

LITTLE CHEFS: ©ISTOCK; COOKING: NOUN PROJECT

kid culture.

COOKING LESSONS empowering kids in the kitchen

WORDS

ALEXIS PATTERSON

W

HILE SHE WAS PREPARING DINNER ONE DAY, Lupita Hoffheiser’s toddler son wandered in and asked to help. Hoffheiser didn’t think too much of it.

“I thought it was just something he wanted to do that day,” recalls the Dallas mom. “I didn’t expect him to be interested long term.”

But a year later, Thomas—now 3—is practically a pro in the kitchen. Handmade apron from Grandma? Check. Kid-friendly knife? Check. Onion-chopping goggles? Check. (“They’re supposed to help your eyes, but they really don’t,” laughs Hoffheiser. “Thomas loves them, though.”)

Hoffheiser admits that having her son by her side in the kitchen every day can be challenging.

“It does take longer to cook and requires a lot of patience,” she says. “I have to remember to be really calm and know beforehand that it’s going to be messy.”

In her mind, it’s all worth it. “Pushing him out of the kitchen and finding something else for dfwchild.com / april 2020

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ABOVE // Lupita Hoffheiser’s son, 3-year-old Thomas, uses a kid-friendly knife (and an apron custom-made by Grandma) when he helps out in the kitchen.

cooking show and eventually began making her living from teaching others to cook.

To give your resistant child a foundation in the kitchen, Gillig recommends trying out a kid-friendly cooking class to engage them in the idea, to make it seem less like a chore. At home, begin with small, quick tasks that won’t overwhelm them or derail your process too much.

“Ease kids into it,” Gillig advises. “Maybe have them peel carrots and then go back to playing. And as they develop skills, keep their kitchen jobs something they will enjoy. Kids are super tactile, so think about rolling out pizza dough or making homemade pasta.”

As if she could hear all the moms out there protesting that they don’t have time for that, Gillig adds that kids will still get the benefits if you don’t cook with them every day. “My parents worked full time while I was growing up, and there were lots of nights when we ate KFC,” she says. “But we’d always make things on weekends and cook for parties my mom would host at different times during the year.” And Gillig points out there are shortcuts—ordering your groceries and picking them up from the parking lot or getting them delivered, for example. “Meal-kit services like Hello Fresh and Blue Apron are also great resources for busy

“[COOKING WITH KIDS] CAN GIVE THEM A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP, A SENSE OF I MADE THIS; I NEED TO TRY THIS.”

COOK (PLAY)BOOK If your child doesn’t just pull up a chair and ask to help without prompting, hope is not lost. Just ask Kelly Gillig, who owns The Cookery, a “cooking class meets dinner party” with locations in Dallas and Fort Worth. “I credit my love of food and cooking to my mom,” says Gillig, even though she resisted those early culinary lessons.

“Other kids were playing, and I’m in the kitchen helping with these from-scratch, wonderful meals. Honestly, I kind of resented it.”

Gillig says she didn’t realize the value of her upbringing until she went off to college. “I lived on campus and was eating dorm food,” she says.

“That’s when I knew I missed cooking things from scratch.” So she started her own campus

THOMAS: LUPITA HOFFHEISER

Get Involved

him to do would take just as long and be more frustrating for both of us,” she points out. “And it’s teaching Thomas from an early age to be a helper and contribute to our family.”

That’s just one of the benefits of making your child a sous-chef.

“There’s a study showing that the earlier you expose kids to food preparation and get them in the kitchen, the better their long-term health will be,” says Amy Haynes, a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) with Medical City Children’s Hospital. “I think it’s the simple fact that they’re more likely to cook at home and do their own food prep—which is, in general, healthier than eating out.”

Haynes is part of Medical City’s Kids Teaching Kids community outreach program, which works with high school culinary students to help younger children develop healthy eating habits. She believes that kids who help out in the kitchen are more willing to try different foods. “It can give them a sense of ownership, a sense of I made this; I need to try this.”

She shares that cooking offers a wealth of opportunities for connection and learning.

“You could design an entire curriculum around cooking, something that touches on many subjects,” she explains. “Cultures, history, math, science, health—in addition to the life skill they’re developing.”

Haynes notes that developing that life skill is critical from a young age. “The earlier you start cooking with your child, the better. By the time they’re, say, 17, if they haven’t learned basic kitchen skills, they’re probably going to be in the drive-thru.”

LESSONS

A KIDFRIENDLY KITCHEN

Amy Haynes, registered dietitian nutritionist with Medical City Children’s Hospital, offers these suggestions to set your child up for success in the kitchen.

8 MONTHS–2 YEARS: Incorporate baby-friendly kitchen utensils into playtime. Model common cooking activities (e.g., get a wooden spoon and plastic bowl and pretend to stir ingredients). Identify names and colors of foods at the store or while unloading groceries.

2–4 YEARS: Have your child pour pre-measured ingredients, stir prepared batter and use cookie cutters on rolled dough or soft bread. Older kids in this age range (3–4 years) can tear washed lettuce for salads. Taste foods together and discuss textures and flavors.

ELEMENTARY AGE: Help your child read and follow simple recipes; slice or cut food with a butter knife; measure and assemble prepared ingredients; and operate a pop-up toaster, microwave and can opener. Discuss kitchen math, proper sanitary practices, the seasonality of produce, and the origin and history of cultural cuisines.

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MIDDLE SCHOOL AGE: Your child can be responsible for preparing portions of a meal; selecting recipes and making a grocery list; and safely handling raw meat, poultry and fish.

Talk about how to plan meals and avoid cross-contamination.

Continue discussions about kitchen math and cultural cuisines.

Need some recipes for your budding chef? Try everything from Bat Shortcake to Super Duper Sweet Potato Dip in Medical City Children’s Kids Teaching Kids’ latest recipe book, available online at kidsteaching-kids.com. The book contains snack ideas from culinary students in North Texas school districts.

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Bottom line: Gillig believes any involvement in the kitchen will serve kids well in the long run. “They may not realize it at the time, but cooking builds confidence to try things in life,” she explains. “And it can be very therapeutic. As an adult, I really appreciate the foundation cooking with my mom gave me in life.” dfwchild.com / april 2020

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confessions

MOM TRUTHS ILLUSTRATION MARY DUNN

I WAS FLIPPING THROUGH NETFLIX AND THE REMOTE WASN’T WORKING. I SAID, ‘WHAT THE HECK?!’ MY 5-YEAR-OLD QUICKLY BLURTED OUT, ‘MOMMY! THOSE ARE BAD WORDS! YOU SHOULDN’T SAY THAT!’’’ —PAPATIA, DALLAS

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My 3-year-old doesn’t hesitate to tell me every night, ‘I love your big, soft, squishy belly. Sqoosh, sqoosh.’ Thanks, Bud.” —JENNIFER, BURLESON

“When my daughter was 3, she was a flower girl for my cousin’s Hindu wedding.

After watching a traditional dance from the groom’s sister, she kicked off her shoes, turned around and told me, ‘Mommy, I can do that!’ She ran up and did her own scarf dance, alone on the dance floor.”

—MARIA, HASLET

“My 8-year-old daughter has never slept past 7:30 in the mornings. I gave her stern instructions to not wake me up on the weekends. Her reply was, ‘I wake you up early on the weekends to get revenge for you waking me up early during the school week.’”

—ROSHUN, MCKINNEY

WHEN I WAS PREGNANT WITH MY LAST CHILD, I LAID ON MY BED FOR A FEW MINUTES. I WOKE UP TO THE TEACHER CALLING ME TO COME PICK UP MY DAUGHTER.’’

—ELIZABETH, DALLAS

Got a funny parenting moment you’d like to share? We’d love to hear from you. Send it to editorial@dfwchild.com.

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—ALEXIS, BEDFORD

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