Any parent of older children can empathize with the challenges new parents face. Our cover story this issue provides some guidance for that ever-frustrating but oh-so-important job of installing a car seat correctly. Several parents we talked to said they were very glad for the help they found at free clinics. Area hospitals offer guidance, too. Meet some dads learning the ropes from other dads, and hear one expectant mother’s insights about childbirth classes. We also feature a mom who has created a business from her expertise. So new parents, take heart. Having a baby can be overwhelming, but get a few years — or even months — under your belt, and maybe you’ll be the one dishing out advice.
4 BUCKLE UP, BABY!
Get expert help to secure your kids on the road
9 BOOST YOUR PARENTING
Mom passes along her expertise
12 HELP FOR SPECIAL NEEDS
Arc Northland provides advocacy, education, support
14 TAKING A DIFFERENT PATH
Student finds welcome home with online school
17 ALL ABOARD!
Thomas the Train coming to Duluth this summer
18
BEATING THE ODDS
One young man’s recovery from devastating crash
20 BETTER TOGETHER
Girls’ friendship formed during cancer treatments 23 WHAT’S IN A NAME?
Common — and not-so-common — baby names
FAMILY TRAVEL
Check out Minnesota’s state parks
contributors
Liz Allen, Bonnie Ambrosi, Katy Augusta, Clint Austin, Stephanie Bartek, Angela Benson, Ken Buehler, Andrea Busche, Beverly Godfrey, Happy Tree Productions, Jeri Hughes, Bob King, Steve Kuchera, Gary Meader, Kathleen Murphy, Kristen Ann Photography, Mary Rasch, Melinda Lavine, Tyler Schank, Henriette Soderlind, Alison Stucke, Adelle Whitefoot, Connie Wirta, Naomi Yaeger
Add your event to our calendar at Duluth.com
MAIL CORRESPONDENCE TO:
Moms & Dads Today 424 West First Street Duluth, MN 55802 magazines@duluthnews.com
©2018 Forum Communications Company
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.
Moms & Dads Today is published bi-monthly by the Duluth News Tribune.
Sgt. Neil Dickenson was the first to arrive on the scene of the accident. The Minnesota State Patrol officer approached a car that had rolled over, a 3-year-old girl in the back seat. But rather than being faced with tragedy, he was faced with laughter. The child was hanging by her seat belt, thinking it had been a fun ride.
Dickenson shared this story during a car seat clinic May 17 at Duluth fire station No. 8 in West Duluth. The picture would have been much different had she not been restrained, Dickenson said. Facing the reality of the road is a part of everyday life for many who work in law enforcement and health care, which is why a multitude of agencies were on hand to help parents install car seats, and teach them what children need as they grow.
“We wanted to get it right,” new mom Stephanie Bartsch said.
Bartsch and her husband, Will, bought the smallest seat they could find, made by Britax, so it would be comfortable in their small vehicle.
“They don’t make many seats that fit well in a hatchback,” she said. “You shouldn’t need to get an SUV to have a baby.”
Their 3-week-old, Cora, slept in her seat as Erin Baldes, a Child Passenger Safety technician from St. Luke’s, waited on hold for about 15 minutes with the car seat manufacturer. She needed an answer about a gap the car seat was leaving between the vehicle’s back seat and an impact bar that was designed to keep the car seat in place in case of a crash that would send a force backward.
Will, Stephanie and Cora Bartsch, 3 weeks, pose for a portrait at a car seat workshop on May 17. Stephanie said they had a difficult time finding a car seat that would fit in a hatchback. "You shouldn't have to get an SUV to have a baby," she said.
The final word: The gap was acceptable, Cora tucked in safely.
Five weeks later, Bartsch said things were going well for the new family.
“The clinic helped us,” he said. “We didn’t have the base in quite right. … People should take advantage of that nice service because they know a lot more about all of this than we do.”
Ben Fameree of Hermantown said his wife, Kendra, was due in about three weeks. The couple was going through another big change, having just put an offer on a home in Esko. He said the clinic was helpful as he prepared for the arrival of their first
child, a boy.
“I had looked at the manual stuff, but they pointed out some good things here that I hadn’t thought of,” he said.
Their son, Noah Allen, was born June 17. The drive to Essentia Health was made about 2:30 a.m. during a rainstorm. The entire labor was over in about four hours.
Fameree spoke about the birth while he was still at the hospital, his son and wife both asleep. “We’re actually waiting to get discharged now,” he said. His first use of the car seat still ahead of him, Fameree was glad to learn how to use it in advance of his
As Dickenson spoke to media to promote the state’s seat-belt campaign, he emphasized that sometimes, driving conditions are not in your control. There might be a deer on the road; a car could drift into your lane; a slow-moving car might pull in front of you. These conditions and more make seat-belt use a necessary precaution. Plus, it’s the law, and enforcement efforts are being increased this summer.
“We’d rather meet you on the shoulder on the road than down the road in a crash scene,” Dickenson said.
Along with adult seat-belt use, officers will be checking that children are properly restrained.
“Expect the unexpected,” Dickenson urged. “Your seat belt is your best defense in the event of a crash. Most crashes happen on beautiful, sunny days.”
He said it isn’t a common occurrence, but if he makes a traffic stop and finds a child without the proper car seat, he won’t let the driver leave until a seat has been delivered to safely transport the child. This could come from a family member or other law enforcement officers.
“In Minnesota, we have about 92 to 93 percent compliance with seat belts,” he said.
Laura Owen, a CPS instructor with St. Luke’s, has been helping parents with car seats for about 16 years. At the May clinic, she helped Emily Spurgeon, who was due June 1.
Owen showed Spurgeon where the front clip should be on the baby’s chest, where the shoulder straps should be, and pointed out that the baby should be backward-facing.
Owen said that one seat isn’t necessarily better than another, but parents should buy what they feel comfortable with.
Car seat technician Amy Addy shows soon-to-be dad Ben Fameree different parts of the car seat. Fameree's wife, Kendra, said the workshop would be a good idea to make sure their boy is safe coming home from the hospital.
Car seat clinics are held the third Thursday of every month except December, rotating between fire stations Nos. 2, 4, 7 and 8.
For more information, visit duluthmn.gov and type “car seat clinic” into the search bar.
The car seat clinic May 17 was a multi-agency effort attended by Duluth police, firefighters, first responders, state highway patrol and experts from St. Luke’s and Essentia Health. Holly Kostrzewski, Northeast Minnesota Toward Zero Deaths regional coordinator, provided the following statistics:
• Since the program started 15 years ago, fatalities on the road have gone down by 45 percent.
• In 2017, preliminary numbers show 73 unbelted motorists lost their lives on Minnesota roads.
• In a five-year period (2013-17), 443 unbelted motorists lost their lives on Minnesota roads.
• In the same period, 33 percent of the 1,335 people killed while riding in motor vehicles were not wearing seat belts.
• According to the 2017 Minnesota Seat Belt Survey, 92 percent of front seat occupants are wearing their seat belts.
The Northeast Minnesota Toward Zero Deaths program brings area law enforcement, public health educators, engineers and emergency medical and trauma services together to reduce the number of traffic fatalities and severe injuries to zero in northeast Minnesota. The area encompasses Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Lake, Itasca, Koochiching, Pine and St. Louis counties.
“Peace of mind is huge,” she said.
Owen turned a knob on the bottom of Spurgeon’s car seat to change the angle of the base, so the baby would lie close to a 45-degree angle, making his or her head lie back into the seat and not fall down onto the chest.
“My parenting class suggested (the clinic),” Spurgeon said. “And honestly, it’s super confusing to install it. There’s a million directions and instructions. I just wanted to make sure I get it right.”
Owen laughed when asked how many parents she has helped. “It’s definitely in the hundreds, even more than that.”
She helps at car seat clinics once a month and trains other technicians to do the same. She teaches day-care workers and foster parents how to use car seats, too.
“I’ve been doing it basically since 2002, and it’s something I’ve found a passion for,” she said. “I would say 80 to 90 percent are not put in correctly.”
The mistakes she sees most often are the retainer clip not being at armpit level and straps not being in the correct height. For rear-facing seats, the top of the straps should be at shoulder level
or below. For front-facing seats, they should be at shoulder level or above. Another common mistake is the seat belt that connects the car seat to the car not being tight enough.
All car seats must meet the same crash-test standards, Owen said. Beyond that, the differences between seats are a matter of choice. Some come with features that are easier to use, such as belts that are easier to access or tighten. Some consumers want cup holders or matching upholstery that can influence their purchase, but with the safety standards being set, there is no need to feel pressure to buy the most expensive seat.
“Things have come a long way,” Owen said, recalling the days when her own children, now ages 32 and 30, sat in the car seats of the day. “They had big tray shields that came over the front,” she said. “We did the best with what we knew then.”
Owen also emphasized the importance of waiting until a child was large enough to stop using a booster seat and not judging only by their age.
Allison Nicolson is a coordinator with Essentia Safe Kids Northeast
Minnesota, which provides support to parents with programs such as car-seat checkups, safety workshops and sports clinics, according to their website. She agreed that a lot of parents are not keeping kids in car seats long enough, aging them out too early.
“Not a lot of 8-year-olds are 4-foot-9,” she said, emphasizing that both criteria should be met before a child moves out of a booster seat.
Parents not properly installing booster seats is a common mistake Dickenson sees on the road, he said. He encouraged parents to read the instructions and, if needed, attend a car seat clinic. If they don’t, not only is their child’s safety at risk; the parents could face fines that run about $85, fees included, for a first offense.
Possible punishments aside, Owen said people appreciate being taught to properly use car seats: “It’s their most precious cargo that they’re carrying.”
— MDT
BY ANDREA BUSCHE
While there’s nothing like the sublime joy of welcoming a new child into the family, let’s face it: parenting is hard. And the immense amount of decision-making can at times seem endless.
New parents immediately face a barrage of choices such as breast vs. bottle, whether or not to co-sleep, and whether it’s worth it for Mom to go back to work. And as the kids get older, there are much bigger issues to contend with, such as cellphones, discipline and social media. It can be overwhelming!
Laura Goodman, owner of Boost Parenting, knows that parenting is tough. As a licensed parent educator, certified life coach and mother of three herself, Goodman acknowledges that parenting can feel isolating, and sometimes it’s necessary to reach out and ask for help. And that’s where Boost comes in.
Boost Parenting provides parent coaching services through individual and group sessions. While Goodman stresses that she is not a therapist, her background includes a degree in Family Social Science, graduate-level licensure in parenting education, and certification as a life coach. “My passion is really to help support parents,” she said.
This
Goodman, who lives in Duluth, currently works as a parent educator for the ProctorHermantown School District, teaches Early Childhood Family Education classes, and teaches ballet through the Minnesota Ballet, in addition to running Boost Parenting on the side. She founded her business in 2013, after recognizing the huge drop-off in resources after kids reach kindergarten, and their families no longer qualify for ECFE.
Boost Parenting offers support services to parents in four ways:
• Consultation – Goodman helps the client target improvement in a specific area of parenting, such as sleep training, and identify the behavior modification necessary to achieve the parent’s goal. This is typically a one-time session.
• Coaching – Goodman helps parents pinpoint their strengths and weaknesses. She helps parents identify what they can improve, and gives them a gentle nudge to hold themselves accountable for their parenting. This is more of a long-term, ongoing relationship.
• Workshops – Information is presented on a variety of parenting topics such as positive discipline, emotional intelligence, and sibling relationships. Usually a group of like-minded individuals, such as a church group, will request a workshop.
• Small Group sessions – Similar to a workshop, but smaller. A group of parents gather for discussion and learning, with Goodman facilitating.
The individual coaching and consulting sessions typically take place over the phone or at a local coffee shop, as Boost is a home-based business. Workshops and small group sessions are usually held at a local church, where quality childcare is always provided.
It can be daunting for a parent to discover their child has a learning disability. Where do they turn for help? When
the children are young, a pediatrician is a good resource to point parents in the right direction. But what about once the child reaches school age? How can a parent ensure their child is receiving the care and attention they require in order to thrive in a school setting?
“We’re the people to call if you feel your child is not receiving the services they need at their school, or if you simply need help navigating the special education system,
which can be confusing,” said Meredith Kujala, a community organizer and advocate who works for Arc Northland, a local nonprofit that provides advocacy, education and supportive services for individuals and families with disabilities. Arc Northland provides services such as housing and personal care assistance, but one of the most common services they provide is serving as advocates for families of children with disabilities who are struggling with their child’s school.
When a child requires services, the parents work with the school to put in place either an IEP (Individualized Education Program) or a 504 Plan. Both strive to place the child into a positive learning environment with tools to help them succeed. The overall goal is to give the child an education comparable to the one received by any peer who may not have a disability. For the school to determine if a child qualifies for an IEP, the child must have one of 13 diagnosed disabilities that is affecting their academic progress. These special education services are covered under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and require a formal assessment and diagnosis by the school.
“This does not mean the child will necessarily be in special education classes,” Kujala said. “A successful IEP focuses on providing modifications and accommodations that the child needs to succeed in their learning environment. For example, I’ve worked with students whose learning disabilities don’t allow them to function at full capacity for a full school day, so they have a four-hour school day.”
Some students don’t meet the criteria for an IEP, but would benefit from some accommodations. If they do not meet the criteria required by IDEA, they may still qualify for help under SECTION 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, known more simply as a “504 Plan.” This approach can bring smaller changes, such as giving the child more time on standardized tests if they have distraction issues, or asking the school to supply an audio version of a book for kids with dyslexia. “There are so many simple things that can help a student,” Kujala said. “If we’re creative enough, we can always figure out something that will help the student succeed, like fidget spinners or access to quiet testing areas.”
“Arc Northland can’t give legal advice,” Kujala said, “but we can meet with you to discuss concerns, refer you to other helpful resources, and even attend meetings at the school to act as your advocate. Basically, we’re there to bridge the gap between parents and school officials.”
“Unfortunately, it’s easy for a parent to feel attacked or on the defensive during meetings with the school,” said
To obtain services from Arc Northland, or to get information on Extreme Parenting groups, call (218) 726-4725.
Extreme Parenting Duluth meets first and third Tuesdays of each month, 5:30-7:00 p.m. at First Lutheran Church, 1100 London Road, canopy entrance.
Extreme Parenting Two Harbors meets the first Thursday of each month, 5:30-7:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 602 15th Ave., Two Harbors.
Jamie Harthan, a Two Harbors parent of an 8-year-old boy with autism. “It’s nice to have a professional in the room who knows our rights. There is help; you don’t have to do it alone. Arc is available with one easy phone call.”
What about support outside of school hours? “Parents can best support other parents,” said Brenda Caya, an adult and family services advocate with Arc Northland. Extreme Parenting is an Arc-sponsored education and support group for parents who have children with emotional and behavioral disabilities. They meet once or twice a month at various locations around the Northland, and make a point to reduce barriers that might prevent families from participating and getting the support they need. Most meetings provide a meal, child care and sometimes even transportation, all free of charge.
“It’s easy to feel isolated and like you’re doing something wrong when your child has disabilities,” said one parent at the Two Harbors Extreme Parenting group. “This group provides one-on-one support and provides an atmosphere where the children feel
welcome. It’s invaluable to me.”
The group is more than just a social group. They actively work to make changes within their school district and area resources. “Right now, we’re petitioning an area swimming pool to provide adaptive swim lessons,” Harthan said. “If only one person asks for adaptive lessons for their child, it’s easy to ignore. But many people asking can see better results. Together, we form a group voice that’s harder to ignore.” The group also discussed how to obtain care plans with their primary care physicians and clinics. The issues that arise at the doctor’s office have proven to be similar to the issues at school, most members have found.
“Everywhere we go, we deal with issues most people can’t comprehend,” one group parent said. “Arc Northland and Extreme Parenting members understand this and help me to educate myself and to teach other people acceptance. This isn’t just parenting. It’s extreme parenting.”
The day after Thanksgiving in 2016, Reese Stariha scratched his golden retriever, Goldy, between the ears and headed out to join his friends for a hunting trip. After a beautiful day outside, they headed back to town. That’s when his life changed forever.
Stariha was riding as a passenger when his friend lost control of the truck, and it rolled. Stariha was thrown from the vehicle. He was taken by ambulance to St. Luke’s Regional Trauma Center.
When Stariha arrived, he was assessed by a team of St. Luke’s doctors, including neurosurgeon Dr. John Styliaras. He reviewed Stariha’s MRI and discovered that pieces of Stariha’s neck bone had broken off, and the bone fragments had partially severed his spinal cord. The broken fragments were putting additional pressure on his spine, causing further damage.
Dr. Styliaras diagnosed Stariha with an A-level injury according to the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) scale, meaning that there was not any function below the injury site. Only 20 percent of patients recover function after an A-level injury. While sharing the diagnosis with Stariha and his family, Dr. Styliaras had the difficult responsibility of explaining Stariha’s future prognosis: He may never walk again.
While in surgery, Dr. Styliaras and his team removed a disc and the bone fragments that were putting pressure on Stariha’s spinal cord. The team
then fused his neck bones with screws and rods to provide stability.
The procedure was successful, and Dr. Styliaras continued to monitor and encourage Stariha as he started his recovery, sometimes checking in multiple times a day. Stariha appreciated the relationship he built with Dr. Styliaras. “He was great!” he said. “It was good to see him. He was a good guy to have there.”
In the following weeks, Stariha underwent two additional surgeries: a tracheotomy to help his breathing and a procedure to address his broken femur where they inserted a rod from his knee to his hip. St. Luke’s staff continued to support him and his family. “They were tremendous,” Stariha said. “From the doctors to the nursing staff. They made it easier for my friends and family. I was thankful I went there.”
Stariha spent about a month at St. Luke’s before transferring to other specialists across the midwest. His path to recovery felt slow, but he was encouraged by the progress that his family and friends witnessed. “Every time my family came back, they would give me feedback on my progress,” Stariha said. “They could see that I was getting better, and their encouragement gave me more energy. I was determined to show them that I’d be back on my feet in no time.”
Stariha also found encouragement in his hometown of Superior. In February, two months after his accident, friends held a benefit in his honor during a Superior Amateur Hockey Association game.
He described how he watched the outpouring of support from his hospital bed: “It brought tears to my eyes to see the community turn out for me. It made things much, much easier.”
Over the past year, due to his determination and positive attitude, Stariha has reached many important milestones. He regained the use of his legs, and on Father’s Day in 2017, he took his first five steps. “It gave me a little more hope,” he said. “From my initial prognosis, I would have never thought I’d be where I’m at. I’m still healing and getting stronger every day.”
“I credit Stariha and his family for his recovery,” Dr. Styliaras said about his patient’s remarkable progress. “He’s getting through this because of his incredible determination, stamina and work ethic, and also because of the support and love from his family.”
Stariha acknowledges that some days have been good — and some have been hard. Despite the difficult days, he won’t let anything stand in the way of his goals, including living independently with Goldy. “I want to try to get back to my old life and how it was before the accident,” he said.
Stariha has come a long way, and his determination is stronger than ever. “I keep working hard at it,” he said. “Because nothing is ever impossible.” — MDT
Stephanie Bartek is a marketing specialist for St. Luke’s. She wrote this for Moms & Dads Today.
What started out as stories told from father to son has grown into one of the biggest shows in children’s entertainment — and two of its stars will visit Duluth this summer.
Half a century ago, the Rev. Wilbert Awdry kept notes about a series of stories he told his son Christopher while the boy was recovering from the measles “in hospital,” as the British say.
The good reverend was a railroad enthusiast, as was his son, and the stories he spun were morality plays where inanimate objects, in this case train engines and their cars, had to resolve real life, human problems working for an imaginary railroad on the Island of Sodor. And that’s how the Thomas the Tank Engine stories began. The Rev. Awdry’s first book was published in 1945.
Since then, Thomas has become one of the most recognized faces in the world. His popularity has been translated into every major language, and his videos are among the very few Western-produced shows allowed to play in mainland China.
Thomas and his friends have been
coming to Duluth each summer for a working vacation on the North Shore Scenic Railroad at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in the downtown Depot. Again this summer, the No. 1 engine from the island of Sodor is bringing his best friend Percy along with their drivers and Sir Topham Hatt for two weekends of fun, Aug. 3-5 and 10-12. Tickets and more information are available at duluthtrains.com.
The Day Out With Thomas event at the museum features train rides with both engines, four inflatable bounce houses, live music, family friendly activities such as face painting, balloon creations, magic shows, several imagination stations, trolley rides, rubber tire train rides, storytelling, character actors and mountains of bubbles. Festival foods and beverages are available, and the gift shop will sell all things Thomas. Of course, all this fun is carried out under the watchful eye of Sir Topham Hatt, the Railroad’s hefty controller.
Last year, 23,000 friends of Thomas and Percy came to visit. For many families, this is the summer’s most anticipated event; visitors arrived from 23 states and Canada. As a practical matter, Thomas has an economic impact on the Twin Ports of about
$8.5 million, just slightly less than Grandma’s Marathon, according to Zenith Research figures from 2016.
Last year in Duluth, Thomas and Percy hosted a Sensory Free Day Out With Thomas for people with autism. Working with Mattel (the Thomas brand manager), Mayor Emily Larson and KC Consulting, through Autism Speaks Minnesota, there was a quiet, subdued Monday morning just for guests on the spectrum. This year, U.S. Bank has joined as a sponsor to support free tickets for our guests and a friend or family member.
Many guests have said seeing Thomas and Percy pull into the station, bells ringing, steam chuffing and whistles announcing their arrival, is magical. You can feel the joy reflected in the beaming smiles of delight on the faces of youngsters as their favorite characters come to life right before their eyes, wide with amazement. Then to be able to climb on board the train and take a ride, it’s a child’s dream come true. — MDT
Ken Buehler is executive director of the Lake Superior Railroad Museum and general manager of the North Shore Scenic Railroad. He wrote this for Moms & Dads Today.
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY HENRIETTE SODERLIND
School is a place to gain an education and learn social skills. For some students, however, a traditional public school setting can be difficult. It can be hard to avoid the drama, distractions and long hours in classrooms, paired with piles of homework to finish at night.
throughout his
For many students, a traditional school structure works just fine. But others do best in an alternative setting. Joseph Kotiranta, 18, of Cloquet is among those students.
He said he found distractions in public school and a lack of special education programs to address his high-functioning autism. He found getting an education was more difficult than it should have been.
“I wasn’t really understood there,” he said.
Joseph was a student in a traditional school setting until eighth grade, when his mother, Kris, decided to explore other options. What they found was a school where learning still happens but without the long days and forced environment.
“I wake up at 9, and I’m done by noon” Joseph said, grinning. He said the schedule is one of the many perks his family discovered through the Insight School of Minnesota, an online and tuition-free public school.
For students like Joseph, online school provides not only a more personalized schedule, but a social structure that worked for him.
“If I was still in brick-and-mortar school right now,” Joseph said, “I would probably not have made it to graduation, let alone to my senior year.”
But with the new school structure, Joseph was able to make it through his senior year with more than just passing grades. He was asked to write and deliver a graduation speech to his class at a ceremony at Brooklyn Center High School. In his speech, Joseph talked about how his school experience helped him, and how his classmates have grown with him.
“Because of online school, I went from being overwhelmed to empowered in the span of a week,” Joseph said in his speech, also mentioning how he was no longer misunderstood by faculty and students. Joseph was able to reach out to his classmates through discussion boards on his own terms, finding people who had similar views as him and learning through others.
“I think there are a lot of stories like mine, a lot of people who can thank online school for their success,” he said.
Insight School also provided the Kotiranta family with a computer, books and headset, which they returned at the end of the year, making sure anyone who wants to enroll has the resources to succeed.
“Online school has taught us that we are all individuals, and as individuals, we all have different ways of learning, thinking and communicating with one another. And it is because of this that we are strong,” Joseph said in his speech.
His class schedule was designed to fit his preferences and interests, while still having time left over to grow in his hobbies. Whether it be singing at the county fairs, writing a novel or coding on his computer, going to school online gave him the time and extra confidence to excel.
“I no longer dreaded going to school every day,” Kotiranta said. The teachers have the students participate in live class lectures and discussion boards and provide positive messages of encouragement to every student on the announcement posts.
This past year, Joseph also attended classes at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, gaining college credit while still in high school. He plans to continue his education there
after graduation. He took a public speaking course at Fond du Lac where he gained the skills and learned the techniques of speaking in front of an audience. Thanks to his condensed schedule, he plans on finishing his associate’s degree by his first year out of high school. Joseph is interested in becoming an English major and hopes to someday become a proofreader and editor. Currently, Joseph is writing a novel, and he credits his school schedule with allowing him the time to pursue that. He also had time to participate in singing competitions,
Community Memorial Hospital announces the opening of CMH Family Clinic. We now o er a full spectrum of care for patients of all ages, including family medicine physicians who specialize in women’s health and focus on obstetrics.
learn some computer coding and practice his violin.
Online classes provided the Kotiranta family with a new way to learn and grow that they were thankful for. Having autism, going from being misunderstood by peers and faculty to having a large support system of online faculty made all the difference to Joseph’s learning experience.
“Online school helped me to succeed,” he said. — MDT
cloquethospital.com
The three girls never would have met at school because they live in different communities. Their ages — 10, 12 and 14 — may have been a barrier. But fighting cancer has made them good friends.
Ella Mahnke, Ella Smith and Nathalia “Nat” Hawley call themselves the “8 West Club” because they met on that floor at Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital in Duluth. Each girl spent lots of time there receiving cancer treatments, dealing with side effects or fighting illnesses caused by a compromised immune system.
While some stays were scheduled for treatments, others were serendipitous. One
girl got sick and headed to hospital only to find another one already there. Soon the girls and their parents were keeping in touch, both in and out of the hospital.
“It’s nice to come here and still have your friends. You have someone to talk to and do things with,” said Nat Hawley, a 14-year-old Duluthian who was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer.
One of Nat’s recent hospitalizations coincided with a treatment session for Ella Smith, whose room was just next door. The girls move easily between each other’s rooms, always aware when someone doesn’t feel well enough for a visit. They chat, watch videos and play games. Often, they head to the unit’s new solarium, where they can do the arts and crafts that all three love.
“It’s hard for all of us, but it’s easier to do it together,” explained Nat. “You feel a need to talk to somebody so it’s great to have people like the Ellas — somebody you can talk to like a regular friend who sees this as normal. That’s what makes it easy.”
“It’s nice that we’re friends because we relate on all this treatment-related stuff but we can also normalize things for each other,” said Ella Smith, who is 12 and lives near Cook, Minn. She was diagnosed with leukemia.
“When I tell my other friends, it’s awkward because they can’t imagine how it feels,” explained Ella Mahnke, who is the youngest at age 10 and lives in Proctor, Minn. She was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma.
July30-August2,2018
9:00am-4:00pm
First Lutheran Church, Duluth, MN
This annual daycamp is open to singers entering grades 3-6 in the fall.Any studentwho lovesto sing is invited to par ticipate in this fun-filled week of singing,music fundamentals,movement, and other activities.
www.lsyouthchorus.org
Dr. Ross Perko, an pediatric oncologist and hematologist at Erick Peter Person Children’s Cancer Center in Duluth, says he and the hospital staff encourage their young patients to interact if they’re feeling up to it. “The biggest thing is that they feel they’re not alone, especially when they’re preteens and teens,” he says.
Dr. Perko explained children can become isolated during treatment, especially when their compromised immune systems mean they can’t go to school or be around friends. While kids and parents often get to know one another during hospital stays, he said this trio has formed a special bond.
Gwyn Schrecengost, Ella Smith’s mom, says being together is comfortable and the girls feel accepted. “They’re not afraid of each other’s
bald heads or tubes or IVs,” she said. “At their age, girls are self-conscious and they’re not being looked at as funny. They fit in. They don’t stand out.”
“The girls don’t have to hold back with one another, they can open up and be who they are,” said Katy Augusta, Nat’s mother. “They’ve found someone who truly understands and whom they truly trust.”
“The girls have bonded quite well,” said Brian Mahnke, Ella’s father.
The trio enjoys spending time together outside the hospital. They’ve attended camp and joined each other’s birthday parties. They celebrated the end of Ella Mahnke’s chemotherapy with a surprise party in the Pediatric Unit’s solarium. Nat decided to fill balloons with confetti. “We popped
the balloons, and the confetti flew everywhere,” she recalled. Among the party photos on Dr. Perko’s phone is one that shows just his red athletic shoes and a floor covered with confetti. “That’s was a really good day,” he said with a smile.
“If I hadn’t gotten sick — which would have been great — I never would have been able to meet all these wonderful people,” says Ella Smith. “What we learned mainly from each other is we all go through hard things but we help each other remember that we can do it and we’ll be fine. We’ll live. We’ll be good.” —
MDTConnie Wirta is an editor for Essentia Health marketing. She wrote this for Moms & Dads Today.
If you are expecting a child and don’t want to pick a name on the “most popular” list but still want to be a trend-setter who is ahead of the curve, the team at Names.org has some suggestions. The website released predictions for the 15 fastest growing baby names in 2018. These are not the most popular names right now found at the top of the list, but the wild cards and fastest growing. The trends suggest these names are on their way up.
Boy Names
Girl Names
The Social Security Administration recently announced the most popular baby names in Minnesota for 2017. Oliver and Olivia topped the list.
The top five boys and girls names for 2017 in Minnesota were:
Boys: Oliver
Girls: Olivia
Nancy A. Berryhill of the Social Security Administration announced that Liam and Emma were the most popular baby names in the U.S. How does Minnesota compare to the rest of the country? Check out Social Security’s website — socialsecurity.gov — to see the top national baby names for 2017.
Berryhill encouraged everyone to visit the agency’s website to enjoy the baby names list and create a my Social
Security account at socialsecurity. gov/myaccount. My Social Security is a personalized online account that people can use beginning in their working years and continuing through to the time they receive Social Security benefits.
The agency began compiling the baby name list in 1997, with names dating back to 1880. At the time of a child’s birth, parents supply the name to the agency when applying for a child’s Social Security card, thus making Social Security America’s source for the most popular baby names.
In addition to each state’s top baby names (and names for U.S. territories), Social Security’s website has a list of the 1,000 most popular boys and girls names for 2017.
To read about the winners for the biggest jump in popularity and to see how pop culture affects baby names, go to socialsecurity.gov/news/press/ releases/.
The predictions are based on Social Security data on actual births in recent years (Since 1937, every top 10 name in a given year was in the top 25 the year before) combined with user interest on Names.org.
A public, tuition-free charter school serving students in grades PreK-6 www.northshorecommunityschool.org
Class Sizes: Low student-teacher ratio
Busing: Free from Duluth and Two Harbors
Environmental Focus: Academics are connected with natural and social environment. 40 acres with nature trails, outdoor classrooms and a new greenhouse connected to the building.
Openings
BY ALISON STUCKE
Real-life adventures await children this summer in Minnesota’s fabulous state parks. The state has 66 state parks, and many of them are close enough to the Duluth-Superior area for a family to make a round-trip visit in one day. There will be time to check out the park, have an adventure or two, and even share a picnic. At least two of these parks, Gooseberry Falls and Jay
Cooke state parks, are less than an hour’s drive from the Twin Ports.
Each park is overflowing with beautiful scenery, amazing nature and wildlife, opportunities to learn new outdoor skills, and fun activities for the whole family, including hiking, fishing, camping, swimming, picnic areas, geocaching, birding and more.
State parks are a great value, offering affordable family fun. A vehicle permit is required to enter the parks: cost is $7 per day or $35 for an annual
pass. Many programs offered by the parks are free.
Many state parks offer year-round camping. At Jay Cooke, guests can spend the night in a rustic cabin. Many cabins include electric heat, electricity and a porch. Some are wheelchair accessible. Cabins can accommodate five to six people. Online reservations can be made at reservemn.usedirect. com/MinnesotaWeb/.
The “I Can!” programs of the Minnesota state parks and trails
hands-on instruction in outdoor skills for beginners from experienced staff members. Activities include fishing, climbing, archery, canoeing and more. Gear is provided. These programs are designed for families to try any or all activities for the first time. Cost are low, making the program highly accessible. See dnr.state.mn.us/ state_parks/ican/index.html for more information.
Gooseberry Falls State Park, 13 miles northeast of Two Harbors, is a popular day-trip destination.
“Gooseberry Falls State Park is a park for multiple generations,” said Carolyn Rock, park naturalist. “Visitors of all ages enjoy visiting the park, hiking the trails and relaxing by the falls. There are over 13 miles of trails from short and level, perfect for strollers, to long and hilly for the more
adventurous. The park main activity area is spread between the falls to Lake Superior, making it a place for everyone to visit. Families can enjoy a picnic on the Picnic Flow, hiking Gitchi Gummi Trail, biking the Gitchi Gami State Trail, or attending a naturalist program.”
New interactive exhibits installed in the visitors’ center at Gooseberry were designed with the next generation in mind, as was the new Gooseberry Falls Go mobile app.
Touching is expected and encouraged at the new exhibits. Visitors can touch a topographic map table to get oriented to the park. They can slide a lever to see how dramatically
the color and volume of water in the waterfalls can change, and they can touch the rocks in the geology exhibit, Rock explained.
Taking photos is encouraged, and park staff expect the wolf diorama at the entrance to the exhibits to be a popular backdrop for selfies.
“The exhibit also highlights the Gooseberry River’s watershed, providing a sense of place and greater understanding the role watersheds play in our lives,” Rock said. “Once visitors have seen the exhibits, they can then continue learning out on the trails with the companion Gooseberry Falls Go app.”
The app, available free from Apple and Android app stores, connects key elements in the exhibits to actual examples within the park. It uses a “GeoAlert” function to notify hikers
with sound or vibration as they approach points of interest, such as rock formations and historic sites, along various routes within the park. For example:
• The one-mile CCC Camp Route explores park history and has hikers imagine what life was like for the members of the Civilian Conservation Corps, who built the park between 1934-41.
• The two-mile Gitchi Gummi Route highlights the great views of Lake Superior and diverse habitats (i.e. for a nesting colony of gulls) on the park’s oldest trail.
• Shorter routes for kids include tree and rock identification activities.
• The Gooseberry Stroll route is wide, paved and accessible. “Once you download the Gooseberry Falls Go app to your smartphone, you can take the interpretive route of your choice, and you can go at your own pace,” Rock said. “The app will help you notice things you might not otherwise have noticed.” — MDT
Alison Stucke is a Duluth freelance writer and frequent contributor to Moms & Dads Today.
BOB KING / DULUTH NEWS TRIBUNEMake this the summer of the state park! Get your family outside for some real-life adventure. Make it a point this summer to visit one or more of the Minnesota state parks. See dnr. state.mn.us/state_parks/starter_kit/ index.html for Minnesota state parks’ Summer Activities Guide.
Nature Play
11a.m.-noon, July 22; Aug. 5, 19
Come get your hands dirty in the fun of nature! Mud art, boat races and other topics that will allow you to play in nature. Be prepared to get dirty.
Gooseberry: River of Life
2:30-4 p.m., July 21; Aug. 4
They’re creepy! They’re crawling! They’re very important. Come join the naturalist as we get our hands and feet wet exploring the marvelous life in the Gooseberry River. Identify some common critters that call the river home. Discover the reason why having these creepy crawlies is a good thing and why the river is very important.
Signs of Bigfoot
8-9 p.m., Aug. 4
Animals leave behind clues that can tell us a great deal about the animal. Come and explore the park in a unique and interactive way that allows you to gather information about the hidden creatures of Gooseberry Falls. Try your luck in an inquiry-based hunt for the elusive Bigfoot and see what you can learn about this legendary creature.
See dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/ events.html?location=spk00172 for more information.
Irecently wrote a column for the Duluth News Tribune titled “Eat Your Colors.” It featured a Rainbow Russian Salad recipe with vegetables of many hues.
The catch-phrase “eat your colors” comes from nutritional research showing that certain compounds in plants that protect them from disease, pests and environmental stresses show up as various plant colors. These compounds are as beneficial for human health as they are for the plants. Therefore, eating many different colors of plants provides us with a wide range of healthful nutrients.
My teenage daughter was intrigued by the concept of “eating your colors,” but she didn’t care for some of the ingredients in my salad. It’s common for kids to be picky about vegetables; young taste buds are sensitive, and the spicy or bitter flavors of vegetables are sometimes too strong for their liking. Fortunately, fruits also provide an entire kid-friendly rainbow of phytonutrients.
U.S. dietary guidelines recommend a minimum of two servings of fruit per day. Age-specific recommendations vary somewhat but generally they go like this: ages 1-2 need ½ cup of fruit per day, ages 2-3 need 1 cup of fruit, ages 4-13 need 1½ cups of fruit, ages 14-18 need 2 cups of fruit. They also should be eating a variety of vegetables each day.
Why should kids eat fruit? Fruit is an important source of essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, beta-carotene and potassium. The many colors in fruit are markers for phytonutrients that have benefits such as supporting the immune system and preventing cancer. Fruit is a great
source of fiber, which keeps kids’ digestion and elimination working well. Fruit is lower in fat and calories than many other snack foods. And get this: Some research suggests that eating fruit actually improves a child’s ability to learn!
Most sources agree that eating whole fruit is preferable to drinking juice. The whole fruit includes fiber and nutrients that juice may lack, and we tend to eat fruit more slowly than we drink juice.
Shop for fruit with your kids and ask them to help you find a variety of colors. It’s a perfect opportunity to try out some new produce. Here are examples of each hue.
Red: apples, cherries, red grapes, pears and plums, raspberries, strawberries, red cherry tomatoes, watermelon
Orange/Yellow: apricots, cantaloupe, mango, nectarines, oranges, peaches, pineapple, yellow apples, pears, orange cherry tomatoes
Green: avocado, green apples, green grapes, green pears, honeydew melon, kiwi fruit
Blue/Purple: blackberries, blueberries, blue or purple grapes, black plums
The prep for “eating your colors” couldn’t be easier. Simply toss washed fruit into a bowl. For a more artful presentation, create a produce color
Another kid-friendly fruit idea comes from my friend Sue Baker, who likes to cook with her twin grandsons, Matthew and Mason Jobin. They’ve been making this fruit spread for four years and are “always experimenting with new combinations of fruit,” she said. It requires no cooking and uses no refined sugar. Instead, Sue includes a few medjool dates.
If you’re not familiar with dates, medjools are the large ones with the pits still in (but they’re easy to remove); deglets are smaller and usually pitted. Dates are not only deliciously sweet, but have twice as much potassium as bananas.
Sue says they enjoy this spread on pancakes, toast, crackers, plant-based ice cream, and “sometimes just on a spoon!” The recipe is easily doubled for a larger batch. The name “Jober” is a combination of Jobin (Matthew and Mason) and Baker (Sue). — MDT
Bonnie Ambrosi lives in Duluth and is an organizer of The Vegan Cookbook Club which meets at 11:30 a.m. on the first Thursday of every month at Mount Royal Branch Library. Contact her at bonnieambrosi@gmail.com.
Yield: 1 cup
1 cup of fruit (Any fruit will do. One idea is to combine berries, pineapple and mango.)
2-4 medjool dates, pitted (Soaking the dates makes
them earier to process but is not essential.)
Combine fruit and dates in a high-powered food processor. Blend to desired consistency. Store in refrigerator and use within a week.
Yield: about 8 cups
3 medium potatoes (include one or more blue potatoes)
2-3 medium carrots (include orange and purple)
1-2 medium golden beets and/or yellow carrots
1 cup fresh or frozen peas (regular, sugar snap or snow peas)
1 red or orange bell pepper or half of each, chopped
6 green onions, sliced
½ cup chopped dill pickle
½ cup sliced olives (any type)
¼ cup chopped jalapeno slices
3 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise Salt to taste
1. Scrub potatoes and scrub or peel carrots, boil until tender
but not mushy, 15-20 minutes. Drain, rinse briefly in cool water, peel potatoes, and cube. (Cooking the potatoes in their skins preserves the color. The skins are easy to remove after cooking.)
2. Wash but do not peel beets, simmer until tender, 20-30 minutes. Drain, peel, and cube.
3. Cook peas briefly until bright green, drain.
4. While these vegetables are cooking, chop the other ingredients.
5. Combine chopped cooked vegetables with all other ingredients in a large bowl and stir gently to coat everything with vegan mayo. Salt to taste.
6. Refrigerate until ready to serve, or eat right away.
4 5 6 7 8 Finished Bear
During your travels, have you ever walked into your room surprised with someone’s artwork made from a towel? We have, too, and I am always amazed by the creativity. My daughter loves origami, so it should be no surprise to me that when we found instructions on how to fold a towel into a teddy bear, it charged her to the core. We have played around with our wash cloths and hand towels and came up with these sweet critters. We can’t wait to share them with you and surprise our next visitors!
1. With a hand towel, a rubber band, two clear plastic hair ties and a ribbon, you and your youngsters can also whip up this darling bear to greet your guests.
2. Start with a hand-towel laid out on a flat surface lengthwise. Fold in the left side one-third of the way.
3. Begin rolling the bottom edge up toward the halfway point of the towel.
4. Roll the top edge down to meet the other roll.
5. Pick up the towel and fold it in half as shown in the picture. The smaller rolls should be in your right hand, and the larger rolls should be in your left hand.
6. Twist the rolls in your left hand inward so that they are facing the same direction as the small rolls. The thick rolls are the bear’s legs, and the small rolls are the arms. Adjust where the middle fold is so the arms are shorter than the legs.
7. You can start seeing the bear take shape. When you are comfortable with the adjustments made to the arms and legs, place a rubber band around the folded end of the towel to establish a head.
8. Place the clear bands on either side of the head to create ears.
9. Wrap a ribbon around the neck of the bear and tie it in a bow to finish it off.
(Original tutorial found on thewhoot.com.)
1. Grab a washcloth and a couple polybands to create this little guy. Fold the washcloth so the points are both upward but slightly misaligned to create two ears.
2. Roll the fold upward halfway.
3. Loop the roll so that it forms a “U” and the “ears” or are sticking up through the middle. Place a clear poly-band just behind the ears to form the head.
4. Take both loose ends and wrap them forward underneath the rabbit leaving the two points in front as feet. Secure a poly-band from the neck down around the feet to secure the body.
5. Tuck and adjust the washcloth material so the back of the rabbit is smooth.
(Adapted from tutorial found on makezine.com)
1. You’ll need two washcloths and a few poly-bands for the elephant. Take the first and fold it into a triangle with the points facing down.
2. Fold the sides of the triangles in as shown in the picture.
3. Continue to create the trunk of the elephant by further rolling in the sides. Secure the trunk in place with clear poly-bands.
4. Flip the washcloth over and make sure the top is folded down to create the elephant face.
5. Secure another poly-band around the head letting the ears flop out. Flip the ears so they are now folded down.
6. To create the body, grab the other washcloth and begin by rolling up the bottom edge halfway.
7. Roll down the top edge to meet the other roll.
8. Fold the rolls in half to create all four legs. Place a poly-band near the bottom of the rolls, or the feet, in order to create stability. Place the head on the body for a complete elephant.
The lakes draw many people to live and vacation in our beautiful area. However, a common injury for those who fish or just hang out near docks and boats is becoming “hooked” when the intended catch was a fish.
The medical team at Essentia Health recommends removing the fishhook from your finger using the String Yank Technique:
1. Remove hook from lure by cutting at attachment ring.
2. Tape any additional free hooks to prevent the hooks from also getting embedded.
3. Wash your hands with soap and water, or disinfecting solution, and then wash the area surrounding the hook.
4. Tie off a loop with some fishing line. Place the loop over the hook’s shank and lightly pull it against the bend of the hook.
5. With your other hand, press down and back on the hook’s eye.
6. Continue pressing down on the hook’s eye. Quickly and firmly jerk the fishing line backward, ensuring that the line is parallel to the shank. Don’t worry; only a tiny bit of skin is behind the barb.
7. Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and apply a bandage.
8. Watch the area for signs of infection such as redness, swelling, pain, or drainage. We do not recommend pushing the hook through your skin and cutting the barb, as this introduces another potential wound for infection. Also, do not try to remove a fishhook that is deeply embedded in the skin, lodged within a joint or tendon, or located in or near an eye or artery. If you are at all unsure, it is best to seek medical attention immediately. If fishing is a favorite pastime, we recommend your tackle box contain an electrician’s pliers with a wire-cutting blade and disinfecting solution. Additionally, don’t forget to receive a Tetanus immunization every 10 years. If needed, it may be done any time in the 72 hours following the injury.
BY MELINDA LAVINE
The time to get out is now, and what better way to ring in the warmth with some outdoor gaming.
Stores like Menards started stocking the goods in February, and Duluthians start buying: “Once the sun comes out,” said Matt Young, first assistant manager at Menards in West Duluth.
The store carries the general selection of bean bag toss, horseshoes, badminton, yard dice, lawn darts and ladder toss. Young gravitates to the latter; he’s not very good at horseshoes, he said. People typically buy whatever looks fun, he added, but common go-tos are the classic bean bags and horseshoes.
One newer pick at Legacy Toys in Duluth is Ogo Disc. It comes with a cushy ball and two frisbees with mini trampolines on the inside. You can play frisbee, catch and badminton, said Liz Allen, assistant store manager. There’s also the self-explanatory Glove A Bubble, Mashoonga (foam warrior sabers) and Djubi, the net of a lacrosse stick with slingshot capabilities. If you’re in the market for something new, Allen suggested looking at the age group listed so you don’t leave out any kiddos in attendance.
Some outdoor games are popular enough to have weekly adult leagues.
Skyline Lanes hosts a bocce ball league three nights a week, and this is the third summer it has hosted adult bean bag nights, manager Jake Mertz said. But as far as tips for bean bags, he has none up his sleeve. “If you’re not doing good, have another beverage,” he jokingly said.
Away from the competition at Skyline, Mertz sees handy people making their own game equipment. The draw of bean bags or other outdoor games is how laid-back they are, he said. People can relax with their friends and have a good time.
You’ll need eight bean bags and two wooden boxes (or cornhole platforms). Set up on a flat surface about 27 feet apart. Play with two to four people; scoring is simple: one point if the bag makes the platform, three if you make a “basket.” It’s all-ages and can be high-competitish or casual, so establish the rules and scoring before you start.
BOCCE BALL
A little like bowling or curling, the objective is to throw balls underhanded down a lane. A small ball thrown first becomes the target for all the other throws. Different games and scoring can be used. Can be played on a bocce court or on grass.
CROQUET
Remember those color-in mazes on children’s place mats in restaurants? Croquet is like that but with mallets, hoops (or “wickets”) and balls. Start at the first stake, hit the ball
Allen said she likes catch or frisbee, games that are “easy to convince people to play,” she said.
The biggest draw for outdoor games are the people and the environment, she added.
“It’s great to be outside and enjoy the fresh air … rather than sitting in your bedroom playing a video game,” she said.
If you’re feeling the urge, here are some games to dip into while the weather is warm.
Melinda Lavine is a features reporter for the Duluth News Tribune.
through the hoops, being mindful it’s going through in the right direction. Once you make it down the maze, repeat in the opposite direction. Whoever makes it back first is the winner. Famously played in “Alice in Wonderland” with flamingos as mallets.
Find a course, get your friends and frisbees. The objective, like in golf, is to get the disc from the starting point to the basket in the least amount of throws. Some courses: The College of St. Scholastica, Miller Creek (Lake Superior College), Mont du Lac, Morgan Park and the University of Minnesota Duluth.
GAGA
Think dodgeball in a smaller, enclosed space. Any hit below the knee counts, and players use their hands and one ball to strike others out. Once you enter the hexagon, you can run and jump, but you can’t hide. (Cloquet’s Churchill Elementary has its own pit.)
Continued on Page 36
Played like tabletop Jenga, you can DIY it or buy a set, just be sure to get out of the way when the towering wooden pieces plummet
Two metal stakes, four horseshoes, and it’s all about the ringer, baby. Hook your shoe around the stake for three points or score one for the closest toss. Stakes go in the ground 40 feet apart. If you want to really get into it, consult the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association for all your pit needs.
KUBB
There are two facing lines of wooden batons, or kubbs. Team 1 throws kubbs across the way to knock over their opponent’s kubbs. It’s all in an effort to eventually snag the wooden king in the center. You can play with two to six players. It’s sometimes called “Vikings Chess,” and fun fact: Eau Claire is the the Kubb Capital of North America.
LADDER TOSS (LADDER GOLF)
Two plastic ladders + many ropes with balls on either end. Toss it at said ladder, and hope for the best. Each ladder rung is worth a different score, and the first to hit 21 (or whatever random number you pick) wins.
Seriously, get a parachute, have a group of people grab a handle, and let your imagination run wild. There’s popcorn, where you toss several balls in the center, wave the parachute and see how long you can keep them on top. Do the same with a beach ball. Make waves with your ’chute or camp out by jumping under it on the count of three. The possibilities are endless.
Looks like cornhole mixed with handball mixed with something else. You’ve got two ramps with cornholes and springboards placed several feet apart. Toss a bouncy ball and try to make the basket for three points. If the ball bounces, though, there’s more fun to be had.
What you’ll need: several rings, stakes, a score sheet. This game is easily adjustable to suit your players, and the first to hit the goal score wins.
It’s like volleyball, but you want to be in the net. The mini spikeball is served into what looks like a netted singleperson trampoline. The opposing team has one, two, three hits before it has to return it / bounce it back off the net. For added fun, once that ball is served, it’s a 360-degree game.
Take your balloon fighting to the next level, but avoid face shots. Ramp it up with a water balloon launcher.
It’s like Yahtzee but with huge dice. Super easy to DIY, all you need is a bucket, five big dice and scorecards.
This is my first child. It’s a boy. We do have a name picked out, but I can’t tell you what it is. We’re not telling anyone, actually. It’ll be a surprise.
When my husband told me he wanted to take a baby class, I was a little apprehensive. The first reason was, I graduated from college only five years ago, and going to “class” sounded awful. The second reason was that I didn’t know what I would learn from going to a baby class that I didn’t already know from experience with babies or from my pregnancy books.
But he really wanted to go to one, because as he put it, he didn’t know what he needed to know. So I googled baby classes in Duluth and found that St. Luke’s hospital had quite a few options. My doctor is at St. Luke’s, and I plan on delivering there, so I figured that would be the best option. We signed up for the birthing and labor class.
The class was two nights for three and a half hours each. I felt better about the class when I walked in and saw two fairly young women who had children in the past decade at the front of the room. Also, they both work in the birthing center.
The presenters used a PowerPoint presentation with images and videos to help teach the class. Though most of the stuff they went over was things I read in my pregnancy book already, my husband said he found those items helpful. Apparently, new dad books don’t go into as much detail about labor and birth.
What I did find helpful was learning about St. Luke’s policies and how they handle things. For instance, I can give birth in any position I want, whether that means on all fours, standing up, on my side or crouched at the end of the
bed. “Whatever feels best and gets that baby out,” they said they’re willing to try.
There is one exception. In the tub. All of the remodeled birthing suites at St. Luke’s have very deep tubs for mothers to labor in. But before you get in, you have to sign a waiver that you won’t deliver in the tub, and when you’re told to get out, you will. Water births at St. Luke’s are not an option.
my doctor there.” But I don’t told them I really didn’t care, and plus I know many people who have had planned inductions for that reason, and something happened and their doctor wasn’t there for the delivery of their baby, my sister-in-law included.
Anyways, in Minnesota, it is now the law that you cannot have a planned induction except for a medical reason or if you are one to two weeks past your due date. This was news to me and something I obviously wouldn’t have learned in any pregnancy book. The law apparently changed back in 2012, and I’ve only lived in Minnesota for four years.
As for medicine, I’m planning on not using any of it. Well, more like hoping to do this naturally. Though there is one new technique that I may consider using first before giving in to an epidural — if it comes to that — because it doesn’t affect the baby and is out of your system in minutes.
I also learned about changes made over the years when it comes to giving birth to a child. These changes make a lot of things completely different from when my mother gave birth to me and even when my sister gave birth to my nephew just three years ago.
As any woman who has ever been pregnant knows, with that bump and beautiful baby — or babies if your body is working overtime — comes the unsolicited and, almost always, unwanted advice. The biggest unwanted advice that I was nagged about by my sister and sister-in-law was about having a planned induction.
I told them I plan on waiting for my baby. When he comes out, he comes out. I have no problem winging it. But they tried to convince me I was wrong because “I’m going to want
In 2016, St. Luke’s started offering nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, to patients to help them get through contractions. Again, there is a waiver you have to sign saying that you won’t share it with anyone, and you can use it only as long as you are capable of holding it to your own face.
Before I took the birthing class, I was pretty terrified of labor and giving birth. One woman once told me that she would rather go through labor again than have another ovarian cyst rupture, which I’ve had. But that didn’t comfort me. This class did. I definitely feel more confident and even a little excited for it to come because I can’t wait to meet my son. — MDT
BY MELINDA LAVINE
Jamie Howie’s dad joked that she was having triplets. One week later, an ultrasound confirmed he was wrong, but not by much.
The Howies are expecting identical twin girls in July. While their babies were the size of a coconut in early June, during that doctor’s appointment, they looked like lima beans, recalled dad-to-be Josh Howie.
“My grin wouldn’t go away, but I was just sweating,” he said.
While Jamie Howie’s first worry was about day care — she’s an accountant — a dream about the girls woke Josh Howie up at 3 a.m. “I could pick one up, and I’d have to say ‘Oh, I’ll get to you in a little bit.’ And that one grew up to hate me because I couldn’t hold them at the same time.”
In their nursery, though, is a dark gray chair with big, fluffy arm rests. Before buying it, they sat down and pretended to hold their daughters at the same time, he recalled.
Howie is one of the men who participated in recent expectant fathers classes offered at local hospitals.
“It’s not textbook, it’s not videos, it’s real life,” said Jan Slattery, prenatal education coordinator at Essentia Health.
Dads classes coincide with breastfeeding groups, and some of the topics covered are holding, changing, feeding, adjusting to parenthood, and strategies for comforting. While she doesn’t attend, Slattery is in charge of organizing, and the emphasis is on dads learning from dads, she said.
With that, there are infants present.
“If one of these babies poops or pukes, it’s on display,” said Nick Garramone. While he’s been facilitating for a couple of years, Garramone started in class as a fly on the wall.
“I remember coming, feeling extremely nervous, not knowing what to expect. You don’t want to break your child. … All these thoughts and fears and anxieties. It was really comforting for me to go through the class and see that other people are thinking and feeling the same thing,” said the soon-to-be father of three.
Among the first nuggets of info he saved were referrals for a baby monitor and a “booger sucker” (baby aspirator). “It’s the best thing in the world, it clears them up, and if they’re comfortable, you’re comfortable,” he said.
Kris Robin and Ryan Tischer were drop-ins recently, and both are expecting their first babies: Robin, a son due July 25; Tischer, a daughter due Sept. 18.
Outside class, one of the books Tischer has read explains how to construct a makeshift diaper out of a dishrag, an old sock and duct tape. “Not a bad trick to have up your sleeve,” he said.
One nugget that has stuck out in Robin’s research so far is not to be startled when you change your newborn’s diaper. “You’re going to see a pretty dark color. It’s called meconium; it’s really like tar-looking poop,” he said.
“I remember reading that, too,” Tischer said.
Robin said he feels good about becoming a father, but he’s always open to learning more. Tischer said he was confident he’d hear something new.
The men sat in a large circle. Baby Ingrid used her father Zach Via’s thumb as a teething ring/harmonica. Theodore Lindberg, 10 months, bounced on his father Jake’s knee. Men shared their names, due dates, birthing stories and plans among the
sounds of coos and rattles.
“Make sure to have those conversations about what to do if it doesn’t go as planned,” said Kyle Freundschuh. On pets, he added later: “Have a blanket, so the pets can get used to the smell (of the baby).”
And there was no empathy belly suit like there used to be. Parts of it wore out, and it was never replaced, Slattery said.
Garramone’s goal is to get fathers comfortable to share their worries and to engage. If there’s a lull, he’ll ask about nursing, gadgets; the topics are endless. The discussions give dads confidence, he said.
Jake Lindberg of Duluth is a repeat attender. Knowledge-sharing activities are key, he said.
One useful tip he gained from a previous class was to have the kids play in a kiddie pool with their toys. “It all gets added into the toolbox of things that I learned,” he said.
Having Lindberg attend class “made me feel closer to my husband,” said Cassy Lindberg by email. “It helped open the conversation for us to address our birth plan and parenting styles.”
Both Duluth hospitals offer multiple childbirth education classes in a variety of topics. Some of the classes have a fee, and others are free. St. Luke’s:
• Labor and Delivery
• Cesarean Preparation
• Dads-to-Be
• Feeding Your Newborn
• Infant Safety
• Breastfeeding Support
To register or for more information, visit www.slhduluth.com/classes.
Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Duluth:
• Childbirth
• Strategies for Low Intervention Birth
• Infant Safety
• Infant Massage
• Breastfeeding Support
• New Dads
• Sibling Class for Kids
To register or for more information, visit www.essentiahealth.org/classes-events.
Midwife:
If you are planning a birth with a midwife, ask her about education opportunities she offers. Many have classes for their clients only.
She has attended new-parent and breastfeeding classes, and is now in a moms group at her job.
Lindberg is proud of being a husband and father, she said. “He shares pictures of us with everyone.”
Among the tidbits Jake Lindberg said he has learned: “Always be patient and realize your kids are not doing anything to irritate you. They’re learning how the world works, and they only communicate through screaming and crying. Because they’re crying doesn’t mean everything’s horrible. It just means they might not like what’s currently going on.”
At St. Luke’s in late May, several men gathered around a conference table for their Dads to Be class. “This isn’t a subject that many guys go out and talk to their guy friends about,” said co-facilitator Eric Barto.
“With my surrounding friends and guys I know, there’s this hesitation and fear of having kids, so there’s really no one to talk to. … It’s comforting and inspiring to know there’s other people
that are around and experiencing the same thing,” said Dakota Trumball of Duluth.
Trumball is expecting a girl on July 29. Of the nursery, he said, “We don’t have a lot of options, so the room will be shared with us.” He reported that his wife was doing well and still energetic. “She chased me down the hall because my shirt was tucked halfway in,” he said with a laugh.
Ryan Stauber isn’t nervous about the baby’s delivery, he said. “I work at 911, so I actually coach people through giving birth, but the idea of being a dad is just a little bit scary in its own right. It’s a brand-new experience. … This is a tiny human that I helped create and that I’m going to shape for the next generation.”
Stauber and his wife were expecting their daughter in early June. Before that, they used their daughter’s name around the house, but they weren’t sharing it with friends or family.
“People will try and trick you,” he warned the class.
Josh Howie said he’s experienced that. While his wife is making onesies with their twins’ names on them, “We’re not sharing,” he said.
Back in their Superior home, Jamie Howie gave a pregnancy update.
“I’m not sick, no cravings.”
“Chocolate milk,” added Josh.
After their babies arrive, the couple will take three months off together. “Thankfully, Josh has enough vacation time. … We’ll both be able to help each other,” she said.
Josh Howie said he’s thankful for expectant father classes, and the examples he’s had in his life in his grandfathers; father-in-law, Randy; and his own dad, Tammany.
“Figuring out what kind of dad I want to be, I don’t have to look very far,” he said. “Every generation is supposed to try to be better than their parents, but I don’t have to. I was taught very well.” — MDT
Duluth Huskies Baseball
The season is in full swing at this family-friendly venue. Prices range from $8-$30. Wade Stadium, 101 N. 35th Ave. W. Check northwoodsleague. com/duluth-huskies/ to see when the home games are.
Movies in the Park
Family-friendly films projected onto a screen at Leif Erikson park at sunset on Fridays all summer. 11th Avenue and London Road. Free.
July 13: Dirty Dancing, 9:05 p.m.
July 20: Ghostbusters (original), 9 p.m.
July 27: Ghostbusters (2016), 8:50 p.m.
Aug. 3: Wonder, 8:45 p.m.
Aug. 10: Footloose, 8:35 p.m.
Aug. 17: Jumanji, 8:25 p.m.
Aug. 24: La La Land, 8:10 p.m.
Aug. 31: Despicable Me 3, 8 p.m.
The Music Man
July 12-29
The Duluth Playhouse brings this famed musical to the Norshor stage. There’s trouble in River City when a fast-talking salesman gets his heart stolen by the town librarian! ThursdaySaturday at 7:30 p.m. Sundays at 2 p.m. $25-$45. 211 E Superior St. duluthplayhouse.org
Pinocchio
July 14, 15
The Duluth Playhouse’s Theatre for Young Audiences presents the classic story of a wooden puppet who dreams of being a real boy.
1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. 506 W. Michigan St. $12-$15. duluthplayhouse.org
Scotty McCreery
July 14
The country music superstar plays at Black Bear Casino singing hit such as “Five More Minutes” and “I Love You This Big.” McCreery won Season 10 of American Idol at age 17. $40$85. 1785 highway 210, Carlton. blackbearcasinoresort.com
5K Trail Rivet Run/Walk
July 15
Enjoy the beautiful trails and waterfalls while participating. Door prizes and refreshments. Registration limited to 100. Pattison State Park, 6294 S. State Rd. 35, Superior. 10 a.m. $25-$35. zapevent.com/reg/event/14989
Concerts on the Pier
July 18, Black River Revue
July 25, Black-eyed Snakes
Enjoy music, food and scenery along Lake Superior on the grounds of Glensheen mansion. Bring a blanket or chair for seating. 6 p.m. gates open, music starts at 7 p.m. 3300 London Road. Free.
Peter Pan Jr.
July 27-29
The Duluth Playhouse’s Children’s Theatre Arts presents the showcase performances from its summer intensive classes for ages 8-13. 7 p.m. Friday; 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. 506 W. Michigan St. $15$17. duluthplayhouse.org
Woman-Made: Marvelous Things Made by Northland Women
July 28
Shop for locally-made items from about 20 female artists. This local art and gift fair is in its 10th year. Peace Church, 1111 11th Ave. E. 10 a.m. WendyUpNorth.com
All Pints North Summer Brew Fest
July 28
Join the brewers of Minnesota by the shores of Lake Superior at Bayfront Festival Park in Duluth, and celebrate craft beer two ounces at a time! Event
will feature beer from breweries around the region, live music and tasty food in an iconic setting. Bayfront Festival Park, 350 Harbor Drive. 3 p.m. Free.
“Beatles Forever”
Aug. 7, 14; Sept. 6
The Superior Singers perform the songs of the Fab Four.
Aug. 7, Zion Lutheran Church, 2022 E. 2nd St., Superior. 7 p.m. Free.
Aug. 14, United Presbyterian Church, 229 N. 28th St., Superior. 7 p.m. Free. Sept. 6, Sacred Heart Music Center, 201 W. Fourth St., Duluth. 7:30 p.m. $10
Romeo & Juliet
Aug. 9, 11, 6, 18
West Side Story
Aug. 10, 13, 17, 19
The Duluth Playhouse’s Children’s Theatre Arts presents the showcase performances from its summer intensive classes for ages 13-18. Casts and technical crews are all teenage students. R&J is 7 p.m. Thursdays and Saturdays; West Side Story is Fridays at 7 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. 506 W. Michigan St. $15-$17. duluthplayhouse.org
The Northland Community Wellness Day was April 14 at the Essentia Duluth Heritage Center. This free event promoted health resources and included family-friendly activities.
PHOTOS BY NAOMI YAEGER
Lakeview Christian Academy, in conjunction with Grandma’s Garden by the Lake, hosted a ribbon-cutting on May 21 for new garden beds. The students had integrated instruction this spring about soil composition, germination, and the importance of eating fruits and vegetables in a balanced diet. They planted and cared for seeds and sprouts in their rooms and had the opportunity to watch them grow throughout the summer. This is phase one of a project that will later include a butterfly garden, fruit trees and compost.
SUBMITTED BY ANGELA BENSON, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND SPECIAL EVENTS
