Growing Up In the Valley March 2015

Growing Up Southwest & Central Virginia’s Premier Family Resource

In the Valley Volume 3, Issue 7 • March 2015 • FREE

Girl Power Rocks Easter Crafts & Recipes

Summer

Camp Guide

70+ camps listed!

Get your Boarding Pass early for an adventurous summer!

Each week campers will be visiting a different country that activities will be themed around.

Campers will use teamwork & new skills learned as they face pit-stops, challenges, and detours along the way!

Register now to receive our Early Bird special!

Half-off Registration ends

March 31, 2015

10 Weeks of Summer Fun Ages 6 - 12 years old

540-344-4543 HoneyTreeELC.com

Blending learning

with faith and faith with daily life We offer classical education for children of all faiths from Pre-K through 12th Grade

Celebrating 125 years Join us for our 25th annual Shamrock Hill Run on March 14!

88% of the Class of 2014 received college scholarship or grant monies totaling $3,928,788

www.roanokecatholic.com

From the Editor Thank goodness that winter is almost over! Kids and parents all around the region are excited for warmer weather, spring sports and some fun time outside. And what better way to warm up than to start planning your summer activities including of course, summer camps!

But before you plan your summer, mark your calendars for two HUGE Growing Up In the Valley events happening this month! On March 14th at the Star City Skate Center, our rescheduled Birthday Bash is happening! This event was originally scheduled for February 21st but the snow got the best of us and we had to reschedule! It is a free event for all featuring skating, princesses, balloons and more. Check out growingupinthevalley.com for the most up to date info on this event.

Two weeks later on March 28th, we are hosting our first ever Talent Search at the Roanoke Children’s Theatre! This event will feature lots of great activities involving the arts! There will be activities focused on music, dance, drama and more including the main event: our search for this year’s cover models! If you would like your child to be considered for the cover of a future issue, or if you and your children just want to have some fun, come on down to the Roanoke Children’s Theatre from 10am-2pm on March 28th! We hope to see you there!

This is our 3rd year providing Southwest Virginia families with a summer camp guide and each time the issue keeps getting bigger and better!

This year, we feature over 70 camps from all around the east coast, including many choices located right here in Roanoke! Whether your child is into sports, science or even Harry Potter, we have the camp for you!

Camps not only provide a safe and reliable place for parents to bring their kids to when school is out for the summer, but they provide so much more for your children! They are a phenomenal opportunity for kids to learn something new, meet new friends and continue to develop socially. These experiences can help kids succeed in life and perform better in school. So, take your time when choosing a camp and speak with your children about what activities they would like to be a part of and find out if they want to be away from home at a sleepover camp. Don’t forget to ask yourself if you are ready for them to go to a sleepover camp as well! Sometimes it can be harder for the parents then it is for the kids!

- Andrea, Josh, Anika and Evelyn Eagan

Growing Up In The Valley

Publisher

Josh Eagan josh@growingupinthevalley.com Anika and Evelyn’s Dad

Editor

Andrea Eagan andrea@growingupinthevalley.com Anika and Evelyn’s Mom

Creative Director

Tracy Fisher tracy@growingupinthevalley.com Charlotte and Evelyn’s Mom

Director of Sales Dee Reynolds dee@mofatmedia.com Aleyna’s Mom

Sales Executive

Natashia Pierson natashia@growingupinthevalley.com Royce and Raeanna’s Mom

Event/Sales Coordinator Shelley Sawyer shelley@growingupinthevalley.com Troy and Tucker’s Mom

Distribution Manager Leigh Anne Woods law@growingupinthevalley.com

Office Manager

Sierra Lewis sierra@growingupinthevalley.com Johnathan’s Mom

Writers

Rachel Robinson April Collini Katie Lewis Teresa Martin Courtney Cutright Amanda Powers Teresa Martin Rachel Robinson Marisa Vitulli Angie Yates

Laura Wade Laura Wade Amanda Powers Kim Castner Kim Castner Katie Lewis Heidi Blackwelder Heidi Blackwelder Courtney Cutright

Photographers Jessica Farmer

Amanda Robinson

Interns Daniel Castillo, Marisa Vitulli, Brad Tomlinson We welcome reader comments, submissions and the support of advertisers.

We reserve the right to refuse or edit any materials submitted to us that we deem inappropriate for our audience. Please include a self addressed stamped envelope with any submission to be returned. We do not accept responsiblity for unsolicited materials.

Growing Up In the Valley and Growingupinthevalley.com are published by MoFat Publishing.

Growing Up In the Valley is published monthly.

The views and the opinions expressed by the writers and advertisers do not necessarily represnt those of Growing Up In the Valley, it’s staff or contributors. The information presented here is for informational purposes only and although every effort has been made to present accurate information, we do not in any way accept responsibility for the accuracy of, or consequences from the use of this information or for the businesses and organizations presented herein. We urge all parents to confirm any information given herein and consult with a doctor or an appropriate professional concerning any information or question.

No portion of this publication may be reproduced in part or in whole without the express written consent of the publisher.

© Copyright 2015 MoFat Media

Contact Us

Phone: 540-251-1660 Fax: 540-808-1568 Mail: 2116 Colonial Avenue, Roanoke, VA 24015 To Reach the Editor: Andrea@growingupinthevalley.com To Request Magazines: Josh@growingupinthevalley.com To Advertise: Dee@Mofatmedia.com To Submit An Event: Shelley@growingupinthevalley.com General Inquiries: Info@growingupinthevalley.com

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Facebook.com/growingupinthevalley @GUPintheValley Pinterest.com/Gupinthevalley

V.A.E.C.E

Rising Star Award

2014

WINNER

In This Issue: Features

21 2015 Summer Camp Guide Over 70 camps listed to help you choose the best one for you family

34 Girls Rock Camp

The coolest camp for your rocker!

Health 12 Combating Childhood Obesity Have healthy kids for life!

58 Orthodontics 101

A beginners guide to straightening teeth.

42 Hey Doc!

Our healthcare panelists answer your questions!

Education 40 Modern Bullying

Bullying isn’t all wedgies in the hallway and fights after school anymore.

Family Living 16 Top 10 Daytrips

Fun family trips less than 5 hours away.

18 It’s a Money Thing

Budgeting Basics for your family.

38 Lucky Shepherd’s Pie An easy take on a traditional Saint Patrick’s Day meal.

14 Paper Strip Egg Craft

The Guide 53 Family Calendar The biggest and best local event calendar.

48 Kids Eat Free

Find out all the details where kids dine for free!

Kidz Corner

44 Kid’s Games

Solve a puzzle, tell a joke & read a story!

45 Adventures of Eliza & Joey

The first chapter of our exciting story for kids!

On the Cover: Rock Wall at Camp Roanoke Photo provided by Roanoke County Parks & Recreation

SMALL

TALK Summer Camps 2015 Cost of College • Book & Movie Reviews • Health News & Much More!

Ah! Summer Camp- a time honored American childhood tradition! Whether it be a traditional sleepaway camp with bunks, late night swims and dozens of friendship bracelets, or a more modern half day camp at the local YMCA with local field trips and dinner at home, thousands of children in the area will be attending a summer camp program in southwest Virginia.

There is a camp for every child, every family and every budget. There are over 9,000 camps registered with the American Camp Association (ACA), a oversight committee system for summer camps that makes sure that the camps your children attend are safe, up to code and perfect for 6

Growing Up In the Valley • March 2015

their personality. Nearly 47% of those camps are traditional sleepaway camps for older children, but the ACA notes a sharp increase of local and small day camps for children of all ages and abilities. With a slower economy than we all would like, these smaller camps are easier on the wallet too.

Growing Up in the Valley has combed through the listings from the ACA to cultivate the best local camps for children in Roanoke, New River Valley, Lychburg and the surrounding areas. Check out our full camp guide on page 21 to find the perfect camp for you!

A Distinctively Christian & classical JK-12 Education

Top 10 Summer Camp Movies



Powerful Proven Affordable

“Most people say that it is the intellect which makes a great scientist.

They are wrong: it is CHARACTER. “ Albert Einstein Faith Christian School We invite you to learn more.

By Tracy Fisher

1. Parent Trap Let’s Get Together; yeah yeah yeah!

This movie, and it’s very popular reboot with Lindsay Lohan, has been a longstanding classic. The story is ridiculously unbelievable but still good fun, and the films are fun for everyone in the family. (1998, PG).

2. Addam’s Family Values The perfect movie to watch if you have a child who doesn’t quite fit the peppy camper stereotype. The quirky fun and darker humor can melt anyone’s heart!

(PG-13)

3. Friday the 13th Okay, so this one isn’t for the kids because if they see it they’ll never get out of the car at camp. But parents can enjoy this classic sleepaway camp horror flick! (1980, R)

4. Dirty Dancing Another one for the older crowd, but it’s a film that can recall the warmth

of summer, family vacations and young romance! Interestingly, part of the movie was filmed nearby in Giles County! (PG-13)

5. Meatballs The movie’s tagline says it all “The Summer Camp That Makes You Untrustworthy, Disloyal, Unhelpful, Unfriendly, Discourteous, Unkind, Disobedient, and Very Hilarious.” Perfect for the family that doesn’t fit the Boy Scout mold!

(PG)

6. It Takes Two Just one in the parade of movies done by the Olsen Twins, but clearly one of the more popular. It harks back to the Parent Trap with two identical girls scheming to get their parents to fall in love; all set in a fun summer camp!

This is a perfect film for the younger ones in your family. (PG)

7. Race For Your Life, Charlie Brown

Open House Tuesday, March 10 10:00-11:00 Faith Christian School fcsva.com 540.769.5200 x148

The Peanuts gang at summer camp.

How could it be better? This is one of the few Charlie Brown movies to be released in theaters, rather than as a TV special. (G)

8. Camp Do you have an older child who believes they’ve outgrown babyish summer camps? Have them watch the drama unfold in this 2003 film about a theater camp. (PG-13)

9. The BabySitter’s Club Movie Who says camp has to be at a fancy wilderness resort? These plucky friends create their own summer day camp and may be in over their head. (PG)

10. Ernest Goes to Camp It may never win any academy awards, but Ernest movies are always good family fun! (PG March 2015 • growingupinthevalley.com

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Family&Parenting

The Cost of College for the Class of 2030

A 2012 US Department of Education (DOE) study recently found that the average cost of a single year at a private university is $32,900. The DOE estimates an average annual increase of 6.5% for the past 10 years, so by 2030 a 4 year degree at a private university will cost nearly a quarter of a million dollars.

to graduate from a public university.

Public school tuition, while vastly cheaper than private institutions, is on the rise. In 2012 the average for a single year cost $15,100. That means it will cost $44,047 in 2030 for a student

So you don’t think you’ll have $44,047 laying around come 2030? You can look into alternatives to a traditional 4 year university educational plan. Many high schools offer students college credit

The US Department of Education estimates that current students spend on average 7% of their income on their education. For a student in 2030 to pay for their school, without taking out loans or financial aid, they would need to make over $62,000 every year.

classes for free or at a very low cost which can then be transferred to a school of their choice.

Trade programs are often 1 to 2 years long and cost a fraction of a traditional school’s tuition. Don’t forget that online schools are no longer entirely comprised of scam schools and lower tier degrees. Almost every university has an online option, which can be done while working full time and often for lower cost than attending on campus.

$

$

$

College Tuition rises 6.5% every year.

444

2 out of 3 students will attend college.

74% of college students hold a full-time job.

4078 Electric Rd. Roanoke VA 24018 360 Arbor Dr. Christiansburg VA 24072 8

Growing Up In the Valley • March 2015

This could be

you March 28, 2015 • Roanoke Children’s Theatre • 10AM-2PM Growing Up in the Valley Cover Model Search • Costumed Photobooth • Puppet Shows & More! Learn more at www.growingupinthevalley.com/talent-search

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Reviews

Conversion

by Katherine Howe Grades 7 and up

It’s Colleen’s senior year at St. Joan’s Academy, a private Catholic school in Massachusetts, and the last semester stress is in full swing. College applications, exams, competing for valedictorian, boys Colleen feels like a pressure cooker trying to keep it all together.

room, her classmates are worried and confused.

But then Clara’s two closest

When Clara Rutherford, the school’s queen bee, collapses during home-

friends suffer similar fits just a few hours later, and rumors start to fly. What’s wrong with them? And is it contagious?

Reviews by Heidi Blackwelder young girls...could Colleen’s classmates be faking it? Or is there something more sinister at work?

Alternating between the present day story of St. Joan’s and the 17th century events of Salem Village, Conversion is gripping mystery with just a hint of the supernatural.

Blue Mountain

by Martine Leavitt Grades 3 - 7

Tuk is a young bighorn sheep whose herd is dying out. Humans have gradually been building their roads and houses closer to the big-

Over the next several weeks, Colleen looks on bewilderedly as more and more girls fall ill with mysterious symptoms: twitching, verbal tics, hair loss, violent bouts of coughing. The school administration promises they are doing all they can to keep the remaining students healthy and to figure out what’s causing the epidemic.

But when one of Colleen’s best friends becomes a victim, worry turns into full-blown panic.

$5/Session classes for kids ages 5-13

www.PlayFitStayFit.net Jason@playfitstayfit.net

540-525-7671 10

Growing Up In the Valley • March 2015

The media flocks to St. Joan’s as the administration scrambles to find answers, and soon the mystery illness becomes a nationwide concern. Is it pollution? Stress-induced? A faulty vaccine? Then, while Colleen is studying The Crucible for an extra credit project, she experiences a shocking moment of clarity: three centuries ago, her hometown was the location of a similar outbreak among a group of

horns’ mountain. Not only does this mean predators are forced further up the mountain (and thus closer to the herd), but the bighorn are catching diseases from the humans’ domestic sheep, against which they have no immunity. The herd matriarch tells Tuk that he will be the one to save their kind, but he isn’t so sure about that.

He’d rather be climbing and jumping

Reviews with the rest of his bandmates!

Then, when the herd migrates to the meadow where Tuk will weather his first winter, disaster has struck. Man’s machines are all over the meadow, trampling the bighorns’ only food source for the season. But though the pickings are slim, the herd decides to make do...because where else would they go?

Finally one night, after they are attacked by wolves, Tuk decides that he will set out for the Blue Mountain, a peak in the distance that only he seems to be able to see. In the past he has singlehandedly fended off a mountain lion and her cub, an enormous golden eagle, and now he has saved the herd from a pair of wolves.

All of his bandmates decide to come with him, but the rest of the herd isn’t so sure. Tuk may be quick-thinking and resourceful, but can he successfully lead a migration over the mountains?

A finalist for the National Book Award, Blue Mountain reads like a fable and is short and direct, but surprisingly profound.

some connection to the inn...the two kids have more than enough to work on.

They decide to invent characters for themselves to play for when they are in mystery-solving mode, in the style of a role-playing game called Odd Trails. Milo decides to be a clever blackjack named Negret while Meddy chooses to be a guide character who is conveniently invisible to everyone but Milo...forcing him to do all the dirty work. Milo is bit peeved by this, but his resentment fades as he starts to get a sense for who Negret is (a skillful lockpick with inimitable

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powers of persuasion and a close relationship with his biological father - basically the opposite of Milo in every way).

It’s all fun and games until something is discovered about one of the guests that puts everyone in very real danger.

Greenglass House is a fun, clever mystery with enough twists to keep any reader guessing, and just a pinch of magic.

I’d think I had it figured out and then something else would happen! But my favorite aspect of the story was Milo’s conflicted feelings toward his biological family and being adopted, a subplot which is resolved beautifully in the end.

Greenglass House

by Kate Milford Grades 5 - 9

Greenglass House is an old waterfront inn frequented by smugglers. Twelveyear-old Milo lives there with his adoptive parents who own the place.

It’s the first day of winter break and there are no guests checked in, which is normal for this time of year. Milo has just decided to get a jumpstart on his homework so he can enjoy his vacation unencumbered when the bell on the porch rings, signaling the arrival of a guest via the inn’s cable car at the docks. And just like that, Milo’s hopes for a peaceful, uneventful break from school are shattered.

From that moment on, weird things start to happen at Greenglass House.

Something strange is afoot, and Milo and his friend Meddy decide to team up to figure it out. Between the thefts, the noises in the night, and the mysterious visitors who all seem to have March 2015 • growingupinthevalley.com

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Health

Combating Childhood Obesity Take steps now to have healthy kids for life!

By Stephanie Specht of Carilion Clinic

The obesity epidemic in the U.S. is not only affecting the adult population. In the past three decades, childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents.

Risks

The numbers are startling and much like adults, obese or overweight children are at a higher risk for chronic conditions associated with cardiovascular disease such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), in a population-based sample of 5- to 17-year-olds, 70 percent of obese youth had at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

child,” she said. “The family members need to change together and your child has to see you making healthy choices such as preparing healthy foods and exercising regularly.”

Since it is difficult to put a child on a diet, Dr. Reynolds encourages parents to focus on permanent lifestyle changes by doing the following: Provide healthy meals and snacks to not only nourish your child but help them develop healthy eating habits.

In addition, Erica Reynolds, M.D., M.Ed., a pediatric endocrinologist at Carilion Clinic, noted that she has seen an uptick in adolescents and pre-teens with type II diabetes and even younger children with insulin resistance or prediabetes. Obese adolescents are also more prone to feelings of sadness and low self-esteem because of their weight issues.

“For most children, obesity is a combination of too many calories and too little physical activity,” noted Dr. Reynolds. “And since habits are established in early childhood, efforts to prevent obesity should begin early.”

Combat It

So, how can we help our kids get healthy? Dr. Reynolds explained that the whole family must get involved.

“It is not going to work if you are only trying to change the lifestyle of the

Fewer than 15% of US children between the ages 6-11 eat the reccomended daily servings of fruits & vegetables 12

Growing Up In the Valley • March 2015

Visit choosemyplate.gov/kids for a guide and other resources just for kids. And for healthy recipe ideas, visit CarilionClinic.org/recipes.

Increase physical activity to help manage your child’s weight and reduce any health risks. Visit Letsmove.gov/kids for more on making physical activity part of your family’s daily routine.

Educate your children so they can develop an awareness of good nutrition and healthy eating habits for a lifetime.

To make it easy for her patients and their families, Dr. Reynolds prescribes the “95210” code. It is what every kid needs to be healthy: 9 hours of sleep every night 5 fruits and vegetables per day 2 hour screen time limit 1 hour of physical activity per day 0 sugar sweetened beverages per day (this includes soda, juice, and sports drinks) Focusing on health together as a family will not only help your child combat obesity but it will help the whole family get healthier. If you are concerned about your child’s weight or health risks, talk to you health care provider.

Assessing obesity in children is difficult because children grow in unpredictable spurts, so it is best to have a health care professional examine your child.

For more information, visit CarilionClinic.org

Dr. Reynold’s

Health Code

9 5 2 1 0

Hours Of Sleep Every Night

Fruits & Vegetables Per Day

Hour Screen Time Limit

Hour Of Physical Activity Per Day

Sugar Sweetened Drinks Per Day

Protect what’s most important

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Family Fun

Paper Strip Egg Craft

By Tracy Fisher

Supplies: Colored Paper Cardstock Scissors Exact-o Knife Tape Markers

Instructions:

1. Cut colored paper into thin strips. Create different effects by using different widths.

2. Set strips aside; fold card stock in half. On one half, use exact-o knife to cut out desired shape.

3. On other side of card stock arrange paper strips and attach with tape. Fold cut-out side over it and tape down.

4. Decorate front of card as desired.

Eas

s k ter Pi c nterest Pi Bunnies, carrots, and colorful eggs are everywhere on Pinterest. These are some of our favorites.

Doughnut Hole Bunny Tails www.frogprincepaperie.com

Spring Chick Fruit Cup www.nobiggie.net

Easter Mason Jars www.number-2-pencil.com

Stocking up for WARM WEATHER!

It might be chilly outside but we’re already thinking of picnics and sunshine! We’re stocking up for spring and summer. Start the year fresh by bringing your kids’ gently used spring and summer items and get paid cash on the spot - no appointment necessary!

360-A Arbor Drive Christiansburg, VA 24073 14

Growing Up In the Valley • March 2015

4092 Electric Rd Roanoke, VA 24018

Thumbprint Bunny & Chicks blog.chickabug.com

Kids are Expensive.

their stuff doesn’t have to be.

LFA Kids

Consignment

3 day Mega event!

Serving the Roanoke area for nearly 15 years

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March 27-29 Berglund Civic Center’s Special Events Center www.LFAkids.com

Stars of the Valley

top 10 day Trips Spend a saturday or long weekend at our favorite local gems!

by Marisa Vitulli

Carowinds Amusement Park Charlotte, North Carolina

i

3 hours 23 minutes

One of North Carolina’s premiere attractions, Carowinds is a 398-acre theme park designed to thrill both adults and children of all ages.

Di-

vided into nine sections, this amusement park features thirteen roller coasters, including this year’s newest addition Fury 325, the fastest and tallest coaster in the world, and Planet Snoopy, a Peanuts themed section specifically designed with little ones in mind. Besides being host to many dining options, the park also recently added a water area called Boomerang Bay for cooling off in the high heat. With all of this fun so close to Roanoke, it would be a crime to miss out!

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Growing Up In the Valley • March 2015

American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse Staunton, Virginia

i

1 hour 24 minutes

Dost thou loveth the theatre? Art thou a fan of Shakespeare? Then make the brief hour and a half journey north along the interstate to the American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse. While this activity is not for the younger ones, this experience at the Blackfriars Playhouse will make any preteen or teen’s school Shakespeare assignment

burst right off the page. The theatre also performs more modern classics, such as their yearly production of a Christmas Carol, but tickets are always in highest demand so make sure you order ahead of time for performances that you won’t want to miss.

Busch Gardens and Water Country USA Williamsburg, Virginia

i

3 hours 31 minutes

Drive only three and a half hours away from your front door to this travel destination that essentially kills two birds with one stone by bringing you to two theme parks with only one drive: Busch Gardens and Water Country USA. One of the most visited parks in the United States, Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia is themed after old-fashioned Europe with a small section dedicated to Sesame Street. Just down the street is its sister water park. One of the largest Water parks in the U.S., it’s home to 17 different water rides and four designated areas for younger children. You won’t want to miss this opportunity. Plan your trip now; Water Country is only open May through September!

Virginia Aquarium

Virginia Beach, Virginia

i

4 hours 30 minutes Home to more than 12,000 animals and 700 different species of marine life, the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science

Stars of the Valley Center is the ultimate interactive and educational experience for children.

Watch them wonder and gasp as they examine horseshoe crabs in the touch pool and stand next to Goliath groupers in the 70,000 gallon Chesapeake Light Tower Aquarium. This aquarium, however, is not just home to creatures of the sea but also to birds of flight in the half acre aviary, which holds around 70 birds. Make this destination one for your family bucket list!

Shenandoah Valley Shenandoah Valley

i

1 hour 48 minutes

Only an hour and forty-five minutes away, the breathtaking views of the Shenandoah Valley will likely make both adults and children stop and stare in wonder. Besides hosting a vast number of scenic trails, the Natural park also borders the Shenandoah River and is home to a number of notable caverns, including two National Natural Landmarks. And when you and your fellow campers tire of walking, just down in the Valley are the historic downtown villages full of restaurants, window shops, and dessert ice cream parlors.

So, the next time you are gearing to go on vacation, travel to Shenandoah Valley. Don’t fear the nature; embrace it.

Virginia Zoological Park

Chimney Rock

i

i

Norfolk, Virginia

4 hours 13 minutes

If you are looking for a day of educational and eye-opening family fun, look no further. Virginia’s Zoological Park is the place for you! With over 300 animals, the 53 acre park is dedicated not only to conservation and protection, but also education about amazing creatures that deserve our respect.

From the train to the butterfly gardens to the continent-themed exhibits, this Association of Aquariums and Zoos Accredited park will fill up a day with enough firsts, excitements, and wonder that your children will be asking to return before you finish your walk back to the car.

Chimney Rock, North Carolina 4 hours 5 minutes

Breathtaking views, natural caverns, multiple trails, viewing decks, rafting, and climbing! What doesn’t Chimney Rock have? Take the elevator to the top viewing deck and watch the clouds’ shadows dance across the valley.

Explore the wilderness on dozens of hiking trails. For those of you who are particularly brave, dare to climb the mountain via the Needle’s eye, a steep stairway through a narrow pass to the top of the mountain.

Spend the day at Lake Lure’s beach. Enjoy cascading waterfalls. Dine out at one of the many restaurants accessible from Lake Lure’s shores. We could go on, but why don’t you check it out for yourself?

Luray Caverns Luray, Virginia

Bristol Motor Speedway Bristol, Tennessee

i

2 hours 30 minutes

Looking for a boys weekend out? Fan of race cars, race tracks, or just anything that has to do with racing? Then take a brief two and a half hour drive to Tennessee and explore the Bristol Motor Speedway. While it may be short in length, it also happens to be one of the more popular NASCAR tracks due to the features that your nine year old as well as your inner nine year old will love, including steep banking, two pit roads, and stadium seating. So, if you are a car-lover and have nothing against NASCAR, check out their racing dates and begin planning your family racing day.

i

2 hours 13 minutes

A major attraction since its discovery in 1878, the Luray caverns are wellknown for some of the most intricate, decorated, and detailed internal structures in the Shenandoah Valley with the caves’ collection of natural columns, mud flows, rock draperies, such as Saracen’s Tent, mirrored pools, such as Dream Lake and the Wishing Well, and flowstones.

Its main attraction, the Great Stalacpipe Organ, actually makes natural music like that of a xylophone when tapped with stone. The cavern also has a hedge maze for little ones and electrical lighting throughout its many tunnels for safe and easy access, so join the other 500,000 visitors a year and take a tour of Luray Caverns for you next mini-vacation.

Virginia Air and Space Center Hampton, Virginia

i

3hrs 53min

Get ready to blast off on an epic adventure that will not only be entertaining and awe-inspiring for kids but also educational. Come to Virginia Air and Space Center! Check out historical exhibits filled with real aircrafts. Help children design and test their own plane prototypes with the center’s Build a Plane Test Program. Embark on the Space Quest, an interactive simulation in which kids get to launch a rocket, pilot a space craft to Mars, and make a lunar landing. There’s even fun for the three to six year olds, who can join the Space Racers, rocket-building, space-suit wearing, museum-touring tykes. So, release your long-forgotten inner astronaut and get ready to embark on a journey to the stars and back.

March 2015 • growingupinthevalley.com

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Family Living

It’s a

Money Thing™

Budgeting Basics

Provided by Laurissa Grubb from Blue Eagle©Credit Union

B

Budgets are like the New Year’s resolutions of personal finance. We all know we should have one and we all know it’s a fairly simple thing to follow—at least in theory. Like resolutions, we often map out personal budgets with the best of intentions, only to abandon them a couple of weeks later.

It’s easy to blame our budget failures on the numbers we use, or the categories we create, or even the specific app or budgeting system we choose—but more often than not, the underlying cause of a hard-to-stick-to budget is our relationship with it. Just like resolutions, if we design budgets that are too restrictive or too vague, there’s no motivation to follow them.

Whether you’re planning your first budget or re-evaluating your current budget, the ground rules listed below will set you up for success by changing the way you look at budgeting. It doesn’t matter if you manage your budget on your smartphone or if you prefer good ol’ pen and paper— these budgeting basics can be applied to every budgeting system.

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Growing Up In the Valley • March 2015

#1: Budgeting Is About Confidence, Not Guilt

#2: Stop Comparing Yourself To Others

A reason lots of people avoid budgeting is because they think it means giving up everything they love and converting to a super-frugal lifestyle. Or, they might be scared they’ll discover that they’ve been spending lots of money on the “wrong” things.

An effective budget is tailored to your specific combination of wants and needs, so forcing yourself to live within a sample budget you found online or in a personal finance book is not a long-term solution. Budgeting categories can vary wildly depending on where you live, where you work, how you get from point A to point B, what you do for fun and what your personal goals are. Finding a budget that works for you will take trial and error, and the end result will look different from every other budget out there. Get comfortable with the idea that everyone has different priorities, and that no two budgets look alike.

Budgeting is not meant to shame you into being financially responsible. At the end of the day, budgeting is simply about awareness. If you fully understand where your money is going each month, you can design a budget that allows you to truly enjoy your money. How fun is a shopping spree if it’s what’s keeping you in credit card debt for another month? How much can you enjoy your new apartment if the rent payment is stressing you out? Budgets are helpful when it comes to managing your bills and saving up for future expenses, but they’re also the key to spending your money confidently.

#3: Be Real About Your Income A rookie mistake when it comes to budgeting is using your salary (divided by 12 months) or your hourly wage (multiplied by hours worked) as your monthly income. Instead, take a couple of minutes to calculate your

Family Living monthly take-home pay—this is your income after estimated taxes and other deductions (like health care, social security and retirement savings contributions) have been taken into account. Your deductions should be listed on your paycheck, and there are plenty of income tax estimate services online that you can use for free.

#4: Savings Is An Expense, Too If budgeting categories were a high school gym class, savings would be picked last. In many budgets, the savings category ends up getting whatever is left over after the “more urgent” expenses have been paid (and—in most cases—the not-so-urgent ones too!).

The only way to take your savings seriously is to give it the same priority as your living expenses. If you contribute a set amount to your savings at the beginning of the month, your savings will grow so much faster and you won’t be able to “accidentally” spend that money on something else.

#5: Look To Your Budget Instead Of Your Balance For many people, budgeting simply means checking your account balance before making a purchase—and although it’s good to stay on top of your account totals, looking at your balance is an unreliable way of determining what you can and can’t afford. Your account balance can’t communicate, for instance, how much money needs to be left untouched in order for you to pay your taxes this year or to renew your gym membership next month or to repair your car next week. Get into the habit of referencing your budget instead of your account balance before spending your money.

#6: Prepare For Emergencies

Emergency expenses have a knack for breaking even the best budgets because they can very easily turn into a huge source of debt. If you don’t have the cash on hand to take care of them immediately, you’ll have to put them

on a card or take out a loan, which will have you paying interest on top of the cost of the expenses.

Emergency funds are an important part of any budget and should be a separate category from general savings goals. In order to be effective, your emergency fund can only be accessed for real emergencies—like sudden unemployment, an unexpected medical emergency, or a critical home or vehicle repair. Instead of looking at your emergency fund like yet another savings category, look at it as a way to strengthen your entire budget. Not only will it cover tough situations, but it will also save you stress and give you peace of mind.

Laurissa resides in Roanoke with her family and is the Director of Marketing for Blue Eagle© Credit Union. She has worked in credit unions for more than 20 years, has a passion for financial education, and believes stronger individuals make a stronger community.

Enter to win

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Find extra savings in your entertainment budget! Simply ll out this entry form and bring it by any Blue Eagle® Credit Union ofce by March 31, 2015 to enter. One entry per person.

We offer many ways to maximize your budget, put more money in your pocket, and have fun!

Report Card Rewards

Youth members in grades K-12 can earn dollars for every A and B on their nal report card.

Scholarships

Ten $1,000 Alexander Scholarships are awarded annually to members seeking higher education.

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Members enjoy discounted theme park and movie tickets, saving you time and money!

BlueEagleCreditUnion.com | BlueEagle@BlueEagleCreditUnion.com 540.342.3429 or 800.342.3429

Name: ______________________________ Phone: ______________________________ Email: ______________________________ By completing this form I agree to receive promotional information from Blue Eagle® Credit Union. I also agree for my name, photo, and other information listed to be used by Blue Eagle® Credit Union for promotional purposes. I would like a FREE loan review to see if Blue Eagle® Credit Union can save me money.

I would like more information on:  Savings Accounts  Free Financial Classes  Checking  Retirement Accounts  Auto Loan  Mobile Deposits  Home Loans  Online & Text Banking  Credit Card  Report Card Rewards  Scholarships  __________________ GU

March 2015 • growingupinthevalley.com

19

Is my child on track?

Complete an Ages & Stages Questionnaire

via the Smart Beginnings Greater Roanoke Family Access Page Because your child's first 5 years of life are so important, we want to help you provide the best start for your child. The Ages & Stages Questionnaires, Third Edition (ASQ-3), can help you keep track of your child's development, ages birth-5.

The ASQ-3 includes questions about your child's communication, motor, problem solving, and personal social skills. .Once the ASQ is completed, SBGR will send you the results, along with age-appropriate activities for optimal development. If the results indicate any areas of concern, you will be provided with additional information and resources available to parents with young children in the Roanoke & New River Valley.

To get started, visit www.asqonline.com/family/f51923 or call #540-777-4211

New in 2015 - FREE Developmental Screenings will also be held each month at the Roanoke Main Library!

Read ALL our issues online at issuu.com/ growingupinthevalley

Growing Up in the Valley’s

2015 Summer Camp Guide Academic Camps

Amazement Square

Lynchburg, VA - www.amazementsquare.com - (434) 845-1888

Arts, Science & Technology Camp Geeensboro, NC - www.allarts.uscg.edu - (866) 344-2255

Childcare Network Summer Camps

Roanoke, VA - www.childcarenetwork.com/Virginia-Roanoke-VA-65 - (540) 989-3459 When school is out, Childcare Network is open! Join us for a week full of fun learning and activities during our Adventure Spring Break! We will be making crafts, trying new recipes and playing tons of fun games! Throughout the week we will preview our exciting themes for Summer Camp - It could be Unusual Animals Around the World, Super Heroes, Amazing Race or Aloha USA! Those are just a few of the adventures we have planned and we invite you to sign up today!

Give us a call at 540-989-3459

Country Bear Day School Summer Camps Roanoke, VA - www.countrybeardayschool.com - (540) 774-2547

See Our Full Camp Guide Online at growingupinthevalley.com/ camp-guide

Enjoy a sizzling summer at Country Bear Day School with tons of great activities all summer long. Activities include art, crafts, karate, golf, tennis, gymnastics, skating, bowling, dance/cheer, swimming and field trips!

March 2015 • growingupinthevalley.com

21

2015 Summer 2015 Summer

Camp Guide Camp Guide Hollins Summer Camp

Roanoke, VA - www.hollins.edu/hollinsummer - (800) 456-9595

FIND YOUR VOICE. childrenschoir.com

Looking for an adventure for this summer? Take a look at our Hollins summer program: four camp options that combine learning and fun for high school and middle school girls at Hollins University, one of Virginia’s most beautiful campuses.

Honeytree: The Hive Summer Camps

Salem, Roanoke, Vinton - www.honeytreeelc.com - (540) 345-4543 The Hive Summer Camp at HoneyTree is for school students who have completed kindergarten through age 12. A private swim club, plus special interest groups, arts and science projects, field trips, and more keep The Hive buzzing with activities each weekday.

Ferrum College

Ferrum, VA - www.ferrum.edu.com/fcsec - (888) 508-7822 At FCSEC, we believe that a healthy self-concept is essential for fully developing one’s talents and skills. The daily academic program is balanced with a variety of social and recreational activities designed to promote personal growth, team-building and an appreciation of individual differences and abilities. The camp motto is reinforced daily in a variety of ways as campers are encouraged to approach new learning situations with an “I-CAN-DO-IT” attitude.

Game Camp USA

Fairfax, VA & Atlanta, GA - www.gamecamp.com - (619) 446-6495

History Museum Summer Camps

Roanoke, VA - www.vahistorymuseum.org - (540) 342-5770

Hogwarts Summer Session & Parallel Universes ; Trefoil Academy Roanoke, VA - www.trefoilacademy.com - (540) 774-7725

Northstar Childcare Summer Camps Roanoke, VA - www.northstar4kids.com - (540) 366-3629

Field trips every day! Lots of great activities including karate, swimming and climbing nets!

Pathway Christian Academy Summer Camp Christiansburg, VA - www.pathway-academy.com - (540) 394-7300

Pathway Christian Academy has the scoop on summer fun! Offering eight action-packed camp sessions this year including themes such as Time Travelers, Art Smart, Kid Detectives, and Loco-Motion! All camps include field trips, academic content, fine arts, and more! Camp hours: 8am-5:30pm M-F. Half-day and single-day rates also available.

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Growing Up In the Valley • March 2015

2015 registration opening soon! woodmen.org/camps

Join us for the 2015 Season at the beautiful Camp Woodmen, located in Thaxton, VA, just minutes from Roanoke.

2015 Summer Camp Dates: Week 1: June 14 - 18 Week 2: June 28 - July 2 Week 3: July 5 - 9 Week 4: July 12 - 16

* Minimum number of campers must be registered in order for each week of camp to be held. VA Woodmen Fraternal Corporation reserves the right to cancel weeks or merge weeks due to low attendance.

Why kids love our Summer Camp ‌. * Zipline * Swimming Pool * Rock Wall * Canoeing * Putt Putt * Archery * Ropes Challenge Course * Frisbee Golf * A/C Bunkhouses and Dining Hall

Why parents love our Summer Camp ‌. * We instill patriotism, integrity, morals and family values * Five days, 4 nights, all meals included for only $150! * Woodmen of the World Member Discounts available!

540.989.6109 ~ woodmen.org ~ mbaker@woodmen.org

2015 Summer

Camp Guide Science Museum Summer Camp Roanoke VA - www.smwv.org - (540) 342-5776

The Science Museum of Western Virginia is pleased to offer a full summers’ worth of camp programs! Children will spend their days doing hands-on science under the supervision of experienced educators. Registration for Summer Camps opens on March 1. Please visit SMWV.org/summer-camps/ for description of camps offered.

The SheEO Academy

Staffford, VA - www.CampSheEO.com - (866) 697-4336

The camp for motivated and business-minded young ladies. Enrichment, professional development, career exploration and financial literacy. A fun, girl-inspired, hands-on experience that uncovers each young lady’s personal vision and develops her plan for success.

Virginia Museum of Transportion Camp Roanoke, VA - www.vmt.org - (540) 342-5670

Art, Dance and Music Camps

Blue Ridge Academy of Music

Blue Ridge, VA - www.blueridgeacademyofmusic.com - (540) 977-2710

Divine Dance Center

Roanoke, VA - www.divinedancecenter.com - (540) 774 -0296

Glazed Bisque-It

Roanoke, VA - www.glazedbisqueit.com - (540) 985-4567

Little Leapers

Roanoke, VA & Blacksburg, VA - www.thelittleleapers.com - (540) 200-8573

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Growing Up In the Valley • March 2015

Rock Wall at Camp Roanoke

2015 Summer

Camp Guide

p

Melody Makers

Roanoke, VA - www.melodymakersmusic.com - (540) 989-9177

Mill Mountain Theatre Conservatory Summer Cam p Roanoke, VA - www.millmountain.org/conservatory - (540) 342-5740

Mill Mountain Conservatory offers theatre training summer camps for people of all ages and skills.

Miss Mona School of Dance

Roanoke, VA - www.missmonas.com -(540) 387-9575 Miss Mona’s School of Dance & Performing Arts, a legacy in performing arts training for over 58 years, is excited to announce its 16th Annual Youth Summer Drama Camp, where the spotlight is on YOU! Campers will experience all facets of theatre in a hands-on and non-competitive way. Acting, set design, costuming, audition preparation, choreography, stage managing and so much more! Best of all, campers prepare a full 60+ minute show, compete with costumes and props, managed ENTIRELY by fellow campers, to present to family and friends at two performances on Friday! It’s a fastpaced, fun-filled week for ages 7-17! Camps are June 15-19 & 22-26.

GO CAMPIN’’ IN THE CITY Let’s put the memories of Old Man Winter behind us and start thinking about summer sun and fun. Our energetic staff has an exciting collection of summer camps that will keep your youngster’s mind and body actively entertained all summer long.

From soccer and softball to rock climbing and theatre, we have an engaging camp opportunity for every walk of life.

For information about all of our summer camp opportunities, call (540) 853-2236 or visit PlayRoanoke.com/CAMPS.

Summer P.L.A.Y. Camp Starts June 8

We’ll Move You!

Soccer Camps (ages 2-16) | Youth Art Camp (ages 8-12) | Outdoor Camps (ages 8-13) | Theatre Camp (ages 8-12) Rock Climbing (ages 14-17) | Summer P.L.A.Y. (grades K-5) | Lifeguarding (ages 11-15) | Frozen Camp (ages 7-11) March 2015 • growingupinthevalley.com

25

2015 Summer

Camp Guide Faith Based Camps

Camp Bethel

Fincastle, VA - www.campbethelvirginia.org - (540) 992-2940 The vast Jefferson National Forest adjoins our 470 acres of hiking trails, ponds, streams, open meadows, forests, and rolling hills. Camp Bethel offers affordable, comfortably modern, as well as quaint-rustic style facilities for year-round use. Programming is planned to meet your needs, or the needs of your group, your family, and your church.

Brethern Woods Camp Retreat Keezletown, VA - www.brethrenwoods.org - (540) 269-2741

Camp Highroad

Lowesville, VA - www.camphighroad.org - (540) 687-6262

Camp Eagle

Roanoke, VA - www.campeagle.com - (540) 366-2431

Phoebe Needles Center

Callaway, VA - www.phoebeneedles.org - (540) 483-1518

Camp Tuk-A-Way

Blacksburg, VA - www.camptukaway.com - (540) 961-4100 Located on 65 acres in the heart of the Blue Ridge Montains, Camp Tuk-A-Way seeks to provide a clean, wholesome environment for quality Christian Camping.

Special Needs Camps

Camp Easter Seals UCP

Salem, VA - www.campeastersealsucp.com - (540) 777-7325 We are located forty-five minutes northwest of Roanoke Virginia in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Our camp offers children and adults (ages 6 and up) with disabilities and special needs the opportunity to enjoy fun and challenging activities in a unique and supportive camp atmosphere. Our campers have a variety of disabilities including autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and several other physical and intellectual disabilities. Our activities include swimming, canoeing, horseback riding, archery, crafts, dances, campfires, and more!

Camp Loud And Clear

Appomattox, VA - www.holidaylake4h.com - (434) 395-2972

Camp Piankatank

Hartfield, VA - www.camppiankatak.org - (804) 776-9552

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Growing Up In the Valley • March 2015

2015 Summer

Camp Guide Camp Virginia JayCee

Blue Ridge, VA - www.campvajc.org - (540) 947-2972 Camp Virginia Jaycee is a Summer time outdoor recreational and educational program for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Camp is a 501 (c) 3 organization. Children and adults with special needs can be helped physically, mentally, and emotionally by an outdoor education and recreation experience. Yet the National ARC organization has pointed out that only a small percentage of the citizens with special needs have actually been involved in existing tax supported public recreational facilities and programs. Camp Virginia Jaycee brings these special people such an experience.

Sports Camps

Chatham Hall Riding Camp

Chatham, VA - www.chathamhall.org - (434) 432-2941

Battlefield Summer Horse Camp

Gainesville, VA - www.battlefieldparkpolo.com - (540) 359-1811

Brenda Schultz Tennis

Ferrum, VA - www.brendaschultztennis.com - (276) 952-5152

Adventure Links

Clifton, VA - www.adventurelinks.net - (571) 281-3556

Lancerlot Sports Camps

Roanoke, VA - www.lancerlotsportscomplex.com - (540) 981-0205

Camp Motorsport

Clover, VA - www.campmotorsport.com - (855) 508-9382 Camp Motorsport is a unique sports specialty camp where campers participate in hands-on driving education at a real racetrack, as well as enjoy all of the fun of a traditional summer camp!

Rise Up Climbing Camp Lynchburg, VA - www.riseupclimbing.com - (434) 845-7625

River Rock Climbing Camp

Roanoke, VA - www.riverrockclimbing.com - (540) 685-2360 Looking for something completely different? We have just the thing at the River Rock! Indoor rock climbing promotes confidence, coordination and balance, muscle development, teamwork, and problem solving skills. The social and athletic skills acquired through climbing will last a lifetime.

March 2015 • growingupinthevalley.com

27

2015 Summer

Camp Guide

2015

Roanoke College Soccer Camp Camps for high school girls:

Hollins Theatre: Caught in the Act

Channel your passion for theatre by exploring acting, musical theatre, and improv.

July 19-25, 2015

Riders Who are Going Places

Learn from college instructors about hunter/jumper riding and caring for horses.

July 19-25, 2015 or July 26-August 1, 2015

Taking Joy in the Art of Creative Writing

Develop your fiction, poetry, and personal narratives.

July 19-25, 2015 or July 26-August 1, 2015

Roanoke, VA - www.roanokesoccerschool.com - (540) 375-4955 Our youth camp offers players from a wide range of ages and abilities an opportunity to develop at Roanoke College. Sessions at the camps are created age specific to provide knowledge and enthusiasm for the game in a fun and challenging training environment. These camps will feature the staffs and players from the highly successful Roanoke College men’s and women’s soccer programs as well as top youth and college coaches.

Roanoke City Parks & Recreation Roanoke, VA - www.playroanoke.com - (540) 853-2236

Offering more than 20 day camps for all ages, including community recreations, athletics, aquatics and outdoor education.

Roanoke County Parks & Recreation

Roanoke, VA - www.roanokecountyparks.com - (540) 777-6315 Looking for summer fun? We offer over 200 weeks of summer camps for ages 3 to 17. Choose from half-day, full-day and overnight programs with themes such as art, music, dance, travel, athletics, swimming, pop culture and outdoor education. You DON’T have to be a County resident to sign up!

Valley AFC

Roanoke, VA - www.valleyafc.org - (540) 774-7272 When we chose “Soccer for All” as our motto we really meant it. We have something to offer the four year old who looks quizzically at his first pair of shin guards to the eighteen year old who looks proudly at the college jersey she’s worked so hard to earn… and every child in between.

YMCA Summer Camps

Roanoke, VA - www.ymcaroanoke.org - (540) 342-9622/(540) 387-9622

www.hollins.edu/hollinsummer

Summer Climbing Camps at River Rock Climbing!

Looking for something completely different? We have just the thing at the River Rock! Indoor rock climbing promotes confidence, coordination and balance, muscle development, teamwork, and problem solving skills. The social and athletic skills acquired through climbing will last a lifetime.

We have a variety of programs based on age appropriateness. Beat the heat this summer in our climate controlled facility. No prior climbing experience is necessary.

For More Information call (540) 685-2360 or Visit riverrockclimbing.com/summer-camps/ Mention this ad while booking your camp before April 30th and receive 10% off.

Building Roanoke’s Climbing Community • riverrockclimbing.com • (540) 685-2360 28

Growing Up In the Valley • March 2015

R E M M U S E H T S ’ IT

E N I H S O T

SUMMER CAMPS 2015 YMCA OF ROANOKE VALLEY

Camps at the Y share one thing: they’re about discovery. Kids have the opportunity to explore nature, find new talents, try new activities, gain independence and make lasting memories. And, of course, they’re fun too!

Salem Family YMCA Camps Ages 3-11 From art and science to fun and fantasy, kids get to be hands-on explorers in these action-packed camps and clinics.

Kirk Family YMCA Camps Ages 3-11 Each special theme week includes arts & crafts, music, water fun, inflatables, Y-Arcade, games and more!

Magic Place Summer Camps Ages 5-12 This is the perfect option for children who want a day-camp experience (filled with swimming, field trips and roller skating!) and for parents who need daily child care.

Learn more: www.ymcaroanoke.org/camp

Open House Saturday, Apr. 25 10am-3pm

Over 175 Weeks of Summer Fun!

Day camps for grades K-5 with transportation from Tanglewood Mall.

Overnight programs for grades 3 to 11. See if Camp Roanoke is right for your child at our FREE open house event! Call (540) 387-6114 or visit:

Browse the area’s ‘ largest selection of summer programs, including half-day & full day options for athletics, crafts, swimming and outdoor fun!

www.CampRoanoke.com

www.RoanokeCountyParks.com

2015 Summer

Camp Guide Wilderness & Outdoor Camps

Camp Friendship

Palmyra, VA - www.campfriendship.com - (434) 589-8950

Girl Scouts

Roanoke, NRV and Lynchburg - www.gsvsc.org - (800) 542-5905

4-H Camp Southwest VA

Abingdon, VA - www.ext.vt.edu/resources/4h/southwest - (276) 676-6180

Camp Blue Ridge

Montebello, VA - www.campblueridge.com - (540) 377-2413

Camp Carysbrook

Riner, VA - www.campcarysbrook.com - (540) 382-1670

See Our Full Camp Guide Online at growingupinthevalley.com/camp-guide

Global Youth Village

Bedford, VA - www.globalyouthvillage.org - (540) 871-0882 Join us for one of the most unique international summer programs in the United States. Since 1979, GYV has trained over 3,500 teens from 102 different countries. Young people gather each summer at our campus in Virginia for an experience in global citizenship filled with cultural exchange, new friendships, fun, and laughter.

Camp Holiday Trails Charlottesville, VA - www.campholidaytrails.org - (434) 977-3781 Camp Horizons

Harrisonburg, VA - www.camphorizonsva.com - (540) 896-7600

What’s your Disney side? That’s the side you simply can’t wait to share as a family. It’s the side of you that laughs bigger, screams louder, and just plain lives life to the fullest. It’s the side of you that comes out to play the moment your family steps through the gates of the Walt Disney World® Resort.

So why wait? Share the magic right now and come show your Disney side!

Camp Kum-Ba-Yah

Lynchburg, VA - www.campkumbayah.com - (434) 384-1755

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Growing Up In the Valley • March 2015

CS-13-28104

©Disney

Jenn Harris, Just A Dream Away Travel 540-293-5132 jenn@justadreamawaytravel.com www.facebook.com/MouseCoachJenn

JULY 12–18 or JULY 19–25 • AGES 9-13

Ou6trh 2 ear!

Y

FUN • CHALLENGING • MEMORABLE • EDUCATIONAL • AFFORDABLE

www.ferrum.edu/fcsec

FRIEND us on Facebook! FOLLOW us on Twitter!

FERRUM COLLEGE ENRICHMENT CAMP

(888) 508-7822

2015 Summer

Camp Guide Modern Woodman

Thaxton, VA - www.woodmen.org - (540) 989-6109

You’re Invited!

Growing Up in the Valley’s 2nd Annual

Birthday

Bash!

MARCH 14 2015

@ Star City Skate Center

First

100

attendees will receive a free

goody bag 32

Growing Up In the Valley • March 2015

Youth camps are open to members from ages 8 – 15. Camps offer boys and girls the opportunity to expand their interests and skills, and learn about teamwork and leadership. Activities at camp include nature study, citizenship, drama, arts and crafts, swimming, fishing, games, hiking, sports and many others.

Camp Mont Shenandoah

(girls)

Millboro, VA - www.campmontshenandoah.com - (540) 997-5994 Camp Mont Shenandoah provides a traditional summer camp experience for girls between the ages of 7 and 16. Nestled in the Allegheny Mountains along the pristine Cowpasture River in Bath County, Camp Mont Shenandoah is one of Virginia’s oldest and best loved overnight camps.

Camp Rim Rock

(girls)

Yellow Spring, WV - www.camprimrock.com - (304) 856-2869

Camp Roanoke

Roanoke, VA - www.camproanoke.com - (540) 387-6114 Nestled within 700 acres of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, Camp Roanoke is conveniently located just off Interstate 81 exit 132. Since 1925, our campers have enjoyed outdoor adventures such as canoeing, field games, hiking, campfires and a challenge course complete with a 44-foot climbing tower. Older campers will enjoy off-site excursions like rock climbing and caving. Younger campers can stay for just the day with free satellite transportation.

Camp Strawderman

(girls)

Edinburg, VA - www.campstrawderman.com - (540) 984-4738

Timber Ridge Camp

High View, WV - www.trcamps.com - (800) 258-CAMP

Camp Tall Timbers

High View, WV - www.camptalltimbers.com - (800) 862-2678

Camp Twin Creeks

Marlinton, WV - www.camptwincreeks.com - (800) 451-8806

Camp Watonka

Hawley, PA - www.wantonka.com - (570) 226-4179

Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing New Castle, VA - www.wilderness-adventure.com - (540) 864-6792

Starting with age 8 and extending to 11, the Outdoor Discovery Summer Trip offers your young adventurer the opportunity to explore the outdoors while participating in age-appropriate adventure activities.

Girl ower PRocks!

How one local camp is empowering young women through music.

By Laura Wade Photos Provided by Girls Rock! Roanoke Grab a guitar or a microphone and get ready for Girls Rock Roanoke where girls learn it isn’t all about the bass - or the drums. It’s about amplifying your voice and being heard while empowering others to do the same.

Designed to be fun as well as teach each girl that what she says matters, Girls Rock Roanoke is on a mission to empower girls and women through music, creative arts and collaboration. The program provides tools to encourage girls to express themselves and see that what they contribute is valuable.

In its third year, this unique day camp gives girls ages 8-16 the opportunity to be a rock star. In one week, girls come together to form a band, write a song and perform it at the showcase on the last day of camp.

No prior experience is necessary because everything the girls need to know is taught during the camp.

Girls are exposed to several instruments, and choose their favorite one to play as part of the band. While not everyone gets her first choice, the program encourages participants to discuss their feelings, and find solutions together. As a matter of fact, conflict resolution is a key value learned at Girls Rock Roanoke.

“A lot of what we do at Girls Rock Roanoke is changing the ways girls’ voices are heard,” says Kim Bratic, spokesperson for Girls Rock Roanoke.

“There is value in being able to express oneself and be heard, and work in a group. Girls Rock Roanoke is 100% fun while learning life skills.”

“I learned that the most important 34

Growing Up In the Valley • March 2015

instrument in life is your voice and you learn how to own it and play it,” said Tela Espelage, 13. To her, the best part of camp was “finding my love for music again and being able to express myself without judgment. I found my voice was powerful whether singing or speaking, and I can make a change in the world and people listen. For example, I felt like I could talk about my experiences and others learned from them and I learned that other girls face similar issues.”

The Girls Rock Camp movement began in 2001 with the establishment of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls in Portland, Oregon. Today there are nearly 50 Girls Rock organizations throughout the United States, Canada and abroad that together form the Girls Rock Camp Alliance.

LeeRay Costa founded Girls Rock Roanoke after her daughter attended a Girls Rock camp in North Carolina.

Costa, John P. Wheeler Professor of Gender and Women’s Studies at Hollins University, thought it was a great program that could empower Roanoke area girls and women.

Allison Parkhurst says that her 10-year old daughter, Maggie, has learned that relationships with other girls should be supportive and nurturing.

Led by a group of women volunteers, girls form a band, take music lessons, and write an original song which they perform at the showcase.

In between practices, they take workshops to improve stage performance

and increase confidence.

Tech Talk teaches girls the technical aspects of performing, such as how to use a microphone and hook up amps.

Girls Rock Roanoke program director Lucy de los Rios facilitates this workshop. De los Rios has been volunteering for the past two years and is one-half of the Roanoke band, Another Roadside Attraction.

Body Confidence reviews how women are portrayed in media and has the girls discussing realistic standards while Women’s History covers music history so Janis Joplin and Billie Holiday are not forgotten. Girls design their own rock star outfits in the DIY clothing class and are treated like rock stars with band photo shoots by a professional photographer.

Dedicated volunteers serve as band managers, workshop leaders and helpers. They hold jobs as camp counselors, therapists and musicians, and come together to create an inclusive community where girls grow in self-esteem.

“We pride ourselves on being 100% female-run,” Bratic shares.

She is quick to add that men volunteer to support the program in other ways.

Boys Rock for Girls Rock has behind the scenes supporters who assist with fundraising and donations as well as transporting equipment.

The Sean Deel Foundation donated a complete Maypex drum kit last year.

Deel, a former Roanoker, resides in Nashville now but continues to support Girls Rock Roanoke. The Guitar Center has provided gift cards for past participants.

Funded by camp registration fees, the non-profit also has fundraisers which include concerts and special events.

Last year, they ran a social media campaign called “Fill the Fender” to increase awareness and funds. Some of the money raised goes to scholarships to increase diversity.

“Girls from all walks of life need to feel included and that what they have to say is important,” says Bratic.

From listening to what the girls share at camp, Bratic realizes that many are psychologically bullied. That is one reason why camp volunteers strive to provide an environment of inclusivity

where the girls learn to build each other up and empower one another.

Michele Hancock says, “Girls Rock Roanoke has given my daughter, Mariana, more confidence in so many ways.

Confidence in her music, confidence in her abilities, and most importantly, confidence in herself! Girls today need that.”

While the summer camp is the primary program offered, they offer other opportunities for participants and volunteers to stay in touch throughout the year. Last November, they hosted a drum workshop with Tom Tom Magazine, a periodical for female drummers.

The camp, hosted at Community School, has grown in popularity and several campers return each year. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis and typically fills up quickly.

Camp for girls 8-11 will be held July 6-10 and for girls 12-16 from July 1317. Tuition is $240 plus a $10 registration fee. Registration forms will be available March 15 online at http://girlsrockroanoke.com.

Rock on, girls!

SUMMER CAMPS AT THE VMT!

Give them the best week of their summer!

Pre-K Camps designed for train-car-and-plane loving kids!

NEW THIS YEAR! A week of fun activities designed for kids with autism!

Questions?

Contact Courtney Plaster at cplaster@vmt.org

Register NOW at vmt.org

Downtown Roanoke ✰ vmt.org ✰ 540.342.5670 March 2015 • growingupinthevalley.com

35

n 21 ru st ps u m ug Ca 1–A ne Ju

Summer fun and learning at North Cross School.

Enrichment Camps: Age three through fifth grade, sessions in art, drama, science, swimming, and gym sports.

Middle School Madness: Rising fifth through eighth grade, a variety of workshops including guitar, cooking, forensics, 3D printing, digital photography, theatre, and more!

Sports Camps: All ages, includes basketball, volleyball, soccer, lacrosse, and baseball.

Academic Camps: Rising sixth through ninth grade, includes Middle School Tune-up, and Spanish.

Download a brochure and application form at www.northcross.org/summer-programs

2015

For more information, contact Stephen Belderes at 540-588-8320 or sbelderes@northcross.org.

Treat Your child to a

NCSSummer2015_GUITV_Third.indd 1

2/23/15 1:36 PM

Join our royal throne at

O

The Castle and

T

Royal Summer

experience a kingdom full of ex-

Our Summer Camp will keep children of all ages citing activities! engaged and entertained!

Our summer Join our royal throne at The Castle and experience a kingdom full of exciting activities! empire includes daily

Our Summer Camp fieldtrips tooffers thrilling

• Daily fieldtrips to thrilling attractions

• Themed Parties • Interactive Games attractions, fun & Sports • Contest & Relay Races • Swimming & Water activities •Fungames, Arts & Crafts interactive relay



Offering drop-in, part time and full time care for ages birth - 12 years.

races, water play, themed

(540) 977-1282 parties, and

arts and crafts activities.

childrenscastleearlylearningcenter.com Our summer 36

Growing Up In the Valley • March 2015

camp will keep children of all

Treat Your

You’re Invited!

Keeping Babies Safe While They Sleep

Growing Up in the

KOHL’S INFANT SAFE SLEEP PROGRAM

Valley’s 2nd Annual

Birthday

Bash!

MARCH 14 2015

Our daily fieldtrips include

These exciting adventures adventures: @ Star City Skate Center

First

Safari Park

 

Valley View Grande



Mill Mountain Zoo

100

Chuck E. Cheese



Putt-Putt Golf and Games

On average, an infant dies in an unsafe sleep environment every three days in Virginia. That’s why Carilion Clinic Children’s Hospital is committed to helping keep babies safe through the Kohl’s Infant Safe Sleep (KISS) program.

When it comes to infant safe sleep, always remember the A, B, Cs.

A B C

Alone A baby should always sleep alone in a crib, never in a bed with parents or other children.

Back

Babies should always be placed on their backs while sleeping.

Crib

Cribs should have a firm mattress, tight-fitted sheet, and be free of blankets, stuffed animals, pillows, or bumper pads.

In partnership with Kohl’s Cares, we’re offering classes to parents, in both the Roanoke and Lynchburg communities, who are in need of a safe sleep environment.

For more information, please call 800-422-8482 or visit CarilionClinic.org/kiss.

Pump It Up

 



attendees will Skating receive a free

Bowling

goody bag

Thunder Valley

  

For parents, keeping our children safe is a top priority. But that doesn’t just mean trying to prevent bumps or bruises.

We also need to protect them while they sleep.

Bridge Water

local park visits and

This program is made possible through the purchase of Kohl’s Cares® merchandise at local Kohl’s stores.

Family Living

Lucky Shepherd’s Pie Ingredients: 2 lbs lean ground beef 1 cup chopped onion 1 can creamed style corn 1 bag frozen corn 10 boiled potatoes (Instant potato flakes can be substituted) 1 cup light cream or milk 1 stick butter (or substitute) Salt, pepper & paprika

Directions: 1. Boil potatoes and mash. Stir in 1 cup light cream and melted stick of butter.

2. Sauté onions in a skillet until brown and then add meat. Cook meat fully and season to taste. Cook frozen corn and set aside.

3. In a 9×11 baking dish, spread a layer of meat, then creamed style corn and potato. Repeat this layering process using the cooked frozen corn. Season top layer of potato with salt, pepper and paprika.

4. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Share your strength.

Your values.

Your kitchen table.

foster Learn more at lfsva.org or 800-359-3834.

38

Growing Up In the Valley • March 2015

Book Today!

540-362-5195 www.StarCitySkateCenter.net 140 Hershberger Road Roanoke, VA 24014

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Education Station

Modern

Bullying

by Katie Lewis

U

Until I was a teacher, I didn’t think much about bullying. I had a good childhood and don’t recall being picked on at school. Except for the one time when a girl placed the lid of her chocolate ice cream on my seat in the cafeteria, leaving a perfect brown circle on my white denim shorts. Of course, it was one of my friends who had done this, but still, I became the butt of a joke (no pun intended). So, in fact, I guess I was bullied. Still, it wasn’t an ongoing problem and not something I thought much about. When I thought of bullying, I thought of the blatant examples seen on shows such as Saved by the Bell, like stealing lunch money and shoving kids in lockers. This kind of bullying, as you are probably aware, is not very realistic and is not very problematic in 40

Growing Up In the Valley • March 2015

today’s schools. Yet bullying was not left in the 90s with high-wasted jeans and big hair. And with the popularity of social media, it’s running rampant.

I was chatting with some of my high school students the other day about their generation. I told them that I had come to the conclusion that, they, as a whole, have become more accepting in regards to race, sexuality and other human rights issues. However, while they talk the talk, they don’t always apply this in their own environment. In other words, they support the big causes, but still target the little man in their own backyard. This is a very general statement. I don’t mean to insult them and could cite exception after

Education Station exception. It’s simply an observation I’ve made and it still shows progress on their part. But the bottom line is that regardless of how progressive their generation is, bullying is still a problem.

So how and why are students of this generation targeting others? As for the how, while physical bullying is not non-existent, verbal (whether it’s in person or over social media) seems to be the most prevalent. The old adage “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me,” simply doesn’t hold true. Words can hurt a child emotionally and can ruin one’s reputation and self-esteem. As an English teacher, I will forever defend the power of words. Social media takes this to another level, allowing words to travel faster and further.

As to why students bully, often it’s because of their own insecurities.

Bullying others makes them feel bigger, more powerful. Sometimes it also stems from how a child is raised or lack of parental figures. But the

underlying factor is that something is missing from their life, so they want to take something away from someone else. So while bullying can simply not be tolerated, the bully is just as needy as the victim. Could loving the bully possibly help the problem? It surely couldn’t hurt. Then there’s the classic case of going along with the crowd. A child knows deep down something’s not right, but if they don’t laugh or react then they might be a target. So often kids are worried about judgment and it prevents them from doing the right thing. It’s no surprise that kids worry about what others think because kids can be downright mean. They don’t want to be an easy target for a bully, so they hide behind a façade—a façade that actually makes them what I will call a sub-bully. In other words, they watch an action and do nothing about it or laugh and encourage the bully.

There is another cause as to why kids bully, and this may be the most common—they bully because they don’t realize they are doing it. This is the primary area where we can make

s l e e H Healing FOR

the biggest difference. We need to teach our kids the proper uses of social media and remind them that the things they say will be floating in cyber space forever. We need to teach them the power of words and inform them that if they spread rumors or make fun of someone that they are being a bully.

We need to remind them that giving a smaller kid a gentle shove in the hall on a regular basis may not be welcomed. If kids knew what they were actually doing, I think the label of bully may be enough to make them stop.

Once they are old enough to understand, telling them something they did or said was “not nice” just doesn’t cut it, nor does writing it off as “kids will be kids.” We need to identify these behaviors as bullying. There is more to bullying than kids understand, and if we don’t tell them about it, who will?

Join us for our annual women’s luncheon benefitting Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

Friday, April 24, 2015 11:30am - 1:30pm The Berglund Center

www.carilionclinic.org/cmn Shoe Raffle | VIP Experience |Silent Auction $50 Individual | $400 Table of 8 PR ESENTED BY

Reserve Tickets

540.224.4747

cmnhospitals@carilionclinic.org March 2015 • growingupinthevalley.com

41

Health

Hey Doc! My child snores at night and breathes through his mouth; Is this the sign of a sleep disorder?

These symptoms could be signs that your child is suffering from Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB). SDB is a term used to describe a spectrum of breathing problems including simple snoring, mouth breathing, and pauses in breathing that affect approximately 12% of children. These sleep disorders can be troubling for both the parents and the child. If left untreated, these overnight events and poor sleep can lead to developmental delays, behavioral and learning problems, increased bedwetting, slow growth, as well as weight gain and obesity. Long term effects can also include an increased risk for heart and lung problems.

In children SDB is often caused by obesity or enlarged adenoids and tonsils. When enlarged, these structures can block the nose and back of the throat resulting in significant airway obstruction. Removing the tonsils and adenoids, a procedure known as an adenotonsillectomy, cures 70% to 90% of children with SBD. The surgical procedure is not without risks, and the decision to go forward should be made after careful evaluation and recommendation from an otolaryngologist (Ear, Nose, & Throat doctor).

If you are concerned that your child may be suffering from sleep disordered breathing, contact either your child’s pediatrician or an otolaryngologist. I also recommend using your smartphone to video your child sleeping at night. This may be helpful for the doctor to review. Early diagnosis and management of SDB is critical for improving the quality of life for your child and reducing the risk of adverse health effects.

42

Growing Up In the Valley • March 2015

Sleep Disordered Breathing Nighttime Symptoms:

• Snoring • Mouth Breaching (sleeping with an open mouth) • Gasping or choking • Pauses in breathing • Restless Sleep •Bedwetting

Daytime Symptoms: •Poor school performance • Poor attention •Hyperactivity

Dr. Brian Gross

LewisGale Physicians: Ear, Nose & Throat Dr. Gross studied at University of Virginia School of Medicine.

Learn more at LewisGale.com

Please contact your family doctor before starting or changing any medical regime. This information is supplied for educational purposes only.

Send in your questions to our panel of health care experts by emailing Info@Growingupinthevalley.com

Gigantic Inflatable Bounce Houses, Slides & More

Stress Free Party Planning We Set Up and Clean Up Orange Avenue Roanoke 540-345-7867

End-to-End Entertainment

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2-Level State of the Art Laser Tag Arena Arcade & Prize Redemption 32 Lanes of Bowling Dine-In Sports Grill Bowling Pro Shop www.nrvsuperbowl.net 375 Arbor Dr. Christiansburg

Growing Up Mag

For more info, Call 540-382-5525

Growing Up Mag

Easter Maze Help the Easter Bunny find his way to the chick!

The Egg Hunt Spring Photos at Viva La Cupcake March 14: 10AM-1PM

& 3PM-6PM March 15: 1PM - 5PM March 21: 10AM- 1PM & 3PM - 6PM March 22: 1PM- 5PM

Five kids, Alice, Bob, Cathy, Dan and Eve went to Easter egg hunt. Each of them found three eggs of different colors.

Three reds eggs, three blue eggs, three yellow eggs, three green eggs, and three orange eggs have been found. The first egg that was found was blue and was found by Cathy.

Alice did not find any orange egg. Bob did not find any red or green egg. Dan has no blue egg but has a yellow egg. Eve has no red egg but has a blue egg. Cathy has a green egg but no yellow egg.

What are the colors of the eggs the five kids found?

540-204-3100 1302 Grandin RD Roanoke, VA 24015

The Adventures of Eliza and Joey: The Beginning Chapter 1 In Which We Meet Eliza Hearthstone This is a story about a not-so-normal girl named Eliza. She lived in a normal little peach-colored house with a normal grassy backyard. Her normal father was a man with a bushy black beard, and her normal mother was a woman with emerald-colored eyes. Her younger brother Joey had the height of any normal ten year old and a normal amount of adventurous spirit. Overall, they were quite the perfect picture of any perfectly ordinary family. But as was said before, Eliza was not-so-normal.

On a rainy day in April, brother and sister raced from the

bus, up the front porch steps, and through the door, eager to slip off their muddy rain boots and scramble up the staircase to Eliza’s room.

“Liza? Joey? Is that you?” their mother called from the kitchen.

“Yes, Mom,” Liza answered.

Their mother appeared in the hallway. “How was school, guys?” she asked, helping Joey out of his backpack.

March 2015 • growingupinthevalley.com

45

“It was good,” Joey replied in a hurry. “Can we go upstairs and read now?”

“Did you magically finish your homework on the bus?” she asked skeptically.

“No,” said Joey, embarrassed. “But, I promise, I’ll get it all finished after dinner.”

Mrs. Sandra Hearthstone stared at her children in amazement. Their neighbor, Mrs. Starch, still refused to believe Sandra when she told stories about her children’s favorite pastime. And Mrs. Hearthstone couldn’t blame her. She had problems believing it herself. Not one to discourage such behavior, Mrs. Hearthstone relented.

“Okay, you can go and read but just until—“

Mrs. Hearthstone was interrupted by both of her children’s “Thanks, Mom!”

“Hey, no running!” she called after them in her gentle but forceful way. Stunned as usual, she turned from the staircase and back to the kitchen, shaking her head and wondering if she should be concerned.

As soon as they reached Eliza’s room, the pair split, Joey shutting the door, Liza running to her book shelf.

Eliza lugged a book, which must have weighed at least half as much as she, from the bottom shelf and tugged it to the floor with a thump.

ing silly

“Ooff,” she said as she lifted the leather bound cover to the contents page. Joey ran up behind her in a dizzy of excitement.

“Where are we going today, Liza, hmm? Can we go see Tarzan again? Please? Or what about Neverland? I promised the Lost Boys I’d show them what a Nintendo was!”

“Joe,” Liza chided, “you know the rules. We can’t take or leave anything behind. Grandpa said it might mess with the story.”

“I know what Grandpa said,” Joey frowned, crosshis arms. “I still think it’s a silly rule.”

“Oh, stop complaining. Rule #13 is just as important as the rest of them. Plus, we get all this,” she said, gesturing to the book. “I don’t think it’s a bad trade.”

Joey came out of his sulk ever so slightly. “So, are we going to see the Lost Boys?”

“Actually,” Liza replied, thumbing through the pages, “I had something different in mind.”

“But, Liza,” Joey demonstrated his best puppy-dog pout.

“I think you’ll really like it,” Liza responded. “There are knights in gleaming armor! Jousts! Sword fights! Kings and wizards! We may even get to go on a quest,” Liza dangled that last piece of information out like bacon over a dog’s nose. Her brother stopped fidgeting, and she knew she had him hooked.

“Alright, but I get dibs on where we go next time!”

“Deal!” she replied and held out her hand. Joey grabbed it, shaking with excitement. They kneeled down by the book, and Liza began to read aloud.

The crowd was hushed as the two opponents took their places in the arena. Both men, covered from head to toe in shiny silver armor that glistened like tin, nodded, bowed, and then the duel began. The crowd erupted into cheers, calling and spurring its favorite on—

As Liza continued reading, the room around her started to glow until the patterns on objects and the colors on the wall started to blur. She kept reading.

A blow to the left, a strike to the right! One’s sword was stronger, the other’s shield thicker— Suddenly, the walls, the bed, the bookcase faded. In the distance, Eliza could hear shouting.

Then, when it seemed that the two knights had met their match in one another, the left decorated with black crests, lost his balance, lost his shield, and fell to the ground. The right knight lunged, but the left was too quick and rolled to the side— Snow-covered gravel appeared beneath their feet, wood stalls and thatched roofs materialized. The smell of horse, hay, and mud filled the air. The cheering grew louder.

The left knight righted himself and spun on his opponent, a red feathery plume sprouting from his helmet. Their swords once again engaged in a brutal battle. Then, with his wrist turned in just the right way, the black knight knocked the red fighter’s sword from his hand— Then, with a loud pop, the book disappeared. They were in the middle of King Arthur’s England.

To be Continued....

The Dot Game

Player 1:

Player 2:

Just Jokes Have a little holiday chuckle with us! Send in your own jokesto info@growingupinthevalley.com. If we publish your joke you’ll win a free GUITV T-shirt!

Q:Where does the Easter Bunny get his eggs?

A: From Eggplants.

Q: What happened to the egg when he was tickled too much?

Make her wish

come true Celebrate with your favorite Fairytale Princesses

Wish Upon a Star P a r t y

E n t e r t a i n m e n t

Learn more at

Fairytalebirthdays.com

A: He cracked up.

Q: What is the Easter Bunny’s favourite sport?

A:Basket-ball, of course!

Reserve your Character today Q:Why can’t a rabbit’s nose be 12 inches long?

540-632-1837

Mention this ad when booking and save 10% off any party booked before March 30, 2015 (Party must take place before December 30, 2015)

A:Because then it would be a foot!

The Guide

Kids eat FREE M o n d a y : McAllister’s Deli Roanoke 5-10 PM Famous Anthony’s All Locations 5PM-Close Country Cookin’ All Locations All Day Buffalo Wild Wings All Locations 5-8 PM Lil Cucci’s Daleville All Day 202 Market Roanoke All-Day Golden Corral Roanoke All-day

Tuesday: Macado’s** All Locations 4-7PM Firehouse Subs* V. View/Keagy/Salem All Day Brambleton Deli Roanoke All Day

Denny’s All Locations 4PM-Close Ragazzi’s Roanoke 4-10PM Applebees * All Locations All Day Lil Cucci’s Daleville All Day Town Center Tap House Daleville All Day Crumb & Get it Radford All Day Sharkey’s Radford All Day

We d n e s d ay: Lil Cucci’s Daleville All Day Dogwood Vinton All-Day Golden Corral Roanoke All-day Cork & Crust Daleville 5 PM- Close

Thursday: The Roanoker Roanoke 4:30 PM-Close Lil Cucci’s Daleville All Day

F r i d a y : Lil Cucci’s Daleville All Day IHOP Valley View, Roanoke 4pm-8pm

Saturday: Lil Cucci’s Daleville All Day Steak N Shake*** Roanoke All Day

Famous Anthony’s All Locations 12PM-Close

S u n d a y : Lil Cucci’s Daleville All Day

Listings are subject to change without notice!

We do our best to keep our Kids Eat Free listings up to date but often restaurants often change their promotions based on location and without notice. Most restaurant discounts require adult meal purchases. Please call ahead of time to confirm that the deal is still taking place. This listing does not serve as a guarantee by us or the restaurant to any discount!

Check out our up-to-date listings online on G r o w i n g u p i n t h e v a l l e y. c o m / k i d s - e a t- f r e e

48

Growing Up In the Valley • March 2015

School closings, weather forecasts, health reports and more.

All in one place.

Kimberly McBroom, WDBJ7 Anchor

For the latest on-the-go:

Education Station

Is My Child Ready for Kindergarten?

Although the 2015-2016 school year is still several months away, local elementary schools are beginning to register children for Kindergarten.

Any child who will be five years old

by September 30th, 2015 is able to enroll for Kindergarten this next fall.

But being old enough isn’t always the same thing as being ready. Kindergarten readiness is important because research shows children who are ready for kindergarten are more likely to succeed in school and in life. So how does a parent know if their child is ready or not? Smart Beginnings suggests parents think about the following types of readiness skills.

Learning & Thinking Skills • • • •

Can your child identify how objects/pictures are the same/ different?

Can your child match and recognize basic colors and shapes?

Can your child talk about recent events, and tell what happened first, next and last?

Is your child curious about the world and interested in learning new things?

Reading & Writing Skills • • • •

Can your child pay attention and listen to a story for a short period of time?

Can your child recognize letters of the alphabet and identify some beginning letter sounds?

Can your child identify simple rhyming words?

Can your child spell and write their first name?

by: Kris Myers, Smart Beginnings

Math Skills • • • •

Can your child count at least 10 objects?

Does your child understand the concepts of “more” and “less”?

Can your child sort a set of objects by size or length? (i.e. put blocks in order from tallest to shortest) Can your child repeat a simple pattern? (red, red, blue, red, red, blue)

Social & Emotional Skills • • • •

Can your child tell someone their name (first and last) and their age?

Can your child take care of their own needs, such as toileting, washing hands and dressing?

Is your child able to adjust to new situations without a parent being there?

Does your child interact well with other children and adults?

Remember, experts say no single or simple factor determines whether a child is ready for kindergarten.

Instead, a child’s development needs to be looked at from several aspects.

If you have concerns about your child, talk to your child’s preschool teacher or contact your local elementary school.

For more information about the importance of school readiness, including tips for making sure your child will be ready for school, please visit www. smartbeginningsroanoke.org/parents or call #540-777-4211.

Find tips on getting ready for Kindergarten online at growingupinthevalley.com

-The Oldest Girls’ Camp in the VirginiasEsTablishEd in 1922

A mAgicAl plAce where girls leArn, Achieve, succeed And mAke friends for life.

Celebrating Our 94th summer!

Lewisburg, WV • 877-446-9475 • info@campalleghany.com • www.campalleghany.com 50

Growing Up In the Valley • March 2015

Stars of the Valley

Congratulations Courtney!

-Mom, Dad, Tracy, Mike & Charlotte

Congratulations on making Honor Roll Bubba!

Love, Sierra, Joey & Johnathan

Happy Anniversary Josh & Andrea!

Happy Birthday Luke!

Love, Mom and Dad

Happy 4th Birthday Sophia!

Happy 5th Birthday Charlie!

Love,

Love, Mama & Daddy

Mommy, Daddy & Elsa!

Congratulations on your wedding James & Dee!

Congratulations Aleyna!

“A Honor Roll” at East Salem Elementary!

So Proud of you!

Love, Granny & Paw-Paw

Round of Applause Share your congratulations! Email Josh@growingupinthevalley.com to be in our Round of Applause

· Functional kitchen, closets, basement, garage, etc. · Affordable service for one room or the ENTIRE House · Mail and paper clutter organization Electriclogo Rd.& ad space · Complete confidentiality and non-judgmental

4078 Roanoke VA 24018 360 Arbor Dr. Christiansburg VA 24072

March 2015 • growingupinthevalley.com

51

Stars of the Valley

Mom of the Month:

Darlene Mellon-Anukpui

••••

“I nominated my mom to be ‘Mom of the Month’ because she is a great cook and heals all my boo-boos. She always helps me with my homework and is very funny!”

- Zoey Anukpui, Daughter “Her friends and family would agree! Darlene always has a smile on her face and is a breast-cancer survivor who, despite treatment and multiple doctor visits, always kept a positive attitude and put her family first!”

- Patrick Anukpui, Husband

Where are you originally from? Salem, VA What do you do for a living? I work for a medical supply company and dispatch patient service technicians to our patients’ homes so they can get set-up with medical equipment.

What is one thing most people don’t know about you? I love to oil paint and my husband, Patrick, is from Ghana.

What are you passionate about? Politics and teaching my daughter, Zoey, about the economy and how government works.

What advice do you have for other mothers? Spend as much time as possible with your child. Make them your first priority.

What is/has been the biggest challenge in your life? Being a breast cancer survivor.

How do you help others? I donate goods through my church. We also participate in all the drives at Zoey’s school - West Salem Elementary. Right now the school is doing cookies for courage. We will be bringing cookies to the school for local fire and police workers.

What hobbies do you have? Cooking and learning about how nutrition impacts health.

How would you describe your parenting style? I am very firm with what is/is not acceptable, and I follow through with the consequences.

How has motherhood changed you? It made me understand my own parents much better! :)

What is your favorite quote? “It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt.”

What inspires you? My grandmother

What is on your iPod? Everything from John Legend, to Hole, to Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

What is your pet peeve? Stupidity and ignorance.

If you could have one wish; what would it be? That my daughter will be successful in life.

How do you find balance in your life? I don’t know that I have, but I try to prioritize what is most important. Cleaning is usually at the end of the list :)

52

Growing Up In the Valley • March 2015

What is your favorite food? Sushi or Mac and Cheese What can you not live without? Sadly my iPhone. It’s a love/hate relationship, but I see it as a necessary evil.

What is your favorite date night venue?

Blue Apron in Salem or Taste of Asia.

•••••

What is your favorite holiday? Halloween What is always in your purse? Wet wipes, tissues, gum, nail file, lipstick, and lotion.

What is your favorite movie? “Wizard of Oz” What is your favorite tv show? “Good Eats” by Alton brown.

What’s your favorite thing to do with your child? Shopping!!!

Do you have any pets? Yes, a Chinchilla named “Chi-Chi” What is your dream vacation? Hawaii

Nominate your parents to be our

Mom & Dad of the Month by emailing

info@growingupinthevalley.com

Winners receive dinner from Famous Anthony’s

Family Calendar

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Spring is just around the corner, and with it comes Roanoke’s festival season! Kite, Chili, Strawberry & more- we’ll have them all!

Visit Growingupinthevalley.com/calendar for our full calendar!

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Cover Model Search

Love & Logic Class

March 28, 2015 10:00 AM- 2:00 PM Roanoke Children’s Theater • FREE

Spend the morning with Growing Up in the Valley magazine and Roanoke Children’s Theater! We’re searching for the next faces for our covers.

There will be children’s games & entertainment!

Visit Carilionclinic.org/calendar for dates and times.

Tired of meltdowns in the grocery store?

Difficulties with bedtime routines?

Problems with homework?

Spring Photos & Easter Bunny Saturdays March 14 & 21 Sundays, March 15 & 22 Viva La Cupcake Grandin Road, Roanoke, VA Enjoy a sweet treat & meet the Easter Bunny! Photography will be available.

Sessions at March 14th and 21st from 10am-1pm and 3pm-6pm and on the 15th and 22nd from 1pm-5pm

Infant Massage

Love and Logic is a practical and fun parenting curriculum developed by Charles Fay and Jim Fay, PhD to handle everyday problems in the life of a child.

The goals of Love and Logic are to build a child’s self-concept; share control with your child; parent with empathy first, then provide consequences; encourage thinking and problem solving with your child Come learn the strategies that will help you parent with love and invest in your child’s future!

HELPING PARENTS BOND AND IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF THEIR NEW BABY Learn how to massage your infant to assist with bonding, constipation, sleep, teething, communication, crying and colic. The $45 cost covers four one-hour classes.

We also offer Love and Logic® parenting classes.

Visit CarilionClinic.org/calendar for class schedules. To register for classes, call 540-266-6000.

The Guide

CALENDAR OF EVENTS Share your own event for free on growingupinthevalley.com

• • • • • ••••••••••••••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •••••

Friday March 6 MDA Car Show

The Berglund Center Friday March 6th 5pm-10pm, Saturday March 7th 9am-10pm, Sunday March 8th 10am-5pm All Ages Adults-$12 Children-$3 Children under 6-FREE The MDA Car Show is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing the community a quality car show and donating the profits to support the Muscular Dystrophy Association. the MDA Car Show was born with the mission to produce and provide a quality indoor car show and to raise funds for the MDA. As we head into our 35th year, we welcome you join us for a fantastic car show and help us in the fight against MDA. For more information, visit www.mdacarshow.com.

children’s yoga, for a yoga session for all ages and skill levels in the picturesque setting of the Peaks of Otter Lodge.

Call 866-387-9905 to reserve your space today! Reservations are encouraged, and yoga mats are required.

Storybook Science

Science Museum of Western Virginia 10:30 AM FREE admission to museum members Join in for a fun science story and a take-home craft designed for your preschooler, included with regular Science Museum admission! Come to the 4th Floor at the Science Museum, we’ll direct you to Storybook Science.

Growing Up In the Valley • March 2015

Downtown Roanoke 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM All Ages Free

Friday March 20

Winter Jam

54

Parade & Shamrock Festival

Valley View Mall 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Ages 5 & under

Peaks of Otter Lodge 4:00 PM All Ages $10 Security Deposit required

Up Growing In The Valley

FREE St. Patrick Day

FREE Drop- In Storytime

Thursday March 12

Saturday March 7

Join Helen Maxwell, owner of Bedford Yoga Center and an RYT 500 instructor with specialized certifications in vinyasa, flow, yin, therapeutic restorative, and

Saturday March 14

Downtown Roanoke, Inc. and McDonald’s are partnering to provide the biggest and best St. Patrick’s Day Parade in the region! Featuring all the fun of last year, 2015 is sure to be a hit for families all over the Roanoke Valley! The McDonald’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade will run from Jefferson Street to Campbell Avenue and Campbell Avenue to Williamson Road.

Bring your little ones to the children’s area at Barnes and Noble for a fun story.

Yoga For All at the Peaks

such as: Skillet, Jeremy Camp, Francesca Battistelli, Building 429, and more!

Berglund Center Coliseum Doors open at 6:00 PM Showtime at 7:00 PM All Ages $10 This year’s lineup will feature artists

NCAA DIV III Men’s Basketball Championship

Salem Civic Center All Ages Friday, March 20 - Semi-Finals at 5:30 PM and 8:00 PM. Saturday, March 21 - NABC Reese’s All Star Game at 12:30 PM and Championship Final at 3:00 PM. 15.00/Single Day Adult $7.50/ Single Day Student

Wanna see us rollin’?

visit http://igg.me/at/guitv You get awesome GUITV swag and more free family events from us!

The Guide $25.00/ 2-Day Adult $12.50/ 2-Day Student Since 1996, the Division III men’s basketball championship has been held at the Salem Civic Center in Salem, Virginia.

The event has been hosted by the Old Dominion Athletic Conference and the City of Salem. Today, the tournament is a 61-team single-elimination tournament, with teams advancing from four regionals to the semifinals and final in Salem.

For ticket information, visit www.salemciviccenter.com.

Saturday March 21 FREE Shel’s World

Mill Mountain Theater-Waldron Stage Saturday, March 21 at 10 AM & 11:30 AM Monday, March 23 at 7 PM Saturday, March 28 at 10 AM & 11:30 AM All Ages Free Journey into the whimsical world of Shel Silverstein, as Mill Mountain Theatre Conservatory students bring his classic children’s poetry to life in this creatively staged reading! By kids, for kids, this performance encourages collaboration,

understanding, creative play, literacy, and even features poems in sign language and Spanish. Kids of all ages will enjoy this free and fun performance, so, as Shel would say, “if you are a dreamer, come in.”

FREE Burlington Elementa-

ry Spring Carnival 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM All Ages Free Admission

Come by the Burlington PTA Spring Carnival for tons of fun! There will be games, prizes and a concession stand with hot dogs, BBQ, popcorn and more! Shop with our vendors, including jewelry, makeup, handbags and crafts. Check out our silent auction with lots of gift baskets and merchandise from local vendors, including sports memorabilia from Sports Haven! Game tickets are 4/$1, all concession items are $2 or less. Come out for some affordable family fun! Proceeds benefit Burlington PTA.

Sips ‘N’ Sweets

Virginia Museum of Transportation 1:00 PM -5:00 PM

All Ages $8/Adults $7/ Seniors age 60+ $6/ Children age 3-11 Tasting tickets available after admission.

Take care of your cabin fever this winter with Sips n Sweets at the Virginia Museum of Transportation! This afternoon of sweet treats will offer samplings from a broad range of desserts, featuring bakeries, ice cream shops, restaurants, chocolatiers, and more. We’ll take it a step further and offer coffees, wines and craft beers that are great after dinner in lieu of dessert, as well as ones that will pair with specific desserts. This is not your average tasting event. This one is for the whole family! And you can feel good about your indulgence, because admission benefits the Virginia Museum of Transportation!

Tuesday March 24 Arts Fusion

Taubman Museum of Art 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Free tours, Advance Registration The Taubman Museum of Art is partner-

March 2015 • growingupinthevalley.com

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The Guide ing with the Alzheimer’s Association, Central and Western Virginia Chapter, to offer docent-led discussions of our exhibitions and permanent collections for those affected by memory loss. Each hour-long tour is designed to provide a welcoming space to talk about the artworks on view with a small group.

Tours are offered on the fourth Tuesday of every month from 1:00-2:00pm.

Friday March 27

Wednesday March 25

A full line of professionals will be on hand showing a wide variety of products and services for your home. The Spring Home Show deals directly with products and services targeted for the consumer who is planning to build, remodel or enhance their home and/or outdoor living space. The Spring Home Show truly provides an exciting shopping opportunity for attendees in a relaxed environment. For more information, call (540) 375-3004.

ZZ Top in Concert!

Roanoke Performing Arts Theatre 7:30 pm All Ages Tickets $69.50-$79.50 After touring and recording for the past 44 years, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers will perform classic hits ranging from “Sharp Dressed Man,” “La Grange,” “Legs” and “Tush” along with “I Gotsta Get Paid” and other new material from La Futura, their latest album with producer Rick Rubin. “Same three guys, same three chords, ” sums up Billy F. Gibbons.

s

y demt a c Ap r e s e n

SPR

45th Annual Spring Home Show Salem Civic Center Friday 2pm-7pm, Saturday 10am-7pm, Sunday Noon-5pm $8/ Adults 17 & under are FREE

Historical Downtown Food & Cultural Tour Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center 11:00 AM -2:00 PM $42.00 - $45.00/ticket

#1 Rated on TripAdvisor. A walking food and cultural tour of historic downtown Roanoke, VA, - is 3 hours of delicious fun! You’ll never view, or taste Roanoke the same again. Our Historic Downtown food tasting and cultural walking tour combines delicious food with tales of downtown Roanoke’s colorful history. It’s a rare opportunity for locals and visitors alike to experience unique and one-ofa-kind culinary treasures. A fun, fulfilling and memorable culinary adventure for you and your taste buds as we walk, eat and discover the alleyways and main streets of the historic district of downtown Roanoke. Tours held weekly. For more information, contact Larry Landolt 540-309-1781, or email info@RoanokeFoodTours.com

Saturday March 28 Roots and Boots Tour-Joe Diffie, Mark Chesnutt & Sammy Kershaw Berglund Performing Arts Theatre 7:30 pm Admission starts at $34

P M A C L A C I S ING BREAK MU OADWAY SHOWCASE! A BR

April 8-10, 2015 (3 Days - $135) OR April 6-10, 2015 (5 Days - $225) For Ages: 5-14 / Time: 8:30-5:30PM Also consider joining us for our Spring Mini-Session Classes! Grades K-12.

More details online: 56

Growing Up In the Valley • March 2015

roanokechildrenstheatre.org

The Guide In 1990, Joe Diffie topped the charts with his hit album, Home. Since then, Joe has remained on a steady course, staying true to his Oklahoma roots and delivering hit after hit totaling twelve number ones, twenty top 10’s and four gold and platinum albums. Joe is sure to put on an entertaining, hit filled show, performing singles like “Ships That Don’t Come In,” “Pickup Man,” “John Deere Green,” and “If The Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets).” Joe’s music always makes you remember where you were the first time you heard it.

Tuesday March 31 Guys And Dolls

Berglund Performing Arts Theatre 7:30 PM Admission starts at $32 Set in Damon Runyon’s mythical New York City, this oddball romantic comedy - considered by many to be the perfect musical comedy - soars with the spirit of Broadway as it introduces us to a cast of vivid characters who have become legends in the canon: Sarah Brown, the upright but uptight “mission doll,” out to reform the evildoers of Times Square;

Sky Masterson, the slick, high-rolling gambler who woos her on a bet and ends up falling in love; Adelaide, the chronically ill nightclub performer whose condition is brought on by the fact she’s been engaged to the same man for 14 years; and Nathan Detroit, her devoted fiancé, desperate as always to find a spot for his infamous floating crap game.

Thursday April 2 Infant Massage Class

Carilion Pediatric Therapy Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital 101 Elm Avenue Pediatric Therapy, 2nd Floor 10am-11am Ages: Babies 4 weeks to 1 year old $45 for 4 weeks

Friday April 3

River Rock Homeschool First Fridays River Rock Climbing 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM $10/person

River Rock has a special homeschool climb time perfect for helping your kids stay active during their school week.

For more info: visit www.riverrockclimbing.com

Sunday April 5

Happy Easter!

After all the months of waiting and dreaming, it is exciting when your baby is finally born. This is a course taught by a certified infant massage trainer. In this class, you will learn how to massage your infant to assist with bonding, constipation, crying and colic, sleep, teething, and communication. For more information, contact Amy Kageals at 540-985-8593.

Grow

your savings with FedStar

Federal Credit Union

5005 Melrose Ave Roanoke, VA 24017 (540) 986-0652

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March 2015 • growingupinthevalley.com

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Health

Orthodonics 101:

What You Need To Know Article by Dr. Paul Kaiser

In this fast-paced world that we live in, with ever changing technology and gadgets available, it is difficult to know all the information and to know how to make the best choices for care.

These technological advances have of course entered the fields of medicine and dentistry as well.

As a specialist in orthodontics, I’m going to try to explain a few key ideas and help patients make more informed decisions about their treatment. An orthodontist starts his or her training in dental school before deciding to continue their education through specialty training. On average, only 4 orthodontists are accepted to training programs per state across the United States yielding 200 trained orthodontists per year in the United States.

An orthodontic degree reads “Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics.”

I understand that is a mouthful, but what that essentially means is that an orthodontist looks at the complete patient, especially growing patients and treats not only the alignment of their teeth but the underlying bone structure as well, using orthopedic appliances and guiding the growth of the face looking for symmetry, proportion, and function.

As a specialist, an orthodontist will always seek out the best methods for moving and aligning the teeth.

Currently that appliance remains the fixed orthodontic appliance that you see every day on so many patients (commonly referred to as Braces).

The fixed orthodontic appliance is versatile, adjustable, and has very few limitations. Additionally, the fixed orthodontic appliance takes patient cooperation out of the equation, because the appliance, by definition, cannot be removed by the patient.

The modern fixed orthodontic appliance is not large and bulky like the braces of the past. The modern appliances also come in tooth-colored ceramic, meaning they look more natural for the patient.

In addition, brackets are individually bonded to center of each tooth, including the molar area, eliminating the need for stainless steel bands. This makes the modern orthodontic appliance more hygienic and easier to clean, especially when flossing.

The second major category used for moving teeth is removable appliances.

For many years, this meant retainers with spring attachments. More recently, private companies have entered the market. Using modern plastic materials, they use a series of retainers to move a patient’s teeth.

Unfortunately, any method that involves alignment of the teeth only, overlooks the important second component of orthopedics, the underlying bone structure.

My advice to any patient that is seeking the alignment of their teeth or

correction of their bite, is that they have a consultation with a trained orthodontic specialist. Only an orthodontist has all of the methods available for treatment including fixed appliances, removable appliances, and orthopedic appliances. There is a lot of good news out there for today’s orthodontic patient. When you sit down with your orthodontist, don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions. this will help you select the best method of treatment that’s best for you or your family.

Dr. Paul C Kaiser, Ltd. (540) 362-1097

Creating Beautiful Smiles Three Convenient Locations!

5180 Peters Creek Road Roanoke, VA 540-362-1097

1595 Roanoke Road Daleville,VA 540-992-5140

835 North Main Street Rocky Mount, VA 540-489-3708

www.kaiserorthodontics.com

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Growing Up In the Valley • March 2015

O.C . D

Mom Businesses

Cleaning Service Cosmetics (540) 815-2063 Licensed & Insured! info@freshcutslawncare.com

Mary Kay

Carissa Mulahn 540-819-0126 marykay.com/cmulahn

Mary Kay

Erin Foster 540-797-2573 efoster06@verizon.net

It Works!

Tessie Martin 540-815-2466 tessie.martin@me.com Independant

Kate Henretta Consultant

(321) 863-3859

Avon

Angela Helms ahelms28.avon@yahoo.com

Avon

Christine Simon 540-230-6898 csimon.avon@gmail.com

Jamberry Nail Wraps

mythirtyone.com/katehenretta

Ashley Tommason 540-793-4003 laylaraesmom@yahoo.com

Jewelry

Cookie Lee Jewelry

Angela Dooley 540-598-0132 javonsmom@aol.com

Heritage Makers

Teresa Martin teresa.familyfunnight@gmail.com

Brittany Scott 540-525-2849 britt89scott@gmail.com

Origami Owl

Beth Bell 540-312-3722 bethboydbell@gmail.com

Origami Owl Amy Carter 540-580-8775

amyamandacarter@yahoo.com

Johanna Ferguson 540-797-8952 johannaferguson@gmail.com

Origami Owl

Go Green Cleaning

Lisa Cone 540-815-1014 lisa4charms@cox.net

Origami Owl

Ashley Dufey 540-529-5237 duffeysrus@gmail.com

Lia sophia

Amanda Doss 540-797-455 amandaeliz13@gmail.com

Premier Designs Jewelry

Heather M. Webb 540-958-3981 earnfreejewels4u@yahoo.com

Services A + Custom Cleaning Alicia Pfeiffer 540-521-5722

apluscustomcleaning.vpweb.com

ACE Skinny

Kelly Campbell 540-691-5355 aceskinny4u@gmail.com

Ameriplan

Elizabeth Myers 540-793-4895 elizabeth@healthysavingsco.com

Creative Starts

Angie Yates 540 915 3381 angie@creative-starts.com

and Modeling Center Etiquette classes for children are invaluable lessons that will last through their entire lives. Students are taught through fun, interactive lessons the essentials in etiquette that are designed to encourage leadership skills, instruct in positive decision making, and stress the importance of good friendship and citizenship.

Poise, Posture, and Modeling instruction. Enroll now.

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Growing Up In the Valley • March 2015

Ferguson Fitness

Krista Stevenson 540-819-9699 gogreenroanoke@yahoo.com

Heather Turner Photography Heather Turner 540-814-2878

heatherturnerphotography12@gmail.com

Keep It Simple Cleaning Services

Ashley Mullen 540-312-7557 ashleymullen8@gmail.com

KCM Photography

Christie Puckett 540-529-7305 kcmphoto13@yahoo.com

Mom’s Club of Roanoke West & Salem momsclub@aol.com

Pet Pals

Jessica Mather 540-797-2363 yourpetpals@yahoo.com

Phoenix Photography

Kellie Woodford 540-397-2541 Kwoodfordphoenix@gmail.com

Roanoke Reading Clinic Lisa Cone 540-815-1014 lcone@cox.net

Skinny Body Care

Sue Austin 540-397-2376 skinnysue22@gmail.com

Tanya Graybeal’s Music Studio Tanya Graybeal 540-297-1598 N2Beethoven@yahoo.com

Amy’s Piano Studio

Amy Allen 540-588-7953 musikwithamy@gmail.com

OCD Cleaning Service

540-815-2063 info@freshcutslawncare.com

Wow Organizing

540-420-8225 www.woworganizing.com

Gifts

At Home

Christy Riley 540-343-9824 info@csriley.com

Baked Beauties by Bethany Bethany Cline 540-354-4743

bakedbeautiesbybethany@hotmail.com

Beach Combers Jewlery Linda Dewhirst 540-309-9880

beachcombersjewelry@hotmail.com

Celebrating Home

Anna Murrie 540-929-4233 annamurrie@yahoo.com

Celebrating Home

Dunneright Pottery Carol Dunne 540-977-1151 kcnoddle@cox.net

Simply Fun

Teresa Martin

teresa.familyfunnight@gmail.com

Sunday’s Creations

Michelle Mullins-Stephenson 540-314-4482

Sunday Johansen 540-419-0298 sundayjohansen@yahoo.com

Initials Inc.

Thirty One

April Duffey 540-309-2401 shopwithapril@gmail.com

Aimee Franklin Mabrey 540-597-8193 brat775@gmail.com

Miche Bag

Thirty One

Gold Canyon

Sunday Johansen 540-419-0298 sundayjohansen@yahoo.com

Kellie Mirasola kmirasola31@aim.com

Pampered Chef

Michelle Sink 540-819-2590 mrh4buckeye@aol.com

Amy Carter 540-580-8775 amyamandacarter@yahoo.com

Pampered Chef

Kimberly Smith 540-293-1750 a1ntlovegrandx@yahoo.com

Pampered Chef

Wendy Gates 540-977-3003 wendygates@msn.com

Pampered Chef

Christie Phillips 540-204-6009 heymrsphillips@gmail.com

Scentsy

Angela Dooley 540-598-0132 javonsmom@msn.com

Thirty One

Thirty One

Jane Hazelgrove 540-353-2384 Janehazle@gmail.com

Usborne Books

Brianne Clemmer 540-520-9702 Brianne@tazusa.com

What’s your Disney side? That’s the side you simply can’t wait to share as a family. It’s the side of you that laughs bigger, screams louder, and just plain lives life to the fullest. It’s the side of you that comes out to play the moment your family steps through the gates of the Walt Disney World® Resort.

So why wait? Share the magic right now and come show your Disney side!

CS-13-28104

©Disney

Jenn Harris, Just A Dream Away Travel 540-293-5132 jenn@justadreamawaytravel.com www.facebook.com/MouseCoachJenn

Pollywally Doodle

Claire Himphrey 540-313-1881 pwdgifts@outlook.com

Custom Critterz

540-315-7060 www.CustomCritterz.com

Scentsy

Gail Duffy 540-392-7543 gail.duffy@yahoo.com

Linda Kidman 540-977-1956 tlnstar@aol.com

Get your business

HEARD by every family in Southwest & Central VA

Advertise in the largest free publication in the area Dee@mofatmedia.com March 2015 • growingupinthevalley.com

61

Family Living Growing Up: Why are there so many black and white crib mobiles for newborns? When I was a kid, they were colorful, but now most of the mobiles I see are just black Elsa, Bedford

Andrea: I LOVE your magazine! My 26-monthold just won’t sit still! At day care, during playgroups, or at the library, he has a really hard time with circle time and would rather run around like a crazy child, even when all the other kids are sitting quietly. Should I be worried about ADHD at such an early age or is this normal?

Dear Ask Andrea,

Erin, Cave Spring

Maria, Blacksburg

It’s true that toddlers may share many attributes with older kids and adults who have attention deficient hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): They fidget, seem endlessly energetic, are impulsive and easily distractible, have poor impulse control, and as many a frustrated mom can attest, are resolutely stubborn.

However, all of this is perfectly typical for a 2- or even 3-year-old. Child therapists won’t even diagnose ADHD in a patient under 4 years old because this behavior is so common.

I’ve heard it’s important to read to my child at least 20 minutes per day, but my 11-month-old doesn’t seem to pay attention and would rather chew on the books. Should I continue to read to her or wait until she’s older and can understand what I’m saying?

Maria: By all means, continue reading to her but try not to force it on her. She may not be reading exactly the way you think she should right now, but it’s more important for her to get comfortable with books and think of reading as a pleasurable part of her routine (like nap time, snack time, play time, etc.) rather than something unpleasant she NEEDS to do.

Give it some more time and see if this hyper phase passes within a year or two. In the meantime, make sure he’s getting enough physical activity -- at least an hour every day. I recommend time at the playground, playing soccer in your backyard, building snowmen, pedaling a tricycle, taking nature walks, or meeting up with friends somewhere with enough room to run around.

You can also practice circle time at home using his stuffed animals (as well as your spouse, pets, and siblings if you can!) as stand-ins for other kids. Talk to his caregivers to learn the routine he does at day care, whether it’s listening to music or reading books, and take him through it at night before bed.

If you’re still worried about his inattentiveness by the time he’s 4 or 5, take your concerns to your pediatrician, but chances are he’ll be sitting still like a pro before then.

Dear Erin- Running around like a cat is great exercise for a little one. When I was a little kitten, I not only ran everywhere, but I frequently jumped up on high objects. I got so worn out after all that, a lot of times I would fall asleep up there. So my advice is for you to let your kids run free, just watch that they don’t scratch your head when you walk by the china closet. - PINCHY

Think of reading as a series of steps: Getting familiar with books is one important part, and it seems she’s on the right track! Chewing on things is a way of exploring new things for infants.

The next step is to understand there is a relationship between the words and images on the page and the spoken language. Choose books that are appropriate for her age (with simple images and few words) and talk to her about the images. In fact, listening and talking are important aspects of language development and critical steps in becoming good readers.

Elsa - This is a question I hear a lot of people ask.

The fact is, at birth, a baby’s retina (the back layer of the eye that detects light) is not fully developed. As a result, a newborn cannot distinguish many different shades of color, but they CAN detect large contrasts between light and dark, or black and white.

So while parents may prefer the various shades of bright and pastel colors of their baby’s toys, research suggests a newborn may only see them as one shade all blurred together.

To stimulate a newborn’s vision (which is important for her brain growth and visual development), it’s recommended to use black and white toys, or toys with light and dark contrasting colors. Many baby-decor companies have applied this research in designing high-contrast baby mobiles to aid infant brain development. So, the many black and white crib mobiles you see for newborns are designed to stimulate baby’s vision rather than satisfy mom and dad’s preference for fun baby colors!

This is a really dumb question. What are “colors?” I mean, mobiles - just like everything else in this world is black and white. The real question is, why are you not concerned with what the mobiles are made out of these days! The taste quality has gone down the tubes in the past 5-10 years. My advice, forget “colors” and lick the mobile at the store to see if you like the taste or not. - PINCHY

Encourage her to talk about the images while sitting her on your lap, holding the book in front of her, and showing her the pictures. Snuggling your child next to you makes her feel close and safe, and seeing how you hold the book and turn the pages will help her to learn how to handle books... so keep reading, talking, looking, and listening together!

Reading has never been one of my favorite activities, but I do love to chew on books like your daughter does. However, my favorite thing to do with the books and magazines that my mom is reading is to lay on them. I find it to be VERY comfy. I think we would all sleep better if we slept on books. You yourself should try chewing on the books while you and your daughter lay on some others! Let me know how it works out for the two of you! - PINCHY

Send in your questions for Andrea and Pinchy by emailing andrea@growingupinthevalley.com. If we use your question, you will receive a Growing Up In the Valley T-Shirt!

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Growing Up In the Valley • March 2015

decisions... decisions...

Grass Pollen... Tree Pollen... Weed Pollen...

Allergy Relief Now or Later?

Same-Day Appointments The Doctor will see you now.

Gregory C. Zachmann, M.D. Paul W. Lenkowski, M.D., Ph.D.

540.283.6000 | jeffersonsurgical.com

HERE FOR THE

moments look at that!

Playing sports and going to summer camp are all about having fun, but you want to make sure your child is ready for physical activity. Carilion Clinic offers sports and camp physicals by appointment at all of our primary care locations. Or, for more flexibility, visit any of our VelocityCare locations窶馬o appointment necessary.

CarilionClinic.org | 800-422-8482