Family & Kids of the Chattahoochee Valley October 2021

OCTOBER 2021

Wise Choices for Moms & Families

CHATTAHOOCHEE VALLEY

© Timeless Memories by Jessica

FALL FU GUIDE N Pg.8-13

Cover Sponsor See Page 12

RSVP for The Columbus Museum’s Synovus Fall Festival on Oct. 9 always changing. always free.

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Wise Choices for You & Your Family

Valid at the following locations only:

3722 S. Railroad St. • Phenix City 3908 U.S. Hwy. 80 W. Phenix City

FREE

Zax Kidz Meal ®

with any adult meal purchase.

7626 Schomburg Rd. Columbus 1915 Auburn Ave. • Columbus 6190 Bradley Park Dr. Columbus 7033 Ruffie Way • Columbus

Participating locations only.

Mondays

5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.

Offer only valid Monday 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Kids 10 and under only. Limit one Zax Kidz Meal per adult meal purchase. Adult meals include any Zalad®, Sandwich Meal or Most Popular Meal. Dine-in only. Not valid at any other locations. © 2018 Zaxby’s Franchising LLC “Zaxby’s,” “Zax Kidz” and “Zalad” are registered trademarks of Zaxby’s Franchising LLC. Each Zaxby’s restaurant is independently owned and operated under a license agreement with Zaxby’s Franchising LLC.

Hoo’s Tips

www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

: n o i t n e v e Pr y r a l g r u B ey

K s i n o i t Prepara We’ve probably all experienced being startled by a strange noise in the night and being instantly paralyzed by the fear of an intruder. Fortunately, most of the time, those bumps in the night turn out to be little cause for concern. Nonetheless, according to stats by the U.S. Dept. of Justice, approximately 3.7 million burglaries occur each year.

So how can you protect your family, home, and yourself?

Advance preparation is the best line of defense.

Door security The front door is one of the most common entry points for burglars. Keep your doors locked at all times, whether you’re home or not. It isn’t uncommon for burglars to knock on the front door to see if anyone’s home. Also, install a deadbolt on all doors. Many security experts recommend double cylinder locks, particularly for doors with glass panels, sidelights, or within 40” of a window, but don’t leave the interior key inside! If you do have a sidelight or window close to the lock, consider installing a security window film to make the glass more difficult to break and add privacy. Before you purchase security film, do your research. The thicker the film, the more effective it is against breakage. This also applies to patio doors and windows mentioned below.

Security Alarms Although security alarms don’t block access, they can be a deterrent. Some burglars avoid homes with a security system sign posted outside, but some realize people often post signs when they don’t have a system or that they don’t arm their systems.

Before you buy a wired security system, do your research, and get the best you can afford. Consider including a direct notification to police in addition to the audible alarm meant to scare intruders away. Also consider glass break sensors, so if they break a window instead of opening it, the alarm will go off too.

Wireless alarms can be more affordable but you’ll have to be vigilant to replacing your batteries regularly, and they may not have the features to notify authorities directly.

Lighting Make sure all entry points to your home, including windows, are well lit. This serves as a deterrent and makes burglars more visible to you and others. If you don’t want lights on all the time, install motion lights. Solar motion lights are a more affordable option.

Leave one or two lights on in the main rooms of your home at night or when you’re away to give the perception that someone is home or awake.

Patio doors Typically, sliding glass doors don’t come with very secure locks, but there are some that can be purchased or retrofitted with keyed door locks and security pins. Either way, wedge a security bar or wooden dowel in the door track for added protection.

Windows leave or go to bed.

Make it a habit to lock your windows every time you close them, even if you plan to reopen them later. Otherwise, it’s easy to forget about them when you

The latches that come with most windows do offer some security, but skilled burglars can pry these open. Therefore, keyed window locks or wedging a wooden dowel in the window track can provide added protection.

Other Prevention Tips Don’t hide a key under the doormat, planter, or elsewhere.

Burglars know people commonly hide keys there.

Keep shrubs and trees around your home trimmed, particularly near access points, so burglars don’t have a hiding place.

Install window coverings on all windows and close them at night so burglars can’t see in.

If you have a garage door opener in your car, keep your vehicle locked at all times. Also, make sure the opener isn’t in view. Better yet, keep it in your home.

Don’t forget to lock the garage entry door to your home.

Many burglars can access garages that are locked or secured by garage door openers.

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The Scoop!

Wise Choices for You & Your Family

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Where to Find HOO? Check your local kid-friendly doctors, dentists, attractions, retail shops & restaurants; or see our interactive distro map at: familyandkidsga.com/get-a-copy

TO SUBMIT AD OR EVENT: Tammy Usie, Publisher tammy@familyandkidsga.com 253-212-7270 FamilyAndKidsGA

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CONTEST VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO ENTER YOUR CUTIE: www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

Issac, 3 years Fort Benning

Chloe’, 5 years Phenix City

Banks, 3 years Columbus

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Wise Choices for You & Your Family

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Healthy kids.

Happy moms.

Quality Pediatric Care | 334.664.0463 | preferredmedgroup.com

HOO’s CRAFTY

HOMEMADE

TELESCOPE

A telescope is a device that collects light from a distant object (objective lens or primary mirror) and brings that light (image) to a focus where a second device (eyepiece lens) magnifies the image and brings it to your eye.

Courtesy of Home School Hub

DIRECTIONS 1. Roll up the sheet of paper or cardstock the long way to form a tube that is about the diameter of the lens with the shortest focal length. This will be the eyepiece. Tape the edges of the eyepiece lens to one end of the tube as neatly as possible.

2. Tape the second lens neatly to the end of the paper towel tube. Insert the empty end of the paper tube into the cardboard tube. Now your telescope is ready to be used!

3. Look through the eyepiece and point the other end of your telescope at a distant object.

Slide the two tubes in and out until the object comes into focus. You will see the image upside down and magnified. If you have trouble focusing the telescope, you may need to lengthen the tube, either by using a larger piece of paper for the eyepiece end or a longer cardboard tube (such as from a wrapping paper roll).

Leave about 0.5 - 1 inch (1 - 2 cm) of tube behind the small magnifying glass and cut off any excess tube remaining.

Check to see that it works by looking at the printed page. You may have to play slightly to get the exact distances between the two glasses right so that the image comes to a focus.

SUPPLIES

Two lenses with different focal lengths (Recommend 150 mm and 500 mm double convex lenses. - order online or try using old reading glass lenses); Paper towel roll; 1 piece of paper or cardstock; Tape

www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

HOO’s Fun

Look to the Sky this Month!

October is the perfect time to spend time viewing the night sky. The sun is setting earlier, and the evening temperatures are still mild. Here are a few of the objects in the night sky that you can view with a pair of binoculars or with a telescope made from household items.

View a meteor shower On October 8, if you find a place that is dark and away from city lights, you can view the Draconids meteor shower. The shower is called the Draconids because the meteors seem to originate from a point in the constellation Draco, near the stars Eltanin and Rastaban.

The Orionids meteor shower will reach its peak on October 20, but this year the Orionids meteor shower may be harder to see than usual due to a full moon.

View the lunar landscape The full moon in October is sometimes referred to as the Hunter’s Moon and this year it will occur on October 20. Create a workbook at the beginning of October where your kids can sketch the shape of the moon each night and track the progression of the moon through its phases.

With binoculars or a telescope, the texture of the moon’s surface

77 is visible, and you can spot items such as craters and mountain ranges. With a telescope, you can see smaller features, such as valleys and cracks, of the moon’s surface. One point of interest when the moon is not in a full or new phase is the terminus, which is the line on the moon’s surface between light and dark. Along the terminus, objects in the terrain cast long shadows and may be easier to view.

View other worlds in the solar system During October, the planet Mercury can be spotted in the morning sky. It will be at its brightest as a morning planet between October 18 and November 1. In the fall, Venus appears in the western sky at dusk. View Venus with a telescope each night and watch it go through phases. The planet Saturn appears in the evening sky in October, and Saturn’s rings are visible with a telescope.

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FALL FUN GUIDE Wise Choices for You & Your Family

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Wise Choices for You & Your Family

FALL FUN GUIDE www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

HOO’s HUNGRY

CRAZY CHOCOLATE BOO BARK

perfect for any party and simple to make, just personalize it with holiday colors and themed sprinkles. Courtesy of ashleemarie.com

DIRECTIONS

1. Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper or a silpat mat.

2. Melt chocolate and candy melts in separate bowls.

Drop onto the pan in random spots.

3. Shake the pan to “flatten” and spread the chocolate.

Use a knife to swirl the colors together.

4. Shake to again spread and flatten more.

5. Spread the halloween sprinkles and candy over the chocolate.

6. Let set and break into shards.

INGREDIENTS

• 8 oz dark chocolate • 8 oz purple candy melts • 8 oz green candy melts • Candy eyeballs • Candy bones • Candy pumpkins • Candy sprinkles • Or other candies of choice

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FALL FUN GUIDE Wise Choices for You & Your Family

FALL FUN GUIDE www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

Spooky Maze & Color Help the Ghosts get to the Haunted House!

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Wise Choices for You & Your Family

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Take Another Look at Non-Fiction

by Jeannine Scott, Branch Manager, North Columbus Public Library

Reading with your child should not be limited to just story books; spark joy and creativity by exploring non-fiction material too! Non-fiction subjects include biographies, computers, coding, cultures, traditions, animals, math and word puzzles, history, geography, dinosaurs, legends, cooking, crafting, health, religion, science experiments, and so much more!

Our libraries are filled with entertaining, interesting non-fiction material for all ages.

Children are naturally curious, and non-fiction books are a great tool to help them understand the world around them, find new areas of interest, discover new viewpoints, engage their passions and learn research skills.

Things to do when reading non-fiction:

• Talk about the pictures used in the text. Ask your child to name things that they learned in those pictures.

Look at when the book was published. Discuss what, if anything, may have changed since the

•

book came out or what a similar book may have said in the past.

Use other media to deepen the non-fiction reading experience! Once you’re done reading, look up YouTube videos or fun facts about the subject. If you’ve read about an animal, ask your smart speaker or phone to play the sounds that animal makes.

If possible, put the new knowledge into action. Examples include identifying plants during a nature walk or cooking a new dish.

Encourage your child to teach someone else.

Call Grandma, play school and teach a younger sibling, or bring a new fun fact to show and tell.

•

• •

We recommend allowing children to browse the shelves in order to find new books, but if you are short on time or need guidance, library staff members are always happy to help. Psst!

We’ll let you in on a little secret… children’s non-fiction books are a great way for grown-ups to learn new things too!

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WE BUY & SELL GENTLY USED KIDS CLOTHING & MORE

Located in The Landings at exit 8 off I-185 | 2521 Airport Thruway, Columbus, GA 31904 706.507.3737 | onceuponachildcolumbusga.com |

/onceuponachildcolumbusga

THE BABY BLUES The first four to six weeks after the arrival of a baby is an exciting but sometimes stressful time for new mothers. It is not unusual for sleep deprivation, changing hormones and adjusting to a new household routine to lead to a condition referred to as the ‘baby blues.’ A new mom with the baby blues may experience episodes of crying and feeling sad. This condition is temporary and usually resolves on its own. However, when sadness persists past two weeks or is very strong and is also accompanied by additional symptoms such as irritability, anxiety, unhealthy eating habits and having trouble sleeping, the new mother may be experiencing Post-Partum Depression (PPD). This condition can appear up to a year after giving

birth. PPD can interfere with bonding with the new baby and get in the way of performing everyday tasks.

New fathers also experience stressful changes in their daily lives and according to researchers, about 10 percent of new dads develop Post-Partum Depression (PPD).

Research studies have found that new fathers also go through changes in hormones, such as a reduction in testosterone. The changes in hormones may help new dads bond better with their babies but may also increase the risk of developing symptoms of depression, especially in patients with a history of depression. The symptoms of PPD that are most often experienced by men include irritability, difficulty making decisions and a reduction in expression of emotions.

HOO’s Healthy A new parent should seek help from a medical professional if experiencing a strong feeling of sadness, anxiety or have other symptoms of PPD. Treatment usually consists of counseling and cognitive behavioral therapy. Sometimes a PPD patient is also prescribed a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). Paternal PPE is much less studied than maternal PPD. However, the research that exists has found evidence that just as with maternal PPD, paternal PPD can have negative effects on the quality of life of the patient and can impact the entire family. PPD may negatively affect the new baby’s development and can later lead to the development of behavioral issues.

RESOURCES: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6659987/

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October 1 Food Truck

Friday. 11am1pm. Columbus Botanical Garden; 706327-8400 1-3 Shrek The Musical. Fri & Sat 7:30pm, Sun 2:30pm.

The Springer; 706-3273688 2 Eye Spy Scavenger Hunt. 9am-4pm. $5 parking. FD Roosevelt State Park; 706-663-4858 2-3 X Marks the Spot: Theatre for the Very Young.

10am & 11:30am Sat and 2pm Sun. $10-$15. The Springer; 706327-3688

2 Artful Babies. 10:30am. Colum-

bus Museum; 706-748-2562 2-3 Cotton Pickin’ Fair. All day. $5-$10. Gay, GA; cpfair.org 5 Little Sprouts. 10am. $5. Columbus Botanical Garden; 706327-8400 5 Artful Babies. 10:30am. RSVP. Columbus Museum; 706-748-2562 ext 6520 5 Music Under the Dome. 5pm. $8. Coca-Cola Space Science Center; 706-649-1477 7-10 Shrek The Musical. ThurSat 7:30pm, Sun 2:30pm. The Springer; 706-327-3688 7-17 Georgia National Fair. All day. $10-$25. Perry, GA; 478-9873247 9-10 X Marks the Spot: Theatre for the Very Young. 10am & 11:30am Sat, 2pm Sun. $10-$15.

The Springer; 706-327-3688 9 Harvest Hoedown FestiFestival & Parade. 10am-5pm.

Historic Warm Springs; 706-6553322

9 Synovus Fall Festival. 10am-

3pm. RSVP only. Columbus Museum; 706-748-2562, ext 6520 9 ReptileFest & 25th Anniversary Celebration. 11am-3pm. $5. Oxbow Meadows; 706-507-8550 10 Stories in the Garden. 2-4pm.

Hills & Dales Estate, LaGrange; 706-882-3242 15-17 Fort Benning’s Octoberfest. Uchee Creek Campground. benning.armymwr.com 16 Harvest Market. 9am-1pm.

Town Creek Park, 1150 South Gay St, Auburn; facebook.com 16 Mini Makers. 10:30am. Ages 2-4. RSVP. Columbus Museum; 706-748-2562, ext 6520 16 CSO presents Vivaldi in Venice.

7:30pm. RiverCenter; 706-3235059 19 Mini Makers. 10:30am. Ages 2-4. RSVP. Columbus Museum; 706-748-2562, ext 6520 22 Foodie Friday. 7-9pm. Heritage Art Center; 706-442-9470 23 Fall Farm Fest. Lane Southern Southern Orchards. 11am-5pm. www.lanesouthernorchards.com

Events

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PROVIDED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH:

23 Fall Festival. 9am-3pm.

9am-3pm. His-

toric Fort Mitchell; 334-855-1406 23 Driven to End Hunger Car Show & Trunk or Treat. 9am-2pm.

Feeding the Valley Food Bank, 6744 Flat Rock Rd, Midland; 706563-8866 23 Uptown’s Fall Food Truck Festival. 11am-6pm. Woodruff Riverfront Park & Dillingham Bridge; 706-569-0111 25 Halloween Spook-tacular by Youth Orchestra of Greater Columbus. Bill Heard Stage. yogc.org 29 Nightmare Before Halloween Trunk or Treat. 5-7pm. Bluebelle Home Decor, 2301 Airport Thruway; 706-327-1181 29-31 Christmas Made in the South. 10am-7pm. Columbus Trade Center; 706-327-4522 30 Young Eagles Rally. 8:3011:30am. Free. Ages 8-17. RSVP. Columbus Airport; youngeaglesday.org or 706-615-6964 30 Fall Festival. 5-8pm. The River of Life Church, Hamilton; 706-5822142 30 Trick or Treat at the Callaway Home. 5:30-8pm. Hills & Dales Estate, LaGrange; 706-882-3242

Weekly Events THURSDAY

At Home in Nature Homeschool.

1:30-3pm. $55. Ages 6-10. RSVP. Oxbow Meadows; 706-507-8550

FRIDAY

Pumpkin Patch. All day. The Farm House Restaurant, Ellerslie; 706561-3435 Callaway Crawleseum. 11am2pm. Callaway Discovery Center; 800-CALLAWAY Pumpkins at Callaway Gardens. 5-9pm. Robin Lake Beach; 800-CALLAWAY Friday Night Concert Series.

7-10pm. Free. Uptown Columbus; 706-596-0111

SATURDAY & SUNDAY

Pumpkin Patch. All day. The Farm House Restaurant, Ellerslie; 706561-3435 Market Days on Broadway.

9am-Noon. Uptown Columbus; 706-322-0522

SAT & SUN CONTINUED:

Callaway Crawleseum.

11am-2pm. Callaway Discovery Center; 800-CALLAWAY Pumpkins at Callaway Callaway Gardens. 5-9pm. Robin Lake Beach; 800-CALLAWAY Please call ahead to confirm event dates, times and age-appropriateness, in case changes were made after the info was obtained. [ Denotes Virtual Event]

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ExtraCurricular Activities Guide Wise Choices for You & Your Family

www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com ExtraCurri cular Activities Guide

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Wise Choices for You & Your Family ExtraCurri cular Activities Guide

FALL REGISTRATION IS OPEN! FALL 2021-2022 SEASON

Classes in

Jazz• Ballet• Tap Lyrical • Hip Hop Acro • Preschool Dance • Aerial Arts (Silks, Hammocks, and Lyra)

706-563-4255 4187 MILGEN RD,

#3,

COLUMBUS

WWW.PERFORMANCEDANCEGA.COM

www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com ExtraCurri cular Activities Guide

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Wise Choices for You & Your Family

Stories podcast: A Bedtime show On the Stories Podcast, they perform a new story for kids every week. The stories range from retellings of fairy tales like Snow White to classic stories like Peter Rabbit and even completely original works. Everything is G rated and safe for all ages.

Whether you’re driving with your children or just want to limit your kids’ screen time, Stories Podcast delivers entertainment that kids and parents alike will love.

I’m The Chef Too! Embark on an edible adventure that allows children to discover, inspire, question, create and invent all through the world of cooking! This subscription service provides an educational recipe and STEAM activity in each package. Will you explore outer space and whip up galactic donuts, engineer erupting volcano cakes while learning about chemical reactions or study geology and create cupcake geodes? Each surprise adventure is delivered to your door every month!

Trending Talk Deck by Bestself

This set includes 150 conversation prompt cards for kids 4-11 years to encourage meaningful discourse with them on life lessons, insights and advice. It’s a great tool to help develop meaningful connections with your kids even with the huge generation gap, and without the awkward pauses and shyness. Foster and strengthen your existing relationship with a child and enjoy intellectually-stimulating conversations with child-appropriate humor.

At-Home Dad Network This non-profit and Facebook Group is dedicated to providing support, education and advocacy for fathers who are the primary caregivers of their children. “We want this space to be a place where ALL at-home dads can feel at home, and to build an online community of dads who love their families enough to take on this tough but rewarding job.” If you feel isolated or have difficulty finding a community of dads where you are, then this group could be a great asset. [https://www.facebook. com/groups/nahdn]

www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

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Dining Deals

Wise Choices for You & Your Family

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for Kids

With deals this good, save the mess and dine out!

MONDAY

Saturday

Barberitos

Denny’s

Free kid’s meal with adult entrée after 4pm

Sapo’s

5-8pm: Free kid’s meal with adult entrée

Zaxby’s

5-8pm: Free kid’s meal with adult entrée

Tuesday

4-10pm: Up to two free kids entrées with adult entrée for kids 10 and under

sunday The Simple Greek

Kids 12 & under get half-off kids bowl with purchase of regular size bowl. Not to be combined.

Chicken Salad Chick

MOE’s Southwest Grill

Free Little Chick Meal with purchase of adult meal

Free kid’s meal with purchase of adult entrée

Denny’s

Every day

4-10pm: Up to two free kids entrées with adult entrée for kids 10 and under

Jason’s Deli

5-9pm: Free kid’s meal for kids 12 and under with each adult entrée; dine-in only

Ruby Tuesday

219 On The Lake

5-9pm: Kids eat for $2.19 on kids menu (M-TH)

Bruster’s Ice Cream

Kids under 40” get free baby cone

5-10pm: Kids 12 and under eat free with adult entrée

McAlister’s

Wednesday

Newk’s

Applebee’s

O’Charley’s

Half off kid’s meal per adult entrée. Limit: 4 kids to adult

Kid’s meals are $1.99 with dine-in order 4pm-close: free kid’s meal with adult meal (M-W) Free kid’s meal per adult entrée for kids 10 & under

Your Pie

Kid’s meal $1.99 (pizza, drink & gelato) w/ adult meal

Red Robin

Kid’s meal $1.99 w/ adult meal for kids 11 and under

All locations are Columbus, GA unless noted. Specials are subject to change without notice, so please verify them directly before dining. Send kids deals to Tammy@FamilyAndKidsGA.com.

www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

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E E T A R S E F I D K ays

*

on Sund

(AKA YOU DON’T HAVE TO COOK) 5555 Whittlesey Blvd • Columbus, GA 6516 Kitten Lake Dr • Midland, GA *One free kid’s meal with the purchase of an adult entrée of $6 or more.

Kids must be 12 and under. Cannot be combined with any other offer. ©2021 Moe’s Franchisor SPV LLC-550344

Richard Mansfield, D.O. FAAP Amy Cool, M.D. FAAP Veronica Manka, MD, FAAP Neha Potini, MD, FAAP Trina Williamson, FNP

PEDIATRICS at brookstone centre 706.571.9699

2001 Brookstone Centre Pky

HOO’S PLUGGED IN www.familyandkidsga.com

pediatricsatbrookstonecentre.com

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Wise Choices for You & Your Family EDUCATION/CARE GUIDE

You could reach over 15,000 moms in this space for only $75.

Call 253-212-7270

www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com EDUCATION/CARE GUIDE

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Math. Reading.

Confidence.

Kumon Math & Reading of Columbus - North 1290 Double Churches Rd., Ste. K Columbus, GA 31904

706.257.6963 kumon.com/columbus-north ©2014 Kumon North America

FALL OPEN H OU SE S TH IIS S FAL L!

L I M I T E D S PAC E I N U P P E R S C H O O L W I T H A WA I T L I ST I N K I N D E R G A RT E N A N D M I D D L E S C H O O L .

V I S I T U S AT W W W. B R O O K STO N E S C H O O L . O R G / A D M I S S I O N S WHY BROOKSTONE?

PEOPLE MATTER

INNOVATIVE PROCESS

PERSONAL APPROACH

ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES

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Wise Choices for You & Your Family

FUELING KIDS.

Changing Lives.

DONATE $5 - GET A BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE ENTRÉE Order Ahead at thesimplegreek.com

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y b a B g n i h c a e T i l l s­

­F i n e M o t o r S k

Fine motor skills are the ability to use the small muscles, like those in the hands and wrists, in coordination with the eyes to perform everyday tasks, such as eating with a fork or writing with a pencil.

Fine motor skills are built upon the ability to move large muscles, also referred to as gross motor skills.

The development of fine motor skills begins during infancy, and the proper development of these skills is essential for performing self-care tasks and for academic success. Underdeveloped fine motor skills can have a severe impact on academic performance and the ability to learn crucial life skills.

Fine motor skills are improved through practicing the coordination of movements necessary to complete a task. Here is an overview of motor skill milestones for young babies along with ways you can help your baby develop her motor skills.

Newborn to Three Months

Three to Six Months Old

By the time your baby is three months old, she will be able to:

At three months of age, your baby is moving out of the newborn stage and is rapidly developing her motor skills as she satisfies her strong desire to explore the world around her. This is a crucial period in your baby’s developmental timeline, and you will see your baby make amazing advances in her fine motor skills between three months and six months of age.

l Track objects with her eye l Move her arms l Put her hands in her mouth l Turn her head towards sounds she hears l Reflexively grasp in hand with a fisted grip

Babies under three months of age do not yet have the gross motor skills to move their arms in a coordinated motion to reach for an object. However, newborns are curious about the world around them and will attempt to copy the activities they see. A study published in the May issue of Infant Behavior & Development suggests that parents should use activities to encourage infants under three months to learn about reaching and grasping objects instead of waiting until the ability to reach has already been developed.

The study suggests exercises, such as dimming the lights and shining a flashlight directly above the baby’s chest, to stimulate the desire to use the arms to reach for an object. Another exercise mentioned by the study is placing your finger in your baby’s hand and smiling to help establish a connection between grasping an object and visual stimulation.

RESOURCE: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33857825/

A baby in this age group can: l Grasp and hold a toy intentionally l Roll over by the age of six months l Grab fingers and toes and play with them l Brings an object to her mouth l Start to sit unassisted by the age of six months l Reach for an object, at about 5 or 6 months old

Encourage your baby to practice and build her fine motor skills through a variety of play activities.

Engage her in play often and include ‘tummy time’ in your baby’s supervised play routine. While your baby is in the prone position, she will learn to push her body up with her hands and strengthen the muscles she will need later to perform fine motor skills.

During playtime, provide your baby with toys that are the right size for her to grasp and are not too heavy for her to lift easily. Chew toys are a good choice for this age range, along with toys like rattles that teach babies the concept of cause and effect. Encourage your baby to practice reaching for toys but put them close enough to her to prevent her from becoming frustrated.

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Wise Choices for You & Your Family

Hoo’s helpful Local Clinical Trials for

RSV & CMV RSV As we enter the worst time of year for RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus), a common cause of respiratory tract infection that usually causes mild, coldlike symptoms, it’s important to be aware that RSV may cause severe disease, especially in children. In the United States each year, RSV leads to an average of about 55,000 hospitalizations among children younger than 5 years, with most involving infants younger than 6 months. Mild symptoms can be similar to a cold, including runny nose, sore throat, cough and headache. More serious infections include bronchiolitis, which is inflammation of the small airways in the lung, and pneumonia.

This year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a health advisory for the southern states to prepare for a bad season. Currently, there is no treatment for RSV, there is only symptom management. To further science, improve lives and protect children in the future,

HOO’s HEALTHY Vision is a complex process that involves both the eye and the brain. The eyes turn an image into electrical signals that are filtered and ‘decoded’ in the brain. The brain processes the decoded image and compares it to images stored in memory to determine what is being viewed.

A type of vision loss called Cerebral Vision Impairment (CVI) results when an area of the brain responsible for processing visual signals is unable to analyze images properly due to damage or a genetic condition. Most of the time, the damage that leads to CVI occurs before, during or shortly after birth.

The damage is often caused by lack of oxygen due to a stroke or other condition, an infection, a head injury or hydrocephalus (a buildup of fluid on the brain).

Vision issues experienced by children with CVI include trouble recognizing and responding to what they are viewing, trouble recognizing faces and difficulty picking out objects from a cluttered background. To diagnose CVI in children with vision issues, doctors often perform a comprehensive eye exam first to rule out any issues with the structure of the eye. If no abnormality in eye structure is found or the patient has vision issues not corrected by glasses, the patient may be referred to a specialist for further evaluation for CVI.

volunteers can currently enroll in a research study for healthy infants and children between 12 months-4 years old.

CMV (Cytomegalovirus) is a leading cause of birth defects.

While most people with a healthy immune system never have symptoms, it can cause health problems for some infants. Babies whose mothers develop an active CMV infection during pregnancy can pass it to her baby. This is called congenital CMV infection. About 20% of babies with congenital CMV infection experience long-term effects.

Some babies born with no symptoms of CMV can still develop hearing loss when they get older. Other long-term effects could include physical and mental developmental delays, vision loss and more.

There is also no cure for CMV, only symptom management.

Preventing expectant mothers from contracting CMV infection provides hope for the future. Healthy women, ages 16-40 may be eligible to participate in a clinical trial to help develop a vaccine to prevent against CMV. To help medical researchers develop treatments to protect babies, children, and adults in the future, consider participating in one of these free clinical trials. To find out more and check eligibility: 888-737-7408 or contact@iacthealth.com.

What is: CVI There is currently no cure for CVI. Some children with CVI have their vision improve on its own over time, although researchers are not sure exactly why. If babies and young children are diagnosed and receive special types of early intervention, such as vision rehabilitation, they can learn to make the best use of the vision they have. A patient with CVI sometimes also has other medical conditions, such as prematurity and cerebral palsy, and the inventions for CVI should be integrated into the patient’s treatment plan.

If your child has vision issues even though her eye exam did not find any abnormalities or she still has problems with her vision that cannot be corrected with glasses, follow up with her eye doctor and ask if she should be evaluated further for CVI. RESOURCES:

www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/ cerebral-visual-impairment-cvi https:// pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32199940/

www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

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