Family & Kids Chatt Valley February 2019

FEBRUARY 2019

Wise Choices for Moms & Families

CHATTAHOOCHEE VALLEY

St. Luke School

Cover Sponsor Page 27

Preparing Minds. Living For Christ.

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Wise Choices for You & Your Family

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HOO’s parentingwww.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

Self Regulation

3

teaching

skills

Self-regulation is an important life skill for all ages to master. It actually is not a single skill but a group of skills. The ability to plan ahead, make thoughtful decisions, persistently work towards a future goal, and moderate emotions and behavior are all included in this group of skills. That is not to say spontaneity does not have a place, because it does, it is just kept within the boundaries you set to keep from being diverted from reaching your goals.

When your child finds it a challenge to regulate his emotions, work with him to find a few strategies he can use to calm down. It can be spending a few minutes alone in his room to take a deep breath, taking a few minutes to write down his feelings or talking it over with you. Having strategies in place you know work for him empowers him to choose one and use it to self-regulate when he feels his emotions start to spiral out of control.

Help your child understand the idea of self-regulation

As your child grows, have his strategies grow with him. For example, you may find the strategy of setting a timer to help your child share his toys with a sibling can evolve into him discussing with his sibling how long his sibling’s turn will be and coming to an agreement, without your intervention.

The ultimate purpose of self-regulation is to govern our behavior in a way that leads to successfully completing our daily and long-term goals. Help your child relate to abstract concepts associated with self-regulation, like taking turns and delayed gratification, by using real world scenarios.

For example, help your preschooler practice taking turns at a playdate. After the playdate, ask him how he felt when his friend was happy because he got a turn and how he felt when it was finally his turn.

Yes, he had to wait, but the goal was for everyone to enjoy the playdate, so explain how the delayed gratification was worth it.

Help your child plan how to handle challenges

To deal with situations requiring him to wait patiently, let him choose between a couple of alternate activities to keep him busy, such as reading a book, working on a coloring project, or playing a game with you. It is a good idea to find at least a couple that you don’t need to prepare ahead for, in case you have to wait unexpectedly.

Practice is the key to control

Staying focused on goals requires good decisionmaking and control over impulses. Practice these self-regulation skills often, and as your child’s skills grow, you will find yourself not having to constantly step in and remind him how to get back on track.

• Have fun practicing self-regulation and control by playing board games that involve taking turns and following rules.

• Provide your child with opportunities to practice making thoughtful decisions. Start with simple decisions, like choosing what to wear or planning what games to play at a playdate.

• Give your child practice knowing when it is OK to release control. Unstructured time for free play should be a part of his daily schedule, and he should not be so over-controlled that he feels anxious about breaking the ‘no sweets before dinner’ rule by eating cake at an afternoon birthday party.

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The Scoop!

Where to Find HOO? BULK LOCATIONS: Area Chick-fil-A Locations PLUS: Check your local kid-friendly doctors, dentists, attractions, retail shops & restaurants.

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

www.Familyandkidsga.com

www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

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Wise Choices for You & Your Family

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HOO’s CUTE

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

Tripp, 2 years Hamilton

Layla Jude, 4 years Phenix City

Finn, 2 years Columbus

www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

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Odell Vining, Ph.D.

Child & Adolescent Psychologist

Psychological testing and behavioral therapy for children/teens Ages 3-19 years

• • • • • •

ADHD Anxiety Depression Self-injury Autism Bipolar diso disorder

• Adjustment problems • Anger management • Oppositional defiant disorder • Learning disability

101 Enterprise Ct. I Columbus, GA I 706-225-0322 I thepsychologyclinic.net

HOO’s PARENTING Help My Child

Stinks!

When your child nears the pre-teen years, it can seem like your sweet-smelling baby turns into a stinky, sweaty tween overnight, without warning. Kids as young as age 8 can start experiencing the changes in hormones associated with puberty. These hormone changes cause an increase in sweat production by the sweat glands.

When bacteria on the skin comes in contact with the sweat, it uses the oils in the sweat for food and the smell associated with body odor is the end results of this process.

Once your child reaches puberty, he should shower daily with soap and shampoo. A brightly colored nylon bath scrubber and body wash may make bath time less of a chore than trying to lather up with a bar of soap. Remind your child to clean the areas under the arms and the groin well since that is where the sweat glands that cause body odor are located. Have your child put on clean, fresh smelling clothes after showering. If your tween needs to take additional measures for body odor control, he could use antiperspirant and deodorant.

Many health food stores sell antiperspirants and deodorants based on natural ingredients, like baking soda.

During this time of transition for your tween, he may still be used to occasionally skipping a bath, and in addition, may not even realize he smells. It is a good idea to explain the changes that come with puberty to your child, including the extra steps he needs to take each day to care for his body. When your child smells, gently remind him to perform his daily hygiene tasks but cast them in a positive light by saying something like, ‘Hey this means you are growing up!’

Sometimes tweens get so absorbed in what they are doing that they don’t want to stop to take care of boring hygiene tasks. However, don’t resort to nagging if he does not respond. Nagging will only get you tuned out. Treat the hygiene tasks like any other chore and enact appropriate consequences, like loss of computer time, when he refuses to complete them.

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HOO’s INSPIREDWise Choices for You & Your Family

Finding Time FOR AFTER Love KIDS

By Maria Phillips, Family & Kids

Finding time for your love after having kids can be difficult. I recall when it was just the two of us and every free moment was spent in each other’s gaze.

We filled weekends and holidays with exciting road trips, saw every new movie and ate like a king and queen. I felt butterflies when his name would light up my phone and looked forward to holding hands during car rides. Fast forward to three years in with our son, and we are both guilty of leaving our relationship on the sidelines. Life happens and raising a child is exhausting. Some families have many children to juggle and finding time for your relationship can seem impossible. Here are a few suggestions I’ve tried to implement into my daily life to keep my relationship alive and remind my spouse how much he means to me: Waking up early: This may be a hard one,

but if your love wakes up earlier than the rest of the household, get up too. The mornings are often very peaceful and listening to only the sound of the coffee machine is a great time to discuss casual topics. Plus, we are usually refreshed from a good night’s sleep and have energy for discussions.

I’ve been working on meeting my spouse at the door when he gets home from work for a guaranteed hug and kiss.

Add to Your Routine: Just like you wash

your kids’ faces and brush their teeth every evening, add time with your significant other as a necessity every evening. This could be the half hour your children watch TV, or 5 minutes after they go to bed.

The time is worth it to “check-in,” talk, cuddle or play a quick game of Scrabble.

Share Your Routine: We all have chores, and oftentimes chores can be a harsh subject in a relationship. Use laundry, dishes and evening cleanup as an opportunity to help one another and work together.

Recurring date night: Family can be an

Be Aware of Phone Usage: The amount of time I sit in silence with my other half as I tap away on the phone is embarrassing. Create “no phone zones” like the bed or dinner table. I waste so much time on my phone during car rides when we could be having enjoyable conversations with one another.

Show Affection: Send love text messages

They are changing and evolving as we grow. Taking the few extra steps can make all the difference.

Work extra hard to correct those “peeves” that are a constant struggle in your relationship. Spend time admiring your spouse’s face and giving genuine compliments on a regular basis. Grab your significant other’s favorite candy bar at the grocery check-out line. Little gestures can go a long way.

unreliable date night sitter, so create a relationship with a babysitter who can be available every month (first Saturday of the month, perhaps). We’ve found it helpful to trade date nights with a family friend.

With the trade, we don’t pay out for a sitter and our kids can play with one another. Remember, you can spend a date night at home, peacefully watching a movie and eating Dairy Queen (sounds nice, right?). regularly, even just a heart emoji or “I love you.” It never gets old, and it’s nice to hear. If you don’t get up with your love in the morning, leave a note on the door or steering wheel. It’s a great way to start a day.

Relationships are constant work.

Visit our website FamilyandKidsGA.com and click on GUIDES to find our local date night recommendations and additional relationship advice.

www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

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Wise Choices for You & Your Family

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Happy Valentine’s Day

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PEDIATRICS at brookstone centre 706.571.9699

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HOO’s Fun

HIDDEN PICTURES

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Wise Choices for You & Your Family

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HOO’s CRAFTY

LAVA LAMP

EXPERIMENT

Try this experiment with a few household supplies.

DIRECTIONS

SUPPLIES

To begin, color about 1/2 cup of water with food coloring. Take the AlkaSeltzer tablets and break them into 2 or 3 pieces. Place them in a small cup or container. Fill a glass about 3/4 full with vegetable oil. Then pour in the colored water until the liquid in the cup is about 1-2 inches from the top. The water and oil do not mix and the oil doesn’t change color because the food coloring is water soluble. The Alka-Seltzer reacts with the water to make bubbles of carbon dioxide. The bubbles attach themselves to the blobs of colored water and bring them to the top of the glass. When the bubbles pop, the blobs of colored water fall back to the bottom of the glass.

Vegetable Oil

Courtesy of hellogiggles.com

Water Gel Food coloring Original AlkaSeltzer tablets

www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

HOO’s PARENTING

confidence PROMOTE TWEEN

Experts say a significant drop in self-esteem happens between ages 9-12. Instilling confidence in kids during these pivotal years can start with action-oriented activities that THROUGH ACTION promote family time and conversation.

“Simple tasks like doing a good deed for others, learning something new or accomplishing a goal, goes a long way in boosting self-esteem for tweens,” said Dr. Michele Borba, an educational psychologist and author of “UnSelfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About Me World.”

HERE ARE 5 WAYS YOU CAN INSTILL CONFIDENCE IN YOUR TWEEN THROUGH ACTION:

Spread kindness

like drawing, kickboxing or yoga.

Engage your child in exploring how to make it happen. Ask around: many places offer free trial classes, the library may have a how-to video or you can work together to find someone who can help teach the new skills.

Encourage your tween to team up with a pal to complete five acts of kindness in one week for people outside of your immediate circle. It could be helping a coach clean up after practice, holding the door, pitching in with a neighbor’s yard Be an agent for good work, paying for the ice cream Inspire your tween to look for of the person behind you in line someone who has had a hard or any number of small gestures day, needs a friend or just a that help spread kindness. positive boost and encourage Test out a new activity him or her to do something to make their day a little Brainstorm activities with your brighter. Think of simple, small tween that he or she has always gestures like leaving a note of wanted to learn but never tried encouragement for a friend,

baking extra treats to thank a neighbor or cleaning up trash for the school janitor. Let your tween decide whether to make the actions known or keep it a surprise.

Interview a grown-up Promote positive role models by asking your tween to interview someone he or she admires.

It could be a favorite uncle, grandparent, teacher or anyone they find interesting. Challenge them to discover at least three new things, take notes or record the conversation and then write up a story to share the discoveries.

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Wise Choices for You & Your Family HOO’s learning

$ Teaching your kids to properly manage finances is an invaluable life skill crucial to their future success once they reach adulthood. Managing personal finances involves skills like budgeting and prioritizing that you can begin teaching even at a preschool age.

Use an allowance as a money management teaching tool First, look at your family’s budget and decide how much can be dedicated each year to an allowance for your child. Keep in mind that you want the amount to be small enough that your child will have to make some tough decisions and practice the concepts of budgeting and prioritization. Divide that amount by 52 to determine how much your child’s weekly allowance will be. Most parenting experts agree the allowance should not be tied to performing routine chores. Household chores are completed to keep the household running smoothly and the family should work together to finish them.

Teach your child how to budget Discuss with your child what sorts of expenses are her responsibility to cover. As she gets older, her share of responsibilities and her allowance should grow with her. Label three clear jars ‘Save,’’ Spend,’ and ‘Give,’ and help your child estimate how much of the weekly allowance to place in each, based upon what she is responsible for. The ‘Save’ jar is for the portion of the allowance used to reach a goal, such as buying a new toy. The ‘Spend’ jar is for everyday expenses, like buying school supplies. The ‘Give’ jar is for charitable contributions. Using clear jars and cash provides a visual aid that reinforces the concept that if you go over budget for the ‘Spend’ jar, you are out of money and have to wait until the next time you are paid to buy something. It also teaches the value of waiting and not blowing the contents of the ‘Save’

jar impulsively. As your child moves into the teen years, consider depositing the weekly allowance into a bank account instead of using cash and help your child track her budget, expenses and account balance in a spreadsheet.

Teach your child the value of money and how to invest Teach your young child the concept of ‘everything has a cost’ and the value of money by playing fun games in the grocery store. Ask your kids to guess the cost of items and the person that comes the closest wins.

Explain how to compare prices and how researching to find the best deal can help you buy more with the amount of money you have.

Once kids have an appreciation of the value of money, teach the concept of investing the money from your ‘Save’ budget. Kids should understand that there are no guarantees in the world of investing and with some higher risk investments, like stocks, you can lose everything. Introduce selecting investments based on the amount of risk involved, how easy it is to get your money back out (liquidity) and how much money the investment may earn (return on investment). In addition, explain how to mitigate risk by having a diversified portfolio and how compounding can make your investments grow. One fun way for kids to learn about investing is to set up a pretend portfolio of investments and help your kids track the performance of the investment for a couple of months. Once your little investor has developed an understanding of the basics of investing, you could let her select and buy a couple of shares in the real stock market, so she can watch it grow.

www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

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Wise Choices for You & Your Family

HOO’s PICKS

APPS to LOVE lasting: Marriage Health

Lasting gets to know your relationship and creates a program to help you build and maintain the health of your marriage.

disney story central

A digital library filled with reading adventures, instantly connecting your child to beloved Disney and Pixar characters.

Enjoy reading adventures together as a family, or allow your child to independently discover stories they will love.

codea Codea for iPad lets you create games and simulations — or any visual idea you have.

Turn your thoughts into interactive creations that make use of iPad features like MultiTouch and the accelerometer.

hoopla Instantly borrow free digital movies, music, eBooks and more, 24/7 with your library card. Bringing you hundreds of thousands of movies, full music albums, audiobooks and more, hoopla is a revolutionary digital service made possible by your local library.

www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

HOO’s PARENTING Discipline

Mistakes to

AVOID

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Yelling at your kids If you yell at your child for his infraction, you’ll only upset him and break your own rule of ‘No yelling at anyone.’ Take a deep breath and calm down before disciplining your child. Speak calmly about infraction. Explain what behavior was unacceptable and let her know what you expect in the future.

No parent is perfect but here are some common mistakes that parents make when disciplining their kids that can get in the way of effectively teaching your child what behavior is acceptable and what is not.

Giving a long-winded lecture When disciplining young kids, keep the explanation of the infraction short and age-appropriate. A simple statement like, ‘We do not eat candy before bed’ is enough explanation for a three year old. No need to go into a lecture about how eating sugar before bed causes cavities which then will have to be filled by the dentist. You will quickly lose her attention and the point you were trying to make will not register with her.

Not being consistent If you don’t consistently enforce the boundaries and expectations you have set for your child, you will set your discipline plan up for failure. Your child will assume that since crossing that boundary once was OK, you were not really serious about enforcing it.

Also remember your kids are watching you. If you tell them don’t eat a cookie before dinner, do not let them catch you breaking your own rule.

Using bribes too often Instead of using a bribe like candy or a new toy to get the behavior you want, try using praise and positive reinforcement to reward the good behavior you observe. In addition, use statements like ‘I am disappointed that you fought over the toy at the play date’ to indicate behavior that needs improvement. Your child would much rather receive praise than an ‘I am disappointed’ statement from you, and you’ll probably find you don’t need to use bribes very often.

Lift EVERY Voice:

African Americans in Civil War Navies

FEB. 9,16 &23

Celebrate Black History Month with interactive tours & living accounts of the Civil War’s African American nurses, pilots, sailors and engineers

Noon & 2:30pm Made possible by The Aflac Foundation, Inc. and generous community support.

1002 VICTORY DRIVE • COLUMBUS, GA 31901 FOR INFO & TICKETS: PORTCOLUMBUS.ORG

Februar

1 MOPS and MOMSnext meeting. 9:1511:30am. Wynnbrook Baptist, 500 River Knoll Way, Columbus; 706-323-4374 1 Kids’Yoga Story Time. 11:30am. Columbus Library; 706-243-2679

1 STEM Saturdays: Engineers. 3:30pm. $5

/child. Oxbow Meadows; 706-507-8550

2 Home Depot Kids Workshop. 9am-

Noon. Free. Ages 5-12. Columbus; 706322-9240. Phenix City; 334-297-2045

2 Board Book Club (BBC). 10:30am. Mildred L. Terry Library; 706-243-2782

5 Little Sprouts. 10:30am. $5/family.

Columbus Botanical Garden; columbusbotanicalgarden.org

5 Puppy Tales. 10:30am. North Columbus Library; 706-748-2855

5 Jewelry and Beading. 10:30am. Columbus Library; 706-243-2679

5 STEAM Punks. 3:30pm. South Columbus Library; 706-683-8805

7 I Saw the Sign: ASL Story Time. 4pm. 15 Kids’ Yoga Story Time. 11:30am. CoNorth Columbus Library; 706-748-2855

lumbus Library; 706-243-2679

7 Night for Kids with Special Needs. 6pm.

15 Family Board Games. 4pm. North Columbus Library; 706-748-2855

Launch Trampoline; Launchcolumbus.com

8 Sensory Friendly Story Time. 2pm. 16 Columbus Public Library; 706-243-2679

9 Rock Painting! 10:30am. Mildred L. Terry Library; 706-243-2782

9 Artful Babies - Color, Animals, Mini

Makes. 10:30am. RSVP Columbus Museum; 706-748-2562, ex 2124

9 Puppy Tales. 2pm. Columbus Library; 706-243-2679

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TRAXXAS Monster Truck Tour.

7:30pm. $10-$30. Columbus Civic Center; columbusciviccenter.org

12 Discovery Hub: Artists. 10:30am. Columbus Library; 706-243-2679

12 Valentine’s Program. 3:30pm. South

Columbus Library; 706-683-8805

12 Trivia Night: Pop Music Trivia. 4:30pm.

Columbus Library; 706-243-2679

15 MOPS & MOMSnext meeting. 9:15-

11:30am. Wynnbrook Baptist, 500 River Knoll Way, Columbus; 706-323-4374

Love is in th e

A ir

Character Breakfast. 8:30am & 10:30am. $18-$30. St Luke Ministry Center; jlcolumbus.com

16 Fancy Nancy Tea Party. 10am. Mildred Terry Library; 706-243-2782

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Impromptu, What Will We Do. 10:30am. N.Columbus Library; 706-7482855

16 Mini Makers. 10:30am. Ages 2-4 years. RSVP Columbus Museum; 706748-2562, ex 2124 16 Georgia’s Arbor Day Celebration.

11am-4:30pm. $3 plus $5 parking. F.D. Roosevelt State Park; 706-663-4858 16 STEM Saturdays: Engineers. 3:30pm. $5/child. Oxbow Meadows; 706-507-8550 19 Mini Makers: Electrohunt. 10:30am.

Columbus Library; 706-243-2679 19 Blockheads LEGO Challenge. 3:30pm.

South Columbus Library; 706-683-8805 19 DIY Days for Teens: Mason Jar Fairy Lights. 4:30pm. Columbus Library; 706243-2679

y Events PROVIDED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH:

20-23 Columbus Kids Market Consignment Sale. Central Baptist, 8308 Whitesville Road; columbuskidsmarket.com

21 Bilingual Story Time. 11:15am. North

Columbus Library; 706-748-2855

21 Brain Games. 4pm. North Columbus

Library; 706-748-2855

21 Anyone Can Cook. 4pm. Ages 6-9.

Harris County Library; 706-628-4685

23 Sensory Play. 4pm. North Columbus Library; 706-748-2855 23

The Mic Drop: Kids’ Open Mic. 4:30pm. Columbus Library; 706-2432679

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101 Dalmatians. 2pm. $8-$15.

Springer Opera House; 706-327-3688

24 Columbus Comic Book & Toy Show.

11am-4pm. $5. Coca-Cola Space Science Center; ccssc.org

Discovery Hub: Agriculturalist.

22 Sensory Friendly Story Time. 2pm. 26 10:30am. Columbus Library; 706-243-2679 Columbus Library; 706-243-2679

22-23

101 Dalmatians. 7pm. $8$15. Springer Opera House; 706-327-3688

26 Picture Book Club. 3:30pm. South Columbus Library; 706-683-8805

Family Fun Night. 6:30pm. Mildred 23 Young Eagles Day at Flightways Co- 26 L. Terry Library; 706-243-2782 lumbus. 8:30-11:30am. Free. Ages 8-17.

Columbus Airport; 706-323-6565 or youngeagles.com/flightplan/flight.asp

23 February Family Fun Festival.

10am-1pm. Free. Columbus Museum; columbusmuseum.com

Weekly Events MONDAY

Family Story Time. 10:30am. S. Columbus Library; 706-683-8805 (not 2/18)

23 Puppy Tales. 2pm. Columbus Public WEDNESDAY Family Story Time. 10:30am. Columbus

Library; 706-243-2679

23 Uno, Dos, Tres Craft. 3pm. Mildred L. Terry Library; 706-243-2782

Library; 706-243-2679

ASL: Family Sign Language. 4pm. Mildred L. Terry Library; 706-243-2782

THURSDAY

Get Your Game ON! 3:30pm.

South Columbus Library; 706-683-8805

FRIDAY

Music ‘n Motion. 10:30am. Columbus Library; 706-243-2679 Make & Take. 4pm. Free. Phenix City-Russell County Library; phenixcitylibrary.com

SATURDAY

Michael’s Kids Club Meeting. 10amNoon. Ages 3+. See store for details.

Toddler Time. 10am-Noon. Launch Trampoline Park; launchcolumbus.com Nature Nuggets. 10:30am. $5. Oxbow Meadows; 706-507-8550 Canopy Trail Tour. 11am, 2pm & 5pm. $5.

RSVP Oxbow Meadows; 706-507-8550 Saturday Story Time. 11am. Barnes & Noble, 5555 Whittlesey Blvd; 706-653-7880 Preschool Story Hour. 11am. Phenix City-Russell Library; phenixcitylibrary.com See Y’all There Saturdays. 2pm. Columbus Public Library; 706-243-2782 Please call ahead to confirm event dates, times and age appropriateness, in case changes were made after the info was obtained.

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Wise Choices for You & Your Family

Hoo’s Tips

www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

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Combating

Dental

Fears

The key to good dental health is seeing the dentist early and often. “An infant should come to the dentist six months after their first tooth comes in or by their first year of life,” said Dr. Alberto Lugo, a pediatric dentist in Columbus. The main reason is so the dentist can give the family information on how to prevent early childhood caries or cavities. He said, ideally everyone should see the dentist twice a year.

If your child has anxiety about sitting in the dreaded dental chair, he is not alone. Even pediatric dentists understand the fear is real and that is why they go out of their way to try to make kids feel comfortable from the first meeting onward. “The surroundings in the office cannot be threatening to them; we must always be kind to them; and the most critical thing is we always have to tell them the truth,” said Lugo. If the dentist lies to your child, he will not believe him again.

Every kid wants to be the star.

“They need to feel like they are the focus of the attention so when the dentist works on them there should be no other distractions,” said Lugo. It helps when the dentist talks to your child on his level and avoids using technical terms. It is better to say you are going to remove a cavity that looks like a tiny hole instead of scientific terms that can be scary. Parents need to watch their lingo as well. “If I am going to use the drill, I will not say, ‘I am going to use the drill.’

I will tell them I am going to use this little machine that vibrates a little bit in order to bring the concept to their level,” said Lugo.

RESOURCE: Dr. Alberto Lugo, BS, DMD, PC, FAGD, MASDC 706-660-1310 , DrLugoPediatricDental.com

Avoid scare tactics.

“Some parents try to be funny and say if you do not brush your teeth the dentist will take all your teeth out, so the child will come in and be afraid,” said Lugo. Be creative when talking about the dentist. “Our tools have different names like we call the suction mister ‘thirsty’ so the child knows it is something that picks up liquid,” said Lugo.

It is about building an understanding. For those who cannot be calmed, there are other tools in the box like laughing gas or sedation as a last resort if a young child needs extractions or something more severe.

Set an example by brushing at least twice a day.

“You can teach your child how to brush by telling them and then showing them,” said Lugo. Georgia parents are doing a good job at talking about dental health when you look at the numbers. “In this community I would say that probably 80 to 90 percent are very healthy dental-wise,” said Lugo.

Little choices can make a big difference in dental health.

“Kids shouldn’t be put to bed with milk or breastfed after the age of one,” said Lugo. In addition to the dentists being very understanding, technology is advancing to make kids feel more at ease such as digital radiography. “Most kids are great patients.

Actually, most of the time they are easier to work with than adults,” said Lugo humorously.

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Wise Choices for You & Your Family

Dining Deals

for Kids

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

MONDAY

thursday

Barberitos

MOE’s Southwest Grill

Free kid’s meal with adult entrée after 4pm

5-9pm: Free kid’s meal per $5 minimum adult entrée

Cafe La Rue

Captain D’s

5-9p: Free kid’s meal with adult entrée

Kids’ meals .99 cents all day

Chick-fil-A, Phenix City 5-7:30p: Free kid’s meal with regular priced combo

Chill Yogurt Cafe & Pizzeria

sunday

Kids 12 & under eat free (1 topping 8” pizza & drink) with adult entrée (11” pizza and a drink). Limit 1 per adult. Dine in only.

Pita Pit

Zaxby’s

Texas Roadhouse

Free kid’s pita, cookie & juice box with a purchase of regular size pita combo

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

Kids 12 & under get Jr. Kids Meal for $1.99 with adult entrée (certain holidays are excluded)

Tuesday

The Simple Greek

Denny’s 4-10pm: Up to two free kids’ entrées with adult entrée. For kids 10 and under

Ruby Tuesday 5-10pm: 2 kids under 13 eat free with adult entrée

TGI Friday’s 3-10pm: Kids under 13 eat free with adult entrée

wednesDAY Applebee’s Kids’ meals are half off with the purchase of an adult entrée. Limit: 4 kids per adult

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

Kids 12 & under get free kids bowl with purchase of regular bowl or pita

Monday-Friday Steak & Shake Happy Hour, 1/2 price shakes or drinks from 2-5pm

every day Golden Corral Kids 3 & under eat free with adult meal purchase

All locations are Columbus, GA unless noted.

Specials are subject to change without notice, so please verify them directly before dining. If you know of a kid’s deal not listed here, email: Tammy@FamilyAndKidsGA.com.

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Wise Choices for You & Your Family

24

HOO’s HUNGRY

PIZZA VEGGIE

A delicious mouthful of vegetable rainbows in every bite. Courtesy of chefsavvy.com

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out crescent rolls onto 2 large non-stick baking sheets. Stretch and flatten to form a single rectangular shape and pinch together seams. Bake 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool about 30 minutes. Combine cream cheese and ranch-style dressing mix. Spread the mixture over the cooled crusts. Chop veggies.

Sprinkle veggies over cream cheese layer and then top with the cheese. Chill in the refrigerator approximately 1 hour. Cut into bite-size squares to serve.

INGREDIENTS 2 8-oz. pkg. crescent rolls 16oz cream cheese, softened 1-oz. Ranch-style dressing mix 2 carrots, finely chopped 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped 1-1/2 cups fresh broccoli florets, chopped l 1/2 cup green onions, chopped l 1 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese l l l l l l

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HOO’s HEALTHY IT S BENEF

Sticky

&

RISKS

of honey

Honey is a natural sweetener often used in place of white sugar and is sometimes used as medicine. Honeybees produce honey from flower nectar. Raw honey is strained to remove large foreign objects and then is bottled. Commercially produced honey is pasteurized and processed before bottling to remove debris, harmful pathogens and allergens.

• No honey (processed or raw) should be consumed by infants under the age of 1 or by pregnant women. Honey may contain spores of the Clostridium botulinum bacteria. These spores, when ingested by Infants under the age of one or pregnant women, can multiply in the stomach and cause botulism

poisoning, a condition that may lead to life-threatening paralysis. Honey-filled pacifiers should never be given to infants.

The stomachs of healthy adults should effectively prevent the C. botulinum spores from growing but if you do experience symptoms of botulism poisioning, such as vomiting and diarrhea, after eating honey, notify your doctor without delay.

• Honey made from the flowers of plants in the Ericaceae family, which includes rhododendrons, may contain a toxin called grayanotoxin. This toxin affects the nervous system and ingesting raw honey that contains it may lead to a rare condition called honey intoxication. Grayanotoxins are destroyed in the pasteurization process used to produce commercial honey.

• Allergens such as pollen and bee parts are removed from processed honey but may be present in raw honey. If raw honey is consumed by someone allergic to pollen or to bee venom, a serious, life-threatening allergic reaction can result.

Researchers have found several health benefits of honey. Honey is full of anti-oxidants which may contribute to heart health. A dose of honey taken at bedtime may help quiet a nighttime cough. Studies have also shown that honey has antibacterial properties, which explains why it is a home remedy for minor cuts and burns. The pasteurization process may destroy some of the beneficial compounds in honey, but ask your doctor to see if buying raw honey is right for you.

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26

Wise Choices for You & Your Family EDUCATION/CARE GUIDE

For a list of private schools, preschools, tutors and home school resources, visit familyandkidsga.com/cat/education To feature your school option, call Tammy 253-212-7270.

BE THE ONE YOU WERE MEANT TO BE.

IT ALL STARTS AT BROOKSTONE. Our all-in-one 3K–12 campus is home to a deep, loving community that builds our students into can-do, will-do leaders. In small classes, we give our kids one-on-one attention and one-in-a-million academic programs. Come see for yourself.

Visit: brookstoneschool.org

WHAT CALVARY HAS TO OFFER:

Biblical Instruction l Challenging Academics l Dual Enrollment l Fine Arts l AP & Honor Classes Weekly Chapel l Summer Camp l Full Athletic Program l Extra-Curricular Activities Before & After School Care l Family Environment l AdvancedED & ACSI Certified Faculty with a love for Christ and teaching l Full-time Onsite Nurse l Servant Leadership

Open House Thursdays!

Anytime between 9A and 1P with guided tours at 9:30A and 11A, or email saraketcham@calvaryknights.com to schedule a tour

CALVARY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL l 7556 OLD MOON RD, COLUMBUS l CALVARYKNIGHTS.COM

www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com EDUCATION/CARE GUIDE

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Wise Choices for You & Your Family EDUCATION/CARE GUIDE

HOO’s learning Learning

to

Read

At this moment, in order to read this, different parts of your brain are working together, like instruments in an orchestra that coordinate to create music. One part of the brain recognizes letter shapes and discerns between sounds while another processes the meaning of the words being read.

Information pathways in the brain connect the different areas together. For some, mastering this amazing process does not take long while for others it can be a long journey. Here is an overview of what is involved in learning to read and what you can do if you feel your child is struggling with any of the steps.

skills, is one of these steps.

Phonemic awareness is the ability to segment a word into sounds and blend individual sounds into words and is a stepping stone to phonics (associating sounds with written letters) and decoding text. Once young readers learn to decode, they should be able to summarize the ideas behind the text (reading comprehension)

Learning to read begins at birth, when a baby is exposed to language sounds and begins learning the meaning and structure of spoken language. This is the start of phonological awareness, the ability to recognize and work with the sounds of spoken language. Reading books to babies and young children, especially rhymes and word patterns, builds phonological awareness and add words to your child’s vocabulary.

Set aside at least a half hour for reading each day that is free from distractions like the TV and internet. Here are some activities that will give your child’s reading skills a workout: l Read your child’s favorite book to him and then have him read it back to you. l Practice phonics by reading ABC books with your child. l Ask your child to tell you what a story was about after reading.

In preschool, step-by-step programs develop phonological awareness & prepare students for reading. Learning phonemic awareness, the most complex of the phonological awareness

Resource: Karass J., & Braungart-Rieker J. (2005). Effects of shared parent-infant reading on early-language acquisition Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 26, 133-148

www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com EDUCATION/CARE GUIDE

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Wise Choices for You & Your Family EDUCATION/CARE GUIDE

www.FamilyAndKidsGA.comGUIDE EDUCATION/CARE

HOO’s FUN Jokin’ Around about math

Why did the math book look sad?

It had too many problems!

What did zero say to the eight?

Nice belt!

Why did the boy eat his math homework?

His teacher said it was a piece of cake!

Schedule your free orientation today!

706.257.6963 Kumon Math & Reading Center of COLUMBUS - NORTH 1290 Double Churches Road, Ste. K Columbus, GA 31904 Ages 3+ kumon.com * Enroll between 2/1/19 and 2/28/19 to waive the Enrollment Fee of up to $50. The Enrollment Fee includes services such as processing, student evaluation and lesson plan development.

Enrollment Fee waiver only valid at participating Kumon Math & Reading Centers. Most Kumon Centers are independently owned and operated. Additional fees may apply. See center for applicable terms and conditions. © 2019 Kumon North America, Inc. All rights reserved.

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HOO’s HEALTHYWise Choices for You & Your Family

THE LOW DOWN ON

LOW T Testosterone is known as a male hormone but it is present in the bodies of women and men. In men, it is produced by the testicles and is the main sex hormone. It is responsible for proper male sexual development and function. Testosterone is important to fertility because it assists with the daily production of a supply of sperm. It also helps maintain a healthy bone density, builds muscle mass and strength, and regulates distribution of fat and production of red blood cells. In women, small amounts of testosterone are produced by the ovaries and adrenal glands, along with estrogen. This is much smaller than what is produced in a man’s body but it plays an important part in maintaining libido, bone & muscle mass.

What causes low T and what are the symptoms? The amount of testosterone produced by the body decreases with age in both men and women. A condition called hypogonadism (low T) results in men when the testosterone levels drop below normal (about 240 ng/DL). In men, the slow decline in testosterone levels can begin after age 30 and becomes more noticeable in his 40s. Hypogonadism can also be caused by medical conditions not related to aging and therefore may sometimes be experienced by teens and young adults. Issues with the testicles resulting from damage, an infection, or a congenital condition can interfere with the production of testosterone.

Also, issues with the pituitary gland or hypothalamus (regulates the secretion of pituitary hormones) can interfere with proper testosterone production even if the testicles have a normal structure.

Symptoms in men include fatigue, depression, erectile dysfunction, a decrease in bone mass and a decline in libido. A blood test to check testosterone levels is used to reach a diagnosis since these symptoms are not unique to hypogonadism.

Low testosterone may occur in women who are entering perimenopause and menopause, as

testosterone production by the ovaries declines.

Women with low T may experience fatigue, a decline in libido, moodiness, and a decline in muscle and bone mass.

How is low testosterone treated in men? We asked Dr Prakash Thiruppathi, a fertility specialist at the Columbus Center for Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility, about the process for treating hypogonadism.

Someone who suspects they have low testosterone should consult his doctor. Other conditions may cause the same types of symptoms. Your doctor will test you for other conditions such as heart disease and diabetes first, and determine if you are eligible for testosterone therapy.

Men with certain medical conditions, such as prostate cancer, may not be eligible for testosterone therapy.

Dr. Thiruppathi says, “Men who are trying to conceive should not receive testosterone therapy as it will make them infertile.” Testosterone therapy does have a few possible side effects in addition to low sperm production. Dr. Thiruppathi advises, “Men undergoing testosterone therapy should be monitored for side effects, such as blood thickening or prostate growth.”

Can low testosterone be treated in women? There is a lot less research data about low T in women, but testosterone therapy may benefit some women who experience symptoms. For women who are eligible for treatment, very small amounts of testosterone can be included in a hormone therapy treatment.

When asked about possible unwanted side effects, like growth of body hair, Dr Thiruppathi said, “Those are symptoms of high testosterone and should not occur if your treatment has the proper balance of estrogen and testosterone.”

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Wise Choices for You & Your Family

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HOO’s HEALTHY

DANGERS

the

vaping

of

The health risks of using combustible cigarettes are well known & many smokers have turned to e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation product. However, e-cigarettes may have their own set of health risks. Here is an overview of how e-cigarettes, especially the popular Juul, work and why e-cigarettes may be harmful to your child’s health.

The Juul consists of two parts, the e-cigarette that contains the battery and regulates the temperature and the pod that contains the e-liquid that is to be heated by the e-cigarette and turned into vapor. While some e-cigarettes are designed to look like a combustible cigarette, Juuls (and Juul copycats) look like a USB drive or other everyday object. In addition, Juuls can be charged in a USB computer port. As a result, it is easy for teens to inconspicuously ‘vape’.

35

The contents of the e-liquid include solvents, nicotine that has been specially engineered to taste mild and smooth, and flavorings. Some pods contain as much nicotine as a pack of combustible cigarettes. Nicotine is highly addictive and teens are especially prone to addiction because their brains are still under development. Researchers have found that nicotine adversely affects the development of the part of the brain responsible for executive function and self-regulation.

High blood pressure and an increased risk of heart disease are also side effects of nicotine.

There is currently no USDA regulation of e-cigarettes. This lack of oversight means there is no guarantee that e-liquid is free of harmful artificial flavorings and heavy metals. One flavoring chemical, diacetyl, which was used in the past to flavor popcorn, has been linked to a rare lung disease called bronchiolitis obliterans. Bronchiolitis obliterans does not have a cure and involves inflammation of the bronchioles, the smallest airways of the lungs.

Parents can discourage teens from trying ‘vapes’ by openly discussing the associated health risks, and the loss of control that comes with addiction.

Sources: Goriounova NA, Mansvelder HD., “Short- and Long-Term Consequences of Nicotine Exposure during Adolescence for Prefrontal Cortex Neuronal Network Function,” Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med. 2012 Dec https://www.medicalnewstoday.com, “What’s to Know About Popcorn Lung”

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