Idaho Family 3-4 2020

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Mar/Apr 2020

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BOISE MUSIC WEEK

THE WORD ‘GROUNDED’

Free events galore

A RACING FAMILY

Its many meanings

ALLOWANCE DEBATE Earned or entitled?

IDAEYC and IdahoSTARS staff in our Emerald St. office, posing with our mascot, the Giraffe.

See inside for...

Driving fast is good

Early Learning | 2020 Preschool and ChildCare Guide

W H AT I F YOUR CHILD LEARNED

HOW to

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Contents

Features

Volume 8, Number 2 Publisher J.J. Plew Associate Publisher Adrianne Goff Adrianne@globalpsd.com Cover Photo Erika Lewis, Early Learning Collaborative Director Editor Gaye Bunderson editorgaye@gmail.com Sales & Marketing J.J. Plew jj@idahofamilymagazine.com 208-697-2043 Contributors Chuck Carpenter, Luke Erickson, Jessie Horney, Dennis Lopez, Mary Ann Wilcox Graphic Design Carol Smiley csmileydesign@gmail.com Distribution Shauna Howard, Doris Evans

Idaho Family Magazine, published monthly

by Gem Production Co., LLC, is committed to providing readers with informative and entertaining information to help them in maintaining healthy families and positive lifestyles. It is distributed throughout the valley as a free publication. Idaho Family Magazine does not assume responsibility for statements or opinions expressed by editorial contributors or advertisers. The acceptance of advertising does not constitute an endorsement of the products, services or information. Idaho Family Magazine does not knowingly present any product or service which is fraudulent or misleading in nature. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced without express written consent of the publisher. Reader correspondence and editorial submissions are welcome. Idaho Family Magazine reserves the right to edit or reject all materials submitted.

All rights reserved. Copyright 2020 by Gem Production Co., LLC. Follow us on Facebook www.idahofamilymagazine.com

March|April 2020

Columns

4 14 The Horney

Idaho AEYC

Early education’s value

Village

Are the kids ‘grounded’?

Real Money, 5 15 Real Families

Boise Music Week

The allowance debate

Aging well at 102

21 The Outdoorsman Logging outfit mishap

Granddad to grandkids

12

A racing family

22 Wednesday’s

Early 16 Learning, Preschool & Child Care Guide 2020

Pocket wardrobe

Departments

22

Swatches for shopping

Child

Meet Brenton

In Each Edition 8 Family Events Calendar

Children’s Photos Wanted Idaho Family Magazine would love to put your child or children on our cover. All photos should be high quality, sharp and clear, and high resolution of around 300 ppi.

Color photos are preferred, and all photos need to be vertical not horizontal. Please identify the children in the photos, the children’s ages, and what Treasure Valley community they reside in. (If chosen for the cover, their last names will not be used without permission.) Send the photos to editorgaye@gmail.com.

FREE

Mar/Apr 2020 Sponsor of

BOISE MUSIC WEEK Free

THE WO RD ‘GROUN DED’ Its many meaning s ALLOWAN CE DEBATE Earn ed or entit led?

IDAEYC and office, posin IdahoSTARS staff in our g with our mascot, the Emerald St. Giraffee.

events galo re

See inside for...

A RACING FAMILY Driv

Early Learn

Preschool

ing fast is good

ing | 2020

and ChildCa

re Guide

Idaho Family Magazine | MARCH/APRIL 2020 3

IDAHO AEYC

Early education’s value Submitted by the Idaho AEYC

T

he Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children is dedicated to improving the quality of early learning programs and increasing access to those opportunities across the state. As Idaho’s voice for advancing high-quality early learning, we advocate for children, families and the early childhood educators who work with them.

Advocacy

Idaho is one of a handful of states that does not provide any funding for preschool. Families across Idaho say that quality child care and preschool programs are inaccessible and unaffordable. As a result, half of our children enter kindergarten without the foundational skills they need to be successful in school and beyond. Idaho AEYC is working to change that. We promote and support issues related to early childhood education, practice, policy and professional development. We advocate for local, state and federal investment in early childhood education.

Preschool the Idaho Way

Idaho AEYC’s Preschool the Idaho Way project launched in October 2018 with a mission to help more families access highquality, affordable preschool. To achieve this, Idaho AEYC is working directly with communities to create local preschool collaboratives. These collaboratives bring together stakeholders who want to see high-quality preschool opportunities for families in their community. The goal is to build partnerships among existing local experts in early childhood education, including programs such as Head Start, in-home and centerbased child care providers and school districts.

IdahoSTARS

IdahoSTARS is a collaborative project between Idaho AEYC, the University of Idaho Center on Disabilities and Human Development and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. It offers early childhood educators a range of professional development opportunities and resources. IdahoSTARS supports child care programs participating in the Idaho Child Care Program, which helps low-income families access child care. In addition, IdahoSTARS provides free child care referrals for parents, suggesting programs based on the type of care needed, desired days and hours for child care and location. Learn more at idahostars.org.

READY! for Kindergarten

Idaho AEYC’s READY! for Kindergarten project supports parents in their role as a child’s first and most influential teacher. READY! workshops are free and open to families with children ages 0 to 5. Each workshop encourages parents to talk, sing, read and play with their child in simple ways that foster essential pre-literacy, premath and social-emotional skills. Each family receives kits filled with high-quality early learning materials. Learn more at idahoaeyc.org/ready.

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BOISE MUSIC WEEK

Annual event ages well at 102

By Gaye Bunderson

T

here aren’t many things in life that last 102 years.

Boise Music Week is a notable exception. The annual event began in 1919 and is still alive today thanks to the dedication of its volunteers, valleywide interest, and the local community’s commitment to keeping a longstanding tradition alive and well.

Beverly Schumacher was named president of Boise Music Week two years ago, after having served on its board for nine years prior. Though it is an unpaid position, it’s still a full-time job. But Schumacher does not regret her decision to become a very active part of Boise Music Week.

“I feel it’s really worth it. We get a lot of great response from people,” she said.

Everything about Boise Music Week is local: the musicians, the actors, the dancers — everything. And just as important, everything about Boise Music Week is absolutely free. Its entire program list may be attended by anyone without any cost.

This year, there will be 25 events in 13 days spread mostly throughout the downtown core of Boise, in venues such as the Boise Public Library, the Idaho State Historical Museum, the Morrison Center, St. Michael’s Cathedral, Cathedral of the Rockies, the Egyptian Theater, Julia Davis Park, ExtraMile Arena, and the Borah High School Auditorium.

MORRISON CENTER IDAHO’S PREMIER PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

The performers in Boise Music Week may be amateurs or professionals, but they are all from the Treasure Valley — including people who moved away but briefly return to Boise to participate in their beloved Boise Music Week. Some act, dance, or sing only once; others take part every year; and still others are, according to Schumacher, “people who like to perform and just do it once in a while.”

Performers come in a range of ages also. There’s a School Night that features junior high and high school choirs, bands, and orchestras; and there are elementary school honor choirs.

“We encourage everyone to include young people in all the concerts,” Schumacher said. There is a chairperson and a committee for every event, and there are 32 committees in all.

Boise Music Week is not only cross-generational but crosscultural as well. There is an International Dance Night at Borah, with performers from cultural centers in the area.

Perhaps most importantly, everything is age-appropriate for all attendees. Even this year’s performance of “Into the Woods” at the Morrison Center will be “light-hearted, comical, and family-friendly,” Schumacher said, despite the original play’s intertwined Continued on Page 6 “Thoroughly Modern Millie” was presented at the Morrison Center during Boise Music Week 2019.

The play was honored with three BroadwayWorld Regional Awards, including: Best Musical – non-professional. (Courtesy photo) ON THE CAMPUS OF

BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY

Velma V. Morrison FAMILY THEATRE SERIES

Tic k ets o nly inc l m ost f $10 ees

Jason Bishop: Straight Up Magic Thursday, March 19, 2020 • 7:30 PM

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Suppor t by Morrison Center Volunteers, Greenbelt Magazine, IdahoPT V, KBOI Channel 2, and Morrison Center Endowment Foundation

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Idaho Family Magazine | MARCH/APRIL 2020 5

Boise Music Week Continued from Page 5 plots of Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault fairytales that include a curse-making, evil witch.

The nuts & bolts

An event of the scope and size of Boise Music Week doesn’t come together in a handful of weeks. Planning is a yearlong process. “Last year, the morning after the last performance, I had a meeting to start planning this year,” Schumacher said. No time to take a breath.

“Our treasurer is busy all year round, taking donations, paying bills,” she said. “And all the board members are also very dedicated.”

A lot of them have served for many years, but a focus of Schumacher’s when she was named president was to enlist new board members, with fresh ideas and input.

“I brought in a lot of new board members — it’s a new generation for the next 100 years,” she said.

Despite the non-profit nature of Boise Music Week, funding is still fundamental to its success. The non-profit operates on donations from the community, corporate sponsors, and the occasional small grant, such as a Boise City Arts Council grant.

Money raised goes toward advertising, liability insurance, printed programs, lighting and technical work, royalties, costumes, makeup, sets, and materials. Community members offer free spaces for performers and builders to rehearse and build sets.

“This community is very supportive,” Schumacher said.

Donations are taken at events and through the website.

Boise Music Week is not just a part of the community during a single time of year either. “‘Boise Music Week’ is our brand, but we’re not limited to that,” said Schumacher. “We entertain at Boise Towne Square Mall at Christmas and sponsor floats in three different parades in the valley and have won awards in each.”

As for the holiday concert in the mall, she said, “The focus is on giving local musicians a chance to perform. Also, there’s an influx of people to this area who don’t know about Boise Music Week, so we use this opportunity to hand out information.”

The then & now

“Boise Music Week has been consistent for 102 years.

Other cities have tried similar programs but didn’t make it,” Schumacher said.

A brief history at boisemusicweek.org reads in part: “When Eugene A. Farner returned to Boise from serving in the U.S. Army in World War I, he came home with a vision: He wanted a first-class musical celebration showcasing talent from Southwestern Idaho, and he wanted to make sure there would never be a charge for the event. Mr. Farner, the director of music at St. Michael’s Episcopal Cathedral and the Boise Civic Festival Chorus, shared that vision with his friends and community leaders and in May 1919, Boise Music Week was born.”

On the event’s 100th year, a board member did some sleuthing and located two of Farner’s granddaughters. They were invited to the centennial of Boise Music Week and, in Schumacher’s words, “were totally blown away and amazed” when they attended and realized their grandfather’s dream was still alive.

“They were able to go into St. Michaels, where they’d gone as children, and experience concerts on the same organ that their grandfather had played,” Schumacher said.

Schumacher said when she became president that she wanted to keep things focused in Boise, and by that she meant the venues.

Thousands of people from throughout the valley participate in and attend the programs, but when she was approached by other communities to hold performances in their cities, she politely declined, believing that Boise Music Week should remain in Boise.

But the special week is very valley-friendly. Everyone is welcome, and if opportunities to perform were missed this year, Boise Music Week will be under the auspices of incoming president Shannon Smurthwaite next year, and the event will still be firing on all musical cylinders in its 103rd year, so watch for audition and other news on its website. And treat yourselves to the free and edifying events that mark the special week in the City of Trees of the Gem State. It’s a one-of-a-kind opportunity and a one-of-its-kind, award-winning program.

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BOISE MUSIC WEEK SCHEDULE – MAY 5-17 BOISE SCHOOL’S NIGHT

Tuesday, May 5, 7 p.m.

Extra Mile Arena (formerly Taco Bell Arena) Featuring over 1,500 instrumental and vocal students from the Boise School District.

MUSIC FOR CHILDREN – LET’S PLAY MUSIC

Tuesday, May 5, 10:30 a.m. to noon, Boise Public Library Sponsored by the Treasure Valley Let’s Play Music teachers, there will be instruments to play, songs to write, and lots of puppet shows.

(Target age: preschoolers) MUSIC FOR CHILDREN – SOUND BEGINNINGS

Wednesday, May 6, 10:30 a.m. to noon, Boise Public Library The Treasure Valley Sound Beginnings teachers will sponsor a day of music activities for babies and toddlers.

MUSIC FOR CHILDREN – MUSIC CARNIVAL

Thursday, May 7, 10:30 a.m. to noon, Boise Public Library Sponsored by the Boise Public Library Children’s Librarians, there will be music games, music crafts, instrument making, dancing, prizes, and a lot of music. All ages welcome with caregivers.

GRIMM’S FAIRY TALES AND MORE

Thursday, May 7, 4 p.m., Boise Public Library Grimm’s Fairy Tales Experience with an “Into the Woods” sneak peek; all families welcome.

MESS WITH MUSIC AT THE MUSEUM

Thursday, May 7, 5 to 9 p.m., Idaho Historical Museum Living History accounting of Carrie Cartee and performances on the Cartee Historical Piano, along with musical activities throughout. All families welcome.

MUSIC ADVENTURES, MY MANY COLORED DAYS

Friday, May 8, 10:30 a.m. to noon, Boise Public Library A program for children of all ages and their caregivers.

CHURCH NIGHT

Sunday, May 10, 7 p.m., Cathedral of the Rockies A spiritual adventure in music in the form of an ecumenical worship service.

SHOWCASE

Monday, May 11, 7 p.m., Borah High School Auditorium The Treasure Valley Concert Band and Boise’s Basque choir, Biotzetik, combine for an evening of instrumental and choral music ORGAN RECITALS

Monday, May 11 through Thursday, May 14, 12:15 to 12:45 p.m.

St. Michael’s Cathedral Each day features a local organ master, playing the organ that graces the sanctuary at St. Michael’s Cathedral. Just stop in and enjoy.

CLASSICAL PIANO JAM

Tuesday, May 12, 7 p.m., Idaho State Museum Young piano students play with local master pianists to perform the music of great composers.

SUPERSTAR KIDS

Wednesday, May 13, 7 p.m., Borah High School Auditorium Boise’s best young artists come together for an evening of music and dance.

EGYPTIAN THEATRE ORGAN RECITAL AND SILENT MOVIE PERFORMANCE

Friday, May 15, 12:15 p.m., Egyptian Theatre A silent movie will be featured with added entertainment.

BROADWAY MUSICAL “INTO THE WOODS”

Thursday, May 14, through Saturday, May 16, 7:30 p.m., as well as: Saturday, May 16, 2 p.m. matinee and Sunday, May 17, 2 p.m. matinee, Velma Morrison Center for the Performing Arts-BSU Campus All the performances and events are absolutely free.

For more information, go to www.boisemusicweek.org.

INTERNATIONAL DANCE NIGHT

Friday, May 8, 7 p.m., Borah High School Auditorium This year’s program will feature a romantic Grand Tour of the World.

MUSIC IN THE PARK

Saturday, May 9, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., AG Pavilion – Julia Davis Park A musical kaleidoscope for the whole family. Bring your blanket or chair and enjoy an outdoor performance.

ALL THAT’S JAZZ!

Saturday, May 9, 7 p.m., Borah High School Auditorium Hear your favorite Boise jazz musicians.

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CALENDAR Adaptive dance classes

Instructor Ali Landers of Pivot Movement offers ongoing, weekly, adaptive, inclusive, accessible dance and yoga classes. Dance classes are Wednesdays from 3 to 4 p.m. and Fridays from 4 to 5 p.m. at JUMP, 1000 Myrtle Street in dowtown Boise. Yoga classes are on Mondays from 3 to 4 p.m. at The Gem Center for the Arts, 2417 West Bank Drive in Boise.

Classes are adapted to give everyone the opportunity to feel they belong and to allow their strengths to shine. For more information, call Landers at 208-8506869 or go to the Pivot Movement website at http:// www.pivotmovement.com.

Sparky the Fire Dog’s birthday party

The Meridian Fire Department is hosting a birthday party for Sparky the Fire Dog from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 7, at the Meridian library branch at 1326 W. Cherry Ln. MFD invites all kids to come and help Sparky celebrate his big day with cupcakes, a fire engine, and lots of friends. Sparky will be available to take photos with, as will the fire engine crew.

Boise Philharmonic – Disney In Concert

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Join the Boise Phil for a journey into storytelling and music as only the timeless tales of Disney can evoke.

Brought to life by the talents of four Broadwaycaliber singers and featuring high resolution animated feature film sequences, Disney In Concert will feature iconic moments from “Frozen,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Cinderella,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Tangled,” “The Lion King” and more.

The program will begin at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at the Morrison Center. For tickets and other information, go to morrisoncenter.com.

Ambrose School Storytime

Spring Sports Madness for Moms & Sons

iD Tech STEM programs

The Ambrose School, located at 6100 N. Locust Grove Rd. in Merdian, offers a fun story hour for families approximately twice a month. Storytime begins at 10 a.m. in the school library and is open to any family that loves a good tale. All are welcome (children under 4 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian). Storytimes will be held on the following upcoming days: March 5, March 19, April 2, April 16, April 30, and May 7. For more information, call Molly Blakeman at 208-319-7926 or email her at mblakeman@theambroseschool.org.

iLLUMiBRATE

iLLUMiBRATE is a light and color festival for all ages that will take place from 6 to 11 p.m. Friday, March 6, at JUMP. For more information, see the calendar at jacksurbanmeetingplace.org.

Nampa Rec Center will hold its 7th Annual Spring Sports Madness for Moms & Sons, ages 3-13, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday, March 7. Mothers and sons may spend one-on-one time together playing basketball and dodgeball, enjoying other fun games, eating pizza, and having their photos taken together.

Cost is $8 for members and $10 for non-members.

Go to nampaparksandrecreation.org.

PAW Patrol Live

PAW Patrol Live! “The Great Pirate Adventure” will be performed at ExtraMile Arena at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, March 7, and at noon and 4 p.m. Sunday, March 8. For tickets or more information, go to extramilearena.com.

Museum opening and volunteer orientation

The Idaho Museum of Mining and Geology is seeking enthusiastic volunteers who love rocks and Idaho history. Learn what’s happening at the museum and determine if you would enjoy volunteering there during an orientation at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at the museum located Be a legend. at 2455 Old Penitentiary Rd. in Boise. For more Insure your life. information, call Annemarie at 208-866-6386 or Be a legend.

Shirley at 208-283-3186, visit www.idahomuseum.

Insure your life. org, or find the museum on Facebook. The museum is a 501(c)3 non-profit founded in 1989. Operated With the right life insurance, you can leave a legacy for primarily by volunteers, the museum provides your family. I’m here to help. numerous opportunities for adults and children, LET’S TALK TODAY. including school tours, scout tours and badge With the right life insurance, With the right life insurance, leave for field trips, workshops, lectures, special events, you canyou leavecan a legacy for a legacywork, outreach your family.

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Splash N’ Dash

Kids and staff will do the splashing while parents do the dashing at Splash N’ Dash at the Nampa Recreation Center from 5:45 to 9:45 p.m. on March 13 and April 10. Parents may enjoy a Friday evening with each other while Rec Center staff actively entertains their children in the pools. The event is for children ages 3-12. All children must be potty trained. Pre-registration is required. Go to nampaparksandrecreation.org.

“Seuss Spectacular”

Treasure Valley Children’s Theater will present “Seuss Spectacular” from 2 to 3 p.m. Friday, March 13, at the Library! at Bown Crossing, 2153 E. Riverwalk Dr., Boise. For more information, email info@treasurevalleychildrenstheater.com.

Foothills Family Day & Spring Break Camp

The Foothills Learning Center holds special days for families throughout the year. The drop-in programs take place on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., are free, and do not require registration. The topic on March 14 is “Birds of Prey.” Learn about local birds of prey such as owls, hawks, eagles and more. There will be live bird demonstrations, crafts and other activities. FLC will also offer a spring break camp for children ages 6 to 8 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 2327. Participants will explore the ecosystem around them, discover plants and animals that come alive in the spring, do science experiments, hike the foothills, and more. Cost is $90 per child, and registration is required. The center is located at 3188 Sunset Peak Rd. in Boise. Go to bee.cityofboise.org/foothills.

Food Truck Rally Goes to the Dogs

This annual event is set for 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 14, at Lloyd Square Park in downtown Nampa. Food and drink will be available for purchase; proceeds help support Nampa dog parks.

For more information, visit nampaparks.org.

Land Art Exhibit

Idaho Botanical Garden’s second annual Land Art Exhibit will feature works using natural materials such as clay, leaves, seeds, stones, wood, and wool.

These pieces challenge artists to think about creating art that does not permanently occupy a space. Due to the nature of these natural art pieces, the display will decay and decompose over time. The exhibit will be on display at the Idaho Botanical Garden March 14 through April 30, during regular Garden hours. The public is welcome to experience the unique “land art” creations free of charge from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 14. For more information, go to idahobotanicalgarden.org.

Boise Spring Home & Garden Show

The Boise Spring Home & Garden Show will take place at Expo Idaho from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday, March 19 and 20; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Saturday, March 21; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday,

www.idahofamilymagazine.com

of Events March 22. There will be more than 200 displays, highlighting remodeling and landscaping. For more information, go to expoidaho.com.

Mary Poppins, Jr.

Treasure Valley Children’s Theater will present performances of Mary Poppins, Jr. at 7 p.m. Friday, March 20, and at 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, March 21, with a cast of local children. Performances will be at Mountain View High School, 2000 S. Millennium Way in Meridian. For more information, email info@treasurevalleychildrenstheater.com.

Little Gardeners Preschool Drop-Off

This program for children ages 3½ to 6 will focus on seasonal components of gardening and encourage youngsters to explore, create, and eat healthy.

Activities will include garden tours, craft projects, science experiments, story times, bug catching, and more. The program is held from 1 to 4 p.m. at BUGS, 2995 N. Five Mile Rd. in Boise. Remaining dates include March 20 and 27; April 17 and 24; and May 15 and 22. Go to boiseurbangardenschool.org to register or for more information.

Beginning March, 2020 Please send family-related calendar items to editorgaye@gmail.com

Idaho Cat Show

Hosted by Idaho Cat Fanciers, this annual competition showcases felines and awards ribbons and rosettes in championship, premiership, household pets, veterans, and kittens. It will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 21, and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, March 22, in the Premium Building at Expo Idaho. For more information, go to expoidaho.com.

Dig into Rocks

Join the Idaho Museum of Mining and Geology, 2455 Old Penitentiary Rd. in Boise, for its opening weekend from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 21, for a Dig into Rocks event. There will be free minerals for all the kids, geode cracking from 1 to 4, updated exhibits, and a gift shop. Admission is free. For more information, call 208-368-9876 or visit the museum online at www. idahomuseum.org or on Facebook.

WaterShed Weekend & Spring Break Program Join the Boise WaterShed every third Saturday of the month for nature and art activities for the whole family. Activities take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Admission is free, and no pre-registration is needed. On March 21, the topic will be “Spring Madness.” Attendees will participate in a celebration of spring, with spring-themed games and activities. The Boise WaterShed will also offer a free spring break program from 10 a.m. to noon March 23-27. The WaterShed is located at 11818 W. Joplin Rd. For more information, go to www.

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Idaho Family Magazine | MARCH/APRIL 2020 9

CALENDAR of Events

Baby Shark Live

Baby Shark Live is set for 7 p.m. Monday, March 23, at Ford Idaho Center. For tickets and other information, go to fordidahocenter.com.

Culinary Camp & Family Night Out

The Boise Urban Garden School will offer a culinary camp for youngsters ages 10-14 from 1 to 3:30 p.m. March 23-27 at BUGS at 2995 N. Five Mile Rd. In this hands-on camp, students will learn various culinary skills. Fee is $90, and registration is required. BUGS also offers Family Night Out culinary programs. On Tuesday, March 31, from 5 to 7 p.m., the topic will be Cuisines of India. Fee is $15 per person. Bring the whole family on an international journey for the tastebuds. Students under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a paying adult. Go to bee.cityofboise.org.

Spring Break Tennis Camp

Children ages 6-14 may participate in a spring break tennis camp at Nampa Recreation Center from 10 to 11 a.m. March 23-27 at Lions Park Tennis Court, 508 Davis Ave. They’ll learn basic tennis concepts and strokes from instructors from the Idaho Tennis Association. Cost is $35. Other spring break programs are also available. Go to nampaparksandrecreation.org for more information.

Learn to Skate Camp

Children ages 5-12 may participate in a spring break skate camp at Idaho IceWorld Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon March 23-27.

Registration includes skate rental, instruction from certifed instructors, snacks, and games. Participants will receive a camp t-shirt to wear for the final day performance, when skaters show off the skills they’ve learned throughout the week. The final performance is set for 11:45 a.m. on Friday, March 27. Fee is $150 per child. For more information, go to cityofboise.org or idahoiceworld.com.

Boise Parks & Recreation Spring Break Camps Boise Parks & Recreation will hold a number of spring break camps for kids March 23-27, including Robot Games and more. For more information, go to parks.cityofboise.org or call 208-608-7680.

Zoo Careers Spring Break Camp

Kids ages 12-15 who might be interested in a zoo career someday may explore the many options at zoos and other animal-focused organizations during a spring break camp from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, March 23-27, at Zoo Boise. Cost is $190 for Friends of Zoo Boise members and $215 for non-members. (There will also be an Animals in Action camp for kids ages 7-11.) Go to zooboise.org.

Homeschool Day at the World Center for Birds of Prey

cont.

event, lessons will incorporate the Life Sciences, with special emphases on Adaptations, Habitat, and Wildlife Conservation. Live birds of prey will be featured in each session. The next session will be held March 25. Pre-registration is required by contacing Curtis Evans at cevans@peregrinefund. org or 208-362-8260.

DIY Book Pages Vase

Learn how to fold a book into the shape of a vase and decorate it using handmade flowers. The craft program will take place from 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday, March 25, at the Library! at Cole and Ustick. All ages and skill levels are welcome, but ages 12 and under need a parent present to help with folding and hot glue. For more information, contact Sarah at 208-972-8300.

“The Pirates of Penzance”

Music Theatre of Idaho will present the Gilbert and Sullivan musical, “The Pirates of Penzance,” March 26-28 at the Nampa Civic Center. For tickets or more information, go to nampaciviccenter.com.

Boise WaterShed Adult Programs

The Boise WaterShed holds programs for children and families but also has a number of programs just for adults, including Friday Night Adult eARThworks, where participants create artworks (or “earthworks”). These classes are taught by a team of artists and scientists who explore science topics and offer lessons in art methods. The programs take place from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at 11818 W. Joplin Rd. Pre-registration is required, and the cost is $15 per person. More information may be found at bee. cityofboise.org. Registration ends one week prior to class start date. The topic on March 27 is “Jewel of the Gem State: The Boise Foothills.” The topic on April 24 will be “Warm Springs Avenue: History & Architecture.”

Boise Flower & Garden Show

Kick off spring with the Boise Flower & Garden Show March 27-29 at Boise Centre. See the best in products and ideas and get expert advice on all things flower-and-garden. For more information, go to iblevents.com.

Story Story Night

For its 10th anniversary season, Story Story Night hits the big time this winter and spring at the all-ages JUMP (Pioneer Room) in downtown Boise. With themes based on the decades (and all the dated associations that go with them), party like it’s 1999 — and any given era before and after. See how it all adds up from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, March 31, and Tuesday, April 28, with true stories told live on stage.

For more information, or to register to participate, go to register.jacksurbanmeetingplace.org.

Join your homeschool community in learning about birds of prey with The Peregrine Fund. During each

10 MARCH/APRIL 2020 | Idaho Family Magazine

Gem State Comic Con

Gem State Comic Con is an Idaho pop culture convention created by fans for fans. The familyfriendly event will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday, April 4, at Expo Idaho. Come meet artists from Marvel and DC Comics, and more. Tickets are $10 when bought online at www.gemstatecomiccon. com or $15 at the door. A Family Pack of tickets (admits 4) is $35 and available online only. Kids 12 and under are always free.

Sunday Play

Sunday Play at the main branch of Boise Public Library will rotate Legos, blocks and other toys to encourage imagination and engineering skills.

Youngsters may attend from 2 to 3 p.m. Sunday, April 5. For more information about this and similar programs at the library, go to boisepubliclibrary.org.

Flashlight Easter Egg Hunt

Activities start at 8 p.m. and the Easter Egg Hunt begins at 9 p.m. on Saturday, April 11, in Nampa Rec Center’s backyard. The center is located at 131 Constitution Way. Go to nampaparksandrecreation. org for more information.

Easterfest in Eagle

An Easterfest will be held in Reid Merrill Park in Eagle from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 11. Go to cityofeagle.org for more information.

Idaho Theater for Youth – Sword Song: A New Arthurian Legend

Presented by Idaho Shakespeare Festival’s Idaho Theater for Youth program, with additional support provided by the Morrison Center Endowment Foundation, this free program is set for 2 p.m.

Saturday, April 11, at the Morrison Center.

Written by Dwayne Blackaller, the story revolves around Avalon Griffith Hughes, who discovers a mysterious sword in a lake in Cornwall, England, and then finds herself in the heart of an incredible adventure. For tickets or more information, go to morrisoncenter.com.

Nampa Art Guild Spring Show

Visit the Nampa Public Library lobby April 13-22 to view artworks by members of the Nampa Art Guild.

The guild is a non-profit group of artists who meet weekly to paint together and learn about the fine arts. Their members reside throughout the Treasure Valley and other nearby areas. Go to nampartguild. org for more information.

Trebelle Piano Trio

The Trebelle Piano Trio will perform a special concert at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 18, at Jewett Auditorium in Caldwell. A presentation of Caldwell Fine Arts, the concert will feature works composed entirely by women composers to commemorate the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage. For tickets or more information, go to caldwellfinearts.org.

WaterShed Weekend in April

The topic of WaterShed Weekend on April 18 is “Extreme Weather.” Bring the whole family anytime from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to 11818 W. Joplin Rd. and dive into weather and climate science. From 10:30 to 11, local meteorologist Scott Dorval will give a

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presentation about weather. Around the exhibit hall, there will be weather demonstrations, and participants may create a mini tornado and other weather experiments. Admission is free, and no preregistration is needed. For more information, go to www.BoiseEnvironmentalEducation.org.

The Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children and the Idaho Botanical Garden are partnering to host this celebration; the garden will be open for the community to explore during the event. For more information, go to https:// idahoaeyc.org/week-of-the-young-child/.

Spring Kickoff

Earth Day Work Day

A Free Day and Wellness Fair will highlight Nampa Rec Center’s Spring Kickoff from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Saturday, April 18. There will be free admission all day, with Wellness Fair booths from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Try Me! times from 9:15 a.m. to 12:35 p.m. Go to nampaparksandrecreation.org.

Zoo Boise Kid Night

Children ages 7-12 can learn how Zoo Boise cares for nocturnal animals, try their hand at a survival skills game, and enjoy a snack under the stars during Zoo Boise Kid Night from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, April 18. Cost is $20 for Friends of Zoo members and $25 for non-members. Go to zooboise.org.

Week of the Young Child Celebration

A family-friendly outdoor celebration is set for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 18, at the Idaho Botanical Garden, 2355 Old Penitentiary Rd. in Boise. The free event will focus on quality community resources for young children. Parents will learn about early literacy, summer camps, fire safety, child care, healthy eating and more. Children will try new gymnastics moves, learn how to cast a fishing line, play musical instruments and more.

There will also be live music and performances.

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Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge invites wildlife-lovers of all ages to celebrate Earth Day by volunteering their time. Volunteers will participate in conservation-related projects such as removing noxious weeds, cleaning up litter around the shores of Lake Lowell, and more. Volunteers should plan to meet at the Refuge Visitor Center from 9 a.m. to noon, rain or shine, Saturday, April 18. Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center is located at 13751 Upper Embankment Rd., Nampa. For more information, call 208-467-9278.

Easter Egg Swim

An Easter Egg Swim will be held from 1 to 3 p.m.

Monday, April 20, at the Nampa Rec Center. Cost to participate is included with the price of admission to NRC.

Family Night Out in April

The Boise Urban Garden School’s Family Night Out culinary program on Monday, April 20, will be Cuisines of Vietnam. The program will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Fee is $15 per person. Go to bee. cityofboise.org.

Teen Program: Earth Day Cookies

There is no Earth without art, so come get your art skills on and decorate a premade cookie in honor of Earth Day from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Monday, April 20, at Ada Community Library’s Victory Branch.

The program is for youngsters ages 12-18. For more information, go to adalib.org.

Powerful Tools for Caregivers

A free 6-part workshop series helping family caregivers find balance is set for Tuesdays from 1 to 3:30 p.m. April 21-May 26 at Dick Eardley Senior Center, 690 Robbins Rd. in Boise. Register at 208947-4281 or ashoup@jannus.org.

Jurassic Quest

Jurassic Quest will return to Expo Idaho May 1-3.

For more information, visit jurassicquest.com.

Mother’s Day Brunch

Zoo Boise will hold its annual Mother’s Day Brunch from 9 to 10 a.m. Sunday, May 10. Spots are limited, and reservations must be made by May 6. For cost, reservations, and other information, go to https://zooboise.org/event/mothers-daybrunch-4/.

Idaho Family Magazine | MARCH/APRIL 2020 11

GRANDDAD to GRANDKIDS

Racing family lights up the Speedway

By Dennis Lopez

T

here is something about Nampa’s auto racing Weaver family that is hard to explain; in some ways it is akin to a dual personality. Sitting in the large, pleasant kitchen of Marv and Donna Weaver’s hilltop home, chatting with three generations of family members, it’s easy to forget they are a hard-driving, give-no-quarter family of racers at Meridian’s quarter mile-speedway. But the stories and inside jokes have a familiar focus; they center on auto racing, and perhaps more important, on family.

Their racing story began 58 years ago when Marv Weaver entered his first oval track race. His journey would lead to his eventually switching to street stock cars, cars with conventional full-fendered bodies. The change in classes also began to bring the senior Weaver success, including wins that earned him an ounce of gold, a diamond ring and even a trip to Hawaii before his retirement from driving. Marv was inducted into the Western Idaho Racing Association Hall of Fame in 2003.

Today he no longer drives, rather he says he is chief mechanic for the rest of the Weaver clan: his daughter Melissa and her daughter and son, Kendra and Taylor Occhipinti. With a daughter and two grandchildren driving Meridian Speedway’s quarter-mile oval, the story of the racing Weavers has many more chapters to go.

Marv Leads the Way

“I started racing six-cylinder [open wheel] cars in 1962,” he says. “We raced in Meridian, Hermiston, a lot of different tracks.”

Doubtless, Marv Weaver never considered he would be leading the way for future members of his family to race. Nor did he imagine that his daughter, Melissa, would break not only track records, but break through the local motorsports’ gender barrier as well.

“I watched a lot of races growing up,” recalls Melissa. “By

the time I was 14, I wanted to race cars but was too young.

In 1991, I began racing in the ‘Bomber’ class.” Bombers, she explains, were basically a street car with limited or no real racing modifications allowed. “It wasn’t easy in the beginning. I made a lot of trips from the front of the pack to the rear.”

In spite of her racing difficulties, that year she still managed to place tenth overall in points for her class out of a field of 40 cars. It was a glimpse at a future champion. In 2019, she would be inducted into the Western Idaho Racing Association Hall of Fame, just like her father 16 years earlier.

Skepticism and Hostility

In those first years of racing, not all of Melissa Weaver’s difficulty was on the race track. She says there was considerable resistance from her mother, Donna, who worried about her safety, and from the racing community and race fans who believed women had no place in auto racing.

“Thirty years ago, times were different,” she recalls. “There were only a handful of girl racers at Meridian Speedway when I started. For about the first four years of racing, I put up with a lot of flak, rolled eyes, teasing and rude comments. It seemed like I had it from all directions. I often cried when no one was around.

“I finally decided, I’m here to stay and I’m going to continue to do what I love and show them that I belong to be here as a driver.”

It was in those early years she also learned how to put critics in their places, both verbally and on the race track.

She says that a key to her success as a driver has been consistency. That consistency led to her ultimately winning a dozen championships. While each has been rewarding, she says her first championship was her most memorable.

“I won it sitting in the stands,” she says. “Just before the final race of the season, I found out I was pregnant and didn’t want to race. My dad was in second place and I was afraid that if I sat out the race and he won, I would not have enough overall points to win the championship.”

Ultimately family won out.

“We compromised and my dad agreed to set out the race with me and we watched the race together with the fans. I was far enough ahead in total points to win without racing.”

Great Driver, Nervous Fan

Marv Weaver, left, passed on the racing bug to his daughter and grandchildren. Shown here are, left to right, Marv, Kendra Occhipinti, Taylor Occhipinti, and Melissa Weaver. A winning family, they collectively have won 24 championships at Meridian Speedway.

Melissa has 12, Marv 8, and two apiece for Kendra and Taylor.

(Photo by Dennis Lopez) 12 MARCH/APRIL 2020 | Idaho Family Magazine

Melissa’s son and daughter started their racing careers at the age when most kids are playing softball or soccer.

“I was 11 when I started driving Junior Stingers,” says 20-year-old Kendra Occhipinti. “I won two High School Tuner championships.”

Her brother, Taylor Occhipinti, a Nampa High School senior, also has shown promise on the quarter-mile oval.

“For Taylor,” Melissa says, “there were two championships, one in the High School Tuner Class and one in the Junior Stingers.”

“They’re good drivers,” she says.

Both have moved up to more powerful street stock cars www.idahofamilymagazine.com

handed down by their mother and grandfather. And just as the days when their mother and grandfather raced against one another, Kendra and Taylor race one another as hard as they race any other drivers.

“Maybe I race my sister a little harder,” admits Taylor.

While Melissa Weaver is a skilled driver, she is by some accounts a terrible fan.

“You don’t want to stand near Melissa when the kids are racing,” says her mother. “She’s a nervous wreck when they’re on the track.”

Yet Melissa insists that being a racing family means being close to one another.

“I think that racing has made us close as a family,” she maintains. “We spend a lot of time together, working on our cars or going over video from our in-car cameras. We analyze our individual performance and help each other improve.”

She says finding balance is a key to their closely-knit family’s success. “Doing what you want and like to do is the way to follow your dreams.”

Today, she sees changes in her sport, changes that she says are encouraging and the fulfillment of her goal set years ago.

“I look down the pit lane each week and I see all the young girls starting out, and the women drivers that have several years of experience now, one being my own daughter; I realize that all of the flak, rude comments and teasing was worth it in the end,” she says. “My goal was to prove that racing was not just a guy’s sport and if you have a dream, don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t have it!”

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Idaho Family Magazine | MARCH/APRIL 2020 13

THE HORNEY Village

Grounded kids versus grounded adults

By Jessie Horney

I

heard my 7-year-old tell someone that she and her siblings are “grounded from TV right now” and it took me by surprise. How did she know the word “grounded”? Had I used it before? It was true, I recently lost my ever-loving mind at all the bickering and general grumpiness in our family and did the only thing that ever works: I took away TV privileges. But I call it a “screen break,” careful to avoid any sense of punishment, wanting to avoid the idea that it’s my fault they can’t open up Netflix. I prefer framing it as a choice they made by fighting so much. Hearing the word “grounded” made me pause, realizing: one – of course they knew it was a punishment, and two – I didn’t really know why I was so bothered by the idea of a grounding anyways.

The problems with screens and kids are

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well-documented and difficult to argue against at this point. Screen time creates chaos in their brains, short-circuiting the fresh connections they’re trying to make each day, destroying their attention spans, and quite literally reconfiguring their thought processes with colors, noises, and a speed of movement that they are simply unable to absorb.

But let’s not make this about screens, because that soapbox is occupied and also because I actually love TV shows and movies. I took away screens because I know unplugging helps my kids calm down and be their best selves again. It works for me, too. But why would we use the word “grounding” for taking away TV anyways? Is it just a word I learned from my own childhood television families? Am I actually just taking parenting cues from Danny Tanner, the Winslows, and Zack Morris’ moms?

In the middle of this low-key parenting identity crisis, I’m trying to sort out whether or not I’m a mom who grounds people. Here’s the thing: Grounding works. Whether it’s a week without screens, a 10-minute time-out holding hands with the offending sibling, being sent to their rooms for 30 minutes with a stack of books, or a “quiet ride” to church (which means no one is allowed to speak), being grounded from a privilege like screens or playing together or even talking in the car brings my kids back to earth. They settle down. Once their irritation dissipates, they can take a deep breath, quite literally, and start their day over.

We’ve assigned a negative connotation to grounding when it comes to our kids, but think about this: When we describe an adult as “grounded,” we mean it as something likable, something admirable.

We mean that person is settled, they know who they are, and they move through the world with certainty and humility. What do we say after we invest in the lives of others, whether on a week-

14 MARCH/APRIL 2020 | Idaho Family Magazine

long service trip or an afternoon at the hospital with a friend in crisis? We say: “It was such a grounding experience.”

Even taking a trip to the mountains grounds us, right? It’s why we go, why we remove ourselves from the push and pull of daily life, choosing cold morning air, working hard to build a fire, walking instead of driving, putting away our phones and the comparison game of social media and sitting in the quiet — the work, the quiet, the removal, it all centers us. Brings us back to what is true.

Outside of the sitcom door-slamming image it conjures up, the word “grounded” is robust in meaning. Grounded means to stay. To instruct. To settle. And my favorite: It also means found.

Of course, none of these synonyms carry even a hint of anger. When I ground my kids, is it to punish with impunity, to make them feel bad about themselves and what they did?

Or do I invite them into the safety of being found? Being seen and settled?

Can grounding allow us back into the warmth and certainty of knowing our limits and coming back to earth, feeling the firm dirt beneath our feet, before we go exploring and pushing those limits once again?

My kids live in a world of dizzying speed and loud messages about who they are and what they deserve. I guess maybe I am a mom who grounds people, because I’m a person who believes in the the joy of exploring our limits, even if it means occasional trouble or pain, but I also believe in the peace that comes when we know how to stop. To ground ourselves. To be found and loved, centered, until we’re ready to be sent back out to explore again.

Jessie Horney is a freelance writer and poet. Find her at www.horneymomtellsall.com. www.idahofamilymagazine.com

Real MONEY, Real FAMILIES

The allowance debate: earned or entitled?

By Luke Erickson

I

n my last article I discussed the idea that letting children make mistakes with their money is a good thing.

But this begs the question, “Where do kids get the money with which to make such meaningful and educational mistakes, fine sir?!”

First, thank you for being so polite.

Next, I believe it’s important to teach children how to legally make money in the marketplace as soon as they are reasonably able. And by legally, I’m mostly suggesting that you don’t violate child labor laws. So yeah, sending the wee ones down coal mine shafts is not really recommended these days. But things like babysitting, lawnmowing, lemonade stands, etc., can all teach children the value of a hard-earned buck. That being said, by the time children are old and capable enough to make some hard-earned bucks fairly and legally in the marketplace, many of the educational opportunities of learning how to handle money will have already vanished, much the same way the lemonade mysteriously vanishes at the stand before the customers arrive.

And that’s why they invented allowance, folks. Allowance, as defined

by Erickson’s dictionary, is a mechanism for paying your kids to do a job that you usually have to redo yourself. Okay, I jest. The truth is that it often ends up causing you MORE work than if you had just done it yourself in the first place. And this brings us to the parents who decide to bypass the entire labor market system and go straight to the education of handling money with the youngsters by providing entitled allowances — no child labor required.

“But I’m no communist!” your typical Idahoan might retort, followed by, “Go back to California, you allowanceentitled hippie!”

Fair enough. But consider the worst of all choices in this scenario: That of doing nothing. This is a category in www.idahofamilymagazine.com

Luke Erickson which about 1/3 of all U.S. parents fall, according to a survey by The American Institute of Public Accountants. But before we really dissect this worst-of-allchoices category, let’s first understand the consequences of extreme allowance systems: pure entitlements and freemarket capitalism.

potential problem comes from the idea that chores have some sort of intrinsic fair market value in the household. But what happens when little Johnny finds out his friend Timmy gets $4 for doing the dishes, while he only gets $1 for doing the same chore in his house? So, moms call moms and neighbors unite in pricesetting for chores so kids don’t organize a union-based chore-strike. In the end a system focused on earning can get complicated and instead shift the focus onto EARNING money in an inherently unfair and rigged price-controlled system rather than having kids focus on how to MANAGE their money.

Do Nothing

While the other two allowance strategies certainly have their pitfalls, Continued on Page 23

Entitlements

The fear of any sort of entitlement is that the receiver becomes dependent on the handout and never learns to link hard work with rewards. Some parents believe that giving kids allowance with no strings attached will create welfare children. Are we teaching our children unbridled socialism by giving them an entitled allowance? Honestly, I don’t really know. But consider that about 99.9 percent of all kids’ wants and needs are paid by their parents anyway, so perhaps the way they receive their allowance isn’t as important as we think it is.

Capitalism

On the other end of the spectrum, I suppose, are the parents who have chore charts with price tags directly tied to the value of the chore itself. Seems to make a lot of sense on the surface. You work, you get paid — just like the real world.

However, some worry that such pure and unbridled capitalism in the house teaches their children to do nothing around the house unless there is a direct financial reward tied to it. Another

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Idaho Family Magazine | MARCH/APRIL 2020 15

EARLY LEARNING Preschool and ChildCare Guide BOISE 83702 A Bright Child Preschool & Daycare 1819 N. 18th St., Boise 83702 208-336-7228 abrightchild.com Another World Preschool 2200 W. Sunset Ave., Boise 83702 208-343-1633 Boise Bears Child Care Center 1803 N. 9th St., Boise 83702 208-343-3817 boisebearschildcareinc.com Boise River Montessori 2211 N. 26th St., Boise 83702 208-344-6303 boiserivermontessori.com Cathy’s Day Care 859 N. 29th St., Boise 83702 208-336-1295 Children’s Village 950 W. State St., Boise 83702 208-345-6408 https://www.ymcatvidaho.org/locations/ childrens-village/ Cooperative Preschool Two sites on North Latah Street in Boise 208-703-3823 or 208-342-7479 boisecooperativepreschool.org Foothills School of Arts and Science 618 S. 8th St., Boise 83702 208-331-9260 foothillsschool.org Giraffe Laugh Early Learning Center 9th St., Boise – 208-342-1239 12th St., Boise – 208-424-3387 State St., Boise – 208-954-5465 giraffelaugh.org Kids Are Special People 717 N. 11th St., Boise 83702 208-343-8441 kidsarespecialpeople.com Marian Pritchett School-Booth 1617 N. 24th St., Boise 83702 208-854-6830 boiseschools.org

Treasure Valley Family YMCA 1050 W. State St., Boise 83702 208-344-5502 ymcatvidaho.org

Hillview Preschool 8525 W. Ustick Rd., Boise 83704 208-377-9280 hillviewpreschoolboise.org

Kootenai Kids Preschool 4802 W. Kootenai St., Boise 83705 208-424-5055 k2preschool.com

Wesleyan Preschool & Kindergarten 717 N. 11th St., Boise 83702 208-343-3778 wesleyanpreschoolboise.com

Kids Zone Daycare & Preschool 7119 Ustick Rd., Boise 83704 208-377-3556

Lee Pesky Learning Center 3324 Elder St., Boise 83705 208-333-0008 lplearningcenter.org

83703 Challenger Schools 5551 W. Bloom St., Boise 83703 208-338-9500 challengerschool.com Faye’s Family Daycare 1904 N. 28th St., Boise 83703 208-345-4641 fayesfamilydaycare.com Gem State Gymnastics Academy 5420 W. State St., Boise 83703 208-853-3220 gemstategymnastics.com Hillside Academy 3900 Hill Rd., Boise 83703 208-343-8919 hillsideboise.com Just For Kids 3 Locations in Boise North Mitchell Street – 208-854-5172 North Milwaukee Street – 208-854-6372 West Victory Road – 208-854-6720 Learning Tree School & Daycare Center 2908 N. 28th St., Boise 83703 208-342-7821 learningtreeboise.com Little Creations Preschool 3614 N. Market Lane, Boise 83703 208-853-9850 Shepherd’s Fold Day Care Center 2620 N. 36th St., Boise 83703 208-342-9141 Walgamott Child Care 3019 N. 28th St., Boise 83703 208-343-9658

83704

R House Child Care 2185 W. Hill Rd., Boise 83702 208-343-8188 rhousechildcare.com

Advantage Early Learning Center 9045 W. Irving St., Boise 83704 208-391-2222 advantageelc.com

Ready Set Go Preschool 950 W. State St., Boise 83702 208-672-8015 readysetgopreschool.yolasite.com

Alpha & Omega Day Care Center 7012 Folk Dr., Boise 83704 208-322-0087

St. Joseph’s Catholic School 825 W. Fort St., Boise 83702 208-342-4909 stjoes.com The Children’s School 1015 N. 8th St., Boise 83702 208-343-6840 tcsboise.org

Camelot Castle Learning Center 10415 Excalibur Ave., Boise 83704 208-375-5018 Children’s House 1218 N. Hartman St., Boise 83704 208-322-1124

16 MARCH/APRIL 2020 | Idaho Family Magazine

Little Lambs Learning Center 3000 N. Esquire Dr., Boise 83704 208-375-4841

Puentes Spanish Preschool 1605 S. Phillippi, Boise 83705 208-344-4270 puentes.biz

Northview Montessori Preschool & Accelerated Kindergarten 7670 W. Northview St., Boise 83704 208-322-0152 northviewmontessori.com

Rose Hill Montessori School 4603 Albion St., Boise 83705 208-385-7674 rosehillmontessori.com

Salina’s Sunshine 6304 W. Butte St., Boise 83704 208-321-9401

Sacred Heart School & Kindergarten 3901 Cassia St., Boise 83705 208-344-9738 sacredheartboise.com

SandCastles Children’s Learning Center 3214 Acre Lane, Boise 83704 208-376-7846 Snuggle Bug Day-N-Night Childcare Center 2103 N. Fry St., Boise 83704 208-327-8956

Speech Spot LLC Children’s Speech Therapy 208-514-9243 boisespeechspot.com

St. Alphonsus Child Care Center 6520 Norwood Dr., Boise 83704 208-367-5164

Vista Montessori School 2096 Gourley St., Boise 83705 208-343-0201 vistamontessori.net

83705

83706

All Saints Children’s Center 704 S. Latah, Boise 83705 208-344-2537 allsaintsboise.org

Beginning Years Child Care Center 2981 E. Boise Ave., Boise 83706 208-338-0000 beginningyearscc.com

Bodies In Motion 729 W. Diamond St., Boise 83705 208-381-0587 bodiesinmotionidaho.com

Bluebird Preschool, The 709 E. Riverpark Lane, Suite 150, Boise 83706 208-863-8415 thebluebirdpreschool.com

Creative Children’s Center 419 S. Orchard St., Boise 83705 208-344-8221 creativechildrensctr.com Friends of Children & Families, Inc. Head Start & Early Head Start 4709 W. Camas St., Boise 83705; 208-344-9187 2273 S. Vista Ave. #160; 208-433-9078 focaf.org Great Beginnings Child Care 715 S. Latah St., Boise 83705 208-336-3838 greatbeginningschildcare.com Hugs Child Development Center 4812 W. Franklin, Boise 83705 208-367-9111 Kid’z Connection 2310 S. Columbus St., Boise 83705 208-384-1191 kidz-connection.com

Boiseko Ikastola | Basque Preschool 1955 Broadway Ave., Boise 83706 208-343-4234 boisekoikastola.org Boise Cooperative Preschool (BCP) 300 N. Latah St., Boise 83706 208-703-3823 boisecooperativepreschool.org Boise State University Children’s Center 1830 W. Beacon St., Boise 83706 208-426-4404 childrenscenter.boisestate.edu Carden Preschool & Day Care 2211 S. Sumac St., Boise 83706 208-344-3336 Cozy Cottage Learning Center 507 W. Williams St., Boise 83706 208-608-6882 cozycottageboise.com Garabatos Spanish Preschool 1403 W. Boise Ave., Boise 83706 208-336-1552 boisegarabatos.com

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The following preschools and child care facilities are listed by zip code.

Kids Choice Child Care Center 2170 S. Broadway Ave., Boise 83706 208-343-7550 mykidschoice.com

Bohrn To Achieve Childcare & Preschool 2555 S. Five Mile Rd., Boise 83709 208-672-0101 bohrntoachieve.com

Lakewood Montessori 133 E. Linden St., Boise 83706 208-331-3888 lakewood-montessori.com

Calvary Christian School 111 S. Auto Dr., Boise 83709 208-376-0260 ccsboise.org

New Horizon Academy 155 E. Boise Ave., Boise 83706 208-386-9108 newhorizonacademy.net

Cloverdale Christian Day School 3755 S. Cloverdale Rd., Boise 83709 208-362-1702 cloverdalechurch.org/day-school

Parkcenter Montessori 649 E. Parkcenter Blvd., Boise 83706 208-344-0004 boisemontessori.com

Club Kid at Wings Center 1875 Century Way, Boise 83709 208-376-3641 wingscenter.com/child-care

South Boise Child Care Center 805 1/2 Richmond St., Boise 83706 208-333-0550 southboisechildcare.com

Five Mile Montessori 1439 S. Weideman Ave., Boise 83709 208-322-8981 fivemilemontessori.net

83709

Montessori Garden School / Caspari Montessori 9626 W. Victory, Boise 83709 208-562-1420 caspari-montessori.com/montessori-gardenschool

All God’s Children Childcare 3838 S. Cole Rd., Boise 83709 208-362-0865 allgodschildrenchildcare.org Amity Community Preschool 11950 W. Amity Rd., Boise 83709 208-562-0931

Mother’s Choice Child Care 1604 Penninger Dr., Boise 83709 208-375-4640

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Overland Montessori 1461 S. Weideman Ave., Boise 83709 208-322-9092 overlandmontessori.com

2020 Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Preschool 3100 S. Five Mile Rd., Boise 83709 208-362-1112 sovidpreschool.weebly.com

Free education workshops that empower parents as their child’s first and most loved teacher.

We show you how to make everyday moments into learning moments.

208-338-4707

ready@idahoaeyc.org Workshops for parents with newborns up to five years of age Register today at www.idahoaeyc.org/ready

Idaho Family Magazine | MARCH/APRIL 2020 17

EARLY LEARNING Preschool and ChildCare Guide Spunky Monkey Preschool 208-323-8066 spunkymonkeypreschool.com Super Kids Day Care 3989 Black Hills Ave., Boise 83709 208-362-1246 super-kidsdaycare.com Tiny Treasures 7509 W. Camas St. Boise 83709 208-323-1174 tinytreasurechildcare.com

83712 Little Luke’s 316 W. Washington St., Boise 83712 208-381-4670 https://www.ymcatvidaho.org/locations/littlelukes-early-learning-center/ Music Lingua Foreign Language for Kids Boise 83712 208-571-1713 musiclingua.com Parkside School 1017 E. Park Blvd., Boise 83712 208-283-2777 parksideschoolboise.com

83713

Cloverdale Montessori 12255 W. Goldenrod Ave., Boise 83713 208-322-1200 cloverdalemontessorischool.com Cross of Christ Preschool 11655 W. McMillan Rd., Boise 83713 208-375-3992 cocboise.org/preschool Kidlink Learning Center 13013 W. Persimmon Lane, Boise 83713 208-331-4575 kidlinklc.com Kindermusik 12516 W. Fairview Ave., Boise 83713 208-861-6056 MusicCenterStudios.com Little Tigers Child Care Center 11911 W. Ustick Rd., Boise 83713 208-323-7885 llittletigerschildcarepreschool.com Marantha Christian School 12000 W. Fairview Ave., Boise 83713 208-376-7272 New Horizon Academy 11978 W. Ustick Rd., Boise 83713 208-323-8900 newhorizonacademy.net

Adventure Zone CDC 5630 N. Cloverdale Rd., Boise 83713 208-938-1028

Rainbow Learning Center 3525 N. Cloverdale Rd., Boise 83713 208-323-7628

Boise Valley Adventist School 925 N. Cloverdale Rd., Boise 83713 208-376-7141 bvas.org

Terri Hill’s Day Care 4251 Oxbow Way, Boise 83713 208-377-4434

Born To Succeed Preschool & Childcare 4770 N. Shamrock Ave., Boise 83713 208-658-5561 myborntosucceed.com

Tumble Time Gymnastics 1379 N. Cloverdale Rd., Boise 83713 208-375-0063 tumbletimekidscenter.com

83714

Turner Center-Family Development 406 S. 14th Ave., Caldwell 83605 208-880-7382

Early Learning Children’s Center 7064 W. State St., Boise 83714 208-853-2800 earlylearningcc.com

Wonder Years Daycare and Early Learning Center 1502 Main St., Caldwell 83605 208-455-9876

Kids Kampus Learning Center 8707 W. State St., Boise 83714 208-853-4247 boisekidskampus.com

EAGLE 83616

New Horizon Academy 12692 W. LaSalle St., Garden City 83714 208-376-2690 newhorizonacademy.net Ol’ McDonald’s Montessori 5890 N. Gary Ln., Boise 83714 208-853-2163 olmcdonalds.com Vineyard Christian Academy 4950 N. Bradley St., Garden City 83714 208-407-8197 vineyardchristianacademy.org

CALDWELL 83605 Alice’s Day Care 10741 Highway 20/26, Caldwell 83605 208-459-4160 Caldwell Adventist Elementary School 2317 Wisconsin Ave., Caldwell 83605 208-459-4313 mycaes.org Calvary Kids of Caldwell 911 Everett St., Caldwell 83605 208-454-5136 calvarycaldwell.com/home/learningcenter/ Centennial Baptist School 3610 E. Ustick Rd., Caldwell 83605 208-454-1997 centennialbaptist.education

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18 MARCH/APRIL 2020 | Idaho Family Magazine

Lil’ Da Vinci Academy – Preschool with Imagination 19652 Commonwealth Ave., Caldwell 83605 208-709-1415 lildavinciacademy.weebly.com

Marble Front Head Start Center 20594 Ward Lane, Caldwell 83605 208-459-7010 wicap.org/head-start/marble-front

Eagle Early Learning Center 223 N. Eagle Rd. #100, Eagle 83616 208-938-3344 eagleelc.com Eagle Wings Preschool 651 N. Eagle Rd., Eagle 83616 208-939-1351 eagleumc.com/eagles-wings-school Hope Lutheran Preschool 331 N. Linder Rd., Eagle 83616 208-939-9181 hopeeagle.org/hope-preschool Montessori Academy 1400 N. Park Ln., Eagle 83616 208-939-6333 boisemontessori.com

MERIDIAN 83642

Kangaroo Clubhouse Early Learning Academy 4511 E Ustick Rd. Caldwell, ID 83605 208-461-3055 https://www.kangarooclubhouse.com

Little People Learning Center, aka LPLC 1310 Arthur St., Caldwell 83605 208-454-5652

Eagle Christian Preschool 1107 E. Iron Eagle Dr., Eagle 83616 208-939-2272 eaglechristianpreschool.com

Seven Oaks Guided Discovery 1441 S. Seven Oaks Way, Eagle 83616 208-559-3379 ymcatvidaho.org/facilities

Heritage Community Charter School 1803 E. Ustick Rd., Caldwell 83605 208-453-8070 heritagecommunitycharter.com

Eagle Adventist Christian School & Preschool 538 W. State St., Eagle 83616 208-939-5544 eagleadventistchristian.com

Polaris Learning Center 1323 E. Iron Eagle Dr., Eagle 83616 208-938-9830 polarislearning.net

Grace Lutheran Preschool 2700 S. Kimball Ave., Caldwell 83605 208-459-4191 gracelutherancaldwell.org

SATURDAY, APRIL 18

Cornerstone Children’s Center 1450 N. Prestwick Way, Eagle 83616 208-938-1368

A Child’s Choice Montessori School 1797 S. Millennium Way, Meridian 83642 208-288-1990 achildschoicemontessori.com ABC Club Daycare & Learning Center 650 W. Broadway Ave., Meridian 83642 208-895-6789 Advanced Therapy Care 68 S. Baltic Place, Meridian 83642 208-898-0988 advancedtherapycare.com Advantage Early Learning Centers 3677 E. Copper Point Way, Meridian 83642 208-391-2200

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2020

The following preschools and child care facilities are listed by zip code.

Meridian Montessori Preschool & Kindergarten 822 W. Cherry Ln., Meridian 83642 208-888-6810

advantageelc.com Children’s Unique Styles 1915 W. Cherry Lane, Meridian 83642 208-888-7228

Nature’s Childcare 2135 S. Cobalt Point Way, Meridian 83642 208-884-3833 natureschildcare.com

Cole Valley Christian Schools 200 E. Carlton Ave., Meridian 83642 208-947-1212 colevalleychristian.org

Pine Creek Montessori 3774 W. Pine Creek Ct., Meridian 83642 208-893-5437

Dreamland Education Center 875 W. Franklin Rd., Meridian 83642 208-288-2282 dreamlandchildcarecenters.com

Smaller Scholar Montessori School 2150 W. Cherry Lane, Meridian 83642 208-888-6881

Healthy Beginnings Childcare 444 N. Linder Rd., Meridian 83642 208-887-0001 Idaho Learning Center / Joshua Institute 2150 W. Cherry Ln., Meridian 83642 208-893-5130 idaholearningcenter.org / joshuainstitute.org Kids Connect Preschool 68 S. Baltic Place, Meridian 83642 208-898-0988 advancedtherapycare.com/kids-connect Melissa’s All Star Preschool 4703 W. Big Creek St., Meridian 83642 208-240-0296 http://meridianallstarpreschool.blogspot.com

W

Friendship Celebration Preschool 765 W. Children Blvd., Meridian 83646 208-288-2404 fclcpreschool.org

83646

Kids Choice 2210 W. Everest Ln., Meridian 83646 208-888-7540 mykidschoice.com

A Step Ahead Preschool and Daycare 3348 N. Meridian Rd., Meridian 83646 208-473-2420 astepaheadpreschoolidaho.com Ambrose School, The 6100 N. Locust Grove Rd., Meridian 83646 208-323-3888 theambroseschool.org Anchored Beginnings Preschool 4549 W. Quaker Ridge St., Meridian 83646 208-898-0664 anchoredbeginningspreschool.com

Sunshine Academy 737 N. Linder Rd., Meridian 83642 208-288-1007 Ten Mile Christian Preschool 3500 W. Franklin Rd., Meridian 83642 208-888-3101 tenmilecc.com Ten Mile Community Church Day Care Center 4440 E. Columbia Rd., Meridian 83642 208-362-4602 tenmileccc.com/school/ The Learning Launch Pad Preschool Ten Mile/Cherry Lane, Meridian 83642 208-351-2838 launchpadps.blogspot.com

Tiggeriffic Preschool & Daycare 1302 N. Main St., Meridian 83642 208-912-3517 tiggerifficdaycare.org

Challenger School 2020 W. Everest Ln., Meridian 83646 208-846-8888 challengerschool.com/campus/idaho/ meridian/everest Dreamland Education Center 2501 N. Stokesberry Place, Meridian 83646 208-288-2205 dreamlandchildcarecenters.com

Wesleyan

King’s Kids Preschool & Kindergarten 50 W. Spicewood Dr., Meridian 83646 208-887-0801 http://kingskidsmeridian.org New Horizon Academy 1830 N. Meridian Rd., Meridian 83646 208-887-3880 newhorizonacademy.net/location/idahomeridian/

NAMPA 83651 ABC Country 432 Caldwell Blvd., Nampa 83651 208-465-7413 Apple Core Preschool 719 17th Ave. S., Nampa 83651 208-442-0035 Calvary Christian School A.C.E. 1210 N. Middleton Rd., Nampa 83651 208-467-9114 ccsnampa.org

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Idaho Family Magazine | MARCH/APRIL 2020 19

EARLY LEARNING Preschool and ChildCare Guide Creative Child Preschool 150 Delaware Ave., Nampa 83651 208-467-3652

Nampa Christian Schools 208-466-8451 nampachristianschools.com

Happy Days Child Care Center 215 N. Bonner Dr., Nampa 83651 208-466-0156

Nampa Montessori Preschool 312 N. Canyon St., Nampa 83651 208-465-6179 nampamontessori.com

Kids Korner Child Care Center 423 18th Ave. S., Nampa 83651 208-467-3533

Playful Child 420 17th Ave. S., Nampa 83651 208-466-1858

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St. Paul’s Catholic School 1515 8th St. S., Nampa 83651 208-467-3601 nampacatholic.school

Messiah’s Children Preschool 534 W. Iowa Ave., Nampa 83686 208-465-4511 Safe Haven Day Care 2024 S. Banner St., Nampa 83686 208-467-3508

Taffy’s House 212 21st Ave. S., Nampa 83651 208-467-5975 Teaching World 222 3rd Ave. S., Nampa 83651 208-465-5437 idteachingworld.com Tiny Tot Hotel Day Care Center 131 Smith Ave., Nampa 83651 208-467-4769

Zion Lutheran Christian School 1012 12th Ave. Rd., Nampa 83686 208-466-9141 zlsnampa.org

83687 Here We Grow Preschool 7847 E. Red Oak Ct., Nampa 83687 208-350-9720

83686 ABC’s & 123’s Child Development Center 919 S. Diamond St., Nampa 83686 208-468-4999 Cowpoke Country Daycare 1127 E. Greenhurst Rd., Nampa 83686 208-463-0033 cowpokecountry.com Destiny Christian School PO Box 294, Nampa 83686 208-466-1264 Little Ones Preschool 3121 Custer Ave., Nampa 83686 208-463-1593

Kangaroo Clubhouse Early Learning Academy 210 E Carol St. Nampa, ID 83687 or 16281 N Franklin Blvd. Nampa, ID 83687 208-461-3055 https://www.kangarooclubhouse.com Liz’s Loving Child Center 407 Stampede Dr., Nampa 83687 208-697-9628 Polaris Learning Center 6224 Birch Ln., Nampa 83687 208-466-1322 polarislearning.net

Summer Camp at Montessori Academy

• Day camp with extended hours • Field trips and events • Nature and science • Arts and crafts • Sports and games • Music, dance and drama Boise 649 E. Parkcenter Boulevard Eagle 1400 Park Lane Meridian 5940 N. Linder Road

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866-424-9085 1/29/20 9:53 AM www.idahofamilymagazine.com

The OUTDOORSMAN

Logging outfit gets boys in hot water

By Chuck Carpenter

W

hen I was in the third grade, Lots of birch trees were growing in the area my family lived in Alaska. I and they were just right for us to cut. Most went to school in Girdwood, were five to ten inches in diameter at the stump Alaska, south of Anchorage. It and we were really making the sawdust fly. was a small little burg and we went to school As with all logging outfits, there is always in a Quonset hut divided into two rooms. The the possibility of accidents. We were falling first through fourth grade was in one room trees right along and didn’t really notice that and the fifth through eighth went in the other we were getting close to our house. Rick and room. A husband and wife were the teachers I were working on a couple of smaller trees. in the school. Yep, only two teachers in the Mike was working on a healthy ten-inch tree whole school. When a student reached high when we hear him yell, “Oh no!” My brother school, they had to go to Anchorage. and I both turned to see that the tree ole There were two outhouses outside the Mike was falling had backfired (went wrong Chuck Carpenter school, one for the girls and another for the direction) and crashed right into our house. boys. There was a big wood stove in the school used for There was a loud “ka-boom!” All the dead limbs on the tree heating the place. We would all take turns hauling wood exploded like it had a bomb in it! into the large wood box before school or during one of “Uh oh,” Rick said, “this ain’t gonna be good!” We could the recesses. hear rustling around in the house and the logging operation There was no hot lunch; if you forgot your lunch you was came to a screeching halt. Almost immediately ole Mom out of luck until you got home. Over all, things run pretty came smoking around the house at a sprint, yelling, “What’s smooth in this little backcountry school.

Continued on Page 23 That year for Christmas my parents got my younger brother Rick and me each a Hudson Bay axe and a bow saw.

A Hudson Bay axe is a single bladed axe that’s been around since the Hudson Bay Company roamed the North Country.

A bow saw is made with a piece of light pipe bent in an arc, Call the with a saw blade attached across the bottom. They were also called a Sweed saw. Every outdoorsman needed a way to cut wood. A person could tie the saw on a packboard and have your woodcutter anywhere you went.

My mom and dad were still trying to convince us that ole • FULL YEAR OF SERVICE FOR Santa Claus was going to bring us our gifts from the North AS LOW AS $19/MONTH Pole. Rick and I knew better. The way ole Mom fed the fire, • FREE INSPECTIONS he was going to have to be one fast ole fat guy to get down • GUARANTEED RESULTS— our chimney without getting his whiskers singed. if your bugs return, so do we — for free!

We had some neighbors that lived about three hundred yards from our house. They had two kids and one was my • Idaho owned and operated age, a fellow named Mike. Apparently our dads had been • Licensed through the Idaho Department of discussing what they were going to get us for Christmas Agriculture because Mike got an axe and a bow saw as well. But Mike got • Specializing in eliminating: this big ole double bitted axe and a two-man Sweed saw.

Ants Wasps Cockroaches The day after Christmas we had a chance to check out Spiders Yellow Jackets Ticks Earwigs Moths what Mike had got for Christmas and was surprised to Box Elders Crickets find out he had the same type tools we had. After a short discussion, we came to an agreement that we would start a Schedule your free inspection at logging outfit.

The next morning after a sleepless night, we met up by our house. Almost immediately we had our operation working so or call Shawn Curry at 208-250-2358 well that all logging outfits in the country would be jealous.

Got pests?

Boise Bug Man!

boisebugman.com

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Idaho Family Magazine | MARCH/APRIL 2020 21

WARDROBE IN YOUR POCKET

Carry swatches in a small, handy book

By Mary Ann Wilcox

I

s it time to buy a new wardrobe? You can cut the time you spend shopping, reduce your budget for clothing expenses and eliminate duplicates and mistakes in your wardrobe with this handy shopping aid. It’s called a “wardrobe in your pocket.” It is a handy little book that has swatches of all your clothes on a card. That way you know what you have and it eliminates returns (a big time eater).

Step #1 — Purchase a credit card holder with at least six fold-out compartments. Or better yet, two credit card holders, one for your color swatches and one for your wardrobe swatches.

Step #2 — If you know the colors you look best in, cut squares of those colors from scraps of fabric and place three in each plastic compartment of the holder.

Step #3 — Take 3x5 cards and cut them the size of the plastic compartments. Label each card with a component of your wardrobe: jackets, suits, skirts, pants, sweaters, blouses, t-shirts, etc.

Step #4 — Cut a swatch from your clothing and hot glue or glue stick them to the appropriate card. You can cut small pieces from hems, facings and large seams. Sweaters usually come with a piece of yarn attached that can be used for

this purpose. If you can’t cut a swatch, then you can write a description on the card or take a picture with your phone, reduce it and place it on the card.

Step #5 — Make a list of the clothing items you need to complete your wardrobe. Write them on a card and place them in your “pocket wardrobe.” For instance, I have a twopiece, crepe de chine dress with white and dark camel flowers on a black background. I have white pants, shell and jacket that coordinate, and black pants, jacket, top and skirt that also match. I need a camel top, pants or skirt and a jacket to complete this 12-piece cluster. I would list these items on the card with a notation that they need to match the two-piece dress.

NOTE: A 12-piece cluster gives you 102 combinations.

Step #6 — Always carry your “wardrobe in your pocket” in your purse. That way you can match colors and wardrobe pieces when you find a great item on sale to add to your wardrobe.

For additional help with saving time and money shopping see shopping end of season sales, thrift store shopping, strategic planning and comparison shopping in our new “Dress Better for Less Manual” at www.MaryAnnsCupboards.com.

WEDNESDAY’S CHILD

Brenton, age 14, hopes to be a missionary The following information is provided by Wednesday’s Child, an organization that helps Idaho foster children find permanent homes.

Are you a huge soccer fan? If the answer is a resounding “yes,” then Brenton may be just the right match for your family. Though thoughts of soccer occupy much of his time, Brenton has a long list of other favorite activities and interests, including water sports, jumping on the trampoline, summer camp, board games like Risk and USA Maps, watching action and comedy movies, and listening to Christian rock music. His favorite subjects in school are history and math, and he loves to read.

Brenton’s Christian faith is a very important part of his life, and he wants to ensure that he is adopted by a family who shares similar beliefs and values. Brenton currently attends the LDS church and hopes to one day become a missionary.

Brenton is adventurous, funny, optimistic and endearing and wants prospective adoptive families to know that he enjoys helping other people by being kind and that he enjoys 22 MARCH/APRIL 2020 | Idaho Family Magazine

fulfilling his responsibilities as a member of a family.

Brenton dreams of having a committed family who will watch movies together, play games as a family, spend time reading Scriptures and praying together, and help him with his homework. One day, Brenton hopes to attend Boise Bible College and study for the mission field while also continuing to perfect his soccer skills so that he might reach his goal of playing professionally.

A great fit for Brenton would be a home where he might be an only child, or a family with same-aged or older siblings.

If you are ready for adventure, laughter and a lifetime commitment with this resilient young man, inquire about Brenton today (see below).

For more information on the Idaho Wednesday’s Child Program, visit www.idahowednesdayschild.org, or contact Recruitment Coordinator Shawn White at swhite52@ewu.edu or cell 208-488-8989 if you have specific questions. www.idahofamilymagazine.com

Real Money Continued from Page 15

The Outdoorsman Continued from Page 21

perhaps the strategy with the direst of consequences also happens to be the easiest for parents to execute: The donothing strategy. I strongly believe this is the worst strategy of all because it deprives the kids of many valuable early learning experiences of handling an age-appropriate amount of “their own” money and learning from their own mistakes.

your Dad gonna think, you little #*%^”s?!” She was really good at getting her point across and shut our logging operation down immediately.

Mike grabbed his logging equipment and sneaked off into the brush and went home. Rick and I got put on house detail, cleaning our room, doing dishes, and anything else ole Mom could think of.

That evening Dad came home from work. He marched into the house and marched my brother and I out to the back yard. “What in the heck happened here?” he asked. “It looks like somebody bombed the back yard!”

“You fellers are going to clean all this up,” he ordered.

After looking over our logging area it did look kind of like somebody bombed it. We had stumps cut off from about six inches to as high as we could reach. Trees were laying in every direction. It looked like a family of beavers had been making a living in the area.

That night Dad laid out how we were going to clean up our logging area. Cut all stumps off to six inches, drag the trees over to the woodpile and cut them into stove lengths, pile the limbs and tops so we could burn them.

Dad had been a smokejumper out of Missoula, Mont. in his younger years. He was also a logger so he knew all the rules and regulations about how a logging operation should be run.

The next morning my brother and I were up early. We limbed and topped the trees and cut them into about eightto ten-foot lengths. We each harnessed up one of our big sled dogs and would skid the logs over by the woodpile. We piled up the limbs and tops so we could burn them. Then we began to saw the logs into stove lengths. It took us a lot longer to do this than it did to cut them down. It was about two weeks before we finished our first logging job. Mike?

Well, he didn’t show up at the house until we finished up. He said he had too much to do at his house… ?

After our first project, my brother and I did cut some wood and sell it. It brought about $35 a cord. A cord of wood is four feet wide, four feet high, and eight feet long. Dad even built us a saw buck to put the lengths of wood on to cut it, and he let us use his two-man crosscut saw to cut wood into stove-size pieces. It took a long time for us kids to cut a cord, but we usually had a dollar or two we could spend at the store when we were done.

The Professor’s System

Okay, here it is folks, the moment of truth. This is where the rubber meets the road. Where the professor applies academic theory to actual real-life kids to see what happens. And…….. ka-boom! Okay, it’s not that bad. Through some trial and error, our household has adopted a hybrid allowance system that falls somewhere in the vast gray area between entitled and earned allowance. Here it is in all its gory detail: First, we begin giving our kids an allowance about a year or two after they are born. We use an app that tracks their allowance in three categories: Saving, Spending and Giving.

(We tried cash at first, and it just didn’t work well for us.)

These are just numbers in an app, not actual money, so these balances are essentially IOU’s from Mom and Dad. When the kids find something they want to purchase or a cause to donate to (tithes, etc.) we pay for it, then subtract that amount from the appropriate category on the app.

The weekly amounts they receive are based on a graduated system using their ages. We give a certain amount for every year of their age, meaning that as they get older they progressively get more allowance to work with. We haven’t yet determined the age at which the kids will “graduate” out of this type of allowance, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.

The kids are also asked to do chores every day, and in this conversation about chores, we also include other responsibilities like homework and musical practice, as well as the benefits of living in the house, including food, TV time, allowance, etc. In the end, the responsibilities and benefits of living in the house are all correlated though not directly linked. So, in the Erickson household, is the allowance entitled or earned? In truth it’s probably a little bit of both. But the key thing is that it works for us because the kids have responsibilities and we’re also giving them the chance to have meaningful experiences managing their own small amounts of money.

And there it is. In the end, I don’t think the argument is so much about the right or wrong way to handle allowance, but rather that doing something is better than nothing. Just get started. Now if you’ll excuse me, it seems that there are some chores at my house that need to be redone. And, blast it! We’re fresh out of lemonade!

Luke Erickson, Ph.D., AFC®, is an associate professor of personal finance for the University of Idaho. Luke and his wife Rachel have been married for 15 years and live in Meridian, Idaho with their four energetic children. Got questions about kids and money? Email them to erickson@uidaho.edu, and he’ll answer them in future articles.

www.idahofamilymagazine.com

Chuck Carpenter, who now lives in Idaho, likes to hunt, fish and trap.

He worked on a farm as a boy; then, as an adult, he took a job with the Department of Interior’s Animal Damage Control, now called USDA Wildlife Services. He ultimately became a district supervisor. He retired in 2011.

Idaho Family Magazine | MARCH/APRIL 2020 23

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24 MARCH/APRIL 2020 | Idaho Family Magazine

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