Idaho Family July/Aug 2023

A Montessori Academy teacher works with a student

Volume 11, Number 4

Publisher

J.J. Plew

Associate Publisher

Adrianne Goff adriannegoff@me.com

Cover Photo

Montessori Academy, Richard Unten Editor Gaye Bunderson editorgaye@gmail.com

Sales & Marketing

J.J. Plew

jj@idahofamilymagazine.com 208-697-2043

Contributors

Heidi Christianson, Luke Erickson, Cara Johnson-Bader, Jenna Shaver

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 2023 by Gem Production Co., LLC.

Follow us on Facebook

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.

Idaho Family Magazine marks a decade

By Gaye Bunderson

In 2012, I applied for a sales position at a classified ads publication in Boise. Now, I couldn’t sell cheese to a pizza factory, but I needed a job. The publication was essentially a newspaper full of advertisements, and I definitely had newspaper experience. All kinds, in fact – except for selling ads. I thought if I could at least get an interview, I’d offer my services as a proofreader or a paginator (laying out pages on a computer). I’d done both those things, as well as writing, editing, and photography.

To my surprise, I got a phone call from the advertising director at the publication; and even more to my surprise, she told me that her publisher was hoping to launch a couple of magazines and could I come in for an interview?

No, I don’t believe it was coincidence. People may scoff at this, but I do believe it was something closer to “divine intervention,” if you will. Because long story short, as they say, I got the job. All in all, it took something like five interviews before it was nailed down, but I started my employment in January of 2013. Many ideas were tossed about, such as the thought we could eventually start a handful of different publications and ultimately hire more staff to move them all along. What really happened was that I started two magazines that year – and almost three – with a staff of just one person doing all the editorial work: me. Sound easy? It wasn’t. I look back on copies of Idaho Family Magazine from that first year and see that if there were three or four stories in them, I’d written them all. But I’d enlisted some contributors to write columns around family topics, and we were in business. We had a crackerjack ad saleswoman that I hardly ever saw because she was out doing cold calls for advertisers, and she hauled in a bunch of them. Yep, we were in business all right.

The good news is that a decade later, we’re still in business, marking our tenth anniversary with this issue. We’ve had different advertising salespeople, different writers, different printers, and even a different owner. J.J. Plew of Gem Production Co., LLC has owned the magazine now for five years and had this to say:

“Idaho Family Magazine was more than just a business venture; it meant something more to me. I remember picking it up when I was a young dad out and about the Treasure Valley for years, using it as a resource for my kids. One friend of ours even had their kid on the cover years before I took it over.

“One big reason my brother and I got involved is we didn’t want to see a positive family focused publication go away like so many others have started to. I’m happy to say we are still going. It hasn’t been easy and we’ve had to make some changes; but given the times we live in, I’m very proud of our team and what we have been able to accomplish these last five and a half years.”

To still be here through pandemics and other trials is a testament to all the hard-working people who’ve been involved with the publication. Commitment was – and is – the key.

As for me, I like what I do. But on days when it sometimes seemed too much, I recalled the lyrics of the Twenty One Pilots’ song, “Stressed Out”: Wake up, you need to make money!

But the magazine is certainly about more than dollars, be they advertising dollars or salaries. It’s about the message – that families are the foundation of just about everything: who we are and what we do. And families will always be important as the firm footing of society that takes tiny little people and makes them grownup reflections of all that is decent in life. At least, that’s the case if parenting is done well, and we hope our stories help teach, edify and encourage readers to be the best parents they can be.

Here’s to ten more years. And thanks to all the advertisers, writers and readers who’ve kept us in business for an entire decade.

“...families are the foundation of just about everything: who we are and what we do.”

AN ANGEL

Imperfect Glori serves imperfect kids

By Gaye Bunderson

Talking about her own youthful years, Drury stated: “My parents sacrificed, scrimped, and saved so we [she and her siblings] could attend private Catholic schools from first grade through high school. Tuition for private schools certainly put a dent in their family finances.

Acharming kids’ book about an angel runs a little counterintuitive to how we usually think about the heavenly beings. The young angel-intraining in the book “An Angel Named Glori,” written by local author Roxanne Drury, is lovably flawed and is in the process of learning the job she will ultimately be assigned: watching out for and helping earthly children.

Glori is imperfect for a purpose –because all earthly beings need to learn to like themselves, flaws and all. Drury wrote the book for children as a way of telling them they’re amazing just as they are.

“The story idea came to me around 2014,” Drury said. New to the world of writing, she attended a writers’ conference to see what she could learn. “I would say to people at the conference, ‘I wrote this story – would you critique it?’ I was eager to hear their thoughts. I wanted to write the story and wanted it to be the best it could be.”

Drury continued, “I got praise for the story. But some people asked me, ‘Why does Glori have to be an angel?’”

She had an answer for that: “Because angels are God’s messengers, and their service is to help people. And I wanted Glori to be an angel because I needed an angel as a child.”

“Providing my brothers and me with a good education was always a priority and took precedence over having new store-bought clothing, thus we wore hand-me-downs. My mother worked full-time in a printing shop and also had a second job typing envelopes, just so we could attend private schools and I am so grateful for that.”

Many children today with working parents doing the best they can for their kids may feel some of the feelings Drury felt back then: occasional loneliness, responsibilities for herself and her brothers, and a sense of not fitting in sometimes because money was tight and trendy clothes weren’t in the budget.

Young people are often self-conscious about their appearance, and Drury said that even being a bit taller than everyone else can make them feel out of place among their peers. In fact, sometimes, many people of all ages feel just a bit different from everyone else, and being different is all right. “If we were all the same how boring would life be, right?” Drury asked.

Even the angel Glori is different from others. As it says in the wonderfully illustrated book with artwork by Marcy Petricig Braasch: “Glori is a little taller, a little louder, a little clumsier and she is just a little, well, ok...maybe a LOT messier than most angels. Glori is oneof-a-kind.”

Despite all that, Glori is certainly not unloved, and there’s a message in that for readers – especially girls, for whom the book was chiefly written.

“Every girl wants to know she’s loved and accepted,” Drury said. “Every girl wants her parents and others to know she needs to feel: loved, valued, okay, seen, heard, known, and accepted.”

At the back of the book are topics parents and children may discuss together. “When parents are reading a book to a child, they have a captive audience. Parents – or grandparents – can continue the conversation after they have read the book. I like children to think about what they’ve heard, and think about the words,” said Drury.

Many children share the same common feelings. Drury, who is a retired Christian preschool teacher and has worked in children’s ministry for over 45 years, said she’d hear children say, “I’m not good enough” or “I can’t do it.”

“They all need to hear the encouraging words, ‘Yes you can’,” she said. “We do our children a disservice when we do everything for them. It is our job to help them help themselves.”

Area resident Roxanne Drury is a retired Christian preschool teacher and an author. In this photo, she’s kneeling in front of a group of students. Book illustrations by Marcy Petricig Braasch. (Courtesy photo)

But she also firmly believes children must be allowed to fail. “Failing,” she stressed, “is also okay. Not every kid should get a trophy. They must be allowed to fail, then you can ask them, ‘What lesson did you learn? What can you do differently next time?’ They have to learn those life lessons. Success and failure are part of life and we need to prepare children to accept and learn from both.”

Glori even occasionally grumbles, and when asked if it’s okay to grumble, Drury replied, after some thought, “You can’t deny those feelings. Feelings are okay, but how do you respond to them?”

The best thing about Glori? “She’s okay just the way she is; she’s learning and growing.”

That’s the message Drury wants to impart to her young readers because feelings are real and everyone exists in their own unique set of circumstances and everyone has acceptable imperfections.

At 70, Drury is the mother of three grown sons and a daughter; she also has six grandchildren, including five girls and a boy.

“An Angel Named Glori” is the first book in a series, and the next book will be available soon; this one is about a boy that Glori is sent to serve. The boy is not handling change well because his family is moving. Glori realizes she recently moved too, having just come from heaven to Earth, and she can empathize with her new earthly friend. For more information, contact Roxanne Drury at glorylandbooks@gmail.com or visit her on the website www.glorylandbooks.com.

TEN TIPS Prepare your child for kindergarten

By Cara Johnson-Bader

three-step directions. For example: “Simon says, ‘Jump up and down and shout hooray’.”

4. Encourage social skills.

These are the most frequently asked questions asked by parents, especially as kindergarten nears for their little ones.

Rest assured, as your child’s first and most important teacher you are already doing things to help your child prepare for kindergarten. It is through your day-today interactions that you help provide a solid foundation for kindergarten.

Cara Johnson-Bader

The essential skills do not call for expensive programs, fancy materials, or elaborate equipment. They simply call for doing everyday things you do with your child in new ways. It is doing things with purpose. It is truly the small moments and everyday traditions that make the biggest difference. With intentionality you can assist your child in developing key skills that will prepare them for a successful journey into kindergarten.

Here are some simple suggestions for helping your child prepare for kindergarten:

1. Support the development of independence.

Help your child develop independence by encouraging them to do things for themselves. Involve your child in deciding what to wear, what game to play, or what to eat. Of course, this doesn’t mean your child has free rein; you provide options and let them choose. For example: “Would you like to wear your red shirt or your green shirt?” This simple act of making choices will help your child feel empowered.

2. Foster self-help skills.

From encouraging your child to help with chores, clean up their toys, or brush their teeth, you are helping them cultivate self-help skills. These self-help skills are essential for kindergarten readiness. Teaching your child to be selfsufficient is a gradual process, so meet your child where they are at and help them enhance their skills.

3. Promote the development of attention and following directions.

The ability to focus and follow directions is a foundational kindergarten skill. You can assist your child in developing these skills by giving your child two- and three-step directions. For example: “Hazel, please put on your pajamas, brush your teeth, and pick a book to read.” Play Simon Says with two- or

Help your child realize and understand their own emotions – feeling sad, mad, glad, happy, or excited – and talk to them about what makes them feel that way. Provide your child with ideas on how to communicate those feelings with others.

Read books with your child about characters who are learning about their emotions and talk with your child about the characters’ actions to help build social awareness. Ask questions like, “How do you think the character felt?” “What did the character do to communicate how they were feeling?” and “What would you do in that situation?”

5. Support the development of language and reading readiness skills.

Language skills are foundational to your child’s success in school. You can support the development of language skills by reading to your child every day, engaging in conversations, and actively listening to your child.

Run your finger under the words as you read to your child. This helps your little one learn that words form from left to right and top to bottom.

Play games with rhyming words to help your child hear similar sounds in words. For example, as you are walking up the stairs, name one word that rhymes with cat for each step as you go up.

6. Promote letter and sound recognition and writing.

Play with refrigerator alphabet magnets. Say both the name and the sound that the letter makes.

Write in shaving cream in the bathtub, in salt or sugar in a cake pan, or in finger paint to make practicing more fun and multisensory.

7. Encourage number recognition and counting.

Count throughout the day. For example, count the crackers your child is eating for a snack or count the socks as you take them out of the dryer.

Point out numbers you see in your environment and have your child name them. For example, ask your child to name the numbers found on food boxes or street signs.

Play games in which your child finds objects of particular colors and shapes around the house or in the neighborhood while you are driving in your car or on a walk. For example, “Jamal, point to something that is a red circle.”

“Is my child ready for kindergarten? What steps should I take to help them get ready?”

8. Help your child develop fine motor skills. Provide crayons, pencils, markers, and child-safe scissors. Then encourage your child to write, draw, create, and color.

Also, provide puzzles, lacing cards, and LEGOs. Playing with these types of toys helps develop fine motor skills too.

9. Nurture the development of gross motor skills.

Go for a walk, climb on the climber at your local park, play hopscotch, and go on a bike ride. Those fun activities support the development of gross motor skills.

As you wait in line at the grocery store, encourage your child to stand on one foot like a flamingo, or hop on one foot, or walk heel to toe like they are on a balance beam. Take advantage of these everyday opportunities to help develop gross motor skills.

10. Cultivate cooperation and sharing skills.

There are simple ways you can help your child experience the rewards of cooperation and sharing. Playing games where you must take turns is a wonderful way to help your child learn to cooperate and share.

Let your child experience the benefits of cooperation by doing chores together. Whether it is setting the table or putting away their toys, point out the advantages of cooperating. For example, “Look how fast we cleaned up

together. Now, we have time to read two books instead of one. Great teamwork.”

Setting up opportunities for playdates provides your child with an opportunity to practice their cooperation and sharing skills, too.

Bonus tip. Talk to your child about kindergarten.

Read books about kindergarten. This will reduce some of your child’s anxiety, and yours, too.

Here are a few of my favorite books about kindergarten:

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn

The School Book by Todd Parr

The most important thing you can help your child develop in preparation for kindergarten, and for their whole life, is strong self-esteem. Good self-esteem doesn’t just happen to children. It grows as your child meets small challenges each day and receives positive feedback from you, even when he or she doesn’t succeed.

With your support, you child will be prepared for a successful journey into kindergarten.

Cara Johnson-Bader is the Vice President of Marketing and Parent Experiences at New Horizon Academy and mother of two young boys. Learn more about New Horizon Academy at newhorizonacademy.net.

REAL MONEY, REAL FAMILIES

Warm connections equal happiness

By Luke Erickson

I’m a bit of a sun-worshipper. I love summer, the heat that envelops your body when you come out of an overly A/C’d building. I love it when it’s so hot that you can’t help but jump in the nearest pool or lake. And it gives you a good excuse to get a snow cone.

I even like humidity, I spent a few years in the tropics, and even loved the few summers I spent back east where the humidity is like a wet, warm blanket that won’t let you go. Idaho is home, but I definitely have my favorite season.

But as much as I like the sun, I only enjoy it in certain ways. First, you won’t find me staring directly at it, right? All of us who still enjoy our eyesight live by this rule, and it’s a wise one. Next, you won’t find me baking in the sun very long without some sunscreen or some shade or water nearby.

Love the sun too much and too closely and you’ll wind up with heat stroke, a sunburn, or skin cancer. But the sunlight reflecting off of the clouds at sunset, warming you up after a dip in the lake, making the trees glow on an early morning hike, that’s amazing.

Turns out happiness is similar. According to research out of Harvard, the more we focus directly on happiness, the less likely we are to truly benefit from it. We will actually find a lot more benefits by enjoying it indirectly. That’s where the wide, beautiful colors and hues of happiness are found.

According to the research, there are such things as direct happiness. But just like we can’t stare at the sun long, little pleasures don’t last either. Things like going to a movie, enjoying an ice cream cone, riding a roller coaster, all good, and all temporary. Too many temporary pleasures, without purpose, are like too much sunshine – it can actually end up harming you. For example, the first few days of nothing but ice cream and roller coasters are nice and all, but when this stretches into a few weeks or months, the feeling of happiness disappears, and you would be willing to pay someone to STOP doing those things at some point.

We’ve also heard that money can’t buy happiness, but the truth is, none of us truly believe that. What we really believe is that money spent exclusively on temporary pleasures can’t buy us happiness, but we all know that money used in the right way will help us thrive. The key is to use our money to support long-term fulfillment, NOT by spending excessively on temporary pleasures.

The SPIRE model of happiness comes from researchers at Harvard associated with an 80-year study on happiness. SPIRE stands for Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Relational, and Emotional well-being. This is how we find long-term

fulfillment. This is where we enjoy the indirect, beautiful hues of happiness, like those we see at sunset.

Spiritual well-being is about your core purpose and identity. It’s how you spend your time, not only in work, but also in other areas of your life. It’s honoring your own inner voice, the thing that tells you what you like and dislike, what’s okay and not okay, what helps and what hurts. Honoring your inner voice in spite of messages to the contrary that you may hear from other people can be a difficult skill to learn, but it’s a valuable one. As an example, let’s say you’re a software engineer, but you have a real passion for singing. You can quit your job and join a traveling theater company. OR, you can keep your job and volunteer to sing in local theatrical productions here and there. Either way you’re honoring a core part of your identify. But there are financial decisions to be made here. Give up a high-paying job for a dream? Or, keep the job and find other less risky ways to honor this core value of yours. There’s not right or wrong here, except to completely ignore it.

Physical well-being is simple. Eat better, exercise more, get more sleep, and make sure you have enough downtime for recovery from things like stress and work. All the things we already know we should be doing. Here’s the thing, our bodies are inescapably connected to any sense of happiness that we may experience. If we don’t take care of them, happiness has a less welcoming place to dwell. It may come to visit but it won’t want to stay in such a shabby abode.

The point is, give yourself permission to invest in healthy habits. Many of us struggle to do this on our own. Hire professionals if you need help with nutrition or join a gym that has good accountability. It’s worth the investment. Everything we feel, including happiness, starts in our bodies. Intellectual well-being is mostly about growth through learning, curiosity, and deep engagement with the world around us. Invest time and money into reading more. Use audio books, podcasts, instructional and motivational videos like Ted Talks, or online master classes. It’s so easy to learn amazing things that can help us grow if we simply devote a little bit of our time. And most are free or very low cost. Astronomer and writer Esko Valtaoja said, “You are what you read.” What would you be reading if this were 100% true?

Relational well-being, although the fourth part of the SPIRE model, is actually loudly touted by the researchers as being the most very important thing for fulfillment and lasting happiness. The quantity of your relationships is

Luke Erickson

helpful, but more important is the quality of your warm connections.

Warm connections are those relationships where, if you woke up in the middle of the night scared or ill, you could reach out to this person for help, no questions asked. This often requires relationships where you both completely and authentically accept each other even with your quirks and flaws. It’s an understanding that through thick and thin, agreements and disagreements, you still have each other’s backs, and care for each other’s well-being.

The more warm connections you have in life, the higher your chances of feeling fulfilled and experiencing lasting happiness. Investing time and money in other people, especially experiences together, can go a long way to improving your warm connections.

And finally, emotional well-being, which is mostly about exercising gratitude for the things we have in life, and believing in abundance of happiness for everyone, so that you’re not driven by scarcity or competitiveness. Journaling or meditating over the abundant things in your life goes a long way to resetting your emotions to a positive outlook.

So, in the end, money spent on a few occasional pleasures is reasonable, but for real happiness you’d do well to invest a larger portion of your time and money into lasting fulfillment and the resulting happiness by living the SPIRE model. Oh… and don’t forget the sunshine!

“The key is to use our money to support long-term fulfillment, not by spending excessively on temporary pleasures.”

Luke Erickson, Ph.D., AFC®, is an associate professor of personal finance for the University of Idaho. He works and lives in the Treasure Valley. @drlukeerickson (Instagram), erickson@uidaho.edu

CALENDAR

Please send family-related calendar items to editorgaye@gmail.com

J U L Y

Ice hockey and ice skating

Ice hockey and ice skating go on during the summer months at Idaho IceWorld, 7072 S. Eisenman Rd. in Boise. For more information about all the on-ice activities, go to idahoiceworld.com.

Swimming lessons

Summer swimming lessons are available through area Parks and Recreation departments. Check listings in your town and help your youngster learn to be safe around water.

Zoo Boise

Zoo Boise, located at 355 Julia Davis Dr., is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with last entry into the zoo at 5 p.m. Some of the “featured creatures” at the animal menagerie include: a sand cat; an Amur tiger; a sloth bear; Magellanic penguins; a giant anteater; and more. For more information, go to zooboise.org.

Movies Under the Stars

Movies are offered once a month throughout July and August at the Julia Davis Park Bandshell. For movie dates, titles, and tips, go to cityofboise.org/ movies-under-the-stars.

Foothills Family Days

The Foothills Learning Center at 3188 Sunset Peak Rd. in Boise offers free family fun on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be guided hikes, nature tables, crafts, and more. (Entrance to the center may be limited due to capacity.) Go to bee.cityofboise.org for more information.

Foster care informational meetings

Foster parents make a tremendous difference in the lives of children and youth who are in foster care by providing a safe and loving temporary home. A foster care informational meeting is a great opportunity to gain a basic understanding of who the children in foster care are, the roles and responsibilities of foster parents, and the process you will need to go through to become licensed to foster. During the meeting, you will also hear from an experienced foster parent about the rewards and challenges of fostering. Visit https://familyrtc.org/fosteringidaho/events for the calendar of events. Questions? Call Monique Layton at (208) 249-0180 or email mlayton4@ewu.edu.

Kids Bowl Free

Kids 15 and under get two free games of bowling per day with $5 shoe rentals from now through September 30 at Pinz Bowling Center, 1385 S. Blue Marlin Ln. in Meridian. Hours are Monday through Thursday open to close and Friday through Saturday from open to 1 p.m. Register at wahoozfunzone.com.

Fun on the Fourth

Indian Creek Plaza in Caldwell will host a Fun on the Fourth event from 5 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, July 4. Go to indiancreekplaza.com for more information.

Fourth of July Parade

The Fourth of July Parade in downtown Boise will be held Tuesday, July 4. The theme for the parade is “Honoring Our Founding Fathers and Mothers.” The schedule includes: 5 to 7 a.m., CBS2 Live News from the Idaho Capitol; 7 a.m., CapEd’s Read to Rise hot air balloon launch from the Capitol; 7 a.m., Veteran Entrepreneur Alliance Breakfast in Cecil D. Andrus Park; 9:17 a.m., reading of the Declaration of Independence in front of the Capitol; 10 a.m., Idaho 4th of July Parade from Boise starts. For more information, go to boise4th.com.

Independence Day Celebration

Meridian will hold a “grand fireworks display” in Storey Park to celebrate Independence Day on Tuesday, July 4. The park will be open to families for picnics, games and fireworks viewing. A variety of food trucks will be onsite beginning at 4 p.m. There will also be live music throughout the evening. The event will continue until the fireworks display is over at roughly 10:30 p.m. For more details, go to meridiancity.org.

Eagle Fun Days

Eagle Fun Days 2023 will take place July 7-8 at Gueber Park; the Eagle Fun Days Fireworks Show will be held at Eagle Island State Park. The event will feature vendors, live music, a car show, parade, corn hole tournament, and a Rocky Mountain oyster feed. Go to cityofeagle.org for more information.

Silver Screen on the Green

Nampa Parks & Recreation offers free family-friendly movie nights on Fridays throughout the summer months at Optimist Park. Bring a blanket or chair; movies begin at dusk. Upcoming movies for July include: “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile,” July 7; “Hotel Transylvania,” July 14; “Sonic 2,” July 21; and “Rumble,” July 28. Go to nampaparksandrecreation.org for more information.

Puptricks

This dog-themed event is both for people who have dogs and like to bring them to events as well as for people who may not have dogs but like them and are looking for something to do in the community. It’s set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 8, at the Nampa Civic Center. There will be vendors. The event is free for attendees.

STEAM Camp at the Botanical Garden

A STEAM Camp for children ages 10-12 (incoming fifth and sixth graders) will take place at the Idaho Botanical Garden July 10-13 on the topic of “The Science Behind Amazing Adaptations.” Participants will learn about insects, flowers, and leaves and participate in hands-on experiments. Cost for the camp is $175 for members and $250 for non-members; there is a 20-child limit on space for this particular camp. Sign up for the program at idahobotanicalgarden.org, navigate to the “Learn” tab at the top of the page, select STEAM Camp, then scroll to the camp you wish to enroll your child in. Other programs are planned throughout the summer, including an early August career camp.

Storytrail Adventure

Offered the second Friday of each month, Storytrail Adventure is for children ages 3-5, in the company of an adult caretaker. The kids are invited to walk a quarter-mile trail at the Foothills Learning Center, 3188 Sunset Peak Rd. in Boise. While walking the trail, children may read a story

of Events

together and then get creative with a story-related craft and activity. Cost is $7. Coming Storytrail Adventure days are July 14 and August 11 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. For more information go to cityofboise.org.parks.

Sparklight Movie Night

Enjoy a free, family-friendly, outdoor movie under the stars in Meridian’s Settlers Park every other Friday night. Shows are scheduled for July 14, July 28, and August 11. The featured movie begins at dusk. Movie-goers should bring low-profile folding chairs, lawn blankets, and favorite snacks. The Settlers Park concession stand will be open and restrooms are nearby. For more information and a list of movies, go to meridiancity.org.

22nd Annual Youth Summer Production

Boise Little Theater and Boise Parks and Recreation will present the 22nd Annual Youth Summer Production July 14-22 at BLT, 100 E. Fort St. in Boise. This year’s show, featuring local young actors, will be Disney’s “Frozen Jr.” For more information, go to boiselittletheater.org or cityofboise.org/parks.

WaterShed Weekend

Join the Boise WaterShed every third Saturday of the month for nature and art activities the whole family can enjoy. Activities take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Admission is free, and no pre-registration is needed. “Water Festival” is the theme for July 15. The WaterShed also hosts WaterShed Wednesday programs free for all ages at its outdoor River Campus. For more information, go to boisewatershed.org or cityofboise.org/parks.

Snake River Stampede

Snake River Stampede 2023 is set for July 18-22 at Ford Idaho Center in Nampa. Go to snakeriverstampede.com for more information.

Canyon County Fair

Canyon County Fair 2023 is scheduled for July 27-30 at the fairgrounds at 111 S. 22nd Ave. S. in Caldwell. Go to canyoncountyfair.org for more information.

Summer Splash Concert

A Summer Splash Concert sponsored by Project 88.7 is set for 6:30 to 11 p.m. Thursday, August 3, at the Wave Pool Stage at Roaring Springs. Christian artists will perform throughout the evening, and those who purchase tickets are also entitled to unlimited access to waterpark attractions. Purchase tickets at www.roaringsprings.com/plan/general-info/ events.

STEAM Career Explorations

A STEAM Career Explorations program for kids ages 7-9 (incoming third and fourth graders) and kids 10-12 (incoming fifth and sixth graders) will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. August 7-10 at the Idaho Botanical Garden. Cost for the camp is $175 for members and $250 for nonmembers; there is a 20-child limit on space per age cohort for this event. Sign up for the program at idahobotanicalgarden.org, navigate to the “Learn” tab at the top of the page, select STEAM Camp, then scroll to the event you wish to enroll your child in.

Boise Soul Food Festival

A soulful Saturday of African American-inspired food, Southern flavor, and

live entertainment is set for 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, August 12, at Julia Davis Park in Boise. Come visit the annual Boise Soul Food Festival. There will be many local vendors and cultural workshops as well. The Soul Food Festival’s purpose is to celebrate and educate the greater Treasure Valley region about African American culture in order to enhance and nurture racial understanding and harmony within the community. For much more information, go to boisesoulfood.org.

36th Annual Festival of the Arts

The annual show of handmade arts and crafts – Nampa Festival of the Arts – is set for 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, August 12, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, August 13, at Lakeview Park. The event will feature more than 200 artisans, concessions, entertainment, free kids’ activities, and a juried fine art show. Go to nampaparksandrecreation.org for more information.

Warbird Roundup

Warbird Roundup 2023 is planned for August 12-13. Warbirds from the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino, Calif., will be flying in for the event. Go to warhawkairmuseum.org for more details.

Caldwell Night Rodeo

Caldwell Night Rodeo 2023 is set for August 15-19 at the D&B Supply Arena. Go to caldwellnightrodeo.com for more information.

Western Idaho Fair

This year’s Western Idaho Fair kicks off August 18 and runs through August 24 at the Western Idaho Fairgrounds. Go to idahofair.com for more information.

15th Annual Pooch Party

Bring your family and your dogs to Pooch Party 2023 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, August 26, at Lakeview Park in Nampa. A $25 registration fee includes a t-shirt and admission for one dog into the 1-mile walk and swim ($30 after August 22). A raffle will be held, and there will be petfriendly booths and contests. Go to nampaparksandrecreation.org for more information.

Friday and Saturday Slide Nights

Swimmers are invited to unlimited access to waterpark attractions as the sun sets at Roaring Springs from 6 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through August 26. Admission is $24.99 plus tax. For more information, go to roaringsprings.com.

DO’S AND DON’TS

Essential summer safety tips for parents

By Heidi Christianson

Summer is here and with that comes safety reminders specifically for the season. Below are Let Mommy Sleep’s top tips for sun, swim, and essential summer safety tips for parents.

Infant Care Do’s and Don’ts

Most experts do not recommend putting sunscreen on babies younger than 6 months. When compared to older babies and children, younger infants have a higher surface area to body weight ratio, putting them at greater risk when exposed to the chemicals. Plus, infants have immature, sensitive skin that can easily break out or respond poorly to chemicals. Here’s how you can protect your baby without sunscreen:

• Avoid peak sunlight hours (typically between 10 a.m.-2 p.m.) to minimize exposure to harmful UV rays.

skin. Hats should have a wide brim to protect the face, ears, and neck.

• Since younger babies have not fully developed sweat glands, be sure to constantly monitor your infant for signs of overheating.

• Keep baby hydrated by offering breast milk or formula. Bring a cooler and follow safety instructions when storing liquids.

• Watch baby’s urine for signs of dehydration. If urine appears darker or less than usual, the baby

could be at risk for dehydration and should be moved to a cooler location.

Sunscreen Safety for Older Babies and Kids

For children ages 6 months or older, the Environmental Working Group has a list of safest sunscreens for children that meet its safety standards. This means these sunscreens provide adequate sun protection while avoiding ingredients linked to known health harms. These chemicals have endocrine-disrupting effects which means they interfere with normal functioning of the endocrine system. This affects the reproductive and other biological processes regulated by the

Montessori children love math. Why?

designed materials. Abstract ideas taught in elementary—like (a+b+c)3—tie back to preschool hands-on work, like this Trinomial Cube. Recognition brings joy

Learn more at montessoriacademyidaho.com

Heidi Christianson

endocrine system. You can find the list at https://www.ewg. org/sunscreen/best-sunscreens/baby-kids-sunscreens.

Pools, the ocean, rivers and lakes can all be fun places for a family swim. What is more, swimming is healthy for us in many ways. Before heading out though, take time to learn or refresh yourself on the basics of swim safety, sun safety, and drowning prevention.

Swim Safety and Drowning Prevention

There is no substitute for active supervision when children are around water. This means no phones! Additionally, an adult should be within arm’s reach of a child when providing active supervision.

More Swimming Safety Tips

Adults need to be water watchers! As SafeKids.org says, when there is more than one adult watching the children, using a water watcher schedule is an excellent idea. For example, each adult can take a 15-minute shift as the person in charge of supervision. Then after 15 minutes, the next adult takes their shift. This way, while all adults are most likely watching, each adult who is “on” knows that they must watch without distraction.

Drain Safety

Backyard and public pools have drainage and suction outlets. Teach kids never to play or swim near them as the suction may be stronger than the child’s ability to get away from them. Replace flat drain covers with dome-shaped ones to minimize risk, and if there are broken, loose or missing drain covers, do not allow kids to swim until the covers are fixed.

Open Water Swimming

Swimming in open water is different from swimming in a controlled area like a pool. Natural lakes, rivers and oceans have sudden drop-offs, currents and undertows that can take children by surprise. Educate children to never go near or in water without an adult actively supervising, and make sure kids swim only in areas designated as safe in the event there are dangers below the surface we cannot otherwise see.

Drowning

Despite what we see in the movies and television, drowning often happens quietly. Several of the signs happen underwater, where we cannot see the swimmer struggling. Children should never be unsupervised while swimming and adults should know the physical signs that a child is having trouble in water. These are the signs that someone is struggling in water:

• The head tilted back in a position to try to get air.

• The mouth is at water level.

• Vertical body – upright instead of horizontal.

• Facing land – a drowning person is usually facing land.

• “Ladder climbing” – a drowning person looks like they are climbing a ladder.

Summer can be full of adventure. Understanding safety can make these adventures even more fun for kids and their families. Happy summer, everyone!

Heidi Christianson, RRT, NPS, agency director/owner of Let Mommy Sleep of Idaho. Go to letmommysleep.com/idaho for more information.

Books offer trips into others’ worlds

By Jenna Shaver

This month I’d like to share two special books with you in the hope that, from this article, you find inspiration to read alongside your child.

A Story About Afiya

by James Berry

A Story About Afiya by James Berry centers on a young girl, Afiya, and her special white frock. She collects the days’ treasures as imprints on her dress, only for them to be erased, her dress fresh and new, the next morning. Ultimately, this story is about the memories we collect living our daily lives. From roaming through sunflower fields to climbing atop boulders, our daily memories stay with us, affect our beings, and are tucked away, leaving us refreshed and new for the next day. While this may be a challengingly abstract concept to which

children can relate, the sentiment of collecting memories, fleeting feelings and those that linger, beauty and richness are universal and enduring. Little treasures live in the full pocket of rocks or squished petals our child brings home after a full day. In addition to a rich sentiment, A Story About Afiya has beautiful and unique illustrations and a lyrical prose; a joy to read and listen to.

GRILLED SALMON PASTA

Salmon Rustica

Grilled Salmon Salad

The Black Book of Colors

by Menena Cottin

The Black Book of Colors by Menena Cottin is an incredibly innovative, sensitive, and stimulating book. This book contains no visual illustrations but only black pages with finely embossed drawings, eliminating sight all together and allowing the child to experience pictures without using sight as a sense. Due to its lack of visual stimulation, the child around whom the book revolves describes each individual color using other senses, challenging us to use descriptive language as it hasn’t been used before.

be the experience of a person with a visual impairment. What an exciting opportunity to peer into the experience of another in such a natural and authentic way.

Books are a fantastic medium for peering into the lives of others and reflecting our own. In every story of another, we can find a moment with which we can relate, finding similarities in the differences and celebrating them all the same. Isn’t that what life’s about?

Jenna Shaver is an accredited teacher, developing and educating young minds as a Certified Lead Guide. She is a graduate of Montessori Northwest, an Association Internationale training center and one of a small cadre of AMI-certified teachers in Idaho. She holds dual Bachelor’s degrees from Boise State University, one in Early Childhood Intervention/Early Childhood Education and the second in Elementary Education.

ADVERTISE WITH US

If you like what you see, join our family of advertisers! Promote YOUR business to OUR readers with every issue. Don’t have an ad? No problem—we can create one for you! Rates and deadline information available.

Our Registered Nurses (RN) and Newborn Care Providers (NCP) support families with single babies, twins, and triplets by providing gentle care through the night. We use evidence-based practice to help parents feel confident and healthy in the family home.

Buy 11 nights of care and get the 12th night free!

Green describes the tasting of lemon ice cream and smelling of freshly cut grass; red tastes of unripe strawberries; white is the color of rain during a storm. This books challenges what we think we know of descriptive language and encourages the child to play with the senses. In addition to these things, the story, its inclusion of the braille alphabet, embossed illustration, and lack of visual sense exposes children to what may 208.647.5337

PRESCHOOL OF THE ARTS HAS FALL OPENINGS!

Children in the Preschool of the Arts are taught by loving, master teachers with a profound power to inspire children toward a higher standard of excellence and creative expression that pours over into every other area of their lives: their relationships, ambitions for life, and how they impact their community. TRICA's early learning program encapsulates the best of Waldorf, Montessori, and Reggio Emilia traditions into a cross-discipline arts experience designed just for 3-5 year olds. Tour today to experience the difference!

SPECIALS INCLUDED

5 DAY, 3 DAY AND 2 DAY AVAILABILITY

EXTENDED DAY OPTION

INSPIRING SETTING

Learn more at trica.org