KC Parent Magazine August 2019

FREE | August 2019 | KCParent.com | Since 1985

KC’S #1

BACK-TOSCHOOL GUIDE SECRETS OF

✓ “A” STUDENTS EASE THE ✓ BTS STRESS MASTER YOUR ✓ MORNING ROUTINE

TIPS TO SAVOR

SUMMER MOMS, NEED MORE

ENERGY? HERE’S HOW!

Explore

Kansas City Zoo

August 3 & 4 Art for the Animals August 10 KU Day at the Zoo August 17 Girl Scout Day August 17 Melon Summer Smash August 24 Wine Walk for Wildlife (21 and over, registration required)

August 24 & 25 Dog Days of Summer August 24 & 25 Humboldt Penguin March

In partnership with Major Brands

Always a New Adventure!

August 24, 2019 | 6 to 9pm

Buy Your Tickets Today! kansascityzoo.org/events/wine-walk-for-wildlife/ Check online for more Zoomazing experiences!

kansascityzoo.org | 816.595.1234 | Open Daily The Kansas City Zoo, a private, non-profit organization is operated in agreement with the Kansas City, MO Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners, partially funded by the Zoological District in Jackson and Clay Counties in MO, and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

Our team of dedicated care professionals is here for you through every step, stumble, stitch, tear and triumph. Because when we believe in the power of the human spirit, there’s nothing we can’t overcome together.

Learn more at AdventHealth.com

Photography: Brett Pruitt & East Market Studios.

AC A D E M Y FO R C H I L D R E N AG E S 2 -1 8 Awarded “Outstanding School” by Youth America Grand Prix in 2017, 2018 and 2019!

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AUGUST

2019

IN EVERY ISSUE 10 Mojo for Moms 12 Date Night 14 Five Things We Love 15 Word from Dad

16-PAGE BACK-TO-SCHOOL GUIDE, PG. 36

37 Craft Corner 41 Tasty Treats

SPECIAL SECTIONS

FEATURES

22 Party Guide 36 Back-To-School Guide 52 Calendar of Events

18

28

34

Parent-Child Bond

Important Items

Savor Summer

Tips to strengthen this important tie

Things to take care of to prep for the future

Ways to make the most of summer’s last days

Our cover features Grady from Prairie Village.

Photo by Swade Studios Photography SwadeStudios.com FREE | August 2019 | KCParent.com | Since 1985

KC’S #1

ON THE COVER Ways to Have More Energy Tips to Savor Summer Secrets of “A” Students Master Mornings Ease the BTS Stress

26 34 42 48 50

BACK-TOSCHOOL GUIDE OF ✓ SECRETS “A” STUDENTS THE ✓ EASE BTS STRESS YOUR ✓ MASTER MORNING ROUTINE

TIPS TO SAVOR

SUMMER MOMS, NEED MORE

ENERGY? HERE’S HOW!

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kcparent.com august 2019

EDITOR’SLETTER AUGUST 2019

I

Enjoy August and back-to-school season in your home!

Margaret Sarver, Editor

Publisher Michael Gimotty Michael@KCParent.com Associate Publisher Darrell Dean Darrell@KCParent.com Editor Margaret Sarver Margaret@KCParent.com Art Director Kim Tappan Tappan Design Kim@KCParent.com Advertising Sales Debbie Clark Debbie@KCParent.com Darrell Dean Darrell@KCParent.com Digital Media Manager Kristina Light Kristina@KCParent.com Event Calendar Susan Lynn Calendar@KCParent.com Copy Editor Susan Crainshaw Susan@KCParent.com Distribution To be added to our distribution list, e-mail Distribution@KCParent.com

LOCAL CONTENT

Local Contributing Writers Hannah Barry (Kansas City), Bill Bartlett (Belton), Melissa Bellach (Overland Park), Megan Coffey (Overland Park), Julie Collett (Overland Park), Wendy Connelly (Overland Park), Allison Gibeson (Lee’s Summit), Susan Gimotty (Overland Park), Judy Goppert (Lee’s Summit), Christa Melnyk Hines (Olathe), Amy Hundley (Olathe), Gina Klein (Kansas City), Kristina Light (Kansas City), Regan Lyons (St. Joseph), Sarah Lyons (Olathe), Kerrie McLoughlin (Peculiar)

Mailing Address 11936 W. 119th #335, Overland Park, KS 66213 913.782.3238 phone • 913.681.5139 fax OUR PRODUCTS FREE | August 2019 | KCParent.com | Since 1985

kansas city’s #1 travel guide since 2010

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JULY- SEPTEMBER 2019 | KCPARENT.COM

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TIPS TO SAVOR

SUMMER

SURVIVING NEWBORN

MOMS, NEED MORE

ENERGY?

ISOLATION

HERE’S HOW!

.com

t’s August, and you know what that means: time for back to school! This is not my favorite time of year—I enjoy having the girls home during the summer and like having a relaxed schedule. But I’m especially dreading it this year as my older will be a senior in high school. What?!? And even though just thinking about it gets me a bit choked up, I’m going to do my best to look on the bright side and see it for what it is, the completion of one chapter, but also the start of another. Not only will I have a senior, but my younger will be a freshman— so we’ve officially said goodbye to elementary and middle school! What about you? Are you dreading the start of school or counting down the days in sweet anticipation? Either way, we’ve got you covered with our 16-page Back-to-School Guide, starting on pg. 36.

Do you find yourself low on energy? I know, I know, I’m preaching to the choir.

Being a parent takes all sorts of energy— physical, emotional and mental—and sometimes (okay, a lot of times) we are just plain worn out. Taking care of ourselves is important so we can, in turn, take care of our kids. Check out Sarah Lyon’s tips on pg. 26.

I would be remiss if I let this month pass without making mention of a big milestone my family is marking. Aug. 13 brings the 20th anniversary of my brother’s heart transplant. While it’s cause for celebration for our family, the date is a somber anniversary for the donor family. We are so, so thankful and grateful to that family for sharing their loved one with us. To all donors and donor families, a very heartfelt and sincere thank you! And, to my brother: Here’s to another 20 years of good health!

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Kansas City Parent Magazine is published 12 times a year by Family Media Group. It is distributed free of charge throughout the Kansas City area. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect KC Parent’s opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written permission. Kansas City Parent Magazine does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors.

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KCPARENTWEBSITE

KCPARENT.COM Even More Local Parenting Information, Articles, Events and Surprises

SEARCH KCPARENT.COM FOR MORE AFFORDABLE FUN IDEAS: 1. Best of August 2. Perfect Picnic Spots 3. Apple Picking Guide

4. Coupons for Local Attractions 5. Spraygrounds 6. Kids Eat Free

SPOTLIGHT

NEW WEBSITE

Head to KCParent.com to visit our all-new website. You’ll find all the content you love with enhanced features to make your summer planning easier. Same great content with a fresh look!

7. Back-to-School Traditions 8. Fairs and Festivals

LABOR & DELIVERY GUIDE Choosing the best hospital for the arrival of your baby is an important decision. Use the KCParent.com Labor & Delivery Hospital Guide to find the perfect location for you and your child.

9. Great Giveaways 10. FREE Summer Fun

4 MORE WAYS TO STAY CONNECTED

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9

MOJOFORMOMS mōjō: 1. influence, especially magic power 2. mom joy

TRANSITIONS The back-to-school season is a time of transitions, leaving behind the free-wheeling rhythm of summer and taking up the commitments, obligations and structured rhythms of the school year. As a former teacher and as a mom, I learned the most difficult moments of the day were times of transition. The interruption that wound down one activity, plunged us into a flurry of change and pivoted us toward something new was the moment things tended to come undone. Kids, once absorbed in quiet concentration, began to act up and make a lot of fuss. Others stubbornly refused to shift gears. I think adults tend to react to change in much the same way.

Our brains don’t like transitions, whether we’re in third grade or 30-something. But this season reminds us change is inevitable.

How do we meet it without resistance and discover the gifts of change?

1

2

3

SHIFTING HABITS

SHIFTING RELATIONSHIPS

SHIFTING IDENTITIES

Getting kids up in the mornings, off to school, picked up, shuttled to activities, fed and to bed can be a stark contrast to the more laid back days of summer.

Shifting habits overwhelms our brains, putting us in decision-overload and undermining the comforts of what-hasbeen. How do we shift gears? First, we allow discomfort, knowing it’s a natural byproduct of change. Next, it helps if we create systems and schedules for our brains to latch on to. After a bit of practice, our brains get into a groove of neural connections, forming new habits to replace the old. And suddenly, what once felt abnormal and uncomfortable becomes our comfortable, new normal.

The start of school is a time of shifting relationships, and not just for kids. Finding where they belong in a class full of new kids and adjusting to a new teacher can be rough. And as moms, sending slightlyolder-than-last-year kids off on their new adventure requires new adjustments, too. Our kids might need us less—some years, they may need us more. Perhaps we give our kids added responsibility and back away to allow natural consequences when they fail. How do we cope with shifting relationships with our kids? We simply hold the space for our mutual evolution, instead of pushing against it, knowing our relationships are designed for growth.

Transitions affect our identity as moms. I remember the first time I sent my kids off to preschool, then kindergarten and this year, I’m sending my youngest off to middle school. Each transition has meant a huge shift in identity for both of us. Whether we work inside or outside of the home, it’s very easy to have our identities entangled in our role as mothers. And as our kids get older, our identities as moms change.

When we feel lost, it’s important to find things beyond motherhood that fulfill us.

Think back to your best memories, times when you felt most alive. String them together as clues to your heart’s deeper longings, and then follow.

Wendy Connelly, M.Div., is a podcaster (MoJo For Moms podcast), life coach and mother of two from Overland Park.

You can find Wendy’s latest podcasts, TV appearances, retreats and more at MoJoForMoms.com.

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kcparent.com august 2019

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ATHLETIC FUN IN KC

DATENIGHT

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kcparent.com august 2019

For this month’s date, how about getting in touch with your inner athlete?

SHOAL CREEK On a recent Sunday afternoon, the hubby and I made our way over to Shoal Creek Golf Range to try our hand at the batting cages. The hubs hadn’t swung a bat for more than 15 years, and I hadn’t swung one for well over 20, so my optimism level was low. The batting cages take tokens, and you can buy six rounds of 15 pitches each for $10 or 13 rounds for $20. We opted for the former and started out each doing a round on the slow-pitch softball machine, I a lefty and he a righty. Then we transitioned to 38 mph baseball and each did two rounds. I actually surprised myself and hit quite a few of each.

Hubby hit just about everything that came his way … of course. I honestly thought it was pretty fun and would definitely go again.

Next time, we will try to hit a few balls at the driving range also.

SHAWNEE MISSION PARK Shawnee Mission Park houses a beautiful 120-acre lake that is popular for boating and fishing. In season, other favorite offerings are swimming and renting canoes, kayaks, pedal boats and—our choice on a recent Saturday—paddle boards. Stand-up paddle boarding, or SUP as it’s commonly known, is a popular sport these days. And as I found out, it is much more difficult than it looks. The activity requires a lot of balance and good core strength. I consider myself very fit, but I was worn out after just a few minutes because I was trying so hard not to fall off! I also had issues with getting the paddle board to go where I wanted. My husband did a much better job than I. I was very glad I tried it because it is a great workout, but if I were to do it again, I would definitely sit or get on my knees. I think that would be more fun for me and less exhausting but still a good workout with the paddling.

GO APE’S TREETOP ADVENTURE If you are looking for something more adventurous but still athletic in nature, check out Go Ape’s Treetop Adventure in Swope Park.

A system of carabiners and trolleys transports you through the course and each of five sites. Each site includes various treetop obstacles, such as suspended platforms and steps, ropes, climbing apparatuses, nets and zip lines. Each challenge is marked as easy, moderate, difficult or extreme. Overall, the course was very challenging and took us about two hours to get through. You definitely need to be in decent shape, and I highly recommend wearing workout-type gloves, which you can buy at the park for $6.

We didn’t bring ours from home but wish we had. We paid around $50 per person and definitely felt like we got our money’s worth.

Great fun and a great workout!

Hannah Berry is a freelance writer who lives with her husband in Kansas City. They enjoy regular date nights and love trying new restaurants and activities.

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13

FIVETHINGS Yeti Cup I try to drink as much water daily as I can.

But because I work at my computer for a good part of the day, I worry about spilling my water on it. Last year my brother-inlaw gave me a Yeti tumbler as a gift and it’s the bomb dot com! Not only does it have a lid so spillage isn’t an issue, it keeps my water cold and the cup doesn’t sweat. I think I’ve even upped my water consumption since getting my Yeti!

Munch on Munchos My brother was up for a visit recently and brought with him a few snacks, one of those being a bag of Munchos chips. He left a bag behind, and I made the mistake of trying them. Um, yum! They are so dang good! Light, crispy and with just enough salt to make them dangerous. Each week I buy just one bag at the store, and my daughter always asks, “Why just one bag?” Because if I bought more, I’d eat them all.

Try them, you’ll like them!

5

THINGS WE

LOVE RIGHT NOW

Compiled by Margaret Sarver

Finding Keys Dig, if you will, the picture of a family member looking for lost keys.

If your family is anything like mine, you may be digging this picture fairly often. Enter Tile Pro and Tile Mate. Simply get the Tile device of your choice, download the app and, in no time, you’ll find that searching under cushions, behind furniture, in pockets, etc., etc., will be a thing of the past! Smoother mornings and less frantic searches are just one small device away.

1 Second Everyday Life moves pretty fast.

If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. Fun fact: That was my senior quote.

But I digress. Life does move fast, and the years go by in a blink.

This summer, I asked each family member to download and use the 1 Second Everyday app to keep a video/photo diary of our summer from each person’s perspective.

It’s a great way to record life’s events, big and small.

Tasty Treats Did you take a tropical trip and are longing to go back? Or, were you landlocked in the Midwest and just dreaming of a Hawaiian getaway? Either way, good news! The popular restaurant, Hawaiian Bros., recently opened a location in Overland Park.

Now you have three places to get your Dole Whip fix, in Belton, Lawrence and Overland Park. Enjoy! HawaiianBros.com

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WORDFROMDAD

THE LAST FIRST DAY Normally, I’d sleep until the last minute. After all these years, the first school day isn’t much different from the last, but this morning is unique. My youngest child is starting his final year, and sleep eluded me.

I give up and make my way downstairs where I pick up his backpack and check it one more time. Spiral notebooks, pencils, pens, markers, everything packed and ready.

Ian couldn’t comprehend our excitement when he started preschool at age 3. We showed him his supplies and talked about school unceasingly. He wouldn’t speak for another two years, but he understood the word “school,” and when the bus came that morning, he was more ready than Sandi or I. Viewed as an emergency case following his diagnosis with autism spectrum disorder, he started school on a cold, February morning. We bundled him up, slipped on his backpack that came down to his knees, and walked him and James out to the bus.

For the next 13 years, August meant back to school with everything new except the nerves. Now, he is starting his senior year, probably his last of formal education.

His future after school worries me.

Will he be able to work or is he too disabled? What about a family? Will he be able to find and maintain a relationship?

What about parenthood? Will I be able to hold his child in my arms and take a grandparent’s joy in that first smile?

Climbing the stairs, I open his door, gaze on his face, and a wave of emotion surges through me. He’s so young with no idea of what life can deal him. And I’m so powerless to shield him after graduation.

I place my hand on his shoulder and give him a gentle shake. “Ian, it’s time to wake up.”

William R. Bartlett lives in Belton with his family.

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kcparent.com august 2019

15

when daddy travels …

! k or w t i e k you can ma

w

hen a father travels for his job, family life feels it. Not only does he miss birthdays, holidays and special events like Scout ceremonies or dance recitals, but his being away disrupts any household routine that may have been in place. And don’t think it’s any picnic for him, either! Chances are he hates being gone and coming home to feel like he’s missed out on the life he’s building with you and the kids.

Don’t fret, husbands and travel widows!

I’ve been in this game for a long time, and I have some ideas to make the days and nights easier on your family, to stay bonded and to have a little fun in the process. Whether Dad is gone on a regular basis or only leaves for an occasional business trip, you still can make your parenting—and your marriage—work!

Dad: Try to send postcards or a special

ROUTINE

Mom: Try to talk every day to keep him in

Mom: Try to keep routines you have in

the loop, because we all know things change fast when you’re a parent! Take advantage of technology like Skype, email and FaceTime.

Also, try the Marco Polo app to leave video messages when it’s convenient for you.

place, such as dinnertime, bedtime, etc. Of course, if you want to let the kids watch a little more TV than usual while you snuggle up to them and read a good book, you have my blessing. Being the equivalent of a single parent is hard, and you need to have a break now and then.

Dad: If you know the kids go to bed promptly at 8:30 and you’re stuck in an evening meeting, try to sneak out for a brief FaceTime call to make contact before bedtime. Your wife will love you for it!

MAKE IT FUN Mom: Have a slumber party in the living room; go to a restaurant where you can eat and play; head to the park. We used to sleep over at Grandma’s for a week at a time to make it seem like our own little vacation.

Being pampered at Grandma’s, plus the change of scenery, was good for all of us.

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note every time you travel. Find coloring sheets and crafts of the kids’ favorite characters online and email them to your children.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Mom: Don’t let the kids get away with things just because Dad’s gone. Sometimes my kids gripe about their dad’s job or the fact that he’s gone, and I remind them that without his job they could not take gymnastics lessons, enjoy living in a nice home and so many other things they take for granted.

Dad: Respect your wife and kids by respecting the routine! See above.

COMMUNICATION

Dad: Tell them the “boring” details of your day. My kids always want to know things like what Daddy had for breakfast and what kind of car he rented. Return Marco Polo messages!

INFORMATION, PLEASE

Mom: Put a calendar in the kids’ room so they know when Dad leaves and returns. Small kids will have fun with a paper chain countdown like they make at Christmastime. Older kids can keep a journal and take digital pictures and videos.

Dad: Leave flight and hotel information with your wife, as well as any phone numbers of traveling mates so she can always get in contact with you.

KEEP IT CLEAN-ISH Mom: Some moms choose to let the house go all week then do a freakishly fast pickup job the day Dad’s due to return (guilty!). Some prefer to keep it picked up daily. Go easy on yourself while he’s gone and hit the paper plates and easy foods.

Dad: Go easy as Clean House Inspector when you get home or you’ll start off on the wrong foot with your family. Don’t forget they’ve been busy adjusting to your being gone, and emulating Martha Stewart probably was not your wife’s number one priority. If everyone is alive and semi-sane when you get back, be grateful!

Dad: Tell her it’s okay to hire a sitter and get out of the house for an hour! Contact family and friends (maybe even supportive neighbors) nearby to have them check in on your wife.

A COUPLE MORE IDEAS

Mom: If you are able, try to travel with

The Business Traveling

him sometimes. One summer the kids and I drove to Phoenix with my husband, another to Wyoming. Even if you are in a place with a kitchen and still need to cook, keeping a tiny hotel room picked up will be a snap.

We grabbed a local map and hit the zoo, libraries, parks, pools and more.

Parent by Dan Verdick and Scott Pollack

When Daddy Travels by Harriet

Dad: When you get home, try to give your

Ziefert and Emily Bolam

wife some time alone while you spend time catching up with the kids. They’ve missed you!

When Mommy Travels by

IF YOU’RE GOING CRAZY …

Mom: I know it’s hard, but try to give up

Mom: Depending on what makes you

a little control when your guy comes home.

You’ve been in charge, and now it’s time to ease back into working together again.

happy, either get out of the house or have someone over who can give you some help and a listening ear. Checking in with other moms (there’s that Marco Polo app suggestion again!) and understanding family members can also help your sanity.

BOOK SUGGESTIONS

Harriet Ziefert and Emily Bolam

Kerrie McLoughlin (TheKerrieShow.com) is a mom of five and has been a travel widow off and on since 1999. She loves to hear from other parents!

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T

building the PARENT-CHILD BOND

he first and most important relationship we have in our lives is the one with our parents.

Children learn how to love, play, interact and resolve conflict through the bond they form with their parents. As they mature, the bond strengthens through shared experiences and by spending quality time together. Here are some easy ways to strengthen the parent-child bond.

Play together The simplest way to bond with your child is to spend time playing with him. Play comes naturally to children and is a great way to spend quality time with them. Play teaches life skills, such as how to share, resolve conflict and how to follow rules. By playing peek-aboo, tossing a ball in the backyard, playing house or making crafts, you are cultivating closeness with your child as you share his joy in those activities. Playtime gives your child a safe place to share feelings and express worries.

By spending time doing what your youngster enjoys, you are declaring he is important and you are there for him.

Find a mutual interest What is your child interested in? If your child enjoys reading, create a two-person book club and discuss the books as you read. If your child loves football, make game night a family event and cheer on your team.

If your child is interested in dinosaurs, visit

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a museum. Some of my lifelong friendships grew from connections made playing sports or participating in activities together, and the same can be assumed when we are talking about parent-child bonding. If you truly enjoy activities together, a stronger bond will naturally form.

Tell them you love them and why It is likely your children know you love them, but how often do you tell them? Saying I love you to your child has powerfully positive effects. Try not just saying you love them, but tell them why.

“I love you because you are so fun to be around” or “I love you because you care about others.” Words of affirmation are powerful tools to give our kids the selfconfidence they need to face the world, and they are a great way to bond with your child.

Make them a priority Put down your phone and talk to your children. Show them they are your number one priority. If you have a task that needs to be done, ask your youngster to let you finish it and when it’s complete, give your child your full attention. If you have multiple children, finding opportunity for one-on-one time with them can be difficult. Set aside time to go on a date with each of your children so you can connect and check in with what’s been going on with each. Ask them open-ended questions and then listen to the answers.

Create a helper For the busy parent, finding the time to make quality moments with a child is a daunting task. To ease the time crunch, try incorporating kids into your daily tasks.

While you are cooking dinner, doing dishes or folding laundry, ask children to help and then start up a conversation. Some kids may bond with their parents over fixing the car, painting, gardening or any household task.

Love them no matter what One of the best ways to build a healthy bond with your children is to let them know you will love them no matter what.

You communicate this by listening to their problems, offering advice when appropriate and then respecting their decisions, even if they will have negative consequences.

If your child makes a mistake, let him know you are there to love and support him through the challenges he may face.

Everyone needs to know he has someone in his corner, especially on the bad days.

Most of these ideas are not profound or difficult to do. They just take a little planning and intentionality. Over time, without even trying, the bonds will be built and your child will have a foundation of love and support as he matures.

Mom of six Sarah Lyons lives in Olathe with her family.

A BIT OF PARADISE NOT FAR FROM HOME

Margaritaville

F

inding paradise near our landlocked Kansas City might be easier than you think. Just a few hours away, tucked away on the banks of the Lake of the Ozarks is the new Margaritaville Lake Resort. The new vacation spot, previously the Tan-Tar-A Resort, is the result of a multimillion dollar makeover and features marine-inspired colors and a soothing ambiance that encourages leisure and relaxation during your stay. The Missouri Margaritaville joins the growing collection of hotels and resorts inspired by singer Jimmy Buffett.

When we first checked in, the lobby’s upscale beach décor and laid-back vibe caught our attention and set the mood. Our room had all-new everything: paint, bedding, shower, flooring and much more! Our crowd was hungry, so we unloaded our luggage and headed to the Windrose Marker 26 Lakeside Restaurant. This was one of Tan-Tar-A’s resort staples, serving exceptional seafood and steaks with phenomenal lake views. My favorite, for sure, was the mushroom ravioli appetizer—I should have ordered two and had it as my main dish. We then headed to the putt-putt golf course right on site. Actually, everything is right on site: a water park, tennis, bowling, arcade, swimming pools, a marina with all boating activities, horseback riding and five restaurants, including a brand new waterfront restaurant with a swim-up bar called LandShark. I love vacations where we never have to get in our car to go somewhere!

The next day our teenage son headed to the Oaks golf course and reported the links were in great shape! We all enjoyed a really delicious breakfast at JB’s Boathouse Grill. This was not your typical hotel restaurant with average food; they had a lovely breakfast buffet with an omelet and waffle bar plus a diverse menu, which offered unique breakfast skillets. We then hit the fun coffee shop—always a must with teenagers—that’s right in the lobby. Fully caffeinated, we headed to the marina and spent a few hours taking in the incredible views of the lake from our pontoon boat. That night we grabbed pizza at Frank & Lola’s, played tennis and turned in a bit early after hours of fresh air that made us tired and satisfied.

Sunday morning we enjoyed another great breakfast and played retro video games at the arcade. To top off the fun, we rented paddle boats at the marina.

This family-friendly resort was really a hit with our four teenagers.

Margaritaville’s breezy, laid-back atmosphere felt like paradise without having to break the budget to travel very far. I was really impressed with how Margaritaville blended the “no worries” vibe with the lake atmosphere—and that Kansas Citians now have a resort-style, waterfront oasis to visit just a few hours away.

Susan Gimotty and her husband live in Overland Park with their four teenagers and loves escaping the busyness of daily life to make travel memories with the family!

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PARTYGUIDE

make

lasting memories with summertime birthday parties

e

veryone knows hot summer days are ideal for outdoor children’s parties. Planning a summer birthday party is a blast, and whatever their age, boys and girls enjoy seeing their friends and classmates during the summer away from school. Some local moms share their unique ideas to keep kids engaged and entertained.

A fun idea for outdoor fun in the heat is to host an everything water party! Hang water balloon piñatas from tree limbs and have kids use a baseball bat or stick to hit them. The water falls on them and cools them off! Or have a game of water balloon baseball and watch them hit the balloons and laugh as they break. Play pass the water: Children stand

in a line, the first passes a cup of water over her head to the one behind and so on. See who spills the cup! Send each child home with a bag of balloons and create a fun balloon cake or cake shaped as a swimming pool.

A way to have some tail wagging fun is to have each child bring his dog (socially friendly ones, of course). Set up plastic kiddie pools around the fenced yard and let the dogs run and play in the pools. You even can find birthday cakes with pet-safe ingredients for dogs at some local specialty pet stores. It’s fun to watch them snarf that cake! Send each child home with a bag of dog treats for the furry friends, and bagged-up homemade Chex cereal puppy chow (find the recipe online) serves as a great party favor for the kids.

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Another local mom, Michelle Spigarelli, creator of Painting Petunias, shares some ideas for parties she has held for her three sons.

“With three boys, my motto was always keep it simple and avoid the meltdown, especially in summer when it’s already hot.

Even boys like to be involved, so have them help with the planning and the prep and flow of the day. Great summer themes are mini carnival with potato sack races, tractor races, ball toss, cake walk and the like. Make sure everyone wins a prize for something.

Soccer parties are fun, and you can hire someone to teach the kids skills and have a soccer game after. Trophies all around. Soccer themed foods round it out. If the children are older, hold a book exchange, especially for a rainy-day summer party. The children can read an excerpt from their favorite book and act out parts, then swap books.

Being an artist, I think it’s fun to have the

kids be Picassos and set up stations of finger painting, sponge and rock painting, then they can bring their works of art home. All treats can be in party theme. I feel one or two activities go a long way!”

A favorite party I planned when my children were young was a neighborhood scavenger hunt. This works perfectly if you know all the neighbors on your street and they can join in the fun. Have children go in groups of three and make sure you and some other adults walk around with them.

Make a list of items such as a marshmallow, paper clip, piece of gum, toothpick and any other common household items. Give each group a baggie and have kids go door-todoor, asking for the items. Whichever group fills its list first wins a prize! Prizes can be themed to the scavenger hunt idea, such as word search books, pens, pencils and all sorts of candy. A bonus is that this activity teaches children to be polite and meet new people.

How about a fishing party? If you have a lake or pond nearby, transport the party there and help kids thread worms on the hooks or use fishing lures. Make an Oreo dirt cake, complete with worms (find the recipe online), for the finale.

Embrace summers with your children— especially on their birthdays!

An avid outdoors girl, Judy Goppert lives in Lee’s Summit and enjoys all seasons, especially summer. She enjoys drawing on her personal experiences to write about the nuances of everything wonderful about life.

Sources: Pinterest, PopSugar.com

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25

10

ways for moms to have more

energ y!

b

eing a mom is a rewarding job, but it has a way of quickly using up all of your energy. Errands, sleepless nights, extracurricular activities, school projects, laundry and carpool duty are just some of the things that compose a mom’s endless to-do list. By the end of the day, feeling depleted of energy is all too common for many moms. So how does a worn out Wonder Woman recharge? Everyone finds different things give her that added boost to get through the day. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Exercise Adding exercise to your daily routine seems like it would use up more energy, but the truth is exercise actually can give you more energy. As your body moves, your heart pumps more blood, which delivers more oxygen to your muscles. “As your aerobic fitness increases, your body becomes more adept at moving oxygen into the blood, which makes your muscles more efficient—and more efficiency equals less energy usage,” according to LiveStrong.com. On the other side of things, obesity has been linked to fatigue and low energy levels.

Eat healthier It’s no surprise that eating a healthy, well balanced diet gives you more energy to get through the day. We’ve all eaten fast food or relished a piece of cake—a choice that tasted good in the moment but left us feeling sick and sluggish later. Although the occasional treat is fine, choosing healthy items gives you the most energy and keeps you feeling your best, according to Health.Harvard.edu.

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Spend time with friends

Schedule a date night

A quick and enjoyable way to recharge your batteries is to spend time with friends. Set aside the worries that go along with parenting for a few hours and talk and laugh with friends. If getting out of the house for dinner is too hard, schedule a coffee date while the kids are at school or a playdate that allows the moms to chat while the kids play happily. Another great way to make sure you get a night out is to schedule a monthly dinner, book club or game night with friends. The predictable date eliminates the effort of figuring out schedules, and the fun is more likely to happen if it is on everyone’s calendar each month.

Parenting is hard work for both moms and dads. Many weeks my husband and I find ourselves passing each other like ships in the night as we take kids to different practices and activities, leaving us little time to talk and reconnect.

When we begin to feel distant, it’s time to schedule a date night. This helps both of us relax and recharge. If a babysitter isn’t in the budget, put the kids to bed early and enjoy a late dinner or a movie together.

Get a good night’s sleep

For some moms, this is easier said than done. You may have a child who still wakes at night, or you may be tempted to stay up late or rise early to work on your long list of to-do’s. If you’re like me, you find yourself enjoying a moment of quiet so much that you stay up late watching TV or reading a book and miss out on time you could be catching up on rest. We all know that a full night’s sleep is going to give us more energy the next day. Listen to your body. If you need to go to bed early or take a nap in the afternoon, allow yourself that break so you are rested. The to-do list will be waiting for you tomorrow.

Treat yourself If you had a few hours to do whatever you wanted, what would it be? Go out to lunch with a friend? Enjoy a spa day? Curl up with a good book? Whatever comes to mind, make it happen. This may not be feasible every week, but on occasion, you have to allow yourself time to do something you really want to do in order to boost your depleted energy. Ask for help from your partner, a friend, or hire a babysitter to make it happen, then treat yourself.

Remember that caring for ourselves is part of what makes us able to care for our families better.

Take a quick pause

There are days when I am overwhelmed by the things on my plate and the kids are pushing every button. I find myself struggling to get through the hardest days, and I end up short-tempered and exhausted. A friend suggested that each day I take 10 minutes for myself in the afternoon to reset my attitude. Some days this is simply taking a shower during nap time, other days it is sitting down with my coffee and just taking a moment to focus on my breathing.

Sometimes, sitting down and snuggling with my kids while they watch cartoons gives me a moment to rest and recharge.

Protect your time

One of the biggest struggles parents face is lack of free time. We have good intentions of spending quality time with those we love, taking care of ourselves and creating a good work/home/life balance, but then we look at our calendar and it feels out of control. Choose carefully what you commit to when it comes to kids’ extracurricular activities, volunteer opportunities and other obligations. Overcommitment can cause stress and zap all your energy. Saying no is hard for many of us, but chaos is not good for internal peace.

Self care

As moms, we easily become so busy caring for everyone else that we forget to take care of ourselves. Do things that maintain your mental and physical health. Practice good hygiene, go to yearly checkups at the dentist and doctor, do monthly breast exams and find things that take care of your mind and body. By choosing to care for yourself, you are teaching your kids that health is a priority and that you want to be an active and energetic part of their lives as long as possible.

Let some things go

The one thing I have learned from being a mom for 14 years is that it’s okay to let some things go. There are only so many hours in the day, and sometimes I find I have no energy for doing the dishes. Although they cannot be ignored indefinitely, they can be ignored for a few hours. If my child wants to wear mismatched clothes, I consider whether a fight is worth my energy and usually decide to let it go. Most household chores can wait until tomorrow if I need to sit down, play with my kids, talk to my spouse and recharge my energy. I know that the to-do list cannot be ignored forever and not every problem can simply be let go. However, when your energy is depleted, it’s okay to let go of some things—even temporarily—in order to be a more attentive, patient and energetic mom. In 10 years, no one will remember whether my house was clean (it isn’t), but they will remember that we laughed, snuggled and did our best each day. They’ll also remember that sometimes Mom needs a break to recharge, and that is important too.

Mom of six Sarah Lyons lives in Olathe with her family.

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IMPORTANT THINGS TO TAKE CARE OF TODAY,

NOT TOMORROW Some things in life can stay on our “to-do” list for years because there is no deadline looming. Why not take time to get these things done now?

BY JUDY GOPPERT

I

n our busy lives, we often take care of the things right in front of us. For example, we make the grocery list, ensure homework is done, get the oil changed in the car, mow the grass or take care of regular dental and health checkups. These have deadlines and impact our lives if we don’t do them.

What about those things that don’t actually affect us on a daily basis? Taking a look at some of these items may light a fire under you to take action and prepare for the future.

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Get your finances together and make a budget Why not take a few moments to make a spreadsheet of how much money you bring in and pay out? This activity may not be the most exciting, but you need to be in control of your incoming and outgoing money—and making sure of it will eliminate a lot of stress in your life. After all, once you’re on top of everything, you’ll find more time and energy to devote to other, more fun things.

Start saving and investing in your child’s future.

If you haven’t already, look into setting up savings plans for your child’s college now by investing in something like a 529 plan, which allows you to make contributions as you like. The sooner the better, as college tuition seems to rise by the minute. Talk to your financial advisor to get started on what works best for you and your family.

Make a will Typically specific trigger events will signal that the time is right to organize your estate or will. If you have not made a will yet or updated it in many years, why not get that done? An attorney can get the ball rolling. Taking action is particularly important if you have experienced any major life changes, such as getting married or divorced, having kids, starting a business or buying a home. Once this is taken care of, you will feel a sense of accomplishment and calmness.

Invest in life insurance Now that you are a parent, you have lives depending on you. A life insurance policy is a good way to make sure they are taken care of if you are not around to do it yourself. A wide variety of policies are available, and payments are typically low.

Establish an escape plan In case of fire, your family needs to have a plan of action to get out fast. For when a tornado warning comes, make sure everybody knows where the safest place is in your home. Draw a floor plan of your dwelling, marking two ways out of every room, especially sleeping areas. Teach everyone how to open doors and window locks. Check smoke alarms while you’re thinking about it. Invest in portable escape ladders in or near windows, and if you live in an apartment, never use the elevator; use stairs. Together, select an outside meeting place a safe distance away, such as under a tree or by the front gate. Talk about dialing 911. Then, practice!

Ward off major homeowner and auto problems It’s not an everyday occurrence, but when your air conditioner or furnace go out, you’ll snap to attention! Schedule maintenance checkups on these items with an HVAC company. They will check fans and make sure everything is running properly. Schedule a checkup for your vehicle too, over and beyond oil changes.

This way, you can fend off emergencies such as fan belts breaking and tires going flat because they are bald. On that note, review your homeowner and car insurance policies to make sure they are up to date, include new drivers or new cars, and make sure your coverage is the best it can be for your family.

None of these things to do should be added to the kitchen chalkboard. Just tuck them away in your mind and attack one or two when you have time. Chipping away at these important tasks will make you feel good about your life today and in the future.

Sources: Thoughtcatalog.com, Huffingtonpost.com, Rainbowintl.com, MagnifyMoney.com

Rainy Day Fund Let’s face it, life is unpredictable!

A rainy day fund is one of the most important components of a sound financial foundation. Even the most prepared, organized people can be caught off guard and put into tough financial situations when something unexpected happens. Because of this, it’s essential to have money tucked away. Although most people agree that having easy-to-access cash is important, 29 percent of households have less than $1,000 in savings, according to a recent MagnifyMoney study.

Rainy day funds can be spent on things like car repairs, new tires, and emissions and inspections. Or perhaps you need a new washing machine, fridge, roof or floor?

Rainy day funds are meant for such expenses. Most people wouldn’t budget for a new roof because it’s a one-time expense. However, car and basic home repairs are inevitable occurrences. Rainy day funds are the perfect financial resource for occasions like this.

Change is truly the only predictable thing in life, and not-sopleasant expense “surprises” always show up. Knowing this makes it smart to plan ahead and prepare for the unexpected. You’ll enjoy peace of mind and financial protection in case—or when—something happens. A rainy day fund provides the extra padding in your budget that can keep you out of debt and on track financially, no matter what unexpected life event jumps in front of you.

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making a lasting

memory

Five methods to help your kids retain what they are learning

“Oh, I forgot.”

How many times have we all heard that from our kids when we ask them why they didn’t complete the task expected of them?

The response is often the same when we ask them where they put their backpack or shoes.

Sometimes kids can be forgetful. Not only does having a good memory help with daily tasks, but it’s also essential to success in school.

How can we help our kids retain information? Here are five tips to memoryboosting success:

1

Understand their learning style. Not everyone learns the same.

Personally, I’m a verbal learner and not a visual-spatial learner. If you give me information only in a visual format, my

30

kcparent.com august 2019

retention won’t be nearly as high as it would be if you gave those instructions to me orally or in writing.

Yet many children are just the opposite.

You can verbally tell them all the tasks they need to complete to get ready for school in the morning, but they will remember much better if you also give them a chart with pictures of each task. They might have trouble remembering your words, but they might be able to visualize the pictures.

2

Sing a song. Something about

music gets into our brains and makes it easy to remember. Whether it’s multiplication tables or the chores they need to complete once they get home from school, you and your kids can set just about anything to music with a bit of creativity.

Make coming up with memory-aiding songs a fun activity with your kids.

3

Make it a full sensory experience. Research has

shown that involving more than one sense aids in memory. Along these lines, incorporating movement into language and reading helps boost memory. If you are reading a story with a child, consider making up actions that go along with the story. If you really want to emphasize the tasks a child needs to complete before bedtime, make up a song with actions about picking up toys, brushing teeth and taking a bath.

4

Act it out. Perhaps one of the best ways to get kids to remember a history lesson is to have them pretend they are the characters and act out the experience.

Or if you are concerned about being able to get everyone in your house up, ready and out the door on time in the morning, have a

trial run on a weekend and go through the motions. The more a child feels involved in what he is supposed to remember, the more he will retain.

5

Good, old-fashioned repetition. All the fancy memory

If your child has trouble remembering where he put things, develop a system at home that aids your child in putting all his important belongings in the same place every day. Have a designated spot for his backpack, homework, lunchbox and shoes, and make sure he always practices putting

tricks aside, there is simply no substitute for repetition, and all these methods involve repetition in some sense.

Undoubtedly, the more you do something, the more of it you will retain.

When it comes to schoolwork, repetition is especially critical to math success— which is why students typically have more homework in math than in other subjects.

Repetition breeds habit as well. If a child knows there will be no bedtime story until all toys are picked up, she will develop a habit of picking up the toys. After a time, you might even find she just automatically picks up her toys at bedtime, regardless of the bedtime story.

his things in that place every day. This repetition will inevitably help solve the problem of forgetting where things are.

Allison Gibeson is a Lee’s Summit mom and writer who remembers verbal information best.

Successfully relaying information Raise your hand if your child has ever forgotten to tell you an important school announcement or lost a sheet of paper with school news on it. Kids can have a tough time remembering and delivering messages and news from school. To remedy this situation, consider buying your child a notebook and tape an envelope to the inside cover. Then have the child put all announcement-related papers in the envelope and make a short entry in the notebook for each piece of information he needs to relay to you. For every announcement he successfully delivers and explains, he can earn a sticker and, eventually, a small reward.

The Team Behind You.

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Independence Women’s Clinic 19550 East 39th Street, Suite 300 Independence, MO 64057

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31

moon bounce, foam blasters, kid monorail, spinning rides and more) and meet-andgreets with the Peanuts gang!

Tails on the Trails Pet Festival. Aug. 10 at Ad Astra Pool and Park. This is the perfect summer event for pets and their pals. Visitors browse pet vendors’ booths, participate in the pet talent show, let your pooch plunge into the dog swims and watch demonstrations at this annual event.

Bring Fido to the Museum. Aug. 10 at Shawnee Town 1929. Every dog needs his day, and yours is no exception. Bring her or him to Shawnee Town for contests, prizes and visits with local vets, groomers, trainers and friends. All dogs must be on a leash. There will be hands-on activities and professional advice from our sponsors.

Treat your best friend to a terrific treat. These local dog bakeries specialize

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER Celebrate your favorite canine (fictional or real) with these fun ideas Adventures of Clifford the Big Red Dog at Crown Center. Thru Sept. 22. Transport yourself to the world of Clifford, Emily Elizabeth and all the residents of Birdwell Island in this exciting, interactive and FREE exhibit.

Climb aboard the ferry, explore Clifford’s dog house, work together to fill Clifford’s big dog bowl and be greeted by a colossal 9-foot-high Clifford with a tail to slide down. He won’t follow you home, but the memories will!

Adopt a pet or volunteer at Wayside Waifs. Wayside Waifs is a local shelter with a commitment to finding homes for all adoptable pets. Wayside is the largest pet

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adoption campus in Kansas City. Wayside Waifs is proud to be a part of Kansas City’s no-kill community. Meet your new pet pal or find out how to volunteer at WaysideWaifs.org.

Planet Snoopy at Worlds of Fun. Children love the rides and attractions at Planet Snoopy… including live shows and the opportunity to hug everyone’s favorite beagle in person! Planet Snoopy, the children’s section within Worlds of Fun, features more than 20 attractions just for little ones. The area offers a great variety of attractions (kid coaster, swings, cars,

in tasty, healthy, delightful treats for your four-legged pal: Three Dog Bakery (multiple locations: ThreeDog.com), Brookside Barkery & Bath (multiple locations: BarkeryBath.com) and Treats Unleashed (Treats-Unleashed.com).

Head to the local dog park. Our favorites include: KANSAS: • Heritage Park, 16050 Pflumm Rd., Olathe • Leawoof Dog Park, 10601 Lee Blvd., Leawood • Shawnee Mission Off-Leash Dog Park, 7900 Renner Rd., Shawnee • Thomas S. Stoll Memorial Park, 12500 W. 119th St., Overland Park MISSOURI: • Blue Springs Dog Park, 1049 NE 20th St., Blue Springs • Dogwood Park, 51 NW Victoria Dr., Lee’s Summit • Happy Tails Park, 1251 SE Ranson Rd., Lee’s Summit • Tails & Trails Dog Park, 7601 E. 139th St., Grandview • Waggin Trail Dog Park, 432 NE 32nd Ave., North Kansas City • Wayside Waifs Bark Park, 3901 Martha Truman Rd., Kansas City

AUGUST

festivals

ACROSS KANSAS CITY Discover some of our favorite local festivals.

You’ll find even more in the Summer Festival Guide on KCParent.com.

Grand Carnivale Thru Aug. 4 at Worlds of Fun, 4545 Worlds of Fun Ave., Kansas City, MO. Grand Carnivale has something for everyone, from crafts and games, to delectable food and drink, to live music and astounding entertainment. Top off the night at the Carnivale Street Party, a magnificent party filled with international music and merrymaking. WorldsOfFun.com

arnivale

Grand C

Festival of Butterflies Thru Aug. 11 at Powell Gardens, 1609 NW US Hwy. 50, Kingsville, MO. Festival admission applies. Enjoy this family favorite and immerse yourself in the world of butterflies native and exotic! Enjoy special programming, family-friendly activities and free expert advice each weekend (Friday-Sunday) of the festival.

PowellGardens.org Missouri State Fair Aug. 8-18 at Missouri State Fairgrounds, Sedalia, MO. The 407-acre fairgrounds will present premier livestock shows and competitive exhibits and first-class professional entertainment. Mark your calendar for summer’s best family vacation experience! MoStateFair.com

Festival of Bu

tterflies

Ethnic Enrichment Festival Aug. 16-18 at Swope Park, Meyer Boulevard & Swope Parkway, Kansas City, MO. Adults: $5; 12 and under: Free. Feel the world beat in the heart of America. This event is one of the largest festivals of its kind in the nation and features more than 60 different cultures selling their native foods and crafts and performing ethnic music and dances. KCParks.org Parkville Days Aug. 23-25 at Downtown Parkville, Parkville, MO. Browse and enjoy more than 75 arts and crafts, retail, food and specialty booths. Participating downtown shops will host their endof-summer sidewalk sales and specials. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs to enjoy a relaxing day at English Landing Park.

ParkvilleMO.org

India Fest August 25 at Overland Park Convention Center, 6000 College Blvd., Overland Park, KS. Celebrate with artifacts, food, jewelry, clothes, sales, dances and a gala fashion parade!

IAKC.org/india-fest/

Parkville Days

SantaCaliGon Aug. 30-Sept. 2 at Historic Independence Square, Independence. The 47th annual SantaCaliGon Days Festival in Independence commemorates the origin of the Santa Fe, California and Oregon trails during the nation’s great westward expansion in the 1800s by adventurous pioneers. Today, it celebrates family and fun! SantaCaliGon.com

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CAPTURING THE LAST

l u f i t u a Be MOMENTS OF SUMMER

S

ummer has a way of slipping through our fingers quickly.

Before your kids head back to school and summer slips away, enjoy a bit of rest, relaxation and bonding with your family at some of the prettiest and most peaceful places around.

Waterways…

There is something truly serene and peaceful about spending an afternoon on the water. For a truly peaceful experience, enjoy an afternoon canoeing or paddle boating at a local lake. You can rent canoes, paddle boats (and bicycles) for free at Legacy Park’s 22-acre lake in Lee’s Summit.

Simply call 816.969.1550 for reservations.

Or, head to Lake Olathe where you can enjoy the swim beach or fishing dock. Stroll around the lake and enjoy time outside.

Fresh Squeezed Lemonade…

Remember the Country Time Lemonade commercials that used to air showing children and grandparents sipping lemonade on the back porch? Does anything say summer better than a glass of ice cold, freshly squeezed lemonade? We love to buy homemade lemonade at local fairs, including the Missouri State Fair (Aug. 8-18). Locally, Unforked (multiple locations) makes a delicious lavender lemonade.

Go for a Picnic Near a Waterfall…

Many beautiful parks in the area offer pleasant spots to picnic, but for a scenic afternoon enjoying natural beauty, pack a picnic to enjoy near a local waterfall.

• Waterfall Park in Merriam (5191 Merriam Dr.). The 15-acre park features an access point to the Turkey Creek Streamway Trail, a scenic walking path, and practice fields.

• Waterfall Park in Independence (4501 S. Bass Dr., 816.325.7375). The 18-acre park, near Bass Pro Shops in Independence, is nestled in a wooded area overlooking a lake and waterfalls.

It features a fantastic playground, small

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rock wall, small lake, walking trails, picnic tables, restrooms and the scenic backdrop of a waterfall. Playing at Waterfall Park is an escape to the woods right in the midst of the city.

• Waterfall at Watkins Mill State Park (26600 Park Rd. N., Lawson, MO, 816.580.3387). You may see the seasonal waterfall from an accessible scenic overlook deck, approximately 2,000 feet north of the swim beach. Be sure to tour the historic site featuring an elegant home and a three-story woolen mill. The structures have been preserved to give visitors a sense of life in the 1870s.

• Cedar Creek at Lake Olathe (625 Lakeshore Dr., Olathe) is also home to Cedar Creek Falls (143rd Street/Dennis Ave.). An overflow dam on Cedar Creek just above Lake Olathe, the waterfall flows year round, but, like most waterfalls, is prettiest after a heavy rain. Fishing, boating, hiking and playgrounds are available for fun.

Go Fishing…

I grew up fishing for crappie with my grandfather at the lake. Whether you fish from the dock (especially serene) at a local marina, or the shore at a local lake or rent a boat to reach the hot spots, a day fishing is one of the best ways to make summertime memories as a family.

Remember that adults need a current fishing license from the state conservation department.

Great Fishing Spots in Missouri and Kansas: • Kill Creek Park (Olathe) • Shawnee Mission Park (Lenexa) • Antioch Park (Merriam) • Heritage Park (Olathe) • Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead (Overland Park) • Englewood Lake (Kansas City North, MO) • Lake of the Woods in Swope Park (Kansas City, MO) • Blue Springs Lake (Lee’s Summit) • Lake Jacomo (Blue Springs) • Longview Lake (Kansas City, MO)

• Waterfall at Ernie Miller Nature Center (909 Hwy. 7, Olathe, 913.764.8580). The nature center is home to a small stream and waterfall, which you may view from the Wildlife Viewing Room or the trails.

• Smithville Lake Trail: This 4-mile (and growing) off-road trail is great for mountain bikers. Why we love it: Smithville Lake offers a scenic view for the rider to get out and enjoy nature.

• Mill Creek Streamway Park: One of the nicest paved trails in Johnson County, this 10-plus-mile byway runs along the creek from the Kaw River, south through Shawnee Mission Park, to 119th Street in Olathe. Why we love it: This popular trail offers a variety of scenery along the way.

• Shawnee Mission Park: The park offers mountain bike trails connecting to Mill Creek Streamway Park trails. Why we love it: Lake, woods and shelters make this a great choice for nature lovers.

Make a Scrapbook…

• Waterfall at Parkville Nature Sanctuary (MO Hwy. 9 & 12th Street, Parkville). The hiking trails are beautiful and scenic with waterfalls, a stream, wildlife and serenity—just 15 minutes from the city!

Back-to-School Shopping…

I have fond memories of back-to-school shopping with my grandmother. We’d shop at Bannister Mall (back when everyone in KC shopped at Bannister Mall) and have lunch at Annie’s Santa Fe. Make a tradition of taking your child out for a day of shopping, to select a special first-dayof-school outfit and enjoy lunch. Our favorite local shopping centers include Summit Fair in Lee’s Summit, Legends Outlets in Kansas City, KS, and Zona Rosa in the Northland.

• Swope Trails: Built for mountain bike enthusiasts, the 13.5 miles of trails wind through the woods at Swope Park. Local volunteers and the KC Parks system continue to improve these trails for athletes. Why we love it: These trails are designed with adventure in mind. From beautiful limestone bluffs to wooded paths, the trails offer nature in the heart of the city.

Go for a Family Bike Ride…

Biking is great family exercise, and you can find local trails at KCBike.info/KCTrails.

Our favorite local trails include: • Trolley Trail: This 6-mile paved trail connects the Country Club Plaza, Brookside and Waldo in southern Kansas City, MO. Why we love it: This is a great urban ride with many super lunch stops and shops along the way.

Create an album for your child capturing not just the smiles of baby teeth, missing teeth, braces and grown up pearly whites … capture who they are! Take a photo of your child against a backdrop with the child on the far right of the backdrop (a sheet or solid wall is ideal). Then, using your favorite photo editing software, add text to the left of the image answering basic questions about your child: name, age, favorite color, favorite hobby, what she wants to be when she grows up, favorite pet, nickname, favorite school subject, etc. Then, repeat annually. Watch every year as your child’s dreams change from growing up to be a fire fighter, to a veterinarian, ballerina or movie star.

Kristina Light’s family loves canoeing and they always remember to start planning their fall family canoe trip before summer ends!

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table of contents 37 photo frame 38 countdown 40 mom quiz 41 dinner recipes 42 straight A students 44 morning routines 46 beat the worries 48 kindergarten to college 50 ease stress

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CRAFTCORNER

Materials needed:

• Popsicle/craft sticks • Yellow, black and silver paint (or paint pens) • Paint brush

school bus photo frame

t

Back to school is here! This simple and fun craft will make a great decoration for your fridge at home while serving as a special keepsake for years to come.

• Red craft jewels (two) or sequins • Scissors • Glue • Paper plate • Scrap of white paper (for the license plate) • 4x6 picture of your child • Magnets (two)

Step one: Paint your craft sticks so that you have enough for the bus, bumper and wheels. For the wheels, you can just paint the ends! Let dry.

Step two: Build your bus using glue (regular or hot glue is great).

Step three: Break the stick with the wheels on it in half and glue to the back of the bus so that you see the wheels in front.

Step four: Add a license plate (I did “Back to School,” but your child can do whatever he or she likes—get creative!) and red brake lights with glue. Let dry.

Step five: Flip the bus over and cut your child’s picture to fit. Glue into place. You also can tape it so it can be changed out.

Step six: Attach magnets with glue.

Step seven: Find the perfect place on your fridge to display and enjoy!

Happy back to school!

Megan Coffey is a former kindergarten teacher and lives in Overland Park with her husband and two kids. She loves encouraging creativity with her children through art and play.

Velcro Chore Charts

Fabric Covered Organizers

Pencil Creatures

For TONS more great craft projects, log onto KCParent.com! kcparent.com august 2019

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BACK TO SCHOOL

back-to-school

B

Countdown

elieve it or not, the time has arrived for back-to-school planning. The season of sunshine and sleeping in is coming to an end, and the days of looking at after-school activities and school supply lists are upon us. “We look forward to our summer break for months and then, in a whirl, it is over. I promise myself each year that I won’t let it go by so quickly!” says Jennifer Eaton, Olathe mom. To start now thinking about the fall schedule may seem a bit early, but planning ahead offers many advantages:

• You can take your time to adjust

sleep schedules. That way, no one ends up exhausted for the first day of school.

• You can make sure you have your school physicals, sports checkups and all other appointments completed if you schedule them ahead of the school year’s start.

• There is plenty of time to get your

schedule—and all the beginningof-the-year paperwork—in order if you start early.

• The ability to participate in sales as

• Your stress level will not skyrocket

One Month Out

One Week Out

they happen. If you know what you need and when you need it, you can shop smart!

• Complete any required physicals and obtain the needed signatures.

• Start setting a morning routine and waking children earlier.

• Look over schoolwork from the previous year and begin reviewing problem areas.

Three Weeks Out

• Obtain school supply list and begin shopping.

• Check your school’s website for any •

additional parent forms or information that is needed.

Print out the school year calendar.

Two Weeks Out

the night before school starts if you have been preparing at a slow and steady pace!

• Print out the school lunch schedule • •

and do your back-to-school grocery shopping.

Attend any back-to-school events planned by the school.

Begin talking about school and the positives of beginning a new year.

Five Days Out

• Plan some final summer fun! Go on • •

a picnic, head to the pool or set some playtime with friends.

Label school supplies.

Review all the school paperwork (including items for the school nurse) and make sure everything is turned in.

Three Days Out • Create a master calendar of school schedules, sports and family activities.

• Implement your school morning routine to get in the groove before • Set up a homework station to ensure the big day. your child has a good place to focus and complete assignments.

• Practice walking to the bus stop.

• Purchase any new clothing or uniforms • Talk about the schedule and needed.

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expectations for after school, pickup, etc.

Although saying parents should start to prep early is easy, the real trick is to figure out when to start getting ready and what to do first. “End of school and back to school are always so stressful,” says Jaycee Owens, Prairie Village mom. “I feel like I am behind no matter what. And there is a neverending list of forms to be signed, appointments to make. Plus, we have to change our family’s whole schedule around when school starts and when it ends.” To stay organized and keep your family on task, approach back-toschool preparations one step at a time.

Here are some tips from metro parents on how to set your family up for firstday success:

Night Before School

• Prepare and pack lunch (and snack) if needed!

• Set out clothing for the morning.

• Pack backpack.

The first day of school is always going to churn up big feelings and a bit of stress.

It is a time of new beginnings and is one of those days where we soak up the fact that our children are getting older.

“The first day of school each year is a bit emotional. I always look at my kids and think, ‘How are they this big already?’” says Rebecca O’Neal, Kansas City, MO, mom. But even if emotions run high, a little preparation and planning will make the start of the new year a smooth ride for you and your family!

Melissa Bellach is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three living in Overland Park

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BACK TO SCHOOL

Z I U Q what kind of

back-to-school mom are you?

A

s the smell of chlorine and sunscreen drift away, replaced by the fragrance of freshly sharpened number two pencils, how is your mama heart feeling? Stereotypes abound on how moms tend to feel on that first day of school, so let’s see whether they hold true with our handy-dandy quiz!

What are your thoughts on back-toschool shopping?

A. Love it! I love the smell of new pencils and new beginnings! And how cute is this first-day outfit?

B. Loathe it. So many supplies. So many clothes. So much of my budget.

C. C heck it off the list. The first day is coming, and we’re ready.

Do you have any traditions for the first day of school?

A. Yes! Chalkboard signs, class year t-shirts, donuts for breakfast and ice cream after school!

B. Nope, not following in your crazy footsteps, Karen!

C. Yes, first-day pictures on the front step and maybe a fun snack after school.

How do you handle first-day pictures?

A. My chalkboard sign is ready, their graduation year t-shirts are laid out, and we will take them separately, as a group, at home and at the school!

B. It’s hard enough to wake them up earlier than every day this summer, and that’s what school pictures are for in a couple of weeks.

C. I’ll snap a couple pictures on our front step, maybe print off a free sign.

B. Typically, the week before we scrounge through to see what is still salvageable from last year and then fill in the gaps as needed.

C. We purchase the supply box the school sells. Easy and done!

Once the kids are safely at school, what are your plans for the first day of school?

A. I’m a bit tearful and spend the day running errands solo and making homemade cookies for them to come home to and munch on as they tell me all about their first day.

B. Finally a break and chance to see MY friends! Champagne, anyone?

C. Another season, another hustle.

What are your thoughts on extracurricular activities?

A. Excited for new routines and lessons.

B. Lying low until the pool officially closes and it’s too cold to go to a park.

C. Each of my children can choose one activity per season.

How do you feel about the change of seasons?

A. Pumpkin patches, hayrides—bring on the pumpkin spice!

When do you shop for school supplies?

B. Finally not sweating, but will be too cold too soon.

A. We shop as a family as soon as the lists come out. It’s fun to let them pick out their own folders.

C. I like the change in weather, the leaves changing and the excuse to get cozy.

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How do you feel about your kids’ moving up to the next grade or school?

A. My heart aches with how big they are getting and those too-big class t-shirts are starting to actually fit now!

B. One year closer to an empty nest!

C. I like to see my kids grow older and become interesting and capable people, but I’m surprised at how quickly it goes by.

Mostly A’s: Emotional Mama sucking out every last ounce of summer with her kids because we only get 18 summers to make memories! We completed our bucket list and are making our fall bucket list now!

Mostly B’s: Tired Out Mom and ready for the nonstop entertaining and refereeing of my kids to come to an end and get back to the steady routine of the school year. Get them on the bus then pop the champagne with my mom friends to celebrate back to school!

Mostly C’s: Middle of the Road Mom enjoyed summer with the kids but am ready to launch them into the next school year and see what they learn and how they grow this year.

Stephanie Loux is the proud mom of Layla, 9, Mason, 7, and Slade, 4, and can relate to all the mom feelings in this quiz but is sentimental about this being her baby’s last year of preschool.

TASTYTREATS

BACK-TO-SCHOOL DINNERS Kids may moan and groan about their inevitable return to school, and KC parents may celebrate and rejoice, but everyone in the family faces the nightly need for scrumptious and nutritious dinners. Read on to discover how you can smooth the back-to-school transition when it comes to evening mealtime.

scrumptious & nutritious dinners

bean tostadas Place whole-wheat tortillas on a baking sheet. On the tortillas, spread refried beans along with salsa. Top with chopped onions, tomatoes and sliced black olives.

Bake at 350°F for roughly 10 minutes or until hot.

Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and shredded lettuce, then enjoy!

Health Benefits – The beans are rich in protein and fiber, keeping your kids both strong and full, while the veggies supply antioxidants needed to help to protect against stress.

white mediterranean pita pizza Spread hummus over whole-wheat pitas and add black beans, spinach and artichokes. Top with lowfat shredded Swiss cheese.

Bake in the oven on 325°F for 15 minutes or until pita is toasted.

Health Benefits – Hummus is equipped with calcium to fortify your kiddo’s bones, while artichokes and spinach provide Vitamin A that boosts vision health.

chicken & rice tacos

citrus asian salad

Heat a package of readyto-eat Spanish-style rice and add to warm tacosized flour tortillas. Top with diced chicken, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, low-fat cheddar cheese and salsa.

Add lime wedges for flavor and appearance.

Layer a plate with a garden salad blend, chopped lean rotisserie chicken, and orange and cucumber slices. Also add chopped red bell peppers and slivered almonds. Drizzle with Asian toasted sesame dressing.

Health Benefits – The rice is ample in B-vitamins, which are involved in many biological and neurological functions. The chicken provides a good dose of iron to help your kiddo’s body use oxygen efficiently and make new red blood cells.

Health Benefits – This brightcolored salad will light up your kid’s eyes and fortify an optimal immune system thanks to the oranges and red bell peppers that are a great source of Vitamin C and the almonds that provide a hefty dose of magnesium, a mineral involved in more than 300 bodily processes.

Exposing your kids to nutritious eating options in both daily life and celebrations is key for instilling lifelong habits for good health. If you’re struggling to get homemade meals to the dinner table, Dream Dinners in Overland Park is an easy and affordable solution.

Amy Hundley is a registered dietitian nutritionist, licensed in both Kansas and Missouri, and a published freelance nutrition writer.

She is currently practicing as a clinical RD and has been a resident of Olathe since early childhood.

Sources: EatRight.org, Medical News Today kcparent.com august 2019

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STRAIGHT A STUDENTS: WHAT’S THEIR SECRET?

T

he smart kids. The straight A students. We all know who they are. They’re the ones with the highest grades in class and who always seem to know the answers to the questions that teachers ask. We tend to imagine them as always having their noses in books;

however, that stereotype is not always true. High grades don’t always go to the smartest and most diligent students. Here are some basic techniques that some top students master in order to earn the high grades.

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Be organized. Studying can be overwhelming, which in turn can create anxiety. However, breaking studying down into manageable pieces of work can make the process a lot easier. For example, writing a to-do list will allow your student to know what has to be done first and the timeframe in which it needs to be done. If your child has an essay to write, break down the project into manageable pieces: Gather information the first night, the following night structure the essay, then work on the introduction, etc. Folders are also important to staying organized. Label each folder and color-code by subject so everything is in its place.

Use your voice. The majority of A students always participate in class discussions, giving answers and also asking questions when they don’t understand something. Many of them also have tutors to help them out. Be sure to talk to your student about using her voice, especially when she has a question. Also, don’t be afraid to hire a tutor for subjects your student may find difficult.

Learn to read fast. Some A students learn speed reading, which teaches them to look at a book’s contents, pictures and graphs first. This gives them a sense of the material and helps them retain more. (Classes are out there that teach students how to speed read.)

Take good notes. Although it’s important to read the textbooks, the teacher is going to test the most on what he or she emphasized in class, and that’s where taking good notes during class comes in. Remember, too, that top students also take notes while reading the textbooks.

Do more work than asked. Successful students tend to go a little farther with their studies and schoolwork. For instance, if their teacher assigns them 10 problems for their math homework, they do 15. If their English teacher asks them to read one chapter, they will read two. The more a person practices and works hard, the more they learn.

The more a student learns, the better the results.

Study with others. Don’t make scholarship a lonely activity.

Encourage your child to get involved with other students with group assignments or study groups. Sharing the workload will make your student’s study time more efficient, and it’s much more enjoyable. As a bonus, he may learn some good tips on how other people study!

Teach others. Teaching other people is the best way to learn.

When a person teaches someone else, he has to understand the subject well and learn how to best explain material in his own words. You may have seen some of the top students helping their peers with homework or even tutoring after school. Have your student aim to do the same, and she will build her confidence and learn a lot!

What it boils down to is that straight A students are not always more intelligent. They just work a lot harder and smarter. Have your student follow some (or all) of the tips above, and watch his grades soar to the top!

Kansas City mom and author Gina Klein homeschools her two daughters and often has them tutor each other on things they may need help with.

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K C QU I

ways to speed up the morning routine

G

Catch Enough ZZZs If you and your children have trouble waking up in the morning, evaluate your family’s sleeping habits to make sure you are all getting enough rest each night. The National Sleep Foundation recommends schoolage children ages 6 to 13 years old get nine to 11 hours of sleep each night, and adults and teenagers get eight to 10 hours. Calculate your kids’ appropriate bedtimes by subtracting the number of recommended hours from the time they need to wake up. Waking up refreshed and ready for the day will make your mornings much more enjoyable.

etting your family up and at ‘em is no small feat. With the start of the new school year, kids and parents

both are getting back into a routine. Follow these quick tips to streamline your family’s morning routine and say goodbye to chaotic weekday mornings.

Move Your Alarm Are you just not a morning person? Do you continually hit the snooze button until the very last minute each morning and then rush to get ready? A quick fix for this is to place you and your children’s alarm clocks on the other side of the room.

When your alarm clock sounds, you will have to get up and turn it off. By the time you’re out of bed, you have a much better chance of staying awake instead of heading back to bed for a few more ZZZs.

Be an Early Riser As the parent, wake up at least 15 to 30 minutes before your family to get your day started on the right foot. This gives you a chance to shower, get dressed and enjoy a cup of coffee before your family even wakes up. Then your focus can be solely on getting the kids ready to go.

Prepare Breakfast the Night Before Try overnight oats, freeze fruit for quick smoothies or pre-pour bowls of cereal.

You can even preset the table for breakfast at night.

Prep the Night Before Cut out as many steps from your morning routine as you can by preparing the night before. Work with your kids to choose their outfits for the next morning before they head to bed. Make sure their homework and other papers are in their backpacks.

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Shower the Night Before The best part is you won’t have to hear the kids’ fighting over who took all of the hot water or, even worse, be the one stuck without any hot water.

Get Organized With so much back-to-school paperwork, it’s easy to get bogged down and unorganized. Spend a weekend tidying up the house and organizing the spaces in your home that you use most in the mornings. For example, organize all of the bathroom products so you and your kids can find them without spending time in the morning trying to track them down.

Another way to organize your home is to create one space as a command center. This space will have door hooks for each child’s coat, backpack, lunch bag and shoes, as well as a space for your car keys, coat, shoes and purse. Ideally, this space is near the door, so when you’re on your way out, you have a visual reminder of what you must take with you.

Make a Morning Chart Create a morning routine chart for your kids. The chart can include tasks like brushing teeth, combing hair, getting dressed and making their beds. If they can complete every task each morning for a week, perhaps they’ll get a special treat.

Put Some Pep in Your Step Make a morning playlist with fun, upbeat music that you and your kids both enjoy.

The music will energize you and your family, as well as start the day with positive vibes.

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Regan Lyons is a freelance writer who lives in St. Joseph, MO, with her husband and 4-year-old daughter.

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BACK TO SCHOOL

BEAT THE BACK-TO-SCHOOL

S E I R R

WO

I

t’s hard to believe that summer is winding down and, before you know it, your children will be heading back to school. Early morning starts and regular routines once again will replace the lazy days of summer. While heading back to school can seem super exciting to us parents (hello, sanity!), the start of school often can bring a lot of anxiety, worry and stress for children— no matter their age.

Transition years are crucial times and can have a major impact on children. Going from a half day to full day, preschool to kindergarten, elementary to middle school and then middle to high school are all big changes for young bodies. As a parent, remember that whatever back-to-school worries your children have are completely normal and valid. This time of transition

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can be very challenging and difficult—and maybe even disruptive to your family too.

Children may complain of headaches or stomachaches, cry easily, throw tantrums, become clingy or even withdraw. Even though watching your child go through this is difficult, remember that it’s important your child still attend school. Avoidance of school will only increase, and actually reinforce, your child’s anxiety.

Common worries kids face can range from starting a new school to encountering new teachers and classmates and new experiences. Questions may swirl in young minds: Will I make friends? Will I know where my locker is? Are my clothes okay?

Who will I eat lunch with? Will I have recess? Where is the bathroom? What if I don’t understand the assignment? What

are my siblings doing while I’m at school?

All of these thoughts and questions are perfectly normal, and parents can help their child manage those big emotions. One great strategy is to teach the habit of focusing on the positive. Kristen and Andrew, Overland Park parents of three boys, share, “We try to focus on the fun they had last year with their friends. Let them know it is okay to feel nervous but help them remember they will have familiar faces excited to see them when they walk into school.”

Past experiences also prove valuable in helping your children prepare as they reach the next level in education. Link their previous experiences to what lies ahead.

Knowing or understanding what to expect always takes down the barriers for children and will increase their comfort level.

A few weeks before school starts, begin the process of getting your child back in a regular routine. Summer is notorious for later bedtimes, sleeping in and no routine or schedule to speak of. Children (and adults!) need to retrain their bodies before the first day rolls around.

Allow your child to help choose and shop for his school supplies and maybe pick out a special backpack or lunch bag as well to increase the back-to-school buy-in.

If you have younger children who might have trouble with separation, let them take a special object or photo. When our son started kindergarten this past year, the first few weeks were a bit of a rough transition.

We ended up sending in a family photo to help him ease in. A fun note in a backpack or lunch bag is always a great supportive gesture too!

Kay Forsyth, elementary school counselor in Olathe, offers a few more helpful tips to deal with back-to-school worries:

• T ake care of their daily needs. Rest is very important, even when your child isn’t interested. Try earlier bedtimes or a quiet

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Two Convenient Locations: 127th & Antioch

time in the day, which in turn will help kids face the long days, especially at the onset of the school year. Aside from rest, make sure your child is eating well too.

• E ncourage your child to share his or

her fears. Ask what his concerns are.

Use a distraction to help encourage conversation, then LISTEN. Avoid giving assurances or telling him not to worry.

Instead, problem solve and plan. Give suggestions and help him practice how to handle different situations at school.

• B e a positive role model by responding

calmly when your child goes off to school, not lingering, but simply expressing that she’ll be on your mind throughout the day and you will be excited to hear after school how her day goes. Stay positive and have faith that your child can adjust to the change of going back to school and thrive in the classroom.

You can go to school several times before school actually begins to make the environment more familiar. Walk through the building so kids know where everything is. If possible, have them meet

•

their teachers and see their classrooms.

Lisa, an Overland Park mom of four, says, “I think it’s important to participate in back-to-school events to show your child it’s an exciting time, and to help them feel as comfortable as possible in their new environment.” For middle school students, take them to school and allow them to follow their schedule, find their classes and try out their lockers.

Whatever anxieties and insecurities your child faces prior to the start of the school year, have faith in him, his teacher and the school. While the year may start off a little rocky, rest assured that with a lot of love, compassion and consistency, your child will thrive. Remember to communicate well with your child’s teacher and maintain a positive attitude with your child! Best of luck this year!

Julie Collett will be implementing some of these same strategies for her own children when they feel a little bit anxious and nervous about starting new grades and new schools!

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Contact us to learn more. (888) 655-5500 | www.kvckansas.org kcparent.com august 2019

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BACK TO SCHOOL

FROM KINDERGARTEN TO COLLEGE: your guide to navigating school transitions

T

ransitions are tough on kids and parents. Here’s what you need to know to help your child successfully navigate school milestones—and what to watch for each step of the way.

welcome to kindergarten This year, your child will begin to develop a sense of independence and self-confidence.

To ensure long-term academic success, foster resilience and a growth mindset.

“Allow them to make mistakes, to keep trying, and reward the effort not the action,” says Tara Walrod, Blue Valley School District coordinator for counselors.

For example, instead of telling your child how smart he is, you might say: “You worked so hard and did it by yourself!”

Tips for success:

find your middle school mojo Middle school can be challenging as kids adjust to multiple teachers and a larger school environment. Jim McMullen, assistant superintendent, Olathe Public Schools, says for the most part, kids manage the transition better than their parents might expect, especially when they take advantage of fifth-grade school visits and orientations to reduce their apprehension.

“Be there to support them and process with them at night and give advice. Kids pretty quickly become acclimated with the school and do really well,” McMullen says.

• Practice buckling and unbuckling the seatbelt.

Tips for success:

• Learn to independently take a jacket on and off.

• Go over a map of the school to figure out class locations.

• Get his backpack on/off and zip/unzip it.

• Help her recognize her name in writing.

• Continue reading daily with your child.

• Attend school orientation events like kindergarten roundup and sneak-a-peeks.

• Foster fair play, winning and losing gracefully, and flexibility (like using colors that aren’t a first choice).

• By the second week of school, let your child walk into the building on his own.

• Encourage eating school lunch the first week to help her learn the ropes.

What to watch for: Each evening, ask your youngster questions about her day, like: “What did you talk about during sharing time today?” If your child seems unhappy or lagging behind her peers, check in with the teacher.

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• Practice unlocking locker combinations prior to school starting.

• Suggest kids decorate their lockers with fun pictures or magnets.

• I f your child will ride the bus, go over the schedule, rules and expectations.

• Encourage involvement in clubs, groups or sports.

• Continue prioritizing reading and academics.

• Check in daily with questions like: “Who is your favorite teacher? Why? Who did you sit with at lunch? What are the top three things you enjoyed at school today? What was one thing you didn’t enjoy?”

What to watch for: Tune into your child’s social media use.“Parents have to know what their child is looking at and posting —and not gaining self-esteem from ‘likes,’ but instead from making moments at school,” Walrod says.

time for the high school hustle As your student enters high school, he’ll begin to face more pressures related to time management, academics, extracurriculars and his social life. An active school life and a healthy support system are critical to your high schooler’s well-being.

“Through high school, kids should love going to school, whether their connection is with their friends, teachers, athletic team, band or theater,” McMullen says. “Kids who are engaged do really well academically and socially.”

Tips for success: • Attend tours, orientations and school events.

• Get involved in summer opportunities at the school.

• Check the school’s website for books or other summer assignments due before school begins.

• Continue to prioritize reading and academics.

• Encourage your teens to get involved by following their interests.

What to watch for: “We know that high school is a super stressful time for our kids, so make sure they have strategies in place to calm anxieties and stress,” Walrod says.

Continue nurturing your relationship with your teen through conversation. Model and encourage stress management skills like deep breathing exercises, quiet breaks, periodic disengagement from social media, physical exercise and time with friends and close family.

Christa Melnyk Hines, a freelance writer in Olathe, is the mom of two adolescent sons, including one who is looking forward to starting high school this fall

Moving on to college Begin researching higher education options between your child’s sophomore and junior year of high school.

Plan visits to colleges or technical schools either the summer before junior year or during the junior year.

“These visits are your first opportunity to get to know the school and see if it might be a good fit, and this will help narrow down the options,” says Alice Arredondo, Ed.D., director of admissions, University of Missouri Kansas City.

The transition into college life can take about a year, as your student learns to live independently while managing her time between schoolwork, her social life and other interests.

Tips for success: • During the senior year of high school, in exchange for responsible decision-making, remove the curfew.

• Teach teens how to do laundry.

• Discuss how to manage money and the pros and cons of credit cards—one of the first things that gets college freshmen into financial trouble.

• Remind your child his family is available whenever he needs support or feels overwhelmed.

• Create expectations about how often you will touch base with each other.

• Foster a sense of openness to all types of conversations, no matter how difficult.

• Check in with your child periodically (preferably not daily).

• Leave supportive messages on her phone.

• Understand that your college student may not return your call right away.

What to watch for: “If you notice that your child isn’t responding to any messages, seems depressed or anxious when you call, experiences significant weight changes or seems overly stressed, you should take the time to see them in person and better assess the situation,” Arredondo says. “A small dose of these things may be normal during the college transition, but excessive deviations from who you know your child to be should be concerning.”

If your student hasn’t signed a Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) waiver, you won’t be able to access her grades, finances, personal well-being or any information outside of a public directory. You can ask academic advisors or campus health offices to check on your young adult, but they won’t be able to provide information back without a waiver.

“This is why it’s important to establish an open line of communication with your child before they leave for college,” Arredondo says.

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BACK TO SCHOOL

ease back-to-school

STRESS

S

witching from the laid back, fun in the sun of summer to rules, homework and routines can be a big jump for parents and children alike. But with a little preparation and the right attitude, it doesn’t have to be so hard. Here are a few tips to help parents ease kids back into their routines and reduce stress.

Stay Positive!

If you’re dreading the back-to-school season, your attitude likely will wear off on your kids. Go into it with a positive attitude and make the preparations fun instead of a chore!

Spend a fun day with each child going clothing shopping for a new fall wardrobe or let kids pick out their school supplies.

The stress of school’s starting can ruin the last couple weeks of summer vacation if you’re not careful, so try to spend those weeks checking off some of those summer bucket list items. If you didn’t make it to the water park or out for ice cream at your favorite place yet, get out and make it happen before school arrives. Make the first day of school something to look forward to by starting a fun tradition like cooking a special breakfast together on the first day.

Prepare, Prepare, Prepare!

The more you can prepare for the beginning of school, the better off you will be. Give yourself a month to get everything ready. This way if something comes up unexpectedly, you will have plenty of time to tackle it. Spend a Sunday prepping frozen meals. Having your family’s favorite meals prepped and ready to pop in the oven will save you so much time and stress when school starts and you’re running the kids in different directions.

Every night prepare everything you can for the next day. Try to eliminate as much from your morning routine as possible.

That means laying out the whole family’s outfits for the next morning, having kids decide what they will want for breakfast, preparing lunches and packing backpacks. Mornings rarely go smoothly, so the more you have accomplished the night before, the less stress you will feel when your alarm goes off.

Back to Bedtime Have your kids become night owls this summer? Don’t worry! Slowly moving their bedtime up a half hour per week until they are back to their school night bedtime will be a

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painless way to ease the kids back into their normal sleeping routine. When you bump up their bedtime, bump up their wake-up time too. Give the kids a week before school starts to practice getting up on time, getting ready and eating breakfast before they would need to leave for school. Once the first day arrives, they will be up and at ’em bright and early!

Get Organized Before school begins, spend time decluttering and deep cleaning your home. Kicking off school with an organized home will lessen stress on the entire family. While you are organizing, set up a command post. This designated area will be where all school items go. Shoes, jackets, backpacks and lunch boxes will also be placed in this space. You can also provide a small folder or cubby in which your kids can deposit any important notes or other items they need you to read, sign or return back to school, as well as a calendar of events and a to-do list. When kids get home each day, they will place all of their belongings in the command post. Gone will be the days of searching for a field trip permission slip the night before a trip to the zoo or trying to hunt down those overdue library books.

Skip the Store Dreading those long, detailed school supply lists and mobs of moms with their kids trying to pick out the perfect binder in the back-to-school aisle? Skip it! Thanks to Target’s School

List Assist and Amazon’s School List program, school supply shopping has never been easier. Simply find your child’s school and class supply list online, match the list to the items you want to purchase, add the items to your cart, check out and wait for them to arrive on your doorstep!

If your kids still love picking out their own school supplies at the store, ask your school for a list of supplies at the beginning of the summer. The lists usually don’t change from year to year. This will allow you to slowly purchase items off the list throughout the summer. You won’t find yourself searching for that last-minute item the night before school begins, and you won’t be spending as much on supplies in one big shopping trip.

Speaking of skipping school supply shopping. One of our family’s best stress reducers is grocery pickup. Most grocery stores offer online grocery ordering and free pickup or delivery.

You simply add items to your cart, pay online and pick them up at a designated time. I love how this method saves your favorite items, making it easier to add things to your cart on your next visit. You even can add last-minute items if you forget an ingredient for your recipe or realize you’re supposed to bring treats for the class party in the morning.

Regan Lyons is a freelance writer who lives in St. Joseph, MO, with her husband and 4-year-old daughter.

Start a first-day-of-school tradition to ease the stress and spark excitement. Here are a few ideas: • Go out to breakfast as a family.

• Leave a fun note in their lunch boxes.

• Wake them up with balloons in their room.

• Have an extra special afternoon snack waiting for them when they get home.

• Surprise them with a ride home with you instead of a bus ride.

• Bring lunch from their favorite restaurant on the first day.

• Have a back-to-school dinner party with friends the night before school starts.

• Take first-day-of-school photos in the same place each year.

• Interview your kids on video about what they are looking forward to most this year.

• Cook a big breakfast together.

• Read a back-to-school book before bed.

• Have each child’s teacher sign a special book every year for your kids to look back on in the years to come.

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august

THE KCPARENT.COM CALENDAR FEATURES OVER 1,000 EVENTS EACH MONTH!

CALENDAR

Missouri State Fair

No part of this calendar may be reproduced in print or web format.

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play

watch

splash

enjoy

shop

Take the family to the Missouri State Fair Aug. 8-18 in Sedalia. The fair features livestock shows, exhibits, carnival rides and more!

MOStateFair.com

The U.S. Gymnastics Championships comes to the Sprint Center Aug. 8-11.

See the nation’s best gymnasts vying for national titles.

USGym Championships.com

Bring your pup to Tails on the Trails on Aug. 10 at Ad Astra Park & Pool.

Pet vendors, talent show and pooch plunge. Free admission; dog swim $5-$8.

913.477.7100

Say Farewell to Summer on Aug. 17 at the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures. Free admission with lots of fun spy-themed activities and crafts.

816.235.8000

Get ready for autumn at the Fall Open House Aug. 23-24 in Downtown Lee’s Summit. Merchants feature new items.

Enter to win a shopping spree!

DowntownLS.org

1 Thursday Moms Group 9:30, Indian Heights United Methodist Church. While kids play, moms enjoy coffee, support and friendship. Free.

913.649.9040 Grand Carnivale Thru Aug 4, Worlds of Fun. Celebrate the sights, sounds, smells and tastes from cultures around the world.

WorldsOfFun.com Time Travelers 10:00, Shawnee Town 1929.

Step back in time to the 1920s with family activities in this living history program.

ShawneeTown.org Elephant & Piggie’s We Are in a Play! 11:00 & 1:00, the Coterie. A lively and irresistibly charming musical look at friendship.

TheCoterie.org Douglas County Fair Thru Aug 3, Lawrence.

Petting zoo, concerts, turtle races, carnival, tractor pull and more! DGCountyFair.com Johnson County Fair Thru Aug 3, Johnson County Fairgrounds. Dog show, youth rodeo, carnival, concerts, goat milking and more.

JoCoKansasFair.com

Leavenworth County Fair Thru Aug 3, Leavenworth County Fairgrounds. Games, contests, pony rides, derbies and more.

LeavenworthCountyFair.com

Family Bingo Night 6:00, Roeland Park Community Center. End summer on a high note playing everyone’s favorite: B-I-N-G-O! JCPRD.com

Music at the Farmstead 6:30, Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead. Sing, dance and listen to lively music at this free concert. OPKansas.org

Kids Night Out 6:00, Meadowbrook Park Clubhouse. Build a catapult, make a tie-dye shirt and play giant versions of your favorite games. Pre-reg at 913.831.3359.

2 Friday Tax-Free Weekend Thru Sunday, Various locations. Take advantage of Missouri’s tax-free weekend and shop for back-to-school deals.

The Wizard of Oz Thru Aug 4 & Aug 7-10, Theatre in the Park. See the story of Dorothy and friends under the stars. TheatreInThePark.org

Splash with Me 10:00, Lenexa Rec Center. Kids can swim, play and become more confident in the water at the kiddie pool. Lenexa.com

Tarzan Today & tomorrow, Gladstone Amphitheatre. With high-flying excitement and unforgettable hits, the show will be a hit with the whole family! GladstoneTIP.com

Paint Me a Story 10:30, Paint, Glaze & Fire.

Paint a pottery piece that goes along with a favorite story. Snack included. $13-$15. Pre-reg at 913.661.2529.

Public Stargazing 8:30, Warko Observatory.

Observatory open on clear nights for tours of the night sky and viewings through telescopes.

913.208.0924

Friday in the Park Fridays thru September, 11:30, Macken Park. Enjoy a free summer performance by local bands. NKC.org

3 Saturday

First Fridays 5:00, Crossroads Arts District.

Galleries and shops remain open the first Friday of each month. KCCrossroads.org

Run for the Raptors 7:30, Lakeside Nature Center. A challenging and beautiful 5K set in wooded dirt track of Swope Trails. Pre-reg at 816.513.8960.

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Ethnic Enrichment Festival Aug. 16-18, Swope Park. Festival features food, crafts and performances from more than 60 nations. $5. EECKC.net

Local History and Book Expo 9:00, Fort Osage. Meet authors, listen to speakers and complete the day with living history program.

FortOsageNHS.com

Hands-On History 11:00, National WWI Museum and Memorial. History is brought to life. Handle Great War artifacts. TheWorldWar.org

Art for the Animals Today & tomorrow, Kansas City Zoo. See animals show off artistic skills, see artists painting throughout the zoo and more.

KansasCityZoo.org

Nature Printing with Fish 10:00, Anita B Gorman Discovery Center. Use replica fish and textile ink to create wearable works of art.

816.759.7300

First Saturday Event 10:00, Shoal Creek Living History Museum. Enjoy family activities and historical demonstrations. 816.792.2655

Critter Feeding 3:00, Burr Oak Woods. Discover what’s for dinner as the captive amphibians, fish and turtles enjoy their feast. 816.228.3766

Festival of Butterflies Thru Aug 11, Powell Gardens. See hundreds of colorful, free-flying butterflies and much more during the signature festival. 816.697.2600

Harry Potter Tea Party 3:30, Weston Galleria.

Dress up in your best wizard outfit and join in for magical fun! Ages 12+. Pre-reg at WestonGalleria.com.

Creekin’ Family Fun 10:00, Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary. Discover firsthand the life found under the surface of Rush Creek.

Pre-reg at 816.781.8698.

Saturday Feeder 4:00, Cedar Cove. Come to see the public feedings of the cats, weather permitting. $5-$7. SaveOurSiberians.org

Hot Summer Nights 6:00, Downtown Smithville. Saturdays in August are filled with family entertainment, food and fun!

VisitClayMo.com

4 Sunday Stonehenge 10:00, Union Station. Worldclass exhibition allows guests to explore the prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, England.

UnionStation.org

Farewell to Summer Free Day BIG fun for all ages WHEN Saturday, August 17, 2019 10am – 4pm WHERE The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures 5235 Oak Street, Kansas City, MO 64112 COST / FREE At T/m’s annual Farewell to Summer Free Admission Day, we’ll unveil a new scavenger hunt and craft workshop with a spy theme. Come bid summer goodbye with an adventure full of mysterious clues and secret codes.

Learn more at toyandminiaturemuseum.org

SUPPORTED BY

Wednesday through Monday, 10am – 4pm / Closed Tuesday / 816.235.8000 / toyandminiaturemuseum.org / 5235 Oak Street, KCMO 64112

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Living History Farm Program 10:00, Watkins Woolen Mill. Demonstrations focus on the way people lived and played in the 19th century.

816.580.3387

Open Play 10:00, Jump City. Bring the kids to Jump City—where excitement and laughs are found daily! $8/child; parents are free.

JumpCityKC.com

KC Northern Train Rides Noon, Line Creek Park. Ride restored trains around a half-mile track in the park. $.75/ride. KCNRR.com

Jazz on the Square 5:30, Corbin Theatre. The Corbin Theatre presents Jazz on the Square on the first Monday of every month. Free.

CorbinTheatre.org

art + family = FUN 1:00, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Join us every Saturday and Sunday for free activities for all ages!

816.751.1278

6 Tuesday

5 Monday

Preschool Indoor Playground 9:30, Irene B French Community Center. Inflatable bouncers, Little Tikes riding toys and more. $2. 913.322.5550

Free Adult Admission 9:30, Paradise Park. Free adult admission in Discovery Play with a paid child’s admission. 816.246.5224

Open Play 10:00, Urban Air Trampoline Park.

Bring the kids to run, play and jump. Enjoy a little sweat with a lot of bounce! 913.298.0626

Adventures with Clifford the Big Red Dog Thru Sept 22, Crown Center. Visit the world of Clifford, Emily Elizabeth and the residents of Birdwell Island. CrownCenter.com

Creative Story Time 10:30, Ceramic Café. Hear a story, create a pottery piece and enjoy a simple snack. $12. CeramicCafe.com

Master Wu’s Mission Thru Aug 18, Legoland Discovery Center. Create your own ninja battle movie, show off your ninja skills and more!

816.556.3245

7 Wednesday Brickworks 10:00, Hollis Renewal Center.

Join for a kid-friendly and family-focused service program. Space limited; pre-reg at HollisBrickworks2019.eventbrite.com.

Little Adventures 10:30, the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures. Take a guided focus tour and craft a toy or miniature in the hands-on workshop. 816.235.800 Expanding Oz Thru Nov 2, Johnson County Museum. See one-of-a-kind Oz memorabilia from original books to stage productions and pop culture. JoCoMuseum.org

8 Thursday Time Travelers 10:00, Shawnee Town 1929. Step back in time to the 1920s with family activities in this living history program. ShawneeTown.org

Kids Eat Free Main Event (various locations).

Receive a free kids meal with the purchase of any entrée ($8.99). MainEvent.com

Registration Open Thru Aug 31, Sporting KC Recreation League. Register your child, pre-K thru second grade for the rec league.

SportingKCYouth.com/SportingRecLeague

Party in Your Park 6:00, Waterfall Park. Explore new art and playground equipment and enjoy food, games and live musical entertainment.

Merriam.org/park

US Gymnastics Championships Thru Sunday, Sprint Center. See the nation’s best gymnasts vying for national titles. USGymChampionships.com

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Missouri State Fair Thru Aug 18, Sedalia. The 400-acre fairground in Sedalia features livestock shows, competitive exhibits, carnival rides and more! MOStateFair.com Bedtime Story Time 6:00, MCPL (Antioch).

Dress comfortably, bring a pillow and blanket and enjoy books and crafts. Pre-reg at MyMCPL.org.

9 Friday Scribble Workshop 10:00, Kansas City North Community Center. A child/parent art event with a different theme each month. Dress for mess! 816.513.7741 Hot Summer Days 10:00, Overland Park Arboretum. Enjoy water games for the whole family! Prepare to get wet and maybe a little messy. 913.685.3604 Festival of Butterflies Thru Aug 11, Powell Gardens. See hundreds of colorful, free-flying butterflies and much more during the signature festival. 816.697.2600 Second Weekends Thru Sunday, Downtown Excelsior Springs. Enjoy featured artists, live music and expanded shopping hours! VisitExcelsior.com Family Fun Night 5:30, Paint, Glaze & Fire. For $45 get four studio fees, large pizza, four soft drinks plus 15 percent off pottery painted during the event. Pre-reg at 913.661.2529.

YOU CAN DO THIS!

SEPTEMBER 7

SATURDAY

8:30AM-1:30PM

DOUG FIELDS

Today’s family is facing new challenges every day. Through interaction with other parents, encouraging key sessions and practical breakouts, Parent Summit will equip you to embrace the phase your child is in and encourage you to parent them in the way God designed them!

Rob Miller

Proactive Coaching

REGISTER BY AUGUST 29 AT:

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Heather O'Keefe

Life.Church Kids Pastor

Doug is a thought-leader, communicator, resourceprovider and author of more than 50 books in the area of Marriage, Family & Youth Ministry. He is Executive Director of HomeWord’s Center for Youth/ Family at Azusa Pacific University, co-founder of DownloadYouthMinistry.com and previously served at Saddleback Church and Mariners Church.

Russ Tuttle

President/Founder, Stop Trafficking Project

Ashley Furnell

Conscious Discipline

Tim & Randi Overby

Pastor of Ministries & Dad; Teacher & Mom

PVPARENTSUMMIT.COM

BREAKOUTS

"Doc" Hunsley

/ PERSON

K E Y N OT E S P E A K E R

What is Parent Summit?

Special Needs Advocate

15

$

Summer Movie Night 6:00, Oak Park Mall.

Come at 6:00 for activities and bring lawn chairs or blankets for the movie at 7:00.

TheNewOakParkMall.com WeekEnder 6:00, Crown Center Square. Enjoy top local bands and favorite food trucks, then watch a flick under the stars. Free admission.

CrownCenter.com City Center Live 7:00, the Commons (Lenexa).

Grab a drink or bite to eat from the Lenexa Public Market and come see the show!

Lenexa.com Summer Concert Series 7:00, Grandview Amphitheater. Bring a blanket and enjoy live music, food and games. GrandviewAmp.com Summer Concert 7:00, North Kansas City Recreation Center. Bring lawn chairs or blankets for a free night of easy listening.

VisitClayMO.com

10 Saturday Junque n’ Donuts 8:00, Louisburg Cider Mill. Miami County’s best outdoor swap, flea market and craft sale. Enjoy food and music.

LouisburgCiderMill.com Tails on the Trails 9:00, Ad Astra Park & Pool.

Pet vendors, talent show and pooch plunge.

Free admission; dog swim $5-$8. 913.477.7100 World Elephant Day 10:00, Kansas City Zoo. Bring your herd to learn about our herd! Meet our seven elephants and learn all about them.

KansasCityZoo.org Dog Days of Summer 10:00, Shawnee Town 1929. Bring your pup for contests, prizes and visits with local vets, groomers, trainers and friends. ShawneeTown.org

!

N E P WO

LAKE OLATHE PARK NO

OlatheKS.org/LakeOlathe

Songbirds of Missouri 10:00, Anita B Gorman Discovery Center. Discover how to attract a variety of native songbirds to your backyard.

816.759.7300 Mother Nature Reads 10:00, Lakeside Nature Center. Children listen to a story, make a craft and often see a wildlife interpretation. Free.

816.513.8960 Cornfest 10:00, the Farmers House.

Entertainment, food sampling, contests, jokes, games, photo ops and more!

TheFarmersHouse.org Second Saturdays 4:00, Downtown Weston.

Stroll into unique gift shops and galleries for late-night shopping and in-store specials.

WestonMO.com Wine Walk on Delaware 5:00, Delaware Street (River Market). Date night! Wine tasting hosted by a mix of Delaware Street establishments. $20. WineWalkOnDelaware.com Cruise Night 6:30, Merriam Marketplace. Enjoy cars, door prizes, food for purchase from Fresh and Tasty Catering and live music. 913.322.5550 Raytown Live 7:00, Greenspace in Town Center. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy a family-friendly concert with neighbors and friends. Raytown.live

11 Sunday Touch-a-Truck 11:00, Overland Park Convention Center. Kids of all ages can sit, stand on and get behind the wheels of more than 40 trucks and vehicles. 913.339.3067

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Melon Summer Smash Aug. 17 & 18, Kansas City Zoo. Watch as the animals smash, stomp and slurp delicious fruit at scheduled times. KansasCityZoo.org

KC Northern Train Rides Noon, Line Creek Park. Ride restored trains around a half-mile track in the park. $.75/ride. KCNRR.com Free Afternoon Program 1:30, Prairie Park Nature Center. Free program for the family may include video, slideshow and going outside to enjoy nature. LawrenceKS.org Heart of America Hot Dog Festival 2:00, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Enjoy entertainment, games, trivia and more!

NLBM.com Music in the Park 6:00, Rotary Park. Enjoy a relaxing evening outdoors with free, live musical entertainment. BlueSpringsGov.com

12 Monday Free Adult Admission 9:30, Paradise Park. Free adult admission in Discovery Play with a paid child’s admission. 816.246.5224

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Adventures with Clifford the Big Red Dog Thru Sept 22, Crown Center. Visit the world of Clifford, Emily Elizabeth and the residents of Birdwell Island.

CrownCenter.com Missouri State Fair Thru Aug 18, Sedalia. The 400-acre fairground in Sedalia features livestock shows, competitive exhibits, carnival rides and more! MOStateFair.com

13 Tuesday Preschool Indoor Playground 9:30, Irene B French Community Center. Inflatable bouncers, Little Tikes riding toys and more. $2. 913.322.5550 Adventures with Clifford the Big Red Dog Thru Sept 22, Crown Center. Visit the world of Clifford, Emily Elizabeth and the residents of Birdwell Island. CrownCenter.com Creative Story Time 10:30, Ceramic Café. Hear a story, create a pottery piece and enjoy a simple snack. $12. CeramicCafe.com

Live Music 6:00, Grinter Place State Historical Site. Enjoy food, beverages and great live music on the second Tuesday of the month.

913.481.3527

14 Wednesday Toddler Time 9:00 (Shawnee) & 10:00 (Lee’s Summit), Sky Zone. Special time for little ones to enjoy being active without interference from big kids. SkyZone.com

Master Wu’s Mission Thru Aug 18, Legoland Discovery Center. Create your own ninja battle movie, show off your ninja skills and more!

816.556.3245

Improv Festival Thru Aug 24, Kick Comedy Theater. One of the longest-running, friendliest, funniest and most fun improv comedy festivals.

KCImprovFestival.com

Mini Mud Run 5:30, Hawk Ridge Park (Raymore). Kids 4-12 run through a number of outdoor obstacles. Prepare to get muddy!

Raymore.com

Retro Story Time 10:00, Johnson County Museum. Enjoy a story from long ago, read by a special guest, plus a craft activity is included!

Pre-reg at 913.831.3359.

Sip and Shop 4:00, Downtown Bonner Springs. Grab your girlfriends for a fun night!

Boutiques offer snacks, drinks and sales.

BonnerSprings.org

BBQ & Fly-In on the River Today & tomorrow, Excelsior Springs Memorial Airport. More than 60 competitive smoke-cooking teams compete.

VisitExcelsior.com

Critter Feeding 3:00, Burr Oak Woods. Discover what’s for dinner as the captive amphibians, fish and turtles enjoy their feast. 816.228.3766

16 Friday

Sounds on the Square 7:00, Linden Square.

Bring lawn chairs and blankets and enjoy a family-friendly concert. Picnics allowed.

LindenSquare.info

15 Thursday Moms Group 9:30, Indian Heights United Methodist Church. While kids play, moms enjoy coffee, support and friendship. Free.

913.649.9040 Family Yoga Time 10:00, Overland Park Arboretum. Tell a story through yoga poses while learning about the natural world.

913.685.3604 Playdate Thursdays 11:00, Independence Center. Each playdate includes a craft and reading from Mid-Continent Public Library.

Free. 816.795.8602

Junior Jaunts 10:15, Nelson-Atkins. Bring your baby in a stroller or carrier for an adult-focused yet infant-friendly tour. Nelson-Atkins.org Friday in the Park Fridays thru September, 11:30, Macken Park. Enjoy a free summer performance by local bands. NKC.org Ethnic Enrichment Festival Thru Sunday, Swope Park. Festival features food, crafts and performances from more than 60 nations. $5.

EECKC.net Third Friday Art Walk 5:30, Englewood Station Arts District. Tour the art galleries. View live performances and artists on the sidewalks.

EnglewoodStation.com

Summer Dusk 2019 Concert 7:00, the Colonnade in Kessler Park. Enjoy a free sunset concert under the stars. KCParks.org Light Up the Lawn 8:30, Nerman Museum Lawn.

Kick off Light Up the Lawn series with Kansas City’s own Hembree. Free. JCCC.edu/theseries

17 Saturday Lost Trail Days 9:00, 10:00 or 11:00, Louisburg Cider Mill. Tour includes viewing of soda production run, samples and more! Free; pre-reg at 913.837.5202.

KANSAS CITY YOUNG AUDIENCES

since 1961

Sing, Dance, Act, Make, &Play!

Dance, Music, Theatre, & Visual Arts classes Fall Session Begins September 3

8/31/19

1200 Kansas City Road Olathe, Kansas 913.971.5111 Activities vary by season Wild West Days October 12 & 13 Visit www.mahaffie.org

FIRST SATURDAY EVENT SEPTEMBER 7, 2019 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. FREE

OPEN HOUSE AUGUST 24 10:00am - NOON Scholarships and Payment plans are available.

Enjoy family fun activities and historical demonstrations of life in Missouri during the 19th century. Skits throughout the day. Shop the mercantile and visit the newspaper office located in the Crossroads Inn.

SHOAL CREEK LIVING HISTORY MUSEUM 7000 Northeast Barry Road Kansas City, MO 64156

816.792.2655

shoalcreeklivinghistorymuseum.com kcparent.com august 2019

59

Celebrate August KC Style

Aug. 2: National Ice Cream Sandwich Day Betty Rae’s Ice Cream (locations in Waldo and the River Market, BettyRaes.com) serves tasty ice cream sandwiches filled with homemade gourmet flavors at the friendly neighborhood hangout. Betty Rae’s offers delicious classic flavors and a variety of unique concoctions for the truly daring.

Aug. 13: Lefthanders Day Harry S. Truman wrote with his left hand as a child but, like many children of the era, was forced to learn to use his right hand. Still, it’s a great excuse to remember one of our beloved left-handed presidents on a tour of the Truman Home (219 N. Delaware St., Independence). Learn what life was like for the Truman family in their quaint home near the square.

Aug. 17: Honeybee Awareness Day Visit the Messner Bee Farm (8301 Westridge Rd., Raytown), our local bee business. The honeybee operation produces a variety of products made from the farm’s honey and bee byproducts, including lip balms, hand salves, honey sticks and, of course, raw honey, honeycomb and creamed honey

Aug. 19: Aviation Day Fall in love with flight at the Airline History Museum (201 NW Lou Holland Dr., Kansas City, MO), where visitors see artifacts and memorabilia from airlines all throughout the United States. Aircraft include the first Lockheed Constellation ever restored, a Martin 404, a DC-3 and a Lockheed L-1011 TriStar.

Aug. 30: Frankenstein Day At Westport Ice Cream Bakery (4120 Pennsylvania Ave., Suite 14, Kansas City, MO), get a taste of old-fashioned handmade ice cream. In addition to classic flavors, the shop serves a variety of one-of-a-kind concoctions, including Frankenstein, a green-colored, mint-flavored ice cream with cookies and candies giving it a crunchy texture.

Midwest Slime Fest 9:00, Radisson Hotel (Lenexa). Fifty slime vendors, live demos, Q&As, classes, workshops and more! 913.314.1671 Melon Summer Smash Today & tomorrow, Kansas City Zoo. Watch as the animals smash, stomp and slurp delicious fruit at scheduled times. KansasCityZoo.org Farewell to Summer 10:00, National Museum of Toys and Miniatures. Free admission with lots of fun spy-themed activities and crafts.

816.235.8000 What’s Out at Night 10:00, Lakeside Nature Center. Learn about nocturnal creatures through info tables, live animal interpretations, crafts and more. 816.513.8960 Aquatics: Missouri River 10:00, Anita B Gorman Discovery Center. Learn more about this amazing natural resource right in our own backyard. 816.759.7300 Little Acorns 11:00 or 1:00, Burr Oak Woods Nature Center. Join volunteer naturalists for a fantastic journey as they read select books.

816.228.3766 Hands-On History 11:00, National WWI Museum and Memorial. History is brought to life. Handle Great War artifacts. TheWorldWar.org Saturday Feeder 4:00, Cedar Cove. Come to see the public feedings of the cats, weather permitting. $5-$7. SaveOurSiberians.org Hot Summer Nights 6:00, Downtown Smithville. Saturdays in August are filled with family entertainment, food and fun!

VisitClayMo.com Public Stargazing 8:00, Powell Observatory.

An educational talk on astronomy, a tour of the night sky and viewing through the telescopes, weather permitting. ASKC.org

18 Sunday KC Northern Train Rides Noon, Line Creek Park. Ride restored trains around a half-mile track in the park. $.75/ride. KCNRR.com art + family = FUN 1:00, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Join us every Saturday and Sunday for free activities for all ages! 816.751.1278 Free Afternoon Program 1:30, Prairie Park Nature Center. Free program for the family may include video, slideshow and going outside to enjoy nature. LawrenceKS.org

19 Monday

22 Thursday

Stonehenge 10:00, Union Station. Worldclass exhibition allows guests to explore the prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, England.

UnionStation.org

Nature Story Time 10:00, George Owens Nature Park. Enjoy great stories and outside adventure for ages 3-8 and adult. 816.325.7115

Open Play 10:00, Jump City. Bring the kids to Jump City—where excitement and laughs are found daily! $8/child; parents are free.

JumpCityKC.com Splash with Me 10:00, Lenexa Rec Center. Kids can swim, play and become more confident in the water at the kiddie pool. $2. 913.477.7100 Monday Night Madness 4:00, Main Event.

Choose from three super specials, each just $10.95. Available Mondays 4:00-close.

MainEvent.com

20 Tuesday Expanding Oz Thru Nov 2, Johnson County Museum. See one-of-a-kind Oz memorabilia from original books to stage productions and pop culture. JoCoMuseum.org Toddle Time 9:00, Matt Ross Community Center. Open playtime with an array of toys, including blocks, balls and puzzles. $1-$2.

913.895.6350 Toddler Open Gym 10:00, Excelsior Springs Community Center. Kids will enjoy tube tunnels, jump ropes, hula hoops, balls, scooters and more. 816.656.2500 Creative Story Time 10:30, Ceramic Café. Hear a story, create a pottery piece and enjoy a simple snack. $12. CeramicCafe.com

21 Wednesday Toddler Town on Tour 9:00, McCoy Park (Independence). Explore a new park and create a craft. Parents stay with children. Free.

816.325.7115 Adventures with Clifford the Big Red Dog Thru Sept 22, Crown Center. Visit the world of Clifford, Emily Elizabeth and the residents of Birdwell Island. CrownCenter.com Critter Feeding 3:00, Burr Oak Woods. Discover what’s for dinner as the captive amphibians, fish and turtles enjoy their feast. 816.228.3766 Kid Fest 6:00, MCPL (Liberty). Enjoy a showcase of past events plus calendar of upcoming events and receive a goody bag! Pre-reg at MyMCPL.org.

Pay For Play 10:00, Backyard Specialists.

Kids will enjoy our outdoor play sets that are available for open play. $2/cash. 913.307.6023 Registration Open Thru Aug 31, Sporting KC Recreation League. Register your child, pre-K thru second grade for the rec league.

SportingKCYouth.com/SportingRecLeague Tiblow Days Thru Saturday, Bonner Springs.

Community event includes a parade, musical entertainment, barbecue competition, car show and more! BSEDWChamber.org Teen Art Collective 4:00, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Create something new and be inspired by our galleries and exhibitions.

Supplies provided. 816.751.1278

23 Friday Fourth Friday in Liberty 10:00, Historic Downtown Liberty. Businesses open late every fourth Friday—shop dine and enjoy!

HistoricDowntownLiberty.org Fall Open House Today & tomorrow, Downtown Lee’s Summit. Merchants feature new items. Enter to win a shopping spree!

DowntownLS.org Paola Roots Festival Today & tomorrow, Paola Park Square. Enjoy live music, ethnic dancers, arts, crafts, great games, fun rides and more.

RootsFestival.org Parkville Days Thru Aug 24, English Landing Park. Great family fun in historic downtown Parkville. Something for everyone!

ParkvilleMo.org Kids Night Out 6:30, Paint, Glaze & Fire. Leave your kids with us and we’ll show ’em a great time, including pizza and painting. Pre-reg at 913.661.2529.

Sounds on the Square 7:00, Linden Square.

Bring lawn chairs and blankets and enjoy a family-friendly concert. Picnics allowed.

LindenSquare.info Light Up the Lawn 8:30, Nerman Museum Lawn. Enjoy a night under the stars with the bluesy stylings of the Pawnshop Troubadours.

Free. JCCC.edu/theseries

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kidFEST Aug. 31, Science City at Union Station. A family-friendly day full of science play geared toward early childhood learning! UnionStation.org

24 Saturday JCPRD U Kids Triathlon 9:00, Kill Creek Park.

Compete in a race against similar age groups, completing swim, bike and run portions.

JCPRD.com/kidstri Living the Great War Today & tomorrow, National WWI Museum and Memorial. Living historians offer programs, children’s obstacle course and more. TheWorldWar.org KC Dance Day 9:00, Bolender Center. Enjoy free dance classes and free local and world dance performances. KCBallet.org Raytown Arts & Music Festival 9:00, Kenagy Park. Art vendors around the walking trail, music, art activities, food trucks and more.

RaytownParks.com Lenexa Tiny Tot Triathlon 9:30, Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park. Kids ages 3 to 9 years old will bike, get wet, run and slide their way to the finish line! Lenexa.com

Dog Days of Summer Today & tomorrow, Kansas City Zoo. Cool off in the shade of the painted dog and dingo exhibits! Fun activities and enrichment.

KansasCityZoo.org Open House 10:00, Kansas City Young Audiences. Kick off the 2019 season with a morning of family fun! Learn about fall classes.

KCYA.org Amphibians: Frogs and Toads 10:00, Anita B Gorman Discovery Center. Learn about all the different species in Missouri. 816.759.7300 Dominating Ultimate Obstacles 10:00, Keystone Park. Teams of two tackle mental and physical challenges in two divisions. Pre-reg at BlueSpringsGov.com.

Midwest Ability Summit 10:00, Overland Park Convention Center. Metro-wide ability expo to explore booths that provide products and services. 913.909.8092

DANCE SHOPPE Celebrating 34 Years in KC Whether you’re a beginner dancer looking for your first leotard or a seasoned performer in need of a

Family Fun Day 11:00, Legends Outlets.

Celebrate the grand opening of the Lawn with activities, back-to-school giveaways and more!

LegendsShopping.com Cruise Night 4:00, Olde Town Belton Main Street. Historic Main Street comes alive with a wide selection of muscle cars, antique cars and more. OldTownBelton.com Hot Summer Nights 6:00, Downtown Smithville. Saturdays in August are filled with family entertainment, food and fun!

VisitClayMo.com

psst... we’re busy whipping up a juicy new issue for

september

pointe shoe fitting, Dance Shoppe is your go-to dance store for the best selection of leotards, tights, shoes and accessories.

15% OFF

all regularly priced merchandise EXPIRES OCT. 31, 2019

TESTIMONIAL: I brought my daughter in for a professional pointe shoe fitting. After trying on over twenty pairs of shoes, my daughter was fitted into the perfect shoes for her. I was blown away with their customer service – it was certainly worth the drive from Johnson County. — Lynne, Overland Park

512 NW ENGLEWOOD RD. | KANSAS CITY, MO 64118 DANCESHOPPEINC.NET | (816) 455-1995

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kcparent.com august 2019

• fall fun • the arts issue • celebrate grandparents

Summer Scene 6:00, Centerview (Raymore).

Crafters inside with activities, food, drinks and live music outside on the lawn and patio.

Raymore.com Wine Walk for Wildlife 6:00, Kansas City Zoo. Stroll through the zoo while sipping on wine and enjoying live music. Ages 21+.

KansasCityZoo.org

25 Sunday India Fest of KC 10:00, Overland Park Convention Center. Celebrate with artifacts, jewelry, clothes, dances, food and fashion parade. IAKC.org KC Northern Train Rides Noon, Line Creek Park. Ride restored trains around a half-mile track in the park. $.75/ride. KCNRR.com Free Afternoon Program 1:30, Prairie Park Nature Center. Free program for the family may include video, slideshow and going outside to enjoy nature. LawrenceKS.org Music in the Park 6:00, Rotary Park. Enjoy a relaxing evening outdoors with free, live musical entertainment. BlueSpringsGov.com

26 Monday Expanding Oz Thru Nov 2, Johnson County Museum. See one-of-a-kind Oz memorabilia from original books to stage productions and pop culture. JoCoMuseum.org Free Adult Admission 9:30, Paradise Park. Free adult admission in Discovery Play with a paid child’s admission. 816.246.5224 Stonehenge 10:00, Union Station. Worldclass exhibition allows guests to explore the prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, England.

UnionStation.org

27 Tuesday Preschool Indoor Playground 9:30, Irene B French Community Center. Inflatable bouncers, Little Tikes riding toys and more. $2.

913.322.5550 Creative Story Time 10:30, Ceramic Café. Hear a story, create a pottery piece and enjoy a simple snack. $12. CeramicCafe.com Kids Eat Free Main Event (various locations).

Receive a free kids meal with the purchase of any entrée ($8.99). MainEvent.com

Kids STEAM: Felt Cats 4:30, MCPL (Blue Springs North). Explore science, technology, art and math. Make a cute felt craft cat. Pre-reg at MyMCPL.org.

28 Wednesday Toddler Town on Tour 9:00, Country Club Park (Independence). Explore a new park and create a craft. Parents stay with children. Free.

816.325.7115 Critter Feeding 3:00, Burr Oak Woods. Discover what’s for dinner as the captive amphibians, fish and turtles enjoy their feast. 816.228.3766 Jammin’ on the Green 7:00, Shawnee Town 1929. Sit back and relax under the stars during a performance by Grand Marquis.

ShawneeTown.org

29 Thursday Adventures with Clifford the Big Red Dog Thru Sept 22, Crown Center. Visit the world of Clifford, Emily Elizabeth and the residents of Birdwell Island. CrownCenter.com Nature Story Time 10:00, George Owens Nature Park. Enjoy great stories and outside adventure for ages 3-8 and adult. 816.325.7115

kcparent.com august 2019

63

Hands-On History Saturdays, National WWI Museum and Memorial. History is brought to life. Handle Great War artifacts. TheWorldWar.org

De Soto Days Festival Thru Saturday, Miller Memorial Park. Fun with local flair! A parade, classic car cruise, carnival and more!

DeSotoDays.com

30 Friday Friday in the Park Fridays thru September, 11:30, Macken Park. Enjoy a free summer performance by local bands. NKC.org SantaCaliGon Days Thru Monday, Independence Square. Features more than 400 crafters and vendors, country western music, food and more. SantaCaliGon.com Light Up the Lawn 8:30, Nerman Museum Lawn. Enjoy a night under the stars with the father-daughter duo Bob and Una Walkenhorst.

Free. JCCC.edu/theseries Public Stargazing 8:30, Warko Observatory.

Observatory open on clear nights for tours of the night sky and viewings through telescopes.

913.208.0924

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kcparent.com august 2019

31 Saturday Registration Last Day Thru Aug 31, Sporting KC Recreation League. Register your child for the rec league. Last day!

SportingKCYouth.com/SportingRecLeague kidFEST 10:00, Science City at Union Station.

A family-friendly day full of science play geared toward early childhood learning!

UnionStation.org Mother Nature Reads 10:00, Lakeside Nature Center. Children listen to a story, make a craft and often see a wildlife interpretation. Free.

816.513.8960 Hands-On History 11:00, National WWI Museum and Memorial. History is brought to life. Handle Great War artifacts. TheWorldWar.org Saturday Feeder 4:00, Cedar Cove. Come to see the public feedings of the cats, weather permitting. $5-$7. SaveOurSiberians.org

Major League Improv 7:00, Comedy City.

A comedy sporting event where everything is based on suggestions from the audience. $9-$13. 816.842.2744 Public Stargazing 8:00, Powell Observatory.

An educational talk on astronomy, a tour of the night sky and viewing through the telescopes, weather permitting. ASKC.org

Fall Classes FIND YOUR CHARACTER Registration Opens August 5th Classes Begin week of August 19th 5 KC Locations: North, South, East, West, & Dance Studio Ages 5-18 Sign-up online: cytkc.org

CHRISTIAN YOUTH THEATER KANSAS CITY 913.681.3318 6800 W. 153rd St., Overland Park, KS

A FAMILY-FUN DAY, FULL OF

SCIENCE PLAY! Join Us!

y, Saturda 31 August pm 10am-5

An exciting event dedicated to our early learners!

Hands-on activities & workshops, PNC Mobile Learning Adventure and more!

PLUS: Special pricing for children 12 and under.

Union Station Members Attend for Free!

Buy Tickets Today!

Tickets as low as $12.95*

ScienceCity.com

Dig Into Ancient Mysteries • Solve Their Most Enduring Secrets

*Excludes Fees

Blockbuster Exhibition • Final Weeks only at UNION STATION