Parenting NH August 2017

parenting

COMPLIMENTARY

AUGUST 2017

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WRITE ON, YOUNG WRITERS! 2017’S ESSAY CONTEST WINNERS

School’s back in session: Full STEAM ahead Civics education in NH

ParentingNH.com

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• contents ON THE COVER: Madelyne Cyr, 11, is the winner of Parenting New Hampshire’s third annual Young Writers Essay Contest.

Read her winning essay on Page 10, along with essays by our other winners.

Photo taken July 12 in Weare by Kendal J. Bush of Kendal J. Bush Photography. Visit www.kendaljbush.com.

departments

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The Short List 6

I Want That 8 Cook with Your Kids 34

Dad on Board 36

House Calls 38 Raising Teens & Tweens 39

Out and About 40 Five for Families 43

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EDITOR:

Melanie Hitchcock, x5157 editor@parentingnh.com

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Parenting New Hampshire Magazine® is published by McLean Communications, 150 Dow St., Manchester, NH 03101, (603) 624-1442. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher is prohibited. The publisher assumes no responsibility for any mistakes in advertisements or editorial. Statements/opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect or represent those of this publication or its officers. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, McLean Communications, LLC.: Parenting New Hampshire Magazine disclaims all responsibility for omission and errors.

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from the editor’s desk DECONSTRUCTING DEMOCRACY Parenting New Hampshire has published several special series through the years on topics including teens and tweens, bullying, charter schools and learning styles, but this month we start our most ambitious series to date.

Over the past year, people’s interest in politics has exponentially increased.

More Americans are consuming news on a regular basis to keep track of what’s going on in their community and their country. This is no easy task given the endless news sources – print, online and social media — most of it published without context and yes, some of it is “fake news.”

Some have expressed an interest in throwing their hat in the ring and running for local office or want to learn how they can make themselves heard and make a difference.

All of this prompted me to think about civics literacy – what do we need to know to be better citizens and what can we do? More importantly, how can we ensure the next generation not only has been educated about civics – the study of the rights and duties of the citizens of a society – but also understands why they should care about the political process and be involved?

To try to answer these questions, in this issue we are kicking off our four-part series, Deconstructing Democracy. The series will explore how our democracy and government functions in New Hampshire and beyond. We will be talking about teaching tolerance, how to be an active participant in the democratic process and the role of media in keeping government accountable, along with other topics, all with an eye on helping to make our kids better citizens.

We start by examining civics education in NH – how civics is taught, what is required of students for proficiency and how teachers are using civics and social studies education to teach critical thinking skills. More than memorizing facts and figures – teachers are using creative ways to teach kids how to evaluate information about an issue, form an opinion based on trusted information and make an intelligent argument. Kids can then use these skills in other areas of their education and life.

Knowing how to think and apply knowledge is powerful. If we know more about how our democracy works, we can harness that power to make sure our government it is fully functional and benefits all Americans.

Melanie Hitchcock Editor

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the short list ...TIPS, TRENDS & NEWS COMPILED BY MELANIE HITCHCOCK

This month on www.parentingnh.com:

Enjoy the last days of summer

Kids will be heading back to school later this month, but there is still plenty of time to fill with fun activities.

Go to www.parentingnh.com/summer to find out where you can go and what you can do to make the most of the rest of season. It’s not too late to take a road trip in the Granite State, or try out that swimming hole or bike trail on your to-do list. Also, check out the digital edition of our first-ever Family Summer Fun Guide if you haven’t already picked up your copy at one of the Welcome Centers around the state.

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Vote in our reader’s poll by Aug. 15

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New Hampshire’s organizations and businesses play a key part in making the Granite State a fantastic place to live and raise your family. We want you to tell us who you think is the best of the best.

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Now in its seventh year, our reader poll at www.parentingnh.com is open through Tuesday, Aug. 15. Readers can cast their votes for New Hampshire‘s best in more than 50 categories including Out & About, Baby Stuff,

Bedford student is a winner at U.S. Invention Convention Andie Nugent, a third-grade Riddle Brook Elementary School student who represented New Hampshire at the National Invention Convention and Entrepre-

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Birthday Fun, Shopping, Activities & Learning, Family Services and Restaurants. What’s the best indoor play park? What’s your favorite restaurant? Where do you go on date night? We want to know!

Everyone who completes our survey is entered to win a family pass to Conway Scenic Railroad that can be used through Dec. 31.

If you don’t see your choice while filling out the online survey, write it in. We will be making editor’s picks, which, along with our poll winners, will be featured in our November issue.

neurship Expo in Washington, D.C. in June, earned the first-place award for Grades 3 and 4, and first place in the technology/wearables category for Grades K-12, for her invention, The Kazi.

The Kazi is a wearable kids’ wristband that allows them to earn screen time through tracked physical activity. As they exercise, a portion of the code appears.

Once they’ve reached a certain activity level and earn

Dover Adventure Playground now open A new family attraction opened in downtown Dover in late June. The Dover Adventure Playground at Henry Law Park features a life-size, flat-bottomed, vintage gundalow, a net climber, swings and slides, a three-story Garrison Hill tower, a 1,200-pound, climbable, granite fish sculpture, a splash pad with water pumps, sand play area, musical instruments and more.

“This playground is really unique to Dover and I don’t think there will be anything quite like it in New Hampshire,” said Neva Cole, CMNH Communications Director. “The history of the area is highlighted throughout the design.” The gundalow, a 32-year-old replica of the Capt. Edward H. Adams, is one of only two in the region.

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

the complete code, they enter it into their connected home media devices to gain access.

“When I discovered that childhood obesity has tripled over the past three decades and kids ages 5-10 spend an average of six hours a day on screens, I wanted to invent something to help kids and parents create a balance between media use and physical fitness,” Andie, 9, said.

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I want that COMPILED BY MELANIE HITCHCOCK

Reminder for parents eClip is an innovative device that attaches inside the car to help remind parents to remove their baby from the car seat.

It is the first low-cost device that helps prevent parents from accidentally leaving a child in the back seat of the car. Using Bluetooth, eClip detects when you walk more than 15 feet from your car by alerting you through an interactive app on your smartphone. The eClip also monitors the temperature in the back of your car to keep it safe and comfortable.

To pre-order, go to www.elepho.com/eclip.

Price is expected to be less than $80.

Better zzz’s anywhere With the World’s Smallest White Noise Machine by Sound Oasis, you can sleep better on a plane, on the road or at home.

More comfortable car rides Days of waking up from long car rides with discomfort in your neck or seeing your child having a case of “noodle-neck” are over.

Cardiff Products has developed The Travel Headrest – a device that provides support and comfort for any child or adult asleep in a moving vehicle. The Travel Headrest easily attaches to your vehicle’s existing headrest with a universal mount.

Available at www.amazon.com or www.soundoasis.com; $49.99

No more missing socks

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Eliminate bath time struggles Get your little ones excited to hop in the water with the ScrubA-Dunk Bathtub Basketball Hoop. Kids will be so excited to head into the tub and shoot hoops they will want to take a bath. This tub musthave comes with a dual-purpose sponge ball for scrubbing and shooting so everyone has fun while getting clean.

Available at www.thedunkcollection. com; $9.99

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White noise is a natural, clinically proven sound that helps people to sleep and concentrate.

The machine fits in the palm of your hand and can clip to your clothes. You can use it with the earbud headphones that are included, your own headphones or with pillow speakers. The World’s Smallest White Noise Machine includes 10 different continuous tones with no loops, travel case and USB charging cable.

SoleMate Sox has launched its Mini Soles Kid’s collection. SoleMate pairs cling together with magnetic patent-pending technology, eliminating lost socks. Each pair of Sox is knitted with soft, breathable bamboo, keeping feet cool in the summer and warm and cozy in the winter.

The Sox wick away moisture to keep feet dry.

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With custom 'Pick Your Own Adventure’ tours, riders can explore fall foliage on over 1,000 miles of interconnected trails complete with waterfalls, mountain tops and even a maple syrup house.

Peak fall foliage in New Hampshire typically happens late September through early October. During this time, Bear Rock Adventures is tailoring destination experiences for families and thrill-seekers alike to explore the Great North Woods for peak color changes with self-guided and guided tours available.

A top adventure destination at Bear Rock Adventures is the trip to April’s Maple, a maple syrup house in Vermont. Riders can cross state borders, tour a state-ofthe-art maple syrup house and see the maple trees in their vibrant, fall colors.

Located in Canaan, VT, the ride to April’s Maple goes along the Connecticut River by pastoral farms. There are 800 acres of sustainably harvested premium maples used to make pure Vermont maple syrup. Activities at the site include: • Touring the state-of-the-art maple sugar house.

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• Enjoying a picnic alongside the stream and viewing the fall colors.

• Exploring the 800 acres of remote land.

Adventures are safe, offering the latest gear and newest, fully-equipped Polaris vehicles (2, 4 and 6-seat options).

Bear Rock Adventures operates at 545 Beach Road in Pittsburg, NH and will move to its Colebrook location from Oct. 1 through 9 to allow maximum time to see fall foliage. Reservations can be made online at bearrockadventures. com or by phone at 1.866.663.9777, seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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Young Writers Essay Contest

Madelyne, 11, lives in Weare with her dad, mom and younger brother, Maddix. She loves sports and plays soccer, basketball and track.

When she’s not playing a sport, she enjoys spending time with her friends. She also enjoys spending a lot of time with her family at their camp at Success Pond, and at the beach in Madison, Conn. Thank you to Madelyne’s fifth-grade teacher this past year, Mrs. Dionne, who encouraged her writing and made a huge difference for Madelyne in making writing fun.

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My perfect day is Oct. 8 because it’s my birthday and close to Halloween. I love to spend time with my mom. I love my “pépère and me days.” We start out in the morning by playing my 3DS or the tablet and we watch TV together. Then my pépère makes bacon.

We run errands together and then we go to my favorite place to eat, Wendy’s. I have two cheeseburgers with ketchup only, a soda, a Frosty and French fries.

My favorite game to play is Pokemon. I play at Double Midnight Comics and at the city library. My favorite TV show is Sponge Bob. I love playing with my cat, Treecko and my rabbit, Patrick.

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OVERALL WINNER

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ongratulations to the winners of Parenting New Hampshire’s 2017 Young Writers Essay Contest. So many outstanding essays about the “perfect day” were submitted to this year’s contest that it was difficult to choose just a few to highlight. Thank you to all the essayists who entered this year’s contest and keep writing! — MELANIE HITCHCOCK, EDITOR

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YOUNGER

Jonathan Camire Jonathan Camire, 7, lives in Manchester with his mémère, pépère and his dad. His favorite movie is The LEGO Batman Movie and he loves to go to the mountains and go swimming when he isn’t spending time with his pets or playing Pokemon.

Jonathan has two brothers and a sister.

2017 Although a day at the beach would be fun, my perfect day would be at a soccer game. My perfect day would start out with me and my mom, dad, brother, and cat flying to Brazil to watch a U.S. Women’s National Team soccer game. I would want my day to take place on a sunny, late spring day. After the game I would want to meet the players. Then I would want to go out to dinner with my family and Alex Morgan.

After dinner I would want to walk around Brazil for a little while. I would buy some clothes from shops as souvenirs. Later that night I would go see a Brazilian band play and dance to the music as well.

Then I would have my family go to our hotel room while I went to a stadium to practice and get tips from Alex Morgan and Carli Lloyd. After practice I would go out for ice cream with them and get my favorite flavor, double chocolate brownie.

When we finished our ice cream I would stop at one more shop. At that shop, I would buy presents like jewelry and tiny statues to give to my friends back at home.

A day at the beach could never be as fun as a day like that.

WINNER, AGE 12 & OLDER

Lily Coady Lily, 15, lives in Hollis and has two siblings – a younger sister, Lara and an older brother, Parker.

She calls herself a vocal feminist and is a cofounder of her school’s Political Action Club. Her favorite literary works include Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur and Orange Is the New Black by Piper Kerman. She loves to dance, draw (or do anything related to art), and, of course, write.

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WINNER, AGE 8-11

Sophie Dandawa Sophie, 10, lives in Derry with her parents, her younger brother, Sam, and their cat, Snap. She will be in fifth grade at South Range Elementary School this year. Sophie’s passion is playing sports, especially soccer.

She also plays basketball and recently competed in her first track and field event. Besides sports, Sophie loves school, her friends, and reading. Her favorite books are the Kicks series and the Baby-Sitters Club. When she grows up, Sophie hopes to play soccer in the Olympics and be a scientist.

august 2017 www.parentingnh.com 11

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Lessons in DEMOCRACY

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This is Part 1 of a four-part series that takes a closer look at how our democracy functions in New Hampshire and beyond. Topics include civics education, teaching tolerance, participating locally in the democratic process and the role of media in keeping government accountable – all with a focus on educating our kids to be better and engaged citizens.

IN SEPTEMBER: The melting pot – Immigration, refugees and teaching tolerance

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citizen

hree years ago, state Senator Regina Birdsell had an idea.

“Watching some of the late-night talk shows at the time, they would ask college graduates who is the Speaker of the House,” Birdsell (R-Hampstead) said, “and they had no clue. It was so disappointing and sad.

“I wanted our children in New Hampshire to be able to understand our founding fathers.

Why they did what they did, why they put our government together the way they did. Because our government, our founding fathers, they knew what they were doing.”

So she took her idea — to require every student in New Hampshire to pass the test given to those wanting to be United States citizens as a requirement of graduation — and introduced it as a bill in the state senate. From there, that bill went to a committee, where it was poked, debated, tweaked and changed.

The new version, one that did not mandate, but recommended students be able to pass a civics assessment exam, was approved by the house and senate and signed by the governor.

That is how Birdsell’s bill became a law last year. It’s not a complicated process, however many may not know how it’s done or that there are three branches of government or how a FOIA works or that a FOIA is a Freedom of Information Act request that anyone can make.

“People talk about teaching civics,” said state Senator Lou D’Allesandro (D-Manchester) and former civics teacher, “but they don’t really teach civics. And as a result, we have an uninformed public.”

In 2016, D’Allesandro co-sponsored a bill with State Senator David Watters (D-Dover) that now mandates a locally-devised civics assessment test and also enshrines specific minimums the curriculum must have, including opportunities and responsibilities for civic involvement, skills to effectively participate in civic affairs and the role and responsibilities of a citizen to engage in civic activity, as well as the nuts and bolts of how governments work.

According to Senate Bill 45, “Such instruction shall begin no later than the beginning of the eighth grade and shall continue in all high schools as a component of a one-credit course of instruction required for high school graduation in United States and New Hampshire history and a one-half credit course of instruction required for high school graduation in United States and New Hampshire government/civics.”

It was signed into law this year and takes effect Aug. 7. D’Allesandro said he’s been introducing this bill since he became a senator but it’s never gotten any traction until now.

“I think the reason it got its juice this time is look what is happening locally and nationally,” he said.

nship “People lack interest [in civic life]; they don’t vote.

They don’t know how the government functions. They really don’t know the difference between their congressmen [federal] and their local representatives [state].

“All of this is starting to manifest itself. People are starting to realize there is a great need for civics education.”

The role of civics in society By definition, civics is the study of the rights and duties of citizens.

“I would argue,” said Lawrence M. Paska, executive director of the National Council for the Social Studies, “that it’s important

Why civics education is important and a look at how civics is being taught in NH classrooms

By Melanie Plenda

because we are talking about what makes us understand our rights and roles and responsibilities in the world around us.

And I mean ‘our’ as in me as an individual as in us as a community. And I think that’s ultimately where civics education is core to our educational system.”

Indeed it was meant to be just that, said Martha Madsen, president of the NH Institute for Civics Education, pointing out that one of the reasons public schools came about was to ensure an educated and informed electorate.

Thomas Jefferson once noted, “I know of no safe depository of the ultimate power of the society but the people themselves, and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with wholesome discretion, then remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education. This is the true corrective of abuses of constitutional power.”

When that education is lost or insufficient, as former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States David Souter pointed out during a 2012 speech in Concord, bad things can happen.

He told the audience that he wasn’t worried about the republic being undone by a foreign invasion or military coup, but rather civic ignorance – by people not knowing who was responsible when problems go unaddressed. Because, he said, when the problems get bad enough — such as with

august 2017 www.parentingnh.com 15

another significant terrorist attack like 9/11 or another financial collapse – “some one person will come forward and say, ‘give me total power, and I will solve the problem.’

That is how the Roman Republic fell. Augustus became emperor not because he arrested the Roman Senate, but because he promised to solve problems that were not being solved.”

If we know who is responsible, however, he said, then we the people can hold them responsible. If we don’t, well then, we stay away from the polls, we don’t vote, and we don’t hold those responsible to account.

“And the day will come when somebody will come forward and we — and the government in effect — will say ‘take the ball and run with it,’ ‘do what you have to do’,” he said. “And that is the way Democracy dies.”

In the classroom

Test your civics knowledge The following are a few sample questions from the Civics (History and Government) Questions for the Naturalization Test.

How many can you and/or your children answer correctly?

Answers are below.

1. How many amendments does the Constitution have?

2. What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?

3. We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?

4. If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?

5. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

6. What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?

7. Who was President during World War I? 8. During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?

To see the full Civics (History and Government) Questions for the Naturalization Test, go to https://tinyurl.com/hxre26b To take a practice civics test, go to www.my.uscis.gov/en/prep/test/civics/view

ANSWERS: 1. 27 2. checks and balances or separation of powers 3. two 4. Speaker of the House 5. Thomas Jefferson 6. Louisiana 7. Woodrow Wilson 8. Communism

Below, the George Washington Statue in the Boston Public Garden, sculpted by artist Thomas Ball. Above, American founding father Benjamin Franklin is on the United States $100 bill.

16 www.parentingnh.com august 2017

In 1998, civics knowledge started being tested in the eighth grade with the 2014 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP). Scores from 134 to 177 show a basic knowledge; scores between 178 and 212 show a proficient knowledge; anything higher than 213 shows an advanced knowledge.

Average scores on civic knowledge are consistently above the “basic” level; however, 23 percent of the nation’s children score in the proficient or advanced range, according to the 2014 NAEP results, the most recent available. NAEP results also show that compared to 1998, the average score for eighthgraders increased from 150 to 154 with no significant change in the average score compared to 2010.

That means the average student performs at the basic level in civics and that, at least at the time of the NAEP, has some understanding of competing ideas about purposes of government; can describe advantages of limited government; is able to define government, constitution, the rule of law, and politics; can identify the fundamental principles of American democracy and the documents from which they originate; understand the importance of a shared commitment to the core values of American democracy; recognize the components of the political process and understand personal, political, and economic rights and responsibilities; and can describe the purposes of some international organizations.

In New Hampshire, minimum standards require students to graduate with one credit in United States and New Hampshire history, a 1/2 credit of US and NH government/civics, a 1/2 credit in economics, including personal finance, and a 1/2 credit in world history, global studies or geography, said Heather Gage, director of the division of school improvement for the NH Department of Education. “[NH] schools actually have to provide at least five courses to students in social studies,” she said.

Generally, social studies is taught in the early grades, New Hampshire history in fourth grade, American history in eighth grade and civics and government in ninth grade. While some students

august 2017 www.parentingnh.com 17

Up until D’Allessandro’s bill specifying what needed to be taught became law this year, state statutes only required instruction in the “privileges, duties, and responsibilities of citizenship and in the history, government, and constitutions of the United States and New Hampshire.”

“The Achievement Gap”

could opt to take further elective courses in civics and history, such as AP U.S. History, the ninth grade is the end of the required civics coursework.

Though the curriculum is developed locally, a social studies framework was developed by state and local officials in 2006 based on the NH Minimum Standards for Public School Approval that requires elementary and middle/junior high school students to “acquire knowledge and understanding of civics, economics, geography, and history.” It also requires that high school students “acquire knowledge and modes of inquiry” in the same four subjects “including the related areas of sociology, anthropology, and psychology.”

New Hampshire students are actually faring pretty well, said Dianna Gahlsdorf Terrell, a civics scholar and associate professor in the Department of Education at Saint Anselm College, based on her analysis of student performance scores on the NAEPs. In civics and history, New Hampshire students do significantly better than the national population, she said.

“How do we know that when the data isn’t disaggregated for these tests at the state level?” Gahlsdorf Terrell asked in a recent blog post on her website.

“The data show that English-native speakers, white children, children living in homes with a college graduate and children being raised outside of poverty perform much better than the national average – a phenomenon called ‘the Achievement Gap.’ “Similar to all of New England, New Hampshire’s über-homogeneous, English speaking, college-educated population generally does exceptionally well on these measures of academic success. In fact, the New England states – and NH in particular — perform equivalently to the highest performing nations globally.”

But while that is reason to take heart, Gahlsdorf Terrell said, there is not yet reason to celebrate.

According to Souter’s 2012 speech, civics education began its decline in about 1970 and never fully recovered. So when No Child Left Behind — which put the emphasis on math and reading — and the era of high-stakes testing came along, civics didn’t stand a fighting chance. The result, said Paska, is teachers have the tough job of trying to get all of the mandated and testable material, like STEM subjects, crammed into the day, often to the detriment of subjects like social studies and civics.

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More than just the facts Paska said that one of the ways his group advocates that teachers and school districts handle this issue is by finding creative ways to “sneak” civics into daily lessons.

For example, he said, part of the Common Core includes a new emphasis on nonfiction reading. Paska argued, why not let that reading be of one of the founding documents or a biography of one of the founders of the country? It may be a reading class, but students at a younger and younger age will be introduced and re-introduced to these historical figures and concepts.

Martha Madsen, president of the NH Institute for Civics Education, agrees and is hoping to take that one step further.

“We are advocating for a civics curriculum that is K through 12,” she said. “You need to touch on those things each year, just like we do with math and reading. It’s a cumulative skill and a cumulative set of skills, attitudes and knowledge. It’s not something you can teach in half a year.”

Skills, attitudes and knowledge are the crux of what advocates want civics education to look like heading into the future. Because while current assessments test whether students are being taught dates, events and basic concepts, Gahlsdorf Terrell argues civics needs to be about much more than that.

“These are really important ideas,” she said. “But the question becomes, is history knowledge something that is going to make a kid civically engaged? And that’s really where the disconnect is.”

More than facts and figures, Gahlsdorf Terrell said, civics teaches students actual skills such as how to be critical thinkers and readers, how to debate respectfully and effectively, how to disagree respectfully, and how to choose which sources to trust and which to disregard as bogus.

It also teaches the intangibles like the importance of participating in elections, what it means to be a part of a community and how societies make rules and govern, Paska said.

“I know of no safe depository of the ultimate power of the society but the people themselves, and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with wholesome discretion, then remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education.”

— THOMAS JEFFERSON

Paska said research shows that students find that these skills help them in other areas of school.

According to a National Council for the Social Studies survey, 95 percent of more than 52,000 students surveyed reported gaining academic skills as a result of their social studies coursework, with the biggest gains occurring in the ability to support an

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The C3 concept

opinion, critical thinking and the ability to evaluate concepts and ideas.

Although she couldn’t say when this would happen, Gage said the State Board of Education has indicated they want to redo the social studies frameworks. She said it’s unclear whether the state will push for more civics classes or a more robust curriculum.

“We will not know that answer until we get into the work,” she said. “However, remember that standards are based on the content/skills we want students to know and be able to do and not actually stating what courses must be offered.”

She said the state is looking to hire someone to head up the social studies department, and thus this project. The position is currently vacant.

Madsen said she hopes that going forward school districts will take a more experiential approach to civics and social studies based on the C3 concept. The guiding principles of the C3 framework are like the Common Core State Standards – these emphasize the acquisition and application of knowledge to prepare students for college, career and civic life.

What that would look like in the classroom, Madsen said, is each class would start with an age-appropriate question. Gahlsdorf Terrell adds that the question should be something that is local and relevant to the student. Once the problem is established, the students are guided through the process of doing rigorous research, learning media literacy as they go.

After they’ve gathered their information, the students would get the chance to hone their arguments and engage in debate and deliberation. Finally, they would agree on an informed course of action, which Madsen cautions doesn’t always mean protest. She said that could simply mean a letter to the editor of a local paper.

“There are many actions we can all take if we have an evidence-based opinion,” she said.

It’s from this process, said Gahlsdorf Terrell, that students will gain an appreciation and a knowledge of the history behind our civic ideals and principles, but how to actually live those principles in the here and now.

As much as they can, Gahlsdorf Terrell said, teachers in New Hampshire are trying to get as many of these skills and principles into the classroom already.

“They’re not necessarily making students memorize information, but they’re working through the concepts and themes much more generally,” Gahlsdorf Terrell said.

“So they might talk about whether a class rule is ‘fair’ and what fair means to whom.

They might practice how to solve a disagreement or make a big decision. They’ll talk

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Legislative

Online resources for civics education

• iCivics: Free lesson plans and games for learning civics www.icivics.org

Executive

• Civics education initiative: Test your

knowledge civicseducationinitiative.org

• Civics Online: Learn more about civics education www.civics-online.org

about how different students in the class have different opinions that are informed by different beliefs.”

In that way, she said, they are exploring civic topics such as representation, conflict and diversity, all of which are central to understanding how to get along with and live with one another in a democracy. But they’re not necessarily talking in discrete terms beyond that.

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“The majority of NH teachers are actually finding ways to cover and incorporate these concepts. Is it enough? It varies a lot, but to my mind there isn’t enough,” Gahlsdorf Terrell said. “There could be much more of it, and certainly much more support and higher quality support for these teachers to teach it.”

Melanie Plenda is an award-winning freelance writer based in Keene.

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Full STEAM ahead

Out-of-school programs that have adopted the STEAM curriculum complement the classroom experience

By Rob Levey

S

TEM – science, technology, engineering and math – is an educational term most parents are familiar with. But STEAM, which focuses on the aforementioned educational disciplines but also incorporates arts education, is becoming more prominent.

Some disagree whether the inclusion of arts is taking away from concentrating on the original hard sciences makeup of STEM, but regardless, STEAM is, pardon the pun, picking up steam and nowhere more so than outside the classroom.

Increasingly STEAM programs are offered in out-of-school settings, which Tracey Tucker, Executive Director of New Heights in Exeter and Portsmouth, said reflects an important trend in education because many budget-strapped schools are unable to offer STEAM-related programs in the classroom during the school day.

“Out-of-school and after-school programs need to develop programs that reflect the latest educational trends to complement what happens in the classroom while filling in other gaps,” she said. “We need students to not only understand science, math, engineering and technology, but be able to apply their knowledge in creative ways.”

Colie Haahr, STEAM & School-Aged Programs Coordinator at the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire in Dover, agrees with Tucker and said creative thinking can be encouraged in prescribed and measured ways.

“Often, when we introduce a creative project, we do not give an example of what the finished project should look like because we want kids to come up with their own ideas,” she said.

She said this creative process and the problem-solving skills developed alongside it can be applied to other areas of students’ lives.

“There’s also something to be said for meeting kids where they are in terms of interests,” added Haahr. “Maybe STEM topics do not sound super exciting, but art projects do, and this can open a door to other interests.”

Tucker said the backdrop to STEAM is that it addresses needs in the workplace of tomorrow as well as those of today.

“Research is clear in showing that the incoming workforce is struggling with their problem-solving, social and emotional skills,” she said. “There is also a gap between

24 www.parentingnh.com august 2017

ilities Possib MoMe Below, students enjoy activities related to science, technology, engineering, art and math at the Children's Museum of New Hampshire.

At left, out-of-the-box ways to spark innovation at New Height's afterschool STEAM program.

At bottom left, students do hands-on research at the New Hampshire Academy of Science's afterschool program.

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the number of available STEAM-related jobs and available skilled employees and businesses are looking for help. Out-of-school STEAM programs fill that critical need in industry.”

At New Heights, its transition from STEM to STEAM in the past few years has resulted in a variety of new workshops that incorporate art and creative thinking. Beautiful Biology and Sacred Geometry are just two examples of recent STEAM programming.

In Beautiful Biology, participants create fiber arts inspired by microscopic views of plant life. In Sacred Geometry, participants use mathematical formulas to increase artistic aesthetics used by ancient architects.

Other recent STEAM workshops at New Heights include STEAM: The Science of Color and STEAM: Eco-Dye Chemistry.

“The feedback has been great with these programs,” said Arts and Culture Coordinator Becca Pawling. “I personally have been very excited to see research demonstrate art’s importance within education. Creative thinking, problem-solving and better communication skills are just some of the benefits from STEAM.” At the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire, Haahr said one of her favorite lessons in their STEAM lab is a roller coaster building activity, which she said incorporates physics, up-cycling, creative problem solving, and teamwork. Within the activity, she said kids use pipe insulation tubes—a foam material that is easy to cut and bend — to make roller coasters for marbles.

“The challenge is to make one loop, one turn, and one trick, which can be anything they want,” she said. “This activity really only works in teams, so it is great to see kids meet other kids in the lab and work together or bond with their caregiver while working on the project.”

She said the sense of excitement and accomplishment they feel when their roller coaster works is one of the best outcomes from the activity.

“Kids can often be seen jumping up and down, cheering, and laughing — and yes, they also learn a little bit about gravity, momentum, and problem solving,” she said.

Haahr said the goal behind all of their STEAM programs is to help children develop the 21st-century skills they will need to pursue their interests while developing critical thinking skills.

“In this age where knowledge is at our fingertips and on our phones and computers, it is more important than ever to help children become critical thinkers who do not simply digest information,” she said. “We want children to be able to assess what they find and use it to come up with creative solutions.”

While there are different frameworks for 21st-century skills, each one centers on four critical areas of development, which include: 1) collaboration and teamwork, 2) creativity and

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imagination, 3) critical thinking, and 4) problem solving.

“We need to go well beyond just providing a student with a laptop or access to software,” said Tucker. “We need to help kids develop these 21st-century skills so they can better succeed in a global environment that is much different than it was for us as kids. STEAM is an important part of the equation.”

According to Bob Baines of STEAM Ahead, which is offered during the school day in the Manchester school system, STEAM is as much a shift in pedagogy as it is a specific curriculum.

“We need to retrain how teachers how to teach,” he

said. “The traditional classroom is no longer viable.

We can no longer teach subjects in isolation to one another. We need a whole comprehensive approach — STEAM is part of that.”

Former mayor, high school principal and college president, Baines said STEAM also necessitates a redesign of the physical space in which students learn.

“We have redesigned six classrooms at Manchester West High School with flexible moving furniture and chairs on wheel,” he said. “STEAM incorporates a project-based approach to learning and flexible learning environments are key.”

Haahr referred to STEAM as “an essential building block in helping kids prepare for the future.”

“I think the growth mindset approach helps kids to focus on their efforts rather than results — and a lot of the STEAM movement is as much about the process as the product,” she said.

Tucker agrees and added, “It’s important parents understand the value of STEAM, why it’s relevant and where opportunities for it exist in their school and community... businesses are in need of employees that have developed emotional, social and other related skills — STEAM in education answers that need.”

More information • New Hampshire Afterschool Network STEM resources: www.nhafterschool.org/stem.html • New Hampshire Academy of Science afterschool programs: www.nhacadsci.org • New Heights: www.newheightsonline.org • Children’s Museum of NH: www.childrens-museum.org • Afterschool Alliance: www.afterschoolalliance.org

Rob Levey is CEO of Exponential Squared, a marketing and organizational development company focused on helping small to medium businesses achieve their business goals and promote wellness in the workplace. Rob never strays too far from his roots – you will find his freelance writing in numerous publications, including Parenting NH.

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Get ready to go A smooth transition to the new school year starts weeks before summer ends

By Crystal Ward Kent

back to

T

he last thing kids want to do after a relaxing summer is think about the inevitable – early mornings, organizing backpacks and doing homework. But there are ways for families to get back in the groove and get ready to go back to school.

While it is hard to see summer go, most kids are eager to return to school because they like the activities and social interaction.

What they balk at is going to bed earlier, getting up earlier, and readjusting to a more structured day, according to Dr. David

28 www.parentingnh.com august 2017

Schopick, a Portsmouth psychiatrist certified in adult, adolescent and child psychology.

“Parents can ease the return to routine by introducing the school schedule a week or two before school starts,” Dr. Schopick said.

“Incorporating the school routine just two to three days a week – especially going to bed earlier and getting up earlier – will help with the transition. Kids can also get more excited about school if they are involved in selecting school supplies, picking out outfits, and planning lunches. Talking up cool activities or field trips that the school year will bring also shows kids that summer isn’t the end of everything fun.”

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Get some zzzz’s Dr. Schopick said key to a smooth start to the school year is ensuring that children of all ages are getting enough sleep, even in the waning days of summer.

“Good sleep hygiene means getting eight hours a night, even nine hours for teens,” he said.

“Middle-schoolers and high-schoolers want to stay up late and sleep in over the summer and many parents indulge them. However, when September comes, they can have a hard time adjusting to the earlier wake-up time that comes with the start of school. This is because teens may develop what is known as delayed sleep phase syndrome, meaning that their sleep cycle is normal, but delayed. They don’t slip into the usual stages of sleep (that deep, nurturing REM sleep) until later in the night.

Consequently, if they are up late, but cannot sleep in, they do not get their full range of sleep pattern. This leaves them very sleep deprived, which can have harmful consequences in terms of being alert enough to concentrate in class, and in terms of driving to school. It can also affect their mood and motivation to do schoolwork.”

Dr. Schopick recommends parents start enforcing earlier bedtimes and wake-up times weeks before school starts. “I also recommend shutting off phones and technology to eliminate the temptation to indulge in latenight calls or texts. Even TV or video games right before bed can be disruptive as the blue light from the screens urges your body to be wakeful rather than drift off to sleep.”

Starting at a new school If your child is starting at a new school, whether transitioning to the next level or in a new community, the start of the school year can be even more stressful.

Parents can help reduce stress by making sure their child is familiar with the school.

Visit the school to make sure they can find classrooms, bathrooms, etc.

Have lunch there or play on the playground so the surroundings feel more familiar.

Try to find one or two children who will be in your child’s classes and invite them for play dates prior to the start of school so your child has the opportunity to make friends before school starts.

One retired New Hampshire educator said that by August most schools’ front offices are staffed and parents can easily set up appointments to meet new teachers and tour the school.

“Many districts don’t inform students as to who their teachers will be until August, so if your child is nervous about having a new teacher or new to the school, this is a great time to get acquainted,” Jan Abbott said.

“Teachers get requests all the time for oneon-one meetings and most of us are happy to meet with students and show them their classrooms. In fact, some students come for an August meeting every year.”

Abbott also recommends parents help students, especially those in the younger grades, get a jump on fall academics by weaving reading, writing and math into summer activities.

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“Parents can create a daily story time at home where kids read books of their choosing and set a goal for number of books read over the summer.

It’s also important to keep up with writing and math skills. If you take a trip, have your kids pick out postcards to write and send.”

Another idea is to do a scrapbook or journal and let them write photo captions, even if they just write a few lines.

Math skills can be incorporated into daily activities, such as counting out change for ice cream or “playing store,” or look for fun number games such as Dominoes the entire family can play. Cooking together also gives kids the chance to use math skills by measuring, counting out the number of cookies they made, and so on.

“Helping kids retain what they learned the previous year will help them feel confident when they return to school,” she said.

Managing anxiety Some children are fearful about the start of the school year, especially if they had a bad experience the previous school year, such as being bullied.

Dr. Schopick said he has treated many children who have suffered from separation anxiety, school refusal, depression, and other issues related to school.

“When your child has emotional or mental health issues related to school, the best thing is to begin treatment that will help them get back to school as soon as possible, preferably before the end of the school year,” he said. “The longer a child is out of school, the harder it can be for them to return."

If your child is having real issues, consider consulting a mental health professional. A professional can identify the underlying issues and develop a treatment plan. Many behavioral therapies involve gradual step-by-step reintroductions to school and many of these can even be done over the summer.

Every child is different, but therapy can help children recover their confidence about going to school, and reclaim school as a positive experience Dr. Schopick said.

Crystal Ward Kent is a regional writer whose work appears in numerous magazines. She is the owner of Kent Creative, an award-winning creative services agency in Dover and the author of several books.

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YMCA of Downtown Manchester, 30 Mechanic Street | 603.232.8651 Infant | Toddler | Preschool | Grade K–5 YMCA of Greater Londonderry, 206 Rockingham Road | 603.437.9622 Wrap-around kindergarten for Moose Hill students | Grades K-5 YMCA Allard Center of Goffstown, 116 Goffstown Back Road | 603.232.8638 Wrap-around kindergarten for Glen Lake students | Grades K-8 YMCA of Strafford County, 35 Industrial Way, Rochester | 603.332.7334 Infant | Toddler | Preschool | Grade K–8 YMCA of the Seacoast, 550 Peverly Hill Road, Portsmouth | 603.431.2334 Grade K–8 Financial Assistance Available | State of NH Child Care Scholarship Accepted Learn more at www.graniteymca.org

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More family time, bett Some NH businesses are embracing progressive family leave policies

By Mary Ellen Hettinger, APR

W

hile federal law protects those needing to take time off to take care of their families, some companies in New Hampshire are extending the time employees can take off, and paying them while they are gone.

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law that allows eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for serious health conditions, to bond with a new child, or to prepare for military deployment. Your job is “protected,” meaning you can return to your position after the leave. The FMLA affects employers with at least 50 employees for 20 weeks a year.

That means that 40 percent of the workforce is left out, and millions of Americans can’t afford to take time off without pay.

Granite State companies with at least six employees must allow eligible employees to take time off work for a disability relating to pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions, and protect their jobs. Also, health insurance can be continued while on leave, for the same cost. Employees may also take up to 26 weeks of unpaid leave in a year to care for a family member in the military who is injured.

Family-friendly company culture

More information • For more information on the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) visit the United States Dept. of Labor website at www.dol.gov or www.das.nh.gov/ hr/fmla • For more information on paid family and medical leave in New Hampshire, view the Carsey School of Public Policy brief at www.carsey.unh.edu/ publication/paid-family-leave-nh

32 www.parentingnh.com august 2017

New Hampshire businesses recognized with awards for their company culture have one thing in common: they treat their employees well. Since an engaged workforce is good for business, these companies also thrive.

“A family-friendly business is a healthy business, pure and simple,” said Joe Keefe, president and CEO of Pax World in Portsmouth, an investment firm.

Though a small company (about 50 employees), Pax World offers 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents. Keefe spoke at “Winning Workplaces; Paid Family & Medical Leave Insurance Summit” in Manchester last year; an article derived from his speech was printed in New Hampshire Business Review on Nov. 11, 2016.

Keefe recalled, “About a year ago, I gathered together employees who had used our parental and medical leave, to ask about their experiences, and whether there was anything we could do to improve the program or the experience. It makes us more loyal, they said. It makes us more productive. It makes us a better team. It makes for stronger

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morale. It’s why we love working here. We know it requires support at the top and we appreciate how much the company cares about our families.”

Author J. Heymann, in Why America’s Working Families Are in Jeopardy, said paid family leave promotes family well-being, especially for children and seniors. It also lets dads get more involved, and lowers infant mortality rates.

A prime example of a Granite State company that has been honored for leading the way is W. S. Badger of Gilsum. This family company was started in 1995 by carpenter Bill Whyte with one product, Badger Balm, which he made to soothe his hands. Today they have 100 employees (with 20 more seasonal workers) and are leaders in making organic self-care products.

W. S. Badger provides paid parental leave of up to five weeks in addition to the federal FMLA for the primary caregiver. A secondary caregiver can also get up to two full weeks of paid time within the first six weeks of a child’s arrival.

“Our decisions on benefits come down to this: if people don’t come to work healthy, happy and balanced, they can’t be as productive, engaged, and loyal. Benefits to keep workers and their families mentally and physically healthy just make sense,” said Marketing and Public Relations Manager Deirdre Fitzgerald.

“Owners and leaders who like to think of the company as an extended family need to see that employees’ families are integral to their lives, on and off the job.

“Employees’ families are not disruptions to work; they’re motivations for it. We’ve found people will go the extra mile to make our system work smoothly. One of the biggest benefits to the company is a genuine spirit of teamwork that enhances productivity,” Fitzgerald added.

Working with Carla Moquin, founder of the Parenting in the Workplace Institute (PIWI), in 2007 Badger set up a Babies-at-Work program. “We’ve had 15 babies in the workplace since then, and everyone has an all-hands-on-deck attitude to ensure new parents can balance family and work time.”

Would you pay $5 a week?

A Granite State poll in 2016 showed that 82 percent of New Hampshire adults supported a paid family and medical leave law. Last year, thanks to a U.S. Department of Labor grant, the NH Department of Employment Security, the Carsey School of Public Policy at UNH, and the New Hampshire Women’s Foundation, a conversation was started about what paid family and sick leave might look like.

One hypothetical model has it working like insurance, with employee-paid payroll deductions as a percentage of their earnings. The median household income in the Granite State is about $66,000 a year (2014). According to Kristin Smith, a family demographer at the Carsey School of Public Policy and research associate professor of sociology at UNH, for approximately $5 per week, an average worker could possibly get up to two-thirds of their salary for several weeks to care for a seriously ill spouse or parent, for their own extended illness, or to care for or bond with a newborn, adopted or foster child.

“Being a good corporate citizen isn’t the only key to business success,” Keefe said.

But your business will be left behind if you don’t invest in your “human capital,” i.e., workforce.

“Conversely, you’re gaining a competitive advantage if everyone in your business is treated with dignity, if you make accommodations for employees and their families, if you attract and promote and advance women so that your company derives the business advantages that drive from diverse leadership.”

Mary Ellen Hettinger, APR is an award-winning reporter, editor and writer, and accredited public relations professional.

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cook•with•your• kids WHAT DO I DO WITH ALL OF THIS ZUCCHINI?

By Susan Nye

F

irst-timer or master gardener, it doesn’t matter. It is a time-honored tradition. Everyone always grows too much zucchini.

Sauté all that zucchini, grill it or roast it. You can grate it and add it to bread, muffins or cakes.

You can throw it into a sauce or add it to soup. You can tackle the problem by cooking it up and freezing it for later (if you get really desperate, you can throw it on the compost pile while no one is looking).

Next year, will yourself to buy one, and only one, zucchini plant. And be sure to make lots of stuffed squash blossoms in early summer.

GRILLED ZUCCHINI AND TOMATOES Whether you’re cooking chicken or a steak, throw a few zucchini and cherry tomatoes on the grill.

Serves 4

Preheat grill to medium high.

• • • • •

Olive oil Balsamic vinegar About 1 c. grape or cherry tomatoes Sea salt and freshly ground pepper 2 med. zucchini, trimmed and sliced lengthwise about ½-inch thick

34 www.parentingnh.com august 2017

Put tomatoes in bowl, drizzle with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar; sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Transfer tomatoes to a grill basket and cook on the grill, stirring a few times until they begin to brown, about three to four minutes.

Put zucchini slices in a shallow dish, drizzle with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar;

sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Arrange zucchini slices in a single layer on the grill and cook for one to two minutes per side.

To serve: Arrange zucchini on a serving platter or individual plates and top with tomatoes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

ZUCCHINI PANCAKES

Wonderfully versatile, these pancakes can be served as a main dish or side. Try them with pasta and a fresh tomato sauce. Makes about 16 pancakes

• • • • • • • •

1 1/2 lbs. zucchini, coarsely shredded Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 3-4 scallions, thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 c. chopped, fresh mint 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves 1/2 c. all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking powder Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

Put zucchini in colander, sprinkle liberally with salt and toss to combine. Let zucchini sit for five minutes, squeeze out as much liquid as possible and transfer zucchini to a large bowl. Add scallions, garlic and herbs, season with pepper and toss to combine.

Whisk baking powder into the flour. Add flour and cheeses to the zucchini and toss to combine. Crack eggs into a bowl and whisk in the hot sauce. Add eggs to the zucchini and stir to combine.

• • • • • •

4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled 2 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated 2 eggs 1/4 tsp., or to taste, hot sauce Olive oil Optional garnish: tapenade (store bought or homemade) and/or sour cream or yogurt

spoonfuls (a small ice cream scoop works well) of zucchini batter to the skillet and fry for about three minutes on each side or until golden and cooked through.

Drain on paper towels; transfer to an ovenproof platter and place in a 200-degree oven to keep warm.

Serve pancakes plain or top with dollops of sour cream or yogurt and/or tapenade.

Heat a little olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add

Susan Nye writes for magazines throughout New England. She shares many of her favorite recipes and stories about food, family and friendship on her award-winning blog, Around the Table, at www.susannye.wordpress.com.

CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CAKE

This moist, delicious cake is a great way to hide some of the extra zucchini from friends and family! Serves 12 or more

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

1 stick butter, room temperature 1/2 c. vegetable oil 3/4 c. sugar 3/4 c. brown sugar 2 large eggs 1/2 c. sour cream 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour 1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. espresso powder or instant coffee 1 tsp. cinnamon 2 c. (about 12 oz.) shredded zucchini 3/4 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, beat together butter and oil. Gradually add sugars and beat until fluffy. Add eggs, sour cream and vanilla and beat until well combined.

Put flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, espresso and cinnamon in a bowl, whisk to combine and gradually add to wet ingredients, beating until smooth. Fold in zucchini and chocolate chips.

Pour batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into center comes out clean. Cool, cut into squares and serve.

august 2017 www.parentingnh.com 35

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36 www.parentingnh.com august 2017

t’s easy to set a good example for my kid when things are going well. It’s much harder to teach her to do the right thing when I’ve been an absolute jerk.

It’s true – occasionally Dad on Board can be Dope on Board. In the family dynamic of the Burke household, I’m usually FunDad™. I’m the one who books the Disney trips and takes the kid for ice cream with the convertible top down.

My wife is definitely more responsible and slightly sterner at times. We make a good team. She’s the reason I’m writing this on a laptop in our home instead of scribbling it in crayon on scraps of napkins in a soggy cardboard box.

It gets a little disconcerting, then, when that dynamic is turned upsidedown.

We were supposed to go to an event on a Friday night. I decided halfway through the day that I didn’t want to go. I detailed my plan to skip the event in a few selectively worded emails to my wife – probes, as it were, to gauge her reaction. Long story short: She was not letting me off the hook. So it was with no small chip on my shoulder that the three of us embarked on our excursion that night.

Things started out badly and only got worse. In the car, I avoided conversation. When I did speak, my answers were terse. At the event, I sat motionless as others applauded and enjoyed themselves. I was argumentative and openly surly. I believe the clinical term for the way I was acting was “wickedstupididiot.”

Could I have stopped what I was doing and admit I was being a jerk? Sure.

Did I? No. I doubled down all night. And my 14-year-old saw it all.

The next morning, I woke knowing I had to patch things up. I started thinking about how I’d let my kid know that it’s not OK to act so selfishly, and that her dad is actually a pretty flawed guy – assuming she didn’t already think so based on my completely unironic and unconditional love of “Paul Blart Mall Cop 2.” It is a great movie and I will fight anyone who says otherwise.

I talked about the things I liked about the show we had attended, which included walking to our car in the rain when it was over, because it was over.

And also, strangely, I like rain storms. She already knows that about me, though, so it didn’t really count as any kind of an explanation or apology. So I kidded about our seats and the set list, as if that would explain things, but I realized I just had to let her know it was selfish and stupid and it wasn’t acceptable.

The whole thing started to fade pretty quickly and life got back to normal.

I’m sure it’ll live on in the annals of our family lore as The Night Dad Was a Huge Numbskull, and that’s OK because I deserve it.

Besides, I’m sure it’ll never happen again. Probably.

Bill Burke, rhymes with “jerk,” is a writer who lives in southern New Hampshire with his extremely patient wife and his probably confused daughter. He’s the worst dad ever, sometimes. He is also the managing editor of custom publications for McLean Communications.

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NEW HAMPSHIRE www.parentingnh.com 37

Keeping Kids Healthy for Over 35 Years!

house calls Learn to become a life-saver KNOWING CPR COULD SAVE THE LIFE OF YOUR CHILD, OR SOMEONE ELSE’S

BY STEPHANIE WHITE, MD

T

he American Red Cross features cardiopulmonary resuscitation stories front and center on its website. The stories are similar — normal people enjoying a normal day until something horrible happens. Then, thanks to bystanders Left to Right: Mary B. Shupe, MPH, APRN, CPNP • Rochelle Heit, MD, FAAP equipped with CPR skills, a person survives. My husband and I took our one-yearCatherine Leighton, APRN, CPNP • Sharon VanTuil, MD, FAAP old son to the pool on a warm day in Florida. After enjoying the water for a while, Helen Poremba, MD, FAAP • Martin Schwartzberg, MD, FAAP we took a break while a group of kids got in the pool. One of these kids was Gio, 5, Photo by: kendaLL j. bush PhotogRaPhy who’d arrived a few minutes earlier with his mom and his sister.

My husband’s urgent voice broke into my daydreams. I turned around to see Gio’s limp body being pulled from the bottom of the pool. I ran to help. Gio was a terrifying shade of blue; there was no pulse, he was not breathing, and I was shaking.

Now Accepting Minuteman Health Insurance I was a chief resident of pediatrics and technically a board-certified pediatrician, however nothing prepares you for out-of-hospital CPR. There were no ambu bags, River Road Pediatrics is a well-established, highly monitors, or other doctors or nurses to help. As I started doing chest compressions, the magnitude of the situation hit me. This little boy was basically dead. I was trying to respected group of board certified pediatricians and save him, and despite there being multiple bystanders, there was no one else to help. pediatric nurse practitioners. We have been providing I grabbed his arm to check for a brachial pulse. Just as the doors to the pool courthealth care services children for over years. Our Riverfor Road Pediatrics is 35 a well-established, highly respected board yard opened, I felt it. It wasgroup weak butofit was there. The EMT team took over and put experienced and dedicated staff provide quality care him in an ambulance.

A few minutes later it has was eerily calm. Only those of us who’d certified pediatricians and pediatric nurse practitioner.

River Road Pediatrics been there could have imagined the life-or-death scene that had just taken place. for newborns, been infants, children and adolescents in a providing health care services for children for over 35 years. Our experienced Gio survived, but drowning is the leading cause of death in children age 1 to 4. sensitive and supportive manner. and dedicated staff provide quality care forEvery newborns, infants, children year in the United States, an averageand of more than 700 children die from unintentional drowning.

For every child who dies, adolescents in a sensitive and supportive manner. New patients are welcome andanother five receive treatment for nonfatal submersion injuries. These injuries may lead to long-term memory problems same day appointments are generally available.and learning disabilities, and can have devastating effects on overall functioning.

The value of CPR extends beyond the swimming pool. Simply put, it can help anySame-day appointments are generally available one who is unconscious, is not breathing and does not have a pulse. The American Heart Association estimates 70 percent of Americans are not adequately trained in CPR. This is a significant number considering that most emergencies occur at home and involve spouses, parents, children and friends.

When someone stops breathing or their heart stops beating, they can only survive four to six minutes before the lack of oxygen can result in brain damage or death.

Timely, effective, bystander CPR can double a victim’s chance of survival after a cardiac arrest.

Since that day in March 2012, I have become an advocate for water safety, swim lessons and pool gates. Last month, the American Academy of Pediatrics released sun and water safety tips stating that whenever children under 5 are in or around water, an adult — preferably one who knows how to swim and perform CPR — should be within arm's length, providing "touch supervision."

Parenthood is hard work and it requires thinking ahead. We’d do well to add CPRtrained adult to our safety checklists.

Go to www.aha.org or www.redcross.org to find a CPR course near you.

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Stephanie White, M.D., is an assistant professor of pediatrics at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth/Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock and a Public Voices Fellow with the OpEd Project. For more information, go to www.chadkids.org.

This article was reprinted from the August 2016 issue of ParentingNH Magazine.

raising teens and tweens Attention issues vs. anxiety and depression AN INABILITY TO FOCUS IS NOT NECESSARILY ADD/ADHD

BY TRACEY TUCKER

I

am receiving more requests lately from parents to see their children about a perceived lack of attention. Parents are worried their adolescent is struggling at school and at home because they can no longer focus.

These parents look back on their child’s history and rack their brain for other times when they may have struggled with an attention issue. Some parents express concern that their child has been misdiagnosed — or worse — undiagnosed for years. I also receive calls from a different subset of parents who note their child is doing fine in school, but they now have begun to hyperanalyze their child’s academic and social history to find times when their child exhibited other signs of attention issues.

After meeting with the parents and their children, I often recognize that the attention issues parents are worried about align more closely with anxiety and depression rather than true attention-related diagnoses such as ADD or ADHD. In children and adolescents, anxiety and depression can manifest as an inability to focus or concentrate. Kids can have trouble focusing on homework because of the thoughts and worries they carry with them. They can also appear “spacey” and “day dreamy.”

It is not uncommon when kids are fighting with anxiety or depression that they do not know what is making them anxious or sad. They do not possess the ability to reflect in the same way or to the same degree as adults can. Kids who are sad and suffering from anxiety may not know how to deal with the feelings because they don’t have the coping skills that adults have developed over the years.

Being sad and anxious can feel overwhelming and can make kids think that nothing will ever change because they have never lived through times in which they have overcome these types of challenges and obstacles.

There are many ways to support your child; the following represents some helpful strategies: • If your child is struggling with attention, reach out to a professional—school administration, teachers or mental health counselors.

• If a therapist cannot completely assess whether it is an attention-related issue or anxiety and/or depression, have your child complete a psychological assessment.

• Have your child work with a therapist around the issues that are making them anxious or depressed, allowing them to identify and acknowledge what is happening with them.

• Have the therapist work with your child to develop coping skills to help them work through their issues and develop their own “bag of coping skills” for overcoming challenges and stressors.

• Work with your child’s counselor to discuss ways you can support your child at home.

• Practice patience with your child. Don’t criticize and don’t try to give advice. Many times, kids just want to be heard as they are doing the best they can. If they reach out for advice or help, be there for them. In the meantime, try not to dole out unrequested advice.

• If anxiety and/or depression is severely impeding your child’s social and academic development, consider getting a medical assessment to see if medication might alleviate their symptoms.

Tracey Tucker is Executive Director of New Heights: Adventures for Teens and a licensed mental health counselor at Tradeport Counseling Associates in Portsmouth.

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Courtes

august

84TH ANNUAL LEAGUE OF NH CRAFTSMEN’S FAIR 5 SATURDAY – 13 SUNDAY NEWBURY – Mount Sunapee Resort, Route 103. The League of NH Craftsmen’s Fair is one of the nation’s top craft shows, attracting more than 22,000 people who come to see and shop for quality, one-of-a-kind craft. Visitors can watch master craftsmen demonstrate their techniques, take part in hands-on workshops, and find ideas for using fine craft in everyday life. Live music by New England performers adds to the festive atmosphere. The fair features contemporary and traditional craft in all media: pottery, hand-blown glass, framed prints, woven baskets, detailed furniture, bowls, hand-dyed silk scarves, and handcrafted jewelry. Master craftsmen demonstrate printmaking, jewelry making, glassblowing, blacksmithing, clay building, weaving and more. Craft workshops for adults, teens, and children offer personalized instruction from a master craftsperson. Children can also explore Mount Sunapee’s Adventure Park and a new, full-day Kids Mountain Adventure Camp. Admission: Adults, $12; seniors, $10; children 12 and younger, free. For complete schedule and more information, go to www.nhcrafts.org. on game day to cheer for their community’s local heroes. Fireworks follow the game. Tickets: $10, kids 10 and under get in free. 6 p.m. www. chadbaseball.org

OLDE TIME TAVERN DAY 5 SATURDAY MILTON – New

Hampshire Farm Museum, 1305 White Mountain Highway. Living history tours performed by costumed role players will take you back to the early 1800s when the Jones Farm housed a thriving tavern. You will meet Levi Jones, the original tavern keeper, as well as Col. Joseph Plummer, who will lead a militia muster demonstration.

Tavern games and other fun activities will round out the event, where visitors will all have a chance to sample some of the types of food and drink that were served in the Jones Tavern. Admission: Adults, $7; children, $4; museum members free. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 6527840; www.farmmuseum.org

CHAD BATTLE OF THE BADGES BASEBALL CLASSIC 11 FRIDAY MANCHESTER – Northeast Delta Dental Stadium, 1 Line Drive. Come cheer for Team Police and Team Fire as they take to the diamond for the 7th annual CHaD Battle of the Badges Baseball Classic. This matchup between community heroes benefits the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock with 100 percent of proceeds going to support critical programs at CHaD. This year’s game is the first to be played under the lights. Fans can get into the action by wearing red or blue

40 www.parentingnh.com august 2017

VEGGIE HUNT

11 FRIDAY

MEREDITH – Moulton Farm,

18 Quarry Road. The Meredith farm is hosting a veggie hunt to excite children ages 5 to 9 about eating vegetables and learning how they grow. With a parent or grandparent accompanying them, children go into the fields with a member of the farm’s staff to learn about how each vegetable grows before beginning their search. Children bring home the vegetables they find during the hunt, and the cost is already included in the event fee. Admission: $12 for the first child in a family group and $10 for each additional child; free for parents or grandparents accompanying children. 10 a.m. www.moultonfarm.com

ROCK ON FEST 11 FRIDAY – 12 SATURDAY

HEALTH FAIR AND FAMILY FUN DAY 14 MONDAY

CONCORD – Downtown

MANCHESTER – Manchester

Concord. Rock On Foundation is hosting Rock On Fest for a third consecutive year. The festival boasts live music, basketball, family fun, outdoor yoga, an outdoor movie night and more.

Friday will be a basketball-filled day with pop-up courts on Main Street. It will include youth 3X3 basketball tournaments and a free basketball clinic hosted

by Matt and Luke Bonner. The night ends with an outdoor movie on the state house lawn.

Saturday will have adult 3X3 basketball tournaments on the Main Street courts, followed by the Midsummer Classic in the evening featuring local high school students. On the state house lawn, Saturday afternoon kicks off with family fun and a performance by local music star Mr. Aaron. Free admission. For complete list of events, go to www.rockonfoundation.org.

Community Health Center, 145 Hollis St. MCHC is hosting its third annual Health Fair and Family Fun Day. Free food, music, games and healthy fun.

Fisher Cats’ mascot Fungo and Manchester Police Department’s Mounted Unit will pay a visit.

QC Bike Collective will be back with their bike clinic and more community partners will be on hand to help celebrate. Free. 5 to 7 p.m. 626-9500; www.mchc-nh. org

HAY DAY FESTIVAL 13 SUNDAY

NEWBURY – The Fells Historic

Estate and Gardens, 456 Route 103A. A fun-filled day for all ages with old-fashioned games, demonstrations, music, children’s art projects, scavenger hunt, petting zoo, and face painting.

Explore nature trails, create

a fairy house in the Fairy Village, discover the Art in Nature 2016 Outdoor Sculpture exhibit and other brand new art and history exhibits in the Main House. Step back in time and take a historic tour of the main house and gardens, or relax on the veranda.

Admission: Adults, $10; seniors and students, $8; children ages 6-17, $4; 5 and under, free. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 7634789; www.thefells.org

HAMPTON BEACH CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL 14 MONDAY – 18 FRIDAY HAMPTON BEACH

– Ocean Boulevard.

The annual Hampton Beach Children's Festival is the family fun event of the summer, kicking off Monday with a magic show by BJ Hickman on the Hampton Beach Seashell Stage at 10 a.m., and building up to a giant costume parade that marches almost the length of Hampton Beach on Friday. Each day will be a blockbuster,

filled with non-stop activity and entertainment, including mini-golf, a Ronald McDonald show, free ice cream, dancing, storytellers, balloons and more. There’s even a kids’ bumper sticker contest. Free. For complete schedule, go to hamptonbeach.org.

FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN CHILI FEST 20 SUNDAY

festivities, which will include three chili tasting contests. Take in the Car Cruise In, visit the Vendor Midway for a great selection of crafts and specialty items, and listen to great live music on the hillside featuring The McMurphys Band.

Kids will enjoy the expanded TD Bank KidZone featuring arts and crafts, face painting and other activities. Admission: $12, children 10 and under, $6; infants/ toddlers free. Gates open at 11 a.m.; chili tasting begins at noon. www. chilinewhampshire.org

HENNIKER – Pats Peak Ski Area.

Pack up the kids and a package of Tums and head to the 15th annual Fire on the Mountain Chili Fest, sponsored by the Henniker Rotary Club.

Attendees can sample chili prepared by area restaurants and amateur chili makers while enjoying a host of activities for the whole family. There will be an independent judging panel and attendees get in the act too, voting for the coveted Peoples’ Choice awards in each category.

Master of Ceremonies, River (92.5) radio personality Crozby will lead the

5TH ANNUAL DOVER MINI MAKER FAIRE 26 SATURDAY

DOVER – Downtown Dover. Join the

Children’s Museum of New Hampshire at the 5th annual Dover Mini Maker Faire, an all-ages celebration of creativity and innovation. Play with robots, experiment with science, learn new skills, enjoy local food truck goodies, take a selfie with a Stormtrooper, and more. Tickets: $12 at the door; kids 5 and under free. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. www.dover.makerfaire.com

ALL THE WATER IN THE WORLD 26 SATURDAY

MANCHESTER – Amoskeag

Fishways, 4 Fletcher St. We all use water — it touches all part of our lives, each day. On this water-focused morning, play H2Olympics, learn the journey of a drop of water and take home conservation tips for everyone, no matter where you live or how old you are. Advanced registration required. Free. 10 a.m. to noon. 626FISH; www.amoskeagfishways.org

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

29 TUESDAY – 31 THURSDAY MANCHESTER – Palace Theatre, 80

Hanover St. The Children's Summer Series presents Alice in Wonderland.

This timeless classic tells the tale of Alice, a girl who falls down a rabbit hole and discovers Wonderland, a world of fascinating adventures. Tickets: $9.

Shows at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. each day.

668-5588; www.palacetheatre.org

HAMPTON BEACHHNew Hampshire

CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL

August 14-18, 2017

! e e r F

Children’s Activities Win a New Bike ~ Write a Kid’s Slogan for 2018 Bumper Sticker.

Stop by Info Center. • Fun! • Prizes! • Cool Performers!

• 5 Great Days with Lots of FREE stuff for Kids!

Fri., Aug. 18 Costume Parade: Every child wins a prize!

See Complete Schedule at www.hamptonbeach.org For FREE Travel Guide or to view our Beach Cam, visit www.hamptonbeach.org august 2017 www.parentingnh.com 41

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A FAMILY FUN CLUB! JOIN OUR KIDS CLUB! • A birthday shout-out on TV & online • Special kids events with VIP status • Exclusive family e-news 4 times a year • A surprise gift for kids

THREE WAYS TO MAKE BIRTHDAYS SPECTACULAR! Choose from three birthday party packages to treat your child to a party that’s just right. Each includes all-day admission to the park, balloons and a Friendly’s Ice Cream Cake. Plus, they come with a special treat for you, the parent – we take care of the set-up and the clean-up, so you can forget about the details and actually have some fun!

nhptv.org/kids

For package details or to book your party, visit watercountry.com.

NEW ENGLAND’S LARGEST WATERPARK 42 www.parentingnh.com august 2017 PARENTING NH MAGAZINE APRIL 2017 4.38” x 5.42

five•for families

COMPILED BY JACQUELINE TOURVILLE Iron Kids: On Sunday, Aug. 13, it’s time to run, swim and bike in the 5th annual Kids’ Try-Athlon in Bedford. It’s a fundraiser for Friends of Aine, a nonprofit devoted to children’s grief healing. Do you have kids who are up for the challenge? Younger triathletes (age 4-10) will swim 25 yards in the town pool, bike one mile and run a half-mile. Older kids (age 11-15) swim for 50 yards, bike two miles and run one mile. Everyone enjoys games, prizes, raffles, music, food, face painting, obstacle course, and more. www.friendsofaine.com

Hay Day: Take a step back in time at the Hay Day Family Festival, an annual celebration of old-fashioned summertime fun held at The Fells estate in Newbury. Planned events include games, music, children’s art projects, scavenger hunt, petting zoo, face painting and food. You can also explore the estate’s nature trails and Fairy Village, and take guided tours of the Main House and gardens. www.thefells.org

Fair Time: Get a jump on fair season in New Hampshire at the Cheshire County Fair in Swansea from Thursday, Aug. 3, to Sunday, Aug. 6.

This time-honored agricultural fair features 4-H animal and livestock shows, agricultural displays, carnival midway, and lots of entertainment, including a battle of the bands, truck pull, fireworks, comedy show and more. www.cheshirefair.org

Before school starts again and the cool of autumn creeps in, fill your sand bucket with as much summertime fun as you can. August is alive this month with many places to go and things to do to make your summer complete. Need some ideas? Here are five top picks.

All about trees: The Newfound Lake Audubon Center invites families to get up close and personal with New Hampshire’s amazing variety of trees at a special tree identification learning program on Thursday, Aug. 3, at 2 p.m. Using bark, leaves or needles, location, shape, and other clues, kids and parents will learn how to tell a beech from a birch, a hemlock from a fir, and more. Afterward rent a canoe or kayak to go out on Newfound Lake or take a nature walk on the center’s trails. For more information, call 744-3516.

Tales of New Hampshire: In Concord, don’t miss the free family story hour at the New Hampshire Historical Society. Each Tuesday in August, storytellers will read and share classic tales about the Old Man of the Mountain, Lake Winnipesaukee, the Cog railroad, the Concord Coach, and New Hampshire's state symbols like ladybugs, lilacs and pumpkins. Stories start at 10 a.m. After story hour, visit the exhibition – Discovering New Hampshire – to see related museum artifacts. www.nhhistory.org

Jacqueline Tourville is a freelance writer and PNH’s travel and tourism expert..

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