Carolina Parent Raleigh Aug 2019

August 2019 • Free

Let Your Child Fail Why making mistakes builds self-confidence

Make Every Tray Count Raleigh students learn to compost cafeteria wastes

30 Dorm Room Must-Haves Check Out Our Readers' Favorite Places to Visit, Dine, Shop and Explore carolinaparent.com | AUGUST 2019

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TWO CONVENIENT LOCATIONS:

SOUTH CARY 103 Parkway Office Court, #204 Cary, NC 27518 (919) 858-0078

THANK T H AYOU N K FOR Y O U VOTING F O R V OOUR T I N GPRACTICE OUR AS ONE OF YOUR READERS’ FAVORITES PRACTICE YOUR READERS' FAVORITES SIXY EYEARS! F FOR O R SIX ARS!.

PRESTON AREA 3701 N.W. Cary Parkway, #200 Cary, NC 27513 (919) 467-9300

www.carybraces.com Dr. Kelly W. Ritter

Dr. Reid H. Brogden

We love serving this wonderful community. Thank you for your support!

VOLUME 31, NUMBER 8

CONTENTS AUGUST 2019

16 16

FEATURES 16 2019 READERS’ FAVORITES Find out if your favorite places to visit, dine, shop and explore made our 2019 list!

18

LETTING YOUR CHILD FAIL Find out how making mistakes builds self-confidence and resilience

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22 EVERY TRAY COUNTS PROGAM REDUCES SCHOOL LUNCH WASTES Compostable trays replace polystyrene in many school districts 24 DORM ROOM MUST-HAVES Parents of current college students tell us what their kids couldn’t live without freshman year

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IN EVERY ISSUE 7

August Online

COLUMNS

CALENDAR

8

Editor’s Note

26 Growing Up

37 Our Picks

42 Faces and Places

27 Oh, Baby!

38 Exhibits

FYI

28 Understanding Kids

39 Daily

10 Community

29 Raising Readers

11

Education

30 Tech Talk

12

Health

31

Style

32 Father Figuring

14

College Transitions

34 Excursion

carolinaparent.com | AUGUST 2019

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Discover your capable, confident Montessori child.

Visit us online to RSVP for one of our upcoming events or to book a tour. guidepostmontessori.com/spruce-tree (919) 825-1771 12600 Spruce Tree Way, Raleigh, NC 27614

GP070319

Infant • Toddler • Preschool • Kindergarten Spanish Immersion programs available!

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7/4/19 7:26 PM

ONLINE

School Days CTE Options Explore career and technical training options for Triangle students. carolinaparent.com (search for “technical training options”)

Collaborative Learning

IEP Meetings Get tips for how to approach an individualized education program meeting. carolinaparent.com (search for “IEP meeting”)

Find out how local schools are creating student-centered environments. carolinaparent.com (search for “collaborative learning spaces”)

North Carolina

Back-to-School

Explore 16 public North Carolina colleges and universities. carolinaparent.com (search for “16 NC public schools”)

Enter to win a variety of school supplies and books! carolinaparent.com/cp/contests

Images courtesy of Oxy_gen/Shutterstock.com.

Public Colleges

Contest

Connect with us online:

facebook.com/ carolinaparent

twitter.com/ carolinaparent

pinterest.com/ carolinaparent

instagram.com/ carolinaparent

carolinaparent.com | AUGUST 2019

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EDITOR'S NOTE

Failures and Successes

morrismedianetwork.com

A

s parents, we have many opportunities to rescue our kids from failure. A 1-year-old takes her first steps but stumbles and falls.

A preschooler builds a block tower that spills to the floor. A third-grader neglects an important step that prevents her science project from working properly. A teenager oversleeps and shows up late for his summer job.

Do you: Hold your 1-year-old’s hands so she won’t fall?

Advise your preschooler to use a smaller block?

Intervene to suggest the overlooked step?

Wake your teen so he will arrive at work on time?

Or, do you let your child fail and learn from her mistakes? The answer isn’t always cut and dry, but for the most part, it should be, “Yes!” In Caitlin Wheeler’s feature, “Letting Your Child Fail” on page 18, Suzanne Gulledge, a UNC-Chapel Hill professor and program coordinator, says, “Having a failure or a frustration and then working through the problem and finding a solution — that just feels good.” As your child begins a new school year, it’s important to remember that normalizing mistakes can go a long way toward helping her develop into a confident and independent adult.

If you’ve ever had lunch with your child at school, you’ve probably noticed that a lot of unfinished food goes right into the cafeteria trash can. Students, teachers and administrators at Millbrook Environmental Connections Magnet Elementary School are working with the Every Tray Counts program to use compostable trays and deposit leftover food and paper wastes, liquids and plastics into separate bins. Learn more about the program and how other North Carolina schools are participating in Mick Schulte’s “Every Tray Counts Program Reduces School Lunch Wastes” feature on page 22.

Editor’s photo courtesy of Morton Photography.

ON THE COVER: A young museum visitor explores the Magic Wings Butterfly House at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham.

Photo courtesy of Joshua Steadman.

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AUGUST 2019 | carolinaparent.com

PUBLISHER

Katie Reeves · katie.reeves@morris.com

EDITOR

Beth Shugg · bshugg@carolinaparent.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Janice Lewine · jlewine@carolinaparent.com

ART DIRECTOR

If you have a high school graduate moving into a college dorm this month, you’re probably suggesting that she pack efficiently and compactly. To help pare down her packing list, we asked local and regional parents what items their college kids couldn’t live without. Discover 30 insightful answers in “Dorm Room Must-Haves” on page 24.

Two years ago, the College Board began offering high school students an SAT test in August. This created a chance for high school seniors to squeeze in one more SAT test before applying to colleges during the fall application period. If your student signed up to take the test on Aug. 24, read about Kahn Academy’s free SAT prep course in our Tech Talk column on page 30.

Other columns this month cover encouraging resiliency (page 26), developing young children’s motor skills for school readiness (page 27), balancing after-school activities with free play (page 28), back-toschool-themed children’s books (page 29), understanding the new SAT adversity score (page 31), a dad’s perspective on how to create balance at home (page 32) and traveling across North Carolina on U.S Highway 64 (page 34).

Explore our calendar section, which starts on page 37, for information about fun events and new exhibits on display in Triangle museums.

And finally, for the first time, we’ve published our annual Readers’ Favorites Awards in our August issue. See if your picks made our list of favorite places to visit, dine, shop and explore on page 16. Thanks to everyone who took the time to vote!

Beth

Beth Shugg, Editor

Sean W. Byrne · seanwbyrne.com

DIGITAL CONTENT DIRECTOR Andy Smith · andy.smith@morris.com

DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA SPECIALIST Lauren Isaacs · lisaacs@carolinaparent.com

INTERN

Billy Ryder · bryder@carolinaparent.com

MEDIA CONSULTANTS

Candi Griffin • cgriffin@carolinaparent.com Sue Chen • schen@carolinaparent.com

MORRIS VISITOR PUBLICATIONS PRESIDENT

DONNA KESSLER

DIRECTOR OF MANUFACTURING DONALD HORTON

DIRECTOR OF PUBLISHING SERVICES KAREN FRALICK

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR CHER WHEELER

CONTACT US

carolinaparent.com Phone: 919-956-2430 · Fax: 919-956-2427 5716 Fayetteville Rd., Suite 201, Durham, NC 27713 advertising@carolinaparent.com · editorial@carolinaparent.com Circulation 35,000. Distribution of this magazine does not constitute an endorsement of information, products or services.

Carolina Parent reserves the right to reject any advertisement or listing that is not in keeping with the publication’s standards.

Copyright 2019. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

A Publication of the Visitor Publications Division of Morris Communications Company, L.L.C. 725 Broad St., Augusta, GA 30901 Chairman William S. Morris III

President & CEO William S. Morris IV

READY. SET. GOddard!

We help children explore and discover their interests through play in a safe environment.

We provide ample opportunities for fun learning experiences, promoting a lifelong love of learning in literacy, science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

NOW ENROLLING! 12 LOCATIONS IN THE RALEIGH AREA GoddardSchool.com The Goddard Schools are operated by independent franchisees under a license agreement with Goddard Systems, Inc. Programs and ages may vary.

Goddard Systems, Inc. program is AdvancED accredited. Š Goddard Systems, Inc. 2018

carolinaparent.com | AUGUST 2019

9

FYI

BY JANICE LEWINE

Belarussian Children Celebrate Their Birthdays at Angus Barn The Chernobyl nuclear disaster 33 years ago not only had devastating effects on the environment, but also on the people of Russia. Each year, Raleigh-based nonprofit Overflowing Hands brings Belarussian children to the U.S. through its Belarussian Outreach Spectacular Summer program to get them away from lingering radiation and to help improve their health.

Because of their family’s economic hardship, many of these children have never had a birthday party. On June 25, the Angus Barn in Raleigh gave more than 40 visiting Belarussian children a birthday bash featuring games and face painting. They also enjoyed cake and Angus Barn’s renowned cuisine with their chaperones and U.S. host families. During their visit, the children received medical and dental care, and took part in service projects and recreational activities.

Based in Raleigh, Overflowing Hands serves children locally, across the U.S. and around the world. More than 320 Belarussian children have benefitted from its services since 2006. It is estimated that six weeks away from the irradiated environment can add two years to these children’s lives. Learn more at overflowinghands.org.

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Ronald McDonald House Charities of North Carolina awarded Kidzu Children’s Museum a $12,000 grant in June to support its “Learning Without Boundaries” program, which aims to provide free and discounted early learning programs to children from low-income families in Orange County.

“We’re so thankful to Ronald McDonald House Charities of North Carolina for giving us this opportunity,” says Lisa Van Deman, executive director of Kidzu Children’s Museum.

“We firmly believe that all children should have access to early childhood educational

opportunities, and we’re excited that Ronald McDonald House Charities of North Carolina believes in this mission as well.”

Ronald McDonald House Charities of North Carolina distributes grants every spring and fall, and has awarded more than $1 million in grants to more than 150 non-profit organizations. The funds help children in the areas of health care, education and social service. Learn more at rmhcofnc.org.

Photos courtesy of Book Harvest

Photos courtesy of Christina Bowman Photography

Kidzu Children’s Museum Wins Grant to Support Learning Programs

Photo courtesy of Kidzu Children’s Museum

COMMUNITY

Book Harvest Graduates 29 Book Babies On June 8, 29 young readers collected their diplomas at Durham’s W.G. Pearson Center in celebration of their five years of participation in Book Harvest’s Book Babies program, and also to mark their readiness for kindergarten.

As part of the Book Babies program, each of the graduates and their parents received home visits from a staff member several times a year since their birth, along with 10 brand-new books during each visit. The families also took part in parent advocacy and support training, storytimes, and reflection dinners with other members of the Book Babies community.

Keynote speaker Mercedes McCurley, parent liaison for Durham Public Schools, encouraged the graduates to proudly say their names in honor of their accomplishments. The children and their families also enjoyed lunch and a piñata.

“My son, Adan, who is 5 years old now, has been participating in Book Babies since he

was 2 weeks old,” says Abigail, a Book Babies mom and graduation ceremony speaker. “I still remember the first book they brought him It was black and white with mirrors without words. I remember when I was doing tummy time with Adan and I showed him the book. He was so interested in the book!”

Learn more about the program at bookharvestnc.org/programs/book-babies.

Literary Stats 1 in 4 53% $70+ million

Number of children who grow up illiterate Percentage of fourth-graders who say they read recreationally “almost every day” Amount low literacy costs the health care industry yearly

SOURCE: Pew Research Center

FYI

BY KAREN SHORE

EDUCATION

WCPSS to Receive $6.7 Million in Energy-Saving Upgrades Ameresco, a leading energy efficiency and renewable energy company, recently announced a partnership with Wake County Public School System for a Guaranteed Energy Savings Performance Contract. The $6.7 million project will include 10 individual energy conservation measures in 12 different school facilities.

Funded through energy and operational cost savings, the project is expected to save WCPSS more than $690,000 annually over the

15-year contract term and reduce WCPSS energy usage by 7,209,000 kilowatt hours annually.

Energy conservation measures include LED lighting system improvements, domestic water conversion, automation system upgrades, variable air volume air handling unit upgrades, boiler system replacement, pumping system upgrades, cooling tower variable frequency drives, demand control ventilation upgrades and air handling unit replacements.

New Van Delivers North Carolina Symphony Programs to More Students With the support of the member-funded State Employees’ Credit Union Foundation, North Carolina Symphony has debuted a new vehicle that will carry music education programming musicians and their instruments across North Carolina.

A $59,400 grant from the SECU Foundation has provided funding for the custom-designed van, equipped to transport the musicians, their instruments and staff members to locations hosting the symphony’s interactive programs.

These programs include Ensembles in the Schools, which brings the symphony’s string quartet and woodwind quintet into elementary school classrooms; Music Discovery, a music

and literacy program for preschoolers; and the Instrument Zoo, through which children try out orchestral instruments.

These programs travel to areas of the state that otherwise would have little to no access to music education. They engage 8,000 of the 70,000 individuals reached annually through the symphony’s education initiatives.

The new symphony-owned van will alleviate vehicle rental costs previously associated with statewide music education travel — providing the organization with the capacity to provide more program offerings. The van will also help the symphony engage an additional 1,000 students each year.

The North Carolina Symphony woodwind quintet joins representatives from SECU Foundation in front of the symphony’s new music education van. Photo courtesy of North Carolina Symphony

Needham B. Broughton High School is one of 12 WCPSS schools receiving energy conservation upgrades. Photo courtesy of WCPSS

Local Students Named Brooks Scholars Three Triangle students have been named recipients of Aubrey Lee Brooks Scholarships for the upcoming 2019-20 academic year from a total of 16 winners across North Carolina. Durham County winners are Pedro Morales Mendoza, a graduate of Josephine Dobbs Clement Early College High School; and Hannah Matthews, a graduate of the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. Mendoza will attend North Carolina State University and Matthews will attend UNC-Chapel Hill.

The third receipient comes from Orange County: Rosa Patricia Aguilar-Perez of Chapel Hill, a graduate of East Chapel Hill High School.

Aguilar-Perez will attend UNC-Chapel Hill.

Recipients were selected through a competitive application and interview process from among nearly 300 applicants. Each year, winners are chosen based on qualifications established by the scholarship’s founder. Those qualifications include “academic standing, character, leadership, financial need, and the will of the recipient to help himself or herself prepare for a career as a useful and informed citizen.”

The award provides up to $12,000 for each recipient’s 2019–20 academic year, and may be renewed for three additional years. Brooks scholars may receive additional funding to support research or travel abroad, summer internships, and a one-time computer stipend of $2,500. carolinaparent.com | AUGUST 2019

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FYI

A study at Emory University in Atlanta followed 13,000 people for more than six years. Almost 71% of the study participants were overweight or obese.

The study found that those who drank the most sugary drinks of any kind — including colas and fruit juices — had a 14% higher risk of premature death.

Each additional daily 12-ounce serving of cola or other sugar-sweetened drink was linked to an 11% increased risk; however, for fruit juice, the risk was as much as 24% higher.

Sugary beverages increase insulin resistance, raising the risk for cardiovascular disease, while fructose or fruit sugar consumption can stimulate weight gain around the waist, another risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Image courtesy of Monticello/Shutterstock.com

SOURCE: jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/ fullarticle/2733417

BY THE NUMBERS:

55.9%

The percentage of North Carolina third-graders scoring as proficient in reading during the 2017-18 school year, down slightly from 57.8% during the 2016-17 school year.

For more information about this and other statistics by county or state, go to ncchild.org/publication/2019-county-data-cards.

New Guidelines for Sports Physicals The nation’s leading medical experts have updated guidance for the Preparticipation Physical Evaluation, also known as the sports physical. The exam determines the medical eligibility of students to participate in an organized team sport or individual sport, or to attend sports camps from middle school through the college years. The exam typically takes place every one to three years, depending on state and local requirements.

The updated publication, “Preparticipation Physical Evaluation 5th Edition,” provides new guidance for the PPE that includes evaluating students’ mental health, as well as additional information on female and transgender athletes.

The experts recommend incorporating the sports physical into each student’s routine health screening visit for reasons related to privacy, access to comprehensive family medical records, time for anticipatory guidance and updating immunizations.

The updated guidance also acknowledges that, increasingly, teens and young adults struggle with mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. During a sports physical, a physician can also cover topics such as bullying, drug and alcohol use, and birth control within a safe, confidential space. The evaluation now asks for sexual identity at birth and

Image courtesy of Visual Generation/Shutterstock.com

Study Links Sugary Drinks With Risk of Premature Death

BY KATHERINE KOPP

identifying gender. For the transgender athlete, resources are provided within a new chapter in the publication.

The organizations that created the exam requirements include the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Sports Medicine, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine and the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine. The PPE is also endorsed by the National Federation of State High School Associations and National Athletic Trainers’ Association.

SOURCE: Preparticipation Evaluation 5th Edition. Learn more at aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/ pages/ppe.aspx.

NC Pedestrian Deaths Reach 28-Year High A recent report from the Governors Highway Safety Association reveals that pedestrian deaths rose 4% to 6,227 in 2018. This is a particular concern as school begins, since some children walk all or part of the way to their schools.

The number of deaths involving SUVs increased by 50% between 2013 and 2017, and the number of deaths caused by passenger cars increased by 30%.

Since hitting a low of 4,109 deaths in 2009, pedestrian deaths are up 51.5% since that time.

They now make up 16% of all road deaths, up from 12% in 2009.

The states that are expected have more than 100 pedestrian deaths in 2019 include, in rank order, California, Florida, Texas, Georgia, Arizona, New York and North Carolina.

SOURCE: Governors Highway Safety Association

Katherine Kopp is a freelance writer in Chapel Hill.

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Image courtesy of M-SUR/Shutterstock.com

HEALTH

The perfect balance of learning and play

®

• • • •

Safe, nurturing environment Enthusiastic and caring teachers Links to Learning curriculum Ongoing parent communication

OPEN HOUSE

Saturday, August 10 | 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

Locations in: Charlotte • Denver • Huntersville Mooresville • Weddington Offering after school care at select locations.

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877-959-4181 6/24/19 12:42 PM

carolinaparent.com | AUGUST 2019

13

FYI STYLE

BY HELEN BANZET WALLACE

STYLE-A-STACK Any true lover of fashion knows style extends beyond a closetful of dresses, boots, scarves and jewels. I know I’m not alone when I say I enjoy surrounding myself with meaningful treasures in my home, and this includes a large collection of books.

D

COMING IN OUR SEPTEMBER ISSUE: Business casual styles for working moms.

Helen Banzet Wallace is a freelance writer, fashion blogger and mom. Her work has appeared in local and regional publications.

All photos courtesy of Helen Banzet Wallace

ress up a bedside table, customize your bookshelf, or style a stack for daydreaming and bucket lists. Yes, I’m talking about books.

A recent move for my family was to unearth a treasure trove of books that have been in hiding for the last decade or more, reminding me of my love of a great stack of books. I rediscovered classics by John Steinbeck, books on architecture and design, recipe collections for the kitchen, beautiful coffee-table books and more.

READ ALL ABOUT IT The essence of fashion is infused in everything we love — art, music, culture, food and travel.

These worlds collide perfectly in an explosion for the senses. Authors who have become fashion icons captivate readers, not only with their words and stories, but with their individual sense of style.

I hope you will be inspired to go buy a new book and style a stack — new or old — in your home. I encourage you to support local bookstores, like Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, The Regulator Bookshop in Durham and McIntyre’s Books in Pittsboro’s Fearrington Village. Reader’s Corner in Raleigh is a great shop to check out if you want to hunt for used treasures in print.

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AUGUST

At The Raleigh School children are encouraged to explore and think creatively.

We cherish childhood and value kindness.

Children grow into confident, caring human beings ready to make an impact.

Enter to Win School Supplies and Books From back-to-school supplies like Post-it products and a set

1141 Raleigh School Drive | Raleigh, NC 27607 www.raleighschool.org 919-546-0788

COMMUNITY. CHALLENGE. INQUIRY. RESPECT.

Back to School graphic courtesy of CattleyaArt/Shutterstock.com

of Live Truly Wire-Free Earbuds, to books and ECOlunchbox containers, your student will be ready for the first day of school if you win this prize package, valued at $200.

Enter to win by going to carolinaparent.com⁄cp⁄contests and clicking on the “School Supply” post. Type this code in the online form you’ll be required to fill out: CPB2S2019.

We’ll announce a winner August 23, 2019. Good luck!

LEARN ACTIVELY ACT COMPASSIONATELY carolinaparent.com | AUGUST 2019

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W I N N E R S GOING PLACES

We asked you, our readers, to select your

ANNUAL FESTIVAL Got to Be NC Festival Honorable Mention Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival

PLACE TO TAKE VISITORS Sarah P. Duke Gardens Honorable Mention Pullen Park

MUSEUM Museum of Life and Science Honorable Mention North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

FREE ACTIVITY OR PLACE North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Honorable Mention Sarah P. Duke Gardens

RAINY DAY OUTING Marbles Kids Museum Honorable Mention North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

DAY TRIP North Carolina Zoo Honorable Mention Wilmington, North Carolina

the Triangle, and you answered! Here are our

FAMILY SPORTS EVENT Durham Bulls game Honorable Mention Carolina Hurricanes game

2019 READERS’ FAVORITES. These awards

DINING

favorite destinations and businesses throughout

recognize Triangle families’ favorite places to visit, dine, shop and explore.

FAMILY RESTAURANT Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews and Carolina Ale House (tie) Honorable Mention Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar NONCHAIN FAMILY RESTAURANT The Pit Authentic Barbecue Honorable Mention Elmo’s Diner NATIONAL CHAIN FAMILY RESTAURANT Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brew Honorable Mention Chick-fil-A

Triangle Rock Club

ETHNIC EATERY Sassool Honorable Mention Neomonde PIZZA PLACE Mellow Mushroom Honorable Mention Blaze Pizza and Lilly’s Pizza (tie)

PERFORMING ARTS Durham Performing Arts Center Honorable Mention Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts

SWEET OR FROZEN TREATS Goodberry’s Frozen Custard Honorable Mention Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt KIDS-EAT-FREE DEAL Moe’s Southwest Grill Honorable Mention Neomonde PLACE FOR A PICNIC Pullen Park Honorable Mention Sarah P. Duke Gardens FARMERS MARKET State Farmers Market (in Raleigh) Honorable Mention Durham Farmers’ Market BREWERY Fortnight Brewing Honorable Mention Fullsteam Brewery WINERY Chatham Hill Winery Honorable Mention Duplin Winery

Museum of Life and Science

Durham Bulls

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AUGUST 2019 | carolinaparent.com

Neomonde

Sarah P. Duke Gardens

Goodberry's Frozen Custard

SHOPPING AND SERVICES

GET MOVING PLACE TO RIDE BIKES American Tobacco Trail Honorable Mention Town of Cary Greenways

PARK OR PLAYGROUND Pullen Park Honorable Mention Duke Park and Harold D. Ritter Park (tie)

DAY CARE FACILITY Primrose Schools Honorable Mention Bright Horizons

VETERINARY SERVICES Quail Corners Animal Hospital Honorable Mention Banfield Pet Hospital

PLACE TO WALK OR HIKE William B. Umstead State Park Honorable Mention Fred G. Bond Metro Park

FAMILY FITNESS FACILITY Life Time Honorable Mention Triangle Rock Club

OB-GYN OR MIDWIFERY Kamm McKenzie OB/GYN Honorable Mention Cary OB/GYN

KIDS HAIRCUT Great Clips and Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids (tie) Honorable Mention JJ’s Kids Cuts

PEDIATRICIAN Jeffers, Mann & Artman Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, P.A. Honorable Mention Durham Pediatrics

PLACE TO ENJOY WATER ACTIVITIES Jordan Lake State Recreation Area Honorable Mention Buffaloe Road Aquatic Center CAMPS SPORTS LEAGUES OR CLUBS Durham Bulls and i9 Sports (tie) Honorable Mention YMCAs of the Triangle SUMMER DAY CAMP Chestnut Ridge Camp and Retreat Center and Triangle Rock Club (tie) Honorable Mention YMCAs of the Triangle

TRACK-OUT CAMP Triangle Rock Club Honorable Mention YMCAs of the Triangle and Chestnut Ridge Camp and Retreat Center (tie) RESIDENTIAL CAMP Chestnut Ridge Camp and Retreat Center Honorable Mention Camp Kanata

PARTIES PARTY ENTERTAINER Cotton the Clown Honorable Mention Dan the Animal Man PARTY FACILITY Triangle Rock Club Honorable Mention BounceU of Apex

BIRTHDAY CAKE OR TREAT Nothing Bundt Cakes and Once in a Blue Moon Bakery & Cafe (tie) Honorable Mention Publix

LOCAL TOY STORE Learning Express Toys Honorable Mention Science Safari

FAMILY DENTIST Riccobene Associates Family Dentistry Honorable Mention Triangle Family Dentistry

CONSIGNMENT STORE Once Upon A Child Honorable Mention Dorcas Ministries

ORTHODONTIST Ritter & Brogden Orthodontics Honorable Mention Brier Creek Orthodontics

MALL The Streets at Southpoint Honorable Mention Crabtree Valley Mall

PHOTO CREDITS Opposite page: Triangle Rock Club photo courtesy of Beth Shugg; Durham Bulls photo courtesy of Andrea Catenaro/Shutterstock.com; Museum of Life and Science photo courtesy of Joshua Steadman/Steady Film

This page: Neomonde photo courtesy of Elliot Acosta/eatraleighblog.com; Sarah P. Duke Gardens photo courtesy of Ying/Shutterstock.com; Goodberry's Frozen Custard photo courtesy of Goodberry's Frozen Custard; Pullen Park photo courtesy of Morton Photography; DPAC photo courtesy of Huth Photo

Durham Performing Arts Center

Pullen Park

W I N N E R S carolinaparent.com | AUGUST 2019

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Letting Your Child Fail Find out how making mistakes builds self-confidence and resilience

BY CAITLIN WHEELER

Photo courtesy of Fizkes/Shutterstock.com

F

rom President Theodore Roosevelt to technology entrepreneur Elon Musk, successful role models have been telling us for over a century that we can learn from our mistakes. But modern society’s obsession with perfection is stifling this longheld wisdom. Today’s youth often compare themselves to the lives and images they see on their digital screens, which can increase their anxiety and self-doubt.

Fortunately, parents can take an active role in normalizing mistakes, and transform failures into strengths.

PERFECTIONISM VS. RESILIENCE Perfectionism is the opposite of resilience, says Andrew Hill, a professor of sociology at York Saint John University in the U.K., adding that it’s captured in “how

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AUGUST 2019 | carolinaparent.com

unrealistic your standards are and how harshly you evaluate yourself.”

Hill has done extensive work chronicling the rise of perfectionism, and notes that perfectionists are highly sensitive to mistakes. They “will often avoid scenarios that are challenging due to a fear of failure,” he says.

Striving for perfectionism can be especially damaging to teens. “Having unrealistic standards and being extremely self-critical is going to make life tough for teenagers,” he says. “It is an important time for social and self-development.

Perfectionism will make this time more difficult and stressful.”

Tara Egan, a psychologist, author and founder of Charlotte Parent Coaching, says perfectionism and resilience can be genetically determined. “You can see it as

young as infancy,” she says. “Some babies are more fretful and rarely smile, and are more likely to grow into worriers, while others are more easygoing.”

At the same time, a child’s experiences also influence her traits as she develops.

Stressors that sap resilience can include parent divorce, abuse, neglect and witnessing violence — any of which would have an even worse effect on a biologically sensitive child.

Nonetheless, Egan adds, kids with a high natural tendency toward perfectionism or worry can learn to be resilient — even those who are exposed to numerous stressors. Normalizing mistakes can go a long way toward helping children develop into confident and independent adults.

Here are some tips for how to harness the benefits of making mistakes.

1. PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIDS TO FAIL “Kids learn best through experience,” says Rebekah Talley, a child therapist and owner of Zola Counseling in Charlotte. Allowing your child to take age-appropriate risks is the first step in strengthening his self-confidence.

So, is it safe to let your baby fall while he’s learning to walk, to allow your middle-grader to flunk a math assignment or to give your teenager permission go to a party hosted by someone you don’t know? The key is to differentiate between a situation in which your child is physically or emotionally uncomfortable, from one in which he is actually suffering.

Trust your instincts, Egan says. “Parents are naturally aware of that difference.

Practice ‘uncomfortable.’ It’s fine to give reassurance and to coach them through a stressful moment,” she says. As long as the experience is age-appropriate and the child isn’t suffering or in physical danger, don’t take the stressor away completely.

2. PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIDS TO REFLECT The School of Education at UNC-Chapel Hill incorporates experiential learning into its master’s degree teacher preparation program via a weeklong Outward Bound wilderness trek, or a week of hard work and projects on the Hub Farm in Durham. Teachers in training are confronted with physical challenges, unfamiliar tasks, projects that require learning new skills, teamwork and innovation — along with plenty of frustration, uncertainty and failure.

“We want them to be uncomfortable, to take risks and make mistakes and learn,” says Suzanne Gulledge, a professor and program coordinator at the school. She says the experiences aim to make teachers empathetic to students who struggle with new concepts and skill development.

Teachers learn ways to support students through struggles — not to remove those struggles. They are reminded of the kinds of anxieties that accompany learning new

things and experiencing setbacks — and how good it feels to overcome a challenge.

Help your child reflect on her mistakes in this way so she can use those experiences as a point of reference. Ask her how she worked through the situation and what would help make it better next time.

With your toddler, this means allowing a mistake, then addressing her frustrations.

“It’s a great opportunity to expand their emotional vocabulary,” Talley says. “By integrating discussion into their play, and by allowing them to grow and make mistakes and be supported and be encouraged, that helps them learn to regulate those emotions.”

With a slightly older child, focus on coping with loss and disappointment. If your child gets upset after losing a game, take the opportunity to help him learn that while disappointment is natural, he needs to find a way to calm himself and try again.

This is trickier with teens, since many of them are caught up in social and extracurricular lives outside of the house.

Also, teens can feel self-protective of their shortcomings. Make sure your teen knows you are always available — either to talk, or to ask for a safe ride home if she needs one late at night.

3. KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HELPING VS. ENCOURAGING Jennifer Lansford, Ph.D., a research professor at the Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy, advises that a parent’s goal should be to provide tools so his or her child is eventually self-sustaining.

“Keep external factors in place until a child has enough resources to keep going on their own,” she suggests. In what she calls our “current hyperparenting climate,” the tendency for parents to provide constant care to older children has increased.

“Parents are spending more time than in the past in very direct teaching,” she says. “Kids are booked solid with extracurricular activities — from preschool to high school — and cellphones have made it possible for

parents to be constantly checking in, even when a child has moved away to college.”

While this connectedness has positive aspects, Lansford worries that it isn’t conducive to a child’s healthy emotional development. Stepping in to make sure your child is always happy, or to ease your child’s path toward success, can have negative effects.

The worst case is when a child develops a sense of “learned helplessness,” says Kate Paquin, owner of A Family Coach in Apex. If a parent is always taking over in difficult times, then a child never gets the opportunity to try to solve problems on her own, which can decrease her confidence and put her at a disadvantage when she leaves home and needs to take care of herself.

Talley advises parents to self-reflect before solving a child’s problem, whether it’s fixing grammatical mistakes on an essay, or navigating a social challenge.

“Really explore the intent behind your action,” she says. “Ask yourself, am I doing this to make the day easier, is it for me?

Do I have fears about letting my child struggle? Am I worried about the external appearance of my child’s failure and how that might reflect on me?”

If you’re helping your child to satisfy your own needs, take a step back and encourage, instead of help. First, let your child try her best. If she makes a mistake or isn’t successful, praise her effort and point out the connection between hard work and success.

Egan suggests that after validating your child’s emotions, you can either offer coping strategies, such as a hug and words of support, or problem-solving tactics, such as coming up with a plan for how to approach the issue differently next time.

For older children and teens, work on moving them from a fixed mindset (believing they are born with certain talents) to a growth mindset (believing they can improve with hard work) by praising effort rather than ability. (Learn more about this in our Growing Up column.) carolinaparent.com | AUGUST 2019

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4. EVALUATE YOUR REACTION Often, a child’s attitude toward a mistake depends on how a parent responds to it.

“If you remain calm and regulated, your child can usually get backup and solve the problem,” Talley says. On the other hand, if you are overly critical, your child will associate your judgment with her mistake.

Paquin offers an example: “If a child is rushing to eat their dinner and they choke and get scared, there will be some parents who will say, ‘See! That’s what happens when you rush!’” Paquin insists that you “cannot shame and expect acknowledgement and growth.”

Instead, respond with patience and empathy. Say, for example, “‘Oh no, I’m sorry you were choking. Is there a way we can prevent that from happening again?’”

Asking your child for the solution teaches and empowers him or her at the same time.

5. AVOID PROMOTING PERFECTIONISM While it can be helpful to set high standards for your child, Hill warns

that “perfectionism can be modeled and learned from parents, and it can also develop in response to parental expectations.”

The solution? “More positive relationships with parents based on unconditional acceptance will reduce its development and likely help reduce its negative effects,” Hill says.

6. KNOW YOUR CHILD Since some children might be biologically inclined to perfectionism and anxiety, different children need different levels of encouragement and guidance as they learn to deal with mistakes.

Egan advises striving to understand your child, as well as differences among your children, if you have more than one. “You do not have to parent your kids the same,” she says. “Eliminate the word ‘fair’ from your household.”

7. MODEL MISTAKES Kids learn not only by doing, but also by watching. If you’re too embarrassed

to admit a mistake, or you respond with anger or frustration, your child may absorb this and think mistakes are frightening, shameful acts to be denied or hidden.

Instead, own your mistakes and work through them out loud.

“As soon as you’ve calmed down, you should talk about it,” Talley says. “Show that you’re working on it, and that you’re just as committed to stopping. Apologize and take responsibility.”

8. DON’T IGNORE THE POSITIVES Celebrate the pleasure your child experiences by learning from mistakes.

Gulledge emphasizes that letting children work through their mistakes boosts selfsatisfaction and confidence. “Having a failure or a frustration and then working through the problem and finding a solution — that just feels good.”

Caitlin Wheeler is a Parenting Media Association award-winning freelance writer who lives in Durham.

MANAGING MISTAKES TIED TO RISKY BEHAVIOR

Even as your teen heads further and further into her social world, you can control certain aspects of any situation. First, talk about risky behavior before it starts, and make sure your child has a plan. Second, make sure your child knows how to access a trusted adult. This could be you, another parent, a teacher, or even a police officer if your child is in a public place, like a mall or movie theater.

“Feeling connected with an adult is key,” Egan says. “If a child feels no connection, then every mistake gets harder. They feel totally isolated and as if they are the only one who has messed up.”

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Photo courtesy of Aleksandr Yu/Shutterstock.com

As early as middle school, your child will be exposed to risks beyond a parent’s control. “Sexting, vaping, relational aggression from peers — these things will happen,” says Tara Egan, a psychologist, author and founder of Charlotte Parent Coaching. “It’s impossible to protect them from everything.”

IN EVERY CHILD, THERE IS POTENTIAL WAITING TO TAKE OFF. But it doesn’t just happen. Who will ignite a passion for learning in your child? And who will help your child turn passion into life-changing talents? The answer is IMACS and we’ll prove it to you before you even begin.

Visit imacs.org/nc-potential to reserve a space in a FREE class and discover what your child can achieve!

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Family Fun 4 Everyone SAT, SEP 14, 2019 | 1PM MEYMANDI CONCERT HALL, RALEIGH Grant Llewellyn, conductor

Andy Pidcock, co-host

This concert experience is designed to be welcoming to all families— including children and adults with autism or other sensory sensitivities.

At this one-hour, fun-filled performance, enjoy classical family favorites with your North Carolina Symphony.

WHEN YOU WANT TO BE JUST LIKE YOUR BIG SISTER, BUT YOUR TEETH ARE HOLDING YOU BACK. Braces for your kids, when they actually need them. We are conservative with our start times. Honest and upfront. Free consultation checks in our Kid’s Club program until your child is ready.

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Come early to try out instruments at our Instrument Zoo and meet new friends!

We want you to be comfortable: Dance, sing, talk, and enjoy the concert Bring your favorite noise-canceling headphones or other assistive devices Sit where you want—general admission seating Learn what to expect in advance— social story available

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Low-level lighting during the concert Wheelchair seating, ASL interpretation, Braille and large-print programs Designated quiet space available Flexible refund policy

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This concert is made possible by a grant from The William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust.

carolinaparent.com | AUGUST 2019

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Every Tray Counts Program Reduces School Lunch Wastes Compostable trays replace polystyrene in many school districts

BY MICK SCHULTE

A

fter lunch at Millbrook Environmental Connections Magnet Elementary School in Raleigh, 8-year-old Cameron Crooms walks his tray to the disposal area and deposits his leftover food and paper wastes, liquids and plastics into separate bins. He adds his compostable tray to the tall stack that is already there, then joins other students who are searching for pieces of plastic that could contaminate the compost bin.

“I want to help the environment every chance I get because I want to make the world better for our future,” Crooms says.

Millbrook Environmental Connections Magnet Elementary School adopted a composting program with the help of Every Tray Counts (everytraycounts.org), a local nonprofit with a mission to divert compostable waste from landfills.

“Some schools think it will be too complicated for the kids,” says Sue Scope, co-founder of Every Tray Counts. “They would say to me, ‘Don’t talk about compostables, it’s too confusing — just say throw away the food.’ But then another teacher pointed out that we’re teaching these children how to read and write. That’s hard. Separating items to throw away is not hard. It just takes some adjusting.”

Scope and her co-founder, Bingham Roenigk, started by campaigning for North Carolina public schools to change from polystyrene (or Styrofoam) trays to compostable ones in 2013.

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AUGUST 2019 | carolinaparent.com

Since then, the organization has helped the Chapel Hill/Carrboro, Durham, Wake and, soon, Winston-Salem school districts approve a compostable tray for all elementary school lunches being served.

Polystyrene never biodegrades. It does go through a photodegrading process, in which it gets smaller, but it never fully disappears, Scope says. “It also melts when you put heat on it, like [the heat from] hot mac and cheese, so part of the material goes into the food that our children eat,” she adds. “I’m not trying to be an alarmist because we don’t know the effects of these trace amounts, but it’s still an experiment that we’re subjecting our children to.”

Every Tray Counts deliberately targets students at the elementary level, hoping younger children will be advocates for sustainability as they grow older.

“If we teach them now, they will learn to live that way and show others,” Scope says. “Their future is what we are ruining with all this waste. They need to be shown a different way of living than what we’re used to in the U.S.” Millbrook Environmental Connections Magnet Elementary School was one of the 187 schools Wake County Public School System to embrace the tray change. Its school officials were already working with Every Tray Counts to get assistance for buying the

more expensive compostable trays when WCPSS Child Nutrition Services announced plans in January 2019 to replace polystyrene trays in all Wake County public schools.

“To me, it was really monumental when Wake County made the move to compostable trays, because they don’t make changes often,” says Sean Russell, the environmental connections integration specialist at the school. “But they opted to go with it over winter break and it worked great with our plans.”

GETTING STARTED Millbrook Environmental Connections Magnet Elementary School was one of four Wake County public schools to take on Every Tray Count’s full pilot program, in which students learn to compost waste.

“Fortunately, our principal looked at all the options and said, ‘Let’s just go for it.’ So we jumped in — and it was a bit messy at first, but Every Tray Counts is very invested in making it a positive experience for the school, and they’ve helped out a lot,” Russell says.

Before beginning the composting program, the full pilot program includes an initial audit during which Every Tray Counts collects all the waste produced in the lunchroom. The organization does another audit a month after starting.

“We were throwing out 15-24 big bags of trash every day — essentially a dumpster-and-a-half worth of trash per day. So now we just produce half a dumpster worth — about eight bags of trash,” Russell says.

CompostNow (compostnow.org) collects the school’s composted waste and uses it to create nutrient-rich soil additives for local use.

Kat Nigro, head of marketing and engagement at CompostNow, sees firsthand how the schools that participate in Every Tray Count’s program make a difference.

“The schools’ simple decision to put their organic materials into a compost bin instead of a trash can is incredibly powerful and has a measurable impact on our environment,” Nigro says. “It also teaches children about the importance of sustainability.”

According to CompostNow’s metrics, the four schools it works with in North Carolina have diverted more than 32,900 pounds of food and paper waste from landfills, and have created more than 8,250 pounds of nutrient-rich compost for local use. In all, the four schools have helped to avoid 4,290 pounds of methane emissions, which contribute to climate change.

Every Tray Counts also offers three other levels of involvement that do not involve composting. Schools interested in any of these programs can go to everytraycounts.org for tools and information, including lesson plans for teachers that focus on environmental issues.

it matters to me that my kids are learning about these sustainability issues and seeing them practiced in the schools.”

Scope hopes that one day all North Carolina schools will change to compostable trays and eventually move toward Every Tray Counts’ full program. “Once I show them that it’s actually costbeneficial to use our system, schools are usually sold,” Scope says.

The organization’s research shows that by shifting the costs from dumpsters and tips (how often the dumpster is emptied) to composting initiatives, schools save money.

Fifth-grader Vivian Lewechi appreciates her school’s composting system because of the impact she can make through her efforts. “It starts hard but then you get used to looking at what’s on your plate and separating it,” she says. “Our school is doing something that protects the world — and our future.”

Mick Schulte is a photographer and Parenting Media Association award-winning writer in Durham, where she lives with her family of six and loves finding ways to make motherhood even more challenging than it already is.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE As a parent and board member for Every Tray Counts, Leigh Williams believes the nonprofit offers overburdened school systems an outside resource for pursuing more environmentally friendly practices. “It’s a relief having Every Tray Counts do this work because parents can’t do it alone,” she says. “PTAs are swamped and the schools are so busy with so many other important issues. And

OPPOSITE PAGE: Students at Millbrook Environmental Connections Magnet Elementary School sort wastes into the appropriate bins.

ABOVE TOP: The Every Tray Counts program promotes the use of compostable lunch trays.

ABOVE BOTTOM: Every Tray Counts focuses on students at the elementary level and encourages them to become advocates for sustainability as they grow older.

Photos courtesy of Every Tray Counts carolinaparent.com | AUGUST 2019

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Dorm Room Must-Haves Parents of current college students tell us what their kids couldn’t live without freshman year COMPILED BY BETH SHUGG

Y

our recent high school graduate has checked college orientation off her to-do list. Now comes the process of packing. Dorm room must-haves range for different students, but two adjectives come to mind as many families begin this daunting task: necessary and compact.

The average dorm room is about 130 square feet. Some are smaller, some are larger, but regardless, there isn’t a lot of extra space. Your student needs to pack efficiently.

We interviewed local and regional parents of current college students to find out what items their student had to have to make life a little more tolerable in 130 square feet. Here are 30 insightful answers.

1. Memory foam mattress topper (Tempur-Pedic is a popular choice)

2. “A window exhaust fan. A fan that hooks to the bed rail. A turbo oscillating desktop

small; this makes it easier for water to

fan. Those rooms are hot! Oh, and a

extend over the countertop)

cooling pillow!” — Angie Snyder of Vesuvius, Virginia

3. Shower shoes (Crocs are popular) 4. Fleece blanket or throw 5. 10-foot mobile phone charging cable (particularly useful for lofted beds)

6.

7.

8.

9.

Power strips Husband or backrest pillow

15. “Bamboo shelf that screwed onto his

2

metal military-style bunk. It held his phone and water when in bed.” — Lynn Lacolla Barnsback of Fairfax, Virginia

16. Reusable water bottle 17. Sonic Boom alarm clock (for sound sleepers)

18. “A Mom-prepared medical box. When

13

Command hooks

they are sick they call home and I direct

“Noise-cancelling headphones [or ear

them to the right medication within

comes on Friday at midnight when

buds]. Even the best of roommates can

the box. I include cold remedies, allergy

nothing is open.)

get on each other’s nerves spending so

remedies, emergency supplies, large and

— Michele Moss (location not disclosed)

much time in such a small space. They

small bandages, wraps and Betadine

are essential for studying, and the other

for sports injuries, thermometer, eye

roommate doesn’t feel like they have to

wash, cortisone cream, Neosporin, pain

be absolutely quiet.” — Hugh Elwood

meds. I even include some tea bags,

of Glen Allen, Virginia

honey packets and cans of soup. Every

10. Portable battery charger 11. Portable, waterproof Bluetooth speaker for showers and outdoor use

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12. Plug-in air fresheners 13. Amazon Echo Dot or Google Home Mini 14. Faucet extender (dorm room sinks are

AUGUST 2019 | carolinaparent.com

one of my college kids appreciates the instant help and relief when it’s needed.

(I appreciate it because the call always

19. Pictures of pets 20. Sewing kit 21. Pocket organizer that attaches to the side of a lofted bed

22. Over-the-door shoe holder for snacks and extra storage

23. Printer 24. Planner (paper or digital)

25. “A small toolbox with the basic tools, Command Strips for the wall, duct tape, super glue, etc. I also packed her a tub of all different types of batteries. And definitely a few power cords.” — Cathie Rubley Hart (location not disclosed)

26. Desk hutch for storage, to keep the desk surface free for laptops, etc.

27. Keurig Single Serve Coffee Maker 28. “A [music] keyboard! Great stress reliever

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and was a great way to meet other kids who like to jam.” — Stephanie Schaeffer

PHOTO CREDITS Box fan photo courtesy of Focal Point/Shutterstock.com Pillow photo courtesy of Tempur-Pedic Amazon Echo photo courtesy of Amazon Echo Sonic Boom alarm clock photo courtesy of Sonic Boom Wireless earbuds photo courtesy of iLive First aid kit photo courtesy of NewAfrica/Shutterstock.com

Silverman of Shaker Heights, Ohio

29. Air purifier 30. “I cannot stress enough the importance of surrounding a freshman with the things from home that mean the most to them and help them cope with their

BELOW: Duck boots photo courtesy of EJJohnson Photography/ Shutterstock.com Waterproof backpack photos courtesy of The North Face Hooded rain jacket courtesy of Mikhail Turov/Shutterstock.com

new life — even when those things aren’t exactly convenient.” — Tammie Orefice (location not disclosed)

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5 MUST-HAVES FOR GETTING AROUND CAMPUS 1. Duck boots for rainy days 2. Waterproof backpack 3. Hooded and lined windbreaker 4. Down coat for winter days 5. Swimsuit for swimming in the school’s recreational pool or nearby bodies of water

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1

3

carolinaparent.com | AUGUST 2019

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GROWING UP

Ready, Set, Grow A growth mindset encourages resilience, happiness and success

BY MALIA JACOBSON

ELEMENTARY YEARS Breaking Free Some children seem to easily slip into a growth mindset, while others seem set in the fixed mindset camp — or may fall somewhere in between.

“Signs that a child is using a fixed mindset include only doing things that they’re good at, using the same tools and relying on skills that they know well. A child with a fixed-mindset may be unwilling to

EARLY YEARS Shift the Focus The term “growth mindset” was coined by Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck and refers to the understanding that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort. Building a growth mindset — as opposed to a fixed mindset, or the belief that ability is predetermined and can’t be changed through hard work — is linked to better grades, more resilience and higher levels of achievement.

Caregivers can begin encouraging a growth mindset in toddlerhood simply by ditching the “good job” habit. This type of reflexive, automatic parental praise seems harmless, but the unintended lesson for children is that a good outcome is the only acceptable one, and that their effort matters less than the results of those efforts. When children focus on outcomes instead of effort, they’ll be less likely to accept failure and less open to the idea that consistent effort creates success.

To shift your focus to a child’s effort, swap phrases that focus on outcomes like “good job” for ones that emphasize effort, like “You worked really hard on that!” and “I can tell you really focused — way to go!”

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AUGUST 2019 | carolinaparent.com

try new things or to explore other ways of thinking,” says Nedra Glover Tawwab, a licensed clinical social worker and owner of Kaleidoscope Counseling in Charlotte.

When a child seems stuck in a fixed mindset, it’s worthwhile to nudge him or her toward a more expansive, growthoriented perspective, because a fixed mindset can contribute to issues with self-esteem, anxiety and depression, Tawwab says. Encouraging creativity and self-expression, characteristics of a growth mindset, can help a child break out of the “fixed” zone.

“When a child struggles with a fixed mindset, caregivers can encourage them by celebrating moments where they try something new,” says Kamini Wood, a certified life and resilience coach for girls, teens and young women in Cary. “Reveal the growth to the child. Allow the child to embrace the moment where they tried something outside of the comfort zone.”

TEEN YEARS Fear Factor Even if kids reach high school with a fixed mindset, it’s not too late to work toward a more positive, flexible attitude.

Help teens learn to recognize and counteract ANTs (automatic negative thinking), Woods says.

“These types of thoughts occur routinely with a fixed mindset, because the general idea is that you’re either born able to do something, or not,” she says.

“So the idea of trying something new and challenging will trigger a ‘no.’”

Often, automatic “no” responses are rooted in a fear of failure, Wood says.

“To help uncover the underlying fear, caregivers can ask questions like, ‘Is it true that you could get better at this?’ or ‘Let’s assume that you are able to do this, how would that feel?’ The point is not to convince or force your teen into action, but to allow them to feel their fear while considering a new viewpoint.”

Guiding teens to look past their fear of failure to see the value in trying something challenging — even if they don’t succeed — helps to build resilience that leads to lifelong success. (Learn more about building resiliency in “Letting Your Child Fail” on page 18.)

Malia Jacobson is a nationally published health journalist and author of “Ready, Set, Sleep: 50 Ways to Help Your Child Sleep So You Can Sleep Too.”

Image courtesy of Lorelyn Medina/Shutterstock.com

L

et’s face it: Raising kids is hard work.

But what if there was a simple way to make parenting easier, your kids happier and your household more harmonious? Turns out, there is. When children develop traits like resilience and adaptability, they’re more peaceful, more open to new ideas and less likely to melt down when they don’t get their way, says Dr. Daniel J. Siegel, M.D., and Dr. Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D., authors of The New York Times bestseller “The Yes Brain: How to Cultivate Courage, Curiosity, and Resilience in Your Child” (2018). Here’s how to make it happen, age-by-age.

OH, BABY!

Motor Skills for School Readiness

BY REBECCA QUINONES AND RACHEL GANDY

D

id you know that as your child moves and plays in his first year of life, he is already working on getting ready for school? His movements help develop the gross and fine motor skills he needs to be ready for school.

Image courtesy of NotionPic/Shutterstock.com

WHAT ARE GROSS AND FINE MOTOR SKILLS? Gross motor skills are our body’s large movements — rolling, crawling, walking, jumping, running, reaching, hopping, skipping and dancing. They also include movements such as pulling, pushing, twisting, turning and swaying. They involve the ability to hold our body upright sitting at a desk or standing on uneven ground. They also help us coordinate more complicated movements related to playing a sport, such as throwing, catching, kicking, riding a bike and swimming.

Fine motor skills involve more intricate and precise movements, such as hand use, finger use, and controlled mouth and tongue movements for a specific task. Fine motor skills include the ability to hold a pen or pencil, draw shapes and letters, cut with scissors, tie shoes, zip up a jacket, button a shirt or turn the pages of a book.

WHY GROSS MOTOR SKILLS SET THE FOUNDATION FOR FINE MOTOR SKILLS The first year of life is filled with gross motor skill milestones, starting with an infant’s ability to move her arms and legs against gravity, and hold her head up on her own. Over the next few months, she learns to sit, crawl, move between positions and eventually take her first independent steps. All of these gross

motor activities develop the strength she needs in order to perform more intricate fine motor skills.

Activities such as tummy time, sitting propped on arms, crawling and climbing not only strengthen your baby’s shoulders, but also strengthen her arms, wrists, hands and fingers for fine motor skill development. Your baby is building strength in her postural muscles that allow her to hold herself upright while sitting to explore how toys work, which will help her later when she needs to sit still at a desk for a full school day. She is developing strength around her shoulders to provide stability for her arm, to allow the intricate movements of her hand and wrist to eventually be able to write.

Gross motor skills help her build the hand-eye coordination she needs for writing and other hand-and-finger tasks, and these movements help ready her body for paying attention. As she gains competence with these gross motor abilities, she builds confidence in her ability to move and control her body.

There are many research studies reporting the benefits of physical activity on learning and memory in children and adults.

Helping your child gain confidence in her movement abilities early in life can set the foundation for a physically active lifestyle, which benefits her body and mind.

WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP MY CHILD NOW? 1. Starting from birth, give your child the opportunity to move in an unrestrained way by giving him lots of floor time to develop his gross motor skills.

2. Help her enjoy different types of sensory input to her hands by letting her touch and explore various textures and foods (once she starts eating solids).

3. Take him outside to play. The sensory input of movement, texture, sights and sounds provides a rich environment for learning and exploration.

4. Avoid screen time in the first two years, when children are meant to be moving, playing and exploring to learn about their body and the world they live in, and limit it after that. Time spent watching screens may take away from opportunities to be learning by doing and interacting with others.

5. Don’t rush your young child to practice writing. She needs to use her hands in different ways before she’s ready to hold a pencil and write.

6. Help your child develop her fine motor skills through play and daily living activities, such as brushing her teeth, playing with play dough and other tasks that will prepare her for future writing success.

Rebecca Quinones and Rachel Gandy, both of whom have doctorates in physical therapy, are founders of Babies On The MOVE, a Cary-based organization committed to helping children excel in motor development with in-home pediatric physical therapy and community-based infant movement classes for all abilities.

Learn more about their services at babiesonthemoverdu.com.

carolinaparent.com | AUGUST 2019

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UNDERSTANDING KIDS

Thinking About After-School Activities

T

here are many enriching after-school activities available to children of all ages in our community. While these activities expose children to new experiences and support their social, emotional and cognitive development, it is equally important for parents to incorporate free time for play into their child’s daily routine.

Play, especially in the early years, is an important piece of development that is sometimes sacrificed to make room for more structured activities. Including opportunities for free play in your child’s daily routine will enrich his overall development and add to his growing abilities to tackle and solve problems, persist through challenging tasks, and negotiate and compromise — all of which are necessary components for social and academic progress in later years.

that will be helpful one day for independently reading, writing and persisting through challenging academic tasks. Children who become independent players and collaborative playmates often carry these skills over to their learning and school habits.

Free play with peers in open-ended ways provides children opportunities to develop skills needed for all types of relationships, from close friendships to working as a group or team in school or extracurricular activities. When playing successfully with peers, children have to share ideas and listen to the ideas of others, sometimes convincing playmates to follow their lead, while other times compromising and following another’s lead. Ideally, children should have regular opportunities for both independent and collaborative, open-ended play.

WHAT IS OPEN-ENDED FREE PLAY? True open-ended materials allow for countless possibilities to originate in your child’s mind. Unlike structured activities with set rules and expectations — such as board games, soccer practice or art classes — open-ended play requires that your child develop and carry out her own ideas. Open-ended play, while sometimes guided by adults, generally follows the leads and interests of the children involved. This type of play can occur independently, developing a child’s ability to invest in her own entertainment; as well as in small groups, developing the entire group’s abilities to share, take turns, negotiate and compromise on issues such as the direction of play themes, and creative use of materials.

WHAT ROLE SHOULD PARENTS PLAY? Of course, free play is not completely “free.” Parents play an important role in supervising and overseeing play, and helping children manage conflicts that become too big for them to manage independently.

When parents or adults step in to mediate conflicts, they have an important opportunity to model the respectful sharing of different perspectives and the art of settling on a compromise.

As you consider after-school activities for your child, keep in mind that open-ended play is an arena in which children develop and refine many of their strengths and interests. Taking time to notice developments in your child’s play could, in fact, provide clues about your child’s most genuine interests. Creating a balance between structured activities and free time will enrich your child’s ability to participate fully in both types of activity.

WHY IS PLAY IMPORTANT? Open-ended play provides children opportunities to imagine, create and use objects symbolically; as well as develop and refine their flexibility and skills in negotiating, compromising and sharing in relationships with others. Independent play helps children develop an internal dialogue and ability to focus — necessary components

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AUGUST 2019 | carolinaparent.com

The Lucy Daniels Center is a nonprofit agency in Cary that promotes the emotional health and well-being of children and families. Visit lucydanielscenter.org to learn more.

Image courtesy of Bsd/Shutterstock.com

BY LUCY DANIELS CENTER STAFF

RAISING READERS

Books for Back to School Helping our children get excited about heading back to school at the end of summer can be a challenge. After long days that have allowed for sleeping in, playing with friends, and frolicking in the surf and sand, it’s understandable that little ones need extra motivation to get back into the habit of waking up early and settling into a school-day routine. If you’re looking for ways to get your kids pumped to go back to school this season, consider rolling a few of these great reads into your end-of-summer repertoire. (Prices quoted refer to hardcovers, which range in price across different vendors.)

Book cover images courtesy of Respective publishers

BY ELIZABETH LINCICOME In “The Secret Life of Squirrels: Back to School” (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 32 pages, $17.99), author and photographer Nancy Rose explains that Mr. Peanuts and his teacher friend Rosie are busily prepping for the first day of school. They go shopping for school supplies; set up the library, music room and sports equipment; and decorate the classroom. Mr. Peanuts soon learns that it’s not easy being a teacher, and that getting ready for a class full of new faces is hard work. This book teaches kids to appreciate all the effort teachers put in to get ready for the first day of school. The author’s squirrel-themed children’s books have become popular because the illustrations are actually real-life photos of wild squirrels that live in her backyard. This story was written for ages 3-6.

In “Ready or Not, Woolbur Goes to School!” (HarperCollins Publishers, 32 pages, $17.99), author Lisa Helakoski and author-illustrator Lee Harper explore what happens when the free-spirited sheep we grew to love in the first “Woolbur” tale, attends his first day of school.

Woolbur is known for marching to the beat of his own drum, so unlike the rest of his classmates, he is not nervous, but rather excited. Woolbur’s enthusiasm rubs off on the other students, proving that even though he draws outside the lines at times, he is actually an excellent role model because he encourages others to enjoy being at school. This book teaches kids the value of self-confidence and positivity, and was written for ages 4-8.

In “Welcome to Kindergarten” (Bloomsbury USA Childrens, 32 pages, $16), author Anne Rockwell addresses those first-day-of-school jitters by taking us on a journey alongside little Tim as he visits his future kindergarten classroom and learns all about what he’ll be doing during his first year of school. At first, Tim is daunted by the big classroom and all the new experiences that lie ahead, but he soon starts to focus on the fun that lies in store for him as he explores the felt board weather center; cooking center; outdoor playground; and reading, math and art centers.

This story encourages and calms kids who feel nervous or anxious about starting school for the first time, and was written for ages 3-6.

For a slightly different perspective on first-day-of-school jitters, author Adam Rex presents a school’s point of view in “School’s First Day of School” (Roaring Brook Press, 32 pages, $17.99). The story is set at Frederick Douglass Elementary, “where everyone is just a little bit nervous, especially … the school.” While the school has a rough start with kids complaining to their parents about not wanting to be there, it soon discovers how rewarding it is to be the site of so much learning, and becomes proud of the important role it serves. This book was written for ages 4-8.

Elizabeth Lincicome is a mother, communications expert and freelance writer based in Raleigh.

carolinaparent.com | AUGUST 2019

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TECH TALK

Kahn Academy for All

BY BETH SHUGG

I

n 2004, Salman Kahn — the son of Indian immigrants and a graduate of MIT and Harvard University — began remotely tutoring his cousin, who was struggling in math. He used the technology he had at hand: a telephone and Yahoo Doodle.

Shortly after, Kahn’s brothers also wanted to take advantage of his tutoring services. And soon, other family members asked for help.

Scheduling these tutoring sessions after working all day started to become a problem, so Kahn decided to record videos of his lessons and post them on YouTube for all to see. That was the beginning of Kahn Academy, an online tutoring website Kahn officially founded in 2008 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Today, people of all ages turn to Kahn Academy for help with specific subjects, test prep and more. To use it, students must create a free account at kahnacademy.org, then they can access courses covering the following subjects: math by grade or subject; science and engineering; computing; arts and humanities; economics and finance; test prep and more. As your student begins a new school year, consider checking out these popular Kahn Academy offerings.

KHAN ACADEMY KIDS The Khan Academy Kids app, designed for ages 2-6, features thousands of games, books, songs and activities that help children build skills in reading, language, writing, math, social-emotional development, problem-solving skills and motor development.

Users have access to engaging content from Super Simple Songs, Bellweather Media and National Geographic Young Explorer Magazine. An adaptive learning path allows each child to progress at his or her own pace. Kids can read books on their own, or follow along with recorded audio narrations. Ratings include 5 stars for educational value and ease of play from Common Sense Media, as well as a gold award from the Parents’ Choice Foundation. The app is free and available for Apple and Android devices.

SAT TEST PREP Through an arrangement with the College Board, Kahn Academy users can link PSAT test results to their Kahn Academy account in order to receive personalized recommendations based on their performance. When setting up this customized program, users are asked to select their SAT test date, then Kahn Academy suggests a practice schedule based on the time left before the test date.

Once the SAT has been taken, those results are automatically linked to the student’s account for future test prep recommendations.

This schedule provides opportunities for users to answer practice

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questions that target where they need to improve most. It also incorporates full-length practice tests. A student who has a two-month lead time, for example, will be asked to schedule two or three practice question sessions per week, and at least one practice test per month.

If your student hasn’t taken the PSAT yet, he or she can take a diagnostic test that will serve the same purpose and create a customized SAT practice plan based on his or her results. According to Kahn Academy, 20 hours of test practice via this program is associated with an average 115-point score increase from the PSAT to the SAT — nearly double the average gain without using the program.

COMPUTER PROGRAMMING Forbes projects that computer science will be the No. 3 most valuable college major through 2020, and gave it a No. 4 ranking on its 2017 list of top degrees for getting hired. The 2018 LinkedIn Emerging Jobs Report lists software engineer as No. 1 in most significant hiring growth. Clearly, there is a strong need for computer programmers and engineers. Kahn Academy meets this demand by offering an impressive range of courses covering SQL, JavaScript and HTML/CSS, with introductory and advanced offerings. A “Meet the Professional” series of classes introduces users to programming experts — from game makers to Python tutors.

Other Kahn Academy courses focus on physics, chemistry, engineering, history, grammar, reading comprehension and economics. The site’s College Admissions section offers guidance on making high school count, getting involved in extracurricular and leadership activities, and writing admissions essays. Clearly, what started out as a math tutoring website has evolved into much more.

It’s worth a visit — and may save your student time and headaches later on in the classroom.

Beth Shugg is the editor of Carolina Parent and mom to three kids, one of whom is majoring in computer science at Virginia Tech and another who just graduated with a physics degree and started his first job as a data scientist.

COLLEGE TRANSITIONS

WILL THE ADVERSITY SCORE IMPACT A STUDENT’S SAT SCORE? No. Headline skimmers will jump to conclusions that one’s SAT score is going to be adjusted based on a student’s socio-economic background. We’re already hearing such rumors making the rounds in parent communities and high schools. Rest assured, the adversity score is a separate metric from a student’s actual performance on the exam.

How might it affect your student’s college application?

BY DAVE BERGMAN, ED.D.

T

he already Balkanized landscape of racial and socio-economic considerations in higher education admissions just received a new dousing of fuel, sure to stoke the flames of discord.

Last month, the College Board, which administers the SAT, announced that in addition to receiving the traditional 1,600-point SAT score, students will also now receive an “adversity score” of between 0 and 100. The average adversity score will be 50, with a higher number being indicative of greater adversity faced by the corresponding student. Here are answers to a few questions about this new score.

WHAT FACTORS DOES THE ADVERSITY SCORE INCLUDE? Notably absent from the 15 factors is a word that is sure to be at the center of controversy — race. The College Board has yet to release a comprehensive list of factors or how they are weighted within the algorithm. However, some of the factors that are known to be included in the formula are: • Median family income • Family stability • Neighborhood crime level • Average senior class size • School’s performance on AP tests • Poverty level of one’s neighborhood • Percentage of graduates at their high school who go on to college • Percentage of students at their high school who are eligible for free and reduced price lunches

CAN STUDENTS VIEW THEIR ADVERSITY SCORE? Right now, the answer is no. However, the College Board is reportedly considering making the scores viewable to test-takers. As of now, only the universities themselves can view a student’s adversity score.

HOW MANY COLLEGES WILL USE THE ADVERSITY SCORE? For the remainder of 2019, the College Board will roll out the adversity score to more than 150 colleges with an eye toward significant expansion during the 2020 calendar year.

HOW MIGHT COLLEGES USE THE SCORE WHEN MAKING ADMISSIONS DECISIONS? The adversity score program has already piloted at 50 colleges and universities in the U.S., allowing us to glean some early insights on this matter. Trinity College in Texas used the program to give their admissions officers additional “input” as they wade through record numbers of applications. The University of Washington reported finding that the score helped give a more complete view of what shaped a given applicant.

Duke University will use the dashboard in future admissions cycles, but made clear that factors such as GPA, rigor of coursework, standardized test scores, essays and extracurricular achievements will still rule the day. Many other top institutions will likely incorporate the adversity score in a similar manner — using it to offer additional context in an applicant’s profile, but not as a primary admissions factor.

While our team of counselors is always strongly in favor of increased equity and access in the admissions process, particularly for under-represented minority/low-income/first-generation students, we are skeptical about the potential effectiveness of the adversity score index. The system opens up a new “game” for strategic parents of means to successfully manipulate. However, we also recognize that with the ongoing political/legal battle to eliminate race from the college admissions process, some type of additional intervention is needed to ensure that students who are genuinely from disadvantaged backgrounds are afforded proper access to the nation’s top colleges and universities. Perhaps with some refinement — or even a full-blown reimagining — some quantitative measure of the challenges faced by high school students will emerge that can play a useful role in enhancing this extremely important and worthy mission.

Dave Bergman, Ed.D., is a co-founder of College Transitions, a team of college planning experts committed to guiding families through the college admissions process. He is also co-author of “The Enlightened College Applicant: A New Approach to the Search and Admissions Process.” Learn more at collegetransitions.com.

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Image courtesy of Jane Kelly/Shutterstock.com

The SAT Adversity Score

FATHER FIGURING

e c n a l a B t u o b It’s All A “

I

’      .”

My daughter, Jessie, has heard me say this often. We all face the daily challenge of finding that right balance between work and play — while incorporating a block of time for sleep.

Jessie has always excelled at getting the most out of her days.

She stopped taking naps after age 2. My wife, Mattie, and I now face a surprising challenge from Jessie’s zest to maximize her days — one so simple, I can’t believe I’m writing about it.

“Jessie, please replace the toilet tissue when the roll runs out.”

Jessie’s stated reason for her repeated failure to do this is, “It wastes time in my life that I’ll never get back.” She plops the new roll on top of the empty cardboard tube still on the holder, and lets Dad put the new roll on the spool. Apparently, time that Dad will never get back is more expendable.

Somehow, the girl who won’t take naps or replace the toilet tissue roll is about to enter seventh grade. I’m confident Jessie will have a great school year; however, her packed schedule concerns me. Will she have a proper balance in her life? I’ll let her fill you in on her upcoming plans.

Jessie, age 12: I am going to be juggling schoolwork, dance, clarinet, saxophone and family during the upcoming school year. I will have to learn how to save time where I can, while keeping up the grades, learning saxophone, keeping up with clarinet, spending time with family and dancing. I am excited that I can have opportunities to pursue many different outlets. I am very grateful that I get to skip a year of band and go into the highest band at my school. I’m also going to learn how to play the alto saxophone in the jazz band. Dance is also a big part of my life. I will dance 3 or 4 days a week after school.

Next, I have schoolwork, homework and studying. I will be in challenging classes at my school and need to make sure I keep up my grades. Finally, it is important to spend quality time with my family.

Now, back to Dad.

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Jessie will keep busy, indeed, and will need to wisely manage her time among her various activities. Jessie forgot to mention that in addition to learning a new instrument, the alto saxophone, she will be taking her first pointe class. She’ll not only be squeezing a load of classes and activities into her daily schedule, but also squishing her feet into the box of tight-fitting pointe shoes and twirling around on her toes. Talk about working hard at balance!

I’m glad Jessie recognizes that she’ll need “to learn how to save time.” May I suggest quicker showers as a good starting point?

Mattie and I know, too, that our soon-tobe-teenager will spend more time with friends during the years ahead. How much time will she have left for her parents after school, dance and music? Let’s hope Jessie remembers her last sentence: “It is important to spend quality time with my family.”

Like Jessie, Mattie and I need to focus on how we spend our time. Mattie keeps a hectic schedule with her work. I wear lots of hats, too, not only as a writer, but also as a stayat-home dad and husband. Finding that right balance is a daily challenge.

“Mattie, could I hire a personal assistant?”

But whether Jessie is spinning across the dance floor, playing one of her two instruments, or earning good grades, she’s on her own when it comes to replacing the empty toilet paper roll. I can’t waste any time in my life, either. Like she says, you can’t get it back.

Patrick Hempfing had a 20-year professional career in banking, accounting and auditing before he became a father at age 44.

He is now a full-time husband, stay-at-home dad and author of “MoMENts: A Dad Holds On,” available on Amazon. Learn more about him at patrickhempfing.com. J.L. Hempfing, now age 14, began writing with her dad in kindergarten. Her current hobbies include reading, writing, playing clarinet and alto saxophone, and dancing.

Image courtesy of Lorelyn Medina/Shutterstock.com

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33

EXCURSION

Down Highway

BY TOM POLAND

D

riving east on Highway 64 in North Carolina, I traveled the same route my parents took me years ago. We’d take off early on a Sunday and head north to the hills. Get back well after dark. All these year later, I followed them. Loaded down with

camera gear, water, coffee, luggage and an old-fashioned paper map, I struck out.

I ran into an agreeable string of towns: Highlands, Cashiers, Brevard, Hendersonville, Bat Cave, Chimney Rock and Lake Lure.

Mom always talked about Highlands and Cashiers, and she and Dad spent their honeymoon at Chimney Rock, a fact not lost on me when I checked into he Esmeralda Inn. “Esmeralda.” Is there a prettier word in the English language? (Frances Hodgson Burnett wrote the play “Esmerelda” (with an extra “e”) in 1881 while staying at an inn near Lake Lure.)

Emerald green hills and white cascades accompanied me on

to see Carl Sandburg’s writing studio, and I wanted to stay at The

Massive boulders and sheer rock faces glistened here and there

Esmeralda Inn.

thanks to seeps, rivulets and waterfalls. The mountains serve

Highway image courtesy of ReVelStockArt/Shutterstock.com

Two places, in particular, intrigued me on this journey. I wanted

this nostalgic, literary journey. And so did rocks. Lots of rocks.

Sandburg’s home, Connemara, makes for a good experience, but

up more surprises than the coast. It’s true. The green crumpled

development has squeezed in as close as it can. You drive through

hills confine your vision to what’s in front of the windshield.

an urban area to reach the parking lot. Wasn’t that way 16 years or so

Round a bend and the earth drops away thousands of feet. Round

ago, and it sure wasn’t like that when Sandburg’s wife tended her beloved

another curve and a waterfall thunders away. Climb a serpentine,

goats there. And what about that name, Connemara? That’s a mouthful,

switchback highway and you drift in and out of clouds. Stand on a

isn’t it? William Faulkner called his home Rowan Oak. Big shot writers

beach and you see, well, lots more beach and too many people.

name their homes. Well, I have a name for mine, too. I call it home.

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AUGUST 2019 | carolinaparent.com

I don’t know that Mom and Dad honeymooned at the old Esmeralda Inn, but I like to think that they did. In the early 1900s,

and dangerous face that looks down on the Broad River and nearby Lake Lure.

Hollywood fell in love with this region. The Esmeralda Inn served

Highway 64. For me it was a chance to make an excursion, a

as a setting for many silent films. Maybe that’s what attracted my

chance to relive old memories and a chance to see where a man

parents to this place. Mary Pickford, Gloria Swanson, Douglas

named Carl Sandburg wrote poetry, “Abraham Lincoln” and “The

Fairbanks and Clark Gable stayed at the old inn to escape the

Prairie Years.” Best of all, it gave me a chance to say that beautiful

crowds. Lew Wallace finished the script for “Ben Hur” in Room

word, “Esmeralda,” upon my return to the flatlands.

9 of the old inn. Many years later, Hollywood rediscovered the region filming “The Last of the Mohicans,” “Firestarter” and

Tom Poland writes about nature, the South, and its people,

“Dirty Dancing” here.

traditions and lifestyles. His work appears in books, magazines,

Do you ladies recall the scene where Patrick Swayze and

journals and newspapers throughout the South.

Jennifer Grey of “Dirty Dancing” danced? I’m sure you do. Well, you walk that very floor now when you check into The Esmeralda Inn. I found it to be a beautiful, luxurious and quiet escape from the harassment of daily life. I stared at that floor recalling Otis Redding’s voice, the “Mashed Potato” and other songs from “Dirty

OPPOSITE PAGE, LEFT TO RIGHT: The lobby of The Esmeralda Inn. Carl Sandburg’s writing studio.

Carl Sandburg’s home, Connemara.

Photos courtesy of Tom Poland

Dancing.” You can, too.

Across Highway 64, the Broad River purls, and beyond it a massive cliff skyrockets up, bringing to mind Yosemite National Park’s El Capitan. That’s a bit of an exaggeration but it’s a sheer

ABOVE: Nantahala National Forest Overlook off Highway 64 between Highlands and Cashiers, North Carolina.

Photo courtesy of Jill Lang/Shutterstock.com carolinaparent.com | AUGUST 2019

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CALENDAR

BY JANICE LEWINE

AUGUST 2019

OUR PICKS Moore Square Park Grand Opening Celebration | Aug. 3 Since 1792, Moore Square Park has been a vibrant cornerstone of downtown Raleigh. Celebrate its multi-million dollar renovation that includes a café, tree house play area, water play feature and public art installations at a grand opening Images courtesy of City of Raleigh

ceremony, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Local entertainers, an art market curated by Artsplosure and Kid Lab hands-on activity highlight the event. Admission is FREE. On Aug. 4, the park’s free outdoor movie series, “Moore Movies,” returns with familyfriendly flicks showing every Sunday at 7 p.m. through Aug. 25. Moore Square Park is located at 200 S. Blount St., Raleigh. raleighnc.gov.

Big Muddy Challenge | Aug. 31 Get fit in the filth of the Big Muddy Challenge at Hill Ridge Farms in Youngsville. Designed for ages 6 and older of all fitness levels, the 2.5-mile obstacle course takes four-member families through mud, water and dirt for a memorable race experience. Run the course once or multiple times, or cheer on competing groups as a spectator. Registration fees range $30-$55 at bigmuddychallenge.com. Parking is $5 per car.

Children’s Business Fairs | Aug. 3 and 17 Support aspiring entrepreneurs ages 6 and older as they promote their products and services for profit at two pop-up markets this month. Thirty whiz kids showcase their artwork, photography, food creations, unique services and more at the 2nd Annual Holly Springs Children’s Business Fair Aug. 3, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., at Holly Springs Towne Center, which is located

Photos courtesy of Big Muddy Challenge

Logos courtesy of Triangle Children’s Business Fair and Holly Springs Children’s Business Fair

Hill Ridge Farms is located at 703 Tarboro Rd., Youngsville.

at the intersection of N.C. 55 and New Hill Road in Holly Springs. Morrisville’s Park West Village Market hosts 75 future tycoons selling their distinctive merchandise and services during the Triangle Children’s Business Fair Aug. 17, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Park West Village Market is located at 3400 Village Market Place in Morrisville. Learn more about these children’s business fairs at childrensbusinessfair.org/hollysprings and trianglecbf.com. carolinaparent.com | AUGUST 2019

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CALENDAR AUGUST 2019

BY JANICE LEWINE

“Step Right Up” Through Aug. 31 – See “stickwork” by Chapel Hill-based artist Patrick Dougherty. The large-scale piece — comprised of five individual stickwork sculptures — was constructed entirely of tree saplings and is on view in front of the museum. FREE. Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia St., Chapel Hill. ackland.org.

“150 Faces of Durham” Through Sept. 3 – As part of the city’s sesquicentennial commemoration, this photography exhibit showcases 150 images of diverse groups of individuals who impacted the Durham community from 1869 to the present.

FREE. Durham Museum, 500 W. Main St., Durham. museumofdurhamhistory.org.

“The Audubon Experience” Through Sept. 15 – Become immersed in scenes from forests and jungles, mimicking what American ornithologist and painter John James Audubon would have experienced during his travels throughout the world. Learn about the naturalist’s life and artistic process in a video

“One Giant Leap: North Carolina and the Space Race” is on exhibit through Jan. 5 at the North Carolina Museum of History room adjacent to the gallery that displays his world-renowned book, “The Birds of America.”

Today only about 200 complete sets of ”The Birds of America” exist in the world. FREE.

“The Story of BBQ in N.C.” is on exhibit through Sept. 29 at City of Raleigh Museum

North Carolina Museum of Art, 2110 Blue Ridge Rd., Raleigh. ncartmuseum.org.

“The Story of BBQ in N.C.” Through Sept. 29 – Explore the culture of barbecue in North Carolina, from its early history of cooking meats over flames and coals to modern methods. Discover the fun rivalry of “east versus west” barbecue that incorporates different bases, sauces and condiments. FREE. City of Raleigh Museum, 220 Fayetteville St., Raleigh. cityofraleighmuseum.org/the-story-ofbarbecue-in-n-c.

Photo courtesy of the State Archives of North Carolina

“Wildlife in North Carolina” Through Dec. 31 – See winning photos in this annual competition that aims to encourage individuals of all ages to take part in nature photography and to foster greater understanding and appreciation of North Carolina’s wildlife and wild places. FREE. North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, 11 W. Jones St., Raleigh. naturalsciences.org.

“One Giant Leap: North Carolina and the Space Race” Through Jan. 5 – Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing with an interactive exhibit that features artifacts on loan from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, including a Presidential Medal of Freedom, astronaut John Young’s Apollo 16

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AUGUST 2019 | carolinaparent.com

chronograph, and a training helmet. Try out the Gemini training module from Morehead Planetarium or test your ability to follow directions at Mission Control during a critical phase in the Apollo 11 mission. FREE. North Carolina Museum of History, 5 E. Edenton St., Raleigh. ncmuseumofhistory.org.

“QuiltSpeak: Uncovering Women’s Voices Through Quilts” Through March 8 – See quilts designed by women whose voices have been silenced by illiteracy, exhaustion, racial oppression and gender inequity. Learn how to “speak quilt” through an interactive quilting glossary, become a quilt sleuth to uncover what the physical qualities of quilts reveal about their makers, piece patterns together, and more. FREE. North Carolina Museum of History, 5 E. Edenton St., Raleigh. ncmuseumofhistory.org.

“Way Out West: Celebrating the Gift of the Hugh A. McAllister Jr. Collection” Through Aug. 25 – View 20-plus examples of art related to the American West and Southwest, featuring nearly 80 works spanning more than 150 years by artists such as Albert Bierstadt, Thomas Moran, Ansel Adams, Dorothea Lange and Edward Weston. ackland.org.

Image courtesy of the North Carolina Museum of History

EXHIBITS

CALENDAR AUGUST 2019

DAILY 1 THURSDAY Carolina Youth Theatre Presents “The Wizard of Oz.” The Clayton Center, 111 E. Second St., Clayton. 7-9:30 p.m., $8-$15. Talented drama students present the classic tale of Dorothy, Toto and her friends on their search for the Wizard of Oz. Purchase tickets online. carolinayouththeatre.com.

Insect Inspectors. Wilkerson Nature Preserve, 5229 Awls Haven Dr., Raleigh. 10 a.m.noon. $5. Kids ages 6-9 discover the wonders of insects that live at the preserve. Register online. Choose course #238084. reclink.raleighnc.gov.

2 FRIDAY Carolina Youth Theatre Presents “The Wizard of Oz.” See Aug. 1.

Kidz Bob Kids Perform. Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek, 3801 Rock Quarry Rd., Raleigh. 7 p.m. $35 and up.

See Kidz Bop Kids perform family-friendly versions of popular songs. Purchase tickets online. ticketmaster.com.

3 SATURDAY Bella Rose Strides for Babies 5K and Fun Run. WakeMed Soccer Park, 201 Soccer Park Dr., Cary. 8-11 a.m. Free-$25. Take part in a 5K or fun run in the fight against Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Register online. runsignup.com/race/nc/cary/ bellarosestridesforbabies5K. Carolina Youth Theatre Presents “The Wizard of Oz.” See Aug. 1.

Curiosity Club: Things With Wings. Stevens Nature Center/Hemlock Bluffs, 2616 Kildaire Farm Rd., Cary. 1-3 p.m. $8/ resident, $10/nonresident. Ages 5-8 embrace science and nature while developing skills and knowledge about the natural world. Register online. Choose course #124928. classweb.townofcary.org.

From Words to Wonder: Ahoy Mates!

Cary Arts Center, 101 Dry Ave., Cary.

10:30 a.m.-noon. $14/resident, $18/ nonresident. Ages 3-5 create a simple art project based on a story. Register

online. Choose course #124429. classweb. townofcary.org.

Holly Springs Children Business Fair. Holly Springs Towne Center, Hwy. 55 & New Hill Rd., Holly Springs. 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

FREE. Support budding entrepreneurs ages 6 and older in a pop-up market. hollyspringscbf.com.

Living History Saturday. Mordecai Historic Park, 1 Mimosa St., Raleigh.

10 a.m.-3 p.m. FREE. Historic demonstrations and activities take center stage at Mordecai Historic Park. No registration required. raleighnc.gov.

Moore Square Grand Opening. Moore Square, 226 E. Martin St., Raleigh.

11 a.m.-4 p.m. FREE. Celebrate the grand opening of Moore Square Park in downtown Raleigh with vendors, entertainers, activities and more. raleighnc.gov.

Nature’s Jamboree. Lake Crabtree County Park, 1400 Aviation Pkwy., Morrisville.

9-11 a.m. FREE. Explore the sounds of nature and discover what happens to animals that make noise. Play games, listen to the sounds of nature, and try to make your own musical instruments out of natural materials. Register online. wakegov.com/parks/lakecrabtree.

North Carolina Japan Summer Festival.

North Carolina State Fairgrounds, Exposition Center, 1025 Blue Ridge Rd., Raleigh. 1-7 pm. $4.50/advance tickets, $6 at the door. Enjoy delicious authentic Japanese food, cultural displays and activities and live entertainment. ncjapanfest.org.

North Carolina Museum of Art Outdoor Movie: “Captain Marvel.” North Carolina Museum of Art, 2110 Blue Ridge Rd., Raleigh. 9-11 p.m. $7/nonmember. Free for members and ages 6 and younger.

Enjoy a summer movie under the stars. Purchase advance tickets online. ncartmuseum.org.

Saturdays at the Old Mill Tours. Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd., Raleigh. 1-3 p.m. $5/adult, $3/ages

7-16. FREE. Take a 30-minute tour to view the main power drive and milling machinery while learning about the mill’s history and aspects of its preservation.

Registration encouraged. Tickets are available inside the park’s visitor center. wakegov.com/parks/yatesmill.

4 SUNDAY Mill Heritage and Local History Tour.

Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd., Raleigh. 2-3 p.m. $5/adult, $3/ages 7-16. Free for ages 6 and younger.

Watch a brief slideshow, then explore the inner workings of the mill and witness the power of water as it turns the milling machinery. Registration encouraged. wakegov.com/parks/yatesmill.

Movies Under the Moon: “Moana.”

The Carolina Inn, 211 Pittsboro St., Chapel Hill. 6:30 p.m. FREE. Enjoy the familyfriendly movie under the stars on a large screen. Play games in the courtyard before the movie begins at 8 p.m. carolinainn.com/ events/movies-under-the-moon-in-august.

5 MONDAY Author Visits: Tamara Pizzoli.

Quail Ridge Books, 4209 Lassiter Mill Rd., Raleigh. 6:30 p.m. FREE. Tamara Pizzoli speaks about her book, “Tallulah the Tooth Fairy CEO.” Ages 4 and older. quailridgebooks.com/pizzoli19.

6 TUESDAY Middle School Cooking Challenge. The Poe Center for Health Education, 224 Sunnybrook Rd., Raleigh. 9 a.m.-noon. $50/child. Ages 11-14 learn basic cooking skills and use a recipe to create a delicious dish. Register online. poehealth.org.

Nature Nerds. Lake Crabtree County Park, 1400 Aviation Pkwy., Morrisville.

9-10 a.m. FREE. Expand your knowledge of local flora and fauna by exploring a different area of the park each month.

Help collect data for the Natural Resource Inventory Database while increasing your identification skills.

Ages 9 and up. Register online. wakegov. com/parks/lakecrabtree.

7 WEDNESDAY Specialized Recreation: Summer Nature Stroll. Stevens Nature Center/Hemlock Bluffs, 2616 Kildaire Farm Rd., Cary. 4:305:30 p.m. $2/resident, $3/nonresident.

Ages 11 and older with special needs stroll through the woods. Register online. Choose course #124385. classweb.townofcary.org.

Storytime for Tots: A Pill Bug’s Life.

Lake Crabtree County Park, 1400 Aviation Pkwy., Morrisville. 1-2 p.m.

FREE. Ages 2-6 discover the life of a pill bug. Make a pill bug to take home. wakegov.com/parks/lakecrabtree.

Storytime on the Roof. North Regional Library, 221 Milton Rd., Durham. 10:3011:15 a.m. FREE. Enjoy storytime on the roof of the library. Take a blanket or pillow. Register online. events. durhamcountylibrary.org/event/1810154.

8 THURSDAY Playtime in the Park. Downtown Park, 319 S. Academy St., Cary. 10 a.m.-noon. FREE. Enjoy giant checkers, Jenga, bubbles and special art activities. townofcary.org/ recreation-enjoyment/events/specialevents/playtime-in-the-park.

Spectacular Spiders. Wilkerson Nature Preserve, 5229 Awls Haven Dr., Raleigh.

10:30 a.m.-noon. $5. Ages 6-9 discover the different types of spiders that live at the preserve through outdoor, hands-on exploration. Register online. Choose course #238085. reclink.raleighnc.gov.

Tots on Trails: Garden Buddies. Stevens Nature Center/Hemlock Bluffs, 2616 Kildaire Farm Rd., Cary. 10-11 a.m. $8/ resident, $10/nonresident. Ages 1-5 and caregiver delight in the discoveries of nature. Register online. Choose course #124955. classweb.townofcary.org.

9 FRIDAY Nature Fun-Days: Fantastic Foxes.

Stevens Nature Center/Hemlock Bluffs,

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CALENDAR AUGUST 2019 2616 Kildaire Farm Rd., Cary. 10 a.m.noon. $9/resident, $12/nonresident.

Ages 5-8 hike, make projects and engage in nature activities. Ages 5-8. Register online. Choose course #124968. classweb.townofcary.org.

North Carolina Museum of Art Outdoor Movie: “Free Solo.” North Carolina Museum of Art, 2110 Blue Ridge Rd., Raleigh. 9-11 p.m. $7/nonmember. Free for members and ages 6 and younger.

Enjoy a summer movie under the stars. Purchase advance tickets online. ncartmuseum.org.

Pint-Size Picassos: Zoo Keepers. Cary Arts Center, 101 Dry Ave., Cary. 9:30-11:30 a.m. $18/resident, $24/nonresident. Ages 3-5 use a variety of materials to create masterpieces. Register online. Choose course #124425. classweb.townofcary.org.

10 SATURDAY Black August in the Park. Durham Central Park, 501 Foster St., Durham. 4-10 p.m.

FREE. Enjoy music, food trucks, kids activities and social justice organizations engaged in local, regional and national work. Donations accepted. eventbrite.com.

Durham Latino Festival. Rock Quarry Park, 701 Stadium Dr., Durham.

Noon-5 p.m. FREE. Enjoy Latino and Hispanic traditions, cuisine, live music, a marketplace and kids activities. drpplaymore.org.

Family Movie Nights at Joyner Park: “Bumblebee.” E. Carroll Joyner Park, 701 Harris Rd., Wake Forest. 8:30 p.m. FREE. Enjoy a movie under the stars and play games at 7:15 p.m. before the movie begins. wakeforestnc.gov.

Living Free Expo Raleigh. North Carolina State Fairgrounds, 1025 Blue Ridge Rd., Raleigh. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $10 for adults.

Free for ages 13 and younger. Shop local and national gluten-free vendors addressing multiple allergens. Samples available. Enjoy face painting from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. livingfreeexpo.com.

Rolesville Fall Movie Series: “Grease.”

Rolesville Middle School, 4700 Burlington Mills Rd., Rolesville. 7:30 pm.

FREE. Take the family to see the 1978

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musical on a large outdoor screen on the football field. Concessions available. rolesvillenc.gov/parks-recreation.

11 SUNDAY Family Naturalists: Snakes. Walnut Creek Wetland Park, 950 Peterson St., Raleigh.

2-3:30 p.m. $5/family. Slither your way up to Walnut Creek Wetland Park to celebrate snakes. Learn about snake habitat, the differences between venomous and nonvenomous snakes, and meet friendly snake ambassadors. Register online. Choose course #236853. reclink.raleighnc.gov.

Family Pop-Up Art: Friendship Tree. Bond Park Community Center, 801 High House Rd., Cary. 4-5 p.m. $10/resident, $13/ nonresident. Make a tree with your best friends’ names. Ages 2-6 with caregiver.

Register online. Choose course #125008. classweb.townofcary.org.

Mill Heritage and Local History Tour.

See Aug. 4.

12 MONDAY Field School: Inventors and U.S. Patents.

Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd., Raleigh. 10:30 a.m.-noon.

FREE. Hear invention stories, including the story of Oliver Evans, who invented the automated milling system used at Yates Mill. Learn about the U.S. Patent System. Ages 7-14. Register online. wakegov.com/parks/yatesmill.

Regional Foods of the U.S.: Spicy Southwest.

Herbert C. Young Community Center, 101 Wilkinson Ave., Cary. 9 a.m.-noon. $44/ resident, $57/nonresident. Ages 11-17 make spicy foods inspired by the South.

Register online. Choose course #124744. classweb.townofcary.org.

13 TUESDAY Preschool Swamp Romp: Snakes.

Walnut Creek Wetland Park, 950 Peterson St., Raleigh. 11 a.m.-noon. $2/child.

Take your budding naturalist to learn about snakes and meet friendly snake ambassadors Norman and Electra. Ages 2-6. Register online. Choose course #236840. reclink.raleighnc.gov.

AUGUST 2019 | carolinaparent.com

14 WEDNESDAY All Ages Open Bounce. BounceU Apex, 3419 Apex Peakway, Apex. Noon-2 p.m., 2-4 p.m. $8/child. Enjoy games, music and giant inflatables. Take socks. Free for parents and ages 2 and younger. Register online. bounceu.com/apex.

15 THURSDAY Magnet Mania. Orange County Main Library, 137 W. Margaret Lane, Hillsborough.

4-5 p.m. FREE. Create a refrigerator magnet using clay and imagination.

Grades 3-5. Register at the library or call 919-245-2539. orangecountylibrary.org.

Wee Wetland Walkers. Walnut Creek Wetland Park, 950 Peterson St., Raleigh. 11 a.m.noon. FREE. Join others for an easy-paced hike around the greenway accompanied by a naturalist. Register online. Choose course #236848. reclink.raleighnc.gov.

Wildflower Watering Club. Stevens Nature Center/Hemlock Bluffs, 2616 Kildaire Farm Rd., Cary. 11 a.m.-noon. FREE. Ages 2-5 water plants in the native wildflower gardens. Register online. Choose course #124908. classweb.townofcary.org.

16 FRIDAY Discovery Table: National Tell A Joke Day. Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd., Raleigh. 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

Share jokes with the park community on National Tell a Joke Day. Registration not required. wakegov.com/parks/yatesmill.

17 SATURDAY Carolina Homeschool Conference 2019.

Hope Community Church, 2080 E. Williams St., Apex. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. $40. Homeschoolers enjoy workshops

a keynote address and Q&A panel with nationally-recognized speakers and local experts. carolinahomeschoolconference.com.

Costumed Corn Grinding Tours. Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd., Raleigh. 1-4 p.m. $5/adult, $3/ages 7-16.

Free for ages 6 and younger. Step back in time with a 19th-century costumed interpreter and watch the millstones at work grinding corn into meal. Registration encouraged. wakegov.com/parks/yatesmill.

Family Vermicomposting. Walnut Creek Wetland Park, 950 Peterson St., Raleigh.

10-11:30 a.m. $5/family. Learn how red wiggler worms can recycle leftover food into soil. Register online. Choose course #236854. reclink.raleighnc.gov.

Honeybee Day. State Farmers Market, 1201 Agriculture St., Raleigh. 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

FREE. Learn more about pollinators and purchase local honey and honey-based products. ncagr.gov.

Movies by Moonlight: “Cars 3” and TouchA-Truck. Dorothea Dix Park, 101 Blair Dr., Raleigh. 6-10 p.m. FREE. Take the family to enjoy a Touch-A-Truck event and food trucks at 6 p.m., followed by a movie at 8 p.m. dixpark.org/destination-sunfest.

Seasons on the Farm: Preserving Food in the 1800s. Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd., Raleigh.

1-5 p.m. FREE. View a tabletop display to discover how farmers preserved their food in the days before refrigeration. Learn about drying, pickling, canning and other techniques. Registration not required. wakegov.com/parks/yatesmill.

Tots on Trails: Garden Buddies. See Aug. 8.

CALENDAR POLICY The Carolina Parent calendar lists local and regional activities for children and families. Visit carolinaparent.com/calendar to submit an event for consideration by the 6th of the month for the next month’s issue. Please call ahead to confirm dates and times. This calendar may include some events not intended for young children. Find more events at carolinaparent.com/calendar.

CALENDAR AUGUST 2019

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18 SUNDAY

22 THURSDAY

Costumed Corn Grinding Tours. See Aug. 17.

Designer T-Shirts. Orange County Main Library, 137 W. Margaret Ln., Hillsborough. 4-5 p.m.

FREE. Design a T-shirt. Materials provided.

Grades 3-5. Register at the library or call 919-245-2539. orangecountylibrary.org.

Eco-Express: Bees and Butterflies.

Stevens Nature Center/Hemlock Bluffs, 2616 Kildaire Farm Rd., Cary. 10 a.m.noon. $9/resident, $12/nonresident. Take the fast track to nature in a hands-on study of ecology. Ages 8-12. Register online. Choose course #124972. classweb.townofcary.org.

Specialized Recreation: Games Night and Ice Cream Social. Page-Walker Arts & History Center, 119 Ambassador Loop, Cary. 6:30-8:30 p.m. $2/resident, $3/nonresident. Ages 11 and older with special needs play board and card games and enjoy ice cream. Register online. Choose course #125028. classweb.townofcary.org.

19 MONDAY Fun in the Kitchen: Asian Cuisine.

Herbert C. Young Community Center, 101 Wilkinson Ave., Cary. 5-7 p.m. $35/ resident, $46/nonresident. Ages 11-17 learn how to make foods inspired by Asia.

Register online. Choose course #124729. classweb.townofcary.org.

20 TUESDAY Nature Families: Delightful Dragonflies.

Crowder County Park, 4709 Ten-Ten Rd., Apex. 11 a.m.-noon. FREE. Discover the different parts of a dragonfly’s body through a colorful craft, games and more.

All ages with adult. Meet at the upper pavilion. wakegov.com/parks/crowder.

21 WEDNESDAY Crabtree Casters. Lake Crabtree County Park, 1400 Aviation Pkwy., Morrisville.

6:30-8 p.m. FREE. Join park staff for an informal fishing experience. Take your own pole or borrow one from the park.

Bait and basic instruction provided. All participants 16 years and older must have a valid North Carolina fishing license to participate. Registration required. wakegov.com/parks/lakecrabtree.

23 FRIDAY Celtic Jam. Carrboro Century Center, 100 N. Greensboro St., Carrboro. 7:30-9 p.m. $3/ person. Take the family for a night of jigs, reels and all things Celtic. carrbororec.org.

Night Out in Nature. Stevens Nature Center/ Hemlock Bluffs, 2616 Kildaire Farm Rd., Raleigh. 6-9 p.m. $15/resident, $19/

nonresident. Kids spend a night out in nature making memories and new friends in an old-fashioned, camp-style program.

Ages 8-12. Register online. Choose course #124903. classweb.townofcary.org.

Roxboro Personality Festival.

Uptown Roxboro. 4-10 p.m. FREE. Roxboro’s Main Street sizzles with food vendors, singers, dancers, craft and merchandise vendors, and more. facebook.com/personalityfestival.

24 SATURDAY Artspace Summer Celebration. Artspace, 201 E. Davie St., Raleigh. 12:30-3 p.m.

Take the family for treats, music, art and more. See a special exhibit showcasing the work of Artspace’s talented young artists. artspacenc.org.

CaribMask Carnival. Downtown Raleigh, 400 Fayetteville St., Raleigh. Noon-8 p.m.

FREE. Celebrate Caribbean culture and cuisine with live music, masqueraders, arts and craft vendors, and a kids corner. facebook.com.

Eco-Explorers: Foxes and Coyotes.

Stevens Nature Center/Hemlock Bluffs, 2616 Kildaire Farm Rd., Cary. 2-4 p.m. $8/resident, $10/nonresident. Children make treasured memories while increasing their knowledge of plants and animals. Ages 7-10. Register online.

Choose course #124931. classweb.townofcary.org.

Harvest & Hornworm Festival. Duke Homestead, 2828 Duke Homestead Rd., Durham. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. FREE. A looping contest and hornworm race highlight this annual festival honoring North Carolina’s farming culture and history. Live music, local arts and crafts vendors, and handson history activities round out the fun. dukehomestead.org/special-events.php.

A Kid’s Life: Old School Games. Leigh Farm Park, 370 Leigh Farm Rd., Durham. All ages. 10 a.m.-noon. FREE. Play children’s games from the past. Registration not required. dprplaymore.org.

Lazy Daze Arts and Crafts Festival.

Town Hall Campus, 316 N. Academy St., Cary. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. FREE. Cary’s signature arts and crafts festival features kids activities, food, live entertainment and more. townofcary.org.

Packapalooza. North Carolina State University, 2011 Hillsborough St., Raleigh.

2-10 p.m. FREE. NCSU celebrates the beginning of a new academic year with food, music and family-friendly activities. packapalooza.ncsu.edu.

Paddle the Pond. Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd., Raleigh.

11 a.m.-noon. FREE. Learn basic canoeing skills before exploring the pond’s many

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CALENDAR AUGUST 2019 features as seen only from the water.

Canoes, paddles and life jackets provided.

Ages 5 and older with adult. wakegov.com/parks/yatesmill.

Roxboro Personality Festival. See Aug. 23.

10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Saturdays at the Old Mill Tours. See Aug. 3.

closes out the event. elcentronc.org/ content/latin-american-festival.

Lazy Daze Arts and Crafts Festival.

See Aug. 24. 12:30-5 p.m.

Mill Heritage and Local History Tour.

See Aug. 4.

25 SUNDAY

Cooking is Fun: Italian Dinner. Herbert C. Young Community Center, 101 Wilkinson Ave., Cary. 3:45-5:15 p.m. $19/resident, $24/nonresident. Ages 11 and older with disabilities make spaghetti, meatballs and a salad. Register online. Choose course #1247467. classweb.townofcary.org.

Babies On The MOVE: 0-6 Months. Open Arts, 1222 Copeland Oaks Dr., Morrisville.

10-10:45 a.m. $24. Take part in a class that teaches individualized ways to foster motor development for a child. Learn about tummy time alternatives; best positions for a baby; and how to help a child learn to sit, roll and more. Register online. babiesonthemoverdu.com.

Babies On The MOVE: 7 Months-New Walkers. Open Arts, 1222 Copeland Oaks Dr., Morrisville. 11-11:45 a.m. $24. Take part in a class that teaches individualized ways to foster motor development for a child. Learn about carry positions, best positions for a baby, how to help a child learn to crawl, walk and more. Register online. babiesonthemoverdu.com.

Latin American Festival. West Weaver Street, Carrboro. Noon-6 p.m. FREE. Experience the vibrant Latin American culture through music, entertainment, arts and food. A two-hour outdoor Zumbathon

26 MONDAY

27 TUESDAY Homeschool/Track-Out: Hoo’s Eating Hoo? Lake Crabtree County Park, 1400 Aviation Pkwy., Morrisville. 9-11 a.m.

FREE. Learn about predator and prey relationships by studying the eating habits of owls. Examine an owl pellet. wakegov.com/parks/lakecrabtree.

Nature Fun-Days: Snake Searching.

See Aug. 9. Choose course #124969.

28 WEDNESDAY Lil Cooks in the Kitchen: “If You Give a Mouse a Brownie.” Herbert C. Young Community Center, 101 Wilkinson Ave., Cary. 4-5:30 p.m. $23/resident, $30/nonresident. Read the story by

Laura Numeroff and make brownies.

Register online. Choose course #124737. classweb.townofcary.org.

Natural Explorations: Hot Weather Hiking.

Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd., Raleigh. 9-10 a.m.

FREE. Learn how to protect yourself outdoors on hot days. Ages 6 and older with adult. Registration required. wakegov.com/parks/yatesmill.

29 THURSDAY Cosmic Bounce. BounceU Apex, 3419 Apex Peakway, Apex. 4-6 p.m. $10/participant.

Enjoy games, music and giant inflatables with black lights and special effects lighting. Wear white clothing and take socks. Register online. bounceu.com/apex.

30 FRIDAY Park Tales: Apple Seeds and Orchard Fun. Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd., Raleigh. 11 a.m.-noon.

FREE. Listen to a story about Johnny Appleseed. Play the game of fruit dash and create a seed artwork to take home.

All ages with adult. Registration required. wakegov.com/parks/yatesmill.

31 SATURDAY ABC Craft and Learn. Athens Drive Community Library, 1420 Athens Dr., Raleigh. 2:30-3:30 p.m. FREE. Ages 3-5

develop reading skills to prepare for kindergarten. wakegov.com/libraries.

African-American Cultural Festival.

Fayetteville Street, downtown Raleigh.

11 a.m-10 p.m. FREE. Celebrate African-American culture and history with an art gallery walk, vendors, kids activities, food and more. aacfestival.org.

Big Muddy Challenge. Hill Ridge Farms, 703 Tarboro Rd., Youngsville. 8 a.m. $30-$55/racing participant. Free for spectators. Families take part in an unconventional family adventure race on a muddy obstacle course. Parking is $5/ car. Race participants must register online

by Aug. 30. bigmuddychallenge.com.

Saturdays at the Old Mill Tours. See Aug. 3.

Family Storytime. Eva Perry Regional Library, 2100 Shepherd’s Vineyard Dr., Apex.

10:30-11 a.m. FREE. Young children and their families take part in an interactive program with books, songs and movement to nurture reading skills. wakegov.com/libraries.

Wings Over Springs Charity Fly In. Sugg Farm at Bass Lake Park, 2401 Grigsby Ave., Holly Springs. Free for spectators. Enjoy a radio-controlled model flying event and fundraiser benefiting Meg’s Smile Foundation. See all sizes/types of electric radio-controlled aircraft and watch a drone racing demonstration. Concessions available. hssrcg.org.

FACES & PLACES Alex (8) enjoys an afternoon on Lake Michie in Durham.

Submit high-resolution photos of your kids having fun in the Triangle and beyond at carolinaparent.com/facesandplaces.

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AUGUST 2019 | carolinaparent.com

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