Sonoma Family Life November 2015

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November 2015

Twin Talk Advice on multiples

Making the Grade School’s new rating system

12 Great Gifts The NAPPA guide

5 Local Hikes Take the family!

giveExtended Holiday Shopping Hours Beginning Friday, November 27 Monday - Saturday 9am to 9 pm • Sunday 9am to 6pm Christmas Eve - 9am to 5pm • Christmas Day - Closed Saturday, December 26 - 9am to 6pm

gifts

enjoy

Santa and Mrs. Claus

playBeginning Saturday, November 28, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be in their Photo Studio in Village Terrace every weekend from 11am to 3pm.

All proceeds benefit local non-profit organizations.

The Holiday Stroll

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Sunday, November 29 • 9am to 6pm Festive holiday entertainment that includes music, merriment and more! Plus special holiday treats and discounts at over 30 participating stores. It’s sure to put you in a holiday mood. Visit www.mvshops.com for event details.

gifts

Light Up A Life Thursday, December 3 • 5pm to 6:30pm Please join us at Santa’s Village in Village Terrace for the Heartland Hospice Tree Lighting Ceremony and help to light up lives, cherish memories and celebrate our communtiy.

give gifts

enjoy play

Chanukah Festival Sunday, December 6 • 4 pm in Village Court The Chabad Jewish Center invites you to Celebrate Chanukah.

Join us for a Menorah Lighting Celebration.

Hot Latkes, Live Music, Dreidels, Gelt, Prizes and More.

For information, call 707.577-0277.

The Secret Santa Marathon Thursday, December 17 • Village Court While wrapping up your holiday shopping and enjoying the strolling entertainment, help us fulfill every last Secret Santa wish from our neighbors in need. For more information about Secret Santa, call 707.573.3399.

give gifts

A PREMIER HOLIDAY SHOPPING EXPERIENCE

COMPLIMENTARY PARKING HIGHWAY 12 AT FARMERS LANE IN SANTA ROSA

WWW.MVSHOPS.COM

707.545.3844

Imagine Your Child Cavity Free Petaluma Dental Group has created the Discovery Hub program, which takes place during the kids’ one-hour dental checkups. This fun hands-on learning helps kids develop knowledge and behaviors to support a lifetime of health.

‘more than a dental checkup’

Call for an appointment today!

Join the Club!

www.petalumadental/discoveryhub | 1301 Southpoint Blvd, Petaluma | (707) 520-4300

Birthday Parties Afterschool Programs, Classes Kids ages 4 to 14

707-207-6505

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Take a Selfie with Our Elfie & Win Prizes!

December

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S

tressed by holiday shopping? Make it fun. Take a selfie with one of our elfies, and be eligible to win prizes. Plus have a chance to be on the Sonoma Family Life cover!

C Contest!

Winner

Here’s how it all works: Our elves are waiting for you at local shops around town. Just visit a participating location and snap a selfie with our Sonoma Family Life elfie (no purchase required).

The elves will be hanging out through December 30. These crafty elves love the limelight and keep popping up in new places. Find a list of participating locations at sonomafamilylife.com or ask your favorite store to get their elf on—or in!

Submit your entry at sonomafamilylife.com. You’ll be entered to win prizes from the business where you took the photo. Take a photo at every business to increase your chances of winning. Check out the list at sonomafamilylife.com.

Prize winners will be announced in January. Enter early for a chance to be in the December issue. Plus one entrant will be selected for a future magazine cover shoot!

Have a few laughs this holiday season, and visit some great local businesses, too. Enter the “Selfies with Elfies” photo contest today! ¶

2014

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November 2015 www.sonomafamilylife.com

WIN PRIZES PLUS A CHANCE TO BE ON THE COVER OF FAMILY LIFE!

Sweepstakes & Cover Contest Our Selfie Elves will be hanging out at these participating locations, waiting to have their selfies taken and e-mailed to Sonoma Family Life magazine, between November 1ST and December 30TH.

Scandia Family Fun Center Debbie’s Pet Boutique Great Clips Sports City Mountain Mike’s Pizza Laser Tag of Santa Rosa Rebounderz Rohnert Park

BE OUR COVER KID!

Take a ‘Selfie with our Elfie’ for a chance for your child to be on a future cover!

Check our website for Elf addresses and more locations!

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Cover Contest Winner!

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Enter to Win at SonomaFamilyLife.com or visit our Facebook page!

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November 2015

Every Issue

14 Features

8

Dear Reader

9

Bits and Pieces Country Stars Play Fire Benefit The Best Bike Gear Fill a Shoebox with Love

28 Calendar of Events Kid Chick Lit’s Fab Four

38 Cooking with Kids

10 Making the Grade: Part 1

14 12 Great Gifts for Giving

An educator responds to criticism of a new grading system.

Find the perfect presents.

Pint-sized Chefs

42 Humor Break

16 Twin Talk Help for parenting multiples.

12 Making the Grade: Part 2

18 On the Open Trail

The superintendent explains what you’ll see on your child’s report card.

Tips for making hikes enjoyable for kids.

20 I Won’t Leave You How a mom helped her adopted child learn to trust again.

24 Random Acts of Kindness Little things can make a big difference.

26 Lessons in Compassion

6 SonomaFamilyLife

16

Organize a family service project.

18

November 2015 www.sonomafamilylife.com

9

High School Placement Exam Saturday, November 14, 2015 8:45AM

OPEN HOUSE Applications Due

Sunday, October 4, 2015 11:00 AM - 1:30 PM Tuesday, December 1, 2015 50 Ursuline Rd, Santa Rosa, CA 95403

Apply online at cardinalnewman.org

REGISTER ONLINE: www.cardinalnewman.org For more information contact: Pat Piehl, Admissions Director piehl@cardinalnewman.org • 707.546.6470

Dear Reader

‘Tis the season for counting blessings, and our readers are definitely one of ours!

Thank you for making Sonoma Family Life the #1 lifestyle Sharon Gowan Publisher/Editor Sharon@family-life.us

magazine for local parents!

Have you heard about our “Selfies with Elfies” sweepstakes for multiple prizes from local businesses?

Entering is easy. Just go to any of the dozens of participating locations around the county and take your selfie (or a picture of your kids or pets) with our elfie. (See page 5 for a list of locations near you that will display elfies.) New “Selfies with Elfies” locations are sprouting up all the time. Join our e-mail list for updates and news. Snap your selfie at all the locations for more chances to win. Bonus: Your child may even get a chance to participate in a cover photo shoot! Her or his winning smile could end up on the cover of Sonoma

Family Life magazine! Last day to enter is

December 30. Winners will be announced in January. Enter on our Facebook page, or at sonomafamilylife.com.

Even as we celebrate the season, the responsibilities of our everyday lives, such as our kids’ schooling, continue. Recently, a new grading system was introduced in the Cotati–Rohnert Park Unified School District. We applaud educators’ efforts to motivate students to learn. Our educators have spent a great deal of time, sometimes entire careers, investigating ways to improve learning and assessments. At the very least, I think it’s a good idea to learn more about the new grading system from those who have studied it most. Turn to “Making the Grade,” parts 1 (page 10) and 2 (page 12), and read the perspectives of a local teacher and Superintendent Haley.

Office Manager Patricia Ramos patty@family-life.us

Business Marketing Jolie Cook jolie@family-life.us Renee Nutcher renee@family-life.us Marie Anderson marie@family-life.us

Features Editor Melissa Chianta melissa@family-life.us

We hope your Thanksgiving season is full of much joy and many reasons to be grateful.

Production Manager Donna Bogener production@family-life.us

RVC Preschool NOW ENROLLING!

3 year olds class 4 year olds class Transitional Kindergarten

Contributing Writers Alexa Bigwarfe Amy Fothergill Bull Garlington Holly Hester Julie Kertes Jamie Lober Pam Molnar Rachael Moshman Jan Pierce

Calendar Anna Freeman

Publishing Office 134 Lystra Court, Suite A Santa Rosa, CA 95403 Tel 707-586-9562 Fax 707-586-9571

707-539-1486

www.rvchristian.org 8 SonomaFamilyLife

November 2015 www.sonomafamilylife.com

Bits & Pieces

The Best Bike Gear

D

McKenna Faith

Country Stars Play Fire Benefit

T

he devastation wrought by the Valley Fire has left many of us wondering how we can help. One way to assist (and have a good time, too) is to attend this benefit concert. Diamond Rio and Joe Diffie will team up with Ukiah musician McKenna Faith for a country music show at Sonoma Mountain Village Event Center on November 15, 1–6 p.m., in Rohnert Park. Food, beer and wine, and products from local vendors will be available. General admission is $49.50; reserved tickets are $69.50. See somoconcerts.com for details. ¶

o you love cycling through Sonoma County’s scenic byways?

Then you’ll probably enjoy perusing through the national vendors at the Eighth Annual San Francisco Bike Expo November 21, 11 a.m.–5 p.m., at the Cow Palace in Daly City. Get great deals and hard-to-find parts in the Swap section. Buy what you need, then suit up, and hit the road. Admission is $5; 12 and under are free. Auto parking is $10 (ride share encouraged) while valet bike parking is free. See sfbikeexpo.com for more information. ¶

Fill a Shoebox with Love

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esides a set of parents to call their own, foster kids may not have basic necessities like a toothbrush or a pair of socks. So during the holiday season, the nonprofit Love in a Shoebox gives kids ages 3–18 a shoebox full of essentials. You can help by donating the following items: hats, gloves, scarves, deodorant, little kids’ toothbrushes and toothpaste, puzzle books, coloring books, solar calculators, toddler shampoo, nail polish, manicure sets, rattles, teething rings, sippy cups, and wrapping paper. Drop off supplies at Expressway Self Storage in Rohnert Park. If you would like to volunteer to help fill the boxes, call Traci or Karen at 588-8878, Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–6 p.m., to sign up. Financial donations are also needed. Mail to: Love in a Shoebox, PO Box 302, Cotati, CA 94931. See loveinashoebox. com for a complete list of needed supplies. ¶

www.sonomafamilylife.com

November 2015

SonomaFamilyLife 9

Making the Grade Part 1: A Teacher’s Perspective

By Cate Woods Cate Woods, English teacher at Technology High School, CRPUSD. Editor’s note: Cotati–Rohnert Park Unified School District (CRPUSD) has introduced a new grading system, about which the Press Democrat recently ran an article. In this issue, CRPUSD Superintendent Robert Haley (page 12) and teacher Cate Woods respond to the article and further explain the grading system. We invite you to express your opinion on our Facebook page, or e-mail your thoughts to editor@family-life.us.

I

am an English teacher at Technology High School in Rohnert Park, and I would like to expand upon the recent Press Democrat article about grading in CRPUSD. What may not have come through, amid all the confusion, is the reasoning behind our search for a better way to grade students.

For about the last 15 years, teachers have been using electronic grading programs to keep track of grades. While there are many benefits to the programs, they have an unintended consequence: to report a simple average of scores entered rather than examine students’ grade trends, the more intuitive method. Add this 10 SonomaFamilyLife

phenomenon to the increased rigor in the Common Core State Standards, and the changes demand new grading policies.

I (along with many of my colleagues) still use the regular scale, in which 100–90 is an A, 89–80 is a B, 79–70 is a C, 69–60 is a D. And yes, 60–50 is an

We believe in holding students accountable without crushing their motivation.

F. However, we have effectively blocked out the bottom 50% of the scale, not feeling that F minuses are crucial to student motivation.

Most of my students’ grades are not different this year, but the rare student who had a 22% under the old system would have bottomed out at 50% this year. It’s still an F, and clearly the student is still on our radar as needing intervention.

To illustrate further, let’s look at two students. Student X comes to

my English class with excellent skills and knowledge. From the beginning of the semester to the end, she consistently scores in the 90% range. At the end of the semester, her grade is calculated as a well-earned A. Now let’s look at student Y. Through no fault of her own and for a myriad of possible reasons, she comes to my English class with a deficit of skills in reading, writing, and even staying organized. Her early assignments earn abysmal grades, and she determines to do better. Through our school’s various interventions— and especially through her own hard work—she masters the skills being taught in my class. By the end of the semester, she is scoring in the high 80s on assessments similar to the ones she failed earlier.

Under what logic should her early, low grades be counted against her? Isn’t it fair to give her a grade reflective of her mastery of the class material?

November 2015 www.sonomafamilylife.com

This conundrum has driven professionals in CRPUSD to explore solutions that systematically honor the learning and effort of our students. One solution we have found is the one illustrated above: to block out the bottom 50% of the grade scale.

Students do not see “50” on their grade reports when they score low or fail to turn in their work, but rather an I (incomplete) or an M (missing). The benefits of this practice are many, but cannot be explained without examples and calculations too lengthy for this forum.

Another new method is equal interval grading, which was not invented in our district, but is advocated by educational leaders nationwide. This grading policy

was the subject of a recent article in the Press Democrat. It is important to note that in the 0–4 scale, while a 4 is translated as an A, it is not based on students averaging 80% on their work. Rather, the grade comes

CRPUSD was driven to explore solutions that systematically honor the learning and effort of our students. from one of many new Common Core rubrics on which it is very difficult to earn a 4. Anyone who sees the 4-point rubric I use to grade writing assignments knows immediately that a student is not

in any danger of getting an easy A. We believe in doing whatever we can to hold students accountable without crushing their motivation, even as we navigate these changing educational times and the sting of negative opinions from people who have not yet seen this play out in schools.

After 12 years with CRPUSD, I consider the vast majority of my colleagues at every level to be excellent, dedicated professionals who care about students, often to the point of great personal sacrifice.

Students are our future. So let’s be on the same side—their side.

Cate Woods teaches English at Technology High School in the Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District.

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November 2015

SonomaFamilyLife 11

Making the Grade

CRPUSD Superintendent Robert Haley

Part 2: Superintendent Haley’s Perspective

By Robert Haley

believe it has been said many times that a lie makes its way around the world in the morning before the truth even gets its pants on. Unfortunately, the story in the Press Democrat is illustrative of that axiom.

I

which was included with the scale in the paper, “Students who miss homework or tests get 50%� is false.

There are other scales being used by teachers in our district and the comparisons need to be made with care, not haphazardly out of context.

The article contained many inaccuracies, including the printed grading scale. Without explanation, the one printed does look alarming.

That scale was developed by teachers who understood how to implement it, but unfortunately it has also been used by some who do not. The interval equivalents need to be understood in order to compare the two. A student failing at the 59% level on the traditional scale would be scoring below 20% on the scale shown next to the article, but that was not made clear. This phrase,

We all agree completely about wanting high expectations and rigor

Neither the new policy nor the old policy changed the rigor required for students to demonstrate competence. in our schools. Over the course of the last two years in our district we have had multiple meetings with dozens of teachers to look at our

grading systems from a variety of perspectives. We do not want to lower the bar for achievement in any way, but we do want to give students an opportunity to learn, achieve, and pass courses in which they demonstrate competence and mastery.

Our previous policy, and the one recommended by the California School Boards Association and adopted by school districts around the state, allowed for teachers to grade based on achievement trends. One would hope that the trend would go up not down, but both could occur. There were, and still are, robust discussions about the mathematics of equal interval grading versus the traditional weighting of an F at up to 60%. I believe well-meaning

Grading System Comparison Student Score

4/10

5/10

6/10

7/10

8/10

9/10

10/10

Traditional 40% F 50% F 60% D 70% C 80% B 90% A 100% A

12 SonomaFamilyLife

Modified Traditional 50% F 50% F 60% D 70% C 80% B 90% A 100% A

Equal Interval (100 Scale) 0 F 0 F 20 D 40 C 60 B 80 A 100 A

Equal Interval (5 Scale) 0F 0F 1D 2C 3B 4A 5A

November 2015 www.sonomafamilylife.com

reasonable people can have differing viewpoints. Regardless, a student who is not competent, not completing assignments, and performing in the failing range should receive a failing grade.

Neither the new policy nor the old policy changed the rigor required

We all agree completely about wanting high expectations and rigor in our schools. for students to demonstrate competence. Teachers can assess for competence in a variety of ways through daily assignments, homework, projects, essays, reports, and assessments. The equal interval policy does not change that.

I meet regularly with teachers at secondary schools who are working together to find ways to accurately and fairly grade students with a focus on motivating them to learn.

Those conversations and meetings will continue, and our goal is to have a learning environment with high expectations for all students.

As a parent of two students in Cotati–Rohnert Park Unified School District, if nothing else, I hope these conversations continue, because to me it shows how much teachers in this district care about students.

Robert Haley is the superintendent of the Cotati–Rohnert Park Unified School District.

www.sonomafamilylife.com

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SonomaFamilyLife 13

30 12

h Annivers a r y 25t

WINNER

GREAT GIFTS for

GIVING

A Collection of NAPPA winners

By Julie Kertes

Deciding whether a toy, book, game or album will make a good holiday gift can be a daunting task involving a taxing list of questions. Is it made well? It is age appropriate? Will it last? Will the child like it? Most importantly, is it fun?

For the last 25 years, the National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) has made it our business to answer those questions for you. Our expert judges and parent and kid testers play with and evaluate hundreds of products each year and choose only the best of the best to receive the NAPPA seal. We’ve put together a sampling of winners below, all of which were recognized for their quality, durability and, of course, the “fun” factor.

See more of our winners at NAPPAawards.com, or download the free family organizer app from Cozi and view them on your mobile device.

Worry Eaters by The Haywire Group are great little friends who’ll eat up your worries when times get tough.

14 SonomaFamilyLife

Joe Gonzales Photography, www.joegonzales.net Joe Gonzales Photography, www.joegonzales.net

Worry Eaters by The Haywire Group are great little friends who’ll eat up your worries when times get tough.

November 2015 www.sonomafamilylife.com

Toys & Games

Colorforms Big Wall Playset Colorforms, $29.99, www.Colorforms.com, Ages 3 and up

Don’t Dump Dumpty Game BeginAgain, $30, www.beginagaintoys.com, Ages 2 and up

Alphabet Learning Locks Lakeshore, $29.99, www.LakeshoreLearning.com, Ages 3-7

Hello Kitty Karaoke Kar by Dynacraft Dynacraft, $199.99, www.dynacraftbike.com, Ages 3 and up

Jr. Jump ‘n Slide Bouncer Little Tikes, $199.99, www.littletikes.com, Ages 2-8

Glow Show Sticker Launcher

Moose Toys, $24.99, www.buyglowshow.com, Ages 5 and up

Minons Bike with Fart Blaster by Dynacraft Dynacraft, $89.99, www.dynacraftbike.com, Ages 4-8

Ninja Control Leonardo

Playmates Toys, $59.99, www.playmatestoys.com, Ages 4 and up

Roominate Amusement Park

Oribel, $149, www.loveoribel.com/us, Ages 18 months and up

Shape Whiz

SimplyFun, $24, www.SimplyFun.com, Ages 10 and up

Roominate, $49.99, www.roominatetoy.com, Ages 8 and up

www.sonomafamilylife.com

PortaPlay

November 2015

SonomaFamilyLife 15

Twin Talk

“One baby may get more nutrition than the other. Or some of the blood vessels of the placenta may start to merge, and one baby may get more blood flow than the other, so the mom might end up with a c-section,” says Morales.

What to Expect with Multiples

By Jamie Lober

W

hen parents are first told they are expecting twins (and thanks to reproductive technologies, a growing number are), their reactions likely range from shock and excitement to intense anxiety—how are we going to manage this?! As they prepare for their new arrivals, they may encounter a number of misconceptions, from what twins are suppose to look like to how they should behave. And there are challenges, too: Carrying, delivering, and raising two babies instead of one can be more difficult. Fortunately, there is help— and plenty of adorable delight—along the way.

First, the word twins often brings to mind the image of identical kids—two babies who look exactly alike and grow up to play “switcheroo” pranks on teachers and dates. We forget about fraternal twins, who don’t look alike, but who still grow in the same womb and share the same birthday.

monozygotic twins, emerge from a single fertilized egg that divides, says Dr. Jose Morales, chief of pediatrics at Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Medical Center in Santa Rosa. In the case of dizygotic, or fraternal, twins, two eggs are fertilized at the same time and develop separately.

The key difference between identical and fraternal twins is all about the moment of conception. Identical, or

While vintage 1970s Wrigley Doublemint gum commercials had twins touting the gum’s slogan “double

16 SonomaFamilyLife

the fun,” carrying and delivering twins may not end up being such a good time. With any twin pregnancy, there is a risk of prematurity as well as complications caused by the extra weight and energy it takes to create two beings. Delivery can be tricky.

Just because you are carrying twins doesn’t mean you’ll end up having a cesarean, though. A 2013 New England Journal of Medicine study of women carrying twins found that 56.2 percent of those who planned to birth vaginally did so.

It’s important to respect twins’ differences and not necessarily treat them like a unit.

“It’s a good study that should reassure women who want a vaginal delivery and their obstetricians that it’s a reasonable and safe option,” said Dr. Michael Greene, chief of obstetrics at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, in a WebMD article.

When you go home with your new bundles of joy, you may feel overwhelmed. Moms of twins are at higher risk for fatigue, depression, and financial stress. Don’t be afraid to reach out to a family member,

November 2015 www.sonomafamilylife.com

friend, counselor, or support group for extra emotional help. Morales suggests Sonoma County Mothers of Multiples (scmom.org), a group of local moms who get together for play dates with their kids, participate in online discussion forums, and hand out advice on topics like breastfeeding, sibling relationships, and toilet

Just because you are carrying twins doesn’t mean you’ll end up having a cesarean. training. The group also has programs that provide gently used clothing and meals to needy families.

As you begin to raise your twins, it’s important to respect and even celebrate their differences, and not necessarily treat them like a unit. Each will respond differently to feeding methods, discipline techniques, sleep or potty training, says Morales, and they may not meet developmental milestones at the same time.

“As they get older, one may become shyer or another may become more rambunctious; one may talk early and another [won’t] like to talk,” he says.

In terms of their relationship with each other, twins may emphasize their similarities sometimes and then want to differentiate from each other at other times.

For instance, Morales recalls working with one pair of identical twins who would sit in his office holding hands, laughing at and responding to the same things. They “always want[ed] to be together,” he says. But this kind of www.sonomafamilylife.com

behavior may not always exist or if it does, continue.

Do You Have A Special Needs Child?

“In my practice now, I have a boy and girl twins who are teenagers. They like to be individuals so they go to separate classrooms, have different friend groups, and often do not tell their friends at first that they are twins,” observes Morales.

Theresa Story, mother of twin boys and service director at Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Medical Center, found her sons wen through periods of togetherness and also differentiation.

“When they were younger they enjoyed the idea of being twins.

[They] told me once they pulled one of those little stinker things and faked out their teachers,” says Story. Now they are freshmen at two different colleges. “The boys did an excellent job of developing on their own. One is outgoing and got into school politics; [he] was valedictorian at his middle school and class president all four years in high school. The other brother is scary smart but chose to become editor of his yearbook. They both played varsity basketball,” she explains.

If you are nervous about having twins, Story offers reassurance: “Do not be afraid. They are just wonderful to have.”

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Be as prepared as possible by talking to your doctor and getting acquainted with local resources and support groups. Then enjoy the ride! © 2015 Jamie Lober. Author of Pink Power, Lober has a passion for health promotion and disease prevention. She can be reached at jamie@getpinkpower.com.

November 2015

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SonomaFamilyLife 17

On the Open Trail

out on a hike and they’re not looking, I drop the stones for my kids to find. Suddenly, they’re not on a boring hike in the woods anymore, but a magical treasure hunt in a forest full of leprechauns. My kids have walked ten miles just looking for stones!

I’ve given up my sanity, my sleep, and my bikini body, but I just had to draw the line at giving up my hikes.

5 Beautiful, Local Family Hikes

I

By Holly Hester

have always been a hiker. There’s nothing more I love to do than throw on a pair of sneakers, grab a bottle of water and some trail mix (the yummy kind with M&Ms in it), and disappear into the woods for the day. So naturally, when I had kids, I thought they’d love to hike as much as I did.

But just like with everything else about parenting, I was very, very wrong.

“How much longer?” “Can we turn back?” “I can’t feel my feet.” “We’re going to be killed by a zebra, and it’s all your fault!”

All things I’ve heard from my children on hikes. (Especially when we’re hiking in those horrible zebra-infested areas.) I almost gave up on the whole idea, but it just didn’t feel right. In the name of motherhood, I’ve given up my sanity, my sleep, and my bikini body, but I just had to draw the line at giving up my hikes.

18 SonomaFamilyLife

So I needed to figure out a way to get my kids to enjoy hiking, and it would have to have nothing to do with pointing out an interesting leaf here and there. I had to hit them where they live—in the land of candy, gadgets, and magic.

It took a bit of trial and error, but I finally came up with a formula that has turned my kids into super excited Sonoma County hikers: Magic. I buy a bunch of polished rocks (Toyworks sells them at a great price), and then fill my pockets until I look like a senior citizen stealing food from a buffet. Then when we’re

Gadgets. Invest in some really good walkie-talkies.

I got our Motorola walkie-talkies at REI, and they’re amazing. Everyone in our family has one. It’s hilarious to hear the kids talking along the trail. “I just saw a squirrel. Over.” “Come take a look at this awesome spider web. Over.” “I’m peeing on a cool log. Over.”

Candy. Most kids don’t care about a pretty view unless it’s a pretty view of a water park or a Pixar movie.

So to encourage my kids to make it to the top of a mountain, I bribe them with sugar. (I never said I was proud.) Sometimes I’ll make cupcakes.

Sometimes I’ll just bring a bag of candy from the store. It doesn’t really matter as long as there’s a sugary surprise in mom’s backpack. Curiosity alone will keep them walking straight to the top. I’ve had some of the best times ever with my kids sitting on the top of a mountain overlooking a beautiful view while eating a Kit Kat.

November 2015 www.sonomafamilylife.com

Once you’ve gathered these supplies, you’re ready to hit the trails. If you’ve never been hiking with your kids in Sonoma County, here are a few great places to start. (Sorry you can’t bring your pooch, except where indicated.)

1. Kortum Trail, Sonoma Coast State Park, Jenner. You can start this walk at the Shell Beach parking lot. Head north and you’ll find a really easy trail with terrific coastal views.

Bonus: Look for the second giant boulder about a mile from the parking lot (the one you are allowed to walk to).

I finally came up with a formula that has turned my kids into super excited Sonoma County hikers.

You’ll find smooth, shiny patches on it that scientists believe were created by woolly mammoths repeatedly rubbing up against the stone. Kids will like imagining a prehistoric creature once hanging out in the place they’re now exploring. Turn around at any point to go back to the parking lot and down to Shell Beach for tidepooling. (And if you care about the interior of your car at all, bring lots of towels.) See parks. ca.gov/pages/451/files/sonomacoastsb. pdf for a map of the beaches along the coast.

2. Pinnacle Gulch Coastal Access Trail, Bodega Bay, near Doran Beach. This easy 1.29-mile trail leads to the beach, so you don’t really need candy as a bribe because you’ve got sand and water. This beach is doggie heaven, so bring your favorite canine (and a leash). Go to parks. sonomacounty.ca.gov. www.sonomafamilylife.com

y to Call Toda for r e t Regis Classes !

3. Overlook Trail, adjacent to Montini Open Space Preserve, Sonoma. This is a totally easy three-mile trail with breathtaking views of Sonoma.

Afterwards you can walk to Sonoma Plaza, have lunch, and play at the park. See sonomahikingtrails.com.

4. Goodspeed Trail to Gunsight Rock, Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Kenwood.

I’m throwing in a seven-mile killer hike here. This one is great for older kids or if you have a child small enough to carry in a backpack. My six-year-old hiked this with me but I had to carry about a thousand pounds of polished stones in my pockets and practically a seven-layer cake to bribe him. But it was so worth it! The views are insane!

Check out sugarloafpark.org.

5. Steve’s “S” Trail, Annadel State Park, Santa Rosa. This is one of my favorite trails in Annadel because it doesn’t allow bikes, which means I don’t have to worry about a mountain biker hopped up on Red Bull mowing over my entire family.

The .8 mile hike has seasonal creeks, is beautifully shaded by oaks, and has lovely views of meadows. See parks.ca.gov.

So have fun! We live in one of the most beautiful places in the entire world and being able to share it with our kids is such a gift.

Remember, nature is good for the soul.

(And so is candy.)

Holly Hester lives in Sebastopol and writes about life on her blog, Riot Ranch. Find her book, Escape from Ugly Mom Island!, on Amazon.

November 2015

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SonomaFamilyLife 19

MUSIC

’ Won t

I Leave You

Helping an Adopted Daughter Heal

W

By Rachael Moshman

e adopted our daughter through the foster care system when she was nine years old. My husband and I knew she had been through years of poverty, abuse, neglect, and abandonment, and that parenting her would be a challenge. We also felt we could handle it and that she would heal.

At the time we started the adoption process, she had been through at least 13 placements and had entered a group facility. My husband and I worked to bring her home the entire six months she was there. We read through and signed mountains of paper work, made updates to our home study, did background checks, and waded through a ton of red tape.

We were chosen to be her parents in November but didn’t get to meet her until May. I would grind my teeth at night because I was so anxious to bring her home. I already felt that she was 100 percent my daughter, my baby.

20 SonomaFamilyLife

When we finally got to see her, I was amazed at how tiny she was!

She was so much smaller than she looked in the photos we’d been sent.

She had huge, dark brown eyes that were filled with fear, and her hair had been greased up—the agency’s remedy for a lice problem.

We were immediately smitten. We played dress up and tea party. We did crafts, read storybooks, and snuggled—a lot. I picked her up and carried her often, even when people scoffed at how ridiculous it was to treat a nine-year-old that way. Given how many times she had been bounced around, I think her

willingness to let herself get close to us was extremely brave!

Within a matter of months, she went from little girl to a full-blown Justin Bieber–loving, training bra–wearing, lip-glossed tween. I was grateful that we had had a short window of opportunity to work on attachment before puberty came knocking at the door.

The next five years were not easy. She had an alphabet soup of mental health diagnoses, and it didn’t take much for her to get upset. Her “mad” was big.

She could spend up to an hour hiding in her closet screaming like she was in a horror movie. We tried therapy through several mental health agencies, but none seemed to understand the connection between trauma and attachment.

I did my best to help her. I lived and breathed therapeutic parenting and attachment issues. I constantly looked for new techniques and ways to

November 2015 www.sonomafamilylife.com

support her healing. I gave her words for her feelings and told her about other kids with “hurt parts” like her.

I repeated things like, “Stop, take a deep breath, and relax” and, “You’re safe, you’re loved, you can handle this.”

Even though she refused to talk about her past, my husband and I both let

I think her willingness to let herself get close to us was extremely brave! her know that we were there to listen anytime she wanted to talk.

Slowly, she started to open up in spurts. One day in the car she randomly asked, “How long do you think my kids will get to live with me?”

At nine years old, she was terrified of being a bad mom and having her kids removed from her. “It’s in my history and people always say history repeats itself,” she said.

As she started to process her past, the behavior challenges actually increased. Our first Easter together was especially difficult. It was the last holiday before we hit our one-year anniversary together. We went through three days of epic meltdowns and disrespectful, defiant behavior. Some of the highlights included stabbing herself with a pencil, kicking me, screaming until she made herself ill, and walking around the neighborhood barefoot when I told her not to leave the yard. She told us that she had to move several times.

She was convinced that we were going to “get rid” of her “just like everyone else.” She thought she was a bad kid who didn’t deserve nice things or a www.sonomafamilylife.com

family. Since we didn’t “get rid” of her by the Fourth of July, Christmas, or Valentine’s Day, she just knew it would happen on Easter. She was trying to hurry along what she felt was inevitable by throwing her worst possible behavior at us.

She woke up Easter morning to see that she was still home with us. She realized that we still loved her and would take care of her, despite her behavior. Breakfast, clean clothes, hugs, and even presents from the Easter Bunny were waiting for her.

She spent the whole day hugging us, writing us love notes, and pointing out that she hadn’t had a tantrum all day.

The struggle continued, though. It took about four years for her to finally believe our commitment to her was real.

She has come a long way. I’m so honored I’m her mom and that she has allowed herself to love and trust me. I’m grateful that my husband and I have been able to provide her with the safety and comfort she needs to process all that has happened to her. Helping her heal has been difficult, exhausting, and sometimes overwhelming, but amazing to watch. During the hardest times, I kept telling myself, “She is going to be okay.”

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I’ve known all along my daughter would someday be healthy, happy, and strong. Five years after our adoption was finalized, I can confidently and proudly say she’s made it. She has healed. ¶ Rachael Moshman is a mom, freelance writer, and blogger.

Follow her @rachaelmoshman.

November 2015

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SonomaFamilyLife 23

8. Share a word of encouragement with a parent who has his hands full.

Random Acts of Kindness

9. If you have to run out to the store on a cold or rainy day, be sure to ask your neighbors if they need something.

Share the Wealth 1. Buy hot cocoa for the Salvation Army bell ringers.

2. Hand out $5 gift cards at a gas station, donut shop, or fast food restaurant.

38 Ways to Share Love

3. Tape coins to the machines at the Laundromat or hand out boxes of detergent.

By Pam Molnar

I

t feels good to do good.

Teach kids that it’s fun to make life better for someone else. These ideas— most of which take just a minute or two—are a great way to start.

6. Bring in a neighbor’s garbage cans or mail on a cold day.

7. Hand out a refreshing bottle of water to the mail carrier.

Make Someone’s Day 1. Let someone ahead of you in line at the store.

2. Compliment someone on her hair, clothes, or smile.

3. Ask a friend about his day and let him vent.

Enlist the Kids 1. Collect stray carts outside the grocery store and put them back in the corral.

4. Give up a great parking spot to the person behind you.

2. Send a note of appreciation to a coach, teacher, or neighbor.

5. Send a silly e-card to a friend to let her know you are thinking of her.

3. Do a chore without being asked.

6. Give another parent a break. Offer to babysit so he can catch up on sleep or shopping.

4. If you see something out of place at the store, put it back where it goes.

5. Start the day on the right foot.

Smile and say good morning to everyone you see.

24 SonomaFamilyLife

7. Write a handwritten letter to an older family member. Show her that she is worth the time.

Place dollar bills on items at the five and dime; the toy aisle might be the best place.

4. Place dollar bills on items at the five and dime; the toy aisle might be the best place.

5. Pay for the person behind you at a drive-up window, subway station, or tollbooth.

6. Purchase a buy-one-get-one item and share it with a friend.

7. Leave a generous tip for a small bill.

(We have all worked for tips at one time in our lives.)

8. Buy lunch for the service person working at your house. Pizza goes a long way when there is more than one laborer.

November 2015 www.sonomafamilylife.com

SONOMA COUNTY’S

9. If you have an extra ticket, give it to someone who is waiting in line.

Make It a Family Affair 1. Order gift cards for Redbox videos and hand out codes, along with bags of popcorn, at the Redbox kiosk.

2. Tape coins to gumball machines.

favorite pediatricians

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3. Play board games with residents at the nursing home. Bring a plate of cookies with you.

4. Collect old towels and blankets for the animal shelter.

5. Help someone load groceries into his car and take his cart back to the corral.

6. Make twice as much dinner as your family needs and give the surplus to a neighbor.

Give an Everyday Blessing 1. Leave a used book at the dentist office, coffee shop, or auto repair waiting room.

2. Give of yourself. Sign up to be an organ, bone marrow, or blood donor.

3. Offer your bus, train, or waiting area seat to someone who needs it.

4. Say “Bless you” when a stranger sneezes.

5. If you find a stray dog with a collar, reunite him with his owner.

6. If a store or restaurant employee has been kind or helpful, be sure to tell her boss.

7. If you follow a blog, leave a comment sharing what you like about it. ¶ Pam Molnar is a freelance writer and mother of three. She is blessed to be on both the giving and receiving end of random acts of kindness.

www.sonomafamilylife.com

November 2015

SonomaFamilyLife 25

person has the power to make a difference, one act of kindness at a time.

There are thousands of organizations doing good work around the world.

Many of them focus on the needs and welfare of children. The three

Kids can learn the important lesson that each person has the power to make a difference, one act of kindness at a time.

Lessons in Compassion W

I’ve outlined below are just the tip of the iceberg. Go to charitynavigator. org to find out more about selecting reputable organizations to support.

Plan an International Family Project

By Jan Pierce

ant to draw your family together in a “team effort”?

Want your children to grow in compassion for others? To dream big and set measurable goals? To experience the wonderful feeling of accomplishment?

You’ll gain all this and more when you and your kids commit to participating in an international family project.

26 SonomaFamilyLife

We live in a global society. Daily news enters our homes via television and other media. Our children learn at an early age that there is war, violence, and strife in many parts of the world.

Most children are horrified when they learn kids just like them suffer from lack of housing, nutritious meals, and a safe living environment. The reality cuts right to their hearts and they want to take action.

The good news is there are tangible ways to involve children in creating social change. Can they fix all the world’s problems? No, but they can learn the important lesson that each

As you peruse the site, focus on organizations with a high rating in terms of dollars received and dollars given in aid. (It’s fair to expect these organizations to have some overhead costs.) Most organizations have excellent websites where you can research and see photos of their work.

Once you’ve selected a project, you’ll need to find a way to contribute to its specific goals. Will you choose to do a crowdfunding campaign? Will the entire family pitch in to do extra work of some kind to earn money? Will you make flyers or hold a bake or garage sale?

How much money you raise or time you spend isn’t nearly as important as the journey your family takes together to help other human beings.

Be sure your children: • help select the project and make a timeline of the work involved.

November 2015 www.sonomafamilylife.com

• help plan the ways to raise the funds.

• help with advertising and promoting the project.

• help evaluate the success of the project via graphs, charts, or reports.

1. Kusewera. This wonderful organization, founded in 2008 and based in Malawi, Africa, is dedicated to improving the lives of poor children through active and creative play.

(Kusewera means “to play” in Malawi.)

To this end, it has developed a community center that provides sports clinics and guided activities in dance, music, and art. kusewera.org 2. Pearl S. Buck International.

This organization’s goal is to foster exploration and appreciation of other cultures around the world, and to cultivate better lives for children. The center is based at the original family home of Pearl Buck in Perkasie, Pennsylvania, while the organization’s work extends throughout Korea, China, the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the US. pearlsbuck.org 3. Palestine Children’s Relief Fund. The Palestine Relief Fund (PCRF) is a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to healing the wounds of war, occupation, and poverty. It offers medical and humanitarian aid to Middle Eastern adults and children, regardless of race, nationality, religion, or gender. pcrf.net Be assured that when you take on an international family project, your entire family will be forever changed.

Jan Pierce, MEd, is the author of Homegrown Readers: Simple Ways to Help Your Child Learn to Read.

Find her at janpierce.net.

www.sonomafamilylife.com

A Family Tradition

Ride through a storybook about the giving spirit, friendship, and tradition where every child gets a special visit from Santa himself.

XmasTrain.com | 800.866.1690 November 2015

SonomaFamilyLife 27

November Calendar of Events

Kid Chick Lit’s Fab Four

T

he March girls—aspiring writer Jo, romantic Meg, pretentious Amy, and kindhearted Beth—find their way to the stage in Little Women: The Musical. Watch the girls from Louisa May Alcott’s classic children’s novel pine over their respective suitors, work their way through family dynamics, and bloom into adults. See performances November 27–December 20, 8 p.m.–10 p.m., at Spreckels Performing Arts Center in Rohnert Park. Tickets are $16­–$26 and may be purchased at rpcity.org. ¶

Sunday 1 FREE El Día de los Candlelight Procession with Giant Puppets.

Starts at Water Street Bistro & ends at the Petaluma Historical Library & Museum on 20 4th Street.

Live music, Ballet Folklorico de Petaluma Paquiyollotzin, Aztec dancers, food & art vendors, face painting, art & altars. 2–8 p.m. Downtown Petaluma. petalumamuseum.com.

FREE Windsor Certified Farmers Market. Sundays. 10 a.m.–1 p.m.

701 McClelland Dr. at Market St., Windsor. windsorfarmersmarket.com.

FREE Boating at the Barn.

Volunteers help you try a nonmotorized vessel on the Petaluma River: canoe, kayak, rowboat, or sailboat. Open year-round. Sundays. 11 a.m.–1 p.m. friendsofthepetalumariver.org.

FREE Rohnert Park Farmers Market. Open

year-round. Fresh local produce. Sundays. 10 a.m.–2 p.m. North Library Parking Lot. City Center Dr., Rohnert Park. rpcity.org.

The Rocky Horror Show. The

musical that inspired the 1975 cult classic film. Thru Nov. 8. Matinees & evening performances. $10–$25.

6th Street Playhouse. Studio Theatre. 52 W. 6th St., Santa Rosa.

6thstreetplayhouse.com.

The Creature. Mary

Shelley’s Frankenstein brought to life! 2 p.m. $15 & $25. Cinnabar Theater.

3333 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma. cinnabartheater.org.

FREE Sebastopol Farmers Market. Accepting CalFresh. Open

year-round. Sundays. 10 a.m.–1:30

OPEN HOUSE November 14

10 am Grades 1-7 • 1 pm Kindergarten, Preschool, Toddler

• STEAM Curriculum • Makers Program • Whole-Child Education • Low Ratios

707-763-9222

SpringHillMontessori.org

28 SonomaFamilyLife

November 2015 www.sonomafamilylife.com

A Catholic High School in the Lasallian Tradition

Sonoma County Airport

p.m. Sebastopol Plaza. Weeks Way across from Whole Foods Market. sebastopolfarmersmarket.org.

Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve. Picnic, hike & hug ancient trees. 8 a.m. to 1 hour after sunset. Visitor Center 11 a.m.–3 p.m.

Parking $8. Senior parking $7. Free to pedestrians & bicyclists. 17000 Armstrong Woods Rd., Guerneville.

869-2015.

Travel on Nonstop Flights to/from Los Angeles; Portland; San Diego; Seattle

Experience Flight Training Aircraft; Helicopters

Discover Scenic Tours Aircraft; Helicopters; Balloons; Historic Aircraft

©P N

FREE Sculpture Trail. Enjoy & interpret sculptures displayed in publicly accessible streets of Cloverdale & Geyserville. Thru May 5, 2016. cloverdaleartsalliance.org.

TS

www.sonomacountyairport.org

Monday 2

707.565.7240 Follow STS on

Rock-n-Glow Bowling. Family fun

with LED lane lighting & automated scoring. Special bumper-rails for kids.

Mondays. 5–10 p.m. $10 for 2 hours.

Shoes included. Windsor Bowling Center. 8801 Conde Ln., Windsor.

837-9889. windsorbowl.com.

Tuesday 3 FREE Open Mic Night at Hopmonk Sebastopol. Musicians, comedians, beat boxers, jugglers, hula hoopers.

All ages welcome! 7 p.m. Hopmonk Tavern. 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. 829-7300. hopmonk.com.

FREE Petaluma East Side Farmers Market. Open year-round. Rain or shine. Tuesdays. 10 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

Dear Creek Village next to City Sports.

501 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma. communityfarmersmarkets.com.

JOIN THE RENAISSANCE AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE

HELP WANTED!

Substitute Teachers Custodians & Maintenance Noon Duty Supervisors Instructional Assistants Cafeteria Assistants

JOIN OUR TEAM!

The positions may be full time, part time, permanent or substitute. If interested, please call Stephanie Sarris in Human Resources at 707-792-4720.

FREE First Tuesday at the de Young Museum. Golden

Gate Park. 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr., San Francisco. deyoung.famsf.org. www.sonomafamilylife.com

learning for a lifetime . . .

November 2015

www.crpusd.org/jobs SonomaFamilyLife 29

Wednesday 4 FREE First Wednesday at Bay Area Discovery Museum. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. 557 McReynolds Rd., Sausalito. baykidsmuseum.org.

FREE Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market.

HEY MOM GIVE US A SHOUT! We want to know what you think.

• What did you like in this issue?

• What do you want to see more or less of?

• Know a teacher, coach, or special person that makes local family life better?

• Know of an upcoming event or fun family outing?

• Want to write stories or recipes, or blog for Family Life?

e-mail melissa@family-life.us

Open year-round. Wednesdays & Saturdays. 8:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

Wells Fargo Center for the Arts. 50 Mark West Springs Rd., Santa Rosa. thesantarosafarmersmarket.com.

FREE Introduction to 3D Printing Workshop. See

the MakerBot Replicator 2 3D Printer in action! All ages.

6–7:30 p.m. Healdsburg Regional Library. 139 Piper St., Healdsburg. sonomalibrary.org.

Friday 6 FREE First Friday Night Sky. Stars, constellations, planets of that night at Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) planetarium. 7 p.m. & 8:30 p.m. Arrive early for free parking pass. SRJC. 1501 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. santarosa.edu.

sonoma

IT’S A SLUMBER PARTY AT THE Y Grab your sleeping bags and get ready for a slumber party at the Y. Every 3rd Friday of the month, kids are invited to sleep over at the Y and participate in a FUN filled evening of swimming, games, movies, crafts and more! Snacks and breakfast are served!

DATES/THEMES:

TIMES:

Nov. 20th - Fall Fiesta Dec. 18th - Hoppin Holidays Jan. 15th - Frozen Festivities Feb. 19th- Cupids Celebration Mar. 18th - Over the Rainbow Apr. 15th - Super Heroes May 20th - Hawaiian Luau

7PM Friday to 9AM Saturday

FEES: Facility Member $20 Program Member $25 Non-Members $35

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 707-544-1829 Sonoma County Family Y ∀ 1111 College Avenue ∀Santa Rosa 707-545-9622 ∀ www.scfymca.org The Y is a non-profit community based organization.

30 SonomaFamilyLife

LOCAL

#1 local resource for for 24 years local families

magazine • web • email • events

November 2015 www.sonomafamilylife.com

Run Away to the Circus Le Cirque de Bohème

TK

&

B

efore the age of smart phones, people found clever and even astounding ways to entertain each other—no app required.

Such were the circuses of 1920s France, the birthplace of the trapeze act and the leotard. Le Cirque de Bohème, at Cornerstone Sonoma in Sonoma, aims to recapture the magic of that era with a new winter show, Stolen Moonlight.

Kids will be in awe of the antics of world-class performers, including a unicyclist, contortionist, juggler, hand chair balancer, aerial fabric artist, and hooper aerialist. Performances will take place at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., and 5 p.m. on November 27, 28, 29 (no 5 p.m. show), and December 19, 20, 26, and 27.

Admission is $28; kids under 15 are $18.

See cornerstonesonoma.com for details and to purchase tickets. ¶

Kindergarten – 8th Grade

Open House SAT. November 7, 2015 THU. November 12, 2015 WED. December 9, 2015

www.harvestpetaluma.org 3700 Lakeville www.sonomafamilylife.com

Hwy, Ste. 210, November 2015

10:00am – 12:00pm 9:30am – 10:30am 9:30am – 10:30am

707-763-2954 Petaluma,

CA

94954

SonomaFamilyLife 31

with stompbox, harmonica, guitar, banjo, ukelele & dobro. 5–8 p.m. $5. Occidental Center for the Arts.

3850 Doris Murphy Ct., Occidental. jacobgreenmusic.net.

FREE Bad Kitty’s Birthday Bash.

There will be stories with other notable naughty & not-so-naughty felines, fun activities & treats.

Forgotten Felines will be accepting donations of cat food for kitties in need. 2 p.m. Rincon Valley Library.

6959 Montecito Blvd., Santa Rosa. sonomalibrary.org.

The Great Couch Parade

FREE Salmon Creek Art Walk. Thru

A

sofa is definitely a favorite place for Saturday sloth. But on November 14, 5–9 p.m., it will also be a vehicle for creativity. See all manner of decorated sofas parade through—where else?—the SOFA (South of A Street Arts) district in Santa Rosa as part of the area’s free Winterblast! festival. Also take in art, street performers, live music, and even fire dancers. Go to sofasantarosa.com/ for more information. ¶

Nov. 8. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Salmon Creek Village. 1 mile north of Bodega Bay on Hwy. 1. salmoncreekartwalk.com.

Sunday 8 Astronaut Lullabies. An

FREE Sonoma Valley Certified

FREE College Essay Help. Receive free one-on-one support from credentialed consultant & UC Berkeley applications reader Robin Eurgubian. 2–3:30 p.m. Forestville Library. 7050 Covey Rd., Forestville. sonomalibrary.org.

Farmers Market. Open

FREE “Peanuts on the Go!” by

FREE Bodega Marine Laboratory Tours. Explore

the dynamic biodiversity of the Northern California Coast. Fridays. 2–4 p.m.

Closed Nov. 27. 2099 Westside Rd., Bodega Bay. bml.ucdavis.edu. year-round.

Fridays. 9 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Arnold Field. 241 W. First St., Sonoma. svcfm.org.

Saturday 7 FREE Science Saturday at Environmental Discovery Center.

Tangible experiments & projects let children explore the natural world.

Spring Lake. 393 Violetti Rd., Santa Rosa. parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov.

32 SonomaFamilyLife

the Charles M. Schulz Museum.

Create your own comic strip.

Learn to draw Snoopy & friends.

Kindergarten & up. Children under 6 must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver. 11 a.m.–noon.

Northwest Santa Rosa Library. 150 Coddingtown Center, Santa Rosa. sonomalibrary.org.

Jacob Green’s Harvest Celebration Show. Modern day rambler becomes

acoustic “OneManBluesBand”

immersive live concert planetarium experience.

Listen to songs about astronomy while looking at the “stars.” Listen to samples of music on website. 3 p.m. $10 & $15. Santa Rosa Junior College. Planetarium in Lark Hall.

1501 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. jimoceanmusic.com.

Wednesday 11 FREE Veterans Day Memorial.

Honor those who have served our country with music, military exercises & a brief address. 9:30 a.m. Marin Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium. 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. marincounty.org.

FREE Petaluma Veterans Day Parade. Come

out to support our veterans. Music noon. Parade 1 p.m. Prayer 2:45 p.m. See website for parade route. 4th &

November 2015 www.sonomafamilylife.com

Discover D Streets. Downtown Petaluma. petalumaveteransparade.com.

FREE National Parks Entrance Day!

Celebrate Veterans Day with free entrance to any national park. nps.gov.

FREE Veteran’s Day Special. There will be no admission fee at the Charles M. Schulz Museum. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. 2301 Hardies Ln., Santa Rosa. schulzmuseum.org.

Thursday 12 FREE Special Storytime: Star Tom Sing Along. Sing

along with popular children’s musician. Ages 0–5.

10:30–11 a.m. Cloverdale Regional Library. 401 N. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale. sonomalibrary.org.

Friday 13 Harry Potter Week. Muir’s

Tea Room will offer special menu items, including pumpkin pastries, cauldron cakes, petit fours, chocolate frogs, and butter beer.

Thru Nov. 15. Reenactments & other entertainment Nov. 14 & 15.

Menu items $10–$25. Reservations suggested. 634-6143. Muir’s Tea Room. 300 S. Main St., Sebastopol. muirstearoom.com.

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The Holiday Gift. Original

full-length story ballet set in Paris at the 1878 World’s Fair. Thru Nov. 14.

Black-tie optional gala on Nov. 13 at 6 p.m. $40. Nov. 14 performances at 1:30 & 5:30 p.m. $22 & $27. Times vary. $40. Spreckels Performing Arts Center. 5409 Snyder Ln., Rohnert Park. rpcity.org.

3 WEEKS TRAINING

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Spanish Dance Unfurled

E

xperience flamenco’s passion and dynamic footwork at the performance of Compañia Flamenca, the company of Spain’s premier flamenco dancer and choreographer, José Porcel. The program, which will include flamenco music and dance sequences such as the tanguillo, martinete, tiento, alegrías, and fandango, will be held on November 22 at 7 p.m. at Sonoma State University’s Green Music Center in Weill Hall, Rohnert Park. Tickets are $35–$85, with a reduced rate for students, and may be purchased at gmc.sonoma.edu. ¶

www.sonomafamilylife.com

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November 2015

SonomaFamilyLife 33

Saturday 14 FREE Build It Club: Catapults.

FREE Petaluma Friends Children’s

Warren Miller’s Chasing Shadows.

Construct catapults out of popsicle sticks & rubber bands. All supplies provided. Ages 5 & up. 4 p.m.

Windsor Regional Library. 9291 Old Redwood Hwy., Bldg. 100, Windsor. sonomalibrary.org.

Book Sale. Thru

66th annual winter sports film. 8 p.m. $19. Marin Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium. 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. marincounty.org.

Nov. 14. Nov. 13: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Nov. 14: (half-price day) 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Petaluma Regional Library. 100 Fairgrounds Dr., Petaluma. sonomalibrary.org.

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34 SonomaFamilyLife

FREE Super Science Saturdays: Mineral Mania! Learn about the three types of rock formation, the difference between a rock & a mineral & how to classify & identify minerals. Then put your knowledge to the test as you classify & find out what types of minerals you are taking home. Grades 2–5. 1–2 p.m.

Central Santa Rosa Library. 211 E. St., Santa Rosa. sonomalibrary.org.

FREE Teen Leadership Council.

Discuss resources, books, programs, events, volunteer opportunities & more! Grades 7–12. 3–4 p.m. Sonoma Valley Regional Library. 755 W. Napa St., Sonoma. sonomalibrary.org.

Tuesday 17 FREE Stuffed Animal Sleepover.

Stuffed animals spend the night.

Pick up animals the next day. They will have pictures of what happens at the library at night. Ages 2–6. 11 a.m. Sebastopol Regional Library.

7140 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol. sonomalibrary.org.

Wednesday 18 FREE Foster Parent Information

ST N OT J U E H T R O F IRISH!

Meeting. 565-4274 to register. 6 p.m.

Sonoma County Family, Youth & Children’s Services. 1202 Apollo Way, Santa Rosa. sonomafostercare.org.

542-1367

www.keenanirishdanceschool.com

November 2015 www.sonomafamilylife.com

Thursday 19

St. John School Transfer Scholarship Available

FREE James K Musical Story

• Serving T-K - 8th grade.

• Advanced student scores on standardized testing.

• Low ratio class size with teacher assistants.

• Technology used in all classrooms: smart boards, lap-tops, iPads & Kindles.

• Welcoming Catholic & Non-Catholic students.

Time. Interactive

musical story time with dance & play. Ages 0–5 with caregiver. 11 a.m. Rohnert Park–Cotati Regional Library. 6250 Lynne Condé Way, Rohnert Park. sonomalibrary.org.

Friday 20

Please call for a personalized meeting and tour with our Principal 707-433-2758

www.sjshbg.org

Historic Downtown Healdsburg

FREE Annual Gifts ’n Tyme Holiday Craft Faire. Highlights

more than 85 local & regional fine crafts, artwork & gourmet foods to sample.

Thru Nov. 22. Napa Valley Expo.

Chardonnay Hall. 575 3rd St., Napa. napavalleyexpo.com.

Mary Poppins! Enchanting Disney musical. Thru Dec. 6. 1:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. $12–$22. Santa Rosa Junior College. Burbank Auditorium. 1501 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. santarosa.edu.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The

fantasmagorical musical presented

by Cinnabar’s Young Rep. Thru Dec. 6. Times vary. $10 & $15. Cinnabar Theater. 3333 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma. cinnabartheater.org.

Saturday 21 Santa Rosa Symphony Youth Orchestra. 3

p.m. $12 & $17.

Sonoma State University. Green Music Center. 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. gmc.sonoma.edu.

8th Annual San Francisco Bike Expo.

Industry vendors from all over the country. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. $5. 12 & under free. Cow Palace. 2600 Geneva Ave., Daly City. sfbikeexpo.com.

Keep the kids busy over winter break with Santa Rosa Rec & Parks

WINTER CAMPS! Winter Camp Vertical (Ages 7-14) Winter Gymnastics Camp (Ages 5-14) Co-ed Winter Basketball Clinic (Ages 9-12) Winter Day Camp (Ages 6-12) www.santarosarec.com (707)543-3737

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SonomaFamilyLife 35

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Great Dickens Christmas Fair. A

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Victorian Christmas card comes to life! Thru Dec. 20. Weekends (incl. Friday after Thanksgiving). 10 a.m.–7.p.m. $12–$25. Under 5 free.

Cow Palace. 2600 Geneva Ave., Daly City. dickensfair.com.

Reg. $10.00 • Expires 12/31/15

FREE Petaluma Holiday Craft

Present this coupon for discount.

Coupons cannot be combined with other offers.

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Maria Grace Wilson, Attorney at Law mgracewilson@comcast.net

SANTA ROSA CO-OP PRESCHOOL

EST. 1951 A Place to Play. A Place to Learn. A Place to Grow.

• 2 & 3 year old class and a Pre-Kindergarten class for academic & social Kindergarten readiness

Fair. Santa

will drop in for holiday photos. Thru Nov. 22. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Petaluma Community Center.

320 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma. visitpetaluma.com.

Climb Aboard an Aircraft! Ace

Maker Weekend: Training Aircraft T-33 Shooting Star, T-37 Tweet & T-38 Talon. Thru Nov. 22. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $5–$10. Under 6 & military with ID free. Pacific Coast Air Museum. One Aviation Way, Santa Rosa. pacificcoastairmuseum.org.

Baile. Mexican

dance featuring Los Inquietos, Tribal Montgomery & two more. Doors 7:30 p.m. Dance 8 p.m. Tickets at door. Sonoma County Fairgrounds. Grace Pavilion.

1350 Bennett Valley Rd., Santa Rosa. sonomacountyfair.com.

Senior Portraits Now Booking Class of 2016

Dates book up fast! Contact Natasha Today!

• Positive Discipline tools and classes for parents

IN PRINT • ONLINE • EVENTS • CONTESTS

586-9562 SonomaFamilyLife.com

36 SonomaFamilyLife

• Oooey gooey fun environment combined with teaching communication and responsibility skills.

Now accepting applications for 2015/16 school year

579-3718

srecschool.org

707-892-3565

www.natashamcguire.com

November 2015 www.sonomafamilylife.com

Sunday 22 FREE Kidz Dig It Cooking Class.

Dips & Chips for the Market Tasting Feast. 11:30 a.m. Windsor Farmers Market. 701 McClelland Dr. at Market St., Windsor. windsorfarmersmarket.com/kidz.

Just Dance Academy Winter Performance. Enjoy

an abbreviated Nutcracker complete with classical ballet costumes. 2 p.m. $20–$22.

Marin Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium. 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. marincounty.org.

Wednesday 25 An Irish Christmas. Joy,

hope, laughter, friendship. Celebration of life thru storytelling, music, song & dance. Ages 10 & up. Under 16 with adult. 8 p.m. $35–$55. Uptown Theatre Napa. 1350 3rd St., Napa. uptowntheatrenapa.com.

Friday 27 FREE Winter Lights. Downtown

Village. Hwy. 12 at Farmers Lane, Santa Rosa. mvshops.com.

Magical Christmas Train. Put on your favorite winter pajamas and snack on hot cocoa and treats while being entertained by storybook characters and Santa.

Weekends. Thru Dec. 23. $34–$61.

Boards at 400 N. Harbor Blvd., West Sacramento. 800-866-1690. sacramentorivertrain.com.

FREE Santa’s Riverboat Arrival.

Enjoy live entertainment while waiting for Santa & Mrs. Claus to arrive by tug for photos & Christmas wishes. Noon.

River Plaza Shopping Center.

E. Washington St., Petaluma. visitpetaluma.com.

Sunday 29 The Holiday Stroll. Festive

holiday entertainment. Music & merriment.

Holiday treats & discounts at 30 participating stores. Montgomery Village. Hwy. 12 at Farmers Lane, Santa Rosa. mvshops.com.

Santa Rosa Tree Lighting.

5–7:30 p.m. facebook.com/ SantaRosaWinterLights.

Saturday 28 The holiday duo will be in their photo studio in Village Terrace. Weekends. 11 a.m.–3 p.m. All proceeds benefit local nonprofit organization. Montgomery Santa & Mrs. Claus.

It’s not just

Enrolling for Summer Camps

Gymnastics...

It’s confidence for a lifetime!

• Tumblebug Program for preschool-aged children • Boys & Girls Classes Recreation 6–12 • Tumbling & Tramp Classes

707-763-5010

www.regymnastics.com

www.sonomafamilylife.com

TREAT TODAY… GONE TODAY! • Unique system for lice removal.

• 100% guaranteed on 1st visit.

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FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY! Birthday Parties Public Skating Fundraisers Private & Group Instruction

CAL SKATE Roller Skating & Blading Center

585-0500 • FOR RESERVATIONS: 585-0494 6100 COMMERCE BLVD. • WWW.CALSKATE.COM

Cross & Crown Lutheran School

Little Women: The Musical. Thru

Dec. 20. Times vary. $16–$26.

Spreckels Performing Arts Center.

5409 Snyder Ln., Rohnert Park. rpcity.org.

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SonomaFamilyLife 37

Cooking with Kids

Pint-sized Chefs

By Amy Fothergill

G

et your kids involved in Thanksgiving dinner preparation. Give them one of the tasks on this list. They’ll have fun learning their way around a kitchen and feel extra proud knowing that they helped produce the family feast.

1. Make salad/rip lettuce.

Make sure their little hands are clean and then get them to work.

They can tear lettuce with their hands, spin the salad spinner (a favorite in our house), or add veggies to the bowl.

2. Mash things that are not hot. “Mashables” include cauliflower, butternut squash, broccoli, bananas, or even strawberries for shortcake.

3. Cut with a plastic knife.

Make sure what they are cutting is soft like melon, a peeled cucumber, broccoli, mushrooms, etc.

4. Stir a sauce. If you are making a sauce either for dipping or a marinade, let your kids watch you measure the ingredients and then allow them to mix them up. Often 38 SonomaFamilyLife

10 Ways Kids Can Help in the Kitchen

times, I would pour an ingredient into a measuring cup or spoon, and then my daughter would pour it into the bowl. Both of my kids love to use a whisk for mixing.

5. Baste meat. Although this is an activity that requires more supervision (no finger licking allowed!), using a brush to baste chicken, fish, or beef is a lot of fun.

6. Roll meatballs. Supervision is most definitely suggested for this activity, which is appropriate for kids ages 7 and up. You don’t want to do this with a child who is too young and who might eat the raw meat or lick their hands.

7. Measure flour and/or ingredients. When you are making things like pancakes, waffles, muffins, or cookies, it’s really okay if not everything is exact. My daughter has now learned how to level off the flour and the baking soda or powder, measure sugar (her favorite ingredient), and use a liquid measuring cup. A lot of this takes patience when they are young but will pay off later.

8. Roll dough. There’s a reason why play dough is so popular; kids love to roll things. Now, maybe you don’t want them rolling out the crust of your famous holiday pumpkin pie, but there’s always something they can do like the extra pastry or pizza dough or even cookies. They can use a regular or kid-sized rolling pin, or their hands. Just keep an eye on what goes in their mouths if the dough contains eggs or other raw ingredients.

9. Mix a batter. Whether it’s pancakes or pudding, give them the whisk, paddle, or spatula and let them go to town. Just make sure the batter stays in the bowl!

10. Decorate cakes or cookies.

Make cake and cookie decorating more fun and less Cake Boss! Let them add color, candy, frosting, etc. Just be careful to not overdo it on the sugar. ¶ Chef Amy Fothergill is a mom and author of the award-winning cookbook The Warm Kitchen: Gluten-Free Recipes Anyone Can Make and Everyone Will Love (The Family Chef, 2013). Find her at amythefamilychef.com.

November 2015 www.sonomafamilylife.com

Crafting with Kids

Classified Marketplace Lessons

Turkey Time

Western Riding Lessons Youth Camps & Birthday Parties

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Holiday Craft for Toddlers

BACK-TO-SCHOOL CHESS CLASSES

T

urkeys are the stars of the show at Thanksgiving. Let toddlers have fun painting their own version of the celebrated bird. Just pull out the finger paint, construction paper, and glue, and let them make a happy holiday mess.

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Instructions Place your child’s thumb in the brown paint and paint a brown body and head on paper. Use the child’s pointer finger to make colored feathers around the edge. Once these have dried, use the black marker to draw the face and feet. If fingerprints are too difficult for little fingers to make, the whole hand can be used to print the turkey body and feathers. ¶

www.sonomafamilylife.com

Kristine Sheets Stewart 415-302-8118 horsemom302@aol.com crossroadsranchridingstable.com Ride with us in Penngrove, California

By Alexa Bigwarfe

Alexa Bigwarfe is a freelance writer and mother of three children.

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SonomaFamilyLife 39

Classified Marketplace Services

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November 2015

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SonomaFamilyLife 41

Humor Break

Digital Parenting 101 Don’t Get Vexed. Text!

By Bull Garlington

I

suffer from acute proactive energy conservationism (aka: laaaaziness).

Until recently, this malady had affected only me. However, it’s become clear my wife is suffering from a temporary onset while she recovers from a torn rotator cuff, and my son is showing signs of a strong genetic predisposition toward multi-slacking.

All of this may best be illustrated by our new obsession with texting.

It may be important to introduce some working vocabulary here so you can follow: 1. fetch-text: When your wife texts “bring me a diet coke” because she’s watching Chaz Bono drop-kick Nancy Grace on Dancing with the Stars.

2. cease-and-desist-text: When you text “stop yelling Booyah!” to your son because you can’t hear Gordon Ramsey curse over the boy’s gleeful celebration of perfect head shots in Call of Duty 3.

3. text-of-denial: Texting “I’m in the shower” after your son texts “get mom a diet coke” after she texts “DC!” 4. remote parenting: From an important meeting (at Vaughn’s Pub): Dad: r u ok?

Son: on fire Dad: srsly Son: it burns . . .

42 SonomaFamilyLife

Dad: YOU BETTER ANSWER ME NOW &^%$#!

Son: what’s the number for 911?

Dad: there’s pizza in the freezer 5. remote bonding: Dad: just played “shart” in Scrabble Son: IN CLASS! Dad: like a boss Son: OMG stop txtng me!

On the plus side, the house is much quieter. We now text silently, speaking almost entirely with our minds.

Dad: love you!

Son: block you!

6. wireless banking: Son: Hey, Dad? Can I get the $20 you owe me for my A in biology?

Dad: My phone is dead.

Son: Lol, Dad. You’re so funny. But seriously, I did get an A in biology and I could use that $20.

Dad: But you got a D in math. That’s -5 against the 20, leaving you 15. And you didn’t take out the trash this year, -120, so you owe me $100.

Son: Birthday check from Aunt Dora. You only gave me half. You owe me $70.

Dad: Review your invoice for taxi services in the amount of $532.19.

Son: I was telling my friends how funny you are. I love you, Dad. Dad: Well played. Here’s 20 bucks.

Are you on the back porch?

Son: On the couch next to you!

On the plus side, the house is much quieter. We now text silently, speaking almost entirely with our minds, as our alien overlords prefer. I used to bellow, “SHUT UP I’M ON THE %$%#$@! PHONE!” But now I text: “zip it,” which the neighbors can’t hear, so the kid has no leverage. That makes me happy because I am finally “silent but deadly” in a way that only affects one of us. ¶ Bull Garlington is the author of Death by Children, the ForeWord Review’s Humor 2013 Book of the Year.

November 2015 www.sonomafamilylife.com

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LearningRx ColoradoPetaluma Springs North LearningRx In the Adobe Shopping Center (719)Creek 550-8263 at Lakeville Hwy. & McDowell Blvd. www.learningrx.com/colorado-springs-north (707) 781-7373 See other area locations at: www.learningrxpetaluma.com www.learningrx.com/colorado