NW Kids Magazine August 2015

L I V E • PLAY • DO

magazine

Ba ck t o School

UR CE S AF TE RS CH OO L RE SO RE SA LE SH OP S ON LIN E ED UC AT IO N AR BACK TO SC HO OL GE SP EC IA L ED UC AT IO N nwkidsmagazine.com

Aug 2015

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EDITORS’

Corner

Here we go! Another school year is upon us. Are you ready? We’re just getting into the swing of things with school, but we’re feeling more prepared this year than last year. Amidst all the excitement of new teachers, schools and classrooms, we’re looking forward to watching our children learn new skills, make new friends and reach new milestones. It’s quite amazing what their young minds are capable of of, and we can’t wait to see what’s next.

For some kids, the return of the school year can be stressful. Not all kids thrive in a classroom environment. Some struggle socially and some academically. Ever wonder what kinds of options your kids have if they’re struggling? In this back to school issue we feature a local family’s experience with online education. Plus, we include a piece about your child’s right to special education and how to navigate IEPs. We’re also thinking about afterschool programs. This month we feature a list of music and dance classes to consider.

And as with every year, we help you prep for the basics of heading into the new school year. We include a few supplies and a comprehensive list of resale shops to get you started.

We hope your school year is a great one. No matter what route you choose, enjoy!

Kelley & Beth 4 | NW Kids Magazine

Cover and contents art by ANGELA ROSSI beatupcreations.com

Contents AUGUST 2015

8 Found Around Town: Back to School Gear 10 Dollars and Sense: How to Save Money During Back to School 14 A Day in the Life of an Online School Family 16 Your Child’s Right to Special Education 18 Resource Guide: Afterschool Music & Dance Classes 22 Write On: A Better Story for Everyone 24 Best of Portland and Beyond: Our Top Picks for Getting Out This Month 28 Seahorses: A Place for Modern Dads & Their Kids NW Kids Magazine | 5

Listings All Families Surrogacy.....................................15 Angela Rossi.....................................................23 Barre3................................................................. 2 Bella Organic Farm...........................................15 Bella Stella......................................................... 9 Bennett Suzuki.................................................18 Black Wagon....................................................21 Circuit Bouldering Gym...................................... 9 Coffee Kids.......................................................11 College Nannies...............................................28 Dr. Pike Dentistry for Children..........................25 Eco Maids.........................................................20 German International School............................ 3 Glendoveer Tennis............................................23 Goodtime Chinese School................................. 9 Journeys of the Heart.......................................11 Just Between Friends......................................... 9 Little Fruit Farm................................................20 Nelson Pediatric Dentistry................................. 3 Northwest Children’s Theater...........................15 OMSI.................................................................25 Once Upon A Child...........................................13 Oregon Children’s Theatre.................................. 2 Oregon Repertory Singers...............................18 Oregon Zoo......................................................... 7 Periwinkle........................................................13 Portland Aquarium..........................................20 Portland Early Learning...................................20 Portland Life Consulting.................................... 7 Portland Music and Dance...............................19 Portland Rock Gym..........................................23 Portland Trampoline........................................31 Propagize.........................................................13 Safe Splash Swim School................................27 Scuola Italiana.................................................21 Seahorses.........................................................28 Sit Still..............................................................21 Smallfry.............................................................. 7 Soccer Shots.....................................................32 Spanky’s Legendary Consignment..................13 Spielwerk Toys..................................................13 Summa Academy............................................17 Sweet Peas Kidzone.........................................17 The Kids’ Backyard Store..................................31 Trinity Lutheran................................................11 Urban Farm Store.............................................23 Vibe of Portland...............................................21 Westside Academy..........................................20 World of Smiles................................................28 6 | NW Kids Magazine

magazine Publisher / Advertising Director Michelle Snell michelle@nwkidsmagazine.com Editorial Beth Friesenhahn beth@nwkidsmagazine.com Kelley Schaefer-Levi kelley@nwkidsmagazine.com Account Manager Laurel Ackerman laurel@nwkidsmagazine.com Client Services Coordinator/ Client Ad Design Karel Chan karel@nwkidsmagazine.com Design Robyn Barbon robyn@folkloremedia.com Advertising Inquiries: 503-282-2711, ext. 1 sales@nwkidsmagazine.com Accounting & Business Services Heather Rex heather@nwkidsmagazine.com Connect With Us: • Phone: 503.282.2711 • email: contact@nwkidsmagazine.com • Facebook: facebook.com/nwkids • Twitter: @nwkids • Pinterest: pinterest.com/nwkids NW Kids is published monthly by Miche Media, LLC. Every effort is made to ensure accuracy; sometimes we make errors. Please let us know when we do and accept our apologies.

Printed locally; Please recycle.

WHAT WE’RE LISTENING TO

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Found wn

o T d n u o ar

Kids Unisex Originals

at Adidas, $60, adidas.com

Stay Focused Pencil Pouch Double Decker Bento Box

by The Piggy Store

at Paper Source, $13, papersource.com

at Child’s Play, $10, childsplayportland.com Star Wars Backpack

at Hanna Andersson, $52, hannaandersson.com

Smooth Moves Kids Tee

at Land, $16, buyolympia.com

Hedgehog Silverware Set by Sugar Booger

at New Seasons Market, $9, newseasonsmarket.com

Oots Lunchbox Wolf lunch sack at Little Lark,

$22, alittlelark.com

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at Spielwerk Toys, $40, spielwerktoys.com

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D O LL A R S A N D S E N S E:

HOW TO SAVE MONEY DURING BACK TO SCHOOL Article and Photographs by LAURA JOST

Somewhere in the middle of the summer, major retailers start setting out their crates of binder paper and cases of pencils in backto-school displays that remind us all that we’ve got some shopping to start thinking about. Between classroom supply lists and new tennis shoes, it’s easy to start draining the bank account. If you’re like me, you’re always looking for ways to cut costs. Coupon clipping for supplies is easy enough and most stores compete heavily with super low prices.

But clothing and gear can be a bit trickier, so here are my tips on how to maximize your savings, reduce/reuse/recycle, and shop local for the new school year.

Share with your friends. Especially when kids are in smaller sizes, it seems like they’re always needing new clothes. Funny thing is, most other parents are in the same predicament. So instead of dropping off bags of kid goodies at a corporate, for-profit thrift store, why not share your cast-offs and fill in the gaps with your nearest and dearest? More of your friends than you think would be blessed by previously-loved-yet-in-wonderfulcondition clothes, backpacks, shoes, etc. The connotation “hand-me-downs” got a bad rap in my house growing up, so I call these “hand-me-overs.” If your closest friends’ kids aren’t a good size match, you can always offer goods up to a wider net of friends on social

media. I throw a kids’ stuff swap; I get some girlfriends together (kid-free) and we bring every garment, toy, book, etc. that the littles are done with, sort it, and then go through it all to “shop” for what we need without spending a penny. We share drinks and snacks and parenting stories. The van full of items that we have left goes to a local charity that distributes items directly to foster families.

Win-win.

Buy pre-loved. We have an incredible array of wonderful consignment stores in the Portland-metro area that stock stylish, inseason kids goods. Most shops are extremely diligent in their selections so you don’t have to give a second thought to the quality.

Bring in your kids’ outgrown items for credit toward new-to-you items. You can find everything from super hero capes to fall soccer shoes at a steep savings. Local consignment events can offer a tremendous amount of choices, but be aware they typically bring in large crowds and require a chunk of your schedule. Thrift stores are a bit hit-and-miss but can pay off big, especially if you have one nearby.

Buy boutique items locally, take care of them, and sell them later. I will spend more on a few extra-soft European items that my kids really love, launder them carefully, then sell them continued on p. 12

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when my kids are done. And believe it or not, boutiques generally have a clearance section that’s absolutely worth checking out.

Invest in long-term gear. I refuse to buy our kids a new backpack every fall. A sturdy backpack and high-quality lunch storage items can be used until they need replacing.

We’ll be on year four of our daughter’s school bag this fall.

Shop after the school year starts. If your child has enough clothes to see them through the first couple weeks of school, waiting to shop can pay off big. Typically within a couple of weeks, big name stores offer as much as a 70 percent savings off of retail prices, especially on any uniform items they don’t regularly carry.

Start shopping ahead. Most months in our climate, we are layering. Boots, athletic shoes, long pants, t-shirts, sweatshirts, light sweaters, and jackets can be worn most of the year.

Unless your kid is prone to skipping sizes entirely, you can save a great deal of moolah by shopping for cool weather gear when the sun is shining. I keep storage tubs for each child of next-size shoes and clothing that I glean from swaps, thrifting, and clearance racks.

When that day comes when suddenly nothing seems to fit (seriously, how does it happen like that?!) or the weather changes, many of the kids’ needs are already met.

Avoid purely emotional spending. I don’t know what it is about this time of year, but when nostalgia gets thrown in the mix, I feel like I NEED to take my kids shopping for the full back-to-school experience even though my kids absolutely don’t care (yet). I combat this by asking the kids what one or two really special items they’d like to have when school starts and put my efforts into making those specific wishes come true.

After dropping off all of the supplies, meeting the new teachers, and making the inaugural lunch, don’t forget to take yourself out with a few of your saved George Washington’s.

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Here’s a list of local kids’ consignment shops to get you started!

BEANSTALK – NE Portland beanstalkchildrensresale.com BELLA STELLA – NE Portland bellastellaresale.com BUTTON – N Portland buttonpdx.com HAZEL & PEAR – SE Portland hazelandpear.com HOOT-N-ANNIE – SW Portland hoot-n-annie.com JUST 4 KIDS – NE Portland 503.249.7556 MOTHER OF PEARL – NE Portland motherofpearlresale.com PERIWINKLE – NW Portland 503.317.6259 PICCOLINA – SE Portland piccolinaresale.com PIPSQUEAK – Vancouver pipsqueakresale.com QUEEN’S MAB – N Portland facebookcom/pages/Queens-Mab SMALLFRY – NE Portland smallfrypdx.com SPANKY’S – SW Portland and Vancouver shopspankys.com SWEETPEA’S – SE Portland sweetpearesale.com Laura Jost loves to write about her real life experiences in parenting. Saving money is one of the few ways she always feels like she’s winning. She’s also really good at drinking her morning cup of coffee.

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A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN ONLINE SCHOOL FAMILY by ANNE MARIE GURNEY

It’s 7:30 a.m. and time for me to get the kids out of bed, dressed, fed and off to school.

Sounds familiar for a lot of families, right?

For my two boys, though, school isn’t far away: it’s in the part of the house I affectionately call the Gurney family schoolroom.

My boys receive a public education from home with Oregon Connections Academy (ORCA), an online K-12 public charter school in Oregon. With online learning, we have increased flexibility that allows us to plan schoolwork around a schedule that works for us.

Just like all other public school students, my boys receive their instruction from statelicensed teachers. The school also provides a high-quality curriculum and access to cutting-edge technology. I act as Ben and Jake’s Learning Coach, supporting their education throughout the day, helping to encourage and keep them on track.

Jake, 14, is a freshman in high school so he’s pretty self-directed with his classes. He checks his school webmail, an internal email system, and looks at his grades online. I can also see Jake’s gradebook, which allows me to understand how he is progressing. Jake then quickly gets started on whatever assignments are due for math, English Literature and other courses.

My 5th grader, Ben, 10, needs a little more attention from me, so I help him get started on lessons in the morning. By 9:30 a.m., it’s time for a break. Ben is a kid who doesn’t stop moving, and at break time, he loves to go outside and jump on our trampoline.

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Around 11 a.m., the boys typically join their LiveLesson® sessions, online classroom sessions, where the teacher leads an interactive discussion or lesson and students participate and chat with one another.

At noon we stop for lunch, and then go back to “class” to work on other lessons until wrapping up by 2 p.m. If a big project needs to be done, we may dedicate the whole day to that project and rearrange our schedule for the rest of the week. Flexibility in terms of scheduling and pace is one of the great attractions of Oregon Connections Academy for our family.

Other families may do online learning differently, but this is a typical day for the Gurney family. I’m sharing my family’s story because this is the time of year when parents are thinking about switching to an online school for their children, and they often have questions about how it works. Here are a couple of the most frequent questions I get asked: Question: Isn’t this just like homeschooling?

Answer: Oregon Connections Academy is not homeschooling; it is public school from home. The curriculum is provided to you, meets the state standards and is taught by state-certified teachers. With online learning, I am able to be more involved in my children’s education. I also appreciate that Jake and Ben have great teachers who are in frequent communication with them through webmail messages, by phone and in the online classroom.

Question: Do your kids still socialize with other students?

Answer: My boys have lots of friends, and I believe they have a more active and positive social life now than when they attended the local brick-and-mortar schools.

The flexible schedule with online learning allows our family to have more free time for activities outside of school. Ben enjoys a local skateboarding club and has participated in gymnastics, karate, and soccer.

Meanwhile, Jake likes skateboarding, riding his scooter and playing basketball with his buddies.

I was a parent who asked questions like these six years ago before enrolling my children in Oregon Connections Academy. I did my homework on the different online schools around Oregon and encourage parents considering making the switch this fall to do the same by attending an information session or parent meeting to learn more.

Anne Marie Gurney lives in NE Portland with her husband Mike and two boys. She is a member of the Oregon Connections Academy Board of Directors. For more information visit, connectionsacademy.com/oregon-onlineschool/

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YOUR CHILD’S RIGHT TO

SPECIAL EDUCATION by DIANE WISCARSON

When the school called for yet another meeting about my son’s problems in the classroom, I wasn’t surprised. To be fair, we already knew of some of our son’s serious issues. He was a difficult child to parent and by age nine, had been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Bipolar Disorder. I was worried about the meeting but also looking forward to getting some help from the school. I figured they were the professionals, right?

By all accounts, the meeting seemed to go great! My child was put on an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and the school would help teach him skills. The IEP outlined two goals: 1) to get my son to sit still, and 2) to get him to “behave.” I thought these were perfect goals, because both were things we could not accomplish at home, even with the help of medication, a psychiatrist, and a psychologist.

Lucky for me, this first IEP meeting occurred while I was in law school. I soon learned that special education law is where disability law and education law intersect.

I found there were laws and procedures to protect students and ensure their special education needs were met.

I also soon realized that sitting still and behaving were not actually appropriate IEP goals. And, even if they were, there was no special teaching, no matter how excellent or long-term, that would “teach” the ADHD and Bipolar Disorder out of my son. So, we went back to the drawing board to craft an IEP that would support my son’s education, complete with measurable goals and realistic objectives.

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Just as mine did, your child has a right to special education services when certain criteria are met. Your child must have a disability that causes an adverse impact at school. Then the district must look at whether the student needs “specially designed instruction” (SDI) to benefit from their education. If so, the student is entitled to, and the district is required to, develop an IEP to meet the identified needs.

Once your child is found eligible for an IEP, the confusion begins. A frequent question of parents is, “Where is the list of services available?” The short answer is, there is no list.

Your child’s IEP should contain services and accommodations that are necessary for your child to benefit from their education. In legal terms, the IEP needs to be “reasonably calculated to provide educational benefit.”

This means that if your child needs SDI for reading, writing, or math, it will be provided.

It also means that if your child has social, emotional or behavioral issues at school, those will be addressed. Your child could receive services from a Speech-Language Pathologist, an Occupational Therapist, a Physical Therapist, a Psychologist, or a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Almost anything you can think of that is needed for a child to benefit from their education can be on the IEP and provided by the school district, laptops, text-to-speech software and/or equipment, sophisticated communication devices, and even training for parents.

The caveat here is “need.” The district has to provide what is necessary for your child to benefit from their education, not what is best, or even what would be beneficial or helpful.

The key to writing a good IEP is to be informed about your child’s needs, and to have supporting data such as a neuropsychological evaluation or other medical or mental health assessments. Once your child has been identified for special education services, read any data or reports the district prepares. Talk to all the specialists involved, whether school district or privately paid providers. Get written reports from your private providers, which the district must consider. If you don’t understand the information, ask for further explanation until you understand. Make a list of what you think your child needs at school to benefit from their education.

The single best piece of advice that I ever received as a parent is the same advice I now give to clients almost daily. Get everything in writing. Get copies of all of your child’s school records. Confirm conversations in writing.

Make requests in writing. Disagree in writing.

If it is not written, there is no way to prove what happened, create a record, or get someone to follow through on a previous promise.

decisions about your child. It is a parent’s right to advocate for their child, and once the process is understood, parental advocacy can be rewarding and beneficial to both you and your child.

Author Diane Wiscarson worked her way through the IEP system for her son, and in so doing, found her passion for helping other families navigate special education and the law. Since graduating from law school and founding Wiscarson Law almost 20 years ago, she has helped more than 2,500 Oregon and Washington families obtain appropriate services and placements from the region’s public school districts. To learn more, visit wiscarsonlaw.com

Lastly, remember that as a parent you are the MVP on your child’s IEP team. When Congress passed special education laws, they set those laws in place and required parent participation. As a parent, I had, as you do, the right to be heard and to participate in

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Resource Guide: Afterschool Music & Dance Classes Do your kiddos gravitate towards music and love to move? In Portland, we’re one lucky bunch; boundless opportunities for creative self-expression are at our fingertips. What children can learn about themselves and others through music and movement is invaluable and as the experts at Portland School of Music and Dance point out, “Attending to a child’s growing mind, music and dance provide students with something they don’t normally receive by combining critical thinking exercises with creativity and wonderment.” If you’re looking for an afterschool program to enhance your child’s education, here are a few of our favorite programs:

Dance BODY VOX bodyvox.com CAMI CURTIS camicurtis.com CENTER FOR MOVEMENT ARTS cmadance.com POLARIS DANCE THEATRE polarisdance.org ROSE CITY BALLET SCHOOL rosecityballetschool.com WESTSIDE DANCE AND GYMNASTIC ACADEMY westsideacademy.com

Music ARTICHOKE MUSIC artichokemusic.org BENNETT SUZUKI VIOLIN LESSONS ediebennett.com ETHOS ethos.org

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MUSIC TOGETHER musictogether-pdx.com MUSICWERKS musicwerksstudio.com OREGON MUSIC ACADEMY oregonmusicacademy.com OREGON MUSIC TEACHERS ASSOCIATION oregonmta.org OREGON REPERTORY SINGERS orsingers.org SUZUKI PIANO STUDIOS suzukipianoportland.com

Music & Dance PORTLAND METRO ARTS pdxmetroarts.org PORTLAND MUSIC AND DANCE portlandmusicanddance.com PORTLAND PARKS AND RECREATION portlandoregon.gov/parks VIBE vibepdx.org

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Article and Photograph by VICTORIA OLIVARES

Write On:

A Better Story for Everyone As an English teacher, I know a lot about sad stories. One of the saddest stories I know does not come from any book I’ve read, but rather from the real people in my life. And it’s a story about what I do. Repeatedly, students, friends, and fellow parents relay the death of their dreams of becoming a writer at the hands of their formal education. The novel they wrote at nine, their secret poetry journal—something they remember with fondness because of the joy it once brought them but later with bitterness because their relationship to language somehow changed.

As an English teacher, and perhaps more powerfully as a parent, this story makes me very sad.

When I started Inscribe nearly 4 years ago with my University of Portland colleague, Cheri Buck-Perry, we began to dream about ways to reclaim and foster a love of reading and writing in our community. What if everyone, our students and their parents, came back to relive the love of story that lands on the happy side of the spectrum? For the 3rd year, we are excited to partner with schools to offer community Write Nights where participants of all ages gather to spend time being creative together, playing with words, exercising their imaginations, and employing language in a meaningful way. Last February

we partnered with Hayhurst School to write odes to our favorite objects and “love letters” to folks in need of encouragement; in April, we coached families at Beverly Cleary toward authoring their own adventure tales by introducing an “adventure situation” and a mysterious envelope full of story props.

We are excited to expand our Write Nights to the Forest Heights community and are always interested in bringing these events to new audiences. It’s our hope that more families and schools will embrace the joy of creating and writing stories together— modeling a need for imagination, as essential as any other scholastic subject.

Many people ask us how to foster a love of reading and writing with their children, knowing or having experienced the sad story from the opening of this article. From our work with individual students of all ages and our own children, we have many ideas—too many to list here. However, a few ideas we consistently share include reading aloud as long as possible, as too many children and adults let go of this precious activity too early; we also encourage everyone to journal, sketch, and talk about what they read. Most of our advice could be summarized in this simple way: maintain the wonder of language by sharing it with each other.

Inscribe educators, Victoria Olivares and Cheri Buck-Perry, have worked with college writers for over a decade. They use this unique vantage point to create educational experiences that cultivate the skills and qualities young thinkers need for future academic success and a life-long passion for learning. Learn more at inscribeinc.com or contact us at inscribeeducation@gmail.com.

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Best of Portland and beyond OUR TOP PICKS FOR GETTING OUT THIS MONTH

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AUGUST Thurs in Aug FARM TUNES WEEKLY CONCERT SERIES

Nothing beats summer evenings on Sauvie Island!

Head out to Kruger’s Farm for a family-friendly jam with local musicians. Jump on a hayride or pick some delicious berries to complete your picnic. $15 per carload, krugersfarm.com

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Sats in Aug $8 SATURDAY NIGHTS AT OAKS PARK

Every Saturday this month, get a Deluxe Ride Bracelet for just $8 so kids can ride to their hearts’ delight. While you’re there, play a round of mini golf or strap on some roller skates at the rink! Download the KGW coupon here: oakspark.com/images-featured/ssd/saturday.jpg

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Aug 5, 12, & 26 SUMMER ARTS ON MAIN STREET

Aug 6-8 GALAXY DANCE FESTIVAL

This outdoor community gathering brings together local dance companies and fitness studios to offer festival-goers free classes and performances in over 20 genres of dance, including ballet, hip-hop, belly dancing, and jazz. Free, polarisdance.org

Head on downtown for a few hours of free music, kids’ activities, and local art to see and buy on Main Street between Broadway and Park. The Noontime Showcase features performances by jazz, blues, and other local musicians. Free, portland5.com

Please confirm calendar events and performances as scheduling changes may occur.

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Aug 8 LEGACY FAMILY WELLNESS FAIR

Learn ways to be healthy, be safe, and be well. Kids can complete a “passport” by doing art projects or activities like hula hooping and win prizes, or explore a helicopter and police and other safety vehicles. Do yoga as a family and take part in CPR and healthy food demonstrations! Free, legacyhealth.org/familyfun

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Aug 8 ALBERTA STREET FAIR

Love Alberta? Come spend a day on your favorite street, visiting all the shops, checking out vendors and munching on treats.

Featuring 3 stages of music, a kids’ parade, and 2 beer gardens. Free, albertamainst.org

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Aug 15 SEAPORT CELEBRATION

Head up to the Port of Portland for a unique, family-friendly event.

Check out a working marine terminal, ride a jetboat, or try your hand at welding. Plus live music and a trivia game show, and yummy food. What more can you ask for?

Free, portofportland.com

Aug 15 & 22 THE 2ND ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL JADE DISTRICT NIGHT MARKET

Last year’s inaugural event was a huge hit! This year the night market has expanded to a bigger location, which means more delicious cultural food, more fun and unique vendors, and more exciting entertainment. Free, jadedistrict.org

Remember to check the NW Kids online calendar for dozens more outings and activities each day.

Share with friends, subscribe to the RSS, add directly to your calendar, and more features. There’s something going on you don’t want to miss!! nwkidsmagazine.com/events/month 26 | NW Kids Magazine

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Aug 16 HAWTHORNE STREET FAIR

One of the original “Portland weird” business districts hosts a day of shopping, music, and outdoor fun, with kids’ art activities, beer gardens, and food carts. Free, hawthornepdx.com

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Aug 19 WORLD ORANGUTAN DAY AT THE OREGON ZOO

Another day at the zoo, plus special events and talks about these furry orange apes!

Learn how to take steps to protect this highly intelligent, endangered species. Free with zoo admission, $8-50-11.50 (kids 2 and under free). oregonzoo.org

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Article and Photographs by KELLEY GARDINER

Seahorse parenting goes a little bit differently than in the rest of the animal kingdom.

Usually, as well know, it’s the mother who toughs out the carrying and birthing the little ones. But seahorses? They do their own thing.

The male seahorse carries the babies until they’re ready to be born. How progressive!

Plenty of (human) dads do their own heavy lifting when it comes to parenting these days, but they sometimes feel like the odd one out. At music class, the play gym, or story time, there are usually only a couple of dads, if that. Don Hudson knew what that felt like after four and a half years of being a stay-at-home dad.

Thus was born Seahorses, “a place for modern kids and their dads.” This shop on

Hawthorne just opened their doors in June, welcoming all kinds of shoppers to a more masculine boutique experience. Customers are starting to get to know the new store, but there have been some confused faces as they walk in. A kids’ store for men?

You heard right. Seahorses is a store for kids and dads. The decor is streamlined. Instead of nursing bras, you’ll find Doona car seats. Ask for a demonstration of this amazing piece of technology, but only if you’re willing to walk out the door with one. You’re going to want it. The infant seat has a locking base, just like many other car seats, but it also unfolds into a stroller on wheels. That’s right: instead of lugging your bucket seat into the house, you can roll it.

That’s the kind of product that they like to carry there at Seahorses items that are “practical, durable, innovative and fun,” says Don, the owner, who you’re likely to see in the store when you drop by. You’ll also see pajamas, clothes, puzzles, whistles, toys, tearproof books, hats, sunglasses, and portable potty systems.

Okay, there may be a few frilly items for sale here, but they’re all for the babies and kids in your life. Adjustable handmade dresses made in Sellwood will grow from 6 months to a

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shirt for a five year old. A cute baby shower gift might be a Dad and Me t-shirt and onesie combination, like the acorn and tree, or the big dinosaur and baby dinosaur. When you buy Carhartt onesies, even your cute stuff is durable and dad-approved.

Dads come in to shop for themselves or their kids, and moms come in to find something special for the dads in their lives. Seahorses doesn’t just carry Melissa and Doug; they also carry Leatherman. When moms need a little extra pampering, they might get a pedicure.

Shouldn’t Dad get a little “me time” to take care of himself, too? Seahorses carries luxury shaving items, so men can enjoy a little luxury as well.

Wooden growth charts in light or dark wood are made especially for the store. They may cost you $150, but these are heritage quality, built to be passed down for generations. This is the only place in Portland where you can find Thule bike trailers right now - the employees have trouble keeping the one in the window arranged just so, because they’re always taking it down for demonstrations.

A wide array of gifts and dad-approved baby stuff isn’t the only reason to make a stop at Seahorses, though. There’s also the fullyenclosed play space where you can plunk down your kiddos. Appropriate for crawlers up to preschoolers, there’s no way for the little ones to escape until you’re done shopping! Or, if you like, grab a cup of coffee or tea and make use of the in store Wi-Fi while your little ones build towers.

Dads also gather here for classes, workshops, and meetups. Recently, Seahorses welcomed a baby wearing workshop. Dads came in and tried on different harnesses and carriers, 30 | NW Kids Magazine

because what the mom likes isn’t necessarily what works for dad, and what works for your buddy might not work for you.

Upcoming events? Daddy and Me workouts, using baby or toddler for weight. Painting workshops with toddler furniture that dad and kiddos can paint together, then take home to proudly use. Keep a close eye on their Facebook page for event announcements.

Dads and kids will feel welcome hanging out and shopping at Seahorses, but moms, aunts, brothers and grandparents will enjoy perusing the goods, too. Drop by and say hello the next time you’re shopping on Hawthorne, and don’t forget to ask for a demonstration. You just might find worthy of the kids and dads in your life.

SEAHORSES PDX 4029 SE Hawthorne Blvd.

Portland, Oregon (971) 352-6130

Kelley Gardiner is a Portland native, a freelance writer and blogger, and the mother of one sweet toddler. To see what she’s up to, visit kelleygardiner.com

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