November 2013 HerFamily

Nebraska Red Dawgs Developing Strong Leaders and Great Basketball Players

November 2013 A Publication of Omaha Magazine

PREP FOR College Now ROTAVIRUS Symptoms & Prevention

The besT place for kids.

Charley, age 8 Harlan, IA Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Visit childrensomaha.org for more information on how we can help your child. For a pediatrician, family physician or pediatric specialist, call 1.800.833.3100.

Editor’s Letter

E

What Are You Thankful For?

Volume 1 • Issue 6 PUBLISHER Todd Lemke

Thanksgiving season, I read thousands of stories about what people are thankful for. “My kids” and “my spouse” are usually the top of the list. After that, it’s usually “my home” and “my job.” And don’t get me wrong—I’m thankful for my family, my home, and my job, too. But I’m thankful for those things every day. I would much rather give my gratitude to people and things that don’t always get my attention (or other people’s) during the rest of the year.

This year, for example, I’m thankful for all of the nonprofit organizations and volunteers in the Omaha community. Whether it’s raising money to fight cancer, rescuing animals, finding loving families for children, or helping people with addictions get their lives back, these organizations work year-round to help others. Some even have staff and volunteers that give up time on the holidays with their own families to help those in need. Quite frankly, people who choose to love others when they don’t have to are the ones we should be thankful for.

So to them, I say, “Thank you.”

Speaking of great organizations, on this issue’s cover, we feature the Nebraska Red Dawgs, a co-ed wheelchair basketball organization based at University of Nebraska-Omaha. The Red Dawgs have three teams: a prep team for kids under 12, a junior varsity team, and a varsity team. Clearly, this program has something good going because the team has earned top places in national tournaments for the last four years, and alumni have gone on to play in European professional leagues. Read more about the Red Dawgs on pg. 22.

November is also National Adoption Month, so Bev Carlson with Lutheran Family Services talks children in need of homes in “I Just Want Someone to Love Me” on pg. 10. Some people mistakenly assume that all foster kids are bad apples, but Bev shows us that they’re just kids who want a loving family and a safe home to be thankful for.

And lastly, our “Family Success Story” on pg. 16 is all about one family’s thankfulness. Ner Clay and Paw Tha of northwest Omaha fled oppression in their homeland of Burma, lived in poor conditions among refugee camps in Thailand, and came to the U.S. to start a new life.

Today, Ner Clay and Paw Tha, as well as their three daughters, are happy to be U.S. citizens and have the ability to help other refugees in the community.

Happy Thanksgiving! very year during the

MANAGING EDITOR David Williams HER FAMILY EDITOR & WEB CONTENT EDITOR Bailey Hemphill ASSISTANT EDITOR Chris Wolfgang EDITORIAL INTERN Anna Hensel (#33) CREATIVE DIRECTOR John Gawley ART DIRECTOR Katie Anderson DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY & INTERACTIVE MEDIA Bill Sitzmann JUNIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Paul Lukes PRODUCTION ARTIST Marti Latka CONTRIBUTORS Dawn Bashara • Bev Carlson • Cindy Copich Darcie Dingman • Paige Edwards • Sarah Egan Cherie Lytle • Leslie Murrell • Derek Nosbisch Linda Persigehl • Alexis Sawyer, M.D. VICE PRESIDENT Greg Bruns HER FAMILY ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Paige Edwards ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Gwen Lemke • Gil Cohen • Vicki Voet Sandy Matson SALES ASSOCIATES Alicia Smith Hollins • Jessica Linhart • Dawn Dennis TECHNICAL ADVISOR Tyler Lemke WAREHOUSE DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Mike Brewer For a one-year subscription (12 issues), send $9.95 to P.O. Box 461208, Papillion, NE 68046-1208. www.omahamagazine.com Comments? Story ideas?

Send your letter to the editor: letters@omahapublications.com Original contributions become the property of Omaha Publications. Contributions cannot be acknowledged or returned.

Bailey Hemphill Editor, HerFamily Magazine

@omahamagazine

@omahamagazine

omahamagazine

The information contained within HerFamily is for informational purposes only. It is not intended and should not be used to take the place of seeking professional advice, counsel or assistance. Omaha Publications makes no endorsement of and is not responsible for contributors or advertising herein. If you have concerns or questions related to your health, consult with you physician.

HerFamily is protected by copyright and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission of Omaha Publications, 402.884.2000.

Owned and managed by Omaha Magazine, LTD

4 HerFamily • November 2013

omahamagazine.com

Boys Town Ear, Nose & Throat Institute

Helping Little Ears Feel Better

Boys Town Medical Campus Pacific Street Clinic 14040 Hospital Road (139th & Pacific Street)

(402) 778-6800

Our Board Certified physicians specialize in treating problems ranging from chronic ear, nose and throat illnesses to complex head and neck disorders calling for specialized surgical care.

Boys Town Medical Campus Downtown Clinic 555 North 30th Street

(402) 498-6540

Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic 320 McKenzie Avenue, Suite 202 Council Bluffs, Iowa 51503

(712) 256-5272

BOYS TOWN

Ear, Nose & Throat Institute BoysTownENT.org

SM

on the features

inside

november 2013

9 Rotavirus: Symptoms and Prevention 10 “I Just Want Someone to Love Me” 12 Early Music Education: Getting a Head Start 16 Family Success Story: The Ner Clay & Paw Tha Family 20 Where’s My Grandparent Nickname?

22 Nebraska Red Dawgs: Developing Strong Leaders and Great Basketball Players

30 Turkey Soup 33 Prep for College Now

columns

14 Teen Voice: Community Service 18 Education: Test-Takers or Learners?

26 Fitness: Band Walk 28 Mom on the Rocks: Thanksgiving on the Rocks 31 Single Parent: What Does “Family

12

Holiday” Mean Now? 38 Auto Care: Car Insurance Terminology

departments

15 Young Hero: Leyna Hightshoe 29 Food: Pumpkin Pie 37 Calendar of Events

Thanks to Micah Ditzler, Coach Mike Kult, and Nate Beran with Nebraska Red Dawgs for being on this issue’s cover!

Photo by Bill Sitzmann

18 on the cover

Rotavirus: Symptoms and Prevention 9 Nebraska Red Dawgs 22 Prep for College Now 33 Nebraska Red Dawgs

29

Developing Strong Leaders and Great Basketball Players

November 2013

Symptoms

PREP FOR College Now ROTAVIRUS Prevention

&

A Publication of Omaha Magazine

6 HerFamily • November 2013

omahamagazine.com

got faux?

MAKING WALLS BEAUTIFUL SINCE 1989

100 off per qualifying room with mention of this ad.

www.whatisfaux.com 窶｢ 402-491-3289

8窶ォerFamily 窶｢ November 2013

omahamagazine.com

feature story by Alexis Sawyer, M.D., Boys Town Pediatrics – Downtown Pediatric Clinic

MANAGING HYDRATION

Rotavirus:

Symptoms and Prevention

R

most common cause of severe diarrhea in children less than 5 years of age. By age 3, most children have been infected by at least one strain of this virus. otavirus gastroenteritis is the

TRANSMISSION

Rotavirus infection outbreaks occur most often during winter and spring months. The common mode of transmission is through the fecal-oral route. The virus is transmitted from hands or inanimate objects to the mouth after contact with infected feces.

ROTAVIRUS SYMPTOMS

Once a child has been exposed to the virus it takes about two days for symptoms to appear.

Rotavirus symptoms may include: • Vomiting • Fever • Diarrhea • Lethargy • Abdominal pain Typically, children will experience 24-48 hours of vomiting followed by three to nine days of diarrhea. This virus is extremely contagious with an incubation period of two to four days. bestofomaha.com

There is no specific treatment for rotavirus gastroenteritis. Because severe diarrhea and vomiting can cause dehydration, Boys Town Pediatrics stresses the importance of maintaining proper hydration.

Parents are encouraged to watch for signs of dehydration, which may include decreased urination (less than three times per 24 hours), lack of tears, and/or dry lips and mouth. If you notice these signs, seek medical attention.

PREVENTION

The best way to prevent rotavirus is to get vaccinated. This vaccine is given orally to infants at the two- and four-month or the two-, four-, and six-month well-check visits, depending on which vaccine is used. This vaccine can significantly reduce the severity of the rotaviral infection. Make sure to discuss this vaccine with your pediatrician.

Boys Town Pediatrics offers access to care 24 hours a day, seven days a week through extended evening and Saturday hours, Same Day Pediatrics clinics, and a 24-hour nurse helpline to answer your questions when your child is ill— any time of day or night. Call 402-498-1234 to schedule an appointment at any one of our convenient locations.

HerFamily • November 2013 9

feature story by Bev Carlson, APR, Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska

“I Just Want Someone to Love Me”

Foster kids are not statistics; they’re children in need of home.

I

’ve worked at Lutheran Family Services for well over three years now, and I can pinpoint my toughest day at work.

It was the day I was interviewing foster children for a fundraising video. At the time, I didn’t realize how hard it was going to be. I could have done a better job preparing myself. But I didn’t.

So I walked into the conference room and started interviewing “wards of the state,” one by one.

What struck me the most was that they were just kids, not statistics. Kids, very similar to my own children. Attractive, smart, funny—really delightful to be around.

One young man had worn nice slacks and a tie because, as he put it, “I just want to look nice.” This was the same boy who shyly told me about coming in second in a freethrow contest just that afternoon. Later, he admitted how much he liked to play football and really wanted to be on a team, but he couldn’t because there was no one to take him to practice. As a football mom at the time, that just broke my heart. How could there be no one willing to make that commitment to this child who was obviously an athlete?

10 HerFamily • November 2013

Another beautiful young woman talked about her frustration with her education.

Because she had been moved from one foster home to another, one school to another (she had lost track of how many), she was a year behind in high school. She should have been preparing to graduate, she told me, but all of the moves had set her that far back. She couldn’t decide whether she wanted to be a nurse or go into the military. I suggested being a nurse in the military. She thought that was a great idea. “I’m going to have a bright future,” she told me.

The kids talked about being taken out of their homes because they weren’t cared for properly. Being in foster care is not their fault. They’ve lost the only home they know, and many times they lose their siblings, too.

Few foster homes can take sibling groups.

Despite efforts to help siblings stay in touch, it’s a challenge.

While the goal is always reunification with family, it’s not always possible. And once these children become eligible for adoption, the goal then becomes finding the right permanent family. Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska operates a program that searches a child’s history to find that one relative,

teacher, or neighbor who might be willing to provide loving permanency.

I realized that if every parent could sit where I sat that day, all of these children would already have homes. We often hear of the numbers of children in Nebraska’s foster care system, but for their own safety, we don’t always see the faces or hear their stories. But the simple message from each one of them was the same, “I just want someone to love me.”

Can you imagine your own child feeling that way? I couldn’t either. So, on that tough day at work, when all I wanted to do was take home every child I had talked with, I went back to my office, and I wept for them.

And I wished with all of my being that the right family for each of those beautiful children was just a few steps away from making their dreams come true.

November is National Adoption Month. If you are interested in learning more about becoming a foster parent, or foster child adoption, please call Lutheran Family Services at 402661-7100 or e-mail: fostercare@lfsneb.org.

omahamagazine.com

‘TIS THE SEASON FOR GIVING! Join Us For Our Annual Salvation Army Food Drive THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER, 2013

One bag gets you a new patient exam!

MILLARD

FAMILY EYECARE A MEMBER OF

We pride ourselves on our thorough, up-to-date eyecare, quality Thanks for voting us Best of products, and friendly service.

Omaha® for 10 years!

12660 Q Street • 402-896-3300 • www.MillardFamilyEyecare.com

6303 Center St. Suite 103, Just East of the new Ak-Sar-Ben Village 402.933.1933 • www.pearsonchirowellness.com

Now - April 13, 2014

Sponsored by:

bestofomaha.com

HerFamily • November 2013 11

feature story by Ruth Meints, Executive Director, Omaha Conservatory of Music

Early Music Education Getting a Head Start

M

to band and orchestra in the later years of their elementary education. But that doesn’t mean they have to wait until those years to begin learning how to play an instrument.

Like any skill, playing an instrument requires time and effort. Ask most professional musicians, and they will tell you that they’ve been involved in music since before they were in school.

As a parent, you might be wondering when your child should ideally begin this education. The answer: Pre-K (ages 3 and 4).

Studying music in these developmental years is a great way to help children develop concentration and memory skills that prepare them for that very important first day of school. Not to mention, they can learn hand-eye coordination and alphabet recognition before kindergarten, which will put them ahead of their classmates.

“String instruments and piano are especially good for young children,” says Anne Madison, piano teacher with Omaha Conservatory of Music, who teaches musicians as young as 4. “There are so many benefits to music education for children that it’s hard to know where to begin.” ost students are introduced

12 HerFamily • November 2013

Madison, herself, took piano lessons from a young age up until she received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music from University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Baylor University. She even went on to study at the Vienna Conservatory in Vienna, Austria and teach on the faculties of the Carinthia International Piano Academy and the Tyrolean International Piano Academy in Austria. Today, she serves as Chair of the Piano Department for Omaha Conservatory of Music, where she has been a member of the artist-faculty since 2001.

“There’s a large and growing body of research that shows the significant difference that music can make academically and socially. But as a teacher, I am most moved by the impact that I see it makes firsthand in the lives of the students I teach.”

Some of the benefits Madison sees among her students are the ability to express themselves and work well with others, the development of self-confidence and self-discipline, and the ability to set and pursue long-term goals successfully.

“Even when they don’t always have immediate gratification, [it helps them] to be creative thinkers and problem-solvers; to explore the human condition as it has been expressed in music in different omahamagazine.com

Many Problems––One Solution!

Problematic homes have these symptoms: Mold, Ice Dams, Condensation/Frost, Hot/Cold Upstairs, Insulation Failure, Higher Bills, Ceiling Spots.

Call for a FREE HomeFITness Evaluation • 590-5094

cultures and times; to become poised when speaking and performing in front of an audience; and to connect with the community around them and with something greater than themselves.”

Madison believes it is never too early to start building a child’s love and understanding of music. “There are even popular Kindermusik classes designed for babies!” she adds.

For children ages 3 and 4, Omaha Conservatory of Music offers private lessons on violin, cello, and piano. These lessons also follow the “Mother-Tongue” philosophy created by Japanese violinist and famed music educator Dr. Shinichi Suzuki.

In basic terms, Dr. Suzuki’s philosophy applies the processes of learning a language to learning a musical instrument. Young children are able to learn music in the same way that they learn their native language— through parent involvement, early beginning, listening, repetition, encouragement, learning with other children, graded repertoire, and delayed reading.

Creating an environment that is rich with beautiful sounds immerses children into better comprehension of music. Repetition is important as well. Just as words are repeated in early talking phases, pieces of music should be repeated in a child’s musical vocabulary. Also, the encouragement of the parent and teacher for each step of progress allows each child to learn at their own pace in a positive and fun environment.

Beginning a musical journey with your child during the Pre-K years gives your child the strongest start for future academic success and will give a lifelong gift—the joy of music!

Violin and Cello Sprouts classes are also offered at OCM throughout the year as an introduction to the instrument. This gives students a chance to try an instrument before signing up for private instruction. For more information about classes and lessons, visit omahacm.org or call 402-932-4978. bestofomaha.com

Attic Ventilation Insulation • Roofing *FIT-Fully Integrated Thermodynamics: Truth is most homeowners suffer with year round issues caused by: Lack of Attic Ventilation, Insulation and Proper Watershed Management resulting in a “weak performing” home. All of this can be resolved by bringing the “gym” to your home. Oh! You thought you were going to learn about fitness? You did! You just learned that a healthy, efficient, HomeFIT Home...is a Happy Home! Think about that next time you are at the gym :)

Open Mon- Sat 10-6 • Sunday 11-4 402-502-1962

17650 Wright Street in Legacy West Omaha (Next to Sprint)

facebook.com/njandcompany

BE UNFORGETTABLE

a shear thing

salon & spa 25% OFF Your First Visit When You Bring This Ad In! 658 N. 114th Street • 402.493.1557 w w w. a s h e a r t h i n g s a l o n . c o m HerFamily • November 2013 13

teen voice story by Derek Nosbisch,

Millard North High School

“Fall” in Love with Bliss!

Mention this ad for 20% off One Regular Priced Item

12100 w. center rd. bel air plaza #607 402.991.3595 mon. 12-4 • tue. wed. fri. sat. 10-5 • thur. 10-6

expires 11.30.13

Bliss Boutique Omaha

14 HerFamily • November 2013

Community Service

I

don ’t feel that most

teenagers have anything against community service. We just don’t know how to go about it.

When you’re my age, the benefits of community service far outweigh the negatives. You can have fun with your friends while doing something that helps out the people in your life that you may not come into contact with that often, but who are important nonetheless.

When I look for volunteer work, I think of two things: How does this help the group I’m volunteering for, and how much are my accomplishments going to be valued?

Everything that’s done to pitch in matters, but sometimes, if I don’t feel that my contributions are going toward a goal, it’s hard to keep track of why I’m volunteering in the first place.

Despite the clichéd sayings about volunteer work, my reasons for choosing to volunteer have always been selfish. Is it shallow of me to admit that I enjoy the welling up of pride in my chest from a job well done and knowing that I helped someone in the process?

Self-satisfaction is as good a reason as any to pitch in for the community’s sake. There are always opportunities for teens to get out there. My advice would be to find something that appeals to you—something that you can get fulfillment out of—and pursue it. That way, when the time comes that you are asked to do community service for school or other organizations, you know exactly what you like to do.

When you’ve figured out what you like to do for community service, stick with it. No one will ever tell you that you have to branch out with your volunteering. As long as you’re able to find a volunteering experience that is rewarding to you, everyone will end up happy—you included. omahamagazine.com

young hero story by Bailey Hemphill • photo by Bill Sitzmann

Young Hero:

Leyna Hightshoe

“N

o ten -year - old girl wants

to have to wear a neck brace,” says Carla Podraza, whose daughter, Leyna Hightshoe, 12, was diagnosed with scoliosis at age 10.

Leyna, now a student at Norris Middle School in the Omaha Public Schools district, had an s-shaped spine (called double lateral curve) that made it hard for her to breathe. “When she was diagnosed, it was already severe enough that bracing couldn’t resolve the problem,” Podraza says. “But she was so young to have to undergo such a major surgery.”

Within a year of diagnosis, Leyna’s spine got worse. “The top was measured at 83 degrees while the bottom curve was around 79. A brace is recommended around 20-29 degrees, and surgery is considered to correct curvatures over 45 degrees,” explains Podraza.

But Podraza found an extremely skilled orthopedic surgeon at Shriners Hospital in Minneapolis, Minn., who seemed to be the right fit for Leyna’s case. “He took such care in considering all the details…nothing I told him seemed irrelevant. His staff was available to us all the time, answering questions, lending support.”

Podraza was told that Leyna’s condition needed to be addressed immediately. Unfortunately, other issues kept appearing. For example, the doctors discovered that Leyna also had a bleeding disorder called von Willebrand Disease, which affected her blood’s ability to clot. “That had to be taken into consideration and planned for before the surgery could be scheduled,” adds Podraza. “Because of all the impediments, plus trying to figure out how to pay bestofomaha.com

for a surgery of this magnitude…our nerves were stretched pretty thin,” she says.

Despite everything, Leyna was brave. She decorated her neck brace with rhinestones and puffy paint. She accepted all of the frightening information from her doctors calmly— from the descriptions of how her muscles would be peeled away to expose the spine during surgery to the “and in worst case, death” disclaimers. And she dealt with the incredible pain after her surgery.

“She pushed herself to get through it, and to do whatever the doctors said was necessary,” Podraza says. “For her to sit up within a day of the surgery seemed impossible, and to walk the next day was even more unbelievable.”

Chromium rods attached with two-dozen screws now support Leyna’s spine. Since the surgery, it has corrected her curves to 23 and 16 degrees, respectively. “Her breathing is so much better,” Podraza adds, “and her back is so much straighter than it was.”

Podraza is glad to have her daughter looking and feeling better, but what still amazes her is how Leyna was able to handle everything with grace and courage.

“Everyone has it in them to be strong when they need to be, but sometimes they don’t know that. [Leyna] was able to get past fear, doubt, and self-pity to figure out how to cope with the situation.

“She found it in herself though to find a way to get through each of those moments that were so emotionally tough…It showed me a new side of her—this fiercely strong person— [and] impressed me when I watched her push through the toughest parts, physically and mentally.”

Do you have a Young Hero in your life? Tell us their story.

They might be featured right here on our Young Hero page!

Contact Bailey Hemphill at bailey@omahamagazine.com.

Young Hero proudly sponsored by:

HerFamily • November 2013 15

feature story by Dawn Bashara • photos by Bill Sitzmann

From left: Julia 7, Gloria, 10, Victoria, 12, Paw Tha, and Ner Clay

Family Success Story

The Ner Clay & Paw Tha Family

N

Clay and Paw Tha are a humble couple with a story that is hard for most of us to imagine. They have lived three different lives—the first in Burma, their homeland; the second in the refugee camps of Thailand; and now their third in Omaha.

Burma—now called Myanmar by military rule, but forever known as Burma to its refugees—lies south of China on the Bay of Bengal. Home to a number of ethnic groups, the Karen (kuh-REHN) people make up about one third of the country’s population. The Karen are quiet, respectful, and industrious.

Family life is extremely important. Marriages are strong and function as a partnership of equals. The parenting style is firm but loving, and children of every age are respectful and obedient. Traditionally, Karen do not have family names; each person is seen as an individual.

The Karen suffered political and religious oppression in their homeland for many decades. But it became much worse in the 1970s and ’80s when a violent new military régime took over the government. A systematic genocide began, driving the Karen people into the forest while government soldiers er

16 HerFamily • November 2013

burned their villages. The only way to stay alive was to flee to refugee camps in neighboring Thailand, where the families of Ner Clay and Paw Tha found safety.

You might think of a refugee camp as offering temporary quarters. But history tells us the average stay for people in refugee camps worldwide is 15 years. Paw Tha lived 11 years in the camps. Ner Clay spent 30 years there.

“Life in the refugee camps was difficult,” says Ner Clay.

“We were safe inside the fences, but we could hear enemy gunfire in the hills. People were crowded and lived in poor conditions. Monsoons washed away the dirt walls of our shelters, and we had to rebuild them after the rainy season.

People could not leave the camp borders, and there was no way to earn a decent wage to a better life. When the fighting grew closer, the entire camp—thousands of people—had to move farther into Thailand.” omahamagazine.com

Faith and education are important values of the Karen culture, so churches and schools were organized. Ner Clay learned to speak English as a boy. As an adult, he served as a minister and helped charities organize services to the residents of the camp. Paw Tha arrived as a teenager who had already studied languages, history, and science. She taught English to first graders. Eventually, the couple found each other and were married. All three daughters—Victoria, now age 12, Gloria, 10, and Julia, 7—were born in the camp.

In 2008, Ner Clay and Paw Tha and their daughters were granted visas to travel to the United States. They were first placed in St. Paul, Minn., where they lived for three months. The couple’s English language skills positioned them in high demand. Then Ner Clay was asked to move his family to Omaha, where there was a need for a religious and cultural leader among the new Karen arrivals.

Ner Clay and Paw Tha moved their family into an apartment complex in North Omaha, and the Karen families followed.

Day after day, they labored to settle their

bestofomaha.com

own family and jobs while helping dozens of new refugee families translate their mail, make appointments, drive for errands, and function in an all-English world.

Ner Clay became associate pastor of the Karen Christian Revival Church with a growing parish of more than 400 families. In addition to spiritual support and recreational activities, the church became a resource center for the community, offering resettlement assistance, clothing and household items, job-seeking advice, and educational programs that help the families adjust to life in Omaha.

Paw Tha is now an interpreter at Franklin Elementary School, and their daughters attend Springville Elementary School, both of which are in the Omaha Public Schools district. In a comfortable home in northwest Omaha, they continue to provide assistance to established and new refugees—explaining insurance policies, legal documents, housing requirements, and notes from the children’s schools. They feel very lucky to be in a position to help others succeed, and often repeat their own personal

slogan: “We are blessed to be a blessing.”

Still, Paw Tha is concerned about some of the darker aspects of American culture. “In the camps, there is nothing to do, so there are many eyes on the children. Here, the children have so much more freedom and are exposed to many temptations,” she says. “I worry that they will lose respect for the ways of our culture.”

“Except for a few setbacks, things have turned out pretty much the way we hoped,” Ner Clay says. “Our people are finding success. They have bought more than 300 homes and have started new businesses— grocery stores, restaurants, clothing shops, and auto repair. We came here for freedom and citizenship, and we want to contribute to this great country. Anything is possible in America!”

This September, Ner Clay and Paw Tha became U.S. citizens, which granted automatic citizenship to their daughters. The couple agrees: “We hope our daughters will grab whatever opportunity they get in America.”

HerFamily • November 2013 17

education story by Cindy Copich, M.S., EDAD

LOCATIONS 14460 West Maple Rd.

14303 U St.

402.493.0443

402.895.0181

2609 S. 132nd St.

1919 N. 90th St.

402.334.6933

402.391.2072

10770 Fort St. [NEC]

4840 Dodge St.

402.493.3257

402.558.2000

8315 West Center Rd.

1701 S. Galvin Rd.

402.393.2557

402.292.2685

6901 S. 84th St.

545 West Washington St.

402.339.1090

712.352.4152

Omaha, NE

Omaha, NE

Omaha, NE

Omaha, NE

Omaha, NE

Omaha, NE

Omaha, NE

Bellevue, NE

Council Bluffs, IA

LaVista, NE

Flu Shots Offered Daily

Molly Maid clean is now green!

Trust Molly Maid to clean your home so thoroughly, people are guaranteed to notice!

5 Reasons why it makes sense.

1

Molly Maid’s private label cleaning products are environmentally safe, biodegradable and non-toxic.

2

It’s healthier for my family, the products are all natural cleaners and disinfectants, I don’t worry about fumes,

For a Cleaning Plan designed around your home and your lifestyle Call your Local

residue or build up.

3

4 5

I’m doing my part to help the environment.

Even the smallest contributions can make a big difference over time.

Molly Maid’s “Small Efforts. Big Results.” brochure provide additional information about creating a more green friendly home.

People always notice how clean and fresh my home is, now I’m proud to tell them it’s also a Molly Maid Green Home!

MOLLY MAID OF CENTRAL OMAHA/COUNCIL BLUFFS

402.932.MAID (6243) A clean you can trust!

.

Each franchise independently owned and operated

cathy.tichy@mollymaid.com

18 HerFamily • November 2013

Test-Takers or Learners?

H

parents of Nebraska public school children have received the results of the Nebraska State Accountability (NeSA) test. This test—which covers reading, writing, and math (and science for older students)—provides a specific score that indicates whether or not standards are met. NeSA tests measure, report, and compare student performance across the state primarily through a standardized, multiple-choice format.

Federal requirements tied to school funding have pushed Nebraska and other states to utilize more standardized tests as a measure of accountability. Some politicians have even gone as far as to suggest schools be graded and funded based upon these test results.

But standardized tests are a snapshot of what students “know” on a particular day—one small piece of the educational puzzle. Which begs the question: Do standardized tests measure what Nebraskans value most in education?

There are many other ways to quantify or observe what students have learned in the classroom. Performance assessments are useful to measure skills and knowledge across content areas through group and individual projects, demonstrations, experiments, or essays. Students can also prepare portfolios that provide a comprehensive view of their learning.

In addition, there are many skills not measured by a formal assessment. Creativity, interpersonal skills, and emotional intelligence are not measured on standardized tests, yet these are important skills needed for career and personal success. One of the best ways to know what is going on in the classroom is for parents to have conversations with their child and their child’s teacher.

It is important for parents to keep standardized test scores in perspective and remember that there is not one simple test that will measure what students know or the skills they have acquired throughout the school year. opefully by now all

omahamagazine.com

TEED GUARAN CLEAN

7631-5 Main St. Ralston NE 402-639-2121

cinderelladressrentals.com Over 6000 dresses in stock Why buy a dress that will lose 90% of its value and hang in your closet for years?

bestofomaha.com

Rentals starting at $24.95 Wed.-Fri. 2pm-6pm Sat 10am-2pm

Receive $10 off your next Dress Rental $39 or more cinderelladressrentals.com

HerFamily • November 2013 19

feature story by David Williams

Where’s My Grandparent Nickname?

“M

ee- mah ” and

“Boom-pah.” That’s what my grandsons, Easton, 4, and Barrett, 2½, call their grandmother and grandfather. My wife, Julie, and I think they are just the most adorable nicknames. There’s just one problem—Meemah and Boom-pah are the grandkids’ other set of grandparents.

As for us? Different story. When a boo-boo needs kissing or the occasional WWE slugfest breaks out among the boys, we’re summoned with the decidedly un-adorable monikers of plain old “Grandma” and “Grandpa.”

Quibbling over the unequal distribution of nicknames may seem petty, and some in the family take this injustice perhaps way too seriously (My wife won’t be reading this story, will she?). But it does speak to a larger issue, one of territoriality regarding those scarcest of resources—grandkids. And the problem can be vexing when the holiday season approaches.

20 HerFamily • November 2013

omahamagazine.com

REAL SCIENCE REAL RESULTS Okay, maybe “vexing” is too strong a word here. Its use in this context could hint at something other than the great relationship we have with the kids’ other grandparents. You know, the ones that happen to live right across the street from Easton and Barrett. The ones whose other daughter, in turn, lives just two doors down from them, and how that happens to also supply a pair of built-in, age-mirroring, time-stealing cousins to cavort with our grandkids. The ones whose two sons could easily snap up additional properties of their own on that quiet cul-de-sac, virtually turning the place into a private family compound. The ones who regularly…oh, you get the point.

Now where was I? Oh, yes. The subject was grandparent territoriality.

Is it any wonder, then, that Thanksgiving is a two-day “one here and one there” affair distinguished as “Turkey Day” followed by “Football Day?” Or that Christmas Eve must be celebrated at our home on December 23rd? Or that the grandkids will grow up believing that Santa is guilty of countless FAA violations by flying on not one but three successive evenings to each grandparents’ home, bookended by a sooty descent down their own chimney? What kid is going to turn down three days of present unwrapping? Besides, they’re too young to grasp the improbability of St. Nick’s madcap itinerary being more hectic than that of Secretary of State John Kerry’s in his September round of Middle East hop, skip, and jump shuttle diplomacy.

And on that subject of diplomacy, readers should know that Julie and I could not hope for more loving and nurturing co-grandparents, even if the situation does occasionally give me an exasperated, eyerolling opportunity to explain to my wife, for the umpteenth time, that yes, kidnapping is still a federal crime.

There I go again.

Julie and I don’t pretend to have it rougher than any other grandparents in that age-old balancing act of vying for time with the grandkids. One strategy we employ year-round is to look for the easy stuff—the no-brainers that almost always guarantee time with the little ones, and on our terms at that. We offer to babysit often. Overnighters are even better. What young, career-minded, perpetually harried pair of parents is going to say no to even the briefest reprieve from runny noses, skinned knees, and a certain insufferable cartoon character yammering “I’m the map” ad infinitum? Just sleeping in on a Saturday morning is priceless to them when the kids are with Grandma and Grandpa (Ugh! We simply must do something about those plain-Jane names!).

What I’m saying is…choose your grandparent battles wisely. And better yet, don’t approach them as battles at all. It’s said that the holidays are magic, so what could be more magical than three visits from Santa? Traditions are what we make them. Invent your own.

Now, does anyone know if there is such a thing as a nicknamegenerating program somewhere out on the interwebs? bestofomaha.com

Third-party clinical trials show that NeriumAD dramatically reduces the appearance of: • Fine lines and wrinkles • Discoloration • Uneven skin texture • Enlarged pores • Aging or loose skin “NeriumAD is awesome. My face is looking the best it has looked in years. It has helped with my skin problems.

My pores are looking better, too.”

– Evelyn, TX

“I am a 46 year old male and I use Nerium™; it helps reduce lines and wrinkles around my eyes. I am surprised and happy with my results.” - Tyler, Omaha Please contact me to try Nerium™ yourself.

(402) 215-6339 • http://tylerlemke.nerium.com

Inspire

Brilliance

The Omaha Conservatory of Music is dedicated to building a musical community through education and performance to enrich lives.

Call now to take the first step on your child’s musical journey!

402.932.4978 omahacm.org

HerFamily • November 2013 21

cover feature story by Chris Wolfgang 窶｢ photos by Bill Sitzmann

Nebraska Red Dawgs

Developing Strong Leaders and Great Basketball Players

22窶ォerFamily 窶｢ November 2013

omahamagazine.com

Coach Mike Kult with players Micah Ditzler, 17, left, and Nate Beran, 18, at UNO’s HPER building.

S

Mackenzie Voecks pretty excited about being a starter for her basketball team this fall semester: “I might be a forward. Not sure yet.” She’s also a team manager for her high school’s volleyball team. Busy girl, right? Especially considering the volleyball team is at home in Stanton, Neb., and her basketball team is nearly two hours south in Omaha.

Five years ago, Voecks was playing both basketball and volleyball in middle school when she suddenly contracted transverse myelitis. It’s a disease she describes as “your immune system attacking the nerves of your spinal cord.” Within three hours, Voecks couldn’t walk. It was at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center in Omaha where she met Jeromie Meyer, a wheelchair basketball player who first told her about the Nebraska Red Dawgs. The co-ed wheelchair basketball organization is based at University of Nebraska-Omaha, where Red Dawgs coach Mike Kult is the assistant director of facilities.

“She’s very dedicated and very good,” Kult says. “She’s improved a lot.” Though Mackenzie is the only girl starting on the varsity team, the organization’s ratio of boys to girls is about 50-50. A little over 20 participants are spread across three teams: a prep team for kids under 12, a junior varsity, and a varsity team.

While the Red Dawgs isn’t a college team—students are done with the program after graduating high school—the organization is loosely connected to UNO as a teaching opportunity for adaptive physical education and adaptive recreation studies. » ophomore is

bestofomaha.com

HerFamily • November 2013 23

cover feature

« “We’re a hands-on lab in a way,” Kult says, explaining that UNO students can assist with the team and see how the concepts work versus reading about them in a book.

In return, the Red Dawgs use UNO facilities for practice, once a week on Saturdays.

Practice must be making perfect. Kult points out with a smile that in the last four years, the Red Dawgs finished third, first, first, and second in national championships.

“We win, but we win with class,” he says.

“What good is it if we could beat a team by 100 points, what good is that?” Rather than rack up the score, he’ll put kids out on the floor who may not always play as much.

“So we won’t press, we won’t fast break, we’ll extend the game as much as we can. If the other team’s trying as hard as they can, they don’t need to feel like they don’t belong out there. We teach our kids to be good sports.”

Kult has been instilling this philosophy in the Red Dawgs since the team’s inception in 1990. That longevity, paired with heavy involvement from parents, gives the organization stability unique in high-school wheelchair basketball teams. Each parent on the board has a job, either with fundraising, with logistics, or with travel, for example.

“It’s not just about ‘my kid playing,’” Kult says. “When we travel, we travel with 30 or 40 people.”

24 HerFamily • November 2013

And travel they certainly do. Phoenix, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, Columbia, Louisville. They’ve been invited to Pennsylvania and Dallas this year as well. The teams try to make sure they fly only about once a year and drive everywhere else.

The organization fundraises to keep it free to join, taking care of things like travel and uniforms. Chairs are also available for free from the team, but Kult encourages students to buy their own athletic chairs after they’ve stopped growing. The special chairs have wheels that are cambered, or tilted in at the top near the seat, affording a wide base. The tilt of the wheels means it’s more difficult for players to catch their hands against another chair, and it gives a faster turning speed.

“You really want your chair to fit you well,” Kult explains, “you want it really tight, so if you just move your hips a bit, it reacts to you and turns.”

Chairs can cost $3,000 apiece, and an aggressive player can wear through two or three sets of tires in a season. Each tire can cost $40. Fortunately, the Red Dawgs are sponsored through a tire company, so players have received free tires for the last few years. Also, a Red Dawg can purchase a chair through the team at half price, thanks to a good relationship with a wheelchair company in Georgia.

Perhaps surprisingly, the use of a wheelchair in everyday life is not a requirement for playing wheelchair basketball. “You have to have an orthopedic disability of a lower limb,” Kult defines. That could mean a student walks perfectly fine with a prosthetic, for example. “If you’re not used to a chair, it’s real easy to learn,” he says. “If you’ve played basketball before, the skills transfer easily.

The rules are the same.”

One exception does come into play after high school in adult wheelchair basketball. A points classification system determines which adult players can be on the floor at any given time. “You can’t have over 14 points on the floor,” Kult explains. “Say somebody who has a bad leg is a 4.5. Someone with a high spinal cord injury is going to be a class 1.” Ergo, if a team has four players with a bad foot and each of those players is a class 5, that’s 20 points; six over the limit. Obviously, a highly skilled, low-number class player is a valuable asset to a college or professional team.

Even though junior teams like the Red Dawgs don’t have to observe the points system, Kult explains that he still trains and develops all his students alike. “We get recruited a lot here,” Kult says with pride.

Fewer than a dozen universities in the United States offer wheelchair basketball, but Kult sent off yet another of his students to one of them this fall. Dylan Fischbach, former Red Dawgs captain for three years, omahamagazine.com

Christmas Open House Nov 8th and 9th

“Kids who’ve heard ‘You can’t, you can’t, you can’t,’ can say, ‘I was in a tournament in Dallas, we won, I scored so many points.’ They have that same thing to talk about with other kids.”

20% Off Purchase

-Mike Kult, Nebraska Red Dawgs coach

began his freshman year at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in September.

“I think Mike prepared me very well for the college division,” Fischbach says. “He kind of molded me into a leader with that team.” He played with the Red Dawgs a total of eight years, encouraged by his parents.

Mom Kelly is a physical education teacher, and father Bruce is the head athletic trainer at University of South Dakota. “They dragged me into it,” Fischbach says, “and I can’t thank them enough.”

Fischbach was one of Kult’s recruits who wasn’t used to a wheelchair, thanks to a prosthetic leg. “I was playing able-bodied basketball at the time,” he recalls, “so shooting was weird.” During his first game as a Red Dawg, he stood out of his chair two or three times. “Usually, that’s a technical, but I was 10, so they just kind of brushed it off.” Fischbach pauses. “[Kult] wasn’t exactly happy that game.”

Kult will proudly relay that his own college coach was the wheelchair-basketball version of Bobby Knight. To hear Fischbach tell it, Kult might have absorbed some of that coaching style himself. “He’ll get in your face, definitely. There was a time when we weren’t boxing out,” the Whitewater freshman remembers. “He always hated it when the ball just dropped, and he grabbed his leg and kicked the ball across the court. We kind of got a clue we needed to get to work.”

Fischbach hopes to keep working well after college, as a matter of fact. His major is sports management, but he’d like to play professionally. There is no professional wheelchair basketball in the U.S., but a few Red Dawgs have gone on to play in Europe.

Josh Turek, for example, plays in France and was a forward on the USA bronze-medal bestofomaha.com

team in the 2012 Paralympic Games. Before that he played in Madrid for nine years.

Fischbach personally has his eye on Galatasaray, a sports club in Turkey. “They pay the best, and they’re the defending champs of their league,” he says.

Professional athletics in Europe aren’t in the cards for everyone, but Kult is quick to point out the sport’s benefits that are avail84th and 1st St, able to all participants. “Unemployment Downtown Papillion with a disability is usually in the 60 to 70 402-331-9136 percentile. Kids who play sports bring that percentage down because they’ve developed confidence,” he says. “Kids who’ve heardPapillion Flower Patch HF1113.indd 1 9/9/13 ‘You can’t, you can’t, you can’t,’ can say, ‘I was in a tournament in Dallas, we won, I scored so many points.’ They have that same thing to talk about with other kids.” Knowing how to work toward a goal, work as a team, and deliver on expectations are all skills that inREVIEW OF THE PREVIOUS WEEK’S crease the employment chances of a person GAME WITH COACHES with a disability. Close friendships and imCOMMENTARY AND proved health from consistent exercise are, of LIVE Q & A WITH course, other bonuses.

HUSKER STAFF Despite the benefits, recruiting is not an easy task. Medical law means the organizaStarting Sept. 5th tion can’t simply cold-call from a list, and every Thursday night eligible kids typically lack the confidence to following a game approach the team even when they’ve heard doors @ 5:30p.m. | film @ 7p.m. about it. “So if we see a kid limping or in a ADMISSION: $5.00 wheelchair, we approach them,” Kult admits.

Available for Sale: “We’d love to find more kids,” he says.

Food & Beverages • Soda • Popcorn “Even if we had 50 kids, we’d find room for Raffles for Husker Memorabilia all of them.”

HUSKER

3:14 PM

FILM NIGHTS

While the Red Dawgs don’t play games at UNO frequently, the campus will host a regional tournament in February, one of eight around the country. The top 16 teams go on to play at nationals. For more information, visit the Nebraska Red Dawgs Facebook page.

402.731.3176

5219 S. 53rd St. (52nd & Q) Omaha, NE 68117 HerFamily • November 2013 25

fitness

story by Sarah Egan, BS, CPT, HKC, CES • photos by Bill Sitzmann • modeled by Shaela Bruce

5-Minute Workout Band Walk

S

imilar to last month ’s

“Rockers” exercise, this workout tones the lower half—specifically inner and outer thighs and glutes. A resistance band will be needed for this exercise.

Sarah Egan Nebraska Elite Sports & Fitness Complex Personal Training Department Head BS, CPT, HKC, CES

Setup & Starting Position While holding the handles of the band, step on it with both feet so that it goes below the arches of your feet.

Exercise 1. Moving in a straight line, stride out to one side as far as you can.

2. Bring feet back together.

3. Continue strides until you have traveled about 15 feet, then reverse strides, moving the same distance in the opposite direction.

4. Repeat both ways two times.

26 HerFamily • November 2013

omahamagazine.com

symphony pops series sponsor

“Brilliantly performed, spread the cheer and bring friends.” – Omaha World-Herald

broadway p e r Fo r m e r s!

F u n Fo r t h e ! whole Family

December 12, 13, 14 & 15 Holland Center

Make it your Holiday Tradition! sponsored by

TiCkeTs sTarT aT $19 402.345.0606 | omahasymphony.org

CURT

HOFER

& ASSOCIATES

Your home...your builder. Exceptional.

Your home...your builder.

Exceptional.

2332 Bob Boozer Drive Omaha, NE 68130 Phone: 402.758.0440 n

www.cur thofer.com

Selecting a builder is as much an expression of taste as it is a statement of confidence. No one understands this better than Curt Hofer & Associates. As one of the area’s most respected custom homebuilders and remodelers, we provide a one-of-a-kind experience in creating your once-in-a-lifetime home.

From individual rooms, to how these rooms come together to create a home, the team at Curt Hofer & Associates knows how to bring the best ideas to life – yours.

The result? Your home...your builder. Exceptional.

bestofomaha.com

HerFamily • November 2013 27

mom on the rocks story by Leslie Murrell

Thanksgiving on the Rocks

I

love to cook, but

A NEW WAY TO SEARCH FOR HOMES. Home searching just got a makeover. The next generation of NP Dodge is here–with a new website, new app and cutting-edge features.

ANDROID APP ON

the Thanksgiving production in my kitchen has lost its luster. On top of that, I’m not great at cooking gigantor birds, I don’t like stuffing, and it’s physically and emotionally impossible for me to make gravy. There, I said it.

My life changed a few years ago when I discovered a Thanksgiving secret. So let’s just keep this one between us, okay? Most grocery stores offer delicious pre-made turkey dinners.

I saw this “secret” advertised in the newspaper. Most include a turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and cranberry relish. (Try buying your Thanksgiving grocery list for under a $100). Some also offer other sides you can choose from. But since I love to cook to relieve stress, not induce it, I get the dinner and make a couple of our favorite sides—usually green bean casserole and pumpkin pie.

Last year, I called a pal who had her in-laws in town on Thanksgiving Day. I could hear the sweat dripping from her head, pots clanking, kids screaming—and I’m pretty sure she cussed out her husband for being in the kitchen. When I mentioned the pre-cooked turkey dinner and that I just had to heat it up, her response was a shriek. “YOU CAN DO THAT?!” Yes, you can.

Here’s what you do. You secretly order the turkey dinner, pick it up, stash it, dish it on your china, and your family is none the wiser. You save money, everyone eats, and you don’t have the annual meltdown in the kitchen this year because all of the yelling about how the football game muffled the sound of the oven timers, and now the turkey is overcooked and the pie is burned. There’s not enough whipped cream to fix a burnt pie. Trust me, I’ve tried. You get none of that shame, and all of the glory with the pre-cooked dinner. We’ll all just keep it to ourselves, and go from there.

By the way, when you have time, money, and hands freed up from all that cooking, you can do some or all of these: • Serve dinners to the less fortunate.

• Donate money for dinners to the Food Bank, Together, or other local agencies committed to fighting hunger.

• Play with your kids.

• Go for a run or workout before you eat (because you don’t have to tend to all that stuff in the kitchen).

• Spend the rest of your Thanksgiving budget on Black Friday, or better yet, a nice bottle of wine.

• When’s the last time you watched the entire parade?

Read more of Murrell’s stories at momontherocks.com.

28 HerFamily • November 2013

omahamagazine.com

food prepared by Bailey Hemphill • photo by Bill Sitzmann

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients: • 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin • 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk • 2 large eggs • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• ½ tsp ground ginger • ½ tsp ground nutmeg • ½ tsp salt • 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

Instructions: 1. Preheat oven to 425°F. 2. Whisk pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt in medium bowl until smooth.

3. Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust.

4. Bake 15 minutes.

5. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking 35-40 minutes (or until knife inserted 1 inch from crust comes out clean).

6. Cool and store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

Source: allrecipes.com bestofomaha.com

HerFamily • November 2013 29

feature story by Cherie Lytle, Children’s Hospital & Medical Center • photo by Bill Sitzmann

Turkey Soup

I

t ’s the perfect way

to warm up on a chilly day. Try this easy turkey soup that can also add a welcome, new twist to Thanksgiving leftovers.

For more healthy recipes, visit HealthyKohlsKids.com. The Healthy Kohl’s Kids program is a partnership between Children’s Hospital & Medical Center and Kohl’s Department Stores to educate children and parents about healthy nutrition and fitness.

Ingredients • 1 Tbsp olive oil • ½ cup chopped onion • ½ cup diced carrot • ½ cup diced celery 1 • /8 tsp black pepper • ½ tsp dried oregano • ½ tsp dried basil • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, with liquid • 3 cups water • 3 cups vegetable broth • 1 can (15 oz) great Northern beans, rinsed and drained • 2 cups (about 16 ounces) cubed cooked turkey • ½ cup cubed zucchini • 1 Tbsp dried parsley

Preparation 1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until softened, about 4 minutes.

2. Stir in carrot, celery, pepper, oregano, and basil. Cover and cook over low heat for 5 minutes.

3. Add tomatoes with their liquid, water, broth, beans, and turkey and stir.

Cover saucepan and bring to a boil.

Lower heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes.

4. Add zucchini and parsley and cook until zucchini is cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Serve.

Yield: 8 servings

Nutrition Facts Calories: 165, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 47mg, Sodium: 528mg, Carbohydrates: 14g, Fiber: 4g, Protein: 21g * Nutritional information is based on ingredients listed and serving size; any additions or substitutions to ingredients may alter the recipe’s nutritional content.

30 HerFamily • November 2013

omahamagazine.com

single parent story by Paige Edwards

12965 West Center Road • [Montclair Shopping Center] 402-778-0650

Divorce with Dignity Providing families in conflict with a peaceful, dignified, and respectful alternative to the traditional divorce process.

Nebraska Collaborative Divorce

402.991.3424 www.collaborativepracticene.com

Never cut what can be untied

—Chinese Proverb

We were proud to participate in the 2011 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!

Professional Dance Education For All Ages!

Jazz • Hip-Hop • Lyrical • Tap • Ballet • Pointe • Modern • Contemporary • Dance Theater We allow students to develop skills to their optimum potential while challenging them to achieve higher levels of dance education.

402.493.5671 • onpointedancecentre.com 1812 N. 120th Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68154 bestofomaha.com

What Does “Family Holiday” Mean Now?

T

he holiday season.

I’m not sure if there is another phrase that can evoke such extreme emotions. In just one moment, it can put smiles on our faces and send chills down our spines.

I could write all day long about how we have lost the meaning of the holidays, but I particularly want to talk about how we’ve lost our definition of “family holiday” during this traditional season.

Take Thanksgiving, for example. Before becoming a single parent, you probably cooked for your family—your spouse, your children, maybe even your extended families. Now, you might not even have your children on the actual day, which can be really lonely. We’re supposed to be thankful on this day, but that might be a hard emotion to muster when we’re at odds with our family situations.

This year, I’m challenging all single parents (myself included) to redefine what a “family holiday” is. After all, your definition of family has changed, so why shouldn’t your expectations for the holidays change as well?

One idea is to combine and celebrate with other single families in your situation. It cuts down on costs and is an interesting way to create new traditions. Another option (if it’s not your time with the kids) is to team up with other kid-less adults and enjoy a more adult Thanksgiving meal. Whatever you do, just remember that “family” doesn’t always mean the spouse, the kids, and the white picket fence.

I’m not going to lie. Sometimes, the holidays cannot be over fast enough for me, but I have to remind myself not to glamorize what the holidays used to be like. If I’m honest, they were usually just as stressful for different reasons. So try to see the good, and don’t forget to be thankful.

HerFamily • November 2013 31

A Must-See Boutique

Holiday Open House

Big & Li’l Diggers • Li’l Diggers • Leagues • Lessons • Camps

Save the date!

FRIDAY NOV.8TH & SATURDAY NOV.9TH

20% OFF ONE ITEM [excludes brighton]

Check Out our Bargain Basement!

Call for Details!

5 TIME BEST WOMEN’S BOUTIQUE

402.213.4644 thevolleyballacademy.com

402.991.4477 84th & 1st St. Downtown Papillion

Text KAJOMAS to 36000 for Exclusive Offers

Find furry friendship!

On sale November 1.

January 2–5 CenturyLink Center Box Office 800.745.3000 • Ticketmaster.com

TM/©2013 Sesame Workshop. All Rights Reserved. 63409 9/13

become a favorite friend at sesamestreetlive.com

Purchase tickets BEFORE they go on sale to the public by using the code BERT at ticketmaster.com.

32 HerFamily • November 2013

omahamagazine.com

feature story by Linda Persigehl

Prep for College Now

Creating a financial plan early can make higher education more affordable for students and parents.

W

seeing double-digit hikes and student loan debt at an alltime high, affording college is a big concern for many parents and students. But there are plenty of options that can make higher education reasonable for people at all income levels—grants, scholarships, financial aid, or just a good savings account. It’s all in the planning. Here are a few tips from four local financial pros. ith college tuition

START SAVING ASAP

Beverly Hobbs, LPL Financial Advisor with SAC FCU Wealth Management located at SAC Federal Credit Union, says parents should ideally begin saving for their child’s college education when they’re born.

“With college as expensive as it is and costs rising…the earlier, the better,” Hobbs says.

“Certainly, the amount they should save » bestofomaha.com

HerFamily • November 2013 33

feature “Certainly, the amount they should save depends on each [person’s] financial situation, but I tell them to put aside something.

Start out with a regular savings account and build from there.”

-Beverly Hobbs, LPL Financial Advisor with SAC FCU Wealth Management « depends on each [person’s] financial situation, but I tell them to put aside something.

Start out with a regular savings account and build from there.”

“The key here is consistency,” adds Crissy Hayes, vice president of operations at SAC FCU. “Take what discretionary income you have and budget to pay yourself first, then pay your kids second.” Scheduling automatic checking account withdrawals or payroll deductions to make regular deposits to a college fund—a “set it and forget it” system—is highly recommended.

CONSIDER INVESTING IN A 529 COLLEGE SAVINGS PLAN

Deborah Goodkin, managing director of college savings plans for First National Bank of Omaha, says 529 College Savings Plans are among the best tools for parents to save for their children’s education. Plans, of which there are more than 90 available nationally, are issued by individual states. Nebraska offers four 529 plans, commonly referred to as NEST (Nebraska Education Savings Trust) plans.

NEST plans offer three big advantages, Goodkin says. “First, all earnings in the investment are tax-deferred and remain taxfree when funds are withdrawn for highereducation expenses. Second, for those who pay Nebraska state income tax, up to $5,000 of NEST contributions are deductible in computing one’s state income tax, and that amount will rise to $10,000 as of Jan. 1, 2014. Third, for those who are not savvy investors, 529 plans offer an easy way to invest

34 HerFamily • November 2013

and offer flexibility to move funds from more aggressive to less aggressive investments as the child ages, much like an IRA with a target retirement date does. Most plans have no minimum monthly investment, and as much as $360,000 total can be saved in any single NEST plan.”

Community colleges, technical and culinary schools, four-year colleges, and even universities abroad all qualify under 529 plan guidelines. Covered college expenses include tuition, books, fees, computers (when required for coursework), and room and board. “Virtually everything except transportation to and from school is included,” Goodkin adds.

In addition, 529 plans allow grandparents and others to make deposits as well, and the funds are transferable to other family members seeking higher education if the plan beneficiary does not use them.

“...all earnings in the investment are taxdeferred and remain tax-free when funds are withdrawn for highereducation expenses.”

-Deborah Goodkin, managing director of college savings plans for First National Bank of Omaha Goodkin warns there are penalties on earnings when funds are withdrawn for unqualified expenses. And like any investment, there are always financial risks to consider.

“But NEST plans have some of the highest plan ratings in the country, based on their earnings performance, their ease of use with online management tools and customer service, and the plans’ history of giving back to the community.”

Nonetheless, Hobbs advises parents to sit down with an expert before making any investment decisions. “Prior to investing in a 529 plan or making any investment, you want to talk with a financial advisor and tax advisor to assess your individual needs, your goals, and your risk tolerance. There are so many options, restrictions, and regulations,

you want to make sure you get all your bases covered.”

LOOK TO SCHOLARSHIPS FOR HELP (BUT DON’T DEPEND ON THEM ENTIRELY) “Too many parents make the mistake of thinking their kids will get full college scholarships—either academic or athletic—and they’re ill-prepared when they don’t,” Goodkin says. “What they don’t realize is that federal scholarship income guidelines are too low for many to quality. In addition, more people today are in need of financial assistance, so more are applying for scholarships.

There’s just less out there.”

That’s not to say there aren’t scholarships to be found, many of which can be researched and applied for online. A comprehensive list of college scholarships, application tips and more can be found at www.scholarships.com.

Students don’t need to wait until their junior or senior high school years to begin the scholarship hunt, Goodkin adds. Hundreds of smaller scholarships are awarded each year to elementary and high school students who enter essay contests, music competitions, and so on.

A high school guidance counselor can also be a great resource for learning about small scholarships offered in one’s community (think VFW, local charities, the Chamber of Commerce, etc.) or school system.

“Too many parents make the mistake of thinking their kids will get full college scholarships—either academic or athletic— and they’re ill-prepared when they don’t,” -Goodkin SEEK FINANCIAL AID

If scholarships and college savings just aren’t enough to cover your expenses, then seeking student financial aid is your next step. “Begin by completing your FAFSA [Free Application for Federal Student Aid]

omahamagazine.com

“Make sure to find out from the school what their priority deadline for FAFSA forms is [for financial aid for the following fall], as they vary.”

-Paula Kohles,

Where Young Artists Come to Create!

Saturday • Children’s Art Classes • Ages 5-11 9:30 am-11:00 am

Pre-enrollments for Holiday and Spring Break Going on Now. Tons of fun age appropriate activities planned.

Come check us out!

SMART START LEARNING CENTER | 2020 N. 72nd Street | Mon.-Fri. 5:30am-6:30pm | 402-614-2722

associate director of financial aid at Creighton University form well in advance and submitting to your college’s financial aid department to see if you qualify for federal grants or other aid,” suggests Hobbs.

Paula Kohles, associate director of financial aid at Creighton University, says FAFSA forms are typically filled out online these days and sent electronically to a school’s financial aid department. The beginning of a student’s second semester of their senior high school year is suggested as a good time to apply. “Make sure to find out from the school what their priority deadline for FAFSA forms is [for financial aid for the following fall], as they vary. Creighton’s is April 1st, but other schools’ deadlines are even earlier.”

Once received, the school will evaluate a student’s financial situation and send them an award notification letter spelling out their aid eligibility, Kohles says. Federally subsidized Stafford Loans and Perkins Loans, which offer college students reduced interest rate loans and special repayment options, as well as Pell Grants (which don’t need to be repaid), are some of the options students may qualify for.

“We also look at their eligibility for campus-based SEOGs (Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants) and work-study programs, as well as unsubsidized loan programs,” Hobbs adds. “There are a lot of aid options out there.”

The final takeaway? College preparation requires sound financial planning and good ol’ resourcefulness. But if you fall short, there is help available. Now get to it!

PREVENTION & EARLY INTERVENTION

PERMANENCY & WELL-BEING

ChILdREN’S BEhAVIORAL hEALTh

Children Services (402) 661-7100

Beverly Hobbs is a registered representative with and securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC.

bestofomaha.com

HerFamily • November 2013 35

Did you know 90% of brain development happens by age 5?

Discover Nebraska Children’s Home Society’s accredited, high-quality, early childhood education programs with low child-to-staff ratios at two locations.

4939 S. 118th St. in Omaha, (402) 898-7760, for children 18 months through Pre-K and 3549 Fontenelle Blvd. in Omaha, (402) 898-7768, for children 6 weeks through Pre-K

Call today for a free, no-obligation tour.

36 HerFamily • November 2013

omahamagazine.com

Calendar of Events

Holiday Lights Festival, Nov. 21 - Dec. 31.

Photo provided by Holiday Lights Festival

FOR THE KIDS

A Christmas Carol, Nov. 22 - Dec. 23.

Photo provided by Omaha Community Playhouse

MATHALIVE!

19-24

AT

ORPHEUM

THEATER,

Follow the hilarious tale of Buddy the Elf as he ventures to New York City to meet his birth father and help him discover the true meaning of Christmas. Tu-Th/7:30pm; F/8pm; Sat/2&8pm; Sun/1:30&7pm. Tickets from $3075. 402-345-0606 – omahaperformingarts.org 409 N. 16TH ST.

THROUGH JANUARY 5 AT STRATEGIC AIR & SPACE

Exhibit showing the real math behind what kids love most—video games, sports, fashion, music, robotics, and more. Daily/10am-5pm. $12 adults, $11 seniors & military, $6 ages 4-12. 402-944-3100 – sasmuseum.com MUSEUM, 28210 W. PARK HWY.

THE NUTCRACKER NOVEMBER 20-23 AT CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY LIED EDU-

GOOSE BUMPS! THE SCIENCE OF FEAR

CATION CENTER FOR THE ARTS, 2500 CALIFORNIA PLZ.

THROUGH

Enjoy this holiday classic ballet performed by the Creighton Dance Company and Department of Fine and Performing Arts. W-F/7:30pm; Sat/2pm. $18 general admission. 402-280-1448 – creighton.edu

JANUARY

5

AT

DURHAM

MUSEUM,

Test yourself against four common fears. Observe how fear changes and learn simple ways to combat stress. Tu/10am-8pm; WSat/10am-5pm; Sun/1-5pm. $9 adults, $7 seniors (62+), $6 ages 3-12, free for members and children 2 & under. 402-444-5071 – durhammuseum.org 801 S. 10TH ST.

HOLIDAY LIGHTS FESTIVAL NOVEMBER 21 – DECEMBER 31 AT GENE LEAHY MALL,

BIG NATE NOVEMBER

Photo provided by Lauritzen Gardens

FOR MOM & DAD

ELF THE MUSICAL NOVEMBER

Holiday Poinsettia Show, Nov. 29 - Jan.5.

Join the Omaha community at the Thanksgiving Lighting Ceremony on November 21, which kicks off the six-week Holiday Lights Festival events 402-345-5401 – holidaylightsfestival.org

MURDER MYSTERY DINNER SHOW – THE DINNER DETECTIVE THROUGH DECEMBER 28 AT DOUBLETREE HOTEL,

America’s largest award-winning murder mystery dinner show is now playing in Omaha. Each ticket includes a fourcourse meal, show, beverages, prizes, and more.

Saturdays/6pm. $54.95 per person. 866-496-0535 – thedinnerdetective.com 1616 DODGE ST.

BRIAN REGAN NOVEMBER 7 AT HOLLAND PERFORMING ARTS CENTER,

Comedian Brian Regan has distinguished himself as one of the premier comedians in the country, visiting more than 80 cities each year with material that relates to a wide audience. 7:30pm. Tickets start at $38.75.

402-345-0606 – omahaperformingarts.org 1200 DOUGLAS ST.

14TH & FARNAM STS. 8-24

AT

THE

ROSE

THEATER,

Lincoln Peirce’s book series, Big Nate, comes to life onstage, as Nate Wright, the kid with the highest detention record at P.S. 38, fights to win the Battle of the Bands and the girl of his dreams. F/7pm; Sat/2&5pm; Sun/2pm. $18 general admission, or free for members. 402-345-4849 – rosetheater.org 2001 FARNAM ST.

FOR THE FAMILY MUTUAL OF OMAHA’S WILD KINGDOM NOVEMBER 8 AT HOLLAND PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, 1200 DOUGLAS ST. Wild

Kingdom’s Peter Gros has nearly 30 years of field experience with captive wildlife. Both entertaining and educational, he intermingles video clips of bloopers while highlighting issues of conservation, travel, and wildlife filming and introducing the audience to live animals. 8pm. Tickets from $15-30.

402-345-0606 – omahaperformingarts.org

bestofomaha.com

A CHRISTMAS CAROL NOVEMBER 22 – DECEMBER 23 AT OMAHA COMMUNITY

Experience Omaha’s favorite holiday tradition as Ebenezer Scrooge goes on a life-changing journey through his past, present, and future. W-Sat/7:30pm; Sun/2pm. $35 adults, $24 students (before Dec. 15). $39 adults, $28 students (after Dec. 15). 402-553-0800 – omahaplayhouse.com PLAYHOUSE, 6915 CASS ST.

HOLIDAY POINSETTIA SHOW NOVEMBER 29 – JANUARY 5 AT LAURITZEN GARDENS,

This spectacular exhibit includes a 20-foot-tall poinsettia tree, beautifully decorated holiday trees, antique sleighs, and several passenger and freight model trains. Daily/9am-5pm (closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day). $7 adults, $3 ages 6-12, free for kids 5 & under. 402-346-4002 – lauritzengardens.org

THERESA CAPUTO NOVEMBER 13 AT ORPHEUM THEATER, 409 N. 16TH ST.

Theresa Caputo, psychic medium and star of the hit TLC show Long Island Medium, will give interactive readings to audience members throughout the show and will also share personal stories about her life and her unique gifts. 7:30pm.

Tickets from $39.75-69.75. 402-345-0606 – omahaperformingarts.org BRAD PAISLEY NOVEMBER 14 AT CENTURYLINK CENTER OMAHA,

Known for his serious guitar chops, country artist Brad Paisley performs his “Beat This Summer” Tour. 7:30pm.

Tickets from $30.50-63. 402-341-1500 – centurylinkcenteromaha.com 455 N. 10TH ST.

100 BANCROFT ST.

LARRY THE CABLE GUY NOVEMBER 15 AT ORPHEUM THEATER, 409 N. 16TH ST.

Born in Pawnee City, Neb., Larry the Cable Guy observes and celebrates the workingman and the redneck lifestyle. 7pm & 9:30pm. Tickets start at $35. 402-345-0606 – omahaperformingarts.org HerFamily • November 2013 37

auto care

story by Darcie Dingman

Car Insurance

WE TEACH: GUITAR KEYS BASS VOCALS DRUMS

Terminology

I

nsurance can be confusing .

Register Today!

13270 Millard Ave. | Omaha

www.SCHOOLofROCK.com

Inspiring the world to rock on stage and in life.

Bring this ad in and receive a ONE WEEK FREE TRIAL New students only

402.215.6 003

www.omahabluewaves.com

14205 U St. Omaha, NE 68137

38 HerFamily • November 2013

TAEKWON-DO | HAPKIDO | BOOT CAMPS PERSONAL TRAINING | BELLY DANCE FIT MASSAGE THERAPY AND MORE...

If it isn’t something that we deal with on a regular basis, the terminology can leave us even more befuddled. The following are terms that are used in “insurance talk” and what they mean to you.

Collision Coverage – This will cover your vehicle for physical damage caused by a collision with another vehicle or object.

Comprehensive Coverage – This is for non-collision-related damage that results from a covered loss such as theft, vandalism, hitting an animal, or falling objects like tree branches or hail.

Liability Coverage – This covers damage that your vehicle does to others and their property. If a person has liability-only coverage, their vehicle is not covered for a collision or comprehensive claim.

Premium – The amount you pay for your insurance coverage. This can be paid yearly, quarterly, or monthly depending upon your insurance company and the plan you select.

Deductible – The portion you are responsible for on a covered loss, as opposed to the portion the insurance company is paying.

This is something that you select when you are choosing your insurance. Common deductibles range between $250-1000. This is paid to the shop when repairs are completed.

Betterment – This is an improvement to the value of what was originally on the vehicle. This happens most of the time with tires and batteries. If a tire or battery needs to be replaced, there can be a betterment charged to the owners, which is usually a percentage of the cost.

Rental Car Coverage – This will provide rental coverage for a specific amount of days while your vehicle is being repaired. This is an additional item to add to your insurance coverage for a minimal amount of money that, when needed, is really beneficial.

It is important to understand what type of insurance you have and what it covers. This is an abbreviated list of what I would consider the most important terms when there is a property damage loss. If you are unsure what your coverage is, ask your insurance agent to go over what types of coverage you have. omahamagazine.com

omahalibrary.org

omahalibrary.org

Splat the Cat Visits Storytime Fri | Nov 8 | 10:30 am

A.V. Sorensen Branch 4808 Cass St. | 402.444.5274

Tues | Nov 12 | 10:30 am South Omaha Library 2808 Q St. | 402.444.4850

Wed | Nov 13 | 10:30 am W. Dale Clark Main Library 215 S. 15th St. | 402.444.4800

Thurs | Nov 14 | 10:30 am

Florence Branch 2920 Bondesson St. | 402.444.5299

Fri | Nov 15 | 10:30 am

W. Clarke Swanson Branch 9101 W. Dodge Rd. | 402.444.4852

Tues | Nov 19 | 10:30 am

Saddlebrook Branch 14850 Laurel Ave. | 402.884.7473

Wed | Nov 20 | 10:30 am

Children’s Stories, Animal Stories

& Traditional Lakota Stories

Jerome Kills Small tells stories that have been passed down for generations as part of the Lakota and Dakota Sioux traditions. Registration required. This presentation is made possible by

Humanities Nebraska (HN) and Omaha Public Library as part of the HN Speakers Bureau.

Wed | Nov 6 | 6:30 pm

Florence Branch 2920 Bondesson St. | 402.444.5299

Puppy Pals Storytime Play RESPECT (a local nonprofit organization) will present a short, interactive play that focuses on social skills, identifying emotions, learning how to make friends, and learning how to “stop and think” before acting. Recommended for preschoolers and kindergarteners, but all

ages are welcome. Registration required.

Tues | Nov 12 10 am – Saddlebrook Branch

Tues | Nov 26 | 11 am

Benson Branch 6015 Binney St. | 402.444.4846

4:30 pm – A.V. Sorensen Branch 4808 Cass St. | 402.444.5274

Wed | Nov 27 | 10:30 am

Sat | Nov 23 | 10:30 am

Mon | Nov 25 | 10:30 am

Millard Branch 13214 Westwood Ln. | 402.444.4848

Thurs | Nov 21 | 10:30 am

Charles B. Washington Branch 2868 Ames Ave. | 402.444.4849

14850 Laurel Ave. | 402.884.7473

Charles B. Washington Branch 2868 Ames Ave. | 402.444.4849

W. Dale Clark Main Library 215 S. 15th St. | 402.444.4800

Milton R. Abrahams Branch 5111 N. 90th St. | 402.444.6284 Families with children ages 6-10 are encouraged to join us for breakfast followed by a reading and discussion program.

Saturdays | Nov 2–23 | 9 am

South Omaha Library 2808 Q St. | 402.444.4850

Registration required. Sponsored by Humanities Nebraska

with funding from the State of Nebraska and Nebraska Cultural Endowment. Funders include Lincoln Financial Foundation and Carol Gendler. Humanities Nebraska is a private, statewide, non-profit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

It’s Electric!

Boogie woogie, woogie!

Join us for an exciting hands-on look into the world of electricity and electronics.

For ages 10 and up. Registration required.

Wednesdays | 5:30 pm

Milton R. Abrahams Branch 5111 N. 90th St. | 402.444.6284

Omaha Magazine 5921 S. 118th Cir. Omaha, NE 68137

art. at home. auto. beauty. beer, cocktails & wine. before & after. best of b2b ™. best lawyers in america ® . best of omaha ™. business profiles. calendar of events. chefs. coffee & tea. diy project. downtown. education. entrepreneurs. ethics. family activities. fashion. finance & real estate. fitness. galas. galleries & museums. home happenings. home improvement. hot products. in the office. leaders. music. neighborhoods. new home businesses. news. nightlife. nonprofits. nutrition. omaha’s best doctors ® . opinion. parenting. premier wealth advisors. people. people on the rise. pets. places. q&a spotlight. recreation. restaurants. retirement. reviews. social media. sports. stylists. teen voices. theatre. top dentists™. young hero.

business. entertainment. family. food & drink. health. home. lifestyle. style.

the new