September 2014

Peekaboo SEPTEMBER 2014

A True Hero Cobblestone Project

Hands-On History

Northwest Arkansas’ Family Magazine

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the PEEKABOO family Kimberly Enderle

Editor-in-Chief editor@peekaboonwa.com (479) 957-0532

Ava. Grant. and Holden.

Jonathon Enderle

Creative Director jon@peekaboonwa.com (479) 586-3890

/

Distribution/ Circulation Joyce Whitaker Judy Evans Marcedalia Salinas Colleen Cook Jeremy Whitaker Michelle Dodson

Peekaboo Publications, PO Box 1036, Bentonville, Arkansas 72712 Peekaboo Northwest Arkansas accepts writing contributions.

Please send inquiries to: editor@peekaboonwa.com or call (479) 586-3890 Peekaboo may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher.

Views expressed herein are those of the authors and advertisers, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the magazine.

Peekaboo nwa W h at ’ s I n s i d e | S E P T E M B E R | 2 0 1 4

14

Meet Kadence

20

Your Child’s Skin Health

22 30

by: KC Bise

by: Millie Roberson

My Darling Son

by: Elizabeth Newlun

C-Sections: Just the Facts... If You Can Find Them by:Jill Arnold

32

Tuesdays by: Jolene Smith

34

Camp Alliance: Meet Jody

40

A True Hero by: Olivia Planchon and Jane Sexton Planchon

46

Is My Child Active or Hyperactive? by: Laurie Anderson, MD

50

60

Freedom to Choose by: Stefanie Lawson

52

Dad’s View

54

Overcoming Social Anxiety

with Ben Lacy

by: Martha Brown

60

The Cobblestone Project

62

Ozark Kids Preschool Values Its Role in Downtown Springdale’s Rebirth by: Christi Silano, Ph.D.

64

14 54

Hands-On History Lessons at Rogers Historical Museum

52 o n t h e c ov e r Camille Cashman, age

8, daughter of Jason Jeanne Cashman of Bentonville, Arkansas

and

Model from N.c.K. Talent Academy www.thenck.com

by: Tara Worth

Cover Photo by: Sweet Portrayal Photography

wwwsweetportrayalphotography.com

10 September 2014

M

y boys are, no doubt about it, 110% B-O-Y. Every incline is a ramp, every stepstool is a diving board, and if there is a mud puddle or bit of dirt within 100 yards they are asking to play in it.

Their favorite characters are superheroes, of course, but not just the cape-wearing kind. In my little ones’ eyes, superheroes pass by them every day. They are the firefighters in their cool red trucks, and the policemen and women who protect them from the “bad guys.” Heroes are the men and women in the camo clothes who deserve a salute from everyone that walks by.

When Ava and Holden see a police officer pass by our table at a restaurant, their eyes get as big with excitement as if Spiderman himself walked by -- “Look, a real policeman!” they whisper to each other. To them, a fire truck is just as

photo credit: Created For You Photography

impressive as the Batmobile, especially when they see it while visiting the fire station--which itself feels more like a superhero’s secret hideout than an office space.

Their perspective is why the September “Hometown Heroes” issue is one of my favorites to put together.

This issue is filled with stories of local families who sacrifice for our community on a daily basis. Whether it’s a teacher, a police officer, a fireman, a mom or dad in the armed forces, or a foster family coming to a child’s rescue, this issue is dedicated to the people who protect, serve, and take an active role in making this area the best that it can be. They are all, as my kids remind me, real-life superheroes.

This month, as we take time to reflect on the sacrifices these people make for us, take a moment to introduce them to your children. Schedule a visit with one of the local fire stations or police stations for a tour. Or, take a special treat to a family you know who has a parent serving in the military to let them know that their sacrifice is not going unnoticed. Finally, volunteer!

Help your child find a way to do their own “super work” around their home, neighborhood, or town.

12 September 2014

MeetKadence

S e p t e m b e r i s C r a n i o s y n o s t o s i s A w a r e n e ss M o n t h

Y

story shared by: KC Bise

ou know how some people talk about having “dream” pregnancies, where their emotions stay in check, their morning sickness is at a minimum, and they deliver without any delay? Well, the story of this particular pregnancy, my second one, isn’t like that... at all. In fact, I would say, as far as pregnancies go, I had a very rough one. The chaos began one night when I was awakened at about 2:30AM with an incredibly strong, sharp pain in my upper right side. I was 36 weeks along at this point, and I knew it couldn’t be contractions, because (ladies, back me up!) that’s a pain you never forget.

I woke my husband, Andrew, up and we loaded our 3-year-old son in the car to meet my mom at the hospital. On the dark, rainy ride there, Andrew stopped, like any responsible driver, at a red light.

I whipped around to check, and there was no one around, so I yelled at him to go!

Due to the pains, I spent two long nights in the hospital and, even after several tests plus a trip to another hospital, they still couldn’t figure out what was causing my pain.

They had put me on several pain medications but nothing could control the pain. I remember crying, asking my husband to help me. He was amazing that day, trying everything he knew to get me to relax and calm down. The team of doctors and nurses told us that because I was in so much pain already, they didn’t want to put me through a traumatic delivery. If we delivered now, then they could have the surgeon check my gallbladder right after. The doctors hurried to get ready and I had a complete freak-out moment.

I was crying from the pain, and I didn’t want my baby to come early. I wanted to be there when she was born.

My mom got right in my face and held me, telling me that everything would be okay. Before I knew it, we were in the operating room and the doctor was standing over me as they were getting ready to put me under. I heard him say, “I haven’t made a cut like this in 30 years.” They did a vertical incision so that they would be able to check my gallbladder later.

Thus, on May 31, at about 2:00PM, the doctors performed an emergency C-section in order for

a surgeon to do exploratory surgery. They put me under using general anesthesia to do this, so I don’t even remember having Kadence! In fact, Kadence was already six hours old when I finally got to meet her. I wasn’t able to hold her until the next day, however. She weighed 6.8 pounds, and was 19 inches long -- pretty good for a ‘preemie.’ The nurses said that if she had been carried to term, she would’ve been nine or 10 pounds!

I was told that the doctors didn’t find anything wrong with me, so we were free to focus on Kadence. We went on to spend the longest three weeks of our lives in the NICU with her, until we were finally able to bring her home. The following night we went to a service at the church we attended. Right after the singing started, I began to have the very same pain on my right side, so we left and went to the hospital immediately. The doctors there did an ultrasound and said that I had gallstones, and the next morning they would need to do surgery to remove my gallbladder. So, for Kadence’s second and third night home, she spent time with her grandma while I was in the hospital.

A month passed by, and I had a very fussy baby on my hands. I gave Kadence some Gripe Water thinking that maybe she had an upset stomach. I was surprised and horrified when she ended up choking on it and turning blue! I called 911, and the paramedics rushed her to the hospital. The team there got her breathing again, so the next day we went to the pediatrician to make sure she was okay. Since we were already there, I decided to ask about a particular ridge I had noticed on the top of her head. It looked like her skull was pushed up against itself.

After an inspection, her doctor told me she had sagittal craniosynostosis, which meant that the suture in her skull had fused prematurely, and they would need to go in and cut it back open so her little skull could heal correctly. Without skipping a beat, the doctor asked me if I preferred Kansas City Children’s Hospital or Arkansas Children’s Hospital, but I was still reeling from hearing that my threemonth-old needed to have her skull cut open. I told him that I didn’t care, and he stepped out to make the referral. I immediately broke down crying. I had just gone from, the day before, her turning blue right in front of me from oxygen loss, to today, a doctor telling me she needed her skull cut open.

Eventually, Dr. Salvage came back in and told me that Mercy Children’s in Kansas City could get us in faster, so that’s where we would be going. After I walked out of the doctor’s office that day, I almost had a complete breakdown in the hallway. I had never even heard of something like this before. Thankfully (after a quick phone call to my husband, who calmed my freak-out session) I found a Facebook page with other families

[ story continued next page ]

We rushed over to the hospital and, in what seemed mere seconds, they put her in a gown, checked her vitals and sent off my tiny innocent baby to complete strangers to have her head cut open. who have gone through the same thing. I was able to ask questions and get advice for the hospital stay, and for the helmet therapy the doctors had recommended... what a relief!

Within a week, we were meeting with a surgeon when he confirmed her diagnosis with a CT scan, telling us that she would need to wear a helmet for about a year to help protect and reshape her skull. They scheduled Kadence to have surgery on a Friday, and told us that we would have to come the day before for bloodwork and her pre-operation paperwork. Following these orders, about two weeks later we made the long drive back up to Kansas City. However, when we went in to start the paperwork, they told us that at the time, they didn’t have any pediatric ICU beds open, and thus it was very unlikely that surgery the next day would be possible. They told us to stay in town, though, so that we could reschedule. I wasn’t nervous, really, since we were allegedly going to be rescheduled, so we told our family members that had planned to come up to stay home instead. The next morning, our surgeon called and told us that he was about to do his rounds, and at that point, it seemed very unlikely that Kadence would get her surgery that day. However, he called back about 30 minutes later and asked how fast we could get to the hospital. That’s when the nerves kicked in!

We rushed over to the hospital and, in what seemed mere seconds, they put her in a gown, checked her vitals and sent off my tiny innocent baby to complete strangers to have her head cut open. Andrew and I were stressed out. We went out to the waiting room.

I ended up doing surprisingly well during the the surgery, thanks to our family members who were there physically, and to the members of our church who were there spiritually, who called, texted and prayed with us that day. The support was overwhelming.

The staff gave us updates every hour, on the hour. They finally told us the surgery was done and that we could see her in about half-hour. An hour went by with no news, so I asked them to call back to surgery and check on her. I was horrified when they told me that the team couldn’t get her pain under control. Honestly, that was my breaking point. No mom wants to hear that their baby -- especially such a tiny little infant -- is in pain when not able to be there with them! About another hour passed, which seemed like an eternity, when we finally got to see her, in what was probably the hardest moment of my life. She was laying there with three different IVs snaking over her, a catheter in, and a drain visible on her head, as she whimpered in pain.

16 September 2014

There wasn’t a thing in the world I could do to make it go away.

Three excruciating hours later, we were finally allowed to hold her. It ended up being a very long night, but thankfully she bounced back and everything went uphill from there.

One more night in the hospital and she was allowed to go home!

Before we went home, we had to get Kadence fitted with the helmet that would shape her head properly over time. We were at the Hanger office every other week for adjustments.

That helmet was a nightmare in itself! It made her head very hot, and she was constantly drenched in sweat.

We had to change her clothes twice a day and, within the first week of having the helmet, her incisions became infected because of her sweating. Our doctor prescribed some antibiotic cream and told me to apply it very generously, so I did. Later that evening, I took her helmet off at bath time, which was the only time she was allowed to have it off, and I started to wash her hair. I watched in horror as it washed right off of her head, filling up the sink with her beautiful, brown hair.

Apparently, she was allergic to the antibiotic cream.

I remember standing there, crying, as I watched her hair literally go down the drain.

If that wasn’t enough, the first few times taking Kadence out in public with her helmet on were very difficult.

People stared and pointed, apparently thinking we couldn’t see them or wouldn’t notice their hurtful glances. I found out that we were allowed to decorate her helmet, so I put stickers on it that said “Ask me!”

Over time, after we put the stickers on, going out got easier and stares didn’t bother me anymore. It even got to be fun for her, because, as she got bigger and learned to walk, she found out that she could headbutt with the helmet. It didn’t hurt her, of course, but me, on the other hand, had about four bloody lips!

Less than a year later, Kadence was out of her helmet and good to go. We recently celebrated her second birthday, and everything with her skull looks great.

Other than mild asthma, she is a perfectly healthy two-year-old with lots of aptitude and spunk. And, this last March, she became a big sister!

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Your Child’s

Skin Health

by Millie Roberson

A

s parents, we tend to examine our children’s skin almost daily. We notice new spots, bumps, and bruises all the time, especially after camping trips, exuberant recess playtime or pool parties. Most of the time, these bruises and red streaks, freckles, scars and moles either fade rather quickly or settle benignly into our children’s skin, a reminder of fun days spent without caution.

Some spots on our children’s skin, however, do not resolve as quickly as others and may be cause for a trip to the dermatologist.

Of all these, the most common spot I see in children is the spider angioma. It is a red spot that appears on the skin, surrounded by tiny broken blood vessels that cause it to resemble a spider or a spider’s web. These spots are found in both adults and children. In children, the spots usually appear on the face, neck, fingers or backs of the hands.

Although they may resolve on their own over time, they may bleed if they are scraped or bumped. They can also be cosmetically bothersome and incite hurtful comments and teasing from other children.

Fortunately, there is an easy fix for a parent that does not want to wait to see if the spot will resolve on its own. At Hull Dermatology & Aesthetics we offer laser treatments, which are very safe and effective, as the best way to treat spider angiomas. These spots usually respond very well to the laser and, while they occasionally require multiple treatments, they can often be resolved after only one.

Children are very inquisitive about the laser once they find out they are having a treatment. The top two questions I receive from children are, first, what it

will feel like, and then, of course, whether it will hurt.

The treatment is very quick and simple, and requires no numbing or local anesthesia. If anything, your child is likely to experience only a slight momentary discomfort, like a pinprick.

Although there isn’t really a way to prevent spider angiomas from occurring, other spots that will manifest on your child usually stem from childhood habits. Sun damage and sun spots are preventable with the proper tools, and training your child with good sun protection habits is one of the greatest gifts you can pass along. Sun protective clothing with built-in SPF factors is very effective for protecting your child from sunburn and sun damage. What’s nice about sun protective clothing is that, unlike some sunscreens, it doesn’t smell weird or smear everywhere, just to be washed off by avid pool splashing. Of course, there are plenty of sunscreen options that also avoid this, but clothing is very easy for the more squeamish (or forgetful) of us... and it doesn’t need to be re-applied every couple of hours!

Additionally, avoid peak sun hours of the day, which are between 10AM and 2PM Remember to protect children with sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or greater and apply it often, especially after sweating or getting wet. Many children have sensitive skin, so look for a sunscreen with a physical block (rather than a chemical block) such as zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide. Children may not appreciate the sunscreen application process now, but they, and their skin, will thank you someday!

Millie Roberson is a registered nurse (R.N.) with over 7 years of experience.

She has received extensive training in laser treatments and procedures.

Millie strives to always be current on what’s new in the world of laser therapy, aesthetic products and treatments.

Call 479-254-9662 opt 2 to schedule an appointment with Millie, or visit www.hullderm.com for more information.

20 September 2014

My Darling Son, I

t seems you were born only yesterday. When your father and I found out we were expecting you, we called you Shorty because we did not know whether God had given us a son or a daughter. It’s kind of ironic that you grew to 6’4”.

Your first name, John, came from your grandfather Brown and your middle name William from my father. John William Brown was a formidable name for a nine and a half pound baby boy.

Oh, how your father and I loved you from the moment we knew you were created.

When you were three, a sweet elderly man asked if you would trade your new baby brother, Danny, for a pony. You smiled at him and said, “No way!”

That may have been my first memory of feeling blessed by your choices...

But it wasn’t the last.

When you were just 3, our family moved from California to Arkansas because we felt that we could give you the best upbringing in a small town.

We had a humble home in Siloam Springs and made wonderful new friends.

We did not get right into a specific church, but tried many.

School, you came to me and told me that you had accepted Christ as your Savior. My heart swelled! I asked how you felt and you said “Happy.”

“Why happy?” I asked.

way!”

You smiled, “No

As a young boy, you never pushed your boundaries. You required very little discipline, because, even at five, you were harder on yourself than we could be.

As the oldest child of three brothers, you were loving, kind, and responsible. When Lucas came along, you would rock him to sleep while I was cooking dinner. You’d play with both brothers and keep a watchful eye over the rest of the neighbor boys. The only times that I worried about the boys was when you tried your wrestling moves on them.

You were always ready to go to church. You had learned so much in AWANA, choir, and Sunday School. And then, one day in the summer of your seventh year of life, after a day at vacation Bible

22 September 2014

“Because now I know that Jesus died for me and I am going to heaven.”

I, too, know that you are going to heaven. Not just because you made that decision at a very young age, but because as you grew, you showed your relationship with Christ in your actions, choices and character.

Many of your friends have said that you made everything fun and yet helped them make healthy choices during those teen years. When many people your age were out partying, you and your friends were making funny movies using my video camera, shooting baskets out on the driveway, and playing baseball at Franklin Field.

I think it’s a gift from God that you became a natural leader. You were always a head and shoulders taller than everyone else, so they had no choice but to look up to you. However, just the way you led with kindness for everyone and direction toward a saving faith, was what really caused people to continue to respect and follow you.

Our family was not always patriotic. Your grandfathers served in the military but, back then,

it was kind of expected. You became patriotic as an adult. Maybe we all did. I know that while your stepfather was born a patriot, I only became aware of an amazing respect for our country and our military after it was threatened by terrorists on 9/11. I know that seeing flags fly from every building and home showing our unity when the Taliban thought they could kill our spirit changed our family forever. Your stepfather and I cried through every newscast we watched and every national anthem we heard for weeks. We saluted the flag and sang with a new respect for just what that flag meant. When people call our flag and our country Old Glory, I now understand why. Our country is truly a force to be reckoned with. God has blessed us over and over.

You were living in Florida then and seeking a degree in medicine as a nurse anesthesist. I know that there were bad choices that were made at this time of your life, but I also knew that you knew what was right. You had been trained up in the way you should go and I knew that you’d come around. And so it was, in the fall of 2001 when you called in the middle of the fall semester to ask me to pray with you about joining the Air Force and trying to join the ranks of the special operative team of pararescue. I remember clearly knowing it was dangerous, but knowing that I could not stand

up and salute the flag that stands for freedom without being willing to let my son fight for it. I told you then that I was proud of you and blessed beyond measure.

By March of 2002 you had enlisted and had gone to Basic Military Training in San Antonio, TX. Later that spring, I traveled to your graduation from basic training. It was there that I met your Tabitha for the first time. I remember then feeling that you had made yet another great decision.

Not only did you complete extensive training, you married Tabitha and established your first home and began a lifetime partnership.

You immediately joined the pararescue pipeline training and were sent to Albuquerque. During the next 24 months, you completed numerous Air Force and joint forces schools, such as Army Airborne, Air Force Survival School, Army Special

[ story continued next page ]

Forces Combat Dive Course, Army Special Forces Military Freefall School, Paramedics Course, and the Air Force PJ school. In September 2004, you completed PJ school and were awarded a leadership commendation that was seldom given. I was so, so proud.

You and Tabitha were then assigned to Moody AFB and to the 38th rescue squadron. Shortly after that move you asked that I come see your new home and to visit before your first of eight deployments in support of Global War on Terror. You also were one of the first responders in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. It was during this rescue that you called me and described what it felt like to be a “human yo-yo!”

You searched for words to describe how difficult it is to know how firmly one should hold a newborn baby as you are being hoisted up a cable from the hospital rooftop to a hovering helicopter. Again, your compassion blessed me to no end.

In May of 2006, you were assigned to the 31st rescue squadron based on Okinawa. I was thrilled because you were excited, but the knowledge that you’d serve there for three years was overwhelming.

Needless to say, I was ecstatic to learn you’d be coming home for a visit and so that Tabitha and I could attend the Women of Faith conference in San Antonio. We had a wonderful visit there as the women in the family grew in our faith while the men grew in their relationship with each other.

Following your return to Japan, you assessed for and were assigned to the 24th special tactics squadron. I did not know then and you were not at liberty to say that this was the elite group of special operatives in your branch of the military, one that worked in joint force with the special ops teams from the other branches. All I knew then was that my baby was coming back to the States. You and Tabitha moved to a very nice home in Southern Pines, North Carolina in April of 2009. I remember how excited you two were to break ground for

the construction of a home. You were deployed to Afghanistan only two times to fight in the Operation for Enduring Freedom. With each deployment came the phone call where you, in code, would tell me you wouldn’t be able to call for a while. Because of the secrecy of your missions, our calls were always kind of awkward, but always contained the words of how much love and pride I felt.

Your last deployment was different for many reasons, the first being that you were supposed to come to Arkansas and spend some down time at the lake house with us. So, when you called to say that plans changed and you could not come, I was disappointed to say the least. But, thank goodness, that only lasted for a few seconds. When you asked me to come to see you, I thought that you were feeling bad about the change in plans and were just trying to not disappoint me, so I suggested that we wait to get together when you returned in November. You were quick to correct me and say that it was you that needed to see me, your mama.

And so, within 12 hours, I was on a plane flying to North Carolina. Oh my son, what if I’d said no? What if you had not offered? I would not be blessed right now with the sweet memories of a very special few days with my boy.

It was during these days that you told me that you were ready to go home and be with your Heavenly Father. It was during those moments that I would tell you that if there were no John Brown, your wife, Tabitha would always be my daughter.

It was during those times that we hugged and said we loved each other and that we would see each other in November when you returned. As was your custom of hugging, you held on longer and stronger than I did.

I don’t think you knew then how few your days on earth were. I think you lived everyday with that kind of purpose, preparation and love.

I love you,son, with the kind of love that only a parent that has lost a child can understand. I receive comfort from my heavenly Father who willingly gave his Son so that others may live.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 I look forward to the day that together we will celebrate His love.

Until then...

Your Mom, Elizabeth Newlun

Licensed Kindermusik Educator, Pamela Lipinski, discovered Kindermusik when her first child was 11 weeks old, and they joined a class together. She immediately fell in love with the experience, particularly with the close bond that she felt with her son while singing, moving, and playing together. The class was friendly, fun, and engaging! Pamela was thrilled to connect with her instructor and the other parents and developed lasting friendships.

Kindermusik is a music and movement program for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Classes nurture early childhood development - and not just their musical development. At a Kindermusik class, parents and children join together to sing, listen, play simple instruments like bells, sticks, or sand blocks; explore objects like colorful balls and scarves; act out stories and move creatively to music as they pretend to be animals or boats or trains. Classes provide a great opportunity for dedicated parent-child bonding in our busy, fast-paced world.

Plus, moms love coming together to meet and share experiences with other moms who have kids the same age.

Kindermusik is a program focused on the whole child. So, while our classes definitely set the foundation for a lifelong love for music, Kindermusik is so much more. We help promote children’s language, cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development! And, it’s done in a way that’s fun for the parent and child - kids don’t even know they’re learning!

One of the hallmark benefits of Kindermusik-branded classes is our philosophy that YOU as the parent are the child’s first and most important teacher. That’s why we equip parents with a home component - included in the price of tuition - so that the fun and learning continues throughout the week, not just while you’re in class. The Kindermusik@Home digital component provides parents a link to class-themed online interactive activities, an e-storybook that we read in class, and an .mp3 album with all of the songs from the class. You can easily download songs and share them while driving in the car. There’s a new unit theme with new songs every four weeks!

Ms. Pam offers a variety of fun and entertaining classes for children from 6 weeks to 4 years of age. Classes are scheduled to conveniently meet the needs of working families with both daytime and nighttime offerings. Have several children? Classes are offered within a single age group as well as multiple ages to ensure that everyone can participate.

There’s sure to be a class to fit the needs of both you and your child!

Specific class times and schedules for Ms. Pam can be found at kindermusik.com or at Ms.Pam’s Kindermusic Facebook site.

You can even sign up for a free trial class! You and your child are invited to build a foundation for a lifelong love of music.

28 September 2014

C-sections: Just. the facts .

n

early one in three women gives birth by c-section today in the U.S., which is more than 5 times as many as in 1970. As the most commonly performed surgery in the country, the c-section keeps mothers and babies alive who might suffer injury or death without it. Yet when the procedure is overused, more women and babies are placed at risk of complications, both long-term and short-term, including emergency hysterectomy, blood clots, wound infection, abnormal placenta location in subsequent pregnancies and increased respiratory problems in newborns.

The latest research shows that the rise of the c-section, or cesarean section, cannot be solely attributed to medical necessity or patients requesting them.

A 2014 analysis by Consumer Reports found that women today tend to be older and heavier going into pregnancy, which might result in more medically

if you can find them.

necessary c-sections, but the medical experts they interviewed attribute the increase to inducing labor for patient or provider convenience and decreased interest in normal birth.

Consumer Reports also identified extreme variation in c-section rates, echoing the findings published in the journal Health Affairs in 2013, which showed a ten-fold variation in c-section rates in the U.S. This is why current research looks at how rates vary between hospitals rather than the rise in the overall rate nationally. The Joint Commission measure now used in hospitals with over 1,100 births per year examines the most variable portion of c-section rates—those occurring to full-term pregnancies in first-time moms because, according to the Joint Commission specifications manual, “[h]ospitals with CS rates at 15-20% have infant outcomes that are just as good and better maternal outcomes.” They also note that that physician factors, rather than patient characteristics or obstetric diagnoses, account for the difference in rates within a hospital.

Ideally, people seeking maternity care would have access to information, such as c-section rates, of hospitals in their area to help them decide where to give birth, especially if they would strongly prefer to give birth vaginally.

Some states are transparent with hospital data—New York and Massachusetts even have a law specifically stating that maternity care data must be made publicly available! Other states, including Arkansas and Kansas, have a law prohibiting the release of hospitallevel data to the public.

How to find a provider or facility with an appropriate c-section rate if your state doesn’t report them:

30 September 2014

The time to research a place of birth, costs of giving birth and provider practice style is as soon as possible!

When shopping around for a care provider, find out at which hospitals they have privileges. This information is typically available on health insurance in-network search directories. The provider’s administrative staff should be able to answer your questions over the phone about insurance, where the provider or group attends births, whether they routinely attend VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) and what their c-section rate is, though it isn’t uncommon for patients to hear

“I don’t know” or “About average” in response to requests for delivery rates.

On the hospital research front, your best bet is to request a brief phone call with the nurse manager in labor and delivery. While they may not be at liberty to share numbers, they know the exact rates of VBAC and cesarean deliveries and can give you a sense of whether or not their hospital would give your preference of a vaginal birth and avoiding surgery, if possible.

When interviewing physicians, asking “What is your cesarean rate?” might not go over as well as you think. Some know and readily share their rates, while others might feel like they need to explain the context in which they practice while being careful not to violate patient privacy.

Remember the reason for asking the question in the first place, and lead by expressing your values and preferences. For example, “I’m really hoping to avoid a cesarean if possible and I would prefer a vaginal birth without a lot of medical intervention as long as my baby and I are healthy.

What are your thoughts on me wanting to avoid surgery?” Keep in mind that you are asking if they are willing to partner with you in ensuring that you have preference-sensitive care throughout the duration of your pregnancy.

It might not be a good fit, leaving you free to explore different provider and facility options in the area. Family practice physicians attend births in hospitals, while midwives work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, freestanding birth centers and home. Both family practice doctors and midwives typically have much lower rates of patients ultimately receiving a c-section, partly due to a lower-risk patient population but also due to the emphasis on the physiologic birth process.

The provider you choose for your baby’s birth and the birth setting strongly influence how your pregnancy and birth will be managed and ultimately how you will give birth. A little research can go a long way!

About the author: Jill Arnold is the founder of CesareanRates.com and a consultant to Consumer Reports Health. She lives in Northwest Arkansas with her two children.

Local data resources: Hospital charges, volume and average length of stay for cesareans and vaginal births can be found at www.hospitalconsumerassist.com/map.htm County-level maternity care data are provided by the Arkansas Department of Health online at www.healthy.arkansas.gov/programsServices/ healthStatistics/Pages/CurrentBirthData.aspx

x Tuesdays

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uesdays for me used to just be the day I woke up and said, “Thank goodness Monday is over... Off to work!” That all changed considerably almost 3 years ago.

I’ve had a lot of friends ask me to pray for them on this specific day above any other day. While I can’t tell you why you should be praying or reflecting for them today as individuals, I want you to know why there should be a lot of people on your heart each and every Tuesday.

Every Tuesday in Benton County, the circuit court convenes to hear the cases of families in turmoil and

by JOLENE SMITH

children in foster care. There are biological parents sitting in the waiting room feeling angry or scared, worried that their efforts won’t be acknowledged or that they’ll be told they have not done enough. There are children in that lobby anxiously scanning the waiting room and glancing at the clock, wondering if their parents will show up on time. There are foster parents wondering if this day will mark the day they need to start preparing their child (and themselves) to say goodbye, or if they need to buckle up because the road is about to get longer and bumpier. There are families adopting a child on this day whose indescribable joy is tempered by an unspeakable grief because their gain comes at the expense of someone else’s loss, and they can’t ever forget that.

For those of you who live in Benton County, don’t kid yourselves. You shopped at Walmart with one of these parents, or you know one of these parents, even though they haven’t told you because they’re too ashamed or scared. Your child plays with one of these kids who is now living with a stranger. That crazy lady at the grocery story who looks like she has kids from 5 different baby daddies may just be the foster mom who is striving to make each of those hurt children feel loved and appreciated, even though none them are yet able to show her that love back.

I’m praying for all the parts of these families today, and especially for these children. I’m praying today for all the attorneys involved in these cases; those that represent the Department of Human Services, the biological families and the children. I’m praying for the overloaded caseworker with 60 cases to be able to recall, with clarity for 20 minutes, just this one.

I’m praying for Judge Thomas E. Smith for wisdom and discernment, today and all days. For my friends down south, on Wednesday morning, I will be praying these same things for Washington County and Judge Zimmerman’s courtroom. Please join me in the best way you know how, be it prayer or meditation or just extending a little kindness on the road... because the woman who cut you off turning onto I Street may be racing to the Tuesday appointment that will forever change her life.

32 September 2014

CMeeatmJodpy e c n a i l Al Thousands of families across Arkansas and the region have benefited from Mrs. Jody Bergstrom’s work… but who is she, and why is she having such in impact in our region?

Jody is a devoted wife, loving mother and, along with her husband, Joshua, the co-founder of Camp Alliance, Inc. Together with their children, the Bergstroms are a military family proudly serving the United States through Joshua’s service in the Army Reserve. Along with thousands of other families, the Bergstroms have endured an up-tempo mobilization and deployment pace of the National Guard and Army Reserve force, with Josh called up for full-time service four of the last seven years.

“I know I am making a difference in people’s lives all the time. So often, I hear from military families who appreciate the direct impact Camp Alliance is having on their family, their unit and their service.

At the same time, I hear from business leaders about how they appreciate the fact that Camp Alliance is able to incorporate their support directly to military units and families,” says Jody. Bringing about the fundamental change in what support looks like for Guard and Reserve forces is a monumental task that Camp Alliance has taken on. The mission is gaining momentum as they continue to educate and accept the impacts that the last thirteen years of combat have had on us.

As a drill sergeant, Josh teaches his troops, “Everyone makes a difference.

It is up to the individual to decide what that difference will be.” For Jody, she is committed to making a difference in the lives of our heroic families all across the country. The last four years have laid the foundation for what is to come as Camp Alliance continues to provide increasing support throughout Arkansas, the region and the nation. Americans deserve to live safe and proud, and Camp Alliance supports those who provide this to us.

Jody is currently the executive director of Camp Alliance, Inc. and credits her for-profit business management experience for instilling in her “the drive, capacity and capability to succeed as a leader in the non-profit sector.” She explains this by saying, “Business management fundamentals directly correlate to nonprofit management. It is necessary to manage people, money and clientele. The biggest difference is the definition of success.

Profit defines success in the business world, but helping people defines success in the nonprofit world.”

Serving as a military family while living in Northwest Arkansas has been difficult but also very rewarding. While going through their third mobilization in four years, the Bergstroms were approached with the question, “If you could change the world for our military personnel, what would you do?” Their immediate response was that they would want to take care of the families left at home all across America. And, out of this inspiration, Camp Alliance was created.

Camp Alliance is an established IRS 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization working on behalf of our Guard and Reserve forces. Fulfilling the demands generated by serving so many is the welcome challenge Jody tackles every day. She spends her time engaging military, civic and business leaders in order to find ways to improve the direct and indirect support to military units, members and families.

34 September 2014

Camp Alliance, Inc. serves as the pivotal public organization focused on building missionresilient National Guard and Army Reserve military units and families. www.campallianceinc.com

Sun

Tues

Mon

We 2

Pinnacle Hills Promenade and the NWA Mall

Fayetteville on College and 6th St. Bentonville on Walton Rogers on Walnut and Pleasant Grove

7 Sidewalk Sundays at The Walmart Museum Plant fall flowers to take home with you.Drop in anytime between 2-5 p.m.

It’s free! Questions? Call us at (479) 273-1329 ext. 2 or visit us on out Facebook page.

14 Sidewalk Sundays at The Walmart Museum - Downtown Bentonville Make pottery with the Community Creative Center.

Drop in anytime between 2-5 p.m.

It’s free! Questions? Call us at (479) 273-1329 ext. 2 or visit us on out Facebook page.

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Sidewalk Sundays Walmart Museum - Downtown Bentonville IBM demonstrates how ice cream can be made in minutes with liquid nitrogen.Drop in anytime between 2-5 p.m. It’s free! Questions? Call us at (479) 273-1329 ext. 2 or visit us on our Facebook page.

28 Sidewalk Sundays Walmart Museum - Downtown Bentonville IBM is back with circuit balls and more scientific experiments. .Drop in anytime between 2-5 p.m. It’s free!

Questions? Call us at (479) 273-1329 ext. 2 or visit us on our Facebook page.

8

Girl Bookworms Bookclub 5:00 pm Bentonville Public Library It’s time for girls’ ages 10-12 yrs. old to talk, discuss, chat and share ideas about The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate in the Read Aloud area of Bentonville Public Library. Books are provided by the AR State Library and are available for pick-up at BPL. For more information view the library calendar at bentonvillelibrary.org or contact 271-6816.

Bentonville Public Library Homeschool Lessons 1:00 PM-Grades 1-2 1:00 PM-Grades 7-9 1:00 PM-Kindergarten 1:30 PM-Grades 10-12 1:30 PM-Grades 3-4 2:00 PM-Grades 5-6

Preparing for Out of Hospital Birth$50 (3 hr Crash Course)Sat 6:00-9:00pm Birth Center of NWA www.bcnwa.com

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Family Night Events - Every Tuesday at Chick-fil-A in Rogers and at Bentonville location from 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.

15

16 Two Punch Tuesday at Pigtails & Crewcuts in Fayetteville Double punch on loyalty card for every haircut every Tuesday!

Family Night Events - Every Tuesday at Chick-fil-A in Rogers and at Bentonville location from 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.

ICAN (International Cesarean Awareness Network) Meeting Mon Sep 15, 7:00-9:00pm Birth Center NWA www.bcnwa.com

22 LEGO® Club Party (Ages 6-9) 4:30 pm Springdale Public Library Enjoy building with LEGOs? Join the party and put together your own special creation. Make some new friends and enjoy a delicious snack!

29

Lamaze Childbirth Class $200 (6 week series) *Preferred for First-Time Parents Starts Mon Sep 29, 6:30-9:00pm Birth Center NWA www.bcnwa.com

Bentonville Public Library 1:00 PM-Train Your Brain Book Camp 4:15 PM-ACT Prep Workshop

Two Punch Tuesday at Pigtails & Crewcuts in Fayetteville Double punch on loyalty card for every haircut every Tuesday!

NASA OVERVIEW OF MISSIONS 4:00 pm Bentonville Public Library Dr. Katherine Auld, Astronomer, Solar System Ambassador with NASA/JPL will present the NASA program Overview of Missions to families at 4:00PM in the Walmart Com-

Wednesday Family Day at Pigtails & Crewcuts. in Fayetteville 1 Haircut at full price, 2 Haircuts at $2 off, 3rd gets $4 off, etc.

Wednesday Family Day at Pigtails & Crewcuts. in Fayetteville 1 Haircut at full price, 2 Haircuts at $2 off, 3rd gets $4 off, etc.

23

Family Night Events - Every Tuesday at Chick-fil-A in Rogers and at Bentonville location from 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.

It’s a Mystery!

Laugh & Learn Library Lab School-Age Program (Ages 6-9) Tuesday, 4:30 pm Springdale Public Library September 9 – Very Mysterious September 16 – Histories Mysteries September 23 – Secret Agent Kids September 30 – The Hounds of Libraryville

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Family Night Events - Every Tuesday at Chick-fil-A in Rogers and at Bentonville location from 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Wednesday You share just abo best friend–now s Family Day your Botox®&Cosm at Pigtails Crewcuts. in Fayetteville See what happens when 1 Haircut at Progra you share our BFF with BFF: 2 fullyour price, You Recieve: $10 Botox and a FREE Haircuts at Complimen $2 Your friend receives: BOTOX® Cosmetic (onabotulinumtoxin treatment–if it’s right for them off, 3rd gets $4 etc.

Tooff, learn more about our BFF Program event on September 24th, call us today.

D. Heath Stacey, MD

Board Certified Plastic S 137 Van Asche Loop, Fayettevil

www.nwacenterforplas

Thurs

ed munity Room of Bentonville Public Library. For more information, contact the library at 271-6816 or click on the library calendar at bentonvillelibrary. org.

10

Lunch and Learn Series 2:00-12:45pm – Spectrum of Pain Relief Options for Labor Birth Center NWA www.bcnwa.com

17 Lunch and Learn Series 12:00-12:45om – Essential Oils: Mama, Baby, & Family Birth Center NWA www.bcnwa.com

Fayetteville Public Library Storytime 9:45am Baby Bookworms 3:30pm Toddler Time

4 Rogers Historical Museum Summer Storytime Every Friday, 10 a.m., at Education Annex Youngsters age 4 through 8 can enjoy a story, hands-on history objects, and a craft with this series of free programs.

n am Gift

ntary nA)

Surgeon lle, AR | 479-571-3100

sticsurgery.com

5

First Thursday Fayetteville Downtown Fayetteville Fayetteville AR

Fayetteville Public Library Storytime 9:45am Baby Bookworms 3:30pm Toddler Time

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Vintage Market Days of NWA 9/12 through 9/14 Pauline Whitaker Animal Science Center Fayetteville, AR nwarkansas.vintagemarketdays. com

Fayetteville Public Library Storytime 9:45am Baby Bookworms 3:30pm Toddler Time

13

Vintage Market Days is an upscale vintage-inspired indoor/outdoor market featuring original art, antiques, clothing, jewelry, handmade treasures, home décor, outdoor furnishings, consumable yummies, seasonal plantings and a little more.

After School Art Class Crystal Bridges 4-5:30pm

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After School Art Class Crystal Bridges 4-5:30pm

20

You are invited to attend Coltrane the Courageous Spaghetti Supper and Live Auction to support the Smith family.

Community Christian Fellowship, 525 S. Lincoln St. in Siloam Springs, 4:30PM-7:00PM.

To read about Coltrane visit www.peekaboonwa.com/a-dreadfulaffliction-a-courageous-boy-and-thegreat-physician/

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out everything with your share information about metic experience!

Sat

Fri

15th Annual Bikes, Blues, & BBQ Motorcycle Rally September 24 - 27, 2014 Fayetteville www.bikesbluesandbbq.org

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Bikes, Blues, & BBQ is the nation’s largest charity motorcycle rally. With it’s central location and the beautiful Ozark Mountain roadways, friendly communities, great entertainment, and hundreds of vendors, it’s easy to see how this rally has grown to be one of the largest rallies in the nation in such

27 Oktoberfest!

Rogers A community event and fundraiser at Frisco Park, First & Elm. Live music, great food, fun activities & craft beers. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy the day.

5678 Dance Studio

www.5678dancestudioarkansas.com From recreational to pre-professional dancers, we offer excellence in training to our students with a wide variety of dance styles for children and teens. We feature a mixture of well-trained, professional instructors, innovative teaching methods and a positive atmosphere.

September 2-12

2 FREE WEEKS 3 and 4-year-old tap and creative movement classes

Award winning competition team now offering recreational classes tap | jazz | ballet | contemporary | hip hop | boys classes Ages 2 - high school Stop by our new location:

1106 NW 10th Street Bentonville 479-381-0107

contact: jodi.northcutt@gmail.com

A True

Hero A Daughter’s Perspective

b

by: Olivia Planchon

Being brave, selfless, fearless and determined are just some of the many characteristics of a hero. My daddy, Bud Planchon, embodied and embraced all of these qualities and more. Firefighters, police officers and EMTs are all heroes to me, but, in all of my fourteen years, I have only met one true hero who was humble, inspiring, brave, fearless and an amazing servant to the Lord. That man was Bud Planchon, my fifty- of whom came from as far away as Washington, D. one year old father who recently passed away from C., to honor his services. These people told my mom colon and liver cancer. Have you ever imagined and me about how my dad, as a Corpsman, would be how anyone could fight fires and risk their own life on the ground with gunfire and how they, as the Air to save another’s? I remember asking Force, were in planes, looking down my dad about how brave he and all of the war action, knowing he was Something about atdown the firefighters with whom he worked there in the midst of all of that were, and asking how he and they got my Dad just made chaos. As he was with me, he was there so brave. My dad’s response was as to protect and serve other soldiers. me and others follows: “I am third. First comes God, Although my dad did not really discuss then others, and then myself.” feel so safe, like his experiences, I could tell how proud he was to have served our country. He It so amazed me that my dad had seen nothing could ever was particularly proud of the Navy and so much in his lifetime, even though Marine soldiers, but at night, when we it was cut short by cancer. My dad happen to you when said our bedtime prayers, my dad would had also served as a Naval Corpsman you were with him always be sure to include prayers for who was assigned to the United States every branch of the military by name, Marines. He heroically completed two because you knew asking God to protect them and shield tours of combat duty during Desert he would always them from harm.

Storm. When Dad was deployed, he was protect you. serving others, just as he did at home. I Something about my dad just made am proud to say that my dad was one me and others feel so safe, like nothing of the many brave soldiers who served our country. could ever happen to you when you were with him He did that by going into active combat areas to pull because you knew he would always protect you. injured Marines out to safety, and save their lives without consideration for his own. Although my dad When we first got the news in 2009 that my dad had never really talked about what he did while deployed, cancer, I was absolutely terrified, but my dad was at his funeral, he was honored by other veterans, some my rock and he showed no fear. My dad told my mother and me that he could handle anything, and that whatever was going to happen was in God’s 40 September 2014

hands. Even though my dad had stage four cancer, he continued to fight fires, fighting for other’s lives even while fighting for his own. For a period of time after being diagnosed with cancer, my dad worked in the Springdale Fire Marshall’s Office. Although he recognized the importance of that office, he had to fight fires. Even after many rounds of chemotherapy and surgeries, I am proud to say that my dad, determined to continue to fight fires, took the grueling physical agility test firefighters are required to pass before they can return to fighting fires. The first time my dad tested, he almost passed. I recall he missed by a couple of points or something. Undefeated and determined, my Dad went back and tested again a

t

few months later and, that time, he passed with flying colors, even though his body had been through its own fires. My Dad’s determined spirit carried him like he carried others away from harmful situations.

After he passed the physical agility test, my dad resumed active firefighting with the gusto he had always had for his profession.

My dad taught me to be prepared for life and to fight for what is right. He taught me to trust and have faith in God. One of the things my dad would say was: “Olivia, do what is right, not what is convenient.” I will always remember that, and honor my dad and his heroic spirit by living these words. He was and is my hero.

A Wife’s Perspective by: Jane Sexton Planchon

Those who knew Bud Planchon were truly blessed.

Being his wife, and bearing witness to his indomitable spirit, gave me a miraculous window into the soul and spirit of a true and rare hero. Bud dealt with everything, including his own impending death from a “firefighter’s cancer,” head-on. His voice never trembled and, if he was ever afraid, it never showed.

It was like his armor had no chinks that his faith did not cover. He was a firefighter’s firefighter, a friend’s friend, and truly, the most amazing husband and father for whom one could ever dream.

Throughout his life, Bud had a love for teaching and learning. To this end, he initially got his degree in education so he could teach in the public school system. He taught high school for a period of time, and, although he loved it, he knew in his gut that his true passion was firefighting. It was his true calling and one he, admirably, answered when he tested for and went to work for the Springdale Fire Department.

He remained there and worked for approximately twenty-five years, attaining the rank of Captain. He was also a proud veteran, having served two active

tours of combat duty in Desert Storm. Although Bud was a Naval Corpsman, he also strongly identified with the Marines, as it was that branch of the military to which he was assigned to safeguard and protect.

When one thinks about just how boldly strong Marines are and realizes that Bud Planchon was assigned, not once, but twice, to protect Marines, you have an idea of his heroic spirit.

[ story continued next page ]

]

Part of the heroic aspect of Bud was his honesty and occasional bluntness, usually delivered, right to the end, with a dose of humor. In the seeming worst of circumstances, Bud Planchon could make a joke. As our daughter, Olivia, said previously, he always made you feel so protected because you were just as protected as those Marines and citizens he served. He was a true brother to his firefighter brethren, a loving son, the most loyal of friends to be found who would do anything for anybody, and a breathtakingly wonderful husband.

The type of cancer with which Bud was diagnosed was a cancer that is so statistically higher in the firefighter population, that over forty other states have already passed laws to protect firefighters such as Bud. The majority of other states, with the exception of Arkansas and approximately eight other states, have passed laws to protect firefighters who acquire a narrow number of cancers known to occur at dramatically higher rates in our firefighters than in any other segment of our population. While battling cancer, and still actively firefighting, Bud Planchon somehow diligently worked, to the very end, to ensure that his firefighter brothers and sisters received the same protections afforded to those in neighboring states who had already passed such laws. As was the case with his life service, these laws do not directly benefit the firefighter, but they greatly benefit his family when he or she passes away from one of the specified cancers known to be killing our firefighters.

These laws afford the children of firefighters who succumb to such “firefighters’ cancers” to receive a college education at no cost, a taxfree income, and additional life insurance so that the terminally ill firefighter can have what he or she wants even more than his or her health: the reassurance that their family will be protected even in their absence. In honor of Bud and all of his firefighter brothers and sisters, Olivia and I will fearlessly and tirelessly continue to work to ensure that Bud’s task of protecting his other firefighters is complete. We WILL, with the help of all those who care so deeply, get “Bud’s Law” passed in the State of Arkansas, so no other firefighter and his or her family ever have to endure those tests faced head-on and with pride by our hero, Bud Planchon.

Bud passed away as bravely as he lived, and on his terms, on April 11, 2014. He was thereafter awarded the “Line of Duty” death medal by the International Association of Firefighters and his local and beloved, Springdale Fire Department. His life of selfless service will be honored again in a ceremony for those firefighters whom have died in the line of duty on September 19, 2014 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Olivia and I, with the help of so many, but especially State Representative Greg Leding, Senator Jon Woods, Uvalde Lindsay, David Whitaker, Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan, St. Paul’s Episocopal Church, and countless others, will continue Bud’s good fight and we, like he, shall keep the faith.

Carrying on Bud Planchon’s fight for #presumptiveprotections for Arkansas firefighters

www.facebook.com/budismyhero Bud Planchon was a Springdale firefighter that passed this past April to colon cancer contracted in the line of duty. The International Association of Firefighters has recognized his death as a “line of duty death” but LOPFI refuses to grant his family the benefits he deserves. This enormous injustice cannot be ignored for Bud’s family or any other firefighter in our state.

Currently 17 states lack presumptive protections that recognize a firefighter’s increased risk of cancer. Sadly, Arkansas is one of those states. That means when a firefighter in Arkansas is diagnosed with certain forms of cancer they have to fight their retirement system (LOPFI) to receive line-of-duty disability benefits.

More than 40 states (including every state that borders Arkansas) are legally required to take it as a given that when a firefighter is diagnosed with certain forms of cancer it is due to on-the-job exposure to diesel fumes and other carcinogens. Arkansas has not adopted similar laws and its high time we change that.

Is My Child Active or HYPERactive?

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479.751.2522

By Laurie H. Anderson, M.D. The Children’s Clinic at Springdale

ow that school has started, you may be getting negative feedback from your child’s teachers about behavior in the classroom.

His teacher may express concerns that he needs to be tested for hyperactivity. All children (and adults) have times that they can be active and inattentive. There are certain criteria that have to be met before your child can be given a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity (ADHD).

It is difficult to make the diagnosis of ADHD in children before school age. ADHD tends to be diagnosed more in boys than girls. Your child must have had some symptoms of ADHD before the age of 7 years, but the diagnosis may not be made until much later. Diagnoses tend to be made after the child is having enough problems in school that it becomes an issue.

These are the criteria for a diagnosis of ADHD. He or she must have a significant history of at least 6 out of 9 symptoms for attention problems. These include: not paying attention to details or making careless mistakes, not staying on task for things that need to be done, not seeming to listen when spoken to directly, not following through with directions and not finishing activities, not wanting to start tasks that require mental effort, not keeping track of homework and things needed to complete tasks, being easily distracted by noises and other stimuli, and being forgetful in daily activities. He must have at least 6 out of 9 symptoms for hyperactivity.

These include: fidgeting and squirming in his seat, leaving his seat when remaining in his seat is expected, difficulty playing or beginning quiet play activities, always “on the go”, talks too much, blurts out answers before questions have been completed, has difficulty awaiting his turn, interrupts others’ conversations and/or activities. These symptoms

46 September 2014

have to cause a significant problem in your child’s life in at least 2 or more areas, such as home, school, church, or sports activities.

It is important to rule out other problems that can make your child seem inattentive or hyperactive.

Questionnaires for you and his teachers to complete will help assess your observations of your child’s behaviors. Vision and hearing testing is important to make sure that he can see and hear without problems.

Psychoeducational testing is important to rule out learning disabilities or other psychological problems that could be affecting your child, such as depression or anxiety.

Once your child has been diagnosed with ADHD, then treatment options need to be considered. Medication is the first line of treatment. There are both stimulant and nonstimulant medications available. Your child may benefit from school-based counseling and/ or family counseling. Parents and teachers should help with organizational skills and structure in his daily activities. Some children may also benefit from occupational therapy. Dietary changes have not been shown to have an effect, although a diet with few sugary snacks and complex carbohydrates is beneficial for children.

It is important to discuss your child’s diagnosis of ADHD with his teachers and school. There are programs in place that may assist your child, such as a 504 plan, which attempts to remove barriers and allow students with disabilities to participate freely in learning activities. If your child is diagnosed with learning disabilities as well as ADHD, he may qualify for an IEP, which helps provide educational services, remediation and assistance with subjects.

We all want our children to do well in school and to have a fun childhood. Feel free to discuss concerns about your child’s activity level with his teachers and physician.

Freedom to Choose

Consequences. Boundaries. Discipline.

Consequences. Boundaries. Discipline. They can all sound so restrictive, can’t they? I have encountered many parents who shy away from taking actions that might fall into one of these categories as they relate to their child. Typically, the parents reasoning has to do with concern for their children’s self-esteem (“He’s just being creative and needs room to explore and grow!”), a history of being poorly parented themselves (“My parents were too strict and I resented them for it!”), or often a desire to see their child grow in independence by being given the freedom to make their own choices (“I want her to learn to make good choices on her own, not just because I am making her!”).

I completely agree with these parents that there are some forms of very rigid parenting that do crush a child’s self-esteem by being too harsh, and frequently a mom or dad who grew up in this sort of home will be extra sensitive to anything that may resemble that manner of interacting with children. This is wonderful, because children should be encouraged, nurtured, and spoken to with patience and gentleness. I also agree that it is so very important for children to have the freedom to choose, but I do not believe that an absence of consequences or boundaries is the best way to achieve this goal as we raise our children. In fact, I believe the very opposite: I believe that when we neglect to provide consistent discipline in our children’s lives we actually rob them of power and diminish their future freedom.

You see, if our hope is to raise children who are one day able to interact confidently and independently in the adult world, part of their childhood training must include allowing them to make choices that will result in frustration, disappointment, and loss. When situations arise where children clearly understand the consequence of an action but choose to engage in the action anyway, parents are actually taking the power of choice away from their child if they simply remove the consequence.

They may believe they are giving their child greater freedom, but in effect they are teaching their child that the child’s actions/choices really have no impact on their world or their own life. By providing consequences (discipline), or by at least allowing natural consequences to occur, we are teaching kids that their actions are important. We are helping them see that they have the power to create an effect, whether good or bad. We are also giving them the opportunity to practice decisionmaking as they learn to weigh the consequences – deciding whether or not a certain action is worth the price to be paid.

Sure, it would be easier to always let them choose to do or to act in accordance with their feelings; but I fear that we would be weakening our children and sending them out into the world under-prepared for the very real consequences that we all must face as we weigh how to spend our money, how to interact with our bosses, and how to treat our relationships.

I encourage you to keep a long-term view as you are raising your kids… sometimes allowing a disappointment today is actually building strength for tomorrow.

Stefanie Lawson is a counselor at the Center for Psychology & Counseling and is currently accepting new clients.

(479) 444.1400 see ad next page..

dad’s view

Sibling Social Time

with Ben Lacy

So the Lacy’s tried that whole “vacation” thing again. However, as previously stated, if you take the ninos and ninas with you, it ain’t vacation... it is home-in-another-location.

Alas, family insanity has no geographic boundaries.

This time we were really smart about it. Instead of piling in the family truckster, we got into a pressurized metal tube flying at 30,000 feet – and as the Hulk told you in the Avengers -- that’s not the best place for a person with anger issues -- let alone five of them. We flew Delta (which stands for Don’t Ever Leave The Airport) to Atlanta, the world’s busiest airport, (also known as Absolute Total Lunacy) and then arrived at the Ft. Myers airport (Call sign RSW, or, as we call it Retired, Slow and White).

But, the whole “Listen to the Dad’s View Dude’s Travel Woes” story has been done. You’ve heard it before. So I’m going to spare you the “I have butter on my foot” story and the “10 PM/10 plungers maintenance call” story and how we caused a worldwide distribution disruption on Nestle’s Chipwich product and how we survived for 6 days on Oreos, wine, cheese, wine, grapes and wine, and how we had a vacation-long, and still ongoing, conversation about cat urine.

Here’s how it started. Me, being the ever frugal vacationer, noticed that renting a car was 1/3 the price of renting a mini-van (Really?!). Now, the pampered little pipsqueaks in our family are used to driving around in their mother’s imperial troop transport with their own comfy seat and electronics, so the fact they were now sitting, and touching, each other on a bench seat was a shock to their system. Prior to this excursion, their version of “bonding” was screaming at each other with their headphones on to “Get off the Spotify account!”

Now they are sitting together and touching, which any parent will tell you is a recipe for disaster.

52 September 2014

However, after a dozen or so miles of threats and allout beat-downs they either got tired or came to an uneasy truce--and then something magical happened.

They were actually talking to each other! The battles became banter. The squabbling became socializing.

The combat became communication. What happened?

“hang out”. Family trips, with all their madness and migraines, function as an activity shutdown where our kids can spend precious and important time with each other... Time that just doesn’t seem to exist in the “real world.”

How did it happen? Dear Lord, please let this last another 25 miles!

Seriously though, what I think we totally missed in the middle of all the kid chaos and parental pandemonium is the time our kids spend with each other. Our oldest is a thirteen-year-old-wanna-be-twenty-five-year-old that spends her life in three locations: School, Dance Class, Sleep. Our youngest is a seven-year-old-savage that I’m not sure has the correct double-helix pattern for a human (can I get an amen, Dr. Allen?). If they weren’t siblings, this girlie-girl and Mowgli-clone would never cross paths in the wild. Of course, the middle kid is the middle kid.

He pretty much goes along to get along. The oldest and youngest rarely see each other, and even more rarely

As parents, our focus, sometimes rather intense focus, is to make sure we’re spending as much time as possible with our children. But how much time do they get to spend together, sans parents? I think kids need that time to develop their own relationships (and devious plans) outside of the watchful eyes of Mom and Dad. They need to connect with each other on their own terms and, most importantly, become friends of their own accord. Sure, there are risks involved. Leave our 3 alone for longer than 10 minutes and you can bet your last dollar you will find a trail of Cheez-It shrapnel and Oreo dust all over the house. Everything comes with a cost, but it’s worth it.

So, my advice this month is to carve out some siblingonly social time. Back away and let them figure each other out. Watch them build their own relationships and their own little inside jokes about Ma and Pa. It’s important that they learn to not only love each other, but also like each other. There are tangible benefits for us parents too, remember, they will be in charge of our elderly care, so we better make sure they are all happy and on the same page.

Overcoming Social Anxiety

i

by: Martha Brown

am a 31-year-old wife, teacher, pug mommy, friend and Pinterest-loving crafter. I am an introvert that loves people. I can be as silly as a 12-year-old and love making others laugh.

Also, I am a good listener and love hearing other people’s stories... Because we all have a story. And, sometimes, sharing it with others is the scariest thing we think we’ll ever face, because vulnerability can sometimes lead to pain.

Jeremiah 1:5 tells us that before God formed us in the womb, He knew us. He knew what He was doing when He gave us our character traits and our flaws. It is only recently that I’ve come to understand that the imperfections within us are meant to serve a purpose.

That being said, here is my story.

Growing up, I was thought of as the shy and quiet girl. I clung to my mother’s leg on the first day of kindergarten and hoped that, if I cried hard enough, my parents wouldn’t make me stay. In elementary school, I remember playing alone on the playground and drawing elaborate pictures in the dirt with a stick.

My best friend was my stuffed, pajama-clad bear named Chuckles.

Once, in the fifth grade, I had to demonstrate a “howto” project in front of the class. This is my first real memory of experiencing crippling fear in front of my peers. I went with something quick and easy: “How to

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Draw a Snoopy Face Out of the Number 55.” I went up to the board and drew that thing out in about five seconds flat. There was no pausing to give my classmates instructions. I drew as quickly as I could with trembling hands as my teacher urged me to slow down and explain each step. I don’t remember what kind of grade I got on that presentation, but I do remember, from then on out, having an inescapable fear of being called up to the board in class.

Fast-forward to high school, where every day was spent making sure I didn’t wear a gray t-shirt to reveal my incessantly sweating armpit stains. I refused to eat anything for lunch at school other than crackers because I feared eating a big lunch would cause my stomach to make gurgling digestive sounds in a quiet classroom. My worst fear was being called on by my teacher to read out loud.

Then came college, where there was... well, more of the same. Every day was spent fighting one anxious battle after another. I remember my heart beating far too fast each and every time I walked to class. I wondered: Would I get called on to read out loud today? Would I get a tickle in my throat and have an uncontrollable coughing spell during lecture? I told myself that if

things got to too stressful in class, I would just get up and leave, pretending I had an appointment. This was an escape route that wasn’t available to me in high school, and I utilized it one day in Calculus to avoid board work.

At the end of the day, I would go back to my dorm room and collapse on my bed, emotionally exhausted.

A suite mate might knock on my door, but I wouldn’t answer, telling her later I had fallen asleep.

When summer came, while other kids got jobs to further their resume and use towards experience in their field of major, I would stay holed up in my apartment, relying on savings to pay my part of the rent and bills. A day didn’t go by that I didn’t feel like a worthless freeloader. I couldn’t apply for jobs because my anxiety was through the roof. I remember multiple instances of my picking up the phone to call a potential employer, then hanging up before they answered because my heart was beating so hard. I just knew I wouldn’t be able to talk to them. One morning, I was in bed, thinking about how all my roommates were at work and I was wasting another day away, a prisoner to fear. My heart started beating erratically, and I experienced a full-blown panic attack that

left my heart physically hurting. I was so worried, I actually called my parents and asked them to drive me to the hospital for heart tests. After all the testing, I learned my heart was fine. I was told to stay away from stimulants such as caffeine. I was also told that anxiety is most common in college-aged women trying to figure out what to do with their lives.

No matter what age I was, a common thread coursed through my life: the concept of embracing who I was and simply being myself was never considered. It took all I had to face each day trying to hide my unrealistic anxieties from those around me. But even though it was the only way of life I knew, I never stopped to consider what might be wrong with me until after I got married.

At 23 years old, I googled “social anxiety.” The symptoms laid out on my computer screen sounded like someone was writing a biography about me. I felt exposed. I felt scared that I had an actual diagnosis which I would forever be trapped in and defined by.

[ story continued next page

that day. He took my notebook and pen and went into each and every store and got the information that I had been assigned to get.

Not long after that, I had a talk with my family doctor. My heart beat and my voice shook as I told him about the relentless anxiety I struggled with every day. He listened and acknowledged my struggle.

He affirmed that I had truly been living in a secret hell. It was that day that I took the first step of treatment. And my life has been changed for the better since.

Do I still struggle with anxiety? Yes. But the difference is that instead of not making the call, I’ll make it now, even if I don’t feel the most confident. I put myself in new situations now and don’t hide from the world. I have discovered my real personality when not held back by fear of being judged. I am funny. I love people. I’m goofy and not as shy as I’ve always considered myself to be. I love teaching children. I see the value in complimenting a stranger and look for opportunities to be a light for Christ.

What I found was that, according to Wikipedia: ”Social anxiety is a discomfort or a fear when a person is in social interactions that involve a concern about being judged or evaluated by others. It is typically characterized by an intense fear of what others are thinking about them (specifically fear of embarrassment, criticism, or rejection), which results in the individual feeling insecure, not good enough for other people, and/or the assumption that peers will automatically reject them.”

Boom. There was my life summarized in two sentences.

I cried to my husband that night and revealed to him my secret struggle that even he had known nothing about. I worried he would look at me differently, but he amazed me then and continues to amaze with his understanding and full acceptance of me.

I continued to live life crippled by social anxiety for a few more years. My breaking point came when my job required me to go into a few different stores and pick out products to highlight. This involved me carrying in a notebook and pen and asking an employee to help me with what I needed. I couldn’t do it. I broke down, absolutely overtaken by fear. My husband was my hero

I recently read this quote and it has stuck with me: “Imperfections have a role to play in our lives and when we forget that, we become unapproachable.”

Therefore, embrace your imperfections.

Don’t waste them. Figure out who God wants you to share your story with and tell it. You will be amazed at how many people will be able to relate and how many lives you’ll be able to touch when you take off the proverbial mask of perfection.

I am sharing my story to bring awareness to a disorder that affects millions of adults in America. If you are secretly struggling with social anxiety, know that there are various forms of treatment, and I urge you to consult with your doctor about which might be best for you. There IS life beyond the labels.

“I will praise thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…” Psalm 139:14 Follow along with my story and connect with me at martylou.blogspot.com

Feeding the Spirit and Filling the Needs of NWA

It’s 6:00PM, and families all over the region are settling in for dinner. A pot of savory spaghetti sauce simmers on the stove, while fresh rolls finish browning in the oven. Glasses of milk are poured, plates are set and little tummies growl in anticipation.

As tiny hands are washed and stockpots are uncovered, the breadbasket makes its way around the table. It’s dinnertime, and one thing’s for sure... everyone will leave the table full.

Unfortunately, for many families, dinnertime isn’t a part of their regular routine. In fact, the simple, basic act of eating doesn’t always happen. And it isn’t just a problem that occurs in big cities... it’s happening right here, in our own Northwest Arkansas communities.

Food insecurity, homelessness and limited access to important resources are the issues becoming all-tocommon for our neighbors – and they are more widespread than you might think.

The 2013 homeless census reported 2,429 are homeless in NWA and more than half of those are under the age of 18.

According to the NWA Food Bank (who is a recipient of Cobblestone fresh produce), one in four people in Northwest Arkansas face food insecurity every week.

57% of students in NWA qualify for the free and reduced meal programs in their schools.

Benton County ranks second in the entire state in the number of people living in poverty.

In fact, by 2015, it is estimated that the Northwest Arkansas region will have the largest population of poverty in the state.

But the Cobblestone Project plans to change that.

Founded in 2008 by a small group of Northwest Arkansas families, the Cobblestone Project works to restore dignity to the homeless, hungry and underresourced. The organization’s dream is simple: to work toward “A Community Without Need...”

And the needs are many.

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The Cobblestone Farm, a Cobblestone Project agricultural initiative designed to help the under-resourced in our community, focuses on five strategic pillars of need: Hunger Relief, Education, Economic Development, Community and Sustainability. Volunteers from around the area come together at Cobblestone Farm in Fayetteville to grow and disperse produce to NWA community members in need of a helping hand.

[cultivating a community without need]

Each year, Cobblestone Farm commits to distributing half of their agricultural production to hunger relief efforts in NWA, making a tremendous impact in the fight against food insecurity. “We want our neighbors to feel a sense of security and support from us and build the courage to re-engage within the community and create positive changes in their lifestyles,” said Jennifer Watts, the Cobblestone Project executive director.

But it doesn’t stop at hunger relief. The Cobblestone Project also helps to fill many of the other most basic human needs for the local community. From providing clean clothes to those living in oppressive poverty through Laundry Love Projects, to filling bags of toiletries, clothes and other staples through their 3 Bags in 2 Days initiatives, to breaking the cycle of homelessness and domestic violence through programs like Our Step, the Cobblestone Project works to ensure that every type of need is met.

First Ever Annual Harvest Party and Children’s Seedling Soiree On Friday, September 12, the Cobblestone Project will ‘party for a purpose’ during the first annual Harvest Party at Cobblestone Farm, located at 5494 W. Wedington Drive in Fayetteville. The event is hosted

by IFCO and will kick off with a Children’s Seedling Soiree from 3PM-6PM, complete with fun and engaging activities for kids of all ages, including harvesting fall produce, bobbing for apples, horseback riding and more. Kiddos can even dance along to the music of the Ozark Celtic Band while enjoying yummy snacks, which will be provided.

“The Seedling Soiree is going to be an awesome party for kiddos. There is something for all interest and age levels,” said Casey Dolan, committee chair. “Not only will the kids be having a blast, but they will be learning how to give back to the community.”

That evening, an adult-only Home Grown Harvest Party will start at 7 p.m. This fun-filled party is packed with live rock and country music from local bands Breaking Silence and Cousin Smitty. Partygoers can also tantalize their taste buds with chef-created specialty cuisine from Kind Kitchen, The Farmer’s Table and Jen Lewis, while topping it off with brew house beverages from Core Brewing and Distillery, as well as Ozark Beer Company.

Learn more about the dream of Cobblestone Project and upcoming ways in which you can get involved on their website, cobblestoneproject.org,Facebookpage,www. facebook.com/CobblestoneProject, and on Twitter at twitter.com/csproject.

Oh, and beer enthusiasts will enjoy the Home Brew Contest for amateur beer makers, too!

Says Watts, “The Harvest Party will be a fun event that will allow us to share our story, raise awareness and funding to continue to provide a fresh produce solution to hunger relief and assistance to community partners.”

Purchase tickets online for $5 for children under the age of 12, or free with the donation of an art supply, hygiene product or non-perishable food item.

Tickets for adults are $10 for the Children’s Seedling Soiree and $40 for the Home Grown Harvest Party only. Adult day combination ticket prices and group rates can be purchased at the Cobblestone Project website, cobblestoneproject.org

Poverty, especially when it’s close to home, can seem like a daunting problem. But, thanks to the dedicated volunteers of the Cobblestone Project and their mission of fulfilling the most basic of human needs, positive change is happening.

It’s a beautiful and powerful thing to witness.

www.peekaboonwa.com

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www.ozarkcca.org/preschool

Ozark Kids Preschool Values Its Role In Downtown Springdale’s Rebirth

by Christi Silano, Ph.D., Executive Director, Ozark Education, Inc.

D of it.

owntown Springdale is on the verge of a renaissance, and Ozark Kids, Inc., Montessori Preschool is proud to be part

Sponsored by Ozark Education, Inc., a 501(c) (3) nonprofit dedicated to providing high quality hands-on learning, we opened our school in The Jones Center this January. In just the few months since we opened, strides have been made toward ushering in a new era for our town.

New businesses are sprouting up in our downtown neighborhood. Express Coffee & More, a breakfast and lunch spot that serves coffee, smoothies and raw, natural juices, opened at 130 W. Emma Ave. in August. Walter Turnbow Park, an $11 million project, is slated for completion by November, and restoration is underway for Shiloh Square—a city-owned building that once served as a central meeting place, but has gone virtually unused in recent years.

The redone square will feature plenty of green space, outdoor dining areas and shaded seating overlooking the recently completed Razorback Greenway, a paved trail that extends more than 36 miles through Northwest Arkansas, connecting Lake Bella Vista to Walker Park in south Fayetteville.

Last May, the promise of a downtown trail head for the greenway prompted the city of Springdale to plan a 10-year, $21 million revitalization of the downtown, of which the Shiloh renovation is part.

The next phase of the revitalization will include store-front facelifts and, most importantly, the uncapping of Spring Creek.

The city began channeling a portion of the creek underground years ago to prevent flooding, but is now ready to open it up and create a free-flowing water element that will be a unique, natural feature downtown.

We are excited to see all these changes, and we’re not the only ones.

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Big Investments on Emma Avenue In anticipation of all this, some big names have been investing in properties on East Emma Avenue.

This spring, the Walton family purchased the Ryan’s Clothing building and the San Jose Manor along the north side of the 200 block, and Tyson Foods Inc. also invested in properties downtown.

Two local businessmen saved the Apollo Theater from demolition when they purchased it in June, and a 30,000-SF building at 515 E. Emma Ave. that set vacant for years is now under contract.

It’s no mystery to us that there’s value in Springdale’s downtown area. It has more attractions than any other in the region. In addition to the distinctive presence of Spring Creek, the district is home to The Shiloh Museum of Ozark History, The Art Center of the Ozarks, the Arkansas & Missouri Railroad depot, and the Jones Center, where Ozark Kids makes its home.

The Jones Legacy The Jones Center, a 220,000-square-foot facility, offers a plethora of family activities for an affordable price.

Its features include two pools, a gym, an indoor track, meeting spaces and the area’s only indoor ice skating rink.

The late Bernice Jones, a former school teacher, founded the center in 1995. She and late husband Harvey Jones were known for their support of the community.

When Springdale could not afford to keep its schools open in the 1930s, Harvey Jones — owner of Jones Truck Lines, the nation’s largest privately owned trucking company in its time — rented a church, hired a teacher and paid for school supplies so children could continue learning.

Bernice Jones’ great love for children was evident through her many efforts and her vision that The Jones Center could be a place where “all are welcome.”

Montessori Method The Montessori education model, created in the early 20th century by Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori, embraces individualized curriculum, navigated by the child’s own interests and needs.

Children learn from working with specially designed educational materials rather than through lectures and textbooks.

True to the Montessori method, Ozark Kids, Inc., offers two mixed-age classrooms (ages 18 months to 3 years and ages 3-5).

Boon To An Emerging Region There’s no doubt Northwest Arkansas is steadily becoming a player on the national scene, and Springdale, as its second largest city, deserves its day in the sun.

The city has a lot to offer. It is home to Fortune 500 company Tyson Foods Inc., and also to Parson Stadium, home to the Rodeo of the Ozarks, and the Springdale Municipal Airport, which both lie adjacent to The Jones Center.

Arvest Ballpark welcomed its 2,000,000th fan this season, and there’s plenty of development going on west of I-49 on Sunset Avenue with the emergence of neighborhoods like Har-Ber Meadows.

Walter Turnbow, namesake of the new downtown park and founding director of Beaver Water District, remembers it as the pre-eminent trade center for the surrounding areas, he noted in a video on the Springdale Chamber of Commerce website. He moved to the city in 1945 and recalls the district was bustling with activity, boasting three grocery stores, four drugstores, four clothing stores, a dime store and four restaurants.

Restoring the downtown to that level is years in the making and has required a community willing to come together and work hard. And we here at Ozark Kids are honored to be a part of that community. We can’t wait to see the results.

Montessori emphasizes social education, helping students express themselves well and resolve conflicts peacefully. The goal is a happy, busy, harmonious community, and I’d like to think we do that.

Plus, we’re lucky to reap benefits from being housed by the Jones Center, having access to, among other things, an indoor ice skating rink, aqua center, gymnasium, and farmers market. In turn, Ozark Kids will add to the ambiance of the campus when its playscape is completed this fall.

Check us out at www.ozarkcca.org/preschool

Hands-On History Lessons at Rogers Historical Museum Feature by: Tara Worth

Kids build, imagine and play their way to a better understanding of history at the Rogers Historical Museum.

That’s because the staff of the Museum understand that the best time for little ones to learn is when all of their senses are engaged.

Every exhibit in the museum has at least one handson component that appeals to young visitors.

There are two special exhibits dedicated entirely to children: Grandma’s House and Grandpa’s Workshop.

Grandma’s House is set-up as an early 1900s home where kids can “cook” at a wood-burning stove, dress up in vintage clothing, type on an antique typewriter and play with many other toys of that era. In Grandpa’s Workshop, little ones will sharpen their special reasoning and math skills as they build a timber frame structure, draw at a drafting table and even “fix” the plumbing on a sink!

Kids aren’t the only ones who have fun while learning at the museum, though. Galleries are designed to offer something for every age, and families can truly have shared learning opportunities. That means if you are busy learning about the fascinating history of law and order in Benton County in the Crime Stories exhibit, right beside you your child can learn the same information, at an age-appropriate level, at the Ten Code interactive.

Adults and children alike enjoy stepping back in

time on a tour of the Historic Hawkins House. The house, set-up as it would have been in the early 1900s, gives the impression that the Hawkins Family has just stepped out of the door on an errand. You’ll be immersed in history as you discover laundry hanging on the porch, the kitchen set up for cooking and even a full meal spread out on the dining table!

Special events at the museum are great ways for families to have fun together. Each year, the Holiday Open House delights visitors with crafts for the kids, demonstrations by artisans and a visit from Kris Kringle himself. Plan to visit the museum for Holiday Open House this year on November 30th, from 10AM to 3PM, for free food and fun. While you’re there, be sure to drop in on the Hawkins House, as it will be decorated in full splendor for the season.

If you have young children in school, you might have heard about Ms. Ashley and Mr. Robert. They are museum celebrities among local kids, and are in classrooms all over Northwest Arkansas giving programs about significant historic topics such as the early apple industry in Benton County and historic

modes of transportation. Your children might have also taken a field trip to the historic Rocky Branch schoolhouse to participate in a museum program.

The Rocky Branch program, a favorite among area teachers, immerses students in history. Kids spend the day just as school children in the early 1900s would have – writing on slates, completing lessons from vintage text books and even ringing the school bell at the beginning of the day!

Exciting things are in store for the Rogers Historical Museum. The museum is currently working on raising money to build a NEW museum, unlike anything in our area! The hands-on exhibits will still be there, but to a much greater extent. The new museum will be located right behind the existing building, and will feature six permanent galleries full of interactive features. There will also be room for top-notch traveling exhibits that will keep people coming back again and again to see what’s new. The existing museum building will be transformed into an education area. Groups of school children visiting the museum on field trips will build model log cabins, weave, churn butter and learn about history the way that kids learn best – hands-on!

One of ways in which the museum’s expansion is being supported is by the work of the Rogers Museum Foundation, and every year the foundation hosts a gala to celebrate the museum’s anniversary. This year’s gala will be held on October 3rd from 6PM to 9PM at the Shadow Valley Country Club, and it will celebrate our memories of high school homecoming throughout generations. Guests will be encouraged to dress in their favorite homecoming attire and enjoy gourmet food, libations, live music and a silent auction. Foundation members and museum staff members would welcome the opportunity to meet new people, and of course celebrate with old friends!

Call the museum for ticket information.

If you haven’t been to the Rogers Historical Museum lately, go and check it out! It’s perfect for taking the kids on a hot summer day for some indoor fun and learning. It offers the important lessons of history in new and family-friendly ways. There are very few ‘no touching’ signs, and don’t be surprised if a museum staff member greets your family by telling you that it’s a no-whisper zone, as well!

Thanks to our current corporate sponsors of our annual gala.

Corporate Sponsors: Nabholz Construction, Crafton Tull, JKJ Architects, Arvest, Nationwide Insurance Noble Insurance Agency, and Clifton Eoff photography Media Sponsors: Peekaboo, KUAF, NWA Media, and KNWA

At a Glance At a Glance

ARTS and MUSIC

BANKS

Abrakadoodle (Pg. 17) (479) 856-6651 abrakadoodle.com Crystal Bridges (Pg. 27) (479) 418-5700 crystalbridges.org Imagine Studios (Pg. 69) (479) 619-6085 imagine-studios.com Kindermusik (Pg. 28-29) (901) 634-2721 kindermusik.com The Walton Arts Center (Pg. 43) (479) 443-5600 First Security (Pg. 12) www.fsbank.com; www.onlyinark.com

CHILDCARE/NANNY SERVICES

ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 47) (479) 621-6126 www.abchappykids.com Better Beginnings (Pg. 66) (800) 445-3316 arbetterbeginnings.com The Kid’s Studio (Pg. 65) (479) 268-6675 www.thekidsstudio.com Larson’s Language Center (Pg. 64) (479) 633-9900 Mary’s Little Lambs (Pg. 21) (479) 273-1011 Seeking Sitters (Pg. 56) (501) 203-3097 www.seekingsitters.com

CHURCH

Unitarian Universalist (Pg. 63) www.uubcar.com

CLOTHING / FURNITURE

Bassett (Pg. 11)

(479) 571-0200 bassettfurniture.com

Little Darlings (Pg. 35)

(479) 464-8492

Hands Full Consignment (Pg. 45) handsfullconsignment.com

CONSIGNMENT

Hands Full Consignment (Pg. 45) handsfullconsignment.com

DANCE/CHEER/TUMBLE/STRETCH

5678 Dance Studio (Pg. 39) (479) 381-0107 5678dancestudioarkansas.com iNFiNiTi (Pg. 4) (479) 715-6840 www.infinitiathletics.com The Little Gym (Pg. 33) (479) 636-5566 tlgrogersar.com

DENTIST

Delta Dental (Pg. 48) deltadental.com Smile Shoppe Pediatric Dentistry (Pg. 72) (479) 631-6377

DERMATOLOGY

Hull Dermatology and Aesthetics (Pg. 57) (479) 254-9662 hullderm.com NWA Center for Plastic Surgery (Pg. 2) (479) 571-3100 nwacenterforplasticsurgery.com

EDUCATION/TRAINING

Larson’s Language Center (Pg. 64) (479) 633-9900 Ozark Kids, Inc. (Pg. 17) (479) 935-9992 ozarkcca.org/preschool Shiloh Christian School (Pg. 7) (479) 756-1140 Walnut Farm Montessori (Pg. 70) (479) 271-9424 walnutfarmmontessori.com

FAMILY FUN / ENTERTAINMENT

Farmland Adventures (Pg. 23)

(479) 799-5033 farmlandadventures.com

Fast Lane Entertainment (Pg. 49)

(479) 659-0999 www.fastlanebowl.com

Mad Science (Pg. 33)

(479) 444-0303 www.madscience.org/nwa The Party Place (Pg. 18)

(479) 230-9494 thepartyplacear.com

Ozark Corn Maze (Pg. 55)

(479) 366-5686 www.ozarkcornmaze.com

McGarrah Farms (Pg. 9)

(479) 451-8164 www.mcgarrahfarms.com

Starlight Skatium (Pg. 25)

(479) 444-STAR

The Walmart Museum (Pg. 53)

(479) 273-1329 walmartstores.com

The Walton Arts Center (Pg. 43)

(479) 443-5600

FOOD / DRINK

TCBY (Pg. 3) (479) 636-8229 (TCBY)

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

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Ginn Foot and Ankle (Pg. 65) (479) 254-1975 www.nwafoot.com Tate HealthCare (Pg. 31) (479) 271-6511 www.tatehealthcare.com

HOME and YARD

PLASTIC SURGEON

JEWELRY AND GIFTS

PRESCHOOL/ PRE-K

Carpet Smart (Pg. 58) (479) 750-0117 / (866) 795-8520

David Adams (Pg. 57) davidadams.com

LEARNING CENTER

ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 47) (479) 621-6126 www.abchappykids.com Larson’s Language Center (Pg. 64) (479) 633-9900 LearningRx (Pg. 47) (479) 715-6870 www.learningrx.com/bentonville

Bentonville: (479) 273-1212 / Fay: (479) 443-5425

NWA Center for Plastic Surgery (Pg. 2) (479) 571-3100 www.nwacenterforplasticsurgery.com

ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 47) (479) 621-6126 www.abchappykids.com Larson’s Language Center (Pg. 64) (479) 633-9900 The Kid’s Studio (Pg. 65) (479) 268-6675 www.thekidsstudio.com Mary’s Little Lambs (Pg. 21) (479) 273-1011 Ozark Kids Inc. (Pg. 17) (479) 935-9992 ozarkcca.org/preschool

MARTIAL ARTS

ATA (Pg. 26)

TALENT

OPTOMETRIST

THERAPY

Pediatric Vision Development Center (Pg. 42) nwavisiontherapy.com (479) 795-1411

PEDIATRICIAN

PETS

Best Start Pediatric Clinic (Pg. 15) (479) 575-9359 Bentonville Pediatric Clinic (Pg. 59) (479) 273-5437 The Children’s Clinic at Springdale (Pg. 19) (479) 751-2522 Harvey Pediatrics (Pg. 35) (479) 254-1100 harveypediatrics.com MANA NWA Pediatric Clinic (Pg. 71) Wellness: (479) 443-3471 Urgent: (479) 442-7322 Lola the Dog Trainer (Pg. 52) facebook.com/lolathedogtrainerAR Phenom-A-Dog (Pg. 32) (479) 202-5303 phenomadog.com

N.C.K. Talent Academy (Pg. 44) (479) 445-6000 thenck.com ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 47) (479) 621-6126 www.abchappykids.com Dr. Thomas Terry Lawson (Pg. 51) (479) 444-1400 www.terrylawson.com Tate HealthCare (Pg. 31) (479) 271-6511

WOMEN’S HEALTH

Birth Center of Northwest Arkansas (Pg. 8, 30) (479) 372-4560 bcnwa.com Life Spring Women’s Health (Pg. 25) (479) 271-0005 lifespringhealthcare.com Northwest Women’s Health Center (Pg. 13) (479) 503-2525 Northwest Willow Creek Women’s Hospital (Pg. 5) (479) 684-3000 Parkhill Clinic for Women (Pg. 21) (479) 521-4433 Siloam Springs Women’s Center (Pg. 38) (479) 524-9312 siloamwomenscenter.com