Spring Giveaways 60 days of presented by
Look for hotel stays, airline tickets, event tickets, restaurant gift cards, retail prizes, and so much more.
Find the Giveaway of the day on our iPhone app starting April 1.
Get started by downloading the app by texting ROMP to 43506 now!
Our new Things-to-Do app gives parents a new mobile way to navigate the city with their kids. Discover new kid-friendly places, calendar and share events, and more — all on the go.
LEARN MORE ABOUT PARTICIPATING PARTNERS ON OUR APP
ww w.pugetsoundindependentschools.org
Puget Sound Independent Schools SPRING FAIR
Sunday, April 28, 2:00-3:30pm at Garfield Community Center in Seattle
Our 40+ member schools, preschool through 12th Grade, adhere to the accreditation standards established by the Northwest Association of Independent Schools (NWAIS). Discover the right school for your child today.
— www.pugetsoundindependentschools.org —
KINDERGARTEN OPTIONS 2019!
Late to investigate Kindergarten for 2019 and curious what independent schools have to offer? Learn more about your options and which schools have openings.
SPACES TO FILL!
Independent schools are great family education options and many have spaces at all grade levels. Find out more about our schools and who has openings.
INVESTIGATING MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL OPTIONS FOR 2020?
This is a great time to learn about independent school choices during our off-season.
PRE-SCHOOL/PRE-K PLACEMENTS AVAILABLE
Spaces are available at some of our schools. Attend and explore which schools have placement openings for your child and investigate Kindergarten possibilities as well.
Seattle’sChild
April 2019 // Issue 472
“Seattle is my town. I know this city inside and out… or so I thought until I had kids.”
Seattle’s Child is your guide to getting to know your city all over again. Finding things to do, places to eat, and how to get around — it’s a whole new ballgame with kids in tow. We’re interested in how parents make homes in a space-challenged urban environment, how families create community, and what parents are really talking about. Seattle’s Child reflects real Puget Sound families and their broad range of parenting experiences.
ANN BERGMAN Publisher, Founder abergman@seattleschild.com
BOO DAVIS Art Director bdavis@seattleschild.com
SYDNEY PARKER Managing Editor sparker@seattleschild.com
JULIE HANSON Website Editor jhanson@seattleschild.com
JENNIFER MORTENSEN Calendar Editor calendar@seattleschild.com
MIKE MAHONEY Copy Editor
JEFF LEE, MD Columnist
REBEKAH DENN Contributing Editor
CARLA BELL, ERIKA LEE BIGELOW, JIAYING GRYGIEL, BRETT HAMIL Contributing Writers ISSY BELZIL Marketing & Sales Coordinator JANA WITT Accounting ADVERTISING KIM LOVE Ad Production Manager klove@seattleschild.com
MELIA WILKINSON Advertising Sales Manager mwilkinson@seattleschild.com 774-253-2219
STEPHANIE KONAT Sales Account Manager skonat@seattleschild.com 425-770-4768
Seattle’s Child through the years
August 1979
The guilt trap
The Sonics won the NBA championship, but Seattle parents felt like losers. Seattle’s Child explored guilt in a multi-part series.
March 1981
The politics of breastfeeding
The World Health Organization called for limits on the use of breastmilk substitutes. Dr. Dana Raphael called for a woman’s right to infant feeding choices.
March 1982
Occupation: Housewife
Seattle dubbed itself the “Emerald City” and local stay-at-home mom Gretchen Shively rebranded herself a “Domestic Engineer.” 3
»Publisher’sNote
From the desk of Ann Bergman
Celebrating of pu blishing40 years
A trailblazing mag turns 40
Much has changed about parenting and publishing since 1979, but SC remains a Seattle institution
photo by JOSHUA HUSTON
When the first issue of Seattle’s Child rolled off the presses 40 years ago this month (!), my first child was about to turn 1. The idea for the magazine was born out of my frustration over how difficult it was to find out what was going on around town of interest to families.
I also was hungry for writing about parenting that rang true. The few national parenting publications simplified the messiness of home life by telling neat and tidy myths: If you were a “good mother” you loved that part of your life wholeheartedly, and if your kid was not “well-behaved” it was because you were doing something wrong. Mothers’ battles with depression, boredom and insecurity were seen as personal failures and dads who got “involved” at home received big bonus points. Luckily for me, my mom told me
when I was pregnant that I “better do something besides stay home with the kids all day or else I’d go batty,” and I had a husband who fully supported my work, because despite the Women’s Lib movement, working moms in 1979 were often judged as selfish and neglectful of their kids and marriages. We didn’t know then that babies arrive with their hard-wiring preinstalled, so we thought our fundamental task was to shape our kid like a lump of clay rather than getting to know them and accepting them
Ann Bergman published the first issue of Seattle’s Child in April 1979. It was the first local parenting publication in the country.
Seattle’s Child through the years
July 1982
A talk with Dr. Spock
“Everything that’s practical in baby and childcare I learned from mothers,”
Dr. Benjamin Spock told Seattle’s Child
August 1982
Househusband blues
The Green River Killer was at large, but Steve Myrwang was home with his kids.
November 1988
Children and prejudice
“It’s 1988 and prejudice hasn’t gone away,” wrote Deborah Berger. “Why is denial of such a pervasive problem so widespread?”
February 1996
In support of same-sex parenting
Seattle’s Child featured gay parents long before same-sex marriage was legal in Washington state.
November 1996
Keeping guns from kids
From 1990 to 1995, 63 King County kids died of self-inflicted or unintentional gunshot wounds.
March 2009
Siblings with special needs
A historic heat wave hit Seattle, but Seattle’s Child kept it cool with a feature on siblings of kids with special needs.
October 2013
Digital addiction
Seattle voters rejected GMO labeling, and an explosion of technology frayed the nerves of local parents.
January/February 2017
Rising above
Improbably, Donald Trump became president, and progressive Seattle parents grappled with how best to guide their children through the next four years.
November 2018
Drag Queen Story Time
Aleksa Manila graced the cover, carrying on a long Seattle’s Child tradition of diversity, inclusion and independent spirit.
«Publisher’sNote
CONTINUED
for who they are. The countless nets that catch those of us who are privileged if we fall were invisible and unacknowledged.
Our Seattle’s Child staff of five moms — Sonia Cole, Breck Longstreth, Diane Bennion, Jody Karr and I — wedged in work while our kids slept and by trading off childcare. With no cellphones, internet or email, our “remote office” was my kitchen where we’d wipe the crumbs off the table and layout the magazine late at night. We fact-checked using an almanac. I’ll never forget the thrill of unlocking our tiny postal box at the Wedgwood post office and finding a check from our first paid subscriber.
The magazine publishing industry has gone through rough times in the past 10 years, so we are celebrating this month that our feisty little magazine has not only survived but is thriving, thanks to the loyalty of our readers and advertisers. We’re grateful that we get to continue telling with words and photographs stories about the parents and kids in our community. It also seems right that we chose this, our 40th anniversary month, to launch our new, state-of-the-art mobile app that will make it much easier for parents to find out what’s going on around town — a tech solution to the very same need that got us started in 1979.
Of course, I’ve gone through changes too — divorce and remarriage and now five children and two stepchildren, ages 23 to 40, and seven grandchildren, ages two weeks to 8 years, with another arriving next month. And although I’ve had many sleepless nights fretting over cash flow, I’ve developed some tools of the trade to give me some sense of expertise as a publisher. But the work of parent-
ing has brought me far more sleepless nights and remains to me as mysterious and challenging as it felt when I brought home that first baby.
So when the daughter who tugged at my pant leg as I edited the first issue texted me and her sister yesterday about her 8-year-old resisting her homework, “sit with her? bribe her? stay out of it?,” and her sister texted back sympathy, and that her 13-month-old is waking up in the middle of the night again after weeks of sleeping through, “go in and comfort?
The magazine publishing industry has gone through rough times in the past 10 years, so we are celebrating this month that our feisty little magazine has not only survived but is thriving, thanks to the loyalty of our readers and advertisers. We’re grateful that we get to continue telling with words and photographs stories about the parents and kids in our community.
Let her cry?” I only knew there weren’t any “right” answers, and once these questions faded, new ones would pop up. And that I’m deeply grateful, personally and professionally, that I still have ringside seats to the circus of family life — harrowing near-misses, hilarious clowns, feats only possible with magic, and moments of joy so fleeting I’ll miss them if I look away.
» Dad Next Door
A little encouragement from across the fence
by JEFF LEE, MD
A spoonful of sugar
The Mary Poppins approach to child-rearing is both practical and magical
When my daughter Maddie was 3, she refused to go to bed until we put on the Mary Poppins video and played the scene where the chimney sweeps dance across the rooftops of London. “Step in time, step in time,” she’d insist, and she’d watch with rapt attention until the last sweep had scampered into the park and Bert had clicked his heels and wandered off into the night.
I was never sure why that scene had such a hold on her, but the movie was just as much a part of my own childhood as it was hers, and it still has a special place in my heart. So it was with a mix of anticipation and trepidation that I went to see the recent sequel: Mary Poppins Returns.
We went to an early evening show at our little neighborhood theater, and I was surprised to see that there were no kids or young families there. It was a small audience, and most of the people were about my age. Clearly this wasn’t an anomaly, because half the trailers were for movies that seemed directly targeted at my demographic. I worried that this might be some stiff, adult-ified version of Mary Poppins, unrecognizable to a true devotee like me.
Luckily, I needn’t have worried. The new movie paid generous tribute to the original, sprinkling in countless references to my favorite scenes while offering up new songs, new characters
and a new story to a brand-new generation of Poppins fans. Still, as I walked out of the theater, I couldn’t help but wonder who those fans might be.
Parents and kids have changed a lot since I was little, even since Maddie was. Moreover, the ways they’ve changed have pushed parenting styles in a distinctly un-Poppins-like direction. Would today’s audience find Mary’s child-rearing techniques quaint and obsolete? Impractical and unfeasible? After watching her in action again after all these years, I think there’s a lot we could learn from her. In fact, she may have exactly the spoonful of sugar that many of us have been searching for all along.
I’ll let you decide. Here, in my opinion, are Mary Poppins’ top five parenting tips:
1. Don’t put up with nonsense.
To the extent that they are able, children have the same responsibilities as everyone else.
They must do their chores and clean up their messes. They must be courteous and respectful. They mustn’t go around with their mouths open. We are not a codfish.
2. Allow as much nonsense as possible.
The world is much bigger than adults think it is. Children know this. In a child’s mind, nothing is stopping us from floating to the ceiling in a fit
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Learn about the history of dreamcatchers from our Hibulb staff, then make a colorful one yourself to take home.
THU 4 ARCHAEOLOGY DAY
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Handle artifacts, experience “digging” by finding objects in sand with brushes, and learn from our Hibulb staff what an archaeologist would use in the field.
Visit our website for a current list of all of our upcoming events!
A Healthier Family
A vaccine to prevent cancer?
It is hard to scroll through Facebook, turn on the TV, or open a newspaper without seeing some mention of vaccines. Recently, the news has been full of reports about measles and the MMR (Measles/Mumps/Rubella) vaccine in southwestern Washington’s Clark County. The MMR vaccine, along with vaccines for tetanus and influenza, are well known. However, there is a vaccine that could prevent cancer that fewer than half of children and young adults are receiving.
The human papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for at least 90 percent of all cervical cancers, a very dangerous and deadly disease, according to statistics from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. HPV is also responsible for the pre-cancerous lesions that are detected on pap smears and require invasive biopsies and procedures to remove parts of the cervix to prevent cervical cancer. As an OB/GYN, I see the negative impact that HPV has on patients daily. Both males and females are at risk and HPV has been strongly associated with oropharyngeal (head and neck), penile and anal cancers. Fortunately, a huge number of these cancers are preventable.
The Gardisil-9 HPV vaccine protects against the 9 most dangerous strains of the virus. These strains can lead to cancer as well as genital warts. Like cold and flu viruses, many different strains of HPV exist and those most likely to cause cancer are included in the vaccine.
Like most vaccines, the HPV vaccine is most effective when administered before any infection occurs. For this reason, the best time to vaccinate is starting at 11 to 12 years old, for all children. The vaccination schedule suggests a first vaccine between the ages of 9 to 14 years old and a second dose six to 12 months after the first. If vaccination starts after 15 years of age, the recommendation is for a total of three doses.
Because the vaccine protects against many different strains of HPV, it may be beneficial to receive the vaccine even if an HPV infection or the effects of an infection have already occurred. It is partially for this reason that the FDA recently approved the vaccine for men and women from the ages of 26 to 44 years old. This approval has not been incorporated into broad recommendations or guidelines, so it’s important every person reviews their vaccine options with their healthcare provider. Additionally, not all insurers are providing coverage for this vaccine in the newly approved age range.
Vaccine and medication safety are often top-of-mind for parents and patients alike. The HPV vaccine is not known to cause any major side effects. The most common reactions are redness or swelling at the injection site, headache, fatigue and joint pain and resolve on their own. As with any medication or vaccine anyone who has had a serious reaction or may be allergic to a component of the vaccine should speak with their healthcare provider prior to receiving the vaccine.
Only about 43 percent of teenagers in the U.S. are completely up-to-date with the most recent HPV vaccination guidelines based on data from the CDC. The coverage in Washington State is slightly higher than the national average, at 49.5 percent. The vaccine has not been available for long enough to provide long term data on the reduction of cancer cases. We do, however, have preliminary data that suggests a significant reduction in abnormal cells on pap smears and cervical biopsies. This trend suggests that if vaccination rates continue to increase, we may see as much as a 90 percent reduction in HPV related cancers. So, yes, we are lucky enough to live in a time when there is a vaccine available to prevent cancer!
by DENNIS GOULET, MD, MPH The Everett Clinic
patients to his practice.
of giggles. An idyllic landscape from a sidewalk chalk drawing is as real and ripe for exploration as any other place.
Dancing penguins are a distinct possibility. Anything can happen if you let it.
3. Do what’s best for the children. There is no glory in childraising. Don’t expect prizes or rewards, or even much gratitude. Your goal is to raise them into the best possible people they can be, so they won’t need you anymore. When that happens, and the wind changes, open your umbrella and go. You’ve done your job.
4. Do what’s best for yourself. Good parenting is not an act of martyrdom. You have a right to an occasional day off; demand it. You have things you need to get done; do them. You care about your health and appearance; tend to them and take pride in them. You have a right to all these things, and you can claim them without apology. Make that quite clear. Never explain anything.
5. Parenting is what you do, not who you are.
In the end, raising children is a job. It’s an important job, but a job nonetheless. It is not your identity. When the children are asleep in their beds, nodding and dreaming, you don’t cease to exist. When they stop needing you, you don’t become a lesser human being. Look in the mirror: what do you see? You may not be practically perfect in every way, but you’re much more than a mere extension of your children.
Talking umbrellas, up-sliding banisters and bottomless carpet bags aside, the Mary Poppins approach to child-rearing is based on a few straightforward ideas: clear standards of behavior, unfettered imagination, and good boundaries. Those are useful tools that can help us create a world for our kids and ourselves that’s both practical and magical.
Now that’s a jolly holiday if I’ve ever seen one.
ABOUT OUR COLUMNIST
Jeff Lee never smells of barley water in Seattle.
Dennis Goulet, MD, MPH, is an Obstetrics & Gynecology physician with The Everett Clinic at Shoreline. Dr. Goulet feels that every patient is unique and finds great joy in building relationships with patients and partnering with them to achieve wellness throughout their lifespan. He is currently accepting new
Download this!
What should we do today?
The new Seattle’s Child mobile app has the answer! Constantly updated, the app features things to do in every neighborhood to keep your kids happy, healthy and busy.
Download the Seattle’s Child iPhone app by texting ROMP to 43506 now
»Romp
Things to do with kids
5 things to do Spring break specials
Sound unbound
In its opening week, Seattle Symphony’s Octave 9 hosted a family open house, a banquet dinner, a lecture, a chamber concert, rehearsals — even a nightclub
complete with a DJ.
Octave 9 replaces the Symphony’s beloved Soundbridge, a space dedicated to teaching kids about music. Soundbridge closed in June 2017 and reopened
as Octave 9 this March, a $6.7 million redesign four years in the making. Located in the lower level of Benaroya Hall, kitty-corner from City Target, it’s a cozy space tricked out with super high-tech audio-visual equipment.
When you walk into Octave 9, the only clue that it’s not just any ordinary room is the CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE >
is invited to Detective Cookie’s Chess Club at Rainier Beach Library. Drop by and learn to play chess! Free. Tuesdays from 3-5 pm. 3 spl.org/hours-and-locations /rainier-beach-branch
3
See art Students visit the Bellevue Arts Museum for free on the second Wednesday of the month (April 10). Print out a coupon, save $12. 3 bellevuearts.org/ media/2779/student wednesdaycoupon.pdf
4
Purr-fect reading buddy
Kids age 5-10 can sign up for a 20-minute reading session with a kitty at this Bellevue shelter. Kids get reading practice, cats get cuddles: win-win. Monday-Friday, free. 3 seattlehumane.org/ get-involved/ kids-programs/
5
Celebrate spring Pet the farm animals and go on an egg hunt! Bellevue’s Kelsey Creek Farm holds a Spring Egg-stravaganza Saturday, April 3 from 10-11:30 am. $25 for residents, $30 for nonresidents. Pre-register. For kids age 5-7. 3 parks. bellevuewa.gov/ community-centers/ kelsey-creek-farm
Seattle Symphony’s new venue Octave 9 hosts an instrument petting zoo that’s a hit with the littles.
«Romp
honeycomb design on the ceiling. Disguised inside that felt structure is a whole lot of technology: 10 projectors, 62 loudspeakers, 28 microphones, 10 sub-woofer speakers and a circular track that can hold 13 big projector screens.
The system uses a network of computers to alter sound digitally, so what you see isn’t what you hear. Put it on “sacred setting” and instantly, sounds reverberate as though you were in a cathedral, with the ceiling lifted 100 feet up.
“It’s been fun to put together,” says Laura Reynolds, vice president of education and community engagement. “What I love about this room is we can be flexible. And while we have incredible technology
powering the room, the purpose of the space isn’t about showcasing technology, it’s about creating shared musical experiences together.”
Soundbridge focused on early childhood education and community engagement. Octave 9 will continue everything Soundbridge did, plus give the Symphony flexibility to reach different audiences. One new function is serving as a performance space for younger composers, whose work isn’t heard on the main stage yet.
At a recent family open house, Octave 9 was set up for kids to explore. A long
Visit Octave 9
Open houses following Tiny Tots and Family Concerts. Free RSVPs online (you don’t have to attend the concert first).
First Concert series, a 30-minute performance geared toward kids ages
Escape from Seattle! Explore scenic national parks
“It’s exciting that we can create this beautiful home for our community to welcome families, schools, and nonprofits,” Reynolds says. “And when we think about the future of music, all the kids here are part of that future.”
q seattlesymphony.org/octave-9
3-5. Concerts held Saturday mornings, tickets $12. Sensory-friendly concerts designed for kids on the autism spectrum, hosted by music therapist Mike Thomas. Concerts held Saturday mornings, tickets $12. craft table flanked one side of the room, and volunteers on the other end invited kids to try out the violin and cello. At the front, the score to “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” lit up on the 8-panel LCD screen. Most of the kids were eager to compose their own works on marimbas and boomwhackers.
Celebrate the start of National Park Week with free admission on Saturday, April 20. Washington’s most iconic park, Mount Rainier, is family-friendly and easily accessible from Seattle. You’ll find plenty of options for day hikes and comfortable visitors’ centers — basically your no-hassle wilderness experience. Olympic National Park is more remote; it’s known for its old-growth rainforest and miles of rocky beaches. North Cascades is best suited for visitors up for challenging hikes. But what a payoff: sweeping vistas of the Cascade Mountains, Washington’s natural beauty at its best. nps.gov/state/wa/index.htm
North Cascades National Park
New in town
Excavate a Triceratops taco
Eating with kids
»Chomp
Second meal secrets
Craving New Mexican classics like Frito Pie? Bang Bang Café has a new Rainier Valley branch, Bang Bang Kitchen, and their kids’ menu includes tacos served up in dinosaurs, burritos with green chile chicken, and their flavor-packed vegan mac. 4219 S. Othello St., bangbangseattle.com Former chef and food writer makes food go further; can you and your kids learn to love leftovers?
by REBEKAH DENN / photo by JOSHUA HUSTON
Sara Dickerman has some ideas for making leftovers creative, delicious…and maybe even fun.
In her new book Secrets of Great Second Meals, the Capitol Hill mom of two acknowledges
what a chore cooking can be “when I’ve spent hours driving the kids from activity to activity, when volunteering and work pile up.”
So she relies on some of the tricks she learned cooking in
restaurants like Le Pichet in the Pike Place Market neighborhood: Preparing components in batches large enough for more than one meal. Tracking fridge contents so she can use them before they spoil. Reveling in flexible dishes like pastas and frittatas.
A few highlights from our conversation:
Right under your nose!
Wish for deep dish
Windy City Pie, which makes hefty, highly acclaimed pizzas that probably weigh more than the average toddler, is now on Phinney Ridge!
This is the pizza place that J. Kenji López-Alt of Serious Eats called “the best Chicago-style pan pizza I’ve ever had anywhere, including in Chicago.” It’s pre-order and pickup-only for now; eventually it will have sitdown service.
5918 Phinney Ave. N., windycitypie.com
Sarah Dickerman can make a frittata out of just about anything.
•
• Experienced, Montessori-certified teachers
• Preschool, kindergarten, and STEAM Enrichment
• Family owned and operated since 1977
• Summer, before & after school programs
• Prep Program, (starting ages 2 1/2-3)
How did working in restaurants make you a better home cook?
“I saw the value that was placed on food costs, and how to get the most out of every bit of food. That meant making stocks, that meant making a stew out of the lesser cuts of meat, that meant puréeing vegetables into a soup. Not using bad food, but using food to its fullest capacity. That stuck with me as I became more and more of a home cook. I try always to be thoughtful about how to use any extra food in the kitchen. I also find it’s an incredible spark toward creativity, almost like a writing prompt.”
I noticed egg dishes and pastas are sort of catch-alls for creating second meals. Are enchiladas too? What else?
The other one is a curry base… One thing I’ve noticed is, my kids are not super adventurous eaters, but once they’ve grown used to a flavor of sauce, they’re more open to [unfamiliar ingredients prepared] in that sauce.
With a family of five, I find it difficult to deal with tiny quantities of leftovers. Thoughts?
Sometimes small amounts of food are best for lunch for a working parent… but another thing that often works well is a soup… (and) one of the classic stretchers of food are starches, so that’s the reason tacos make sense, or pastas. Eggs will always make sense too, because a frittata will just welcome any small odds and ends.
Anything else parents should know?
“It’s not health-related, but there’s a recipe in there for a chocolate-based cookie that’s meant to use up the leftover s’mores fixings, or leftover Halloween candy, or whatever sweet thing you have around that you want to clear out of the house. It’s a really delicious, fudgy, brownie-like cookie. It’s delightful and the kids think it’s hilarious, and I think fun in the kitchen is also helpful.”
Secondhand celebration
Deals to your door
Kids on 45th has been a consignment destination for Seattle parents since the ’80s, but new owner Elise Worthy took the store into the 21st
century. The company just celebrated their one-year anniversary of subscription service. Busy parents can sign up for seasonal wardrobe delivery and get the same great (and delightfully weird) stuff without spending hours combing the racks. kidson45th.com
»Shop
Lively + locally made
Weaving a new story
After months of fertility treatments, Bernadette Merikle and her husband Robert had finally made it to 20 weeks — the longest yet. The couple was elated, but ever so cautiously.
They had discussed and planned for this day — decoration of the nursery at 20 weeks — but with wisdom gained along the way of their journey, they tempered the desire to go headlong into it. They allowed themselves a timid
Things
we love
Career dolls
“I started Rad Gal because I wanted to give my girls an imaginative toy that was wild, adventurous and that they could see themselves
and their limitless potential in,” says Sarah McCammon, Des Moines mother of two. The durable canvas dolls come in Zola the Zoologist, Ruth the Judge, Greta the Artist and Astrid the Astronaut.
treasures
kind of joy, and waited. Then, in a follow-up sonogram, she sensed something was off.
“Trying not to panic, trying to keep my mind occupied, trying not to expect the worst,” Merikle says, “I did what any artist would have.” She became inspired. And through her rediscovery of characters in childhood tales, Storybook Weavings, a work of CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE >
Jennifer Choi wants to soothe your baby’s teething aches with a French Bulldog. The Lynnwood mom works as a dental manager by day and runs her Etsy shop I Got Chew by night. With Choi’s creations, your baby can gnaw on a cute unicorn, bubble tea or flamingo and get the relief you’ve been dreaming of. 3 etsy.com/shop/ IGotChew
Local artist Bernadette Merikle reinterprets classic children’s tales to heal from loss by CARLA BELL / photo by JOSHUA HUSTON
Bernadette and her daughter show off an artistic rendering of The Princess and the Pea by Rachel Isadora.
«Shop
CONTINUED
The Farm at SillyVille
This FREE “farmer for a day” experience connects kids to our state’s agriculture industry, the farming story, and healthy eating choices.
textiles, gratitude, love, time and tears, took shape.
She describes her handmade works as “textile weavings and wall hangings depicting characters from our favorite children’s books.” As she and her husband were once again coming to terms with their hopes deferred, “other mothers in waiting were snapping up my creations for their own nurseries.”
Now Merikle is a mother to John, 15 months, and Julia, who with her own hashtag, #julia unbothered, commands an adoring audience at just 3 years old. Both of these beautiful children were adopted. Merikle’s Instagram account displays their many wide-eyed smiles and serious play.
Thinking back on that time, Merikle recalls her devastation at the loss of her unborn child, but a new kind of bond as well: “I love working with moms who have struggled to persevere through the journey to motherhood.”
“Folks commission me to remake popular children’s book characters,” says Merikle. For example, the Wolf from Three Little Pigs, the Owl from Owl Moon, and Baby Bear from Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Each comes with a copy of the book on which the art is based. One of her favorite parts of the process is thrift-store hunting for books and textiles that allow her to tell stories in this new way, through deconstruction and reconstruction.
Custom pieces are accompanied by a studio diary that details Merikle’s creation process. These are heirloom pieces; one day, parents will pass them down to their children. Lineage is especially important to her.
Like her mother before her, Merikle was born in El Paso, Texas, and her grandmother on her mother’s side is from Alabama. She hails, she says, from “very Southern women.” Black women, Southern ones specifically, have long created whole worlds made from necessity, persistence, and the work of their hands. There’s a certain pride in that.
q Find Bernadette Merikle at bmerikle. com. Artist-selected 8 x 10-inch weavings priced from $150; custom work priced from $250.
q Watch Merikle’s website for info about Mommy and Me, guided opportunities to create art and memories with your children, coming this spring.
» TheBookCorner
INTO POETRY MONTH April is National Poetry Month! These artistic, unique books teach your kids about how they can use their love of language to think and learn outside the box. — Nicholas Carr
Snowman - Cold = Puddle: Spring Equations
By Laura Purdie
Salas, illustrated by Micha Archer Ages 4-8
An exploration of spring, where math and metaphor meet in the form of equations; tiny, perfect poems enabling readers to view the ordinary and see the miraculous. The science is revealed in a series of engaging sidebars.
Our Food: A Healthy Serving of Science and Poems
By Grace
Lin and Ranida T. McKneally, illustrated by Grace Zong Ages 5-8
Get kids talking about the science of food and what a healthy meal looks like. Cheerful haiku poems and a straightforward Q&A format make for a nutritious treat.
Sponsored by
At the Sea Floor Café: Odd Ocean Critter Poems
By
Leslie Bulion, illustrated by Leslie Evans Ages 8-12
The eating habits of unusual undersea creatures are introduced through elegant artwork and witty poems. Science notes detail the behavior of each animal, and poetry notes detail the types and forms of poems included.
Struttin’ with Some Barbecue: Lil Hardin
Armstrong Becomes the First Lady of Jazz
By Patricia Hruby
Powell, illustrated by Rachel Himes Ages 9-12
In the early days of Chicago’s jazz scene, Lil Hardin Armstrong overcame race and gender barriers to become a successful pianist, composer and bandleader.
University Book Store’s Kids Books and YA sections are hand-picked by experts for the most exciting titles to help young readers take their dreams further.
HEAR MY STORY
For seven years, students at Scriber Lake High School in Edmonds have written honest accounts of their painful experiences. Led by educator Marjie Bowker, the school’s writing program aims to promote healing and literacy through personal storytelling. Seattle’s Child is honored to reprint three abridged versions of student essays from the 2019 collection Listen: Young Writers Reflect on Chaos, Clarity, Action, Balance.
Respeto Y Responsabilidad
by BRIAN*
“Be confident,” my dad says when I hesitate at the edge of the river.
“The horse will know it if you’re feeling nervous or scared and will not do what you want.”
I poke my horse until he starts to go. I can feel his muscles flex as he walks on the rocks, the cold water splashing on my boots and jeans.
Halfway across, my dad turns to wait for me. “Come on,” he says in his deep voice.
The sky is bright blue and the grass is lush and green on the other side. I take in the moment because I can’t believe I am actually here, heading to my grandfather’s cabin with my dad for some target practice.
“When people relate to my story, I feel both sad and happy; I feel sad because I know how much they have suffered, but I feel good knowing my story has made them feel less alone.”
— Brian
For the past two years all I’ve had is a picture of him from my fifteenth birthday. We had just gotten out of Mass and my dad was wearing a nice button-up shirt, a jacket, and snakeskin boots. My mom looked like a queen in her long, beige dress with silver sparkly trim, and I was standing in the middle in a shirt and tie, completely unaware that in a few months my dad would be gone.
Whenever I look at the picture all I see is something I will never get back.
But I’m with him now, for five days, in Jalisco. El Chilacayote is the small town where my mom
and dad met before they came to the U.S., where I was born. He’s been back here since he was deported. When he left, I took over his landscaping business. For the past two years, I have gone to work every day at 7 am, no matter what. I pay bills, look after my mom, and don’t do the things my friends are doing, like go to parties and stay up late. He also told me that people would try to take advantage of me because of my young age. Of course, he was right. It happened just like he said it would, just a few months into taking over the business.
I had always heard stories about this place, but now I’m seeing it for myself — the town where everyone knows each other. It takes one and a half hours to get to a city for groceries from here, and four hours to get to Puerto Vallarta for a pizza.
I’m trying to enjoy the moment, but how can I when deep inside I know that I’m going to have to leave in a few days? How can I feel good if I have been feeling horrible at home without him?
“I’ve been through things that I won’t never probably heal from” — the lyrics from “Dying Inside” by JayteKz go through my mind. I don’t think I will ever heal from the day that ICE surrounded us and took him away.
*** My dad waited for me outside wearing his black-and-red checkered pajamas and worn old slippers. The air was cold and I could see the cloudy reddish sunrise behind him.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“I’m warming up the truck for my Prince,” he said. I rolled my eyes. Oh my god. Why do you have to call me your Prince?
On our way to school we had to stop for gas, so we turned left at an intersection. In my dad’s rearview mirror, I saw four black cars race through the red light behind us. What’s going on? Why aren’t they getting stopped? I thought. I turned to get a better look at them when I realized that all four cars were circling around us. My dad swore. We stopped.
When the officer approached the window I knew he wasn’t a regular cop because he wore all black: a black vest, black boots, a rifle strapped around his shoulder and a black logo that read “ICE.” I froze. In a panic, I looked at my dad, who was staring at the officer. The cop shined a flashlight in the window at us
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< Respeto Y Responsabilidad CONTINUED and around the inside of the car, then tapped on the window with it. My dad hit the button to roll down the window.
“Are you Juan Hernandez*?” the officer asked. My dad looked from me to the officer, then back to me again. I usually spoke English for him.
“Yes,” I answered quickly. “Why, is there a problem?”
“Sir, please step out of the vehicle. You have a deportation order.”
My dad turned to look at me, and I realized that days before, when my dad told us he saw ICE officers waiting outside the house, we should have believed him. My mom and I told him that it was probably the cable guy. But here they were, surrounding us. I knew by the look on his face that I wouldn’t be seeing him for a long time.
I felt tingly, light, and filled with butterflies. Is this really happening?
“Be ready because we are going through a place that is blocked by a log,” my dad tells me. “Make sure to duck your head and move your rifle to the side so it won’t pull you away.”
As we get closer to the log I try unsuccessfully to stop the horse. I panic. I duck and move my rifle as fast as I can, but the old rotting log knocks my hat off as I ride under it.
My dad stops, dismounts and picks up my hat because he knows I struggle to get back on the horse. He hands it to me and says, “There’s a clear path up ahead.” We move on and I take in the beauty; everything is so quiet and peaceful. We go around a curve and find ourselves in a clear opening — we can see the town, which is a long way from where we started.
We are surrounded by bright blue sky with no sign of clouds. I’ve never seen anything like it. My dad used to always talk about his vision of him and me running the landscaping company together. “I will be the old grandpa with a bald head driving the big trucks around and you can collect the checks,” he would say. “Just give me my $500 and I’ll be set.”
As two officers opened my dad’s door, he got out and gave me a serious look, like he was letting me down. He took his phone out of his pocket and put it on the car seat, then handed me money from his wallet. “Here’s some money if you need it,” he said in a low, sad voice. “Take care of your mom.”
Another officer came to my side and opened my door and said, “Will you please step out of the vehicle?”My hands got sweaty as I grabbed my dad’s phone and wallet, then stepped out. Two officers handcuffed my dad and led him to one of the blacked-out Tahoes.
As the four cars drove away, I paid closest attention to the Tahoe that had my dad in it. In seconds I couldn’t see the car anymore; it just blended with the darkness of the morning. Everything started to sink in.
I turned and started to walk home as the sun rose, tears running down my face. Deep inside I felt like I was dying. My only thought was, How am I going to tell my mom?
As we stare at the view, I feel lost knowing I’m going to have to leave soon, and that his vision can never become reality. My dad won’t be there to guide me, or to see my success. I’m scared for what will happen to him, and I’m nervous about my family’s future, my future.
“You didn’t do too bad for your first time. You’ll get used to it,” my dad says, breaking into my thoughts. For a moment I think he’s telling me I’ll get used to life without him. Then I realize what he’s talking about.
“Yeah,” I answer. “I will.”
* Name has been changed to protect subject’s privacy. Brian plans to graduate this year and attend Edmonds Community College for Landscape Design and/or aeronautical engineering.
Brian reads from his essay at the Listen launch at Café Louvre in Edmonds.
Plankton
by MINDY FILLA
My hands are shaking as I rub them on my grey sweater, an attempt to rid them of the sweat that has accumulated since the bell for third period rang. The halls are a raging river of faces and backpacks — constant and angry — everyone flowing around each other, like fish, for nearly four whole minutes. Pools of people gather around the bottoms of the stairways, unbothered by the closeness to others.
I am plankton, small and microscopic, drifting as the waters carry me from one side of Edmonds-Woodway High School to the other. I can feel my heartbeat in my ears, drowning out the threatening hum.
Do I look as terrified as I feel? I look around for an exit, everything becoming way too much to handle. The water’s rising, and if I don’t get out soon, I’ll drown. I have to avoid eye contact at all costs. It’s too personal, too close. Keeping my head down is what I’m best at; I need to if I’m going to survive.
This was especially true in third grade
when I found myself being bullied at school. No matter where I went, there was torment. No matter how long I spent inspecting the floors, someone somewhere was ready to strike. And I know that what happened all those years ago is the basis for why I am stuck in this cesspool of anxiety now.
***
I stepped onto the bus and exchanged a quiet “hello” with the bus driver, then quickly walked to my assigned seat in the back. Sliding in, I squished myself against the side.
I just want to be home. I hate being on edge all day, tiptoeing my way around and trying to avoid what I can’t predict. There’s nothing I can do to avoid being pushed around during recess and called names at the lunch table. I’m so tired of it.
I finally propped my head up and took a look around to bring myself out of the haze. A wind dancer advertisement caught my attention out the window, and as my head turned to follow it, I heard, “Don’t look at me.”
The harsh voice came from a girl sitting behind me. Startled by her hostility, all I could do was stare. “I said don’t look at me, creep!” she yelled more loudly.
I quickly turned around and shrank down into my seat. Please don’t say anything. Please don’t yell. Don’t make it worse.
A few moments passed with little reaction from anyone else, so I thought I was in the clear. Maybe this once, the situation won’t
Available Now
< Plankton CONTINUED escalate like all the other times. Maybe this time, the other people who love to terrorize me won’t join in and attack.
As I put my backpack over my shoulder, I felt my hair being messed with and heard laughter. My thick, long hair lived its life as a poofy mess. Kids always poked fun at my hair, so when I felt the girl’s hands in my frizz, I was embarrassed and ready to cry.
I shot my hand up to my head and felt a glob of wet stickiness. They had marshmallow bunnies at lunch for Easter, I remembered. She must have put the marshmallow in her mouth, chewed it, and put it in my hair. Everyone’s gonna see it when I walk off the bus, and they will all laugh.
My tears welled up. I saw the blurry buildings of my apartment complex. I shuffled down the aisle, holding my hand over the gooey mess. A few giggles still erupted from the back of the bus. I let the tears fall, not caring. I just want to get out of this twenty-foot yellow torture chamber.
***
“Can I use my DS?” I asked my dad. I figured he was done with it because it was sitting on the table next to his beer can.
her to be mad at me as well. I went back to my room feeling empty.
An hour went by. All I could think about was wanting to be next to my mom. I crawled my way to her door frame, peering in to see two lumps in bed. I made my way in silently to the small space on my mom’s side of the bed. I started to drift off, and when my arm fell, it thudded against the bed frame.
“What the f*** are you doing in here?” my dad screamed. I went cold for a moment, then picked myself up and tried to escape fast enough to show I was sorry. I wanted to make it back into my bed before he could strike me.
“Writing this was a year-long process; there were months I couldn’t touch it because it was too hard to be in the headspace it required. The days that I wrote left me recollecting all the details and pain. It was very difficult, but now I have a better understanding of what happened.”
—
Mindy
“No,” he answered passively while continuing to stare at the TV.
“You’ve had it all day,” I said, cautiously. “Why can’t I use it?”
He was living with us for the first time after eight years. Life with him was an endless minefield. I longed for when it was just my mom, siblings, and me, and I could breathe without fear.
He stood up. “Don’t talk back!” he screamed in my face, then added, “You’re just an ungrateful brat, you know that? Always asking for things from me.”
I ran to my room, away from his harsh words, feeling nauseous from smelling the mix of Bud Light, body odor, and chlorine from his poor hygiene; he considered our pool to be his daily shower.
Hours passed. Then a tired creak came from our cat-scratched couch. I dropped my head when the door opened, avoiding his stormy blue eyes. “Your mom’s almost home, get ready for bed.”
“Oh… okay.” My voice came out small; I was hoping for an apology but I wasn’t quite sure why. He’s never apologized for being mean these last few months. Why would I hope for anything different now?
When I got into bed, the bells on our front door jingled, letting me know she was home. I ran out for a hug goodnight.
“Hi honey, how was your day?” she cooed. “It was fine… ” I answered. I was never sure what to say, all I knew was that I didn’t want
But he jumped up and chased me down the hall. I was screaming “No!” and “I’m sorry!” as I tried to push myself into the corner against the wall, hoping he wouldn’t reach me. But he grabbed my leg and flipped me over and started spanking me over and over with no breaks, leaving no time for me to react to the last blow. I kept begging for him to let me go, but he didn’t care. Finally, I wriggled out of his grasp and held pillows up to block his blows. Nothing worked; he slapped the pillows out of my hands so easily, and I couldn’t stop his hands from coming down. When he finally grew tired, he walked back to my mom’s room and slammed the door. I laid on the bed and cried.
I can’t even walk through a hallway without breaking down and needing to run away, I think, condemning myself. I’m missing class again. More work to make up. Last time I looked I had 187 missing assignments — I just stared at it and cried. We aren’t even close to being done with the school year. There’s no way to get out of it, I’m stuck. I won’t pass any of my classes, again.
“You can fail two classes and still graduate,” I remember them telling us at the freshman orientation. I have failed every class so far, and I don’t know how I let myself get like this. In middle school, I was placed into honors based off my test scores. For a short time I envisioned myself graduating early, going to a university somewhere and taking sophisticated classes, no problem.
But here I am in this bathroom stall, failing again. Here I am, unable to make eye contact, answer simple questions in class, or even do a presentation without quaking. I never thought I’d struggle like this. I never thought I’d want to end my life like this. I planned so much for myself less than a year ago.
But here I am, I’m struggling to even see myself walk out of this bathroom.
Mindy graduated and plans to go to college to study art, psychology and writing, and eventually become a therapist who uses art to help clients cope with past trauma.
by BRIEAUNNA DACRUZ
Yeah come through, my dealer’s text reads. I got that ice and brown. What do you need?
The usual, I got $50 on it, I respond. Excitement washes over my body as if I’m already high.
I’m driving with my co-worker, Ryan next to me. It’s nighttime and both of us wear matching khaki pants and red-colored shirts with a Papa John’s logo on the front. We’re laughing at the fact that we almost just got hit by a hearse.
“If he would have hit us, we might have been riding in that,” Ryan says. I see the QFC ahead — my dealer is standing by the entrance in front of a table.
“I’ll be right back. I owe my friend some money,” I say. I hate lying to mask my addiction, but after two and a half years of recovery and relapse, I only seem to be lying more each time I choose to get high.
I take a look around and throw my dealer a $50. Casually, he slides the bag of clear
across the table. Two and a half years ago I would have never believed that “one time” would lead to this drug being the most important thing in my life.
***
“Jenay, let’s get high. Not no weed high or anything we usually do.” I pulled my hoodie over my head and listened closely for a reply from my best friend.
“My mom has some brown,” she said. I couldn’t tell if the wind gust was creating chills down my spine or if it was the thought of December 7, 1999, the day my grandfather was released from jail. After a year and a half sentence he was given heroin laced with something that caused him to overdose and die just three hours into his freedom.
After he died, my mom sat in a depression for nine years, filling that void with painkillers. I’d spent 365 days of each of those nine years terrified that the same thing would happen to her. My mom is my best friend and number one support.
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< I Wish I Hated It CONTINUED
“Not funny. You know what happened to my grandpa,” I said. “That is one thing I told myself I would never touch.”
“Well, I know there’s clear, too. What’s wrong?”
What was wrong was that my heart had been completely torn open by someone I loved and I just needed something to ease the pain for a moment. I avoided her question. “Clear?” I asked. “What does that do?”
“Bri,” she said guiltily, “‘Clear’ is short for meth. It’s like a supercharged Adderall.”
I had started taking Adderall when I was fifteen. It gradually got worse; I went from doing it once or twice on the weekends to eventually every day.
She leaned toward me with the bubble, then stopped.“Bri, you have to promise me this is a one-time thing. I can’t be the reason you started doing this if you don’t stop.” I suddenly realized that she looked empty, as if the drug had already taken her a while ago. I never even knew she was doing meth at all.
I inhaled, then followed with an exhale that instantly filled my body with butterflies. I felt like Superman. I no longer felt pain; I felt pure love, better than ever. Better than the love I had lost.
I take a small piece of toilet paper and shake the bag of clear out. My heart skips a beat. I know I’m going to feel amazing. My mom thinks I’ve been sober for five months, but in reality I only remained sober for one week after my fourth rehab.
I’m doing everything in my power to hide my high; I’ve become an expert at it. I have to be, because I have two parents who have battled addictions themselves. Otherwise they wouldn’t have been blindsided for eight months before sending me to an adolescent lockdown treatment facility in Oregon. While I was there, I wrote my dad a letter telling him his drinking was bothering me.
“I’ll do what I can, I promise,” my dad had told me in response during one of their weekend visits. “But you have to promise me the same.” He overcame his addiction for me. Now I’m breaking my promise to him.
“Everything I learned through my willpower to continue fighting and writing made me the person I am today. I am no longer holding my secret behind my back — I am letting it out for you and everyone else.”
— Brieaunna
Without one thought of anything or anyone I loved — my parents, my nieces, my family, friends, and, to say the least, myself — I had no care in the world unless it was more of this drug.
“Let’s go pick up more,” I said. My words came out so quickly I didn’t think she understood them.
“Bri, you said just this one time …”
“Fine, I’ll go get some myself somewhere,” I answered defensively, angry.
At a loss for words, she texted the dealer I didn’t know she had.
I can’t wait to get more, was the only thought that consumed me. As we began to leave, my phone vibrated. It was my mom. Call me please.
But I never called. In that short amount of time, the drug had become more important than my mom.
***
A tall man with a blue state patrol hat approached my car. I thought about all of the things in my car: meth, a torch, a bubble, an ounce of weed and a pipe. Plus, I was high. This could mean years in prison. Six months and twentyseven days clean all for nothing, only to relapse and arrive at another crucial moment.
I rolled down my window and put on my best sober face. “Hello. How are you doing tonight?” the officer said in a conversational tone. “Did you happen to know who was in the white vehicle behind you before I pulled you over?”
I realized a few of my friends had called the police because they knew I had relapsed and were worried about me.
“I pulled you over tonight because she called us and said you were drinking and driving.” I couldn’t help but chuckle out loud; I couldn’t believe they had lied. If they had told him I was on meth, the police would detain me and search my car.
“Absolutely not. I was just having a rough night and came down here to visit a friend. Now I’m headed home to Seattle.”
He flicked his big silver flashlight into my
eyes. My pupils must have looked like they were going to pop out of my head. My life is over, I thought.
“Well, from what I can see, you do not appear impaired. So I have no probable cause to pull you out of the car. But I need to see your license, registration, and insurance.” No sobriety test? No breathalyzer?
All I could think about were my nieces, Amelie and Camilla. They had begged me not to leave, but I had chosen meth over them. They were only three and four years old. They were the most important people in my life and were a big reason I got sober in the first place. They were getting old enough to understand things.
In a few minutes, the cop returned and said, “Drive safe.” I looked to the left of me and saw them, my friends, parked right next to Wendy’s watching to see what happened. She knew I was twacked out, not drunk.
I didn’t know whether to be upset at them for calling, or grateful for the lie. Little did my friends know that the next trip to rehab would do nothing to change my life. I wished I hated this drug, but I loved it.
I look inside the baggie from my dealer and see that the clear that I’ve already taken from is coated with blackish residue. Heroin? Like my grandfather.
I ball up my fists in anger as I swallow the clear, not caring. There is no way I am throwing away my drug even if it is laced with the drug I swore I would never do.
My family will remember me as a drug addict. I imagine my dad’s voice receiving the phone call telling him I’m gone, my nieces’ heartbroken faces, and the possibility of them following in my — and my grandfather’s — footsteps, my mom discovering my body and the words she has said to me so many times.
“If I lost you, I would have no reason to live.” I feel the sensation of my soul leaving my body. I’m in a tunnel. Death is an existence, not a person. I can see it, and I’m about to touch it.
Brieaunna Dacruz began writing this during a period of active addiction. She now celebrates more than a year of sobriety.
Our picks for April
by ERIKA LEE BIGELOW
1 2 3 4 5
April 6
Edible Book Festival
See an exhibit of edible “books” or bring in your own creation (summon the puns, imagine some imagery) inspired by a real book. Cast your vote for your favorite at Third Place Commons in Lake Forest Park.
April 6
Miss Nelson is Missing: The Musical What happens when a class misbehaves so much that the teacher goes missing and is replaced with a scary substitute? Second Story Repertory in Redmond, weekends through April 27.
April 19-21
Sakura-Con
See live drawings, attend autograph sessions and meet special guests in anime. This is the most well-attended Japanese animation convention in the Northwest, featuring art, presentations, photo booths and more.
April 21
Alpental Easter Eggstravaganza
You don’t want to miss the Easter Bunny at Alpental! Check in at 9 am for an egg hunt in the Alpental base area, near the plaza for little kids and on-mountain for older kids. BYO baskets.
April 28
Top Pot Doughnut Dash
Run the lake, get a doughnut! Head to Green Lake Community Center for the start of a fun 5K run/walk and 1K Kids’ Dash, which benefits Childhaven. 5K at 8:30 am, Kids’ Dash at 9:30, Caspar Babypants plays at 10!
»Calendar
What’s happening around town
4/19
by JENNIFER MORTENSEN
Monday, April 1
NORTH SOUND
Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. Daily events and attractions through April 30. Mount Vernon Street Fair is April 20-22. Prices vary, many events FREE. Various locations throughout the Skagit Valley. No pets in the fields. Download the festival map and brochure online. www.tulipfestival.org
Tuesday, April 2
SEATTLE AREA
Shen Yun Performing Arts. Singers, dancers, drummers and acrobats highlight 5,000 years of Chinese culture. 7:30 pm tonight; various times through Apr. 7. $$$. McCaw Hall, Seattle (Lower Queen Anne). www.shenyun.com
Author Book Discussion:
The Heart of a Boy: Celebrating the Strength and Spirit of Boyhood. Mother and bestselling author Kate T. Parker discusses her book that celebrates through photographs the ways boys are wild yet gentle, confident yet vulnerable, and ready to run or reach out for a friend. 7 pm. FREE. University Bookstore, Seattle (U District). www.ubookstore.com
Thursday, April 4
SEATTLE AREA
Free First Thursdays. Participating museums, galleries and gardens all around the region offer free admission on the first Thursday of every month. Check websites or call ahead to confirm free hours.
Guts and Glory: The Vikings. Local author Ben Thompson gives a kidappropriate talk about Vikings. 6 pm.
FREE. Nordic Museum, Ballard. www.nordicmuseum.org
Friday, April 5
SEATTLE AREA
Cirrus Circus Show. Marvel at original circus acts performed via unicycle, tight wire, acrobatics, trapeze, contortion and more. Performed by School of Acrobatics & New Circus Arts’ teen performance troupe. 7 pm tonight; various times
„ Hop over to our website for a huge list of egg hunts and Easter festivities » seattleschild.com
through Apr. 7. $$. Broadway Performance Hall, Seattle (Capitol Hill). www.sancaseattle.org
NORTH SOUND
Willy Wonka Jr. Kidstage production takes a ride to a world of pure imagination. Featuring songs from original movie, plus a few new tunes. 7:30 pm tonight; various times through Apr. 21. $$. Cope Gillette Theatre, Everett. www.villagetheatre.org
Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Festival
Saturday, April 6
SEATTLE AREA
BIG KID PICK
GERMAN LANGUAGE SUMMER CAMPS
The Earth: Weather Science. A virtual reality experience of Google Earth, hands-on activities and demos teach kids ages 10 and older all about weather data and meteorology. 11 am to 3 pm. $$-$$$. Museum of Flight, Burien. www.museumofflight.org
International Children’s Friendship Festival. This festival is all about global friendship and enriching children’s lives with cultural traditions. Enjoy performances by kids of all ages and cultural exhibits from over 40 countries. 11 am to 6 pm today and Sun. FREE. Seattle Center Fisher Pavilion (Lower Queen Anne). www.icffseattle.org
Ages 3 -10
Learn in a natural, child-friendly indoor/outdoor environment. A daily warm lunch is included.
WEEKLY CAMPS
JUNE 24 - AUG 16
Mon-Fri, 9:30 am -1:30 pm After-Camp Care available July 15-26
www.ABCGermanSchool.com
BIG KID PICK Morning Treats & Tweets. Be a birder for a day and watch the diverse and beautiful birds at Seward Park. Hot coffee, donuts and binoculars included. Ages 8 and older. 10 am to noon. Seward Park, Seattle. www.sewardpark.audubon.org
Movin’ Around the World. Explore different cultures through song, dance, play and hands-on activities. Each day showcases a different culture. 11 am to 2:30 pm today through Apr. 12. $ suggested donation. Seattle Center, Seattle (Lower Queen Anne). www.nwfolklife.org
EASTSIDE
The Little Prince. A magical play about a pilot downed in the desert and his encounters with the little prince. 2 and 7 pm today, 2 pm Sun. $$. Bellevue Youth Theatre, Bellevue. www.parks.bellevuewa.gov
Train Season Opening Weekend.
“All Aboard!” Most train-ride excursions include a stop to explore railroad history at the Train Shed. Various departure times today and each Sat. and Sun. through Oct. $$. Northwest Railway Museum, Snoqualmie. www.trainmuseum.org
SOUTH SOUND
Daffodil Parade. Two-hour parade features floats decorated with thousands of fresh daffodils, marching bands and more. The parade travels through the towns of Tacoma (S. Ninth St. and Pacific Ave., 10:15 am), Puyallup (Seventh Ave. SW and Fifth St. SW, 12:45 pm), Sumner (Kincaid Ave. and Main St., 2:30 pm) and Orting (Bridge St. S. and Washington Ave. E., 5 pm). FREE. www.thedaffodilfestival.org
Thursday, April 11
SOUTH SOUND
Spring Fair in Puyallup. Animals, rides, food, arts and crafts, monster truck show, demolition derby, kids’ activities and more. 2 to 10 pm today, 10 am to 10 pm Fri. and Sat., 10 am to 8 pm Sun. $ to $$, FREE ages 5 and younger. Puyallup Fair & Events Center, Puyallup. www.thefair.com
Friday, April 12
SEATTLE AREA
A Midsummer Night’s Dream See Pacific Northwest Ballet’s production of Shakespeare’s comic tale of romantic confusion. 7:30 pm tonight; various times through Apr. 21. $$$. McCaw Hall, Seattle (Lower Queen Anne). www.mccawhall.com
Octave 9 Family Open House. Play, learn and explore at Seattle Symphony’s new venue for music and music education. Every hour 10 am to 1 pm today; 9 and 10 am on Sat. FREE with ticket or on a first-come, first-served basis. Octave 9, Benaroya Hall, Downtown Seattle. www.seattlesymphony.com
EASTSIDE
High School Musical, Jr. This upbeat musical brings the halls of high school to life, complete with humor, heartache and a pop-rock score. 7:30 pm tonight; various times through Apr. 28. $$. Village Theatre, Issaquah. www.villagetheatre.org
Saturday, April 13
SEATTLE AREA
The Princess and the Pea. What defines a real princess? Beauty? Kindness? Courage? Find out in this not-so-traditional performance by StoryBook Theater. Best for ages 3 and older. 11 am today, 11 am and 1 pm Sun. $$. Carco Theatre, Renton. www.storybooktheater.org
Saturday Family Concerts: Eli Rosenblatt. Dance and sing to his musical medley that’s a mix of salsa, reggae, hip-hop, funk, and American folk. 11 am. $, free ages 12 and younger with adult. Phinney Center (Phinney Ridge). www.townhallseattle.org
SOUTH SOUND
Aha Mele Hawaiian Festival. Enjoy Hawaiian music, dance, food, vendors and workshops. $, free ages 5 and younger. 11 am to 9 pm. Chief Leschi Schools, Puyallup. www.facebook.com
Junior Daffodil Parade. The Daffodil Festival’s Junior Parade features costumes, pets, music and
„ For our mobile-friendly, totally searchable, frequently updated calendar go to seattleschild.com
non-motorized floats. 10 am. FREE. North End Proctor District, Tacoma. www.thedaffodilfestival.org
Lacey Family Fish-In. Kids ages 5 to 14 learn how to fish and take home their own rod and reel. Preregister. 8 am to 12:30 pm. $. Woodland Creek Community Park, Lacey. www.ci.lacey.wa.us Sewing to Sowing. Hands-on activities, games and demonstrations of daily life in a typical mid1800s frontier home. 11 am to 4 pm. $, free ages 4 and younger. Fort Nisqually Living History Museum, Tacoma. www.fortnisqually.org
Sunday, April 14
SEATTLE AREA
Street Scramble Alki. Race on foot to see how many checkpoints you can find on the map within 90 minutes or 3 hours. 8:30 am registration, 9:30 am maps distributed, 10 am start. $ to $$$. Alki Beach, West Seattle. www.streetscramble.com
SOUTH SOUND
Daffodil Marine Parade. See Daffodil Royalty and dozens of daffodil-decorated boats sail by. Parade starts at Tacoma Yacht Club and continues along the waterfront to the Foss Thea Waterway in downtown Tacoma. 11:30 am. FREE. www.thedaffodilfestival.org
Friday, April 19
SEATTLE AREA
The Little Red Hen. Theater for Young Children brings this classic tale to life in a play that’s perfect for young audiences. 11:15 am. FREE. Green Lake Community Center, Seattle. www.seattle.gov/parks
Sakura-Con. The oldest and most well attended
Japanese animation convention in the Pacific Northwest featuring art, presentations, photo booths and more. Kids under 18 must attend with an adult. Today through Sun. $$$, free ages 5 and younger. Washington State Convention Center, Downtown Seattle. www.sakuracon.org
Saturday, April 20
SEATTLE AREA
Bushwick Book Club: Parable of the Talents. Bushwick shows bring musicians and artists together to perform new works inspired by great books. Today KEXP curates an artist lineup presenting works inspired by African American sci-fi author Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Talents. 7:30 pm. $-$$. Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute, Seattle (Central District). www.townhallseattle.org
Earth Day Run. Magnuson Series fun runs including 5K, 10K, a half marathon and Kids Dash. 9:45 am Kids Dash, 10 am all other events. $ to $$$. Magnuson Park, Seattle (Sand Point). www.magnusonseries.org
Earth Day Work Party. Help restore forest habitat and pull weeds as you enjoy live music. 10 am to 2 pm. FREE. Camp Long, West Seattle. www.dnda.org
SCA Earth Day. Help restore a local park along with the Student Conservation Association. Wear long pants and close-toed shoes, and bring water. Tools and gloves provided. See participating parks online. 9 am to 1 pm. FREE. Pre-register. Washington Park Arboretum, Seattle (Montlake). www.thesca.org
Tenacious Ten Run. Choose from a challenging 10k or 10-mile (8 am) course. 1k Kids Run (10:30 am). $$$. Pre-register. Gas Works Park, Seattle (Fremont). www.thetenaciousten.com
World Rhythm Festival. A full day of world music performances, drum and dance workshops, marketplace, and a drum circle. 11 am to 10 pm. FREE. Seattle Center (Lower Queen Anne). www.swps.org
EASTSIDE
Sammamish Arbor Day. Join the City of Issaquah and Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust in restoring Sammamish Cove. Plant native trees and shrubs, remove invasive blackberry, and expand a new connector trail to improve park access. 10 am to 2 pm. FREE; preregister. Sammamish Cove, Issaquah. www.mtsgreenway.org
NORTH SOUND
Bike Rodeo and Helmet Giveaway. Free bike helmets available to children ages 1 to 18. One helmet per child; wearer must be present and be fitted for helmet. First come, first served. 10 am to 1 pm. FREE. Lynnwood Elementary, Lynnwood. www.seattlechildrens.org
SOUTH SOUND
Earth Day Extravaganza Explore ways to care for the earth locally and globally. Best for ages 4 and older. Noon to 4 pm. FREE. Tacoma Nature Center, Tacoma. www.metroparkstacoma.org
Family STEAM Day: Wind-Powered Cars. The use of renewable forms of energy is a major focus for today’s engineers. Use craft supplies and recycled materials to design, build and race wind-powered model cars. 11 am to 4 pm. Included with admission, $$. America’s Car Museum, Tacoma. www.americascarmuseum.org
Friday, April 26
SEATTLE AREA
Ballard Carnival. Have a fun night out with neighbors. Try the ring toss, bounce house, face painting and fair food. 5 to 9 pm. $. Ballard Community Center, Seattle. www.seattle.gov/parks
Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Festival. Experience Japanese culture through Taiko drumming performances, artisan demonstrations, hands-on activities, games, food and marketplace. 10 am to 6 pm through Sun. FREE. Seattle Center Armory and Fisher Pavilion (Lower Queen Anne). www.cherryblossomfest.org
Saturday, April 27
SEATTLE AREA
Family Science Night: Mystery at the Museum. Solve a crime-scene mystery by examining the scene, collecting clues and extracting DNA. End the evening with a cold treat made with liquid nitrogen. 5:45 to 8:30 pm. $$$. Pacific Science Center, Seattle www.pacificsciencecenter.org
Girlvolution. Annual social justice conference with workshops, art and performances by youth. Best for ages 11 and older. 10 am to 4 pm. FREE ages 20 and younger, $$$ suggested donation ages 21 and older. Preregister. Seattle World School (Central District). www.powerfulvoices.org
Rock and Gem Show. Annual show features rock, mineral, crystal, gem, geode and fossil displays, vendors, kids’ activities and more. 10 am to 5 pm through Sun. FREE. Alki Masonic Temple, West Seattle. www.westseattlerockclub.org
Send your K-12 student on a tech adventure this year with ProjectFUN! Enroll in STEAM courses on video game programming, game design, art, animation, engineering, music, and sound design.
academy.digipen.edu/projectfun-workshops
Seattle Independent Bookstore Day. Celebrate Seattle’s independent bookstores. Locations throughout the Puget Sound area are celebrating with special events, exclusive merchandise, games, prizes and more. Various times and locations. FREE. www.seattlebookstoreday.com
EASTSIDE
Sheep Shearing. Shearing and spinning demonstrations, children’s crafts and activities, tractor and wagon rides, pony rides, food and more. 11 am to 4 pm. FREE, nominal fees for activities (cash only). Shuttles from Wilburton Park & Ride and Bannerwood Sports Park. Kelsey Creek Farm Park, Bellevue. www.bellevuewa.gov
„ For our mobile-friendly, totally searchable, frequently updated calendar go to seattleschild.com
NORTH SOUND
Can Do 5K. 5K run/walk, 1-mile walk, and kids’ dash (ages 3 to 12) to raise awareness and funds for families with special needs children. 8 am. $$$, free kids’ dash. Seattle Times Bothell Campus, Bothell. www.cando5k.org
Family Bike Ride on Centennial Trail. Bring the whole family for a fun ride on the Centennial Trail out of Arlington. Head north on the paved, traffic-free trail. It’s an out-and-back ride, so you decide the distance, from 1 to 15 miles. Snacks at mile 4 and at the finish line, plus memorabilia for the little ones. 1 to 5 pm. FREE. Haller Park, Arlington. www.arlingtonwa.gov
SOUTH SOUND
Procession of the Species Celebration. Parade of costumes and floats celebrates with natural world. Join in, observe the three rules (see online). 4:30 pm. FREE, food bank donations encouraged. Parade starts at Cherry Street and Legion Avenue, Olympia. www.procession.org
Sunday, April 28
SEATTLE AREA
Art-Venture: Re-Imagined Objects. Get a new perspective on old, discarded objects around you. Bring object from home, or pick from the museum’s selection; write a poem, create a portrait to honor the object. 1 to 3 pm. FREE. Henry Art Gallery, Seattle (U District).
