Kids VT, December 2014-January 2015
Youth Hockey Leagues Groom Girls for Bigger Rinks; Pumping on the Job; Gun Safety Talk; Maple-Roasted Chicken
Kochalka’s Latest Johnny Boo Installment Takes Off
Even reluctant young readers will find it hard to resist Johnny Boo Zooms to the Moon!, a colorful new graphic novel from Burlington cartoonist and dad James Kochalka. This sixth installment in Kochalka’s Johnny Boo series follows the young ghost as he attempts to skateboard to the moon, pulled by his pet ghost, Squiggle. Kochalka,…
Learning Math and Science Through Paper Engineering
Can kids learn math, science and engineering concepts by folding and cutting paper? Architect Allyson Hutton thinks so. The Hanover, N.H.-based mom of two had a hand in designing the Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut and the Duke University Athletic Center. Four years ago, she was invited to teach her daughter’s fourth-grade class about architecture. Hutton…
Maple-Roasted Chicken
Seven years ago, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver convinced me to buy and cook a whole chicken. A former vegetarian, I felt strongly that if I was going to continue life as a meat eater, this was a skill I had to learn. Reading the laid-back and reassuring instructions in Oliver’s book, Jamie’s Dinners, gave me…
How Should Parents React if They Discover Kids Exploring Their Bodies — or Someone Else’s?
Children are naturally inquisitive about their own and other people’s bodies. Experts say innocent exploration is a healthy part of early-childhood development. Still, many parents are flustered if they find children “playing doctor.” This month, Dr. Mary Ann Donnelly-DeBay, a child psychologist in the Winooski School District, offers tips for handling those awkward situations. KIDS…
A Father’s Expectations Change When His Child is Born With Down Syndrome
In the summer of 1978, my wife, Tess, and I lay on the grass at an outdoor concert, strains of Mozart flowing through the air. “Here,” she said, placing my hand on her swelling abdomen. I could feel the baby moving to the music. We speculated that our child would become a dancer or a…
Write-Your-Own Contest Winners
We tried something new with our Book Review contest last month: We renamed it Write Your Own and asked kids to pen creative stories inspired by Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. We received numerous responses and loved reading about all the silly and unfortunate stuff that happened on these kids’…
Joel Addison Hartley Ellis (1830-1888)
This article was originally published in Seven Days’ monthly parenting magazine, Kids VT.
Wintry Reads
In celebration of the year’s chilliest months, Kids VT asked outdoor educators to recommend great, winter-themed reads. When Winter Comes by Nancy Van Laan , illustrated by Susan Gaber, Ages 3-8 When winter’s first snowflakes start flying, a family bundles up and heads outside with their dog. They explore what happens to flowers, fish, deer,…
The Perfect Tech Toy
Q: My daughter’s birthday is in January, so I need back-to-backgifts this time of year. I’m looking for a tech toy that’s high quality, but not too pricey, fun but educational. I’m overwhelmed! A: It’s no wonder you’re overwhelmed! It can be tough to find something that’s fun, educational, affordable and capable of holding your…
We’re In This Together
One night last September, Daniel and I decided to let our infant daughter, Joni, “cry it out.” We didn’t have a plan; we were just desperate for sleep. So we kissed her goodnight, put her in the crib and left the room. She cried for 95 agonizing minutes before I broke down, burst into her…
Youth Hockey Leagues Groom Girls for Bigger Rinks
It’s the first game of the season for the Chittenden South Burlington U8 girls hockey team. The U8, or 8-and-under, team is made up of 6- to 8-year-olds, but only the 10 most experienced girls are playing today. Their opponents, a coed team from Lyndonville, traveled all the way to Cairns Arena in South Burlington…
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pump
After my daughter, Joni, was born last April, I took three months of maternity leave from my job as managing editor of Kids VT. On one of my first days back to work, I ran into a coworker while getting my morning coffee. A fellow new mom, she took one look at the black Medela…
Dynamic Defensive Dojo in Glover
Japan is on the other side of the world from the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. But each Friday night, Japanese flags hang from the ceiling of the Glover Town Hall during family karate class, transforming it into the Dynamic Defensive Dojo. At a recent session, four adults and one teenager practice their kata, a series…
Have You Ever Asked the Parents of Your Kids’ Friends if They Keep Guns in the House?
Jason Smiley, Milton Compliance specialist at Dealer.com, Daughters Kyra, 20, and Hannah, 7 About a month ago, someone I know was asked by another father whether he keeps handguns in his home. My friend was pretty surprised by the question, and honestly, I never really considered the issue either until that point. I do think…
Winter Playground
When snow falls, spirits rise at the Mezitts’ Richmond home. The family of four loves skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and snowskating — essentially skateboarding on snow. And they don’t have to leave home for much of their outdoor fun. “We have four acres of land, and it’s kind of a winter wonderland when there’s snow on…
Vermont Earns an “A” for Premature Birth Rate
When the March of Dimes released its 2014 Premature Birth Report Card in November, Vermont was one of just five states that earned an “A.” According to the report, in 2013, Vermont had the lowest premature birth rate in the country. Just 8.1 percent of Vermont babies were born prematurely, spending less than 37 weeks…
Meet the Mammals at the ECHO Center’s “Illuminate the Lake”
Want to hang out with an arctic fox? Pet a Siberian husky? Say hello to a reindeer? Get over to ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center in December for Illuminate the Lake. The 19-day festival includes twinkling light shows and daily activities exploring the winter lives of Vermont’s fish, turtles, frogs and snakes. The best…
Vermont’s 2015 Teacher of the Year Talks Cultural Competency
Vermont’s 2015 Teacher of the Year, Rebecca Haslam, wants to talk about teachers’ “cultural competency” — the ability to interact with people from different cultures and backgrounds “in a way that’s respectful and inclusive, and that considers the perspectives and experiences of those around you who are different from you,” she says. The Champlain Elementary…
Student Film Contest Premiers at the Roxy
Quick, come up with a spy story featuring the following: a character who dies shortly after being introduced, a black-and-white photo of Ian McKellen, and the line, “Not since the accident…” Those were the prompts for this fall’s 50-hour student film contest, a twice-yearly competition for middle and high school students from Vermont and New…
