Kids VT, November 2020
Youth Soccer in Winooski; Making Thanksgiving Feel Special; Family Movie Night Picks; Teaching Music During a Pandemic
Shelburne Financial Writer Pens Money Workbook for Kids
Shelburne financial writer Allan Kunigis had always written for adults, from articles to reports, when he received an unexpected email from Jason Schneider, editorial director for Skyhorse Publishing in New York City. Schneider had read an article Kunigis had written for Synchrony Bank about raising financially savvy kids and asked whether he’d consider creating an…
What Should Parents Know About Bacterial Skin Infections?
The human body is home to a variety of germs that can cause skin infections. Viruses can cause cold sores and warts. Fungi can cause ringworm, athlete’s foot and jock itch. And allergens in the environment, such as those on poison ivy, can cause itchy rashes. Among the most common childhood skin infections are those…
Exploring Williston’s Sucker Brook Hollow Trail
About a year ago, I enticed my 11-year-old to go on a “quick hike” with me at Sucker Brook Hollow Country Park in Williston. He consented after I agreed to bring him to a store where he wanted to make a purchase when we were done. It was a glorious day, with blue skies, moderate…
Meaningful Ways to Celebrate Small This Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving gatherings will likely look different this year, but feasting and giving thanks are still important ingredients. However you choose to celebrate, here are a few ways to make the occasion feel special. Feast Locally Whether you prepare a meal for two vegetarians or 10 carnivores, it’s easy to feature Vermont food at your table.…
Colchester ELL Educator Named Vermont Teacher of the Year
Since 1964, the Vermont Agency of Education has named a teacher of the year. In October, Susan Rosato, a teacher of English learners in the Colchester School District, was awarded the honor for 2021. In her role as an English learner teacher for grades 9-12 at Colchester High School, Rosato works with dozens of students,…
A Middle Eastern Spin on Chips and Dip
Around my house, we love dips. I have a lot of them in my repertoire and, before COVID-19 put a kibosh on entertaining, my friends looked forward to sampling them at my frequent parties. One time, my best friend even asked if, instead of a dinner get-together, we could just have a dip-and-spread-themed party. One…
Curl Up With These Family Movie Night Picks
1. Kiki’s Delivery Service (recommended for ages 4 and up) Directed by legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, this feel-good film was released in 1989 by Studio Ghibli, a Japanese animation studio famous for its fantastical anime films. Viewers will be blown away by Kiki’s impressive animation and charming storytelling. While purists can watch the film in…
A Vermont Kid’s Journey to Studying Film in New York City
I was obsessed with reading and writing as a kid, fascinated by the worlds you could build and the escapism you could find through books, pen and paper. I often wrote fictional stories in homemade books. My favorite genres were humor, adventure, horror or a mix of the three. When I was 9 years old,…
Music Educators Get Vocal About Teaching in a Pandemic
One likely outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic is that parents will never again take teachers for granted. As a father of two and a former teacher, it only took a couple of days of chaotic homeschooling in the spring before I was dreaming of the day when schools could reopen and teachers could get back…
Postpartum Depression Happens to Dads, Too
The month following the birth of my first daughter, Coraline, in June of 2016 was unlike any other period in my life. After spending a couple of days at the hospital, my partner, Stephanie, and I eagerly returned to our home in Burlington’s New North End. We were both fortunate enough to be able to…
Seeing Holidays in a New Way This Fall
This article was originally published in Seven Days’ monthly parenting magazine, Kids VT. Related Stories
Vermont Visionaries: A Soccer Coach Inspires Young Athletes in Winooski
It’s the day after a heavy rain and the mud puddles are deep, but they’re no match for the stampede of young soccer players running laps around the Patch of Passion, their well-loved and aptly named field. The group of kids, ages 10 and younger, are members of the nonprofit soccer league the Vermont Patriots.…
Yoga Pose of the Month: Balancing Bear Pose
Benefits: Builds core strength Stretches arms and legs Improves concentration and balance Boosts energy Steps: Sit on the floor with your spine tall and legs bent in front of you. Hold on to your right foot with your right hand. Try lifting your right foot into the air while engaging core muscles. Keep your left…
Rethinking Tradition
For the 16 years my husband, Jeff, and I have lived in Vermont, we’ve been making the five-hour pilgrimage to Westchester County, N.Y., every November to celebrate Thanksgiving with our families. Our parents live just 20 minutes apart, so it’s easy to see both sets of relatives on the holiday. Each year, we alternate where…
Three Abstract Art Projects to Try With Your Kids
Some artists — young and old alike — just don’t like realistic drawing. The task of portraying something exactly as it appears in real life can be daunting, and many find the process frustrating. For these artists, and even for those who do enjoy realistic drawing, abstract art can be fun and freeing. Abstract artwork…
Essex Teen Organizes to Stop Gun Violence
Name: Maddie Ahmadi Age: 16 Town: Essex Essex High School sophomore Maddie Ahmadi has grown up inundated by news headlines about school shootings and gun violence. By 2019, she realized she no longer found it shocking that students could be gunned down at school. “I could feel myself becoming desensitized to it and, honestly, frustrated…
Vermont Symphony Orchestra Teaches Kids About Instruments — Virtually
Before the pandemic, elementary school children interested in learning about the instruments of the orchestra could gather round Toby Aronson, the “zookeeper” of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra’s Musical Petting Zoo. Aronson used to visit 10 to 12 schools a year with more than a dozen instruments in tow. After listening to his boisterous spiel about…
