The Money Issue 2019
Raising a Family on a Budget; Childcare Workers Struggle to Make a Living; Building a $20 Snack Board; Egg Hunt Roundup; Summer Camp Guide
By the Numbers: The Cost of Raising a Child
This article was originally published in Seven Days’ monthly parenting magazine, Kids VT.
The Art of… Creating a Snack Board — on a Budget
I have a somewhat embarrassing — though surprisingly common — affinity for looking at beautiful photographs of yummy things to eat. That means I follow a lot of food bloggers on Instagram. It was on one of those accounts — Weelicious — where I first saw a photo of a snack board. For those who…
Should my Teenager Get a Summer Job?
I got my first summer job at age 16, working down the road from our house at a Medicaid-funded nursing home. I was the nursing aides’ aide. My shift started at the crack of dawn and consisted mostly of scrubbing things clean. This nursing home gig was not the stuff of teen movies. There were…
Calf on the Lam: Book Traces the Adventures of a Wandering Week-Old Steer
In September of 2017, a runaway steer in Woodstock had townspeople on the hunt. The week-old American Milking Devon, Huck, and his brother Finn had just been purchased by Billings Farm & Museum, a historic working and educational farm. On delivery day, Huck headed for the hills. He ran through the fields, down River Street,…
Easy Does It: Camp Staffers Share the Sweet and Simple Activities That Make Summer Memories
The most memorable and meaningful camp experiences are often the least complicated. From running barefoot in the grass to floating in the lake on a sunny afternoon, from sipping homemade teas to listening to animals in the woods, summer camps offer kids the opportunity to unplug, abandon their school-year worries and just enjoy childhood. We…
When Does Acupuncture Help Children?
Many Vermonters take a holistic approach to maintaining their health and wellness. Some seek out acupuncture for themselves and their families as an alternative or complement to conventional Western medical treatments. Katina Martin is a licensed naturopathic doctor, midwife and acupuncturist with Vermont Natural Family Health in Salisbury and Burlington. Martin, who’s been practicing in…
Destination Recreation: Small Worlds: Miniatures in Contemporary Art
Both of my children have long been obsessed with tiny toys. As a toddler, my son, now 10, carried around miniature ninja figures in his sticky fists. When he lost one — which happened daily — a crisis ensued, and we could not resume normal activities until his beloved Bok Choy Boy was found. My…
Brittany, Jeremy, Henry & Evelyn
Brittany: A week before Evelyn was born, Henry was diagnosed with autism. He was 2 1/2. The school system has been great; we met with them early on and figured out options for Henry. He goes to Orchard School in South Burlington a few days a week now, and then both kids are with Jeremy’s…
On the Cheap: How to Raise a Family on a Budget
Starting a family means creating your own traditions — a favorite playground or picnic spot, or a beloved song you sing in the car. Each family also develops their own economic plan. How much will you spend on groceries each week? On winter gear? Home decorating? Clothing? Family budgeting is often approached with dread or…
‘Bridge to Terabithia’ Author Katherine Paterson Wins National Award
Montpelier author Katherine Paterson has won the E.B. White Award, given by the American Academy of Arts and Letters to a writer for achievement in children’s literature. “It’s just a real thrill,” says Paterson, who calls White one of her “genuine literary heroes.” As a graduate student, she kept Strunk and White’s The Elements of…
Diaper Bank Fulfills Need in Chittenden County
According to the National Diaper Bank Network, the average cost of diapering a child is $70 to $80 per month, a hefty expense for moms and dads trying to make ends meet. Consequently, one in three families in the U.S. struggles with diaper supply. To help meet this need in Chittenden County, the Junior League…
Families Meet Children’s Book Authors at nErdcampVT
Four years ago, Donna Sullivan-Macdonald, the librarian at Orchard School in South Burlington, attended nErDcamp Northern New England in Freeport, Maine — a literacy-focused “unconference” that brought dozens of children’s book authors together to lead workshops for educators and to meet families. She was so inspired by the free event that she thought to herself,…
Precocious Player: Essex Teen Is a Classical Music Master
Name: Henry Wu Age: 16 Town: Essex While the music of artists like Ariana Grande, Post Malone and Drake might excite the typical teen, Henry Wu is more keen on the works of Frédéric Chopin, Johann Sebastian Bach and Camille Saint-Saëns. The 16-year-old pianist and cellist is involved with a variety of classical music endeavors,…
An Inconvenient Late-Night Excursion Brings Mother and Son Closer to Nature
When I was growing up, the high point of my family’s interaction with the outdoors was driving through Rocky Mountain National Park on our way to visit my uncle and pausing at a scenic overlook. I lived in an endless suburb of housing developments and shopping centers. Although I eventually found solace along a wooded…
A Little of This, A Little of That
Believe it or not, some people have never read Kids VT. So I am sometimes asked to describe our publication. I usually explain that it’s a combination of fun pieces that showcase local families and kid-friendly places, activities and events, as well as articles that address weightier topics — personal essays and longer features about…
Undervalued: Early Childhood Educators Provide Critical Service but Struggle to Make Ends Meet
When Noelle Cleveland enrolled at San José State University in California in 2008, she knew she wanted to work with young children one day. She thought she might become an elementary school teacher. But as part of her coursework, she volunteered in a preschool and, as she tells it, “instantly fell in love.” Cleveland, now…
