A Teen Entrepreneur Runs a Lacrosse-Inspired Business
NAME: OLIVIA MACHANIC TOWN: SHELBURNE AGE: 18 Parents today may remember that when they were kids, starting a business meant creating flyers, making copies and stuffing mailboxes — methods that might seem archaic for today’s savvy young entrepreneurs. In 2014, a domain name was one of the first things on Olivia Machanic’s mind when she…
Out to Eat: Papa Frank’s
When our family of four wants to dine out without breaking the bank, we head to Papa Frank’s. Years ago, before my partner Ann-Elise and I got civil unioned, before we had steady jobs and kids, we went there because we could eat half of our generous portions and save the rest for lunch the…
The Art Of… Poetry Recitation
The ornate Barre Opera House typically hosts world-renowned actors and musicians. But at the Poetry Out Loud semifinals on March 9, Vermont high school students took center stage. In formal attire, they recited the words of Elizabeth Bishop, Edgar Allen Poe and a range of contemporary poets. If the idea of a poetry-recitation contest sounds…
Fear Not: A Mother Reflects on Parenting in the Shadow of a Fatal Disease
In January, our family of four celebrated our twin daughters’ 10th birthday by bowling and playing air hockey at a loud, neon-infused entertainment center. That evening we ate take-out from our favorite local Thai restaurant and had a purple star-shaped cake with ice cream for dessert. I created a photo album for Uma and Sylvie…
How a Couple with a Jewelry Business Redefined Success After Kids
Jacob Albee didn’t set out to be a jewelry maker. He took undergrad classes in art and wildlife biology at the University of Vermont and planned to study birds of prey in graduate school at Montréal’s McGill University. But after a summer job at the former Grannis Gallery in downtown Burlington, his interest in jewelry…
For What It’s Worth
My family has a new after-dinner ritual: Monopoly. Not the junior version with the plastic game pieces and low-stakes investments. No, we’ve moved on to the real-deal, deluxe edition, with the hefty metal pieces, houses and hotels, and multitude of rules. When we started, my first reaction was shock that both my kids are now…
How to Teach Your Child About Personal Finance
If you want your kids to be responsible and self-sufficient adults, it’s important to discuss things like budgeting, investing and managing money. But it’s not always easy, or fun. We reached out to two local educators to find out how they do it. Lisa Helme, director of financial literacy at the Vermont State Treasurer’s Office,…
How to Manage Your Kid’s Night Terrors
Bad dreams are common during childhood — almost every parent has comforted a child upset by one. But on rare occasions, sleeping children may sit up in bed, scream and act very frightened. Though seemingly awake, they are completely unaware of their surroundings. This more-intense phenomenon is called a night terror. Dr. Lewis First, head…
Creativity Blooms at Art-Focused Wildflower Studio
I love art, and I’d always looked forward to sharing that love with my children. But my 2 1/2-year-old, Levi, would rather climb and jump — or anything other than sit still with a crayon in his hand. So I was curious to see how he would do visiting Wildflowers Studio, an art-focused play space…
Traditions Bring Kids Back to Summer Camp
I didn’t go to the same sleepaway camp year after year, but many of the people I grew up with did — including my husband, Jeff. Ask him about his beloved alma mater, Camp Androscoggin in Wayne, Maine, and he’ll excitedly explain the annual Color War, which started with a helicopter landing on the camp…
Burlington Cops Show Students the Ropes at Junior Police Academy
The 14 children gathered in the Burlington Police Department’s community room last January all seemed to have the same thing on their minds: When do we get to meet the police dog? The kids asked that question several times during a late-afternoon session of the Burlington Junior Community Police Academy. The free program is in…
Vermont Kids Stack Fast at StackFest
It was lunchtime at the first Vermont Family StackFest competition at Camels Hump Middle School in Richmond. A crowd of kids and adults were gathered in the cafeteria, munching on hot dogs and baked goods and getting their faces painted. But 9-year-old Finian Towle was standing at a rectangular table in the gym, focused on…
Batcave Bedroom
When Kele Bourdeau moved into a house in Burlington’s New North End two years ago, she wasn’t a fan of the wood paneling covering many of its walls. In the living room, she painted the planks a soft grey and was surprised by how much that lightened up the space. She took a much bolder…
Adult Prom To Raise Money for Doula Scholarship Fund
Big hair, awkward slow dancing, hideous dresses — not everyone has fond memories of their high school prom. But there’s a chance for a do-over at the end of the month. An Adult Prom at ArtsRiot in Burlington will raise money for the Handle With Love VT Doula Scholarship Fund, which provides need-based financial aid…
King Street Kids Get a New Green Bus
If you see a tennis-ball-green minibus whizzing down the road, it’s likely filled with Burlington kids headed out on a community adventure. The King Street Learning Bus hit the streets last month, thanks to a grant from Dealer.com and additional funds from Champlain Valley Head Start. After an unveiling at the Magic Hat Mardi Gras…
Nominate an Early Childhood Educator for Permanent Fund Award
Know an early childhood educator who’s truly amazing? For the second year, the nonprofit Permanent Fund for Vermont’s Children will honor a top-notch teacher with the Early Educator of the Year Award. Two finalists will be recognized at the Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children Conference in October, where one of them will…
Vergennes Program Refurbishes Old Bikes and Gives Them to Foster Kids
When Tim Mathewson, owner of Little City Cycles in Vergennes, was growing up in the ’60s, he remembers that getting a bike was just part of being a kid. Now he’s helping to ensure that children in the foster-care system can enjoy that typical childhood experience. Along with friend Tanya Bashaw, Mathewson recently started Green…
A Perfect Pairing: Homemade Yogurt & Granola
Every day I cook for 45 toddlers and preschoolers at the Burlington Children’s Space. To promote healthy eating, and to stay on budget, I make cooking from scratch a priority. I follow the same philosophy with my three kids. Though it’s difficult to go completely homemade, I’m always looking for practical recipes to try in…
Tough Choices: Vermont Parents are Opting out of Work to Retain Their Benefits
I love working — solving problems, thinking creatively, collaborating with other adults. I even like meetings. So until recently, I never thought I’d voluntarily quit my job. My husband and I both worked full time at nonprofits, which meant we didn’t make a ton of money. But we had enough income to meet our needs…
