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Growing Up in Santa Cruz Receives National Awards
Growing Up in Santa Cruz got some great news. We won four top awards in an international family magazine contest. As you readers know, printing a magazine or any news source is an uphill battle and getting some good news was a much-appreciated reward.The prizes came from the Parent Media Association, which represents family magazines around the world. We won for the best cover, the best calendar, the best humor column and public service for our series on the local hazards of the drug, Fentanyl. Here’s what the judges said: (Gold Medal) Special Series“Fentanyl Epidemic Hits Our Town”; Suki Wessling, Brad Kava, Sophie Veniel This collection of material springs from…
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How did public schools help a student with ADHD?
Mother Jeanette Prather knew she faced an uphill battle getting help in school when her son was diagnosed with ADHD. This series documents her struggles and the help she received, and yes, it has a happy ending. You can read part 1 at growingupsc.com/how-to-help-your-child-with-adhd-in-school. I addressed the school issue with this knowledge by reaching out to Alternative Family Education (AFE), who confirmed they had a resource teacher available to work with Luke that year. With some desperate negotiations from his mainstream resource teacher, I decided to keep him in school. Shortly after that, he was invited to a 12-person cohort for students who really needed that help. This was fine…
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After the Cesarean
The first days and weeks after childbirth can be physically and emotionally exhausting, especially when also recovering from major abdominal surgery. Most people don’t plan on a cesarean birth, but the reality is that about one in every three births nowadays is a c-section. How a person feels after surgery depends on many things. The type of anesthesia used and any reactions it might have caused (drugs to relieve nausea or itching often result in drowsiness). Was the cesarean performed before labor started or after many hours of hard labor? Are there other existing or developing illnesses impacting recovery? Does the baby need special care? All these factors contribute to…
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Here Are Some Websites That Aren’t Junk Food
Sometimes I want to scream when I see my 6-year-old on the iPad. He watches some of these YouTube videos with people who sound like they are just screaming nonsense. But lately he’s found some educational games we can do together—and they are challenging for both of us. He’s better at some of them than me because he’s been brought up playing computer games. It turns out we play together and make a great team. Brain Test: Tricky Puzzles (poki.com)This one is my favorite, because every one of these tricky tests makes you look at things in a new way and they get harder as you advance. For example, on…
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Phonics or Whole Language?
I started a private school for my daughters when the California reading curriculum implemented the “Whole Language” approach and stopped teaching phonics in 1994. I worried that as the pendulum swung to the extreme left, we would have a generation of students with reading and spelling problems – something I didn’t want for my girls. I tried to understand the “Reading Wars” and researched the benefits of each approach. The Whole Language method teaches children to read by recognizing a group of letters as an entire word. They don’t learn that individual letters make different sounds. Instead, young students memorize these sight words and put the words together in a…
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“Madagascar Jr.” Comes to Mt. Madonna
At New York’s Central Park Zoo, Alex the lion, Marty the zebra, Melman the giraffe and Gloria, the hip-hip hippo, are best of friends. When Marty escapes, the other three break free to look for him, only to find themselves reunited on a ship en route to Mother Africa in the musical adventure “Madagascar Jr.,” a crack-a-lackin’ story of friendship and teamworkas embodied onstage by Mount Madonna School’s middle school cast. Performances are December 10 and 11 at 2:00pm at the Hawks’ Nest Theater at MMS. Tickets are available at mms-madagascar.brownpapertickets.com. Adult tickets are $15; $10 for 18 and under; all seats are reserved.
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Standing Tall
Aside from sitting, standing is where we spend a considerable amount of time. As parents, we stand in line at the grocery store, watching our children’s sports, cleaning the house, etc. We find windows of time to exercise and take care of ourselves, but we spend a lot of time standing. As a mother of two I have found it essential to find ways to sneak strengthening moments into our day. Standing tall helps strengthen our core, relieve pressure in our joints and build confidence. As a Pilates teacher I advise clients that standing with healthy posture is as important as your workout. If we workout everyday, but spend the…
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Hands-On Display Lets Kids Transform into Drop of Water
Visitors to the Seymour Marine Discovery Center can experience the cycle of a single drop of water when they take part in Water’s Extreme Journey, a hands-on, interactive maze designed by Minotaur Mazes now through the end of the year. Water’s Extreme Journey maze takes visitors on a wild role-playing adventure where they are transformed into a raindrop and challenged to stay clean. Visitors are sent on a journey through mountains, streams and even their own backyards, where everyday decisions impact their chance of staying clean and reaching a healthy ocean. The maze also will highlight water research happening at UC Santa Cruz and in the greater community, and encourage…
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Teens Have Chance to Volunteer on Trails
Throughout January, Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship will host “Teens on Trails Month”, a series of free, youth-only trail work events across the county to get kids outside and involved in the magic of trail stewardship. SCMTS is a nonprofit trail stewardship behind popular trails in parks like Wilder and Pogonip, and their team has deep expertise in building and maintaining trails throughout the region. These Teens on Trails events will fill up fast. At each event, students will learn about native species and ecological functions, get involved in trail maintenance activities, and connect with SCMTS’ professional team to learn about career opportunities in the outdoors. They’ll also earn community…
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What Kids Want for Christmas
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November Coloring Winners
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Local Gifts for Everyone on Your List
For the Cozy Homebody Zinnia’s Gift Boutique219 C Mount Hermon Rd, Scotts ValleyHours: Mon – Sat: 9am – 6:30pm& Sun: 9am – 5:30pm$$$ When you first walk into Zinnia’s, there’s so much to take in that it feels almost museum-like. You’re greeted at the front of the store by a large, intricately decorated Christmas tree where some glass ornaments, figures and candles reside. Making your way back through the store, you’ll find jewelry to your right, unique and very stylized culinary items to your left, and finally comfy, warm clothing near the back of one section of the store – think, snuggling next to a log fire in a cabin.…
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December Coloring Contest
Submit your entry by December 15 to [email protected].
