A new study from the University of Missouri suggests that owning a cat may have long-lasting benefits for children with autism. Gretchen Carlisle, a research scientist at the Missouri Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction, recruited families with autistic children ages 6-14 for a study which found that families who adopted a cat reported their child had a long-lasting bond with the pet and that the children’s anxiety levels decreased over time. The results were recently published in the Journal of Pediatric Nursing.
2021 Summer Camp Spotlight
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Spring is coming soon! And you know what comes after spring? Yep, summer vacation! Yay! But how will you keep your kids occupied once school is out for the year? Time to think about how to make this a summer to remember.
SafeSplash + SwimLabs Swim School
1510 Spring Meadows Dr.
#D-100, Holland.
419-370-2801
safesplash.com
SafeSplash is aimed at making kids into lifelong swimmers, and their programs are aimed at consistent training that builds a child’s skill and confidence. To that end, SafeSplash offers swim camps over the course of the summer, consisting of one week, three day groups of lessons. The classes meet over three consecutive days, with two students to each teacher, and are designed help jump start the students’ development. Whether your child is just getting started or an advanced swimmer, SafeSplash has lessons they will find valuable. And if they’re really advanced, SafeSplash offers Stroke Clinics specifically for advanced swimmers, too.
Sessions and schedules vary.
Children’s Theatre Workshop
2417 Collingwood Blvd.
419-244-5061
ctwtoledo.org
No matter what your young star wants to focus on, the Children’s Theatre Workshop has an outlet for them this summer. Kids ages 4-12 can sign up for Theatre Day Camps, with plenty of theater games and activities. Performers ages 7-15 can join an Acting Day Camp, where they’ll get the chance to stretch their performing muscles in a “play in a week” format. And Musical Theatre Camps are open for anyone ages 7-18, where attendees will prepare and present a full musical production.
Sessions and schedules vary.
Camp Wise
Overnight Camp in Chardon, Ohio
216-593-6250
campwise.org
[email protected]
For over 110 summers, Camp Wise has specialized in creating memorable experiences for children entering grades 2-12. At Camp Wise, children get to experience the adventure of a 40-foot-high zip line, the thrill of jet skiing on a private lake, the excitement of learning to ride a horse, and so much more while developing self-confidence, independence and friendships to last a lifetime, all in a safe and healthy environment. Visit our website to learn more!
2 week, 4 week, or 7 week summer options
campwise.org/dates-and-rates
Toledo Museum of Art
2444 Monroe St.
419-255-8000
toledomuseum.org
Get creative! Youth ages 5-18 will have the opportunity to be inspired by works in the Toledo Museum of Art collections and special exhibitions, and create their own unique works of art. Exciting camp options include digital photography, stop-motion animation, drawing, painting and more. More information on scholarships and registration is available at toledomuseum.org/education/classes
Spring Break Art Camp: April 5-10 (registration now open)
Summer Art Camp: June 7-July 30 (registration open March 1)
Camp Invention
800-968-4332
invent.org/local
Energize your kid’s creativity and confidence with our new Camp Invention® program, Recharge! When this nationally acclaimed program returns to the Toledo area, campers in grades K-6 will collaborate with friends in hands-on, open-ended STEM challenges. They’ll take apart a microphone to explore its inner workings, build and test a device to launch rubber ducks, and design morphing vehicles for the Super Road Rally! Each activity is designed to inspire curiosity, spark imaginations and give your young innovator the best summer ever. Visit invent.org/local to secure your spot and save!
Given the challenges presented by the pandemic, we are planning to run the 2021 Camp Invention program in person and virtually, so you can choose the format that works best for your child. Even better, you have the option to change your format selection up to six weeks before the program start date.
Camp Invention At-home, hosted by Grove Patterson Academy: June 14-18
Toledo Christian School, 2303 Brookford Dr., In-person and at-home available: June 7-11
Apps to Keep Kids Fit: 6 apps to get kids moving
In an era where we’re all spending so much time indoors, keeping kids active is especially important. Physical activity benefits a child’s development in many ways, from building motor and cognitive skills to promoting the development of healthy bones and muscles.
“The benefits of staying physically fit and staying active, it’s good for the body, the physiological benefits, but then there’s also just a huge mental aspect of just getting out and doing stuff,” said Chris Peters, owner/operator of SafeSplash in Holland.
“They just get a good feeling about themselves,” said Sue Hays, owner of Mini Motions Dance Center on Tremainsville Rd. “When they leave class, they’re feeling healthier and they’re feeling more positive. And that’s what we want, we want them to feel happy and positive and healthy.”
To help your kids stay mentally and physically fit in a way that’s both educational and fun, encourage them to download an app – or three. Here are some of the top fitness apps available, and the best part? They’re all free!
Eat-And-Move-O-Matic (ages 9-18)
If you want your kids to understand the consequences of their food choices, Eat-And-Move-O-Matic is the right app for them. Created by the Learning Game Lab at New Mexico State University, the app teaches kids to be aware of what they eat or drink. It lets them compare the calories in their food choices with the type and length of time of physical activities like biking, running, or walking needed to burn off those calories.
Monster Heart Medic (ages 9-12)
Monster Heart Medic teaches kids about a topic few other apps cover: the cardiovascular system and how to stay heart-healthy. Created by the University of California, Berkeley, the app features a friendly monster named Ragnar who suffers from cardiovascular problems and needs their help. Kids help Ragnar by running various diagnostic tests to figure out what’s causing the problems. The app also has tips for leading a healthier life, from reputable organizations like the American Heart Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes of Health.
Stretch Break for Kids (ages 5-12)
Do your kids spend hours at a time hunched over their laptops or phones without getting up? If so, encourage them to download Stretch Break for Kids. The app has various stretching exercises designed to relax the neck and back muscles that are most affected by bad posture and repetitive strain. The exercises are demonstrated by other kids, who prompt viewers at intervals to keep moving through the exercises.
NFL Play 60 (ages 5-18)
If your kids love sports, especially football, but it’s hard to get them to do any actual exercise, NFL Play 60 is the ideal app for them. Created by the NFL, in collaboration with the American Heart Association, the app allows kids to pretend that they’re professional football players, but instead of simply making their on-screen avatars run and jump, they have to get off the couch and actually run, jump, catch and turn to make their avatars move. The app also counts the steps they’ve taken while playing the game.
Super Stretch Yoga (ages 9-18)
Besides meditation, a great way for kids to relax their minds and bodies for optimal health is to practice yoga. Super Stretch Yoga, created by well-known yoga instructor Jessica Rosenberg, teaches kids yoga through video demonstrations by other kids, with a focus on breathing and movement. It’s narrated by a character named Super Stretch and features 12 different poses with different skill levels. Kids can use the built-in camera to take pictures of themselves doing the various poses.
Three Good Things: A
Happiness Journal (ages 5-18)
It’s a science-backed fact that mental health is impacted by an overall sense of well-being. If your kids need a little boost and enjoy writing, encourage them to download Three Good Things: A Happiness Journal. The app helps kids think positively by writing daily about three good experiences they’ve had. The app has a feature that lets kids upload and share their writings on social media.
A Pandemic Pregnancy: Reflections of a local mom-to-be
In June of 2020 my husband and I decided to start a family— during a pandemic, of all times. Neither of us felt incredibly sure about the timing, but, as my primary care physician wisely pointed out, I am 33 years old, so if I want to have a couple of kids I might want to get started.
I know of mothers who wait far longer than I did to start their families, but I was starting to feel the pressure of my age. A preconception check up with my doctor was the first thing on my list before we officially started trying. Setting an appointment was a startlingly difficult task as I hadn’t already established an OB-GYN before COVID-19 hit. I called ten doctors, or more, before finding one who seemed both promising and who was seeing new patients. Our first appointment was virtual.
“At our age, it’s a good idea to start trying if you want to have one or two,” the doctor told me. “If you’d asked me a few months ago whether it was safe to try, I would have said ‘no.’ Now I feel like it’s fine.”
Cost concerns
The in person preconception check that followed turned out well and I was encouraged to start trying to conceive. Just one thing though…the insurance that I shared with my husband was only going to be available to us for a couple more months. He’d lost his job as a visiting lecturer at the University of Toledo due to COVID. After the grace period was up, we’d be faced with continuing the coverage through COBRA, or finding a plan through the Marketplace. After grueling research regarding several plans, I ultimately decided it was best retainng the health plan through COBRA, a monthly cost that is basically half of my income.
We were less stable financially than we had ever been, so it is hard to say why we made the decision to get pregnant during a pandemic, other than the fact that we don’t know when this is all going to end.
Update 2021
It’s now early 2021, roughly a year since the average American had first heard about COVID as a distant threat, a thing that was happening somewhere else, but still the daily caseloads are incredibly high. My husband and I chose to try because there was no way to know how long this thing— this anxiety-provoking, all-consuming thing— is going to last. It made sense for us to move forward, albeit cautiously, with our lives.
So we did! A month after that in person visit to the doctor’s where we got the okay, we conceived on the first try, much to our amazement and delight.
Reflections
Now I’m 29 weeks along with our baby boy, who I write letters to sometimes about this strange world he’ll soon find himself in. What I find myself reflecting on most during my pregnancy in the time of COVID is how much perspective the whole experience has given me. We pay what could be a crippling amount for decent insurance, but there are countless things we’ve learned to do without. We’ve had to limit the amount of socializing we do with those we love to avoid the risk of me contracting the virus, but every interaction we do have, as well as the time we spend alone together, is precious. We had to cancel a planned small outdoor baby shower due to a COVID scare in our family, but we’ve had many people reach out to us asking what we need. The two of us have never felt more keenly the love and support we have from our circle.
All of this is to say— if you are a mamma or aspiring mamma filled with self-doubt over this decision, as I was— take heart. It might not be the kind of pregnancy you see in the world of lifestyle Youtubers or in the movies, but there is joy and acceptance to be found in a pandemic pregnancy. Give yourself grace, be safe, and know that once that little being you’ve been creating during all this darkness finally gets here, you’ll be continually reminded of what it means to hope.
What are you reading right now? The First Forty Days by Heng Ou.
What are you listening to right now? Cribsheet by Emily Oster.
What are you craving right now? Granola and milk. Fruit of all kinds. Anything sweet, though I’ve mostly cut out any refined sugars at this point because my sugar levels were elevated for a bit.
What’s your favorite way to stay physically active during pregnancy? Yoga (specifically Yoga with Adriene on YouTube). Love her.
Most stressful thing about pregnancy so far: The 3-hour glucose test.
8 Signs That Your Kids May Be Vaping
Vaping is on the rise. According to the latest figures, an astonishing 20% of all high school students, or one in five students, vape regularly. But how do you know if your kids are among them? Drawing on the insights of reputable institutions such as the Centers for Disease Control, the Child Mind Institute, and the Partnership For Drug-Free Kids, here is a list of potential warning signs for parents:
1) Increased Thirst. When you vape, your mouth and throat become dry. Kids who vape often start drinking more than usual. Many have dark circles under their eyes, another common sign of dehydration.
2) Desire For Spicy Food. Everyone needs moisture to taste the flavor of food. When our mouths get dry, we lose the ability to taste flavor. If you notice your kids suddenly want to eat more spicy food, or add more spice to their regular food, it could be a sign that they’ve started to vape. In fact, the more kids vape, the less flavorful food becomes to them. This is known as “vaper’s tongue.”
3) Frequent Nosebleeds. Vaping not only dries out the mouth and throat, but also the nose. When people vape, they typically exhale through their noses which causes the nasal passages to become dry. This, in turn, can lead to frequent nosebleeds.
4) Acne and Red Spots. Vaping, especially inhaling vaping liquids that contain nicotine, can also affect the skin. Nicotine ages the skin and slows down the healing of wounds. Kids who vape are more likely to have facial blemishes, including acne and red spots, that last longer and don’t heal easily.
5) Wheezing, Coughing, and Shortness of Breath. Vaping irritates the lungs and can lead to coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. In extreme cases, an inflammation of the lungs can lead to bacterial infection and pneumonia.
6) Less Java. If your kids usually enjoy caffeinated drinks, like frappucinos or energy drinks, but suddenly start to avoid them, it could be a sign that they’re vaping. When combined with caffeine, the nicotine in many vaping liquids can make people anxious and irritable and cause severe mood swings. Vapers often give up caffeine to avoid these side effects.
7) Sweet Aromas In The Air. Since most kids prefer vaping liquids with sweet flavors, one sign that your kids may be vaping is a strange, sweet scent comng from their rooms like bubble gum or fruit punch. If you suddenly get a whiff when your kids aren’t home, they could be hiding vaping flavored liquids in the house.
8) Strange Techie Equipment In Their Rooms. A sign that your kids may be vaping is if you find unfamiliar, high tech-looking devices or spare parts in their rooms, especially the trash can. This can include things like atomizers, battery chargers, cartridges, flash drives, and metallic coils. Most vaping devices consist of multiple parts that need to be replaced on a regular basis.
Photomath Helps Parents Solve Tricky Math Problems
Photomath Helps Parents Solve Tricky Math Problems
At-home learning has proven that the new math is tricky to learn. With an app like Photomath, helping to solve those tricky math problems becomes easier.
Let’s face it, the new way to do math can be challenging for those of us who were taught 20 or more years ago. And learning from home has made helping kids with their math homework all the more difficult. Luckily, the app, Photomath, allows parents to help their kids solve math problems.
Photomath is a camera calculator app that allows you to scan and solve math equations. The app is supported by both Android and iOS systems, and makes calculations simpler, easier, and fun.
To use the app, you’ll need to open the camera, point it towards the math problem on the page, and Photomath will solve it for you. Additionally, Photomath provides a step-by-step breakdown of each solution. It’s the perfect way to work with your child to understand new math processes.
The Photomath features handwriting recognition, simple user-interface with a top-notch performance level guaranteed. Photomath isn’t a large app, making it easy to download. It’s the perfect way to better understand math and to help your child reach mathematical success.