Far too often, skills are softened, not sharpened, during summer break. Let this summer be a chance for your child to enhance their phonic, fluency, reading comprehension, textbook, and speed reading skills during the Case Western Reserve University Summer Reading Skills Program, offered in Perrysburg and Toledo. A variety of programs, led by instructors from the Institute of Reading Development, will offer once-a-week classes to students age 4 through those entering 11th grade. Tuition, location, and program varies by age, but sessions will be held in June and July. For more information or to register, call 1-800-978-9596 or visit case.readingprograms.org.
Family Voices of Ohio focuses the health care conversation
Parents and families with children who have disabilities or special needs, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, have had access to services in our community since 1992 with Family Voices. Acting on behalf of children with disabilities and chronic conditions to allow them to thrive alongside their friends in neighborhoods and classrooms across our state, the organization works with school boards, parent/teacher associations, and educators to pave the way for inclusion practices in public schools.
Advocating culturally accurate assistance
Family Voices’ cornerstone value is to provide cultural and linguistically accurate assistance, thereby ensuring that all children with special needs receive the individual help they need. Based on a family-centered approach, Family Voices demonstrates that “the family is a child’s most consistent health care provider.” The services they offer are available at home or in the hospital, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
Specialized health care
Family Voices of Ohio aims to assure high-quality, affordable, and family-based health care to all children by assisting families with accessing appropriate screening and diagnosis, particularly for children with unique challenges while working in partnership with health insurers. Locally, Family Voices of Ohio is a trusted resource on health care and connects families with a host of support so they can have the tools to make informed decisions for their child’s care and education.
Children with special needs include everyone who has or is at risk for developing long-term physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional challenges. In Northwest Ohio, families have access to organizations that can provide information about autism, celiac disease, Down syndrome, epilepsy, cystic fibrosis, and a host of other conditions.
The Family-to-Family Health Information Center is especially supportive with assisting parents in navigating health care for their child. The Center provides free, confidential information for families with access to a wide variety of services, including The Ability Center of Greater Toledo, The March of Dimes, Bright Horizons Advocacy and Consulting, as well as connections to both Mercy and Toledo Children’s Hospitals.
Family members as advocates
Family Voices allocates most of its funding to leadership training, where parents first advocate support for their own child, then expand their focus to assisting other families. Family Voices is indebted to the countless family leaders from a variety of cultural communities who actively strive to change the landscape for children who have special needs, continuing the entity’s goal to establish community-based partnerships between families and professionals.
Parents are encouraged to visit Family Voices of Ohio’s website (familyvoicesohio.org) and contact Patty Dovell who can connect them with specific resources that will benefit their child.
Six-Week Bowling League for Teens with Autism
As part of their Social Living Club (SLC), Bittersweet Inc. is partnering with Bowlero Lanes (4398 Monroe St.) for a six week bowling league for teens with autism. Teens will learn bowling basics, including sportsmanship, conversational skills, and social skills. Community Outreach Specialist Taylor Barndt says, “Bowling is a wonderful community activity that helps develop social skills among teens with autism. Bowling is great for developing patience, sportsmanship, and gross motor skills. We are excited to offer this opportunity to the participants in the Social Living Club.”
The class will be held from 6-7pm on Tuesday evenings, beginning on May 8. $35. Scholarship opportunities are available.
For more information, contact Taylor Barndt at 419-206-7803 or [email protected].
Toledo Public School’s Grove Patterson Academy parents encourage school walkout
After the school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, students around the country joined together to organize a national school walkout. While the protests were geared toward high school students, many parents felt younger children could also benefit from experiencing social activism.
Why walk out?
Heather Meyer, mother of Ella, a third grade student at Grove Patterson, summed it up succinctly: “I kept coming back to the fact that if they’re old enough to (participate in) lockdown training and old enough to be shot at, then they’re old enough to walk out.”
“Sometimes parents have to advocate for kids to give them opportunities,” continued Meyer. “We needed to organize something so that [these kids] knew we had their backs.”
Melissa Gregory, whose son Rufus is a classmate of Ella’s at Grove Patterson, added, “I felt like the walkout was really an important opportunity to teach our kids as politically engaged citizens. Being young doesn’t mean that you can’t make a difference.”
“I wanted them to think of themselves as responsible for making change and having the power to make change happen,” Gregory continued. “When you get together with friends, you can instigate change. Don’t just sit back and hope for the best; you have to get out there and make things happen.”
Parents advocating for change
Meyer and Gregory emailed TPS Superintendent Dr. Romules Durant and their children’s teachers to request their support for an elementary walkout. Gregory says, “I felt fortunate that they were behind this as an idea and that they are concerned about student safety and keeping an eye on everyone, especially littler kids. They all saw this as a teachable moment.”
The national 17-minute walkout–one minute for each of the 17 people killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas–had a list of three demands: ban assault weapons, require universal background checks before gun sales, and pass a gun violence restraining order law that would allow courts to disarm people who display warning signs of violent behavior.
Grove Patterson walkout
The elementary-aged children at Grove Patterson Academy held signs and shared a moment of silence. Some parents advocated a “walk-up,” where children reach out with kindness to others who may be sitting alone at lunch or by themselves in the classroom, instead of a “walkout,” but Gregory countered, “Kindness and political protest are not mutually exclusive. I think [a walk-up instead of a walkout is sending the message that kids have the burden of being nicer. That’s not the message I want for my kids.” She continued, explaining, “These kids were attempting to make themselves visible and stand up for their own safety; don’t substitute that with a kindness activity.
Kindness activities can happen everyday.”
Gregory, an English professor at the University of Toledo, enjoys teaching “about the human experience” and hopes to make future generations more engaged and more empathetic.
Meyer holds two part-time positions. She has been the office manager at Inside Out, a home recreation supply and service business, for 19 years, and she recently became the Community Outreach Coordinator at Trinity Episcopal Church downtown.
Q&A with Heather Meyer & Melissa Gregory
Favorite family activity?
MG: The whole family enjoys vegging out around the house and watching a movie. I enjoy dragging them to the Art Museum.
HM: Going to the Art Museum.
Favorite solo activity?
MG: Ashtanga Yoga. Doing the thing that helps my body (and makes me taller).
HM: My Nikon camera.
Your life, in five words or less:
MG: Sleep deprived, but worth it!
HM: Involved, exhausting, humorous, artistic.
Favorite Toledo hangout?
MG: The TMA and Old Orchard.
HM: If I’m “adulting,” it’s The Attic.
Describe Toledo in a sentence?
MG: Toledo has the most heart and community pride of any city that I’ve ever lived in.
Best childhood holiday memory?
MG: My grandmother would do the big Polish Christmas Eve dinner called Wigilia. I have her recipes and make her pierogis every year.
2018 Birthday Guide
Social media, often a place that provides information and advice for new parents, can also beguile parents into thinking that each year a birthday must be met with an extravaganza. We compiled a list of simple, special, and milestone birthday parties along with what parents had to say.
Keep It Simple
Jamie Squibb celebrated both her girls’ birthdays with dinner and a movie. She says, “They were allowed to pick two friends to come with us to dinner…and we didn’t have to have a big party at our house, clean up after.”
Family Birthday Meal
Visit your child’s favorite restaurant for a meal with the family. Most kid-friendly places offer a special birthday option, whether a free dessert or a pack of singing waiters.
House Party
For most of us parents, this was the classic way to celebrate a birthday. Pick a theme (or not), decorate accordingly, and plan activities. House parties can be extravagant or down-to-earth, depending on how motivated you are, but they also can require a lot of work and patience. To come up with ideas, visit Pinterest for a wealth of information to plan the birthday
of your child’s dreams.
Summer Birthdays
If your child’s birthday arrives during one of our warm months, options abound for keeping it simple while entertaining. If you have access to a pool, swim parties are guaranteed hits during summer months.
Another option: take the family to a zoo. Both the Toledo Zoo and the smaller Indian Creek Zoo, just over the border in
Lambertville, offer a great time.
Sleepovers
Sleepovers, a budget-friendly but exhausting option, provide unforgettable memories. Order a pizza, pick up a store-bought cake, rent your child’s favorite movie, plan an activity, and for the rest of the evening, the kids are in charge— for better or for worse.
Andrea Brown, mom of 4 girls, celebrated twice with sleepovers. For daughter Makayla’s 9th birthday, they invited 10 friends: “[It was a night of] 4 AM wake-ups and no sleep for mom. Some girls made up stories to scare each other for fun, but a few girls became nervous that they and went home. The house was totally trashed, BUT there was much bonding, crazy fun, laughter, and wild memories that will last a lifetime!”
Camping
Whether you want to pitch a tent or go glamping, Oak Openings in Whitehouse has all the options. The Caretaker’s Cottage and Pine Ridge Chalet, rival Hocking Hills cabins in Southeastern Ohio, with a fraction of the travel time.
metroparkstoledo.com
Arcade
When throwing a birthday party at a venue, the key to keeping it affordable is choosing a reasonable location and a manageable guest list.
If you plan to keep it intimate with just a couple friends, Reset, next to Bar 145 on Monroe, has vintage arcade games. While geared toward adults, Reset allows kids during daytime hours. Most of the games are free as long as you buy food and drinks.
resetarcade.com/toledo
Get Active
CNC in West Toledo offers birthday parties for up to 10 kids for only $150. Kids can choose from kickball, soccer, or battle ball. Phil Thomas, father of 5, owns CNC and leads the fun. CNCforlife.com
Crystal Dupler explains, “I choose to have a birthday party at CNC because they could accommodate exactly what I wanted. My son wanted a nerf party where he and his friends could have open space to run and enjoy themselves. It was a very memorable party experience for him… and no stress for me!”
The YMCA offers a variety of custom party themes that won’t break the bank, like Rockstar Dance, All Star MVP, Master Artist, and more. Packages include cupcakes, waters, invitations, and tableware for up to 24 guests, plus a party host for the duration of the two hour party, for $170 (members) or $220 (non-members). Ymcatoledo.org
Emily Creamer has turned the YMCA for several birthday parties because “you can’t beat the price,” she explained. Creamer also chose the West Toledo indoor pool for another party, saying “the kids were able to swim for over an hour and then play in their activity room for an hour. This party was the perfect amount of energy for a good price.”
Roller Skating
Ohio Skate offers packages that include admission for 10-15 skaters, pizza, beverages, and more based on which package you choose. Best yet? The birthday child also gets to skate free once a month for a year! $130-$220.
Toledo.ohioskate.com
Rachel Jaffe celebrated Kylie’s 8th birthday at Ohio Skate: “It was the best birthday party we’ve had. It was very cost effective and they didn’t throw us out at the end of the party time; the kids were able to keep skating as long as they wanted!”
STAY SWEET
The icing on the cake: For budget-friendly and completely customizable cakes, check out local business McKiddy Cakes.
The licensed home bakery creates confections of all sorts on top of hand-designed cakes— cupcakes, cookies, smash cakes, chocolate covered pretzels, and cake pops. Base price for cakes start at $2.95 a slice and up, but depends on the type of cake you’d like. If you have ideas and want to discuss them, or are unsure what your budget can get you, the bakery offers quotes and free consultations. Party favors, consisting of other sweet treats such as the cake pops and pretzels, are also a fun addition to your kid’s party.
From buttercream frosting to fondant, and snickerdoodle to marble flavors— you name it, they make it! 419-250-0788. mckiddycakes.com
Celebrate National Train Day May 5
National Train Day is back for the 11th consecutive year and what better place to celebrate all things railway than at Toledo’s Amtrak Station. Highlights of the event include trackside displays, model train exhibits, food vendors and local business displays. The event is free and, with kids activities, fun for the whole family.
9:30am-4pm | Saturday, May 5
Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, 415 Emerald Ave.
facebook.com/NationalTrainDayToledo