We seem to be continuously reminded of hate and injustice permeating our world these days, but then there are those fighting to make our world a better place.

Locally, Billy Mann is one of those fighters. At 30, Mann is the Director of Development for Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo, and his optimism and warm heart make the world seem less bleak.

In the family

The Mann family has a long and dedicated history with the Boys & Girls Club. Mann’s great-grandfather was a Boys Club member in the 1920s and 30s, so his grandfather supported the club, as did his father.

Mann remembers helping out with the Club as a child. “I remember, as a kid, passing out goodies and volunteering. In the mid-90s, my father joined the board, and as he got more engaged with the club, I tagged along and helped where I could.”
Mann continued to volunteer with The Boys & Girls Club throughout high school. When he attended college at Loyola University in Chicago, he worked with the Chicago Union League Boys & Girls Club, and when he returned to Toledo for summers, he interned at the local chapter. In 2010, Mann returned to Toledo and began working part-time as the development coordinator. About 3 years ago, he was promoted to Director of Development.

Important work

Mann illustrates the importance of the Boys & Girls Club, saying, “Our goal is to develop a well-rounded individual….When they’re young, we want them to achieve academic success: good grades, going to school regularly. We also emphasize the importance of a healthy lifestyle, so we have all kinds of programs centered around healthy eating and exercise.”

“This is a safe place with adults who care. It’s not just about playing pool and doing their homework. It’s about the person asking them how their day was and making sure they’re fed.”

“When our kids turn 18,” Mann continues, “we want them to have a plan–trade school, employment, college, military. We want them to be responsible citizens in the community. It is the mission of our club across the country to serve ALL children,” Mann adds proudly.
The only requirement for joining is that students must be pursuing their education. “We want them to be in school. They MUST be in school,” emphasizes Mann.

The cost to the Boys & Girls Club is $360 per kid per year, despite only charging members $3/year. That is where Mann’s important work comes in: “My job is to ensure that we have the funding to cover the programs and that we raise enough money to maintain our incredible staff.”

“I’m serving a cause, and this cause is people,” Mann continues. “I’m raising money for children — our future.”

Q&A with Billy Mann

What’s your favorite activity to do around the holidays? Being a part of Boys & Girls Clubs and Kiwanis Club of Toledo’s Christmas Parties. Just seeing smiles we can bring to kid’s faces, and their appreciation of our simple gifts gives me great satisfaction.

Best holiday memory you have from when you were a kid?
(Erin, this is so tough!). I would have to say celebrating Christmas Eve, singing carols and having Santa visit our family each year. What’s your go-to activity when you finally have a few minutes to yourself? Sitting outside in our garden to read or take in the view. Describe your life in five words. Energetic, Fulfilling, Thankful, Fun, Engaging.

Want to get involved? Lend a hand and volunteer as a tutor, mentor, coach or more. Boys & Girls Club of Toledo 2250 N. Detroit Ave 419-241-4258 | bgctoledo.org

’Tis the season, the most wonderful time of the year, but alas, the most stressful. The shopping, the traveling, the baking, the entertaining— if it can make your head spin, think about how it might affect your little ones. Read on for tips for keeping the peace this time of year.

Expectations: keep it real
and stick to a budget

Resist the urge to rack up a ton of debt this year and stick to a realistic budget. Before shopping, get a clear idea of what you can afford to spend, and stick to it. Shopping online can make it easier not to overspend while eliminating the hassle of enormous crowds and lines. Explaining your financial limits to the kids is also a good idea.

Heath and Nicole Woodward, Toledo parents of three, offer advice on managing children’s expectations. “We are upfront and honest with our kids about what we can do,” Heath said. “We’ll have them make realistic lists of what they want and choose from those items depending on our budget.”

Gifts need not be monetary, either. Psychologist Dr. Rebecca Alperin of Psychological Resources, Toledo, said, “It’s nice to take this time of year to encourage children to do something nice for someone else, in the spirit of the holiday. For instance, taking a treat to an elderly neighbor, donating some toys to a children’s hospital or shelter, or donating items to an animal rescue organization.”

Stress-less holiday travel tips

If you travel over the holidays, the key to a successful trip is preparation. Keep your kids involved by giving them their own responsibilities. Renu Kielhorn, a Sylvania mom of two, has a few tips. “My kids each have a rolling backpack they pack themselves to take to the airport with books and toys to keep them busy on the plane.”

For cartrips, Kielhorn suggests being flexible and allowing time for extra breaks to let kids burn energy. Be sure to pack the iPad, books and let kids pick a podcast or radio station to listen to.
“I go to the dollar store and pick up new toys for the kids to open while we travel. Playdough is a good one to keep younger kids busy, and we like activity books like mazes, puzzles, and word searches for the older children,” said mom of three Amy Choksey of Sylvania.

If you’re flying, prepare your kids for what to expect at the airport: crowds, lines, security check, etc. Be sure to check your airline’s guidelines on what is okay to bring on board for younger kids; most are okay with reasonable amounts of formula/milk and baby food. Be sure to pack an easily accessible change of clothes for each family member. If you’re able, splurge on an extra seat for your infant. It’s so much easier (not to mention more comfortable and safer) if your little one is in her own car seat.

Save the drama
for your mama

Travel can be hard on kids, so as parents we must try to keep any additional stresses to a minimum. “Maintain your child’s schedule and routine as best as possible (sleep, meals, etc.). They may need some downtime from all of the activity and events,” said Alperin.

If you’re staying with a friend or relative, be mindful of their routines and schedules, and try to keep the chaos to a minimum. Be gracious: contribute and help wherever you can, teach your children to be respectful, and clean up after yourselves.

Navigate tricky family dynamics cautiously. If it becomes difficult to keep the peace with everyone under one roof and you or your children are stressed, staying in a hotel might be a good idea.

And remember, just staying home and celebrating with your family unit is always an option. Mother of two Amy Barricklow of Sylvania recalls, “We took the kids to my parents’ house when they were 2 and 4 and my father said to me, ‘You need to make Christmas your own holiday. Have it in your own home. Don’t bring the kids here.’” Barricklow said, “It really is about your immediate family, so we spend time with just our family and meet up with other family later.”

Each year these few days between Thanksgiving and Christmas are filled with chances to serve our community. Preparing and serving Thanksgiving dinner for someone in need, packing food boxes, buying presents for children, singing carols to seniors, and on and on it goes. And I think the question that most parents work through in this season is: “What can I do with my kids?” We want to serve our community, we want to give back, we want to get involved in making our community a better place… and we want our children to experience this with us.

Redefining “kid-friendly”

Recently I had a friend ask what local service opportunities exist in our community that were “kid-friendly.” They wanted to bring their kids along in their seasonal service endeavor but they weren’t sure which activities would be appropriate for children. While I certainly understand this impulse I want to suggest another question we should ask as we try to give our children memorable moments of giving back. Often when I hear parents talking about whether or not something is “kid-friendly” they are either talking about how easy it is to manage their children in that space, or how their kids may understand what is actually happening. Parents can worry about whether or not their children will get the same satisfaction as the parent. They worry about whether or not the kids will understand why they are doing the specific act of service.

I believe, the better question than “what can I do with my kids?” to ask is:

“What can I do, that I truly care about, to make a difference?”

The reason this is a better question to ask is because our kids often aren’t going to get their own personal “warm and fuzzy” feelings from serving their community. They are going to feel good about what they are doing if they do it with their parents. If we, as parents, are engaged, passionate and committed to the work we are doing, and bring our kids along, that will make the biggest impact on our children in the long run. Now, there may be exceptions, but as long as you aren’t really passionate about building houses or putting yourself in unsafe environments, then this rule probably applies.

(One tip to keep in mind if you aren’t sure about bringing your kids along? Call ahead and ask the organization, the church or the group you are working with how they would feel about you bringing your children.)

Remember, 10 years from now, when your kid looks back, what they will remember most is the cumulative set of experiences they had with you. They will remember how you acted, how you gave up your time, and how you went out that night in the terrible weather to go serve your community.

There is a quote I love from Howard Thurman that goes like this: “Do not ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

This time of year as we parent in the midst of the Holidays I would offer a different version of that quote: “Do not ask yourself what your child needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go do that. Because what your child needs is parents who have come alive.”

We have all bundled up our kids in snow gear to send them outside to play, only to have the activity cut short because of chilly noses and fingers. To satisfy the snow itch without stepping outside, create this simple snow slime recipe. Not only is this faux snow fun to squish and stretch, you can also extend the play by cutting it with cookie cutters, filling different shaped molds, or hiding little toys in the ‘snow’ for younger children to find. This is the perfect way to “play in the snow” on days that you may not be able to face the outdoors.

Supplies:
• White School Glue (2 cups)
• Borax (3/4 tsp)
• Warm Water
(1 and 1/2 cups, 1 and 1/3 cups)
• Glitter (1 TBS Blue or iridescent)
• Bowls (2)
• Fork
• Measuring cups

Instructions:
1. In a small bowl, combine 2 cups of the chilled school glue with 1 and 1/2 cups of very warm water. Stir until there is no separation.
2. In a second bowl, combine and stir ¾ teaspoons of borax with 1 and 1/3 cups of very warm water.
3. Pour the borax/water mixture into the glue mixture and stir. After the initial mixing, use your hands to knead the ingredients for a few minutes until there is no longer any water.
4. Once the slime is thoroughly mixed, add glitter to make the
slime sparkle.
5. Optional: Store the slime in a zip
seal bag in the fridge before and after play IF you want it to be cold to more closely resemble snow.