With its abundance of woods, prairies, and lakes, the Kansas City metropolitan area features many birdwatching hotspots. We’ve listed some of our favorites here. If you have a birdwatching location to add to our list, please share it in the comments below!
My Grandparents Help Me Grow
Grandparents Day is Sept. 13, and what better way to help celebrate your little one’s grandparents than some homemade artwork?
Supplies:
- White paper
- Red paint
- Green paint
- Paintbrush
- Paint dish
- Black marker
- Optional: an extra set of hands
Directions:
- Paint one kid hand with red paint and place onto the white paper. Clean paint off the hand immediately!
- With a clean paintbrush, paint stem of the flower green.
- With the marker add, “My grandparents help me grow!”
- Once the paint has dried, have your kiddo sign his name or add it on for him.
Optional add-ons:
- For younger kids, consider having them sit in their highchair or in the bathtub without water for easier cleanup!
- Consider using an additional set of hands to help hold your child’s arm while painting her hand.
- To go along with this card, consider adding some plant seeds, a plant or a flowerpot. If you have the time, encourage your little ones to paint the flowerpot as well!
Janelle Cumro-Sultzer lives in Overland Park with her husband, son and two dogs. Janelle is a former health care executive director and is a mediator in Kansas, helping families in conflict. Janelle loves to focus on learning through play and getting messy with crafts.
The Car Barn
My stepdad looked up from the morning newspaper, spread across the table. “Bill, come here. Did you tell them your name was Thompson?'” He pointed at my picture and the caption.
The image brought me back to that dry, cloudy day a few weeks earlier. I trod the footpath homeward past Turkey Creek from a visit to downtown Merriam, when a young couple approached me.
The lady gestured to the remains of a stone building. “Do you know what this is?”
“I believe it’s the old Strang Line car barn.”
“Do you know anything about it?”
I guided them through the freshly fallen leaves, inside the roofless walls where trees grew through the pavement. “Not much.” I pointed to a low, concrete structure. “I think that was a well.”
The young man waved toward a window opening, long devoid of frame and glass. “Could you stand up there with a rock? Like you’re throwing it? I’d like to get a picture.”
“Sure.”
“Hold it¦ Perfect.” He lowered the camera, and I threw the rock.
“What’s your name?”
“Billy Thompson.”
The couple bantered as they left and I never saw them again.
Dad’s voice brought me back. “I’m proud that you want to use my name, but yours is Bartlett. When your dad asks about this in the paper, tell him it was a mistake.”
Divorce wasn’t as common then as it is now, and I had no one and nothing to guide me. I knew the mother and children shared the name of the father. Since I was in the house of my stepfather and Mom was a Thompson, I reasoned I was a Thompson, too. So many things had changed in such a short time. Why should my name be any different? But, I couldn’t articulate my confusion.
“OK.”
William R. Bartlett lives in Belton with his family.
Dance, Tumbling and Music Lessons, Oh My!
We are fortunate to live in an area where opportunities abound for our children: sports, art activities, classes, camps and more. Although having so many choices and opportunities is nice, sometimes it can feel overwhelming. How exactly do you go about choosing something for your child?
Consider your child’s interests and desires.
BrightHorizons.com suggests to “really see’ your child.” What are his natural gifts? Consider asking your child what he wants to do. Meredith, an Olathe mom, shares, “My child has always had a flair for the dramatic and loves to sing. I don’t know how she gets through the day at school, because she can’t go an hour at home without singing! We decided to build on that and enroll her in musical theater classes at the Culture House.”
Remember too, that these opportunities are for your child, not for you. BrightHorizons.com explains, “Parental expectations that don’t match with a child’s true self can cause a lot of grief for both parent and child.” Just because an activity was good for you as a child or is good for your best friend’s child, doesn’t mean it will be for your child.
Look at the big picture.
Think about what you’d like your child to gain from the enrichment activities. Do you want your child to meet and make new friends? Do you want your child to do it because the activity is popular or everyone else is doing it? Would you like for your child to gain cultural awareness? Or do you simply think it might be fun for your child? Ask yourself these questions-but be ready to answer them honestly!
Try out a class.
Usually the elementary years are a great time to try out various classes and activities in a fairly inexpensive way. Caroline, an Overland Park mom, says, “I do think it is good to try different things when they are young because sometimes you’ll be surprised what really resonates with your child.” Be prepared to try several activities before finding what your child loves and is willing to stick with. By exploring multiple options together, you can help your child find something he really enjoys!
Summer camps are also an excellent way to check out a class. Many arts camps are only a week long and offer full or half day options. What a great way to test the waters before jumping in long term!
Kimberly, a local music teacher, suggests an instrument “petting zoo,” where your child can see instruments up close and even give them a try. Many local organizations such as the Kansas City Symphony (KCSymphony.org) and the KC Civic Orchestra (KCCivic.org/wordpress/category/kccoed/petting-zoo) offer these opportunities each year. What a fun and unique way to introduce your child to music!
Offer guidance and exposure.
As a parent, you will have the job of exposing your child to the arts, just as you would to sports. “I think it is important to expose children to the arts and see what they enjoy! Take your child to the Nelson, a play, the ballet. Go to a local concert. The arts are all around us in KC, between all of the options offered through both local rec departments and private theater, dance, music and art studios. Take advantage of it!” Caroline suggests.
Throughout this process, you also may find your child repeatedly goes back to the same type of activity. Be willing to offer a bit of guidance and push him slightly to try out something different. If you have a sports enthusiast, try guiding him toward an art or music lesson to help him break out of his comfort zone. “Our daughter has loved music since she was a baby, so we also decided to encourage her desire to dance. She likes to move quickly, so we thought hip hop classes would be a better fit for her than the traditional ballet that many little girls do. Classes usually aren’t available until they are 4, so we enrolled her as soon as she was old enough at Jody Phillips Dance Company,” says Meredith.
Avoid overscheduling.
While trying different activities is great, don’t rush out there and sign up your child for four different classes at once. An overscheduled child probably isn’t going to enjoy much when she feels so tapped out and exhausted. And let’s be honest, neither will you! Just like you plan activities for your child, be cognizant of planning downtime to avoid burnout.
Johnson County offers so many opportunities to pay for a drop-in music class, cooking lesson or art activity, making for great try-it-firsts. Hop on JCPRD.com or BlueValleyRec.org and check out what activities are coming up¦and as always, KCParent.com is an excellent resource too! And remember to have fun exploring the arts with your child!
Julie Collett loves arts enrichment activities and tries to expose her children whenever time, energy and finances allow!
10 Strategies to Deal With a Picky Eater
Want to know how parents of young kids can kick the chicken nugget, fruit snack and mac ‘n cheese habit? Check out these tried-and-true strategies to get picky eaters to switch to a healthier way of life.
1. Include them in the cooking.
Pull up a chair or stool to the kitchen counter and teach those babies how to cook! They will have an investment in the process and be proud to present and try the meal they helped make. Sit down and ask what some of their favorite meals are and put the ingredients on the shopping list.
2. Include them in the shopping.
Sometimes kids are picky simply because they want to exert their independence. One strategy to help them along this stage is to take them grocery shopping with you and let them choose some new things to try.
3. Heck, include them in the growing.
Cynthia Hiebert, mom of two, says, “Planting a garden is a great way to interest kids in partaking of the fruits (and vegetables) of their labor! We have a huge garden, and my kids will even eat pickled beets ¦ I believe it’s because they helped weed the garden, pull up the beets and then can them with their dad.”
4. It’s all about presentation ¦ and sauces!
I know kids love fries, so I make sweet potatoes and carrots into long, thin pieces and bake them on a pan in the oven. Sauces and toppings are a must, so offer a variety. Ketchup, steak sauce, sour cream, ranch dip and others make your kids more likely to give something foreign a chance.
5. Presto change-o.
Change the fast food chicken nugget into a bread-crumbed, baked version. Courtney Ludwig-Shay, mom of one, says, “We try to take the beloved foods and make them in a healthy version. We make chicken bites instead of nuggets, fruit leathers instead of fruit snacks.”
6. Just try it.
“I try to provide at least one thing they’ll eat at each meal. If they don’t finish the rest, they don’t get to have a separate meal or snacks later. I also request they at least try each item, even if they know’ they don’t like it,” says Annette M. Whipple, mom of three.
7. Variety is the spice of life ¦ and no restaurant kids meals!
Cynthia Hiebert says, “I just fed my kids a wide variety of foods, including all types of ethnic foods, from the time they started on solids. Also, don’t order kids meals at restaurants; give them some of your food, or two or three kids could share a regular menu meal.”
8. Be cool as a cucumber at mealtime.
Don’t engage in food battles but do hold your ground. “I don’t make them finish their plates,” Gina Kennedy, mom of two, says. “They know when they’re full, and what’s left can be wrapped up for later. Plus, they’re more willing to try new things if they know they only have to try one bite instead of finishing every last crumb.”
9. Take your time in picky eater rehab.
Shannon Watkins, mom of seven, says, “I would say it’s a process. Take one meal per day and try to make healthier options. So if a child likes chicken nuggets, make homemade nuggets.”
10. Repeat exposure.
Above all, be patient. Kennedy says, “A note on trying a bite: That’s not for new foods; that’s for all foods. Even foods they’re convinced they hate. The repeat exposure builds familiarity.”
Have fun with the process, try to be patient and you will likely soon be rewarded with a child who doesn’t fight you on every new thing, but who shocks you with wanting to try all sorts of food adventures!
Kerrie McLoughlin (TheKerrieShow.com) is the seasoned parent of five kids who will eat pretty much anything.
Tips for Saving Money on Birthday Gifts
Birthdays are exciting milestones during childhood. Each new age brings new opportunities, new skills to learn and new experiences. For parents, birthdays are often bittersweet. We are excited to see our children grow, change and learn, but saying good-bye to the previous stage of childhood is often emotional. “I love and hate my son’s birthday,” Amber Stubbs, Olathe mom, says. “I love seeing him grow older and watching him become this amazing person-but every year I look back on his baby days and feel nostalgic.”
For many families, one part of birthdays is buying presents. Going overboard buying gifts is easy, and many parents are looking for ways to reign in birthday spending. Here are some tips from metro parents on how to slow your family’s spending at birthday time:
Plan ahead. Make a plan for how you will handle the party and gifts ahead of time. This will allow you to shop sales, pick up items on clearance and take advantage of valuable coupons.
Shop all year. This advice may sound like it would cause you to spend more, but shopping during off-seasons can add up to big savings. “I buy birthday gifts all year when things go on sale. It takes a bit of planning, but it can help make the money stretch further,” Amy Parks, Gardner mom, says. “I shop for Christmas during end-of-summer sales and for birthdays during end-of-winter sales. It is a great way to save money on toys and clothes.”
Know what your child wants. When your child expresses an interest, take note. If you have a running list of what your child would like, you can share it with family members and friends, allowing them to plan ahead and shop sales ahead of time.
Think outside the box. Birthday gifts don’t have to mean toys. Experiences, events or even classes can be a wonderful gift. “For my daughter’s birthday, my mom paid for a year of dance lessons. Things were tight for us, and this allowed her to have something to look forward to every week. It was an amazing gift,” says Rachel Griffin, Kansas City, MO, mom.
Skip the trimmings. Wrapping paper, bows and cards are a quick way to add to the birthday budget. Consider reusing gift bags or finding other creative ways to package gifts. Children rarely take the time to admire the wrapping!
Melissa Bellach is a freelance writer, wife and mother of two living in Overland Park.