Up North Families February 2012

YOUR L IFE UP NORTH

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Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special Special parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting parenting

awareness awareness awareness awareness awareness awareness awareness awareness awareness awareness awareness awareness awareness awareness awareness awareness awareness awareness awareness awareness awareness awareness awareness awareness awareness awareness awareness awareness awareness awareness

issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!issue!

FAMILIESFAMILIESFAMILIESYOUR L IFE UP NORTH

Topics include:• Parent

leadership strategies

• Emotional skills

• Dealing with parental stress

• Healthy living habits

2 YOUR LIFE UP NORTH

WANTEDParents!

For the Great Start Parent Coalition

Join parents, grandparents and caregivers who believe that every child should get all

that he or she needs for a successful start in life.

Join and help build public support and goodwill for early childhood,

host advocacy and education activities at the local, state and federal levels, gain professional development, lend your voice

and make a difference while being a champion for children’s issues.

Open to any parent, grandparent or caregiver with children birth to 12.

www.greatstartforkids.com

231.582.8070

www.facebook.com/greatstartk /

Charlevoix Elementary: Where Success Begins!

We’re the school that has a small family atmosphere with big potential for your child. Stop in to see how together we can help your child succees.

Come see what makes Charlevoix Elementary School

A GREAT CHOICEWe welcome children who will be 5

on or before December 1, 2012

Kindergarten RegistrationThursday, April 19th and Friday, April 20

13513 Division St., CharlevoixCall 231.547.3215 to schedule your appointment.

(3) Hep B

(1) Varicella

(4) Pneumococcal

(2) Influenza

(3) Rotavirus

(4) DTaP

(4) Hib

(3) Polio

(1) MMR

(2) Hep A

Doesn’t every child deserve all their shots?

By age two, your child should have:

Protect the lives of thelittle ones you love.

800-432-4121www.nwhealth.org

One of every four children in the U.S. is not fully immunized against serious communicable

diseases like diphtheria, polio, and meningitis. Call your children’s health care provider or the Health Depar tment to check i f the i r immunizations are up-to-date and to schedule an appointment.

Medicaid and private insurance policies accepted; No one age 18 or younger will be turned away for inability to pay for required immunizations.

Up North FAMILIES 3

CONTENTSCONTENTSCONTENTS161616161616161616

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fe atur 6 Family Voice Child Abuse Council & Great Start Parent Coalition

9 Building blocksDevelopment of social-emotional skills

11 From out of the Mouths of Babes

12 Picture this... Parenting Scrapbook

14 The sooner you start...The importance of focus on early education

16 Investing in the future Funding preschool scholarships

17 Michigan Sandbox Party

18 Keeping your good humor

19 Family support

20 Brain GymHow movement promotes better learning

On the cover: Ciara Leaman, daughter of Brandy Coveyou of Boyne City, is a fortunate recipient of a preschool scholarship and attended Boyne City Preschool.

CONTENTSCONTENTSCONTENTS161616

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GREAT START DIRECTOR’S NOTE

Maureen Hollocker

Up North Families is published quarterlyby Northern Michigan Review, Inc.

Up North Families Magazine319 State St., Petoskey, Mich. 49770

FEBRUARY/APRIL 2012 - Volume 1, Issue 3

PUBLISHERDOUG CALDWELL

EDITORJULIE WITTHOEFT

LAYOUT AND DESIGNWENDY WOLFSEN

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION CONTACT

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

CHRISTY LYONS(231) 439-9329

[email protected]

ADVERTISING SALES

BETH FLYNN(231) 439-4328

[email protected]

© Up North Families, all rights reserved, 2012. Reproduction in any form, in

whole or in part, without express written permission, is prohibited. The views

expressed herein, whether expressed as fact, fiction, opinion, advice or

otherwise, are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the ownership or management of this magazine. The publication of any advertisement does not reflect any

endorsement for any products or services by the ownership or management of this magazine unless it is specifically

stated in such advertisement that there is approval for such endorsement.

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YOUR L IFE UP NORTH

WHO WE ARE: ˜ e Great Start Collaborative of Charlevoix, Em-met and northern Antrim counties is made up of community lead-ers and organizations from each county that have a vested inter-est in Early Childhood. We are representatives from business, health, education, human services, higher education, non-profi t, court systems, philanthropy and parents who are implementing a plan to address the needs of young children within our northern Michigan communities.

WHAT WE DO: Our goal is to promote a safe and healthy learning environment for children and families in our com-munity. ˜ e mission of our collaborative is to identify local needs, and implement research based strategies to assure a coordinated system of community resources and support for young children and their families. Since we began in 2006, we have been successful in creating a Great Start Parent Co-alition that has increased parenting support through work-shops, trainings, meetings and community advocacy. Our parent events are designed to appeal to and serve the needs of families, as well as provide opportunity for parent leader-ship and community development. For example, in October the Great Start Parent Coalition holds a Halloween costume exchange that brings families together for a free event of activities, provides those in need a costume for the holiday and encourages our community to “reduce, reuse, recycle.” ˜ e Great Start Collaborative has also created a fund development plan that seeks monies from philanthropic organizations and individual donors to solve issues within our own community in particular that address needs that have been cut at the federal and state levels. In 2011, the Great Start Fund Development provided preschool tuition scholarships to 18 three-year-old children in families that fell 200 percent below the poverty line. Due to free preschool program capacity, these children would miss out on the preschool experience without these tuition scholarships.

WHERE WE ARE: ˜ e Great Start Collaborative services chil-dren and families in Charlevoix, Emmet and northern Ant-rim counties. ˜ e Great Start Collaborative hosts meetings from 9-11 a.m. bi-monthly on the third Tuesday in Boyne City. ˜ e next scheduled meeting will take place Tuesday, February 21. ˜ ose interested in attending are asked to call, (231) 582-8070 or e-mail [email protected]. ˜ e Great Start Parent Coalition hosts parent networking nights, symposiums and trainings frequently throughout all of the counties. For details, check out the Parent Coali-tion Facebook page at www.facebook.com/greatstart.

WHY IT MATTERS: Whether you are a parent, caregiver, educator, business owner, community planner, or simply a tax paying citizen, investing in early childhood will af-fect you now and can have a huge impact on the future of your community. It is a simple equation for a long term workforce and economic solution; early childhood investment equals a stronger, better educated workforce, and a socially and economically vibrant community.

Join forces with the Great Start Collaborative of Charlevoix, Emmet and Northern Antrim Counties, to change the lives of our children and families now, and build a bright economic future for Northern Michigan.

Maureen Hollocker is Director of the Great Start Collabora-tive of Charlevoix, Emmet and Northern Antrim counties.For more information, visit www.greatstartforkids.com, call (231) 582-8070 or email [email protected].

Up North FAMILIES 5

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KindergartenRound Up

THURSDAY4:00 - 7:00

April 12, 2012

115 W. Hurlbut, Charlevoix, MI 49720nwa.edu

231-547-9000


FAMILY VOICE

What if my child is a picky eater? What is the right age to join a team sport? Is my

child’s weight normal?These and other questions regard-

ing children’s health are common for many parents. Parents want the best for their children, but how do we know what is best, especially when it comes to knowing what is healthy?

Children grow rapidly and at dif-ferent rates. To continue to grow they need to gain weight and might even outgrow their clothes seemingly overnight at times! One tool pediatri-cians use to determine whether your child’s weight is healthy is tracking their body mass index or BMI. One BMI score does not complete a child’s health profile. As children grow their body fat changes (remember those toddler chubby cheeks?), which af-fects their BMI percentile. It is im-portant to track BMI over time with a health professional.

Healthy living involves many fac-ets: nutrition, fitness, sports and emotional wellness.

The Child Abuse Council serv-ing Charlevoix and Emmet counties’ annual spring conference is focus-ing on children’s health as it relates to nutrition and physical activity. Co-sponsored by Char-Em ISD, the conference, “Active Child, Healthy Eating: What is Your Role?” will take place from 8:15 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Friday, April 20, at North Central Michigan College in Petoskey.

We believe everyone has a role in supporting children’s health –

schools, communities, businesses, media, faith institutions and, of course, parents.

Everyone is welcome to attend this educational conference, open to the public. The keynote speaker, Dr. Tom Peterson, FAAP, Helen DeVos Chil-dren’s Hospital and Spectrum Health, will introduce FitKids360: a healthy lifestyle program developed to teach families healthy behaviors. In addi-tion to Dr. Peterson, the conference will offer break-out sessions this year during which participants can learn about a variety of health topics in-cluding reading nutrition labels, dia-betes in youth, and adolescent body image counseling. The goal is to help children and their families live longer, healthier lives.

Attendees can download a regis-tration form at www.UpNorthChild-AbuseCouncil.org.

Maggie Kromm

Child Abuse Council supports children’s health

By Maggie Kromm, Executive Director of the Child Abuse Council serving Charlevoix and Emmet Counties and a Great Start Collaborative Member

www.healthychildren.org (hosted by the American Academy of Pediatrics, free growth chart available)

www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/ (We Can! Ways to Enhance Children’s

Activity and Nutrition)

www.chopchopmag.org (Fun cooking magazine for

families; recipes for meals and snacks, games/activities beyond

how to cook but how and why to eat healthfully)

Fun online resources

“How can we ensure that every child has an equal opportunity for healthy growth and development?”

This is referred to as “The Big Question” on Prevent Child Abuse America’s sponsored website, www.movementforchildren.org. The Movement is a grass roots initiative to develop a comprehensive national strategy to ensure all of our children are given an opportunity to develop:

– socially, emotionally and cognitively

– in healthy, nurturing homes, schools, neighborhoods and communities.

Up North FAMILIES 7

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n v i s i t w w w . U p N o r t h C h i l d A b u s e C o u n c i l . o r g

Every child deserves an equal opportunity for healthy growth and development. The Child Abuse Council annual spring conference is focusing on

children’s health as it relates to nutrition and physical activity.

Date/Time Friday, April 20, 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (lunch provided)

Location North Central Michigan College, Petoskey

Audience Community Leaders, Teachers, Health Care and Social Service Professionals, Parents, Caregivers, and anyone working with children and families

Description Participants will choose 2 break-out sessions on topics such as: Physical Education Everywhere, Decoding Food Labels, Adolescent Eating Disorders, Diabetes in Youth, and Fuel Up to Play 60 (detailed descriptions are available online on the registration form). Attendees will: �� Learn about community resources �� Have an opportunity to earn Social Work CEUs, Educator SB-CEUs, and

Nursing CEUs pending approval.

Cost There is no fee for school personnel, foster parents, or teen parents. $45 for all other registrants. Scholarships offering 50% reduced registration

rate are available by request by emailing [email protected]. Make checks payable to the Child Abuse Council. Save $10 if you register

by March 15.

Registration Deadline is April 12. All attendees please download a registration form at www.UpNorthChildAbuseCouncil.org . Completed registration forms and payments should be mailed to: Child Abuse Council, P.O. Box 414, Petoskey, MI, 49770.

Sponsors The Child Abuse Council serving Charlevoix and Emmet Counties, Charlevoix-Emmet Intermediate School District, Northern Michigan Regional Hospital, St. John’s Episcopal Church of Harbor Springs, Char-Em Great Start Collaborative and Parent Coalition, Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation

2 0 1 2 A n n u a l C h i l d A b u s e C o u n c i l S p r i n g C o n fe r e n c e

“Active Child, Healthy Eating: What is Your Role?”

Keynote address by Tom Peterson, MD, FAAP, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.

Dr. Peterson is the Executive Director for patient safety, quality improvement and community health.

He has led the development of the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Healthy Weight Center which opened in April of 2010. Dr. Peterson has also led the development of the FitKids360 program in West Michigan.

Dr. Tom Peterson

Child Abuse Council Serving Charlevoix and Emmet Counties

Parent leadership is a key compo-nent to the future of Michigan.

Why you ask? ˜ e answer is simple: it involves the children that one day will be our leaders. Parent leadership is not just one parent who is “gung-ho” about parenting. Don’t get me wrong these parents are great and they help keep the momentum going.

However, parent leadership oc-curs when parents or primary care-givers have access to knowledge. ˜ is knowledge combined with skills, re-sources and e« ective partnerships is a formula for success.

Parent leadership is successful when parents and professionals build partnerships. With these partner-ships come shared responsibilities, expertise from all and the e« ective-ness to move forward. Moving for-ward allows for change, consideration of new policies and makes a positive di« erence in the lives of children and families.

So who are parent leaders? * Parents, grandparents, foster parents or

anyone in a parenting role

* Someone that can speak on behalf of parents – bring the parent perspective to the table

* Someone with experience in using resources to support a family unit

* Parents willing to bring an open mind and be team playersWith these traits there are several

ways parents can take an active lead-ership role. Some examples of these roles are:

* Be a mentor for another parent

* Be involved in planning meetings

* Participate in focus groups

* Gather other parents together to identify needs in your community

* Get involved in your child’s school through the board or improvement team

˜ e traits and examples listed are a few ways to become active in a par-

ent leadership role. Do you consider yourself a leader? Have you taken the opportunity to speak out and become a part of the solution to make North-ern Michigan a great place to raise a family? Join the Great Start Parent Coalition!

To learn more about how to get involved, contact Mandy Peterson, your local Great Start Parent Coali-tion Liaison, at (231) 582-8070.


FAMILY VOICE

Parent Leadership: What does it take?

By Mandy Peterson, Great Start Parent Coalition Liaison

Mandy Peterson

Up North FAMILIES 9

Do you know what kindergarten teachers say are essential skills for their incoming students?

If you answered knowing the alpha-bet or counting to 20, you’d be wrong! In a recent USA Today poll, teachers said social-emotional skills are key to school readiness.

“Social-emotional skills, such as pay-ing attention, not being disruptive, fol-lowing directions and getting along with others are just as important to your child’s academic success as reading and writing,” said Natalie Kasiborski, who coordinates the Health Department of Northwest Michigan’s Early Child-hood Behavioral Health Initiative in Charlevoix, Emmet and northern An-trim counties. “Children start learning these skills from the time they are new-borns. And by the time they’re school-age, kids should have mastered a wide range of social-emotional skills.”

Kasiborski continues, “Social-emo-tional health includes forming close re-lationships with other people, especially with parents and other familiar caregiv-ers; expressing and managing emotions; and feeling safe to explore new environ-ments. ̃ ese skills come easier to some children than others.”

“Many parents think that kids just naturally know how to get along with others and manage their emotions,” added Nicole Lindwall, supervisor of clinical and children’s programs at the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan. “Not true. ˜ e good news is that many of the things parents do every day with their children can help them learn social-emotional skills, such as holding them gently, responding to attempts to communicate and guiding them through social situations.”

Help is available for parents who are concerned about their child’s social and

emotional development. ˜ e Health Department of Northwest Michigan o« ers a free, Peer Parent Support Part-ner to parents of children 0-5. Parents can enroll by calling the health depart-ment at 1-800-432-4121. In addition, the Women’s Resource Center o« ers play groups free of charge at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesdays at Christ Lutheran Church in Boyne City, at 9:30 a.m. Wednesdays at Jordan Valley District Library in East Jordan, at 9:30 a.m. Wednesdays at United Methodist Church in Alanson, and at 9:30 a.m. on Fridays at United Methodist Church in Petoskey.

˜ e Early Childhood Behav-ioral Health Initiative is supported with grants from the Frey Founda-tion, Charlevoix County Community Foundation, Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation and the Char-Em United Way.

For more information about the Early Childhood Behavioral Health Initiative, call Kasiborski at (231) 347-5144.

Helping your young child develop social-emotional skills

By Natalie Kasiborski, Community Health Coordinator, Health Department of Northwest Michigan and Great Start Collaborative Member

The Early Childhood Investment Corporation suggests some signs of social emotional health that you can look for in your own infant, toddler, or preschooler.YOUNG INFANTS (BIRTH TO 12 MONTHS):• Cry, coo and smile

• Look at faces

• Accept comfort from a familiar adult

• Seek comfort

• Show excitement

• Show curiosity about other people

OLDER INFANTS (12-18 MONTHS):• Explore with enthusiasm

• Are curious about other people

• Laugh out loud

• Enjoy books, songs and simple games

• Express many feelings (sad, happy, scared, angry, etc.)

TODDLERS (18 MONTHS TO 3 YEARS):• Show shyness in unfamiliar places

• Smile and laugh

• Begin to show feelings for others

• Are playful with others

• Begin protesting and saying “No”


• May use a blanket or toy for comfort when upset

PRESCHOOLERS (3-5 YEARS):• Enjoy books and simple games


• Listen to gentle reminders

• Accept changes in routines

• Try new things

• Show curiosity about people and things

• Make up imaginary games and may enjoy imaginary play with others

• Ask many questions: Who? What? When? Where? Why?

Natalie Kasiborski

By Natalie Kasiborski, Community Health Coordinator, Health Department of Northwest Michigan and Great Start Collaborative Member

The Early Childhood Investment Corporation suggests some signs of social emotional health that you can look for in your own infant, toddler, or preschooler.YOUNG INFANTS (BIRTH TO 12 MONTHS):(BIRTH TO 12 MONTHS):


For 87 years, Camp Daggett has provided meaningful and memorable outdoor and camping experiences for the young and young at heart.

For more information, call 231-347-9742 or visit www.campdaggett.org.

Camp Daggett offers:

��Facilities rental for groups and families

��

�� Emmet County Fairgrounds - featuring Orpheum Bell

Upcoming events:

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“The Other Fellow FIRST ”03001 Church Rd � Petoskey, MI 49770 � (231) 347-9742 � www.campdaggett.org

Established 1925

Northern Michigan

A Northern Michigan network created for moms, by moms sharing information to better understand our

families and ourselves.NorthernMoms.com

Up North FAMILIES 11

OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES

“You have a check so you can buy ANYTHING you want!”

Little girl smells foul odor and replies,

“Peeyuck!” Mom replies, “It‛s yuck.” To which the

little girl responds, “No mom, it‛s peeyuck stands for peeewww and yuck.”

Little girl sees mom throwing away old bananas, and says,

“You know mom, that’s gonna come outta your check.”

After explaining to her 5-year-old daughter that a particular part of a board

game had no rules, she said, “No. You cannot have fun without rules.”

Mom told her 5-year-old son he’s too little for something. He turns and replies,

“Mom with a step stool I am not little.”

Little girl combines “Thank you” and“You’re welcome”

into“Thank-em!”

Mom warns her daughter who spent the day as a super consumer: “If you keep eating like that you’re gonna get fat like me!” Daughter looks at her with one of the cutest faces ever, and says,

“But momma, I like you fat.”

Mom replies, “It‛s yuck.” To which the little girl responds, “No mom, it‛s

peeyuck stands for peeewww and yuck.”

Little girl sees mom throwing away old bananas, and says,



“You know mom, that’s gonna

daughter that a particular part of a board game had no rules, she said, “No. You

cannot have fun without rules.”

Mom told her 5-year-old son he’s too little

“Mom with a step stool

into“Thank-em!”

Mom quietly enjoying coffee, reading a magazine when her 3-year-old son, wakes

up and comes into the living room and says, “Momma, you need to calm down!”

Little boy sees farm fresh eggs and says,

“Mom they have chocolate eggs here!”


PICTURE THIS…

Families ex-change costumes

at the Great Start Hallow-een costume exchange in

Petoskey.

Kylie Scholl rolls a split during a round of squash bowl-

ing at the Great Start Halloween costume exchange in

Petoskey.

William “Bubba” Shively smiles big during an Emmet County Early Head Start socialization event.

Elissa May Shivley works on a project with her dad while enjoying the Early Head

Start socialization playgroup in Emmet County.

Parenting

Lydia Eaton and teacher Renee Gibbs enjoy playing with blocks at the Boyne City Preschool.

Kylie Scholl rolls a split during a round of squash bowl-

ing at the Great Start Halloween costume exchange in

Petoskey.

Elissa May Shivley works on a project with her dad while enjoying the Early Head

Lydia Eaton and teacher Renee Gibbs enjoy playing with blocks at the Lydia Eaton and teacher Renee Gibbs enjoy playing with blocks at the

Local families enjoying dinner and a night of networking at the Great Start Parent

Coalition networking night in Boyne City.


Vincent and his mom, Lorelei Alonzi, eat fruit shish- ka-bobs at Creative Kids Day, an event sponsored by Early On.

Warren Keller and his mom, Trista Sparks, meet with Cin-

dy Kloss, a nurse with the Health Department of Northwest

Michigan.

Marcus Watkins, 12, Abby Smith, 6, Raeanna Watkins, 10 and Caiden Watkins, 6, having a ball baking cookies at grandma’s.

Beth Watts,

Great Start

Parent Coalition

member, helps

Tanner Peterson

make a real life

mummy at the

Great Start Hal-

loween costume

exchange.

Parent Coalition

Tanner Peterson

make a real life

mummy at the

Great Start Hal-

loween costume

Members of the Great Start Collaborative and Parent Coalition from Charlevoix, Emmet and northern

Antrim counties join other collaboratives to advocate for families in a parade at the capital in Lansing.

Local families enjoying dinner and a night of networking at the Great Start Parent

Coalition networking night in Boyne City.


What comes to mind when you think about early childhood education?

Most people would say “preschool,” referring to a year of education prior to the child entering kindergarten. In fact, early childhood education begins at birth and consists of activities and experiences

that affect all areas of development.The first years of life are a period of

incredible growth. A child’s brain grows to about 80 percent of adult size by three years of age and 90 percent by age five. Dr. Harry Chugani, Chief of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Pediat-rics, states, “You may be confident that you can outsmart your three-year-old, but when it comes to brainpower, he’s probably got you beat! The metabolic energy consumed by a child’s brain is 225 percent that of an adult. Does that mean your child is far more intelligent? Probably not – but it does indicate that he’s thinking and processing informa-tion at a much greater rate. And at this tender young age, he holds an incred-ible strength – his immense capacity for learning.”

These early years of a child’s life lay the foundation for future learning and success, and outcomes from early child-hood programs depend on the quality of these early experiences.

“It is important not to underestimate the value of the everyday interactions that occur with your child. Simple activi-ties such as going for a walk, looking at a book, or talking about the day’s events can build important social emotional connections, motor skills, and vocabu-lary that are all linked to later school success,” said Jill Haan, Char-Em Inter-mediate School District Early Childhood Education Coordinator.

High quality care is about more than just providing children with a safe and clean environment outside of their home. It means they are engaged in meaningful learning experiences and play in an en-riched setting. Decisions about a child’s learning are based on three types of in-formation: child development and how children learn; the individual strengths, needs and interests of each child; and each child’s family and cultural values. High quality environments also include nutritious meals and opportunities for physical activity, positive adult/child in-teractions, and a supportive partnership with parents.

When choosing a setting you will want to assess how well it satisfies your needs and preferences. It is important to consider the characteristics of your child, the responsiveness of the provider, the learning environment and which combi-nation of these offers the best experience for your child.

Specialists in early childhood educa-tion recommend visiting many settings before making a decision.

High quality early education and care

By Marcia Campbell, Char-Em Intermediate School District Early Childhood Education Program Manager and Great Start Collaborative Member; and Susan Chowen, Child Care Specialist, Child Care Connections and Great Start Collaborative Member

˜ e Great Start Parent Roundup and Child Care/Preschool Fair will take place from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Saturday, March 3, inside the Community Center at the Emmet County Fairgrounds, Petoskey

Marcia Campbell

Susan ChowenSusan Chowen


For families with children ages 3-4, tuition-free preschool recruitment will take place in the following communities:

— March 8 Central Lake— March 12 and 13 Petoskey— March 15 and 16 Charlevoix— March 22 and 23 East Jordan— March 27 Pellston— April 12 and 13 Boyne City— April 19 Alanson

To schedule an appointment, call 1-800-443-5518

For a list of licensed child care and early education programs in your area, visit

www.greatstartconnect.org.

4737 Fuller Rd., East Jordan(231) 536-3369

ravenhilldiscoverycenter.org

Hands-on Science

History & Art

RAVEN HILLDISCOVERY CENTER

CELEBRATING 21 YEARS

220 W. Clinton St.231-237-7350

www.charlevoixlibrary.org

• Activity Center with age appropriate games and crafts• Story Time every Thursday @ 10:30 a.m.• Pre-school educational computers• Puzzles, Books, Story Tree, and Fun!

Serving Northern Michigan since 1987

Offering Educational Testing and One-on-one Reading & Writing Instruction for all ages

Financial Assistance AvailableNorthern Michigan Center (231) 526-9282 681 E. Lake St., Harbor Springs

www.dyslexia.net

RIDING LESSONS

Emmet County’s PremierIndoor Riding Arena

InstructorsKarin Reid Offi eld

Kate Etherly231-242-0012

[email protected]

www.breknridgefarm.com7359 S. Lake Shore Dr. Harbor Springs3 miles N. (M119) Next to Birchwood Inn


Call me now at 231.881.7335for a confi dential consultation

• Do you fi nd yourself wishing your relationships could be better? • Do you and your partner fi ght the same fi ghts over and over without resolution?• Do you have issues with your children?

Luan JacksonMS, RN, CS

Call me now at 231.881.7335Cor a confi dential consultationfo

Do you fi nd yourself wishing your relationships could be better? • Do you and your partner fi ght the same fi ghts over and over• without resolution? Do you have issues with your children?•

Luan JacksonnMS, RN, CSuan Jacksonn

704 Petoskey St. Petoskey, MI

Please come talk with me. I have been marriedfor over 42 years, have grown children and have

been assisting families for over 35 years. I believe Ican help you make your life better!

Abundant Life CounselingAlanson • Boyne City • East Jordan • Petoskey

Free Community Playgroups

Children 0-60 months and preschool age siblings

Fun activities • Projects • GamesLending library and networking for parents

Women’s Resource Centerof Northern Michigan

Details at wrcnm.org, or call 231-347-0067

S ean Welsh, West Michigan Re-gional President of PNC Finan-cial Services, said his company

looked into how they could have the biggest positive impact possible as an organization on communities.

They discovered that early child-hood de-velopment and educa-tion would be a good choice.

“Grow Up Great is a com-mitment we took on about 10 years ago

on the direc-tion of our employees,” he said. “For every dollar put in to early childhood development, you can save as much as $16 over the life of the child.”

The company has committed $250 million over 10 years to the cause.

“The program has really become a part of our DNA,” he noted.

PNC Grow Up Great is a bilingual program designed to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for suc-cess in school and life. The program

supports families, educators and community partners to provide op-portunities that enhance learning and development in a child’s early years.

The company’s website elaborates, “We believe an investment in our children, the workforce of tomorrow, makes economic sense today.”

Since the inception of Grow Up Great, more than 1,000,000 at-risk preschool children have been served through grants and programs emphasizing math, sci-ence, the arts and finan-cial education.

Welsh says that al-though PNC is an inter-national company, the program acts locally. The bank has a founda-tion set aside for Grow Up Great and approves grants to local organiza-tions which impact the lives of young children.

“We ask them what goals they plan on achieving and how they will have an im-pact on their community,” he explained.

The foundation recently approved a grant to Char-Em Great Start Col-laborative for scholarships to al-low underprivileged 3 year olds in Charlevoix and Emmet counties to attend pre-school.

“We’re very impact-focused. We try to ensure the funds directly ben-efit communities,” said Welsh.

Grow up Great funds preschool scholarships

By Aebra Coe

Sean Welsh


The Michigan Sandbox Party is a non-partisan movement for Michigan residents who recognize the need

to make sure infants, toddlers and other children are healthy, strong and ready to go when they arrive at the kindergarten door, according to the group’s website.

Sarah Triplett is the manager of the Michigan Sandbox Party. She has been involved with the group since its creation early last year.

“People were talking about the econo-my, jobs and other topics, but we won-dered where the conversation was about early childhood issues,” she said.

˜ e group believes that school-ready children play a crucial role in Michigan’s economic revival. ˜ ey cite the statistic that 35 percent of kindergartners today in Michigan are unprepared for the rig-ors of school.

“˜ e cost to them, to Michigan and to society is enormous,” the group’s site states. “Unready children are less likely to thrive and also more likely to end up on welfare or in prison instead of becoming contributing, taxpaying adults.”

Triplett said the party formed because although there were already many great early childhood groups across the state, there was a need for an organization to join them together. ˜ ey hope their group will make that happen and build strength in numbers.

˜ ey are based in Lansing, but work with local organizations across the state. Triplett noted they currently work in Northern Michigan with Great Start in Northwest Michigan and the Traverse City Chamber of Commerce.

She said the function of the group is not to lobby for political candidates, but to get important information to people about early childhood welfare, to build numbers of those who are concerned and connecting citizens with their leg-islators. ˜ e group also provides tools and information for local groups like the

Great Start Collaborative.“We want more kids from every com-

munity to graduate high school, go to college and bring money back in to those communities,” she said.

Mandy Peterson, Parent Coali-tion Liaison for Great Start of Emmet, Charlevoix and northern Antrim coun-ties, said her group works closely with the sandbox party. ˜ eir group is one of 66 parent coalitions in the state which helps parents advocate legislatively for education and reduce barriers to law-makers.

“My job is to get the voice of parents together and speak on their behalf.” Pe-terson said.

˜ e group also provides information to send an email to your legislator, sena-tor and the governor, send a “letter to the editor” email to your local media and newspapers, and get more information on early childhood issues, bills and leg-islation.

“We’re a local contact for legislators so they can be our voice when they go back to Lansing,” said Peterson.

˜ ose interested can also track bills pertinent to early childhood education on the Michigan Sandbox Party website as they proceed through the legislature. One issue which is important now, ac-cording to Triplett, is that Michigan was denied Race to the Top grant money and now must fund various early childhood educational programs without the fed-eral money.

“We’d still like to see the things in the early learning challenge grant come to fruition,” she said.

“I know Michigan is the best place in the world to live,” explained Triplett, “I don’t have kids now, but I’d like to have them. And I want to help make this state the best possible place to raise a family.”

If anyone is interested in becoming in-volved with early childhood issues, they can visit the Michigan Sandbox Party website at www.michigansandboxparty.org, or fi nd them on Facebook and Twit-ter. ˜ ose interested can also contact Great Start of Charlevoix, Emmet and northern Antrim counties at www.great-startforkids.com.

Early childhood education advocates unite in the ‘Sandbox’

By Aebra Coe

Robin Hornkohl, Maria Gonzales and Sarah Triplett join forces under the Michigan Sandbox Party, a nonpar-tisan movement for Michigan residents who recognize the need to make sure infants, toddlers and other children are healthy, strong and ready to go when they start school. (Courtesy photo)


Pam Gregory has been teaching for 25 years and has two teenagers of her own. She says it can be chal-

lenging at times making it through the day with her sanity intact. But, she says, humor is her secret weapon.

Gregory has taught preschool, kin-dergarten, second-grade and middle school. She partici-pated in an in-home preschool program working di-rectly with parents on

early childhood education and is cur-rently teaching sixth through eighth grades at Boyne Falls Public Schools.

Her own sons are 14 and 18 years old.“You could hurt yourself if you take

things too seriously with teenagers,” she said. “I really love teaching middle school, but you have to have a sense of humor.”

Laugh at yourselfShe said parents can become con-

fused during seventh-grade when their kids begin to change drastically and go through puberty, on their way to adult-hood.

“˜ e kids themselves don’t even know what’s going on,” she said, “But, they just need support and care.”

Gregory said that if you want kids to pay attention and learn during this con-fusing time, it’s important to connect with them. One way to do that is by us-ing humor with them.

“Kids have to laugh. It’s a good way to connect with them,” she explained.

She went on to say it is especially im-portant to be able to laugh at yourself

as a parent or caregiver. She refl ected on the time she learned to snowboard during the Boyne Falls schools weekly outdoor recreation day, “I fell down so many times I got bruises in colors I didn’t know my body could turn.”

But, she said, she joked about it with her students the next day. She stressed the importance of not taking little things too seriously.

But, “Both parties have to under-stand the joke,” she said. “˜ ere is a big di« erence between hurtful joking and good natured humor.”

Set parametersGregory said it is important to pro-

vide guidelines for kids in order to set parameters for the ways in which they

use humor.“˜ ere are certain things that should

be o« limits,” she warns. She suggested not teasing the way a

person looks or their intelligence and to not use cruel words. She said kids often learn by example, so if you show by ex-ample, they will be able to understand the di« erence.

˜ e long-time teacher said she ad-dresses the issue immediately if she no-tices her students picking on someone or bullying them.

“Often kids will go back and forth at one another. I try to stop it before it even gets to that,” she said.

She said she tells kids that when they’re being picked on, often the best thing to do is just walk away. She tells them to not be defensive or react nega-tively because that is the exact response on which a bully thrives. Or, she says, better yet, come back with a joke, “It doesn’t make it hurt any less, but can actually deter the bully.”

Overcoming adversityGregory was diagnosed with Par-

kinson’s several years ago. She said she looks at life di« erently now. She ex-plained that struggling with illness has given her additional perspective in life,

“You have to laugh and have fun because feeling sorry for yourself doesn’t make you feel any better.”

Parkinson’s is a degenerative disease which is unusual in women as young as Gregory.

“I had a hard time dealing with it when I fi rst found out, but I’ve learned to enjoy life more now and not feel sor-ry for myself,” she said. “Sometimes you just have to giggle about the things you can’t change.”

Send in the clowns! Why humor is important in parenting

Aebra Coe

“Sometimes you just have to giggle about the things you can’t change,”

— Pam Gregory, educator

Pam Gregory


Parenting is hard enough but when you add stressors such as possible job loss, underemployment, men-

tal fatigue, mental health issues, day care issues, and lack of a positive per-sonal support system, it can be over-whelming.

˜ ese stressors a« ect everyone in the family from the oldest to the young-est. If these stressors are not addressed or resolutions found they can lead to a variety of physical and/or emotional issues especially for the children who have no control or way of helping their families through these tough situations.

˜ e emotional health of every mem-ber of the family is very important in order to provide families with the nur-turing, safety and overall healthy devel-opment each member needs, especially the very young. If an infant or small child is being cared for by a depressed

and stressed caregiver, then the child themselves can become depressed and stressed which leads to a chain e« ect of

unhappy events.We are fortunate to live in a very

resourceful and caring community. ˜ ere are many services and resources available for these young children and their families in Charlevoix and Em-met counties.

˜ e many types of supports and re-sources that are available to families through various agencies include help with cash assistance, food benefi ts and pantry assistance, medical assistance and immunizations, WIC, utility as-sistance, emergency assistance for a va-riety of needs, housing assistance, tax assistance, foreclosure guidance, day care assistance as well as locating ap-propriate day care, school issues, men-tal health services or domestic violence.

˜ ese supports can boost many families in need during severe eco-nomic times and stressful situations.

Family supportShirley Gillespie, Community Resource Coordinator, Charlevoix-Emmet-Antrim Department

of Human Services and Great Start Collaborative Member

Shirley Gillespie

Resource guide:Michigan Department of Human Services 1-800-580-9844Charlevoix-Emmet Department of Human Services local number (231) 348-1600Services available include: Cash assistance, food benefi ts, Medicaid, state emergency relief, day care. On-line applications for all services at www.michigan.gov/mibridges

Project Connect: A day of free service to individuals and familiesDate: March 21 • 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.Time: To be determinedPlace: Emmet County FairgroundsFree transportation available

On-line applications for all services at www.michigan.gov/mibridges

Up North FAMILIES

Free transportation availableServices available include: Cash assistance, food benefi ts, Medicaid, state emergency relief, day care.

Services available include: Cash assistance, food benefi ts, Medicaid, state emergency relief, day care. On-line applications for all services at www.michigan.gov/mibridges

Free transportation available


D arcy Lewis has been a teacher for 20 years and swears by a movement-based education-

al aid called, Brain Gym. “(It) is a way to get the brain in-

tegrated in a fash-ion which promotes learning,” Lewis said.

Lewis taught special education in Gaylord for two decades. Now re-

tired from the school system, she has started her own business called Con-nected Learning, LLC. Lewis teaches classes in Brain Gym and Touch for Health and gives speeches on the sci-ence of learning.

She said the form of learning where the physical is incorporated

into the mental, is called educational kinesiology. Brain Gym, one form of educational kinesiology is comprised of a series of movements which inte-grate whole brain learning.

“All parts of the brain working to-

gether — left, right, front and back,” Lewis said.

She added one thing she’s noticed about the practice is that it promotes a sense of community among the children, in both general and special education.

“In an environment where people care about one another, learning be-comes easier,” noted Lewis.

She taught kindergarten through third-grade for several years.

“Many kindergartners come in without good language ability,” she said and added that in using Brain Gym, she’s seen improvements in language and coordination. “When those things improve, learning comes easier.”

Lewis said this limited ability and delayed development could be due to children being physically confined and unable to move in ways they have for most of history. For instance, when a baby is held or in a car seat or jumper for long hours, it is unable to develop the same coordination they would by crawling on the floor, ac-cording to Lewis. With less physi-cal motion and learning, the same synapses don’t fire and children as a result become under-stimulated and neurologically underdeveloped.

Brain Gym developed as an exten-sion of Touch for Health in the 1970s.

“Paul Dennison was a teacher in Southern California who had kids with dyslexia,” she explained. “He used Touch for Health and had great results, then began adding move-ments to enhance the results.”

In the early 1970s, Lewis was a dental hygienist and Touch for Health instructor. She attended a conference in San Diego, Calif. and attended a one-on-one session with

Dennison. She decided to buy his book which outlined basic Brain Gym exercises. She said she tried them out on the airplane ride back to Michigan and noticed her reading was smoother and it was easier for her to concentrate. She said she was inspired and decided to go back to school to get her master’s degree in education.

Lewis encourages parents to try the simple exercises with their children.

‘Brain Gym’By Aebra Coe

Five easy ideas to get your kids moving

Darcy Lewis

“Many kindergartners come in without good language ability,” she said and added that in using Brain Gym, she’s seen improvements in language and coordination. “When those things improve, learning

Lewis said this limited ability and delayed development could be due to children being physically confined and unable to move in ways they have for most of history. For instance, when a baby is held or in a car seat or jumper for long hours, it is unable to develop the same coordination they would by crawling on the floor, ac-cording to Lewis. With less physi-cal motion and learning, the same synapses don’t fire and children as a result become under-stimulated and

Brain Gym developed as an exten-sion of Touch for Health in the 1970s.

“Paul Dennison was a teacher in Southern California who had kids with dyslexia,” she explained. “He used Touch for Health and had great results, then began adding move-

In the early 1970s, Lewis was a dental hygienist and Touch for Health instructor. She attended a conference in San Diego, Calif. and attended a one-on-one session with

“In an environment where people

care about one another, learning becomes easier,”

— Darcy Lewis

Courtesy photo


North Country Community Mental Health provides comprehensive services for individuals and their

families experiencing serious mental illness, emotional problems or developmental disabilities.

To access services, call:Access Center: 1-800-834-3393 TTY: 711After Hours Crisis Line: 1-800-442-7315

OFFICE LOCATIONS:Bellaire - 203 E. Cayuga StreetCharlevoix - 6250 M-66 North

Cheboygan - 825 S. Huron, Suite 4Gaylord - 800 Livingston Blvd.

Kalkaska - 625 Courthouse DrivePetoskey - 1420 Plaza Drive

COMMUNITYMENTAL HEALTH

NORTH COUNTRY

Dental Clinics NorthA PARTNERSHIP OF LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS

General dentistry for the entire family.Catering to patients with Medicaid, Delta Healthy Kids,

Northern Dental PlanLow Income/Uninsured

New patients are being accepted in:Cheboygan 825 S. Huron St. 866-878-6550

East Jordan 601 Bridge St. 866-878-6551

Petoskey/Harbor Springs 3434 M-119 866-878-6556

For appointment call 877-321-7070

5 WAYS TO GET YOUR CHILD MOVING:

Cross crawl, or cross crawl sit-ups — There are several variations of this exercise, and one can sit, lie, or stand to do these variations. Reach behind the body to touch the opposite foot. Crawl across the fl oor in slow motion. Raise one hand and the opposite knee at the same time, alternating hands and knees. Do sit ups and touch the elbow to the opposite knee. Touch one hand to the opposite knee, raising the leg, or touch the foot, raising the leg.

Rocker — This exercise should be done on a padded surface and the hands and forearms may be used for support. While seated on the fl oor, the child should rock back and forth, releasing tension fi rst in one hip and then the other.

Lazy 8’s — The child should align his body with a point at eye level, and then draw a lazy 8 (a numeral 8 lying on its side), the larger the better. Chalkboards or marker boards work great for this. Then the child follows the 8, three times with one hand, three times with the other, and then both together. This can also be done on paper, at a desk, and smaller, although it is better to begin with the larger pattern.

Double doodles — The Double Doodle is similar to the Lazy 8’s. This exercise involves the child using both hands and making “doodling marks,” or a free-form scribble. The child could use two pieces of chalk, one in each hand, or pencils or scarves, or just “air doodle.” And expansion is even doodling with the feet.

Thinking caps — The child gently pulls ears backwards and unrolls them with fi ngers. They start from the top of the ear, massage them delicately and end on the lobe.


Please RSVP at 231-347-5331 • 1560 E. Mitchell St. • Petoskey [email protected]

OPEN HOUSEMarch 1st at 6pm

Please join us on Parent Education night for a glimpse into what a child age 2 months through 6th grade experiences as they journey through the different

levels of a Montessori Education. We look forward to seeing you there.

•IC/Nido - 2 months to 3 years•Primary - Ages 3-6

•Elementary- K-6, a part of the Public Schools of Petoskey•Educating children for over 35 years

Tuesday, March 6Zion Lutheran Church,

500 W. Mitchell Street, in Petoskey, will begin open enrollment for its

Christian Preschool for the 2012-2013 school year with

an open house from 3:30-7PM.

CLASS SCHEDULE:3 year olds - 9:00-11:30AM • Tuesday & Thursday

4 year olds - 9:00-11:30AM • Monday, Wednesday & FridayCarrie Crawford, Director/Teacher

Zion Lutheran Preschool is an outreach ministry of Zion Lutheran Church, serving Christ and the community by offering a quality

Christian education. For more information or to enroll your child, call the Preschool office at 347-2757 or email, [email protected]

Zion Lutheran PreschoolOpen House

0032

7038

Children’s Therapy, Family Help

Thalia Ferenc, LMSW, DCSW

A Grandmother with Credentials offering warm, knowledgeable guidance

and support

Near Bay Shore, (231) 838-2322

BE A HERO

BECOME A FOSTER PARENT

Licensing is required; training is provided.

Contact Sharie Plain – (231) 348-1614Charlevoix-Emmet Department of Human Services


❍❍❍❍

Local gift certiÿ cates for

50% OFF!lovesadeal.com

+


Thursday, April 19 from 6-7pmBring your child, his/her birth certifi cate and immunization record.

Watch your child grow and develop in a Christ-centered, academically rich and nurturing environment

Emmet County's only Catholic School • 414 Michigan St. • Downtown Petoskey

For more information or to schedule a tour please call (K-8) 347-3651 or (Pre-K) 347-3860

Kindergarten & Pre-K2012 Enrollment OPEN HOUSE

• Full-day Kindergarten• Two & Three day Preschool• Before & after school programs• Infant care program

• High academic standards• Christian values• Dedicated faculty• Small class size

Chri

OPEN ENROLLMENT

Call 547-5599 for information or appt. to visit8700 Mercer Blvd. • Charlevoix

Charlevoix Children’s HouseA Montessori School

Openings available for fall enrollment!Kindergarten students exempt from tuition costs.Ages 2 1/2 to 6 years old • Full or half day options.

Montessori Method Preschool & Kindergarten

OPEN HOUSE • April 19, 2012 • 9:00am – 6:00pm

• Developmental Kindergarten Program for early 5-year-olds.

• Individualized introduction to various levels of quality educational

materials.

• Nurturing environment with qualifi ed, caring instructors.

• Large outdoor play area.

• Students do not need to be potty trained.

• Please call Miss Molly & set up a tour of the school.

Charlevoix Public SchoolsLearning Success for All

If you or your child do not have insurance, you may qualify for Healthy Kids/MIChild/Plan First! Call 1-800-432-4121 for more information.

Is your infant diffi cult to comfort?

Does your toddler or preschooler have extreme and frequent tantrums?

Call the Health Department today

800-432-4121A Parent Support Partner is

available to help you at no charge.

Serving Emmet, Charlevoix and northernAntrim counties

There is no charge for this service thanks to grants from our partners:

PARENTSDo you have behavorial

concerns with your young child?

Documents

Up North Families February 2012