Free parent talks
The Oklahoma City-County Health Department has scheduled free parenting sessions at the Edmond Library on Wednesday, July 8. The sessions are for parents and caregivers.
These individual sessions will last about 30 to 45 minutes and will be with a speech/language pathologist and child development specialist. They will go over what’s normal in early development and discuss any questions and concerns parents or caregivers may have about speech, language development and behavior. Children do not need to be present (although they may attend) and sessions are by appointment only.
Call the child guidance program at 425-4412 to schedule an appointment. For more information, call 427-8651 or go to www.cchdoc.com.
-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com
A little perspective on chatty kids
A couple of weeks ago, I described instances where my son can be a little more outgoing than I would like or feel comfortable with.
He has tried to tone it down for me a bit since then … even reminding me, “Mommy, remember don’t say hi.”
But Shari, a Hiccups reader, offered me some perspective on it. Her daughter, Penelope, was also a chatty one growing up. She tried methods I’m pretty familiar with … no eye contact, directing my responses only my child, trying to hurry in stores. Not only because she didn’t feel like talking (much like me) but also for her daughter’s safety.
Growing up, Penelope continued to be social, meeting interesting people and being able to share interesting stories.
Her advice: Watch my son closely, but allow him the joy of being friendly. She said he’ll go far in life with an outgoing personality.
Thank you, Shari. I sincerely hope I’m not stifling my little boy. Maybe I just need to relax a little and be more willing to sacrifice my own quiet time to let him be himself.
-Erica Smith, Copy Editor
esmith@opubco.com
OKC parks offer summer fun!
Oklahoma City Parks & Recreation Department has planned some FREE summer activities for kids. Here’s some fun you and your children can get in on:
FREE Kids’ Fishing Classes
For ages 5-15, these classes teach casting, knot-tying, fish identification, angler etiquette and fishing regulations. No license or permit required and equipment is provided. Children must be accompanied by parent or guardian.
Dates:
July 25 – Dolese Youth Park Pond, NW 50 and Meridian
June 20, Aug. 22 – Crystal Lake, 6625 SW 15
July 11, Aug. 8 – Metro Tech Springlake, NW 36 and Springlake Drive
July 18, Aug. 15 – Edwards Park Lake
FREE Swimming
City Pools are now open and admission is free all summer. They include:
Northeast Pool, 1300 NE 33
Woodson Pool, 3405 S. May
Carson Pool, 8301 S. Villa
Minnis Lakeview Pool, 12518 NE 36.
Swim lessons are offered for kids and adults at all area pools for $20 per session. For more information about lessons, or to get a free parks & pools guide, call 297-2211.
Play in the Park
This annual program offers FREE supervised activities such as arts, crafts, games , reading and field trips for kids age 6 and older. 26 metro-wide locations have the program. Click here for more information.
Father’s Day Downtown
On Sunday, June 21, Dad gets in free (with a paid family member) to:
Myriad Botanical Gardens & Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory, 301 W. Reno
OKC Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive
Oklahoma City National Memorial, 620 N. Harvey.
So take Dad out on his special day and enjoy all downtown has to offer.
For more information about OKC Parks & Recreation’s events, go to http://www.okc.gov/Parks/index.html.
-Erica Smith, Copy Editor
esmith@opubco.com
Library reading program – Goal 2
It’s so easy to read 8 books in a day to a 3-year-old so we decided to do that this week to reach our second goal in the Metro Library System’s Summer Reading Program. What an easy way to not only make sure your child is getting read to every day, but it’s a great way to earn great prizes.
Just for completing Goal 2, we received a ticket to Frontier City/White Water Bay, 2 tickets to an Oklahoma City RedHawks game and a ticket to Oklahoma Children’s Theatre.
Sign up today, get reading and get rewards!
-Erica Smith, Copy Editor
Stranger danger?
My son has a somewhat cute, however slightly annoying (yes, annoying) habit of saying “Hi!” to every single person he sees. Not only does everyone get a big greeting and smile, but they also get a rundown of what his shark eats and what kind of growl his dinosaur makes. While you may be saying to yourself “awwww, how cute!” let me tell you how it’s not exactly the cutest.
Let’s take, for instance, the mall. Nothing lures a pushy salesperson like a friendly toddler. If they ooh and ahh and interact with your child for any extended amount of time, you automatically feel obligated to buy something.
How about wanting some quiet time out shopping? It seems like everytime he says hi to someone, it starts a conversation between me and the other person. Sometimes I just don’t feel chatty. Actually, most of the time I’m out running errands or shopping, I don’t feel particularly chatty.
And then there’s the leery guy lurking around … you know the one. My boy always gives them the big “Hi!” and I suddenly feel uneasy. And I can’t help but think if this is how predators lure away little kids – kids who unknowingly give them the OK.
So what am I do to? I hate trying to inhibit my little boy’s personality but in this day and age, you have to be prudent. So I told him plainly to please stop saying hi to everyone. I thought that worked until he told the lady at the shoe counter, and then everyone else, “Please don’t say hi to me.”
How do you combat stranger danger? Let me know by commenting here or emailing me at esmith@opubco.com.
-Erica Smith, Copy Editor
Reap rewards at your library
If you visit one of the libraries of the Metropolitan Library System and haven’t enrolled your child in the summer reading program, you’re missing out on some neat prizes.
“Be Creative @ Your Library” is a free program for children and teens. Just to get you and your child started, you’ll get a packet with all kinds of free goodies: stickers, a coupon for free tots at Sonic, a couple of bookmarks, a reading log, free admission to local attractions and a chance to win tuition from Oklahoma College Savings Plan.
Then all you need to do is read 8 books to your child to reach your first goal. Do that, and your child gets a really nice award ribbon, and coupons for free food at area restaurants.
For each goal met (8 books, 8 hours or 800 pages read) , your child is entered in drawings for really cool prizes. There isn’t a list of books, and you don’t have to just read books checked out of the library (although kids do love getting new books to read).
So sign up today at your local Metro Library branch or go to www.metrolibrary.org for more information.
~Erica Smith, copy editor
Explore Oklahoma and save money!
I stumbled across a pretty valuable resource online today. COUPONS. Now, who couldn’t use a few more of those, right? But these aren’t just any coupons, this is the 2009 Exploring Oklahoma Kids Pass, which has tons of savings for Oklahoma attractions. And they’re good through the end of 2009, so you have plenty of time to start planning road trips or fun weekend outings.
Just go to exploringok.com/exploring-oklahoma-kids-pass to print off savings to these Oklahoma destinations (unless noted otherwise, attractions are in Oklahoma City):
Jump!Zone Party & Play Center
Unpluggits Playstudio, Edmond
Myriad Botanical Gardens
Oklahoma River Cruises
Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art, Shawnee
Woolaroc Museum & Wildlife Preserve, Bartlesville
Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum, Seminole
Oklahoma Route 66 Museum, Clinton
Maui Playcare
Andy Alligator’s Fun Park, Norman
Toy & Action Figure Museum, Pauls Valley
Museum of the Great Plains, Lawton
Harn Homestead Museum
Chisholm Trail Heritage Center, Duncan
Simmons Center, Duncan
Paint N’ Station
Bouncin Craze, Edmond
Gaylord Pickens Oklahoma Heritage Museum
National Rt. 66 Museum, Elk City
OKC National Memorial & Museum
HeyDay Entertainment, Norman
Double Dave’s Pizza, Norman
Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, Norman
Oklahoma Aquarium, Jenks
Sooner Legends Hotel & Restaurant, Norman
Oklahoma History Center
Marland Mansion, Ponca City
Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, Norman
Camp McFadden, Kaw Lake/Ponca City
Orr Family Farm
Oklahoma Children’s Theatre
Stafford Air & Space Museum, Weatherford
Leonardo’s Discovery Warehouse & Adventure Quest, Enid
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
Chesapeake Boathouse
Oklahoma City RedHawks
Tulsa Air & Space Museum & Planetarium, Tulsa
Oklahoma Railway Museum
McFadden Cove Marina/Kaw Lake Association, Kaw Lake/Ponca City
Science Museum Oklahoma
Sheraton Oklahoma City Hotel
Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz
Frontier City
White Water Bay
-Erica Smith, Copy Editor
3 is the magic number
My son recently turned 3. At that very moment (literally!) everything changed.
At 3, most toys are somehow instantly safe. Go down any toy aisle, and the recommended age for toys is 3 and up. Sure helps not to have to worry about him choking on small parts anymore. Or having to order the “3 and younger” toy at the drive through.
At 3, toddlers have their first dental appointment. My son will go Monday. The best part? Parents are told to wait in the waiting room. I don’t have to be the one to restrain him while he’s throwing a fit during his cleaning.
At 3, they see the pediatrician for the annual checkup. Best part? No shots. That changes on the 4-year-old visit, but that’s a whole year away.
At 3, they get to start all kinds of sports. My son and I are very excited about him finally being old enough to be on T-ball and soccer teams at the YMCA this year. Let’s burn off all that extra energy.
At 3, they are officially out of the mommy-and-me swim classes. In fact, parents are not allowed anywhere near their 3-year-olds during swim class. Hooray! No more bathing suits until summer. Which gives me another 2 months to get in shape.
-Erica Smith, Copy Editor
First lady handles senior night
First lady Kim Henry faced a common parenting dilemma Tuesday and handled it with panache.
Henry received a Peace and Dialogue Award that night from the Institute for Interfaith Dialog. In accepting her award, she apologized for being late, saying the dinner had coincided with her daughter’s soccer “senior night” in Shawnee.
Henry explained that the senior night, an evening in which high school senior athletes are recognized, had been scheduled for last week, but weather issues prompted the event to be postponed to Tuesday.
So Henry, and her husband, Gov. Brad Henry, opted to attend the senior night activity before heading to the awards dinner instead of missing their daughter’s special event and arriving at the banquet on time.
I had the feeling that most moms at the awards presentation, and probably dads too, knew exactly how she felt. Many of us have faced that particular issue before.
One got the feeling that Henry has no qualms about putting her family first.
While I’m sure she treasurered the award she received that night, the smile on her daughter’s face when her parents were on hand to share her especial evening was probably an award — reward — all its own for the first lady.
Carla Hinton
Is this the new 4-letter word?
So my 3-year-old son has been getting in a bit of trouble at day care lately … for saying (gasp!) a four-letter word …
HECK.
Yep, heck. Now at first, I thought maybe he shouldn’t be saying it so I didn’t really respond when his teacher told me (well, spelled out) what he had said and how she handled it (she put him in timeout).
But over the weekend, as we watched the kids’ movies Madagascar and Cars, I realized that they say “heck” in those movies (both of which they’ve actually watched at day care).
So what do you think? Do you think his teachers are overreacting or do you think “heck” should be considered a bad word?
Comment here or email me your thoughts.
~Erica Smith, Copy Editor
