KC Parent Magazine November 2012

kcparent.com 1november 2012

27 years of connecting with kansas city families

FREENov. 2012KCParent.com

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cybermonday

shoppingtips

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foster care& adoption in kc

special needs

growinggood

citizens+ raising grateful kids

kcparent.comnovember 20122

Urgent Care (Pediatrics Only)No appointment necessary!8:00-11:00 am Mon-Friday4:00-7:00 pm Mon-Thursday

Sat 9-11 am • Sun 1-4 pm(Weekend hours available at Blue Parkway office)

Scheduled appointmentsMon - Fri 10-12 pm & 1-4 pm

Free Prenatal ConsultsMon - Fri 10-12 pm & 1-4 pm

Lee’s Summit Physicians

1425 N.W. Blue Parkway

Lee’s Summit, Missouri

816.524.5600

Raintree Pediatrics

821 SW Lemans Lane

Lee’s Summit, Missouri

Appts: Mon-Fri 8 am - 5 pm

Urgent Care: 8-11 am

816.525.4700

NEW LOCATIONBlue Springs Pediatrics

1600 NW South Outer Road

Blue Springs, Missouri

816.554.6520

LEE’S SUMMIT

LSPhysicians.com • Raintree-Pediatrics.com • BlueSpringsPediatric.com

healthcare you can trust.

We offer pediatric walk-in urgent care seven days a week, medical advice by phone, after-hours on-call physicians and online scheduling!

PHYSICIANS GROUP

Sallie L. Veenstra, MD

Barbara S. Trites, MD

Lisa B. Fletcher, MD

Deann E. DeWitt, MD

Allison C. Henschel, MD

Sarah J. Gladstone, MD

Bryan L. Phillips, MD

Daniel E. Gershon, DO

Veronica Manka, MD

Jeffrey P. Yannette, MD

Jennifer M. Sauer, MD

Cynthia M. Dean, DO

Kelly R. Fritz, C-PNP

Julie Kirkpatrick, C-PNP

Camille Lucitto, C-PNP

Heather Williams, C-PNP

Cindy Fieser, C-PNP

Sarah Dedrick, C-PNP

Angela Stott, C-PNP


THE CARE for KIDS.Each year, U.S. News & World Report ranks the

top hospitals in the country in specialties such

as nephrology, neonatology and cancer. For the

second year in a row, Children’s Mercy Hospitals

and Clinics is the only hospital in Kansas City to

be ranked in 100% of all specialties measured.

It’s a re� ection of our world-class pediatric

expertise, research and clinical care. And

it’s more evidence that Children’s Mercy

is working wonders every day.


Healthy Smiles, Healthy Child

DR. HEMBERGER

Why choose us? Our Expertise...

Ask usabout ourkids campfor ages

4-11! • American Board Certified Pediatric Dentists.

• Recipient of the prestigious Kansas Dentist of the Year 2010 Award.

• Served as Secretary, Vice President and President of the Kansas Dental Association.

• Recipient of the Humanitarian Award from the Kansas Fifth District Dental Society.

• Pediatric Dental Coordinator for the Kansas Mission of Mercy since 2002.

• Appointed by the Governor to serve as a member of the Kansas Dental Board

Pediatric Dental Specialists for Children & TeensGLENN V. HEMBERGER, D.D.S., M.S.

New Patients call today!913-345-0331 • hembergerpediatricdental.com

8575 W. 110TH, STE. 310 • OVERLAND PARK, KS 66210

We are excited and privileged to provide comprehensive dental andorthodontic care for children and teens including those with special needs.

STL-12-011-OB-EAST_7-4x4-85_M1.indd

Prepared by DiMassimo Goldstein (DIGO) 220 E. 23rd St., NY, NY 10010 212.253.7500

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Saint Luke’s East Hospital makes your experience

special with personalized care from our dedicated doctors

and nurses. We offer 24-hour physician coverage in our

Labor & Delivery Unit—the only one in Lee’s Summit.

Our spacious birthing suites let you spend those first

few days bonding with your newborn without distraction

or interruption—the way it should be. Our Level IIIA

neonatal intensive care unit offers in-room accommodations

for parents, and we have rooms designed for twins.

To speak with a baby care coordinator, call

Saint Luke’s Concierge at 816-932-5100. Learn

more at SaintLukesHealthSystem.org/eastOB.

THOUSAnDS Of bAbIES ArE bOrn EvEry DAy.

bUT WE’LL mAkE yOU fEEL LIkE yOUrS IS THE OnLy OnE.

T:7.4”T:4.85”


A great gift that lasts All yeAr long!

HolIDAy AnnUAl PASS SPeCIAl!A full year of fun at the special holiday price of

just $50 per person! An Annual Pass includes unlimited, priority entry

to the new legolAnD Discovery Center Kansas City.

Visit our website or stop by for more information!

• Factory Tour • 4D Cinema • lego® MInIlAnD• lego rides • Soft Play • Celebration rooms

• lego Shop, Café and Much More!

Crown Center Square, 2475 Grand Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64108

www.legolAnDDiscoveryCenter.comLEGO, the LEGO logo, the Brick and Knob configurations and LEGOLAND are trademarks of the LEGO Group, ©2012 The LEGO Group.


Classic Toys10 tried and true toys under $5

20

10 Women’s Health

14 Media Mix

17 Blog Bits

18 Healthy Kids

19 Word from Dad

DEPARTMENTS

26 Party Guide

40 Calendar of Events

SPECIAL SECTIONS

NOV2012

Too Much?How young is too young to have the latest gadgets?

16

After DinnerFun ideas for games and activities after Thanksgiving dinner

29FEATURES

Cyber Monday Shopping Tips 12

Toys $5 and Less 20

Raising Grateful Kids 24

Special Needs Foster Care & Adoption 34

Growing Good Citizens 38

ON THE COVER

ADOPTION & FOSTER FAMILIES, PG. 34




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Our KC cover kid is Jake, from Olathe. Cover and select interior photos by

KiaBondurant.com


DEPARTMENTS


100%LOCAL

PublisherMichael Gimotty

[email protected]

Associate PublisherDarrell Dean

[email protected]

EditorMargaret Sarver

[email protected]

Art DirectorLauren Goldman

[email protected]

Advertising SalesDarrell Dean

Lynn [email protected]

Electronic Media ManagerKristina Light

[email protected]

Event CalendarMarisa Frymire

[email protected]

ProofreaderSusan Crainshaw

[email protected]

DistributionTo be added to our distribution list, e-mail [email protected]

Local Contributing WritersWilliam Bartlett (Belton), Kerry Chafin (Independence),

Wendy Connelly (Overland Park), Marisa Frymire (Overland Park), Lauren Greenlee (Olathe),

Stacey Hatton (Overland Park), Jennifer Higgins (Kearney), Sara Keenan (Kansas City),

Gina Klein (Kansas City), Kristina Light (Kansas City),Jessica Pflumm (Overland Park), Melinda Ablard Smith

(Olathe), Kathy Stump (Parkville), Melanie Yunger (Shawnee)

Business Office

11936 W. 119th #335, Overland Park, KS 66213913.782.3238 phone • 913.681.5139 fax

Kansas City Parent Magazine is published 12 times a year by Family Media Group. It is distributed free of charge throughout the Kansas City area. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect KC Parent’s opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written permission. Kansas City Parent Magazine does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. All photography and letters sent to KC Parent will be treated unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and are subject to unrestricted right to edit and comment editorially. KC Parent often includes websites that may be helpful to our readers. We verify each site prior to publication. However, content changes frequently. We encourage you to use caution and discretion when visiting a website.

Member of: Circulation verified by:

Facebook.com/KansasCityParent

NOVEMBER 2012

foursquare.com/kcparent

editor’s letter

Recently I took my girls for a haircut. We were going on a Sunday, and I anticipated a wait, so I had each

grab a book to read while we waited. I was correct—the place was full, and we had a good 30-minute wait ahead of us. Tori set off reading, and Ally and I began working through a more difficult book together. The woman sitting next to us turned to me and said, “My son would love to see the two of you reading together. He’s a teacher and always encourages his students to read.” I didn’t think much of it, as I figured we were doing what everyone else in the waiting area was doing. Until I looked around. Each and every person was on some sort of mobile device, play-ing a game, texting or watching a video. And many of those waiting were kids, young kids.

It’s no secret that technology has evolved at warp speed in the past few years. The things that are available today are just mind-boggling, and I’m sure more is on the horizon. But when is enough enough? Are kids today getting too much too soon? Jennifer Higgins takes a look at technology on pg. 16 and the advantages and disadvantages that come with it all.

As we do every November, we turn our thoughts to Thanksgiving. While I have a mile-long list of what I am thankful for, I want to make special mention of all of the fabulous local writers that contribute each month to KC Parent. Without this talented group, my job would be much more difficult. So this Thanksgiving, a special “Thank You” to all of you that I work with month in and month out on our publications. You are much appreciated and treasured!

Happy Thanksgiving, Kansas City!

Margaret Sarver, Editor




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Educational Child Care for Infants through Private Pre-Kindergarten and After School

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women’s health

For being such a small gland, the thyroid has a large and complicated responsibility. The thyroid’s function is to take

iodine from the foods we eat and convert it to thyroid hormones. In fact, the thyroid cells are the only cells that can absorb iodine. However, every cell in our body depends on thyroid hormones for regulation of its metabolism. The main hormones that par-ticipate in this process are triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). These particular hormones affect the growth and rate of function of many other systems in our body. The thyroid gland is under the care of the pituitary gland, located in the brain. When the thyroid hormones are too low, the pituitary gland produces thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) to tell the thyroid to produce more T3 and T4.

Diseases of the thyroid gland result in too much thyroid hormone (overactive or hyperthyroidism), too little thyroid hor-mone (underactive or hypothyroidism) or nodules/goiters. All types of thyroid disease are much more common in women than men, and many women develop thyroid issues around the time of pregnancy or shortly after delivery.

Many times thyroid disorders go unnoticed during the post-partum time frame because the symptoms of thyroid dis-ease and experiences during post-partum are similar. Signs of hypothyroidism may include easy fatigue, poor tolerance to cold temperatures, constipation, poor appetite, weight gain, dry skin, hair loss, depression or irregular menstrual periods. Hyper-thyroidism can mimic other health issues, which may make it difficult for your doctor to diagnose. Signs of hyperthyroidism may include insomnia, nervousness, frequent bowel movements, feeling hot in normal or cold temperatures, weight loss and in-creased appetite, joint pains and eyes that seem to be enlarged.

Can thyroid disease be prevented?The short answer is no, it can’t be prevented. In the United

States, iodine deficiency is rare. In fact, it is not recommended that a person take any extra iodine beyond what is in a multivi-tamin. Most people with proper care from their health care pro-vider can control their condition with no long-term side effects. However, those with undiagnosed disease may experience seri-ous consequences. The best advice is to seek medical attention if you find you are experiencing any of the above symptoms for an unreasonable length of time.

Melanie Yunger is a local nurse practitioner, wife, mother and freelance writer.

Thyroid Tips: Be in the Know


PediatricAsthmaStudy

YearRoundAllergies?

www.kcallergy.comOverland Park • Olathe

Shawnee Mission • Independence

Kansas City Allergy & Asthmais currently seeking volunteers

to participate in a researchstudy of an approved

medication in children 3 to 9years of age with perennial

allergic rhinitis (year-round allergies).If qualified, participants

will receive study-related care and study medication as well as compensation

for time and travel.

KC Parent Proof June 09

If your child has suffered from year-round allergies for at least one year and you would like

more information, please call the Research Department at

Kansas City Allergy & Asthma at 913.345.2383.

Main Location:8675 College Boulevard, Suite 200

Overland Park, KS 66210

Walk-in Clinic hours are availablefor established patients

Kansas City Allergy and Asthma is currently seek-

ing volunteers to participate in a research study of an investigational preventer medication in children 6 to 11 years of age with asthma. If qualified, participants will receive study-related care and study medication as well as compensation

for time and travel. If your child has been diagnosed with asthma at least 6 months ago and you would like more information, please call the Research Department at Kansas City Allergy and Asthma at 913.345.2383 or visit us online at www.kcallergy.com.

YearRoundAllergies?
















YearRoundAllergies?
















LEARNING TREE4004 West 83rd Street, Prairie Village11536 Ash, LeawoodU.S. TOY COMPANY2008 W. 103rd Terrace, Leawood

C

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kcpSmartToys.pdf 1 9/28/12 11:15 AM

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD

NATIONAL COLLECTION WEEK IS NOV. 12-19

1. Choose a BoxUse an empty shoe box (standard size, please) or a small plastic container. You can wrap the box (lid separately), but wrapping is not required. Most importantly, pray for the child who will receive your gift.

2. Boy or Girl?Determine whether your gift will be for a boy or a girl, and the child’s age category: 2-4, 5-9 or 10-14. Print out the appropriate boy/girl label by download-ing the artwork at SamaritansPurse.org. Mark the correct age category on the label and tape the label to the top of your box.

3. Fill with GiftsFill the box with a variety of gifts that will bring delight toa child. Ideas include smalltoys, school supplies, hygiene items, hard candy, ball caps, hair clips, etc. You can even include a personal note to the child receiving the box.

4. Include Your DonationPlease donate $7 or more for each shoe box you prepare to help cover shipping and other project costs. You can give online by using the “Follow Your Box Donation” option, or you can write a check to Samari-tan’s Purse (note “OCC” on memo line) and place it

in an envelope on top of the gift items inside your box.

5. Drop OffPlace a rubber band around each closed shoe box and drop off at the collection center nearest you during our collection week, Nov. 14-21.

For locations & hours of collection, visit SamaritansPurse.org. There you can find the nearest place to take your shoe box by entering your ZIP code, or you can call 1.800.353.5949.

Operation Christmas Child representatives travel by truck, bus, train, helicopter, boat, foot, dog sled, and even mule to hand-deliver the gifts to needy children in over 100 countries.


I admit it. I may be a savvy shopper, but I’m a Black Friday Scrooge. I can’t stand shopping on Black Friday. Waking up

early after a long day of turkey-eating to fight crowds for mostly mediocre deals is not my idea of a good time. However, Cyber Monday is a whole different ball game!

Not familiar with Cyber Monday? It all started a few years ago when online retailers noticed that on the Monday after Thanksgiving (when everyone is back in front of a computer at work or at home), sales were spiking. To take advantage of that, they birthed Cyber Monday, a day full of hot online deals and lightning steals—and you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your pajamas to get in on the action!

I absolutely love Cyber Monday...shopping online is so much more fun and easy, and the deals can be even better when you add in discount codes and cash back sites. Here are some of my tips for how to score some great deals this year on Cyber Monday!

In the days and weeks leading up to

Cyber Monday, check the circulars in your Sunday paper, look at your favorite retail-ers’ sites and check deal hunters’ websites like GottaDeal.com or SlickDeals.net. It’s a good idea to “Like” your favorite retailers’ Facebook pages to have access to special deals and discount codes, too. Keep in mind that many Cyber Monday deals are just like those on Black Friday: There is a limited supply of items that will go on sale at a specific time, and when they are gone, they are gone. Do some research ahead of time so that you can plan to be online when the deals go live so you won’t miss out!

If you aren’t already using cash back sites, NOW is the time to start. Cash back sites couldn’t be easier to use, and if you are shopping online already, it’s just free money in your pocket. First, sign up for a free account at one or more of the cash back sites (my personal favorites are ShopAtHome.com and Ebates.com). Then every time you shop online, just visit a cash back site first and click through to your favorite retailer. When you do that, you will get a certain percentage of your

Did you know?

Cyber Monday sales in 2011 were $1.2

billion…that is more than 22 percent

higher than in 2010!

TIPS TO HELP YOU SCORE GREAT DEALS

Are you a BlackFriday fan?

Visit KCParent.com for tips to make the most of your Black Friday shopping trip!

moreONLINE

CYBER MONDAY

(Source: comScore, Inc.)

Move over Black Friday...Hello, Cyber Monday!


purchase back in the form of a check. On Cyber Monday, these sites usually run bonus deals where you will get double or even triple cash back for select stores.

One of my top sites for Cyber Monday is Amazon.com. Check the site a week or two before Thanksgiving and you will likely see pages of HOT deals already being advertised. Amazon does “Lightning Deals” all day long where they will deeply discount an item and only sell a limited supply starting at a specific time. Make sure you are ready to click “buy” when those big items are up for grabs or you will miss out!

Most retailers offer some kind of free shipping on Cyber Monday. Many will have these codes or deals on their home pages or Facebook pages, but if you don’t see a deal, do a quick search for free ship-ping codes before you buy.

Last, take your time when making an online purchase. Yes, some deals will expire if you don’t jump on them. But no matter what, you should take a few minutes (or seconds) to think about your purchase before you click “buy.” If it is an item that you need or really want, then go ahead and buy it. But if you find a hot deal on something you weren’t planning on buying, take a minute to do some research...read reviews online, make sure that the price you are getting is good and think about whether it fits into your bud-get. A big drawback of shopping online is that it’s SO easy to just keep adding things to your cart without realizing how much you are really spending. Clicking “buy” online doesn’t seem to have as much of an impact on shoppers as actually having to look at everything in a shopping cart when checking out at a physical store. So taking a minute to be SURE about your purchases can really help. Because the bottom line is…it’s not a good deal unless you need it and can afford it.

Sara Keenan will be Christmas shop-ping from home in her pajamas once again this year!

Missouri Care has been helping MO HealthNet Managed Care members get the care they need for over 14 years. Let us help you and your family reach your health care goals. Call Missouri Care today.

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Discover the Difference......between what you always thought about military school education and what we’re really all about.

Since 1889, Missouri Military Academy has offered an education that prepares young men in grades 6-12 for college and beyond. As an all-boy boarding school, we are the place for students who desire a rich, challenging educational environment that develops leader-ship skills and fosters lifelong friendships with students from around the world.

The MMA experience is one of the best gifts you can offer your son. To discover more, visit our web site or call our Admissions Office at 573.581.1776.

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media mix

Priscilla the Great: the Kiss of Life, By Sybil NelsonBest for: Ages 9-13

Sybil Nelson picks up Priscilla’s story a couple months after the first book in the series ends. As with the first book, this one is filled with action, adventure, new super villains and super powers. This one is not re-ally about the fighting and villains, though. It’s about family and boyfriends. Priscilla is struggling with maintaining a long distance relationship. It doesn’t help that she has to erase her boyfriend’s memory after every visit. While that is going on, Sybil’s mom is getting sicker. To top it off, some-thing dangerous is nagging at the family and nobody knows what it is. With all this character development and plot momen-tum, Nelson finds a way to squeeze in the kidnapping of the president’s daughter and a daring rescue. Fans of the first book, and preteen girls looking for a strong teen character, won’t be disappointed. But don’t think this book is only good for girls. Boys will like the super hero action as well.

What’s good: Good character develop-ment, humor and action.What’s bad: It’s another cliffhanger!

And two for the holidays…

How Do Dinosaurs Say Happy Chanukah?By Jane Yolen, Illustrated by Mark TeagueBest for: Ages 4-8

How Do Dinosaurs Say Merry Christmas?By Jane Yolen, Illustrated by Mark TeagueBest for: Ages 4-8

The dinosaurs are back to show us the right and wrong ways to celebrate Chanukah and have a merry Christmas. Whether taking turns with the dreidel, eating latkes, singing carols or offering big Christmas wishes, Yolen and Teague’s characters bring a light and carefree touch to the holi-days. Each dinosaur is expertly illustrated so that parents and children will be drawn into each spread. Take your time viewing the details—it’s worth it.

What’s good: Bright and lively illustrations, full of humor and action.What’s bad: We have seen the dinosaurs explore the right way to do a lot of things over the years.

Tales of Our FathersNew Books Offer Stories of Family and Heritage for the Holidays

By McGeath Freeman

Jangles: A Big Fish Story, By David ShannonBest for: Ages 4-8

Everyone who has been fishing has a story to tell—most are big. But few are as big as the tale of Jangles, who got his name because his mouth is so full of lures he jingles and jangles as he swims. When a father tells his son the story of how he came face-to-face with the “biggest fish anyone had ever seen,” he takes the reader on a journey. As a boy, the father goes fishing on Big Lake at dusk. He hooked Jangles, which was frightening enough. It was a total shock when Jangles began to speak. The fish and the boy take a journey together into a dreamlike world and become fast friends. It’s a big story to be sure, but the father has one bit of proof to pass on to his son. His tackle box full of lures taken from Jangles.

What’s good: Energetic illustrations and a fantastical journey.What’s bad: Tries a little too hard to be mystical.


We don’t address the symptoms of ADHD. We address the cause.At Brain Balance Achievement Centers, we tackle your child’s ADHD at the most fundamental level — with a unique, drug-free, whole-child approach that goes beyond symptoms to address root causes.

Every child deserves the opportunity to reach their fullest social and academic potential. Stop in or call to learn more about the Brain Balance Program® and how we can help your child succeed.

©2012 Brain Balance Centers

Call913.627.9400

Visit6406 College BoulevardOverland Park, KS 66211

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Brain Balance of Overland Park


Hand almost any 3-year-old an iPhone or iPad, and they know how to play Angry Birds. Elementary-

aged children can make PowerPoint presentations with animations, and most can also download music and know how to upload videos to YouTube. Like it or not, technology plays an important role in today’s society, and kids know earlier and earlier how to do things many adults can’t figure out. But with this increased role of technology come advantages and disad-vantages. Is it too much too soon?

One advantage is in the classroom. “I think it’s great that students are exposed to technology early! We are preparing our kids to be 21st century learners. It seems

List of educational

sites to use on iPad:

BlusterMagnetic ABC

Letter School Lite

Greater ThanSpelling City

iwritewords liteSight Words 2Bubble Math

Tell Time

to have really exploded in the last year es-pecially,” Beth Oyler, elementary teacher at Lewis and Clark elementary School in Liberty, says. “Many of my first graders come to me with very savvy tech skills.”

Misty Black, Liberty mother of two, says she notices positive traits with her children in regards to using technology. “They are ahead of the game in the ‘real world’ with experience with technology,” she says. “They have better hand-eye coordination. They have the ability to keep themselves entertained on the go or while waiting for food at a restaurant. They learn to type on computers more quickly, too.”

Technology will not be going away anytime soon, and kids need to learn how to use it. “Kids will encounter electron-ics everywhere and they need to be able to use them efficiently,” Stephanie Ritter, Kearney mother of two, says.

But with anything positive, there are usually some disadvantages.

“A disadvantage I see is the kids who have the technology versus those who don’t,” Oyler says. “However, I don’t think it separates them when they have access to the technology at school.”

Black points out that with the in-creased use of technology, some behavior issues come into play: “On the other hand, they learn to be impatient because they are used to being entertained always. They can be spoiled with the technology or feel left out when their friends have more than they have.”

To Ritter, it is all about moderation. “They can be great learning tools, but can also be used inappropriately. Kids need to also experience imaginative play, hands-on activities, crafts, outdoor play, etc.,” she says. “I personally believe that electron-ics are a great tool for my children, in moderation.”

While many kids spend hours on video games, listening to music on their iPods or playing Angry Birds or Temple Run on an iPad, parents need to take an active role in monitoring their technology time and keeping a healthy balance.

“My daughter also has a Kindle that she reads her books on, but she also loves to have a ‘real’ book in her hands. She is learning the technology, but it doesn’t control her life,” Ritter says. “Having a bal-ance is what I believe makes having and using technology so important.”

Jennifer Higgins is a freelance writer, mother and teacher from Kearney.

Too MuchToo Soon?

Having a balance is what I believe makes having and using technology so important.


We recently welcomed our third baby to the family. In just four

short, quick years, we went from a family of two to a family of five. My, how things change from the first to the third child! The nursery walls are just primed, we have no real wall hangings and, overall, I don’t feel as organized as I did in the past. And the bottom line is that I like organiza-tion. I like to feel in control.

I’m drawn to bins, baskets, Tupper-ware containers, cube systems for toy storage, collapsible bins for books and much, much more. Having children has both challenged my ability to organize (toys and clothing, oh my!) and stirred the beast from within—in ways I was aston-ished to discover. Art supplies, preschool books, dinosaurs, play kitchen items, race cars, blocks…..I feel like screaming, “Li-ons and tigers and bears, oh my!” Where can everything possibly go?!?

But one thing remains. No matter how hard I try to have things in order, my kids do not fit neatly into boxes, bins and

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containers. Of course I don’t mean this literally. What I do mean, however, is that children have a way of bending the rules, breaking out of the mold, and surpris-ing us with personalities, preferences and temperaments. This has been true with both of my older children in entirely different ways. And it reminds me and humbles me that I am not in control like I wish I were or would like to think that I am. The old adage “expect the unexpect-ed” really has some truth to it.

God has created our children to reflect His beautiful image to the rest of the world. He is not in the business of creating cut-out dolls that all look the same, and there is much beauty to be found in that which is unique, different and surprising.

Marisa Frymire lives in Overland Park with her family. Other moms, dads and teens blog daily at KCParent.com. Join the conversation today!


What produces more fear than scanning a full cart of grocer-

ies then remembering too late that you left your wallet at home? Having to make a call to Poison Control! The adrenaline surges, your heart pounds and your mouth becomes drier than a Sahara mirage as your “Parent of the Year” crown is stripped away with the push of your speed dial.

Who Is at Risk?According to the American Acad-

emy of Pediatrics (AAP), “Each year, approximately 2.4 million people—more than half under age 6—swallow or have contact with a poisonous substance.”

The Kansas City Metro’s Poison Con-trol Center, in operation since 1982, fields approximately 30,000 calls every year. Dr. Tama Sawyer is director of the center, run by the University of Kansas Hospital. “Poi-soning overtook motor vehicle accidents as the number one cause of deaths in the U.S. last year. The numbers keep increas-ing,” she says. “It doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor, old or young; it can happen to anyone.”

The center’s busiest hours are near the end of the day.“The biggest time for calls to our center is at 4:00 p.m., when moms are getting dinner ready and ask the older kids to watch out for the tod-dlers,” Sawyer says.

She also warns that when kids travel to their grandparents’ houses for babysit-ting or family get-togethers, “daily pill reminders are great for grandparents but NOT for kids.” These containers are usually kept easily visible for the grand-parent so they won’t forget to take their

medications—which are terribly danger-ous for children. Giving children access to all these small, pretty-colored pills is like opening up a toxic candy store for young kids.

Common Calls to Poison ControlThe American Association of Poison

Control Centers says the majority of calls occur when someone is home with the child but just not paying attention. Make sure to lock up these items or keep them out of reach:

• Medicines (vitamins, herbals, pain medications, diaper rash creams)

• Foreign objects (silica gel pack ages, glow products, batteries)

• Cleaning products (laundry detergent, floor cleaners, furniture

polish)• Cosmetics (makeup, perfume, nail

polish, nail polish remover)• Personal care products (deodorant,

shampoo, conditioner, liquid soap)• Garage items (antifreeze, wind-

shield wiper fluid, pesticides, gasoline, kerosene and lamp oil)

TreatmentThe AAP states if a child is “uncon-

scious, not breathing or having convul-sions or seizures due to poison contact or ingestion, call 911 or your local emer-gency number immediately.”

If your child has contact with a poison, and the child has either no symp-toms or mild symptoms, first aid should be performed first and THEN poison control should be called immediately at 1.800.222.1222.

healthy kids

Have Poison Control’s number (1.800.222.1222) posted for the babysitter,programmed into your phone AND your child’s grandparents’ phones.

name your poison

If your child has…Swallowed poison: Take leftover

poison away from child and have her spit out any remainder from her mouth. Do NOT have her vomit! Do NOT use syrup of ipecac.

Poison on the skin: Remove child’s clothing and rinse his skin directly with lukewarm water for at least 15 minutes.

Poison in the eye: Wash child’s eye by holding the eyelid open and pouring a continuous flow of body temperature wa-ter into the inner corner for 15 minutes.

Poison fumes: Take child into fresh air immediately. If the child isn’t breath-ing, start cardiopulmonary resuscita-tion (CPR) and continue until the child breathes on his own or until someone can take over. (Source: American Academy of Pediatrics)

What is the benefit of calling the poison center?

Poison centers are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and staffed with poison experts. The conver-sations are FREE and CONFIDENTIAL. Because many poison exposures may not require medical attention and can be dealt with in your own home, it is best to find this out over the phone without hav-ing an ambulance or emergency room bill to pay for the same answer. Remem-ber to act swiftly and always have the center’s number readily available!

Stacey Hatton is a pediatric RN and freelance writer. Her blog can be found at NurseMommyLaughs.com.


Shhh, Mom’s Sleeping

“Don’t worry about a thing,” I told Sandi when she returned from work on Thanksgiving

morning. “Go to sleep. The boys and I will make Thanksgiving dinner for you.”

She flashed a grateful smile and went to bed. I turned to James and Ian.

“We need to keep quiet,” I told them. “I need your help making our Thanksgiving dinner. Can you help?”

I went over my mental checklist. Everything was ready, and all we needed to do was some minor cooking. Piece of cake.

I put the turkey in the oven and set the boys at their tasks. Instead of a little stock, Ian poured in a whole quart, dissolving our dressing into a gelatinous mass. James poured most of the salad into a bowl. I set the rolls to rise and helped James clean up the rest of the salad. I set James to sorting the cranberries and helped Ian drain off the excess stock.

“OK, guys, let’s take a break.” The turkey was cooking, the rolls were rising and everything was coming together. I sat down for some football. The first quarter had barely started.

I woke up halfway through the fourth quarter in a panic. The rolls had risen and collapsed. The turkey was so overcooked the drumsticks were falling off and it wasn’t even browned. James poured the cranberries into the pan, getting a full third in. The cranberry syrup had cara-melized. Puddles of stock lay on the top of the dressing.

The cooking shows made it look so easy. Finally, I had dinner on the table and we went to wake up Mom.

“Mom, we made dinner,” James said proudly.

“Yeah,” Ian said, “It was easy.”Sandi looked at this travesty of a

holiday meal.“It looks wonderful,” she said, with a

sincere smile.

William Bartlett lives in Belton with his family.

word from dad


There is nothing quite like the sound of your child’s laughter, and with

these toys, you will actually be able to hear it instead of the beeps and

electronic music that accompany a lot of today’s toys.

As I wander through the toy aisle of any

store, I am amazed (and a little bit jealous)

of the products that are available to kids

now. I recognize the old toys now boasting

amazing improvements (have you seen

the new Easy Bake Oven or the Hot Wheels

race set that mounts on the wall?) and the

new ones that I would have begged for

when I was a kid.

But, as I step back and take in the en-

tire inventory of all the crying baby dolls,

beeping gadgets and snarling monsters,

I still see the toys that have stayed strong

for decades—no improvements neces-

sary. These are the classics, the ones that

are always fun. Some are so “classic” our

grandparents played with them. Some are

from my generation’s childhood. And they

are all just as much fun today as they were

30, 40 or 50 years ago.

UNDER $510

CLASSIC TOYS

This has been a staple in school yards and neighborhood playgrounds in America since the 1940s. This little toy has made its way from an easy childhood game to a full-fledged sport, but it still remains a classic toy among children. For only a dollar or two, this classic toy should be in every child’s toy box.

JUMP ROPE

These little things have been around for 60 years and still delight kids everywhere. Granted, the tracks they have to race these puppies on are vastly improved—but the heart of the toy remains the same. One little car, which can be driven on race tracks or carpet, walls, stairs, or anywhere, costs just a dollar.

CARS

For the “hot” toys of 2012, head to KCParent.com and read editor Margaret Sarver’s Gift Guide blog.

moreONLINE


No denying the wonder that is the ordinary crayon. They are a must-have for any parent, school or daycare. And they’re one of the most inexpensive items on this list. An 8-count box of Crayola Crayons will cost less than $3 at most retail stores.

There is nothing quite like a brand new crayon on a clean white piece of paper for children of almost any age.

The dolls themselves may come in a wide range of prices and abilities, but doll accessories are much cheaper. Little

baby bottles, cloth diapers and clothes can all be easily purchased for just a few dollars. Or, if you are the crafty type,

make them for even less!

DOLLACCESSORIES

To the chagrin of parents everywhere, this is the one toy that typically beats all the rest. Why? Because it does what every toy should do: It al-lows the imagination to take hold in unlimited ways. A box is a fort, sled, house, castle, puppet theatre and anything else a child can dream up.

So don’t throw away those big boxes; grab the crayons and scissors and help your kids with the ultimate toy.

CARDBOARDBOX

PUZZLES Simple puzzles for children are a great way to get their little brains

working and give you an activity to do with them. Wooden puzzles can be found everywhere and are perfect for little hands to use. This

little activity can range in price to from $3 to $10.

CRAYONS

Though Nerf is not exactly as old as the jump rope, it’s considered a clas-sic toy now. New to the scene when I was a kid, Nerf guns are even more

popular today. There is nothing quite as fun as an all-out Nerf “battle” in the living room. While most of the Nerf guns range from $10 to $30, there are still a few starter pieces that can be purchased for a simple $5. The only caveat

to this particular toy is age range. Be sure the child is old enough to under-stand the difference between real guns and simple dart throwing toys.

NERF GUNS

The classic of all classic toys—bested only by the stick—has been around for generations. It’s simple and straightforward,

and there is no end to its possibilities. One simple bouncing ball can give a toddler more fun than 10 giggling Elmos. Depend-

ing on size and type, balls can range from 50 cents to well beyond our $5 mark. But each one is worth every penny.

BALLS


There is nothing quite like the sound of your child’s laughter, and with these toys, you will actually be able to hear it instead of the beeps and electronic music that ac-company a lot of today’s toys. All too often it’s easy to get lost in that sea of gadgetry and pageantry, but bringing ourselves and

CLASSIC TOYS

The brainteaser of our childhood is still going strong in to-day’s toy stores. I have never truly solved it (and, yes, I was one of those kids that got frustrated enough to remove the stickers and replace them in order to “solve” it), but it is fun to watch my children try. Retailing from $5 to $7, it is a great little activity.

RUBIK’SCUBE

From Crayola or Prang, watercolors to more expensive acrylic sets, these little paints have been a part of our lives more than we realize. We bought them every year for school and used them constantly, but these are not just school supplies. Easy to buy at just $2, and easy for children to use, these make great gifts to encourage the little artist inside.

PAINTSUPPLIES

our children back to the basics, even in play, can have a lasting impact.

Kerry Chafin is a freelance writer from Inde-pendence and a mother of three kids who love to play with their toys almost as much as their mom does.

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If I have fi gured one thing out, as both a father and a teacher, it is that one of the most important things we can teach children

is personal responsibility. Th is is also one of the most diffi cult things to teach. We want our chil-dren and our students to be successful. We want to help them through their challenges and their struggles. We want to be there for them and we want to have fun with them. Teaching personal responsibility usually involves consequences, lectures and punishments. It isn’t easy to teach personal responsibility, but it is important.

I have come to realize that this is the most important “lesson” my oldest son will learn this year in fi fth grade. My son isn’t a “homework guy.” He doesn’t like homework, gets easily frustrated when working on his homework and tries to delay homework every chance he gets. Now that he is in fi fth grade, though, and the amount of homework he receives each night has increased signifi cantly, he simply doesn’t have time for the delays and the complaining. Unfor-tunately, he is learning this the hard way.

Th is process has been painful for both my son and for me. I want to see him succeed and I want him to get good grades. I don’t want to see him get points taken off for turning assignments in late. I don’t want him to have to go to study hall after school to fi nish his homework from the night before. I don’t want to take away extra-curricular activities and I don’t want to make him miserable. Even though he gets mad at me and thinks I am being unreasonable, I have to do it, because he has to learn the lesson now or things will only get worse when he enters middle school.

Fifth grade is going to be a diffi cult one for my son, but he will learn the importance of personal responsibility.

James Wilcox lives in Kansas City with his family. He and other parents blog daily atKCParent.com. Join the conversation today!

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With November being election month, it’s a good time to get

your child interested in current events -- and doing so can have many positive benefits, from building vocabulary and improving writing, to encouraging active and engaged citizenship.

While the news might seem “bor-ing” at first to kids, there are steps you can take to show them just how interesting and exciting current events can be:

READ TOGETHEREnsure that your home subscribes

to a daily paper. Let your children pick which articles they want to read and help them with words and concepts they don’t understand. Read at least a few front page news articles together and then allow them to skip to whichever sections of the paper they find the most interesting.

Many magazines run kids’ editions in print or online, such as Time, Sports

Illustrated and National Geographic. Sub-scribe your child to an age-appropriate magazine or newspaper.

Most children are already well-versed in using the Internet for acquir-ing information. Guide your children to trusted online news sources that they can access on their own.

ENCOURAGE HANDS-ON LEARNING

Often the most effective way to spark your child’s interest is to offer him or her hands-on learning opportunities. Encourage your child to join the school newspaper or the school’s television news program.

Even as budget cuts loom in schools, private companies are helping schools offer their students unique educational opportunities. The Panasonic Kid Witness News program for example, a hands-on program designed to help children

develop creative, cognitive and commu-nication skills, has provided more than 150,000 children around the world access to top-notch video production equipment and an opportunity to learn a new skill they can use to make fun newscasts that are relevant to their daily lives.

“It’s important to get kids to share how they see the world. This is a percep-tion we don’t usually see in the news,” says Joseph Taylor, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Panasonic Corporation of North America. “It’s a valuable per-spective that mainstream media usually misses.”

WATCH TOGETHERMake watching the news together a

part of your evening routine. Remember, kids have limited attention spans –- so avoid the never ending 24-hour news programming and opt for a half-hour program that highlights all the day’s top stories succinctly. Use commercial breaks and dinnertime to discuss what you watched.

If you’re worried that the imagery will be too graphic or mature, consider re-cording it first and sharing with your child only the parts you feel comfortable with.

By encouraging your kids to keep up with current events, you can help them gain valuable perspective and under-stand the world around them. (StatePoint)

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By learning gratitude, children actually develop empathy and become sensitive to others’ feelings. Grateful kids can see and understand that their par-ents and others do things for them, such as prepare dinner, buy gifts and wash their clothes. Children who aren’t taught to be grateful end up feeling entitled and disappointed.

By age 2 or 3, children can talk about being thankful for certain toys, pets and people. Even if they don’t speak very clearly yet, they can point to things they are happy to have in their lives just

kids

Are you tired of your child’s beg-ging and pleading for the most expensive toy on the store shelf

only to play with it for a week and never pick it up again? Do your children forget to say “please” and “thank you” when they’re given something special? Teach-ing gratitude can be tough—especially to toddlers and preschoolers who are, by nature, self-centered. In fact, children under the age of 7 have difficulty under-standing other people’s feelings and being motivated to do the right thing. But this doesn’t mean it’s impossible to instill

raisinggrateful

gratitude into your little ones, because you can. After all, no one is born grateful.

According to research done by the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkely, “… people who practice grati-tude feel considerably happier (25%) than those in a control group; they are more joyful, enthusiastic, interested and determined.” Studies have also shown that grateful kids have better relationships with family and friends, higher GPAs, less materialism, less envy and less depres-sion, along with a desire to give back to their community.


by your asking them. By age 4, a child can understand being thankful for not only the material things but for acts of kindness and love, too.

So, how can you instill gratitude into your children? Here are some great tips to get you started:

Say “please” and “thank you.” Always use your own manners with your children by saying “please” when ap-propriate and “thank you” when they do something right. After all, children model parent behavior in every way.

Make gratitude part of your daily conversation. Try picking a time of day to talk about what you’re thankful for. Whether it’s first thing in the morning, at the dinner table or during bedtime prayers, have each per-son talk about something they are thankful for. When you reinforce an idea frequently, it’s more likely to stick!

Write thank you notes. Have your children always write a thank you note to someone who gives them a gift, does something nice for them or comes for a visit. Get them used to saying “thank you.”

Set expectations when shopping. If your child is like most, he wants a toy every time you go shopping. To help your child understand that he cannot get

something every time you shop, tell him when it’s merely a “look” day instead of a “buy” day. Explain that “look” days are like going to a museum; you enjoy looking at things, but aren’t going to buy them. Eventually, children will get it and begin asking what kind of day it is—a “look” or a “buy.”

Make it a habit to giveand volunteer. Allow your children to help you gather and donate toys and clothing in good condition to a good cause, and let them go with you to drop the items off. Volunteer with your children for good causes in your community, whether through your church or organizations such as Harvesters. Or simply have your child help you make a pot of soup for a sick neighbor or friend.

Create (and decorate) a gratitude list. Have each member of the family create a list of things they’re grateful for. Then, decorate the lists and hang them for all to see. These are great ways to help kids remember that the things we’re grateful for are especially important.

Have your children help. Allow your children to do simple chores, such as stacking the dinner dishes, fold-ing the laundry or feeding the dog. By helping out around the house, they learn that everything takes effort.

Studies have shown that grateful kids: Are happier • Have better relationships with family and friends • Have higher GPAs • Have less depression • Have a desire to give back to their community.

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Practice the art of saying “No.” Kids want it all, and as parents, we’d love to give them everything they ask for. How-ever, when they’re given everything they ask for, they’ll find it impossible to feel grateful for anything they receive. Saying “no” a lot makes the days you say “yes” that much more special.

Teach through role play. If you have an extremely shy child who is too afraid to say “thank you” in a social setting, she can teach her dolls or stuffed animals to do so while you play along.

Don’t demand a thank you. “I work my tail off for you, and you never say thanks!” How many of us have heard this at some point in our lives? Avoid de-manding thanks from your children. They will remember your example much more than threats or humiliation.

Be patient. Don’t expect gratitude to develop over-night, because it won’t. It can take weeks, months or even years of reinforcement. No worries. You will be rewarded in the end if you stick with it.

Kansas City mom Gina Klein is an author/writer/photographer who believes strongly in the power of gratefulness and saying thank you.

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STACK YOUR BLESSINGS JENGAPlay the game of Jenga with a twist. Each time a block is removed, the player must write upon it something she’s grateful for before replacing it on top. Recycle this game at next year’s party for a tower of ever-growing gratitude.

TABLE TOP THANKS With permanent markers on a plastic tablecloth, have everyone record as many things as they can think of they are grate-ful for. Re-use this tablecloth every year at Thanksgiving.

MAYFLOWER FLOATSBefore guests arrive, cut small Tropicana orange juice cartons in half with an exact-o knife, and spray paint them brown. Each guest writes his name on a ship and decorates it with stickers, sequins, raffia ropes and sails. Walk a trail to a nearby creek and—ready, set, Speedwell—have a boat race.

THIMBLE GAMEFor roars of laughter at the tip of your

finger, give this wet and raucous game a go-round. Gather a thimble and small ramekin of water. Sitting around a table, the person with the thimble calls out a category, such as an animal, food or favorite Kansas City landmark. Everyone around the table, in turn, must guess the name of the specific thing the person is thinking (if the category is “Kansas City landmark,” a guess might be “Union Station”). The thimble-bearer dips the thimble in water and douses the person who guesses correctly, and that person becomes the new thimble-bearer.

NAME THAT TUNEBefore the party, compile a list of each guest’s favorite song from the past year and load it on your iPod. Have everyone try to match each person to his song. Then go ahead—be a turkey and throw a dance party. Burn the songs to CDs for everyone to take home.

PUMPKIN ROLL RELAYBreak out your broomsticks. Each team, using a broom, must roll a pumpkin to a line and back in a relay. Look for round

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pumpkins of equal size, about 8-10” in diameter.

BLIND TURKEYSEach team gets a large sheet of craft paper and, with a marker, must take turns drawing a turkey, blindfolded.The first player draws the body…The second draws the head…The third draws the feathers, and so on. The most accurate drawing wins.

PILGRIM TALKSpend the remainder of the evening at-tempting to speak like proper pilgrims. Log on to Plimoth.org/Learn/Just-Kids for a list of words and sound bytes that trans-late modern English into 17th century vernacular. Here’s a sampling:How are you? = What cheer? or How now?Excuse Me = Pray pardon meCongratulations = Huzzah!Goodbye = Fare thee well or Pray remem-ber meBackward = Arsy varsy

FAMILY TRIVIAL PURSUITIf you own the classic game of Trivial Pursuit, pull it out. Use the game pieces and board, but ditch the questions and categories for ones you create yourself, specific to your family. Categories could include “Ancestry,” “Our Modern Family,” “Grandpa’s Growing-Up Years” or “Ac-cording to Aunt Edna.”

GOBBLE THE GIBLETSFEAR FACTORWho has the guts among your child guests? After cleaning the cavity of Mr. Gobbles, tonight’s main dish, boil the gib-lets. Display and name each organ, then slice them into pieces for the kids to play a stomach turning game of Fear Factor.

SURVIVOR: NEW WORLD EDITIONBefore dinner, place a sealed envelope beneath each chair with the name of a pil-grim written on the outside, and the pil-grim’s fate recorded inside. After dinner, open the envelopes in turn to discover who survived the first winter in the New World. Some historic names (*denotes children):Died aboard the Mayflower: Dorothy Bradford, *William Butten, James Chilton, *Jasper More, *Edward Thompson Died the first winter: Sarah Eaton, *John Hooke, Christopher Martin, *Mary More, Degory Priest, *Solomon Prower, Rose Standish, Agnes Tilley, Thomas TinkerSurvivors present at the first Thanksgiv-ing: Eleanor Billington, Mary Brewster, *Wrestling Brewster, *Mary Chilton, Fran-cis Cooke, Samuel Fuller, *Giles Hopkins, Myles Standish, *Elizabeth Tilley

Wendy Connelly and her kids, from Over-land Park, are especially grateful for their grandparents of 16 generations: William and Mary Brewster of the Mayflower Voy-age. Elder William Brewster the pilgrims’ spiritual leader, offered the prayer over the first Thanksgiving feast.

27 YEARSOF CONNECTING

WITH FAMILIESIN KANSAS CITY

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gobble up those leftovers!Thanksgiving: one day of the year when you anticipate leftovers almost as much as the big meal itself! Hosting the meal is a rather large undertaking, but to score all of the leftovers, well worth it! Depending on what your family traditionally has for the big day, try one of these leftover routes.

Obviously, standard turkey sandwiches are a must (or, glam it up using leftover gooey sweet potatoes in place of mayo), but turkey can really go in any direc-

tion chicken can...think turkey cobb salad, turkey veggie soup, turkey salad with grapes and walnuts or a fun and different kid-friendly recipe: potato turkey balls.

Potato Turkey Balls (Weelicious.com)There always seem to be leftover mashed potatoes and turkey. This recipe makes 18 balls.

2 ½ cups mashed potatoes2 large eggs, whisked (in separate bowls)1 cup cooked/roasted turkey meat1 cup grated cheese (monterrey jack, mozzarella or cheddar)1 cup bread crumbs (white or whole wheat)Optional (if you have it left over!): gravy

Stir mashed potatoes and one whisked egg together and set aside. Separately combine the turkey meat and grated cheese, stirring to combine. Roll this mixture tightly together into 1-in. balls. Take 2 T. of the potato egg mixture and form a patty in the palm of your hand. Fold the potato mixture around the turkey and cheese (makes a larger ball). Use the second whisked egg in a bowl. Roll the ball gently in the egg mixture and then coat with breadcrumbs. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

Too busy to cook during the holidays?

Head to KCParent.com for super simple slow cooker recipes.

moreONLINE


Sweet Potato

Spears & DipWedge cut 3 raw sweet potatoes. Bake, spritzed with olive oil, at 350 for 35 minutes.

While potatoes are baking, make dip:1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt1/2 stick room temperature butter (unsalted)1/2 t. cinnamon2 T. honey

Blend/stir. Chill dip and enjoy with warm sweet potato fries, Thanksgiving style!

Don’t look like a turkey this Thanksgiving...

Dream Dinners is your one-stop shop for all of your holiday dinnertime needs!

From Wednesday night (too busy to cook!) to Black Friday (too tired!) and all of the football in between, you can count on Dream Dinners for your family (and everyone visiting) this holiday season.

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Have some whipped cream left over? Take large spoonfuls of whipped cream and drop on wax paper lined cookie sheet and freeze. Once frozen, store in a freezer bag for use on desserts and hot beverages (just let them thaw a bit first). Use within two weeks.Sally Frame, Overland Park

Too much bread at Thanksgiving dinner? Make croutons! Spread left-over slices of bread sparingly with butter or olive oil. Cut in 1/2” pieces and place in a shallow baking pan and bake at 350°F for 10 to 15 min-utes. Serve with soup or salads.Kelly Smith, Kansas City

If you have left over onions or pep-pers, chop them up, freeze them and voila! You’ll have them at your disposal the next time a recipe calls for chopped onions or peppers.Tammy Waltz, Liberty

Ahh, sweet potatoes. Their nutritional value knocksother potatoes out of the park, and most Thanksgivingtables include them. For when you have leftover wholesweet potatoes, here’s an easy, fun and nutritious wayto eat them that excludes the marshmallows or sugar.

KC Moms share tips on creative ways to use up leftovers:


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Pumpkin tends to be ignored most of the year—until the fall. Formerly, it was used for pumpkin pie, but it has now evolved to a favorite for so many different recipes. “Finding ways to make the fall festive and keep my daughter interested in the treats this time

of year has become an important goal,” says local mom Katie.

Pumpkin is packed with vitamin A, beta carotene and potassium, so feel good about eating it! If, after your Thanksgiving meal, you have a half can or sev-

eral cans of leftover pumpkin, here are two ways you can be sure it doesn’t go to waste:

Pumpkin

Milkshakes A wonderful twist on a favorite! This spiced milkshake is such a fun, festive fall treat for both kids and adults. 1/2 cup pumpkin 1 cup rice or other non-dairy milkpinch cinnamon and/or nutmeg1 T. agave Handful of ice

Blend and enjoy!

Pumpkin Apple Muffins(modified from Weelicious.com)This is a delicious combination of fall apples and savory pumpkin. Great for both kids and adults, use it as a breakfast grab-and-go, a “dessert” at lunch or even a snack option! These muffins can freeze for up to 3 months. Makes 24-30 mini muffins or 12 regular-sized muffins.

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour2/3 cup whole wheat flour2 t. baking powder1/2 t. baking soda1/2 t. salt1 t. cinnamon1 t. pumpkin spice3 T. canola oil1/2 cup honey1 egg1/2 cup rice milk1/2 cup pumpkin puree1 medium apple, peeled and grated (Gala, Pink Lady or Fuji)

Mix dry ingredients together. Mix wet together separately. Combine by folding together. Batter should be lumpy. Bake in a greased muffin tin at 350 for 20 minutes. You can easily double this recipe for winter parties, brunches or for your child’s “bring snacks” day.

Jessica Pflumm is a freelance writer and children’s nutrition advocate. Her blog, HappyTummiesKC.wordpress.com talks about nutritious, allergy-friendly recipes for kids and families. Jessica lives in Overland Park with her husband and 2-year-old daughter.



That’s one of several stereotypes Ross confronts about special needs

adoption. In the adoption field, special needs usually refers to older children living in foster care homes who may have significant physical, learning, medical and social-emotional or behavioral chal-lenges. According to Ross, who has more than 25 years of direct foster care parent-ing experience, the top three misconcep-tions that put up barriers to special needs adoption are:

1. Babies and younger infants are less trouble (“Completely FALSE,”she says.) There are more unknowns with infants, whereas with an older child, more information is available. In short, older children are a known quantity, while ba-bies are an unfolding mystery.

2. Teenagers are too difficult. Unlike an infant, teens can tell you their needs. (We may not always agree, but at least they are verbal!) Also, says Ross, teens can better appreciate the opportu-nities an adoptive family provides. Plus, they can “really spice up your life.”

Adopted special needs kids don’t turn out

substantially different than their physical siblings.

– Lori Ross, president and CEO,

Midwest Foster Care andAdoption Association (MFCAA)

ADOPTING SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN:

A UNIQUE WAY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

ABOVE: Greg and Christa Bray-Howard with Cara (12), Travon (8), Mya (3), and Elijah (2).

Christa is a third grade teacher who became a foster parent at age 22; Greg, a stay-at-home dad, married into the role. Their family (biologi-cal, foster and adopted) “means the world to them,” and is the most rewarding aspect of their life. Their family includes: 12-year-old twin boys (foster), an 11-year-old biological daughter, an 8-year-old adopted son, a 3-year-old adopted daughter and a 1-year-old biological son.


3. Significant medical issues and physical disabilities are too challeng-ing. These children are often the easiest to parent, as they openly respond to love and affection.

So, what traits does special needs parenting require? A big heart is gener-ally the first quality that comes to mind. Special needs children thrive in families with a well-stocked reserve of patience, commitment and tenacity. Certainly, the child’s emotional needs are important, but prospective families need to consider some legal and practical aspects.

Sandy Krigel, managing partner with Krigel & Krigel, has more than 30 years of experience counseling adoptive parents. He combines practical and com-passionate advice:

Don’t overestimate your capabili-ties—emotionally, financially and physi-cally. A special needs child may never outgrow his disability or be capable of overcoming the deficits of her early life. While you may have the resources to provide the best care possible, it may not be enough.

Be aware of the child’s limitations. Assemble a phonebook size notebook of the child’s medical history and back-ground. Be prepared to contact social workers, health and/or therapeutic care providers, mental health profession-als, counselors, schools and foster care parents.

Consider current and future needs. Are there providers in your area who specialize in the specific areas the child needs? This will be particularly helpful when negotiating an adoption subsidy.

The best outcomes occur when: families spend at least 1-2 months with the child prior to adoption, parental rights are surrendered by the time the child is 1-2 years old, the parents have prior experience and training with special needs children and are able to accept the challenges. Those who envision high achieving children or are traumatized by a child’s behaviors or inability to return their love are less successful.

Support Is AvailableRest assured, special needs adoption

families are not alone. Federal adoption law provides monthly subsidies for foster and adoptive parents of children with

special needs. These are, according to Ross, “a huge blessing” and help make adoption affordable for middle class families. Several agencies in the area (see sidebar) provide pre- and post-adoption services for the whole family. These may include negotiating special needs educa-tion services or locating a dentist who takes Medicaid. Peer-to-peer mentoring puts new adoptive families in touch with experienced families living with the same special needs. Post-adoptive services reduce the number of disrupted adop-tions, which occur less often than is widely believed.

One Person Can Make a Difference

Ross offers first-hand advice to prospective parents and she knows of which she speaks: Ross has fostered more than 400 children and formally adopted 21 children while raising five biological children!

Often, families don’t anticipate the time, emotion and expenses associated with raising a special needs child. Heart-to-heart conversations with your family and with experienced special needs parents are indispensable. Special needs families often have a secondary support system beyond their current one; identify who might be able to provide that support and discuss it with them in advance.

Ross reflects on her experience, saying, “The ROI (return on investment) is HUGE! All of my children know relation-ships are more important than belongings, and my adult children actively seek ways to make a difference in the world.”

Kathy Stump (Parkville) and her husband adopted a domestic infant with special needs; they also have a biological daughter.

A UNIQUE WAY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

AWARENESS: The number of children in foster care in the Kansas City area during the last three years has increased by 40 percent. Fos-ter parenting is a great way to explore mak-ing a commitment to a child(ren). Respite care gives full-time caregivers an opportunity to recharge physically and emotionally. Both require training; the approval process is shorter and the rewards are high. Agencies Providing Services:

Family and Children Services, Kaw Valley CenterKansas City and Olathe, KS 913.334.0294, KVC.org

Kansas Children’s Service LeagueVarious locations, 877.530.5276, KCSL.org

Midwest Foster Care andAdoption AssociationIndependence, MO816.350.0215, MFCAA.org

Missouri Department of Social ServicesDSS.MO.govKansas City, MO, 816.899.2000/2037Independence, MO, 816.325.6040

International Adoption Clinic – Children’s Mercy HospitalKansas City, MO816.983.6325, ChildrensMercy.orgSpecialists will review prospective adoption records; post-adoption clinics are offered twice monthly on Friday afternoons.

International Adoption Clinic – KU Medical CenterKansas City, KS, 913.588.6336, FTIA.orgSpecialists will review prospective adoption records.

For a more complete list, visit MetroKCAdoption.com, theMetropolitan Adoption Council.

Special Needs Adoption

Jason and Dori Walker with their sons Jason Jr. (8) and Lance (4). Last year, Midwest Foster Care and Adoption licensed the Walkers for foster care and adoption. Since last November, they have been blessed to take four foster kids into their home. “We are excited to help spread awareness of all the children in the Kansas City area needing loving, supportive forever homes.”

Open your mind to the possibilities and you’ll be amazed at the gifts that come to you. – Lori Ross


Libraries. We often think of the local library as a dusty, musty place with stacks of books and stern ladies al-

ways with a finger to their lips whispering, “Shhhh!” And while it is true that libraries house mounds of books and they do ap-preciate your consideration of others and use of a “library voice,” today’s libraries offer much, much more! Three terrific facilities in Kansas City are home to rich resources that help you uncover your fam-ily history through collections of thou-sands of documents, maps, photographs and records telling your family story.

While most Kansas City area librar-ies are quite similar, one in particular stands out among the rest and makes it worthy of an extra special visit. The Cen-tral Library of the Kansas City Public Library (14 W. 10th St., Kansas City, MO. Hours: Mon.-Wed., 9:00-9:00; Thu.-Fri., 9:00-5:00; Sat., 10:00-5:00; Sun., 1:00-5:00), housed in the former First National Bank of Kansas City, is one of the city’s most beautiful “best kept secrets.” The library is home to fabulous research departments, in particular the fifth-floor Missouri Valley Room, with an archive of special histori-cal collections, including the Missouri Valley Collection (local history), Ramos Collection (African American history) and Western expansion materials. The Mis-souri Valley Special Collections (MVSC)

consist of the non-circulating local history and genealogy resources. You will find maps, books, documents and photographs to piece together your history. The Mis-souri Valley Room is staffed with research librarians who are there to help with your projects and answer questions.

In addition to the Missouri Valley Room, the Central Library is an architec-tural masterpiece with reading rooms, research areas, a cafe and a rooftop view of the city skyline, complete with a giant life-size chess set! But, the most spe-cial section of the library for families is the Children’s Department. Enter through the pages of a book to where kids will dis-cover a wonderful reading area organized by ages and interests and offering many hands-on activities as well.

Parking Tip: The Central Library parking garage is located directly west of the Central Library building on the north-west corner of 10th & Baltimore. Parking is FREE on weekends and free for the first hour, Mon.-Fri., with library validation and $1 for every 20 minutes thereafter with an $8/day maximum. The garage is one of Kansas City’s most unique landmarks as it is styled after a giant bookcase of famous literature.

Unlike traditional libraries, the Na-tional Archives at Kansas City (400 W. Pershing Rd., Kansas City, MO—just west of Union Station. 816.268.8000. Exhib-

...with these Kansas City Archives & Resourcesuncover your family tree...

Three terrific facilities in Kansas City are home to rich resources that help you uncover your family history through collections of thousands of documents, maps, photographs and records that tell your family story.

Looking for ways to make history come alive for your kids?

KCParent.com has tips to foster a “historical addiction” in your children.

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its open: Tue.-Sat., 9:00-5:00. Research: Tue.-Sat., 8:00-4:00) is a research library specializing in historic documents and information. In addition, the archives features two outstanding exhibit halls with interactive exhibits, perfect for children in upper-elementary through high school and adults AND it is FREE!

The National Archives at Kansas City is one of 13 regional archives. It houses historical documents, artifacts and records from Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Da-kota. The archival records include photos, journals, maps, drawings and artifacts from nearly 100 federal agencies. The records are preserved and maintained as a research location for genealogists, teachers, students, journalists and private citizens. More than 50,000 cubic feet of records are stored at the archives.

If you want to learn more about your family, the archives are the perfect place to begin. Did your ancestor file for bank-ruptcy? Was one a defendant in a crimi-nal case? Looking for military records? Property records? Newspaper resources? The archives offers free genealogy classes and research programs for the public, and staff members are available to help you uncover the past about your family. Learn more about what you can find at the National Archives and how to begin your research through their free public programs on their website Archives.gov.

You may also visit the archives to learn through their FREE hands-on history exhibits. Through Feb. 23, enjoy the ex-hibit “School House to White House: The Education of the Presidents.” Learn about

U.S. presidents, their education and how it influenced their worldviews. Some gradu-ated from public school, others studied in rural classrooms and others in private schools. Learn about their extracurricu-lar activities and achievements through archival material, museum objects and photographs, as well as audio and visual material.

Tip: In order to protect the historic artifacts housed in the archives, the exhibits are 65-68 degrees at all times. You might want to bring a jacket for this outing.

The Midwest Genealogy Center (3440 S. Lee’s Summit Rd., Independence, MO, 816.252.7228, MyMCPL.org. Hours: Mon.-Thu., 9:00-9:00; Fri., 9:00-6:00; Sat., 9:00-5:00; Sun., 1:00-5:00), part of the Mid-Continent Public Library, is one of the best resources to research family history in the nation. The facility houses nearly three-quarters of a million on-site materials. With microfilm reader-printers, giant databases and new technology available all the time, the facility is a wonderful place to research family history. The library offers a tremendous collection

of materials for research, but more than that, the facility is staffed with research librarians and experts who are there to help you with your projects. If the materi-als you need are not in the library, you will find more than 17,000 genealogy and local

of history books available on interlibrary loan to researchers nationwide through local libraries.

One of Kristina Light’s favorite places to spend an afternoon is the Central Library, a true gem in the heart of downtown.


When it comes to cultivating good citizenship in your children, ac-

tions definitely speak louder than words.So says Michael Copeland. And he

should know. He’s been mayor of Olathe since

April 2001.But it’s not only Copeland’s experi-

ence in public office that has shaped how he and his wife, Maria, teach their children to be caring and involved citizens.

What has influenced him most was growing up in a family that made a prior-ity of serving others.

Now, the couple uses activities asso-ciated with Copeland’s position, as well as

church and neighborhood involvement, to encourage their children—ages 13, 11 and 5—to make good citizenship a lifestyle.

“They join us at many events, and we try to include them in civic activities so they get a sense of what it means to serve others,” says Copeland, who was first elected to the Olathe City Council in 1993. “Maria is on our HOA board, so our kids have been involved in clean-up days, planning for a new park in our neighbor-hood and social activities to build com-munity.”

The Copeland children also are active in the political process, putting out yard signs and going with their parents to the polls on election days.

good citizensgrowing

Visit KCParent.com for a great list of books to read with your kids before heading to the polls.

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“We have explained what a privi-lege it is to be able to vote, and we pray for candidates and leaders,” Maria Copeland says. “We all have something to contribute: time, energy, talent. Our kids have learned through church involvement that they have a purpose and ability to serve.”

And their dad knows firsthand the link between dedicated citizens and suc-cessful communities.

“The city of Olathe is only able to do many things because of the help we get from citizens,” Copeland says. “Gov-ernment cannot meet every need, and taxpayers can’t afford for it to meet every need.”

planting the seedsFor Tom and Kathy Probasco, being

good citizens means not only obeying laws, having good morals and values and respecting all people, but also caring for the earth. So the two are teaching their 7-year-old son responsible citizenship through recycling, composting, organic gardening and conserving natural re-sources.

The Probascos, who adopted their son from Guatemala when he was 13 months old, have planted themselves in their Kansas City, MO, community. And rather than move from their beloved Wal-do neighborhood when their son started school, the couple decided to stay and send him to Foreign Language Academy, a

“It’s good to let your children know about the issues and what’s important in a way that is factual and is

interesting but without the rancor.” -Krista Chugg, history and government teacher at Heritage Christian Academy.

Looking to volunteer? Then check out LoveKC.org. The site links prospective volun-teers with a number of non-profit orga-nizations in the KC Metro area.

Want to help with elections? Students 16 and older may apply to work at certain Kansas polls by visiting these election office websites:

Johnson County: JocoElection.org Wyandotte County: WycoKCK.org and click on “Election Workers” in the menu at left.

Poll workers in Missouri must be registered voters (at least 18), but some counties are part of the Missouri Youth Election Participant Program. See SOS.MO.gov for more information.

Interested in improving trails and planting trees in the Metro area? Go to MARC.org and find out about the MetroGreen system.

getting involved

Kansas City public magnet school. “We support our local restaurants

and stores, go to local farmers’ markets and support local organizations and school fundraisers,” Kathy Probasco says. “We have helped our neighbors by shoveling snow, making meals, watching children and taking care of their homes and dogs when they are out of town. We welcome new neighbors to our neighbor-hood.”

The Probascos also donate items to local organizations and encourage their son to give away books and toys he no longer uses.

The political process is important to the couple. So they teach their son by sharing their political views with him, taking him to the polls—not just for major elections but also for local issues—and canvassing for candidates.

strengthening the rootsAlthough parents may use different

methods for fostering good citizenship in their children, awareness and engage-ment are at the root of civic responsibility, according to Krista Chugg, who teaches history and government at Heritage Christian Academy’s Olathe campus.

“Good citizens are knowledgeable,” she says. “They are engaged and care about the community they live in and want what’s best for it. They are active and will-ing to put words into action.”

Chugg says that often the hardest part of getting involved is not in finding a place to help but rather in taking that first step out the front door. However, once families start serving, then it’s difficult not to enjoy it. And their work not only bene-fits the community, but also enhances their own lives, as the community improves and the seeds of good citizenship start to grow in their children.

“There are opportunities to serve as a family,” Chugg says. “I remember my family doing simple things like volun-teering together at a food bank around Thanksgiving.”

Chugg also believes that it’s impor-tant to discuss politics with your children and to vote, which keeps power in the hands of the people and holds elected officials accountable.

“It’s good to let your children know about the issues and what’s important in a way that is factual and is interesting but without the rancor,” Chugg says. “It’s more important for your kids to be kind and respectful and to care rather than to want to win an argument.”

And after all, being a good citizen is the key to growing a good citizen.

Melinda Ablard Smith is wife to one model citizen, mother to two budding citizens and owner to three chihuahuas that would be happy to sit in your lap for com-munity service credit. She teaches journal-ism at MidAmerica Nazarene University.


C A L E N D A Rnovember

No part of this calendar may be reproduced in print or web format.

watchCatch a sneak

peak of the Nutcracker! On

Nov. 2 at 6:00, enjoy a FREE

family fun night at Bolender Center. Watch an open rehearsal of the

Kansas City Ballet’s

Nutcracker performance!

KCBallet.org

The NEWKCParent.com

calendar now has10x MOREEVENTS!

enjoyYour family will

enjoy two plays in one evening.

The Culture House presents Tales from Hans Christian Ander-son and Into the

Woods, Jr. on Nov. 8 & 9 at the

Youthfront Auditorium.

CultureHouse.com

listenWant to hear

a good story? Come celebrate the International

Day of Storytelling Nov. 17 at 10:30

at Ernie Miller Nature Center.

Hear nature stories—with live

animals—that will delight audien-ces of all ages.

$3. 913.764.7759

strollWalk the trails

of the Overland Park Arboretum

as they are lit by candlelight at the Holiday

Luminary Walk, Nov. 23- 24 and Nov. 30-Dec. 1 at 5:00. Santa

visits from 6:00 to 8:00. $7/person, 5

and under, free. 913.685.3604

Ernie Miller Nature Center

visitOn Nov. 23,

head to Crown Center for the lighting of the

Mayor’s Christ-mas tree. Mayor

Sly James hosts the event which

begins at 5:30 and is free.

CrownCenter.com


1 THURSDAYArrival of the Mayor’s Christmas Tree 9:00, Crown Center Square. The first sign of the holiday season arrives today! 816.274.8444

Café and Playland 9:00, Kaw Prairie Community Church. Kids can enjoy the playland while parents enjoy conversation and coffee. 913.764.5722

Tales for Tiny Tykes 9:30 & 10:30, Plaza Library. Toddlers ages 18-36 months can listen to a 20-minute story time followed by a craft. 816.701.3481

Officer Buckle and Gloria Thru Nov 25, 10:00, Paul Mesner Puppet Studio. Office Buckle and his dog, Gloria, teach kids all about safety. 816.756.3500

Shrek: The Musical Thru Dec 30, 10:00, Coterie Theatre. A story of adventure, friendship and ogre love! 816.474.6552

Signing Story Time 10:30, Indian Creek Library. Enjoy stories and learn basic signs to use with your children. 913.971.5235

Coco Salutes Scouts 10:00-4:00, CoCo Key Water Resort. Show your Girl Scout badge and get a $5 day pass today! 816.737.0200

Maranatha Christian Academy Gala at the Lake 6:00, Lake Quivira Country Club. Enjoy jazz music, dinner and a live and silent auction. Tickets: 913.706.8558.

2 FRIDAYIce Terrace Opening Day 6:00 AM-9:00 AM, Crown Center Square. Free skating for early birds on opening day! 816.274.8444

Traditional Holiday Open House Thru Sun, 10:00, Downtown Lee’s Summit. Enjoy free classes taught by participating downtown merchants. 816.246.6598

Pint Size Playtime 10:00, Harris Park Community Center. Bring kids ages 1-5 to the gym for fun indoor playtime! 816.969.1540

Jazz Storytelling 10:00, American Jazz Museum. Introduce your child to new music and different cultures in this program. 816.474.2929

Excerpts from KC Ballet’s Nutcracker 6:00, Bolender Center. Peek behind the curtain for a free 90-minute open rehearsal! KCBallet.org

First Fridays 7:00-9:00, Crossroads Art District. Enjoy art in the Crossroads! KCCrossroads.org

Women of Faith: Celebrate What Matters Today (7:00) & tomorrow (9:00 AM), Sprint Center. A transformational event! WomenOfFaith.com

Owl Prowl Today & tomorrow, 7:30, Ernie Miller Park. Hear an informative talk featuring two live owls and hike through the park. 913.764.7759

3 SATURDAYSanta’s Wonderland Thru Dec 24, 9:00, Bass Pro Shop. Enjoy an interactive play area, write letters to and visit Santa and make crafts. 816.795.4300

Clay Handprint Day 9:00, Ceramic Café. A free hand or foot impression for your infant or toddler today! 913.383.0222

Enter KC Parent’s ticket giveaways valued at $385! Details on pg. 22.

It’s another cherished tradition — holiday shopping at

Zona Rosa. Come experience the thrill as thousands

of colorful lights transform Zona Rosa into a

glittering wonderland of winter magic. The

annual Northern Lights ceremony, sponsored

by Citizens Bank & Trust, blazes to life just

before 6 p.m. on Saturday, November 17. But

the fun begins earlier with a 50-foot-tall

Christmas tree and golden crowns cheerily

hung above the streets. Be sure to join

Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, live reindeer and

the Kansas City Museum’s Fairy Princess

as we kick off the holidays with special musical

performances and a host of family-friendly activities.

Bring your list and check it twice. As your traditional gift-

shopping stop, you know Zona Rosa will treat you right.

Food, fashion, friends and more – find it all at Zona Rosa.

For more information, visit us at www.zonarosa.com.

8640 North DixsoN AveNue • kANsAs city, mo 64153 816.587.8180 • www.zoNArosA.com

Zona Rosa is located at the intersection of Interstate 29 and Barry Road, minutes from Kansas City International Airport and downtown Kansas City.

a world away from the ever yday

Come Alive At ZonA RosAtraditions traditions

holidayholiday

NortherN Lights • saturday, N

ovember 17, 5 p.m.

midnight shopping hAppens FRidAy, no

vembeR 23Rd!


Wilderness Run 9:00, Shoal Creek Living History Museum. This is a fun and challenging cross-country run. Sign up! 816.792.2655

Holiday Dress Up Event 10:00, Children’s Orchard (Olathe, Indep & KCMO). Perfect looks for the holi-days at perfect prices. ChildOrch.com

Christmas Pioneer Style 10:00, National Frontier Trails Museum. Join us for a children’s Christmas art workshop! Pre-reg req’d. 816.325.7575

Summit Fair Kids Club 11:00, Summit Fair. Enjoy entertainment by Radio Disney and hands-on activi-

ties for free! 816.607.5420

Devin Henderson’s Comedy Magic Show 1:00, Kansas City Improv. All ages are welcome to attend this entertaining show! 816.759.5233

4 SUNDAYDaylight Savings Time Ends Remember to fall back by turning your clocks back one hour.

Special Swim Experience 9:00, Matt Ross Community Center. Join other families and indi-viduals with disabilities for a special swim time. 913.895.6350

First Sunday Family Fun Day Noon, KC Museum. Come celebrate winter holidays from around the world. 816.483.8300

Pet Lovers Day Noon, Ceramic Café. Bring in your 4-legged friends and get their paw print on a 4x4 tile for just $5. 91.383.0222

Fall Public Group Hayrides 2:30, Oak Ridge and SM Park. Bring your group to ride a tractor-drawn hay wagon, sit around a campfire and drink apple cider. Pre-reg 913.831.3355

5 MONDAYJohnson County Art Fest Thru Nov 18, 9:00, Ernie Miller Nature Ctr. See our annual tribute to local art-ists in Johnson County. 913.764.7759

Midtown Playgroup 10:00, Westport Roanoke Community Center. Enjoy a social atmosphere at our indoor playground area. 816.784.5200

Toddler Time 10:00, Bonner Springs Community Center. Bring your toddler in to jump and have some fun! 913.422.7010

Jazz on the Square 5:30, Corbin Theatre. Sit back and enjoy listening to some of the best jazz musi-cians around! 816.439.4400

Family and Friends CPR 6:30, Olathe Medical Center. Learn basic CPR skills for the adult, child and infant. 913.791.4312

Into the Woods Jr & Tales from Hans Christian AndersenThe Culture House | Nov. 8-10

kcparent.comnovember 2012 43

6 TUESDAYFree Play Cedar Ridge Christian Church. Daily free play for young children while you enjoy a coffee break. 913.393.3000

Santa Express Belton, Grandview & KC RR. Tickets on sale now for train rides with Santa on Dec 1 and 8. $14. 816.331.0630

Kidscape 10:00, Johnson County Museum. A hands-on exhibit for kids to experience a suburban streetscape. 913.715.2550

Legoland and Sea Life 10:00, Crown Center. Purchase tickets and prepare for a one-of-a-kind experience at either of these venues. CrownCenter.com

Pinocchio Time 10:00, Puppetry Arts Institute. A long-running special exhibit in celebration of the 130th anniversary of Pinocchio. 816.833.9777

7 WEDNESDAYGym for Me 9:00, Lenexa Community Center. Chil-dren ages 5 and under are invited to run, ride and play while making new friends! 913.541.0209

Open Play 9:00, Stanley Presbyterian Church. On the first Wed of each month, bring the kids, toys and your to-go cup of coffee! 913.681.8180

Family Story Time 10:00, KCK Main Library. Fami-

lies are invited to our story time every Wednesday! 913.551.3280

Priscilla Howe Storyteller 10:00, Tomahawk Ridge Community Center. Little ones will love Pris-cilla’s imaginative tales. 913.327.6645

Animal Tales 10:30, Ernie Miller Nature Center. Visit the nature center for stories, songs and surprises geared to preschool children. 913.764.7759

Facebook Friends and Family Night 5:00, Para-dise Park. “Like” Paradise Park on FB and receive huge savings on these special days. 816.246.5224

8 THURSDAYFall/Holiday Shopping Specials Thru Sat, 8:00, Downtown Excelsior Springs. Shops stay open late and offer specials on merchandise and prices. 816.630.6161

Holiday Boutique Thru Sun, 10:00, OP Convention Center. Come shop unique vendors to dress up the holiday season! PatRihaProductions.com

Marillac’s Enchanted Forest Thru Sun, OP Convention Center. A festive display of trees and wreaths benefiting the children of Marillac. Free. 913.951.4308

2-for-1 Fall Production Thru Sat, 7:00, Youthfront Auditorium. The Culture House performs Tales from

Hans Christian Andersen and Into the Woods Jr. 913.393.3141

The Cardigans Thu-Sun thru Dec 16, 8:00, Chest-nut Fine Arts Center. Features pop music from the ’50s that everyone will enjoy! 913.764.2121

9 FRIDAYCooking a Gingerbread House Elms Resort and Spa. Learn how to cook and make a gingerbread house from an executive chef! 816.630.5500

Mistletoe Madness Craft Show Today & tomor-row, 9:00, Gamber Center. A craft show that’s just in time for the holidays! 816.969.1580

Story Time 10:30, Shawnee Books & Toys. Bring in the kids to participate in our weekly story time. 913.962.1428

Coco Salutes Scouts 10:00-4:00, CoCo Key Water Resort. Show your Boy Scout badge and get a $5 day pass today! 816.737.0200

YMCA Kids’ Night Out 5:00 (Paul Henson), 5:30 (Miami County) & 6:00 (Atchison & Blue Springs). Enjoy a night out while the kids have fun! KansasCityYMCA.org

Friday Family Night 6:00, Cool Crest. Enjoy arcade tokens, pizza and drinks and unlimited KidsGym Playland for an unbeatable price! 816.358.0088

VIEW ALL 15 ANNIVERSARTY EVENTS ATCERAMICCAFEKC.COM

95TH & MISSION ROAD

913.383.0222

CELEBRATIONNOV. 10 & 11

15th ANNIVERSARY

ALSO, NOVEMBER IS A GREAT TIME FOR MAKING

HOLIDAY GIFTS!

NOW OFFERINGCLAY PLAQUES

200 East 14th Avenue, North Kansas City, MO

(816) 256-4646Regular Hours: Mon-Fri: 12-7pm, Saturday: 12-4pmFind us on Facebook at YBS, Gift Cards Now Availablecribs• swings • car seats • strollers • floor toys and more!

Join us for face painting, balloon animals and treats!

20% offHUGE Veteran’s Day Sale

November 10th & 11th Special Sale Hours:

10am-4pm

YOUR BABY STORE


Big Night Out 7:00, Shawnee Park and Rec. Plan to attend this one-night marriage enrichment event! 913.631.5200

Cinderella Today & tomorrow, 8:00, Folly Theatre. Purchase tickets and enjoy a performance of a clas-sic tale. 816.474.4444

10 SATURDAYYouth Achievement Badge Midwest Genealogy Center. Boy scouts will have the opportunity to earn the American Heritage Merit Badge! 816.252.7228

Home for the Holiday Antique Show 9:00, Riverfront Community Center (Leavenworth). Great antique treasures are waiting! 913.682.4113

Homemade Holidays Craft Show 9:00, Ottawa Middle School. Get an early start on holiday shopping with more than 125 craft vendors! 785.242.8618

First Thanksgiving 9:30, Ernie Miller Park. Learn about the Mayflower, Native Americans and the try-ing times at Plymouth. 913.764.7759

Kids-a-Cookin’ Jo Co K-State Extension. A hands-on cooking lesson for kids ages 7-12. 913.715.7000

Ollie’s Birthday Paradise Park. Celebrate the birth-day of our mascot, Ollie the otter, and enjoy balloons, discounts and birthday fun. 816.246.5224

Anniversary Celebration Today & tomorrow, Ceramic Café. Help us celebrate 15 years! Free 4 x 4 tile painting; we’ll use tiles for an anniversary wall. 913.383.0222

Veteran’s Day Sale Today & tomorrow, Your Baby Store. Face painting, balloon animals and HUGE sav-ings! Special sale hours 10:00-4:00. 816.256.4646

Kids’ Fun Fest 10:00, KC Zoo. Join us for fun as we celebrate red pandas! 816.513.5800

Mother Nature Reads 10:00, Lakeside Nature Center. Hear a story, learn cool facts about the ani-mal of the month and make a craft. 816.513.8960

Open Play Noon, Elite Gymnastics & Aquatics. Kids can jump in foam pits, swing on rope swings, play in our tree house and much more! 913.469.5554

YMCA Kids’ Night Out 5:00 (Platte County North & South, Independence, Prov/Ball, Richard C Green, Sr) & 6:00 (Red Bridge). Enjoy a night out while the kids have fun! KansasCityYMCA.org

City Tree Lighting and Holiday Open House 5:30, Downtown Weston. Enjoy late night shopping, carolers and Father Christmas. 816.640.2909

Mom & Son Shenanigans 5:30, Irene B French Comm Ctr. This night includes Wii bowl-ing, free-throw shooting and other wacky games. 913.322.5550

SANTA TRAIN RIDES

Belton, Grandview & Kansas City Railroad Co.502 Walnut • Belton, Missouri • 64012

816-331-0630 • www.beltonrailroad.org

Check website for last minute seats available.

Kids under three FREE

Departures are 9 am, 11 am,1 pm and 3 pm, Sat., Dec. 1 and

Sat., Dec. 8 2012.

$14 for anyone 3 and older.Reservations begin Nov. 1

Prepaid, nonrefundable reservations are required. Online reservations only.

(on a parent’s lap)

Santa Train

Mommy&Me DayTuesday, November 13TH

Reggie the MagicianCraft Project Door Prizes

10 AM - 12 PM

OFF YOUR ENTIREPURCHASE*

12DM040

*For in-store use at U.S. Toy Stores only with free Preferred Customer Card. Reduction taken at register. Limit one coupon per customer per visit. Cannot be combined with other offer or discount. Excludes Lego, Playmobil, Thomas the Train & Chuggington product. Not valid for purchase of gift cards. Other restrictions may apply. EXPIRES 11.30.12

2008 W. 103rd Terr.Leawood, KS 66206

913-642-8247www.ustoy.com

15%


KC Youth Ballet Fall Concert Today (7:30) & to-morrow (2:00), Bolender Center. This elite performing ensemble presents a showcase of ballets. KCBallet.org

¡Sofrito! 7:30, Lied Center (KU). A Latin blend of storytelling, music, dance and audience participation. $14-$26.785.864.2787

11 SUNDAY: VETERANS DAYFall Fling 5K and Fun Run 7:30, Legacy Park. Bring out the whole family or come with friends for a great morning at Legacy! 816.969.1500

Vets Day Run 9:00, Shelter 9, Wyandotte County Lake Park. This race is for all and honors the veter-ans among us. PsychoWyco.com

Holiday Boutique 10:00, OP Convention Center. Come shop unique vendors to dress up the holiday season! PatRihaProductions.com

Dramatic Story Time 2:00, Plaza Library. The Cote-rie Theatre invites children to join in on an interactive story time! 816.701.3481

Veterans Day Celebration 4:00, Veterans Memo-rial Park. Join us in honoring all men and women who have served or are currently serving our country. 913.631.5200

12 MONDAYOperation Christmas Child Collection Week Thru Nov 19. Fill a shoebox for a child in need this holiday season. SamaritansPurse.org

Tracing the Trumans: An American Story Thru Dec, 9:00, Truman Library. Learn about two famous local families: the Trumans and Wallaces. 816.268.8200


Moms FREE Monday 10:00, Paradise Park. Moms are free at the Children’s EduTainment Center with a paid child’s admission. 816.246.5224

Rhyme Time 10:15, Indian Creek Library. This is an interactive language enrichment program for children ages 12-24 months. 913.971.5235

Leavenworth County Veterans Day Parade 10:30, Downtown Leavenworth. The largest Veterans Day observance in the nation west of the Missis-sippi! 913.682.4113 13 TUESDAYToddle Time 9:00-11:00, Matt Ross Community Center. Open playtime for ages 5 and under. $1-2/child. 913.895.6390 Mommy and Me Day 10:00, US Toy. A fun day

Open 7 days a week, including holidays

HOURS:Monday - Saturday:

11 a.m. - 10 p.m.Sunday:

Noon-8p.m.

Visit www.parkplaceleawood.com/ice/overview for more info, or call 913.663.2070

Great for groups, parties, field trips, company outings, and youth groups!

Opening for the season November 15th!


that includes a craft, Reggie the magician and door prizes! 913.642.8247

Story Time 11:00, Ceramic Cafe. Listen to a story and paint a piece of pottery to go along with the story. Snack, too! $8.50-$9.913.383.0222

Family Night 4:00, Little Monkey Bizness. Let your

little ones monkey around in our indoor play area at a discount. 913.631.7000

Family Game Night 5:30, Shawnee Books and Toys. Enjoy demos of classic and new fun games. Enter to win a free game at the end of the evening. 913.962.1424

14 WEDNESDAYPop N Play 9:00, Jo Co Museum. Join us for activi-ties designed for your 9-month- to 3-year-old child. 913.715.2550

Stories for Ones 9:30, Waldo Library. Bring your 1-year-old to a story time. 816.701.3486

Family Story Time 10:00, KCK Main Library. Fami-lies are invited to our story time every Wednesday! 913.551.3280

Youth Arts and Crafts 4:00-6:00, Garrison Com-munity Center. Ages 7-14 can make creative projects and bring them home to show Mom or Dad. Free. 816.784.1140 15 THURSDAYFall/Holiday Shopping Specials Thru Sat, 8:00, Downtown Excelsior Springs. Shops stay open late and offer specials on merchandise and prices. 816.630.6161

Tales for Tiny Tykes 9:30 & 10:30, Plaza Library. Toddlers ages 18-36 months can listen to a 20-min-ute story time followed by a craft. 816.701.3481

Opening Day 11:00, The Ice at Park Place. Bring the family to Johnson County’s only outdoor skating rink. 913.663.2070

Officer Buckle and Gloria Thru Nov 25, 10:00 &

TURKEY WATCHINGBurr Oak Woods Nature Center (1401 NW Park Rd., Blue Springs, MO) 816.228.3766, MDC.mo.gov. Admission: FREE Burr Oak Woods Nature Center is home to wild turkeys, and the Bird Watching Center is a wonderful observation room where families can watch the birds strut and gobble!

TURKEY MAGICIANNov. 10, 2:30-3:30, at MCPL Excelsior Springs Branch, 816.630.6721November is a time for traditions. Did you know magicians have a few traditions of their own? Find out what wisdom wizards pass on to each other, and see if your neighborhood magician can remember all the stories he’s been told, or if he’s just a turkey with a magic wand! 8 Silly Rabbits magic needs lots of help from kids who love books and know lots of stories, so be ready to join the show!

PINT SIZE TURKEY DAYNov. 16, 10:00-Noon. Must register. Harris Park Community Center, Lee’s Summit, MO, 816.969.1500Come have a gobble gobble good time! There will be fun activities, crafts and a snack! For ages 1+. Cost: $5 until Oct. 30; $6 thereafter.

TURKEY BOWLINGLine Creek Community Center & Ice Arena, 5940 NW Waukomis Dr.Saturday, Nov. 17, 2:00-4:00. $5 includes skate rental.The Pilgrims would have wanted you to skate, bowl on ice and throw snowballs, just for the fun of it. Come one, come all—and maybe win your Thanksgiving turkey!

TURKEY TROTThanksgiving morning, 9:00, English Land-ing Park, Parkville, 816.213.0243, ParkvilleTurkeyTrot.orgParticipate in the 24th annual Parkville Turkey Trail Trot! 5k run, 9:00; 2-mile walk, 9:15. Note: No dogs or strollers allowed in either event.

TURKEY TIME It’s turkey time, Kansas City! Gobble up loads of fun with theses events.

A Christmas Carol | KC Repertory TheatreNov. 16-Dec. 26


Noon, Paul Mesner Puppet Studio. Officer Buckle and Gloria teach kids about safety in this fun tale. 816.756.3500

Baby and My Day Out Noon, Brush Creek Com-munity Center. Bring your child, 5 and under, to play, make crafts and meet new friends. 816.513.0730 Highlights Tour 2:00, Nat’l Frontier Trails Museum. See aspects of western settlement through a 30-minute guided tour. 816.325.7575

Dickens Performs Christmas Carol 2:00, The Elms Hotel & Spa. The great-great-grandson of literary genius Charles Dickens performs on stage! 816.630.5500

Holiday Open House Thru Sat, Park Place (Leawood). Enjoy deals, promotions, food, wine, trunk shows and more! 913.381.2229

Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony 6:30, Ronney Justice Center Plaza. This program is designed to help disadvantaged families of Liberty. 816.439.4360

16 FRIDAYSt. Nick Photos Mady and Me. Celebrate the season with photos by Kia Bondurant.KiaBondurant.com Best Little Arts and Crafts Show Today & tomor-row, 10:00, Sermon Center. Shop more than 120

TICKETS: www.coterietheatre.org (816) 474-6552

OCT 30-DEC 30

2012

A story of adventure, friendship and ogre lovethat’s bringing ugly back!

This holiday season, bring your family to Independence, Missouri. With festive family friendly activities, a visit to Independence is fun for all ages. Christmas with the Trumans, pioneer-style holiday celebrations, twilight tours of historically decorated homes, an indoor ice rink and shopping on The Square are sure to put you in the holiday spirit. For a list of activities and to plan your trip, go to www.visitINDEPENDENCE.com.

No need to stress about family coming to visit...relax,

play with your kids and enjoy fall!

$25 OFF YOURFIRST CLEAN

holiday special

CALL US FOR YOUR HOUSE CLEANING!


vendors for arts & crafts! 816.325.7370

Pint Size Turkey Day 10:00, Harris Park Commu-nity Center. Have a gobble gobble good time with us! Crafts, snacks and more! 816.969.1540

Story Time 10:30, Shawnee Books & Toys. Bring in the kids to participate in our weekly story time. 913.962.1428

Mayor’s Tree Lighting Downtown Lee’s Summit. Kick off the holiday season with our traditional light-ing of the mayor’s Christmas tree! DowntownLS.org

Simple St. Pat’s Fun

Englewood Art Walk 5:00, Englewood Station Shopping District. Enjoy 11 galleries, meet and greet artists on the spot and relish refreshments. EnglewoodStation.com

Friday Night Family Fun 6:30, Plaza Library. Join us every Friday night for fun activities the whole family can enjoy! 816.701.3481

Parents’ Night Out 6:30, McCracken’s Gymnastics. Kids participate in group games and fitness activities in the gym. Pizza and drink included. 913.782.8555

A Christmas Carol Thru Dec 26, 8:00, Spencer Theatre. A Kansas City family tradition by the KC Rep Theatre. 816.235.2700

17 SATURDAYTurkey Shoot Free Throw Contest 9:00, Irene B French Comm Ctr. The team with the most made free throws in its age group wins a turkey. 913.322.5550

Family Fun Day 10:00, Johnson County Mu-seum. Make a craft and tour Kidscape for free! 913.715.2550

Nikita’s Birthday Celebration 10:00, KC Zoo. Bring your favorite photo of Nikita and help us make a bear-size collage! 816.513.5800

Scavenger Saturdays 10:00, Kemper Museum of Art. Pick up a self-guided activity and follow the clues on this “ART-astic” adventure. 816.753.5784 Book Sale 10:00, West Wyandotte Library. There will be books for all ages to purchase at great prices! 913.596.5800

Storytelling: Tellabration 10:30, Ernie Miller Park. Hear nature stories featuring live animals at the park today! 913.764.7759


Shrek the Musical | The Coterie Theatre | Thru Dec. 30

All Aboard the Midland Railway!

Dec 1 & 2, 8 & 9

Fares:$15 for adults 12+ $8.00 for children1 to 11 years old.

Tickets now available online!

Santa Claus Express

Departures: 10 am, 1 pm, 3 pmSanta Fe Depot, 1515 High St., Baldwin City

• Take your child’s photo with Santa in his special rail car!

• Souvenir Shop for Christmas Train Gifts

913.721.1211www.midlandrailway.org

The Nutcracker Ballet that tells the true story of Christmas.

For tickets & showtimes call 816-767-9222 or online at

DramaticTruth.org

Nov. 29-Dec. 1, 2012YouthFront Theater

4715 Rainbow Blvd., Westwood, KS

New this year,

“Clara’s Tea” Join us at Henry's Tearoom

on Sunday, Nov 18th. More details at

DramaticTruth.org

Presents…

Dramatic Truth _Parent.indd 1 10/15/12 4:37 PM


Turkey Bowling 2:00, Line Creek Community Center Ice Arena. Skate, bowl on ice and possibly win your Thanksgiving turkey! 816.513.0760

Christmas Tree Lighting and Holiday Open House 4:00, Independence Square. Santa visits, enjoy a kids’ wonderland and see the tree lighting at 6:00! 816.461.0065

Christmas Parade in Lights and Tree Lighting 4:00, Excelsior Springs Cultural Museum. A lighted parade featuring Santa and a horse-drawn carriage! 816.630.6161

Holiday Lighting Ceremony 5:00, Zona Rosa Town Square. Santa Claus, Mrs Claus, live reindeer and much more at this special ceremony. 816.587.8180

Tree Lighting Ceremony 6:00, Legends Outlets. Join the fun as the lights are turned on and Santa arrives for the holiday season! 913.788.3700

The Very Merry Schtickmas Show Thru Jan 1, Martin City Melodrama. Get into seasonal silliness with our salute to the holidays. 913.642.7576 18 SUNDAYFall Savings At Paradise Park, purchase a $25 or more gift card and receive a free attraction thru Dec 23. Paradise-Park.com

New Exhibit 9:00, Powell Gardens. “Adventures in

Toyland” is a new exhibit to come see until Dec 31. 816.697.2600

Clara’s Tea 1:30, Henry’s Tea Room. A special event that includes lunch, tea, sweets and photos with dances from Mystery of Christmas. $30. 816.767.9222

19 MONDAYMommy and Me Bumper Bowling 9:30, Summit Lanes. Bumper bowling for moms & tots! $3/ea in-cludes game, shoe rental and drink. 816.524.3322 Kidscape 10:00, Johnson County Museum. A hands-on exhibit for kids to experience a suburban streetscape. 913.715.2550

Purchase Tickets The Nutcracker Tea Party is Dec 1 & 2 at the Ritz Charles. Purchase tickets and reserve your spot today. 913.322.6467

Shrek: The Musical Thru Dec 30, 10:00 & Noon, Coterie Theatre. A story of adventure, friendship and ogre love! 816.474.6552

Indoor Playground 2:00, Mill Creek Activity Center. Every Mon, Wed and Fri, children 18 months to 5 years can play at our facility! $3. 913.826.2950

Yu-Gi-Oh Tournament 4:00, Lucile H Bluford Li-brary. Bring your desk and your game and get ready to Yu-Gi-Oh! 816.701.3482

Family Day 1920s Style!

November 23rd

10 am - 4 pm

For full program information visit,www.toyandminiaturemuseum.org

Find us on Facebook!

• • • • • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • • • • •See our new Art Deco miniature!

join the crowdi.

More Johnson County first-time college freshmen choose JCCC over Kansas four-year universities. www.jccc.edu


CBE Hall of Fame Classic Today & tomorrow, 6:30, Sprint Center. See some of the best college basket-ball teams compete! SprintCenter.com

20 TUESDAYSt. Nick Photos Kia Bondurant Studio. Celebrate the season with photos by Kia Bondurant.KiaBondurant.com Pinocchio Time 10:00, Puppetry Arts Institute. A long-running special exhibit in celebration of the 130th anniversary of Pinocchio. 816.833.9777

Breastfeeding Support Group 1:00, Olathe Medi-cal Center. Hosted by a lactation consultant who can support and guide you. 913.791.4200 Junie B in Jingle Bells Batman Smells Thru Dec 29, Union Station. Theatre for Young America performs! TYA.org

21 WEDNESDAYFree Play Cedar Ridge Christian Church. Daily free play for young children while you enjoy a coffee break. 913.393.3000

Weekly Story Time 10:00, Barnes and Noble (Town Center Plaza). Bring your little ones out to hear a special story time each Wednesday. 913.491.4535

Breastfeeding Support Group 1:00, Liberty Hos-pital Education Center. Hosted by a lactation consul-tant who can support and guide you. 816.781.7200

Youth Arts and Crafts 4:00-6:00, Garrison Com-munity Center. Ages 7-14 can make creative projects and bring them home to show Mom or Dad. Free. 816.784.1140

99.7 The Point’s Christmas in the Sky 5:00, Longview Lake Beach. Enjoy local celebrities, holiday music and amazing fireworks! 816.503.4800

Christmas in the Park Thru Dec 31, 5:30, Longview Lake. 300,000 Christmas lights transform the park into an enchanted winter wonderland. 816.503.4800

A Christmas Carol Thru Dec 26, 7:00, Spencer Theatre. Purchase tickets for this Kansas City family tradition by the KC Rep Theatre. 816.235.2700

22 THURSDAY: THANKSGIVINGTurkey Trot 7:00, River Road (Atchison). Participate in a family-friendly walk/run. 5K or 8K options avail-able. 913.367.4948

Lighting Ceremony 6:45, Country Club Plaza. A favorite tradition to kick off the holiday season in Kansas City! 816.753.0100

Moonlight Magic 10:00, Legends Outlets. Stores open for Black Friday shopping and remain open all night. LegendsShopping.com

23 FRIDAYMidnight Shopping Zona Rosa. Huge savings and tons of fun at this shopping extravaganza. ZonaRosa.com

Santa’s Crayola Christmas Land Thru Dec 31, Crown Center. Photos are available for a fee, or visi-tors can take their own pictures. 816.274.8444

Family Day 10:00, Toy & Miniature Museum. 1920s family fun day at the museum. See the NEW Art Deco miniatures. ToyAndMiniatureMuseum.org

Jack and the Beanstalk Today & tomorrow, 11:00 & 2:00, Puppetry Arts Institute. Purchase tickets for $5/person. 816.833.9777

Drop N’ Shop 1:00, Platte County South YMCA. Drop off the kids for an afternoon of fun and get a jump start on holiday shopping. 816.505.2622

Holiday Luminary Walk Today & tomorrow, 5:00, OP Arboretum. Stroll down candlelit trails to see the nighttime woods. 913.685.3604

Lighting Ceremony 5:30, Crown Center. See one of the nation’s largest trees be lit for the season. CrownCenter.com

24 SATURDAYPhotos with Santa Weekends thru Dec 23, Leg-ends Outlets. Shop, see the lights and get a picture with Santa. 913.788.3700


Children’s Theater in KC

For over 500 great family-friendly places to visit in KC plus a whole section featuring family-friendly shows, pick up a copy of KC Going Places.

Coterie Theatre 2450 Grand Blvd., Suite 144 Kansas City, MO 64108 816.474.6785 CoterieTheatre.org

Folly Theater300 W. 12th St.Kansas City, MO 64105816.842.5500FollyTheater.com

Theatre for Young AmericaUnion Station30 W. Pershing Rd., Suite 800Kansas City, MO 64108816.460.2083TYA.org

JCCC Performing Arts Series12345 College Blvd.Overland Park, KS 66210 913.469.4445 JCCC.edu/Performing-Arts-Series

Hot Tips:Consider purchasing or requesting season tickets this holiday season; it’s a gift that will foster your child’s love for the arts and create sweet memo-ries for the family.

Feel free to bring along a camera to take pictures before and after shows, but note that most productions request that no photography take place during performances.

Mother Nature Reads 10:00, Lakeside Nature Center. Hear a story, learn cool facts about the ani-mal of the month and make a craft. 816.513.8960

Officer Buckle and Gloria Thru Nov 25, 11:00 & 2:00, Paul Mesner Puppet Studio. Officer Buckle and his dog, Gloria, teach kids all about safety. 816.756.3500

Christmas at Lanesfield Saturdays thru Dec 29, 1:00, Lanesfield Historic Site. See the school deco-rated for an old-fashioned Christmas! 913.893.6645


25 SUNDAYVisits with the Fairy Princess Thru Nov 29, Noon, Zona Rosa Celebration Station. Children share their holiday wishes with a princess! 816.587.8180

Fashionable Victorian Christmas Thru Dec 30, 1:00, Vaile Mansion. The mansion abounds in ruffles, lace, ribbons, velvet and more! 816.229.8293 26 MONDAYSanta Express Belton, Grandview & KC RR. Tickets on sale now for train rides with Santa on Dec 1 and 8. $14. 816.331.0630

Gym for Me 9:00, Lenexa Community Center. Chil-dren ages 5 and under are invited to run, ride and

play while making new friends! 913.541.0209

Café and Playland 9:00, Kaw Prairie Community Church. Kids can enjoy the playland while parents enjoy conversation and coffee. 913.764.5722

Moms FREE Monday 10:00, Paradise Park. Moms are free at the Children’s EduTainment Center with a paid child’s admission. 816.246.5224


A Very Fifties Christmas Thru Dec 31, 1:00, John-son County Museum. The 1950s All-Electric House is decorated for the holidays! 913.715.2550

While it’s been said that “all the world’s a stage,” one would be remiss not to check out

the rich theater life Kansas City has to offer! From musicals to dramas, com-edies to tragedies, the stage provides a platform to express some of life’s biggest themes through artistic means. Children’s theater, more specifically, provides the younger crowd an op-portunity to gain initial exposure to the arts, with the hope of educating, engaging and entertaining even the littlest audience members. Kids’ series are built with kids in mind, providing comic relief, banter with the audience and a slew of other silly surprises.

Before You GoCheck out the current series list-

ings for kids’ theater in Kansas City and you’ll find that a broad variety of acts are hitting the stage. Several shows are based on popular children’s books, providing you the perfect opportunity to read with your child prior to at-tending a show. Ask your child how he imagines characters look and act, then come prepared to see the the-ater company’s portrayal of the same characters. Call ahead to see whether there will be any pre-shows, cast meet-and-greets or special presentations (pre- or post-show) and plan your time accordingly.

While You’re ThereNow’s the perfect time to instruct

your kids in some basic theater eti-quette! Inform them that their partici-pation in a show affects the actors’ (or musicians’) performances, as well as other members of the audience. Encourage them to listen carefully, laugh, respond when called and clap after the performance is done! The Coterie provides Viewer Guides within its playbills with additional information about each show, as well as online viewer guides that can be viewed before or after shows. And speaking of playbills—hold on to yours! They are perfect for getting cast autographs!

After You’ve GoneMany kids wonder where they

can sign up to be in a show after viewing just one. Fortunately, they’re in luck! Coterie Theater and Theatre for Young America offer workshops and classes to train budding stars and starlets. Local organizations such as the Culture House are specifically geared toward training youth in theater, art and music, as well. Have a wallflower? Encourage your theater lover to put on his own show at home with friends or siblings, complete with concessions and homemade playbills.

Lauren Greenlee is currently reading through the Little House on the Prairie series with her two boys in preparation to see the Laura Ingalls Wilder show at the Folly. She writes from her home in Olathe.

out & about

KCGOINGPLACES.COM 1


PLAY!GET OUT &


FUN FAMILY DINING

DISCOVER BURIED TREASURE

SLEDDING, SKIING & SKATING!

GP Fall Winter 12.indd 1

9/15/12 2:29 PM

Busytown at JCCC


Indoor Playground 2:00, Mill Creek Activity Center. Every Mon, Wed and Fri, children 18 months to 5 years can play at our facility! $3. 913.826.2950

27 TUESDAYToddle Time 9:00-11:00, Matt Ross Community Center. Open playtime for ages 5 and under. $1-2/child. 913.895.6390

New Exhibit 9:00, Powell Gardens. “Adventures in Toyland” is a new exhibit to come see until Dec 31. 816.697.2600

Story Time for Twos 9:30, Westport Library. Seasonal stories, songs, videos and other learning activities for children 2 and younger. 816.701.3488 Family Night 4:00, Little Monkey Bizness. Let your little ones monkey around in our indoor play area at a discount. 913.631.7000

28 WEDNESDAYPop N Play 9:00, Jo Co Museum. Join us for activi-ties designed for your 9-month- to 3-year-old child. 913.715.2550

Stories for Ones 9:30, Waldo Library. Bring your 1-year-old to a story time geared toward this age group. 816.701.3486

Family Story Time 10:00, KCK Main Library. Fami-lies are invited to our story time every Wednesday! 913.551.3280

Winter Reading Sale 10:00, Indian Creek Library. Pick up lots of materials to get you through the winter at our reading sale. 913.971.5235

Kids’ First Aid 6:00, Harris Park Community Center. Kids ages 7-12 can learn how to handle first aid emergency situations. 816.969.1540

A Christmas Carol Thru Dec 26, 7:00, Spencer Theatre. Purchase tickets for this Kansas City family tradition by the KC Rep Theatre. 816.235.2700

29 THURSDAYFree Play Cedar Ridge Christian Church. Daily free play for young children while you enjoy a coffee break. 913.393.3000

Pinocchio Time Thru July 2013, 10:00, Puppetry Arts Institute. A long-running special exhibit in celebration of the 130th anniversary of Pinocchio. 816.833.9777

Shrek: The Musical Thru Dec 30, 10:00 & Noon, Coterie Theatre. A story of adventure, friendship and ogre love! 816.474.6552

The Game’s Afoot Thru Jan 20, 6:00, New Theatre Restaurant. It’s a murder mystery and comedy combined! 913.649.7469

30 FRIDAYStory Time 10:30, Shawnee Books & Toys. Bring

in the kids to participate in our weekly story time. 913.962.1428

31st Annual Candlelight Home Tours Thru Sun, 5:00, Weston, MO. Bring the whole family to share in this beautiful tradition. 816.640.2909

PJ Party with St Nick 6:00, the Grove. Santa makes his formal arrival with a fun PJ party for the whole family! ZonaRosa.com

Mystery of Christmas 6:30, YouthFront Theater. Dramatic Truth presents a version of the Nutcracker that tells the Christmas story. 816.767.9222

Handel’s Messiah Thru Dec 2, 8:00, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. This majestic choral masterpiece kicks off the holiday season! Tickets.KCSymphony.org

Dancewith special guest belleFriday, February 8, 2012, 6-9 pmand saturday, february 9, 2012, 6-9 pmProvidence Community Church10113 Lenexa Drive 913.307.0710www.providencecommunitychurch.net

all inclusive:price includes jack stack dinner for

dads and chick-fil-a for the girls, photo with belle and flower. $60 per

couple ($10 for each additional child). no tickets will be sold at the door.

All net proceeds will be donated to Providence

Community Church’s partnership with the Forest

Avenue Family Shelter in Kansas City.

daddy & daughter

space is limited. tickets must be purchased in advance.

For TONS moreholiday events, including places to see Santa and Christmas light displays, log onto KCParent.com.

A CountrySchool Christmas

Sat., Dec. 1st

1:00-4:00 p.m.

Join us for a traditional1904 Christmascelebration!*A visit from Santa Claus completes the afternoon (bring your camera!)*Make traditional Christmas tree decorations*Christmas caroling*Storytelling with JoHo*Write an old- fashioned letter to Santa with pen and ink!

Drop in throughout December and see the school decorated for an old-fashioned Christmas! Practice your penmanship, and learn howChristmas was celebrated in 1904. Make an ornament.

Lanesfield School18745 S. Dillie Road • Edgerton, KS

913.893.6645 • www.jocomuseum.org

FREE


Dentistry for infants, children, teens and all those with special needs

• Comprehensive pediatric dental care including orthodontics

• Low radiation digital x-rays

• Individualized oral health education

We Welcome your children to our Warm, fun environment, Where every child is

treated With personalized care.

Dr. John T. Fales, Jr. 13496 S. Arapaho Drive • Olathe, KS 66062

913.782.2207 • 913.489.0028 Fax www.KIDZDENTIST.com

find us on facebook


Todd Bolender’s The Nutcracker is the heart of Kansas City’s holiday season! As soon as the lights dim, you’ll be transported to a magical place. From the magnificent sets and costumes to the acclaimed Kansas City Symphony playing Tchaikovsky’s wondrous music, you’ll witness some of the most glorious dancing on earth.

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR WILLIAM WHITENER

GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY AT KCBALLET.ORG OR BY CALLING 816-931-2232.

Presented by

Kauffman CenterF O R T H E P E R F O R M I N G A R T S

At the renowned

FOLLOW US

Sponsored in part by:

Dancer: Arielle Espie. Photography: Kenny Johnson.

kcb-nut12-kcparent.indd 1 10/10/12 3:22 PM



O P E N D A I LY | 816.513.5800 | kansascityzoo.org

HELZBERG Penguin Plaza

Opening late 2013!

KANSAS CITY ZOOKANSAS CITY ZOOKANSAS CITY ZOO

The Kansas City Zoo, a private, non-profit organization is operated in agreement with the Kansas City, MO Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners, partially funded by the Zoological District in Jackson and Clay Counties in MO, and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

TIGER TERRACENow Open!

2013 FOTZMEMBERSHIPSAvailable November 1st!



Documents

KC Parent Magazine November 2012