New England Mamas

Summer Fun

School’s out and summer is almost here.  Trying to find the summer camp to fit your kids can be difficult.  Especially if two of the camps they want to attend run the same week!  My girls are doing some sporadic summer camp and other daily activities.  Next week starts our first planned activity of the summer.

Monday, all three girls will be attending Vacation Bible School (VBS).  Ironically, this was their choice, not mine.  A friend runs the program and invited the girls last year.  They attended and have been asking all year when they can go again.  You’d think with going to Catholic school, they’d be sick of religion.  But they love it.  It doesn’t matter what religion you are, you’re more then welcome to attend.  A bonus – there is barely any cost.  Many just ask for a donation.  Check your local churches for some fun activities this summer!

Monday also starts soccer camp.  While the girls will not be attending due to them wanting to go to VBS, I will be there.  One of my responsibilities as soccer VP was acting as a liaison between our soccer league and Challenger Sports.  If your kids are into sports, I highly recommend checking out their website to see if they offer any soccer camps near you.   Our soccer league has used this British soccer company for the past few seasons.  The trainers are highly enthusiastic about the sport and engage the children by introducing the sport in a variety of child friendly ways.   Seriously, check them out!

Monday, I’ll also be hitting the library to sign the girls up for the summer reading program and some craft days.  Einey went once a week for four weeks last year to the library for 1 ½ - 2 hours to make crafts.  She loved it!  This year, I’m signing the girls up for a few craft days, as well as Einey up for some craft days lead by the local girl scouts.  The best part, it’s free!   

Next weekend, Einey is going to one day of Girl Scout camp, or Camporee.  Her troop is not doing an overnight, which is fine by me.  I could send her to a weeklong program at any one of the Girl Scout camps, but there really are not any that are close by.  Plus I’m trying not to do week long programs.  Just enough to give them something to do to break up the monotony of being at home.

The following week, the girls will attend summer camp at their school.  They encourage you to leave their bikes and have a HUGE water slide set up.  Plus there are games and activities and they get to see their friends.   And they are putting in a new playground this week.  They’ve never had one before. Unlike many parents though, I didn’t sign them up for full week sessions, just a few days spread out through out the summer.  There are field trip days as well, but I didn’t send the girls to those.

If your school doesn’t offer summer camp, check your local Rec. department.  They usually offer full day summer programs as well as field trips.  The downside is, at least around here, they are fairly expensive!

Another thing I need to sign them up for is swimming lessons.  We’ve done swimming lessons through the Re. Dept. for the past two years.  The girls have fun and I like that they are learning a life skill.  For us, I feel it’s important that they learn how to swim!  We’ve got our beach passes already and cannot wait for the lake to open for many lazy summer afternoons of swimming.

One program we haven’t checked out, although I know the girls would love, are the week long summer sessions offered by Mad Science.  We’ve been to birthday parties at Mad Science and the girls LOVED them.  Maybe next year!

Another place to look would be your local community college.  The one near our house offers a kid’s academy.  Each week has a theme such as animals, science, cooking, etc.  I’ve heard from friends who have sent their kids that they had a lot of fun.

If being outside is more your style, check out your local Audubon Society.  They offer a variety of activities from guided hikes to summer camps.  Last year, Einey went to their afterschool program once a week.  She really enjoyed learning about nature and   taking hikes.  They looked for frogs, found mice in the bird houses they were cleaning out for the end of winter and looked for salamanders in a stream.

If you can’t find anything through your local Rec. Department, check out your local zoos, aquariums or science centers.  They usually offer a wide variety of summer programs as well, from one day programs to week long summer camps.

So let’s recap, for us, it’s VBS, swim lessons, craft days and school summer camp.  While it may seem like we’re doing a lot, most of these are either only an hour or two a day, once or twice a week or at the end of June and beginning of July.  For most of the summer, it will be widely unscheduled.  The girls want to invade the Cape again this summer and Husband wants to travel to New York – something about exploring caves.  Right now, I don’t know where we’ll end up, except of course, at the playground* and lake.

Now, if I could just convince the local coffee shop to install a playground, we’d be all set!

*The new playground in town is super cool.  Today, we met some school friends (planned and unplanned) for three hours of fun.  This is, apparently, the popular place to be.  This particular playground opened Memorial Day weekend.  It’s a Boundless Playground for kids with and without handicaps.  It’s been four years in the making and was well worth the wait!  We’ve been a few times and at first, it seemed overwhelming.  There are so many more people there than we are used to.  Add into the fact that the play structure tripled in size blocks the line of sight you once had.  But it’s new.  And fun.  And there’s shade to rest in.

Sports Personalities

Springtime in New England... the grass begins to take on a faintly greenish hue, the weather only dips below freezing a few nights a week, the birds' feet have thawed out enough to allow them to bombard the birdfeeders with a desperation that is simultaneously sad and hilarious. 

It's also the time of year when outdoor sports become a possibility.  It's not a comfortable, fun excuse to run around in the warm sunshine just yet - that's June - but it does provide the option of sending your children outside in light clothes without risking a visit from Social Services. 

When my daughter was four years old, she fell out of her twin-sized, regulation-height bed onto her carpeted floor and broke her collarbone.  Snapped the sucker right in two.  That put a damper on her ability to participate in any activity that might include physical contact for several months, and it put a damper on my willingness to let her risk that sort of activity for several more.  Then we got caught up in the frenzy which is packing and moving across the state, and thus she was five before we ever considered signing her up for an organized, team sport.

She had already taken beginner swimming lessons, and would continue to do so, but we wanted her to be a member of a team.  There were so many things she could learn: camaraderie, cooperation, patience, shared objectives, small-fish-big-pond...  And, with a little luck, a smidgen of grace and physical self-confidence, both of which her mother lacks in significant quantities. 

So we talked it over, her father and I, and very quickly landed on soccer.  Minimal equipment to start, straightforward rules, the cuteness of a cluster of toddlers bonking off each other on a pretty, green field.  Emily got all dressed in her t-shirt and shorts, shin guards and sneakers, and off we went.

It was a smashing failure.  Emily, for all of her intensity and forcefulness of personality, is not a physically aggressive kid.  In many ways, this is a good thing: we've worked hard to create a violence-free household and we don't want her to push and shove her way to the front of every line.  But in soccer ways, she's too passive; she falls back away from the ball, doesn't run toward her own goal, flinches whenever another player gets too close.  She never scored one goal, the whole summer season, and when asked what her favorite thing was, she replied, "Sitting on the sidelines drinking juice." 

The next summer, then, we cast about for a different team sport.  Emily loves, loves the idea of being on a team, and had experienced the same sort of dementia that I'm having now, when I want to have another baby and have forgotten the frustrating and disappointing aspects of the whole process: "Soccer was great!  I loved it!  It was so much fun!  I was really good at it!"  Self-esteem is not a problem for this child.

After some discussion, we collectively agreed that perhaps she would have more fun in a different sport, and our next attempt has been softball.  She's now in her second season there, and it's going ever so much better.  Softball allows her the physical space she needs to be able to concentrate and not feel intimidated, but still has the team spirit and practice times to help her focus and build some skills that I can't teach her.  I'm not in love with the league, what with the surprise last-minute fees and righteousness of some of the other team parents, but it's working for us.  For now.

We went through a similar trial-and-error process when we wanted to give Emily an outlet from some of her creative energy, of which she has plenty.  Dance lessons were not a success, because, well, she is her father's daughter.   (Have you seen that man dance?)  But art lessons have gone over very well, and provide for a good wintertime activity.

And now our son is almost four and is entering into the sports mindset, himself.  We're starting with soccer, again, because he insists that he wants nothing but.  He's a far less aggressive child, personality-wise, than my daughter, so it will be very interesting to see whether he is physically more self-confident.  I'll be sure to stock some extra juice for the sidelines, just in case.

---

Cross-posted at One More Thing.

 

I Have No Shame.

Ah, spring! This past week has finally started looking a little less like winter here in New England, and people from Maine to Connecticut are walking around with smiles on their face. The garden stores are opening up, eager buds are popping out on the plants and trees, and one afternoon - go ahead and laugh, you non-New England readers - I even drove around with my windows open!

All sorts of living creatures are making their spring appearances and while some are welcome, others are decidedly NOT. I've spent the week dealing with a visit from one of the unwelcome varieties of small critter. Not the woodpeckers, although they are back. Nope, not any 4-legged animals, like mice or raccoons. Unfortunately, our little visitors are of the 6- legged variety, and as I've been wading through all the treatments and advice and home remedies, I've learned a lot about how to deal with Our Friend: The Louse.

One thing I have noticed now that I am a member of this special club is how many people still feel a sense of shame and panic when their kids get lice.  When the first case appeared among our acquaintances a few weeks ago, I spent hours on the phone with a friend listening to her freak out after her child was sent home from school with an itchy head.  I felt a ton of sympathy for her, and I hope I was helpful in talking her down from the ledge a little bit, but while I could identify with the panic part of what she was feeling, I didn't understand the shame she obviously felt.   

Now that we have it in our house, I still don't get it.  Panic?  Sure - you want to be done with this never-ending combing and laundry NOW, and when it still isn't eradicated you feel frustrated that you have to start all over.   I wasn't sure why it didn't bother me at all if people knew, though, until I called my mom and told her about my awful week.  She replied, "Remember when your sister got it? "

Suddenly, it was clear to me.  I didn't remember it that much, because it was no big deal to my family.  Maybe it was a reverse class thing, because my dad was a doctor and we caught it from my cousin via a ritzy high-class gymnastics camp, but I just never thought it was anything to be ashamed of.  Getting lice was like getting poison ivy - a bummer, a bit painful, and even though it took you out of circulation for a while, it was just bad luck.

A quick spin around the internet will show you that lice are universal.  It is a myth that only "dirty" people get them.  People from all walks of life have the little buggers hitch a ride onto their heads and into their homes.  Heck, even the Countess from "Real Housewives of NYC" had to deal with them.  Of course, her kid had international jet-set lice, but I digress.

This post is really for those of you parents who have yet to experience the thrill ride that is a lice infestation.  Chances are good that you will experience it at some point in your child's school years.  If (when) it happens to you, just remember that "louse" is not a dirty word.  You have nothing to be ashamed of.  Really.

Instead, do what I've done:  shampoo, treat, comb, pick, bag, wash, repeat.  Do your best to eradicate it, be patient and diligent, and try not to dwell on where your child picked it up.  Repeat after me: "Catching lice is not a moral failure."  Then go play the lottery, because you are totally due for a change of luck!

Before Cabin Fever Takes Over. . .(Part 2)

(for Part 1, see here)

The weather is nasty (again), and my house is now an indoor track, karate studio and jungle gym.   The kids have turned all the couch cushions into a trampoline.  The play silks are a fort.  So far, I can handle this.  But, when I can't, we're going to NESA.

NESA is short for New England Sports Academy in Westwood.  Located about a mile down the road from the University Avenue T-stop, NESA offers classes in loads of active sports including  gymnastics, dance, karate, soccer, baseball and fencing.

But, it isn't a class I want----I want unstructured, no-holds-barred, loads-of-room-to-run play time.   NESA also has this most days of the week.

Open Gym is offered almost daily (times vary by day); it is a good idea to call ahead to confirm a date and time (781-493-6345).   Please note that there is NO Open Gym this Sunday, March 2, nor on Saturdays.  The cost per family is $15 on weekdays and $25 on weekends.

What I like about NESA is that families are encouraged to play together.  Help your kids built a fort with the large padded ramps, blocks and tubes.  Play a game of basketball.  Swing from the Tarzan ropes and fall into the foam pit.  Race on the artificial turf in the soccer room.  Show your kids you CAN still do a cartwheel.   There is even a separate toddler play space with a slide and smaller equipment.

If you are lucky, they'll run themselves ragged and fall asleep on the way home. 

The Festival of Christmas Lights at La Salette Shrine

On Saturday night we went to La Salette Shrine in Attleboro, MA to take in its Christmas Festival of Lights.

This amazing display of more than 300,000 lights  has been a tradition for over 50 years at La Salette.

It truly is spectacular... there are seemingly endless illuminated Christmas displays  on over 10 acres of land.

Our little group consisted of me and my husband Steve, my parents, Audrey and her three boys, and my 13-year-old cousin (what a trooper - he pushed Alex's stroller the whole time, despite his fingertips being nearly frostbitten... but 13-year-olds are too cool for jackets, you know!).

We arrived at La Salette at 4:30 PM, just as daytime turned to dusk. It was perfect because we were able to see all the lights turn on at 5 PM, to the cheers and delight of the entire crowd.

In fact, if you take the trip to La Salette for the Christmas Festival of Lights, I would highly recommend you arrive before 5 because as we left at 5:30, the line of cars to get in was well over a mile long!

One of the reasons that the Christmas Festival of Lights is such a popular destination - aside from its tradition and beauty - is that parking and admission is... are you ready for this?

FREE!

You really can't do better for an outdoor winter activity with the family that happens to celebrate the season.

There is also an area where you can light a candle for $3, which Steve and I did, in honor of our incredibly loved and missed dog, Bismarck. Here's Steve lighting the candle (see his reflection in the glass?):

I'm just glad I was appropriately dressed:

(Sorry, had to include the sign...)

- Jane

Cape Cod in the Fall

One of the things I love about living on Cape Cod is the way the people leave at the end of August. Don't get me wrong - I'm not a tourist-hater - but the drop in population (and traffic) is always welcome. Since we moved here almost 8 years ago, the year-round population has increased to almost 250,000 residents spread throughout the Cape. In contrast, I read a recent article that said almost 6 million people visit the Cape each year, which is roughly equivalent to the entire population of the state of Massachusetts!

With this kind of population explosion and contraction each year, many businesses shut down for the off-season. Over the years that we have lived here, I have discovered many year-round places to enjoy, but if you are thinking of coming here for a visit, I recommend coming in the fall. September and October are great down here - the weather is mild, still hot enough for the beach at times but cooler at night. The seasonal businesses don't begin shutting down until the end of October. You can drive up to almost any restaurant, park right in front, and be seated immediately, no matter how crowded and exclusive it may be in the summer months.

The best part is the great outdoors. Right now, it's green and lush outside, but in a few weeks, the colors will start to come out. The cranberry bogs will turn scarlet, and the trees will flame, and a walk around the bog in the back of our house will be a new adventure for my kids. The bugs that make slogging through the woods miserable for them will go away, and as the undergrowth thins out the kids are happy once again to go poking around for rocks and leaves and twigs - treasure!

If you are thinking of coming to the Cape in the fall with your kids for outdoor fun, The Insider's Guide to Cape Cod website has loads of information. There are conservation areas and walking trails all over the Cape. One of our favorite places is the Botanical Trails in Yarmouthport. You can also find guides on the websites of most towns under conservation or recreation. For example, here is the list of downloadable PDF files for various Barnstable trails.

For rainy days, there are other options, such as the Cape Cod Children's Museum, but honestly? Some of the best nature walks I've had with my kids have been on these not-too-warm, not-too-cold drizzly fall days ...just like today!

Labels: activities, children's museums, Fall, Massachusetts, recommendations, things to do with the kids, wildlife