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Is There a Quick Fix for Shyness

Back in my advertising days, the company I worked for forced us to take the Myers-Briggs personality test.

When the results were tallied, we were instructed on how to use the information to communicate more efficiently with one another. The extroverts were basically taught how to handle us introverts with kid gloves. The introverts, on the other hand, were provided with zero instruction on how to deal with extroverts – which pretty much told us that as introspective folks we were weird freaks of nature that needed to be put in a cage and studied by our louder counterparts.

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Lois Lowry's The Giver Comes to the Stage

When I heard last fall that Metro Theater Company would be putting on a performance of The Giver, one of my favorite books growing up, I was thrilled. It had been several years since I had read the book, and I wasted no time in revisiting it (again). I was a bit surprised to find that my perspective had shifted a little bit, with a more muddled mixture of hope and despair carrying me through the book than I remembered. It is a quickly engrossing novel, and I am excited for the day when I can share it with my own kids.

Lois Lowry’s book The Giver, which won the Newberry Medal in 1994, is a science fiction novel for children ages 10 and up. Set in a futuristic (though familiar) world, it is the story of a boy named Jonas who lives in a safe and seemingly perfect Community. Everything in it is well-controlled, from the climate to the genetics of the individuals to the very language they use with one another. They value sameness above all else.

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Doing Our Part for the Good of Science

In the mail the other day I received a letter asking if I’d be willing to sign my son up to be poked and prodded for the good of science. His clinic is participating in a study about asthma, and because he’s been treated for breathing problems a couple of times, they wanted to take a look at him.

He’ll get a free medical workup and I’ll have to answer a bunch of questions. But, because his clinic is in the control group, he won’t get any special treatment, drugs, or information. All we get (aside from a little stipend) is the feel-good knowledge that we have helped doctors learn a bit more about a medical problem that affects thousands of children around St. Louis.

If you have a baby younger than 6 months of age, you can do your own part for the good of science by signing up to be part of a control group in an autism study. Washington University is part of the Infant Sibling Study, a nation-wide look at babies who have an older sibling with an autism diagnosis as well as babies who have an older sibling who is typically developing.

The study’s local organizers are actively seeking children in that latter group, according to Beth Prusaczyk of the Washington University Medical Center.

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Eagle Fever Will Keep You Warm This Weekend

Your kids likely see images of bald eagles lots of places, but you can take them to see the real thing at several events this month in and around St. Louis.

Eagle Days is one of the most anticipated outdoor events of the year. Don't let the chilly weather stop you from venturing outdoors. The sights are well worth it (and there are warming tents too).

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From the Kennedy Center to COCA

If you’re looking for a delightful way to spend some time together as a family in January, especially if you have young children, take in COCA’s production of Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical.
 

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Art Was the Answer

Greg Miller and his wife, Heather, first founded My Handyworks in Broken Arrow, Okla., in the mid-2000s soon after the birth of their first child. At that time, the couple was creating lion and fish designs using handprints and footprints, and selling their creations via craft shows.
 

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My Application to Become a Real Housewife

To Mr. Andy Cohen, Senior Vice President of Original Programming and Development for Bravo:

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Battle of the Video Games

Worried about how many video games your kids have played over the holiday break?  Based on conversations at the Y’s family swim this afternoon, my mom friends practically had to drag their sons out for some actual exercise.

My boys went to the pool willingly enough – probably because they’d had their fill of Wii hockey and Angry Birds (and they can’t find the Nintendo DS). It’s kind of amazing how much time they can spend with screens if you let them.

And while you should boot your kids off the couch now, there are plenty of benefits of computer games.

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Baby Blues and the Powerful Placenta

Like 85 percent of new moms, Erica Heslop suffered the baby blues after the birth of her first child. When she became pregnant with her second, this mom and nurse vowed not to let post-partum gloom steal a moment of happiness again.

Explained Heslop, “After I got pregnant with Drew, I looked back on my first weeks with Jay and realized that my mood swings, fatigue and tearfulness had clouded my early time with him. My husband even referred to the shower as my ‘sobbing box’ because every time I would shower, I would cry. I wanted the time after our second child’s birth to be less crying and more joy.”

Heslop’s solution: placenta encapsulation.

Now, in all honesty, when Heslop mentioned the practice to our moms’ group, I gagged a little. All I could picture was a placenta simmering in the crockpot with some Lipton’s onion soup mix. But the more she shared the benefits of encapsulation, the more I began to respect the practice. Instead of serving up the placenta with a side of au jus, Heslop explained, it’s cooked, dried and formed into caplets for taste-free ingestion, restoring necessary hormones that are lost within three to five days of giving birth and helping reduce the risk of the blues.

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Six Stories About Teens That Captured Our Attention in 2010

By Russell Hyken

My work with teenagers and their families provides a unique perspective on the state of the world. I spend days listing to the profound, as well as the improbable, reasonings of 14-year-olds, and I find that most teens have a sense of the bigger picture. I also believe that most will go on to do truly great things.

Many Top 10 (or in this case, Top 6) lists mention stories about teens that have caught the nation’s attention. These are stories that caught my attention as a counselor – they got teens talking and shaped the culture of 2010.

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Counting the Calories in Three Glasses of Holiday Sangria

Last night my mom and I indulged in a pitcher of spiced apple cider sangria at Onesto in South City. It was so tasty that we each drank several glasses, and before we knew it, we’d polished off the whole thing. About three glasses each.

After the very pleasant buzz wore off, I started wondering if we’d overdone it. Not in terms of alcohol – it wasn’t that strong, and we left the alcohol-infused apples in the pitcher! – but in terms of calories. Would I have to short myself on cookies for a day or two to make up for all the sangria?

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Top Pop Culture Moments of 2010 According to Mom

It’s that time of year again. Magazines, newspapers and blogs are packed with Top 10 lists spotlighting the best and worst of 2010. As a mom who finds little time to break free from the house or crack open a magazine, my list probably isn’t as edgy or cool as others, but hopefully it’s one parents can identify with. Especially if you’re the kind of parent who thinks Real Housewives of Atlanta and a Hostess cherry pie is a rockin’ good time. And if you are that person, wanna hang out sometime?

Tangled hits theaters – It’s hard to find a “girl” movie that boys like too, but Tangled is packed with enough action, adventure and humor to thrill the Y-chromosome sector. I especially liked it for Rapunzel’s spunky hairdo at the end of the film. So much so, that I was about to take a picture of it to my hairstylist, but thought basing my look on a Disney character was borderline obsessive.

Miley smokes the salvia – Like many little girls her age, MJ is a huge Miley Cyrus fan, yet I rarely let her watch Hannah Montana because I’m disgusted by the way Hannah talks back to her dad. However, for any adult with a TV and Internet access, there’s no escaping Miley’s classy stripper pole dancing, 40-year-old man grinding and salvia smoking. MJ, what about liking that nice Demi Lovato? Wait – scratch that.

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A Healthy Holiday Season Despite Asthma

There are lots of reasons to grumble about the weather lately, but for those with asthma, this wintry weather is especially aggravating. Their airways went from 70-degree days to wind chills below zero in just a few weeks. Add that to the usual holiday asthma triggers — dust mites on decorations pulled from storage, mold spores on live trees, fragrances in potpourris and candles — not to mention the usual wintertime upper respiratory infections going around, and it’s no wonder Dr. Susan Berdy’s phone is ringing off the hook.

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The Top 3 Ways to Safety Proof Your Holiday

The season of joy and good tidings also brings some potential safety issues for children of all ages. Dr. Matt Dougherty, Dr. Matthew Doughertypediatrician at South County Esse Health on Tesson Ferry, has some tips for keeping kids safe while celebrating.
 
1. Mind the Decorations

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Cookies and Cupcakes and Then Some

I have a friend who says there are two kinds of people in the world: cooks and bakers. And while my daughter is more of a cook (she prefers her more imaginative concoctions), she loves to help with the baking - cracking the eggs, using the electric mixer, spooning batter into muffin cups. Her interest is beginning to range beyond muffins and brownies these days. In an effort to encourage this, I sought out a good children’s baking cookbook for her - a task that proved more difficult than I expected.

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A Recipe for Creating Traditions from a St. Louis Master Chef

The smells of gingerbread and chocolate chip cookies wafting through house officially signal the arrival of the holiday season. Baking absolutely stands out as a cherished holiday tradition, albeit one that some of us must moderate in order to stay in our current jean size.
 
Vicki Bensinger, a local cook who also teaches in-home culinary classes and has her own cooking blog, says that cooking with your children provides lots of benefits during the holidays and throughout the year. “What I found was that it creates tremendous bonding among all of us,” says Vicki. “My children (now 21 and 24) wouldn’t bicker with each other during our baking times. They would be focused and creative in their own way and have fun together.
 

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Things to Do

Water Waddlers Indoor Drop-In Swim

Stop in and have some fun in the indoor pool at the Lodge of Des Peres with your little one at this drop-in swim time for kids up to age 6. No pre-registration is needed; Water Waddlers is open to residents and non-residents of Des Peres.

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Spring Training Sea Lion Shows at the Saint Louis Zoo
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Friday, March 29, 2024
Saturday, March 30, 2024

See the amazing sea lions at the Saint Louis Zoo perform for the crowd and cheer them on from the bleachers as the popular Sea Lion Spring Training Shows return. You'll see these beautiful animals perform flipper walks, ball balancing, Olympic-style dives on a high-diving platform, lots of splashing and even more surprises! 

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Daytime Playtime at Olympia Gymnastics

Daytime Playtime is an open gym for children ages 2-5 where the possibilities for fun and learning (through fun) are endless! Children will participate in activities that build coordination, strength, balance and self-confidence. They'll develop stronger motor skills, social skills, and take part in theme-based creative activities.

 

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Books for Babies

This special story is geared to little ones ages 6 months to 2 years with a parent or caregiver. In addition to stories, there will be lap bounces, songs, rhymes and more!

 

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COCA Ignites Creativity and Sparks Fun for Kids of All Ages, All Summer Long

Stroll along the Walk of Fame in the Delmar Loop, and you’ll spot the playwrights, actors, and artists who got their start in St. Louis, from Tennessee Williams and Katherine Dunham, to Tina Turner and John Goodman. Just a few steps away and around the corner, a new generation of Gateway City superstars will discover their love for the visual and performing arts this summer.

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Farmer's Market Make Great Family Outings! Here is Your 2024 Guide to Farmers Market Across the St. Louis Area

A trip to the farmer’s market is a fun outing for the entire family – and it can be educational too. Make plans to visit one (or several) of these top St. Louis farmers’ markets this spring and summer, so that you and your kids can learn more about where your food comes from and indulge in some of the freshest, seasonal produce the St. Louis region has to offer. Plus, many of these markets offer activities just for kids, feature food trucks, welcome dogs, and more.    

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Life Lessons Learned at Overnight Camp

With the perfect blend of adventure and responsibility, camp life teaches kids valuable lessons they can use for the rest of their lives. If you send your child to overnight camp, here are some life lessons they are likely to learn.

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Spring Break Camps Offer a Variety of Activities for Kids and Teens in St. Louis

Excitement is building for summer and the wide variety of summer camp experiences available for kids in the St. Louis metro area. But first! Spring break is around the corner, and there are plenty of Spring Break camps now enrolling. 

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10 Reasons Your Teen Might Love to be a Camp Counselor

Day or sleepaway summer camp is the perfect place for teens to transition to the world of the employed. The paycheck is nice, but being a summer camp counselor has other rewards, too.

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