Skip to main content

Style Magazine

our kids

I Promise To...

Dec 31, 2008 04:00PM ● By Super Admin

The beginning of January is the traditional time we pledge to lead healthier, happier, more fulfilling lives in the year ahead. Making New Year’s resolutions helps formalize our personal goals of behavioral change, and hopefully provides the motivation we need to stay on track past February. But resolutions aren’t just for grownups. Annual goal setting also can be helpful for kids and adolescents who face increasing responsibilities at home, in school and in their community. To help celebrate the New Year, we asked a few local kids to share their poignant, funny and inspiring resolutions for 2009. ...Zack's resolutions“My first promise is to keep my room clean! Really, when was the last time I cleaned out the area under my bed? Or the corner at the back of the closet? I promise to fight these messes with my entire being! Another promise is to start liking deviled eggs. I think they’re too tart. Of course, who can forget the promise about wearing socks for only two days! After that, they might get stained for life! So, I vow to change them every day. What about my piggy bank, though? It must not be empty at any time! I might want to go buy a snack. I resolve to become a better money saver! Other things are important too, though. I resolve to help at my community church more often!”— Zack, Age 127th Grade, Charter Community Home Study, Placerville...If your child hasn’t made any New Year’s resolutions yet, it’s not too late. Helping children set goals can be a fun and enlightening experience for the whole family. You may be surprised to hear what they have prioritized for 2009!For more local kids' New Year's resolutions be sure to pick up this month's copy of FoothillStyle. Check out the Distribution tab on this Web site for some of our newsstand locations. Or, to order a copy of this issue, please email Gloria Schroeder at [email protected], or call her at 916-988-9888 x116.

Read More »
Family Philanthropy

Nov 30, 2008 04:00PM ● By Super Admin

Each day, hundreds in our community receive a helping hand from volunteers who understand that supporting others is truly one of life’s greatest pleasures.Yet the delicate balance between ongoing needs and the resources available to help can easily be upset. As we witness in today’s challenging economy, more and more people are being forced into a position of hardship. At the same time, local charities are reporting a decline in private and corporate donations, and fewer volunteers as well.As a result of an increased push in volunteerism to support our overtaxed community services system, local families are finding that volunteering together can be as rewarding for them as it is life-changing for those they help.Helping Others is a Family AffairVolunteering as a family can be a meaningful, shared experience that brings families closer together as well as teaches both children and parents valuable life lessons about empathy, diversity and social responsibility.Lending a hand to those less fortunate can also help the entire family appreciate how blessed they are to have simple luxuries such as shelter, food, clothing and good health.Encouraging family philanthropy is the goal of Hands for Hope, a youth-driven outreach program started in March by El Dorado Hills mom Jennifer Bassett. The group, now 75 kids (and families) strong, works with Powerhouse Ministries in Folsom, as well as local schools and food banks to meet various community needs.Bassett hopes the program’s immediate and growing popularity will have a long-term impact on local families. “The benefit of getting these young kids involved is that they will grow up with compassion for others,” she says.“We are helping raise a generation of children who are already inspired by knowing what they can do to make a difference. Volunteering will just be a part of their lives.”For more family volunteering resources be sure to pick up this month's copy of FoothillStyle. Check out the Distribution tab on this Web site for some of our newsstand locations. Or, to order a copy of this issue, please email Gloria Schroeder at [email protected], or call her at 916-988-9888 x116

Read More »
Birthday Bashes

Oct 31, 2008 05:00PM ● By Super Admin

So your child’s birthday is less than a month away. The pressure’s on to make his or her special day both unique and memorable, but you’re fresh out of ideas… and time. To help get the creative juices flowing, we asked one of the area’s best resources, the El Dorado Mother of Multiples (EDMoMs) club, for input on the latest party trends and locations. Boasting members from Rocklin to Placerville with a total of more than 450 kids, this group knows birthdays.GRADE SCHOOL (ages 5-9)At this age, boys and girls typically like different things and prefer separate parties. Case in point, boys in second grade tend to be deathly afraid of the color pink and anything having to do with ‘High School Musical.’ For many parents, helping their child plan an at-home, themed birthday party is a cherished honor that stretches their creativity without stretching their wallets. Popular themes include: Camp Out/Western; Pajama Parties; ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s Dances; High School Musical; Beach/Luau; Princess/Pirate; and Sports Night.Off-Site AttractionsSTAR ECO Station – at this Rocklin wildlife rescue center, partygoers can learn about ecology and environmentalism while surrounded by endangered reptiles and exotic birds. ecostation.org.John’s Incredible Pizza – Roseville’s ultra-cool party place offers a full birthday experience of glow golf, bumper cars, mini roller coasters, games and, of course, pizza. johnspizza.com. Penryn Oaks Stables (penrynoakstables.com) or The Grace Foundation in El Dorado Hills (thegracefoundationofnorcal.org) both offer unique horse-themed party packages. For more great birthday party ideas including ideas for children of all ages be sure to pick up this month's copy of FoothillStyle. Check out the Distribution tab on this Web site for some of our newsstand locations. Or, to order a copy of this issue, please email Gloria Schroeder at [email protected], or call her at 916-988-9888 x116

Read More »
Time To Vote

Sep 30, 2008 05:00PM ● By Super Admin

Talking politics isn’t pretty. Issues get complicated, passions heat up and friends can get their…er…underthings in a wad rather quickly. You’d think it’d be easy, but it can be even more daunting to discuss politics with your kids. Let’s face it, some political campaigns make playground arguments look like elevated discussions of policy. But depending on how you look at it, it can pose a challenge or serve as an opportunity.Of course, the depth of the discussion will be determined by the age and maturity of the child. A five-year-old may simply want to know whom to root for, while a 15-year-old may want to learn more about a proposed property tax initiative for a new school, because her’s is overcrowded and the outcome will directly affect her. And, that depth will also be determined by your knowledge. If you find yourself saying, “go ask your mother/father,” maybe study up a little. A good starter resource is the Easy Voter Guide, published by the League of Women Voters. The League’s Lisa Fredrickson says it’s designed to be a CliffsNotes of sorts for voters. “It’s written very simply. Our effort is to try to take the highlights (of each candidate and issue), provide a basic overview and refer people to where they can get more information,” says Frederickson. As for addressing an issue with your child, Fredrickson has her own approach. “Focus on an issue or two that gets your child’s attention. One of my daughters is very interested in the environment, so I’ll sit down and research with her, right down to finding the candidate who supports the issues that matter to her.” Some parents are quite politically aware, but that doesn’t mean that they have their kids watching Meet the Press and taking notes. Greg Jones is a member of the El Dorado Republican National Committee and volunteers for various campaigns, and for his 10 year-old and six year-old, the political tutorials from dad come sparingly. “My kids know that I’m involved in politics, but I try to let their interest evolve at its own rate,” says Jones. With as many things as a typical kid has going on in his or her life, Jones’ belief is to let them be interested in things at their own pace. Jones says, “If it’s politics one day and sports another, that’s fine. I never want to cram politics or anything down their throats.” For older kids, Syreeta Harada, a political science professor at Sierra College says a good approach is to show them “that politics are very much a part of their daily lives.” To illustrate this point, Harada gives students a handout that she says shows “from the time they awake to the sound of the garbage truck from the waste management government department, until they go to sleep, secure under the services provided by the local police department, their lives are intertwined with the government.”What about explaining the consistent chasm - like differences in opinion that pervade politics? Harada says parents should identify with their own family values and show how that leads to a decision to support one candidate or issue over another. But, she also says it’s important to demonstrate that perception matters. “Show children that one candidate isn’t necessarily better than another, but that they are both unique and have different perceptions on how to govern.” Ah, Good luck with that one!And if all else fails, try this simple suggestion from the Web site for New York University’s Child Study Center (aboutourkids.org), they say the best way to talk to kids about politics “is the same way you talk to them about any other subject: with understanding, patience, and encouragement to ask questions.”Come to think of it, that’s a good way for adults to talk about politics, too.

Read More »
Preschool

Aug 31, 2008 05:00PM ● By Super Admin

To say that young children are impressionable is a blatant understatement. From birth to age five, the physical framework and wiring of a child’s brain develops largely based upon his or her experiences during those early years.Quality experiences are the goal of First 5 California’s investment of nearly one billion dollars into affordable, quality preschools for all. First 5 Executive Director Kris Perry explains, “A series of studies over a period of 40 years shows that children who participate in high quality preschool programs are less likely to be in the court system, are less likely to require social services, are more likely to graduate from high school and college, and are more likely to make higher earnings.”  Experts say it’s the basic lessons learned in preschool that set the stage for success in school, and in life. ...Preschool and Kindergarten Readiness ProgramsParents researching preschool choices will find hundreds of private preschools in the Greater Sacramento area. For eligible families, the federally-funded Head Start or State Preschool programs provide free early education and kindergarten preparedness classes. In Placer County, the Eureka Union School District has teamed with Star Enrichment to offer economical year-round preschool and/or kindergarten readiness programs at Maidu, Oakhills and Olive Ranch schools in Roseville/Granite Bay and Foskett Ranch School in Lincoln.And over the summer, free transitional programs offered through county school districts give future kindergartners a chance to visit their new school, spend time in group circles and meet their new teacher. El Dorado County’s summer camps are provided at five different schools, and the county’s First 5 commission produced a video called “Off to School: Kindergarten is Cool,” available on the county Web site. ...<hr>For more Preschool Information, be sure to pick up this month's copy of FoothillStyle. Click on the "Get Your Copy" link on the bottom of this page for some of our newsstand locations. Or, to order a copy of this issue, please email Gloria Schroeder at [email protected], or call her at 916-988-9888 x116.

Read More »
Separation Anxiety

Jul 31, 2008 05:00PM ● By Super Admin

Just three months ago, your child was still a child – just finishing high school and relying upon you for their basic needs. But now, August is upon us, and it’s time to see your high school graduate off to start the great journey they call “college.” You may be anxious, and, despite their excitement, your teen may experience some unsettling feelings as well. Leaving for college is a time of transition and often, a time of great anxiety: separation anxiety. Though separation anxiety first occurs in babies and toddlers, it can reoccur during major separation in adult life, such as leaving for college. “For college freshmen, separation anxiety is a very real concern,” says Karen Adrian, LMFT of El Dorado Hills. She also notes that although some students may acclimate quickly to their surroundings, others may experience intense anxiety that is difficult to manage. Our experts say that feelings of separation anxiety are completely normal, and according to Tisa Starr, LMFT with offices in Auburn and Roseville, your teen may feel a mix of emotions. “The biggest time of individuation from parents is when a child leaves for college, and they realize ‘I am fully responsible for me now.’ That can be very frightening,” says Starr. Although students may grow excited as they prepare to leave, they may also feel a sense of loss. They realize, “My time of being a kid is over.” “When you’re having that conversation of ‘goodbye,’ remind your child that this is an exciting time, but that it’s normal to feel a sense of loss when making a change. Try to normalize any feelings of separation anxiety but leave the door open so that if it gets excessive, the child knows to talk to you or seek help,” advises Andrea Orr, LMFT with a private practice in Roseville. “Open and honest discussion is important,” adds Adrian. In the event that your teen experiences excessive anxiety, he or she may be experiencing separation anxiety disorder. In this case, students may need professional help, and they can make an appointment at their school counseling center for additional support. Ultimately, the best way to deal with separation anxiety is to talk about it, Star advises the teens whom she works with. “Remember that everyone is probably feeling the same thing, so find someone to start a dialogue with so that you won’t feel so alone,” she says. Experts suggest that parents do some of the following to help teens deal with normal levels of separation anxiety: State your confidence in your teen’s ability to make it.Encourage them to engage in activities that develop confidence, life skills and maturity.Be available when your teen initiates phone calls to you.Let them know that they are always welcome at home, but help them focus their time and energy on school.Find resources to help you as a parent understand the situation. Orr recommends I’ll Miss You Too, by Margo Bane Woodacre and Steffanie Bane. If your teen is not entirely open to talking about his or her anxiety, Sue Baldwin, LMFT of Cameron Park, encourages parents to look for signs. “Some frequent signs your child might be suffering from this disorder include sudden reluctance or change of heart about going away to school. Nightmares with separation themes or unreasonable fears of danger to their parents or other loved ones are some common symptoms. In addition, physical symptoms such as headaches, stomachaches or nausea may occur.” Baldwin goes on to say that, “this is the time when seeing a counselor would help the teen identify unconscious fears, begin to identify their strengths and regain their enthusiasm for this new adventure.” Have a conversation with your teen before they go and acknowledge that anxiety is normal. Then, hug them goodbye and encourage them to move forward so that they can embark upon the great journey into adulthood. <hr>For more parent resources related to teen separation anxiety, be sure to pick up this month's copy of FoothillStyle. Click on the "Get Your Copy" link on the bottom of this page for some of our newsstand locations. Or, to order a copy of this issue, please email Gloria Schroeder at [email protected], or call her at 916-988-9888 x116.

Read More »
Exploring Autism Treatments

Jun 30, 2008 05:00PM ● By Super Admin

As global researchers scramble to identify the factors that lead to autism spectrum disorders, local families report that new treatments and therapies, while not "scientifically" proven, are helping their children recover from autism.

Read More »
Style Magazine
Tolerant Children

May 31, 2008 05:00PM ● By Super Admin

At a young age, children are taught the “golden rule,” the simple directive to treat others as you would like to be treated.During adolescence, that command is still useful in teaching kids tolerance, an important life skill that sadly, many adults never learn. As we’ve seen throughout history, intolerance creates barriers of ignorance and fear that can lead to personal biases, discrimination, hate crimes and yes, even war. As ominous as all of that sounds, the good news is that intolerance is easily prevented through education. In order for our children to enjoy a more peaceful world, as well as succeed as individuals in school, work and life, they must first learn tolerance. For more on teaching your child tolerance, be sure to pick up this month's copy of FoothillStyle. Click on the "Get Your Copy" link on the bottom of this page for some of our newsstand locations. Or, to order a copy of this issue, please email Gloria Schroeder at [email protected], or call her at 916-988-9888 x116.

Read More »
Upcoming Events Near You
Style Media Group