Tickle Me Elmos, video games, gift cards, batteries not included: The holiday season of today is hardly recognizable to generations before. We reminisced with visitors at the Colorado Springs Senior Center about Christmases past, what has changed, what will never change and their favorite childhood memories.

Maynard “Bud” Gallentine, age 90, five generations give him great-great-grandchildren

What kind of activities did you do when off school for the holidays?
Especially on the farm, because in the morning and in the afternoon you’d have chores, you’d only have a small window in the middle of the day … We used to find places where the snow melted and then froze and go skating. Then it would melt again and the kids would get soaking wet. We played basketball in the winter time. The cold didn’t stop activities on the farm, or anybody for that matter. We just piled on clothes. We didn’t think we had to be fashionable.

Did your family have a tree at home?
My grandfather had some evergreens, and you cut your own. It might only have been the top of the tree or even a limb. Nobody bought trees in those days. You had to know someone who had them. In those days, we never had electricity. We strung popcorn at school and then made garlands. That’s what you decorated your tree with.

Do you remember any of your favorite presents?
When I was 12, I got a shot gun. Of course, we lived on the farm. I got an erector set, too. It came with an electric motor by we didn’t have electricity, so we got a little crank to make it work.

CLICK HERE to read the full text of this article, which published in the December 2009 Pikes Peak Parent magazine.

Anyone who thinks running a smooth household or organizing a family is easy, or that it’s not “real” work, has obviously never attempted the task. In reality, family management is a full-time, 24-7-365 job, one that many parents ― especially moms ― struggle to pull off with aplomb and their sanity intact.

“I struggle with the clutter everywhere, the toys everywhere. I struggle with meals, the act of cooking them with the baby crying. I struggle with time management. A lot of our time goes into just driving,” explains Sarah Matos, the mother of two small boys, a part-time student and part-time nurse. “I need some help.”

Thankfully for Matos, she found her lifeline when she was introduced to Cari Pemberton, a certified Family Manager Coach who hosts workshops around town and offers one-on-one consultation. Matos has taken advantage of both, breathing a sigh of relief that there is someone out there professionally trained to help. Laundry, grocery shopping, birthday parties, homework, school activities: Permberton’s business, The Clutter Cutters, takes every facet of a family manager’s work seriously and offers real-world systems to make the home run smoothly.

“Absolutely, it’s work. The family manager creed that states this is the most important job in the world,” says Pemberton. The Clutter Cutters is based on the work of renown author Kathy Peel, who first recognized that the principles of running a business also apply to running a family. Coaches are job trainers, helping family managers create happy and efficient systems in each of seven categories, including organization, finances, family and friend relationships, self care and more.

CLICK HERE to read the full text of this article, which published in the September 2009 edition of Pikes Peak Parent magazine.

Anyone who thinks running a smooth household or organizing a family is easy, or that it’s not “real” work, has obviously never attempted the task. In reality, family management is a full-time, 24-7-365 job, one that many parents ― especially moms ― struggle to pull off with aplomb and their sanity intact.

“I struggle with the clutter everywhere, the toys everywhere. I struggle with meals, the act of cooking them with the baby crying. I struggle with time management. A lot of our time goes into just driving,” explains Sarah Matos, the mother of two small boys, a part-time student and part-time nurse. “I need some help.”

Thankfully for Matos, she found her lifeline when she was introduced to Cari Pemberton, a certified Family Manager Coach who hosts workshops around town and offers one-on-one consultation. Matos has taken advantage of both, breathing a sigh of relief that there is someone out there professionally trained to help. Laundry, grocery shopping, birthday parties, homework, school activities: Permberton’s business, The Clutter Cutters, takes every facet of a family manager’s work seriously and offers real-world systems to make the home run smoothly.

“Absolutely, it’s work. The family manager creed that states this is the most important job in the world,” says Pemberton. The Clutter Cutters is based on the work of renown author Kathy Peel, who first recognized that the principles of running a business also apply to running a family. Coaches are job trainers, helping family managers create happy and efficient systems in each of seven categories, including organization, finances, family and friend relationships, self care and more.

CLICK HERE to read the full text of this article, which published in the September issue of Pikes Peak Parent magazine.

In the morning rush of busy back-to-school families, it’s easy for important things to get lost in the shuffle. Things like matching socks, freshly brushed hair and where the car keys are. But while they save time, processed and plastic-wrapped faux food or a few bucks for hot lunch ― which might wind up in the vending machine for all you know ― are never a substitute for a healthy lunch packed at home.

“A healthy lunch is so important because their minds are learning a lot of new things. Feeding the body with nutrients can help them stay alert,” says Marissa Cuevas, a registered dietitian with Colorado Springs Health Partners and the mother of one school age son. “Good nutrition and learning are linked.”

She assures busy parents that a few easy tips can make packing a lunch for your child quick and relatively painless.

No food group left behind
A believer in the dietary guidelines for Americans, called My Pyramid by the USDA, Cuevas makes sure that her son’s lunch contains at least three of the five food groups. (Those five are grains, vegetables, fruit, dairy and protein.)

“The goal is to consume for school lunches nutrient-dense foods. Nutrient-dense foods are the foods that provide a considerable amount of vitamins and minerals but with fewer calories,” she says. Nutrient-dense foods are usually the least processed food possible, the closest to what is was in nature. What nutrient-dense foods aren’t are most snack food products ― soda, potato chips, cookies ― which are both low on nutrients and high in calories.

CLICK HERE to read the full text of this article, which published in the August 2009 Pikes Peak Parent magazine.

By Kate Jonuska

Whether it’s mowing lawns, babysitting or selling lemonade, summer break has always offered school-free children the exciting opportunity to have their first small jobs, making a little money and getting their first taste of responsibility. And for many animal-loving kids, summer vacation is the perfect time to spark up a career in pet sitting, specializing in taking care of friend’s or neighbor’s animals and homes while they’re out of town.

“I love animals, and since I love them so much, I don’t mind taking care of them, feeding them, taking them for walks,” says 12-year-old Zoe Schaefer, an incoming eighth grader who a has pet sit — mostly for dogs — for the past two years. “Even with the extra money, I don’t really go for the money. I just want to spend more time with animals.”

Leta McWilliams, an 11-year-old going into sixth grade who regularly cat sits, agrees that the appeal is mostly in the pets themselves. “I thought it would be kind of fun because I like cats and Itchy is really sweet,” she says, stroking her neighbor’s cat, Itchy’s, head. “Sometimes I have to come over once a day or twice a day, and it wasn’t that hard because I got to play with him, too.”

“For Itchy, it’s a treat for him to have Leta over here because Leta babies him,” explains cat owner Gerry Weiss. “It’s a big peace of mind knowing that someone is there because he gets lonesome.”

“It’s a lot like earning money mowing lawns or other small businesses kids manage,” says Ann Davenport, director of community relations for the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region. “Certainly when you’re looking for a pet sitter, someone you know and can be confident with when you’re not around is a good option for you. But very importantly, you want to find someone who can come over first and spend time getting to know your animal while you are there.”

CLICK HERE to read the full text of this article, which published in the July 2009 Pikes Peak Parent magazine.

While other kids were flipping burgers and mowing lawns over summer break, Jordan Brooks was busy playing volleyball, hiding and seeking, hiking and being adored by a group of younger campers at Blue Mountain Ranch near Florissant, the same camp that he went to every summer as a boy.

“Camp was always the highlight of the year for me … I had always just assumed that I would be a counselor,” says Brooks, who is originally from Dallas and is currently a student at Colorado College. “You get to go to camp and get paid for it!  You get to play sports or hike in the woods all day, and you make some of the best friends you’ll ever have.”

“Honestly, I had just as much fun when I was working as a counselor than when I was a camper,” says Abigail Tudor, who will be spending her tenth summer at the YMCA’s Camp Shady Brook near Deckers in 2009, her second year as a counselor after two years of being a counselor in training.

“It has been such an important and influential part of my life,” she continues. “Meeting different kids from all different walks of life gave me a totally new perspective. It was so amazing and touching to see all the kids throughout the summer change, just like I had when I was a kid.”

CLICK HERE to read the full text of this article, which published in the March 2009 edition of Pikes Peak Parent magazine.

By Kate Jonuska

Leaving your precious child in the hands of someone else is the most painful and difficult ordeal a parent can experience, some would say more painful than the birth itself. But seeing that two-thirds of Colorado families require child care in order to work full-time, it’s an ordeal that must be faced by most families.

While the decision of in whose hands to place your bundle of joy will never be simple, local experts in the field offer a remedy for this common parental pain in the form of tips on how to choose a quality provider for your child at any age.

CLICK HERE to read the full text of this article, which published in the January edition of Pikes Peak Parent magazine.

The cliché that “food is love” is especially prevalent through the holiday season, when everything from candy canes and cookies to mashed potatoes and gravy conjures thoughts of family, thankfulness and joy. But in the spirit of “it’s better to give than to receive,” why should the adults be the only ones doling out the love?

While parents may consider cooking large holiday meals a stressful chore, many kids think being in the kitchen is exciting, fun and a chance to give back.

“At home, I like to cook treats and cookies for my mom and for my teachers,” says 10-year-old Ashlee Heinrich, who I met at a recent holiday-themed cooking workshop for kids. “I really like to make breakfast for my family: scrambled eggs or pancakes.”

Ashlee was participating in a class led by Lauren Stuart, who hosts cooking camps for kids ages 10-14 in addition to classes for adults.

“Parents may think that their kids are going to get hurt and that they may not be able to trust them in the kitchen. When you’re a busy parent, you actually often want them out of the way so you can just get dinner on the table,” Stuart explains. “But here, they’re allowed to do whatever they want and be loud and get messy, and they go home confident.”

The confidence, in addition to the food tasted at the end of each session, is definitely nourishing to aspiring cooks.

“It’s been a great experience. I think cooking has become a real hobby for me,” says 13-year-old Lee Pelton. “I’ve learned more than a recipe, but also how bread rises and about food from all different cultures.”

CLICK HERE to read the full text of this article, which published in Pikes Peak Parent on Dec. 1, 2008

It’s a subject that’s usually complex, often passionate and always controversial. It’s a topic that you probably don’t want your child to learn about on the street or from TV. No, we’re not talking about birds and bees, but something almost as volatile and important in your child’s social education: politics.

In this election year, when the presidential campaign invades our daily lives, more families are finding political issues cropping up at home and are using that opportunity to broaden their kids’ political awareness.

“It’s extremely important for them to know about the election,” says Arienne Middlebrooks, mother of two. “As a military family, the election is a crucial part of what happens to our family. My husband may have a shorter deployment, he may not get a big enough raise. Many issues affect us.”

To that end, the Middlebrooks family has done research on the candidates together on the Internet, discussed current events the kids read or see on TV, and have even included them in the voting process in the past, bringing them to the polling place on election day.

For many families, talking about politics and government is an important way to shape a child’s moral character and their perspective of the world.

“It’s our personal belief that just as you pass down your faith, you should help inform your children’s political outlook, explain why we believe what we do,” says Cari Pemberton, mother of this month’s cover models Bethany Salgado, age 12, and Erin Pemberton, age 6.

CLICK HERE to read the rest of this article, which published in the October 2008 Pikes Peak Parent magazine

Most parents pay attention to news about nutrition and can draw a mental picture of the food pyramid. But out in the real world — hacking your way through the consumer jungle that is the modern supermarket —  translating that nutritional knowledge into healthy shopping takes more than just best intentions.

Sometimes, it takes a professional like Mary Peet, a registered dietician with Memorial Health System. At a local King Soopers recently, Peet showed me how to chart a course through that labyrinth of high-fat pitfalls and nutritionally empty black holes.

“How we’re setting up kids now as kids gives them the foundation for being a healthy adult,” says Peet, who assures me even busy parents, with a few tips, can stock their carts for healthy family eating.

CLICK HERE to read more of this article, which published in the October 2008 Pikes Peak Parent magazine.

If being a parent is an adventure, being a single parent is twice the adventure. Doing the job of two people means you have half as much downtime to relax with your family, care for yourself or connect with friends — and twice as many reasons to reach out for support.

“It’s tough out there,” says single mom of three Kristina Sawyckyj. “It’s a challenge in Colorado Springs being a single parent … You see lots of single moms when you take your kids to school and go out and about, but it seems they don’t connect easily.”

Single mom of one Dana Corey agrees. “When I first got divorced, I noticed there’s not a lot of resources out there,” she says. Single parents “need that, too, that way to connect with each other.”

If you’re an overwhelmed single parent, reach out to one of these local resources that understand the challenging adventure of single parenthood, that could perhaps provide a few traveling companions to walk the road at your side.

CLICK HERE to read this article, which published in the Septemeber 2008 PIkes Peak Parent magazine.

Classes teaching real-life skills equip teens for
adulthood’s true challenges
By Kate Jonuska

You’ve graduated high school. Do not pass GO. Do not collect $200. Hold on … do you even know how to earn $200, or how to budget that $200 for rent, food and entertainment?

Despite all the quadratic equations, sentence diagrams and the periodic table of the elements that high school drills into the head of teenagers, are they truly prepared for the Game of Life, able to handle all the random “CHANCE” cards that could be thrown their way?

A teen who has taken advantage of any family- and consumer-science classes — electives teaching real-life skills to fill the scary gap between book learning and adult reality — may be ahead of the game.

“When you can get information that you can accumulate for your own experience and lifetime goals, why not get it?” asks Lori McManigal, the family- and consumer-science liaison for School District 11. “It’s the overwhelming feeling of helping improve lives.”

Food and Nutrition, Relationships, Child and Adolescent Development, Independent Living: These are just a few of the many classes that offer teenagers lessons usually learned in the school of hard knocks, such as how to buy a reliable used car, cultivate good credit, have a healthy relationship or find a meal without consulting a drive-thru window.

In other words, the class covers many of the pitfalls young adults face, helping them avoid mistakes — such as bankruptcy, divorce or obesity — they might otherwise spend years correcting.

“People are realizing some of these (family- and consumer-science) skills are necessary, but don’t really know how to fit it in yet … We’re so governed by the CSAPs and test scores and all that,” says Palmer High School teacher Sharon Nemeth. Of her Relationships class, she says, “By the end of the class, every kid will say this class should be required.”

CLICK HERE to read a PDF of this article, which published in the July 2008 Pikes Peak Parent magazine.

Local animal handler brings her love of animals home
By Kate Jonuska

You might think that after a 40-hour week of caring for two hippopotamuses — transporting hundreds of pounds of food, brushing gigantic teeth, cleaning up their, ahem, droppings — a person might barricade herself alone in her home, where no other creature could demand her time and energy.

April Hyatt, an animal keeper for the hippos at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, is not such a person. In fact, her household includes two dogs, two cats, three parrots, two fish tanks and a bunch of “little ones,” like her two rats.

“Honestly, we’ve got a lot of little stuff I end up bringing home because I work at the pet store (in addition to the zoo),” says Hyatt. “I find myself being most complete when I’m around animals. I also pet-sit and work at a dog wash once a week.”

CLICK HERE to read a PDF of this article, which published in the July 2008 Pikes Peak Parent magazine.

A teen lifeguard on responsibility, focus and misconceptions

By Kate Jonuska

Photos by Carol Lawrence, special to Pikes Peak Parent

When the final bell rings to let students out of school for the summer, many teenagers exchange books and pencils with plastic gloves for cleaning bathrooms or uniforms with funny hats.

But kids like Austin Ord, an 18-year-old senior at Liberty High School, have found a way out of typical teen work in fast food and retail by becoming lifeguards, a position that offers teens a rare level of respect and responsibility. And it doesn’t hurt that he gets to hang out next to a pool on the clock.

“At my previous job, you were the bottom of the pyramid, with no respect whatsoever,” explains Austin, who will serve his second summer as a guard with the City of Colorado Springs this year. “A lot of jobs don’t trust you with responsibility. You’re there for one task only.”

But after completing a YMCA certification course, a six-hour orientation and ongoing training, Austin finds himself in a position of trust and authority daily.

“It empowers you … Not many jobs certify you to save someone’s life. At a teenage age, that’s pretty cool,” Austin explains. “It’s not just flipping burgers.”

CLICK HERE to view a PDF of this article, which ran in the June 2008 Pikes Peak Parent magazine.

A take-along scavenger hunt for the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

By Kate Jonuska and the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Sunny outdoor fun can always be found at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, and new attractions like the Rocky Mountain Wild exhibit and the Mountaineer Sky Ride are sure to draw crowds. But if your children think the zoo is old hat or need a bit more structure, tear out this creative scavenger hunt to keep them entertained and — shh! Don’t tell them! — learning.

CLICK HERE to view a PDF of the scavenger hunt.

Local mothers explain their choice to stay at home or work

By Kate Jonuska – Pikes Peak Parent

Motherhood. It is the best of times (when you hear their first word or see their face light up when you enter a room). It is the worst of times (when you feel like an underpaid chauffer or your shirt reeks of vomit). It is also the time of looming guilt, when a woman can question if she is making all the right choices, doing all the right things.

One of the main guilt-ridden struggles moms face boils down to a very simple yet fundamental choice: to stay at home or to continue working. Sometimes circumstance dictates the decision, forcing a woman’s hand, while others have deeply held convictions about what kind of mother they’d like to be. Then again, many will carry both titles at different stages of their lives.

Two local women at different places in the mommy game — one stay-at-home and one working — share their thoughts on motherhood, guilt and balancing priorities.

CLICK HERE to view a PDF of this article, which published in the May 2008 Pikes Peak Parent magazine.

Becoming a big sister, for one important hour a week

By Kate Jonuska – Pikes Peak Parent

Though we’ve become closer as we age, my big sister often seemed to be an evil influence in my life. She teased me, scared me and ignored me, each in turn. She once packed my mouth with dirt, and to apologize, helped me clean it out with MY toothbrush. (Still love you, though, sis!)

I always wanted a younger sibling when I was a kid, but I never imagined that perfect little sister would fall into my lap at the age of 28, when I was introduced to 10-year-old Chloe Mosier by Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Pikes Peak Region.

Chloe and I meet once a week in the morning before school as part of the organization’s school-based mentoring program. From the moment she gets in my car to the time we get to her elementary school, this supposedly shy girl talks my ear off: about the role she had in the holiday play, the seeds sprouting in science class or an upcoming fieldtrip to the Museum of Nature and Science, where she gets to sleep overnight IN THE MUSEUM. She’s sooooo excited.

From the beginning, Chloe and I had a lot in common. We both wear glasses. We love to read and do arts and crafts. She likes helping her mom make dinner; I like to cook.

But it doesn’t really matter what we had in common initially because what we’ve learned about one another along the way has been even better. For instance, because she comes from a military family, Chloe has attended several different schools, though she’s only in fourth grade. She misses her dad when he’s away from home on assignment or for training, which can be for months at a time. She’s very proud of the traveling she’s done, including to Hawaii several times, and she wants to be a zoologist when she grows up.

This little sister of mine opened up over the course of our morning meetings, where we discussed issues like self-esteem and safety, acted out skits, made “me boxes” from magazine clippings and talked about the upcoming challenges of the tween years — all guided by a BBBS representative.

A while back, we were making bracelets out of multicolored beads. Chloe put a gray one on the string for her brother, a green one for her dad and a heart for her mom. Then she picked up a yellow bead shaped like a butterfly.

“This one’s for me,” she told me. “Because I can be shy, but when you get to know me, I’m a social butterfly.” I smiled and put a different yellow butterfly on my bracelet, to represent her.

These wonderful thoughts and ideas of Chloe’s amuse and often surprise me. “What did you want to be when you grew up? What’s your favorite color? Have you ever read this book?” She bursts out with a new question from the backseat almost every time I drive to our meeting. “What do you like about writing for the paper?” she asked recently.

“Well, I guess it never gets old to see your name in the newspaper,” I replied, and we laughed.

It’s amazing how much you can get to know a kid in a scant hour a week, how the hours add up to a real relationship. Chloe has done a lot for me, like finally showing me what it is like to be a big sister instead of just a little one. She brings back great memories from my childhood as well as some of the awkward, painful teenage ones, which I hope she’ll be spared thanks to some of BBBS’s great program themes. And she’s reminded me how important it is to make time in a busy schedule to just hang out, have fun and talk.

So in return for what she’s given me, I’ll give my “little” the little I have: some time in the morning once a week, someone to listen to what’s going on at school and maybe some confidence she can take with her into the future.

Oh, and her name in the paper, just like her big sister. This one’s for you, Chloe!

CLICK HERE to see the PDF of this article, which published in the May 2008 Pikes Peak Parent magazine.

CLICK HERE to see a PDF of all of May’s Fresh Perspectives.

Colorado-Springs resident Ben Roina has six words to describe his camping experiences at Rocky Mountain Village: “Fun, fun, fun, fun, fun, fun.” The 33-year-old Roina, who is developmentally disabled, has escaped the city for the weeklong, Easter Seals’ summer camp for the last three years.

It’s a welcome break for Ben, who works for Goodwill Industries and recently moved into his own apartment in Manitou Springs. “Part of going to camp is to get away from, to get away and have a good time and meet friends,” says Ben. “There’s a view of the mountains up there. It’s different scenery. They got cabins and a lake and a swimming pool and a hot tub.”

While his favorite activities include fishing, swimming and the dances the camp hosts, Ben also gets to play sports, interact with horses, do arts and crafts, go on occasional fieldtrips and more.

“Also, I help out with flag-raising in the mornings,” Ben explains. “We meet at the campfire and get to know everyone up there … There’s lots of nighttime activities. They’re very fun.”

And Ben participates in all this fun with the friendship and guidance of his personal counselor. Last year, that was R.J. — aka “Rompin’ R.J.” due to 2007’s rodeo theme.

“I really liked it because it was oneon-one, and that’s really unique. They shower him with attention,” says mother Darlene. At first, “I didn’t know if he would like it, but once he started, there was no stopping him.”

With the help of a scholarship, Ben pays for his summer camp with his own money, and he looks forward to the trip to Rocky Mountain Village for months in advance.

“I’m going to meet a couple new friends this year,” says Ben. He also hopes his team will win the award for the fastest cabin cleaning, which just escaped him last summer. “I was second place this year and the winner gets a special surprise.”

Darlene knows the real prize for her son is that Rocky Mountain Village is there to offer Ben such a great escape. “I think it’s good just to get away and break routine, and it’s special for Ben,” she notes. “It’s not a family vacation. It’s not something to share. It’s just for himself.”

CLICK HERE to view a PDF of this article, which was published in the April 2008 Pikes Peak Parent.

By Kate Jonuska • Pikes Peak Parent

New emotions well up in your stomach, and the heat of embarrassment f lushes your cheeks red. You feel unsure, unprepared and slightly unwell, standing in front of someone you’re afraid will judge you — someone you’re not quite sure you can relate to as an equal, sexual being.

And you’re the parent, right? Um, right?

There’s nothing like talking about sex with your child to make a parent devolve into an uncertain, uncomfortable person. And of course, while talking about sex is the exact wrong time to dissolve in such a way.

“The research tells us that youth who have access to accurate information about sexuality — especially those able to talk to their parents about sex — are more likely to delay the onset of sexual activity and are also less likely to have an unintended pregnancy or an STD,” explains Rebecca Koon, educational program manager for Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains.

But knowing that it’s necessary doesn’t make it easy. Sexuality is simply so fraught with moral, emotional and physical meanings that a parent might not know where to begin. Koon and Peggy Vegil, physical education and health curriculum facilitator for School District 11 in Colorado Springs, offer some advice.

Know when

The differences between boys and girls, where babies come from — these are questions children begin to ask as early as their toddler years, which is when a parent needs to start crafting a conversation about sexuality.

“Don’t wait until your child is an adolescent,” advises Vegil. “Start talking about reproduction as early as possible.” But don’t feel you need to reveal everything from the start: Smaller bits of information are appropriate for smaller kids. “You don’t have to give them the big picture, but small bits of information often.”

Pluralize the talk

“In an ideal world, it would be an ongoing conversation. It wouldn’t be one talk,” says Koon, who advises looking for “teachable moments” in everyday life.

“Certainly within that, there might be a couple of really intentional talks where you sit down with your child and say ‘these are the facts of life’ or ‘let’s have a conversation about contraception.’ But really, it should be an ongoing dialog.”

Use the media

While many bemoan the media’s ability to bombard kids with sexual content from an early age, parents can f lip the tables and use the media as a stepping stone to conversation.

“Parents need to take advantage of little opportunities to build into bigger topics,” says Vegil. “When a parent is watching TV or a movie with a child, that would be a great time to maybe address something the child seems to be confused about.”

Quiz yourself

“Really think about what you’re going to say beforehand and practice how you might answer questions that come up,” says Koon, even if practicing in front of a mirror feels silly.

Besides, practicing beforehand will help you consolidate what issues are important to convey. In addition to scientific facts about eggs, sperm and menstruation, you need to be prepared with your values and opinions about the facts, too.

“One of the things that’s really important for parents to do is really sit down before they talk to their children about sex to really examine their own values,” Koon continues, “asking themselves, ‘What do I think about sex and marriage? What do I think about homosexuality? What do I think about unintended pregnancies? What do I think about teens having sex?’”

Broaden the discussion

Vegil, who knows School District 11’s sex-ed curriculum intimately, can testify that schools are required to provide medically accurate, science-based and age-appropriate information about reproduction, human sexuality and — thanks to a new law passed in early 2007 — contraception. (District 11 only brings the latter up at the eighth-grade level.)

But kids’ questions range far beyond the mechanics and dangers of sex to issues about puberty, relationships, peer pressure and what’s normal.

That’s why Vegil says schools broaden the discussion to emphasize life skills, which give children the ability to make healthy decisions in the future in sexual situations — and beyond. “Yes, we’re talking about human sexuality, but this also relates to taking drugs, or the consequences, for instance, of ditching a class to go off with a friend,” she continues.

What’s really valuable

But no matter how thoroughly or properly a school handles sex education, values “can’t be taught in school. That has to come from the parents,” says Vegil. “We hope as educators that parents have this talk with their kids way before they even get into school … When teaching life skills, we hope we are just giving booster lessons.”

“Kids might get information about sex from school,” Koon adds, “but really the values around sexuality should come from the home. Whether that’s religious values or cultural values or wherever those values come from, it’s the parents’ job to instill those values in their children.”

CLICK HERE to see a PDF of this article published in the March 2008 Pikes Peak Parent magazine.

A cake decorated with fondant wows birthday party guests
By Kate Jonuska

When setting out to homemake your child’s birthday cake, remember that the power to wow is all in the presentation. A simple way to achieve a dazzling cake — with only minimal pastry bag training — is fondant.

“I think it’s a marvelous canvas,” says Nancy Johnson, owner of Like No Other Custom Designed Cakes at 412 S. Eighth St. “I definitely think it’s something that moms can do once they see the technique.” And don’t count Dad out either.

Johnson proves the material’s ease of use by demonstrating step-by-step how to cover a cake with fondant, then moves on to create monkeys, leaves and other jungle-themed components for the more ambitious.

“Something like this is completely within reach,” she assures readers. “If you have any artistic ability, you can pull this off.”

CLICK HERE to view a PDF of this article, which was published in the February Pikes Peak Parent magazine.

Child care: How we do it

Locals describe their family’s perfect solution
By Kate Jonuska • Photos by Bill Sommer

One size certainly doesn’t fit all in terms of child care. While the search for the perfect provider for you family may feel overwhelming due to the wide range of options — licensed in-home care, day care, Montessori schools, nannies, child care co-ops, church-based programs and more — local parents speak out about where they found the ideal match for their family’s needs.

Heather, Tom and Jacob Wallin

When their son Jacob was born in November of 2007, Heather and Tom were prepared to make a few sacrifices in addition to the luxury of a full night’s sleep and a disposable income. In fact, the family trimmed down to one car and Heather left her full-time job in order to care for Jacob at home.

“We decided to sacrifice work-wise and financially to stay at home with him,” says Heather, who will work some evenings and also runs a home-based business. “It wasn’t easy. We feel fortunate and blessed we’re able to do it.”

“We were both raised that way,” Tom explains. “It’s not the norm anymore … (but) from what I’ve seen and heard, most want to stay at home if they can.”

Heather hopes her small business will take off, allowing her to be home with Jacob full-time in the future, and has considered opening her own in-home child-care service. “That would be our ideal future: being able to work at home and have it both ways,” says Heather. “We want to see him grow up.”

Tom nods in agreement and adds, “At this age, changes happen overnight.”

CLICK HERE to view a PDF of the full article, which features the stories of four other families, published in the January 2008 Pikes Peak Parent magazine.

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