parent talk magazine | march 2015

1March 2015

CommunityCaringTeaching Kids the Importance of Community Service- 7

parenttalk

Let’s Get FitEmbracing a Family Pet- 13

March 2015

2 Parent Talk Magazine

3March 2015

that a child can participate with family members and friends through community service. Check out this month’s feature for some ideas of what to do in our area.

I hope you enjoy this issue of Parent Talk. If you ever have any ideas or input, please email them to [email protected]. We welcome any input from local parents looking to spread their message of raising children in South Louisiana.

Keep talking, parents!

The Toy BoxThe ABC's of Healthy HabitsCommunity CaringPrincipal's List: Roneka Coleman

Let's Get FitKnowledge Is Power

4

5

COVER PHOTO: BRIAN WAITZ

PublishersBen Jones Jr

Cody J. Blanchard

MANAGING EDITORKara Domangue

CONTRIBUTING COLUMNISTSJasmine Richard, Joni Bascle, Anne Marie Naquin,

Kim Thompson, Katherine Toups

TO ADVERTISE985.441.7073

PHOTOGRAPHYBrian Waitz

GRAPHIC DESIGN/LAYOUTKathryn Johnson

March 2015VOLUME 2 | ISSUE 6

Copyright © 2015 by Fathom Media, LLC.All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part withoutpermission is strictly prohibited.

Business Address

Fathom Media, LLCP.O. Box 5702 | 1214 Canal Boulevard

Thibodaux, LA 70302

985.441.7073

Parent Talk Magazine cannot be responsible for the return of unsolicited material such as manuscripts or photographs, with or without the inclusion of a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

Information in this publication is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy and completeness of the information cannot be guaranteed.

The opinions expressed in Parent Talk Magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Fathom Media, our employees or any of our advertisers.

Although we love to see our children involved in extracurricular activities such as sports and music, it may be a good time of year to start talking to them about participating in other types of activities - such as community service.

Teaching your child how to serve their community and hometown at an early age can get them interested in joining organizations in high school and beyond, such as Key Clubs, Service Leagues, etc.

Focusing on the importance of donating time can really make an impact on your child and how helpful they will be towards others in the future. There are many ways

Dear Parents

Kara Domangue, Managing Editor

In This Issue

710

12

13

parenttalk

Insight From The Inside14


The

Toy BoxJASMINE RICHARD, SOCIAL MEDIA LIBRARIAN

Age Range: 3-5 years

Grade Level: Preschool–Kindergarten

This book is an adorable bedtime story for small children. Snuggleford Cuddlebun is a champion sleeper who goes to Snoozefest, an arena festival that celebrates sleep.

App of the Month

SnoozefestBy Samantha Berger; illustrated by Kristyna Litten

Free; Ages 4+; Android and Apple Devices. An addictive, free, puzzle game with ambient colors and sounds, 135+ levels, and the ability to challenge Facebook friends.

TwoDots by Playdots, Inc.

Age Range: 3-8 years

Price: $120

This system is similar to a Wii or Xbox, but made for kids ages 3-8. It has a motion sensor camera and wifi connectivity, with 100+ games and videos to teach skills from reading to mathematics (sold separately).

Toy of the Month

Book of the Month

LeapFrog LeapTV Educational Active Video Game System

5March 2015

Statistics from sciencekids.com

The ABC’s of Healthy Habits!C is for CARROTBY KATHERINE TOUPS, THIBODAUX

Are CARROTS really that healthy for you? Yes! Here’s why…? — Carrots have lots of Vitamin A. This vitamin is most important for our vision, as well as our bones, teeth, and skin.— Eating carrots may reduce the risk of getting cancer and heart disease because they have so many antioxidants. — Carrots may also help improve immune function. This means that your body will more easily fight off colds!

Here are some after school snack ideas for you to try!— Raw carrot sticks with a small amount of ranch dressing or hummus— Eat them plain with a slice of turkey or cheese— Ask your parents to make a smoothie with strawberries, carrots, a banana, and plain Greek yogurt (you won’t even know there are carrots in there!)

Some FUN FACTS about Carrots…— Carrots contain a substance called beta-carotene that gives them their bright orange color.— While most carrots are orange, they also come in purple, red, white, and yellow colors.— If you eat massive amounts of carrots, your skin can turn orange. Don’t worry, it is fixable by reducing your carrot intake!

Don’t forget to eat some carrots today to keep you healthy! pt

7March 2015

What a delight, to look into the wide eyes of a child in the midst of expressing wonder, excitement, and the sheer

appreciation that comes from experiencing the true joy of helping others. We’ve seen those eyes over and over again, and we’ve heard the genuine stories that kids of all ages share about their feelings of connection, accomplishment, and gratefulness when they see the world from the perspective of what they have to offer of themselves to others. Developing compassion and respect for the world empowers our children to act, individually and collectively.

PHOTO: BRIAN WAITZ

COMMUNITYCARINGTEACHING KIDS THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY SERVICEBY BEN JONES JR, THIBODAUX


Volunteerism teaches trustworthiness, respect, fairness, honesty, responsibility, citizenship, and caring. We know this is good stuff, and the kids who have volunteered will vouch for it. Kids quickly learn that the service they provide impacts real people, and they feel good about it. Volunteerism becomes even more worthwhile when families serve together, because it brings family members closer to one another – to talk, to share, to care. Both kids and parents often tell us about their special family times – more meaningful than they ever expected. Whether we choose our local volunteer center, our schools, our places of worship as our venue for engaging in service, we are taking big steps toward raising kids to care and are preparing them to lead the way to a better, more tolerant, and more compassionate world. With their busy schedules, many parents overlook the importance of community service in their child's life. Serving the community teaches children responsibility not only for themselves, but also for other people. Through community service, children understand that their actions impact other families. Below is advice how to teach your children the importance of community service.

Talk about Community ServiceOver breakfast or dinner, talk to your children about community service. Explain what it is and the different types of jobs they can volunteer to do to help others in the community. If you have volunteered before, talk about your experiences. Finally, invite your

children to think of types of community service they might like to do. Try to reach a general consensus about a volunteering job that the entire family can do together. If everyone agrees about wanting to do something together and has the same ideas about what they should do, tell them that you will set up a time to volunteer.

Make It HappenOne of the biggest problems in teaching children about community service is providing the experience of volunteering. Pick a Saturday or Sunday a month or two in the future and dedicate it as the day that you and your children or even the entire family will volunteer. Contact local agencies to see if they permit children to volunteer and, if so, what jobs they would do. Make sure that whatever charity you work for is used to having children volunteer and that your children will be safe while volunteering.What is most important is that you choose an activity that will be fun for your children. Do not choose an activity that would be frightening or not allow them to fully participate. Walking dogs at the local animal shelter, for example, could be great fun, but your children might not be old enough to handle larger dogs. Make sure that the activity you choose is age appropriate and contains at least a little fun.

Purchase Books about VolunteeringIf you cannot find the time for community service, another way to teach your children about it is to purchase books that discuss volunteering. Your local bookstore or library will offer kid's books that discuss the importance of being a good member of the community. If you are unable to locate one in the store, consider checking online. Many national charity organizations sell books designed to teach children about volunteering in the community.

Volunteer at HomeIf you cannot find a local charity that accepts children volunteers or do not have the time to volunteer, consider volunteering at home. Many charities are in need of flyers to advertise events or need help stuffing envelopes. Other charities may allow you to create gift baskets of food or clothing for them to deliver to families in need. Each of these tasks can be accomplished at home on your schedule. Just make sure to tell your children what the project is for and whom the project will benefit. Also, let your children be creative and participate in the process. Event flyers and gift baskets don't have to look perfect; they just need to be crafted with good intentions in mind.

So contact your local service organizations. Plant a tree. Stock a food bank shelf. Not only is it important for your child to volunteer and serve the community, but you should be next at their side, being a role model and showing them how its done. pt

9March 2015

A RHere’s a fun fact about the answer to this Word Puzzle:This type of bug senses touch through their antennae and also through

tiny hairs called, setae, which are all over their bodies

Camps forSUMMER BREAK

ROBOTICS (grades 2-6)

ALSO AVAILABLE: Math, Advanced Reading and Study Skills

SYLVAN OF HOUMA(985) 223-3798

CODING (grades 3-8)Working with a buddy, your child will enjoy fun,

hands-on projects building and animating LEGO® robots.

Each session encourages creativity and imagination as kids brainstorm, build and experiment with amazing robots. It’s a wonderful way to develop critical STEM and problem

solving skills.

Your child will learn computer programming through engaging, hands-on projects like animating stories and creating

video games.

Plus, our technology platform is seriously cool… kids have thousands of backgrounds, props, characters and music

to choose from to help bring their imaginations to life.

GET$25 OFF

All answers must be submitted via email to [email protected] no later than by 3/31/2015.

WIN a COOKIE CAKE for your entire class!MIND WORKOUT

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


What is your educational background?I have a BGS earned in 2004 from Nicholls State and an MSE

earned in 2011 from Kaplan University online. I also have my Plus 30 and Supervisor of Student Teaching earned in 2011 from Nicholls State.

What made you decide to join the school system?I have a true desire to help people learn. I began my teaching

career in TPSD and had many great people that helped me become an effective teacher along the way. As principal, I am able to now help educators become better educators through my coaching and mentoring in addition to being a role model for students.

What has been your greatest joy in being a part of a middle school?

My greatest joy has and will always be seeing our students excelling, whether it is large or small. I enjoy being able to see

Principal s ListRoneka Coleman, Principal of Village East Middle School

BY BEN JONES JR

our students grow from year-to-year and know that I have helped in that process some way.

Who are your role models?My role models have and will always be my elementary and

middle school teachers and principals: West Park Principal- Mr. Albert MartinFirst Grade- Mrs. Lynn D’AquinSecond Grade- Mrs. Annette BraudThird Grade- Ms. Joyce DouglasLegion Park Principal- Mrs. Rosa PitreFourth Grade- Ms. Janelle OlivierFifth Grade- Mrs. Doris SeymourSixth Grade- Mrs. Angelle FournierSeventh Grade- Mrs. Susan Russ and Mr. Hal Bauland

These individuals are true examples of model educators. Not only did they take pride in their jobs, they showed me on a daily

PHOTO: BRIAN WAITZ

,

11March 2015

basis that they cared about me excelling academically. There was never a doubt in my mind that I wanted to follow in their footsteps and become an educator.

Tell me about your school (It’s history, number of students and grades, etc.)

Village East Middle school located in Lafayette Woods subdivision was built in 1974 and currently houses grades 4th through 6th. We have approximately 210 students. Currently we have 20 instructional staff members and 15 non-instructional staff members that really work hard to help students grow academically and socially. As a team, we are working together to continuously grow VES.

What is your favorite subject in school and why?Honestly, all of the subjects were my favorite because my

parents told me to do well in all of them because they were not going to accept anything less than what they knew I was capable of doing.

What is the #1 characteristic you hope to instill in your students before they move on?

The main characteristic I hope to instill in the students at VES is being goal-oriented. Setting goals in life is so important but also working towards them is even more important.

What was your favorite book or favorite characters as a child and why?

I loved all of the Amelia Bedelia books and she was by far my favorite character. She kind of reminded me of myself (takes everything that is said literally).

What’s one of your favorite memories as being principal of your school?

One of my favorite memories is when I was able to get Robert Meachem, New Orleans Saints football player, to come and give a motivational speech to the students last year in May. pt


Approximately 20 to 45 percent of school-aged children do not reach their full potential because they suffer from low self-esteem.

Self-esteem refers to how you feel about yourself. It includes self-confidence, self-respect, pride in oneself, independence, and self-reliance. Success builds self-esteem. Because underachieving students do not experience as much success in the classroom, low self-esteem is often the result. Many parents assume that their underachiever may have a lower IQ. In fact, most underachievers have high or average IQs, but their low self-esteem prevents them from succeeding in the classroom. A school-aged child’s self-esteem is cultivated primarily at the home. It is important that parents have a complete understanding of what self-esteem is and how to help build positive self-confidence in their child. It is the way a child feels about himself/herself regardless of how others view him/her. A secure home environment that establishes confidence, respect, and an open exchange of ideas, thoughts, and feelings is crucial to building self-esteem. The more positive a child’s self-esteem, the more successful he or she will be at dealing with life. Confident children will try harder, be happier, and have greater self-respect.

Knowledge is PowerHow Parents Can Help Build Their Child’s Self-Esteem

BY ANNE MARIE NAQUIN, HOUMA

For the first 5-6 years, parents are the most important influences in a child’s life. When children begin school, teachers and friends begin to play a role. When a child reaches adolescence, peer groups begin playing a more significant role in guiding a child’s self-esteem. The more positive a child’s self-esteem is before adolescence, the easier it will be for him or her to resist negative peer group pressures. Children who constantly put themselves down have low self-esteem. Children who face new experiences with confidence and positive expectations, and shrug off disappointments with an “it will be better next time” attitude, have high self-esteem. In today’s society, there is a definite demand on students to succeed, and positive self-esteem is crucial. Try focusing on strategies for success and providing consistent positive reinforcement to demonstrate that learning is its own reward. pt

13March 2015

Are you trying every trick up your sleeve to get your child(ren) to be more active with absolutely no luck? I have a very happy

solution to this problem. Get your child a dog! Okay, hear me out here. I'm not making this stuff up. There is scientific research to back up this theory. Families who own pets actually have a string of benefits that their non-pet-owning friends don't get to experience. Studies show that children who grow up with a dog tend to have higher self esteem, improved social skills, and are even viewed as "more popular" among peers. They also learn responsibility, nurturing skills, improved empathy, develop a more caring attitude, and even develop a non-verbal form of communication. Families who acquire a pet even had an increase in interaction with each other! Those are your more social benefits to owning a dog or really any pet, but how about some physical benefits? The obvious one is that an adorable new puppy is way more entertaining than a video game! Kids will want to run and let their new friend chase them, or throw a ball for Fido to fetch. Without realizing it, your normally sedentary child will be getting more and

Let s Get FitEmbracing a Family Pet

BY JONI BASCLE, THIBODAUX

more exercise as their new best friend grows. Dogs need exercise too, and your child will likely be more willing to go for a walk if they're taking their furry friend with them. Owning a dog is great for the whole family, not just the kids. Dog owners were found to benefit from an increase in relaxation and stress relief by simply being with their faithful companion. They also benefit from a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and suffer from fewer minor illnesses and complaints, as well as fewer doctor visits than non-dog-owning people. Is there a new baby in the house? They benefit too! New research has shown that living with a dog in the first year of life is likely to make the child healthier in general. It actually stimulates their immune system, resulting in 31% less incidences of respiratory tract infections and 44% less ear infections. Still not convinced? Go visit your local animal shelter and let your child, as well as yourself, experience what it feels like to save an animal's life. There's really no better feeling in the world than doing something for someone or something who can't pay you back. So go out and find your family a new member and everyone benefits! pt


As the revelry of Mardi Gras season comes to a close, a vastly different period emerges. In our primarily Christian

communities, many of us celebrate some form of the season of Lent. The Catholic Encyclopedia reminds us that the purpose of self-denial, prayer, and penance is to wean us from selfishness and sin; to create in us the desire to do God’s will.

No matter your spiritual beliefs (if any), everyone could benefit from the traditions encouraged during this reflective season, such as moderation, almsgiving, and atonement. Getting rid of excess, selfishness, and negativity can liberate and empower those who try and can certainly cure illnesses such as depression and anxiety. In the 1970’s, several authors emerged from anthropological studies arguing against the “bigger is better” notion in favor of the movement turned into renowned book, “Small is Beautiful” (E.F. Schumacher, 1973). And modern studies consistently show that those who share intimate relationships in which they both give and receive enjoy happier moods, live longer, and benefit from better health and longevity.

In addition to traditions of fasting and prayer, consider the following ideas to reduce excess and enjoy simplicity any season and for any reason.

Say bye-bye to social media Giving up Facebook for 40 days seems impossible to some, but

it can be quite liberating. It’s a great way to eliminate negativity and to focus on the elements and people in your life that really matter. You would be surprised how much you can reduce stress and increase mindfulness by being present-focused and reducing unnecessary distractions. Not to mention, you will gain lots of valuable time you didn’t realize you were wasting playing candy crush or envying others’ filtered posts.

Appreciate every day It is easy to get caught up in how life is not fair or on the things we do not have in life. Instead, do yourself and your God a favor and start and end each day with thankfulness. Even if all you can think of is that you are still breathing or that you have a roof over your head, it’s a start. Getting out in nature or playing with adored animals can also help us to appreciate other beings. Another great practice of gratefulness is to attend church services or adoration, which helps to clear the clutter and truly focus on the thankful intent in your heart. After all, what good is it to have

Insight from the InsideA Time for Penance

BY KIM THOMPSON, THIBODAUX

all the riches in the world if you are miserable inside?

Volunteer and do for others It can be a formal volunteer organization or event, such as

serving food at the food pantry or tutoring underprivileged children. Or you can do small acts of service for your neighbors or the elderly and frail, such as bringing them meals or flowers or visiting lonely residents at a nursing home. Encourage children to go out of their way to be kind and include children with special needs, learning disorders, or social differences. A smile, a kind word, or help down the school hall can go a long way for both the giver and the recipient of such compassionate interactions.

In a future article, I will extrapolate on a concept presented by a Buddhist monk – the altruistic revolution. For now, suffice it to say that individual change influences cultural change. And as we each vow to become more giving and grateful in our own small world, the world around us may become more contagiously compassionate, caring, and sustainable as a result. pt

15March 2015

parent talk magazine | march 2015

Documents