wichita family magazine september 2015

Wichita Family • September 2015 - 1

BRINGING STUDENTS FROM CHINA TO KANSAS

september 2015

2 - www.wichitafamily.com

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Wichita Collegiate partners with gphomestay to bring international students from China to Kansas

An essay on not being tied to a schedule and living a simpler life

68

12

14

News and Information from our partners at Wichita Public Schools

Kanakuk camps offer spiritual, sports experiences for children during summer months

september 2015

Inside:


Published By:

Lucky 7 Publishing LLC316.295.8465

Publisher:

Todd Vogts

Advertising Inquiries Contact:

Publisher Todd Vogts [email protected]

Wichita Family Magazine is published 12 times a year by Lucky 7 Publishing LLC. Wichita Family Magazine is available free, at schools, stores, restaurants, libraries, retailers and local attractions, as well as other places families frequent. For a complete list of where to find Wichita Family, or for subscription rates, email us at

[email protected] or visit our website at www.wichitafamily.com.

Copyright 2015 by Lucky 7 Publishing LLC. All rights reserved. Wichita Family Magazine is not responsible for errors, omissions or contest fulfillment from third parties. Reproduction in part or in whole without written permission is strictly prohibited. Wichita Family is distributed free of charge. The magazine’s advertisers make this possible, so support them! We reserve the right to edit submitted material. All submissions will be considered for publication, but we reserve the right to refuse material. Materials will not be returned. Any

editorial content or advertising published is the property of Lucky 7 Publishing LLC.

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Message from the PublisherAt this time last month, I was enjoy-

ing my honeymoon in Jamaica. On July 25, I experienced the best day of my life when I was able to exchange vows with the love of my life and become a husband to her.

The wave of emotions were almost too much to handle at times, but the day went off without a hitch. All of our family and friends came to celebrate with us, and it was so incredibly special I couldn’t possibly do it justice by try-

ing to de-scribe it here.

I will, how-ever, say my wife, Kendall, and I are so grateful for all the well-wish-es and love we received from our family and friends. The day was

everything we dreamed it would be, and we feel truly blessed to have all of those special people in our lives.

Of course, as great as the wed-ding was, the honeymoon was pretty spectacular as well. It was my first time leaving the country (Kendall had previously traveled abroad while taking part in a mission trip in India), and the island of Jamaica was breathtaking.

The mountain views contrasted with the ocean vistas can’t be rivalled by many places, and the people of Jamaica were so nice and welcoming. They all seemed to truly love life, and their hap-piness was contagious.

During our time there, we had the opportunity to go river tubing and climb Dunn’s River Falls. Both were fantastic, but if you ever make it down there, I highly recommend Dunn’s River Falls. It was incredible.

We had ample time to relax at our resort, and my favorite pastime was to sit on the beach. During this time,

I would either read with the soothing sounds of the ocean as my sound track, or I would simply stare out at the waves and get lost in thought.

Our cellphones didn’t work down there, so it was a nice break to be disconnected from our normal lives for a while, and that lack of digital connec-tion truly helped me in my reading and thinking.

One thought I kept coming back to was this magazine. I was dating Kendall when I bought it, and I did so with our future in mind. I looked forward to being able to run this family magazine with my own family, and that is why I am incredibly excited she wrote an es-say for this month. This is the first issue I will have produced as a married man, and my wife is officially a part of it.

As the seasons begin to change, life continues to change as well, and judg-ing by the events so far, I can’t wait to see what the future holds for my wife and I.

Advertising Inquiries Contact:

Publisher Todd Vogts [email protected]

Todd [email protected]


News and Information from our partners at Wichita Public Schools

North principal Sherman Padgett, third from left, was named Area 4 High School Principal of the Year by the Kansas Association of Secondary School Principals. He is pictured with North assistant principal Tom Perkins, Assistant Superintendent Bill Faflick and Executive Director Robert Garner.

Dave Saunders, principal at Price-Harris Communications Magnet receives the Administrator of the Year Award during the Kansas School Nurse Conference in July.

Steve Smith, math teacher at Christa McAuliffe Academy, was named a state finalist for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching are the nation’s highest honor for teaching in those two categories.

They are presented to educators who show a high degree

of knowledge, innovation, skill and leadership. Smith will go on to compete for a national finalist title.

David Clark, Wilbur Middle School, was a nominee in the science category.

Both Smith and Clark were recognized during a special ceremony on June 22 at the Kansas Cosmosphere.

Christa McAuliffe teacher named Presidential Award

Finalist

There are many stories of teachers collecting supplies for students, but an Adams Elementary student wanted to do the same for her teachers.

The student heard news reports about cuts in education funding and was concerned for her school.

With the help of her parents, she went shopping so all Adams teachers would have supplies.

She presented Adams staff with notebooks, tissues, paper towels, markers, pens and crayons. She also donated $1,700 so each teacher could have $50 to spend on items for the classroom.

“The student wanted to remain anonymous, which just makes it all that more awesome,” said principal Theresa Manning.

Adams student donates supplies to teachers

Dave Saunders, principal at Price-Harris Communications Magnet, received the Administrator of the Year Award from the Kansas School Nurse Association.

He was nominated for the award by Price-Harris’ nurse, Marissa Higinio.

He received the award during the Kansas School Nurse Conference in July.

Price-Harris principal receives state honor


North principal named High School Principal of the Year

Sherman Padgett, principal at North High School, was named Area 4 High School Principal of the Year by the Kansas Association of Secondary School Principals. Assistant Superintendent Bill Faflick, along with other WPS

administrators, surprised him during an inservice session to celebrate his honor in front of his peers.

He will be formally honored during the KASSP Fall Conference in November.

North principal Sherman Padgett, third from left, was named Area 4 High School Principal of the Year by the Kansas Association of Secondary School Principals. He is pictured with North assistant principal Tom Perkins, Assistant Superintendent Bill Faflick and Executive Director Robert Garner.

Christa McAuliffe teacher named Presidential Award

Finalist

Adams student donates supplies to teachers


From China to KansasA t Wichita Collegiate School,

there is an increasing expan-sion of the world.

How so? Wichita Collegiate has partnered

with gphomestay to accommodate the growing number of international students attending from China.

Some Wichita Collegiate students and parents may know that there are international students in their school community. But what they may not know is that they have the opportunity to significantly impact an international

student’s life and their own through cross-cultural exchange.

All Wichita Collegiate parents and

families, as well as anyone from the local community, have a chance to wel-come a new family member and gain a life-long friend by hosting one of these international students.

Jason Teubner, the residential coor-dinator for the gphomestay program at the school, has seen many benefits the program has brought the local com-munity, as he is the support for all host parents and international students at Wichita Collegiate.

Teubner shares how hosting in-ternational students has changed not

only his perspectives, but many of the families as well.

“Working with our Chinese stu-

dents attending Wichita Collegiate high school has given me the fascinat-ing opportunity to see young people from an entirely different culture thriv-ing in a foreign country,” he says. “I am impressed with their abilities to take on difficult challenges academically, while being immersed in a classroom and surrounded by other classmates and teachers who don’t even speak their native language!”

The Chinese students take on more than one might think by attending Wichita Collegiate.

“Not only are our students taking on high-level AP courses that give them college credit, they are also tak-ing on more hands on projects, such as working in robotics, participating in extra-curricular sports, and doing vol-unteer work in exotic locales like Tibet and Cambodia,” Teubner says.

The reasons for taking part in a such a program with so much to do are many, but Teubner believes there is a recipe for success the students quickly recognize — support in their new homes.

“I feel that one of the reasons our students are comfortable taking on such challenging workloads is the fact that we have such supportive host families who are attentive to their needs and encouraging of their pur-suits,” he says. “At gphomestay we look for families who like to indulge in the events and activities that are continual-ly happening around Wichita. We seek people who are excited to bring the student into the community and show them around, yet are respectful of their academic pursuits and are conscien-tious of their cultural differences.”

Families who enjoy trying new things are great candidates for being

host families, Teubner says.“From my experiences in working

with our host families and Chinese students, I can see that families who are fond of getting out of their com-fort zones and trying new things often make wonderful hosts for our stu-dents,” he says. “It’s a way for both par-ties to grow together and learn about each other simultaneously.”

Students taking part in the program experience many benefits, but perhaps one of the more unique aspects is the change of scenery and population density.

“Most of the Chinese students who are a part of our gphomestay program come from massive metropolitan cit-ies, such as Beijing and Guangzhou. These are cities whose populations are exponentially bigger than the entire population of the state of Kansas,” Teubner says. “They’ve grown up liv-ing in high-rise apartment complexes that tower alongside skyscraper office buildings and slum alleyways below. Their knowledge of rural life is limited, and their idea of the U.S. has been portrayed to them through pop culture in Hollywood movies and NBA broad-casts. The experience of coming to Wichita and being able to see a slice of America that until now has been com-pletely unknown to them is a gift both for our students and our community.”

Wichita Collegiate partners with gphomestay to bring international students into the area

Wichita Collegiate international students enjoy a local tour.

A Wichita Collegiate international student smiles during his monthly check-in with gphomestay residential coordinator Jason Teubner.


to Kansas

host families, Teubner says.“From my experiences in working

with our host families and Chinese students, I can see that families who are fond of getting out of their com-fort zones and trying new things often make wonderful hosts for our stu-dents,” he says. “It’s a way for both par-ties to grow together and learn about each other simultaneously.”

Students taking part in the program experience many benefits, but perhaps one of the more unique aspects is the change of scenery and population density.

“Most of the Chinese students who are a part of our gphomestay program come from massive metropolitan cit-ies, such as Beijing and Guangzhou. These are cities whose populations are exponentially bigger than the entire population of the state of Kansas,” Teubner says. “They’ve grown up liv-ing in high-rise apartment complexes that tower alongside skyscraper office buildings and slum alleyways below. Their knowledge of rural life is limited, and their idea of the U.S. has been portrayed to them through pop culture in Hollywood movies and NBA broad-casts. The experience of coming to Wichita and being able to see a slice of America that until now has been com-pletely unknown to them is a gift both for our students and our community.”

Hosting international students is continuing to grow in popularity, with cross-cultural experiences becoming a desired and rewarding experience for many. It brings the world into your home and you get to enjoy the experience of learning so much about another way of life.

All approved host families at Wichi-ta Collegiate receive a monthly stipend for the 10-month academic year.

Teubner, the local residential coordinator, aids in the transition for international students, and is also the support for all residential program-ming throughout the hosting process.

Additionally, fun and interactive quarterly events for the hosts and international students are planned throughout the year.

Not only does this program open doors to international students to im-merse themselves in American culture, but it opens the hearts of those within the Wichita community that host them.

Both students and host parents reap many rewards of developing a lifelong friendship enrich lives - the international students get a quality

and enriching educational experience at Wichita Collegiate while the host parents gain a new “son” or “daughter” somewhere out there in world that they can visit!

Gphomestay is a leader in the educa-tional service industry and specializes in bringing support to international student programs at American high schools across the country. Our trained staff is committed to the success of each student by arranging and overseeing safe residential accommodations that enhance the students’ overall American experiences. We are partnered with over 200 high schools across the U.S. Please visit our website at www.gphomestay.com or contact us at [email protected] or (781)996-0429 for more infor-mation.

Wichita Collegiate international students enjoy a local tour.

Wichita Collegiate internation-al students enjoy volunteer-ing at a local event.


Grow with us.

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Follow us on

If you are an experienced nurse and have a passion for quality patient care in a state-of-the-art facility, we are looking for you. We are expanding in our Trauma Emergency Center Tower and have immediate openings in the new critical care step-down unit.

To view our current openings go to www.saintfrancis.com/career

The school year is officially under way, and, as a teacher, coach, and wife to a teacher, I am feeling the freedoms of summer slipping away. I also feel the

pressures of teacherhood, the dog-tiredness, the need to be there for my students and team, and the really strong want to just chill with my husband like we did over the summer.

In all of the craziness that comes as we move farther into

the school year, for teachers, parents, and even the kiddos, it’s important to take time to do the things we love; even if it’s a bike ride, a movie marathon, or eating a favorite meal.

The special things tend to get buried under the stress, and that is why I am making it a goal for the school year to continue to do the things I love.

Doing our favorite things does not have to be limited to the three months in the year that we feel most “free”.

Along with the school year stresses, there is something else that I have been feeling that I find so exciting.

I know I am not the only one who feels fall coming. The cool mornings, mild afternoon temperatures, and crisp smelling air are screaming at me, “Fall is here, Kendall! It’s time!”

It is the perfect time to do one the things that I love so much.

I am a runner. I don’t always run the farthest or the fastest, but since my

senior year of high school, I have been a runner. Like quite a few other runners I know, I prefer to run

when it is cool outside, but the coolness and crispness of the fall air aren’t the only reasons why this is my favorite time to run. Running in the fall allows me to feel the most warming nostalgia, and I seek to recreate those feelings every time I run in the fall. That is easily one of my favorite things.

In college, I would visit my hometown of Minneapolis, Kan., and as a member of my college cross country team, I would need to do runs when I was away from campus.

In Minneapolis, I have a route that I absolutely love to run. It never gets old, and that is because it’s my happy place. That is a path that I try to recreate wherever I am. I run different routes where I currently live, and I have spe-cific routes that I run when I visit my sisters in Oklahoma or Minnesota.

And I run them for the same reasons — those feelings. When I am away an my happy place, it really doesn’t

matter what the course looks like, or how challenging it is. What really matters is that the air is cool and crisp, the

leaves are changing, I am in my favorite long-sleeved T-shirt, and it smells like fall.

I take in everything my route has to offer, and I lose myself. The chaos of school, students, athletes, and a messy house leave me, and I am happy.

As the year continues, I will make it a point to “escape” in this way as often as I can, and I hope that you and your family are able to do the same thing.

Set down the dishes, the homework, and the car keys. Choose something special to you, and escape!

Kendall Vogts lives and teaches in Central Kansas. She is married to the luckiest man alive, Wichita Fam-ily Magazine publisher Todd Vogts.

By Kendall Vogts

Seeking my happy place~ An EscAping chAos EssAy ~


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Grow with us.

NURSES NEEDEDNEW Critical Care Step-Down

EOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled

SAINT FRANCIS HOSPITAL | THE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL AT SAINT FRANCIS | WARREN CLINIC

HEART HOSPITAL AT SAINT FRANCIS SAINT FRANCIS HOSPITAL SOUTH | LAUREATE PSYCHIATRIC CLINIC AND HOSPITAL

Saint Francis Health System 6600 South Yale, Suite 1100, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74136 918-502-8300 | Toll Free 800-888-9553

Follow us on

If you are an experienced nurse and have a passion for quality patient care in a state-of-the-art facility, we are looking for you. We are expanding in our Trauma Emergency Center Tower and have immediate openings in the new critical care step-down unit.

To view our current openings go to www.saintfrancis.com/career

Seeking my happy place~ An EscAping chAos EssAy ~


ChrisTian CampingKanakuk offers spiritual, sports experiences for children during summer months

Summers of generations past meant spending time outside to climb trees and ride bicycles. The youth’s skin tanned to a golden, sun-kissed brown. When the

street lights came on, it was time to head home, even if you were in the middle of an intense game of pick-up basketball or touch football.

However, nowadays, when youth aren’t in school, they aren’t as likely to be outside enjoying nature. Nowadays, they are usually glued to a screen. Maybe it is a cellphone, or maybe it is a television. Maybe they are surfing social media, or maybe they are playing video games.

Don’t you wish this generation could experience sum-mers like before the influx of electronic devices?

One summer camp offers just that.Kanakuk, which bills itself as “developing next gen-

eration leaders,” is Christ-centered sports camp, offering campers the opportunity to learn new skills and enjoy the outdoors in a safe and supportive environment with God at the forefront.

Wichita resident Jennifer Farley, a former Kanakuk staffer and camp director, is now a mother to children tak-ing part in the transformational experience the camps offer.

“It’s a very encouraging environment,” she said. “It encourages a kid to reach his or her fullest potential, and it provides a summer fun camp experience.”

Farley said Kanakuk is one of the largest Christian sports camps in the country, and it serves children from the age of 6 to 18 years old.

Kanakuk offers opportunities in nearly every sport your child could want, such as baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, dance, golf, football, soccer, tennis and vol-leyball. There are also opportunities for watersports such as canoeing, kayaking and fishing.

With so many offerings, Kanakuk is a great option to help your child learn skills or develop further skills in the various sports, but Farley emphasizes the point that the camp is about more than athletics.

“Sports is just a vehicle. It encourages the kids to have fun,” she said. “For some kids it’s just a great time to try new things, but it is a Christian camp, focused on Christian-spiritual training.”

Farley said the focus is family, fun and faith, and the staff camp counselors are intent upon encouraging the campers to have fun and develop their spiritual walk with Christ and their character.

“Camp is set up in a way to encourage the kids,” she said. “The staff is encouraged to get to know the kids and encour-age them to be who God wanted them to be. They make sure their words are always positive and encouraging to the

campers.”Counselors are with the same group of campers for the

duration of each camp. Camp programs can last one week, two weeks or an entire month.

The length of stay can vary depending upon the age of the camper and the family chooses for the camper, Farley said.

Campers are split into camps based upon their age and length of stay, and when they are older, all the campers get to interact with each other during some events. However, they only stay in cabins with people who are the same age and staying the same amount of time. When the campers are younger, they are only with campers their own age.

Junior high and high school campers are mixed a bit more, but they are given a schedule and get to choose which activities they want to take part in at any given time.

Farley compared it to getting to choose electives at school.

“You get more freedom when you get older,” she said.There is also a family version of the camp where the

whole family unit can attend. Farley said it is a good choice because it comes along side with what is happening at home, and it allows families to all experience Kanakuk together and grow as a group.

And if your child isn’t quite ready for an overnight camp, there is a new offering called Kanakuk Kampout. It is a day camp that travels from town to town. One stop is Wichita.

Farley got started with Kanakuk as a camper. She attend-ed for seven years, and she said she is excited for her son to experience it as well.

“It was great for me to have a Christian role model,” she said, “and it’s fun to have that generational experience of my

son attending as well.”Farley said it is a chance for her son to “fly on his own”

and be encouraged in his faith.Being around older people who showed their faith lead

to her working at the camp.“There was this cool college kid who loved Jesus,” she

said of her time as a camper. “I wanted to be that for some-one else.”

Farley said being on staff was just as transformational as being a camper.

“It’s an experience where you get to see kids grow and take that next step in their faith,” she said. “It really devel-ops kids into leaders. I really saw what camp did for kids in developing Christian leaders.”

And that is why Farley sends her son to the camp.“I really believe in what Kanakuk’s camp experience can

have for a child or teenager,” she said.Farley said her entire family attends camp as well, and

she highly recommends it for other families.“It’s really exciting and fun for our family,” she said.

“Kanakuk says a lot of what is being said at home, but it sounds coolers from a college student.”

For Farley and her family, they treat attending Kanakuk camp as their family vacation. Though she admits it’s even better than what they could do on their own since there is no activity planning or meal preparation needed because the camp is all-inclusive and handles all the events for every day.

“What vacation can you get that?” she said. “It’s so much less stress.”

Though the prices vary depending upon the camp chosen, ranging from a little more than $1,000 to just shy of $4,000, Farley said it is worth it if for nothing else than the Christ-centered experience.

“It’s an investment in our kids,” she said. “It’s pretty com-parable to what it would cost to go to Disneyland.”

Because Kanakuk has such a stellar reputation, Farley said spaces fill up fast, so she encourages being proactive in getting your children signed up.

“If you are even thinking about the camp, sign up,” she said. “The later you wait to enroll, you’re pretty limited in what is available.”

If you are on a tight budget but still want to make this investment in the growth of your children, Farley said Kanakuk can still be an option. You can make monthly pay-ments, and the deposit isn’t very much. What’s better is you can get your deposit back if your summer schedule gets too hectic.

Of course, you and your children have many camp op-tions to choose from, so why pass on the others and go to Kanakuk?

Farley said the answer is simple because of the camp’s commitment to developing Christian leaders by using col-lege students who are really encouraging, living what they believe and sharing Christ while helping the campers in their spiritual walks.

“I really think what sets Kanakuk apart is the staff,” she said.

For more information about everything Kanakuk has to offer, visit www.kanakuk.com.

By Todd Vogts

Wichita resident Jennifer Farley, a former Kanakuk staffer and camp director, poses with Kanakuk campers.


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SATURDAY & SUNDAY ALL DAY 9-4

Clan Tents • British Cars Clydesdales • Highland Cows

Celtic Product Vendors Food Court • Birds of Prey

Children’s Games • Crafts • TrainMini Highland Games

Wee Pub GamesHighland Dance

Highland Heavy Athletics Live steel demonstration

Sheep Dogs

www.macfestival.org

ChrisTian CampingKanakuk offers spiritual, sports experiences for children during summer months

campers.”Counselors are with the same group of campers for the

duration of each camp. Camp programs can last one week, two weeks or an entire month.

The length of stay can vary depending upon the age of the camper and the family chooses for the camper, Farley said.

Campers are split into camps based upon their age and length of stay, and when they are older, all the campers get to interact with each other during some events. However, they only stay in cabins with people who are the same age and staying the same amount of time. When the campers are younger, they are only with campers their own age.

Junior high and high school campers are mixed a bit more, but they are given a schedule and get to choose which activities they want to take part in at any given time.

Farley compared it to getting to choose electives at school.

“You get more freedom when you get older,” she said.There is also a family version of the camp where the

whole family unit can attend. Farley said it is a good choice because it comes along side with what is happening at home, and it allows families to all experience Kanakuk together and grow as a group.

And if your child isn’t quite ready for an overnight camp, there is a new offering called Kanakuk Kampout. It is a day camp that travels from town to town. One stop is Wichita.

Farley got started with Kanakuk as a camper. She attend-ed for seven years, and she said she is excited for her son to experience it as well.

“It was great for me to have a Christian role model,” she said, “and it’s fun to have that generational experience of my

son attending as well.”Farley said it is a chance for her son to “fly on his own”

and be encouraged in his faith.Being around older people who showed their faith lead

to her working at the camp.“There was this cool college kid who loved Jesus,” she

said of her time as a camper. “I wanted to be that for some-one else.”

Farley said being on staff was just as transformational as being a camper.

“It’s an experience where you get to see kids grow and take that next step in their faith,” she said. “It really devel-ops kids into leaders. I really saw what camp did for kids in developing Christian leaders.”

And that is why Farley sends her son to the camp.“I really believe in what Kanakuk’s camp experience can

have for a child or teenager,” she said.Farley said her entire family attends camp as well, and

she highly recommends it for other families.“It’s really exciting and fun for our family,” she said.

“Kanakuk says a lot of what is being said at home, but it sounds coolers from a college student.”

For Farley and her family, they treat attending Kanakuk camp as their family vacation. Though she admits it’s even better than what they could do on their own since there is no activity planning or meal preparation needed because the camp is all-inclusive and handles all the events for every day.

“What vacation can you get that?” she said. “It’s so much less stress.”

Though the prices vary depending upon the camp chosen, ranging from a little more than $1,000 to just shy of $4,000, Farley said it is worth it if for nothing else than the Christ-centered experience.

“It’s an investment in our kids,” she said. “It’s pretty com-parable to what it would cost to go to Disneyland.”

Because Kanakuk has such a stellar reputation, Farley said spaces fill up fast, so she encourages being proactive in getting your children signed up.

“If you are even thinking about the camp, sign up,” she said. “The later you wait to enroll, you’re pretty limited in what is available.”

If you are on a tight budget but still want to make this investment in the growth of your children, Farley said Kanakuk can still be an option. You can make monthly pay-ments, and the deposit isn’t very much. What’s better is you can get your deposit back if your summer schedule gets too hectic.

Of course, you and your children have many camp op-tions to choose from, so why pass on the others and go to Kanakuk?

Farley said the answer is simple because of the camp’s commitment to developing Christian leaders by using col-lege students who are really encouraging, living what they believe and sharing Christ while helping the campers in their spiritual walks.

“I really think what sets Kanakuk apart is the staff,” she said.

For more information about everything Kanakuk has to offer, visit www.kanakuk.com.

Wichita resident Jennifer Farley, a former Kanakuk staffer and camp director, poses with Kanakuk campers.


Despite the fact that summer temperatures remain, fall is here. Soon the cool air will storm back, and the leaves will turn in loud October, bringing with

them the smells of Halloween and Thanksgiving.How did the fall creep up on us so quickly? We weren’t

looking, that’s for sure, and now the surprise is upon us. Why is it that each season speeds up on its way out?

It’s human to feel the passage of time as unnatural; a wise man once said that eternity sits deep within our hearts, so it’s no wonder time feels strange. Where do the seasons go? And is there a way to slow them down?

We can’t get time back, but maybe there’s something we can change about ourselves to experience more of each mo-ment.

My family and I spent a week on a beach in Southern California at the end of July.

It was the first time our children had seen the ocean, and it took them a few days to become comfortable with the noise and force of the waves.

The best part of the entire week was to watch all three of them play in the surf and sand. Our smallest never did get used to the water, but when the large hole we dug was swamped by a wave, he had the greatest time jumping into it.

That time on the beach grows in me like a parable. We won’t find ourselves at the ocean again anytime soon, but we still have the ability to enjoy one another as we do simple things.

Somehow we’ve grown to think that our schedules need to be filled with lots of complicated activities in order to be happy. And yet, the more I spin myself, and the more I sur-round myself with lots to do, the more the seasons give me the slip.

Give my children some sand, a shovel, and a bucket of water, and we have given them hours of delight.

We don’t need more to do, we need less. And it’s true not only of what we do, but also of what we have.

Another summer goal was to clean out some of our rooms, especially the “play” room. The process of giving away toys was painful in spots, as beloved and forgotten treasures were unearthed. But that’s just it, they were forgot-ten.

Once those old trucks and crayons we stopped using were gone, we forgot again. And now that the room is clear of unused stuff, we play more in that space and the stress level has been lowered — it’s even evident in our children.

If I’ve learned anything this summer from my time with my children, it’s this: simple is better.

Southern California had a lot to offer us, and we could have braved theme parks or baseball games, but the sand and water was enough.

Back home, the same is true. Instead of playing in a room full of plastic, it’s more enjoyable to line up in the front yard and be sprayed with the hose.

Fall is here and will go just as quickly as in years past, but I won’t let it pass without seeing all of it.

Ian Anderson is a teacher, a husband, and a dad. He lives with his family in Central Kansas. Occasionally, he tweets here: @ian_writes.

By Ian Anderson

Simple September~ A pAssAgE of TimE EssAy ~


Simple September

16 - www.wichitafamily.comWest side of Wichita in Goddard

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wichita family magazine september 2015

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