Tag: children

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Ask Dr. Renae: Worried about the cost of the COVID school gap

Dear Dr. Renae,

I hear some teachers commenting on this school year being a lost year and all the students winding up a year behind. I am aware that I didn’t learn as much as I would have since online was not as good as in person for some subjects. I worry about being prepared for college entrance exams and college coursework. I am even more worried about my younger sister who is struggling to learn how to read. I notice how frustrated the teachers are as well. Many of my peers are upset about missing out on social activities but I am thinking about my future. Am I weird for worrying about my education?

Unprepared High School Junior

Dear Unprepared High School Junior,

It is completely normal to be worried about your education! Education is a major cornerstone in our lives, so I understand where you are coming from. It helps to remem-ber that every person in the world is facing the same issue that is happening to you, and so I believe people will be more mindful and understanding of the circumstances you have come from. You could not control the cards you were dealt, and educators know that. It is my belief that they will have to be accommodating to any issues that may arise from online education, if they would want to dutifully fulfill their jobs. Hopefully, I assuaged some of your fears, and I wish you the best of luck in your academic journey.

Your Fellow Teen

Dear Unprepared High School Junior,

It’s completely understandable being concerned about your academics. Commendable, even. Whilst students have been heavily affected by this pandemic, it’s important to re-main optimistic. Junior year is a crucial time for prospective university students but with everything going on, universities might be lenient with requirements. Now is also a fantastic time to build your student resumé. If you haven’t already decided on a university, now is the perfect time to take a look and reach out to universities. This is the fun part! As far as preparation goes, there’s plenty of practice SAT samplequestions available online as well as books to read. It’s important to be studious but not too hard on yourself. Stay safe!

A Caring Friend

Dear Unprepared Junior,

You are not weird for worrying about your education at all. From reading your submission, I can tell you care about your education which is really important. Since I’m not in college just yet, I asked my 25-year-old sister for some advice I could give you. The best thing she told me was from her college experience, as long as you keep up your studying, work ethic and motivation, you will be fi ne. To tell you the truth, she told me that high school did not prepare her for college; college prepared her for college. Stressing right now over something you don’t know will happen will drive you crazy! It’s best to start good habits during online school that you can later use in college. I hope this helps!

Your Friend

Dear Unprepared Junior,

It is true that most students did not learn as much academic curriculum as they would have if school was in person as usual. The timing and speed at which learning takes place, however, is not indicative of future happiness and success. Many professionals took an unexpected alternative path and timeline in preparing for their career which helped better lead them toward  success. Struggling with the lifestyle changes required during the pandemic has given you an opportunity to learn much more than academics. Conquering boredom and anxiety, along with navigating a new daily structure has taught you flexibility, creativity, and perseverance. Those skills help you to be significantly prepared for college as well as your future. Take pride in the personal growth you have experienced in order to acquire more confidence in your ability to adapt to the future.

Dr. Renae

 

TEENS: Curious as to what other teens would say? If you have a question or problem you would like to present to other teens, please email: askdrrenae@att.net and include your age, grade, and gender you identify with. All questions are published anonymously and your identity and contact information will be kept confidential.

PARENTS OF TEENS: Would you like to anonymously and confidentially ask the panel of teen Peer Counseling Writers to comment on a parenting issue you are struggling with? If you are ready for a variety of honest opinions from real teens, please address your questions to askdrrenae@att.net.

Dr. Renae Lapin, a licensed marriage and family therapist with 40 years experience, currently maintains a private practice in Boca Raton, Florida.

For more information about Dr. Renae and her practice, visit her website: https://askdrrenae.com

 

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Can you catch a leprechaun?

St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Wednesday this year, so why not liven up hump day with these fun kid-tested activities? It’s easy to create a festive experience while still practicing COVID safety.

Start the morning with rainbow necklaces! Grab some yarn, tape, and your favorite colorful cereal and get those fine motor skills working. Tape one of the ends to make it easier to thread the O’s. The kids can wear, eat, and enjoy. If you’re lucky they’ll make one for you too!

Spread some joy. My kids love to leave surprise treats for their friends and neighbors. I found some inexpensive containers for them to fill with gold nuggets and printed off festive tags. It is a great excuse to hop on their bikes and get some exercise while delivering these small gifts.

The grand finale is a leprechaun scavenger hunt! The kit includes the clues, a hiding cheat sheet for the parents, and a pack of gold cookie “coins” as the treasure. The clues are simple and offer great reading and problem-solving practice. Hide the clues all around the house to get your kids running around. The sheer joy and sense of accomplishment as they find each clue will make your heart melt, and I think it makes the treasure taste even better.

Stay safe and Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

For information on any of these activities contact:

Rachel Hunter of Celebrate You Events (@celebrate.you.events) – Party styling, scavenger hunt kit & banners

Amanda Fletcher of Cookies by Amanda (@cookiesbyamanda) – Scavenger hunt kit & Cookies

Daniela Herrera of Tulle & Tools (@tulleandtools) – Cake pops

Maribel Giraldo from Designs for You (@maribel_designsforyou) – Balloon garland

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Asians welcome the year of the Ox

Across eastern Asia on Feb 12, 2021, people will be celebrating Chinese New Year, ushering in the year of the Ox. For the growing Asian population of South Florida, this year’s celebration will be subdued compared to previous years.

Chinese New Year falls on different dates each year because it’s based on the lunar calendar and often called the Spring Festival. It’s the most important holiday in several Asian countries including China, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Philippines.

Spring Festival is when extended families come together and celebrate the beginning of the new year. Gifts are often exchanged and parents often give red envelopes filled with money to children. Lavish dinners with many dishes symbolizing unity and good luck are served. New Year’s rituals span two weeks, so you will often find businesses in east Asia taking a long vacation during this period.

In the US, you will find many of the traditional celebrations, such as dragon and lion dances and the hanging of red lanterns in many China towns across the country. But this year, this is expected to be more subdued, and many families will be celebrating at home.

The Ox from the Chinese Horoscope symbolizes someone who is honest and hardworking. As we all recover from a difficult 2020, I hope the spirit of the Ox imbues us with the strength to take on the recovery, and leads to a prosperous 2021.

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The (Emily) Jewel in Parkland’s crown

“There is a castle on a cloud, I like to go there in my sleep,” sings 9-year-old Parkland resident, Emily Jewel Hoder, in her solo as Little Cosette in the national Broadway touring company of “Les Misérables (Les Miz).”

Standing 49.5-inches tall (the half inch is very important, as she must recite this for casting directors) and weighing in at 51 lbs., Hoder is already a triple threat. And like Shirley Temple before her – can sing, dance, act and charm an audience right out of their seats.

With a career that began at the age of 7 at the Wick Theatre in Boca Raton playing Molly in “Annie,” alongside Sally Struthers as Miss Hannigan and George Dvorsky as Daddy Warbucks, Hoder was on the Les Miz tour when the pandemic struck.

“I didn’t let it (the pandemic) stop me from doing what I love,” says Hoder. “Les Miz is the most amazing experience of my whole life.”

With the tour, Hoder traveled to six different cities in two-and-a-half months, including Springfield, MO,  Kalamazoo, MI, CIncinnati, OH, Sarasota, FL, Greenfield, SC and Durham, NC where the tour abruptly ended in mid-March.

Her dad, Eric Hoder, a chiropractor, flew out to attend each show.

Performing “Castle on a Cloud” alone on stage was the highlight for Hoder.

“I could see Patrick Dunn (Jean Valjean) and Preston Truman Boyd  (Inspector Javert) fighting through the curtain,” she says.  “That was the coolest part.”

As a performer, Hoder admires Dunn and says, “He’s a great singer and so cool and funny.”

Performing her solo on stage, Hoder denies feeling nervous and says, “I feel happy and in the moment.  I love to perform.  My favorite part is making eye contact and connecting with the audience.”

In 2018 Hoder took third-place and $100 at the Coral Springs Got Talent competition for her dance solo and won her first national title as the Believe National overall winner for her solo jazz-acro dance at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center.

Back in Parkland, Hoder has been using her free time during quarantine to network, dance, take classes at Performance Edge Two studio in Boca Raton and perform in three shows at the Wick Theatre.

Through social media, she connected with Tiler Peck, principal dancer of the New York CityBallet, and performed live on Peck’s  Instagram feed.

Hoder also has a role in director Brian Schmidt’s feature film, “Payton’s Caper,” and appeared in a music video for Israeli singer Gad Elbaz.

“We’re very proud of Emily,” says her mom, Caroline Hoder, a stay-at-home mom who became Emily’s production crew, IT person and helps her run her lines.

Despite having so much disappointment this year (the tour ended and Broadway closed) Emily continues to connect with people virtually,” says Caroline Hoder.

“I’m happy to support her dreams,” says Caroline Hoder, who was on a similar track as a child, performing at the Swap Shop Circus and with the Miami City Ballet.

“She keeps going and brings joy to others,” she says.  “We’re blessed to be able to be home with her and we make a good team.”

A former student at Riverglades Elementary, Hoder is now enrolled in Florida Virtual School and when she’s not rehearsing or taking classes loves to play with her 5-yr. old sister, Sunny, and her two cats, Buttercup and Oreo.

Her advice for other children pursuing similar dreams is “You have to be yourself because you are your biggest cheerleader.”

What are her post-pandemic plans?

Hoder plans to return to New York, says her mom.  She has her eye on the “Music Man” (for which she auditioned twice and danced for five consecutive hours, surviving all the cuts).

“Emily wants to inspire other kids to do what they love,” says Caroline Hoder.  “Even if they can’t act, dance or sing, they should follow their dreams.”

“I advise other parents to be aware of what your kids are interested in and nurture that,” she says.

Marilyn Wick, CEO of the Wick Theatre says, “Emily has performed many times at The Wick throughout the years, most recently in our Christmas show this past December.”

“Every time she is on stage, she delights the audience with her talent and innate charisma,” says Wick. “She is quite the performer and has been trained very well.”

“We are all expecting big things from this young lady,” Wick says.

 

To see Emily Jewel Hoder perform, visit Dancekidemily on YouTube and on Instagram: emilyjewel7.

Revised Feb 2nd, 2021 based on updates from the contributor

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‘It takes a village’

“It takes a village” is an African proverb that means that an entire community of people must interact with children for them to experience and grow in a safe and healthy environment.

Many of us have commented in jest to our friends, “it takes a village” when trying to corral an unruly child at a birthday party or playdate. As we are having a difficult time, we lean on our friends to ease the burden.

This phrase is commonly spoken in the context of the parent’s point of view.

What about the child’s point of view?

Shouldn’t all children have the benefit of a village to experience life and grow in a safe and healthy environment?

What if the child does not grow up with parents, let alone an entire village? What if, instead of birthday parties and playdates, a child is forced to sleep on distant relatives’ couches, or worse, in a homeless shelter?

This is the life of many foster children, right in our back yard.

It is unfair and sad that so many children grow up bouncing around between group homes or private homes of “foster parents” because of their parental neglect, abuse, or drug use.

Not many people are willing to help even one foster child, let alone hundreds of foster children that need not only the essentials (shelter and food), but positivity, support, and guidance to become successful members of society.

In part, because of one woman’s time and dedication, foster children in Broward County have a village to call their own.

Jillian Smath is the CEO of SOS Children’s Villages, a residential foster care community in Coconut Creek. SOS has 15 buildings around a cul-de-sac – 13 foster homes, a community center, and an administrative office. The 13 homes foster approximately 60 children at any given time.

Jillian lives in Parkland with her husband, Lee, and daughters, Emily, 16 and Marlee, 14.

Before being promoted to CEO in 2015, Jillian started at SOS in 1997 as a case manager. Jillian learned about SOS while working for the Department of Children and Families (“DCF”).

While at DCF, Jillian remembers having a little girl on her caseload who was bouncing from foster home to foster home as nobody wanted to keep her for any extended period. She was a very outspoken and spirited little girl, which presented a challenge for many foster parents.

One of Jillian’s coworkers told her about SOS and she made the referral. Jillian brought her out to SOS for an interview and immediately fell in love with what she saw. She placed this little girl in March of 1997 and then read the classifieds every day in hopes that a job opportunity would open. A few months later a position became available.

“The little girl is now 34,” Jillian says proudly, “a mom and a part of my life – she calls me her godmother.”

Over the past 23 years Jillian’s efforts securing donations and grants and overseeing the foster parents have transformed SOS into one of the largest foster care villages in the state.

Jillian has met every child that ever lived at SOS, approximately 800 children. She has seen the impact SOS has made on these children as many of them go on to college or a trade school and stay in Broward County. Without SOS, these children would not have been given the opportunity to succeed. Their success makes our entire community stronger.

Jillian remains in touch with most of “her children” – many of whom now have families of their own. Her children continuously remind her that they owe their success to SOS.

The holidays are special times for families. Jillian is helping create a village for those who would be alone.

To learn more about SOS Broward or how you can donate, please visit www.sosflorida.com.

Philip Snyder, Esq. is a partner at Lyons and Snyder, a Plantation law firm specializing in personal injury.

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Delray mom writes kids book on wearing masks

Delray Beach resident Shannon Q. McDonald, a mom of two young children, wanted to find a way to tell her kids about face masks in kid-friendly language, while also making them laugh at the same time.

To do so, she wrote Remember to Smile, a children’s picture book for kids ages 2-6 years old that describes and illustrates different styles of masks and when to wear them.

“I have a 3- and 5-year-old, and as a parent, I look for ways to explain some of the new COVID-related realities they are seeing in an age-appropriate way,” McDonald says. “I wanted something that was fun, but still carried a message about one of the most visual changes they are encountering in schools and daycares – face masks.”

As more and more places require masks, and young children have to experience so many new, confusing, and sometimes scary things, Remember to Smile adds playfulness and laughs around masks. With the help of some giggles and an adorable wiener dog based on the author’s family pup, Remember to Smile will help children become more comfortable with the idea of face masks, and encourage them to keep smiling, even if it has to be hidden from sight at times.

“Things look a bit different these days as we go out and about, especially for those little ones that are attending daycare or school this Fall,” McDonald said. “As our kids start to see and wear masks, it can be somewhat confusing. I hope that regardless of the various viewpoints about mask-wearing right now, people understand that this is a reality for our children. The most helpful thing we can do as parents is helping them to feel more comfortable and at ease when seeing anyone wearing them.”

The book is available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon as a paperback, hardcover or e-book.

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‘The limit does not exist’

I attended K-12 in Coral Springs in the 80s and 90s. At Ramblewood Middle School, my assigned special subject was computers. We played a lot of Oregon Trail and Odell Lake and used primitive coding to create King Kong climbing up computer screens (yes, we actually stacked computer screens on top of each other).

My computers special was 100 percent boys. 100 percent boys! I remember asking my guidance counselor if I could change my special to peer counseling. For those who went to Ramblewood Middle School, the peer counselors put on a yearly show, “Just say no to drugs” to the song, Total Eclipse of the Heart – the pep rally was terrible and awesome at the same time. I was told I could not be a peer counselor because there were already too many girls signed up and they “needed me” in computers. This was an accepted trend growing up; boys were “needed” in technology and science while girls were “needed” in the soft sciences and arts.

Growing up, our teachers constantly preached, “You can be whatever you want when you grow up.” What they really meant to say was, “You can be whatever you want when you grow up … as long as it’s gender
appropriate.”

Fast forward to 2020.

Kristen Meis

Kristin Meis is the Engineering and Robotics Specialist at Park Trails Elementary. Kristin also serves as the school’s liaison for the Math and Science departments for the district. This year, Kristin was nominated for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science, after being awarded Teacher of the Year at Park Trails Elementary for the 2019-2020 school year. The Presidential Award is the highest recognition a teacher can receive in the United States.

The idea of a woman receiving the Presidential Award for Mathematics and Science, for Engineering and Robotics, nonetheless, may have seemed crazy to some 30 years ago. Science teachers were predominantly men. English teachers were predominantly women.

Now, because of trailblazers like Kristin, all children, both boys and girls, are encouraged to love STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) at a young age. Kristin resides in Parkland with her husband Rob and two children, Macy, 14 and RJ, 12. Kristin became a teacher in 1999 after graduating with her Master’s in Education from the University of Florida. Kristin accepted the Engineering and Robotics position at Park Trails last year after having been a classroom teacher there since 2013. She was excited about students solving problems (Kristin calls them “design challenges”) with not only their minds but with their hands.

She created her Engineering and Robotics lab with students in mind – shelves line one wall filled with materials students use throughout the year. Kristin encourages her students to use engineering and design processes — ask, imagine, plan, create, improve, and communicate — to solve problems. The materials wall serves to expand her students’ minds while providing them with limitless opportunities to find solutions. Students learn not by memorizing formulas, but by working through challenges in teams.

For example, during virtual learning, the intermediate grades created a “Helping Hand” for their design challenge using just straws, strings, and tape. This exercise led to an in-depth discussion between her students about different body systems, particularly the skeletal system and the 206 bones in their body. Her students learned about the 27 bones in each hand, 26 bones in each foot, and more.

In a world where children are on their devices for hours on end, Kristin challenges them to think creatively and “outside the box.” Kristin loves creating novel ways to teach her students while not relying on traditional textbooks. Like Mr. Miyagi teaching Daniel LaRusso (The Karate Kid, 1984), Kristin’s students may not even realize that she is arming them with life skills that will help them throughout their entire lives and in the workforce.

Kristin is an inspiration to all women who were ever told that STEM is a “boys world.” Girls can be whatever they want when they grow up. To use a science term, “They are bound by nothing.” Better yet, to use a quote from Cady Heron in Mean Girls, “The limit does not exist!”

Parkland is lucky to have not only a Presidential Award-Nominated Mathematics and Science teacher, but an amazing person who loves her students and her career. Thank you, Kristin, for encouraging a lifelong love of robotics and engineering to boys and girls. Let us all root for Kristin to be recognized in Washington in 2021 as one of the best Mathematics and Science teachers in the country!

Philip Snyder is a partner in the Delray Beach law firm Lyons Snyder Collins.

 

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Coding school comes to Coral Springs

“Learn to code. Change the world.”

That’s the motto of theCoderSchool coming to Coral Springs. The school at 10633 Wiles Road is owned and operated by Aditi and Rajiv Ralhan.

The duo will be bringing nearly two decades of technology experience to the school, both having extensive backgrounds in computer science and software development.

Both Aditi and Rajiv moved to South Florida from India. Rajiv came to the United States in 2002 to complete his Masters in computer science at Florida Atlantic University.

Aditi came to Florida to be with her husband in 2007, completing her MBA at Florida Atlantic University.

“We are excited to open our fi rst CoderSchool in Coral Springs,” said Aditi. “Learning how to code gives children the upper hand in their future.” The school accepts students ages 7 to 18. Classes are virtual now but the facility is expected to open by the end of the year.

Visit https://www.thecoderschool.com/locations/coralsprings/ for more information.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ralhan’s emphasize the importance of keeping kids engaged and learning as parents continue to adjust to virtual learning.

“Our school will allow children to work with our code coaches directly, feel accomplished and proud of their work, and the best part is that they will be learning skills that will help them for their future potential careers,” said Aditi.

Founded in 2014 by Hansel Lynn and franchised in 2016, theCoderSchool was built to provide children aged 7 to 18 with a welcoming environment to develop computer programming skills.

theCoderSchool uses a variety of platforms to teach various coding languages, such as HTML, CSS, Python, JavaScript and more. Every lesson is customized with the help of trained Code Coaches® who use a 2-on-1 approach to teaching.

“As we continue to expand our presence throughout the country, it’s critical to find the right franchise partners, like Aditi and Rajiv, who truly know the importance of coding,” added Lynn. “We are excited the Coral Springs location will be opening virtually and in the future expand their options to in-person learning.”

The school has over 45 locations in over 15 states. For more information, visit http://www.thecoderschool.com/.

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Horse camp lives on

My first time on a horse was in Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek when I was three. The first time I climbed up onto the giant animal was exhilarating, although it was hard, at first, to entrust my wellbeing to this animal.

Fast forward to 2018. I started to go to horse camp at Malachi Acres in Parkland, thanks to a recommendation from the Parklander. It’s something I have looked forward to each summer since.

When COVID-19 shut down my school, I began to worry there would be no horse camp this summer. I missed seeing all my friends, but somehow, I knew I would see my friends from Malachi.

When they reopened the camp, I was delighted. New protocols are in place, mask-wearing when necessary, constant cleaning, not standing too close to each other, and not sharing food have become our “new normal.”

All the horses at the barn are great for different reasons, but Cosmo is my absolute favorite because she listened to me immediately. My favorite parts of camp are seeing my friends, feeding after camp, being in control of a thousand-pound animal, and just having fun.

Coronavirus may have shut down other camps but at Malachi — as long as we are on our p’s and q’s — camp lives on, and I hope to be able to attend horse camp next summer!

By Madeline Bernstein

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