Columbus Parent Archives

February 2014 Edition

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Valentine magnets

Want to hold on to the special valentine you receive this year? Use this decorative clothespin magnet to hang Valentine's Day keepsakes on your refrigerator or school locker. They're easy to make and in one night you can make enough to hand out with your class valentines.

Aquarium Adventure

It may not be your typical "play place," but, with a little imagination, Aquarium Adventure can take your kids on an international sea-life expedition without ever leaving suburbia. Best of all, the management welcomes these kinds of visits.

Nickelodeon Suites Resort in Orlando

The first time I took my kids to the Orlando theme parks, I did what my parents always did: Call up our Florida relatives and see if they would host us while we played tourist. (As a former Florida resident, I can tell you this is a common approach to visiting the Sunshine State.)

Dublin

Dublin caters to families who want to play outdoors - even in cold weather.

A Menu for Success

It's time to make a weekly menu plan. Trust me. Since I've switched to mapping out meals in advance, I've gone from grocery shopping every other day to once a week. I'm saving time, gasoline, money - and that 4 p.m. what-the-heck-are-we-having-for-dinner stress is gone.

The Heart of the Cooking Matter

As soon as I could reach the counters, my mom let me experiment in the kitchen, where I created memorable meals such as "Dino Dogs" (dinosaur-shaped Kraft pasta dinner with cut-up hot dogs) and the unfortunate "Kraft Single Melted over Cantaloupe" dish.

The Parent Pulse

Inspiring news for and about Central Ohio parents! Got an inspiring tip for our next issue? Send it to jmantey@gmail.com with Parent Pulse in the subject line.

Puppy Love

My 4-year-old, Maggie, recently said she wanted to play with our dog, Louie, in the backyard. Louie is a 100-pound, barrel-chested, 9-year-old yellow Labrador retriever with bad hind legs. Play is a rarity these days, so the outing didn't happen. But I was happy to hear her make the request. It was a first.

Letter from the Editor

I don't think there has ever, in my 19 years of visiting central Ohio schools for journalistic purposes, been a visit when I failed to come away inspired and motivated by what I observed in those classrooms.

Handwriting instruction is not what it used to be

It's no secret that handwriting instruction is not what it used to be in our schools. The Common Core State Standards are the controversial new educational guidelines for kindergarten through Grade 12. Most of the 45 states that will be rolling out these standards in public schools next school year de-emphasize handwriting instruction to the extent that many schools have ceased teaching handwriting as its own subject and many do not teach cursive writing at all.

The People Who Inspire Us

The ThisWeek Community News reporters who cover central Ohio schools get to meet some amazing and inspiring people as part of their work. Columbus Parent asked them to share a few of these people with our readers.

The Classroom Pet

Dona Givens brought her love of animals to the classroom when she began teaching 30 years ago.

Helping Your Child Embrace Challenges

As parents, we all want our kids to be successful learners and to feel confident and supported in school. But doing well in school isn't just about getting good grades. In the long term, the most successful students will be the ones who learn to overcome adversity and face challenges with resilience.

Blankets and Booties

Becky Schisler always wanted to own a small business. In September 2006, she opened Blankets and Booties in historic Dublin.

Pediatric HealthSource

Q: Recently, my 8-year-old son has been complaining of a dull ache in his feet and legs. He plays soccer, but the pain doesn't necessarily occur around the times when he's playing. Are these just growing pains?

Product Pix

Rhyme & Rhythm, Hot Dots and Squeaky Clean Art.

Feeling Dated?

Valentine's Day is taking on a new level of interest in our house this year. Before middle school, Ian was only interested in signing a card for me purchased by my husband, in attaching the perfect piece of candy to cool valentine cards for his classmates, and in all the candy he might receive. We're in middle school now and it's a whole new world. The middle-school world is one in which sixth-grade boys and girls are dating.

What's the Buzz?

Parenting is packed with buzzwords that come and go. Let's decipher some of them and figure out if they've got value for you!

Grossman grows as part of team

Mike and Kim Grossman were hesitant when their daughter asked to join the Canal Winchester High School girls swimming and diving team this season.

Girls night out

Canvas painting, cocktail sipping and cupcake nibbling with your g'friends!

Winter at The Works

The Works museum in Newark has special hours on Sundays throughout the winter

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