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EAST BAY EDITION

t h e b a y a r e a ’ s f i n i l y e

aUG/sePt 2010sUG ret $3.95

Madstylemodern vintage meets madison ave

Your child could be

on our next cover!

find oUt how inside

houseboatsPears

eames blocksJuice box heroes

cardboard rocketsFinding helP

fun fashion finds

+

2 bay area kids www.bakidsmagazine.com

When I got to the hospital,I wanted to scream “put me under a hot shower!” But before I said a word, my nurse was already turning the water on.

Delivering new mothers.

Choose your OB at johnmuirhealth.com

At John Muir Health, we would never consider you as just another mother. Because every mother is unique. With her own joys. Her own fears. Her own history. From planning and pregnancy through labor and post-delivery, our caring sta� is there for you. Trust us to honor your life-changing experience.

august/september 2010 bay area kids 3

it takes a village … or twoParents need all the help they can get. People have made it their business to offer that help.

the regular the good stuFFVolume 2, number 5Aug/Sept 2010www.BAKidsMagazine.com

Publisher/Editor/FatherEverard G. [email protected]

SalesGeneral [email protected]

Kathryn [email protected]

Ayiko [email protected]

General Editorial [email protected]

[email protected]

PhotographyShaun Fenn, www.shaunfenn.com

ContributingWritersKelly Pollard, Sunny Chanel, Patricia Kutza, Sarah Handelsman, MD, Mike Koslosky

SubmissionsSend photos, events, news, and story requests to [email protected] all products to address below. In-clude return postage.

doing our PartBay Area Kids magazine is printed on 10 percent recycled paper using only soy based inks. Our printer meets or exceeds all Federal Resource Conservation Act (RCRA) Standards and is a certified member of the Forest Stewardship Council.

small Print2010 Big E Productions (DBA Bay Area Kids magazine). No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Big E Productions assumes no liability or responsibility for any claims made by advertisers in the magazine.

BAY AREA KIDS magazineP.O. Box 30442Walnut Creek, CA 94598www.BAKidsMagazine.com

BayAreaKids

4 small talk food for thought

6 play dates select happenings

8 product reviews Of froggy boots, grafeeti shoes, jungle gyms and cardboard rockets

10 toy box Eames blocks, city stamps, and a Shelby GT-350

12 sleep training How to help your baby sleep through the night

14nature walk the ants go marching one by one

16neighbors the juice box heroes bring nostalgia to the preschool set

37where did you get that a colorful frock, a cat in the Con, and a local shoemaker

44fun food finds pear up some healthy food options with these fun-to- make healthy recipes

46diary of a suburban queen school bells ring, are you listening?

3what’sinside

Float Your [house] boatReady for a stress-free, family-friendly vacation where everybody has fun? Yes, everyone.

mad styleVintage styles let kids play grown-up too, but without the drama.

28

32

38SPECIALSECTIONS20 back to school Guide24 health Professionals


4smalltalk

editor’s letter

foodforthought

build Your own magazine

What do you want to see more of in Bay

Area Kids magazine? What do you want to see less of? Let

us know at [email protected]

“There’s a generation of parents out there who didn’t learn to cook at school, and now we’re rapidly losing the skills that have been passed down through the generations and acted as a kind of safeguard to make sure we can feed ourselves properly.” Jamie Oliver, “The Naked Chef”

WE ARE ALL AWARE that there is an obesity epidemic amongst our children, and as most parents do, I ignore the fact while at the same time emptying the car of old fast-food wrappers and cartons. Seeing my two children scamper and run and bound around the house and the backyard, I figure any small dosage of such “treats” would do little harm to their overall upbringing. I justify these choices with excuses about having no time to cook proper meals: as the owner of a company that involves constant deadlines, I barely have time to breathe, much less think about what’s for dinner. Looking at myself in the mirror, I knew I could stand to loose a few pounds, but [sucking my gut in], it isn’t that bad.

I’ve come to find out that it is that bad. After doing a body fat measurement, I found that I had become obese (my tall frame hides it well, but it’s there), and my eating habits were a sham. Worst of all, I was bringing my children down along with me, and that’s neither fair nor my right by them.

I spend a lot of time at www.ted.com, an amazing site featuring short presentations on a variety of subjects from many notable figures. Recently, I discovered two talks dealing with the same subject—one by Jamie Oliver, the “Naked Chef”; the other by Ann Cooper, the head of nutrition for Berkeley’s public schools. They both stated the same premise: our kids are not learning about healthy food choices at school or home, and it’s mostly the parents’ fault because we don’t practice good cooking at home anymore. Add on to the guilt platter a late-night viewing of Super Size Me, and any thoughts I had about being a good food role model went gurgling down the toilet. I realized I was in a state of denial (a large state), and something had to be done, and fast.

So for my kids’ sake, and my own, I have decided to use Bay Area Kids to help not just me, but other parents out there who are stuck in the same rut: those of us who mean good—we try, and our intentions are pure, but we know we fall short. My hope is to show, issue by issue and online through my blog (www.bakidsmagazine.com) that if I—a middle-aged, overweight, very busy parent of two young children—can start getting his healthy life back, then there’s hope for others as well.

God help me …

Everard G Strong, Publisher, Editor, and [email protected]

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These listings are provided as a free

service to our readers. Submit your event

to us (include place, date, and description)

online at [email protected]

verY imPortant dates

august/september

wild australia exhibit Ongoing. Oakland Zoo, 9777 Golf Links Rd., Oakland, www.oaklandzoo.org. the new wild australia exhibit is accessible via the outback express adventure train. Guests can board the train in the rides area and begin their journey through an australian-themed exhibit featuring wallaroos and emus. enjoy this down Under setting with beautiful views of the bay area as a backdrop. this is a family friendly attraction for all ages to enjoy. admission for the outback adventure train is $2.50 per person, not including Zoo admission.

kabaret for kids sun Sep 12, curtains 2:15 pm. Lesher Center for the Arts, Knights Stage 3 Theatre, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek, (925) 295-1400, www.lesherartscenter.org. Tickets $14.50 regular admission. the popular children’s theatre attraction returns to the lesher Center, where it has become a staple in the community’s annual calendar. Maintaining its tradition of spotlighting Contra Costa’s brightest young talent, this year’s production features alissa anderegg (from the l.a. Production of The American Girls Revue), d’ann’s academy of dance, Magicians Jack dugan & Jack fowler, Pianist ryan Mcnally, and 15-year old recording artist Charlie williams.

disney’s Aladdin Sat Aug 7 – Sun Sep 5, Berkeley Playhouse, Julia Morgan Center, 2640 College Ave., Berkeley. Visit www.berkeleyplayhouse.org for specific dates and hours. Tickets: $33 adult, $30 senior (65 and up), $22 child (6-17), $15 tot (5 and under). anything can happen in agrabah, City of enchantment, in this buoyant retelling of the classic arabian tale! this west coast premier of Disney’s Aladdin features all the familiar characters from the best-selling animated movie classic, as well as memorable songs such as, “arabian nights,” “friend like Me,” and “a whole new world.” Music by alan Menken, directed by Jennifer King, music direction by amy dalton, choreography by dane Paul andres.

lost in space fri Aug 13, 5 – 8 pm Bay Area Discovery Museum, 557 McReynolds Rd., Sausalito, (415) 339-3900, www.baykidsmuseum.org. one last chance to see living in space before it blasts off! Celebrate space travel with a retro evening of fun featuring 60’s grooves from dJ Mancub from 6:30 – 7:30 pm. the short attention span Circus will delight with comedic juggling, magic, contortions, and more from 5:30 – 6:30 pm.

danceversity world dance camp 2010. Mon-Fri, August 2-6, August 9-13, August 16-20, 9am to 4pm. Ashkenaz Music and Dance Community Center, 1317 San Pablo, Berkeley, (510) 525-5099, http://ashkenaz.com or http://danceversity.com. Cost: full day tuition (9am-4pm): $340 half day tuition (9am-12pm or 1pm-4pm): $170. the danceVersity world dance summer Camp is geared for ages 7-16 and appropriate for dancers of all levels. every friday afternoon, family and friends will be treated to a display of what the students learned that week. students will explore dance from afghanistan, spain, haiti, Zimbabwe, brazil, Morocco, iran, india, and more.

disney’s Beauty and the Beast Tue, Aug 17 – Sun, Aug 29. Golden Gate Theatre, 1 Taylor St., San Francisco, www.shnsf.com, (415) 551-2000. Ticket prices range from $30 to $99. based on the academy award-winning animated feature film, this classic musical love story is filled with unforgettable characters, lavish sets and costumes, and dazzling production numbers, including “be our Guest” and the beloved title song.

6play

dates

slumber with the stars at chabot space and science center Fri, Aug 27 – Sat, Aug 28, 7pm – 10am. Chabot Space and Science Center, 10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland, (510) 336-7300, www.chabotspace.org. $75 members, $85 guests, ages 5 and up. Advance reservations required: (510) 336-7373. Join your neighbors for slumber with the stars, an overnight at the Center that includes games, exhibit exploration, a hike in the redwoods, a live planetarium show, and viewing through Chabot’s large telescopes. an experience your family will remember for a lifetime. note: a minimum of one adult is required for every five children.

BayAreaKidssponsored by

Bay Area Kids magazine and JE Model present

answer the call contestthe greater bay area child casting call

For submission information, rules, prizes, and other details, click on over to www.bakidsmagazine.com

Contest ends November 12, 2010. Winners will be announced in the December/January issue of Bay Area Kids magazine.

Children must be newborn to 8 years old. Entrants must reside in the greater Bay Area and able to travel to local photo shoots. Photos judged by JE Model and Bay Area Kids magazine. More details online at www.bakidsmagazine.com

twoBoystwoGirlsFourwinnersWinners will earn a one-year contract with JE Model, and appear in an upcoming fashion photo shoot for Bay Area Kids magazine, as well as win other great prizes!

Interested in being a sponsor? Contact [email protected] on sponsorship availability

IS modelIng RIgHT FoR YoU And YoUR CHIld?? Find out more information about what’s involved, online at www.bakidsmagazine.com


8mixedmedia

» local author sPotlight

Froggy boots go with everything (Jill Zabkar Martin, JZM Media, www.jzmmedia.com)

My three-year old son, who if he could would go everywhere with his favorite Thomas boots, loves this book about a boy’s inseparable attachment to his favorite froggy boots. With cute illustrations provided by Kirsten Gaede Van Mourick, author Zabkar Martin, a resident of Los Gatos, provides an easy-to-follow story for young ones. For those learning to read, the simple words provide an opportunity to increase their word power. The book is right, by the way: froggy, or any other kind of boots, do go with everything.

cardboard rocket Thebestchild’sproductever?

This cardboard rocket (a house is also available), is simple in its concept and execution while unleashing a creative coup de grace that leaves children occupied and happy for hours on end. Easy to assemble, and storing in a flat box, the rocket features a main door, fins, peepholes, and ample space inside that children can dream of the most faraway adventures. But its the gleaming, inviting, white outer “canvas” that beckons children to go out of this world with stickers, glitter, markers, paint, or anything else they can think of. ($54.95/rocket, $44.95/house (a castle is coming soon), www.colormehouse.com)

Product reviews

graffeeti shoes Makingtheir“mark”onthesolescene

We’re not sure if these cool shoes fall under fashions, toys, arts and crafts, or all three. These fashionable and inventive shoes include a wipeable blank canvas on the top and side of each pair of shoes (available for boys and girls). Provided with six colorful markers, each shoe also has a little side hoop where a child can store their favorite color to embellish their creation throughout the day. The next morning, they can wipe it all off

and start over. The insides are comfortably padded, and the overall construction appears very durable—ours

has withstood rain, puddles, and mud, and the markers do come off easy enough. Also available in limited adult sizes and other models. ($44.99, www.graffeeti.com)

Jungle gym JustinRoberts’FormulaWinsAgain

On Jungle Gym, the newest release from kiddie pop sensation Justin Roberts, little new ground is broken since Pop Fly. In fact you could play both albums continuously and not know when one ends and the other begins. In Roberts’ case, however, this familiarity is a good thing. Children aren’t the biggest fans of change, so by having a built-in comfort level, Jungle Gym is more readily accepted by listeners—which includes almost as many parents as children—on the first play. If you’re not familiar with Justin Roberts’ oeuvre, his catchy hooks and witty lyrics will have you singing along with your child in no time.


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Wanted: Baby Clothes for Non-Profit

Started by a local mom, Loved Twice is a non-profit that distributes baby clothes to underprivileged newborns upon departure from the hospital - right here in the Bay Area.

We are collecting donations of clean used baby clothes and blankets in sizes 0-12 months.

Drop-Off Locations:Cool Tops:5697 Miles Ave, Oakland, CA 946183367 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette, CA 945493171H Crow Canyon Pl, San Ramon, CA 94583

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LOVED TWICErecycled clothing for newborns in need

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10thetoy

box

the wish list compiled by Sunny Chanel

shelby gt-350 Pedal carThis kid-sized replica of the classic 1965 G.T. 250 Shelby Ford Mustang is perfect for mini-sized California cruisin’— bringing the muscle car to the preschool set. These pedal cars have been lovingly crafted, old-school style, but with today’s safety and standards included. Really, though, it’s all about the style: this car features blue racing stripes on the hood and sides, has a Shelby “Cobra” gas cap and an imprint of Carroll Shelby’s signature on the back. This ain’t no Big Wheel; this is a serious collector quality car that so happens to be child-sized. ($299, www.shelbypedalcars.com)

eames blocks If you are one who adores mid-century aesthetics and you happen to have kids, you may want to indoctrinate your offspring into the cult of Eames before they can even walk. One way is through this steller Eames House and Studio Alphabet Blocks by House Industries. These thirty six replenishable, Michigan-grown basswood blocks are hand silk-screened and come together to form Eames Case Study No. 9 house and studio. The other sides of the blocks have the letters of the alphabet, numbers, and shapes. Colorful, creative, and oh-so Eames. Available directly from House Industries. ($175, www.houseind.com)

Yellow owl workshop: cityscape stamp setYellow Owl Workshop is based in the Bernal Heights area of San Francisco and along with their cards, prints, and correspondence sets, they create super cool stamps. The Cityscape Stamp Set includes a skyscraper, a house, road, bicycle, and a tree. Each stamp is made of molded natural rubber and has a thick cushion and each is mounted on a maple block. Best of all, the Cityscape collections comes in a handsome hand finished birch box. Perfect for gift giving for that future urban planner or mayor. ($30, www.yellowowlworkshop.com)


10% OFF your order at POSHmommyjewelry.comEnter promo code “BAK08”

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BAK_POSH_3.625X4.85_7192010.indd 1 7/19/10 7:05:32 AM


12health

matters

Pediatrician Sarah Handelsman, M.D., is an Alta Bates Summit

Medical Center affiliated physician and has

practiced with East Bay Pediatrics in Berkeley

and Orinda for 10 years. She attended medical

school at UCSF and trained at Children’s

Hospital in Seattle. She is also a mother of two.a

SLEEP CAN BE the most important part of your child’s day, affecting everything from behavior and mood to growth. Children who sleep well have more advantages than just better temperaments and better health; they have well-rested parents who are more alert and better prepared for their own day.

Here’s how to help your baby sleep through the night:Beconsistent The initial goal of sleep training should be to help your baby learn to sleep consistently and independently. If your baby is healthy and growing well, you can begin sleep training at around four months. Some babies are ready a little earlier; some are not ready until a little later.

Start by establishing a bedtime routine that helps your baby relax. Keep bedtimes as consistent as possible. Hold and rock your baby and give her plenty of loving attention while you transition into pajamas.

The idea is to establish cues that help your baby recognize that it is time to sleep. Try to put your baby down and leave the room before she falls asleep. It may be hard to do in the beginning, but in time she will learn to soothe herself to sleep.

Helpyourbabylearntosootheherself Most pediatricians will tell you that sleep training is harder on parents than on children. The urge to answer your child’s crying can be overwhelming, but once you trust that your child can soothe herself to sleep, she will learn to sleep longer by herself—something you’ll both come to love.

If you prefer to check on your baby during this process, try to limit your visits to once every five to 10 minutes. Softly reassure your baby then leave the

room before she falls asleep.If you find you are checking on your baby

frequently, remind yourself that, as she learns to soothe herself, frequent peeks into the room may confuse your child.

Finally, consider your child’s developmental stage. At six months your baby may cry harshly when she is left alone, but by ten months the crying can turn to screams for momma that are far more difficult to ignore. Sleep training is usually more efficient and less stressful for younger children.

Napconsistently It may seem counterintuitive, but the better your baby or toddler sleeps during daytime naps the better she’ll sleep at night. Nap times should be consistent, and sleep cues should be used to help your child recognize that it’s time to sleep.

Learn your child’s own sleep cues. When she begins showing signs of tiredness help her prepare for sleep by beginning your nap-time routine.

It is important to treat daytime naps with the same respect that you do nighttime sleep. Don’t plan to run errands or other activities that make it difficult for your child to sleep soundly.

toddlersAs your baby becomes a toddler she will begin exploring independence and defiance. It is a natural stage in development that helps her better understand the world and how she can interact with it.

To keep your toddler well rested—which can greatly improve her mood during the day—be as consistent as you can and follow a clear routine. Giving in to your toddler (even occasionally) can teach her that, at least sometimes, her persistence will win you over.

Sleep training is one of the hardest parts of parenting young infants and children. However, being consistent and letting your child know that you have faith in her ability to learn this new skill can lead to great results. Good sleep leads to a happier baby and happier parents.

If you’re having a hard time sleep training your baby, your pediatrician can offer advice and insights that may help address the specific needs of you and your child.

For more on this story, including some safety tips for sleeping children, go to www.bakidsmagazine.com

health matters by Sarah Handelsman, MD

sleeptraining

August/September 2010 Bay Area Kids 49

W W W . B A K I D S M A G A Z I N E . C O MBayAreaKids

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