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QDear BeSafe, Recently, I’ve caught my pre-teen lying much more than usual. It ranges from really big deals, to small issues that she has no reason to lie about.

Should I be concerned? - A. NeillDear A. Neill, Our readers have the best questions! This is another one of those issues we’ve struggled a lot with too. In fact, quite a bit of research has gone into this subject since one of our children hit middle school. The fi rst piece of advice was to ignore the lying, the theory being that if it didn’t receive any attention, it would come to an end fairly easily. This may work in many cases, and may be a good fi rst step, especially when children are young and may not understand the circumstances very well. Remember, some youngsters have an active imagination, and it can often be hard to tell the difference between truth and myth.When ignoring the lying fails, or when it isn’t appropriate, (such as when the lie involves another party), the advice has been to address the lie head-on, from a coaching perspective. So when Susie tells a lie, you might ask her why she lied, and explain that lies have a lot of negative potential. In this stage, punishment really isn’t required - you are trying to educate and guide, since it isn’t likely that the lie has the intent to harm anyone’s feelings.As they get older, the lies become intentional. Not necessarily to hurt, but to get out of trouble, to get something you wanted, to make someone else feel the way you feel and so on. This is a tricky situation. If the child can verbalize understanding that they lied and knew it was wrong - it’s time for a punishment. Remember though, that the punishment should fi t the crime. You might have your child apologize to whomever the lie affected, provide a

little coaching, but you also want to assess a consequence. A little warning here, it is easy to get angry, but remember that young children emulate adults and may not still fully grasp how much a lie can hurt. So you might think of restricting activities, writing an apology or similar.But what happens when the lying comes from an older child, like the one A. Neill writes about? Older children who lie might possibly be trying to control their environment. They’ve learned that they can get away with certain things and that sometimes, it doesn’t cause harm, because no one knows but themselves. As adults, we’ve told “little white lies,” such as telling someone their hair looks nice, when we really want to tell them how terrible it looks. When we transfer this to youngsters, we are actually teaching them to lie. So, we shouldn’t be surprised when they have maintained the habit as middle-schoolers.Here are some key thoughts for the pre-teen. They may actually be signaling for help, such as with a bully at school, with another adult who is causing problems, or with drugs or alcohol (yes, the age that most kids begin to experiment with drugs in Texas is between 12-14). They may also be seeking more time with you as their parent, and the only way they can get it - is through negative attention. This can happen when you have several children, with a variety of ages. They may also be suffering from depression or anxiety-like feelings. Middle-school is tough, and adding hormonal changes makes it even more challenging.The most important thing is to talk to your child. Ask them what they like and dislike about their lives, about school and about themselves. Listen carefully and avoid taking any action on what you hear. Promise yourself to take 24 hours to think through their feedback before responding. Connect with your child - it can make all the difference in the world.

For the For the

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there’s an app for that! Download“Postive Discipline” by Jane Nel-son and Adrian Garsia on your smartphone for more information.

From The Editor . . .Chris Taylor editor@besafechild.com

It’s that time again. . . the BeSafe Summer edition. Well, it’s a little before summer, but we want to get you ready! Parents ev-erywhere are anxiously making summer preparations. Who will watch the kids while you are at work? Will they eat everything you bought from the grocery store on Sunday before Tuesday? Where will the family vacation be this time? Is there enough money to do what you want to do? These are questions that are all too familiar.

Meanwhile, our children are asking questions like, why is this school year taking so long? And I wonder if we are going to spend the week at the beach this summer, like we did last year? Ooh! I wonder if we can take two vacations this summer.

Mmmm. I can’t wait until mom buys extra snacks and stashes them in her secret hiding spot I’m not supposed to know about! The family dog however, just wants to know when his next walk will be. All the things of summer. It’s a great time to make memories too. I wanted to share a few of mine with you. Is that okay? I just thought I would ask. My family and I have been privi-leged enough to enjoy a variety of summer trips. From Disney Land to our infamous stayca-tions, we’ve been able to take advantage of our travels to get to know each other a little better, not as dads and moms, or sons and daughters, but as people. It’s hard to remember sometimes, that there are people behind those identities. Each year, my wife and I find one week-long camp for each child and then plan a one week vacation. That gives the kids time to learn, reach out and make new friends, and gain a little insight into who they are. Then we schedule a trip just to reconnect. We’ve

flown, we’ve driven, we’ve biked and hiked and swam and shopped (not their favorite activity by the way) and lived it up, but one of my favorite trips, was one we took to Central Texas. In general, that part of our state is one of our most favorite. The beau-tiful scenary, numerous inexpen-sive activities and of course, finding all of the hidden spots advertised in the Southern Living Magazine, kept us going for days. We had no itenerary, no agenda and no place to be. We slept late, drove around to no where in particular, ate lunch

at off-the-beaten-path restaurants, and shared the occassional knock-knock joke. I loved that trip. It was as good if not better than the trip to Disney Land, hiking in Arkansas, the beach house in Florida or, well pretty much anything else. Not that I don’t have great memories of those trips as well, but some-thing about this one just stole my heart. I hope that you and your family take a trip this summer that does the same. Sure, it can be expensive, but the money is worthless when it comes to the value of those memories. An older man stopped me at breakfast in our hotel lobby over spring break and reminded me during a particularly stressful moment, ‘son, you won’t get a chance to do this again. Enjoy it while you still can.’ I will. Join me.

www.remarkablehome.net

Lilianna Sinclair, Cayden Mazza; Walker and Sarah Coe

Keep Your Summer Healthy by Melinda Prince

Money 101: Teach Your Kids to Save

by Karen Partee

Page 8

Young Authors Mrs. Henderson’s 4th Grade Class Writes Together

BeSafe Review -Cleaning House

by Stephanie Taylor

Page 15

St. Paul’s Community Garden

Page 18

guest columns

7 Save those Eyes Learn why it’s important to keep your child’s eyes protected by Dr. Gregory Kiblinger

9 The Power of Parents Talk to your kids now about the dangers of drinking, using MADD’s resource guide. 2-1-1 Know Your Resources Learn what 2-1-1 is and how it can benefi t you and your family

10 NETWORKS/STAR Find out why these family services might be just what you were looking for

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BeSafe Magazine Summer 2013 5

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I can’t believe the girl in these pictures is ME!“After becoming a mother, my weight climbed to over 200 lbs. I had settled for the fact that this was my new “post-children” body. Through a rare turn of events, I had the opportunity to get to know the 360° Fitness Team. I partnered with one of their professional trainers who laid out a complete diet plan and workout regime to help me get my body back! He pushed me out of my comfort zone and showed me that I was capable of far more than I had given myself credit for.

I’m amazed at my results & I’m now, in the best shape of my life! In the past, I had avoided gyms because I was embarrassed by my weight & intimidated by the equipment. The thought of going to a gym made me a nervous wreck! Now, it is my home away from home. Training at 360° Fitness, has not only changed my body for the better, but my mind has as well. I

Instead, I’m anxious to see what new things I can do with each workout. Now, I actually get

has given me the stamina to keep up with my roles of wife, mother, and student. Thank you 360° Fitness and all the wonderful people I have met.”

535 WSW Loop 323Suite 101, Tyler, Texas

903.561.7360www.360fitnessonline.com

- Sarah Farris1 year member, 360° Fitness, Tyler, Tx

6 BeSafe Magazine Summer 2013

Approximately 75% Of Americans walk around every day dehydrated. Why is that a bad thing? Your body needs water (and lots of it) to do the hundreds of daily jobs required for you to live. When you are dehydrated, your body slows down and you feel sluggish. Most adults think that feeling is a signal for a candy bar or cup of coffee, whereas kids might reach for a juice box or soda. When we do that, we are taking in lots of empty calories

that can lead to unwanted weight gain in both adults and children. Save money at the grocery store this summer and drink water all day long instead.

TV, computers, smart phones and other electronic devices with screens are highly addictive for both adults and children. Try limiting your family’s “Screen Time”, the time spent with electronic devices, to no more than 2 hours per day. Kids need to be active for healthy development of their bodies and their brains. Take a walk, ride bikes, play a game of freeze tag in the evening or anything else you can think of to get your bodies moving.

Days are longer during the summer. It’s hard to think about going to bed at 8:30pm when it doesn’t get dark until 8:15pm. It’s a fact - kids need more sleep than adults. And, healthy sleep habits are important for proper development. The majority of children will not “sleep in” when they go to bed late. Instead, they wake at their

usual time and power through their day. Parents might notice that their children are grumpy, hyper or over-emo tional. These are telltale signs that your child is not getting enough sleep. The best cure for a lack of sleep is prevention. Keep a scheduled bedtime throughout the summer and the entire family will benefi t!

Melinda Prince RN, BSN, CPT has been inspiring the world to adopt a fi tness lifestyle for over 16 years and is the co-owner of 360 Fitness, an industry leader in personal train-ing and group fi tness.

Tips for a Healthy Summer by Melinda Prince

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11111

Tips for a Healthy Summer

“After becoming a mother, my weight climbed to over 200 lbs. I had settled for the fact that this was my new “post-children” body. Through a rare turn of events, I had the opportunity to get to know the 360 Fitness Team. I partnered with one of their professional trainers who laid out a complete diet plan and workout regime to help me get my body back. He pushed me out of my comfort zone and showed me that I was capable of far more than I had given myself credit for.

I’m amazed at my results & I’m now in the best shape of my life! In the past, I had avoided gyms because I was embarrassed by my weight & intimidated by the equipment. The thought of going to a gym made me a nervous wreck! Now, it is my home away from home. Training at 360 Fitness, has not only changed my body for the better, but my mind has as well. I am hap-pier and more confi dent. No longer do I walk into the gym afraid of what I can’t do. Instead, I’m anxious to see what new things I can do with each workout. Now, I actually get excited about social events rather than fi nding excuses not to go. This transformation has given me the stamina to keep up with my roles as wife, mother, and student. Thank you 360 Fitness and all the wonderful people I have met.”

bleed right and top only

Each year, thousands of children sustain eye damage or even blindness from ocular trauma. It is im-portant to know general eye safety precautions and implement use of measures to prevent eye injuries. This is particularly pertinent in the summer months as the weather and free time out of school increase participation in sports and other outdoor recreational activities. Protective eyewear remains a mainstay in the prevention of injury. It is vitally important to remember that ninety percent of ocular trauma is avoidable with the use of protective eyewear.

Some interesting statistics related to eye injuries from the 5th annual Eye Injury Snapshot (conducted by the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Ocular Trauma) include the following:• 44.7% of eye injuries occur at home.• 40% of injuries are related to home repairs, yard work, and cleaning/cooking.• 40% of injuries occur during sports or recreational activities.• More than 78% of people were not wearing protective eyewear at the time of injury.• Only 5.3% of those wearing eyewear of any sort were using safety or sport glasses.

Some tips for the prevention of injuries:• Do not allow children to play with BB guns, pellet guns, or non-powder rifles.• Keep children away from fireworks, especially bottle rockets.• Polycarbonate protective lenses should be worn at all times during yardwork, household repairs, or other projects.• Keep chemicals and sprays out of reach of small children.• Use of common items that cause injury, such as pencils, scissors, wire coat hangers, and bungee cords should be monitored closely.• Avoid projectile toys such as darts, bows and arrows, and missile-firing toys.• Use of sport protection lenses. Most sports-related injuries occur with baseball.• Only purchase age appro- priate toys.• Make sure children are properly secured in baby carriers or child safety seats.• Cushion sharp edges of home furnishings and fixtures.• Avoid extended sun exposure and use UV protecting sunglasses.

Should an eye injury occur it is important to seek prompt medical attention. While seeking medical care, remember a few suggestions:• In the event of chemical exposure, flush with copious amounts of water.• Do not rub or put pressure on the eye.

• Do not try to remove an object stuck in the eye.• For small debris, lift the eyelid and blink to allow natural tears to flush the foreign material from the eye.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Taking a few small steps this summer in general eye safety precautions to follow Benjamin Franklin’s advice will go a long way to the long term health and happiness of you and your family.

Information for this article was taken from the American Acad-emy of Ophthalmology. Additional reading on the prevention and care of eye injuries is available at www.aao.org.

Gregory D. Kiblinger MD is a General Ophthalmologist at EyeCare Associates of East Texas.

Those Precious Eyes by Gregory D. Kiblinger, M.D.

“It is vitally important to remember that 90% of ocular trauma is avoidable.”

www.thegreenhead.com

8 BeSafe Magazine Summer 2013

In observance of the national “Teach Children to Save Day,” held this year on April 24, Texas Bank and Trust is encouraging local families to recognize this time by communicating the value of saving money to the young people in their lives. While this special savings awareness day may come and go, teaching kids about developing sound money

management skills is critical EVERY day of the year.

At Texas Bank and Trust, we believe educa-tion and hands-on money experience are critical to ensuring a new wave of smart money managers. We want parents to know that saving is important and everyone can do it, even kids, no matter the time of year.

Texas Bank and Trust offers parents the follow-ing tips for raising money-smart kids 365 days a year:

• Set the example of a responsible money manager by paying bills on time, being a consci-entious spender and an active saver. Children tend to emulate their parents’ personal fi nance habits.• Talk openly about money with your kids. Communicate your values and experiences with money. Encourage them to ask you questions, and be prepared to answer them – even the tough ones.• Explain the difference between needs and wants, the value of saving and budgeting and the consequences of not doing so.• Open a savings account for your chil-dren and take them with you to make deposits, so they can learn how to be hands-on in their

money management.• Let friends and family know about your child’s savings goal. They will be more likely to give cash for special occasions, which means more trips to the bank.• Engage your community. Many schools, banks, and community organizations share your com-mitment to creating a money-savvy generation. En-gage a coalition of support to provide youth with the education they need to succeed.

Since its inception in 1997, the American Bankers Association Education Foundation’s Teach Children to Save Day has reached more than 5 million young people with the help of more than 120,000 plus banker volunteers. A committed leader in fi nancial literacy, Texas Bank and Trust has participated in the annual program since 2005 through its Cool Kids Savings Club program, reaching approximately 10,000 children throughout East Texas.

Parents, if you are looking for more sav-ings tips and activities, you can log on with your child to our TB&T Cool Kids online clubhouse at www.thisismytbt.com.

As Director of Public Relations, Karen Partee oversees fi nancial literacy programming for Texas Bank and Trust in 14 branch markets.

Teach Children to Save, Today and Every Day

by Karen Partee, Director of Public Relations

TB&T’s Digitz the Dollar Dog and Senior Vice President Connie Mil-ligan teach students why it’s cool to save!

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2-1-1 Texas, a program of the Texas Health and Hu-man Services Commission, is committed to helping Texas citizens connect with the services they need. Whether by phone or internet, our goal is to present accurate, well-organized and easy-to-fi nd informa-tion from over 60,000 state and local health and human services programs.

When you dial 2-1-1, select a language, and then choose:

• Option 1: for information on services avail-able in your area, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week throughout the year. Information is available in more than 90 languages. Calls are answered by HHSC 2-1-1 Texas Information and Referral Net-work.

• Option 2: for information on state benefi ts (YourTexasBenefi ts.com). Available Monday thru Friday from 8 am to 8 pm. Calls are answered by HHSC Offi ce of Eligibility Services. • Option 3: to report waste, fraud, and abuse (Report). Available Monday thru Friday from 8 am to 5 pm. Calls are answered by HHSC Offi ce of the Inspector General. If dialing 2-1-1 directly doesn’t work on your phone, you can reach us at our toll-free number (877-541-7905). To better serve you, you will be asked for a ZIP code for the area you are seeking services.

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The risks associ-ated with underage drinking are trou-bling. Children who drink alcohol before age 21 are more likely to face prob-lems in school, be assaulted, abuse

alcohol later in life, drown or fall, or die in a car crash. And, a new MADD analysis of data estimates that two-thirds of the deaths attributable to underage drinking are not traffi c related. MADD estimates that 32 percent of all deaths related to underage (age 15-20) alcohol use were traffi c fatalities and 68 percent were other fatal inci-dents, including homicides (30 percent), suicides (14 percent), alcohol poisonings (9 percent) and other causes of death (15 percent). Parents who think their children are safe because they have agreed not to drink and drive are actually only preventing about a third of the risks associated with underage drinking.

For more information about the Power of Parents program you may visit http://www.madd.org/local-

offi ces/tx/east-texas.

“Children who drink alcohol before age 21 are more likely to face problems in school, be assault-ed, abuse alcohol later in life, drown or fall, or die in a car crash.”

10 BeSafe Magazine Summer 201318 BeSafe Child Magazine Smith County Winter 2011

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What is UCAP?Universal Child Abuse Prevention, or UCAP, is a program funded by the Texas Department of Family Protective Services that is designed to provide information and activi-ties to all members of the community in an effort to prevent child abuse and neglect.

WHAT CAN YOU DO IF YOU SUSPECT CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT?Do listen to the childDon’t walk awayDon’t try to investigate on your ownDo report reasonable suspicions by calling the 24-hour Abuse Hotline, 1-800-374-6058 or your local law enforcement agency.Que puede usted hacer si sospecha de abuso o neglicencia infantil?Escuche al menor.No le de la espalda.No trate de investigar solo.Reporte sospechas razonables liamando a la linea telefonica de 24 horas, 1-800-374-6058 o bien a la agencia policial local.

The STAR program offers free, preventive, short-term services for youth and their families. In additon to as-sisting youth and their families in mastering new skills through skills based training, our staff helps to reduce the occurrence of truancy, runaways, family conflict and delinquent behavior. The program helps families resolve problems within the home.Anyone can make a referral to the NETWORKS STAR Program and the process is easy.Phone: (903) 581-2835Fax: (903) 581-281024Hour Line: 1-866-630-3551Mail: NETWORKS STAR 2624 Kensington Dr. Ste 113 Tyler, TX 75703Cualquier persona puede referir a otra al programa Es-trella (Start Program), el proceso es muy sencillo.Numero telefonico: (903) 581-2835Numero de FAX: (903) 581-281024Hour Line: 1-866-630-3551Mail: NETWORKS STAR 2624 Kensington Dr. Ste 113 Tyler, TX 75703

What Is NETWORKS STAR?

Eligibility:Youth, ages 0-17RunawayTruancyFamily ConflictSchool GroupsCourt Ordered Youth

Services:Intake and screeningCrisis interventionFamily counselingSkills trainingLinking with resourcesYouth skills training in school

NETWORKS/STAR PROGRAM

by Melinda Prince

PUBLISHERChristopher and Stephanie Taylor

EDITORChristopher Tayloreditor@besafechild.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSMelinda Prince, 360 FitnessKaren Partee, Texas Bank & TrustGregory D. Kiblinger, M.D. EyeCare Associates of East Texas

ADVERTISING/SALESStephanie Taylorstephanie@besafechild.com

BeSafe is published quarterly and printed by the Longview News Journal

©Copyright 2013 BESAFE PublicationsWe make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information within these pages, however Be-Safe Publications assumes no liability for infor-mation provided by its sponsors. Content does not necessarily indicate the views and opinions

of BeSafe Publications or its staff. While we retain our copyright position, we do

grant permission to individuals and organizations for educational purposes.

BeSafe Publications is not responsible for any damages arising from typographical or mechani-

cal errors beyond the cost of the ad placed.

1815 Everglades Drive www.besafechild.comTyler, Texas 75703 info@besafechild.com www.facebook.com/besafepub

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East Texas Area Information Center is a part of the Texas Information and Referral Network, a program of the Health and Human Services Commission.

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12 BeSafe Magazine Winter 2013

Mrs. Henderson and Mrs. Hendrick challenged their 4th grade classes at Andy Woods Elementary in Tyler, to team writing. Their as-signment was to have each class write a story about school rules, with each student writing two or three sentences to build a complete team story. What a competition! It came down to the wire, but secret BeSafe voters chose Mrs. Henderson’s class as the best overall

team story! It was only by a hair though! Those Hendrick kids did pretty well too! Check out what the class had to say . . .

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BeSafe Magazine Summer 2013 15

As the late Roger Ebert would say, “Two Thumbs Up!” First, to my family and friends I want to apologize for taking up so much of your time talking about this book! If you only buy one parenting book, this is it. Author Kay Wills Wyma did a remarkable job writing Cleaning House - A Mom’s 12 Month Experiment to Rid Her Home of Youth Entitlement, a story about letting go and teaching our kids responsibility. It is an LOL way of looking at entitlement versus empowerment.

As I was going back through the book to make sure that I didn’t miss anything, I realized I had missed what may have been the

most important part and the point to the book – “We enable our children and they feel entitled!” The author says, “This book really isn’t about making the beds, it’s about equipping and empow-ering our kids.”

Recently, one of our sponsors & collegues suggested that

we write an article on teen depression & suicide and I immedi-ately thought of this book. Wyma writes, “A shocking percentage of children today suffer from depression. Maybe our kids are not given important opportunities to develop a sense of self, a sense of accomplishment and ability to contribute meaningfully.” In another segment the author wrote about suicide, “…they think no one would care if they were dead. The problem is these days, kids don’t stop with the thought….if I had hit that point when I was younger, I would have never followed through. My family depended on me….It didn’t matter how unloved I might have felt; I was needed. – Meaningful Work.”

Wyma’s book is most defi nately worth the read and it gave me a wonderful idea for my household. Do you remember hearing about Robyn Okrant, who followed Oprah for one year and wrote about her journey? Well, the Taylor Circus (because that’s how we feel most of the time) will be living Kay Wills Wyma for one year and attempting to rid our home of youth entitlement! I will share our experiences with our readers on our Facebook site and I promise you will not want to miss our LOL attempt! Have you read a parenting book you want to share? Send your review to editor@besafechild.com. It may show up in our next edition!

Thank you Kay Wills Wyma for sharing your wisdom.

by Stephanie Taylor

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Summer Fun Activity List

make lemonade

wash the car

play with bubbles

go out for ice cream

camp in the backyard

have a picnic

play hopscotch

make playdough

paint rocks

set up an obstacle courseride bikes

run through sprinklers

eat watermelon

family movie night

play in the pool

visit a museumgo to storytimehave fun in the park

have an ice cream party

write a book

build a fortvisit the petstoreplay in the dirt

visit a farm

bake cupcakes

watch fireworkslemonade standgo on a nature hike

sidewalk chalk fun

throw a frisbeeput on a play

build sandcastlesplay with fingerpaint

go to the zoomake a collage have a barbecue

make tie dye t-shirts

put on a playplay baseballminiature golffly a kitebuild a hotwheels track

family movie nightmake popsiclesplay hopscotchmake nature rubbingsfree concert

have a pillow sack race

make smoresmake canvas hand prints

root beer floatsfind a penpalmake splatter paint artwork

play dress-uppaint with water

make mud piesmake your own grocery store

treasure map and hunt

melt crayonsmake milk carton boatsoutdoor bowlingmake a tinfoil riverplay soccer

make your own sensory table

puzzles

dodgeballgo to a duck pond

paint your own pottery

go to a farmers market

go berry pickingstart a rock collection

catch fireflies

build a cup towermake your own greeting cards

make friendship bracelets

flashlight tag

list and graphics from http://www.mygrafi co.com/fi les/MGFREEBIES/summerfun.pdf

It‛s BACK! You Can Win a FREE One Week Overnight Camp at Pine Cove

this Summer!All you have to do is have your child email or write us at least ten sentences, telling us

how badly they want to go to camp and why. That‛s it!

All entries meeting the requirements below will be placed into a random drawing.

Entries must:-Be written by a child, not mom or dad.-Contain at least ten sentences-Include child’s name, mom or dad’s name and a contact email address and phone number-Only kids in Grades 2-5 are eligible

Contest ends June 15th!Write to: BeSafe Publications, 1815 Everglades Drive, Tyler, TX 75703Email to: summercontest@besafechild.com

Win a Free Camp! Free Free

ENTER ENTER ENTER ENTER ENTER

TOTOTOTOTOWIN!WIN!WIN!WIN!WIN!

18 BeSafe Magazine Summer 2012

Kick Back and Relax!

Open: M-TH 4P - 10PFriday 4P - 11P / Sat. 12P -

11PSun. 11A - 9P

5704 S. Broadway

509-8193

For the past six months St. Paul Children’s Foundation has dedicated their efforts to planning and building a community garden. The 700 square foot garden was designed to teach the community how to plant and grow their own vegetable garden in their backyards. Designing the community garden on a low-cost budget allows for the organizers to demonstrate how to ef-fectively grow a vegetable garden under reasonable means for interested community members. The project was funded and supported by numerous community partners: NET Health, Tyler Junior College, East Texas Community Food Coali-tion, Good Shepherd School, East Texas Fence & Iron, Mission Tyler and more. The project would not have been possible without the donations and efforts of the companies and organizations involved with the building of the community garden. “The community garden kick-off is a great family-friendly event for ev-eryone to learn about the values of nutrition by gaining the knowledge of starting a garden and planting the vegetables of their choice,” said commu-nity garden coordinator Ben Strube.Try your hand at gardening as a family, this summer and feel free to stop by St. Paul and learn more!Carmen Sosa, leader of the East Texas Community Food Coalition and manger of the Fair Market says, “Gardening, even on a small scale such as planting an herb window box or a container garden, creates a valuable con-nection between ourselves and the food we eat. It is important for all of us, especially our children, to have a sense of respect for the earth and what it provides for us.Gardening can be a tremendously fun and exciting adventure for kids. Getting their hands dirty, watching a tiny seed turn into a sprout that turns into a carrot is a fascinating process.Not to mention the fun learning how creepy crawly worms turn leftover table scraps into soil for those carrots. Kids will love having a fairy garden planted with lamb’s ear and mint and little pink grape tomatoes, or a pizza garden with tomatoes, basil, oregano, and peppers. Want to see a child in wonder? Plant a bean in a clear baggie with a little soil and watch the seed come to life overnight. Playing in the dirt with your children gets them out of the house, away from technology, and in touch with nature and all it’s glory and doesn’t have to cost a lot.”Try your hand at gardening as a family, this summer!- Let your kids choose what to plant & plant what your family usu ally eats- Use ANY container that you can find – Be Creative!- Decorate your containers- Let each child tend to their own plants – Have a contest- Use what you grow! – Put mint in tea, make pizza with the toma-toes, basil, oregano & peppers, make sweet potatoes fries by baking.Also, pay a visit your local farmer’s market this summer and let the kids choose the produce! Here are just a few, but there are markets all over East Texas for your enjoyment! You can post the city that you live in on the BeSafe Facebook page www.facebook.com/besafepub and we will locate your nearest market or community garden!

• Farmers Market at the Tyler Public Library, 201 S. College. May – July, Thursdays 7am – 1pm.• East Texas State Fair Farmers Market - 2112 W. Front St., Tyler. May – July, Tuesdays and Saturdays 7am-1pm.• The Jacksonville Farmers Market - 101 S. Bonner, May – June, Tuesday evening at 5.00.• The Historic Longview Farmers Market - 105 West Cotton , Saturday morning 8:00-12:00.

Local Farmer’s Market

St. Paul Children’s Foundation Begins Community Garden

You Can Too!

Kick Back.Enjoy.

Dr. Culberson Boren D.D.S. & Associates

SPECIALIZING IN CHILDREN’S DENTISTRY AGES 6 MONTHS TO 18 YEARS

We accept private/commercial insurance, CHIP & Medicaid, Delta, MCNA & DentaQuest

www.tylerkidsteeth.com

Dentistry for Children

TYLER7916 S. Broadway

Ste. 150Tyler, TX 75703903.581.2198

JACKSONVILLE1634 S. Jackson St

Jacksonville, TX 75766903.284.6149

LONGVIEW705 E. Marshall Ave.

Ste. 4002Longview, TX 75601(Medical Plaza III)

903.315.4410

Now Accepting New Patients

Actual photo of Tyler location

Caroline McRae-Vogler, MDMichael Austin, MD Andrew E. Hoover, MD Ellen Melton, MD Kristina Mitchell, MD

Dr. Marinel Munda’s desire to be a pediatrician stemmed from her strong belief in the important role children hold in the community.

“Children are an integral part of our community and should be given every opportunity to reach their potential. By partnering with parents, I have a unique and vital role in guiding, inspiring and reaching out to children. I help them not only maintain good health, but also grow into mature, productive members of society.”

Board certified in Pediatrics, Dr. Munda has been practicing medicine since 1995. She credits her ability to give personalized, compassionate care to the lessons she’s learned from her own two children. “I can empathize with other parents. I know what they’re going through because I’ve had the same experiences with my own kids.”

M A R I N E L M U N D A , M . D .

www.etmc.org A not-for-profit organization committed to improving the quality of life in East Texas communities.

ETMC First Physicians – Tyler 1000 Fifth Street

(903) 596-ETMC or 1 (866) 333-ETMC Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 am – 5 pm

Believes children are the future.

Believes children are the future.

Marinel Munda, MD

A not-for-profit organization committed to improving the quality of life in East Texas communities. www.etmc.org

ETMC First Physicians clinic for kids

We We know kids

ETMC First Physicians clinic in Tyler1000 E. Fifth St. 903-596-3862

ETMC First Physicians are in-network providers for Medicaid and most insurance plans.

When it comes to knowing kids, our pediatricians are experts. Our whole team is specially trained in the care of newborns, infants, toddlers and adolescents, with emphasis on physical, mental and social development.

The ETMC First Physicians clinic for kids in Tyler offers a range of services:• Immunizations• Physicals and developmental assessments• Treatment of childhood viruses and illnesses

To schedule an appointment, call 903-596-3862.

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