SWFL Parent & Child March 2020 by SWFL Parent & Child Magazine

S W F L PA R E N T C H I L D. C O M

MARCH 2020

Sick Child? Same day sick appointments available Accepting New Patients FORT MYERS � � �- �� CAPE CORAL � � ��-�� LEHIGH ACRES � � �- ��

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www.ppcswfl.com | 239.275.5522

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA PARENT & CHILD » MARCH2020 » 3

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contents »

swfl

parent&child

Fea tures 30 teen horse whisperer She trained a tough rescue horse no one else could get near

In Every Issue 16 ask the expert

33 on the sidelines Athletic parents talk about shifting into supportive role for their kids in sports

On the cover

PHOTO BY AMANDA INSCORE

Nathan Harder, 8, of Fort Myers, models for the cover at the Sanibel Causeway. He and his 6-year-old brother, Nicholas, love the water, a common draw to local summer camps. They are the children of Lisa and Ryan Harder.

This summer camp takes students to Belize

18 ask the expert bonus

29 where are they now From the April-May 2001 cover of SW FL Parent & Child: The Rizzo family

Get tips for painting and selecting color in a children’s room

36 summer camps What do you get for your money? Plus a few leads on this summer’s programs.

27 teens

What’s the best way to introduce solid foods to baby?

42 safety corner

20 in the kitchen

How to give kids medicine safely and effectively

Five little numbers help guide a healthy lifestyle

23 dining out

48 travel Are you ready for Eurocamp?

Life: The Vegan Drive Thru in Cape Coral

25 kid stuff

57 voices Adelie Landis lobbies for better care during Endometriosis Awareness Month and all year

Children share their game night favorites

Other Departments 7 8 9 11 13

editor’s note our contributors online me time 5 things

14 43 52 53 58

fyi family album around town calendar last look

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA PARENT & CHILD » MARCH 2020 » 5

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Camp IMAG

June 8 to August 7 REGISTER ONLINE TODAY AT

theIMAG.org

When School Is Out, Camp Is In!

Camp IMAG offers children a fun, exciting, and educational curriculum blending Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) with History and Art in new themed weekly sessions with hands-on activities, games, crafts, exhibit explorations, and more to inspire the imagination and encourage a love of learning! Camps are designed for rising K - 8th grade students and are divided into rising K - 1st graders, rising 2nd - 3rd graders, rising 4th - 5th graders, and rising 6th - 8th graders. The IMAG also offers a Junior Camp Assistant Training Program for rising 9th - 12th grade students.

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editor's note »

parent &child

swfl

S W F L PA R E N T C H I L D. C O M

Volume 21, Issue 3 Dedicated to serving the families of Lee and Collier counties 2442 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Fort Myers, FL 33901 swflparentchild.com Regional VP, Sales William R. Barker General Manager Kathryn Robinson Kinsey kathryn@swflparentchild.com Editor Pamela Smith Hayford (239) 335-0448 pamela@swflparentchild.com Art Director Lindi Daywalt-Feazel

Editorial Contributors Farrah Fishman, Scott Hamblen, Noel Konken, Adelie Landis, Jean Le Boeuf, Anne Reed, Elaine Schreiber, Andrea Stetson Photographer Amanda Inscore Vice President/Advertising Sales Nancy M. Solliday Specialty Publications Team Coordinator Dennis Wright dennis@swflparentchild.com Distribution (239) 335-0211 Southwest Florida Parent & Child is a FREE publication distributed at more than 500 locations throughout Southwest Florida by The News-Press Media Group. All rights reserved. We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information published but cannot be held responsible for any consequences arising from omissions or errors. Any opinions expressed by writers and advertisers are not necessarily opinions of the magazine or publisher.

Member of

CAMP HAS ITS ADVANTAGES Luna and Cosmo

ummer camp started out as a necessity for my little family of four. With eight to 10 weeks off school every summer, we needed child care. The fun and educational aspects were a bonus. But later, when my husband started working from home and we no longer needed child care in summer, summer camp fulfilled a different need. By then, we had seen the benefits of camp, how the programs further their education, foster independence and allow them to explore, learn and have fun without the pressure of grades. My son enjoyed his experiences so much that in his teen years, he volunteered as a camp counselor at some of the same day camps he attended in elementary school. Through our experiences, we found that camps varied in what they offered and how much they cost. Some camps were affordable, while others were a luxury. To fit in a luxury or two, a common practice in our camp days was to sign up the kids for one or two weeks of their top choice (usually an expensive one) and fill the rest of summer with lower cost camps. In this month’s cover story, writer Andrea Stetson explores what you get for your money. In my family’s experience, every program my kids attended had its advantages, no matter the cost, and none disappointed. PHOTO BY BRIAN TIETZ

Part of the USA TODAY Network

Pamela Smith Hayford, Editor Contact us: We enjoy hearing from you. Send your photos, letters or comments to: pamela@swflparentchild.com. Or visit us online:

swflparentchild.com

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA PARENT & CHILD » MARCH 2020 » 7

» our contributors

MIROMAR OUTLETS

Voted the BEST FACTORY OUTLET MALL, BEST SHOPPING EXPERIENCE and BEST PLACE TO BUY SHOES in Southwest Florida

Meet the contributors to this month’s issue of Southwest Florida Parent & Child magazine. Scott Hamblen • Ask the Expert:

Tips for Painting a Kids’ Room • Scott Hamblen is the chief merchandising officer at Sunshine Ace Hardware.

CAR CRUISE-IN

Sunday, March 15 Registration at 11 a.m. in PLAYLAND Cheer on your favorites. The fastest babies across the finish line win fabulous prizes.

FRIDAY NIGHT CONCERT SERIES

MOMS APPRECIATION DAY

Fridays, 6 to 9 p.m. in the Restaurant Piazza March 6: Rockin’ Horse performs classic rock, party and variety favorites March 13: The Girls of Motown celebrates the golden age and the legendary artists of Motown March 20: The Bill Colletti Band plays the best of jazz, Latin, pop, disco, funk and Motown March 27: Thunder Beach Band performs classic rock and timeless tunes

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT

Saturdays from 4 to 7 p.m. & Sundays from 2 to 5 p.m. From Sinatra and sultry jazz to country folk and classic rock, you’ll enjoy a variety of musical genres during your weekend visit. See MiromarOutlets.com for locations and times.

SWFL BIG BAND

Sunday, March 8 & Sunday, March 22 3 to 5 p.m. near the Restaurant Piazza Enjoy the legendary music of the Big Band era for two wonderful hours.

SCIENCE SATURDAY

Saturday, March 14 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in PLAYLAND Kids learn about science and engineering while completing cool projects.

Noel Konken • In the Kitchen • Noel Konken, a registered dietitian, is a clinical pediatric dietitian at Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida.

BABY LEPRECHAUN RACES

Sunday, March 1 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. near PLAYLAND See your favorite makes and models of classic, exotic and custom cars.

Adelie Landis • Voices • Adelie Landis, 28, is a native to Fort Myers and an endometriosis warrior. She is creating a nonprofit, the Endometriosis Foundation of Southwest Florida, to raise awareness and increase the quality of care for women with endometriosis.

Wednesday, March 18 10 a.m. to Noon in PLAYLAND Enjoy a little Mom time courtesy of le macaron french pastries while your children attend Kids Crafts.

FAMILY YOGA WITH KATHRYN

Saturday, March 21 10 a.m. in PLAYLAND BYOM (bring your own mat) to this FREE 45-minute beginners’ yoga class for families.

Jean Le Boeuf • Dining Out •

Jean Le Boeuf is the pseudonym used by a local food lover who dines at restaurants anonymously and without warning, with meals paid for by The News-Press and Naples Daily News. Follow the critic at facebook. com/jeanleboeufswfl or @JeanLeBoeuf on Twitter and Instagram.

KIDS DAY

Saturday, March 28 10 a.m. to Noon in PLAYLAND Toddlers to 12-year-olds participate in fun activities and receive free pizza, ice cream and face painting.

FREE KIDS CRAFTS

Anne Reed • Travel: Eurocamp vacation, Top Competitor to Spectator • Anne Reed is a writer, wife, runner, mother of three and dog-mom of two. Originally from the Midwest, she lives in Estero and loves watching the wildlife in her backyard.

Every Wednesday 10 a.m. to Noon in PLAYLAND Your kids have fun and you save. With our Kids Crafts Reward Card, you’ll receive a $10 Miromar Outlets gift card after the kids’ fifth visit.

BABY BOOT CAMP

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday 9 a.m. in PLAYLAND Certified fitness professionals instruct exercise classes for pregnant, postnatal and ultra-fit moms.

Elaine Schreiber • Ask the Expert: Baby’s First Foods • Elaine Schreiber, a registered nurse, has been a maternal child nurse for over 30 years. She’s the supervisor for the Nurse-Family Partnership, a home visiting program in Southwest Florida through Healthy Start. She’s also the mother of four children and grandmother of three. She resides in Cape Coral.

FITNESS CAMP

Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 6 a.m. in PLAYLAND This 60-minute camp-styled class is designed by certified fitness pros specifically for women.

GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE

NO ACTIVATION FEES!

Visit MiromarOutlets.com for more details.

SAVE UP TO 70% OFF RETAIL PRICES! Miromar Outlets Gift Cards* are valid at all Outlet Stores and Restaurants and can be purchased at MiromarOutlets.com, the Mall Office or Visitor Information Kiosk. 0320-0295

(239) 948-3766 • MiromarOutlets.com • I-75, Exit 123, Corkscrew Road, in Estero, between Naples & Fort Myers

*Subject to monthly maintenance fee. Terms and Conditions of the Card Agreement are set forth at MiromarOutlets.com. Copyright © 2020, Miromar Development Corporation. Miromar Outlets is a registered service mark of Miromar Development Corporation.

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Andrea Stetson • Summer Camps, Spotlight, Kid Stuff and Teens • Andrea Stetson writes for magazines and newspapers throughout Southwest Florida. She has also been a news producer and writer at television stations in Fort Myers, Miami and Scranton. Andrea lives in North Naples with her husband, daughter, dog and eight bunnies. Her son recently graduated from Georgia Tech.

online »

swflparentchild.com Get the latest event information and family news every day on our family-friendly site.

ALL ABOUT

SUMMER

CAMPS

From “How to Find the Best Summer Camp” to “How to Save on Summer Camp,” you’ll find lots of helpful camp information on our website. We’re even pulling together a list of individual programs coming up this summer in Lee and Collier counties. Just visit swflparentchild.com. And if you have a camp you’d like to add to our list, email the editor at pamela@swflparentchild.com.

Get SWFL Parent & Child anywhere at any time LIKE US ON FACEBOOK facebook.com/swflparentchild FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @swflparentchild FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @swflparentchild FIND US ON PINTEREST pinterest.com/ swflparentchild READ US ON ISSUU issuu.com/swflparentchild

The City of Fort Myers invites you to enjoy Kids to Parks Day

E E R F

A Nation-Wide day of outdoor play organized by National Park Trust (NPT) in cooperation with a host of local and national collaborators. There will be food for kids of all ages.

GAMES and ACTIVITIES

Come out and Play! Bring the entire Family for a fun filled day at the Park!!!

Potato sack race Dance Contest Basketball Street Hockey Bounce Houses Arts and crafts Prizes and much more!

APRIL 18

10AM - 2PM AT CENTENNIAL PARK SOUTHWEST FLORIDA PARENT & CHILD » MARCH 2020 » 9

Come ready to learn & leave inspired!

239.643.7275

Open daily 8am – 5pm

Miguel Argumosa, DMD • Erin Taylor, DMD Nicole Eastham, DMD Board Certified Pediatric Dentists

Three Locations To Serve You! BONITA SPRINGS

9510 Bonita Beach Rd. Ste. 101

239 333.2990

CAPE CORAL

PORT CHARLOTTE

1508 S.E. 12th Terrace

3872 Tamiami Trail, Unit D&E

239 322.5222

941 391.8090

Comprehensive dental care with state of the art facilities equipment for children and those with special healthcare needs All forms of sedation available: Nitrous, Oral, In office I.V. and Hospital Emergencies Welcome!

Fun and Interactive Environment

We Love Kids, Kids Love Us!

www.swfl-pediatricdentistry.com Most Insurance Accepted Se Habla Español

10 » MARCH 2020 » SWFLPARENTCHILD.COM

me time »

POLKA DOT PARTY Seeing spots? Polka dots are a quintessential classic print. From dresses to blouses and more, you’ll love these colorful variations.

Very versatile Steele’s Ginny smocked polka dot jumpsuit is flattering and comfortable. $199 at anthropologie.com.

Cute as a bug Aqua’s Bello large polka dot tote will be your favorite spring bag. $101.25 at bloomingdales.com.

Classic simplicity

NIGHT

DATE

The Velvet Dot puff-sleeve top is perfect for the office. $44.99 at Loft.

Dots have more fun This fun round-neck button-back tiered mini dress by Who What Wear looks great with a pair of pumps. $34.99 at Target.

For a romantic evening that’s easy on the budget, check out a Songwriters at Sunset concert at Lovers Key State Park. Once a month, Friends of Lovers Key and the Americana Community Music Association offer a free acoustic concert on the beach. Food trucks are on site for dinner, and the big finale is, of course, the sunset. The March 5 show starts at 4:30 p.m. and food trucks will be on site. The next concert is 5:45 p.m. April 2. Admission to Lovers Key State Park is $8 for a vehicle of 2-8 people. Get details at americanacma.org.

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5 things »

GET CREATIVE IN THE TOY ROOM Play areas can look as beautiful as they are fun.

Do feed the bear Make toy cleanup bearable with this soft-sided bear storage bin from Crate & Barrel’s Crate&kids line. The 15-inch depth provides room for all sorts of toys, and the cute character gives us an idea for making cleanup more fun: Feed the bear all your loose toys! $35 at Crate&kids, crateandbarrel.com/kids.

Fashion with function With a crisscross of roads and scenery, the Transportation Game Rug by Pillowfort looks great in any play room or child’s bedroom while serving as an entertaining backdrop to your child’s playful imagination. $54.99 at Target, target.com.

Sweet little lamb Under this adorable lamb plush is a sturdy wooden frame built for durability, giving your little one a secure, comfortable ride. Baby GUND’s rocker is expected in time for spring. $120 at gund. com.

Exhibit ready We love new and different ways to display our kids’ artwork. This Malden “Look What I Made” five-clip wall hanging is perfect for the toy room. $39.99 regular price at Kohl’s; we saw it on sale for $19.99 at kohls.com.

Cactus cool The Drew Barrymore Flower Kids collection offers super cute style for kids’ rooms, like this cactus bookcase. $189 at walmart. com. Anti-tip hardware included. SOUTHWEST FLORIDA PARENT & CHILD » MARCH 2020 » 13

« fyi

Kids in elementary and middle school can now participate in Logiscool coding and technology programs at the IMAG History & Science Center in Fort Myers through May. In each session of four weekly workshops, kids learn coding and programming while writing their own computer animations, applications and games, which also stretches their creativity. Each four-week session costs $150; IMAG members receive a 10% discount. Registration is available at theimag.org.

Kids create art to save butterflies in library contest Children ages 5-12 are invited to enter the Save the Monarch Butterfly art contest, organized by the Cape Coral Public Library and the Friends of Cape Coral Library. To enter, create an original painting or drawing that shows how people can protect the Monarch from habitat loss, pesticides, herbicides and other threats. Deadline is April 27. The library will have an entry box in the children’s area.

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NEW AQUARIUM

EXPERIENCE OPENS ON SANIBEL There’s a new aquatic attraction in Southwest Florida. The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum on Sanibel Island opens its new aquarium experience this month. The museum completed its $6 million capital campaign for the expansion ahead of schedule in February. The exhibit, called “Beyond Shells: The Mysterious World of Mollusks,” focuses on the wonders of these shell-making creatures. Eleven aquariums feature cold and warm water species, octopuses, cuttlefish, squid and nautilus. A pop-up bubble gives guests a 360-degree view of mollusks and fish, and two 15-foot touch tanks let you get hands-on. Admission to the museum is $23.95 for adults, $21.95 for seniors, $14.95 for ages 12-17 and students with ID, $8.95 for ages 5-11, free for ages 4 and younger. Visitors who bike to the museum get a $1 discount. An exact opening date will be announced at shellmuseum.org.

SWFL mom’s organic elderberry syrup gets national recognition When Leny Fralicker and her family first moved to Southwest Florida in early 2017, her son’s asthma made him vulnerable to colds, and he contracted them often. Someone recommended elderberry syrup to boost his immune system. It was expensive, but his cold was gone in two days. Trying to save a little money, Leny came up with her own recipe. The organic concoction contains elderberry, ginger, cinnamon and honey, and it goes down much easier than a spoonful of medicine. She started selling it at the Lakes Regional Park farmers market in south Fort Myers as a side hustle. Now it’s a full-blown online business. This month, Elderberry Elixir is one of 42 vendors from across the country to be featured at Spring at the Silos, a very selective market in Waco, Texas. An 8-ounce bottle is $21 at elderberryelixir. com, where you can also find a list of local vendors. She’s also on Instagram @elderberryelixir.

GETTY IMAGES

Logiscool coding classes begin at the IMAG

New dental office opens in south Fort Myers Dr. Jennifer Engelhardt and her team are opening a new fullservice family dental office in south Fort Myers. Opening March 5, Summerlin Dental Care is at 16159 Myriad Lane, south Fort Myers. Get details at summerlindentalcare.com.

St. Andrew teacher receives national research grant St. Andrew Catholic School teacher James Less, whose students are active in science fairs and other programs, is one of 28 middle and high school science teachers nationwide to receive a research grant from the Society for Science & the Public. The money must be used to further student science research. James said in his submission that he would use the money to buy Vernier data loggers with Vernier probes that could help students participate in water quality testing studies that complement those of local colleges and universities.

Teens and tweens can win cash in video contest Middle and high school students can win up to $5,000, plus another $5,000 for their school in “The Facts. Your Future.” video competition launched in February by Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis. The videos are intended to create peer-topeer awareness related to substance abuse and its impact on their future. Entries are due April 27. Get details at fldoe.org/ thefactsyourfuture.

New children’s book takes on tough topic A local author announces her first children’s book “You Can’t Stop Sophie Now!” The debut children’s book by Sarah Fischer Pointer, of Fort Myers, teaches readers that people with physical disabilities may look different but are just as capable as everyone else. $14.95 on Amazon.com. Also available via Barnes & Noble and Mascot Books.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA PARENT & CHILD » MARCH 2020 » 15

« ask the expert EL AINE SCHR EIBER

BABY’S FIRST FOODS Start your child’s life with healthy eating habits by following a few tips garnered from current research.

any first-time parents are excited to begin to feed their little ones solid food. However, current research indicates that beginning solid food too early can lead to adult obesity. While family and friends offer various bits of advice when it comes to infant feeding, here’s some guidance based on current research. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization recommend waiting to introduce solid food until around 6 months of age. The signs of feeding readiness include: » Can the baby hold their head steady? » Can the baby sit with support? » Does the baby show an interest in food? » Has the baby doubled their birth weight? » Does the baby open their mouth when offered a spoonful of food? » Can the baby swallow food from a

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spoon without pushing it out with their tongue? (Babies are born with a tongue-thrust reflex that disappears at about 4-6 months of age) Breast milk is the ideal nutritional source for all babies until they’re 6 months old. Even when solid food is added, an infant’s primary nutrition until they are a year old is breast milk or formula. Unless there is a medical reason, cereal should never be added to a baby’s bottle because it can cause choking and cause the baby to gain too much weight by overfeeding. The purpose of introducing solids around 6 months is primarily to allow the baby to explore various tastes and textures. Many families introduce various “first” foods to their infant, however, there is no specific first food that’s recommended by the AAP. Introducing one new food at a time can be helpful to assess for allergies. Allergic response to a food might be rash, diarrhea, vomiting or blood in the stool. Keeping a food log of new foods that are introduced can be helpful when communicating

with your pediatrician, adding a new food every three or four days. Begin with a very small amount of a new food, about a half teaspoon per feeding, then gradually increase the amount as the child tolerates. Initially, offer pureed, strained and easy to swallow food. Breast milk or formula can be added for a thinner consistency, if needed. Avoid sweetened or salted foods to teach the infant to enjoy foods in their natural state instead of enhanced with salt or sugar. Sometimes, it takes trying one new food over 10 times to get the child to “like” the new food. Developing healthy eating habits begins very early for children. After beginning solid food, children should be introduced to many different foods and textures as they develop their eating habits and preferences. Some babies advance quickly to various foods and textures and others take more time. Fruit and vegetables in their natural state have a great deal of

Elaine Schreiber, a registered nurse, has been a maternal child nurse for over 30 years. She’s the supervisor for the Nurse-Family Partnership, a home visiting program in Southwest Florida through Healthy Start. She’s also the mother of four children and grandmother of three. She resides in Cape Coral.

taste without being enhanced. Giving a child a variety of foods early can reduce the chance of having a picky eater later. Avoid giving infants candy, cookies, soda and juice as their food preferences are being developed. Babies who drink juice and sugary drinks are more likely to have tooth decay and less likely to drink water as they grow older. Water can be introduced to an infant after they turn 6 months old. It is no longer recommended to give infants any juice until they are at least 1 year old. After 1 year, it is recommended to limit juice to 4 ounces per day.

Once the baby can bring objects to their mouth, soft finger foods can be introduced. Soft finger foods can include small pieces of soft banana, scrambled eggs, pasta, finely chopped chicken, cooked mixed vegetables. Avoid giving small children items that they could choke on. Items to avoid include hard pretzels, peanuts, hard candy, hot dogs, popcorn, seeds, whole grapes and whole cherry tomatoes. Honey is not recommended until the child is 1 year old due to possible spores of Clostridium botulinum, which can cause botulism.

Children are very curious about foods that their families are eating and will tend to develop their eating habits to mirror what they see family members eat. If Dad/Grandma/Auntie never eats vegetables, it will be more difficult to convince a toddler to continue to try these foods. It is recommended that all caregivers be educated in infant CPR and choking infant care to be prepared in case a child begins to choke. Being educated on what to do in an emergency can give a parent more confidence in knowing how to handle a choking child.

ASK THE EXPERT We welcome questions from readers. Ask us anything. We’ll find the answer. Send your question to editor@swflparentchild.com with “Ask the Expert” in the subject line.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA PARENT & CHILD » MARCH 2020 » 17

« ask the expert SCOT T H A MBLEN

HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST PAINT COLOR FOR A KIDS’ ROOM Putting some thought — and science — behind your color choices helps create an environment your child will love.

lorida homes tend to stick with neutral color palettes on the exterior, typically some variation of white, gray, beige or tan. Interiors often feature similar hues as many homeowners opt for flat, agreeable tones that don’t overwhelm or overly stimulate the senses. However, that neutrality doesn’t have to apply to your child’s bedroom. In fact, many psychologists advise that children’s bedrooms should be much like children themselves — full of life, energy, happiness and enthusiasm. It’s a place where they’ll probably spend half of their childhood playing, chatting with friends, doing homework and getting a good night’s sleep. There is a science behind choosing paint colors for a child’s bedroom. It’s called color psychology. Colors affect emotions, behaviors and moods. Red, for example, triggers passion and energy, while blue offers a sense of safety and relaxation. Green can make someone feel refreshed and upbeat, while white speaks to purity and cleanliness. Purple sparks imagination, pink signifies innocence and silver represents prosperity.

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Selecting paint colors goes a long way in defining the moods you and others will experience while in that room. Painting one wall of a bedroom in a bright color like yellow or aqua, while

using neutral colors for trim and other walls, is a popular way to colorize a room without going overboard. Benjamin Moore, Ace Hardware’s “preferred paint supplier” for 2020, suggests that

Scott Hamblen is the chief merchandising officer at Sunshine Ace Hardware.

“Blending neutrals, like grays and beiges, helps empower the use of vivid color for bedding, pillows and other room décor.”

parents balance color choices: “Blending neutrals, like grays and beiges, helps empower the use of vivid color for bedding, pillows and other room décor.” Once you settle on a color scheme, the next step is to choose a paint finish. A flat or matte finish might look great in an adult’s bedroom or low traffic area, but children’s bedrooms are different. Walls will be touched with dirty fingers. Balls will be thrown against them. Crayons, markers and pencils will inevitably leave their mark. Satin paint is best for a child’s bed-

room because it’s durable and can be cleaned easier than other sheens. For parents whose children attempt to create a Picasso directly on the wall, advances in paint technology now offer the perfect solution — dry erase paint. This is a clear high-gloss premium paint that is applied directly on top of existing paint to essentially create a dry-erase board across an entire wall or room. The final choice for parents is to choose a paint manufacturer. Price isn’t always an indicator of quality, but the least expensive brands of paint can re-

quire two coats, ultimately costing more in the long run. Benjamin Moore and Clark + Kensington are among the most respected brands in the industry. For children with respiratory issues, Benjamin Moore’s Natura paint line is certified through the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and contains zero emissions, volatile organic compounds and is virtually odorless when being applied. More than 3,500 colors are available. A child’s bedroom isn’t just a place where he or she sleeps. It is their home and an opportunity to showcase their identity and personality. Many psychologists encourage parents to allow their children a say in how their room is decorated, from wall art and furnishings to linens and paint colors. Make it a family DIY project. What a great way to make paint-filled memories with your child.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA PARENT & CHILD » MARCH 2020 » 19

« in the kitchen NOEL KONK EN

DE-CODE YOUR HEALTH 9-5-2-1-0 is more than a zip code in northern California. These five little numbers serve as a quick guide to overall health.

arch marks the start of the campaign known as National Nutrition Month; however, understanding what proper nutrition means for your child can be extremely daunting for parents struggling to navigate the mass information available at just the click of a button. Now, with more resources than ever, why is it we are still left so confused? That’s when 9-5-2-1-0 comes into play. The 9-5-2-1-0 message has become widely popular with children because it shifts the focus off weight status and strict dietary regulations and moves toward a holistic opinion of healthfulness. And let’s not forget, 9-5-2-1-0 not only applies to children, but adults alike.

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Noel Konken, a registered dietitian, is a clinical pediatric dietitian at Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida.

Get 9 hours of restful sleep a night.

» While the amount of recommended sleep can vary as children age, the National Sleep Foundation indicates nine hours of sleep tends to be appropriate for ages 6 and older. » Adequate sleep in children has been shown to improve learning, memory and attention. » Helpful tips to assure a restful night sleep include: going to sleep at the same time each night, turning off all electronics one hour before bedtime, limiting food and beverages than contain caffeine in the afternoon and evening such as soda, tea and chocolate.

Choose 5 servings of fruits or vegetables a day.

» Fruits and vegetables provide essential vitamins and minerals important for optimal development, growth and immunity. » Fruits and vegetables make great snacks because they tend to be lower in calories but packed with nutrients and fiber, creating sustained energy to fuel kids through their day. » Trouble getting your kids to eat the rainbow? Try introducing a new fruit or vegetable with a dressing or yogurt-based dip, or add as a new ingredient to a favorite dish.

Limit screen time to 2 hours (or less) a day.

» Excessive screen time can be associated with delay in language development, obesity, sleep disturbance and difficulties with attention. » Screen time can take time away from other, important activities that help with social development and physical movement. » One helpful way to limit screen time is by ensuring the television is off and personal devices are set aside during family meal times. Limiting distractions at the dinner table can also help promote healthy habits and mindful eating.

Have 1 hour of active play or physical activity a day.

» Children who are involved in physical activity are much more likely to remain physically active as adults. Regular physical activity is noted to help with weight management and prevention of chronic conditions. » Physical activity should be fun. Try jump rope games, having a dance party, or taking a walk with your family or dog. » Not only does physical activity make your bones and heart strong, it elevates mood by releasing endorphins, often known as “feel good” chemicals produced by the nervous system.

Consume zero sugarsweetened beverages.

» Sugar-sweetened beverages contain “empty calories,” meaning they provide a lot of calories with limited nutritional value. » The American Heart Association recommends children should have less than 25 grams, or six teaspoons, of added sugar daily. As a reference, 12 ounces of Coca-Cola (one can) contains 39 grams of added sugar. » When in doubt, water should always be the No. 1 thirst quencher to assure adequate hydration. » Need to mix it up? Try infusing water with fresh fruit, unsweetened tea or flavored sparkling water with no added sugar to offer flavor variety.

FIND A RECIPE FOR EASY CRESCENT VEGGIE PIZZA ON PAGE 22

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA PARENT & CHILD » MARCH 2020 » 21

« in the kitchen (continued)

Easy Crescent Veggie Pizza

GETTY IMAGES

2017

& NATURE PARK

Tommy says

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INGREDIENTS

» 2 cans (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent rolls » 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened » ½ cup sour cream » 1 teaspoon dried dill weed » 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder » ½ cup small fresh broccoli florets » 1/3 cup quartered cucumber slices » 1 roma tomato, seeded, chopped » ¼ cup shredded carrot

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. 2. Unroll both cans of crescent rolls and separate dough into 4 long rectangles. Press the dough in bottom and up sides of an ungreased 15-by-10-by-1-inch pan. 3. Bake crescent rolls for 13 to 17 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to completely cool. 4. In a small bowl, mix cream cheese, sour cream, dill and garlic powder until smooth. Spread over crust. 5. Top with vegetables. 6. Serve immediately or refrigerate 1 to 2 hours before serving. SOURCE: Pillsbury

Jean Le Boeuf is the pseudonym used by a local food lover who dines at restaurants anonymously and without warning, with meals paid for by The News-Press and Naples Daily News. Follow the critic at facebook.com/jeanleboeufswfl or @JeanLeBoeuf on Twitter and Instagram.

dining out »

PLANT-BASED GENIUS Life: The Vegan Drive Thru makes JLB swoon like it’s real bacon.

wo bites into my quote-unquote “bacon cheeseburger,” I swooned. I’m talking full-on swoon: eyes closed, hands gripping the table. I don’t know if I’ve ever swooned for a burger not made of meat. Life: The Vegan Drive Thru is clever that way. Life opened December 30 in an old bagelshop space on Del Prado Boulevard south of Veterans Parkway in Cape Coral. The restaurant is exactly what it purports to be: an all-vegan concept with a drive-thru and about 20 seats in a small, sunlit dining room. The place looks simple enough, a low building painted two shades of green with a sandwich-board sign out front still advertising it as a bagel shop. But everything I’ve had on this plant-based menu has made me think, has made me question food as I know it. If a meatless burger can make me swoon, why am I not eating more of them? Maybe because Life has just this one location (for now), and its owner and lead cook Ryann Urban has just two hands (two magical, wondrous hands). Urban crafts Life’s burgers from scratch, using a blend of mushrooms, quinoa and black beans that’s as savory as it is satisfying. She makes her bacon, too. Not from pork belly but from coconut: thick strips cured in olive oil, seasonings and liquid smoke, then dried till they’re almost as chewy-crisp as the real thing. Her nondairy cheese melts as nicely as Kraft singles. Her lettuce is leafy and vibrant, as are her tomatoes, her red onions, her oat-flecked buns. They make for a great burger. I would never mistake it for a Five Guys or Culver’s burger. It is a Life burger, delicious in its own Life way.

A Classic bacon cheeseburger ($6.49) made on a house-crafted mushroom-blackbean-quinoa patty with vegan cheese and curedcoconut bacon.

Life: The Vegan Drive Thru

Location: 3310 Del Prado Blvd., Cape Coral Phone: 239-599-2291 Online: thevegandrivethru.com Price: Under $10 Hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, closed Sunday Noise level: Low Etc.: Soft drinks and coffee served, takeout available

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA PARENT & CHILD » MARCH 2020 » 23

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« dining out (continued) As is so much here. Life’s pressed-daily juices may be packed with beets, apples, carrots and pineapple — for a fuchsia result that’s refreshing and lightly sweet. Or with oranges, apples, carrots and turmeric for something sunny and bright. There are smoothies to drink from cups and smoothies to eat from bowls. And vegetable-packed salads finished with Life’s house-made dressings (including a sweet-mustard vinaigrette that should be put on ev-er-y-thing). But it’s the non-vegan-sounding stuff that’s kept me coming back to Life. That burger, yes, but also a “tuno melt” made from garbanzo beans that tasted classically comforting and not at all cat-foodish. And a warm, soothing side of broccoli-cheddar soup simmered with cashew-based “cheese.” Life serves breakfast all day, including a snausage sandwich that, once again, showcases Urban’s knack for flavors. She crafts A summer salad ($9.99) with these patties from lentils, sweet-mustard vinaigrette oats, fennel, sage, thyme and a touch of maple syrup. She pairs them with a slice of cooked tofu that’s deliciously egg-like, plus more tomato, more of that Kraft-like vegan cheese. Story has it, one of the former bagel-shop customers, an older gentleman with no particular plant-based leanings, loves this sandwich so much, he comes back for one each morning. I’m with him. It is that good. It is fast, too. In its short life, Life seems to have mastered the art of workflow. Food comes out with smiles and speed. My drive-thru visits have gone as drive-thru visits should: quickly and efficiently; grab the food, hit the road. I could go on. I could get on a soap box about the environmental impacts of eating meat, about the saturated fat in cheese and beef, the studies linking bacon to cancer. That’s not why I’m here. Next week, I’ll likely be raving about a bacon-wrapped something or other. Deepfried cheese 100% still makes me giddy (as does deep-fried anything). The thing is: What’s good is good. And Life is so very good, for reasons that extend beyond food. But also very much for its food. That this food is only made from plants shouldn’t deter anyone. It should intrigue you. Anyone can make bacon delicious. It takes a bit of magic, or a visit to Life, to do the same for vegetables.

kid stuff »

THE

GREATEST

GAMES M We asked kids and families to share their family game night favorites. BY ANDREA STETSON

y family game closet has six deep shelves, and each one of them is overflowing with board games. It began years ago when the children were young with Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders and keeps going today with more sophisticated, funny and often unusual games.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA PARENT & CHILD » MARCH 2020 » 25

« kid stuff

Ocean Magic Happens Here At Sanibel Sea School, each day is filled with moments of wonder in the water. We offer day classes, camps and experiences for kids, families, and grown-ups, so come with us and be amazed. For more information, visit sanibelseaschool.org or call (239) 472-8585. A nonprofit organization. 26 » MARCH 2020 » SWFLPARENTCHILD.COM

Family game night is bonding time. No one is watching television or on their phones. It’s a time to be together, talk, laugh and have fun. We’ve even done many game nights with other families, which allows us to play games that work better in a large group. There are some board games we love so much we play them all the time, while others are buried so far back on the shelves we probably have not seen them in years. This month we set out to help readers find the greatest games. Some people go right to the classics. The Hutcheson family says they play games every Sunday. “Like it’s our religion,” says Kelly Hutcheson, whose children are ages 11 and 9. “We play Monopoly, Yahtzee, Clue and some others like that. It’s so bonding.” “Yahtzee or card games,” agrees Sharon Brown, who has three daughters who range in age from 12 to 25. “We love that we are together. I like that I get to spend time with them and they aren’t on their phones. We are always looking for a new family game.” Children in an after-school program at Veterans Community Park in North Naples say they enjoy playing board games, too. They play at the park and at home with their parents and siblings. “I used to like Monopoly, but now my favorite is the Game of Life,” says Chloe Giaconetti, 6. “I like it because it has different money.” “I like Ice Breakers, because you get to break the ice,” adds Colton John, 7. Rex Darrow, 7, and Logan Tungett, 8, both say chess is their favorite board game. “It’s challenging,” Logan says. “I like Uno,” says Urijah Siongco, 10. “It can be challenging when you go up against the right people.” “Mancala is my favorite,” adds Lily Marshall, 10. “It is kind of difficult.” Zayden Kihle, 7, says he enjoys Jenga, while Niko Eyre, 7, says his favorite is Twister. “It can get you flexibility,” Niko explains. Shannon Darrow, mother of Rex and an 11-year-old daughter, enjoys family game night. “Monopoly, that’s a classic, and Uno, and we still like Old Maid,” she says. “It’s family time, no TV, no phones. We like that.” In our home, with its stuffed game closet, the family favorite is Telestrations. It’s like the game of telephone only with picture drawing. The outcome usually leaves us laughing so hard. My son enjoys Quelf, which is another funny game where participants must do what each card states. Ticket to Ride, Lego Creator, Labyrinth, Sorry, Wits & Wagers, Big Bang Theory Trivia Game, Uno Attack, Pente, Mouse Trap and Mr. Mouth also seem to come out of the game closet often for family game night.

GETTY IMAGES

teens »

THE ULTIMATE TEEN SUMMER CAMP Sanibel Sea School offers summer camps that take teens to the Keys, the Bahamas and Belize. BY ANDREA STETSON

here aren’t many camps for teenagers in Southwest Florida, but when Sanibel Sea School got into the camp business, they created experiences beyond anything else around. The camps include trips to the Florida Keys, Andros Island in the Bahamas and, the biggest one of all, a research trip to Belize. “That is our capstone experience,” says Nicole Finnicum, the director of operations for Sanibel Sea School, about the Belize camp for ages 17-19. “We have done it for three years. We are going to make it a really intensive coral

reef experience. They will design their own coral reef research experience.” Cameron Hallett, now 18, went two years ago when he was 16 and says the experience changed his life. “That trip really was hands down one of the most impactful things I have ever done,” Cameron says. “I had been doing Sanibel Sea School camps for 13 years, and that was kind of the capstone that brought everything together.” After arriving in Belize City, Cameron and 11 other campers and two adults rode five hours on a bus to a rainforest on Blue Creek. “Blue Creek, Belize is so small it doesn’t show up on many maps,” Cameron says.

IF YOU GO What: Sanibel Sea

School teen camps take kids to the Keys, the Bahamas and Belize: • Florida Keys: July 6-11 for ages 11-12 and July 13-17 for ages 13-14; $575 per week • Belize: July 20-29 for ages 17-19; $2,200 • Andros Island, Bahamas: August 1-8

for ages 15-16; $2,000

Learn more:

sanibelseaschool.org/ summer-camp-at-sanibel

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA PARENT & CHILD » MARCH 2020 » 27

The campers spent three days in the rainforest with a local guide learning about local medicine, the environment and rainforest ecology. “It was absolutely incredible,” he exclaims. “Then we had a cave snorkel. We went down through a huge cave that was enormous. It was unbelievable to sit in the middle of the caves. It was totally dark. It was really cool being able to see how the water was carving out the sides of the cave.” The campers then went to South Water Caye. “We arrived on the island and spent the next seven days there, which was hands down the most incredible thing I ever did.” They snorkeled every day. “We saw 5- to 6-foot nurse sharks, octopus, barracuda,” Cameron describes. They also went on night dives and were able to see blue and green glowing creatures. “It was things we had read about at sea school, and now we were living it,” Cameron says. “We were on the reef, and it was crystal clear. Most of us had never seen water that clear.” They learned to free dive to depths of 30 feet. The campers also each had a research project. Cameron studied soldier hermit crabs. “They are huge,” he says. “They were everywhere. My project was, ‘Do they respond to different types of light?’ I used two paths and used different frequency of light — red light, blue light and regular light — to see how they would respond. It was an entire two weeks with no access to electronics. We were totally doing research with books and our own experience. You kind of dream about it, to be snorkeling on a reef in a Central American country, and then you are there, and you are seeing it and doing it,” he says. The camp changed his life. “I was going to major in computer science and artificial intelligence,” he explains. “And this was the trip that switched me to focus on marine biology.”

28 » MARCH 2020 » SWFLPARENTCHILD.COM

GETTY IMAGES

« teens (continued)

Nicole says this year Sanibel Sea School is bringing back the teen camp to Andros Island in the Bahamas. This camp is aimed at ages 15-16. “They are really learning to do independent research projects on coral reefs,” Nicole says. “They choose their project. They will do a big group project. They will look at a patch reef and look at corals, fish and invertebrates.” The campers stay at Forfar Field Station in rustic cabins on the beach where they will spend the days snorkeling on the third largest barrier reef in the world and spend evenings learning in-depth species identification of fish, invertebrates and algae. The group research project includes collecting long-term monitoring data to help understand how reefs are changing. For ages 11-14, there are camps to Looe Key. Campers snorkel in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, where they’re likely to see sharks, eagle rays, goliath grouper, midnight parrotfish, pillar corals, mountainous corals and more. The camp is divided into a session for ages 11-12 and another week for ages 13-14.

“They absolutely love it,” Nicole says. Sophia Lamping, 12, went last year and loved it. “We went snorkeling under the bridge right next to our campsite. We saw sharks and lionfish. That was one of my favorite things,” she says. Sophia plans to go again this summer and encourages other teens to try it, too. “I would recommend it, because they can realize how cool it is,” she says. “They don’t have to have their phones to experience life.” Sophia also enjoyed making friends from all over the world. Her mother, Laura Lamping, says it was a great experience for her daughter. “I think it is fantastic,” Laura says. “She has done two years in a row. The first year she was 11, and you put them on a bus on Sanibel, and you see them five days later. It is one of the most grueling experiences and one of the best. You worry about noseeums and things like that, but even if it was miserable they loved it.” Sophia likes the camp so much she plans to also go to the Andros Island and Belize Sanibel Sea School camps when she is old enough.

20th anniversary »

THE

RIZZO THEN

FAMILY

Laura Rizzo appeared on the April-May 2001 cover of SW FL Parent & Child with her children Megan and Thomas Rizzo II. Megan was 2, about to turn 3, and Thomas was 4.

W NO

Where are they now? Laura lives in Fort Myers, Megan in Tallahassee and Thomas in Hollywood, Florida.

Ages: Megan is now 21, Thomas 23, and Laura just celebrated her 50th. School/Occupation: Megan is a

senior studying accounting at Florida State University. Thomas is a hospitality graduate of FSU and the assistant beverage manager for Centerplate at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Laura is the social media manager and executive administrative secretary at Sanibel Community Church.

Tell us about yourself. What do you enjoy doing now? Megan: I plan to get a master’s degree

in Accounting and Taxation and become a certified public accountant. Outside of school I enjoy photography, quality time with family and friends and traveling. I would be described as humorous, compassionate, adventurous.

Thomas: I currently am the assistant

beverage manager for Centerplate at the Hard Rock Stadium (where the Miami Hurricanes and Miami Dolphins play). I just experienced my first Super Bowl. Outside of work, I enjoy fishing, working out, golf and traveling. I spent last semester in Burlington, Vermont, managing the day lodge and its restaurants at Smugglers’ Notch Ski Resort and the semester before

that in Austria … studying business courses abroad. I would be described as honest, hard-working, kind and adventurous.

Laura: I work at SCC and teach for

Lee County School District. I maintain their website, Facebook and Instagram accounts. I also do all media presentations for the pastors and speakers. Outside of work, I enjoy boating, fishing and hunting, as well as quality time with family and loved ones. I would describe myself as a multitasking, involved mom. I love helping my kids and loved ones succeed and thrive.

What do you love about growing up (or raising kids) in Southwest Florida? Megan: The saying “Absence makes the

heart grow fonder” is a saying that I fully understand after moving out of Southwest Florida for college. During breaks and long weekends, heading back to Fort Myers is something I always look forward to. The beaches and sunsets are unmatched and something I love enjoying.

Thomas: I like the slow pace of life in Fort Myers and appreciate the size of the city. I also appreciate the people that live in this area. SWFL is a diverse place to enjoy a lot of activities.

Laura: Raising my children in SWFL was

the most rewarding environment that I could ever experience. The weather is conducive to enjoying all outdoor sports and activities. Living here, there is never a day that we can’t get outside to walk and

play.

What’s one piece of advice that’s been really helpful? Megan: … To not

sweat the small stuff and that it’s all small stuff. I value this advice because it reminds me to focus on the important things in life such as family and friends. Growing up I’ve lived by this saying and it has shaped me into the person I am today.

Laura

Thomas

Thomas: The best

advice that I have ever received is don’t be afraid to try stuff that makes Megan you uncomfortable. I enjoy stepping up to new experiences and accepting challenges.

Laura: One piece of advice that someone

gave me is to “keep on keeping on.” I concur that perseverance is probably the greatest life skill that exists. Sometimes, it is not always easy to be motivated and stay positive, but you must continue to keep pressing on. Your current situation is not your final destination. This too shall pass.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA PARENT & CHILD » MARCH 2020 » 29

» spotlight

SECOND CHANCES He was a bully, but this Naples teen helped the tough, retired racehorse find a second career off the track. BY ANDREA STETSON

PHOTOS BY ALEX DRIEHAUS

Clay bites his brush as Chrissy Parisi, 14, grooms him at Track to Trail in North Naples.

hen Eliot came to Track to Trail in North Naples, he was fierce and feared. The retired racehorse bit everyone who tried to help him. He was labeled a bully. Orange cones were put in front of his stall to warn people to stay away. But none of that stopped 14-yearold Chrissy Parisi from helping him — and giving Eliot a chance at a second career off the track.

30 » MARCH 2020 » SWFLPARENTCHILD.COM

Chrissy is part of an education program at Track to Trail where girls are paired with a retired racehorse to help with rehabilitation. “I felt like maybe he didn’t connect, but I did, and I thought after a while he would, and I don’t like giving up on things,” Chrissy says. “I loved him from the day I met him.” Cynthia Gilbert, executive director of Track to Trail, discouraged the match. “We try to pair them with the easier

horses,” she explains. “He was a lot to handle. He was a really big horse with a lot of attitude. I said, ‘All the other kids will be able to advance much quicker than you. If you pick the project, you need to stick with it,’ and she said, ‘Absolutely.’” So Chrissy, who is 4 feet 10 inches tall, began working with the 17-handstall (5.8 feet), 1,200-pound horse that came to Track to Trail in early 2018. “Sometimes it was scary having something three times my size,” Chrissy says. “He was the biggest horse.”

Eliot, now Maverick, with Lee County Sheriff’s Office Cpl. Aaron Eubanks.

Cynthia says she could not leave Chrissy alone with Eliot for her first two sessions with the horse. “He was really tough. She was really determined,” Cynthia says. “There were ups and downs. It was really a challenge.” While the other children in the program were quickly riding their horses, Chrissy had to start with very small steps. “Just scratching his belly,” she says. “We would do ground work, I would tap the whip on the ground and tell him to walk, trot, canter. It’s connecting.” Eliot started to connect. But there were setbacks. One day Chrissy lifted her arms to put a halter on Eliot, and he bit her chest. “The day he bit her was the day she didn’t want to come back, and then she came back the next

day,” says Chrissy’s mother, Mary Anna Parisi. Eliot continued to try to bite Chrissy. Mary Anna was afraid for her daughter and wanted her to quit. But Chrissy persisted. “He would try to bully her,” Cynthia says. Chrissy explains she learned to stand tall and show Eliot that there were boundaries. She used lots of praise when Eliot did something right and learned to redirect when he did something wrong. “She really made a lot of inroads,” Cynthia says. “He started to see her in a different light. That is where you end up with a really safe horse, when you have a great partner.” Eliot bonded with Chrissy and let her do things others could not do. “This huge animal that is not listening to anyone is listening to Chrissy,” Cynthia says. “Even the adults could not get him into the stall, and they would say, ‘Can you get Chrissy?’” Cynthia was amazed at Chrissy’s determination.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA PARENT & CHILD » MARCH 2020 » 31

» spotlight (continued)

Chrissy Parisi, 14, rinses Clay at Track to Trail in Naples.

“It is like being a mom to a 1,200-pound baby,” Cynthia says. “There is a lot of responsibility that comes with that. What she does each day, how far she brings him along, that is up to her. “There is advice and support, but it is up to them to make those decisions and I don’t think a lot of kids have that. He was big. He was tough. He was a really tough project. “What is amazing is she took something on that was tough and that would be a lot of work and would not have immediate gratification,” Cynthia says. There were more challenges as Chrissy prepared to ride Eliot. “Putting tack on him or a blanket on him, it was nip, nip, nip,” Chrissy says. “I was petrified with that,” her mom adds. “I told her that’s it. This is too much. I was so nervous.” After several months of hard work, Chrissy got to sit on Eliot’s back. “It started with just getting him to stop biting my feet when I sat on him,” Chrissy says. Finally she got to ride Eliot. “It was awesome,” Chrissy says. “Compared to all the other horses, I felt like I was in the sky. Once I was on him, I could sit there all day.” “It was like magic happened,” Mary

32 » MARCH 2020 » SWFLPARENTCHILD.COM

Anna says. After a year and a half, Eliot was ready for a new home. Chrissy wasn’t ready. As she spoke recently about the day he left in November 2019, tears welled up in her eyes. But she knew this is what she had been working for. Track to Trail is a volunteer organization that rehabilitates injured race horses, mostly from Gulfstream Park, a track and casino near Miami. Eliot, whose racing name was Track Shill, won his first race and then fractured his ankle during a training session. After the horses are rehabilitated, they go to new homes in Lee or Collier counties. “It was horrible. I just started crying, but I was so proud of him,” Chrissy says as she describes sending Eliot to his new home. “It’s tough when they leave,” Cynthia adds. “But Eliot would not have been there unless we had adopted out a horse before him. That is the cycle of helping. That is what our organization is all about.” Eliot was purchased by Cpl. Aaron Eubanks, who uses his horse with the Lee County Sheriff ’s Office. Eubanks

gave Eliot a new name, Maverick, and says his new horse is perfect for crowd control and official ceremonies. “He has a real good attitude,” he says. “He seems to pick up stuff really quick. Stuff that he is not used to he will spook at it, but give him a couple of minutes and he is OK.” Maverick, now 5, recently participated in a multi-agency crowd control training session. “It was a riot control training,” Eubanks says. “I honestly thought when I took him there that he would be scared. He was actually moving crowds like he was trained to do it. He wasn’t scared a bit of all the noise. He just moved the crowd and got out like he was supposed to.” Maverick also recently took part in an honor guard ceremony. “We got him out there and we presented the colors and he stood there the whole time,” Eubanks says. “He did perfect through the whole detail.” Chrissy, a freshman at Barron Collier High School, now has another horse to train. “Teddy, he’s a little sassy,” she says. “But he’s not as tough as Eliot.”

sports »

R O T I T E R P O T M A T C E O P S C ENT P R O A T OP T

Two high-achieving Southwest Florida athletes talk about cheering from the sidelines for their children. BY ANNE REED here are plenty of jokes about armchair quarterbacks, or parents on the sidelines of their child’s T-ball games yelling their lungs out and seeming to live their athletic dreams through their 6-year-old. In a world where there are now parent codes of conduct for team sports along with the occasional news story about fights breaking out among the parents of opposing teams at their children’s events, we’re often left wonder-

ing what the parents, athletes and coaches are thinking. While parenting is not easy and parenting an athlete has its own challenges, what does it take for an athlete at the top of their sport to slide into the supportive sideline parent role — and what lessons are they hoping to pass on to the next generation? We sat down with two local athletes who are parenting children who have followed in their respective sports footsteps and are on a path to reach the top of their game, just like their parents.

Chiqui Zabala and son Santi

Franco Mata with daughter Te’Anna and son Jayden

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA PARENT & CHILD » MARCH 2020 » 33

« sports (continued)

On and off the court Franco Mata may split his time on the court between training to represent Mozambique in the Davis Cup and teaching lessons at the Port Royal Club in Naples, but off the court he is the parent of two aspiring tennis players. Franco began playing tennis at the age of 9. “In today’s terms, that is late,” he says. “My parents thought tennis was a good no-contact sport where I wouldn’t get hurt.” By the time he was 16 years old, Franco was training in Spain and Portugal and training across Europe. He moved to the U.S. in 2000 after accepting a scholarship to play tennis for Florida Gulf Coast University and has lived here ever since. “It’s hard to leave Southwest Florida once you’ve lived here,” Franco says. He earned his degree in business management with a minor in Spanish. Once he graduated, Franco began teaching full time as a tennis pro while training and competing as a semi-professional tennis player. “I would teach some, then play some,” he explains. “Financially, unless you are at the very top level, it’s tough to make a living.” His passion for the sport and his work on and off the court led to representing Mozambique on its Davis Cup team as a player and captain from 2014 to today. Working as a tennis pro and training for international competition takes an extreme amount of focus and preparedness. Franco balances his work and athletic life with parenting his two children, Te’Anna, 12, and Jayden, 9, who both play tennis. He co-coaches his children with other area coaches and is passionate about helping them develop their games to the best of their abilities. “It’s difficult to be the parent and the

34 » MARCH 2020 » SWFLPARENTCHILD.COM

LEFT: Franco Mata with son Jayden and daughter Te’Anna ABOVE: Chiqui Zabala and son Santi

coach,” Franco says. “During the day I’m dad first and coach second or third. At times it’s hard to separate the two. I never lose the No. 1 thing, which is being a father.” Being the parent on the sideline is a new role for Franco, one that has almost brought him full circle in his sport. “It’s enjoyable and painful in a good way. I’ve always told parents to relax, it’s just a game, but now I’m like wow, I guess it’s hard to relax!” he says. “Now I can put myself in their shoes and it’s nerve-wracking and exciting.” He pauses and adds, “It’s a wonderful journey.”

In and out of the pool Chiqui Zabala starts most mornings in the pool at 5 a.m., enjoying a chlorine breakfast for two hours with some of the best Masters swimmers in South-

west Florida. “It’s so nice to swim with them,” she says. “It’s a nice group, and everyone can keep up with the practice, and I feel like I’m swimming back in college.” Chiqui is training for a swim meet in Colombia in May and then plans to compete in June at the UANA Pan American Masters Championships in her home country. Swimming is a lifelong sport for Chiqui, who started swimming at an early age in Colombia. She swam for the Colombia national team for six years and stopped swimming competitively when she gave birth to her first son, Santiago, in 1996. She was 19 years old and continued to swim competitively through month eight of her pregnancy. Prior to her pregnancy, Chiqui was the best backstroker in Colombia in the 200-meter event with a time of 2 minutes, 26 seconds. She still

sports (continued) »

“During the day I’m dad first and coach second or third. At times it’s hard to separate the two. I never lose the No. 1 thing, which is being a father.” — FRANCO MATA

remembers her last meet before she left swimming to have Santi. “The last swim event I had was the 1,500-meter (freestyle) and my time was 18 minutes,” she says with a laugh. Even though that is a slow time for her, she won the event. Chiqui returned to the pool when her son was 2 months old, setting up a portable crib on deck so he could nap after she fed him and she could fit in her training. But life became busier, as it often does after children arrive, and she soon found herself balancing work, attending college, parenting and swimming. Her then-husband moved to the United States and she soon followed — and life got even busier. She started working at a wellness center as a swim instructor and spent more time in the pool with her son, Santi, who had been

swimming since he was an infant. At age 5 she started Santi on a competitive swim team. “When I put him with Swim Florida, I said, ‘I’m going back to swimming,’” she recalls. “I started swimming with the team, and that’s how I got back into it.” She now has two sons who have followed her into the sport. Her youngest, Dieguito, is 15 and balances soccer and swimming for Swim Florida. Santi, 20, is preparing for the Olympic trials with the Gator Swim Club in Gainesville with coach Gregg Troy, sharing lanes with Ryan Lochte, Caeleb Dressel and other top swimmers. Santi has also followed in his mom’s footsteps by swimming for the Colombia national team — and Chiqui is his biggest fan, doing her best to never miss a meet, even if it means a lot of travel. She says she doesn’t feel like a spectator. “I feel like, yes, I’m on the side with

the parents, but you’re watching the event in a different way,” she explains. “I’m watching how was the start, how is his kicking going, how is the rhythm and the timing and the technique? Why is he hitting the lane line? Or look at that good streamline! Those are all the things that are going through my head. I feel like I’m the one swimming in there, like I’m swimming with him in the water.” She has the same experience watching Dieguito on the soccer field. “He’s the goalkeeper,” she says. “Most of the time, I’m not watching the game, I’m watching my son.” Her time in the pool, and her upcoming races on the world stage, have led to a new level in parenting, where she is able to share her times and workouts with her older son. “Now I’m talking to Santi about swimming and what I’m doing, and he says, ‘Oh Mom, you’re doing so well!’” Chiqui says. It’s a different type of support, one born from example, a son seeing his parent work hard, compete, sacrifice and stand for so many hours on the pool deck cheering.

Lessons for life Chiqui says she hopes her sons learn some of the same lessons she picked up from a lifetime spent in the pool. “I think it’s important for everyone to be around people that are healthy, people that are competitive, people that want to get better at something,” Chiqui says. “When you are around people like that, there is no time to get into drugs, to be lazy, there is no way you are going to do the wrong thing.” For Franco, he hopes his children learn that “through the game of tennis, you can do whatever you want from the lessons you learn. You lose a lot, so you learn a lot. In any area that you are going, the experience you are getting on the courts is going to help you for the rest of your life.”

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n Harder, 6 Nicholas and Natha p in the jum , ers My rt Fo of and 8, eway. us Ca el nib water at the Sa mmon co a are s itie tiv ac r Wate er camps. draw to local summ

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cover story »

SUMMER BY ANDREA STETSON

CAMP: What are you getting for your money? Every summer, parents scramble to sign up kids for programs that keep them busy, enhance their learning or teach them new skills. Some cost less per day than lunch at your favorite restaurant while others can be a strain on the family budget.

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« cover story (continued)

ummer camps in Southwest Florida can cost as little as $66 a week or as much as $2,200. The cost depends on who is running the program and the menu of camp activities. We took a look at what you get for each price at some of the camp venues around Southwest Florida. The least expensive place to send children to summer camp on our list is the program run by Collier County Parks and Recreation. For $66 a week, if you sign up for the entire summer, or $85 a week for individual weeks, children can choose from camps held at nine locations scattered around the county, making it easy for parents to find one close to home. This summer the theme is Florida Fun and each week will have a subtheme with all activities aimed at that topic. Themes include: Getting Ready for Florida Fun, Everglades River of Grass, Treasure Awaits in Tampa, Viva Miami, Tallahassee Florida Capital, 5-4-3-2-1 Blast Off to Cape Canaveral, Magic of Orlando, Key West the Conch Republic and No Place Like Home.

“Viva Miami will be a lot of Hispanic culture,” says Britt Hirst, the program leader. “The Everglades River of Grass will be a lot of swamp-themed activities, muddy slimy things. Cape Canaveral will have a space theme.” Besides the arts and crafts and games, each week there will be a field trip to a place such as the Naples Zoo, movie theater, bowling center or Sun-and-Fun Lagoon. Camps are for children ages 5-11. There are also middle school camps for children in grades 6-8. Camps run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but parents can add before and after care. In Lee County the least expensive way to send a child to camp is through Lee County Parks and Recreation. Camps there cost $75 per week and are held at recreation centers in Estero, south Fort Myers, North Fort Myers, Lehigh Acres. Campers do arts and crafts, games and a service project, says Christie Tvardek, senior supervisor with Lee County Parks and Recreation. “Each camp gets three field trips for the summer,” she says. “It is very challenging to take a big group without spending a lot of money.” In the past there have been field trips to Gator Mike’s Family Fun Park in Cape Coral, Lakes Regional Park in south Fort Myers, movies and bowling.

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Sanibel Sea School

“We encourage the camps to do a swim day,” Christie continues. “Maybe not every camper goes every week, but they do have time going to the community pools.” While the camp is not elaborate, Christie says it is a bargain. “We are doing a lot with what we have,” she says. “We are super creative. Wa-Ke Hatchee does a talent show every year. It is amazing to come and watch. It is crazy that we are able to offer it for that price. Parks and Recreation is not in the business for making money. We are in the business of offering services.” The camps are for children who have completed kindergarten or grades 1-5. There are also middle school camps. Two specialty camps, one at Manatee Park and one at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve in the Fort Myers area, are also $75 per week. A camp at Lakes Park for children in grades 3-6 is totally outside all day, since there’s no indoor building. Private camps have a much higher price tag, but the activities and experiences are more elaborate and specialized. Sanibel Sea School charges $325 a week at their main campus, $345 at the Sundial Beach Resort & Spa on Sanibel, and $350 at the Canterbury School in south Fort Myers. Campers spend the day doing lots of water activities. They surf paddle, use a seine (net) over grass beds to find and examine aquatic creatures, swim, snorkel and do many STEM-based activities. Each week has a theme, such as Swimmin’ with the Sharks, Let’s Get Co-co-nutty Week, and Sticky Anemone Week. “Activities are related to the topic of the week,” says Nicole Finnicum, operations manager at Sanibel Sea School. “We have all new themes this year. We like to do a lot of in-the-water activities.” Some children come for just one week, while others enjoy multiple camps. “We never have one child that attends the whole summer, but we often have kids that come 2 or 3 weeks throughout the summer,” Nicole says. The Conservancy of Southwest Florida has a similar program with the outdoors and nature themes. Most of the camps cost $285 for members and $335 for nonmembers.

CAMP411 Interested in learning more about a camp mentioned in this story? Here’s where to get more information:

Collier County Parks and Recreation Where: At various parks and recreation centers in Collier County Cost: $66 per week for the entire summer or $85 per week Online: colliercountyfl. gov/your-government/ divisions-f-r/parks-andrecreation/childcare

Lee County Parks and Recreation Where: At various parks and recreation centers in Lee County Cost: $75 per week Online: leegov.com/ parks/programs/ summer

Sanibel Sea School Where: Sanibel Sea School main campus, Sundial Beach Resort & Spa on Sanibel, Canterbury School in south Fort Myers Cost: $325 per week at the main campus, $345 at the Sundial

campus and $350 at the Canterbury site.

Online:

sanibelseaschool.org/ sanibel-camps

Conservancy of Southwest Florida Where: The Conservancy, 1495 Smith Preserve Way, Naples Cost: $285 each week for members and $335 for nonmembers Note: Registration goes live for members March 23 and open registration begins March 30. Online: conservancy. org/summercamp

Edison Sailing Center Where: North Shore Park, 13001 N. Cleveland Ave., North Fort Myers Cost: $250 for the two-week sailing program; $150 for powerboat and River Adventures programs Online:

edisonsailingcenter.org/ summer-programs

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« cover story (continued)

“All the camp games, activities, learning, animal encounters and field trips are based around the themes,” says Cheryl Latif, the Conservancy’s education programs administrator. “One pertains to the ocean; one is more about estuaries, and one is more related to land and wildlife.” Campers don’t usually attend more than three weeks at the Conservancy. “We have three themes, so kids register for one, two or three weeks; then it starts repeating,” she says. Conservancy campers get to do a wide variety of activities. “We do inland water swamp walks, visit wetlands, do seine netting, fish ID, water testing,” she lists. On campus, children play games, ride the electric boats and get to meet some of the animals. Campers take field trips to the beach, estuaries and state parks. There are also boat excursions. It’s not just the excursions that make this a luxury camp, it’s the instruction. “Our camps are led by our full-time naturalists, so it is not teenagers leading the camp,” Cheryl says. “They all have marine science degrees or biology degrees.” The camps are aimed at children who have completed any of grades K-9. Many camps also teach new skills. Sailing camps might be a bit pricey, but children emerge with a lifelong skill. They get instruction in smaller groups and have use of the boats. Collier County Parks and Recreation offers a sailing camp at Sugden Park for $175 per week and a water ski camp for $225 per week. It’s aimed at participants ages 7-15 and runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. They also have one week for ages 5-6. That camp runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and costs $135.

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Edison Sailing Center

The Edison Sailing Center has a camp 8:30 a.m. until noon Monday through Friday for $250 for two weeks. It’s aimed at ages 8-15. For those 10-15, there is a powerboat camp for $150 a week. “Our summer programs are for any kid who wants to learn how to sail or has some experience but does not have time to sail during school year,” says Stephanie Webb, who oversees programs and trainings for the center. “They learn amazing skills, teamwork and self-reliance. There is a whole gamut of skills in addition to learning how to sail their own boat. They learn to rig, get it off the racks, put it away,

the whole team effort.” Stephanie says both parents and kids love the program. “We have a parent day on the last day, and the parents can get in that little boat with their sailor and their kid can show them how they can sail,” Stephanie says. “We get about 15 to 20 percent of the kids that will continue during the school year. For $250 for 10 days, it is about a dollar an hour. It is a really good bargain.” As for the most expensive camp in town, that’s one run by the Sanibel Sea School for teenagers. The cost includes nine days in Belize doing research on a coral reef. The price tag: $2,200.

MORE CAMPS

What will your kids do this summer? Information on local summer camps is coming in. Here’s what we have so far. Find more at swflparentchild.com.

Edison and Ford Winter Estates

Details: caloosariders.org/ wheelleefun or diane@ fortmyersbikeshop.com

Fort Myers

The Estates offers camps for ages 6-12 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily starting June 8. Topics include science, technology, engineering, art, math, coding, Lego robotics, history and the natural world. Cost: $220 for members, $250 for nonmembers Details: edisonford.org

IMAG History & Science Center Fort Myers

IMAG

The center hosts camps for students from kindergarten to eighth grade June 8 to August 7. Topics include robots and rockets, racers and rainbows, reptiles and T. rex. IMAG also has a program for teens to become junior counselors. Cost: $190 per week for members, $240 per week for nonmembers; scholarships available Details: theimag.org/camp

Wheel Lee Fun Youth Bicycle Program Fort Myers

Wheel Fun Youth Bicycle Program

The Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club helps beginner and advanced cyclists ages 5-15 up their game. The week-long half-day program can be expanded for afternoon care. Cost: $150 per week; sliding scale for siblings; scholarships available

Scuba Outfitters of Naples Naples

Scuba Outfitters teaches ages 10-17 how to scuba dive. The camp ends with a dive off Key Largo. There’s also a camp for future divers ages 8-11. Cost: $549 for the Scuba Summer Camp; $275 for PADI Seal Team Camp (ages 8-11) Details: scubaoutfittersnaples.com

Logiscool Coding Camp Naples

Logiscool hosts half-day and full-day camps that get kids ages 6-14 into the programming mindset to learn how to code easily and playfully. Popular programs include Minecraft for ages 10-14 and a video production camp (think TikTok and YouTube). Cost: $150-250 per week Details: logiscool.com

ABA Results Fort Myers

ABA provides behavioral therapy services, and in the summer the therapy center hosts a camp for children with speical needs. Details: abaresults.com

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» safety corner FA R R A H FISHM A N

SICK KID?

How to give kids medicine safely and effectively

iving kids medicine safely can be complicated. Many parents feel the pressure when a young child needs a medicine, knowing that giving too much or too little could cause serious side effects. Using medicine safely means knowing when they are needed and when they are not. Always check with your physician if you are not sure. Most of the time, home care is the best option for a quick recovery. For instance, kids who have the flu or a cold should get lots of rest and drink plenty of clear fluids. To safely use prescription or overthe-counter medicines, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before giving them to your child. When giving your child medicines, you will need to know: » The name and purpose of the medicine » How much, how often, and for how long the medicine should be taken » How the medicine should be given » Any special instructions, like

whether the medicine should be taken with or without food » How the medicine is stored » Common side effects or reactions » Interactions with other medicines your child takes » What happens if your child misses a dose When giving medicines to kids, first check to make sure you have the correct prescription. Many prescription and medicine bottles look the same, so make sure your child’s name is on the label and it’s the medicine the doctor recommended or prescribed. Be especially careful when reaching into the medicine cabinet in the middle of the night as it is easy to grab the wrong bottle when you are sleepy. Giving the correct dose is important because most medicines need to be taken in a certain amount and at a certain time to be effective. The dose will be written on the prescription label or, on over-the-counter medicines, should be printed on the package insert, product box or product label. Measuring carefully is also extremely significant. You can dispense medicine in a variety of ways. For

Farrah Fishman is a health educator consultant with the Florida Department of Health in Charlotte County.

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babies who can’t drink from a cup, try a dosing syringe, which lets you dispense the medicine into your baby’s mouth, making it less likely to be spit out. Be careful, though; many come with a small cap on the end that can be a choking hazard to young children. Store a medicine syringe in a safe place out of reach of kids. Some other options for small kids are plastic droppers, cylindrical dosing spoons or if your child can drink easily from a cup without spilling, the small dosage cups that come with many medicines. Never use tableware or a kitchen spoon to measure medicine because they do not provide standard measurements. Instead, get a measuring device designed to deliver accurate medicine doses from your local pharmacy or drugstore. Some medicine dispensers for infants and toddlers look like pacifiers. With these, you put the medicine in a small measuring cup attached to a pacifier, and then give the pacifier for the baby to suck. Whatever method you use, it’s important that your child takes all the medicine each time.

Safe Kids is a nonprofit coalition of agencies and organizations dedicated to eliminating preventable childhood injuries. Visit safekidsswfl.org.

family album »

Flamazing »

The Guadalupe Center raised $1.2 million at Be Flamazing, a flamingo-themed gala held to raise money to enable the nonprofit to enhance and expand its educational programs in Immokalee. Here: Seagulls student Gia Borrego dances at the event. Photo by Tony Zollo

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Golden Apple Awards »

Clockwise from top: Fifthgrade language arts teacher Sarah Bratcher, center, hugs her daughter, Braelynn Bratcher, 5, after being presented with a Golden Apple during the surprise deliveries of Golden Apple awards at Lake Park Elementary in Naples. • Tenthgrade world history teacher Serena M. Hampton-Dunn of Barron Collier High School in Naples. • Eighth-grade language arts and global perspectives teacher Elizabeth Garcia at Manatee Middle School. • Third-grade teacher Eileen Fuentes at Sabal Palm Elementary in Golden Gate Estates. Not shown: Fifth-grade language arts and social studies teacher Theresa Golden of Veterans Memorial Elementary and U.S. history teacher David Stehlin of Immokalee High. Photos by Alex Driehaus

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family album »

Send Us Your Snapshots

Catholic Schools Week » Students at St.

Andrew Catholic School in Cape Coral celebrate Catholic Schools Week with Crazy Hats Day. Photos special to SW FL Parent & Child

Send your images with a brief description and names of the people in them to editor@ swflparentchild.com

Playground blessing »

The Rev. Eduardo Coll sprinkles holy water to bless the new exercise-centric playground at St. Andrew Catholic School in Cape Coral as well as those who attended of the blessing January 28.

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Radiothon for Kids »

The Mel’s Diner Helping Kids with Cancer Radiothon raised more than $75,000 for Barbara’s Friends — Golisano Children’s Hospital Cancer Fund on January 24 at Mel’s Diner in Cape Coral. Clockwise from top: Golisano Children’s Hospital patients, staff and supporters of Barbara’s Friends celebrate with a traditional balloon drop. • Addisyn Heinz and Moana Toa • Kayla Polhemus and Reanna Thompson • Erica Pickett, James Pickett, Adyn Pickett and Abby Pickett. Photos by Michael A Caronchi

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family album »

Art Contest Winners » The Alliance for the Arts, in partnership with

the Dunbar Festival Committee and The Black History Society, invited Lee County students in grades K-12 to submit a painting or drawing for the Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Art Contest Exhibit. The winners’ art was displayed in an exhibit in Centennial Park in Fort Myers. From top: Artwork by Kate Bloom of Fort Myers High School. • Artwork by eighth-grader Alyson Cortez. • Artwork by third-grader Keyler Campuzano Patrici.

The Art Yard »

Above: Jaxon and Mylee Heidlberg learn to weave at the Weavers of Char-Lee booth in the Publix Art Yard at ArtFest Fort Myers on Sunday, February 4. Left: Carter Carey and Peyton Earl create art at the SW FL Parent & Child booth at ArtFest Fort Myers. Photos by Pamela Hayford

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GETTY IMAGES

The Alps

EUROCAMP VACATION A Southwest Florida family finds the ultimate summer vacation amid the beauty — and adventure — of the Alps. BY ANNE REED

ast June, I sat on a small balcony, sipping my morning cup of coffee, looking at a breathtaking view of the Alps. The air was crisp, the kind of chilly morning we maybe get twice a year in Southwest Florida. Everything was quiet — except for the sounds of screaming children, coming from behind me in our small cabin, doing their best to wake up an entire campsite. I stood up, sighed, and shut the door. My sister-in-law and I hatched a plan in July 2018 to join our families together for the ultimate summer

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vacation: a week at a Eurocamp outside of Innsbruck, Austria. Our discussion started while I was visiting my brother’s family in Stuttgart, Germany. We knew that the summer of 2019 would mark two years of the cousins being apart, and that felt like too long. A summer vacation, one to remember, seemed ideal. I could picture the children skipping through mountain meadows, wildflowers floating in the breeze around their perfectly coiffed hair, perhaps all wearing matching outfits I’d sewn them from a pair of old curtains. All that was missing was Julie Andrews, a guitar and reservations.

GETTY IMAGES

travel »

Planning and preparation Our first stop? Eurocamp’s website (eurocamp. co.uk). This U.K.-based company helps families plan unforgettable holiday experiences. Options include touring large cities (Paris, anyone?), exploring historic sites or hiking in some of Europe’s most beautiful national parks. The site offers information and booking assistance for 175 different parcs (parks) with lodging and activities to meet your family’s specific needs. We knew that, with four adults and seven children (ages 4-17), we would need to stay in a solid structure (not tents) with plenty of room and a kitchen. We also knew that our kids would need to be busy, so hiking trails, on-site activities and day trip options were a must. The park we found that seemed to best suit our needs was on the Natterer See in the Tirol region of Austria, just outside of Innsbruck. Our family opted to fly to Munich, then rent a car and drive the short distance to the Alpine Eurocamp. We met my brother’s family there and the adventure began.

FROM TOP TO BOTTOM: Mike Reed on top of Hafelekar Peak, 2,300 meters, looking out over the Nordkette range of the Alps in Austria. • Sophie Reed and Jacob Zimmerman navigating a ropes course near Innsbrook, Austria. • The Reeds and Zimmermans playing on the inflatable water park on the Natterer See at the Eurocamp.

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: A view of the mountains from a hiking trail at the Eurocamp. • Jojo bouncing and flipping in Mieders. • The historic town square in Innsbruck • The view going up the cable cars to the top of the Nordektte Range. • Hiking with the Reed and Zimmerman kids from our Eurocamp into Natters • Jacob and Sophie at the ropes course. • Mike Reed read to ride the 6.2-kilometer Mieders Alpine Coaster.

Settling in Our lodgings were two apartments located above one of the laundry and shower areas for the camp. Each apartment consisted of a kitchen area with a table and seating for 4 to 6 people, a full bath, bunk beds, a single bed and a double bed. Off the bedroom area was a small balcony that overlooked the camp and the Natterer See with the still-snow-capped Alps in the background. The camp featured an inflatable park on the Natterer See, a perfect lake for swimming; a playground near the lake; a restaurant and terrace (for sipping an Aperol Spritz in the evening), and a trampolining area, where the kids could bounce to their hearts content as we fed coins into the meter.

Exploring the parc Our children were immediately obsessed with the inflatable park in the middle of the lake — the icy cold Alpine mountain lake. And, since we are slightly helicopter-ish and attempt-

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ing to supervise the older six children who had a total language barrier (and I only spoke enough German to get us to a gas station, bathroom or order food), my husband and I swam out to the inflatable park and hung out in the water, or on the occasional empty stand-up paddleboard to make sure our children weren’t throwing each other off the inflatables (they were). Children of all ages were out there, with a few adults like us hanging out nearby in the freezing cold water. Toward the end of each swim session, I was relieved to see it wasn’t just the Florida kids who were turning slightly bluish from the cold. The water temperature forced us to set a time limit on swimming, which meant we needed more things to do in the parc, and thankfully there were so many hiking trails. Our favorite went down a long, steep hill to a small stream where the children all wanted to take their shoes off and see if the water was cold. The stream, in the mountains, still topped with snow, was most definitely cold. We also hiked outside of the parc

one day and followed the trails into Natterer, the small town just a few miles from the parc. The day we hiked into town happened to be Corpus Christi, a national holiday, and the shops and most restaurants were closed. We found a small restaurant that was open and were invited into the back garden of the family who ran the restaurant. Only one meal was offered, schnitzel with all the trimmings, and we ate heartily. Our children were able to explore the garden and play with the family’s cat while the adults chatted and enjoyed a nice, cold Hefeweizen before the long trek home. We told the children the hike was only a mile or so, which likely meant five miles round-trip.

Day trips Our Eurocamp offered each guest a bus pass for the duration of their stay, and a bus stop was located just at the entrance of the parc. The bus stopped in Natterer or went on to Innsbruck, which was the destination of our first

travel (continued) »

day trip. We took the cable cars up to the Alpen Zoo, where we zigzagged up the slopes to see the different animal residents, including the blobe ziege, or blob goat, and the Alpensteinbock, or Alpine ibex, both native to the region. We then took several more cable cars to the final stop near the top of Hafelekarspitze, which boasted a restaurant and lodge and then a hiking trail that continued to the very top of the mountain. When my sister-in-law and I realized there were no hand rails, and just a very wee skinny path and steep drops on either side, we decided to stay and play in the melting snow with the younger children and send my husband and teenager on to the top of the mountain. The view was gorgeous, and we were fortunate that the weather was clear and sunny that day, as locals did note that, if the weather is cloudy, it is best to wait for it to clear up before purchasing tickets to make the long trip up the mountain. Other day trips we took included exploring a ropes course and zipping down a mountain on the Mieders Alpine Coaster, which boasts the steepest track in the Alps. Most of the children went on their own, and the cars were staggered out to avoid people hitting each other. Like most of our activities, I had to, as a mom, trust that my children would make good decisions and stay safe. From playground equipment and trampoline parks to razor thin mountain paths with no handrails — as a parent, I had to copy the attitude of the people around us, and it seemed that most of the parents trusted that their children would make good decisions and not get hurt. And when we did that — let go of our control and anxiety and fear — our children

made good decisions (most of the time) and there were very few injuries.

Making memories More than anything, our stay at the Eurocamp helped us make lasting memories. From listening to the kids playing Uno around the table as we sipped wine in the evening to the chilly hugs of frozen wet kids climbing out the lake, I know that, for me, the trip was magic. And it certainly didn’t hurt that the backdrop to all the fun and memory making was the Alps. The beauty of time is that while I may have been mortified in the mountains over how very loud our American children were, and how they seemed so rough in how they played compared to the more reserved children around us (like the playground-launching incident one of my children reminded me of as I read her this story) — what I do remember, and what they remember, are the highlights of the trip. Zipping down a mountain on the Alpine coaster, hiking up and down hills and mountains and alongside crystal-clear streams, sharing a cake made entirely of gummi bears on my daughter’s birthday — all outweigh the shushing and headshaking we did over the antics of seven children traipsing through camp or the screaming and researching and arguing over what may or may not have been leeches in the lake. And my daydream? Of the children spinning and singing on the mountain, just like “The Sound of Music”? It happened, in a patch of grass on the mountain, as I poorly sang the theme song and my sisterin-law caught it on video, complete with my nephew Jacob doing the robot. Perfection.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Tirolean Kasspatzln

• Kasespatzle is cheese and noodles, basically a very good macaroni and cheese, and can be found in the southern regions of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. For your picky eaters, it’s a great option. While staying in and around Innsbruck, try the Tirol version — Kasspatzln. The cheese has a hint of spice, and it’s topped with fried onions or sauteed onions. • Refrigerators everywhere, from hotel rooms to homestays and Eurocamps, are small. Don’t fret; instead of buying all your groceries for a week as you would in America, it encourages you to shop several times, work with very fresh ingredients, and we found it cut down significantly on food waste for our families. • Pack a few reusable shopping bags. We were happy we did, and I even picked up a few new ones while I was there. • Speaking of packing, invest in packing cubes for your suitcases and the kids’. It helped for us, because everyone had a different color, and it made unpacking and re-packing fairly easy. It also kept children from digging through suitcases and making a huge mess when they couldn’t find their favorite socks. • Bring a sweater when you go up the mountain. It may be warm and sunny in the valley, but as we headed into the mountains, it was always chilly, especially at the top of the mountain or when riding on the Alpine coaster. Our kids loved snuggling into sweatshirts, a luxury they rarely have in Florida, especially not in June. • Remember to unplug as a family. While we did have Wi-Fi in our apartments, we severely limited screen time. And no one died. It worked on the parents, too — we didn’t answer work emails, or texts, for days. Honestly though, we were too busy during the day, and too exhausted at night, to do much beyond posting a few photos before we fell asleep.

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« around town

EXPERIENCE THE POWER OF

READING The power of reading is very clear at the annual Southwest Florida Reading Festival. Kids and adults alike get excited about meeting nationally acclaimed authors. There’s storytelling, speakers, activities and games for the kids, a free book for every child, food trucks and more. This year, you can enter a drawing for the chance to name a character after yourself or a friend in an upcoming book by one of several authors. The Reading Festival takes place 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 7 at the Fort Myers Regional Library, 2450 First St., Fort Myers, and admission is free. See the day’s schedule and list of participating authors at readfest.org. And look for our SW FL Parent & Child booth at the event.

Skate through the worlds of Disney Favorite Disney characters come to life on the ice of Hertz Arena when Disney On Ice presents “Mickey’s Search Party,” March 27-29. Mickey and his friends go on a quest to find Tinker Bell, and it takes them across the Marigold Bridge with Miguel from “Coco,” into the icy land of Arendelle from “Frozen,” the pages of “Beauty and the Beast” and Andy’s room from “Toy Story.” They also travel into the worlds of “Moana,” “Aladdin” and the “The Little Mermaid.” Shows are 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Friday, March 27; 10:30 a.m., 2:30 and 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 28, and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 29. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at disneyonice.com or at the Hertz Arena box office.

March with the Irish The St. Patrick’s Day parade has been a tradition in Naples since the Rev. Thomas Goggin marched a group of Irish around St. Ann Church in 1976. Today, the parade attracts some 40,000 people, and some compare it to the St. Patrick’s Day parades of Savannah, Boston and Chicago. This year’s Naples St. Patrick Parade starts at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 14 on Third Street South at 10th Avenue South. From there, the parade marches north on Third, then east onto Fifth Avenue South to Eighth Street South, ending at Naples City Hall. Get details and a map at naplesparade.com.

Celebrate local waters

• A massive, toxic algae bloom in 2018 prompted Southwest Floridians to pay attention to the health of our local waterways. Now water quality takes center stage at Calusa Palooza 2020, a festival and concert presented by Calusa Waterkeeper. The family-friendly event takes place 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, March 22 in Centennial Park on the Fort Myers riverfront. During the day, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., there’ll be kayak and paddleboard races, a paleontology exhibit, fishing tutorial for kids, live mermaid show, food trucks and more. The event transitions to a concert at 4 p.m. with Elly and Company from St. Petersburg and Eagles tribute band Hotel California. The week before, March 14-22, is the Calusa Waterkeeper and Keep Lee County Beautiful’s largest-ever clean-up of local waterways. The festival is free. General admission for the concert is $20 in advance, free for children younger than 10. VIP tickets also available. Get details at calusawaterkeeper.org.

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calendar »

PRESCHOOL & VPK

Sunday, March 1 “Every Brilliant Things” » Through March 29. Florida Repertory Theater, 2268 Bay St., Fort Myers. A one-man show about the struggles of growing up in a home broken by suicide and trying to cope with mental illness. Through Kids Minds Matter, more than 1,200 students from 14 high schools may experience the play. The March 3, 10 and 25 performances feature a talk-back after the show in which the actor and mental health professionals talk about the play with the audience. For show times and tickets: floridarep.org/theseason/every-brilliant-thing Southwest Florida & Lee County Fair » Through March 8. Lee Civic Center, 11831 Bayshore Road, North Fort Myers. Rides, free shows, fair food, livestock and 4H competitions and more. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for ages 6-11 and free for ages 5 and younger. Mega Pass, which includes admission and all mechanical rides for one day, is $25 and only available in advance. Free parking. swflcfair.com

Monday, March 2 Russian National Ballet Performs “Sleeping Beauty” » 7:30-10 p.m. Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, 13350 FSW Parkway, Fort Myers. Part of the Fort Myers Community Concert 2020 season. $55 for orchestra seats, $35 for lower balcony and $25 for upper balcony. 239-481-4849. barbarabmann.ticketsoffice.org

DANCE

Celebrating Since 1951

All Ages

Classical Ballet Pointe Tap Jazz Hip Hop Modern Acrobatics Children’s Work

(239)334-3274 www.dancebochette.com NEWBORN CARE

Tuesday, March 3 World Wildlife Day » 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Rookery Bay NERR and Environmental Learning Center, 300 Tower Road, Naples. Buy one, get one free admission. rookerybay.org.

Wednesday, March 4 Garden Nights » 5-8 p.m. every Wednesday through March 25. Naples Botanical Garden, 4820 Bayshore Drive, Naples. Enjoy the gardens in the glow of the sunset. Families welcome. $10 admission for Collier and Lee residents, free for members. naplesgarden.org

RESALE & CONSIGNMENT

Thursday, March 5 Songwriters at Sunset: The Pearl Street Band » 4:30 p.m., Lovers Key State Park, 8700 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach. Free acoustic concerts of original music in the large gazebo on the beach. Show starts at 4:30 p.m. Food trucks available beginning at 3:30: Jewban’s, Haney’s Catering and Royal Scoop. Included with park admission, $8 for vehicles (2-8 people), $4 for single person in a vehicle. americanacma.org

Friday, March 6 ArtWalk » 6-10 p.m. Downtown Fort Myers. The art galleries and shops stay open late to celebrate the arts. At the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, for example, see the opening of “Munich Meets Fort Myers” by Heidi Schmitz in the main gallery and “Plasticity” by toy and diorama photographer Stephen Hayford (yes, relation to P&C editor Pamela Hayford) in the second-floor gallery. sbdac.com

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« calendar “Cuba: The Natural Beauty” by Clyde Butcher » March 6-May 31. IMAG History & Science Center, 2000 Cranford Ave., Fort Myers. See Cuba’s natural splendor through the lens of Clyde Butcher, an award-winning photographer and conservationist. The museum is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. TuesdaySaturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday.

Tuesday, March 10

Sensational Sharks » 10-11 a.m., Lovers Key State Park, 8700 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach. Join a park ranger for a fun talk about sharks. Included with park admission, $8 for vehicles of 2-8 people, $4 with one person, $2 for pedestrians or cyclists. Reservations required. 239-463-4588.

Open House at the Crosley Estate » 10 a.m.-2 p.m. March 10-11. Crosley Estate, 8374 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. For only the fifth time, the Crosley Estate Foundation hosts an open house where guests can tour the historic estate built in 1929. It was the winter home of Powel Crosley, the innovator credited with bringing radio to the masses. 941-722-3244. powelcrosleyestate.com

Saturday, March 7 Family Camp Out Night » March 7-8. Pepper Ranch Preserve, 6315 Pepper Road, Immokalee. A family camping experience with yard games, crafts for the kids, and campfire s’mores. Dinner and continental breakfast are provided. $15 per person, free for ages 5 and younger. No pets. Families must provide their own tent, sleeping bags and camping gear. Check-in is noon Saturday; check-out noon Sunday. kyle. pryce@colliercountyfl.gov Life is a Circus » 9:30-11 a.m. Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. Ages 8-14 join the circus at the Alliance for the Arts. Students learn juggling, plate spinning, clowning, partner acrobatics, flower sticks, balancing and hula hoops while building teamwork and comradery, personal success and confidence. $25 for member, $32 for nonmembers. artinlee.org Riverdale High School Color Run » 8 a.m. Riverdale High School Stadium, 2600 Buckingham Road, Buckingham. A fundraiser to benefit FBLA, softball, girls’ lacrosse and girls’ cross county. $25 for adults, $15 for students, $10 for kids’ 1-mile fun run (ages 10 and younger). Eye protection required. Course is 2 miles. eventbrite.com Science Saturday » 9 a.m.-1 p.m. every Saturday. Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center, 300 Tower Road, Naples. Hands-on discoveries for all ages, crafts, presentations, a featured film and more. $5 for adults, free for ages 12 and younger. rookerybay.org Southwest Florida Reading Festival » 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fort Myers Regional Library, 2450 First St., Fort Myers. Meet prominent authors, listen to stories and participate in games and activities. Free book for every child. Food trucks. Free admission. readfest.org

Monday, March 9 FutureMakers Success Series Career Panel » 6-8 p.m. South Fort Myers High School, 14020 Plantation Road, south Fort Myers. An opportunity for middle and high school students and their families to hear from experts in the fields of health care, education, construction and management, business management and hospitality. Next panels: April 6 at Lehigh Senior High and May 5 at Dunbar High. Free; registration requested at leeschoolfoundation.org/college-and-career Spring Break Camp at C’mon » 9 a.m.-5 p.m. March 9-13. Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples, 15080 Livingston Road, North Naples. Each day of this spring break day camp features a different theme, from Dinosaur Detectives to Maker Madness. For students in grades 2-5. Cost: $40 per day for members, $45 for nonmembers. Register at cmon.org.

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ACMA Songwriters on The Plaza » 6 p.m. Fort Myers Regional Library, 2450 First St., Fort Myers. Free acoustic concerts of all original music in the amphitheater. americanacma.org

Wednesday, March 11 Art & Soul Night » 6-9 p.m. Shangri-La Springs, 27750 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs. Free. Shangri-La Springs hosts monthly Art & Soul Nights through April featuring live music, artisan market, free art demonstration and mini spa treatments, and delicious farm to table food at Harvest & Wisdom. The final event of the season on April 15 will feature fine art, music and performing arts from students at Bonita Springs area schools. shangrilasprings.com

Thursday, March 12 Collier Fair » March 12-29. Collier County Fairgrounds, 751 39th Ave., Naples. Enjoy rides, fair food, exhibitors and more. General admission is $10 for ages 12 and older, $5 for ages 6-11 and free for ages 5 and younger. MegaPass is $30 before March 12. collierfair.com Lifeline Family Center Annual Benefit Dinner » 6:309 p.m. McGregor Baptist Church, 3750 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers. $90. Benefits Lifeline Family Center. lifelinefamilycenter. org/benefit-dinner

Friday, March 13 School Break Camp: Designed by Girls » 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Edison and Ford Winter Estates, 3583 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. Explore the Edison and Ford Winter Estates and topics in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math), history and the natural world. In this session, explore engineering in this day camp for girls only. $45 for Edison Ford members, $50 for nonmembers. Registration required. 239334-7419. edisonfordwinterestates.org

Saturday, March 14 33rd Annual Antique Engine, Quilt & Craft Show » 8 a.m.-1 p.m. March 14-15. Koreshan State Park, 3800 Corkscrew Road, Estero. Vendors and demonstrators will be on hand with antique and rare engines, antiques, crafts and more. Included with park admission, $5 for up to 8 people in a vehicle, $4 for single-occupant vehicle, $2 for pedestrians and bicyclists. facebook.com/events/1028112434208847 Black Island Bike Tour » 10-11 a.m., Lovers Key State Park, 8700 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach. Leisurely bike tour of Black Island Trail. Included with park admission, $8 for vehicles of 2-8 people, $4 with one person, $2 for pedestrians or cyclists. Reservations required. 239-463-4588.

calendar » Immokalee Cattle Drive & Jamboree » 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Immokalee Pioneer Museum at Roberts Ranch, 1215 Roberts Ave. W., Immokalee. Celebrate the rich traditions of Florida’s agricultural heartland with an authentic Cracker-style cattle drive, alligator wrestling, live music, Kids’ Korral, dancing horses and more. Free admission; food and drink available for purchase. colliermuseums.com Storytime and Activities Featuring “Pete the Cat: The Great Leprechaun Chase” » 11 a.m. Barnes & Noble at Coconut Point, 23130 Fashion Drive, Estero. Will it be Pete the Cat’s lucky day or will he learn that luck takes work in this charming book? Activities follow story.barnesandnoble.com St. Patrick Parade » 11 a.m. Downtown Naples. The parade starts on Third Street South at 10th Avenue South. From there, participants march north on Third, then east onto Fifth Avenue South to Eighth Street South, ending at Naples City Hall. naplesparade.com. YMCA Kid’s Night Out » 5-10 p.m. Greater Naples YMCA, 5450 YMCA Road. Naples. On the second Saturday of each month through May, Greater Naples YMCA hosts Kids’ Night Out. Parents can enjoy a night out while the kids have fun at the Y. For ages 6 months to 12 years. Registration required. $20 per child for members, $35 for guests. Dinner included. greaternaplesymca.org/kidsnightout.html

Sunday, March 15 Special Equestrians Taste of Love » 5-9 p.m. The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers. A culinary extravaganza to benefit Special Equestrians. $100 per person. specialequestians.net St. Patrick’s Day Sunday Block Party » Noon-10 p.m. Downtown Fort Myers at First and Hendry streets. Live music, food and family fun. TCM Big Screen Classics: “King Kong” » 1 and 4 p.m. at select Regal Cinemas. The theaters show the classic movie starring Fay Wray along with exclusive insights from TCM Primetime host Ben Mankiewicz. Locations: Regal Bell Tower 20, 13499 Bell Tower Drive, south Fort Myers; Regal Gulf Coast Town Center 16, 10028 Gulf Center Drive, San Carlos Park; Regal Coconut Point Stadium 16, 8021 Cinema Way, Estero; Regal Hollywood 20, 6006 Hollywood Drive, Naples, and Prado Stadium 12, 25251 Chamber of Commerce Drive, Bonita Springs. fathomevents.com

Monday, March 16 School Break Camp: Code Camp » 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Edison and Ford Winter Estates, 3583 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. Explore the Estates and topics in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math), history and the natural world. $220 for Edison Ford members, $250 for nonmembers. Registration required. 239-334-7419. edisonfordwinterestates.org.

Tuesday, March 17 St. Patrick’s Day Celebration » Noon-9 p.m. Fishermen’s Village, 1200 W. Retta Esplanade, Punta Gorda. Live music, an Irish step performance by Kellyn Celtic Arts and the Lee County Pipes & Drums parade and performance. fishville.com

Friday, March 20 Coconut Point Concert Series » 6-9 p.m. Coconut Point, 23106 Fashion Drive, Estero. Free live music for all ages. Friday Night Concert Series » 9 a.m. Miromar Outlets, 10801 Corkscrew Road Estero. Free. Features Bill Colletti Band. miromaroutlets.com Our Mother’s Home Chair-A-Tea Party » 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Bonita Bay Club, 26660 Country Club Drive, Bonita Springs. Guests place silent bids on hand-painted chairs and enjoy a tea party with lunch and raffle prize drawings. $50. Benefits Our Mother’s Home. ourmothershome.com Walk on the Wild Side » 10-11 a.m., Lovers Key State Park, 8700 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach. Join a park ranger for a guided hike along Black Island Trail. Included with park admission. Reservations required. 239-463-4588.

Saturday, March 21 Ave Maria Margarita & Taco Festival » Noon-3 p.m. Ave Maria Welcome Center, 5076 Annunciation Circle, Ave Maria. Live music, tacos and margaritas, pet adoptions from Humane Society of Collier County, children’s activities, lucha libre wrestling and more. Free admission. 239-352-3903. avemaria. com/events “Dino Dana the Movie” » 12:55 p.m. For one day only, Fathom Events presents this interactive premier in participating theaters nationwide. Based on the kids’ series, young fans become certified Dino Dana paleontologists-in-training at the event. Theaters include Regal Bell Tower 20, 13499 Bell Tower Drive, south Fort Myers; Regal Coconut Point Stadium 16, 8021 Cinema Way, Estero, and Regal Hollywood 20 Naples, 6006 Hollywood Drive, Naples. Ticket prices vary by theater. Get details at fathomevents.com. Paws in the Park » 8:30-11:30 a.m. North Collier Regional Park, 15000 Livingston Road, Naples. Collier County Domestic Animal Services hosts this family fun walk. You’re welcome to bring your dog for the 3-mile stroll or opt for the shorter 1-mile route. 239-252-7387.

Sunday, March 22 Calusa Palooza 2020 » 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Centennial Park, 2000 W. First St., downtown Fort Myers. The Calusa Waterkeeper presents this family-friendly festival and concert for clean water. Before 2 p.m., the festival has kayak and paddleboard races, a paleontology exhibit, fishing tutorial for kids, live mermaid show, food trucks and more. The concert starts at 4 p.m. with Elly and Company from St. Petersburg followed by the Eagles tribute band Hotel California. Admission to the festival is free; the concert is $20 in advance, free for children younger than 10; VIP packages available. calusawaterkeeper.org

Tuesday, March 24 Photo Ark » 7 p.m. Sugden Community Theater, 701 Fifth Ave. S., Naples. National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore talks about National Geographic’s Photo Ark to inspire people to save at-risk species. The Photo Ark is on exhibit at the Naples Zoo through April 19. napleszoo.org

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« calendar Friday, March 27

Sunday, March 29

Backyard Nature » 6-8 p.m. Four Freedoms Park, 4818 Tarpon Court, Cape Coral. Ages 4-7 enjoy an evening of learning about nature through activities and crafts that they can use to help enjoy their own backyard with family and friends, like bug jars and bird feeders. Drinks and snacks included. Parents not required to stay. $20 per child before March 24. 239-574-0804.

GoldenFest XI » 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Shell Factory & Nature Park, 2787 N. Tamiami Trail, North Fort Myers. Free Admission. Hosted by Golden Retriever Rescue of Southwest Florida. Includes obedience demos, dog dock diving, pet portraits, live music, food and beverages. grrswf.org

Disney On Ice: Mickeys Search Party » March 27-29. Hertz Arena, 11000 Everblades Parkway, Estero. Mickey Mouse goes on a quest that takes him through numerous Disney settings, from “Coco” to “Toy Story.” Shows are 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. March 27; 10:30 a.m., 2:30 and 6:30 p.m. March 28, and 2 p.m. March 29. Tickets are $15. disneyonice.com Run 4 the Cause » 7 p.m. Living Waters Church, 22100 S. Tamiami Trail, Estero. A 5K fun run and after party to support Christy’s Cause, a nonprofit working to eradicate child sex trafficking and exploitation. The ’80s-themed after party begins at 8:20 p.m. and includes a DJ and kids’ zone. Food trucks on site. $35 in advance, $45 on race day. christyscause.com

Saturday, March 28 Be My Neighbor Day » 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Florida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Blvd., Fort Myers. Hop from one neighborhood to another, indoors and outdoors, at the Myra Janco Daniels Public Media Center, aka the WGCU broadcast building, for games, crafts, performances and other activities. The three neighborhoods include Mister Rogers: Meet the Helpers, Science & Environment and Education & Creativity. New this year: a character breakfast with Daniel Tiger and Katerina Kittycat from “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” 7:30-8:30 a.m. The main event is free; the breakfast is $100 for a family of up to four and includes continental breakfast, membership in the WGCU Birthday Club, up to three personalized Junior WGCU membership cards and photo opportunities with the characters. For reservations, call Anne Stavely at 239-590-2329 or email astavely@wgcu.org. Free parking. wgcu.org/events Code Creators: Hello World » 1-3 p.m. Edison and Ford Winter Estates 2350 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. Students explore the hardware and software of the small computer and electronics. $15 for Edison Ford members, $25 for nonmembers. Registration required. 239-334-7419. Family Art Labs » 10 a.m., Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. A free, hands-on program that invites families to get creative the fourth Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. until noon. Recommended for ages 5 and older, but all ages and abilities are encouraged to participate. Additional dates include April 25 and May 23. artinlee.org Fossil Show » 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Rotary Park Environmental Center, 5505 Rose Garden Way, Cape Coral. $3 for ages 10 and older, free for younger kids. See fossils, gems, history, shop and have fun. There’s also a fossil dig for children. India Fest 2020 » Estero Community Park and Recreation Center, 9200 Corkscrew Palms Road, Estero. iafortmyers.org Movies Under the Stars: “Angry Birds 2” » 6-9 p.m. Coconut Point, 23106 Fashion Drive, Estero. On select Saturdays through April. Pets are welcome. Free. Next, April 25: “Dora and the Lost City of Gold”

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Monday, March 30 Micro Art, Mega Heart » 4:30-8 p.m. Norris Center, 755 Eighth Ave. S., Naples. An evening with Willard Wigan internationally renowned micro-sculptor. Benefits Charity for Change. He has two Guinness World records for the micro sculptures he creates on pinheads, eyelashes and within the eyes of needles. Childhood torment, undiagnosed dyslexia and autism lead Wigan to create this tiny world. $100 for general admission; $500 for VIP. 239-592-6787. admission. e.givesmart.com/events/gbf.

Tuesday, March 31 Science Nite at Rookery Bay: Ocean Trivia » 6-8 p.m., Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center, 300 Tower, Naples. $15. Shake up your after-work or dinner routine with a little science and interesting information. On Ocean Trivia Science Nite, Ellen Prager, well-known Florida marine scientist and expert advisor to Celebrity Xpedition in the Galapagos Islands, will treat you to trivia, fun facts and a presentation about our oceans. Food and drink will be served. Registration required. rookerybay.org/events.

Friday, April 3 Sound Minds » 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, 2600 Tiburon Drive, Naples. The signature fundraiser for the David Lawrence Center in Naples features keynote speaker Patrick J. Kennedy, a mental health advocate, former Congressman and author of “A Common Struggle: A Personal Journey Through the Past and Future of Mental Illness and Addiction.” $275 per person. dlcsoundminds.org

Saturday, April 4 Cape Coral Touch A Truck 2020 » 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Lafayette Street between Cape Coral Parkway and Vincennes Street in Cape Coral. Kids of all ages can explore and ask questions about their favorite vehicles. Free admission. Tickets available for children’s activities such as a duck pond, face painting and crafts and also for a charity basket raffle. Parent supervision is required, and cameras are highly recommended. Dancing Through the Decades » 6-8:30 p.m. Legacy Church, 21115 Design Parc Lane, Estero. All ages are encouraged to dress up in their favorite era, or come as you are. Features prizes, a 50/50 raffle, silent auction, snacks and drinks. $30 for adults, $15 for ages 12 and younger in advance; $40 and $25 at the door. Benefits Graceworks Unlimited, which has been creating Blessings Pantries at local schools. graceworksunlimited.org

Visit swflparentchild.com for more events.

voices »

Adelie Landis, 28, is a native to Fort Myers and an endometriosis warrior. She is creating a nonprofit, the Endometriosis Foundation of Southwest Florida, to raise awareness and increase the quality of care for women with endometriosis.

Are you an endo-sister? Endometriosis can cause life-threatening complications — and Southwest Florida is unprepared.

ast fall, I shared my journey to find proper treatment and pain relief from endometriosis and wrote about my advocacy in Southwest Florida for better treatment and to provide general support for women who don’t have any. As a group, we experience a long road to diagnosis, general misunderstanding from the community, and misinformation and mistreatment from doctors. We also have trouble maintaining full-time work, without the benefit of being able to apply for disability, disrupted education, breakdown of relationships, and the list goes on. It takes us an average of 10 years to be diagnosed (for me it was 13 years from the onset of symptoms) and many women have passed away by suicide or accidental drug interactions to manage the pain. Some of the things my endo-sisters and I have heard from doctors are simply incorrect and dismissive. Like:

» “You’re just depressed.” (Maybe because I never feel good!) » “It’s just gas.” (Really?) » “Birth control will dry it out.” (Ummm…) » “Have a baby and your pain will go away.” (Can’t even get into this one.) » “Period pain is normal.” (Not pain like this!) » “Hysterectomy cures endometriosis.” (Not.) Endometriosis is a painful disease where endometrial-like tissue grows outside your uterus. In the past it was believed the endometrium migrated outside the uterus. But recent studies have begun to disprove this theory. Since little is known about endometriosis, this definition can change based

on what the industry’s experts discover. In most places online, including Google, the definition is incorrect. When in doubt, look for information shared by Dr. Jeff Arrington from the Center of Endometriosis Care. A lot of women with endometriosis experience debilitating symptoms:

» Crippling period pain » Chronic pelvic pain, either cyclical with menstruation or all the time » Painful intercourse » Infertility or difficulty getting pregnant » Leg and lower back pain » Chronic fatigue » Bowel or urinary disorders like irritable bowel syndrome and interstitial cystitis. What a lot of people don’t know — and what too many doctors don’t take seriously — is that endometriosis can cause life-threatening complications if not treated with the current gold standard of treatment close to onset of symptoms, and that’s excision surgery. In Southwest Florida, we do not have endometriosis specialists that I would recommend to the many women who reach out to me for help. The reason I started advocating for better resources and treatment is because in April 2018, a local OB-GYN burned endometriosis out of my pelvis, causing the disease to burrow further into my tissues and creating deeply infiltrating endometriosis, called DIE for short, a highly invasive form of endometriosis that essentially burrows into your tissues and spreads quickly to the uterosacral ligaments, rectum, rectovaginal septum, vagina, bladder and bowel. I wrote a letter to him and his practice but did not receive a response.

I worry about my health and the health of the other almost 200 million women who have endometriosis. Endometriosis can move to your kidneys, lungs and even (rarely, but still) your brain. If doctors in Southwest Florida are unable to provide pain relief and help to women with pelvic endometriosis, how in the world are they going to be prepared for these complications? What needs to change?

1. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists needs to update its standard of care. This is a national fight, so we hope the Endometriosis Foundation of America will take this on soon. 2. Local health care systems need to take charge, set up better care for women, and hire some endometriosis specialists. They also need to better educate emergency room staff to have a better understanding of the condition. 3. Medical schools need to do a better job of explaining endometriosis to students. What can you do?

1. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, @endofoundswfl. 2. Join our email list. 3. Get mad with us! Write to your health system about your (or a family member’s) experience with endometriosis. 4. If you’re an endo-sister with a health care horror story like mine, please private message on the above social media pages so that we can work together. Have endometriosis and need support? Check out my last article on swflparentchild.com for answers to frequently asked questions and recommended places to find information. I also write about ways I manage my pain on my Instagram page.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA PARENT & CHILD » MARCH 2020 » 57

» last look

KIDS IN CONCERT The Southwest Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra and Sinfonietta perform the third of five concerts December 8 at Cypress Lake High School in south Fort Myers. The Sinfonietta is conducted by Katrina Rozmus, and the Youth Orchestra is conducted by Nathan Fish. Here: Levi Jones, Benjamin Manekin, Amy Grochowski, Zoe Chuang Saladin and Chase Horner.

NEIL SATTERLY/COURTESY OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

58 » MARCH 2020 » SWFLPARENTCHILD.COM

from adolescence to postmenopause

Contraceptive counseling Routine well woman exams Comprehensive gynecology Minimally invasive surgeries Traditional surgeries Labor and delivery Preconception counseling Prenatal care Bone density testing Hormone replacement

1726 Medical Blvd, Suite 101 Naples, FL 34110 SOUTHWEST FLORIDA PARENT & CHILD Âť MARCH 2020 Âť 59

Your heart care heroes.

Dedicated to saving little lives every day. leehealth.org/pediatric-cardiology

Because every child is special.