DallasChild March 2020

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DALLAS EDITION

MARCH 2020

MEET MOM NEXT DOOR

KATE DYKES

EVENTS TO ENJOY IN MARCH

PRO SPORTS JOBS FOR KIDS

WHEN YOUR KID IS SIDELINED BY INJURY

HEART BEAT

THE DANGER OF UNDIAGNOSED HEART CONDITIONS IN ATHLETES

HIT THE ROAD FOR AUSTIN

Your Place for

LEADING THE WAY IN STYLE.

The all-new 2020 GLE, now available at Park Place. It’s a big reinvention of the midsize luxury SUV. With a new third-row seating option that makes it a true seven-seater. An innovative driver assistance system that anticipates danger. And the game-changing new MBUX infotainment system that caters to your every wish. All wrapped in an agile, more aerodynamic design. But among all the GLE’s features, there is none bigger than the personal service and sumptuous amenities you’ll find at Your Place: Park Place.

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FREE ADMISSION FROM 1 – 4 PM ON THE FOLLOWING SATURDAYS: March 28, 2020 May 9, 2020 July 25, 2020 September 26, 2020 October 24, 2020 Children will enjoy art projects with Artist DIY, Creative Arts Center, KidArt and Sour Grapes, as well as a Bookmarks scavenger hunt and walkSTEM tours. Free admission. ArtROCKS! is a NorthPark Center arts and education initiative that fosters children’s understanding of the arts through hands-on projects inspired by some of the world’s most famous artists. VI SI T NORTH PAR K C ENT ER . C OM, C ALL 214. 363. 7441 OR D OWNLOAD T H E NORT H PAR K APP @ N O R T H PA R K C E N T E R

pages / M A R C H

2020

DEPARTMENTS NOTED 9 Time Out

When your child can’t play sports

REAL MOMS

13 Mom Next Door / Kate Dykes

The wife of the SMU coach talks football and family

16 Briefs / Playbook

Our Mom Next Door on keeping her kids active, her favorite margarita and being a Dallasite

18 Routines / Lilly Neubauer This mom spends her days planning crafty parties and caring for her family

KID CULTURE 31 Work With the Pros

What it takes to become a ball boy or girl for one of DFW’s pro teams

13 ABOVE // Three kids (plus 120 young men in SMU’s football program) keep coach’s wife Kate Dykes busy.

DYKES FAMILY: CHRISTOPHER RODRIGUEZ; HEART: ©ISTOCK; COVER: CINDY JAMES; RUNNER: GIRLS ON THE RUN; MOM TRUTHS: MARY DUNN

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FEATURES 20 Sudden Heartache

Helmets and pads don’t prevent cardiac arrest—so what can we do to protect young athletes’ hearts? words Gina Calvert

34 Travel / The Capital With Kids

Head down I-35 with an itinerary planned by YouTube stars

THE AGENDA 37 19 Events You Can’t Miss in March

Welcome spring with ladybugs, flowers and more

PEOPLE + PLACES 49 Influencer / Girls on the Run 52 Green Scene / Playground Review

54

ON THE COVER

COLUMNS Cover Kid: Mazzy, 7 Photography: Cindy James / Alyssa Pizer Management Hair & Makeup: Lisa Williams / Independent Artist Agency Art Direction/Styling: Heather Vance Devers

49

6 Hello / Good Sport

What we learn through athletics words Heather Vance Devers

54 Confessions / Mom Truths

Potty training trouble and more memorable moments dfwchild.com / march 2020

5

hello / E D I T O R ’ S

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ABOVE // Heather Vance Devers in her home with her daughter, Betty, and son, Jude. The Weekend Guide

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M

good sport

ANY OF MY CHILDHOOD MEMORIES revolve around playing sports. I started riding horses at the age of 4 and was jumping by age 6; the smell of sawdust still fills me with a sense of nostalgia. Ironically, I stopped riding when we moved from Virginia to Oklahoma—stereotypes be damned—and started trying other sports. First it was gymnastics, but being tall and long-limbed didn’t serve me well in the balance and grace department. I vividly remember struggling to accomplish a back handspring: being upside down, attempting to get my cumbersome legs to flip over. Then there was ballet (see lessons learned from gymnastics). Softball was my next stop, but it wasn’t fast-paced enough to keep my attention, and I ended up making flower crowns in the outfield. Finally, I tried soccer and quickly learned that I was much more coordinated with my feet than my hands, and it became my go-to sport. I loved it. By fifth grade, I was playing club soccer, and we traveled a lot for tournaments—including a summer trip to Austria to play against teams from countries such as Germany, Sweden and Italy. (We unsurprisingly placed last, not able to compete with the football phenoms of Europe.) When we moved to New Mexico for my high school years, I attended a school so small that we didn’t have enough players to field separate girls and boys teams, so I played on a co-ed team that competed in the boys division. I was the sweeper, the last line of defense before the goalie. It was assumed that, because I was a girl, I would be easy to beat. This only motivated me to toughen up and prove those assumptions wrong. During one particularly brutal game, someone snapped a photo of me running away with the ball, two boys from the other team on the ground behind me. It was my badge of honor, and it gave me an incredible sense of confidence during a generally insecure time. Beyond getting us active, playing a sport teaches us many lessons. I think most importantly, sports teach us at a young age that we’re not going to be good at everything, and that’s part of life. You have to be brave enough to fail until you’ve mastered a skill or put in enough hours to improve. If your child is not interested in sports, then theater or band can teach the same lessons. It’s a game of trial and error, of finding what lights the spark in your child and helping them chase that passion. Trust me, mamas—it’s all worth it to see the light in their eyes when they find their niche.

XO,

Heather Vance Devers 6

march 2020 / dfwchild.com

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KORENA SINNETT

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dfwchild.com / march 2020

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Staying home this spring break but still want to have big fun? DART has you covered. Check out our DARTable Staycations for adventures the whole family will enjoy. From the entertaining to the educational, these local hidden gems have a little something for everyone to enjoy. And the best part? It’s all DARTable!

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noted.

TIME OUT what happens

when your child can’t play sports? WORDS

A L E X I S

PATTERSON

W

E’VE ALL HEARD ABOUT THE ADVANTAGES of youth sports. Kids learn teamwork. Get exercise. Spend time away from their devices. Develop a skill that could translate to college scholarships. (Ka-ching!) The benefits are very real. So too are the reasons you may be concerned about sports. Perhaps your child has a previous injury they can’t aggravate. Or you just want to protect them from injury in the first place. When you have a child who longs to be on the field (or the beam or the court) but just can’t, how do you manage their inevitable disappointment? Then there’s another factor—helping your child fill the fitness and social gaps. It’s a lot to work through, we know. Here’s your parental playbook. dfwchild.com / march 2020

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noted / T I M E

OUT

TOUGH BREAK just going to do it at recess or on the street Sloan Bellissimo can’t participate in her sport with their friends,” notes Hendawi, a father of of choice, competitive cheerleading, for several two who practices with TMI Sports Medicine more months. While cheering with Plano’s and Orthopedic Surgery and is on staff at Cheer Athletics in fall 2018, Sloan broke her Medical City Arlington. “And they’re probably arm. In January 2019, she returned to the more at risk than playing an organized sport, mat. The same day, she re-broke her arm. It because they don’t know the right techniques wouldn’t be the last time, either. and their muscles aren’t as developed.” “The third break happened last August,” Hendawi adds that in high-impact contact sighs Sloan’s mom, Janeen Bellissimo. “She was sports, there’s significant research going into stunting with her team, and they dropped her.” how protective gear is designed, and rules take During surgery, Sloan’s doctor discovered safety into higher consideration. the bone had turned and never set correctly. And if you are worried about injury, one The 13-year-old now has a plate and screws in answer may be more sports, not fewer. “The her arm. “They said she would be out of cheermain thing we try to do—especially in patients leading for a full year,” remembers Janeen. who have not reached skeletal maturity or Sloan did not take the news well. “She puberty—is recommend playing multiple was very upset,” Janeen says. “This had been sports,” says Hendawi. “One of the biggest her life. She’s given up birthday parties and issues now is overuse from playing the same sleepovers and school activities for cheer. To sport, playing on multiple teams [for that not have that—it was hard.” sport] during the year.” Erica Force is a sport psychologist, direcBesides allowing the body to develop fully, tor of sport psychology at Georgetown diversifying athletic interests can help University and adjunct faculty when a child has already suffered an member with the University of injury. After cheer, Sloan took up North Texas. She says that cross-country. “It’s not the same, level of disappointment is not but it gave Sloan something to uncommon among athletes do,” says Janeen. “I think that who can’t play due to injury. was the most important thing I In a vicious circle, these emocould do—[encourage her to] fill tions can even impede recovery. that void.” “When it’s a longer rehab process, Force says Janeen has just the kids will lose motivaright idea. “You have tion,” Force explains. to help your child “As a result, their know what’s out there progress in recovery beyond the sport they will slow down. They know,” she advises. from Dr. Tariq Hendawi get depressed.” As a sport psyWhile Sloan’s chologist, Force works Take three months off annually from your depression, anger and with injured athletes child’s main sport and introduce other sports. other emotions were to improve their rehab Allow adequate rest between periods of hard for Janeen to outcomes and chances strenuous exertion. Playing fatigued increases watch, she knows she of returning to play. the risk of injury. can’t budge on the “It’s important not Keep it fun! Talk about interests other than decision to take her to get too down,” she sports, and keep in mind that some of the best daughter out of cheersays. “We want to athletes don’t choose their primary sport until leading for now. “As a sustain their motivahigh school. mom, I’m holding my tion, set goals and ground,” she says. “I help them learn skills can’t chance it again.” like mindfulness and relaxation. They need MORE SPORTS, NOT FEWER to find helpful thoughts.” My young son is small for his age. In any Janeen says for Sloan, “talking—well, sport, he would play against children who are really listening” to her coaches (some of whom significantly bigger. Brand me an overprotechad also suffered injuries) was instrumental tive mother, but the idea worries me. I had a in finding her new normal. “And give them serious sports-related injury as a child, and something they can control,” Janeen suggests. I don’t want my son in harm’s way. It hasn’t “Support them in finding something else they been a real issue yet, but I think it’s coming. can do, but it has to be their decision.” Will I just have to get over my fears? Sloan will be back to tumbling and stuntDr. Tariq Hendawi—an orthopedic ing as soon as she is cleared. Bottom line, surgeon and team physician with the Texas says Hendawi: You can’t keep your kid in a Rangers—points out that one way or another, bubble. Injuries happen. But he emphasizes kids are going to play. that doesn’t mean sports should be banned “If you tell them they can’t do football or from your child’s life. “I will never tell a child soccer, they’re still going to play sports; they’re he shouldn’t be active.” 10

march 2020 / dfwchild.com

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SATURDAY MORNINGS | 11:30 AM–12PM HERE AT THE PLAY PLACE

Join us as Slappy’s Puppet Playhouse presents family-friendly entertainment. Each week features a new performance you don’t want to miss! For a schedule of weekly performances visit our events page at GalleriaDallas.com

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real moms.

RÉSUMÉ

HAILS FROM Wichita Falls LIVES IN Dallas OFFSPRING Allie, 11, Charlie, 8, and Daniel, 3 ALMA MATER Texas Tech with a degree in communications SIGNIFICANT OTHER Husband Sonny Dykes, head football coach at SMU PARENTING GOAL “Structure. Every kid is different, but I think our house is a little cuckoo-crazy just because of football, and there’s a million things going on. I know immediately, if our kids are out of whack, it’s because there’s been no structure.

Kate Dykes and her daughters Allie and Charlie take the field in (of course) SMU colors.

DYKES: CHRISTOPHER RODRIGUEZ

mom next door /

KATE DYKES

wife of smu football coach sonny dykes WORDS HEATHER VANCE DEVERS

B

EING A COACH’S WIFE IS NOT AN EASY GIG. Being the wife of the coach who achieved the most winning season for Southern Methodist University football since 1984 and a mom of three kiddos is even more challenging, but it’s a position that Kate Dykes handles with grace, humor and gratitude. She feels lucky that her children are surrounded by the team. “They have all these big brothers that they get to have these healthy, good relationships with,” she says. “It’s a big deal to them.” As for whether she likes being a Dallasite, the answer is simple: “No one in the country can have a better setup. I walk three blocks to the football stadium—I mean, it does not get better than that. We can walk to the games or drive a golf cart. Just [having the] ‘simple life’ is worth its weight in gold.” From football goals to #FamilyGoals, Dykes has scored big. Here’s her take on it all. dfwchild.com / march 2020

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NEXT DOOR

How did you and Sonny meet? I wanted to be a sideline reporter, but my whole life I was an athlete. My dad is a coach, my grandfather is a coach, my oldest brother is a coach. I worked in the sports information department at Texas Tech when I was a student. Our families knew each other through coaching, but he’s 12 years older, so Sonny and I just never really crossed paths. When I finished at Texas Tech, I saw they had a bunch of coaches out one night during football camp. We ran into each other and he said, “Oh, what do you want to do after you finish school?” He’s like, “Oh, I’ll help you find a job. Let me take your number.” So, he reached out and said, “Here’s what you need to do.” It was very organic; we just never didn’t talk every day after. How many years later were you married? Two. I lived in

Houston for a year. He was 34 when we started dating, I was 22. He called my dad and said, “I think Kate and I need to live in the same town.” So then I moved back in August. We were engaged in March and married in July. We spent that first season at Texas Tech. Moved in December or January; coached the next season. Then I got pregnant and then [Allie] was born our second season at Arizona. So she’s lived in Arizona, Louisiana, California, Oregon, Dallas. When we moved here, she was 9.

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with a staff—we have 46 kids [in] our staff [families].

Having that community must help with the transitions. It’s nice to have the familiarity.

On our staff, we have a receivers coach who played for us at Tech, lived with us for three years in California, and now coaches for us. He’s Daniel’s godfather. So for [the kids], it’s almost like that’s their family. They’re happy, especially our 11-year-old because she’s been to a lot of schools. They went from California to Fort Worth in February, and then Fort Worth to Dallas April 1. So in 14 months, three different cities and three different schools. Wow, that’s hard. But you know what? They are like the bravest, coolest people I know. I envy them. I tell them, “You’re better walking into a school not knowing anyone than I am walking into a group of moms.” I think they’re starting to understand that this isn’t a bad thing, it’s kind of a cool thing.

“I HAVE TO BE A GOOD MOM, BUT I ALSO HAVE 120 YOUNG MEN THAT I THINK OF AS MY OWN, WHERE YOU NEED TO BE PRESENT FOR THEM.”

hard. When they’re younger, it’s a little bit easier because they don’t really understand and they don’t have a concept of missing friends. When we moved from California to Texas, it was a little traumatizing, especially for our oldest. She was almost finished with her third-grade year. I am so proud of her. I keep telling her, “I knew one place. You’re getting to see different parts of the country, and culture and people, and you’re certainly going to be better for it.” I try to say, “It’s not easy; I know it isn’t, but it’s a part of being a coach’s kid.” It helps too … when you move

You went from being a coach’s daughter to a coach’s wife, so you’re probably accustomed to the pace, but is it always nonstop? It is, a little

bit. It’s changed a lot. I feel like it even is more so now because college football has changed so much. Especially our kids—they’re used to constantly having people in our house, which we love. We could choose not to. We want it that way. Recently we were at a Super Bowl party with recruits and players; to them that’s just normal. Tonight Sonny has a function; tomorrow night he has a function. Wednesday at lunch he has a function. Wednesday night he flies to Houston. A lot of those things, I’m supposed to be with him while parenting three children. That seems almost like an impossible task.

It’s hard because you think, I have to be a good mom, but I also have 120 young men that I think of as my own, where you need to be present for them. I think with our kids, there are times when they think, I just want my dad, for me. We sometimes go through that, but the good thing about Sonny that I

DYKES: CHRISTOPHER RODRIGUEZ

real moms / M O M

ABOVE // Kate Dykes was a coach’s kid—just like her own three children.

think is different than most coaches, and I think probably because his dad was a coach, when he walks in the door he pretty much shelves football. He’s very present with the kids.

Sonny has done amazing things with the SMU football program after it struggled for 30-plus years. How do you think he’s done it? I am so

proud of him. He’s recruited Dallas for 20 years. So he always would say to me, “I just feel like they’ve never capitalized there.” Which is why he did like the Dallas logo with SMU. That was all him, because he kept saying we just have to be Dallas’ team. We’re your hometown team, just support your hometown team. I think it’s slowly working. But you have to win. It’s the nature of the beast a little bit. We always tell our players too, “Just be patient.” This year, we broke the attendance record. It still needs to be a lot better, but we did so much better. That first year when there was no one in the stands, that’s disheartening for them. You just have to say, “Listen, just keep doing what you’re doing. When we win and when the product is good, people will come.” It maybe shouldn’t happen that way, but it’s just the way life happens. You plan a trip with all of the coaches’ wives every year. What led you to do that? They’re amazing. We try to do as much as we can, like a

staff retreat and coaches’ wives trip, any chance we can to celebrate them. They give so much. Anything we can do—they’re so grateful. This is the first job we’ve ever been on where there’s no drama, because when you put 25 women together of different ages, different backgrounds—a lot of times very competitive women, because it’s sports and you kind of marry “like” people, and so it’s interesting. That is not the case here. So it’s really fun for me. Having that camaraderie must be wonderful since you all share so many experiences. I think it’s really important because even my best

friends that I love and adore, it is hard for them to understand what your day-to-day life is like unless you’re a coach’s wife. Because I don’t work, I think sometimes people think, “Oh, I bet it’s awesome. She just sits at home and picks up her kids.” I’m like, “Oh, I wish.” I would love that. I’m not complaining, but I think [other coaches’ wives] get it, they understand what you’re sacrificing, what your day-to-day life is like. I think no one really understands, unless you’re a coach’s wife, what it feels like to go through a game day, or after a loss, or after a win. So I think when you can really have that community, then you have someone when it’s not good to go to, when it is good to go to and all the in-betweens. Where you say, “What do I do? How do I respond to this situation?” Having moved so much, are you always waiting for that phone call from Sonny? I hope and pray [it doesn’t come]. Sonny and I talk

about this all the time. Usually by like year two or three somewhere, you prep yourself for the move because if you don’t, a lot of times you’re going to end up getting fired, even if you’re doing well. The business almost makes you accustomed to it. This is the first time ever that there’s never been the itch. We’re happy. What is your favorite part of being a coach’s wife? I think for me, it’s just an avenue to kind of still be in sports, but not. I think, too, it’s getting to be around all the players. When you surround yourself with young people, I think it keeps you young, and it keeps your mind open. I feel like as people get older, your mind gets a little bit more close-minded. I don’t ever want to be that person that just sits and says, “Oh, you shouldn’t do that,” just because I’m old and it’s a different way. We were once the new generation. So, for that, I love it. dfwchild.com / march 2020

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real moms / B R I E F S

PLAYBOOK

kate dykes’ tried-and-true tactics for staying healthy and enjoying life in dallas INTERVIEW

2

H OW S H E KE E P S H E R FA M I LY H E A LTH Y

FA M I LY VAC ATI O N S P OT

OUR YOUNGEST TAKES A CLASS WITH THIS GUY NAMED MR. DONOVAN. IT’S THE CRAZIEST THING I’VE EVER SEEN. DANIEL HAS FOUR OR FIVE KIDS IN HIS LITTLE CLASS, ALL BOYS. THIS MAN DOESN’T EVEN SPEAK WORDS AND THE KIDS DO WHAT HE DOES.

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march 2020 / dfwchild.com

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“We love Cabo as a family. It’s the one place Sonny can really unwind.”

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G O -TO A D U LT B E V E R AG E

‘‘

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FAVO R ITE TH I N G A BO UT B E I N G A DA LL A S ITE “Truly that there’s everything. Everywhere I lived, it was either the traffic was too bad to get anywhere to do anything, or it was too spread out, or you didn’t even have a Target. If you want to go have a date night, go have a fun date night at the restaurant. If you want to go have cocktails and act like you’re 25 and not 40 and 50, you can do that. There’s anything you want for shopping. Anything with your kids. I think that’s my favorite thing is that there is everything, and it’s doable.”

DYKES: CHRISTOPHER RODRIGUEZ; MOBILE ATHLETICS: MR. DONOVAN; CABO AND MARGARITA: ©ISTOCK

g “I try to be a stickler on what we eat. Not that you can’t have fun. I don’t ever want my kids to even know what the word diet means. I was an athlete, so my legs were four times bigger than someone else, and it never even crossed my mind. Then I remember getting into college and thinking, OK, my body looks different than these people because they look like this, and that was just never how my figure looked. I always tell them you need to learn good eating habits, not because you care about what you look like, but because it fills your body.”

‘‘

1

FAVO R ITE WAY TO G E T TH E KI DS AC TI V E

HEATHER VANCE DEVERS

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dfwchild.com / march 2020

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a wednesday in the life of

LILLY NEUBAUER Lilly Neubauer finds beauty in the simple things. She is the founder of Camp Crafty Parties, which brings old-fashioned arts and crafts to modern celebrations. Along with her husband Markus (a partner at a highway design firm), Neubauer created the blog Open Hearted Home. The couple lives in Dallas with their 6-year-old daughter, Heidi, and a small menagerie.

6

AM Wake up to the delivery of a Bulletproof coffee, or butter coffee, from Markus. (Once you try Bulletproof coffee, you won’t go back!) Markus and Heidi have a raging morning breakfast routine, complete with Disney songs thumping bass through the house. I prefer a more quiet, meditative type of morning. For the first five years, I woke up at 4:45am to get my quiet time. Now I just hide in my room with the company of my dog Little Child, some prayers I keep in the notes of my phone, my journal and daily devotionals. 6:35AM I make my bed. It’s a daily ritual that reminds me no matter how rushed I may feel in the moment, there’s time to do things the right way now. 7:30AM I drive Heidi to kindergarten while we listen to our favorite podcast, Story Pirates. It’s helped everyone in the family get back in touch with our silly sides. A good dose of silliness does a lot of the heavy lifting around our house when it comes to chores or getting out the door on time.

9:20AM I catch up on some emails and head into Sculpt45 at Class Studios in Preston Center. I love Sculpt45 because it’s a mix of intuitive dance and full-body connection and strengthening. You never know what you’re going to get, but it always leaves me feeling strong and connected to myself—two things I can use daily as a mom and business owner. I enjoy two chilled eucalyptus towels after class because I earned it. 11AM I’m settled deep into work—hopefully a good writing session for Open Hearted Home. I have a little over 1,000 entries in the notes section of my phone, where I organize my thoughts on the spiritual journey of having a family, my desire to live more authentically or what I just bought on Amazon. I write to the version of myself I was three years ago, when I could have used a good dose of experienced hope from a woman like me on the other side of the rock bottoms. 3:15PM I pick Heidi up from school. I always ask Heidi about her day but have learned digging in a little deeper gets better answers. I ask her what friend she enjoyed playing with, what game they played on the playground and what they read. 3:25PM It’s time for a pop-in to our afterschool hangout, Central Market! We check in with our grocery store family. Miss Crystal will have a snack for Heidi in the demo kitchen. At the coffee bar, Jeremiah likes to comment that we’re here every day (as if my family takes days off from eating). Steve is making the rounds—if I’m wearing one of my new crafts, he often notices. Cornelius in sushi is doing much better now that the Cowboys are in the off-season. Heidi and I both feel quite grown up as we head home with a hot cocoa for her, a matcha latte for me and our dinner supplies. 4PM Heidi helps me with dinner prep at the counter. I usually try to do dinner in our Instant Pot or on a sheet pan so I have some time to connect with Heidi while everything is cooking. If it’s nice outside, she’s in the backyard climbing logs or looking for frogs; today I take advantage of colder weather by inviting her over to the craft table with me so I can see how she brings some of my new ideas for Camp Crafty Parties to life in her own style. 6:30PM Markus is home and dinner is served. During the week, we try to eat dinner together on at least four nights. After a family moment of three “big deep breaths” and a gratitude prayer, Markus asks what our favorite part of the day was to start conversations. If my phone just happened to sneak over to the table with me, he keeps a zipper pouch nearby that I can store it in. 7:35PM Markus does bedtime with Heidi while I prep tomorrow’s lunch for school, tidy the kitchen and feed our backyard animals

Diaries are penned by moms (and dads) in the Dallas/Collin area. The authors volunteer to share a day of their choosing and are not paid or endorsed by DFWChild. Send your diary to editorial@dfwchild.com. All submissions are subject to editing and may be cut for space. 18

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NEUBAUER FAMILY: VANESSA CHRISTINA

real moms / R O U T I N E S

the fine

print

WHAT SHE’S READING Super Attractor by Gabrielle Bernstein WHOSE INSTAGRAM SHE DIGS Gabrielle Blair (@designmom) WHAT’S IN HER NETFLIX QUEUE The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and The Politician FAVORITE MOVIE Groundhog Day. Markus and I have watched it every Groundhog Day for 13 years. FIRST CELEBRITY CRUSH Vintage John Travolta HOW SHE AND HER HUSBAND MET Washing dishes at a Domino’s Pizza in Lubbock DATE NIGHT SPOT Drake’s or Lula B’s Oak Cliff FAVORITE SCENT White Rock Soap Gallery’s rosemary mint SECRET TALENT My perfect karaoke delivery of Sammy Kershaw’s “Queen of My Double Wide Trailer” WHAT SHE DOES WHEN LIFE GETS STRESSFUL Sweat, shower, go to the lake, drink a glass of water or cry. #watersignlife MOTHERHOOD IN FIVE WORDS Who is teaching who here? BEAUTY PRODUCT SHE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT Beautycounter Countertime CELEBRITY MOM SHE ADMIRES Kourtney Kardashian (I never said I was a role model.)

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(our chicken, Cecilia, and pig, Lorena). If the moonlight is good, I pop my head into the house to let the other two know and we’ll all take a look together. I make one last pass at email and Instagram before my phone is confiscated (in the name of love) by Markus for the night. 8:30PM Markus and I punch out as Mom and Dad and start winding down together. I’m too lazy to set screentime limits, so instead I never replaced our television when it broke a few years ago. We typically chat with our fireplace going and work on one of our family-friendlymeets-cool Spotify playlists. My favorite evening pastime is when Markus reads to me. Currently, it’s Something Wonderful: Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Broadway Revolution, by Todd S. Purdum, and Signs: The Secret Language of the Universe, by Laura Lynne Jackson. 10PM I bring in the dream team— weighted blanket, lavender diffuser, linen spray—and turn in for the night. I surrender to the universe and promise to do my best to stay in gratitude and accept the lessons that will head my way if I get the chance to do tomorrow.

Summer camps and performances London, NYC, LA and Disney Tours Private lessons and classes dfwchild.com / march 2020

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sudden

heartache Helmets and pads don’t prevent cardiac arrest, which can strike seemingly healthy kids without warning. So what can we do to protect our young athletes’ hearts?

S

W O R D S G I N A C A LV E R T

ITTING IN THE PARKING LOT AT PLANO EAST HIGH SCHOOL, waiting to pick up her son after football practice, Karen Schrah received a call that no parent wants: Something happened to her son Zachary during practice. She thought perhaps her 16-year-old had broken a leg, until she saw the ambulance and fire truck at the field house and then was held back from getting close enough to see what was going on. “When they told me he was being worked on, I knew it was something more serious,” she recalls. Coaches, teammates and parents began to tell her what they knew, simply that Zac had collapsed while running drills in the field house. Friends and teachers followed the ambulance to the ER, where they waited, prayed and leaned on each other for strength during the two hours doctors worked to save Zac’s life. His family was sitting with him when he was pronounced dead. Zac’s cause of death was an undiagnosed congenital heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), one of the top two causes of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). HCM thickens a portion of the heart for unknown reasons, reducing its ability to pump blood effectively. Sufferers can experience chest pain, shortness of breath and irregular heart rhythm, or no symptoms at all. With immediate intervention—such as with an automated external defibrillator (AED), a portable electronic device designed to shock the heart back into normal rhythm—symptoms can be treated successfully. But unless treated within two to three minutes, HCM will lead to death.

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“It’s just so important for schools to talk about emergency preparedness. Do you know where the AEDs are? Do you know how to quickly apply them?”

those first few moments after her son’s death in 2009 that God must have a plan, that he would support and comfort her, and that something would come from her son’s death. Zac’s friends and his younger sister Sarah had no such assurance. They wondered how this 6-foot-2, 225-pound kid who was the epitome of health could have had a heart condition serious enough to take his life. How could someone so special, so loved by his friends, so active in outdoor activities and sports, and so full of integrity, team spirit and leadership potential be gone? He’d been the life of the party, an excellent student who planned to go to the University of Texas, become a doctor and save lives. The entire school district grieved Zac’s untimely passing. Until they left for college 16 months later, his friends continued to hang out at the Schrah home and in Zac’s room. They wrestled with the question of why. Though you may occasionally hear stories like Zac’s on the news, SCA is considered relatively rare. Pediatric cardiologist Dr. Matthew Dzurik, medical director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at Cook Children’s, reports that SCA is responsible for 5% of all cardiac-related deaths of children and only 1.3% of all deaths of children. Likewise, heart conditions that lead to SCA are not on the rise for young athletes or kids in general. According to Dr. Ilana Zeltser, director of electrophysiology at Children’s Health and associate professor at UT Southwestern, “incidences of heart conditions in young people are not increasing, but the degree of performance, families and athletes becoming more competitive, and the use of performance-enhancing measures are on the rise. These, and even the onset of puberty, may contribute to SCAs in those with existing heart conditions.” Estimates vary for the number of athletes who could experience a significant cardiac event with no prior diagnosis—Dzurik says the best studies put the ratio from 1 in 40,000 to 1 in 80,000, but those studies may include adult athletes, not just teens. For perspective, there are 22

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more than 800,000 high school athletes in Texas, per the National Federation of State High School Associations, so a handful of young athletes are likely at risk and don’t know it. How is it that deadly cardiac conditions can go undiagnosed? “Sometimes, the first symptom of a heart condition is an irregular heartbeat that quickly becomes an SCA,” Dzurik says. This can happen during extreme exertion, mild activity or even sleep. Asymptomatic disease is, by nature, not easily detected. And until recently, screenings like echocardiograms and electrocardiograms were used only for patients who were showing symptoms. Then when SCA occurs, not all spaces are equipped with AEDs nearby, reducing the chance of survival by about 10% for each minute without emergency treatment, according to the National Safety Council. When Schrah learned that an AED might have saved Zac’s life if it had reached him sooner, she knew what she had to do to protect other children. Within three months, she created Living for Zachary, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness of and preventing SCA in other young people. Living for Zachary focuses on educating parents about heart abnormalities, facilitating screenings that might detect them and funding the placement of AEDs where they can be quickly accessed. “Taking my experience of losing a child and wanting to help others, then actually meeting other parents whose kids have had our heart screening and discovered the need for corrective surgery, or working with adults or kids who have been saved by an AED, has given my life purpose,” Schrah says. WHAT CAN WE DO? Stories like Schrah’s are every parent’s worst nightmare. When a sudden student death on the sports field makes headlines, fears are ignited, and parents wonder what can be done to protect their child. Questions abound: What should I do to keep my child safe? Dzurik urges parents not to be afraid of allow-

ing their kids to be active, explaining that heart abnormalities don’t form because of physical activity—though there are risk factors and symptoms that parents should be aware of. (See sidebar, bottom right.) “The best place to start is with your pediatrician or primary care physician for sports physicals and regular wellness checkups,” Dzurik says. “If there is a family history of heart conditions or your child has experienced any symptoms, an EKG may be indicated.” Thanks to new state legislation, parents can now access screenings even without symptoms or a family history of heart disease. Cody’s Law (HB 76) was passed in 2019 in part through the work of the Cody Stephens Go Big or Go Home Memorial Foundation. The organization was launched by the family of Cody Stephens, a young athlete who succumbed to SCA in 2012 while resting in a recliner on a Sunday afternoon. Cody’s Law gives parents the right to choose heart screenings for their children, and University Interscholastic League (UIL) examinations for participating in school sports now include information about these optional screenings. SCA strikes non-athletes, as well, and organizations like Living for Zachary can be a source of information and help with the cost of screenings. Note that the law does not make sports screenings mandatory; parents can opt out. Why are these screenings optional? Why aren’t they mandatory for sports physicals? The American Heart Association (AHA), the American Pediatric Association (APA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) have recommended against mass mandatory heart screenings for student athletes for multiple reasons: 1. The top two undiagnosed heart conditions that can lead to SCA are HCM (Zac’s condition), which Zeltser says can be detected by screenings only about 50% of the time, and anomalous coronary artery, which is missed 90% of the time by screenings. No one screening exists that could detect all heart abnormalities. “Unfortunately, we cannot find every athlete that will have a heart problem,” Dzurik adds, “no matter how much screening we do.”

AED + ILLUSTRATION: ©ISTOCK

WRESTLING WITH WHY Though devastated, Schrah remembers feeling in

Fortunately, not all heart conditions are imminently life-threatening, and many times symptoms do alert families of the need to seek medical attention. 2. Some screenings result in false positives. A benign condition called athletic heart syndrome (an enlarged heart due to significant aerobic exercise) or even a normal variation in heart rhythm can mimic more serious conditions. A false positive puts families through tremendous stress and takes athletes out of play for weeks while they go through expensive, more invasive follow-up tests that do not uncover an underlying condition. 3. Heart conditions may develop at any time, so screenings would need to be repeated. With nearly 8 million high school athletes in the U.S., the medical system would be overwhelmed by such a large-scale annual initiative. A shortage of trained medical personnel and the AHA’s estimated $2 billion price tag make widespread screening prohibitive at this time for a disease of such low incidence. Even if only a small percentage of heart conditions can be detected through these screenings, isn’t that worth it? Schrah, undeterred by this controversy, believes so. “We understand there are some cases in which it is difficult to prevent sudden cardiac arrest,” she says. “My perspective, and the perspective of Living for Zachary, is that if we can save even one child’s life through preventative heart screenings, we believe our mission has been accomplished and families can be spared a lifetime of grief because of it.” To date, Living for Zachary has facilitated more than 8,000 youth heart screenings at multiple events throughout the year. If a child is unable to attend a free screening event, families can schedule a $55 heart screening at Baylor Scott & White The Heart Hospital in Plano. At least three young people have discovered heart conditions through these screenings. According to the Cody Stephens Go Big or Go Home Memorial Foundation, its screenings have led to the diagnosis of heart conditions in over 90 young athletes. What else is being done to help keep student athletes safe? Sports cardiologists continue to seek new and better ways to screen student athletes, and awareness is critical. Educational videos are helping parents and students become more familiar with proper use of protective gear and concerning symptoms. UIL Texas has provided short videos in English and Spanish covering shortness of breath, chest pain, heart palpitations and passing out. But receiving by far the strongest push is a strategy that the major national cardiac organizations agree is the most effective for protecting kids from SCA: creating Heart Safe schools. And this is something parents can help with. BECOMING HEART SAFE Whether parents opt for screenings, Dzurik

encourages parents to channel their fear and energy into the two most important measures that are known to save lives: CPR and AEDs. Dzurik explains that Cook Children’s works with Project ADAM, a nonprofit named for a teen who died from SCA while playing basketball, to certify schools as Heart Safe. What makes a school or other organization Heart Safe? 1. A cardiac response plan and team 2. The correct number of accessible AEDs within two to three minutes’ reach 3. CPR training for school staff, teachers, coaches and students Cook Children’s reports that 434 Texas schools have been designated Heart Safe, including 258 schools in North Texas—251 public and only seven private. (Find out if your school is Heart Safe at cookchildrens.org.) With thousands more schools, extracurricular organizations and churches in Texas, there’s still plenty of room for parents to get involved and initiate the program where their children could benefit. “It’s just so important for schools to talk about emergency preparedness,” Schrah says. “Do you know where the AEDs are? Do you know how to quickly apply them?” So far, Living for Zachary has funded that training for 1,667 people and donated more than 290 AEDs. And the devices are benefiting more than adolescents. Adults are 3–5 times more likely to experience SCA. “The first AED we donated, just six months after we launched, was to St. Mark’s Catholic Church and School in Plano,” Schrah reveals. “Two years later, a parishioner collapsed during mass. The AED saved his life, and now he serves on our AED committee and teaches CPR. In fact, every one of our board members is a survivor of SCA, thanks to an AED.” So what’s the best thing you can do to protect your child? In addition to carefully considering your child’s screening needs, you can donate to organizations like Living for Zachary that are working to get AEDs and CPR into schools. (See sidebar at right.) And you can advocate for Heart Safe schools in your community. “Sudden cardiac arrest can happen in the blink of an eye with no warning, and protecting our schools and youth-based organizations from it is so important,” Schrah says. “One of the best

first steps we can take is to start the conversation with family, friends, teachers and our community leaders.” Zac’s sister Sarah is also committed to saving lives. Because of his death, she became an ICU nurse. Sarah graduated in December 2018 from Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing and is currently practicing at Baylor Scott & White The Heart Hospital in Plano. For Schrah, heart health advocacy has transformed her outlook. “Working with parents and kids … has given me an unbelievable joy I never thought I could experience again, a reason to press on and get up every morning,” Schrah says. “The love and joy that has come from being able to carry on and do this in Zac’s memory is overwhelming.”

Life Savers

These organizations are actively working together in Texas to prevent sudden cardiac arrest in students and provide resources to save lives when SCA happens: • Living for Zachary brings youth heart screening events to schools and youth organizations in North Texas and donates AEDs to these groups in order to protect the children they serve. Plano; livingforzachary.org • Project ADAM, in partnership with Cook Children’s, helps local schools develop CPR and AED programs. cookchildrens.org/ cardiology • The Cody Stephens Go Big or Go Home Memorial Foundation partners with schools to implement heart screening programs and raise awareness that SCA is preventable. Last year, the foundation helped to pass Cody’s Law, which gives Texas parents the right to request screenings. Crosby (near Houston); codystephensfoundation.org

Heart Check

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends talking to your pediatrician if your child has any risk factors or symptoms for dangerous heart conditions, including symptoms that seem to resolve without incident. These include: • Unexplained sudden death of a young, otherwise healthy family member • Family history of inherited heart muscle or rhythm problems • Congenital heart defect, even one that was surgically repaired • Abnormal heart rate or rhythm that can’t be explained • Chest pain during exercise • Unexplainable shortness of breath • Fainting or having a seizure without warning or while exercising dfwchild.com / march 2020

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YOUR TEAM From high school to the pros, we’ve got your team and North Texas sports covered at

/Sports

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BALL BOY: KELLY ERWIN/ TEXAS AIRHOGS BASEBALL; SPORTS ICON: NOUN PROJECT

As a bat boy for the Texas AirHogs, Noah Barton organized equipment, among other tasks, before enjoying games.

WORK WITH THE PROS

the perks of being a ball kid WORDS RUDY KLANCNIK

W

HILE HIS BUDDIES WERE TOILING AWAY busing tables, bagging groceries and flipping burgers, Noah Barton was talking about how to hit a curveball with a local professional baseball player. And he was getting paid to do it. “I couldn’t believe it when I found out I had gotten the job as bat boy for the [Texas] AirHogs,” says the 15-year-old freshman. “For a first job, I couldn’t have found a better one. And the experience really taught me a lot about how to put in a hard day at work and enjoy it at the same time. It was very fulfilling.” Like a select group of youngsters in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Noah found his peek into the professional sports world to be eye-opening—and definitely never boring. Noah’s day at the Grand Prairie stadium usually started two hours before first pitch and included dfwchild.com / march 2020

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WITH THE PROS

filling water jugs, getting the umpires’ Ballkids from among participants in their room squared away, making sure there skills camps, it’s 13. It’s smart to check out were enough baseballs for the umps and your favorite team’s official website for age organizing bats and helmets in the dugout. requirements. (See sidebar at direction for Then he could have some fun. more local teams’ requirements.) “Probably my best lesson was never putting “We want kids who are responsible, things off until later,” he says. “When I had and we interview them to talk about that something to do, I did it quickly so beforehand,” says Kelsey Armand, then later I could better enjoy the community relations specialist experience of the game and mix for the AirHogs. “We prefer bat in with the players. That was the boys/girls to continue in the best.” job even when school begins Not surprisingly, breaking but understand that they will into the sports world is super have to miss from time to time competitive. After all, anyone since school always should come who’s ever attended a ball game first.” has dreamed of how cool it would Travis Charles, director of be to work for a sports basketball operations team. Fortunately for for the WNBA’s Dallas kiddos in our area, It may be the coolest first job ever, but being Wings, loves his team’s the opportunities to ball kid program—but a ball boy or ball girl is exactly that—a job. work in sports are he emphasizes that the Here are some ways to put your kiddo in the numerous thanks to kids are there to work. best spot to land the gig: our abundance of “We treat them like professional sports employees because + Make sure your child is in it for the long teams (more than a haul. Seasons aren’t short. Plus, the job starts they have some very dozen). Still, landing important jobs to do well before the game begins—usually two to one of these gigs can at every game,” says three hours prior—and ends long after the be as challenging as Charles, whose team parking lot clears of fans. That’s a huge time defending Luka Dončić commitment away from friends and family, plays home games on the fast break. at the University of so make sure your kid is fully on board. “Being a ball kid Texas at Arlington. + Professionally pursue the job. Just like is an excellent way “You’ve got to take in the adult world of job seeking, it may to become part of care of the officials take a little extra to get the attention the Texas Legends before the game, run of the team. After submitting an email game operation at a errands for players in to the team’s website, follow it up with young age,” explains both locker rooms, a handwritten note from your kid. That Brock Berenato, who rebound during definitely cuts through the clutter. heads up basketball the pregame shoot+ Focus on job duties versus how cool operations for the arounds, work with it will be to hang with Joey Gallo or Dak Frisco-based Legends. the game crew, handle Prescott. Have your kiddo communicate “Ball kids rebound halftime duties for that they understand the responsibilities before the games the refs and more and are ready to earn their stripes. for our players and rebounding during Operations people work really hard to opposing players, move put on a great show every game, and they shoot-arounds after the ball racks on and appreciate someone who understands that halftime.” off the court, mop the Charles says while the job is not all glitz. floors for slick spots, rebounding sounds + Put up a lot of shots. Have your kiddo move towels and other apply to numerous opportunities in the fun—and is fun—pros gear to and from the can be demanding. area. If the RoughRiders don’t work out, locker rooms, and “We’ve actually had there’s the AirHogs. If the Mavs say, “Not make sure players have at this time,” try the Legends. Lots of some complaints water or Gatorade from visiting players kids want to be part of the action, so it’s when they need it. when they didn’t important to shoot early and shoot often. “Of course they also love how our kids get to see how our were rebounding and operations staff do their feeding them the jobs and enjoy [watching] NBA-caliber players ball,” he reveals. “So, yes, it’s important to be perform,” he adds. “The kids are a vital part of good at the game to be a ball kid.” our game day operation.” For really good ball kids, an internship with the team could be in the cards. “We’ve UP TO PAR definitely hired interns from our ball kid The minimum age for kids to get involved program,” Charles says. “It’s awesome varies from team to team. With the watching them mature over the course of the Legends, it’s 10. For the AirHogs, it’s 15. season and blossom into great members of For the Mavericks, who choose their Mavs our game day staff.”

Your Best Shot

BALL GIRL: TEXAS LEGENDS

CUSTOM TREATS

THE

LINEUP

Here are some local teams with opportunities for kids:

FRISCO ROUGHRIDERS Looking for: Bat boys and ball shaggers Must be: At least 16 years old and capable with the leather— in other words, able to catch a fly ball hit by a professional baseball player How to apply: Visit teamworkonline.com and search “RoughRiders” Frisco; ridersbaseball.com TEXAS AIRHOGS Looking for: Bat boys and girls Must be: 15 years or older How to apply: Email Kelsey Armand (karmand@texasairhogs.com) Grand Prairie; texasairhogs.com DALLAS WINGS Looking for: Ball boys and girls Must be: 16 years or older How to apply: Contact the Dallas Wings office at 817/469-9464 Arlington; dallaswings.com DALLAS MAVERICKS Looking for: 90 Ballkids (per season) to help out on game nights Must be: Ages 13–18 and a Dallas Mavericks Hoop Camp or Elite Camp attendee How to apply: Attend camp to receive an application; mavs.com/hoopcamp Dallas; mavs.com TEXAS LEGENDS Looking for: Ball boys and girls Must be: At least 10 years old and a capable basketball player How to apply: Email Byron Bogar (bbogar@texlegends.com) or Brock Berenato (bberenato@texlegends.com) Frisco; texlegends.com

MASCOT: FRISCO ROUGHRIDERS

ALLEN AMERICANS Looking for: Help for the equipment manager, game day promotions and media relations Must be: At least 10 years old, but the age requirement varies based on job responsibilities How to apply: For equipment management roles, email Tim Abbott (tabbott@allenamericans.com); for game day promotions, email Corey Essman (corey@allenamericans.com); for media relations, email Tommy Daniels (tommy@allenamericans.com) Allen; allenamericans.com DALLAS SIDEKICKS Looking for: Interns, as well as kids to help with the in-game charity ball toss Must be: In high school (for internship) How to apply: Email Paul Donaghy (paul@dallassidekicks.org) Allen; dallassidekicks.com

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2

travel tips from YouTube mega-stars WORDS ALEXIS PATTERSON

I

F YOUR CHILD IS A YOUTUBE FANATIC, chances are they know all about the Izzys. The longtime Austin residents—known to viewers as Stridor (mom), Eddie (dad) and Bubs (their 6-year-old son)— started making videos in 2016, showcasing their elaborate train-track builds. Fast forward to 2020, and they’ve reached a billion (yes, billion with a B) views on their main channel, youtube.com/theizzys. Today their videos range from creating a LEGO obstacle course for Happy the Hamster to playing video games to opening fan mail from their 920,000 subscribers. We tapped the bona fide YouTube stars to give us their recommendations for a trip to the state capital with kids.

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OUT(SIDE) & ABOUT Spring is a wonderful time to visit Zilker Park. Dubbed “Austin’s mostloved park,” it stretches across 351 acres in the heart of the city. “Take a ride on the Zilker Zephyr train,” Stridor suggests. There’s also a huge playground, canoeing, the Barton Springs pool, Barking Springs for your pup and more. The Izzys like to start their Zilker Park outings with a family picnic— The Izzys P. Terry’s Burger Stand is their choice. Later, enjoy the city by land and water with Austin Duck Adventures. “They tell you lots of interesting facts I never knew about Austin, and you get to boat on the lake and quack at people along the way,” Stridor says, adding that you should check Groupon for discounts before buying tickets. INDOOR FUN The Texas heat can creep up anytime, so it’s good to have some indoor spots on your itinerary. Stridor recommends The Thinkery,

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Austin’s children’s museum. “We love it here,” she smiles. “We shot a show on it awhile back; you can check it out to get a better feel of it.” When the kids have worn you out there, make your way downtown to the Central Library. “This place is a work of art,” says Stridor. “I bring kids here just to walk through, and I drink a cup of coffee at the top.” SUSTENANCE After a full day, both you and the kids are no doubt hungry. According to Stridor, Phil’s Icehouse on South Lamar is a great choice. “Hello, playground!” she says. “They have ‘parent recess’ prices on beer and wine, and there is an Amy’s Ice Cream.” When the Izzys have guests, they take them to The Oasis on Lake Travis. “There’s music and tons to see,” says Stridor. “Get there early if you want to sit right on the rail, closest to the water.” THE BATS When you’ve wrapped up dinner, there’s one more outdoor outing that’s an Austin must. “We have bats!” Stridor exclaims. “They leave their spot under the Congress Avenue Bridge every night and it is amazing. And a little stinky.” But worth it to see North America’s largest urban bat population (we’re talking hundreds of thousands of bats) start their night flight. The bats are

1 / The Thinkery boasts “play-based” learning. 2 / P. Terry’s offers a great burger unique to the Austin area. 3 / Crowds gather to see Austin’s bats. 4 / The Austin Motel is within walking distance of all the South Congress attractions.

active from late March through early fall and begin to move between 7:30 and 9:45pm. SLEEP IT OFF For a cool hotel pick, Stridor suggests the Austin Motel on South Congress. “It’s weird. I like weird,” she explains. There’s also The Driskill, the iconic property on Sixth Street. “This is my husband’s pick. Because it’s haunted,” Stridor says. “He’ll be staying there alone.”

ZILKER PARK austintexas.gov/zilker P. TERRY’S BURGER STAND pterrys.com AUSTIN DUCK ADVENTURES austinducks.com THE THINKERY thinkeryaustin.org CENTRAL LIBRARY library.austintexas.gov/central-library PHIL’S ICEHOUSE philsicehouse.com THE OASIS oasis-austin.com CONGRESS AVENUE BRIDGE BATS austintexas.org/things-to-do/outdoors/ bat-watching AUSTIN MOTEL austinmotel.com THE DRISKILL driskillhotel.com

THINKERY: KIRK TUCK; RESTAURANT: P. TERRY’S; BATS: ©ISTOCK; AUSTIN MOTEL: NICK SIMONITE; FAMILY: THE IZZYS

THE CAPITAL WITH KIDS

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A $500 VISA GIFT CARD

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welcome. FREE 1106 S. Broadway St., Carrollton cityofcarrollton.com/texfest

DRIVE-IN MOVIE

BET HA NY L A KE S PA RK March 7 Settle in for a movie under the stars when Allen Parks and Rec screens the 2019 comedy Pokémon Detective Pikachu starring Justice Smith and Ryan Reynolds (as Pikachu himself). Space is limited, so register online to reserve your spot. $20 per vehicle. 745 S. Allen Heights Drive, Allen cityofallen.org MAR. 8 // YOUR FAMILY WILL HAVE A COLORFUL START TO SPRING AT THE DALLAS FESTIVAL OF COLORS. COME WEARING WHITE AND LEAVE THE EVENT LOOKING LIKE A RAINBOW.

CROWD: DALLAS FESTIVAL OF COLORS; THE UGLY DUCKLING: LIGHTWIRE THEATER; FAMILY: CITY OF CARROLTON

DALLAS BLOOMS: SOUNDS OF SPRING

DA LL AS ARB ORET UM Through April 12 Topiaries clipped into the shapes of instruments—a harp, guitar, saxophone, bass, violin and piano—tower overhead as six pièces de résistance among half a million tulips and other blooming flowers throughout the gardens. In keeping with the musical theme, the garden offers live bands each weekend and a full activity lineup, including Kindermusik and a petting zoo on Mondays and Tuesdays. General admission is $15 adults and $10 kids ages 3–12; there is an additional $3 fee for the Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden. 8525 Garland Road, Dallas dallasarboretum.org/blooms

LIGHTWIRE THEATER’S THE UGLY DUCKLING

W IN SPE AR OPE R A HOUSE March 1 On a blackened stage, dancers strapped head to toe with colorful,

electroluminescent wires and fitted with puppet apparatuses share this classic story The Ugly Duckling in a modern performance. Tickets from $19. 2403 Flora St., Dallas attpac.org

NORTH TEXAS IRISH FESTIVAL

FAIR PAR K March 6–8 Discover Celtic storytelling, music and all that makes the Irish a thriving, vibrant culture at this annual festival at Dallas‘ Fair Park. Be sure to try the shepherd’s pie and enjoy the child-friendly entertainment all weekend. Free admission on Friday from 6–7pm; $10 after 7pm. $20 for one-day admission for Saturday or Sunday; $30 for two days; $35 for a weekend pass. Free for kids age 11 and younger with an adult. Score free entry by dressing up in a full leprechaun costume and carrying a pot of faux gold. 1121 First Ave., Dallas ntif.org

FREE FIRST SATURDAYS

NASHE R SCULP T URE C E NT E R March 7 Listen to live music by the Grand Prairie Fine Arts Academy’s Mariachi Sol Azteca, sketch in the galleries with artist Suzuko Davis and participate in rotating art activities and creative writing exercises led by educators and guest artists at the Nasher’s monthly family day. Free activities from 11am–2pm and complimentary admission all day. FREE 2001 Flora St., Dallas nashersculpturecenter.org

A FAMILY FOR BABY GRAND

A LLE N CIVIC AUDITORIUM March 7 The Allen Philharmonic partners with the Allen High School theater program for this musical performance designed for children. It features a new work about a baby grand piano that leaves home to join an orchestra. Family fun begins at 2pm before the 3pm concert. FREE 300 N. Allen Drive, Allen allenphilharmonic.org

DALLAS FESTIVAL OF COLORS

SOU T HFORK R A NC H March 8 Celebrate a happy Holi at this ninth annual Hindu spring festival by tossing handfuls of colorful powder onto yourself and fellow revelers. Color throws happen every half hour starting at 11am (wear white for the full effect); stay all day for entertainment and Indian foods. Festival presale tickets are $10; $15 on the day of the event and free for children under 5. Join the 3K Color Run for an additional $15, benefiting Human Embrace. 3700 Hogge Road, Parker dallasfestivalofcolors.com

FAMILY CONCERT: MOVIE MUSIC FROM FARAWAY LANDS C OURT YA RD T H EAT ER March 8 Come early for the instrument “petting zoo” in the lobby and then travel to Arendelle, ancient Polynesia and galaxies far, far away by way of this concert geared toward kids 3–12. Musicians with the Plano Symphony Orchestra set the scene with songs from Frozen,

TEXFEST

D OWNTOWN C A RROLLTON March 7 Show off your cowboy skills riding a mechanical bull, sitting atop a live longhorn, and snapping family photos in old-fashioned Western wear— all in the name of celebrating Texas Independence Day. The annual festival features free family activities until sunset and live music by headliners the Vandoliers. Lawn chairs

MAR. 7 // BREAK OUT YOUR BOOTS AND COWBOY HAT FOR TEXFEST IN DOWNTOWN CARROLLTON.

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Race to the finish line with Paw Patrol and drive gocarts down a multi-level racetrack at a brand-new family attraction. ANDRETTI INDOOR KARTING & GAMES GRAND OPENING

Moana, Coco and Star Wars while costumed dancers and narrators introduce the audience to the regions (real and imagined) depicted in the performance. Tickets from $8. 1509 H Ave., Plano planosymphony.org

PI DAY MATH FESTIVAL

S A M MON S PARK AT AT & T PE RF ORM I NG A RT S CE N T E R March 14 The actual number for mathematics symbol pi never stops—and neither does the fun at this fourth annual Pi Day fest featuring walkSTEM (an interactive walking tour). Come for a full day of kids entertainment highlighting all the ways math impacts art, nature and science. Bring a picnic or grab lunch from the Center Café at Sammons Park. Registration is requested online. FREE 2403 Flora St., Dallas attpac.org

LATE NIGHTS: HOMEGROWN

DA LL AS M U SE UM OF ART March 20 There’s no place like home… in Texas. In celebration of Texas History Month and the Dallas Museum of Art’s new exhibition For a Dreamer of Houses, join this Friday night event with special entertainment throughout the museum and more family activities in the Center for Creation Connections (C3). Be sure to pick up a book to keep from the Book Bike (free) and visit the Peanuts-inspired booth for suggestions for books by Texas authors. You can also meet some of the Texas artists whose works are on view. $10 for the public 38

and $5 for students with ID. Special exhibit: $9 adults; $5 students; free for children 11 and younger. Both event and exhibit admission are free for museum members. 1717 N. Harwood St., Dallas dma.org

DOCTOR MIRACLE

W INSPEAR OPER A HOU SE March 21 Come early to enjoy kids crafts and activities in the lobby before the show—a family production by The Dallas Opera of Georges Bizet’s romantic, one-act operetta about love, trickery and omelets. Sung in English with English supertitles. Reserve your seats for $5 per ticket for Doctor Miracle (and for the next family opera performance of The Bremen Town Musicians on April 4). Receive one free ticket by donating two food items for the North Texas Food Bank. 2403 Flora St., Dallas dallasopera.org/family

CRITTER CLUB

FAIRV IEW TOW N CENTER March 21–May 9 Come learn about and interact with a spider monkey, a bearcat, an Asian leopard cat and some very unique animals—a coatimundi, a tamandua, a kinkajou—during a new Saturday series this spring. Children receive a sticker and activity page with photos and information about each animal. Meet at 11am at The Park and enter to win the grand prize: a four-animal home visit. FREE 222 Town Place, Fairview fairviewtowncenter.com

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LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET

DA LL AS CHILDRE N’ S T HE AT E R March 21–April 5 Nana and her grandson CJ take the bus—why not their own car?—from church and across the bustling city—why the dirty part?—to volunteer at the soup kitchen. In her answers to his questions, Nana gives fearless and compassionate guidance in this new play based on the best-selling book by Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson. Recommended for ages 4 and older. The show runs about an hour with no intermission. Tickets from $15. 5938 Skillman St., Dallas dct.org

FAN EXPO DALLAS

KAY BA ILEY HU TCHISON C ONVE NT ION C E NT E R March 27–29 The Full House dads, Harry Potter’s Rupert Grint and Punisher star Jon Bernthal are only some of the big-name actors coming to this annual fan fest in downtown Dallas. Meet the stars, voiceover actors, anime and comic creators and more over the course of the weekend. Cosplayers welcome. Tickets from $25 for adults and $15 for ages 13–17; $10 for ages 6–12. Family packages are available so the whole crew can enjoy the fun. 650 S. Griffin St., Dallas fanexpodallas.com

ARTROCKS!

NORT HPA RK CE NT E R March 28 Stop by NorthCourt for an afternoon of arts activities inspired by the works of Nigerian-American artist

PAW PATROL LIVE! RACE TO THE RESCUE

T HE T HE AT RE AT G R A ND PR A IRIE March 20–22 When Mayor Goodway goes missing, Ryder summons Marshall, Chase, Skye, Rubble, Rocky, Zuma and Everest to the rescue—while they race to the finish line in the Great Adventure Bay Race. See the heroic pups from the animated preschool series on stage in this live musical as they discover lessons about citizenship, social skills and problem-solving. Tickets from $23. VIP tickets, from $140, include an after-show meet and greet with the characters. 1001 Performance Place, Grand Prairie pawpatrollive.com

Kehinde Wiley, known teach how weather affects for his photorealist the insects and animals in portraits against the local environment. Wear densely patterned closed-toe shoes and long backgrounds. pants. FREE (His portraits 2335 Sandy Lake Road, of Barack and Carrollton Michelle Obama cityofcarrollton.com come to Texas on tour in 2022.) DISNEY ON ICE: ROAD Local artists TRIP ADVENTURES from Artist DIY, A ME RIC A N Plan Creative Arts A IRLINES C ENT ER Center, KidArt and Ahead April 2–5 Sour Grapes lead the Mickey Mouse and pals projects that explore hit the road—and the Wiley’s distinct style. FREE ocean and the plains—for 8687 N. Central Expressway, adventures to Motunui with Dallas Moana, to the Pride Lands northparkcenter.com with Simba, a larger-thanlife carnival with Woody ELM FORK LADYBUG and Forky, and many more RELEASE destinations with Disney E LM FORK NAT URE characters. Some guests PRE SE RVE will be selected at random March 28 to ride in the Magic Mobile A master naturalist guides vehicle during the show. participants on an early Tickets from $15. VIP evening hike through the experiences begin an hour nature preserve trails, before showtime. followed by a release of live 2500 Victory Ave., Dallas ladybugs at twilight. Take disneyonice.com/ part in crafts and games that road-trip-adventures F O R M O R E F A M I LY- F R I E N D LY F U N T H I S M O N T H , C H E C K O U R O N L I N E C A L E N D A R A T DFWCHILD.COM/CALENDAR. A N D W H I L E Y O U ’ R E T H E R E , S I G N U P F O R O U R W E E K LY E - N E W S L E T T E R : THE WEEKEND GUIDE.

LIGHT-UP HOUSE: ALEX DA CORTE/KARMA; CRITTER CLUB: FAIRVIEW TOWN CENTER; KIDS COLORING: ARTROCKS!; PAW PATROL: VSTAR ENTERTAINMENT

MAR. 20 // YOU‘VE NEVER SEEN A HOUSE QUITE LIKE THIS ONE! CHECK OUT THE DALLAS MUSEUM OF ART’S NEW EXHIBIT, FOR A DREAMER OF HOUSES, AND ENJOY SPECIAL ENTERTAINMENT AND ACTIVITIES.

G R A NDSCA PE March 3 Electric super carts on a multi-level track, virtual reality gaming that simulates driving on the world’s most famous tracks, a ropes course with a zip line—all of this and more is coming to the new attraction named for the Andretti racing family. Look online for height and age requirements for each activity. Free general admission, with pay-as-you-go per activity. Half off races on Turbo Tuesdays. 5752 Grandscape Blvd., Suite 100, The Colony andrettikarting.com/thecolony

Spring Break Wonders at the Modern

March 9–12

Two sessions each day; 11–11:45 am & 2–2:45 pm Take advantage of family programming at the Modern over the course of the week while your school-aged children are on Spring Break. Each unique session includes a tour and gallery project focusing on selected works in the special exhibition, Mark Bradford: End Papers. Arrive early, this program fills quickly. Attendance is limited to 45 children per session; admission is free. Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth 3200 Darnell Street Fort Worth, Texas 76107 817.738.9215

Free Spring Break Monday The Museum will be FREE and open to the public on March 9 from 10 am–5 pm. dfwchild.com / march 2020

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BEST Summer EVER EPIC SUMMER PLANNING STARTS HERE Additional camps online at dfwchild.com/directory

The #1 summer STEM camp Build in-demand skills and discover a passion for technology! At iD Tech Camps, students ages 7–17 kickstart their futures with courses in coding, Fortnite, Roblox, robotics engineering, AI, VR, 3D printing, photography, and more. In each weeklong session, students explore a top campus with new friends, learn from world-class instructors, and create impressive projects for their portfolios. Small class sizes are guaranteed (no more than 10 students per instructor) to ensure proper pacing for all skill levels.

1-888-709-8324 info@idtech.com iDTech.com

iD Tech summer programs are held at 150 prestigious campuses worldwide, including the University of Texas at Dallas, SMU, TCU, Rice, Westlake Academy, and Imperial College London. While most programs are weeklong (with optional overnight stays at many locations), teens can enroll in two-week, pre-collegiate Academies for an extra immersive experience. Join us and see firsthand why over 450,000 camp alumni are raving about our programs. Visit iDTech.com for more information, or call our Camp Specialists at 1-888-709-8324 for a personalized course recommendation.

Open House at both camps on Saturday, March 21.

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Come spend a day on the beautiful Guadalupe near Kerrville! Our camps are friendly, instruction-oriented and offer more than 50 activities, including sports, horseback and swimming. Also intangibles critical to a child’s success: self-confidence, teamwork, leadership, individual identity and working through challenges. Ragsdale family owned and operated. Stewart est. 1924 and Heart est. 1953. Campers ages 6–16, family style dining, home cooked meals. Friendly!

BEST Summer EVER

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CAMPS | TRAVEL | SPORTS | ARTS | STEM

28 Exciting Science Day Camps! Kids Grades Pre-K–7th Spark your children’s love of science this summer by enrolling them in fun and engaging science day camps! Your children are sure to have an unforgettable experience as they do hands-on activities and learn how science is used in everyday life. 5 new camp themes offered this year! Topics include rocketry, video game creation, robotics, veterinary medicine, meteorology, paleontology and many more.

Locations in Addison, Dallas, and Plano 214-530-5979 ClubSciKidzDallas.com Hello@ClubSciKidzDallas.com

Who: All Children Grades Pre-K–7th What: Science Day Camps When: June 15–August 7, 2020 9am–4pm, Mon–Fri (Optional Pre & Post Camp Hours Available) Where: Two Dallas locations, one Addison location, and one Plano location Cost: $245–$295/per week Please visit our website for more details and registration: ClubSciKidzDallas.com Don’t wait—many camps fill up quickly!

Dallas Arboretum Summer Camps provide children ages four to rising 6th graders with hands-on explorations in STEM and nature that will spark their imagination and inspire environmental stewardship. Day camps run Monday through Friday, 8525 Garland Rd. Dallas, TX 75218 214-515-6500 dallasarboretum.org

9am–12pm or 9am–3pm. June 1–August 7 Find your place in nature!

The Hockaday School 11600 Welch Rd. Dallas, TX 75229 hockaday.org/summer Contact information Melissa Curtis, Director of Auxiliary Programs 214-360-6534 mcurtis@hockaday.org

Summer at Hockaday is a fun-filled, engaging summer program for girls and boys located on the beautiful campus of The Hockaday School in Dallas. A variety of camp and class offerings provide campers ages three and up the opportunity to participate in day camps, art camps, cooking camps, coding camps, sewing camps, musical theater camps, science camps, sports camps, STEM camps, and much more! Campers can learn to ride a bike, create with LEGO®, brush up on reading and writing skills, learn to swim and play tennis, and even participate in a hip-hop dance class. These are just a few examples of what campers can experience as they try new things, make new friends, create positive memories, and grow in self-confidence each day at camp! Summer at Hockaday faculty and staff are eager and excited to welcome new and returning families to another fabulous summer!

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CAMPS | TRAVEL | SPORTS | ARTS | STEM

The UT Dallas Chess Program spreads enthusiasm for the game year-round. Summer chess camps engage children in intellectual pursuit while building social skills. Many campers return year after year to build their skills and see friends. Registration begins each winter for the following summer’s camps. Check back often to receive discounts and ensure their spot at the chess boards. Classes are for kids 6–14.

800 W. Campbell Rd. Richardson, TX 75080 972-883-4899 james.stallings@utdallas.edu utdallas.edu/chess/summer-camps

Classes are small with a low student-to-teacher ratio. Kids are grouped by ability, age, experience and instructor assessment. UT Dallas Chess Camp will attempt to group friends and relatives upon request. Choose the session that fits your child’s schedule: • Morning sessions run from 9am–noon • Afternoon sessions run from 1–4pm June 15–19 • June 22–26 • July 20–24 • July 27–31

Spend Your Day the Friar Way

Summer at Bishop Lynch 9750 Ferguson Rd. Dallas TX 75228 214-324-3607, Ext. 4175 SummeratBL.org

Summer at Bishop Lynch offers seven weeks of academic, art and athletic camps on the beautiful Bishop Lynch campus in East Dallas. Taught by faculty, coaches and other seasoned and enthusiastic instructors, there are more than 50 unique camps for rising kindergarten to eighth-grade students. • June 1–July 23 (both morning and afternoon sessions available) • Kindergarten through eighth grade • All camps include a T-shirt and lunch provided by Sage Dining Camper favorites include Mad Science Camp, Friar Games, Lego Engineering, Broadway Camp, Football, Basketball, and so much more! Register online at SummeratBL.org.

SUMMER AT FAIRHILL Where learning is waves of fun!

16150 Preston Rd. Dallas, TX 75248 972-233-1026 • Fax 972-233-8205 fairhill.org

16795 State Route E, Rolla, MO 65401 573-458-2125 • office@bearriverranch.com CubCreekScienceCamp.com

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Summer at Fairhill helps students develop academic skills in the areas of reading, math, language arts and STEM. The summer program integrates Executive Function skill development in every course. Athletics, Fine Arts and problem solving are also important parts of our summer program. The program draws on the strength of Fairhill’s exceptional faculty. All classes are small, allowing teachers to guide each student to successful completion of each course. This success increases confidence, which then leads to improved performance overall—in academics, athletics, fine arts and beyond. High School Credit Classes Grades 9–12 // June 1–26, 2020 Academic and Enrichment Classes Grades 1–8 // June 8–26, 2020

Imagine a summer camp where campers eat breakfast with a colony of lemurs, zoom down a zip-line and pet a camel before lunch, and play a camp-wide game of Capture the Flag after dinner! Cub Creek is that camp! With 300 incredible animals and over 100+ classes, we are not your average science camp! Welcoming boys and girls ages 7 to 17 for over 25 years.

BEST Summer EVER

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CAMPS | TRAVEL | SPORTS | ARTS | STEM

The Craft Guild

Young Artists Summer Camps Craft Guild of Dallas

Teaching the Arts Since 1948

Weekly Classes for Ages 5–18 June 8th–August 14th Bring a sack lunch and stay all day! EARLY BIRD PRICING UNTIL APRIL 19TH

3410 Midcourt Rd., Ste. 115 Carrollton, TX 75006 972-490-0303 craftguildofdallas.org

Weeklong, half-day Camps: Pottery, glass art, jewelry/metalsmithing, painting, drawing, bookbinding, mixed media, and more.

Dallas International School

The DIS Summer Enrichment Camp is a 6-week program designed to provide children with the opportunity to explore a wide range of activities in a safe and caring environment. Activities include Arts, Academics, Languages Sports, Science. Campers may enroll 1/2-day or full day and combine activities. They are placed in small groups based on their age and skills level. Students in the full day program are automatically signed up for lunch at no additional cost. Our program is offered on two campuses : • Churchill campus: Ages 3 to 17 • Waterview Campus: Ages 11 to 17

6039 Churchill Way, Dallas, 75230 17811 Waterview Parkway, Dallas, 75252 469-375-6109 camps@dallasinternationalschool.org dallasinternationalschool.org

Register Here: dma.org/summercamp 214-922-1200 familyprograms@dma.org 1717 N. Harwood Street, Dallas, TX 75201

Dates: June 8–July 17 Full-day: 9am–3:30pm Half-day: 9am–12pm or 12:30–3:30pm Extended day options are also available: Morning: 7:30–9am Evening: 3:30–6pm

Ready, Set, MAKE! Summer Art Camps at the Dallas Museum of Art have something for every creative kid (ages 4–12) to explore the Museum galleries, make new friends, work in the studio, and create their very own art! Choose from a variety of imaginative camp topics: • Science and art mash-ups • Sculpting • Superheroes • Dollhouses • Fairy tales • Building • Animals • And more! From June 1 through August 7, each camp runs Monday–Friday for a half-day, 9am–noon or 1–4pm. Campers ages 6 and up can register for both morning and afternoon camps and enjoy a supervised lunch. Registration now open.

ACTING & FILMMAKING CAMP For ages 7–17

214-638-0484 kdstudio.com

A pillar of the entertainment community for 40 years, KD continues to provide a trusted environment for developing confidence and performance skills for children of all ages. 2-week camps begin June 8 and run through August 7.

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BEST Summer EVER

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CAMPS | TRAVEL | SPORTS | ARTS | STEM

Ready for a fun one-of-a-kind summer experience?

4900 Walnut Hill Lane Dallas, TX 75229 469-232-1800 www.ursulinedallas.org

Your child is invited to join Ursuline Academy of Dallas Summer Campers in fun artistic, academic, and athletic enrichment activities designed to stimulate creativity and curiosity, spark innovation, and encourage collaboration. Adventure Camps are offered in areas such as STEM, Musical Theater, and Leadership Skills. Some Adventure Camps are exclusively for girls. Others are open to all middle school students. Athletic Camps include Basketball, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Rowing, and Volleyball. Camps are available for elementary and middle school girls. Registration opens February 1. Camps run weekly from June 8–August 6. Visit www.ursulinedallas.org/ summerprograms to learn more.

Weekly Camps June 1st–August 7th

Challenge Island West Plano/North Dallas 17630 Davenport Rd. #103 • 469-779-7844 challenge-island.com/westplano-northdallas

• Weekly 9am–1pm ($200) • Aftercare until 4pm ($100) • Two groups: 4–6 yo and 7–12 yo • Themes include USA, UTube, Slime, Wizards, Space, Dolls, Mine-craft and more • STEAM Challenges, activities, crafts, games • SLIME every week • Wacky Water Wednesdays • Pizza Fridays (provided by Challenge Island)

Co-ed Camps + Classes June 2–August 21 • 18 mos–Adult Acting • Art • Ballet • Boy Zone • Hip Hop • Jazz • Musical Theatre • Singing • Tap • Tumbling

Dallas Studio • 214-357-8888 Frisco Studio • 469-498-8188 TheDallasConservatory.org/Summer

Color your summer with creativity, fun, and arts enrichment at The Dallas Conservatory! Whether it’s for a shining starlet or a b-boy in training—or YOU in a range of adult options—we have something for students of all ages.

Dallas Zoo Wild Adventure Camps

650 S. R.L. Thornton Frwy., Dallas, TX 75203 469-554-7300 • education@dallaszoo.com dallaszoo.com

March 16–20, 2020 | PreK–Grade 5 June 8–August 3, 2020 | PreK–Grade 12 This spring and summer, a Dallas Zoo camp is the perfect way to get your kids out of the house and into nature. Choose from themes like animal adaptations, zoo habitat design, and more! Visit DallasZoo.com/Camps to learn more and sign your camper up for a wild adventure today.

The Episcopal School of Dallas 4100 Merrell Rd., Dallas, TX 75229 214-353-5854 esdallas.org/summercamp

Summer fun for everyone, ages 3 and up. Weekly programs offered May–August, 8:00a.m.–6:00 p.m. There’s truly something for everyone, from arts to academics, sports, STEM and most importantly, making new friends and having FUN! Questions? Contact Mike Schneider, Director of Summer Programs at schneiderm@esdallas.org

SPLASH INTO SUMMER AT ESD!

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BEST Summer EVER

CAMPS | TRAVEL | SPORTS | ARTS | STEM

11110 Midway Rd., Dallas, TX 75229 gsesdallas.org/summer Whitney West, Director of Enrichment 214-357-1610 ext. 283 wwest@gsesdallas.org

1 Nature Place, McKinney, TX 75069 972-562-5566 heardmuseum.org/camps

17630 Davenport Rd. Suite 102 Dallas, TX 75252 972-931-1933 • jsartstudio.com

J Dallas Summer Camp 7900 Northaven Rd., Dallas, TX 75230

Laura Seymour, Camp Director, at 214-239-7110

jccdallas.org/camp

S U M M E R

C A M P S

Good Shepherd Episcopal School’s Summer Program shatters all expectations of summer! We provide students the opportunity to take risks and try unique, fun activities in a safe and nurturing environment! We are excited to bring you classes from May 26–July 17, 2020, designed specifically for prekindergarten (PreK) through eighth grade, offering a unique blend of dynamic and academically-rich sessions. Visit our website, gsesdallas.org/summer soon for class descriptions and registration!

Spending time in nature plays a vital role in child health and development! Register for a Heard Nature Camp and give your child the gift of a connection to nature. Heard Nature Camps and mini-camps feature opportunities to investigate the wonders of nature on our 289-acre sanctuary, encounter animals and more. Specialty camps offer opportunities to create art in nature, learn about animal care, go behind the scenes, and more. SUMMER ART J’S ART Paint, Draw, Sculp All Summer Long! Kid Camps Ages 5 – 13 Different themes every week. Morning camps 9am–12pm and Afternoon camps 1–4pm Art Skills Camps ages 10+ Introduction to different art media Afternoons 1–4pm Sewing, Teen and Adult Classes too! Check our website for complete list of Camps and Classes for times and prices!

See #2020campvision at J Camp this summer where the focus is YOU! J Camp is the destination for summer fun and personal growth with traditional, gymnastics, performing arts, sports, teen travel and tennis camps. Extended care and bus pick-ups are available to help the busy parent make sure their camper gets the full camp experience. The fun starts Monday, June 8. DISCOVER LAKEHILL SUMMER CAMPS Coeducational Kindergarten through High School June 8–July 31

Morning, afternoon and full-day teacher-led camps are available, as well as free before- and after-camp care.

214-826-2931 lakehillprep.org/summer-camps

Academic Readiness • Acting and Film-Making Community Service • Cooking • Crafting and Building Arts • LEGO • Outdoor Adventure • Science and Discovery Sports • Technology • And More! Online Summer Camps Guide and Online Registration: lakehillprep.org/summer-camps

Learn! Grow! Create!

Plano, Fairview, Frisco, and Dallas NTPA.org/camps 972-422-2575

This summer you can transform into a superhero, a princess, or your favorite storybook character. Our morning, afternoon and full-day camps bring your favorite childhood stories to life on stage. With summer learning opportunities for ages 5 to 18, there’s a spot for everyone to learn from our professional directors, actors, and singers who have worked everywhere from Broadway to L.A. Perfect for new actors! dfwchild.com / march 2020

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BEST Summer EVER

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

CAMPS | TRAVEL | SPORTS | ARTS | STEM

Summer Fun for Everyone! June 1–August 21 • Full & Half-Day Camps • Ages 3–18 • 10% off select camps until March 25! • Programs from 7:30 am–6:00 pm • Open to the community

Parish Episcopal School 4101 Sigma Rd., Dallas, TX 75244 972-852-8752 summer@parish.org

parishsummer.org

Summer 2020 Camps: • Academics – Financial Literacy, Launch (6:1 ratio!), Study Skills • Arts – Movie Magic, Painting, Theatre • Athletics – Basketball, Football, Soccer • Community Service – Earn hours! • Day Camp – Waterslide Tuesdays, Field Trip Thursdays • STEM – Coding, Rocketry, Roblox Plus so much more!

Summer The Shelton Way June 8–26 There’s something for everyone! Shelton’s unique multisensory and discovery learning methods are perfect for students with and without a language-learning difference. And did we mention fun?

Shelton School & Evaluation Center 15720 Hillcrest Rd., Dallas, TX 75248 972-774-1772 Ext. 2223 shelton.org/summerschool shelton.org/sportscamps

Academic and Enrichment Classes EC–12 Languages • Drama • Fitness • Technology • Science • Reading Scholars Small Group Tutoring in Reading / Writing / Spelling Upper School Credit Classes Sports Camps for girls and boys Speech / Language / Hearing Program

SUMMER AT ST. JOHN’S

With over 180 camps to choose from, Summer at St. John’s is a great camp for children who love art, music, sports, cooking, dance, sewing, robotics, building, coding and animals. Join campers from schools throughout Dallas to explore, create, play and make friends.

St. John’s Episcopal School 848 Harter Rd., Dallas, TX 75218 214-328-9131 ext. 132 StJohnsSchool.org/Summer

June 1–July 31 Open to ages 4–14 Half- and full-day camps Before/after camp care 7:30am–6:00pm Registration now open StJohnsSchool.org/Summer

Ballet Basics introduces boys and girls, ages 3 to 6, to the fundamentals of ballet. The camp experience also includes crafts, story time and choreography to correlate with the theme of the week. 300 N. Coit Rd., Suite 231 Richardson, TX 75080 texasballettheater.org/summer-program

The Junior Intensive Program broadens the perspective of 7–14 year old students with a variety of classes including ballet, modern, jazz and musical theater.

It’s Your Child’s Summer to Shine! Boost your child’s creativity, confidence & talent… The Westwood School Summer Camps are designed for MORE FUN at every age! • An exciting daily schedule with art, games, cooking & more • A special guest each week and Pizza/Splash Fridays • Camp times: 9am–3pm, plus Extended Day & Childcare available 14340 Proton Rd., Dallas, TX 75244 972-239-8598

Register by May 1st for $50 Early Bird Discount WestwoodSchool.org/summer

Want more camps? From sports and STEM to dance and art—we’ve got them all! Explore our not-so-secret weapon, the online directory, at dfwchild.com. 46

march 2020 / dfwchild.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

SPRING

FAMILY FUN D IREC T ORY Shed those winter coats, grab the kids and check out all the season has to offer! DESCRIPTION

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Adventure Kids Playcare adventurekidsplaycare.com

Adventure Kids Playcare is a unique drop-in childcare and entertainment center for kids ages 6 weeks to 12 years old. Your kids will enjoy theme nights, spring break camp, summer camp, daily activities and more! See ad on page 17.

Amon Carter Museum of American Art cartermuseum.org 817/738-1933

Discover the connection between nature and art during Spring Break at the Carter from March 10–13. Keep your spring break colorful with art-making, gallery games and other fun activities. Visit cartermuseum.org/springbreak for more information.

Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden dallasarboretum.org 214/515-6500

Dallas Arboretum summer camps provide children with hands-on explorations in nature and STEM that will spark their imagination and inspire environmental stewardship. Find Your Place in Nature! Camps start June 1. See ad on page 41.

Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark epicwatersgp.com 972/337-3131

Enjoy the perfect 85-degree weather at Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark, open year-round. Enjoy award winning slides, surf simulator, arcade and more. Visit epicwatersgp.com.

Galleria Dallas galleriadallas.com

Join us every Saturday, 11:30am–noon, for free entertainment by Slappy’s Playhouse. Be amazed by magicians, clowns, exciting stories and more! There’s always a new performance at the Children’s Play Place on Level 3. See ad on page 12.

Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau grapevinetexasusa.com 817/410-3185

Enjoy springtime fun in Grapevine! Ride the Grapevine Vintage Railroad's Day Out With Thomas, visit Nash Farm during Spring Into Nash and explore the New Vintage Wine and Gallery Trail & Blessing of the Vines. See ad on page 39.

Heritage Farmstead Museum heritagefarmstead.org 972/881-0140

The annual Heritage Farmstead Museum egg hunt for children will be held on April 11. Enjoy the joys of spring on the Blackland Prairie with shearing sheep, demonstrations, exhibits, baby animals, wagon rides and so much more.

JCC of Dallas, The jccdallas.org 972/533-7353

Experience our one stop shop. Whether your’re looking for swim lessons, spring leagues, gymnastics, tennis or theater, the J is here to meet your family needs/schedules with exceptional fitness, cultural, social, wellness programming. See ad on page 11.

Kemah Boardwalk kemahboardwalk.com 281/535-8100

With an amazing waterfront location 30 miles south of Houston, the Boardwalk entices you with amusement rides, midway games, charming retail stores, live entertainment and festivals, as well as waterfront restaurants. Spring Break & Weekend Pass available! See ad on page 36.

Museum of the American Railroad museumoftheamericanrailroad.org 214/428-0101

Visit TrainTopia, a 2,500-square-foot model train experience, at the Frisco Discovery Center! It’s a miniature world of trains that will delight the entire family. Open year-round at 8004 N. Dallas Parkway in Frisco.

Reunion Tower reuniontower.com 214/712-7040

Spring to the Top this spring break! Plan a family visit to the iconic Reunion Tower's GeO-Deck and enjoy activities from March 9–20 with a general admission ticket purchase. See ad on page 15.

Texas Discovery Gardens txdg.org/kids/spring-break-safari-week

Get out of the house and into the gardens with your family during spring break. Enjoy discovery-themed activities and crafts each day! Click on the link to find out more. All activities included with admission. See ad on page 10.

Town of Little Elm littleelmliveandplay.com 972/731-3296

Best beach in North Texas! Sand volleyball, fire pits, swimming, kayaks/SUPs, unique restaurants, cable wakeboarding, hike & trails. There’s something for everyone in Little Elm!

dfwchild.com / march 2020

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Spanish Immersion available!

Discover your capable, confident Montessori child. At Guidepost, your child will enter a wonderful world of activities, tools, and learning materials, designed to captivate his interest and inspire his budding intelligence in remarkable ways. Early childhood is a brief moment in time when your child’s mind develops rapidly, and he establishes foundational character traits. Take advantage of this critical age!

Eldorado

7508 Eldorado Parkway McKinney, TX 75070 (972) 427-4018

Timber Ridge

2550 Timber Ridge Drive Frisco, TX 75034 (469) 458-7200

Stonebriar

NEW CAMPUS! 10247 Warren Parkway Frisco, TX 75035 (972) 332-0221

Visit us online today to RSVP for an event or schedule a tour! guidepostmontessori.com/dallas

GP122719

Infant • Toddler • Preschool • Kindergarten • Elementary

people+places. dallas

5K: GIRLS ON THE RUN; RUNNING SHOE: NOUN PROJECT

The Girls on the Run season culminates in a 5K with hundreds of participants, including the girls and their adult supporters.

GIRLS ON THE RUN inspiring confidence and perseverance

WORDS

SYDNEY BLALOCK RITCHIE

E

VEN THOUGH WE’VE MADE GREAT STRIDES IN EQUALITY, no doubt you’ve heard the phrase “Don’t [insert verb here] like a girl.” But why is that an insult? Lanell Rachid and Amy Taylor agree that doing anything like a girl should be celebrated, and that’s why they are part of Girls On the Run—an organization in schools and community centers that uses running to develop confidence and perseverance in young girls. Rachid and Taylor operate GOTR’s Dallas region (which includes nine counties in North Texas). While the national organization has been around for 20 years, the local GOTR started with nine girls in Garland in 2004. Today GOTR serves approximately 1,000 North Texas girls annually in elementary and middle school programs, with fall and spring sessions. We talked to Rachid and Taylor about how GOTR benefits the participants far beyond physical fitness. dfwchild.com / march 2020

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that goes through one core value each session. Basically, the core values are trying to get the girls to look at themselves … and appreciate who they are. We’ve noticed that girls tend to be compared to our male population, as far as abilities. So we’re trying to get girls to realize they are worth who they are. Amy Taylor: I always try to go back to them [to] express joy and optimism in words, thoughts and actions. My favorite [value] is “assuming positive intent,” because that’s a really hard one for me. But I feel like our girls do get to … be in a place where it’s OK to be exuberant and joyful.

Elementary Summer Camp 6/1 - 7/31/2020

Grades 1–5 Spanish immersion, one-week sessions with extended care

Registration Opens March 2

What happens when the lessons are complete? LR: At the end of each lesson, we

Nursery, Preschool, Elementary & Adult Education DallasSpanishHouse.com 214-826-4410

what the impact is [yet] because they are so young. We’ve talked a lot as an organization about how we can address that because the program is 20 [years old], so we’ve got to keep up with the times. LR: That was a regular discussion in our group. They were already talking about cyberbullying and all of that. I’m thinking, These girls are in third grade. Why should they have to be worried about this?

How is your program working to combat that? AT: We’ve tried to adapt some with the

universal lessons of inclusivity, standing up for people, standing up for yourselves, empathy. [Those] are ingrained in our lessons, but [we need to know] how to look at it with a lens of what’s happening today in our world and trying to bring technology into it.

Get Running

©

5K before the real 5K. Most of the girls had finished, and there were still a couple of girls running laps. Some of the girls got back in and started running so [the others] wouldn’t have to run by themselves. But the girl that crossed the finish line at the end was so proud of herself. It didn’t even occur to her— it was just the pride of it. She finished it. AT: We see a lot of that because everybody is at a different athletic ability. I saw where a girl started to lag behind. So the team said, “We’re going to run together.” I thought, That’s the point we’re trying to make here.

Ads with © are © of Lauren Publications, Inc. 2020.

The GOTR tagline mentions joy, health and confidence. Why are those things so important? AT: There’s a study [that says] age 9 is when

march 2020 / dfwchild.com

Speaking of confidence, since social media pushes the comparison game, has that made an impact? AT: I don’t even know if we know

go outside, and we’ll play games through running activities utilizing discussion topics. Then when they get to the end [of the season], we run a 5K together. AT: In the fall, we had 800 girls running the 5K. They Want your daughter to be a girl on the run with a buddy, an run? Interested in volunteering? Visit the adult that runs with website at gotrdfw.org. You can also email them and encourages office@gotrdfw.org or call 214/484-3082. them. Some of the If your daughter isn’t sure about joining, teams will cross the Taylor and Rachid suggest coming to a finish line holding 5K—they’re open to the public. Check the hands—which I find GOTR website for info on the next event. so fun. Do the girls usually finish at the same time? LR: We do a practice

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on a cape and tutu, and run a 5K. Running like a girl is perfectly acceptable. I’m a girl; what else am I supposed to run like?

girls’ confidence starts to drop, and that’s when we start working with girls. I feel like they start getting less attention when it comes to sports. … You also start to get the insults of, “Oh, you throw like a girl.” “You run like a girl.” The girls are hearing those and understanding, Oh well, I’m not athletic. What we’re trying to do is change that philosophy and make it OK to be pink and girly, and put

How are parents involved in GOTR? LR:

A parent guide goes home with a synopsis of the lessons and questions to ask their daughter. Because I know; I had kids, and I would say, “What did you learn?” They are like, “I don’t know.” So these questions are designed to say, “Well, did you talk about such and such?” They can elaborate on those things. Now that GOTR has been around for 20 years, you have older program alums. Have they stayed involved? LR: There’s a girl in high

school now [who] was born with MS or cerebral palsy. She didn’t really notice that her body was different until she got to age 9, and then girls started making comments. She had an unusual gait. One of the GOTR coaches walked up to her grandma and said, “Hey, your granddaughter needs to be in our program.” She’s like, “Well, she can’t run.” The coach told the grandmother, “It’s more than that.” So they signed her up, and she built such tightknit friendships that all the girls helped her cross the finish line. Now she goes around and talks about how Girls on the Run changed her. That’s the beauty of the program; it can give [confidence] to those girls that are in that “funk stage,” where your body is not really right, and you’re not like everybody else. This lets them see that they’ve got a lot to bring to the table.

TIMER: NOUN PROJECT

GOTR focuses on six core values, from embracing differences and finding strength in our similarities to standing up for ourselves and others. How do those values tie into coaching? Lanell Rachid: [The coaches] get a curriculum

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Careers

Part-time only. Looking for a long term commitment (one year minimum). We offer flexible schedule.

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+ Water fountain near the playground + Open grass for play + Plenty of parking

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- You’ll need to go inside for bathroom breaks - Playground wood chips might cause splinters and scratches

Overall Grade: 4/5 swings

HOLFORD: GARLAND PARKS AND RECREATION

OCATION: 2420 N. Shiloh Road, Garland. The park is very much contained in its own area off the main road. There is abundant parking, since the park includes Holford Recreation Center. BEST FOR: The family. From the sporty boy to tumbling girl, there is enough for the whole crew to enjoy. The vibrant yellow, green and purple playground has areas to climb and slide for the adventurous kiddo. Littles who like to soar can hop on a swing; there are two regular swings and two for babies. You can bring a ball for the basketball court or the grassy area around the playground. (Sports fields are for league use.) There is a concrete trail. Inside the rec center, have some fun on the open-play basketball or pickleball courts. FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE: The playground itself is not shaded, but there are surrounding trees for some relief. There are also picnic benches near the playground for snack time. When the temperatures rise, try the outdoor pool for a small fee. SAFETY: The park is across from residential areas and is far enough away from the road that there should be no issues or concerns with street safety. As always, watch your little ones closely around the pool. If you have a child who is wary of dogs, know that people do bring dogs around the park. (If you bring your dog, don’t forget a leash. There are waste bags and trash cans around the park.) It can get busy when sports teams use the park. —Elizabeth Quinn

Not to name drop but . . .

AL!* E M S ’ D I K FREE discount or any other offer, . Not valid with n only. of an adult entrée Grapevine locatio at se id cha val pur er Off the *With lect Club. discount. ing Landry’s Se pon to receive cou t sen pre st promotion includ per table. Mu strictions apply. Limit one coupon cash value. Re or gratuity, no 58 Not valid on tax Code: 534-228-8

O’Keeffe & Sargent & Remington & More

GRAPEVINE MILLS 972.539.5001 rainforestcafe.com

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SUMMER CAMPS! Ages 6–12

Creek Camp Take daily trips down the creek to explore plant and critter life.

Did you know that we are home to the greats of American art? Discover old favorites and make new friends, all at the Carter.

Pioneer Camp

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Experience farm life in the middle of the city!

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Call 972-881-0140 to register today! 1900 West 15th St. | Plano, TX 75075

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dfwchild.com / march 2020

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confessions

MOM TRUTHS ILLUSTRATION MARY DUNN

I EXPLAINED NEGATIVE NUMBERS TO MY KINDERGARTNER. HE LOOKED AT ME LIKE I WAS CRAZY AND CRIED, ‘THAT’S NONSENSE!’ THIS IS THE SAME CHILD WHO TOLD ME THE BOOK HE WAS ASSIGNED TO READ WAS ‘NOT VERY SENSIBLE.’” —ALEXIS, BEDFORD

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march 2020 / dfwchild.com

CO M P I L E D BY E M I LY Y E A R W O O D

My husband was getting ready to take my son out to play soccer since he has new shin guards. I stopped them on their way out the door because something didn’t look right. Spoiler alert: They weren’t shin guards … they were Nike slippers!” —NICOLE, LITTLE ELM

“I’m trying to train my stubborn toddler to use the potty. He’s not into it and refuses to learn. I decided to show him how to use the potty by showing him myself. Instead of him taking it in, he says, ‘Yay! Mommy uses the potty. Good job, Mommy!’ and runs out of the bathroom.” —LATARI, DALLAS

Got a funny parenting moment you’d like to share? We’d love to hear from you. Send it to editorial@dfwchild.com.

“My son has been doing boxing. Since it’s so hard to connect with teenagers, I joined boxing as well. Now not only can I kick butt, we have had so many great conversations and laughs over our shared hobby.” —DANIELLE, FORT WORTH

ONE DAY I WORE ALL BLACK TO WORK. I TURNED TO MY 8-YEAROLD DAUGHTER AND ASKED HER IF I LOOKED SKINNY. SHE REPLIED, ‘YEAH, IN THE DARK!’” —ROSHUN, MCKINNEY

I was explaining to my son that his father and I are always on the same team and don’t fight. He quickly reminded me that I yell at Dad a lot because he ‘farts in the car.’ Then he says, ‘That’s not fair, Mom. Everyone farts! Why can’t we all just let it out when we need to? Unless we’re at the dinner table—then I know we need to hold it in.’” —ANGELA, IRVING

Independent, Confident and Responsible. Yorktown Graduates are ready to take on the world. They also have outstanding academics; averaging 3.8 on a 4.0 grade scale in their college work, done at college. The Graduating Classes of 2018 & 2019: • Averaged over $80,000 in scholarships per graduate attending college. • Averaged over 20 credit hours of college work. • Over 100 college electives available. • 1/3 of the 2019 class graduated with full ride scholarships. Our Students Benefit From:: • Personalized education for higher achievement. • Advancement by ability, not being held back by grade level. • The option to start some college work as young as 14 years old. • Starting six years of Mandarin Chinese classes as young as five years old.

Schedule a Tour.

Be sure you are getting the best education for your student, visit YORKTOWN EDUCATION.

Call us at 972-936-7988 to arrange a visit! www.yorktowned.com