First-time parents must quickly learn to adjust to a new schedule and daily routine. Luckily, certain apps and other tools are great for first-time parents, because they can help you to set reminders to enforce the new schedule and build good habits for your child. Here are the best ones to keep in mind:
Apps to Download
There are tons of task-specific apps available for fine-tuning your organization as a …
WORDS: Bre Jones Mulock
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
With a towering frame over six-feet tall, Deputy Ralph Bryant exudes a bigger-than-life, stoic force field and a nature so humble and serious you may wonder if this 26-year employee of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) will ever crack a smile.
However, last January, Bryant, who molded a fierce basketball program for the Police Athletic League of Manatee County (PAL) over a …
WORDS: Dr. Paige Laudicina, Eye Center, Inc
Much like the fact that we are not born with the innate ability to recite our ABCs and 123s, we are not born with innately perfect vision, either. It’s a process for the visual system to develop, one that typically occurs through a series of events and along an average time-line. In this article I thought I’d discuss that average timeline, and when …
REVIEWS: ANA RODRIGUEZ
Amazing Me! Dressing Up!
By Carol Thompson
(Birth to 3)
“Dressing Up!” is one of the books of the “Amazing me!” series, created for the infant and toddler age group. This book is a medium sized board book perfect for little hands but big enough for the kids (and parents) to enjoy the colorful pictures. Perfect for this season, enjoy as this inclusive and diverse group of …
My seven year old child is good at school but bad at home. What am I doing wrong? (Denise, Bradenton)
Erma Bombeck was a writer and comedian for over forty years. Her titles included, If Life is a Bowl of Cherries, Why am I in the Pits? and, At Wit’s End. Erma claimed she had six children – but we know she actually only has three. She said: “I …
WORDS: Kara Chalmers
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
In summer, the Pops Orchestra in Bradenton runs “Camping with the Pops,” an intensive program that gives kids a chance to learn from, rehearse with, and perform alongside professional musicians for three hours every night for a week. While the camp brochure says it’s open to students ages 12-18, this past summer, the youngest cellist was only 10. Wrigley Rinsema, a fifth grader at …
WORDS: Jim Knapp, Triumph Martial Arts
The Physical Child
As children grow ever bigger and stronger it becomes increasingly important that parents take into consideration this question: Is my child Physically Literate? In school, children are taught how to read and write, then continue to be tested on their improvement of these skills. Physical skills should be treated the same way. Physical Literacy includes not only the understanding of several …
WORDS: Bre Jones Mulock
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
With the clock barely striking 7 am on a recent morning, Esperanza Gamboa rushed to get ready for a bustling day when her cell phone rang unexpectedly. Surprised at the sunrise call, Gamboa – Director of Outreach and Eligibility for MCR Health – answered to a boisterous and excited woman rattling off a battalion of questions before Gamboa could barely squeak in hello. …
WORDS & PICTURES: Jessica Schubick
Palm View Elementary began the new school year on an exciting note after receiving excellent news over the summer when the Florida Department of Education released school grades for the state. Palm View showed the greatest gains in the School District of Manatee County, going from a D grade in the 2017-2018 academic year (and the 2016-2017 year), to an A grade in 2018-2019! Of …
CUCUMBER COOLER
INGREDIENTS
• 2 granny smith apples
• 5 stocks of celery
• ⅓ of a cucumber
• 5 splashes of coconut water
• ½ of a squeezed lemon
Makes 2 (8oz) glasses
PREPARATION
Juicer:
1. Juice the apples, celery, and cucumber into a cup.
2. Squeeze one half of the lemon and add the coconut water.
3. Pour over ice and …
Transitioning from summer into a new school year can be tough for kids. Establishing a different routine can be difficult, and from my own experience when you add in new subjects, different teachers, or switching classes, the first day or couple of weeks can be overwhelming at times. Parents and teachers are there to help ease students into these changes, and an awesome way to build up their confidence is …
WORDS: Jessica Schubick
John and Amanda Horne, owners of Anna Maria Oyster Bar, launched the Dive Into Reading program in the summer of 2017. A collaboration with the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, the School District of Manatee County, Manatee Public Libraries, and with the participation of other community partners, the program began with 74 rising third graders from local Title 1 schools visiting the Anna Maria Oyster Bar Ellenton …
The sights and smells of summer on the Suncoast are in full effect. But for some children and families, bronzing sunshine, barbecues, and trips to camps are merely temporary distractions from the grief they live with every day. There’s no off button for grief. One in 14 children in Florida will experience the death of a parent or sibling by the age of 18, with more than 6,500 grieving children …
WORDS: Bre Jones Mulock
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
The bustle of Dr. Michael Mackie’s morning had already roared into full throttle several years ago as he popped in and out of exam rooms caring for patients seeking treatment from a kaleidoscope of ocular diseases to dry eyes. While focused on his intense daily juggle, an unexpected visitor breezed through the doors at Eye Center Inc., baring a beautiful gift that served …
REVIEWS: ANA RODRIGUEZ
Goodnight Moon
By Margaret Wise Brown
(Birth to 3)
This unique bedtime story takes place Bunny’s room where he is tucked away in bed saying “goodnight” to all his familiar belongings from the hairbrush to the stars. It is a great book to snuggle with your little ones and expose them to basic rhyming words. It is a perfect book to reread every night and create a …
