Gwinnett Magazine Staff

Nurturing Greatness: How to Empower Your Child

by Jenna Scott, HEARTS for Families

Empowering your children causes them to believe that they have the power to pursue their dreams. An empowered child will grow up to be an adult who can create a rewarding life and achieve his/her goals.

 

Quick Tips:

  • While grocery shopping: Give your kids their own shopping lists and encourage questions.
  • Ask their opinions.
  • When children tell you about future dreams, such as what they want to be when they grow up: Encourage them, no matter how absurd the goal.
  • Apologize when you make a mistake.
  • When children feel afraid or upset: Acknowledge their feelings and respect them as genuine, so they feel validated and safe to express that emotion.

 
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Gwinnett Magazine Staff

Low-Cost IVF Helps Couples Achieve Dreams of Parenthood

This is the story of two American middle-class couples who faced what for many is an insurmountable obstacle in the path to build a family: infertility. Both families, though, had the unwavering determination to conceive a baby.

For Amy Rodiguez, the struggle with infertility began shortly after marriage, and lasted almost six years. Amy found it difficult to believe that something that should be so natural turned into the main obstacle of her life. After trying to get pregnant and failing, Amy first experimented with the simple and inexpensive things to help, but nothing happened.

After a while, the couple knew they needed help, and tried assisted reproduction or In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).  The couple soon realized that this was an expensive treatment. They spent almost $30,000 on IVF treatments, but still, there was no baby.

 
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Gwinnett Magazine Staff

Stomp Out Summer Boredom!

By Mary Welch

There is an old adage that when Mom is happy, everyone in the family is happy. And, what makes Mom happy? Tired, fulfilled, happy children. Luckily Gwinnett County offers a variety of activities for kids — and families — to spend quality time together, have fun, and let go of a lot of youthful, seemingly unlimited energy. And maybe even learn a little. Below are ten ideas to keep kids — from toddlers to teens — engaged this summer.

1. Keep it Active! Sports are a natural way to keep kids active and satisfied, but they’re not the only option. Consider rock climbing, which develops strength, balance, coordination, flexibility and problem solving — and it’s fun. Take the kids to Adrenaline Climbing in Suwanee where they can learn the fundamentals of rock climbing, and if they are hooked, they can join a climbing team and eventually advance to competitive climbing. Adrenaline offers a variety of climbing options for both individuals and families, parties and groups, including climbing school vacation and summer camps. (adrenalineclimbing.com)

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Gwinnett Magazine Staff

Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center Experience Something Beyond Your Expectations

An interactive science museum. A heritage and history learning center. A nature retreat. Since opening in 2006, the Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center (GEHC) offers a little something for everyone.

Located on nearly 700-acres of greenspace in Buford, the Center focuses on building an appreciation for nature and the environment, offering a unique mix of quality educational programming, learn-by-doing experiences, community enrichment op­portunities and outdoor fun.

Educational Programming

To encourage an interest and love for science and history, the Center offers enriching educational programming, interpretative, hands-on field studies and outreach programs for pre-kindergarten, K-12 public and private schools, homeschool children and day care facilities. The programs explore a range of science and social studies topics and incorporate outdoor learning into each experience.

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Gwinnett Magazine Staff

Celebrate Our Planet on Earth Day in Gwinnett

This year marks the 42nd anniversary of the Earth Day holiday. Join the Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center (GEHC) on April 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for fun filled day of Earth-friendly activities. There will be a variety of educational activities, nature hikes, crafts, movies, and games to help honor this amazing planet of ours.

Some exciting events you will not want to miss at the 2012 Earth Day festival:

  • Do you like going on hikes and want to learn more about the local flora and fauna? Join one of GEHC’s education staff for a guided hike. Kids will have a spring scavenger hunt to make the hikes even more exciting!

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Gwinnett Magazine Staff

Tips for Getting Your Teen to Enjoy Reading

Being able to read well is more important than ever for young adults to achieve economic success. But more than 60 percent of middle and high school students score below proficient in reading achievement, according to a December 2011 report by the Alliance for Excellent Education.

“Teen literacy is a huge problem in the United States – its 15-year-olds rank 14th among developed nations in reading – behind Poland, Estonia and Iceland,” says Rhiannon Paille, an advocate for teen literacy whose new fantasy novel, Flame of Surrender targets young adults.

“Kids need strong reading skills if they hope to graduate from high school and they really need to plan for college – 59 percent of U.S. jobs today require some postsecondary education, compared to 28 percent in 1973.”

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Gwinnett Magazine Staff

Take Your Child on a Stroll Down Dr. Seuss’ Mulberry Street

Simon Kidgits Club, Dr. Seuss Enterprises L.P. and Random House Children’s Books together are celebrating the 75th anniversary of Theodor Seuss Geisel’s first-ever published children’s book, “And To Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street.” As part of the celebration, nearly 100 Simon malls across the country are hosting a special event for families to explore all the fun of Dr. Seuss.

Both Mall of Georgia and Gwinnett Place invite area kids and parents to celebrate “75 Years of Imagination” at special Dr. Seuss event. Families can wander Dr. Seuss’s whimsical world of imaginary wonder by participating in the event’s fun-filled activities:

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Gwinnett Magazine Staff

Tips to Pick the Right Preschool for Your Child

Provided by Primrose School of Five Forks

More and more parents are recognizing the importance of enrolling their children in preschool to help them develop the right foundation for success in elementary school and beyond. However, the best programs go beyond helping children master basic academic skills to supporting their development as happy, confident, well-rounded individuals.

Research shows that from birth to age five, development in all areas is rapid. Children form strong neural connections during this time as a result of experiences they have with everyone and everything they encounter. The quality of those early interactions determines how children continue to learn and form relationships, strongly influencing their future success and happiness.

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Gwinnett Magazine Staff

New Business Venture Brings Healthy Snack Options to Area Schools

Snacks from vending machines aren’t usually associated with the words healthy or fresh, but one local franchise company is hoping to change that.  Fresh Healthy Vending has over 800 machines throughout the country.  Donna and Byron Marshall purchased the healthy vending franchise out of Athens.

The healthy snack and drink option is the talk of Cornerstone Christian Academy.  Up and running for two months, the vending machine is a staple in the cafeteria and Donna Marshall admits she makes frequent trips to the school to restock the machine.

“Every time I walk into that school the kids go crazy,” Marshall said.  “They get real excited and say ‘there’s the snack lady’.”

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Gwinnett Magazine Staff

GLOW Event Encourages Life Balance

Today’s mothers wear many different — hats from chauffeur to accountant to cook to chasing away monsters under the bed!  However, with each new role comes less time for mom to find time to keep her life in sync mentally, physically, spiritual and even emotionally.

Christine Martinello, best selling author of “The Momager Guide,” sat down with Gwinnett Magazine publisher Kelly Greer to offer advice to Gwinnett County mothers who are finding it hard to fit everything in their daily lives.  The Gwinnett County Chamber of Commerce hosted this annual GLOW Event sponsored by Gwinnett Medical Center.

Martinello, a mother of three, says she realized very early on that she wasn’t handling the momager role very well and began writing the book as a ‘how to’ for herself.

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