Parent Talk Magazine | February 2015

1February 2015

Keeping it Family

Friendly Safety Tips for Kids

during Mardi Gras- 7

parenttalk

Insight FromThe Inside

Working TowardsSuccess - 14

February 2015

2 Parent Talk Magazine

3February 2015

running in both parishes so that you don’t miss out on your favorite ones!

I hope you enjoy this issue of Parent Talk. If you ever have any ideas or input, please email them to [email protected]. We welcome any input from local parents looking to spread their message of raising children in South Louisiana.

Keep talking, parents!

The Toy BoxThe ABC's of Health HabitsKeeping It Family FriendlyPrincipal's List: Brenda Tanner

Let's Get FitKnowledge Is Power

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ON THE COVER: KATIE DUPLANTIS PREPARES A FRESH AND HEALTHY MEAL. (WITH SUPERVISION)

PHOTO: JULIANA PENNISON

PublishersBen Jones Jr

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MANAGING EDITORKara Domangue

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February 2015VOLUME 2 | ISSUE 5

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Happy Mardi Gras season! I’m sure you and your children are getting excited for the parades – whether you are standing along the street yelling, “throw me something, mister!” or riding on a float, there is a lot of fun to be had during this time but you can’t forget the safety precautions. Our feature this month discusses the child-friendly zones along the parade routes where Mardi Gras will be kept PG. Take a look at the list and see which zone you may be interested in taking your child to stand in during many of the parades rolling this month in Terrebonne and Lafourche Parish. Also, check out our list of all of the parades

Dear Parents

Kara Domangue, Managing Editor

In This Issue

711

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Insight From The Inside14


The

Toy BoxJASMINE RICHARD, SOCIAL MEDIA LIBRARIAN

Free; All ages. Educational website and app with thousands of short, free learning videos for specific grade levels, test prep, and beyond.

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A portable and easy to use pen that extrudes melted plastic. Use it to draw in 2D or create 3D structures.

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Book of the MonthWinnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh By Sally M Walker

5February 2015

Should you go BANANAS about BANANAS? Yes! Here’s why…?

Yes! Here’s why… — Bananas have lots of Vitamin A. This type of vitamin is helpful in protecting your eyes and improving your vision!— Eating apples can help strengthen your cardiovascular system. This means that they can make our hearts STRONG! — Bananas are good for your heart! They have a large amount of potassium, which helps keep your heart strong. — The high amount of potassium in bananas can help you to focus more while you are at school or while doing your homework!

Here are some after school snack ideas for you to try!

— Banana slices with a spoon of peanut butter, topped with cinnamon — Fruit smoothie with bananas, strawberries, and honey— Banana slices on a graham cracker, drizzled with chocolate syrup— Fruit salad with chopped up bananas, strawberries, and blueberries and topped with a dab of whipped cream

Some FUN FACTS about Apples…

— Bananas are the most popular fruit in the United States. The average American eats 27 pounds of bananas each year!— A bunch of bananas is actually called a “hand”, and an individual one is called a “finger”!— If you peel a banana from the bottom up, you won’t get the stringy things. These stringy things are called “phloem”!

Don’t forget to eat your banana today to stay strong and healthy! pt

Statistics from livescience.com

The ABC’s of Healthy Habits!B is for BANANASBY KATHERINE TOUPS, THIBODAUX


KEEPING IT FAMILY-FRIENDLY

SAFETY TIPS FOR KIDS DURING MARDI GRAS

MARDI GRAS SCHEDULE

Golden Meadow, 1:00 PMKREWE OF DES PETITE1Houma, 6:00 PMKREWE OF HERCULES6Larose, NoonLE KREWE DES T-CAJUN7Chauvin, NoonKREWE DE PETIT CAILLOU7Thibodaux, 5:30 PMKREWE OF AMBROSIA7Houma, 6:30 PMKREWE OF AQUARIUS7

Houma, NoonKREWE OF HYACINTHIANS8Houma, NoonKREWE OF TITANS8

Thibodaux, 1:00 PMKREWE OF SHAKA8

Larose, NoonKREWE OF VERSAILLES8Houma, 6:30 PMKREWE OF APHRODITE13Golden Meadow, 7:00 PMKREWE OF ATHENA13Lockport, NoonKREWE OF APOLLO14Golden Meadow, NoonKREWE OF ATLANTIS14Houma, 6:30 PMKREWE OF MARDI GRAS14Larose, 6:30 PMLE KREWE DU BON TEMPS14

Montegut, 2:00 PMKREWE OF MONTEGUT15

Golden Meadow, 6:00 PMKREWE OF NEREIDS15

Houma, 6:30 PMKREWE OF CLEOPATRA16Harang Auditorium, Thibodaux, 8:00 PMKREWE OF CHRISTOPHER TABLEAU16Houma, 11:00 AMKREWE OF HOUMAS17Thibodaux, 1:00 PMKREWE OF GHANA17Houma, 11:00 AMKREWE OF KAJUNS17

Thibodaux, 12:30 PMKREWE OF CLEOPHAS15

Thibodaux, Following CleophasKREWE OF CHRONOS15

Gheens, 11:00 AMKREWE OF GHEENS17Galliano/Golden Meadow, NoonKREWE OF NEPTUNE17Chackbay, 2:00 PMKREWE OF CHOUPIC17

Montegut, 4:00 PMKREWE OF BONNE TERRE17

Brought to you by:

7February 2015

Children want to see the parades at Mardi Gras and catch throws. Although the crowds along parade routes are in some cases

family-friendly, they can be heavy as well. You don't want your kids running around trying to catch throws and getting lost or stepped on by others fighting for the beads and such.

Contrary to popular belief, Mardi Gras is family-friendly. Although the press covers the negatives of Mardi Gras and what you see is not family friendly, the important thing to remember is that Mardi Gras can be a safe, fun time for the entire family. The part of Mardi Gras that's the most fun to those of us who celebrate it with our families are the parades. So in the spirit of Mardi Gras, here are some general safety tips when bringing along the kids to catch a parade or two.

BY BEN JONES JR, THIBODAUX

PHOTO: JULIANA PENNISON

KEEPING IT FAMILY-FRIENDLY

SAFETY TIPS FOR KIDS DURING MARDI GRAS


Always tell your children to find a police officer if they are lost. If

they can't find an officer, go to a woman with small children. They

are much more likely to be safe with a mom.

Put identification information on your children. Write down all ID

information on a piece of paper and put it in your child’s pocket.

Write your cell phone number on your child's arm with a marker.

Better to have the problem of getting his or her arm clean than the

alternative.

We all love the names we’ve chosen for our children, but shirts and

accessories with their names give a person the opportunity to create

familiarity with your child. Save those for other special occasions,

not big crowded events like Mardi Gras.

Take your child's picture with your cell phone before you head out

for the day. If the worse happens you can show police exactly what

he or she looks like and what he or she is wearing.

Don’t forget the sunscreen! This is south Louisiana y’all, slather it

on year round! Use a safe toxin free one!

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9February 2015

Decorate a wagon. That way you can pull the children and the food

and drinks to and from the parade a lot easier.

Get a Mardi Gras ladder. Smaller children are perched on special

seats bolted onto ladders to make sure they’re safe and able to see

what’s going on. By law, these ladders must be as far back from the

curb as they are high, and an adult must stand on the ladder with the

child. You can get these seats at local hardware stores.

Bring a large Mardi Gras bag for each child. Float riders carry special

throws, like stuffed animals, for the small children along the parade

route. Your children may catch a lot and carrying the entire loot

home is very difficult.

Next to safety, the main concern for parents along the Mardi Gras

Parade route is bathroom facilities and making sure your child

isn’t hungry or thirsty. This is a problem. Many restaurants and

businesses reserve the use of the bathroom facilities for patrons

only. Even if you get a restaurant reservation, it's not a bad idea to

bring a small ice chest for juice or water and some favorite snacks

for the kids.

Also, remember to keep yourself and your belongings safe during

parades. Here are a few ideas to keep in the back of your mind when

with your children at the parade.

Parade spectators are cautioned against carrying large sums of

money with them as persons who are adept at pick pocketing seize

the opportunity in crowded situations.

Purses should be carried across the torso, but preferably, place

important items in the front pocket.

Don’t become distracted by cellular devices, cameras, MP3 players, etc.

Police officers will be visible along parade routes before, during and after the parades. Uniformed officers will engage in crowd control and plain-clothes officers will be among the spectators for detection of crimes such as pick-pocketing.

So that pretty much sums it up when it comes to keeping your kids safe and happy during the Mardi Gras season. Rip out this feature and bring it with you to your parades and use it as a guideline and checklist to ensure a successful outing! pt


Can you tell us about your school?Our school was established in 1952 and was under the guidance

of the Marianite Sisters of the Holy Cross. The faith and guidance of these nuns have instilled the strong values we practice today. Currently, the school has as its mission to teach the students to not only learn the foundations of their faith, but to live their daily lives emulating the teachings of Jesus Christ. St. Francis today has 700 students in grades Pre School through 7th grade. There are three grade levels of each grade from Kindergarten to 7th grade.

What’s one of your favorite memories as being principal of your school?

One of my favorite memories as a principal was when the students and faculty surprised me with a “Principal’s Day.” Students and faculty practiced songs and skits, which I knew nothing about and treated me to an entertaining afternoon in the gym. How that got past me without me knowing anything about it still surprises me to this day. It was an amazing day!

Principal s ListBrenda Tanner, St. Francis de Sales Cathedral School

BY BEN JONES JR

What is your educational background?I received my high school degree from Terrebonne High School.

I received my bachelor’s degree in education in 1970 and my master’s degree in 1977 from Nicholls State University.

What made you decide to join the school system?Ever since I was a small child a played “school” with my friends

so I knew from an early age that I wanted to be a teacher. I love children and I love teaching! It is such a great feeling to see and be a part of their learning process. I joined the Catholic school system in 1970 when I first graduated from college. My faith was always an important part of my life, so I was fortunate enough to get a job where I could practice my faith. I taught at St. Gregory School for 5-6 years. I stopped teaching for a few years to help my husband in business and have my three children, Clint, Clay, and Claire. In 1984, I was called by the principal of St. Francis School to finish out the year for a 2nd grade teacher who had to take a leave of absence. And that is the beginning of my many years at St. Francis. I have

PHOTO: BRIAN WAITZ

,

11February 2015

worn many hats during this time. I taught 2nd grade, 4th grade, and 7th grade English, was assistant principal for 11 years and have been principal now for 15 years. I have loved every minute of all of my days here. I love teaching and working with students every day. I have the privilege of watching the children begin school at four or five and leave here after they complete their 7th grade year. I feel as though I have over 700 grandchildren because each one of these children are so special to me. What an honor for me!

Any other information or thoughts you would like to share about yourself or your school?

Our school is very advanced in the area of technology. Each 5th, 6th, and 7th grade classroom has a set of iPads for each student to use and there is also an available set in the library. The iPads are even used in preschool where students have to recognize and practice tracing their own names.

There are interactive projectors with built-in speakers in every classroom that make any surface it shines onto interactive. There are Apple TV’s in the library and all of the classrooms that enable teachers to mirror their iPads to their projection screen and allow them to stream educational videos and tutorials.

In upper grade classrooms, students have responders that allow

each of them to respond electronically to questions the teacher asks. Every class has a document camera that allows teachers to show text and put three-dimensional items under the display of the camera for interactive lessons. E-printers are in every classroom and in the library for students to print information directly from the iPads.

What is the #1 characteristic you hope to instill in your students before they move on?

Before students leave our school, I hope that we have instilled in them a true spirit of faith in God, and respect for others, themselves, and all human life.

One of our 7th grade students said, “I am amazed by the way God is incorporated into every subject. I also enjoy the fact that so many people at our school help to strengthen the students’ faith.” (As principal, this makes me extremely proud to hear that from a student.)

Who are your role models?

My dad was probably my biggest role model. He was a very stern man who always stood up for his beliefs. Even though my dad was strict, he loved to play jokes on those people he cared for and I know I inherited that trait from him. pt


The New Year provides a great opportunity to review the first half of the school year and set new academic goals for the rest of the

year. While children can make their own academic resolutions, you as parents can significantly help your children achieve these goals by making a few resolutions of your own.The following six common sense resolutions can help put your child on the path to academic success in 2014:

Have students keep an up-to-date calendar. Whether it’s a reminder on a smartphone, notes tacked to a bulletin board, or entries in a planner, your child should resolve to keep an updated calendar.

Prepare for tests in advance. Cramming for tests can become a bad habit. Students can avoid late-night cram sessions by scheduling regular study time in advance. Studying should start the first day of school, not on the day before a test.

Knowledge is Power6 Common Sense Resolutions

BY ANNE MARIE NAQUIN, HOUMA

Meet with a guidance counselor. Encourage your child to make a resolution to meet with a guidance counselor at least once. This will help your child realize how many different ways a counselor can help throughout the school year.

Understand Common Core. When it comes to today’s standards of learning, it may sound like teachers are speaking a foreign language during parent-teacher conferences. That’s why you should resolve to understand what is going on in the classroom in terms of Common Core and other educational standards.

Trust yourself. You may not always know the ins-and-outs of every school standard, or the answer to every algebra problem, but you do know what’s best for your child. As your family’s “chief education officer,” you should resolve to trust your own instincts, especially regarding when to bring in additional resources for your child. pt

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13February 2015

What do you think of when you hear that the month of February is upon us? Do you think of the fact that we are

already in the second month of the New Year? How well have you been doing in keeping your family on a new, healthier lifestyle path? I'll tell you what I think of...more holidays! Mardi Gras parades, food, king cake, Valentine's Day, chocolates, class parties, special treats, and the list goes on and on. It seems that the urge to splurge is never-ending, especially for our culture here in South Louisiana. We love to celebrate with food and that just means that we need to celebrate with more active lifestyles too! While I may not be able to cure your desire for a big hunk of king cake, I might have some ideas on how to lessen the guilt. For starters, the internet is full of recipes for reduced fat, homemade king cakes. Some even promise to be better than the store-bought treasures that we all love. Think of the wonderful memories you'll make in the kitchen with your family, making homemade king cakes! If you absolutely MUST HAVE the full-calorie count, then you absolutely MUST MOVE MORE! While in between floats at the parades, have a dance off

Let s Get FitLessen the Guilt

BY JONI BASCLE, THIBODAUX

with the kids! The entire family will have a blast burning off those extra calories! Of course we can't forget Valentine's Day, the day that the entire month of February is known for. I won't ask you to refrain from spoiling the loves in your life, whether they are your significant other, or your children. Everyone looks forward to getting those gifts that display love and affection through chocolate. How about adding a little something extra? Maybe the kids could hand out jump ropes at the class party along with that box of sugary heart candies. Maybe your gifts for the little loves in your life could include chocolates and a fun night of family bowling. Planning a romantic getaway gift for your spouse? How about a weekend in the city of your choice where you participate in a heart healthy 5k together? You'll feel better about that decadent meal you celebrate with! Set a healthy and loving example for your family now and they're sure to thank you later! pt


In January’s Insight, SMART goals were introduced. And I hope February’s Insight finds you a healthy percentage closer toward

your goal. Based on the already increased availability on the elliptical at my gym, I can see the statistics of surrender still exist. But have no fear; irresolute goal-setters do not have to wait until January 1, 2016 to try, try again. This gets me thinking about the price of progress.

As Thomas Edison wisely quoted, “Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” No matter if your destiny is to invent the light bulb or to finish grad school, every road to success is paved with its own challenges, risks, and breakdowns. In fact, it’s often the malfunctions themselves that become the foundation for triumphant victory.

I see working toward a goal as a hypothesis which requires experimentation to prove correct. For example, you set out to try new parenting techniques with your child, such as non-violent discipline. You identify the targeted behavior, read the guru

Insight from the InsideWorking Towards Success

BY KIM THOMPSON, THIBODAUX

books, and draw up a behavior plan. Armed and ready, the start date approaches and off you go. The first time the unwanted behavior rears its ugly head, the new approaches kick in. Surely, you think, this will work! Then out of nowhere the same behavior occurs again.…in spite of your best efforts. Disappointing. Do you give up? No way! Does this make you incompetent? Indeed not!

Let’s go back to the drawing board and remember what I like to call the “C’s to Success” – Confidence, Commitment, and Consistency. When you hit one speed bump along the way, calm down first and then put your thinking cap right back on. Experiment with the same approach toward your destination, tweaking just one element – the timing, the environment, or perhaps add preventative positive reinforcers. Experiment over and over and over until your hypothesis is proved True! You can change your discipline approach. Your child will respond positively to your leadership. Try to see perceived failures as opportunities for growth and creativity instead. Now go forth and earn those victories! pt

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15February 2015

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