Win a Fabulous New Parent Basket!

In our annual Your Baby and You issue, which is on the stands now, we reviewed some of the best new gear for babies and new parents, recommended by local retailers. Now we’re offering one lucky reader a spectacular prize package overflowing with the products we showcased! Enter by November 30 for your chance to win the prize package, valued at over $400 The basket includes: • SwaddleKeeper Baby Sleep Kit • Hygeia “Breastfeeding Bundle” (includes a tote bag with milk storage cooler,hand pump, nursing pads, Hygeia gel pads and hand expression cup) • Second Skin Sling Wrap • ChewBeads • Sweet Dreams Bubble Bath & Sunny Sunscreen • Rileyroos Shoes • Kool Kid Legs • Earnest Efforts Wood Baby Rattle • “Said What” • Knicker Nappies Baltic Amber Teething Necklaces • Boobie Blankies • Knitting from Nature Hand-knit Baby Booties • Earharts Hat • Wheel of Responsibility Enter today for your chance to win!

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Win a Fabulous New Parent Basket!

Still Time for Summer Fun!

So far this summer, my son and I have been perfect slackers! We’ve been to the neighborhood pool several times and even made it to the coast for a few nights with friends, but other than that we’ve pretty much just been lazing around the neighborhood, playing with friends and generally slacking off. Now, with only a few weeks left of our precious unscheduled summer –- and with the weather doing its part to make it feel like summer, finally! –- I’m determined to venture a little farther from home for some once-a-year summer fun. My list of potential activities includes berry picking and swimming on Sauvie Island; hikes in Forest Park, Tryon Creek and other nearby nature areas; possibly a day trip to Mt. St. Helens (although that seems awfully ambitious); and the Oregon State Fair. I’d like to add a few more items to the list -– while still leaving us plenty of time for summer slacking. Can you help? What are your family’s “must do” summer activities? Please share your recommendations in the comments below. But hurry -– the back-to-school clock is ticking!

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Still Time for Summer Fun!

ID state parks now serving wireless crowd

Thanks to Wi-Fi at over a dozen Idaho state

Make Every Day Earth Day

Earth Day falls on April 22 each year, but we know most of our readers strive to raise children who are responsible stewards of the Earth every day. Still, it never hurts to focus on our environmental responsibilities –- and the joys of the great outdoors -– when Earth Day does roll around. To help you find ways to celebrate our wonderful planet, we’ve listed a number of Earth Day events happening all month in our Family Favorites roundup, plus you’ll find additional nature-inspired events in our online Family Calendar . For more inspiration, check out the National Wildlife Foundation’s “Get Outside” website with tons of ideas for outdoor family fun year-round. (You’ll find a roundup of Easter Egg Hunts in our Family Favorites this month, too!) What are you doing to celebrate Earth Day?

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Make Every Day Earth Day

Our April Issue

Our April issue is hitting the stands beginning this week! Inside, you’ll find an Ages & Stages feature on Media Matters , packed with useful information about how you can teach your kids to use media wisely at every age, and how you can keep up with the ever-changing media landscape that often seems second nature to your kids. There’s also an article on local Radical Homemakers , parents who are returning to the home as an act of personal, social and political empowerment. And with summer right around the corner, we’ve included a feature on local nature camps , too. You’ll also find your favorite regular features, including Going Places with Ramona, in which Ramona and friends enjoy a Tears of Joy Theatre production; a Family Fare featuring everyone’s favorite local and sustainable fast food joint, Burgerville ; and an Angels Among Us column spotlighting the Oregon Lions Hearing and Sight Foundation . Of course, our jam packed Family Calendar is once again filled to the brim with family-friendly events and activities. Pick up a copy at your favorite distribution point, or read it online beginning April 1.

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Our April Issue

Our Annual Summer Camps Issue

Your furnace might still be screaming winter chill, but we’re here to remind you it’s time to start thinking summer — Summer Camp, that is! Many local camps are accepting applications for Summer 2011, and some of the most popular ones are already filling up. But don’t panic! Our 2011 Summer Camps and Learning Guide is hitting the stands this week, with loads of information about local camps and other summer learning opportunities. In addition to a comprehensive list of local camp options, you’ll find features on nature camps and camps for kids with special needs , as well as a Summer Camp Survival Guide with articles to help you choose the right camp(s) for your kids, keep your kids healthy at camp, and understand how camps foster independence — and how you can help. Pick up a copy today, or check it out online beginning March 1 for all the information you need to make this summer a success!

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Our Annual Summer Camps Issue

February Coupons and Deals

Once again we’re happy to provide a list of all the great deals and coupons in our current issue : Learning Palace: Take 15 percent off any regular priced item. (Page 6) Little Smiles: Free initial exam for children under 3. (Page 7) Pizza.com: Get 10 percent off your first order. (Page 22) North Clackamas Aquatic Park: Free rock wall climb when you celebrate your birthday there. (Page 27) Music for All: Classical music performance tickets for $5 for families on food stamps. (Page 37) Eco-Maids: Take 20 percent off any service! (Page 41) Tidee Didee: Get 1 free week of diaper service when you prepay for 4 weeks. (Page 46) Santosha Yoga: Your first class is free, including kids yoga, teen yoga and family yoga! (Page 47) NW Family and Kids Festival: Get $2 off admission. (Page 49) Milagros, Babyworks and Mother Nature’s: Get $5 off any purchase at these local independent boutiques. (Back Cover) Happy saving!

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February Coupons and Deals

Winter Break Camps & Classes

What are your little ones doing during the upcoming winter break? If you work outside the home — or just need a little time to yourself — there are plenty of wonderful camps and classes scheduled to help. Whether your kids love active gymnastic fun, crazy science fun, creative arts and crafts fun, wild animal fun, outdoorsy nature fun or any other type of winter break fun, there’s sure to be a camp or class to suit them. Check our Roundup of Winter Break Camps and Classes for details. If you’re looking for some winter break fun to share with the kids, be sure to check out our December calendar and Holiday Highlights roundup, and don’t forget that pools, skating rinks and other venues add sessions during school vacations.

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Winter Break Camps & Classes

Hike the Gleneden Beach Loop near Lincoln City, Oregon

An easy 2.3-mile walk includes ocean, agates, a nature trail and lunch, coffee or ice cream at the Shops at Salishan.0

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Hike the Gleneden Beach Loop near Lincoln City, Oregon

Touring Our Nation’s Capital – With Kids

A few years ago we ran a story on family travel to Washington, D.C. It was a comprehensive article by our editor, Marie Sherlock, including information about all the major family attractions. Still, after a recent visit to D.C. with my own family, I thought it might be time to offer some updated tips and information. After all, it is one of the most popular travel destinations for families in the country. So after you read through Marie’s article (highly recommended if you’re planning a trip to D.C. with kids!), consider these additional D.C. family travel tidbits: The Growing Smithsonian: When Marie’s article ran, she noted 14 Smithsonian museums. Today there are 19, including the National Zoo, although one of the Air & Space Museums is out near Dulles airport. The most recent addition is the American Indian Museum (see Museum Food below). The African American History and Culture Museum is slated to open in 2015. For more information, visit si.edu . Become a Smithsonian Member: Although admission to all the Smithsonian museums is free, if you’re staying more than a day or two and plan to see any of the IMAX or Planetarium shows – or eat or shop in any of the museums – I recommend becoming a Smithsonian member. The $19 annual membership fee gets your family discounts on shows, food and souvenirs at all the museums, which can add up quickly. Plus, you’ll receive their magazine for a whole year. Museum Food: If you’re looking for food on the National Mall, check out the cafeteria at the American Indian Museum. Menu items are inspired by native peoples around the globe and the quality is exceptional. It’s worlds away from anything you’ll find at the other museums. It’s not inexpensive, but nothing on the Mall is. We paid the same amount for two (not great) slices of pizza, a salad, cookies and chips at the American History Museum as we did for a buffalo burger, squash and black bean tamale pie, chicken tacos on fry bread, churros and an apple tart (all delicious!) here. Don’t Overdo It: Marie mentioned this in her article but it bears repeating. Especially if you travel to D.C. in the summer months, plan for an afternoon break (in a hotel swimming pool, if possible). A twilight monument tour is a great way to see the monuments without running yourself ragged, and the mall is exceptionally beautiful after dark. Many of the museums are open into the evening hours during the summer and are usually less crowded at dusk than they are during the day. And since the museums are all free, don’t feel like you have to see everything in one swoop. You can always return on another day (or another trip) to see that exhibit or show you missed this time. Explore Nature: Most people focus on the monuments, museums and government agencies when they visit D.C., but the area is rich with natural beauty as well. Rock Creek Park is a huge expanse of nature within the city limits, and you can find numerous places to hike along the Potomac throughout the area. (See localhikes.com or trails.com to find hiking trails.) You can even ride along the historic C&O Canal in a boat pulled by mules from May through October (check the Web site for exact dates), leaving either from Georgetown or Great Falls. Park rangers in period clothing describe what life was like for the families that lived and worked on the canal in the 1870s, adding a bit of history to your outdoor adventure. (The one-hour trip is $5 for ages 4 and older; kids 3 and under ride free.) Get Out of Town: There’s much to see in D.C.’s outlying areas, too. We didn’t rent a car but made it to Mt. Vernon one morning by taking the Metro and a connecting bus (although I would recommend a taxi from the Metro station … it was a very circuitous bus ride!). Historic Alexandria is about a half hour’s drive from D.C. (again, you can take Metro and a connecting bus), and if your kids are game, Monticello – a real treat for American history buffs – is a scenic two and a half hour drive. If you’re in the area for an extended period of time, you might treat the kids to a day at Six Flags America , complete with a water park, about 15 minutes from D.C. in the car. (Guess what? You can take Metro and a bus here, too!) Have Fun: Remember, there’s more to see and do in D.C. than any family can manage in one trip – no matter how long you stay. Focus on a few of the attractions that intrigue you and take your time enjoying them.

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Touring Our Nation’s Capital – With Kids

In Praise of Funny Fathers

The following first appeared as an Editor’s Note in the June 2005 issue of Metro Parent. My sweet father got a big kick out of it. Dad passed away on May 17, 2008, leaving a permanent hole in our family – and in our hearts. I’m posting this today to honor him, and all of the loving, funny fathers out there. My dad’s a funny guy – and I mean funny as in “ha ha” not funny as in odd . All of his life he’s enjoyed laughter, his own and that of others, whether it was over one of life’s countless spontaneous moments of mirth or a good solid joke. Here’s an example: Dad and three friends (all fathers) went fishing one weekend when he was in his 30s. The fish weren’t exactly biting so he and his buddies decided to stop at a roadside stand and buy several large salmon. One of the group – my dad can’t remember whom – came up with the idea of telling the wives that they caught the fish. This group of jokers then went a step further and had a local photographer take several shots of them with their “catch.” One of the proud wives brought a photo over to the local newspaper (you can see where this is going …). They published it in the next edition with the headline “Local Men Get Lucky.” Dad’s still laughing about that one, nearly fifty years later. Not all of dad’s jokes are so elaborate or staged. In fact, for the most part his humor is the seamless sort that blends into his life and relationships, an underlying premise – an assumption, really – that’s always there. It’s made the lives of his five kids so much richer and, during rough times, simply more bearable. Dad’s always looked at life through that lens of humor – and I feel strongly that it’s due to his comic nature (whether genetic or acquired) that all of us kids have funny bones. I really can’t think of a greater gift that he’s given his children – except, of course, his love. To be sure not all funny fathers are loving – and not all loving fathers are particularly funny. It’s pure serendipity when they’re both. I came across another funny father recently. The book The Poo Bomb: True Tales of Parental Terror by Jeff Vogel (Andrews McMeel, 2005) landed on my desk. The prologue promised that the book contained “everything funny that happened in our daughter Cordelia’s first year of life.” I skimmed through it, expecting hackneyed dirty diaper jokes and projectile vomiting anecdotes. What I found instead was genuinely funny stuff – irreverent, sometimes bordering on obscene, but funny nonetheless. Even the diaper jokes and vomiting scenarios were hilarious. In Vogel’s version of FAQs, he writes: “Q: Why did you use so many dirty words when writing this? A: I do not feel that it is possible to write honestly about parenting without using a lot of obscenities.” See? Funny stuff. Lest you conclude that Vogel is a lousy father – and this would be a fair assumption after reading some of his passages – it’s clear that he isn’t. He’s just another funny, loving dad. Consider this passage about his infant daughter: “I don’t have what my wife refers to as ‘foo foo’ feelings. No warm fuzzies. But I strongly suspect, if necessary, I’d get hit by a car for her.” I have no doubt that my dad feels the same way. My father is almost 90 years old now. And he’s still making us laugh. But, more importantly, he still makes us feel loved. By Marie Sherlock, editor of Metro Parent, in loving memory of Gerald Sherlock (1915-2008)

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In Praise of Funny Fathers

Earth Watch

Valuing nature, but doing what with the numbers?

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Earth Watch

Opal Creek – Family Workshops

Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center is a beautiful nature preserve about 2 hours from Portland. The Center hosts a plethora of educational programs for families.

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Opal Creek – Family Workshops