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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 14, 2019)
Wednesday, August 14, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Health & Fitness 23 KIDS: Parents should be purposeful with down time Continued from page 1 PHOTO PROVIDED Kids leap into performing at Sisters Dance Academy. GET ACTIVE: Sisters serves up many options Continued from page 22 fishing event in September. Throughout the summer, kids and adults alike can learn fly fishing basics in sessions at Black Butte Ranch (www. blackbutteranch.com). Outlaw Martial Arts Offering Brazilian jiu jitsu, and taekwondo instruc- tion, Outlaw Martial Arts offers classes and after-school pick-up programs. The stu- dio is beloved of many local families and kids. See www. outlawmartialarts.com. Also look out for a new jiu jitsu class offered in collaboration with SPRD. Rocks & Caves Some people are more likely to move around and get outdoors if they have some- thing to look for. Encourage a hobby like rockhounding by giving a sedentary child a few beautiful stones and an inter- esting book on the subject. Shop for gems or excavate crystals at Nature9s Bling, 183 E. Hood Ave. Then branch out into exploring streambeds near town. Find Skylight Cave out on McAllister Road near Sisters and Black Butte Ranch. Learn about lava along Highway 242: start at the interpretive center at East Portal, then drive out to the stark volcanic landscape of Dee Wright Observatory. For a day trip, check out Richardson9s Rock Ranch near Madras. Kid Made Camp Kids cook and make crafts outdoors, then walk around town learning about entrepre- neurship from professionals. They build market booths and run through splash pad foun- tains. Time spent painting, crafting, and handling money is balanced by unstructured outdoor playtime. Details are online at www.kidmadecamp. com. Sports & More at SPRD Gymnastics, volleyball, and cooking class registra- tions kick off in September. Register for fall season soc- cer, flag & tackle football by mid-August to get the best registration rates; practices begin shortly thereafter. Kids in grades 3 through 5 can take part in youth volleyball using special, age-appropriate vol- leyballs starting mid-October (register by September 27 for best rates). Information and registration available soon at www.sistersrecreation. com, in person at 1750 W. McKinney Butte Rd. or by calling 541-549-2091. Swimming & Strength The indoor pool at Sisters Athletic Club hops year- round with open swim times and swimming les- sons. Many local teens take other classes here, too, or do strength training. See www. sistersathleticclub.com. Got more ideas for active kids? The Nugget wants to hear about it. Email tiffany@plazm.com with your suggestions. YOUR LOCAL WINDOW COVERINGS EXPERT Locally owned and operated. Over 30 years experience. CCB#197715 FREE in-home consultation! 541-788-8444 BudgetBlinds.com in the west end of town near the middle and high schools. Morioka said that kids <desire at their core to belong and be in relationship. As parents, we just have to foster the right atmosphere in which to do so.= Residents take care to put fun playthings like pools, sprinklers, and toys in their front yards. <As other kids walk or drive by they are enticed to come play,= she said. <Our kids, now that they have had a taste of real, 8old-school9 community, want to take everything outdoors to share with the neighborhood.= Simply playing together can keep kids active. Morioka said kids of all ages ride bikes and scooters around. They run around and social- ize. They even built a <mini town= in the roundabout in front of her family9s home. Lonnie Liddell has been the owner and director of Sisters Dance Academy for over 10 years. She told The Nugget, <Overall, what I9ve seen is kids need to find something that they really love, that9s really motivating for them to do, as opposed to something that their parents are forcing them to do.= Liddell recommended, <Have the kids try lots of dif- ferent things. Have them try a sport, have them try music lessons. Help them have lots Whatever Y r … Dream Des na о of experiences so they can find what they truly love.= She has seen kids become passionate about dance. <It changes them,= she said. <They feel like, 8I love this!9 They want to be at dance class, they are excited to come. They learn to get ready, they9re constantly asking, 8When is my next class?9= Sometimes, of course, kids will say they9re not up for their scheduled activity. They9ll say they are tired or don9t feel like going to class or sports practice. Parents can teach kids how to commit and develop discipline. That can help them in many areas of life, including work, school, and relationships. Following through on a commitment <helps them develop discipline in them- selves,= said Liddell. Parents should strive to be <super consistent= about attending class and practice so that kids grow up learning the benefits of dedication. She said kids can learn, <I9m committed to some- thing, so I9m going to show up and give it my best, whether it9s in soccer or hip- hop or swimming. I can be dedicated, following through on the days I want to go and the days I don9t want to go.= Liddell noted that some kids seem over-programmed 4 like they are doing too much in terms of planned activities. <Downtime is also really valuable for kids,= she noted. <Just having a good balance.= H o w e v e r, d o w n t i m e shouldn9t be confused with Pack Y r Ba ! I ’ll plan y r ip a life me! screen time, when kids and teens can get absorbed by phones, televisions, and tab- lets. Drawing, reading, play- ing with Legos, or watching clouds scud by would be bet- ter for their emotional state and brain development. Too much screen time can contribute to problems such as depression, anxiety, lack of empathy for others, and addictive behaviors. Liddell said increased screen time has changed the academy9s students and her own kids, who range in age from sec- ond grade to a recent high school graduate. <I9ve been observing the effects of technology at every season of their development,= she said. <The ramification is that we are seeing a lack of focus, especially among our 9- to 11-year-old students. <A lot of those kids have access to screens, phones, and devices. Maturity-wise they9re not able to handle what it9s doing to their brains,= she said. <These kids are not able to just focus on what we9re doing for a full hour of class.= Kids with unlimited access to screens develop the expec- tation that they will be over- stimulated and entertained at all times. <Parents have to be pur- poseful about downtime,= Liddell said. <They have to say, 8No, no screen time.9= Morioka said that her own kids have stopped asking to stay inside and watch TV or use their tablets. <It9s now a rare occur- rence, after fostering outdoor community,= she said. …Or Preferred Method Travel RECENTLY PLANNED CUSTOMIZED ITINERARIES: • Alaska and Baja Small Ship Cruising • African Safaris • Galapagos Islands • Hiking In Scotland & the Dolomites (Italian Alps) 30 Years Worldwide Travel Experience Luxury, Adventure & Cruise Specialist Concierge-Level Services, Pocket Travel Apps. SUSAN WAYMIRE CTC, TRAVELSTORE 541-719-8997 | Susan.W@travelstore.com
