Save the Date
Mon, Apr 16 The Music Man at Hale Centre Theatre, Sandy
Fri, Apr 20 The Parent Trap at Utah Children's Theatre
Sat, Apr 21 MOMMY AND ME FAIRY TEA PARTY AT GARDNER VILLAGE at Gardner Village
Fri, Apr 27 SVLA ShakeFest 2018 at Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts
Last Thursday, I got pizza for lunch for the too-manyth time at my favorite take-out place. They slide it into a single-serving box, and you sprinkle on the toppings you want from the array of jars on the counter. Unfortunately, this part didn't work out so well for me last week: I had unwittingly opened the wrong flap on the jar, so it dumped about half a cup of hot pepper flakes over my slice.
"Er... Could I scrape this off?" I asked. "I'm sure it will be fine." "No way," came the prompt reply. My pizza guy grabbed the box and in one graceful movement tossed it in the trash, spun around, speared another artichoke slice for me, and slid it into the oven to warm up. "Thanks," I said, a little awkwardly. "My pleasure," he replied.
And it actually was his pleasure, I reflected as I left with my new lunch. He had stood in my gap, solved my problem with no fuss, and let me get on with my day without feeling I'd been a burden. Plus, his generosity had bought him priceless good will and plenty of future visits from me.
Sometimes, we parents think that every time our kids make a mistake it needs to become a lesson: They should understand the consequences of their actions, we tell ourselves. So we narrate the problem, with an edge in our voice. "Do you see this mess? Now it's going to take you all afternoon to clean it up, and if you miss going to ice cream with the rest of the family it will be your own fault." But we sometimes forget that when we shift into lecture mode, our kids shift into tune-out mode.
Sure, my kids need to learn to take responsibility for their mistakes, but there are many more life lessons I want them to absorb. Prime among these is the kind of classy generosity that my pizza guy showed me. How's this for a rephrasing of the above problem? "Yikes, I see you've made a mess. Let me know if you need a hand so you don't miss coming out to ice cream with the rest of us."
The next time you're tempted to play the blame game to teach your kids a lesson, remember my pizza guy and see if there's a more palatable strategy that will have your kids both taking responsibility for their mistake and feeling like someone has their back. Be the pizza guy. Because, really... who doesn't want to be the pizza guy?
—Debra Ross, Publisher
Summer Camp Registration for The Leonardo is now open!
Summer Camp Registration for The Leonardo is now open! The Leonardo’s summer camps encourage your child to explore their curiosity, creativity and desire to create. Summer camp spots fill up quickly, so don’t wait! Schedule and registration links here - http://www.theleonardo.org/summercamps/
CSAs - Community-Supported Agriculture in & around Salt Lake City
Have you signed up for a CSA this year? Farm-to-table fresh weekly produce is a wonderful option for families. Community-Supported Agriculture helps kids connect with the food that they eat (or haven't tried yet), and it helps families connect with and support their local food producers and the wider community.
Families purchase shares (or half-shares, or bimonthly shares) of produce that is either picked up or delivered to them, fresh from the farm, each week during the growing season. Some farms encourage pick-your-own and in some you get to help out on the farm. What a great field-to-table lesson for the whole family!
There are lots of wonderful CSAs in and around Salt Lake City... see our master list!
Click here for more information.
WOODLAND FAIRY FESTIVAL AT GARDNER VILLAGE
The fairies have landed at Gardner Village! See if you and your kiddos can spot our enchanted residents. With tiny houses and bitty scenes in our court area and around every turn, you’ll make big memories that will last long after the fairies have left.
Click here for more information.
Little Adventures Spring Outlet Sale
Bring your kids and enjoy shopping for Little Adventures dress ups which are Washable, Non Itchy, Glitter Free and totally amazing! Twice a year the public has an opportunity to purchase at wholesale prices and this year the inventor is better than ever! Stock up for Birthdays, Christmas, Friend Parties or just to spoil your nieces, nephew, grandkids or honestly to spoil yourself because sometimes watching a kid smile is amazingly fun.
Click here for more information.
2018 Salt Lake City Mini Maker Faire
The Salt Lake City Mini Maker Faire brings together science, art, technology, robotics, craft, tinkering, design, building, DIY solutions and lots of other making activities into one fun-filled event for people of all ages. The family-friendly festival takes place on April 14, 2018, at the Utah State Fairpark from noon-6 pm.
Click here for more information.
A Week-by-Week Guide to Summer Camps for the greater SLC area
Looking for a summer camp for your child in the SLC area? Look no further! Dozens of summer camps post: day camps, sports, drama, music, theatre, arts & crafts, technology, preschool, & more! They are presented week by week through summer 2018.
Click here for more information.
