“Life isn’t about finding yourself. It’s about creating yourself.”

        ~ George Bernard Shaw

With the way the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the school year, it may be a challenging time for your budding young actor or actress. They say the show must go on, but that can be pretty difficult to do when the local theatre is locked down. 

As with any support for the performing arts, the best way you can help is to stay informed and stay involved. That means reaching out to your school, and more importantly, to your school’s drama director. If they’re any good at what they do, they’ll want to help. They’ll be able to tell you what you can do to help your child’s thespian career take the next step and they’ll be able to tell you what you can do to support their drama department. 

Different school districts will have different needs. They might ask for a financial contribution, but don’t be surprised if you’re asked to help build some scenery or sew a costume. Many drama departments, especially those in less affluent school districts, need all the help they can get. 

Of course you don’t have to stop there. Raise awareness of your school’s drama department through social media. Reach out to potential sponsors. Hold a fundraiser. If your school’s theatre is closed, get creative by hosting a play in your backyard. The possibilities are endless. It’s an opportunity to make a difference in your community, and a chance to put a little extra drama in your life in a good way.

The coronavirus has created a rough time for sports fans. Baseball and basketball have had to cancel a large part of their seasons. Hockey has fared no better, and even the mighty NFL has had to suspend all of their normal summer activities. It’s not much better at the local level. Some schools are cautiously optimistic that they can soon resume normal activities, while other districts are considering canceling their sports seasons all together. 

How can you help? The first part is staying connected. Check in with your child’s coach or athletic director. Does your child need special equipment? Training? If their coach isn’t available, find ways you can help fill the gap. Educate yourself about what your child needs to compete and try to make sure they have it.

Try to be a mentor. For many kids who are active in sports, their routine has been disrupted. Talk to them about overcoming adversity. A reality of sports is that you don’t always win, and things don’t always go the way you expect. Now may be the perfect time to help your child with the mental aspects of competition. 

If there is a silver lining to be found in a world without sports being played, it’s that the break provides a chance to upgrade sports facilities. Bleachers need to be replaced, fields resurfaced, and athletic equipment needs to be replaced. If you’re serious about helping, why not consider donating to an athletic booster club at your child’s school? It’s the perfect time to get the maximum benefit from it. 

Sure, sports at your child's school have been disrupted, but that won’t last forever. With your support, your child’s team can be back better than ever. 

To say it’s been a school year unlike any other would be a massive understatement. Of course, it’s been challenging for you, but it’s been equally challenging for your kids. To get them back into some semblance of a routine, you may be looking for some of the usual school activities they used to engage in— band, football practice, what have you. 

To get back to normal, you first need to know what’s going on. Information is your best friend. The first and best way is to go online. Check your school’s website for updates so you can get a sense of what’s been canceled, what’s still on schedule and what’s still up in the air. Don’t just stop there, however. Check the websites of other schools in your district. Events may have been moved or rescheduled. 

Your child’s teachers are another great resource. You probably already have a good idea of which teachers handles what activities. You know who the art director is, the head of the school drama department or the football coach. If you can’t find satisfactory information on the school’s website, don’t hesitate to reach out to these teachers. If anyone will know, it’s them. 

The coronavirus pandemic has caused a lot of changes, so don’t just stop with the usual education suspects. Reach out to your county’s parks and rec. department as well. Maybe your school isn’t hosting band camp this year, but instead has ‘farmed’ it out to the county to administer. You won’t know unless you ask. 

Finally, check with other parents. If they don’t know, maybe they can at least point you in the right direction. Even though it may feel like the world has turned upside down, there are plenty of activities going on. You may have to do a little digging to find your new normal, but it’s out there if you look.

The grass is green, the sun is shining, and you want to get outside. After all, you’ve been told for years that sunshine is good for you. You want to eat healthy too, since you’ve been told that’s good for you as well. The great news is that there’s a way to combine both of these passions into one activity. That’s right… gardening! 

If you haven’t done a lot of gardening before, your first thoughts may be that you have a proverbial ‘brown thumb’ and that you don’t have the space. Not to worry. One of the beauties of gardening is that it’s easier than a lot of people think and with a little creative thinking it can be perfectly scaled to the amount of space you have. To help you think about what you’ll need to start your own garden, here is a helpful guide. 

Space is another big consideration. It’s great if you have some space in your backyard that you’re not using, but what if you live in an apartment or condo? Not a problem. Take advantage of a deck or patio or a sunny nook by the window. In some neighborhoods even a rooftop will work nicely. Here are some surprisingly cheap ideas to get you started. 

Some vegetables and fruits are easier to grow than others, of course. You may not win a blue ribbon at the county fair your first time out, but you’ll be outside getting some sunshine and exercise. Looking at it from that perspective, you really can’t lose. 

If you’ve been following the news on the coronavirus, you’re probably aware that many parts of the country are in the process of opening back up. Americans are doing their best to get life back to normal. Unfortunately, it doesn’t mean the new virus has been successfully beaten back. If you’ve decided to dust off your travel plans, then there are still some important guidelines to follow.

The first one is to bring a mask with you. You never know when you might need it. While many establishments are open now, some of them may still require a mask if you want to enter. A mask helps protect you and others.

The next thing you’ll want to have handy is a set of wipes. You don’t need to lug around a big tub of them, but a travel-sized pack that can easily fit into a purse or backpack may prove invaluable. The reasoning is simple. If you sit in a chair or booth or table, you have no idea who was there before you and you can’t always count on the owners of whatever place you’re in to have had the chance to properly sterilize all the surfaces. Better safe than sorry. 

You also need to do some research ahead of time. Check out the places you’d like to visit and see whether they’re operating and if so, what restrictions they might be operating under. Don’t assume that just because restrictions in your area have been lifted that there won’t be limitations in other parts of the country. It’s also a good idea to plan alternatives in case a particular venue isn’t yet open to the public. 

With the country opening back up, you still have the chance to travel and do and see some amazing things this summer if you choose. Just travel smart and travel safe to make your trip the best it can possibly be.

Fruits and vegetables are good for you. Among many other benefits, a diet of fruits and vegetables can lower your blood pressure, reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke, and lower your risk of eye and digestive problems. If that weren’t enough, it can even help prevent some types of cancers and keep your appetite in check by positively affecting your blood sugar. 

One of the great things about summer is that you don’t have to settle for shriveled fruits and vegetables on a shelf in some musty grocery store. No, save that for winter. Summer is a great time to take advantage of farmer’s markets, roadside stands and pick-your-own gardens and orchards. Why settle for produce that may have been transported halfway around the world when you can enjoy fresh quality right in your own neighborhood? 

You may have to do some digging to find the best markets and the best deals, especially if you live in the city, but that’s okay. It provides a great reason to get out and about. Explore your neighborhood and see what it has to offer. Take a road trip and get out to the country. You have strawberries and blackberries in May and June, cherries in July and apples in September. If that weren’t enough, you’re helping out local farmers and orchardists, rather than some nameless agribusiness you’ve barely heard of. 

Like anything else, shopping at farmer’s markets takes a little getting used to. Here are some handy tips to make the most of your trip to the market. These markets are a great way to add some quality fresh produce to your diet and maybe see the sights along the way. They’re a great addition to your summer.