GR Kids (will eventually) Go Back to School

For kids, winter break can be a glorious time, just as much as going back to school can be a dreadful time. Michigan children are getting a little reprieve this week because of our extreme weather, but soon enough they are looking at open schools and months of more work and less play. Most adults remember praying hard for snow days and how disappointing it was when the weather just missed us. Back to the grindstone.

For parents, this transition can be trying as well. Kids who were up at the break of dawn on Christmas morning suddenly can't be pried out of bed. And getting them to do homework again is another stressor. Here are few easy tips to help make the switch from break to school that much smoother. 

Get back into your school routine again. For most children, break means staying up later and watching more TV or playing more computer than usual. It is important to reestablish the school routine when transitioning out of winter break. Make sure your kids go to bed at a normal bedtime so they will have enough energy for school. If you didn't start this routine this past weekend, you've got today and tomorrow to get them settled into normalcy.

Cut back on the sweets. Children get all kinds of sweets and treats for Christmas and New Year's. Every event is another opportunity to inhale sugar and carbs. Before school starts, set firm limits again on snacking and sweets and reintroduce proteins and vegetables into their diet. They will sleep better and have more energy without as much hyperactivity. Have them try cooking with you or taking a cooking class for kids. Kids who work to make their food are more open to trying what they've created.

Make sure your kids are getting some exercise. In those harsh, winter months when break ends and school begins again, staying locked up in the house for days leaves children feeling restless. On a snowy afternoon, after the snowplow has cleared your driveway, take your kids out sledding or ice-skating. Do an activity that will tire them out after a few hours so that going to bed a little earlier is a lot easier. Limiting media is doctor advised, and exercise leads to happier days for you and them.

For most kids, the transition from fun to academics is hard. Do your best to make learning fun for them. Update their school supplies and have them decorate new school folders. Get them excited about learning again by taking a day trip to the public library or to the Grand Rapids Public Museum (there's a great dinosaur exhibit right now!). Sit down as a family for some homework time every day; doing it together will help them and keep you involved in their education and aware of what is going on at school.

When making the transition from break to school, remember: consistency, consistency, consistency. Kids will struggle against the boundaries that you draw for them, but they will also thrive when they fully understand and can meet expectations. It can be trying initially, but with a little coaxing, your kids will get right back into the swing of things.

Grand Rapids Original Swing Society Changing Venue Due to Street Violence

The Swing Dances at Rosa Parks Circle have gotten to be very popular this summer, drawing thousands, mostly young people, downtown to join in the fun.  Unfortunately, along with the kids interested in dancing, there are other people coming who enjoy causing trouble and making things difficult for everyone.

Here are people enjoying swing dancing in Grand Rapids on a less chaotic occasion:

Cool, huh?  A great way to enjoy the American cultural tradition of Swing and an opportunity to get aerobic exercise, something we could all use more of.  Hats off to Steve Zaagman, the founder and organizer of Grand Rapids Original Swing Society.

However, on August 13th, the crowd grew to about 1,000 people and most of them had not come to dance. According to the WZZM comments:

• "fringe crowds were looking for trouble and dangerous." 
• "One of the boys involved in a one sided altercation was jumped by 10-20 gang members. He had no gang affiliation but apparently offended one of the gang members by telling him to watch out because he walked into him on a sidewalk prior to the incident." 
• "My friends child was crushed in the stampede (she is fine)...someone stabbed a police officer is what she was told."

Grand Rapids police arrested at least ten people in connection with the violence, but it's unclear from media accounts who exactly is causing the trouble.  It's not the dancers.  Prior to this year, there hasn't been trouble at these events, but small fights have broken out at previous dances this summer, and Zaagman hired security to handle them.  The Grand Rapids Police Department also assigned special response forces to the events.

Last night The Grand Rapids Original Swing Society held their event indoors at the Masonic Center on Fulton to avoid similar problems which relieved a lot of people who had been worried Swing might disappear.  It looks like for now, dances will be held at other indoor venues, but Zaagman says he is looking to bring them back for two nights during ArtPrize.  It's disappointing these events will be held indoors because part of their appeal is being downtown and outside during the seasons of Michigan that are pleasant.  These outdoor events also provide an introduction to Swing to people who are unaware of the pastime or the organization.  

It's also distressing to think that Grand Rapids may be experiencing the national trend of wildings, black-on-white violence, flash mobs, and other group behavior.  "Youth" or "young people" are not very descriptive terms, news media, and while I understand that you do not want (nor do I) to further inflame racial tension, already high after the Trayvon Martin case, if we don't clearly identify the problem, we cannot try to solve it.  So who were the people at Rosa Parks Circle causing the problem?  And how can we make sure they know they cannot do this?  Because moving law abiding, fun having people indoors is not the answer.  People all over the city want to use the beautiful public and green space we have for group gatherings, parties, reunions, and weddings in Grand Rapids without being molested or bullied by thugs, white, black or green.  Let's solve the problem here, not sweep it under the rug or look the other way.  This is a great city on the upswing.  How about we keep it that way?