The Kidoinfo family has certainly grown over the last year and there are now over twelve regular contributing writers. Our computers, Wi-Fi, and email allow us all to work virtually anywhere and anytime—especially helpful if juggling multiple jobs, childcare or sick kids. The downside is since we don’t need to see each other to get our articles written and posted on the Kido blog, we often don’t see each other. I am a big believer in face time and connecting offline—and although I love my computer and use it quite a bit—I decided it was time to meetup in person with the other Kidoinfo writers.

We met at Jake’s in the jewelry district, conveniently located for people driving from all parts of the state and a groovy place to have food and drink inside with a great jukebox or outside on the patio. They have free Wi-Fi as well in case you need it. What a blast. People met for the first time, found out more about each other, decided on ways we can all stay in touch, shared ideas about future stories and more.

Kidoinfo writer meetup (pictured above L to R, except for Martha Iachetta (thinking mom) who had not arrived yet): Jill Davidson (education), Maura Keating (product reviews), Michelle Riggen-Ransom (nature/nurture), Anisa Raoof (publisher), Erin Goodman (it’s a date), Nancy King (editor), Marianne Ruggiero (risd artplay), Katy Killilea (grocery news, food, general), Jaci Arnone (general)

Snacks and dollars for the jukebox—since it was so nice outside we decided to save our dollars for the next Kidoinfo meetup.

Other Kidoinfo contributors who were not able to attend: Mark Binder (story of the month), Megan Fischer (providence children’s museum), Adam Darowski (general), Geoff Griffin (general), Hope Foley (audubon society), Katie Mulligan (nutrition), Christina Mitchell (pediatrician), Melissa Brusso (sports mom), Jen Morin and Kirsten DiChiappari (wellness).

By Kim Clark
LuckyBird Studio (one of the Rhody Girls)

The Providence Open Market, little sister of the Boston and Mashpee Open Markets, is about to begin its second year in downtown Providence. This year several exciting changes have been made in the hopes that the market will be even more successful and become a permanent downtown fixture.

This being the Ocean State, we tend to clear out for the hotter months; therefore, this year the market has been divided into two seasons. Spring season will run for all of June, followed by a break during July and August, and the market will rev up again in the fall for September and October. This year’s market will take place right smack on Westminster Street—which will be closed to traffic—and in the lot next to Tazza Café. Yet another change is that the new on-site managers for the market will be the Providence-based Rhody Girls Art Club.

The Rhody Girls Art Club is an eclectic group of artists and crafters who banded together in 2008 to support one another as they grow their independent businesses. They share information, resources, bright ideas, motivation, bad humor, coffee, and cupcakes. They jumped at the opportunity to manage the Open Market because they think it’s a fine and fabulous thing, and as local artists, they have a vested interest in making it a success.

The Rhody Girls view themselves as market hostesses rather than managers. They want to ensure that everything runs smoothly and that the market is a most excellent experience for shoppers and vendors alike. Down the road, the group sees itself running local shows to benefit local causes and local artists, as well as growing the Rhody Girls’ individual businesses.

So come on out to beautiful, revitalized downtown Providence. Stroll, mingle, have a frozen lemonade, see the fine work of local artisans, stock up on farm-fresh produce, and take a minute to say hi to the Rhody Girls (LuckyBird StudioKiddo Mio, Fruitcake Designs, Ursula & Olive, Blacksheep Designs, Dollface Designs, and Colorshoppe Glass Studio).

Details:
Providence Open Market – Westminster Street, between Eddy and Clemence Street, Downtown Providence
Spring Market: Open every Saturday in June, 12pm to 6pm.
Fall Market: Open every Saturday from September 6 through October 25, 12pm to 5pm.

ATM located nearby at the Providence Postal Federal Credit Union, a few blocks from the Market at 380 Westminster Street, and at the 7-Eleven (two blocks away on Weybosset Street).

Food: Downtown Providence is home to several cafes, restaurants, sandwich shops, and pizzerias. Check out Tazza on Westminster, Taqueria Pacifica on Empire Street, and Cilantro on Weybosset Street.

By Erin Goodman

Our annual, treasured Potluck Picnic in the Park actually began out of sheer desperation two years ago when, a few weeks after our son was born, our daughter was turning two.

Up until a week before her birthday, I planned to host a party for our friends and family at our house, as I had done for her first birthday. And then sleep-deprivation and postpartum hormones kicked into high gear, and through my sobs I began trying to figure out how the heck to get out of the insanity that I had created for myself.

Remembering the wonderful collective first-birthday celebration my friends (aka the “Yoga Mamas”) held at Goddard Memorial Park the year before, I made a quick phone call to secure adjoining picnic sites for our celebration.

The party, which also celebrated Father’s Day, was so much fun that everyone, especially older relatives with fond memories of childhood picnics at Goddard and Pulaski parks, immediately started talking about making it an annual tradition.

Then this year, in the hopes of creating a more relaxing Father’s Day for my husband, who spent the last two schlepping gear to the park, moving picnic tables, and flipping burgers, we decided to celebrate the kids’ birthdays (quietly) on their actual birthdays, move the picnic to Memorial Day weekend, expand the invite list, and make it an (unofficial) start of summer party. And that’s just what we did!
And since all our guests brought the food, we got to focus on the really fun stuff!

I picked up burlap coffee bean bags ($1 a piece at Building 19) for sack races, a giant parachute ($24.95 at Target), hula hoops, balloons for animal-making (which, somewhere along the way, my husband has become quite proficient at), Frisbees, a wiffle ball and bat, a couple of Nerf balls, and plenty of jars of bubbles (all purchased at iParty).

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Rhode Island is home to a number of great shops geared towards moms-to-be, new moms, and moms with young children. Most of them have opened within the last few years by moms who had grown tired of the bland Babies-R-Us choices and the non-customer-service typical of the Big Box stores. These independently owned and operated stores have spaces that reflect a unique style and community while addressing the needs of new parents across the board – everything from stylish maternity clothes, nursery decor, lead-free toys made in America, children’s clothes void of Disney motifs, personalized customer service, classes, and a place to meet other new moms.

ModMama
16 South Angell Street, Providence, RI 02906
(401) 741-9646
Nearby Bonus: Conveniently located in Providence’s Wayland Square near Books on the Square and The Edge coffee shop and two blocks from the Baby Park (corner of Humboldt & Elton).

ModMama is a modern, urban shop for kids and their parents. Rachel, the owner, is a mom of Enzo and Milo, ages 4 and 2, who are lucky to test many of the items for sale at the shop for fun and durability! ModMama was awarded Best Kid’s Clothing Store in 2007 form the editors of Rhode Island Monthly because of their hip clothes collection from newborn through 6 years old. Signature lines include Zutano, Appaman, and Daily Tea. Although the store is small, Rachel packs in a lot. Find strollers, baby carriers, slings, and diaper bags from brands such as Stokke Xplory, Quinny Buzz, and Phil and Ted’s. Shoes and accessories from See Kai Run, Pediped, MP tights, and a selection of wooden and soft toys from eco-friendly companies. Items for the nursery include cribs, rockers, high chairs, changing tables, mobiles, pillows, and lamps — everything to satisfy your modern design sensibility (right up my alley). Rachel recently designed an exclusive line of cool graphic tees, layette sets, and dresses under the Rocket 10 label. And if you can’t find it in the store –many items may be special-ordered or found online at modmama.com.

The ModMama store is more than just a place to shop; it is also a place to connect with other moms. There are floor model toys for kids to play with, space for moms to nurse or change a diaper, and the store hosts a New Mom’s group, an 8-week Pregnancy support class, regular Mom’s night out, tea parties for little ones, and other special events.

Rachel was born in NYC and she definitely brings a bit of her Manhattan vibe to the shop. She believes in great service for her customers - sling fittings, baby registry, nursery design and consultation, at-home delivery, free assembly, easy returns, and gift-wrapping—just a few of the many reasons that make ModMama special.

Madre Bella
1 Waseca Avenue (corner of Rt. 114), Barrington, RI
(401) 247-0122
Nearby Bonus: Madre Bella has plenty of parking out front and is conveniently located diagonally across from Bagels Express and a short walk form the Barrington Public Library and the new fabulous Kids’ Kove Playground (behind the library and Town Hall).

This stylish store, opened in the fall of 2005, was designed and created by Barrington mom Becky Freitas, the mother of Hunter (almost 2). Awarded the 2007 Best of Rhode Island Award for Maternity Clothes because of lines like Citizens for Humanity, Michael Stars T’s, and Habitual, which will make any mom look good and feel hip while baby is on board. Becky stocks the popular must-have for all pregnant moms—a belly band for $26—that turns all your regular pants into temporary maternity pants (I wish I had this when I was pregnant!). In addition, you can find baby clothes and accessories including Robeez and Pediped shoes, Trumpette socks, nursing bras, and diaper bags by Skip Hop and Petunia.

Becky supports many local businesses including handmade diaper bags and jewelry by Linda Demers of A la Mode; stationery, invitations, birth announcements, and thank-you cards by Barrington mom Roxanne Bryant of J is for Jane; a lovely line of kid’s clothes called Tiny Bubbles, designed by Barrington mom Barbara Guglielmo; Ella Bella clips by Barrington mom Maya Birely; and barretts, clips, and headbands by Amie Cunha of Clippies for Ava. I love starting a child’s art collection at an early age, and The Alphabet Series, limited edition prints by Kira Cortese make a great gift for a new baby. Madre Bella also creates a community for local moms by providing a small play space in the store to entertain young kids while mom shops.

nonchalant mom
(Irregular hours - best to call first)
365D Main Street (A block away and upstairs from their old location), Wakefield, RI 02879
(401) 284-4333
Nearby Bonus: Myopic Books is a fab used bookstore (other location is in Wayland Square, Providence) and the Alternative Food Cooperative has a kids day every other week (call for schedule; 789-2240).

Nonchalant Mom was started in 2004 by Corina Schott (also originally from New York), the mother of Sander, age 6, and Franny, age 2. Nonchalant Mom is another 2007 Best of Rhode Island award winner. Until February, Nonchalant Mom was located down the street, sharing space with Orange Lola. Corina moved into the upstairs location to allow her to better balance her work and family life. She recently launched her own line of children’s clothes, nonchalant kids, with simple lines and bold graphic patterns. Corina’s clean, fresh style is evident in everything she does; from her line of kid’s clothing to the Nonchalant shop in Wakefield, and online at nonchalantmom.com.

Corina created the Nonchalant Mom store online and off for parents who live and thinks differently, as she does. Nonchalant Mom carries things for kids up to age 6 to 8, including modern colorful and unisex clothing for kids that is simple and never fussy. Brands are a smattering of collections from NYC, California, Denmark, Sweden, France, and Japan. She also carries special items for moms from Virginia Johnson, Kragh Rosenberg, Lucky Fish, and jewelry by Margaret Solow. Corina believes in simple well-made toys and carries a small selection of brio and Plan wood toys. She shares her philosophy and suggestions for parenting in a more healthy way through her blog — find healing remedies with food, simple ideas for playing creatively at home, and fun things to make your life at home more enjoyable and colorful.

Peak into Corina’s house and see how she beautifully blends home, family and work in the June/July, 2008 issue of Domino magazine.

Bellani Maternity
1276 Bald Hill Road, Warwick, RI 02886
(401) 234-1279
Nearby Bonus: Located conveniently among all the big-box stores (e.g. Target and HomeGoods) on Rte. 2 in Warwick in case you have other shopping to do. Plenty of parking out front.

This all-inclusive education and support center was founded in 2006 by two Rhode Island moms, Shannon Giorgio (mother of a five- and three-year old) and Kelly LaChance-Guertin (mother of a six- and four-year-old and a newborn). They developed Bellani as a resource for families navigating the unexpected challenges of pregnancy and parenting and craving a place to relax and connect with other moms. Bellani offers a comprehensive curriculum of parenting workshops and classes, along with fun activities for families such as playgroups. Breastfeeding support includes lactation consults on-site, pump rentals (with free delivery), nursing bras, and accessories. The online retail boutique and on-site store features Hotslings, Beco, and Ergo Baby carriers, Petunia Pickle Bottom Diaper Bags, strollers, maternity fashion, furniture like the Svan high chair, quality toys from trusted manufacturers like Haba, Manhattan Toy, and Plan, books, gifts, and more.

The seed for Bellani was planted in a preschool parking lot while Shannon and Kelly waited for their children to finish school. The conversations continued at playgrounds, and in living rooms and coffee shops throughout Rhode Island. A doula and certified childbirth educator, Kelly saw the need for a central location for the state’s great offerings available to expecting and new parents. She and Shannon drew on their backgrounds in education, business, and motherhood to create Bellani as a one-stop pregnancy and parenting resource.

Bambini
251 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02903
(401) 490-6952
Nearby Bonus: Located up the street from the Cable Car Cinema and Café and a few blocks from the RISD Museum.

Bambini prides itself in helping customers design a nursery from soup to nuts. Marie Di Simone, a mom with grown children who bought the business in 2006, will gladly help you design a nursery that will complement your décor and personal taste. She will make house calls (how nice is that?) or you can visit her at the shop to plan the room, pick out the crib, the rocker, bedding, etc. Bambini’s style is a bit more traditional than ModMama and Madre Bella. Marie carries lovely bedding from Bellanotte Linens, Lulla Smith, and Serena & Lilly. Clothing for newborn to toddler includes Room Seven, Petit Bateau, and Kissy Kissy, and one of my favorite local companies, Tiny Bubbles. Toddler shoes from Petit Bet and See Kai Run and toys from Haba and Eboo. This is another shop that excels at delivering personalized customer service and hosts a mom’s night out three times a year.

Support your local mom shops and tell them you’re a Kidoinfo reader…

Today I welcome Erin Barrette Goodman, a writer, yoga teacher, and mother of two young children. She is the founder and director of the Rhode Island Birth Network, which promotes empowered decision-making during the childbearing years. Together with her husband, John, she is in the process of turning their 1.5-acre South County yard into a sustainable suburban homestead, which they’ve affectionately dubbed Nadalada Farm. When she is not writing, networking, or working in the yard, Erin enjoys arranging special dates to have fun with her children, husband, friends, and occasionally alone!

By Erin Barrette Goodman

When I mentioned to my husband, John, that I would be writing a column on dating for Kidoinfo.com, he was, understandably, a little confused.

I am, after all, a thirty-something mother of two young children, and my last official date took place over a decade ago.

When I clarified that I am going to be writing about family-friendly dating – the special things we do as a family and as a couple, with one or both of our kids, and with other families and friends, and equally important, alone – he seemed less confused (and a bit relieved).

My interest in this new world of family-friendly dating started a year and a half ago when my friend Julianna, an artist and healer and a fellow new mom trying to stay sane, invited me to join a small group exploration of The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.

At the core of this twelve-week creative recovery/discovery process are two essential tools – daily journal-writing, or “morning pages,” and weekly “artist dates.”

The rules for the artist dates are pretty simple: Set aside one to two hours a week to do something by yourself and for yourself to nourish and feed your creativity.

Each week at our group check-in meeting, we shared a quick review of our date experiences, which included everything from beachcombing, window shopping, thrift-store treasure-hunting, tub-soaking, garden-planning, and tea-sipping, to yoga classes, dancing, cooking, and movie-watching.

As I went through this powerful process, I noticed that not only did I love my weekly (solo) artist date, but I also liked the idea of creating similarly nourishing, great-feeling “date” experiences with my children and husband.

And so began our exploration of family dating!

What makes a date a date?
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Today I welcome Melissa Brusso, a mom from Pawtucket, as a new contributing writer for Kidoinfo. In her column, Home Plate: Reflections of a Sportsparent, she shares her wit, wisdom, and experience regarding the world of sports with her husband, “SportsDad”, their daughter “Stretch”, age 10 and their son, “LittleMan”, age 7.

As the weather warms and spring is really here (come on, suspend judgement), I can hear Coach Paul Janaway booming in his English-accented voice about the importance of sun lotion and drinking plenty of water, and the very real threat of squirrels helping themselves to your poorly wrapped lunches. I remember the huge, mesh bags of soccer balls waiting on the dewy grass, the requisite Sergio Mendes’s “Mas Que Nada” playing in the car (yes, every morning), and the LittleMan jumping out of the car and racing off before I can manage to park. Yep, it’s almost summer.

And that means camp, particularly the handful of sports camps that my children have enjoyed the past few summers.

For a city of our size, we have a terrific selection of sports camps located in a ten-mile (or so) radius of say, Seven Stars Bakery. Many of these camps are excellent and run by some quality individuals from the education and athletic communities. Whatever your child’s sports interest or ability level, there is a sports camp that would be suitable and age appropriate.

The following is an anecdotal and freely editorialized roundup of some of the sports camps that my two children have experienced first-hand and that we look forward to attending again. It is not a complete listing, but hopefully, it will provide an angle on the camps that a newspaper listing does not. It will become more complete as readers add comments about other excellent sports camps—especially camps outside the Providence area—so please add to the list in the comments section!

• The above-mentioned Coach Janaway of Proactive Soccer can be found at Moses Brown Plus camp all summer—and at Henry Barnard School during the school year. Because he is a physical education teacher as well as an athlete (check out his soccer cred on his site!), Janaway brings to soccer camp an understanding of children and development, as well as a passion for soccer. So even the youngest and most inexperienced campers feel at home with age-appropriate and fun drills that never feel over their heads. And rest assured, more experienced soccer players are also challenged at their level. Everyone is expected to play hard and do his or her best—and everyone does.

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By Martha Iachetta

What’s dinner time like at your house? Fifteen years ago my graduate- level Family Counseling class sat in a circle answering that question– alternately cringing and laughing at the awkwardness, humor, longing, or strife within our descriptions of family dinners growing up. We realized how much information about connections, challenges, and responsibilities within a family can be gained with that one simple probe. A report I recently read on “The Importance of Family Dinners” by Columbia University’s Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) reminded me of that activity when its annual parenting study posed that question (and several others) to families around the country. The findings consistently suggest that regular family dinners are among the most effective parenting tools available for healthy communication and the prevention of adolescent substance abuse. Many parents intuitively strive to create that routine in their homes—easiest to do when children are young—and now there is proof that the effort is worth it.

What is so magical about a family dinner? I can tell you anecdotally that when the parents and siblings of an eleventh grader I work with in Student Assistance learned about their child’s extensive marijuana use, they made some immediate changes at home. When I asked the student whether or not family dinners were a regular occurrence, the answer was “every night.” Conversely, a middle school student who began experimenting with marijuana at eleven years old reports that his mother gave up on getting him and his two older siblings to eat together when he was in sixth grade. His siblings are regular marijuana users and their use took off that year as well.

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Claire Duckmanton, originally from the UK and a former East Side resident, lives in Seekonk, MA, with her husband and three children (ages 2, 8, and 13). Below she shares her experience as a Fresh Air Fund host family and her role as the local chairperson for the Fresh Air Fund.

A few years ago, my family and I moved from the East Side of Providence to Seekonk, MA. The time had come to give our growing family the outdoor space they really needed and wanted. Walking around Thayer Street and stopping for coffee gave my kids less pleasure than it did me! With the move came a sort of mid-life crisis thing. We bought a dog, a rabbit, and even six egg-laying chickens. My husband put his foot down when I talked about a goat. Our new home environment was everything we had hoped for, and it seemed selfish to keep it to ourselves. A friend told me a little about the Fresh Air Fund and I was excited to find out more. After some online research, we decided it was just what we were looking for—an opportunity to give something back.

The Fresh Air Fund has been providing free vacations to inner-city kids from low-income neighborhoods in New York City for over one hundred years. Families are invited to open their home and hearts to a child for two weeks during the summer. Once we decided to become a host family, our wondrous journey began. Our first visitor was Alsheek (in 2005), a nine-year-old boy from Brooklyn. He left New York on a bus with thirty other Fresh Air children, escorted by volunteers, leaving his parents behind at the city bus stop. Can you imagine taking a six-hour bus ride and arriving to meet a family you’ve never even seen before? Some of these children are as young as six years old. Alsheek quickly settled in and the fun began. It was wonderful for us to see Alsheek enjoying the simple things we take for granted like riding a bike, swimming, and going to the beach. Of course, it wasn’t all fun and games. The experience can be a challenge as the kids and families adjust to one another—my children struggled with Alsheek wanting to play twenty-four hours a day and waking them go swimming at 6:00 a.m. It took patience and understanding, but the rewards for all of us far outweighed any hiccups. We did not host a child in 2006 because I gave birth to my third child a month before the Fresh Air kids’ visit. Since then we have hosted Kyra, 10, and a young boy named David in 2007. And this year we are excited to welcome Kyra back for another visit. Children who are re-invited by host families may continue with the Fund until they are eighteen years old.

Four years later, and I am now the local chairperson for the Fresh Air Fund. I see my role as ambassador, publicist, and recruiter of families who are ready, willing, and able to make a difference in a child’s life.

If you would like to learn more, please contact me at 508-761-8242 or 401-301-4090.

Details:
Fresh Air Fund website: www.freshair.org
Trip dates this year for local area: July 10 – July 23
Deadline for applications: Early June
Application process: Interested families call Claire on the phone to discuss program details, followed by an interview in the family’s home. Families fill out an application, including four references, and undergo a background check. There are no fees. Children on first-time visits are six to twelve years old. Host families can pick the age and gender of the child they’d like to host.

Photo Credit: Claire Duckmanton. Top L: Kyra with Felix. Top R: Kyra with Georgie and Isabel. Bottom: Alsheek.

Neighborhood: Nayatt-Beach, Barrington

Kidoinfo: How long have you lived in Rhode Island?
PC: Three long, wonderful years.

Kidoinfo: What is your current state of mind?
PC: Swirling (getting ready for a science fair and I’ve not done much yet..ahhhh).

Kidoinfo: Who’s in your family?
PC: Ted — Man of Unbelievable Ethos; Slade the (currently practicing) Benevolent; Archer the Performance Artist (has indelible red scrawl on his face to show his school the look of ’surprise’); Babe the albino dog that looks like a pig, honks like a goose, and acts like a 95-year-old Irish bitty; Sketchy and Hoagie— the feral brother/sister feline duo.

Kidoinfo: What trait do you most admire about your family?
PC: We love to laugh deeply and think potty humor is incredibly funny.

Kidoinfo: What is your favorite thing to do?
PC: With kids — dance like a crazy person. Without kids — surfing. Someday with kids — surf.

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By Maura Keating

If you’re breastfeeding, you may start to wonder why you bother to wear a shirt at all. Most of your day is spent with your shirt pulled up around your armpits. While your partner might appreciate this new fashion trend, visitors might find it awkward. As you and your Miracle venture out into a broader world of friends’ houses, malls, and parks, your decision to bare it all might give you pause. When I entered this phase, I began using scarves, blankets, and large burp cloths as a quick cover up. My son did not approve. He objected to anything touching his face. When he was younger, he wouldn’t nurse. As he got older, he would bat the cloth away—exposing us at precisely the wrong moment. I couldn’t see him to make sure that he was latched correctly and he couldn’t see me, removing some of the magic of the experience.

The Peanut Shell Nursing Cover is the perfect fix for nursing in mixed company. The Nursing Cover is a large piece of cloth, shaped perfectly to cover you from top to bottom and from side to side. The fabric is 100% cotton so it’s breathable and light. A soft jersey pocket is sewn into both sides of the Peanut Shell, perfect for storing for a gentle, quick wipe or for stashing the included matching burp cloth. The burping cloth is great for small drips but is too small to handle larger messes. The nursing cover is machine washable and still looks great after frequent use and repeated washes. In case you needed another reason to leave your scarves at home, the Peanut Shell Nursing Covers are as beautiful as they are practical and come in a wide variety of prints and patterns.

The genius of the nursing cover is a piece of flexible boning at the top. The boning creates a stiff edge at the top that sticks out just enough to create a gap that enables you to see Baby, but doesn’t allow others to see you. The boning’s flexibility allows you to adjust the gap as needed, but is sturdy enough so that it stays put. The boning also lifts the fabric of the cover away from Baby’s face so that the cloth does not cling to Baby like a blanket or other covers might. You feel covered and Baby doesn’t feel smothered—everybody’s happy.

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