Month: January 2021

Gretchen’s Grabs: Smoke & fire peanut butter, Bob Ross, digital game table and more

 I love finding and trying new things. No matter if it is an awesome podcast, product or show. I make lists upon lists – what book should I read next? What is my next Neflix binge? Are there enough shows on Apple+ that I want to watch to justify the purchase? Do you have an awesome go-to recipe that you just can’t wait to share? I also love to share my finds with you. And to be honest I find it a little flattering that you would try something I suggest – or rather, you suggest just the right thing for me. What is on your awesome finds list this year? Fix & Fogg Peanut Butters. Nothing quite satisfies like a peanut butter and jelly. But WOAH did you know that you can totally kick up that sandwich (and make it healthy to boot)? Fix and Fogg sent me several peanut butters to try...

Top Ten Family-friendly Activities in Golden in February

There are so many fun ways to get out and about in Golden in February. Only 20 minutes from downtown Denver, Golden feels a world away with its small-town charm, hiking trails and creekside paths. February offers lots of opportunities for family fun in Golden, including: Hunt for a Golden Glass Orb – Throughout February, a one-of-a-kind glass orb will be hidden daily somewhere in Golden by Foothills Art Center. On weekdays, one glass orb will be hidden and on Saturdays and Sundays, there will be two orbs hidden. “Finders are keepers” of these beautiful orbs handcrafted by Colorado artists. More info on the Golden Glass Orb Hunt here: Visitgolden.com. Take Your Golden to Golden – February 3rd is International Golden Retriever Day and while there is not an official Goldens in Golden gat...

How this student is raising awareness about mental health during the pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic didn’t stop the clock when it sent us home, especially not for teens. Young Coloradans are missing dances, internships and so much more.  Before the pandemic, 16-year-old Jak Rogoff regularly led homeroom activities at his high school in Lakewood. As a peer leader for the suicide prevention program, Sources of Strength, he guided activities to raise awareness about mental health resources and help students’ strengthen their support networks. He continues to lead activities in virtual classrooms, but “it’s a lot harder.” “There’s people who have their cameras off, and they don’t want to listen, so they just zone you out,” he explained. Still, Rogoff’s motivation for being a peer leader is the same whether he’s in-person or online. “...

Manage Toddler Meltdowns with These 6 Steps

Especially for toddlers, emotional meltdowns are inevitable. So, rather than trying to prevent them, it’s best to focus on some practical ways to manage tantrums, as they can be helpful to children learning to express their feelings and how to handle big emotions. Here are six tips for managing toddler meltdowns. Understand the Why Behind the Meltdown Processing the reason behind your child’s tantrum is key to managing your way through it with him or her. As a child’s social and emotional skills are in the early stages of development at this age, he or she won’t often know the words needed to express such big emotions. Whether they are merely hungry, tired, upset because they are not being rewarded with something they desire, or even unsure of the current environment, they are ultimately j...

Deals: Cheap Travel, Burger Deals & More

I dream about planning my next trip nearly every day. I’m also on a quest to see every state (my rule is to sleep or eat in a sit-down non-chain restaurant). But honestly, I love Colorado best. That is part of the reason I love National Plan for Vacation Day on Tuesday, January 26.  National Plan Your Vacation Day Colorado Deals. The Colorado Tourism Office and Colorado Hotel and Lodging Association have some Awesome summertime deals if your planning takes you to all parts of the state. $200 Resort Credit at Garden of the Gods Resort; Mountain Bike Like a Girl Experience at The Gant in Aspen (20% off lodging, biking and special offers of female entrepreneurs in the area); 30% off Beave Run Resort; 20% off a two-night stay + $50 resort credit at Park Hyatt Beaver Creek – which is ...

Why re-opening schools and childcare facilities should be a priority

A new study from Germany offers yet more data to show that childcare facilities and elementary schools should remain open or re-open to full-time, in-person learning as quickly as possible, according to an accompanying editorial by Children’s Hospital Colorado Infectious Disease Specialist Sean T. O’Leary, MD, MPH. The study findings and editorial were published in the Jan. 22 edition of JAMA Pediatrics, a highly respected publication from the American Medical Association focused on child and adolescent health.  In the article, Dr. O’Leary notes that COVID-19 is “a milder disease in children compared with adults, particularly older adults.” Additionally, researchers in Germany found that children aged 1 to 10 years were less likely to both acquire and spread COVID-...

Free National Parks for Fourth AND Fifth Graders in 2021

The pandemic wreaked havoc on so much for one good thing to come out of is that last year’s fourth-graders may have been unable to make full use of their Every Kid Outdoors Annual Fourth Grade Pass. Translation: 4th- and 5th-grade students can have free access to our National Parks now through August 31, 2021. In case you need a refresher, Every Kid Outdoors is an initiative that allows fourth graders and their families to have free admission to National Parks, national forests, national wildlife refuges and waters for a full year in the 2020-2021 school year. Signing up for a pass is as easy as 1, 2, 3. Go to the kid-friendly website Every Kid Outdoors and follow the instructions. For fifth-graders go to Access for 5th Graders Print an Every Kid Outdoors paper voucher. Vou...

How refugee women are helping with Colorado’s shortage of early childhood educators

When Khan Mwezi landed in Colorado eight years ago from a refugee camp in Uganda, she arrived with a high-risk pregnancy. Her daughter, Martinode Hill Gift, was born prematurely and stayed in the neonatal intensive care unit for four months. During that time, Mwezi spent a lot of time with infants. As her husband scraped together a living for them, Mwezi attended to all her daughter’s special needs. “Life was very, very difficult,” said Mwezi, who had no family support because most of her family was killed in wars and ethnic strife in the Congo. Little did Mwezi know that seven years later she’d be back caring for infants, and filling a critical workforce need in Colorado. She’d landed a part-time job at an early child care center. The state’s early childhood worker shortage is m...

When the unexpected happens: How 2-1-1 can help

New to my role and the community I was working in, I was unfamiliar with what nonprofits and services were available for my clients where we lived. I was my clients’ first line of defense in what often felt like a very steep climb to stability.   I needed a place I could turn to give my clients the resources they needed. The 2-1-1 Help Center was that place.   When my clients’ minimum wage jobs couldn’t fill their pantries, or their kids’ bellies, I called 2-1-1 to help find a food pantry that was open when they got off work. When my clients’ past traumas were affecting their daily lives, and one setback felt like an insurmountable mountain, I called 2-1-1 to see what free or low-cost counseling services were available. When my clients finally landed that new job, but c...

Denver Free Days for 2021

I’m so excited to say that Free Days are back at several of our great museums thanks to SCFD funding and corporate sponsorships. This year, due to Covid, you will need to get a ticket or sign up before you go – but still, it is FREE! Looking for updated information? Don’t miss our Guide to Denver Free Days for 2022! Be sure to also keep exploring with the Essential Denver: Discovery and Exploration Guide (many attractions are free!) Children’s Museum There are no free days scheduled at this time but, families who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can visit the Museum any time throughout the year and pay just $1 per person (up to 10 family members) when they show their EBT card. Admission cannot be paid with the card. Clyfford Still Art Muse...

Add Your Summer Camp Listing to our Summer Camp Guide 2021

Thank you for being a part of Mile High Mamas summer camp guide! What sets us apart is we not only offer an easily-searchable directory but we also offer blog post features for your summer camp. Please see last year’s Summer Camp Directory Landing Page for reference; we plan to launch the updated guide in February.  There are three different options:    1) Premium summer camp listing. $150. Top placement in directory with all contact and social media fields. Client-provided blog post for the website. Social media support. (Limited number of premium summer camp listings available; valid 1 year).  2). Featured listing: $25. Placement below Premium listi...

How to become a “yes” parent to your kids

Dear Mama Drama: I have noticed recently that anytime my husband or I say “No” to our three-year-old daughter, a huge meltdown ensues. Even if we are saying, “No, not right now, but later,” she still throws a tantrum. We find ourselves in power struggles or giving in and are at a loss for what to do. How can we help her handle not getting her way right away with a little more grace?