Innholdsfortegnelse for Winter 2022 i MASK The Magazine

MASK (Mothers Awareness on School-age Kids) is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization created in 2007 by a group of dedicated mothers who recognized the need to consistently educate families on rapidly-changing issues. The MASK mission is to engage and educate parents, children and the community about the issues facing youth and to empower children to make safe, healthy choices. MASK helps children learn invaluable life skills for how to cope with a number of issues including responding to peer pressure, dealing with trauma and technology-related challenges. In today’s viral and social media world, coping skills are more necessary than ever. MASK equips students to feel confident regulating their emotions, maintaining frustration tolerance and setting healthy boundaries. MASK has served the community for over a decade, with the goal of strengthening parent-child…

Incorporating a family game night into your weekly routine is a great way to clock in some quality time with your kids. Studies have shown that children who regularly engage in fun activities with their family not only have better overall family relationships but also have an easier time maintaining peer relationships and lower rates of depression and anxiety. Start by designating game night as a specific night of the week, one when no one is rushing to and from practice or likely to be working late, lock screens and smartwatches away so that everyone can stay focused on the night’s activities and rotate who calls first dibs on game choice. Not only is game night great for family bonding, but playing games help children learn to follow rules closely,…

Everything is bigger in Texas. The state capital, Austin, is no exception, offering oversized fun and adventure for kids and adults alike. Whether you want to hit up the famous Austin Musical Festival, watch the stunning display of bats painting the sky under the Congress Bridge, or swim in the beautiful Barton Springs Pool, Austin has something for everyone. ★AUSTIN CITY LIMITS The iconic Austin City Limits Music Festival spans two weeks, bringing 100 performers across nine stages in the city’s much-beloved Zilker Metropolitan Park. Though still providing adult entertainment, the festival also caters to kids with the Austin Kiddie Limits event, featuring kid-friendly bands. Kids eight and under enter the festival for free with an adult. Among the family friendly events is Hip House Party, a one-stop hip-hop workshop…

Q: My mom has never really been a fan of me playing video games and constantly complains that it is causing me to become a hermit. I try to explain to her that there are other people I am playing online with, but she doesn’t listen and says it isn’t the same as face-to-face interaction. She doesn’t even try to understand my perspective. I like my online friends, and my friends from school aren’t that into video games, so we never play when we hang out. I don’t know how to explain to my mom that I feel more social online than in person. Can you help? – Sam, 8th Grade, Long Beach, CA A: Although your mom may have a point, face-to-face interaction isn’t the same; she may not…

To help parents and their college-aged children navigate technology use and overuse, we asked Thao Ha, Ph.D., assistant professor in the department of psychology at Arizona State University, to provide some insight and advice on healthy screen time habits. Here’s what he shared. Q What does healthy screen time for a college student look like? We have actually moved away from conceptualizing screen time as healthy or unhealthy. Recent large-scale studies show either minimal or no effects of screen time on young people’s mental health. It is more important that screen time does not interfere with young people’s sleep, for example, using it late at night. Furthermore, we are starting to realize that it is more important to consider what is happening on young people’s phones than screen time. For…

Growing up on the coast, you tend to eat a lot of chowders. Clam chowder is classic, and seafood chowder is always a good choice, but quahog chowder is a chef’s kiss. Quahogs are clams that are local to the cape and islands. Its smaller, more common cousin is called the littleneck, though they are essentially the same thing. You can also use canned chopped clams if quahogs or littlenecks are unavailable. I suggest that you stir in a half dash each of Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce and serve with oyster crackers or saltines. Serves 4 to 6 • ¼ cup unsalted butter• ¼ cup diced yellow onion• ¼ cup diced fennel root• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh garlic• ¼ cup all-purpose flour• 1 cup clam juice• 1 cup broth,…

On Saturday, Oct. 15, MASK (Mothers Awareness on School-age Kids) held its annual MASKer Aide Ball at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess. The focus of this year’s event was celebrating 15 years of engaging, educating, and empowering children and families. Guest arrived at a black and white pallet of decor as Kimberly Cabral, MASK’s CEO & Founder, shared that the decor was chosen to signify that the issues facing families today are more than just black or white. MASK Executive Board Member Andre Wadsworth, executive pastor at Impact Church and former NFL Arizona Cardinal, kicked off the signature fundraiser. Catherine Anaya, the evening’s master of ceremonies, shared how she discovered MASK more than a decade ago. How MASK helped her get through those times, and that the resources MASK provided invaluable…

I wish I had been wrong. Fifteen years ago, I knew that the way we parent was on the verge of changing forever and not for the better. I knew that the technology we were so excited about that we freely allowed into our homes and the hands of our children, would become a silent killer. How I wish I was wrong. With a swipe of a finger, our children have access to endless possibilities, possibilities to learn and grow and connect joyfully, but also possibilities for bullying, addiction, anxiety, and even being preyed upon by predators. Technology isn’t going anywhere, it is a part of every aspect of our lives, but it is our responsibility as parents to prepare our children for the risks and monitor their exposures carefully.…

NICK ALAMSHAW // Contributor Lieutenant Nick Alamshaw is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He has spent 15 years serving the Scottsdale Police Department in various roles, including Patrol, SWAT and the Special Assignments Unit. In March 2021, he was selected to develop and lead Scottsdale’s newly created Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit. He has taught classes on sex trafficking nationwide and serves on the Arizona Human Trafficking Council. He lives in the valley with his wife and two young children. ANGELA AMBROSE // Contributor During her 30-year writing career, Angela Ambrose has written for Fortune 500 companies and the U.S. Public Health Service, as well as a number of magazines, newspapers and websites. A mother of two, Angela enjoys writing about the important issues affecting kids today…

BULLYING: If you notice a child exhibiting bully-like behavior with no repercussions, even if it isn’t directly to your kid, speak up and address the behavior. By speaking up in front of your child, you set a great example of how to stand up to a bully and advocate for others. DRUG: Get to know the parents of your child’s friends and learn about the boundaries they set around drugs and alcohol. If the parents aren’t attentive or know what’s happening under their roof, it’s a sign that their home is a place where bad decisions can be made with little to no consequence. TECH: Use new devices or new social networking accounts as an opportunity to connect with your child about their online media literacy. Whether you share new…

SCENTS AND SENSIBILITY Take your aromatherapy game to a whole new level. This compact, waterless, heatless scent diffuser features plug-and-play portability and the ability to change scents in spaces up to 400 square feet easily. $299.95. aroma360.com BE DAZZLED Proceeds from the sale of this cuff bracelet support the Starfish Project, which aids exploited women and girls. This bracelet equals a week of safe child care for a family in need. $46.99. starfishproject.org COMFY COZY Snuggle up with your favorite cuddle buddy in this luxurious blanket. Carved lines compliment the fluffy feel of this gorgeous, cream-colored, extra plush blanket. $79-$289. softminkyblankets.com OUT OF THIS WORLD Astronomy has never been so delicious. Hit the kitchen with your little star grazer to make gingerbread moons and planets. Don’t forget to decorate with…

Like it or not, video games are part of your kid’s life. And they’re going to stay that way. That’s not necessarily bad; studies, including a recent large one sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, have found that gaming may help with cognition and impulse control. The issue, of course, begins when your kid puts on their headset and disappears into their game for hours on end, neglecting their homework and chores and not listening to a word you say. You have to set boundaries, but the trick is to make them reasonable and enforceable. Here are some tips that can help. Recent studies have found that gaming may help with cognition and impulse control. 1 KEEP IT IN PROPORTION. Despite the usual media fearmongering, not only is the…

Whether it comes in the form of gaming systems, TV, phones, computers, tablets, or the Smartboards they use in the classroom, one thing is for certain; children are exposed to nonstop visual and auditory input from screens. All those hours spent consuming digital media can seriously impact brain development, social-emotional functioning, and our children’s health and well-being. Dr. Shefali Gandhi, a licensed psychologist in Scottsdale, Arizona, notes that adverse health outcomes such as poor sleep quality and decreases in physical activity are documented in the research on technology use. “New information shows that increased media use is associated with a range of impacts on cognitive processes, including changes in attentional control, preferences for immediate rewards, disrupted emotional regulation, and changes in how children modulate their emotional experiences,” says Dr. Gandhi.…

When the pandemic reached its height a couple of years ago, Jesse Brawders remembers having extra computer time with in-person activities being somewhat limited. The avid video gamer turned that into a positive in his first year as an Arizona State University student. Jesse used his new membership in the ASU Esports Association, one of the university’s many student clubs, as a way to make new connections online. “I joined the club’s discord server as soon as I was admitted into ASU so that I could learn more about the club and the teams. Once I started at ASU, being in this organization helped me interact with others when we were basically hanging out in our dorm rooms due to COVID-19,” Jesse said. Now in his third year studying sports…

Herbal teas provide hydration and contain little to no sugar, making them an excellent substitute for water when your little one complains that “water is boring.” Children can start drinking herbal teas as early as age two. CHILD SAFE HERBAL TEAS ✶ Chamomile tea is said to reduce menstrual pain & muscle spasms, improve sleep and lower stress levels. ✶ Ginger tea is often recommended to treat gas, nausea and other stomach pain. ✶ Peppermint tea is known for easing tension headaches, constipation, IBS and motion sickness. TEAS FOR 12+ ✶ Black tea is a natural caffeine alternative. ✶ Oolong tea is known for its anxiety reduction properties. ✶ Green Tea, which lowers blood pressure and bad cholesterol and may reduce the risk of blood clots. If you don’t feel…

Oxycodone-hydrochloride, commonly referred to as Oxycontin or Percocet, is a widely prescribed pain medication that binds to the brain’s opioid receptors, which blocks pain signals from being received. This causes immediate relief and relaxation for the user, both physically and mentally, and the high associated with its use is often described as euphoric. This medication is classified as a Schedule II drug because of how addictive and dangerous it can be when not used as directed. For this reason, Oxycodone can only be prescribed by a doctor and should not be taken otherwise. For many, an addiction to Oxycodone may begin with legitimate use of the drug for medical reasons, but when a doctor stops prescribing the drug for pain management, users may become desperate for pain relief and the…

Parenting a teen driver can be stressful. They’re thinking about all the freedom and fun; you’re thinking about all the dangers. And unfortunately, you’re not wrong. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, motor vehicle crashes are the second leading cause of death for U.S. teenagers. 16–19-year-olds are at the highest risk of being involved in a crash of any age group and are three times more likely than drivers 20 and older to be in a fatal crash. Within this group, 16-year-old (and hence new) drivers are 1.5 times likelier to be in a crash than 18–19-year-olds and 16–19-year-old male drivers are over twice as likely to be involved in a fatal crash than female peers. It’s scary, and the instinct to hide the car keys is…

While people may casually lament that they are “addicted” to social media, scientists are still debating whether pervasive social media use is problematic enough to be formally considered a behavioral addiction. A recent study of Dutch adolescents suggests that compulsive social media use can cause decreased well-being, thereby meeting a key criterion for addiction classification. Researchers led by Regina van den Eijnden and Tom ter Bogt sought to understand the impact of social media on adolescents’ psychological, social and school functioning. They surveyed over 500 adolescents annually for three years about their social media use, life satisfaction and social competence. They also tracked the adolescents’ academic achievement via school grades. Some adolescents in the study exhibited addiction-like social media use, such as regularly neglecting other activities in order to use…

The internet is an integral part of our lives. We use it for everything from sending emails, reading the news, paying bills, shopping and playing games. According to the Pew Research Center, nearly half of Americans ages 18 to 49 are “almost constantly” online. Spending long hours in front of a screen studying is unavoidable in college (Stanford University students reported averaging eight hours a day), but that’s not the problematic part: by one significant study, college students spend almost nine hours a day on their phone, and nearly half are at risk of being addicted. Just like we prepare our children for adult life by teaching them how to drive, do household chores and use the bank, it’s our responsibility as parents to teach them healthy and productive technology…

UNDERSTANDING PROCESSED FOODS When choosing healthy foods for our family, the terminology can sometimes get confusing. Here’s what you need to know: ✪ UNPROCESSED FOODS are whole foods eaten in their natural form and all nutrients remain intact; this includes fresh or frozen fruits or vegetables, meat, nuts and unrefined grains. ✪ PROCESSED FOODS require the addition of other ingredients, like salt, oil or sugar, to be edible or for long-term storage—things like fruit packaged in juice or syrup, canned vegetables or bread. ✪ ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS are those made from a combination of substances extracted from foods, such as fats, starches, added sugars and hydrogenated fats. They often contain additives like stabilizers, chemical flavor additives and artificial sweeteners. These foods are generally made in a factory and include packaged snacks,…