As the school year ends, many children fall victim to the 'summer slide', a term used to describe how kids lose some of the information they learned during the school year as they spend summer months away from the classroom.

In order to ensure kids stay engaged in literacy activities during their break away from school, the Children's Reading Foundation of the Mid-Columbia is proud to once again provide children with story time through the McDonald's Summer Reading Program. The program begins in June and features weekly themes. This year, additional sites outside McDonald's Restaurants will also participate so that all children have the ability to attend and engage in reading activities.

The McDonald's Summer Reading Program operates on Tuesdays at the Kennewick McDonald's off of Highway 395, Wednesdays at the Court Street McDonald's in Pasco and Thursdays at the Prosser McDonald's with story time starting at 10 am. The program is supported by our friends at McDonald's, as well as grant from the Three Rivers Community Foundation which provided $5,000 to fund the literacy activity throughout the summer. Come join the fun, children receive a free book for attending!

McDonald Restaurant Weekly themes are:

June 19-Meet Ronald McDonald

June 26-Mid-Columbia Libraries

July 3-America the Beautiful *No Pasco Program

July 10-Law Enforcement

July 17-Oh, What Do You Do in the Summer?

July 24-Our Amazing Earth

August 1-Around the World *No Kennewick or Prosser Program

Additional Summer Reading Program Sites:

Jefferson Park Picnic Area, 1340 George Wa. Way, Richland, WEDNESDAYS 1-2 pm, July 11-August 15

Quail Ridge Apartments, 1026 W. 10th Avenue, Kennewick,THURSDAYS 10-11 am, June 21-July 26

Tepeyac Haven Apartments, 801 N. 22nd Avenue, Pasco, TUESDAYS 10-11 am, June 26-July 31

YMCA Martin Luther King Center, 205 S. Wehe, Pasco, MONDAYS 3-4 pm, June 18-July 9

Collegium Cafe, 3525 East A Street, Pasco, MONDAYS 3-4 pm, July 16-August 6

When I first bring up the idea of whole life insurance for children, many mothers get upset.  No parent wants to imagine outliving their child and it may seem like just another burden on the family budget for something that's very unlikely to happen.

But when I show them the benefits of locking into a low monthly premium now and what that will mean many years into their child's future, most parents are very interested.  I first got interested in these types of policies when an elderly woman came into my training office some years ago to pay a premium of about $8.  What could cost just $8, I wondered.  When I pulled up her account, I saw that her parents had purchased a small whole life policy for her many years before.  How thankful she was for this gift from her loving mom and dad!

What are the advantages of whole life insurance for a child?

1. It locks in a low premium for life.  Typically, a whole life policy costs between $15 and $22 per month - a rate that will not increase, ever.
2. The policy has cash value which can be borrowed against with a low interest rate.  Many adults carry whole life policies that have far greater cash value than the sum of the premiums.
3. There is no medical exam required.  Most policies issue quickly and with very little underwriting.  If you child develops a serious condition or illness after you have purchased the policy for them, the premium is locked in and cannot change.
4. By selecting the "paid up addition" option, the dividends from this policy will buy more life insurance in the future.  For example, my 17 year old son's policy could pay out as much as $85,000 upon death later in life, although I'm only paying for $25,000 in coverage.
5. It is a policy they can keep for their entire life - through job changes, self-employment, periods of unemployment - whatever comes their way, they will always have this policy in force.

There are also options that allow the parent to pay off the entire policy in 10, 15, or 20 years or even in one single payment.  I should also mention that State Farm's financial strength is an important reason to consider our company.  We've been around for 90 years and that's important when considering a policy for someone that may not be used until the 22^nd century.

At a minimum, a review of your policy and your needs annually is a good idea.  It's surprising to many how much life has changed each year.  It's one of the pieces of the job that I most enjoy - meeting your family and learning about your future.

Do you have a budding artist? Or are you just looking for a fun activity for your MOPS group? Head over to your local Gymboree and pick up a form for the company's Design-a-Bag Contest. Have your little artist color a special holiday-themed place, scene, memory or anything that inspires them about the holiday season. This contest is open to kids up to 12 years old The winner will receive a $500 Gymboree gift card and have their artwork turned into a Holiday shopping bag! Artwork must be turned in 6/16/12. You can also visit the Gymboree web site for contest rules and information at:

http://www.gymboree.com/media/GYM/html/promotions/12gym_6683_DesignABag_template_web.pdf?Port=Email&ad=052012_DAB_Teaser

If you're like a lot of moms these days, including me, you're working from home. You may be a home-based business, a mom who telecommutes from a large corporation, or you are involved-maybe it's the PTA, church, or your Homeowner's Association. Maybe you coordinate the neighborhood yard sale. Whatever you're involved in, we can help.

Secret Print Source is a website, www.secretprintsource.com, where you can order full color printed products at a HUGE discount.

Dedicated moms give of their time and talent everywhere-to their families, on the job, and serving on the committee. We moms use fliers, yard signs, banners, punch cards, door hangers and save-the-date magnets. We're smart moms, and we appreciate a good deal. We're always looking for ways to save money while at the same time, making the biggest splash possible while promoting our efforts. One of the easiest ways to do this is to cut printing costs.

Printing 101

Printing for less can be tricky, and something that most people really do not understand. There are several kinds of printing, and whether or not you know it, you've been exposed to most of them.

Digital-This means "direct from your computer to the machine that prints." Think inkjet printers, color laser prints, or color copies. It can be done at home, through a copy shop, or even at a commercial printer. This is nearly always the most expensive way to do things, per piece. Digital printing is best for very small quantities or under very tight deadlines.

Offset-This is traditional, commercial printing. A pressman puts either mixed inks (Pantone or spot color inks) or process colors that make up the majority of most printed colors-cyan, magenta, yellow and black. With offset printing, the printer cuts your paper, loads it on the press, and prints your project. Occasionally, the printer might combine your projects on one press run to save you money. Combining projects is the key to saving money.

Web-Not the internet, but web printing. This is how your newspaper is printed, along with many catalogs and magazines. MOM Magazine is printed on a web press. This is the most cost-effective way of printing a multipage document in large quantities.

Gang Printing-This is offset printing, as described above, but with one giant difference. Where some printers will combine YOUR projects, gang printers-like Secret Print Source-combine your project with many others. Think of it as selling small sections of a sheet of paper, a little like selling advertising. The more of the sheet you buy, the more it costs. If you buy the whole sheet, it costs a lot more. This is how our customers save money.

Not only are there amazing cost savings with gang-printing, but we print almost exclusively in full color. That means that for typically less than you can purchase a one sided flyer in black and white, you can get the same flyer printed in full color on both sides. Color SELLS. It attracts attention. Color is important.

Since you are already a creative multi-tasking mom, we know you can think of lots of uses for this amazing technology. Posters for school events, punch cards for a fundraiser (think "1,000 business cards  = $38"); or trading cards for the Little League team.

Secret Print Source is owned by a Tri-Cities multi-tasking mom. Like many of you, I volunteer for my childrens' schools, church, Scout activities and find myself juggling the demands of way too many committees. I use Secret Print Source to help those organizations pay less for printing, and I print client work there too.

Follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/SecretPrintSource and "Like" us to hear about monthly specials and Facebook offers. Post questions, leave a comment, or brainstorm ideas for your next event. I'd love to help you.

Washington State University is offering 8 programs to turn poor readers into good readers and good readers into great readers. Classes start mid-June and the programs meet in Pasco at the Riverview United Methodist Church once a week.

Program R: 4-year-olds & entering Kindergarteners * Tuesday, June 19-July 17, 10:30-11:45 am

Program I: Entering 1^st Graders * Tuesday, June 19-July 17, 12:30-2:30 pm

Program 2: Entering 2^nd Graders * Tuesday, June 19-July 17, 3:15-5:15 pm

Program 3: Entering 3^rd Graders * Friday, June 22-July 20, 9:30-11:30 am

Program 4: Entering 4^th and 5^th Graders * Monday, June 18-July 16, 4:00-6:15 pm

Program 5: Entering 6^th-8^th Graders * Friday, June 22-July 20, 3:00-5:30 pm

Program 7: Entering 12^th Graders-Adults * Monday, June 18-July 16, 7:00-9:30 pm

The programs are designed to help make significant gains in phonics, sight vocabulary, fluency and comprehension. Older students and adults will focus on speed reading, concentration and retention techniques.

For more information, call 800-978-3532 or visit:

http://wsu.readingprograms.org/level/R/reading-readiness.html

There's no doubt homes and restaurants will be packed with families tomorrow in celebration of Mother's Day. However you celebrate, from all of us at MOM Magazine, we tip our hats to mothers around the world for their support, love, encouragement and everything in between!

How will your family celebrate Mother's Day this year?

Registration is now open!

Discovery Camp (grades K-3)
Learning Meets Fun

Kids create, learn and play throughout the summer with hands-on, structured activities in art, science, storytelling, plus outdoor play and field trips.

Explorer Camp (grades 3-6)
Everyday is an Adventure

The fun and freedom of being outdoors, learning new skills and making new friends.  Each week offers adventures that provide physical activity and time spent outdoors that teach campers to respect and enjoy nature while having fun hiking, exploring, arts and crafts, swimming, camp songs, field trips and much more.

Specialty Camp (grades 3-6)
Relentless Fun

Join our specialty camps where each week is a new opportunity to explore a specific interest area all week long.  With a full range of activities through the summer, your camper can do it all.  No prior experience required; just a can-do attitude and a desire to have FUN!

Visit www.ymcatricities.org for details on themes, locations and fees.

by Richard Lorenzo, D.O. board certified OB/GYN and Kerry Lorenzo, M.S. Licensed Genetic Counselor

Pregnancy is a very exciting time in a family's life.  It is also a time of great expectation and sometimes anxiety.  Early screening for genetic abnormalities is an option that every mother could consider.  The ways to investigate and try to ensure the health of a baby are vast and can be overwhelming.  Here we briefly summarize the options available.  The decision to pursue this type of testing is a very personal one that can only be made by each parent utilizing advice from your obstetrician/gynecologist, genetic counselor or other qualified healthcare provider.

The chance for most people to have a child with a health problem is 3-5%.  Additional factors that influence this risk include family history, parental age, ethnicity, and certain environmental exposures.  A family history of intellectual disability, autism, birth defects, chromosome or other genetic disorders should be discussed with your doctor.

There are several ways to screen a pregnancy for potential health problems.  The earliest test involves both a blood test and an ultrasound at approximately 11-13 weeks.  This is called the First Trimester Nuchal Translucency Screen because the ultrasound measures the fluid under the skin at the back of the baby's neck.  This test is one of the most sensitive tests to determine if the risk for a baby to have Trisomy 18 or Down syndrome is increased.

The Quadruple (Quad) Screen is a test in which the mother has her blood drawn to determine the chance for her baby to have Down syndrome, Trisomy 18 or an Open Neural Tube Defects (i.e. spina bifida).  It is performed between 15 and 21 weeks of pregnancy.

Newer testing involves isolating the baby's DNA from a blood sample from the mother.  This test is called Materni21 and it tests for the presence of chromosome problems including Trisomy's 13, 18, and 21.

All mothers have the option to test their pregnancy for a chromosome problem through chorionic villus sampling (CVS) or amniocentesis.  These tests are usually reserved for mothers who have abnormal screening tests or a family history of a genetic condition due to the risk associated with the procedures.  CVS is done between 10-13 weeks and amniocentesis is performed after 16+ weeks.  Both of these tests are very accurate (99.5%) but also incur a risk for a complication that could potentially lead to the loss of the pregnancy (0.5%).

All of these tests can offer valuable information to an expectant couple.  However, caution should be utilized when making the decision to pursue or decline these tests.  Parents should contemplate what they would potentially do with the information gleaned.

I got to check off an item from my bucket list this week- Cirque du Soleil had been something I long-dreamed of seeing, and the surprises it held reached farther than the stage under the big top.

Ovo, a show that channels color, energy and strength to beautifully convey a story about love and life from the perspective of insects, will take you on a ride you'll never forget. From the beautiful rope duet of the butterflies, to the quirky juggling ants, to (my favorite) the crickets' trampoline act, don't be surprised if you catch yourself sitting on the edge of your seat, grinning like an idiot and wondering if it's too late to join the circus yourself.

In addition to the show, we had some time beforehand to talk with Sebastien Savard, who transforms into a violin-playing cockroach at show time. Sebastien's wife and two children travel with him for the 300 shows per year he performs all over the world. I was surprised and impressed to learn what an amazing life Cirque du Soleil offers families (and again pondered whether there was any way I could master a trick that would land me a gig). With about 25 children on tour, they do all of their schooling on the road. Sebastien's seven-year-old daughter was born in New Zealand; his four-year-old in Portugal, and although the constant change in location may seem hectic, he and his wife ensure a tight routine is kept for the kids. And best of all, he is able to spend more hours a week with his kids than most full-time working dads. Pretty cool, and knowing what a solid operation Cirque du Soleil is behind the scenes made the show that much more wonderful.

Ovo is deemed "the most kid-friendly" Cirque du Soleil show, and I would encourage you all to take your families to see it before it leaves Portland for Australia on May 20^th - you won't regret it!