KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: February is Children’s Dental Health Month, which means it's the perfect time to talk about LYING. The first lie my daughter Madison ever attempted was when she was about 3. "Did you brush your teeth?” I asked as she was getting ready for bed. She nodded earnestly, but I had my doubts; a check of the toothbrush revealed it was dry as the Sahara.
"Looks like we need a do-over," I said. "Try again." In a 2025 Delta Dental study of 1000 parents of kids age 12 and under, 67% of respondents reported difficulty in getting their kids to brush their teeth. And in a related but thoroughly unscientific
survey, 100% of the friends I asked told me that their own kids have lied about tooth brushing at least once. See, young children don’t experience truth as adults do; their developing minds blur the line between reality and hope, between what happened and what they would prefer had happened. Brushing is tedious, being done is better. Add a desire to please Mom, and those wires can cross. In those early years, our job is to help kids gradually separate fact from wishful
thinking. You might think that prosecuting dishonesty harshly might scare kids into telling the truth, but that often just scares them into hiding more cleverly. Our goal as parents isn't just to have kids who brush their teeth and do their own homework and someday file tax returns without creative interpretations of “business mileage,” although we do want all those things. But overall, we want kids who are brave enough to be, rather than seem to be. If
they see early that mistakes can be brought into the light and fixed with a do-over, they’re far less likely to build a life around pretending they didn't happen. So my best recommendation for Children's Dental Health Month is to model both scrupulous honesty and scrupulous teeth-brushing yourself. In case you need an immediate solution, though, I hunted down a list of kids' best tooth-brushing songs thoughtfully supplied by the American Dental Association. Grit your teeth and hum along.
—Debra Ross, publisher of KidsOutAndAbout.com, co-author of The Eclipse Effect: How to Seize Extraordinary Moments to Build Strong
Communities
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KidsOutAndAbout.com: Discover more. Do more. Connect more. If you like my publisher's column, you can easily scroll through past columns in the "Notes from Deb" section of our site. |
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Camp Integem is Magical, Fun, and Future-Focused for Ages 6-18: dive into AI, Robotics, Drones, Holographic AR, coding, 3D, Game Design, STEM, Art, Animation, Space/Nature Exploration, STEM, STEAM and more. Teleport into their creation to experience the
magic of their design with Holographic AR and prepare students for future success, all the while having a blast! No prior knowledge is needed and suitable for all levels: beginner to advanced levels. ACS WASC accredited, NVIDIA-partnered camp. Visit https://camp.integem.com or call 408-459-0657. Space is limited. Save $50/week with KOAB today!
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Join us for an in-person tour of Guidepost Montessori at Plum Canyon!
Our school is located at 19141 Skyline Ranch Rd, Santa Clarita, CA and we are now enrolling for all programs. Tour our campus, meet our team and learn more about our authentic, accredited Montessori school.
Whether your family is new to Montessori or transitioning from a traditional or private school, we are eager to meet your family and get to know your needs.
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The Los Angeles Zoo is thrilled to welcome members of our Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community and all Angelenos to enjoy special activities and performances honoring the Lunar New Year and the Year of the Snake.
Lunar New Year is a festival rich in tradition that occurs on the first day of a new year in the lunisolar calendar, a calendar that is based on the cycles of the moon’s phases and the sun’s position. Depending on the position of the moon, Lunar New Year falls on a different day in January or February. This year, it’s on January 29.
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Celebrate Black History Month with the 10th annual Cultural Festival, featuring live music, performing artists, food, vendors & health fair
Mark your calendar for February 21, 2026, for a vibrant, all-day celebration held at the scenic La Brea Tar Pits, right next to the LACMA Museum. From 11 am to 6 pm, the outdoor festival will be buzzing with energy, offering something for everyone: enjoy captivating live music and performing artists, explore the Book Author Showcase, discover unique finds from small business pop-ups, and treat yourself to diverse food vendors. Families will love the
dedicated Children's Zone, and the excitement builds for the highly anticipated surprise headliner! Don't miss this landmark event honoring Black History Month in the heart of Los Angeles.
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PAFF hosts some of the most vibrant red carpets filled with Hollywood A-listers and the who’s who in the art world. It presents inspiring and informative panels and workshops –– featuring top industry professionals — and showcases rare cinematic gems
followed by filmmaker Q & As. PAFF is more than entertainment, it is an Oscar-qualifying festival for animation and live-action films.
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Come and find us at the Atwater Village Farmer’s Market every Sunday from 9am-2pm (you can come as early as 8:30am). The market is located in the public parking lot, behind the shops on the south side of Glendale Blvd., between Larga and Garden Avenues. The
address is 3528 Larga Ave., Los Angeles, 90039.
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California Botanic Garden joins dozens of SoCal museums—presenting art, cultural heritage, natural history, and science—in opening our doors and inviting visitors to attend free of charge. Limited tickets are available, so make your reservation today!
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Parents have an abundance of choices when it comes to PreK and day care options in the San Fernando area! Use our Big List to help find the best one for your kiddos and check our events calendar to find Open Houses where you can meet teachers and tour the
schools.
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Winter is here and fun options for families just keep getting better! Whether you stick with what you love or decide to try something new, KidsOutAndAbout has plenty of ideas. From Ice skating, kid-friendly museums, indoor play centers, and outdoor
activities to thinking ahead to next year's school options - we've got you covered.
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Looking for a thrilling family-friendly adventure in the San Fernando? Escape rooms are interactive, puzzle-packed experiences where you and your team work together to solve clues and complete your mission-all before time runs out! Whether you're escaping a
spooky cabin, cracking a high-stakes heist, or breaking a magical curse, escape rooms offer exciting, screen-free fun for kids, teens, and adults.
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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the Dallas area. From Arcades to Ziplines our Big List will help you think outside the box and plan the party of your kids' dreams! KidsOutAndAbout has dozens of ideas! Find venues in Burbank, Calabasas,
Glendale, Hidden Hills, and San Fernando.
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2025's best places to take kids in the San Fernando Valley. Each May-June, thousands of parents vote in the KidsOutAndAbout survey of the Top 20 Places to Take Kids. Our Top 20 results page is an annotated list of the winners, both of the top 20 slots and
of the three category winners: Who won for Top Arts Educator, Top Sports Educator, and Top STEM Educator?
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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