MASK The Magazine Summer 2021

All parents hear at some time or another “time flies when you have kids” and “before you know it they will be gone.” When you’re in the thick of it, you’re doing everything you can—sometimes just to get through the day or the moment. You run from pickup line to sidelines, fitting in everything that each day holds. Your memories consist of the first days of kindergarten, wiping runny noses, and mending the heartbreaks of best friend squabbles and relationships that part ways. I have been one of those moms who was part of everything I could be. Even when my oldest son started racing bikes at 13, I said I wanted to buy one so I could race, too. The look on his face was priceless. “Mom, I love you. But,…

Do you want to be well-equipped with the appropriate knowledge, resources and tools that will empower you to make healthy and informed decisions for your family? If so, subscribe to MASK The Magazine today! For only $24 a year, you’ll receive four issues of the award-winning MASK The Magazine delivered conveniently to your door. Or, for only $12 a year, download MASK The Magazine to your iPad or iPhone. For information: visit maskmatters.org or call 480-502-5337 MASK ON THE GO Download our digital edition to your iPad or iPhone. Visit zinio.com to subscribe today! SUBSCRIPTION FORM □ One year (4 issues, $24) □ Two years (8 issues, $48) □ Three years (12 issues, $72) □ Check (Payable to MASK) □ Credit Card (We’ll call you for the info) □ Bill me! PLEASE MAIL COMPLETED FORM TO: MASK 8937 E. Bell Road Suite 202…

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…

Vitamin D is necessary for every person to be truly healthy. Unfortunately, there are some common misconceptions about how to get the right amount. Most people believe they can get the necessary amount of Vitamin D just from the sun. However, that’s not true for everyone. According to the National Institutes of Health, people who are older or with darker skin tones are less likely to transform sunlight into Vitamin D. For people who can transform sunlight into Vitamin D, it can be difficult to get the necessary amount. That’s because sunscreen with an SFP higher than 9 blocks UV rays from penetrating the skin. The simple solution may seem like going outside without applying sunscreen, but this can be extremely damaging to your skin and can even cause skin cancer. Fortunately, sunlight…

1 BALANCING A CHECKBOOK. When you balance a checkbook, you ensure that the balance in your checkbook register matches the balance in the monthly statement from your bank. You can’t simply rely on the balance the ATM gives you or what shows up on your bank’s online portal; these do not always show the most up-to-date amount in your account since your current and available balance may be different. 2 SETTING UP A BUDGET. A budget is a plan for how to spend your money that factors in your income and expenses, and it’s the key to succeeding financially. If you don’t know how much you can safely spend and save each month, you can easily go into debt or fail to meet long-term savings goals like retirement. 3 PAYING FOR COLLEGE.…

DRUG Try to get your kids or teens to get a summer job, volunteer with a local organization, join a summer sport, or go to summer camp to occupy their time. The more time they spend working or doing activities, the less time they will have to try drugs or even think about them. BULLY Make sure to role play bullying situations that may be uncommon to your child. For example, teach them how to respond to a bully if no teacher or adult is around. It can also be helpful to teach them what to do if they are being bullied in a public place with spectators, but nobody is helping. TECH When planning a family vacation for the summer, also plan guidelines or rules for screen time during vacation. For example, if you…