MASK The Magazine Winter 2016

Igniting the flame within your child. That sure sounds like a difficult thing. I believe everyone is born with gifts and talents to bring into this world. I believe everyone has a purpose. If not, what is the point of life? All gifts and talents look different, but one does not excel the other—they all complement each other and work hand-in-hand in making a difference in this world. As parents, I believe helping your child find these gifts is an important part of our job. Every child is different; they don’t all fit in this mold society has made. Not everyone is good at math, not everyone can sing or dance, we are all just different. What can we do as parents to help our children? Maybe we simply need to get out…

MASK (Mothers Awareness on School-age Kids) is a nonprofit 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 our youth and to empower children to make safe, healthy choices. MASK fulfills its mission by engaging, educating and empowering families through the MASK E3 Institute, MASK The Magazineand our vastly informative website. The MASK E3 Institute is a comprehensive year long multi-year approach to building and strengthening life skills for children, including MASK Academy (kindergarten to 6th grade), MASK Prep (middle and high school), MASK Leadership (college) and Parent University. Through these platforms MASK aims to build healthy children, strengthen parent-child bonds…

STACY BARRY // Writer Stacy Barry is a former public relations/marketing executive for the hospitality industry, and is currently a freelance writer in Houston, Texas. She received her degree in journalism from Texas Tech University and worked as a broadcast journalist for KAMC-TV in Lubbock, Texas. For the past 15 years she has done freelance and contract work from her home, while raising two children in the ’burbs. DEBRA GELBART // Writer Debra Gelbart has more than two decades of experience as a print, broadcast and online writer and editor, focusing on news and feature writing for magazines and corporate, community and trade publications. She has worked as a communications specialist for a local hospital, as an assignment editor for three TV news departments in Arizona, as a news writer for CBS News in New…

T he harder kids play, the harder they fall. The fact is, broken bones, or fractures, are common in childhood and often happen when kids are playing or participating in sports. Most fractures affect the upper extremities: the wrist, the forearm, and above the elbow. Why? When kids fall, it’s a natural reflex for them to throw their hands out in an attempt to stop the fall. Falls are a common part of childhood, but not every fall results in a broken bone. The classic signs of a fracture are pain, swelling, and deformity (which looks like a bump or change in shape of the bone). However, if a break is non-displaced (when the pieces on either side are straight in line with one another), it may be harder to tell. Some…

JOB WELL DONE To establish positive life habits in your children, start with this Kid’s Responsibility Board by Uncommon Goods. It puts the fun in teaching kids accountability and money management. $20 to $50. uncommongoods.com GRIDIRON GOOD Get in the game with this life-sized, made-fresh-to-order chocolate football by Li-Lac Chocolates. Made with 2 pounds of chocolate, it serves about 20 people— perfect for your next tailgate party. $48. li-lacchocolates.com SHINE ON Make your holidays sparkle this year with this stunning 6.24-carat diamond ring with 18k tri-color gold band from E. D. Marshall Jewelers. It’s the perfect accessory to any seasonal soiree! Contact for pricing.edmarshalljewelers.com JUST MY TYPE For those who love typing, the Qwerkywriter brings the old manual typewriter to today’s modern technology. Bluetooth-enabled, the device works with iPads, Android devices and Windows tablets. $399.99. thinkgeek.com TOO LEGIT Want…

AS a defensive driver, you can avoid crashes and help lower your risk behind the wheel. If you’ve been out on the roads, you know that not everyone drives well— but most people think they do. Some drivers speed aggressively. Others wander into another lane because they aren’t paying attention. Drivers may follow too closely, make sudden turns without signaling, or weave in and out of traffic. Aggressive drivers are known road hazards, causing one-third of all traffic crashes. But inattentive or distracted driving is becoming more of a problem as people “multitask” by talking on the phone, texting or checking messages, eating, or even watching TV as they drive. You can’t control the actions of other drivers. But updating your defensive driving skills can help you avoid the dangers caused by other…