Does your child refuse foods or insist on eating the same few foods? Picky eating often starts around one year of age when children start feeding themselves and are learning to talk and walk. With all of this developmental change going on, your child may feel comforted by familiar foods.
How can you help?
Create a mealtime routine. Serve snacks and meals at about the same times, in the same place, and with the same plate and utensils.
Offer 3 meals with 2-3 snacks in between, every day.
Keep mealtime short: 10-20 minutes
In one meal, offer 3-4 preferred foods, alongside 1 new food.
Provide small portions of “finger foods” that your child can feed himself.
Encourage your child to put foods that he chooses NOT to eat in a “no thank you” or
“maybe next time” bowl.
Include your child in preparing or serving foods. Let her wash the vegetable or fruit in a bowl of water or the sink; scoop the drained pasta or peas from pot or colander into serving bowl; place one pancake on each plate.
Talk about the color, shape, texture, and size of the food.
Encourage your child to smell, touch, serve (and maybe taste) the new food.
Picky eaters may need 15-20 exposures to new foods before the food becomes something they will eat consistently.
Teach your child to help clean up, by throwing napkin or paper plate in trash, carrying dish to sink, or wiping table.
Be careful!
Try not to bribe your child with sweets. This makes the sweet reward more desirable than the healthy food.
Don’t force your child to eat. This can result in a power struggle and cause stress for both of you.
Remember, your job is to offer healthy foods. Your child’s job is to decide what and how much she will eat. Appetites change from meal to meal and day to day. This is normal.
To read more about picky eaters and nutrition, search:
How to Handle Picky Eaters Zero to Three
Food Guide Pyramid for Young Children
ChildStrive has been partnering with Tulalip families for more than 30 years. For information about your child’s development contact Carol Good at ChildStrive at (425) 353-5656 x7223 or Carol.Good@ChildStrive.org. More information about ChildStrive can be found on our website at www.ChildStrive.org
Tulalip Tribal Chairman Mel Sheldon speaks about healing from addiction. Photo/Kalvin Valdillez
by Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News
“Out of curiosity, how many folks here have someone they know who has an opioid addiction?” asked Tulalip Tribes Chairman, Mel Sheldon, at the Opioids and Heroin in Snohomish County community forum. In response, nearly everybody in the Orca Ballroom of the Tulalip Resort and Casino raised their hands.
“I’ve been to too many funerals supporting families who lost a loved one due to an overdose,” Mel continued. The first time he saw the effects of heroin was in the service. Mel witnessed G.I.’s fall victim to ‘China White’ the popular street name for the drug at the time.
Mel stressed that the forum was designed to inform and heal. He understands the difficulties of addiction and spoke of his many years of sobriety from alcohol.
Dr. Gary Goldbaum
Before introducing guest speaker, Dr. Gary Goldbaum, Mel expressed that sharing is a part of the road to recovery and understanding, and that community is stronger by working as one. “When we share, we may hear something that inspires us, something that helps us. So when a friend says ‘I need some help’ we can give them the resources they need, and make a difference.”
Dr. Gary Goldbaum spoke about the epidemic that is destroying communities nationwide. He explained that is extremely difficult to quit once you have started using opioids. He showed side-by-side chemical structures of the prescription opioid OxyContin, prescribed for pain, and of heroin, revealing the two structures are nearly identical.
Because heroin produces the same effects to the human body as OxyContin, many people turn to heroin once their prescriptions run out. The price is cheaper and the demand is so high that the drug has become easily accessible. In recent years, deaths caused by heroin overdose have hit the community of Snohomish County extremely hard. For this reason Dr. Goldbaum believes that a major key in preventing people from trying opioids is education, and suggests that educating children at a young age would tremendously help stifle the epidemic. “This is beyond any one person,” he expressed. “This requires all of us.”
Goldbaum explained in detail what happens during the downward spiral of someone who is addicted to opioids. “Once a person becomes biologically dependent they are driven so hard to get the drug, that it comes at the expense of everything else in their life. Nothing is as important as getting the next fix, because withdrawal is painful.”
He went on to explain that the ‘miracle drug’, Naloxone, should be carried with addicts and friends and family members of addicts at all time. Naloxone saves lives by reversing an overdose in a matter of minutes.
Chief Carlos Echevarria of the Tulalip Police Department stated he shares the frustration and anger the community feels. He said that nearly every crime responded to is heroin related.
“It’s our number one concern,” Chief Echevarria said. “When I was about fifteen I lost two uncles. Last year I lost my brother due to an overdose, so I understand.” He shared that he felt the ‘what ifs’ and that he shared tears with parents in his office who were making funeral arrangements for their children.
Tulalip Health Program’s Annaliese Means and Tulalip community activist Rico Jones Fernandez both spoke of the epidemic ways to help the community.
The health clinic and community health program provides intake exams and counseling for recovering addicts, though treatment and most counseling takes place at Family Services. The program also helps expecting mothers who are using to get and stay clean during pregnancy.
Rico was instrumental in the passing of Tulalip’s Good Samaritan Law and he also worked hard to get the health clinic’s pharmacy to distribute Naloxone. Rico is also known for running Tulalip’s Clean Needle Exchange Program, where he personally walks throughout the Tulalip Community picking up used needles. The exchange also makes clean needles easily accessible, preventing diseases such as HIV for addicts who would otherwise share needles.
Two speakers, Debbie Warfield and Jim Hillaire, each shared their heartbreaking stories of how heroin stole their children at young ages.
Debbie described her son, Spencer, as a normal kid who loved sports but hated school. Before Spencer started high school they noticed he started to display more aggressive-like behavior. Thinking it was just a phase and the growing pains of adolescence, Debbie didn’t look too far into the behavior at first. However, by the time Spencer reached high school he was diagnosed with depression and ADHD and was prescribed medication. The medication caused him to become distant in both his home and social lives.
Spencer graduated and attended Washington State University where he was diagnosed with anxiety, and this time, opioids were prescribed. Spencer then tried heroin. He went to treatment for 28 days, but eventually died from an overdose.
Jim recently lost his daughter Angelina. She fought a long hard battle with her heroin addiction. She would often get clean for extended periods of time, and then relapse. Each time she relapsed she made strong efforts to get clean again by going back to treatment.
Hillaire stated the entire staff at one of the treatment facilities loved Angelina so much, they invited her to stay and work for them. Ultimately, Angelina decided against staying because she wanted to be with her family. Angelina lost her heroin battle this past summer. Jim stressed that this epidemic is a sickness, similar to a zombie apocalypse, and urged “these people are not dead but are valuable. They are worth our time and our help.”
The major keys that Jim stressed repeatedly are that the entire community needs to be more involved in each other’s lives in order for change to happen, to revisit some of the traditional teachings and practice them at home, and the community also needs to understand what addicts are going through. “I never met one person that wanted to continue to be an addict,” Jim stated.
Chief Carlos Echevarria of the Tulalip Police Department.
Chief Echevarria said the Tulalip Police Departments priority is to bust the small time dealers in the Tulalip community. The Chief will also continue to assist, in any way possible, with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Department. Commander Pat Slack states that the Sheriff’s Department is focusing on catching the suppliers who are importing the heroin from Mexico.
The forum concluded with a Naloxone training to better equip attendees with the knowledge of how to revive a person who has overdosed.
Another forum will be held on October 13, starting at 6:30 p.m. at Edmonds Community College.
The Tulalip Tribes Family Services Women’s Healing Circle –Relapse Prevention Treatment Group, is a cultural based approach to supporting Native women in their efforts to address relapse prevention within the context of community, family and individual. The Women’s Healing Circle meets twice a week (10:00am-12noon) Tuesdays/Thursdays for 6 weeks at TFS. We include Native perspective, worldview and culture specific exercises and activities which build on strengths, and supports a holistic approach for wellness and health. Our Women’s Healing Circle group is designed to incorporate traditional universal Native values and beliefs for enhancing identity and fostering healthy relationships. You must be enrolled in TFS chemical dependency treatment program for participation in Women’s Healing Circle group. Please contact TFS for more information at 360-716-4400
With the assistance of WSU Beach Watchers volunteers, the quality of water at Mission Beach is being monitored weekly. So far this summer, the water has been sampled seven times. Samples are analyzed at the Tulalip Water Quality Lab.
From Valerie Streeter, Stormwater Planner in Tulalip Natural Resources:
“This year is the first time Tulalip Natural Resources with WSU Beach Watcher Volunteers have monitored the water at Mission Beach for safe swimming conditions so we weren’t sure what we would find. It’s great to see that beach water is clean so far! The weekly water monitoring will continue until August 30.”
The results show that bacteria levels in the water are below the threshold limit for swimming, which means that the water is clean. The graph below shows the average result from the three beach sampling stations. The red line shows the bacteria threshold limit and the blue line is the water quality data.
With the good news of Mission Beach having clean water with safe swimming conditions, be sure you make a trip before summer is over.
Native American Hip Hop Artist and Motivational Speaker Frank Waln performs wioth fellow activist and dancer, Micco.
“It comes down to the decisions you make in your life. Most of the time the right choice isn’t the easy one. It’s easy to run away. To run away to drugs and alcohol and I’m not judging, but I am here today because I’m always making the difficult choice,” stated Native American Hip Hop Artist and Motivational Speaker Frank Waln. Along with Tanaya Winder, Megan Red-Shirt Shaw, and The Sampson Bros, Frank closed out the final day of the Annual Community Wellness Conference at the Tulalip Resort and Casino on August 11.
Frank shared his entire life story with the future of the Tulalip Tribes for one reason: inspiration. The history of Native America isn’t well known to the rest of the world. Our story is often watered-down or not mentioned at all in schools throughout the United States. Growing up as a Native American in today’s society, we always had difficulties finding role models that weren’t appropriated by stereotypes. Frank easily flipped the script by actively advocating Native American rights, and is clearing up any misconceptions during the process.
Now in his mid-twenties, Frank spoke to the youth about everything he went through as a young Indigenous man. From a fatherless childhood to the culture shock of leaving his reservation for college, Frank has seen it all in only 27 years.
Frank spoke about his own experiences with drugs, alcohol, depression and suicide, so the youth can identify when they are caught up in one of those life-threatening cycles and can ask for help. More importantly, he shared those experiences so the youth, who might be going through a difficult time right now, could relate. He let them know that they aren’t alone, and how finding a healthy outlet is crucially important because it can break those cycles.
Before Frank took to the stage to perform his music, three of his colleagues and close friends shared their uplifting words with the conference attendees. Frank’s long time friend, fellow activist, dancer, and half of The Sampson Bros, Micco, encouraged the youth to follow their passion and to give it everything they got. Poetess, activist, and Frank’s manager, Tanaya Winder, performed poems from her new book Words Like Love and spoke about losing a loved one to suicide. And activist, writer, and founder of Natives In America, Megan Red-Shirt Shaw, talked with the community about finding and utilizing your voice while encouraging the youth to pursue higher education.
In between speeches, airbrush artists from Dzul Ink were at hand, making custom t-shirts for the youth with slogans such as Smoke Salmon Not Cigarettes and Pizza Rolls Not Gender Roles. Each person in attendance had the opportunity to choose a slogan they wanted to advocate for and the Dzul Ink artists created the t-shirt while the youth enjoyed the performance by Frank Waln and The Sampson Bros.
The perfect way to end any conference is with a musical performance. Frank and Company took it a step further by incorporating the message they were expressing with the most influential genre of music in the past three decades, hip-hop.
Frank performed some of his notable songs including AbOriginal and My Stone and debuted a new track, What Makes A Red Man Red, which samples dialogue from the Disney classic, Peter Pan. The inspiration for the new song came from the frustration of how Tiger Lily and Native Americans are portrayed in the movie.
While Frank passionately spit bars over beats he made on his own, the Sampson Bros performed along side him playing the flute and both fancy and hoop dancing. Micco shared the story of how he met Frank followed by spoken word poetry he wrote for his father, Will Sampson, who played Chief Bromden in the classic film adaptation of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest.
The event was a success from the first day to the last. Each speaker gave the youth something to reflect upon and let them know they are loved, because sometimes when people get caught up in the everyday struggle it can be hard to overcome the overwhelming pressure of todays society. Sometimes we get lost in depression created by multi-generational trauma, and we desperately search for an escape. The wellness conference not only acknowledged that depression and anxiety are disorders that Native Americans are suffering from on every reservation, but also gave the Tulalip community healthy ways and the tools to help cope with those disorders.
Native American activism is the message that Ashley Tiedeman, Tobacco Cessation Program Coordinator, and her team delivered to the Tulalip youth during the second day of the Annual Community Wellness Conference. The three-day event, held July 28, August 4 and 11 in the Orca Ballroom at the Tulalip Resort and Casino, included a remarkable line-up of speakers. The second day’s focus, Exercising Our Rights, featured The 1491’s, Deborah Parker, and two Tulalip Board of Directors.
Comedy sketch group, The 1491’s
The 1491’s
“Everyday we wake up and think of our image. What clothes and what logos we wear, that’s part of how we define ourselves. We are not that stereotype, we are not mascots that is not how we want to be represented,” stated Bobby Wilson of the comedy sketch group, The 1491’s. The group, including members Migizi Pensoneau and Ryan Red Corn, were the keynote speakers for day two of the event.
The 1491’s YouTube channel has nearly seven million views and is filled with hilarious Indigenous satire. The group shared a few videos during the event including an episode from the popular series A Day in the Life of a Pow Wow Emcee. The 1491’s effortlessly filled the room with laughter and were able to naturally transition into serious topics such as racism, mascots, and politics.
Tulalip Tribal member and activist Deborah Parker
Deborah Parker
When you speak about activism for Native America in today’s society, one of the first names that come to mind is Tulalip’s own, Deborah Parker. As many know Deborah has done outstanding work for the community of Tulalip, starting both the Young Mothers Program and the Tribal Tobacco Program. Most recently Deborah played a large role in the Bernie Sanders campaign, and is an advocate for improved access for education and health care for Indigenous people.
A young Tulalip Native American woman with so many accomplishments is the perfect role model for activism. As she spoke, the entire ballroom listened intently. She touched on an array of topics including projects she is working on, and gave advice to the youth on where to start and how to make sure their voices are heard.
Deborah compared Native American activism to a battle stating, “It’s a fight unfortunately, for us to be acknowledged by the United States Government. For us as Native people to be seen on television for our voices to be heard, that’s what we are fighting for.”
Exercising Our Rights
Tulalip BOD member Theresa Sheldon shared motivating words on the importance of making sure your voice is heard through voting. With a moving story Bonnie Juneau, another member of the Tulalip BOD, spoke of the struggle of addiction.
Before the event shifted back to a light-hearted atmosphere with a fun run, Bonnie shared an extremely important message urging the Tulalip community to support and show love to our youth, stating, “We can get to a place that we can work through our emotions, where we can learn to deal with our pain in a healthy way. Let’s honor our children in life; lets encourage them in life. We can’t wait until it’s too late.”
Tulalip Tribes Chairman Mel Sheldon speaks about activism at the Annual Community Wellness Conference.
Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News
“With every journey, wherever you go, you’re going to find a way to make a difference in your own way. You could be the next President; you can be the leader of Pokémon Go! Whatever it is you believe in, you have to step up and find a way to make change. Somebody here might be changing the direction of this tribe in five to ten years, or maybe even tomorrow,” said Tulalip Tribes Chairman Mel Sheldon as he expressed to Tulalip’s youth the importance of activism during the first day of the Annual Community Wellness Conference.
This year’s conference, held in the Orca Ballroom at the Tulalip Resort Casino, is focusing on Native American activism. The event is a three-day conference held July 28, August 4 and August 11, and is free to the Tulalip community. An outstanding lineup of keynote speakers is scheduled, including Seattle based Native American carver and activist Rick T. Williams, the Native American sketch comedy group 1491’s, and Native American Emcee Frank Waln.
As the opening speaker for the event, Chairman Sheldon gave a little history of both his, as well as the Tulalip Tribes, background. He spoke greatly of higher education and let the youth know that it is okay to go at their own speed while finding their path.
“Along the way on my educational journey, I learned a little bit about activism,” said Sheldon. “Being active, what are you going to do in life?”
Sheldon explained to conference attendees the signing of the Point Elliot Treaty, the rights the treaty entitles tribes to, and why it is important to exercise those rights. He also spoke about the Occupation of Alcatraz by the American Indian Movement in 1969 and communicated that if you are passionate about a topic you should stand up for what you believe in.
“When we find what really motivates us, we find a way to get there. Is there something there that really hits your heart that you’ve got to get up and protest? You will want to be part of changing the social fabric of society,” said Sheldon. Crude oil, mascot names, equal pay for women, gun rights, and support for the LGBT community are issues that are currently affecting today’s society Sheldon pointed out, and that change can not happen unless you are active.
Sheldon stated that he is excited to see where life takes the group of young Tulalip tribal members. He closed the first day’s workshop with some encouraging words for the youth by stating, “One day you will find something so important to you, you’ll stand up and change the world for the better. You do have all that power in you!”
New hospital fills unmet need for behavioral health in Snohomish County and beyond
Speakers and attendees at the ceremony included: Mayor Jon Nehring of the City of Marysville; Dr. Richard Kresch of US HealthVest; John Nowoj of Mortenson Construction; Jesica Stickles of the Marysville/Tulalip Chamber of Commerce; Teri Gobin of the Tulalip Tribe; Misty Napeahi of the Tulalip Tribe; and Lisa Utter of NAMI Snohomish. Photo/Mortenson Construction
MARYSVILLE, Wash. – (July 26, 2016) –US HealthVest and construction services firm, Mortenson Construction, broke ground today on the Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital at 3955 156th Street Northeast in Marysville. The new 115-bed hospital will provide a full continuum of behavioral health and addiction treatment—including inpatient and day-hospital services—to children, adolescents and adults.
With this new hospital, US HealthVest can extend much-needed services to patients north of Seattle, where communities are experiencing rapid population growth and a heightened need for behavioral healthcare. Specialty programs at Smokey Point will be tailored to the women’s population, patients with co-occurring disorders, the Native American population, veterans, youth, the senior adult population and faith-based groups.
Photo/Mortenson Construction
The Washington State Institute for Public Policy found that Washington has one of the highest prevalence rates for adults with mental health disorders in the country, yet ranked nearly last among all states in the total number of psychiatric beds available per person. Additionally, nearly all hospitals providing adult psychiatric care in Washington had daily occupancy rates exceeding 80 percent compared to 64 percent in community hospitals in the US; 24 percent of Washington adults met criteria indicating a mental health disorder – the third-highest rate of all states; and approximately 7 percent met further criteria for a serious mental illness that interfered with daily life — ranking Washington No. 2 in the nation.
Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital rendering. Photo/CollinsWoerman
The two-story, 71,000-square-foot building was designed by Seattle-based architecture firm CollinsWoerman and will offer semi-private patient rooms, an outpatient clinic and support space including a pharmacy and food service administration. There will also be indoor and outdoor recreational activity areas. Mortenson anticipates the hospital will be completed in summer 2017.
It’s summer. The flowers are in bloom and the birds are singing and you decided to get your kids a puppy or kitten. Although you may be worried about potty training and chewing there are some common health concerns that should also be on your mind, first and foremost, vaccination.
“Starting at eight weeks old we recommend you start a vaccine series,” explained veterinarian Dr. Alina McLain. “It’s very similar to vaccines in people and prevents against normal puppy and kittenhood diseases that can be transferred between animals and are present in the environment.”
Booster shots have to be administered every three to four weeks afterwards.
“Diseases we’re most concerned about (in dogs) are distemper and parvovirus and rabies,” continued Dr. McLain. “Distemper and parvo are combined into one vaccine. Both diseases can be fatal to dogs. Rabies is required by law. Since rabies is 100% fatal to people, its one that the government cares about.”
The cost of vaccines varies from veterinary office to office. However, if you want to administer the vaccine yourself, vaccines can be purchased for less than $10 at animal supply stores.
“It’s hard to offer price,” said Dr. McLain. “If you get them at the Co-op vaccines cost $6.00, and it can cost $500-$600 to treat the diseases.”
Kennel cough, although not required, is recommended for dogs who are frequently in contact with other dogs.
“If the dog is going to boarding, it’s important,” said Dr. McLain. “Kennel cough is similar to the flu vaccine in people. It’s just as transmissible as the flu is in a person. In a vaccinated dog it can cause the sniffles. In an unvaccinated dog, it can cause pneumonia.”
Dr. McLain said it’s also important to vaccinate cats.
“Again there are three vaccines: feline distemper, feline leukemia and rabies,” she explained. “Feline leukemia is transmissable and comes from sharing water and food bowls. If an infected cat eats from the dish, then your cat eats food, they can get it. It’s very similar to leukemia or AIDS in people.
“There’s nothing we can do about it. We can’t make it go away and it lowers their immune system. A cold in a regular cat is not a big deal, a cold in a leukemia cat can be deadly.”
After their initial puppy and kitten shots, cats and dogs both need booster vaccinations once a year to be protected.
When is it time to go to the vet?
Use common sense and treat your pets like you would your kids, said Dr. McLain.
“If they vomit once or twice but are still perky, eating and drinking, don’t worry. But incessant vomiting or diarrhea for more than two or three days, lethargic or refuses food or water fro more than 24 hours means something is seriously wrong.”
Do not feed your pets human over the counter medications.
“Human drugs are not safe, they are often very toxic to your animals,” said Dr. McLain. “If you have a question about what’s safe, call your vet before you give it to your pet.”
If you have an emergency after hours, there are several emergency vets and 24/hour clinics in the area. Pilchuck Emergency clinic in Snohomish, Diamond Veterinary, and VSC specialty center in Lynwood can all help with after hours emergencies.
Www.veterinarypartner.com is a great resource for pet owners as well.
“The website is vetted by veterinarians,” said Dr. McLain. “It is monitored by veterinarians and the information there is good viable information.”
