Feeling tired and unfocused, or maybe a bit stressed out? Assuming you have any allergies under control*, try taking a walk outdoors–both you and your child will benefit! More and more research is showing that spending time outdoors in a green space, park or the woods can provide some surprisingly positive results to your mood and your health. A recent Huffington Post article summarized some of the most recent research findings concerning the outdoors:

• Improved Attention And Focus – A small study from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that kids with ADHD were able to concentrate better after a 20-minute walk in a park rather than a walk through city or neighborhood streets.

• Greater Likelihood To Keep Exercising – While every little bit of exercise counts, let’s be honest: most of us could probably afford to do a little bit more. The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend the average adult get two hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio every week, plus two or more sessions of strength training.

• Lower Risk Of Being Overweight – The fresh air, the sunlight, the scenery, the open space — there’s a lot about being outside that can inspire more activity, especially when contrasted to the beckoning couches and screens of indoor spaces. And the extra movement adds up. A 2008 study found that rates of ‘overweight’ among children who spent more time outside were 27 to 41 percent lower than in kids who spent more time indoors.

• More Energy – Exercise itself is sure to reinvigorate you when you’re feeling sluggish, but fresh air can up the effect. A 2009 study from the University of Rochester found that just 20 minutes outside can rev you up as much as a cup of coffee, The Telegraph reported.

People in Japan use the term “forest bathing” to describe how good it feels to get out of the city and spend time outdoors. There is even evidence the “forest bathing” can boost your immunity. Lenawee County is fortunate to have so many lovely green spaces for walking, biking, playing and just ‘being.’

So instead of reaching for that cup of coffee or using your favorite TV show to unwind, try taking a short nature walk. And if you have a favorite place to do your nature walking, please share in the comments!

*If you do suffer from outdoor allergies, or if you just can’t get outside, merely looking at photos of nature can provide some benefit as well!

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Brooke Borton shares with us part 2 of her series on parenting with a mood disorder. Read more about Brooke at the end of her post!

In my time as a parent battling with the opposing forces of depression and mania, I’ve had to face the fact that regardless of my mental state, I still have responsibilities to my loved ones.  My experience with bipolar disorder involves an amount of self-hatred that results from slacking on my responsibilities and disappointing people over and over again.  Sometimes it’s a cycle I can’t seem to break.  Extremes of mood can cause an otherwise considerate person to make choices that are self-sabotaging and damaging to relationships, and more often than not, the bipolar person doesn’t realize just how damaging until it’s too late.  I’ve found myself wondering how on earth I could have made the choices I’ve made.  I’m trying to refrain from calling my actions “crazy,” as I don’t wish to be labeled as such, but in the most basic definition of the word, things I’ve done in my past could appear crazy to the average person.  I realize now that I was someone else entirely when my moods would swing from one end of the spectrum to the other.

Holding onto who I really am beneath the dark cloud of manic depression has to involve a constant evaluation of my actions, reflection on the past, and how my actions affect others.  When I’m really high or really low, that filter can disappear, and the next thing I know I’m either spending all our money or withdrawing completely from my family. Often the things I do in one mood cause the actions I do in the other mood—for example, spending all our money during a manic episode leads to the guilt and shame of a depressed episode.  This is not healthy for my relationships, and it all comes down to remembering my responsibilities even in the most extreme of my moods.

The following is a list of things I believe I am responsible for, starting with getting professional help.  Some of my responsibilities are as basic as getting my kids to school on time, or tasks that I share with my husband.  Whether I do them or not is greatly affected by sudden mood swings and can either decrease or increase my family’s stress.  It’s important to me to do what I can to lessen the stress placed on my husband and children as a result of my moods.  I don’t expect perfection from myself, but I do expect progress.  Every time I do the responsible thing, I celebrate a small victory over my illness.

I implore you to read through this list of my responsibilities and take note of those we have in common.  Think about how your completion of them is affected by your mood.  Maybe there are areas you can improve, even if you are not afflicted with bipolar disorder.

1. I am responsible for seeking professional help for my illness, making it to my appointments regularly, and being honest with my doctors.
2. I am responsible for being open and honest with my loved ones and asking for help when I feel my responsibilities are being negatively affected by my mood.
3. I am responsible for owning my mistakes, asking forgiveness, and offering sincere apologies when necessary.
4. I am responsible for getting my children to school every day, on time, and helping them study for tests and complete homework and projects.
5. I am responsible for preparing three nutritious meals a day for my family.
6. I am responsible for keeping my house clean and healthy.
7. I am responsible for doing the laundry so my family has clean clothes to wear, and keeping our kids in clothes that fit them.
8. I am responsible for the grocery shopping.
9. I am responsible for maintaining our budget and keeping track of bills and upcoming expenses.
10. I am responsible for the care of our pets (food/water, litter box) and enlisting the help of my kids as part of their daily chores.
11. I am responsible for taking out the trash.
12. I am responsible for keeping in touch with my friends and with my family (many of whom live out of state).
13. I am responsible for instilling confidence and self-esteem in my children by parenting peacefully and making their emotional needs a priority.
14. I am responsible for being honest, even if it’s embarrassing.
15. I am responsible for my debts.
16. I am responsible for being courteous to those who offend or anger me.
17. I am responsible for showing sincere appreciation to those who selflessly give their time to help me.
18. I am responsible for setting boundaries with people in my life who are toxic to my well-being or the safety and well-being of my children or my marriage.
19. I am responsible for keeping my marriage vows and cherishing my husband.
20. I am responsible for how I act in response to stressful people and situations.

What responsibilities do you have that can be affected by your mood?

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Guest Blogger Brooke Rains presents Part 3 of her “I am Moving, I am Learning” series!

Parents and Families: Opportunity is knocking!  You can be advocates of intentionality!  Help the young children in your life move their bodies in ways that build their brains, their muscles, and their FOUNDATION FOR MOVEMENT.

Seize the moment to be an “informed play partner” with your child.  Perhaps you’ve heard that phrase before. What it means, basically, is that you play WITH your child INTENTIONALLY.  Why?  Because you have been informed about something and simply must act on it!  Let’s talk about how to do that.

According to the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), children age 3-5 years should have 60 minutes of unstructured physical activity and 60 minutes of structured physical activity on a DAILY BASIS.  Which one, do you think, focuses on intentional movements?  You’ve got it!  Structured.  It sounds a bit rigid, perhaps, but really it’s not.  We’re talking about PLAY, remember?  Now that word doesn’t sound rigid at all!  Well, it shouldn’t.  Combine the two words (“play” and “structured”, if you’re getting older, like me), and now you have “intentional fun”!  Ok, so back to the how-to’s…

There are many ways to have intentional fun moving with young children.  And perhaps there are more opportunities than you think.  Tell you what — I’ll give you an activity, and you think of times you could incorporate it into your day, perhaps at a time that’s not typically a “moving around” time.  Ready?  Ok.

“Do Three with Me!” — Pick three simple ways to move your body, do the movements, and have your child copy you — for example: reach up high, touch the floor, turn in a circle (remember to keep it simple – these are FOUNDATIONAL movements for YOUNG children!)

When could you do this activity with your child?  The I Am Moving, I Am Learning strategy is all about incorporating movement into your regular daily routine.  Did you think of any of these times?

• In line at the grocery store
• When the child gets up in the morning OR at bedtime
• In the car
• At the WIC or DHS office
• At an older sibling’s sporting event
• At the dinner table OR while you’re preparing dinner

Great job!  These are perfect times to move with preschool-age children for two reasons:

1. Children are intermittent movers.  They move in “spurts” – tiring easily, but recovering quickly!
2. They are also inefficient movers, so they need lots of practice!

Again, think of times in the day when your child ISN’T moving their body, but COULD be.  That’s one way to be intentional, the WHEN.  And that can be a big part of meeting those recommendations!

Another way to be intentional is partnering with children on the WHAT, HOW, WHERE, and WITH of moving.  Check out this “Movement Awareness Chart” that helps you be intentional about… all of that!  And all of that moving not only gets children to their 60 minutes a day recommendation, but builds their brains, muscles, and movement foundation.  And that builds their JOY in moving, because they get to move with….YOU!  And they love you.

So, you’re informed.  Now, get moving! 

Brooke Rains is Coordinator for Child Care Network in Lenawee, Jackson and Hillsdale Counties. Brooke is a wife, dog mom, beach lover, education graduate of Adrian College, and an Adrian resident. She is excited to blog for us about her role as a national trainer for I Am Moving, I Am Learning, a proactive program for addressing childhood obesity in preschool-age children.

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Lenawee Great Start’s 2nd annual Diaper Drive started May 1st. During last year’s drive, the community donated over 8,000 disposable diapers to help Lenawee County families. This year we hope to reach the 10,000 mark by the end of our drive on June 14th.

Did you know there are over 500 babies in Lenawee County living below the poverty level? Babies need between 6 and 10 diaper changes a day. Disposable diapers can cost a family up to $75 a month and safety net programs such as W.I.C. and food stamps do NOT cover the cost of diapers.

Many babies are forced to spend the entire day in a single diaper because their family cannot afford to buy diapers. This puts babies at higher risk of health problems and increased risk of physical abuse.

In addition, most childcare centers do not accept cloth diapers, and many Laundromats have restrictions on washing cloth diapers in their facilities, which can add to a family’s hardship.

We have set up diaper drop-off locations throughout Lenawee County. Collection bins can be found at the following locations from now until June 14th:

• Tecumseh City Hall – Police Station entrance

• Lenawee Community Foundation

• Lenawee United Way

• Lenawee Christian School & The Christian Family Centre

• Madison Elementary School

• Bixby Medical Center

• Herrick Hospital

• First Federal Bank–Adrian Courthouse & West Branches

• Little People’s Place in Morenci

• The LISD Porter Center

• Child Care Network located at the Lenawee Human Services Bldg in the MSU-Extension Office

Please help us spread the word by sharing this blog on your Facebook page or emailing it to a friend! Perhaps you can get a group of people together from your workplace, church, or social organization and donate some diapers. If you are not sure about what diapers to buy, Lenawee Great Start is also collecting cash which will be used to purchase diapers. Checks can be mailed to Lenawee Great Start at 2946 Sutton Rd., Adrian, MI 49221 or donations can be made on-line through the Lenawee Educational Community Foundation (just choose Great Start Collaborative on the drop down menu at their website www.lenaweecef.com).

All of the diapers collected through the diaper drive will be distributed at the Community Action Agency office in Adrian. Please look for a collection site near you and help us reach our goal.

Hundreds of local babies thank you!

- P.S. Here is a Diaper Drive Flyer and a Fact Sheet for you to share.

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As I write this, it is 10:00 am on a Saturday.  Thus far, Rita has cried six times, over the following things:

• She wanted to play school with Ruby, but she didn’t know Ruby would want to play in the living room and not the dining room.

• She wanted to take a bath, not a shower.

• She couldn’t find a towel.

• Her hair isn’t curly.

• We didn’t wait for her to eat breakfast, even though she didn’t come downstairs until 9:15, and most Saturdays are ‘fend for yourself’ breakfast anyway.

• She wanted to play with her friend Sonja, and I hadn’t called yet, regardless of the fact that it was still only 9:15, she’d just gotten up, she had clothes to put away (which, by the way she hasn’t cried about yet), she was still playing school with Ruby and her hair wasn’t even wet yet from her shower.

These crying fits were not just a little whining or weeping.  They are full on sobbing with tears.  The kind of sobs that make you want to poke your ears with ice picks because they screech a little and they are mostly fake.

This is pretty typical.  It has been since the dawn of Rita’s time.  She will go through phases where she sobs less, but pretty much a typical school day will have 4-6 fits while a weekend day might have 8-10.  She’s here more, so more opportunity to find fault with the world that is our home.

As a parent, this frustrates me to no end.  In fact, it frustrates me as a human.  I’ve gone from attempting to comfort her, to screaming at her, to ignoring her, to just sending her to her room.  I even went as far as crying back one time, and my husband put an end to that as soon as he walked in and saw us both sitting and sobbing for no apparent reason.

My recollections are foggy, but I am pretty sure Avery was nearly as emotional.  Ruby has her moments, but never like this.  Chalking it up to her age is difficult, being that she has always done it. 

Her immediate reaction to everything is to burst into tears, and over time we have gotten to the point that we don’t react at all.  So much so that she has had to hobble into the house gravely injured just to get our attention.  In our defense, moments earlier she was crying because Ruby used the pink chalk. 

So what is the solution?  I don’t have one.  Just like much of what I share here about my Rita, I’m mostly venting and not offering up advice to those in similar situations.  I don’t have any wisdom.  She is who she is, and we can’t change that.  My goal is to have her not burst into tears over everything by the time she leaves for college.  I say college and not high school because frankly, I remember high school.  There is a lot to cry about.

How do you react to your most emotional child?

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Superheroes, like all things Disney, Dr. Seuss and “Star Wars,” are in America’s pop culture DNA. Images of Batman, Spider-Man and their muscle-bound peers inundate us on clothing, grocery store shelves and every manner of electronic screens.

My wife and I did a decent job of screening influences as our boys Evan (who is almost 7) and Sean (who is almost 5) have journeyed through stories, books, television and movies. We tried to shield them from commercials, violence and elements more interested in slapstick than education. But as the boys have begun their education, they have been exposed to a much wider pool of myths and entertainment properties than we have introduced at home.

As a voracious and enthusiastic consumer of pop culture, I am keenly aware of the benefits and drawbacks of entertainment and escapism. But I am sure I was nowhere near as critical and questioning at a young age as our sons are. I watched Superman fly, The Cat in the Hat clean up a house in 30 seconds, and 4,000 sharpshooting stormtroopers miss while shooting at Luke Skywalker from a distance of seven feet, all without deconstructing the mechanics of the story logic.

Evan, by contrast, seems to be carefully considering each scene of every story, examining it for holes and flaws like an appraiser studying what he expects to be a fake diamond.

Recently, I showed Evan two episodes of the 1970s “Super Friends” show, that silly but fun series in which DC Comics stars Supes, Bats, Wonder Woman and their pals battle the Legion of Doom, led by Lex Luthor, Sinestro, Gorilla Grodd and Riddler.

Evan is far more familiar with the “The Super Hero Squad Show,” a Marvel Comics show in which The Avengers are depicted in friendly little kid versions. I have always been a DC guy, devouring Batman and Joker stories, but Evan seems far more interested in the Marvel worlds of Spider-Man, Hulk and Iron Man. I thought a few “Super Friends” episodes might draw him into the DC stories.

As we watched an episode in which the Legion of Doom used manufactured global warming to make the Earth open for a Venusian invasion, Evan asked a string of impatient questions, something he does not do when watching “The Super Hero Squad. Show”

We are spending a lot of time with Evan working on teamwork, teaching him the importance of doing his individual best while contributing to a larger cause. As we watched the Legion of Doom plot and scheme to take down the Super Friends, Evan made a few astute observations.

“Daddy, the bad guys are working together and being a team while the good guys are doing everything on their own and not together. Does that mean the bad guys deserve to win?”

“No,” I said. “The good guys are working together for the same cause, just in different parts of the world. The bad guys are weak and mean, so they need to team up to be evil. They’re like the New York Yankees.”

Evan watched a few more scenes, then said, “How come Wonder Woman is wearing a swimsuit to fight the bad guys?”

“That’s not a bathing suit,” I said, then hesitated, “That’s a, um, that’s a … well, it looks like a swimsuit, but it’s her uniform.”

“The girls in X-Men wear real uniforms, not swimsuits,” Evan said.

“Well, Wonder Woman is an Amazon from an island, so maybe it’s hot there all the time. Let’s just watch,” I said.

In the story, a scene showed Superman, Batman and Robin running for what seemed like miles in that slightly jerky, ’70s animation.

Evan watched, but said, “Why is Superman running forever when he can fly?”

“I don’t know,” I said. “Maybe he doesn’t want Batman and Robin to fall behind.”

“Can’t he carry them and fly?” Evan asked.

“He could, but isn’t it cooler to see the good guys rushing to action?” I said.

“Daddy, why does Superman need Batman?” Evan asked. “Superman is Superman and Batman doesn’t have any powers.”

“Batman is a detective and very smart,” I said. “He always helps, even without superpowers, which is what makes him cool.”

On screen, Flash’s enemy Captain Cold froze the Brooklyn Bridge with his freeze ray.

“Daddy,” Evan asked, “Is Captain Cold the same guy as Batman’s bad guy Mr. Freeze?”

“No,” I said. “They’re completely different bad guys.”

“How?” Evan asked. “They both use ice and freeze rays.”

I thought about it.

“I’m not that familiar with Captain Cold, but he’s not Mr. Freeze,” I said.

In the show, Mr. Freeze — I mean, Captain Cold — froze a New York building, intending to topple it and watch it smash into pieces. Flash used his super speed to run around the Brooklyn Bridge, taking its suspension cables to lasso the building so it would not fall over.

“See, that was cool,” I said.

“But if the bridge cables are wrapped around the building, what’s holding up the bridge?” Evan asked.

“He must have left some cables on it,” I said.

So, Evan will probably go back to watching The Avengers in “The Super Hero Squad Show,” as he chooses which myths and entertainments he favors. But “Super Friends” stuck with him, for later in the day, we had another conversation.

“Daddy, why are there no black Super Friends?” Evan asked.

“Well, that’s a good question,” I said. “When I was growing up, people who made TV shows and movies did not always include everybody in their shows. Today, we try to do a better job of remembering to be sensitive to include all people.”

Evan was quiet, then asked, “Is that why there were no gay Super Friends? Was Robin gay?”

“Why would you ask if Robin is gay?” I said.

“I don’t know,” Evan said.

“Evan,” I said, “It’s not intelligent to think that about someone just because of the clothes they wear or how they talk or act. It can be hurtful to someone to label them. You don’t want people to think things about you before they get to know you. And if someone is gay, you know that doesn’t ever mean we think less of them just for that.”

“I know, Daddy. Daddy, was Aquaman gay?”

“Yes.”

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As spring rolls around, the kids are anxious to get outside and play.  Two of their favorite attractions are swing sets and sand boxes.  As our girls grew up, we had a variety of store-bought metal swing sets and Dad’s special homemade wood sets.  The latter was so heavy duty that it was almost a fortress.

These swing sets can be almost as dangerous as they can be fun.  Each year, parents should check all of the bolts holding the set together to make sure they are tight and the chains secure.  Nothing is like getting the swing to go as high as it can only to have an eye bolt come loose or a chain break. The kids may think it is exciting to fly through the air… at least until they hit the ground. This might be a good place to mention that a good sand or pebble base around the swing set can reduce possible injuries when the kids do fall off the swings.

Another important thing is to check the anchors holding the legs in place. You do have anchors on the swing set legs, don’t you??  I remember when I built the girls this gigantic wood swing set out of 4”x 4” posts.  It weighed as much as a tank, so I didn’t think it would need anchors.  WRONG!!!  Somehow, my petite little girls could get that thing a-rockin’ and almost tipped it over once. Maybe that was me that almost tipped it over. Anyway, leg anchors are very important and may prevent a trip to the emergency room.

If your swing set is metal, be sure to check all of the joints to be sure they have not rusted through during the winter months. Even if it is almost new, check it over, particularly that two-person rocker swing on the end of the set.

Most new sets have plastic seats so check the seats for cracks. Little bottoms can get pinched very easily.

Here is to a spring and summer full of fun—and free of arm and leg casts.

Steven Burnett is a certified Professional Home Inspector with Journey Property Inspections, LLC, covering all of Southeastern Michigan. He also does radon testing, water quality testing, and lead paint testing. Steven has raised six daughters, helped care for 8 foster babies, and now has 3 grandchildren.

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Avery has always been moody.  When he was a toddler, we called him Grumpy Bug because of this story: http://www.nickjr.com/kids-games/the-grumpy-bug.html.

He didn’t find it that amusing, but I thought it was hilarious.  So I would sit and read it to him over and over.  He was still grumpy, but I was happy.

He used to wake up from some naps grumpy.  I’m not talking just a little bit of a bad mood. I’m talking screaming for hours grumpy. There was nothing I could do to pull him out of it, so I’d have to ignore him and wait it out.  And sometimes read the book to myself because I thought the book was funny.

Not much has changed over the years, other than we know to keep Avery fed, because he gets especially grumpy when he is hungry, and to let him just work through whatever has made him grumpy.

This past week, we decided to do some geocaching as a family. Avery spearheads these ventures, and decided to hunt down a treasure in Adams Park in Tecumseh. We searched and searched, but it was getting cold, so I told the kids to wrap it up and we’d try another time.

This made Avery grumpy.

He wasn’t mad at me or the family for ending the adventure.  He was mad at himself for not finding the cache. Grumpy that we’d wasted time. Grumpy over several things. Frankly, it could have been anything.

We had to make a quick stop at CVS to drop off a RedBox movie and get some milk. Avery decided to pout in the car.

After depositing the movie, I thought I’d be hilarious and do a sideways tap-dance in front of the car. I figured a little yukking it up would make him laugh. Or it’d make me laugh, and then I wouldn’t mind his bad mood so much. Except Fred Astaire I’m not. Mid-way through my tap dance I side slammed my head into a handicapped parking sign. Not only did I now have a bloody cut on the side of my face, Tray—the 80’s rock band guy from the Tecumseh Walgreens—was walking out of CVS at the time and saw the whole thing. And yes, I was just as shocked as you to see Tray from Walgreens at CVS, but that’s neither here nor there.

Ruby, who was with me and not at all grumpy, couldn’t stop laughing, and Avery apparently missed the whole thing while wallowing in his own self-pity. And I still had to go into CVS to get milk with a big cut on my face from the sign.

Ruby laughed to the point of having a stomach cramp. Here we are, about a week later, and every time it is mentioned, she falls off her chair in hysterics.

At least someone appreciates what I do for the good humor of the family.

What do you do for your cranky kids?

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Today’s blog is from Brooke Rains, Coordinator for Child Care Network in Lenawee, Jackson and Hillsdale Counties. Brooke is a wife, dog mom, beach lover, education graduate of Adrian College, and an Adrian resident. She is excited to blog for us about her role as a national trainer for I Am Moving, I Am Learning, a proactive program for addressing childhood obesity in preschool-age children.

Parents and Families: Opportunity is knocking!  You can help the young children in your life have fun moving their bodies!  You can be an “informed play partner.”  What’s that, you say?  Ah yes, read on…

To be an informed play partner, you need to be informed about something, right?  Well, let me inform you about the guidelines for physical activity according to the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE).  Children age 3-5 years should have 60 minutes of unstructured physical activity and 60 minutes of structured physical activity on a DAILY BASIS.  “What??” you say, “120 minutes a day?!  I don’t even sleep for 120 minutes a day!”  Calm down.  This is where I come in.

First of all, channel your inner optimist. You CAN help! This is an opportunity, remember? It’s a great idea to help kids to be more active! Got it? Ok, good.

Second of all, take baby steps.  Let’s start with the unstructured physical activity part (we’ll tackle the structured side next time).  Keep in mind that these 60 minutes of activity are accumulated over the course of the child’s WHOLE DAY.  So, that includes time at child care or preschool, time at their friend’s house, time at Grandma’s house, time with you, etc.  And unstructured activity simply means that there is a period of time, or several smaller periods of time, where kids get to… just… PLAY (a.k.a. run around and be little hyper people).  And you let them!  Let them (safely of course) run, jump, climb, twist and shout, leap, roll, dance, hop, swing, and so on and so forth, however they choose to move.  Allow it and encourage it.  So, where can you make time for this in your busy schedule?  Well, the I Am Moving, I Am Learning strategy is all about incorporating movement into what you already do in your daily routine:

• Do you have to get dinner ready?  Turn on some music and encourage the kids to dance around while they wait.
• Watching your favorite TV show together?  Use the commercials as a time for jumping, rolling, or leaping.
• Long wait at the Secretary of State?  Grab your number and your child’s hand and take a walk (or hop or run) around the building together.  (Watch for cars!)
• Going to Grandma’s house for the afternoon?  Meet her at the park instead.  (Need to find a park?  Go to www.visitlenawee.com and click on “fun things to do” or direct link: http://www.visitlenawee.com/lenaweecountyparks.html)

Lastly, be their partner and motivator in this free, unbridled, active play time.  Tell them what you notice about their movements: “Wow, look at you jumping!” “That was a bigger leap than last time!” “Look how far we walked together!”  This can help to remind them of the JOY in moving their bodies.

So give it a try and watch the minutes add up!  You’ll be at 60 before you know it.

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One of the great joys of being parents is watching our sons discover interests and explore new activities. Our 4-year-old, Sean, loves music, dancing and soccer. His 6-year-old brother, Evan, is a reader, Lego builder and modest budding athlete, with an affinity for T-ball and bantam bowling.

It was a mild surprise when Evan brought home a flier announcing auditions for a play. The Tecumseh Youth Theatre (TYT) was producing “Seussical the Musical” and was looking to integrate elementary students into the cast. TYT is an independent nonprofit not officially affiliated with Tecumseh Public Schools, but it draws the majority of its youth actors from that system. We try to encourage the boys to try new things, so we took him to the audition.

We arrived to find there were more than 140 elementary students trying out for about 16 ensemble roles.

Evan was undeterred and, in the closed audition, apparently sang a spirited version of “Happy Birthday.”

A week or so passed, and as you have likely surmised from the direction of this discussion, Evan was chosen for a part. He was excited and we were excited for him, even after we realized the amount of rehearsal time the production required. Evan was told as long as his school studies and homework were not affected, he could participate. So, from early February through the play’s debut at the Tecumseh Center for the Arts on March 22, Evan and his elementary castmates rehearsed and were assigned roles. Evan was a Who, a fish in McElligot’s pool and a boy in military school. The late nights were a challenge, but Evan learned his songs and came home each night excited about being part of the production.

“Seussical The Musical” mashes together dozens of Dr. Seuss characters, including The Cat In The Hat, Yertle The Turtle and The Grinch, with passing mentions of The Lorax, The Sneeches and many others. Its story and songs focus on two characters, Horton the Elephant and JoJo, melding two Horton stories, “Horton Hatches The Egg” and “Horton Hears A Who.” The main message is the importance of individuality and the danger in conforming to societal pressure. Horton braves ridicule and bullying to maintain his loyalty to his friends. JoJo’s independent thinking gets him in trouble at school and causes strife at home, and his refusal to blindly march in line at military school results in his parents believing he is lost in The Butter Battle.

So, to recap, the play celebrates and encourages those who refuse to blend in with the crowd and who instead choose to assert their individuality.

You know where this is going, don’t you?

The March 22 performance was played to a full house. It was a remarkable production (directed by Jamie Buechele and produced by Molly Rice), with a $15,000 budget, a 40-member cast and professional sets, costumes and choreography. It was an ambitious, complex and full production with 40 songs and a live orchestra. Standouts in the cast included Jake Ringer as Horton, Bryan Gilbey as The Cat In The Hat, Becca Nowak as the Sour Kangaroo (who performed her entire role carrying little Brenna Davis as the Young Kangaroo on her back) and the amazing Evan Pollet, a second-grader who carried the show with countless lines, songs and choreography. The production featured elements of ballet, circus acrobatics, black-light jazz hands and myriad musical styles.

Of course, none of the spectacle was as anticipated by me as my son’s several stage appearances. During his first time onstage, standing with about a dozen Whos, Evan spotted his family in the audience and timidly waved, drawing laughter from the audience and looks of consternation form some of the teenage Whos in his row. During an interlude in which several small Whos played very Seussian musical instruments, the Whos on the balcony above stood still and watched the band. All the Whos except our Evan, who danced up a storm as the spirited music played.

Now, during this brief minute or two, no actors were singing or speaking. It was just several Whos pretending to play Jing Tinglers, Flu Floopers, Tar Tinkers and Who Hoovers. As Evan danced, drawing laughter from some audience members, the teen Who behind him placed her hand on his shoulder and tried to still him. Evan wiggled away and continued channeling James Brown. It wasn’t obnoxious or wild, but as he was the only one not standing still, it drew attention to him. He continued tripping the light fantastic until the matriarchal teen Who physically pulled him back into line and forced him to stand still. That drew murmurs of disappointment from several people around me, but the scene soon ended.

From my seat in the audience, I marveled at the irony that in a play celebrating individuality and the refusal to conform, our son was being reined in and forced to abandon his individuality in the name of conformity.

Evan later cavorted in a full fish costume, without incident, then later marched in line with several boys in military garb. Except, rather than marching, he skipped, and when called upon to perform calisthenics, dropped into a push-up stance but proceeded to wildly kick his feet as if carrying out a crazed series of hyperkinetic bear crawls.

During the play’s climax, as the Whos jump and shout “We are here! We are here!” to prove their existence and save their world, Evan yelled and jumped as high as he could. For the finale, as the entire cast rocked out to “Green Eggs and Ham,” Evan’s little legs and feet were a blur of musical celebration.

In other words, every time Evan appeared on stage, he had fun.

Which is what it’s all about, right?

After the play, he excitedly asked if we had seen his “bonus moves,” a phrase he picked up from the Wii game “Just Dance.”
I was never backstage during the production, but I know the director told Evan he was fine and that the parental teen Whos would leave him alone. But the message to chill out got through, and when Evan took the stage on the next night, there was no waving, no dancing, no bonus moves.

He was just another little boy standing in line, behaving. It saddened me to see him not enjoying himself (to be fair, a runny nose and six consecutive nights of ignored bedtimes did not help his attitude). He was going through the motions, clearly unhappy to be caged. I wanted to yell up at him to dance and have fun, but of course, as a well behaving and conforming member of society, I did not.  

But during the finale, as the cast cut loose, Evan’s attitude returned. He shuffled away from the Who who had acted like a teacher from Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” and danced his little shoes off, twisting and singing and rocking out.

The Whos around him, finally catching on, danced as well, joining him in a chaotic, bouncing, nonconforming line. I was the first to rise from my seat and start the standing ovation.

I don’t want Evan to draw undue attention to himself when it’s not appropriate and I certainly do not want him to be a troublemaker. But I do want him to understand that standing still and falling in line are not always the same thing as behaving. I want his spirit to burn bright and lead the way, not get lost in a long line of followers.

I can tell him from experience that there is a price to pay for following your hunches and standing up for yourself, but I can also tell him from experience that when you do … oh, the places you’ll go.

Michael S. Miller is editor in chief of Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press Star. Email him at mmiller@toledofreepress.com.

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