The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1386251
YOUTH FIRST TODAY Am I worrying too much? By Aisha Givens Youth First, Inc. As parents, we often worry about our children. It's part of the job. We worry when they are young and continue to worry as they grow into teenagers and adults. Being concerned about your child is a healthy and appropriate feeling. How- ever, constant or excessive worrying can be detrimental to both parent and child. This is known as parental paranoia. Parental paranoia is constant supervi- sion of a child. This type of paranoia of- ten leads parents to limit their child's ac- tivities to ensure that an adult is always present to observe and control the child's behavior. This kind of attention can sup- press creativity and prevents indepen- dent thinking. It can also negatively af- fect a child's personal relationships lat- er in life. When I was a child, my parents gave us rules, but many of us freely wandered our neighborhoods. This was just anoth- er part of growing up. I remember walk- ing to the store at least three blocks away at the age of four with my five-year-old brother and his five-year-old friend. "Adult geographic solidarity," or lack thereof, plays a role in the parental para- noia we see in today's society. We all know the saying, "It takes a village." The village in the past was usually made up of family members and friends who all lived in the same neighborhood. This gave children the opportunity to freely roam, like I used to when I was a child. Since extended families generally no longer share backyards or neighbor- hoods, it leaves today's parents with- out the reassurance that their children are safely in the hands of other trusted adults. These days, most parents don't allow the same freedoms to their children that many of us enjoyed when we were young. The world has changed so much since then. When my girls were eleven years old and wanted to go the mall for the first time without me, my immediate thought was "Are they going to be safe? " All of us have these questions about safe- ty. They are normal and healthy responses to perceived risk. However, it is important to remember that in our constantly modern- izing world, children are much safer today than during our childhoods. Today's most common parenting styles require parents to be observant about safety, which is a good thing in moder- ation. Most socialization is organized in the form of sports teams, play dates and extracurricular activities. These activities are wonderful ways for children to form bonds with each other without direct adult supervision. Make an effort to take a step back in situations like these and take comfort in the fact that don't you have to worry. Ultimately, you want your children to be responsible, respected and successful. Too much parental observation can add to a child's stress and anxiety and take away opportunities for children to gain independence. Hovering and microman- aging reduces their ability to lead their own lives. Strive to find a balance and allow your children the space to learn and grow in- dependently from you. Think about what will happen when it's time for them to leave home. Will they be ready to face the world, having been protected from it throughout their lives? Childhood is meant to provide an emo- tionally secure grounding and a space for freedom, play and learning from mis- takes. Give your children that space and freedom to become their best selves. Aisha Givens, LCSW, is the Youth First Social Worker at Harper Elementary School in Vanderburgh County. Youth First, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening youth and families, provides 64 Master's level so- cial workers to 92 schools in 11 Indiana counties. Over 60,000 youth and families per year are served by Youth First's school social work and after school programs that prevent substance abuse, promote healthy be- haviors and maximize student success. To learn more about Youth First, visit youth- firstinc.org or call 812-421-8336. RICOTTA-STUFFED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS MEALS IN Monica's MINUTES Share your favorite recipe! www.facebook.com/mealsinminutes Monica's Meals in Minutes PO Box 68, Petersburg 47567 mealsinminutes@pressdispatch.net FACEBOOK MAIL EMAIL By Monica Sinclair Hopefully, my vegetarian readers don't think I for- got about them with my grill-themed recipes. I found an amazing recipe for you to try. In fact, it looks so deli- cious, I would make it as a side dish, even if I were grill- ing up some meat. Not to mention, it includes one of my favorite cheeses, ricotta. Enjoy! INGREDIENTS • 3/4 cup reduced-fat ricotta cheese • 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided • 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese • 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley • 1/8 teaspoon pepper • 6 large portobello mushrooms • 6 slices large tomato • 3/4 cup fresh basil leaves • 3 tablespoons slivered almonds or pine nuts, toasted • 1 small garlic clove • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 2 to 3 teaspoons water DIRECTIONS 1. In a small bowl, mix ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup Parme- san cheese, mozzarella cheese, parsley and pepper. 2. Remove and discard stems from mushrooms; with a spoon, scrape and remove gills. Fill caps with ricotta mixture. Top with tomato slices. 3. Grill, covered, over medium heat until mushrooms are tender, 8 -10 minutes. Remove from grill with a metal spatula. 4. Meanwhile, place basil, almonds and garlic in a small food processor; pulse until chopped. 5. Add remaining Parmesan cheese; pulse just until blended. While processing, gradually add oil and enough water to reach desired consistency. Spoon over stuffed mushrooms before serving. Source: tasteof home.com SATURDAY, JUNE 26 • 10am EDT at the Auction Barn – 2667 E. CR 400 S., Winslow Auction pick-up available! KALEB CLARIDGE AU11700062 Follow on Auctionzip.com • ID# 46613 • AUCTION Call Today to schedule your auction! No Buyer's Premium. LOIS MEYER LIVING ESTATE This auction is featuring a large Snap On tool box, other tool boxes, tons of mechanic's tools (namebrands like Snap On, Mac, Craftsman, SK, Proto and others), Golden Ford Jubilee tractor, 8N tractor, 1948 Gibson tractor, lawnmowers, implements, all types of antiques, collectibles, primitives, crocks, cast iron, pocket knives, several coins, pedal cars, old bottles and jars, Fiesta glassware and other types of glassware, vintage toys, all types of tractor manuals and much more! My So Called Millennial Life By Stephanie Hayes Why aren't all the dressing rooms open? The little things, we took them for granted. Wandering the aisles of TJ Maxx. Loading up on $12.99 linen pants you're positive recall Sophia Loren on the Amalfi Coast. Turning to the fitting room where an attendant counts your hangers: thwip, thwip, thwip. Taking two hangtags because you must try on 17 items in a single visit. But while restrictions relax as vac- cines increase, some dressing rooms remain closed. That was the case last weekend at TJ Maxx. Shoppers crowded in aisles, some maskless, pulling breezy summer tops over their lumpy clothes. Stressed parents told kids to just pick some shorts. You know the tone! Major retailers, including Target, Walmart and Kohls, have reopened fit- ting rooms. The International Council of Shopping Centers doesn't keep data on how many stores have opened dress- ing rooms, but a spokesperson said it de- pends on state regulations. Dressing rooms are still closed at stores like Burlington and Forever 21. An employee at TJ Maxx said changing rooms are supposed to open in late June. Someone at Marshalls, TJ's sister store, had heard the same thing. Officially? "We don't have any changes to an- nounce at this time regarding our fit- ting rooms," TJX brand's spokesperson Andrew Mastrangelo said Monday. If everything else is open, why aren't dressing rooms? It's hard to ask without sounding an- ti-masky and weird. Erring on the side of caution is al- ways preferable, and some protective measures are do- ne in a community, public health spirit. But is trying on pants re- ally that risky? The Cen- ters for Disease Control and Prevention has long said surfaces are not a major coronavirus carrier; it primarily spreads through the air, drop- lets and hand-to-face contact. Fitting rooms are more socially dis- tanced than the Lollapalooza at the reg- ister. And taking clothes home to try on seems counterproductive. Once you re- alize those pants are more SpongeBob than Sophia, you have to spend more time inside returning them. So many velvet curtains of logic to open! Whenever I think I know the an- swer to something, I consider that may- be I'm an idiot. I called Jay Wolfson, a professor of public health at the Univer- sity of South Florida, for an expert opin- ion. Some people aren't yet comfortable going back into tight, closed spaces, he reminded me. If you stood outside a dressing room and heard coughing and sneezing, would you want to go in next? Maybe not. How much wiping should happen? How does the attendant stay safe? "I'm still sensitive about keeping my distance and avoiding closed spaces where I go," said Wolfson, who is vaccinated. "What we don't know is greater, to a de- gree, than what we do know with this disease." Plus, he said, there's a societal con- text to consider. Human behaviors have changed, and employees have not had to marshal customers in the old ways. Stores may still be getting a handle on things such as inventory counts and shoplifting prevention. We can agree that, in the scope of dreadful things, this is just an inconve- nience. Soon, we'll forget we ever talked about this and will be back standing in front of triple mirrors in a cocktail dress and gym socks. In the meantime, I, SpongeBob, have some pants to return. Stephanie Hayes is a columnist at the Tampa Bay Times in Florida. Follow her at @ stephhayeswrites on Facebook, @ stephhayes on Twitter or @ stephrhayes on Instagram. B-10 Wednesday, June 23, 2021 The Press-Dispatch HOME LIFE TO ADVERTISE: Call: 812-354-8500 Email: ads@pressdispatch.net Visit: 820 E. Poplar Street, Petersburg Deadline: 5 p.m. on Monday