June 2009 Letter from the publisher
Dear Parents,
Before coming to Las Vegas I remember telling my former boss at The Las Vegas Review-Journal that I wasn’t interested in moving to Southern Nevada from the East Coast. I said to her, “Las Vegas is great, but nobody actually lives there.” I had been coming to Vegas each year for trade shows and with the myopic viewpoint of a tourist I didn’t see Southern Nevada as a great place to raise a family. Of course at the time I had never been anywhere besides the convention center.
Now that my wife and I have lived here several years and are raising two boys and two girls, I know that Las Vegas can be a great place for families. This special issue of ParentsGuide of Las Vegas is dedicated to having fun with your kids and building the kind of good memories with your family that will be cherished for a lifetime.
Best regards,
Mark Sherwood, Publisher
P.S. You can have more Family Fun by logging onto www.ParentsGuideLV.com for a chance to win free tickets/party packages to Las Vegas Mini Gran Prix, Sky Mania, Pole Position or The Super Duper Show.
May 2009 Team
| Advisory Board | Publisher | |||
| Ethel Archibald | Mark Sherwood | |||
| Jen Flinders | ||||
| Carmen Miller | Event Director | |||
| Ellen Gianni Nelson | Pamela Ann Schumacher | |||
| Steve Orrico | ||||
| Distribution | ||||
| Art Director | Richard Kleinman | |||
| Hugh Roper | ||||
| Account Executives | ||||
| Graphic Designer | Sarah Jones | |||
| Brittany Lish | Susan Thomas |
To advertise call: (702) 530-2380
ParentsGuide of Las Vegas is published monthly by Postman Right Media, LLC. Copyright 2009.
The Circus is Coming to Town
As parents there are many demands on our time and energy. Often those demands crowd out time for our children. I was talking to a good friend of mine whose daughter is now grown. He mentioned how he remembers coming home from work and his daughter would ask him to jump on the trampoline with her or play some game. He would tell her he couldn’t because he was just too tired. How my friend now regrets not carving out some time for his daughter.
Thomas S. Monson commented on taking advantage of the time we have today, especially with our children. “Daydreaming of the past and longing for the future may provide comfort but will not take the place of living in the present. This is the day of our opportunity, and we must grasp it.”
Professor Harold Hill, in Meredith Willson’s The Music Man, cautioned: “You pile up enough tomorrows, and you’ll find you’ve collected a lot of empty yesterdays.”
There is no tomorrow to remember if we don’t do something today, and to live most fully today, we must do that which is of greatest importance. Let us not procrastinate those things which matter most.
A wonderful example of this philosophy was shared by Arthur Gordon many years ago in a national magazine. He wrote:
When I was around thirteen and my brother ten, Father had promised to take us to the circus. But at lunchtime there was a phone call; some urgent business required his attention downtown. We braced ourselves for disappointment. Then we heard him say into the phone, ‘No, I won’t be down. It’ll have to wait.’
When he came back to the table, Mother smiled. ‘The circus keeps coming back, you know,’ she said. ‘I know,’ said Father. ‘But childhood doesn’t.’
June 2009 Recommended Reading
By Audrey Sherwood
For June, we’re reviewing some worthwhile picture books by local authors and illustrators.
Tiko and the Tramp
Written by Ray and Christine Wold
Illustrated by Beti Kristof
Inspired by a true story, this tale of acceptance and love tells how “The Little Tramp”, a wandering clown, rescues a monkey named Tiko and starts a traveling circus of sorts. The tramp is an odd, endearing fellow who collects stacks of “things that make people laugh” and rides around the village on his motorbike from performance to performance. The addition of Tiko to the performance makes the act more successful. Excited by their success, the two work together to build a small circus, aided by a mysterious waif of a girl. After their big show, the Tramp finally learns the identity of the little girl and her father. But he also learns a lesson about forgiveness and unconditional love. This charming story has the feel of a fairy tale that is enhanced by the sweet yet vibrant illustrations.
Riley the Rhinoceros
Written by Patricia Derrick
Illustrated by J-P Loppo Martinez
This lively book is written in sing-song fashion to tell the story of Riley the Rhinoceros. Riley is nicknamed the “Jungle Bus” after he gives rides home to some baby animals who were lost. As the animals grow up, they still want to ride the “Jungle Bus”. Riley refuses to let them, claiming it would be “pre pos ter ous”. This continues until Riley meets Eleanor the Elephant who is content to be his friend and walk side by side. The whimsical illustrations skillfully convey Riley’s changing emotions and add a sense of fun. The book comes with a CD (composed by the talented illustrator) that has the whole text of the book set to song for you to sing along.
The Ants and the Clouds Knew Why
Written and Illustrated by Kathryn Grant
This picture book follows a young pig as he discovers his place in the world of nature. His outlook matures from feeling proud that he is bigger than an ant to understanding his minuteness in comparison to the vast sky and clouds. Colorful illustrations add to the story with subtle details such as the varying vests the pig wears which represent his progression. Appropriate for beginning readers, this book includes “words to learn” and facts about trees. Also included are questions for parents or teachers to use to facilitate discussion.