October 2011

Featured Articles

What’s the Big Deal with Inflation?

Inflation is one of those economic terms that is often misused and misunderstood. So, what is inflation and how does it impact personal finances?

Sue Lynn Sasser

Dealing with Change, Grief & Loss: Tips for Guiding Your Child at Every Age

Change, loss and grief are an unavoidable part of life. Whether it’s a death, divorce or natural disaster, dealing with the emotions brought on by grief and loss can be difficult at every age.

Brooke Barnett

Exploring Shawnee’s Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art

What do you get when you cross an artistically-gifted Benedictine monk, the Oklahoma land run and a desire to bring the world’s art and history to a new frontier homeland? You get the treasure that is the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art in Shawnee, one of the oldest museums in the state.

Karen Mitchell

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Archive »Exploring Oklahoma

Exploring Shawnee’s Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art

Karen Mitchell

Archive »Family Shorts

Couch-to-5k Eight Week Training Program

A Couch to 5K program is designed to assist those new to running with successfully completing a 5K run. Find an 8-week breakdown on how to build to a 5K distance here.

Halloween Craft: Trick-or-Treating Pillowcase Project

Make your own treat sack to take trick-or-treating this year or make a fun, Halloween-themed pillow with this easy craft that turns a standard pillowcase into a festive jack-o-lantern!

What a Chore! September 2011 Question of the Month Reader Responses

Our September Question of the Month asked if you assign chores to your children, what you consider age appropriate tasks and whether chores are tied to their allowance or other compensation.

Archive »Family Health

Couch to 5K Training Program

Couch to 5K is designed to get ordinary folks (as in non-runners) up and moving and able to complete a 5K run in about nine weeks. The program incorporates three workouts per week, lasting approximately 30 minutes each.

Shannon Fields

Archive »Family Finances

What’s the Big Deal with Inflation?

Inflation is one of those economic terms that is often misused and misunderstood. So, what is inflation and how does it impact personal finances?

Sue Lynn Sasser

Archive »Photo Galleries

Halloween Photo Gallery

In September, our readers submitted photos of their little ghosts and goblins enjoying Halloween fun.

Archive »Family News

Ghost and Goblin Crossing Ahead

On Halloween night, ghosts, goblins and ghouls will fill the streets to celebrate. And if that’s not scary enough, AAA has uncovered this frightening fact: October 31 is the deadliest night of the year for pedestrians, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

AAA Oklahoma

Stranger Danger: Smart Strategies to Help Keep Your Child Safe

Your child may sometime need to seek help from a stranger. Arm your child with a plan to help keep her safe.

Christa Melnyk Hines

How to Have a Miserable Toddler Trick or Treating Experience

You can make it a great, ghoulish night filled with good memories, or hideously heinous by engaging in this list of killjoys.

Ashley Grimaldo

AAA Releases List of Oklahoma’s Best Automotive Repair Shops

In recognition of National Car Care Month, AAA today announced its annual list of the best auto repair shops in Oklahoma.

AAA Oklahoma

Halloween Movie Schedule

Looking for a ghoulishly good movie? Check out these upcoming Halloween classics!

October is National Dyslexia Awareness Month

One in 10 people have symptoms of dyslexia, which can include slow or inaccurate reading, poor spelling, poor writing, or confusion of similar words. October is National Dyslexia Awareness Month and the International Dyslexia Association shares some important information for parents.

Spooky Fun! Halloween Product Reviews

The weather is cooler and thoughts are turning to Halloween. Want to get in the mood to celebrate?

Mari Farthing

Sesame Street Addresses Anti-Bullying for National Bullying Prevention Month

The series will help preschoolers build healthy friendships, foster self-esteem and understand the difference between reporting and tattling.

PBS Kids

Halloween Traditions

Halloween traditions were a fun part of my childhood, and my mom still calls every year to make sure we know when the Charlie Brown Halloween special is on. Discover traditions with your kids with these fun Halloween ideas.

Kerrie McLoughlin

Do you know what your child ate for lunch at school today?

In October 2009, Chicago Public School teacher Sarah Wu paid attention to what was being served in the cafeteria for lunch, and it made her lose her appetite.

Mari Farthing

Get a Jump on Holiday Shopping at Mistletoe Market

The Junior League of Oklahoma City hosts Mistletoe Market, scheduled for October 14-16, at the Cox Convention Center in downtown Oklahoma City

POPS Label Design Contest for Kids

Located on Route 66, POPS has announced a label design contest for kids. The label of the lucky winner will appear on their new grape flavored soda.

Eat for the "Power of Pink"

On Monday, Oct. 10, Panera Bread will be celebrating the “Power of Pink” by donating 100% of the proceeds from Pink Ribbon Bagels to the Central and Western Oklahoma Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Young Professionals Form Group Supporting Girl Scouts

A group of volunteers with Girl Scouts-Western Oklahoma are kicking-off a new group of young professionals called GS Cornerstone, with a free event on Oct. 11 in Oklahoma City.

Girl Scouts of Western Oklahoma

American Red Cross Stresses Fire Safety and Prevention This Month

October is Fire Prevention Month and the American Red Cross is encouraging people to take steps to lessen the risk of a fire in their home.

American Red Cross

Free Trees Offered during Great OKC Tree Give-Away

The City of Oklahoma City, in partnership with the Tree Bank Foundation, is making 1,000 free trees available to citizens as part of the "Great OKC Tree Give-Away."

Simple Steps Make Fresh Produce the Healthy Choice for Oklahomans

Fresh fruits and vegetables are a staple of a well-balanced diet and key to creating a healthy Oklahoma. Like any food product, it is important to be careful handling or preparing produce. The following are simple steps that can make consuming produce safer.

Oklahoma State Department of Health

Pardon Our Error...

At MetroFamily, we strive to bring you the most helpful and up-to-date information available—and sometimes our desire to bring you the latest and greatest includes a few...ummm...hiccups along the way. Please pardon the following errors in our October 2011 issue.

Registration Open for GRANDfamilies Conferences

Oklahoma ranks among the top ten states in the number of families with grandparents or other relatives raising grandchildren. In Oklahoma, almost 76,000 grandparents live with grandchildren under age 18 and nearly 43,000 of those grandparents are solely responsible for those children. Registration is underway for two conferences for grandparents raising grandchildren in Oklahoma.

Toys for Smart Play: Dr. Toy's Best Picks Children’s Products for 2011

Dr. Toy’s Best Picks Children's Products Awards Program 2011 was developed as a service to consumers who desire to purchase safe, affordable, educationally oriented, stimulating new toys and products for children.