Beltway Bambinos

(re) discover Washington DC through the eyes of your children

PJ Library podcasts for children

Since being in quarantine, podcasts have been a popular way for children to get their fill of information and entertainment while being in the car headed someplace for an extended stay or in the comfort of their homes. The good part about podcasts is that they are easily accessed through a smart phone, tablet, or computer. Prepare for hours of entertainment and even some learning opportunities.

This month PJ Library has two new episodes of the PJ Library Have I Got a Story for You podcast. You can find them here. Every episode of Have I Got a Story For You takes a classic Jewish folk tale and gives it a modern twist. You can explore episodes here and if you find one you really like, be sure to click on the episode page to find activities, book lists, and keep the fun going.

The podcast is just one element of the always-free and open PJ Library Listen hub where you will find all things audio from stories, songs, Spotify playlists and the podcast.

Keep an eye out for PJ Library’s downloadable “fall guide,” coming next month.

PJ Library invites families for a LIVE interactive tour of Jerusalem to unlock the mysteries of the Holy City

Fun for the whole family, admission is free to “You Be the Detective: A Family Tour of Jerusalem,” a unique webinar, which runs from 1:30pm-2:30pm ET on Monday, July 13, 2020.

Though the coronavirus has upended summer travel plans for many, this July, PJ Library wants to send families to the holy city of Jerusalem for a unique and interactive trip. On Monday join engaging tour guide Jonty Blackman for the LIVE hour-long webinar “You Be the Detective: A Family Tour of Jerusalem.” Though bags don’t need to be packed and admission is free, space is limited and registration is required here. With Israel also suffering from coronavirus fall-out, tourism in the land of milk & honey has all but stopped. But that’s not stopping PJ Library from inviting interested “tourists” to unlock the mysteries of Jerusalem with a unique, interactive webinar.

Along with veteran Israel tour guide Blackman, families are invited to explore both the old and new city including stops at Jaffa Gate, the Knesset, the City of David and the world-famous Machane Yehudah outdoor market. And, along the way, PJ Library tourists will be invited to uncover the mysteries of Jerusalem, find the yummiest food in the market and discover ancient secrets hidden in archaeological discoveries. Don’t miss out on the most exciting trip of the summer – without leaving your home – with “You Be the Detective: A Family Tour of Jerusalem.”

Growth and development with thumb sucking, how orthodontics can help

Dr. Kathryn Clark is an orthodontist at Byrdsmiles Orthodontics and is offering her knowledge with Beltway Bambinos as it relates to orthodontics for children and adolescents. Dr. Talley, another orthodontist at Byrdsmiles Orthodontics shared a post in December about orthodontic care for patients and how the field has progressed and improved thanks to advances in research and technology.

Just as the Colorado River shaped the Grand Canyon, the muscles of your lips, cheeks and tongue work to shape your mouth and the way your teeth fit together.

With normal growth and development, your tongue rests on the roof of your mouth to keep the upper arch broader than the lower arch. Your upper and lower jaws both grow downward and forward as your face matures.

If you suck your thumb or a pacifier, it can reshape your mouth. Depending on the severity and duration of force, it can narrow your upper arch which can lead to a cross bite, where the upper teeth fit inside the lower teeth. This can cause facial asymmetry as you shift your jaw to one side to find a more comfortable place to bite down. The incidence of cross bite increases if a thumb habit persists beyond age 2. Prolonged thumb sucking can also procline your upper front teeth, or tilt them forward. Having your thumb between your teeth consistently can prevent full eruption of your upper front teeth and allow excess eruption of the posterior teeth leading to an anterior open bite, where your top teeth don’t overlap your bottom teeth at all. This can make it hard to bite into food and get the inside part of a sandwich! In the long term an anterior open bite can also increase the stress to the posterior teeth and make them more susceptible to fracture and periodontal issues. Stopping a thumb habit before the eruption of the permanent teeth reduces the chances of a bite problem developing.

Photo: Dental changes seen in a patient with significant thumb sucking habits

There are many ways to help stop a thumb habit. Frequently we’ll show a video of how your teeth can be moved with a prolonged thumb habit and the negative effects associated with it. Understanding why we want the habit to stop is an important part. Next we review options that can serve as reminders to help you stop sucking your thumb. This can include wearing a band aid on your thumb, wearing socks or mittens on your hand, putting an ace bandage on your elbow, or using Mavala Stop nail polish. The workbook What To Do When Bad Habits Take Hold can walk you through the self soothing effects of sucking your thumb and alternative ways to achieve those feelings. We can place an orthodontic appliance called a spinnerball appliance to help. This acts as a reminder whenever your thumb touches it and also provides an alternative of spinning the spinnerball with your tongue. The spinnerball is positioned to act as a target for the ideal position of your tongue at rest and during swallow. If needed, the spinnerball can be placed once the permanent first molars have erupted around age 6-7.

Photo: A spinnerball appliance in place to help deter a thumb habit

If your thumb is frequently present between your teeth, your tongue positions itself low on the floor of your mouth. Some people will thrust their tongue forward between their teeth when swallowing, called a tongue thrust swallow. These can contribute to an anterior open bite. To help combat these things, we frequently work with a myofunctional therapist, a speech therapist who specializes in proper position and function of the muscles of your mouth. The myofunctional therapist will give you exercises to help retrain your muscles to function properly.

At Byrdsmiles, we have been excited about the results we have been able to achieve using Invisalign and myofunctional therapy to help close anterior open bites. In the past, orthognathic surgery was often considered to close anterior open bites. Now often times we can get the anterior teeth to overlap by intruding the posterior teeth with Invisalign and reguiding the tongue to prevent reopening of the bite.

Photo: Before and after photo of a patient treated with Invisalign at Byrdsmiles Orthodontics

By looking at the causative factors in a developing occlusion, we are best able to guide the teeth into their most functional and esthetic position. If you want to find out more about how your oral health can be improved with orthodontic treatment, please visit our office!

At Byrdsmiles Orthodontics we would love the opportunity to get to know you and answer your questions. Please call us to schedule a complimentary new patient exam. You can also find us on Google, Facebook, and Rate a biz.

Location: 4110 River Rd. NW Washington, DC 20016
Phone: (202) 686-2108

Let’s go to the movies for FREE

Click the links below to grab your free passes to see one or both movies!

Spies in Disguise: Saturday, March 7 at 11:00am at AMC Mazza

Super spy Lance Sterling (Will Smith) and scientist Walter Beckett (Tom Holland) are almost exact opposites. Lance is smooth, suave and debonair. Walter is … not. But when events take an unexpected turn, this unlikely duo are forced to team up for the ultimate mission that will require an almost impossible disguise – transforming Lance into the brave, fierce, majestic… pigeon. Walter and Lance suddenly have to work as a team, or the whole world is in peril. “Spies in Disguise” flies into theaters this Christmas. Rated PG

My Spy: Wednesday, March 11 at 7:00pm at AMC Mazza

My Spy follows JJ a hardened CIA operative (Dave Bautista) who has been demoted and finds himself at the mercy of a precocious 9-year-old girl, named Sophie (Chloe Coleman) where he has been sent undercover begrudgingly to surveil her family.  When Sophie discovers hidden cameras in her apartment she uses her tech savviness to locate where the surveillance operation is set.  In exchange for not blowing JJ’s cover Sophie convinces him to spend time with her and teach her to be a spy. Despite his reluctance JJ finds he is no match for Sophie’s disarming charm and wit. Rated PG-13

The Snowy Day and Other Stories at Adventure Theatre

Watch four of Ezra Jack Keat’s popular books come to life on stage at Adventure Theatre from February 14–April 5, 2020. The Snowy Day and Other Stories is an hour long performance and the audience will smile as the recognize the memorable stories beginning with the popular Snowy Day! The audience watches Peter, the main character face challenges and triumphs throughout the performance always having his Mom & Dad by his side. The stage has a projection of recognizable backgrounds from the books, a solid cast and even some snow fell from above!

This beautiful show follows the character of Peter and his friend Archie around the neighborhood in four of Ezra Jack Keats’ beloved tales, The Snowy Day, Whistle for Willie, Goggles!, and A Letter to Amy. Renowned for his tender personality, the character of Peter faces relatable everyday challenges to which children of all ages will find delightfully entertaining.

Upcoming shows at Adventure Theatre:
LYLE THE CROCODILE: April 24–May 31, 2020
MADAGASCAR A MUSICAL ADVENTURE: June 26–August 23, 2020

Location: 7300 MacArthur Blvd. Glen Echo, MD 20812

The fun, festive holiday of Purim is exuberant, colorful and full of joy

Let PJ Library’s unique, family-friendly ideas enliven your family celebrations this March! The early springtime holiday of Purim, with all of its festive fun, is an especially accessible holiday for children; this year, the holiday falls on March 9th-10th.

On Purim, it’s customary to listen to the biblical Book of Esther (also known as the Megillah in Hebrew), put on comic productions of the story of Purim called purimspiels (Yiddish for “plays”), dress up in costumes as the famous characters from the story, bake (and eat!) hamantaschen, shake Purim groggers (noisemakers), give gift baskets (mishloach manot) to friends and do tzedakah and other good works to spread joy and help the needy.

This Purim, PJ Library wants to help families celebrate in fun and unique ways, so they’ve created 18 great ideas sure to spur creativity and togetherness.  Whether your children have never dressed for Purim before or baked a classic, delicious hamantaschen – or you’re just tired of the same old routine – check out these enjoyable activities! And, for more, families are welcome to visit PJ Library’s Purim Hub!

If you currently receive PJ Library books, be on the lookout for the special February mailing, which contains a Purim gift basket to make and decorate!

A program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, PJ Library sends more than two hundred ten thousand expertly curated books to families raising Jewish children – every month, at no cost to subscribers. Families raising Jewish children may subscribe here, tapping in to a wealth of information, parenting resources and community events as well as free books.

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