BigApple Parent NYMETROPARENTS.COM NOVEMBER 2017
Changing the World Amazing kids who started their own nonprofits
Choosing the Right Doc 15 questions to ask Plus: Kids and eating disorders
SpecialParent
Abilities, Not Disabilities
A new approach to kids with special needs
HELPING PARENTS MAKE BETTER DECISIONS
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NYMetroParents
Helping Parents Make Better Decisions
Contents
November 2017 ››
42
Features
16 15 Questions to Ask a Pediatrician How to find the best doctor for your family’s needs
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18 Kids Making a Difference These five young adults launched their own nonprofits. Here’s how—and how your child can, too. 24 Thanksgiving Desserts Kids Can Help Make Amanda Grant shares recipes from Kids in the Kitchen that are perfect for children to help bake. 38 Does My Child Have an Eating Disorder? Three experts share what to look out for, the physical and mental health risks, and getting your child the help she needs. 42 Focus on Your Abilities When your child with special needs starts to feel discouraged, let him read this, or use this as a guide, to help him through it.
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Connections
6 Editor’s Note 8 New Places, New Programs 10 Quotables 11 NYMP Q&A: Jess Shatkin, M.D., M.P.H., talks adolescent angst. 13 Private School Profile: École Internationale de New York 50 Voices: Growing Up with a Brother with Special Needs
Fun & Activities
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15 22 26 27 37
Family Activities CALENDAR ››
DIY Corner: Making Snot! Where-To Guide: Volunteer with Your Kids Outing: Long Island City, Queens Family Activities Calendar Where-To Guide: Ice-Skating
Directories
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47 48 48 49 49
Party Central Professional Services Open Houses Family Resource Guide and Party Planner Advertisers’ Index
Original photo by PhotoOp NYC (photoopnyc.com) Clothing provided by Appaman (appaman.com)
››
ON THE COVER ›› 16 Choosing the Right Doc 18 Changing the World 38 Kids and Eating Disorders 42 Abilities, Not Disabilities facebook.com/nymetroparents
@NYMetroParents
Visit NYMETROPARENTS.COM for family activities updated daily and more than 2,000 parenting articles!
S K E A R E E H R S B T R N A T U F S
The City’s Best School Break Camps For Tots To Teens!
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NOVEMBER 2017 • Vol.32 • No.11
NYMetroParents nymetroparents.com
EDITORIAL EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Michael Kress
EDITOR’S NOTE
MANAGING EDITOR: Katelin Walling DEPUTY EDITOR: Caitlin Berens SENIOR EDITOR: Bethany Braun-Silva ENGAGEMENT EDITOR: Samantha Neudorf
Season of Gratitude
L
ike many parents, I struggle to instill in my kids a sense of caring about the world around them and empathy for those less fortunate than we are. I see glimmers of hope occasionally, such as when we attended a political rally as a family or when my kids decide to donate some of their toys to charity. But sparking in our children a sustained sense of responsibility for other people and for the welfare of our planet is a daunting job. So it was with a mix of awe and envy that I read Julia Hyman’s report about amazing local kids and teens who went beyond caring and even volunteering to actually found nonprofit organizations, allowing them to have a much broader and longer-term impact than they could on their own (p. 18). If you have a budding social entrepreneur on your hands, you’ll also find tips for kids who want to start their own charities. For the rest of us, we offer a guide to local organizations at which families can volunteer this holiday season (p. 22). As we head into Thanksgiving and then December holidays, food—and lots of it— will be front and center at our family gatherings. It’s a time to feast and indulge, but we also need to be conscious of the fact our attitude and behavior toward food sends a message to our kids. For too many young people, food turns into its own struggle, leading to potentially serious health problems. Katelin Walling tells us what parents need to know about kids and eating disorders, from preventing them to recognizing the signs, to treating them when they happen (p. 38). When health problems do strike our kids, it’s essential we have a trusted pediatrician to turn to. For our family, that’s been a huge comfort and help in times of crisis. If you’ve got doubts about your doctor—or are expecting your first child and seeking a pediatrician—Bethany Braun-Silva offers 15 questions to ask that will help you find the right match (p. 16). For those kids with ongoing special needs, the barrage of specialists, therapists, tutors, and doctors can sometimes feel overwhelming and, I am sure, demoralizing. To help combat those feelings, check out our feature about focusing on kids’ abilities, rather than their disabilities (p. 42). And then see what that looks like by reading Amanda Marrone’s heartwarming essay on growing up with a brother who has special needs (p. 50). This issue marks my last one as editorial director here at NYMetroParents, and in this season of gratitude I want to say thank you to all of you, our readers, for being part of our community of parents and enriching my time here. I leave you with wishes for a happy Thanksgiving filled with gratitude and blessings!
REGIONAL EDITORS: Samantha Beranbom (Rockland); Karen Demeter (Suffolk); Whitney C. Harris (Manhattan); Rosalind Muggeridge (Brooklyn); Jamie McGillian (Westchester); Dorette Saunders (Nassau); Gail Warren (Queens) DIRECTORIES EDITOR: Alice Van Dyke EDITORIAL INTERN: Jordan Laird To Submit Events: nymetroparents.com/submitevents
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NEW PLACES, NEW PROGRAMS
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Who: China Institute What’s New: Mandarin Munchkins and Study Hall, two new programs that teach children about the Chinese language and culture, which began in September and have open enrollment. Mandarin Munchkins (held Tuesdays and Fridays, 10-11am), for toddlers 18 months to 2 years with their caregivers, uses sing-alongs and storytelling to teach children Mandarin. Previous knowledge of Mandarin is not required. Study Hall is an after-school program (held Thursdays, 4-5:30pm) for children of all ages in which experienced instructors, who are native speakers of Mandarin, are available to help students with their Chinese homework. Go (strategic board game) classes are scheduled to be added February 2018. Want More Info: 100 Washington St. (temporary entrance on 40 Rector St.), Lower Manhattan; 212-744-8181; chinainstitute.org
Courtesy China Institute
Chinese Cultural Organization Launches New Programs
In China Institute’s Mandarin Munchkins class, toddlers participate in sing-alongs and storytelling to learn Mandarin with their caregivers.
Who: The Cathedral School What’s New: Full Option Science System, a hands-on and cross-curricular science program with writing and reading, which is scheduled to start Nov. 9. As part of FOSS, students in kindergarten to fourth grade will get to do more scientific investigations inside and outside of the classroom. The goal of the program is to give students more in-depth understanding and long-term retention of core ideas, says Kristine Cecere, the head of school. The Cathedral School is a small, independent, coeducational nursery to eighth grade day school rooted in the principles of Hellenism. Want More Info: 319 E. 74th St., Lenox Hill; 212-249-2840; info@cathedralschoolny.org; cathedralschoolny.org
Courtesy The Cathedral School
Independent School in Lenox Hill to Add Science Program
The Cathedral School strives to offer a rigorous academic education in a nurturing learning environment.
Who: Columbia Center for Eating Disorders What’s New: A research study on anorexia nervosa in teenagers, which began in April and focuses on patients’ decision-making processes about food in hopes of discovering the causes and progression of the eating disorder. “If we could understand which brain systems are really involved in the disorder at different time points, that could really let us know how to intervene,” says Jonathan Posner, M.D., director of the Posner Lab. The study, a joint venture between Dr. Posner and Joanna Steinglass, M.D., from the Columbia Center for Eating Disorders, is still accepting girls ages 14-18 to participate. Want More Info: 1051 Riverside Drive, Washington Heights; 646-774-8066; edru@nyspi.columbia.edu; columbiaeatingdisorders.org
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November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
Courtesy Columbia Center for Eating Disorders
Columbia Center for Eating Disorders Conducts Study
The Columbia Center for Eating Disorders’ team
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UOTABLES As Marlowe grew from a baby to a toddler, I thought a lot about structure and discipline. About the dichotomy of allowing our children to be children, but also having behavioral expectations that they are aware of in order to create a structure that allows them to blossom and mature and learn. —Eva Amurri Martino, in a post entitled “Disciplining a Toddler,” on her blog happilyevaafter.com
in an instagram How city kids get to their recital. #DDF #ddfrecitals2017 #citykid #mta #subway #dance (Posted by @thebrooklynmom, aka Vanessa Muskopf, who blogs at thebrooklynmom.com)
WHEN FAMILY IS FAR
in an instagram My two champions!! Lately these two have been really pushing each other’s buttons. The arguments happen every hour on the hour, and it gets a bit out of hand. They have mastered it, and I honestly truly believe they do it out of enjoyment!? They are competing with each other a lot more— to be “better” or for everyone’s attention. It’s been tough, something really difficult to watch over & over throughout the course of the day. But I also try and remind myself that this is normal sibling stuff, and they absolutely adore each other no matter how much they annoy each other #brothersforlife #bestfriends #momlife #momstruggles #motherofboys (Posted by @mommygorjess, aka Jessica Salazar, who blogs at www.mommygorjess.com)
“I find myself getting depressed about the state of the world, wondering if I made a mistake bringing kids into it, wondering if anything I do even matters. But when the world feels like too much, I have to remind myself to focus on the way I can make a difference—especially because it’s been right in front of me all along, right here at home.” —Chaunie Brusie, in a post entitled “What Can We Do When The World Is Falling Apart? We Can Keep Showing Up,” on mom.me
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“Coping with distance can be tough. The good news is that there are lots of ways to keep geographical distance from putting real emotional distance between your kids and their relatives.” —Cora Waring, in an article entitled “Wish You Were Here!: How to Keep Kids Close to Distant Relatives;” read more at nymetroparents.com/distant-relatives
MORE NYMetroParents.com HIGHLIGHTS: A SPIN ON THANKSGIVING SIDES: Give favorites a flavorful makeover at nymetroparents.com/thanksgiving-sides. NURTURE GRATITUDE: Learn how to teach kids to be thankful at nymetroparents.com/thankful. ENJOY FALL FOLIAGE: Discover where to go leaf peeping at nymetroparents.com/leaf. NAVIGATING THE SYSTEM: Get tips for applying to NYC high schools at nymetroparents.com/high-school.
NYMP Q&A
Adolescent Angst
››
By Bethany Braun-Silva
Jess Shatkin, M.D., M.P.H., leads the educational efforts of the NYU Child Study Center and recently wrote Born to Be Wild: Why Teens Take Risks and How We Can Help Keep Them Safe. What is it about adolescents that make them want to take risks? We have known forever that adolescents act at times impulsively or irrationally. The confusing thing is, when you talk to them 1-on-1 or even in a classroom, they’re totally rational and are able to explain their thoughts and feelings. They are able to tell you whether it’s a good idea to do something or not to do something. They don’t make bad decisions because they can’t think them through. Part of it is the brain and all the disconnects from the frontal cortex and the emotional center. Kids feel passion, they can feel love, anger, envy, desire. You can control it when you are in your 20s much better than you can at 15, so there is a lot of unbridled passion. There is also a lot of dopamine in the brain that is higher than it will ever be. The intrigue of sex, the excitement of being on a roller coaster, the excitement of driving 100mph, the excitement of jumping off a roof into the pool—that is more exiting than it will ever be again, and teens are just driven by that thrill.
Calling all toddlers! Interactive play, art making, and more. For walking toddlers through preschool-age children and accompanying adult. THURSDAYS NOV2-DEC14 (No class on 11/23) SESSION A: 10-11:30AM SESSION B: 3:30-5PM FEE: $150 FOR 6 SESSIONS 6 RIVER TERRACE Pre-registration required email: registration@bpcparks.org
How can parents be cognizant of the risks their children take or may want to take? The way we address risk is knowing our kids, knowing their friends, knowing their friends’ parents, spending time with our kids. Kids who have parents that spend time with them and who are available to them take fewer risks. They talk to their parents about the risks they are thinking of taking, they talk to their parents about their friends who are taking risks, and they see their parents as a reliable source of information and counsel. Parents who aren’t around, who aren’t engaged in the process, who don’t ask their kids about sex, who don’t ask their kids about drugs, who don’t just listen and hang out and let their kids chatter about whatever they want to chatter about, those parents don’t know what’s going on with their kids and their kids don’t come to them. By the time you find marijuana in your kid’s dresser, it’s pretty late, quite honestly. Are there any trends in this behavior and how has risky behavior evolved over the years? Things are pretty much the same in that the three top killers of young adults ages 13-25 are accidents, suicide, and homicide. Suicide has increased, and that has to do with social networking and with all of the access we have to constantly knowing what everyone else is thinking about us or the message they are trying to send about how great they’re doing or how wonderful their life is. You see this very clearly with this FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) thing kids talk about. It is a very real thing, and new imaging studies of the brain show when a kid is left out, they feel pain in the brain in the same areas as when they experience physical pain. If you are left out of a group, your brain feels like you are being burned or hit hard. Kids will do a lot to avoid that physical pain; they will take a lot of risks to be part of the group.
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Private School Profile
The IDEAL Difference In our diverse and inclusive K–12 community and within our robust academic program, IDEAL students recognize their potential to effect change and are equipped with the tools to do so. They strive for excellence in and out of the classroom and recognize and draw out the potential for excellence in their peers. They possess the self-awareness to advocate for themselves and the compassion to stand behind others. They not only appreciate but also seek out difference, understanding that only in community are we IDEAL.
#SchoolCanBeIDEAL Sign up for an Open House or a Tuesday Talk and Tour to leárn more about IDEAL’s rigorous and differentiated program, innovative social justice curriculum, and uniquely inclusive community.
Lower School Open Houses:
Upper School Open Houses:
October 25, 6:30 PM November 8, 9 AM March 6, 9 AM April 5, 9 AM
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IDEAL has mid-year openings in select grade levels for qualifed candidates.
www.theidealschool.org For further information, contact us at admissions@theidealschool.org or 212-769-1699. 12
November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
Lucas Schildknecht
PRIVATE SCHOOL PROFILE
French-American School Provides Bilingual Education
Students are taught to become global citizens while learning in French and English. ›› By Bethany Braun-Silva Name of school: École Internationale de New York Grades: Preschool to eighth grade
First-graders at École Internationale de New York work on coding the movements of a robot during French instruction time.
Size of student body: 200 students Educational approach or philosophy: At EINY, the focus is on creating passionate and compassionate global citizens. EINY helps its students prepare for a multiculturally diverse world by enabling them to think critically and work independently and collaboratively. All teaching is done in French and English, and there are opportunities for students to learn Spanish and Mandarin, which is all part of the value placed on global learning. At EINY, the rigorous curriculum of France is combined with America’s approach to empowering creative and critical thinking, according to the school’s website. “EINY strives to empower all students to succeed in a quickly changing world, where languages increasingly connect people and determine your prospects for future jobs and professional success,” says Yves Rivaud, founder and head of the school. “Our highly qualified faculty takes pride in guiding students in learning their subjects in at least two languages, so children not only succeed academically, but also become compassionate world citizens.”
What makes the school unique: EINY’s staff is made up of certified teachers who are all native French speakers and have spent time teaching abroad. While 30 nationalities are represented in the student body, class sizes are kept small, and teachers combine personalized attention with their own international experiences. “Our small size is our strength, not a setback. We are able to provide a bilingual, academically rigorous education with lots of individual attention, so that every child can explore and blossom as a student and also as a person in our diverse, international environment,” Rivaud says. In addition to a traditional curriculum, students will gain an understanding of the arts, sports, and multicultural traditions. Artistic, historical, and cultural institutions also provide curriculum for various programs throughout the year. École Internationale de New York is located at 111 E. 22nd St., Gramercy. For more information, call 646-410-2238 or visit einy.org.
Private School Profile
The Gateway to the World Begins at Dwight School
GLOBAL VISION Five global campuses with one shared vision International exchange programs 17 foreign languages taught INNOVATION Spark Tank innovation grants for student entrepreneurs First school in the Americas to offer the full International Baccalaureate curriculum Dwight Global Online School, our campus in the cloud
Founded in 1872 | admissions@dwight.edu | 212.724.6360 | dwight.edu Nursery-Grade 12 | Attend an open house | Take a tour NEW YORK | LONDON | SEOUL | SHANGHAI | DUBAI
BigAppleParent 13
Private School Profile
Nursery through 8th grade (ages 3-13) French and American curricula with an international perspective
www.cityandcountry.org
Mandarin introduction in 3rd grade and Spanish in Middle School 3 campus locations around Madison Square Park
2017-2018 School Tours October 4, 2017
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November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
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DIY CORNER Health Experiment
Making Snot! To understand more about what snot is (and to gross out your friends), make some fake snot and then find out why you should never sneeze into your hand.
You will need: Kettle 2 small bowls 3 packets of unflavored gelatin Fork ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) corn (golden) syrup Green food coloring Vaseline Glitter 1. Ask an adult to help you heat water in a kettle until it is very hot, but not quite boiling. Pour half a cup of the almost boiling water into a bowl and sprinkle on the three packets of gelatin. Stir the powder in with a fork and then leave to soften for 5 minutes. 2. Put the corn (golden) syrup into another bowl. 3. Stir the gelatin mix with a fork until all the lumps have gone and then slowly add it to the corn syrup until your mixture looks like snot. Use a fork to stir it, as it will pull out long strands of snot. Add a few drops of green food coloring to make it even more disgusting. This looks like snot because it is made of the same ingredients as snot—protein, sugar, and water. They are different types of protein and sugar, but snot has a very similar chemical make-up.
STEP 1
STEP 4
4. Now wipe a very thin smear of Vaseline onto a door handle that everyone in your family uses a lot. Sprinkle a thin layer of glitter all over it—it should stick to the Vaseline. Don’t tell anyone. 5. After a while get everyone to check their hands to see if there is glitter on them. Become a detective and check other places to find how far the glitter has spread. Imagine that you had cold and had sneezed into your hand and then opened a door. The bacteria and viruses from your snot would have been wiped onto the door handle. The next person who opened the door would have got it on their hands and spread it further and probably caught your cold. This is why you should never sneeze into your hand—unless you are going to wash it straight away!
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 5
Excerpted from My First Book of My Body ($14.95) by Susan Akass and Frances Butcher, photography by Terry Benson, with permission of CICO KIdz.
BigAppleParent 15
15 Questions to Ask a Pediatrician
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A good pediatrician is an invaluable resource—here’s how to find the best fit for your family’s needs. By Bethany Braun-Silva
A
s soon-to-be parents can imagine, and current parents know, having a trusted pediatrician is monumentally important. When you’re expecting, the checklists of tasks to be completed before baby comes home are already substantial, but nevertheless, it’s important to take the time to vet different pediatricians in order to find the right doctor for your family, location, and needs. And, since your baby will need to be seen by a doctor within the first week of birth, it’s important to find the right fit before baby arrives so you’re comfortable and confident at appointments. If you’re past that stage, there are many reasons why you might be considering switching pediatricians, from the practical concerns such as office hours or location to worries about fit and approach. So whether you’re expecting your first child or looking to switch pediatricians for your kids, we’ve come up with a list of 15 questions to guide you on your journey to finding the right doctor. 1. Is the practice in a convenient location? It’s one thing to strap your week-old baby in a carrier and hop on the subway for a few stops, but it’s quite another to lug a stroller up and down those subway stairs or call a car service to get you to the opposite end of town. A convenient location might not be the 16
November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
most important requirement, but it sure does help should your child need an urgent sick visit or if you will be traveling solo or with more than one kid. 2. Is the pediatrician board-certified? If the doctor is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics, that means she has passed a specialized exam in pediatrics. Additionally, if the doctor is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics the letters “FAAP” will appear after her name. This means she has met established standards for providing child health care. 3. What’s his child-care ideology? What are his thoughts on breast-feeding? Co-sleeping? Circumcision? These are all important things your pediatrician can help you with. You might also want to find out his philosophies on sleep training, potty training, and discipline. If your thoughts don’t align, this can make for some challenging visits. 4. How long does a typical check-up last? This is something you can get an idea of during a prenatal visit with a pediatrician, should you choose to have one. Does the doctor
take her time? Does she give you an opportunity to ask all of your questions? It is best that you don’t feel rushed during appointments. New parents are especially exhausted and overwhelmed and it’s important they feel at ease at the pediatrician’s office. 5. Is it a group or solo practice? If it’s a solo practice you will be seeing the same pediatrician each time you visit, although you should ask who covers for him while he’s away. If it’s a group practice you might be scheduled with different pediatricians or nurse practitioners each time you are there. Consider what’s important to you: seeing the same pediatrician every time, or the accessibility that can come from multiple doctors on staff. 6. Does the pediatrician have a subspecialty? Certain pediatricians have subspecialties, such as advanced training in allergies, behavioral issues, endocrinology, or psychiatry. This might be something to consider if there are pre-existing conditions that run in your family. 7. What is the doctor’s stance on vaccinations? While the topic of vaccinations can be a bit touchy, you’ll want to get clear before you commit on what the doctor’s opinion is regarding the timing of vaccinations. Some practices offer a gradual vaccination schedule, if that’s something you might be interested in, while others will only stick to the standard schedule. 8. Can you get a same-day sick visit? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve called my son’s pediatrician needing an appointment for that same day. I have never been denied, and it has been a source of great relief for me and my family. Not all doctors offer this service, so if urgency is important to you, make sure this is an option.
13. What is the practice’s emergency protocol and hospital affiliation? If your child has a serious accident or allergic reaction, you will need to know your pediatrician’s protocol for handling these emergencies. Does she make house calls? Will he visit children if they end up in the ER? If the practice has a hospital affiliation, find out about its reputation and if it’s close to where you live. Ask how the hospital works in conjunction with the pediatrician’s office and if it allows parents to stay in the room overnight with admitted children. Hopefully this will be something you never have to experience, but it’s good information to have nonetheless. 14. Does the practice accept your insurance? Find out what plans the office accepts and whether your plan is one of them. Also, it’s a good idea to have some knowledge of all the plans they accept in case your insurance changes. If the practice does not accept your insurance, find out if it offers payment plans or a sliding scale for certain services. 15. What is your gut feeling? This is a question for yourself, not the pediatrician, but an important one nonetheless. This doctor will be a very important part of your child’s life for years to come. Ultimately you want to find someone who you trust and feel comfortable with. After all, he will be a key player in your child’s health and development.
9. Does the office offer evening or weekend hours? If you’re a working parent, it will be difficult to get your child to well visits, never mind sick ones, during regular working hours. Extended and weekend hours can be a lifesaver for some parents. 10. What’s the wait time? You’ll probably experience some wait time in any doctor’s office, but if the office is consistently behind schedule that can be a real issue. Waiting rooms are notoriously germy and full of not-sohappy-kids. Visit prospective offices and check out the wait time for yourself, or ask a parent who’s there. There’s nothing worse than a room full of crying kids waiting to get shots. 11. How does the office look? Is the place clean? Are there toys and books for your child to play with? Because you might spend at least a few minutes waiting to be seen, it’s best to have an office that is appealing to kids. Some offices even provide patients with separate waiting rooms for sick and well kids—something to consider. 12. Can you call with questions? Is there a number to call if you have a simple question regarding your child’s health? Sometimes issues are small enough they don’t warrant a trip to the office. You want to make sure your office has a number you can call that will connect you to a doctor, nurse, or nurse practitioner on staff. This is also an important after-hours feature as well.
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Courtesy the Klein family
Courtesy the Ladybug Foundation Hannah Taylor started The Ladybug Foundation when she was 8.
Jake and Max Klein, founders of Kids That Do Good, pose at a school event.
Kids Making a Difference
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These young people were so dedicated to improving the world they launched their own nonprofit organizations. Here’s how they did it—and how your child can, too. By Julia Hyman
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hen Hannah Taylor was 5, she saw a man searching through a dumpster on the street. She was sad, angry, and kept asking herself, Why? For the next year, that man seemed to be all she could think about. He inspired her to learn everything she could about homelessness. After educating herself, Taylor, who grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba, took action to help make sure no one else would have to live like that man did. With her parents’ help, at age 8 she founded the Ladybug Foundation, a nonprofit organization that raises money for and awareness about poverty and homelessness. Her motto: “Share a little of what you have and care about each other always.” “I’ve always lived an incredibly fortunate life,” Taylor, now 21, says. “Always had a bed to sleep in, food to eat, and love and care. I didn’t realize that anybody in Canada had to live a homeless life. It hit me right in the gut. I think that everyone has a moment like that in life. A striking realization that you just cannot let go and forget about. For me, this was it.” Starting a nonprofit organization is difficult to do at any age, involving a lot of planning and researching, not to mention inevitable challenges implementing even the best-crafted plans. To become a registered nonprofit in the United States, founders need to do their homework about the legal requirements. They’ll need to create a mission statement and business plan, establish an executive board, file for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, and more. The process can take multiple years and hit unexpected snags at any point—and that’s aside from the difficulties any individual
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November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
or group faces in tackling massive problems such as poverty or climate change. We spoke to several teens and young adults who have successfully navigated these challenges and created their own nonprofit organizations that are still thriving today. They told us how they did it and offered advice for how other kids can follow in their footsteps and make a lasting difference of their own by starting their own nonprofit groups. Since starting her organization, Taylor has spoken about its work at conferences, schools, and to whoever would listen. Because of her age, her efforts weren’t always successful, and she says many people challenged or doubted her along the way. Taylor recalls a difficult moment when she spoke at a conference and a man stood up and asked, “Do you think that is going to work?” She responded, “Well it’s a good place to start”—and he came back with, “It will work when pigs fly.” A few months later, she received a letter in the mail from that same man from the conference. He wrote that every day he would pass someone asking for change on the street. “After learning about Ladybug, a voice in his head would tell him to stop and ask how he is,” Taylor says. He ended up having an hour-long conversation with the man asking for change. His views on that man and those living in poverty changed as a result. “Along with the letter came a cast-iron pig with wings,” Taylor says. “It’s a challenge that you end up learning from. The only way to overcome it is to keep working and hope that you change
someone’s mind and hope that they show care and love in another way.” When starting a nonprofit, there always will be challenges and struggles along the way, but there are also going to be moments when the founders realize their work is changing lives. For Taylor, that moment happened when she was 10. She was on a tour of a homeless shelter so she could understand more about the people who use it. Kids from the shelter would join in on the tour and play with Taylor. “There was one girl, about 15 years old, who was quiet and hung back the whole time,” Taylor says. “Right when I was about to leave, she snuck through a crowd of people and hugged me. She had tears in her eyes and said, ‘Before today, I thought nobody loved me, and now I know you do.’” For Taylor, it’s essential to see past the challenges and remain focused on the mission, the purpose for which a young person is starting a nonprofit in the first place. “If things get hard or overwhelming or you are facing self-doubt, just remember your job as a change-making leader, and that is to create hope in other people,” Taylor says.
Kids That Do Good
Max and Jake Klein, 15-year-old twin brothers from Edgewater, NJ, have always loved helping those in need. They spend their birthdays raising money for charities instead of receiving presents. However, every time they wanted to volunteer, they were turned down because of their age. They didn’t want other kids to feel the same way they did, so they decided to do something about it. When they were 12 years old, Jake and Max founded the nonprofit organization Kids That Do Good. It’s an online platform that helps children of all ages find charities where they are able to volunteer. The website allows you to filter your search by age, location, religious affiliation, and cause. There is also a “Donate” option for people to help support their organization. “When people donate money, we hold it in our account until the end of the month and then donate that money directly to the Charity of the Month,” Jake says. Max and Jake insist they are just normal kids. The boys go to camp, participate in specialized clubs, and attend a business academy, all while still maintaining their organization. “Our board of advisors helps us make sure organizations we put up on our website are true charities, they help us search things, and they look at information from different angles than we do,” Max says. The Kleins started out by raising funds for organizations in their town that needed help, but Kids That Do Good has now grown to encompass charities nationwide. In 2015, a fire in Avalon, NJ, displaced 200 local families. Right away, Max and Jake decided to create a website to raise funds for those families. “Everyone responded really quickly and we had such a large outcome that we brought in over $200,000 that we divided up and gave to the families that were affected by the fire,” Jake says. The boys hope to keep Kids That Do Good up and running for a long time. When they move on to college, they hope to influence other young adults to do good as well. “We want kids to learn that giving back should be a part of everyday life, not just something that they do on a yearly basis when their parents tell them to,” Jake says. “For anyone that is starting their own website or organization, keep going at it and never give up,” he advises. “Because it could end up being a big thing and you should never give up on your dreams.” continued on next page ››
ADVICE ON STARTING A NONPROFIT— FROM KIDS WHO’VE DONE IT Hannah Taylor, the LadyBug Foundation If you are a young person who is interested in making a difference, you have to try a bunch of new things. Join organizations that people around you think are amazing or that you learn about in class. Often times, trying new things has to happen outside of your comfort zone. Once you find that thing, learn as much about it as you can. People talk about how knowledge is power, but I think that knowledge is only powerful when you turn that knowledge into understanding. I think the next step is that yes, one person can make a difference, but together we can make an even bigger difference. Jake and Max Klein, Kids That Do Good If you find something you care about, you will be excited to do it. You will be looking forward to it, and you will also need to ask your parents to help with some of it. Kids aren’t going to be the ones to contact the IRS to become a 501(c)(3) organization, so that will have to be put up on the parents’ end. Instead of just having a lot of kids involved, you should also have grown-ups so you are diversifying the age groups you have. Make sure you have people that will help you in starting your charity because we have had people help search things, build our website, and more. Always get opinions so you have something else to refer to. Cory Nichols, C the Difference: Cory Cares The one thing I’d say to all kids is that there is no idea too small, and you should go for anything you believe in. That was my mindset at 12 and I think it would be totally different if I did it now than at 12. You can’t really see the obstacles or what can go wrong. You just see the possibilities and that is what brought me to where I am now. You don’t know how good it feels to give back until you do it and giving makes yourself feel so much better. I know how I feel once I walk out of the food pantry, to see the shelves go from empty to notso-empty. I’ll never be able to fill up a pantry by myself, but just seeing the impact that you do make, makes you feel so good about yourself. Teagan Stedman, Shred Kids’ Cancer It can be difficult to get your own community involved with your efforts, but sometimes there is a ton of support through your events and by getting your friends to volunteer. There is a lot of variability as to how readily people will support your cause, but I think the biggest thing is to be persistent and to be sort of loud in trying to get your community on board. Try to plan very well. So if you’re trying to hold a fundraising event, make sure you market a lot. That can be a difficult thing to learn, making sure you know how many people you can get to come to your event, try to go around and get sponsorships and things like that. Social media is definitely the most powerful tool for getting the word out. You have to really try and keep your expenses low. We’ve had events that weren’t that successful, even just with the fundraising aspect. Even though you might be successful in engaging people and raising awareness, be aware because the expenses really hinder your efforts a lot. Venues and services from private people are really hard to control, which is one of the bigger challenges in fundraising. BigAppleParent 19
Courtesy Cory Nichols
Courtesy Shred Kids Cancer
‹‹ continued from previous page
Oceanside teen Cory Nichols with some of the food that will go toward stocking local food pantries
A Bar Mitzvah Project Expands
After watching the documentary Hard Times: Lost on Long Island, Cory Nichols, then age 12, didn’t like knowing there were kids at school who rely on food pantries for their meals. The Oceanside resident decided to devote his bar mitzvah project to raising funds to stock the local food pantry for an entire year. That’s when C the Difference: Cory Cares was born. Today, Cory is 17 and C the Difference: Cory Cares, is a registered nonprofit organization. It has a junior advisory board made up of kids ages 12-18. The organization “shops and stocks,” Cory says. “We shop for food in the supermarket and then we stock the pantry shelves with food.” C the Difference: Cory Cares usually stocks five food pantries per month. It holds events to raise funds, such as Halloween for the Hungry, during which volunteers ask people to donate food to pantries that will be picked up at a later date. Cory says he loves to hang out with friends, play sports, and act in shows. It wasn’t easy for him to start his organization. He had to plan, prepare, and ask for help. “I had my idea and what I wanted to do. I think it all started because I asked for help,” he says. “You need to have your strength in terms of standing by what you believe in and knowing what you want to do, but you also need to be ready to ask someone to help you get to where you want to go.” Raising money to buy food and then stocking food pantries takes dedication and makes a difference, but actually seeing where the food goes and who benefits from it drives home to Cory the importance of the work his organization does. “In the five years I have been doing this, I never really saw where and to who the food was going to,” he says. “But then when I was volunteering, I actually watched the people who were with me put food together into the bags for the people who were walking in and out to receive them. ...Just seeing where everything that I have done is going and seeing that it is going to the right place and making a 20
November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
Teagan Stedman, second from left, presents a check from his nonprofit, Shred Kids’ Cancer, to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
difference is one of the biggest eye openers for what I started.” You never know who is going to be there to help you, Cory says. The willingness of the people who wanted to help surprised him. “There is always that worry that I’m not going to raise enough money, that no one is going to volunteer, but then as soon as I gave people the opportunity to, they were so helpful,” he says.
Kids Fighting Kids’ Cancer
When Teagan Stedman was 8, his friend Alex Berson was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Instead of just saying “get well soon,” Teagan searched for things he could do to support the fight against pediatric cancer. Not many organizations would allow an 8-year-old to volunteer in hospitals, so he did the only thing that made sense to him—he started his own. Teagan and Alex both loved music, so what better way to show support than by raising money through music? He decided to plan a concert, a battle of the bands, with different children performing. He says he wanted to literally “shred kids’ cancer,” which is how he came up with the name of his nonprofit organization. Shred Kids’ Cancer has now been around for almost nine years. It continues to hold battle of the bands and other events to raise money and awareness. Originally from California, Teagan, now 17, moved to Avon, CT, and has continued running his organization there. One of the biggest challenges for him was his age. To get sponsorships and be taken seriously was a struggle because he was so young when he started. “Trying to become a nonprofit was difficult, especially when you have so little knowledge of that world,” he says, adding that the Internet was the biggest help in figuring it out. Teagan loves to play the guitar, spend time with his family, and work in the lab on his research project. He spent his summer working on drug delivery and cancer research. He says he realized
even the smallest things you do can make a difference when Children’s Hospital UCLA was granted a clinical trial. Noah C. Federman, M.D., a doctor at the hospital, was treating one of the “shredheads,” as the children helped by Shred Kids’ Cancer have come to be known. “Dr. Federman told me that the funding we gave was really crucial to their clinical trial because it was the funds that got the ball rolling on their progress, and eventually got them to their million-dollar grant that pushed the clinical trial through,” Teagan says. “That was something that really showed me how that what we were doing was important and actually making some sort of a dent.” Shred Kids’ Cancer is also working to help kids launch their own start-ups or clubs that will be connected to and partner with the larger organization. Its leaders are setting up a program to give kids guidance so they can be more equipped to start their own organizations. “We really want to be a resource to help guide kids through this process,” Teagan says. “We want kids to set up their own events, awareness campaigns, or clubs at school, or anywhere to benefit pediatric cancer research.” Julia Hyman, a former NYMetroParents editorial intern, is in her senior year at Pennsylvania State University.
HOW TO START A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION
SCHOOLS MARKETPLACE
Incredible things happen when children love to
Learn. Foster a love of learning from the start! Learn more: www.calhoun.org/ admissions
160 West 74th Street
Do your research. There can be a lot of challenges that come with starting a nonprofit organization, so make sure you create a plan and identify everything you need to about your specific organization.
Preschool – 12th Grade calhoun.org
Build a solid foundation. You need to build a structure for your organization. Think about who is going to be involved, what you need to do, when you should start, etc.
Explore. Imagine. Create.
Incorporation and state forms. Each state has different laws and protocols for starting a nonprofit, so be sure to research your particular state and ask the appropriate agencies if you have questions. Filing for federal tax-exempt status. Does your organization have the appropriate legal paperwork? To be considered for exemption, the IRS must recognize you as a trust, a corporation, or as an association. Ongoing compliance. In some states, local governments require you to complete additional filings to be recognized as tax-exempt. Make sure you check with your local legal counsel to ensure you have all of the initial filing requirements. How to Incorporate a Nonprofit • Choose a name for your organization, but make sure to check your state’s laws for naming a nonprofit. • Create a board of directors, along with operating rules. • Decide on a legal structure—is your organization going to be a trust, corporation, or association? • Hand in your incorporation paperwork—you must file all the proper paperwork and pay a small filing fee to your state. • Apply for tax-exempt status—the IRS provides guidance and instructions on how to apply for this status. • Get necessary licenses and permits—did you get all of the necessary licenses and permits that you need to comply with federal, state, and local rules?
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BigAppleParent 21
WHERE-TO GUIDE
nymetroparents.com/where-to
Volunteer with Your Kids
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Research by Jordan Laird
Gear up to give back with our guide to volunteering with your kids! Projects big and small require lots of hands, and there are tons of local organizations that rely on the selflessness of volunteers to make sure that these resources continue to contribute to the Manhattan community. Plus, volunteering with your kids is a great way to teach important, lifelong values of giving to others, and helps little ones realize the impact that one person can have on the entire world. Please call ahead to confirm volunteer requirements and details before heading out to serve others! Program at the Community Kitchen of West Harlem. Last year, more than 63 million meals were repacked for hungry New Yorkers, and there’s always a need for an extra set of hands to help break down and assess the quality of the food and products. The Warehouse Repack program accepts groups of 10-50 volunteers from corporations, schools, etc. The Community Kitchen and Food Pantry is located in West Harlem and is looking for volunteers ages 13-15 accompanied by an adult in their work of distributing hot meals and choices of pantry food to low-income New Yorkers (looking for eight to 10 volunteers per shift). For more information on how to help at the Food Bank, visit volunteer. foodbanknyc.org. Email volunteer@ foodbanknyc.org or contact 212-566-7855 x8350. Main office: 39 Broadway, 10th Floor, Lower Manhattan.
Get Empowered Become an Island Ambassador
Volunteers with the Governors Island Alliance (ages 16 and older) can serve as Island Ambassadors, welcoming the public to the island, helping orient visitors, and informing them about the island’s past, present, and future. Green Team volunteers (ages 18 and older) take part in gardening and landscaping projects on Governors Island Historic District and the new park. The island re-opens to the public for the season around May 1. For more information, contact volunteer coordinator Asley Davis at asley@friendsgi.org. Volunteer forms can be filled out online at govisland.com/getinvolved.
Create a Fairy Tale
Galli Theater, a Manhattan-based organization that brings original fairy tales and their age-old messages to kids and hosts programs that allow kids to express themselves through acting and theater, is looking for volunteers ages 20 and older to help with costume-making, set design, music, 22
acting, fundraising, and more. Volunteers get free access to performances and receive certificates for their work. To volunteer, visit gallitheaterny.com and send an email expressing your interest in volunteering. For more information, contact Barbara or Simon at galliny@gmail.com or call 212-731-0668.
Donate Books
Donate new books and magazines to area children’s hospitals such as the Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York-Presbyterian (3959 Broadway, Washington Heights, 212-342-8651; childrensnyp.org) or the Komansky Center for Children’s Health of New YorkPresbyterian at Weill Cornell Medical Center (525 E. 68th St., Upper East Side, 212-746-4908; cornellpediatrics.org).
Feed the Hungry
If you’re looking to spend a few good hours helping those in your community, head to the Food Bank for New York City to help with the Shop & Stock
November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
The Youth Empowerment Program of Puppetry Arts (YEP!) is an arts- and civics-based youth development program for students ages 10-18 that empowers them to be stronger, proactive, and responsible citizens while building interactive relationships with each other and the community. The program provides projects such as group art programs, mentoring, professional support, youth-led community outreach, and volunteerism. Students ages 16 and older can volunteer at community events. Students younger than 16 can volunteer with their parents as a family at community events. Partnering with NYC schools in all five boroughs, YEP! targets teenagers from all backgrounds with special efforts for those that live within environments that lack significant role models or positive reinforcement from family or community. If your school or organization is interested in participating in YEP!, email Tim Young at info@puppetryarts.org. Puppetry Arts also offers internships, administration assistant positions, and many more volunteer opportunities for all ages; visit puppetryarts.org for more information.
SCHOOLS MARKETPLACE Project HAPPY at Hunter College’s downtown campus (425 E. 25th St., Kips Bay) strives to improve the well-being of NYC’s youth and young adults with disabilities by providing them with the opportunity to participate in and be successful with individual and team sports and recreational activities. Volunteers ages 13 and older act as camp counselors and can help out in a variety of programs, from arts and crafts to weight training, dance, Frisbee, and even badminton. Volunteers must be 15 or older to help out with swimming classes. Volunteers must attend a oneday, 4-hour orientation session, which occurs twice a year. After completing orientation, volunteers make a 12-week commitment to help out on Saturdays. Contact Penny Shaw at 212772-4613 or pshaw@hunter. cuny.edu. For more information, visit project-happy.org.
five boroughs can get involved through programs in their schools. If your child’s school is interested in getting involved with this program, contact Diante Webb at 212-7887900. For more information, visit grownyc.org.
Go Green
Make a Wish Come True
GrowNYC’s environmental education program implements a service-learning model: Students go out into their communities to make real changes in the areas of conservation and alternative energy. Common activities include tree planting, during which students learn about habitat restoration and why trees are important to our ecosystem, along with watershed maintenance, during which students learn how they can help keep watersheds clean and ensure the city has healthy drinking water. Students can also become part of the Greenmarket and Youthmarket and Learn it, Grow it, Eat it (LGE), which promotes cooking and various community outreach opportunities. GrowNYC does not formally accept volunteers younger than 18, but middle school and high school students throughout the
Partnerships for Parks helps New Yorkers work together to make neighborhood parks thrive. The organization has a diverse, growing network of dedicated park volunteers and groups, and it provides opportunities for them to celebrate their parks, become more effective leaders in their communities, and work with government to affect decisions about their parks. Partnerships for Parks is a joint program of City Parks Foundation and the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. For more information, visit partnershipsforparks.org. The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York (metrony.wish.org) grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions. Children in kindergarten through 12th grade can participate in Kids for Wish Kids, a program that develops project ideas to fundraise for Make-A-Wish. Take part on your own or recruit others to help. Volunteers don’t need to raise enough to sponsor a whole wish, but every little bit helps make a wish come true. A bake sale, pajama days, car wash, read-a-thon, or penny drives are all great ways to start raising money. MakeA-Wish will provide balloons, buttons, banners, and other MAW items to sell. For Kids for Wish Kids, contact Kathie Lombardi at 516-944-6212 x141. For other volunteer opportunities, contact volunteer services coordinator Amanda Lantz at 516-944-6212 x130, or alantz@metrony.wish.org.
Find the full guide at ›› nymetroparents.com/volunteer
STAR Academy is a small, Pre k-5th grade public school in the East Village, serving families from all 5 boroughs. STAR is a NYC DOE Showcase School. We specialize in partner teaching, hands-on learning, and thinking like a disciplinarian. All students participate twice a week in music, arts, and gym. Students in K-5 participate in a dance program. We offer after-school programming for all grades.
Please visit our website to find out tour dates and sign up for a school tour. Want to find out more about what makes STAR Academy Shine Visit our website at www.staracademyps63.com. We have available seats for the 2017-2018 school year. Please contact Jfriedman3@schools.nyc.gov.
The Cathedral School
A Classical Education for the Modern World 319 East 74th Street, New York City
OPEN HOUSE November 14th and December 5th at 6pm • Nursery through 8th Grade co-educational day school • Small student to faculty ratio • Extended day enrichment programs available
Pursuing Excellence in Body, Mind & Spirit Contact our Admissions Office for more information: 212.249.2840 / info@cathedralschoolny.org
www.cathedralschoolny.org BigAppleParent 23
FOOD & NUTRITION
From left: What’s-in-Season Fruit Crumble, Toffee Apple Tarts, and Mini Fruit Pies
Thanksgiving Desserts Kids Can Help Make ››
Amanda Grant shares pie, crumble, and tart recipes from ‘Kids in the Kitchen’ that are perfect for children to help bake.
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e love when our kids help us out in the kitchen, and what better time to get them involved than preparing the Thanksgiving feast? While having them underfoot on the big day might not be the best option, try baking Thanksgiving dessert with them the day before, when you’re not stressed about getting the turkey in the oven on time and preparing a dozen side dishes. What we love about these recipes from Kids in the Kitchen by Amanda Grant is they are geared toward different age groups and help each specific age group develop important cooking skills, which are noted within each recipe. Happy cooking!
Mini Fruit Pies (ages 3-5)
Ready-made puff pastry dough is just right for these mini fruit pies. When you are rolling pastry, it is much easier to roll one small piece at a time instead of rolling one large piece, which is why I have broken the pastry into four pieces. These pastries taste delicious and are good for packed lunches, at snack time, or for desserts. If you choose to use big dried fruits like mango or apricots, you will need to use scissors to cut them into small pieces first. To make 16 mini pies you need: Ingredients: Small piece of butter, about the size of 2 pieces of chocolate, melted (ask an adult or older child to do this), plus a little extra 20 tablespoons (11/3 cups) dried fruits 1 teaspoon mixed spice 24
November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
12½ oz. puff pastry dough A little flour for sprinkling A little demerara sugar for sprinkling Equipment: scissors, parchment paper, baking tray, mixing bowl, spoon, rolling pin, 2 pennies, round cutter about 2¼ inches across, table knife, pastry brush Skills: mixing, rolling pastry, cutting circles, brushing, using oven 1. Turn the oven on to 350°F. Cut a piece of parchment paper big enough to cover the baking tray. Put the melted butter, dried fruits, and spice in a mixing bowl and mix with a spoon. 2. Break the pastry in half, then break each piece in half to make 4 pieces. Sprinkle a little flour on the work surface. Flatten one piece of dough with a rolling pin until it is about the same thickness as 2 stacked pennies. 3. Take the cutter and, starting at the edge of the dough, push it down to cut out circles. Keep going until you have used up all of that dough. Roll out another piece of dough and cut out circles. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Using a teaspoon, spoon a little fruit mixture onto the middle of each circle. Bring the edges of the circle up together to seal the mixture inside. There should be no gaps in the pastry! 4. Turn the parcels over and flatten slightly with your hand. Using a table knife, carefully cut two or three short slits in the top of each pastry—this will let the steam escape when the pastries are baking.
5. Put them on the baking tray. Dip a pastry brush in a little melted butter and brush over all the pies. Sprinkle with sugar. Ask an adult to help you put the tray in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. They should look golden!
What’s-in-Season Fruit Crumble (ages 5-7)
One of the first things my mom taught me to make was a crumble. It’s a great way to learn how to rub butter into flour. Once you know how to do this you can have a go at making pastry. You can sprinkle this crumble mix on top of so many different fruits. Try to choose fruit that is in season—if you are not sure what that is, ask the person working in the produce section of the supermarket or go to a local famer’s market. Berries are easy to use as you don’t need to chop them first. For 4-6 people you need: Fruit filling: Seasonal fruit e.g. 15 plums or about 1 lb. 4 oz. fresh or frozen berries or about 12 peaches or nectarines 4 tablespoons orange juice 3 tablespoons light brown sugar 1 level tablespoon plain / all-purpose flour Crumble topping: 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons plain / all-purpose flour 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces 2 handfuls oats (or muesli if you prefer) 4 tablespoons light brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice / apple pie spice or ground cinnamon Equipment: cutting board, small paring knife, spoon, 2 small or 1 large ovenproof dish Skills: rubbing butter into flour, cutting with knife, mixing with spoon, sprinkling topping 1. Turn the oven on to 350°F. To make the fruit filling, use the bridge-cutting technique to cut the plums in half: on a chopping board, make a “bridge” with a thumb and finger of one hand and hold the plum. Hold a small paring knife in your other hand and put the blade under the bridge, then cut downwards firmly. Move the plums around as you cut to avoid cutting through the stone. Take out the stones. 2. Put the plums into two small or one large ovenproof dish. Pour the orange juice over the plums, add the sugar and flour, and mix with a spoon or your hands. 3. To make the crumble topping, put the flour into a bowl, add the butter and rub the butter into the flour with your fingers until it looks like fine breadcrumbs. This can take a few minutes. Add the oats, sugar, and spice and mix with your fingers again. 4. Spoon the mixture over the top of the plums. Ask an adult to help you put the dishes into the oven using oven mitts. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the crumble topping is crisp, the plums are soft, and the fruit juices are bubbling up around the edges.
Toffee Apple Tarts (ages 7-11)
These tarts are so enjoyable to make that the boys who came over to my house to make them for this book asked to make some more in between taking the photos. Once you know how to make pastry dough, you can make so many different pies, cheese straws, small tarts, big tarts, and lots more. To make 24 little tarts you need: Sweet pastry / pie crust dough: 1 stick unsalted butter, chilled 1¾ cups plain / all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon sugar 1 egg yolk 1-2 tablespoons cold water Filling: 6-8 eating apples 12 toffee sweets / candies Equipment: table knife, mixing bowl, clingfilm / plastic wrap, parchment paper, two 12-hole cupcake tins / pans, rolling pin, round cutter about 3 inches across, cutting board, oven mitts Skills: cutting, rubbing butter into flour, lining tart tins / pans, sharing fillings, bashing with rolling pins, using oven 1. Use a table knife to cut the butter into small pieces and put into a mixing bowl with the flour. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingers until it looks like fine breadcrumbs. This can take a few minutes. 2. Add the sugar, egg yolk, and water and stir the mixture together with the table knife until it comes together and you can form a ball with your hands. Wrap the pastry in a piece of clingfilm / plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for 30 minutes this will make it easier to roll out. 3. Turn the oven on to 350°F. Using a scrap of parchment paper, rub a little butter inside the holes in the cupcake tins / pans. Break the pastry into four pieces. Sprinkle a little flour on the work surface, then roll out one piece at a time. Dip the cutter in flour, then cut out 24 circles. Gently press the circles into the holes of the pans. 4. Use the table knife and a cutting board to cut the apples in small pieces, avoiding the core in the middle. Divide the pieces between the pastry cases / dough crusts. 5. Put the toffees on a solid work surface and gently bash with the rolling pin to break into pieces. Scatter the pieces evenly over the apples. Using oven mitts, put the pans in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the toffee has melted and the apples are cooked.
Excerpted from Kids in the Kitchen ($19.95) by Amanda Grant, with photography by Susan Bell, with permission of Ryland Peters & Small.
BigAppleParent 25
OUTINGS: Long Island City, Queens
nymetroparents.com/outings
5 Reasons We Love Long Island City, Queens
Culture, street art, and scenic views abound across the East River. ›› By Sabrina Sooknanan 2
Courtesy RESOBOX
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Sabrina Sooknanan
Courtesy Chop Em Down Films/Zane Meyer
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1 Top To Bottom is a unique public mural project by talented street artists on a three-story building south of the Queensboro Bridge in Long Island City. 2 The Pepsi-Cola sign, a relic from a past bottling facility, shines bright near Center Boulevard and 46th Avenue, overlooking Gantry Park. 3 Children participate in the Amigurumi workshop at RESOBOX, in which they make stuffed crocheted animals.
L
ocated across the East River in the borough of Queens, Long Island City is a fun place to explore with the family. The neighborhood is known for its increasingly diverse community, thriving public art projects, and kid-friendly piers and skating rinks.
Different Cultures
While Queens consists of the most culturally diverse demographic among the boroughs, Long Island City exemplifies culture diversity in its people and in its food. Explore Japanese culture at RESOBOX, an all-in-one art gallery, café, and activity center that offers cultural classes in Japanese cooking, manga drawing, Japanese ink painting, and more. A vibrant restaurant scene— including Mexican hotspot Casa Enrique—further represents LIC’s diverse cultures.
Street Art History
Long Island City was once home to the 200,000-squarefoot graffiti mecca 5 Pointz NYC, an aerosol art museum that was whitewashed in November 2013 and demolished a year later. Fortunately street art murals were revived in 2015 by Arts Org NYC with Top To Bottom, a public mural project that showcases a vibrant union of colors and shapes by talented street artists on a three-story building south of the Queensboro Bridge in LIC.
Scenic Views
Take in an amazing view of the New York City skyline by visiting Gantry Plaza State Park. Located in Hunter’s Point, LIC, this waterfront park offers a stunning panoramic view and
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peaceful piers. And we can’t forget about a famous city landmark overlooking Gantry Park: the Pepsi-Cola sign, which once rested on top of the soda company’s bottling facility. In 2001, the Pepsi plant was torn down and today you can see the sign light up in red in front of a high-rise apartment building near Center Boulevard and 46th Avenue.
Art Programs at The Noguchi Museum
On the first Sunday of every month The Noguchi Museum offers Open Studio for families with children ages 2-11. Led by museum educators, families can enjoy the galleries and make art based on their experiences. Arts for Tots is offered on select Saturdays and Sundays so families with children ages 2-4 can view the galleries while exploring art materials. The Noguchi’s collection includes sculptures, drawings, models, and designs. Enjoy free admission the first Friday of every month.
Ice-Skating Year-Round
City Ice Pavilion offers public ice-skating sessions on select weekdays and weekends. It offers holiday camps, group lessons, and youth hockey. You can also check out Long Island City’s ICE, which offers a wide range of opportunities, from elite personalized training to the Future Islanders Program, eight introductory hockey-training sessions for children ages 5-8 led by former New York Islanders Arron Asham and Radek Martinek.
Want to Go?
Directions: Approximately a 15-minute subway ride from Midtown For more information: nymetroparents.com/lic
Ideas When You Need Them:
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Turn the page for details on 91st Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (No. 4 on our list).
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EDITOR: WHITNEY C. HARRIS nyccalendar@davlermedia.com
NOVEMBER CALENDAR
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Editor’s Hot Tickets
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Animal Lovers
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We Can’t Believe It’s FREE!
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Crafty Kids, Movers & Shakers
Special Needs, Dance Party, Smarty Pants
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Once Upon a Time
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Fun Fairs & Festivals
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Holiday Fun, Mini Musicians
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Show Time!
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EDITOR’S HOT TICKETS Our calendar is full of great ideas. First, here are the nine events we consider can’t-miss—the ones we’re taking our own kids to. Consider it your cheat sheet to the best of what’s great this month!
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Inwood Pumpkin Pageant FREE
WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 1, 5pm WHERE: Isham Park, 1 Park Terrace E., Inwood AGES: All WHAT: Responsibly recycle your Halloween pumpkins at the park where volunteers will light up all the offerings at dusk in a beautiful display of holiday light. The remains will be composted with the help of the New York Restoration Project. WHY WE LOVE IT: Countless illuminated gourds and jack-o’-lanterns are a sight to see. WANT TO GO? facebook.com/inwoodpumpkin.
TCS New York City Marathon FREE
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 5, 8:30am WHERE: NYC’s five boroughs AGES: All WHAT: Thousands will run and millions will watch! Spectators can view from many different parts of the fiveborough course, which runs from Staten Island to Brooklyn, through Queens and the Bronx, and on into Manhattan’s Central Park. WHY WE LOVE IT: You don’t have to be a runner to appreciate seeing people conquer 26.2 miles! WANT TO GO? tcsnycmarathon.org.
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TimesSquare_Portal FREE
WHEN: Through Nov. 21: daily, 9am-9pm WHERE: Times Square, Broadway Plaza between 46th and 47th streets, Times Square AGES: All WHAT: This temporary public art installation allows visitors to interact with people in locations across 20 countries. Walk inside the gold shipping container and you’ll feel as if you’re in the same room with someone across the world thanks to advanced audio-visual technology. WHY WE LOVE IT: You can chat with people in places as diverse as Afghanistan, Germany, Mexico, and Rwanda. WANT TO GO? 844-458-1016 x0. timessquareportal.com.
91st Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade FREE
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WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 23, 9am-12pm WHERE: Parade begins at Central Park West and 77th Street, Upper West Side and ends at Macy’s, Herald Square AGES: All WHAT: This year’s parade promises all the awesomely soaring balloons including Hello Kitty, Ronald McDonald, Elf on the Shelf, and Charlie Brown, plus marching bands, performers, and floats that families love. WHY WE LOVE IT: What better way to get out of the kitchen on Thanksgiving morning? WANT TO GO? 212-494-4495. macys.com/parade.
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Galli’s ‘Little Red Riding Hood’
WHEN: Nov. 25-26, Saturday-Sunday, 2pm WHERE: Galli Theater, 357 W. 36th St., Suite 202, Chelsea AGES: 3-12 WHAT: Join Little Red Riding Hood as she sets out through the forest on an unanticipated adventure. Fans of this classic fairytale will love watching the little girl in a red cape outfox a big bad wolf. WHY WE LOVE IT: The show is under an hour and there’s an after-show workshop as well. WANT TO GO? $20; $15 children. 212-731-0668. gallitheaternyc.com.
New York City Children’s Theater’s ‘Please Bring Balloons’
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WHEN: Through Dec. 10: Sundays, 10am and 12pm WHERE: University Settlement, 184 Eldridge St., Lower East Side AGES: 3-5 WHAT: Back by popular demand, this show is an interactive, multisensory theater experience created for the youngest audience members and based on Lindsay Ward’s gorgeously illustrated children’s book. WHY WE LOVE IT: It’s a great introduction to theater for toddlers. WANT TO GO? $25. 212-573-8791. nycchildrenstheater.org.
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‘The Three Bears Holiday Bash’
WHEN: Nov. 11-Dec. 30, Tuesday-Sunday, see website for times WHERE: Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre in Central Park, West 81st Street and Central Park West, Upper West Side
AGES: All WHAT: This holiday variety show combines song, dance, and puppetry while drawing from the stories of Hanukkah, the Night Before Christmas, and Kwanzaa. WHY WE LOVE IT: Perfect for little ones not yet old enough to see the bigger ticket holiday performances. WANT TO GO? $12; $8 children. 212-360-1399. cityparksfoundation.org.
‘Christmas Spectacular’ Starring the Radio City Rockettes
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WHEN: Nov. 10-Jan. 1, 2018, daily, see website for times WHERE: Radio City, 1260 Sixth Ave., Midtown AGES: All WHAT: Combining the old with the new, the Christmas Spectacular brilliantly takes audiences on a gorgeously choreographed journey from Santa’s workshop at the North Pole, to the streets of Manhattan, to a beautifully classic Living Nativity. WHY WE LOVE IT: The incredible costumes, the festive music, the kick lines! WANT TO GO? $35 and up. 212-247-4777. rockettes.com/christmas.
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16th Annual Holiday Train Show FREE
WHEN: Nov. 16-Feb. 4, 2018, daily, 6am-8pm WHERE: Transit Museum Gallery Annex & Store, Grand Central Terminal, 89 E. 42nd St., Midtown AGES: All WHAT: Kids can watch in awe as little Lionel trains roll along a 34-footlong, two-level track that looks just like a mini NYC with a nearby countryside. The scenery even includes its very own North Pole. WHY WE LOVE IT: There are some really cool vintage train cars on display. WANT TO GO? 212-340-2583. nytransitmuseum.org.
WE CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S FREE
Think a freebie has to be ho-hum? Don’t let the price tag (or lack of one) fool you. Here are the five no-cost events we’re excited about now. You’re welcome. Design Kids: If I Ride VR FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 4, 11am-3pm WHERE: Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian National Design Museum, 2 E. 91st St., Upper East Side AGES: 5-12 WHAT: In this special session families will explore virtual reality with guest designer Play Lab. Kids will ride a stationary bike while viewing VR to learn about marine ecology. WANT TO GO? 212-849-8400. cooperhewitt.org.
Canstruction FREE
WHEN: Nov. 2-15, daily, 10am-8pm WHERE: Brookfield Place, 230 Vesey St., Battery Park City AGES: All WHAT: Expose your kids to incredible art and important charity work through this annual design competition. Fascinating large-scale sculptures made with cans of food are on display and then donated to City Harvest. WANT TO GO? 212-978-1698. brookfieldplaceny.com.
Open Studio For Teens FREE
WHEN: Nov. 3-17, Fridays, 4-6pm WHERE: The Whitney Museum of American Art, Laurie M. Tisch Education Center, 99 Gansevoort St., Meatpacking District AGES: 13-17 WHAT: Bring your works-in-progress or create something entirely new. All supplies are provided and no previous art experience is required. WANT TO GO? 212-570-3600. whitney.org.
18th Annual Winter’s Eve at Lincoln Square FREE
WHEN: Monday, Nov. 27, 5:30-9pm WHERE: Lincoln Square, Broadway from 59th to 68th streets, Upper West Side AGES: All WHAT: Get in the spirit of the holiday season at this gathering full of music, dancing, food, and culture along nearly 10 blocks. Expect legendary as well as up-and-coming musicians, dancers, street entertainment, kid-friendly activities, and a holiday tree lighting. WANT TO GO? 212-581-3774. winterseve.nyc.
Saturday Morning Show FREE
WHEN: Sept. 23-Dec. 16, 10am-12pm WHERE: Brookfield Place, 230 Vesey St., Battery Park City AGES: Newborn to 5 WHAT: Stop by Hudson Eats on Saturday mornings this fall for weekly family-friendly performances. The fun includes interactive sing-alongs with Yellow Sneaker Puppets, magic demonstrations by Gary the Great, children’s book readings, crafts, and more. WANT TO GO? 212-978-1698. brookfieldplaceny.com. ›› BigAppleParent 29
Family Art Workshops: The Process of Printmaking FREE
WHEN: Nov. 18-19, Saturday-Sunday, 10:30am and 2pm WHERE: Museum of Modern Art, 4 W. 54th St., Midtown AGES: 9 and older WHAT: Families with teens and tweens can try their hand at printmaking inspired by the creative practice of Louise Bourgeois. WANT TO GO? 212-708-9805. moma.org.
A Closer Look for Kids: The Artist’s Toolbox FREE
CRAFTY KIDS Modigliani Family Day
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 12, 12-4pm WHERE: The Jewish Museum, 1109 Fifth Ave., 4th Floor, Upper East Side AGES: 3 and older WHAT: Sculpt a miniature head in clay, draw a model in the art studio, listen to folk-pop-jazz sounds from Jo-Jo and the Pinecones, collaborate on a giant figurative sculpture, and view the masterworks in Modigliani Unmasked. WANT TO GO? $15; $12 seniors; $7.50 students; free for children younger than 18. 212-423-3200. thejewishmuseum.org.
MOCACREATE: Made by… Me!
WHEN: Nov. 4-18, Saturdays, 1-4pm WHERE: Museum of Chinese in America, 215 Centre St., Chinatown AGES: All WHAT: Kids will make their very own zine—a handmade magazine about whatever they choose. Learn how to fold and bind it with a basic saddle stitch, then fill it with ideas and artwork. WANT TO GO? $10; $5 seniors and children; free for children younger than 2. 855-955-6622. mocanyc.org.
Family Day: Skyscrapers
WHEN: Nov. 4-19, Saturday-Sunday, 10:20-11:30am WHERE: Museum of Modern Art, 4 W. 54th St., Midtown AGES: 5-8, adult WHAT: Engage in discussions and activities while looking at tools and techniques used to create modern masterpieces and cutting-edge contemporary art. WANT TO GO? 212-708-9805. moma.org.
Family Sundays
WHEN: Nov. 5-26, Sundays, 1-4pm WHERE: Rubin Museum of Art, 150 W. 17th St., Chelsea AGES: 3 and older WHAT: Drop into the Education Center for some art-making, enjoy a family exhibition tour, and go on your own thematic gallery search. The November theme is all about giving thanks. WANT TO GO? $15; $10 seniors and students; free for children 12 and younger. 212-620-5000. rubinmuseum.org.
Start with Art
WHEN: Nov. 2-30, Thursdays and Saturdays, see website for times WHERE: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Ave., Upper East Side AGES: 3-8 WHAT: Share ideas and enjoy stories, sketching, and other gallery activities that bring works of art to life around this month’s theme: journeys. WANT TO GO? $25; $17 seniors; $12 students; free for children younger than 12. 212-650-2010. metmuseum.org.
MOVERS & SHAKERS La MaMa Kids Creativity for Kids: Connect Through Play
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 18, 11am-1pm and 2-4pm WHERE: Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place, Greenwich Village AGES: 3-12 WHAT: Bring your building crew and get ready to soar with skyscrapers. Learn about some of the new innovative projects, then work with your building team to design and build your own model skyscraper. WANT TO GO? $6; $12 children. 212-358-6133. cfafoundation.org.
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 18, 11am WHERE: La MaMa Experimental Theatre, 66 E. 4th St., East Village AGES: 5-12 WHAT: In this LaMaMa kids workshop, participants will play theater games, sing, move, and act out stories in a safe and fun environment. Taking place the week of Thanksgiving, all of the creative games and exercises will focus on the theme of giving thanks. WANT TO GO? $10 children; free for adults. 212-254-6468. lamama.org.
Gallery Explorations
Tours for Fours: Artmaking Materials FREE
WHEN: Nov. 4-18, Saturdays, 10:45am-1:20pm WHERE: The Whitney Museum of American Art, 99 Gansevoort St., Meatpacking District AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Join this interactive, family-focused exploration of kid-friendly works on view. Learn about art through lively discussion and fun gallery activities. WANT TO GO? $25; $18 seniors and students; free for children younger than 18. 212-570-3600. whitney.org.
Picture This! Series
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 19, 10am-12:30pm WHERE: The Jewish Museum, 1109 Fifth Ave., Upper East Side AGES: 3-8 WHAT: These interactive programs include art-viewing activities and a book reading from the PJ Library collection, followed by an opportunity to create original artworks and a concert featuring an acclaimed performer. WANT TO GO? $25; $22 members. 212-423-3200. thejewishmuseum.org. 30
November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
WHEN: Nov. 4-19, Saturday-Sunday, 10:20-11:15am WHERE: The Museum of Modern Art, 4 W. 54th St., Midtown AGES: 3-5, adult WHAT: Look, listen, and share ideas while you explore tools and techniques in modern and contemporary art. WANT TO GO? 212-708-9805. moma.org.
Run & Row New York
Ice-Skating Season
Afternoon Tea & Skating
ONCE UPON A TIME
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 19, 8am-5:30pm WHERE: The Armory, 216 Fort Washington Ave., Washington Heights AGES: All WHAT: This one-of-a-kind biathlon fundraiser for academic and athletic youth programs combines the skills of two complementary sports. All are welcome and a number of events at different competitive levels will be offered. Free introductory learn-to-row classes will be available on the hour throughout the day. WANT TO GO? $20 and up; free for children younger than 13 and athletes with disabilities. 212-923-1803 x7010. runrowbiathlon.org. WHEN: Through Nov. 21: daily, 3:30pm WHERE: The Rink at Rockefeller Center, 600 Fifth Ave., Midtown AGES: All WHAT: A perfectly quaint winter afternoon full of warm tea from Harney & Sons, tea sandwiches, and sweets, plus time spinning on the ice with friends and family. WANT TO GO? $49-$55; $45-$49 for children younger than 11. 212332-7654. therinkatrockcenter.com.
Watson Adventures’ Grand Central Scramble Family Scavenger Hunt
WHEN: Nov. 24-25, Friday-Saturday, 10:30am WHERE: Grand Central Terminal, 89 E. 42nd St., Midtown AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Discover a Whispering Gallery, learn a secret about the stars in the “sky,” find TV celebrities in the food court, stand on fish under an upside-down tree in the Grand Central Market, learn the arrival time of a “ghost” train, and think like Willy Wonka in the Transit Museum Gallery on this family scavenger hunt. WANT TO GO? $17.50-$21.50. 877-946-4868. watsonadventures.com.
Improv 4 Kids
WHEN: Through Dec. 31: Saturday-Sunday, 3pm WHERE: Broadway Comedy Club, 318 W. 53rd St., Midtown AGES: 5 and older WHAT: The cast of Eight is Never Enough presents interactive musical comedy for the whole family. No two shows are the same as the players create original skits and songs based on audience suggestions and participation. WANT TO GO? $25. 212-568-6560. improv4kids.com.
Public Ice-Skating
WHEN: Through Feb. 28, 2018: Monday-Tuesday, 10am-2:30pm; Wednesday-Thursday, 10am-10pm; Friday-Saturday, 10am-11pm; Sunday, 10am-9pm WHERE: Wollman Rink, 59th Street and Central Park South, Central Park AGES: All WHAT: This outdoor rink offers an amazing view of the Manhattan skyline, plus a skating school, a hockey program, and birthday party offerings on the ice. Check out the nearby carousel for $3 a ride in between skates. WANT TO GO? Monday-Thursday: $12; $5 seniors; $6 for children 11 and younger; Friday-Sunday and holidays: $19; $9 seniors; $6 for children 11 and younger. 212-439-6900. wollmanskatingrink.com.
Bank of America Winter Village
WHEN: Through March 4, 2018: daily, 8am-10pm WHERE: Bryant Park, 40th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues, Midtown AGES: All WHAT: The park becomes a winter wonderland with an outdoor iceskating rink (free entry!), a European-inspired open-air market for holiday shopping, rinkside dining, and even an observation deck full of games and art supplies. WANT TO GO? $20 skate rental. 212-768-4242. bryantpark.org.
WHEN: Through April 1, 2018: daily, 8:30-12am WHERE: The Rink at Rockefeller Center, 600 Fifth Ave., Midtown AGES: All WHAT: Take a skate around the outdoor rink before stopping by the many shops and restaurants at Rockefeller Center. Skate lessons are offered as well. WANT TO GO? $25; $15 seniors and for children younger than 11. 212332-7654. therinkatrockcenter.com.
Storytime at Strand FREE
WHEN: Nov. 4-5, Saturday-Sunday, 11am-12pm and 2-3pm WHERE: Strand Book Store, 828 Broadway, Union Square AGES: 3-12 WHAT: Join your favorite characters at Strand’s Story Time, featuring The Cat in the Hat this weekend. There will be arts and crafts and other family fun activities for all. WANT TO GO? 212-473-1452. strandbooks.com.
MOCAKIDS Storytime!
WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 9, 3:30-4:00pm WHERE: Museum of Chinese in America, 215 Centre St., Chinatown AGES: 3-8 WHAT: Enjoy stories, finger-plays, songs, and more in English and Mandarin. This bilingual storytime is packed with interactive songs, nursery rhymes, and arts and crafts. WANT TO GO? $5. 855-955-6622. mocanyc.org.
Reading into History Family Book Club: ‘Inside Out and Back Again’ by Thanhha Lai
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 12, 2pm WHERE: DiMenna Children’s Museum at New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park W., Upper West Side AGES: 9-12, adult WHAT: This Veterans Day Weekend, families can explore the history of the Vietnam War through Lai’s National Book Award-winning novel in verse about a young girl’s transition from Vietnam to Alabama after the fall of Saigon. Families will get to meet Lai, discuss her book, and then explore the museum’s exhibition The Vietnam War: 1945-1975. WANT TO GO? $21; $16 teachers and seniors; $13 students; $6 children ages 5-13; free for children younger than 4. 212-873-3400. nyhistory.org/childrens-museum.
‘Were They Equal?’
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 18, 11am-12:15pm WHERE: Aesthetic Realism Foundation, 141 Greene St., Soho AGES: 5-12 WHAT: Guest teacher and anthropologist Arnold Perey will read from and illustrate his popular children’s book Were They Equal? The message is one of dissolving prejudice between races, religions, and neighborhoods. WANT TO GO? $8. 212-777-4490. aestheticrealism.org.
Storytime in Nolen Library FREE
WHEN: Nov. 1-30, Monday-Friday, check website for times WHERE: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Ave., Upper East Side AGES: Newborn to 5 WHAT: Look, listen, sing, and have fun with picture books before continuing your adventure with a self-guided gallery hunt in the museum. Storytimes available for toddlers and young elementary school children. Space is limited; first-come, first-served. WANT TO GO? 212-650-2010. metmuseum.org. ›› BigAppleParent 31
Santaland FREE
WHEN: Nov. 24-Dec. 24, daily, 9am-9pm WHERE: Macy’s, 151 W. 34th St., 8th floor, Midtown AGES: All WHAT: Visitors will wander through a 13,000-square-foot Christmas Village filled with holiday treasures, the biggest of which is Santa Claus himself. After meeting Santa, guests can buy a photo package. Visits are by reservation only this year. WANT TO GO? 212-494-4495. macys.com/santaland.
HOLIDAY FUN Veterans Day Parade FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 11, 11:15am WHERE: Fifth Avenue, 26th to 52nd streets, Midtown East AGES: All WHAT: Honor our country’s loyal veterans and salute serving military at this annual parade. The Reviewing Stand is located in front of the New York Public Library on 41st Street. WANT TO GO? 888-550-6972. uwvc.org.
Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade Balloon Inflation Event FREE
WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 22, 3-10pm WHERE: Theodore Roosevelt Park, West 79th Street and Columbus Avenue, Upper West Side AGES: All WHAT: Watch the big balloons fill up before they make their Thanksgiving Day trip through the heart of Manhattan. WANT TO GO? macys.com/parade.
Thanksgiving Weekend Celebration
WHEN: Nov. 24-26, Friday-Sunday, 10am-5pm WHERE: Children’s Museum of Manhattan, 212 W. 83rd St., Upper West Side AGES: All WHAT: Create a dinner plate that tells a story of your family and what you are grateful for, enjoy a performance by the Thunderbird American Indian Dancers, take in a storytelling program about Steve Metzger’s book The Great Turkey Race, and step up to an interactive dance performance by Steps on Broadway. WANT TO GO? $14; $11 seniors; free for children younger than 1. 212721-1223. cmom.org.
‘George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker’
WHEN: Nov. 24-Dec. 31, Thursday-Sunday, see website for show times WHERE: David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center, 20 Lincoln Center Plaza, Upper West Side AGES: 5 and older WHAT: From Swan Lake to sugarplum fairies, the music of Tchaikovsky rings beautiful and clear in New York City thanks to this classic holiday performance. Watch stunning ballerinas flit across the stage in a magical world where mischievous mice besiege a battalion of soldiers and a blizzard leads to an enchanted Land of Sweets. WANT TO GO? $40 and up. 212-496-0600. nycballet.com.
2017 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree (and Lighting) FREE
WHEN: Nov. 29-Jan. 7, 2018, daily, 5:30am-11:30pm WHERE: Rockefeller Center, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, Midtown AGES: All WHAT: Bundle up and squeeze through the crowded sidewalks to see this year’s towering Christmas tree. If you’re keen on seeing the tree lighting, join tens of thousands to see the performances and lighting live, or watch it on TV. The ceremony is on a first-come, first-served basis and starts at 7pm. WANT TO GO? 212-332-6868. rockefellercenter.com.
Holiday Express: Toys and Trains from the Jerni Collection
WHEN: Through Feb. 25, 2018: Tuesday-Thursday, 10am-6pm; Friday, 10am-8pm; Saturday, 10am 6pm; Sunday, 11am-5pm WHERE: DiMenna Children’s Museum at New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park W., Upper West Side AGES: All WHAT: Discover the wonder of hundreds of toy trains, figurines, and miniature models from the renowned Jerni Collection at this annual holiday exhibition. WANT TO GO? $21; $16 teachers and seniors; $13 students; $6 children ages 5-13; free for children younger than 4. 212-873-3400. nyhistory. org/childrens-museum.
MINI
Breakfast with Santa Sing-Along and Elfprov
WHEN: Nov. 25-Dec. 23, Saturdays, 9:30am WHERE: Broadway Comedy Club, 318 W. 53rd St., Midtown AGES: All WHAT: From Thanksgiving to Christmas, Santa is dropping by the Broadway Comedy Club every Saturday morning with his elves. Each family will get personal time with Santa, eat a continental breakfast, and enjoy a holiday sing-along and Elfprov: the interactive musical comedy from the North Pole. WANT TO GO? $25; free for toddlers and babies. 212-568-6560. santanyc.com.
Breakfast with Santa
WHEN: Nov. 24-Dec. 24, daily, 8:15am WHERE: The Rink at Rockefeller Center, 600 Fifth Ave., Midtown AGES: All WHAT: Treat your family to a beloved holiday tradition by enjoying pastries and eggs with Santa at Rock Center Café or The Sea Grill. Take advantage of all the photo ops at this meal set amidst one of the season’s most iconic destinations. WANT TO GO? $50 and up. 212-332-7654. therinkatrockcenter.com. 32
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MUSICIANS ‘Odyssey’: A Youth Opera
WHEN: Nov. 3-4, Friday, 7pm; Saturday, 2pm and 7pm WHERE: Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium at Metropolitan Museum, 1000 Fifth Ave., Upper East Side AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Applaud members of the Young People’s Chorus of New York City as they perform leading and chorus roles in the New York premiere of Ben Moore’s Glimmerglass Opera production of Odyssey, a hero’s journey. WANT TO GO? $50-$65; $1 children. 212-535-7710. metmuseum.org.
Future Hits
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 4, 11am WHERE: Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway, Upper West Side AGES: 5-12
WHAT: Bandleader and Chicago Public Schools teacher Matt Baron helps children cultivate their love of learning with this kid-friendly rock concert with a twist. The performance will feature new and classic songs about opposites, synonyms, weather, animals, emotions, geography, colors, and more. WANT TO GO? $17; $14 members. 212-864-5400. symphonyspace.org/ justkidding.
Elizabeth Mitchell and You Are My Flower
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 18, 11am WHERE: Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway, Upper West Side AGES: 5-8 WHAT: Join two-time Grammy Award-nominee and Smithsonian Folkways artist Elizabeth Mitchell and her family band for a morning of gentle, homespun renditions of songs by Bob Marley, The Velvet Underground, David Bowie, Gillian Welch, and more. Also featuring Sonia de los Santos. WANT TO GO? $17; $14 members. 212-864-5400. symphonyspace.org/ justkidding.
Shababa Fridays
WHEN: Through Dec. 15: Fridays, 9:30-10:15am and 10:45-11:30am WHERE: 92Y, 1395 Lexington Ave., Upper East Side AGES: Newborn to 5 WHAT: Children, parents, grandparents, and nannies can get playful at Shababa Fridays. Join in with singing, dancing, jumping, and celebrating as a community. WANT TO GO? $10; free for children. 212-415-5500. 92y.org.
Community Cowpokes with Hopalong Andrew FREE
WHEN: Through Dec. 29: Fridays, 10am WHERE: Whole Foods Tribeca, 270 Greenwich St., Tribeca AGES: Newborn to 5 WHAT: Catch a free drop-in music class with Hopalong Andrew. He’ll bring his guitar, banjo, harmonica, and suitcase drum kit to get babies and tots rocking to his modern adaptations of classic cowboy tunes. WANT TO GO? 212-349-7680. hopalongandrew.com.
Jazz for Kids
WHEN: Through May 27, 2018: Sundays, 2-3pm WHERE: Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St., Kips Bay AGES: All WHAT: The Jazz Standard Youth Orchestra will get families grooving every Sunday throughout the school year at its popular Jazz for Kids brunch. Talented musicians ages 11-18 dish out jazz classics as family audiences devour the goods off Blue Smoke’s southern barbecue lunch menu. WANT TO GO? $5 suggestion donation. 212-576-2232. jazzstandard.com.
ANIMAL LOVERS ‘My Perfect Pet the Musical’
WHEN: Through Nov. 18: Saturdays, 12pm and 2pm WHERE: The Playroom Theater, 151 W. 46th St., Midtown West AGES: 3-8 WHAT: My Perfect Pet is the story of Cailin, a young girl who dreams of getting a puppy for her upcoming 10th birthday. But, is she responsible and mature enough? It’s up to her parents to decide. WANT TO GO? $20. 646-262-1562. myperfectpetthemusical.com.
Earthflight
WHEN: Through March 8, 2018: daily, 10am-5:45pm WHERE: The American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West and 79th Street, Upper West Side AGES: All WHAT: Earthflight is a totally immersive experience, taking the audience on an incredible flight across the world on the wings of birds. Discover the fascinating science of flight and how birds maneuver simultaneously in flocks a million strong, navigate across whole continents, and collaborate with other animals to find food. WANT TO GO? $27; $22 students and seniors; $16 children ages 2-12; free for children younger than 2. 212-769-5200. amnh.org.
Ocean Odyssey
WHEN: Through March 31, 2018: Sunday-Thursday, 10am-10:30pm; Friday-Saturday, 10am-12am WHERE: National Geographic Encounter, 226 W. 44th St., Times Square AGES: 5 and older WHAT: This immersive entertainment experience takes families on a simulated underwater adventure to witness Pacific Ocean life firsthand. Meet sea lions, humpback whales, and great white sharks, plus a stunning coral reef and other awe-inspiring aquatic sights and sounds. WANT TO GO? $39.50; $36.50 seniors; $32.50 children younger than 12. 646-308-1337. natgeoencounter.com.
The Butterfly Conservatory: Tropical Butterflies Alive in Winter
WHEN: Through May 28, 2018: daily, 10am-5:45pm WHERE: American Museum of Natural History, 79th Street and Central Park West, Upper West Side AGES: All WHAT: For the 20th year, families can hang with as many as 500 fluttering butterflies at the museum’s 80-degree warm vivarium full of tropical flowers, too. WANT TO GO? $23; $18 seniors and students; $13 children ages 2-12; free for children younger than 2. 212-769-5100. amnh.org. ›› BigAppleParent 33
DANCE PARTY General Mischief Dance Theatre Presents ‘Conjunctions’
WHEN: Nov. 4-5, Saturday, 8pm; Sunday, 5pm WHERE: Joan Weill Center For Dance, 405 W. 55th St., Midtown AGES: 3 and older WHAT: Four collaborations between the General Mischief company, under the leadership of Head Troublemaker Emily Smyth Vartanian, and a diverse group of collaborators. WANT TO GO? $22; $18 in advance; $15 students and seniors; $10 for children 10 and younger. 212-714-4694. generalmischief.com.
The FunkeyMonkeys Family Concert
SPECIAL NEEDS Sights & Sounds: Animals FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 11, 10-11am WHERE: The Met Cloisters, 99 Margaret Corbin Drive, Fort Tryon Park AGES: 5-12 WHAT: Children on the autism spectrum and those with developmental and learning disabilities are invited to join friends and family at The Met Cloisters for a special program. Participants will discover historic treasures from medieval castles and sacred spaces while also taking part in engaging musical activities. WANT TO GO? 212-923-3700. metmuseum.org.
Access Family Program FREE
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 12, 11am-1pm WHERE: Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Pier 86, 46th Street and Twelfth Avenue, Hell’s Kitchen AGES: 13 and older WHAT: The museum offers guided multisensory programs that include hands-on explorations for teens and adults with developmental disabilities and their families. This session’s theme is all about drones. Explore the science of unmanned flight in the new exhibition Drones: Is the Sky the Limit? Discover ways in which drones rescue, transport, and entertain, then experiment with your own designs. WANT TO GO? 646-381-5158. intrepidmuseum.org.
Early Morning Opening for Children with Autism and Their Families FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 18, 9-11am WHERE: Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Pier 86, 46th Street and Twelfth Avenue, Hell’s Kitchen AGES: 3-17 WHAT: The museum opens its doors 1 hour early for families with children on the autism spectrum. Visitors will discover Intrepid’s connection to space exploration, visit the space shuttle Enterprise, and learn how the shuttles help explore our solar system and universe. WANT TO GO? 646-381-5158. intrepidmuseum.org.
Musical Zoo FREE
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 19, 11am-12:30pm, 2-3:30pm WHERE: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Ave., Upper East Side AGES: 5-17 WHAT: This workshop for children with learning or developmental disabilities and accompanying friends and family members includes a gallery tour and art activity. Reservations required. WANT TO GO? 212-650-2010. metmuseum.org.
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WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 19, 11:30am-1pm WHERE: The Jewish Museum, Scheuer Auditorium, 1109 Fifth Ave., Upper East Side AGES: 3-8 WHAT: Families will sing and dance their hearts out to FunkeyMonkeys hits such as “Mustache” and “I’d Like A Banana” at this live performance. WANT TO GO? $16; $13 members. 212-423-3200. thejewishmuseum.org.
The Give Thanks Get Down
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 25, 3-8pm WHERE: Harlem Stage, 150 Convent Ave., Harlem AGES: All WHAT: If your family likes music and dancing, they’ll be down for this allages dance party with DJ music, live drumming, and a house dance class. WANT TO GO? $10. 212-281-9240. harlemstage.org.
StoryDance Playgroup FREE
WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 2, 9:30-10:15am WHERE: Downtown Dance Factory, 291 Broadway, 4th Floor, Tribeca AGES: Newborn to 5 WHAT: Walking tots and preschoolers are invited to take part in story time, a craft, dance games and activities, plus free play time. WANT TO GO? 212-962-1800. downtowndancefactory.com.
SMARTY PANTS Medieval Materials
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 4, 1-2pm WHERE: The Met Cloisters, 99 Margaret Corbin Drive, Inwood AGES: All WHAT: Learn how artists in the Middle Ages transformed materials such as plants, stone, sand, and wool into colorful paintings, stained glass, tapestries, and other artworks at this special program at a French monastery overlooking the Hudson. WANT TO GO? $25; $17 seniors; $12 students; free for children younger than 12. 212-923-3700. metmuseum.org.
Living History: Votes for Women!
WHEN: Nov. 4-5, Saturday-Sunday, 12-3pm WHERE: DiMenna Children’s Museum at New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park W., Upper West Side AGES: All WHAT: Celebrate the opening of the new exhibition Hotbed with those who led the crusade for women’s rights 100 years ago. Meet suffragists portrayed by Living Historians as they share stories about how they each contributed to the battle for the ballot. WANT TO GO? $21; $16 teachers and seniors; $13 students; $6 children ages 5-13; free for children younger than 4. 212-873-3400. nyhistory.org/ childrens-museum.
American Slavery Project: Unheard Voices
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 5, 2pm WHERE: DiMenna Children’s Museum at New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park W., Upper West Side AGES: All WHAT: The names and daily lives of 419 men, women, children, slaves, indentured servants, and free people who lived during the colonial era and are buried in the African Burial Ground in Lower Manhattan have been imagined and brought to life through this monologue play with music. WANT TO GO? $21; $16 teachers and seniors; $13 students; $6 children ages 5-13; free for children younger than 4. 212-873-3400. nyhistory.org/ childrens-museum.
Heroes and Heroines
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 5, 1-2pm WHERE: The Met Cloisters, 99 Margaret Corbin Drive, Inwood AGES: All WHAT: Discover the stories and legends behind knights, ladies, and medieval heroes, and hear their brave and inspiring adventures. WANT TO GO? $25; $17 seniors; $12 students; free for children younger than 12. 212-923-3700. metmuseum.org.
Stroller Tour
WHEN: Friday, Nov. 10, 9-10am WHERE: The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park W., Upper West Side AGES: Newborn to 2, adult WHAT: A chance to stroll the museum before the museum opens. Early childhood educators will lead you and your child on an exploration of art, history, and creativity. Singing, movement, texture exploration, and art-making in the galleries will make for a memorable morning. WANT TO GO? $25 per family. 212-873-3400. nyhistory.org.
Family Films: Objects in Motion FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 18, 11am-12pm WHERE: Museum of Modern Art, 4 W. 54th St., Midtown AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Enjoy classic live-action and animated films about motion and movement, engaging discussions, and activities in the museum’s galleries. WANT TO GO? 212-708-9805. moma.org.
FUN FAIRS & FESTIVALS World Culture Festival: Journeys
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 4, 12-5pm WHERE: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Ave., Upper East Side AGES: All WHAT: Discover connections between art and culture that travel beyond borders. Celebrate your family’s own journey through performances, storytelling, interactive gallery activities, and artist-led workshops. WANT TO GO? $25; $17 seniors; $12 students; free for children. 212650-2010. metmuseum.org.
Play Fair
WHEN: Nov. 4-5, Saturday-Sunday, 10am-7pm WHERE: The Javits Center, 655 W. 34th St., Chelsea AGES: All WHAT: From a family-friendly video gaming lounge to dance classes with the Rockettes, this year’s Play Fair promises a weekend full of fun. With two activity stages to choose from, guests can catch cool cartoon screenings, watch Lego master builders do their thing, or try their hand at light saber training, all while meeting and greeting favorite characters. WANT TO GO? $25-$50. playfairny.com.
11th Annual Brooklyn Children’s Book Fair FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 11, 11:30am-4pm WHERE: Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn AGES: All WHAT: Join the Brooklyn Children’s Book Fair featuring your favorite Brooklyn authors and illustrators. This free event includes storybooks, picture books, graphic novels, author readings, and original hands-on art activities for all ages. WANT TO GO? 718-638-5000. brooklynmuseum.org.
My First Film Fest 2
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 18, 11am-12:30pm WHERE: The Morgan Library & Museum, 225 Madison Ave., Murray Hill AGES: 5-12 WHAT: Join author Maria-Christina Sayn-Wittgenstein Nottebohm for a talk and gallery conversation to learn how to explore paintings as a family. WANT TO GO? $10. 212-590-0311. themorgan.org.
WHEN: Nov. 10-12, Friday-Sunday, see website for times WHERE: The Film Society of Lincoln Center, 70 Lincoln Center Plaza, Upper West Side AGES: All WHAT: This second annual festival for kids features family-friendly selections from around the world, silent classics, and thoughtful documentaries, plus a special animation workshop and work-inprogress screening of footage from the upcoming feature Ferdinand. WANT TO GO? $14; $11 students; $7 for children younger than 18. 212-875-5367. filmlinc.org.
Morgan Explorers
Generation to Generation Festival FREE
Old Masters Rock: How to Look at Art with Children
WHEN: Through Dec. 10: Sundays, 1:30-3pm WHERE: The Morgan Library & Museum, 225 Madison Ave., Murray Hill AGES: All WHAT: Participants will learn myths and stories about the famous ceilings, roll a sample cylinder seal, and check out medieval bookmaking materials. WANT TO GO? $20; $13 seniors and students; free for children younger than 12. 212-590-0311. themorgan.org.
Gulliver’s Gate
WHEN: Through Dec. 31: daily, 9am-10pm WHERE: Times Square, 216 W. 44th St., Times Square AGES: All WHAT: Artists from eight countries took part in building this miniature world, featuring cities from across the globe, all built to scale. WANT TO GO? $36; $27 seniors and for children 12 and younger. gulliversgate.com.
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 12, 12-4pm WHERE: Museum at Eldridge Street, 12 Eldridge St., Lower East Side AGES: All WHAT: This year marks the 130th anniversary of the opening of the Eldridge Street Synagogue. There will be synagogue tours, musical performances, photo ops in an old-fashioned photo booth, and art activities inspired by immigrant life on the Lower East Side. WANT TO GO? 212-219-0302. eldridgestreet.org.
Rí Rá Children’s Festival of Literature
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 19, 12pm WHERE: Irish Arts Center, 553 W. 51st St., Midtown AGES: All WHAT: Discover new books, meet authors and illustrators, and participate in workshops and activities that will engage the writers of tomorrow. WANT TO GO? $5. 212-757-3318. irishartscenter.org. ››
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AGES: All WHAT: A rollicking musical adventure through the pages of Robert Louis Stevenson’s beloved novel Treasure Island. Join Jim Hawkins as he takes the journey of a lifetime in search of buried pirate treasure. WANT TO GO? $32-$52. 212-475-1237. literallyalive.com.
Edna the Stomper
WHEN: Through Nov. 12: Saturdays, 10am; Sundays, 2pm WHERE: The Tank, 312 W. 36th St., Chelsea AGES: 3-12 WHAT: This musical is full of songs, a 7-year-old who can’t stop stomping, and some little monster puppets too. It’s a heartfelt tale that tackles issues like self worth, creative expression, and finding one’s place in the family. WANT TO GO? $15-$35. 785-393-9119. thetanknyc.org.
Story Pirates
SHOW TIME! ‘A Sky for the Bears’
WHEN: Through Nov. 5: Saturday-Sunday, 11am and 3pm WHERE: The New Victory Theater, 209 W. 42nd St., Midtown AGES: 3-8 WHAT: Two bears set out on two separate adventures, both equally charming, told through evocative shadow puppetry and lyrical movement. The show runs approximately 45 minutes with no intermission. WANT TO GO? $25. 646-223-3010. newvictory.org.
Gustafer Yellowgold Concert
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 5, 1:30-2:30pm WHERE: Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater, 425 Lafayette St., East Village AGES: All WHAT: Let loose at this live performance featuring the musical stylings and colored-pencil illustrations of New York dad Morgan Taylor. WANT TO GO? $15. 212-539-8778. gustaferyellowgold.com.
Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers: Everybody Loves Pirates
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 11, 11am and 2pm WHERE: Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway, Upper West Side AGES: 5-8 WHAT: A trio of sibling puppeteers presents this zany tale set on the high seas. Eight-year-old Lucy and her goofy pal Little Chucky search for buried treasure, only to find a gang of bumbling pirates in the way. WANT TO GO? $17; $14 members. 212-864-5400. symphonyspace.org/ justkidding.
WHEN: Nov. 4-18, Saturdays, see website for times WHERE: Arthur Seleen Theatre at The Drama Book Shop, 250 W. 40th St., Midtown AGES: 3-12 WHAT: Using stories submitted by children, the Story Pirates create outlandishly funny sketches and mini-musicals. WANT TO GO? $35. 347-878-6798. storypirates.com.
‘The History Mystery’
WHEN: Nov. 3-19, Friday, 7pm; Saturday-Sunday, 2pm and 4pm WHERE: TADA! Youth Theater, 15 W. 28th St., Chelsea AGES: 3 and older WHAT: Back by popular demand, this original musical follows three students who travel through American history and encounter the people who fought for freedom, women’s rights, and racial equality. WANT TO GO? $15-$25. 212-252-1619. tadatheater.com.
Galli’s ‘Hansel & Gretel’
WHEN: Nov. 4-19, Saturday-Sunday, 2pm WHERE: Galli Theater, 357 W. 36th St., Suite 202, Chelsea AGES: 5-12 WHAT: The classic children’s fairytale takes the stage complete with wooded scenery, costumes, and that tasty treat-toting witch. WANT TO GO? $20; $15 children. 212-731-0668. gallitheaternyc.com.
‘The Secret Life of Suitcases’
WHEN: Nov. 11-19, Saturday, 11am and 2pm; Sunday, 11am WHERE: Lincoln Center, 165 W. 65th St., 7th Floor, Upper West Side AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Larry is an office worker who likes everything in its place. But when a fantastical flying suitcase with a mission shows up at his door one day, Larry’s world is turned upside down and he embarks on a journey that takes him further than he ever thought possible. Discover the thrill of adventure and the joy of coming home again in this colorful play. WANT TO GO? $25. 212-875-5000. kids.lincolncenter.org.
‘Pinkalicious The Musical’
WHEN: Through Nov. 12: Saturday-Sunday, 11am WHERE: Theater at Blessed Sacrament, 152 W. 71st St., Upper West Side AGES: 3-8 WHAT: Pinkalicious can’t stop eating pink cupcakes despite warnings from her parents. Her pink indulgence lands her at the doctor’s office with Pinkititis, an affliction that turns her pink from head to toe. But when her hue goes too far, only Pinkalicious can figure out how to get out of this predicament. WANT TO GO? $25-$59.50. 212-579-0528. pinkaliciousthemusical.com.
DEC. 1-30: Jason Bishop: Believe in Magic at The New Victory Theater, Midtown
‘Treasure Island the Musical’
SELECT DATES DEC. 13-29: Elf the Musical at The Theater at Madison Square Garden, Midtown
WHEN: Through Nov. 12: Saturdays, 3pm; Sundays, 11am WHERE: The Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal St., Greenwich Village 36
November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
Coming up next month:
DEC. 29-30: In A Nutshell (A New York City Nutcracker) at Theatre 80, East Village
WHERE-TO GUIDE
Ice-Skating
nymetroparents.com/where-to
››
Research by Kathryn Sheridan
Time to lace up your skates and practice your figure eights! Winter is upon us and local rinks are ready to have you on the ice. Whether you’re just learning to skate or a total pro, ice-skating is fun for the whole family. Plus, if you don’t land that jump you’ve been working on, you can always cheer up with a cup of cocoa at many ice rink concession stands. As always, call ahead to verify hours and prices before your ice-skating outing. Indoor Rinks Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers Chelsea Piers, West 23rd Street and Hudson River Park, Chelsea 212-336-6100; chelseapiers.com Hours: Through Dec. 17: Monday, 1:305pm; Tuesday and Thursday, 3-5pm; Friday, 1:30-5:20pm; Saturday-Sunday, 1-3:50pm. Price: $11. $6 skate rental; $5 helmet rental. Speed skates, double-bladed skates, cellphones, bags, music devices, and cameras are not permitted on the ice.
BROOKLYN Outdoor Rinks
Outdoor Rinks Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park 40th-42nd streets between Fifth and Sixth avenues, Midtown 917-438-5166; citipondatbryantpark.com Hours: Oct. 28-March 4, 2018: daily, 8am-10pm Price: Free; $20 skate rental. Lasker Skating Rink North end of Central Park, near 110th Street and Lenox Avenue, Harlem 917-492-3856; laskerrink.com Hours: Oct. 28-March 18, 2018 (weather permitting): Monday-Thursday, 10am-4pm; Friday, 10am-4:50pm and 6-11pm; Saturday, 1-11pm; Sunday, 12:30-4:30pm. Price: $8.50; $2.25 seniors; $4.50 children ages 12 and younger; $7.50 skate rental. The Rink at Rockefeller Center Fifth Avenue between 49th and 50th streets, Rockefeller Center 212-332-7654 212-332-7655 for reservations therinkatrockcenter.com
Hours: Through April 2018: daily: 8:3012am, with occasional half-hour cleaning sessions throughout the day. Group rates and skate lessons available. Price: $25-32; $15 children younger than 11 and seniors. $12 skate rental. Riverbank State Park 679 Riverside Drive, Hamilton Heights 212-694-3642; nysparks.com/parks/93 Hours: Opens November; see website for times Admission: Prices were not confirmed at the time of publication Wollman Rink Central Park (enter at 59th Street and Sixth Avenue) 212-439-6900; wollmanskatingrink.com Hours: Oct. 23 (weather permitting) through early April 2018. The rink opens daily at 10am and closes at the following times: Monday-Tuesday at 2:30pm; Wednesday-Thursday at 10pm; FridaySaturday at 11pm; Sunday at 9pm. Price: Monday-Thursday: $12; $6 children ages 11 and younger. Friday-Sunday: $19; $6 children ages 11 and younger. $9 skate rentals. No credit cards.
Lakeside 171 East Drive, Southeastern Prospect Park 718-462-0010; lakesidebrooklyn.com Hours: Oct. 28-April 2, 2018: MondayThursday, 9am-5pm; Friday, 9am-9pm; Saturday, 11:30am-9pm; Sunday, 11:30am-5:15pm Price: $6 Monday-Friday; $9 Fridays after 4pm, Saturday-Sunday, and holidays; $6 skate rentals. Indoor Rinks Aviator Sports and Event Center Floyd Bennett Field, 3159 Flatbush Ave., Marine Park/Mill Basin 718-758-7500 or 718-757-7567 aviatorsports.com Hours: Year-round: Monday-Thursday, 11:30am-3:50pm; Friday, 11am-3:45pm and 7:30-11pm; Saturday, 1:45-5:50pm and 7:30-11:30pm (beginning early October to April); Sunday, 12:156:30pm. Call for holiday schedule. Price: Non-Members: $12; $10 children ages 11 and younger; $6 skate rental. Members: $11, $9.10 children ages 11 and younger. Free lockers; bring your own lock. Find the full guide at ›› nymetroparents.com/ice-skating
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Does My Child Have an Eating Disorder? ››
Three experts share what to look out for, the physical and mental health risks, and how to get your child the help she needs. By Katelin Walling
N
ational surveys estimate that nearly 20 million females and 10 million males will have an eating disorder at some point in their lives, according to the National Eating Disorders Association. And when most eating disorders get diagnosed? “Between the ages of fourteen and eighteen,” says Joanna Steinglass, M.D., associate professor of clinical psychiatry and director of translational research in eating disorders at the Columbia Center for Eating Disorders. “There are some reports that people are noticing and diagnosing and getting kids to treatment even earlier, which may be a sign that parents are getting more informed.” In fact, NEDA cites an increase in the diagnosis of children, some as young as 5 or 6. Eating disorders are mental illnesses that are serious and can be treated, though it’s unclear for certain why they occur. Some factors include body image issues, self-esteem issues, being bullied about looks, the need to control something in his life, and societal pressures for looking like the actresses and models she sees on TV,
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in magazines, and in the movies. There is also a possibility that eating disorders could be genetic. Studies have found that having a parent or sibling with an eating disorder increases a child’s risk of developing one, according to NEDA. And while the Internet and social media may have a negative role in eating disorders, a lot of celebrities and “regular people” have used various platforms to talk about their experiences with eating disorders, including Sadie Robertson of Duck Dynasty and Dancing with the Stars, who wrote about her eating disorder on her blog Live Original; actress Troian Bellisario, known as Spencer Hastings on FreeForm’s Pretty Little Liars, who wrote about her eating disorder for Lena Dunham’s Lenny Letter; and pop star Kesha, who wrote some of the songs on her new album during a three-month stay at an impatient facility for women with eating disorders, addictions, mood disorders, and trauma while getting treatment for “an eating disorder that nearly killed her,” according to her recent Rolling Stone profile.
With eating disorders being talked about more and more often, parents may be left wondering whether their child has one, what the signs are, and how they can support him.
Eating Disorders Explained
“I think it’s probably most helpful for parents to know that there are a lot of different ways that eating disorders can present themselves,” Dr. Steinglass says. “It may be more important to have a sense of whether something feels like it’s not quite right and let the doctors figure out what the right name for it is.” While a medical professional should do specific diagnosing, it may be helpful for parents to know about the various eating disorders and how they typically present. Anorexia nervosa: A person with anorexia generally restricts the number of calories and the types of foods she eats, according to NEDA. Typically someone with anorexia is of low weight and is restricting his eating to the point where if he is growing, he’s not gaining weight, so he becomes thinner and more out of his range for expected weight and height, says Michelle Miller, Psy.D., a psychologist at the Child Study Center at NYU Langone Health. Alternatively, if she’s stopped growing and stays at the same height, her weight is going down. “That is all due to restriction of eating that’s related to control, which may be a concern about weight or body image. Some individuals may be over concerned about a health focus as well. They feel that every food has to be ‘healthy,’ and so they’ll only eat certain types of food to maintain that,” Dr. Miller says, adding that an individual with anorexia may engage in compensatory behavior such as self-induced vomiting, using laxatives, or excessive exercising to address their concerns about body image and compensate for what he has eaten.
11/6-12/18 (except 11/13)
SESSION:A 1-2:15pm SESSION:B 2:30-3:45pm 6 Sessions: $138
Bulimia nervosa: An individual with bulimia will go through periods of two hours or less during which she eats an amount of food that is larger than what one would expect to eat in that period—and feels she has no control over the behavior. After that period of time, she engages in a compensatory behavior to “undo” the effects of binge eating, according to Dr. Miller.
INTO OUR GIANT MINIATURE WORLD
Binge eating disorder: Like with bulimia, an individual with binge eating disorder consumes a large amount of food in a short period of time. However, unlike with bulimia, compensatory behaviors are not present, and patients will typically present very overweight, according to Michele Calderoni, D.O., who specializes in adolescent medicine at Crystal Run Healthcare. While we all have occasional periods of time when we might eat more, such as a dinner out with friends or at Thanksgiving, “when they do it, they feel a lack of control in the episode, like they can’t stop eating,” Dr. Miller says. “They’ll eat until they feel extremely, uncomfortably full, and they keep eating even when they’re not physically hungry. They also may eat alone.” Avoidant / Restrictive Food Intake Disorder: Previously referred to as Selective Eating Disorder, ARFID is similar to anorexia in that it involves limitations to the amounts or types of foods consumed, but it does not involve concerns about body shape or size, according to NEDA. A person with ARFID is “avoiding whole food groups not because of fear of weight gain or body image concerns or a need for control, but because of a lot of sensory difficulties, because they have low interest in food, and/or because they’re continued on next page ››
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concerned with having negative consequences from eating, such as feeling so uncomfortably full that they’re nauseous or they’re afraid of throwing up,” Dr. Miller says. “The condition usually starts early on, so it’s not something that we would typically see as developing later. You see it usually starting in childhood and they become pickier and pickier as they get older and start getting more and more anxious around food.” Rumination disorder: Those with rumination disorder regurgitate or vomit food, chew it, and swallow it, and there is no known gastrointestinal etiology, Dr. Calderoni says. “I actually have a patient right now who has this. She has had a full GI workup, and we can’t find any reason for her vomiting. It can happen any time on any day. There are no real triggers or explanation…and there are no electrolyte abnormalities that correspond and no physiological abnormalities that correlate,” she says. “[Rumination disorder] is very rare, but we do see it from time to time.” Orthorexia: Although it’s not formally recognized in the DSM, awareness of orthorexia—a fixation on so-called “healthy eating” that a person damages his or her own well-being—is on the rise, according to NEDA. Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorder: Previously known as Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, OSFED is considered a “catch-all” to classify eating disorders that do not meet the criteria for anorexia or bulimia, according to NEDA. “It’s a huge category, which we all hate to use, but sometimes it really is the only diagnosis that encapsulates what’s going on at the time,” Dr. Calderoni says. “But we try very hard not to put our patients in that category.”
Signs of an Eating Disorder
The main signals for parents that their child may have an eating disorder are changes in behavior of eating, changes in behavior of physical activities, or changes in weight, Dr. Steinglass says. As an eating disorder progresses, you may start to see your child isolate himself, and see mood changes. Typically with anorexia, a child will become preoccupied with what foods she is eating, a decrease in the amount of food she is eating, she may push food around the plate, or make excuses as to why she can’t eat. “Bulimia and binge eating disorder are a little trickier to recognize because they’re often done in secret,” Dr. Miller says. Another possible sign of binge eating disorder or bulimia is if quantities of food disappear over an evening or a short period of time, Dr. Calderoni adds. Other possible signs of bulimia include frequent use of the bathroom immediately after meals, signs of vomiting or laxative use, and tooth decay from vomiting frequently. “And I think with all of these conditions, except with ARFID, you’re hearing concerns about how they look and what they’re eating and complaints about their weight,” Dr. Miller says.
Talking to Your Child
If you suspect your child may have an eating disorder, it’s best to approach him in a nonjudgmental way. “I think it’s really wise to sit down with your child and ask your child very nonjudgmental questions about their health and how they’ve been feeling. I think you need to make it nonjudgmental because you want your child to trust you and to feel that they can tell you what’s going on because many kids will try to hide this,” Dr. Calderoni says. “You can comment that you may have noticed changes or things they’re saying about themselves or things about their eating that made you concerned,” Dr. Miller says, adding to be cautious if 40
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your child is showing signs of bulimia or binge eating as those conditions are associated with a lot of guilt. “So going about it like, I’ve noticed you’ve been stressed around your eating, and I want to see if there’s a way we can help you feel better,” she says. As with any medical diagnosis, it’s important to see a doctor to get your child evaluated. “It’s good to go to a doctor to get a health workup to see if there’s anything going on with [your child’s] health, and rule out any cause that is unrelated to eating. I’d also recommend getting an evaluation through a psychologist or psychiatrist who specializes in eating disorders to help identify if it is an eating disorder before jumping to any conclusions,” Dr. Miller says. “If it is identified as an eating disorder, either through a physician or a therapist, then the next step would be to make sure the child is enrolled in treatment. Eating disorders can be very complex and is not something you should try and fix outside of therapy.”
Treatments for Eating Disorders
Across the board, “parents play a huge role in helping kids get out of an eating disorder and they may need to take a big role in figuring out how to get their kids back on track with normal and healthy eating,” Dr. Steinglass says. “The kinds of treatments that tend to be helpful are things that have a real emphasis on seeing change in behavior and paying attention to what’s actually happening with eating and normalizing eating. That can occur in all kinds of settings and all kinds of different ways,” While specific treatment plans will vary depending on the child and the eating disorder, there are a few techniques medical professionals employ when treating a child or teen with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, or ARFID. Multi-disciplinary approach: With this approach, your child will have a three-person treatment team: a medical provider, a nutritionist, and therapist. “Eating disorders are multi-factorial and the treatment has to be tailored to each of these components,” Dr. Calderoni says. The medical provider identifies the medical consequences of an eating disorder and ensures the patient is physically and medically safe. The nutritionist ensures adequate nutrition is part of the treatment plan. “It’s important to have somebody who understands nutrition from a macro- and a microelement perspective, and who also understands eating disorders,” Dr. Calderoni advises. The therapist addresses the mental health piece of the eating disorder. “Again, it should be a certified eating disorder therapist. That’s very important as well because there are triggers and other behaviors that are just really not understood by all therapists,” she adds. This approach is very individualized, meaning the child is the one who works with the medical provider, nutritionist, and therapist. Family-Based Therapy: Unlike with the multi-disciplinary approach, parents are heavily involved in FBT, which can be used to treat adolescents with anorexia or bulimia. Families work with an FBT therapist through three phases of treatment. During phase one, the parents have complete control over what the child eats—the parents plan, serve, and supervise all meals. In phase two, the patient gradually gains control over mealtimes—deciding what, when, and how much to eat. In phase three, the FBT therapist works with the family in addressing other issues in adolescent development as needed, according to Dr. Calderoni. Off the C.U.F.F.: Developed for treating ARFID by Nancy Zucker, Ph.D., a child and family psychologist, eating disorder specialist, and director of the Duke Eating Disorder Center, C.U.F.F. stands for clear, undisturbed, firm, and friendly. This program provides practical strategies to help parents deal with their child’s eating behaviors.
When treating a child with ARFID, “it’s important that parents use different terms that are very clear and specific around what they want their child to eat and how much of it while remaining as calm and undisturbed around their child as possible,” Dr. Miller says. “That they’re being very firm in what they want their child to do, but they also have moments where they’re doing positive things with their child unrelated to food because often times when a child has an eating disorder, it can become the sole focus for the family. So we want them to do things with each other outside of the eating disorder.”
Physical and Mental Health Risks
Eating disorders have a number of associated physical and mental health risks. Eating disorders can: cause abnormalities in electrolytes; cause changes in potassium, phosphate, and magnesium; affect bone marrow and white blood cell count; put a young adult at risk for a heart attack; and affect growth. They can also compromise fertility and reproductive systems. “In young girls, they either won’t get their period, or if they were getting a period, their periods will go away, and when we look at the hormones that correlate with cycling normally—LH, FSH, and estrogen—those hormones are decreased. In young boys or young men, testosterone will also become decreased,” Dr. Calderoni says. The decrease in estrogen and testosterone affects bone density. Bulimia affects tooth health, while those with binge eating disorder are at risk for obesity. And “the starvation that comes with anorexia nervosa has one of the highest mortality rates of any psychiatric illness,” Dr. Steinglass says. As a result of a malnourished brain, individuals with eating disorders may also experience depression, anxiety, irritability, inability to sleep, cognitive impairment, and decrease in memory and attention, Dr. Calderoni says. And social anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder are common in those with anorexia, according to Dr. Miller.
Reducing the Risk
While there are no sure-fire ways to prevent children from developing eating disorders, there are things parents can do at home to reduce the risk of their child developing one. The experts we spoke with agree that families should not talk about food in terms of good and bad or healthy and unhealthy, and instead focus on having a balanced diet and moderation in meals. “Teach your child that having fruit one night and having ice cream one night for dessert is okay,” Dr. Calderoni says. “What I find is if you tend to have a very restrictive food environment at home, many times these kids become binge eaters or they learn that being restrictive is the way to eat.” Other things that can help reduce the risk are: have family meals together as often as possible, keep conversations during family meals positive, and make sure meals include a variety of foods, Dr. Miller says. Dr. Steinglass advises parents also keep the focus on body wellness—how your body can be healthy for you—rather than body image or size. “I also think families should try to not use negative terms like ‘chubby,’ or ‘you have thick legs,’ or ‘you’re built like Grandma, who is three-hundred pounds.’ I think staying away from comments about their bodies and body types is really important,” Dr. Calderoni adds. “We’re all born differently. Sometimes you do get one kid in the family that’s a little heavier than everyone else. It’s just best to not really talk about it. When you go shopping for clothing, try to stay away from sizes and comparison between children and not be so concentrated on what size your children are. Just love your child for who they are.”
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SPECIAL NEEDS
To help your child focus on his abilities rather than disabilities, have him write down positive qualities about himself and tack it on the wall for him to look at when he’s feeling down.
Focus on Your Abilities
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When your child with special needs starts to feel discouraged in school, let him read this, or use this as a guide, to help him through it. By Wendy L. Moss, Ph.D., and Denise M. Campbell, M.S.
W
herever you are in the process of getting special education, you have probably been working hard at things that are challenging for you. But it’s important to remember that your challenges are not what make you special. They are not what make you YOU. There is a lot more to you than your difficulties. And it is important not to forget about all your strengths, talents, and skills.
Six Steps for Being a Positive, Confident You
Life can be pretty stressful when you worry a lot about why you have challenges and what you can do about them. It is important to focus on improving areas that are hard for you. But it is just as important to focus on your abilities. To help you do this, this excerpt will talk about six big steps. These steps can help you learn ways to feel positive about yourself and your skills. You can use these steps even while you’re working to improve in your areas of difficulty. As you read about these six steps, you may be tempted to skip 42
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over some of them. But try to go step-by-step without missing any. Each step is important. Step #1: Focus on the Positive Have you ever cheered up a friend who was feeling sad? Maybe you did this by reminding that friend how great he or she is. Good friends do this for each other. Confident people also do this for themselves—and you can, too. First, take a few minutes to think of at least three positive qualities about yourself. These qualities shouldn’t be about what you can do well. You’ll think about that next. Right now, think about your personality. Can you think of three great things about your personality? You can write them on notebook paper. Or you can type them on a computer and print out your list. You can also have an adult help you type or write the list. Then keep this list in a place where you can look at it often. If you have trouble coming up with three special qualities, look over the following list. Which words describe you? Feel free to use different words if you have qualities that aren’t on this list.
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• athletic • trustworthy • cooperative • patient • creative • considerate • insightful • honest • sensitive • responsible • happy • funny • respectful • outgoing • generous • positive
• gentle • awesome • sweet • brave • thoughtful • courageous • energetic • confident • helpful • smart • unique • caring • fair-minded • studious • loving • kind
Now, add some areas of talent or ability to your list. Maybe you really enjoy one of these activities or are really talented in one of these areas: • reading • remembering things • taking care of animals • painting • karate • chess • solving problems • spelling • being • organized • soccer • collecting coins
• dancing • juggling • computer games • baking • drawing • creating fun videos • writing poetry • swimming • t aking care of younger kids • making people laugh • magic tricks
This list does not cover every talent that people could have. Write (or type) what your talents are, even if they are not on this list. Then, keep paying attention to things you’re good at. Whenever you notice one of your talents, skills, or special qualities, add it to your growing list. It can also be helpful (or just fun) to ask family, friends, teachers, or other people you trust what positive words they would use to describe you. Add those words to your list. Look at your list whenever you need reminders of all the great and special qualities that make up you. Step #2: Be Kind to Yourself In Step 1, you came up with a list of great things about yourself. How do you feel when you read the list? In other words, do you appreciate your special qualities and skills? Do you smile when you think about what makes you a unique person? You can be kind to yourself by remembering your abilities and talents. Be sure to do this even when things are tough. In fact, it is especially important to be kind to yourself at those times. Of course, everyone has bad days when it is hard to focus on the positive qualities. Maybe you are struggling with a homework assignment that seems easy for your friend. Or you might have baked a cake that came out lopsided. On days like this, can you still feel good about your abilities? If you struggle
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to stay positive during difficult times, try some of these ideas for being kind to yourself. • Admit that you wished for a different outcome. It’s okay to feel disappointed when things don’t go as you had hoped. But it’s important to remind yourself that you are still a great person. • Remember that one disappointment does not represent who you are. One difficulty does not define you or explain who you are as a person. You will have disappointments and challenges. Everyone has them. But these difficulties don’t take away from all your abilities. Remember that your abilities are part of you no matter what challenges you currently have to deal with. • Learn from the experience. Use it to set new goals for the future. At the same time, try to feel proud of what you tried and what you did. • Laugh with yourself. We all mess up sometimes. But try not to laugh at yourself. That can hurt. Laughing with yourself is like saying, “Oops! Oh well. I may have made a silly mistake, but who cares? It really was a little funny.” Laughing at yourself is like someone teasing or bullying you. • Ask friends, family members, or teachers for tips on how they stay positive when they face challenges. Step #3: Believe That Hard Work Pays Off...Really Lots of kids roll their eyes when adults say, “Hard work pays off.” So, before you roll your eyes and skip this section, hang on! Putting in a lot of effort definitely can pay off. But maybe it hasn’t always worked that way for you in the past. If you try a plan over and over again and it doesn’t lead to success, you are still working hard. But it’s only leading to frustration. You probably need a new plan—one that gets you closer to reaching your goals. You also don’t need to focus only on tasks that are difficult for you. You may find it pays off to work hard in areas that you are already talented in. Working hard doesn’t mean you will have instant success. And it doesn’t mean you’ll be able to figure out how to do everything by yourself. Working hard does mean that you are willing to put in time to improve and that you are willing to try different ways to improve. It means asking for help when you need it. And it means feeling proud that you have the courage to keep trying. (This idea is also called perseverance.) Step #4: Remember That No One Is Perfect Have you ever looked around your class and thought, “That kid has it all together. He’s perfect!”? Or maybe you’ve looked at a friend and thought, “She just does everything right.” You might be surprised to learn that many kids have these thoughts about others. Even some adults feel like a coworker “knows everything” or a friend “never struggles with anything.” Here’s the truth: No one is perfect. And remembering this will help you accept yourself when you make a mistake or don’t do something perfectly. Instead of thinking that there is something wrong with you, you can remind yourself that you are human. That means that you and everyone you know will make mistakes and not be perfect at everything or on every day. So, why put pressure on yourself to be perfect? Confidence plays a big part in how other people see you. And it’s easier to be confident when you remember that no one
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is perfect. This can help you laugh at your mistakes rather than feeling disappointed or embarrassed. And it can help you feel better about getting extra help. If you feel like you have to be perfect all the time, think about this: Even Olympic athletes, who are some of the best in the world at their sports, aren’t perfect. In the Olympics, ice-skaters sometimes fall and runners sometimes trip. If you worry a lot about being perfect, talk about this with someone you trust. Step #5: Keep Trying When Things Are Hard We all run into obstacles and difficulties. We all fail or make mistakes sometimes. These mistakes don’t mean that we can’t eventually succeed at a task. They simply mean that we need to keep trying. What’s most important is how we handle the difficulty. It can be tempting to give up when we feel discouraged. And it’s true that some goals are impossible. When you were younger, did you ever try to fly by flapping your arms? No matter how hard you worked at that goal, it would never happen. Try to set goals that are possible and realistic. And as you work toward your goals, take pride in improvements you make along the way. As you work on not giving up, it can help to think about how you usually handle challenging events. Do you feel easily defeated? Or do you remember that you have lots of positive qualities, even when you’re struggling with something? Think about the following situations and pick the choice that is closest to how you would probably respond. 1. You and a friend both play a video game for the first time. You lose in Level 1. Your friend easily makes it to Level 4. You: (a) Think, “I’m terrible at this. I’ll never get better at this game no matter how hard I try. I’m never playing this game again.” (b) Want to buy the game to get better at it. Even so, you doubt that you’ll ever get past Level 1. (c) Plan to ask your friend for tips on how to improve. Then you’ll play the game again to see if you can come up with even more ideas. 2. Your teacher gives your class a week to complete a homework assignment. You have to write about your hero and then read your essay in class on the due date. When it is time to share, all the kids at your table have three or four paragraphs written about their heroes. You only wrote three sentences. You: (a) Think, “I know I stink at writing, and this proves it! I’ll have to find a way to leave the classroom before it’s time for everyone to read their essays.” (b) Tell the other kids, and your teacher, that you had a lot of things to do after school this week. You say that’s why you didn’t have time to write more. Then you read your three sentences aloud. (c) Tell kids, and your teacher, that you think of great ideas but have a hard time writing essays. You also ask for tips on how others write, so that you might be able to write more easily next time. 3. You like to run, and have always thought you were fast. Your older brother is on the track team. He says you should think about trying out. So you decide to go to a practice and see what it’s like.
At practice, the coach times everyone running 500 meters and then a mile. You come in 6th place out of 13 in the 500 meter, and last place in the mile. You: (a) Think, “I obviously can’t run fast when it really counts. My brother’s idea was stupid. I’m never going back there again.” (b) Feel embarrassed. You wonder whether you could ever be fast enough to make the team. But you decide you’ll go back to the track to try to beat your times. (c) Remind yourself that you are a hard worker. And now you feel really motivated to improve your times. You decide you’ll still try out for the team. If you make it, you’ll learn from your teammates and coach. You feel confident that you could be faster by the end of the season. How did you answer these questions? If you gave some “a” answers, you may sometimes give up when you run into challenges. If that’s true, it’s important to find ways to build your confidence and stay motivated. If you responded with some “b” answers, you learn from your experiences. You probably feel okay about yourself, even when you face obstacles. If you gave some “c” answers, then you know it’s okay to admit that you are not perfect. You probably also know how to set goals and work toward them. When you feel good about yourself, you’re able to handle challenges more easily. You are more likely to find the strength to keep trying and not give up. And you feel proud of your efforts. Here are a few tips on how to keep trying and not give up: • Check on whether your goal is possible. You might want to talk this through with an adult. If your goal is reachable, remind yourself of that. If it isn’t, work on setting a new goal. • Remind yourself of your abilities so you don’t get too discouraged or upset with yourself when you can’t succeed immediately. • Most people have to work to get better at things. Remind yourself that you may feel frustrated but that is not always a reason to stop trying or to get mad at yourself. • Remember that it’s okay to ask for help. If you are getting really frustrated, then it’s time to calmly ask for the specific support that would help you. • Rather than trying to reach a huge goal right away, try reaching a smaller goal that can eventually lead to the bigger one. For example, you could work on playing a scale on the piano before playing a difficult song. You might discover that you feel excited about taking on the challenge of learning something new or reaching a goal. It can also be fun to pay attention to your improvements along the way. These can help you stay motivated and positive as you work through obstacles. Step #6: Show Your Confidence It’s great to feel confident. It can mean that you aren’t too nervous to take on new experiences, because you believe you can handle them or you can comfortably ask for help. And showing your confidence can let others know that you value yourself and like being you. But many kids are not sure how to share their talents with others without sounding like they are bragging. (Some adults have trouble with this, too.) Here are some great ways to let your friends, teachers, and other people know that you are happy being you:
• Smile! • Stand or sit up straight and tall. • Make eye contact with other people. (But remember not to stare.) • Expect that most people will like you. • Honestly compliment others on their abilities. • Accept compliments from others. You deserve credit for your strengths. • Share your interests and talents with others so they know about what you like and what you do well. But try not to brag. For example, instead of saying, “I’m great at archery!” you could say, “One of my hobbies is archery. What do you like to do?” • Show that you are comfortable asking for help. • Show that you can bounce back from mistakes or tough times. Sometimes it’s hard to do this after something difficult happens in your life. But you can take steps to help yourself. For example, asking others for support is a sign of strength and courage. So is spending time focusing on what is relaxing or fun for you. Even if you can’t do this right away because you feel stressed or upset, it’s a goal to strive for when you are ready. • Try not to put yourself down, either out loud or in your mind. If you do, it’s okay to tell yourself, “Putting myself down doesn’t help. I need to be my own best friend and be kind to myself instead.” Think about people you know who seem confident. Pay attention to how they act and talk. You will probably notice that they do many of the things you just read about. You may spot other confident things they do, too. Next, give it a try yourself— act confident. It can help you eventually feel confident.
Excerpted from The Survival Guide for Kids in Special Education (And Their Parents) by Wendy L. Moss, Ph.D., and Denise M. Campbell, M.S., © 2017. Used with permission of Free Spirit Publishing Inc., Minneapolis, MN; 800-735-7323; www.freespirit.com. All rights reserved.
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www.popearth.org info@popearth.org 888-364- 4120 | 516-650- 6121
PartyCentral PARTY ENTERTAINMENT CLOWNS.COM Proudly Serving Westchester, Long Island, Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the Bronx 516-577-0000 718-971-5862 clowns.com We are a family-owned and -operated entertainment company, offering a wide range of party and entertainment services including clowns, inflatable bounce houses, characters, magicians, princesses, magic shows, face painting, and party concession rentals. DAVE’S CAST OF CHARACTERS 914-235-7100 davescast.com Make your party a special one! Dave’s entertainment services include more than 100 costumed characters. From princesses and superheroes to pirates and tea parties, there’s something for everyone. PARTY PLACES BOOK NOOK 167 W. 81st St. (at Amsterdam Avenue) 212-873-BOOK (2665) booknooknyc.com Come celebrate your next birthday party at Book Nook! We provide various packages from custom story times to entire space rental of our indoor garden and party room. CHELSEA PIERS SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX West 23rd Street and Hudson River Park Field House Registration Desk: 212-336-6500 x6520 chelseapiers.com/youth Why cross the bridge for your next birthday party? Because Chelsea Piers parties are action-packed, entertaining, and hassle-free, with more sports, activities, and fun than any other party venue in NYC!
THE FASHION CLASS 21 W. 39th St. 646-329-6663 thefashionclass.com Learn from real fashion designers with a runway or sewing party this year in our 2,500-square-foot, bright, sunny, and pink fashion studio! Guests can choose from a variety of our most popular sewing projects, or put on a full runway show! FUNFUZION AT NEW ROC CITY 29 LeCount Place (Exit 16 off I-95), New Rochelle Party Central: 914-637-7575, option 1 funfuziononline.com Calling all birthday superstars! You and your guests will be dazzled by a unique, interactive party experience! GALLI THEATER NEW YORK 151 W. 26th St., 7th Floor 212-731-0668 gallitheaterny.com; galliny@gmail.com Party with the Galli Theater New York. We offer a party package for any need and budget! Whether you opt for a personally selected private performance or a workshop party showcasing your little one’s skills, a Galli Theater Birthday is one you will never forget! JODI’S GYM 244 E. 84th St. 212-772-7633 25 Hubbels Drive, Mount Kisco 914-244-8811 jodisgym.com Kids run, jump, climb, tumble, slide, bounce, and giggle to their hearts’ delight at Jodi’s Gym, where action-packed parties and unmatched experience have won children’s hearts for 34 years. JUST KIDDING AT SYMPHONY SPACE 2537 Broadway 212-864-1414 x289 symphonyspace.org/justkidding Just Kidding parties are artsy, imaginative, and fun—de-
pla y explore
c reate
Your local guide to entertainers, party places, activities, and other resources. signed to make party planning easy and engaging! Through the show kids have the chance to interact with Just Kidding artists creating a once in a lifetime birthday party experience. LAUNCH MATH & SCIENCE CENTERS 173 W. 81st St., Lower Level 212-600-1010 launchmath.com; info@launchmath.com Launch Math & Science Centers provide full-service birthday parties featuring hands-on STEM projects as entertainment at the UWS flagship center or in the home! THE LITTLE GYM 2121 Broadway, 2nd Floor (between 74th and 75th streets), Upper West Side 212-799-1225; tlgupperwestsideny.com 207 E. 94th St. (between Second and Third avenues), Upper East Side 212-787-1124; tlguppereastsideny.com 777 White Plains Road, Scarsdale 914-722-0072; tlgscarsdaleny.com 28 Franklin Turnpike, Waldwick, NJ 201-445-4444; tlgwaldwicknj.com A private party at The Little Gym is a perfect way to celebrate your child’s next birthday. Gymnastics, games, obstacle courses, trampoline, sports, and music are tailored to your child’s interests! ROBOFUN 2672 Broadway 212-245-0444 robofun.org; robofun@robofun.org Celebrate your next birthday making robots, video games, or animations with RoboFun. RoboFun birthday parties are the perfect combination of fun and creativity! USTA BILLIE JEAN KING NATIONAL TENNIS CENTER Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Flushing, Queens 718-760-6200 x0 ntc.usta.com Birthday party packages include 1 hour of court time with drills and games organized by our USTA Pro staff and 1-hour private room for pizza.
UPPER WEST SIDE & LOWER EAST SIDE LOCATIONS
allmychildrendaycare.com 212.419.5416
learn
over 20 years experience BigAppleParent 47
Professional services
LICEXCHANGE The No Lip Service Lice Service
100% organic treatment in the privacy of your home. NYC’s best kept secret. Established; experienced; exceptional Screenings no school should be without. Practical not pricey!
Debra L. Rosen (917) 657-0249 www.licexchange.com
Your local guide to tutors, teachers, lawyers, financial planners, and other professionals professional eye care for children, SPECIAL NEEDS including infants and young adults. We also alleviate any self-esteem issues associated with the stigma EASY PEASY POTTY TRAINING: of wearing glasses. When your child GREATER NYC AREA leaves Little Optics, rest assured that 516-318-5228 they will feel confident. easypeasypottynyc.com EASY PEASY POTTY offers a customized potty training plan specific to your child’s TUTORS & TEST PREP needs, and at affordable prices. Consultation can be offered on the phone or in person. Complete the intake form online FRENCH TUTORING 646-251 4058 to begin the process. simonch67@gmail.com UES, experienced, native French teacher LITTLE OPTICS, INC. (M.A. Sorbonne) offers customized 192-07 Union Turnpike, and engaging lessons in a comfortable Fresh Meadows, Queens setting. All ages and levels, flexible 53-15 Roosevelt Ave., times and places. Improve fluency and Woodside, Queens accent, and practice conversation. Test 718-468-7500; hablamos Español preparation (AP, Regent), Skype option. littleopticsinc@yahoo.com Rate is $50 per hour. We provide eyeglasses and
OPEN HOUSES 2017 Blue Rock School
110 Demarest Mill Road, West Nyack 845-627-0234 bluerockschool.org Fall Information Session and Campus Tour at Blue Rock School on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 10am. Discover how Blue Rock School’s unique approach brings learning to life. Register at 845-535-3353 or admissions@ bluerockschool.org.
City and Country School
Check out our golf programs for kids in NYC, and Montauk Downs. ktuga.com
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November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
146 W. 13th St. 212-242-7802 cityandcountry.org Join us for an open house on Thursday, Nov. 16 from 6-8pm.
Creative Steps Early Care & Education Center
4 Washington Square Village, entrance on Mercer Street 212-982-2273 universitysettlement.org/creativesteps creativesteps@universitysettlement.org We are accepting applications and tours for the 2017-2018 school year. Contact us to schedule a visit at creativesteps@ universitysettlement.org.
École Internationale de New York (EINY)
111 E. 22nd St. 646-410-2238 einy.org To get a better idea about the bilingual program we offer, join us for a tour on Wednesdays, Nov. 8 or 29 at 8:15am.
Rebecca School
40 E. 30th St. 212-810-4120 Admissions: Liz O’Shea at x234 eoshea@rebeccaschool.org rebeccaschool.org/admissions/ tourinfo-request Join us for an open house on Dec. 11 for children born in 2004-2008, or Jan. 11 for those born in 2009-2013. Adults only. RSVP required.
STAR Academy, P.S. 63
121 E. 3rd St. 212-674-3180 staracademyps63.com jfriedman3@schools.nyc.gov. School tours offered Nov. 14, Dec. 8 and 22, and Jan. 4 and 18 at 8:30am. Meet in the school lobby.
FAMILY RESOURCE GUIDE To advertise: 212-315-0800 or nympads@davlermedia.com
PARTY PLANNER
SPECIAL NEEDS WORKSHOPS The Parenting Training Network Supportive Workshops, Powerful Results
Autism, ADHD & Learning Disabilities Workshops are $150 for all three sessions Certificate given upon completion Classes are available on the Saturdays Please call or text 347-210-0823 or visit our website to inquire parentingtrainingnetwork.com
Need to plan the perfect party? FIND venues, entertainers, suppliers, and other ideas to create the ideal party in our online Parent Resources Directory.
NYMetroParents.com
AD INDEX
To Advertise Call 212-315-0800
100+ CHARACTERS, INTERACTIVE DJ’S FACE PAINTERS & MAGICIANS SUPERHEROES PHOTO BOOTHS NEW! TREASURE ISLAND “ZOOBOTS”
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ACROBATICS / GYMNASTICS
La Escuelita .......................................... 41
Kumon North America .......................... 52
New York City Guitar School ................ 41
Jodi’s Gym .............................................11
New York City Guitar School ................ 41
La Escuelita .......................................... 41
SAY: Confident Voices .......................... 45
Lexington Children’s Classes ................. 9
Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts.......... 2
STAR Academy, P.S. 63 ....................... 23
Rebecca School ................................... 46
Tada! Youth Theater ............................. 41
STAR Academy, P.S. 63 ....................... 23
Tada! Youth Theater ............................. 41
Urban Golf Academy ............................ 48
Tutors on Wheels.................................. 17
Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts.......... 2
DEVELOPMENTAL
FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT /
RELIGIOUS
EVENTS / OUTINGS
Cathedral School .................................. 23
BIRTHDAY / PARTY SERVICES Big Apple Parent Party Planner ............ 49 Gulliver’s Gate ...................................... 39 Jodi’s Gym ............................................11 Little Gym .............................................. 3 CAMPS All My Children Day Care ..................... 47 Calhoun School .................................... 21 Camp Huntington.................................. 46 Chelsea Piers ......................................... 5 Dwight School....................................... 13 Jodi’s Gym ............................................11 Little Gym .............................................. 3 New York City Guitar School ................ 41 Urban Golf Academy ............................ 48 Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts.......... 2 CHILD CARE/DAY CARE All My Children Day Care ..................... 47 Creative Steps Early Care & Education Center .................................. 21 Lexington Children’s Classes ................. 9 CLASSES Battery Park City Authority ..............11, 39 Chatty Child Speech Therapy, PLLC .... 43
Calhoun School .................................... 21 Cathedral School .................................. 23 Chatty Child Speech Therapy, PLLC .... 43 Creative Steps Early Care & Education Center .................................. 21 Dwight School....................................... 13 Ecole Internationale de NY ................... 14 Ideal School (The) ................................ 12 La Escuelita .......................................... 41 Lexington Children’s Classes ................. 9 Pop.Earth.............................................. 46 Rebecca School ................................... 46 SAY: Confident Voices .......................... 45 EDUCATION All My Children Day Care ..................... 47 Blue Rock School ................................. 14 Calhoun School .................................... 21 Cathedral School .................................. 23 City & Country School .......................... 14
Battery Park City Authority ..............11, 39 Brooklyn Events Center, Barclays Center ...9 Gulliver’s Gate ...................................... 39 Inn at East Hill Farm (The) ................... 48 FAMILY TRAVEL Inn at East Hill Farm (The) ................... 48 FITNESS Battery Park City Authority ..............11, 39 HEALTH Affinity Health Plan ............................... 51 LiceXchange ......................................... 48 Pop.Earth.............................................. 46 HOME SERVICES LiceXchange ......................................... 48
PERFORMING ARTS / ACTING
SPECIAL EVENTS Brooklyn Events Center, Barclays Center ...9 SPECIAL NEEDS Camp Huntington.................................. 46 Chatty Child Speech Therapy, PLLC .... 43 Gina DeCrescenzo, P.C........................ 46 Ideal School (The) ................................ 12 Pop.Earth.............................................. 46 Rebecca School ................................... 46 SAY: Confident Voices .......................... 45 SPORTS Chelsea Piers ......................................... 5 Urban Golf Academy ............................ 48 THEATER Tada! Youth Theater ............................. 41
Chelsea Piers ......................................... 5
Creative Steps Early Care & Education Center .................................. 21
City & Country School .......................... 14
Dwight School....................................... 13
Ecole Internationale de NY ................... 14
Ecole Internationale de NY ................... 14
MUSIC
Kumon North America .......................... 52
Kumon North America .......................... 52
Ideal School (The) ................................ 12
City & Country School .......................... 14
Tutors on Wheels.................................. 17
LEGAL SERVICES Gina DeCrescenzo, P.C........................ 46
TUTORS
BigAppleParent 49
Courtesy Amanda Marrone
VOICES Growing Up with a Brother with Special Needs ›› The important life lessons I learned from my brother—and why I wouldn’t change a thing By Amanda Marrone
W
hen I was young, I don’t think I fully grasped the concept that there was something “wrong” or “different” with my brother. Joe and I are exactly 1 year and 4 months apart, so I have no real recollection of the many surgeries he had to endure or the fact that he had to be fed through a feeding tube as a baby. As the older sister of a brother with special needs, I just took Joe for how he was instead of acknowledging his differences compared to other kids. Joe was born with a birth defect that affected the blood flow from the left ventricle of his heart, which lead to him having multiple open-heart surgeries in his infant and early childhood years. As a result, he did not have enough oxygen going to his brain, and he was put on a heart and lung machine three times before he was even 6 months old. Due to this, Joe has developmental delays. Growing up with a sibling with special needs comes with a unique set of challenges and blessings. When we were little, we did a lot of the same things together, including playing on the playground, watching the same television shows, and playing with our toys. As time when on, I started to move on to more complex games and TV shows while Joe didn’t. I began to realize the limitations Joe had made him different from other kids his age. Joe required a lot of special attention from my parents to deal with his many issues, whether it was bringing him to frequent doctors’ visits for his heart or seeing a speech or physical therapist. I was often dragged along to these appointments and spent a lot of my time in doctors’ waiting rooms with the most boring games imagined. But that is how things were, so although I am sure I often complained, I began to accept it as a part of my life. At a very early age I needed to learn about the virtue of patience that comes with having a brother with special needs. Joe would often have outbursts when learning new things he felt were too difficult to learn. My parents and I would have to reiterate multiple times the simple instructions of buttoning up a shirt or removing the cap off a water bottle. It took Joe a lot longer to learn these simple tasks that come naturally to most. As we both got older, the way the world perceived Joe started to become more important to me. I think it is natural for older
Amanda Marrone with her brother Joe as young children
siblings to protect their younger siblings; however with Joe’s issues, I always seemed to take it more personally. I hated the way people would talk or ask about my brother when it was done with a sense of pity or discomfort. I don’t see Joe’s disability as a burden or a tragic event that happened to my family. Joe’s disability is part of him, and I don’t define him based on it. Joe is the life of every party or event my family attends. Everyone always seems to know (or at least know of) my brother. He is friendly and welcomes everyone with open arms. He makes the effort to get to know everyone he comes in contact with, even the waiter at a restaurant. Joe loves music and hanging out with his friends. He thrives in any situation that involves him interacting with people. He enjoys watching football on ESPN and knows more about the sport than one would expect. Although there are challenges that made growing up with a brother with special needs difficult, these experiences shaped me into the person I am today. Joe not only taught me patience in any situation, but also to have empathy toward others; that what might come naturally to one person might be a challenge for another. Joe’s issues also taught me a great deal about sensitivity to other people’s situations since everyone is fighting a battle that most people do not know about. The most important lesson Joe taught me is, even though someone has a disability, this does not diminish their capability to make a difference in the world or teach others. Joe has taught me that no situation can ever be that bad, and happiness is a choice regardless of circumstance. Without being Joe’s older sister, it is hard to say that I would have gained these characteristics or learned these life lessons that are essential to the person I am today. And because of that, I wouldn’t change a thing.
Amanda Marrone, a former NYMetroParents editorial intern, is in her senior year at Fairfield University.
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When your little angel thinks he’s a daredevil...
Better have a good pediatrician. Make sure your kids are covered. Call 866.247.5678 (TTY 711) To learn more about applying for health insurance, including Child Health Plus and Medicaid through NY State of Health, The Official Health Plan Marketplace, visit nystateofhealth.ny.gov or call 855.355.5777.
AffinityPlan.org/CHP