Bergen•RocklandParent SEPTEMBER 2016
NYMETROPARENTS.COM
Calm the Cafeteria Chaos
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September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
BOX. TRAIN. SCULPT. BURN. ROW. SWEAT. RUN. LIFT. SHRED.
JCC ROCKLAND. #SLAYIT jccrockland.org/welcome
JCC ROCKLAND WELCOMES ALL AGES, FAITHS AND BACKGROUNDS.
JCC Rockland, 450 West Nyack Road, West Nyack, NY 10994 jccrockland.org/welcome RocklandParent
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NYMetroParents Helping Parents Make Better Decisions
Contents
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September 2016 ›› Features 16 Cute Kids Meet the winner of our cover contest, and the rest of the finalists 18 Filling the Gap Taking a year off between high school and college can set teens up for a lifetime of success 20 Calming the Chaos of the Cafeteria How to get kids to eat a healthy lunch while chatting with friends 24 Should Your Kid Play Contact Sports? New policies are being put into place to reduce the risk of concussions in children
20
44 Healing Powers What it’s like to provide your child with medical marijuana in New York
38
18
Connections 6 Editor’s Note 8 New Places, New Programs 10 Quotables 14 Voices: Learning to let go 15 NYMP Q&A: Walker Lamond shares ‘pearls of wisdom’ for fatherhood
Fun & Activities 12 Media Matters: Screen-Time Recommendations 13 DIY Corner: Sail boat for imaginary play 26 Outing: New York City Fire Museum 29 Family Activities Calendar 38 Where-To Guide: Pick Your Own Apples
Family Activities CALENDAR ››
Directories
29
40 48 49 50
Back-to-School Resources Meet the Health Care Professional Party Planner Advertisers’ Index
Original photo by PhotoOp NYC (photoopnyc.com) Clothing provided by Appaman (appaman.com)
››
ON THE COVER ›› 18 All About Gap Years 20 Calm the Cafeteria Chaos 24 Should Kids Play Contact Sports facebook.com/nymetroparents
@NYMetroParents
38 Where to Pick Apples
44 Medical Marijuana for Sick Kids?
Visit NYMETROPARENTS.COM for family activities updated daily and more than 2,000 parenting articles!
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SEPTEMBER 2016 • Vol.9 • No.11
NYMetroParents Publications EDITORIAL
EDITOR’S NOTE
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Michael Kress
New Beginnings, Emotional Transitions
L
ike many parents, I feel unprepared for a new school year to begin, and less than eager to restart the cycle of lunch prep and hustling out the door every morning. Really, though, this feeling is less about the hassle and more about being forced to confront the very clear fact that my babies are no longer babies. Our youngest, not yet out of diapers and still sleeping in a crib, begins nursery school this month, while my middle daughter will be in kindergarten, starting the transition away from play-based learning to more traditional schooling. And my oldest, still so young in my mind, starts fourth grade, when, I am told, the work gets more intense and the pace quicker. Sunrise, sunset, indeed; those years certainly do swiftly fly. And so I look to parents who have older kids with a mix of awe and curiosity. How do we encourage our not-so-little ones to grow into independent people and not inadvertently stand in their way? Dana Greenberg offers her own perspective on letting go of her middle-school-age daughter and teaching her to navigate NYC streets by herself (p. 14). Meanwhile, any of you whose kids are entering their senior year of high school are contemplating a whole new level of letting go. Decisions about next year will likely consume much of your attention the next few months. But even as today’s seniors apply to and choose their colleges, many will be opting to delay actually starting that school for one year. Find out why so many grads are taking a so-called gap year, what they’re doing during that time—and why many experts are encouraging it (p. 18). Meanwhile, my family—and many of yours, I am sure—will be focused on more mundane matters, such as the aforementioned lunch prep. Despite the care I give to my kids’ meals, I’ve found pieces of my daughters’ lunches coming home uneaten, not because they weren’t hungry, but because they didn’t have time to finish. Besides eating, lunch provides valuable, much-needed social time for our kids, and we’ve got tips on how to ensure your kids can eat and gab during their fleeting cafeteria moments (p. 20). Lastly, we tackle a difficult, potentially controversial topic. Here in New York, medicinal cannabis—marijuana—has been legal since the start of 2016, and among the patients to whom it’s been prescribed are some children who suffer from debilitating illnesses. We speak with one mom whose daughter’s quality of life has vastly improved because of the availability of medicinal marijuana. And we explain the debate among experts about whether it’s a good idea to treat ill kids with it (p. 44). May none of us need such remedies, and may everyone have a happy and smooth start to the 2016-2017 school year!
DEPUTY EDITOR: Bethany Braun-Silva MANAGING EDITOR: Katelin Walling ASSISTANT EDITOR: Samantha Neudorf REGIONAL EDITORS: Karen Demeter (Fairfield, Suffolk); Rosalind Muggeridge (Brooklyn); Jamie McGillian (Westchester); Samantha Beranbom (Rockland); Dorette Saunders (Nassau); Emma Steven (Manhattan); Gail Warren (Queens) DIRECTORIES EDITOR: Alice Van Dyke EDITORIAL INTERNS: Megan Bailey, Lauren Diaz, Melissa Wickes
ADVERTISING SALES Big Apple Parent 212-315-0800; Fax: 212-271-2239 Jeunesse Jackson, Linda Pierce Queens Parent 718-878-4860 Annene Guertin, Ellen Klein Westchester Parent 914-397-0200 Nini DeLuca, Manager Randi Shulman, Merrill Sugarman, Mary Wender Brooklyn Parent 718-878-4860 Phyllis Crupi, Ellen Klein, Selene Rodriguez Rockland Parent 845-848-8021 Cara Roteman, Jim Russo Fairfield Parent 914-397-0200 Judy Samuels, Randi Shulman Long Island Parent, Nassau 516-883-4543 Joan Bergman, Manager, Dani Pollack Long Island Parent, Suffolk 631-472-5437 Lisa Herlihy, Karen Shapiro To Advertise: nympads@davlermedia.com DIR. OF OPERATIONS -- EVENTS: Rebecca Stolcz DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS: Ray Winn OPERATIONS COORDINATORS: Ray C. Guédez, Leonard Porter DIRECTOR OF TRAFFIC: Heather Gambaro TRAFFIC MANAGER: Alexis Brower
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A NYMetroParents Event
Join Us for a Day of Fun! You are invinted to a day of kid-focused fun, during which parents can accomplish all their planning for the year ahead. LI FamFest will be held Saturday, Sept. 17, from 10am-3pm at Long Island University’s Pratt Recreational Center, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville, Long Island. While parents explore more than 50 exhibitors and meet experts, their kids will be able to participate in activities such as a live reptile and wildlife show, face painting and balloon making, hip-hop dance movement, a rope obstacle course, candy making, and much more. Visit lifamfest.com for more information and to register! 6
September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
General Manager: Thomas K. Hanlon 498 Seventh Ave., 10th Floor, New York, NY 10018 Phone: 212-315-0800; Fax: 212-271-2239 nymetroparents.com fairfieldparent.com davlermedia.com nybarbatmitzvah.com
BIG APPLE PARENT, QUEENS PARENT, WESTCHESTER PARENT BROOKLYN PARENT, ROCKLAND PARENT, BERGEN PARENT, FAIRFIELD PARENT and LONG ISLAND PARENT are published monthly by Davler Media Group, LLC Copyright © 2015, Davler Media Group, LLC No part of contents may be reproduced without prior permission from the publisher. Subscription rates per year, per publication: $39
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RocklandParent
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NEW PLACES, NEW PROGRAMS
nymetroparents.com/np-rp Courtesy The Academy of Martial Arts
Martial Arts School in Rockland Now Offering Kickboxing Who: The Academy for Martial Arts What’s New: Kickboxing Plus, in which adults and teens ages 15 and older learn kickboxing instruction through the use of heavy bags. The class is designed for people who want to get in better shape but are intimidated by gyms. It also teaches various fitness exercises such as push-ups, walking lunges, squats, and jumping rope. The school also offers Kinderkick for children ages 2½-4½. Kids work on balance and coordination along with their kicks, focus, and discipline. Want More Info: 8 Orangetown Shopping Center, Orangeburg; 845-359-4500; theacademyformartialarts.com Sensei Jackeline Harnett, owner of The Academy for Martial Arts
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September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
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UOTABLES The days are hot, hot, hot; and the house is stale and messy. I am often reminded in its state something my neighbor said to me one afternoon, after I apologized for our home’s condition: ‘You are living. That’s what this is.’ —NYC mom Latonya Yvetter in a post entitled “Motherhood Right Now” on her blog blog.latonyayvette.com
in an instagram He couldn’t wait to get on and he claimed the frog right away. His eyes were big and he kept throwing his head back and looking up at the lights, bopping his head to the carrousel music. Then as soon as he got off he asked if there was a roller coaster in the park he could ride next. #boys (Posted by Manhattan mom @lilliesandleon, aka Nicole Gonzalez, who blogs at lilliesandleon.com)
PARENTING AFRICAN-AMERICAN BOYS “I see my fellow black moms hurting. I’m hurting. I see my non-black friends hurting. And I see those who are keeping silent.”
in an instagram Hidden gem in Long Island—Hempstead State Park for a lazy Sunday fishing adventure #blogger #photography
—Long Island mom Kimberly Thomas, who runs the blog valleystreammom.com in an essay on entitled “At What Age Will My Son Become a Threat?” Read it all at nymetroparents. com/kimberly-thomas
(Posted by @thatsbetsyv, a NYC mom who blogs at betsy-v.com)
“It’s okay to be scared. If we aren’t terrified about some of the things we need to do as we learn how to be a parent, we aren’t parenting well enough.” —Manhattan dad Pete Cataldo, who runs the website daddymindtricks.com, in a Huffington Post article entitled “5 Thoughts On The First Year Of Fatherhood”
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September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
MORE NYMetroParents.com HIGHLIGHTS: FREE FUN: Visit museums and zoos without paying (nymetroparents.com/free) FAIRS & FESTIVALS: Where to go in the late summer and fall (nymetroparents.com/fairs) BEAM THEM UP: All about the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum’s interactive Star Trek exhibit (nymetroparents.com/star-trek) FALL GUIDE: How to make the most of autumn (nymetroparents.com/fall-guide)
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Media Matters: TV
Sesame Studios (YouTube)
Recommended Age: 3+ H H H H
These delightful YouTube shorts have quality content for tots.
Screen-Time Recommendations
Elena of Avalor (Disney Junior)
Recommended Age: 5+ H H H H
The spunky Latina-inspired princess is an excellent role model.
The Loud House (Nickelodeon)
Recommended Age: 6+ H H H H
This funny commentary on big-family dynamics has kind messages.
The Deep (Netflix)
Recommended Age: 7+ H H H H
This fantastic family-focused adventure explores the vast ocean.
In Theaters Sept. 23: Storks
Parents need to know that Storks takes a common explanation for where babies come from and expands it into a feature-length animated film. But in this universe, storks are getting out of the baby-delivery business and moving into package delivery for a large internet retailer. Junior (voiced by Andy Samberg) is all set to receive a huge promotion from the CEO of Stork Mountain (Kelsey Grammar), when he accidentally turns on the Baby Making Machine to produce a single baby girl. With the help of his human friend, Tulip (Katie Crown), Junior must get rid of baby—maybe by delivering her to the boy who wrote to him about wanting a new brother or sister?—before his job ends up in jeopardy. Given the subject matter, expect some innuendo that could go over younger kids’ heads.
Our Partner: Common Sense Media An independent nonprof it that helps families make smart media choices. Check out thousands of ratings and reviews at commonsensemedia.org
See more at NYMetroParents.com/media
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September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
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WE ARE CONVENIENT TO ALL POINTS IN ROCKLAND, NORTHERN BERGEN AND ORANGE COUNTIES, JUST OFF EXIT 10 OF THE PALISADES PARKWAY
DIY CORNER IMAGINARY PLAY
Hello, Sailor!
After a fresh batch of laundry is fluffed and folded, take your basket to the high seas. What you’ll need: • 1 40-inch stick or dowel • 1 18-inch stick or dowel • Thin cotton rope • 1 24-by-18-inch piece of fabric or bed sheet • Scissors • Hot-glue gun (optional) • Fabric scraps • 1 laundry basket 1. To make the mast and the boom, cross the short stick perpendicularly over the long stick approximately 24 inches down from one end and wrap the joint, making figure eights back and forth around the sticks, with approximately 2 feet of cotton rope. 2. To make the sail, cut your piece of fabric in half diagonally. Place the right corner of the sail where the mast and the boom meet. For a quick assembly, have an adult hot-glue the fabric edges to the mast and the boom, or tie your sail on: Use your scissors to poke holes every 3 inches along the two perpendicular edges of the fabric, approximately 1 inch in from the edge. Cut 4-inch pieces of rope and thread them through the holes and around the sticks.
We Grow Fun
3. Cut an 80-inch piece of rope and the tie strips of fabric scraps you might have every 3-5 inches along the rope. Tie the rope to the top of the mast, and let it hang down. 4. Use rope to tie the mast to the side of the basket, securing it through the holes in at least two places. Excerpted from Project Kid: Crafts That Go! by Amanda Kingloff (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2016. Photographs by Alexandra Grablewski and Amanda Kingloff
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RocklandParent 13
VOICES
Out on Her Own ›› How I learned to let go of my middle schooler, a little bit at a time By Dana Greenberg
I
cannot believe that my little girl is starting eighth grade, her final year of middle school. Where has the time gone? The days when I would tag along on the walk to school in the mornings are just about over. I may have squeezed my last “I’ll take you and your friends for pizza” out of her. I can only hope I have done my job and prepared her well for the road on which we are now embarking. When my daughter was going into sixth grade, just starting middle school, parents of older children in New York City told me that many kids start traveling alone, without an adult, sometime during the middle school years. The thought of this absolutely terrified me: the strangers, the cars, the bikers. I knew I had to start preparing her to navigate the streets without me by her side. In the beginning of sixth grade I made a very conscious effort to start making her aware of everything I could think of on the route to school—and even scare her a little bit. We discussed which streets had turning signals, what side of the street the liquor store is on, how to wait until the bikers stop before crossing the street, and so much more. I did this over and over and over again for months, just like a broken record. Finally it was time to let her guide the way. “Tell me what to do, when to cross, where to stand,” I told her. By the end of the sixth grade, she was walking home from school without an adult. As we moved to seventh grade, I suspected she would have even more of a zest for independence. To that point, she’d only gone to and from school by herself. Now she wanted to go to friends’ apartments, the movies, the frozen yogurt shop. How was I going to deal with this? I really needed to think about the next steps. Since she was not necessarily going to be staying in our neighborhood, we talked about the choices of transportation in the city—buses, subways, Ubers. There are so many options, but we needed to figure out what would make us both feel safe and comfortable. I got her the Uber app for her phone, and I make
sure she always has a MetroCard with funds on it. We both agreed that walking should be her first choice if the distance is not too far. We talked about safe places she could duck into if she ever felt it was necessary for any reason at all, such as Starbucks, Duane Reade, or CVS, places with which she is familiar and are very easy to find. She assured me, “Mom, I can do this. I’ll be fine.” I must admit, her confidence was somewhat reassuring; however, deep down, I was dying just a little bit. She was still my little girl, and I would worry no matter what. We did tons of talking and prepping. Then one day, it was time for her to go use all of her newfound knowledge and be a big kid with her friends. Even today, I still remind her before she leaves the house to make sure her phone is fully charged and that her tracker app is on. “No texting while walking, don’t stand too close to the curb, and be careful of those bikers,” I remind her as I watch her walk down the hall to the elevator. I typically get a cute smirk in return. As time goes on, I admit, it does get a little easier—but just a little easier—to watch her walk out the door. As hard as it is to watch this independence sprouting right in front of my eyes, I have found an upside to all of this. I no longer have to take her everywhere. I don’t have to drag her brother out in the rain to pick her up from a friend’s apartment. I can even send her down to the supermarket to pick up a few things for me. This independence thing might not be so bad after all! As my city kid now starts her last year of middle school, I feel almost as confident as she does when she is out and about on her own or with her friends. I must remind myself that I have done my job and taught her to make smart choices. I can’t be with her every second, so I must trust that she has listened and paid attention along the way. She has come a long way since starting middle school. I will continue to let go, even while still trying to hold on to her, a little bit at a time.
Dana Greenberg is a mom of twins living in Manhattan. Dana’s site theautismclub.com was created as a way to connect moms who have kids with special needs, like her son Jack—who has autism—and offer them a space to tell their stories.
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September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
NYMP Q&A
Rules to Live By ›› By Bethany Braun
Walker Lamond’s first book, Rules for My Unborn Son was based on his blog of a similar name. He recently released a follow-up, Rules for My Newborn Daughter, in which he shares hilarious “pearls of wisdom” such as, “Don’t pawn your grandmother’s jewelry” and “Practice safe selfies.” Do you have a favorite rule or piece of parenting advice? For you? Your kids? I think I come from the paint-inside-the-lines school of parenting. I tell my kids that if you’re the kind of person that respects dress codes and knows what the little fork is for, you’ll be given more liberty to be the life of the party. As a parent I just have to remind myself every day to be patient, kind, and silly. And not throw shoes. Do your kids follow these rules? I’m lucky if they leave the house with shoes. Have you experienced a difference in parenting boys vs. girls? Universally? No, I don’t think so. Kids learn from your example. Which is why I probably use these books more as manuals for being a better dad than I do as rulebooks for raising better kids. That being said, my son is way more susceptible to bribes. Do you think parents should collect their own sets of rules for their kids? Absolutely! These books were imagined as conversations with my own kids and are specific to my own experiences growing up. There’s plenty in there that some parents will disagree with, and I love it when readers give the rules their own spin or take to Twitter to tell me how wrong I am. I think writing down your own rules for your kids is a great way not just to keep your little angels in line, but also to pass down your own experiences and institutional knowledge about how to live a fun, fulfilling life. How was writing the book for your daughter different than writing it for your son? When I started Rules for My Newborn Daughter, I did have a nagging concern that it may not be appropriate for a man to be doling out advice to a young woman. I mean if I wanted my daughter to grow into a strong, independent woman unafraid to challenge traditional power structures and gender stereotypes, handing her a book full of rules written by a man didn’t seem like the best way to start her journey. But I think a dad has a right and a duty to tell his daughter what he expects of her. To share with her what he knows about life and how to make the best of it. And while I might not know even a fraction of what it takes to become an independent, intelligent, courteous, courageous, honest, adventurous, self-reliant, well-read, well-dressed, well-mannered young woman, I do know someone who does. Thankfully, I married her.
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Cute Kids!
››
Meet the winner of our 2016 cover contest, and take a look at all eight finalists.
F
rom April to June the staff here at NYMetroParents had the hard job of picking eight finalists from hundreds of adorable entries. Once we were able to narrow it down, the finalists traveled from all across the New York metro area to meet for a photo shoot at PhotoOp NYC. The finalists wore their best smiles and some seriously stylish clothes and had a blast shooting with the studio’s awesome photographers. The kids did a great job posing for the camera, but at the end of the day it was 3-year-old Carter from Suffolk County who was selected as the Grand Prize Winner. Carter and his family will enjoy a weekend trip to Great Wolf Lodge to celebrate his big win! Each finalist received a $25 gift card from Appaman, who also provided most of the clothes for the shoot, and a New York CityPASS ticket book. Plus, our fan favorite, Konstancja from Brooklyn, received a family fourpack of tickets to Sesame Place in Langhorne, PA. You’ll get to see more of these smiling cuties in the coming months. Thank you to everyone who helped make this contest a success, especially our sponsor, Barbizon.
Carter
Age: 3 Hometown: Suffolk County
GRAND PRIZE WINNER
Genesis
Age: 8 Hometown: Fairfield County, CT
Ryan
Angelina
Age: 13 Hometown: Nassau County
Age: 6 Hometown: Manhattan
Lucas
Age: 5 Hometown: Queens
Emma
Age: 10 Hometown: Rockland County
Angelina C.
Age: 4 Hometown: Westchester County
Konstancja
Age: 7 Hometown: Brooklyn
FAN FAVORITE
Courtesy David Hamburger
Filling the Gap
››
Many high school graduates are opting to take a year “off” before starting college. But far from doing nothing, they are participating in programs and gaining experiences that set them up for success in college and provide a lifetime of benefits. By Lauren Diaz New York City native and Columbia University graduate David Hamburger (left) volunteered for a nonprofit called Pencils of Promise during his gap year. He traveled on behalf of the organization to visit rural schools in northern Laos.
W
hen Malia Obama announced her decision to defer her acceptance to Harvard University for a year, she became the poster child for a growing trend. The Associated Press reports that Malia is one of an estimated 30,000-40,000 students each year who choose to take an academic break before attending college—a number that is steadily rising, according to the American Gap Association, which tracks this data. After spending 13 years in the educational system, many students are now electing to take a year off from school to do a variety of activities and programs—known as a gap year—and are coming back to start college with a new perspective and maturity. There are many options for those looking for a rewarding, meaningful gap year, including travel or study abroad and volunteering or working here in the United States in virtually any setting imaginable. When many of us imagine gap years, we tend to think of expensive programs abroad or at sea, but many teens opt for volunteering or working instead. Students can either invest money in a program or spend the time gaining work experience and saving money for tuition. When it comes to managing college applications, they can either apply to college and defer matriculating for a year, or wait to apply during their gap year after mulling it over. There is something formative out there for every student. David Hamburger, a New York City native and Dalton School alumnus, deferred his 2011 admission to The University of Chicago in order to devote himself to a year of service work for 18
September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
multiple organizations. Hamburger volunteered at Habitat for Humanity during the fall while also working for an educational development nonprofit called Pencils of Promise. As a volunteer at the relatively new organization, Hamburger was given a great amount of responsibility, which led to an internship with its International Programs team in the spring of his gap year. At 18, Hamburger was responsible for spearheading an overhaul of Pencils of Promise’s data storage, supervising four junior interns, and training new hires. After applying to Columbia University during the fall of his gap year, Hamburger was admitted for the fall semester of 2012. By 19, he entered Columbia with a level of real-world work experience practically unheard of for his age.
The Benefits of Taking a Gap Year
While gap years may be relatively new in the broader culture, they have long been a staple of Jewish education, with schools encouraging students to study in Israel for a year before heading to college. Dorothy Denburg, director of college counseling at Heschel High School, a Jewish day school in Manhattan, reports that approximately a third of her students chose to defer college last year. “There are so many options for different structured programs for them,” she says, adding that when she previously worked for a college, 90 percent of the students she saw taking a gap year were Jewish, and most of them had spent their year on a wide variety of programs based in Israel. The motivation, Denburg says, is to “spend a year in Israel but not necessarily in study”
and to “go to college with a year of maturity under your belt,” a sentiment that is quickly gaining ground among students and educators far beyond the Jewish community. A huge benefit of taking a gap year is the life or work experience that comes with it. Contrary to some people’s misperceptions, “it is very often our strongest students who will choose to take a gap year”—not to improve anything specific academically but to foster their own “intellectual and personal growth,” notes Jessica Landis, a guidance counselor at King School, an independent school in Stamford, CT. That includes self-discovery, which can be achieved richly and deeply from gap-year experiences. “It’s so much better if you take time to get to know yourself in a different situation outside of the academic world,” since you “learn so much more about yourself when you’re actually participating as opposed to just sitting in a classroom learning,” says Susan Avery, a guidance counselor at Harvest Collegiate High School, a Manhattan public school. Another, often vital reason to take a gap year is to take a breather. Thinking back to her time working at private schools, Avery says the “level of stress seen on children was astounding.” A gap year is “the single best thing a kid can do for themselves after spending 13 years in school.” Hamburger agrees, adding that it is especially important for students dealing with a physical or mental illness. “One thing I observed at college is how difficult it can be for people that aren’t 100-percent [well] to make it through a semester,” he says, adding that “it paid dividends” for his peers who took time off as a “chance to recharge.”
engaged in during my gap year continued at Columbia,” he says. From his gap year Hamburger attained lifelong friends, a great mentor, the initiative to participate in a future study abroad program, and an established interest in international education. He also considers his work at Pencils of Promise to be “among the most substantial and important work I’ve ever done in my professional life” and believes the experience ultimately led him to attaining his current postgraduate Fulbright-Nehru fellowship.
Formula for a Successful Gap Year
Hamburger argues that in order to have a successful gap year, a teenager must “be devoting him or herself to something he or she is interested in or cares about.” Keep yourself busy, and maintain good communication with your parents, he advises. While he thinks almost everyone would benefit from a gap year, he also believes those students who are able to take initiative, are struggling with an illness, have a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” or are lacking in maturity would glean the most from taking a year off, while those hoping to just take an unstructured vacation would not do as well. Taking a gap year is a highly personal and complicated decision that can only be made by the student. The role of a parent is similar to that of the guidance counselor: listen, guide, and support. Avery points out that we do not even know what Malia Obama is doing with her gap year yet, but “the fact that the Obamas are 100-percent behind their daughter taking an academic breather just truly makes my heart joyful because it sends such an important message that everybody needs to slow the heck down.”
Debunking the Case Against Gap Years
The low number of students taking gap years in years past can in some ways be attributed to societal pressures and common misconceptions. For many high school students, immediate college enrollment seems like the necessary next step in a strict path. There has been an ingrained fear of facing social ridicule and alienation, falling behind, and ultimately failing professionally as a result of taking a year off. Landis says she recognizes many students fear condemnation from their peers but countered that “once those students talk about what their plans are, what they’ll be doing with that time, I think a lot of students actually look back and say ‘Wow. I wish I had considered doing that a little bit more.’” Students tend to fear being left behind, since most of their former classmates will be sophomores while they are in their first years, but “that’s ok,” Landis says. “You have done something equally valuable that will also have a really positive impact on your future.” Avery agrees, saying “there’s no such thing as graduating on time. People just want to know that you went to college.” A huge misconception plaguing high school seniors is the notion that gap years are only for the affluent. “So is money a problem?” Avery says, “Well, no, because you’re not spending. You’re not paying college tuition when you’re on a gap year.” There are certainly students who spend the year in programs for which they need to pay, Avery says, recalling a student who did a semester at sea. But money is not a prerequisite, and there are many tuitionfree ways to spend a productive gap year. For “kids who need to just stop the carousel of academics and jump off and go do something different,” Avery says, “there are always options.” Hamburger personally found no disadvantages in his gap year, saying it was a “tremendous year of growth” that set him up for the “next four years and beyond.” “Legitimately, every activity I
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FOOD & NUTRITION
Calming the Chaos of the Cafeteria ›› Some children forgo eating at lunchtime to be social. Here’s how to get your kids to eat a healthy lunch while chatting with their friends. By Nimali Fernando, M.D., MPH, and Melanie Potock, M.A., CCC-SLP
C
hances are it’s been a while since you’ve ordered “hot lunch” in the school cafeteria. Whether you send a homepacked lunch with your child or they order lunch, eating in the cafeteria can be overwhelming at first. Coach Mel [Melanie Potock, M.A., CCC-SLP ] had a client who called it the “caféFEAR-ia” because the whole experience was a bit scary for him. Imagine being a brand-new kindergartner, toting your sparkly new Disney princess lunch box down the school hallway, when you turn and enter utter chaos. Older kids tower over you as you cross the sea of tables and try to find where you are supposed to sit for the next 20 minutes. Irritating fluorescent lights flicker while children chatter, teachers clap loudly to insist on silence, and rebellious kids ignore the adult plea and pop potato chip bags open with a bang! Metal lunch boxes clang as hungry tykes unpack a multitude of tins, cartons, juice boxes, and squeezable thingamajigs. The display on the tables is like a giant fire sale. Now picture the typical metal cafeteria table with benches made to fit the average fifth-grader. Your kindergartner’s feet are
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dangling and there’s no backrest. She has to balance while her elbows hunch up practically to shoulder level in order to stabilize herself on the table edge, her little eyes barely able to see past the barrage of sandwich bags and containers spread before her. In an effort to ensure that their kids eat anything at all, well-meaning parents pack lunch boxes filled to the brim, typically with seven to eight different options. She sits and tries to ignore the boy next to her who keeps elbowing her in the ribs as he turns to talk to his friend on the other side of her—and turns back to eat—and then turns back to his friend. By the time she gets out all the containers you’ve packed, plus the juice box straw finally unwrapped and poked hard enough that juice squirts her in the face, five minutes have gone by. She’s holding up her other hand to signal the teacher, “Can you please open this lid?” but there are three other kids who need help first. Meanwhile, that nice girl who played with her at the craft table this morning wants to chat—and she just wants to make friends. Maybe she’ll get a few containers open and swig down that juice, but now her mind is on recess. Here’s the biggest dilemma:
Solutions to the Chaos
If your school cafeteria resembles the picture we’ve painted above, and you want to rest assured that your child gets a healthy lunch in her belly, here are six solutions to finding some calm in the chaos:
@
for Pre-K thru High School students
BERGEN CHINESE SCHOOL
中文學校
• “Chinese as a Second Language” for others. Chinese cultural and adult conversation classes are also available.
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Sundays 1:00 – 3:45pm @ Hackensack Middle School 360 Union Street, Hackensack , NJ 07601
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SINCE 1972
Pack “grab and gab” food. Cut fresh fruit, veggies, sandwiches, cheese, etc., small enough so that kids can grab a piece without having to look down, and continue to gab with their friends across the table. Using a cookie cutter to create food in a fun shape like a dinosaur keeps the eating on track for some kids. But for kids who tend to eat a sandwich and skip the other items, try cutting the sandwich into small pieces so the child alternates grabbing a variety of foods, much like a mini-smorgasbord. Remember, you don’t need to send a whole sandwich when sending half leaves room in little bellies for other key food groups.
博根
We offer 2 curriculums: • “Heritage” for families who speak Mandarin at home.
l oo
Send one easy-open container plus a drink. Bento boxes are all the rage nowadays. For many families, there is just enough time to get lunches packed and to grab them on the way out the door in the morning. The solution is a one-piece bento with an easyopen lid. Bentos are not as overwhelming as a lunch box filled to the brim with individual plastic bags, containers, and drippy fruit cups with tricky foil lids. Our favorites are EasyLunchboxes (the best-selling lunch-box system on Amazon) and the Yumbox (yumboxlunch.com). Both offer easy-open lids and compartments that are just the right size for kids. The Yumbox can be ordered with different trays that fit inside the box itself. Our favorite tray has five compartments each marked with a food group: Protein, Vegetables, Fruit, Dairy, and Grains to ensure a balanced lunch every time you pack.
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For most kids, their priority during that very quick lunch is to visit with their friends and get a few bites of food in in the process. However, teachers and the parents have a different priority for lunchtime: They want kids to have a nutritious meal so they are well fueled and ready to learn in the afternoon.
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Include a power-packed smoothie that you made the night before. Freeze it directly in a cup or Mason jar with a lid and be sure to include a wide straw. Wrap some rubber bands around the continued on next page ››
COACH MEL’S TIP: WHAT’S THE STAR OF YOUR CHILD’S LUNCH? As a speech-language pathologist, I teach the parents engaged in lunch-box dinners with their child to practice this little script: “I’ve got ____ in my lunch!” In all my years of sitting in school cafeterias and listening to young kids, it’s always the first thing they say to each other. It’s their traditional conversation starter, usually accompanied by them proudly holding up the celebrity food—the star of the lunch box. I can attest that I hear just as many kids enthusiastically say, “I have fruit today!” as “I have chips today!” Try for the veggies. It’s really OK—it’s just as cool to have vegetables cut up into stars or other fun shapes so they can announce, “I have CUCUMBER STARS today!” Better yet, get the kids involved packing the lunches and creating fun shapes so they can exclaim, “I made carrot triangles for lunch!”
Pictured above: Rabbi Sharff, Cantor Neff and Mara Lewin, Director of Religious School
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Let Them GROW with us!
›› continued from previous page
jar for added grip and to keep little hands from getting too chilly. By the time your child opens her lunch, the smoothie will be the perfect consistency, plus it helps to keep the lunch cold. Pack last night’s dinner for lunch. If your child has a favorite healthy dinner, find ways to pack it in his lunch the next day. Use insulated containers to keep soups, stews, or pasta warm for lunchtime. Using leftovers can save time packing lunch in the morning, too.
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Start weekly lunch-box dinners at home. For kids transitioning to school lunch, introduce once-a-week lunch-box dinners where the entire family pretends to eat in the school cafeteria. At the entrance to the kitchen or dining area, one parent stashes a large bin, just like the kids will find at school. Each member of the family has their own distinct lunch box thrown into the bin, along with a few “old” random empty lunch boxes, so kids can practice digging down to the bottom to find their own. Once everyone is seated at the table, the child can practice the fine motor skills of unzipping zippers, unfastening Velcro flaps, and opening up containers. Choose a lunch box that is easy to open and pack it with “grab and gab” food, just like you would in the cafeteria. Once the meal is over, everyone latches their lunch box and puts it back in the bin, just like at school.
Phasing in New Foods
Picture your child
• Exciting Enrichment Activities
Pack a waste-free lunch. A lunch-box system means that you won’t be throwing away plastic bags every day. Use brightly colored cloth napkins and stainless steel water bottles to make lunch even more fun. Use lunch packing as a chance to show kids that they help to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
When packing lunch, parents pray that their child will “just eat something!” But at the end of the day, especially if the child is a picky eater, parents sigh as they open the lunch-box latch and see that lunch has barely been touched. What can a parent do at home to encourage kids to eat lunch, even when they eat only five to 15 different foods and are hesitant to try anything new? Here are some tips to encourage young eaters to explore beyond their preferred foods: Begin with exposure. Kids may need to see a new food multiple times before they may even consider trying it. That means they need to see it at school, too. If you’re thinking, “But he won’t eat it, so why pack it?” remember that the first step is helping your hesitant eater get used to the presence of that food in his lunch box again and again. Food doesn’t have to be eaten to serve a purpose in food education, and it doesn’t have to be a large quantity of food when first introduced. Give kids ownership in the lunch-packing process. All kids like predictability and being a part of the process. Ask them to help with choosing, preparing, and packing lunch items. They are more likely to enjoy food when they are involved. Include a favorite, but just enough. Most of us eat our favorite foods first, so be sure to include your child’s preferred food, but not too much. Provide just enough so that you won’t be worried that they are starving, but not so much that the other lesspreferred choices don’t stand a chance.
No comments, please! When the lunch box comes home, resist the urge to unpack it immediately. Give everyone a chance to breathe, especially those kids with sensory challenges who have difficulty with transitions from one environment to another. When you eventually open it, don’t comment about the contents. Say nothing, positive or negative. For many kids, it creates too much focus on whether they ate or not. For now, just wash it out and set it on the counter for your child to pack again later that evening. If your child mentions the food or requests it again, that’s the time to respond with a positive comment. Be careful not to say things like, “See, I knew you would like it!” You may mean well, but a child will typically interpret that as “See, I was right and you weren’t.” Try stating something positive, such as, “Pomegranates are one of my favorites—I like how they crunch and squirt at the same time in my mouth!” Make a lunch-packing roadmap. Skip the filler foods such as pretzels and chips and pack a balanced lunch by including items from all five food groups: proteins, grains, dairy, fruits, and vegetables. Use the chart below to keep you on track and have plenty of options that are frozen or shelf-stable in case you run out of fresh. A handful of frozen edamame or dried fruit can be a great stand-in for fresh vegetables or fruit in a pinch. Whether you have a selective eater or a “foodie” with a palate that rivals a Top Chef, have all the kids in your family create a packing map and be responsible for their own lunch packing. Kids can choose foods from each group while the parent provides the healthy food options and keeps the kitchen stocked! Remember, it starts with exposure and builds from there.
Fruit
Grain
Mixed dried fruit Raisins Grapes Berries Apple slices Melon balls Fruit and yogurt blend All-fruit leather
Whole grain bread Pasta Soba noodles Quinoa Pita bread Tortillas Brown rice Granola
Vegetable
Protein
Carrot sticks Celery sticks Edamame Sugar snap peas Sliced sweet peppers Cherry tomatoes Kale chips Broccoli Vegetable soup
Yogurt Lean meats Hummus Nut butters Sunflower butter Beans, bean salads Meatballs Cheese Eggs
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Excerpt from Raising a Healthy, Happy Eater: A Stage-by-Stage Guide to Setting Your Child on the Path to Adventurous Eating, copyright © Nimali Fernando and Melanie Potock 2015. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment. Available wherever books are sold. theexperimentpublishing.com.
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Should Your Kid Play Contact Sports? ››
As our understanding of concussions grows, policies are being put in place to keep young athletes safe. But some still wonder whether certain sports can ever be considered safe for kids. By Melissa Kagan
I
t’s a question more and more parents are asking these days: “Should I let my kid play football?” Or maybe it’s soccer, lacrosse, ice hockey, or some other contact sport. Their concern with these activities can be summed up in one word: concussions. For most kids, playing sports is fun, social, and challenging. Sports are also an excellent way to teach teamwork, competitiveness, and responsibility, while helping kids grow stronger and stay fit. But at the same time, a growing body of research has focused on the dangers of concussions and head injuries in youth sports, and the conversation has escalated over the past few years. Lawsuits by former pro-football players with lingering health problems and Will Smith’s 2015 movie Concussion have brought the topic of sportsrelated head injuries into the spotlight. In some ways, this extra attention is great for young athletes. And yet, in other ways it’s holding them back, as some parents wonder whether contact sports are safe in any capacity.
When Can Kids Start Playing Again?
Discussion about the risk of sports-related brain injury leads to heightened awareness. Many families and coaches now better under-
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September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
stand the signs and symptoms of concussions. They’re seeking care when necessary, taking precautions, and following the proper return-to-play guidelines (a set of criteria detailing when someone can return to the field after a concussion)—all positive developments. Concerns over athletes returning to play too quickly have led legislators in almost all states to pass laws stating that no player may return to play the same day of getting a concussion and that the athlete must be cleared by an appropriate health care professional before she is allowed to return to play in games or practices. The laws typically also mandate that players, parents, and coaches receive education on the dangers of concussions and recognizing their signs and symptoms. The return-to-play protocol is significant for athletes of all ages and competitive levels because the long-term effects of concussions in children can be considerable. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a six-step program, allowing approximately 24 hours for each step. If any symptoms return during this process, it’s a sign of incomplete recovery and the young athlete should wait an additional 24 hours before attempting that step again. Generally speaking, symptoms should
improve within a week to 10 days, but a doctor should re-evaluate athletes with persistent symptoms. “There’s a rare condition called ‘second’ impact in which a second concussion occurs before a first concussion has properly healed,” according to Jay Selman, M.D., chief of neurosurgery and consultant to the Traumatic Bain Injury Unit at Blythedale Children’s Hospital in Valhalla. “This causes rapid and severe brain swelling and a vast majority of these cases end in death.” The first step in the AAP’s protocol is for the child to rest— physically, as well as cognitively. “Relative cognitive rest involves minimizing potential cognitive stressors, such as schoolwork, but this also includes video games,” Dr. Selman says. “Modified school assignments shouldn’t result in your child playing Xbox all afternoon.” After that, the steps call for the child to slowly and methodically return to activities.
New Policies
Another result of the public discussion about concussions is that Pop Warner, the country’s largest youth football organization, announced in May that it will ban kickoffs in games starting this fall, the latest attempt to reduce the risk of head blows that can lead to concussions. The elimination of kickoffs will apply to the three youngest Pop Warner divisions, which include players ages 5-10. It will possibly expand to older kids in the near future, once the results of the change have been reviewed. Instead of kickoffs, the ball will be placed at the 35-yard-line at the beginning of each half and after each score. Pop Warner will also reduce the amount of contact time in practice in all age groups, to 25 percent from 33 percent. Because the number of children who sustain concussions is on the rise, youth recreation programs and many school districts are responding with stricter policies to ensure safer play. For example last winter, the Westchester County Concussion Task Force unveiled a list of best practices for concussion management for high school and youth sports. The 10-point plan focuses on improving collaboration between school officials when treating head injuries. It also stresses the importance of parent education about concussions and how to identify symptoms. The task force’s goal is to get schools caught up on the latest, rapidly evolving science of head injury protocol and concussion treatment. Many advocacy groups encourage parents to have their children evaluated before the playing season begins to establish a baseline measure of brain function. One such test, called the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT), evaluates memory, motor speed, and reaction time. Athletes take the test at the start of the season and periodically thereafter, and again if they’re injured.
Paralyzed by Fear
The recent attention to the dangers of concussions has led some parents to say they are now paralyzed with fear and are choosing to keep their kids out of sports entirely. Lisa, a mother of two in Scarsdale, is relieved that neither of her boys has asked to play football. “I would be fine with flag football but I would be entirely opposed to tackle football,” she says. “Although, my 13-yearold son, who, like many boys his age, has suffered from one concussion already from soccer. So now I’m rethinking soccer as well. I’m starting to question the safety of any sport at this point.” There is a middle ground that some experts are advocating. Instead of kids avoiding sports entirely, these advocates believe
in setting a minimum age for when kids should be allowed to start playing contact sports. Bennet Omalu, M.D., a forensic pathologist and leading expert in the growing field of concussion research, wrote an op-ed piece last year for The New York Times saying that children should be prevented from playing football and other high-impact contact sports before the age of 18. “Our children are minors who have not reached the age of consent,” Dr. Omalu wrote. “It is our moral duty as a society to protect the most vulnerable of us. The human brain becomes fully developed at about 18 to 25 years old. We should at least wait for our children to grow up, be provided with the information and education on the risk of play, and let them make their own decisions. No adult, not a parent or a coach, should be allowed to make this potentially life-altering decision for a child.” Other experts in the field propose that tackle football, heading in soccer, and full-body checking in ice hockey not start until kids are 14, largely because their brains and bodies are still developing and are therefore more vulnerable to serious injury. “Nothing magic happens when an athlete turns 14,” Dr. Selman says. “There are big 14-year-olds who develop earlier and then there are 14-year-olds who look like they are 10. But by the time teens are juniors or seniors in high school, the difference in size between the athletes isn’t quite as dramatic.”
When to Quit
There is no set number of concussions that determine when a young person should give up playing contact sports. The circumstances that surround each individual injury, such as how the injury occurred and the duration of symptoms, are very important and must be factored in when assessing an athlete’s risk for—and potential long-term consequences from—experiencing additional and potentially more serious concussions. The decision to quit certain sports is a decision best reached after a complete evaluation by your child’s primary care provider and consultation with a physician or neuropsychologist who specializes in treating sports concussions. It’s not an easy decision to make. Ultimately, it is up to parents to make informed choices based on their individual circumstances about whether to let children play contact sports. And above all, it is critical for parents and coaches to arm themselves with proper concussion knowledge, the right equipment, good training, an understanding of the symptoms of a concussion, and a healthy attitude about sports should they let their kids participate. Melissa Kagan is the former editor-in-chief of the now-defunct lifetimemoms.com. She is currently a freelance writer whose work has been featured in Mommy Poppins, Westchester Magazine and Westchester Family. She lives in Pelham with her husband and two children.
RETURN-TO-PLAY STEPS This is an example of a what a typical return-to-play plan looks like: 1. T he athlete must observe complete physical and cognitive rest while symptoms are present. 2. O nce the athlete has stopped showing any symptoms, he or she can progress to light aerobic activity. 3. P rovided symptoms don’t return, activity may increase to sportspecific exercises without head impact. 4. The athlete may advance to more complex, non-contact drills. 5. The athlete may advance to full-contact practice. 6. The athlete may advance to normal game play. RocklandParent 25
OUTINGS: New York City Fire Museum
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New York’s Bravest 1
2
4
Courtesy New York City Fire Museum
Housed in a 1904 firehouse, this must-see museum tells the history of the FDNY. ›› By Melissa Wickes 3
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1 This 1912 American LaFrance Tractor-Steamer, a coal-fired steam engine drawn by a gasoline powered front-drive tractor, was dubbed “Old 93” upon its retirement in 1933 when it was then used as a parade vehicle. 2 The New York City Fire Museum is housed in the former quarters of Engine Company No. 30, a 1904 Beaux-Arts firehouse. 3 The Brooklyn Company Engine No. 8 is a steam engine pumper made by American LaFrance in 1901 and was drawn by three horses. 4 Framed documents and works of art illustrate firefighting in the volunteer period in the Romance of Firefighting exhibit. 5 This permanent memorial to the 343 firefighters lost on 9/11 was designed by Jude Amsel and is made of tiles with the names and images of each firefighter.
The New York City Fire Museum is the official museum of the Fire Department of the City of New York. Housed in the former quarters of Engine Company No. 30, the museum is a tribute to firefighting and takes visitors through the history of techniques, equipment, and more. Upon entering, guests are greeted by a fire truck—fun for kids to climb on and perfect for a photo op.
Permanent Exhibits
Firefighting on Parade displays beautifully crafted machines and artifacts used by volunteer firefighters who marched in the firefighter parades. Paintings and illustrations depicting volunteer firefighters at work are shown in Romance of Firefighting, which honors the venerable New Yorkers who risk their lives to keep the city safe. Check out the evolution of the fire engine from the steam engine to the motorized machine in Fire Apparatus. A 26
September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
crowd favorite is Tools and Uniforms, which shows how significantly firefighting gear has changed throughout the last 30 years, from breathing masks to protective garments to tools. The 9/11 Memorial Room is the first permanent memorial recognizing the 343 members of the FDNY who sacrificed their lives on Sept. 11. The exhibit includes a black marble and tile memorial showing pictures of the firefighters who lost their lives, cases displaying tools used and items recovered, and a computer station at which visitors can browse profiles of the fallen.
Fire Safety Education Program
In collaboration with the FDNY, the museum operates a fire safety program, which teaches participants about fire prevention in homes and how to escape a fire. After classroom training, students go through a simulated fire in a mock home environment. The simulation consists of a
tour through four rooms and common fire hazards are explained. A bedroom is then filled with theatrical smoke and a firefighter teaches the children how to escape.
Remembering 9/11
The NYC Fire Museum will hold a 9/11 Memorial Ceremony on Sept. 11, at 1pm, which will be led by the FDNY commissioner, with songs and a speech made by the museum director.
Details
Address: 278 Spring St., Manhattan Directions: Approximately a 1-hour drive from New City Hours: Daily, 10am-5pm Admission: $8; $5 students, seniors, and children ages 2-12; free with ID: FDNY, NYPD, DSNY, PANYNJ, Active U.S. Military, and Merchant Marine For more information: 212-352-3117 or nycfiremuseum.org
QUALITY HEALTH PLANS for everyone.
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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 www.nystateofhealth.ny.gov or call 1-855-355-5777. Health benefit plans are issued or administered by MVP Health Plan, Inc.; MVP Health Insurance Company; MVP Select Care, Inc.; and MVP Health Services Corp., operating subsidiaries of MVP Health Care, Inc. Not all plans available in all states and counties.
FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY!
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GERMAN LANGUAGE CLASSES Small Classes All Ages and Levels Preparation for all College Admissions Tests
Accredited Non-Profit Since 1972
REGISTER NOW FOR FALL CLASSES www.germanschoolnj.org
201-825-9770 RocklandParent 27
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Ideas When You Need Them:
Sign up for our FREE newsletter & never hear “I’m bored!” again. We email the top kids’ events every Thursday—just in time to make weekend plans!
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Turn the page for details on New York Air Show (No. 1 on our list).
y-day day-b : r u o t ou line ar Check alendar on alend c ood, hborh cost. g i e n h by and Searc type, age, t n eve ily! ted da a d p U
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SEPTEMBER CALENDAR
30 Editor’s Hot Tickets 31 We Can’t Believe It’s FREE! 32 Animal Lovers, Browse & Buy,
WANT US TO INCLUDE YOUR EVENT?
nymetroparents.com/submitevent UPDATED DAILY AT nymetroparents.com/calendar EDITOR: SAMANTHA BERANBOM rpeditor@davlermedia.com
33 Fun Fairs & Festivals, Must-Sees in NYC
34 Mini Musicians, Movers & Shakers, Kindness Crusaders 35 Show Time! 36 Smarty Pants, The Great Outdoors 37 Once Upon a Time
EDITOR’S HOT TICKETS
Our calendar is full of great ideas. First, here are the seven 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!
1
New York Air Show
WHEN: Sept. 3-4, Saturday-Sunday, 9am WHERE: Stewart International Airport, 1180 1st St., New Windsor AGES: All WHAT: Some of the nation’s top military and civilian air show performers will soar through the skies headlined by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds. WHY WE LOVE IT: Airplanes that practically dance in the air! Amazing. WANT TO GO? $22.50; $11.25 children ages 6-12; free for children younger than 6. airshowny.com.
SeptemberFest Street Fair FREE
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WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 11, 10am-5pm WHERE: Nyack Chamber of Commerce, Main Street and Broadway, Nyack AGES: All WHAT: With more than 300 street vendors featuring art, jewelry, clothing, gifts, home decor, food, live music, plus a kids’ carnival, this is the place to be for the whole family. WHY WE LOVE IT: This annual fair is overflowing with fall family fun! WANT TO GO? 845-353-2221. nyackchamber.org.
3
Hudson River Ramble: Kites Over the Hudson FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 24, 2-4pm WHERE: Washington’s Headquarters State Historic Site, 84 Liberty St., Newburgh AGES: All WHAT: Come and enjoy the outdoor fun at this annual event overlooking the Hudson River. Free kites are given to the first 150 children ages 15 and older. Refreshments will be served. WHY WE LOVE IT: Color and wonder will fill the sky and your child’s memories. WANT TO GO? 845-562-1195. nysparks.com.
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September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
5
Apple Festival
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 25, 9am-2pm WHERE: Ramsey Farmers’ Market, Eric Plaza Train Station Parking Lot, Ramsey, NJ AGES: All WHAT: Enjoy 20 varieties of local apples, and celebrate the fall with apple cider, apple cider doughnuts, apple pies, tarts, and more. Also see an antique apple press demo during which children can hand crank the press for sample of old time cider. WHY WE LOVE IT: There’s no better way to kick off the season than with a bushel and a peck. WANT TO GO? 201-675-6866. ramseyfarmersmarket.org.
Apple Cider Making
PJ Library Touch A Truck
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 18, 10am-1pm WHERE: JCC Rockland, 450 W. Nyack Road, West Nyack AGES: 3-8 WHAT: Come explore a variety of food, tow, police, construction, and army trucks. Also, enjoy a trackless train ride, inflatables, face painting, crafts, and popcorn. WHY WE LOVE IT: It’s kid (and husband) approved! WANT TO GO? $3 in advance; $4 at the door. 845-362-4200 x180. jewishrockland.org.
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WHEN: Sept. 11-25, Sundays, 12:30-1:30pm or 2-3pm WHERE: Tenafly Nature Center, 313 Hudson Ave., Tenafly, NJ AGES: All WHAT: Use an apple press to help make cider and learn about the history of apple cultivation and cider making. Help out by bringing three or more apples per person. Registration required. WHY WE LOVE IT: Apple cider is basically autumn in a cup. WANT TO GO? $10; free for children younger than 2. 201-568-6093. tenaflynaturecenter.org.
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NY Renaissance Faire
WHEN: Through Oct. 2: Saturday-Sunday, 10am-7pm WHERE: Sterling Forest, 600 Route 17A, Tuxedo Park AGES: All WHAT: The faire is a rollicking romp through Elizabethan England complete with 16th century games, rides, arts, crafts, food, music, and dance set within the majestic groves of Tuxedo Park. Check the website for the stage schedule, special events, and theme weekend details. WHY WE LOVE IT: Fantasy comes to life! WANT TO GO? $25; $20 seniors and military; $12 children ages 5-12; free for children 4 and younger. 845-351-5174. renfaire.com/ny.
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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. Summer Music at the Marina FREE
WHEN: Through Sept. 8: Thursdays, 7:30pm WHERE: Edgewater Marina, 989 River Road, Edgewater, NJ AGES: All WHAT: Bring a blanket or chairs along with a picnic to enjoy the show on the marina’s lawn. WANT TO GO? 201-943-9242. edgewaternj.org.
Nyack Family Bike Day FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 10, 11am-3pm WHERE: Memorial Park on the Hudson, Piermont and Depew avenues, Nyack AGES: All WHAT: Enjoy a peaceful bike ride along the Hudson River or on a local, off-road trail guided by an expert cyclist. Afterward, enjoy live music and food at the park. WANT TO GO? 845-535-5046. nyackfamilybikeday.com.
Need a staycation?
Back to School Night FREE
WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 22, 6:30pm WHERE: Clarkstown Town Hall, 10 Maple Ave., New City AGES: 13 and older WHAT: Families are invited to an informative free presentation on the college admission process. WANT TO GO? 914-403-1642. newcitychamber.com.
ResouRces ARticles
Fourth Annual Apple Pie Contest FREE
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 25, 9:30am-1:30pm WHERE: Down to Earth Farmers’ Market, M&T Bank Parking Lot, Piermont Avenue and Ash Street, Piermont AGES: All WHAT: Watch an elite judging panel including renowned local chef Peter Kelly. There will be a public tasting and voting for the winner of the professional pie category. WANT TO GO? 914-923-4837. downtoearthmarkets.com.
Sew-You Club FREE
WHEN: Sept. 22–Oct. 20, Thursdays, 7-8pm WHERE: Haverstraw King’s Daughters Public Library, Main Library, 10 W. Ramapo Road, Garnerville AGES: 9-12 WHAT: Learn the basic sewing skills that have been taught for many generations. Projects include bookmarks, teddy bears, and a pincushion. WANT TO GO? 845-786-3800. hkdpl.org. ››
Find everything you need, faster at
RocklandParent 31
BROWSE & BUY Haverstraw Farmers’ Market FREE
WHEN: Through Oct. 9: Sundays, 9am-1pm WHERE: Village Hall, Maple Avenue, Haverstraw AGES: All WHAT: Support local businesses and the community by purchasing fresh produce, jams, spices, and more. WANT TO GO? voh-ny.com.
Ramapo Farmers’ Market FREE
WHEN: Through Oct. 9: Sundays, 9am-4pm WHERE: Eugene Levy Parking Lot, Route 45, Pomona AGES: All WHAT: Enjoy local produce, fresh goods, and more. WANT TO GO? 845-357-6100. ramapoparks.org.
Suffern Farmers’ Market FREE
ANIMAL LOVERS Monarch Butterfly Tagging & Release
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 10, 10am WHERE: Hudson Highlands Nature Museum’s Outdoor Discovery Center, Muser Drive, Cornwall AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Learn about monarch butterflies lifestyle, life cycle, and their miraculous migration to Mexico. Become a citizen scientist by catching and tagging them as part of a national research project. WANT TO GO? $7; $5 children. 845-534-5506. hhnaturemuseum.org.
Bear Awareness
WHEN: Sept. 10-11, Saturday-Sunday, 10am WHERE: Bergen County Zoo, Van Saun County Park, Paramus, NJ AGES: All WHAT: Learn about bears native to the area and safety tips to follow in case of an encounter. WANT TO GO? $8; $5 children ages 3-14; $2 seniors; free for children younger than 3. 201-262-3771. co.bergen.nj.us/parks.
Autumn Bird Walk
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 17, 8-10am WHERE: Tenafly Nature Center, 313 Hudson Ave., Tenafly, NJ AGES: 9 and older WHAT: Bring binoculars for a guided morning bird walk to look for migrating waterfowl, raptors, and other seasonal birds at Pfister’s Pond and along trails. Registration required. WANT TO GO? $5. 201-568-6093. tenaflynaturecenter.org.
Playtime at the Zoo
WHEN: Sept. 19–Dec. 12, Mondays, 10am-12pm WHERE: Bergen County Zoo, Van Saun County Park, Paramus, NJ AGES: Newborn to 2 WHAT: Toddlers and their caregivers meet in the Education Discovery Lab to play with animal-themed toys, interact with other visitors, and meet animals. WANT TO GO? $8; $5 children ages 3-14; $2 seniors; free for children younger than 3. 201-262-3771. co.bergen.nj.us/parks.
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September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
WHEN: Through Oct. 29: Saturdays, 8:30am-1pm WHERE: Commuter Parking Lot A, Orange and Wayne avenues, Suffern AGES: All WHAT: This community-focused market provides fresh, locally grown, and nutritious produce; prepared foods; grass-fed beef; farm fresh eggs; baked goods; handmade gifts; and more. Enjoy craft vendors, children’s activities, and live entertainment. WANT TO GO? suffernchamber.org.
Piermont’s Farmers’ Market FREE
WHEN: Through Nov. 20: Sundays, 9:30am-3pm WHERE: M&T Bank Parking Lot, Piermont Avenue and Ash Street, Piermont AGES: All WHAT: Enjoy local produce, area food makers who source locally, seasonal tastings, music, and more. WANT TO GO? 914 923-4837. downtoearthmarkets.com.
Nyack Outdoor Farmers’ Market FREE
WHEN: Through Nov. 25: Thursdays, 8am-2pm WHERE: Main Street Parking Lot, Depew Avenue and South Broadway, Nyack AGES: All WHAT: Featuring more than 30 vendors specializing in locally sourced produce, fresh fish, grass-fed beef, prepared foods, and artisanal crafts. WANT TO GO? 845-353-2221. nyackchamber.com.
Ramsey Farmers’ Market FREE
WHEN: Sept. 4–Nov. 27, Sundays, 9am-2pm WHERE: Main Street Train Station, Erie Plaza, Ramsey, NJ AGES: All WHAT: Featuring more than 50 outstanding, local farmers and food purveyors, talented musicians, children’s crafts, special guests, and more. WANT TO GO? 201-675-6866. ramseyfarmersmarket.org.
Spring Valley Farmer’s Market FREE
WHEN: Through Nov. 30: Wednesdays, 8am-3pm WHERE: Spring Valley, Main and Church streets, Spring Valley AGES: All WHAT: Enjoy fresh local produce, goods, and more. WANT TO GO? 914-923-4837. rocklandgov.com.
Ramsey Day FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 10, 11am-5pm WHERE: Ramsey Chamber of Commerce, Island Avenue and Prospect Street, Ramsey, NJ AGES: All WHAT: A great day of family fun, activities, giveaways, and more. WANT TO GO? ramseychamber.com.
CityBound
Must-Sees in N Y C Courtesy WHIDC
FUN FAIRS & FESTIVALS
The 7th Annual Italian Feast & Carnival FREE
WHEN: Sept. 15-18, Thursday, 5-11pm; Friday, 5pm-12am; Saturday, 11-12am; Sunday, 12-9pm WHERE: Masonic Park, 89 Western Highway, Tappan AGES: All WHAT: Enjoy excellent entertainment, including local performers, a variety of vendor booths, food, rides for the kids, games, and more. WANT TO GO? 845-627-3000. blauveltsonsofitaly.org.
Fall Craft and Art Street Fair FREE
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 18, 12-4pm WHERE: Downtown Ridgewood, East Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ AGES: All WHAT: Art, crafts, photography, festival foods, music, inflatables, pony rides, and a petting zoo will be a part of this fun day. WANT TO GO? pjspromotions.com.
Crafts and Drafts Street Fair FREE
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 18, 10am-5pm WHERE: Suffern Chamber of Commerce, Lafayette Avenue, Suffern AGES: All WHAT: Fun for the whole family with more than 100 craft vendors, live entertainment, food, local restaurants, a kids zone, and more. WANT TO GO? 845-357-8424. suffernchamber.org.
Medieval fun in 2016
Gallop Into History Get your armor ready, saddle up your horse, and gallop up to Fort Washington for the popular Medieval Festival at Fort Tyron Park. Great fun for families, there are performances, processions, music, food and drink, and medieval wares to buy. The main event is the armed combat and jousting competition in which wannabe Jon Snows will show you how it was done in olden times. A living history lesson for all ages. Sep. 18; 11:30am-6pm. Age: All. Fort Tyron Park, 741 Fort Washington Ave., Fort Washington. 212-7951600. whidc.org. Courtesty New Victory Theater
Piermont’s Art in the Park 2016 and Lobsterfest
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 18, 1-6pm WHERE: Flywheel Park, 10 Roundhouse Road, Piermont AGES: All WHAT: Kick off the day at Art in the Park, a celebration of the arts in Flywheel Park. Then stop in at the Goswick Pavilion for lobster. WANT TO GO? Lobsterfest: $30; $12 children. piermontchamber.org.
The Stony Point Fall Festival
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 24, 10am-5pm WHERE: Kirkbride Hall, 5 Patriots Hill Drive, Stony Point AGES: All WHAT: The Stony Point Police Athletic League presents fun activities for the whole family including food, music, and rock climbing. WANT TO GO? Free admission. 845-786-2242. stonypointpal.org.
Wetdown 2016 FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 24, 1-5pm WHERE: Montvale Swim Club, 100 Memorial Drive, Montvale, NJ AGES: All WHAT: Celebrate the Montvale Fire Department’s new rescue/pumper with food, drinks, live entertainment, and more. WANT TO GO? 201-391-4240. montvale.org.
Autumn Craft Street Fair FREE
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 25, 10am-4pm WHERE: Rock Road, Maple Avenue, Glen Rock, NJ AGES: All WHAT: Enjoy more than 100 booths featuring art, crafts, music, food, face painting, pony rides, petting zoo, inflatables, flowers, and more. WANT TO GO? pjspromotions.com. ››
Go 20,000 leagues under Times Square with this eye catching new production
Find The Original Nemo The New Victory Theater opens its new season with a production of the Jules Verne science fiction classic, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. The atmospheric production has eye-catching special effects and uses multimedia and projections to bring the sea to the stage. Kids will learn about the infamous Captain Nemo and the tale of the Nautilus. For ages 8 and older due to complex story. Sep. 30-Oct. 10; see website for show times. $16-$38. New Victory Theater, 229 W. 42nd St., Times Square Theater District. 646-223-3010. newvictory.org. RocklandParent 33
WHAT: The New Jersey State Children’s Chorus is kicking off its inaugural season and is in search of singers who want to be a part of the excitement. WANT TO GO? 201-746-5722. njstatechildrenschorus.org.
Brick Alley Block Party
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 24, 6:30pm WHERE: Garner Arts Center, 55 W. Railroad Ave., Garnerville AGES: 13 and older WHAT: Enjoy the opening of the fall exhibition with an evening of art, music, food, and drinks. WANT TO GO? $12; $10 seniors, students, and military. 845-947-7108. garnerartscenter.org.
Fall Music Lesson Registration
MINI
MUSICIANS Summer Concert Series FREE
WHEN: Through Sept. 1: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7pm WHERE: Huyler Park, 1 Piermont Road and Davis Johnson Park, Engle Street, Tenafly, NJ AGES: All WHAT: Picnic in the park while listening to live performances at Huyler Park on Tuesdays and Davis Johnson Park on Thursdays. WANT TO GO? tenaflynj.org.
Summer Concert Series FREE
WHEN: Through Sept. 4: Thursdays, 7:30pm WHERE: Bowline Point Park, Bowline Road, Haverstraw AGES: All WHAT: Enjoy late summer nights with live performances in the park. Check website for more details. WANT TO GO? 845-429-2200. townofhaverstraw.org.
Singing Books and Circle Time FREE
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 7, 10:30am WHERE: Rose Memorial Library, 79 E. Main St., Stony Point AGES: 3-5 WHAT: Join Sukey Molloy for her singing books and award winning interactive series of musical play activities, designed to encourage movement, play, and song in the developing years. WANT TO GO? 845-786-2100. rosememoriallibrary.org.
Summer Concert Series FREE
WHEN: Through Sept. 8: Thursdays, 6-8pm WHERE: The Shops at Nanuet, 5101 Fashion Drive, Nanuet AGES: All WHAT: Residents can enjoy live performances, complimentary nibbles, retailer hosted programs, and family amenities in a relaxing outdoor environment. WANT TO GO? 845-367-9452. facebook.com/shopsatnanuet.
New Jersey State Children’s Chorus Auditions FREE
WHEN: Sept. 15-22, Thursdays, see website for times WHERE: First Presbyterian Church, 722 E. Ridgewood Ave., Ridgewood, NJ AGES: 5-12 34
September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
WHEN: Through Oct. 31: varies WHERE: New City School of Music, 12 N. Main St., New City AGES: All WHAT: Experience patient and fun teachers that students and parents love. Registration is on a first come, first serve basis. WANT TO GO? $46 per 30-minute session. 845-499-2137. newcitymusicschool.com.
MOVERS & SHAKERS Italian Heritage Night
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 3, 6:30pm WHERE: Palisades Credit Union Park, 1 Provident Bank Park Drive, Pomona AGES: All WHAT: Rockland Boulders face the New Jersey Jackals as fans celebrate Italian Heritage Night with a pre-game party, fireworks extravaganza, and a post-game concert. WANT TO GO? $11-$15. 845-364-0009. rocklandboulders.com.
Fan Appreciation Day
WHEN: Monday, Sept. 5, 2pm WHERE: Palisades Credit Union Park, 1 Provident Bank Park Drive, Pomona AGES: All WHAT: A special Labor Day matinee featuring a giveaway to win a replica B-Train, courtesy of Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital. The first 2016 hot dogs sold at the concession stands will also cost $1. WANT TO GO? $11-$15. 845-364-0009. rocklandboulders.com.
Car Show
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 7, 5pm-9pm WHERE: Bear Mountain State Park, Palisades Interstate Parkway, Bear Mountain AGES: 13 and older WHAT: Enjoy an evening of amazing cars, a DJ, and a bounce house. Food and beverages available for purchase. WANT TO GO? $5 per vehicle. 845-786-2701. nysparks.com.
KINDNESS CRUSADERS Women Dine for a Cause’s Two Year Anniversary Party
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 14, 6-8pm WHERE: Home of Paula Davis, 615 N. Broadway, Upper Nyack AGES: 13 and older WHAT: Celebrate two years of raising money for nonprofits in Rockland County and come support United Hospice of Rockland at this potluck event. WANT TO GO? Donations accepted. 914-582-9439. womendine.net.
Ilene Weiss
SHOW TIME!
Your Partner in Advocating for an Appropriate Education for Your Special Needs Child
•CSE meeting & Annual Review representation
Movies Under the Stars FREE
WHEN: Through Sept. 1: Thursdays, 8pm WHERE: Atlantic Street Park, Warren and State streets, Hackensack, NJ AGES: All WHAT: Bring a lawn chair or blanket for a night of big screen fun. Check website for schedule and updates. WANT TO GO? 201-646-3980. hackensack.org.
• IEP development, placement & review • Direct multisensory instruction in reading, literacy & elementary school subjects
Zoo-flix After Dark FREE
WHEN: Through Sept. 2: Thursday-Friday, 8pm WHERE: Van Saun County Park, 216 Forest Ave., Paramus, NJ AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Bring your chairs, blankets, and snacks to enjoy a great movie in the park. WANT TO GO? 201-262-3771. co.bergen.nj.us.
• Tutoring
Contact me at 845-267-6720 prizeteacher@gmail.com www.prizeteacher.com
or
Petrapuppets: The Wacky Friends Show FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 10, 10am-1pm WHERE: Westfield Garden State Plaza, 1 Garden State Plaza, Paramus, NJ AGES: Newborn to 5 WHAT: Professional puppeteer Steve Petra combines educational content with puppetry, illusions, props, sound effects, music, and humor to keep students engaged. Join Steve and his wacky friends in an unforgettable adventure. WANT TO GO? 212-986-7080. westfield.com.
Selichot Service at CSI FREE
WHEN: Friday, Sept. 16, 8:30pm WHERE: Congregation Sons of Israel, 300 N. Broadway, Upper Nyack AGES: 13 and older WHAT: Join in for a screening and discussion of Atonement followed by refreshments and an evening of music, prayer, and community with Selichot Service at 11pm. WANT TO GO? 845-358-3767. csinyack.org.
‘Swan Lake’
WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 22, 8pm WHERE: Bergen PAC, 30 N. Van Brunt St., Englewood, NJ AGES: 9 and older WHAT: Only one opportunity to see the full-length classic production of the world’s most famous ballet, Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, featuring Russian Grand Ballet’s brightest ballet stars. WANT TO GO? $29 and up. 201-227-1030. bergenpac.org. ››
Limited Spots Call Today For An Appointment!!
NYS Licensed Facility CPR &FIRST AID CERTIFIED Before and After Child Care
Enroll by September 6th and receive a Special Discount!
Rockland Learning Center 136 Concklin Road, Pomona, NY | 845- 354-5253 | rlcmontessori.com
Our children love being Jewish...Do yours? Come join us, call today (845) 357-2430
Montebello Jewish Center Montebello Jewish Center Religious School • Fun and interactive programs focusing on Jewish literacy • Warm
and caring teachers • Individualized, differentiated and experiential learning • New member incentives and waived building fund
FREE KINDERGARTEN AVAILABLE Contact:
34 Montebello Road Montebello, NY 10901
Rabbi Richard Hammerman Cantor Michelle Rubin Dr. Alan Plumer, President
Cantor Michelle Rubin, Director: Cantor@montebellojc.org
Join us for: FREE BBQ and Shabbat Alive Services: Friday, September 9th beginning at 5:30 PM Community Yizkor Service: Wednesday, October 12, at 4:00 PM Visit us at:
www.Montebellojc.org RocklandParent 35
SMARTY PANTS Public Planetarium Show
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 11, 2-4pm WHERE: Town of Ramapo Challenger Center, 225 Route 59, Airmont AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Following a 1-hour planetarium show that includes a full-dome video, participants will take part in a 1-hour hands-on astronomy-related project in the center’s activity room to explore and learn about the wonders of the universe. WANT TO GO? $10; $5 seniors and for children younger than 9. 845357-3416. lhvcc.com.
Family Shabbat and Dinner
WHEN: Friday, Sept. 16, 5pm WHERE: Congregation Sons of Israel, 300 N. Broadway, Upper Nyack AGES: All WHAT: All are welcome to come sing, dance, pray, tell stories, and learn about Shabbat with engaging and interactive services and Shabbat dinner to follow. WANT TO GO? $18; $5 children ages 5-12; free for children younger than 5. 845-358-3767. csinyack.org.
Public Space Mission
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 18, 2-5pm WHERE: Town of Ramapo Challenger Center, 225 Route 59, Airmont AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Just like the real astronauts, public crew members will attend a briefing session and then select tasks to perform on the mission. Small teams of space adventurers will conduct research, perform scientific experiments, and even deploy a probe. Registration required. WANT TO GO? $10; $5 seniors and for children younger than 9. 845357-3416. lhvcc.com.
Tot Shabbat FREE
WHEN: Sept. 10-24, Saturdays, 11am WHERE: Congregation Sons of Israel, 300 N. Broadway, Upper Nyack AGES: 3-5 WHAT: Families with young children can come celebrate and discover what Shabbat is all about with stories, games, grape juice, and challah followed by a free lunch for all. WANT TO GO? 845-358-3767. csinyack.org.
Dual Vision: Connecting the Past with the Present FREE
WHEN: Sept. 11–Oct. 2, Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm; Saturday-Sunday, 1-4pm WHERE: Rockland Center for the Arts, 27 S. Greenbush Road, West Nyack AGES: All WHAT: Rockland Center for the Arts will kick off a yearlong theme of looking at its past legacy and its future. In that spirit, the first exhibit, Angle of View, will feature the photography of longtime photographer and curator Ned Harris. WANT TO GO? 845-358-0877. rocklandartcenter.org.
Sally Savage’s Nyack Photographs FREE
WHEN: Sept. 10–Nov. 26, Saturdays, 1-4pm WHERE: Historical Society of the Nyacks Museum, 50 Piermont Ave., Nyack AGES: All WHAT: Savage, now a Nyack resident, has been focusing her camera on Nyack people, events, and scenes for many years. She has produced a commentary on the community that will delight all. WANT TO GO? Donations accepted. 845-418-4430. nyackhistory.org.
Dennis Oppenheim: Terrestrial Studio and Outlooks: Josephine Halvorson
WHEN: May 14–Nov. 27, Wednesday-Sunday, 10am-5:30pm WHERE: Storm King Art Center, 1 Museum Road, New Windsor AGES: All WHAT: Dennis Oppenheim: Terrestrial Studio is an exhibition featuring outdoor and indoor sculpture, installation, sound, film, and photography. Josephine Halvorson is featured in the annual Outlooks series, which invites one emerging or mid-career contemporary artist to create a new, site-specific work. WANT TO GO? $15; $12 seniors; $8 children ages 5-18 and students; free for children 4 and younger. 845-534-3115. stormkingartcenter.org.
THE GREAT OUTDOORS Guided Nature Walk
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 4, 3-4pm WHERE: Tenafly Nature Center, 313 Hudson Ave., Tenafly, NJ AGES: All WHAT: Whether a first time visitor or a regular on the trails, participants will enjoy different sensory experiences in the forest. WANT TO GO? $5; free for children younger than 2. 201-568-6093. tenaflynaturecenter.org.
Shabbat Under the Stars FREE
WHEN: Friday, Sept. 9, 6:30pm WHERE: Nanuet Hebrew Center, 411 S. Little Tor Road, New City AGES: All WHAT: Enjoy services and dinner outdoors with singing, challah, juice, and a guest appearance by Grover. WANT TO GO? $18. 845-708-9181. nanuthc.org.
Seasonal Scavenger Hunt
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 10, 2pm WHERE: Tenafly Nature Center, 313 Hudson Ave., Tenafly, NJ
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AGES: 3 and older WHAT: Families will receive a set of clues to solve nature riddles along the center’s trails and receive a small prize. WANT TO GO? $5; $20 families. 201-568-6093. tenaflynaturecenter.org.
Orienteering Meet
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 11, 11am-1pm WHERE: Hudson Highlands Nature Museum, Outdoor Discovery Center, Muser Drive, Cornwall AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Use a map and compass to navigate through a course of checkpoints. There will be three levels of difficulty to choose from, and maps are included. WANT TO GO? $10; $5 children. 845-534-5506. hhnaturemuseum.org.
Fabulous Family Forts
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 17, 10am WHERE: Hudson Highlands Nature Museum, Outdoor Discovery Center, Muser Drive, Cornwall AGES: 3-8 WHAT: Come to Grasshopper Grove for a fun self-guided activity on using natural materials to build a fort for the whole family. WANT TO GO? $3. 845-534-5506. hhnaturemuseum.org.
Biodiversity Celebration
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 17, 11am-3pm WHERE: Trailside Museums and Zoo, Bear Mountain State Park, Bear Mountain AGES: All WHAT: Celebrate New York state’s native animals and plants. Enjoy nature crafts, games, activities, and visit the animals. WANT TO GO? $1 per person suggested donation; $10 parking fee. 845-786-2701. trailsidezoo.org.
Reading the Forest with ‘Doc’ Bayne
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 18, 10am WHERE: Hudson Highlands Nature Museum, Outdoor Discovery Center, Muser Drive, Cornwall AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Historian and educator “Doc” Bayne will teach the tell-tale signs of what to look for in the forest to learn what is living in the woods. WANT TO GO? $7; $5 children. 845-534-5506. hhnaturemuseum.org.
Family Camp Out
WHEN: Sept. 23-24, 6pm Friday to 8am Saturday WHERE: Hudson Highlands Nature Museum, Outdoor Discovery Center, Muser Drive, Cornwall AGES: 3 and older WHAT: Bring a tent and sleeping bags for a fun night under the stars with evening activities and s’mores around the campfire. A light breakfast snack and coffee will be provided on Saturday morning. Registration required. WANT TO GO? $20; $12 children ages 5-18. 845-534-5506. hhnaturemuseum.org.
ONCE UPON A TIME StoryWalk Opening Day and Awesome Opossum Debut
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 3, 12-4pm WHERE: Hudson Highlands Nature Museum, Wildlife Education Center, 25 Boulevard, Cornwall AGES: All WHAT: Families can read Night Animals by Gianna Marino to celebrate the creatures of night as they stroll along the meadow trail then meet an opossum. Crafts and snacks will be offered. WANT TO GO? $3. 845-534-5506. hhnaturemuseum.org.
Nature Story Time
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 17, 11:30am WHERE: Tenafly Nature Center, 313 Hudson Ave., Tenafly, NJ AGES: 3-8 WHAT: Enjoy a story and a visit from one of the center’s animals. WANT TO GO? $5. 201-568-6093. tenaflynaturecenter.org.
Poetry Trail Opening Celebration FREE
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 25, 4-6pm WHERE: Hudson Highlands Nature Museum’s Outdoor Discovery Center, Muser Drive, Cornwall AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Experience a series of unique, temporary installations celebrating the nature-inspired poetry by local students. WANT TO GO? 845-534-5506. hhnaturemuseum.org.
Outdoor Storywalk Exhibit FREE
WHEN: Sept. 17–Dec. 1, Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm; SaturdaySunday, 11am-4pm WHERE: Tenafly Nature Center, 313 Hudson Ave., Tenafly, NJ AGES: All WHAT: Read a nature-themed story while you walk in the woods. Designed for beginning readers, the stories will appeal to all ages. WANT TO GO? 201-568-6093. tenaflynaturecenter.org
Autumn Campfire and Night Hike
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 24, 6:30-8:30pm WHERE: Tenafly Nature Center, 313 Hudson Ave., Tenafly, NJ AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Explore seasonal changes, listen to stories, and roast marshmallows for s’mores. An environmental educator will lead a walk along the trails in the forest without flashlights. Registration required. WANT TO GO? $12. 201-568-6093. tenaflynaturecenter.org.
Coming up next month: OCT. 2: The Wiggles, BergenPAC, Englewood, NJ OCT. 28: ArtsRock! Presents Frankenstein Live!, Nyack High School, Nyack OCT. 29: Halloween Haunted Harvest, Ridgewood, NJ OCT. 29: Boo at the Zoo Trailside Zoo, Bear Mountain State Park OCT. 29: Nyack Halloween Parade, Nyack
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WHERE-TO GUIDE
Pick Your Own Apples ››
Research by Megan Bailey, Lauren Diaz, and Melissa Wickes
Bite into crunchy, juicy, just-picked apples this month! A day trip to a local orchard yields fresh fruit to take home by the bucket, sweet pastries and baked goods (apple cider doughnuts, please!), and lots of kid-friendly perks, from hayrides to petting zoos. Grown-ups: Some farms even serve up hard cider and homemade wines! Note that dates are projected and availability is subject to change. We recommend calling ahead before visiting these locations.
Dr. Davies Farm 306 Route 304, Congers 845-268-7020; drdaviesfarm.com Labor Day through mid-November, open 10am-4:30pm daily for pick-your-own. Hayrides offered weekends 11am-5pm; weekdays by appointment ($5 per person). Farm market open 8:30am-5:30pm. Picnic fields on-site. Cash and checks only. Orchards of Concklin 2 S. Mountain Road (off Route 45), Pomona 845-354-0369; theorchardsofconcklin.com Open the last two Sundays in September and the first two Sundays in October, 10am-5pm. Picking poles available; $5 refundable deposit and $2 rental fee. Farm store with baked goods, apple cider, and doughnuts open 8am-6pm. Pick-your-own group tours are available by appointment.
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Orange County
Apple Dave’s Orchards 82 Four Corners Road, Warwick 845-986-1684; applewoodorchards.com Apple picking Labor Day through October, pumpkin picking in October; 9am-5pm daily. Farm store and winery on-site. Apple Ridge Orchards 101 Jessup Road, Warwick 845-987-7717 appleridgeorchards.com Pick your own apples in the fall, MondayFriday, 9am-5pm, by school group reservations only (call or visit the website); weekends and holidays, 9am-6pm. Dwarf apple trees make picking easy for kids. Hay wagon rides, farm animals for petting, glass observation honey beehive, and farm store with fresh-pressed cider and homemade cider doughnuts.
Lawrence Farms Orchards 39 Colandrea Road, Newburgh 845-562-4268; lawrencefarmsorchards.com Apple and pumpkin picking through October, plus pick-your-own grapes, peppers, cabbage, and other vegetables. Train rides through the village on the weekends, plus a hay bale maze every day from September-October, playhouse farm village open daily, and animals for petting. Country store with honey, preserves, hot cider, ice cream, and homemade doughnuts. Open 9am-4pm daily. Masker Orchards 45 Ball Road, Warwick 845-986-1058; maskers.com Apple picking Labor Day weekend through early November, 9am-5pm daily. Bags provided. Free admission and parking. Country store with honey, preserves, and country gifts on-site. Picnic areas available.
nymetroparents.com/where-to
Pony rides, live music, haunted house, and maze for children on weekends (call for starting dates). Ochs Orchard 4 Ochs Lane (off Route 94), Warwick 845-986-1591; ochsorchard.net Apple picking in September and October; U-pick pumpkins, tomatoes, and other vegetables through October. Farm stand with pre-picked fruits and vegetables, apple cider, homemade doughnuts, preserves, maple syrup, jams and jellies, and honey. Pies available on weekends. Homemade ice cream for sale. Small petting zoo. Open 9am-5pm daily. Store open until 6pm. Pennings Farm Market and Orchard 161 Route 94 S., Warwick 845-986-1059 penningsfarmmarket.com Apple picking Labor Day weekend through the second week of November, 9am5pm daily. Pumpkins on sale from late September through October. Weekend hayrides and petting zoo. Ice cream stand, pub, and café with full menu. For apple picking information, call 845-986-7080. Soons Orchard & Farm Market 23 Soons Circle, New Hampton 845-374-5471; soonsorchards.com Apple picking Labor Day weekend through October, 10am-4pm on weekends and Monday holidays. Dwarf trees ideal for kids. Store with prepicked fruit and vegetables, fresh-pressed apple cider and doughnuts, fudge, and baked goods open 9am-6pm. Westchester County
Harvest Moon Farm and Orchards 130 Hardscrabble Road,
North Salem 914-485-1210 harvestmoonfarmandorchard.com Apple picking begins after Labor Day (call for availability). Fresh pies, doughnuts, produce, and local honey, local dairy products, and maple syrup for sale, as well as New York state wines and spirits and the farm’s own hard cider. Open 8am6pm daily. Outhouse Orchards 139 Hardscrabble Road, North Salem 914-277-3188 outhouseorchardsny.com Apple picking begins the weekend after Labor Day, 9am-5pm daily while supplies last. Fresh cider for sale, hayrides, and corn maze onsite, and a pick-your-own pumpkin patch.
Englewood Wyckoff • Norwood, NJ
Bronxville Woodcliff Lake
Pinatas • Crafts • Entertainment • Sombreros • Birthday Cake (packages range from $8.95 - $21.00 per child)
for party info
201.848.4088 • www.bluemoonmexicancafe.com
REGISTER NOW TO SECURE LESSON TIME
MUSIC LESSONS piano • voice • guitar • drums • strings
Wilkens Fruit & Fir Farm 1335 White Hill Road, Yorktown Heights 914-245-5111 wilkensfarm.com Apple picking through midOctober, 10am-4:30pm daily. Farm market with apple cider, baked goods, pre-picked produce, and gifts.
Downtown Nyack
845.405.3615 • rivertownmusic.net
New Jersey Bergen County
RvrtwnMusic-AD_RocklandParent_3.55Wx3H_071116.indd 1
Demarest Farms 244 Wierimus Road, Hillsdale 201-666-0472 demarestfarms.com Pick-your-own apples beginning Sept. 3, weekends 9:30am-4:30pm. Reservations for schools or large groups available. Farm store with bakery, apple cider, salad bar, and fresh produce open from 8am-6:30pm. Weekend hayrides available. Also offering a corn maze and farm animals.
Find the full guide at ›› nymetroparents.com/apples
Danceworks
7/12/16 9:22 AM
Ballet Workout
Develop a lean, strong dancer’s body with flexibility and grace
Learn to work with your body, not against it • • • • •
Barre stretch • Mat Work • Reverance 10 week session $75 or $10/class • Free Babysitting Monday & Wednesday 9:30-10:45 • Free Trial Class No prior training necessary • Beginners Welcome No special clothing needed • All Levels
For Adults & Kids 69 Lake Road • Congers
Call for details and brochure 845-268-4669
RocklandParent 39
Back-to-School Academy For Martial Arts
8 Orangetown Shopping Center, Orangeburg 845-359-4500 rocklandkarate.com Children are precious. As a parent, you know it is your responsibility to protect your child from all sorts of dangerous situations. It isn’t easy. They grow up fast. Time flies, and eventually children must learn to defend themselves. You certainly do not want your son or daughter to be bullied, or to become a bully. Martial arts lessons are a fantastic solution. Every kid should learn self-defense. It’s like learning to swim—it’s lots of fun, it can save your life, and it builds self-control and self-confidence. After serving the Rockland and Bergen communities for 18 years under a different name, we are now The Academy For Martial Arts, and we have a program that is perfect for your child.
APPLAUSE Performing Arts Center
25 W. Central Ave., Pearl River 845-920-1555 201-362-4948 applauseperformingartscenter.org APPLAUSE is an educational theater organization specializing in musical theater classes and shows for children ages 3-18, beginner to advanced. APPLAUSE offers classes in all three artistic disciplines: acting, singing, and dancing. Ms. Renna provides a unique opportunity for kids to perform in shows, creating special parts for each child. Your child will develop self-confidence and self-esteem in the supportive environment. APPLAUSE provides programs and performances year-round, so call or email for current programs and show information. You can also join our exciting APPLAUSE Company, which performs at Hershey Park, festivals, and special events.
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Art Adventure
60 Dutch Hill Road, Suite 8, Orangeburg 845-680-6780 artadventureny.com info@artadventureny.com Beginning in September, Art Adventure will be open for ages 2-18, from 10am-7pm every Tuesday through Friday! Our certified teachers will also host fine art classes for schoolaged children after school. From sculpture to painting, drawing to printmaking, we offer something new and exciting every day. Our low cost monthly memberships enable you to come as often as you like to any programs we have for your child’s age range. Minicamps also run during all school breaks!
Bergen Chinese School
Hackensack Middle School, 360 Union St., Hackensack 201-263-1791 bergenchineseschool.com admin@bergenchineseschool.com Established in 1972, Bergen Chinese School offers Mandarin and Chinese cultural classes on Sunday afternoons. The “Heritage” track is for those with basic fluency, while “Chinese as a Second Language” is for non-native speakers. We offer a pre-K through high school curriculum, as well as adult conversation classes. Students learn to speak and understand Mandarin, to read and write traditional Chinese characters, and to appreciate China’s rich cultural history. Bergen Chinese School—in partnership with parents— continues to thrive because we have a common goal of teaching our children Chinese language and culture.
Bricks 4 Kidz - Rockland
121 W. Nyack Road, Suite 11, Nanuet 845-501-7800 b4kcenter.com info@b4kcenter.com Bricks 4 Kidz® offers STEMprincipled educational play
September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
The annual guide to schools, resources, programs, & activities for kids!
activities for children ages 3 and older, in which they learn, build, and play with Lego® bricks. Our programs are built around proprietary model plans designed by engineers and architects with exciting themes such as space, construction, and amusement parks that provide building blocks for educational play, providing kids with opportunities for problem solving, which helps them develop an appreciation for how things work. Bricks 4 Kidz® offers after-school enrichment, preschool, WEDO/EV3 robotics, and stop-motion animation classes, birthday parties, camps, inschool workshops, and field trips.
Clarkstown Theatre Company
8 Second St., Lower Level, New City 845-708-2288 clarkstowntheatrecompany.com Clarkstown Theatre Company began in our community to create and develop artists as actors and performers. We are a year-round studio that offers acting classes, musical theater workshops, and intimate, original showpieces. Join us where the craft of theater is experienced in a warm and positive environment with professional instructors. Give us a call to see if your child might flourish in our studios, where imagination, and the craft of acting are taught with a sense of humor! Registration for our fall classes began Aug. 15.
Coupé Theatre Studio
430 Market St., Nanuet 845-623-2808 coupedance.com For more than 45 years, Coupé Theatre Studio has offered the finest training in performing arts. Classes in ballet, pointe, jazz, modern dance, tap, theater dance, hip-hop, musical theater, acting, voice, tots and kinder classes, and programs for boys and adults are available. Coupé’s faculty members hold degrees in dance education, or
have had extensive performing careers. Classes are monitored for size, compatibility of students, and quality of teaching. Come visit us at our new state-of-the-art studio complex on Market Street. Fall 2016 registration is now in progress.
Danceworks
69 Lake Road, Congers 845-268-4669 danceworksrockland.com Danceworks is offering adult ballet workout classes this summer. In the Clarkstown area for more than 35 years, the studio offers classes in creative dance, pre-ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, and hip-hop for ages 3 through teen. Danceworks specializes in children—encouraging a friendly and non-competitive atmosphere. Several children have gone on to study at the School of American Ballet in Manhattan. Our adult ballet workout (free babysitting) teaches you to work with your body, not against it. Beginners are welcome, and no special clothing is needed. Free trial classes are available to all.
Deborah Koenig Early Childhood Center at JCC Rockland
450 W. Nyack Road, West Nyack 845-501-4100 jccrockland.org/dkecc dkecc@jccrockland.org Limited spaces available—register today. The Deborah Koenig Early Childhood Center at JCC Rockland is committed to providing excellent care and education to our diverse community in Rockland County. We believe that our children are precious, and we support your efforts to provide them with a bright start. We partner with our families to encourage creativity, curiosity, and imagination, and to build trusting relationships. Our mission is the same as yours; for your child to grow and develop in an environment that is safe, warm, and stimulating. Registration is ongoing for infants through pre-K.
German Language School Westwood
Saturday only class. 47 Berkeley Ave., Westwood, NJ 201-825-9770 germanschoolnj.org info@germanschoolnj.org The German Language School Westwood is a nonprofit organization in Bergen County. We welcome students of all nationalities and backgrounds. Most classes meet on Saturday mornings, with additional adult classes offered on Thursday evenings. All teachers are experienced language instructors. Classes for children go from Mommy and Me through high school. Students can prepare for the SAT II German, AP German, and the German Government sponsored Sprachdiplom tests, which can result in the opportunity to study at a German university. Adult classes include conversation, literature, composition, and grammar.
i9 Sports®
Leagues held in all seasons at facilities throughout Rockland 845-624-PLAY (7529) i9sports.com ahenry@i9sports.com Currently enrolling for fall and winter seasons, i9 Sports® is the nation’s first and largest provider of youth sports leagues in the United States. We offer youth sports leagues, camps, and clinics for boys and girls ages 3-14 in today’s most popular sports such as flag football, soccer, basketball, T-ball, and cheerleading. With our focus on fun, safety, convenience, and good sportsmanship, i9 Sports® offers traditional kids’ sports leagues without the traditional headaches! Call for specific sport and field information. The earlier you register, the more you save!
JCC Rockland
450 W. Nyack Road, West Nyack 845-362-4400
jccrockland.org membership@jccrockland.org JCC Rockland offers a wide range of activities for children, youth, teens, and families, including dance, fencing, basketball, flag football, fashion design, and cooking. We also offer school-age care, school break programming, community service opportunities, teen leadership and empowerment programming, and family events. There’s something about this place…stop in and see for yourself!
JEP of Rockland Hebrew School
30 Blueberry Hill Road, Monsey 845-558-5858 ngreenwald@jeprockland.org JEP Rockland’s Bobbi Lewis Hebrew School provides an outstanding Jewish education through our comprehensive curriculum, taught by dynamic, creative teachers in a joyous, loving environment. Inspiring classes for parents and grandparents, family holiday events, mitzvah projects, fantastic Shabbatonim, exciting trips, and an Israel fair are integral parts of the JEP experience. The JEP Hebrew School provides thorough preparation for bar and bat mitzvah. We also offer a vibrant post bar and bat mitzvah program for teens. Reasonable rates. No membership dues.
Kiddie Academy of Northvale
271 Livingston St., Northvale 201-767-1120 kiddieacademy.com/northvale northvale@kiddieacademy.net At Kiddie Academy® of Northvale, we never take a single moment of your child’s growth potential for granted. We feed your child’s curiosity and instinct to learn with days filled with ageappropriate activities designed to treat every experience as an opportunity to learn. We believe when children learn at their own pace, they are capable of incredible growth. That’s the core philosophy of
our Life Essentials® curriculum. Visit our academy, meet our staff, see our classrooms, and play on our playgrounds. Call or click today to schedule your private tour.
Kreative Kids
61 Maple Ave., New City 845-634-2202 vickistudio.com Kreative Kids is a toddler and nursery program for boys and girls ages 16 months to 4 years (diapers welcomed)! Classes are divided by age. We offer arts and crafts, music with instruments, singing, creative movement, tumbling, story time, snack time, and early learning skills. Our professional staff balances active and quiet activities, as it provides comfort and love to each child, making separating from parents easy. Classes are kept small to provide individualized attention. We also offer flexible, extended hours to fit your work schedule.
Lead Academy
450 S. Main St. (Route 304), New City 845-639-6674 After-school classes at Lead Academy cover all academic subjects. We help with Common Core Curriculum including science, math, and English language arts. Our dedicated and experienced teachers help academically challenged students as well as gifted elementary, middle, and high school students with homework, projects, reading challenges, accelerated math, and language arts. We prepare students for the SAT, ACT, SAT II, AP, NYS Common Core Assessments, and Regents exams. Our Power SAT Prep Course runs all year long. Register by Sept. 6 and receive a 10-percent early registration discount.
Master Jung & Yu Traditional Taekwondo 70 N. Main St., New City
845-638-4000 mytaekwondolife.com Blending Korean culture and philosophy with traditional taekwondo, Master Jung and Master Yu’s school is unique in martial arts training. By combining physical with spiritual, we offer the most complete and satisfying training, embodying mind, body, and spirit. Classes are open seven days a week for all ages. Our unique birthday parties open the door for future leaders and martial artists, and are available on weekends. Energize your whole being at Traditional Taekwondo. Call for more details.
Montebello Jewish Center Religious School
Kindergarten-seventh grades 34 Montebello Road, Montebello 845-357-2430 x103 montebellojc.org The MJC Religious School provides our students with a nurturing and fun school environment, which fosters an enthusiasm and love for Judaism and a commitment to life-long Jewish living and learning. We are dedicated to educating our youth to be knowledgeable, responsible, and participatory Jews. Our students attain a strong Jewish identity, Judaic literacy, knowledge of Tefillah and most importantly, a love of Judaism. Students learn in a warm and embracing environment through handson and individualized learning, a Family Shabbat program, and more! MJC offers a free kindergarten class.
Nanuet Hebrew Center
411 S. Little Tor Road, New City 845-708-9181 nanuethc.org school@nanuethc.org There is something for everyone at Nanuet Hebrew Center. We are a vibrant, egalitarian, conservative synagogue with continued on next page ››
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an instructional menu that runs from Mommy & Me, and Tot Shabbat programs, to kindergarten-seventh grade religious school, through post bar and bat mitzvah, and adult education programs. We are located just off exit 10 of the Palisades Parkway. Call about our free kindergarten program. We invite you to join us for our religious school, services, and programs, and if you are not familiar with our Shul, we encourage you to visit us for a tour!
New City Bowl and Batting Cages
90 N. Main St., New City 845-634-4977 newcitybowlandbattingcages.com Bowling is the best family sport that will last a lifetime! We offer something for everyone—all ages and abilities are welcome. All league members get awards, trophies, and membership in our VIB club for discounts all year long. Join a league and you participate in every game. Unlike other sports, nobody sits on the bench. Every bowler bowls in every game. Programs are also offered through the Clarkstown Parks and Recreation department.
Palisades Climb Adventure
4590 Palisades Center Drive, Level 4 of the Palisades Center, West Nyack 845-727-3500 palisadesclimb.com Palisades Climb Adventure offers the world’s tallest indoor ropes challenge course. Standing 85-feet tall, it has five levels and 75 unique challenge elements to explore, climb, and conquer. More advanced athletes will find a challenge, while just-for-fun climbers will experience a sense of athletic accomplishment. Our Sky Tykes kids’ ropes course is designed for ages 2-7, 48-inches tall and shorter. Both courses are available for birthday parties, camp groups, and special events. Book your group today! Check out our new Sky Rail now open!
Palisades Country Day School 248 Herbert Ave., Closter, NJ 201-947-3898
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Palisades Preschool and Kindergarten 2324 Fifth St., Fort Lee, NJ 201-947-3898 Palisades Country Day School and Camp 212/248 Herbert Ave., Closter, NJ 201-784-7600 palisadescountryday.com With more than 50 years in early childhood education, our conveniently located schools are trusted and proven to be a positive first step for young children. Palisades enhances learning through small group size and age appropriate curriculum, taught by experienced, professional educators. Palisades offers a child-centered, hands-on learning environment. Each student is taught in a setting that stimulates his or her senses and critical thinking skills. A memorable experience for every child who attends.
R&R Music School
16 N. Route 9W, Congers 845-267-3311 rnrmusicschool.com rnrmusicschool@gmail.com R&R Music School provides music instruction and education for all major instruments. Lessons are offered individually and in groups for preschoolers, children, teens, and adults. We believe that music provides a sense of community and is an integral part of life. Our mission is to provide quality education in traditional methods and theories while fostering creativity and passion for the art. We have spacious lesson rooms, a comfortable waiting area, and a performance space for our group sessions and camps. We also offer our students performance opportunities to participate in concerts and recitals.
The Reform Temple of Rockland 330 N. Highland Ave., (Route 9W), Upper Nyack Mara Lewin, director of religious school: 845-358-2248 rtrny.org At The Reform Temple of Rockland, our goal is to provide outstanding Reform Jewish education and to work
September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
with families to ensure a lasting love of Judaism. Our religious school offers experiential, and traditional programs for students in first to 12th grades that include bar and bat mitzvah, confirmation, and post-confirmation studies. We also offer weekly nursery and kindergarten programs for ages 3-5. For more religious school dates and events, visit our website: rtrny.org.
Rivertown Music Studio
20 Bridge St., Nyack 845-405-3615 rivertownmusic.net rivertownmusicnyack@gmail.com Rivertown Music Studio in Nyack, brings more than 14 years of experience to its offerings of piano, guitar, voice, violin, and drum lessons. A unique, multi-sensory program uses varied resources, instructional options, and performance opportunities to give students of all ages the best potential for success. Private lessons are customized to fit each student’s ability, musical interests, and learning style. Buddy lessons provide extra motivation, teamwork, and accountability throughout the learning process. Visit our website for programs and rates. Summer lessons and camp also available. Find us on Facebook and rivertownmusic.net.
Rockland Learning Center Montessori School
136 Concklin Road, Pomona 845-354-5253 rlcmontessori.org Our school combines the Montessori philosophy and materials with the latest in learning technology. We offer a preschool, kindergarten, and first grade program. Each child learns at his or her own pace using hands-on materials specially designed to help the child through his or her five senses. We incorporate dance, gym, music, and computers in all classes. We are a NYSlicensed facility. CPR and first aid-certified. In addition to school, we offer before and after child care. Call today to schedule a tour.
St. Catharine Early Childhood Center
517 Western Highway, Blauvelt 845-359-4330 stcatharineprek.org Our program provides an opportunity for young children to join together in a loving, nurturing, educational, and fun environment. Each child is introduced to a full curriculum of early learning in a centerbased setting. Hands-on activities and participation in all areas provide the perfect setting for young children to develop and grow. Each child is recognized as a unique individual with many special talents and abilities. Phonemic awareness skills, social, cognitive, and fine and gross motor skills are introduced through a creative curriculum. A wonderful place for preschoolers to learn, grow, and have fun!
Tech Adventure
404 E. Route 59, Nanuet 845-627-7000 techadventureny.com info@techadventureny.com Get your child excited about STEM! We teach relevant applications using things they already love—such as Minecraft, robots, and YouTube—to teach computer programming, electrical engineering, and 3-D design and animation. To them we are a playground filled with their favorite hobbies, but moms and dads know we are providing solid education in important and fast-growing fields. Tap into your child’s love of learning today—try one of our classes or sign up for our mini-camp programs. It could change your child’s path in life!
Tumble-Bee Gymnastics and Fitness
401 Market St., Nanuet Mall South, Nanuet 845-623-2553 tumble-beegymnastics.com Tumble-Bee Gymnastics and Fitness is more than just tumbling. We offer an education in gymnastics, fitness, and fun. Serving Rockland for more than 30 years, we offer private
birthday parties, and programs for children ages 10 months to 12 years. Our preschool program offers exciting lessons and theme weeks. We teach the nationally recognized Fun & Fit Gymnastics program and International Smart Moves for our after-school program. Our staff is warm, caring, and well-trained to work with your child building confidence and self-esteem to achieve success in the future.
Vicki’s Dance Studio and Kreative Kids
61 Maple Ave., New City 845-634-2202 vickistudio.com For more than 30 years, we have been inspiring and motivating students to follow their dreams both in dance and in their lives. Instructors at Vicki’s Studio are dedicated to their students and teaching technique, while creating fun and exciting choreography in our non-competitive studio. We offer beginner to advanced classes for boys and girls ages 2½ to adult, including jazz, tap, hip-hop, ballet, pointe, lyrical, modern, creative movement, boys’ hip-hop, gymnastics, combination classes, and our new musical theater classes. For experienced dancers, we also offer a competitive dance team (tryouts required).
Ilene Weiss
28 Massachusetts Ave., Congers 845-267-6720 prizeteacher.com prizeteacher@gmail.com Ilene Weiss was a chairperson of the Committee on Special Education, and is a New York state-certified teacher with more than 30 years of experience working with children with disabilities. Weiss consults, advocates for parents of children who have special needs, and tutors children who are struggling with reading and literacy, by using multisensory approaches. Weiss works with Fletcher’s Place Reading Program, improving reading instruction, and helping struggling readers. Weiss has
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completed NYC, Newark, Dobbs Ferry, Yonkers, NJ, and Miami, FL teacher trainings, and also presents various workshops for parents.
West Rock Indoor Sports and Entertainment Complex
21 Pralle Lane, Nanuet 845-623-3636 westrockindoor.com Rockland’s premier facility for sports training, development, birthday parties, and special events offers programs for children and adults in basketball, soccer, lacrosse, baseball, tennis, and fitness. Our skilled staff ensures your child has the perfect mix of fun, physical activity, and training. Whether it’s our Basketball Academy, Tiny Tots Soccer classes for young children, or revamped tennis academy, we offer plenty of programs to meet your child’s needs, no matter his or her age or ability. Allow West Rock to be your one and only stop for your family’s sports and entertainment needs!
Young World Day School
585 Wyckoff Ave., Mahwah, NJ 201-327-3888 youngworlddayschool.org director@ywdschool.org Young World Day School provides a safe, nurturing environment in which ordinary kids do extraordinary things. An experienced staff utilizes an interdisciplinary approach to learning using individualized instruction, cooperative learning, and small group instruction. The school includes a traditional preschool, beginning with a 2-year-old program, a Montessori school for ages 2.9-5, a transitional and traditional kindergarten, all with low pupil-to-teacher ratios. The primary school for first-fifth grades is comprised of small, mixed-age classrooms providing individualized instruction so students learn at a rate appropriate to their ability. Morning and afternoon extended care available.
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Courtesy Melissa Hilt
Healing Powers
››
What it’s like to provide your child with medical marijuana in New York. By Madeleine Burry
T
wice a day—once with breakfast, and once again at dinner— Melissa Hilt administers medicine to her 9-year-old daughter, Haley. Hilt uses a syringe to measure out a precise dosage, and gives it to Haley mixed in her food. It’s a normal, everyday scene for a child who needs medication, with one big difference: The medicine Haley is ingesting is a coconut oil compound that contains extract from the marijuana plant. A resident of East Schodack in Rensselaer County, Haley is among the first New York residents to take advantage of the state’s recent legalization of medical marijuana. Haley has severe intractable epilepsy. She can’t walk or talk, and is incontinent. Her first seizure was at 4 weeks old; since then, she seized at least once daily. But in the months since Haley’s prescription for medical marijuana was filled, she’s improved tremendously. “Within 24 hours of her first dose,” Hilt says, Haley “was more alert, bright in the best way.” She has just two or three seizures each week, compared to the seven to 10 she experienced prior to the drug. Before she began taking medical marijuana, “we were never really sure what Haley knew, and what she didn’t.” Now, she’s able to communicate using an eye gaze computer. Hilt describes Haley as making “huge, huge gains” due to the medication. Haley can now stand on her feet and even ride a tricycle at school. In fact, “she loves to stand with support and dance,” her mom says. With the help of a walker-like device, Haley can walk down the hallways at school. Haley is able to legally take medical marijuana thanks to New York’s legalized medical cannabis program, which took effect at the beginning of this year. New York joins the District of Columbia and 24 other states—including Connecticut and New Jersey— which have passed laws allowing use of marijuana in some form for medical purposes. The new laws, in addition to those in a handful of states that have legalized or reduced punishment for recreational marijuana use, come as public opinion has shifted dramatically. A 2015 survey from the Pew Research Center found that 53 percent of people believe marijuana should be legalized. That may seem like a slim majority—and it is—but just a decade ago, in 2006, a similar survey from Pew found that only 32 percent believed marijuana should be legalized.
Risks, Side Effects—And Benefits
Still, if you came of age in the unequivocal “Say no to drugs” era, when marijuana was labeled a gateway drug, the idea of children being prescribed medical marijuana may cause trepidation. Hilt, however, has no regrets or reservations about the treatment method for Haley. Side effects are familiar to Haley: Steroid injections caused a heart murmur; a special high-fat diet aimed at reducing seizures caused Haley to go into liver failure; benzodiazepine, a tranquilizer used to reduce seizures, “zombified” Haley. Once, a medication caused her to sleep for 72 hours straight. In contrast, the coconut oil compound that’s used as a delivery agent for the cannabis treatment 44
September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
Haley Hilt, a 9-year-old whose quality of life has improved dramatically since she started taking medical marijuana after it was legalized in New York
can sometimes cause Haley to get constipated. “When you’re looking at the side effects of the other medications that are out there, it’s nothing in comparison. Honestly, part of me wishes I could have tried it before we put her little body through all of these horrible things, to see if it would have worked then,” Hilt says. The American Academy of Pediatrics sounds a more cautionary note. In a policy statement issued in March 2015, the AAP points out that there is ample documentation on “the adverse effects of marijuana” on adolescents as well as a lack of “published studies on the use of medicinal marijuana or pharmaceutical cannabinoids in pediatric populations.” As well as all the well-known side effects— including reduced attention span, short term memory, coordination, and judgment—the AAP also points out that “new research has also demonstrated that the adolescent brain, particularly the prefrontal cortex areas controlling judgment and decision-making, is not fully developed until the mid-20s, raising questions about how any substance use may affect the developing brain.” Still, while opposing medical marijuana outside of the oversight and regulation of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “the AAP recognizes that marijuana may currently be an option for cannabinoid administration for children with life-limiting or severely debilitating conditions and for whom current therapies are inadequate.” Against this backdrop of increased accessibility of medical marijuana, at least in some states, the federal government continues to classify marijuana as a Schedule I drug, alongside LSD, heroin, and ecstasy. The Drug Enforcement Agency defines these drugs as having “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.” These Schedule I drugs are considered “the most dangerous.” It’s an undeniably complex landscape, and this, perhaps, is why New York’s medical marijuana program has been implemented with tight regulations. Stephen Dahmer, M.D., the Chief Medical Officer at Vireo
Health of NY, one of five organizations approved to dispense medical marijuana in the state, agrees that there are undeniable risks involved with medical marijuana. “Any physician that reads the literature about children or anyone under 21 and THC [a part of the marijuana plant] knows that caution has just been amplified a thousandfold,” he says. But for children such as Haley—people with intractable disease and extreme pain and discomfort—these risks may be worth it. “When these children arrive at our dispensary, this is one of their last hopes,” Dr. Dahmer says.
New York’s Cautious, Medical-Led Program
How do children—or any patients—get to Vireo or the other dispensaries in New York? The journey isn’t easy. The first New York dispensaries opened in January 2016. You may be imagining storefronts festooned with decorative marijuana leaves, mason jars stuffed full of pot, boxes of pre-rolled joints, or plastic-wrapped cannabis-laced cookies, brownies, and other edibles. Erase that image: New York’s implementation of legalized medical cannabis differs sharply from states with more lenient, and lower regulated, programs (ahem, California). In New York state, no wink-wink, nudge-nudge diagnosis will get you access to medical marijuana. The program is tightly regulated and cautious. Dr. Dahmer describes New York’s program hewing “very closely to a medical model.” Vireo’s work with doctors, and the state’s program, mimics the general practices that govern doctors’ habits and style, Dr. Dahmer says. “Anything we do—in our practice, and oftentimes in our lives—is done with a lot of caution. We want to always take the safest route…and make sure that our patients are protected and that some unforeseen circumstance doesn’t catch us by surprise.”
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Haley’s Path to Medical Marijuana
In her two daily doses, Haley takes what is known as a “high CBD, low THC” strain of marijuana. CBD, which stands for cannabidiol, is non-psychoactive, and cultivated for its pain-relieving, antiinflammatory qualities, while THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the mind-altering part of the marijuana plant. Put another way, THC is the part of the marijuana plant that makes you feel stoned while CBD is the medicinal part of the plant. Several years ago, Hilt became interested in the possibility of medical marijuana as a treatment option for Haley: Her family doctor had watched a special about Colorado’s Stanley brothers, famous for creating a high CBD, low THC strain called Charlotte’s Web, that reduced its namesake’s seizures. This prompted Hilt to begin researching how high CBD strains could help people with epilepsy. A registered nurse, Hilt read the research carefully, and then began lobbying at the capital. For more than six months, “we were lobbying and trying to get senators to listen to us and support our cause,” Hilt remembers. Hilt and her daughter were there the day the program passed, and when the program went live on a Friday, Haley was certified the following Wednesday. Because Haley was on a form of benzodiazepine that’s affected by CBD, Haley had to decrease her dosage of benzodiazepine before she could begin taking medical marijuana. She began taking the high CBD, low THC strain in February. The transformation has been huge: “She is soaring,” says Hilt. “Haley is doing phenomenally.”
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What’s Next?
Medical cannabis remains—even after legalization in many states— in a complicated position. Laws differ from state to state, even in continued on next page ››
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Want to know
Courtesy Melissa Hilt
‹‹ continued from previous page
www.B4Kcenter.com Bricks4Kidz.RcklndNY 121 W. NYACK RD. SUITE 11 NANUET, NY
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Melissa Hilt holds Haley in the New York State Senate chambers on the day that legislators voted to legalize medical cannabis.
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ones that have legalized the plant. Federally, it remains illegal, even if the government’s guidance is essentially to prosecute major offenses (drugged driving or possession on federal property, for instance) and to allow states to enforce their own regulation. That makes for an uneasy balancing act, with results that can be frustrating. For one, medical marijuana, still illegal federally, is not covered by insurance. Hilt pays for Haley’s prescription—which costs nearly $400 a month—with the help of fundraising done by her church and community. Beyond the expense, Hilt chafes at the federal government’s slow move to reclassification, which would allow drug trials, and feels frustrated that truly sick people cannot get access to a potentially helpful drug. “It’s almost like we’re being held hostage to the pharmaceutical companies when there’s this plant out there that can really and truly help so many people.” And while the AAP opposes legalization, concerned that it will increase children and teen’s access to the drug, the organization also advocates for studying the impact of new laws, and calls for marijuana to be reclassified as a Schedule II drug (a classification that includes Adderall, OxyContin, cocaine, and methamphetamine, among others). This classification would allow “research and development of pharmaceutical cannabinoids and supports a review of policies promoting research on the medical use of these compounds.” Dr. Dahmer says he is also “interested in helping to support or promote research,” especially given the tremendous impact he sees daily on children and their families. For parents whose children face one of the 10 eligible conditions, Hilt’s advice is twofold. First, educate yourself. “That’s the number one recommendation I have for other parents,” Hilt says. Dig into the slim research currently available, review anecdotal evidence, and reach out to dispensaries for their
Tr F ia re lC e la ss !
insights. And then, “Fight for your kid.” Medical marijuana is “not something our government should say we can or can’t have. This is something our physicians should determine, not the government. Call your legislators, call your senator, and tell them, I want this available for myself, for my children, for whomever.”
A SNAPSHOT OF NEW YORK’S MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAW
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Clemente Orthodontics Where Excellence Is A Family Tradition Dr. Marissa Clemente Dr. Michael Clemente Only some conditions are eligible for a prescription: Only 10 conditions (as well as several associated conditions) make patients eligible for a medical marijuana prescription. They are: • Cancer • HIV infection or AIDS • Multiple sclerosis • Spinal cord injury with spasticity • Epilepsy • Inflammatory bowel disease • Neuropathy • Huntington’s disease • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) • Parkinson’s disease A stringent registration process: Even patients who suffer from those conditions do not have an easy path to a prescription. Only registered doctors—who meet certain set criteria, and have taken a four-hour class—can register with New York’s Medical Marijuana Program and prescribe marijuana. Fewer than 600 doctors had done so by mid-July, according to the state. Patients have to either find one of these doctors (there is a registry, but doctors are not required to add their names to it and some prefer to keep their participation quiet) or ask their doctor to join the program. Only then can patients get a prescription. Currently, there are more than 5,000 patients certified. Licensed pharmacists: Only licensed pharmacists can fill prescriptions; currently, there are five medical marijuana dispensaries in the state, each with four or five locations. Extract only: New York limits the forms medical cannabis can take. There is no form of regulated, medical marijuana available for sale in the state that can be smoked or eaten (no medical cannabis brownies). Instead, it is sold in forms such as pills, vaporizers ingested via inhaler, and oils. Madeleine Burry is a Brooklyn-based freelance writer and editor, covering everything from parenting to open data to workplace productivity. She’s held staff positions at Parents.com, Scholastic, and About.com. You can follow her on Twitter @lovelanewest.
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Meet the Health Care
PROFESSIONAL To be in this section, call 845-848-8021 or email nympads@davlermedia.com
Tenafly Pediatrics 74 Pascack Road, Park Ridge, NJ 201-326-7120 Offices also in Tenafly, Fort Lee, Clifton, Paramus, and Oakland, NJ tenaflypediatrics.com
Dr. David Schaumberger is one of the pediatricians working out of our newly expanded Park Ridge office. As someone who lives nearby, he enjoys working in Northern Bergen and Rockland counties. Dr. Schaumberger completed his pediatric residency from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York and has been working at Tenafly Pediatrics since 2001. On a personal note, he enjoys ethnic cuisine and spending time with his three children. Tenafly Pediatrics is a recent Angie’s List Winner with offices conveniently located throughout Bergen County.
A & R Advanced Dental Group, Anna Alekseyeva, D.D.S., Roman Izmailov, D.D.S. 5C Medical Park Drive, Pomona 845-364-9400 aradvanceddental.com
A & R Advanced Dental Group, Marita Smith, D.D.S. 5C Medical Park Drive, Pomona 845-364-9400 aradvanceddental.com
Bobby Crohn, D.D.S. Monroe Dental Office 400 State Route 17M, Suite 2, Monroe 845-782-0189 monroedentaloffice.com monroedental@optonline.net
Dental Wellness of Suffern Sherri Alpert, D.D.S. 2 Executive Blvd., Suite 307, Suffern 845-918-1801 dentalwellnessofsuffern.com dentalwellness@optonline.net
At A&R Advanced Dental Group, patient satisfaction and comfort is our No. 1 priority. We are a cutting edge practice that delivers state-of-the-art dental care to our patients. Dr. Roman Izmailov and Dr. Anna Alekseyeva have more than 30 years of experience in all phases of dentistry, including high quality and affordable dental implants, zirconia crowns, porcelain veneers, fixed bridges, root canal treatments, teeth whitening, and composite fillings. Evening appointments are available and we accept most insurances.
Dr. Crohn graduated from SUNY Stony Brook with a degree in biology. He received his Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University at Buffalo in 1992, and he completed his general practice residency at Danbury Hospital in 1993. Dr. Crohn has done extensive additional training in implant dentistry including training with Dr. Nick Elian at Vistara Institute, DentalXP Symposiums, and training at Zimmerman Institute.
Kupchik Dental Dr. Anna Kupchik, D.D.S. 2 Medical Park Drive, Suite 16, West Nyack 845-535-3500 kupchikdental.com info@kupchikdental.com
At Kupchik Dental, patients’ comfort is our No. 1 priority. We strive to make every dental experience easy and relaxing by practicing gentle touch dentistry. Our state-of-the-art dental office is committed to providing the best quality of care for the entire family. Dr. Kupchik and her team believe in educating patients and keeping them informed of their oral health every step of the way. We are open seven days a week for your convenience, and have an in-house insurance plan for the uninsured. 48
September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
Dr. Marita Smith is a board-certified pediatric dentist who is dedicated to providing excellent dental care for children, from infancy through adolescence, in a warm and friendly environment. As a mother of two, Dr. Smith knows how important it is for children to be comfortable and stress-free during their dental visits. Dr. Smith places great focus on prevention and her goal is to keep your child’s smile healthy! We accept most insurances and evening hours are available.
Dental Wellness of Suffern provides natural, effective, quality dental care for your family, making your visit enjoyable, comfortable, and relaxing. A parent herself, Dr. Alpert enjoys working with children who are apprehensive about the dentist, creating a fun environment with magic tricks, interactive Wii games, a wall mural, and a Find the Dental Helpers game. Author of two books, Cassandra Gets Her Smile Back and Attack of the Sugar Bugs, Dr. Alpert makes visiting the dentist fun. Dental Wellness of Suffern—let them create the smile you were born to have.
Clemente Orthodontics 60 W. Ridgewood Ave., Ridgewood 201-447-2888 603 S. Route 304, New City 845-638-6646; clementeorthodontics.com
At Clemente Orthodontics, our patients receive the benefit of experience, quality, and energy that comes with a multigenerational team. Dr. Michael Clemente and his daughters, Dr. Nicole Clemente and Dr. Marissa Clemente, work together seamlessly to care for your orthodontic needs. They run a state-of-theart practice with digital X-rays, private treatment rooms, impression-free Invisalign, and a highly experienced staff. They are an Invisalign Super Elite Premier provider, offering Invisalign and Invisalign Teen as treatment options. Consultations are complimentary.
Kastin & Newman Orthodontics 6 Medical Park Drive, Pomona 845-354-7233; rocklandorthodontics.com info@kastin-newmanortho.com
Drs. Brett Kastin and Warren Newman utilize state-of-the-art materials and customized treatment planning for every patient, ensuring the highest quality of care. Dr. Kastin is a certified Invisalign® provider, and has been president of the Rockland County Dental Society since 2006. Dr. Newman has more than 40 years of orthodontic experience. They have been a team for more than 10 years, and were voted Rockland’s Top Orthodontists by the dentists of Rockland County. Their practice offers an experienced staff and flexible appointment times. Initial exams are complimentary, as are children’s recall appointments.
HealthSav 7 Elmwood Drive, New City 877-CPR-N-AED (877-277-6233) healthsav.com info@healthsav.com
In 2006, Lenny Nathan began HealthSav with the intent of providing accessible CPR and first aid training for not just health care providers, but for the public as well. Today HealthSav is an American Heart Association Training Center offering all levels of training seven days a week. Registration is easily done at our website, healthsav.com. HealthSav prides itself on making sure clients leave with a true understanding of CPR, and confidence in their ability to perform it in an emergency. Learn CPR, become a lifesaver.
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MVP Health Care........................................................... 27
Master Jung & Yu Traditional Taekwondo..................... 28
Rivertown Music............................................................ 39
Nyack Pediatric Dentistry.............................................. 45
Palisades Climb Adventure............................................ 15
Rockland Learning Center............................................. 35
Tenafly Pediatrics.................................................... 43, 48
Tumble-Bee Gymnastics............................................... 11
Tech Adventure................................................................ 9
Dental Wellness of Suffern........................................ 7, 48
BIRTHDAY / PARTY SERVICES
Tumble-Bee Gymnastics............................................... 11 MUSIC
Academy for Martial Arts............................................... 19
DANCE
Art Adventure................................................................. 47
Coupe Theatre Studio................................................... 23
Blue Moon Mexican Café ............................................. 39
Danceworks............................................................. 39, 45
Bricks 4 Kids - Rockland................................................ 46 Danceworks............................................................. 39, 45 JCC of Rockland.............................................................. 3 Kreative Kids / Vicki’s Studio........................................... 5 Master Jung & Yu Traditional Taekwondo..................... 28 New City Bowl & Batting Cages.................................... 27 Palisades Climb Adventure............................................ 15 Rockland Parent Party Planner..................................... 49 Tech Adventure................................................................ 9 Tumble-Bee Gymnastics............................................... 11 West Rock Tennis Club................................................. 23
EDUCATION Bergen Chinese School................................................. 21 German Language School Westwood........................... 27 J.E.P. of Rockland......................................................... 22
R&R Music School......................................................... 47 Rivertown Music............................................................ 39 PERFORMING ARTS / ACTING Applause Performing Arts Center.................................. 12 Clarkstown Theatre Company....................................... 43 Coupe Theatre Studio................................................... 23
Kiddie Academy - Northvale.......................................... 11
RELIGIOUS
Lead Academy .............................................................. 43
J.E.P. of Rockland......................................................... 22
Montebello Jewish Center............................................. 35
Montebello Jewish Center............................................. 35
Nanuet Hebrew Center.................................................. 12
Nanuet Hebrew Center.................................................. 12
Palisades Country Day School & Camp........................ 31
Reform Temple of Rockland (The)................................. 21
Reform Temple of Rockland (The)................................. 21 Rockland Learning Center............................................. 35
RESTAURANT / FOOD SERVICES
CAMPS
St. Catharine Early Childhood Center........................... 22
Blue Moon Mexican Café ............................................. 39
Applause Performing Arts Center.................................. 12
Young World Day School............................................... 28
Art Adventure................................................................. 47
RETAIL
Bricks 4 Kids - Rockland................................................ 46
FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT /
Toyriffic.......................................................................... 47
Clarkstown Theatre Company....................................... 43
EVENTS / OUTINGS
Palisades Center ............................................................ 2
Coupe Theatre Studio................................................... 23
Hurd’s Family Farm ...................................................... 13
Second Time Around Thrift Store.................................. 46
JCC of Rockland.............................................................. 3
New City Bowl & Batting Cages.................................... 27
Tilly...A Deer’s Tale......................................................... 28
Palisades Country Day School & Camp........................ 31
Palisades Center ............................................................ 2
R&R Music School......................................................... 47
Wild West City................................................................. 9
Rivertown Music............................................................ 39 Tech Adventure................................................................ 9
SPECIAL EVENTS Hurd’s Family Farm ...................................................... 13
FITNESS Academy for Martial Arts............................................... 19
SPECIAL NEEDS
Danceworks............................................................. 39, 45
Nyack Pediatric Dentistry.............................................. 45
CHILD CARE / DAY CARE
i9 Sports - Rockland County.......................................... 46
Tumble-Bee Gymnastics............................................... 11
Kiddie Academy - Northvale.......................................... 11
JCC of Rockland.............................................................. 3
Weiss, Ilene................................................................... 35
West Rock Tennis Club................................................. 23
St. Catharine Early Childhood Center........................... 22 CLASSES Applause Performing Arts Center.................................. 12
Master Jung & Yu Traditional Taekwondo..................... 28 Palisades Climb Adventure............................................ 15 Tumble-Bee Gymnastics............................................... 11
SPORTS Academy for Martial Arts............................................... 19 i9 Sports - Rockland County.......................................... 46
Art Adventure................................................................. 47
HEALTH
Master Jung & Yu Traditional Taekwondo..................... 28
Bergen Chinese School................................................. 21
A&R Advanced Dental Group.................................. 13, 48
New City Bowl & Batting Cages.................................... 27
Bricks 4 Kids - Rockland................................................ 46
Clemente Orthodontics............................................ 47, 38 Fidelis Care New York..................................................... 7
Palisades Climb Adventure............................................ 15
Clarkstown Theatre Company....................................... 43 German Language School Westwood........................... 27
Good Samaritan Hospital.............................................. 52
J.E.P. of Rockland......................................................... 22
HealthSav...................................................................... 49
TUTORS
Montebello Jewish Center............................................. 35
Kastin & Newman Orthodontics..................................... 49
Lead Academy .............................................................. 43
Nanuet Hebrew Center.................................................. 12
Kupchik Dental, PLLC............................................... 8, 48
Weiss, Ilene................................................................... 35
50
September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
West Rock Tennis Club................................................. 23
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