Brooklyn Parent NYMETROPARENTS.COM NOVEMBER 2017
Changing the World Amazing kids who started their own nonprofits
Choosing the Right Doc 15 questions to ask Plus: Kids and eating disorders
SpecialParent
Abilities, Not Disabilities
A new approach to kids with special needs
HELPING PARENTS MAKE BETTER DECISIONS
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NYMetroParents
Helping Parents Make Better Decisions
Contents
November 2017 ››
42
Features
14 15 Questions to Ask a Pediatrician How to find the best doctor for your family’s needs
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16 Kids Making a Difference These five young adults launched their own nonprofits. Here’s how—and how your child can, too. 22 Thanksgiving Desserts Kids Can Help Make Amanda Grant shares recipes from Kids in the Kitchen that are perfect for children to help bake. 36 Does My Child Have an Eating Disorder? Three experts share what to look out for, the physical and mental health risks, and getting your child the help she needs. 42 Focus on Your Abilities When your child with special needs starts to feel discouraged, let him read this, or use this as a guide, to help him through it.
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Connections
6 Editor’s Note 8 New Places, New Programs 10 Quotables 11 NYMP Q&A: Jess Shatkin, M.D., M.P.H., talks adolescent angst. 50 Voices: Growing Up with a Brother with Special Needs
Fun & Activities 12 20 24 25 35
22
Family Activities CALENDAR ››
DIY Corner: Making Snot! Where-To Guide: Volunteer with Your Kids Outing: Long Island City, Queens Family Activities Calendar Where-To Guide: Ice-Skating
Directories
25
46 47 48 49
Party Central Professional Services Meet the Health Care Professional Advertisers’ Index
Original photo by PhotoOp NYC (photoopnyc.com) Clothing provided by Appaman (appaman.com)
››
ON THE COVER ›› 14 Choosing the Right Doc 16 Changing the World 36 Kids and Eating Disorders 42 Abilities, Not Disabilities facebook.com/nymetroparents
@NYMetroParents
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NOVEMBER 2017 • Vol14 • No.4
NYMetroParents nymetroparents.com
EDITORIAL EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Michael Kress
EDITOR’S NOTE
MANAGING EDITOR: Katelin Walling DEPUTY EDITOR: Caitlin Berens SENIOR EDITOR: Bethany Braun-Silva ENGAGEMENT EDITOR: Samantha Neudorf
Season of Gratitude
L
ike many parents, I struggle to instill in my kids a sense of caring about the world around them and empathy for those less fortunate than we are. I see glimmers of hope occasionally, such as when we attended a political rally as a family or when my kids decide to donate some of their toys to charity. But sparking in our children a sustained sense of responsibility for other people and for the welfare of our planet is a daunting job. So it was with a mix of awe and envy that I read Julia Hyman’s report about amazing local kids and teens who went beyond caring and even volunteering to actually found nonprofit organizations, allowing them to have a much broader and longer-term impact than they could on their own (p. 16). If you have a budding social entrepreneur on your hands, you’ll also find tips for kids who want to start their own charities. For the rest of us, we offer a guide to local organizations at which families can volunteer this holiday season (p. 20). As we head into Thanksgiving and then December holidays, food—and lots of it— will be front and center at our family gatherings. It’s a time to feast and indulge, but we also need to be conscious of the fact our attitude and behavior toward food sends a message to our kids. For too many young people, food turns into its own struggle, leading to potentially serious health problems. Katelin Walling tells us what parents need to know about kids and eating disorders, from preventing them to recognizing the signs, to treating them when they happen (p. 36). When health problems do strike our kids, it’s essential we have a trusted pediatrician to turn to. For our family, that’s been a huge comfort and help in times of crisis. If you’ve got doubts about your doctor—or are expecting your first child and seeking a pediatrician—Bethany Braun-Silva offers 15 questions to ask that will help you find the right match (p. 14). For those kids with ongoing special needs, the barrage of specialists, therapists, tutors, and doctors can sometimes feel overwhelming and, I am sure, demoralizing. To help combat those feelings, check out our feature about focusing on kids’ abilities, rather than their disabilities (p. 42). And then see what that looks like by reading Amanda Marrone’s heartwarming essay on growing up with a brother who has special needs (p. 50). This issue marks my last one as editorial director here at NYMetroParents, and in this season of gratitude I want to say thank you to all of you, our readers, for being part of our community of parents and enriching my time here. I leave you with wishes for a happy Thanksgiving filled with gratitude and blessings!
REGIONAL EDITORS: Samantha Beranbom (Rockland); Karen Demeter (Suffolk); Whitney C. Harris (Manhattan); Rosalind Muggeridge (Brooklyn); Jamie McGillian (Westchester); Dorette Saunders (Nassau); Gail Warren (Queens) DIRECTORIES EDITOR: Alice Van Dyke EDITORIAL INTERN: Jordan Laird To Submit Events: nymetroparents.com/submitevents
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY! NYMetroParents.com is parents' Party Central—one-stop shopping for the best in: H Party Places (for the trendiest, newest, or most classic locale) H Entertainers (clowns, balloon twisting, magicians, spa parties & so much more!) H Gift-Giving (from charitable ideas to the best presents for every age) H At-Home Party Themes (think pirates, princesses, superheroes, Harry Potter…) H Planning Help H Tips & Tricks from the Pros (…and parents who’ve been there!) Bergen•RocklandParent NORTH
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Back-to-School Resource Guide Pack a Smarter Lunch Ease the Morning Rush Advocate for Your Twins
How to Manage Kids’ Schedules
What Makes a Good Mentor?
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Vaccines at Every Age Plus: Journaling for Your Child
Where-To Guide: Berry Picking
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NEW PLACES, NEW PROGRAMS
nymetroparents.com/np-bp
Who: The Learnatory What’s New: A STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) enrichment program at St. Francis College in Brooklyn Heights, which will be held Saturdays, Nov. 11-Jan. 20, 2018. The Learnatory will offer enrichment classes such as Xbox Game Design, Coding and Computer Science, Robotics, Animation, Motion Graphics and Special Effects, Web and App Development, and Making Wearable Technology for children in first to 11th grades. The program will close with a performance showcase of final projects presented to family and friends. The Learnatory will partner with local schools and organizations to offer after-school and summer programs in 2018. Want More Info: St. Francis College, 180 Remsen St., Brooklyn Heights; 347-787-0435; thelearnatory.org
Courtesy The Learnatory
STEAM Enrichment Center to Launch Program in Brooklyn Heights
The Learnatory introduces young children to STEAM while teaching older students higher-level thinking and technical skills.
Who: Sensory Bounce™ Therapy What’s New: A special needs program in Dyker Heights for children ages 3-11, which started at BounceU of Brooklyn in September. Sensory Bounce Therapy is a structured, dynamic, sensory motor and social skills therapy group for children with special needs including autism, ADHD, and motor or social difficulties. Sensory Bounce Therapy utilizes indoor bounce facilities to provide occupational therapy using the facilities’ inflatables and stimulating environment. Children can improve their balance, coordination, social skills, body awareness, and more during weekly sessions year-round. A parent support group is run simultaneously. Sensory Bounce Therapy is also located on Long Island in Plainview, Great Neck, and Oceanside. Want More Info: BounceU of Brooklyn, 6722 Fort Hamilton Parkway, Dyker Heights; 201-794-7700; sensorybounce.com
Courtesy Sensory Bounce™ Therapy
Special Needs Therapy Program Opens Dyker Heights Location
Sensory Bounce™ Therapy offers programs and summer camps utilizing bounce facilities such as BounceU and Pump It Up.
Who: Gersh Academy @ West Hills Day Camp What’s New: Increased integration opportunities for campers with special needs on campus and in the community, starting summer 2018. Gersh Academy @ West Hills Day Camp is a camp for children on the autism spectrum and who have other neurobiological disorders. Gersh Academy, a school for children on the autism spectrum, located in West Hempstead, began its partnership with West Hills Day Camp in 2009. Held on West Hills Academy’s campus, the camp gives children on the autism spectrum in kindergarten to 12th grade the opportunity to experience a traditional summer camp while receiving the support they need. Want More Info: 21 Sweet Hollow Road, Huntington; 631-427-6700; gershsummerprogram.com
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November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
Courtesy Gersh Academy @ West Hills Day Camp
Summer Camp to Expand Programming for Children with Special Needs
Gersh Academy @ West Hills Day Camp provides a traditional summer camp experience for children on the autism spectrum.
SCHOOLS MARKETPLACE In order to participate in our Early Head Start/ Head Start Programs. Needed:
• Families must reside in the Fort Greene Community-in the 11201 and 11205 zip codes, and Brooklyn Shelter • Must be pregnant or have a child from birth- 5 years of age (*Must meet federal low-income guidelines)
Early Head Start Program • Home-Based Services for pregnant women and children birth to 3 years old Center-Based Services Children 1 to 3 years old.
Head Start Program • Center-Based full day program for children 3 to 5 years old. Fort Greene Children & Family Services Northside Center for Child Development, Inc. 44-60 Rockwell Place Brooklyn, NY 11201 For More Information, Please Call Us At: Phone: 347-505-5501 | Fax: 347-505-5551 We provide pregnant women and families with children between the ages of Birth to 3 years of low income households with free family centered services that facilitate child development, support parental roles, and promote self-sufficiency. Weekly visits for Pregnant Mothers and children (Birth to 3) IMMEDIATE OPENINGS FOR CHILDREN AND PREGNANT MOTHERS
For more information please contact the Early Head Start Program of Northside Center At 347-505-5501 | Northsidecenter.org
SMART START
Early Childhood Center, Inc. 8411 Fort Hamilton Pkwy. Brooklyn, NY 11209 718-921-1868 Fax-718-921-6713
ST. BERNADETTE CATHOLIC ACADEMY 1313 – 83rd Street, Brooklyn, New York 11228 Pre-K 3 year through Grade 8 Moms and Tots (2 year old) Tel. 718-236-1560 Fax 718-236-3364 Email: stbernadette83@yahoo.com / website: www.stbernadetteschool.org Facebook: St. Bernadette School, Brooklyn, NY, Twitter & Instagram: stbernadettebk
NCLB NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE
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REGISTER FOR FALL 2017! Full/Part Time Sessions available for: 2 year old class & 3 year old class
FREE Full Day D.O.E. Pre-K For All! Our curriculum helps children understand and develop skills which will enable them to succeed and make sense of the world through: Dramatic Play, Free Play, Outdoor Play, Arts, Crafts, Music, and Movement while incorporating: Literacy, Math, Science, and Social Studies
Visit Moms & Tots, Pre-K 3, Pre-K 4 and Kindergarten
Share in our Early Childhood Experience!
Early Registration Available November 27-December 1,2017
Needed to Register for PreK3 – Kindergarten:
• • • •
Original Birth Certificate Original Baptismal Certificate Immunization Record $50.00 Registration Fee
“WELCOME WEDNESDAYS”
9:15 – 11:15 a.m. (All Wednesdays that school is in session) Guided Tours & Registration Information Available Please call for an appointment: 718-236-1560 St. Bernadette Catholic Academy - The BEST Investment in Your Child’s Future!!
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UOTABLES As Marlowe grew from a baby to a toddler, I thought a lot about structure and discipline. About the dichotomy of allowing our children to be children, but also having behavioral expectations that they are aware of in order to create a structure that allows them to blossom and mature and learn. —Eva Amurri Martino, in a post entitled “Disciplining a Toddler,” on her blog happilyevaafter.com
in an instagram How city kids get to their recital. #DDF #ddfrecitals2017 #citykid #mta #subway #dance (Posted by @thebrooklynmom, aka Vanessa Muskopf, who blogs at thebrooklynmom.com)
WHEN FAMILY IS FAR
in an instagram My two champions!! Lately these two have been really pushing each other’s buttons. The arguments happen every hour on the hour, and it gets a bit out of hand. They have mastered it, and I honestly truly believe they do it out of enjoyment!? They are competing with each other a lot more— to be “better” or for everyone’s attention. It’s been tough, something really difficult to watch over & over throughout the course of the day. But I also try and remind myself that this is normal sibling stuff, and they absolutely adore each other no matter how much they annoy each other #brothersforlife #bestfriends #momlife #momstruggles #motherofboys (Posted by @mommygorjess, aka Jessica Salazar, who blogs at www.mommygorjess.com)
“I find myself getting depressed about the state of the world, wondering if I made a mistake bringing kids into it, wondering if anything I do even matters. But when the world feels like too much, I have to remind myself to focus on the way I can make a difference—especially because it’s been right in front of me all along, right here at home.” —Chaunie Brusie, in a post entitled “What Can We Do When The World Is Falling Apart? We Can Keep Showing Up,” on mom.me
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November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
“Coping with distance can be tough. The good news is that there are lots of ways to keep geographical distance from putting real emotional distance between your kids and their relatives.” —Cora Waring, in an article entitled “Wish You Were Here!: How to Keep Kids Close to Distant Relatives;” read more at nymetroparents.com/distant-relatives
MORE NYMetroParents.com HIGHLIGHTS: A SPIN ON THANKSGIVING SIDES: Give favorites a flavorful makeover at nymetroparents.com/thanksgiving-sides. NURTURE GRATITUDE: Learn how to teach kids to be thankful at nymetroparents.com/thankful. ENJOY FALL FOLIAGE: Discover where to go leaf peeping at nymetroparents.com/leaf. NAVIGATING THE SYSTEM: Get tips for applying to NYC high schools at nymetroparents.com/high-school.
NYMP Q&A
Adolescent Angst
INTO OUR GIANT MINIATURE WORLD
››
By Bethany Braun-Silva
Jess Shatkin, M.D., M.P.H., leads the educational efforts of the NYU Child Study Center and recently wrote Born to Be Wild: Why Teens Take Risks and How We Can Help Keep Them Safe. What is it about adolescents that make them want to take risks? We have known forever that adolescents act at times impulsively or irrationally. The confusing thing is, when you talk to them 1-on-1 or even in a classroom, they’re totally rational and are able to explain their thoughts and feelings. They are able to tell you whether it’s a good idea to do something or not to do something. They don’t make bad decisions because they can’t think them through. Part of it is the brain and all the disconnects from the frontal cortex and the emotional center. Kids feel passion, they can feel love, anger, envy, desire. You can control it when you are in your 20s much better than you can at 15, so there is a lot of unbridled passion. There is also a lot of dopamine in the brain that is higher than it will ever be. The intrigue of sex, the excitement of being on a roller coaster, the excitement of driving 100mph, the excitement of jumping off a roof into the pool—that is more exiting than it will ever be again, and teens are just driven by that thrill. How can parents be cognizant of the risks their children take or may want to take? The way we address risk is knowing our kids, knowing their friends, knowing their friends’ parents, spending time with our kids. Kids who have parents that spend time with them and who are available to them take fewer risks. They talk to their parents about the risks they are thinking of taking, they talk to their parents about their friends who are taking risks, and they see their parents as a reliable source of information and counsel. Parents who aren’t around, who aren’t engaged in the process, who don’t ask their kids about sex, who don’t ask their kids about drugs, who don’t just listen and hang out and let their kids chatter about whatever they want to chatter about, those parents don’t know what’s going on with their kids and their kids don’t come to them. By the time you find marijuana in your kid’s dresser, it’s pretty late, quite honestly. Are there any trends in this behavior and how has risky behavior evolved over the years? Things are pretty much the same in that the three top killers of young adults ages 13-25 are accidents, suicide, and homicide. Suicide has increased, and that has to do with social networking and with all of the access we have to constantly knowing what everyone else is thinking about us or the message they are trying to send about how great they’re doing or how wonderful their life is. You see this very clearly with this FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) thing kids talk about. It is a very real thing, and new imaging studies of the brain show when a kid is left out, they feel pain in the brain in the same areas as when they experience physical pain. If you are left out of a group, your brain feels like you are being burned or hit hard. Kids will do a lot to avoid that physical pain; they will take a lot of risks to be part of the group.
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DIY CORNER Health Experiment
Making Snot! To understand more about what snot is (and to gross out your friends), make some fake snot and then find out why you should never sneeze into your hand.
You will need: Kettle 2 small bowls 3 packets of unflavored gelatin Fork ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) corn (golden) syrup Green food coloring Vaseline Glitter 1. Ask an adult to help you heat water in a kettle until it is very hot, but not quite boiling. Pour half a cup of the almost boiling water into a bowl and sprinkle on the three packets of gelatin. Stir the powder in with a fork and then leave to soften for 5 minutes. 2. Put the corn (golden) syrup into another bowl. 3. Stir the gelatin mix with a fork until all the lumps have gone and then slowly add it to the corn syrup until your mixture looks like snot. Use a fork to stir it, as it will pull out long strands of snot. Add a few drops of green food coloring to make it even more disgusting. This looks like snot because it is made of the same ingredients as snot—protein, sugar, and water. They are different types of protein and sugar, but snot has a very similar chemical make-up.
STEP 1
STEP 4
4. Now wipe a very thin smear of Vaseline onto a door handle that everyone in your family uses a lot. Sprinkle a thin layer of glitter all over it—it should stick to the Vaseline. Don’t tell anyone. 5. After a while get everyone to check their hands to see if there is glitter on them. Become a detective and check other places to find how far the glitter has spread. Imagine that you had cold and had sneezed into your hand and then opened a door. The bacteria and viruses from your snot would have been wiped onto the door handle. The next person who opened the door would have got it on their hands and spread it further and probably caught your cold. This is why you should never sneeze into your hand—unless you are going to wash it straight away!
Excerpted from My First Book of My Body ($14.95) by Susan Akass and Frances Butcher, photography by Terry Benson, with permission of CICO KIdz.
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November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 5
CBE
After School
Center KIDS 2017/2018 Winter Term
We start Monday, December 11th for the 2017-2018 season.
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Our Emphasis Is On Steam And Maker's Education. DIRECTOR OF YOUTH SERVICES Bobbie Finkelstein 718.768.3814 ext. 210 bfinkelstein@cbebk.org
Congregation Beth Elohim (After School Programs) 274 Garfield Place, Brooklyn, NY 11215
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15 Questions to Ask a Pediatrician
››
A good pediatrician is an invaluable resource—here’s how to find the best fit for your family’s needs. By Bethany Braun-Silva
A
s soon-to-be parents can imagine, and current parents know, having a trusted pediatrician is monumentally important. When you’re expecting, the checklists of tasks to be completed before baby comes home are already substantial, but nevertheless, it’s important to take the time to vet different pediatricians in order to find the right doctor for your family, location, and needs. And, since your baby will need to be seen by a doctor within the first week of birth, it’s important to find the right fit before baby arrives so you’re comfortable and confident at appointments. If you’re past that stage, there are many reasons why you might be considering switching pediatricians, from the practical concerns such as office hours or location to worries about fit and approach. So whether you’re expecting your first child or looking to switch pediatricians for your kids, we’ve come up with a list of 15 questions to guide you on your journey to finding the right doctor. 1. Is the practice in a convenient location? It’s one thing to strap your week-old baby in a carrier and hop on the subway for a few stops, but it’s quite another to lug a stroller up and down those subway stairs or call a car service to get you to the opposite end of town. A convenient location might not be the 14
November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
most important requirement, but it sure does help should your child need an urgent sick visit or if you will be traveling solo or with more than one kid. 2. Is the pediatrician board-certified? If the doctor is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics, that means she has passed a specialized exam in pediatrics. Additionally, if the doctor is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics the letters “FAAP” will appear after her name. This means she has met established standards for providing child health care. 3. What’s his child-care ideology? What are his thoughts on breast-feeding? Co-sleeping? Circumcision? These are all important things your pediatrician can help you with. You might also want to find out his philosophies on sleep training, potty training, and discipline. If your thoughts don’t align, this can make for some challenging visits. 4. How long does a typical check-up last? This is something you can get an idea of during a prenatal visit with a pediatrician, should you choose to have one. Does the doctor
take her time? Does she give you an opportunity to ask all of your questions? It is best that you don’t feel rushed during appointments. New parents are especially exhausted and overwhelmed and it’s important they feel at ease at the pediatrician’s office. 5. Is it a group or solo practice? If it’s a solo practice you will be seeing the same pediatrician each time you visit, although you should ask who covers for him while he’s away. If it’s a group practice you might be scheduled with different pediatricians or nurse practitioners each time you are there. Consider what’s important to you: seeing the same pediatrician every time, or the accessibility that can come from multiple doctors on staff. 6. Does the pediatrician have a subspecialty? Certain pediatricians have subspecialties, such as advanced training in allergies, behavioral issues, endocrinology, or psychiatry. This might be something to consider if there are pre-existing conditions that run in your family. 7. What is the doctor’s stance on vaccinations? While the topic of vaccinations can be a bit touchy, you’ll want to get clear before you commit on what the doctor’s opinion is regarding the timing of vaccinations. Some practices offer a gradual vaccination schedule, if that’s something you might be interested in, while others will only stick to the standard schedule. 8. Can you get a same-day sick visit? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve called my son’s pediatrician needing an appointment for that same day. I have never been denied, and it has been a source of great relief for me and my family. Not all doctors offer this service, so if urgency is important to you, make sure this is an option.
13. What is the practice’s emergency protocol and hospital affiliation? If your child has a serious accident or allergic reaction, you will need to know your pediatrician’s protocol for handling these emergencies. Does she make house calls? Will he visit children if they end up in the ER? If the practice has a hospital affiliation, find out about its reputation and if it’s close to where you live. Ask how the hospital works in conjunction with the pediatrician’s office and if it allows parents to stay in the room overnight with admitted children. Hopefully this will be something you never have to experience, but it’s good information to have nonetheless. 14. Does the practice accept your insurance? Find out what plans the office accepts and whether your plan is one of them. Also, it’s a good idea to have some knowledge of all the plans they accept in case your insurance changes. If the practice does not accept your insurance, find out if it offers payment plans or a sliding scale for certain services. 15. What is your gut feeling? This is a question for yourself, not the pediatrician, but an important one nonetheless. This doctor will be a very important part of your child’s life for years to come. Ultimately you want to find someone who you trust and feel comfortable with. After all, he will be a key player in your child’s health and development.
9. Does the office offer evening or weekend hours? If you’re a working parent, it will be difficult to get your child to well visits, never mind sick ones, during regular working hours. Extended and weekend hours can be a lifesaver for some parents. 10. What’s the wait time? You’ll probably experience some wait time in any doctor’s office, but if the office is consistently behind schedule that can be a real issue. Waiting rooms are notoriously germy and full of not-sohappy-kids. Visit prospective offices and check out the wait time for yourself, or ask a parent who’s there. There’s nothing worse then a room full of crying kids waiting to get shots. 11. How does the office look? Is the place clean? Are there toys and books for your child to play with? Because you might spend at least a few minutes waiting to be seen, it’s best to have an office that is appealing to kids. Some offices even provide patients with separate waiting rooms for sick and well kids—something to consider. 12. Can you call with questions? Is there a number to call if you have a simple question regarding your child’s health? Sometimes issues are small enough they don’t warrant a trip to the office. You want to make sure your office has a number you can call that will connect you to a doctor, nurse, or nurse practitioner on staff. This is also an important after-hours feature as well.
Serving the Brooklyn Heights and Park Slope communities of Brooklyn, NY, Brooklyn Family Orthodontics is proud to provide quality care and individual attention to our patients in a modern, state-of-the-art facility Orthodontic Specialist for Children and Adults Brooklyn Heights: 142 Joralmon Street | Suite 6B Park Slope: 73 8th Avenue (at Union Street) T: 718-625-2299 E: info@bkfamilyortho.com W: bkfamilyortho.com
BrooklynParent 15
Courtesy the Ladybug Foundation Hannah Taylor started The Ladybug Foundation when she was 8.
Kids Making a Difference
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These young people were so dedicated to improving the world they launched their own nonprofit organizations. Here’s how they did it—and how your child can, too. By Julia Hyman
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hen Hannah Taylor was 5, she saw a man searching through a dumpster on the street. She was sad, angry, and kept asking herself, Why? For the next year, that man seemed to be all she could think about. He inspired her to learn everything she could about homelessness. After educating herself, Taylor, who grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba, took action to help make sure no one else would have to live like that man did. With her parents’ help, at age 8 she founded the Ladybug Foundation, a nonprofit organization that raises money for and awareness about poverty and homelessness. Her motto: “Share a little of what you have and care about each other always.” “I’ve always lived an incredibly fortunate life,” Taylor, now 21, says. “Always had a bed to sleep in, food to eat, and love and care. I didn’t realize that anybody in Canada had to live a homeless life. It hit me right in the gut. I think that everyone has a moment like that in life. A striking realization that you just cannot let go and forget about. For me, this was it.” Starting a nonprofit organization is difficult to do at any age, involving a lot of planning and researching, not to mention inevitable challenges implementing even the best-crafted plans. To become a registered nonprofit in the United States, founders
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need to do their homework about the legal requirements. They’ll need to create a mission statement and business plan, establish an executive board, file for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, and more. The process can take multiple years and hit unexpected snags at any point—and that’s aside from the difficulties any individual or group faces in tackling massive problems such as poverty or climate change. We spoke to several teens and young adults who have successfully navigated these challenges and created their own nonprofit organizations that are still thriving today. They told us how they did it and offered advice for how other kids can follow in their footsteps and make a lasting difference of their own by starting their own nonprofit groups. Since starting her organization, Taylor has spoken about its work at conferences, schools, and to whoever would listen. Because of her age, her efforts weren’t always successful, and she says many people challenged or doubted her along the way. Taylor recalls a difficult moment when she spoke at a conference and a man stood up and asked, “Do you think that is going to work?” She responded, “Well it’s a good place to start”—and he came back with, “It will work when pigs fly.” A few months later, she received a letter in the mail from that
Courtesy the Klein family
ADVICE ON STARTING A NONPROFIT— FROM KIDS WHO’VE DONE IT
Jake and Max Klein, founders of Kids That Do Good, pose at a school event.
same man from the conference. He wrote that every day he would pass someone asking for change on the street. “After learning about Ladybug, a voice in his head would tell him to stop and ask how he is,” Taylor says. He ended up having an hour-long conversation with the man asking for change. His views on that man and those living in poverty changed as a result. “Along with the letter came a cast-iron pig with wings,” Taylor says. “It’s a challenge that you end up learning from. The only way to overcome it is to keep working and hope that you change someone’s mind and hope that they show care and love in another way.” When starting a nonprofit, there always will be challenges and struggles along the way, but there are also going to be moments when the founders realize their work is changing lives. For Taylor, that moment happened when she was 10. She was on a tour of a homeless shelter so she could understand more about the people who use it. Kids from the shelter would join in on the tour and play with Taylor. “There was one girl, about 15 years old, who was quiet and hung back the whole time,” Taylor says. “Right when I was about to leave, she snuck through a crowd of people and hugged me. She had tears in her eyes and said, ‘Before today, I thought nobody loved me, and now I know you do.’” For Taylor, it’s essential to see past the challenges and remain focused on the mission, the purpose for which a young person is starting a nonprofit in the first place. “If things get hard or overwhelming or you are facing self-doubt, just remember your job as a change-making leader, and that is to create hope in other people,” Taylor says.
Kids That Do Good
Max and Jake Klein, 15-year-old twin brothers from Edgewater, NJ, have always loved helping those in need. They spend their birthdays raising money for charities instead of receiving presents. However, every time they wanted to volunteer, they continued on next page ››
Hannah Taylor, the LadyBug Foundation If you are a young person who is interested in making a difference, you have to try a bunch of new things. Join organizations that people around you think are amazing or that you learn about in class. Often times, trying new things has to happen outside of your comfort zone. Once you find that thing, learn as much about it as you can. People talk about how knowledge is power, but I think that knowledge is only powerful when you turn that knowledge into understanding. I think the next step is that yes, one person can make a difference, but together we can make an even bigger difference. Jake and Max Klein, Kids That Do Good If you find something you care about, you will be excited to do it. You will be looking forward to it, and you will also need to ask your parents to help with some of it. Kids aren’t going to be the ones to contact the IRS to become a 501(c)(3) organization, so that will have to be put up on the parents’ end. Instead of just having a lot of kids involved, you should also have grown-ups so you are diversifying the age groups you have. Make sure you have people that will help you in starting your charity because we have had people help search things, build our website, and more. Always get opinions so you have something else to refer to. Cory Nichols, C the Difference: Cory Cares The one thing I’d say to all kids is that there is no idea too small, and you should go for anything you believe in. That was my mindset at 12 and I think it would be totally different if I did it now than at 12. You can’t really see the obstacles or what can go wrong. You just see the possibilities and that is what brought me to where I am now. You don’t know how good it feels to give back until you do it and giving makes yourself feel so much better. I know how I feel once I walk out of the food pantry, to see the shelves go from empty to notso-empty. I’ll never be able to fill up a pantry by myself, but just seeing the impact that you do make, makes you feel so good about yourself. Teagan Stedman, Shred Kids’ Cancer It can be difficult to get your own community involved with your efforts, but sometimes there is a ton of support through your events and by getting your friends to volunteer. There is a lot of variability as to how readily people will support your cause, but I think the biggest thing is to be persistent and to be sort of loud in trying to get your community on board. Try to plan very well. So if you’re trying to hold a fundraising event, make sure you market a lot. That can be a difficult thing to learn, making sure you know how many people you can get to come to your event, try to go around and get sponsorships and things like that. Social media is definitely the most powerful tool for getting the word out. You have to really try and keep your expenses low. We’ve had events that weren’t that successful, even just with the fundraising aspect. Even though you might be successful in engaging people and raising awareness, be aware because the expenses really hinder your efforts a lot. Venues and services from private people are really hard to control, which is one of the bigger challenges in fundraising. BrooklynParent 17
Courtesy Cory Nichols
Courtesy Shred Kids Cancer
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Oceanside teen Cory Nichols with some of the food that will go toward stocking local food pantries
were turned down because of their age. They didn’t want other kids to feel the same way they did, so they decided to do something about it. When they were 12 years old, Jake and Max founded the nonprofit organization Kids That Do Good. It’s an online platform that helps children of all ages find charities where they are able to volunteer. The website allows you to filter your search by age, location, religious affiliation, and cause. There is also a “Donate” option for people to help support their organization. “When people donate money, we hold it in our account until the end of the month and then donate that money directly to the Charity of the Month,” Jake says. Max and Jake insist they are just normal kids. The boys go to camp, participate in specialized clubs, and attend a business academy, all while still maintaining their organization. “Our board of advisors helps us make sure organizations we put up on our website are true charities, they help us search things, and they look at information from different angles than we do,” Max says. The Kleins started out by raising funds for organizations in their town that needed help, but Kids That Do Good has now grown to encompass charities nationwide. In 2015, a fire in Avalon, NJ, displaced 200 local families. Right away, Max and Jake decided to create a website to raise funds for those families. “Everyone responded really quickly and we had such a large outcome that we brought in over $200,000 that we divided up and gave to the families that were affected by the fire,” Jake says. The boys hope to keep Kids That Do Good up and running for a long time. When they move on to college, they hope to influence other young adults to do good as well. “We want kids to learn that giving back should be a part of everyday life, not just something that they do on a yearly basis when their parents tell them to,” Jake says. “For anyone that is starting their own website or organization, 18
November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
Teagan Stedman, second from left, presents a check from his nonprofit, Shred Kids Cancer, to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
keep going at it and never give up,” he advises. “Because it could end up being a big thing and you should never give up on your dreams.”
A Bar Mitzvah Project Expands
After watching the documentary Hard Times: Lost on Long Island, Cory Nichols, then age 12, didn’t like knowing there were kids at school who rely on food pantries for their meals. The Oceanside resident decided to devote his bar mitzvah project to raising funds to stock the local food pantry for an entire year. That’s when C the Difference: Cory Cares was born. Today, Cory is 17 and C the Difference: Cory Cares, is a registered nonprofit organization. It has a junior advisory board made up of kids ages 12-18. The organization “shops and stocks,” Cory says. “We shop for food in the supermarket and then we stock the pantry shelves with food.” C the Difference: Cory Cares usually stocks five food pantries per month. It holds events to raise funds, such as Halloween for the Hungry, during which volunteers ask people to donate food to pantries that will be picked up at a later date. Cory says he loves to hang out with friends, play sports, and act in shows. It wasn’t easy for him to start his organization. He had to plan, prepare, and ask for help. “I had my idea and what I wanted to do. I think it all started because I asked for help,” he says. “You need to have your strength in terms of standing by what you believe in and knowing what you want to do, but you also need to be ready to ask someone to help you get to where you want to go.” Raising money to buy food and then stocking food pantries takes dedication and makes a difference, but actually seeing where the food goes and who benefits from it drives home to Cory the importance of the work his organization does. “In the five years I have been doing this, I never really saw where and to who the food was going to,” he says. “But then when I was
volunteering, I actually watched the people who were with me put food together into the bags for the people who were walking in and out to receive them. ...Just seeing where everything that I have done is going and seeing that it is going to the right place and making a difference is one of the biggest eye openers for what I started.” You never know who is going to be there to help you, Cory says. The willingness of the people who wanted to help surprised him. “There is always that worry that I’m not going to raise enough money, that no one is going to volunteer, but then as soon as I gave people the opportunity to, they were so helpful,” he says.
Kids Fighting Kids’ Cancer
When Teagan Stedman was 8, his friend Alex Berson was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Instead of just saying “get well soon,” Teagan searched for things he could do to support the fight against pediatric cancer. Not many organizations would allow an 8-year-old to volunteer in hospitals, so he did the only thing that made sense to him—he started his own. Teagan and Alex both loved music, so what better way to show support than by raising money through music? He decided to plan a concert, a battle of the bands, with different children performing. He says he wanted to literally “shred kids’ cancer,” which is how he came up with the name of his nonprofit organization. Shred Kids’ Cancer has now been around for almost nine years. It continues to hold battle of the bands and other events to raise money and awareness. Originally from California, Teagan, now 17, moved to Avon, CT, and has continued running his organization there. One of the biggest challenges for him was his age. To get sponsorships and be taken seriously was a struggle because he was so young when he started. “Trying to become a nonprofit was difficult, especially when you have so little knowledge of that world,” he says, adding that the Internet was the biggest help in figuring it out. Teagan loves to play the guitar, spend time with his family, and work in the lab on his research project. He spent his summer working on drug delivery and cancer research. He says he realized even the smallest things you do can make a difference when Children’s Hospital UCLA was granted a clinical trial. Noah C. Federman, M.D., a doctor at the hospital, was treating one of the “shredheads,” as the children helped by Shred Kids’ Cancer have come to be known. “Dr. Federman told me that the funding we gave was really crucial to their clinical trial because it was the funds that got the ball rolling on their progress, and eventually got them to their million-dollar grant that pushed the clinical trial through,” Teagan says. “That was something that really showed me how that what we were doing was important and actually making some sort of a dent.” Shred Kids’ Cancer is also working to help kids launch their own start-ups or clubs that will be connected to and partner with the larger organization. Its leaders are setting up a program to give kids guidance so they can be more equipped to start their own organizations. “We really want to be a resource to help guide kids through this process,” Teagan says. “We want kids to set up their own events, awareness campaigns, or clubs at school, or anywhere to benefit pediatric cancer research.” Julia Hyman, a former NYMetroParents editorial intern, is in her senior year at Pennsylvania State University.
HOW TO START A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION Do your research. There can be a lot of challenges that come with starting a nonprofit organization, so make sure you create a plan and identify everything you need to about your specific organization. Build a solid foundation. You need to build a structure for your organization. Think about who is going to be involved, what you need to do, when you should start, etc. Incorporation and stateACTIVITIES forms. Each state has differentMORE laws EVENTS and protocols for starting a nonprofit, so be sure to research your particular state and ask the appropriate agencies if you have questions. Filing for federal tax-exempt status. Does your organization have the appropriate legal paperwork? To be considered for exemption, the IRS must recognize you as a trust, a corporation, or as an association. Ongoing compliance. In some states, local governments require you to complete additional filings to be recognized as tax-exempt. Make sure you check with your local legal counsel to ensure you have all of the initial filing requirements. How to Incorporate a Nonprofit • Choose a name for your organization, but make sure to check your state’s laws for naming a nonprofit. • Create a board of directors, along with operating rules. • Decide on a legal structure—is your organization going to be a trust, corporation, or association? • Handadvance in your incorporation paperwork—you must file all the Get notice on activities, proper paperwork and pay a small filing fee to your state. participate in group discussions • Apply for tax-exempt status—the IRS provides guidance and instructions on how to apply for this status. and receive special notices. • Get necessary licenses and permits—did you get all of the necessary licenses and permits that you need to comply with federal, state, and local rules?
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Volunteer with Your Kids
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Research by Jordan Laird
Gear up to give back with our guide to volunteering with your kids! Projects big and small require lots of hands, and there are tons of local organizations that rely on the selflessness of volunteers to make sure that these resources continue to contribute to the Brooklyn community. Volunteering with your kids is a great way to teach important, lifelong values of giving to others, and helps little ones realize the impact that one person can have on the entire world. Please call ahead to confirm volunteer requirements and details before heading out to serve others! company to the elderly housebound in New York City, you can volunteer once or sign up for a longer commitment. Volunteers younger than 16, accompanied by an adult, can help handdeliver meals. All prospective volunteers must submit an application along with two references and attend an orientation / training session prior to beginning volunteer work. For more information, call Sheila Clay at 212-687-1234, or email sheila@citymeals.org; to download a volunteer application, visit citymeals. org/volunteer.
Become an Island Ambassador
Volunteers with the Governors Island Alliance (ages 16 and older) can serve as Island Ambassadors, welcoming the public to the island, helping orient visitors, and informing them about the island’s past, present, and future. Green Team volunteers (ages 18 and older) take part in gardening and landscaping projects for Governors Island Historic District and the new park. The island re-opens to the public for the season on around May 1. For more information, contact volunteer coordinator Asley Davis at asley@friendsgi.org. Volunteer forms can be filled out online at govisland.com/getinvolved.
Donate Books
Donate your child’s gently loved books and magazines to the Women’s Auxiliary of Maimonides Infants and Children’s Medical Center. Have your child help you sort through your family’s bookcases and their own old reading materials to find a stack to share, then drop them off at the hospital together. Note: There is no pick-up system for donated books; you must drop them off in person. For 20
more information, contact the Women’s Auxiliary Monday-Friday, 9am-1pm, to speak to the person in charge of book donations or call the Department of Volunteer Services at 718-2837156. 4802 10th Ave., Borough Park. maimonidesmed.org.
Feed the Hungry
Serve a little something at St. John’s Bread and Life soup kitchen and food pantry with social services that helps combat poverty and increase awareness about New Yorkers in need. Delivering more than 400,000 meals every year, help is in high demand around the kitchen. Anyone interested in volunteering must complete an application online. Currently, they are looking for volunteers to pack up toys and food during the holiday season in December. For more information on how you can help, contact Jennifer Stephen, volunteer coordinator, at 718-574-0058 x164 or jstephen@ breadandlife.org. 795 Lexington Ave., Bedford-Stuyvesant. breadandlife.org. At Citymeals-on-Wheels, an organization that provides food and
November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
The Greenpoint Church Hunger Program needs volunteers for its soup kitchen and food pantry. Hot meals are served on Wednesdays at 6pm, and grocery bags are distributed on Thursdays from 8-11am. Visit the website and click on the volunteer tab to sign up online. Reformed Church, 136 Milton St., Greenpoint. greenpointchurch.org. Masbia Soup Kitchen serves kosher meals five days a week (Sunday-Thursday) from 2:30-6pm. Masbia is a network of three soup kitchens in NYC. Masbia reopened its Brooklyn kitchen after Hurricane Sandy in order to feed the hundreds of seniors that had been evacuated to the Park Slope Armory. Extra help is needed and all volunteers are welcomed and appreciated. Volunteers must be at least 12 years old to serve during dinner. Volunteers must be at least 10 years old to assist with meal and pantry preparation; children younger than 10 may accompany adult volunteers during non-serving hours. All individuals at Masbia younger than 14 must be accompanied by a parent or approved guardian. If you’re interested in volunteering or donating goods, call 718-972-4446 x209, email volunteer@ masbia.org, or visit Masbia (please note that you must make an appointment before volunteering) at 1372 Coney Island Ave., Flatbush. masbia.org.
Get Empowered
The Youth Empowerment Program of Puppetry Arts (YEP!) is an arts- and civics-based youth development program that empowers ages 10-18 to be stronger, proactive, and responsible citizens while building interactive relationships with each other and the community. YEP! provides projects such as group art programs, mentoring, professional support, youth-led community outreach, and volunteerism. Students 16 and older can volunteer at community events. Students younger than 16 can volunteer with their parents as a family at community events. Partnering with NYC schools in all five boroughs, YEP! targets teenagers from all backgrounds with special efforts for those that live within environments that lack significant role models or positive reinforcement from family or community. If your school or organization is interested in participating in YEP!, email Tim Young at info@puppetryarts.org. Puppetry Arts also offers internships, administration assistant positions and many more volunteer opportunities for all ages; visit puppetryarts.org for more information.
the Greenmarket and Youthmarket and Learn it, Grow it, Eat it (LGE), which promotes cooking and various community outreach opportunities. GrowNYC does not formally accept volunteers younger than 18, but middle school and high school students throughout the five boroughs can get involved through programs in their schools. If your child’s school is interested in getting involved with this program, contact
Diante Webb at 212-7887900 or poleas@grownyc.org. grownyc.org. Partnerships for Parks helps New Yorkers work together to help neighborhood parks thrive. The public-private program has a diverse, growing network of dedicated park volunteers and groups, and it provides opportunities for them to celebrate their
parks (such as volunteering for It’s My Park Day), become more effective leaders in their communities, and work with government officials to affect decisions about their parks. There are various volunteer opportunities for all age and interest levels. For more information, visit cityparksfoundation.org, call 212-360-1399, or email info@ cityparksfoundation.org.
Find the full guide at ›› nymetroparents.com/volunteer
Go Green
GrowNYC’s environmental education program implements a service-learning model: Students go out into their communities to make real changes in the areas of conservation and alternative energy. Common activities include tree planting, during which students learn about habitat restoration and why trees are important to our ecosystem, along with watershed maintenance, during which students learn how they can help keep watersheds clean and ensure the city has healthy drinking water. Students can also become part of BrooklynParent 21
FOOD & NUTRITION
From left: What’s-in-Season Fruit Crumble, Toffee Apple Tarts, and Mini Fruit Pies
Thanksgiving Desserts Kids Can Help Make ››
Amanda Grant shares pie, crumble, and tart recipes from ‘Kids in the Kitchen’ that are perfect for children to help bake.
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e love when our kids help us out in the kitchen, and what better time to get them involved than preparing the Thanksgiving feast? While having them underfoot on the big day might not be the best option, try baking Thanksgiving dessert with them the day before, when you’re not stressed about getting the turkey in the oven on time and preparing a dozen side dishes. What we love about these recipes from Kids in the Kitchen by Amanda Grant is they are geared toward different age groups and help each specific age group develop important cooking skills, which are noted within each recipe. Happy cooking!
Mini Fruit Pies (ages 3-5)
Ready-made puff pastry dough is just right for these mini fruit pies. When you are rolling pastry, it is much easier to roll one small piece at a time instead of rolling one large piece, which is why I have broken the pastry into four pieces. These pastries taste delicious and are good for packed lunches, at snack time, or for desserts. If you choose to use big dried fruits like mango or apricots, you will need to use scissors to cut them into small pieces first. To make 16 mini pies you need: Ingredients: Small piece of butter, about the size of 2 pieces of chocolate, melted (ask an adult or older child to do this), plus a little extra 20 tablespoons (11/3 cups) dried fruits 1 teaspoon mixed spice 22
November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
12½ oz. puff pastry dough A little flour for sprinkling A little demerara sugar for sprinkling Equipment: scissors, parchment paper, baking tray, mixing bowl, spoon, rolling pin, 2 pennies, round cutter about 2¼ inches across, table knife, pastry brush Skills: mixing, rolling pastry, cutting circles, brushing, using oven 1. Turn the oven on to 350°F. Cut a piece of parchment paper big enough to cover the baking tray. Put the melted butter, dried fruits, and spice in a mixing bowl and mix with a spoon. 2. Break the pastry in half, then break each piece in half to make 4 pieces. Sprinkle a little flour on the work surface. Flatten one piece of dough with a rolling pin until it is about the same thickness as 2 stacked pennies. 3. Take the cutter and, starting at the edge of the dough, push it down to cut out circles. Keep going until you have used up all of that dough. Roll out another piece of dough and cut out circles. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Using a teaspoon, spoon a little fruit mixture onto the middle of each circle. Bring the edges of the circle up together to seal the mixture inside. There should be no gaps in the pastry! 4. Turn the parcels over and flatten slightly with your hand. Using a table knife, carefully cut two or three short slits in the top of each pastry—this will let the steam escape when the pastries are baking.
5. Put them on the baking tray. Dip a pastry brush in a little melted butter and brush over all the pies. Sprinkle with sugar. Ask an adult to help you put the tray in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. They should look golden!
What’s-in-Season Fruit Crumble (ages 5-7)
One of the first things my mom taught me to make was a crumble. It’s a great way to learn how to rub butter into flour. Once you know how to do this you can have a go at making pastry. You can sprinkle this crumble mix on top of so many different fruits. Try to choose fruit that is in season—if you are not sure what that is, ask the person working in the produce section of the supermarket or go to a local famer’s market. Berries are easy to use as you don’t need to chop them first. For 4-6 people you need: Fruit filling: Seasonal fruit e.g. 15 plums or about 1 lb. 4 oz. fresh or frozen berries or about 12 peaches or nectarines 4 tablespoons orange juice 3 tablespoons light brown sugar 1 level tablespoon plain / all-purpose flour Crumble topping: 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons plain / all-purpose flour 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces 2 handfuls oats (or muesli if you prefer) 4 tablespoons light brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice / apple pie spice or ground cinnamon Equipment: cutting board, small paring knife, spoon, 2 small or 1 large ovenproof dish Skills: rubbing butter into flour, cutting with knife, mixing with spoon, sprinkling topping 1. Turn the oven on to 350°F. To make the fruit filling, use the bridge-cutting technique to cut the plums in half: on a chopping board, make a “bridge” with a thumb and finger of one hand and hold the plum. Hold a small paring knife in your other hand and put the blade under the bridge, then cut downwards firmly. Move the plums around as you cut to avoid cutting through the stone. Take out the stones. 2. Put the plums into two small or one large ovenproof dish. Pour the orange juice over the plums, add the sugar and flour, and mix with a spoon or your hands. 3. To make the crumble topping, put the flour into a bowl, add the butter and rub the butter into the flour with your fingers until it looks like fine breadcrumbs. This can take a few minutes. Add the oats, sugar, and spice and mix with your fingers again. 4. Spoon the mixture over the top of the plums. Ask an adult to help you put the dishes into the oven using oven mitts. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the crumble topping is crisp, the plums are soft, and the fruit juices are bubbling up around the edges.
Toffee Apple Tarts (ages 7-11)
These tarts are so enjoyable to make that the boys who came over to my house to make them for this book asked to make some more in between taking the photos. Once you know how to make pastry dough, you can make so many different pies, cheese straws, small tarts, big tarts, and lots more. To make 24 little tarts you need: Sweet pastry / pie crust dough: 1 stick unsalted butter, chilled 1¾ cups plain / all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon sugar 1 egg yolk 1-2 tablespoons cold water Filling: 6-8 eating apples 12 toffee sweets / candies Equipment: table knife, mixing bowl, clingfilm / plastic wrap, parchment paper, two 12-hole cupcake tins / pans, rolling pin, round cutter about 3 inches across, cutting board, oven mitts Skills: cutting, rubbing butter into flour, lining tart tins / pans, sharing fillings, bashing with rolling pins, using oven 1. Use a table knife to cut the butter into small pieces and put into a mixing bowl with the flour. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingers until it looks like fine breadcrumbs. This can take a few minutes. 2. Add the sugar, egg yolk, and water and stir the mixture together with the table knife until it comes together and you can form a ball with your hands. Wrap the pastry in a piece of clingfilm / plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for 30 minutes this will make it easier to roll out. 3. Turn the oven on to 350°F. Using a scrap of parchment paper, rub a little butter inside the holes in the cupcake tins / pans. Break the pastry into four pieces. Sprinkle a little flour on the work surface, then roll out one piece at a time. Dip the cutter in flour, then cut out 24 circles. Gently press the circles into the holes of the pans. 4. Use the table knife and a cutting board to cut the apples in small pieces, avoiding the core in the middle. Divide the pieces between the pastry cases / dough crusts. 5. Put the toffees on a solid work surface and gently bash with the rolling pin to break into pieces. Scatter the pieces evenly over the apples. Using oven mitts, put the pans in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the toffee has melted and the apples are cooked.
Excerpted from Kids in the Kitchen ($19.95) by Amanda Grant, with photography by Susan Bell, with permission of Ryland Peters & Small.
BrooklynParent 23
OUTINGS: Long Island City, Queens
nymetroparents.com/outings
5 Reasons We Love Long Island City, Queens
Culture, street art, and scenic views abound along the East River. ›› By Sabrina Sooknanan 2
Courtesy RESOBOX
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Sabrina Sooknanan
Courtesy Chop Em Down Films/Zane Meyer
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1 Top To Bottom is a unique public mural project by talented street artists on a three-story building south of the Queensboro Bridge in Long Island City. 2 The Pepsi-Cola sign, a relic from a past bottling facility, shines bright near Center Boulevard and 46th Avenue, overlooking Gantry Park. 3 Children participate in the Amigurumi workshop at RESOBOX, in which they make stuffed crocheted animals.
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ocated across the East River from Manhattan in the borough of Queens, Long Island City is a fun place to explore with the family. The neighborhood is known for its increasingly diverse community, thriving public art projects, and kid-friendly piers and skating rinks.
Different Cultures
While Queens consists of the most culturally diverse demographic among the boroughs, Long Island City exemplifies culture diversity in its people and in its food. Explore Japanese culture at RESOBOX, an all-in-one art gallery, café, and activity center that offers cultural classes in Japanese cooking, manga drawing, Japanese ink painting, and more. A vibrant restaurant scene— including Mexican hotspot Casa Enrique—further represents LIC’s diverse cultures.
Street Art History
Long Island City was once home to the 200,000-squarefoot graffiti mecca 5 Pointz NYC, an aerosol art museum that was whitewashed in November 2013 and demolished a year later. Fortunately street art murals were revived in 2015 by Arts Org NYC with Top To Bottom, a public mural project that showcases a vibrant union of colors and shapes by talented street artists on a three-story building south of the Queensboro Bridge in LIC.
Scenic Views
Take in an amazing view of the New York City skyline by visiting Gantry Plaza State Park. Located in Hunter’s Point, LIC, this waterfront park offers a stunning panoramic view and
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peaceful piers. And we can’t forget about a famous city landmark overlooking Gantry Park: the Pepsi-Cola sign, which once rested on top of the soda company’s bottling facility. In 2001, the Pepsi plant was torn down and today you can see the sign light up in red in front of a high-rise apartment building near Center Boulevard and 46th Avenue.
Art Programs at The Noguchi Museum
On the first Sunday of every month The Noguchi Museum offers Open Studio for families with children ages 2-11. Led by museum educators, families can enjoy the galleries and make art based on their experiences. Arts for Tots is offered on select Saturdays and Sundays so families with children ages 2-4 can view the galleries while exploring art materials. The Noguchi’s collection includes sculptures, drawings, models, and designs. Enjoy free admission the first Friday of every month.
Ice-Skating Year-Round
City Ice Pavilion offers public ice-skating sessions on select weekdays and weekends. It offers holiday camps, group lessons, and youth hockey. You can also check out Long Island City’s ICE, which offers a wide range of opportunities, from elite personalized training to the Future Islanders Program, eight introductory hockey-training sessions for children ages 5-8 led by former New York Islanders Arron Asham and Radek Martinek.
Want to Go?
Directions: Approximately a 45-minute subway ride from Park Slope For more information: nymetroparents.com/lic
Ideas When You Need Them:
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Turn the page for details on ‘Paw Patrol Live!’ (No. 8 on our list).
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nymetroparents.com/submitevent UPDATED DAILY AT nymetroparents.com/calendar EDITOR: ROSALIND MUGGERIDGE bkcal@davlermedia.com
NOVEMBER CALENDAR
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Editor’s Hot Tickets
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Holiday Fun
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We Can’t Believe It’s FREE!
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Show Time!
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Mini Musicians, Crafty Kids
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Smarty Pants
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Once Upon a Time, The Great Outdoors
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Movers & Shakers
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Browse & Buy
EDITOR’S HOT TICKETS
Our calendar is full of great ideas. First, here are the 10 events we consider can’t-miss—the ones we’re taking our own kids to. Consider it your cheat sheet to the best of what’s great this month!
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Try For Free Day
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 4, 12:30-5pm WHERE: Lefrak Center at Lakeside, Parkside/Ocean avenues entrance or Lincoln Road/Ocean Avenue entrance, Prospect Park AGES: 9 and older WHAT: Lakeside invites you to try everything for free, including hockey, skate school, and curling. Complimentary skate lesson does not include admission or skate rental. WHY WE LOVE IT: Before you make the commitment to sign up for lessons, give your kids this opportunity to try out a few winter sports in one day. WANT TO GO? See website for rental fees. 718-462-0010. lakesidebrooklyn.com.
Jojo & The Pinecones
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 4, 10:30am and 2pm WHERE: Peter Jay Sharp Building, BAMcafé, 30 Lafayette Ave., Fort Greene AGES: 3-12 WHAT: Joelle Lurie and ensemble perform selections from their first kid-focused album, Night and Day, which comprises original songs and reimagined jazz standards structured around the course of a day. WHY WE LOVE IT: Encouraging mindfulness and gratitude, Jojo & The Pinecones celebrate the many small moments that make up our daily lives. WANT TO GO? $10. 718-636-4100. bam.org/kids.
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Celebrate Fall at Green Meadows Farm
WHEN: Through Nov. 5: Saturday-Sunday, 11am-4pm WHERE: Aviator Sports and Events Center, 3159 Flatbush Ave., Marine Park AGES: All WHAT: Green Meadows Farm features fun activities for the whole family including animals, hayrides, haunted house, a giant hay wagon slide, and the chance to milk a cow and operate a bulldozer. WHY WE LOVE IT: Spare yourself the upstate drive and visit this local event featuring everything you’d want in a fall festival. WANT TO GO? $9. 718-224-5863. aviatorsports.com. 26
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‘Petra and the Wolf’
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 5, 2pm WHERE: Kingsborough Community College, The Leon M. Goldstein Performing Arts Center, 2001 Oriental Blvd., Manhattan Beach AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Inspired by the Prokofiev classic Peter and the Wolf, with captivating large-scale puppetry and live music, this original work introduces the mischievous but fearless Petra, the granddaughter of the fabled Peter. When a wolf threatens her home and animal friends, her adventures become a showcase of bravery and compassion. WHY WE LOVE IT: Audience members get the opportunity to meet the cast after the show. WANT TO GO? $12. 718-368-5596. onstageatkingsborough.org.
11th Annual Brooklyn Children’s Book Fair FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 11, 11:30am-4pm WHERE: Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway, Prospect Heights AGES: All WHAT: Join the Brooklyn Children’s Book Fair featuring your favorite Brooklyn authors and illustrators. This free event includes storybooks, picture books, graphic novels, author readings, and original hands-on art activities for all ages. WHY WE LOVE IT: For the 11th anniversary, participants will have the chance to meet more than 50 Brooklyn-based authors and illustrators and engage in book readings, illustrator demonstrations, and hands-on art making activities. WANT TO GO? 718-638-5000. brooklynmuseum.org.
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Disney On Ice Presents ‘Dare to Dream’
WHEN: Nov. 9-12, Thursday-Sunday, see website for times WHERE: Barclays Center, 620 Atlantic Ave., Prospect Heights AGES: All WHAT: Bring the kids to this show to see Moana going on a quest with demigod Maui to save her island and find her own identity; Anna on her journey to stop an eternal winter; and Belle as she befriends the enchanted castle staff and uncovers the Beast’s gentleness. WHY WE LOVE IT: Disney heroines spark the courage inside us all. WANT TO GO? $15 and up. 800-745-3000. barclayscenter.com.
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BAMkids Movie Matinees
WHEN: Nov. 12-26, Sundays, 2pm WHERE: BAM Rose Cinemas, 30 Lafayette Ave., Fort Greene AGES: 5 and older WHAT: This family-friendly film series offers families the perfect introduction to classic films on the big screen. Watch Long Way North on Nov. 12 and Ernest & Celestine on Nov. 26. WHY WE LOVE IT: This series gives young cinephiles and their parents an enriching, entertaining alternative to the standard multiplex kids fare. WANT TO GO? $10; $7 for children 12 and younger. 718-636-4129. bam.org/kids.
‘Paw Patrol Live!’
WHEN: Nov. 24-26, Friday-Sunday, see website for times WHERE: Kings Theatre, 1027 Flatbush Ave., Flatbush AGES: All WHAT: It’s the day of the Great Adventure Bay Race between Adventure Bay’s Mayor Goodway and Foggy Bottom’s Mayor Humdinger, but Mayor Goodway is nowhere to be found. Ryder summons Marshall, Chase, Skye, Rubble, Rocky, Zuma, and the newest pup Everest, to rescue Mayor Goodway and run the race in her place. WHY WE LOVE IT: It’s the popular television program’s first-ever live tour! WANT TO GO? $19 and up. 718-856-5464. kingstheatre.com.
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Winter Wonderland Staten Island
WHEN: Nov. 25-Dec. 23, Thursday-Sunday, 11am WHERE: Richmond County Bank Ballpark, 75 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island AGES: All WHAT: Laid out on the field of the Richmond County Bank Ballpark, this event will take guests on a trip to a winter alpine village, featuring all the wonderful holiday themes and feelings that we all know and love. Attractions include ice-skating, a 34-vendor holiday market, a nightly light show, Santa’s Workshop, and a life-sized working Gingerbread House bakery. WHY WE LOVE IT: ‘Tis the season! WANT TO GO? $10; fees vary for activities. 718-816-4506. winterwonderlandsi.com.
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From Fulton Ferry: Building Downtown Brooklyn
WHEN: Through March 31, 2018: Tuesday-Friday, 10am-4pm; Saturday-Sunday, 11am-5pm WHERE: New York Transit Museum, Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street, Downtown Brooklyn AGES: All WHAT: Using archival photographs and objects from the museum’s extensive collection, this exhibit celebrates centuries of investment and innovation in transportation that made the evolution of Downtown Brooklyn possible, and explores transportation’s key role in the commercial and residential development of Brooklyn and the Greater New York region. WHY WE LOVE IT: Get the whole family excited about history with this look at a fascinating part of Brooklyn’s past. WANT TO GO? $10; $5 children ages 2-17. 718-694-1600. nytransitmuseum.org.
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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. Kids DIY Workshop: Military Appreciation Humvee FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 4, 9am WHERE: Home Depot, 230 Nostrand Ave., Bedford-Stuyvesant AGES: 5-12 WHAT: Join this hands-on workshop during which you and your child can build a custom wooden humvee to honor all those that have served our country, then decorate it with paint and stickers. All kids get to keep their craft, receive a free certificate of achievement, a Workshop Apron, and a commemorative pin while supplies last. WANT TO GO? 718-230-0833. homedepot.com.
Election Day in Prospect Park FREE
WHEN: Tuesday, Nov. 7, 12-4pm WHERE: Prospect Park Audubon Center, Lincoln Road and Ocean Avenue, Flatbush AGES: All WHAT: Join Prospect Park Alliance for family programming on Election Day during which the whole family can enjoy special nature workshops at the Prospect Park Audubon Center. See website for the full schedule. WANT TO GO? 718-287-3400. prospectpark.org.
Brain Freeze Ice Cream Eating Contest FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 18, 2-4pm WHERE: Sky Ice, 63 5th Ave., Park Slope AGES: All WHAT: Eat a whole pint of Thai tea ice cream as fast as you can and you will win a gift certificate, among other prizes. A signed letter from a parent or guardian is required for contestants younger than 18. WANT TO GO? parkslopefifthavenuebid.com.
Greenlight’s First Anniversary in Prospect Lefferts Gardens FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 25, 10am WHERE: Greenlight Bookstores, 632 Flatbush Ave., Prospect Lefferts Gardens AGES: All WHAT: Join this festive birthday weekend featuring giveaways and surprises, hot cider, and other treats, as well as a great chance to get a jump on holiday shopping. WANT TO GO? 718-246-0200. greenlightbookstore.com.
Neighborhood Christmas Lights FREE
WHEN: Nov. 25-Jan. 1, 2018, daily, sunset WHERE: 11th to 13th avenues from 83rd to 86th streets, Dyker Heights AGES: All WHAT: This neighborhood light extravaganza is an annual holiday tradition for many New Yorkers. An unspoken competition among the home owners in the neighborhood has inspired huge lawn ornaments and motorized displays, making for a truly lavish holiday spectacle. WANT TO GO? facebook.com/dykerlights. ›› BrooklynParent 27
CRAFTY KIDS FamJam: Light It Up FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 4, 11am-2pm WHERE: BRIC Arts Media House, 647 Fulton St., Fort Greene AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Families will learn how to design and build their own lamps. WANT TO GO? 718-683-5600. bricartsmedia.org.
Family Art Workshops FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 4, 1-3pm WHERE: Staten Island Museum, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Building A, Staten Island AGES: All WHAT: Use recycled materials to create an environment for your favorite animals. WANT TO GO? $10; $5 members. 718-727-1135. statenislandmuseum.org.
Vintage Camera Day FREE
MINI
MUSICIANS ‘Odyssey’: A Youth Opera
WHEN: Nov. 3-4, Friday, 7pm; Saturday, 2pm and 7pm WHERE: Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium at Metropolitan Museum, 1000 Fifth Ave., Upper East Side AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Applaud members of the Young People’s Chorus of New York City as they perform leading and chorus roles in the New York premiere of Ben Moore’s Glimmerglass Opera production of Odyssey, a hero’s journey for all ages. WANT TO GO? $50; $1 children. 212-535-7710. metmuseum.org.
Rock and Roll for Kids
WHEN: Nov. 5-Dec. 17, Sundays, 11am WHERE: Brooklyn Bowl, 61 Wythe Ave., Williamsburg AGES: Newborn to 5 WHAT: The Rock and Roll Playhouse uses music to educate children and explore their creativity. This unique program is designed to keep children moving, playing, and singing while simultaneously listening to classic tunes and reaching developmental milestones. WANT TO GO? $10. 718-963-3369. brooklynbowl.com.
Neighborhood Family Concerts FREE
WHEN: Nov. 5-Dec. 23, Saturdays, 4pm WHERE: Bargemusic, 334 Furman St., Brooklyn Heights AGES: All WHAT: Walk across the gangplank of a renovated coffee barge for a 1-hour, family-friendly performance, including a Q-and-A session with the musicians. WANT TO GO? 718-624-4924. bargemusic.org.
Weekly Sing-Along with Hopalong Andrew
WHEN: Through May 28, 2018: Tuesdays, 4pm WHERE: Families First, 250 Baltic St., Cobble Hill AGES: All WHAT: Join this weekly sing-along with Hopalong Andrew, a New York City-born singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. WANT TO GO? $20 per family. familiesfirstbrooklyn.org.
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WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 4, 12-4pm WHERE: Alice Austen House, 2 Hylan Blvd., Staten Island AGES: All WHAT: Marvel at the art of photography with hands on demonstrations and displays of vintage cameras. Bring your own camera. WANT TO GO? 718-816-4506. aliceausten.org.
Creativity Lab
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 5, 4-5:30pm WHERE: Brooklyn Museum, Education Studios, 200 Eastern Parkway, Prospect Heights AGES: All WHAT: Take inspiration from the galleries, get messy, experiment with materials, and learn artistic techniques with a new project each month. WANT TO GO? $16; free for children 19 and younger. 718-638-5000. brooklynmuseum.org.
The Longer Subway
WHEN: Nov. 4-12, Saturday-Sunday, 1:30-2:15pm WHERE: New York Transit Museum, Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street, Downtown Brooklyn AGES: 5-17 WHAT: Using the museum’s vintage subway cars as the stage, you’ll design a crowd of puppets that animate a tale of travel. WANT TO GO? $10; $5 children ages 2-17. 718-694-1600. nytransitmuseum.org.
Thanksgiving Parade Floats
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 19, 1-3:30pm WHERE: Staten Island Children’s Museum, 1000 Richmond Ave., Staten Island AGES: All WHAT: Create a float using cardboard boxes and balloons, and show it off. WANT TO GO? $8; free for children younger than 1. 718-273-2060. sichildrensmuseum.org.
Quilt Show
WHEN: Nov. 4-26, Saturdays and Sundays, 1-3pm WHERE: Lefferts Historic House, Flatbush Avenue and Empire Boulevard, Flatbush AGES: All WHAT: See The Brooklyn Quilters’ Guild while their quilt exhibit is on display. Then try your hand at making your own paper quilt collage or add to our community paper patchwork quilt. WANT TO GO? $3 suggested donation. 718-789-2822. prospectpark.org.
ONCE UPON A TIME Events for Youth and Families: Tall Ships & Pirate Tales FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 4, 1pm WHERE: Brooklyn Central Library, Dweck Center, 10 Grand Army Plaza, Prospect Heights AGES: All WHAT: Set sail on a thrilling action-packed adventure about a crew of quirky pirates marooned on a deserted island. With mutiny and hightide looming, they must rescue their salty captain and find a way to construct a ship before all hope is lost. Throughout the story, volunteers from the audience will help explore the science behind clouds, flash paper, air pressure, inertia, explosions, and more. WANT TO GO? 718-230-2100. bklynlibrary.org.
Tortoise Race Fun Run
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 4, 11am-12:30pm WHERE: Staten Island Children’s Museum, 1000 Richmond Ave., Staten Island AGES: All WHAT: Join the pre-NYC marathon fun with inspiration from the classic tale The Tortoise and the Hare. WANT TO GO? $8; free for children younger than 1. 718-273-2060. sichildrensmuseum.org.
Events for Youth and Families: Monsterpalooza Puppet & Fairy Tale Time FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 18, 1pm WHERE: Brooklyn Central Library, Dweck Center, 10 Grand Army Plaza, Prospect Heights AGES: All WHAT: Join Nicola McEldowney, puppeteer, and her band of monster puppets for a rollicking good time of songs and fairy tales. Kids will get to be the characters in different well-loved stories led by puppet hosts. There will be singing, dancing, and lots of audience participation in this puppet variety extravaganza. WANT TO GO? 718-230-2100. bklynlibrary.org.
Storytime FREE
WHEN: Through Dec. 31: Saturdays, 11am WHERE: Barnes & Noble, 267 7th Ave., Park Slope AGES: All WHAT: Join this weekly story time followed by activities. WANT TO GO? 718-832-9066. bn.com.
THE GREAT OUTDOORS Exquisite Plants FREE
WHEN: Through Nov. 2: daily, 8am-11pm WHERE: Brooklyn Bridge Park, 99 Plymouth St., Brooklyn Heights AGES: All WHAT: Check out this interactive installation that explores shape-building and abstraction through play, by artists Adam Frezza and Terri Chiao. The three-part exhibit was inspired by the beautiful blooms of the park and includes an interactive magnetic wall in the Community Room, where visitors can rearrange magnetic plant shapes to create new compositions. WANT TO GO? 718-222-9939. brooklynbridgepark.org.
Breakfast with the Animals
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 4, 9-10:30am WHERE: New York Aquarium, Surf Avenue and West 8th Street, Coney Island AGES: Newborn to 5 WHAT: Enjoy a light morning meal of “people food” along with child-focused activities incorporating movement, discovery, crafts, and guided and free play opportunities. Education instructors help facilitate an engaging and fun experience for all. Finish the fun with an animal encounter. WANT TO GO? $45; $40 members. 718-265-3474. nyaquarium.com.
Free Family Day FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 18, 11am-3pm WHERE: The Wyckoff House Museum, 5816 Clarendon Road, Canarsie AGES: All WHAT: Explore NYC’s oldest house. Enjoy scavenger hunts, artifact investigations, gardening, self-guided exploration, and hands-on activities. WANT TO GO? 718-629-5400. wyckoffmuseum.org.
Junior Volunteer Corps FREE
WHEN: Nov. 4-19, Saturday and Sunday, 12:30-2:30pm WHERE: Prospect Park Children’s Corner, Willink entrance, Flatbush Avenue and Empire Boulevard, Prospect Park AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Join the Prospect Park Alliance for a day of fun and service. Families and elementary-school-aged groups are invited to join us to care for the park. Come learn the value of service and meet other families and children on this day of giving back. WANT TO GO? 718-789-2822. prospectpark.org.
Greenbelt Peepers
WHEN: Through Dec. 14: Thursdays, 9:45am WHERE: Greenbelt Nature Center, Blood Root Valley, 700 Rockland Ave., Staten Island AGES: Newborn to 2, adult WHAT: Through activities, crafts, and stories, kids and their caregivers will become familiar with the sights and sounds of the forest. Registration requested. WANT TO GO? $3. 718-351-3450. nycgovparks.org. ›› BrooklynParent 29
Holiday Tree Lighting FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 25, 6:30pm WHERE: 4th Street and 5th Avenue, Park Slope AGES: All WHAT: Enjoy Santa, music, puppetry, treats, and free shopping bags at this annual neighborhood tree lighting. WANT TO GO? parkslopefifthavenuebid.com.
Winter on a Flatbush Farm
HOLIDAY FUN Kids Vote Too!
WHEN: Tuesday, Nov. 7, 12-4pm WHERE: Lefferts Historic House, Flatbush Avenue and Empire Boulevard, Flatbush AGES: All WHAT: Join the Prospect Park Alliance at the Lefferts Historic House after voting this Election Day, where kids can vote, too. All children are welcome to cast their votes for national and local representatives, make their mark with a quill pen, and try on a tricorn hat. WANT TO GO? $3 suggested donation. 718-789-2822. nycgovparks.org.
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 26, 1-3pm WHERE: Lefferts Historic House, Flatbush Avenue and Empire Boulevard, Flatbush AGES: All WHAT: Get ready for winter as they did in the 19th century farming village of Flatbush. Learn how to make a candle, watch a master spinster spin wool thread, and enjoy Dutch treats made at our outdoor hearth from a Lefferts family recipe. St. Nicholas will visit at 3pm. WANT TO GO? $3 suggested donation. 718-789-2822. prospectpark.org.
Thanksgiving Kitchen Tours FREE
WHEN: Nov. 24-26, Friday-Sunday, 1-5pm WHERE: Historic Richmond Town, 441 Clarke Ave., Staten Island AGES: All WHAT: Tour the historic kitchens on the site and discover recipes and the sources of Thanksgiving meals we enjoy today. WANT TO GO? 718-351-1611. historicrichmondtown.org.
18th Annual Winter’s Eve at Lincoln Square FREE
Veterans Day Parade FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 11, 11:15am WHERE: Fifth Avenue, 26th to 52nd streets, Midtown East, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: Honor our country’s loyal veterans and salute serving military at this annual parade. The parade is preceded by a wreath-laying ceremony at the Eternal Light in Madison Square Park, and followed by a Veterans Street Fair open to participants and the general public. WANT TO GO? 888-550-6972. uwvc.org.
WHEN: Monday, Nov. 27, 5:30-9pm WHERE: Lincoln Square, Broadway from 59th to 68th streets, Upper West Side, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: Get in the spirit of the holiday season at this gathering full of music, dancing, food, and culture along nearly 10 blocks. Expect legendary as well as up-and-coming musicians, dancers, street entertainment, kid-friendly activities, and a holiday tree lighting. WANT TO GO? 212-581-3774. winterseve.nyc.
Thanksgiving with the Beasts
‘George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker’
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 18, 12-3pm WHERE: Staten Island Zoo, 614 Broadway, Staten Island AGES: All WHAT: In the tradition of celebrating a harvest, join in as the zookeepers make special Thanksgiving feasts for the animals. WANT TO GO? $8; $6 seniors; $5 children ages 3-14; free for children younger than 3. 718-442-3101. statenislandzoo.org.
Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade Balloon Inflation Event FREE
WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 22, 3-10pm WHERE: Theodore Roosevelt Park, West 79th Street and Columbus Avenue, Upper West Side, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: Watch the big balloons fill up before they make their Thanksgiving Day trip through the heart of Manhattan. WANT TO GO? macys.com/parade.
91st Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade FREE
WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 23, 9am-12pm WHERE: Parade begins at Central Park West and 77th Street, Sixth Avenue, Upper West Side and Midtown, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: This year’s parade promises all the awesomely soaring balloons including Hello Kitty, Ronald McDonald, Elf on the Shelf, and Charlie Brown, to name a few, plus marching bands, performers, and floats that families love. WANT TO GO? 212-494-4495. macys.com/parade.
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WHEN: Nov. 24-Dec. 31, Thursday-Sunday, see website for show times WHERE: David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center, 20 Lincoln Center Plaza, Upper West Side, Manhattan AGES: 5 and older WHAT: From Swan Lake to sugarplum fairies, the music of Tchaikovsky rings beautiful and clear in this classic holiday performance. Watch ballerinas flit across the stage in a magical world where mischievous mice besiege a battalion of soldiers and a blizzard leads to an enchanted Land of Sweets. WANT TO GO? $40 and up. 212-496-0600. nycballet.com.
‘Christmas Spectacular’ Starring the Radio City Rockettes
WHEN: Nov. 10-Jan. 1, 2018, daily, see website for times WHERE: Radio City, 1260 Sixth Ave., Midtown, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: Combining the old with the new, the Christmas Spectacular brilliantly takes audiences on a gorgeously choreographed journey from Santa’s workshop at the North Pole, to the streets of Manhattan, to a beautifully classic Living Nativity. WANT TO GO? $35 and up. 212-247-4777. rockettes.com/christmas.
2017 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree (and Lighting) FREE
WHEN: Nov. 29-Jan. 7, 2018, daily, 5:30am-11:30pm WHERE: Rockefeller Center, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, Midtown, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: Bundle up and squeeze through the crowded sidewalks to see this year’s towering Christmas tree. If you’re keen on seeing the tree lighting,
join tens of thousands to see the performances and lighting live, or watch it on TV. The ceremony is on a first-come, first-served basis and starts at 7pm. WANT TO GO? 212-332-6868. rockefellercenter.com.
WHAT: When a treasured object goes missing, a father and son must rely on their own creativity, and each other, to survive a world of wild landscapes—and still make it back home. WANT TO GO? $15. 718-636-4100. bam.org/kids.
16th Annual Holiday Train Show FREE
Shadow Box Theatre Presents ‘Tobias Turkey’
WHEN: Nov. 16-Feb. 4, 2018, daily, 6am-8pm WHERE: Transit Museum Gallery Annex & Store, Grand Central Terminal, 89 E. 42nd St., Midtown, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: Kids can watch in awe as little Lionel trains roll along a 34-footlong, two-level track that looks just like a mini NYC with a nearby countryside. The scenery even includes its very own North Pole. WANT TO GO? 212-340-2583. nytransitmuseum.org.
SHOW TIME Little Laffs Children’s Variety Show
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 5, 11am WHERE: Jalopy Theatre, 315 Columbia St., Carroll Gardens AGES: 3-9 WHAT: Check out this fun and entertaining monthly variety show for kids that mixes juggling, balloon art, music, comedy, and more. WANT TO GO? $10; $5 children; $25 per family. 718-395-3214. littlelaffsny.com.
The Public Theater Mobile Unit: ‘The Winter’s Tale’ FREE
WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 8, 11:30am-1pm WHERE: Brownsville Recreation Center, 1555 Linden Blvd., Brownsville AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Dire misunderstanding changes the course of destiny when King Leontes becomes convinced that his wife is pregnant with his friend’s child. The maligned wife perishes, the accused friend flees, and the cursed infant is left to die alone on the shore. But from the depths of tragedy, wondrous things can occur. WANT TO GO? nycgovparks.org.
Bindlestiff Cavalcade of Youth
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 12, 4-5pm WHERE: Coney Island USA, 1208 Surf Ave., Coney Island AGES: All WHAT: Bindlestiff Family Cirkus and Playful Productions present a special showcase for young variety performers, ranging from amateurs to world-class professionals. Juvenile jugglers, diminutive dancers, adolescent acrobats, and a host of other majorly talented minors present a full show of vernal vaudeville. WANT TO GO? $15; $10 children. 718-594-7895. bindlestiff.org.
Spellbound Theatre: ‘Stand Clear of the Closing Doors, Please’
WHEN: Nov. 9-22, Monday-Friday, 10:30am WHERE: P.S. 3, 50 Jefferson Ave., Bedford-Stuyvesant AGES: 3-8 WHAT: Meet Tobias, the most determined turkey on the farm. In this funny Thanksgiving tale, Tobias provides children with lots of laughs and a valuable lesson with determination they can do anything. WANT TO GO? $15. 212-724-0677. shadowboxtheatre.org.
Magic at Coney
WHEN: Through Dec. 17: Sundays, 12pm WHERE: Coney Island Museum, 1208 Surf Ave., Coney Island AGES: All WHAT: Enjoy a magical variety show highlighting a vast array of magicians, illusionists, escape artists, and mentalists from around the world. WANT TO GO? $10; $5 for children 12 and younger. 718-372-5159. coneyisland.com.
‘Pinocchio’
WHEN: Through Dec. 17: Saturday-Sunday, 12:30pm and 2:30pm WHERE: Puppetworks, 338 6th Ave., Park Slope AGES: 3-8 WHAT: Enjoy Carlo Collodi’s beloved folktale from 1883, Adventures of a Marionette. The show was adapted for marionettes by Nicolas Coppola. WANT TO GO? $11; $10 for children younger than 12. 718-965-3391. puppetworks.org.
‘Interstellar Cinderella’
WHEN: Nov. 18-Dec. 17, Saturday-Sunday, 11am and 2pm WHERE: New York City Children’s Theater, The Beckett Theatre, 410 W. 42nd St., Midtown, Manhattan AGES: 5-8 WHAT: Cinderella of the future is an engineer hoping to revolutionize space travel with a new invention. She’s eager to show the prince her hyper warp speed engine at the space parade, but her evil stepmother tries to get in the way. WANT TO GO? $29.25. 212-573-8791. nycchildrenstheater.org.
‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’
WHEN: Through Dec. 30: Saturdays and select weekdays, 11am WHERE: St. Luke’s Theatre, 308 W. 46th St., Midtown, Manhattan AGES: 5 and older WHAT: A highly theatrical adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ classic book brings audiences along as Peter, Susan, Lucy, and Edmund courageously battle the forces of evil, discovering that love is the deepest magic of all. WANT TO GO? $35. 212-239-6200. narniaoffbroadway.com. ››
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 18, 10-10:45am and 11:15-11:45am WHERE: Old Stone House, 336 3rd St., Park Slope AGES: 3-5 WHAT: This one-of-a-kind storytelling performance follows a lost toy, Catbear, as he travels through the tunnels of New York City on six different subway lines, looking for his owner. Each train has its own story, and Catbear experiences all the sights and sounds of New York City before landing home again. WANT TO GO? $15. 718-768-3195. theoldstonehouse.org.
‘A Billion Nights on Earth’
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 18, 2pm WHERE: BAM Fisher, Fishman Space, 321 Ashland Place, Fort Greene AGES: 5 and older
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Transportation Inventions
WHEN: Nov. 24-26, Friday-Sunday, 1:30-2:15pm WHERE: New York Transit Museum, Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street, Downtown Brooklyn AGES: 5-17 WHAT: Visit the museum during the Thanksgiving break. Use your imagination, a little inspiration, and the wacky materials on hand to plan, blueprint, and build a pint-sized vehicle model of the future. WANT TO GO? $10; $5 children ages 2-17. 718-694-1600. nytransitmuseum.org.
Library Lab: Coding FREE
WHEN: Nov. 30-Dec. 20, Wednesdays, 4pm WHERE: Brooklyn Central Library, 10 Grand Army Plaza, Prospect Heights AGES: 5-12 WHAT: Explore science, technology, engineering, and math concepts with fun, free activities that will spark curiosity through hands-on experiments. WANT TO GO? 718-230-2100. bklynlibrary.org.
SMARTY PANTS Play Fair
WHEN: Nov. 4-5, Saturday-Sunday, 10am-7pm WHERE: Javits Center, 655 W. 34th St., Chelsea, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: From a family-friendly video gaming lounge to dance classes with the Rockettes, this year’s Play Fair promises a weekend full of fun. With two activity stages to choose from, guests can catch cool cartoon screenings, watch Lego master builders do their thing, or try their hand at light saber training, all while meeting and greeting favorite characters. WANT TO GO? $25-$50. playfairny.com.
The Science Playground
WHEN: Through Nov. 11: Monday-Friday, 9:30am-5pm; SaturdaySunday, 10am-6pm WHERE: New York Hall of Science, 47-01 111th St., Corona, Queens AGES: All WHAT: The nation’s largest science playground features 60,000 square feet of exhibits for children of all ages. Slides, seesaws, climbing webs, a water play area, drums, mirrors, sandboxes, and more allow kids to explore science by playing. WANT TO GO? $5 with admission: $16; $13 seniors and children ages 2-17. 718-699-0005. nysci.org.
Train Operators Workshop
WHEN: Through Dec. 23: Saturday-Sunday, 3:30-4:30pm WHERE: New York Transit Museum, Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street, Downtown Brooklyn AGES: 9-17 WHAT: Drop by the Computer Lab to take control of a NYC subway car and operate it over virtual miles of track in this realistic game. WANT TO GO? $7; $5 seniors and children ages 2-17. 718-694-1792. nytransitmuseum.org.
Brooklyn Block Lab and Studio
WHEN: Through Dec. 31: Thursday-Sunday, see website for times WHERE: Brooklyn Children’s Museum, 145 Brooklyn Ave., Crown Heights AGES: 3-8 WHAT: In the museum’s new second floor studio, which focuses on art and architecture, visitors of all ages develop their engineering skills as they engage in open block play with large Imagination Playground blocks and table top sized Kapla Planks and Magnatiles, as well as artist James Paulius’ house-shaped wooden blocks and pegs from his installation Sky Village. WANT TO GO? $11; free for children younger than 1. 718-224-5863. brooklynkids.org.
Gulliver’s Gate
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 18, 11am-1pm WHERE: Staten Island Museum, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Building A, Staten Island AGES: 5-17 WHAT: Learn how a circuit works and make your own LED light-up helicopter. WANT TO GO? $10; $5 members. 718-727-1135. statenislandmuseum.org.
WHEN: Through Dec. 31: daily, 9am-10pm WHERE: 216 W. 44th St., Times Square, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: Artists from eight countries took part in building this miniature world, featuring cities from across the globe, all built to scale. You can even pay to have your body scanned and become part of the exhibit. WANT TO GO? $36; $27 seniors and for children 12 and younger. gulliversgate.com.
The Bridge Building Challenge
Soulful Creatures: Animal Mummies in Ancient Egypt
Super Science Saturday: Light-Up Helicopters FREE
WHEN: Nov. 18-19, Saturday-Sunday, 12:30-2:15pm WHERE: New York Transit Museum, Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street, Downtown Brooklyn AGES: All WHAT: Bring your family and join the team challenge to design and build a better bridge using only the materials the museum supplies. WANT TO GO? $10; $5 children ages 2-17. 718-694-1600. nytransitmuseum.org.
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WHEN: Through Jan. 21, 2018: Wednesday-Sunday, 11am-6pm WHERE: Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway, Prospect Heights AGES: All WHAT: The mummification of animals in Egypt has remained largely a mystery. This exhibit explores the religious purpose of these mummies, how they were made, and why there are so many. WANT TO GO? $16; $10 students and seniors; free for children 19 and younger. 718-638-5000. brooklynmuseum.org.
MOVERS & SHAKERS Family Fun Series
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 4, 4:30-5:30pm WHERE: Mark Morris Dance Center, 3 Lafayette Ave., Fort Greene AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Designed for the whole family, you will learn the fundamentals of a variety of dance, fitness, and music genres, from Bhangra to salsa, music and singing, hip-hop, and more. WANT TO GO? $25 for a family of 2-3; $30 for a family of 4-6. 718-624-8400. markmorrisdancegroup.org.
WHAT: SPARK is a new art and play space located in Brooklyn Bridge Park and features an outpost of the popular Brooklyn Block Lab exhibit, as well as daily art and design workshops, music classes, birthday parties, and more. WANT TO GO? $15; free on Thursdays. 718-624-4719. brooklynkids.org.
Bank of America Winter Village WHEN: Through March 4, 2018: daily, 8am-10pm
WHERE: Bryant Park, 40th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues, Midtown, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: The park becomes a winter wonderland with an outdoor ice-skating rink (free entry!), a European inspired open-air market for holiday shopping, rinkside dining, and even an observation deck full of games and art supplies. WANT TO GO? $20 skate rental. 212-768-4242. bryantpark.org.
The Little People Party Open Play WHEN: Through June 1, 2018: Monday-Friday, 10am-5pm WHERE: The Backyard, 196 N. 14th St., Williamsburg AGES: 3-5 WHAT: A pop-up tot party held in a giant, enclosed, Astroturf-covered field is decked out with games and toys for kids and the bar sells refreshments for the adults. WANT TO GO? $20. 646707-4372. facebook.com/ thelittlepeopleparty. ››
TCS New York City Marathon FREE
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 5, 8:30am WHERE: NYC’s five boroughs AGES: All WHAT: Thousands will run and millions will watch! Spectators can view from many different parts of the five-borough course, which runs from Staten Island to Brooklyn, through Queens and the Bronx, and on into Manhattan’s Central Park. WANT TO GO? tcsnycmarathon.org.
New York Road Runners Open Run FREE
WHEN: Through Dec. 27: Tuesdays, 7pm WHERE: Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 6, Atlantic Avenue and Furman Street, Brooklyn Heights AGES: All WHAT: Open Run is a communitybased initiative that empowers local volunteers to bring free weekly runs to local neighborhood parks all over NYC. All runs are directed by volunteers, and courses are usually between 2½-3 miles. Open to all ages, experience levels, walkers, strollers, and dogs. WANT TO GO? 718-222-9939. brooklynbridgepark.org.
SPARK by Brooklyn Children’s Museum
WHEN: Through Dec. 31: Tuesday and Friday-Sunday, 1-5pm; Wednesday, 1-3pm; Thursday, 1-6pm WHERE: Brooklyn Bridge Park, 1 John St., Dumbo AGES: Newborn to 5
On View Now Baboon Appliqué from an Animal Mummy (detail). Possibly from Saqqara, Egypt. Ptolemaic Period, 305–30 B.C.E. Linen, 5½ x 2 in. (14.2 x 5.6 cm). Brooklyn Museum; Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 37.272E. (Photo: Gavin Ashworth, Brooklyn Museum)
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Brooklyn Holiday Bazaar FREE
WHEN: Nov. 25-26, Saturday-Sunday, 11am-6pm WHERE: 501 Union, 501 Union St., Gowanus AGES: All WHAT: Brooklyn Holiday Bazaar is a unique annual event that showcases the best of Brooklyn under one roof, packed with handmade goods, food, drinks, music, craft activities, and more. WANT TO GO? 917-821-4489. brooklynholidaybazaar.com.
Holiday Market
BROWSE & BUY Small Business Saturday FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 25, see website for times WHERE: 5th Avenue, Dean to 18th streets, Park Slope AGES: All WHAT: This event focuses on local businesses including unique stores, services, bars, and restaurants owned by local people who invest in the community. Carolers, Santa, a special event, and promotions will be on offer. WANT TO GO? 845-425-2891. parkslopefifthavenuebid.com.
WHEN: Nov. 25-Dec. 24, Saturday-Sunday, 12-6pm WHERE: Calabar Imports, 351 Tompkins Ave., Bedford-Stuyvesant AGES: All WHAT: This market is focused on handmade goods made by artisans, designers, and makers in Brooklyn. WANT TO GO? 718-928-3970. calabar-imports.com.
Holiday Arts and Crafts Fair
WHEN: Nov. 25-26, Saturday-Sunday, 11am-5pm WHERE: Alice Austen House, 2 Hylan Blvd., Staten Island AGES: All WHAT: Find special holiday gifts made by local artists and artisans at this unique market. WANT TO GO? Free admission; various items for sale. 718-816-4506. aliceausten.org.
Coming up next month: DEC. 2: The Cybertronic Spree at BAMcafé in the Peter Jay Sharp Building, Fort Greene DEC. 16: Beastly Feast with Santa at the Staten Island Zoo, Staten Island DEC. 17: The State Ballet Theatre of Russia Presents The Nutcracker at The Leon M. Goldstein Performing Arts Center in Kingsborough Community College, Manhattan Beach
A BROOKLYN SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT VENUE
FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT IN BROOKLYN
NOV 9-12
DEC 26
TICKETMASTER.COM 34
November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
FEB 22-25
800.745.3000
WHERE-TO GUIDE
Ice-Skating
nymetroparents.com/where-to
››
Research by Kathryn Sheridan
Time to lace up your skates and practice your figure eights! Winter is upon us and local rinks are ready to have you on the ice. Whether you’re just learning to skate or a total pro, ice-skating is fun for the whole family. Plus, if you don’t land that jump you’ve been working on, you can always cheer up with a cup of cocoa at many ice rink concession stands. As always, call ahead to verify hours and prices before your ice-skating outing. Lasker Skating Rink North end of Central Park, near 110th Street and Lenox Avenue, Harlem 917-492-3856; laskerrink.com Hours: Oct. 28-March 18, 2018 (weather permitting): Monday-Thursday, 10am4pm; Friday, 10am-4:50pm and 6-11pm; Saturday, 1-11pm; Sunday, 12:30-4:30pm. Price: $8.50; $2.25 seniors; $4.50 children ages 12 and younger; $7.50 skate rental.
Outdoor Rinks Lakeside 171 East Drive, Southeastern Prospect Park 718-462-0010; lakesidebrooklyn.com Hours: Oct. 28-April 2, 2018: MondayThursday, 9am-5pm; Friday, 9am-9pm; Saturday, 11:30am-9pm; Sunday, 11:30am-5:15pm Price: $6 Monday-Friday; $9 Fridays after 4pm, Saturday-Sunday, and holidays; $6 skate rentals. Indoor Rinks Aviator Sports and Event Center Floyd Bennett Field, 3159 Flatbush Ave., Marine Park/Mill Basin 718-758-7500 or 718-757-7567 aviatorsports.com Hours: Year-round: Monday-Thursday, 11:30am-3:50pm; Friday, 11am-3:45pm and 7:30-11pm; Saturday, 1:45-5:50pm and 7:30-11:30pm (beginning early October to April); Sunday, 12:15-6:30pm. Call for holiday schedule. Price: Non-Members: $12; $10 children ages 11 and younger; $6 skate rental. Members: $11, $9.10 children ages 11 and younger. Free lockers; bring your own lock.
Steeplechase Figure Skating at Abe Stark Rink Abe Stark Rink, Coney Island Boardwalk, Broadway and West 19th Street, Coney Island 718-253-8919 or 718-946-6536 nycgovparks.org/facilities/iceskating/1 Hours: Opens in October, see website: Saturday-Sunday, 1-2:30pm Price: $10. $5 skate rental. Persons younger than 18 must have written consent form signed by parent or guardian. Agreement forms are available at the rink and a parent must sign the form in the presence of a rink employee or the parent’s signature must be notarized. All information is subject to change.
MANHATTAN Outdoor Rinks Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park 40th-42nd streets between Fifth and Sixth avenues, Midtown 917-438-5166 citipondatbryantpark.com Hours: Oct. 28-March 4, 2018: daily, 8am-10pm Price: Free; $20 skate rental.
The Rink at Rockefeller Center Fifth Avenue between 49th and 50th streets, Rockefeller Center 212-332-7654 212-332-7655 for reservations therinkatrockcenter.com Hours: Oct. 7-April 2018: daily: 8:3012am, with occasional half-hour cleaning sessions throughout the day. Group rates and skate lessons available. Price: $25-32; $15 children younger than 11 and seniors. $12 skate rental. Riverbank State Park 679 Riverside Drive, Hamilton Heights 212-694-3642; nysparks.com/parks/93 Hours: Opens November; see website for times Admission: Prices were not confirmed at the time of publication Wollman Rink Central Park (enter at 59th Street and Sixth Avenue) 212-439-6900; wollmanskatingrink.com Hours: Oct. 23 (weather permitting) through early April 2018. The rink opens daily at 10am and closes at the following times: Monday-Tuesday at 2:30pm; Wednesday-Thursday at 10pm; FridaySaturday at 11pm; Sunday at 9pm. Price: Monday-Thursday: $12; $6 children ages 11 and younger. Friday-Sunday: $19; $6 children ages 11 and younger. $9 skate rental. No credit cards. Find the full guide at ›› nymetroparents.com/ice-skating
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Does My Child Have an Eating Disorder? ››
Three experts share what to look out for, the physical and mental health risks, and how to get your child the help she needs. By Katelin Walling
N
ational surveys estimate that nearly 20 million females and 10 million males will have an eating disorder at some point in their lives, according to the National Eating Disorders Association. And when most eating disorders get diagnosed? “Between the ages of fourteen and eighteen,” says Joanna Steinglass, M.D., associate professor of clinical psychiatry and director of translational research in eating disorders at the Columbia Center for Eating Disorders. “There are some reports that people are noticing and diagnosing and getting kids to treatment even earlier, which may be a sign that parents are getting more informed.” In fact, NEDA cites an increase in the diagnosis of children, some as young as 5 or 6. Eating disorders are mental illnesses that are serious and can be treated, though it’s unclear for certain why they occur. Some factors include body image issues, self-esteem issues, being bullied about looks, the need to control something in his life, and societal pressures for looking like the actresses and models she sees on TV,
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in magazines, and in the movies. There is also a possibility that eating disorders could be genetic. Studies have found that having a parent or sibling with an eating disorder increases a child’s risk of developing one, according to NEDA. And while the Internet and social media may have a negative role in eating disorders, a lot of celebrities and “regular people” have used various platforms to talk about their experiences with eating disorders, including Sadie Robertson of Duck Dynasty and Dancing with the Stars, who wrote about her eating disorder on her blog Live Original; actress Troian Bellisario, known as Spencer Hastings on FreeForm’s Pretty Little Liars, who wrote about her eating disorder for Lena Dunham’s Lenny Letter; and pop star Kesha, who wrote some of the songs on her new album during a three-month stay at an impatient facility for women with eating disorders, addictions, mood disorders, and trauma while getting treatment for “an eating disorder that nearly killed her,” according to her recent Rolling Stone profile.
With eating disorders being talked about more and more often, parents may be left wondering whether their child has one, what the signs are, and how they can support him.
Eating Disorders Explained
“I think it’s probably most helpful for parents to know that there are a lot of different ways that eating disorders can present themselves,” Dr. Steinglass says. “It may be more important to have a sense of whether something feels like it’s not quite right and let the doctors figure out what the right name for it is.” While a medical professional should do specific diagnosing, it may be helpful for parents to know about the various eating disorders and how they typically present. Anorexia nervosa: A person with anorexia generally restricts the number of calories and the types of foods she eats, according to NEDA. Typically someone with anorexia is of low weight and is restricting his eating to the point where if he is growing, he’s not gaining weight, so he becomes thinner and more out of his range for expected weight and height, says Michelle Miller, Psy.D., a psychologist at the Child Study Center at NYU Langone Health. Alternatively, if she’s stopped growing and stays at the same height, her weight is going down. “That is all due to restriction of eating that’s related to control, which may be a concern about weight or body image. Some individuals may be over concerned about a health focus as well. They feel that every food has to be ‘healthy,’ and so they’ll only eat certain types of food to maintain that,” Dr. Miller says, adding that an individual with anorexia may engage in compensatory behavior such as self-induced vomiting, using laxatives, or excessive exercising to address their concerns about body image and compensate for what he has eaten. Bulimia nervosa: An individual with bulimia will go through periods of two hours or less during which she eats an amount of food that is larger than what one would expect to eat in that period—and feels she has no control over the behavior. After that period of time, she engages in a compensatory behavior to “undo” the effects of binge eating, according to Dr. Miller. Binge eating disorder: Like with bulimia, an individual with binge eating disorder consumes a large amount of food in a short period of time. However, unlike with bulimia, compensatory behaviors are not present, and patients will typically present very overweight, according to Michele Calderoni, D.O., who specializes in adolescent medicine at Crystal Run Healthcare. While we all have occasional periods of time when we might eat more, such as a dinner out with friends or at Thanksgiving, “when they do it, they feel a lack of control in the episode, like they can’t stop eating,” Dr. Miller says. “They’ll eat until they feel extremely, uncomfortably full, and they keep eating even when they’re not physically hungry. They also may eat alone.” Avoidant / Restrictive Food Intake Disorder: Previously referred to as Selective Eating Disorder, ARFID is similar to anorexia in that it involves limitations to the amounts or types of foods consumed, but it does not involve concerns about body shape or size, according to NEDA. A person with ARFID is “avoiding whole food groups not because of fear of weight gain or body image concerns or a need for control, but because of a lot of sensory difficulties, because they have low interest in food, and/or because they’re continued on next page ››
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concerned with having negative consequences from eating, such as feeling so uncomfortably full that they’re nauseous or they’re afraid of throwing up,” Dr. Miller says. “The condition usually starts early on, so it’s not something that we would typically see as developing later. You see it usually starting in childhood and they become pickier and pickier as they get older and start getting more and more anxious around food.” Rumination disorder: Those with rumination disorder regurgitate or vomit food, chew it, and swallow it, and there is no known gastrointestinal etiology, Dr. Calderoni says. “I actually have a patient right now who has this. She has had a full GI workup, and we can’t find any reason for her vomiting. It can happen any time on any day. There are no real triggers or explanation…and there are no electrolyte abnormalities that correspond and no physiological abnormalities that correlate,” she says. “[Rumination disorder] is very rare, but we do see it from time to time.” Orthorexia: Although it’s not formally recognized in the DSM, awareness of orthorexia—a fixation on so-called “healthy eating” that a person damages his or her own well-being—is on the rise, according to NEDA. Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorder: Previously known as Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, OSFED is considered a “catch-all” to classify eating disorders that do not meet the criteria for anorexia or bulimia, according to NEDA. “It’s a huge category, which we all hate to use, but sometimes it really is the only diagnosis that encapsulates what’s going on at the time,” Dr. Calderoni says. “But we try very hard not to put our patients in that category.”
Signs of an Eating Disorder
The main signals for parents that their child may have an eating disorder are changes in behavior of eating, changes in behavior of physical activities, or changes in weight, Dr. Steinglass says. As an eating disorder progresses, you may start to see your child isolate himself, and see mood changes. Typically with anorexia, a child will become preoccupied with what foods she is eating, a decrease in the amount of food she is eating, she may push food around the plate, or make excuses as to why she can’t eat. “Bulimia and binge eating disorder are a little trickier to recognize because they’re often done in secret,” Dr. Miller says. Another possible sign of binge eating disorder or bulimia is if quantities of food disappear over an evening or a short period of time, Dr. Calderoni adds. Other possible signs of bulimia include frequent use of the bathroom immediately after meals, signs of vomiting or laxative use, and tooth decay from vomiting frequently. “And I think with all of these conditions, except with ARFID, you’re hearing concerns about how they look and what they’re eating and complaints about their weight,” Dr. Miller says.
Talking to Your Child
If you suspect your child may have an eating disorder, it’s best to approach him in a nonjudgmental way. “I think it’s really wise to sit down with your child and ask your child very nonjudgmental questions about their health and how they’ve been feeling. I think you need to make it nonjudgmental because you want your child to trust you and to feel that they can tell you what’s going on because many kids will try to hide this,” Dr. Calderoni says. “You can comment that you may have noticed changes or things they’re saying about themselves or things about their eating that made you concerned,” Dr. Miller says, adding to be cautious if 38
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your child is showing signs of bulimia or binge eating as those conditions are associated with a lot of guilt. “So going about it like, I’ve noticed you’ve been stressed around your eating, and I want to see if there’s a way we can help you feel better,” she says. As with any medical diagnosis, it’s important to see a doctor to get your child evaluated. “It’s good to go to a doctor to get a health workup to see if there’s anything going on with [your child’s] health, and rule out any cause that is unrelated to eating. I’d also recommend getting an evaluation through a psychologist or psychiatrist who specializes in eating disorders to help identify if it is an eating disorder before jumping to any conclusions,” Dr. Miller says. “If it is identified as an eating disorder, either through a physician or a therapist, then the next step would be to make sure the child is enrolled in treatment. Eating disorders can be very complex and is not something you should try and fix outside of therapy.”
Treatments for Eating Disorders
Across the board, “parents play a huge role in helping kids get out of an eating disorder and they may need to take a big role in figuring out how to get their kids back on track with normal and healthy eating,” Dr. Steinglass says. “The kinds of treatments that tend to be helpful are things that have a real emphasis on seeing change in behavior and paying attention to what’s actually happening with eating and normalizing eating. That can occur in all kinds of settings and all kinds of different ways,” While specific treatment plans will vary depending on the child and the eating disorder, there are a few techniques medical professionals employ when treating a child or teen with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, or ARFID. Multi-disciplinary approach: With this approach, your child will have a three-person treatment team: a medical provider, a nutritionist, and therapist. “Eating disorders are multi-factorial and the treatment has to be tailored to each of these components,” Dr. Calderoni says. The medical provider identifies the medical consequences of an eating disorder and ensures the patient is physically and medically safe. The nutritionist ensures adequate nutrition is part of the treatment plan. “It’s important to have somebody who understands nutrition from a macro- and a microelement perspective, and who also understands eating disorders,” Dr. Calderoni advises. The therapist addresses the mental health piece of the eating disorder. “Again, it should be a certified eating disorder therapist. That’s very important as well because there are triggers and other behaviors that are just really not understood by all therapists,” she adds. This approach is very individualized, meaning the child is the one who works with the medical provider, nutritionist, and therapist. Family-Based Therapy: Unlike with the multi-disciplinary approach, parents are heavily involved in FBT, which can be used to treat adolescents with anorexia or bulimia. Families work with an FBT therapist through three phases of treatment. During phase one, the parents have complete control over what the child eats—the parents plan, serve, and supervise all meals. In phase two, the patient gradually gains control over mealtimes—deciding what, when, and how much to eat. In phase three, the FBT therapist works with the family in addressing other issues in adolescent development as needed, according to Dr. Calderoni. Off the C.U.F.F.: Developed for treating ARFID by Nancy Zucker, Ph.D., a child and family psychologist, eating disorder specialist, and director of the Duke Eating Disorder Center, C.U.F.F. stands for clear, undisturbed, firm, and friendly. This program provides practical strategies to help parents deal with their child’s eating behaviors.
When treating a child with ARFID, “it’s important that parents use different terms that are very clear and specific around what they want their child to eat and how much of it while remaining as calm and undisturbed around their child as possible,” Dr. Miller says. “That they’re being very firm in what they want their child to do, but they also have moments where they’re doing positive things with their child unrelated to food because often times when a child has an eating disorder, it can become the sole focus for the family. So we want them to do things with each other outside of the eating disorder.”
Physical and Mental Health Risks
Eating disorders have a number of associated physical and mental health risks. Eating disorders can: cause abnormalities in electrolytes; cause changes in potassium, phosphate, and magnesium; affect bone marrow and white blood cell count; put a young adult at risk for a heart attack; and affect growth. They can also compromise fertility and reproductive systems. “In young girls, they either won’t get their period, or if they were getting a period, their periods will go away, and when we look at the hormones that correlate with cycling normally—LH, FSH, and estrogen—those hormones are decreased. In young boys or young men, testosterone will also become decreased,” Dr. Calderoni says. The decrease in estrogen and testosterone affects bone density. Bulimia affects tooth health, while those with binge eating disorder are at risk for obesity. And “the starvation that comes with anorexia nervosa has one of the highest mortality rates of any psychiatric illness,” Dr. Steinglass says. As a result of a malnourished brain, individuals with eating disorders may also experience depression, anxiety, irritability, inability to sleep, cognitive impairment, and decrease in memory and attention, Dr. Calderoni says. And social anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder are common in those with anorexia, according to Dr. Miller.
Reducing the Risk
While there are no sure-fire ways to prevent children from developing eating disorders, there are things parents can do at home to reduce the risk of their child developing one. The experts we spoke with agree that families should not talk about food in terms of good and bad or healthy and unhealthy, and instead focus on having a balanced diet and moderation in meals. “Teach your child that having fruit one night and having ice cream one night for dessert is okay,” Dr. Calderoni says. “What I find is if you tend to have a very restrictive food environment at home, many times these kids become binge eaters or they learn that being restrictive is the way to eat.” Other things that can help reduce the risk are: have family meals together as often as possible, keep conversations during family meals positive, and make sure meals include a variety of foods, Dr. Miller says. Dr. Steinglass advises parents also keep the focus on body wellness—how your body can be healthy for you—rather than body image or size. “I also think families should try to not use negative terms like ‘chubby,’ or ‘you have thick legs,’ or ‘you’re built like Grandma, who is three-hundred pounds.’ I think staying away from comments about their bodies and body types is really important,” Dr. Calderoni adds. “We’re all born differently. Sometimes you do get one kid in the family that’s a little heavier than everyone else. It’s just best to not really talk about it. When you go shopping for clothing, try to stay away from sizes and comparison between children and not be so concentrated on what size your children are. Just love your child for who they are.”
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ONLINE EXTRAS Parents of kids with special needs are joining other advocates to put a stop to the “R-word.” Find out how, and what you can do at ›› nymetroparents.com/r-word
Children of siblings with special needs face their own unique challenges— and opportunities for growth. ›› nymetroparents.com/special-siblings
Meet Chase Bailey, a 15-year-old with autism, who has a YouTube cooking show, founded a charity, and released a cookbook ›› nymetroparents.com/ chase-bailey
The importance of having a circle of support cannot be underestimated. Find a group near you at ›› nymetroparents.com/ special-support
INSIDE
SpecialParent
42 Focus on Your Abilities: When your child with special needs is feeling discouraged, use this as a guide to help him through it. 50 G rowing Up with a Brother with Special Needs: The important life lessons I learned from my brother—and why I wouldn’t change a thing
SPECIAL NEEDS
To help your child focus on his abilities rather than disabilities, have him write down positive qualities about himself and tack it on the wall for him to look at when he’s feeling down.
Focus on Your Abilities
››
When your child with special needs starts to feel discouraged in school, let him read this, or use this as a guide, to help him through it. By Wendy L. Moss, Ph.D., and Denise M. Campbell, M.S.
W
herever you are in the process of getting special education, you have probably been working hard at things that are challenging for you. But it’s important to remember that your challenges are not what make you special. They are not what make you YOU. There is a lot more to you than your difficulties. And it is important not to forget about all your strengths, talents, and skills.
Six Steps for Being a Positive, Confident You
Life can be pretty stressful when you worry a lot about why you have challenges and what you can do about them. It is important to focus on improving areas that are hard for you. But it is just as important to focus on your abilities. To help you do this, this excerpt will talk about six big steps. These steps can help you learn ways to feel positive about yourself and your skills. You can use these steps even while you’re working to improve in your areas of difficulty. As you read about these six steps, you may be tempted to skip 42
November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
over some of them. But try to go step-by-step without missing any. Each step is important. Step #1: Focus on the Positive Have you ever cheered up a friend who was feeling sad? Maybe you did this by reminding that friend how great he or she is. Good friends do this for each other. Confident people also do this for themselves—and you can, too. First, take a few minutes to think of at least three positive qualities about yourself. These qualities shouldn’t be about what you can do well. You’ll think about that next. Right now, think about your personality. Can you think of three great things about your personality? You can write them on notebook paper. Or you can type them on a computer and print out your list. You can also have an adult help you type or write the list. Then keep this list in a place where you can look at it often. If you have trouble coming up with three special qualities, look over the following list. Which words describe you? Feel free to use different words if you have qualities that aren’t on this list.
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Est. 1961 • athletic • trustworthy • cooperative • patient • creative • considerate • insightful • honest • sensitive • responsible • happy • funny • respectful • outgoing • generous • positive
• gentle • awesome • sweet • brave • thoughtful • courageous • energetic • confident • helpful • smart • unique • caring • fair-minded • studious • loving • kind
Now, add some areas of talent or ability to your list. Maybe you really enjoy one of these activities or are really talented in one of these areas: • reading • remembering things • taking care of animals • painting • karate • chess • solving problems • spelling • being • organized • soccer • collecting coins
• dancing • juggling • computer games • baking • drawing • creating fun videos • writing poetry • swimming • taking care of younger kids • making people laugh • magic tricks
This list does not cover every talent that people could have. Write (or type) what your talents are, even if they are not on this list. Then, keep paying attention to things you’re good at. Whenever you notice one of your talents, skills, or special qualities, add it to your growing list. It can also be helpful (or just fun) to ask family, friends, teachers, or other people you trust what positive words they would use to describe you. Add those words to your list. Look at your list whenever you need reminders of all the great and special qualities that make up you. Step #2: Be Kind to Yourself In Step 1, you came up with a list of great things about yourself. How do you feel when you read the list? In other words, do you appreciate your special qualities and skills? Do you smile when you think about what makes you a unique person? You can be kind to yourself by remembering your abilities and talents. Be sure to do this even when things are tough. In fact, it is especially important to be kind to yourself at those times. Of course, everyone has bad days when it is hard to focus on the positive qualities. Maybe you are struggling with a homework assignment that seems easy for your friend. Or you might have baked a cake that came out lopsided. On days like this, can you still feel good about your abilities? If you struggle continued on next page ››
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to stay positive during difficult times, try some of these ideas for being kind to yourself. • Admit that you wished for a different outcome. It’s okay to feel disappointed when things don’t go as you had hoped. But it’s important to remind yourself that you are still a great person. • Remember that one disappointment does not represent who you are. One difficulty does not define you or explain who you are as a person. You will have disappointments and challenges. Everyone has them. But these difficulties don’t take away from all your abilities. Remember that your abilities are part of you no matter what challenges you currently have to deal with. • Learn from the experience. Use it to set new goals for the future. At the same time, try to feel proud of what you tried and what you did. • Laugh with yourself. We all mess up sometimes. But try not to laugh at yourself. That can hurt. Laughing with yourself is like saying, “Oops! Oh well. I may have made a silly mistake, but who cares? It really was a little funny.” Laughing at yourself is like someone teasing or bullying you. • Ask friends, family members, or teachers for tips on how they stay positive when they face challenges. Step #3: Believe That Hard Work Pays Off...Really Lots of kids roll their eyes when adults say, “Hard work pays off.” So, before you roll your eyes and skip this section, hang on! Putting in a lot of effort definitely can pay off. But maybe it hasn’t always worked that way for you in the past. If you try a plan over and over again and it doesn’t lead to success, you are still working hard. But it’s only leading to frustration. You probably need a new plan—one that gets you closer to reaching your goals. You also don’t need to focus only on tasks that are difficult for you. You may find it pays off to work hard in areas that you are already talented in. Working hard doesn’t mean you will have instant success. And it doesn’t mean you’ll be able to figure out how to do everything by yourself. Working hard does mean that you are willing to put in time to improve and that you are willing to try different ways to improve. It means asking for help when you need it. And it means feeling proud that you have the courage to keep trying. (This idea is also called perseverance.) Step #4: Remember That No One Is Perfect Have you ever looked around your class and thought, “That kid has it all together. He’s perfect!”? Or maybe you’ve looked at a friend and thought, “She just does everything right.” You might be surprised to learn that many kids have these thoughts about others. Even some adults feel like a coworker “knows everything” or a friend “never struggles with anything.” Here’s the truth: No one is perfect. And remembering this will help you accept yourself when you make a mistake or don’t do something perfectly. Instead of thinking that there is something wrong with you, you can remind yourself that you are human. That means that you and everyone you know will make mistakes and not be perfect at everything or on every day. So, why put pressure on yourself to be perfect? Confidence plays a big part in how other people see you. And it’s easier to be confident when you remember that no one
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is perfect. This can help you laugh at your mistakes rather than feeling disappointed or embarrassed. And it can help you feel better about getting extra help. If you feel like you have to be perfect all the time, think about this: Even Olympic athletes, who are some of the best in the world at their sports, aren’t perfect. In the Olympics, ice-skaters sometimes fall and runners sometimes trip. If you worry a lot about being perfect, talk about this with someone you trust. Step #5: Keep Trying When Things Are Hard We all run into obstacles and difficulties. We all fail or make mistakes sometimes. These mistakes don’t mean that we can’t eventually succeed at a task. They simply mean that we need to keep trying. What’s most important is how we handle the difficulty. It can be tempting to give up when we feel discouraged. And it’s true that some goals are impossible. When you were younger, did you ever try to fly by flapping your arms? No matter how hard you worked at that goal, it would never happen. Try to set goals that are possible and realistic. And as you work toward your goals, take pride in improvements you make along the way. As you work on not giving up, it can help to think about how you usually handle challenging events. Do you feel easily defeated? Or do you remember that you have lots of positive qualities, even when you’re struggling with something? Think about the following situations and pick the choice that is closest to how you would probably respond. 1. You and a friend both play a video game for the first time. You lose in Level 1. Your friend easily makes it to Level 4. You: (a) Think, “I’m terrible at this. I’ll never get better at this game no matter how hard I try. I’m never playing this game again.” (b) Want to buy the game to get better at it. Even so, you doubt that you’ll ever get past Level 1. (c) Plan to ask your friend for tips on how to improve. Then you’ll play the game again to see if you can come up with even more ideas. 2. Your teacher gives your class a week to complete a homework assignment. You have to write about your hero and then read your essay in class on the due date. When it is time to share, all the kids at your table have three or four paragraphs written about their heroes. You only wrote three sentences. You: (a) Think, “I know I stink at writing, and this proves it! I’ll have to find a way to leave the classroom before it’s time for everyone to read their essays.” (b) Tell the other kids, and your teacher, that you had a lot of things to do after school this week. You say that’s why you didn’t have time to write more. Then you read your three sentences aloud. (c) Tell kids, and your teacher, that you think of great ideas but have a hard time writing essays. You also ask for tips on how others write, so that you might be able to write more easily next time. 3. You like to run, and have always thought you were fast. Your older brother is on the track team. He says you should think about trying out. So you decide to go to a practice and see what it’s like.
At practice, the coach times everyone running 500 meters and then a mile. You come in 6th place out of 13 in the 500 meter, and last place in the mile. You: (a) Think, “I obviously can’t run fast when it really counts. My brother’s idea was stupid. I’m never going back there again.” (b) Feel embarrassed. You wonder whether you could ever be fast enough to make the team. But you decide you’ll go back to the track to try to beat your times. (c) Remind yourself that you are a hard worker. And now you feel really motivated to improve your times. You decide you’ll still try out for the team. If you make it, you’ll learn from your teammates and coach. You feel confident that you could be faster by the end of the season. How did you answer these questions? If you gave some “a” answers, you may sometimes give up when you run into challenges. If that’s true, it’s important to find ways to build your confidence and stay motivated. If you responded with some “b” answers, you learn from your experiences. You probably feel okay about yourself, even when you face obstacles. If you gave some “c” answers, then you know it’s okay to admit that you are not perfect. You probably also know how to set goals and work toward them. When you feel good about yourself, you’re able to handle challenges more easily. You are more likely to find the strength to keep trying and not give up. And you feel proud of your efforts. Here are a few tips on how to keep trying and not give up: • Check on whether your goal is possible. You might want to talk this through with an adult. If your goal is reachable, remind yourself of that. If it isn’t, work on setting a new goal. • Remind yourself of your abilities so you don’t get too discouraged or upset with yourself when you can’t succeed immediately. • Most people have to work to get better at things. Remind yourself that you may feel frustrated but that is not always a reason to stop trying or to get mad at yourself. • Remember that it’s okay to ask for help. If you are getting really frustrated, then it’s time to calmly ask for the specific support that would help you. • Rather than trying to reach a huge goal right away, try reaching a smaller goal that can eventually lead to the bigger one. For example, you could work on playing a scale on the piano before playing a difficult song. You might discover that you feel excited about taking on the challenge of learning something new or reaching a goal. It can also be fun to pay attention to your improvements along the way. These can help you stay motivated and positive as you work through obstacles. Step #6: Show Your Confidence It’s great to feel confident. It can mean that you aren’t too nervous to take on new experiences, because you believe you can handle them or you can comfortably ask for help. And showing your confidence can let others know that you value yourself and like being you. But many kids are not sure how to share their talents with others without sounding like they are bragging. (Some adults have trouble with this, too.) Here are some great ways to let your friends, teachers, and other people know that you are happy being you:
• Smile! • Stand or sit up straight and tall. • Make eye contact with other people. (But remember not to stare.) • Expect that most people will like you. • Honestly compliment others on their abilities. • Accept compliments from others. You deserve credit for your strengths. • Share your interests and talents with others so they know about what you like and what you do well. But try not to brag. For example, instead of saying, “I’m great at archery!” you could say, “One of my hobbies is archery. What do you like to do?” • Show that you are comfortable asking for help. • Show that you can bounce back from mistakes or tough times. Sometimes it’s hard to do this after something difficult happens in your life. But you can take steps to help yourself. For example, asking others for support is a sign of strength and courage. So is spending time focusing on what is relaxing or fun for you. Even if you can’t do this right away because you feel stressed or upset, it’s a goal to strive for when you are ready. • Try not to put yourself down, either out loud or in your mind. If you do, it’s okay to tell yourself, “Putting myself down doesn’t help. I need to be my own best friend and be kind to myself instead.” Think about people you know who seem confident. Pay attention to how they act and talk. You will probably notice that they do many of the things you just read about. You may spot other confident things they do, too. Next, give it a try yourself— act confident. It can help you eventually feel confident.
Excerpted from The Survival Guide for Kids in Special Education (And Their Parents) by Wendy L. Moss, Ph.D., and Denise M. Campbell, M.S., © 2017. Used with permission of Free Spirit Publishing Inc., Minneapolis, MN; 800-735-7323; www.freespirit.com. All rights reserved.
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UMBRELLA
» 4-12 year olds with a love for discovery and research are welcome in this rigorous program that will
integrate many topics to prepare students to make their own covenant with the natural environment and to share in its care, learning through Biblical texts and many other interesting disciplines using hands-on activities and scientific experiments. If pay 5 MONTHS » Openings for Monday-Friday afternoons between 3pm and 7pm » Pick up from your school possible in Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, in advance 5% OFF Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill and Downtown Brooklyn If pay 10 MONTHS » Scholarships available for those who qualify in advance 10% OFF
81 Atlantic Ave. Brooklyn NY Call for an interview at (917) 525-0511 or email: fredericka1917@gmail.com For more information: www.nymetroparents.com/listing/Urban-Umbrella-
BrooklynParent 47
Meet the Health Care
PROFESSIONAL
To be in this section, call 212-315-0800 or email nympads@davlermedia.com Pediatric Immediate Care 698 Manhattan Ave. 718-389-PEDS (7337) 150 E. Sunrise Highway, Suite 105, North Lindenhurst 631-956-PEDS (7337) 1077 W. Jericho Turnpike, Smithtown 631-864-PEDS (7337); pediatricimmediatecare.com
Pediatric Immediate Care is a team of hearts where kids come first. State-of-theart medical office equipment allows us to deliver your test results during your visit. Kid-friendly; walk-ins welcome; most insurance plans accepted. Complete pediatric and adolescent care, as well as baby, camp, school, and sports physicals. Certified urgent care recommended by Urgent Care Association of America. Thirty years of dedication to our patients. The offices are open seven days a week including holidays, 8am-11pm.
Park Slope Kids Dental Care 150 4th Ave. 718-488-0200 parkslopekidsdental.com
At Park Slope Kids Dental Care, children who are first seen for a friendly examination and cleaning are able to enjoy the dental experience and build a bond of trust with us. A customized dental plan that includes prevention, growth development, and possible treatment is created to fit your child’s specific dental needs. We are committed to giving children the best possible experiences at our office to help set them up for a lifetime of good oral health.
Brooklyn Family Orthodontics Alexis K. Fermanis, D.D.S., M.S. 142 Joralemon St., 6B, Brooklyn Heights 73 8th Ave., at Union Street, Park Slope 718-395-6582 bkfamilyortho.com
Dr. Alexis Fermanis is an orthodontic specialist who practiced in Brooklyn for 10 years before starting Brooklyn Family Orthodontics in 2014. She is a native New Yorker and enjoys running and traveling in her free time. Dr. Fermanis believes that a beautiful smile makes a great first impression and she is passionate about providing that to her patients. She is active in her alumni societies and local dental organizations and regularly attends continuing education classes so that she can provide the most successful results for her patients.
Dr. Charlot Cascya - Allergy and Asthma Care of Brooklyn 10 Plaza St. E., Suite 1E 311 Saint Nicholas Ave., Ridgewood 347-564-3211 brooklynallergydr.com
Dr. Cascya Charlot is an award-winning, Harvard Medical School-trained physician who is board-certified in pediatric and adult allergy and immunology. She is the chief of pediatric allergy at Methodist Hospital in Park Slope, and medical director of Allergy and Asthma Care of Brooklyn in Park Slope and Williamsburg. She evaluates patients for a wide variety of allergic conditions including asthma, eczema, food allergies, sinusitis, and environmental allergies. Throughout her career, she has received numerous accolades including the prestigious Patients’ Choice “Most Compassionate Doctor” award in 2012 and 2013.
QueensParent
Lois Jackson, D.D.S., P.C. and Associates 16 Court St., Suite 2211 718-855-8833 505 LaGuardia Place, Suite L4, Greenwich Village near Washington Square Park 212-995-8888; lajacksondds@aol.com • EMAIL MAGAZINES WEBSITES SOCIAL Dr. Lois Jackson is •very experienced in•pediatric dentalMEDIA care for children, ad-
SALES OPENING
olescents, andresumé patients with needs. She is the president of the New send to special dmgsales@davlermedia.com York State Association of Pediatric Dentists. To give back to the community, Dr. Jackson volunteers and supports numerous civic and cultural organizations. She is a member of the Board of Directors for the Camp Brooklyn (sending children to camp), Flatbush Development Corporation, East Midwood Jewish Center, and Fisk Terrace Neighborhood Association. Dr. Jackson was a Nickelodeon Parents’ Pick for Best Dentist for two years running!
BrooklynParent
SALES OPENING MAGAZINES • WEBSITES • SOCIAL MEDIA • EMAIL send resumé to dmgsales@davlermedia.com
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AD INDEX
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BIRTHDAY / PARTY SERVICES
DANCE
Jackson, Lois Dr..............................................................43, 48
Aviator Sports Recreation......................................................47
Brooklyn Music School............................................................2
Park Slope Kids Dental Care...........................................21, 48
Gulliver’s Gate....................................................................... 11
Pediatric Immediate Care..................................................3, 48 DEVELOPMENTAL
Kids N Action.........................................................................39 Ume Ume Music & Arts...........................................................5
Northside Center.....................................................................9
MUSIC Brooklyn Music School............................................................2
EDUCATION CAMPS Aviator Sports Recreation......................................................47
ABC Child Center..................................................................45 Brienza’s Academic Advantage...............................................3
Llingsworth Music..................................................................47
PLAY SPACES
Brooklyn Music School............................................................2
Congregation Beth Elohim.....................................................13
Camp Huntington...................................................................43
Eye Level Learning Center......................................................5
Rab’s Country Lanes.............................................................52
Northside Center.....................................................................9
RELIGIOUS
Smart Start..............................................................................9
St. Bernadette School..............................................................9
Congregation Beth Elohim.....................................................13
Two by Two Childcare...........................................................47 CHILD CARE / DAY CARE
Two by Two Childcare...........................................................47
CLASSES
RETAIL FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT / EVENTS / OUTINGS
Brooklyn Museum..................................................................33
SPECIAL EVENTS
Gulliver’s Gate....................................................................... 11
Barclays Center.....................................................................34
Llingsworth Music..................................................................47
Congregation Beth Elohim.....................................................13
Rab’s Country Lanes.............................................................52
SPECIAL NEEDS Camp Huntington...................................................................43
Eye Level Learning Center......................................................5 FITNESS
NYC Tae Kwon Do.................................................................37
Kids N Action.........................................................................39
Rab’s Country Lanes.............................................................52
NYC Tae Kwon Do.................................................................37
Northside Center.....................................................................9
SPORTS Aviator Sports Recreation......................................................47
Smart Start..............................................................................9 St. Bernadette School..............................................................9
Llingsworth Music..................................................................47
Barclays Center.....................................................................34
Brienza’s Academic Advantage...............................................3
Northside Center.....................................................................9
St. Bernadette School..............................................................9
Urban Umbrella.....................................................................47
ABC Child Center..................................................................45 Smart Start..............................................................................9
Kids N Action.........................................................................39
HEALTH
NYC Tae Kwon Do.................................................................37
Two by Two Childcare...........................................................47
Affinity Health Plan................................................................51
Ume Ume Music & Arts...........................................................5
Allergy & Asthma Care of Brooklyn.................................47, 48
TUTORS
Urban Umbrella.....................................................................47
Brooklyn Family Orthodontics..........................................15, 48
Brienza’s Academic Advantage...............................................3
BrooklynParent 49
Courtesy Amanda Marrone
VOICES Growing Up with a Brother with Special Needs ›› The important life lessons I learned from my brother—and why I wouldn’t change a thing By Amanda Marrone
W
hen I was young, I don’t think I fully grasped the concept that there was something “wrong” or “different” with my brother. Joe and I are exactly 1 year and 4 months apart, so I have no real recollection of the many surgeries he had to endure or the fact that he had to be fed through a feeding tube as a baby. As the older sister of a brother with special needs, I just took Joe for how he was instead of acknowledging his differences compared to other kids. Joe was born with a birth defect that affected the blood flow from the left ventricle of his heart, which lead to him having multiple open-heart surgeries in his infant and early childhood years. As a result, he did not have enough oxygen going to his brain, and he was put on a heart and lung machine three times before he was even 6 months old. Due to this, Joe has developmental delays. Growing up with a sibling with special needs comes with a unique set of challenges and blessings. When we were little, we did a lot of the same things together, including playing on the playground, watching the same television shows, and playing with our toys. As time when on, I started to move on to more complex games and TV shows while Joe didn’t. I began to realize the limitations Joe had made him different from other kids his age. Joe required a lot of special attention from my parents to deal with his many issues, whether it was bringing him to frequent doctors’ visits for his heart or seeing a speech or physical therapist. I was often dragged along to these appointments and spent a lot of my time in doctors’ waiting rooms with the most boring games imagined. But that is how things were, so although I am sure I often complained, I began to accept it as a part of my life. At a very early age I needed to learn about the virtue of patience that comes with having a brother with special needs. Joe would often have outbursts when learning new things he felt were too difficult to learn. My parents and I would have to reiterate multiple times the simple instructions of buttoning up a shirt or removing the cap off a water bottle. It took Joe a lot longer to learn these simple tasks that come naturally to most. As we both got older, the way the world perceived Joe started to become more important to me. I think it is natural for older
Amanda Marrone with her brother Joe as young children
siblings to protect their younger siblings; however with Joe’s issues, I always seemed to take it more personally. I hated the way people would talk or ask about my brother when it was done with a sense of pity or discomfort. I don’t see Joe’s disability as a burden or a tragic event that happened to my family. Joe’s disability is part of him, and I don’t define him based on it. Joe is the life of every party or event my family attends. Everyone always seems to know (or at least know of) my brother. He is friendly and welcomes everyone with open arms. He makes the effort to get to know everyone he comes in contact with, even the waiter at a restaurant. Joe loves music and hanging out with his friends. He thrives in any situation that involves him interacting with people. He enjoys watching football on ESPN and knows more about the sport than one would expect. Although there are challenges that made growing up with a brother with special needs difficult, these experiences shaped me into the person I am today. Joe not only taught me patience in any situation, but also to have empathy toward others; that what might come naturally to one person might be a challenge for another. Joe’s issues also taught me a great deal about sensitivity to other people’s situations since everyone is fighting a battle that most people do not know about. The most important lesson Joe taught me is, even though someone has a disability, this does not diminish their capability to make a difference in the world or teach others. Joe has taught me that no situation can ever be that bad, and happiness is a choice regardless of circumstance. Without being Joe’s older sister, it is hard to say that I would have gained these characteristics or learned these life lessons that are essential to the person I am today. And because of that, I wouldn’t change a thing.
Amanda Marrone, a former NYMetroParents editorial intern, is in her senior year at Fairfield University.
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When your little angel thinks he’s a daredevil...
Better have a good pediatrician. Make sure your kids are covered. Call 866.247.5678 (TTY 711) To learn more about applying for health insurance, including Child Health Plus and Medicaid through NY State of Health, The Official Health Plan Marketplace, visit nystateofhealth.ny.gov or call 855.355.5777.
AffinityPlan.org/CHP