Brooklyn Parent May 2017

BrooklynParent MAY 2017

NYMETROPARENTS.COM

Are You Raising a

Sugar

Addict?

Tips for cutting back

SpecialParent The Campaign to

End the

‘R-Word’

Kids Cover Contest 2017 See your child on our cover!

HELPING PARENTS MAKE BETTER DECISIONS

in Brooklyn

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Are your child’s immunizations up to date?

Call your Child’s Doctor Today!

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BrooklynParent

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NYMetroParents Helping Parents Make Better Decisions

Contents

May 2017 ››

24

Features

16 The Not-So-Sweet Truth Too much added sugar is detrimental to our health­­­—here’s why and what you can do

20

20 Fitting Fitness Into Your Day Some easy ways to make sure you’re exercising daily 22 Avocado Toast­—Elevated Kick up this basic meal with unexpected additions 38 Growing Up Mixed There are more mixed-race families than ever, but parents still face challenges raising kids in two cultures.

40 Putting a Stop to a Slur Parents of kids with special needs join other advocates to push for an end to the ‘R-word.’

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22

Connections

6 Editor’s Note 8 New Places, New Programs 8 Mommybites Tip of the Month 10 Quotables 11 NYMP Q&A: Sam Weinman shares the benefits of losing.

50 Voices: Why I’m thankful for all the parenting advice I got along the way

Fun & Activities

Family Activities CALENDAR ››

12 DIY Corner: Fizzy Bath Bombs 13 Media Matters: Summer Movies 14 Get Your Kid on Our Cover!

15 Humor: Happy Mother’s Day to the Superheroes 24 Outing: Gulliver’s Gate 27 Family Activities Calendar 36 Where-To Guide: Zoos, Nature Centers, and Botanical Gardens

27

Directories 42 46 47 47 48 48 49

Camp Guide Summer Programs for Older Kids & Teens Party Central Professional Services Meet the Health Care Professional Open Houses Advertisers’ Index

Original photo by PhotoOp NYC (photoopnyc.com) Clothing provided

by Appaman (appaman.com)

››

ON THE COVER ›› 14 Kids Cover Contest 2017 16 Are You Raising a Sugar Addict? 40 The Campaign to End the ‘R Word’ facebook.com/nymetroparents

@NYMetroParents

Visit NYMETROPARENTS.COM for family activities updated daily and more than 2,000 parenting articles!

Open House May 13th

11 am - 2 pm

BrooklynParent

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MAY 2017 • Vol.13 • No.10

NYMetroParents Publications EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Michael Kress MANAGING EDITOR: Katelin Walling

EDITOR’S NOTE

DEPUTY EDITOR: Caitlin Berens SENIOR EDITOR: Bethany Braun-Silva ENGAGEMENT EDITOR: Samantha Neudorf REGIONAL EDITORS:

Healthy Kids, Healthy Parents

Samantha Beranbom (Rockland); Karen Demeter (Suffolk); Rosalind Muggeridge (Brooklyn); Jamie McGillian (Westchester); Dorette Saunders (Nassau); Emma Steven (Manhattan); Gail Warren (Queens) DIRECTORIES EDITOR: Alice Van Dyke EDITORIAL INTERN: Sabrina Sooknanan

B

efore my kids were born, I thought I’d never be the type of parent to negotiate— let alone do battle—about desserts and sweets. Sure, I’d let my kids eat a moderate amount of junk, but I’d also be sure to have plenty of yummy fruits and vegetables around. Perhaps we’d cut them into fun shapes or make other irresistible but healthy snack creations. Then I actually had children. I know I am not the only one whose kids’ craving for sweets seems insatiable and all-consuming—and no, fruits and vegetables will not cut it. I am sometimes amazed at how much time and effort they spend thinking about—and conniving to acquire—their next snack. I am a firm believer in “everything in moderation,” but when it comes to kids and sugar, how much is too much? In this issue, Katelin Walling speaks with a nutritionist and other experts to find out, and the answer may surprise you (p. 16).

Of course, our kids follow our example, so modeling a healthy lifestyle is essential. But how many of us feel we have the time to take care of ourselves and hit the gym with any regularity? To help fix that, we’re offering tips on how to make time and space for fitness in our busy lives (p. 20). And if you want to truly relax after a good workout, suggest that your child make you our “Fizzy Bath Bombs” (p. 12) for Mother’s Day. If it’s May, that also means the NYMetroParents Kids Cover Contest is in full swing! You know your kid is the cutest in the world, so go ahead, enter the contest for a chance to see him or her on the cover of one of our magazines. See p. 14 for more details and enter at nymetroparents.com/cover.

We’re proud to feature our contest finalists on our covers throughout the year, showcasing amazing local kids who reflect the diversity of backgrounds, races, ethnicities, and abilities found in our communities—this month is no exception. As parents, we often tell our kids people come in all different shapes, sizes, and colors—differences that we should embrace and celebrate. This month, we have two in-depth reports on the challenges some kids face for being different. In the first, Samantha Neudorf explores the growth of multiracial families in our area by speaking with several local parents in mixed-race families—and she reflects on her own experiences growing up in two cultures (p. 38).

In the second, we meet a group of moms who have been working hard in recent years to end use of the “R-word” (p. 40). Bullying takes many forms, but one pervasive example is calling kids with special needs “retards.” It’s a painful slur that is used all too often by adults as well as kids, in casual conversation as well as in schoolyard taunts. Sabrina Sooknanan takes us inside the efforts to end the use of that word.

Happy Mother’s Day—and happy May—to all!

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Davler Media Group CEO: David L. Miller General Manager: Thomas K. Hanlon 498 Seventh Ave., 10th Floor, New York, NY 10018 Phone: 212-315-0800; Fax: 212-271-2239

Michael Kress Editorial Director, NYMetroParents

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Keep in Touch: nymetroparents.com editor@nymetroparents.com

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BIG APPLE PARENT, QUEENS PARENT, WESTCHESTER PARENT BROOKLYN PARENT, ROCKLAND PARENT, BERGEN PARENT, and LONG ISLAND PARENT are published monthly by Davler Media Group, LLC Copyright © 2017, Davler Media Group, LLC No part of contents may be reproduced without prior permission from the publisher.

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nymetroparents.com/np-bp Courtesy Tender Tots Child Care Center

NEW PLACES, NEW PROGRAMS

Child Care Center Opens Bushwick Location Who: Tender Tots Child Care Center What’s New: A state-of-the-art child care center in Bushwick, which celebrated its grand opening March 23.

Tender Tots Child Care Center offers day care for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years old. It also offers an after-school program for kids ages 6-12. Each age group follows a diverse curriculum suited to the children’s learning and developmental needs.

Therapy is available for children in need. Hot, nutritious meals and snacks are provided for all children free of charge.

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Tender Tots Child Care Center in Bushwick provides services for kids ages 6 weeks to 12 years old.

MOMMYBITES TIP OF THE MONTH

Be a ‘Tour Guide’ for Your New Nanny ››

Our friends at Mommybites are offering a monthly tip to help parents who employ—or are considering hiring—nannies.

“As a new employer, the most important thing that you can do to ensure an easy transition is to act as a family interpreter; you need to teach your new nanny the ‘language’ of your home. Try to reserve at least a few days to be her exclusive ‘tour guide.’ On her very first day, take her on a detailed tour of your home. Show her where everything is and familiarize her with her new surroundings. Describe in detail a typical day with your kids and be very specific about what role you expect her to play: Does she dress the children? Prepare meals? Who packs lunches? Is she responsible to take the children to and from school or do you do it? What about housework?

Communicating these details clearly will ensure that she understands what you expect of her.”

Mommybites’ mom-generated nanny board and babysitting boards have been some of the most popular child-care sites in New York City for more than 10 years! See more at mommybites.com.

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May 2017 | nymetroparents.com

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UOTABLES There are times, be it a short drive to school or a longer weekend trip, when I just want to lose myself in a blast of ‘Enter Sandman’

by Metallica without three toneless backup singers in the back seat fighting for the air-drumming rights. Yes, they know all the words. Even my 3 year old.

—Lea Farrow, in a post entitled “7 Unexpected Things I Miss About Life Before Kids,” on her blog TheMethodMother.com

in an instagram 55 degrees! Perfect weather to follow dinosaur tracks and learn about fossils at #DinosaurStatePark #dinosaurs #travelandlearn #nyckids #weekendplans#littletraveler #familytravel #hartford #connecticut (Posted by @thelandoftwo, aka Aurora Aquino, a New York mom)

SKIPPING HOMEWORK

in an instagram Fearless #internationalwomensday #fearlessgirl #fearless #wallstreet #womenofthefuture #bravegirl #forceisfemale #fearce #disneyjunior #disney #disneyjr #artmonte (Posted by @a_a_almonte, aka Alexandra Almonte, a New York mom)

“When we bought this house, we pictured ourselves staying here forever, but I guess that’s normal.

Humans don’t put down roots while simultaneously planning to uproot them. Still, I have spent the last several weeks mourning the childhood I assumed would take place right here.”

—Rebecca Woolf, in a post entitled “And Keep Sailing,” on her blog GirlsGoneChild.net

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May 2017 | nymetroparents.com

“After giving up homework, she was able to spend hours doing things that children should have time to do: swing on the swing set, blow bubbles, plop down on the grass and watch clouds go by, catch fireflies, and make wishes upon stars. She could wonder about things.”

—Diane Roncone in an article entitled “Why I Let My Daughter Say No to Homework;” read the whole thing at

nymetroparents.com/no-homework.

MORE NYMetroParents.com HIGHLIGHTS: CRAFTS FOR MOM: Make it a flowery Mother’s Day with these crafts (nymetroparents.com/mothers-day-crafts).

SAIL AWAY: Where to go catch a boat in the NYC area (nymetroparents.com/boat-rides).

UNDER THE SEA! Discover a marine life paradise at Atlantis Bahamas (nymetroparents.com/atlantis).

SPRING IN NYC: Check out all the fun NYC has to offer this time of year (nymetroparents.com/nyc-spring).

NYMP Q&A

N U F E R R E E H

Losing Is Winning ››

S M T R M A T U S S

By Bethany Braun-Silva

S

am Weinman is the digital editor at Golf Digest and has been a sports journalist for 20 years. His new book Win at Losing, which was inspired by his kids, shows the benefits of losing and what we can learn from it.

What do we win from losing?

Losing is great feedback. When you lose at a certain endeavor, you are learning something about where you need improvement. Losing exposes weakness and things you can be improving upon. So if it’s sport and you lose, you are ultimately given an indication at what you need to work on. The second thing is character. Losing is an inevitable part of life and the more we navigate that dynamic the better we get at it and the better we’re equipped to handle losing in whatever realm.

Losing is a great character-building moment in that you are given the opportunity to experience something difficult and emerge from it and that is ultimately a really great growth opportunity.

What should parents do after their child experiences defeat?

I would start by telling your child everyone loses and encourage them not to despair when you go through these moments because it may not be right away but there will be something good to come out of that loss and something positive to take from it. If you can get your kid to wrap their brain around that and know good can come from losing, then they’re less afraid of trying new things because they will be less afraid of failing. The undesirable outcome can yield something positive.

Anything parents shouldn’t do? The first thing is to not put your kid in a position where they are shielded from failure. There is a point when winning and losing is just part of the deal of growing up and I would be very leery of trying to protect your kid from that. Ultimately you are depriving them the opportunity to experience it and learn from it. The second thing is when your kids are upset after a loss, even if it seems trivial to you, don’t belittle how they are feeling. Try to meet them where they are and recognize that while it may seem insignificant to you, it’s a big deal to them and you should validate their feelings.

Do you suggest letting kids win at a young age? Or should parents play fair from the beginning? At a very young age you are dealing with emotion versus reason so my feeling is when you’re engaging in an activity with your kid you shouldn’t be rewarding winning or losing as much as rewarding trying something different. Try to focus on the process of playing the game or having fun and that’s true even as they get older, that yes you don’t want to shelter your kids from failure, but you can still define success a lot of different ways. It can be trying something new or sticking to a process or plan, or when they understand the rules. There’s value in commending that.

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DIY CORNER TREAT YOUR MOM

Fizzy Bath Bombs

The main ingredient in bath bombs is the chemical sodium bicarbonate, aka baking soda. The other key ingredient is citric acid.

These chemicals don’t do much as dry powders, but in water they react and dissolve to produce tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide gas, which is what causes the fizzzzzzzing! (A similar reaction is commonly used in volcano science projects to create foaming “lava.”) The fizzing helps the bath bombs dispense faster and, combined with the hot water, spreads whatever yummy scent you have chosen.

Pamper Mom this Mother’s Day by making these with her favorite scents and colors for a bath-time treat she’s sure to enjoy!

Maker Checklist Large bowl ½ cup citric acid 1 cup baking soda ½ cup cornstarch ½ cup Epsom salt Small bowl or glass

1 tsp. essential oil 1 tsp. water 1 tsp. olive oil Soap colorant in various colors Multiple small bowls Small plastic containers

Directions 1. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.

2. Stir wet ingredients together in a small bowl or glass.

3. V ery slowly add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and keep mixing! Mix, mix, mix, so it doesn’t fizz and bubble up! After it’s all combined, let your mixture sit for a few minutes. It should feel like wet sand and stay together when you squeeze it in your hand. If it’s still too dry or crumbly, add a drop of water or olive oil—but be careful not to let it get too wet!

4. S eparate the mixture into smaller bowls and add a drop of soap colorant. Mix well! We found mixing by hand was the most effective way to get an even color. It’s also nice to leave one bowl white for layering.

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May 2017 | nymetroparents.com

5. Layer your mixture into molds. We used plastic ornaments split in half and experimented with small plastic containers and other recyclables, like yogurt cups.

6. Pack the layers down tightly into the mold by pressing with your fingers.

7. Let dry for a few minutes before carefully removing the bath bomb from the mold. Don’t try to handle the bath bomb yet!

Turn it out from its mold directly onto a surface to dry, and let dry a few hours or overnight.

8. Drop in a warm bath and enjoy!

Reprinted with permission from Curious Jane © 2017 by Girls Dream Out Loud Inc. Published by Sterling Children’s Books. Photography by Elissa Josse and Samantha Razook Murphy.

Media Matters: Summer Movies

5 Movies Your Kids Will Want to See in May and June

Guardians of the Galaxy

Opens May 5 • Target Ag

Vol. 2

e: 11-13+

The sequel to the hit space adventure promises to be an actionpacked good time.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Th

Opens May 19 • Target Ag

e Long Haul

e: 9-12

The fourth Wimpy Kid mo vie has a new cast, but exp ect the same silly antics and potty hum or for which the series is kno wn.

Captain Underpants: The

Opens June 2 • Target Ag

First Epic Movie

e: 5-8

Expect plenty of rude lan guage and cartoonish vio lence in an animated movie based on the hugely popular boo k series.

Cars 3

Opens June 16 • Target

Age: 5-8

The Pixar racecar threequ el looks family-friendly, but with some intense moments.

Despicable Me 3 Opens June 30 • Target

Our Partner: Common Sense Media An independent nonprof it that helps families make smart media choices.

Check out thousands of ratings and reviews at commonsensemedia.org

Age: 5-8

The third film in the popula r, kid-friendly supervillain series promises to be a fun choice for kids and parents to enjoy together, with lots of laughs and positive messages.

See more at NYMetroParents.com/media

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Tuesday, May 2 9:30 to 11 A.M. Cooks & Captains 256 5th Ave, Brooklyn www.mommybites.com/newyork/mothers-day

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May 2017 | nymetroparents.com

Get Your Kid on Our Cover!

››

BrooklynParent OCTOBER 2016

NYMETROPARENTS.COM

Scheduling Woes How to solve common birthday party dilemmas

Time for a Cellphone?

Knowing when kids are ready for independence

BrooklynParen t SEPTEMBER 2016

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Haunted Fun Find Halloween events near you

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WHERE TO PICK PUMPKINS

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BEST JOBS FOR TEENS

TS TS.COM PARENTS.COM NYMETROPAREN

Calm the Cafeteria Chao s Kids can eat health y and socialize,

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All About Gap Years Why many

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Making Melodies

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Should Kids Pla Contact Sports?y Weighi

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Olympic s Conversation Summer

Using the Games to spark family discussions

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THE POWER OF PRESCHOOL

ave you ever looked at the cover of this magazine and thought to yourself, “My child should be featured there”?

Well, now’s your chance! The 2017 Kids Cover Contest will open April 24. And this year we’ve expanded it to include 10 finalists, all of whom will be professionally photographed and have a chance to be on our cover. Here’s how it works: Go to nymetroparents.com/cover. You’ll be asked to upload a photo of your child, and you can add a caption, if you like. We’ll ask for your child’s name and age and for some information on how to contact you if your child is a finalist.

Our editors will choose nine of the finalists, and the 10th is the Fan Favorite—the entrant with the most votes. So after you enter, be sure to send the link to your friends and family and post it to your social media to get votes for your child.

After the photo shoot, our editors will choose two winners from among the 10 finalists, and both are guaranteed to be on a future cover of the magazine. One winner will receive a photo shoot from Barbizon and a one-year scholarship to Barbizon Modeling and Acting School, while the other will win a free two-night stay at Kalahari Resort in the Poconos, the largest indoor water park in the U.S. The rest of the finalists might be featured on future covers as well, and the Fan Favorite will win four tickets to Sesame Place.

The cover contest is open to children ages 2-16 and ends June 9. Enter at nymetroparents.com/cover!

HUMOR

© 2016 Alison Wong

Happy Mother’s Day to the Superheroes!

Alison Wong is the writer and illustrator of New Mom Comics: The First Year, which offers a humorous and relatable take on the wild journey of parenting.

“That first Mother’s Day completely changes its meaning. I felt more thankful for my own mother and very grateful to be a mother,” Wong said in her book.

Anyone celebrating Mother’s Day this May will appreciate Wong’s illustration on the superpowers moms possess.

Alison Wong is an illustrator, product designer, and innovation consultant.

She lives in the San Francisco Bay area with her husband and son. Visit newmomcomics.com for more.

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The Not-So-Sweet Truth

››

Too much added sugar is detrimental to our health—here’s why, and what you can do about it. By Katelin Walling

F

ifty-six. That’s how many different names the food industry uses for sugar.

Here’s another number: 19½. That’s, on average, how many teaspoons of added sugar each person in the U.S. consumes each day. To be clear: We’re talking about added sugar—the sugar the food industry adds to foods, not the sugar found naturally in foods. The daily maximum recommendation from the American Heart Association? Six teaspoons for women, 9 teaspoons for men, less than 6 teaspoons for children ages 2-18, and zero for children ages 2 and younger.

Ready for another? One-quarter: the number of pounds of added sugar Americans are consuming daily, on average, which equates to 90-100 pounds of added sugar annually. “The problem is you’re really supposed to be consuming zero [added sugar], but you could consume an ounce or an ounce and a half,” says Robert Lustig, M.D., a pediatric endocrinologist, professor of pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology at University of California, San Francisco, and author of Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity, and Disease.

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So, why is it a big deal that we’re consuming so much added sugar? Dr. Lustig—who was also featured prominently in the 2015 documentary Sugar Coated (available on Netflix) and is a member of the SugarScience team, an authoritative source for the scientific evidence about sugar and its impact on health—shares what we need to know and think about before saying “Yes” to sugary foods.

Glucose vs. Fructose

There are two main sugars found in foods, and it’s important to know the difference because one is necessary and one isn’t.

Glucose, which is found in starch, is the energy of life, according to Dr. Lustig. “Glucose is so important that if you don’t consume it, your body makes it,” he says. The liver has a way of turning fat into glucose called gluconeogenesis. So while it’s necessary for life, it’s not necessary to eat.

Fructose, on the other hand, is an entirely different molecule.

“There’s no animal cell on the planet that needs fructose for any reaction at all,” Dr. Lustig explains, adding that it’s sweet, it’s energy, and it’s calories, but it’s not nutrition.

HEALTH MARKETPLACE

Effects of Too Much Sugar

Acutely, too much sugar doesn’t have significant effects on the body. It’s the long-term effects that are the issue.

Dr. Lustig says there are three things fructose does to our bodies that glucose does not: Liver fat: “Because of the way fructose is processed, it goes to the liver and excess gets turned into liver fat, and that liver fat gums up the workings of the liver. When that happens, you end up with a phenomenon called insulin resistance. You have a situation where the liver’s not responding to the insulin signal so the pancreas has to make extra,” Dr. Lustig says, which raises insulin levels all over the body and leads to hyperinsulinemia.

Excess insulin, Dr. Lustig explains, does two things in your body to make you gain weight: It turns energy into fat cells, and it blocks leptin, the hormone that sends a signal to the brain when you’ve had enough to eat. Continued insulin secretion is also one of the major factors involved in chronic metabolic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, cancer, and dementia. “All of those are referred to in total as metabolic syndrome. Some people will get some of those diseases, some people will get others of those diseases, and some unfortunate people will get all of them,” Dr. Lustig says. “Anything that drives insulin is going to drive those, and because of the liver fat issue, fructose drives it.”

Aging: Have you ever thought of why bananas brown? It’s a chemical reaction called the Millard reaction—the aging reaction. “All carbohydrates bind to proteins, all carbohydrates cause a mild reaction. But because of fructose’s unique chemistry, it causes that mild reaction to occur seven times faster and generate a hundred times the number of oxygen radicals called oxidative stress that damage proteins and lipids inside cells,” Dr. Lustig says. “So basically sugar drives aging faster than other carbohydrates.”

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Dopamine: Fructose causes the reward system to release dopamine, the reward response. When dopamine is released, it fosters continued consumption, according to Dr. Lustig. “That’s something only fructose does. So you get into a vicious cycle of consumption and disease.”

To paint a clearer picture, Dr. Lustig compares fructose to alcohol: “Alcohol is calories, but it’s not nutrition. Consumption of alcohol is dangerous in two ways: It’s dangerous acutely, and it’s dangerous chronically. Fructose is not dangerous acutely, but it is dangerous chronically for the same reason that alcohol is. In fact, fructose and alcohol are metabolized exactly the same in the liver, and that’s why kids are getting the disease of alcohol—Type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease—without alcohol. Fructose sugar is the alcohol of the child. While we have the capacity to metabolize a limited amount of alcohol, excess is dangerous.

While we have a limited capacity to metabolize the sugar in our diet, excess is dangerous.”

What Happens When You Cut Sugar From Your Diet?

When sugar is cut from your diet, “your metabolic primers get better, and you feel better, and your metabolic parameters improve, and you detox, and you don’t crave it as much.

Everything gets better,” Dr. Lustig says, referring to a study his team published in October 2015. continued on next page ››

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‹‹ continued from previous page

For that study, the research team studied the diets of 33 Latino and African-American kids with metabolic syndrome (obesity plus at least one other chronic medical condition) to determine a home-baseline diet. Then, for the next 10 days, sugar was cut from the kids’ diets. “What we did was we gave them starch instead so they would not loose weight.

We took pastries out, and we put the bagels in. … We took the chicken teriyaki out, and we put turkey hotdogs in. We gave them processed foods, but there were no added-sugar foods,” Dr. Lustig explains.

After those 10 days, the kids were assessed, and “every aspect of their metabolic health improved and their liver fat reversed.

That is without any change in calories or any change in weight.

This shows fructose is the primary driver because when we gave them extra glucose instead of fructose, it got better unrelated to calories and unrelated to weight,” Dr. Lustig says. “That proves that sugar is the driver of these metabolic diseases. It may not be the only driver, but it certainly is the primary driver, and the one that children are exposed to.”

Easy Tips for Cutting Sugar

When working the following tips into your family’s lifestyle, the first thing to keep in mind is to cut back gradually and make realistic goals for your family. “It’s really hard to go to an extreme. I work with families that want to cut everything all at once, and that’s usually unsuccessful,” says Nicole Silber, R.D., a pediatric nutritionist based in New York City. “Meet your child where they’re at, engage them in the plan, and cut back slowly, which I think will end up yielding more success than to cut back drastically.”

Be weary of foods labeled as fat-free. “There are a bunch of fat-free items that tend to be loaded with sugar to compensate for the loss of fat in the product, especially in baked goods,” Silber says.

Opt for fresh fruit over dried fruit or fruit sauce. With dehydrated fruit and sauces, it’s a matter of the source of sugar being concentrated, Silber says. For example, when you dehydrate a plum, what’s left is the fiber and natural fruit sugar. “It ends up being much smaller, so you could eat five prunes, which will fill your stomach the same amount as one plum, but you’re consuming five times the amount of sugar because you’re essentially eating five plums,” Silber explains.

The same thing happens with applesauce. “It will take a child a few minutes to eat a whole apple, which has the skin, the fiber, the liquid. When you boil it down and puree it into a sauce, you can probably have four or five apples in the same amount of time it would take to eat one whole apple,” Silber adds.

Choose plain yogurt over flavored. Yogurt can be unhealthy if you’re not picking the right one, Silber says. “If a child is used to high-sugar yogurts, you can add in your own fruit, jam, maple syrup, honey,” she advises. “You can even add in your own white sugar. I’m confident you will add in less than the food companies.” And make sure you check the labels on baby yogurts; Silber says some brands are really high in added sugar.

Preventatively, don’t introduce infants to juice or sweetened foods in their first year. Silber advises to give babies more

18

May 2017 | nymetroparents.com

veggies and less fruit to accustom their taste buds to less sweet foods. When shopping for baby foods or making your own, opt for blends that have one or no fruit.

Cut down your weekly dessert intake. Wherever your family is now, cut back one to two servings per week, Silber advises. “If a family has dessert every night, I would say cut back to five nights per week,” Silber says. Another option is to substitute fresh fruit and eat the fruit when it’s extra ripe because it will taste sweeter.

Check out Silber’s no-sugar-added recipe for chocolate banana ice cream at nymetroparents.com/banana-icecream.

Drink water rather than sweetened beverages. Nearly twothirds of kids in the U.S., ages 2-19, consumed at least one sugar-sweetened beverage per day, and roughly 30 percent of children consumed two or more, between 2011-2014, according to a study published in January by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics.

That includes soda, fruit drinks, sports and energy drinks, and sweetened coffees and teas.

Silber says most kids don’t need to consume beverages aimed toward athletes. “Usually water and a nutritious snack before and after will be sufficient to restore the nutrition and hydration,” she says.

Leave sugar out of recipes when possible. With cooking, Silber suggests cutting the sugar from the recipe entirely, or cutting it in half. “I do this a lot where I see a recipe for a marinade that has a lot of honey or white sugar that I will eliminate and I still think the recipe comes out tasty,” she says.

For baking, Silber says to look for recipes that use more natural forms of sugar, such as honey, agave, or maple syrup because they’re more concentrated, so you’ll use less of it. And remember: “There is a time and a place for [sweets],” Silber says. “Just because it doesn’t have the white sugar doesn’t mean it’s a food that should be given all the time.”

Read and understand the Nutrition Facts labels on packaged foods. The Food and Drug Administration announced a new Nutrition Facts label in May 2016, which among other changes includes an “Includes X g Added Sugars” field. Food manufacturers will need to implement the new label by July 26, 2018, while smaller companies will have an additional year to comply, according to the FDA. Until then, Silber suggests thinking about it in terms of a sugar packet, which is approximately 4 grams of sugar. If you choose a food product that has 8-12 grams of sugar per serving, “envision yourself opening up two or three sugar packets and pouring that into your dish. That can become quite alarming,” she says.

Silber recommends choosing condiments (ketchup, salad dressing, and marinades) with less than 5 grams of sugar per serving, and foods (breads, yogurts, cereals, etc.) with no more than 10 grams of sugar per serving.

An easy way to keep track of your added sugar intake is to convert the grams per serving into teaspoons. There are 4.2 grams of sugar per teaspoon, Dr. Lustig says. That comes out to less than 25 grams per day for children and teens, 25.2 grams for women, and 37.8 grams for men. “We’re currently at about 90 [grams per day] on average. That’s a big difference,” Dr. Lustig says.

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Fitting Fitness Into Your Day

››

As parents, our lives are crazy busy, so here are some easy ways to make sure you’re finding ways to exercise. By Rosalind Muggeridge

D

espite all the advice we parents get about self-care these days, our busy schedules—kids, work, extracurricular activities, and for many of us, aging parents—ensure that our fitness goals consistently end up last on our priority lists. To help remedy that, I spoke with Rachel Lozoff, a Pilates teacher, dancer, and founder of Daily Body Pilates, to get some tips for seasoned parents and new moms alike on developing and, even trickier, maintaining productive fitness habits.

You May Already Be Doing It

Make your daily routine work for you. It’s a fact that many of us are abysmally overscheduled, so finding an hour three times a week to hit the gym may not be practical for everyone.

(Kudos to you if you are making that happen!) It turns out you can still work fitness into your life by simply noticing and taking advantage of what you may already be doing. “I always tell my clients that everything counts,” Lozoff says. “Walking up the stairs instead of taking the elevator, playing with and picking up your kids, stretching or moving your body while you watch TV, or 20

May 2017 | nymetroparents.com

even adding a little aerobic exercise to your daily life by walking everywhere you normally walk, just a little more quickly.”

Be aware. I remember being surprised at how physically strenuous taking care of my first child felt. Whether it’s wrangling a fractious toddler into a stroller or spinning kids around during a dance party, parenting can take a physical toll. Trying to tune into your movements is a great way to help strengthen your body and avoid any chronic pain from starting or worsening. Lozoff calls this type of awareness “Livelates”(pronounced live-a lotease, a term Lozoff has trademarked), and it is one of the main strategies she says she uses to help her “stay strong, functional, and able to have daily wrestling matches with two young boys.”

Even when you’re not around your kids, you should try to maintain that awareness. Sometimes it makes sense to sweat the small stuff. “Alignment and posture are also things you can be aware of as a way to prevent overuse or injury,” Lozoff says.

“Are you twisting your body to look at your computer screen at work? Do you carry all of your bags on the same shoulder all the time? Details like this may seem minor or unimportant in the

moment, but can contribute to general aches and pains, and even overuse injuries, over time.”

Consider how you’re framing it. It may be helpful to think about working out in a way that speaks to you and your own personal needs and wishes. Maybe it’s a means to incorporate some time to yourself, a way to stay sane when everyone is wanting a piece of you, or simply something that is going to make you a calmer, better parent. “While the physicality of our lives in NYC can be taxing,” Lozoff says, “seeing your fourth-floor walkup as a daily opportunity to keep your legs and gluteals strong can help it feel less like torture and more like a few minutes of exercise that really will add up and make you stronger.”

Make a Habit of It

Take some time to plan before you start. Lozoff breaks down how to carve out time from our busy daily routines. The first step, she says, is to find 5-10 minutes of movement. “This can be from a class you take, a video you like, or one of many online fitness options,” she says. “If you can memorize the movement over time, this will make it easier to fit in to your daily life.

Another thing Lozoff recommends is picking a time of day when you can squeeze in those few minutes. That could be first thing in the morning, after your child goes down for his nap, on your lunch hour, or after your kids go to sleep at night. “This five to ten minutes can be a manageable amount of time to start with and can still go a long way toward feeling good,” she says.

“Once you get into the habit of fitting regular movement into your day, you can slowly start making your routine longer,” she adds. When I first began exercising after childbirth, I started by simply lying down on my yoga mat and trying to tune into my abdominal core muscles. Once I felt ready to move on, I worked up from there to include more strenuous exercises. Lozoff also advises trying to make the first five minutes of your session consist of the same exercises, so that over time you know the movements so well that you can lie down anywhere, anytime, and devote a few minutes to work out.

Do it before you can talk yourself out of it. For many people this is in the morning. For me, it’s as soon as I put my youngest down for his afternoon nap. It helps if I’m already wearing workout clothes, thereby eliminating one more step that might get me off track. For Lozoff, “As soon as I put my son down to sleep, and before I do anything else like clean up toys or do the dishes, I get out my yoga mat and do my 25-minute routine. Though it has changed over the years, I still have that routine and at the end of each busy day, it still feels good to know I had that time for myself in my day. And there are still some days when I can only do five minutes! But it counts.”

Have fun with it. I didn’t start being even remotely consistent about my fitness until I figured out that doing the loop in Prospect Park is where my bliss lies. I go even more frequently if I’m meeting a friend who is expecting me to be there at a certain time. We try to finish the full 5-kilometer loop; sometimes we run half of it and sometimes we walk the whole thing quickly—it just depends on how we’re feeling that day.

Tracking the subtleties of the seasonal changes allows me to become much more in tune with nature and makes me feel like I’m getting a respite from urban living. Plus, being outside on a regular basis clears my head and makes me feel much more calm and centered.

Involving your family is also a great way to get motivated.

(Check out the Movers and Shakers section of this month’s events calendar on page 35 for ways to get out and moving with the whole family.) Or if you’re exercising at home try Lozoff’s tip: “Save your favorite TV show to watch while you exercise, so the whole thing feels like a treat.”

Post-Partum Moms

Take it slow, but try to check in with your body as often as possible. After my daughter’s extremely difficult delivery, I was overwhelmed by how disconnected I felt from my body.

There were days I wondered if I would ever have the energy and motivation to even start thinking about getting back into shape.

But as I learned, feeling fit doesn’t have to involve making a huge commitment.

“Finding time to do something every day, even for just a few minutes, is really essential, especially when you’re postpartum,” Lozoff says. “Not only is it physically beneficial to move, stretch, and strengthen your body, but knowing you have a small part of the day that’s just for you can be both energizing and calming.”

Lozoff ’s first son was born via emergency cesarean section.

“Suddenly my life and my body were completely new to me,” she says. With help from her own fitness instructor—who even held her new baby during the workout—she was able to develop a 25-minute routine. “Scheduling and finances were such that I could only see my teacher a couple times, but once I had that routine, I had the tools to come back to my body and feel strong again.”

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FOOD & NUTRITION

Avocado Toast—Elevated Kick up this basic breakfast with some unexpected additions.

Avocado toast can be enjoyed in three simple steps: toast bread, top it with avocado (smashed or sliced), and eat. But Lara Ferroni shares 20 ideas to elevate the basic meal, from why-didn’t-I-think-of-that combos to unexpected and unusual flavor choices.

From left: Sourdough, smashed avocado, cucumber, chili flakes, fish sauce; sourdough, sliced avocado, strawberries, balsamic vinegar; sourdough, smashed avocado, nectarine slices, fresh mozzarella, fresh mint; sourdough, diced avocado, bacon jam, arugula

Clockwise from top: Brioche loaf, smashed avocado, banana, cinnamon, sugar; brioche loaf, sliced avocado, Nutella, pear slices; brioche loaf, smashed avocado, mandarin orange segments, coconut cream, fresh mint; brioche loaf, sliced avocado, scrambled egg, hot sauce

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May 2017 | nymetroparents.com

Clockwise from top left: Baguette, sliced avocado, almond butter, honey, lemon juice; baguette, smashed avocado, radish slices, Herbs de Provence, flakey sea salt; baguette, sliced avocado, marmalade, flakey sea salt; baguette, smashed avocado, grilled romaine, boquerónes

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OUTINGS: Gulliver’s Gate

nymetroparents.com/outings

See the World in Miniature

You can travel the world—and occasionally through time—without leaving Times Square. ›› By Katelin Walling

Katelin Walling

4

3

Katelin Walling

2

Courtesy Gulliver’s Gate

Katelin Walling

1

1 The Russian section of Gulliver’s Gate is entirely handcrafted (made of balsam wood and hand painted), while other countries utilized 3-D printing. 2 Iconic

buildings in New York City have been miniaturized, including the commuter hub of Grand Central. Various trains, vehicles, and even planes will move throughout the exhibit. Here the MetroCard shows just how tiny everything is at Gulliver’s Gate. 3 Visitors will see scenes from throughout history, including Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. 4 Until the masters of science and technology are able to make time travel happen, Beatles fans young and old will have to make do with seeing this iconic scene in miniature.

G

ulliver’s Gate (a nod to Gulliver’s Travels) is a re-creation of various major cities across the world in Lilliputian proportions—miniature models, built to scale.

The extremely family-friendly venue— changing tables are in all bathrooms, a private nursing station is available for breast-feeding moms, and strollers are welcome—is set to become one of the most interactive miniature exhibits in America.

A Whimsical, Interactive Experience

Upon arrival, each visitor will exchange their ticket for a skeleton key (beginning May 9), which “unlocks” the interactive elements throughout the re-creation—until then, buttons control the elements. Examples include Nessie poking her head out of Loch Ness in Scotland and a bullring spinning to reveal a bullfight in which the bull, in an unusual turn of events, antagonizes the matador in Spain. (Keep an eye out for other humorous scenes like these as subtle and overt humor was integrated throughout—perfect for entertaining children and parents.) Bonus: You get to take the key home as a keepsake.

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May 2017 | nymetroparents.com

More Than Just Buildings

You’ll see renderings of famous buildings and monuments from all over the world— from the Statue of Liberty to the Eiffel Tower in France, among many others. Just don’t expect to see the full Empire State Building and One World Trade—they are so tall that even built to scale they don’t completely fit in the space. You’ll also see some scenes from history: the Beatles walking across Abbey Road, a Lenape village in New York, and Colossus of Rhodes standing over a harbor in Greece.

A Culturally Inclusive Exhibit

Eight countries took part in building Gulliver’s Gate, and the stylistic differences in the models show how the different countries interpret their regions and what they see as culturally significant. “One of the most important things for us is inclusion,” says Jason Hackett, head of marketing. “We want you to be able to see yourself in the model, no matter where you’re from.”

And you actually can. Step into a 3-D scanner (for an extra fee) and be rendered

as a Lilliputian-sized model citizen to become part of the exhibit.

Learn How It Works

Visitors can learn behind-the-scenes details about the miniature world. The wood and high-tech model shops are open for visitors to talk to the builders and learn how the mini cities were created, and a hallway is filled with projections of the entire building process. The command center that monitors the circuitry and interactive components of the miniatures is also open for visitors to see, and the engineers are encouraged to explain how things work in ways all visitors can understand.

Want to Go?

Address: 216 W. 44th St., Times Square, Manhattan Directions: Approximately a 40-minute subway ride from Park Slope Hours: Daily, 9am-10pm; last entry will be at 8:30pm Admission: $36; $27 seniors ages 65 and older and children ages 12 and younger For more information: gulliversgate.com

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Ideas When You Need Them:

Sign up for our FREE newsletter & never hear “I’m bored!” again. We email the top kids’ events every Thursday—just in time to make weekend plans!

nymetroparents.com/register

Turn the page for details on Fleece Festival (No. 7 on our list).

MAY

y-day day-b : r u o t ou line ar Check alendar on alend c ood, hborh cost. g i e n h by and Searc type, age, t n eve ily! ted da a d p U

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CALENDAR 28 Editor’s Hot Tickets 29 We Can’t Believe It’s FREE! 30 Show Time!,

Smarty Pants 31 Holiday Fun

WANT US TO INCLUDE YOUR EVENT?

nymetroparents.com/submitevent UPDATED DAILY AT nymetroparents.com/calendar EDITOR: ROSALIND MUGGERIDGE bkcal@davlermedia.com

32 The Great Outdoors

33 Mini Musicians,

On Screen 34 Crafty Kids,

Fun Fairs & Festivals,

Dance Party 35 Movers & Shakers

EDITOR’S HOT TICKETS

1

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!

1

Joanie Leeds’ & The Nightlights ‘Brooklyn Baby!’

Album Release Show FREE

WHEN: Sunday, May 7, 11am WHERE: The Atrium at City Point, 445 Albee Square W., Downtown Brooklyn AGES: 3-8 WHAT: Joanie and the band will perform songs from Brooklyn Baby! along with plenty of interactive tunes from Joanie’s previous releases.

WHY WE LOVE IT: Brooklyn-based musician/composer/vocalist Amelia Robinson of Mil’s Trills will join Joanie Leeds & The Nightlights as a special guest at this show.

WANT TO GO? 718-930-7434. joanieleeds.com.

‘Olive & Pearl’

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WHEN: May 4-8, Thursday-Monday, 11am WHERE: BAM Fisher, Fishman Space, 321 Ashland Place, Fort Greene AGES: Newborn to 5 WHAT: The story of a young girl, Olive, who is lovingly being raised by her Granny, Pearl.

WHY WE LOVE IT: Audiences are seated within Olive and Pearl’s home and actively participate in movements.

WANT TO GO? $20-$30. 718-636-4100. bam.org/kids.

3 28

Morgan’s Journey

WHEN: Saturday, May 13, 2pm WHERE: On Stage at Kingsborough, 2001 Oriental Blvd., Manhattan Beach AGES: 5 and older

May 2017 | nymetroparents.com

WHAT: From the moment of his birth, this show follows Morgan the Clown on a journey of discovery.

WHY WE LOVE IT: Audiences also have the chance to meet the cast after the show!

WANT TO GO? $12. 718-368-5596. onstageatkingsborough.org.

4

Brooklyn Historical Society Grand Opening

WHEN: Thursday, May 18, 11am-7pm WHERE: Brooklyn Historical Society DUMBO, 55 Water St., DUMBO AGES: All WHAT: Brooklyn Historical Society DUMBO is an exciting new museum that highlights the amazing history and beauty of the Brooklyn waterfront.

WHY WE LOVE IT: See the past, present, and future of Brooklyn’s waterfront come to life.

WANT TO GO? $10; free for children younger than 12. 917-7754636. brooklynhistory.org/dumbo.

‘Seussical the Musical’

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WHEN: Friday, May 19, 6pm WHERE: St. George Theatre, 35 Hyatt St., Staten Island AGES: 5 and older WHAT: A little boys’ big imagination is the subject of a story told by The Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant, Gertrude McFuzz, and many other Dr. Seuss favorites.

WHY WE LOVE IT: At the end of this musical, friendship, loyalty, and family are challenged and emerge triumphant.

WANT TO GO? $25. 718-442-2900. stgeorgetheatre.com.

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The StepCrew

WHEN: Saturday, May 20, 8pm WHERE: On Stage at Kingsborough, 2001 Oriental Blvd., Manhattan Beach AGES: 5 and older WHAT: The StepCrew is an extravaganza of Celtic music, song, and three styles of percussive dance: traditional Irish step, tap, and Ottawa Valley, a form known for fast, high-stepping jigs and reels.

WHY WE LOVE IT: It’s a dynamic tour de force.

WANT TO GO? $30-$32. 718-368-5596. onstageatkingsborough.org.

Fleece Festival

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WHEN: May 20-21, Saturday-Sunday, 11am-4pm WHERE: Prospect Park Zoo, 450 Flatbush Ave., Flatbush AGES: All WHAT: After a long winter, the sheep are ready to get their thick, wooly coats sheared. Join the parade on Sunday from 1-4pm from the zoo’s barn to Prospect Park’s Lefferts Historic House as the newly shorn fleece is transported to the farmhouse, where visitors can learn the old-fashioned way of processing wool into yarn.

WHY WE LOVE IT: We’re sure the sheep are just as happy to shed their winter coats as we are!

WANT TO GO? $8; $6 seniors; $5 children ages 3-12, free for members and children younger than 2. 718-399-7339. prospectparkzoo.com.

Family Fun Day FREE

WHEN: Sunday, May 28, 11am-4pm WHERE: Nolan Park, Ferries leave from Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 6 at foot of Atlantic Avenue, Governors Island AGES: All WHAT: Held Memorial Day Weekend, this outdoor festival will feature live music, theatrical performances, storytelling, arts and crafts, educational workshops, ice cream, and a build-your-own playground.

WHY WE LOVE IT: Don’t leave without having a go on the slides at The Hills!

WANT TO GO? 212-440-2200. govisland.com.

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Annual Memorial Day Concert and Trolley Tour

WHEN: Monday, May 29, 2:30-5pm WHERE: Green-Wood Cemetery, 500 25th St., Sunset Park AGES: All WHAT: Bring a blanket and enjoy this free early summer performance. The concert features the ISO Symphonic Band, followed by a walking and trolley tour after the concert, featuring monuments and memorials with veteran connections.

WHY WE LOVE IT: The works of Green-Wood’s permanent residents such as Fred Ebb, Louis Moreau Gottschalk, Leonard Bernstein, and more are featured each year.

WANT TO GO? Concert is free; $25 walking or trolley tour. 718-2103080. green-wood.com.

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The 29th Annual Contemporary Art Education Exhibition FREE

WHEN: May 18-June 18, Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-6pm; Sunday, 12-6pm WHERE: Gallery at BRIC House, 647 Fulton St., Fort Greene AGES: All WHAT: BRIC presents the 29th annual Contemporary Art Education Exhibition, showcasing the works of students who participated in BRIC’s school-based residency programs that bring contemporary artists and their studio practices into the classroom. The opening reception is on Thursday, May 18 from 6-8pm.

WHY WE LOVE IT: See the works of students from more than 30 public schools in kindergarten through 12th grades.

WANT TO GO? 718-683-5600. bricartsmedia.org.

WE CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S FREE Think a freebie has to be ho-hum? Don’t let the price tag (or lack of one) fool you. Here are the five no-cost events we’re excited about now. You’re welcome.

Healthy Parents, Healthy Family FREE

WHEN: Saturday, May 6, 9am-12:30pm WHERE: Weeksville Gardens Children’s Center, 1640 Pacific St., Crown Heights AGES: All WHAT: Join this free community health fair featuring free screenings and giveaways. Hosted by the Brooklyn Kindergarten Society.

WANT TO GO? 718-395-9001. bksny.org.

Brooklyn Bike Jumble FREE

WHEN: Saturday, May 13, 10am-4pm WHERE: The Old Stone House, 336 3rd St., Park Slope AGES: All WHAT: Get yourself a new or used bike, new and used accessories, clothing, collectibles, artwork, overstocks, and bargains galore.

WANT TO GO? 718-768-3195. theoldstonehouse.org.

Annual Open School Days FREE

WHEN: Saturday, May 20, 11am WHERE: Williamsburg Charter High School, 198 Varet St., Williamsburg AGES: 13 and older WHAT: Come see one of the charter world’s oldest successful high schools with individualized instruction, clubs, activities, and more.

WANT TO GO? 347-217-6995. thewcs.org.

Fun on the Farm FREE

WHEN: Sunday, May 21, 1-4pm WHERE: Lefferts Historic House, Flatbush Avenue and Empire Boulevard, Flatbush AGES: All WHAT: Learn how to make yarn and felt using wool. Join a parade to the Prospect Park Zoo’s Fleece Festival and help bring shorn fleece back to the Lefferts farm to wash. After the parade, learn wool carding and how to spin with a drop spindle, enjoy spinning demonstrations, and meet resident spinner Catherine Conrad to see how she turns wool fibers into thread.

WANT TO GO? 718-789-2822. nycgovparks.org.

Greenlight Young Readers Book Group FREE

WHEN: Through Dec. 13: Wednesdays, 5:30pm WHERE: Greenlight Bookstore, 686 Fulton St., Fort Greene AGES: 9-12 WHAT: Led by Greenlight bookseller Grace, this book group is geared toward kids and reads great contemporary and classic chapter books the fourth Wednesday of every month.

WANT TO GO? 718-246-0200. greenlightbookstore.com. ››

‘Princess Backpack and Benjamin’

WHEN: Saturday, May 13, 12pm WHERE: Jalopy Theatre, 315 Columbia St., Red Hook AGES: 3-8 WHAT: The unlikeliest of duos, Princess Backpack and Benjamin, will bring a fun-packed show to celebrate the release of their new album.

WANT TO GO? $10; $5 children; $25 per family. 718-395-3214. jalopy.biz.

Family Fun with Suzi Shelton

SHOW TIME! Spellbound Theatre: ‘Up and Down Again’

WHEN: Saturday, May 6, 10-10:45am and 11:15-11:45am WHERE: Old Stone House, 336 3rd St., Park Slope AGES: 3-5 WHAT: A construction site comes to life with interactive materials and machines used to construct a surprising project.

WANT TO GO? $15. theoldstonehouse.org.

‘The Little Prince’

WHEN: Saturday, May 6, 3pm WHERE: College of Staten Island, Williamson Theatre, 2800 Victory Blvd., Building 1P, Staten Island AGES: All WHAT: Antione de St. Exupery’s heart-warming story of The Little Prince gains rare and unique insights into love, loss, and laughter.

WANT TO GO? $20. 718-982-2787. cfashows.com.

SEA (Singular Extreme Actions): An Hour of Action

WHEN: Through May 7: Thursday-Friday, 7:30pm; Saturday, 5pm; Sunday, 3pm WHERE: STREB Lab for Action Mechanics, 51 N. 1st St., Williamsburg AGES: All WHAT: A wild kaleidoscope of action heroes, events, machines, and music.

WANT TO GO? $29; $25 in advance. 718-384-6491. streb.org.

‘Amelia & Her Paper Tigers’

WHEN: Sunday, May 7, 2pm WHERE: Waterfront Museum, 290 Conover St., Red Hook AGES: All WHAT: Amelia and Her Paper Tigers is a fun-filled look at the life of Amelia Earhart. Two explorers, tasked to investigate the achievements and mysteries behind one of America’s greatest aviators, embark upon a journey they are not likely to forget through comedy, music, audience participation, and circus arts.

WANT TO GO? $10-$15. 718-624-4719. waterfrontmuseum.org.

‘Peter Rabbit’: A Children’s Opera by New Camerata Opera FREE WHEN: Saturday, May 13, 1-3pm WHERE: Brooklyn Public Library, Central Branch, Dweck Center, 10 Grand Army Plaza, Prospect Heights AGES: All WHAT: Camerata Piccola introduces the great works of the opera repertory to children by marrying classic operas with familiar children’s stories. Kids and parents can laugh and be entertained by great music including famous arias such as “Una furtive lagrima,” set to a childfriendly libretto.

WANT TO GO? 718-230-2100. bklynlibrary.org.

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WHEN: Sunday, May 28, 11am WHERE: Jalopy Theatre, 315 Columbia St., Red Hook AGES: 3-8 WHAT: Join Brooklyn’s own Suzi Shelton as she returns to her favorite theatre in NYC for a very special family performance.

WANT TO GO? $10; $5 children; $25 per family. 718-395-3214. jalopy.biz.

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 and featuring illusionists, escape artists, and mentalists from around the world.

WANT TO GO? $10; $5 for children 12 and younger. 718-372-5159. coneyisland.com.

SMARTY PANTS Identification Day

WHEN: Saturday, May 6, 12-5pm WHERE: American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West and 79th Street, Upper West Side, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: Inspired by the legacy of Theodore Roosevelt, the museum celebrates natural history collections by inviting visitors to bring in their own specimens to the annual Identification Day. Scientists will attempt to identify your discoveries while showing you some specimens from the museum’s rarely seen collections.

WANT TO GO? $22; $17 students and seniors; $12.50 children; free for members. 212-769-5100. amnh.org.

Revolutionary New York FREE

WHEN: Saturday, May 13, 1-2:30pm WHERE: Fort Greene Park Visitor Center, Myrtle Avenue and Washington Park, Fort Greene AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Learn about the traditions and—dress of—the colonial people and Native Americans who lived in this area of Brooklyn centuries ago.

WANT TO GO? 347-559-5142. nycgovparks.org.

Hamilton: The Trolley Tour

WHEN: Saturday, May 13, 11am-1pm WHERE: Green-Wood Cemetery, 25th Street and 5th Avenue, Sunset Park AGES: 9 and older WHAT: Although Alexander himself rests elsewhere, many family members and those who crossed his path are interred here. The Battle of Brooklyn—fought on land that is now part of Green-Wood—and Hamilton’s role in that battle, the largest of the American Revolution, will also be discussed.

WANT TO GO? $25. 718-210-3080. green-wood.com.

Like Us; Primate Portraits by Robin Schwartz FREE

WHEN: Through May 28: Tuesday-Sunday, 11am-5pm WHERE: Alice Austen House, 2 Hylan Blvd., Staten Island AGES: 5 and older

WHAT: Check out the early work of photographer Robin Schwartz documenting the close relationship between primates and their caretakers.

WANT TO GO? 718-816-4506. aliceausten.org.

HOLIDAY FUN

Holding History

Mommybites Mother’s Day Luncheon

WHEN: Through May 29: Sundays, 11am WHERE: Brooklyn Children’s Museum, 145 Brooklyn Ave., Crown Heights AGES: 3-8 WHAT: Children will learn about the history of artifacts from the museum’s collection through this tactical investigation and by relating them to their own lives.

WANT TO GO? $11. 718-735-4400. brooklynkids.org.

WHEN: Tuesday, May 2, 9:30-11am WHERE: Cooks & Captains, 256 5th Ave., Park Slope AGES: Newborn to 2, adult WHAT: A special event for moms with babies or young toddlers. Enjoy a delicious three-course brunch at Cooks & Captains, a kid-friendly musical performance, gift bags, raffles, and meet other moms. Registration required.

WANT TO GO? $40. mommybites.com/newyork/mothers-day.

BCM Explorers’ Day

WHEN: Through May 30: Tuesdays, 10am-5pm WHERE: Brooklyn Children’s Museum, 145 Brooklyn Ave., Crown Heights AGES: All WHAT: Explore the museum’s permanent exhibits with your child.

WANT TO GO? $11; free for children younger than 1. 718-224-5863. brooklynkids.org.

WHEN: Sunday, May 7, 11am-4pm WHERE: Japan Society, 333 E. 47th St., Midtown East, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: Celebrate Children’s Day with a performance of a classic Japanse folktale. Families will participate by creating props, and there will also be food, including Kashiwa mochi, to buy.

WANT TO GO? $18; free for children 2 and younger. 212-715-1258. japansociety.org.

Songs For Extraordinary People

Mother’s Day Breakfast

WHEN: Saturday, May 6, 4pm WHERE: Barbès, 376 9th St., Park Slope AGES: 9 and older WHAT: Author and composer Michael Hearst, along with his five-piece band, presents this highly geeky A/V presentation of some of the most fascinating individuals in the world.

WANT TO GO? $10 suggested donation. 347-422-0248. barbesbrooklyn.com.

WHEN: Saturday, May 13, 8:30-10:30am WHERE: Prospect Park Zoo, 450 Flatbush Ave., Prospect Park AGES: All WHAT: Treat mom to a celebration of animal moms at the zoo. Participants will meet before the zoo opens, enjoy a light breakfast, see an animal close up, and help prepare special treats for some special animal moms.

WANT TO GO? $50; $40 members. 718-399-7339. prospectparkzoo.com.

Brooklyn Open FREE

The Rock and Roll Playhouse Presents: A Mother’s Day Special

Children’s Day Festival: Kodomo no Hi

WHEN: Through June 5: Mondays, 5pm WHERE: Brooklyn Public Library, Central Branch, 10 Grand Army Plaza, Prospect Heights AGES: 13-17 WHAT: Teens enjoy an open mic event at which poets, spoken work artists, emcees, scholars, and activists share their powerful and important voices, run by youth for youth, with youth DJs, youth hosts, and a monthly featured poet.

WANT TO GO? 718-230-2100. bklynlibrary.org.

WHEN: Sunday, May 14, 12pm WHERE: Brooklyn Bowl, 61 Wythe Ave., Williamsburg AGES: All WHAT: Brooklyn Bowl and The Rock and Roll Playhouse teamed up to host a special event, featuring the music of Madonna and a book signing and reading with Alyssa Cowit, author of I Did My Homework in My Head.

WANT TO GO? $10; free for children younger than 1 and mothers. 718963-3369. brooklynbowl.com.

Book Worms FREE

WHEN: Monday, May 29, 12-5pm WHERE: Prospect Park, Lincoln Road and Ocean Avenue, Prospect Park AGES: All WHAT: Join the Prospect Park Alliance for family-friendly activities at various locations throughout the park, including nature education programs, potato planting, and carousel rides.

WANT TO GO? Free admission; fees for potato planting and carousel rides. 718-965-8951. prospectpark.org. ››

WHEN: Through June 23: Tuesday-Friday, 2:30-3:30pm WHERE: Walker Park, 88 Delafield Ave., Staten Island AGES: 5-12 WHAT: Book Worms is a program for children to share and develop their love for reading. Children will be able to develop and advance their literacy skills through a variety of fun and educational literacy games, activities, and library trips.

WANT TO GO? 718-816-6192. nycgovparks.org.

Memorial Day in Prospect Park

Drones: Is the Sky the Limit?

WHEN: May 10-Sept. 1, Monday-Friday, 10am-5pm; Saturday-Sunday, 10am-6pm WHERE: Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Pier 86, West 46th Street and Twelfth Avenue, New York Harbor, Manhattan AGES: 5 and older WHAT: The large-scale exhibition will reveal the history of drone technology, from its modern-day origins in World War I and its military development to its current applications in solving complex humanitarian challenges.

WANT TO GO? $33; $31 seniors; $24 children ages 2-12; free for children 4 and younger. 877-957-7447. intrepidmuseum.org.

BrooklynParent 31

World Turtle Day

WHEN: Tuesday, May 23, 11am-4pm WHERE: Prospect Park Zoo, 450 Flatbush Ave., Prospect Park AGES: All WHAT: It’s all about turtles, terrapins, tortoises, and learning the differences between them. Join keepers at the zoo for special chats with some live animals, then take the scavenger hunt challenge and find out how much you know about our chelonian friends.

WANT TO GO? $8; $6 seniors; $5 children ages 3-12, free for members and children younger than 2. 718-399-7339. prospectparkzoo.com.

Exhibition: Wilderness Camp

WHEN: Through June 4: Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-5pm; Thursday, 10am-6pm WHERE: Brooklyn Children’s Museum, 145 Brooklyn Ave., Crown Heights AGES: All WHAT: This indoor experience brings the great outdoors to family audiences through role-play and the exploration of nature. Kids and their caregivers will learn about different ways of creating shelters, plants that provide food and building materials, and techniques that transform natural materials into functional, everyday objects.

WANT TO GO? $11; free for children younger than 1. 718-224-5863. brooklynkids.org.

Family Discovery Weekends

THE GREAT OUTDOORS Seining FREE

WHEN: Sunday, May 7, 2-3:30pm WHERE: Marine Park, Burnett Street and Avenue U, Marine Park AGES: 5-17 WHAT: Learn about the ethics of fishing and the ecology of our waterways with a fishing program from Urban Park Rangers.

WANT TO GO? 718-421-2021. nycgovparks.org.

Early Morning Bird Walk: Marvelous Migrants FREE

WHEN: Sunday, May 7, 8-9am WHERE: Prospect Park Audubon Center, Lincoln Road and Ocean Avenue, Flatbush AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Join Prospect Park Alliance to search for some of the dazzling birds that visit the park before flying to northern breeding grounds.

WANT TO GO? 718-287-3400. prospectpark.org.

Paint the Owls FREE

WHEN: Through June 4: Saturdays, 10:30am-12:30pm; Sundays, 1-3pm WHERE: Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 990 Washington Ave., Prospect Heights AGES: All WHAT: Experiment, learn, and play together in the Discovery Garden.

Hands-on stations throughout the garden’s meadow, woodland, and marsh habitats and in the vegetable garden encourage families to explore nature together. Create a nature-based craft, artwork, or invention with Discovery Garden docents.

WANT TO GO? $15; free for children younger than 12. 718-623-7200. bbg.org.

Shayne Dark Exhibit

WHEN: Through July 31: Tuesday-Friday, 8am-4:30pm; SaturdaySunday, 10am-4:30pm WHERE: Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 900 Washington Ave., Prospect Heights AGES: All WHAT: Shayne Dark is known for making complex sculptures from tree branches, trunks, and roots that evoke nature while taking on majestic new forms. In July 2016, the artist worked on the grounds of Brooklyn Botanic Garden to create a new site-specific, large-scale installation on Cherry Walk.

WANT TO GO? $12; free for children younger than 12. 718-623-7200. bbg.org.

Free Family Day FREE

WHEN: May 6-13, Saturdays, 11am-12:30pm WHERE: Owl’s Head Park, 67th Street and Colonial Road, Bay Ridge AGES: 3-10, adult WHAT: Families are invited to paint the metal cut-out owls along the gate of the children’s playground.

WANT TO GO? 718-748-9522. facebook.com/owlsheadvolunteers.

WHEN: Saturday, May 20, 1-4pm WHERE: The Wyckoff House Museum, 5816 Clarendon Road, Canarsie AGES: All WHAT: Enjoy engaging, kid-friendly tours, hands-on activities, scavenger hunts, and more. If the weather’s nice, bring a picnic and enjoy the grounds before or after your visit to the house.

WANT TO GO? 718-629-5400. wyckoffmuseum.org.

Discovery Walks for Families: Beginning Birders FREE

It’s My Park Days 2017 FREE

WHEN: Through May 20: Saturdays, 10am WHERE: See website for locations, Central Park, Manhattan AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Explore Central Park’s woodlands, and learn the basics of bird identification along the way. Location changes each week, check website for details.

WANT TO GO? 212-860-1370. centralparknyc.org.

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WHEN: Through Aug. 24: Saturdays, see website for times WHERE: Various parks, see website for addresses, New York AGES: 9 and older WHAT: Volunteers will participate in a citywide effort to care for our green spaces with brooms, shovels, rakes, and trash grabbers during It’s My Park projects.

WANT TO GO? nycgovparks.org/events/its_my_park_day.

MINI

MUSICIANS Stomp, Clap, and Sing with Hopalong Andrew FREE

WHEN: Tuesday, May 9, 11am-12pm WHERE: Brooklyn Public Library, Central Branch, Dweck Center, 10 Grand Army Plaza, Prospect Heights AGES: Newborn to 5 WHAT: Join Hopalong Andrew in the fun with great tunes.

WANT TO GO? 718-230-2100. bklynlibrary.org.

Silent Voices

WHEN: May 12-13, Friday-Saturday, 7:30pm WHERE: Peter Jay Sharp Building, BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, 30 Lafayette Ave., Fort Greene AGES: 9 and older WHAT: This multimedia concert places marginalized narratives of racial, gender, and economic disparity at the center of our discourse.

WANT TO GO? $20 and up. 718-636-4100. bam.org.

Events for Youth & Families: Shine and the Moonbeams FREE

WHEN: Saturday, May 20, 1-2pm WHERE: Brooklyn Public Library, Central Branch, Dweck Center, 10 Grand Army Plaza, Prospect Heights AGES: All WHAT: An extravaganza that captures the sweetness and simplicity of youth.

WANT TO GO? 718-230-2100. bklynlibrary.org.

The Good Ms. Padgett

WHEN: Saturday, May 20, 4pm WHERE: Jalopy Theatre, 315 Columbia St., Red Hook AGES: 3-8, adult WHAT: The Good Ms. Padgett sings wise, wild, wonderfully absurd songs for children and their grown-ups.

WANT TO GO? $10; $5 children; $25 per family. 718-395-3214. jalopy.biz.

Neighborhood Family Concerts FREE

WHEN: Through 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.

Sing-Alongs

WHEN: Through Dec. 31: Monday-Friday, 10:30am WHERE: The Dean Street, 755 Dean St., Prospect Heights AGES: Newborn to 5 WHAT: These sing-alongs feature a different favorite local musician each day.

WANT TO GO? $8 per family. 718-783-3326. deanstreetbrooklyn.com.

ON SCREEN

Best of the BAMkids Film Festival 2017

WHEN: Sunday, May 7, 2pm WHERE: BAM Rose Cinemas, 30 Lafayette Ave., Fort Greene AGES: 3-12 WHAT: Enjoy a selection of the most popular films from this year’s BAMkids Film Festival.

WANT TO GO? $10; $7 for children 12 and younger. 718-636-4100. bam.org/kids.

‘Le Ballon d’or’

WHEN: Sunday, May 28, 2pm and 7pm WHERE: BAM Rose Cinemas, 30 Lafayette Ave., Fort Greene AGES: 5 and older WHAT: This joyous French-Guinean production chronicles the adventures of a spirited young boy named Bandian as he goes from small village to big city to pursue his dream of becoming a professional soccer player.

WANT TO GO? $10; $7 for children 12 and younger. 718-636-4100. bam.org/kids.

Concrete Stories: 2017 Brooklyn Youth Media Festival FREE

WHEN: Wednesday, May 31, 1pm and 6:30pm WHERE: BRIC House Ballroom, 647 Fulton St., Fort Greene AGES: 9 and older WHAT: This showcase celebrates talented young media makers who are telling stories through short films, documentaries, and animations.

WANT TO GO? 718-683-5600. bricartsmedia.org.

‘Journey to Space’ 3-D Movie

WHEN: Through June 30, Monday-Friday, 12pm and 3pm; SaturdaySunday, 1pm and 4pm WHERE: New York Hall of Science, 47-01 111th St., Corona, Queens AGES: All WHAT: Moviegoers will learn about the important role of the International Space Station, uncover what NASA and the space community are working on, and discover the challenges they face to carry out missions.

WANT TO GO? $6; $5 children with admission: $15; $12 children, students, and seniors. 718-699-0005. nysci.org.

Outdoor Movie Night FREE

WHEN: May 28-Aug. 20, Sundays, 8:30pm WHERE: Randall’s Island Park, Field 81, Randall’s Island AGES: 9 and older WHAT: Catch outdoor movies surrounded by great views from Randall’s Island every other Sunday. Films include Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Aladdin, and Zootopia.

WANT TO GO? 212-860-1899. randallsisland.org.

‘Humpback Whales’

WHEN: Through Sept. 14: Daily, 10:30am-4:30pm WHERE: American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West and 79th Street, Upper West Side, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: Set in the spectacular waters of Alaska, Hawaii, and the remote islands of Tonga, this ocean adventure offers audiences an up-close look at how these whales communicate, sing, feed, play, and care for their young.

WANT TO GO? $27; $17 seniors and students; $16 children ages 2-12.

212-769-5100. amnh.org. ›› BrooklynParent 33

FUN FAIRS & FESTIVALS Spring Into Stories: Children’s Author and Illustrator Festival FREE

CRAFTY KIDS May Open Studios: Heroes and Sheroes FREE

WHEN: Saturday, May 6, 1-5pm WHERE: UrbanGlass, 647 Fulton St., Fort Greene AGES: All WHAT: Participate in hands-on activities for all ages and tour the space to learn about glass and the ways it can be used.

WANT TO GO? 718-625-3685. urbanglass.org.

LC Kids Presents Spring Fling FREE

WHEN: Sunday, May 14, 11am-2pm WHERE: Lincoln Center, Josie Robertson Plaza, 10 Lincoln Center Plaza, Upper West Side, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: A fun-filled day of performances, crafts, and activities across the plazas of Lincoln Center. Activities include story times, crafting, chalk drawing, artists from the American Ballet Theatre and The Juilliard School, and a performance by The Verve Pipe.

WANT TO GO? 212-875-5000. kids.lincolncenter.org.

Maker Space Friday FREE

WHEN: May 5-26, Fridays, 2:30-5pm WHERE: New York Hall of Science, 47-01 111th St., Corona, Queens AGES: All WHAT: Familes can explore different materials, concepts, and ideas while making and tinkering together. Activities cover a wide range of topics including simple circuits, wind-powered racers, and hand sewing.

WANT TO GO? 718-699-0005. nysci.org.

Family Day FREE

WHEN: Saturday, May 27, 12-3pm WHERE: Gallery at BRIC House, 647 Fulton St., Fort Greene AGES: All WHAT: Join some of BRIC’s Teaching Artists for an imaginative adventure in art-making. The program is taking place in conjunction with the 29th annual Contemporary Art Education Exhibition.

WANT TO GO? 718-683-5600. bricartsmedia.org.

Art in Action FREE

WHEN: Through June 23: Tuesday-Wednesday and Friday, 3:30-4:30pm WHERE: Walker Park, 88 Delafield Ave., Staten Island AGES: 5-17 WHAT: Art in Action is a program in which children will be given the opportunity to develop their creativity and personal expression through a variety of fun and educational arts and crafts projects.

WANT TO GO? 718-816-6192. nycgovparks.org.

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WHEN: Saturday, May 6, 1-4pm WHERE: Brooklyn Public Library, Central Branch, Dweck Center, 10 Grand Army Plaza, Prospect Heights AGES: All WHAT: Celebrate Children’s Book Week with an all-star line-up of local authors and illustrators, plus hands-on art and a book sale and signing.

WANT TO GO? 718-230-2100. bklynlibrary.org.

Cherry Blossom Festival FREE

WHEN: Saturday, May 6, 12-4pm WHERE: Randall’s Island Park, Fields 62 and 63, Randall’s Island AGES: All WHAT: This festival welcomes the park’s cherry blossoms with live music, performances, games, exhibitions, face painting, and more.

WANT TO GO? 212-860-1899. randallsisland.org.

Fleet Week 2017 FREE

WHEN: May 23-30, daily, see website for times WHERE: Various locations, see website for addresses, New York AGES: All WHAT: Meet sailors, Marines, and members of the Coast Guard, as well as witness the latest capabilities of today’s maritime services.

WANT TO GO? fleetweeknewyork.com.

10th Annual World Science Festival 2017

WHEN: May 30-June 4, see website for times WHERE: Various locations, see website for addresses, New York AGES: All WHAT: An exploration of groundbreaking discoveries and encounters with the trailblazing scientists and thinkers who are changing the world.

WANT TO GO? See website for prices. 212-348-1400. worldsciencefestival.com.

DANCE PARTY Dance with MMDG FREE

WHEN: Saturday, May 20, 3-4pm WHERE: Mark Morris Dance Center, 3 Lafayette Ave., Fort Greene AGES: All WHAT: Learn choreography in conjunction with MMDG’s performances.

WANT TO GO? 718-624-8400. markmorrisdancegroup.org.

Stomp, Clap, and Sing with Silly Jazz and Camille FREE

WHEN: Tuesday, May 23, 11am-12pm WHERE: Brooklyn Public Library, Central Branch, Dweck Center, 10 Grand Army Plaza, Prospect Heights AGES: Newborn to 5 WHAT: Dance along with comedian and jazz singer, Camille Harris.

WANT TO GO? 718-230-2100. bklynlibrary.org.

Community Dance Class FREE

WHEN: Monday, May 1, 6:30-8pm WHERE: BRIC House Ballroom, 647 Fulton St., Fort Greene AGES: All WHAT: All ages and skill levels are welcome to join.

WANT TO GO? 718-683-5600. bricartsmedia.org.

MOVERS & SHAKERS Touch-a-Truck 2017

WHEN: Saturday, May 13, 12-5pm WHERE: P.S. 295, 330 18th St., South Slope AGES: All WHAT: Kids can get up-close and personal with all their favorite cool vehicles at this day-long street fair for the whole family.

WANT TO GO? $8-$35. 718-965-0390. ps295touchatruck.weebly.com.

Basic Canoeing FREE

WHEN: Sunday, May 14, 11am-2pm WHERE: Prospect Park Audubon Center, Lincoln Road and Ocean Avenue, Flatbush AGES: 9 and older WHAT: Trained Urban Park Rangers will lead you on canoe adventures that range from the gentle waters of protected lakes to the challenging open waters of rivers and bays.

WANT TO GO? 718-287-3400. prospectpark.org.

NYRR Kids’ Boardwalk Run at the Airbnb Brooklyn Half FREE

WHEN: Saturday, May 20, 11:30am WHERE: Coney Island Boardwalk, Boardwalk and West 10th Street, Coney Island AGES: 5-17 WHAT: Hundreds of boys and girls will run 1 mile on the Coney Island Boardwalk, one of Brooklyn’s most iconic landmarks.

WANT TO GO? nyrr.org.

Soccer Training Camp FREE

WHEN: Through June 23: Tuesdays, 4:30-5:30pm WHERE: Walker Park, 88 Delafield Ave., Staten Island AGES: 5-12 WHAT: Children will be able to participate in a variety of physical exercises while learning the basic fundamentals of soccer. Registration required.

WANT TO GO? 718-816-6192. nycgovparks.org.

Big and Little Skills Academy Basketball Clinics FREE

WHEN: May 2-Aug. 27, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4-7pm; Sundays, 12-2pm WHERE: Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 2, Clark and Furman streets, Brooklyn Heights AGES: 9-17 WHAT: Join Big and Little Skills Academy for dynamic youth basketball clinics on Pier 2 that include either yoga to enhance flexibility or flag football for agility training.

WANT TO GO? 718-222-9939. brooklynbridgepark.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 community-based 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 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.

Free Fencing Class FREE

WHEN: Through July 17: Saturdays, 9am WHERE: South Brooklyn Fencing, 211 21st St., South Slope AGES: 5-12 WHAT: This one-time free class is a chance for your child to try their hand at fencing. Registration required.

WANT TO GO? 929-337-8097. southbrooklynfencing.nyc.

The Little People Party

WHEN: Through Aug. 15: Mondays, 3-5pm; Wednesdays, 9-11am WHERE: The Backyard, 196 N. 14th St., Greenpoint AGES: 3-5 WHAT: The Little People Party is a twice-weekly, daytime playgroup for young children and their caregivers. The giant, enclosed, Astroturfcovered field is decked out with games and toys for kids.

WANT TO GO? $10 children. 646-707-4372. facebook.com/thelittlepeopleparty.

Coming up next month: JUNE 3: Go Green! Brooklyn Festival in McCarren Park, Greenpoint JUNE 17: The 35th Annual Mermaid Day Parade, starting at West 21st Street and Surf Avenue, Coney Island JUNE 24: SeriousFun Messtival on Breeze Hill in Prospect Park

BrooklynParent 35

WHERE-TO GUIDE

nymetroparents.com/where-to

Zoos, Nature Centers, and Botanical Gardens ›› Research by Sabrina Sooknanan

Liz Ligon

Read through our guide to find petting zoos, arboretums, nature preserves, farms and public gardens, all packed with fun nature activities for the whole family. Let your little ones loose to try their hands at zoo feedings and touch tanks, explore wooded trails, and learn about exotic plants. The spring season is the perfect time to explore the outdoors. As always, please call ahead before taking your crew to the zoo.

A visitor and instructor investigate water from the Marsh in the Discovery Garden at Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden 990 Washington Ave., Crown Heights 718-623-7200 bbg.org Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 8am6pm; Saturday and Sunday, 10am-6pm; Closed Mondays (but open Memorial Day and Columbus Day, 10am-6pm) Admission: $15; $8 seniors and students; free for children younger than 12; free for all on Tuesday (all day) and Saturday, 10am-12pm (except during special events). Combo tickets, which include admission to the Brooklyn Museum, are available for $25; $16 seniors and students; free for children younger than 12.

A 52-acre “living museum” with various plant collections and special gardens, BBG strives to teach visitors the importance of plants in our 36

everyday lives. Must-see May highlights include Bluebell Wood, the Lilac Collection, tulips in the Annual Border, and azaleas and wisteria in the Osborne Garden. Check bbg.org/bloom for updates on what’s in bloom. BBG also hosts nature-based educational programs for young children and their caregivers year-round, including a children’s garden program, discovery garden for kids, and summer camps.

Brooklyn Heights Promenade Brooklyn Queens Expressway between Joralemon Street and Grace Court, Brooklyn Heights 212-639-9675 nyharborparks.org/visit/brhe.html Hours: Daily, dawn to 1am Admission: FREE This scenic/historic walking area features views of Staten

May 2017 | nymetroparents.com

Island, Governors Island, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the South Street Seaport, Fulton Fish Market, and the Brooklyn Bridge. From April through September, see spring and summer trees and flowers in bloom, including azalea, daffodil, forsythia, Japanese skimmia, lily-of-the-valley, tulip, coral bells, and more.

Fort Greene Park Myrtle and DeKalb avenues, between Washington Park and St. Edward’s Street, Fort Greene 718-722–3218 nycgovparks.org/parks/ fort-greene-park Hours: Daily, 5-1am Admission: FREE See the Prison Ship Martyrs’ Monument, which towers over the crypt where more than 11,000 people who died in the Revolutionary War are buried.

The park also includes a basketball court, playgrounds, tennis courts, sloping hills, and majestic trees.

Prospect Park 95 Prospect Park West 718-965-8951 (general info) 718-965-8954 (event info) prospectpark.org Hours: Daily, 5-1am. Carousel operates Thursday-Sunday and holidays (through June 29), 12-5pm. Lefferts Historic House is open ThursdaySunday (through June), 12-

5pm. The Audubon Center is open Thursday-Sunday, 12-4pm, and Saturday-Sunday, 10am-1pm (through June).

Admission: FREE. Carousel is $2 per ride. Lefferts Historic House has a $3 suggested admission for adults.

This 585-acre park includes a 90-acre meadow, 60-acre lake, and Brooklyn’s only forest. It’s also home to four hiking trails; trail guides are available at the Audubon Center. The Audubon Center at the Boathouse, dedicated to wildlife preservation and natural education, hosts interactive nature programs for kids and adults, including scavenger hunts, bird watching tours, opportunities to see animal feedings, and nature play activities. Lakeside transforms the southeast corner of the park into a popular scenic and recreational destination.

Lefferts Historic House is located in the park’s Children’s Corner, near the carousel and Prospect Park Zoo, and encompasses a working garden, historic artifacts and documents, and period rooms and exhibits.

Visitors can engage in precolonial activities such as candle making, sewing, butter churning, and children can engage in games played by their peers more than 100 years ago.

Find the full guide at ›› nymetroparents.com/zoos

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BrooklynParent 37

Courtesy Nicole Perrino

Courtesy Bicultural Mama Courtesy Betsy Vilca

Courtesy Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Suffolk County blogger Maria Adcock and her family at a birthday party. The kids are half Chinese and Maria hopes they embrace that side of their heritage.

Jen Rabulan-Bertram and her family live in Denville, NJ, and call themselves the “token mixed family” of their area.

Nicole Perrino and her family live in the Bronx, where she says the diversity makes them comfortable raising mixed-race kids.

Queens mom Betsy Vilca, who is Peruvian, says she and her husband, who is Irish, teach their kids about both cultures.

Growing Up Mixed

››

There are more mixed-race families than ever, but parents still face challenges raising kids in two cultures. By Samantha Neudorf

T

here is no worse feeling than when people think you and your child are unrelated. At least, that’s how my mother felt.

I am half German and half Filipina, and I remember many times when I would be out with my Filipina mother and people would come up to her and say, “What a cute child! Are you her nanny?” or “Is she adopted?” One person even went so far as to flatout deny I was her daughter and insisted, “I just don’t see how that’s possible.” All because I did not look exactly like her.

Incidents like these stuck with me and are among the major challenges parents face when raising a mixed-race child. I decided to speak with parents here in the New York metro region to hear their accounts of raising bicultural children today.

Looking Different

In my own experience, identifying as multiracial is complicated because you look “different” from others. It’s challenging because you do end up relating to one side more than another—yet you are not entirely of that race, so you are not always fully accepted even 38

May 2017 | nymetroparents.com

within that group. On the other hand, it feels great to be able to celebrate more than one heritage and be able to better understand other cultures.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2013, 9 million Americans identified as two or more racial categories when asked about their racial background, and a more recent Pew study put that number significantly higher. In New York City, 4 percent of the population identified as “two or more races” in the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau, while statewide more than half a million New Yorkers did the same— and the number is surely growing.

A Cultural Melting Pot

Often revered as a cultural melting pot, New York City and its suburbs are home to people of countless ethnicities. It is therefore not surprising that interracial relationships are on the rise, and with them, the birth of multi-race children.

Nicole Perrino is the founder of the blog Bronx Mamas and is Italian-Irish. Her boyfriend Luis is Dominican, and their daughters

are Briana, 10, and Gia, 4. They live in East Bronx and found that the area has a blend of both of their cultures. “It’s so diverse and you never know what a person is just by looking at them,” Perrino says.

Betsy Vilca is a blogger and YouTuber at Thats Betsy V, and a mother of two children: Ziana, 4, and Gunner, 1. She is Peruvian and her boyfriend Bobby is Irish. They live in the Kew Gardens section of Queens, which is one of the most ethnically diverse places in the country.

Vilca expresses concern about how her kids will be treated based on the current political climate. “I feel like it’s much more accepting to be a mixed-race family than it was years ago,” she says. “But at the same time, with Donald Trump in office we’re concerned our kids might be ostracized because they’re not whitewhite and they’re not Spanish.”

Vilca is able to have her kids learn about both sides of their heritage in New York by going to St. Patrick’s Day activities as well as eating Peruvian dishes such as lomo saltado, a stir-fry of sirloin steak with onions, tomatoes, and French fries served over a bed of rice. “It’s very cultural here in New York and I feel like they’ll be able to identify more with different cultures when they get older,” Vilca says.

Preserving Tradition

One way to preserve tradition is to teach kids to be bilingual or to “speak their mother tongue.” Vilca’s daughter Ziana understands Spanish when she speaks to her, but sometimes refuses to respond because everyone around speaks English. Vilca grew up in Garden City Park on Long Island and felt the same way. “I grew up with a lot of Caucasians and my parents only spoke Spanish, so I couldn’t identify with those kids and was ostracized in that aspect,” Vilca says. She hopes her kids will grow up to speak Spanish fluently and understand it better than she does.

Maria Adcock is the founder of the blog Bicultural Mama and is Chinese-American. She and her husband Matthew, who is Caucasian, live in Suffolk County and have two daughters: Ailin, 8, and Aimei, 2. Ailin is enrolled in Chinese school and Aimei will follow in her footsteps once she is old enough to attend.

Adcock wants her daughters to go to Chinese school because there are not many Asians in her area and her family lives out of state, so her kids do not have a chance to hear relatives speak Chinese very often. She attended Chinese school growing up and wants her kids to be exposed to the culture, language, and traditions. “Some of the challenges of raising mixed-race children are ensuring that the minority heritage traditions are passed down and that my kids are embracing it and proud that there’s this part of them,” Adcock says. “It’s very easy for them to lose the minority heritage because they’re not immersed in it.”

Adcock hopes that her daughters will continue to celebrate both cultures. She says Ailin identifies more with her Chinese side, but says that could change if she decides she wants to choose to embrace her Caucasian side more. “My husband’s family is nearby and we see them several times a month,” Adcock says. “That’s why I feel like I need to make sure that the other side is being reinforced as well.”

Uncomfortable Situations

Adcock talked to Ailin about racism and what to do if she is bullied. She grew up in Michigan and said she was teased, so she wants to make sure her kids know what to do if that ever happens.

“I want them to be proud at a young age and try to protect them as much as possible.”

There was an instance where Adcock was with Ailin at the post

office when she was a baby and an older woman approached them and said, “Oh my gosh, is that an ‘Amerasian’ baby?”

The term “Amerasian” is used to define a person born in Asia to a U.S. military father and an Asian mother. It was first used during the wars in Korea and then Vietnam and could be applicable to U.S. citizens of any ethnicity, so this was a misinformed comment that made Adcock feel taken aback. “I can tell that she didn’t mean it in an offensive way because she was smiling and said she knew other ‘Amerasian’ babies,” Adcock says. “It was just kind of strange to be called out that way.”

Teaching Kids to Understand Others

Jen Rabulan-Bertram is the founder of the blog Next Kid Thing. She is Filipina-American and her husband Jeff is German, English, and Irish. Jen, Jeff, and their kids Jack, 9, and Josh, 5, live in Denville, NJ, and say they are the “token mixed family” of their area.

Rabulan-Bertram grew up in Virginia, where she says people made racial jokes toward her and repeated racial stereotypes, so she made sure her kids learned how to embrace others. The common refrain in their household is that everyone is different, whether it’s how they look or if they are differently abled. Josh is in special education, so it is especially ingrained in her kids that they accept anyone regardless of race or physical differences. “You don’t know the other person’s story, so you just say that everyone is different,” RabulanBertram says.

Rabulan-Bertram says Jack has been learning about his culture in school and hopes he grows up to embrace both sides. “Having a mom that looks one way and a dad that looks another is definitely something he should be proud of,” Rabulan-Bertram says.

“Whether it’s having awesome food and learning about how his grandparents grew up in a really cool island, I think it’s important for him to know that.”

As for me, being bicultural has allowed me to understand the world and empathize with others through a lens not many people can use. I understand and accept that people will continue to give me weird looks because they cannot figure out what my ethnicity is.

I understand that I will be too Asian in some people’s eyes and too white to others. I understand the struggle to be accepted in society because at the end of the day, I’m still a minority. And I would never change any of it because I am proud of who I am.

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BrooklynParent 39

SpecialParent

Putting a Stop to a Slur

››

Parents of kids with special needs join other advocates to push for an end to the ‘R-word.’ By Sabrina Sooknanan

I

“ hate that word! I don’t want you to ever use that word again!”

That’s what Kari Wagner-Peck yelled at a man who used the “R-word” in her son’s presence. Wagner-Peck, a Portland, MEbased blogger whose son has Down syndrome, says she felt as if the man understood her when she told him not to use language like that again.

Not everyone is so understanding, however. Calling someone a “retard”—whether in supposed jest or as an insult—is common, with many people probably unaware how hurtful it is to people with intellectual disabilities. That’s why activists, many of them parents, are taking a stand against the R-word with the Spread the Word to End the Word campaign.

Hurtful language is a constant battle for many people with intellectual disabilities, who are often stigmatized. Advocacy against the R-word has been ongoing for decades, says Soeren Palumbo, cofounder of the campaign, whose sister has an intellectual disability.

“Spread the Word to End the Word was created as a grassroots,

40

May 2017 | nymetroparents.com

youth-led campaign in 2009 as part of the Special Olympics World Winter Games being held in Boise, Idaho,” he explains.

From Clinic to Slang

The word “retard(ed)” comes from the Latin word retardare, which means to delay or make slow. The R-word was originally introduced as “mental retardation” to clinically define people with intellectual impairment. Initially, individuals were defined as having mental retardation if they received an IQ score of 70 or below. IQ looks at the difference between a person’s chronological age and his developmental age. “If you would score below a 70, the thought would be that you might have issues with verbal, performance, and adaptability to daily life,” says Nava Silton, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at Marymount Manhattan College, located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

Eventually, the R-word became part of everyday slang and

people began to use it in jokes and pop culture, and it came to be seen as a pejorative word. The gap between medical terminology and offensive language grew and the purpose of the word became blurred.

What’s So Bad About It Anyway?

Dr. Silton believes a big problem with the R-word is it dehumanizes the person with the intellectual disability. “I’m very much a proponent of people-first language, so [that means] saying you are an individual with autism or an individual with a physical disability,” Dr. Silton says. She adds: “You are a person first with all those things that are uniquely human and unique to you, and then you also happen to have a disability. When you use the R-word you are defining the person by that term, and that is so reductive to do that to somebody.”

The language we use, advocates say, represents our values and can lead to certain behaviors, positive or negative. Using the R-word is a form of excluding and isolating people, but on the other hand, Palumbo says, “each decision to not use the R-word re-affirms the attitude that people with [intellectual disabilities] are valuable enough to not denigrate, valuable enough to include in shared human dignity.”

For parents of and advocates for people with intellectual disabilities, using the R-word singles out certain people for different treatment—and is just plain hurtful. “[It has] the same effect and intent of any slur, whether racial, anti-Semitic, antiLGBT, anti-Muslim, etc.,” Wagner-Peck says. “It diminishes the person’s humanity. It is a hateful word whether the user acknowledges that or not.”

R-Word Offenders

Wagner-Peck works to call out those who use the word, unknowingly or not. This led her to publicly confront Chuck Klosterman, the best-selling author and former New York Times ethics columnist, about several occasions in which he used the R-word in print. In her open letter to Klosterman, she pointed out several instances when Klosterman had used the R-word and characterized the author as an “unrepentant hater of people with cognitive disabilities.” She ended the letter with a question: “What are the ethics of using the R-word?”

Wagner-Peck says she didn’t expect Klosterman to respond to her letter, but he did—apologizing for his choice of words and even donating $25,000 for her to give to any charity. In his response, Klosterman wrote, “I realize the books that contain those sentiments were published over 10 years ago, but that is no excuse; I was an adult when I wrote them and I knew what I was doing.” Wagner-Peck says she reacted in yells and tears to his apology—and with shock to the donation.

Ellen Seidman, a New York City blogger and mom of a son with disabilities, created a public message on her blog LoveThatMax.com to call out people who used the R-word and shed some light on the effects of it. Among her efforts is a YouTube video called “Would You Call My Child A Retard?” showcasing photos of her son Max and flashing phrases that detail offensive and belittling uses of the R-word. She begins the video by saying, “To me, he’s not a kid with disabilities. He’s just an awesome kid. But some people give him a bad name.”

Seidman says most people would never say the R-word to a child’s face; however, she believes if you wouldn’t do that, then you shouldn’t use it in any place or situation. She writes in her blog post, “Ultimately, this isn’t just about a word—it’s about

respect. It’s about getting people to consider kids and adults with cognitive impairment equal members of society. It’s not about censorship, either; it’s about starting a conversation on how people can better treat Max and others like him.”

In another post, Seidman tells a story of Joseph, a 9-yearold boy with autism spectrum disorder, and the amazing thing he did at a Target in Medford. While shopping with his family, Joseph noticed someone had arranged metal letters to spell out the word “Retards” on a shelf. He knew it was a bad word and spoke to his mother to confirm the meaning of the R-word. Joseph’s mom Tracy explained, “It’s a word people use toward people with disabilities or a word people use kind of ignorantly—instead of saying ‘stupid’ or ‘silly’ they choose to use that word and it’s really mean.” As a result, Joseph thought of his brother Max, who has autism, and felt that they needed to change the letters so nobody would see the bad word. Joseph searched the shelf for letters and rearranged them to spell his name “Joe” and the word “Dream.” He didn’t let the negative word affect him and he turned it into something positive, something Tracy says she really wanted Joseph to learn, according to Seidman’s blog post.

‘R-Word’ the Movie

Amanda Lukoff is a filmmaker whose older sister Gabrielle has Down syndrome. Inspired by Gabrielle, Lukoff is creating a film called The R-Word about “how the power of words, and the love between siblings, can inspire a movement.” In an interview, Lukoff recalled a time when she was little and a friend came over to her house to play. When the girl saw Gabrielle she asked to leave, and Lukoff ’s dad ended up driving the girl home. This was the first time Lukoff was exposed to other people’s negative reactions to her sister. She remembers that she, along with her and Gabrielle’s other sisters, were confused by the girl’s reaction because Gabrielle was their sister—and no different from other children in their eyes.

“Growing up with Gabrielle made me and my [other] sisters more sensitive to the R-word—we advocated for Gabrielle by standing up to our peers about their use of the R-word,” Lukoff says. As a part of the film, Lukoff and her team created an animated short illustrating her experiences with the R-word and introducing her journey to find “how, when, and why the R-word became a part of pop culture, to discover if the R-word transcends American society, to uncover the lasting effects the R-word has on people with intellectual disabilities, and their friends and families, and ultimately, to try to empower people and communities and encourage everyone to think before they speak.” The film is set to be completed and screened this summer.

No doubt, some people will inevitably come away from any discussion of the R-word unconvinced that it is a big deal. For them, Jonathan Franklin Stephens, a self-advocate with Down syndrome, has a message, which he conveyed in a Huffington Post article he wrote: “To all of you who use it, let me say it one more time, THE R-WORD HURTS. You don’t have to aim the word directly at me to hurt me and millions of others like me who live with an intellectual disability. Every time a person uses the r-word, no matter who it is aimed at, it says to those who hear it that it is okay to use it. That’s how a slur becomes more and more common. That’s how people like me get to hear it over and over, even when you think we aren’t listening.”

Sabrina Sooknanan is a NYMetroParents intern.

BrooklynParent 41

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steppingstones86.com • Steppingstones86@aol.com Become Part of Our Family!

SMART START Early Childhood Center, Inc.

8411 Fort Hamilton Parkway Brooklyn, NY 11209 Phone 718-921-1868 Fax 718-921-6713

Special Summer Activities, Crafts, Trips and more...

Our unique, inclusive and welcoming experienced staff, engaging, innovative programs - state of the art environment will astonish you!

Flexible Schedule and Fees

Customize your preferred days per week & hours per day

Call to Schedule a FREE Tour Now!

Ages 6 weeks to 5 years Extended hours available 7am- 7pm

718-388-5600 • twobytwoacademy.com

Register Now for Fall & Camp 2017!

418 Keap Street • Brooklyn , NY

Full /School Day Sessions Available

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 Child Centered, Certified Teachers, Extended House, Year Round Care

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Get $100 off full session registration or $50 off half session registration when you contact the Youth Department and mention promo code NY METRO PARENTS Camps@AviatorSports.com • AviatorCamps.com • (718) 758-7510

CAMP MARKETPLACE

Experience BounceU, where you get to bounce, play, and party. BounceU is where birthdays come to life!

BROOKLYN’S BESTEST Private Birthday Parties Field Trips & Team Parties

NOW OFFERING Day Off Day Camp Summer Camp

Call to reserve your's today!

BounceU of Brooklyn • 347-450-5867 • Bounceu.com/Brooklyn-NY 6722 Ft. Hamilton Pkwy. 2nd Floor • Brooklyn, NY 11219

BrooklynParent 45

FROM OUR ADVERTISERS

Summer Programs for

Older Kids & Teens

As kids get older, you may find it harder to find the right summer program for them. A traditional day camp may not fit their needs anymore, and many programs don’t even include older kids. Teens might be looking for a summer experience more tailored to their individual interests and geared for their age group. Here, courtesy of our sponsors, we’ve compiled some ideas for giving your big kid or teen a memorable summer.

Prospect Park Summer Day Camp for Teens Teen Camp is open to 12-14 year olds. A Teen Camp experience instills the values of accountability and teamwork in addition to the YMCA’s core values of honesty, respect, caring and responsibility.

Teen campers participate in: · · · · · · ·

Team building games Swimming Field trips around NYC Arts & Crafts Sports Leadership Development Workshops Group Discussions

SUMMER CAMPS ARE HERE!

DANCE, SINGING AND DRAMA thestageschoolbrooklyn.com

COST PER TWO WEEK SESSION Member: $484 Non-Member: $545 Park Slope Armory YMCA 361 15th Street Brooklyn, NY 11215

For more information, visit us online at ymcanyc.org/prospectpark.

Movin’ On, the CBE Kids Travel Camp, offers youth entering fourth through ninth grades an exciting summer program of trips and activities. It is designed to meet the camper’s developmental needs, allowing for independence within a supervised environment.

Experienced & Mature staff Two Overnights 5 Days Of trips

Call Bobbie Finkelstein 718-768-3814 x 210 www.congregationbethelohom.org/camp

DRAMA WORKSHOPS FOR AGES 7-17 register today | pipertheatre.org | 718-768-3195

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Photo by Mina Jones

Join your friends at Piper this summer for the best July ever!

PartyCentral Professional services Your local guide to entertainers, party places, activities, and other resources.

PARTY ENTERTAINMENT CLOWNS.COM Proudly Serving Westchester, Long Island, Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the Bronx 516-577-0000; 718-971-5862 clowns.com We are a family-owned and -operated entertainment company, offering a wide range of party and entertainment services including clowns, inflatable bounce houses, characters, magicians, princesses, magic shows, face painting, and party concession rentals.

PARTY ENTERTAINMENT SUGAR VINES 7404 4th Ave. 718-734-2700 sugarvinesflowers.com sugarvinesflowers@gmail.com Sugar Vines sets itself apart from the traditional flower shop by bringing a fresh and unique twist to an old-fashioned practice. In addition to floral decor, we also offer balloons and plush animals to help make any child’s birthday a little more special.

PARTY PLACES ART FUN STUDIO 547 92nd St. 718-680-0508 artfunstudio.com alla@artfunstudio.com Canvas and ceramic painting art studio in Brooklyn. Plan a child’s budget-friend-

ly birthday party or adult’s Sip and Paint event, check our classes or just walk in for spontaneous fun! Seventy five-star reviews on Google and Yelp. Fun and creative packages for all ages.

AVIATOR SPORTS AND EVENTS CENTER 3159 Flatbush Ave. 718-758-7551 aviatorsports.com/birthday-parties There are nine birthday party packages at Aviator Sports that make it easy to create a memorable birthday party for children. All parties include a private party room throughout the duration of the party, and a dedicated party host!

BOUNCEU 6722 Fort Hamilton Parkway (entrance on 67th Street and 9th Avenue), Dyker Heights 347-450-5867 bounceu.com/brooklyn-ny BounceU, the premier birthday party and play experience in all of Brooklyn.

We’re a 30,000-square-foot indoor recreational facility with “YUGE” inflatable play equipment.

KIDS ‘N ACTION 1149 McDonald Ave. 718-377-1818 kidsnaction.com steven@kidsnaction.com Fun and thrills are what your kids will have at Kids ‘N Action. Kids never get bored enjoying our thrilling indoor roller coaster, amusing winding train, exciting go-karts, and action-filled arcade games. Parties include unlimited soft play and rides.

Your local guide to tutors, teachers, lawyers, financial planners, and other professionals DOCTORS & MEDICAL PROVIDERS

PEDIATRIC IMMEDIATE CARE 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-ofthe-art medical office equipment allows us to deliver your test results during your visit. Kid-friendly; walk-ins welcome; most insurance plans accepted.

EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANTS STRATEGIC STAFFING WORKS Brooklyn and Long Island locations 631-649-6573 strategicstaffingworks.com strategicstaffingworks@gmail.com Offers workshops designed to help parents, family, and friends aid people with diverse abilities in their search for volunteer opportunities related to their field of college interest.

LEGAL SERVICES BAKSHI LAW Offices in the Financial District, Long Island, and Westchester 917-244-6133; lawbakshi.com lara.bakshi@gmail.com Bakshi Law specializes in special education law, representing parents and children with disabilities, attending suspension hearings, CSE and resolution meetings. Our attorneys offer assistance on a sliding scale.

.

SPECIAL NEEDS

BAKSHI LAW Offices in the Financial District, Long Island, and Westchester 917-244-6133 lawbakshi.com lara.bakshi@gmail.com Bakshi Law specializes in special education law, representing parents and children with disabilities, attending suspension hearings, CSE and resolution meetings. Our attorneys offer assistance on a sliding scale.

LITTLE OPTICS INC. 192-07 Union Turnpike, Fresh Meadows 53-15 Roosevelt Ave., Woodside 718-468-7500 Hablamos Español littleopticsinc@yahoo.com We provide eyeglasses and professional eye care for children, including infants and young adults. We also alleviate any self-esteem issues associated with the stigma of wearing glasses. When your child leaves Little Optics, rest assured that they will feel confident.

SPECIAL NEEDS EMPLOYMENT STRATEGIC STAFFING WORKS Brooklyn and Long Island locations 631-649-6573 strategicstaffingworks.com strategicstaffingworks@gmail.com Offers workshops designed to help parents, family, and friends aid people with diverse abilities in their search for employment and life-fulfilling volunteer opportunities.

BrooklynParent 47

Meet the Health Care

PROFESSIONAL To be in this section, call 212-315-0800 or email nympads@davlermedia.com 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

Dr. Lois Jackson is very experienced in pediatric dental care for children, adolescents, and patients with special needs. She is the president of the New 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 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!

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.

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-the-art medical office equipment allows us to deliver your test results during your visit. Kidfriendly; 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.

OPEN HOUSES 2017 ABC Child Center

109 Nassau Ave., Greenpoint 718-389-9004 abcchildcenter.com; info@abcchildcenter.com Tour the Infant and Toddler Center and the Preschool, and meet some of the wonderful staff. June 24 from 12-2pm. Balloons and refreshments will be provided. RSVP to info@abcchildcenter.com.

Aviator Sports and Events Center

3159 Flatbush Ave. 718-758-7510 Jason Vasquez, Youth Programs director 718-758-7510 jason@aviatorsports.com Jenna Jones, Hospitality Department manager 718-758-7549 jenna@aviatorsports.com; aviatorsports.com Join us on May 13 from 12:30-3:30pm for our open houses. Camps: Come to camp for a day and experience the magic of Aviator Sports Summer Day Camp! Receive the Early Bird Special if you book your camp on this day! Parties: Learn about our parties and hospitality department. We have pool parties and backyard barbecues during the warm months. Free water slide for those who book their party on this day!

Mill Basin Day Camp

5945 Strickland Ave. 718-251-6200; millbasindaycamp.com Join us for an open house on May 13 from 11am-2pm.

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AD INDEX

NYMetroParents.com features more than 20,000 businesses serving the NY Metropolitan area!

ACROBATICS / GYMNASTICS

CLASSES

FITNESS

Chelsea Piers................................................................ 11

Brienza’s Academic Advantage..................................... 13

Chelsea Piers................................................................ 11

Chelsea Piers................................................................ 11

YMCA - Prospect Park................................................... 46

BIRTHDAY / PARTY SERVICES

Congregation Beth Elohim....................................... 43, 46

Aviator Sports Recreation.............................................. 44

FasTracKids Brooklyn / Staten Island........................... 45

BounceU........................................................................ 45

Fit 4 Dance.................................................................... 42

Chelsea Piers................................................................ 11

Rab’s Country Lanes....................................................... 9

Gulliver’s Gate............................................................... 37

Smart Start.................................................................... 44

Kids N Action................................................................. 23

Stage Theater School.................................................... 46 Two by Two Childcare................................................... 44

CAMPS Aviator Sports Recreation.............................................. 44

DANCE

Camp Bed-Stuy............................................................. 25

Chelsea Piers................................................................ 11

Camp Clio...................................................................... 45

Fit 4 Dance.................................................................... 42

Double Daring Camp Girls............................................. 44 FasTracKids Brooklyn / Staten Island........................... 45 Mill Basin Day Camp....................................................... 5 Oasis Children Services.................................................. 2 Park Slope Day Camp................................................... 52 Piper Theater................................................................. 46 Rab’s Country Lanes....................................................... 9 Smart Start.................................................................... 44 Stepping Stones Preschool........................................... 44

Affinity Health Plan........................................................ 51 Allergy & Asthma Care of Brooklyn......................... 17, 48 Fidelis Care New York..................................................... 3 Jackson, Lois Dr...................................................... 17, 48 Park Slope Kids Dental Care......................................... 19 Pediatric Immediate Care........................................ 19, 48

MUSIC Llingsworth Music.......................................................... 47

Congregation Beth Elohim....................................... 43, 46 DMA Camp.................................................................... 42

HEALTH

EDUCATION ABC Child Center.......................................................... 38

PERFORMING ARTS / ACTING

Brienza’s Academic Advantage..................................... 13

Piper Theater................................................................. 46

FasTracKids Brooklyn / Staten Island........................... 45

Stage Theater School.................................................... 46

Preschool of America..................................................... 15 St. Saviours Catholic Academy..................................... 37

PLAY SPACES

Stepping Stones Preschool........................................... 44

BounceU........................................................................ 45

TLC: Therapy & Learning Center.................................. 42

Kids N Action................................................................. 23

Two by Two Childcare................................................... 44 SPECIAL EVENTS FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT /

YMCA - Prospect Park................................................... 46

EVENTS / OUTINGS

Young People’s Day Camp - Brooklyn............................. 7

BounceU........................................................................ 45

Jewish Week (The)........................................................ 26 Mommybites.................................................................. 14

Gulliver’s Gate............................................................... 37 SPECIAL NEEDS

CHILD CARE / DAY CARE

Kids N Action................................................................. 23

ABC Child Center.......................................................... 38

Land of Make Believe.................................................... 47

Kith and Kin................................................................... 48

Llingsworth Music.......................................................... 47

Mommybites.................................................................. 14

Rab’s Country Lanes....................................................... 9

SPORTS

Preschool of America..................................................... 15

Wild West City............................................................... 21

Aviator Sports Recreation.............................................. 44

OHEL Children’s Home & Family.................................. 23

YMCA - Prospect Park................................................... 46

Smart Start.................................................................... 44 Stepping Stones Preschool........................................... 44

FAMILY TRAVEL

TLC: Therapy & Learning Center.................................. 42

Land of Make Believe.................................................... 47

TUTORS

Two by Two Childcare................................................... 44

Wild West City............................................................... 21

Brienza’s Academic Advantage..................................... 13

BrooklynParent 49

VOICES

Non-Judgment Day in the Village

››

Why I am thankful for all the parenting advice I got along the way—from friends, family, and strangers alike. By Heather Ouida

P

rior to being a mother I thought I knew all there was to know about raising a child. I promised myself that when I had children, my kids would never watch TV, stay up too late, eat junk food, scream in the supermarket, be fresh, or throw sand in the sandbox. I was so judgmental I didn’t even realize I was being so—until I had my first child.

As a mom, I’ve learned I don’t have all the answers, and there is no one right way to raise a child. I recognize that sometimes you can do everything right and your 2-year-old may still flop on the ground and pound his feet in a full-blown, screaming tantrum in the check-out line. I admit what I now profess to know only came about with the help of so many—mothers, friends, even strangers, who, in short, helped me be less judgmental of myself and of others.

I realize now the wisdom of “It takes a village…” and am thankful for all the women who helped me along the way. When my older son was going through a difficult time and I would start a sentence by saying, “Why can’t he just… (fill in the blank: eat like other children, go to mommy-and-me classes without crying, etc.),” they would say, “Because he’s just himself.” This is a mantra from the Village I continue to carry with me today.

Now that I’ve opened this Village door, I can see just how many

people have played a positive, non-judgmental role. When my younger son decided getting up at 3:50am was a totally acceptable time to start his day, my family and friends would call with suggestions, encouragement, and empathy (and the occasional Cosmo when things got really rough!). They reminded me, too, that just as I can’t take credit for all of my kids’ successes (as much as I would like to!), I also can’t take the blame for all the things they sometimes do wrong. “Don’t make this about you and your parenting,” they would say. “Just help them through it.”

The Village cannot be a parochial or provincial place. On that note, I want to acknowledge all the strangers who have helped me out in airports, restaurants, and grocery stores over the years when I was having a hard time with my boys. I promise you and them that I will pay it forward. I will not give you a mean look when your child is screaming, I will not tell you I can’t understand why your child can’t happily share because mine always does. I will not look at my watch when I see your child is up past what I consider to be an acceptable bedtime. I will remember that I, too, have been there. I will remind myself what I have learned from so many others along the way.

I will help you, offer you a hand and listen; I will not judge you.

I am part of your Village, too.

Heather Ouida is the co-founder of Mommybites, a site that offers nanny boards, online parenting education, and other services. She lives in New York City with her husband, two sons, and her pet turtle Squirtle. This essay first appeared on Mommybites.com.

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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 BrooklynParent 51